Owen Miyamoto PE, may have left the job as Airport Administrator in 1997 but he didn't retire. Owen continued to share his knowledge and experience for another twenty years and counting.

Owen's 26 years as  Airports chief, guided the airports from before statehood and through the Ayrioshi  and Waihee administrations and oversaw major airport development throughout the state. Honolulu International Airport expansion included the reef runway, the realignment of Lagoon Drive, Eva gull wing, and the construction of the interisland terminal. A new airport terminal at Kahului, Kona, Hilo and Lihue all were built with his leadership. Owen had more projects in development than all of the administrators that followed put together. 

​

I first met Owen back in 1986, when I was Vice President of Hemmeter Aviation. That was when the DOT-A offices were at the end of the ewa gull wing of the terminal. You would take the round elevator up to the offices and were met by Nona, Owen's assistant and gate guard. 

​

For the next 10 years, I would meet with Owen Miyamoto while representing various companies. I always appreciated Owen for his consistent point of view. You may not always get what you wanted or needed but you had a clear understand why and respected his position. 

After his departure from his role as Airport Administrator, he stayed on with the DOT-A in various capacities. When Kalaeloa Airport came into the airports authority, Owen was tasked with projects to move operations forward. On occasion he would contact me for some advise on the fuel storage facility that the state was developing. Owen also spent many of his retirement years at Honolulu Community College sharing his knowledge and experience with another generation.

 

 

​