S p o n s o r e d b y H o n B l u e

2 0 1 7 A P A A W A R D S P R O G R A MH A W A I ‘ I C H A P T E R

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GEORGE I. ATTAFAICP, LEED AP

The Hawaii Chapter of the American Planning Association is pleased to present the Donald Wolbrink Chapter Achievement Award to George I. Atta, FAICP, LEED AP. This award recognizes an individual for exemplary planning-related activities that warrant special recognition by the Chapter.

George has been a stalwart member of the American Planning Association (APA), becoming a charter student member of the newly formed APA in 1978 and later serving as the Hawaii Chapter’s President, Vice President, and Chair of the Programs Committee and Public Issues and Governmental Affairs Committee. George has also been active at the national level of APA, participating on the task force on Climate Change, Air Quality and Security, and serving as a founding member of the Indigenous Planning Division. In recognition of his contributions to APA, George has in the past been awarded the Chapter’s Distinguished Leadership Award and Distinguished Service Award.

A proud graduate of Roosevelt High School, George continued his education at the University of Hawaii and Harvard University where he received a Bachelor’s in Liberal Studies and Master’s in City and Regional Planning, respectively. Over a career spanning four decades in the public and private sector, George’s accomplishments and contributions to the planning profession are many. George started his career at the University of Hawaii Research Corporation and later the State Department of Planning and Economic Development where he developed rules for the newly formed Aloha Tower Development Corporation. In 1982, he moved to the City and County of Honolulu Department of General Planning where he worked on adoption of the city’s regional development plans and prioritization of capital improvement projects, before moving to the City’s Office of Council Services where he advised various Council Chairs of the Planning and Zoning, Housing, Parks and Recreation and Transportation Committees.

In 1988 George was invited to join Group 70 International, Inc., where he later became a Principal of the firm and their Chief Community Planner. While at Group 70, George became well known for his passion for and expertise in historic preservation, cultural resource management, indigenous planning, disaster mitigation, and sustainability. George worked on a number of the firm’s signature and award winning projects including the Molokai Island Plan, Mauna Kea Science Reserve Master Plan, and Ke’anae-Wailua Nui Cultural Landscape Study,

In 2013 George transitioned back to the public sector as the Director of the City and County of Honolulu’s Department of Planning and Permitting. During his tenure, George was instrumental in establishing plans and rules to guide transit-oriented development, adoption of the city’s Complete Streets Manual, and implementation of the city’s Age-Friendly City Initiative. George was also known as the Department’s Renaissance Man, starting a department hiking club, serving as an interpreter for Mayor Kirk Caldwell during business trips to Japan and Okinawa, being fluent in both languages. He also collaborated with the HCDA on an initiative to base building height limits on the blending of western ideas of urban design with traditional Hawaiian cultural practices for the Red Hill to Diamond Head area of urban Honolulu.

George is well known for his creative and thoughtful approach to problem-solving and charitable nature. These attributes have made him a reliable member to many organizations including the American Planning Association, Aloha United Way, the Nature Conservancy, the Hawai’i Community Foundation, University of Hawaii Sea Grant, TARO Resource Center, East West Center, Honolulu Harbor Festival, and many others.

For his many accomplishments and contributions to the Planning profession, the American Planning Association commends George Atta!