Mayor Kirk Caldwell on Friday appointed professional engineer and licensed general contractor Glenn Nohara to the board of the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation to replace Colleen Hanabusa, who is heavily favored to win election to represent Hawaii’s 1st Congressional District.

Caldwell appointed Nohara, currently chairman of the board of Koga Engineering and Construction, to serve through the middle of 2021 on the board, which includes nine voting members. Nohara has been at the company in various positions since 1984, according to a press release from Caldwell’s office. Before that, he worked at Hawaiian Dredging Construction Co.

Caldwell said in a statement that Nohara’s experience containing costs in the private sector would serve him well at HART, which has been beset by cost overruns.

“Glenn is a talented cost watchdog,” Caldwell said. “He has the experience necessary to ask tough questions to ensure all cost estimates are accurate and the project is completed to the highest standard.”

Though Hanabusa served as the HART board chair, Nohara will not necessarily take on that role. The board members will vote for a new chair.