George K. Houghtailing, P.E. – 1967 To 1976

George Kamehameha Houghtailing was one of the founding members of Community Planning. The firm's primary focus was land-use planning and early work included completing the Lahaina Restoration Master Plan, the Molokai Master Plan, Moanalua Gardens, Moanalua Valley, and portions of Salt Lake.

Mr. Houghtailing was the hanai son of the legendary Houghtailing family. A man of many talents, he was a registered surveyor, a civil engineer in both Hawaii and Guam, a well-respected planner and he held a Certificate in Traffic Engineering from Yale University.

Before joining Community Planning, he served 19 years at the Honolulu City Planning Commission and Public Works Department and 12 years as the Planning Director for the City and County of Honolulu. During his years in public service, he was instrumental in establishing Honolulu's Planning & Traffic Commission in 1945 and in assisting other counties with creating planning and permitting departments and programs to generate land-use master plans for their respective islands.

Before joining Community Planning he served as the Planning Director for the City and County of Honolulu for 12 years, preceded by 19 years at the City Planning Commission and Public Works Department of the City and County of Honolulu. During his years in public service, he was instrumental in establishing Honolulu’s Planning & Traffic Commission in 1945 and in assisting the Counties of Maui, Hawaii, and Kauai with creating planning and permitting departments and programs to generate land-use master plans for their respective islands.

Shortly after Community Planning became a Charter Member of the American Society of Planners in 1967, Mr. Houghtailing assumed full leadership of the firm. During the decade he served as President, Community Planning provided planning and engineering services to Bishop Estate for its lands in the Leeward region of Oahu between Kalauao (Pearlridge) and Waiawa. Under his leadership, the firm grew and began providing utilities master-planning services and developed strong relationships with developers where it earned a reputation for punctuality and attention to detail and for producing solid, cost-effective designs.

In 1976, Mr. Houghtailing stepped down as President, passing leadership to Bernard P. Kea, Sr. He retired in 1984. During his career, Mr. Houghtailing served as Chairman of the Airport Zoning Board and Vice-Chairman of the Traffic Safety Commission and was a member of the Engineering Association of Hawaii, American Institute of Planners, Institute of Traffic Engineers, and National Society of Professional Engineers.