by Renelaine Bontol Pfister
Have you ever appreciated the workers pruning trees in public places, fixing broken streetlights and potholes, sweeping sidewalks, and keeping streams tidy? Gene C. Albano does.
Albano was appointed by Mayor Rick Blangiardi in July 2023 as Director and Chief Engineer of the Honolulu Department of Facility Maintenance.
He oversees a staff of six hundred people, among whom are keeping our public spaces safe and clean, including bridges, roads, sidewalks, drainage systems, public buildings and electrical infrastructure.
Born in Los Angeles and raised in Honolulu since he was six months old, Albano traces his roots from Bacarra, Ilocos Norte.
He attended Moanalua Middle and High Schools, and earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering from California State University, Long Beach.
Before he even thought about engineering, Albano recalls when he was a child tagging along with his grandfather and uncles when they were building their family homes.
He shared, “The feel of hammering a nail, the smell of wet concrete, and the satisfaction of seeing walls take shape that quietly planted the seed for my future career.”
After graduating from college, instead of working on the mainland, Albano appreciated the slower pace of life and proximity to family in Honolulu, and decided to stay.
He began his career in a local consulting firm, Nakamura, Oyama and Associates, where he worked for 15 years and where he “learned the value of perseverance and problem-solving through the grind of day-to-day work. Those early years taught me how to think critically, adapt to challenges, and learn from failure.”
He went on to join a global engineering firm, Lincolne Scott, where he became President of the Hawaii office.
After Lincolne Scott was acquired by Williams Sale Partnership USA or WSP, Albano became Senior Vice President of the Honolulu office, handling major building and utilities projects in Hawaii, various Pacific Islands, the continental U.S., and Asia.
“As I advanced to leadership roles within a large, publicly traded global engineering firm, I came to appreciate how every part of an organization from finance and marketing to human resources, technology, and legal must align to deliver success,” he said.
“That experience gave me a holistic view of how great organizations function and how culture, accountability, and communication drive performance.”
When Albano first spoke to Mayor Blangiardi, he hadn’t considered taking a government position. He was flattered and surprised when the mayor later offered him a position on his cabinet, but initially thought he might decline.
However, after months of reflection, prayer and talking to family, close friends, and his wife of 30 years, Shari, he accepted the position as Director and Chief Engineer of Honolulu Department of Facility Maintenance.
Just like deciding to stay and work in Honolulu, accepting this position was his way of giving back to the city that raised and shaped him.
His previous positions have helped him transition into public service. He says “I’ve developed a deep appreciation for our blue-collar workforce, the people who keep our operations running every day, often behind the scenes.”
He’s proud of the recognition of his hardworking staff through emails and letters of appreciation. Moreover, there has been a reduction in position vacancies from 40% to below 20%, and the introduction of new technology has cut down operational inefficiencies since he assumed his role in the city.
The sense of responsibility and commitment is something he learned from his father, a public servant in the state legislature, who taught him the deeper meaning of dedication, purpose, and service.
“Those lessons shaped not only who I am as a professional but also who I am as a person,” he said.
A family man like his father, Albano and his wife raised three children, all of whom have graduated college and earned degrees.
As a proud member of the Filipino community, Albano has represented the mayor in events such as Honolulu–Philippines sister city visits to Manila, Baguio, Vigan, and Laoag.
Aside from his role in the City and County of Honolulu, Albano is active in various organizations like the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air Conditioning Engineers and the Hawaii Society of Healthcare Engineers.
He has served as a volunteer catechist and Buildings Committee Board Member at St. Philomena Parish, youth coach and referee, Board Director for STEM programs at Kaimuki and Waipahu High Schools.
He currently serves as Board Director of the Filipino Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii. And he remains a licensed Professional Engineer in Hawaii, Guam, California, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.
Albano states it is an “honor of a lifetime” to serve as Director and Chief Engineer at DFM.
“In many ways, my journey has come full circle from learning how to deliver on a single engineering task, to helping an entire organization deliver on its mission,” he shared.
“Every step has reinforced my belief that leadership isn’t about authority; it’s about connection, clarity, and the conviction to keep improving for the people we serve.”
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