Our Team

Ather R. Dar has been in the field of structural engineering since 1979. He has served in the capacity of Project Structural Engineer, Project Manager and Principal Engineer on a wide range of projects. Mr. Dar formed Hawaii Engineering Group in 1993 and is the President and CEO of the company.

His experience includes design of high-rise buildings, highway bridges, forensic engineering analysis and remediation, commercial and industrial buildings, telecommunication structure, carport ground mounts and rooftop, photo voltaic projects, wind farm projects, residential structures, precast concrete construction, water retaining structures, and computer-aided analysis and design.

Mr. Pham’s broad engineering experience spans over 48 years, and includes the design and construction of all types of structures such as high-rise condominiums, hotels, office buildings, commercial building, bridges, waterfront structures and infrastructure.

High-profile projects currently under construction where Mr. Pham has served as the lead design engineer (while with other firms) include Leiopapa A Kamehmeha State Office Building in Honolulu, HI and the Maui Prince Hotel in Makena, HI.

Roy Irei has over 20 years of experience in the wireless telecommunication industry, Site Design, Project Management and Land Use. He was responsible for the construction of 300+ new telecommunication sites (towers and rooftops) and modified nearly 600 telecommunication sites statewide. In 2004, his creativity expanded beyond the conventional 3-sectored sites to many 4-sectored sites by modifying the software program. In 2013, he successfully trialed and implemented an 18 miles remote strand mount antenna design.  Roy chaired the Honolulu Zoning Board of Appeals from 1996 – 2004.

Mr. Arca has over 20 years of experience in construction management. His experience includes inspection of electrical work installation on rough-in works, wiring, testing and commissioning of electrical equipment, and is licensed in ground resistance testing. Rob’s extensive experience in field construction special inspection, includes masonry placement, concrete placement, rebar installation, concrete repair and bridge inspection. His recent projects include Nanakuli, Waimanalo, Flood Control Channel Improvements in both Nanakuli and Waimanalo, HI.

Clayton Kaneshiro has been practicing land surveying for over 30 years. He started his career with the State of Hawaii Survey Division and served the State for 17 years before going into the private sector. He gained surveying knowledge and experience in topographic and boundary stakeouts, ALTA surveys, shoreline surveys, running elevations and continued to qualify and be promoted up to Land Boundary Surveyor III.

His diverse experience in surveying includes performing the calculation and preparation of various types of land boundary maps, easement maps, Land Court and File Plans, preparing legal meters and bounds descriptions and supervising survey crews and coordinating with project developers and planners to determine the methods, criteria, time and personnel required to accomplish project objectives. Clayton is currently a member and has served on the board of The Hawaii Land Surveyors Association in various positions including President. Clayton is also a member of the National Society of Professional Surveyors. 

Mr. Welch’s broad engineering experience spans over 50 years and includes the design of various power, data and telecommunication products and systems. He has managed manufacturing, operations, testing and quality programs for several companies including VeriFone, AT&T, Spirent Communications and Hewlett-Packard.

Mr. Welch’s experience with the design, testing and installation of wide range of communication and power subsystems for communications equipment includes evaluation and resolution of both operational and regulatory problems in the power, telephony, RF and IT environments. PV experience includes the electrical design of multiple commercial and several hundred residential photovoltaic power systems for grid connection on Oahu, Maui, Big Island and Kauai. These projects include FIT, SIA, and residential/commercial net-metering projects over 1MW.

Mr. Fernandez has 37 years of engineering experience in project management, software development, telecommunications to include OSP and IP networks, drafting, electronic security and power systems. Mr. Fernandez has
mainly worked in the Federal government sector.

Mr. Fernandez holds two cyber security patents with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) with published
papers recognized and hosted by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST).

Mr. Fernandez has over 3 decades of drafting experience in AutoCAD Traditional and most recently in AutoCAD Electrical. Mr. Fernandez has experience in documenting engineering requirements, solutions, tests, assessments, statements of work (SOW), workflows and operating procedures.

Mr. Fernandez has co-authored electrical assessment studies on commercial complexes on Oahu. Mr. Fernandez has co-
designed PV and storage systems on Oahu and Maui for DHHL. Mr Fernandez has participated in the Pali Tunnel lighting power analysis.

Mr. Santoro is a civil engineer with over 30 years of experience, working on projects in the United States and Honduras. He is licensed in the states of Hawaii, Arizona, New Mexico, and Ohio.

He has an abundance of experience in water resources, infrastructure, and site development. He has been involved with projects during all phases, including planning, surveying, preliminary and final design, and coordination with government officials. Mr. Santoro spent a lot of time working in the field, surveying, performing construction inspections and providing supervision. He has prepared all types of site development plans and reports, including site plans, grading plans, construction and improvement plans, water and sewer plans, drainage and hydrology reports, and feasibility studies. He also has extensive experience with the design and inspection of vehicular and pedestrian bridges.

Matt Aromando is a Professional Engineer and licensed drone pilot with more than five years of experience in collecting, processing, and analyzing aerial data. His technical expertise spans hydrologic modeling and watershed analysis, where he supports projects through accurate data interpretation and innovative problem-solving.

In addition to his engineering work, Matt develops GIS-based web applications and interactive dashboards that empower clients to manage, visualize, and understand complex datasets from field collection and other sources. His commitment to precision, efficiency, and modern data-driven solutions makes him a valuable contributor to engineering, environmental, and geospatial projects.

Yu is a structural engineer at Hawaii Engineering Group. She is multidisciplined and has over 20 years of experience in all phases of structural engineering. Her expertise extends beyond wood, steel, concrete & masonry design. She is detail orientated and a problem solver. As a passionate engineer, she is here to provide quality and outstanding structural solutions for our community.

Besides her work as an engineer, Yu is also an avid Hula dancer and an advocate for young woman in engineering.

Kitty Saludares is a results-driven Business Consultant with a Bachelor of Science in Information Technology and Business Administration, bringing over a decade of expertise in federal contract acquisition, procurement, and RFP/RFI execution. She has recruited and led high-performing teams to deliver mission-critical projects for the Department of Defense (DoD) and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), managing time, materials, and labor across IT services such as systems integration, ATO cybersecurity, regulatory compliance, and vendor negotiations.

Outside of work, Kitty enjoys playing the piano and listening to music, which fuels her creativity and focus.

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She is a Senior CAD Technician, ESCP Coordinator, and HAAG Certified Inspector with 9 years of experience preparing detailed design drawings for civil, structural, and construction projects. She is proficient in AutoCAD and ME10, bringing a strong focus on accuracy, efficiency, and effective teamwork. Her commitment to maintaining high quality standards ensures that design intent is clearly met while supporting project teams throughout the process.

Rahman Dar is a Project Manager at Hawaii Engineering Group and a West Point graduate with 7+ years of leadership experience in operations, logistics, and facilities programs. He brings a detail-driven approach to planning, budgeting, and execution, with a track record of improving accountability and readiness through better systems and processes.

As a CAD Drafter, I am responsible for preparing detailed drawings and assembling complete plan sets for various projects. My role includes ensuring accuracy, clarity, and compliance with all required standards.

I also manage the permitting process by completing applications and submitting drawings to the Department of Planning and Permitting (DPP) for building permit review. By coordinating documentation and maintaining organized submissions, I help ensure a smooth and efficient permitting workflow.

Azadeh is a seasoned AutoCAD Technician and Drafter with extensive experience across mechanical, electrical, civil, and structural disciplines, contributing to industrial, military, commercial, and residential projects. Her career spans over three decades, including pivotal roles in petrochemical plants and multidiscipline engineering firms in both Iran and Hawaii. Notably, she has delivered comprehensive drawing sets from P&IDs and piping isometrics to HVAC and electrical layouts, demonstrating deep expertise in AutoCAD and manual drafting. Her work on high-impact projects such as international airports, oil and gas facilities, and university campuses highlights her technical versatility and enduring contribution to engineering design.

Seasoned engineering professional with over 40 years of experience spanning architectural design, mechanical systems, and electrical engineering. Her extensive experience enables her to bridge disciplines, streamline design workflows, and contribute to technically sound, permit- ready construc!on documents. Her precision and adaptability make her a cri!cal resource in delivering high-performance engineering solu!ons across public and private sectors.

She enjoys spending time with the family at the beach, doing water sports. Also, likes to do gardening. “Preserve the Aina”

With over 20 years of experience, I demonstrate exceptional expertise in boundary identification and resolving encroachments. My keen attention to detail within field surveying allows me to consistently provide accurate and reliable data. I also bring an extra layer of quality control to the team, ensuring our equipment is well-calibrated and ready.

In his personal time, Kevin enjoys fishing and diving.

Jacob began his land surveying career while working on Kauai as a carpenter. He later moved into the public sector, gaining extensive experience with utility projects for the City of Los Angeles and earning his Professional Land Surveyor license in California, as well as a degree in Surveying & Mapping. After returning to Hawaii with his wife, Jacob now works as a Project Surveyor, focusing on boundary surveys and a wide range of other land surveying projects. He enjoys surfing and hiking on his time off.

Aleczander has been with Hawaii Engineering Group for 10 years, taking on key responsibilities within the survey department. He works closely with the licensed Land Surveyor and clients to coordinate field crews for a wide range of projects—from straightforward topographic surveys to more complex ones like ALTA surveys and Condominium Property Regime (CPR) subdivisions. As one of the lead CAD technicians, he helps process survey data and ensures deliverables are completed quickly and efficiently.

Outside the office, he’s often spotted at popular tourist spots taking photos of his wife or enjoying time at the beach with his grandkids.

As a survey technician with over 9 years of experience, I assist my crew chief in measuring and mapping land. Understanding the scope of work, being familiar with all our survey equipment, and preparing for the different types of jobs we do, are key to our team’s success. The precision and functionality of the equipment we use is very important, so being sure that all our tools are calibrated, stored accordingly, and safely for future use is one of the many things I love doing as a Survey Technician for HEG.

My hobbies include spending quality time with family and friends and doing small repairs on family vehicles.