Hawaii’s state pension system has a familiar face to serve as its newest top administrator.

Current Assistant Administrator Wesley Machida will step up Thursday as the Employees’ Retirement System’s (ERS) administrator, bringing fresh aspirations of improved customer service to the program.

The ERS board appointed Machida to succeed David Shimabukuro, who is retiring after 28 years of service to the colossal pension fund. The system manages about $10.5 billion in assets and last year paid out $840 million in pension payments, the majority of which is spent in Hawaii. In recent years, the program attracted controversy due to its unfunded liability of $6.2 billion and its funded rate of 64.6 percent. Machida told Civil Beat that he’s confident that the system is on track to meet its commitments to retirees.

Machida comes to the new position after 21 years with the retirement system. The administrator oversees the entire fund and reports to a Board of Trustees comprised of eight members.

As the new top leader, the 52-year old’s main ambition is to “help the members out and improve the service we’re giving.”

Machida’s first order of business is to fully staff the pension system following a hiring freeze during budget cuts. He also aspires to enhance customer service by providing ERS members with the assistance they need to make good retirement decisions. Machida hopes more friendly customer service will help state and county employees understand when they’re ready to retire and what resources they have.

“Retirement decisions are so important,” he says. “The five to 10 most important decisions in people’s lives have to do with retirement.”

Born in Moiliili, Machida attended Kamehameha Schools and went on to receive both a bachelors and a masters in business administration from the University of Hawaii. He worked for several years as a licensed CPA in the private sector before coming to the ERS.