There had been great interest in whether William Aila would be retained by Gov. David Ige as chairman of the Board of Land and Natural Resources and head of the Department of Land and Natural Resources.

Neil Abercrombie, the governor who Ige defeated in the Democratic primary, was among those who urged the new governor to keep the popular Aila.

Turns out that Ige is keeping Aila, but not on the Land Board.

Jobie Masagatani will continue to lead Hawaiian Home Lands.

Ige Administration

Instead, Aila will take the No. 2 position at the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands, where he will report to Jobie Masagatani, who is being retained as director of DHHL and chairwoman of the Hawaiian Homes Commission.

Ige is also keeping another Abercrombie appointee, Scott Enright, as chairman of the Hawaii Board of Agriculture. Phyllis Shimabukuro-Geiser will join Enright as deputy director.

Meanwhile, Catherine Awakuni Colón has been appointed director of the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, where Jo Ann Uchida Takeuchi will continue her service as deputy director.

Among the positions still to be filled: Ige’s attorney general and the heads of DLNR, the labor department and public safety.

The latest appointments were announced late Friday; some are subject to state Senate confirmation.