Hawaii Business Magazine March 2025

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ENTREPRENEUR AWARDS P.69

M A RC H 2025

HAWAIIBUSINESS .COM

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A S P E C I A L S E C T I O N B Y T H E H AWA I ‘ I L E A D E R S H I P F O R U M

INSPIRING LEADERSHIP FOR A BETTER HAWAI‘I Throughout the years, leadership development programs have helped local leaders nurture skills, build confidence, and connect with peers across different sectors. While the programs’ participants may vary in background, they share a common dedication to the shared responsibility of addressing our islands’ most pressing issues.

Pacific Century Fellows visit He‘eia Fishpond in Kaneohe.

PACIFIC CENTURY FELLOWS

Hawai‘i’s Landmark Leadership Training Program pacificcenturyfellows.com

Founded in 1996 by former Mufi Honolulu Mayor Mufi Hannemann, Hannemann, Pacific Century Fellows (PCF) has Founder, Pacific gained prominence as Hawai‘i’s Century Fellows landmark leadership training program. Modeled after the White House Fellows program, Fellows gain a deeper insight into civic duty through direct engagement with community, corporate and government leaders. PCF aims to unite Hawai‘i’s emerging leaders from diverse professions and backgrounds to tackle challenges while fostering innovation and community service.

“Hawai‘i will face numerous challenges in the upcoming years,” said Mufi Hannemann, founder of Pacific Century Fellows. “To prosper economically and ensure a stronger future for our island home, we must identify and support the next generation of emerging leaders.” 

PATSY MINK LEADERSHIP ALLIANCE Increasing Female Representation mcblhawaii.org/mink-leaders

The Patsy T. Mink Leadership Alliance, a program at YWCA Colleen McAluney, O‘ahu’s Patsy T. Mink Center Director, Patsy for Business & Leadership, was T. Mink Center launched in 2016 to increase for Business & the representation of women Leadership executives in Hawai‘i. Today they celebrate an alumnae base of 150 Mink Leaders representing women in diverse industries across the state.

“Our Mink alumnae are leaders and entrepreneurs who are committed to personal growth, professional impact, and community leadership,” said Colleen McAluney, director of Patsy T. Mink Center for Business & Leadership.

“Ultimately, we hope to increase the representation of women executives in finance, health, energy, education, insurance, construction, legal, military, state and government agencies, and nonprofits.” 

H AWA I I L E A D E R S H I P F O R U M .O R G

Omidyar Fellows, HANO Fellows, and ‘Ōiwi Leadership Accelerator—each led by previous 20 for the Next 20 honorees—aim to cultivate courageous leadership throughout Hawai‘i among emerging leaders as well as established and accomplished professionals.

Omidyar Fellows volunteer at Waikamoi Preserve on Maui.

HANO FELLOWS Serving Hawai‘i’s Unique Needs hanofellows.org

Hawai‘i Alliance of Nonprofit Organizations (HANO) Fellows is a multi-month cohort program designed to support leadership Melissa Miyashiro, development, share nonprofit President & CEO, management principles, and foster Hawai‘i Alliance peer relationships in the local of Nonprofit nonprofit community. Participants Organizations; represent diverse missions and 20 for the Next 20, perspectives but are united by their Class of 2020 dedication to serving the people and communities of Hawai‘i.

Melissa Miyashiro, a proud graduate of Cohort I of the HANO Fellows program, became HANO’s president and CEO in 2024. “Being in the HANO Fellows program helped me build my confidence, develop a strong peer network, and reignite my commitment to serving the community,” said Miyashiro. “The program empowers nonprofit sector leaders and connects diverse perspectives to further equity and justice in Hawai‘i.” 

OMIDYAR FELLOWS Drive Impact and Catalyze Positive Change omidyarfellows.org

Omidyar Fellows, the cornerstone program of the Hawai‘i Leadership Forum (HLF), is grounded in the belief that Hawai‘i’s strength lies in leaders who embrace the shared AJ Halagao, responsibility of addressing our President, Hawai‘i Leadership Forum; islands’ most pressing issues.

20 for the Next 20, After participating in a yearClass of 2023 long curriculum, Fellows remain engaged through the Forum of Fellows, an ongoing and enduring element of the program that fosters continued collaboration, skill building, and impact projects.

In 2023, AJ Halagao, a member of Omidyar Fellows Cohort II, became the first Fellow to serve as president of HLF. “I’ve been grateful to be part of the Omidyar Fellows who are committed to making Hawai‘i better,” Halagao says. “It’s an honor that now, in my role with HLF, I also get to help develop, engage, and inspire other leaders to create positive change.” 

‘ŌIWI LEADERSHIP ACCELERATOR Culture-Driven Leadership oiwileadershipaccelerator.com

With a mission to strengthen Hawai‘i’s local workforce, the ‘Ōiwi Leadership Accelerator (OLA) Ku‘ulani seeks to equip Native Hawaiians Keohokalole, and kama‘āina with leadership CEO, People Strategies Hawai‘i; skills grounded in Hawaiian culture, 20 for the Next 20, place-based, and communityClass of 2023 focused values. Launched by People Strategies Hawai‘i in partnership with Kamehameha Schools and Hawai‘i Employers Council, OLA invites Hawai‘i-born professionals to commit to their growth while learning in a cohort-based community dedicated to improving their island home.

“Our program aims to cultivate a new generation of Native Hawaiian and kama‘āina professionals in and for Hawai‘i, significantly increasing their representation in key positions across various industries throughout the state,” said Ku‘ulani Keohokalole, CEO of People Strategies Hawai‘i. 

PHOTO: GETTY IMAGES

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FEATURES

ORGANIZATIONS ARE ENCOURAGED TO ENTER TEAMS IN THE HONOLULU OPEN, HAWAI‘I’S LARGEST INDOOR PICKLEBALL EVENT. LEARN MORE ON PAGE 51.

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Dynamic People to Watch Over the Next Two Decades Meet the 20 for the Next 20: Already accomplished individuals, these emerging leaders represent industries and places from across Hawai‘i.

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I Gave a Kidney to a Stranger – You Should Consider It Too Hawaii Business Staff Writer Ryann Noelani Coules describes everything from her initial decision to meeting the recipient whose life she saved.

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An Undemocratic Rule that Led to Influence and Power Hawai‘i’s governors fill vacant seats at the Legislature. Many appointees leveraged that unearned incumbency into powerful political careers.

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Hawai‘i Uses Federal Money on Broadband Infrastructure Led by the lieutenant governor, a mix of government and private money is increasing the speed and reach of the local internet system.

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Meet Winners & Finalists of Hawaii Entrepreneur Awards Profiles of people and companies, including the year’s top innovator, intrapreneur and investor, plus deal of the year and a lifetime award.

Congratulations to our own Aaron Vallely and all of the 20 for the Next 20 honorees!

His leadership, mentorship, and commitment to the community exemplify our always right by you spirit. We’re proud to celebrate Aaron’s accomplishments as well the outstanding achievements of all of this year’s honorees.

Join our team today!

/HawaiiStateFCU

Hawaii State FCU is more than a bank, and not just another credit union.

We’re a place where “Always Right By You” isn’t just a tag line to those we serve, but a promise to our employees. We strive to provide a workplace that is fun, productive and offers opportunities for professional and life-long learning and growth. Discover more about Hawaii State FCU and explore the stories of our employees. Visit www.HawaiiStateFCU.com/careers to hear our employees share their stories.

03.25

CONTENTS

14

Bringing Up the Past to Heal Old Wounds

A national nonprofit and a Hawai‘i-based company work together to recover undersea MIA remains from World War II.

TWO DIVERS SEARCHING FOR MIA REMAINS GET COMFORTABLE DURING A LENGTHY DECOMPRESSION STOP. A SLOW AND CAREFULLY PRESCRIBED ASCENT WITH PERIODIC STOPS ALLOWS THE SAFE RELEASE OF POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS NITROGEN FROM A DIVER’S BODY.

PHOTO COURTESY: CHRIS PEREZ, LEGION UNDERSEA SERVICES

Considering the Challenges of the Local News Media Editor Steve Petranik says the future of our democracy depends on good independent journalism, locally and nationally.

10

Our Surveys About Governor’s and Legislature’s Performance In our polls of businesspeople and the general public, we also asked about personal life, neighborhoods, public safety and much more.

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His Job Is Connecting People with the Night Sky Nick Bradley’s stargazing events are “about exposing more people to the wonders of the universe” and about just having fun.

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Why Use Film Photography?

It Provides “A Warmer Feel” Our Parting Shot is shot on film at a local shop that caters to amateurs and pros who like the inviting look of the traditional method.

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SPECI A L A DV ERTI SI NG SECTI ON Banking Report Leaders in the local banking industry discuss current financial news and trends.

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A N

O P E N

M I N D

Lessons from My Parents and State of the Local News Media

I

F YOU COUNT THE FIVE YEARS I DELIVERED NEWSPAPERS AS A KID, I HAVE WORKED IN THE NEWS BUSINESS FOR 55 YEARS. I am proud of the

work my colleagues and I did – we were never perfect but most of us worked hard to provide accurate, useful and timely information that was fundamental to people’s lives and to democracy.

As I look forward to retiring as editor in chief of Hawaii Business Magazine midyear, I worry equally about the future of our democracy and the future of good independent journalism because they are so intertwined.

I initially learned of that connection from my parents; it wasn’t anything they said, but what they did.

They led hard working-class lives but they made time to read newspapers and watched TV news almost every day because they were also dedicated citizens of their adopted country.

They had escaped dictators, communism and fascism in Europe and knew how important democracy was to their present and their children’s future. They understood journalism was fundamental to that equation.

Watergate reinforced that lesson for me.

MONEY PROBLEMS

The local news media faces many huge challenges, but money is fundamental to all of them. Every organization depends on money coming in: For the news media – whether for-profit or nonprofit – that means money from advertising, circulation, grants, donations, sponsors or sugar daddies.

Nationwide and in Hawai‘i, local media used to be owned by local residents who were among the richest people in town. (As the old joke goes, “Freedom of the press belongs to those who own one.”) Think Cec Heftel (KGMB), Chinn Ho (Honolulu Star-Bulletin) and Thurston Twigg-Smith (Honolulu Advertiser).

Many of them and their families made their money from the news media because the news business was profitable. Today it is more common for local media owners to be based on the continent or to make money in another field before buying or launching local media.

At the turn of this century, Honolulu’s two dailies had about 200 news staffers total. Today, the merged paper, the Star-Advertiser, has about 40 and is owned by Carpenter Media and its finance partners on the continent.

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Hawaii Business and its sister magazines – Honolulu, Hawai‘i and Hawaii Home + Remodeling – are some of the few exceptions among widely distributed, for-profit local media. As our motto proudly declares, we are locally owned. Thank God our owner is Duane Kurisu because profit-driven we aren’t. But neither are we flush with cash.

Our reporting can be found in our print magazine and at hawaiibusiness.com, where it’s free for everyone. That means more people read our stories – I like that. But the web ads pay a fraction of a penny per view – and that’s impossible to like.

ALMOST A VOW OF POVERTY

For those in the trenches, journalism was never a path to affluence but most jobs paid middle-class wages, and in Hawai‘i, that made possible a decent family life with children. There are now fewer jobs and the salaries of many of those no longer lead to a middle-class family life here. That’s why so many journalists have switched to careers in corporate and government communications and PR. That happened a lot in the past, too, but became a flood during my career because the pay and opportunities are almost always better.

Yes, the internet provides more choices for where to get your news, but it also provides a million sources of misinformation. And it’s disrupted the business model of local news. Good reporting takes time, energy and money, and usually involves explaining nuance and context. Simple lies can be created in a few seconds for free – and too many people prefer simple answers.

I feel guilty about retiring when the future of American journalism and democracy are in such jeopardy. But age and exhaustion forced my hand, and I want to enjoy my life in Hawai‘i more.

But I will stay engaged. And if you care about our democracy, please also invest your time and money in good independent journalism, both local and national.

Recent history here, on the mainland and abroad proves one will not survive without the other.

STEVE PETRANIK EDITOR AND EXECUTIVE PUBLISHER

HB EVENTS

C O N N E C T W I T H H AWA I I B U S I N E S S M AGA Z I N E

L O C A L LY OW N E D , L O C A L LY C O M M I T T E D SINCE 1955.

Our goal is to strengthen the local economy and help our communities thrive.

Publisher KENT COULES kentc@hawaiibusiness.com • (808) 364-5869

A PARTY TO CELEBRATE GREAT WORKPLACES FRIDAY, MARCH 28 Hilton Hawaiian Village Organizations chosen for the Best Places to Work in Hawai‘i are recognized and honored at a fun and exciting celebration.

The

LEARN, CONNECT AND BE INSPIRED FRIDAY, MAY 2 Prince Waikiki The third annual half-day conference is an informative and motivating event that helps women-owned businesses succeed.

Editor & Executive Publisher STEVE PETRANIK stevep@hawaiibusiness.com • (808) 534-7584 Editorial Managing Editor CYNTHIA WESSENDORF cynthiaw@hawaiibusiness.com • (808) 224-7943 Staff Writer RYANN NOELANI COULES ryannc@hawaiibusiness.com Staff Writer SHELBY MATTOS shelbym@hawaiibusiness.com Copy Editor ELROY GARCIA Editorial Interns: SAVONNA ANDREWS, LAUREL GALVIN, ALLYSON WHALEY

Design & Photography Creative Director JEFF SANNER jeffs@hawaiibusiness.com Staff Photographer AARON YOSHINO Digital Digital Director RANDALL LIBRAMONTE randalll@hawaiibusiness.com • (808) 534-7531 Sales & Marketing Account Executive YONGCHAE SONG yongchaes@hawaiibusiness.com • (808) 228-5078 Senior Account Coordinator REBECCA BROOKING rebeccab@hawaiibusiness.com • (808) 534-7560 Events Manager MADELENE MARTINBIANCO madelenem@hawaiibusiness.com • (808) 534-7578 Events Coordinator OLIVIA DE SENA oliviad@hawaiibusiness.com Circulation circulation@pacificbasin.net Connect with us on social media: HawaiiBusiness HawaiiBusinessmagazine

Hawaii Business is published by

UPCOMING EVENTS: DEVELOP YOUR SKILLS, BUILD YOUR NETWORK FRIDAY, JULY 25

Leadership Conference

The 12th annual Leadership Conference is dedicated to the advancement of Hawai‘i’s emerging leaders.

Hilton Hawaiian Village

For more information on events, visit hawaiibusiness.com/events or contact Madelene Martinbianco, Events Manager, at madelenem@hawaiibusiness.com

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Chairman DUANE KURISU Chief Executive Officer SUSAN EICHOR Chief Operating Officer BRANDON KURISU Chief Revenue Officer PATRICK KLEIN

BY JULIE ZACK

Bringing Up the Past to Heal Old Wounds Project Recover and Honolulu-based Legion Undersea Services work to find and bring home America’s missing in action

ONLOOKERS COULD SEE THE AVENGER TORPEDO BOMBER SPIRALING, starting at 5,000 feet,

then plummeting toward the ocean below. Onboard were three Navy men: Lt. Jay Manown Jr., aviation ordnanceman first class Anthony Di Petta and radioman first class Wilbur Mitts. The men were classified as missing in action after the crash, leaving their families without closure.

The crash occurred Sept. 10, 1944, while U.S. forces fought to gain control of the western Pacific islands 14 | M A R C H 2 0 2 5

of Palau during World War II. The men were among more than 81,000 American service members still classified as MIA from that war and other conflicts since, which left their relatives wondering: Where is my loved one?

However, advanced technology, coupled with historical research, has made it possible to locate and retrieve MIA service members, sometimes many decades later. Manown and his crew were lost for more than 70 years until their crash site was discovered

by Project Recover in 2015.

MISSION-DRIVEN RESEARCH AND RECOVERY

Project Recover is a citizen-led nonprofit founded in 1993 that focuses on finding and repatriating MIA service members. “We feel that we represent the American collective in putting forth the resilient efforts to keep the solemn promise America makes to those who swear an oath to our Constitution that we will do everything we can to return them home should they fall in service

PHOTO COURTESY: CHRIS PEREZ, LEGION UNDERSEA SERVICES

OFF THE COAST OF PALAU, DIVER BLAKE RIDDLE REHEARSES UPCOMING TASKS IN HIS MIND BEFORE ENTERING THE WATER. WITH LIMITED TIME BELOW, THE TEAM CAREFULLY PREPARES TO ENSURE EVERYTHING GOES SMOOTHLY AND SAFELY.

“

IT’S A GOOD THING TO SEE OLD WOUNDS GETTING HEALED AND PEOPLE GETTING THIS GENERATIONAL SENSE OF ABSENCE FINALLY CLOSED.” – NICK ZABORSKI CO-FOUNDER, LEGION UNDERSEA SERVICES

to our nation,” says Derek Abbey, president and CEO of Project Recover.

In more than three decades, Project Recover has identified and documented sites associated with over 300 MIA service members. It works with the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, the Defense Department agency that officially identifies remains for repatriation.

Project Recover specializes in finding sites through years of research, but it sometimes needs outside help, especially

for missions that require modern commercial diving methods.

For that, it partners with Legion Undersea Services, a diving company headquartered in Honolulu.

FORMER NAVY DIVERS MAKING A DIFFERENCE

Legion Undersea Services was founded by two retired Navy divers, Nick Zaborski and John Marsack. The men became close friends during their Navy careers,

with Marsack eventually serving as best man in Zaborski’s wedding.

They retired from the military around the same time and stayed in touch, but both initially found working in the civilian world unrewarding.

“We didn’t have enough sense of purpose,” Zaborski explains. “We needed something bigger than ourselves to work toward.”

They decided to start their own diving company, thinking they would focus on disaster relief. Not long after they began operating, Zaborski got a call from an old colleague that he’d worked with on a recovery mission in 2008 while still on active duty. During that mission, he was part of a team that recovered the remains of service members who had been missing since Sept. 1, 1944.

H AWA I I B U S I N ES S | 15

RECOVERING THE “BABES IN ARMS”

Zaborski was part of Mobile Diving and Salvage Unit One at Hickam Air Force Base in 2008. When he got assigned to go to Palau, he thought it would be a fun getaway. His attitude shifted after seeing an image of the crew he would attempt to recover from the B-24 dubbed “Babes in Arms.” The bomber had crashed nine days before Manown’s and both crash sites were identified by Project Recover.

“I remember feeling like, wow, those guys, they’re in the prime of their life, and it was cut short and they’re down there,” Zaborski recalls.

“If things were different, it could be them looking for us.” That experience set the mood for the mission.

Mobile Diving and Salvage Unit One successfully recovered the remains of the “Babes in Arms” crew.

For Zaborski, who knows from his own family how devastating it can be to have a loved one remain MIA, it was a transformative experience.

“I have an uncle from WWII who didn’t come back and I could always feel that loss, even when I was a little kid. I remember feeling it in the family,” Zaborski says.

A FINAL RESTING PLACE

A DIVER ATTACHES A LIFTING STRAP TO A LARGE SECTION OF AN AIRCRAFT SO A CRANE CAN TEMPORARILY MOVE PARTS OF THE WRECKAGE. THEN EXPLORATION CAN CONTINUE UNDERNEATH.

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Project Recover, in conjunction with groups like Legion Undersea Services, aims to give families closure.

In 2021, Legion Undersea Services partnered with Project Recover to retrieve Manown and his crew.

On that first trip, the team was able to recover Di Petta and Mitts, but were unable to locate Manown. The remains of the two enlisted men were transferred to the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency where they were formally identified, then released to their families.

Zaborski attended Mitts’ funeral and was moved upon meeting his family. “It’s a good thing to see old wounds getting healed and people

PHOTOS COURTESY: CHRIS PEREZ, LEGION UNDERSEA SERVICES

AFTER 80 YEARS UNDERWATER OFF PALAU, THIS AIRCRAFT ENGINE WAS THOROUGHLY INSPECTED BY THE ARCHEOLOGICAL TEAM, AND THEN CAREFULLY PLACED BACK ON THE SEA FLOOR. ALL AIRCRAFT COMPONENTS WERE RETURNED TO THE CRASH SITE FOR THE SAKE OF HISTORICAL PRESERVATION, AT THE REQUEST OF PALAU.

getting this generational sense of absence finally closed,” he says.

Roughly two years later, Marsack and Zaborski returned to Palau to continue their search for Manown.

Eventually, they found his flight seat and control stick and soon after recovered his remains.

Like his brothers-in-arms, Manown’s remains went to the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency for identification before being released to family members.

In October 2024, more than 80 years after the crash, Manown was laid to rest in his hometown of Kingwood, West Virginia. Relatives of each crew member attended the service.

Christopher Perez, another former Navy diver and the media specialist for Legion Undersea Services, was also there. “I was asked by many, ‘Why do you guys risk your life for these missions?’ and my response was because all of us divers wore the same uniform these guys did, and if any of us were to go missing, I’d hope my brothers would come looking for me, no matter how long it took,” he says.

“At the end of the day, that’s all we’re doing, looking for our lost brothers who deserve to come back home with dignity.” projectrecover.org | legionundersea.com

AN AIRCRAFT COMPONENT IS ANALYZED BY THE ARCHEOLOGICAL TEAM. IDENTIFYING AIRCRAFT PARTS CAN HELP DETERMINE WHAT AREAS SHOULD RECEIVE INCREASED INVESTIGATION AND RECOVERY EFFORTS.

H AWA I I B U S I N ES S | 17

M Y

J O B

BY SAVVY ANDRE W S

Connecting People With the Night Sky

NICK BRADLEY, born and raised on O‘ahu, developed a passion for astronomy at a young age and eventually turned the hobby into his profession.

His stargazing events are “about exposing more people to the wonders of the universe – getting them to look up, be curious, ask questions, find the answers and share what they learn. And honestly, it’s just a fun experience for literally anyone.”

INSPIRATION: In middle school, he

NAME: NICK BRADLEY JOB: ASTRONOMER AND OWNER COMPANY: STARGAZERS OF HAWAII

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discovered a book about constellations. He began connecting the dots in the night sky, using binoculars to explore. His curiosity grew when he visited the Bishop Museum and experienced its planetarium show. There he also learned about the local astronomy club, which introduced him to serious stargazing.

“Growing up, I was always just curious how things worked. I used to take things apart, even if they were still working, to try and figure out how they worked and learn something from it,” he says.

“I used giant telescopes to look at amazing things. And now I’m left asking, ‘How do the stars work?

How does the galaxy work? How does the universe work?’ I gotta know!”

PHOTOS: COURTESY NICK BRADLEY

TURNING POINT: In January 2019,

Bradley turned his love of the stars into a business.

Bradley faced a slow-down in the pandemic, but it gave him time to be more thoughtful about his business, refine his marketing strategy, build his reputation in the community and plan for the future. After the pandemic, the business took off, he says.

Stargazers of Hawaii today offers both public and private shows for locals and visitors, including events at Turtle Bay Resort, Prince Waikiki, Royal Hawaiian Center and Salt Kaka‘ako. Using 7-foot telescopes and stargazing apps, the shows engage audiences with hands-on explorations and visual aids that make stargazing and astronomical concepts accessible.

ASTRONOMY COMMUNITY: The

blend of tradition and exploration helps make the astronomy community in Hawai‘i so special,” Bradley says.

“We have the museum, which presents and shares research; the navigators, who study the stars; and the Institute for Astronomy, with all the giant telescopes on Haleakalā and Maunakea. There’s so much spark and curiosity. … It’s kind of a mecca for stargazing.”

PARENTS BECOME KIDS: Stargaz-

ers of Hawaii also does birthday parties, weddings and school visits – “anything outside that you can think of works great!” he says.

“Those community events are really fun,” he says. “.... It’s amazing to see schools and parents getting involved. Many of the parents have never looked through a telescope before so it’s a whole new experience for them as well. They become the kids.”

HAWAIIAN CULTURE: Bradley says

stargazing is a way to honor the ancestral knowledge that Hawaiians have used for centuries to navigate the Pacific Ocean. The ancient practice of wayfinding – in which navigators use the stars, ocean swells, wind patterns and more to chart their course – is always discussed during his events.

“We talk about wayfinding – the traditional way and the modern way – as well as incorporate Hawaiian stories, along with the stars.”

H AWA I I B U S I N ES S | 19

FOR THE NEXT

20 20

CONGRATULATIONS TO EDDIE QUAN for reaching higher and going further.

Bank of Hawai‘i congratulates Eddie Quan and all of this year’s 20 for the Next 20 honorees.

Thanks to this group of inspiring and talented young leaders, Hawai‘i’s future looks brighter than ever.

CONGRATULATIONS

Dylan Ching

for being selected as one of HAWAIʻI BUSINESS MAGAZINE’S 20 FOR THE NEXT 20!

“Dylan is an impactful leader who motivates, inspires and supports each location to make a meaningful impact in their local community and the state. We are thankful to have such a genuine and capable leader for T S Hawaiʻi who truly understands and embodies the aloha spirit.”

- Jackie Reed, CEO T S Restaurants

Congratulations

KIM THAYER

We are very proud of you and deeply inspired by your dedication and accomplishments. Here’s to the next 20 years and the successes you and your fellow honorees will continue to create!

BY AUSTI N BOU RC I E R , R YA N N N O E L A N I C O U L E S , NANCY COOK LAUER, C Y N T H I A S W E E N E Y, VICKY VIOTTI, CYNTHIA WESSENDORF AND JULIE ZAC K

Hawaii Business Magazine is proud to honor the 2025 cohort of Hawai‘i’s People to Watch. Each has already accomplished a great deal, and they are poised to have a major positive impact on Hawai‘i over the next two decades.

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‘

OLU CAMPBELL SAYS H E H A S A LWAY S F E LT C O N N E C T E D TO THE ‘ĀINA AND H AWA I ‘ I ’ S P E O P L E , and

now feels a responsibility to give back to them.

He says he essentially grew up outside, doing everything from volunteering with his father at the He‘eia Fishpond to playing at the beach to climbing mountains.

“I’ve spent most of my life doing things that are very much connected to our land and our place here in Hawai‘i,” says Campbell. And in doing so, he developed values that eventually led to his role as president and CEO of Hawai‘i Land Trust.

While getting his undergraduate degree at UH Mānoa, he focused on biology, environmental sciences and Hawaiian language, then pursued an environmental law degree.

“I felt like I could be a better advocate for the things I care about, including our place, through a knowledge of the law,” says Campbell. “I was immediately shocked by how little I knew about the world.”

Today, he oversees all acquisitions and projects by the nonprofit land trust, such as 2023’s procurement of 642 acres on the Kohala Coast known as Māhukona, historically a training ground for traditional Hawaiian navigators.

PRESIDENT AND CEO OF HAWAI‘I L AND TRUST

‘O LU

C A M P BE L L

He says the reciprocal relationship between land and its people is crucial to maintaining a thriving community. “I feel we have a really big responsibility to try to reestablish or protect those relationships between people and place,” says Campbell.

He also takes his responsibility to effectively lead the team at the trust very seriously. “It’s to conduct the orchestra, to understand all the different moving pieces, the strengths that different people bring to our work, to organize and to empower people who have certain strengths to use them to the best of their abilities so we can collectively be more successful,” he says.

Campbell’s dedication to land preservation is a formidable characteristic, says Neil Hannahs, a board member of the trust.

“I have been struck by his focused leadership,” says Hannahs. “ ‘Olu is mission driven, strategic, inclusive, energetic and accountable. The results speak to his effectiveness.”

Even with Campbell’s many accomplishments, he says family always comes first, and building a family of his own is his greatest achievement.

“Having a wonderful wife and two wonderful kids, and an extended family – my parents and my siblings – we just are so close. I don’t think anything else in my life will ever top that.”

– AU ST I N B O U R C I ER

HAWA AWAI I B U S I N ES S | 23 H

CO-FOUNDER AND GM, H AWA I ‘ I ‘ U LU C O O P E R AT I V E

J

ODIE DUVALL, A SELF-DESCRIBED FINANCE

GEEK , says she loves the

complexity of investing and financial planning.

"We don’t get a lot of financial literacy training in school, so most of us don’t really know how to plan financially on our own. Plus, it’s not something most people take an interest in,” she says.

At First Hawaiian Bank, Duvall often draws on her own experience as a marathon runner to help improve clients’ financial literacy and help them overcome challenges to achieve their financial goals.

She’s participated in about 20 Ironman and marathon competitions around the world and credits the help of a training coach.

“When I first started, I knew that I wasn’t going to be the fastest or the most skilled runner. But I knew that endurance racing was a really, really good challenge,” she says.

“It takes a lot of thought and planning to achieve your financial goals, and to cross the finish line. In both cases, hiring a financial advisor or a coach is a really good way to get help from someone who listens to what you want to achieve and gives guidance on how to get there.”

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SENIOR VP AND REGIONAL MANAGER, W E A LT H A D V I S O R Y DIVISION, FIRST HAWAIIAN BANK

JODIE DU VA L L

Duvall grew up in Washington state and graduated from the University of Washington with a degree in finance and international business. In 2007, she joined First Hawaiian as an investment officer and currently serves as senior VP and regional manager of the bank’s Wealth Advisory Division, where she has expanded her client portfolio from $55 million to over $200 million.

Duvall leads a team of 11 wealth advisors; from 2020 to 2023, she says, the team saw a 122% increase in the number of financial plans delivered.

As she puts it, “We’re in it for the long haul.”

Bob Harrison, chairman, president and CEO of First Hawaiian Bank, says that Duvall’s combination of “curiosity, tenacity and compassion” sets her apart as a mentor and leader.

“Whether through her work at First Hawaiian, her active involvement in local initiatives or her dedication to advancing financial literacy across Hawai‘i, Jodie is shaping the future of finance and leadership in the state.”

Duvall says she is looking forward to her next challenge: becoming a leader in the more diverse workforce of the future. “In the next 20 years we are going to bring in a different generation of employees, bringing a new set of talents, skills and ambitions.”

– CY N T H I A S W EEN E Y

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R YA N I

COO, G70

C H AR

N 13 YEA R S AT G 70,

After the devastating Maui fires in 2023, Char helped to provide students from Lahainaluna High a bit of normality as they attended some classes on the new Kūlanihāko‘i High School campus in Kīhei, a favorite project of his.

“We try to strive for more than just the LEED [environmental sustainability] certification,” Char says. “It was great to see them having a place to learn.”

He says today’s projects must be designed to account for disaster preparation, including rising sea levels and stormwater management and that projects must do “what’s right for the environment and for our clients. … It’s not an either/or.”

Char says he and his team also focus on the people who live and work around their project sites while integrating with nature.

“We want to be good stewards of our environment, of our community.

We want our projects to be respectful of the place and time that they’re in.”

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an architecture and design firm specializing in sustainable projects, Ryan Char has worked his way up from staff engineer to his new role as chief operating officer.

As he steps into his new position at the 54-year-old firm, he is focused on building a brighter, more sustainable future while always keeping in mind how his projects affect people.

Char’s portfolio covers projects in Hawai‘i, Indonesia and Japan. He especially enjoys building sustainable infrastructure for schools, including Hawaii Baptist Academy’s Richard Bento Campus, Campbell High School’s T Building, ‘Iolani School’s Residence Hall and K-1 Complex, and UH Mānoa’s Sinclair Library and Life Sciences building.

“Ryan Char is one of the most intelligent engineers I have encountered in my 35-year career,” says Charles Kaneshiro, president of G70 and Char’s predecessor as COO. “He stands out as an exceptional communicator, a skilled collaborator and a natural leader. … I have every confidence that he will continue to make outstanding contributions to our community.”

Char is a regular volunteer at Rotary Club of Honolulu Sunrise and supports over 50 individual Rotary clubs in his position as youth service chair for Rotary in Hawaii. He also advocates for STEAM careers and volunteers at several local schools. He says he hopes to encourage young people to choose careers that let them guide Hawai‘i’s future in sustainable ways.

– J U L I E Z AC K

HAWA AWAI I B U S I N ES S | 25 H

FOUNDER AND CEO, POLICY COMPASS

A

BOUT SIX YEARS AGO, STERLING HIGA’S LIFE SHIFTED DRAMATICALLY.

At the time, he was a lecturer and debate coach at Hawai‘i Pacific University and a columnist for Honolulu Civil Beat. Then an unexpected email arrived from Tradewind Group Chair Colbert Matsumoto: Could he help write Troubled Waters, a 2019 report about the state’s worsening financial problems, and present the findings at the annual Hawai‘i Executive Conference?

Higa jumped at the chance. Still in his 20s, the attendees were surprised when a “kid” took the stage, says Matsumoto.

“But by the end of the speech, he got a standing ovation,” a response that only Nainoa Thompson had previously received at the conference, he says.

That event opened opportunities for Higa, and eventually led to his next career move as co-founder and executive director of Housing Hawai‘i’s Future, a young-adult-centered nonprofit that works to combat NIMBYism and promote affordable housing policies.

In the 2024 Hawai‘i legislative session, the group and other housing advocates helped pass two landmark bills to increase the local housing stock, including one that allows multifamily housing in commercial zones and simplifies office-to-apartment conversions.

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“Our coalition helped pass what is probably the most significant housing reforms in the last 40 years,” he says. In 2025, the nonprofit plans to push for more housing to be set aside for local people, more density and better infrastructure.

Hawai‘i has long invested in the suburban dream of a house and yard, says Higa, while young people are often interested in city life and public transportation. “What we really haven’t tried is building great urban environments,” he says.

Ready for his next career move, Higa announced plans to step down from the housing organization this spring and launch Policy Compass, an entrepreneurial venture that will give executives insights on how state and local policies impact their businesses.

He says he makes big decisions such as this after much thought, research and prayer, and that once he decides to do something, he commits to it.

The formula extends to his personal life, such as when he married in 2022 and became stepfather to his wife’s three children.

The couple also now have a toddler.

A voracious reader who averages about 56 books a year, Higa’s thirst for knowledge “feels really core to who he is,” says Matsumoto. “He’s learning things that have nothing to do with furthering his career, but about understanding the world.”

That knowledge undergirds Higa’s ambitious, abiding goal, which he says is “to solve the big, complex problems that face Hawai‘i.”

– CY N T H I A W ES S EN D O R F

E X E C U T I V E V P O F R E TA I L A N D W E A LT H M A R K E T S , CENTR AL PACIFIC BANK

K I S A N JO Jo joined CPB in 2021 after 12 years at Prince Resorts Hawaii, where he ended as president.

Starting at CPB as executive VP of retail markets and operations, Jo became known as a change agent, focusing on initiatives that drive innovation and enhance customer relations. His role soon expanded to include wealth markets.

To improve customer relations, he championed the launch of a new client experience platform designed to collect feedback that can be turned into action.

That initiative helps CPB meet the evolving needs of customers.

Jo also spearheaded the launch of a branch technology platform that gives employees advanced tools to improve client experiences and internal workflows, making the bank more efficient and cost-effective.

“Kisan has made an impact by enabling his team members to make a positive difference for our customers, community and each other,” says CPB chairman, president and CEO Arnold Martines. “He has leveraged his past executive experience in finance and hospitality to become a valuable member of the bank’s executive leadership team.”

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HE N I T COM ES DOW N TO I T, THE RE I S N’ T MUCH DIFFERENC E BE TWE EN THE HOSPI TALITY AND BAN K I NG INDUSTRIE S, says Kisan

Jo, who’s worked in both and is now a rising star at Central Pacific Bank.

“The fundamentals are the same; it’s a people business whether it’s hospitality or banking,” Jo says. “It’s about how we treat people, how we provide great customer service.”

Jo came to Hawai‘i at age 27 for a job in the Honolulu office of accounting firm Deloitte, for whom he had been working as an auditor in the Seoul office.

He subsequently earned an MBA at UH’s Shidler College of Business and graduated from the Pacific Coast Banking School in September 2024.

Jo serves as a board member for Aloha United Way and mentors the next generation through the Boys & Girls Club of Hawaii.

Michael Young, president and CEO at general contractor Albert C. Kobayashi, says Jo has a brilliant mind, a strong technical background and great leadership qualities.

“He is strategic, inspirational and empathetic.

He cares a lot about his employees, friends, family and the local community.

He’s served in a variety of leadership roles in different industries and consistently delivers results,” Young says.

Despite his many accomplishments, Jo remains humble.

“It's not me; it’s the people around me. Every single employee on the front line, no matter their level, are all doing a great job.”

– N A N CY C O O K L AU ER

HAWA AWAI I B U S I N ES S | 27 H

V P O F O P E R AT I O N S , T S R E S TAU R A N T S

D

DY L A N CHING

YLAN C HI NG B EGAN HI S JOURN EY WITH T S RESTAURANTS AS A BUSSER AT MAUI ’S L EI LANI’S ON THE BEACH,

working his way through high school and college.

Now, some 25 years later, Ching oversees operations at the company’s 12 restaurants throughout Hawai‘i and California, and is instrumental in maintaining the morale, trust and respect of over 1,300 employees.

T S Restaurants is a family-owned chain of destination restaurants that have been serving guests since 1977. Ching’s many positions within the company have included GM of Duke’s Waikiki.

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He says working with people and running restaurants is what ignites his passion. “I’ve been around long enough to know and understand most of the life of a restaurant.”

Ching says he is passionate about service. “We have so many visitors and locals choosing to spend their special moments with us, and so many memories tied to our restaurants. It gives me energy when people share their stories.”

Ching was born in Honolulu and raised on Maui. His mom was professional surfer Laura Blears, and sports played a big part as he grew up, with Ching playing football, then coaching.

Coaching was “a calling and a passion,” he says.

“I learned so many things participating in sports and coaching, and translated that into various leadership positions in the restaurant business.”

Ching has helped T S Restaurants navigate through many challenges, including the pandemic and the wildfires on Maui, which destroyed T S’s first location in the state, Kimo’s Maui.

“Our company has been around for a long time, and has a strong culture and tradition. We lean on the original values of our founders. That language and understanding is the compass we keep our eye on,” Ching says. “Using aloha in your core thought processes, in dealing with your people and community, the rest will follow.”

Jackie Reed, CEO of T S Restaurants, says “Dylan is an impactful leader who motivates, inspires and supports each location to make a meaningful impact in their local community and the state. …

[He] embodies the aloha spirit.”

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He serves on boards for the Waikīkī Community Center, Boys & Girls Club of Hawaii, Bishop Museum Association Council and the Hawai‘i Tourism Authority.

Supporting numerous community organizations, many associated with environmental, ocean and keiki-related issues, comes naturally, Ching says.

“We’re in Hawai‘i, we’re on the ocean, and many of our concepts are built on Duke Kahanamoku and his legacy. It’s about carrying the torch for those who came before.”

– CY N T H I A S W EEN E Y

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HAWA AWAI I B U S I N ES S | 29 H

R E S E A R C H S C I E N T I S T, CORTEVA AGRISCIENCE

T I F FA N I HULL

But she knew she wanted to return to Kaua‘i and says she was pleased to find Corteva Agriscience (formerly Pioneer Hi-Bred International), an agricultural seed company, right in her own backyard. Hull began her professional career at Corteva’s Waimea facility in 2006 and says she’s been learning and growing ever since.

“We work with a lot of robotics. There’s always some kind of new equipment coming in that we get to learn about, so it’s not boring. You’re always learning something new,” Hull says.

She leads the Waimea Global Genotyping Laboratory at Corteva, with several other scientists reporting to her. While Corteva has different branches and areas of focus, she says its main mission is to study and produce conventional and genetically modified corn seeds that help farmers worldwide deal with drought, disease, pests and other challenges.

“Tiffani is a great leader and is always there to assist other teams,” says co-worker Laurie Yoshida.

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AUA‘ I NATI V E TI F FA N I HUL L L OV E S GI V I NG

BACK . “It’s important, seeing how it affects your community,” Hull says of her extensive experience in volunteering and engaging with the community.

Hull was raised in south Kaua‘i and attended Kamehameha Schools Kapālama, where her son is currently a student. Later, she graduated from the University of San Francisco, with a degree in biology.

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Through Corteva, Hull has become increasingly involved in volunteering, including with the company’s Relay for Life team as it raised money for the American Cancer Society. She’s even captained the team at times.

In the past few years, Hull has has also gotten involved with Kaua‘i United Way, and last year she was asked to join the Kaua‘i United Way’s board as chair of its fundraising campaign.

“I love the United Way,” Hull says, “because you can contribute to one place, but it goes to multiple agencies, so it makes it a little easier for people. I try to communicate that.”

Hull’s volunteer work includes time spent on the board of the Kaua‘i Native Hawaiian Chamber of Commerce, and she even led her son’s Boy Scout troop when no one else was available.

“I don’t know anything about Boy Scouts, obviously, and I wasn’t even a Girl Scout.

That was something that I just did because I wanted it to be an opportunity for the boys to have and I did my best,” Hull says. “It was fun, and I learned a lot. But they probably did things that were much different from normal Boy Scout troops.”

– J U L I E Z AC K

PRESIDENT AND CEO, PARTNERS I N D E V E LO P M E N T FO U N DAT I O N

S H AW N K A N A I AU PU N I a deeper understanding of Hawaiian culture’s connection to the human spirit.

That’s carried through to her work with the Partners in Development Foundation, a nonprofit founded in 1997 that she now leads.

“The community-based organization provides educational programs to keiki and ‘ohana, supporting them for success and service,” Kana‘iaupuni says.

Before joining PIDF in 2020, Kana‘iaupuni, an educator and Kamehameha Schools alumna, directed her alma mater’s Public Education Support Division and worked for the schools’ research and evaluation arm. That included studies on culture-based education and how it affects student outcomes.

Her own culture-based education included beginning sailing as a crew member in 2015 on part of Hōkūle‘a’s worldwide voyage.

'

S

HAWN KANA‘IAUPUNI LEARNED MUCH AT THE POLYNESIAN VOYAGING SOCIETY, including

“When I was on the ocean, I was like, ‘Oh, wow, this is home to me,’” she says. “But my kūlana (role) on the wa‘a (canoe) was, I was a newbie and I was a rookie. So I just learned to follow and be as helpful as possible and try to learn as fast as I could.”

The pursuit of learning and strengthening communities are core elements of PIDF’s programs, which include Tūtū and Me, a mobile preschool that trains families in early education, and the Ka Pa‘alana Homeless Family Education Program.

In 2022, PIDF and its partners won an eightyear, $20 million grant from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation for their collaborative work on the Kawailoa project’s restorative programs to reduce youth incarceration. Laura Dang, PIDF VP for administration, says Kana‘iaupuni’s ability to “analyze situations and think outside the box” enables the foundation’s broad reach.

20 for 20 PIDF’s focus on family resilience led it to partner with American Savings Bank to help children build financial literacy. The Keiki Assets Account (KA‘A) helps parents save for their children’s educational futures while giving them more confidence in handling their own money, says Beth Whitehead, executive VP and chief administrative officer at the bank.

“This program gives children a better start by helping their parents build a strong financial foundation,” Whitehead says. “The stability and opportunities it creates will have a huge impact on their lives as they grow up.”

Kana‘iaupuni sums up PIDF’s mission: "Mālama i ke ‘ohana, ola ka kaiāulu, which translates to when you care for family, you build healthy communities.”

– V I C K I V I OT T I

HAWA AWAI I B U S I N ES S | 31 H

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RYA N

K ANAK A‘OLE

R

YAN KANAKA‘OL E GREW UP IN A MULT I GENE RATIONAL HOME I N KA‘Ū, THE LARG EST AND SOUTHERN MOST DISTRICT ON H AWAI ‘ I ISLAND. It is 50% larger

than O‘ahu, yet home to just over 8,000 residents, compared with O‘ahu’s almost 1 million.

So he says he suffered culture shock in sixth grade when he started boarding at Kamehameha Schools Kapālama in Honolulu. But those contrasting points of reference – urban and rural – ignited his interest in how land and natural resources are used across the Islands.

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While pursuing a degree in political science and government at UH Hilo, he volunteered for OHA and interned with county government, gaining insight into “what government service has to offer.” In 2011, he earned his law degree from UH’s Richardson School of Law, with a specialty certificate in Native Hawaiian law.

Gov. Josh Green appointed Kanaka‘ole as deputy director of the Department of Land and Natural Resources in January 2024. Previously, he served as a deputy attorney general and worked for the state auditor, where he examined the department he now leads.

“I was looking at DLNR, UH, Department of Transportation, Hawaiian Home Lands, and I got to learn about the agencies,” evaluate their performance and suggest improvements, he says, which helped prepare him for his current role.

DEPUT Y DIRECTOR , DEPARTMENT OF L A N D A N D N AT U R A L R E S O U R C E S

One focus at DLNR is Lahaina’s natural and cultural recovery after the wildfires, including helping to develop a long-term plan, securing resources to rebuild homes, preserving and restoring the area’s cultural heritage, and also to create “the natural infrastructure to prevent these things from happening again.”

Another duty is overseeing how the Board of Land and Natural Resources handles leases to the military. “We are here to ensure process. … Because the leases are all kind of different, we’re really looking at the environmental statement and providing comments on those as they come in.”

Kanaka‘ole is also a member of the Public Land Trust Working Group, which is responsible for creating an accurate inventory of the ceded lands and determining how much the Office of Hawaiian Affairs is entitled to.

These are daunting tasks, but Charleen Aina, a retired deputy attorney general and former colleague, has ample faith in Kanaka‘ole: “He’s smart in both a technical sense, legal sense, and he’s smart in the sense that he’s very good with people. He listens to what they have to say, he offers his response in a way that is not offensive.”

– RYA N N N O EL A N I C O U L ES

HAWA AWAI I B U S I N ES S | 33 H

C O O R D I N ATO R , M I S S I N G CHILD CENTER – HAWAI‘I

AL EMOANNA RD DA A

MANDA LEONARD’S CAREER HAS BEEN FOCUSED ON HELPING CHILDREN AND TEENS IN DISTRESS, and

that sometimes requires speedy, informed action and the help of the entire community through the Maile Amber Alerts that Leonard helps to activate.

Leonard’s path to her work at Hawai‘i’s Missing Child Center began when she was a child undergoing the trauma of her parents’ divorce; she was especially moved by the support provided by child protection professionals.

“I just had the highest respect for them and appreciation, and I knew that was going to be my calling, to take that experience and do something good with it … to be in a position where I could actually protect kids.”

Leonard started volunteering at age 19 with the state Judiciary’s O‘ahu Children’s Justice Center.

Later, she got a job at the center, which boosted her entry into the Richardson School of Law, where she aimed to become a family law attorney. That led to her current position as coordinator of the Missing Child Center – Hawai‘i, under the state Department of the Attorney General.

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In 2005, Hawai‘i became the 50th state to launch its own program in the Amber Alert network, which taps communities to help find missing children. The Maile Amber Alert is named for Maile Gilbert, who was abducted from her Kailua home and murdered in 1985, and Amber Hagerman, the child in Texas whose case inspired the national program.

The first Maile Amber Alert in Hawai‘i was issued in 2005 and circulated primarily through TV and radio. But people with pagers also received the alert: A mother with a pickup truck had parked and rushed into a convenience store but left her 4-month-old in the truck, which a man stole and later abandoned. One of those alert citizens with a pager found the truck and baby inside unharmed.

“He just happened to be at the right place at the right time,” Leonard says.

Mobile phones now enable wider distribution of the alerts. The system has been activated three more times since 2005, with a child rescued each time.

Elladine Olevao is administrator of the state’s Child Welfare Services Branch and has seen Leonard and her assistant work with runaways and other missing teens.

Last July, a multiagency effort called Operation Shine resulted in the safe recovery of 11 people aged 15-19.

“Amanda is excellent with the kids. She meets them where they’re at,” Olevao says.

– V I C K I V I OT T I

PARTNER , CADES SCHUTTE

J ORH. N LOV E He was recently named chair of the firm’s finance, real estate and corporate department, where he handled over $600 million in transactions last year and oversees 30 attorneys.

Associates, partners and clients all “gravitate to John because he can explain complex issues in a way that’s digestible,” says Ayabe.

Love says he strives to always give the best legal representation for his clients, “in an ethical and upstanding manner,” and encourages the younger lawyers that he mentors to do the same, as “clients can have an outsized effect on the community that we live in.”

One example are the two middle-income condo towers at 801 South St., completed in 2015, where Love represented the developer. He still lives there “because I believe so much in the project.”

His scrupulous nature carries to his role as chair of the Hawai‘i Real Estate Commission, where he helps ensure that real estate professionals “operate with the highest levels of ethics” and that condo projects are legally compliant.

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HILE HIS CADES SCHUTTE COLLEAGUE LISA AYABE DESCRIBES HIM AS HUMBLE AND APPROACHABLE, JOHN LOVE USES MORE COLORFUL LANGUAGE: “I call myself a

dirt lawyer because I work on everything from the dirt on up.”

Love’s expertise in real estate law ranges from “condos to development to leasing to standard purchasing sales and financing,” says Ayabe. “To find such an incredibly well-rounded attorney with that background is rare.”

He says if he wasn’t limited to two terms on the commission, he would stay “forever.” It’s a way to give back, an imperative drilled into him by his grandmother’s side of the family, Okinawan immigrants who started Times Supermarket.

“They felt that they wouldn’t have been able to start a business if it wasn’t for the community supporting them,” he says.

Love serves on the board of his family’s nonprofit, the Albert T. and Wallace T. Teruya Foundation, which finances capital improvement projects at schools and hospitals. To feed his creative side, he plays violin with the Oahu Civic Orchestra.

He also played with the orchestra at Yale, where he got his bachelor’s degree.

He then worked in New York City before heading to Northwestern University for law school.

“I love living in this highly structured world professionally. Music is this whole other side of your brain. There’s notes and time signatures, but there’s still a creative and emotional aspect to it. … Working with an orchestra on a piece of music is just heaven.”

– CY N T H I A W ES S EN D O R F

HAWA AWAI I B U S I N ES S | 35 H

W

CO-FOUNDER AND GM, H AWA I ‘ I ‘ U LU C O O P E R AT I V E

ORKING IN REAL ESTATE RUNS IN EMALIA PIETSCH’S FAMILY.

“Title Guaranty was a family-owned company, with my grandfather starting it, my dad and his brothers taking over and then my cousin running it. So, we have had three generations work there.

I interned there in high school. So real estate has always been a connection,” Pietsch says.

Early on, however, she realized she wanted to pursue commercial real estate instead of following her family into residential. She earned a business degree from the University of San Diego and worked in that city a few years before moving back to Hawai‘i. She’s been at Colliers International for 17 years.

“Around eight to nine years ago, I chose to specialize in resort retail and urban markets,” says Pietsch. “I love the interaction with boutiques and cafés and the experience they provide. I personally like to shop and travel. So, it was like I understood what a customer wanted to experience.”

It’s her job to find landlords and tenants that are good fits in the long run. “We curate this synergistic plan that both sides of the table are happy with,” she says.

One client is Roger Wall, vice chairman of Foodland Super Market and president of Pacific Warehouse, which owns shopping centers and warehouses. For the past 10 years, she’s helped him find optimal tenants.

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PI E T S C H

S E N I O R V P, C O L L I E R S I N T E R N AT I O N A L

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“Emalia is a great communicator. She’s really outstanding in terms of gathering information, engaging really succinctly and understanding exactly what we want,” says Wall.

She does her due diligence to thoroughly grasp clients’ long-term plans “so we’re not just going from one deal to the next.

We’re actually thinking about, ‘How do we grow all these different concepts over the long term?’ And she really has our best interests at heart.”

Even after a rental agreement is finalized, Pietsch says, she stays invested in the businesses she works with: “Marketing is a big piece of it, so telling them what marketing agencies they should go to, showing them what influencers they need to contact in order to help make their businesses successful.”

Wall appreciates that Pietsch goes the extra mile: “She is really helpful in terms of even suggesting new ideas for us to consider or ways we can continue to improve our business.”

Pietsch also considers how tenants can complement one another. That could mean putting a café, bookstore, boutique and health foods store on the same block – instead of competing businesses – which creates a vibrant shopping experience that attracts customers.

– RYA N N N O EL A N I C O U L ES

JON

J

ON PENNING TON IS A “STRONG BELIEVER” THAT AI AND ITS RAPIDLY EVOLVING LANDSCAPE CAN IGNITE, FUEL AND EMPOWER LEARNING.

“It’s the most transformative technology available today. AI can help students, teachers and those in the business community accomplish things that they would never otherwise have been able to do,” he says.

Pennington taught Spanish in New Jersey, then earned a doctorate at UH Mānoa in 2020.

Shortly after that, he joined Mid-Pacific Institute, where he mentors students and faculty. At Mid-Pacific, he found that AI could help students with deficiency disorders, creativity blocks or cognitive issues, and he demonstrated that speech recognition technology can be a game-changer for struggling young writers, especially those with dyslexia and ADHD. Pennington’s “aha” moment came while monitoring a class that was taking an exam.

Not long into the exam, he heard a student call out to the teacher, “I’m done.” When the skeptical teacher replied that “there is no way you typed the whole thing,” the student said, “I didn’t type. I used my voice.”

PE N N I N G TO N E D U CAT I O N A L T E C H N O LO G I S T, MID - PACIFIC INSTITUTE

Through research with UH’s College of Education Research institute, Pennington has demonstrated how English language learners can improve their spoken presentations using ChatGPT. “AI provides deeper learning experiences and is the gateway to personalize authentic learning opportunities for students to get what they want out of classes … to make it relevant, deeper for the learner and the things they care about in our society,” he says.

Pennington is aware of the controversy and concerns about the rapid evolution of AI technology, but says, “I believe that this is a good thing that ultimately will help humanity. The way you can interact with AI, it’s much more than just a tool. It’s an entity. It’s an information gatherer, it can help conceptualize concepts, it can also analyze different images.”

Paul Turnbull, president of Mid-Pacific Institute, says that “as technology transforms our society, Pennington’s work will play a crucial role in shaping education statewide and championing AI integration within our local business and nonprofit communities.”

20 for 20 Pennington has a 4-year-old son, and together they have created a persona through ChatGPT, which his son calls “amigo.” Amigo assists with various activities like identifying different plants and insects, and helps him learn Spanish.

“Some are suggesting that we anthropomorphize AI, to look at it as a being, a mentor, an advisor, a coach that can be summoned to aid with a task,” he says. “I encourage teachers and educators to look at it in that light.”

– CY N T H I A S W EEN E Y

HAWA AWAI I B U S I N ES S | 37 H

PARTNER , SR PARTNERS

KIMB E RLY

UNEMORI

K

T H AY E R

IMB ERLY UNEM ORI THAYER HAS DE EP TI ES TO HE R HOME ON MAUI .

“My grandpa was a pineapple farmer out in Ha‘ikū.

I think at one time he was the largest independent grower,” she recalls.

Thayer grew up on the island’s north shore, where her family has lived for generations. She attended James Cook University in Australia, earning a degree in anthropology, but came home after graduation and has been deeply involved with the community since.

When she joined SR Partners (formerly Skog Rassmusen) in 2023, she brought years of experience in project management and community organizing. She has worked in urban planning, and supported native ecosystems and educational projects.

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“A profound love of Maui is deep into my soul.

I know I can do something to make or do things better, so I will do something to make or do things better,” Thayer says.

In the wake of the devastating wildfires of August 2023, Thayer has worked with the community on several recovery projects, all the while listening to the different viewpoints of residents.

“She leads with aloha and serves with humility,” says Rachel Wong, who met Thayer while cofacilitating the Maui Economic Recovery Commission. “I experienced firsthand how thoughtful, connected, impactful, strategic, collaborative and experienced she is.”

She currently chairs the Maui Planning Commission and hosts regular community meetings.

Through her work with SR Partners, she helped the nonprofit Kupu secure a $20 million grant from the U.S. Forest Service that funds the planting of trees that will help reduce heat in communities with few trees.

She says it is crucial how people think of the ‘āina. “There’s a perspective of ‘It’s ours to use’ versus ‘It’s ours to care for.’ And those perspectives lead you to different ends.”

As a steward of the land, Thayer is committed to helping both the land and the people who live on it. She is a founding board member and secretary at Ke Kula ‘o Pi‘ilani, a nonprofit Hawaiian immersion school. The school was founded in 2016 with the goal of providing an enriching environment rooted in Hawaiian culture.

Thayer served as a board member for the Maui County Arborist Committee from 2012 to 2018 and has volunteered with The Nature Conservancy since 2010, including leading hikes into Waikamoi Preserve.

Thayer says she’s committed to serving the Valley Isle and its residents. “Maui nō ka ‘oi,” she says, before admitting, “I’m biased.”

– J U L I E Z AC K

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HAWA AWAI I B U S I N ES S | 39 H

CO-FOUNDER AND GM, H AWA I ‘ I ‘ U LU C O O P E R AT I V E SENIOR VP AND DIRECTOR OF INSTITUTIONAL S E R V I C E S , W E A LT H MANAGEMENT DIVISION, BANK OF HAWAI‘I

The economics major began his journey with Bank of Hawai‘i in 2010 and today he oversees more than $8 billion in assets. His efforts have resulted in 13% asset growth and 10% more clients, says Peter S. Ho, chairman and CEO of Bank of Hawai‘i.

“His innovative and thoughtful stewardship has generated significant revenue, but also catalyzed exponential growth in annual sales production, doubling it in three years,” says Ho. Quan also heads up the bank’s captive insurance division. His strategic focus in this area has also led to a significant broadening of the bank’s business, and he’s recently expanded that focus to the burgeoning Japanese captive insurance market.

“It’s a key growth engine not just for BOH, but for the state,” Quan says. “We’re one of the top five domiciles (for captive insurance) in the country in terms of assets and overall economic benefits to our economy.”

Quan says he prioritizes anticipating customers’ needs and building trust and respect in business relationships.

“I try to think deeply about how to solve complex problems and how best to serve.”

He also spends a lot of time volunteering, especially with military veterans suffering

20 for 20 EDDIE

O

RIGINALLY FROM GUAM, EDDIE QUAN IS A GRADUATE OF THE U.S. MILITARY ACADEMY AT WEST POINT AND A DECORATED COMBAT VETERAN. Coming

from a military family, he strongly believes that leaders should also serve.

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QUA N

“My parents were servant leaders. We didn’t come from a tremendous number of means, but what really stuck with me was the ability to serve when you can and to care for the community,” he says. “I think of service leadership as part of my DNA.”

from mental illnesses, homelessness and food insecurity.

“My heartstring is really tied to military families and veterans who are going through severe challenges.”

Quan serves as chair of the Armed Services YMCA Investment Committee, volunteers with Child & Family Service, U.S. Vets and among the ALICE community – those working families that live paycheck to paycheck.

He is also co-founder and co-chair of the bank’s Blue Brigade, an employee group for veterans and their allies.

“Quan’s leadership has undoubtedly contributed to Bank of Hawai‘i’s success,” Ho says. “His extraordinary accomplishments, his wholehearted dedication to service for others, and his forward-thinking influence make him a true trailblazer.”

– CY N T H I A S W EEN E Y

K A‘ I U L A N I S

S ODA R O

INCE JOINING HOWARD HUGHES IN 2021, KA‘IULANI SODARO HAS TAKEN ON THE MONUMENTAL TASK OF DEVELOPING 60 ACRES OF PRIME REAL ESTATE IN KAKA‘AKO.

S E N I O R V P, P L A N N I N G A N D D E V E LO PM E N T, H OWA R D H U G H E S – WARD VILL AGE

The project will add about 6,000 housing units, as well as a gleaming new neighborhood of stores and restaurants, 2 miles of bike lanes, 3 miles of sidewalks and the new 3½-acre public Victoria Ward Park.

While many units are luxury condos, she’s excited about the nearly finished Ulana Ward Village, a tower of about 700 below-market-price units reserved for kama‘āina. In all, the area will have more than 1,200 units that are set aside for people making less than 140% of the median income in Honolulu.

“We will have single-handedly delivered the most local-reserved housing units in urban Honolulu, so it’s a game-changer,” she says.

Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi says Sodaro is a huge asset to Howard Hughes.

Blangiardi met her in the bleak pandemic fall of 2020, when she contacted him about wanting to run the Department of Planning and Permitting, then a black hole of city government, where the “dreams of developers and architects” went to die, he says.

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Sodaro oversees planning, permitting and the “super messy and fun” work of upgrading sewer and water lines in the yearslong remake of Ward Village, which has accelerated under her watch.

It’s a job that requires balancing history with the needs of a modern city, she says. “We’re all shaping the place we’re in, and the place is shaping us. I tell my team, that’s both a beautiful gift to receive and a lot of responsibility.”

He was impressed with her confidence and knowledge, and expected to hire her. Instead, his committee chose another candidate. Years later, he says he still regrets that decision. “I would have liked her energy and intelligence, and her passion for this place because it’s infectious,” he says. “She is a rising star.”

Ka‘iulani, a mother of two boys, studied hospitality administration at Cornell University and planning at the University of Southern California, and has worked in planning and development at such places as Hilton Hotels, The Resort Group and Pūlama Lāna‘i.

She chairs the local Trust for Public Land board, an organization she learned about as a “Sandy Beach rat” in high school at Punahou.

She’s also held board positions with Child & Family Service and PBS Hawai‘i and served on the Honolulu Planning Commission.

– CY N T H I A W ES S EN D O R F

HAWA AWAI I B U S I N ES S | 41 H

H

ARD WORK AND SATISFACTION OVER A JOB WELL DONE WERE INSTILLED IN KYLE SHELLY AT A YOUNG AGE.

He grew up on Guam in a supportive family that didn’t have a lot of money but had a lot of love.

“My father was a good role model; he was a hard worker,” Shelly says.

The son is, too: Jobs as a newspaper delivery boy and busboy carried him through high school, and a casino dealer gig took him through college.

But Shelly’s passion was golf. After being featured in Sports Illustrated as a high school freshman golfing phenom, he and his mom moved to San Diego when he was 15, home of the prestigious San Diego Junior Golf Association and a mecca for young golfers.

Shelly didn’t become a pro golfer, but that experience shaped his future.

After attending San Diego State University, he was hired as a mergers and acquisitions analyst at a San Diego bank. He moved to Hawai‘i in 2010, and in 2012 he joined American Savings Bank.

That’s where his career really took off.

In 2013, Shelly helped launch a nonprofit called Punawai ‘O Pu‘uhonua and secured Hawai‘i’s first loan through the federal New Market Tax Credit, a program that supports community development.

The project funded a major hotel renovation in Hilo and as the fund grew to $173.5 million, also served the West Hawai‘i Community Health Center, Queen’s North Hawai‘i Community Hospital and clean energy projects in Wai‘anae.

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KYLE

SH E L LY

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SENIOR VP AND DIRECTOR OF C O R P O R AT E BANKING, AMERICAN SAVINGS BANK

“He’s a visionary who sees beyond the numbers,” says Gary Oda, chairman at Castle Resorts & Hotels.

“He embraces your dreams as his own and fights for your success like no one else. Without Kyle and his team at ASB, the muchneeded renovations to the iconic Hilo Hawaiian Hotel might never have become a reality.

Now senior VP and director of corporate banking at ASB, Shelly has helped grow ASB’s local and national corporate loan portfolio more than 48%; meanwhile, deposits have increased by 274%.

A mentor for more than a decade with Big Brothers Big Sisters Hawai‘i, Shelly also visits with students in their classrooms to share his financial expertise. He’s on the executive board of the Chamber of Commerce Hawaii and is active on several committees.

“Kyle’s vision and leadership have redefined what it means to be an engaged leader,” says Sherry Menor-McNamara, chamber president and CEO. Shelly says he’s grateful for his job at the bank.

“Their values at ASB match my own, and that is a recipe to thrive.”

– N A N CY C O O K L AU ER

C FO A N D C H I E F A D M I N I S T R AT I V E O F F I C E R , PRINCE RESORTS HAWAII

LIANE

SU G I MOTO Sugimoto plans ahead: She avoided the time and money of graduate school by double-majoring in accounting and finance at UH Mānoa’s Shidler College of Business, earning enough credits to take the CPA exam after graduation.

Despite the heavy workload, she still worked through college to help cover her expenses.

In 2010, she became CFO at the Kalihi-Palama Health Center, a nonprofit that provides health care and social services to underserved populations, including people without health insurance. “I find that work rewarding and valuable and fulfilling. I really appreciate what they do for the community and the people they serve,” says Sugimoto. After 12 years there, she was recruited

by Prince Resorts Hawaii – and though she says it hurt to leave her colleagues – she decided it was time to “take a leap, make a change.” She still serves on the health center’s board.

As CFO and chief administrative officer at Prince, Sugimoto uses her accounting prowess to implement an enhanced perks system for the entire staff.

She says as a leader, “It’s really important to take care of the employees [in] innovative, creative ways.”

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IANE SUGIMOTO, WHO GREW UP IN MILILANI, HAS BEEN MONEY-MINDED SINCE SHE WAS A TEENAGER. While

she attended Punahou for high school, her family wasn’t wealthy; in fact, she says, she started working at 14 “and never stopped.”

Given her drive and financial savvy, an accounting career made sense. “I knew it would provide me with a decent living, and I’d be able to be independent, be able to support myself.”

Sugimoto also serves on the board of trustees for the 501(c) Agencies Trust. “It’s a national board that provides a very specific service related to unemployment for nonprofits across the United States,” says Ryan Kusumoto, a fellow trustee and president and CEO of the local nonprofit Parents And Children Together.

During the pandemic, Sugimoto collaborated with Kusumoto and fellow 501(c) Agencies Trust board members to support the unemployment claims for nonprofits. “Liane did a really good job of helping to advocate for nonprofits to ensure that the state also included some support for those nonprofits. ... She basically saved those nonprofits collectively about $30 million that year. … What that did was it kept those nonprofits afloat during that time, to ensure that services were continuing to be there for the people that needed it.”

– RYA N N N O EL A N I C O U L ES

HAWA AWAI I B U S I N ES S | 43 H

CO-FOUNDER AND GM, H AWA I ‘ I ‘ U LU C O O P E R AT I V E

A S S O C I AT E P R O F E S S O R OF ECONOMICS, UH MĀNOA AND UHERO

J US T I N T Y N DA L L A 2024 report quantified that regulatory burden, and showed that the culprits typically blamed – land and construction costs – are dwarfed by the impacts of excessive regulations.

For each new condo, regulations added an estimated $387,000 in Honolulu. “Compared to the national average, we’re pretty far out of the norm,” says Tyndall.

His housing research has spurred a flurry of requests for tailored data and presentations from government officials, as well as organizations such as the Chamber of Commerce Hawaii and the Hawai‘i Community Foundation, making Tyndall – still only 35 – and his growing team of young economists at UHERO sought-after experts.

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USTIN TYNDALL’S LARGE BODY OF RESEARCH ANSWERS VEXING QUESTIONS: WHY ARE PEDESTRIAN DEATHS RISING? How does

sea-level rise affect housing prices? Does light rail really increase employment? His findings have been picked up in national and local media as well as the 2024 Economic Report of the President.

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Since arriving at UH Mānoa in 2019, Tyndall has turned his background in economics and urban planning, and skills at hunting down and analyzing data, to the topic of housing. Recent reports, co-authored with teammates at UHERO, the UH Economic Research Organization, explain how a tangle of regulations raise the cost of building homes and contribute to the state’s housing crisis.

“I feel very lucky to be able to contribute to conversations around housing in Hawai‘i,” he says. “Even though we’re in a pretty bad place for affordability, I’m optimistic in terms of the public and political appetite to make some reforms.”

UHERO Executive Director Carl Bonham says Tyndall is the rare economist who does “very high quality research” and “work that matters,” while also being able to present his findings to policymakers and the public. And he’s a dynamic force at UHERO who pushes languishing projects forward, such as the Hawaii Housing Factbook, Bonham says.

“As he gets even more comfortable in the policy community here, I think he’s going to be very, very influential,” he says.

Born in Canada, Tyndell received his bachelor’s, master’s and doctorate degrees in economics from Canadian universities, as well as a separate master’s in urban planning from New York University.

Hawai‘i’s brutal housing market is now playing out in his own life.

Newly tenured, he and his wife have to leave the faculty housing complex in Mānoa in May. They plan to search for a rental as buying is out of reach.

– CY N T H I A W ES S EN D O R F

E X E C U T I V E V P, R E TA I L EXPERIENCE AND O P E R AT I O N S , H AWA I I S TAT E FEDERAL CREDIT UNION

A

AARON

VA L L E LY

ARON VAL L E LY’S FATHER ADOPTED EVERY N EW DEVICE THAT COUL D IMPROVE HIS FAMI LY’S LIVE S , and that included

an early car phone. Vallely says that “giant brick” plays a part in his vision today of using innovations to make banking easier and more accessible for people.

“I’ve always been interested in technology in terms of how we use it to better our members’ experience,” he says.

Vallely started at Hawaii State Federal Credit Union in 2006 and, at age 21, became one of HSFCU’s youngest branch managers. He now oversees nine departments and more than 100 employees.

“His work has revolutionized how many financial institutions, both here and nationwide, approach customer experience,” says Andrew Rosen, president and CEO of the credit union.

“His leadership is felt across every corner of our organization. Aaron isn’t someone who just meets goals – he redefines what those goals should be.”

In 2019, Vallely designed the Branch of the Future in Salt Lake.

Instead of traditional teller lines and counters, it uses interactive teller machines and interactive touch tables for members to explore products and services. Within its first year, Rosen says, the branch was HSFCU’s top-performing location and ranked highest in customer satisfaction.

“This technology is so intuitive that members enjoy banking on their own,” Vallely says. “Plus, it frees our employees to have the opportunity to get to know our members, with relationship building and consultative services.”

While many institutions use ITMs primarily for remote transactions and to replace tellers, Vallely says, “We didn’t use the ITMs as they were designed; we adapted them to fit our culture here in Hawai‘i. People here want face-to-face connection, and we utilized the ITMs to enhance, not replace that bond.”

He also led the launch of palm vein biometric authentication at select locations.

The technology securely identifies members, eliminating the need for cards or IDs during visits. He says HSFCU was the first organization in the nation’s banking sector to integrate that tech into ITMs. “It’s faster, more secure and a prime example of how Aaron’s forward-thinking leadership continually raises the bar for innovation in banking,” Rosen says. “Since the launch of the Salt Lake branch, he and his team have consulted with over 125 financial institutions locally and across the country. He doesn’t just share ideas – he builds relationships, fostering a network of innovation and mutual learning that benefits the entire industry.”

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– CY N T H I A S W EEN E Y

HAWA AWAI I B U S I N ES S | 45 H

HAWAIIBUSINESS.COM/NEWSLETTER-SIGNUP

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SPECIAL PROMOTIONAL SECTION SPECIAL SECTION TAKING CARE PROMOTIONAL OF BUSINESS: Keeping Hawai‘i Healthy

Q&A WITH

THE 2025 HAWAI‘I

BANKING & FINANCIAL REPORT |

HHAWA AWAI II IBBUUS SI NI NES ESS S| 471

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From business loans and lines of credit to electronic funds transfer tools and mobile banking solutions tailored to small business, we’re here with the support you need.

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SPECIAL PROMOTIONAL SECTION

CENTRAL PACIFIC BANK:

HAWAI‘I’S LEADING SBA LENDER SMALL BUSINESSES CAN APPLY ONLINE OR IN PERSON WITH A CPB BANKER Banks in Hawai‘i and across the United States continue to navigate a complex economic environment characterized by shifting interest rates and market uncertainties.

For example, the Federal Reserve began cutting interest rates in late 2024, with a total reduction of 1.00 percentage points since September. The shift from a high-rate environment to a declining rate scenario created challenges for banks in managing their net interest margins, NIMs. NIM is essentially that “margin” on which banks earn money from interest. It’s a crucial metric that reveals how healthy and efficient a bank is in its core business of borrowing and lending. A higher NIM means the bank is earning more from its lending than it costs to fund those loans, which boost profits.

In a higher interest rate environment, banks often see higher NIMs because they can raise loan rates faster than deposit rates. However, competition for deposits – such as those from digital banks, or slower loan growth – can put downward pressure on NIMs. Hawai‘i banks experienced modest NIMs improvements, reflecting their ability to adapt to these conditions. For example, Central Pacific Bank saw a 3.7% increase in net interest income, a metric that banks tend to use as a cushion to invest in lending, technology or new market opportunities.

Lending to small businesses has long been one of Central Pacific Bank’s strengths.

Business Express, a new online application platform that simplifies loan applications, provides 24/7 access, eliminating guesswork and offering transparency about application status. “Whether our customers apply online or directly with a banker, they can still expect the same level of care, convenience and expertise. It allows a business owner to engage with us the way they prefer,” says Susan Utsugi, Group Senior Vice President and Business Banking Division Manager at CPB. Utsugi shares an example of a local snack business that needed funds to expand inventory to fulfill an opportunity to provide its product to an airline. “They had to beef up their inventory to do this order and needed the funds to expand quickly,” she explains. The business successfully received a timely loan through CPB’s Business Express. “The convenience and the speed of the process allowed the owner to secure the funds quickly and seize that opportunity with peace of mind.”

For businesses that don’t immediately qualify, the platform offers additional support by automatically considering applicants for Small Business Administration (SBA) loans and generating the necessary documentation. “The SBA loan application process is not always easy to navigate, and so Business Express allows us to respond quickly,” she notes.

CPB’s approach led to recognition from the U.S. Small Business Administration as Hawai‘i’s leading SBA lender, processing more SBA loans than all local financial institutions combined. “We stay close to the businesses in terms of hearing what their needs are, working with other resource partners, so that we can also convey to our customers what resources are out there for them.”

CPB IS THE ONLY BANK IN HAWAII OFFERING AN ONLINE LENDING PORTAL FOR SMALL BUSINESS. The small business specialists at CPB know their clients. They understand how small businesses work and what challenges they face. They know that these small business owners and entrepreneurs are busy and need to manage their time effectively. It’s not easy for them to get to a bank branch to fill out a loan application.

It was from this premise that a completely new service was born: BUSINESS EXPRESS. CPB introduced their BUSINESS EXPRESS online lending portal in 2024, making them the first and still the only bank in the state to offer this ultra convenient service.

BUSINESS EXPRESS is designed

for speed and accuracy. The average user can apply in about 10 minutes and get their approval in 3 business days with no financials required for loans up to $50,000.

And the best part? It’s open 24/7.

A variety of lending options are available through BUSINESS EXPRESS, including term loans, lines of credit, and SBA loans. This provides the flexibility small businesses need to meet their unique credit needs.

It’s another in a long line of innovative products and services that CPB has created to help Hawaii’s small business market be successful. Like their “WE by Rising Tide” program that supports female entrepreneurs, BUSINESS EXPRESS is a forward-thinking, fresh solution that empowers small business.

SPONSORED BY CENTRAL PACIFIC BANK. MEMBER FDIC. EQUAL HOUSING LENDER.

H AWA I I B U S I N ES S | 49

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BY CY N T H I A SW E E N E Y

Honolulu to Host Premier Pickleball Event HAWAI‘I’S LARGEST INDOOR PICKLEBALL EVENT WILL TAKE PLACE AT THE HAWAI‘I CONVENTION CENTER APRIL 10-13 for players and spectators from Hawai‘i

and around the world.

The Hawai‘i Pacific Health ESPN Honolulu Open, presented by HMSA, will feature over 33 indoor courts, tournaments for players of various ages and playing levels, corporate team challenges, and a competitive ProAm tournament with prize money.

The event will also include free pickleball clinics, exhibitions and an expansive expo.

“By providing pickleball players and enthusiasts with a premier venue to play, we’ll be able to attract players from around the state and world to compete in this rapidly growing sport,” says Matt Apana, GM of ESPN Honolulu.

“Our goal is to grow this into a world-class pickleball event for both participants and spectators to enjoy.”

The event is supported by the Hawai‘i Tourism Authority and is intended to be an annual destination event. Tournament partners include the O‘ahu Pickleball

Association, Pickleball Japan and tournament management company Pickleball is Great.

A portion of proceeds from the event will support Hui Mahi‘ai ‘Āina, a nonprofit that provides resources, education, and opportunities for self-sufficiency for the houseless population in Waimānalo and others in need.

“Staying active provides so many benefits for our health and well-being, from reducing the risks of chronic health conditions to improving mental health and enhancing overall quality of life,” says Ray Vara, president and CEO of Hawai‘i Pacific Health. “Pickleball is a great way for people of all ages and athletic abilities to stay active and have fun.”

ESPN Honolulu also launched a new pickleball program airing on Wednesdays at 2:30 p.m., on 92.7 FM and 1420 AM, hosted by Chris Hart. The first show aired Jan. 29.

Visit honoluluopen.com for more information or to register.

H AWA I I B U S I N ES S | 51

I Donated a Kidney to a Stranger – and Maybe You Should Too

A

T ABOUT 3:30 P.M. ON APRIL 23, 2024, I WAS ROLLED INTO AN OPERATING ROOM AT THE QUEEN’S MEDICAL

CENTER to have major abdominal

surgery. There was nothing wrong that required medical attention – I celebrated my 25th birthday earlier that month and had a clean bill of health. No, I was in the hospital by choice, and though my family was anxious, I was eager for this procedure called a nephrectomy.

When I awoke from the fourhour operation, I was super groggy and in moderate pain but, without a doubt, happy: After a year of paperwork, medical tests and psychological evaluations, I was finally able to donate my spare kidney to someone who desperately needed it.

but only need one, and the kidney you keep will gradually grow in size and strength.

In a less common procedure, you can donate a little more than half of your liver because it will re-grow inside both yours and the recipient’s bodies. Even more rare, portions of lung, pancreas and intestines can also be donated while you are alive.

But kidneys are by far the most needed organ. Of about 100,000 Americans on organ transplant lists, some 90,000 need a kidney. More kidney transplants happen every year: A record-breaking 28,000 were performed nationwide in 2023, but it was far from enough. According to the National Kidney Foundation, 12 people die every day waiting for a kidney transplant.

WHAT KIDNEYS DO MY “WHY”

It may sound strange, but I never had any doubts about my decision to donate a kidney to a stranger. During a philosophy class about altruism in my senior year of high school, I learned about living organ donations and was immediately captivated by the idea.

I already knew you could donate your viable organs after you die, and that a single word added to your driver’s license – “donor” – would make that happen. But I learned in that class that kidneys are among the few organs you can donate while alive. That’s because we have two 52 | M A R C H 2 0 2 5

The kidneys are bean-shaped organs, each about the size of your fist, located just below the rib cage, one on either side of the spine.

“The kidneys are designed to get rid of the things that shouldn’t be in your blood, and then they fine-tune all the things that are there, so you make urine to get rid of extra water,” says Dr. Christie Izutsu, my nephrologist at the Queen’s Transplant Center. “And in the urine, all the extra toxins or the chemicals that shouldn’t be there are removed.”

Each of your kidneys has about a million filtering units called nephrons, which is the origin of

A record-breaking 28,000 transplants were performed nationwide in 2023, but that’s far from enough: The National Kidney Foundation says 12 people die every day waiting for a kidney.

nephrology, the word for the study of kidneys. “The kidneys are great sensors, and they can tell what needs to stay and what should go,” Izutsu says.

“The problem with kidney disease is often silent. There are no symptoms until the kidney disease is relatively advanced.” Early signs may include leg swelling, blood pressure that’s hard to control or blood in the urine, but those symptoms aren’t always present early on or are too inconspicuous to raise an alarm, she says.

“It’s not very specific. Over time, people just feel tired, no energy, poor appetite, a little bit of foggy thinking. … A lot of folks who are younger, who develop kidney disease gradually, really don’t notice any symptoms until they either get a transplant or they’re on dialysis. And then they say, ‘I didn’t actually realize how junk I felt till I felt better.’ ” Because of that, chronic kidney disease usually goes undetected until an advanced stage. According to Harvard Health Publishing, symptoms don’t normally present themselves until “more than 80% of kidney function is lost.” But for patients with end-stage kidney disease, the condition is no longer subtle. Without dialysis, they’re unable to filter harmful toxins from their bodies; many say they feel like they’ve been poisoned.

PHOTOS COURTESY: RYANN NOELANI COULES

BY RYA NN NO E LANI CO U LE S

RIGHT BEFORE SURGERY, MEDICAL TEAMS TEST A DONOR’S AND RECIPIENT’S BLOOD ONE LAST TIME TO MAKE SURE THEY ARE COMPATIBLE.

I MET MY ANESTHESIOLOGIST BEFORE SURGERY. HE DID A GREAT JOB, AS YOU CAN SEE IN PHOTO AT LEFT. THAT’S MY BOYFRIEND, DREW, WHO WAS THE PERSON I WOKE UP TO AFTER SURGERY.

MY RECIPIENT, JOHN JWEINAT, WITH HIS DAUGHTER, JILL, RIGHT BEFORE THEIR SURGERIES. THEY WERE NOT A COMPATIBLE MATCH, SO JILL’S KIDNEY ALSO WENT A STRANGER, A 41-YEAR-OLD WOMAN IN NEW YORK CITY.

WAITING TO BE ROLLED INTO THE OPERATING ROOM WITH MY FAMILY WAS FUNNY: I WAS EXCITED, BUT THEY WERE NERVOUS, SO I WAS THE ONE COMFORTING THEM. H AWA I I B U S I N ES S | 53

PHOTO COURTESY: RYANN NOELANI COULES

Patients often feel exhausted for hours after dialysis. And because dialysis is so time-consuming, it can make it nearly impossible for some patients to hold a job, which leads to financial strain that makes matters worse. The bottom line is that dialysis is not a long-term solution: “Unfortunately, dialysis is not perfect, and a lot of patients pass while waiting for a kidney [transplant],” Izutsu says.

According to the National Kidney Foundation, the average life expectancy on dialysis is 5 to 10 years.

GIVING THE GIFT OF LIFE

IN OCTOBER, I MET MY RECIPIENT AND SOME OF HIS FAMILY ON MAUI, WHERE THEY GRACIOUSLY TREATED MY BOYFRIEND AND I TO A MEMORABLE DINNER. PICTURED IS ME WITH JOHN AND JILL JWEINAT. IT WAS SURREAL AND LOVELY TALKING STORY WITH THEM AND JOHN’S WIFE, MAGGIE.

Izutsu says per capita, Hawai‘i has one of the highest rates of chronic kidney disease in the country, and more young people are affected here than in other places.

“I’m not certain you can pinpoint one factor, but I think some of it is tied in ethnically, culturally.” For example, “we do have a strong Asian community,” she says, and Asians have a heightened “ethnic specific” risk for developing glomerular diseases that hurt kidney function.

Also, Hawai‘i has many people who have lived in “places around the world that do not have nephrology, and so a lot of patients come here with really advanced disease, and unfortunately, by the time they get here, they have stage five kidney disease and need to start dialysis,” Izutsu says.

Generally speaking, “We have a lot of folks who just don’t have access to good health education and disease management.” Today, Izutsu says, 54 | M A R C H 2 0 2 5

more focus is placed on addressing some of those disparities.

One option for people nearing kidney failure is dialysis, where patients are hooked by two needles to a machine that tries to mimic what kidneys should do, Izutsu says. One needle sends your blood into the machine to be filtered, the other carries the filtered blood back into your body. The unpleasant experience typically takes three to five hours per session at a dialysis center, with patients repeating the procedure two to seven times a week.

And unlike a working kidney, dialysis doesn’t help produce urine. Many dialysis patients make little to no urine, which means excess fluid accumulates in their bodies, causing swelling, shortness of breath and/or weight gain.

Dialysis helps to remove some extra fluid but not as effectively as working kidneys do through regular urination.

Receiving a transplant is far superior to dialysis because a transplanted kidney can effectively filter blood and produce urine 24/7 for more than a decade, doctors say. Kidneys can come from deceased or living donors – both types of transplants usually work well, they say – but kidneys from living donors are better.

Izutsu says a kidney taken from a deceased person has little or no blood flowing through it until after it’s transplanted, which can reduce how well it works or how long it will last once the recipient gets it. “We do know that deceased donor-derived kidneys tend to last for about 10 to 15 years, sometimes far longer, though.

But a living kidney has a longer life expectancy,” she says.

In addition to better blood flow, “the benefit of having a living kidney is that we’ve had the ability to do extensive testing [beforehand] on the donor, and we know that you are healthy, otherwise you wouldn’t take the kidney.” For deceased donors, much less testing is possible, so how well their kidneys will perform is more of a gamble.

The vast majority of transplanted kidneys come from deceased donors – in Hawai‘i, it’s 80% to 90% of them, Izutsu says.

Out of the 620 kidney transplants since 2012 at the Queen’s Transplant Center, only 75 came from living donors.

There are two kinds of living organ donations: directed and nondirected. Ninety-five percent of living kidney donations are directed, meaning the donor has an intended recipient. But a person can’t donate to a loved one or other specific person if their blood types, tissue types and/or antibodies aren’t compatible. The recipient’s immune system would immediately reject the kidney.

The National Kidney Registry makes nondirected transplants possible. The database includes information on people who need kidneys and those willing to donate them. It helps coordinate exchanges between multiple pairs of people: A donor gives a kidney to a stranger who is a match and in return, the donor’s loved one who also needs a kidney, receives one from another compatible stranger.

These paired exchanges form what are known as “donor chains.”

The biggest challenge, however, is that donor chains typically need to start with a nondirect donor. Also known as an altruistic or “Good Samaritan” donor, these are people willing to donate to anyone who’s a match, with no intended recipient in mind. But altruistic donors are rare.

According to a 2022 study published by the National Library of Medicine, only 5.6% of living kidney donors are nondirected.

Starting a chain was a huge motivating factor for me, as a nondirected donor. Six months after surgery, I learned that eight people were involved in my chain – four donors gave a kidney and four recipients received a kidney. My chain moved west to east and involved at least three different hospitals: Queen’s in Honolulu, the UCSF Transplant Center in San Francisco and the NYU Langone Transplant Center in New York City. It was a huge team effort involving dozens of people across the country.

CHART COURTESY: NATIONAL KIDNEY REGISTRY

HOW GOOD SAMARITAN DONORS FORM CHAINS

HOW “DONOR CHAINS” BENEFIT MANY PEOPLE A donor chain usually begins with a Good Samaritan who is willing to donate a kidney to a stranger. In exchange for that gift of life, one of the recipient’s loved ones reciprocates by donating a kidney to another stranger who is a compatible match.

The longest kidney donation chain, recognized by Guinness World Records, involved 70 surgeries over three months, performed in 25 transplant centers across the U.S. That chain resulted in 35 patients receiving lifesaving kidney transplants.

One big perk for nondirected donors: The person gets five vouchers from the National Kidney Registry. The donor chooses five individuals who are not in imminent need of a kidney transplant to receive a voucher, which can be activated if any of them ever need a kidney transplant in the future, says Natalie Lamug-Funtanilla, a nurse and the living-donor coordinator at the Queen’s Transplant

Center. The vouchers give people priority for transplants through the kidney registry, she says. Once one voucher is redeemed, the other four are voided.

The registry offers other benefits to help cover expenses and wages lost for both directed and nondirected donors. This includes travel, lodging and dependent care costs – I was reimbursed for all of the Uber trips I took to Queen’s

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for testing and visits – plus up to $2,000 per week for up to 12 weeks, for a maximum of $24,000 in lost wage reimbursement. Most donors take about two weeks to two months off work to recover.

(It’s illegal for employers to fire employees for taking that recovery time.)

JOHN AND JILL’S STORY

After my left kidney was removed in surgery, it was rushed onto a flight to San Francisco (Godspeed!), where it was transplanted into my recipient the next morning. At that point, all I knew was that the recipient was in California and that our tissues were compatible. The recipient’s identity was kept secret from me and vice versa, and there was no guarantee I would ever find out who they were.

But three weeks later, Nurse Lamug-Funtanilla handed me a letter from my recipient, a 65-year-old man from San Francisco named John Jweinat. In part, it read: “For the last year, I have undergone dialysis four times a week, and it was very challenging for me. My daughter tested to be a kidney donor for me. Although we had compatible blood types, we did not have compatible tissue types, so she could not donate to me. As a result, we entered the Paired Kidney Exchange Program.”

“On Wednesday, April 24, 2024, your kidney was transplanted into me at UCSF Medical Center in San Francisco, and the surgery was successful. In return, my daughter donated her kidney to a 41-year-old woman in New York City. … Your decision to donate your kidney not only saved my life, but also the life of a 41-year-old woman in New York City, who wouldn’t have received my daughter’s kidney unless you donated your kidney to me.”

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His letter moved me to tears and I was so relieved to hear that he and his daughter were doing well. Honestly, I was initially surprised by his age – he was 40 years older than me – since I was told that the process tries to pair donors with recipients of similar age. But I was glad, too; my parents are only one year younger than my recipient, and I would be absolutely devastated if I lost them now.

In his letter, John shared that he and his wife of 49 years, Maggie, have five children and four grandchildren. I’m thrilled that my kidney has given him more time with his family – in good health – and that he and his wife will be able to properly celebrate their 50th anniversary in August.

Six months after our surgeries, John happily agreed to share his perspective as a recipient for this story. “I originally started having issues with my kidneys when in my early 30s,” John says. His issue was “leakage of protein, which causes scarring to the kidney.” Six years after receiving that diagnosis, his kidneys were failing to the point that he needed dialysis.

His wife, Maggie, donated her kidney to him and that transplant lasted 10 years before failing.

Then he received a second kidney from a deceased donor. “It was a fantastic match, and everything went well” for 17 years – longer than most deceased-donor kidneys – before he had to return to dialysis four days a week.

Once that happened, his and his wife’s schedules changed completely. On dialysis days, he had to wake around “four o’clock, get in the shower, have my coffee, and leave at like 5:30 to get there at 6, and from 6 to 10, I’d be doing dialysis.”

But John is a glass half-full kind of person: “On dialysis, some days are good. The majority, you feel weak, dizzy, exhausted, sometimes you might even faint. … But

“

[THE TRANSPLANT SURGERY WAS] NOT EASY, BUT IT’S NOT LIKE YOU’RE OUT OF COMMISSION FOR SEVERAL MONTHS. I SEE SCARS ON MY BODY, BUT OUTSIDE OF THAT, I DON’T FEEL A SINGLE DIFFERENCE IN TERMS OF HOW I FEEL PRIOR TO SURGERY VERSUS AFTER SURGERY.” – JILL JWEINAT LIVING KIDNEY DONOR

the next day after dialysis, you’re pretty strong again, and you feel normal, actually, for that one day.”

Coincidentally, he received his third transplant with my kidney exactly one year after he resumed dialysis. And my birthday is April 2 – 4/2 – so when I found out his surgery was scheduled for April 24, 2024 – 4/24/24 – I took it as an auspicious sign. April also happens to be National Donate Life Month.

“Within two, three days, I was feeling great, really. Urinating, I had no pain, took no pain pills,

ing a living kidney donor, I heard first from Lamug-Funtanilla, the nurse who was by my side throughout the lengthy process – from first contact through pre-op through my recovery.

Her role as living-donor coordinator is to educate, support and manage the care of potential donors throughout the process, she says. “We provide them with information about the donation process to help patients make informed decisions. We coordinate the visits, meetings with the members of our transplant team, and we also schedule and arrange for the evaluation pre-op testing, such as blood and urine tests, imaging and cardiac testing.”

My transplant team included Nurse Natalie, Dr. Izutsu, an anesthesiologist, two Queen’s transplant surgeons – Dr. Lung Yi Lee and Dr. Makato Ogihara – as

well as a social worker, pharmacist, nutritionist, financial coordinator and psychologist.

And then there were the attentive nurses who gave me VIP treatment during my two days at the hospital, making sure I was in as little pain and discomfort as possible.

Early on, Lamug-Funtanilla also connected me to a livingdonor advocate. These advocates are altruistic donors who share their personal experiences with potential donors and answer questions about what the process is like. My living-donor advocate never learned who her recipient was, but she made it clear that it didn’t bother her or take away from her experience. Not knowing is an outcome she said I needed to prepare for and accept if I were to donate, and we agreed that all recipients are grateful for their

“THE BEST PHYSICAL YOU’LL EVER HAVE”

When I contacted the Queen’s Transplant Center about becom-

LAUGHING AT MY DAD FOR CALLING THIS “ALL SO UNNECESSARY.”

PHOTO COURTESY: RYANN NOELANI COULES

nothing. And you know, they said that’s pretty rare, but everything went perfect,” he says of his immediate recovery. Six months after surgery, he says: “Everything so far is so good. Blood tests are good. Everybody’s happy and couldn’t be more thankful.”

He’s also extremely grateful for his daughter, Jill, who donated to the woman in New York City so he could receive my kidney: “God bless her, my daughter was very kind and generous to do that for me.”

Jill told me that as a child she remembers her father on dialysis and being “constantly worried” about losing him. Donating “was always something I wanted to do, and I think it’s because I saw my mom do it,” she says. When his second transplant started failing and it became clear he needed a third, she stepped up.

“It wasn’t a difficult decision for me. I don’t think a lot of people understand it or think it’s normal, but for me, it was a no-brainer,” Jill says. Although she and her father were crushed when they found out they weren’t a match, the news ended up being a blessing in disguise; by entering the paired kidney exchange program, they helped form a donor chain.

“It was great that I was able to help my dad get a kidney by doing it, but also that I got to actually help save someone else’s life.

And so in the process of putting myself in the exchange, I was able to help save two people’s lives instead of one.”

As for John, he has some words of wisdom: “If you have your health, you’re the richest person in the world. Having your health, there’s nothing better than that.”

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donors, even if they choose not to come forward. An altruistic donation is about performing a good deed and expecting nothing in return – not even a thank you.

Talking with her was especially insightful and reassuring.

Donor candidates must be in excellent health to be approved, so the testing is beyond thorough: extensive blood work and urine samples, renal scans, chest X-rays, EKGs, echocardiograms, and abdomen and pelvis CT scans.

According to Jill, my recipient’s daughter who also donated, the team at UCSF described the process as “the best physical you’ve ever had.”

My experience going through evaluation was educational and my transplant team always had my best interests at heart. They never once pressured me to follow through but were incredibly supportive with my informed decision to donate and assured me I had the right to change my mind at any time.

“

IF YOU HAVE YOUR HEALTH, YOU’RE THE RICHEST PERSON IN THE WORLD. HAVING YOUR HEALTH, THERE’S NOTHING BETTER THAN THAT.” – JOHN JWEINAT MY KIDNEY RECIPIENT

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Donors have an exit strategy in place that allows them to stop the process in a way that “their decision to opt out will remain confidential,” Lamug-Funtanilla says. “Potential kidney donors can change their mind about donating at any point throughout their process. … They have all the way up until the day of the surgery that they can change their mind, and we need to ensure that their decision is completely voluntary.”

Even the minute before I was put under anesthesia on the operating table, I was asked one last time if I was sure I wanted to go through with it.

SURGERY AND RISKS

The world’s first living-donor transplant took place at a Boston hospital in 1954. Ronald Herrick – who donated a kidney to his identical twin brother, Richard – went on to live another 56 years.

Richard lived an active, normal life for eight years after the transplant; his death was unrelated to that procedure. Hawai‘i’s first living-donor transplant was in 1969.

“Donor nephrectomy used to be an open large-incision surgery, requiring more postoperative pain management and longer hospital stay. We (in Hawai‘i) switched from open nephrectomy to laparoscopic nephrectomy in 2007,” Ogihara, one of Queen’s transplant surgeons, wrote me in an email.

In layman’s terms, medical advances have fine-tuned the living kidney donation process to the point where it’s now a minimally invasive, relatively safe procedure. “Nobody died directly from donating in Hawai‘i, but some unfortunately in the mainland over the years. Risk of dying from donor nephrectomy is still calculated as 0.02%, which is much safer than nephrectomy for cancer (about 1%),” Ogihara wrote. The need for a second operation, major

WHAT ELSE I LEARNED ON MY DONATION JOURNEY • Dr. Christie Izutsu, my nephrologist at the Queen’s Transplant Center, says scientists don’t really know why humans evolved to have two of some organs when we only need one, but “human beings are designed symmetrically. Now, oddly enough, you only have one heart, but you have bilateral lungs, you have bilateral eyes, you have bilateral ears. So certain organs were designed in symmetry.”

• A person can develop kidney problems due to genetics, lifestyle or a combination of the two. Diabetes, both Type 1 and 2, is the leading cause of chronic kidney disease. According to the CDC, about 1 in 3 adults with diabetes have CKD. • The brilliant idea of paired kidney exchanges came from a 2003 scholarly paper authored by Nobel Prize-winning economist Alvin Roth and his colleagues, Tayfun Sönmez and M. Utku Unver. Their idea revolutionized the organ transplant system and significantly increased the number of people who receive these life-saving surgeries.

• According to the University of Chicago Medicine, about 11,000 people waiting for a kidney are “highly sensitized,” meaning it is very hard for them to find a compatible donor because “their bodies have developed antibodies that will attack organs from almost all potential donors.”

This was the case for my recipient, John, whose immune system became more sensitized with each transplant he received. His team told him there was a 1% chance they’d be able to find him a compatible donor.

My transplant team told me I happen to be a donor that will be able to help someone struggling to find a match. My blood type is O-, the universal donor. I later figured out this is why they matched me to John, despite our age difference.

organ failure or bleeding to the point the patient needs a transfusion, “are very low, less than 1%.”

In regard to long-term risks, Penn Medicine reports that about 25%-30% of kidney function will be permanently lost and individuals who donate a kidney have about a 1% chance of developing kidney failure. In the rare event a donor goes on to need a transplant, all living organ donors are automatically put to the top of the waitlist for a kidney transplant from a deceased donor. And donors that go through NKR’s Donor Shield program are given priority for a living donor transplant, should they ever need it.

Research actually indicates that living organ donors tend to live longer, on average, than the general population. This phenomenon is believed to stem from three key factors: 1.

Donors must undergo extensive testing and meet stringent health standards to qualify for donation, ensuring they are in excellent physical condition.

2.

Many donors remain highly motivated to maintain healthy lifestyles and prioritize their well-being after donation.

3.

Emotional well-being plays a crucial role in overall health. Donation can be a deeply rewarding emotional and spiritual experience, and many donors report enhanced self-esteem, optimism, and a profound sense of fulfillment from helping another person in a time of need.

I stayed in the hospital for two nights after surgery, and the nurses made sure I received appropriate doses of medications to help minimize pain.

Two weeks in, my recovery started to significantly improve.

And after one month, I was mostly back to normal, although I was only allowed walking and other light exercise until six weeks. Three months into post-op, I noticed no difference

at all between how I felt before donating my kidney and after. My scars healed nicely in that time and are now barely noticeable.

Jill’s recovery also went smoothly. “You do need a support structure that’s going to help take care of you, but I will say I was walking around the second or third day. ... It’s not easy, but it’s not like you’re out of commission for several months. I see scars on my body, but outside of that, I don’t feel a single difference in terms of how I feel prior to surgery versus after surgery. ... I do feel a massive difference in terms of knowing that I helped, quite literally, save someone’s life.”

FINAL THOUGHTS

To me, the coolest thing anybody can be in life is kind. It’s cooler than being smart, funny, charismatic, hardworking, creative or athletic. Those are wonderful qualities to have, of course, but I believe compassion makes the world go round. So, I strive to live my life guided by kindness as my core value. And donating was a fantastic way to put that principle into action.

If it’s something you could see yourself doing, wonderful!

I highly recommend that you consider it, and even start the process, which you can stop at any time.

That said, nobody should ever feel pressured to donate. Nor are you a bad person if the thought of surgery or the risks worry you too much. What I will implore of you is that you make a concerted effort to perform small (or even medium-sized) acts of kindness every day, whether that’s donating money to charity, volunteering, advocating for good causes, helping a neighbor or even complimenting a stranger. Not only do these acts brighten someone else’s day, they will make you

“

THE KIDNEYS ARE DESIGNED TO GET RID OF THE THINGS THAT SHOULDN’T BE IN YOUR BLOOD, AND THEN THEY FINE-TUNE ALL THE THINGS THAT ARE THERE, SO YOU MAKE URINE TO GET RID OF EXTRA WATER. AND IN THE URINE, ALL THE EXTRA TOXINS OR THE CHEMICALS THAT SHOULDN’T BE THERE ARE REMOVED.” – DR. CHRISTIE IZUTSU NEPHROLOGIST, QUEEN’S TRANSPLANT CENTER

a happier, more fulfilled person. It doesn’t have to be a grand gesture; not all of us have the time, money or resources for that. But small acts of kindness add up and make the world go round too.

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BY PERRY A RRA SM I TH PERRY ARRASMITH’S DETAILED LIST OF APPOINTMENTS

BY HAWAI‘I GOVERNORS SINCE 1964 CAN BE FOUND AT TINYURL.COM/LISTOFAPPTS.

The Governor’s Choice: Hawai‘i’s Undemocratic Cycle of Influence and Power For six decades, the governor’s power to fill vacant seats in the state Legislature has been employed at least 82 times. Forty-nine appointees have used the resulting privilege of incumbency to begin political careers – some long and powerful, and one leading all the way to the governor’s job. This story is the first time this far-reaching process has been analyzed.

I

N THE LAST THREE YEARS, EIGHT MEMBERS OF THE STATE LEGISLATURE HAVE BEEN APPOINTED

BY GOV. JOSH GREEN. One rep-

resentative, Mattias Kusch of Hawai‘i Island, has been appointed twice to his Hawai‘i Island seat without an election.

State law gives the governor the power of appointment and it has been used at least 82 times since 1964. Fifty-two people have been appointed to the House and 30 to the Senate. In 2025, one in eight members of the Hawai‘i state Legislature is the product of an appointment by a governor.

Some individuals appointed by the governor have enjoyed long, successful careers in politics and influenced public policy in unexpected ways. One appointee became governor, another gained

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election to the U.S. Congress. The longest-serving member of the state Legislature began his career with an appointment. The current president of the state Senate, a Democrat, was appointed in 2010 by then-Gov. Linda Lingle, a Republican.

Under the appointment system in place since 2007, the governor must fill a seat held by a Democrat with a Democrat and a seat held by a Republican with a Republican.

A key step in the process since 2007 calls for leaders of the state Democratic or Republican party – people chosen by the parties, not the voters – to submit a list of three finalists who have been party members for at least six months before the appointment. The governor chooses one of them to fill the vacant seat.

ILLUSTRATION: ORIGINAL PHOTOS BY AARON YOSHINO AND WIKIMEDIA COMMONS; ART: HB STAFF

In the U.S., 25 states hold special elections to fill legislative vacancies; appointment processes in the other 25 states vary, according to Ballotpedia, a nonprofit and online encyclopedia of American politics.

Only Hawai‘i has governors choose the appointees from short lists of party-selected candidates.

Ballotpedia also tracks the power of incumbency. In all 50 states, it says it analyzed election results for congressional, state executive, state legislative, state judicial and local offices. According to Ballotpedia, 95% of incumbents running nationwide were reelected in 2024, 94% in 2022 and 93% in 2020.

Among the 82 legislative appointees in Hawai‘i since 1964 that I could confirm, 14 did not run for their seats in the next election. But of those who did run, 49 won and 19 lost – a success rate of 72%.

Until this story, no public analysis of all appointments made by Hawai‘i’s governors to the Legislature has ever been done, according to several local political experts.

Some of these appointments were never recorded in official documents, even in the official legislative yearbooks compiled by the state House and Senate in 2014. No yearbooks have been publicly released since. To fill the gaps, I consulted press releases, news reports and documents from the Hawai‘i State Archives to peel away the extent of the appointments process.

Interviews with former governors, appointed officials and academic experts added to my understanding of this powerful, imperfect and ultimately undemocratic process.

RESIGNATIONS, DEATHS, APPOINTMENTS AND RESHUFFLES

Until 2007, the practice of making appointments to the Legislature was informed by a historical precedent established by the state’s second governor, John A. Burns.

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Hawai‘i’s first elected governor, William Quinn, is not recorded as having made a single appointment. Burns, the first Democrat elected as governor, is recorded as making at least 12 appointments to the House and Senate.

Under Burns, the four reasons to make a legislative appointment emerged: (1) death; (2) resignation; (3) appointment to another office in state government; or (4) a political reshuffle as a result of another appointment.

Sen. Harry M. Field of Maui died of leukemia on May 23, 1964, leading to Burns’ first appointment. At that time, the governor’s only constraint was that the appointee needed to be a member of the same political party as the person who left that seat vacant.

Field was a Democrat, so Burns picked a Democrat.

State Rep. David Trask, who was married to the governor’s sister and was a member of the influential Trask family, lived in the district and got the Senate seat, but lost his bid for reelection in 1966.

Trask’s appointment established a new practice known as the “political reshuffle.” Whenever a member of the state House, the Legislature’s lower chamber, vacates a seat to join the Senate, the governor needs to fill the subsequently vacant House seat.

In Trask’s case, Tom Tagawa of the Maui County Board of Supervisors (the predecessor to the Maui County Council) was tapped by Burns to take Trask’s House seat.

Burns also appointed legislators to other state positions; at least two were appointed as Circuit Court judges and Burns filled their legislative vacancies. In 1967, when then-House Speaker Elmer Cravalho resigned to become chairman of the Board of Supervisors of Maui County, Burns filled his House seat.

Cravalho was elected in 1969 as Maui’s first mayor.

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ARIYOSHI, FASI AND THE RISE OF AN OUTSIDER

Through their legislative appointments, governors demonstrated their political style. Gov. George Ariyoshi (1974-86), for instance, carried an independent streak and a penchant for inviting outsiders into the political process.

Ariyoshi’s most consequential appointment began as the last step in a political chain reaction that began with Honolulu Mayor Frank Fasi. Fasi had persuaded three Democratic members of the Honolulu City Council to become Republicans in 1985.

Then-Councilmember Patsy T. Mink was outraged and launched a recall campaign against the three new Republicans. All three lost their seats to Democrats in the recall election; two of those Democrats, Arnold Morgado and Donna Mercado Kim, resigned their seats in the State House to serve on the City Council.

In those days, appointees simply had to be registered as members of the Democratic or Republican party – they did not have to be members of their party for at least six months, as is the current rule.

James Kumagai, then chair of the state Democratic Party, who had a doctorate in engineering, was charged with generating lists of potential appointees to fill the House vacancies.

For Morgado’s House seat representing Pearl City, the three options were a longtime party worker; the son of an elected official; and a young outsider named David Ige, an electrical engineer with Hawaiian Telephone, now Hawaiian Telcom.

But Ige was not a member of the Democratic Party.

“My appointment,” acknowledges Ige, now a former governor, “could not have been today under the rules and the law that have been passed since.”

On the Friday morning after Thanksgiving 1985, Ige received a

phone call from a high school classmate who wanted to know whether he was interested in entering politics. Later that morning, he received a call from Kumagai, who went to Ige’s office and spent two hours talking about the Democratic Party’s influence on state politics.

The engineer, then 28, expressed interest in the appointment. A few hours after Kumagai left his office, Ige received a call. “Dr. Kumagai called me back and said that the governor wanted to meet me.”

Ige’s office at the corner of Alakea and Beretania streets in downtown Honolulu was within walking distance of Washington Place, the governor’s residence. A meeting was set for 3:45 p.m. Kumagai met Ige before the meeting, and on his way over to the governor’s residence, Ige filled out his Democratic Party membership card. At the meeting, Ariyoshi offered Ige the House seat.

Ige told Ariyoshi he needed to consult with his boss. It was now late afternoon on that fateful Friday.

Ige called his boss and told him what happened. Several minutes later, he was on a phone call with several layers of the company’s executive management, including his direct supervisor and two senior leaders of Hawaiian Telephone’s engineering unit.

Ige, who had been promoted to supervising engineer only a few months before, was told to not accept the appointment. “So I called Jimmy Kumagai back and said that I really appreciated the governor’s consideration, but I just talked to my boss and there’s too much going on.”

Kumagai said he understood and asked Ige to wait a bit.

Ten minutes later, Ige received a phone call from Charles Crain, president of Hawaiian Telephone.

It was his first conversation ever with Crain, and he recalls Crain’s assurance: “If the governor wants to do this – [and] if you’re interested – then you’ll have the full support of the company.”

ILLUSTRATION: ORIGINAL PHOTOS BY AARON YOSHINO AND WIKIMEDIA COMMONS; ART: HB STAFF

In December 1985, Ariyoshi appointed David Ige, 28, and Jake Manegdeg, 55, to the state House.

While Manegdeg was defeated when he ran to keep his seat in 1988, Ige won his election and two more House elections after that. Six years after his initial appointment, he was elected to the state Senate, succeeding Eloise Tungpalan, who had been appointed by Gov. John Waihe‘e in 1987. In 2014, then-Sen. Ige was elected governor – 29 years after he was appointed by George Ariyoshi.

The times, Ige knows, have changed. “It’s a very different process now. And clearly the parties are front-and-center on [building] the short list.”

In early 2006, the Democratic members of the Legislature launched an assault against Lingle.

“We’ve seen in the past that some appointments have been made [after] really listening to the community and some appointments have been made ignoring the wishes of the community,” state

Rep. Brian Schatz told KHNL in February 2006.

Lingle defended the same process that had benefited Democratic governors Burns, Ariyoshi, Waihe‘e and Cayetano. “The process we have in place is a good one,” Lingle said then. “I don’t think we should re-create a process just for me

CURTAILMENT OF THE GOVERNOR’S POWERS

Governors were free to pick anyone who was willing to sign a party membership card until the Bev Harbin incident of 2005.

Until that point, every governor who had made an appointment had been a Democrat. Lingle was the first Republican to wield that power.

Harbin was Lingle’s pick for a House seat left vacant by a Republican’s resignation. She was later found to owe $123,000 in state taxes, a scandal that embarrassed the governor.

“Had this information been disclosed during the interview process, Ms. Harbin would not have been appointed,” Lingle’s chief of staff wrote in a statement.

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whereas every previous governor had some latitude, and I think that should continue.”

The Legislature ignored Lingle’s reasoning. In the 2007 session, state Sen. Gary Hooser introduced Senate Bill 1063 to change the process. Under the proposed law, the governor would be required to fill any vacancy in the Legislature by selecting from a list of three names selected by “the political party of the prior incumbent.” The bill also required that the applicant be a member of the party for “at least six months prior to the appointment.”

Among those individuals who passed the Senate bill out of the House Judiciary Committee was then-state Rep. Josh Green. The bill speedily passed both bodies, arriving on the governor’s desk on April 12, 2007.

Lingle issued a veto message on April 25. “This bill places the ability for determining who may be appointed by the governor with the political party leadership of the vacating office holder. This is in spite of the fact that these individuals are not elected by the public and, as such, are not accountable to them,” wrote Lingle.

She said another consequence was how the pool of potential applicants would be severely narrowed by the discretion of either the Republican or Democratic party. Such conditions would “unreasonably restrict the pool of potential candidates as the majority of people who personally and philosophically associate themselves with a political party and vote along party lines may not meet this requirement.”

On May 1, more than twothirds of both legislative chambers overrode the governor’s veto and the bill became law. Among those legislators voting to override was then-Sen. David Ige, a beneficiary of the old appointment rules that paved the way for his political career and eventual rise to the governor’s office.

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ILLUSTRATION: ORIGINAL PHOTOS BY AARON YOSHINO AND WIKIMEDIA COMMONS; ART: HB STAFF

As for Harbin, she was defeated for reelection in 2006 by a legislative aide named Karl Rhoads, a prior applicant for the appointment who was passed over by Lingle.

A NEW ROLE FOR HAWAI‘I’S POLITICAL PARTIES

Since 2007, 33 appointments have been made by four governors, who picked from a list of three names selected under a process facilitated by the party of the seat’s prior incumbent. To date, all appointments have been to seats vacated by Democrats. As a result, the Democratic Party has managed the process for soliciting applicants to fill vacancies.

Following an interview process managed by the party’s county chair, three applicants are selected as finalists for the governor’s selection. Even under these circumstances, governors enjoy much latitude. Former Gov. Neil Abercrombie called on his decades of experience in various local political circles to inform his decisions. “Hawai‘i’s still not much bigger than a village.”

When he appointed Derek Kawakami to the House in 2011, Abercrombie recalled his history working with leaders from Kaua‘i, like Kawakami’s Aunt Bertha (appointed following the death of her husband, the speaker of the House, in 1987). Even with Kawakami’s own track record as a member of the Kaua‘i County Council, “his political legacy made him humble,” Abercrombie says.

In Abercrombie’s eyes, each of his appointments were based on standards of “character, temperament and background.” As shown by the Harbin incident, a poor appointment could be a political liability for the governor.

Since then, the party has done much of the vetting of candidates for the governor.

DOES THE STATUS QUO WORK?

The 2007 law granted more power to state party leaders – especially Democrats. “The Democratic Party in Hawai‘i used to be a powerful entity.

Today, this is one of the things that still gives it power,” observes UH professor Colin Moore.

In fact, Moore says, “it makes the party more powerful.”

“They’re clearly the biggest beneficiary of the current system because it keeps them relevant and it’s one of their most significant current powers, but it’s not clear to me that it’s necessarily better than allowing the governor to pick anybody to fill the term, or anyone that’s a registered Democrat, like what Ariyoshi did with Ige.” Quinn Yeargain, an associate professor of law at Michigan State University and the school’s 1855 Professor of the Law of Democracy, is one of the few experts in the United States to have researched the history of state legislative vacancies and temporary appointments in the U.S. “There are reasons why governors aren’t the ideal appointing entity – given that the Legislature and governor are meant to check and balance each other. Having too many gubernatorial appointees in a legislature could be problematic,” Yeargain says. “But when the governor merely selects from a slate of candidates provided by the state or local party, a lot of those problems are ameliorated.”

The post-2007 rule places greater emphasis on a person’s ties to a political party.

Ige believes the process should be changed to broaden the pool of candidates.

“The current process really does exclude from consideration a lot of good community-minded people who would do a good job of serving. But because they’re not involved in the party, they don’t get considered,” he says.

Steps could be taken to permit more applicants through the state

party system, such as removing barriers to a person’s eligibility for a vacant seat. Alternatively, a nonpartisan body could replace the role of the state parties – something akin to the reapportionment commission charged with redrawing legislative districts or the Judicial Selection Commission charged with overseeing judicial nominations.

For now, Yeargain says the “sameparty appointment system is better than any alternative” – including letting anyone who signs a party card to be the appointee – and more cost-effective than financing a special election. “There are ways in which it can be improved, certainly, and it may look undesirable to an outside view, but the problems that it solves are too significant to ignore.”

Moore agrees, adding that “special elections for legislative seats are expensive and overly complicated.”

Furthermore, one-time, off-cycle special elections can come with very low voter turnout, resulting in an undemocratic process for entirely different reasons.

“Because of the low turnout dynamic,” Yeargain explains, “the party that is more energized and enthusiastic about voting may be able to out-vote the other party in a special election, producing a result that may be incompatible with what district voters would otherwise want. In some ways, this can be worse than non-representation, because a district is represented by someone who has no claim to a mandate in casting ballots on behalf of their constituents.”

Where special election outcomes can be messy and divisive, a governor’s appointment may ironically come as a cleaner, simpler alternative to democracy’s natural acrimony.

Perhaps Hawai‘i is lucky.

When there are vacancies, there are no campaigns, debates or elections. There is only the governor’s choice.

H AWA I I B U S I N ES S | 65

BY MA RIA TO RRE S-K I TAM U RA

Hawai‘i Expands Its Broadband Infrastructure Government and private money are increasing the speed and reach of the internet highway

I

N 2018, AS TRANSPACIFIC CABLES INCREASINGLY CONNECTED ASIA DIRECTLY TO THE U.S. MAINLAND – bypassing

Hawai‘i – Sylvia Luke, then chair of the state House Finance Committee, says she became concerned the state might be left behind. Then the pandemic expanded everyone’s dependence on reliable connectivity for online learning, remote work, telehealth and much more.

“Broadband all of a sudden became a top-of-mind issue,” with government seeing it as a long-term investment in physical infrastructure that boosts economic development and innovation, like roads and electricity, Luke says.

“For the first time in our nation’s history, the federal government invested billions and billions of dollars to improve broadband access throughout the states,” especially in underserved communities under the tagline #Internet for All. The U.S. Congress appropriated more than $400 million for Hawai‘i in 2021. “This was a gift that I just never would have anticipated,” Luke says. State and private funds add to the total.

The money is administered by various agencies under myriad programs and grants, each with its

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own goals, rules and compliance regulations. Luke heads Connect Kākou, the state’s broadband initiative that coordinates the effective use of those federal funds coming into Hawai‘i.

“Because we are working very closely with the federal government, everything we do has to have a plan and execution laid out,” Luke says. With different pockets of funding involving different entities, “there has to be statewide coordination on how we can maximize federal funds, share information and minimize or anticipate areas where there might be duplication.”

“

INTERNET FOR ALL IS A GAME CHANGER. IT’S THE BIG EQUALIZER, NOT JUST FOR NOW, BUT FOR GENERATIONS TO COME.” – SYLVIA LUKE LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR

BRIDGING THOUSANDS OF MILES

Connect Kākou focuses on three areas: infrastructure, devices and know-how. Together they create what Luke calls “meaningful access” – enabling more and more people to access and actually benefit from such services as telehealth, remote work and online learning.

State and county governments often see the internet as a way to provide better service to constituents. That makes it easier for most people but can reduce access for those who don’t know how to use a computer, don’t have one or don’t have an internet connection, Luke

says. “If you drive around the state, there are pockets of our communities where you don’t have any connection at all.”

To better understand “access” – and where it is lacking – it helps to look at the key pieces of the highspeed internet network: the first, middle and last miles of broadband infrastructure.

The first mile connects the Islands to the broader internet through undersea transpacific fiber optic cables that land on O‘ahu

INFO GRAPHIC: CONNECT KĀKOU AND UNIVERSITY OF HAWAI‘I

THE FIRST, MIDDLE AND LAST MILE OF BROADBAND INFRASTRUCTURE

or other islands. The middle mile currently begins with three existing interisland systems that connect the Neighbor Islands. Two of those systems, both owned by Hawaiian Telcom, are past their design lifetimes by several years, says UH VP for Information Technology/CIO Garret Yoshimi. The third one, he says, was laid by Sandwich Isles “and is probably past its halfway point.”

Sandwich Isles Communications – which faces foreclosure by the federal government for nonpayment of loans – abruptly terminated phone and internet services for about 1,500 customers on Hawaiian Home Lands last year.

Hawaiian Telcom built the first fiber networks in the state in 1994

and has been investing in improvements ever since. The company says it invested more than $1 billion over the past decade using a combination of federal funds and private capital.

In January, Hawaiian Telcom announced it would collaborate with federal, state and county governments to make Hawai‘i the first fully fiber-enabled state in the nation. The existing fiber network reaches over 400,000 homes and businesses, representing 60% of the state, with plans to connect the remaining 40% by the end of 2026, Hawaiian Telcom said.

Gov. Josh Green calls the plan “a testament to the power of public-private partnerships.”

GOVERNMENT MONEY PROVIDES THE JUMP-START

Under Connect Kākou, $102 million will go to the Hawaiian Islands Fiber Link project, led by UH with its private sector partner, Ocean Networks. Yoshimi says that government money is essential to creating the new broadband infrastructure.

“We’re using the public funds to essentially solve the capital hurdle” since those monies don’t have the same repayment requirements as private capital, Yoshimi says. However, that government money is not enough for the state to fully build and operate the infrastructure directly.

“The intention is to have a commercial operator do the

H AWA I I B U S I N ES S | 67

build as well as operate it going forward,” Yoshimi says. The resulting network would operate as a carrier-neutral, open-access system with a design lifespan of 25 years. It’s anticipated to be operational by late 2026.

In 2023, Hawaiian Telcom won a competitive $37 million federal grant from the National Telecommunications and Information Administration for a middle-mile project to build an interisland cable connecting the major islands. Along with another $50 million in funds and in-kind contributions, the project aims to mitigate risks around sea-level rise and natural disasters damaging the broadband infrastructure.

The last mile is where internet service providers like Hawaiian Telcom and Spectrum connect directly to individual customers; that’s the focal point for improving connectivity to underserved areas. The $150 million Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment Program, also coordinated by UH, targets the 12,700 homes in Hawai‘i that do not have access to highspeed internet.

That program’s first phase enlisted nonprofits, government, internet service providers and the public to check internet speeds in different areas and submit any corrections to update Hawai‘i’s broadband map (tinyurl.com/hawaiibbmap).

UH will use the validated results to prioritize funding projects to ensure people in every residence can subscribe to internet service at federally required minimum speeds of 100 Mbps for downloads and 20 Mbps for uploads.

Like the middle-mile project, this last-mile project “intends to break the capital hurdle to make sure that all residents that want to can subscribe to the service,” Yoshimi says.

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LIBRARIES ARE HUBS FOR CONNECTIVITY

While the primary focus of the last-mile project is on infrastructure development, any remaining funds after construction can pay for digital literacy programs, device purchases and training. The program covers funding for community anchor institutions: existing public locations such as libraries that provide access and support services to the public in areas offering speeds of less than 1 Gbps for downloads and 1 Gbps for uploads.

Yoshimi says Hawai‘i is lucky to have many libraries already connected to high-speed internet. “If we can help provide devices there as well as people to help, it really gives people a rich experience.”

With 51 branches on six islands, the state library addresses two main digital equity challenges: access and lack of affordability, says Hawai‘i State Librarian Stacey Aldrich.

“The public library is the only free space that people can go for free high-speed internet connectivity through computers provided at the library or Wi-Fi on their own devices.”

Libraries also bring more people online with web-based and in-person classes that support digital literacy. In 2021, research firm Omnitrak conducted a study on digital literacy and readiness for the state’s Workforce Development Council that described 40% of Hawai‘i’s population as less than digital-ready.

Their use of technology and training was minimal, they lacked confidence in their computer skills and they needed help setting up their devices, according to the study.

NOT JUST KŪPUNA LACK DIGITAL LITERACY

Ka‘ala Souza, a former workforce development specialist turned digital equity consultant, knew the statistics but was still surprised that

digital readiness classes needed to start with foundational tasks like how to turn on a computer and the differences between a right click and a left click. One attendee brought a box with a laptop that the attendee had owned for four years but was too intimidated to open.

Getting people digital ready, Souza says, opens people to many economic opportunities and gives them some buffer against economic disruptions.

Aldrich says this is not confined to kūpuna. “While we do have many kūpuna showing up to our current literacy skills classes, people of all ages have varying levels of expertise and experience. Some young people, for example, are adept at using their phones to connect but don’t have a lot of experience with all technologies, which can be a challenge in the workplace.”

With federal funding, Aldrich says, digital navigators will be available in all state library branches to provide more one-on-one opportunities for people to learn digital literacy skills. “We did a pilot with five branches last year, and it was extremely popular. Patrons with technology questions – who just want to talk with someone – [were provided] a skills person and time to learn,” she says.

As digital literacy educators, Souza says, “The big push for us is to get people feeling comfortable first. … I just need you to get online, and you can type a URL, or ‘how do I’ into an address bar.” That, he says, opens the door to a variety of economic advancement opportunities. “If you have people thinking and learning like that in our state, then it provides some buffer against economic changes.”

This long-term view aligns with Luke’s vision for ensuring that this influx of federal funds leads to lasting benefits for the state. “Internet for all is a game changer,” she says. “It’s the big equalizer, not just for now, but for generations to come.”

PROFILING 27 WINNERS AND FINALISTS REPRESENTING SOME OF THE BEST OF STARTUP PARADISE

2025

HAWAII ENTREPRENEUR AWARDS 69 | M A R C H 2 0 2 5

H AWA I I B U S I N ES S | 69

25 YEARS OF HONORING OUTSTANDING LOCAL STARTUPS AND INNOVATION

PHOTOS: COURTESY OF HVCA

HAWAII ENTREPRENEUR AWARDS 2025

Diverse group of winners and finalists highlights this year’s Hawaii Entrepreneur Awards

By Shelby Mattos

F

OR A QUARTER CENTURY, the

Hawaii Venture Capital Association’s awards programs have highlighted local entrepreneurs and companies that succeed despite challenges.

“It’s really hard to do business here in Hawai‘i. …

We are an island chain in the middle of the Pacific,” HVCA President Meli James says. “We have a high, high cost of living. There are

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a lot of things that naturally make Hawai‘i challenging. That being said, small business has been really at the heart of Hawai‘i and has really been such a huge driver for so much of our community.”

Today, HVCA’s recognition program is called the Hawaii Entrepreneur Awards; it was known as the Hawaii Venture Capital Association Awards back when Hoku Scientific won Deal of the Year in 2004 and Hoana Medical won the same award in 2009.

Hoku Scientific founder Dustin Shindo focused his company on renewable energy and fuel cell components. Shindo, whose early customers included Sanyo, Nissan and the U.S. Army, sold Hoku in 2009 just before the effects of the Great Recession hit the company. Since then, he’s founded other startups and now consults for HPM Building Supply.

“While there’s always entrepreneurs, it’s nice to see the next group kind of come in, pick up the

fight. You know, a lot of the young ones always want to change Hawai‘i and improve it,” Shindo says. “As my generation kind of moves on, the next generation of entrepreneurs, seeing them want to improve Hawai‘i and make a difference is nice.”

Patrick Sullivan, founder and CEO of Oceanit, was presented the Deal of the Year award in 2007 for the Oceanit spinoff Hoana Medical, which developed, manufactured, sold and serviced what it called the

world’s first totally passive medical monitoring system, the LifeBed. “Hoana ran into trouble after the 2008 collapse of the financial market.

We were in the middle of financing and literally had a signed document that evaporated and ended up with the company in a real pickle,” Sullivan says.

Oceanit continues to flourish globally from its base in Hawai‘i, Sullivan says. He says human capital is extremely important and it’s crucial to help keep smart, educated people in Hawai‘i. Sullivan says the next generation of entrepreneurs needs to embrace who they are.

“We live in Hawai‘i, but we work around the world.

Don’t make excuses for living in Hawai‘i, always a great place to live and have a family, and we think it’s a great place to do innovation,” Sullivan says.

The Hawaii Entrepreneur Awards bring organizations, entrepreneurs and investors together to celebrate achievements.

“I’m a big believer in collision and just getting smart people in the room,” James says. “You think about anything people are doing. It’s so hard to get the word out. Everyone has their lives, and there’s just so much going on. It’s really nice to be able to do this storytelling.”

James says she’s excited about the future “and what we’ll be able to celebrate in the next five years, 10 years, next 25 years.”

WINNER

ENTREPRENEUR OF THE YEAR ALEXIA AKBAY

W

SYMBROSIA

HILE DIGESTING GRASS, COWS TYPICALLY BURP OR FART OUT METHANE THAT CONTRIBUTES TO GLOBAL WARMING, so Alexia Akbay

set out to tackle the problem.

She found a study that demonstrated that limu kohu, or red seaweed, is a kind of “magical” organism that reduces those emissions when fed to cows.

“We just really focused on figuring out how to cultivate it, how to deliver it in a formulation to animals and ensure that it’s working, and then how to kind of put an offering on the table for farmers to allow them to make a profit from using our product,” Akbay says.

Symbrosia has an aquaculture system that grows limu kohu at the Natural Energy Laboratory of Hawaii Authority in KailuaKona.

“The fastest-growing industry in Hawai‘i is aquaculture, and it’s really an opportunity to diversify our economy away from the government, defense and tourism,” she says.

Symbrosia is growing and plans to fill 80 full-time positions in limu aquaculture, agriculture and research.

“Working to reduce the impact of climate change through natural resources is a privilege,” Akbay says.

– Shelby Mattos

AWAIIII BBUUSSIIN NES ESSS | 71 71 HHAWA

HAWAII ENTREPRENEUR AWARDS 2025

AG/CLEAN TECH ENTREPRENEUR OF THE YEAR FINALIST

KERRY KAKAZU

METROGROW HAWAII

METROGROW HAWAII SAYS IT OPERATES HAWAI‘I’S FIRST INDOOR VERTICAL FARM TO GROW HYDROPONIC PRODUCE FOR LOCAL RESTAURANTS AND THE COMMUNITY. Despite

AN ENTREPRENEUR AND COMPANY WHOSE TECHNOLOGY SUPPORTS A GREENER FUTURE OR HELPS FARMERS WITH INNOVATIVE AGRICULTURAL PRACTICES.

major capital costs at the start and high ongoing energy expenses, the farm has maintained operations for over a decade.

Founder and president Kerry Kakazu says indoor farming is currently more expensive than traditional farming in Hawai‘i but that MetroGrow’s location in the heart of Kaka‘ako puts it closer to its customers. Kakazu says his goal is to make indoor farming economically competitive with traditional farming.

“You use less water, use less land, don’t have to use pesticides – a new, modern way of growing that could be very productive,” he says.

MetroGrow’s greens are sold directly to restaurants or can be purchased at farmers markets on O‘ahu. – Shelby Mattos

AG/CLEAN TECH ENTREPRENEUR OF THE YEAR

AG/CLEAN TECH ENTREPRENEUR OF THE YEAR

FINALIST

KAIULANI ODOM HAWAI‘I GOOD FOOD ALLIANCE

FINALIST

JUDIAH MCROBERTS KAUA‘I HEMP CO.

KAUA‘I HEMP CO .

sells products in Hawai‘i and Japan that are infused with locally grown organic hemp – including oil, soap and sun paste.

President Judiah McRoberts says their products contain none of the toxins found in nonorganic hemp products.

The company,

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founded in 2019, operates a 10-acre certified organic hemp farm and manufactures CBD products. McRoberts says he hopes the farm will be able to start tours to educate the public about hemp and how it is grown and used.

The mission of the company

is to revitalize the hemp industry and spur sustainable agriculture in Hawai‘i.

Located in ‘Ōma‘o on Kaua‘i’s South Shore, the farm uses solar panels to help power its operations and is establishing an on-site well to supply its water.

– Shelby Mattos

THE ALLIANCE IS A PARTNERSHIP OF EIGHT ORGANIZATIONS

focused on improving Hawai‘i’s food system, reducing dependency on imports and building community resilience.

Its members collaborate and support each other, with the goal of strengthening all parts of Hawai‘i’s food system, from production and

processing to distribution and consumption.

“It’s all about promoting a healthy food system in Hawai‘i that makes sure that we’re taking care of our land, we’re taking care of our people, we’re taking care of our community,” says Executive Director Kaiulani Odom.

In fact, caring for the ‘āina is one of the group’s pillars. The

others are that food should be culturally grounded, it should act like medicine, be equitably distributed and community based.

Among its many projects, the alliance worked this year with the state Department of Education on a plan to send 58,000 produce boxes to local residents within five months.

– Shelby Mattos

H AWA I I B U S I N ES S | 73

HAWAII ENTREPRENEUR AWARDS 2025

CPG (CONSUMER PACKAGED GOODS) ENTREPRENEUR OF THE YEAR FINALIST

KARLI ROSE WILSON TO BE HAWAI‘I

PRESENTED TO THE ENTREPRENEUR WHOSE CPG COMPANY HAS CONSISTENTLY SEEN MONTH OVER MONTH GROWTH IN REVENUE AND CUSTOMERS.

WHEN SHE WAS A HAIRSTYLIST , Karli Rose Wilson’s customers would sometimes talk about how fragrances gave them headaches. She suffered from the same problem, so she started making natural candles with no artificial fragrances.

From her base on Maui, she later expanded her product line to body butter, lip butter and other organic skin care products under the brand To Be Hawai‘i (founded as To Be Organics).

“We’re constantly growing and evolving our brand to add and support self-care, to elevate daily rituals and to really incorporate the essence of the island in the things that we use every day,” Wilson says.

She also says it’s important for everyone to slow down and to add self-care to their everyday routines.

Customers can find her products online and at To Be Hawai‘i’s store on Wai‘ale Road in Wailuku.

– Shelby Mattos

CPG ENTREPRENEUR OF THE YEAR

CPG ENTREPRENEUR OF THE YEAR

FINALIST

FINALIST

CAESAR AND GINA HO HAWAIIAN SODA CO

DURING THE PANDEMIC, WHILE CAESAR HO AND HIS DAD ATE PRIME RIBS EVERY WEEKEND, Ho

would ask bartenders to mix sparkling water with any fresh fruit juice that was available. A few years later Caesar and his wife experimented on their own by mixing different juices and sodas.

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After working with a food scientist, husband and wife Caesar and Gina Ho founded Hawaiian Soda Co, which produces sodas with Hawai‘i fruit flavors and no added sugar.

“We wanted to just make something that we felt good about giving our kids if they wanted something

refreshing to drink,” Gina Ho says.

The soda is now sold by about 20 retailers in Hawai‘i, California, Texas and the Midwest. Ho says that they plan to add more retail and distribution partners in Hawai‘i and on the West Coast.

– Shelby Mattos

SARA SMITH WRAPPILY YOU MAY HAVE FELT THIS GUILT AND FRUSTRATION:

After all the presents have been opened at Christmas or at parties, you are disheartened by all the wrapping paper that can’t be recycled.

“These joyous

moments were sort of tinged with this kind of feeling of guilt or that pain of like, ‘Oh that sucks,’ ” says Sara Smith.

So in 2013, she started Wrappily, a company that makes colorful yet eco-friendly and compostable gift wrap.

“We’re asking consumers to give up glitters and glossy foils and all the bling and glitz that traditional wrapping papers offer that make the product unsustainable and nonrecyclable and just bound for the landfill.”

– Shelby Mattos

SOCIAL IMPACT ENTREPRENEUR OF THE YEAR FINALIST

DENISE YAMAGUCHI HAWAI‘I AG & CULINARY ALLIANCE FOR 15 YEARS , the Hawai‘i

SOCIAL IMPACT ENTREPRENEUR OF THE YEAR FINALIST

DANIEL RICHARDSON

M

Food and Wine Festival has showcased Hawai‘i’s chefs and food products while targeting tourists. The festival is one of the many programs the Hawai‘i Ag & Culinary Alliance supports to highlight the Islands as a culinary travel destination.

The Hawai‘i Agricultural Foundation is a separate entity that supports local farmers and collaborates with schools on agricultural education programs for 5,000 students and 150

teachers a year. The organizations gave over $5 million to agricultural and culinary education programs in the last 14 years, says Denise Yamaguchi, CEO of the festival and executive director of the foundation.

“One of the main reasons why we need to support local ag industries is to be, number one, more sustainable, but also to support diversity in our economy,” Yamaguchi says.

– Shelby Mattos

MAKALI‘I METRICS

AKALI‘I METRICS COMBINES MODERN ANALYTICS AND TRADITIONAL HAWAIIAN PRACTICES to measure soil fertility

for food production in Hawai‘i.

Founder Daniel Richardson says a goal for the company is to build Hawai‘i’s first soil analysis lab, but for now, samples must be sent to the mainland. The company’s first project started in 2023 and it currently manages soil healthrelated projects for UH and the state.

Richardson says the company is focused on reviving indigenous crop systems and methods on former plantation lands.

He says Hawai‘i has yet to reach an agricultural turning point in the post-plantation, post sugar cane era and, because of that, it’s hard to know what the next big thing in agriculture “could be and what people want it to be.”

– Shelby Mattos

AN ENTREPRENEUR AND COMPANY THAT SUBSTANTIALLY CONTRIBUTES TO HELPING SOLVE SOME OF HAWAI‘I’S TOUGHEST PROBLEMS.

SOCIAL IMPACT ENTREPRENEUR OF THE YEAR FINALIST

KAINA MAKUA, DAVIS PRICE KUMANO I KE ALA BASED IN WEST KAUA‘I, the nonprofit Kumano I Ke Ala uses Hawaiian knowledge to revitalize local food systems with the goals of reducing imports and preserving traditions.

One project involved 650 volunteers removing silt from the Waimea River so the waterway could flow freely. Kumano I Ke

Ala works with local schools and students to teach hands-on agricultural skills and methods year-round.

It also hosts monthly volunteer events that allow community members to work on its farm projects and learn about sustainable practices.

– Shelby Mattos

AWAIIII BBUUSSIIN NES ESSS | 75 75 HHAWA

HAWAII ENTREPRENEUR AWARDS 2025

WINNER

STARTUP PARADISE CHAMPION IAN KITAJIMA

WINNER

FOR ALMOST 40 YEARS, THE PACIFIC INTERNATIONAL CENTER FOR HIGH TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH HAS BEEN THE “INCUBATOR OF INCUBATORS” IN HAWAI‘I, President Ian Kitajima says.

DEAL OF THE YEAR BRETT JACOBSON, NAEHALANI BREELAND HAWAIIAN OLA BREWING

B

RETT

JACOBSON

AND

NAEHALANI

BREELAND,

CO-OWNERS OF HAWAIIAN OLA BREWING, PURCHASED

AND

RENOVATED

THE

HISTORIC

HILO

SUGAR MILL PROPERTY, NOW HOME TO THEIR

DISTILLERY. To finance the project, they raised funds from the community to purchase the land from Ed Olson, one of the largest landowners on Hawai‘i Island, who

died in 2024.

The company started as Hawaiian Ola with nonalcoholic noni energy and immunity shots. In 2016, sales plateaued, so Jacobson and Breeland sought to make a bigger impact by founding Hawaiian Ola Brewing.

“We were brainstorming, trying to figure out how we could use all of these great fruits that were being wasted and not being used throughout Hawai‘i,” Breeland says. “That’s when we came up with the idea of making ciders and using all these great fruits – the ones that couldn’t be sold to hotels or restaurants or stores because of their aesthetic.”

The company grew to have over 4,200 shareholders and continues to support local farmers by using local ingredients. She attributes her and Jacobson’s success to their connections to the overall community and the lāhui Hawai‘i, or Hawaiian nation.

“Putting the ‘āina first as a business is possible, and putting lāhui as first in business is possible,” Breeland says.

This year Breeland and Jacobson plan to launch their version of ‘ōkolehao, a spirit made from ti leaves with a history stretching back two centuries. – Shelby Mattos RECOGNIZES THE LOCAL COMPANY THAT RECEIVED THE LARGEST FINANCIAL DEAL IN THE PAST YEAR.

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PICHTR

PICHTR has helped hundreds of startups and existing companies in Hawai‘i to start projects or to transition into dual use incubators that sell products and services to civilian and military markets.

“Our whole focus is partnering,” Kitajima says.

While he just started his role as president two years ago, Kitajima had collaborated with PICHTR for over 20 years. In his previous job at Oceanit, he was able to use funding from PICHTR to create new divisions to focus on material science and renewable energy. Similar programs now help support the Japanese and U.S. government’s departments of defense.

He says he has a different perspective from the proverb that states, “If you want to go fast, go alone.

If you want to go far, go together.” The way he sees it, entrepreneurs and companies need to go fast and far, “and the way to do that is by partnering.”

The nonprofit has partnered with many different organizations and has a goal to find the partners needed to complete tasks that no organization can do on its own.

PICHTR helped scale a renewable energy project, Elemental Impact, that started in Hawai‘i and is now a global player, while keeping the headquarters in Hawai‘i after it was sold.

Some recent projects that PICHTR collaborated on: • An engineering team at Mānoa received a $750,000 award from the U.S. Department of Transportation to help develop an advanced artificial intelligence system that uses multiple types of sensors to detect and prevent potential crashes at intersections.

• PICHTR and WAI: Wastewater Alternatives & Innovations will receive a $1 million federal grant to address the health and environmental impacts of wastewater pollution in Hawai‘i.

The money will help fund a program to train local workers in cesspool conversion.

• PICHTR received a $14 million U.S. Environmental Protection Agency grant to place microgrids and develop agriculture technology to help homeless people in Wai‘anae, – Shelby Mattos

SOMEONE WHO CONSISTENTLY CONTRIBUTES TO THE SUCCESS OF HAWAI‘I’S INNOVATION COMMUNITY.

D O YOU WORK FOR ONE OF HAWAI‘I’S MOST EXCELLENT COMPANIES?

Hawaii Business Magazine is looking for companies that represent the best of Hawai‘i based on a combination of financial success, innovation, impact, employee engagement and community involvement.

Our BEST PLACES TO WORK program honors companies that are identified as employee friendly. Our TOP 250 recognizes companies with the most top line revenue in the state and our MOST CHARITABLE LIST recognizes the most charitable among us. HAWAI‘I EXCELLENCE IN BUSINESS AWARDS will draw on all these areas as well as community impact and innovation.

S U B M I T YO U R N O M I NAT I O N T O D AY T O B E R E C O G N I Z E D I N O U R S E P T E M B E R “ H AWA I I ’S E XC E L L E N C E I N B U S I N ES S” I S S U E !

H AWA I I B U S I N E S S . C O M / E XC E L L E N C E G E T M O R E I N F O R M AT I O N O R S U B M I T YO U R N O M I N AT I O N

H AWA I I B U S I N ES S | 77

HAWAII ENTREPRENEUR AWARDS 2025

WINNER

CORPORATE INTRAPRENEUR OF THE YEAR BILLY PIEPER

B

AMERICAN SAVINGS BANK

ILLY PIEPER BRINGS AN INFECTIOUS PASSION AND AN ENTREPRENEUR’S INSTINCT FOR FINDING NEW SOLUTIONS TO UNSOLVED PROBLEMS to his role as

VP of strategic partnerships at American Savings Bank.

As head of the bank’s “affordable housing hui,” he helped roll out innovative mortgage programs and turned ASB into the state’s largest mortgage lender “for the first time in probably decades,” he says.

One new initiative is “This is Home,” which was inspired by VA home loans, a program with the best terms on the market. ASB’s program reduces monthly costs for middle-income homebuyers with a 3% down-payment option and a heavily discounted mortgage-insurance rate.

78 | M A R C H 2 0 2 5

“One in every four mortgages we did last year was to a first-time homebuyer using this program,” says Pieper. While the bank earns less profit on mortgages, he says, volume is up substantially, which makes up for the loss.

Another unique program helps Hawaiian Home Lands beneficiaries access funds to build on vacant leased land. The bank provided capital for construction loans to its partner Hawai‘i Community Lending, which helps people who don’t qualify for traditional loans.

Both homeownership programs are urgently needed given the past eight years of outmigration and population loss, which Pieper sees as a crisis: “Who’s going to take care of us in the hospitals, who’s going to teach our kids?”

The bank’s housing hui meets regularly “to make sure that our strategy is measurable and leads to the desired outcome of providing hope for folks that they can stay in Hawai‘i and thrive,” he says. And he uses the specter of a shrinking working class to overcome resistance to change at the bank.

“We’re going to have a business problem because that’s our client base and our workforce,” says Pieper. “We cannot do things the same and expect a different result. We have to think creatively, or else Hawai‘i may be unrecognizable in 10 years.”

ASB executives are committed to affordable housing, he says, “and we’re happy to lead. We’ll be very prudent in our approach – we’re still a bank, we’re regulated – but we will do things that push the boundaries in order to create impact.”

– Cynthia Wessendorf

HONORS SOMEONE WHO WORKS IN A LARGE ORGANIZATION BUT ADVOCATES FOR INNOVATION AND ENTREPRENEURIAL THINKING.

WINNER

INVESTOR OF THE YEAR JOHNNY CHANKHAMANY

J

BUILDERS VC

OHNNY CHANKHAMANY SERVES AS HAWAI‘I PROGRAM DIRECTOR FOR BUILDERS VC. “We

invest in early-stage software startups,” which, in investment terms, are in “the seed or series A level,” says Chankhamany.

He oversees Builders VC’s partnerships with Hawai‘i-based entrepreneurs who are often transforming existing industries – such as agriculture, industrial, real estate and health care – with innovative technologies and operational excellence.

His firm provides capital and its partners can leverage their decades of expertise in those industries to support their companies and their investments, he says.

Although Chankhamany has achieved success in his career, he admittedly had a rocky start. He didn’t discover his passion for finance until his final semester at UH Mānoa, so he missed out on earlier internships.

After graduating, nearly all of his job applications to firms on the mainland went unanswered because he trailed his like-minded peers.

“By the time I realized finance was my calling, it was too late. The pathway to Wall Street is very rigid,” he says. His struggles turned into a desire to help the next generation have a better shot at being hired. “I want to help other people in Hawai‘i avoid the heartache that I went through,” he says.

Chankhamany volunteers with the Akamai Foundation. Its finance academy supports students by helping them secure internships, reviewing resumes, conducting mock interviews and offering networking opportunities with finance professionals.

“We train, develop and help Hawai‘i students get jobs on Wall Street,” he says.

– Ryann Noelani Coules

INDIVIDUAL OR ENTITY THAT HAS INVESTED SUBSTANTIALLY IN THE HAWAI‘I STARTUP ECOSYSTEM.

WINNER

ISLAND INNOVATOR JOEY AND CHRISTINE VALENTI BIZIA

T

O HELP REDUCE WASTE IN HAWAI‘I, THE FOUNDERS OF BIZIA ARE FOCUSING ON ALBIZIA TREES. The tree, one of the fast-

est growing in the world, is an invasive species in Hawai‘i and prevalent on the islands of Kaua‘i, O‘ahu, Maui and Hawai‘i.

After removing the invasive trees, Bizia plants native species in their place. It uses the wood to make handcrafted surfboards, furniture and cutting boards, which can be found at the company’s Bizia Surf and Coffee Bar in Wahiawā and its online store.

Joey Valenti was working toward his doctorate in architecture when he set out to build a house out of albizia.

He and skilled woodworker Eric Bello built the house and began collaborating on Hawai‘i-grown wood surfboards.

Albizia is similar to balsa, another wood used for surfboards. Compared to boards made with styrofoam and plastic that can break every season, wooden ones are stronger and can last a lifetime.

By creating high quality wood surfboards, Bizia is curating a greener surf industry in Hawai‘i, Christine Valenti says. She says she wants to bring the community together through Bizia by creating pop-up events at the beach, such as “demo days” where people could try the albizia surfboards.

– Shelby Mattos

AWAIIII BBUUSSIIN NES ESSS | 79 79 HHAWA

HAWAII ENTREPRENEUR AWARDS 2025

TECH ENTREPRENEUR OF THE YEAR FINALIST

RANDY MARSDEN LYV TECHNOLOGIES (DBA SKIDATTL)

RANDY MARSDEN WAS IN COLLEGE WHEN A FRIEND BROKE HIS NECK and became

paralyzed. “I did a student project to help him, and that turned into a company” that developed assistive technology to help disabled people, he says.

Marsden later founded and successfully exited four businesses while working for companies like Nike and Apple. Now he is focused on Skidattl, his fifth startup.

“We are all getting sucked into our screens too much and forgetting about the real world.

Skidattl … uses technology to pull you back into the real world by creating experiences that you can see through augmented reality on your phone,” he says.

Skiddatl’s app launched in February, but you can also access it via QR codes without downloading it.

– Ryann Noelani Coules

TECH ENTREPRENEUR OF THE YEAR FINALIST

ROMESH JAYAWICKRAMA

R

TECH ENTREPRENEUR OF THE YEAR FINALIST

JASON SHARP UMI

THE LANGUAGE-LEARNING APP UMI LAUNCHED IN FEBRUARY 2023 AND HAS ALREADY REACHED NEARLY 200,000 DOWNLOADS.

The app springs from co-founder and CEO Jason Sharp’s years in the freewheeling Beijing of the 2000s and 2010s, where he did a university study abroad stint and founded two companies. He says watching TV shows helped him master Mandarin.

Umi lessons use TV clips to help users distinguish words in spoken speech and build vocabulary in context. The most popular language is French, followed by Japanese, Spanish and Korean.

80 | M A R C H 2 0 2 5

“Our brains are really good at pattern recognition, so if you give them a lot of exposure to native speakers, they start to recognize that,” says Sharp. Without listening comprehension, foreign-language students “can go through four years of college, then travel to a country and not understand anything.”

The goal of Umi is to help people become truly fluent, says Sharp, because “language is connection, and connection opens up opportunities.”

– Cynthia Wessendorf

INTTENT

OMESH JAYAWICKRAMA LEFT A SUCCESS FUL CAREER IN INVESTMENT BANKING TO FOUND A STARTUP, Aurigin, which

helps connect medium-sized companies with compatible investors.

After Aurigin took off, he pivoted to his second startup, Inttent, a platform that transforms traditional data-heavy documents into more engaging, multimodal presentations.

For example, one aspect of finalizing a deal is called the Confidential Information Memorandum. “It’s basically a prospectus for a listed company – so like a 100- to 150-page document. It takes months to put together and it’s not being read,” says Jayawickrama.

Inttent reduces the time needed to write CIMs and other documents and to effectively relay their key information.

With Inttent, “all you have to do is upload all of your source files, and our model analyzes, identifies the relevant parts, generates the text and charts, all in one seamless flow.” Instead of taking 400 hours, it can take three or four, he says.

– Ryann Noelani Coules

HONORING THE ENTREPRENEUR WHO HAS CREATED TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION TO MAKE OUR LIVES BETTER.

WINNER

LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

STUDENT ENTREPRENEUR OF THE YEAR FINALISTS

CANDIDE KRIEGER

EDUKITS HAWAI‘I

AS A TEACHER AT JEFFERSON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, Candide

Krieger noticed that there was a lack of resources and funding for teachers to incorporate local values and lessons into their curriculums. While studying for her master’s degree at UH Mānoa’s College of Education, Krieger entered a venture competition sponsored by the Shidler College of Business. From there, in August 2024, she launched Edukits Hawai‘i.

The nonprofit creates kits that help schools teach STEAM within JAZLEN LUCAS

DENNIS TERANISHI

D

PICHTR

ENNIS TERANISHI’S LIFE HAS BEEN FOCUSED ON TWO PASSIONS: AGRICULTURE AND IMPROVING U.S.-JAPAN RELATIONS. He started as a soil

chemist at Amfac, one of the Big Five companies that dominated Hawai‘i’s plantation economy, and 19 years later had worked his way up to company president.

Teranishi, 80, is now the longtime CEO and chairman of PICHTR – the Pacific International Center for High Technology Research – a nonprofit that focuses on climate change adaptation, renewable energy, technology, disaster preparedness, health care and resource conservation.

“Most of my friends are retired, but I don’t want to retire,” he says. “I don’t consider it work, because I enjoy it so much, and I have such good people working with me that they make it so pleasant. I just can’t wait to get to the office in the morning.”

He values building a good team above other goals.

“We get so tempted to try to make more money or build a business, and we forget that the most,” he says.

“There’s so much stress, even when things are going well.

So if you work with bad people, or you have bad partners, or if you hire bad people, life is so much more difficult.”

He says he also serves as an advisor to other companies, specifically those that allow him to travel to Tokyo and New York. – Shelby Mattos

the Hawai‘i Department of Education’s Nā Hopena A‘o framework.

Krieger graduated from Kaimuki High School and teaches at Jefferson, and both are Title I schools, which means they receive federal funds to support students from low-income families. Her nonprofit donates the kits to Title I schools across the Islands, with funding from UH and donations.

So far, 30 schools have been involved and 1,400 kits distributed.

PŪHANO HAWAI‘I

JAZLEN LUCAS’ BUSINESS MISSION IS TO CONNECT PEOPLE WITH THE FEELING OF HOME IN HAWAI‘I. With

Pūhano Hawai‘i she creates stickers, air fresheners and tumblers with local designs for her friends, family and former classmates studying at colleges on the mainland and those who have moved away.

Lucas, who’s studying business entrepreneurship at Honolulu Community College, plans to add clothing to her product line and sell more often at local markets.

TIMOTHY KIM

“It gives me a lot of joy and happiness to see that I can connect and form that sense of community with them through my products,” Lucas says.

GOCHI

IF YOU ARE NOT PART OF GEN Z, YOU MAY NOT UNDERSTAND THIS BUSINESS. But if you are an

innovator of any age, you’ll probably admire Timothy Kim’s creativity and chutzpah.

Kim is the owner of a Korean BBQ restaurant called Gochi that is currently open only on the internet.

He started Gochi in Roblox, an online platform that allows people to create their own games.

“I have combined cultural authenticity with dynamic entertainment to deliver a uniquely immersive experience,” he says.

Gochi has 13 employees, over 11,000 members, and raised $20,000 for student entrepreneur scholarships.

Kim’s goal is to one day run a digital experience alongside an actual restaurant chain. But for now, Kim says, his team is putting “full attention on actually getting all those resources into the game, having a finished product and a finished brand to release first.”

– Shelby Mattos AWAIIII BBUUSSIIN NES ESSS | 81 81 HHAWA

HAWAII ENTREPRENEUR AWARDS 2025

PEOPLE’S CHOICE AWARD FINALIST

KEA PETERS KĀKOU COLLECTIVE ONE DAY WHILE HIKING, KEA PETERS GREW CURIOUS ABOUT THE PLANTS ALONG THE TRAIL. When she got home,

she searched for their names and characteristics and eventually drew them.

She later created workshops to teach others how to draw the plants and sold stationery with her Hawai‘i-inspired designs. During the pandemic, she hosted live sessions on Instagram, where each week she taught people how to draw a different plant connected to Hawai‘i.

Peters is the founder and owner of Kākou Collective, whose online and in-store lineup now includes greeting cards, stickers, tote bags, apparel and more. As the business grew to include a store in Downtown Honolulu’s Harbor Court, the events and workshops halted, but she plans to create more opportunities.

“I’m not just selling a sticker, I’m reconnecting you to your grandma or your auntie who’s no longer here,” she says.

– Shelby Mattos

PEOPLE’S CHOICE AWARD

PEOPLE’S CHOICE AWARD

FINALIST

FINALIST

NEALE ASATO ASATO FAMILY SHOP

ALEX AND SARAH KAWAKAMI ALIKALEO PARK

ASATO FAMILY SHOP OFFERS ITS “LOCAL KINE” SHERBERT – sort of guri guri-esque

– in flavors reminiscent of childhoods spent in Hawai‘i. The menu, which changes every week, may include conventional flavors like strawberry and pineapple, and others like pickled mango, li hing float and cold noodles.

Co-owner Neale Asato even created a spam, eggs and rice sherbert that was sold during the Spam Festival.

Asato says the family-run business’s mission is to support the community and make treats for the next generation. You can often find him alongside his parents at the Pali Highway store near Downtown Honolulu; it’s only open for a few hours a week, on Wednesdays and Sundays.

Asato says the shop has enjoyed exponential growth since he started making the sherbert in 2017 in his home kitchen. Now he creates thousands of pints each week for sale in the family store. – Shelby Mattos

82 | M A R C H 2 0 2 5

ALIKALEO PARK COMBINES VINTAGE PATTERNS AND SUN-PROTECTION to create

activewear for keiki that encourages outdoor play in a world filled with distracting devices.

Co-owners Alex and Sarah Kawakami use SPF 40 fabric to create hats, shirts, shorts and pants that protect children’s skin against the sun.

“Just being able to have that extra layer of sun protection gives you the motive to be outside and play and let kids have that childhood that is colorful and fun,” Sarah Kawakami says.

Alex comes from the same family that ran ‘Iolani Sportswear, a Hawai‘i apparel business that started over 70 years ago. The couple started overseeing that company in 2016 but paused during the pandemic to focus

PEOPLE’S CHOICE AWARD FINALIST

NILE AND HANA DREILING HOLEY GRAIL DONUTS

ALL OF THE DOUGHNUTS AT HOLEY GRAIL DONUTS are created with taro,

cooked in coconut oil when you order and served hot, bringing a unique twist to the beloved dessert.

The brand was launched by sibling co-owners Nile and Hana Dreiling in 2018 in a humble red trailer in Hanalei. They soon gained a cult following of people eager for new flavors that have included passionorange-guava, miso honey and whiskey smores.

Meanwhile, the owners say they focus on sustainability and work directly with local farmers and other food producers.

They now have a store in Kaka‘ako, two food trucks on Kaua‘i and three locations in Los Angeles, and plan to continue supporting local in 2025. – Shelby Mattos

PEOPLE’S CHOICE AWARD FINALIST

ROSELANI AIWOHI

WAIWAOLANI

ROSELANI AIWOHI WAS INSPIRED WHILE VISITING WAIKAMOI PRESERVE , a Maui

forest that’s home to 63 species of rare plants and 12 species of birds, seven of them endangered.

Today, she says she uses her slow fashion clothing brand, Waiwaolani, to bring more attention to Hawaiian culture, conservation, watersheds and plants. That focus on the environment informs how she makes her clothes.

“I’m not going to be another clothing business that just adds more textile waste to the landfill,” Aiwohi says. Among her goals is finding a way to upcycle and recycle clothing to further reduce waste.

This year, she plans to add to her lineup by launching dresses, swimwear and other apparel for the Merrie Monarch Festival.

She says the mission of the business is to support nonprofits and other organizations that protect the water and plants of Hawai‘i.

– Shelby Mattos

on the birth of their second son. Alikaleo Park launched in 2023, inspired by the designs and legacy of Alex’s parents and grandparents.

“We’re a very family-oriented company,” Sarah Kawakami says. “We just want to make the generations before proud.”

– Shelby Mattos

CHOSEN BY OUR LOCAL COMMUNITY VIA AN ONLINE POLL CONDUCTED BY HAWAII BUSINESS MAGAZINE.

AWAIIII BBUUSSIIN NES ESSS | 83 83 HHAWA

Our sell-out panel discussion, Revitalizing Downtown Honolulu, brought together a diverse group of community members and stakeholders. The event provided an opportunity to learn about the proposal for a Business Improvement District (BID) through insightful presentations and discussions. A distinguished panel of speakers, including Christine Camp, Reyn Tanaka, Chris Martin, Councilmember Tyler Dos Santos-Tam, Trevor Abarzua, and Chris Fong, shared their expertise and engaged with the audience during an interactive Q&A session. Attendees had the chance to ask questions and share their thoughts on the potential impact of the BID on the safety, appearance, and overall image of Downtown Honolulu, making the event an important step in the ongoing conversation about the future of the area.

MAHALO TO OUR SPONSORS PRESENTING SPONSORS

VENUE SPONSOR

SUPPORTING SPONSO R

“Tradewind Group is honored to sponsor Revitalizing Downtown Honolulu. As an organization with over 500 employees that work Downtown, we recognize the importance of uplighting the neighborhood by ensuring the safety, security, and cleanliness of our public spaces. It is important that we as a community step up to foster a vibrant Downtown Business District for our Hawai‘i.”

— CHRIS FONG , TR ADEWIND GROUP

“As a long-standing kama‘āina company, we’re honored to support the conversations shaping the future of our home. Collaborative efforts like these are essential in building a vibrant, safe, and thriving community. Mahalo to Hawaii Business Magazine and all the panelists at the Revitalizing Downtown Honolulu event for exploring impactful solutions and for fostering conversations that will drive positive change in our city.”

— ALTRES

“We were honored to be a part of this pivotal discussion to discuss the potential opportunities of establishing a Downtown Honolulu Business Improvement District. With the launch of the AC Hotel, enhanced security on Fort Street Mall, and exciting new venues like Forté featuring pickleball, the area is gradually regaining its vibrancy. However, there is still a long way to go and a BID would help in revitalizing downtown for families, businesses, and community.”

—TERRI FUNAKOSHI , COO, Y WCA OAHU

BY ST E V E P E T R AN IK

B O S S PA R T I

BOSS Shows Performance Down, Optimism Up The BOSS Survey of 357 local business owners and executives covers everything from revenue and profit to the governor’s and Legislature’s job performances 115

BOSS PERFORMANCE INDEX THREE STRAIGHT SURVEYS OF LOWER RESULTS

115

THE PERFORMANCE INDEX

– based on changes in employment, gross reve100 nue and profit before taxes at the 357 companies surveyed – fell for the third consecutive survey.

114 112

OPTIMISM PEAKED AFTER PANDEMIC BUT HAS FALLEN DRAMATICALLY

113 109

1A

107

105

102

100

BOSS PERFORMANC

INDEX ST AT 100 I

NOV 2020

APR 2021

OCT 2021

MAY 2022

OCT 2022 Index started at 100 in 1998.

80

THE OPTIMISM INDEX – based

on those same business people’s feelings about the direction of Hawai‘i’s economy in the next year or two – rebounded from the low score in the previous survey.

APR

82023 9

NOV 2020

9SEPT 0

2023

APR 2021

MAY 2024

OCT 2021

NOV 2024

MAY 2022

OCT 2022

APR 2023

2%dk/da*

131

120

119

OPTIMISM PEAKED ABOUT A YEAR INTO THE PANDEMIC, BUT HAS SINCE FALLEN 114

More cost cutting

90

101

102

86 | M A R C H 2 0 2 5

102

104

OCT 2021

MAY 2022

OCT 2022

90

Substantial increase in spending on capital and other items

16%

BOSS OPTOMISM

97

APR 2021

NOV 2024

56%

95

NOV 2020

26%

130 120

Index started at 100 in 1998.

MAY 2024

SURVEY RESPONDENTS WERE ASKED: WHAT BEST DESCRIBES THEIR COMPANIES’ SPENDING PLANS FOR 2025

BOSS OPTIMISM INDEX 130

SEPT 2023

APR 2023

NOV 2020

SEPT 2023

APR 2021

MAY 2024

OCT 2021

No substantial cost cutting and no substantial increased spending

NOV 2024

MAY 2022

*Did not know or did not answer

80

OCT 2022

APR 2023

SEPT 2023

MAY 2024

NOV 2024

INDEX ST AT 100 I

B O S S PA R T I I

We Asked: How Good is Your Life and Community in Hawai‘i?

This chart compares the results from a survey of 357 local businesspeople and a separate survey of 413 members of the general public from across the Islands.

How would you answer these questions?

YOUR LIFE IN GENERAL 1% 19% 51%

2%

13%

31%

53%

AVERAGE SCORE 3.07 / 3.14

YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD 3% 2%

1A

19%

BOSS PERFORMANCE INDEX INDEX STARTED AT 100 IN 1998

29%

YOUR PERSONAL 3% HOUSING 5%

53%

25%

15%

34%

49%

16% 36% 46%

15%

36%

45%

AVERAGE SCORE 3.14 / 3.12

PUBLIC SAFETY OVERALL 5% 4% 9% 19% 32% 33% 53% 46%

AVERAGE SCORE 3.00 / 3.14

AVERAGE SCORE 2.20 / 2.67

SO SO

LOCAL BUSINESSES OVERALL 5% 2% 5% 12% 26% 50% 38% 60%

LOCAL NONPROFITS 2% OVERALL 3% 7% 12% 30% 35% 51% 56%

AWFUL

AVERAGE SCORE 2.44 / 2.84

AVERAGE SCORE 2.66 / 2.77

LOCAL GOVERNMENT OVERALL 2% 12% 7% 23% 19% 40% 42% 56%

COST AND QUALITY OF LOCAL UTILITIES 1% 4% 8% 33% 18% 48% 43% 46%

AVERAGE SCORE 2.00 / 2.43

AVERAGE SCORE 1.62 / 1.93

BUSINESS PEOPLE

GENERAL PUBLIC

GREAT

GREAT

GOOD

GOOD

SO SO AWFUL

THAT’S INTERESTING:

Businesspeople surveyed rate local businesses overall more poorly than the general public.

BOSS OPTOMISM

INDEX STARTED AT 100 IN 1998

*Percentages do not always total 100 due to rounding and because some businesspeople did not answer each question.

Each respondent was asked to rate aspects of their personal lives and communities using a fourpoint scale (“Great!” is 4 points and “Awful” is 1).

OPTIMISM An average scoreAFTER was also PEAKED PANDEMIC BUT computed;HAS theFALLEN higher the DRAMATICALLY average, the more positive the overall perception.

The lowest possible score is 1.00. Percentages do not always total 100 due to rounding and because some businesspeople did not answer each question.

H AWA I I B U S I N ES S | 87

B O S S PA R T I I I

How Do You Rate the Governor’s and Legislature’s Work?

Answers were ranked using a four-point scale (“Great!” is 4 and “Awful” is 1). An average score was also computed; the higher the average, the more positive the overall perception.

The lowest possible score is 1.00.

Percentages do not always total 100 due to rounding and because some businesspeople did not answer each question.

Respondents in separate surveys of businesspeople and the general public were asked to rate Gov. Josh Green and the state Legislature in four areas.

MEETING THE HOUSING NEEDS OF HAWAI‘I’S PEOPLE 1% 4% 5% 18% 6% 10% 16% 25% 21% 30% 28% 38% 46%

46%

48%

AVERAGE SCORE 2.04 / 2.24 / 1.73 / 1.97

PROTECTING OUR ENVIRONMENT 1% 10% 9% 5% 5% 14% 26% 32% 34% 46% 39% 51% 52% 55%

10% 3% THAT’S INTERESTING:

Green scored higher than the Legislature on each of these questions in both surveys.

AVERAGE SCORE 2.30 / 2.46 / 2.16 / 2.36

88 | M A R C H 2 0 2 5

52%

B O S S PA R T I I I GOVERNOR BUSINESS PEOPLE

MANAGING TOURISM

LEGISLATURE BUSINESS PEOPLE

4% 20%

26%

3%

6%

13%

22%

20%

15%

35%

GREAT

GREAT

GOOD

GOOD

SO SO

SO SO

AVERAGE SCORE 2.15 / 2.37 / 2.04 / 2.31

AWFUL

AWFUL

TAKING CARE OF OUR INFRASTRUCTURE

GOVERNOR GENERAL PUBLIC

LEGISLATURE GENERAL PUBLIC

GREAT

GREAT

GOOD

GOOD

39%

42%

47%

3% 28% 44%

22%

22%

5%

52%

1%

6%

45%

27%

45%

36%

19% 42%

4% 29%

20%

47%

AVERAGE SCORE 2.00 / 2.16 / 1.86 / 1.98 SO SO

SO SO

AWFUL

AWFUL

The BOSS Survey of local businesspeople and the 808 Poll of the general public are conducted twice a year for Hawaii Business Magazine by the research division of Anthology/Finn Partners. To learn the methodology for the polls, go to hawaiibusiness.com/bossmethod2025.

METHODOLOGY

H AWA I I B U S I N ES S | 89

PA R T I N G

S H O T

BY RYAN N N OEL AN I C OUL E S

LOCATION: RAINBOW PHOTO VIDEO IN HONOLULU | PHOTOGRAPHER: AARON YOSHINO

Film Photography: A Warmer Feel IT’S NO SURPRISE THAT RAINBOW PHOTO VIDEO ON KE‘EAUMOKU STREET, WHICH HAS BEEN AROUND SINCE 1989, HAS A RETRO VIBE INSIDE THE STORE.

“We do mostly film processing, which is 35mm film and 120 film. We can print it or scan it. We also do a lot of video transfers, old VHS tapes, beta tapes. We do audio cassette transfer, LP record transfers,” says owner Eric Phillips.

Even in the digital age, film photography still has a cult following among both amateurs and pros. “A lot of the younger generation didn’t grow up with film. It’s kind of new to them. It has a softer, warmer feel. It’s not as

90 | M A R C H 2 0 2 5

harsh as a really crispy digital picture, so it’s kind of inviting.”

Brett Sullivan, one of Rainbow’s employees, is pictured holding a strip of negatives. Negatives are “the film inside the canister once you develop it.

It has the images on the film,” explains Phillips. “Basically, you put light through the negative and it makes a positive image. That’s what we scan to make the digital files.”

And in a meta twist, photographer Aaron Yoshino shot this image on film, then had it developed at Rainbow. Classic. rainbowphotovideo.com

SPECIAL PROMOTIONAL SECTION

Running up that Hill D E T E R M I N E D T O B R E AT H E E A S I E R A N D E N S U R E A H E A LT H Y S TA R T F O R H E R C H I L D O N T H E WAY, K A L E O L A N I R E AC H E D O U T T O T H E WA I ‘A N A E C OA S T C O M P R E H E N S I V E H E A LT H C E N T E R T O H E L P H E R Q U I T S M O K I N G. PHOTO COURTESY OF: MALIA LEHUA BALL, E MĀLAMA I KOU HĀ

K

activity, but it wasn’t until she became pregnant again, at the age of 33, TRACK AND FIELD IN HIGH SCHOOL that she decided to seek the help AND ENJOYED RUNNING. But after she of experts. started smoking in her Kaleolani knew that “Usually in the early 20s, she says, “I the tobacco treatment past, I would end team from Wai‘anae Coast could barely even walk up a hill … it was bad.” What up relapsing back Comprehensive Health started out as a way to fit to a cigarette,” she Center’s E Mālama I Kou in with her friends turned says. “But [they] Hā program, which means into an addiction that “care for your life—giving came down, and breath,” attended the impacted every aspect of that wasn’t the local farmers’ market each Kaleolani’s life. first time [they] week. She approached “When I woke up in the morning, I was looking for a them there and was met came down.” cigarette,” she says. “Before with resources and a welI went to sleep, I was looking coming team ready to help for a cigarette. If I got mad … cigarette. her. Using a combination of counseling, Mentally, it was overwhelming me.” nicotine replacement therapy, and other After becoming a mother for the activities, Kaleolani was able to gain the first time, she soon realized she skills she needed to quit smoking, all at couldn’t run or actively play with her no cost to her. child because of the impact of smoking At one point during her quit on her physical health. She made journey, Kaleolani ran out of nicotine numerous attempts to quit—around patches while at work. “I started 10—in hopes of regaining physical panicking because I just started my ALEOLANI, BORN AND RAISED

IN WAI‘ANAE, HAD COMPETED IN

eight-hour shift.” She called up an E Mālama team member, who personally came down to her workplace to bring a refill.

This level of attentiveness was critical to Kaleolani’s ability to stay quit. “Usually in the past, I would end up relapsing back to a cigarette,” she says. “But [they] came down, and that wasn’t the first time [they] came down.” Because of the support of the E Mālama I Kou Hā team, as well as the support of her husband, Kaleolani has been able to stay off cigarettes.

Since quitting, Kaleolani has felt a weight lifted and is proud to no longer be passing the impacts of smoking to her children. She has also noticed an improvement in her physical health.

She recalls a hill near where she lives: “I would bring my cigarette up there before and just go halfway, smoking it halfway up the hill and just go back home walking. I always wanted to run up that hill, and I’d get teased for not being able to. And, since I quit, I’ve been running up that hill. Just this morning, to test it out again, I ran up the hill this morning,” she proudly says.

Wai‘anae Coast Comprehensive Health Center is one of 15 nonprofits receiving funding from the Hawai‘i Community Foundation’s Hawai‘i Tobacco Prevention and Control Trust Fund, under a contract with the Hawai‘i State Department of Health, to provide tobacco treatment services to the community.

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