Matson tops Hawaiʻi’s Most-Profitable Companies List for 5th Year
Despite a 6.6% decline in profits last year, Matson still came out on top, reflecting its unique niche in the shipping world.
Author: Ken Wills
High-Powered Steakhouse Chat with State’s Biggest Merger on the Menu
People say Honolulu is just a big, small town. Not much goes unnoticed. Especially when the state's most powerful politician meets privately with the leaders of the state's largest commercial enterprise, HMSA, and the second-largest healthcare provider, Hawaiʻi Pacific Health,…
NY Gov. Grants Clemency to Deported Hawaiʻi Resident and Purple Heart Veteran
Pardons cover Sae Joon Park's New York convictions in 2007 for possession of a controlled substance and in 2009 for bail jumping. Board of Immigration Appeals still controls whether he can return to the United States.
FHB Foundation Awards $25,000 Grant to Center for Marine Debris Research
Funds come at crucial time for the Honolulu center that aims to recycle tons of fishing nets and other debris removed from oceans around Hawaiʻi. Center was a victim of slashed federal funding for science programs.
After Lala, Can We Do Better?
Days after Hurricane Lala had moved out of Hawaiian waters, the constant low growl of generators could be heard across the islands where homeowners took matters into their own hands after electric power lines had been snapped by winds, fallen trees and mudslides. Along with the steady background…
The Biggest Grow Even Bigger, But a Few Sectors Struggle
The state’s largest companies and nonprofits tightened their grip on Hawaiʻi’s economy in the past year. The trend, which reflects a national pattern that results in part from federal policies favoring the richest, shows up in Hawaii Business Magazine’s new Top 250 list.
Society Needs to Change, Gov. Green Says, As He Signs Law Protecting Public Employees From Harassment
Drawing a line between free speech and threats or harassment to education workers, Green says it’s a “society-wide problem” and warns that those who cross the line will be pursued by the state Attorney General.
Big Island Artist Gary Ackerman Inspired by Creative Muses Over 5 Decades
Still going strong at 85, Ackerman has built a global following but remains anchored in his North Kohala community. He continues to see the world with fresh eyes and paints every single day.
You’re Fired! Trump-Style Termination of Exemplary Hawaiʻi Judge Leaves Questions
Immigration Judge Clarence M. Wagner Jr.’s long federal career cut short by a three-sentence email. “Disappointed” and “hurt,” the self-proclaimed “poster child for public service” still offers advice to improve the immigration court system.
Summer Travel Plans Soured by War-Linked Airfare Hikes
Flying got more expensive after the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran caused a huge dent in global oil shipments. Hawaiʻi travelers are rethinking vacation plans.
EXCLUSIVE: Q&A With Rep. Justin Woodson After Passage of Bills Protecting DOE Employees from Harassment
Related: Protecting Public Employees From Harassment, With Lessons for the Private Sector, Too Rep. Justin Woodson, chair of the House Committee on Education, spoke by phone on Friday with Hawaii Business Magazine Managing Editor Ken Wills, about two bills passed by the legislature and…
Protecting Public Employees From Harassment, With Lessons for the Private Sector, Too
After nearly a decade-long campaign seeking government protections against threats stemming from workplace duties, employees may finally get state help in obtaining temporary restraining orders and other anti-harassment procedures.
EXCLUSIVE: Hawaiian Airlines CEO: Iran War Pushes Fares Up But Merger Goals on Track
The U.S.-Israeli war in Iran has caused across-the-board hikes in airfares for Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines, and more increases and service cuts could occur if the disruption to global oil supplies persists, the CEO of Hawaiian Airlines told Hawaii…
Clash of Titans: Hawai‘i’s Healthcare Leaders Disagree on Best Path Forward
Top executives at HMSA, HPH take on frank criticisms about their proposed combination, addressing specific community concerns over potential service cuts, staffing layoffs and a diminished focus on primary care.
Rekindling Ancient Hawaiians’ Sailing Skills Among Today’s Youth
Pua Ka ‘Ilima's charter sailing trips off Hawai‘i island's Kohala coastline help support educational voyages for island youth, teaching them about reefs, marine habitat and Hawai‘i's voyaging history.
Hawai‘i’s Best Places to Work 2026
Hawaii Business Magazine’s annual survey of Hawai‘i's Best Places to Work shows top companies deliver great benefits and best practices to keep workers engaged, happy and productive. But some employees still say they can’t afford to live here.
The Trash on Hawai‘i’s Beaches Tells a Global Story
Tons of plastic trash wash up on Hawaiʻi beaches every day. Forensic scientists using chemical analysis and other means to trace the sources say 80% is abandoned fishing gear from global fleets in the Pacific. Here's what comes next.
HB20: Kaloa Robinson, Stanford Carr Development
At 35, Kaloa Robinson is already the lead manager of a $4 billion, 20-year project, one of the largest public infrastructure efforts in Hawai‘i's history.
HB20: Danicole Ramos, UH William S. Richardson School of Law Refugee and Immigration Law Clinic
A single moment with an elderly Filipino client changed everything, setting Danicole Ramos on a path to help over 125 community members pursue citizenship.
HB20: Richard Matsui, KWH Analytics
Nearly 20 years into a career spanning McKinsey, the Biden Administration, and multiple companies built and sold, Richard Matsui is just getting started at home.
HB20: Victoria Hanes, Hawai‘i Island Community Health Center
Leading a team of nearly 500 serving 40,000 patients, Victoria Hanes champions a bold shift from reactive treatment to prevention-first primary care.
HB20: Chelsie Evans, Hawaiian Community Assets
Once a client of the organization she now leads, Chelsie Evans has grown HCA from $1.5 million to a $10 million agency serving Hawai‘i families.
EXCLUSIVE: Clash of Hawaiʻi’s Healthcare Titans: Leaders Disagree on Best Path Forward
Addressing a crowded room of Hawaiʻi executives, The Queen’s Health Systems’ top leader didn't mince words about the proposed HMSA-HPH merger that could fundamentally reshape medical care in the Islands. “I feel that this is like the Trojan horse…
Tanaka of Tokyo Restaurant Chain Founder Shares Tales of Survival as He Passes Baton
New leadership team includes founder's daughter, Bo Tanaka, who promises continuity as well as creativity in an evolving and volatile market.
A Hawai‘i Island “Hot Spot” Aims to Be a Cesspool Model for the State
Kahalu‘u Bay on the Kona Coast of Hawai‘i island has a storied history as a former royal village with protected fish ponds inside a “menehune” breakwater, ancient heiaus nearby and petroglyphs carved into lava rock. Today it is a destination…
Hey Bartender! Serve Me Another Craft Beer!
Hawaiʻi's craft beer market is bucking a national trend in declining sales, for now at least. Local breweries say island drinking habits, creative new flavors and the steady demand among tourists for local brews has made the difference.
Hawai‘i’s Economic Outlook 2026
Construction is expected to be strong, driven in part by large infrastructure projects, but tourism is slipping and the safety net fraying.
Lawyers for Ex-Hawai‘i Resident Sae Joon Park Seek NY Pardon
The attorney for Purple Heart veteran Sae Joon Park has asked New York State Governor Kathy Hochul to pardon the former Hawaiʻi resident for decades-old drug and bail jumping convictions that caused Park to lose his legal U.S. residency status. Park, who was featured in Hawaii Business Magazine (From Purple Heart To…
Kauaʻi Doctor Takes Aim at Health Risks from Roundup Chemical
US Supreme Court to consider Bayer petition to constrain states’ ability to require pesticide warnings
Noem Vows to Review Case of Deported Hawai‘i Purple Heart Veteran
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem testified this week that she would review the case of Purple Heart Veteran Sae Joon Park who was forced to self-deport from Hawai‘i to South Korea in June.
Matson in Motion, “Ship-to-Shelf” in Photos and Text
Hawaii Business Magazine takes you down on the docks when the Matsonia container ship arrives at the company's Honolulu port. A precision-timed symphony of giant machinery and semi-trailer trucks work in concert with crane operators to unload hundreds of huge containers, packed with goods headed to stores near you.
Hawaii I.C.E. Map Taps Into Community Concerns About Unorthodox Raids
Masked I.C.E. agents are appearing more often in Hawaiʻi and across the country, raising concerns about due process and accountability. Reports show laborers, employees and legal residents being detained without clear identification or warrants. The trend is prompting broader questions about transparency and constitutional rights.
A Culture of Giving At First Hawaiian Bank Touches Everyone, Including Tellers and Even Retirees
First Hawaiian Bank's employee giving culture stands out with 98% participation. In 2024, employees contributed $874,000 of their own money, the highest among Hawai‘i companies, while volunteering 11,211 hours. Even retirees continue to give back.
Hawai‘i’s Most Charitable Companies 2025
Hawai‘i companies and nonprofits shattered giving records this year, donating over $349 million to state charities, nearly $50 million more than last year, while employees volunteered 90,000+ hours to support communities still recovering from the Maui wildfires and other critical needs.
Picking Through Pearls of Wisdom Offered at Hawaii Business’s Wahine Forum
You're going to fail. The question is: will you show up the next day? Hawaii's top women leaders delivered unfiltered wisdom on resilience and success at the state's largest business conference.
Reviving Hawaiʻi’s Lei Industry One Flower at a Time
BEHawai‘i and the Lei Poinaʻole Project hope to boost local lei flower production and strengthen the art of lei making in the Islands. Despite origins linked to Hawaiian culture, lei sold here now often come from foreign sources.
How to Grow Your Business? Waste Money
Management guru Luke Williams says companies need to rethink everything about their businesses to stay competitive, including staying in the game by investing in "wasteful" learning.
Matson Tops Our Most Profitable List, But Hawaiian Electric Posted Outsized Loss
In our annual Hawaii Business ranking of most profitable companies, Matson took the crown for a fourth year. But the bigger story was the huge loss by Hawaiian Electric, linked to the Maui fires settlement.
Foreign Pillars of Hawai‘i Tourism are Teetering
Tour groups aim to lure first-time Japanese visitors through engaging environmental or socially responsible activities.
Kaua‘i Pediatrician Who Warned About One Toxic Pesticide Sees a Bigger Threat
Hawai‘i led the nation in outlawing chlorpyrifos, but Dr. Lee Evslin says pending legislation in the U.S. Congress might prevent EPA review of new scientific evidence, which opponents say could limit states’ roles in the future
From Purple Heart To Persona Non Grata
A Hawai‘i Veteran’s Struggle to Fight Deportation
High-Powered Steakhouse Chat with State's Biggest Merger on the Menu
People say Honolulu is just a big, small town. Not much goes unnoticed. Especially when the state's most powerful politician meets privately with the leaders of the state's largest commercial enterprise, HMSA, and the second-largest healthcare provider, Hawaiʻi Pacific Health,…
All of Hawaii's Eight Gecko Species are Nonnative
Geckos are iconic in Hawaiʻi, as much as pineapples or ukuleles, and, like them, are not native to the Islands. The Polynesians brought them here about 1,500 years ago along with other plants and animals.
