Kathryn Drury Wagner is an award-winning writer and editor. As The Careerist columnist for Hawaii Business Magazine, she explores issues in the modern workplace. In the past, she was the executive editor at HONOLULU Magazine, and she is the author of two books, including Hawaii’s Strangest, Ickiest, Wildest Book Ever! which inspires young readers using science and history facts about the Islands.
Have a question about work, life and that place in the middle where it all gets tangled up? Ask me!
The complete special report is available in our September 2025 print edition. Single-issue copies are available for purchase. In today’s fast-changing world, private schools are adapting and innovating to better prepare students to thrive, not only academically, but for the…
Rising insurance rates continue to squeeze condo owners on O‘ahu, but relief may be in sight
While sometimes demonized, local leaders say the underlying values of diversity, equity and inclusion still play an important role in the Islands.
A look at the policy decisions, external crises and social changes that gave Hawai‘i the most expensive housing in the nation.
From Chinn Ho to David Murdock, here are the men and occasional women selected as the year’s most influential leaders.
The first cohort of 16 leaders from small and medium companies learned to scale up their contracting businesses.
His extensive leadership experience and unwavering vision has built Kupu into a powerhouse environmental nonprofit.
Hawai‘i’s large nonprofits generate a ton of data but struggle to make sense of it all. Enter the experts at HDC.
Profiles of Hisae Uki, Candice Sombrero Ishikawa, Alison “Bo” Tanaka, Heather Cutter and Clarice Casamina
Teachers, nurses, police officers and others can purchase new condos at below-market prices under the DURF Equity Pilot Program.
The Pacific Telecommunications Council helps set the pace for digital infrastructure throughout the Pacific.
Local leaders in the Kibou for Maui Project share what they learned in Japan about dealing with disaster – both before and after it happens.
Wildfires are on the rise in Hawai‘i. Here are ways to protect homes and neighborhoods.
The VP of advertising at First Hawaiian Bank strengthens community connections through his work with the Hawai‘i LGBT Legacy Foundation.
The president and CEO of the YMCA of Honolulu says switching from biotech to the nonprofit sector was a “values match.”
Hilo Medical Center’s director of marketing, legislative and public affairs advocates for women, girls and the LGBTQ+ community.
The Hawai‘i Supreme Court associate justice is one of only a handful of openly gay state supreme court justices in the U.S.
SmallBiz Editor’s Choice Awards Hall of Fame: CEO Linda Fernandez oversees a large family enterprise founded by the “Barnum of the Pacific.”
2024 SmallBiz Editor’s Choice Award winner: Co-CEOs Frank Carpenter and Brock Stratton are working to protect Kealakekua Bay’s natural and cultural treasures.
2024 SmallBiz Editor’s Choice Award winner: Owner Bubba Smith, a former Navy aircraft-engine mechanic, works on everything from Hondas to Ferraris.
The O‘ahu-based producer has worked with Martin Scorsese, Olivia Colman, Ryan Gosling, Russell Crowe, Brie Larson and many other stars.
2024 SmallBiz Editor’s Choice Award winner: President Joelle Simonpietri helps supply O‘ahu with renewable gas and jet fuel, with new ventures on the way.
2024 SmallBiz Editor’s Choice Award winner: CEO Will Song and President Patrick Ahler use revenue management and digital marketing to keep rooms filled.
In 2024, nearly $10 million in defense spending is going to habitat preservation, reforestation, watershed protection, and flood and wildfire mitigation.
This senior VP discovered a passion for the multifaceted world of insurance, from locating the best coverage to securing funds for fire-impacted businesses.
A “bridge builder” who’s active on multiple boards, this senior VP and director of strategic partnerships leads the bank’s affordable housing programs.
This retired Navy Reserve commander applies leadership lessons from the military to his role as senior VP and division manager of the Consumer Products Division.
For this “fearless” executive VP and chief data officer, numbers offer clues for solving business problems and opportunities to do things differently.
After the fires, this Maui-born CEO has guided her team through unprecedented challenges, while “bringing people into the safety net.”
As a partner in the Honolulu design firm, she’s helping resorts face the challenges of sea-level rise and start planning now.
After years working his way up in the family business, he now leads the expansion of the employee-owned company as president.
Profiles of 27 winners and finalists who are making a difference in startup paradise.
After long and successful careers, these seven kūpuna are still helping their communities in inspiring ways.
10 wāhine who have stepped up to lead, from corporate executives to organizers of grassroots relief efforts on Maui.
It took four years for the co-founder and owner of Hula’s Bar and Lei Stand to make money, but the groundbreaking bar still thrives today.
The executive VP and CEO of American Savings Bank says “inclusivity is truly welcoming all the diverse people and points of view.”
The VP of Integrated Marketing at NMG Network says “it’s stressful to not share who you are when you’re at work.”
The GM at Kaimana Beach Hotel strives to create “a hub, a wonderful mix” for employees and diverse communities.
Profiles of 12 local companies that won our 2023 SmallBiz Editor’s Choice Awards for their ingenuity, grit, service, perseverance or all of the above. Plus two inductees into the 2023 Hawai‘i Small Business Hall of Fame, each more than a century old.
SmallBiz Editor’s Choice Awards Hall of Fame: Eileen Miura continues a proud family legacy at Hawai‘i’s oldest florist in Downtown Honolulu.
