Noelle Fujii-Oride writes about big issues impacting Hawai‘i’s economy, including housing, education, construction, climate change, tourism, entrepreneurship and more. Prior to joining Hawaii Business Magazine as a staff writer in 2017, she held internships at the magazine, the Honolulu Star-Advertiser and Honolulu Civil Beat. She is a graduate of UH Mānoa’s journalism program and now lives on Kaua‘i.
John Hulihe‘e Senior VP and Manager Central Pacific Bank Age 46 John Hulihe‘e had a hand in business from early on. While growing up, he and his two sisters helped their mother with her garment manufacturing business, trimming fabric, tagging…
Aimee Malia Grace Director of Health Science Policy University of Hawaii Age 37 Aimee Grace decided at first that she didn’t want to be a doctor. But she became passionate about global health while studying human biology and international health…
Laurie Ann Chan Executive VP and Chief Administrative Officer Avalon Development Co. Age 38 Laurie Ann Chan originally wanted to be an architect. “I think as far back as elementary school I’d have my mom buy me graph paper and…
Lisa Doo Ayabe Partner, Cades Schutte Age 38 Lisa Ayabe’s first exposure to law was through her litigator father. “I’m not really an adversarial person by nature, but the law always interested me, and real estate in particular. I think…
Emi Au Senior VP, Director of Financial Planning and Analysis American Savings Bank Age 37 Emi Au loves animals and pondered a career as a veterinarian or doctor before choosing accounting while at the University of Southern California. “Just something…
Half of Hawaiʻi’s population is barely getting by. About 11% fall below the federal poverty level and another 37% are members of working families that barely make enough money to cover necessities like food, housing, transportation and child care, according…
Save now Social Security will probably not be enough to support today’s working population because people are living longer and might have long-term care needs, writes Hua Zan, an assistant researcher at the UH Center on the Family, in an…
Keali‘i Lopez, the Hawai‘i director of AARP, has a village to help her care for her 81-year-old mother: her adult son, daughter-in-law and two sisters chip in to provide around-the-clock care, and the family recently hired someone to help twice…
The growing number of seniors is a personal challenge for hundreds of thousands of local families and a collective challenge for all of Hawai‘i. IF you donʻt see this silver tsunami coming, you’re not paying attention,” says Jim Shon, president…
$88 Billion is the estimated liabilities for state and local governments over the next 30 years on infrastructure, pensions and climate change. We explore three broad options to pay these liabilities: increase government revenues, reduce government spending and grow the…
It’s long been common to hear stories of family and friends leaving the Islands for cities on the Mainland that have lower costs of living and more affordable housing. But in the past two years, so many people left the…
More than 1,200 people attended Hawaii Business Magazine’s 12th annual Wahine Forum, a sold-out daylong conference that was held Thursday at the Hilton Hawaiian Village. The theme of this year’s inspiring and informative event was “live fearlessly.” “It’s really a…
Barry Taniguchi, chairman and CEO of KTA Super Stores, a Hawaii Island grocery store chain, died on Sept. 20 from medical complications. Taniguchi was a well-respected business leader and known for his involvement in numerous professional, civic and community organizations,…
A new law went into effect Aug. 1 on Oʻahu that limits the number of new short-term rentals — which are rented for less than 30 days at a time — bans the advertising of unpermitted rentals and imposes hefty…
Millions of tourists come to Hawai‘i and venture beyond the resort areas – crowding our parks, beaches, hiking trails, roads and more. But in 2019, total inflation-adjusted visitor spending actually declined, which means there was no extra money to fix this worn infrastructure. Here are three ways to turn that problem around.
28,000 Native Hawaiians are on the home lands waiting list. Getting more of them into homes or farms will take partnerships, collaborations and a willingness to try different things. Here are some ideas. bout 28,500 adults who are at least…
Latham became Punahou School’s 17th president in July. He returns to his alma mater – he graduated in 1986 – after spending most of his adult life on the Mainland in teaching and administrative roles. He talks about how the…
Tomorrow’s business leaders need to do more than set examples in their workplaces. They also have a responsibility to help Hawaiʻi tackle its biggest challenges. “We look at an issue in business or in education, and we can look at…
The business model for electric utilities is almost 100 years old. Some energy experts say Hawai‘i is a pioneer in creating a 21st century business model that will mean more clean energy, lower rates, greater efficiency and better customer service.…
The Hawaiian Language Surges: New generations are learning the language at school and home and introducing it into tourism, media, science and beyond. This is the fifth of Hawaii Business Magazine’s six CHANGE Reports on major issues facing Hawaiʻi. The…
Friday evening was filled with joy and energy as 350 people came together to celebrate the best of small business in Hawaiʻi.
Marked by roulette and craps, James Bond characters and thunderous cheers, Thursday night was a celebration for Hawaiʻi companies and nonprofits that have great workplaces.
Marked by roulette and craps, James Bond characters and thunderous cheers, Thursday night was a celebration for Hawaii companies and nonprofits that have great workplaces.
This report on our public schools offers many reasons for optimism and just as many causes for concern about difficulties that have lingered for too long. Table of Contents Part 1: Real-World Learning Part 2: Student Success Part 3a:…
Lei, smiles and songs were abundant Friday night at the Hilton Hawaiian Village's Great Lawn as 390 attendees gathered for the second annual aio Media Hawaii Lodging and Tourism Awards, a partnership between aio Media and the Hawaii Lodging & Tourism Association to honor excellence within Hawaii’s No. 1 industry.
Lei, smiles and songs were abundant Friday night at the Hilton Hawaiian Village's Great Lawn as 390 attendees gathered for the second annual aio Media Hawaii Lodging and Tourism Awards, a partnership between aio Media and the Hawaii Lodging & Tourism Association to honor excellence within Hawaiʻi's No. 1 industry.
We all know it’s much easier and cheaper to keep a good employee than to find and train a new one, but getting workers to stay is hard. Here are strategies that local companies can use to retain their employees.…
Dealing with homelessness is not just the responsibility of the government or nonprofits. As Kahauiki demonstrates, everyone has to pitch in. What was once a barren stretch of dirt, gravel and nondescript trees and shrubs is now a dynamic community…
If there’s one thing that businesses can count on, it’s that change is inevitable. “I think if you just look around, this is a rapidly changing world, and it can be either fascinating or terrifying, but either way it grabs…
Honolulu’s weak law makes it hard to crack down on illegal vacation rentals, but a new law is in the works. Other jurisdictions – in Hawaii and on the Mainland – have tougher laws and more success with enforcement. Kailua…
It’s 2018 and ninety-one percent of countries still have laws that discriminate against women, said Amanda Ellis, an adjunct senior fellow at the East-West Center. “We still do not have a level playing field,” she said, “and that’s…
Clean energy advocates say we’re on the right track to continue reducing emissions that lead to climate change. Here’s why, plus some of the challenges that we’ll have to overcome. Part I: We Have a Lot to Be Optimistic…
Rising seas and other effects of climate change are changing the way buildings in Hawaii are designed and constructed. In this two-part report, we look at what the building industry is already doing and should be doing, plus some ways…
Four people describe their lengthy commutes and the ways they’ve made them tolerable. Plus we offer tips to make your commute more enjoyable. Waialua to Nanakuli, 33 miles one way Start: 6:00 a.m. Good days: 40-45 minutes to work; 50-55…
Merging visions. It’s not as easy as it sounds because Hawaii’s leaders have their own businesses and nonprofits to focus on, said Cindy Adams, president and CEO of Aloha United Way. But when you bring hundreds of leaders…
Yes, it is legal to secretly record a conversation in Hawaii as long as one person in the conversation consents – and that can be the person doing the recording. You can do the recording in person or on the…
Many local high school students can now take courses that give them high school and college credits at the same time. If they stick to it, they will eventually graduate from college in less time and at less cost. Leanne…
Get ready, Hawaii: A new airline is preparing to enter the market and that means new local jobs, more options for travelers and additional support for local charities. All that plus cheaper fares, said Andrew Watterson, Southwest’s executive VP and…
Kombucha’s reputation for healing has spawned local startups and added a popular product to many stores’ lineups Kombucha’s appearance, smell and flavor may resemble apple cider vinegar but don’t let that fool you. People around the world have a thirst…
Part I: The High Cost and Shortages Child care is too costly for many working families and there are too few openings for all the children who need proper care. We examine the problem and the responses, including efforts by…