Seeking Nominations for “20 for the Next 20”
Hawaii Business Magazine is accepting suggestions for its annual profiles of emerging leaders in the Islands
20 for the Next 20
Hawaiʻi's People to Watch 2021
Each year, Hawaii Business Magazine honors 20 people who we believe will have a major positive impact on Hawai‘i over the next two decades. They have already proven themselves, but we expect even more from them in the future.
20 for the Next 20: Jon Teraizumi
Jon Teraizumi Senior VP & Senior Commercial Banking Manager, Central Pacific Bank Jon Teraizumi is a strong, selfless team leader who is always willing to step up to a challenge, says his boss, Diane Murakami. Teraizumi is one of 200…
20 for the Next 20: Benjamin J. Wang
Benjamin J. Wang Principal, BlackSand Capital Benjamin J. Wang initially moved to the islands in 2004 to indulge his passion for surfing, then added a passion for the culture and community. “I just fell in love with Hawai‘i,” says Wang.…
20 for the Next 20: Nathan Saint Clare
Nathan Saint Clare Principal, AHL Nathan Saint Clare is a gifted architect with an international portfolio who prides himself on never being predictable. He thinks of design as a constantly evolving process, “a moving, living thing” that changes with every…
20 for the Next 20: Aaron Schorn
Aaron Schorn Capstone Coordinator, Hawaiʻi Preparatory Academy Director, Nalukai Academy Startup Camp "Being a teacher in this world is being a jazz musician. You know your standards, you know how to perform, and then you just free form it based…
20 for the Next 20: Carissa Moore
The surfing career of Carissa Moore — four-time World Surfing League women’s champion – can be traced back to Irish dancing in her living room.
20 for the Next 20: Jessica Munoz
Jessica Munoz President and Founder, Hoʻōla Nā Pua Nurse Practitioner, US Acute Care Solutions Fifteen years ago, nursing brought Jessica Munoz from California to Hawai‘i, where she planned to do a brief stint and plenty of surfing. But her work…
20 for the Next 20: Kūhiō Lewis
Kūhiō Lewis President and CEO, Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement Kūhiō Lewis began navigating obstacles at a young age and found the motivation to overcome them. “Who I am is always pushing the bar, always raising the bar, always trying…
20 for the Next 20: Aki Marceau
Aki Marceau Director of Electrification of Transportation, Hawaiian Electric Co. Aki Marceau has been chipping away at the same problem throughout her career: how to provide clean, affordable and efficient transportation and living options. Born in Japan and raised on…
20 for the Next 20: Vincent Kimura
Vincent Kimura Founder and CEO, Smart Yields Vincent Kimura's life has been shaped by mentors at every turn: a professor, a college internship manager, a generational farmer. Kimura was born on O‘ahu, the grandson of a Japanese sugar plantation worker,…
20 for the Next 20: Sondra Leiggi Brandon
Sondra Leiggi-Brandon Systems Director of Behavioral Health, The Queen's Medical Center "We've seen an uptick in the number of people in crisis during the pandemic," says Sondra Leiggi-Brandon, who served as systems director of behavioral health at The Queen’s Medical…
20 for the Next 20: Doug Johnstone
Doug Johnstone Hawaiʻi President The Howard Hughes Corp. Doug Johnstone joined Ward Village before the property had a name. “When I joined, we were starting to get our arms around the development opportunities that it presented,” he says. “And obviously…
20 for the Next 20: Summer Kaiawe
Summer Kaiawe Attorney and Partner, Watanabe Ing "I view an attorney as someone who can solve problems and help people and companies to find solutions,” says Summer Kaiawe. “It’s a rewarding career.” Jonathan Lai is managing partner at Watanabe Ing,…
20 for the Next 20: Khara Jabola-Carolus
Khara Jabola-Carolus Executive Director, Hawaiʻi State Commission on the Status of Women Khara Jabola-Carolus is a fierce advocate for women and girls. As leader of the State Commission on the Status of Women, she has helped pass legislation to prohibit…
20 for the Next 20: Rachel James
Rachel James Attorney, Hawaiʻi Public Utilities Commission Rachel James didn't always want to be a lawyer. But in 2015, with a master’s degree in global leadership and sustainable development and a one-year position in U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard’s Hawai‘i office,…
20 for the Next 20: Josie Howard
Josie Howard Executive Director, We Are Oceania During surges of COVID-19 in the Islands last year, Jocelyn "Josie" Howard and another We Are Oceania staff member took food, masks, dignity bags and other personal necessities to more than 100 Pacific…
20 for the Next 20: Danya Hakeem
Danya Hakeem Director of Innovation, Agriculture & Circular Economy Elemental Excelerator Danya Hakeem takes a unique approach to her work: She’s always looking for ways to build bridges. Whether through documentary filmmaking, policy, legislation, community organizing or impact investing, Hakeem…
20 for the Next 20: Makena Coffman
Makena Coffman Director of UH Mānoa's Institute for Sustainability and Resilience Makena Coffman has become a go-to person on local environmental issues: everything from climate change and sea level rise to electric vehicles and emission standards. She is director of…
20 for the Next 20: Ruth Erickson
Ruth Erickson Executive VP of E-Commerce and Marketing Operations, Bank of Hawaii Bank of Hawaii President Peter Ho knew the bank needed someone with digital media expertise to connect with customers. So the bank launched a nationwide search by a…
20 for the Next 20: Neill Char
Neill Char Executive VP - Commercial Banking Group First Hawaiian Bank As a 28-year-old bank branch manager, Neill Char had an epiphany. “In my first leadership role, I found my purpose in life and that is to help people realize…
20 for the Next 20: Jamie Cheng
Jamie Cheng Director of Commercial Operations American Savings Bank When congress passed the Paycheck Protection Program in March 2020, Jamie Cheng’s team of a dozen commercial bankers at American Savings Bank was ready. Working in shifts, they and the bank’s…
20 for the Next 20: Dana Takushi, Bank of Hawaii
Dana Takushi Senior EVP and Manager of the Consumer Banking Group Bank of Hawaii Age 50 Dana Takushi always steps up to a challenge. “She started with the bank in our commercial area, but as I’ve experienced challenges throughout the…
20 for the Next 20: Julie Yamamoto, Hui Car Share
Julie Yamamoto General Operations Manager, Hui Car Share Age 39 It may seem surprising for a car dealership to venture into ride-sharing, but for Julie Yamamoto, Hui Car Share seemed like a natural fit for the Servco brand. She says…
Grandparents Help Hawai‘i Parents Get the Job Done
Grandmothers and grandfathers are storytellers, sources of wisdom, keepers of family legacies and teachers. But perhaps their most important role in Hawai‘i is to help working parents raise their keiki.
3 Factors Shift Hawai‘i's Real Estate into Overdrive
The pandemic has shifted Hawaiʻi's already expensive house prices into overdrive. Five, ten or more buyers sometimes compete for the same homes, turning sales into bidding wars — with cash buyers holding the edge.
How to Succeed Without 4-Year College Degree
If you have decided college is out of the picture, you can still succeed in Hawai‘i’s business world. But be prepared to work harder than those who have a degree.
