After earning degrees at Harvard, California Berkeley and Cornell, and working at insurance firm MBIA in New York, Hilo-born Ally Park never thought she would take over the family business. However, “My parents needed a succession plan and they had…
Rick Blangiardi, general manager of Hawaii News Now, was named 2011 “Salesperson of the Year” by the Honolulu chapter of Sales & Marketing Executives International. Blangiardi talked with Hawaii Business publisher David Tumilowicz about his strategies for success and his…
Komeiji knows all about taking risks. After working for more than 30 years for the prestigious Honolulu law firm Watanabe Ing and Komeiji, which he co-founded, Komeiji took a leap of faith and joined Hawaiian Telcom’s new management team at…
HB: What makes a good leader? I think you lead people but you manage affairs and situations. To be a good leader, you have to be a good people person. You need to understand others and have empathy. You need…
In November 2009, Robert Harrison was promoted from chief risk officer to president and COO of First Hawaiian Bank, the same positions, it’s worth noting, held by former CEOs John Bellinger and Walter Dods, and current CEO Don Horner. Harrison…
As chairman of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, Jay Rasulo oversees myriad facets of the Disney empire, including its world-renowned theme parks, resorts, timeshares and cruise lines. In an exclusive interview with Hawaii Business, he talks about Hawaii, the differences…
As the state film commissioner, Donne Dawson runs the Hawaii Film Office, an agency responsible for simplifying the permit process for film and TV productions in the Islands. She acts as a liaison between production companies and agencies like the…
Chock has a heavy heart thinking about the 3,000 members of the union who are unemployed. “Flat is the new growth,” he laments. While several big projects will create more jobs, it won’t be enough to sustain the third largest…
This month, Hawaii celebrates 50 years of statehood. Over the past several months, Hawaii Business has talked with community and business leaders about the meaning of those past 50 years and what will or should happen in the next 50.…
As Hawaii approaches August’s 50th anniversary of statehood, we have asked local leaders to reflect on the next 50 years for Hawaii. This month: real estate executive Fran Gendrano. Q: What will Hawaii look like 50 years from today? A:…
After the enormous changes in 50 years of statehood, a crucial question is where should we go in the next 50 years? Over the next several months, Hawaii Business will chat with community leaders and average citizens about their vision…