My First 100 Days at Hawaii Business Magazine by Jennifer Ablan, Editor-in-Chief of Hawaii Business
In these first 100 days, the new editor says she has listened and met at least 100 new faces during a personal "listening tour." Good journalism doesn't just inform, it connects.
The “first 100 days” has become shorthand for how new leaders set the tone – not just in politics, where the phrase started with President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s first term, but across business, media and beyond. It’s a window into how someone listens, what they prioritize and how they lead.
Returning to Hawai‘i this spring was less about nostalgia and more about responsibility. I left decades ago with a suitcase full of ambition and returned, with nearly three decades of newsroom experience from New York City. Now, 100 days into my role as editor-in-chief of Hawaii Business Magazine, I see this not just as a new chapter, but as a return with purpose.
This publication has long served as both a mirror and a catalyst for Hawai‘i’s business community. My goal is to build on that legacy – to elevate voices that reflect the diversity, innovation and resilience of our Islands, while producing journalism that is smart, inclusive and grounded in local values.
In these first 100 days, I’ve listened closely: to staff, community leaders and longtime readers. I set out to meet 100 new faces during a personal “listening tour,” and I’m proud to say I did. Each conversation added nuance to my understanding of the business climate, the concerns of kama‘āina and the stories that deserve greater attention. Among those I met was a team of passionate professionals at Hawaii Business who care deeply about their work and the people we cover.
RENEWED EDITORIAL PLAN
We’ve already begun evolving. We launched a refreshed editorial approach with a renewed focus on timely, relevant coverage online – including a powerful long-form feature by our new managing editor, Ken Wills, on the deportation of Sae Joon Park (see page 38). We’re also bringing back in-depth CEO and C-Suite profiles and Q&As, including this month’s cover story on Peter Ho, chairman and CEO of Bank of Hawai‘i (page 33).
One of the most meaningful moments so far came during planning for the Wahine Forum in October – the state’s largest leadership event for women. That meeting carried personal weight for me. I know what it’s like to find your voice – and hold onto it – in rooms where you’re the only woman, the only person of color or the only one asking the hard questions. Creating space for these voices isn’t just an editorial goal. It’s a responsibility. (You can register for the forum at hawaiibusiness.com/events/wahine-forum-2025.)
Outside the newsroom, one quiet moment stays with me: celebrating Father’s Day with my dad – in person – for the first time in decades. After so many years away, I was reminded that coming home isn’t just about career moves or new titles. It’s about family, roots and claiming precious moments that can never be replaced.
CONNECTING AND EXCHANGING IDEAS
Looking ahead, I see Hawaii Business Magazine not just as a publication, but as a platform – a space where bold ideas are exchanged, where business is connected to culture and community, and where we continue to ask what kind of future we want for Hawai‘i.
We’ll be rolling out new digital features, deepening our reporting on equity and innovation, and finding new ways to serve kama’āina and newcomers alike.
Good journalism doesn’t just inform, it connects. Being back in Hawai‘i, working with a passionate team to tell stories that matter, has reminded me why I fell in love with this craft in the first place.
Coming home isn’t about retracing your steps. It’s about carrying what you’ve learned – and offering it back to the place that shaped you. These first 100 days are just the beginning.
