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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
Nathan Peters Director of IT Field Operations Par Pacific Holdings Age 40 Nathan Peters came to Hawai‘i in 2003 to visit a friend. He never intended to stay. “Not really knowing anything about Hawai‘i, it was very cool coming to…
Mike B. Pietsch President and COO, Title Guaranty Age 41 Mike Pietsch grew up in the family real estate business and never considered any other career. He held summer jobs at the company while in high school and joined it…
Melissa Miyashiro Managing Director of Strategy and Policy Blue Planet Foundation Age 38 Before Melissa Miyashiro joined Blue Planet Foundation in 2014, she says her life and career were on a “fairly traditional track.” After graduating from law school, she…
Cayenne Pe‘a Principal and co-founder, Alaka‘i Development Age 37 West O‘ahu native Cayenne Pe‘a recalls waking at 5:30 a.m. so she could catch the school bus to Kamehameha Kapālama. “I remember when we first moved out to Makakilo, there were…
Lina Le Enterprise Director of Human Resources Y. Hata & Co. Ltd. Age 29 "My parents are boat people from Vietnam,” says Lina Le simply. After escaping that country following the war, her parents took three years to reach the…
Mark Kawika McKeague Director of Cultural Planning, G70 Age 49 Mark Kawika McKeague has been working for more than 20 years toward a vision of the Native Hawaiian experience and turning that vision into a reality. “That is my kuleana,…
Evan Killips Project Manager, City Mill Age 33 "My first job was at City Mill at the Kaimukī store,” reminisces Evan Killips. “… So what do you make a 15-year-old do to help the store? The store manager gave me…
Ka‘iu Kimura Executive Director ‘Imiloa Astronomy Center Age 41 "I think that we are in a time when there is greater awareness of the importance of Hawaiian knowledge and Hawaiian community engagement in things. And I think there is great…
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…
Michelle Kauhane Senior VP of Community Grants & Investments Hawai‘i Community Foundation Age 51 Michelle Kauhane is playing a key role helping to ensure a complete count in Hawai‘i for the 2020 census. Kauhane and her team at the Hawai‘i…
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…
Brittany Heyd Co-founder, Mana Up Age 34 In less than four years in Hawai‘i, Brittany Heyd has made an indelible mark on the entrepreneurial landscape. The co-founder and partner with Meli James in the accelerator called Mana Up has helped…
Rebecca Dayhuff Matsushima Director of Renewable Acquisition Hawaiian Electric Co. Age 38 Rebecca Dayhuff Matsushima’s job is both challenging and crucial. As the director of renewable acquisition for Hawaiian Electric Co., she deals with Hawai‘i’s energy future in concrete terms.…
Kay Fukunaga Director of Financial Analysis Hawaiian Airlines Age 36 Kay Fukunaga isn’t afraid to take it to the mat. Literally. As a teen on Maui, her older brother dared her to go out for the St. Anthony High School…
Matt Bauer COO, Kupu Age 41 Matt Bauer’s passion and connection to ‘āina stemmed from an early childhood experience. “I was hiking in the mountains as a 9 year old and we came across these ornithologists in the forest,” he…
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…
Hawaii Business Magazine honors 20 people each year who we believe will have an important and positive impact on Hawai‘i over the next two decades. They have already proven themselves by their accomplishments, intelligence, charisma, leadership and passion, but we…