S2E9, Bob Harrison, First Hawaiian Bank

In this episode Bob Harrison reflects on his 27-year career with First Hawaiian Bank. He says his career is fulfilling thanks to his employees and colleagues, about 20 to 25 of whom celebrate their 40th, 45th or 50th work anniversaries each year. “You just have this cadre of people who’ve been with the bank a long time,” he says. “They love the customers, they love each other. All the work’s got to get done. And you just never forget the people. It’s not about the jobs I had...” As a leader, he’s emphasized giving back to the community. The First Hawaiian Bank Distinguished Professorship of Banking Endowment at UH’s Shidler College of Business was created in 2013 to invest in the next generation of bankers. And to mark its 160th anniversary, First Hawaiian donated $160,000 to Bishop Museum. The bank plans to roll out upgraded online and mobile offerings this year, spurred by the pandemic, which taught the bank that customers want to interact with it in different ways, Harrison says.