Bank of Hawaiʻi launched its new Center for Family Business and Entrepreneurs, a dedicated, multi-faceted and holistic service designed to help local business owners plan for growth, transition and the future.
Research shows as much as 70% or more of state business owners personal wealth is tied up in their companies, making major decisions about succession, ownership and long-term continuity deeply personal as well as financial.
Created for family-owned and closely-kept businesses, Center for Family Business and Entrepreneurs brings together Bank of Hawaiʻi’s commercial banking, private banking and wealth strategy expertise to help owners with complex decisions uncover opportunities and plan confidently for what lies ahead.
“For generations, family businesses and entrepreneurs have been the backbone of Hawaiʻi’s economy,” said Bank of Hawaiʻi Center for Family Business and Entrepreneurs Director Agatha Viernes-LeGros in a release about the new program. “The CFBE reflects our commitment to walking alongside business owners as trusted partners, helping them see opportunities they may not realize exist, simplify complicated decisions and protect what they’ve built for the people and communities they care about.”
Center for Family Business and Entrepreneurs was created in response to the realities of many business owners approaching major transition points while facing unique challenges, such as balancing family dynamics, managing tax and estate consideration and more.
The center offers a thoughtful, confidential and highly tailored approach that reflects Hawaiʻi’s business landscape and values.
Center for Family Business and Entrepreneurs is designed for:
- Owners of family-owned and closely-kept businesses.
- Entrepreneurs navigating the complexities of success, such as preparing for succession or ownership transition.
- Business owners whose personal wealth, family goals and financial futures are deeply connected to their companies.
Through a confidential, relationship-driven approach, Center for Family Business and Entrepreneurs helps business owners:
- Uncover opportunities to grow, protect and transition wealth — often overlooked within their businesses.
- Bring clarity to complexity, helping owners simplify intertwined business, personal and family financial matters.
- Plan for succession and continuity, whether transitioning to family members, key employees or external buyers.
- Navigate sensitive family and governance issues with care, discretion and long-term perspective.
Services and guidance could include business valuation insights; succession and exit planning; tax, estate and legacy planning; wealth strategy; and coordination with trusted advisors, ensuring owners have access to the right expertise at the right time.
Center for Family Business and Entrepreneurs will also engage business owners throughout the state via events, educational programming and community outreach.
A unique aspect of Center for Family Business and Entrepreneurs is that it serves as a central point of coordination, aligning commercial banking, private banking and wealth planning to ensure everyone involved is working toward shared goals.
“Our clients told us they want a trusted partner who understands Hawaiʻi, respects confidentiality and can help them connect the dots across their business and personal lives,” Viernes-LeGros said. “That’s exactly what this center is designed to do.”
Call 808-694-1264 or visit the Bank of Hawaiʻi website for additional information about the Center for Family Business and Entrepreneurs.
