First Hawaiian Bank – A Banking Tradition
For over 153 years, First Hawaiian Bank has grown with and become a part of the Hawaiian Islands, Guam and CNMI. We take special pride in being one of the state’s most dynamic institutions in terms of banking, customer and community services.
A Rich Heritage
In the 1840s, when whaling was the largest industry in the Pacific, Honolulu was the major port-of-call for supplies. Although general merchandise stores performed some banking functions, the whaling industry created a great need for more complete and dependable banking services.
In 1858, local businessmen, Charles R. Bishop and William A. Aldrich, recognized this need and opened Bishop & Co. — a banking partnership under the laws of the Kingdom of Hawaii. Their headquarters was located in a small, corner office in a building near Honolulu’s waterfront which still stands today. The deposits at the end of the first business day were $4,784.25.
Building on Tradition
From the introduction of sugar and pineapple in the late 1800s, to the boom of tourism fueled by statehood in 1959, to the jet age and beyond, Hawaii grew, and so did we. In 1969, our name was changed to First Hawaiian Bank, the bank that says, “Yes!”
Today, we are one of Hawaii’s largest financial institutions, with 63 branches in Hawaii, Guam and Saipan, and over $16 billion in total assets.
Investing in the Future
Our commitment to Hawaii’s future is visibly evident in our state-of-the-art headquarters building — First Hawaiian Center — which opened in 1996. This sleek, 30-story banking center and office complex is the centerpiece of downtown Honolulu.