First Hawaiian Bank names management team
By David Butts
Advertiser Staff Writer
First Hawaiian Bank, preparing for the eventual retirement of CEO Walter Dods, promoted three Hawai'i-born, longtime bank executives to vice chairmen, where they will work under Don Horner as the top management group.
They are Gary Caulfield, manager of the information management and operations group; Tony Guerrero, head of the retail banking group; and Albert Yamada, chief financial officer.
Gary Caulfield
Tony Guerrero
Albert Yamada
Dods, 62, chairman of First Hawaiian since 1989, hasn't said yet when he plans to retire, but has said that his most important job now is to prepare for that transition.
"This is the next step in that process," said bank spokesman Gerry Keir.
Horner, 53, was promoted to president and chief operating officer, the bank's No. 2 position, last December.
Dods' statement emphasized that Caulfield, Guerrero and Yamada are from Hawai'i.
Which of Hawai'i's main banks is most "local" became an issue earlier this year when Clint Arnoldus, chairman of Central Pacific Bank, said that First Hawaiian was losing popularity after being bought by BNP Paribas, France's largest bank by assets. Arnoldus said later that he regretted the remarks.
Keir said it wasn't the intent of the bank to promote only Hawai'i-born executives, but the bank was pleased to find talented leaders in-house.
Caulfield, 53, who was born in Honolulu, is a graduate of Kalani High School, the University of Hawai'i and the School for Bank Administration at the University of Wisconsin. He joined First Hawaiian 20 years ago.
Guerrero, 58, was born in Honolulu and is a graduate of Saint Louis School, the University of Portland and the Bank Administration Institute at the University of Wisconsin. He has been with First Hawaiian since 1967.
He was chairman of the Hawai'i Visitors and Convention Bureau this year when a state audit led to the resignation of HVCB President Tony Vericella. HVCB went on to lose about 35 percent of its state money as several competitors won marketing contracts previously held by HVCB.
Yamada, 53, born in Hilo, Hawai'i, is a graduate of Hilo High School and the University of Hawai'i. Since 1997, he has been chief financial officer at First Hawaiian. He served as president of International Savings Bank and Pioneer Savings Bank in Honolulu, and joined First Hawaiian after Pioneer was merged into the bank.
Reach David Butts at 535-2453 or dbutts@honoluluadvertiser.com.
