It all started with K.J. Luke.

Luke was a Big Island boy with humble, immigrant roots. He grew up tending his father’s general store and went on to graduate with honors in accounting from the University of Hawaii. On a bet with his U.H. accounting professor, Luke applied to Harvard. Not only was he accepted, he went on to become the first Chinese-American to receive an Alumni Achievement Award from the Harvard Business School.

After graduation, Luke established himself as one of Hawaii’s savviest businessmen and real estate investors. In 1959, he saw an opportunity to build a new bank to take advantage of a booming economy and the opportunities of statehood. As President and Chairman of the board of this new start-up, Luke applied for a federal charter to become the only national bank in Hawaii.

Hawaii National Bank opened its doors on Sept. 19, 1960, to the sound of 10,000 firecrackers in Honolulu’s Chinatown neighborhood. By the day’s end, the bank had taken in $6.25 million in deposits, a national record for any first-day deposits for a new bank. From this auspicious start, Hawaii National Bank grew to become one of the keystone institutions of Hawaii banking.

Entirely locally owned and managed, Hawaii National Bank was built on strong relationships. Today, that legacy continues under the family’s second and third generations of leadership. A true family business, Hawaii National Bank has grown to 9 branches with locations on Oahu, Maui and Hawaii Island.

For a new generation of customers, Hawaii National Bank has adapted to the ever-changing times, using digital technology and other innovative products to improve customer service and experiences. But one thing hasn’t changed: a philosophy of highly personalized service that has helped loyal customers and locally-owned businesses achieve their financial dreams for over 60 years.

Stop in and experience a banking relationship that you’ll love for a lifetime.

It all starts here.