Hawaii Business Magazine has named 20 local leaders as this year’s HB20 “20 for the Next 20” honorees, recognizing individuals whose leadership and service will shape hawaii for decades. Sunday at 9: 00 a. m. ET Zack Hernandez, CEO of AEP Hawaii, and publisher Kent Coules will appear on HNN’s Sunrise to discuss the cohort and the March issue.
HB20 Honorees Include Kapua Chandler, Chelsie Evans and Zack Hernandez
The HB20 list highlights 20 professionals selected for leadership, innovation and lasting impact: Kapua Chandler, Jamila Jarmon, Elaine Gascon, Danicole Ramos, Trung Lam, Chris Fong, Tricia Fujikawa Lee, Gabriel Yanagihara, Warren Altona, Ryan Kuniyuki, Daniel Moats, Erin Uehara, Victoria Hanes, Lance Askildson, Su Lazo, Kaloa Robinson, Chelsie Evans, Summer Shelverton, Richard Matsui and Zack Hernandez. The magazine said the cohort “celebrates individuals whose vision, integrity, and commitment are helping define the next generation of leadership in the islands. ”
Profiles Start March 2 in Hawaii Business March Issue and Run Through the Month
Profiles of the 20 honorees will publish alphabetically starting on March 2 and will continue through the month in the March issue. The series spotlights honorees across business, education, nonprofit, design, finance and community impact in hawaii, showcasing the people already making a mark across the islands’ business community.
Zack Hernandez and Kent Coules to Appear on HNN Sunrise March 7
Zack Hernandez, identified in the magazine as CEO of AEP Hawaii, and Kent Coules, publisher of Hawaii Business Magazine, are scheduled to join HNN’s Sunrise on Sunday, March 7 to talk about the HB20 honorees and the stories in the March issue. Coules said the honorees are “grounded in purpose, driven by service and focused on building a resilient, inclusive future for Hawaii. ”
Selected profiles include detailed examples of influence and impact: Chelsie Evans grew HCA from $1. 5 million to a $10 million agency serving Hawai‘i families; Kapua Chandler returned with a PhD to found Kaua‘i’s first tuition-free public middle school rooted in ʻāina-based education; Lance Askildson launched five first-to-market doctoral programs and chairs the Pacific’s first UN training center. These individual details illustrate why the editorial team selected this particular cohort.
Power and character are recurring themes across the profiles. The issue’s editor framed selection around trust and stewardship, noting honorees who earned responsibility through service rather than assuming it. Summer Shelverton’s work in trusts and estates and Danicole Ramos’s advocacy within the immigration system are cited as examples of quieter forms of influence that carry long-term consequences for families and communities.
Next confirmed event: the HB20 profile series begins March 2 in the March issue, and Hernandez and Coules will appear on HNN’s Sunrise on Sunday, March 7 at 9: 00 a. m. ET to discuss the cohort and the reporting.
