50 years on the Job at First Hawaiian Bank
Name: Nelson Nakagawa
Current Position: Assistant VP, Card Services Division
Started: Feb. 19, 1962
Total Jobs at FHB: 12
Why did you join?
“It was a stable company, something I thought would provide me with a springboard to better things.”
First day:
“I was nervous. It was the first real job for me with a large company. To top it off, the HR person tells me, ‘You have to let your hair grow out.’ At the time I had a crew cut. It was intimidating. My whole life, people always told me to cut my hair, then, all of a sudden, I was told to let it grow. I knew this place would be different.”
Why did you stay?
“You think about moving early on in the career, but then the longer you stay, you come to appreciate what FHB is to the community. It’s the people that make the job, the friends you make. And the bank has provided me with training and opportunities for personal development.”
Retirement plans:
“The first thing I’m going to do is go on an Alaskan cruise with my wife.”
Name: Martha Bagor
Current Position: Assistant Service Manager, Main Banking Center
Started: June 15, 1962
Total jobs at FHB: 9
First job:
“I started in the mailroom. Nelson is actually the one who trained me. We go way back.”
Difficult moment:
“What stays with me is when they imploded the main branch building in 1993. That was where I started and I actually watched that happen. It was sad. I mean, things have to change, but it was sad having been there for so long. It left a hole in my stomach.”
Biggest change:
“When we went into the electronic age, everything changed with online banking. It was a big transition. When I started, there was no such thing as a computer, just a good, old-fashioned typewriter. But, after we got adjusted, it was OK and it’s so much more convenient.”
Changing careers: “I enjoy what I do and enjoy working with customers, so I haven’t really thought of anything else that I would like to do, pursue a different field. There’s been no reason for me to think about that.”
