Hawaiian Telcom gets new general manager and parent company

Cincinnati Bell completed its acquisition of Hawaiian Telcom on Monday and named a new top executive for the Hawaii phone, TV and internet service provider.

Hawaiian Telcom is now led by John Komeiji, who previously was chief administrative officer and general counsel for the company, where he has worked for about 10 years.

Komeiji holds the title of president and general manager at Hawaiian Telcom. He replaced Scott Barber, who was president and CEO. Barber joined Hawaiian Telcom in 2013 as chief operating officer and was named president and CEO in 2015.

Ohio-based Cincinnati Bell committed to maintaining local management of Hawaiian Telcom under its $650 million acquisition of the Honolulu-based company.

Komeiji joined Hawaiian Telcom in 2008. Before that he was a senior partner at the local law firm Watanabe Ing &Komeiji LLP.

In a statement he said, “I’m humbled and excited to work with our local leadership team and employees to engage with our communities as we expand our statewide fiber network and deliver advanced services to more customers. Joining forces with Cincinnati Bell is a milestone in this journey that positions Hawaiian Telcom for long-term success, enabling us to continue investing in Hawaii and unlocking new opportunities for innovation and growth.”

Leigh Fox, Cincinnati Bell president and CEO, said in a statement that the transaction will enable better expansion of fiber cable infra­- structure and services through a strong parent company and local leadership.

“The entire leadership team looks forward to working closely with John, who exhibits an unwavering commitment to serving Hawaii, has intimate knowledge of Hawaiian Telcom and the local community, and has a proven track record of thoughtful leadership,” Fox said. “We are excited about what today’s news means for our ability to execute on our growth goals in a rapidly changing industry as we meet the needs of customers across the Hawaiian Islands and our recently expanded North American footprint. With Hawaiian Telcom, Cincinnati Bell has found a great partner for the future.”

As part of the acquisition, two board directors of Hawaiian Telcom were added to the board of Cincinnati Bell: Walter Dods, retired chairman of First Hawaiian Bank, and Meredith Ching, executive vice president of external affairs at Alexander &Baldwin Inc.

Hawaiian Telcom also announced that Su Shin has been named to the newly created position of chief of staff, with the responsibility of assisting Komeiji “with day-to-day management of personnel and execution of strategic initiatives.” Shin, a former journalist with KHNL-TV and senior vice president with the Bennet Group public relations firm, had been Hawaiian Telcom’s executive director of marketing and communications.

Shares of Hawaiian Telcom were delisted from the Nasdaq on Monday after closing Friday at $28.92. Cincinnati Bell’s stock closed down 5 cents Monday at $15.65.