Walter Dods, Jr., who defined much of what is local- style big business and local Democratic politics, has written a surprisingly low-key, gossipy and fascinating autobiography: “Yes! A Memoir of Modern Hawaii.”

The Hawaii banker, business executive and philanthropist grew from a Saint Louis High School graduate more interested in midnight drag races and girlfriends than financial success or status to become First Hawaiian Bank’s president at 43.

Dods, 74, the past chairman of Hawaiian Telcom and Alexander &Baldwin and also former president of the American Bankers Association, said he wanted to write a story “aimed squarely at young local kids who are today where I was a half-century ago — nowhere near the top of the heap and not quite sure how to get there.”

In the 260-page book, co-written by veteran Honolulu journalists Gerry Keir and Jerry Burris, Dods advises local kids to “don’t be afraid to express your thoughts and opinions … once employers know your work ethic and how solid you are, you will do fine.”

The saga of how Dods did it is the sort of rags-to-riches-with-a-Hawaii-flavor story readers will find fascinating. The insider’s perspective on local politics alone makes an absorbing read.

Dods was chairman or co-chairman of all of George Ariyoshi’s campaigns for lieutenant governor and governor, two of the late U.S. Sen. Daniel K. Inouye senatorial campaigns and former U.S. Rep. Colleen Hanabusa’s U.S. Senate campaign.

“I’ve always felt my political involvement was good for both the community and the bank,” Dods writes, although he admits his first work with Ariyoshi was only after he was drafted.

“I turned George down when he first asked me … (but) my boss, Johnny Bellinger, pointed out to me — quite forcefully — that Ariyoshi was on our board of directors, and it would make good sense to help out,” wrote Dods, who in 1970 was in charge of First Hawaiian’s marketing and public relations.

By the end of the campaign, Dods said, he was a strong Ariyoshi supporter and had learned how to run a statewide campaign.

“They didn’t have the expertise on strategy and media that I had from the nonpolitical things I’d done, so I just converted my business skills into running a campaign,” Dods wrote.

Marketing means themes and slogans. It was Dods who pushed “The Bank that Says Yes” campaign, tabbed Ariyoshi as “Quiet but Effective,” and when running against former Mayor Frank Fasi, “Integrity Is the Issue, Ariyoshi Is the Answer.”

By searching poll results asking voters what they thought of Hawaii, Dods offered the seemingly simple, politically sophisticated: “Ariyoshi for Governor Because Hawaii is a Special Place.”

Dods’ longtime friend Jeff Watanabe said Dods knew how to use polling data to win.

“He also understood the impact the media could have on the electorate. He had all the relationships in the media, PR and government relations world because that’s where he came from,” Watanabe said. “Whoever had Walter had those relationships.”

In December of 2012, hours before Hawaii’s powerful Dan Inouye died in Walter Reed Army Medical Center, Dods and Watanabe had delivered a letter to then-Gov. Neil Abercrombie, asking that Hanabusa be named as his successor.

Dods said that he and Watanabe met with Abercrombie, who also had then-Attorney General David Louie, political adviser Marvin Wong and chief of staff Bruce Coppa in the room.

Abercrombie’s hands trembled as he read the letter, Dods said, because Inouye had boxed in the former congressman. Following Inouye’s wishes would make Abercrombie seem not to be his own man, while ignoring them would force him to ignore the dying wish of Hawaii’s most popular politician.

Abercrombie chose to ignore Inouye, an action that Dods said doomed Abercrombie.

“In the end, I believe that community turned against Abercrombie over the whole sequence of events … the entire Japanese community turned on Neil.”

Dod said he is finished with political consulting, but reading his book could be any aspiring politician’s first instruction manual.

The book is expected to be available at Barnes &Noble next week.

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Richard Borreca writes on politics on Sundays, Tuesdays and Fridays. Reach him at rborreca@staradvertiser.com.