Honolulu Japanese Chamber of Commerce selects Steven Teruya as CEO

For Steven Teruya, what started out as a way to play in golf tournaments for the Honolulu Japanese Chamber of Commerce led to a passion for helping Hawaii’s business community. Now Teruya, 69, will be stepping into a new role to continue supporting local business leaders as president and CEO of HJCC, which announced his appointment Friday.

A Mid-Pacific Institute and University of Hawaii graduate, Teruya currently serves as vice chairman of Finance Factors. He plans to retire Feb. 1, the same day he will officially take on his new position at HJCC. Teruya will begin helping the chamber’s board as a volunteer in October through the transition. As president and CEO of HJCC, he will oversee and manage the organization’s activities, operations and staff.

“I had no plans of getting another job once I retire. (But) a number of key (HJCC) members encouraged me to apply,” Teruya told the Honolulu Star- Advertiser. “I spoke to my wife, and she said, ‘You ought to go for it. I give you my full support.’ That really made the decision for me to apply, not knowing if I would get the job.”

Teruya joined HJCC as a member in 1992 and participated in the organization’s golf tournaments. Six years ago he joined the chamber’s board and has served on HJCC’s Executive Committee and as chairman of the Ways and Means Committee. For more than 20 years, he has worked at Finance Factors in various roles, including as president and chief operating officer.

Founded in 1900 as the Honolulu Japanese Merchants Association, which later became the Honolulu Japanese Chamber of Commerce, the organization promotes economic growth by connecting, supporting and advocating for businesses. In 1949 HJCC established the Honolulu Japanese Junior Chamber of Commerce, which coordinates the annual Cherry Blossom Festival.

Moving forward, Teruya said his vision is to organize more virtual events to engage members, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic, and to find creative ways to raise funds for HJCC.

“It’s really grown and expanded to support any business,” he said. “What I like seeing is new businesses come in and having them embraced by our members. It’s really good to see firsthand members supporting members.”

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Jayna Omaye covers ethnic and cultural affairs and is a corps member of Report for America, a national serv­ice organization that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on under­covered issues and communities.