FHB Donates $160K to Bishop Museum on Bank’s Anniversary

First Hawaiian Bank reports that it is celebrating its 160^th anniversary by making a $160,000 donation to Bishop Museum, according to Bob Harrison, First Hawaiian Bank chairman and chief executive officer. Charles Reed Bishop founded First Hawaiian Bank on Aug. 17, 1858, and Bishop Museum in 1889.

“This is a significant moment in First Hawaiian’s history and we look forward to the next 160 years of serving our customers,” said Harrison. “This $160,000 gift to Bishop Museum commemorates our bank’s 160^th anniversary and honors Charles Reed Bishop’s vision to support our community and preserve the Hawaiian culture for future generations. We are proud to continue this legacy of support in recognition of the enduring impact Bishop Museum has had on our local and global communities.”

“First Hawaiian Bank has been a longtime partner and supporter of Bishop Museum,” said Melanie Y. Ide, Bishop Museum president & CEO. “We’re thrilled to be a part of this special milestone honoring our shared founder, Charles Reed Bishop, and are very grateful for this wonderful gift. The Museum is in its final year of implementing its Strategic Business Plan which will allow the organization to build a financially sustainable foundation for future growth and increased capacity in serving as a community resource and partner in the areas of public education, research, living culture and environmental conservation.

Charles Reed Bishop, a businessman and philanthropist, was the visionary who established Bishop & Co., Hawai‘i’s very first bank, now known as First Hawaiian Bank. He went on to found the Bishop Museum in 1889 as a tribute to his late wife, Hawaiian Princess Bernice Pauahi Bishop, who was the last descendant of the royal Kamehameha family.  What began as a repository for royal family heirlooms, Bishop Museum today is the Hawai‘i State Museum of Natural and Cultural History with the world’s largest collection of Polynesian cultural artifacts and natural history specimens. Charles Reed Bishop’s vision for both First Hawaiian Bank and Bishop Museum were rooted in his love for the people of Hawai‘i and these islands.