Catherine Ngo earns business accolade as Wahine of the Year

Hawaii Business Magazine has named Catherine Ngo the recipient of its inaugural Wahine of the Year award, a new accolade recognizing a woman whose leadership, service and impact have helped shape Hawai‘i’s business community and beyond. Ngo will be honored at the magazine’s Wahine Forum in October.

A respected banking executive, entrepreneur and philanthropist, Ngo has spent more than a decade influencing Hawai‘i’s financial sector while championing community investment, small-business growth and opportunities for women leaders.

“Catherine Ngo exemplifies the leadership, innovation and commitment to community that inspired us to create the Wahine of the Year award,” said Jennifer Ablan, editor-in-chief of Hawaii Business Magazine. “Throughout her career, she has broken barriers, strengthened institutions and invested in the success of others. We are proud to recognize her as the inaugural recipient of this honor.”

Ngo joined Central Pacific Bank in 2010 as executive vice president and chief administrative officer. In 2015, she became the bank’s first female president and CEO, a position she held until 2022. She later served as executive vice chair and then chair of Central Pacific Financial Corp. and Central Pacific Bank, helping guide the institution through recovery and growth while supporting initiatives for local small businesses.

Ngo built her career in Silicon Valley, serving as executive vice president and general counsel of Silicon Valley Bank and later co-founding Startup Capital Ventures, an early-stage venture capital firm investing in Hawai‘i, Silicon Valley and China.

Although she stepped down from the boards of Central Pacific Bank and Central Pacific Financial Corp. in October 2025, Ngo continues to lead community-focused efforts as president and chair of the Central Pacific Bank Foundation. Under her leadership, the foundation has directed millions of dollars in grants toward housing, small-business support and programs such as WE by CPB Rising Tide, which mentors women entrepreneurs. She also serves on the boards of The Queen’s Medical Center, the Hawai‘i Community Foundation, Hawai‘i Gas, Maui Land & Pineapple Co. and Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco’s Community Depository Institutions Advisory Council.

The Wahine of the Year award is the newest addition to Hawaii Business Magazine’s longstanding commitment to recognizing impactful leadership in Hawai‘i. The annual honor celebrates a woman whose professional achievements and dedication to community service have made a lasting difference in the state. Ticket sales will be available on Aug. 7.