Hawaii Community Lending

We are proud to share that our Chief Operating Officer, Chanel Josiah, has been recognized by Pacific Business News as one of Hawaiʻi’s 40 Under 40 honorees for the Class of 2026.

Chanel stepped into the COO role after spending six years growing through the ranks within our family of organizations at Hawaiian Community Assets and Hawaiʻi Community Lending. Since assuming this position, she has helped lead significant organizational transformation, including a comprehensive risk assessment, operational restructuring, and strategic realignment designed to strengthen our ability to serve Hawaiʻi’s families for generations to come.

In just five months, Chanel has led significant organizational transformation efforts, including the development of HCL’s enterprise operations framework, strengthening alignment between governance, strategy, risk management, compliance, people, systems, and program delivery. She has also supported the establishment of HCL’s Network of Advisors, helped position our Finance Department for long-term success under the leadership of our CFO, David, and worked alongside our leadership team to advance our mission.

She has also played a key role in strengthening strategic partnerships across the state, including supporting the development of a landmark collaboration with the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands focused on expanding pathways to homeownership and increasing access to capital for homestead beneficiaries. This work is expected to support significant long-term investment in affordable homeownership opportunities and pathways for Native Hawaiian families throughout Hawaiʻi.

Chanel joins an impressive class of leaders representing banking, law, healthcare, energy, technology, real estate, and nonprofit organizations throughout Hawaiʻi.

While this recognition honors Chanel’s leadership, it also reflects the collective work of our entire team. Every employee, partner, supporter, and client contributes to the impact we are making together. This recognition highlights the growing capacity of Hawaiʻi Community Lending and our commitment to becoming Hawaiʻi’s leader in affordable homeownership lending while helping address displacement and outmigration among Hawaiʻi’s local and Native Hawaiian families.

Congratulations, Chanel on this well-deserved recognition!