HONOLULU – First Insurance Company of Hawaii (FICOH) held a blessing ceremony Thursday morning for its new satellite office in Kapolei. The office is located at Campbell Square, 1001 Kamokila Blvd., near Kapolei Regional Park. FICOH estimates that employees relocating there will collectively save about 24 hours and 275 miles on the road each day.
“For us, it’s about helping our team members maintain a good work-life balance,” said Jeff Shonka, President and CEO of FICOH. “We know how stressful the daily commute can be, so we want our employees who live on the west side of the island to spend less time in their cars, more time with their loved ones, and enjoying life outside of work.”
“I am thankful to FICOH for giving us this opportunity to work closer to home,” said Marivic Puaa, FICOH Claims Manager and one of 35 employees moving to the satellite office. “It is life-changing. Driving into town the last 23 years, spending between 2-3 hours in traffic every day, has been brutal and I only see it getting worse. I’m looking forward to the much shorter commute (10 minutes!) and less stress from traffic. My family is also excited. I will now be able to spend more quality time with my family and get home at a decent hour.”
About one-tenth of FICOH’s employees will move to the new office. Most of the 35 employees moving there live less than nine miles away from the new office. Their average commute to the new office will take less than 15 minutes each way, which is less than half of their average commute time to the main office.
FICOH’s main office is located at 1100 Ward Ave. in Honolulu. The company currently has about 340 employees. Aside from the new satellite office, FICOH also offers flex time and telecommuter options to its employees.
About First Insurance Company of Hawaii
Founded in 1911, First Insurance Company of Hawaii, Ltd. is the oldest and largest property and casualty insurer domiciled in Hawaii, with assets of $667.8 million, liabilities of $387.6 million, and policyholders’ surplus of $280.1 million as of December 31, 2018.
First Insurance, a member of the Tokio Marine North America (TMNA) group of companies, enjoys an “A+” rating from A.M. Best Co.
Proud of its broadly experienced, service-oriented staff, First Insurance employs more than 350 insurance professionals and distributes its products through 26 independent general agencies. First Insurance was named 2018 Kupuna Advocate of the Year by Hawaii Meals on Wheels (HMOW) for its exemplary support of HMOW and other organizations that serve seniors. It was also awarded the American Heart Association’s Workplace Health Gold Achievement for 2018.