Chinn Ho
Encyclopedia
Chinn Ho was an entrepreneur
, businessman, philanthropist
, and self-made millionaire who pioneered Asian involvement in the Hawaii
an business community.
In 1944, Ho founded the Capital Investment Company with $200,000. Three years later, he bought $1.2 million of stock in the Waianae Sugar Company, the first time an Asian had executed such a large purchase.
In 1959, he bought the Ilikai
, Hawaii’s biggest condominium-apartment project, and transformed it to Hawaii’s first high-rise luxury resort when it opened in 1964. The building is featured in the balcony scene during the opening credits of the TV show Hawaii Five-O
. (One of the fictional detectives in the series was named Chin Ho Kelly).
He was the head of the Honolulu Stock Exchange, the first Asian president of a Triple A professional baseball team, the Hawaii Islanders
, the first Asian trustee of a landed estate, and the first Asian director of Theo H. Davies & Co.
, one of the influential “Big Five”
group of former sugar cane plantations that were deeply involved in Hawaiian politics.
In 1961, he purchased the Honolulu Star-Bulletin
, becoming the first Asian board chairman and sole owner of a major Honolulu daily newspaper.
Known for his philanthropy, he was dubbed the "Chinese Rockefeller
." He died on 12 May 1987, due to heart failure.
He married to Betty Ching in 13 October 1934 had six children.
Entrepreneur
An entrepreneur is an owner or manager of a business enterprise who makes money through risk and initiative.The term was originally a loanword from French and was first defined by the Irish-French economist Richard Cantillon. Entrepreneur in English is a term applied to a person who is willing to...
, businessman, philanthropist
Philanthropist
A philanthropist is someone who engages in philanthropy; that is, someone who donates his or her time, money, and/or reputation to charitable causes...
, and self-made millionaire who pioneered Asian involvement in the Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
an business community.
Career
For generations before the rise of Ho, the business community in Hawaii was controlled by a small group of white family business interests. Ho was able to overcome the conservative business conditions and "cracked Hawaii's bamboo curtain and gained a toehold in the haole establishment; he was the'first Oriental named a trustee of one of Hawaii's landed estates, the huge Robinson estate, a bastion of Hawaiian conservatism."In 1944, Ho founded the Capital Investment Company with $200,000. Three years later, he bought $1.2 million of stock in the Waianae Sugar Company, the first time an Asian had executed such a large purchase.
In 1959, he bought the Ilikai
The Ilikai
The Ilikai is a landmark oceanfront high rise hotel and condominium at the western end of Waikiki in Honolulu, Hawai'i. When it opened in 1964, the Ilikai was the first luxury high rise hotel in Hawai'i....
, Hawaii’s biggest condominium-apartment project, and transformed it to Hawaii’s first high-rise luxury resort when it opened in 1964. The building is featured in the balcony scene during the opening credits of the TV show Hawaii Five-O
Hawaii Five-O
Hawaii Five-O is an American police procedural drama series produced by CBS Productions and Leonard Freeman. Set in Hawaii, the show originally aired for twelve seasons from 1968 to 1980, and continues in reruns. The show featured a fictional state police unit run by Detective Steve McGarrett,...
. (One of the fictional detectives in the series was named Chin Ho Kelly).
He was the head of the Honolulu Stock Exchange, the first Asian president of a Triple A professional baseball team, the Hawaii Islanders
Hawaii Islanders
The Hawaii Islanders were a AAA minor league baseball team, based in Honolulu, Hawaii, that played in the Pacific Coast League from 1961 through 1987. The Islanders were originally an affiliate of the Kansas City Athletics. They played their home games at Honolulu Stadium, Honolulu's Aloha Stadium...
, the first Asian trustee of a landed estate, and the first Asian director of Theo H. Davies & Co.
Theo H. Davies & Co.
Theo H. Davies & Co. is a company that was one of the Big Five trading and agricultural companies in the Territory of Hawaii.-History:Starkey, Janion, & Co. was a trading company founded in Liverpool in April 1845 by Englishmen James and John Starkey and Robert Cheshire Janion. Janion arrived in...
, one of the influential “Big Five”
Big Five (Hawaii)
The Big Five was the name given to a group of what started as sugarcane processing corporations that wielded considerable political power in the Territory of Hawaii during the early 20th century and leaned heavily towards the Hawaii Republican Party. The Big Five were Castle & Cooke, Alexander &...
group of former sugar cane plantations that were deeply involved in Hawaiian politics.
In 1961, he purchased the Honolulu Star-Bulletin
Honolulu Star-Bulletin
The Honolulu Star-Bulletin was a daily newspaper based in Honolulu, Hawaii, United States. At the time publication ceased on June 6, 2010, it was the second largest daily newspaper in the state of Hawaii...
, becoming the first Asian board chairman and sole owner of a major Honolulu daily newspaper.
Known for his philanthropy, he was dubbed the "Chinese Rockefeller
John D. Rockefeller
John Davison Rockefeller was an American oil industrialist, investor, and philanthropist. He was the founder of the Standard Oil Company, which dominated the oil industry and was the first great U.S. business trust. Rockefeller revolutionized the petroleum industry and defined the structure of...
." He died on 12 May 1987, due to heart failure.
Family
He was born Ho Chin. His father is Ho Ti Yuen and his mother is Ho Kam Lan. He changed his name to Chinn Ho later, to adapt the Western practice of placing the surname last.He married to Betty Ching in 13 October 1934 had six children.
- Stuart Tse Kong
- Dean Tse Wah
- Karen Seu Han (Mrs. Stanley Hong)
- John Tse Nien
- Robin Seu Moy (Mrs. John Lee)
- Heather Seu Chinn (Mrs. Malcolm Lee)
Further reading
- Distinguished Asian American Business Leaders (Series: Distinguished Asian Americans Series), March 2003, Greenwood Publishing Group, Incorporated,ISBN 9781573563444,ISBN 1573563447