“The branches grow because of the trunk. Without our ancestors, we would not be here.”

 

Some may say we are an old company. We humbly embrace that description, because with age comes experience.  And as fortune would have it, our imaginative, entrepreneurial founders fostered a business to stand the test of time.

You see, Trade was built on sound principles by old- school businessmen—full of vigor, life-loving jokester types. But nevertheless smart, hard-working, and full of confidence— or what our young protégés call “swag”! There is no denying that they had some business savvy for Trade to survive all these years.

Astute owners like Don Over, Carl Linquist, Carl “Kini Popo,” and Christine Hebenstreit, as well as power-partners and shareholders like Marty Anderson of Goodsill Anderson Quinn & Stifel, are the roots that promote growth from within and strength from experience. They are truly the last of the originals. We call them Trade’s “Legacy Partners”. And for good reason. We’ve made it our kuleana to advance our founders’ good work and values.

Filling their shoes is a handful in itself, let alone trying to navigate through today’s new found challenges of light-speed technological advances and pandemic restrictions. But working out of their same offices, we are reminded of their determination and inspired by their commitment to excellence.

Our transformation through six decades has allowed us to serve many trades and organizations, communities, and partnerships. Relationships that will never go unnoticed or unappreciated.

We believe a well-run business operates like a family where the company’s employees are the lifeline. of that family. And our customer–each and everyone–is an extension of our ‘Ohana.

These core values were instilled in me as I grew up, in and around the family business that my parents devoted their lives to building. I have relied on those experiences and have found success in my own endeavors because of those fundamentals. I understand it to be pertinent to doing business in Hawai’i and believe in it with unwavering and absolute confidence.

As I succeed Carl and Christine Hebenstreit, my predecessors, I look forward to creating new relationships while strengthening our long-lasting partnerships, and to continue Trade’s genealogy (we turn 67 in 2021), and broaden our roots in Hawai’i.

Yes, we are rooted. And it’s our roots that continue to help us to grow and be better partners for our community. And while it is a new chapter that is yet to be written, rest assured our book is already filled with pages that lay the groundwork for our success and yours.

Mahalo and Aloha Nui,
Faith Freitas and Team Trade Media Hui