FHB’s Untalan is Guam magazine’s Executive of the Year

TUMON, Guam—Edward G. Untalan, executive vice president and Guam-CNMI region manager of First Hawaiian Bank, was named the 2021 Guam Business Magazine Executive of the Year at the award reception last Saturday, May 7, at the Hyatt Regency Guam.

As part of the recognition, Untalan is featured on the cover of the Guam Business Magazine’s May-June issue, which was released at the event.

Five other executives were nominated for the award: Ernesto V. “Jun” Espaldon Jr., president of Quick Services Foods Inc. and Fun Foods International Inc. which have do business as Wendy’s and Cold Stone Creamery, respectively; Herbert J. Johnston Jr., education director of the GCA Trades Academy; Thomas W. Krise, president of the University of Guam, chairman of the Research Corp. of UOG, English professor at UOG and executive secretary of the UOG Endowment Foundation; Dr. Hoa V. Nguyen, principal partner and president of the American Medical Center LLC; and Hanseok “Nick” Song, president of Haevichi Hospitality Guam Inc., which does business as the Westin Resort Guam, and general manager of the Westin.

Untalan graduated from Manhattan College in Riverdale, NY, after securing a 1984 bachelor’s in finance with a minor in economics and a 1986 master’s in business administration with a concentration in finance/investments and a minor in marketing.

After graduation, Untalan began his journey in financial services in 1987 with the Bank of Guam, where he rotated through various executive positions.

After rising to vice president and manager of the Bank of Guam’s San Francisco branch, Untalan switched his career to public service, and in 1995, he was appointed public finance officer at the Guam Economic Development Authority, managing all municipal finance issues for the government. From there, he was assigned as deputy administrator and confirmed as administrator in January 1997.

In 2004, he was appointed assistant vice president and business banking officer with First Hawaiian Bank. In 2016 he was promoted to senior vice president and Guam-CNMI region manager.

In addition to roles in the financial services industry, Untalan also holds positions with civic service organizations, like chairman of the Guam Chamber of Commerce, where he has been an elected board member since 2019; chairman of the TODU Guam Foundation, where he has also been a board member since 2019; president of the Guam Bankers Association, where he has been a board member since 2015; and chairman of the Cathedral Basilica Finance Council, where he has served since 2017.

Untalan has a long history of prior civic service and First Hawaiian Bank supports a variety of non-profits and community events.

Some of the past Executive of the Year recipients include Robert H. Jones of Triple J Enterprises Inc. (1983); John M. Borlas of IT&E Overseas Inc. (1984); Philip J. Flores of BankPacific (1985); Marian Aldan-Pierce of DFS Saipan (2000); Juan T. Guerrero of Herman’s Modern Bakery Inc. (2003); David M. Sablan of Century Group of Companies (2005); Jerry Tan of Tan Holdings Inc. (2009); Lourdes A. “Lou” Leon Guerrero of Bank of Guam (2010); George Chiu of Tan Holdings (2013); Norman T. Tenorio of Joeten Enterprises Inc., Pacifica Insurance Underwriters Inc., Tropical Instant Press Inc., Saipan Shipping Co., Saipan Stevedore and Advance Carrier (2014); Jeffrey B. Jones of Triple J Enterprises Inc. (2015); and Jose C. “Joe” Ayuyu of McDonald’s of Guam and Saipan, RJ Corp. and RJ Guam LLC (2016). (PR)