Blood Bank of Hawaii’s mission is to provide a safe and adequate supply of blood, blood products and related transfusion services to the patients of our state.
Blood Bank of Hawaii opened its doors in February 1941 on the grounds of what is now The Queen’s Medical Center. Known then as Honolulu Blood-Plasma Bank, the blood bank served as a wartime agency under the Office of Civilian Defense, returning to its non-profit civilian status in 1943. Honolulu Blood-Plasma Bank officially changed its name to Blood Bank of Hawaii in 1946.
In the early years, blood was collected in glass bottles, hemoglobin checks were done via the earlobe, and a single van went around the island to collect blood. Services were expanded to included neighbor island blood drives and Hawaii’s unique ethnic population became nationally recognized as a source for many types of rare blood.
Today, state-of-the-art blood bags are used for collections, adequate iron levels are verified through technology, and blood is collected at two fixed sites, along with two bloodmobiles that travel to Oahu’s neighborhoods providing convenience for donors. Blood Bank of Hawaii adheres to the highest standards of safety and quality and continues its long commitment to providing a safe and adequate blood supply for Hawaii’s patients.
Blood Bank of Hawaii is accredited by AABB and is a member of America’s Blood Centers (ABC), the nation’s largest network of community-based blood programs. Blood Bank of Hawaii is licensed and regulated by U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
Kim-Anh Nguyen, MD, PhD
Chief Executive Officer
2023 Board of Trustees
Avi Mannis – Chair
Senior Vice President, Chief Marketing & Communications Officer
Hawaiian Airlines
Ed Hudson – Vice Chair
Daniel Nishikawa – Treasurer
Executive Vice President & Division Manager, Commercial Real Estate Division
First Hawaiian Bank
Jamie Kawamoto – Secretary
Executive Director, Marketing Communications
Hawaiian Telcom
Tyler M. Tokioka – Immediate Past Chair
Vice President External Affairs
Island Insurance Companies
Jason C. Chang
Executive Vice President & Chief Operating Officer
The Queen’s Health Systems
Leslie Chun, MD
CEO
Hawaii Pacific Health Medical Group
Kenric M. Murayama, MD, MBA
Chair & Program Director of the Department of Surgery
University of Hawaii, John A. Burns School of Medicine
Ku’uhaku Park
Senior Vice President, Government & Community Relations
Matson Navigation
Kelly Ueoka
President
PACXA
Christopher Abbott
Senior Vice President, Senior Program Manager Affordable Housing
Bank of Hawaii
Joe Ernst
Employment Compliance, Employment Litigation, Labor Relations
Torkildson Katz, A Law Corporation
Keith Hayashi
Superintendent
State of Hawaii Board of Education
Elizabeth M. Ignacio, MD
Surgical Director
Queen’s Center for Sports Medicine
Kevin M. Katsura
Director, Regulatory Non-Rate Proceedings
Hawaiian Electric Company
David Lassner, PhD
President
University of Hawaii
Mark Mugiishi, MD
President & Chief Executive Officer
HMSA
Eugene “Gino” Soquena
Executive Director
Hawaii Building & Construction Trades Council (AFL-CIO)
Jay Talwar
Senior Vice President of Marketing
Hawaii Visitors & Convention Bureau
Ross Yamasaki
Vice President
Capitol Consultants of Hawaii