Home | Business News | Browse by Publication | H | Hawaii Business

Public people private passions: Hawaii''s executives work hard and play hard. Here''s a look at how some of our business leaders spend their time when they''re off the clock.

Article Excerpt
Harry Saunders

President, Castle & Cooke Hawaii

Motorcyclist

Harry Saunders is a very easy easy rider. The motorcycle enthusiast doesn't belong to a club, nor does he fiddle much with his Harley Davidson Road King Cruiser. He leaves that up to the experts.

"I just like to ride when I feel like it. If the weather is good, my wife will jump on the back and we're off," says Saunders. "That's very different from my normal work day, which is tightly scheduled with business meetings and conference calls, it's a great stress reliever for me."

Saunders is a relatively new biker, buying his first bike, a Harley Dyna Low Rider, a little more than 10 years ago, during a self-described mid-life crisis. If he has the time, he'll take a tour around the Island, but usually he'll take a quick spin out to Sandy Beach and back.

"Harley is just so American," says Saunders. "You're out there with the wind in your face and bugs in your mouth. There's no music playing. It's just me, my wife and the bike."

Chatt Wright

President, Hawaii Pacific University

Fly Fisherman

If he didn't have the photo to prove it, you might suspect that Chatt Wright was telling you a fish story.

A year ago, Wright journeyed to upper Mongolia and reeled in a 36-pound, monster trout. It was 52 inches long and fought the Hawaii Pacific University president and chief executive officer for nearly a half an hour. The species of trout is so large and voracious that Wright had to use a fly that looked like a small, furry mammal.

Wright has many stories to tell. He has crisscrossed the globe in his pursuit of trout and salmon, everywhere from Mongolia and Kamchatka to Italy and France, from Alaska to Argentina. Fishing gear...