ABOUT
Sharing the Spirit of Hawai‘i with the World
Our History
Our founders, Mamoru & Aiko Takitani, had a vision to share the Spirit of Hawai‘i with the world. They knew deep down the world would be a better place if more people embraced this Spirit of warmth, openness, and human connection. While this Spirit is intangible, their unique Hawaiian creations became the channel to do just that.
Soon, they became known as the ultimate Hosts of Hawai‘i – the people who went the extra mile in everything they did. From the product finishes to the personal approach in deliveries, their entrepreneurial grit and perseverance laid the foundation for who we are and how we operate today, and long into the future.
Making the Islands’ Future Flourish
Sharing the Spirit of Hawai‘i not only means exporting our product to the world to bring back resources to Hawai‘i, it also means taking care of the Islands’ for generations to come.
Our Corporate Brand
Hawaiian Host Group is a leading Hawai‘i-based agricultural, manufacturing, and consumer goods company.
PURPOSE
We are the hosts of Hawai‘i. It is our job to make the Islands’ future flourish.
VISION
Share the Spirit of Hawaiʻi* with the world.
*A Spirit of warmth, openness, and human connection.
MISSION
Exceed expectations with the Spirit of Hawaiʻi – in everything we do.
Our Culture
Our Culture
Besides working on products such as chocolate and ice cream – who doesn’t love that? – you get to collaborate and learn with a team that strives to exceed expectations with the Spirit of Hawai‘i in everything they do.
Yes, we work hard, but we like to have fun while doing it. Expect interactive company meetings, tasty product samples, insightful Lunch & Learns, spirited Office Olympics, sporadic karaoke, and a range of other initiatives.
Executive Leadership
ED SCHULTZ
PRESIDENT & CEO
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Ed Schultz has been President of Hawaiian Host Group since 2018. In 2020, he became President and CEO. Prior to joining HHG, he was President and Owner of Honolulu Coffee. Mr. Schultz’s career started in New York working on growth equity investments and leveraged buyouts for BNP Paribas Merchant Banking Group and Bank of America Merrill Lynch. He is currently on the board of the Hawaii Chapter of Young Presidents Organization (YPO) and Chamber of Commerce Hawai‘i. Mr. Schultz is a graduate of Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee with a Bachelor of Engineering degree.
MICHELLE LEON-GUERRERO
CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER
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Michelle Leon-Guerrero joined Hawaiian Host Group in 2019 and serves as Chief Administrative Officer. Prior to joining HHG, Mrs. Leon-Guerrero was Director of Benefits for ProService Hawaii, the largest Professional Employer Organization (PEO) in the state. Under her leadership, the benefits and insurance programs grew to serve more than 35,000 employees. Mrs. Leon-Guerrero is a graduate of the University of Hawai‘i at Manoa with a Bachelor of Science in Travel Industry Management and also holds an MBA in Human Resources.
AMIR ZAHEDI
CHIEF SALES OFFICER
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Amir Zahedi has been Senior VP of Sales at Hawaiian Host Group since April 2021. Prior to joining HHG, Mr. Zahedi served as SVP of Sales at Truco Enterprises. He has held various roles throughout his career including Category Management, Trade Marketing, and progressive sales roles at Mars Inc., Unilever, and Pinnacle Foods. Mr. Zahedi earned his MBA from Pepperdine University and has a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Engineering from UC Riverside.
SHANNON CASTELLANOS
CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER
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Shannon Castellanos joined Hawaiian Host Group as Chief Financial Officer in 2022. Mrs. Castellanos comes to HHG with over 20 years of Finance and Accounting experience in the CPG (Consumer Packaged Goods) and Retail industry. Prior to joining HHG, Mrs. Castellanos served as VP of Accounting and Finance at The Wonderful Company. Mrs. Castellanos began her career in public accounting at Deloitte, where she focused on consumer products and technology companies. Mrs. Castellanos holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting from Boston College and is a CPA in the state of California.
Senior Leadership
Chris Rabago
Senior Director of Manufacturing & Engineering
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Chris Rabago serves as Director of Manufacturing for Hawaiian Host Group. Prior to joining HHG, Chris founded a Hawai‘i coffee company based in Kailua-Kona on the Big Island. Prior to Hawai‘i, Chris spent 17 years overseeing operations at a specialty food contract manufacturer in California. Chris is a graduate of California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo with a bachelor's degree in Food Science.
Danielle Laubenstein
Senior Director of Global Marketing, Mauna Loa
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Danielle Laubenstein serves as Director of Global Marketing, Mauna Loa. Prior to Hawaiian Host Group, Danielle was at Godiva on the Global Travel Retail team as well as Chocolove, where she served as Director of Marketing, gaining experience in the naturals channel. She holds a degree in Business from the University of Washington with a concentration in Marketing.
Earl Kurisu
Senior Director of International Sales
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Earl Kurisu serves as Sr. Director of International Sales for Hawaiian Host Group. Prior to joining HHG, Earl held positions as International Sales Manager at Hawaiian Sun products and General Manager at Ed & Don’s of Hawaii. Earl has served as a board member for the Hawaii Food Manufacturer’s Association (HFMA) for the past 8 years, holding seats as both Vice President and President of the board.
Jeff Lam
Director of Sales, Hawai‘i
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Jeff Lam serves as the Director of Sales for the Hawai‘i region for Hawaiian Host Group. Prior to joining HHG, Jeff held positions with Anheuser-Busch and Young’s Market as a District Manager gaining 15 years of CPG experience. He holds a degree in Business from the University of Hawai‘i with a concentration in Finance and Marketing.
Jeffrey Tsutsuse
Corporate Controller
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Jeffrey Tsutsuse serves as Corporate Controller for Hawaiian Host Group. He joined HHG in 2024. Previously, Jeffrey served as Chief Financial Officer at aio, LLC, where he managed the financial and accounting functions for multiple subsidiaries and non-profit foundations. He began his career in public accounting at Rothstein Kass (now KPMG), focusing on audits for hedge funds, venture capital funds, and private equity. Jeffrey holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Business Economics with an emphasis in accounting from the University of California, Santa Barbara, and is a CPA in the state of California.
John Buehler
Director of Sales, North America
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John Buehler serves as Director of Sales, North America, for Hawaiian Host Group. Prior to joining HHG, John was Business Development Manager at Haribo, where he focused on building relationships with Kroger and other Northeast grocery chains. Before his role at Haribo, John served as Senior National Account Manager at Lemi Shine, managing key accounts with major retailers such as Kroger, Costco, and Walmart. He is a graduate of The Catholic University of America with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and minors in Marketing and Philosophy.
Joy Takanishi
Senior Director of Talent Management Services
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Joy Takanishi joined Hawaiian Host Group in 2016 and serves as Director of Talent Management Services. Her extensive experience in leading both HR and accounting teams spans more than 30 years in Hawai‘i and California. Prior to joining HHG, Joy was the Hawaii Market Unit HR Manager for Coca-Cola Enterprises and Vice President and Controller for ITO-EN (USA) INC. Joy is a graduate of the University of Hawaii at Manoa with a Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting.
Lana Jones
Director of Innovation & Contract Manufacturing
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Lana Jones serves as Director of Contract Manufacturing for Hawaiian Host Group. Prior to joining HHG, Lana served as the Head of Marketing for Haribo of America – acting as the General Manager of Seasonal & Co-Manufacturing. Over the years, she gained experience across departments and industries for organizations such as Walgreens, Russell Stover Chocolates, and Pabst Brewing Company. In 2018, Lana was selected as one of the National Confectioners Association’s Future Leaders. She graduated from Ohio State University with a bachelor’s degree in Strategic Communications.
Stan Huang
Director of Commercial Finance
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Stan Huang serves as Director of Commercial Finance for Hawaiian Host Group. He first joined HHG in May 2021 as Senior Manager of Financial Planning & Analysis. Previously, Stan worked at international consumer goods companies such as Diageo and Heineken, where he held positions in business development, corporate venture capital, and revenue strategy. He began his career in investment banking at Raymond James. Stan graduated from Duke University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Economics and Public Policy.
Steven Lim
Director of Finance, Operations
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Steven joined HHG in January 2022 as Director of Finance, Operations. He began his career in the financial services industry working for Zacks Investment Management and Bank of America. Later, Steven spent 11 years with Barry Callebaut in a wide variety of management roles – most recently as the Operations and Supply Chain Controller, overseeing the US West and Mexico. He holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Illinois Chicago, majoring in both Finance and Business Management.
Stijn Spaas
Director of Corporate Brand Strategy
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Stijn Spaas serves as Director of Corporate Brand Strategy for Hawaiian Host Group. Prior to joining HHG, Stijn worked as a brand strategist for consulting firm Innovation Protocol in Los Angeles. He gained international experience as consultant and speaker for organizations including Universal Studios, NXP, PayPal, and TEDx. Stijn graduated from University PXL in Belgium with a bachelor’s degree in Communications and served as MBA Teaching Assistant at the University of Southern California.
Theresa Tuxhorn
Director of Global Marketing, Hawaiian Host & KOHO
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Theresa Tuxhorn joins Hawaiian Host Group from working in San Francisco for Williams Sonoma Inc. Prior to Williams Sonoma, Theresa built up a decade of global travel retail experience working at DFS, where she lead the global and regional category strategies, marketing campaigns, and growth initiatives across North America, Mid-Pacific, South East Asia, Middle East and Europe. Theresa graduated from California State University, Chico with a bachelor’s degree in Finance and a minor in International Business.
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