Use these links to rapidly review the document
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Appendix A

UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

SCHEDULE 14A

Proxy Statement Pursuant to Section 14(a) of
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (Amendment No.          )

 

---

Table of Contents

Your VOTE is important!

Notice of 2011
Annual Meeting of Shareholders
and Proxy Statement

Meeting Date: April 22, 2011

Bank of Hawaii Corporation
130 Merchant Street
Honolulu, Hawaii 96813

---

Table of Contents

BANK OF HAWAII CORPORATION
130 Merchant Street
Honolulu, Hawaii 96813

March 11, 2011

Dear Shareholder:

        The 2011 Annual Meeting of shareholders of Bank of Hawaii Corporation will be held on Friday, April 22, 2011 at 8:30 a.m. on the Sixth Floor of the Bank of Hawaii Building, 111 South King Street, Honolulu, Hawaii. Each shareholder may be asked to present valid picture identification. Shareholders holding stock in brokerage accounts will need to bring a copy of a brokerage statement reflecting stock ownership as of the record date.

        The Notice of Meeting and Proxy Statement accompanying this letter describe the business we will consider and vote upon at the meeting. A report to shareholders on the affairs of Bank of Hawaii Corporation also will be given, and shareholders will have the opportunity to discuss matters of interest concerning the Company.

        For reasons explained in the accompanying Proxy Statement, the Board of Directors recommends that you vote FOR proposals 1, 2, 4 and 5, and FOR the one-year recommendation on Proposal 3 regarding the frequency vote on executive compensation.

        Your vote is very important.    Please complete, sign, date and return the enclosed proxy card and mail it promptly in the enclosed postage-paid return envelope, even if you plan to attend the Annual Meeting. You may also vote by telephone or electronically via the Internet. If you wish to do so, your proxy may be revoked at any time before voting occurs.

        On behalf of the Board of Directors, thank you for your cooperation and support.

---

Table of Contents

TABLE OF CONTENTS

---

Table of Contents

NOTICE OF ANNUAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS
To be held April 22, 2011

        

---

To Our Shareholders:

        The Annual Meeting of shareholders of Bank of Hawaii Corporation will be held on Friday, April 22, 2011, at 8:30 a.m. on the Sixth Floor of the Bank of Hawaii Building, 111 South King Street, Honolulu, Hawaii, for the following purposes:

1.

To elect thirteen persons to serve as directors of the Company for a term of one year each.



2.

To hold an advisory vote on executive compensation.



3.

To hold an advisory vote on the frequency of holding future advisory votes on executive compensation.



4.

To approve an amendment to the Bank of Hawaii Corporation 2004 Stock and Incentive Compensation Plan (the "Plan") to increase the number of shares of common stock available for grant under the Plan.



5.

To ratify the selection of an independent registered public accounting firm.



6.

To transact any other business that may be properly brought before the meeting.

        Shareholders of record of Bank of Hawaii Corporation common stock (NYSE: BOH) at the close of business on February 28, 2011 are entitled to attend the meeting and vote on the business brought before it.

        We look forward to seeing you at the meeting. However, if you cannot attend the meeting, your shares may still be voted if you complete, sign, date, and return the enclosed proxy card in the enclosed postage-paid return envelope. You also may vote by telephone or electronically via the Internet.

By Order of the Board of Directors



MARK A. ROSSI
Vice Chairman and Corporate Secretary
Bank of Hawaii Corporation

Honolulu, Hawaii
Dated: March 11, 2011

Important Notice Regarding the Availability of Proxy Materials
for the Annual Shareholder Meeting to be Held April 22, 2011

        The Proxy Statement and the Bank of Hawaii Corporation 2010 Annual Report on Form 10-K to Shareholders for the year ended December 31, 2010 are available at www.edocumentview.com/boh.

---

Table of Contents

PROXY STATEMENT

        The Board of Directors (the "Board") of Bank of Hawaii Corporation (Bank of Hawaii Corporation and its subsidiaries, as appropriate, are referred to as "Bank of Hawaii" or the "Company") is soliciting the enclosed proxy for the Company's 2011 annual meeting. The proxy statement, proxy card, and the Company's Annual Report to Shareholders and Annual Report on Form 10-K are being distributed to the Company's shareholders on or about March 11, 2011.

---

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS ABOUT THE PROXY MATERIALS AND THE ANNUAL MEETING

Q:    Why did I receive a one-page notice (the "Notice") in the mail regarding the Internet availability of proxy materials this year instead of a full set of proxy materials?

A:

The SEC rules and regulations allow companies to furnish proxy materials by providing access to such documents on the Internet instead of mailing a printed copy of proxy materials to each shareholder of record. Shareholders who previously requested to receive printed copies of proxy materials by mail will continue to receive them by mail. Shareholders who did not indicate a preference last year received the Notice. The Notice provides instructions on how to access and review all of the proxy materials and how to submit your proxy on the Internet. If you would like to receive a printed or e-mail copy of the proxy materials, you should follow the instructions for requesting such materials in the Notice.

Q:    What am I voting on?

A:

You are voting on the election of directors, ratification of the selection of an independent registered public accounting firm, an amendment to the Company's 2004 Stock and Incentive Compensation Plan to add 2.5 million shares, and, on an advisory and nonbinding basis, on the Company's executive compensation as described in the Compensation Discussion and Analysis and related tables and on the frequency of the vote on executive compensation, as well as any other business that may be properly brought before the meeting.

Q.    Why am I being asked to vote on executive compensation?

A:

In 2010, the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (the "Act") was enacted, requiring that public company shareholders be provided with a general advisory vote to approve the compensation paid to named executive officers. This vote is non-binding and must occur at least once every three years. The Act also requires a vote as to how frequently the general advisory vote should occur (annually, biannually or triennially). This frequency vote is also non-binding and must be provided at least every six years.

Q:    Who can vote at the annual meeting?

A:

Holders of Bank of Hawaii's common stock, par value $0.01 per share, as of the close of business on February 28, 2011 (the "Record Date") can attend and vote at the annual meeting. Each share of common stock is entitled to one vote. On the Record Date, there were 47,990,760 shares of common stock issued and outstanding.

Q:    How many votes do we need to hold the annual meeting?

A:

The holders of at least one-third of the outstanding common stock on the Record Date entitled to vote at the annual meeting must be present to conduct business. That amount is called a quorum. Shares are counted as present at the meeting if a shareholder entitled to vote is present and votes at the meeting, has submitted a properly signed proxy, or has properly voted by telephone or via the Internet. We also count abstentions and broker non-votes as present for purposes of

1

---

Table of Contents

determining a quorum. A broker non-vote occurs when a nominee, generally a broker, holding shares for a beneficial owner does not vote on a particular proposal because the nominee does not have discretionary voting power with respect to that item and has not received voting instructions from the beneficial owner.

Q:    What is New York Stock Exchange Rule 452 about and how does it impact shareholder voting?

A:

Effective January 1, 2010, Rule 452 eliminated broker discretionary voting for uncontested elections of directors at shareholder meetings. In the past, if you did not transmit your voting instructions before a shareholder meeting, your broker was allowed to vote on the election of directors which was considered to be a routine matter. The election of directors is no longer deemed to be routine and your broker is no longer permitted to vote on your behalf without your voting instructions. This rule also applies to the new advisory vote on executive compensation and the advisory vote on the frequency of the vote on executive compensation.

Q:    What shares can I vote?

A:

You may vote all shares you own on the Record Date.

Q:    How can I vote my shares in person at the annual meeting?

A:

If you are a shareholder of record, you can attend the annual meeting and vote in person the shares you hold directly in your name as the shareholder of record. If you choose to do that, please bring the enclosed proxy card or notice, admission ticket, and proof of identification. If you hold your shares as a beneficial owner, you must vote your shares through your broker or other nominee.

Even if you plan to attend the annual meeting, we recommend you also submit your proxy so your vote will be counted if you later decide not to attend the annual meeting

Q:    How can I vote my shares without attending the annual meeting?

A:

You may vote without attending the annual meeting. If you hold your shares as the shareholder of record, you may instruct the proxies how to vote your shares by the Internet, telephone, or mail. If your shares are held by a broker or other nominee, you will receive instructions that you must follow to have your shares voted. Please refer to the summary instructions below and those on your proxy card, or, for shares held in street name, the voting instruction card sent by your broker or nominee.

Mail.    You may mail your proxy by signing your proxy card or, for shares held in street name, the voting instruction card included by your broker or nominee, and mailing it in the enclosed, postage prepaid and addressed envelope. If you provide specific voting instructions, your shares will be voted as you instruct. If you sign and return a proxy card without giving specific voting instructions, your shares will be voted as recommended by the Board.

Internet.    If you have Internet access, you may submit your proxy from anywhere, following the "Vote by Internet" instructions on your proxy card.

Telephone.    If you live in the United States, you may submit your proxy by following the "Vote by Telephone" instructions on the proxy card.

Q:    May I change my vote?

A:

Yes. You may change your proxy instructions any time before the vote at the annual meeting. For shares you hold as shareholder of record, you may change your vote by providing notice to the

2

---

Table of Contents

Corporate Secretary, granting a new proxy with a later date or by attending the annual meeting and voting in person. Attendance at the annual meeting will not cause your previously granted proxy to be revoked unless you also vote at the meeting. For shares you hold as beneficial owner, you may change your vote by submitting new voting instructions to your broker or nominee.

Q:    Where can I find the voting results of the annual meeting?

A:

We plan to announce voting results at the annual meeting. We also will publish those results in a report on Form 8-K within 4 business days of the annual meeting.

Q:    Who will count the votes?

A:

Computershare Investor Services will count and tabulate the votes.

Q:    What are the voting procedures?

A:

Directors are elected annually by a plurality of votes cast. This means that the nominees who receive the highest number of affirmative votes will be elected. Abstentions and broker non-votes will not affect the outcome of the vote.

All other proposals require the affirmative vote of a majority of shares present in person or by proxy and entitled to vote at the meeting. Broker non-votes will be treated as not entitled to vote and will not affect the outcome. Abstentions will have the same effect as votes cast against the proposal.

Q:    Is my vote confidential?

A:

Yes. Proxy instructions, ballots, and voting tabulations that identify the individual shareholders are handled to protect your privacy. Your vote will not be disclosed within Bank of Hawaii or to third parties except (i) as necessary to meet applicable legal requirements, (ii) to allow for the tabulation of votes and certification of the vote, and (iii) to facilitate a successful proxy solicitation by our Board. Occasionally, shareholders write comments on their proxy cards, which are forwarded to Bank of Hawaii management.

Q:    Who will bear the cost of soliciting proxies?

A:

We will pay the cost of this proxy solicitation. In addition to soliciting proxies by mail, we expect that a number of our employees on behalf of the Board will solicit proxies from shareholders, personally, and by telephone, the Internet, facsimile, or other means. None of these employees will receive any additional or special compensation for soliciting proxies. We have retained Georgeson, Inc., 199 Water Street, New York, New York 10039 to assist in the solicitation of proxies for an estimated fee of $10,000 plus reasonable out-of-pocket costs and expenses. We will, upon request, reimburse brokers or other nominees for their reasonable out-of-pocket expenses in forwarding proxy materials to their customers who are beneficial owners and obtaining their voting instructions.

Q:    What does it mean if I get more than one proxy card?

A:

It means your shares are registered differently and are in more than one account. Sign and return all proxy cards or vote each proxy card by telephone or Internet, to ensure all your shares are voted. To provide better shareholder services, we encourage you to have all accounts registered in the same name and address. You may do that by contacting our transfer agent, Computershare Investor Services, LLC (1-888-660-5443).

3

---

Table of Contents

Q:    May I propose actions for consideration at next year's annual meeting of shareholders?

A:

Yes. You may submit proposals for consideration at the 2012 shareholder meeting by presenting your proposal in writing to the Corporate Secretary at 130 Merchant Street, Honolulu, Hawaii 96813 and in accordance with the following schedule and requirements.

Proposals To Be Included In The Proxy Statement and Voted On At The Meeting.    Proposals that shareholders wish to have included in the proxy statement for the 2012 annual meeting of shareholders must be made in accordance with U. S. Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") Rule 14a-8. Proposals must be received by the Company's Corporate Secretary on or before November 12, 2011 at the above address.

Proposals To Be Voted On At The Meeting Only.    Under our By-Laws, for a shareholder to bring a proposal before the 2012 annual meeting, Bank of Hawaii must receive the written proposal no later than 80 days nor earlier than 90 days before the first anniversary of the 2011 annual meeting; in other words, no later than February 2, 2012 and no earlier than January 23, 2012. (Please refer to Section 1.12 of Bank of Hawaii's By-Laws.) The proposal also must contain the information required in the By-Laws. If you wish to make one or more nominations for election to the Board, the required information includes, among other things, the written consent of such individual to serve as director and (i) the name, age, business address and, if known, residence address of each nominee, (ii) the principal occupation or employment of each nominee, and (iii) the number of shares of Bank of Hawaii stock each nominee beneficially owns. These advance notice provisions are separate from the requirements a shareholder must meet to have a proposal included in the proxy statement under SEC rules. By complying with these provisions, a shareholder may present a proposal in person at the meeting, but will not be entitled to have the proposal included in the Company's proxy statement unless they comply with the requirements described in the preceding paragraph. Persons holding proxies solicited by the Board may exercise discretionary authority to vote against such proposals.

Q:    Where can I find out more information about the Company before the annual meeting?

A:

You can find more information about the Company on-line at: www.boh.com.

4

---

Table of Contents

PROPOSAL 1: ELECTION OF DIRECTORS

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

        The Company's Certificate of Incorporation requires at least three directors and no more than 15 persons. The Board has fixed the number of directors at thirteen. Each of the thirteen directors listed below shall be nominated for a one-year term to serve until the 2012 Annual Meeting of shareholders and until their successors are elected and qualified. In the event that any or all of the director nominees are unable to stand for election as director, the Board, upon the recommendation of the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee, may select different nominees for election as directors.

        Certain information with respect to each of the nominees is set forth below, including his or her principal occupation, qualifications, and directorships during the past five years. Each nominee has consented to serve and all nominees are currently serving on the Company's Board. The nominees were each recommended to the Board by the Company's Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee whose goal is to assemble a board that operates cohesively and encourages candid communication and discussion, and focuses on activities that help the Company maximize shareholder value. The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee also looks at the individual strength of directors, their ability to contribute to the board, and whether their skills and experience complement those of the other directors. A more detailed discussion on the nomination process and the criteria the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee considers in their evaluation of director candidates is found in the Corporate Governance section on page            .

THE BOARD RECOMMENDS A VOTE "FOR" EACH OF THE NOMINEES.

5

---

Table of Contents

6

---

Table of Contents

7

---

Table of Contents

8

---

Table of Contents

9

---

Table of Contents

10

---

Table of Contents

11

---

Table of Contents

BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP

        At the close of business on February 14, 2011, Bank of Hawaii had 47,959,703 shares of its common stock outstanding. As of February 14, 2011, this table shows how much Bank of Hawaii common stock was owned by (i) its directors and nominees, (ii) the executive officers named in the Summary Compensation Table (the "named executive officers"), (iii) all executive officers and directors as a group, and (iv) entities that are known by us to own beneficially more than five percent of Bank of Hawaii's common stock. Unless otherwise indicated and subject to applicable community property and similar statutes, all persons listed below have sole voting and investment power over all shares of common stock beneficially owned. Share ownership has been computed in accordance with SEC rules and does not necessarily indicate beneficial ownership for any other purpose.

AMOUNT AND NATURE OF BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP

12

---

Table of Contents

CORPORATE GOVERNANCE

Corporate Governance Guidelines

        The Company and the Board have adopted Corporate Governance Guidelines ("Governance Guidelines"). The Governance Guidelines are posted on the Company's Investor Relations website at www.boh.com. The Governance Guidelines address director qualification and independence standards, responsibilities of the Board, access to management and independent advisors, compensation, orientation and continuing education, Board committees, Chief Executive Officer ("CEO") evaluation, management succession, Code of Business Conduct and Ethics, shareholder communications to the Board and the Board's annual performance evaluation.

        The Company's leadership structure consists of a combined Chairman and CEO and a Lead Independent Director. At this time, the Board believes that it is in the best interests of the Company to have a single individual serve as Chairman and CEO to control and implement the short- and

13

---

Table of Contents

long-term strategies of the Company, particularly in the current environment facing financial institutions. At the same time this governance structure provides a form of leadership that allows the Board to function distinct from management, capable of objective judgment regarding management's performance, and enables the Board to fulfill its duties effectively and efficiently. The Company's leadership structure ensures the objectivity of the Board's decisions and its role in reviewing the performance of management. Through its leadership and governance processes the Company has successfully established a governance structure that provides both oversight and guidance by the Board to management regarding strategic planning, risk assessment and management, and corporate performance.

        The Company's Lead Independent Director is appointed by the Board and the current Lead Independent Director, Dr. Mary G. F. Bitterman, has served in this position since 1999. The Company's Governance Guidelines clearly define the Lead Independent Director's role and duties which include, but are not limited to: serving as Chairman of the Company's Nominating & Corporate Governance Committee, presiding over regularly scheduled executive sessions of the non-management directors, serving as a liaison between the non-management directors and executive management, and assisting the Board and executive management to ensure compliance with the Governance Guidelines.

        In addition to a Lead Independent Director, ten of the eleven non-management directors are "independent" as defined by the NYSE rules. The non-management directors meet in executive session without management in attendance for regularly scheduled meetings. The non-management directors may also meet in executive session each time the full Board convenes for a meeting. In 2010, the non-management directors met in executive session eight times. The Lead Independent Director also meets regularly on an individual basis with members of the Company's executive management team.

Director Qualifications and Nomination Process

        The Nominating & Corporate Governance Committee is responsible for identifying and assessing all director candidates and recommending nominees to the Board. Potential nominees are evaluated based on their independence, within the meaning of the Governance Guidelines and the rules of the NYSE. Candidates to be nominated as a director, including those submitted by shareholders, are selected based on, among other criteria, their integrity, informed judgment, financial literacy, high performance standards, accomplishments and reputation in the community, experience, skill sets, and ability to commit adequate time to Board and committee matters and to act on behalf of shareholders. The criteria also include a determination of the needs of the Board and of the individuals' personal qualities and characteristics with those of the other directors and potential directors in building a Board that is effective, collegial and responsive to the needs of the Company and its shareholders. In addition, Board members are expected to participate in continuing education and training opportunities to stay current on corporate governance, industry trends and issues and to understand the Company's business.

        The objective of the Nominating & Corporate Governance Committee is to present a combination of candidates that will result in a Board with a wide range of skills, expertise, industry knowledge, viewpoints, and backgrounds, with business and community contacts relevant to the Company's business. To accomplish this, the Nominating & Corporate Governance Committee seeks candidates from different age groups, ethnicities, genders, industries, and experiences, in addition to the criteria described above. The result is a diverse and experienced Board, ranging in age from 45 to 70, with a variety of ethnicities and genders. The Board includes directors with experience in public corporations, non-profits, and entrepreneurial individuals who have successfully run their own private enterprise. The Board also has the broad set of skills necessary for providing oversight to a financial institution, which includes proven leadership, and expertise in finance, accounting, information technology, lending, investment management, and communications. With the exception of Mr. Burak, who was first elected in 2009, all of the non-management directors have been on the Company's Board for at least five years.

14

---

Table of Contents

        A shareholder may submit a candidate for consideration by the Board to be included in the Board's slate of director nominees. Candidates proposed by shareholders will be evaluated by the Nominating & Corporate Governance Committee under the same criteria that are applied to other candidates. The criteria are set forth above and in the Company's By-Laws and Governance Guidelines. Candidates to be considered for nomination by the Nominating & Corporate Governance Committee at the 2012 Annual Meeting of Shareholders must be presented in writing to the Corporate Secretary on or before November 12, 2011 at 130 Merchant Street, Honolulu, Hawaii 96813.

Communication with Directors

        Shareholders and any interested parties may communicate with the Board, Non-Management Directors or Lead Independent Director by sending correspondence c/o the Company's Corporate Secretary, 130 Merchant Street, Honolulu, Hawaii 96813. All appropriate communications received will be forwarded to the Board, Non-Management Directors or Lead Independent Director as addressed.

Code of Business Conduct and Ethics

        The Company has earned its reputation as a respected leader in the communities it serves and in the financial services industry by conducting business in an ethical, responsible and professional manner. The Company is proud of the high standards of quality and service that have been its hallmark through the years. These qualities represent fundamental business practices and apply to all directors, officers and employees.

        The Company and Board have adopted a Code of Business Conduct and Ethics for Directors, Officers and Employees (the "Code") that is posted on the Investor Relations page of the Company's website www.boh.com. The Code addresses the professional, honest and candid conduct of each director, officer and employee; conflicts of interest, disclosure process, compliance with laws, rules and regulations (including securities trading); corporate opportunities, confidentiality, fair dealing, protection and proper use of Company assets; and encourages the reporting of any illegal or unethical behavior. A waiver for an executive officer or director of the Company may be made only by the Audit & Risk Committee of the Board of Directors and must be promptly disclosed as required by SEC or NYSE rules. The Company will disclose any such waivers, as well as any amendments to the Code, on the Company's website.

Director Independence

        The Board is comprised of a majority of independent directors as defined by the NYSE listing standards. In affirmatively determining that a director is independent of the Company's management and has no material relationship with the Company, either directly or indirectly as a partner, shareholder, or officer of an organization that has a relationship with the Company, the Board applies the following categorical standards, in addition to such other factors as the Board deems appropriate:

a)

In no event shall a director be considered independent if the director is an employee, or a member of the director's immediate family is an executive officer of the Company until three years after the end of such employment relationship. Employment as an interim Chairman, CEO, CFO or other executive officer shall not disqualify a director from being considered independent following that employment.



b)

In no event shall a director be considered independent if the director receives, or a member of the director's immediate family receives, more than $120,000 per year in direct compensation from the Company, other than director and committee fees and pension or other forms of deferred compensation for prior service (provided such compensation is not contingent in any way on continued service) and is not independent until three years after ceasing to receive such compensation.

15

---

Table of Contents

c)

In no event shall a director be considered independent if the director is a current partner or employee of the Company's internal or external auditor, or whose immediate family member is a current partner or employee of such a firm and personally works on the Company's audit; or was a partner or employee of such a firm and personally worked on the Company's audit within the last three years.



d)

In no event shall a director be considered independent if the director is employed, or a member of the director's immediate family is employed, as an executive officer of another company where any of the Company's present executives serves on that company's compensation committee until three years after the end of such service or employment relationship.



e)

In no event shall a director be considered independent if the director is an executive officer or employee, or an immediate family member of the director is an executive officer, of a company that makes payments to, or receives payments from, the Company for property or services in an amount which, in any single fiscal year, exceeds the greater of $1 million, or 2% of such other company's consolidated gross revenues for such year, until three years after falling below such threshold.



f)

A director will not fail to be deemed independent solely as a result of the director's and the director's immediate family members', or a director's affiliated entity's, banking relationship with the Company if such relationship does not violate paragraphs (a) through (e) above and is made in the ordinary course of business on substantially the same terms as those prevailing at the time for comparable transactions with persons not affiliated with the Company and, with respect to extensions of credit, is made in compliance with applicable law, including Regulation O of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, and do not involve more than the normal risk of collectability or present other unfavorable features.



g)

Audit & Risk Committee members may not receive directly or indirectly any consulting, advisory or other compensatory fee from the Company and shall otherwise meet the independence criteria of Section 10A-3 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Audit & Risk Committee members may receive directors' fees and other in-kind consideration ordinarily available to directors, as well as regular benefits that other directors receive (including any additional such fees or consideration paid to directors with respect to service on committees of the Board).



h)

If a particular commercial, industrial, banking, consulting, legal, accounting, charitable or familial relationship or transaction that is not addressed by the above standards exists between a director and the Company, the Board will determine, after taking into account all relevant facts and circumstances, whether such relationship or transaction is in the Board's judgment material, and therefore whether the affected director is independent.

        For purposes of these independence standards, an "immediate family member" includes the director's spouse, parents, children, siblings, mothers and fathers-in-law, sons and daughters-in-law, brothers and sisters-in-law, and anyone (other than a domestic employee) who shares the director's home.

        The following ten directors and nominees have been determined by the Board to be independent: Messrs. Burak, Chun, Churchill, Heenan, Huret, Stein and Wo, and Mmes. Apoliona, Bitterman and Tanabe, and accordingly, the Board has a majority of independent directors as defined by the listing standards of the NYSE and the Governance Guidelines. There were no relationships that were considered in determining the independence of the independent directors. All of the committees, with the exception of the Executive Committee, are composed entirely of independent directors who also meet applicable committee independence standards. Mr. Ho is the CEO and President of the Company

16

---

Table of Contents

and therefore not independent, Mr. Lucien is the CFO of the Company and therefore not independent, and Mr. Takaki has been determined not to be an independent director due to his and his family's ownership interest in HawkTree International, Inc. ("HawkTree"), a diversified holding company engaged in transportation, leasing, business records management, and real estate. HawkTree and its subsidiaries provide courier, armored car, ATM servicing, moving, and relocation services for the Company. More specific information is available on page 47 in the section regarding Certain Relationships and Related Transactions.

Compensation Committee Interlocks and Insider Participation

        No member of the Compensation Committee during fiscal year 2010 served as an officer, former officer, or employee of the Company or had a relationship that was required to be disclosed under "Certain Relationships and Related Transactions." Further, during 2010, no executive officer of the Company served as:

•

A member of the Compensation Committee (or equivalent) of any other entity, one of whose executive officers served as one of our directors or was an immediate family member of a director, or served on our Compensation Committee; or



•

A director of any other entity, one of whose executive officers or their immediate family member served on our Compensation Committee.

Oversight of Risk

        Bank of Hawaii governance, including policies, standards and procedures, has been developed with the goal of ensuring that business decisions and the execution of business process are in compliance with legal and regulatory requirements and support the Company's governing objective of maximizing shareholder value over time and cultural imperatives.

        Authority for accepting risk exposures on behalf of the Company originates from the Board of Directors and in turn is delegated through the Managing Committee and its subcommittees, including the Risk Council. The Risk Council, chaired by the Chief Risk Officer, provides the Managing Committee with a forum for the review and communication of both specific and company-wide risk issues, and serves to enhance collaboration among all areas of the company that create and manage risk, while reinforcing executive management's responsibility for ensuring risk is managed within established tolerances.

        Risk management at the Company is the process for identifying, measuring, controlling and monitoring risk across the enterprise given its business as a financial institution and financial intermediary. Risk management crosses all functions and employees and is embedded in all aspects of planning and performance measurement. Systems, information and timely reporting enable the organization to quickly adapt to early warning signs.

        The Board of Directors is responsible for oversight of the Company's enterprise risk framework. The Board has delegated to the Audit & Risk Committee primary responsibility for overseeing financial, credit, investment and operational risk exposures including regulatory and legal risk; to the Fiduciary and Investment Management Committee primary responsibility for oversight of fiduciary and investment risk of client accounts; and to the Compensation Committee primary responsibility for oversight of risk related to management and staff. These committees report to the full Board to ensure the Company's overall risk exposures are understood, including risk interrelationships. The Board also oversees reputational risk.

        Risk reports are provided and discussed at every Committee and Board meeting. In addition to detailed reports, the Board reviews an Enterprise Risk Position report that reflects key risk measures and trends across the Company. Key managers responsible for risk management (the Chief Risk

17

---

Table of Contents

Officer, the Treasurer, the Chief Compliance Officer, the General Counsel and the Chief Fiduciary Officer) regularly provide updates at the respective Committee and Board meetings. In support of the Board's risk oversight role and to ensure that potential problems are surfaced, the Audit & Risk Committee directly oversees the Company's Internal Audit and Credit Review functions.

Compensation Policies and Risk

        The Board's risk oversight responsibility includes the implementation of compensation programs that do not encourage or incentivize risk taking.

        In 2009, with the assistance of an independent outside consultant, the Company completed a review of its compensation policies and incentive plans to confirm its policies and plans are encouraging behavior that is within the Company's risk tolerance, are compatible with effective controls and risk management, and are supported by strong corporate governance. The results of the review revealed no individual employees or groups of employees whose activities expose the Company to material amounts of risk. The review also revealed that the controls and risk management at the Company are communicated in a top down manner and are ingrained in the culture of the organization, creating a comprehensive risk management process.

        In 2010, the Company completed a comprehensive review of its incentive compensation plans and established a risk and control monitoring process which is embedded in its quarterly performance review process.

BOARD COMMITTEES AND MEETINGS

        The Board met 10 times during 2010. The Board's policy is that directors should make every effort to regularly attend meetings of the Board and committees on which they serve and the Company's annual shareholder meeting. Each director attended 75% or more of the aggregate of the total number of Board meetings and the total number of meetings held by the committees on which he or she served in 2010. All of the Company's directors attended the 2010 shareholders' meeting.

Board Committees

        The Board has four standing committees: the Audit & Risk Committee, the Human Resources & Compensation Committee (the "Compensation Committee"), the Executive & Strategic Planning Committee (the "Executive Committee"), and the Nominating & Corporate Governance Committee (the "Nominating Committee"). The committee charters are posted in the Investor Relations section of the Company's website at www.boh.com.

        The Board has affirmatively determined that all of the members of the Audit & Risk, Compensation and Nominating Committees ("Board Committees") meet the independence standards of the NYSE and the Company's Governance Guidelines. The Board Committees' charters require that each committee perform an annual evaluation of its performance and assess the adequacy of its charter. Each committee has the authority to retain consultants and advisors to assist it in its duties, including the sole authority for the retention, termination and negotiation of the terms and conditions of the engagement.

18

---

Table of Contents

        Below are the members of each current standing committee.

Audit & Risk Committee: 6 Meetings in 2010

        The Audit & Risk Committee operates under and annually reviews a charter that has been adopted by the Board. The Audit & Risk Committee's duties include assisting the Board in its oversight of the following areas of the Company: regulatory and financial accounting, reporting and credit risk management; compliance with legal and regulatory requirements; the independent registered public accounting firm's qualifications and independence; and overseeing the performance of the Company's internal audit function and independent registered public accounting firm. In 2010 the Committee changed its name to the Audit & Risk Committee, and revised its charter to include the oversight of management's activities with respect to capital management and liquidity planning, including dividends and share repurchases, and overall interest rate risk management. The Board has determined that Mark A. Burak and Robert Huret meet the definition of "financial expert" within the meaning of the SEC regulations adopted under the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002. The Board has determined that all Committee members meet the NYSE standard of financial literacy and have accounting or related financial management expertise. The Committee has adopted policies and procedures governing the following: pre-approval of audit and non-audit services; the receipt and treatment of complaints regarding accounting, internal controls, or auditing matters and the confidential, anonymous submission by employees of the Company regarding questionable accounting or audit matters; and restrictions on the Company's hiring of employees of the independent registered public accounting firm. The Committee is also responsible for reviewing transactions involving a director or executive officer. The report of the Audit & Risk Committee is on page            .

Compensation Committee: 10 Meetings in 2010

        The duties of the Compensation Committee are set forth in its charter, and include responsibility for compensation levels of directors and members of executive management and reviewing the performance of executive management. The Committee reviews and approves goals for incentive compensation plans, stock plans, and evaluates performance against those goals. The Compensation Committee also reviews management development and training programs as well as succession planning for senior and executive management. The Compensation Committee charter allows for the delegation of its duties to its own subcommittee as long as in compliance with all applicable laws, rules and listing standards. The CEO, in consultation with the director of human resources, makes recommendations with respect to non-CEO executive officer compensation.

19

---

Table of Contents

Executive Committee: No Meetings Held in 2010

        The Committee has the power to act for the Board in between its meetings except on those matters reserved to the Board by the By-Laws or otherwise. The Committee has the authority to advise the CEO and Board on long-range strategy and monitor the Company's progress. The Committee did not meet in 2010.

Nominating & Corporate Governance Committee: 6 Meetings in 2010

        The duties of the Nominating & Corporate Governance Committee are set forth in its charter and include reviewing the qualifications of all Board candidates and recommending qualified candidates for membership on the Board. The Committee reviews the Board's organization, procedures and committees and makes recommendations concerning the size and composition of the Board and its committees. The Committee makes recommendations to the Board regarding standards for determining non-management director independence and reviews the qualifications and independence of the members of the Board and its committees. The Committee reviews and evaluates the Company's compliance with corporate governance requirements and leads and oversees the Board and its committees' annual performance evaluations. Further information regarding the responsibilities performed by the Committee and the Company's corporate governance is provided in the Committee charter and the Governance Guidelines.

DIRECTOR COMPENSATION

Retainer and Meeting Fees

        In 2010, each director was paid an annual retainer of $20,000, plus $1,000 for each Board meeting attended. Board meeting fees were increased from $750 to $1,000 in April 2010. The Lead Independent Director is paid an additional annual retainer fee of $10,000. The chairmen of the Compensation and Audit & Risk Committees also receive an annual retainer of $5,000 and the vice chairman of the Audit & Risk Committee receives an annual retainer of $2,500. The Directors are reimbursed for board-related travel expenses, and directors who are non-Hawaii residents receive an additional $5,000 to compensate them for travel time. Members of the Compensation Committee and the Executive Committee receive $1,000 for each meeting attended, which was increased from $750 in April 2010. The fee is $1,500 per meeting for members of the Audit & Risk Committee and $2,000 per meeting for the Chairman of the Audit & Risk Committee. No fees are paid for attendance at the Nominating & Corporate Governance meetings.

        In addition to the four standing committees mentioned above, the Board has other committees for which directors receive fees. Ms. Apoliona and Mr. Takaki are members of the Benefit Plans Committee ("BPC") and receive $1,000 per meeting attended, (increased from $750 in April 2010), and Mms. Apoliona and Tanabe and Messrs. Chun, Takaki, and Wo are members of the Fiduciary Investment Management Committee ("FIMC") and receive $1,000 per meeting attended (increased from $750 in April 2010. Mr. Wo also receives an annual retainer of $5,000 as chairman of FIMC.

        In 2010, based on analyses completed in 2009 by the Board's executive compensation consulting firm at the time, the Board approved a change in the director compensation structure and amount. As the legal and regulatory requirements imposed on directors have increased over the past several years so has the time commitment required from board members, as well as the competition for the best candidates. In order to align the Company's director pay closer with the median of peer companies, and to increase the efficiency of the director pay process, beginning January 2011, the annual Board retainer will be increased, a committee retainer will be implemented, and all meeting fees will be eliminated. The Board retainer will be $42,500 annually, with the lead director receiving an additional $15,000; and the committee retainers will be: Audit & Risk retainer: chairman $19,000, vice chairman $14,000, member $9,000; Compensation Committee retainer: chairman $19,250, member $11,250. The

20

---

Table of Contents

FIMC chairman retainer will be $12,500 and annual member fees for FIMC and BPC will be $7,500 and $5,000, respectively.

Director Stock Plan

        The Company maintains the Bank of Hawaii Corporation Amended and Restated Director Stock Compensation Plan ("Director Stock Plan"). The purpose of the Director Stock Plan is to advance the interests of the Company by encouraging and enabling eligible non-employee members of the Board to acquire and retain throughout each member's tenure as director a proprietary interest in the Company by ownership of shares of Bank of Hawaii common stock. The Director Stock Plan allows for the granting of stock options, restricted stock, and restricted stock units. Under the Director Stock Plan, the Board has the flexibility to set the form and terms of awards. In 2010, Board members were given the option of receiving a grant of restricted shares, or the equivalent value in cash. Eight Board members accepted the stock award and the Company issued 1,038 shares of restricted common stock ("Restricted Shares") to each of the eight non-employee directors with a vesting date of one year from the date of grant. The other four non-employee directors accepted a cash award of $52,500 which was subsequently used to purchase Company shares. No options were granted under the Director Stock Plan in 2010.

Directors' Deferred Compensation Plan

        The Company maintains the Directors' Deferred Compensation Plan, under which a non-employee director may elect to defer the payment of either all of the director's annual retainer and meeting fees, or the director's entire annual retainer. At the director's choice, deferred amounts under the Directors' Deferred Compensation Plan may be payable: 1) beginning on the first day of the first month after the participating director ceases to be a director of the Company; or 2) on an anniversary date of the director's choosing after the director ceases to be a director; or 3) a date specified by the director (which may include a date prior to the date a director ceases to be a director). Deferred amounts are paid to the participant in a lump sum or in equal annual installments over such period of years (not exceeding 10 years) as the participant elects at the time of deferral. If a participant dies, all deferred and previously unpaid amounts will be paid in a lump sum to the participant's beneficiary on the second day of the calendar year following the year of death. A participant's deferred amounts are adjusted for appreciation or depreciation in value based on hypothetical investments in one or more mutual funds or in shares of Bank of Hawaii common stock, as may be directed by the participant. The Bank of Hawaii's obligations under the Directors' Deferred Compensation Plan are payable from its general assets, although the Company has established a rabbi trust to assist it in meeting its liabilities under the plan. The assets of the trust are at all times subject to the claims of the Company's general creditors.

Director Stock Ownership Guidelines

        The Board of Directors believes it is important to support an ownership culture for the Company's employees and shareholders. To ensure that linkage to shareholders occurs among the fiduciaries of the Company, in December 2006, the Nominating & Corporate Governance Committee implemented stock ownership guidelines that require each non-management director to own a minimum amount of five times his or her annual cash retainer in the Company's stock. Directors were given five years to achieve guideline levels of ownership. Ten of the current non-management directors have satisfied the ownership guidelines. One has made significant progress in meeting the ownership guidelines in 2010 and is on schedule to satisfy the ownership guidelines within the proscribed five-year period.

21

---

Table of Contents

Director Compensation

        The following table shows, for the year ended December 31, 2010, information on compensation earned by or awarded to each non-employee director who served on the Board of Directors during 2010.

DIRECTOR COMPENSATION TABLE

22

---

Table of Contents

AUDIT & RISK COMMITTEE REPORT

        As members of the Audit & Risk Committee, we review the Company's financial reporting process on behalf of the Board. Management has the primary responsibility for the financial statements and the reporting process, including the systems of internal controls and disclosure controls. In this context, we have met and held discussions with management and the independent registered public accounting firm. Management represented to us that the Company's consolidated financial statements were prepared in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles, and we have reviewed and discussed the audited financial statements and related disclosures with management and the independent registered public accounting firm, including a review of the significant management judgments underlying the financial statements and disclosures.

        The independent registered public accounting firm reports to us. We have sole authority to appoint (subject to shareholder ratification) and to terminate the engagement of the independent registered public accounting firm.

        We have discussed with the independent registered public accounting firm the matters required to be discussed by Statement on Auditing Standards No. 61 ("Communication with Audit Committees"), as amended and as adopted by the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board ("PCAOB") in Rule 3200T, including the quality, not just the acceptability, of the accounting principles, the reasonableness of significant judgments, and the clarity of the disclosures in the financial statements. In addition, we have received the written disclosures and the letter from the independent registered public accounting firm required by applicable requirements of the PCAOB regarding communications with the audit committee concerning independence, and have discussed with the independent registered public accounting firm its independence from the Company and its management. In concluding that the independent registered public accounting firm is independent, we determined, among other things, that the audit and non-audit services provided by Ernst & Young LLP (as described below) were compatible with its independence. Consistent with the requirements of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, the Audit & Risk Committee has adopted policies to avoid compromising the independence of the independent registered public accounting firm, such as prior committee approval of audit, non-audit, tax and other services, and required audit partner rotation.

        We discussed with the company's internal auditors and independent registered public accounting firm the overall scope and plans for their respective audits, including internal control testing under Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. We meet with the internal auditors and independent registered public accounting firm, with and without management present, and in private sessions with members of senior management to discuss the results of their examinations, their evaluations of the Company's internal controls, and the overall quality of the Company's financial reporting. We also periodically meet in executive session.

        In reliance on the reviews and discussions referred to above, as members of the Audit & Risk Committee, we recommended to the board (and the board subsequently approved the recommendation) that the audited financial statements be included in the Company's annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2010, for filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. We have also appointed the Company's independent registered public accounting firm, subject to shareholder ratification, for 2011.

As submitted by the members of the Audit & Risk Committee,

Clinton R. Churchill, Chairman
Mary G. F. Bitterman
Mark A. Burak
Robert Huret
Martin A. Stein

23

---

Table of Contents

COMPENSATION COMMITTEE REPORT

        The Compensation Committee, composed entirely of independent directors in accordance with the applicable laws, regulations, NYSE listing requirements and the Governance Guidelines, sets and administers policies that govern the Company's executive compensation programs, and various incentive and stock programs. As members of the Compensation Committee, we have reviewed and discussed the Compensation Disclosure and Analysis to be included in the Company's 2010 Proxy Statement with management and, based on these discussions, recommended to the Company's Board (and the Board subsequently approved the recommendation) that the Compensation Disclosure and Analysis be included in such Proxy Statement.

As submitted by the members of the Compensation Committee,

David A. Heenan, Chairman
Mary G. F. Bitterman
Barbara J. Tanabe
Robert W. Wo

EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION

COMPENSATION DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS

Executive Summary

        The primary focus of the Bank of Hawaii executive compensation program is to encourage and reward behavior that promotes sustainable growth in shareholder value. As part of this focus, compensation risks are assessed and managed appropriately in the context of our business strategies.

        The Company's financial performance showed substantial improvement in 2010. Earnings per share growth, Tier 1 capital, and loan loss reserves as a percent of total loans all exceeded budget. Total shareholder return was 4.39% on a one-year basis and 10.15% on a five-year basis. The incentive awards made to the CEO and other named executive officers were established based on the better than expected financial performance.

        In July 2010, Mr. Landon, retired and was succeeded by Mr. Ho as Chairman and CEO, and his compensation was increased commensurate with his promotional responsibilities. The efforts of Mr. Ho and the other named executive officers helped smooth the transition. Most of the other named executive officers took on additional responsibilities and received modest compensation adjustments.

        For 2011, Mr. Ho and the named executive officers voluntarily agreed to five to ten percent reductions in base salary. The reduced base salaries were offset by restricted share grants of equivalent value, which vest over two to five years.

Compensation Philosophy

        Compensation of our named executive officers, including the Chief Executive Officer (the "CEO"), is the responsibility of the Compensation Committee of the Board (the "Committee"). The Committee believes that executive compensation should align with shareholders' interests, link to achievement of the Company's business plan, maintain a balance between risk and reward, reinforce support for the Company's vision and be consistent with market compensation trends after taking into account the unique circumstances facing the Company in light of geographic, demographic and economic conditions in the markets served by the Company. The Committee also believes that compensation should recognize short and long-term performance and may include both cash and equity components. The composition of components may vary from year to year based on individual, market and other factors. There are no specific formulas to determine the mix of pay elements, or the allocation between cash

24

---

Table of Contents

and non-cash compensation or among non-cash forms of pay. As described below, neither total compensation nor any element of cash and non-cash compensation is formally benchmarked against a peer group of companies. In making compensation decisions, the Committee considers individual performance, experience in the position, breadth of duties, and pay parity among positions of comparable responsibility. While the Committee may also review market data, it does not target pay at any specific competitive market percentile.

Compensation Process

        The Committee, consistent with its Charter, determines compensation for the named executive officers. The Committee evaluates the CEO's performance against the overall corporate business plan. With respect to compensation decisions for the other named executive officers, the Committee gives significant weight to the recommendations of the CEO.

        The Committee monitors the Company's financial and non-financial performance throughout the year as well as the Company's risk profile and risk management processes to ensure that the Company's compensation policies do not promote unnecessary and excessive risks that may threaten the value of the Company. Several areas are reviewed by the Committee including, but not limited to, how risk management is built into incentive compensation for the Company's executive management, the specific risk profile for a community bank as it relates to loans and investment securities, the controlled and disciplined approach in the compensation structure of the Company, the implementation of new processes with regard to qualitative versus quantitative measures of management performance, and the refinement of best practices.

        In January, the Committee reviews the Company's annual results and the longer-term performance trend compared to the business plan, and uses this review, together with factors as described on page 29, as the basis for the annual evaluation of the CEO. The CEO does not attend executive sessions of the Committee where his own compensation is being reviewed and determined by the Committee or the Board. The Committee's evaluation is communicated to the CEO by the Lead Independent Director and discussed with the full Board.

        Based on similar factors and individual objectives, including an assessment of effective risk management, the CEO, assisted by the Director of Human Resources (herself not a named executive officer), annually reviews the performance of each of the other named executive officers. The conclusions and recommendations based on those reviews, including any recommendations for salary adjustments, annual awards and equity components, are presented to the Committee.

        The Committee has the discretion to accept, reject or modify the CEO's recommendations, and to determine the amount of equity and other compensation payable to executives based on its assessment of their performance. Rather than relying on formulaic models, the Committee believes that retaining discretion to assess performance of the CEO and other named executive officers gives the Committee members the ability to more accurately reflect individual contributions that cannot be quantified.

The Role of the Compensation Consultant

        The Committee is responsible for retaining its compensation consultant and for determining terms and conditions, including fees. The Committee determines whether the consultant's services are performed objectively and free from the influence of management. The executive compensation consultant reports directly to the Committee and takes instructions solely from the Committee. The Committee Chairman pre-approves all compensation consulting engagements, including the nature, scope and fees of assignments.

        In late 2010, using criteria designed to ensure independence, the Committee performed a broad search for a new compensation consultant. After extensive due diligence, the Committee selected

25

---

Table of Contents

Veritas Executive Compensation Consultants, LLC ("Veritas"), which performs no other services for the Company, as its executive compensation consultant.

        Prior to hiring Veritas, the Committee had previously engaged Towers Watson to provide executive compensation consulting and ensured that its executive compensation consulting services were objective by mandating that:

•

The individuals providing consulting services to the Committee were not personally involved in other services Towers Watson provides to the Company;



•

Other services were provided under a separate contractual arrangement and without the knowledge or participation of the executive compensation consultant;



•

The individuals providing consulting services to the Committee did not share information about the specific work being performed on behalf of the Committee with other Towers Watson staff providing consulting assistance in other areas, except for information essential to work being performed under the direction of the Committee;



•

The individuals providing consulting services to the Committee were not directly compensated for the total revenues that Towers Watson generates from the Company, nor would their compensation have been directly affected had the Company decided to no longer use Towers Watson's services in other areas;



•

The executive compensation consultant was not the client relationship manager on services provided to the Company;

        For 2010, Towers Watson provided the Committee with market data and an analysis of competitive compensation for the named executive officers. The Committee used this data as a "market check" to help assess the competitiveness of the Company's pay practices, but neither total compensation nor any element of compensation paid to the named executive officers is benchmarked against this data. The Committee did not target the elements of its compensation program at any specific level or percentiles within a peer group.

        The focus of this engagement was on 2009 performance-based compensation and 2010 compensation decisions. The Committee reviewed the analysis and used it to assess compensation changes for 2010. Towers Watson provided its completed report to the Committee in January 2010.

        Towers Watson analyzed a peer group of ten publicly-held, high-performing, regional full-service community banks that had not participated in the Troubled Asset Relief Program ("TARP"). The peer companies were similar in size to the Company ranging between $5.5 billion and $24.0 billion in assets based on the most recently available quarterly data available at the time of the study, and a market capitalization of $609 million to $3 billion as of November 19, 2009. These financial services organizations were also selected on the basis of their relatively low risk orientation and high levels of performance as measured by return on assets, return on equity, total shareholder return, loan loss reserves, and nonperforming assets. The new peer group was reviewed with the Chairman of the Committee and consisted of:

•

BancorpSouth, Inc.



•

BOK Financial Corp.



•

Commerce Bancshares, Inc.



•

Community Bank System, Inc.



•

Cullen/Frost Bankers, Inc.



•

Hancock Holding Co.

26

---

Table of Contents

•

NBT Bancorp, Inc.



•

Prosperity Bancshares, Inc.



•

UMB Financial Corp.



•

United Bankshares Inc. (WV)

        The proxy analysis of these 10 banks was supplemented with four published financial services surveys (2009 Watson Wyatt Report on Top Management Compensation Survey, 2009 Mercer Executive Compensation Survey, 2009 Towers Perrin Financial Services Executive Database, and 2009/2010 Watson Wyatt Report on Long-Term Incentives, Policies & Practices). The consultant used survey data subsets appropriate to the size of the company unit and responsibility scope of the position. In its study, Towers Watson reported:

•

Salary at approximately the 50^th percentile,



•

Targeted total cash at approximately the 50^th percentile,



•

Actual total cash paid at approximately the 65^th percentile,



•

Long-term incentives at approximately the 50^th percentile, and



•

Target total direct compensation at about the 50^th percentile.

        Performance-based compensation plays a significant role in aligning executives' interests with those of the Company's shareholders; therefore incentives constitute a substantial portion of each of the named executive officers' compensation. The following table shows the percentage of targeted total direct compensation provided in the form of incentive compensation for each named executive officer ("NEO"). The Company's pay mix for the NEOs is generally consistent with competitive practices.

Percentage of Target Total Direct Compensation Provided by Each Pay Element

        Having considered the analysis by Towers Watson and the recommendation of the CEO, it was determined that base salary in 2010 for the Chief Financial Officer would be increased effective April 1, 2010 by $35,000 based on his performance in 2009 and his compensation relative to industry peers, and increased effective July 30, 2010 by $50,000 based on additional responsibilities. The base salaries for the General Counsel, Chief Risk Officer, and Controller were increased by $30,000, $30,000, and $10,000, respectively, based on performance in 2009 and additional responsibilities.

        Fees paid to Towers Watson related to the directors and executive compensation engagement for the Committee totaled $10,779 in 2010.

27

---

Table of Contents

Compensation Elements and Determination of Compensation

        Compensation elements for 2010 included:

•

Base salary



•

Performance based variable compensation



•

Equity based compensation and Cash for Equity



•

Retirement and other benefits



•

Perquisites

        The performance measurements that were used to evaluate named executive officers (other than the CEO) and taken into account in setting compensation policies and making compensation decisions are set forth below.

        In 2008, the Committee approved the "Cash for Equity Program." The program is intended to be an efficient way to provide equity based compensation. The goals of the program are to facilitate stock accumulation, simplify compensation and foster long-term employment by encouraging participants to use the cash to purchase the Company's common stock. The amount of the Company's Cash for Equity awards is determined independently of the value of a named executive officer's existing equity holdings and independently of the amount of his or her annual incentive award. The program allows for flexibility in the timing of awards and avoids the estimation of the value of grants.

Base Salary

        Base salary is based on each individual's responsibilities. The CEO may consider the compensation of named executive officers disclosed by other banking companies. The Company generally establishes base salaries in connection with recruiting or retaining qualified executive officers. The Committee reviews salary levels as part of the Company's annual performance review process, as well as upon promotion or other changes in job responsibility. Merit-based increases to salaries for executive officers other than the CEO are determined by the Committee based on the CEO's assessment of individual performance.

        In recommending base salaries the CEO considers the needs of the Company and of the executive officer, comparability within the Company, pay parity among positions of comparable responsibility and individual performance. The Committee also looks at market survey data to verify that salaries are competitive and within market ranges.

Performance Based Variable Compensation

        The named executive officers participate in the Bank of Hawaii Corporation Executive Incentive Plan (the "Executive Incentive Plan"), pursuant to which the Company awards annual cash awards to executives. The purpose of the Executive Incentive Plan is to optimize the profitability and growth of the Bank of Hawaii through incentives for each annual period. These incentives are consistent with the Company's goals and link the personal interests of participants with those of the Company's shareholders. The Executive Incentive Plan provides participants with an incentive for individual performance and teamwork among participants.

        For awards that are intended to qualify as performance-based compensation under Internal Revenue Code Section 162(m) (see "Tax Considerations" below), the Committee establishes, at the beginning of an annual performance period, an incentive pool from which incentive awards are paid to participants. The incentive pool is expressed as a percentage of the Company's net income before taxes for the fiscal year. For performance year 2010, the incentive pool was established as an amount equal to 2% of the Company's net income before taxes for the fiscal year.

28

---

Table of Contents

        At the beginning of the performance period, each participating executive is allocated a maximum percentage of the incentive pool. For 2010, the Compensation Committee allocated a maximum of 19% to Mr. Landon, 14% to Mr. Ho (which was increased to 19% upon his appointment as CEO) and 9% to each of the other named executive officers. The Committee exercises its discretion, however, to reduce an executive's actual incentive payment to a dollar amount based on a target award opportunity. A target award opportunity, expressed as a percentage of base salary, is established for each named executive officer at the beginning of the year. The target award is generally set for performance that meets financial expectations. Each named executive officer's target opportunity takes into account the executive's position, scope of responsibilities, and individual contribution to the Company. For 2010, the target incentive opportunity for Mr. Ho was 100% of his base salary, (which was increased from 80% upon his appointment as CEO), the target opportunity for Mr. Lucien was 80% of his base salary, the target incentive opportunity for each of Mr. Rossi and Ms. Sellers was 67.5% of base salary, and the target incentive opportunity for Mr. Norris was 47.5% of base salary. The potential range of annual incentive opportunities is as follows:

        In evaluating the CEO's performance and determining the amount by which the CEO's incentive pool percentage would be adjusted to arrive at his incentive payment, the Committee employs a scoring system that assigns to the CEO a weighted score based on satisfaction of specified criteria established at the beginning of the year. The score can range from 1 (lowest possible score) to 5 (highest possible score) for each of the specified criteria, and they are then weighted according to the specified percentages. For example, the Committee assigns a score of 5 if the Company's stock performance is in the top quartile or if Total Shareholder Return ("TSR"—dividends and share appreciation for the calendar year) is above 8%; a score of 4 for second quartile stock performance or for TSR above 5%; and a score of 3 for third quartile stock performance or for TSR above 2%. The Company's stock performance is measured through comparison with the banking companies identified in the Mid-Cap Bank Performance Index described below.

        For 2010, the Committee considered the criteria below and assigned the listed weights to such criteria. These measures were selected by the Committee because they represent a balance between financial and qualitative measurements of performance. They are consistent with the strategic direction

29

---

Table of Contents

of the Company and highly correlated to increases in shareholder returns as well as organizational long-term health and efficiency.

        As indicated in the table above, the Committee assigned the following scores:

•

"3" for the stock performance criteria because the Company's stock performance was in the third quartile as measured by the Mid-Cap Bank Performance Index;



•

"5" for the financial performance criteria because Tier 1 capital was more than 12%, loan loss reserves as a percent of outstanding loans was above 2%, and earnings per share was more than 4% above budget;

30

---

Table of Contents

•

With respect to the judgment based criteria, the Committee's evaluation is based on its subjective assessment of the CEO's performance in these areas. As noted above, the Compensation Committee assigned a score of "5" in two of these categories and a score of "4.75" in the "Other" category.

        The final weighted score for the CEO was 4.325.

        In 2010, because risk management was particularly important to the Company, the Committee made two of the three financial performance criteria risk related. The specified criteria are generally not adjusted during the year, except, in the Committee's discretion, in the event of certain unanticipated transactions affecting the Company. The Committee did not make any such adjustments in 2010. Certain adjustments also may be made by the Committee with respect to awards granted to individuals who are promoted or change job responsibilities during the performance period. Although the former CEO, Mr. Landon, retired in July and was replaced by Mr. Ho, the Committee did not make any adjustments to the CEO's evaluation criteria, nor did it make any such adjustments for any of the other named executive officers in 2010.

        The Committee believes that stock performance and financial performance correlate most closely with the objectives of the Company and that the more subjective elements can be assessed through survey data. The Committee determined the final incentive payment based on a subjective determination that took into consideration the results of the scoring system, but was not determined by reference to a specific formula driven off the numerical score. In 2010, the Company's one, three, and five year Total Shareholder Return was 4.39%, 4.39%, and 10.15%, respectively, compared to the Mid-Cap Bank Performance Index returns of 21.54%, -21.84%, and -33.38%, for one, three and five years, respectively. Based on this evaluation, the Committee awarded the CEO an incentive payment of $750,000 (100% of base salary).

        The incentive amounts payable to each of the other named executive officers is determined by a similar process that does not include formal scoring but takes into account individual business unit objectives, as well as the individual's performance, scope of responsibilities and market data. The CEO makes an initial recommendation to the Committee as to the final incentive awards for each of the other named executive officers for the Committee's consideration. The Committee has the discretion to accept, reject, or modify the CEO's recommendations. For 2010 compensation determinations, the Committee accepted and approved the CEO's incentive recommendations for the other named executive officers as follows: Mr. Lucien, $325,000; Mr. Norris, $170,000; Mr. Rossi, $325,000; and Ms. Sellers, $290,000. The incentive awards for Messrs. Rossi and Norris and for Ms. Sellers were slightly above target due to the better than expected financial performance in 2010.

        In addition to the awards under the Executive Incentive Plan, the Committee may pay discretionary cash awards to executives. In paying discretionary awards, the Committee considers recommendations from the CEO, changes in position, and an assessment of individual performance. These cash awards will not qualify as performance-based compensation under Section 162(m).

Long-Term and Equity-Based Compensation and Cash for Equity

        Long-term incentives are intended to encourage decision-making with the long-term interests of the Company in mind, to retain and reward management and to align the interests of shareholders and executives through the achievement of the Company's strategic business plan. The Company generally uses equity awards, which are an important component of total compensation, to accomplish its long-term incentive objectives. In accordance with the Company's equity compensation plans, the Committee may grant stock options, restricted stock awards or restricted stock units.

        As mentioned previously, in 2008, the Committee approved the Cash for Equity Program, which is intended to augment equity based compensation. The goals of the program are to facilitate stock

31

---

Table of Contents

accumulation, simplify compensation and foster long-term employment by encouraging participants to use the cash to purchase the Company's common stock. The program also assists executives in meeting the Company's Stock Ownership Guidelines. The amounts paid to the named executive officers under this program are listed in the "Bonus" column in the Summary Compensation Table. Grants issued under this program for named executive officers have included long-term retention terms which call for repayment of a pro-rata portion of the grant if the executive leaves prior to the end of the term.

        The amount of the long-term incentive grant awards is subjectively determined, taking into account position and job responsibilities, individual performance, Company performance, future potential contributions to the Company, internal pay parity, and market survey data. In addition, the Committee may review additional factors to determine the size, frequency and type of long-term incentive grants. These factors may include the tax consequences of the grants to the individual and the Company, accounting impact, potential dilutive effects, potential future stock values and the number of shares remaining available for issuance under the Company's equity incentive plans.

        As determined at the discretion of the Committee, the terms and conditions of awards under the 2004 Stock and Incentive Compensation Plan, including the amount, measurement, vesting and payment of such awards, may be conditioned upon certain performance measures. In the case of awards that are intended to comprise qualified performance-based compensation to covered employees under Section 162(m) of the Internal Revenue Code, the performance measures are limited to one or more, separately or in combination, of the following performance measures: (a) earnings per share (actual or targeted growth); (b) net income (including, but not limited to, after capital costs or before or after taxes) or other income measures; (c) return profitability measures (including, but not limited to, return on average assets, risk-adjusted return on capital, or return on average equity); (d) efficiency ratio (including, but not limited to, operating efficiency) or other efficiency measures; (e) full-time equivalency control; (f) stock price (including, but not limited to, growth measures or total shareholder return); (g) revenues or expenses (including, but not limited to, growth or reduction targets); (h) noninterest income compared to net interest income ratio; (i) margins; (j) asset quality (including, but not limited to, level of non-performing assets or loans); (k) capital adequacy; (l) liquidity; (m) reserves (including, but not limited to, coverage ratios, allowance for loan losses, and reserves for unfunded commitments); (n) regulatory compliance, regulatory ratings or examination results; and (o) satisfaction levels (including, but not limited to, customer or employee satisfaction). The performance measures may apply to the Company as a whole or any subsidiary, affiliate, or business unit of the Company.

        Restricted stock or restricted stock unit awards generally vest based on achievement of one or more performance goals, length of service or both. The discussion under "Grants of Plan-Based Awards" and the footnotes to the "Outstanding Equity Awards at Fiscal Year-End" table disclose the performance criteria that have been used for recent equity awards made to the named executive officers. These criteria include achievement of top quartile total shareholder return based on the Mid-Cap Bank Performance Index, Total Shareholder Return, Earnings Per Share growth, efficiency ratio, NIACC (as more fully defined in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC on February 23, 2011), risk adjusted return on capital (RAROC), return on equity (ROE), direct expense, operating income growth, operating leverage, and credit loss management. Most recently, restricted share grants made in 2010 are contingent on cumulative net income performance goals.

        Additional information regarding stock option and equity awards issued, and the criteria for performance based vesting, is provided in "Grants of Plan-Based Awards" and in the tables "Outstanding Equity Awards at Fiscal Year-End" and "Option Exercises and Stock Vested."

        In 2010, the Committee updated its stock ownership guidelines applicable to the executive officers to include the value of restricted stock. The objective of stock ownership guidelines is to align shareholder and management interests. Under the guidelines, the CEO should own Company stock

32

---

Table of Contents

having a market value equal to at least five times base salary, vice chairmen should own at least two times base salary, and senior executive vice presidents should own at least 1.5 times base salary. Stock ownership includes the value of vested stock options, restricted stock, stock units from qualified plans, and other stock held by the executive. The guidelines provide that the CEO comply with the stock ownership levels within five years of the date that they are hired or promoted to such position within the Company; for all other named executive officers the attainment period is three years. As of December 31, 2010, all of the named executive officers satisfied the stock ownership guidelines.

Health, Retirement, Perquisites and Other Compensation

        Executive officers are eligible to participate in health and insurance plans, retirement plans, and other benefits generally available to full-time employees. This is consistent with our belief in offering employees basic health and retirement benefits that are competitive in our markets. The retirement programs assist our employees in planning for their retirement income needs. Benefits under our qualified health and retirement plans are not directly tied to specific Company performance. The Committee regularly reviews the value of benefits from the retirement plans.

        Our employees who meet service requirements are eligible to participate in the Company-sponsored Retirement Savings Plan, a tax-qualified defined contribution pension plan.

        We believe that ongoing perquisites should be limited in scope and value. Our most significant perquisites as defined by the SEC, relate to moving and relocation expenses.

Nonqualified Deferred Compensation Plans

        The Committee has adopted the Bank of Hawaii Corporation Executive Deferred Compensation Program (the "Deferred Compensation Program"), a program that offers senior management the ability to defer up to 80% of base salary and/or 100% of incentive amounts under the Executive Incentive Plan in order to allow executives to defer, along with the receipt of such incentive amounts, the income tax liability on such amounts (including any appreciation in value as a result of the deemed investment of such amounts) until payment. This program allows participants to manage their cash flow and estate planning needs.

        The Company also maintains the Bank of Hawaii Retirement Savings Excess Benefit Plan (the "Excess Benefit Plan"), a non-qualified supplemental retirement benefits plan that compensates participants for benefits that would otherwise be payable under the Company's Retirement Savings Plan but for certain Internal Revenue Code limitations. The Committee believes that this plan is important to ensure equitability in retirement funding amounts between those that fall below and above the IRC limitations.

        See the discussion under "Nonqualified Deferred Compensation" for additional information regarding the Deferred Compensation Program and the Excess Benefit Plan. Benefits under the Executive Deferred Compensation Program and the Retirement Savings Excess Benefit Plan are not directly tied to specific Company performance. The value of these programs is viewed independently by the Committee from the other pay elements. Gains from longer-term incentives are not included in the determination of nonqualified deferred compensation benefits. In 2010, Mr. Lucien deferred a portion of his award and Mr. Norris deferred his entire award under the non-equity incentive plan. Mr. Norris also deferred a portion of his base salary in 2010.

Employment Agreements

        The Company does not have employment agreements with its executives. However, the Committee has from time to time entered into retention agreements with certain of its executives as an incentive

33

---

Table of Contents

to the executive to stay with the Company for a specified period of time. In 2010, with the transition in the Company's leadership, Retention Agreements were implemented for Messrs. Lucien and Norris.

        The terms of the Retention Agreements for Messrs. Lucien and Norris include: (i) an annual base salary and benefits through January 31, 2013; (ii) participation in the Executive Incentive Plan for calendar years 2010, 2011, and 2012; (iii) participation in the 2010 Cash for Equity Program; (iv) participation in employee benefit plans to the extent he is eligible to do so by their terms. If Mr. Lucien performs his duties to the Company's satisfaction through January 31, 2013, he will receive a Retention Payment of $425,000 and if Mr. Norris performs his duties to the Company's satisfaction through January through 31, 2013, he will receive a Retention Payment of $230,000. If either Mr. Lucien or Mr. Norris voluntarily terminates his employment, he will receive only salary and vested benefits through the effective date of that termination. If either Mr. Lucien or Mr. Norris is terminated for "cause", he will forfeit all monetary consideration under the Retention Agreement not paid to him as of the termination date.

Change In Control

        The Committee believes that it is an important part of an executive's total compensation package to provide for protections in the event of a change in control of the Company. Change in control benefits play an important role in attracting and retaining valuable executives. The payment of such benefits ensures a smooth transition in management following a change in control by giving an executive the incentive to remain with the Company through the transition period, and, in the event the executive's employment is terminated as part of the transition, by compensating the executive with a degree of financial and personal security during a period in which he is likely to be unemployed.

        The Change in Control Retention Plan (the "Retention Plan"), provides benefits only in the event that a participant's employment is terminated by the Company without cause or by the participant for "good reason" within 24 months following a change in control. The Committee believes that this encourages executives to remain with the Company upon a change in control. The key provisions of the Retention Plan for Vice Chairmen and above are:

•

Severance Benefit—a "two times base salary and bonus" payment which is payable in the month following termination of employment.



•

Payment for Noncompetition—an additional "one times base salary and bonus" payment that is payable only if the executive complies with the 12-month non-competition restrictions specified under the Retention Plan.



•

In addition to non-competition restrictions, the Retention Plan imposes non-disclosure, non-solicitation and non-disparagement restrictions on participants.

        Each of the named executive officers participates in the Retention Plan. Mr. Landon retired in 2010 and was not a participant in the Retention Plan or any other type of agreement in lieu of the Retention Plan.

        In 2009, the Company amended the Retention Plan to limit any payment or benefit under the plan to an amount that would not be subject to Excise Tax even if the benefits would be substantially eliminated as a result of this limit, and to eliminate any tax gross up payments to executives in connection with any payment or benefit under the Plan. The terms of the Company's 2004 Stock and Incentive Plan provide for full acceleration of vesting of restricted stock and restricted stock units upon the occurrence of a change in control of the Company. We believe that it is generally appropriate to fully vest equity and incentive-based awards to employees in a change in control transaction because such a transaction may often cut short or reduce the employee's ability to realize value with respect to such awards. Similarly, the Executive Incentive Plan provides that incentive awards will, upon a change in control of the Company, be prorated as though the applicable performance period ended on the

34

---

Table of Contents

change in control date and will be calculated as an amount equal to two times a participant's incentive allocation for the prorated performance period.

Tax Considerations

        Section 162(m) of the Internal Revenue Code limits the deductibility of compensation paid to certain executive officers in excess of $1.0 million, but excludes "performance based compensation" from this limit. To maintain flexibility in compensating executive officers, the Compensation Committee does not require all compensation to be awarded in a tax deductible manner, but it is its intent to do so to the fullest extent possible and consistent with overall corporate goals. Some compensation payable to our executive officers may exceed the Section 162(m) deduction limit. In 2010 no compensation exceeded the deductibility limit.

SUMMARY COMPENSATION TABLE

35

---

Table of Contents

        The following table provides additional information about the amounts that appear in the "All Other Compensation" amounts in the Summary Compensation Table for 2010, 2009 and 2008, respectively.

36

---

Table of Contents

NONQUALIFIED DEFERRED COMPENSATION

Executive Deferred Compensation Program

        The Company's Deferred Compensation Program is a nonqualified deferred compensation plan that allows senior management (including the named executive officers) to defer up to 80% of their base salary earned for a specified year through the Executive Base Salary Deferral Plan (the "Salary Deferral Plan"), and to defer up to 100% of incentive payments under the Executive Incentive Plan. In 2010, Messrs. Lucien and Norris deferred amounts under the Executive Deferred Compensation Program.

        A participant is always 100% vested in his or her deferred amounts. Deferred amounts under the Deferred Compensation Program are subject to adjustment for appreciation or depreciation in value based on hypothetical investments in one or more investment funds or vehicles permitted by the Compensation Committee and chosen by the participant. A participant's deferred amounts are generally payable beginning on the earliest to occur of (a) a specified time chosen by the participant, or if none, the date that is six months following a separation from service, (b) the participant's death, (c) the participant's disability or (d) an "unforeseeable emergency" (generally, a severe financial hardship resulting from the illness of the participant or his or her spouse or dependent, or other extraordinary and unforeseeable circumstances arising from events beyond the control of the participant). Distributions in the event of an unforeseeable emergency are subject to restrictions and are limited to an amount that is reasonably necessary to satisfy the emergency need. For distributions upon a separation from service or at a specified time chosen by a participant, the participant may choose to receive deferred amounts as a lump sum cash payment or in annual installments over a period not to exceed five years. The amount of each installment will be calculated using the "declining balance method", under which each installment payment is determined by dividing a participant's aggregate unpaid balance by the remaining years in the payment period. For distributions on all other events, payment will be made as a cash lump sum.

        Bank of Hawaii's obligations with respect to deferred amounts under the Salary Deferral Plan and the Executive Incentive Plan are payable from its general assets, although the Company has established a rabbi trust to assist it in meeting its liabilities under the plans. The assets of the trust are at all times subject to the claims of the Company's general creditors.

Retirement Savings Excess Benefit Plan

        The Excess Benefit Plan is a non-qualified supplemental retirement benefits plan that compensates participants for the amount of benefits that would otherwise be payable under the Company's Retirement Savings Plan but for limitations under Internal Revenue Code Sections 415 and 401(a)(17) as to the amount of annual contributions to, and annual benefits payable under, the Retirement Savings Plan. A participant's accrued benefits under the Excess Benefit Plan are hypothetically invested in one or more funds permitted by the Plan and chosen by the participant, and are adjusted for appreciation or depreciation in value attributable to such hypothetical investments.

        For an individual who first becomes a participant in the Excess Benefit Plan after May 19, 2006, the plan provides that benefits are payable upon a separation from service according to a distribution schedule that is determined by reference to the total amount accrued for the individual under the plan. A participant with:

•

$100,000 or less in deferred amounts will receive a lump sum payment six months after separation from service;



•

more than $100,000 but no more than $300,000 in deferred amounts will receive distributions in two installments;

37

---

Table of Contents

•

more than $300,000 but no more than $500,000 in deferred amounts will receive distributions in three installments; and



•

more than $500,000 in deferred amounts will receive distributions in five installments

        In each case, the first installment will be paid on the first day of the seventh month following separation from service and subsequent installments will be paid in each subsequent January. An individual who first became a participant in the Excess Benefit Plan on or prior to May 19, 2006 will receive benefits upon the participant's separation from service and may have elected to be paid (a) according to the distribution schedule applicable to individuals who become participants after May 19, 2006, (b) in a lump sum on the first day of the seventh month following separation from service, or (c) in annual installments (not to exceed five) commencing on the first day of the seventh month following separation from service or commencing on an anniversary of the participant's separation from service (not later than the fifth anniversary). The amount of each installment will be calculated using the declining balance method. If a participant dies prior to the full distribution of his or her deferred amounts, however, any unpaid amounts remaining will be distributed in a lump sum.

        The Company's obligations under the Excess Benefit Plan are payable from its general assets, although the Company has established a rabbi trust to assist it in meeting its liabilities under the Plan. The assets of the trust are at all times subject to the claims of the Company's general creditors.

        Set forth below is information regarding the amounts deferred by or for the benefit of the named executive officers in 2010.

38

---

Table of Contents