By JOHN BURNETT Hawaii Tribune-Herald
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Former Hawaii County Mayor Mitch Roth has joined Central Pacific Bank as senior vice president and Hawaii Island region manager. He is based in the bank’s Hilo branch.

In his new role, the 60-year-old Roth is responsible for the bank’s strategic and tactical objectives for Hawaii Island, which include oversight of sales, service and community partnership that enhance employee and customer experience.

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He reports directly to David Morimoto, vice chairman and chief operating officer.

“We welcome Mitch to the CPB ‘ohana, where his proven leadership, experience and compassion for people make him uniquely qualified to support CPB’s business and community objectives on Hawaii Island,” Morimoto said in a press release.

“I am anxious to start my next chapter with CPB, a local institution with a storied legacy that closely aligns with my own values of service to the community and building partnerships of mutual benefit,” Roth said in the release. “I look forward to this opportunity and would like to thank CPB for their trust and confidence in me.”

Roth is a career public servant and community advocate for Hawaii Island, having served as mayor from 2020 until 2024. He was the elected prosecuting attorney for Hawaii County from 2012 until 2020. Prior to that, he served as a deputy prosecuting attorney in both Honolulu and Hawaii County from 1993 to 2012.

“As a mayor, I learned a lot about the issues that our community and our businesses have. And I’ve learned that bankers can make a big difference,” Roth told the Tribune-Herald on Monday. “My days of public service in government are done, but this is something that allows me to give back in a different way. If we can help our businesses succeed here, we help the whole island. If we can help somebody with very little financial literacy understand why it’s important to save and how to invest, everybody benefits from that.”

Roth is passionate about community service and currently serves as a board member of the Palace Theater, the Visitor Aloha Society of Hawaii Island, and the Daniel R. Sayre Memorial Foundation. He also is a member of the Rotary Club of Hilo, the Exchange Club and the U.S. Japan Council.

Roth, who has a bachelor’s degree from the University of Hawaii at Manoa and doctorate degree from Whittier Law School, has been a resident of Hawaii Island for the past 27 years. He and his wife, Noriko, have three adult children, all graduates of Waiakea High School.

“Having a law degree, there were a couple of law firms that reached out” (after he left the mayor’s office), Roth said. “But for me, I have what I call a major definite purpose in my life, which is to improve the quality of life in my community and for my family.

“And while a couple of the other jobs may have paid more, this is the best job to give back to the community. CPB does a great job of that. And that’s what they were built on, helping the community — from 70 years ago when they were founded by a group of nisei making loans to people who couldn’t otherwise get loans.

“They continue to make the community a better place, and I want to be a part of that.”

Hawaii-based CPB operates 27 branches and 55 ATMs statewide.

Email John Burnett at jburnett@hawaiitribune-herald.com.