John Ward
Executive Vice President & Chief Marketing & Product Officer
American Savings Bank
John Ward is a Mentor Hawaii Cohort 11 mentor. Learn more about the program here.
About John
John is Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing & Product Officer at American Savings Bank (ASB), where he leads the bank’s digital transformation and marketing strategy. He oversees the development of best-in-class platforms that make banking easy and convenient, including a modernized website, mobile and online banking tools and contactless charge cards.
With more than 35 years of experience in marketing, business development and product management across financial services and technology, John has held executive roles at iQuanti Inc., Sallie Mae and First Union National Bank. He also served as Chief Marketing Officer and President of Upromise – helping millions of families save for college – and as Chief Marketing Officer and Executive Vice President at IDT Corp.
Under his leadership, ASB has ranked No. 1 among local banks for ease of use in online and mobile banking and has been named a Forbes Best-in-State Bank for six years, driven by customer satisfaction and digital experience.
John is also a champion for community and economic development in Hawaii. He oversees ASB’s Buy Local HawaiiSM Program, which launched in 2021 and supports over 100 merchants across four islands. A longtime supporter of Hawaii’s restaurant industry, John led ASB’s efforts with the State of Hawaii to launch the Hawaii Restaurant Card Business Holiday Card program, delivering more than $75 million in relief to the local food industry. He currently serves on the board of the Hawaii Restaurant Association.
A strong advocate for leadership development, John is passionate about mentoring the next generation of professionals, particularly in advancing STEM careers and women leaders. He has led career development initiatives and serves as an executive mentor for the Chamber of Commerce Hawaii’s Young Professionals Mentor Hawaii program.
John holds an engineering degree from the University of Nebraska and an MBA from The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.
Question and Answer with John
What is your preferred communication style when mentoring (in-person, video conference, phone, informal check-ins, structured meetings, etc.)?
Mostly video with a couple in person and pau hana or two 😊
Why do you want to become a mentor in this program?
I had great mentors earlier in my career now it’s my turn.
What specific skills, knowledge or experience can you share with your mentee?
35 years of experience in finance, tech, and digital.
What are your expectations for a mentor-mentee relationship?
Open, honest and flexible.
How do you approach problem-solving and conflict resolution?
I dive in, I usually see conflict as an opportunity.
How do you envision success for your mentee, and how will you measure it during the program?
My last 2 mentees were (are) awesome and it gives me joy to see them grow and soar. Both had significant job changes during our mentorship (just coincidence), but was helpful to have someone truly on the outside and unbiased to hear what is going on and give perspective. We’ll start with discussion on what they want to achieve and brainstorm how I can help. Sometimes I’ve found just being there, listening and sometimes advising is unpredictable and just happens.