This story was originally published spring/summer 2026 issue of Shidler Business.

Longtime Hawai‘i insurance leader Jim Cavanah has established the James Cavanah, CPCU, Endowed Insurance Scholarship at the Shidler College of Business to support students interested in pursuing careers in the insurance industry. Through this scholarship, Cavanah hopes to encourage more students to explore a profession that offers meaningful opportunities for growth, service and long-term success. 

A graduate of the University of California, Berkeley, Cavanah has dedicated over four decades to the insurance field. He has been with Cavanah Associates since 1981 and has served as its president since 1998. He is also the former president of both the Hawai‘i CPCU Society Chapter and the Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of Hawai‘i and currently serves as president of the Alakea Corporate Tower Board of Directors. Throughout his 47-year career as an underwriter, sales professional and manager, he has seen the impact the industry can have on individuals, businesses and communities. 

Cavanah credits his own successful career to his uncle, John Cavanah, who encouraged him to consider insurance as a profession. Now, he is paying that guidance forward by helping students discover a rewarding and often overlooked career path. A Hawai‘i resident since 1981, Cavanah and his wife, Mindy Cavanah, have raised their three children in the islands and remain committed to supporting the next generation of local leaders.