About

Our Story

 

Carleton “Carl” Williams co-founded CW Associates in January 1989, providing audit, review, and tax services to a wide range of clients in Hawaii. In July 2008, the firm was reorganized to become CW Associates, A Hawaii Certified Public Accounting Corporation, registered to do business in the State of Hawaii as CW Associates, CPAs, with the addition of Rodney Harano as the Accounting Services Partner and Mark Hayes as the Tax Partner.

The firm has continued to grow since its founding with Terri Fujii joining the firm as an Audit Partner and Melanie King as a Tax Partner in 2014. Terri brings substantial knowledge and experience in serving a wide range of clients in Hawaii, while Melanie further increased the firm’s depth of knowledge in providing tax services to individuals, trusts, estates, and other entities. In 2019, Vera Wright joined us as a Tax Partner, bringing her many years of experience in private client services. After years of progressive experience at CWA, Grayson Nose also joined our executive leadership team as an Audit Partner in 2023.

Today, our staff includes more than 60 professionals and consultants, and our firm was ranked as the 4th largest CPA firm in Hawaii in the 2022 Pacific Business News “Book of Lists”. The firm was also awarded the 2014 Business Leadership Hawaii Award as the Best in Small Business category by Pacific Business News. We have been selected by Hawaii Business Magazine as one of the Best Places to Work every year from 2015 through 2024, the healthiest company in the medium size companies category in 2021, and the family friendliest company in the medium size companies category in 2021.

Our Values

  • Value - People

    People

    We value and respect our greatest assets – our clients and our personnel. We promote an inclusive team-based environment where all contributions are valued.

  • Value - Commitment

    Commitment

    We are accessible throughout the year, providing personal and timely attention, to foster lasting relationships.

    We encourage personal development, career development, and work-life integration.

    We uphold the high ethical standards of our profession.

  • Value - Service

    Service

    We provide our clients with a team that has relevant experience and expertise to enhance the success of our clients.

    We serve our community by supporting local charities and organizations through volunteering or fundraising efforts that promote positive changes and advancements.

Our Culture

 

CWA is committed to a flexible, supportive work environment based on trusting relationships among all members of our firm, that provides opportunities for professional development and encourages the pursuit of personal interests while delivering high-quality, timely services to clients. We recognize that family and friends are the foundation for a happy, productive, and committed professional accountant who will be focused, client-friendly, efficient, and effective.

We seek to be a “learning organization” that continually expands the skills and knowledge of the firm as a whole and each individual professional within the firm. As a “learning organization,” we create an environment in which learning from each other, from our clients, and from our peers is encouraged and valued. We respect one another as unique individuals and professional accountants.

CWA rewards its employees who deliver high-quality, timely services to clients. Beyond competitive salaries, we also offer benefits that contribute to the overall well-being and work-life balance of our team.

 
 

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