Barbara Abe

Barbara moved from her native England to Hawaii as part of her company's global expansion. After establishing herself on the island, she planned to go on to Australia and ultimately end up back in the U.K. A true adventurer, Barbara had already seen much of Europe, but she never made it back home. After a short time in the Islands, her perspective changed. She had found her ultimate destination.

Barbara has lived on Oahu longer than she did in England, and yet the excitement of waking up each morning to a view of the ocean is as strong today as it was when she arrived. “"I have lived here so long, but every day I'm still amazed by the natural beauty,"” she says. “It seems every day I see something that takes my breath away.”

While the business she came to the island to manage did not succeed, Barbara has found success as a businesswoman and entrepreneur. She started an import and wholesale business in the 1980s that developed and distributed Hawaiian Heritage playing cards. The experience introduced her to the history of the Hawaiian monarchy which, given her English background, had a special interest for her. In addition to her rewarding career in real estate, Barbara operates a bed and breakfast with her mother, Joan. The business is a great way to help people connect with the island.