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SCHEDULE 14A INFORMATION

Proxy Statement Pursuant to Section 14(a) of
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (Amendment No.          )

Filed by the Registrant /X/
ý

Filed by a Party other than the Registrant / /o

Check the appropriate box:
/ /o Preliminary Proxy Statement
/ /o Confidential, for Use of the Commission Only (as permitted by Rule 14a-6(e)(2))
/X/ý Definitive Proxy Statement
/ /o Definitive Additional Materials
/ /o Soliciting Material Pursuant to §240.14a-12

Pacific Century FinancialBank of Hawaii Corporation

(Name of Registrant as Specified In Its Charter)

 

(Name of Person(s) Filing Proxy Statement, if other than the Registrant)
     
Payment of Filing Fee (Check the appropriate box):

/X/ý

 

No fee required

/ /o

 

Fee computed on table below per Exchange Act Rules 14a-6(i)(4) and 0-11

 

 

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  (2) Aggregate number of securities to which transaction applies:
        

  (3) Per unit price or other underlying value of transaction computed pursuant to Exchange Act Rule 0-11 (set forth the amount on which the filing fee is calculated and state how it was determined):
        

  (4) Proposed maximum aggregate value of transaction:
        

  (5) Total fee paid:
        


/ /o

 

Fee paid previously with preliminary materials.

/ /o

 

Check box if any part of the fee is offset as provided by Exchange Act Rule 0-11(a)(2) and identify the filing for which the offsetting fee was paid previously. Identify the previous filing by registration statement number, or the Form or Schedule and the date of its filing.

 

 

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PACIFIC CENTURY FINANCIAL CORPORATIONLOGO


Your VOTE is important!

Notice of 20022003
Annual Meeting of Shareholders
and Proxy Statement

Meeting Date: April 26, 200225, 2003

Pacific Century FinancialBank of Hawaii Corporation

130 Merchant Street
Honolulu, Hawaii 96813


PACIFIC CENTURY FINANCIAL CORPORATIONLOGO

PACIFIC CENTURY FINANCIALBANK OF HAWAII CORPORATION
130 Merchant Street
Honolulu, Hawaii 96813

         March 8, 200211, 2003

Dear Shareholder:

        The 20022003 Annual Meeting of shareholders of Pacific Century FinancialBank of Hawaii Corporation ("Pacific Century"Bank of Hawaii" or the "Company") will be held on Friday, April 26, 200225, 2003 at 8:30 a.m. on the Sixth Floor of the Bank of Hawaii Building, 111 South King Street, Honolulu, Hawaii. Each shareholder may be asked to present valid picture identification. Shareholders holding stock in brokerage accounts will need to bring a copy of a brokerage statement reflecting stock ownership as of the record date.

        The Notice of Meeting and Proxy Statement accompanying this letter describe the business we will consider and vote upon at the meeting. A report to shareholders on the affairs of Pacific CenturyBank of Hawaii also will be given, and shareholders will have the opportunity to discuss matters of interest concerning the Company.

        For reasons explained in the accompanying Proxy Statement, the Board of Directors recommends that you vote FOR all proposals.

        Your vote is very important.    Please complete, sign, date and return the enclosed proxy card and mail it promptly in the enclosed postage-paid return envelope, even if you plan to attend the Annual Meeting. You may also vote by telephone or electronically via the Internet. If you wish to do so, your proxy may be revoked at any time before its use.

        On behalf of the Board of Directors, thank you for your cooperation and support.



TABLE OF CONTENTS

 
 Page
Notice of 20022003 Annual Meeting of Shareholders 1

Proxy Statement

 

2
 
Questions and Answers About the Proxy Materials and the Annual Meeting

 

2
 
Proposal 1: Election of Directors

 

5
 
Board of Directors

 

5
  Beneficial Ownership 7
  Board Structure and Director Compensation 9
  Board Committees and Meetings 10
  Audit Committee Report 11
 
Executive Compensation

 

12
  Compensation Committee Report 12
  Summary Compensation Table 17
  Stock Option/SAROption Grants in Last Fiscal Year 18
  Aggregated Option/SAROption Exercises in Last Fiscal Year and Fiscal Year-End Option Values 19
  Pension Plan Table and Retirement Plan 19
  Retirement Plan and Change-in-Control Arrangements 20
 
Performance Graph

 

21
 
Certain Transactions with Management and Others

 

22
 
Section 16(a) Beneficial Ownership Reporting Compliance

 

22
 
Proposal 2: Amendment to Certificate of Incorporation to Change Company Name


22

Proposal 3: Election of Independent Auditor and Audit Fees

 

22
 
Appendix A. Audit Committee Charter

 

24


NOTICE OF ANNUAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS

To be held April 26, 200225, 2003


To Our Shareholders:

        The Annual Meeting of shareholders of Pacific Century FinancialBank of Hawaii Corporation ("Pacific Century"Bank of Hawaii" or the "Company") will be held on Friday, April 26, 2002,25, 2003, at 8:30 a.m. on the Sixth Floor of the Bank of Hawaii Building, 111 South King Street, Honolulu, Hawaii, for the following purposes:

        The Board of Directors recommends that shareholders vote FOR all proposals.

        Shareholders of record of Pacific CenturyBank of Hawaii common stock (NYSE: BOH) at the close of business on February 26, 200224, 2003 are entitled to attend the meeting and vote on the business brought before it.

        We look forward to seeing you at the meeting. However, if you cannot attend the meeting, your shares may still be voted if you complete, sign, date, and return the enclosed proxy card in the enclosed postage-paid return envelope. You also may vote by telephone or electronically via the Internet. The accompanying proxy statement, also available online at www.boh.com, provides certain background information that will be helpful in deciding how to cast your vote on business transacted at the meeting.

Honolulu, Hawaii
Dated: March 8, 200211, 2003

IMPORTANT



PROXY STATEMENT

        The Board of Directors of Pacific Century FinancialBank of Hawaii Corporation (the("Bank of Hawaii" or the "Company" or "Pacific Century") is soliciting the enclosed proxy for the Company's 20022003 annual meeting. The proxy statement, proxy card, and the Company's 2001 Summary Annual Report to Shareholders and Annual Report on Form 10-K are first being distributed to the Company's shareholders on or about March 8, 2002.11, 2003.



QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS ABOUT THE PROXY MATERIALS AND THE ANNUAL MEETING

Q:
What am I voting on?

A:
The election of directors one amendment to the Company's Certificate of Incorporation, and the election of an independent auditor.

Q:
Who can vote at the annual meeting?

A:
Holders of Pacific Century'sBank of Hawaii's common stock, par value $0.01 per share, as of the close of business on February 26, 200224, 2003 (the "Record Date") can attend and vote at the annual meeting. Each share of common stock is entitled to one vote. On the Record Date, there were 73,205,22960,853,059 shares of common stock issued and outstanding.

Q:
How many votes do we need to hold the annual meeting?

A:
The holders of at least one-third of the outstanding common stock on the Record Date entitled to vote at the annual meeting must be present to conduct business. That amount is called aquorum. Shares are counted as present at the meeting if a shareholder entitled to vote is present and votes at the meeting, has submitted a properly signed proxy, or has properly voted by telephone or overvia the Internet. We also count abstentions and broker non-votes as present and entitled to vote for purposes of determining a quorum.

Q:
What shares can I vote?

A:
You may votes all shares you own on the Record Date. The enclosed proxy card shows the number of shares you may vote.

Q:
How can I vote my shares in person at the annual meeting?

A:
If you are a shareholder of record, you can attend the annual meeting and vote in person the shares you hold directly in your name as the shareholder of record. If you choose to do that, please bring the enclosed proxy card or proof of identification. If you hold your shares as a beneficial owner, you must vote your shares through your broker or other nominee.
Q:
How can I vote my shares without attending the annual meeting?

A:
You may direct your vote without attending the annual meeting. You may vote by granting a proxy, or, for shares held in street name, by submitting voting instructions to your broker or other nominee. You can do that overvia the Internet, by telephone, or by mail. If your shares are held by a broker or other nominee, then you will receive instructions from it, that you must follow to have your shares voted. If you hold your shares as the shareholder of record, then you may instruct the proxies how to vote your shares, using the toll free telephone number or the Internet voting site listed on the proxy card, or by signing, dating, and mailing the proxy card in the postage paid envelope we have provided you. Please refer to the summary instructions below and those on your proxy card, or, for shares held in street name, the voting instruction card sent by your broker or nominee.

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Q:
Can I change my vote?

A:
Yes. You may change your proxy instructions any time before the vote at the annual meeting. For shares you hold as shareholder of record, you may change your vote by granting a new proxy or by attending the annual meeting and voting in person. Attendance at the annual meeting will not cause your previously granted proxy to be revoked unless you vote at the meeting. For shares you hold as beneficial owner, you may change your vote by submitting new voting instructions to your broker or nominee.

Q:
Where can I find the voting results of the annual meeting?

A:
We will announce voting results at the annual meeting. We also will publish those results in our quarterly report on Form 10-Q for the first quarter of fiscal 2002.2003.

Q:
Who will count the votes?

A:
Georgeson Shareholder Communications, Inc. will count and tabulate the votes. The shares represented by your proxy will be votedFOR each of the proposals, unless you indicate to the contrary.

Q:
What are the voting procedures?

A:
Directors are elected by a plurality of votes cast. Nominees who receive the most votes will be elected. Abstentions and broker non-votes will not be taken into account in determining the outcome of the election of directors. The proposal for the amendment of the Company's Certificate of Incorporation requires the affirmative vote of a majority of the issued and outstanding common stock on the Record Date. Since this majority is based on outstanding shares, abstentions and broker non-votes will have the same effect as negative votes. The proposal for the election of an independent auditor requires the affirmative vote of a majority of shares present in person or by proxy and entitled to vote at the meeting. For this proposal, broker non-votes will be treated as not entitled to vote and so will not affect the outcome, although abstentions will have the same effect as negative votes.

Q:
Is my vote confidential?

A:
Yes. Proxy instructions, ballots, and voting tabulations that identify the individual shareholders are handled to protect your privacy. Your vote will not be disclosed within Pacific CenturyBank of Hawaii or to third parties except (i) as necessary to meet applicable legal requirements, (ii) to allow for the tabulation of votes and certification of the vote, and (iii) to facilitate a successful proxy solicitation by our Board. Occasionally, shareholders write comments on their proxy cards, which are forwarded to Pacific CenturyBank of Hawaii management.

Q:
Who will bear the cost of soliciting proxies?

A:
We will pay the cost of this proxy solicitation. In addition to soliciting proxies by mail, we expect that a number of our employees will solicit shareholders for the same type of proxy, personally, and by telephone, the Internet, facsimile, or other means. None of those employees will receive any additional or special compensation for doing that task. We have retained Georgeson Shareholder

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