Hawaiian Solar & Plumbing, Inc.

Ken Bloom President Born in Philadelphia, PA a few years ago, transplanted to San Jose California at 10 years of age was the beginning of a stream of events leading him into the solar business in 1977. A graduate of San Jose State University in 1971 with a Bachelors Degree in Art, an unlikely beginning to a career as a plumbing contractor and small business entrepreneur. Another unlikely circumstance occurred when he built his own 31 ft. Trimaran Sail Boat, with zero sailing experience, and departed Santa Cruz, California for the Hawaiian Islands in 1976. With $8 dollars in his pocket he sailed off into the sunset for the 2500 mile trek. After a year of bumming around the Islands from one anchorage to another, living at The Captain Cook Monument in Kealakekua Bay, the Lahaina Roadstead, or Hanalei Bay Kauai, it was time to get back onto dry land and figure out what to do with his life! In August of 1977 he literally stumbled upon a newly opened Solahart office. He was on foot with only an 8 ft. rowing dinghy as his transportation. It wasn’t long before the Hawaii State Distributor gave Ken the Dealership for the Big Island. In those days if you earned enough for a bag of groceries and a six pack you were doing well; but, equipped with a good general mechanical ability, sales training beginning with selling pots and pans door to door at 12 years old, and some old fashioned common sense, he was on his way! Fast forward 43 years to 2020 and over 6000 solar installations on the Big Island! We are still going strong and continue to serve new customers and our existing loyal clientele everyday.