The number of Native Hawaiian- and other Pacific Islander-owned businesses grew 49.4 percent between 1997 and 2002, over three times the national average of 10.3 percent for all businesses. The 28,948 businesses generated about $4.3 billion in revenues, up 3.4 percent from 1997. This is according to a new report, Survey of Business Owners: Native Hawaiian- and Other Pacific Islander-Owned Firms: 2002 [PDF], released today by the U.S. Census Bureau.

     More than half (58 percent) of all Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander firms were Native Hawaiian-owned (16,776). Guamanian- or Chamorran-owned firms accounted for 13.1 percent (3,797) and Samoan-owned firms comprised 7.6 percent (2,204). Other Pacific Islander-owned firms, which are not Native Hawaiian-, Guamanian- or Chamorran-, or Samoan-owned, accounted for 21.8 percent of the total firms (6,324).

     Nearly 13 percent of all Native Hawaiian- and other Pacific Islander-owned firms had paid employees in 2002. These 3,693 businesses employed more than 29,000 people and generated revenues of $3.5 billion. The average receipts for these firms were $948,323.

     Other highlights:

• In 2002, nearly 21,000 Native Hawaiian- and other Pacific Islander-owned firms operated in health care and social assistance; other services (such as personal services, and repair and maintenance); retail trade; administrative and support and waste management and remediation services; professional, scientific and technical services; and construction.
  
  
• Construction accounted for 21.2 percent of all Native Hawaiian- and other Pacific Islander-owned business revenue.
  
  
• There were 727 Native Hawaiian- and other Pacific Islander-owned firms with receipts of $1 million or more. These firms accounted for 2.5 percent of the total number of Native Hawaiian- and other Pacific Islander-owned firms and 66.8 percent of their total receipts.
  
  
• There were 28 Native Hawaiian- and other Pacific Islander-owned firms with 100 employees or more, generating more than $698 million in gross receipts (19.9 percent of the total revenue for Native Hawaiian- and other Pacific Islander-owned employer firms).
  
  
• Two states — Hawaii and California — accounted for 62.3 percent ($2.7 billion) of all Native Hawaiian- and other Pacific Islander-owned business revenue.
  
  
• States accounting for the highest number of Native Hawaiian- and other Pacific Islander-owned firms included Hawaii, California, New York, Florida and Texas.
  
  
• Hawaii and California accounted for 64.9 percent (10,887) of all Native Hawaiian-owned firms.
  
  
• California accounted for 46.1 percent (1,752) of all Guamanian- or Chamorran-owned firms.
  
  
• Honolulu County, Hawaii, had the largest number of Native Hawaiian- and other Pacific Islander-owned firms in 2002 with 5,052. These businesses accounted for 17.5 percent of all Native Hawaiian- and other Pacific Islander-owned businesses and generated $1 billion in receipts.
  
  
• For cities, Honolulu led the nation with 2,415 Native Hawaiian- and other Pacific Islander-owned firms with revenues of $615 million. New York was second in number of firms (2,341) with business revenue of $68 million.

     The 2002 Survey of Business Owners (SBO) defines Native Hawaiian- and other Pacific Islander-owned businesses as firms in which Native Hawaiians, Samoans, Guamanians or Chamorrans, and other Pacific Islanders (who are not Native Hawaiians, Guamanians or Chamorrans, or Samoans) own 51 percent or more of the stock or equity of the business. Data by gender of ownership by all race groups and people of Hispanic or Latino origin will be issued in August.

     Later this year, information on the characteristics of businesses and their owners will be released for the first time in more than a decade. Information will be provided on home-based, family-owned and franchised businesses as well as information about sources of capital. Information also will be provided about age, hours worked, educational attainment and veteran status of business owners.