Joe Viola

In the beginning of 2022, Joe Viola expanded his executive leadership responsibilities and was promoted to Senior Vice President, Customer, Legal and Regulatory Affairs.

In his previous role as vice president of Regulatory Affairs and Business Strategies, Viola was responsible for all proceedings before the state Public Utilities Commission. His area also included the pricing division, which develops advanced rate designs and administers compliance with all existing rate schedules.

Viola's responsibilities also included initiatives to support the electrification of transportation and to develop revenues from nontraditional business opportunities.

Before assuming his leadership roles in 2014, Viola served as an attorney in Hawaiian Electric's legal department for more than 13 years, beginning as associate general counsel and progressing to director of the department.

Before joining Hawaiian Electric, Viola was a litigation attorney in California and in Honolulu and was also a law clerk for Hawaii Supreme Court Chief Justice Ronald Moon. He was an adjunct professor for several years at the University of Hawaii, Richardson School of Law.

Viola holds a bachelor's degree from the State University in New York at Binghamton and a law degree from the University of California, Hastings College of the Law. He is licensed in Hawaii and California.

He serves on the board of directors of the Institute for Human Services and the Oahu Economic Development Board. He previously served as a board trustee for the Hawaii Blood Bank.