Edmund C. Olson Passes

Edmund C. Olson, 93, former Trustee and CEO of the Edmund C. Olson Trust No. 2, passed away on July 15, 2024, at his home in Hilo, Hawaiʻi.

 Mr. Olson was a highly successful self-made businessman and philanthropist who made a significant impact on the quality of life for many people, especially residents on the Big Island of Hawaii.  He was a savvy entrepreneur that had a great vision for new opportunities and always found a way to help those in need.  Most importantly he cared about people and giving back to the community he loved. 

Mr. Olson formed and led the Edmund C Olson Trust No.2 (Olson Trust), which owns and operates several diverse businesses in Hawaiʻi and California.  In Hawaiʻi, where Mr. Olson has made his home for the last 15 years, he led the Olson Trust, which owns over 15,000 acres of land, most of which is dedicated to sustainable agriculture.  He started the Ka’ū Coffee Mill in order to provide Ka’ū coffee growers a place to process their coffee which led to a significant growth in the Ka’ū coffee region.  Mr. Olson operated thousands of acres of macadamia nut orchards and purchased Hāmākua Macadamia Nut Company to process and market the nuts.

In the early 2000’s, Mr. Olson partnered with Troy Keolanui to form O.K. Farms in Hilo, a tropical fruit and macadamia farm.  Keolanui had worked for Mr. Olson since the late 80’s and developed a close relationship that endured the business partnership.  Mr. Keolanui stated, "He made everyone feel like family; we will truly miss him."

The Olson Trust also owns A-American Self-Storage, which is a chain of self-storage facilities based in Los Angeles.  At the height of its existence, Mr. Olson rapidly grew the business and A-American had over 100 locations.  It was the 5th largest self-storage operator in the country.  Prior to starting his self-storage empire, he was a contractor and early adopter of Gunite.  He built thousands of pools and commercial projects all over the West Coast using this sprayable concrete.

In June of 2024, Mr. Olson was honored by the Trust for Public Lands for his lifetime of work and contributions towards conservation of public spaces which benefit the community.  He was also honored by the Ka’u Coffee Coop for his leadership and development in building the district’s first coffee mill and establishing the local coffee industry there.

Mr. Olson’s mission, legacy and philanthropy will continue beyond his passing through the Edmund C. Olson Foundation.  The foundation will continue to give back to the people of Hawaii and to preserve its land.