20 for the Next 20: Sharilyn Tanaka, Atlas Insurance Agency

This senior VP discovered a passion for the multifaceted world of insurance, from locating the best coverage to securing funds for fire-impacted businesses.

Sharilyn Tanaka
Senior VP of Personal Lines / Independent Agents, Atlas Insurance Agency 

Insurance was Sharilyn Tanaka’s first job out of college. “When I started, I thought I’d work for a couple of years and then figure out what to do with the rest of my life,” she says. “I never left. It’s the best industry, the best career.”

She says she loves the complexity of insurance and its ever-changing nature. “There is always something to learn. I enjoy helping people, too, whether it’s finding them the best coverage or, if need be, guiding them through a loss.”

Tanaka attended UH Mānoa and lives in ‘Aiea with her husband and three young sons.

At Atlas, she manages 41 independent agents in her division, which she grew by 50% in 2023. She was instrumental in launching Atlas’ Private Client Group, which focuses on high net-worth clients. “This segment of business has been successful on the mainland but there was no one in Hawai‘i who was doing that,” says Tanaka.

“Sharilyn continues to progress and grow as an emerging young leader, not just here at Atlas but also within the community,” says Atlas President Chason Ishii. “She is very involved in the housing industry in addition to the insurance industry, as it is so important in shaping the future. Her positive enthusiasm is infectious.”

When the Maui fires hit, Tanaka leveraged her expertise and connections to help secure federal funding for small business recovery, and provided counseling and education on how to navigate insurance claims.

Tanaka sits on the board of the Hawai‘i Homeownership Center. “I’ve seen how homeownership transforms lives and impacts a family,” says Tanaka. Through financial education and aid, she says, people who have rented their whole lives can now afford their own homes and “provide a stable household environment for their children.”

She is also the new board president of the Hawai‘i Independent Insurance Agents Association.

A past Patsy T. Mink Leadership Alliance cohort member, Tanaka is on the YWCA board of directors, where she collaborates on the organization’s strategic 10-year plan and works on the YWCA’s 100-year anniversary, coming up in 2027. The YWCA is “near and dear to my heart,” she says. “It’s about helping women business owners, not only in opening and growing a business but also … to overcome obstacles. It’s showing them what is possible, that you yourself are enough to make your dreams come true.