Our Story
Pacific Data Services has been part of the Hawaii business community for over 55 years. We're not a franchise or a mainland company that set up a local office — we were born here, and we've never left.
Pacific Data Services was founded in Honolulu in 1969 by Phil Bennet. At the time, Hawaii's small businesses had limited options for payroll services — most were expensive, inflexible, and operated by mainland companies that didn't understand the unique needs of Hawaii employers, including Hawaii's own mandatory benefits like TDI, the Prepaid Health Care Act, and the state's complex withholding requirements.
Phil saw an opportunity to build something different: a local, personal, affordable payroll service built specifically for Hawaii businesses. He built PDS from the ground up, developing software tailored to Hawaii's payroll requirements and building relationships with local businesses one at a time.
Eric Bennet joined the firm in 1984 and has been part of the PDS team ever since. He now leads the company with the same commitment Phil started with: personal service, fair pricing, and deep knowledge of Hawaii's business environment.
“If we aren’t a fit, you can leave and we will help you transition to your next service.”
That’s been our policy since 1969. No long-term contracts. No exit fees. Just honest service.
We know Hawaii payroll inside out — TDI, PHCA, HW-4, UC-B6. We've been filing these forms for decades. We're not reading from a manual; we've lived it.
When you call, you reach people who know you and your business. Not a toll-free number. Not a ticketing system. Real people in Honolulu.
You can enter your own hours, or we can handle data entry for you. Import from time clocks, POS systems, or spreadsheets. We adapt to how you work.
Month-to-month, always. If we're not the right fit, we'll help you transition. That's a promise we've kept since 1969.