CLICK HERE for digests of Recent Luncheon Meetings (open to the public).

March 2009 BOARDROOM SERIES RECAP. On Wednesday March 25th the Boardroom series had a Foreign Trade Zone presentation by the Director of FTZ No. 9, Greg Barbour. The benefits of a small business that imports or exports goods became clear after the presentation that included a discussion of how the program works. It is amazing that there are 14 free trade zones in the State of Hawaii and that all imports are not taxed by customs within those free trade zones until the goods are processed out of the zone. Greg explained that this meant that for oil companies, like Tesoro, the free trade zone processing of crude oil is not subject to customs and duty for all fuel used for international flights!

FTZ has 500,000 square feet under its Pier 2 facility with more than 26,000 square feet in office incubator space. There are more than 300 clients with gross revenues in 2008 of close to $2 million. Programs include inexpensive warehousing space and inexpensive office space on the waterfront opposite Restaurant Row. When you add in all the other building tenants, which include most of the customs brokers, shipping agencies, US Export Assistance Center, US Customs, and EXIM Bank - it makes for a terrific location for importers/exporters.

FTZ helps businesses who want to develop their own FTZ designation and status for their business site and has already provided such assistance to groups like the petroleum refiners, the National Energy Lab in Kona and others. The FTZ has also started a new series of classes on exporting for start-up companies.

There were so many great questions and a lively discussion! Thank you to all participants.

February 2009 BOARDROOM SERIES RECAP. On February 17, 2009, seventeen HSBP members attended the RAPID Technology LLC boardroom at their studio. Our host Emil Reyes, CEO; spoke about where they began, where they are now and where they hope to be in five to ten years from now. Russ Ogi, COO explained how the technology actual works and how it can benefit almost any business and improve their bottom line. RAPID’s techniques and technologies can help businesses achieve their client's end goals in the most effective and efficient manner. An untimely power outage in the Executive Tower prevented Russ from demonstrating the technology. But we were able to touch and see several models that were created by 3D Printing technology. For more information: http://www.ThinkRapid.com

January 2009 BOARDROOM SERIES RECAP. On January 21, 2009, fifteen HSBP members enjoyed a relaxing visit with Phyllis Moore-Shelby at Shelby’s Sweets a southern style tea room. Phyllis shared the story of her journey of going from a flight attendant with a web-based business selling gift baskets of her sweets to opening her Tea Room and bakery.  With the help of the Hawaii Women’s Business Center doors opened in October of 2008 and business has been keeping her very busy.  All of the baking is done at the Pacific Gateway Culinary Incubator and the finishing touches are done at the shop.  Attendees enjoyed several delicious treats including sandwich wraps, mini chocolate cup cakes (frosted by our own Biz Kellam), sweet potato and pecan nut tarts, mini quiches and red velvet and cream cheese cupcakes.  Yummy!  The shop also hosts afternoon teas featuring scones, finger sandwiches, dessert and beverages.  All “Made with Southern Charm and Hawaiian Flair”. Go to  http://www.ShelbysSweetsHawaii.com for more information.

November 2008 BOARDROOM SERIES RECAP. On November 5, 2008 HSBP members enjoyed an exclusive and private visit to The Wedding Ring Shop. Michael Han, Owner and President of The Wedding Ring Shop spoke to HSBP members and shared the mission of the company and his vision for the future of his business. Opened at Ala Moana Center in 1987, its mission was to help people celebrate life’s greatest moments by providing legendary service and fine jewelry of the highest standards. Today, more than 20 years later, this mission remains the foundation of their success. Their new flagship store is a building made possible by the thousands of their customers and their precious loyalty. While they have been fortunate to be able to depend on the loyalty of their customers The Wedding Ring Shop is beginning to feature a larger variety of jewelry which will appeal not only to the “wedding ring” shopper. Also on hand was Denise Koenig, General Manager, and Maria Montes, Fine Jewelry Consultant, who took us on a tour of the newly renovated store and treated members to an up close look at the “Hearts on Fire” diamond “The World's Most Perfectly Cut Diamond® “ which is sold exclusively at The Wedding Ring Shop.

September 2008 BOARDROOM SERIES RECAP. On Tuesday, September 8, 2008, at 3:30 p.m. the HSBP Boardroom had the great opportunity to have all of our questions about the Superferry answered. We toured the entire ship and sat in the comfortable seats in the exclusive forward section and the aft section sports bar. We learned about the satellite downlink TV and wi-fi interconnectivity. More importantly we heard about the new development of the Big Island route and the new ship coming on-line in April, 2009. The car deck is huge! Touring the car deck and hearing about the loading of semis and trucks and the loading and off-loading of cars was terrific. We learned that Superferry has just opened an available parking lot next to the boat. This was a great opportunity to hear about the voyage to and from Maui, and to hear about the wonderful ocean-side views of the coast of Molokai on the route back from Maui to Honolulu. Many thanks to Superferry for accomodating our members!

August 2008 BOARDROOM SERIES RECAP. On August 19, 2008, HSBP members met with Hazel Bey, Associate Dean for Academics, The William S. Richardson School of Law, University of Hawaii. The law school presentation was a great preview of the wonderful existing programs at William S. Richardson School of Law. The law school reflects the tremendous diversity in population reflected in the State and is one of the top fifteen of the most difficult schools to get into in the US. In addition, it is one of the smallest law schools in the US which means that the curriculum and student body mirror the Hawaii spirit of civility and congeniality. Unique areas of expertise include Asian Pacific law and Native Hawaiian law as well as one of the most outstanding elder law and environmental law programs in the US. Now the law school has embarked upon a new and exciting program to provide the opportunity of a legal education to those who work full-time and can only attend law school in the evenings. The new class of the part time evening law school commences today with orientation on August 19th with full classes starting next Monday. The group had the opportunity to hear from Dean Hazel Beh who heads up the new program and had the opportunity to ask questions about the new programs and opportunities.

July 2008 BOARDROOM SERIES RECAP. On July 15, 2008, HSBP members met with Lisa Gibson the President and Founder of the Hawaii Science and Technology Council.  Ms. Gibson shared an overview of the Hawaii Science and Technology Council, an industry association whose mission is to represent industry in an effort to accelerate the growth of Hawaii’s science and technology economy.
Much of the council’s focus is on Act 221 that has helped create more than 1,000 jobs and resulted in significant funding for Hawaii companies.  Since its enactment in 2001, Hawaii has seen substantial expansion in technology tax incentives compared to previous years. Act 221 was designed to increase the growth momentum in Hawaii for technology industries and to attract the attention of technology companies and investors worldwide looking for expansion and investment opportunities.  Since 2001 Hawaii has moved 11 up places in national rankings of technology states.
Ms. Gibson is also the President and Founder of the Hawaii Science and Technology Institute, the sister 501(c)3 charitable organization of the Council whose mission is to serve Hawaii’s low income communities through education and the creation of living wage jobs in the science, technology and innovation sectors.

May 2008 Boardroom – Martin & MacArthur. On May 29, 2008 Hawaii Society of Business Professionals visited the Martin & MacArthur factory and showroom. Lloyd Jones spoke to us about the history of the company which was established in 1961. Martin & MacArthur operates four stores selling furniture and other fine Hawaiian craft products. They also manufacture and supply a large variety of wood molding to picture frame companies.
Lloyd Jones explained that while he manages the marketing end of the business his partner Jon Martin operates the manufacturing end of the business. Mr. Martin selects the boards for each piece of furniture that is made by Hawaii's most talented craftspeople. Each item is made from start to finish by one craftsman. And while they do fill requests for custom designed furniture most of their furniture is replicas of old Hawaiian style furniture.
The company employs over 70 people with varied skills such as fine woodworking and finishing, retail and wood processing. Martin & MacArthur has attempted to contribute to the community in which we work, by providing jobs for challenged and disadvantaged workers, creating an apprenticeship program for furniture makers and actively participating in community organizations.
Mr. Jones and Mr. Martin took the group on a tour of their 24,000 square foot facility where we were able to see their craftsmen at work and where we could see and touch the beautiful inventory of woods.

April 2008 Boardroom - Actus Lend Lease. Actus Lend Lease is the nation’s leader in military housing privatization with over 40,000 housing units in its portfolio throughout the United States. Here in Hawaii, it is the managing partner for Army Hawaii Family Housing and the Air Force’s Hickam Community Housing. Our speaker Bennette Misalucha Evangelista, Vice President and Regional Director for Government and Community Relations presented an overview of the Army Hawaii Family Housing (AHFH), 50-year partnership created between the Department of the Army and Actus Lend Lease through the Military Housing Privatization Initiative (MHPI). The $2.33 billon project calls for the construction of 5,388 new homes, the renovation/restoration of 2,506 existing homes and nine new community centers during the ten-year initial development period It includes the restoration of several historic homes on Hickam Air Force, Schofield and Ft. Shafter Army bases. The project provides jobs for more than 400 individuals with a payroll of $30 million. 99% of their employees are Hawaii residents and 94% of their subcontractors are local small businesses. In line with the company’s commitment to sustainability the project will also boast one of the world’s largest solar-powered communities providing approximately 30% of the housings’ electrical needs through photovoltaic panels. Several HSBP members were fortunate enough to stay for a tour of the homes.
CLICK HERE for a PDF of the presentation (7.4mb).

On Monday, March 10, 2008, HSBP Boardroom series covered the film and digital industry with presentations by Georja Skinner, the DBEDT Chief Officer of the Creative Industries Division giving an overview of the industry in Hawaii and the great efforts of the State to enhance the industry. A second presentation by Ruth Bolan, the executive Director for Pacific Islanders in Communication, focused on how the creative process works in the Pacific and how PIC (which is funded in part by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting) supports and nurtures film makers in the Pacific. The second presentation included exclusive snippets of the riveting films of "Men in Hula" and "Black Grace", PIC is assisting the film makers whose current projects include a new National Geographic series on treasured elders in the Pacific and the new film on Mao Pilaung (sp?) whose knowledge of celestial navigation assisted in creating the body of knowledge used by the Hawaiian Voyaging Society.

February 2008 - Dr. Diane Thompson, Medical Director of the Cancer Center Program at the new Queens Cancer Center shared an overview about the center and how it not only has some of the best medical technology but also provides a full range of services to patients, survivors and families. Dr. Thompson explained that while the number of cancer cases is decreasing, survivors are living longer and the center is able to provide services that will enrich each the quality of life for survivors. Some of these services include: “A Patient Navigator” a service which helps survivors and their families cope with everything from financial coordination, childcare, transportation, scheduling of appointments and more. Patients are also given their medical care history on a sim card so they and their primary care physician can easily access their cancer medical history.

After the presentation Darlena Chadwick; R.N. MSN and VP of Patient Care, Queens Cancer Center took the group on a tour of the Center which was designed to be warm, comfortable and welcoming. Every service a patient needs is located in the Center including radiology, counseling, lab work, admitting etc. so patients do not have to go to the main hospital building.

January 2008 - Mark Fukunaga, Chairman and CEO of Servco Pacific Inc. shared a little history about this third generation family business going back to 1919 when his grandfather Peter Fukunaga opened a two-car garage in Haleiwa on Oahu's North Shore. The timeline of businesses owned and sold by Servco through the years was a like a stroll down memory lane for some and a surprise to others. Mark also shared his views on how this family run business has successfully made it through three generations and what lies ahead for the fourth generation. Through it all Servco still believes in three basic principles that its owner, Peter Fukunaga, developed to build his business way back: “satisfy customers, have dedicated employees and make a personal commitment to hard work.” To that end, employees have developed a set of Servco shared values that are summed up by the acronym “Team Servco.” It stands for Teamwork, Enjoyment, Achievement, Motivation, Service, Excellence, Respect, Vision, Communication and Ownership. After the presentation we all enjoyed a tour of the 39,000-square-foot Servco Auto Honolulu property, which showcases a wide selection of Toyota & Suzuki vehicles. The dealership is state-of-the-art yet warm and inviting, with comfortable seating areas and open-air displays reflective of a warm Hawaiian sense of place.

December 2007 - Kanu Hawai‘i founding director, James Koshiba took us through his most recent venture. Central to Kanu’s philosophy is the principle that positive action for a better tomorrow can spread if people, companies, and government agencies are willing to lead by example. Kanu Hawaii's members commit to actions that express island values and help solve island problems - small steps like mentoring a child, conserving water, spending consciously, treating others with respect, or a host of other actions. Founded by a group of 40 young people who share a deep love for the islands. The mission of Kanu Hawaii is to encourage personal action and advocacy to create a preferred future for Hawaii. The presentation was as inspiring as it’s founder James Koshiba who was also the founding principal of 3Point, a public interest research and consulting firm working exclusively with nonprofits, schools and other socially motivated ventures. Koshiba also worked to create Envision Hawai‘i, a network of more than 400 young public servants and social entrepreneurs.

November 2007 - An amazing presentation by Anton C. Krucky, Co-Founder, President and CEO of Tissue Genesis, Incorporated, took members through the revolutionary area of vascular tissue engineering, bioengineering and regenerative medicine. Since beginning their operations in 2002 they have become a high-growth company in the field of regenerative medicine, using a patient’s own therapeutic cells to coat implants, repair damaged tissue, heal disease, and address other medical concerns. Tissue Genesis has received U.S. Army contracts for its research and development of cell based therapies and cell delivery systems. The total for these contracts has been over $20 million. And they expect to enter clinical trials in 2008 that will directly help our soldiers and veterans. Mr. Krucky, a former IBM Executive also responded to questions on how he started Tissue Genesis, Inc. After the presentation members were also taken on a tour of the laboratory where company scientist were working.

September 2007 - Hawaii Society of Business Professionals enjoyed an exclusive presentation and tour of the revitalization project at the Royal Hawaiian Shopping Center. After an educational and engaging presentation by Marleen Akau, General Manager and Manu Boyd, Cultural Director, members were taken on a tour of the historic property. Princess Pauahi's Legacy, “Hanohano Helumoa” is a reflection of the esteem that our kupuna held for this area as a beloved "wahi pana," a place rich with stories and spirit. In the spirit of Princess Pauahi, whose commitment to Hawaiian culture and education has benefited generations, the Center is proud to serve as the gathering place of the new Waikiki and a forum for Hawaiian culture.

Attendees were also treated to delicious pastries from one of the Center’s newest merchants - Satura Cakes!

August 2007 - Ms. Stephanie A. Whalen, President and Director of the Hawaii Agriculture Research Center (HARC), formerly the Hawaiian Sugar Planters' Association shared a presentation about the new vision for reusing the former Del Monte pineapple factory site center. Included in the presentation was who all the partners are that will be involved in the reuse of this site and about the dynamic role played by HARC, the City and County and, most important, of all the farming community. Attendees heard about the new developments to the site and the new direction of farm production and farm product processing on Oahu and the new opportunities that the Del Monte site will bring Hawaii.

May 2007 – Hawaii Superferry – Tom Dick, Vice Chairman, Hawaii Superferry, explained the key strategic considerations for any entrepreneur planning a start-up business and specifically regarding Hawaii Superferry, which is slated to begin service in July 2007.  Tom Dick has extensive experience as a venture capital consultant for Boston Consulting and is an entrepreneur and founder of World Pages and Hawaii Superferry.

March 2007 – Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies (APCSS)- HSBP members received a private tour of APCSS, which is not normally open to the public.  APCSS invites military and civilian leaders of the U.S. and 45 Asia-Pacific nations to take its courses and conferences, which address regional and global security issues.  The Center supports the U.S. Pacific Command’s objective of developing professional and personal ties among national security establishments throughout the region, building relationships of trust and confidence amongst future leaders and decision-makers within the region.

February 2007 – Pacific Aviation Museum Pearl Harbor – HSBP members enjoyed a private tour of this brand new museum, located at a former seaplane hangar that survived the December 7, 1941 attack.  The 25,000 square-foot museum is filled with WWII artifacts, including actual aircraft from WWII – a P-40 fighter, SBD Dauntless dive-bomber, a Grumman Wildcat and an authentic Japanese Zero.

January 2007 – Manoa Heritage Center – Sam and Mary Cooke, owners of the Manoa Heritage Center, gave HSBP members a private tour of this facility, which includes a heiau and native Hawaiian garden.  The center opened to private showings last year by appointment only and is not yet officially open to the general public.

November 2006 – Hawaii’s Looming Hospital Crisis – Chuck Sted, CEO of Hawaii Pacific Health, explained the financial crisis that threatens the viability of the State’s hospitals.  Hawaii hospitals can no longer absorb losses resulting from inadequate government reimbursements and health-care premiums.  Hawaii premiums are 27 percent below national averages, while Hawaii hospital costs are significantly higher.  Higher health-care premiums are in the near future.

October 2006 - Those that braved the morning traffic on H1 were treated to a riveting presentation on the state of cancer in our state from three renowned scientists at the Cancer Resarch Center.  This is an organization that is doing leading edge research but you seldom hear about it. HSBP members had the opportunity to hear talks from Dr. Carl Wilhelm Vogel (the Executive Director), Dr. Larry Kolonel Larry (Center Deputy Director, and Director Epidemiology Program) and Dr. Michele Carbone, a dashing Italian epidemiologist and malihini. Among other things, we learned that different ethnic groups are susceptible to different rates of cancer and interestingly enough groups such as first generation Japanese, who historically had low rates of certain cancers back in the motherland, had much higher incidences of this disease in this country. Perhaps the highlight of the morning was the presentation by Dr. Carbone who gave us a first hand look at his research of mesothelioma a cancer caused by exposure to carcinogenic fibers of a asbestos-like substance found in the stone (used in building material) in a small Turkish village.

September 2006 - HSBP members got a tour de force of the Bishop Museum from Blair Collis the Museum’s Vice President of Public Operations, a young Australian (and UH grad) who provided the color commentary.  Founded in 1889 by Charles Reed Bishop in honor of his late wife, Princess Bernice Pauahi Bishop, the last descendant of the royal Kamehameha family it was established to house a collection of Hawaiian artifacts and royal family heirlooms of the Princess.  As the years rolled by it expanded to include millions of artifacts, documents and photographs about Hawai‘i and other Pacific island cultures.  Today, it’s the largest museum in the state and the premier natural and cultural history institution in the Pacific. For example it houses one of the largest natural history specimen collections in the world.  The highlights of our visit were a guided tour of Na Hulu Ali’i, the royal feather collection, and a visit to the Science Adventure Center, a new 16,500 square-foot facility designed to highlight Hawaii’s diverse environment.

July 2006 – Future Culinary Institute of the Pacific – HSBP members enjoyed breakfast prepared by Chef Grant Sato and chefs in training and an excellent presentation about the future “Culinary Institute of the Pacific”, an extraordinary LEED (Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design) building to be constructed at the site of the former Cannon Club on the side of Diamond Head.   Speakers included Ms. Carol Hoshiko—Dean of Culinary, Hospitality and College Advancement at Kapiolani Community College, Conrad Nonaka—Director of the Culinary Institute of the Pacific, and Larry Fuller—President & Publisher of PBN.

June 2006 – Hawaii’s Emergency Preparedness – HSBP members enjoyed an insider’s view and tour of the National Weather Forecast Office.  Andy Nash, Director of Operations at the Honolulu Forecast Office, and Gerard Fryer—Geophysicist with the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center, discussed Hawaii’s preparedness for responding to weather and tsunami related disasters.  HSBP members gained valuable insight into our warning services, government preparedness and our individual responsibilities in case of emergencies.

April 2006 – Challenges Facing Labor Unions in Hawaii– Randy Perreira is President of the Hawaii State American Federation of Labor & Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO) and an HGEA senior executive for many years.  Mr. Perreira presented an assessment of the union movement nationally and key local issues, including hotel negotiations, sick leave, workers compensation and unemployment insurance.

March 2006 – What You Should Know About Identity Theft – Sergeant Jensen Okagawa, Honolulu Police Department, provided detailed information on how to protect ourselves and our businesses from identify theft and the steps to take immediately if it does occur.  Sergeant Okagawa increased our awareness of “pretexting”, or techniques used to manipulate people into performing actions or divulging confidential information.

February 2006 - Hawaii Biotech was established 22 years ago by four professors from the University of Hawaii to engage in the research and development of vaccines. In its early years, Hawaii Biotech operated as a “Research Boutique”. During this time, they developed their own unique vaccine technology capable of being applied to a wide variety of diseases such as West Nile and Dengue fever. This “generic” platform allows them to quickly adjust their product focus. For example, with the recent international attention on the Bird Flu, Hawaii Biotech was able to quickly begin research on a Bird Flu vaccine. Hawaii Biotech believes that their technology and generic platform put them in a very competitive position in the industry.

Hawaii Biotech’s main resources for funding are from federal grants and private investment. The grant money is used to fund vaccine research and the private investment is used to fund research of the anti-inflammatory product Cardax, which is said to be a safe alternative to Vioxx. In 2005, Hawaii Biotech obtained $12.6 million in grants and $6.5 million in private investment.

According to Scott Howard, Senior Director of Operations, Hawaii Biotech has experienced significant growth in recent years, expanding from 12 employees in 1999 to a peak of 73 employees in 2005. The offices and laboratories of Hawaii Biotech take up about 25,000 square feet of space in the Hawaii Sugar Planters Association building in Aiea. Following Scott’s presentation, we put on protective lab coats and eyewear and were treated to a tour of the laboratories.

Hawaii Biotech is a local company that is privately held. The company tries to promote local interest in life sciences with the objective of developing and maintaining a thriving biotech industry in Hawaii. They care very much that future generations, interested in working in scientific fields, will have a place to work here in Hawaii.

November 2005 - November's Boardroom meeting was timely and thought provoking. Dr. James Kumagai, Vice President for Campus Development and Management at the Queens Medical Center (QMC) presented a clear picture of the Center's current readiness to provide emergency medical care in the context of the hurricane Katrina experience. His presentation included a historical review dating back to 1850 to the hospital's current capacities and capabilities. His focus was on the challenges associated with providing modern medical care and with increasing QMC's capability of providing self sustained medical care in the event a natural disaster.

QMC recognizes that today's patient expects the following:

Patient Experience
Participation in decisions
Convenience & comfort
Safety
Privacy
Highest Standard of Care is the best
Technology is painless, non-invasive

In the area of providing leading edge medical technology, Dr. Kumagai depicted how the rising cost of that technology is staggering:

The project design objectives include availability 24/7 (24 hours per day, 7 days per week, 365 days per year) and full service through natural disasters with reliable fail-safe performance. In contrast, the Katrina experience was that no hospital remained in operation and most hospitals had no power, no water, no air conditioning. no showers and no toilets.

QMC's basic requirements are to have emergency power to drive the entire hospital since every bit of medical technology requires electricity. The Center is fortunate to have its own water well but will need power to pump it. With electrical power, the hospital will be able to pump sewage to the City and County sewer system but if that system is down, sewage will back up into the hospital. Additionally, QMC is planning to provide shelter for patients, families and staff.

Dr. Kugamai stated that QMC can operate under its own power for three days and is working to increase that capacity to seven days. He believes that after seven days, federal and state resources will become available and essential utilities will come back on line. Once QMC solves its challenges, it plans to work with other hospitals and government agencies to develop integrated and coordinated solutions.

The session stimulated forty minutes of questions and answers focused on concerns of our states readiness to respond to the special needs created by a natural disaster. The general consensus was that readiness is an expensive proposition requiring coordinated planning between private and government organizations and that we have a lot of work in front of us.


October 2005 - Mr. Chatt Wright, President Hawaii Pacific University addressed the challenges associated with growing Hawaii Pacific University into the future at the October Board Room Series.

Mr. Wright explained that Hawaii Pacific College was founded by four local residents who wanted a liberal arts college. The college was first located in a house in Nuuanu. When he joined Hawai'i Pacific in 1972 as its founding business administration dean, this small college had a student body of 57 students and an annual budget of only $200,000. The college was then located in the Davies Pacific Building. Interestingly, 50 of the 57 students were Pacific Islanders who were federally funded. At that time, the dress and customs of the Pacific Islander students were not accepted by all and there was a movement to have the college leave the building.

Later in 1976, the college was bankrupt and Mr. Wright, a 34 year old, stepped up to the plate and became President of Hawai'i Pacific. He gathered the key personnel and developed a vision for developing the concept of a college promoting free enterprise. Since Hawaii at the time was dominated by the Big Five and Labor Unions, his vision ran against the grain. Since that time, Hawai'i Pacific has grown to become Hawai'i Pacific University with a student body of close to 9,000 and an annual budget of approximately $95 million.

He described student body demographics as being 1/3 local, 1/3 mainland and 1/3 international. HPU is a perfect environment for education for global citizenship. The three largest contingents of foreign students are from Sweden, Japan and Germany, in that order. The university currently has about 250 full time faculty with doctorate degrees.

The most serious challenge facing HPU is housing international students. Generally, after the first year, they go out into the community and find their accommodations.

Marketing is a key component of HPU's success. The university has five regional representatives working in the mainland who attend the regional college fairs. HPU has an exclusive agreement with United for a ninety second video on every flight that shows a film. Estimate is that 34,000 people see that video every day. The video leads to the in flight magazine which leads to the web site.

HPU's success enabled it to acquire the Hawaii Loa college and campus in Windward Oahu in 1992. Hawaii Loa had 150 students at the time and today the campus supports the education of 1,300 nursing students plus others. HPU has also acquired Oceanic Institute and the land at Makapuu Point and leases space to Sea Life Park.

The long range plan is to have three campuses with the Hawaii Loa campus becoming the hub.

Mr. Wright plans to retire in four years and has initiated a strategic planning process to create a blue print for the future. The process will basically consist of the staff and faculty identifying needs; experts developing resulting facility and infrastructure requirements and the trustee group turning needs into concepts resulting in a clear vision. During this period of strategic planning, the university will be looking for capable and enthusiastic leaders. Mr. Wright envisions his successor being responsible to raise requisite funds to turn the concepts into realities.

His advice to those wanting to grow an organization was to not let rejection turn into defeat and to maintain focus on the goal.


September 2005 - Mr. Clint Churchill, Campbell Estate Trustee addressed the challenges associated with creating the Pacific Aviation Museum Pearl Harbor at our September Boardroom. He explained that the Pacific Aviation Museum Pearl Harbor is an initiative to establish an aviation museum utilizing three of the Ford Island hangars and control tower that survived the attack on Pearl Harbor. The museum has been in the pre-development phase for five years and plans to break ground by year-end for a December 2006 opening.

Mr. Churchill pointed out that Oahu is the only aerial battlefield without a museum. With pictures and architectural drawings, he depicted how the original hangars could be transformed into a magnificent history of military aviation. One hangar would be devoted to World War ll and the Pacific Theater while another hangar would focus on Korea, Vietnam and the Cold War. Located at Ford Island, the aviation museum would become a tremendous addition to the Arizona Memorial, the USS Missouri and the Bowfin.

As advertised in the HSBP announcement, Mr. Churchill addressed each of the following items:

1. Successful board formation (a previous effort failed.) Although a great concept, the original leadership groups didn't have the requisite influence and network to raise requisite funds.

2. Obtaining initial funding with a vision but no track record. One major business executive agreed to support the project and donated money. From his example, not only large but smaller businesses followed his lead. This initial funding became enough to develop a critical mass which turned the concept into a national level project. A funding consultant was hired to assess the feasibility of fund raising within the state, federal and City and County governments as well as business and private sectors. Subsequently, grants and Department of Defense funding became a reality. Since this has become a national level project, obtaining Mainland support is viewed as the largest challenge.

3. Development of a proposal and business plan to "sell" the US Navy. Finding a mutually beneficial relationship with the Navy was not difficult but an essential prerequisite.

4. Visitor experience development: a charette process. Considerable brain storming was employed to anticipate what most visitors would want to see and learn.

5. Planning the museum's physical features: architecture and engineering. Mr. Churchill emphasized the need to have architects and construction contractors coordinated from the beginning of the project. The design is intended to support expansion as visitor demand increases in such a way as to minimize remodeling costs.

The anticipated goal is to accommodate 360,000 visitors a year. Since the mission of the museum is education on flying and aviation history, the expectation is that 20,000 students will visit each year.

The Boardroom ended with an interesting series of questions and answers which provided further insights as to the challenges and solutions to make the dream a reality.

August 2005 - Dr. Patricia Zell made a presentation centered on the Akaka Bill at our August Boardroom Series which was held on the 26th of August at the Pacific Club. Dr. Zell's 25 years of working in the U.S. Senate in the area of Indian Affairs and her involvement with the development of the Akaka Bill, enabled her to share great insights and knowledge.
Her presentation started with a tutorial including definitions of such terms as Indian and tribe and a review of American Indian history as it related to the U.S. Congress and public policy. Dr. Zell described how the Congress vacillated on public policy in regard to Native American.
One of her major themes was that people who have control over education, public welfare policies and self determination result in people what are better off than those dependant upon federal or state programs. From her perspective, the Akaka Bill is intended to primarily allow Native Hawaiians the potential for self determination. To also create a stable legal foundation to assure programs intended for Native Hawaiians just as those programs are seen in the courts for Native Americans. She sees the Office of Hawaiian Affairs as a means for Native Hawaiians to give expression for self determination.
Dr. Zell also explained the evolution and history of the Hawaiian Homelands. She described the relationships between Native American leaders and governments in the Mainland as being cooperative and thinks that should also be the case in Hawaii.
Dr. Zell concluded by identifying the Akaka Bill's three components:
1. Authorization for native Hawaiians to organize.
2. Creation of two federal entities in the Department of the Interior and an interagency task force working on programs that would affect Native Hawaiians.
3. Enable the Native Hawaiian Government to negotiate with the state and federal governments concerning roles and responsibilities to include who would have jurisdiction over what matters.
The meeting ended with a spirited and educational discussion of issues and questions.

June 2005 - Randy Moore presented his perspective on the opportunities and challenges associated with implementing the "Reinventing Education Act of 2004" commonly referred to as Act 51 at the July 7th Boardroom Series. The attending HSBP members learned how the Legislatureís mandate is intended to change the Department of Education from a "command-and-control" organization with one-size-fits-all schools, to an organization where state wide student knowledge and performance standards are established. Individual schools are becoming responsible for determining, based on research, how best to get students in their schools to proficiency.
Randy first presented each attendee with the recently published 2005 ‚ 2008 DOE Strategic Plan. He described the tasks of defining and describing the desired public education outcomes. Randy also described the planning process for achieving the desired outcomes at the student as well as at the school and system-wide levels. Of great interest, Randy explained the implementation challenges.
Act 51 will have, perhaps its greatest impact at the individual school and principal level. The DOE will be responsible for defining the goals and objectives for student performance but the principal will be responsible for managing the allocated resources and selected methods based on student body characteristics. DOE has a highly capable cadre of principals who have risen through the DOE ranks. This is good because they know how to work within the DOE system. The down side is that it is hard for some to adapt to the evolving dictates.
Planning at the school level has traditionally consisted of doing next year what they're doing this year, with some tinkering around the edges. Randy sees, however, that planning is what needs to be done to achieve continuous improvement, principals are being prepared to implement this major sea change in planning and resource management.
Upon full implementation of Act 51, Randy envisions the following outcomes:
- Resources will go to schools based on student needs.
- Schools will decide how to allocate resources among staff, facilities and supplies.
- Schools will be responsible for managing financial resources and be held accountable for student achievement.
- Students learn at different paces that schools will need to accommodate.

April 2005 - Restoring the Magic of Waikiki - Melvin Y. Kaneshige - Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Outrigger Enterprises Inc. HSBP members enjoyed Mr. Kaneshige's presentation of Outrigger's Waikiki Beach Walk - the largest development project ever to be undertaken in Waikiki. Nearly eight acres along Lewers Street will be completely rebuilt and will emerge as a vibrant showcase and gathering place in the new Waikiki.

March 2005 – Marsha Wienert, Tourism Liaison, Department of Business, Economic Development & Tourism. Marsha spoke on how she has coordinated all of the different parts of the State of Hawaii Tourism including the Department of Transportation Airports, Highways and Harbors; the Department of Land & Natural Resources, Small Boat Harbors, Parks and Ocean Recreation Divisions and the visitor industry. She serves on the Governor's cabinet.

February 2005 – Tour of the new U.H. Medical School conducted by Acting Dean Dr. Samuel Shomaker and the Director of Physical Facilities Mr. Allan Ah San.

January 2005 – Bev Harbin, President and CEO of Employers Chamber of Commerce, spoke on the issues that concern small business owners as the 2005 Legislative session opens.

November 2004 – The Other Side of the Story: City Bank Responds – Presenter: Dean Hirata, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of City Bank. After two talks from Central Pacific Bank, HSBP members had an opportunity to hear Mr. Hirata give its side of the merger story. Mr. Hirata gave a snapshot of City Bank’s financial performance in which he argued that the Bank is simply managed too well to be taken over. He did not agree with CPB’s claims of synergy and maintained that City Bank has a special niche to fill in Hawaii’s banking community.

September 2004 – Measureable Management – Sometimes the best way to solve a problem is from the bottom up. HSBP members saw evidence of this during a Boardroom Series presentation by Rian Lau, associate director of the Small Business Development Center, and Eric Smith of TeamWorks. Kauai County selected some of their supervisors to be trained in the Measurable Management program and the county is realizing a net savings of nearly $120,000 per year as a result. Front line supervisors were trained in cost/benefit analysis, project planning, team building and presentations to implement their projects.

August 2004 – Waikiki’s Transformation – Rick Egged, president of the Waikiki Improvement Association (WIA). HSBP members discovered how a carefully nurtured alliance of businesses, residents and city government combined to boost Hawaii’s primary economic engine – Waikiki. Starting with a break-through Business Improvement District, WIA has helped turn a shelved 1989 plan into a Waikiki “agenda” by proceeding with less controversial ideas. In addition to city improvements, $500 million of private investment has been made to upgrade Waikiki since 1999 and another $700 million is on the books over the next five years.

July 2004 – Tesoro - A Refined Experience – Presenter – Paul Cannizzo, engineer. HSBP members enjoyed an informative presentation and tour of Tesoro Petroleum’s Campbell Industrial Park facility. One of two refineries in the islands, Tesoro supplies the islands with jet fuel, propane and gasoline with crude oil resources purchased worldwide. Cannizzo described the refining process and the various petroleum products that are extracted. With high security precautions in place, a mobile tour of the facility was provided by Cannizzo and engineer Jon Taketa.

May 2004 – Preventing Hawaii’s Consumer Scams – Patricia Moy, attorney for the DCCS securities and franchise laws, works with a staff of 17 and has approximately 150 open investigations and fielded over 2,000 calls last year. Much of her work prevents Hawaii consumers from being taken by Ponzi schemes and other unscrupulous investment “opportunities”.

April 2004 – Bringing Culture To Hawaii: Academy of Arts’ Impressionist Exhibit – Dr. Stephen Little, Director of the Honolulu Academy of Arts. Members of HSBP enjoyed a personal tour of the first class Impressionist Exhibit currently on display at the Honolulu Academy of Arts. Hawaii might be in the middle of the Pacific, but cultural tourism is on the rise. Even more impressive was the presentation prior to the viewing, which focused on the Academy’s strategic plans including a steadfast commitment to profitability going forward.

February 2004 – A Dentist’s Candy Success Story - Island Princess Candies. – Presenter: Dr. Michael Purdy, founder and CEO of Island Princess Candies. Ah to work in an office that smells like chocolate and popcorn! The boardroom series visited Island Princess’ gourmet candy factory near the airport to see first hand how these candies are made. Dr. Purdy, a dentist by training, started Island Princess on the island of Maui with his wife, Gwen. Increased orders and the proximity to shipping brought them to Honolulu where “hand dipping” is now done with equipment. The tour took members from the melting of 10 pound bars of chocolate through the polishing and packing of the candies, then on to the popcorn room with samples. Each member was given a complimentary box of chocolate-covered macadamia nuts and popcorn at the factory’s outlet on Ualena Street.

January 2004 – Politics at the University of Hawaii – Peter Englert, Chancellor of the University of Hawaii’s Manoa Campus, came to the UH from Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand, where he served as Pro Vice Chancellor and Dean of Science, Architecture and Design. Englert discussed the challenges facing the University and his collaborative and consultative leadership style.

October 2003 – Honolulu Academy of Arts Private Treasure: Shangri-La – The former home of Doris Duke at Black Point has been turned into a museum of Islamic art and architecture and is a spectacular treasure hidden on the far side of Diamond Head. The house was left to the Honolulu Academy of Arts and finally opened to the public in 2002, but only for reserved tours. Visitors must book well in advance and take a bus from the Academy; no individual visitors allowed. A beautiful house with a lovely setting and truly unique art, Shangri-La is a wonderful addition to Hawaii’s museum community.

September 2003 - Central Pacific Bank, CEO Clint Arnoldus. Clint Arnoldus has been with Central Pacific Bank since January, 2002 and is the first President and CEO of CPB not of Asian ancestry. After just a little over a year and a half, CPB has become increasing visible in the marketplace and has made a merger proposal to City Bank. Mr. Arnoldus discussed the facts about the merger proposal, how CPB has advanced during this time, his vision for the future, and his experiences in the marketplace as the Bank's first non-Japanese CEO.

August 2003 - William Kaneko, President and Chief Executive Officer of The Hawaii Institute for Public Affairs (HIPA) and Joan P. White, the Executive Director of the Hawaii Uninsured Project. The Hawaii Institute for Public Affairs (HIPA), formed in 2000, is a nonprofit, nonpartisan and independent research and educational organization whose mission is to provide research, analysis and recommendations on public policy issues facing Hawaii and to provide opportunities for individuals to develop as productive leaders and citizens in society – a positive force that facilitates social and economic progress that benefits the people of Hawaii. HIPA’s Center for Public Policy includes the Hawaii Uninsured Project and will host September’s Long Term Care Policy Summit.

May 2003 – Na Mea Hawaii ‚ Maile Meyer, President and Owner of the Na Mea Hawaii store, which features made-in-Hawaii products, primarily high-end art of different mediums, explained the challenges of running this type of business, from conceptualization, to preparing business plans, obtaining financing and supplying stores from hundreds of local vendors, artists and small business manufacturers.

March 2003 – Norwegian Cruise Line ‚ Mr. Colin Veitch, President and CEO, explained NCLís marketing strategies and plans for future growth, with the construction of two new ships for the Hawaii market.

March 2003 – Verizon Technology Solutions ‚ four Verizon managers, Stan Lui, Ken Miyasato and Renee Kam and Michael Yee, discussed the many technology options for large and small businesses to improve business processes and ultimately increase efficiency and productivity.

February 2003 – Kaiser Permanente - Claudia Schmidt, Vice President of Business Development, explained the primary drivers of growing health care costs, Kaiserís efforts to control these costs, and plans to invest over $200 million in new facilities, including expansion of the Moanalua facility (Ceridian building) and Maui facilities.

January 2003 – Hawaii State Art Museum ‚ Lisa Yoshihara, Gallery Director, HiSAM, gave HSBP members a personalized tour of Hawaiiís newest museum, which is dedicated to presenting the largest and finest collection of works by Hawaii artists.

November 2002 – UH Athletics Department – Herman Frazier, new athletic director, explained the challenges of managing a $17-$18 million budget and allocating those funds to the many sports activities offered at the University of Hawaii.


October 2002 – L&L Drive-Inn – Eddie Flores, founder and owner of L&L Drive-Inn gave an entertaining perspective of how he has grown his business from one store to 63 locations today, including his ambitious Mainland expansion efforts subsequent to September 11.

September 2002 - Airport Security – Sydney Hayakawa, the new Federal Security Director for the Honolulu International Airport – spoke about the enormous task of transitioning airport security from private firms to the federal Transportation Security Administration (TSA), including the training of 600 employees and revamping security procedures.

August 2002 – Hawaii Convention Center – Joe Davis, general manager, discussed the Center’s efforts to change misperceptions related to conducting business in Hawaii and to attract conventioneers.

July 2002 – Dave & Buster’s – Remi Wellborn, general manager, explained how the decision was made to come to Hawaii and about the D&B concept of combining restaurant and entertainment businesses.

June 2002 – Hawaii’s Film Industry – Donne Dawson, State Film Commissioner, highlighted the efforts of the Hawaii Film Office to bring production dollars and advertising to the islands, including films such as Lilo & Stitch and Windtalkers.

March 2002 – Title Guaranty – David T. Pietsch, Jr., President, a true leader in real estate digital technology, showed us a live demonstration of the extensive database covering detailed maps and ownership information on every tax map key.

August 2001 – Bank of Hawaii "Tell Mike" campaign – Lisa Burgin, Vice President & Brand Manager, explained how they got President Mike O’Neill to become the company’s spokesperson and about the enormous feedback from this successful marketing campaign.

June 2001 – Waikiki Beach Marriott Resort – Stan Brown, Vice President, invited us to Marriott’s newest acquisition, the Waikiki Beach Marriott Resort, and discussed the major renovations and upgrades planned to bring this hotel up to Marriott standards, as well as their strategy and future expansion plans, including the Ko Olina timeshare project.

June 2001 – DFS Galleria – Tim Delessio, Group Vice President, explained how this unique attraction (with a 65,000 gallon aquarium, 60-foot high cruise ship and beautifully designed arcade) was designed to attract customers, maximize retail dollars and keep customers returning.

May 2001 – Victoria Ward Entertainment Center – Jeff Dinsmore, Chief Financial Officer, discussed their successful negotiations to bring the theaters to Victoria Ward and gave us a pre-opening tour of the new 86,000 square-foot theater megaplex.

April 2001 – Hilton Hawaiian Village Kalia Tower – Peter Schall, Managing Director of Hilton Hawaiian Village, took us on a pre-opening, behind-the-scenes tour of the new Kalia Tower and explained how this new tower was built in the midst of the busy "village".