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TheBuzz
Erika Engle
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Young Business Council matures with fifth membership drive
Honolulu's Young Business Council is preparing for its fifth year with a membership drive.
The council has staged professional development and networking events almost monthly since November of 2003 when Duane Kurisu, founder of the diverse AIO group of companies and minority investor in the Star-Bulletin, was its inaugural guest speaker.
He agreed to appear believing that the council "would play an important part in building leadership for the next generation," he told TheBuzz yesterday, via e-mail.
"We constantly face a void in leadership in different parts of our lives and I was happy to see a group of young executives in Hawaii step up to the plate and be proactive about helping to fill that void."
Kurisu encouraged members to, "focus on being the best that we can be, because ultimately who we are and what we do will be one and the same, especially in the face of crisis."
The founders saw a need for an organization where professionals, beyond networking, could "learn from other experienced and talented people ... at a reasonable cost," said Asako Shimazu, chairwoman and founding member. Shimazu is an attorney with McCorriston Miller Mukai McKinnon.
New memberships are $60 for a year or $100 for two years, while renewals cost less.
"I really believe in synergy and helping each other to achieve each of our goals. We can't really accomplish any of these things on our own," Shimazu said.
Every industry has at least one professional organization, but "ours is more cross-sectional" and a different dynamic is generated by members' divergent backgrounds.
The council makes business and community leaders accessible to members because, "unless you know someone who knows someone," the chances of interacting with a Walter Dods are slim, she said.
The access has been rewarding to four-year member Richard Cambe, a consumer and mortgage loan supervisor at Hawaii State Federal Credit Union.
Membership "has helped me to be a better person," said Cambe. Not just businessperson, but person.
He has been inspired by speakers including Constance Lau, president and chief executive of Hawaiian Electric Industries Inc., and retailer Teo Clemens, owner of Mauka to Makai Outdoor Gear Hawaii.
The council's work with local mentoring firm INGage Inc., is something "not a lot of places provide," he said.
That success takes hard work is no secret, "and it's hard to do it by yourself. You ask for help, but in return you should always give something back," said Cambe.
Erika Engle is a reporter with the Star-Bulletin. Call 529-4747, fax 529-4750 or write to Erika Engle, Honolulu Star-Bulletin, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., No. 7-210, Honolulu, HI 96813. She can also be reached at:
eengle@starbulletin.com