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Pacific parley
gives isles chance to
promote business
Hundreds of corporate and
By Susan Kreifels
government officials will head to
Hawaii in March for a week-
long economic conference
Star-BulletinIf Hawaii wants to promote itself more to the corporate world as a serious place to do business, it soon will have a convenient opportunity to do so.
Because that world is coming to Hawaii.
An expected 700-800 heads of the region's major corporations as well as ranking national and international government officials will attend a week-long conference here in March. And local businesses will have a special chance to network with this powerful group and the venture capital and opportunities it represents.
"There is a perception of many people around the world that Hawaii is only a place with a lot of sun and beautiful scenery but that business isn't taken very seriously here," said Larry Johnson, chairman and chief executive officer of Pacific Century Financial Corp. and the Bank of Hawaii. "This will allow Hawaii to showcase itself as a great place to do some serious business.
"We must get Hawaii to think more globally and look beyond its own shores for opportunity. We can't continue to insulate ourselves and think we are so special."The Pacific Basin Economic Council, a global association of leaders from 1,100 corporations that account for more than $4 trillion in sales and 10 million employees, will have its 33rd annual international general meeting here March 17-22. Speakers will be shared at a daylong session for small and medium-size Hawaii companies, which will also be able to attend the opening session or the entire conference for special rates.
Johnson, chairman of the conference, said Hawaii businesses will be able to explain what they do and "hopefully open the eyes of delegates" to opportunities here. He added that the conference could attract more business to the convention center, where some meetings will be held, and help convince U.S. and international corporations to set up headquarters in Hawaii, where quality of life exceeds other places.
The list of confirmed speakers for the meeting is impressive, and organizers are still hopeful to get at least two presidents here. President Clinton has said he'll try to attend the conference as he has in the past, and Philippines President Joseph Estrada wants to dovetail a Hawaii stop to a state visit in Washington, said Robert Lees, Honolulu-based secretary general of the Pacific Basin Economic Council.
South Korean President Kim Dae-Jung will speak to the conference via live satellite broadcast. Speakers and distinguished guests include chairs and CEOs of Ford Motor Co., Lucent Technologies, Agricore, The Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corp., Weyerhauser Asia, Mitsui and Co., PricewaterhouseCoopers, Enron Asia Pacific/Africa/China, Cargill Inc., Motorola Electronics Pte. Ltd., Oracle Corp. and other major U.S. and Asian companies.
U.S. Ambassador to Japan Thomas Foley and Ambassador to China Joseph Prueher will speak,as will heads of the Central Bank of the Philippines, Organization of American States, South Pacific Forum, Association of Southeast Asian Nations, Japan Travel Bureau Inc., and the Chinese Chamber of Commerce. Hawaii government officials will also have opportunities to speak.
Lees said the economic council has invited heads of major airlines as its guests, providing an opportunity to push for more direct flights between Hawaii and major cities in the region. And the international media will be here to cover the event.
Sessions cover topics such as the environment, health and nutrition, security, corporate responsibility and governance, in addition to the economy and finance. The East-West Center is helping organize a Pacific islands forum.
Jim Gary knows how networking with economic council members can help build a business. He was heavily involved in the organization years ago as he grew Pacific Resources Inc. from an $8 million "little gas company" to a $2 billion business over 12 years.
Small local companies can grow if they "understand what the international scope of business is today," Gary said. "If they are willing to take the risk of getting involved in international affairs."
Although next year's gathering will be in Tokyo, Lees said the economic council plans to return the general meetings to Honolulu for at least three years.
But Johnson cautioned that making a good impression is essential to bring the meeting back, starting from the delegates' arrival and walk though customs and immigration to their taxi rides and hotel stays.
Asked if the Pacific Basin Economic Council meeting could trigger the kind of protests seen in Seattle recently during the World Trade Organization conference, Lees said the gatherings are very different."We are not government, we are business," he said. "We don't make decisions. And we've got the environment, fighting corruption, promoting social responsibility all over this agenda."
Lees said one of the best promotions the state could offer while delegates are here would be initiatives that would promote business and end up in headlines such as "Hawaii eliminates corporate income tax."
