|
TheBuzz Erika Engle |
Organization seeking
a few good men and womenThe nonprofit Fund for the Pacific Century is seeking a few good fellows. Not just guys, either.
Recruitment for the seventh class of Pacific Century Fellows ends Aug. 15, meanwhile outgoing members are singing the program's praises.
"I think the most interesting aspect for me was being able to deal with business leaders in a small setting where we could ask questions. They were pretty open with us," said Alison Powers, executive director of the Hawaii Insurers Council.
On Thursday's Tourism Day, Powers and her colleagues met for part of the day with Chuck Gee, dean emeritus of the University of Hawaii School of Travel Industry Management; Hawaii Visitors and Convention Bureau Chairman Tony Guerrero and Murray Towill, president of the Hawaii Hotel Association.
"We all wanted to know what the deal is with HVCB," Powers said.
The members' take on the response was mixed. "I thought it was very interesting because some people thought the HTA was redundant and some thought it was necessary, for different reasons," Powers said.
The 2003 class of fellows includes executives from banking to technology to radio to people in ministry, and opinions were mixed, she said.
The year's activities brought the fellows greater depth of understanding of the Hawaii community.
"Everything we did had something to do with current affairs," and offered a look behind the headlines, she said.
The program costs $1,500.
"Most employers support their employees in this program because I think it is becoming a recognized program that has merit," she said. She did not have to use up vacation days in order to participate.
Asked what the employers get for their money and lost employee time, Powers said, "I think what they get is someone who is more community-minded and more responsible on issues of the state. I think the point is to groom leaders."
It was a "phenomenal year" for John Aeto, director of sales for Cox Radio Hawaii.
The networking and insight were valuable to Aeto professionally and personally.
"We've been able to form a partnership with some of these entities and speakers and other fellows," Aeto said.
But there was more.
"You go into it with a feeling that this will be good for your business and you come out with this incredible awareness as a citizen and community leader." It has also showed him how to be a better father, he said. "You know so much more about the world and the contributions of other people, it just allows you to incorporate that into your being."
Alumni are encouraged to participate as mentors to public high school students in the Junior Pacific Century Fellows program operating out of Farrington High School.
Time has contributed to the credibility of the program. "We have a track record now," said founder Mufi Hanneman. The program is patterned after the White House Fellows program, in which Hanneman participated.
Business leaders such as Walter Dods, chairman and chief executive officer of First Hawaiian Bank, Robin Campaniano, president and chief executive officer of AIG Hawaii and Francis Oda, chairman and chief executive officer of Group 70 International Inc., are quoted on the organization's Web site at www.pacificcenturyfellows. org.
"They personally attest to the program's meaningfulness, not only what it's done for the individual but also for the company," Hanneman said.
Tuition is not cheap, but it also does not cover the cost of the program, Hanneman said. They get a lot of "kokua" from businesses that sponsor meals for the fellows' meetings and from speakers who waive normal fees for appearances. Payment plans and partial scholarships are also available, which have helped leaders of nonprofit organizations to participate.
Application information and forms are available on the Web site.
The fellows program is the central part of the Fund for the Pacific Century, which Hanneman says he named before the Bank of Hawaii's big rebranding campaign several years back. "That caused some confusion," he said.
The fund also provides educational scholarships. Some are for beginning teachers, to help them pay for professional development that in turn kicks them up the pay scale ladder. Some are for high-achieving public school students who demonstrate leadership potential, but the newest is the "second chance" scholarship.
"A lot of times seniors and juniors ... jammed themselves up early on and now don't have the grades to get into a top-notch school.
"This year we inaugurated a program going after that student who has overcome challenges," Hanneman said.
See the Columnists section for some past articles.
Erika Engle is a reporter with the Star-Bulletin. Call 529-4302, 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
