• Hawaii Island Business Panel - July 21, 2023

    June 02, 2023
    About the Event
    FRIDAY, JULY 21, 2023 |  FAIRMONT ORCHID

    Get insights from our panel of experts on current business issues on Hawaii Island.
     Get Tickets 

    Panel of Experts:
    Topics To Include:
    • What Hawaii Island businesses are doing to deal with labor shortages and spiraling costs.
    • The visitor industry and sustainable tourism.
    • What work is being done to improve the business climate.
    • Opportunities for new businesses.

    EVENT INFORMATION:

    12:00 pm - Registration

    12:30 pm - Lunch Buffet

    1:30 pm - Program followed by Q&A

    3:00pm - Event concludes
     

    Attire:  Business Aloha 

    REGISTRATION INFORMATION:

    Credit card payments: Register online

    Check payments: MUST ARRIVE BY FRIDAY, JULY 14.  Mail to: Pacific Business News, Attn: Rose Balagtas, 737 Bishop Street, Suite 1550, Honolulu, Hawaii 96813
     
    Please no payments at the event.

    No refunds or cancellations after Monday, July 10, but tickets can be transferred to another guest.

    Please completely fill out your guest names and companies when registering. Only unique emails are recognized. Using the same email address for multiple guests will result in one name being duplicated on all registrations.

    Paperless check-in. You will receive a confirmation ticket, but you do not need to bring it to the event.  Once you complete the on-line registration, your name will be added to the guest list.

    Questions? Contact Rose Balagtas, Director of Events, at 808-955-8072 or rbalagtas@bizjournals.com.  
    About Panelist
    Charles Head
    General Manager - Fairmont Orchid
    Charles Head has served as the general manager of Fairmont Orchid, a luxury resort along the Kohala Coast of Hawaii Island, for the past four years. He oversees all operational, financial, and strategic aspects of the 32-acre oceanfront resort. Fairmont Orchid marks his latest stop in a decades-long hospitality career that has taken him around the world. His previous experience in Hawaii includes seven years as general manager of Fairmont Kea Lani on Maui. Prior to assuming that role, Charles held the position of General Manager at Fairmont St. Andrews, Scotland. Charles also held executive-level positions with Fairmont Winnipeg, Fairmont Orchid, and Fairmont Empress. He joined Fairmont Hotels & Resorts in 1996 at Fairmont Chateau Whistler. He and his wife, Lisa, reside on Hawaii Island with their two golden retrievers, Koa and Kai.
     
    Wendy Laros
    President and CEO - Kona-Kohala Chamber of Commerce
    As President and CEO, Wendy Laros is motivated by the mission of the Kona-Kohala Chamber of Commerce to provide leadership and advocacy for a successful business environment in West Hawaii. With over three decades of experience in Hawaii’s tourism industry and small business involvement, Laros finds purpose as the chamber’s chief executive and voicing the business community’s views. Prior to joining the chamber staff, Laros was an active member and served as the chair of the education and workforce development committee. She strongly believes in the power of education having earned an undergraduate degree from the University of Hawaii at Hilo and Master of Education from UH Manoa. Laros serves on the Chamber of Commerce Hawaii Board of Directors, Western Association of Chamber Executives Board of Directors, UH Hilo Community Advisory Board, Hawaii Community College Advisory Council, Hawaii Tourism Authority’s Hawaii Island Destination Management Action Plan Steering Committee, and the U.S. Army Garrison Pōhakuloa Training Area Advisory Council.
     
    Gregory Ogin
    Principal & Managing Director - SVN|GO Commercial
    Gregory G. Ogin, CCIM, CPM, serves as Principal and Managing Director of SVN|GO Commercial, a division of GO Commercial, LLC. Since 1996, he has brought the commercial division of the former Clark Realty Corporation from three buildings in Kailua-Kona to over 700,000 square feet on the island of Hawaii. Greg has managed properties since 1981, when he supervised and managed five resort stores and a 10,000 square foot resort department store for Liberty House of Hawaii Island. He was then appointed by the Mayor as Deputy Managing Director of the County of Hawaii, where he was in charge of County Operations in West Hawaii. Greg later owned a small, independent, commercial real estate firm which started as a division of Gerry Rott and Associates. Greg’s numerous activities include serving on the Board of Hawaii Island United Way, Lai Opua 2020, Kona Family YMCA and Hawaii Disciplinary Board (Hawaii BAR). He serves as President of Amfac Community Council, Rotary Club – Kailua-Kona, Kona Kohala Chamber of Commerce, past-President of Kauai Road Runners, and founding President of Children’s Advocacy Center. Greg also chairs the Hokulia Parks and Cultural Services Association, Kona Community Development Plan, and Kailua Village Improvement Plan.