• Chamber Week 2019

    January 27, 2019
    ADVOCACY - Chambers from across the State of Hawaiʻi converged on the Capitol for Chamber Week – a week-long series of events designed to encourage chambers of commerce and their members to become more involved in the legislative process plus provide the opportunity to meet legislators. Headed by the Chamber of Commerce of Hawaiʻi (COCHI), chambers from Hawaiʻi Island, Maui, Kauai and Oahu joined forces to represent business interests with government.

    For the Kona-Kohala Chamber of Commerce (KKCC), Chamber Week was proceeded in a proclamation ceremony by Governor David Ige at the State Capitol. KKCC Board Chair J. Porter DeVries and Executive Director Wendy Laros received the Governor’s proclamation for Chamber Week 2019 on behalf of the Kona-Kohala Chamber of Commerce. 

    Next, KKCC members participated in a seminar conducted by COCHI Vice President of Business Advocacy and Development, Jen Wilbur, who flew to West Hawaiʻi to provide this free service. More than 25 KKCC members came to the West Hawaiʻi Civic Center for ‘Leg 101’ to learn more about Hawaiʻi’s legislative process and how to be involved.

    During Chamber Week, Laros and other KKCC members flew to Honolulu to participate in a ‘Walk-Around the Capitol’ organized by COCHI. A contingency of more than 50 chamber leaders and members converged on the Capitol to provide a strong, united voice for business. In addition, Laros connected with Hawaiʻi Island legislators in office visits and meetings to share KKCC’s West Hawaiʻi Priorities for 2019. More time was devoted to networking with legislators and state-wide chamber members at a COCHI Legislative Meet-and-Greet. KKCC's outreach to legislators included connecting with Senator Inouye, Senator Kahele, Senator Kanuha, Representative Creagan, Representative Lowen, Representative Onishi and Representative Tarnas during Chamber Week activities.

    “The Kona-Kohala Chamber of Commerce is dedicated to our members and the business community of West Hawaiʻi,” explains Laros. “Advocacy is a core value of our organization and Chamber Week is one of the ways we connect with our elected representatives in government to communicate what is important to our members.”

    For more information about the Kona-Kohala Chamber of Commerce list of legislative priorities go to www.kona-kohala.com/chamber-priorities or call 808-329-1758.

    Chamber Week 2019
    Chamber Week 2019 'Walk-Around the Capitol': Hawaiʻi Island Chamber of Commerce Executive Miles Yoshioko (far left), Kona-Kohala Chamber of Commerce (KKCC) Executive Wendy Laros (front middle) and KKCC member Paul Morgan (back left) join chamber members from Chamber of Commerce of Hawaiʻi with a visit to Senator Kai    aliʻi Kahele (center).

    Senator Dru Kanuha and KKCC Executive Director Wendy Laros
    Chamber Week 2019: KKCC Executive Director Wendy Laros shares legislative priorities with newly elected Senator Dru Kanuha at the State Capitol.


    Jen Wilbur, COCHI Vice President of Business Advocacy and Development headed to West Hawaiʻi to share information about the State's legislative process in Leg 101, a free service provided to KKCC members and the community.