Voice of Business Podcast by the Chamber of Commerce Hawaii

In this episode, we are celebrating National "Support Your Local Chamber Day" with the Chamber's AVP of Membership Tyler Hunt. If you're a member of the Chamber, chances are you've met Tyler. In this episode, he discusses the many benefits of membership including business advocacy, events, and connecting with the Hawaii business community. He also explains the difference b...

In this episode, we learned from Dr. Wai‘ale‘ale Sarsona about Kamehameha Schools (KS) Kaiāulu, a new way for KS to engage with keiki and ʻohana in the Kaiāulu (community) alongside their community partners. Dr. Sarsona joined Kamehameha Schools in 2012 and has held several leadership positions there. She is currently the Vice President of Kamehameha Schools' Hi‘ialo Group, which she talks ab...

The Voice of Business podcast is celebrating National Workforce Development Month in September with a special guest and host in this episode. The Chamber's AVP of Workforce Development Vanessa Rogers sat down with Bennette Misalucha to talk about the importance of workforce development in Hawaii. Bennette is currently the Executive Director of the State Workforce Development Council. In this...

In this episode of the Voice of Business podcast, we sat down with Nicole Lim, director of Movers and Shakas. The company helps Hawaii employers retain talented employees who have recently relocated to Hawaii by providing a six-week place-based acculturation program. When Movers and Shakas launched in 2020, Nicole wrote an op-ed in the Honolulu Star-Advertiser opposing the program. After reading h...

In this episode of the Voice of Business podcast, Hawaii's only Certified Professional Public Adjuster, Robert Joslin, joined us to provide important information to those who have been affected by the wildfires on Maui. Robert is the principal public adjuster at Hawaii Public Adjusters Corp where he also serves as its president. Robert explains the problems arising from public adjusters that...

In this episode of the Voice of Business podcast, we sat down with one of our Young Professionals, Dr. Laura Berssenbrugge. Laura is an adolescent and adult clinical psychologist and founder of a New York and Hawaii-based private practice. She is an expert in the evidence-based treatment of anxiety, depression, OCD and stress-related disorders.  Since August is National Wellness Month, this episod...

In this episode of the Voice of Business podcast, you'll hear from Hawaii's only Certified Professional Public Adjuster, Robert Joslin. He is the principal Public Adjuster at Hawaii Public Adjusters Corp where he also serves as its president. Joslin is also an active officer of the National Association of Public Adjuster (NAPIA). In this episode, Joslin talks about some common misconcept...

In this episode of the Voice of Business Podcast, we sit down with Colleen Hanabusa. She is a prominent labor lawyer and was the first woman President of the Hawaii State Senate. She served as the Congressional Representative for District 2 from 2016-2018. Hanabusa is the current Chair of the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transit (HART) Board, a role she was elected to once before. In this episode,...

In many cases, mental health begins with you. Cultivating a healthy relationship with yourself sets the stage for maintaining your well-being as you navigate through the different experiences of life.  Join us as we sit down with Unyong Nakata of Nakata Advosiry, LLC on the importance of hard wiring who you are and what you stand for in each season of your life. Nakata also explains how  to give y...

Mental health awareness is a topic that benefits people in all walks of life, and Mental Health America Hawaii works to ensure that everyone has access to the tools and support needed to thrive. Join us as host Katie Kaahanui sits down with Dr. Mestisa Gass, Program Director at Mental Health America Hawaii to learn more about recent, eye-opening workplace mental health statistics and explore ways...

Nationally, 1 in 4 women and 1 in 9 men experience a degree of intimate partner violence in a given year. Equating to more than 10 million people impacted by domestic violence annually, a large number of survivors continue to make up our nation's workforce. In this episode, Nanci Kreidman, CEO of the Domestic Violence Action Center and a tireless advocate for domestic violence awareness for f...

Hawaii's new Office of Wellness and Resilience is the first of its kind in the nation, tasked with the important work of helping residents work through personal trauma and other mental health issues through an intentional, trauma-informed lens. Join us as host Katie Kaahanui speaks with Tia Roberts-Hartsock, Director for the Office of Wellness and Resilience to learn more about what trauma-in...

In today's shifting workforce environment, it is critical for business leaders to cultivate a culture of workplace wellness within their organizations. In this kick-off episode to our Mental Health Awareness Month Mini-Series, host Katie Kaahanui sits down with Chamber President & CEO Sherry Menor-McNamara to discuss why mental health awareness should be a primary focus for our business c...

Amy Asselbaye, is the Executive Director of the Office of Economic Revitalization for the City and County of Honolulu. Amy has over 20 years of policy experience in creating and passing federal and local legislation to benefit local communities.     Amy discusses the great work that the Office of Economic Revitalization is doing in the community, including details about its partnership with the Ch...

Sarah Guay, is the President and CEO of Hawaii Employers Council. Sarah was appointed President and CEO in June 2022. In her role, she collaborates with HEC's Board of Governors and staff to address the ever evolving needs of Hawaii's employers and is responsible for the organizations leadership, day to day operations and strategic initiatives.  Sarah has more than 20 years of experience...

Why Hawaii’s Economy May Be Resilient to Recession   Kyle Shelly, is the Senior Vice President and Director of Corporate Banking at American Savings Bank (ASB).  He is also a volunteer board member of the Chamber of Commerce Hawaii, the Young Professional Program of the Chamber, and the Domestic Violence Action Center. Shelly explains that although the unemployment rate is currently low for Hawaii...

Helping People Create their Moment. Hanson Nguyen is Partner and Marketing Director at Hawaii Events Unlimited, a one-stop full-service event production company. He has 12+ years of experience as the owner and operator of Level H Promotions. Hawaii Events Unlimited creates events that include celebrity weddings, high school proms, graduations, and more.  In 2019, Nguyen and his team were producing...

On this episode of the Voice of Business Podcast presented by ALTRES, host Jo McGarry interviews Jason Higa, Chief Executive Officer of FCH Enterprises which includes Zippy’s Restaurants, Napoleon’s Bakery, Food Solutions International, A Catered Experience and Kahala and Pearl City Sushi.  McGarry and Higa discuss Movers & Shakas, an initiative born in the early months of the pandemic to help...

On this episode of the Voice of Business Podcast presented by ALTRES, Jo McGarry interviews Ryan Tanaka the Chief Financial Officer of KAI Hawaii, the President of Underground Services where he leads the company’s affordable housing developments, along with being the co-owner of Giovanni Pastrami and the Chairman for the Hawaii Restaurant Association on restaurant trends post-COVID and the importa...

On this episode of the Voice of Business Podcast presented by ALTRES, Jo McGarry interviews Su Shin the President & General Manager of Hawaiian Telcom. Shin discusses her non-traditional career pathway from journalism to communications to Hawaii Telcom’s first female president in the company’s 135-year history. Listen to this podcast and learn about the importance of Hawaiian Telcom’s strategy...

On this episode of the Voice of Business Podcast presented by ALTRES, Jo McGarry interviews Katie Kaahanui, Program Manager of Hawaii is Hiring at the Chamber, on the importance of expanding education and training programs to Hawaii's incarcerated population. Kaahanui discusses her volunteer work through the Women’s Community Correctional Center and Halawa Correctional Facility and how she co...

On this episode of the Voice of Business Podcast presented by ALTRES, Jo McGarry interviews Dr. Diane Paloma the President & CEO of Hawaii Dental Service. Dr. Paloma discusses her philosophy and interest in native Hawaiian culture and through the Hawaii Dental Service she is helping to bring solutions to a community with over 600,000 members. Dr. Paloma has a keen interest for Hawaii Dental Se...

On this episode of the Voice of Business Podcast presented by ALTRES focused on community building in the healthcare sector, Jo McGarry interviews Dr Jill Hoggard Green PHD & RN, President & CEO of The Queens Healthcare System. Dr. Hoggard Green discusses how the Queens Healthcare System are best serving each person and their ohana, with an understanding that teams and our community can co...

On this edition of the Voice of Business Podcast presented by ALTRES, Jo McGarry interviews Rana Sarkar, Consul General of Canada in San Francisco, CA. McGarry and Sarkar discuss Canada and Hawaii’s historical relationship that goes back to 1780 when indigenous Hawaiians crewed transpacific ships and settled in Vancouver taking jobs in the furring, mining and timber industries. And, today, a good...

Her name speaks for itself - no formal bio or introduction is needed. On this edition of the Voice of Business Podcast presented by ALTRES, Jo McGarry interviews Meli James, Co-Founder of Mana Up and President of Hawaii Venture Capital Association. McGarry and James discuss Mana Up’s origin story, and how her Silicon Valley experience spurred her passion to help Hawaii’s businesses stay here and t...