Kaua'i County GEW Aloha State | Mon., Nov. 8, 2021
HST 9:00AM - 10:00AM • SUSTAINABLE TOURISM: NEW PARADIGMS FOR BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES
Image: 2021 GEW Aloha State - Kaua'i County "Sustainable Tourism:New Paradigms for Business Opportunities" with Nikki Cristobal, Doug Beane, Joel Guy, Sue Kanoho
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About SUSTAINABLE TOURISM: NEW PARADIGMS FOR BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES
The pandemic has provided a time for our land and waters to heal. It has also created new business opportunities to create companies that support a sustainable tourist environment. What new businesses are emerging and what are they doing differently to preserve the future of our aina?
About the GUEST PANELIST Nikki Cristobal
No stranger to new territory, Nikki Cristobal recently launched her non profit Kamawaelualani Corp while finishing up her PhD in Education & Policy. Kauaʻi born and raised, she is passionate about reshaping the future for good through education that reaches all those that encounter Kauaʻi - whether local, new comer or visitor. She is expanding a project that will continually bring value to our island.
About the GUEST PANELIST Doug Beane
Doug Beane, owner-operator of Aloha Spirit Kaua'i Shuttle, has been offering free evening rides in the Po'ipu and Koloa area for the past 8 years. He also provides wedding shuttle services for venues in the area, sunset tours, and private party shuttles. He has seen a vast increase in use of his services during this time of car rental shortage.
About the GUEST PANELIST Joel Guy
Joel Guy has been the Executive Director of The Hanalei Initiative since its inception in 2018. He is a lifelong resident of Hanalei. Joel is leading The Hanalei Initiative to implement key components of the Haena State Park Master Plan including the development and operation of a comprehensive park access system to manage visitation for a more sustainable high-quality experience, and the Kaua'i North Shore Shuttle to reduce traffic congestion on the historic north shore roadway. www.hanaleiinitiative.org
About the GUEST MODERATOR Sue Kanoho
Sue Kanoho has been Executive Director of the Kaua‘i Visitors Bureau (KVB) since 1997 and is charged with overseeing all aspects of marketing Kaua‘i as a visitor destination, which includes advertising, public relations, TV productions, travel trade promotions and the new Destination Management Action Plan (DMAP). Sue is involved in many community-based organizations, including the Kaua‘i Chamber of Commerce, Kaua‘i Economic Development Board, Royal Coconut Coast Association and Native Hawaiian Chamber of Commerce. She is also a member of ZONTA Club of Kaua‘i and President of the Visitor Aloha Society of Kaua‘i.
Register now for "SUSTAINABLE TOURISM: NEW PARADIGMS FOR BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES"
HST 5:30 PM - 6:30 PM • THE FUTURE OF YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS IN HAWAI'I
Image: 2021 GEW Aloha State - Kaua'i County "The Future of Young Entrepreneurs in Hawai'i" with Joanna Villareal, Caleb Aero, Kevin Brown, Dirk Soma
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About THE FUTURE OF YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS IN HAWAI'I
The state of Hawai'i and Kaua'i in particular is unique in its desire to nurture culture and nature in the process. The potential for young entrepreneurs is limitless when we meld culture, with innovation while preserving the land. Learn how the new generation of entrepreneurs has created new products or services and lessons learned.
About the GUEST PANELIST Joanna Villareal
Joanna Villareal Founder, La Morena Spices. As a second generation Mexican American, Joanna has always had a passion for cooking and experimenting with different cuisines. Growing up she spent most of her time in the kitchen with her mother and grandmother gaining multigenerational experience on how to cook Mexican and Tex-Mex food. All of those familiar flavors and the passion to create great tasting healthy food is what led her to create La Morena Spices and More, where she incorporates locally grown and high quality organic ingredients to create her seasoning blends that can be used for any type of cuisine. Becoming a business owner and creating a product that she loves was something that was only a dream or far fetch goal until now. With lots of hard work and dedication, this unattainable goal has become a wonderful reality.
About the GUEST PANELIST Caleb Aero
Caleb Aero is an international artist and model from Koloa, Kaua'i. Aero has worked with Fashion designers such as Prada, Versace, Gianfranco Ferre, and Valentino. He has designed for global brands from the likes of Mitsubishi to Harley Davidson and has traveled as a U.S. aerosol artist to numerous countries instructing clinics surrounding spray painted murals. To check out his work visit Instagram @Caleb Aero.
About the GUEST PANELIST Kevin Brown
Kevin Brown owns and operates a specialized tree service company called Bamboo Pro, LLC. He repurposes 100% of the bamboo removed such as, fencing and building materials. In 2017 Kevin co-founded the launch of Neptune Snacks, a snack food company creating a better global seafood industry. He served eight years in the Army which gave him an amazing opportunity to travel to both good and struggling places around the world. He experienced new foods, languages, and cultures that led to developing a deep sense of community and a desire to set our future generations up for success.
About the GUEST MODERATOR Dirk Soma
Dirk Soma was born in Waimea, Kaua'i, raised in Aliamanu, O'ahu and currently resides in Kalaheo, Kaua'i. A graduate of the Kamehameha Schools, Dirk has spent many years engaging the community in both the private and public sectors. Currently, he is an Assistant Professor and Business Program Coordinator for at Kaua'i Community College and is a partner in a business development firm, Naupaka Consulting, LLP. In addition to his volunteer work on Kaua‘i Island Chair, Dirk serves is a Director of Advocacy Four, a community-based non-profit focused on enriching the community through empowering its members.