Chaminade University of Honolulu

Business & Communication

Hogan Students Learn the Skill Sets Needed to Be a Great Leader

The Hogan Program’s speaker session this past Wednesday was unlike any other. It was a special evening as we were joined by young executives from Fujitsu and Dr. Constancio Paranal III, Director of Educational Programs at Japan-American Institute of Management Science (JAIMS).

Caitlin Martinez and Roy PanzarellaIt was also an honor to hear words of wisdom from Dr. Roy Panzarella, Vice President of Pacific Operations at Alaka’ina Foundation Family of Companies, a nonprofit corporation whose activities principally benefit the youth of Hawaii. Dr. Panzarella is the former CEO of Lockheed Martin-United Arab Emirates and retired Army Colonel. He is newest member of the Board of Regents at Chaminade University.

Dr. Panzarella involved comics and humor to his presentation which made his presentation memorable and unique. He shared stories about his overseas experience, and spoke on leadership and what it takes to be a great leader. His working definition of leadership is that “leadership is the art and science of inspiring to morally accomplish the mission.” Some of the skill-sets of a great leader include having ethics and integrity, which are not “negotiable” but are dependent on certain situations especially when dealing with international relations. He also stressed that we shouldn’t live in the past but definitely learn from it.

Dr. Panzarella ended his presentation with final tips and advice in becoming a great leader. Great leaders are active listeners. They listen to feedback and evaluate criticisms. They are self-aware and know their values. Lastly, they pay attention to their environment and understand the culture they are in.

Written by: Hogan Entrepreneurs Program student, Caitlin Martinez
Speaker Session with Roy Panzarella

GM of Tissue Genesis Discusses Philanthropic Values in Business

The Hogan Program had another memorable evening! This time, with guest speaker Anton Krucky, co-founder, President and General Manager of Tissue Genesis (TG), leading authority in adipose cell therapy and delivery systems.

Bo Dydasco and Anton KruckyTG’s technologies have flown on 18 space shuttle missions for NASA and are currently being used to treat patients in 6 human clinical trials here on Earth. TG strives to provide wealth within the community and to change lives through clinical trials such as muscle regeneration, cosmetics, and even research of the behavior of live tissues in a microgravity environment. TG also creates opportunity for Hawaii’s brightest.

The clear philanthropic values that underlie TG are phenomenal examples of the Hogan Entrepreneurs’ motto of “doing business things that make social sense, and doing social things that make business sense.”

Anton’s presentation was full of valuable life lessons and anecdotes. A few of which includes:

1. Thinking outside the box—create something outside of this world even if it’s something microscopically smaller than the world. Create rules that people want to play in.
2. Avoiding the paradigm blocker—don’t think you know it all. Keep your eyes open. Otherwise, you limit your potential to learn great things.
3. Finding your why—when you think of an idea, think of something that will give you energy.
4. Understanding servant leadership—leaders who push people up are the ones to follow. Sincerity sells. Listen well and care for your people.

He also shared with us the key elements to TG’s business plan which includes participating in high growth industry, choosing location that requires an institute of higher learning, protecting investments, and having sufficient capital.

Anton ended the session with the three steps to embarking into a new venture. First is to ask yourself, “what is it that you want to do?” Then, figure out what it is that you are willing to give up, and lastly, just do it!

Written by: Hogan Entrepreneurs Program student, Bonita Dydasco
Speaker Session with Anton Krucky

Finding Your Passion and Creating Your Business Around It

It was an honor to hear from Shelley Wilson, President of Wilson Care Group, Hawaii’s largest private-duty home health care service provider.

Shelley Wilson and Kalei EhlersHaving grown up from a farm in Iowa, Shelley wanted more out of life and joined the U.S. Army after graduating from high school. Shortly after joining the military, she was involved in a car accident that broke bones in many parts of her body. She was only 18 years old and was hospitalized for a year.

Time is precious and with a second chance in life, Shelley wanted to make an impact. It is through her journey to recovery when she realized how important good quality home care can change the course of someone’s life. She finished her recovery at the Tripler Army Medical Center in Hawaii. The bond in Hawaii and the Ohana spirit inspired Shelley to start her first company, Wilson Homecare. Now, Wilson Homecare and Wilson Senior Living comprise Wilson Care Group.

Shelley also spoke about her company’s mission and culture. Everyone who works at Wilson Care Group must have the passion in taking care of others. In Wilson Care Group, everyone has a voice. Shelley listens to her employees and welcomes different perspective and ideas. She also encourages her employees to have fun and at the same time, taking the job seriously.

Shelley closed the session with a few Keys to Success:
1. Find your passion as it will drive your mission in life.
2. Create your own journey/story, and be your own person even if you have to start at the bottom.
3. Be optimistic. Whatever you do in life, have a mindset that you will be 100% successful. Be open to failure . This is when you gain knowledge about yourself and grow.
4. Don’t listen to the naysayers. You are the only cheerleader that you need. You cannot count on others to determine if you are going to be successful or not.
5. Hustle to make things happen and be resourceful. Life is a grind.

Written by: Hogan Entrepreneurs Program student, Kalei Ehlers
Speaker Session with Shelley Wilson

Sticking to Business Fundamentals

This past Wednesday’s Hogan speaker session was a memorable one! We heard from a successful entrepreneur who found motivation and a more positive outlook in life when he broke his neck and was paralyzed at a young age. He lifted weights, participated in marathons, and continued to risk it all.

Mike IrishThis inspirational individual was Mr. Mike Irish, Hawaii’s “kim chee king,” and CEO of Halm’s Enterprises and Diamond Head Seafood Company.

As a businessman, Mr. Irish is always driven to succeed. He has found success in real estate, the hotel industry, and in his latest pursuit of the kim chee industry. His path in entrepreneurship began with his father’s business ventures in real estate.

His presentation was focused on his personal accounts of the value of sticking to business fundamentals. Many of the local products that the people of Hawaii had grown up with were run by family owned businesses. Family members who had grown and moved on to other things approached Mr. Irish to hopefully sell their business and perpetuate their products.

The majority of his successes were founded upon the creation and maintenance of demand for his products and services, as well as the network he was able to build.

We had an amazing time with Mr. Irish. He provided us with an enlightening look into how business is done well in Hawaii. His motto is “the harder you work, the luckier you get!”

Written by: Hogan Entrepreneurs Program student, Clarke Velasco
Speaker Session with Mike Irish 2/14/18

Hogan Students Help Homeless With Resumes, Interviewing Skills at Job Preparation Workshop

For homeless men and women, getting hired can be a daunting task – even when Hawaii boasts the lowest unemployment rate in the nation. But thanks to volunteer efforts by 16 Chaminade University students, finding gainful employment got easier for homeless individuals who attended the 13th annual Job Preparation Workshop conducted by the Hogan Entrepreneurs Program. Hogan Homeless WorkshopLeading the event were Chaminade instructor and Hogan board member Denny McDonough, along with Ed Nakamura, an employment specialist with the Institute for Human Services nonprofit organization. Students helped attendees with interviewing techniques, shared information about job resources and created resumes that were sent to more than 500 potential employers. The homeless people were “eager to learn,” said volunteer Savannah Lyn Delos Santos, a junior preparing for a career in business marketing. “They were all hungry for growth and it was so evident in their actions, curiosity and enthusiasm,” Delos Santos said. “I gave my business card to a few participants and told them to keep me updated on the progress of their job hunt.” Among the challenges in conducting the workshop, Delos Santos said, was assisting attendees with limited English skills. A personal challenge, she said, was witnessing the pain and desperation of homeless people struggling to survive. “Many of them shared the stories of their lives and what led to their homelessness,” she said. “It made me happy to know that I was making a difference, but also sad that many people do not get the chance to see what life is like on the other side. “While most of society shuns them because they have nothing, they are just doing what they can to move forward and rise up. They made me realize how sometimes one chance is all someone needs to create a better life for both them and their families.” Other students volunteering for the workshop were: Monique Gomes, Bonita Dydasco, Mokihana Maldonado, Clarke Velasco, Caitlin Martinez, Sarah Cervantes, Fabian Patterson, Jackie McGreal, Antonio Bonnetty, Ally Alvarez-Stratton, Chris Ortiz, Grant Okazaki, Nate Cassion, Taletha Manigo and Tyler Taydus. The Hogan Entrepreneurs Program provides Chaminade students with the knowledge, skills, motivation and networking opportunities to succeed in business ventures. This one- or two-year certificate program is open to all students, regardless of their majors. The Hogan motto is: “Doing business things that make social sense. Doing social things that make business sense.”

Alum Rhys Murphy’s AUSA Hoops Business Helps Aussie Basketball Dreams Come True in America

When international student-athletes seek to play basketball in the United States, navigating the myriad of rules and regulations can be “overwhelming.” This according to Chaminade University alumnus Rhys Murphy (Accounting ’14), a two-year starter for the Silversword men’s team. Rhys MurphySensing a business opportunity, Murphy returned to his hometown of Sydney, Australia, where he founded and serves as president of AUSA Hoops. This basketball camp organization helps Aussie boys and girls pursue their academic and athletic goals at high schools, colleges and universities across America. “In terms of successes, we are at just over 70 players who are in college now,” said Murphy, who placed student-athletes at prominent schools in the Pac-12, Southeastern, Atlantic Coast, Big Ten and Big East conferences. These players earned more than $5 million in scholarships. Murphy and his staff accomplished this feat by conducting training and development programs for young hoopsters and bringing them to America for a series of Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) tournaments where college coaches recruit players. These trips don’t include sightseeing excursions to Disneyland. They’re focused on proving that Australians have what it takes to play top-tier basketball in the U.S. As for Murphy’s basketball career, the six-foot-seven-inch forward “stumbled into an opportunity to play AAU basketball in Chicago” and received over 50 scholarship offers. Murphy opted for Oregon State, where he competed in 18 games for the Beavers during 2011-12. After transferring to Chaminade for his junior and senior years, Murphy started the final 12 games of the 2013-14 season and was twice-named to the All-Pacific West Conference Academic Team. Murphy got the idea for AUSA Hoops as a junior during spring break when a summer internship with a Chicago hedge fund failed to materialize. “I pretty much just sat down and thought about what I could do myself,” Murphy recalled, “because I had no work experience and realized I would need to get a job the following year.” Rhys MurphyBy turning his basketball camp concept into a bigger project, Murphy “ticked the ‘work-experience’ box” on his resume. “The most challenging part is always right after the inspiration and excitement of the initial idea begins to fade and the reality of the amount of work that needs to be completed starts to become more and more clear,” Murphy said. “I started with the thought that I had a pretty good idea about the industry, and then very quickly realized I knew next to nothing about the intricacies of how it worked. So for the first couple years I was almost flying blind trying to figure it out as I went. “I don’t believe starting your own business is as hard as people perceive it to be,” Murphy added. “Yes, you need to be resilient, consistent with your work and have a desire to constantly learn and improve. But so much of it is just about having the confidence – or delusion – to get started and then keep rolling with the punches. It’s a wild rollercoaster!” One Chaminade instructor who particularly influenced Murphy is Richard Kido, an Associate Professor of Accounting. Kido praised Murphy’s work ethic in the classroom and on the basketball court. “Despite the demands of being a scholar-athlete, Rhys was outstanding in all his classes,” Kido said. “His positive attitude was infectious and carried over to his classmates.” Another instructor making an impression on Murphy was Business Professor Wayne Tanna, who emphasized the importance of community service. Murphy continues that commitment to giving back by uplifting Australia’s South Sudanese basketball community through AUSA Hoops. “I think Professor Tanna did a great job of opening my eyes to the tremendous need for help out there,” Murphy said. “And he opened my eyes to my own privileges by putting me in new environments where people were not as well off.” That’s why community service is a slam dunk for Murphy and his team at AUSA Hoops. Chaminade University’s School of Business and Communication offers bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Accounting. Community service activities for students include tax clinics and the FAFSA project, which helps low-income and immigrant families fill out college financial aid forms.