Chaminade University of Honolulu

Business & Communication

Chris Eldridge Teaches Hogan Students that Failing is Part of Success

Chris Eldridge and Jordan Caputy
Chris Eldridge (Koa Capital Partners) and Jordan Caputy (Hogan Entrepreneurs Program student)

It was a privilege to hear from Mr. Chris Eldridge, co-founder and Managing Operator of Koa Capital Partners, LLC. Koa Capital Partners invests in Hawaii companies with great potential and strives to create long-term value for shareholders, managers, employees and customers. Their goal with each investment is to help management grow revenue and earnings by expanding sales channels, improving operations, identifying and recruiting talent and providing hands-on, real-world strategic insights along with capital for add-on investments.

Mr. Eldridge is also an entrepreneur and has experience in start-up and management experience in Hawaii having founded and sold companies including America’s Mattress Hawaii, PortaBox Storage and FileMinders.

His story began in a souvenir company in Anchorage, Alaska where he discovered his love of selling and people. One striking similarity I found is Mr. Eldridge’s similar outlook on life as Sylvester Stallone’s character of Rocky Balboa: “if you get knocked down you get back up and you keep on going.”

Mr. Eldridge advised us to be careful of the naysayers and always surround ourselves with positive people who want us to succeed. He also stressed that it is okay to fail because it is a learning opportunity. Learn from your mistakes and do better the next time around. Lastly, he stressed the power of perseverance: as long as you persist, you will be successful.

“If you have the energy and the drive, you can make your mark” – Chris Eldridge.

Written by: Hogan Entrepreneurs Program student, Jordan Caputy
Speaker Session with Chris Eldridge 2/1/17

Chaminade Communication Student Takes on the Big Apple

It’s been a whirlwind week for Chantelle Aguilar, a senior Chaminade communication major, who was named to the American Advertising Federation (AAF) 2017 Most Promising Multicultural Student Class. Flown into New York City by AAF, she spent Feb. 13-16 meeting with professionals from top advertisers, media companies and advertising agencies at the exclusive Most Promising Multicultural Students Recruiters Expo.

Held in conjunction with the Expo, an Industry Immersion program provided her with invaluable networking and learning experiences. The Industry Immersion component of the program allows students to experience the excitement of a career in advertising firsthand by visiting major advertisers, ad agencies and media companies and attending workshops led by industry leaders. In addition, at the “Building Bridges for Our Future Awards Luncheon,” she dined among leading executives and multicultural industry pioneers. The luncheon provided an opportunity for networking and mentorship.

Representing 34 schools, the Most Promising Multicultural Student Class was a carefully selected group of top-tier students in advertising and marketing programs from across the country.  The class was selected for their excellent GPAs, demonstrated talent, leadership and service abilities.

In his recommendation letter, Aguilar’s adviser Dr. Cliff Bieberly said, “Chantelle is an extremely conscientious student who works hard and always takes on new challenges.”  Adding that she is an officer in Chaminade’s American Advertising Federation College Chapter, he pointed out Aguilar’s exceptional GPA.  “This very high-grade average has been earned despite the fact that she is a commuter student, works and is highly involved in our Hogan Entrepreneurs Club, Communication Club, our AAF Student Chapter and the university’s student government where she serves in a marketing communication role,” Dr. Bieberly said.

The 2017 MPMS Judges Committee reviewed the applications from more than 100 highly accomplished students.  Judges came from several top agencies in the advertising profession, including Arc Worldwide, Bloomberg, Droga5, FCB, fluent360, mcgarrybowen, Momentum Worldwide and Omnicom Health Group.  According to the AAF, the judges “were blown away by the talent pool” and that the final selection was quite difficult.

Chantelle is the seventh student from Chaminade to receive this honor since the Communication program began participating in 2004.

Hogan Students Discuss Today’s Politics & Economics with Chris McNally

The Hogan Entrepreneurs Program kicked off its first Wednesday Speakers Series for the Spring 2017 semester with guest speaker, Dr. Chris McNally. Dr. McNally is a Professor of Political Economy at Chaminade University and Adjunct Senior Fellow at the East-West Center in Honolulu. His presentation was titled Strategic Mega-Trends: Making Sense of Today’s Politics and Economics.

According to Dr. McNally, it took three generations to build up the first age of globalization, and a lot of accepted norms are probably going to become unhinged soon. He spoke about the rising flows of foreign direct investment, steady growth in major markets, relatively open trade, decline of transport costs, increased intra-industry trade, and the introduction and spread of information and technology. He added that climate change, inequalities and backlashes against globalization, disruptive technologies, and geopolitical and economic power shift are some major global challenges that are likely to persist.

There have been rapid increases of inequality within nation states, and these inequalities are amplified by lack of opportunity for advancement amongst many in the world. Technology, for example, is going to be the next big thing driving global economies. Combination of new emerging technologies promise to make an impact, specifically the three A’s: Artificial Intelligence, Additive Manufacturing, and Autonomous Machines. Jobs will be replaced and lost due to these new technologies, and much will depend on trends in development labor markets, government policies, and social attitudes.

State capitalism is a magnified role that does not use markets to maximize economic efficiency, but to maximize the powers and survival of the states because it believes in free and fair trade. Dr. McNally’s argument about the age of uncertainty is that global power relations are undergoing a power transition, with power shifting to the great Eurasian powers. He also stressed that we may all fall into some sort of anarchy.

Dr. McNally concluded his presentation with this piece of advice: “Brace yourself for the Age of Uncertainty, learn to hedge and be nimble, and be able adapt to change!”

Written by: Hogan Entrepreneurs Program student, Ferleen Mallarme 
Speaker Session with Chris McNally 1/25/17

Guest Speaker Touts Hawaii as Leader in Eldercare Solutions

Hawaii “has a unique and critical role to play” in achieving a comprehensive solution to America’s “elder boom,” according to Ai-Jen Poo, director of the National Domestic Workers Alliance and co-director of the Caring Across Generations Campaign.

The social activist, named one of Time Magazine’s “100 Most Influential People” in 2012, spoke on campus Feb. 15 at a public policy forum presented by Chaminade University’s Hogan Entrepreneurs Program.

Every eight seconds, someone living in the United States turns 65, Poo pointed out. And this phenomenon is particularly striking in the rapidly graying Aloha State, where residents enjoy the longest lifespans in America.

Poo emphasized that this demographic trend is a blessing because seniors have more time to spend with their friends and loved ones. But the massive number of retiring Baby Boomers also poses a significant challenge, she cautioned, because America’s eldercare infrastructure is woefully inadequate.

Eldercare professionals typically earn just $13,000 annually, Poo said, thus forcing many to seek other employment. And because about 75 percent of American workers make less than $50,000 per year, they often struggle with the steep cost of caring for aging relatives.

Representing a bold step forward, according to Poo, are the “Kupuna Care” bills (SB534 and HB607) under consideration by the Hawaii State Legislature. These measures would provide up to $70 a day for the respite that family caregivers need to stay fully active in the workforce while caring for their kupuna at home.

If passed by the legislature and signed into law by the governor, the Kupuna Care Program could help pay for homemaking services, adult day care, transportation to doctor appointments, etc. This would allow seniors to continue “aging in place” at home, while postponing or avoiding the transition to far more expensive institutional settings.

Caring for one’s elders is “part of the DNA of this state and this culture,” Poo concluded. And that means Hawaii could serve as an outstanding model for the rest of the nation.

Additional information on the Kupuna Care Program is available at care4kupuna.com.

Chaminade Accounting Students Provide Free Tax Preparation Service

Chaminade accounting majors took on a taxing challenge this January.  They studied carefully IRS publications and forms, took federal exams, and got themselves certified by the IRS to do tax returns and give advice on budgeting strategies.  Referred to as “the Chaminade tax gang,” these certified students are led across the island by their Chaminade accounting professor, Wayne Tanna, in the pro bono preparing of tax returns for the needy. Each student will do a minimum of four tax returns (many do more) as part of Tanna’s service-learning accounting class project.

Tanna and various other accounting faculty have been offering this service-learning project since the 1980s. This is one of Chaminade’s longest running service-learning projects, started before the university referred to it as service-learning.

Tanna shared some numbers.  Consider that the average tax return preparation fee at a commercial tax preparer is close to $300.  Of course, there are computer programs, which need computers and servers, which also cost money.  Consider that the Chaminade tax gang work with the working poor and the working homeless, people who are due refunds but are intimidated by federal forms, are not familiar with the intricacies of ,say, Earned Income Credit (EIC), or do not have a computer, and just do not have the funds to otherwise file for refunds. The Chaminade students are able to assist these people in taking care of their legal and civic duties as U.S. citizens (i.e. filing their taxes) and then receive refunds. With their certifications, the Chaminade students can also provide basic tax and budget planning information. In the past, refunds to the needy have helped make ends meet or get some off the streets with enough money for rental deposits.

“By my count, we have helped the community to receive over $7,000,000 in tax refunds and credits over the past 25 years that I have been doing this with my classes.  We have also saved the working poor and homeless communities hundreds of thousands of dollars in fees that again they cannot and really should not have to pay,” said Tanna.

The newest “Chaminade tax gang” engaged with clients for the first time this year on January 29, at the State Capitol, partnering with VITA Hawaii.  To qualify for the free service, clients had to have household incomes of less than $55,000.  Walk-ins were welcomed in between scheduled appointments on a first come, first served basis.  According to Tanna, his students will have 18 additional opportunities to prepare taxes.  From Kalihi and Waianae to Palolo Valley and Ewa, there would be people to serve and numbers to crunch. His students remained eager to serve with calculators in hand.

“We do this as it is the best way to connect academic learning to the actual practice (of accounting) AND to demonstrate civic engagement as a part of our Marianist traditions,” Tanna remarked.

For more information on how to get free tax help in Hawaii, visit VITA Hawaii.

Developing Leadership through Historical Context

Six Dickinson College students flew from Carlisle, Pennsylvania to Honolulu this winter to join six Chaminade University students for a 5-day intensive leadership seminar. The seminar, taught by Dickinson professor, Jeff McCausland, Ph.D., used the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, as a historical case study to examine enduring concepts of leadership and organizational theory.

McCausland with Alaka’ina Foundation vice president of Pacific Operations, Roy J. Panzarella, Ph.D. spearheaded the opportunity for the 12 students. Thanks to sponsor, Alaka’ina Foundation, and Chaminade University, the Chaminade students participated for free.  The Foundation also provided a dinner for the group on one of the evenings. For the Foundation, supporting the Pearl Harbor Leadership Seminar matched its goal of developing a new generation of leaders.

The twelve students participated in an overview workshop on the first day and continued formal discussions and exercises from January 9-13. They reflected daily on the meaning of the places visited with efforts focused on connecting leadership concepts and principles discussed.

The core question asked daily was the “so what?” question as it pertained to leadership concepts and individual or organizational development.  Students pondered over the power of assumptions, leading in a crisis, the value of diversity, organizational culture and change, resilience and effective communications.

The group hiked up to Diamond Head observation point and to Opana Point at Turtle Bay. They visited the Tropic Lightening Museum, Schofield Barracks, Wheeler Airfield, and Hickam Harbor. They solemnly toured Pearl Harbor WWII Valor in the Pacific National Monument, its museum, and the Arizona Memorial. They took in the USS Bowfin Museum and then a nuclear submarine at the U.S. Submarine Command Pacific – a juxtaposition of past and present technology. They also made it to Punchbowl National Cemetery, the Pacific Aviation Museum, Ford Island, and the USS Missouri. In addition, the group spent an evening at Polynesian Cultural Center, as a valuable opportunity to understand diversity and culture. Learning to appreciate cultural diversities and geographic differences (Atlantic Coast meets Pacific Islands), the students strengthened their team’s capacities to work together on various exercises.

Gabriel Torno, a graduate student with Chaminade’s Hogan Entrepreneurs program, found the week to be of exceptional value. He wrote that the experience gave him unique insight of leadership concepts as he took in the historic events of Pearl Harbor. “The attack on Pearl Harbor is an excellent case study for the program. I learned more about the concepts of challenging assumptions and organizational culture,” Torno reflected.  “Some high points for me was the overall visitation of Opana Point at Turtle Bay as a vehicle that ignited World War II and our last visit to the USS Missouri that concluded the war.”  Torno also found the group’s visit to the Polynesian Cultural Center to be meaningful in exploring the concept of diversity.

On Friday, Pacific Forum CSIS prepared for the students a special half-day event, which focused on leadership for the future.  Jim Kelly, the former assistant secretary of State, and Pacific Forum officials, spoke to the students on the future of United States leadership in the Pacific. The Pacific Forum CSIS provides timely, informative, and innovative analysis of political, security, and strategic developments in the Asia-Pacific region.

Steeped in history and informed of future projections, the students made connections with the past, present, and future. They considered the mindsets of the major players of a historic event and now had a leadership framework for their future use.