Chaminade University of Honolulu

Guest Speakers

Business Innovation and Philosophy

It was an honor to hear from Mr. Ian Kitajima, Director of Corporate Development for Oceanit, a global engineering and innovation company.

Mr. Kitajima spoke about Oceanit and its four areas of focus—space and defense, engineering, life sciences, and information systems. We learned that Oceanit is a diverse company consisting of about 160 scientists and engineers with 75% of staff having Masters or Doctorates degree.

Ian KitajimaAs a company focused heavily on innovation, Oceanit has funded many interesting products which includes a Hostile Fire Detecting System which can sense high speed events like a gunshot and can use to spot snipers, Passive Boot Drying System which can dry a pair of wet boots in six hours, and Nature’s Sensors which guides ants to sniff drugs and certain chemicals. One of their unfortunate innovations was a Synthetic Virus which can target solid tumor cells to deliver drug treatment. This is an unfortunate innovation because funding for this project was ceased.

He also spoke about Oceanit’s adaptation of Stanford’s Design Thinking philosophy. This philosophy is designed to get people to think in a different way; spending more time figuring out what a customer needs up front rather than jumping to the solution. Most startups fail because they create products and provide services no one wants.

Mr. Kitajima provided us with a few tips of advice which he learned throughout his career:
1. Marry the right person.
2. Have a direction, not a destination.
3. Make things people want instead of making people want things.
4. Learn how to connect with customers.
5. Be enthusiastic.
6. Find your passion along the way. Regardless of the circumstances, you will find success if you stick to your passion.

Mr. Kitajima ended his talk with a question worth thinking about: “With enough time and money, you could build anything. So the real question is if you built it, would it matter?”

Written by: Hogan Entrepreneurs Program student, Brian Denton
Speaker Session with Ian Kitajima 3/7/18

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

Building Great Athletes Start With Great Attitude and Mental Toughness

Success in athletics is as much about the brain as it is about the body.

And sometimes, the body takes a back seat.

That was the message sports psychology consultant and life skills coach Jim Skelton had for student-athletes and their coaches during two, three-hour presentations last month.

Skelton, highly-regarded in the field, has worked with a long list of collegiate and professional teams — from the Cleveland Indians to California State University — and addressed the Chaminade community as it bolsters athletics programming and facilities.

Jim SkeltonDuring Skelton’s Feb. 14 talk with student-athletes, Skelton delved into everything from championship culture to developing an “amazing attitude” to sticking to habits of excellence.

Nina Torio, who plays volleyball for the Silverswords, said she walked away from the presentation with a new appreciation for mental fitness in sports.

Torio, a business administration major on track to graduate in 2020, said she was especially intrigued by Skelton’s description of the “process” of building great athletes and teams.

Her takeaway: Successful athletes aren’t born — they’re made (thanks to lots of practice).

“The message that Jim talked about that resonated in me the most was the importance of the mental game,” she said. “Sometimes, the biggest battle and obstacle can be within ourselves — negative thoughts, doubts, an ‘I can’t do this’ mentality.’”

But Skelton, she said, encouraged attendees to establish — and practice maintaining — positive mental routines and habits.

“If we practice positive thinking and a ‘bounce back’ attitude, nothing can stop us from reaching the goals we set for ourselves,” Torio said, adding that Skelton’s points on the importance of character (and character building) in sports weren’t lost on her, either.

“Many of the things we learn from our respective sports can translate to the real world,” she said. “Teamwork, a strong mindset, and culture building are incredible life skills and qualities. It is up to me to shift from old habits and create a new standard of thinking and focus.”

While Skelton has worked with top collegiate and professional teams, he’s quick to point out that his interest in athletics has never simply been about elite sports. Rather, his passion lies in helping those from all different backgrounds and skill levels get real joy from competition.

One of his favorite quotes, after all, is from Nelson Mandela: “Sport has the power to change the world. It has the power to inspire. It has the power to unite people in a way that little else does.”

Kaitlin Kim, an elementary education student set to graduate in December, can appreciate that.

During Skelton’s student-athlete session, she said, she got some new tools to help her get through particularly stressful games or plays — including a handy breathing exercise — and a new understanding of when to push hard and when to let things go.

She plays softball for Chaminade.

And that’s a sport, she said, that’s “95 percent mental and 5 percent physical.”

“I liked (Skelton’s message) that we can control things that are in our control,” Kim said, “and to not get upset over things that are not in our control.”

Things, she added (a bit mischievously), like umpire strike zones and questionable calls.

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