Chaminade University of Honolulu

Hogan Entrepreneurs Program

‘Sudisfaction’ Guaranteed

Brothers establish essential men’s care

In 2020, Jacob Fernandez ’23 was in flight school until he was grounded by a once-in-a-lifetime pandemic. With only 50 hours left to earn his private pilot license, the California native made, what he described, “as a spontaneous decision” to fly in a completely different direction—towards Hawaii.

“I had a friend who was going to Chaminade, and he told me it was a great school,” Fernandez says. “So, I decided to do my due diligence, and I looked into the nursing program, which I’ve always been interested in. Ironically, my friend decided he didn’t like nursing so he dropped out, but here I am in my final year.”

Unfortunately, the COVID-19 pandemic took higher education into unprecedented times. The necessary pivot from in-person to online teaching and learning proved to be difficult for many students, educators and administrators. Undergraduate nursing programs faced an even more complex decision because large portions of the curriculum rely on hands-on clinical experience. Ultimately, most programs completed the remainder of the Spring 2020 semester remotely, while the Fall 2020 semester looked different for many programs, some moving forward with in-person learning, others virtual.

Jacob Fernandez holds one of Broessentia’s handmade soaps.

On a positive note, there were opportunities for students to develop interventions and improve their experience, including changing the environment, learning via virtual gatherings, responding to the flexibility of faculty, undertaking supplemental learning and pursuing intentional self-care. 

That last point of self-care resonated with Fernandez and his older brother, Chris Fernandez. “Growing up, our mother would make natural, personal care products, which made us more conscious of what we used on our bodies,” says Jacob Fernandez. “So, my brother and I started a company that focuses on men’s personal care, and called it Brossentia.”

A portmanteau of brother and essential, Brossentia officially launched online on May 17, 2020, offering a line of natural, handcrafted bar soaps, which are made with a base of olive, coconut, jojoba or sustainable palm oil.

In between his nursing studies and starting an online business, Fernandez decided to enroll in the one-year Hogan Entrepreneurial Program, which he now credits for teaching him some valuable business skills. 

“The Hogan Program has provided insightful experiences through listening to entrepreneurs and hearing their journeys towards success,” Fernandez says. “It was inspiring to hear them speak about how they overcame their diversities and challenges.”

At the April 2023 Hogan Entrepreneurial Leadership Program Induction/Graduation Ceremony, Fernandez was honored with this year’s “In the Arena” Award for outstanding entrepreneurship. It was a well-deserved recognition, according to Hogan Entrepreneurial Program Director Roy Panzarella, Ph.D.
“Jacob will be a senior in the nursing program, which is one of the toughest and most demanding programs we have at Chaminade today,’” Panzarella says. “He’s also the first nursing major to be a Hogan Entrepreneur.”

Along with the objective to create a business and a product, the brothers conducted market research, which ranged from consumer type and market size to earth-friendly packaging and trends. Unlike commercial brands, Jacob and Chris Fernandez handcraft each bar in-house—literally, in their mom’s Hermosa, Calif., kitchen—to ensure the highest quality control. They also developed their own molds, using material that they bought from Home Depot. 

Their cold-process soap is made by combining oils and sodium hydroxide lye, which causes a chemical reaction called saponification. In the process, they get to choose the oils, scents, colorants and any other ingredients. Their line of soaps includes Bay Citrus, Black Moss, Crisp Mint and the popular Goated, which is made with oatmeal, a combination of oils, shea butter, essential oils of spearmint and eucalyptus and, yes, goat’s milk.

“Our competitors use drop-ship soap, which means they buy their soaps from a manufacturer and brand it as their own,” Jacob Fernandez explains. “Our cold-process soap is tedious, and it takes about a month for our soaps to cure.”

As Brossentia business takes off, Jacob Fernandez remains grounded, following the Hogan Entrepreneurial Program’s motto, “Doing business things that make social sense. Doing social things that make business sense.” 

“I would say that our business aligns with the Marianist value of family spirit,” the 22-year-old says. “Through shared experiences, we plan to partner with grassroot organizations that promote and expand quality mental healthcare for men, donating one percent of our sales to nonprofits.

“Chaminade has put me in a better position to become a registered nurse,” Jacob Fernandez continues. “Balancing life, studies, clinical hours, a part-time job and Brossentia can be demanding. Going into my fourth year, I feel like I need to fit a few more pieces into the puzzle before graduating, but I am excited for the future.”

As Brossentia’s tagline goes: Sudisfaction Guaranteed.

Dreams Come True

Faith Chang ’23 fulfills her lifetime dream

When she walks across the stage during the 65th Commencement, Faith Chang will have achieved one of her lifelong dreams: to earn a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration. For the newly minted alumna, the four-year Chaminade experience has only strengthened and bolstered her beliefs in community service and religious faith.

“I’ve always believed in helping the community ever since I was a kid,” says Chang, the 2023 recipient of the Hogan Entrepreneurial Leadership Program’s Aloha Spirit Award. “During my freshman year, I participated in a Service Learning opportunity at Kaimuki High School, where I helped high-school students with any of their class projects.”

Having the opportunity to intern while still studying affords college students a chance to build a professional network with industry leaders, and to hone their skills before entering the workforce. Internships also allow the intern to figure out one’s true passion.

For Chang, this meant following a path to seek a position with a nonprofit group, which could utilize what she learned at Chaminade and what she experienced as an intern with Make-A-Wish Hawai‘i.

Chaminade President Dr. Lynn Babington, left, and Christine and Glenn Hogan congratulate Faith Chang for her 2023 Hogan Entrepreneurial Program’s Aloha Spirt Award.
Chaminade President Dr. Lynn Babington, left, and Christine and Glenn Hogan congratulate Faith Chang for her 2023 Hogan Entrepreneurial Program’s Aloha Spirit Award.

“Faith was also an intern with Chaminade University’s Economics Education Center for Excellence (EECE) from 2021-2022,” says EECE director and associate professor, Dr. Guanlin Gao. “During her time there, she identified and adapted over 50 lesson plans in economics, personal finance and Hawaiian history for K-12 teachers. In addition, she presented her lesson plans and shared the resource pool she built with over 30 local public school teachers at the EECE 2022 Summer Workshop, which benefited the teachers and ultimately the next generation.”

During her stint with Make-A-Wish Hawai‘i, Chang interned with the Finance and Operations department, where her financial responsibilities included processing donations and payments, paying vendors, ensuring the monthly financial statements are accurate, and preparing for the annual budget, financial audit and Form 990.

“We rely a lot on our interns,” says Shari Young, Make-A-Wish Hawai‘i’s Director of Finance, who supervised Chang during her internship. “Faith had all the qualifications that we require of our interns, including being an active community member, a willingness to grow and learn, and she possessed the heart for our mission.”

A survey by the National Association of Colleges and Employers indicates that the starting salary for college graduates who completed an internship and were employed in a private, for-profit company was $53,521, while those who didn’t complete an internship started with an average of only $38,572. The same study found that 72.2 percent of college graduates with internship experience got a job offer, in contrast to 36.5 percent for those who didn’t complete one. These numbers indicate that pursuing an internship during your college years can add a competitive edge on the side students, increasing their opportunity to get a well-paying job after graduation.

The same held true across industry sectors—nonprofit ($41,876 vs. $31,443), state/local government ($42,693 vs. $32,969), and federal government sectors ($48,750 vs. $42,501).

“I sought the internship to enhance my resume, and gain a better understanding of nonprofit finance operations and expenses,” says Chang who won this year’s Hogan Entrepreneurial Program’s Aloha Spirit Award, which is given to a student who best embodies the spirit of the program. “Another takeaway from this internship was the reward of working with a nonprofit organization, like Make-A-Wish Hawai‘i, which is dedicated to the community, granting wishes and providing little girls and boys a lifetime of joy during a trying stage in their lives.

“I remember this one girl’s wish was to have a playground built in her backyard,” Chang recounts. “And when it was time for the reveal, her reaction and joy made me cry. And I immediately sent the video to my parents. It was just so heartwarming.”

With her expanded skill set, Gao predicts that Chang will continue her journey of making a real-world difference. “She is involved in so many community projects, including Chaminade’s Compassionate Cat Counting project, ‘Inana sustainability program, Earth Day thrift sale, as well as her church service at the Inspire Church conference,” Gao adds. “She has raised funds to sponsor children in Guatemala, as her passion is to make a real-world difference and give back to the community.”

Hawaiian Leadership Values

’19 MBA graduates co-author book for future leaders

Dressed in a tank top, shorts and slippahs, Nolene Gega ’19 scouted the streets of Kalihi, shopping around for a commercial printer. She finally found one that agreed to print a book, which she and nine other then-MBA Chaminade students co-wrote for their Island Business Po‘okela capstone project. “Hawaiian Values for Future Leaders: Definitions & Stories” was born from the idea that no reference book exists that highlights the importance of Hawaiian leadership values.

“The intent was to make a book that could be shared and approachable,” says Gega, a military veteran who was deployed to Kuwait from 2011-2012 and embedded as a civilian in Afghanistan from 2012-2014. “Every single book on Hawaiian values is so dense, and we wanted ours to be a sort of quick guide.”

Spearheaded by Gega, the 50-page book covers a series of key Hawaiian values, including Aloha, Cooperativeness (Kūpono), Humility (Haʻahaʻa), Helpfulness (Kōkua), Generosity (Lokomaikaʻi), Patience (Hoʻomanawanui), Hospitality (Hoʻokipa), Unity (Lōkahi), Courage (Koa), Responsibility (Kuleana) and Dignity (Hanohano). According to Gega, these 10 values were chosen based on the commonality of Lili‘uokalani Trust Trustee Thomas K. Kaulukukui’s journal Hūlili Vol. 10 and George S. Kanahele’s book Kū Kanaka–Stand Tall: A Search for Hawaiian Values.  

Shawn Uehira, left, and Nolene Gega co-wrote a book about Hawaiian leadership values.
Shawn Uehira ’19, left, and Nolene Gega ’19 co-wrote a book about the importance of Hawaiian leadership values among local businesses.

“It’s a tool for storytelling,” said Gega’s fellow MBA graduate and co-author Shawn Uehira ’19, who tapped retired Hawaiian Electric executive and current President of the Collaborative Leaders Network, Robbie Alm, for his mo’olelo about Aloha, Lōkahi and Pu’u (sharing with future leaders). “We didn’t want our book to turn into a MLA-style manual. We even included blank pages in between the chapters so people could write down their own stories to share for future generations.”

In addition to Gega and Uehira, other contributing MBA cohort members included Tiana Brede ’19, Auli‘I Mafi ’19, Jeffrey Pi‘imauna ’19, Cliffton Pires ’19, Dan Scroggins ’19, Faisha Solomon ’19, Kim Spring ’19 and Xiao Yi ’19. Each was responsible for choosing one of the values and finding a storyteller who would be willing to share his/her perspectives regarding that particular value. Among the storytellers and community leaders are Cindy Asada, Director of Guest Relations at Four Seasons Hualalai;  Esben Borsting, Chaminade’s Director of Native Hawaiian Partnerships; Ed Demello, owner of Emerald Isle Plumbing; Kristiana Kahakauwila, “This is Paradise: Stories” author; Hinaleimoana Wong-Kalu, O‘ahu Island Burial Council; Anne Matute, Cromwell owner; Elizabet Sahtouris, Chaminade professor; Lilette Subedi, Director of Resource Development for the Whitmore Economic Development Group; Ramsay Taum, owner of Life Enhancement Institute of the Pacific; and Michael Toyama, Senior Principal with Bowers & Kubota.

“I contacted Lilette, a Native Hawaiian practitioner and Indologist, whom I met while she was a Navy contractor,” Gega said. “We met in ‘Aiea under a tree, and we just talked for hours about what it meant to be a Native Hawaiian. It was truly inspiring.”

When asked about the meaning of Haʻahaʻa, Subedi offered an anecdote, relating to a past event during which she was asked to speak about her role as the Sex Equity Coordinator for the state of Hawai‘i.

“I thought, ‘Oh my God! I need to sound smart,” Subedi recalled. “I prayed on it and went up and spoke. It didn’t matter the number of people because you start don’t look at that, you speak from the heart and just be who you are. It was well received.”

After giving this talk, Subedi learned not to be shy. “I fought and changed my path,” she added. “I learned to be assertive, not aggressive. I learned to stand and be who I am, as who I always was. Not in the mindset of being Hawaiian, just being me!”

A common question posed among all the interviewees was: Is there anything you feel is important to share today with future leaders? While the answers varied, from individual kuleana to community lōkahi, all believed in sharing aloha.

“Aloha means so many different things for each person,” Gega noted. “There’s no one true definition. I believe Aloha is that thing when all of the right things happen at the right time, and the right place for our good and the good of others, which means it comes from within you. It is something you have to bring to the situation as much as you receive in the situation.”

First-Place Winners

Chaminade Edges out Nine Other Teams to Capture IACBE Award

As guest speaker during the Hogan Entrepreneurial Leadership Graduation/Induction, Michael Rose ’23 spoke highly of his fellow graduates, commending them for recently winning the Best Practices Award at the International Assembly for Collegiate Business Education (IACBE) Competition in Orlando, Florida.

“There were a lot of late nights, and a lot of data to absorb and synthesize,” said Rose during the Graduation/Induction ceremony. “We worked hard as a team to bring home this award.”

Rose, along with classmates Epifania Petelo, Ashley Yoshikawa, Michael Rose and Tino Colleo presented to a billion-dollar boat manufacturer, Correct Craft, which chose their findings and recommendations on optimizing the company’s supply chain to mitigate risk and maximize efficiency.

The Chaminade Team included professors Richard Kido, Eddie Merc, Dean of the School of Business and Communications Bill Rhey, Wera Panow-Loui and Guanlin Gao, and students Michael Rose, Ashley Yoshikawa, Epifania Petelo and Tino Colleo.

“It was a great way to apply my learning in the classroom to a real-life issue,” Petelo told Talanei News. “It also gave me networking opportunities and an avenue to expand beyond the island community.”

Mentored by professors Guanlin Gao, Richard Kido and Wera Panow-Loui, the students’ presentation, according to the team’s coach and MBA Director and Program Advisor, Eddie Merc, was “a result of countless nights, collaboration and a lot of pizzas.”

“They nailed it,” praised Merc of the Chaminade Team’s presentation, “They worked as a team and accomplished their objectives, and walked away with a first-place win. It was a well-earned victory.”

According to IACBE.org, it is the leading outcomes-based professional accrediting organization for business programs in student-centered colleges and universities throughout the world. The IACBE exists to promote, develop, and recognize excellence in business education.

IACBE judges noted “the winning presentation demonstrated excellence, as it pertains to an institution’s or program’s assurance of learning activities or quality enhancement initiatives.”

To win the award, the Chaminade Team submitted a well-written, carefully edited, and organized description of the poster presentation, including a brief abstract, a detailed description of the methods used for measuring outcomes and conclusion(s) drawn from the assessment results. The submission also provided recommendations based on the conclusion(s) and next steps for further supporting the assurance of learning activities or quality enhancement initiatives. 

“It was an incredible experience for our students,” said Dr. Guanlin Gao. “They worked really hard to put together their presentation, and we couldn’t be any prouder.”

Merc and Dr. Pam Estell (who was unable to attend the conference) took a victory lap when they were awarded first place for their research presentation in the Best Practices Poster Session competition. “We donated the winnings of $500 to Aloha United Way,” Merc said. “This conference brings together higher education leaders for informative presentations on all aspects of business education and best practices. We look forward to returning next year.”

Hogan’s Heroes

Hogan Program Graduates and Inductees Share the Stage

Addressing attendees during the Hogan Entrepreneurial Leadership Program Induction/Graduation Ceremony, Glenn Hogan said it is an honor to continue the legacy that his late parents, Ed and Lynn, began 21 years ago when they invested their time and knowledge, and shared their experiences with aspiring entrepreneurs at Chaminade.

“My parents always believed in giving generously,” Hogan said. “At an early age, our parents taught us our ABCs. As entrepreneurs, they defined it as A for Attitude, B for Behavior.  And being parents married for 65 years, they didn’t always see eye-to-eye, but they always came together. And so the C, my mom believed that behavior resulted in Consequences, and my dad believed in behavior and Character.”

Hogan students have also learned another “Hoganism” known as the five Ds: Desire, Dedication, Devotion, Discipline and Determination. “Entrepreneurship is not just about starting a business, though it’s that, too,” explains Hogan Program Director, Dr. Roy Panzarella. “Entrepreneurship is about acquiring the skills of success, and we try to teach those skills in the context of entrepreneurship.”

Drs. Roy Panzarella and Chaminade President Lynn Babington, and Christine and Glenn Hogan flank this year's Hogan Entrepreneurial Leadership Program Awardees.
Drs. Roy Panzarella and Chaminade President Lynn Babington, and Christine and Glenn Hogan flank this year’s Hogan Entrepreneurial Leadership Program Awardees.

Funded by the Hogan Family Foundation, the eponymous Entrepreneurial Program, aims to educate Chaminade students how to be successful in business through a series of lectures with experienced Hawaii leaders, study abroad missions, community service projects, academic coursework and mentorship. Each year, a new cohort of students from all majors, including undergraduate juniors and seniors and graduate students, are accepted into the one- or two-year certificate program.

“This annual celebration is always a wonderful time to reflect on our students’ contributions to the common good,” says Chaminade President, Dr. Lynn Babington. “They represent our future leaders who will help transform society and make a huge difference in our communities.”

Poised to expand in the future, the Hogan Entrepreneurial Leadership Program, now in concert with the Suzie Martin & Vaughn Vasconcellos Leadership Institute, will train and mentor tomorrow’s leaders and entrepreneurs. The education that students will receive will prepare them to lead with empathy, morality, compassion, and a drive to identify problems and create scalable solutions that can benefit individuals, communities and the globe. 

Christine and Glenn Hogan attended the Graduation/Induction Ceremony.

“My dad always liked to say, ‘Doing business things that make social sense, doing social things that make business sense,’” Hogan says.  “He believed in entrepreneurial practices that benefit the community.”

At the ceremony, the graduating Hogan students were honored for completing the program and the incoming Hogan students were inducted in front of their Chaminade community, friends and family. Four awards were presented, including the Outstanding Hogan Entrepreneur of the Year Award, the Outstanding First Year Student Award, the In the Arena Award and the Aloha Spirit Award.

“When I entered the Hogan program in the Fall of 2020, I wanted to learn more about social enterprises,” says Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Realtor, Ciena Alagao, a Hogan graduate who won the Outstanding Entrepreneur of the Year Award. “I wanted to start a business that would make a positive impact in the community.”

Nankuli native Waioli Misajon won the Outstanding First Year Award, while Jacob Fernandez and Faith Chang were recognized with In the Arena and Aloha Spirit awards, respectively. Twelve students were inducted into the program, and a total of 17 students graduated, three of whom received their two-year certificates and the rest earning their one-year certificates.

“We would like to take this opportunity to give a special mahalo to the entire Hogan Family,” Panzarella concludes. “Significant contributions of time, counsel and financial support to Chaminade University for over two decades have allowed us to measurably impact the lives of more than 400 Hogan students as they embarked upon careers, ‘determined to become contributing members of society,’ as Ed Hogan would say.”

Hogan’s Hero

Haelee Tallett ’18 Champions Entrepreneurial Program

Before ceding the room to Haelee Tallett —or Haels, as she prefers to be called— Hogan Entrepreneurial Leadership Program director, Dr. Roy Panzarella quipped that the Hogan Speaker Series is setting a new Guinness World Record tonight by inviting the youngest guest speaker ever.

“Don’t worry, I’ll get to that,” Tallett joked about her age. “I’m not mysterious and I don’t put on any façades. I’m an open book with a story to tell and I’m glad to tell it.”

Tallett’s entrepreneurial achievements certainly belie her youthful age of 26. Owner and CEO of Ocean Creations, a custom jewelry company inspired by her love for the ocean, the Hogan Entrepreneurial Program ’16 and Chaminade ’18 Business Administration graduate began her now-thriving business as a hobby when she was a young 16-year-old teenager.

“I just learned that when Haels was a freshman at Chaminade, she already wanted to enter the Hogan program, which wasn’t possible because entry requires students to be juniors, seniors or graduate students, but she was determined,” Panzarella told attendees. “It’s powerful what she has been able to achieve, and is now giving back to the community.”

Entrepreneur Haelee Tallet discussed her business, Ocean Creations, during the Hogan Speaker Series.

The point wasn’t lost among attendees and Tallett’s support network of 10 employees and close friends, including her former Chaminade classmate, Brandon Espiritu, ’16. “She has always worked hard so I’m here to support her,” he said. “It’s nice to see Haels achieve so many milestones and I’m super proud of her.”

Tallett’s modest beginnings started with her brother’s passion for diving and bringing home shells of all shapes and sizes. Initially, she would turn the shells into whimsical jewelry for herself, but she would eventually give them as gifts in hopes of saving money. Then the compliments and requests came in.

“I wanted to make jewelry that was affordable and made young women feel good,” says Tallett, who recently expanded Ocean Creations with a second location at Ala Moana Center. “I wanted to empower young women to be the best of themselves.”

Tallett credits Chaminade for shaping her as an entrepreneur, and teaching her what she calls the necessary “soft skills” to run a business. “The professors here taught me confidence building and effective communicating,” said Tallett, who opened her first brick-and-mortar shop at Ka Makana Ali‘i in Kapolei. “They told me about challenges that an entrepreneur will face and how to meet them.”

Haels, though, isn’t the first generation of Talletts to attend Chaminade, Panzarella pointed out. “I believe her grandfather came here [Willibrord “Willie” K. Tallett ’61] and also her aunt [Theresa (Tallett) Edwards ‘89].”

“I’ve always been super interested in Chaminade because of my grandpa,” the younger Tallett said. “And I’ve always wanted to be in the Hogan Program. My relationship with the faculty still stands out as very special because my professors were so committed to helping us along the way. They would always go the extra mile, and my classmates and I knew we could count on them to help us, even if it wasn’t directly related to our classwork.”

As for the future, Tallett hopes to grow her business and to continue to have the opportunity to support young women. Standing in front of the class, the young entrepreneur encouraged the budding MBA students to pursue their dreams.

“When I was in your position I had no idea I would have two stores in two of Hawai‘i’s largest malls,” she said. “I wake up sometimes and I feel like I have impostor syndrome, and I ask myself, ‘How did I get here?’”