Chaminade University of Honolulu

MBA

Entrepreneur Seeks to Inspire Tomorrow’s Leaders

Connie Kramer, MBA ’24, EdD ’28 craves new projects—and her resume proves it.

For more than two decades, she worked in the fast-paced world of media production, film and television before launching her own event planning company, collaborating with local businesses to put together high-end destination weddings, corporate and nonprofit events.

She took her company far and then, as a young mother, sold it to return to marketing and a more predictable work schedule. In 2013, she landed a role as director of sales and marketing at a Hawaii hotel chain—a position she held until 2021, amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

It was an unexpected departure.

But it gave Kramer a chance to do what she does best: Find a new challenge to take on. “Getting a master’s degree was always in the back of my mind,” she said. “And then the opportunity came up.”

She enrolled in the Professional MBA program at Chaminade, a year-long program designed for experienced professionals that includes online and in-person instruction and an international study trip. Kramer said she was nervous about going back to school, but quickly found her Chaminade classes were a perfect fit.

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“The classes really pulled from real-world case studies,” Kramer said. “That allowed me to bring my own experiences while broadening my leadership skills. That was one of the big sellers for me.”

Kramer said she not only enjoyed learning from her professors, but collaborating with her classmates. She was also challenged to think about the next steps in her career. “I thought I was going to use the MBA for director-ship roles,” she said. “But the faculty at Chaminade inspired me by making learning relevant in the classroom. I realized I wanted to give back through education.”

Kramer said she realized that she had trained teammates throughout her business career.

Why not, she asked herself, use her skills to prepare the next generation of leaders?

That’s why Kramer now finds herself pursuing a Doctorate of Education in Organizational Leadership for Adaptation and Change at Chaminade. She started her first doctoral classes in July, while also tackling a lectureship role at the University. Her ultimate goal is to become a professor.

“I never thought this would be something that would be on my radar,” she said. “But because of the warm relationships I’ve established with my professors at Chaminade and joining the Hogan Entrepreneurial Leadership Program, it’s inspired me to pursue this new passion.”

At the same time, Kramer is still juggling other roles, including as an entrepreneur.

Coming from a family of avid golfers, she started a business selling fun plush golf covers with Hawaii themes. Golf Plush Paradise sells almost exclusively online, but Kramer also makes time to get to a few fairs and markets as she’s looking to build the brand.

“There’s so much golfing in Hawaii, but these speak to the female golfer like me,” she said.

At the same time, Kramer is looking to expand her volunteer work. She said while her resume reflects a diverse set of skills, at the core of all of her work has been a desire to give back.

Air Force Honors Silversword for Leadership, Service

Yazmine Esquivel, MBA ’24 is accustomed to wearing many hats.

As a maintenance management analyst for the Department of Defense in Honolulu, she helps supervisors and senior managers improve unit performance, equipment condition, fleet health and personnel skills. The Air Force veteran also has nearly a decade of experience in supply chain management, logistics planning, inventory forecasting and import/export compliance.

Perhaps most importantly, Esquivel is a leader—and she’s thankful to Chaminade for that.

She says her MBA studies at the University and her participation in Chaminade’s Hogan Entrepreneurial Leadership Program helped her build confidence, broaden her perspectives and translate her extensive knowledge into opportunities for innovation and process improvement.

That dedication is now getting noticed.

This summer, Esquivel was recognized as among the “best and brightest” of the Pacific Air Forces with a Civilian of the Year Award, which honors those who exemplify excellence in their work, participate in educational opportunities off the clock, and give back to their communities.

Esquivel says the award was “deeply meaningful,” reminding her of the long hours she put in and moments of self-doubt she overcame to achieve her education and career goals. “I am grateful that others see value in the work I care so much about, and I feel encouraged to keep growing,” she said.

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An average work day for Esquivel is, well, anything but average.

“I help the U.S. Air Force keep nine Boeing C17 cargo jets ready to fly,” she said.

“My role is part planner, part problem-solver. I pull data from our maintenance system, double-check every detail lines up, make sure the right parts are on the shelf before work is due, and map out each aircraft’s maintenance schedule up to a year ahead. Then I brief our production team so everyone knows what is coming next. It’s a behind-the-scenes job … but it never stops being exciting.”

She said her MBA experience at Chaminade was like a “rehearsal” for her day job.

The courses in human resources, leadership, finance and marketing helped build a “technical toolkit” to rely on, she said. But her biggest takeaways from the program came from the leadership values that her professors instilled, including bringing a solutions-oriented attitude, always showing up prepared and remembering that people always come first in every project.

Yazmine Ezquivel, MBA ’24 says her experiences at Chaminade helped her develop as a leader.

“Beyond that, the Hogan Entrepreneurial Program took those lessons beyond the classroom,” Ezquivel added. “Through volunteer projects and mentorship in the local community, I learned to connect business goals with service, to listen before acting, and to stay adaptable at all times.”

She said she’s grateful to many of her mentors at Chaminade, including Marketing Senior Lecturer Wera Panow-Loui, M.B.A., who recruited Esquivel into her Women in Leadership Development program, and School of Business and Communication Interim Dean Annette Santos, D.B.A.

Esquivel said Santos connected her with the Soroptimist International of Waikiki, a volunteer organization where she now serves as a delegate, “paying it forward” by working to empower women and girls to reach their goals of economic empowerment through higher education.

Photo Gallery: MBA Alumni Pau Hana

More than 40 alumni and guests came together to mingle and network at last month’s MBA Alumni Pau Hana.

Heidi Bow, Chaminade director of development, said the event “was a chance to connect, reminisce and share a memorable evening with our Chaminade MBA ‘ohana. We enjoyed hearing attendees’ stories and learning about the incredible paths they’ve taken since graduation.”

The pau hana August 7 at the Oahu Country Club included addresses by President Lynn Babington, Ph.D. and Provost Lance Askildson, Ph.D.

Bow offered a special mahalo to Rodney Harano, MBA ”84, who was the event sponsor and generously donated wine for the evening.

For more on the MBA program at Chaminade, click here.

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MBA Alumnus Sees Community Service as Essential

As vice chair and chief operating officer at Central Pacific Bank, David Morimoto, MBA ’97 keeps a breakneck schedule, overseeing banking at 27 branches along with CPB’s business and commercial banking, commercial real estate and wealth management lines of business.

But no matter how busy Morimoto gets, he still makes time to give back.

It’s a “good habit” he says was instilled in him growing up in the islands and working hard to make an impact.

“I think Hawai’i is more philanthropic than most states. Part of that comes from our upbringing and the spirit of aloha,” he said.

“Giving to those who are less fortunate—I hope that is what my two daughters see in me. “

Morimoto started at Central Pacific Bank in 1991, and has served across the company. Before being promoted to chief operating officer in March, Morimoto was senior executive vice president and chief financial officer of Central Pacific Financial Corp. and Central Pacific Bank.

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In the community, Morimoto has long been active with Aloha United Way and homeless services nonprofit Institute for Human Services (IHS).

At IHS, he is the nonprofit’s board chair—a role that he says has afforded him the opportunity to better understand the complexity of Hawai’i’s homeless crisis. “Homelessness is a large and growing problem,” he said. “It’s about helping as many people as you can to improve their situation.”

Also in a volunteer capacity, Morimoto serves with the U.S.-Japan Council, a nonprofit dedicated to strengthening U.S.-Japan relations. Morimoto said as a yonsei, or fourth-generation Japanese-American, the council’s mission of education and relationship-building has resonated with him.

Chaminade’s mission of service also struck a chord with Morimoto while he pursued his MBA.

Central Pacific Bank Chief Operating Officer David Morimoto volunteers at homeless service nonprofit Institute for Human Services.

He attended classes at night to attain his MBA—as online learning wasn’t an option at the time. Morimoto recalled that many of his fellow students were professionals or members of the military and he appreciated learning about their unique perspectives to business and the community.

“I enjoyed the diversity,” he said.

It’s one of the reasons that when he has a chance to talk to younger people, especially college students, he encourages them to get outside of their comfort zones and seek out opportunities that will challenge them—and help them to grow.

“Work ethic has also been a lot of what I think has led to my success,” he added. “I waited tables in college and carried that work ethic into the day job. It served me well.”

Chaminade MBA Options Geared Toward Advancement, Impact

Prospective MBA students come with different goals, experiences and expectations, which is why Chaminade offers two unique MBA pathways—both designed to maximize student success and impact, said MBA Program Director Eduard Merc, Ph.D.

The best part? Whichever option you choose, you can finish in just 12 months.

The two pathway options are the MBA, open to students from all educational or professional backgrounds, and the Professional MBA, geared toward business executives.

Merc said both degrees were recently restructured to put a dual focus on soft and hard skills building—from leadership to data analytics. He added the MBA and Professional MBA also stress hands-on learning, mentoring and a “business for good” philosophy.

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And in a new offering this Spring, students in both MBA pathways will be able to take a preparation course for the Project Management Professional certification exam—a highly sought-after credential. Merc said more preparation courses will be added in the future.

Merc said that a foundational principle of Chaminade’s MBA program is preparing students to use innovative strategies to make a difference. “We are graduating students who want to improve their community through an entrepreneurial spirit,” he said.

Annette Taijeron Santos, D.B.A., interim dean of the School of Business and Communication at Chaminade, added that students are encouraged to “act locally but think globally. Everything they’re learning in classes, it’s rooted to real-world learning experiences and what the workforce is demanding, especially for career mobility.”

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Applications are now being accepted for the MBA, with a Spring deadline of April 7.

Merc noted that students in the MBA program come with a diversity of backgrounds. To provide a “level playing field” for everyone, incoming students attend an in-person or remote “MBA bootcamp,” which covers key themes of accounting, economics, finance and more.

“It helps them feel confident about their skills before the semester even starts,” he said.

The Professional MBA, meanwhile, is cohort-based and students are admitted in the Fall. Merc said a typical cohort has about 15 to 20 people—all entrepreneurs, business owners and emerging leaders seeking to advance their careers. In addition to online learning, students meet every other Saturday for intensive instruction and discussion.

Merc noted the Professional MBA also includes an optional international study trip to Japan. Participants get the chance to meet business leaders, tour companies and network.

For more information on the MBA and Professional MBA at Chaminade, click here.

One Year MBA: Smart Track to a Degree

Mia Vallero, MBA ’23, visited Nara, Japan four years ago. She remembers seeing the deer at Nara Park, and how playful and eager they were to be fed crackers by visitors. This past August, she returned to the same prefecture but this time the trip was part of the Chaminade University One Year MBA degree program, and she noticed the deer were not as lively as she remembered.

“It forced me to reflect on the tourism industry in Japan and in Hawaii,” Vallero ruminates. “I’m glad I had the opportunity to think twice about the use of wildlife for tourism and entertainment.”

Thinking deeply about business practices, culture, and economic impact and sustainability are all part of Chaminade’s One Year MBA program of which Vallero entered in the fall of 2022. The recent trip to Japan was one of the final segments of the program, as she traveled with eight fellow MBA candidates, her professor Dr. Caryn Callahan, and the Interim Dean of the School of Business and Communication Dr. Annette Santos. 

Considered the messengers of the gods, Nara's over 1000 deer have become a symbol of the city and have even been designated as a natural treasure.
Considered the messengers of the gods, Nara’s over 1000 deer have become a symbol of the city and have even been designated as a natural treasure.

A customer service manager at Aloha Freight Forwarders, Vallero enrolled in the One Year MBA program for the experience and skills she would gain to expand opportunities for her future. 

Likewise for fellow MBA candidate Joshua McDonough who earned his bachelor’s degree from Boston University. Both Vallero and McDonough belong to the second cohort of the One Year MBA program, which they will complete this September 2023. The first cohort of students entered in the fall of 2021 and earned their MBAs in September 2022. A third cohort will begin this September 2023 and will conclude in September 2024. All graduates have the option to participate in Chaminade’s commencement ceremony the following May of their program completion.

As an executive program designed for people who have work experience, the One Year MBA program provides valuable resources, credentials, and professional and practical classroom and real world exposure to its graduate students. In-person classes held every other Saturday on campus are supplemented by online course work and travel abroad, which is largely sponsored by Chaminade. The first cohort traveled to New Zealand and the international destination for the third cohort is yet to be determined. 

“Through this MBA program, I look to broaden my business perspective, grow my professional network and enhance my leadership, communication and critical thinking skills,” McDonough says.

On the recent trip to Japan, MBA candidates visited such businesses and organizations as  the Luxottica eyeglass frame factory, the Masunaga Optical Company, Daiko Advertising and Asahi Beer Suita Brewery. They also attended a baseball game at Koshien Stadium and enjoyed a private meeting with Kazuhiro Tanabe, a director of the stadium. 

Visiting the eyeglass and optical companies was particularly relevant since students were tasked to study the industry in preparation for their trip to Japan. They compared the operations of two different manufacturers, with one based in Milan, Italy—but has a presence in Japan— and the other based in Japan. They researched how a progressive, modern approach differs from a more traditional business model, and how they market, manufacture and distribute their products. 

MBA candidates got to visit the Megane Museum, where visitors learn about the history of glasses, and the more than 200 steps involved in making a pair.
MBA candidates got to visit the Megane Museum, where visitors learn about the history of glasses, and the more than 200 steps involved in making a pair.

“There’s nothing like getting students out into the field,” says Dr. Caryn Callahan, who has been teaching the One Year MBA program since its inception. “You can read textbooks and study in the classroom, but by traveling abroad we were able to meet with the presidents of companies, and were greeted warmly by high-level management. The students had researched the companies, and they were well prepared before going into these meetings”

Dr. Annette Santos agrees and recognizes the valuable experience students received by seeing Japanese business cultures through a western lens, learning about the diversification of industries, and understanding the differences and similarities between eastern and western ways of conducting business.” 

“Each curated tour, visits to manufacturing companies, meetings with heads of organizations was a professional and personal growth opportunity for our students,” Santos says. “Students  asked very good questions, such as, ‘What is it like to be a leader?’ as well as  about production and supply chain. It was really nice to see the students’ critical-thinking capacity, as reflected by the questions they asked the leaders.”

On September 16, the School of Business and Communication will hold a banquet for the graduating One Year MBA class, as well as for the new cohort of students entering the program to begin their 12 month journey, which will also conclude with international travel.

“Our international study trips transform students’ understanding of business and provide a wonderful opportunity of exposure to other cultures and local business practices,” says Dr. Eduard Merc, who is Chaminade’s MBA director. “Additionally, the academic trip gives participants a comprehensive overview of trends in business and an in-depth view into companies currently operating in the Asia Pacific region. 

“At the School of Business and Communication, we believe in the importance of our students seeing firsthand the strategies that international businesses have pursued to take part in the explosive growth of Asia, and how these companies effectively adapt to the ever-changing business, social, and political landscapes in which they operate,” Merc adds. “This supplements their MBA classroom learning in significant ways by learning directly from business leaders.”

The banquet will be bittersweet for the outgoing students whose lives for the past year were filled with the collegiality of their close-knit class. Now as alumni, they belong to Chaminade’s global network. And like many of his fellow MBA ’23 graduates, Ethan Dayton had a vision for what he hoped to accomplish a year ago when he started the curriculum. 

“My goal at the end of this program is to have amassed new knowledge,” wrote Dayton, a year ago, “and skills that expand my career path options.” 

Indeed, by all accounts, his and the entire cohort’s goals were beyond achieved.