Page 4 - Hawaii Island MidWeek - May 17, 2023

4 HAWAI‘I ISLAND MIDWEEK MAY 17, 2023
COVER STORY
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The 17th cohort of Pacific Century Fellows graduated on Oct. 27, 2022 at the Prince Waikīkī Hotel, with dignitaries in attendance, including founder Mufi Hannemann, Gov.
Josh Green and Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi.
Story by
DON ROBBINS
The Pacific Century Fellows program has long been a developer of up-and-coming business leaders in the islands. Applications for this year’s class of Fellows are being accepted through June 10.
and network building.
“You hear the phrase ʻThink global, act local.’ PCF brings together a group of mixed backgrounds into an environment where we must learn to interact and come to- gether and listen to different perspectives,” he says. “In- teracting, listening to your cohort fellows helps shape
APhotos courtesy
PACIFIC CENTURY FELLOWS
in PCF means to them. According to Unga, “My greatest takeaway from the PCF program is that Hawai‘i is in need of collaborative leadership in order to over- come the dynamic challeng- es ahead. My PCF cohort consists of amazing young leaders from a variety of in-
dustries and professions.” He also recalls one particu- lar aspect of the program that influenced him greatly. “The most mem- orable activity was our trip to Hawai‘i Island where we were privileged to experience the beauty and majesty of Waipi‘o Valley,” shares Unga. “We met with a kalo farmer who spoke of the importance of reviving the agricultural customs and practices unique to Hawai‘i, maintaining the balance of the ecosystem for future generations, and creating op-
fter hitting the pause button due to the pandemic, the Pa-
beyond and do great things,” explains Hannemann.
portunities for kalo farmers to educate locals and tourists alike about kalo farming and its relevance to sustainable living.
landscape of Hawai‘i.”
One part of the PCF pro- gram that had a major impact on her was a visit to Hālawa
cific Century Fellows pro- gram is back and accepting applications for its 18th class. Overseen by a charitable or- ganization called the Fund for the Pacific Century, the pro- gram is designed to recognize and encourage Hawai‘i’s fu- ture leaders, according to the fund’s board chairperson Mufi Hannemann.
The most recent graduating class had 35 fellows. Because of shutdowns and inability to meet in-person until recent- ly because of the pandemic, the graduates have been the longest-tenured class yet. Hannemann says that they were selected in August 2019 and graduated in October 2022.
“We also had a memora- ble energy, environment and sustainability activity, which included visit-
ing with the Board of Water Supply at the Honouliuli Water Re- cycling Facility and then touring the Red Hill fuel tanks. At that Jan. 20, 2020 activity, BWS presented on the imminent danger of Red Hill fuel tanks well before the Red Hill crisis,” he adds.
Correctional Facility.
“At the time, I was serving
The application deadline is June 10. PCF application and program information is avail- able at pacificcenturyfellows. com. The next class will be selected on Aug. 12 and the opening retreat that kicks off the 2023-24 program will be held in October.
Among those graduates are Wilson Unga, City
& County of Honolulu deputy prosecuting at- torney; Emi Au, senior
vice president and director of consumer banking strategy at American Savings Bank; Dane Wicker, deputy director of the state Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism; and Cayenne Pe‘a, principal and co-founder at Alaka‘i Development. They all have personal stories to share about what participating
on the Board of the YWCA O‘ahu, and we were fighting for the doors of Fernhurst —the transitional housing program and the only women’s furlough pro- gram in the state — to stay open,” she recalls. “By visiting the correctional fa- cility, and getting a chance to speak to the late prison chief Nolan Espinda, I realized how important it is for tran- sitional housing programs to exist to ensure the recidivism
M
she learned from PCF was perseverance.
how change can be made.”
“It’s become one of the most meaningful initiatives that I’ve ever done in my life, because I see the good that it produces with motivating people who come into the pro- gram, and then they go on and
rates are reduced.”
PCF participant Wicker
“I will humbly admit that I did not get accepted into the program on the first try. I nev- er gave it a second thought after that but was encouraged by one of my PCF classmates to apply again for the next class. And so with a little en-
Fellow PCF class member Au says she applied to be a fellow “to meet other leaders in industries outside of bank- ing in the state of Hawai‘i that are passionate about im- pacting and driving change.”
eanwhile, Pe‘a shares that the very first lesson
She adds, “I was also drawn to this program as it exposes leaders to critical issues that are shaping the
explains that he applied to become a Pacific Century Fellow because he was look- ing for courses, programs and organizations that provide professional development
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