SBH 21st Annual Conference January 8
Sam Slom's Small Business Views
GUEST COMMENTARIES
Time to Reform The Jones Act by Cliff Slater
Jed Gaines Heads Read Aloud Hawaii Educational Effort
Legislature Opens January 15
Members Re-Elect SBH Board of Directors
"YES" Meets At Capitol
Nigerian Investment Scam Back
The Stock Market Has A History of Recovery by Geal Fukumoto
Homework Hotline A Win-Win Solution
The Importance of Controlling Costs
January 8 at the Ala Moana Hotel
The 21st Annual SBH Conference will be held Wednesday, January 8, from 8 am to 1:30 pm at the Ala Moana Hotel, Hibiscus Ballroom. It is open to all members, their guests, employees, and the general public.
This year's conference theme is, "Small Business '97; Making Hawaii Work Again!" and promises to be more upbeat than in recent years. The SBH Conference is the first major business forum of the New Year. You should be there!
Motivational speaker and world-class blind athlete, Craig MacFarlane, will speak on "PRIDE" at the opening of the day-long business event.
Newly elected small business owners, and State Senators, Norman Sakamoto (D) and Sam Slom (R) will offer their thoughts on the coming year.
Major Legislative leaders from both parties will present their outlook and perspective for the 1997 Session which opens a week later on January 15, during a panel. Questions and answers will follow.
The Conference keynoter is Maui Mayor Linda Crockett Lingle, a potential U.S. Senate or Gubernatorial candidate for 1998.
Annual SBH business awards, Small Business Success Stories and special events will also be featured. The "Small Business Person of the Year" will also be named.
Advance reservations are required. Total cost for SBH members and their guests is $30; $40 for non-members, and those paying at the door (if space is available). This is a good opportunity to bring valued employees, associates and clients.Call 396-1724 for more details. Start the year right - don't miss this event.
The Small Business Hawaii Legislative Action Committee (LAC) joined with the Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii's legislative committee, NFIB, and other business organizations several times recently at the State Capitol. Bob Sigall of SBH and Jim Proctor of the Chamber co-hosted the meetings designed to set 1997 Legislative priorities and organize all business organizations into a more effective business coalition under the umbrella of the Hawaii Small Business Congress. The idea is to be more inclusive with ALL business groups participating with one, strong, voice during '97. The groups want your ideas too!
The group also met with the new House - Senate Small Business Caucus on December 16. The bi-partisan House Caucus has operated effectively for four years; this is the first time the Senate has joined in, spearheaded by new Senators Sakamoto and Slom.
SBH also held its BiAnnual hosted Welcome New Legislators breakfast on Friday, December 20 at the Pacific Club. Fifteen new lawmakers attended, along with SBH Directors and several small business owners. A strategy for bipartisan economic vitality was discussed. The next meeting of the umbrella congress/coalition will be Tuesday, January 7, 11 am, State Capitol. Everyone is invited.
On Wednesday, January 15, the 19th State Legislature begins its 60 (working) day Session. It will end in late April 22. The following Wednesday (Jan. 22) the business community will Rally at the Capitol beginning at 7:30 am. Call SBH (396-1724) for details!
Many people believe nothing will happen this year. It is up to business people, and the newly elected business-experienced lawmakers, to prove them wrong.
Ready to get involved? Sign up now by contacting Bob Sigall, at 847-2046. If you have a FAX and are not already on the SBH Biz Fax Net, you can sign on at the same time.
MEMEBERS RE-ELECT SBH BOARD OF DIRECTORS - GOTTLIEB VACANCY TO BE APPOINTED
Election ballots for the SBH Board of Directors were tallied at the regularly-scheduled SBH Board of Directors / Annual Meeting, December 17.
Five of the current 11 directors were up for re-election and members had until December 1 to vote.
Re-elected to three-year terms were:
Pamela Gottlieb and husband moved to Arizona during December and Pamela vacated her seat. Under the By-Laws, the Board has the option to appoint (for one-year) a Director from among the active membership. The Board has taken the matter under advisement and will announce its decision later this month.
Officers elected for 1997 at the December meeting from among the Board are:
The remaining Directors include: Michael Marsh, Partner, Case. Myrdahl Bigelow & Lombardi, Bob Sigall, Creative-1 and John Yanagihara, The New England.
SBH Directors are unpaid volunteers in the organization. Each has made a commitment to the membership to implement the organization's goal of improving Hawaii's business climate.
The SBH "YES" Young Entrepreneurs group celebrated Christmas by sponsoring the first annual "YES" Christmas party, December 6 at member O'Toole's. It was organized by Helen Rapoza of Helen's Haven who has succeeded Pamela Gottlieb as "YES" Chair.
The group next meets Thursday, January 16 at the state Capitol at 11 am. A complete 1997 Calendar of events will be published soon.
Other events for the year include more business Field trips, seminars and lots of networking. The "YES" group now numbers 125.
For specifics contact Helen at 739-0400.
NIGERIAN INVESTMENT SCAM BACK!
The famous Nigerian investman scam... is back. Several SBH and Chamber members alerted SBH about the latest incarnation of the scam.
Several of our members received letters announcing an unbelieveable investment scheme. There is money waiting for you if you first put up some of your own to get it out of Nigeria. It is unbelievable and several individuals and businesses, astonishingly, have given money--lots of it--to an individual promising huge returns. The "investors" have nothing to show for it except empty wallets and increased gullibility.
If you have been approached by letter, FAX or phone (some have been contacted repeatedly) you may contact Special Agent Craig Spragtins of the U.S. Secret Service at (202) 435-5490. (FAX 202-435-5031). The address is U.S. Secret Service, Financial Crimes Division, 1800 G Street, N.W., # 940, Washington, D.C. 20223.
[H4 HomePage] [H4 Table of Contents]