MEDIA RELEASE

The Kona-Kohala Chamber of Commerce, in partnership with the county’s Department of Research & Development, presents “Hawaii Island Economic Summit 2012 – Expanding Our Horizons” on Friday, Jan. 13, at Hapuna Beach Prince Hotel.

This day-long business event is 9:30 a.m.- 4:30 p.m. Cost to attend is $75; this includes continental breakfast, lunch and networking opportunities.

The summit’s morning panel “conversation” is comprised of five to six guest thinkers and leaders who will discuss their work, ideas that inspire them and what they see as the future for Hawaii Island.

Confirmed speakers are: Dr. Earl Bakken, engineer, businessman and philanthropist; Billy Kenoi, mayor, County of Hawaii; Robert Pacheco, president and naturalist guide, Hawaii Forest & Trail; Sanjeev Bhagowalia, chief information officer for the newly created Hawaii State Office of Information Management and Technology; and Michele Saito, president of Farmer’s Insurance Hawaii.

Guest moderator for this panel will be Steve Petranick, editor of Hawaii Business magazine.

The luncheon keynote speaker, Eric Saperston, is an acclaimed film director and producer, successful author and award-winning speaker and storyteller. Saperston is chief creative officer for Live in Wonder Entertainment, a forward-thinking lifestyle brand on the cutting edge of communication to ignite, inspire and enliven the world.

Afternoon facilitated break-out sessions are dedicated to drafting ideas and strategies that can expand the island’s economic horizons and be developed into implementation plans.

“The chamber sees this meeting as the first step in a process that will evolve and grow,” said Vivian Landrum, president/CEO of the Kona-Kohala Chamber of Commerce. “But we need the input of our island community to start the conversation and expand our horizons. By coming together, we can explore possibilities, foster debate and initiate strategies.”

To register for the Economic Summit, call the chamber at 329-1758 or visit www.kona-kohala.com

The Kona-Kohala Chamber of Commerce provides leadership and advocacy for a successful business environment in West Hawaii. The result of KKCC’s work is a community of choice as reflected in our quality of life, business and individual opportunity and manifest respect for our culture and our natural resources.