CRUISE & LEISURE DESTINATION DEVELOPMENT

This panel is intended to highlight the attractions of the territories and Freely Associated States as destinations for cruise ships and for leisure sailors. Some, particularly the U.S. Virgin Islands, are already established destinations. American Samoa, Guam, and the islands of Palau, the Marshall Islands, and the Federated States of Micronesia have had intermittent cruise traffic, and could offer a great deal to lines that would make port calls in these areas. This panel will highlight both existing and growth opportunities.

SPEAKERS & BIOS

Edward Thomas
President and CEO, West Indian Company

Clara Reid
American Samoa Office of Tourism

LARGE INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS & OTHER PLANNED GROWTH

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This panel is intended to explore the many opportunities that do and will exist for heavy infrastructure work in all seven insular areas. Each of these areas will be undertaking heavy infrastructure work over the next ten years, both upgrading and replacing their existing power, water, and telecommunications systems, as well as many other tasks. This essential work presents some of the largest opportunities in all of the islands.

SPEAKERS

The Honorable Tim Villagomez
Lieutenant Governor, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands

Tom Ada
Commissioner, Guam Consolidated Commission on Utilities

Epel Ilon
Office of Compact Management, Federated States of Micronesia

May Adams Cornwall
Executive Director, Virgin Islands Waste Management Authority

BUSINESS SUPPORT SERVICES - LOCATIONS & OPPORTUNITIES

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Business support services is one of the fast-growing sectors of the economy, and many of the insular areas are positioning themselves to capitalize on that growth. The Virgin Islands sit atop one of the largest broadband pipes in the world, which provides a host of opportunities to software and media companies. Guam and the CNMI benefit from their proximity to existing cable connections, and their location close to the rapidly growing consumer markets in Asia. American Samoa, the RMI, and FSM are all aggressively pursuing projects to link into the global fiber optic network; one company has already announced plans to develop a call center in American Samoa. We will explore these projects and others on this panel.

SPEAKERS

Mark Hunsaker
Principal, Bowen Hunsaker Hirai

David Zumwalt
Executive Director, University of the Virgin Islands Research and Technology Park

David Silva
Business Development Manager, Takagi and Associates

Dr. Patrick Tellei
President, Palau Community College

TRANSPORTATION—EXISTING & GROWTH OPPORTUNITIES

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Transportation is essential to any economic development in the islands; and it presents both challenges and opportunities. This panel will explore new developments in transportation and transshipment around the islands, and highlight growth opportunities (particularly on the freight side), as well as talk about current conditions.

SPEAKERS

James Andrasick
CEO, Matson Navigation

Wally Dias
Vice President, Continental - Air Micronesia

Robert O'Connor
Chairman, Virgin Islands Port Authority Governing Board

HOTEL, RESORT, TIME SHARE, & OTHER TOURISM OPPORTUNITIES

Located as they are in some of the most beautiful spots on the planet, many of these areas are already well-known resort destinations for American and Asian tourists. There is, however, still plenty of room for growth. Opportunities for a variety of large-scale projects abound. This session will highlight some of the many opportunities throughout the insular areas.

SPEAKERS

Lynn Knight
Chairwoman, Hotel Association of the Northern Mariana Islands

Maderson Ramon
Assistant Secretary, Trade and Commerce Division, FSM Department of Economic Affairs

Nicholas Captain
President, The Captain Company

Alan R. Seid
Chairman, Ways & Means and Financial Matters;
Senator, Palau

MILITARY PROCUREMENT OPPORTUNITIES

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The Department of Defense is beginning a period of large-scale growth on Guam over the next ten years, as U.S. forces from around the world are redeployed as part of the DOD's larger force posture planning. A large Marine unit currently based on Okinawa will be redeployed to Guam, along with its support units, as will other, smaller units of the U.S. Navy, Army, and Air Force, necessitating a wide variety of improvements and construction. DOD already maintains a large presence in the region, so its ongoing needs will only increase. This panel will share some of the highlights of this planned growth, and the ongoing needs in the region.

SPEAKERS

Richard Page
Director, Defense Commissary Agency - West

Commander Lou Cariello
Operations Officer, Naval Facilities Command-Pacific

Carl Peterson
Chairman, Armed Services Committee, Guam Chamber of Commerce

AQUACULTURE OPPORTUNITIES

The islands present numerous opportunities for aquaculture of all kinds — indeed, some already have an established track record — from farm-raised giant clams for the aquarium market to black pearls to several varieties of marine food fish. Some areas already have outlets for their products and would like to expand into new markets; others are looking for distributors to bring their products to the states and around the world. Still others wish to offer themselves as locations for basing aquaculture operations. This panel will discuss some of these products and other growth opportunities.

SPEAKERS

Dr. Darren Okimoto
University of Hawai'i

Dr. Ronald Baird
University of North Carolina

Donald Bailey
University of the Virgin Islands

Dr. Clarence "C.L." Cheshire
Senior Business Development Manager, Pacific Business Center Program

Neil Anthony Sims
President, Kona Blue

IT/BROADBAND CAPACITY & PLANNED DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES

Some of the territories and freely associated states already have excellent IT infrastructure or potential. Others will likely develop this capacity over the next ten years, as the global fiber optic grid expands to include American Samoa, the Federated States of Micronesia, and the Republic of the Marshall Islands. This will present a wide variety of opportunities both in the islands and for companies exploring new markets around the world. This panel will explore those opportunities.

SPEAKERS

Robert Maloney
Pacific Data Systems

David Zumwalt
Executive Director, University of the Virgin Islands Research and Technology Park

Robert Munier
Managing Director, TYCO International

RENEWABLE ENERGY DEVELOPMENTS

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The insular areas, like the rest of the United States, have felt the pinch of rising fuel costs, and all are aggressively seeking technologies and sources of financing for long-term investments aimed at reducing their consumption of fossil fuels and lowering energy costs overall. This panel is intended to highlight some of the technologies available and the steps that the islands are or may be planning to take to acquire more energy-efficient systems.

SPEAKERS

Tony Neil
Executive Director, Pacific Power Association

Ven Medabalmi
Vice President, BMI Holdings

John Benavente
General Manager, Consolidated Utility Services

Alberto Bruno-Vega
Executive Director, Virgin Islands Water and Power Authority

David Schaller (moderator)
Sustainable Programs Coordinator, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

AGRICULTURE & OTHER ISLAND PRODUCTS

The islands produce some of the most unique products on the planet, from health supplements to fresh pepper to designer-label spring water. Many also produce distinctive crafts and manufactured or processed products - the Virgin Islands' Cruzan Rum brand is world famous; American Samoa and Palau produce some of the most distinctive carved wood products on the planet. This panel will discuss existing products, new developments, and areas for growth across the insular areas.

SPEAKERS

Papali’I Dr. Failautusi Avegalio
Director, Pacific Business Center Program

Marie Madison
Director, RMI National Training Program

Tilani Ilaoa
Program Manager, American Samoa Women’s Business Center/Agriculture Association

Dr. Patrick Tellei
President, Palau Community College

Pamela Richards
Commissioner of Tourism, U.S. Virgin Islands

HOSPITAL & HEALTHCARE SERVICES

Many of the insular areas are looking to expand their existing hospital capacity; others are looking to develop themselves as hubs for specialized treatment in their regions. This panel will explore some of the opportunities presented by these initiatives.

SPEAKERS

Peter Sgro
President, International Group, Inc.

Darlene Carty
Commissioner, Virgin Islands Department of Health

Lelei Peau
Deputy Director, American Samoa Department of Commerce

DIVE & ADVENTURE TOURISM OPPORTUNITIES

Palau, the Federated States of Micronesia and the Republic of the Marshall Islands already boast world-renowned dive locations; every single one of the other territories offer similar spectacular, unique, and unspoiled beauty. These areas are also popular as destinations for other types of tourism as well, serving as venues for all sorts of athletic events and tournaments. This panel will highlight the many offerings in each area.

SPEAKERS

Mike Musto
President, Trip-n-Tour

Surangel Whipps Jr.
Palau Chamber of Commerce

GOVERNMENT & PRIVATE FINANCING OPTIONS FOR LARGE SCALE PROJECTS

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Finding financing is a challenge for businesses and governments alike, but it also presents an area of opportunity. All four territories and all three freely associated states have a wide variety of large-scale infrastructure projects on the drawing boards. Financing these projects will present challenges, but also opportunities; this panel will explore the various tools available and the opportunities they offer.

SPEAKERS

Tom Bussanich
Director, Budget and Grants Management, Office of Insular Affairs

Lorraine Shin
State Director, U.S. Department of Agriculture

Gerry Koenig
Vice President, Hannon Armstrong

Kent Bernier
Virgin Islands Public Finance Authority

Dr. Steve Pollard
Principal Economist (Poverty Reduction), Asian Development Bank