HPU students and faculty members joined business leaders for a successful event on mastering business strategies.
A successful Business Networking event was held on April 21, 2025, from 6:00pm-8:00 pm at HPU’s Aloha Tower Marketplace, Sunset Ballroom. The event was helped to made possible by the brilliant, creative and diligent effort of event organizer Melanie Pimienta, College of Business graduating student and Business Senator of HPU Student Government Association (SGA). Other SGA members attended and helped with the event include Shyla Bowles, Business Senator, and Yusuf Najjar, International Senator. It was well accepted and very interactive with full house attendance from students, faculty, and business leaders. Faculty include HPU Professor Michelle Alarcon, J.D., Ken Schoolland, and Larry Schuetz, who likewise helped coordinate activities and engaged with students and business leaders
We are grateful to the business leaders who took their time to meet and share their talents with our students. This includes our Guest Speaker Paul Leonard, Owner and General Manager of Pacific Pump & Power, Diana Gabonia, First Hawaiian Bank, Asst. VP of Talent Acquisition Team, Milomir Ognjanovic, CVS Manager and HPU MBA and BSBA alumnus, and Paul Lewis, P&S Supplies & Services and HPU Veteran’s Senator.
The event started with a commendable speaking engagement by one of HPU’s graduate level student and business owner entrepreneur Paul Leonard. Leonard’s topic was about “How to Be Successful in Business,” where he talked about seven points to success including:
- Figure out what you want
- Make a plan
- Follow the plan
- The harder you work, the luckier you get
- Find a business that you can genuinely help people
- The more you can fill a need the more successful you will be
- Real work makes real money so do not expect to get success without putting in the work.
This was followed by well-planned interactive activities between students and business leaders starting with speed networking activity where students talked one-on-one with business guests, followed by group roundtable discussions led by business leaders in each table who offered interactive Q&A for students about business opportunities and strategies.
The event was well received by all attendees and our College of Business plans to continue this activity or similar events with collaboration from our Faculty and Student Governance leadership.
