Mar 4, 2015 | Community
A first-time event called WordCamp sold out with 175 people attending and participants giving “exceptionally positive” feedback for the two-day workshops held recently on the University of Hawaii Maui College campus. “The primary motivation for bringing WordCamp to Maui was to educate, elevate and inspire web and software development on Maui,” said Jon Brown, WordCamp Maui lead organizer. Mission accomplished, Brown said.
WordCamp Maui, which had a host of sponsors and supporters including Maui Economic Development Board, attracted a full spectrum of attendees from bloggers to photographers, online marketers to small businesses, educators and Web developers. Brown, a Maui resident and owner/partner of 9seeds LLC in Nevada, coordinated the event along with his fiancée, Elena Rego, and eight other people. Every WordCamp is unique, Brown said, and Maui’s was no different, offering business track training for WordPress and Web development professionals, and beginners lessons for those unfamiliar but interested in WordPress usage. “Putting together a nonprofit conference, entirely with volunteer organizers and speakers was a challenge,” Brown said. “Fueled solely by a love for WordPress community, the volunteers all rose to the occasion and helped deliver a great conference for Maui.”
WordCamps happen all over the world. Maui’s featured sessions on how to use WordPress more effectively, advance techniques and security issues. A talk on Facebook advertising and another on online marketing in general appeared to gain a lot of interest from the WordCamp attendees. “I think it’s a foregone conclusion how important a Web presence is,” Brown said, adding that customer interaction for businesses often begins and ends online. That’s why the information WordCamp provided on Maui drew a lot of interest. Brown said he’d like to see a WordCamp held in Hawaii every year with the next one possibly being held on Oahu. “If not, we’ll aim to organize another on Maui in 2016,” Brown said.
Feb 25, 2015 | Small Business
Accu-Pest & Termite Control Services owner/operator Jerry Edlao has his hands full getting rid of pests for his customers, so he doesn’t have the time to tackle some of the pesky legal issues that affect his business. And that’s why the recent Legal Toolkit workshop was so valuable, he said. “I think that anyone who is a small business owner or thinking about becoming one needs to educate themselves on what (business) entity best fits their needs when doing business,” he said. “Taking advantage of workshops like this is essential to the success of a small business owner and his company.”
Maui Economic Development Board sponsored the “Legal Toolkit” workshop in partnership with legal experts in the field. Prominent corporate attorneys spoke at the workshop about a variety of issues from what to consider when drafting small business legal documents to how to protect a company’s name. Edlao signed up for the workshop with his daughter, Cyje, “to increase our knowledge of various forms of business entities. We hoped that the knowledge gained at the workshop would contribute to guiding us in making informed decisions toward changing our business structure.” And, he said, he was not disappointed. “The speakers were experienced, knowledgeable and possessed a genuine desire to help small business owners like myself … The most useful lesson I learned at the workshop was understanding the process to transition from one type of business entity to another form.” Edlao said his business is “committed to providing our customers with high-quality services by utilizing Integrated Pest Management Practices that do not compromise the safety of our customers, employees and environment.”
Feb 18, 2015 | Environment, Sustainability
Only 11 days remaining!
Share your priorities and values about energy on Maui – today and in the future – as part of a project called “MPowerMaui: An Energy Conversation”.
Sign up and participate in small group sessions during the month of February. These 90-minute sessions are designed to be engaging, interesting, and informative.
You will learn more about energy, think about your own actions related to energy, prioritize issues, consider what actions you would or would not support, and develop messages for decision makers. The results of these MPowerMaui conversations will be presented at the “Maui Energy Conference” to be held on March 25-26, 2015 and shared with decision makers.
We invite you to either host a session at your home, company or organization by bringing together 12-16 individuals and a MEDB representative will run the session … or sign up for a session that MEDB organizes.
For more information and to sign up to participate, please call 875-2336.
The MPowerMaui project is presented by the Maui Economic Development Board with sponsorship from the County of Maui Mayor’s Office of Economic Development; State Department of Business, Economic Development & Tourism (DBEDT) Energy Office; and the UH Hawaii Natural Energy Institute (HNEI).
Feb 4, 2015 | Community, Environment, Sustainability
Join the conversation!
Share your priorities and values about energy on Maui – today and in the future – as part of a project called “MPowerMaui: An Energy Conversation”.
Sign up and participate in small group sessions during the month of February. These 90-minute sessions are designed to be engaging, interesting, and informative.
You will learn more about energy, think about your own actions related to energy, prioritize issues, consider what actions you would or would not support, and develop messages for decision makers. The results of these MPowerMaui conversations will be presented at the “Maui Energy Conference” to be held on March 25-26, 2015 and reported to the community.
We invite you to either host a session at your home, company or organization by bringing together 12-16 individuals and a MEDB representative will run the session … or sign up for a session that MEDB organizes.
For more information and to sign up to participate, please call 875-2336.
The MPowerMaui project is presented by the Maui Economic Development Board with sponsorship from the County of Maui Mayor’s Office of Economic Development; State Department of Business, Economic Development & Tourism (DBEDT) Energy Office; and the UH Hawaii Natural Energy Institute (HNEI).
Jan 28, 2015 | Education, Environment, Sustainability
A coral reef monitoring project sounded like it could be fun for the Wailuku Roselani Na Hokulani 4-H Club. Member Kaitlyn Yamada says it was fun, but more importantly she and her fellow 4-Hers were able to master their skills in Google Earth applications as well the Global Positioning and Geographic Information Systems. They also learned the importance of a healthy coral reef. “This project allowed us to become aware of the balance between development and possible jobs and sustainable and green living in Maui County,” Yamada said. “When we began this project, we thought it was a fun idea, but later learned of the significance of gathering and understanding this data.”
A Ke Alahele Education Fund Grant administered by Maui Economic Development Board provided the 4-H Club camera and computer equipment they needed to create coral reef maps at Olowalu and Maalaea. Their task was to establish the baseline reef conditions by teaming up on paddle boards and video taping conditions with GoPro cameras. On shore, the eight club members in grades 8 to 10 tracked their findings on a computer funded by Ke Alahele. Coral reefs worldwide are declining due to various stressors including ocean acidification, sedimentation, over-fishing and near-shore development, according to the club’s grant application. “We were inspired to think of all of the factors that could affect the health of our coral reef. We learned the importance of coral reefs to the health of our island concerns,” Yamada said.
The club’s 4-H leader, Joyce Yamada, said she saw the girls apply skills in science, technology, engineering and math. “STEM skills are integrated in every job and industry. Our members need to be prepared for, and aware of, these opportunities as they become productive members of our community,” Joyce Yamada said. “The confidence that they build as they master these skills will allow our girls to believe in their abilities and become our next generation of inventors, scientists, engineers and members of a community that cares for their environment.”
