Pacific Edge Magazine

AveKwok Headshot

2026 Men in Business Issue

What's the first job that taught you real responsibility? The first role that truly taught me responsibility was becoming part of Maunakea Marketplace in Chinatown. I was responsible for 107 tenants from all walks of life. The property is a unique mixed-use community that brings together 69 retail businesses and 38 units of affordable housing...

benjamin_fieman_headshot

2026 Men in Business Issue

What's a decision that changed the direction of your career? The hardest decision I had to make in my life was to leave my family business Loco Boutique and leave the bikini line I created (Kaimana Beachwear) in order to become a real estate agent. It was scary and the only job I ever had at...

Brett Katayama Headshot

2026 Men in Business Issue

What’s a decision that changed the direction of your career? Saying yes to an internship in the architecture and engineering industry changed the direction of my career more than anything. At the time, I was working for Red Bull and seriously considering switching my major toward marketing and business. Then I got introduced to estimating, and honestly,...

CraigChong

2026 Men in Business Issue

What’s a defining moment that shaped how you lead today? Early in my career, I had the opportunity to help build something from the ground up here in Hawai‘i—growing a church New Hope Oahu from zero to 6,000 people in just a few years. It wasn’t driven by perfect strategy or polished systems but by people,...

Daniel Lee Headshot

2026 Men in Business Issue

What’s the first job that taught you real responsibility? The first job that taught me real responsibility was my time at CD Peacock Jewelers in Northbrook, Illinois. As a sales professional, I wasn’t just selling jewelry, I was entrusted with high-value pieces and meaningful moments in people’s lives. Helping customers with purchases and managing jewelry repairs...

Dave Hubb Headshot

2026 Men in Business Issue

What's the first job that taught you real responsibility? There used to be a bodyboard shop on Kapahulu where a mentor of mine worked and he got me my first real job. I just assumed that I’d work the floor selling bodyboards. Well, I ended up down in the basement screen printing T-shirts. It was the...

Jeff Hubbaord

2026 Men in Business Issue

What is the best way to handle failed attempts? You never truly fail unless you walk away without reflecting on what went wrong and why. Every mistake carries a lesson—whether it’s about improving your approach, being more prepared, or seeing things from a different perspective. When you take the time to learn from those moments, failure...

Eric Leterc

2026 Men in Business Issue

What is the first job that taught you real responsibility? The first job that taught me real responsibility was my apprenticeship. As an apprentice, my chef mentor taught us and trusted us to be responsible to hold a station from the beginning. Because of that, I apply that thought to my career and trust my staff...

Eric Headshot 2026

2026 Men in Business Issue

n that changed the direction of your career? In 2020, I was happily running my advertising agency, something I had built and led for more than 25 years. Alongside that work, I had been teaching yoga twice a week for eight years and also published Hawaii Yoga Magazine, a local free publication distributed to yoga studios...

Josh Green Headshot

2026 Men in Business Issue

What's a decision that changed the direction of your career? In 2000, I was given a National Health Corps assignment to serve as a doctor on the Big Island, and after four years of observing issues faced by those in the community, I chose to run for the Hawaiʻi House of Representatives. This position (followed by...

Tyler Kurashige 8825-3E

Tyler Kurashige

2026 Men in Business Issue

How do you handle pressure when the stakes are high? I’ve learned that pressure doesn’t go away, but it does ease when I get clear and am prepared. I try to slow down and focus on what matters most: people, priorities, and principles. If I stay anchored in what’s right, not just what’s fast, I usually...

Jacob Aki Headshot

2026 Men in Business Issue

The biggest inspiration for me has always been the people who invested in me. I was fortunate to grow up surrounded by mentors, teachers, and community leaders who believed in me and gave me opportunities to grow. Their support created in me a deep sense of kuleana, or responsibility, to carry that forward. That is...

JasonBaptiste

2026 Men in Business Issue

What’s a decision that changed the direction of your career? One of the most defining decisions I made was choosing to step outside of a traditional career path and actively build multiple income streams through real estate and business investments. Early on, I realized that relying on a single source of income, especially when living in...

Jonathon Rotmensch

Jonathan Rotmensch

2026 Men in Business Issue

What’s a decision that changed the direction of your career? One of the decisions that changed the direction of my career was to trust my vision and ideas instead of trusting people’s perception and adopting their insecurities. People always told me that I’d never be able to compete with the big chains and it took time to...

JohnWhite_Headshot

2026 Men in Business Issue

What's the first job that taught you real responsibility? While working for Nike Golf, I had the rare privilege of having a one-on-one lunch with our legendary founder Phil Knight. It wasn’t planned. We were just at the same place at the same time for lunch, both having sandwiches. I asked if I could ask him a...

Jon Bryan Headshot

2026 Men in Business Issue

What’s a decision that changed the direction of your career? For the first 11 years of my career after I graduated from the University of Colorado, Boulder, with my Bachelor of Science-Business degree, I worked for several different hospitality and retail companies in Hawai‘i focusing on sales and marketing. Those years were very formidable in my career...

Kanui Bell Headshot 2

2026 Men in Business Issue

What’s a decision that changed the direction of your career? Thinking back, two decisions stand out in my mind. Decision #1 shifted my “what and where.” In college, I worked as an Educational Assistant in special education at a high school. I thought I would pursue a career in education. Just before graduation, I applied for...

MaxwellKopper

Maxwell K. Kopper

2026 Men in Business Issue

What's a decision that changed the direction of your career? I joined my current law firm about nine years ago. I was about five years into my law career, which is about the time a lot of young attorneys start to get the “itch” to leave law and do something different. I was really close to leaving,...

ChancelorKim

2026 Men in Business Issue

What is a decision that changed the direction of your career? One of the most important decisions I made early on was choosing to build something slowly and intentionally rather than chasing rapid growth. In the restaurant industry, it is easy to get caught up in expansion and numbers. I decided that if I was going...

Nick Yip Headshot

2026 Men in Business Issue

What’s a decision that changed the direction of your career? In 2013, I made the decision to move back home to Hawaiʻi from Los Angeles. At the time, I had just earned my architecture degree and was doing what many young professionals do, follow the traditional path. I had a steady job in corporate architecture, worked...

2026 Q2 Men in Business Issue

Ave Kwok

Chairman

Maunakea Marketplace Chinatown
Ben Fieman

RealtorⓇ / Broker

Compass
Brett Katayama

President & Principal Estimator

J. Uno & Associates, Inc.
Craig Chong

President & Founder

Fresh Leadership
Daniel Lee

Owner

Island Glazed
David Hubbard

Team Manager

Hubboards
Jeff Hubbard

Co-Founder and Owner

Hubboards
Eric Leterc

Executive Chef

The Pacific Club
Eric Rosso

Owner

Breathwork with Eric Co-owner, Yoga Room Hawaii
Josh Green

Governor

State of Hawai‘i
Tyler Kurashige

President/CEO

Big Brothers Big Sisters Hawaii
Jacob Aki

Senior Public Affairs Manager

Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines
Jason Baptiste

Senior Vice President of Marketing

HMAA
Jonathan Rotmensch

CEO & Founder

Hawaiian Aroma Caffe Secret Spot Honolulu
John White

CEO

Hawaii Farm Project
Jon Bryan

President

JB Brands
Kanui Bell

Director of Strategy, Planning, and Impact

The Institute for Human Services, Inc.
Maxwell K. Kopper

Partner

Porter Kiakona Kopper LLP
Chancelor Kim

Managing Partner

Chao Restaurant Group
Nicklas Yip

President, NY Development LLC

Yip Holdings LLC
Patrick R. Gey

RealtorⓇ

Coldwell Banker Realty
Rey Wolmers

Real Estate Broker/Experience Manager/Community Leader

eXp Realty/Velocity Honolulu
Stratton Wright

President & Founder, Paradise Inspections

Cofounder, Nahiku Foundation
Zachary Judd

Vice President , Regional Planning & Long-term Strategies

Parker Ranch

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