What advice would you give to your younger self?
Ensure you surround yourself with good people who will push you and help you grow. However, one must be open-minded about this journey as it comes at you in many different ways—some directly through instruction and most of it indirectly simply by being given the opportunity to try new things. It is also critical that you be accountable for your actions to earn the trust of others. I have been fortunate throughout my life and career to be supported by family, friends, and colleagues who have believed in me. It has helped shape me into the person I am today.

How do you give back to your community?
As a proud father of two incredible children (Ensen and Avery), I have had the opportunity to serve on Parent Teacher Student Organization (PTSO) at Momilani Elementary School and have volunteered as a coach and referee in our Pearl City American Youth Soccer Organization (AYSO) region for more than a decade.

As a past president and member of the Rotary Club of Downtown Honolulu, we do a lot of service work in the community to uplift youth in the downtown area, with a special focus on the students and teachers at Ke‘elikōlani Middle School. Professionally, I am fortunate to sit on the boards of Junior Achievement of Hawaii (and also volunteer in the classroom), the Honolulu Festival Foundation, the JTB Goodwill Foundation, and serve on the state’s Commission to Promote and Advance Civic Education.

At Anthology FINN Partners, we offer internships and support many great community causes, including student mentorship programs at the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa, the American Heart Association’s Heart Walk, the Arthritis Foundation, and also hold our annual Yule Store which raises money for non-profits in our community. This past year, we were able to raise over $20,000 for Holly’s Fountain of Hope in an effort to help find a cure for Rett Syndrome. I learned early on in my life that giving back can be very fulfilling and it is very important that I continue to do so today.

What is your favorite part of your job?
Waking up every day and knowing that our clients, our team, and I have the opportunity to make Hawai‘i and the world a better place has been my motivation for the last 24 years. The quote from Mark Twain in which he says “Find a job you enjoy doing, and you will never have to work a day in your life” could not be truer of my time at Anthology FINN Partners.

We are fortunate to be able to collaborate with great clients who represent the best in their industries—alternative energy, tourism and hospitality, healthcare, finance, government, transportation, non-profits, education, retail, and more. I also have a great team of talented professionals who care deeply about Hawai‘i, our clients, and each other’s success. It is a privilege to lead a team like this and it is also one of the things I enjoy greatly about my role at Anthology.

Are there any exciting projects coming up in your career?
The ability to share Anthology’s expertise in public relations, research, digital marketing, and advertising/creative design services beyond the shores of Hawai‘i is something I’m excited about. That is now possible following our acquisition by FINN Partners in 2021, one of the fastest-growing global, independent marketing and communications agencies in the world. I look forward to more collaboration with other FINN teams across the world as we work together to elevate national and international brands in the years to come.

How do you support local businesses?
I love to eat and enjoy having a great meal with my family, friends, and clients at homegrown restaurants that source their ingredients from local farmers. This is probably the biggest way I directly support Hawai‘i businesses on a regular basis.

When it comes to our work, we also make it a priority to engage with local businesses in our tourism outreach across the continent, while also using local photographers, videographers, event planners, printers, caterers, and hundreds of other vendors to execute our work across the state for our clients. It is important we all do our best to support local businesses in our supply chain when possible.