The Brigham Young University Hawaii International Business Conference from November 10-15, 2008 — entitled "Venture Capital and Private Equity: Building Wealth in a Declining Economy" — provides students, community members and other participants a unique opportunity to mingle with top Latter-day Saint business leaders and share both spiritual and temporal insights.
The event, co-hosted by the Polynesian Cultural Center, will feature keynote speaker:
- Elder Robert Gay of the Quorum of the Seventy, co-founder and CEO of the recently formed Huntsman-Gay Capital Partners, and former Managing Director and Chairman of the Management Committee of Bain Capital, one of the world's leading private equity firms with over $40 billion in its portfolio. In addition to his keynote address, Elder Gay — who recently served as a mission president in Ghana — will speak in the November 11 devotional at 10 a.m. in the Cannon Activities Center.
Other presenters from among the approximately 40 scheduled, as well as key events, include:
- BYU-Hawaii President Steven C. Wheelwright, former Senior Associate Dean of the Harvard Business School, with responsibility for the MBA program.
- PCC President Von D. Orgill, former senior manager and consultant to more than 55 top organizations.
- Best-selling author Sheri Dew [pictured below at 2007 conference], President & CEO of Deseret Book Co. and a former counselor in the Relief Society General Presidency.
- Best-selling author, comedian and motivational speaker Andy Andrews.
- Author Virginia Hinckley Pearce, former counselor in the Young Women's General Presidency.
- Best-selling author Wendy Watson Nelson, former BYU Professor of Marriage and Family Therapy and chair of the BYU Women's Conference.
- Latter-day Saint professional football players Chad Lewis, formerly of the Philadelphia Eagles and point-man for the NFL in China, 1990 Heisman winner Ty Detmer, and two-time Pro Bowler Vai Sikahema.
- Author and former BYU Professor of Ancient Scripture Mike Wilcox.
- Mega-real estate developer Gary Hawkins.
- Jim Ritchie, director of the BYUH Willes Center for International Entrepreneurship.
- Former CIE director and entrepreneur-in-resident Stephen W. Gibson.
- PLC member King Husein, president and owner of Span Construction & Engineering, Inc. — the top pre-engineered steel builder in the U.S. for 16 consecutive years.
- Author and businesswoman Barbara Barrington Jones;
- Hong Kong businessman Jack Lau, Chairman of New Horizon Capital (Group) Ltd. and a BYUH alumnus
- A concert by Canadian classical piano prodigy William Joseph.
- A special luau at the Polynesian Cultural Center.
- A meeting of the BYUH/PCC Presidents' Leadership Council.
- A golf tournament at Turtle Bay Resort
- A premier showing of the rugby-themed movie Forever Strong.
Associated events include:
- A BYUH/PCC Presidents' Leadership Council meeting.
- A Latter-day Saint fireside on November 9 at 7 p.m. in the Laie Stake Center for the community with Vai Sikahema.
- A fireside on November 16 at 7 p.m. in the Cannon Activities Center for the community with Sheri Dew and Wendy Watson Nelson.
In addition, visiting entrepreneurs and businessmen will have the opportunity to mentor BYU-Hawaii students and act as judges during the university's annual business plan competition on Friday, November 14.
"This is the premier LDS business conference," said IBC founder, chairman and Canadian philanthropic entrepreneur Dal Zemp, a member of the BYUH/PCC Presidents' Leadership Council and a former Seasider. "It brings together some of the most successful LDS business leaders from a variety of disciplines, and gives participants an opportunity to understand what is happening the world economy and how they can grow their profits and businesses.
"This unique event creates a perfect union between the spiritual and the temporal," he continued. "Every year the conference attendees ask how we could possibly improve, yet we continue to exceed expectations. Looking at all the presenters we have lined up, I believe this year will be unequalled."
"I'm delighted that we're again holding the International Business Conference on campus," said President Wheelwright, " and want to thank all of those business and other leaders who come here at their own expense to share their expertise with the other registrants and our students."
BYU-Hawaii students are invited to participate in most of the presentations for free. A kamaaina rate is available for community members interested in registering for the conference. Call 808-675-3780 for more information.
— Photos by Monique Saenz