University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa Shidler College of Business presented 36 awards totaling $64,000 to top undergraduate and graduate students at its annual Business Night event on May 4 at the Sheraton Waikīkī.
This event connects students with mentors for an evening of learning, sharing and awards. Through Business Night, students gain confidence, insightful information and valuable advice to guide them through their job search and into their professional careers. This year, more than 250 business professionals representing 60 companies volunteered as mentors to business students.
Once again, First Insurance Company of Hawaiʻi (FICOH) served as the title sponsor of the annual event for an unprecedented 12th year in a row. FICOH has also sponsored the coveted Dean’s Spirit Award at Business Night since 2000. Hawaiʻi Business Magazine served as the media sponsor.
“First Insurance’s involvement and support extends far beyond Business Night,” says Vance Roley, dean of the Shidler College of Business. “The company established the $1 million First Insurance Company Distinguished Professorship in 2007, a $100,000 endowed scholarship in 2013, and another $100,000 to the Shidler’s Pacific Asian Center for Entrepreneurship to upgrade its programs and facilities. Most recently, First Insurance donated $150,000 to name the Career Interview Room as part of the college’s Visionary Initiative.”
“For us, supporting Shidler College and its students is an easy choice,” said Jeff Shonka, president and CEO of First Insurance. “Having a world-class business school in our backyard directly benefits our company, the larger business community and Hawaiʻi’s economy as a whole.”
Business Night also featured keynote speaker Roland Casamina, president and CEO of House of Finance, Inc. Casamina was inducted into the Shidler College Hall of Honor in 2014 and received his BBA from the college in 1976.
The college also presented 350 scholarships totaling over $1 million during the 2016–2017 academic year.
For a list of Business Night award recipients, sponsors and participating companies, visit the Shidler website.
—By Dolly Omiya
