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The Maui News
A "Veteran Owned" business event with speakers discussing their experiences and ways that active duty and transitioning military members can get started in life after the military is set for 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday at the Pvt. 1st Class Anthony T. Kahoohanohano Armory in Puunene.
An initiative of Maui Business Brainstormers, the event is being held during national Veterans Small Business Week from Monday to Nov. 8. This is the sixth year of national Veterans Small Business Week and the third time Maui is organizing an event, the Maui Business Brainstormers news release said.
The event is free and is aimed at increasing awareness of the need for more resources to help veterans get their lives started after the end of their military careers, Maui Business Brainstormers said.
Sessions include a talk titled "Climbing My Own Ladder" by Army veteran Mike Mikio Takamatsu, who is 90 years old. He was the first minority to move into management at the Los Angeles aircraft maintenance department of United Airlines.
There also will be a session titled "The State of Veteran Owned Businesses in the State of Hawaii" with panelists and business owners Marine Corps veteran David Campbell Fletcher Jr., Army veteran Kelly D. Davison, Navy veteran Anthony Alleyne and Air Force veteran Fred W. Rickert Jr.
George Purdy, a Navy and Air Force veteran from Lanai, will speak on the topic "Why a Drone is Called Drone."
The U.S. Census Bureau 2012 Survey of Business Owners said that 1,575 out of 17,146 or 9.2 percent of Maui County companies are veteran-owned.
"Each year, MBB gets more supporters whose mission is focused on caring for veterans. It is all we want. It just makes sense to extend our support to those veteran-owned businesses," the Maui Business Brainstormers said.
Supporters of the 2019 "Veteran Owned" include Veterans of Foreign Wars; Grants Central Station; RJK LLC -- Richard Kehoe CPA, MBA; UH-Maui College Veterans Resource Center, and T-Mobile -- County of Maui.
The event is free but seating is limited. RSVP is required, email NVSBW@MauiBusinessBrainstormers.org or call (808) 463-8528.
For more information on the event, go to facebook.com/MauiBusinessBrainstormers.