Chamber Weeks 2025: 3rd Annual State of Business presented by HMSA

Chamber Weeks presented by Alaska Airlines x Hawaiian Airlines is a multi-week series of events and programming that coincides with the opening of the Hawaii State Legislature to connect members and the business community with legislators and engage them in the legislative process. 

Join the Chamber of Commerce Hawaii for the 3rd Annual State of Business presented by HSMA with representatives from the state, for a gathering of business and political leaders.

Hear the Chamber's legislative priorities for the 2025 session and from political leaders who will share their visions for Hawaii's economy, government and politics for the year ahead.

AGENDA:

8:00 - 8:25 AM: Registration and Breakfast

8:25 AM: Welcome Remarks

8:35 AM: Blueprint Hawaii 2030 Update
Sherry Menor-McNamara, President & CEO, Chamber of Commerce Hawaii

9:00 AM: State Legislative Leadership Fireside Chat
Senate President Ron Kouchi, Hawaii State Legislature
Speaker of the House

9:30 AM: Economic Update
Director James Kunane Tokioka, Department of Development and Tourism (DBEDT), State of Hawaii

9:45 AM: State of Economy Keynote Address
Governor Josh Green, State of Hawaii

10:15 AM: Closing Remarks and Networking

Want to get involved? Marketing opportunities are available to promote your company during Chamber Week. Please click here for more information.

CLICK HERE to watch our interview on HI Now Daily to learn more about Chamber Week.

MEET THE SPEAKERS:


Governor Josh Green
State of Hawaii

Governor Josh Green is a proud husband, father and physician. For the past 20 years, Governor Green cared for Big Island families as a doctor. He served in the State House of Representatives and the State Senate from 2004 to 2018. As chair of the Senate Health and Human Services Committee, he passed “Luke’s Law,” which provides care for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder, as well as tobacco and e-cigarette regulations, which increased the legal age for purchasing tobacco and e-cigarettes to 21. Passionate about housing solutions, Governor Green helped create “Kauhale” communities to get unsheltered veterans, kupuna and others into safe housing options. These efforts are ongoing and will continue to be one of his top priorities as Governor. Governor Green expanded the role of Lieutenant Governor by spearheading the largest healthcare response in state history during the COVID pandemic. These critical emergency efforts resulted in Hawaii having the nation’s lowest COVID-19 fatality rate.

                                
Senate President Ron Kouchi 
Hawaii State Legislature

Senator Kouchi secured his current position as President of the Hawaii State Senate on May 5, 2015. In the past, Senator Kouchi served as Majority Caucus Leader, Vice Chair for the committee on Tourism, and Vice Chair for the committee on Ways and Means. He had also served as a member on the committees on Agriculture, Education, Transportation, and International Affairs.

Raised on Kauai's Westside, Senator Kouchi graduated from Waimea High School in 1975 and attended Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa. Senator Kouchi is married to the former Joy Tanimoto and they have two sons, Dan and Egan.



Director James Kunane Tokioka
Director, Department of Development and Tourism (DBEDT)
State of Hawaii

James Kunane Tokioka was named Director of the Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism (DBEDT) on May 5, 2023. Most recently, he served as the Deputy Director for the Department of Transportation’s Airports Division.

Tokioka began his political career as a member of the Kauai County Council in 1996, where he served for 10 years. He then went on to serve for 16 years as a member of the Hawaii State House of Representatives.

Prior to his public service, Tokioka worked his way through the hospitality industry, both in Hawai‘i and across the United States, doing everything from bussing tables to managing hotels and owning restaurants. Tokioka has also worked for Oceanic Time Warner Cable/Spectrum, where he oversaw new business management programs and assisted with securing the largest single contract in the company’s history.

Tokioka studied at Holiday University in Mississippi, where he completed the accelerated certification program in Hotel, Food and Beverage, Guest Services and Security Management.



Sherry Menor-McNamara
President & CEO
Chamber of Commerce Hawaii

Sherry Menor-McNamara was appointed President and Chief Executive Officer of the Chamber of Commerce Hawaii on September 1, 2013. She is the youngest and first female President and CEO in the Chamber’s 173-year history, as well as the first Asian to serve as the leader of a State Chamber in the nation. 

She currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Hawaii Tourism Authority. Nationally, she serves on the Board of Directors of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and on the U.S. Chamber’s Committee of 100. She previously served on the boards of Council of State Chambers (COSC), the Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives (ACCE), and Western Association of Chamber Executives (WACE). Under her leadership, the Chamber won the 2018 ACCE State Chamber of the Year, and in 2019, won two national Council of State Chambers awards.

Sherry is a 2016 graduate of the Omidyar Fellows Leadership Program, founded by eBay’s Pierre Omidyar. She was inducted into the University of Hawaii Shidler College of Business Hall of Honors, received the Girl Scouts of Hawaii Women of Distinction, and the Filipino Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii’s Business Executive of the Year. In 2017, she was honored with the Public Schools of Hawaii Foundation Award and, in 2015, was selected to represent the United States in the Korea Foundation’s Program for Distinguished Individuals in Economy. In 2014, she was recognized as one of the “Top 10 People to Watch” by Pacific Business News. In 2012, she was named one of the “Top 20 People to Watch” by Hawaii Business magazine. Menor-McNamara was also inducted as a Laureate into the 2014 Class of the Junior Achievement of Hawaii Hall of Fame. Additionally, in 2014, she was selected and participated in the prestigious Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs leadership program.

Menor-McNamara was born in Tokyo, Japan, and raised in Hilo, Hawaii, where she graduated from Waiakea High School. She is married to John McNamara, SVP of Communications and Marketing for Hawaii Pacific Health. She is a certified yoga teacher and enjoys golfing, traveling and spending time with her husband and dogs, Kuma-chan and Bubbles.