The Shidler College of Business hosted a Master of Science in Finance (MSF) mixer on November 4 at the Walter Dods, Jr. RISE Center. The event was attended by approximately 40 students and supported in part by the CFA Society Hawaiʻi, with participation from numerous finance faculty members. The audience enjoyed an engaging evening of discussion and networking centered on the theme “Where Are We Headed? Navigating the Future of Finance in Hawaiʻi.”

Meet David Morimoto, BBA ’91, vice chairman and chief operating officer for Central Pacific Bank (CPB). His responsibilities include leading customer growth and success, and building new customer relationships. Prior to his current position, he served as the chief financial officer of Central Pacific Financial Corp. and Central Pacific Bank for a decade. He earned his bachelor’s degree in finance from the Shidler College of Business and his master’s in business administration from Chaminade University of Honolulu. Morimoto resides in Honolulu with his family.

A packed room of 80 recent Shidler College graduates standing amongst Aloha Beer Company’s owner and Shidler alumnus Steve Sombrero, MBA ’94, while chanting “Aloha Beer!” isn’t exactly what most picture as alumni engagement. But it’s events like the recent alumni mixer, held in partnership with the Chamber of Commerce Hawaii’s Young Professional (YP) Program in April, that are gaining momentum amongst the newest generation of alumni. These gatherings are building community, creating mentorship opportunities and strengthening the alumni network in innovative ways that are engaging and a whole lot of fun.

While he was a student at the School of Travel Industry Management (TIM School), Jared Matsuki, BS ’19, executive director of Hele Mua, had a defining moment that would shape his future — he attended his first beach cleanup at Makapu‘u Beach Park in 2018. He was a frequent beachgoer, but this time was different because it opened his eyes to a problem hidden under the sand.

As the director of human resources at Young Brothers, Shannon Lum, BS ’12, MHRM ’17, doesn’t just manage teams— she connects people, communities and purpose across the Hawaiian Islands. With a deep belief in compassionate leadership and a foundation built at Shidler College, she’s helping move what matters most in Hawai‘i. 

Jordan Odo, EMBA ’17, is a proactive leader driven by purpose, innovation and community. These qualities coalesced during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 when he started a virtual summer internship through the Jordan and Cara Odo Scholarship Foundation with classmate John Doyle, EMBA ’17, and his former colleague Jeff Berlin. Odo describes it as a challenging but rewarding time. The program continued for four more years as the Next Gen Leaders Program, empowering dozens of students with essential leadership skills.