On Thursday, Guam Business Magazine announced in a press release the distribution of $20,000 to four nonprofit organizations, focusing on workforce development and education as the driving force behind this year’s beneficiaries.
The funds, raised during the 2024 Executive of the Year gala held on Feb. 1 at the Hyatt Regency Guam, were presented during a media conference at the magazine’s compound in Barrigada Heights, GBM said in the release. Representatives from the Guam-based recipients attended in person, while those from Saipan joined virtually, underscoring the event’s regional reach.
The gala, a tradition since 1983, celebrates Micronesia’s top business leaders while raising money for community causes, GBM said. This year, nearly 300 attendees helped generate the funds, supported by sponsors including Calvo’s Insurance, Bank of Guam, and Docomo Pacific, among others. The beneficiaries - the Guam Chapter of the American Red Cross, GCA Trades Academy, Northern Marianas College Foundation and Northern Marianas Technical Institute - each received $5,000 to bolster their efforts in preparing the region’s workforce, GBM said.
The Guam Daily Post attended the conference and spoke to Maureen Maratita, publisher of Guam Business Magazine, who emphasized the deliberate focus on workforce development during an interview after the conference. “This year, we’ve been hearing a lot about the need for workforce development and education,” she said. “That was something that guided us in this selection this year.” Maratita noted that the selection process considers community need, informed by the magazine’s deep ties to the region’s nonprofits and their leaders.
At the conference, Marcos Fong, group CEO and chair of the Guam Chapter of the American Red Cross, spoke to the dual purpose of the gala during his remarks. “One was to recognize the business leaders, the pioneers that put in the resources, time and energy to really drive the economic engine of the region,” he said. “The second reason, though, is the reason why we’re here today, and that’s to support the not-for-profit organizations and the supportive organizations around which the economy also runs.” Fong stressed the alignment between the beneficiaries’ missions and the business community’s needs.
Chita A. Blaise, CEO of the Guam Chapter of the American Red Cross, spoke to the organization’s ongoing efforts, especially timely during Red Cross Month. “We are having our volunteer recognition luncheon today to celebrate the volunteers that really are so generous of their time donating to the Red Cross because we are a volunteer-led organization after all,” she said. Blaise, who has worked closely with Maratita on past galas, added, “The Red Cross is doing very well. A lot of changes are taking place, but we are all troopers and we just go with the flow.”
Herbert “Bert” Johnston, education director of the GCA Trades Academy, expressed gratitude for the vote of confidence the donation represents. “As much as the money is important, what’s more important is the confidence that you have in the Trades Academy of being able to do what we’re doing,” he said. Johnston detailed the academy’s growth from six students in one class to over 360 students across 25 classes, addressing the critical shortage of skilled labor in Guam’s construction industry.
From Saipan, Galvin Deleon Guerrero, president of Northern Marianas College, painted a resilient picture of the institution’s progress despite challenges such as typhoons and a pandemic. “We like to say that no matter what comes our way, nothing sinks our proa. We continue to sail ahead,” he said, referencing the college’s mascot. He outlined plans for a new student center opening by fall and new programs, including a broadband boot camp with NM Tech, made possible by such support.
Jodina Attao, CEO of Northern Marianas Technical Institute, echoed the theme of perseverance. “We really do try to move still forward despite all the different challenges that we face,” she said. Attao noted NM Tech’s expansion from nine to 45 programs, including IT and graphic design, offering students diverse opportunities to thrive in the workforce.
The event also reflected Guam Business Magazine’s commitment to bridging Guam and the CNMI. Maratita explained, “We and many of the businesses that support the Executive of the Year program do business in Guam and the CNMI. So because of that, we have, if you like, informally decided that we will support the nonprofits in both islands.” This cross-island collaboration, she added, enhances relationships and amplifies the magazine’s role as a news agency.
Now in its 42nd year, Guam Business Magazine launched in March 1983, with the Executive of the Year program following in 1984, the 2024 honoree, Paul A. Calvo of Calvo’s Insurance, was revealed at the gala by Gov. Lou Leon Guerrero. Maratita credited the program’s longevity to the active involvement of past recipients, who vote on each year’s winner and often attend the event.
Looking ahead, Maratita sees the magazine’s regional focus as key to its future. “It’s one of the few publications that looks at all the islands in Micronesia,” she said, citing recent coverage of Palau’s economy and tourism development. With a brand that remains “alive and active,” the magazine and its gala continue to shape the region’s economic and social landscape, one donation at a time, she said.