Small business assistance agency relocates in Maui R&T Park

Cost-cutting is a way of life for business around Hawaii and the nation, but cutting costs doesn’t mean cutting services for the Maui office of the Hawaii Small Business Development Center.

The Maui SBDC has moved to a new location in the just opened Park Plaza complex, Suite 213, across North Holopono Street from the Maui Economic Development Board’s Ke Alahele Center in the Maui Research & Technology Park. The office formerly was in the Maui R&T Center on Lipoa Parkway.

An open house held Dec. 17 introduced new staff members – Senior Business Consultant Fred Rickert, formerly vice president/ treasurer with Maui Land & Pineapple Co., and Research Librarian Christine Pawliuk, formerly with Hawaii Pacific University. Administrative Assistant Pat Diaz remains with the office.

There is no change in the purpose and services offered by the SBDC Network in Hawaii, which provides one-on-one counseling by experienced and knowledgeable business professionals to assist entrepreneurs, as well as setting up workshops, seminars and online training for entrepreneurs in starting up and running a business, managing personnel and dealing with changing market strategies.

Through Pawliuk, the Maui SBDC office can assist business people in finding information in the Hawaii Business Research Library to understand market trends and community growth patterns when they are preparing business plans and forecasting sales. The Hawaii Business Research Library has electronic research tools to support its new focus on providing business research assistance.

Pawliuk, who holds a master’s in library science from the University of Hawaii, can also assist in locating information and links on government programs and grants for which local small businesses can compete.

Rickert has more than 30 years of experience in financial and strategic planning for business and public agencies. Prior to joining ML&P, he was chief financial officer for the Port of Oakland and was a senior financial executive for shipping companies Sea-Land and American President Lines.

The new Maui office of Hawaii SBDC Network will provide a knowledgeable and experienced staff to assist small businesses while it remains conveniently based in the Maui Research & Technology Park, said Maui Economic Development Board President Jeanne Unemori Skog.

The Park Plaza is the newest business facility to open in the Maui R&T Park, offering condominium offices for sale.

“The SBDC, an agency supported by the federal Small Business Administration, is a capable partner with MEDB in promoting business development on Maui,” Skog said. “It can assist the start-up ventures in finding opportunities with federal agencies operating on Maui as well as the technology businesses that are locating on Maui and in Hawaii – providing strong support to MEDB’s effort to foster healthy economic growth in Maui County.”