Keynote – 10 a.m., plenary session

Moving Forward Together: Creating
a Successful Executive Transition

A change in executive leadership is a tremendous challenge for any nonprofit, but it is also an opportunity to invest in the organization’s future and a little planning can pay off big. Preserving corporate knowledge, history and culture are critical to organizational viability. Lose these, and an organization could lose its ability to serve clients or fulfill its mission. Conference co-keynoters, Sandy Baz, who last year became Maui Economic Opportunity’s chief executive, and Mercer “Chubby” Vicens, MEO Board chair and former vice president of A&B Properties, will explore how a planned leadership transition can succeed in a future where 40 percent of nonprofits in Hawai‘i might welcome a new chief executive within three years.  

Concurrent Morning Sessions – 10:45 to 11:45 a.m., breakout rooms

Advocacy I – You Can Do It, Too

For Hawai‘i nonprofits, serving clients is not just about case management, feeding the hungry, providing a place to stay or helping someone find a job or deal with a disability. Often, it’s the responsibility of an agency working on the front lines – a nonprofit with first-hand experience facing emerging and evolving problems – to push for systemic change to improve lives. Hear from Deborah Zysman of the Coalition for a Tobacco-Free Hawai‘i, Beth Giesting of Hawai‘i Primary Care Association and Bob Toyofuku, a lobbyist representing many nonprofit clients – experienced advocates who know what it takes to be successful at the Legislature.

Leadership I – Dealing with the Big Transition, Ready or Not

Planned or unplanned, executive transitions happen. Is your board prepared? What can be done in advance to minimize disruption? Experts with first-hand experience planning deliberate leadership changes and coping with those that are unanticipated will help you understand the elements of a transition plan, how to set priorities, prepare the board and staff, and set the new executive up for a success. Panelists include: Bill Coy, who heads up the human resources practice with La Piana Associates, a management consulting firm focusing on the nonprofit sector; Andrew Aoki of 3Point, a local consultant who has helped Hawai‘i nonprofits plan executive transitions and served as an interim executive director; and Pi‘ikea Miller of Hawai‘i Community Foundation, which has a program to support strategic planning to ensure smooth transitions.

Sustainability I – How Mission and Social Entrepreneurship Can Go Hand in Hand

First Presbyterian Church of Honolulu recently purchased the Ko‘olau Golf Club, site of the HANO Conference. This startling, entrepreneurial venture has been cited internationally as one of the most unusual undertaken by a mainline denominational church. How did the church overcome the daunting and seemingly insurmountable obstacles of tradition, insufficient financial capacity and organizational resistance? Can other nonprofits effectively undertake for-profit ventures and remain true to mission? Ron Mathieu of First Presbyterian will present this fast-paced session, which goes beyond theory to challenge assumptions about nonprofit business models and share lessons learned that are applicable to any paradigm-shattering journey.

Accountability – Aligning Programs with Mission and Measuring Their Impact

Financial performance measures are critical for any business. Nonprofits must also meet mission-driven goals and communicate effectively with stakeholders. Aligning the organization with its mission and measuring how programs impact that mission demands leadership, creativity, skill and persistence. This session focuses on one organization's success story and its on-going commitment to increasing stakeholder involvement, improving how it communicates its value, enhancing its ability to measure program impact and understanding better how programs connect with its mission and goals. Speakers include Cheryl Ka‘uhane Lupenui, Charmaine Damon, Dave Washburn, and Maile Alau of the YWCA of Oahu.

Concurrent Afternoon Sessions – 2 to 3 p.m., breakout rooms

Advocacy II – Bringing the Nonprofit Sector Together

The nonprofit sector spends more than $3.8 billion annually in Hawai‘i and employs 48,500 workers, according to a recent Hawai‘i Community Foundation study. It is the state’s fifth largest non-agricultural employer – nearly one job in 12 in Hawai‘i is at a nonprofit. Despite its size, the sector is relatively unorganized and powerless to resist political attacks that weaken the important services and programs it provides. This session will recap recent legislation impacting nonprofits sector-wide. Panelist Brian Schatz, Helping Hands Hawai‘i CEO, candidate for U.S. Congress and former Legislator, will address how the industry can project a stronger voice for its needs; Pam Burns, Hawaiian Humane Society CEO and chair of HANO’s Public Policy Committee, will discuss HANO’s role in advocating for the industry; and Debbie Shimizu of the National Association of Social Workers Hawaii will describe how advocating for legislation can unite and empower the industry.

Leadership II – Preparing the Next Generation of Nonprofit Leaders

There is an urgent need to recruit and retain future nonprofit leaders. Half of Hawaii nonprofit executive directors are 55 or older and two in five expect to leave their jobs in the next three years. Meanwhile the nonprofit industry continues to grow and competition for talent is heating up. Participants in this facilitated discussion, led by James Koshiba of 3Point and Nalani Fujimori of the Legal Aid Society of Hawai`i, will focus on what nonprofits are looking for in the next generation of leaders, how to identify future nonprofit leaders outside of the sector, how to retain and prepare those within the sector for their future roles, and how to facilitate “match making” as sector leadership turns over in the next decade.

Sustainability II – Building the 100-Year-Old Organizations of the Future

We frequently hear the term “sustainability” in the context of nonprofit finances, but what are the non-financial factors to building a nonprofit organization that will endure? What are the lessons learned along the way, the keys to success?  How does an organization stay on mission while program and funding priorities change over time? Learn about strategic decisions and best practices to consider while you embark on the nonprofit sustainability journey from leaders of organizations that have stood the test of time, such as Gail Mukaihata Hanneman of the Girl Scouts of Hawai`i, John Howell of Easter Seals Hawai`i and Chuck Braden of KCAA Preschools of Hawai‘i. This session is designed for all nonprofit organizations, young and old, to help them stay focused for the future.

Technology – Demystifying Nonprofit IT and Achieving Success

New information technology can revolutionize how nonprofits work, but only if they successfully implement these powerful tools. Surprisingly, it’s not about money, resources or even technology – it’s all about the processes. This session will focus on how nonprofits – even those with limited budgets and technical resources – can implement technology successfully. James Kaina, an IT consultant with Booz Allen Hamilton, will share the industry best practices that consultants and large companies use to ensure success when introducing new technology or managing IT and how nonprofits can emulate them to achieve success.