TechConKona Brings Technology and Sustainability Experts Together For Big Island Biz Success!

Business Solutions Conference Set for November 2nd in Kona

 Crushing energy prices, food security issues, and lack of meaningful, well paying jobs plague Hawaii Island. TechConKona, a high impact, one-day conference is addressing these issues with ideas to solve them, as well as providing valuable job skills in the fields of sustainability and technology on Saturday November 2nd at the NELHA Gateway Center from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. A fundraising pau hana will follow from 4-6:30 pm. 

 “When the mainland sneezes, the island catches the flu”, stated Julie Ziemelis, lead organizer for TechConKona. “As business owners in Hawaii, we need to focus on how we can help our local economy so we can help ourselves. The tag line of TechConKona is the “triple bottom line” of business: Planet, People, Profits. By helping the planet and the people, we increase our profits and ensure that we can sustain our businesses. TechConKona brings together experts to discuss solutions, while also providing information about reaching out to a worldwide audience using the web and digital marketing. It’s the perfect combo!”

 The conference is headlined by three prominent speakers: Sonny Bhagowalia, the State of Hawaii’s first Chief Information Officer and champion of island-wide Wi-Fi/broadband access; Chef James Babian, restaurateur and local food sustainability expert; and Henk Rogers, who helped make Tetris a worldwide computer game phenomenon and founded the Blue Planet Foundation. These well-known experts, along with 8 other dynamic speakers, will address small business owners, farmers, chefs, digital marketing and technology professionals and sustainability change agents.

 Attendees will learn about how technology and sustainability intersect for business success and will focus on new systems, ideas, resources and information led by experts in the fields of food sustainability, digital marketing, Internet technology, and more.

 The second portion of the day covers valuable digital marketing information and teaches job skills about the basics of Google search, analytics, mobile apps, WordPress, blogging and social media and how it all ties into helping businesses reach a global market. Local students are eligible for a limited amount of discounted tickets for this part of the day.

The pau hana reception is being held in memory of Guy Toyama, who helped found the TechConKona last year. Guy, a local environmental and sustainability innovator, passed away last November.  The Guy Toyama Memorial Fund was established to honor his contributions by funding scholarships for students and grants for non-profits in the areas of sustainability and entrepreneurship. The pau hana will be a fundraiser for the Memorial Fund.

Tickets to the event are $75 and VIP tickets are $100. Students can take advantage of a limited amount of $45 tickets. Registered attendees receive full conference access, refreshments, post-event networking fundraising reception and access to exhibitors. VIP guests receive priority seating, lunch from Sam Choy’s, and direct access to speakers. More about buying tickets and the speaker agenda can be found at www.TechConKona.com

Companies interested in being exhibitors at the event can contact Julie Ziemelis, Ziemelis Communications, at 808-854-6769 or email julie@ziemelis.com.

 The conference is sponsored by the County of Hawaii, the Small Business Development Center, Mac Made Easy, Natural Investments, Ziemelis Communications, Hafner Creative Communications, West Hawaii Today, Sapporo and Sam Choy’s.