Dr Avegalio named Regional Minority Business Advocate of the Year
(Honolulu, HI - July 14, 2009) – The U.S. Department of Commerce, Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) will honor Dr. Failautusi Avegalio as the San Francisco Regional 2009 Minority Business Advocate of the Year on August 21 in San Francisco during Minority Enterprise Development (MED) week.
Minority Enterprise Development week is an annual event hosted by the MBDA to honor outstanding minority entrepreneurs that have contributed to our economy and individuals that help advance minority business development. This year’s theme is “Energizing the American Economy with Minority Business Enterprises.”
Dr. Avegalio is the Director of the Pacific Business Center Program (PBCP) and the Executive Director of the Honolulu Minority Business Enterprise Center (HMBEC) at the University of Hawaii at Manoa. Dr. Avegalio has led the PBCP for nine years and was the catalyst in the creation of HMBEC in 2005.
Dr. Avegalio’s extensive insight into the Western and Pacific Island views of business, the environment and culture encouraged development and achievements throughout the region. Under his direction the PBCP garnered six national awards and one national finalist award from the University Economic Development Association (UEDA) in the last five years. The UEDA awards are nationally recognized as one of the greatest honors for University Centers.
In 2006, Dr. Avegalio assisted in creation and execution of the first Stars of Oceania Scholarship event, aimed at helping minority youths from the Pacific Islands pursue higher education. The event was held again in April, 2009 and combined with the Pasifika Energy Summit to bring together Pacific Island leaders to discuss sustainable futures for their island economies.
Dr. Avegalio is originally from American Samoa, where he holds the traditional “Papali’i” title from Savaii. He received his B.S. in Education and B.A. in Social Sciences from Emporia State University in Kansas, a M.A. from Truman State University in Missouri, and a PhD in Educational Administration from Brigham Young University in Utah.
For more information about the Pacific Business Center Program: or Honolulu Minority Business Enterprise Center: http://honolulu-mbdc.org.
###
