Pacific Biodiesel Leadership Takes Part in East-West Center Program

The international group included representatives from Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines, China, New Zealand, Japan, Saipan and Sāmoa.
All photos credit: East-West Center Seminars & Journalism

Changing Faces Women’s Leadership Seminar – July 23-August 5, 2023

Pacific Biodiesel Director of Operations Jenna Long hosted an international group of entrepreneurs at the Hawaii Island refinery this past summer to showcase the company’s innovative history and its sustainable community-based model of agriculture and renewable energy.

The annual Changing Faces Women’s Leadership Seminar, sponsored by the East-West Center, encourages participants from across the globe to expand their knowledge of entrepreneurship, economic growth, leadership, and community building through carefully selected field visits and meetings with experts, practitioners, business owners, and policymakers in Hawaiʻi. This yearʻs theme “Women as Innovators and Entrepreneurs” included a 12-day professional training, dialogue, and travel program, where participants engaged in a series of workshops focused on leadership and entrepreneurship

The tour titled “Pacific Biodiesel – Innovating Solutions” highlighted the companyʻs pioneering spirit as the oldest continuously operating biodiesel company in America and the first in the nation to open a retail biodiesel pump.  Long explained how Pacific Biodiesel focuses on locally sourced feedstock to produce premium quality renewable fuel and co-products.

“I was very inspired by this group of women, who all had a great drive to make environmental and social progress through their businesses,” said Long after the tour. “It was exciting to see so many women determined to make a difference, just like we are here at our company.”

 

 

#GalsWithLEI
A few days after the Hawaii Island refinery tour, Pacific Biodiesel Vice President Kelly King was a panelist at the Honolulu seminar, #galswithEntrepreneurship: Think Outside the Bin

A repeat guest speaker at the annual #GalswithLEI seminar, King was once again requested to present to this yearʻs group of entrepreneurs and innovators.

“We know Kelly will create a meaningful experience for our Changing Faces women, panelists, and attendees alike sharing information on Pacific Biodiesel’s community-based production of renewable fuels and how this innovative solution is creating a more inclusive, green and circular future for Hawaii,” said the East-West Center’s Sara Lam, Seminars Program Coordinator, Professional Development.

King didn’t disappoint. Co-founder of the company that is often referred to as a “poster child for the circular economy,” she shared Pacific Biodiesel’s community-based “agriculture and energy” production that models a full-circle system of sustainability and climate change solutions designed to help Hawaii achieve a clean, sustainable energy future.

King further explained that biodiesel, produced from locally sourced feedstock like used cooking oil and diversified, regenerative agriculture (to grow crops for food and fuel), is a solution that local communities can easily employ.

All photos compliments of East-West Center Seminars & Journalism