(CNMI SBDC) — The CNMI Small Business Development Center Network at Northern Marianas College, in partnership with the Saipan Chamber of Commerce’s Armed Forces Committee, successfully hosted Operation: Business Excellence on Sept. 25 and 26, 2025, at the CNMI Innovation Incubator Office at the Beach Road Plaza on Garapan, Saipan.
Although the two-day training was designed with veterans in mind, the seminar also drew interest from a wider audience. In total, nine veterans and their dependents, along with ten aspiring or start-up entrepreneurs, came together to form two dedicated groups exploring the path from military service to business ownership.
Among the core sessions was “From Service to Start-Up,” a step-by-step guide to starting a business in the CNMI. The training facilitated by Mercilynn Kaneshi Palec, CNMI SBDC associate network director/business advisor, walked participants through the critical areas of licensing, compliance, and identifying local opportunities to launch and sustain their ventures.
Equally impactful was AI Command Center: Deploying Social Media Strategies, presented by Roman M. Tudela, CNMI SBDCN marketing manager. This beginner-friendly workshop introduced practical ways to integrate AI into marketing, empowering attendees to strengthen their online presence and better connect with potential customers.
A standout highlight of the program was the presentation delivered by First Hawaiian Bank’s Oleai Branch leadership team: Vickie Izuka, vice president & branch manager; Vicente Agulto, assistant vice president & business banking officer; and Piarose Aguon, senior merchant services representative. Their session provided veterans with valuable insights into understanding credit, navigating the loan application process, and leveraging payment processing solutions to support business growth.
“We are honored to continuously partner with SBDC because they have been helping the community in tremendous ways like we’ve never seen before with SBDC in the past,” said Vickie Izuka, vice president and branch manager for First Hawaiian Bank’s Gualo Rai Branch. “We’re happy to be partners in this mission and hope to continue to do so in the future.”
“This training gave me the clarity and confidence I needed to take the next step toward starting my own business,” said Jesus Abraham Flores Cantu, a U.S. Navy veteran. “The session on AI marketing opened my eyes to how technology can serve as a powerful tool for growth, and learning from First Hawaiian Bank about financing options gave me a realistic roadmap to get there. It’s inspiring to know there’s a community ready to guide and support veterans like me every step of the way.”
“Operation: Business Excellence is about more than just training — it’s about building a bridge for our veterans to transition their skills, discipline, and leadership from military service into business ownership,” said Nadine Deleon Guerrero Kintol, CNMI SBDC network director. “We are deeply grateful to the Saipan Chamber’s Armed Forces Committee and to our longtime partners at First Hawaiian Bank for helping us provide the resources and guidance our veterans need to succeed.”
The CNMI SBDC remains committed to empowering the local veteran community and fostering economic growth through accessible, high-quality business support services.
For more information, contact the CNMI SBDC Lead Center at (670) 237-6888 or email cnmisbdc@marianas.edu/. Follow @cnmisbdc on Facebook and Instagram or visit www.cnmisbdc.com for the latest updates and eve
