Background

Thank you for your interest in the fourth
Secretary's Conference on Business Opportunities in the Islands!

Introduction

The Department of the Interior is pleased to announce that it will be hosting its fourth Conference on Business Opportunities in the Islands, October 8-9, 2007, on Guam. The Conference is the next major event in the ongoing initiative of the Department of the Interior to foster private sector-led economic development in the U.S.-affiliated insular areas.

The Joint Guam Program Office and the Naval Facilities Engineering Command, which are overseeing and implementing developments and expansion in support of the realignment of U.S. military forces in the Pacific Region, will be using this Conference as the venue for their second industry forum on the build-up of U.S. forces on Guam. The objectives of these forums include sharing preliminary information and current actions, receiving and considering industry comments and suggestions, and integrating findings into the build-up strategy for efficient delivery of the required infrastructure. This second forum will discuss progress on discussions and initiatives that will be developed at the first forum, currently scheduled for August 23-24, 2007.

Like the Conferences and Business Opportunities Missions that have already taken place (see our Past Events tab), the purpose of this Conference is to help businesses take advantage of exciting opportunities in the U.S. territories and in nations in "free association" with the United States. The leaders of these jurisdictions will introduce you to their wonderful islands, and business and government leaders from these jurisdictions will discuss the opportunities that exist there in sectors ranging from tourism to information technology. You will also have the benefit of networking events with business and government leaders from the islands, the United States, and around the Asia-Pacific region, and will be able to pre-register for one-on-one meetings with potential partners of your choice.

Conference Details

The first day of the Conference will feature high level dignitaries from throughout the Insular Areas and the U.S. mainland making presentations about the unique opportunities and benefits of doing business in the islands. The afternoon will include breakout sessions on topics ranging from tourism to telecommunications and how planned infrastructure improvements will benefit the region. One of these breakouts will be led by representatives of the Joint Guam Program Office and Naval Facilities Engineering Command, discussing the outcomes of their August forum and planned next steps.

The morning of the second day will be devoted to more business oriented sessions. You'll hear from key leaders about what they are doing and what they can do for you. You will also hear from dynamic business owners who have been successful in the islands and how they did it. The rest of the second day will be set aside for prearranged one-on-one meetings. You will have the opportunity to arrange these meetings before and during the conference. We also plan to have space available through October 10 for these business-to-business meetings.

The Conference will be held at the Hyatt Regency Guam; please click on the "Hotel Information" link for details on reservations and the group room rate. Guam serves as a hub for air travel in the region, and has daily direct flights to the Philippines, Japan, Hawaii, and the Republic of Korea.

For more information

For more information on Conference details, please contact Angela Williams at (202) 208-3003. If you have any questions regarding registration, or wish to request a paper registration form, please contact Isabelle Howes at (202) 314-4713.