Congratulations to Paul A. Calvo – the 2024 Guam Business Magazine Executive of the Year!
If you had asked me to describe Paul compared to his siblings – the ones that I know – I’d have said, “He’s the quiet one.”
Paul is a good listener, and due to past conversations, I know that he’s also willing to share the reasoning behind any decision.
Like any son or daughter of a long-established family business, he’s mindful of the family history and reputation.
And equally, as he told the magazine, he had great role models in his father – the late Paul M. Calvo and his three uncles Eddie and Jerry Calvo and Henry Schnabel. Paul M. Calvo was an Executive of the Year (1992) and so was the late Edward (Eddie) M. Calvo (1995) and Henry Schnabel (1999), so you might say “the apple has not fallen far from the tree.”
But mentorship alone doesn’t see you through in business, especially in the tough economic environment we are encountering in the islands, post-COVID.
As businesses change leadership through the generations it’s wise to require that those who will lead a company in the future work their way up – an apprenticeship if you will. And Paul Calvo did precisely that. He has also made his own mark on Calvo’s Insurance through the years.
This is also a moment to thank those who took the time to nominate the seven distinguished nominees for the 2024 award. The nominations came from the nominees’ peers in the business community and their own organizations, and I hope you enjoy reading about them all.
We’re grateful for the ongoing support and involvement.
At the gala on Feb. 1, we’ll also announce the beneficiaries of the event and that is another reason to thank the nominees for lending their names and support to the program. I’d also like to thank our Sponsors and invite you to support all the fine companies that have likewise helped us to help multiple beneficiaries. You’ll find them listed in the feature in the pages ahead.
And in this issue, we are also bringing you a special report on Palau.
I’d like to thank everybody there who made time to meet with me and share their thoughts. I have not been in Palau since before the pandemic and what struck me was how clean the country is – to include the famous Rock Islands. While the roads may have received some love for the inauguration, it couldn’t have taken much.
Special thanks to Alan and Sophie Seid and their family for the warm welcome back to Palau and the Palasia Hotel and their hospitality. My thanks also to President Doris Chin and the team at the Palasia for making sure I felt at home and – equally importantly – that my room was available during the 48-hour delay to my flight back to Guam.