Ian Kitajima is a well-known figure in Hawaii's technology and innovation landscape. As the current President of PICHTR (Pacific International Center for High Technology Research), he brings extensive experience in developing and commercializing cutting-edge technologies. Prior to this role, Kitajima spent over 21 years at Oceanit, where he served as the "Tech Sherpa" and Director of Corporate Development, guiding the company's efforts in defense, medical, clean energy, and consumer applications.

Throughout his career, Kitajima has been recognized for his contributions to Hawaii's innovation ecosystem. He co-founded three venture startups, championed Design Thinking and computer science movements in public education and has been honored with awards such as the Corporate Intrapreneur of the Year and the Social Impact Enterprise award from the Hawaii Venture Capital Association.

Known for his ability to connect people and projects with latent customer needs, Kitajima continues to play a crucial role in shaping Hawaii's technological future while giving back to the community through various advisory and board positions.

Why is Workforce Planning Important? Workforce planning helps organizations to achieve their strategic objectives and gain a competitive advantage in the market. It involves forecasting the current and future demand and supply of talent, identifying the gaps and risks, and developing action plans to address them. In addition, associated current budgeting and estimating future financial costs is also just as critical for workforce planning as a key component of any organization’s business growth and strategy.

Workforce planning is crucial for any organization aiming to thrive in Hawai‘i’s business environment. It involves identifying current and future workforce needs to ensure the right talent is in place to meet organizational goals and touches every aspect of a business. I’m looking forward to this pre-conference session where we will delve into the key principles and practices of workforce planning and share practical examples of what local companies are doing to achieve long-term success.