Entrevistas

1. No question about going into the family business

2. From attorney to developer

3. A perfect mix of both

4. Growing up in two cultures

5. Never feeling discriminated against in Hawai‘i

6. About Albert Chikanobu Kobayashi, Inc.

7. Three important things learned from father

Kobayashi,BJ

Empresario hawaiano, desarrollador.

Growing up in two cultures

Oh, you know, both sides. I mean I went to Japanese school when I was little, you know, I still speak a little bit of Japanese. I can understand it when I’m walking by people that speak Japanese, for the most part if they’re speaking slowly enough. And I got…and growing up in Hawaii, I was always around my grandmother. Sometimes my grandfather, although he was really busy. So you know, I got a lot of that culture in Obon dance and pounding mochi. That’s part of my life also.

Every summer and every winter I was back east with my family. With my mom’s family. With my cousins – clambakes, the museum in Boston, Red Sox games. I mean you name it, I think I got…I think all of us – myself, my brother Patrick, and my sister Alana – all enjoyed sort of the best of those two worlds. Because my parents were so generous and able to provide that to us. Those trips back east were important.

cultura hapa personas de raza mixta

Fecha: June 1, 2006

Zona: Hawai'i, US

Entrevista: Akemi Kikumura Yano

País: Watase Media Arts Center, Japanese American National Museum

Entrevista

Bert A. Kobayashi, Jr.,conocido como “B.J.”, tuvo su primera experiencia en el negocio de la construcción como peón en Albert C. Kobayashi Inc., empresa hawaiana que su abuelo fundó y su padre Bert administraba. Tras graduarse en la Universidad de Georgetown en 1993, trabajó en la oficina del senador Daniel Inouye en Washington DC donde el demócrata hawaiano le aconsejó el valor de obtener un título en derecho. Luego de 3 años de estudio de bienes raíces y derecho en Georgetown, B.J. tomó la presidencia de la empresa de su padre, desarrollando el Centro Cívico de Kapolei. Con su hermano, hermana y un socio, formó el Grupo Kobayashi, desarrollando proyectos de condominios y lujosos resort de golf. B.J., además, promueve la sustentabilidad y la protección de los recursos naturales de Hawaii y participa activamente en trabajos comunitarios como en Gift Foundation of Hawai‘i (que cofundó) y Nature Conservancy. (junio de 2007)

Fuente: Basado en el artículo de Pacific Business News.