Springfest 2015 on Saturday, May 9th will include an Open Talk panel discussion exploring how successful communicators build their brands using modern technology.

We’ve asked three of Honolulu’s most prolific and dynamic communicators to share their thoughts on how technology has enabled them to deliver their messages globally. Our guest panelists will be Russ Sumida, CEO of AdStreamz, Inc.; Catherine Toth Fox, The Cat Dish; and Bruce Fisher, Hawaii Aloha Travel.

If you are a business owner, an organization leader, professional, artist, creative or writer, this Open Talk panel discussion will provide you with valuable insight into what it takes to get your message out to your audience. And just as importantly, how to build your audience.

Our panelists will also be taking questions from the audience. To maximize our time please submit your questions in advance at:  http://hmaus.org/submit-questions-for-springfest-2015-panel

Due to time constraints we may not be able to field all questions.

More information about Springfest 2015 will be posted. Meanwhile, here is the link to the event flyer: http://hmaus.org/springfest-2015-flyer

Guest Panelists

Russ Sumida

Russ is a technology evangelist and the CEO of AdStreamz, Inc., a social media marketing management and consulting company based in Honolulu, Hawaii. Russ has more than 25 years’ experience in the information technology field, and has spent a large part of his life “online” personally and professionally. In 2011, Russ was named one of Hawaii Top 15 Social Media Influencers by Technology News Bytes.

His experience includes database, software and web development and proficiencies in ASP, HTML, SQL and Visual Basic.

Russ’ current and former clients include:

Blue Hawaii Surf
Brasserie Du Vin
Calista by Cotton Cargo
Chart House Waikiki
First Hawaiian Bank
Formaggio
Meadow Gold Dairies
Outrigger Waikiki on the Beach
Pearlridge Shopping Center
Ruth’s Chris Steak House Hawaii
Waikiki Beach Walk
zPizza Hawaii

Catherine Toth Fox

Catherine has been chronicling her adventures in her blog, The Cat Dish (www.thecatdish.com), for nearly a decade. She worked as a newspaper reporter in Hawai‘i for 10 years and continues to freelance — in between teaching journalism, hitting the surf and eating everything in sight — for national and local print and online publications.

Her assignments and travel blogs have taken her around the world — lounging in an outdoor onsen in Fukushima, Japan during a snowfall; cuddling koalas in Brisbane, Australia; sampling macarons in Paris; planting native trees in Hakalau on the Big Island; hiking a volcano in Costa Rica; eating stroopwafel at a street market in Amsterdam; surfing at Cloud Break in Tavarua, Fiji; eating coagulated pig blood at a night market in Taipei City; and snorkeling in the pristine waters off the private island of Ni‘ihau.

You can find her work in such publications as Alaska Airlines Magazine, AOL Travel, AAA Journeys, Forbes Travel Guide, Fodor’s Travel Guide, Modern Luxury Hawai‘i, HAWAI‘I Magazine, HONOLULU, and Hawai‘i Business.

Bruce Fisher

Bruce has lived in Hawaii for the last 25 years, having come from Miami Beach, Florida in 1990 to be a journalist for KGU radio. In 1995 Bruce left radio to start MCS Internet solutions providing programming and connectivity solutions to businesses. By 1997 he merged that company with his other companies to form HAWAII-ALOHA.COM, INC. to design, develop and market websites in Hawaii.

In 2000 Bruce partnered with Yaling Yu (his wife) and turned HAWAII-ALOHA.COM’s focus completely to the inbound Hawaii tourism market and transitioned the site into an online travel and tour company. The company has grown from a small two person agency to a multimillion dollar company with 10 full time Agents. In 2012 Bruce founded Hawaii Jeep Tours specializing in semi-private “themed” safari Jeep tours on the island of Oahu. The tours are focused on culture, cuisine, adventure and entertainment.

Since 2006 Bruce has been very active in Social Networking including; The Hawaii Vacation Connection (a podcast devoted to helping consumers plan Hawaii Vacations), The Hawaii Vacation Blog, Facebook (56,000 fans), Twitter (15,000 organic followers) Instagram (4,000 organic followers) YouTube 2.3 million views.