Young exec is new head of Hawaii’s Fil-Am Chamber of Commerce

L&L Hawaiian Barbecue Marketing Director Brandon T. Dela Cruz is the new president of the Filipino American Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii. FYLPRO

HONOLULU — Young Filipino American community leader Brandon T. Dela Cruz, was installed as the 63^rd president of the Filipino Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii during a recent ceremony at the Hilton Hawaiian Village Hotel here.

Dela Cruz, director for marketing for Hawaii-based restaurant chain, L&L Hawaiian Barbecue, is an alumnus of Filipino American Youth Leadership Program (FYLPRO), an annual immersive program for ten outstanding young Filipino Americans organized by the Philippine Foreign Service Posts in the United States.

He has more than 18 years of Filipino community involvement in Hawaii, which includes hosting a weekly radio program on the Filipino community, grassroots campaigning for the establishment of the current Filipino Community Center and leading the Filipino Jaycees in 2004.

Among the distinguished guests at the installation banquet were US Sen. Brian Schatz, Hawaii Governor David Ige, who were both the installation officials. Former Consul General in Honolulu Rolando Gregorio and Philippine Consul Joyleen E. Santos were also present.

Since its establishment in 1954, the FCCH has been a partner of Filipino businesses in Hawaii through its various projects and programs aimed at broadening opportunities for Filipino entrepreneurs and strengthening business linkage between Hawaii and the Philippines.

One of the major activities that the FCCH is preparing for under the leadership of Dela Cruz is the 2017 Goodwill and Trade Mission to the Philippines, to be led by Gov. Ige, from October 14 to 22.

This will be the first trip to the Philippines of an incumbent governor of Hawaii, after more than ten years. The last one was in 2006 by Governor Linda Lingle.