Brown Named Director of SBDC Hilo Office

The Hawaii Small Business Development Center recently promoted Aaron Brown to director of the Hilo office.

A program of the University of Hawaii at Hilo that is funded by the Small Business Administration, SBDC has five offices statewide, including ones in Hilo and Kona.

Brown previously served as senior business consultant for the program, which provides business training courses, analysis and plan development and free business consulting throughout the island.

Brown replaces Constance Cate, who stepped down as director.

A Hilo native and graduate of Waiakea high school, Brown received a bachelor’s degree in finance and an MBA from Oregon State University.

Before joining the SBDC Honolulu office more than three years ago, Brown worked on Oahu with fellow Hilo native Jimmy Chan who started Hawaiian Chip Company, maker of sweet potato and taro chips.

He also launched a Hawaiian barbecue sauce company and provided business consulting for a variety of small businesses on Oahu.

After working at the Honolulu SBDC office for two years, Brown transferred to the Hilo office a year and a half ago when he and his wife moved back to his hometown.

“It’s great to be home and great to work with local businesses that I grew up with,” says Brown.

“We’re not the big city here, it’s a different business environment and I enjoy working with small businesses one business at a time.”