KOROR, December 20, 2022 – During its November 2022 General Membership
Meeting held at The Taj restaurant, members re-elected Sam Scott (Sam’s Tours) and
Pai Lee (Palau Hotel) to the 2023 Board of Directors. Also joining the Board is Russell
Cabral (WCTC), Brock Welge (Pacific Mission Aviation), and Vivien Ngirarsaol-Protine
(VIP). These new and re-elected board members will be serving a two-year term.
With a full nine-member board, the Board met on December 20, 2022, at the PCOC
office located on the ground floor of the Palau Tourism & Hospitality School of
Excellence building at Palau Community College to elect new officers for the upcoming
calendar year, 2023. Directors present at the meeting included Kaipo Recheungel,
Ilebrang Olkeriil, Sam Scott, Vivien Ngirarsaol-Protine, Pai Lee, Brock Welge, and
Ltelatk Fritz. James Ku attended virtually as he was travelling. Russ Cabral was unable
to attend this meeting. The attending board members took time to deliberate on their
selection because they wanted a leader that represents Palauans, businesses in Palau,
and has knowledge in leading a membership organization. Inclusion and diversity were
key factors in selecting this year’s leadership.
The results are as follows:
Ltelatk Fritz – President
Sam Scott – Vice President and Chair of Tourism Committee
Pai Lee – Secretary
Brock Welge – Treasurer; will also serve as proxy to the NEC
Ilebrang Olkeriil – Chair, Membership Committee and Representative to PNMS Advisory Committee
Vivien Ngirarsaol-Protine – Chair, Fundraising Committee
Kaipo Recheungel – Representative to the Olympic Planning Committee
Russ Cabral - Member
James Ku - Member
The organization has faced numerous challenges since the global pandemic in 2020.
With the downturn of Palau’s economy, membership and revenues have dropped,
especially with the discounted dues that was being offered. PCOC is grateful for the
donors and grants that have sustained the organization through these difficult time.
Incoming president, Ltelatk Fritz, envisions 2023 as a year to reconnect with past
members, focus on the needs of current members, while meeting and recruiting
prospective members. “Relevance and Recovery” will be the key values and focus of
this year. With this, Fritz aims to meet with various groups of business owners—micro,
small, medium, and large; by industry; and by owner’s ethnicity. There is so much more
PCOC can learn and do for Palau’s private sector. But the key is to meet each other
half-way in a safe space.
Palau Chamber of Commerce is here to support the businesses in Palau’s private
sector, to help create and retain jobs, and grow our economy with integrity for a better
Palau for all. Membership fees as low as $50.00 per year for industry associates,
businesses that only need to hear about information relating to their industry; $60.00
year for Self-Employed Businesses (Makit, Farmers, Fishers, Taxi Drivers, Boat
Operators, etc.); $120 for small businesses; and $360 for medium to large businesses.
Join PCOC at its first meeting for 2023 to learn more about what you can benefit from
being a member.
For more information about the Palau Chamber of Commerce or upcoming training
events, contact Beatrice Cabral or Janine Demk at (680) 488-3400 or by email to
palauchamberofcommerce@gmail.com . (PR)
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