Chamber introduces board nominees

The Saipan Chamber of Commerce recently introduced six board of directors nominees for its 2025-2026 term.

The nominees are Angil Design, Inc. president Ron Smith, IT&E Government/Community Relations senior manager Janice Tenorio, Century Insurance Inc. general manager Gol Corpuz, Naked Fish Bar & Grill owner and Transcend Consulting’s Joe Guerrero, Bank of Saipan president and chief executive officer John Arroyo, and Docomo Pacific senior consumer sales manager Nicole Babauta.

Smith has been a Chamber member for 21 years and has served on the board of directors for three terms. He is also actively engaged in the Chamber’s Government Relations Committee and volunteers his technical support for the Chamber office.

He is running for a board position because he believes that he can make a positive contribution to the board through strong consensus building and a significant contribution towards the concise formulation of board statements and policies.

Tenorio, a previous Chamber coordinator and a Chamber member for 29 years, seeks to honor her late father’s legacy, former Chamber president Sylvo Castro Ada, while leveraging her strong government and community connections to benefit the Chamber.

She holds an M.Ed. in Educational Leadership from San Diego State University and has served as chairperson of the CNMI State Board of Education for two terms. She now serves on the CUC board as chairwoman.

Corpuz, a Chamber member for 31 years, hopes to bring a new face and ideas to the board and to find ways that benefit the Chamber.

He is a licensed mechanical engineer, who graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering and has played various roles such as resident agent/ branch manager in Guam, and now a general manager on Saipan. He also serves as the president for Northern Marianas Insurance Association in his fifth term, wherein he previously served as treasurer, vice president, and director.

Guerrero, who has held the Chamber president position since 2022, has been a member of the Chamber for over two decades and served on the Chamber’s board since 2019. He has a deep knowledge of the CNMI’s business landscape and excels in business development and consulting.

He is a Bachelor of Arts Business Administration degree holder from Washington State University and an MBA from the University of Oregon. His experience extends to serving on various boards, including the Commonwealth Public Utilities Commission and the CNMI Governor’s Council of Economic Advisors, among others.

When Guerrero is not working, he prefers to do deep-bottom fishing.

Arroyo has been a member of the Chamber for 38 years and has served on the board of directors for one term.

He holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Guam and an MBA from Oregon State University. He also served on various boards including the American Red Cross-NMI Chapter and NMC Foundation. He’s also been a member of the Rotary Club of Saipan since 2019.

In Arroyo’s spare time, he enjoys fishing, sailing, traveling, and spending time with his wife JoAnn and son Christian.

Babauta has been a Chamber member for 27 years, previously served on the board for two terms, and hopes to improve the community’s economy by helping businesses prosper, delivering measurable value to Chamber members, and supporting the growth and development of Chamber staff.

She holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Management with a concentration in Global Business Management and an MBA from the University of Phoenix. She serves on the CNMI State Workforce Board and SHRM CNMI Chapter.

Each of the nominees was qualified based on the established criteria to run as a board member, wherein they have made a meaningful contribution to the Chamber in various capacities. Their dedication and leadership have played a vital role in advancing the Chamber’s mission, and they each bring unique strengths and perspectives to the organization.

The voting of the new board of directors will take place during the Chamber’s November general membership meeting on Nov. 13 at the Queen’s Hall of Kensington Hotel.

Chamber pix