Mr. Fix-It

I notice David M. Sablan has been named “Executive of the Year.” Well deserved.
While he may have achieved that particular tribute, there are still others he deserves. Dave might be referred to as the “Father of Development” in the islands.

In recalling the period when Covenant negotiations were taking place the U. S. kept all foreign investors out of the then Trust Territory by exercising Article 8 (1) the “favored nation clause” in the United Nations Trusteeship Agreement.

The United States as the administering authority interpreted this provision in the agreement in such a manner to be an effective tool to prohibit all foreign investment. This policy precluded any investment other than that from the United States which, at the time, was minimal.

The result being that no foreign enterprise was permitted to conduct business in the Marianas or in any other island within Micronesia.

It was largely through the efforts of David M. Sablan, then the vice president and general manager of the Microl Corp. at a Chamber of Commerce meeting in December 1972 at the old Royal Taga Hotel that he finally convinced the Department of the Interior and presumably the U.S. State Department of the need to relax its policy and open the islands to foreign investment.

For many years afterward anyone arriving on Saipan to discuss investment opportunities made it a point to stop first to meet Dave Sablan for their economic and business briefing.

His assistance and advice, always generously given, has been helpful in many other diverse areas. One unusual event I shall always remember (and there are many) concerns the outstanding reputation the man has as “Mr. Fix-it.”

Years ago a situation developed during an important meeting in what is now the Convention Center on Capitol Hill. I don’t recall the purpose of the meeting—but I do remember that Dave was not associated with the group or the government and had no connection or interest in the issue under discussion.

Much to the distress of several hundred present the air conditioners failed, temperatures rose rapidly and the discussion turned to canceling the session at great cost and inconvenience. Who do you think the meeting organizers turned too to correct the situation? “Call Dave” rang out. He has the reputation of arranging solutions to problems—“Mr. Fix-it”—a man many still turn to regardless of the problem to help make it right. To my knowledge the person was not even acquainted with Dave—and only knew of him by reputation as a person always ready to help. He is still helping people.

David M. Sablan or DMS is a fitting acronym for:

D—for Dedication to excellence;

M—for Methodical management;

S—for Skilled solutions.

Why David hasn’t run for governor has never ceased to amaze me. If he did, things would get straightened out in a hurry.

Bill Stewart
Charleston, W. Va.