Sherry Menor
President & CEO
Chamber of Commerce Hawaii
Sherry Menor is a Mentor Hawaii Cohort 10 mentor. Learn more about the program here.
About Sherry
Sherry Menor was appointed President and Chief Executive Officer of the Chamber of Commerce Hawaii on September 1, 2013. She is the youngest and first female President and CEO in the Chamber’s 174-year history, as well as the first Asian to serve as the leader of a State Chamber in the nation. She has lived in several major cities, including Tokyo, New York, Washington D.C., Los Angeles and London, working for a wide variety of companies, including Sony Corporation, Sony Pictures Entertainment, Estee Lauder Company, Field Group, Elton John Productions and “60 Minutes”. Her government-related work includes positions with the Hawaii State Legislature, U.S. Senator Daniel Akaka and the Executive Office of the United States President. Menor currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Hawaiian Humane Society. Nationally, she serves on the Board of Directors of the Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives (ACCE) and the U.S. Chamber’s Committee of 100. She previously served on the boards of the Hawaii Tourism Authority and Girl Scouts of Hawaii, and nationally, on the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Council of State Chambers (COSC), and Western Association of Chamber Executives (WACE). Under her leadership, the Chamber won the 2018 ACCE State Chamber of the Year, and in 2019, won two national Council of State Chambers awards.
Menor is a 2016 graduate of the Omidyar Fellows Leadership Program, founded by eBay’s Pierre Omidyar. She was inducted into the University of Hawaii Shidler College of Business Hall of Honors, received the Girl Scouts of Hawaii Women of Distinction, and the Filipino Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii’s Business Executive of the Year. In 2017, she was honored with the Public Schools of Hawaii Foundation Award and, in 2015, was selected to represent the United States in the Korea Foundation’s Program for Distinguished Individuals in Economy. In 2014, Menor was recognized as one of the “Top 10 People to Watch” by Pacific Business News. In 2012, she was named one of the “Top 20 People to Watch” by Hawaii Business magazine. Menor was also inducted as a Laureate into the 2014 Class of the Junior Achievement of Hawaii Hall of Fame. Additionally, in 2014, she was selected and participated in the prestigious Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs leadership program. Menor earned a certificate in “Expanding Impact in Advocacy” from the Harvard Kennedy School of Executive Education. She received her Juris Doctorate degree from the University of Hawaii’s William S. Richardson School of Law and her Master of Business Administration from UH’s Shidler College of Business and also pursued graduate study in public administration at the University of Southern California (USC) and holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA). Menor was born in Tokyo, Japan, and raised in Hilo, Hawaii, where she graduated from Waiakea High School. She is also a certified yoga teacher and enjoys golfing, traveling and spending time with her dogs, Kuma-chan and Bubbles.
Question and Answer with Sherry
What is your preferred communication style when mentoring (in-person, video conference, phone, informal check-ins, structured meetings, etc.)?
In-Person Meeting
Why do you want to become a mentor in this program?
The Chamber’s YP Mentor Hawaii program is an excellent way to give back to the community and foster a support system for young professionals, enabling them to grow as leaders. Establishing a pipeline of leaders is vital for Hawaii’s economic success. As a mentor since the program’s inception, I share my experiences to guide mentees in achieving their goals. Mentorship is truly reciprocal; while mentees gain insights, I benefit from fresh perspectives that enrich my own work approach. I maintain connections with several mentees, demonstrating that mentorship should be viewed as a lifelong relationship rather than a transactional one.
What are your expectations for a mentor-mentee relationship?
Expectations for a mentor-mentee relationship are that the mentee is proactive by being prepared with questions, goals, and taking initiative to schedule meetings; open in communicating their aspirations, challenges, as well as welcoming feedback; and commitment to the program. As for serving as a mentor, my commitment is to be available, provide guidance based on my experiences and lessons learned, help expand their network, build trust and instill confidentiality in our relationships especially since Hawaii is so small, and encourage and motivate the mentee.
At the first meeting or even prior, it’s critical that we establish clear communication channels and maintain an open dialogue about their expectations throughout the relationship and have regular evaluations of the mentoring relationship can help ensure that both mentor and mentee are aligned in their goals and progress.
My approach to problem-solving and conflict resolution focuses on two key areas: collaboration and communication. I believe that success is generally achieved when we work together, which involves actively listening to each other and providing constructive feedback. For instance, in a recent team project, I facilitated a brainstorming session where everyone shared their perspectives, leading to a solution that addressed everyone’s concerns. By fostering an open dialogue, we can effectively address problems and conflicts, ultimately finding solutions that benefit all parties involved.
How do you envision success for your mentee, and how will you measure it during the program?
I envision success for my mentee as a combination of achieving their initial goals and experiencing overall personal and professional growth. At the start of the program, we’ll establish clear, measurable objectives based on the mentee’s questions and aspirations. Throughout the program, I’ll measure success through:
- Regular check-ins to assess progress towards goals
- Open communication via various channels (meetings, calls, emails) to provide timely guidance
- Quantifiable metrics such as skills acquired, projects completed, or career milestones reached
- Qualitative assessments of the mentee’s confidence, decision-making abilities, and professional network growth
- Periodic reviews to adjust goals and strategies as needed
I’ll encourage ongoing feedback from the mentee to ensure the program remains aligned with their evolving needs. Success will also be measured by the mentee’s ability to apply learned concepts beyond the program, fostering long-term career development.
