More than 30 participants attended the day-long summit in person and virtually, engaging in discussions on Guam’s growing strategic importance in the Indo-Pacific region and the need for coordinated workforce development initiatives to support economic growth and national security priorities.

Representing the university were President Dr. Anita Borja Enriquez, Vice President for Administration and Finance and Chief Business Officer Dr. Artemio “Ricky” Hernandez, and School of Business and Public Administration Dean Dr. Roseann Jones, who helped facilitate conversations on workforce pathways, credentialing opportunities, and partnerships among academia, industry, and government.

Enriquez said collaboration with private-sector partners such as MARUNDA is critical to preparing Guam’s workforce for emerging opportunities.

“Strategic partnerships with organizations like MARUNDA help ensure that our students and working professionals are equipped with the technical skills and global perspectives needed to succeed,” Enriquez said. “The University of Guam is committed to working alongside industry and government to strengthen workforce pipelines, expand economic opportunity, and support Guam’s role in regional security and resilience.”

The summit brought together representatives from global defense contractors, Guam government agencies, and private-sector organizations to explore approaches to building a highly skilled, locally based workforce capable of supporting infrastructure and defense-related initiatives across the Indo-Pacific.

“MARUNDA was exceptionally honored to host this event. It was the ideal format to showcase our commitment to Guam, its people and to the development of a world class defense industrial base underpinned by a world class workforce,” said Rachel Wong Mai Kim, founder and managing director of MARUNDA Private Limited and Guam-based MARUNDA Defense Services Limited.

“The re-development of Guam’s workforce is a whole of government, whole of industry, whole of community and whole of academia effort – this effort needs to be aligned and coalesced around serious organizations and serious people who know how to lead and understand the critical importance of getting this moment in Guam’s history right,” Wong said. “There will only be one chance to get this right. I am very proud of UOG for leading the way and even prouder of the strong bonds between UOG and MARUNDA.”

MARUNDA Private Limited — ranked No. 7 in the Enterprise 50 Association Awards 2025 by The Business Times and KPMG Singapore — is a defense engineering firm serving Singapore, Guam, and regional markets. The company provides naval expeditionary repair and maintenance services supporting fleets operating throughout the Indo-Pacific region. MARUNDA is expanding its presence on Guam through MARUNDA Defense Services Limited, with a focus on developing a technically skilled local workforce aligned with U.S. regional sustainment priorities.

Organizations represented at the summit included DHL, ASTRO America, APAC Resilience Pte Ltd, FERRET Consulting, Pelagus, Life Cycle Engineering, South Pacific Petroleum Corporation, Foremost Food, The Naval Welding Institute, Guam Economic Development Authority, Guam Regional Medical City, Guam Chamber of Commerce, BAE Systems Ship Repair, SCA Group, the American Chamber of Commerce in Singapore, Goodwind Travel, Toll Group, Metal Manufactures Pty Limited, Vallourec, EY, Glimpses of Guam, Guam Women’s Chamber of Commerce, and the Guam Contractors Association Trades Academy.