Mike Sablan earns SCC’s top honor

Triple J Saipan’s vice president for finance and administration Michael S. Sablan, right, receives a congratulatory handshake from businessman Joe Ayuyu after being named as the Saipan Chamber of Commerce’s 2016 Business Person of the Year in last Saturday’s ceremony at Fiesta Resort & Spa’s Hibiscus Hall. (Jon Perez)

Michael S. Sablan is not used to being in the spotlight; he would rather work his magic quietly behind the scenes. But last Saturday, all eyes were on him after he was named the Saipan Chamber of Commerce’s 2016 Business Person of the Year during the business group’s installation dinner at Fiesta Resort & Spa Saipan’s Hibiscus Hall.

That made Sablan the first to be selected from the back office; past recipients were top executives and managers who are usually visible in the community.

“Thank you to those who nominated me. I am truly honored and humbled to receive this,” he said in his acceptance speech. “I know the other nominees are also outstanding, highly qualified, and equally deserving of this award. I was looking at the past recipients and I could be one of the first that was selected from the back office.”

Sablan, who is Triple J Saipan’s vice president for finance and administration, joins an illustrious group of past recipients of the Chamber’s highest honor. It recognizes an individual member in the business scene that is active both in the group’s programs, community projects, and support for the local workforce.

Sablan became the third recipient from the Triple J family after Jay B. Jones (Triple J Motors, 2001) and Robert “Bob” Jones (Triple J Corp., 2010). He is the 22nd person to receive the award that began in 1996 with EFC Engineers & Architects’ Efrain Camacho as the inaugural awardee.

Other previous awardees are Edward Camacho (Pacific Financial Corp., 1997); Joe C. Ayuyu (McDonald’s of Saipan, 1998); Marian Aldan Pierce (DFS Saipan, 1999); Wendi Herring (Pacific Islands Club, 2000); Alex A. Sablan (Saipan Shipping Co., 2002); Jerry Tan (TanHoldings, 2003); Mark Erwin (Continental Airlines, 2004); David M. Sablan (Century Insurance, 2005); Juan T. Guerrero (Herman’s Bakery/MITA Travel, 2006); K.J. Kim (Asiana Airlines, 2007); Kathryn H. Barry (KB Communications, 2008); Vicente “Ben” Babauta (DFS Saipan, 2009); Jim Arenovski (Delta Management, 2011); 2012 co-recipients Marcia Ayuyu (R.J. Corp.) and Anthony Pellegrino (Saipan Sea Ventures); Marcie Tomokane (Bank of Guam, 2013), Vicky Benavente (Pacific Islands Club, 2014); and Alex K. Youn (AC Pacific, 2015).

This year’s other nominees for the prestigious business award are Arenovski (Island Training Solutions), Andrew Ashburn (N15 Architects), John Compton and Hans Mickelson of IT&E, Donna Krum of Friends First Marketing and Tyrell Pauling of Hyatt Regency Saipan.

Number-cruncher

As a finance and auditing person, much of Sablan’s work involves being in front of a computer doing the analysis and reports that help managers and top executives make better decisions on how to grow the business.

“I’m used to working behind my computer somewhere inside a cubicle at the back office,” said Sablan. “Counting the money, crunching the numbers, and doing the reports and analysis. Providing the support material that the frontline people, executives, and managers need for the business and present to the public.”

He considers the award a special recognition to workers who are not usually seen in public. “It is not just us finance people who work behind the scenes. I know a lot of [human resources] professionals, lawyers, architects, engineers, accountants, analysts, and construction management people who also work behind the scenes.”

Sablan said those who know him personally are aware that he’s very low-key. “I’m a very low-profile kind of guy. I like my privacy and spending time with my family. But my career over the years also involved a lot of presentations. I love my work and I also accept this award for those of us who want to work at the back office.”

“If you agree, much of the work that we do are not that visible but is crucial in running a business successfully. We provide our frontline managers all the reports and analysis they need on how we could take care of our customers better and how we treat our employees well.”
 
Accounting career

Sablan’s career spanned almost three decades both in public service and the private sector. He recalled how, more than 20 years ago, Joe Camacho, then JP Finance Saipan’s comptroller, made a long distance call to ask him if he wanted to come back and work in Saipan. He was just starting his accounting career in a Los Angeles firm after finishing his studies in the mainland.

“I received a long-distance call unexpectedly from a gentleman who introduced himself as Joe Camacho. I did not know Joe and, after a few minutes of introduction, asked me if I wanted to go back to Saipan. Not a day goes by that I think I made the right decision and appreciated that call. You don’t have to be originally from Saipan to love this community. We have a wonderful community where people live and work with respect and dedication.”

Sablan also previously worked at Joeten Enterprises (vice president and chief financial officer) and DFS Saipan (assistant comptroller). He served as director in various corporate boards in the region like Marianas Cable Vision, PHI Pharmacy, Saipan Stevedore, IHIAC Inc., Island Home Insurance, and Staywell Insurance.

He was in public service for almost 10 years starting as special advisor for finance and budget to former governor Pedro P. Tenorio and as the CNMI’s public auditor from 2001 to 2008 while also serving as chairman of the Association of Pacific Islands Public Auditors in 2001 and 2007.

Sablan obtained his bachelor’s degree in economics from the University of California Los Angeles and is among the first in the CNMI to become a certified public accountant in the state of California and in Guam.