Ed Arriola Jr.
Chair - CNMI Chapter
Ed brings PIHF a wealth of experience in the field of Strategic Marketing Planning, emphasizing on tourism and retail industry behavioral trends. He has an exceptional command of the personality and purchase behavioral traits of Chinese, Japanese and Korean consumers.
For 7 years Ed — in his capacity of Program Manager for the multimillion dollar nonprofit “Tan Siu Lin Foundation” — oversaw the finances, solicitations and donations to Guam and the CNMI. As lead planner and organizer for local and regional community events, Ed prepared budget summaries and community impact reports for the Board of Governors of the Foundation.
Professional Experience
Parallel to his involvement in nonprofits, Ed also routinely managed and produced statistical and due diligence reports, related to mergers and acquisitions of Tan Holdings, the CNMI’s largest foreign investment specialist.
Currently, as President of Blue 46 Associates, Ed specializes in tourism, business development, economic analysis, public relations, social media grant research/writing and medical equipment sourcing.
External Appointments
Ed has a lengthy and proven track record in a range of charitable activities in the islands of Guam and the CNMI, which he calls home. For “Ayuda Foundation” he acted as Saipan Team Leader for disaster relief supplies during the aftermath of two devastating super-typhoons and he holds an advisory Board Member position for the CNMI Chapter of the Salvation Army and is a former member of the CNMI Humanities Council, the CNMI Zoning Board, and the Marianas Visitors Authority Destination Enhancement Committee.
Education
Ed earned his B.A. in Business Management from the University of Guam and is a team leader and communicator with a wide ranging proficiency in print and video design, and social/online marketing and sales techniques.
Country Report
Under US administration as part of the UN Trust Territory of the Pacific, the people of the Northern Mariana Islands decided in the 1970s not to seek independence but instead to forge closer links with the US. Negotiations for territorial status began in 1972. A covenant to establish a commonwealth in political union with the US was approved in 1975, and came into force on 24 March 1976. A new government and constitution went into effect in 1978.
Location
Strategic location in the North Pacific Ocean. The CNMI is an insular area and commonwealth of the United States consisting of 14 islands in the northwestern Pacific Ocean, except the southernmost island of the chain, Guam, which is a separate U.S. territory. The CNMI and Guam are the westernmost territories of the United States.
Land Mass
464 km2
Official Languages
Chamorro, Carolinian, English
Population
51,433
Head of State
Ralph Deleon Guerrero Torres
Capital
Saipan
Status
Commonwealth of the USA
Economy
The economy of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands has been on the rebound in the last few years, mainly on the strength of its tourism industry. In 2016, the CNMI’s real GDP increased 28.6% over the previous year, following two years of relatively rapid growth in 2014 and 2015. Chinese and Korean tourists have supplanted Japanese tourists in the last few years. The Commonwealth is making a concerted effort to broaden its tourism by extending casino gambling from the small Islands of Tinian and Rota to the main Island of Saipan, its political and commercial center. Investment is concentrated on hotels and casinos in Saipan, the CNMI’s largest island and home to about 90% of its population.
Federal grants have also contributed to economic growth and stability. In 2016, federal grants amounted to $101.4 billion which made up 26% of the CNMI government’s total revenues. A small agriculture sector consists of cattle ranches and small farms producing coconuts, breadfruit, tomatoes, and melons.
Legislation is pending in the US Congress to extend the transition period to allow foreign workers to work in the CNMI on temporary visas.