A 25-year Hawai`i resident, entrepreneur, writer, marketing and communications (MarCom) consultant Scott Foster observes the island state's enormous technological and economic development challenges - and their great untapped potential - with particular interest. He notes, "Coming from Oklahoma, the culturally-diverse nature of the Islands was originally a great challenge. In retrospect, we understand that Hawai'i is indeed a microcosm of what the world is quickly becoming. With 45 first languages spoken, Hawaii has been the ideal laboratory; a unique opportunity to experiment and develop rather revolutionary techniques for processing the relentless flow of data being generated by today's technologically-based society into the solid information needed for timely decision making." These techniques have become the foundation of Foster's highly-acclaimed communications model.
Scott's work continues to attract young technology and communications students from Hawaii and the mainland and he routinely employs them as project interns. One particularly notable "fan" is Scott's young mentor, the amazing Kevin Hughes, the third of only six people named to the World-Wide Web Hall of Fame. Scott notes, "My long relationship with Kevin has been a truly existential experience. Kevin's generous patronage, both personally and through his Forward Foundation, has allowed me to operate at the very forefront of emerging computer technologies." Kevin describes the close professional relationship this way; "While some may use tools well, great people redefine their use. Scott Foster is one of the most effective and progressive masters of communication technology and technique since the rise of the internet. He is the type of person I write software for - not the typical user, but the individual who deeply understands and fulfills the potential of communications technology. Scott routinely puts entire marketing departments to shame."Foster's early meld of classic marketing and communications techniques with the myriad new opportunities presented by the World Wide Web indeed consistently produce decisive results for a long roster of for-fee clients - business, political, and government - and for a virtual "who's who" of community-based non-profit clients. Introduced to the MarCom model by mentor, Marion Harper Jr., Scott's successful evolution and application of the undeveloped theories of "The Man Who Built Interpublic and Changed Madison Avenue" are graphically illustrated by the model's demonstrated ability to dramatically and decisively influence public opinion on important public policy issues and diverse, complicated projects - and to move them forward "with astonishing speed on otherwise impossible, modest budgets" (see OUR WORK below). The model has also been described as "the neutron bomb of public opinion management."
From the beginning, Scott was nurtured by an extended family of inventors and educators, and his interest in computers began when his mother programmed one of only 46 Univac punch-card programed computer systems for a public demonstration at Oklahoma City's Tinker Air Material Command. During the 1960s, his partnership with childhood friend, John Perry produced the successful electronics research & development company, Ra-Nav Laboratories which conducted innovative research and experimentation with early telemetry systems, precursor to the modem - the very backbone of today's enormous telecommunications industry. This early work with post-transistor miniaturized electronics technology (integrated circuits) contributed to one of the first applications of telemetry to medicine, now widely known as "tele-medicine." Scott notes, "We were Geeks before there was a word for it."
After later work with large mainframe computers in the U.S. Airforce Supply System during the Vietnam War, Scott purchased his first PC in 1983 and began using the Internet for communications in 1985. As Scott relates, "That was perhaps the most defining moment for me in beginning to develop my current communications model. I have never much looked back since."
While all may not agree with some of Scott's clients, their issues or political bent, the fact remains that Foster and his unique communications model are likely responsible for influencing more major-media news stories on cutting edge public policy issues than any other single communications professional working in Hawai'i during the past 20 years. In fact, his entire resume is a record of remarkable accomplishment - by anyone's measure.
Even after consulting with the White House, governors and other policy-level elected officials, executives of Fortune 500 companies and national non-profit organizations, Scott still considers himself "basically an entrepreneur" because of his wide experience in product development, wholesale, retail, and marketing. He notes, "I've been blessed with a most rewarding, interesting, and varied career." Indeed he has - because his former careers include editor and publisher, restaurateur, classical musician with world-renown teachers, and artist manager for musicians and writers contracted with the distinguished William Morris Agency in Hollywood.
The Vietnam War had ended the first of Scott's three careers "in the business end" of the entertainment industry, and after his honorable discharge from the U.S. Air Force, Scott joined childhood friend, Hank Keitz to establish Rad Communications. Eventually "writing, editing, publishing, and losing my hair" for Property: The Magazine of International Real Estate Investment, the Big-8 Football, and Karate Magazines, Scott relates: "It really kept me on my toes. Eventually I felt nothing unusual about editing the English translation of a Dutch article on investment trends in France - while compiling statistics on the current Heismann Trophy winner from Nebraska." Property set the style for American business publications still being emulated by publications such as Hawaii's Pacific Business News.
After the war and publishing three internationally distributed magazines, Foster took a little time off "to think about what I wanted to do for the rest of my life." Scott ultimately found himself staging gala charity fund-raising events and into an entirely new career. He attributes his later success in the restaurant and catering business to his 20 year association with mentor and close friend Chef John Bennett, protege' and long-time friend of Julia Child, James Beard, AND Jacques Pepin!
Staging such glittering events as the World Premiere party for the 20th Century Fox production of The Turning Point and the internationally-acclaimed 1972 American tour of the Russian Women In Art Exhibition ("with armed KGB running all over the place"), during those years Scott helped play host to a long celebrity list including one U.S. President, several Oklahoma Governors, Lee Iacocca and the executives of the Ford Motor Company, Ginger Rogers, Van Johnson, Bette Midler, the Pointer Sisters, Lauren Becall, Kaye Ballard, and Hal Holbrook.
And then there were the REAL parties that Scott's Occasions! choreographed and staged. Money was flowing like water in the "oil patch" and the super-rich Oklahoma oil barons all wanted to outdo one another. A new well coming in was always a good excuse to throw a BIG party. The Lear Jets whisked the bejeweled guests in from surrounding states to celebrate, while Willie Nelson and his band rocked away on the back of a flatbed truck pulled up alongside the pool. BarBQ by the ton, Cuban cigars by the case, fresh seafood flown in from both coasts, and the finest liquors and wines in the world flown in on a whim. By then, Occasions! needed a bigger kitchen and so Scott "reluctantly" leased what had been a small, 6-booth coffee shop. The next thing Scott knew, "the carriage trade matrons were sitting on their mink coats" on the floor outside waiting to get in. Occasionally Downstairs! was a resounding success.
A glittering bar and two dining rooms filled with oil paintings and antiques were added and Scott found himself the proprietor of "one of the most exciting restaurants ever to hit Oklahoma City," as one reviewer gushed. Although Scott still maintains, "I never, ever wanted a restaurant," he would tell you this: "While I never worked so hard in my life, I must say that those were personally very rewarding times. I was most fortunate to be in the company of some of these remarkable people. And spending an entire afternoon with James Beard in his Village home (now Beard House) was a particularly memorable experience." Beard died only a few weeks later.
Seven "very fast" years later, Occasionally Downstairs! fell victim to the oil crash of the early 1980s. The price of oil dropped literally in half overnight - and the party ended as suddenly as it had begun. Occasionally Downstairs' sophisticated New American Cuisine menu is still remembered fondly by many former patrons and its gourmet hamburger, the "Sale Barn Burger" lives on. Hilton International's New York based Food Research Center had heard about the burger and contracted to make the receipe availible to their Executive Chefs at every Hilton Hotel in the world.
With family and business now gone and after 42 years in Oklahoma City, in 1983 Scott moved to Hollywood and returned to the entertainment industry. He began to manage the career of his friend, Columbia recording artist Jimmy Spheeris. When Spheeris was killed in an auto accident, Scott forged ahead and after only six months in LA had negotiated contracts for four other songwriters and musicians with the William Morris Agency. Scott notes, "After realizing I could be successful in Hollywood, I decided I could just never live there. The endless traffic, polluted air and water and the shallowness of people in general was all just too much. I never liked it." Scott moved to Honolulu in 1986 and established his current consulting business. Success followed with numerous travel industry and retail marketing clients, but waiting in the wings was yet another challenging career development.While attempting to rectify his then-seemingly endless personal auto insurance problems, Scott soon realized that Hawaii's "no fault" insurance system was "structurally flawed with thousands being screwed just like me." He later noted, "Once I realized I was not alone in this and the magnitude of the political corruption, I knew I would need some powerful help to see it resolved. It was an election year so I went shopping for a gubernatorial candidate to support." After attending several meetings with Lt. Governor Ben Cayetano's campaign, Scott learned directly "from the horses mouth" that one of Cayetano's issues was, indeed, auto insurance reform. Working his usual communications magic first as a volunteer, in June of 1993 Scott was hired as Staff Director of Communications for the "underdog" candidate and found himself collaborating with Jack Seigle of Honolulu's Starr-Seigle Agency and with the legendary political strategist, Joseph Napolitan who had orchestrated John F. Kennedy's Presidential Campaigns.
Scott laughs about his first meeting with Napolitan. Surprised by his unexpected personal visit, Scott recalls, "The only thing I could think of to say was, 'Hey! You're the guru!' And Joe replied, 'Yeah, that's what they call you when you get old. Keep up the good work kid.'"
With Cayetano elected and a reform insurance bill introduced, in April of 1995, Scott met with consumer advocate Ralph Nader and the leaders of over 30 community-based organizations in Honolulu. Sensing the opportunity to organize the entire state to support the auto reform legislation he had helped to draft, Scott worked to create Advocates For Consumer Rights (AFCR), the Hawai'i consumer-advocacy group then working directly with Nader's national organizations fighting for auto insurance reform in both Hawai'i and California. With Scott acting as Executive Director and performing the communications, AFCR quickly built a formidable coalition and "trounced" a $500,000 pro-insurance industry media campaign with "less than a $40,000 budget." The no-holds-barred political battle waged on until a challenge to the Governor's veto of yet another pro-insurance industry bill "drafted by the insurance industry" was ultimately defeated.
With the legislative session ending in stalemate, the fight spilled over into the 1996 State House and Senate elections and several more very profound political successes soon lay in store for Scott. AFCR President, George Fox notes, "Scott's role in organizing the state-wide campaign to bring down two of the most powerful Democratic Senators in the Hawai'i State Legislature, minions of the insurance industry, was amazing to watch. His research, writing, organizational, and communications skills are indeed remarkable."
Finally in 1997 and with the two corrupt senators out of office, a consumer-friendly car insurance reform law was finally passed by Hawaii's Legislature and signed into law by the Governor. By 1999, Hawaii's car insurance rates had dropped from the second highest in the nation to #20 - saving Hawai'i consumers "untold-millions" in premiums.
Ruth Ellen Lindenberg, AFCR founding Board Member and then State Legislative Chair of the Hawai'i Chapter of the American Association of Retired Persons later wrote, "Scott Foster has made a most significant contribution to Consumer Advocacy in Hawai'i."
Able to work successfully with both Democrats and Republicans in the Hawai'i State Legislature, in late 1998 Foster (by then 5th highest elected officer of the Democratic Party of Hawai'i) broke with Party leadership over their refusal to deal decisively with the rampant corruption and favoritism within in the Democratic Party and state government. A great believer in participatory democracy, Foster has since been "an active Independent" and has supported political candidates "who will work for the good of Hawai'i and the nation, regardless of their political affiliation."
As a footnote, if you ask Scott, "What accomplishment are you the most proud of?" he would tell you this: In 1995, Scott received a call from one of the organizers of the Hawai'i Coalition Against Nuclear Testing and immediately found himself involved with "one of the most challenging projects of my life." As the volunteer Pacific Information Coordinator for the project, headlines around the world soon proclaimed "Thousands Deliver No Nukes Message To President Clinton During 50th V.J. Celebration In Honolulu." Endorsed and supported by dozens of local and international organizations including a co-sponsorship by Hawaii's highly-respected 442nd Veteran's Club, the event culminated with a world-wide condemnation and international boycott of French products because of the unabated plans of French President Chirac to detonate seven nuclear explosions at the tiny atoll of Mururoa, Tahiti.
Project Organizer Kalali Alailima remembered, "By luck, someone gave me Scott as a contact. He worked miracles on media and organizational outreach. In less than two weeks, we had expanded from a coalition of a few organizations to more than fifty. I can confidently say that we would not have met with anywhere near the success we had on this Pacific-wide concern without Scott's invaluable contribution."
CONTACT: Scott Foster & Associates fosters005@hawaii.rr.com 3050 Kahaloa Place Honolulu, Hawai`i 96822-1541 VOICE 808-988-0555 CELL 808-372-2513 FAX 808-988-1777