September 21, 2020By: John Burrows
Guam is one of the fifteen islands that make up the Mariana Islands. Today, this archipelago is divided into two U.S. political jurisdictions: the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands and the territory of Guam. The diverse culture of these island reflects a host of different arrivals, who brought their Filipino, Japanese, Korean, Mexican, Chinese, Spanish, American and other Pacific Islander cultural practices with them to Guam and the rest of the Mariana Islands, making them a culturally diverse place to visit and live. The majority of the population of Guam, however, traces its ancestry back to the original inhabitants of the island: the CHamoru...
Read MoreAugust 24, 2020By: John Burrows
Two factors make it important for Guam residents to keep themselves in a constant state of readiness where tropical cyclones are concerned: Tropical storms and typhoons can affect Guam any time of year, although they’re most likely from late June through December. In the days just before a storm is likely to hit, supplies can get low quickly, so if you keep your emergency store stocked throughout the year, you’re more likely to have what you need, when you need it. Your best tool for staying informed and prepared when it comes to storms are Guam’s Conditions of Readiness, which you will hear referred to...
Read MoreJuly 27, 2020By: John Burrows
On April 30, 2020, Guam adopted the Pandemic Condition of Readiness (PCOR) system. This four-tiered approach, set out in the Guam Recovery Panel of Advisors’ Chalan Para Hinemlo plan, establishes the criteria for the lifting of mandates and restrictions imposed in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. While the PCOR system may be new, the concept is not. In establishing the PCOR, the government of Guam adapted the familiar four-level approach of the Typhoon Condition of Readiness (TCOR) system for preparing for the arrival of a tropical storm or typhoon. Ultimately, the PCOR system and the accompanying Chalan Para Hinemlo (“Road to Recovery”) plan, has four...
Read MoreJuly 6, 2020By: John Burrows
When you’re looking to refresh your space with a new set of furniture, furnishings or equipment, one of the first things you’ll likely consider is how much help you’ll need. Will this be a project that you can handle with your in-house team, or will you need to outsource this project to an entirely different team? Most of the clients we work with—which have included retail stores, military bases, hotels, restaurants and more—take one of three approaches to their FF&E projects. To help you decide which one is right for your next FF&E project, we’ll walk you through all three. By investigating all the potential...
Read MoreJune 22, 2020By: John Burrows
How long should you hold on to your business records before destroying them securely? When you have a solid records retention policy in place, the answer to that question is a relatively simple one. And when you develop that policy in conjunction with a professional who understands the nuances of your business, you can feel even more confident when following the schedule it dictates for what to destroy and what to keep—and for how long. In general, when you put together your records retention policy, you want to think a little like Goldilocks. Just as she examined the three bears’ food, chairs, and beds for...
Read MoreJune 8, 2020By: John Burrows
Updated: January 14, 2026 Relocating your Guam office—while minimizing downtime—requires the seamless orchestration of a number of moving parts. Although you may already have goals in mind for your commercial move—such as sticking to your budget, creating a smooth transition for your employees, and reducing your overhead over the long term—chief among these will be to minimize the disruption to your day-to-day business operations. To help you plan a seamless Guam office move that hits all these goals (and more!), we put together this business relocation checklist. It outlines your must-dos to ensure nothing important slips through the cracks, creating an easy office move for...
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