Consultant and businessman Pauli Prince Suhren is grateful to the Marist Brothers for shaping him and paving his career.

He sat and watched the students at the M.B.O.P.A. bazaar and Career Day on Thursday and shed light on how the Marist Brothers education system helped him get to where he is now.

"Certainly, Marist was a foundation for me. I look back, meeting my old teachers like Brother Kevin, and Brother Iulio who were there 25 years ago, they shaped my career in many ways," said Pauli.

"I'm very grateful for that, and I am sure the current generation of the Marist Brothers and all the other teachers of Marist are nurturing another generation of leaders for Samoa," he said.

"It's very good to come here today. Today is not just the bazaar but also a career day. Seeing the students from Marist Brothers Primary and Saint Joseph's College reminds me of how lucky we are to be part of that system.

"It was not just how the Marist Brothers helped lay the foundation with the basics of all the subjects but were instrumental in putting across that Marist Spirit. Marist Spirit is the spirit of excellence. 

"'Tausisi i mea aupito lelei' is the motto of St Joseph's. We strive to do the best that we can with what we have been given. I think that's a wonderful spirit to serve as a foundation for all the Marist kids."

Pauli attended Saint Joseph's College from 1998 to 2001. He was the former Chief Executive Officer of the Samoa National Provident Fund (S.N.P.F) before becoming a consultant and businessman.

"I had the privilege by the grace of God to be the CEO of SNPF for six years, and I know there's a lot of CEOs that are in the making here at Marist. Not just CEOs but also Prime Ministers, and very successful young men and women as well," said Pauli.

"It's good to be back to see the kids here of this generation which is quieter than our generation. I am sure that the Marist Spirit will live on. The Marist Spirit of excellence in doing things to the utmost and that ethos will live on for future generations. 

Pauli left St Joseph's in 2001 and did his University Preparatory Year. He then attended the University of Auckland.

After getting his undergraduate degree, he started work at SamoaTel, now known as Vodafone. Five years later he went to Australia and attained his Masters degree and was appointed as an ACEO at the Development Bank of Samoa from 2012 to 2017. 

From 2017 to 2023, he was the CEO of SNPF.

"Today, I am a consultant and I also run my own business. There's still so many years to serve with whatever capacity that God holds for me," he said.

Looking back at their times at the College in Alafua where he was Deputy Head Boy in 2001, he believes that the biggest flex for this generation is their access to technology.

"The kids today are better equipped because they have access to technology. They have access to the internet and all the other things that make education easier. That would be the major difference from our time," Pauli said. 

"But one thing for sure, us the old pupils of Marist will always be there to support this generation so they turn out to be even better and outshine us."

For Pauli, the time spent at St. Joseph's College remains one of the most memorable. He believes that this is because of the friendship and comradery.

"Even now we have that bond, I just saw some of my colleagues from class, haven't seen them for more than 20 years and I just saw them this week," said Pauli. 

"It brings back all the memories from the good old days at St Joseph's. My house was Dieter (red) and I was the Deputy Head Boy for 2001. I enjoyed a lot of things there it is all too much to describe in one interview."