“Maui is an excellent place to start a new business,” says Vaughn Vasconcellos, president and CEO of Akimeka LLC, headquartered in Kihei’s Maui Research and Technology Park. Its high-tech neighbors include local companies Oceanit and Trex, and large federal contractors like Boeing, Textron and SAIC. He says the Maui High-Tech Park is now an incubator similar to the Manoa Innovation…
Take our quiz on what men should know about working with women You would think, by now, that men would have a clear grasp of how to deal with the nuances of gender in the workplace. Women, though, remain largely unconvinced. We’re four decades into the women’s movement, but time and again, most men still seem to come up short…
Power (and stimulus) from a city at sea Photos: David Croxford Categories: Government
Sex Discrimination Sex discrimination has been the first or second most common basis for employment discrimination complaints filed with the Hawaii Civil Rights Commission for the past seven years. At the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s Honolulu office, 34 percent of all cases in fiscal 2008 cited sex discrimination. It was the second most cited cause, trailing only retaliation. Categories:…
4 p.m., Thursday Miss Hawaii Building McCully/moiliili Photography by Rae Huo >> Kaimuki native Estria Miyashiro, bottom right, who invented the stencil tip for wall painting, has taken graffiti art to new heights as a commercial painter and graphic artist in the San Francisco area the past 22 years. He returned home recently to create a wall mural about ocean…
Helping people balance their work, home lives and down time. Finding childcare so she could return to work was such an emotional issue for Katy Chen that she wept at the loss of a potential babysitter for her infant daughter. That was long before the Honolulu attorney became executive director of PATCH, the state’s foremost referral service for childcare providers. But…
Estimated $30,000 to $50,000 What is It A 1949 “Foam Sandwich,” designed by Bob Simmons,considered the father of the modern surfboard. The 11-foot board used the then-new technology of Styrofoam, sandwiched between plywood planks and trimmed with balsa-wood sides, then finished with another innovation, fiberglass. Why So Special It’s the first foam surfboard and from the collection of surfing enthusiast…
If you are in downtown Honolulu at lunchtime, consider feeding your mind as well as your body. The downtown annex of the Contemporary Museum is in the soaring First Hawaiian Center at 999 Bishop St. The gallery is upstairs from the lobby, accessed through a magnificent stairway sheltered by a James Carpenter glass wall installation, where prisms capture and fracture…
Barbara Tanabe, president and CEO of Hoakea Communications, is a pioneer. She crushed both color and gender barriers in the 1970s when she became one of the first Asian-American women TV reporters and anchors. Destinations Tanabe is a big fan of Europe. She’s enjoyed seeing the great Renaissance paintings and sculptures of Rome; the French Impressionists at the Hermitage Museum…
As Hawaii approaches August’s 50th anniversary of statehood, we have asked local leaders to reflect on the next 50 years for Hawaii. This month: real estate executive Fran Gendrano. Q: What will Hawaii look like 50 years from today? A: With our desirable location, ideal climate, beautiful mountains and ocean scenery, Hawaii will always be a place of destination —…
The Problem The hibiscus has incredible colors, textures and blossoms, but usually lacks a scent. Enter the Hibiscus Lady, Jill Coryell, who has created gigantic, colorful AND sweet-smelling hibiscus that are sold here and on the Mainland. “What sets me apart from most other hybridizers around the world is that I aim for scented, modern hybrids,” she says. Her Edge…
“Networking has the potential to reverse the brain drain,” says Danielle Scherman, founder and president of Social Wahines, a social and professional networking group. What started off three years ago as an intimate monthly get-together of Scherman and her 30-something friends has evolved into a network of more than 1,000 women from different backgrounds. “I think networking and partnering are…
“A crusty, irascible, cantankerous old person full of stubborn ideas” Life at work is never easy. We are often confronted with situations we don’t know how to handle. Each month, this retired senior Honolulu executive offers his take on how to handle the challenges and foibles of office life. ——————————— What do you do if a coworker always helps him/herself…
In this economy, diversifying is one way to survive. That’s why in April, after its own gross billings plunged about 30 percent, local architectural firm Pacific Atelier LLC acquired an audio-visual company. The purchase of Providence Technologies LLC, dba Projectors Hawaii, has increased cash flow and offset losses in the architectural business, says Hale Takazawa, who privately bought the company…
Barbara Hastings has been an advocate for Big Island businesses for over a decade. She is also one of the most well-informed women in Hilo, serving as the eyes, ears and voice of the local business community. As president of the Hawaii Island Chamber of Commerce for the past 12 months, she has taken members’ concerns to key legislators, developed…
Hawaii employers are dissatisfied with the verbal and math skills of high school graduates applying for jobs, according to a recent study. So state educators are targeting the problem and asking local businesses for support. The program, called Step Up! is being launched this fall in public high schools. It is sponsored by Hawaii’s P-20 Partnerships for Education, which brings…
Despite her relatively young age, Christine Camp is remarkably accomplished. She’s the founder and president of Avalon Development, one of the state’s largest real estate firms. At 38, she became the youngest chair of the Hawaii Chamber of Commerce. She’s also served, inter alia, as chair of the Urban Land Institute, and as president of the Hawaii Developer’s Council. But…
Send letters to feedback@hawaiibusiness.com Flaws in how Top 100 Realtors were picked Let me preface by stating there is probably no perfect system for judging who the Top 100 Realtors (June 2009) are in Hawaii. I do feel, however, that the system you used for 2008 had two flaws. For example, there are agents who sell a lot of real…
When we started the Wahine in Hawaii Business program last year, we knew that successful women prefer to be known for their accomplishments, not their gender. At the same time, gender’s influence on career attainment is unmistakable. Of the 753 senior executives of Hawaii Business’ Top 250 companies, only 132 are female — that’s about one in six. Women lead…
My son and his friends are leaving home and I fear they will never truly come back. Nothing is set in stone, but of the thousands who fly off each summer to enroll at colleges on the Mainland, too many end up building their careers, families and lives elsewhere. Sure, they will come back for visits and vacations, but home…
In this job market, competition is fierce. That’s why it’s important for candidates to make a favorable impression in the first interview. Your skills are crucial, but don’t expect to be offered a job unless you also look the part, says Judy Bishop, president of Bishop & Co., an employment staffing agency. “Nine out of 10 employees will reject applications…
Finding a way to preserve culture Hui Ku Maoli Ola, a native plant nursery nestled deep in Haiku Valley on Windward Oahu, is a kind of island unto itself. Except for the steepest, most inaccessible parts of the Koolau Mountains, which tower over the nursery, the surrounding landscape is awash with plants from other parts of the world. Exotic trees…
Melissa Teves Pavlicek has fought for the interests of small businesses at the state Legislature for the past five years and became state director of the National Federation of Independent Business in 2006. HB: How can small businesses gain influence at the Legislature? The No. 1 thing is to get to know the legislators for your district because you have…
By Brian Ishikawa, Senior Vice President of Corporate Security, Bank of Hawaii During this challenging economic time, it’s more important than ever for businesses to protect their money. No one is immune from fraud, but there are ways to reduce your risk: Develop a Fraud-Awareness Mindset Executives who were victimized in catastrophic embezzlement cases thought internal fraud would never happen…