University of Hawaii baseball fans, take a good, long look at junior second baseman Kolten Wong this season. Study each at-bat and savor every defensive gem. Appreciate him now, because soon the Kamehameha-Hawaii alumnus will be just like his home run swing. Going, going … gone. “It’s not a question of whether he’ll turn pro after this season,” says UH…
The Orchid Suite at the Halekulani is the ultimate luxury retreat. The 2,356-square-foot haven is separate from the main hotel and accessed by a private lift, offers floor-to-ceiling views of Diamond Head, a posh master bedroom, an expansive living room, private outdoor lanai, and mother-of-pearl accents throughout the space. Services and amenities Guests get the royal treatment: private airport/ship limousine…
Yes, the Falls of Clyde is still a treasure. Today, the 133-year-old, four-masted barque that helped found the Matson shipping empire squats in disreputable shambles in her berth at Pier 7, between the defunct Hawaii Maritime Center and the Aloha Tower Marketplace. Its iron plating is pocked and flaking, its decks have rotted through, and it has been shorn of…
Michele Saito, president of Farmers Insurance Hawaii, Inc., already enjoyed arts and crafts when she came upon the obscure art of eggery two decades ago. How obscure is it? There isn’t even a Wikipedia page on it. Enthusiasts turn egg shells into art, some of which can open up like dioramas or be used as jewelry boxes. Chicken eggs are…
Understanding Hawaii, Then Acting to Improve Our Quality of Life Building a better future for Hawaii begins with a clear understanding of who we are and where we stand – our vital strengths and crippling weaknesses. This report provides key parts of that information and offers sensible ways to build on our successes and overcome obstacles. There is much to…
Wanted: minority-owned businesses to bid on contracts offered by large national companies. That’s the marketing pitch of the Northern California Minority Supplier Development Council, which, among its responsibilities, is helping Hawaii’s minority-owned companies gain access to contracts offered by about 3,500 corporations and public institutions. Hawaii is underrepresented among the 15,000 or so minority-owned businesses that have signed up with…
Hawaii could grow some of the world’s best and safest produce, says James Hollyer of the University of Hawaii, one of the many people who are working to make that happen. Their tools include: • Good agricultural practices (GAPs); • Good manufacturing practice (GMP); • Third-party audits, also known as food-safety certification. “This is an issue of professionalism and respect…
All is not well with Hawaii’s valuable coffee industry: A Big Island quarantine of unroasted beans and coffee plants aims to stop the spread of the coffee berry borer, a destructive pest. Here’s where Hawaii’s industry stands: 830 Coffee farms in Hawaii during the 2009-2010 growing season. About half of the 8,000 acres in production were on the Big Island. $25…
When a falling tree damaged three trucks, a refrigeration unit and the office trailer at the Maui headquarters of Feed My Sheep just days before Thanksgiving, the charity’s ohana stepped up. Sturdevant Inc. repaired the refrigeration unit; Island Landscape brought a crew to remove the tree; and Tire Warehouse donated a truck. Support like that by businesses and hundreds of…
Hawaiian Air, Outrigger, Hawaii Meth Project also honored When the going gets tough, the tough get marketing. That’s what the Hawaii Visitors and Convention Bureau did during the recession and tourism slump, and its adroit actions are credited with helping tourism rebound more than some people had forecast. The tourist agency broke through other destinations’ marketing clutter by concentrating on…
Komeiji knows all about taking risks. After working for more than 30 years for the prestigious Honolulu law firm Watanabe Ing and Komeiji, which he co-founded, Komeiji took a leap of faith and joined Hawaiian Telcom’s new management team at the height of the company’s financial turmoil. Q: Any advice for young professionals who are just starting out? As a…
As the economy recovers, small businesses that want to expand are going to need capital. Applying for a loan, though, always works better if you lay the groundwork in advance. Here are suggestions from Ray Ono, vice chairman at First Hawaiian Bank, on how to get a business loan. 1) Establish a relationship If possible, get to know your business…
From a family-owned jewelry store on Kauaʻi to an emerging residential solar company in Honolulu, all of this year’s nominees proved that success is possible, even in a slow economy.
Q. Our employees have specialized knowledge and are often trying new things. How can we harness that expertise to add value to our small business? A. Employees who think about ways to improve your business can create intellectual property (IP) that is ultimately valuable if aligned with your business mission. Small business leaders can stimulate innovations that are focused on adding…
6:45 P.M. FRIDAY Manoa Valley Theatre, Manoa Photography by Olivier Koning >> Cast members polish their puppeteering skills with Master Muppeteer Pam Arciero (top row, middle) in preparation for Manoa Valley Theatre’s Hawaii premiere of “Avenue Q,” the coming-of-age Tony-Award-winning musical comedy for adults, which runs March 3 through 20. Categories: Media, Parting Shot
When financial services companies show a magazine or TV ad, they don’t entice you with a pile of money. Instead, they often show a retired couple walking along a beach, enjoying life in a tropical paradise after years of hard work and smart investments. In these ads, the money isn’t the goal; the money is the means. The real goal…
The state got just what it was expecting in its Christmas stocking. Unfortunately, it was another lump of coal – more bad news about the state of Hawaii Employee Retirement System, which covers both state and county employees. In its five-year report, the actuary firm of Gabriel Roeder Smith & Company claims the system’s future liabilities now exceed the assets…
Matson Navigation Co. is a tiny blip on the radar compared to the 20 other major global transportation companies serving the China market. Still, as the first American shipper to enter the China trade, it’s secured an impressive client base by providing what it and others say is the fastest, most reliable, on-time service from China to Long Beach. On…
Hawaii’s tourism industry blasted a sigh of relief as fierce as the strongest tradewinds as visitor counts rebounded and hotel rooms filled last year. Yet for one group, the recovery hasn’t come fast enough. Those are the owners of resorts and hotels who’ve been unable to pay their mortgages and are having to beat back foreclosure efforts. Banks and others…
Let’s be upfront: Giving financial advice isn’t easy and it’s difficult to predict what will pan out as a great investment this year. That’s why we’ve asked a group of experienced investment professionals – each is on our list of top financial advisors (see page 111) – to recommend where to put your money in 2011. On the following Pages,…