if you ever wonder what your drivers are doing with your delivery trucks, GPS tracking may be the answer. Local companies such as Comspec and Hawaiian GPS say their vehicle-tracking systems can save you money, increase your drivers’ productivity and…
Smoking in Hawaii Hawaii has the fifth-lowest rate of cigarette smoking by adults among the states — and that rate is falling. 2000: 19.7% 2008: 15.4% Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Smoking cuts workplace productivity in Hawaii by…
If you miss fall’s football tailgating, drive up to Waialua on Oahu’s North Shore any Sunday until Labor Day for horses and tailgating at Polo Mokuleia Field. Spectators enjoy two polo matches plus an eclectic mix of halftime shows, from…
What’s It Worth? $65,000 What is it: This fully restored 1948 Steinway Grand piano, with a mahogany finish and ivory keys, was the personal piano of tobacco heiress Doris Duke. Restoration: George Nellas, owner of Piano Planet, purchased it in…
When the big Borders bookstore closed in Hilo in August 2010, attorney Bob Marx helped fill the void by opening Books, Nooks and Crannies two months later. His store adds to a rich literary scene in downtown Hilo, where four…
Armstrong Builders and the Department of Hawaiian Homelands have partnered to create housing communities that are both energy and water efficient. “We’re always looking for new opportunities and are committed to building as many green projects as the market can absorb,” says Daniel…
I don’t know if I’d have the guts to do it, but I’m glad some people are brave enough to hire ex-cons. In this issue, writer Janel Lubanski reports about three local companiesthat regularly hire former criminals and about the employees…
In his three years as CEO of Aloha Petroleum, Richard Parry has helped the company diversify its business. Last year, it purchased the Hawaii assets of Shell Oil. It also has gradually expanded its interests in alternative fuels. We talked to…
When Thomas Lee, owner of The Audio Visual Co. in Waimalu, decided two years ago to expand his work space – from 15,000 to 24,000 square feet – he knew his electricity bill would likely grow, too. With air conditioning…
Kahala Caterers had difficulty recruiting dishwashers and general laborers for its chef staff a few years ago. “People were coming in but weren’t motivated,” company president Winston Gample says. “They all just want to be executive chefs or the next TV…
About 40 million barrels of oil are delivered by tanker to Hawaii every year and transformed into a host of products: gasoline, jet fuel, asphalt, diesel and more. These photographs trace the process of refining oil, which – even in…
LEED-accredited architect Gerald Choi is on the cutting edge of a new trend – integrating a photovoltaic system into his home as both an energy producer and an architectural element. When he needed to replace the aging 45-foot-by-5-foot skylight running…