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…
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…
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…
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…
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); •…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…