All Stories

Brighter Future

Participants, in the order they begin speaking: Steve Petranik: Moderator and editor of Hawaii Business. Candy Suiso: Teacher at Waianae High School and program director of Searider Productions. Bruce Coppa: COO of Communications Pacific and chairman of the education committee for the Chamber…

5 Steps to Buying an Existing Business

Making a smart business acquisition “all comes down to how well your team can analyze the business,” says Gabe Lee, executive vice president of commercial marketing at American Savings Bank. Lee recommends hiring an attorney with experience in acquisitions and…

Export Lessons

When Rick Hadley became chairman and CEO of Hawaiian Springs in 2006, he didn’t want Hawaiian Springs to be just another water. He says his vision was to take the best water from the most beautiful place on Earth and…

Loving Liliha

It’s late afternoon in Liliha and minutes are ticking by on the new town clock high above Finance Factors at the crossroads of North Kuakini and Liliha streets. Schoolchildren and early diners squeeze onto stools at Liliha Bakery for $4 hamburgers, hot cakes and…

Talk Story with Robin Campaniano

[Note: An earlier version of this story reported Sopogy sells affordable solar photovoltaic cells. To clarify, Sopogy sells affordable compact solar thermal collectors.] Robin Campaniano  General partner, Ulupono Initiative, since January Campaniano, former president and CEO ofFarmers Insurance Hawaii (formerly AIG), now…

Building a Smart Grid

High on a ridge overlooking Maalaea Bay, a small group of students from the Horizons Academy scramble out of vans into the vast open space at the top of the Kaheawa wind farm. They gape for a moment in the…

Hurricane Popcorn

For many locals, a movie or a sporting event wouldn’t be complete without Hurricane Popcorn. The combination of nori, liquid butter, arare and popcorn has been a local favorite ever since the Hawaii Popcorn Co. began as a pushcart in…