Steve Petranik has been an editor and reporter for almost four decades and now is the editor of Hawaii Business. Before joining the magazine in 2009, he spent 18 years as an editor at the Honolulu Star-Bulletin and five years at the Honolulu Advertiser. He’s reported from six countries on three continents and his stories have appeared in the New York Times, Washington Post and Los Angeles Times.
Virtual Interview: Christine Sakuda, Executive Director, Transform Hawai‘i Government How has your organization been able to continue its core mission(s)? Our mission at Transform Hawai‘i Government (THG) is to advocate for an accessible, accountable and responsive government that enhances the…
Today’s health care interview: Howard Lee, CEO of UHA Health Insurance Hawaii Business Magazine Editor Steve Petranik interviews Hawai‘i’s health care leaders about the way forward as we reopen the local economy. They talk about public health precautions, how to…
Today’s health care interview: Rich Bettini, CEO of the Waianae Coast Comprehensive Health Center Hawaii Business Magazine Editor Steve Petranik interviews Hawai‘i’s health care leaders about the way forward as we reopen the local economy. They talk about public health…
Today’s health care interview: Ray Vara Hawaii Business Magazine Editor Steve Petranik interviews Hawai‘i’s health care leaders about the way forward as we reopen the local economy. They talk about public health precautions, how to handle the return of tourists…
As Hawai‘i’s people return to offices, stores, restaurants and other shared locations, what do you think are the main health precautions we should focus on? Hawai‘i is able to begin reopening because our community has embraced guidance from public health…
Today’s health care interview: Dr. Mark Mugiishi Hawaii Business Magazine Editor Steve Petranik interviews Hawai‘i’s health care leaders about the way forward as we reopen the local economy. They talk about public health precautions, how to handle the return of…
Virtual Interview: Christina Kishimoto, Superintendent, Hawai‘i State Department of Education What changes did you and the DOE make to finish this school year? I am proud of the way our students, teachers and staff were able to quickly and effectively…
Virtual Interview: Kathleen Dimino, Baldwin-Kekaulike-Maui Complex Area Superintendent, Hawai‘i Department of Education How did you lead through the transition and create a system that allowed students to continue learning? Listening carefully and understanding how health guidelines impact our school communities…
Please describe how Nalu Health Bar & Café will return to your physical locations. We decided to reopen one location at a time to make sure all new safety procedures were being followed and adapted. We opened our South Shore…
Please describe how and when you are conducting your return to your offices, stores, warehouses or other physical locations. Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, our clinic has remained open and the leadership team has been meeting at 7…
As a result of COVID-19, what has been your company’s latest pivot or innovation? In early February, when COVID-19 began spreading across the globe, our firm organized a crisis response team and committed to three priorities: protect the health and…
Vitalitea Hawaiʻi is part of Mana Up’s fifth cohort of Hawai‘i-based companies Vitalitea Hawaiʻi is made on Maui by local craft brewers seeking a balance of healthy and delicious kombucha and nitro cold brew coffee using fresh pressed tropical fruits, roots…
Kapa Nui Nails is part of Mana Up’s fifth cohort of Hawai‘i-based companies Born on the island of Hawai‘i in Waimea, Kapa Nui Nails produces a complete line of clean and green high-performance nail products for the conscious consumer: polish,…
What has been your company’s latest pivot or innovation? Our latest innovation was engaging other creatives to join my “Think Tank Talk” so we can explore ideas and find silver linings in this cloudy pandemic. We have found that by…
Virtual Interview: Suzanne Rowland, Managing Director, Queen Emma Ballet What has been your company’s latest pivot or innovation? Queen Emma Ballet’s big pivot was going from classes at our studio locations to totally online live stream instruction. Our latest pivot…
Virtual Interview: Sean Tajima, Campbell-Kapolei Complex Area Superintendent, Hawai‘i Department of Education How did you lead through the transition and create a system that allowed students to continue learning? Our schools have had to look for ways to be innovative…
Virtual Interview: Nick Redding, Executive Director, Hawaii Data Collaborative How has your organization been able to continue its core mission(s)? The mission of the Hawaii Data Collaborative is to promote a culture of data-informed decision making in Hawai‘i by making…
Ua Body is part of Mana Up’s fifth cohort of Hawai‘i-based companies Ua Body continues a family natural skincare line formulated 30 years ago on the Island of Hawai‘i. Ua means rain in Hawaiian and speaks to the nurturing and…
Aloha Elixir is part of Mana Up’s fifth cohort of Hawai‘i-based companies Keoki Tavares says he began Aloha Elixir as a way to share his passion for healing and using the power of focused intention as a way to help…
Jules + Gem Hawai’i is part of Mana Up’s fifth cohort of Hawai‘i-based companies Jules + Gem Hawai‘i is a shop with locally made candles and fragrances created by Lana Gronwald. Gronwald was born and raised in Hawai‘i and always…
What has been your company’s latest pivot or innovation? The pandemic accelerated the launch of our online store, chefzone.com, which is part of our larger efforts to strengthen Y. Hata’s customer solutions offerings. chefzone.com supports the food delivery models that…
Please describe how and when you are conducting your return to your offices, stores, warehouses or other physical locations. Global Village originally targeted June 1 as an opening date based on government proclamations in April; however once given the go…
Virtual Interview: Trini Kaopuiki Clark, President & CEO, Make a Wish Foundation How has your organization been able to continue its core mission(s)? Although we’ve had to adapt in many ways, our mission of granting life-changing wishes for children with…
Virtual Interview: Lori McCarney, Executive Director, Hawaii Bicycling League How has your organization been able to continue its core mission(s)? Our mission is to enable more people to ride bicycles for health, recreation and transportation through advocacy, education and events.…
Yireh is part of Mana Up’s fifth cohort of Hawai‘i-based companies Yireh says it is an ethically made women’s resort wear brand based on O‘ahu that focuses on empowering and encouraging women. The company says it has built a community…
Nāpili FLO Farm is part of Mana Up’s fifth cohort of Hawai‘i-based companies Nāpili FLO Farm started simply as a farm, a way for Monica Bogar to build a new life as a mother. Bogar says that when her son…
Ao Organics Hawai‘i is part of Mana Up’s fifth cohort of Hawai‘i-based companies Ao Organics Hawai‘i was founded in 2017 when Chelsa Davis was pregnant with her third keiki. She says she created organic reef safe sunscreen as a safer…
Virtual Interview: Ruth Fletcher, Head of School, St. Andrew’s Schools What changes did you make to finish this school year, and have you made plans for summer school? Like many schools in Hawaiʻi we quickly transitioned our K-12 face-to-face class…
What has been Blue Logic Labs' latest pivot or innovation? We’ve remained steadfast in our mission to help brands and businesses solve their challenges with gratifying and meaningful digital solutions. When the stay-at-home, work-at-home order was announced in March, the…
Please describe how and when you are conducting your return to your offices, stores, restaurants, warehouses or other physical locations. International Market Place has remained open throughout this situation with reduced hours and enhanced safeguards to help serve the needs…
What has been Belle Surf Café’s latest pivot or innovation? Even as we saw the writing on wall, COVID-19 hit us hard. With a quick stop to tourism in Maui and with the unknown risk, we had no choice but…
Hawaii Business Magazine will unveil the companies this week online, starting with two today.
Haku Collective is part of Mana Up’s fifth cohort of Hawai‘i-based companies Haku Collective was founded by singer-songwriter Kimié Miner as a full-service music, audio and talent production group. But the collective says it has since expanded to include an…
How has your organization been able to continue its core mission(s)? Koosh Media has been able to continue its core mission of helping local businesses grow with technology. We did this by running targeted online campaigns to reach new businesses…
Please describe how and when you are conducting the return to your stores. Crosscourt Hawaii opened for business at our flagship location in Kaka‘ako, with a modified schedule on May 15, and will continue to run a modified schedule until…
How are you coping amid COVID-19 crisis? I had just signed a lease on a 17,000 square foot space in Kaka‘ako when the pandemic hit. This is my second endeavor and I had put a year and all my savings…
How have you been able to continue your core mission(s)? At Kilo Books Hawaiʻi our core mission aims to strengthen family bonds through the native Hawaiian practice of kilo. Since the school closures, I think the value of learning and…
How are you coping amid the COVID-19 crisis? These are difficult and uncertain times for everyone in the community; at UHA, we are doing all we can to support our employers, members and associates. The UHA management team had been…
Hawaii’s small businesses and nonprofits received $2.1 billion during the first round of federal Payroll Protection Program loans – the 10th highest rate among the 50 states in per capita money received. Hawaii Business Magazine Editor Steve Petranik interviews via…
A Q&A with Henk Rogers The City & County of Honolulu last year released Ola: Oahu Resilience Strategy, a roadmap to building resilience from climate events, the rising cost of living and other economic challenges. This year, the state’s resilience…
