Credit-card processing is a ubiquitous and major expense for businesses. Most of the cost is upfront, according to Matt Sakauye, senior consultant at credit-card processing firm Gravity Payments. Once things are running, he says, “credit-card processors are pretty automated. But…
When Ben Leong graduated from the University of Hawaii with a degree in digital animation, he was determined to live and work in Hawaii – even if that meant creating his own company. He and UH classmate Michael Varley founded…
Allen Uyeda, president and CEO of First Insurance Company of Hawaii, is not your typical aloha-shirt-wearing, Honolulu businessman. Some of his adventures — like scuba-diving the shark-infested Great Barrier Reef would make Indiana Jones cringe. Gadget He says his Treo…
Less than $160 Million What They Are Hawaii Superferry’s two 350-foot high-speed interisland ferries, the Alakai and Huakai. Why They Are Special The $80-million, aluminum-hull Alakai carried up to 866 passengers and 282 vehicles between Honolulu and Kahului, Maui, until…
Helping people balance their work, home lives and down time. President Obama calls it “Michelle Time” – the special time he sets aside every day to catch up and talk story with his wife, first lady Michelle Obama. Not long ago,…
Barbara Tanabe, president and CEO of Hoakea Communications, is a pioneer. She crushed both color and gender barriers in the 1970s when she became one of the first Asian-American women TV reporters and anchors. Destinations Tanabe is a big fan…
Estimated $30,000 to $50,000 What is It A 1949 “Foam Sandwich,” designed by Bob Simmons,considered the father of the modern surfboard. The 11-foot board used the then-new technology of Styrofoam, sandwiched between plywood planks and trimmed with balsa-wood sides, then…
Something major is happening. Women everywhere are mobilizing — themselves and each other — to get into the community, grow their contact lists and build meaningful relationships to advance their careers. This new age of wahine networking is a far…
By Brian Ishikawa, Senior Vice President of Corporate Security, Bank of Hawaii During this challenging economic time, it’s more important than ever for businesses to protect their money. No one is immune from fraud, but there are ways to reduce…
Finding a way to preserve culture Hui Ku Maoli Ola, a native plant nursery nestled deep in Haiku Valley on Windward Oahu, is a kind of island unto itself. Except for the steepest, most inaccessible parts of the Koolau Mountains,…
In this job market, competition is fierce. That's why it's important for candidates to make a favorable impression in the first interview. Your skills are crucial, but don't expect to be offered a job unless you also look the part,…
It’s a workday morning late in the week and attorney Ellen Carson is at her home computer, in her pajamas, working on affidavits. She’s been at it for three hours — since 6 a.m. — but by 9 she’s able…
Kevin Roberts is president and CEO of Castle Medical Center, the only faith-based hospital in the state. During his downtime, he enjoys activities that, in a sense, bring him closer to God. Music Roberts has been playing acoustic guitar for…
Never eat lunch at your desk. If you believe that adage, and you should, Honolulu offers more than the usual choices for downtown workers. Last month we suggested eating at the Kakaako Waterfront Park. This month, we go mauka. For…
$159,195 What Is It 2009 Audi R8 Coupe Quattro Why So Special This German-manufactured, mid-engine coupe boasts an 8-cylinder engine that produces 420 horsepower and can run 0 to 60 in 4.4 seconds. Drivers can shift gears using a joystick…
2:30 p.m., Tuesday Gordon Biersch Brewery Restaurant, Aloha Tower Photography by Kevin Blitz >> Gordon Biersch’s head brewer, Jeff Liles, examines the opacity of the hefeweizen, which indicates the beer’s flavor. “It should not be clear,” he says. Liles brews…
A little book has important advice for some of the Islands' big-business leaders Growing up, Wesley Park aspired to be ordinary. He ended up being extraordinary. When he was 4 years old, Park was stricken with polio. The debilitating disease…
Three years ago, after the Big Island was rocked by a 6.6 magnitude earthquake and power failed across the state, Judi Steinman and her husband, Shaul Baruch Janes, watched movies on their flat-screen TV and drank cold beverages from the…
