Name: Bill Valuet
Age: 38
Position: Year 2000 project director, Pacific Century Financial Corp.
First job: Paperboy, Pontiac, Mich.
Favorite pastimes: Hiking, sailing, computers

Banking on the next century

Bill Valuet is in charge of the Pacific Century Financial Corp.'s top priority -- to certify that its computers can weather the changeover to the year 2000.

The bank's goal is to implement a solution by Dec. 31, 1998. "This will insure that our customers' accounts will transition from this century to the next without any disruption," he said.

This year he established a Year 2000 Users Group to discuss the transition. Members include about 20 information officers from local businesses and government.

He started his career in Honolulu in 1991 as data center manager for Bishop Trust Co. In 1993, Valuet moved over to head the information management and systems group at Hawaiian Trust.

Valuet studied computer science at Michigan State University, and worked five years overseeing the construction of yachts for the US Yacht Building Corp.

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By Jerry Tune, Star-Bulletin