Name: Howena Blume
Age: 51
Position: Human resource services manager, BHP Hawaii
First job: Social worker
Hobby: Art

Managing employees money at BHP

Howena Blume fills a newly created position at BHP Hawaii to oversee and improve employee benefits and services.

"We have a new voice-response system so employees can change their investment elections for 401k savings plans," she said. "We're working on a new system for benefit enrollments."

Blume served as human resources manager for Amfac/JMB Hawaii Inc. for 12 years, and was senior human resources advisor for the Hawaii Employees Council.

Blume, a Nuuanu resident, serves as vice president of the International Society of Certified Employee Benefit Specialists, Honolulu chapter. She also is on the steering committee for the Hawaii Business Health Council which deals with healthcare issues.

She earned a bachelor's degree in psychology from the University of Hawaii and a master's degree in special education from San Francisco State University.

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By Jerry Tune, Star-Bulletin