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Reported by Star-Bulletin staff & wire
Wednesday, June 21, 2000
McDonald's Hawaii picks new leader
Ken Nakamura, who worked in Hawaii from 1979 to 1993 in the restaurant business and later in real estate investment, has returned to take the top McDonald Corp.'s position in the islands. As managing director of McDonald's Restaurants of Hawaii, Nakamura replaces John Graul, who was transferred to another McDonald's post in San Francisco. Nakamura's regional responsibility covers 85 restaurants and more than 3,700 employees in Hawaii, Guam and Saipan. He was born in Seattle and moved back there after his Hawaii stint. He became business manager of the Seattle Sounders, a pro soccer team, and was recruited by McDonald's for the job of director of operations for the Seattle region, overseeing 330 restaurants in Washington, Idaho, Montana and Alaska.
State plans Japan trade mission
A state trade mission plans to be in Japan in mid-October to expand and develop opportunities for Hawaii companies to do business in Japan. The mission also will encourage Japanese businesses to look at the state to expand their operations or start new ones. Backed by the state Department of Business, Economic Development & Tourism and the Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii, the mission will first go to the Global Opportunities Business Convention Oct. 16-18 and then move to Tokyo for two days. The mission will be limited to 10 participants, each of whom must have sound business and marketing plan. They will have to provide their own interpreters and pay their expenses. The state and the Chamber will arrange appointments with Japanese business representatives. For more information call DBEDT at 587-2766.
In other news . . .
MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. -- Handspring Inc. rose 40 percent in first trading after raising $200 million in an initial public offering that showed investors' enthusiasm for companies that make increasingly popular hand-held computers. The stock of the Mountain View, Calif.-based company rose $6.94 to close at $26.94.