[Taking Notice]

NEW JOBS

>> Castle and Cooke Resorts LLC has named Matthew Hart as its vice president of resorts. He will oversee all operations and marketing functions at Lanai's Lodge at Koele and the Manele Bay Hotel. Hart served as vice president at MTM Hotels and Resorts based in Seattle prior to joining Castle and Cooke.

>> Steve Champion has been named executive vice president and manager of capital markets at Bank of Hawaii. He joins the bank after serving as chief investment officer at Aetna International. In addition, the following BOH employees were promoted to executive vice president at the bank: Kathy Fujihara-Chong, business banking division; Robert Crowell, Treasury; Joseph Donalson III, Pacific Century Leasing; Wayne Hamano, Hawaii commercial banking division; Peter Ho, corporate banking; Tom Koide, Hawaii branch division; Ron Leach, West Pacific banking division; Derek Norris, adult services division; and Mary Sellers, credit review. The new executive vice presidents will join a newly formed operating committee that is charged with continued implementation of the corporation's strategic plan, focusing on retail and commercial banking along with financial services.

>> Paul Rapozo has been named named sales manager at Lanai Resorts. He will focus on individual travelers planning to visit Lanai. A 27-year veteran of the travel industry, Rapozo joins Lanai Resorts after serving as national sales manager at the Westin Maui and the Princeville Resort. Joan Morgan, was named sales manager for the Midwestern Region for the resort. She will be based in Minnesota. Morgan was vice president of product development at Vantage Deluxe World Travel in Massachusetts before joining Lanai Resorts.

>> Pat Calles has been named director of sales at Paradise Media Group. She will be responsible for all sales, management and customer service aspects of the company's Paradise Pages phone book. Calles joins the Paradise Pages staff after working at Verizon, formerly GTE Hawaiian Tel, for 13 years.

PROMOTIONS

>> Aaron A. Akau has been promoted to landscape architect at Belt Collins Hawaii Ltd. He will be responsible for design and project management at the firm. Akau, a registered landscape architect and member of the American Society of Landscape Architects Hawaii Chapter, joined Belt Collins in 1997.

>> Ernest Muyano has been named branch sales manager at the Kalihi Branch of American Savings Bank. He will be responsible for oversight of daily operations and business development in the surrounding area. Muyano had previously served as a consumer loan officer at the bank. In addition, Shirley Soranaka has been named operations manager at the Kaimuki Branch of American Savings. She most recently served as customer service manager at Bank of America's Kaimuki Branch.

>> Ron Goodwin and Thomas DelMundo have been promoted to creative directors at ADWorks Inc. The two will be responsible for all operations in the agency's creative department. Goodwin joined ADWorks in 1999. DelMundo had served as an associate creative director since August before being promoted. The two have a combined 50 years of experience in the advertising industry.

ON THE BOARD

>> Robin K. Campaniano has been elected to the board of directors at First Hawaiian Bank. Campaniano, who served as Hawaii's state insurance commissioner from 1987-91, is chief executive officer of AIG Hawaii Insurance Co. He has also served as a regent of the University of Hawaii and Chaminade University.

>> The Kohala Coast Resort Association has named Thos Rohr president for a ninth term and fifth consecutive year. Rohr, who is employed as president at Waikoloa Land Co., will represent five upscale resort communities as president of the KCRA. He will also be responsible for acting as a liaison between KCRA members and the government, as well as increasing international recognition of the Kohala Coast as a premier resort destination.

>> Sam Millington of Hui Malama Learning Center has been installed as president of the Maui Non-Profit Directors. Other new board officers are: Fran Joswick, vice president; Audrey Rocha Reed, secretary; Gladys C. Baisa, treasurer; and Sean McLaughlin, past president. New members include: Keith Pocock, Stacey Moniz and Brian Gray.

>> Michael Troy of Starwood Hotels and Resorts Hawaii has been named president of the Hawaii Foster Parent Association board of directors. Other new officers are: Vice-President Simeleke Gross of Hale Kipa Inc.; Secretary Ruth Baldino of Pacific Health Research Institute; and Treasurer Sherri Giron of the association. Chieh Fu Lu of First Hawaiian Bank was named a director.

RECOGNITION

>> Honolulu resident Larry Anderson has been recognized as Regional Franchisee of the Year by Fiducial, a national network of professional business, tax and financial planning counselors based in Maryland. He was selected from other Fiducial members in the southwest region for having high ethical standards and a high degree of involvement in the network. Anderson received the award last month during Fiducial's Annual Convention.

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Brazil sees 2002 inflation near 3.5 percent

Sao Paulo >> Brazil's central bank said inflation would slow to about 3.5 percent in 2002, down from earlier projections, on falling fuel prices, less-than-previously forecast power rates rises and the currency's recent gains.

The bank's Monetary Policy Committee, known as Copom, said electricity rates next year would rise 19 percent instead of the 30 percent jump it projected a month ago. Gasoline and diesel prices would fall 16.4 percent in the first quarter and 15.2 percent for the year as oil price deregulation takes effect.

Canada home sales set record in November

OTTAWA >> Activity in Canada's housing market jumped in November after seasonally adjusted home sales conducted through the Multiple Listing Service increased to 34,875 units against 32,669 units in October, the Canadian Real Estate Association said last week.

"As a result, activity stood 4.7 percent above its previous record set in January 1997," CREA said in its monthly report, adding that falling interest rates have encouraged home-buying despite weakening job growth.

In other news ...

Shanghai >> China has tightened requirements for publicly traded companies conducting transactions with their subsidiaries to prevent them from inflating financial records. Under new rules published by the Ministry of Finance last week, companies may charge as income only 20 percent above the book value of assets sold to related companies. Other issues covered debt receivables, interest income and management fees.