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Rotary seeks group to study in Brazil

Rotary International will sponsor a group study exchange from Hawaii to Brazil from mid-April to mid-May 2004.

Rotary is seeking four young business and professional men and women who, accompanied by a Rotarian team leader, will act as ambassadors to the host country while participating in a program of vocational visits, cultural experiences and fellowship opportunities. The group will be hosted in the homes of Rotarians in the Sao Paulo area.

Applicants must be non-Rotarians, between the ages of 25 and 40 and be willing to undertake language training and other preparation for the monthlong visit. They also must be residents of Hawaii and U.S. citizens. For applications, e-mail bobpenning@aol.com or call 779-7888. Deadline for applications is Dec. 15.

Cyanotech hits stock deadline

Cyanotech Corp.'s stock price closed at $1.03 yesterday, meeting a deadline to avoid delisting from the Nasdaq SmallCap Market.

The Kona company, which makes nutritional and feed products from microalgae, received a delisting notice from Nasdaq in September for failing to comply with the $1 minimum bid price requirement. The company appealed and was given until yesterday to demonstrate its stock price could stay at $1 or higher for 10 trading days.

The company's shares began to rise after its most recent quarterly earnings report. The stock's trading volume soared to more than nine times the average daily volume for the year after it released its earnings on Oct. 30. When the company's earnings were released, its stock price was at 48 cents. The next day it climbed to 57 cents on volume of 480,776 and the stock is now up 158 percent for the year.

Hokua complex to get under way

The Hokua Development Group will break ground today on its $210-million, 40-story luxury residential development, Hokua at 1288 Ala Moana.

The building, which should be completed in November 2005, will contain 248 fee-simple units ranging in price from $575,00 for a two-bedroom unit to $5.5 million for one of the penthouses.

More than 80 percent of the building's perspective owners are from Hawaii, the developers said. The 3.9-acre project is between Ala Moana Boulevard and Queen Street, adjacent to the Ward Center complex.

Hokua's ground and second level will feature cafes, retail shops, spas and specialty boutiques. Albert C. Kobayashi Inc. is general contractor and Brett Hill Management Group will be the construction manager for the project.

First Insurance wins tech award

First Insurance Company of Hawaii Ltd. has won the 2003 Interface Best Practices Award and the Real-Time Policy Issuance Award for its technology initiatives, including software programs that allow agents to give auto quotes within 10 seconds.

The Applied Management Systems software increases efficiency and reduces the cost of doing business, and First Insurance plans to use it in other lines of business, the company said.

First Insurance is a subsidiary of Chicago-based CNA Financial Corp. and Japan-based Tokio Marine & Fire Insurance Co.

Hawaii Health Systems receives energy reward

Hawaii Health Systems Corp., the state's network of community hospitals and health care facilities, has won the "Best Healthcare Project" award from Energy User News.

The award was given to the system for increasing its overall energy efficiency through co-generation. HHSC contracted with energy services company Noresco LLC to implement and manage energy projects at its facilities.

At Kona Community Hospital, Hilo Medical Center and Kauai Veterans Memorial Hospital, the combined heat and power systems are run by diesel fuel. At the same time, the heat of the engine generates hot water and drives the absorption chillers used in air conditioning.

Noresco guarantees energy savings of more than $24 million on the three facilities. Each one will take about 10 years to complete. Eventually, energy saving projects will be implemented at all HHSC facilities.

CPF, Kapiolani launch pediatric fund-raiser

Central Pacific Bank and Kapiolani Children's Miracle Network have teamed up to kick off their 13th annual "Light up a Child's Life" campaign that will raise money for the center's pediatric surgical services. Donations will be accepted at Central Pacific's branches beginning Monday and continuing toward Dec. 31. CPF said this year's campaign goal is $40,000.

For every $5 donation, a paper candle ornament with the donor's name will be displayed in the lobby of the Central Pacific branch where the donation is made. Donors making $10 and $20 contributions will get Alex blinky buttons and holiday plush toys, respectively. Last year's campaign raised $37,000 for the center's hemophilia program.

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[Hawaii Inc.]

NEW JOBS

>> Kathryn Drury has joined PacificBasin Communications as the new associate editor of Ala Moana magazine. She will also contribute to HONOLULU magazine as an associate editor. She was most recently senior editor at Venture magazine and a free-lance writer and editor, producing stories on health, fashion and lifestyle topics.

>> Xerox Hawaii appointed Susanne Souza as its new Big Island marketing representative. She will be based at Xerox Hawaii's headquarters in Hilo, and provide new and existing clients with solutions to effectively manage their documents, allowing customers to focus on their core business. Prior to her position, she served as an account executive for AT&T Wireless and US Cellular in Hilo.

RECOGNITION

>> Kathie Wells has been named a Good Neighbor Awards finalist by Realtor Magazine, the official publication of the National Association of Realtors. The Coldwell Banker Pacific Properties sales associate was named one of 10 finalists from among 300 entries nationwide. She was selected for her founding, and work with, Community Helping Schools, an organization that works to improve the quality of education at 31 public schools in her area. She finds out what the schools need and then solicits business and individuals to donate the items.