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TheBuzz
Erika Engle
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McHonors given for McDonald's re-image efforts
McHonors construction exec Kelley Nakano was probably not asked if he wanted fries with that.
The that, in this case, is the McDonald's Corp. West Division Development Award for "Outstanding Re-image" for directing renovations at the Pearl Harbor store. Nakano is area construction manager for McDonald's of Hawaii.
The Pearl Harbor McDonald's was renovated -- or re-imaged, in marketing-speak -- to include a McCafe, the specialty coffee, tea and dessert shop within the restaurant, which also received a stylish upgrade. The work was completed in January.
He was "honored and humbled" to receive the award, according to a statement.
"It's important to look at long-term expectations and needs when we are renovating our restaurants," he said. "Renovations at McDonald's of Pearl Harbor give customers the increased sophistication they are looking for, while meeting our standards for quick, efficient service and high quality."
The company is installing the McCafe concept in many of its 75 Hawaii locations.
In some cases, such as the Marine Corps Base Hawaii and Makiki locations, it is tearing down and rebuilding from scratch to include decidedly up-market interiors.
Less intensive renovation work has upgraded 17 restaurants in the past year.
Before he joined McDonald's, Nakano was a construction and development project manager and also practiced law for 15 years, with an emphasis in construction litigation.
"His wide variety of expertise applies a great lens to the work he's doing," said Veronica Kaneko, president and managing director of McDonald's of Hawaii.
Erika Engle is a reporter with the Star-Bulletin. Call 529-4747, fax 529-4750 or write to Erika Engle, Honolulu Star-Bulletin, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., No. 7-210, Honolulu, HI 96813. She can also be reached at:
eengle@starbulletin.com