Business Briefs Star-Bulletin staff and wire services

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HAWAII

Taco Del Mar to open in Kona

Taco Del Mar will open in Kona on Wednesday at the Matsuyama Center in Kohanaiki. With this opening, there will be eight Taco Del Mar locations in Hawaii. This is the first neighbor-island location.

Taco Del Mar offerings include enchiladas, burritos, quesadillas and nachos.

Hydrogen generator commissioned

Airgas Gaspro, Inc. said Wednesday it has opened Hawaii's first state-of-the-art commercial hydrogen production unit in Kapolei.

The company held a blessing yesterday for the plant, which was commissioned on May 19.

The HGM 3000, a second-generation hydrogen generator has the capacity to produce 10 times more than Hawaii currently consumes at a purity level of 99.999 percent.

The self-contained unit reforms propane and steam to create hydrogen. The waste products are water and a small amount of carbon dioxide.

Airgas Gaspro is a major producer and distributor of nitrogen and medical oxygen in Hawaii.

First Waikiki Best Western opens

Aqua Hotels & Resorts has joined Best Western International to offer travelers the only Best Western hotel in Waikiki - the Best Western Coconut Waikiki.

It is Aqua's first marketing partnership with an international hotel brand.

Aqua Hotels & Resorts is a hotel management company founded in 2001 by Hawaii hotelier Mike Paulin that has 12 properties in Waikiki.

Phase 2 launches new software

Honolulu-based software company Phase 2 International said Monday it is offering a new product called Team Foundation Server, designed for multi-developer projects built with Microsoft's Visual Studio.

The new source code control tool makes managing code for those projects more efficient, the company said, with pricing starting at $129 a month.

Maui shops to celebrate opening

Lahaina Gateway will celebrate the opening of its 138,000 square-foot lifestyle center with music, hula and other activities on Aug. 30 at 10 a.m. Lahaina Gateway houses specialty shops including the Barnes & Noble bookstore, gourmet grocer Lahaina Farms, and Office Max.

Lahaina Gateway is at the intersection of Honoapiilani Highway and Keawe Street and is the largest shopping complex in West Maui.

NATION

30-year mortgages dip slightly

WASHINGTON » Rates on 30-year mortgages fell slightly this week to the lowest level since mid-July.

Freddie Mac, the mortgage company, reported yesterday that 30-year, fixed-rate mortgages dipped to 6.47 percent this week, down from 6.52 percent, which had been the rate for the previous three weeks.

The new rate was the lowest since the week of July 17 when 30-year mortgages stood at 6.26 percent.

Rates on 15-year, fixed-rate mortgages fell to 6 percent, down from 6.07 percent last week. Rates on one-year, adjustable-rate mortgages bucked the downward trend, showing an increase to 5.29 percent, up from 5.18 percent last week.

BRIEF CASE

TOUGH READ: Barnes & Noble Inc. profit fell 14 percent in the second quarter and the bookseller is reducing its full-year sales outlook as it confronts a sluggish economic environment.

New hires / Promotions

» KilaKila Employer Services has named Clifford Jamile as chief executive officer. He was previously managing member of Jamile Consulting LLC.

» Prince Resorts Hawaii Inc. (PRHI) has named Akemi Kurokawa as senior vice president and director of the board. He will oversee capital expenditure programs for the four Prince hotels and gold courses on Oahu, Maui and the Big Island. He was previously president of Seibu Inc., which has been in Hawaii since 1973 and is now merged into PRHI.

» Four Seasons Resorts Lanai at Manele Bay has announced the following appointments:

* Edward Linsley as resort manager. He joined the company in 1990 and was previously hotel manager at Four Seasons Hotel Houston.

* Fabrice Huet as executive sous chef. His 25 years of culinary experience include executive sous chef at Four Seasons Resort Hualalai.

* Anthony Freda as director of food and beverage. He was previously director of food and beverage at Four Seasons Hotel Miami and Four Seasons Hotel Atlanta.

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