Taking notice

On the board

>> Honolulu business attorney Jeffrey Watanabe has been appointed to the board of directors of discount travel seller Cheap Tickets Inc. Watanabe, who has more than 20 years of legal and corporate experience with travel and leisure businesses, is chief executive of the law firm Watanabe, Ing & Kawashima.

Co-founder Sandy Hartley is stepping down from Cheap Tickets' board. Hartley founded Cheap Tickets with her husband, Michael Hartley, executive chairman of Cheap Tickets. Hartley said she is leaving the board to devote more time to family and community affairs.

New jobs

>> Todd Yamanaka was appointed vice president of marketing for Island Insurance Cos. Most recently, Yamanaka served in the same capacity for Central Pacific Bank. Also joining Island Insurance's newly-formed marketing department are Ken Yatomi as advertising and communications specialist and Ann Nakashima as marketing specialist.

>> Michael G. Wright has joined A&B Properties Inc. as vice president, responsible for its strategy for growth through real estate acquisitions and investments. Wright, former senior vice president of GE Capital Hawaii, will report to A&B Properties chief executive officer Stanley M. Kuriyama.