Taking Notice
NEW JOBS
>> Hal Bruster recently established a new Maui office for the Gib Black Advertising Group. Bruster, who had previously founded an advertising agency in Northern California, will handle all operations on Maui for the Honolulu-based company.>> Kona Brewing Co. has hired Keith Kinsey as director of finance. He has more than 18 years of experience in the banking industry, most recently as West Hawaii district business banking manager for Bank of Hawaii.
>> Benchmark Hospitality has announced the appointment of David Silver as director of human resources for Turtle Bay Resort. He most recently managed S3, which specializes in human resource consulting and service delivery improvement for new and repositioned properties.
>> Roland L. Halpern has been named executive director for Compassion In Dying of Hawaii.
>> The United States Tennis Association Hawaii Pacific Section has hired Ron Romano as executive director. He was most recently general manager of the Kauai Coconut Beach Resort. Romano has more than 25 years of tennis industry and management experience.
>> Sue Bias has been named vice president of human resources at Kuakini Medical Center. She was most recently vice president of human resources at Liberty House Hawaii.
>> Central Pacific Bank has announced the appointment of the following vice presidents within the bank: William "Jerry" Mann, vice president and senior trust officer in the trust services area; Jamy Hagen, vice president and manager of financial services; and Lisa Goo, vice president of financial services.
>> Lisa Charette has been named Maui County coordinator for the nonprofit People Attentive to Children. She will be responsible for oversight of all PATCH operations on Maui, Molokai and Lanai. Charette previously served as the high school/parent coordinator of the MESA program at Pacific Lutheran University in Washington. In addition, Deidre Harris was named director of training at the organization. She will oversee all training services to childcare providers. Harris was an independent consultant to daycare centers in New Jersey before joining PATCH.
>> Kaikor Construction Associates Inc. has hired Carrie Bunce as project engineer. She will be responsible primarily for assessing the quantity of products needed for each project, submittals, schedules and estimating. In addition, Bunce will assist in the preparation of bids, coordination of field operations, purchasing of materials, scheduling subcontractors and cost control.
>> Mark Lupfer has been named director of sales at Turtle Bay Resort. He has worked at a variety of Benchmark Hospitality properties on the East Coast. In addition, Joe Yadvish Jr. was named director of information technology at the resort. Yadvish most recently served as director of information technology at The AT&T Learning Center in New Jersey.
>> AT&T recently hired three new managers. Don Keener is retail manager for the Kahului, Lahaina and Queen Kaahumanu AT&T Wireless locations. On the Big Island, Verna "Nalani" Silva-Pablo will manage the retail store in Hilo, while Dinah Magee will manage the AT&T Wireless Kailua-Kona location at Crossroads Shopping Center, as well as the Kona Wal-Mart kiosk. Keener recently was a supervisor of customer care. Silva-Pablo began her technology career at AT&T Corp. as supervisor/trainer. Magee has worked for companies such as Disney, Bloomingdale's and Phillips-Van Heusen.
PROMOTIONS
>> Brian Christensen has been promoted to president of Fleming's Hawaii Division. He has worked in the retail food industry in Hawaii for 15 years.>> Bank of Hawaii recently announced the appointment of the following individuals to senior vice presidents at the company: Paul Brewbaker, senior vice president and chief economist; Dean Shigemura, senior vice president and treasury/investments officer; Mary Weismann, senior vice president and credit training and risk manager; Paul Yamashita, senior vice president and treasury/investments officer; Kieran A. Yap, senior vice president and trust administration manager; and Stafford Kiguchi, senior vice president and corporate communications manager.
>> PBR Hawaii has promoted James Leonard to principal and managing director of its Hilo office. He will be responsible for directing and managing office operations and overseeing a broad range of master planning, environmental, and land use entitlement projects for the planning and landscape architecture firm. Leonard joined PBR Hawaii in 1988 as a project manager and environmental planner.
>> J. William Potter Jr. has been named dean of the English Foundations Program at Hawaii Pacific University. He was formerly assistant professor of English as a Second Language at HPU. In his new role, Potter will be responsible for the operation of both HPU's Proficiency in English Program and the English Foundations Program. Also at the university, Mary Hammond was named dean of the International Center. The new department will oversee all international recruiting, admissions, student services, and marketing activities. Previously, Hammond was the associate dean and director of the English Foundations Program at HPU.
>> HomeStreet Bank recently hired Denise Powell as training coordinator for its retail bank division. Prior to joining HomeStreet Bank, Powell was the senior employee development specialist with Key Bank and a master trainer at National Sales Program corporate headquarters in Cleveland, Ohio.
ON THE BOARD
>> Philip Johnson has been named to the board of directors of LavaNet Inc. A professor of information and computer sciences at the University of Hawaii, he has been with the faculty since 1990. His entrepreneurial experience includes co-founding hotU.>> Luke Y. Teruya and Della M. Lin have been named to the Hawaii Medical Service Association community board. They will fill seats in the provider category. Teruya is a practicing dentist in Honolulu specializing in pediatric dentistry. Lin is a practicing anesthesiologist in Honolulu. HMSA's community board is comprised of 27 directors.
RECOGNITION
>> Robert J. "Joe" Green was named Employer of the Year by both the local Wahiawa-Waialua Rotary Club and the statewide level of Rotary International. Green is the owner of the surf and dive shop, Haleiwa Surf 'N Sea, on Kamehameha Highway.>> Coldwell Banker Pacific Properties sales associate Miki Blackstad has received her broker's license. She has been in real estate sales for 17 years and been with Coldwell Banker for the last six.
>> Wyman Au was named Volunteer of the Year by the Hawaii Credit Union League. He serves as a director at Honolulu Federal Employees Federal Credit Union, offering his expertise in finance, economics and technology. In addition, Alan Arai of Valley Isle Community Federal Credit Union was named Credit Union Professional of the Year and Debbie O'Donnell of Hickam Federal Credit Union won Credit Union Employee of the Year honors at the league's recent annual convention at the Hilton Waikoloa Resort.
>> The Vocational Rehabilitation and Services for the Blind Division of the Department of Human Services has chosen Jennifer Kagihara as one of the Outstanding Rehabilitants of the Year for 2001, Cindy Forsythe was chosen as Windward Section Rehabilitant of the Year for 2001, and Lobster and Crab House restaurant was chosen Outstanding Employers of the Year for 2001. Kagihara works at Old Navy in Pearl Highlands Shopping Center. Forsythe works for with Steadfast Housing, private non-profit agency that provides services to the mentally ill. Lobster and Crab House President, Alan Ho has taught culinary skills to Wen Sheng Huang, who is deaf.
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China trade surplus widened 4% in April
Beijing >> China's exports grew 17.2 percent last month, helping widen the nation's trade surplus, the foreign trade ministry announced in its International Business Daily publication. Imports were up 17.8 percent from a year earlier.Exports rose to $26.7 billion, and imports totaled $25.8 billion, widening the surplus 4 percent to $970 million.
In the first four months of the year, exports increased 12 percent to $91.4 billion, and imports grew 8.8 percent to $83.1 billion. The surplus expanded by about half to $8.2 billion.
Coast guard discovers more than 40 dead dolphins in a farm freezer in Taiwan
Taiwan economic growth estimated at 1.3%
Taipei >> Taiwan's economy probably returned to growth in the first quarter as companies such as United Microelectronics Corp. increased production to fill rising overseas orders for chips and other electronics.The economy grew 1.3 percent in the first three months of the year after shrinking 1.9 percent in the fourth quarter, according to the median forecast of seven economists surveyed by Bloomberg News. Taiwan's economy also shrank 1.9 percent in all of last year, the worst drop on record.
Jobless rate rises in South Korea
Seoul >> South Korea's jobless rate rose for a second month in April as more people looked for work. Unemployment may decline in coming months as companies hire more people to meet demand.Unemployment rose to 3.1 percent, seasonally adjusted, from 2.9 percent in March, the National Statistical Office said.
Korea avoided the mass layoffs seen in Japan, Taiwan and other Asian countries last year. Asia's fourth-largest economy grew 3 percent last year even as exports fell, thanks to consumer and government spending.
Chilean Bank cuts growth forecast to 3%
Santiago >> The Chilean Central Bank reduced its economic growth forecast for 2002, after four interest rate reductions failed to bolster consumer demand.Bank President Carlos Massad reduced estimated growth to 3 percent from January's 3.3 percent forecast, the bank said in a statement. The bank expects growth in 2003 to quicken to 5.8 percent, from its prior estimate of 5.3 percent.
A rising, 8.8 percent jobless rate has led consumers to reduce spending, slowing gross domestic product growth to 1.5 percent in the first quarter from 1.7 percent in the fourth quarter. Stronger sales of exports will help to accelerate growth.