Reported by Star-Bulletin staff & wire
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Tissue Genesis opens new office
Honolulu biotech firm Tissue Genesis Inc. opens a new office and lab today, the first company to locate near the University of Hawaii's planned $150 million medical school in Kakaako.The company, which has about 20 employees, says it may hire an additional 20 workers in the coming year, mainly scientists. Tissue Genesis is developing a prototype of its main product, the Bio-Optimization System, designed to automate the tissue culture process, reducing costs for labs.
The company is planning to take the product to market next year and plans to work closely with the new medical school.
Tissue Genesis receives $5 million a year in U.S. Defense Department grants, and has snagged nearly $1 million in funding from local equity investors. The company plans to seek an additional round of investment for operating funds.
U.S. Sen Daniel Inouye will speak at the company's opening at the former Gold Bond building at 677 Ala Moana. Tissue Genesis, founded in 2001, was previously located in a business incubator at the downtown Harbor Court high-rise.
Carlson resigns from Parker Ranch
WAIMEA, Hawaii >> Carl Carlson Jr., one of three trustees of the Parker Ranch Foundation Trust, has submitted his resignation from the trust, the ranch announced.The resignation becomes effective when the two remaining trustees, Mel Hewett and Tom Whittemore, appoint a successor.
The Parker Ranch Foundation Trust owns Parker Ranch Inc. It provides oversight and direction for the ranch, spokeswoman Diane Quitiquit said.
Proceeds of the trust are used to serve four beneficiaries, North Hawaii Community Hospital, Parker School Trust Corp., Hawaii Preparatory Academy, and the Richard Smart Fund, named for the former owner of the ranch who created the trust before his death in 1992.
Carlson has served as a trustee for nine years. Recently, all of the trustees have reduced their activity to part-time, Quitiquit said.
"In the early years, we struggled and fought, simply to survived as an entity, as a ranch, and as the legacy of Richard Smart," Carlson said.
The survival and success of the ranch are a source of pride, he said.
Carlson now wants to have greater flexibility to pursue other projects, Quitiquit said.
Prior to becoming a trustee, Carlson was general manager of Huehue Ranch in North Kona. He is a member of the state Board of Agriculture and was previously a member of the University of Hawaii Board of Regents as well as chairman of the Hawaii County Ethic Commission.
New check-in service to check out
Hawaiian Airlines' e-ticket customers can avoid lines at the check-in counter and airport electronic kiosks by letting their fingers do the walking on the Web."Hele On Web Check-In" at www.HawaiianAir.com allows passengers to check in and print boarding passes from home or office.
The online feature went live Monday night, according to Keoni Wagner, vice president for public affairs.
Online check-in is available only to passengers with e-tickets as part of the airline's drive toward a paperless system, Wagner said.
[ HAWAII INC ]
New Jobs
>> Richard J. Kowen has joined Alston Hunt Floyd & Ing as a director. He was a partner at Kowen & Walker and has 28 years of experience in commercial and property litigation and medical malpractice defense. He began his law career in 1975 with Cades Schutte Fleming & Wright.>> Abid Butt has been named the new managing director of Turtle Bay Resort. He will develop marketing and service strategies, repositioning the hotel and outlets after a $60 million renovation. He will also coordinate management and departments throughout the resort. He has 20 years in domestic and international resort hotel management.
Promotions
>> TEAM Unlimited has named Janet Clark president. She succeeds owner Tom Kiely, who will continue to serve as chief executive officer. Clark joined the company in 1993 and has been the vice president of marketing for the past decade. TEAM Unlimited is a Honolulu-based television events and marketing company. >> Honolulu attorney Marvin Dang has been appointed to a three-year term on the American Bar Association's Standing Committee on Delivery of Legal Services. The committee's mandate is to improve the delivery of legal services to those of low to moderate incomes. He has been an attorney in Hawaii since 1978.
On the board
>> American Society of Women Accountants, Hawaii Chapter, has recently elected President Katherine Lococo for 2003-04. Other officers are: President-Elect Stacy Hadano, Vice-President Danica Fong-Shoji, Secretary Sharon Yoshida and Treasurer Sherri Tomishima. Elected directors are: Kathy Sakai, bulletin; Hadano, bylaws; Darrell Yamagata, chapter development; Jory Pellecchia and Alison Miyasaki, education and legislation; Colette Ruiz, historian; Susan Song and Shari Young, hospitality; Lori Kashiwa and Patti Mitsui, member relations; Dana Nagaishi and Wendy Yu, membership; Fong-Shoji and Kelly Ha, program; Arlene Morris, public relations; Irene Sugibayashi, publicity; Janis Akuna, scholarship; Grace Morioka and Peggy Teng, student activities; and Lesley Kaneshiro, job bank.
