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HOKU SCIENTIFIC LANDS
PACT WITH SANYO ELECTRIC

CRAIG T. KOJIMA / CKOJIMA@STARBULLETIN.COM Fuel-cell company Hoku Scientific Inc. received the fourth annual Venture Capital Deal of the Year award yesterday for its $6 million development agreement with Sanyo Electric Co. of Japan. At front, Hoku CEO Dustin Shindo accepted the award from Bill Spencer, president of the Hawaii Venture Capital Association, at Honolulu's downtown Plaza Club. In back row, from left, was A.M. Kannan, Karl Taft, Karl Stahlkopf and Scott Paul.

Matson subsidiary buys transport firm

A Matson Navigation Co. subsidiary has acquired an Ohio-based company that generates $45 million in annual revenues for arranging shipping of truckloads -- and loads of less than a full truck -- of freight around the country.

Matson Integrated Logistics, which is in a similar business of managing freight movements, acquired TransAmerica Transportation Services LLC for an undisclosed amount.

Matson said TransAmerica Transportation will keep its name for now, operating as an arm of Matson Integrated Logistics. Most of the management will be retained, but it eventually will be renamed Matson Integrated Logistics.

Like MIL, TransAmerica Transportation uses other people's equipment and is not tied to any particular railroad or truck network. Instead, it offers freight customers a choice of equipment and freight routes rented from others. Matson said in a statement that TransAmerica Transportation is not related in any way to San Francisco-based Transamerica Corp.

MIL is a subsidiary of Matson Navigation Co., which in turn is the largest subsidiary of Honolulu-headquartered Alexander & Baldwin Inc.

BIA-Hawaii to honor Abercrombie

U.S. Rep. Neil Abercrombie will receive an award from the Building Industry Association of Hawaii tonight for his contributions to the state's building industry. Abercrombie is a senior member of the House Armed Services Committee, which has jurisdiction over military construction programs.

The event will start at 5:30 p.m. at the Hawaii Prince Hotel as part of the association's 49th annual holiday installation banquet.

During his 13 years on the committee, he has won approval for more than $2 billion for Hawaii military construction projects. Abercrombie also played a key role in securing authorization for the recently signed 50-year contracts for replacement, renovation and maintenance of military housing on Oahu. The agreements are expected to generate an additional $10 billion for Hawaii's economy over the life of the contracts.

N. Shore nonprofits to get $20,000

Fourteen North Shore nonprofit organizations will receive $20,000 contributions from the owner of Turtle Bay Resort on Oahu, and the Professional Golfers Association Tour.

Receiving funds are the North Shore Lifeguard Association, Koolauloa Youth Activities Club, North Shore Canoe Club, Kahuku Library, Kahuku 2000, RTI Training, Camp Erdman YMCA, National Audubon Society, Kahuku Hospital, NSSA Surf, Aloha Section PGA, Turning the Tide, Le Jardin Academy surf team and Hawaii Fi-Do Service Dogs. A check presentation ceremony will be held at noon today at Lei Lei's Bar and Grill at the Turtle Bay on the North Shore.

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[Hawaii Inc.]

NEW JOBS

>> Actus Lend Lease Hawaii has hired two new managers at its Honolulu office: David Falls as vice president for assets management and Ryan Mielke as director of communications for all Hawaii regional Army and Air Force projects. Falls is responsible for long-term management and operations of the company's military family housing privatization project at Hickam Air Force Base. He was previously fleet family housing director at Pearl Harbor. Mielke is responsible for internal and external communications operations, public information and media relations. He most recently served as vice president of Starr Siegle Communications' subsidiary StarrPR.

RECOGNITION

>> Hawaii Pacific Health President and CEO Roger Drue is Business Leadership Hawaii 2003 Business Leader of the Year. Last year, Kapiolani Health, Straub Clinic and Wilcox Health merged into Hawaii Pacific Health under his leadership. Other winners are: City Mill Co., Best in Business I; Oceanit, Best in Business II; Foodland Super Market, Community Commitment Award; and The Pacific Arts Foundation, Nonprofit Leadership. William E. Aull was recognized previously with a lifetime achievement award.

>> In October, Emme Tomimbang received the 2003 Filipino Woman of the Year Award from the Filipino Woman's Civic Club. She is executive producer and host of "Emme's Island Moments" and "Emme's Island Living." The civic club is a 52-year-old organization dedicated to promoting Filipino culture through the arts.