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Dods sidesteps potential conflict

BancWest Corp. Chairman and Chief Executive Walter Dods has resigned his position on the advisory board of Oceanic Time Warner Cable after 27 years to avoid a conflict stemming from his role in the pending purchase of local telephone provider Verizon Hawaii.

Dods is leading a local investor group that is part of the Washington, D.C.-based Carlyle Group's $1.65 billion purchase of Verizon Hawaii. The deal, which still needs federal and state regulatory approvals, was announced in May, and Dods resigned at Oceanic's following board meeting in June.

BancWest is the parent company of First Hawaiian Bank.

Dods said he felt it was appropriate to resign since he will have an ownership role in the new phone company and both Verizon Hawaii and Oceanic are in the telecommunications business. Dods had been on the Oceanic board since about 1977 when it was a governing board. It later became an advisory board after Time Warner took over.

Travel+Leisure readers love Kauai

LIHUE >> Travel+Leisure Magazine's readers poll has picked Kauai as the second-best island travel destination behind Bali, Indonesia.

For the second year in a row, the poll has named Kauai the best destination in Hawaii.

In the worldwide poll, all of the Hawaiian islands moved up from the 2003 rankings. Kauai went to second place in the world in 2004 from fifth in 2003, Maui climbed to third place from sixth place, and the Big Island to fifth place from seventh place.

Bali has been ranked No. 1 for the past three years. "We've always enjoyed the popularity of being part of Hawaii, so it's thrilling to see that Kauai has won the hearts of travelers who see it as a destination in itself," said Sue Kanoho, executive director of the Kauai Visitors Bureau.

Savio buys UH student complex

Local developer Peter Savio said he has bought a student apartment complex near the University of Hawaii-Manoa campus for $5 million and is nearing deals on two other parcels where he plans to build student housing.

Savio is heading a group of investors that is buying the Kalo Terrace, near the university's lower campus, from a local family, he said. The four-story building has 24 four-bedroom units.

Savio could not reveal details on the other two deals, but said his plans for those properties are consistent with a vision expressed by university officials for a college-town atmosphere around the Manoa campus.

Savio last year proposed building a combination dormitory and retail complex on the current site of Consolidated Amusement Co.'s Varsity Theater, but said that plan has been put on hold while the theater chain -- which is up for sale -- figures out what to do with its assets.

Sheraton Waikiki opens business center

The Sheraton Waikiki has opened a 1,900-square-foot business center on the hotel's fourth floor in partnership with Xerox Hawaii.

The facility will handle copying as well as printing and document delivery. High speed Internet access and equipment rentals also will be available.

The business center will be open seven days a week, 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., with limited services available until 9 p.m. The center is open to any Sheraton guests in Waikiki.