Honolulu Star-Bulletin Business /2005/02/09/

[ FAST FACTS HAWAII ]

Cole Haan store opens at Ala Moana

Chicago-founded shoe seller Cole Haan, owned by Nike Inc., is opening its first Hawaii store at Ala Moana Center.

The 3,000-square-foot store is on the mall level in the Diamond Head wing, and will sell handbags, coats and accessories in addition to men's and women's shoes. A store blessing will be held tomorrow morning.

Free tax help offered on Molokai

Molokai residents will get free tax service through a partnership between the state Department of Taxation and the AARP, formerly the American Association of Retired Persons.

Volunteer trainers will help people who are elderly, low-income, disabled or who speak limited English, with special attention for those 60 and older.

Joint outreach efforts will be held Feb. 19 and 20 at the Mitchell Pauole Community Center in Kaunakakai. Interested residents must bring their tax information.

For more information call 553-5541, 587-1791 or 553-5375.

Heald College opens dental lab

Heald College today opens a new 600-square-foot dental assisting lab at its Honolulu campus.

The school's program for dental assistants offers associate's degrees and trains students to do clinical dental work. The new lab contains four operatories with X-ray equipment, a dark room, materials lab and sterile area.

High rates boosts Marriott's profit

Marriott International Inc., the largest U.S. hotel company, said fourth-quarter profit rose 12 percent because of higher room rates in North America.

Net income increased to $189 million, or 79 cents a share, from $169 million, or 69 cents, a year earlier, the Bethesda, Md.-based company said today in a statement. Revenue climbed 9.6 percent to $3.14 billion.

Marriott raised its average daily room rate 6.1 percent, the biggest increase since December 2000, in cities including New York and Boston. Under Chief Executive Bill Marriott, 72, hotel owners and franchisees are spending about $190 million on new bedding to keep their lead over No. 2 Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide Inc.

[Hawaii Inc.]

PROMOTIONS

» Turtle Bay Resort has promoted Abid Butt to vice president and general manager. He previously served as the resort's managing director. He has over 20 years of resort hotel management experience.

» Smith Barney has promoted Ronald I. Taniguchi to Honolulu branch manager. He previously served as the San Francisco office senior assistant branch manager.

» First Hawaiian Bank has promoted the following officers: Seth A. Bond, Kapiolani Banking Center vice president; Dennis L. Chung, treasury and investment division vice president and operations manager; Rachel A. Hanlon, private banking center vice president and private banking officer; Jeffrey N.M. Higashi, corporate Hawaii division vice president and corporate banking officer; Michael M. Kawasaki, private banking center vice president and private banking officer; Steven J. Lim, Kailua Branch vice president and area manager; Todd T. Nitta, dealer center division vice president and business lending manager; and Alethea A. Seto, main banking center vice president.

» SMG Hawaii has promoted Todd Bertka to Hawaii Convention Center national sales associate director. He will be responsible for assisting the national sales director in coordinating the efforts of the regional sales managers in selling the center space and building services. The center hired him in January 2003 as regional sales manager, Midwest.