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CommPac
president resigns

WHEN a voice-mail message makes your columnist gasp, you, oh reader, nearly will always reap the benefit of knowing what caused it. Al Hoffman has resigned as president of Communications-Pacific Inc. after nearly 10 years with the public relations agency.

However, he hasn't left the company.

"I'm stepping away from day-to-day operation of the company and taking back some personal time," said Hoffman, whose new title is senior consultant. He will do some high-end client work and "probably continue to do media training, which is one of my key areas."

The answer to a question sparked by a tip is rarely as sexy as the gasp-inducing tip intimates -- but then this answer was coming from a house of spin, known in part for teaching clients how to convey information to the news media in the most positive manner possible.

So what's the real thing behind the change?

"The real thing is that Al wants to make a transition," said Kitty Lagareta, chief executive and once-again president of CommPac.

"He came to me and said he'd like to lighten his load. He would never have asked that when things weren't good ... and I really appreciate that about Al."

He first went to the agency to rent space and work on projects but then agreed to join CommPac for five years.

"We're just coming up on almost 10 years and I feel like I got double the original commitment," she said.

Both Hoffman and Lagareta praised the strength and depth of the company's senior management team.

"We have two executive vice presidents, three senior vice presidents and four vice presidents," Lagareta said.

"We didn't have that when Al and I started; it was just him and I. It was the two of us and 20 employees. We've grown a lot and changed a lot."

CommPac now has 63 employees.

Lagareta's work hours are likely to expand, but she also serves on the University of Hawaii Board of Regents and with several other organizations.

"I got nervous when I turned 50 last year and couldn't go 24/7 anymore," she said. "But I've started getting up at 5 o'clock and working out at the gym and I've got my mojo back and I'm good for the 24-hour-thing," she said.

Top dog for top news

A 10-month headhunt complicated by the impending sale of KHON-TV and sister-station KGMB-TV has netted a new news director for KHON, the state's top-rated station.

Starting Monday, the replacement for former News Director Dan Dennison will be Ronald Comings, a veteran of news management and reporting positions stretching from Minnesota to Florida and from North Carolina to his most recent post at KXTV in Sacramento, Calif. Newsroom personnel under his leadership have won numerous journalism awards.

"It's hard to hire such a key department head before you know who the owner (is going to be)," said Rick Blangiardi, senior vice president and general manager of both stations, owned by Indiana-based Emmis Communications Corp.

Comings has the passion, proven track record and mentoring ability to "do local television news in Hawaii, where we serve our entire state," Blangiardi said.

Separately, Blangiardi said KGMB News Director Tauna Lange signed a new multiyear contract yesterday. She started at Channel 9 two years ago.

Gooz is going

Everybody has a good reason for helping with Hurricane Katrina recovery efforts, including Elmer Guzman, chef-owner of Poke Stop in Waipahu.

His three years working in New Orleans left him with warm memories of the chef who would yell, "Hey Gooz," across the busy kitchen to impart an order; the co-workers and friends whose homes he was invited into for soul food and good times; and walks with his wife near the Convention Center.

Guzman was sous chef for celebrity chef and restaurateur Emeril Lagasse until eight years ago -- and there was no way he was not going to participate in Chefs for Hope starting at 6 p.m. Monday at Aloha Tower Marketplace. Poke Stop will close early that day.

Guzman knows some of his closest friends' homes "were down to the ground" after Katrina, he said. Other friends who still work for Lagasse told Guzman that Lagasse has set up a fund for workers devastated by Katrina "and that was great news."

Guzman once asked Lagasse, when he didn't have as many restaurants as he has now, how he can run more than one. "He told me, 'You know what, Elmer, I take care of my guys and my guys take care of me.' I learned from that," Guzman said.

Tickets for the event are $150 and are available through Chai's Island Bistro at Aloha Tower Marketplace through Sunday. Tickets will not be sold at the door.