HAWAII

Steve Case joins MLP board

Maui Land & Pineapple Co. said yesterday that Steve Case has been elected to its board, effective immediately. Case, the co-founder of AOL, is MLP's largest shareholder, having accumulated a 42 percent stake over the past decade.

“;MLP has begun to make the necessary moves to position itself for a resurgence, and I look forward to working with the board and management team to help the company capitalize on its potential,”; he said.

David Cole, chairman, president and chief executive of MLP, said in early November that he will step down at the beginning of next year; however, he will continue to serve as a company director.

Former staffer sues isle hotels

Waiters and other service personnel are suing Pacific Beach Hotel and Pagoda Hotel for tips and service charges they said were wrongfully withheld by the hotel. The suit was filed by former Pacific Beach waiter Raymond Gurrobat, who worked there from February 1990 to December 2007.

The suit, which was filed Monday, asks for all service employees who worked at the hotels between Dec. 8, 2004, until now to be compensated for tips and service charges. It is the first such lawsuit on Oahu.

  Gurrobat alleges that the hotels charge banquet and event customers gratuities of 17 percent or more but do not distribute the entire amount to the applicable staffers. The suit states that most of the money goes to hotel management. Hawaii law prohibits this practice unless it is disclosed to the customer.

Beverage firm cited for violations

The state Department of Health has filed a complaint and order against Five Star Transportation for violations of the state's deposit beverage container program. Five Star Transportation, a distributor of deposit beverages sold in Hawaii, is at 689 Kakoi St. in Honolulu.

Deposit beverage distributors must submit monthly distributor reports and payments to the department no later than the 15th calendar day of the month following the end of the payment period of the previous month. Five Star Transportation was cited for late payments and reports submitted for the months of August 2006; May, April and October 2007; and May, July, and August 2008.

The department has fined the company $3,520.

Bankoh executive steps down

Brian Stewart resigned from his position as executive vice president, controller and principal accounting officer of Bank of Hawaii Corp., effective last Friday, according to a Nov. 18 regulatory filing.

Kent Lucien, vice chairman and chief financial officer, will assume his responsibilities until a successor is named.

Sugar Museum hosts kamaaina day

The Alexander & Baldwin Sugar Museum in Puunene, Maui, said it is holding a Kamaaina Appreciation Day on Saturday, from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. All Hawaii residents will be admitted for free of charge.

As part of Kamaaina Appreciation Day, the museum will hold a drawing for two of its red-dirt T-shirts displaying the Puunene and Paia mills. All residents will receive 20 percent off the purchase of these shirts on that day.

The Sugar Museum was established in 1980 as a memorial to early sugar pioneers Samuel T. Alexander and Henry Perrine Baldwin. The museum is open year-round, Monday through Saturday, 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Call 871-8058 or visit http://www.sugarmusem.com.

First Zpizza to open in Honolulu

Zpizza, a California-based pizza chain, will open its first store at Ward Center tomorrow.

The pizza chain was founded in 1986 and has more than 75 locations open, with another 400 in development nationwide. It offers 17 pizzas as well as sandwiches, salads and calzones. 

[ TAKING NOTICE ]

Promotions / New hires

» Mobi PCS has named Candice Sato as controller. Her experience includes corporate controller at Hoku Scientific and other accounting and finance positions at Colliers Monroe Friedlander and Arthur Andersen in Honolulu, and HSBC Bank in Calif.

» State Farm Insurance has announced the following new agents:

* Paul MacDonald will be based at the Kahului office. He joined the firm as an agency intern and was previously a sales employee at AAA Auto Club of Oregon.

* Chad Santiago will be based at the Lahaina Gateway Shopping Center office. He was previously a manager for Enterprise Rent-A-Car & Commercial Trucks in Oregon.

* Ryan Souza will be based at the Kulamalu Town Center in Pukalani. He previously worked in safety operations for the Kamehameha Schools Maui campus.

Board Elections

» The Hawaii Pest Control Association has elected its board of directors: Terrance Manago, president; Jon Montalbo, vice president; Dave Lau, 2nd vice president; Jason Sahara, 3rd vice president; Shawn Murray, secretary; and Wayne Koide, treasurer. Directors are Ainsley Ahlo, James Eschle, Josh Joyce, Rigolette Baraquio, Mohinder Maan, Kevin Davis, Carlton Agena and Alvin Fukuyama. Neighbor island directors are Jerry Edlao, Maui primary director; Vince Mozina, Maui alternate director; John Montalbo, Kauai primary director; Gary Smith, Kauai alternate director; Rodney Ono, immediate past president and Big Island primary director; and David Jones, Big Island alternate director. Associate representatives are Kurt Nosal and Roman Dycus. Tim Lyons will continue as executive director.