State receives $9.5M for homestead energy upgrades

Hawaii has been awarded more than $9.5 million in Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant funds from the U.S. Department of Energy.

The award is part of the economic stimulus American Recovery and Reinvestment Act passed by Congress.

The Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism applied for the grant in June.

DBEDT is partnering with the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands to upgrade 400 homestead homes with solar water heaters and compact fluorescent lamps. The state also plans to install photovoltaics on state buildings.

Small Business Administration seeks award nominees

The Hawaii District Office of the U.S Small Business Administration is seeking nominations for the 2010 SBA Small Business Awards program.

The agency annually recognizes outstanding small-business owners, entrepreneurs and advocates for contributing to the economic vitality of the state and nation.

Awards will be presented in the following categories: Family-Owned Business, Small Business Exporters, Young Entrepreneurs, Entrepreneurial Success, Minority Small Business Champion, Women in Business Champion, Veteran Small Business Champion, Financial Services Champion and Home-Based Business Champion.

Nomination forms are available on the Hawaii Small Business Development Center Network Web site at www.hawaii-sbdc.org or by phone at 541-2990.

Management and marketing firms merge

San Francisco-based Dissero Partners and Bedrock, a brand strategy group, have joined forces, bringing Dissero's presence to Hawaii.

Dissero is a management consulting firm that has guided corporate transformations while Bedrock shapes customer experiences for clients.

The merged firm will be called Bedrock Dissero and will aim to increase revenue growth and improve margins for clients.

Prudential Locations will move to new Kailua office

Real estate firm Prudential Locations said it will be moving to a new office space in Kailua.

Prudential will occupy a new 1,300-square-foot ground floor space at 151 Hekili, the same center as the popular Boots & Kimo's, which is also moving to a larger space from just down the street.

The Prudential Locations Kailua office, which opens in early 2010, will serve as the home for Windward-based real estate agents.

Coming Up

» Tomorrow: Standard & Poor's/Case-Shiller releases its July index of home prices.

» Wednesday: Commerce Department releases second-quarter gross domestic product.

» Thursday: Major automakers report U.S. auto sales for September. Labor Department releases weekly jobless claims.

» Friday: Labor Department releases employment data for September. Commerce Department releases factory orders for August.