Hawaiian Air traffic declines

Hawaiian Airlines' passenger traffic slipped 1.7 percent in March, but the state's largest carrier filled a greater percentage of its seats than in the year-earlier period.

There were 703,845 passengers last month compared with 716,320 a year ago, the airline reported. Hawaiian's load factor improved to 86.1 percent from 84.6 percent.

Revenue passenger miles, or one paying passenger transported one mile, decreased 3.4 percent to 674.7 million from 698.6 million. Available seat miles, or one seat transported one mile, fell 5.1 percent to 783.6 million from 825.9 million.

Island Air offers spring sale

Island Air is marking its 30th anniversary with $59 one-way fares to Molokai from both Honolulu and Kahului, and $69 one-way fares from Honolulu to both Kapalua, Maui, and Lanai.

Tickets must be purchased by today and are good for travel from Monday through May 27.

Hoku signs key chemical contract

A Hoku Corp. subsidiary has signed a supply agreement with Evonik Degussa Corp. to buy trichlorosilane, a key process chemical used in the manufacturing of polysilicon.

Hoku Materials plans to use the chemical from Evonik together with material from other potential suppliers to support the first phase of commercial production at the polysilicon plan that Honolulu-based Hoku is building in Pocatello, Idaho.

Deliveries are expected to begin in July.

Isle leaders to promote state in China

A team of Hawaii sales professionals will be in Shanghai today through Friday to sell the state's meetings industry at the Incentive Travel & Convention Meetings China travel show.

“;Chinese visitors have become Hawaii's highest daily spenders, and recent bookings show that outbound travel from this growing market is picking up again following the decline in 2009 due to H1N1,”; said Mike McCartney, president and chief executive officer of the Hawaii Tourism Authority. “;It's a good time for (the Hawaii Visitors and Convention Bureau) to be in this market keeping Hawaii top of mind as an ideal business travel destination.”;

Along with meeting attendees at the trade show, Michael Murray, vice president of sales and marketing for HVCB's corporate meetings and incentives division, has 40 confirmed appointments scheduled with potential clients and also will be making a presentation about the benefits of Hawaii's meetings industry to 35 international media attending the convention.

HawaiiUSA opens Pearl City branch

HawaiiUSA Federal Credit Union has opened a new branch in Pearl City at 1245 Kuala St. The branch building also will house the call center operations of 21 employees and eventually a community room rental where schools and organizations can conduct meetings and training sessions. The Pearl City branch is the 11th in HawaiiUSA's system, the most branches of any credit union in the state.

ON THE MOVE

Hawaii Dental Service has named Cara Tarumoto controller for the company. She has 15 years' experience including work as assistant controller with Hawaii Superferry and controller for Starbucks Coffee Hawaii and KMH LLP.

First Wind has announced the addition of Kekoa Kaluhiwa to the company's development team as director of external affairs. He was previously an executive assistant for U.S. Sen. Daniel K. Akaka for 11 years.

Alissa George has joined Century 21 All Islands as a sales associate. She was previously a marketing representative for Lifetouch National School Studios and worked for Alexander & Baldwin and Old Republic Title & Escrow.

The Hawaiian Mission Children's Society/Mission Houses Museum Board of Trustees has appointed Thomas A. Woods as executive director. His experience includes heading the consulting firm Making Sense of Place and being director of Old World Wisconsin and supervisor in the Historic Sites Department at Minnesota Historical Society.

Baldridge & Associates Structural Engineering has announced Henry “;Adam”; Rixey as a structural designer. He was previously working with Bliss & Nyitray Inc., a structural engineering firm in Miami.