Pupillo is named GM of Sea Life Park

Longtime local visitor industry executive Jerry Pupillo will be the general manager of Sea Life Park in Makapuu.

Pupillo begins Monday and will replace Jesus Bravo, who resigned to return to Mexico.

Pupillo has worked at Hilton Hawaiian Village, Cirque Hawaii and JTB Hawaii. He also was president and general manager of Hawaiian Waters Adventure Park, helping to launch the property and running it for almost a decade.

He was most recently owner of Rubicon Consultants & Marketing, which provides counsel for Kualoa Ranch Hawaii, the Moscow International Circus Pacific Tour and International All Star Circus Alaska Tour. He is a founding member of the West Oahu Economic Development Association and the Kapolei Chamber of Commerce.

Hawaiian's new Airbus to get air time

Hawaiian Airlines, seeking to alleviate possible public concerns, said its new Airbus A330-200 aircraft will be flying at lower-than-normal altitudes and at atypical locations today while Hawaiian conducts airborne promotional filming.

The company said the aircraft will be flying lower than expected, flying near coastline areas one would not expect, such as Hana and Hamakua, and will have a Lear jet flying alongside it on the route.

The Airbus, which was delivered to the company earlier this month, will be used on Hawaiian's Honolulu-Los Angeles route beginning Friday.

Vacationers to spend less in summer

ATLANTA » Americans aren't in the mood to spend much on travel this summer.

More people are expected to hit the road than did last year, but their budgets will be tighter because of high unemployment, stock markets in retreat and a still-fragile economy.

Auto club AAA says about 32.1 million Americans will travel over the Memorial Day holiday weekend, a 5.4 percent increase over last year.

AAA estimates families will spend an average of $809 on summer travel, compared with $876 in 2009, even though flying is more expensive than it was a year ago.

They're knocking down the cost, travel agents say, by staying closer to home, choosing less expensive modes of transportation or picking destinations based on the best fares and lodging they can find.

On the move

» Design Partners has promoted Clarissa Santoki to associate from project architect. Her experience includes work as intern and project manager for the company as well as internships at firms such as T. Suzuki Architects, ADM Architectural Design Model, and Aotani and Associates.

» 'Ahahui Malama i ka Lokahi board of directors has elected Charles Lehuakona Isaacs Jr. as co-president. He is a project engineer and LEED Accredited Professional with Hawaiian Dredging Construction Co. as well as a former deputy director and operations manager for the Kaho'olawe Island Reserve Commission.

» Hawaii Theatre Center has elected new members to its board of directors: Norb Buelsing, president of A&P Properties; Steve Colon, Hunt Development Group, Hawaii Division; and Clark B. “;Skip”; Morgan, president and chief executive officer of Alakai Mechanical Corp.

» The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has awarded Elite Pacific Construction the 2010 DHS Small Business Achievement Award for its work on two projects for the U.S. Coast Guard at Base Support Unit in Honolulu. Elite Pacific Construction is the first general contractor in the state to be honored with the DHS award.