Island Inc. business briefs

Seven Big Isle restaurants recognized for outdoor dining

OpenTable, the world’s leading provider of online restaurant reservations, recently announced the 2013 Diners’ Choice Award winners for the Top 100 Outdoor Dining Restaurants in the United States. These awards reflect the combined opinions of more than 5 million reviews submitted by verified OpenTable diners for more than 15,000 restaurants in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.

Winning restaurants are located in 15 states and the nation’s capital. California restaurants swept close to half the spots on the list with 42 winning restaurants. Hawaii followed with 20 top outdoor dining restaurants, and Florida was not far behind with 16 honorees. American fare was extremely popular, as were seafood and regional cuisines, including Hawaiian and Californian.

The Big Island winners included Beach Tree at the Four Seasons Resort Hualalai at Historic Kaupulehu, Blue Dragon Restaurant in Kawaihae, Brown’s Beach House at The Fairmont Orchid, Island Lava Java Bistro in Kailua-Kona, Kamuela Provision Co. at the Hilton Waikoloa Village, Sam Choy’s Kai Lanai in Keauhou, and Ulu Ocean Grill and Sushi Lounge at the Four Seasons Resort Hualalai at Historic Kaupulehu.

To view the list, go to opentable.com/outdoor.

Kaiser receives excellent accreditation status

Kaiser Permanente Hawaii has again received an excellent accreditation status from the National Committee for Quality Assurance. The accreditation is based on patient satisfaction, service, and clinical quality measured against NCQA’s rigorous requirements and standards.

The status means all of its eligible health plans — commercial, Medicare and Medicaid — are accredited with NCQA’s highest quality rating. Kaiser has been accredited as excellent since NCQA first established this accreditation status in 1999 and was the first health care organization in Hawaii to be accredited by NCQA in 1995.

NCQA Health Plan Accreditation surveys include rigorous on-site and off-site evaluations of more than 60 standards and selected healthcare effectiveness data and information set measures. A team of physicians and health plan experts conducts accreditation surveys. A national oversight committee of physicians analyzes the team’s findings and assigns an accreditation level based on the performance level of each plan being evaluated to NCQA’s standards.

NCQA Accreditation not only involves a rigorous review of a health plan’s consumer protection and quality improvement systems, but also requires health plans to submit audited data on key clinical and service measures.

Hilton Grand Vacations earns award

Hilton Grand Vacations has been honored by the American Resort Development Association with the 2013 Circle of Excellence Employer of the Year Award. Hilton Grand Vacations received the award at the annual Awards Gala of the ARDA 2013 Convention & Exposition held in Hollywood, Fla.

Hilton Grand Vacations currently has more than 850 team members and six affiliated resorts in Hawaii. Three of its resorts can be found at Waikoloa Beach Resort.

The award is given to a vacation ownership or resort development company that has demonstrated exceptional commitment to its employees by prioritizing an engaging, collaborative work environment, providing access to training, professional development, and comprehensive benefits, as well as setting leadership standards for attracting and retaining outstanding employees.

Walk raises more than $100K for nonprofits

Central Pacific Bank employees, family and friends walked to help raise money for four local nonprofits at Kapiolani Park on Oahu. Its fourth annual Walks For You event, held on May 4, marked the culmination of two months of fundraising efforts by the company’s more than 900 employees.

Four checks were presented totaling $100,454 to the following employee-selected beneficiaries: Aloha Harvest, Bobby Benson Center, Easter Seals Hawaii, and Hawaii 3Rs. The total amount raised includes a 50 percent match from the Central Pacific Bank Foundation.

About 700 participants completed the walk, including the canine mascot Alex. Since Central Pacific Bank launched its annual Walks For You fundraiser, the event has raised $325,000 for Hawaii nonprofits.

Guide helps farms reach economic sustainability

A free 58-page guide, “Adding Value to Locally Grown Crops in Hawaii: A Guide for Small Farm Enterprise Innovation,” is now available.

Because of the high cost of labor, land and materials in Hawaii, family farms are only economically sustainable if they can produce high-quality products that are valued above cheap imports. This guide helps growers add value to all aspects of their farm enterprise and offers resources for further developing their strategies.

The guide was authored by Craig Elevitch and Ken Love with input from agricultural professionals statewide. Elevitch is an agroforestry educator whose most recent book, “Specialty Crops for Pacific Islands,” provides insights into sustainable cultivation and processing techniques for local and export markets with an emphasis on production methods, post-harvest processing, and marketing. Love, widely known as a passionate advocate for the innovative small farm, is co-owner of Love Family Farms in Kona, which produces a range of value-added products including jams, jellies, dried fruits, and coffee.

The publication was produced with funds from the state Department of Agriculture, the Agribusiness Incubator Program of the University of Hawaii, and the county Department of Research and Development. The guide is available as a free download and a limited number of free hard copies will be available throughout Hawaii.

For more information, visit valueadded.info.

Building expo happening this fall

The Kona-Kohala Chamber of Commerce will present the ninth annual Building & Design Expo Oct. 25 to 27 at the Sheraton Keauhou Bay Resort and Spa. Admission all three days is free for attendees and the expo sprawls both inside and out of the convention center.

Browse among 50 exhibits featuring home design, construction and remodel ideas including home decorating; roofing and decking; flooring and window treatments; kitchen and baths; solar products and more. Vendor booths offer products, services and information relating to the building and improvement of homes, apartments and condos. Browse through a variety of local plants for sale and choose the ones just right for your location and personality.

For more information, visit kona-kohala.com or call 329-1758.

Legal training occurring this summer

The Hawaii State Bar Association is providing legal training for all those interested in entering the legal field as legal support staff or those already in the field looking for a refresher or looking to advance their career through certification.

The course begins June 10 and runs through Sept. 28. Classes meet from 4:30 to 6 p.m. Monday through Thursday, with a few classes happening noon to 1 p.m. Friday. Instructors include attorneys, paralegals, court clerks and administrators.

The course will allow students to meet major players in the legal field, as well as receive a course certificate of completion upon successfully meeting the attendance and passing the course exam. Participants will also have an opportunity to take an optional certification exam course covers all substantial areas of law including family, real estate, estate planning, litigation, bankruptcy, business and criminal law.

The classes will meet at the HSBA in Honolulu. The cost is $400. For more information, call 537-1868. Seating is limited. To download the brochure, visit hsba.org/resources/8/blt/2013_blt_final_registration.pdf or visit hsba.org.

Fair Wind earns two awards

TripAdvisor, a travel site, recently announced its 2013 Certificate of Excellence award recipients. Fair Wind Big Island Ocean Guides and Fair Wind’s Hula Kai were among those businesses and activities recognized.

Now in its third year, the award celebrates hospitality business excellence and is given only to establishments that consistently achieve outstanding traveler reviews on TripAdvisor. Winners are located all over the world and represent the upper echelon of businesses listed on the website, with only the top ten-percent receiving the prestigious award.

To qualify for a Certificate of Excellence, businesses must maintain an overall rating of four or higher, out of a possible five, as reviewed by travelers on TripAdvisor. Additional criteria include the volume of reviews received within the last 12 months.

Donation helps Fire Department

Kaiser Permanente Hawaii recently gave $3,500 in grant funding to the Hawaii Fire Department. The funds will be used to purchase digital camera equipment, which will allow the Fire Department to better document injury occurrence at traffic accidents and assist medical emergency professionals in their assessment and treatment of victims.

Seventeen cameras were purchased with the donation and placed in all 15 of the county’s advanced life support ambulances and two Fire Department command vehicles.

Free lawyer referral service offered

Looking for a lawyer for a divorce, child support issue, bankruptcy, DUI, speeding ticket or needing a will and don’t know where to turn.

The Hawaii State Bar Association’s lawyer referral and information service can help you locate a lawyer. Intake specialists at the service assist the public by referring them to an attorney when appropriate or to other agencies. While there is no charge for the referral, the attorneys are in private practice and will charge for service.

For more information, call 537-9140 or email to lris@hsba.org. Also visit hawaiilawyerreferral.com.

Partnership helps Special Olympics Hawaii

Hawaii Energy, the conservation and efficiency program for Hawaii, Honolulu and Maui counties, has teamed up with Consolidated Electrical Distributors, GE Lighting Hawaii and Special Olympics Hawaii to help raise funds for Special Olympics Hawaii’s State Summer Games.

As part of the collaboration, Hawaii Energy will provide Special Olympics Hawaii with 5,000 energy-efficient compact fluorescent lights. CFLs use 75 percent less electricity and last nearly ten times as long as traditional incandescent light bulbs.

Summer Games attendees were encouraged to donate a $1 or more to Special Olympics Hawaii to receive a free CFL. The event took place May 24 through Sunday at the University of Hawaii at Manoa and Central Oahu Regional Park, where more than 1,000 athletes and coaches participated.

For more information, visit hawaiienergy.com and SpecialOlympicsHawaii.org.

HMSA pays it forward to nonprofits

Ten Hawaii nonprofit organizations are being challenged to “pay it forward” in their communities using $10,000 awards from the Hawaii Medical Service Association. HMSA employees nominated and voted for the organizations as part of the company’s 75th anniversary celebration.

Each organization in the HMSA Pays It Forward campaign is being asked to take its $10,000 award and use it to inspire its staff, volunteers and the people it serves to take action and make a difference for others around them. HMSA will follow the organizations throughout the year and announce each of their accomplishments in December.

HMSA employees submitted their nominations in early March. Voting took place over a 10-day period that ended on April 5. A total of $100,000 will be given to Hawaii Meals on Wheels on Oahu, Epilepsy Foundation of Hawaii on Oahu, Hawaii County Economic Opportunity, Puna Community Medical Center, Planned Parenthood of Hawaii on Kauai, Na Maka o Papahanaumokuakea on the Big Island, Pacific Cancer Foundation on Maui, Lanai Community Health Center, Ka Honua Momona on Molokai and Kukui Ahi Patient Program at Molokai General Hospital.

Big Isle company’s website recognized

What to Do Media, a Hawaii-based marketing and advertising company, has received an award in the creative awards division of the 2013 Summit International Awards Competition.

What to Do Media received a silver award in the consumer services website category for a website designed and developed by Chad Fisher for Texture Inc., a Big Island-based premium natural stone supplier, specializing in the procurement of fine quality building materials for luxury residential, commercial and custom projects. To see the website, go to textureinc.com.

The Summit Creative Award recognizes creative accomplishments of small and medium size advertising agencies from around the world, with annual billings under $30 million.

— New Businesses —

New auto body shop opens in Kona

D&K Auto Body and Paint LLC held a grand opening celebration and blessing Friday. Owned by Dwayne Gouveia and Kim Griffin, it is located at 73-5580 Maiau St. in Kailua-Kona, just below Costco in the Kaloko Business Center.

At the celebration, the owners thanked the numerous people who dedicated their time and effort to get the shop open. There was also a PowerPoint presentation showing the before and after pictures of the space, which was transformed in 30 days.

Ocean Sports debuts new snorkel cruise

Ocean Sports, a full-service ocean recreation company on the Kona and Kohala Coasts, recently announced its newest catamaran adventure: The Coral Reef Snorkel Adventure. The cruise combines snorkeling at a pristine cove, real coastal sailing and the five-star service on which Ocean Sports has built its reputation.

Guests aboard this 3.5-hour morning cruise enjoy a continental breakfast, deli style buffet lunch and complimentary open bar. Ocean Sports’ on-board marine naturalists provide a marine life briefing and snorkel lesson, and can lead personalized guided tours of the reef.

The Coral Reef Snorkel Adventure is available from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays. For more information, call Ocean Sports at 886-6666, ext. 103, or visit hawaiioceansports.com.

Health insurer launches a free app

UHA, a Hawaii health insurer, has launched a new mobile phone web app for convenient and easier access to information for its growing membership. UHA recently surpassed 52,000 members and that number is expected to increase.

The free web app is optimized for a number of mobile devices. The mobile web app, developed by UHA’s in-house information technology team, allows both members and nonmembers to search for primary care physicians by island and specialty. It also allows members to find physicians who are accepting new patients.

The web app gives contact information UHA’s health care providers with a corresponding Google satellite map of each of their offices. Members also have secured access to view their membership identification card, and the ability to easily email or fax it to their physician. Features also include a claims information lookup, as well as deductible and copayment accumulators.

The web app provides a link to UHA’s full website, uhahealth.com. Plans for the next iteration of the app are to enhance the provider search function by including a search of physicians by languages spoken.

— Movers & shakers —

Kamdar appointed to Cellana president

Cellana Inc., a developer of algae-based bioproducts for the pharmaceutical, nutraceutical, fuel and animal feed industries, announced the appointment of Michael J. Kamdar as its president.

Kamdar will be primarily responsible for commercialization, business development, research and development and operations. Cellena has a demonstration facility at the Natural Energy Laboratory of Hawaii Authority.

Kamdar has more than 25 years of fundraising, management, business development and commercial experience in the biotechnology, pharmaceutical and diagnostic industries. He has held executive positions at both public and private companies, including Agouron Pharmaceuticals, Warner-Lambert, Pfizer, Anadys Pharmaceuticals, VentiRx Pharmaceuticals and Genoa Pharmaceuticals. Over the course of his career to date, Kamdar has accounted for deal transactions in excess of $1 billion and has raised in excess of $300 million from venture capital and public capital market sources. Kamdar serves as a member of the board of directors of Tobira Therapeutics, Genoa Pharmaceuticals and BIOCOM.

Lopez promoted to portfolio manager

Central Pacific Bank has promoted Fernando Lopez to vice president and portfolio manager of corporate banking. In his position, Lopez will be responsible for supervising portfolio management and provide supervision of the administrative staff.

Lopez has been with Central Pacific Bank since 2003 and previously served as assistant vice president and senior corporate banking associate. Prior, Lopez served as account manager at Silicon Valley Bank. Lopez has a degree in business administration from San Jose State University.

Datta on Parker Ranch board, Richards retiring

E. Kyle Datta is now on the Parker Ranch Inc. board of directors. He joins other board members, Michael Gibson, James Greenwell, Timothy Johns, Robert Hind III, Neil “Dutch” Kuyper and B.G. Moynahan.

Datta will replace Herbert “Monty” Richards Jr., who is retiring from the board of directors after 13 years of service. Parker Ranch Inc. is the for-profit corporation that is responsible for managing the cattle operations and the real property development activities on behalf of Parker Ranch Foundation Trust.

Datta is a founding partner of Ulupono Initiative, which invests in three key areas to make Hawaii more sustainable: locally produced food, renewable energy and waste reduction. He was formerly the CEO of U.S. Biodiesel Group, a national biodiesel firm funded by private equity; managing director of research and consulting at the Rocky Mountain Institute; and a vice president at Booz Allen Hamilton, where he served as managing partner of the firm’s Asia energy practice and head of the U.S. utilities practice.

Airline promotes Lyons

Hawaiian Airlines has appointed Daniel F. Lyons as senior director of performance engineering and operations analytics. In his new role, Lyons is responsible for improving the efficiency of Hawaiian’s ground and flight operations for its current fleet of more than 40 aircraft.

Lyons brings more than 30 years of engineering, management and operational experience to Hawaiian Airlines. He has an extensive background in leading highly technical teams while serving as a Marine Corps officer, an aeronautical engineer for the Navy, a program manager for Northrop Grumman Electronic Systems-Advanced Technology Group and most recently as an officer in the intelligence community.

Volcano House Hotel GM hired

Hawaii Volcanoes Lodge Company, a partnership that unites Ortega National Parks and Aqua Hospitality, has hired Rodolfo “Rudy” Fao as general manger of the Volcano House on Hawaii Island.

Part of Aqua’s Monogram Hotel Collection, Volcano House is a historic property located within Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. Closed since 2010, Fao will oversee the reopening of the property as it unveils new guest rooms and public spaces in phases through June 2013. The first phase opened in March.

Fao’s background includes more than 13 years working in the hospitality industry, most recently with Outrigger Hotels where he worked his way up from housekeeping manager to assistant general manager. During his time with Outrigger, Fao worked at several properties including Outrigger Reef on the Beach on Oahu, Outrigger Keauhou Beach Resort and, most recently, Ohana Honolulu Airport Hotel and Best Western The Plaza Airport Hotel on Oahu. Prior to Outrigger, Fao worked at Hyatt Regency Waikiki Resort and Spa and Renaissance Ilikai Waikiki. While at the Ilikai, Fao received the 2006 Hawaii Hotel Association award for Front Office Employee of the Year.

Fao is a graduate of Hawaii Pacific University with a degree in business administration and travel industry management.

Kiel promoted to project manager

RevoluSun, a provider of residential and commercial solar systems, has hired Kona resident Howard “Lima” Kiel as project manager for its Big Island division.

In his new role, Kiel will oversee RevoluSun’s solar projects, working with its clients as their custom system is designed and installed.

Kiel has more than eight years of operations and management experience. Prior to joining RevoluSun, Kiel worked for Oceanic Time Warner Cable. He also served as lead broadband technician at Charter Communications in Newnan, Ga., and production manager at Alenco Windows in Peachtree City, Ga.

Kiel received his degree in business administration with an emphasis in management from Troy State University. He is also OSHA, S.T.O.P. and Com Train certified.