In Brief | Island Inc. | 4-28-14

Hawaiian Springs’ water now at Albertsons

Hawaii-based Hawaiian Springs LLC, a natural bottled water brand, is now available to shoppers in the West and Southwest U.S. at Albertsons Markets. Albertsons has added Hawaiian Springs Natural Artesian water at 295 stores in California, Nevada, New Mexico, Arizona and West Texas. It is now distributed in more than 4,000 stores beyond the shores of its home in Hawaii, as well as in grocery stores in Canada and Asia.

Hawaiian Springs’ water is drawn from an artesian well at the base of Mauna Loa. It has been recognized as one of the world’s finest waters by “water sommelier” Michael Mascha, author of “Fine Waters, A Connoisseur’s Guide to the World’s Most Distinctive Bottled Water.”

For more information, visit hawaiianspringswater.com.

Two chefs grow produce at their resorts

Big Island hotel chefs are stepping out of the kitchen and into the sunshine, growing their own produce and tending to flourishing gardens right on property, according to the Big Island Visitors Bureau.

Hapuna Beach Prince Hotel executive chef Peter Abarcar and Coast Grille chef de cuisine Vincent Logan tend to the resort’s new garden of tomatoes and eggplant, a variety of lettuces and greens, cooking papayas, chili peppers, pak choi, okra, Thai basil, oregano, mint and squash.

Executive chef Jayson Kanekoa at Waikoloa Beach Marriott Resort &Spa has been growing a hydroponic herb garden of sweet basil, opal basil, Thai basil, lemon basil and lime basil. He plans to also grow and harvest rosemary, shiso, mint, sweet potato and kalo to be used at the resort’s Hawaii Calls Restaurant &Lounge.

Mountain View teacher wins Toyota contest

Big Island Toyota recently awarded Mountain View Elementary School teacher Kerry Ogawa with a $250 gift card for school supplies for her participation in Toyota’s 2014 Dream Car Art Contest.

During the contest period, each teacher who submitted student artwork was entered in a drawing to win a gift card for school supplies. One winner was selected from Maui, Kauai and Hawaii Island. Two were chosen from Oahu.

The contest was open to all Hawaii students 15 and younger. More than 500 hand-drawn entries based on “Your Dream Car” were received.

Chef creates a salt made with orchids

The Fairmont Orchid, Hawaii, executive chef Hubert Des Marais recently concocted Chocolate Oncidium Orchid Sea Salt, made with dried oncidium orchids, cocoa nibs and Hawaiian sea salt.

Used for curing meats such as wild boar, the salt also serves as a topping for sweet concoctions such as caramel and white chocolate ice cream, or garnished atop apple bananas and pineapple.

Kona resident wins a year of free coffee from McDonald’s

McDonald’s Restaurants of Hawaii gave away 220,000 cups of coffee during a recent two-week promotional campaign to get customers reacquainted with its McCafe coffee.

During that same period, 14 customers were randomly selected at restaurants statewide to win a year of free daily coffee. The West Hawaii winner is Holly Kaluau Kalawa of Kailua-Kona.

— MOVERS &SHAKERS —

Insurance company promotes Rowland

Karen Rowland has been appointed as an independent long-term care insurance agent with Genworth Life Insurance Co.

Rowland specializes in long-term care planning information and guidance. She has been in this business for seven years and looks forward to working with clients and prospects on the Big Island. She helps people assess their long-term care requirements and build insurance plans to help protect their financial futures.

Loua is Manta’s new chef de cuisine

Johnny Loua has joined Mauna Kea Beach Hotel as chef de cuisine of the resort’s Manta &Pavilion Wine Bar.

The restaurant will soon unveil a new menu bringing exciting taste sensations to every dinner plate and elevating an already superb dining experience.

Nakayama appointed to HPA board

Paul Nakayama has been appointed to the board of trustees at Hawaii Preparatory Academy.

Nakayama is a physical scientist and technical manager with more than 40 years of experience in nuclear energy studies. He is the retired founder, owner and chief executive officer of Jason Associates Corporation, which he established in 1987. Jason Associates’ cadre of senior technical specialists focuses on complex safety, environmental and complex computer-system development problems in the field of nuclear energy.

Jones takes over leadership of Sonitrol

Sonitrol of Hawaii, a leading provider of verified electronic security to homes, schools and businesses throughout the Hawaiian Islands, has named Tracy Jones the company’s new president and owner. Previously, Jones served as the president of Sonitrol of Eugene (Oregon) from 1990 until 2009 and now takes over for the previous owners of Sonitrol of Hawaii, Ron and Pat Jones, and son David, who are no relation to Tracy Jones.

Tracy Jones rejoins Sonitrol after having started his career in the late 1970s, while still in high school, working for Sonitrol of Eugene as a technician. Upon becoming a full-time employee in 1983, where he worked in accounting and office management, he worked his way up the ranks, eventually to president in 1990.

Sonitrol, and its network of more than 125 offices throughout the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom, celebrates its 50th anniversary in 2014. Sonitrol’s impact-activated audio verified alarm technology has assisted law enforcement with more than 170,000 apprehensions — a success rate unmatched in the industry, according to the company.

Johnson honored by magazine

Linda Johnson of Re/Max Brokers in Kailua-Kona has been named to the 2014 Hawaii Business magazine’s Top 100 Realtors list ranked by transactions.

The list is the only objective acknowledgment of the highest performing agents in the state and recognizes them for being on top of their game as a Realtor and for their business success. The list will appear in a special real estate edition of the magazine in June.

Edward Jones named to Hall of Fame

Hawaii Business magazine teamed up with the Best Companies Group of Harrisburg, Pa., to rank the state’s best employers. Sixty-five companies were named Best Places to Work in Hawaii 2014, divided into 10 large companies, 25 medium companies and 30 small-sized companies by the number of people they employ in Hawaii. Only top-three companies were ranked in each category.

The ranking was based on an employer inventory of practices and an anonymous survey of associates, who were asked to agree or disagree with dozens of statements about the firm, teamwork and their individual experience at the firm. In celebration of the Best Places to Work in Hawaii’s 10th anniversary, Edward Jones — one of only two companies named to the list all 10 years — was named to its Hall of Fame.

Edward Jones has 50 branches in Hawaii. The firm provides financial services for individual investors in the United States and, through its affiliate, in Canada. Every aspect of the firm’s business, from the types of investment options offered to the location of branch offices, is designed to cater to individual investors in the communities in which they live and work.

Association boards invited to seminar

Associa Hawaii is hosting a free association board seminar, “Harvesting Sunshine and Avoiding Employee Pitfalls,” from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. May 16 at the Hilo Hawaiian Hotel. Heavy pupu will be served.

Speakers include Milton Motooka, a partner in the firm of Motooka &Yamamoto, who will discuss “How to Reduce Liability when Hiring, Disciplining and Terminating Employees” and a representative from RevoluSun’s topic will present “Associations Versus Solar Energy Devices.”

Space is limited. For a reservation, contact Brenda LeClair at 443-5984 or Brenda@associahawaii.com.

Businesses invited to Career Expo

Business are invited to participate in a Career Expo scheduled from noon to 3 p.m. May 7 at Kealakehe High School gym. With this event, the school hopes to familiarize students with area businesses, educate them about the overall interviewing process, help with resume building and answer any questions they have about the workforce.

For more information contact Jessica Wright at 245-9686 or Jessica_Wright@notes.k12.hi.us or Jada Rogers at 443-379-3045 or Jada_Rogers@notes.k12.hi.us.