In brief | Island Inc. | 9-8-14

Accessible Hawaii partners with hotels

The hotel and tourist industry sponsored the annual Charity Walk for nonprofits to raise pledges for a walk/run on the Mauna Lani Hotel grounds.

Financial gifts were awarded Aug. 30 by the mayor at The Fairmont Orchid, Hawaii. Accessible Hawaii accepted a check, which will enable the organization to place complimentary booklets in ADA rooms in West Hawaii hotels, providing residents and visitors with physical disabilities information about accessible beaches and adaptive activities.

Accessible Hawaii is a charitable organization led and staffed by volunteers. To be a part of the ADA book project, contact Director Jean Hartley at jeanmhartley@gmail.com or 769-4489. For more information visit accessiblehawaii.com.

Farmers Insurance Hawaii delivers school supplies to teachers

Farmers Insurance Hawaii, one of the leading insurers in Hawaii recently delivered gift baskets of classroom supplies to 25 teachers on Oahu, Maui, Kauai and Hawaii Island. Representatives of the insurance company presented the baskets to show their appreciation to educators and to raise awareness about the nationwide Thank A Million Teachers program launched at the beginning of the year by Farmers Insurance.

During May, the insurer’s employees nominated teachers to receive the baskets. Since July, the employees have collected 3,000 classroom supplies and $1,900 for the baskets. The baskets will help offset the average $1,000 that studies have found teachers spend annually from their own pockets on classroom supplies.

Since the beginning of the year, nearly 750,000 notes have been received for teachers on the thankamillionteachers.com website. The site is also the place where teachers can submit their proposals for the chance to win grants of $2,500.

Kona Mountain Coffee recognized at contest

Kona Mountain Coffee is the winner of the Hawaii Coffee Association 2014 Cupping Competition for coffee from Kona. Kona Mountain had the top cupping score of all 42 entries from Kona’s finest coffee farms, once again earning its reputation as the “best of the best” coffee from Kona.

Kona Mountain Coffee retails estate and private reserve 100 percent Kona coffee at its visitor center on Hulikoa Street, where the coffee is roasted and many of its Hawaii chocolates and other treats are handmade. Kona Mountain also has stores on Oahu in Waikiki at the Hilton Hawaiian Village Rainbow Bazaar and the Hilton Grand Waikikian.

For more information visit konamountaincoffee.com.

Mauna Kea Beach Hotel earns 2 awards

Mauna Kea Beach Hotel earned two prestigious national accolades — Successful Meetings 2014 Pinnacle Award and inclusion in Golf Magazine’s “Top 100 Courses You Can Play 2014” list.

This marks the second consecutive year the Mauna Kea Beach Hotel has received the Pinnacle Award, which recognizes the best meeting hotels, destinations and conference centers based on responses from Successful Meetings magazine’s readers. Along with sister property Hapuna Beach Prince Hotel, Mauna Kea Resort combines 30 venues for nearly 150,000 square feet of meeting space.

Mauna Kea Golf Course earned the No. 33 spot on Golf Magazine’s “Top 100 Courses You Can Play 2014” list. The course is one of four in the state and the only Hawaii Island course to make the ranking, which was determined by a panel of golf writers, industry insiders and professional golf course raters.

Mauna Kea Golf Course was designed by Robert Trent Jones Sr., who pioneered the technique of creating a soil base from lava rock that became a staple of Hawaii Island golf courses.

Mauna Kea Beach Hotel will mark its 50th anniversary in 2015. The first resort built on the Kohala Coast, the Mauna Kea is a landmark of luxury on Hawaii Island, offering 252 newly refreshed guest rooms and suites. Anniversary festivities tee off in December with the 41st annual Mauna Kea Pro-Am and will continue throughout 2015, highlighted with a grand celebration July 24. Visit timelessmaunakea.com, for more information.

Costco raises Children’s Miracle Network funds

Employees and members of Costco Wholesale in Kailua-Kona recently completed a six-week fundraising campaign for Children’s Miracle Network. A total of $28,803.02 was raised through activities, including Miracle Balloon sales and a Costco Wholesale matching contribution.

Funds raised will benefit Kapiolani Medical Center for Women &Children, Hawaii’s Children’s Miracle Network-affiliated hospital. As the state’s only full-service, not-for-profit children’s hospital, Kapiolani cares for all of Hawaii’s children through programs and services, such as its Pediatric Transport Team — nurses and respiratory therapists who provide lifesaving care to newborns and critically ill children who need special care while being transported across the state and to the mainland for treatment.

Costco Wholesale locations throughout Hawaii annually participate in campaigns to raise funds for the Children’s Miracle Network.

Hawaiian Airlines credit card generates funds for voyage

The successful launch of the Hawaiian Airlines World Elite MasterCard has generated an additional $100,000 in funding for the Malama Honua Worldwide Voyage. The donation is the maximum amount pledged by the airline and its credit card partners.

The companies made contributions for each credit card activated between the card’s launch Feb. 24 and May 13. The funds are available on an unrestricted basis to further the voyage’s mission of global sustainability.

The donation augments Hawaiian Airlines’ previously announced commitment of 32 million air miles for crew travel as well as cargo support to transport supplies throughout the Pacific.

Malama Honua, to care for our earth, is a four-year journey by the Polynesian voyaging canoe Hokulea and the research canoe Hikianalia. Powered by the wind, guided by the stars, and based on the culture of ancient Polynesian navigators, the voyage will cover 47,000 nautical miles and visit 85 ports in 26 countries.

Matson receives top ocean carrier honor

Matson Navigation Co. was ranked No. 1 in the ocean carrier category for Logistics Management magazine’s Quest for Quality award, which honored 15 domestic and international carriers.

The recognition is regarded in the transportation and logistics industry as the most important measure of customer satisfaction and performance excellence. For the past 31 years, the publication has conducted the annual survey of buyers of transportation and logistics services, asking them to rank service providers on five criteria: on-time performance, value, information technology, customer service and equipment and operations. This year, the survey had more than 7,400 participants.

Matson received the highest weighted score of all ocean carriers recognized this year with Quest for Quality awards. It was ranked No. 1 for on-time performance and information technology and No. 2 for customer service and equipment and operations.

The Quest for Quality awards will be presented Sept. 24 in San Antonio, in conjunction with the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals annual conference.

Ushijima receives leadership award

Art Ushijima, president of The Queen’s Health Systems, was named Hawaii’s 2014 Grassroots Champion by The American Hospital Association, in partnership with the Healthcare Association of Hawaii.

Ushijima was recognized for exceptional leadership in generating grassroots and community activity in support of a hospital’s mission. The American Hospital Association Grassroots Champion Award was created to recognize hospital leaders who most effectively educate elected officials on how major issues affect the hospital’s role in the community, who have done an exemplary job in broadening the base of community support for the hospital and who are tireless advocates for hospitals and their patients.

— NEW BUSINESS —

Kona scooter rental company opens

Surf-Kona, a scooter rental company, recently celebrated its grand opening with a launch party.

The company says its customized scooters feature “a comfortable cockpit and low center of gravity for ease in maneuvering the machine … an extra-wide rear tire paired with a long wheelbase for a stable ride … and attention grabbing design.”

Reservations may be booked online. Surf-Kona delivers and picks up scooters at hotels, condos and homes. Amenities include a retro DOT helmet, night-vision glasses, a splash proof Bluetooth speaker, lock and a drawstring bag for personal items.

For more information, visit surf-kona.com.

— MOVERS &SHAKERS —

Hawaiian Airlines announces promotions

Hawaiian Airlines has announced three leadership promotions in its legal department.

Mark Arimoto has been promoted from associate general counsel to deputy general counsel, and both Robin Kobayashi and Scott Miyasato have been promoted from assistant general counsel to associate general counsel.

Arimoto will oversee many of the day-to-day activities of Hawaiian Airlines’ legal department, including litigation, transactions and government regulations, as deputy general counsel. Arimoto joined Hawaiian Airlines as assistant general counsel in 2007. Prior to this, he worked in securities litigation for a private law firm in Boston and Los Angeles. An alumnus of Iolani School in Honolulu, Arimoto graduated from Harvard University magna cum laude and earned his law degree from Georgetown University.

Kobayashi will continue to focus on labor and employment issues for Hawaiian Airlines. Kobayashi joined Hawaiian Airlines in 2012. Prior to this, she spent 12 years working for law firms and government agencies, including four years as an attorney for the National Labor Relations Board in Washington, D.C.

She is a graduate of Kaiser High School in Honolulu and earned a bachelor of arts degree in English literature with distinction from the University of Hawaii at Manoa, before receiving her law degree from the University of Washington.

Miyasato will continue to perform, manage and supervise legal transactional matters for Hawaiian Airlines. Prior to joining Hawaiian Airlines in 2012, Miyasato spent 10 years working as a transactional attorney in private practice and serving as general counsel for a medical device company.

Miyasato is an alumnus of Pearl City High School on Oahu and obtained his undergraduate degree from the University of Washington before earning his law degree cum laude from the William S. Richardson School of Law at the University of Hawaii at Manoa.

Chamber of Commerce Hawaii names new board

The Chamber of Commerce Hawaii recently inducted eight new board members and honored seven retiring board members.

Incoming directors for the 2014-2015 fiscal year are: Ann Botticelli, senior vice president, corporate communications and public affairs, Hawaiian Airlines; James Chan, general manager and owner, Hawaiian Chip Co.; Jennifer Hee, chair steering committee, Young Professionals Program; Neil Kuyper, president and CEO, Parker Ranch; Bryan Luke, president and COO, Hawaii National Bank; Alicia Moy, president and CEO, Hawaii Gas; Peter Schiller, CEO, Honsador Holdings; Christine van Bergeijk, vice president and COO, Hawaii Community Foundation.

Chamber officers are: Dennis Francis, chairman, president and publisher, The Honolulu Star-Advertiser; Gabe Lee, chairman-elect, executive vice president of commercial markets, American Savings Bank; Virginia Pressler, MD, vice chairwoman, executive vice president and chief strategic officer, Hawaii Pacific Health; Mark Polivka, vice chairman, president, Monarch Insurance Services; Tayne Sekimura, chairman of budget and finance committee, senior vice president and CFO, Hawaiian Electric Co.; Barry Taniguchi, past chairman, CEO, KTA Super Stores; Sherry Menor-McNamara, president and CEO, Chamber of Commerce Hawaii.

The Chamber’s board of directors, comprised of executives and owners from small, medium and large businesses, meets monthly to discuss initiatives and programs and to address issues that impact the business community and the state. They guide the Chamber and determine what action should be taken on behalf of members and Hawaii’s business community.

By local sources