NEWS & NOTES Matson to hike fuel surcharge Officials at Matson Navigation Company, a wholly owned subsidiary of Alexander & Baldwin, Inc., announced recently they would increase the fuel surcharge for Hawai’i ocean-delivery services by 3.5 percent, from 15 percent
NEWS & NOTES
Matson to hike fuel surcharge
- Officials at Matson Navigation Company, a wholly owned subsidiary of Alexander & Baldwin, Inc., announced recently they would increase the fuel surcharge for Hawai’i ocean-delivery services by 3.5 percent, from 15 percent to 18.5 percent, effective April 2. High fuel prices are being pointed to as the cause for the needed increase, company officials said in a press release.
Ladd joins Sheraton Kauai Resort
- Sheraton Kauai Resort leaders recently announced that Shannon Ladd has joined the Po’ipu property as director of human resources. In her new position, she will be responsible for directing employment, wage and salary administration, benefits, training, employee/labor relations, and organizational development for the resort, resort officials said in a press release.
Ladd began her hotel career at a leading hotel company as a corporate management trainee. She quickly moved through the rooms division to become assistant executive housekeeper. Her experience spans time spent in the rooms division, as well as in human resources and labor relations. Ladd’s most recent position was assistant director of human resources at a luxury property in California.
Born and raised on O’ahu, Ladd is a graduate of Kamehameha Schools, and holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Colorado State University. She enjoys scrapbooking, hiking, going to the beach, and spending time with her 2-and-1/2-year-old son, in her spare time.
The Sheraton Kauai Resort, a 413-room, oceanfront property located on Po’ipu Beach, is a member of Starwood Hotels & Resorts of Hawaii, made up of four brands: Sheraton, Westin, W Hotels and the Luxury Collection. For more information on Starwood Hotels and Resorts Hawaii, visit www.starwoodhotels.com/hawaii or call toll-free 1-888-488-3535.
Another Prepare Fair is coming
- Leaders of the Alexander & Baldwin Foundation (A&B Foundation), funded by the business activities of Alexander & Baldwin, Inc. and its subsidiaries, have granted $15,000 for the production of a third Kauai Prepare Fair, a homebuyer-community-education effort initiated on this island by A&B leaders last year, they said in a press release.
The 2006 Prepare Fair will be held on April 29, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Kaua’i War Memorial Convention Hall on Hardy Street in Lihu’e.
With this latest grant, the A&B Foundation leaders will have invested $45,000 over the last two years in helping Kaua’i residents to prepare for first-time homeownership.
In 2005, hundreds of Kaua’i residents eager to learn about the process of buying a home attended the first fair held at Kaua’i Community College, and the second, held in Hanapepe.
A&B Foundation Hawaii Committee Chair Meredith Ching said, “Our hope is that the A&B Foundation’s support for these educational events, coupled with our funding company’s efforts to develop homes for the people of Kaua’i, will help to put more Kaua’i residents in homes of their own over the next several years.”
Contractors Association of Kauai (CAK) leaders are again coordinating the fair, which will offer scheduled workshops in addition to five hours of exhibition by representatives of organizations who can assist in the homeownership process. For exhibitor information, contact Karen Taketa at 246-2662.
“Two years ago, we asked employees to help identify priority causes within their communities, and homeownership was one of the top items on their lists,” added Ching. “So we looked for innovative and effective means of meeting community needs, and the first two Prepare Fairs were successful in raising awareness of programs and opportunities that already were available. In the end, we want to better people’s lives.”
A&B’s Kaua’i subsidiaries are A&B Properties, Matson Navigation, Kauai Coffee Company, Kauai Commercial Company and Kukui’ula Development Company.
The A&B Foundation leaders granted more than $2 million to nearly 500 charities in Hawai’i, the Pacific Islands, and on the Mainland during 2005.
For more information, visit the Web site, www.alexanderbaldwin.com, and look for the A&B Foundation link.
Hawaiian, Northwest join forces
- Hawaiian Airlines (AMEX and PCX: HA) and Northwest Airlines leaders in a press release recently announced that they have enhanced their long-standing marketing relationship by signing an exclusive interisland code share agreement for air travel within Hawai’i. Northwest customers booking transpacific flights to Hawai’i with connections to Kaua’i, Maui or the Big Island will continue enjoying the advantages of Hawaiian’s award-winning, hassle-free service, including seamless connections with their ticketing and luggage.
The new agreement is especially beneficial for members of the two airlines’ respective frequent-flyer-awards programs. HawaiianMiles members earn frequent-flyer miles traveling aboard Northwest, and can also redeem mileage awards for flights to any destination Northwest serves worldwide, with the exception of those routes served by Hawaiian. Members of WorldPerks, Northwest’s frequent-flyer awards program, earn 500 miles for every interisland flight taken aboard Hawaiian, and actual mileage between Honolulu and Sydney, Pago Pago, or Papeete. WorldPerks members can also redeem their mileage on all Hawaiian interisland and South Pacific flights.
“Northwest was our first code share partner, and this exclusive new agreement ensures their customers will continue to receive the very best service available when traveling between the islands,” said Kirk Smith, Hawaiian’s vice president of marketing and sales.
“We are delighted to be enhancing our partnership with Hawaiian Airlines. The seamless benefits and Hawaiian’s network provides convenient connections to some of the world’s most popular vacation destinations,” said Nathaniel Pieper, Northwest’s vice president for alliances.
Professionals can renew licenses online
- State Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs (DCCA) officials announced in a press release that more than 7,500 Hawai’i engineers, architects, surveyors and landscape architects (EASLA) may now renew their licenses online at www.ehawaii.gov/pvlrenew.
The program is a part of the effort by DCCA leaders to implement efficient, online filing procedures for owners and operators of businesses and other professionals.
EASLA professionals are required by state law to renew their licenses every two years. During the last renewal EA-SLA cycle in 2004, more than 2,300 licensees (about 38 percent) renewed their licenses online.
DCCA’s Professional and Vocational Licensing Division (PVL) employees report that, in just the first week of this renewal cycle, the number of licensees renewing online has already surpassed the total for 2004, with more than 2,400 licenses renewed online.
“We are hopeful the upward trend in online filings will continue as licensees realize that the online process is faster and easier than filling out the paper forms,” said DCCA Director Mark Recktenwald.
A renewal postcard notice with instructions for completing the online renewal has been mailed to each current license holder. EASLA licensees who prefer to mail in their renewal may call toll-free 274-3141, then 6-3000# after the recorded message, to request an application.
Online renewals will be accepted until midnight on April 30. After that date, renewals will not be accepted online, and persons wishing to renew their licenses must submit the forms by mail or in person.
The development of this online service is part of state leaders’ overall campaign to improve efficiency by implementing electronic government services.
Currently, ehawaii.gov has more than 30 online applications that residents, owners and operators of businesses and even visitors may use to conduct business with the state government via the Internet.
Hawai’i’s official Internet portal, ehawaii.gov, is managed by professionals with Hawaii Information Consortium, LLC (HIC). HIC leaders work with officials in state agencies to enable them to conduct state business online, and improve public access to government information.
Habitat for Humanity golf tourney set
- Aloha Lumber Company leaders are sponsoring the Habitat Fore Humanity Golf Tournament, set for April 30 at the Princeville Makai Golf Course. It is a two-person scramble event with a 7:30 a.m. shotgun start. Team members registering before Tuesday will receive two free Mulligans. Trips to Las Vegas and the Neighbor Islands will be given away. For more information, call Aloha Lumber Co., Inc., 822-9818, ext. 27.
DeLima returns for secretary celebration
- Funny-man Frank DeLima returns to Kaua’i, along with Las Vegas hypnotist Scott Lewis, for the 20th Annual Super Secretaries’ Celebration, set for April 28 at the Kaua’i Marriott Resort & Beach Club Grand Ballroom. Leaders of the International Association of Administrative Professionals, KONG Radio Group and the Kaua’i Chamber of Commerce sponsor the event.
Spring Gourmet Gala is coming
- Top chefs from Kaua’i and around the state are again preparing to converge on Kaua’i Community College for the Fourth Annual Culinary Institute of the Pacific Spring Gourmet Gala, set for April 14 at 6 p.m. in the KCC fine dining room. There will be a silent auction, and chefs Alan Wong, Hiroshi Fukui, DK Kodama and Danny Morioka will be presenting some of their favorite dishes.
