News & Notes
Small business tips for finding federal R&D grants
The High Technology Development Corp. will host a statewide conference to show local small businesses how to compete for more than $2 billion in research and development grants awarded annually through the federal Small Business Innovation Research assistance program as well as Small Business Technology Transfer Research. The workshop will take place on Kaua‘i beginning 7:30 a.m. Nov. 15 at the Hilton Kauai Beach Resort.
To date, 66 Hawai‘i companies have received more than $69 million from the federal program, plus another $57 million in commercialization investment and sales, according to a press release.
“(Those) programs provide small businesses with federal funding opportunities if their innovative ideas match the needs of the 11 participating federal agencies,” Yuka Nagashima, HTDC executive director and CEO, said in a press release. “The goal is to develop and commercialize these innovative ideas.”
Topics to be discussed include basic and advanced proposal writing, intellectual property management, commercialization, networking opportunities and advice from successful SBIR companies.
Registration is $95 and includes handouts, one-on-one meetings with managers, panel discussions, lunch and networking sessions. For more information, visit www.htdc.org/SBIR/conference_2007 or call 539-3841.
Traffic up at Hawaiian Airlines
Hawaiian Airlines reported its October traffic statistics last week. During the month, the airline served 607,393 passengers, and it recorded revenue passenger miles, or one paying passenger transported one mile, of 704,320,000.
Available seat miles, or one seat transported one mile, were 783,701,000. The load factor, or percentage of seating capacity utilized, was 89.9 percent.
For the same month in 2006, this year’s figures for total operations — chartered and scheduled flights — increased for passengers carried, revenue passenger miles and available seat miles. There was a decrease of 3.5 percent over last year in load factor.
The October year-to-date figures for 2006 and 2007 fared similarly, with increases in all categories except for load factor.
Marriott Golf adds Kaua‘i Lagoons to portfolio
Marriott Golf has assumed management of Kaua‘i Lagoons Golf Club, located in Lihu‘e and home to 36 holes of Jack Nicklaus Signature-designed golf, featuring the Mokihana Course and the oceanfront Kiele Course.
Marriott Golf will oversee an immediate refinement of the Kiele course, which will include the realignment of two holes to overlook the Kalapaki coastline for a total of four oceanfront holes. The company will also manage golf course maintenance, instructional programs, food and beverage services, and overall golf programming.
An estimated 350 acres of the property, including the entire golf course, will be preserved as undeveloped green space.
The golf course is part of a larger Marriott Ownership Resorts Inc. development to include 520 acres of low-density real estate. Residential options will include the first phase of 14 luxury Ritz-Carlton Residences and 78 Grand Residences.
For more information, visit www.marriottgolf.com or www.kauailagoons.com.
Chamber hosts end-of-year events
In its final workshop of the year, the Kaua‘i Chamber of Commerce will host a seminar on sexual harassment, co-sponsored by the Hawaii Employers Council. The program to be held from 8:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. Nov. 9 at the ResortQuest Kaua‘i Beach at Makaiwa Paddle Room. It will inform employees and supervisors of their responsibilities and liabilities regarding sexual and other harassment complaints. It will also cover how to determine whether prohibited behavior has occurred.
The seminar will be led by Carmen Osborne, human resources consultant for Hawaii Employers Council, an organization that provides information, feedback and training in areas such as personnel practices, policies, benefits and employee performance problems. The cost is $85 for members, $105 for non-members, and $80 each for four or more members.
The last Business After Hours event for 2007 will take place from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Nov. 14 at the Kilohana Plantation Lu‘au Hale.
The event is hosted by the chamber, the county’s Kaua‘i Made Program as well as Kaua‘i Publishing Co. and The Garden Island, Kilohana and Norwegian Cruise Line. It is a networking opportunity open to members and non-members.
The theme is holidays, and members of the Kaua‘i Made Program will have gift items available for sale as well as prizes. Pupus and refreshments will be provided. The cost to attend is $15 for members, $20 for non-members or tickets at the door. For more information, call 245-7363 or visit www.kauaichamber.org.
TGI among top 20 growing dailies
Editor & Publisher magazine released a list Monday of the top daily newspaper gainers in circulation for the six-month period ending Sept. 31. Among the top 20 was The Garden Island.
The nearly 10,000-circulation TGI ranked 14th on the list with 2.57 percent growth. Heading up the list was The Villages Daily Sun in The Villages, Fla., which posted 9.52 percent growth .
TGI’s Circulation Manager Kyle Larson attributed the boost in readership to a better product — from editorial and advertising content to press quality.
“It’s a collective effort,” Larson said.
The results were based on FAS-FAX numbers from the Audit Bureau of Circulations. Across the nation, the study showed a 2.5 percent decline in daily circulation.
Financial presentation on creating a legacy
Edward Jones Financial Advisor Rob Lansdell of Kalaheo will host a free satellite broadcast titled “Create a Legacy for Future Generations” at 12:30 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 13, at his Rainbow Plaza office, 2-2514 Kaumuali‘i Highway, suite 203.
Attorneys will discuss how wills, trusts and planned gifting can help investors create meaningful and continuing financial legacies for people and causes important to them.
Rhonda Anderson, co-founder of Creative Memories, will explain how journals, scrapbooks and photographs can help leave behind a legacy of “life and learning.”
This interactive event is presented at select Edward Jones branch offices nationwide via the firm‘s private video network. For more information, call Lansdell at 332-7469 or visit www.edwardjones.com.
— TGI and Lee News Wire reports