• Na Pali featured in April National Geographic • Deadline to register for SBA awards ceremonies approaching • CB Richard Ellis named to BusinessWeek magazine’s 50 best Na Pali featured in April National Geographic Kaua‘i’s Na Pali coast appears in
• Na Pali featured in April National Geographic
• Deadline to register for SBA awards ceremonies approaching
• CB Richard Ellis named to BusinessWeek magazine’s 50 best
Na Pali featured in April National Geographic
Kaua‘i’s Na Pali coast appears in the April issue of National Geographic magazine.
But unlike the other travel publications that regularly explore Kaua‘i in their pages, this feature article and photo essay will reach almost 7 million readers worldwide and countless more on the Web.
So what effect does such high-profile coverage have on the island’s visitor industry?
For one, the magazine itself acknowledges that its first profile of Na Pali launched a pilgrimage of sorts among people in search of “Shangri-la” back in 1960.
But the real impact hinges on the nature of the coverage, which contrasts the beauty of the area and the footprint that today’s human presence leaves.
According to Sue Kanoho, executive director of the Kaua‘i Visitors Bureau, this isn’t the type of article that she’d use in the agency’s public relations efforts, but it might be something she’d reference when talking to the Department of Land and Natural Resources about a lack of state funding to maintain Kaua‘i’s parks.
“After reading the National Geographic article, I feel it’s fair — it shows the magnificence of the Na Pali Coast and yet points out there is room for improvement for care and maintenance,” Kanoho said. “I can appreciate (State Parks Administrator) Dan Quinn’s comment about how things could be better for the area if people made more of an effort to pack out what they pack in.”
To read the article and see view the photos, visit www.nationalgeographic.com.
Deadline to register for SBA awards ceremonies approaching
Awards ceremonies for the U.S. Small Business Administration’s island and state winners are fast approaching, as are the registration deadlines to attend.
The Kaua‘i SBA awards luncheon will take place aboard the Diamond Princess cruise ship on April 23. A shuttle service from Vidinha Stadium to Nawiliwili Harbor runs from 10:30 a.m. to 11:15 a.m., and the luncheon starts at noon.
Due to Transportation and Security Administration regulations, the hard deadline to register for the Kaua‘i event is Tuesday. There is space for the first 135 people who register and submit a $60 payment.
For more information, call 245-8815 or visit www.kauaichamber.org.
The Kaua‘i honorees for 2008 are:
• Marynel Valenzuela, owner of Ink Spot Printing, Kaua‘i Small Business Person of the Year
• Jonathan Ota and family, owners of Tip Top Motel Café & Bakery, Family-owned Business for Kaua‘i and the state of Hawai‘i
• Lori Cardenas, owner of Aunty Lilikoi’s, Kaua‘i’s Exporter of the Year
• Joan Conrow, writer, Kaua‘i’s Small Business Journalist of the Year
• Ernie Pasion, president of the Filipino Chamber of Commerce of Kaua‘i, Kaua‘i’s Minority Small Business Champion
On O‘ahu, the statewide honorees will receive their awards at a luncheon at the Hilton Hawaiian Village beginning at 11 a.m. on April 30. The deadline to submit payment and registration is April 25, and the cost to attend is $45.
Tip Top Motel & Cafe is the only Kaua‘i-based business among the 33 recipients to be recognized at the state event, having beat out candidates from the other islands in the category of best family-owned small business.
For more information, call (808) 526-1001.
CB Richard Ellis named to BusinessWeek magazine’s 50 best
CB Richard Ellis Group Inc. has been named to BusinessWeek magazine’s 50 best performers across all industries for the second straight year.
The list in the April 7 issue includes the 50 best-in-class companies that the magazine says represent star performers in each of the 10 sectors that make up the S&P 500. CB Richard Ellis Group was ranked 11th on the 2008 list, up from 16th last year.
The companies were selected based on key financial metrics, including return on investment and sales growth along with such attributes as “management vision” that BusinessWeek cites as essential for performance success.
CB Richard Ellis Group Inc., an S&P 500 company headquartered in Los Angeles, is the world’s largest commercial real estate services firm in terms of 2007 revenue. It has offices in Hawai‘i on O‘ahu, Maui, Big Island and Kaua‘i.
— Staff reports
