The following individuals recently launched a business, were appointed to a leadership position or honored for their work in the business community: • John Fink has been named Poipu Bay Golf Course’s Employee of the Quarter for the first quarter
The following individuals recently launched a business, were appointed to a leadership position or honored for their work in the business community:
• John Fink has been named Poipu Bay Golf Course’s Employee of the Quarter for the first quarter of 2008. Fink began at Poipu Bay as a temporary employee in the Golf Maintenance Department to work on the course’s bunker renovation project. In October of last year, he was hired as a full-time employee. Supervisor CJ Rebb said Fink is an “exceptional worker who requires little or no supervision.” The award is based on nominations by department supervisors, commending employees in the areas of attendance, conscientiousness, attitude, efficiency, innovation, guest service and aloha spirit.
• Les Honda was appointed director of guest experiences at Roberts Hawaii. Honda Brings more than 30 years of experience in client and consumer services. He will be responsible for creating and identifying offerings to provide guests with memorable experiences. Prior to joining Roberts Hawaii, Honda spent 15 years at Borders Group Inc., where he most recently served as district marketing manager and oversaw marketing, public relations, promotions and special events for all 14 stores. Previously Honda spent 16 years in advertising as a designer, illustrator and art director. Born and raised in Wahiawa, Honda graduated from Leilehua High School and studied art and illustration at the Minneapolis College of Art and Design.
• Paula J. Hamilton has been named senior vice president of retail credit at Bank of Hawaii. She was promoted from her previous position as vice president. Hamilton continues to oversee analytics and reporting for retail loan products. In addition, she is responsible for asset quality summaries and analyses and developing data management, process improvement and credit policy strategies. Prior to joining Bank of Hawaii in 2005, Hamilton served as a risk management consultant at Wells Fargo in San Francisco, Calif.
• Diane Y. Higa has been promoted to senior vice president and IT services director of the Information Management and Systems Group from vice president at Bank of Hawaii. Her responsibilities include managing the core banking system applications in addition to the service delivery functions of the Information Management and Systems Group, which include the Help Desk and Project Management Office. Before joining the bank in 1994 as a product manager in the Retail Products Division, Higa served as a document processing manager at First Hawaiian Bank.
• Darlene-Inez “Kaleo” Kekoolani has been promoted to senior vice president of human resources from vice president at Bank of Hawaii. In her new role, she continues her responsibilities as compensation and benefits manager, which entails designing, developing and administering compensation and benefit programs, including executive compensation, job evaluation, salary administration and incentive and benefit plan designs. She also oversees human resources information systems.
• Coleen F. Shoji has been promoted to senior vice president of cash management services and account analysis operations from vice president. She continues her duties as manager, which include coordinating, planning and executing the bank’s cash and treasury management sales strategy. In addition, she oversees sales and marketing, servicing and development of cash management services and products for small, mid-sized and large commercial and corporate banking clients. She is also responsible for the daily management of the account analysis operations department. Prior to joining Bank of Hawaii in 2000 as vice president and commercial banking officer, Shoji served as vice president of corporate banking at Central Pacific Bank and assistant vice president of corporate banking and commercial real estate at First Hawaiian Bank.
• Dacheng Dong was named associate by PBR HAWAII. He previously served as senior planner/GIS analyst at the architectural and landscaping firm. Dong joined PBR HAWAII in January 2005 and specializes in master plan design, site planning, land and resource analysis, and GIS mapping and rendering using a variety of programs such as cartographic mapping in ArcGIS 9 and Computer Aided Drafting. His current projects include O‘oma Beachside Village on the Big Island, Honua‘ula residential community development on Maui, and Waiawa Ridge resident community planned for Central O‘ahu. Prior to joining the firm, Dong served as an intern planner at Belt Collins Hawaii Ltd. and as a graduate research assistant at the University of Hawai‘i’s Department of Urban and Regional Planning. He earned his architecture degree from Beijing Polytechnic University and a master’s of urban and regional planning degree from the University of Hawai‘i at Manoa.
