• Princeville resort welcomes new GM • Passenger screening system planned for state harbors • 3 Kaua‘i hotels on Travel + Leisure list • Active lifestyle store opens in Kapa‘a • HSBDC hosts workshop Princeville resort welcomes new GM Princeville Resort
• Princeville resort welcomes new GM
• Passenger screening system planned for state harbors
• 3 Kaua‘i hotels on Travel + Leisure list
• Active lifestyle store opens in Kapa‘a
• HSBDC hosts workshop
Princeville resort welcomes new GM
Princeville Resort has announced a change in management, with longtime General Manager Kelly Hoen making the transition to the Royal Hawaiian Hotel on O‘ahu effective tomorrow.
Milton Sgarbi leaves the St. Regis Bora Bora Resort to take Hoen’s place at the Princeville.
Both Hoen and Sgarbi will oversee the re-launch of their respective hotels under new branding.
The Princeville Resort is scheduled to close Sept. 19 for seven months of renovations. It will re-open in April as the St. Regis Princeville under parent company Starwood Hotel & Resorts Worldwide’s luxury brand.
Before opening the St. Regis Bora Bora Resort in November 2005, Sgarbi was general manager of the Hotel Romazzino in Sardinia, Italy, for six years. He has also worked for Le Meridien Lisbon, The Ritz Lisbon and two luxury properties in Brazil. He has a bachelor’s degree in hotel administration and a master’s in hospitality management.
The Royal Hawaiian is currently being remodeled and will open in January
Hoen joined the Princeville as general manager in 2002 after serving in the same role at the Kapalua Bay Hotel. Previously, she worked six years as director of sales and marketing at the Hyatt Regency Kauai Resort and Spa.
Hoen has extensive experience in hotel marketing, including sales management positions at the former Westin Kauai at Kauai Lagoons and Kauai Hilton and Beach Villas. Born and raised in Hawai‘i, Hoen graduated from La Pietra Hawaii School for Girls and received her degree from Stephens College in Columbia, Mo.
Passenger screening system planned for state harbors
Federal and state grants totaling almost $1.2 million will fund the construction of a non-invasive passenger screening system capable of detecting improvised explosive devices at passenger ship facilities statewide.
The radiation-free imaging system will be installed at Nawiliwili, Honolulu, Kahului and Hilo harbors, and relay information to the Honolulu Harbor Surveillance Command Information System, state Law Enforcement Coalition at the state Capitol, and state Civil Defense. The system will be able to detect metallic and non-metallic weapons without physical pat-downs by security screeners.
The state’s share of the funding, $296,983, was released last week; a federal grant comprises $890,947 of total construction costs.
Construction is scheduled to begin in November and be completed by December 2009.
3 Kaua‘i hotels on Travel + Leisure list
Three Kaua‘i properties made Travel + Leisure magazine’s list of Hawai‘i’s top 25 hotels.
The Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort & Spa came in at No. 9, the Princeville Resort followed at No. 14, and the Kaua‘i Marriott rounded out Kaua‘i representation at No. 21.
The list is compiled annually by the magazine. For more information, visit www.travelandleisure.com
Active lifestyle store opens in Kapa‘a
Kapa‘a active lifestyle store Work It Out will have a grand opening on Saturday.
Located at 4-1312 Kuhio Highway, Work It Out will provide for running, walking, hiking, yoga, exercise, martial arts and water sports needs with Asic, Brooks, Keen and Teva footwear; Hawaiian Optics sunglasses; Sanuk, Lily Lotus, Gaiam Pro and Violet Love clothing for yoga and exercise; Phiten, Amphipod and DaKine accessories; and Kamaoha Farms energy snacks.
Owner Jeni Kaohelaulii of Kaohelaulii Ohana Inc. is a 2001 graduate of Kapa’a High School.
“As much as possible I want to support local products and local vendors,” Kaohelaulii said. “My intention is to always provide resident customers and visitors with honesty and integrity when it comes to customer service and to embody the spirit of aloha and practice Hawaiian values in my interactions with visitors to my store.”
HSBDC hosts workshop
The Hawai‘i Small Business Development Center Network will host a music, video and software agreements workshop Aug. 5 at the Kaua‘i Veterans Center from 9 a.m. to noon. George Darby will lead the seminar.
Free consultation slots are available from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. Registration costs $30 and the deadline is Friday. For more information, visit www.hawaii-sbdc.org or call 241-3148.
