D. Richard Loero has joined Kauai Coffee Company, Inc. as operations manager, assuming primary responsibility for both factory and field operations at Hawai’i’s largest coffee grower. The company has 3,400 acres of coffee fields from Koloa to ‘Ele’ele, mainly on
D. Richard Loero has joined Kauai Coffee Company, Inc. as operations manager, assuming primary responsibility for both factory and field operations at Hawai’i’s largest coffee grower.
The company has 3,400 acres of coffee fields from Koloa to ‘Ele’ele, mainly on former McBryde Sugar Company lands, and is owned by Alexander & Baldwin, Inc. (NASDAQ: ALEX).
The hiring of Loero means management assistance for Frank E. Kiger, long-time general manager of Kauai Coffee. For some years, Kiger was nearly alone in the Kauai Coffee management office, which is the former McBryde Sugar management office.
Loero’s appointment was effective at the beginning of last month, and he reports to Kiger. Kauai Coffee Company produces 60 percent of the state’s coffee, and Kiger already appreciates Loero’s appointment.
“Kauai Coffee is fortunate to have Richard’s significant experience in operations, marketing and research with coffee and other crops,” said Kiger. “We look forward to applying his considerable background to further improving our operations and our coffee products.”
Prior to joining Kauai Coffee, Loero had, since 1995, been production manager for Maui’s Ka’anapali Estate Coffee, Inc., responsible for overall field and factory operations.
Previously, he had been a product development manager for Wai Engineering on O’ahu, involved in serving the agricultural industry, and had also been an agriculturist with Waialua Sugar Company on O’ahu.
Loero held key positions in operations and marketing at coffee processing plants and roasteries in Peru.
He holds a master’s degree in horticulture from the University of Hawai’i at Manoa, and bachelor’s degrees in animal science and horticulture from North Carolina State University.
The current president of the Hawai’i Coffee Growers Association, Loero is also an advisor to the Hawai’i Agricultural Research Center (formerly the Hawai’i Sugar Planters Association).
More information on Kauai Coffee is available at www.kauaicoffee.com.
A&B is a diversified corporation with headquarters in Honolulu. Principal subsidiaries are involved in property development and management, through A&B Properties, Inc., which is developing the 1,000-acre Kukui’ula project on Kaua’i’s South Shore; ocean transportation through Matson Navigation Company, Inc., which has offices at and makes weekly calls on Nawiliwili Harbor; and in food products through Hawaiian Commercial & Sugar Company (Maui’s only sugar plantation, and one of just two left in the state) and Kauai Coffee Company, Inc.; and trucking and related services on Kaua’i through Kauai Commercial Company in Puhi.
More information on A&B is available at www.alexanderbaldwin.com.
