Posted on: Monday, October 3, 2005
Trade Winds
Advertiser Staff
State SEN. WILL ESPERO, D-20th ('Ewa Beach, Waipahu) has been named community relations manager for the home-construction company D.R. Horton-Schuler Division. He will represent the kama'aina home builder before key industry and marketplace organizations, act as company liaison to company-built communities, and serve as point man for community special projects. Espero is a former general manager of 'Ewa by Gentry Community Association and property manager for Chaney, Brooks & Co.
Espero will retain his duties as senator, including chairmanship of the Business and Economic Development Committee, vice chairmanship of the Transportation and Government Operations Committee, and membership in the Tourism; Consumer Protection and Housing; and Ways and Means committees. Before he was elected state senator in 2002, Espero was the state representative for the 41st District, also representing 'Ewa Beach and lower Waipahu. He has also served as director and past president of the West O'ahu Economic Development Association, and past president of the O'ahu Filipino Jaycees.
Texas-based D.R. Horton, the nation's largest home builder (as measured by number of housing units) bought Schuler Homes in 2002. D.R. Horton communities in Hawai'i include Mehana in Kapolei, Moana Kai in Hawai'i Kai, Sea Country in Ma'ili, Ocean Ridge and Anuhea in Makakilo, The Legends at Maui Lani, Pualani Estates in South Kona, Luala'i at Parker Ranch, and Ho'okena at Puhi on Kaua'i.
Goodwill Industries has named RAFAEL ESCALERA director of retail operations for its six retail stores — including the newest location in Waipahu — plus its as-is/clearance outlet, 30 donation centers and transportation/processing departments. The new marketing manager is JENNIFER DEEMS, who has worked more than 10 years in the areas of marketing and promotions. She will oversee Goodwill's marketing program and special events, including its annual fundraising auction. Last year, Goodwill served more than 6,600 people with "employment barriers," finding gainful employment statewide for some 1,050. Its newest retail location, in the Waipahu Daiei Annex, was set to open Saturday.
Bank of Hawai'i announced two new vice presidents:
LORI URBANO will get expanded responsibilities — overseeing the human resource service center and payroll department — with her recent promotion from assistant vice president to vice president in the human resources department. Before joining the bank, she was operations and payroll manager at First Hawaiian Bank.
LINDA J. DIAS has been hired as vice president, also in the human resources department. Previously, she was vice president for State Street Corp., and senior manager at Accenture (formerly Anderson Consulting), Boston.
JAMES ANDERTON has been named operations manager for Aloha 'Aina Homes, the Big Island's new FAST (factory assembled steel) housing production facility. In his new position, he will oversee company operations, 45 full-time employees and production. Westpro Holdings' related companies also include, among others, Avalon Hawai'i Construction LLC and Akamai Reality LLC.
Two top management changes have been announced by Island Partners Hawai'i, the new destination-management company, of which former Hawai'i Visitors and Convention Bureau head Tony Vericella is managing director.
DONALD KAWIKA CHOCK was named director of sales and marketing. Chock's 24-plus years in the luxury hospitality industry includes experience with the Ritz-Carlton Hotel Co. and Grand Wailea Resort Hotel and Spa.
LEONA BALTHAZAR, one of Island Partners' original founders, will see her role as corporate adviser expanded to include a broader influence in strategic planning, development of new client services, and focus on company branding.
A destination management company is one with extensive local knowledge that specializes in the organization and logistics of meetings, events, activities, tours, transportation and program logistics.
Following a national search, JOAN KRATZ has been named chief marketing officer of Hawaiian Telcom, rounding out the company's senior executive team. Kratz has more than 20 years' telecommunications marketing and sales experience at the regional and national levels. She worked with such telecom leaders as Sprint Communications, MCI Communications Corp., and BellSouth Corp. before joining Hawaiian Telcom, as vice president, business marketing.
DANIEL SMITH — who once worked for Hawaiian Telcom predecessor GTE Hawaiian Tel — has rejoined the company as vice president for corporate communications. His 15-year corporate communications career has included a post as director of executive communications with Dallas-based Texas Instruments.
Two key department managers have been named at Hilton Hawaiian Village Beach Resort and Spa: RABEA OHL, a veteran of front-office and reservations departments at hotels in Europe and Australia, was named assistant reservations manager; and JAYNE McELROY, most recently software coordinator and project manager at Network 2000 LLC in Honolulu, was appointed telecommunications manager.
Peter B. Giles has been named director of the Mauna Kea Astronomy Education Center, the $28 million center expected to open this year on a nine-acre site in the University of Hawai'i-Hilo's University Park of Science and Technology. The center aims to meld Hawaiian culture and the science of astronomy, and will feature a laser planetarium and three futuristic, titanium-covered cones on three sides of a 12,000-square-foot exhibit hall.
Giles worked 18 years as president and CEO at the Tech Museum of Innovation in San Jose, Calif., and served on the board of the Association of Science and Technology Centers, and the San Jose Convention and Visitors Bureau.
Announcements of promotions and job changes can be sent to: Trade Winds, Business Section, The Hono-lulu Advertiser, P.O. Box 3110, Hono-lulu, HI 96802; fax 525-6763; or dbutts @hono luluadvertiser.com. For e-mailed releases, please make sure the information is included in the body of the message, not in an attachment. Hard-copy, color mug shots are preferred.
| | |
|
|
