Veteran hotel industry executive Rodney Ito has been named area director of operations for Marriott International in North Asia, Hawai'i and the South Pacific.

Ito, who most recently served as general manager of the Waikoloa Beach Marriott Resort & Spa, will oversee 33 properties representing the following brands: JW Marriott Hotels & Resorts, Marriott Hotels & Resorts and Renaissance Hotels & Resorts, Courtyard by Marriott Hotels, and Marriott Executive Apartments.

The properties are in Hawai'i, Australia, Japan, South Korea, Philippines, Singapore and Guam.

Ito will be based in Honolulu and will report directly to Chris Tatum, area vice president for Marriott International in North Asia, Hawai'i and South Pacific.

HAWAIIAN AIR HAILS OIL-PRICING MEASURE

Hawaiian Airlines applauded federal legislation proposed by Sen. Blanche Lincoln, D-Ark., that would limit the practice of speculation in oil markets, which has been blamed for pushing up oil prices in recent years.

The Wall Street Transparency and Accountability Act of 2010 would close loopholes in trading laws that allow speculators to buy and sell oil futures like securities, but without the same amount of oversight and regulation.

"Speculation in oil futures has caused enormous damage to our industry and our country's economy broadly by artificially driving up fuel prices," said Mark Dunkerley, Hawaiian's president and chief executive officer.

"We applaud Senator Lincoln's reform bill, which would curtail this practice that allows speculators to profit at the expense of consumers."

UH LAW SCHOOL RANKED 72ND OVERALL

The University of Hawai'i's William S. Richardson School of Law was rated 72nd out of 184 accredited law schools in this year's U.S. News and World Report annual law school rankings.

The law school also was ranked as the 23rd most selective school in terms of the ratio of admission offers/applications. In addition, the school's new part-time program was rated 28th out of 84 schools in the ranking, according to the magazine.

The magazine also ranked the law school:

• Sixth in employment rate nine months after graduation.

• 19th lowest average student debt upon graduation.

• Second best student-teacher ratio.

• 46th best bar passage rate.