MARRIOTT INTERNATIONAL

Rodney Ito has been appointed area director of operations for Marriott International – North Asia, Hawai'i and South Pacific. He will provide operational oversight at 33 properties. He has 26 years of hotel hospitality experience.

HAWAII KAI RETIREMENT COMMUNITY

Denise Bilodeau has been hired as assisted living administrator for Hawaii Kai Retirement Community. She oversees the day-to-day operations of the 81-unit facility, including 24/7 live-in management, transportation services, chef-prepared meals, housekeeping and linen services, travel opportunities and other activities.

AQUA ENGINEERS

Kaua'i-based Aqua Engineers wastewater management company has promoted Hugh Strom and Lyle Tabata.

Strom is now senior vice president/business development, overseeing and supporting the Army operations manager in developing and coordinating procedures for all Army contracts and projects.

Tabata has been promoted to Kaua'i operations group manager. He will oversee, coach and develop the Kaua'i operations group teams.

ASTON KAUAI BEACH

Aston Kauai Beach at Makaiwa has appointed Isaac "Ike" Cockett general manager, Rafael Camarillo executive chef and Jaye Gayagas-Youn director of sales.

Cockett oversees operations at the 311-room beachfront hotel. He has more than 20 years of experience in the travel and hospitality industry.

Rafael Camarillo oversees the hotel restaurant and banquet kitchens. His award-winning creations have earned top honors from Hospitality Magazine, Taste of Hawaii and Hawaii Hotel & Lodging Association.

Gayagas-Youn oversees and develops all hotel group segments. She has more than 20 years of experience in Kaua'i's hospitality industry.

HAWAII HEALTH SYSTEMS

Ted Peskin, M.D., a fellow of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, has been named medical director of acute care for the Hawaii Health Systems facilities in the East Hawai'i region, which includes Hilo Medical Center, Hale Ho'ola Hamakua in Honoka'a and Ka'ū Hospital.

Peskin will serve as the medical staff liaison to the regional chief executive officer and executive management team. He has 32 years of experience in active practice, teaching and training of medical students.

Russell Higa has been appointed director of human resources for Hawaii Health Systems Corporation, O'ahu region. He will oversee the human resource operations of Leahi and Maluhia Hospitals. He previously served as an independent arbitrator and mediator in labor disputes involving public-sector employers and unions.

HAWAII GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES ASSOCIATION

The Hawaii Government Employees Association has promoted Maureen Wakuzawa from financial supervisor to controller. An 18 year HGEA veteran, she was previously a financial manager at Halekulani Hotel and a senior auditor at N&K CPAs Inc. She is a certified public accountant.

GRAHAM BUILDERS

With the company experiencing positive business growth, Graham Builders has welcomed back James Jonah as finish carpenter. A talented craftsman, Jonah completes the interior finish of new projects, renovations and warranty work, including finish work on doors, cabinets, crown moulding, closets and stairways.

GROUP 70

Group 70 recently announced James Matsuzaki as the application developer to the firm's newly formed technology services division. He has a strong background in developing custom database applications. He was formerly a GIS analyst and programmer with Critigen in Honolulu.

Group 70 has hired Steven Hochart as technology services director. He is skilled in managing the Enterprise Geographic Information and Asset Management Systems. He has over 13 years of experience.

PACIFICBASIN COMMUNICATIONS

Scott Schumaker has been named president of PacificBasin Communications, which publishes eight Hawai'i-based magazines

Jayson Harper has been named publisher of HAWAII Magazine and Alyson Helwagen has been named publisher of HONOLULU Magazine, Ala Moana Magazine, and Whalers Village Magazine.

Schumaker, who started as an account executive with HONOLULU Magazine, has been with the company for 16 years and is past president of the Hawaii Publishers Association.

Harper, PacificBasin's creative director for nearly a decade, is a Pacific Century Fellow who started his career as an art director with Honolulu Weekly and whose work has been widely recognized.

Helwagen joined PacificBasin in 2007 as editor for three magazine titles, bringing with her Lei Chic.com, an e-zine she founded. A former journalist, she appears biweekly on Hawai'i News Now's segment "Living Lei Chic."

LIQUID PLANET STUDIOS

Liquid Planet Studios has hired Dan Schmidt as director of production and Mia Noguchi as chief communications officer and director of public relations.

Schmidt will manage all aspects of production and post production and will oversee equipment and studio rental. He led the programming, sports, creative services, community services and news departments of KHNL for more than 25 years.

Noguchi was formerly a manager with the University of Hawai'i External Affairs and University Relations Office and vice president in charge of operations in the McNeil Wilson Communications corporate and public affairs division.

ALOHA AIR CARGO

Aloha Air Cargo has promoted Paul Apuna from operation supervisor to Honolulu station manager-ground operations. He will oversee cargo ground operation in Honolulu and work closely with neighbor island management and personnel.

ALEXANDER & BALDWIN INC.

Daniel Ligienza has joined Alexander & Baldwin Inc. as vice president and controller-agribusiness. He will be in charge of financial reporting, accounting and internal controls, as well as financial and operational planning and analysis for A&B's statewide agribusiness operations,.

DESIGN PARTNERS

Design Partners Incorporated has promoted Jay Ogawa from project architect to associate. He will be responsible for leading his design team in client services and overseeing various mid to large scale projects in their construction documentation and administration phases.

PACIFIC CAPITAL HOME LOANS

Pacific Capital Home Loans has hired experienced loan specialists, Linda Char and Lori Ann Fukumoto.

Char is a mortgage banker and certified mortgage planning specialist with more than a decade of related experience.

Fukumoto is an executive loan officer with extensive sales and management experience.

Announcements of promotions and job changes run in Monday's business section, space permitting. Items may be sent to: Alan Yonan, Business Section, The Honolulu Advertiser, P.O. Box 3110, Honolulu, HI 96802; faxed to 525-6763, or e-mailed to tradewinds@honoluluadvertiser.com. Releases are subject to trimming and editing, and may be published or distributed in print, electronic and other forms. For e-mailed releases, please make sure the information is included in the body of the message, not as an attachment. High resolution (at least 200 dpi in a .jpg format) color photographs preferred.