BUSINESS BRIEFS
Isle sugar cane production growing
Advertiser Staff
Hawai'i's sugar cane production for 2007 is forecast at 1.78 million tons, up 6 percent from 1.68 million tons in 2006.
Sugar cane growers in the state plan to harvest 22,500 acres this year, up slightly from 22,400 acres last year, according to the local field office of the National Agricultural Statistics Service. Yield is forecast at 79 tons per acre, up from 75 tons per acre in 2006.
Hawai'i's yield per acre is more than double that of the other three sugar-producing states, Florida, Texas and Louisiana. Florida is second to Hawai'i in yield with a forecast of 36.9 tons per acre in 2007.
Total U.S. sugar cane production for 2007 is forecast at 30.4 million tons, up 2.7 percent from $29.6 million tons in 2006.
DOCUMENTARY LOOKS AT BISHOP'S LIFE
First Hawaiian Bank is releasing a documentary film about the life and legacy of the bank's founder, Charles Reed Bishop, as part of the bank's upcoming 150th anniversary celebration.
The 30-minute documentary was written and directed by award-winning local filmmaker and producer Tom Coffman. The documentary will air on KHON-2 from 6:30 to 7 p.m. Jan. 17.
Limited quantities of the film in DVD format will be available for free at all First Hawaiian Bank branches and made available to Hawai'i public libraries. The film also will be provided to Kamehameha Schools and Bishop Museum for their use.
"The bank chose to honor a man that dedicated his life to Hawai'i and its people," First Hawaiian Bank CEO Don Horner said. "Mr. Bishop's story is truly inspirational, and his core values of caring and commitment still guide us today."
CEMETERY DEAL INCLUDES HAWAI'I
StoneMor Partners LP, a Bristol, Pa., owner and operator of cemeteries and funeral homes, said it has signed a $68 million agreement to buy or manage 75 cemeteries and funeral homes in 17 states, including at least one in Hawai'i.
StoneMor entered the agreement with Service Corp. International to acquire or operate 45 cemeteries and 30 funeral homes, according to a news release. StoneMor said 13 of the cemeteries and 16 of the funeral homes are in states where it doesn't have operations, including Hawai'i, Arkansas, California, Florida, Iowa and South Carolina. It also would enter Puerto Rico for the first time if the deal is completed.
Service Corp. did not immediately respond to a query yesterday on which Hawai'i properties would be included in the deal. The company's Web site said its local operations include Borthwick Mortuary on O'ahu and Kaua'i, as well as Hawaiian Memorial Park in Kane'ohe.
NFL JOINS SMALL-BUSINESS WORKSHOP
The NFL and the Hawai'i Small Business Development Center will hold a "Pro Bowl Workshop Series" for small-business owners from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Feb. 7 at the Halekulani Hotel.
The series of workshops is intended to help small-business owners expand their customer base, increase revenue and achieve overall growth and expansion.
The morning marketing program will concentrate on the strategy, methods and advantages of using a customer management system and is recommended for new business owners. The afternoon session, "Profit Mastery for Growing Companies: The Cup and the Gap," will focus on what a business needs to do to expand successfully.
The fee is $30 per session, or $50 for the full day. For information and to register, call the SBDC at 523-6118, or e-mail eleanore.leclair@hawaii-sbdc.org.
