BUSINESS BRIEFS
Fruit farm sales drop 3 percent
Advertiser Staff and News Services
Farm sales of Hawai'i fruit fell 3 percent to $101.7 million in 2006, with guava, lemon, papaya, pineapple and the tropical specialty group recording lower sales.
Hawai'i fruit growers harvested 435.2 million pounds of fruit for fresh and processed utilization in 2006, an 11 percent decline from the previous year, according to the National Agricultural Statistics Service.
Fruit acreage totaled 19,740 acres, which was a 2 percent decrease from 2005. Harvested area decreased 6 percent to 4,090 acres.
WAIKOLOA RETAIL COMPLEX OPENS
A $95 million expansion to Waikoloa Beach Resort's retail complex held a soft opening yesterday, with the first three of 65 tenants open for business at Queens' MarketPlace.
Starbucks, Giggles and Sunglass Hut were open yesterday, and should be followed later this month by a dozen other tenants, including Arby's, Charley's Thai Cuisine, Lids and Local Motion.
The 135,000-square-foot project was developed adjacent to the resort's existing 75,000-square-foot Kings' Shops retail center. Besides shops and restaurants, the new complex will include a gourmet grocery store, cultural garden, outdoor amphitheater, museum and a 120-seat performance studio for music and film.
A grand opening is tentatively scheduled for spring 2008.
CREDIT UNION NAMES NEW PRESIDENT
Hilo's CU Hawaii Federal Credit Union said it recently appointed Hawai'i native Kurt Alicuben as its new president and chief executive. He will be responsible for overseeing the credit union's entire operational infrastructure. Alicuben previously served as vice president of lending at HFS Federal Credit Union since 2004.
CU Hawaii Federal Credit Union has more than 31,000 members and $224 million in assets.
$50,000 DONATED FOR SCHOLARSHIPS
The University of Hawai'i Foundation said former local developer Jack Myers and his wife, Zelie, have donated $50,000 toward the establishment of the Jack and Zelie Myers Scholarship Fund at the school's Shidler College of Business.
The $50,000 gift will be paired with $50,000 of matching funds from fellow developer Jay Shidler to create a scholarship endowment of $100,000.
Myers, who developed the Waikiki Trade Center, the First Hawaiian Center and the Hawaii Prince Hotel, attended the University of Hawai'i, as did his wife.
AMERICAN FEATURES SAM CHOY FOOD
American Airlines is incorporating a taste of Hawai'i for its first-class passengers on flights to and from the Aloha State.
The air carrier said it has begun offering a menu created by chef Sam Choy that features such items as macadamia nut pancakes, wasabi salmon and hibachi chicken.
SUNU NAMED TO CENTENNIAL BOARD
Paul H. Sunu, chief financial officer of Hawaiian Telcom, has been appointed to the board of directors of Centennial Communications Corp., a provider of regional wireless and other communications services in the U.S. and Puerto Rico.
Sunu joined Hawaiian Telcom earlier this year. He came to the company from Madison River Communications Corp., where he was a co-founder and had served as chief financial officer.
