BUSINESS BRIEFS
State gas down 18 cents, to $3.89
Advertiser Staff and News Services
The average price statewide for a gallon of regular gasoline fell by 18 cents to $3.89, the third straight week of double-digit declines, according to AAA Hawaii's Weekend Gas Watch.
Honolulu's average price of $3.75 was down 20 cents from a week earlier, and was 44 cents lower than the same time a month ago. However, the Honolulu average price was still 67 cents a gallon higher than the same time last year.
In Hilo, the average price was $3.91 a gallon, 19 cents below a week ago and 45 cents lower that a month earlier. Hilo's average price was 63 cents a gallon higher than a year earlier.
The average price in Wailuku was $4.28 a gallon, 16 cents lower than a week earlier and down 32 cents from a month ago. The Wailuku average price was 80 cents higher than a year earlier.
HTA SEEKS NEW EUROPEAN AFFILIATE
The Hawai'i Tourism Authority said it will end the contract with its European marketing affiliate effective Dec. 31.
The company, Aviareps Mangum, has had the contract with HTA since 2004.
"The HTA appreciates the work performed by Aviareps Mangum over the past four years and we extend our best wishes for the agency's future endeavors," said David Uchiyama, HTA's vice president of tourism marketing.
The HTA will be soliciting proposals from interested contractors to take over the European marketing effort. For more information contact Caroline Anderson at 973-2273.
FINANCE FACTORS ADDS LILIHA BRANCH
Finance Factors opened a new branch in Liliha, its 12th in the state.
Emerlie "Merl" Eusebio will manage the new branch. Eusebio previously was at Finance Factors' Kalihi branch for 18 years.
The new Liliha branch is on the corner of Liliha and North Kuakini streets at the former location of Masu's Massive Plate Lunch. Finance Factors added an old-style town clock to the exterior of the building that company officials hope will serve as a landmark for the uptown Liliha area.
The branch will generate 90 percent to 100 percent of its electricity needs from a photovoltaic system to be installed by Sun Tech Hawaii.
Finance Factors also said its planned branches in Manoa and Chinatown recently received regulatory approval to move forward,and are expected to open in early 2009.
SBA OFFERS HELP FOR VETS' BUSINESSES
The Small Business Administration has scheduled a workshop Nov. 12 for veteran-owned businesses seeking assistance in areas such as financing and exporting.
Representatives from the SBA, First Hawaiian Bank, the Foreign Trade Zone and the Hawaii Small Business Development Center Network will be on hand for the event from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Pearl Harbor Fleet & Family Center, 4827 Bouganville Drive.
The seminar will cover SBA financing (including the Patriot Express Initiative), federal procurement opportunities, international trade, technical assistance for business plan development and other entrepreneurial training opportunities.
The event is open to veterans, active duty service members eligible for the Transition Assistance Program, reservists and National Guard members, their spouses and widowed spouses of a service member who died during service or due to a service-related disability.
To register, call David Brown at 541-2290, ext. 215, or Jane Sawyer at 541-2990, ext. 205. Registration also is available online at www.sba.gov/hi.
