Cement imports fell 7.3% in July

Hawaii imports of finished Portland cement, an indicator of construction activity, fell 7.3 percent in July from the same month a year earlier.

The drop was larger than the average 6.6 percent decline nationally during the month.

There were 23,721 metric tons shipped to Hawaii in July. Hawaii’s Portland cement shipments make up 0.4 percent of the national total.

Maui Hyatt gets $15M face lift

A $15 million renovation is under way at the Hyatt Regency Maui Resort & Spa.

The project is expected to be completed in December. The resort, opened in 1980, is upgrading guest rooms and building a new Asian-fusion restaurant, Japengo, to replace Cascades.

Michael Jokovich, general manager, said the restaurant is designed to resemble a Japanese fishing village, with narrow alleyways and a moon bar, sushi lounge and outdoor dining overlooking the ocean. Rooms at the 40-acre resort were redesigned with contemporary Hawaiian decor.

DBEDT wins national award

The state Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism has received national recognition for its efforts to promote energy efficiency.

Hawaii was one of four states to receive top honors yesterday from the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy in the inaugural awards. The other states were Colorado, Maryland and New York.

The ACEEE cited DBEDT’s "Lead by Example" program, an initiative launched in 2006 in response to legislative and executive mandates to change the way state executive agencies use energy.

Among the accomplishments of the program are the awarding of Energy Star designations to several state buildings and the completion of energy audits and retrofitting of several others. In addition, the state constructed its first facility to meet requirements of the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design : the Waipahu Intermediate School cafeteria.

ON THE MOVE

Bank of Hawaii has promoted the following:
» Timothy Y.W. Chang to senior vice president and commercial banking manager of the Metro Region, Hawaii Commercial Banking Center, from vice president.

» Carol L. Higa to senior vice president and manager in the Financial Services Commercial Banking Center from vice president.

SSFM International has announced Dean Minakami as senior planner. His experience includes terms as project manager for Castle & Cooke and senior planner for Wilson Okamoto.

Island Pacific Energy has appointed Dan D’Antin vice president of sales and marketing. He worked in the alternative energy department for American Electric as well as sales manager at Energy Plus and General Electric Healthcare.

Kelly Mitchell has joined Elite Pacific Properties as a partner. She was with Prudential Locations for six years, launched two startup companies and served as a communications and entrepreneurship adjunct professor at Chaminade University.