WASHINGTON » President Barack Obama has tapped fellow Punahou School alumnus Steve Case to lead a consolidated effort to spur new startup businesses.

"Startup America" is Obama’s campaign to emphasize job creation while downplaying new economic spending initiatives that could face congressional opposition.

The appointment of Case, the co-founder of AOL, gives President Barack Obama’s emphasis on the economy a second prominent business face in two weeks. Last week, the president named General Electric chief executive Jeff Immelt as head of a presidential advisory council on competitiveness.

"Startup America" focuses on innovation and entrepreneurship and combined administration programs already under way with new ideas to leverage private-sector investment in start-up businesses.

"We want to celebrate the work of entrepreneurs, shine a spotlight on entrepreneurs," Case said. "America’s story has been forged in large part by entrepreneurs who have against great odds created innovative products and services that have changed the world — and created millions of jobs. Our nation once again looks to these creative risk-takers to unleash the next wave of American innovation."

Case, who is the son of local attorney Daniel Case and the cousin of former Congressman Ed Case, is a 1976 graduate of Punahou, while Obama graduated in 1979. In 1985, Case co-founded America Online, which later merged with Time Warner.

Since Case left AOL Time Warner in 2003, he has been his own startup facilitator, forming Revolution LLC and investing money in companies that were in early stages of development or in need of change.

Case started with buying half of Exclusive Resorts, a company that sells club memberships providing use of luxury residences around the world, including Kapalua, Maui. Exclusive Resorts recently reported membership sales rose 50 percent last year to $66 million.

Hukilau Foods, a fish farm raising moi in ocean cages off Oahu, is another Case investment, but hasn’t done too well financially. After struggling to expand, Hukilau filed for bankruptcy reorganization in November.

Other Case investments include car-sharing operator Zipcar, Internet-based health service provider Everyday Health and group coupon issuer LivingSocial.

Investments by Case in more fledgling ventures include medical instrument developer BrainScope, Twitter filter PostUp, free documentary film sharing platform SnagFilms, private Medicare exchange Extend Health, and an online marketplace for wine enthusiasts called Vinfolio.

Case also has invested in unique real estate assets, including Maui Land & Pineapple Co. and Grove Farm Co. Case is majority shareholder of Maui Land, which owns 24,000 acres in West Maui and has suffered huge financial losses in recent years. Case is sole owner of Grove Farm, which owns 40,000 acres on Kauai.

Startup America intends to boost private investment into early-stage companies and entrepreneurial plans, with funding commitments from the Case Foundation, Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, Intel Capital, IBM and others.

The office of House Speaker John Boehner was dismissive of the new launch.

"It seems the only thing new being offered by the White House this morning is another catch phrase," Boehner spokesman Brendan Buck said.

"Not until the administration is prepared to break down Washington barriers to job creation — onerous mandates, costly regulations, and economic uncertainty resulting from massive budget deficits — will we see renewed confidence from American small-business owners."