More isle product-makers needed

The annual First Hawaiian Bank Made in Hawaii Festival is calling for new exhibitors for this year’s three-day event, Aug. 19 to 21 at Neal Blaisdell Center.

To qualify as "Made in Hawaii," products must have at least 51 percent of their wholesale value added through manufacture, assembly, fabrication or production within the state. Makers of food products, gifts, books, apparel, jewelry and other handcrafts and other consumer goods can obtain applications and further details online at www.madeinhawaiifestival.com. Booths start at $600.

The 2010 festival drew more than 38,000 attendees, including more than 1,000 professional buyers from Hawaii, the mainland and Japan. The buyers gain early access to the show to secure quantity-purchase deals with vendors for retail and other operations.

First Insurance marks its centennial

First Insurance Co. of Hawaii Ltd. is marking its 100th year in business with an online drawing for T-shirts commemorating its centennial.

The design of the shirt reinterprets the cover of a circa-1930s brochure found in the company’s archives. The tree in the design is a royal poinciana tree, which inspired the company’s logo.

The drawing may be entered at www.ficoh.com/centennial. Entrants must be Hawaii residents, at least 18 years old, and only one entry per person will be accepted. Following the June 10 entry deadline, 100 winners’ names will be drawn from all valid entries.

EggUp.com wins international award

Honolulu-based EggUp.com won the Sustainable Initiative on Intellectual Property Protection category for its anti-piracy film platform at the recent Living Labs Global Awards ceremony in Stockholm, Sweden.

More than 245 entries were submitted from companies in 127 cities in 30 countries for the Living Labs Global Award, and 40 of those submissions, including EggUp, were chosen as category finalists.

EggUp.com is a do-it-yourself film distribution platform that ensures secure transactions and protects intellectual property. Key Asylum Corp., which created EggUp.com, is a designated Act 221 company, which makes it eligible for state tax credits.

Home contracts fall to 7-month low

WASHINGTON » The number of people who signed contracts to buy homes fell sharply in April, hitting its lowest point since fall and renewing fears that a recovery in the housing market is far off.

An index of sales agreements for previously occupied homes sank 11.6 percent last month to a reading of 81.9, the National Association of Realtors said Friday. A reading of 100 would be considered healthy.

The last time the index reached at least 100 was in April 2010. That was the final month when people could qualify for a homebuyer tax credit of up to $8,000.

Signings are still nearly 8 percent above June’s reading of 75.9, the lowest figure since the housing bust.

Contract signings are considered a reliable indicator of the housing market’s direction. That’s because there’s usually a one- to two-month lag between a sales contract and a completed deal.

ON THE MOVE

» Hawaii Western Management Group has hired Keren Lynn Patrice Paris as an account executive with its new Taft-Hartley division. Her responsibilities include acting as liaison between the company and its Taft-Hartley clients as well as serving as point of contact for clients and ensure that they maximize the value of HWMG’s services. Paris was previously working for the Hawaii Office of Ironworkers State of California and Vicinity District Council as well as for the City and County of Honolulu.

» Hawaii Hotel & Lodging Association President Mufi Hannemann presented a $5,000 donation on May 23 at Kona Village Resort, which will be provided to the Kona Village/Hualalai Relief Fund. The funds will be used to help employees of the Kona Village Resort, Hualalai Resort and Four Seasons Hualalai, which were all damaged by the tsunami.

» Mountain Pacific Quality Health Care presented the "Achievement in Excellence in Healthcare Quality" award to Hi‘olani Care Center at Kahala Nui.

» Monettes Artisan Fish and Steak Restaurant at Mauna Kea Beach Resort has made the following key appointments: 

— Michael Minshull as chef de cuisine. He was previously working at Hotel Grand Pacific in Victoria, British Columbia.

— Barry D. Chu as general manager. He was previously general manager of Duo restaurant at Four Seasons Resort Wailea on Maui.