Loui confirmed for Export-Import Bank

The U.S. Senate voted Tuesday to confirm Patricia Loui, founder of the research firm OmniTrak Group, to the board of directors of the Export-Import Bank of the United States.

Her term will run through Jan. 20, 2015.

President Barack Obama nominated Loui for the post. U.S. Sen. Daniel Inouye, D-Hawaii, and U.S. Sen. Daniel Akaka, D-Hawaii, supported her confirmation.

Realty Group, Coldwell firms merging

Aiea-based real estate brokerage firm Realty Group is merging with Coldwell Banker Pacific Properties.

The firm, with 10 agents based at Pearlridge Center, will be absorbed into Coldwell Banker Pacific’s Aiea office effective Nov. 21, the companies announced Wednesday.

Trudy Nishihara formed Realty Group in 2000 with her husband, Glenn, but said she and Glenn wanted to semi-retire after 25 years in the industry.

Coldwell Banker Pacific has five offices on Oahu and 450 sales agents. Nishihara will become a senior vice president at the company, and her husband will become a vice president.

Hospital exec appointed to health councils

Wayne Higaki, vice president of the North Hawaii Community Hospital, has been appointed to the Statewide Health Coordinating Council and to the Hawaii Subarea Health Planning Council by Gov. Neil Abercrombie.

The statewide council advises the state Health Planning and Development Agency regarding health planning and development activities in the state.

Subarea councils, meanwhile, develop and implement the Hawaii Health Performance Plan in their respective communities.

Higaki has served the rural, 39-bed hospital since it opened in 1996.

Sports Authority to open store in Hilo

National athletic apparel and equipment retailer Sports Authority is expanding to Hilo with the opening of a store in Prince Kuhio Plaza in the spring.

The new store will be an anchor tenant, occupying the long-vacant, 50,000-square-foot former Woolworth’s space.

The island’s other Sports Authority is in Kailua-Kona, which is among five Sports Authority stores in the state.

HTA to back cultural, nature programs

The Hawaii Tourism Authority is offering $1.4 million in its Kukulu Ola, or Living Hawaiian Culture Program, for projects that strengthen, perpetuate and preserve the Hawaiian culture and the state’s natural resources.

Nonprofit and for-profit organizations and government agencies involved in such work are invited to apply for the funding.

To assist with the application process, HTA and the Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement will stage four workshops, island-hopping from Kauai on Tuesday, to Maui Wednesday and Kona on Nov. 10. The Oahu workshop will be Nov. 16. Details can be found at is.gd/HTAKukuluOla.

Whole Foods’ net up but outlook misses mark

ST. LOUIS » Whole Foods Market Inc. said Wednesday that its fiscal fourth-quarter profit rose 31 percent, beating analysts’ expectations as sales rose. But the company’s outlook for next year’s profit fell just short of what analysts forecast on average, and its shares fell after hours.

The natural and organic grocery store chain reported net income of $75.5 million, or 42 cents a share, up from $57.5 million, or 33 cents a share, a year earlier. Its revenue rose 12 percent to $2.35 billion.

Analysts expected net income of 41 cents a share but higher revenue — the $2.36 billion — according to FactSet.

For the next fiscal year, which began in the current period, the Austin, Texas-based grocer expects to earn $2.21 to $2.26 a share and revenue growth of 13 percent to 15 percent over 2011, which implies a range of $11.4 billion to $11.6 billion.

Analysts were expecting $2.26 per share and revenue of $11.6 billion.

Whole Foods’ shares dropped $3.14, or 4.5 percent, to $67.42 after hours. They had closed up $1.05 at $70.56.

Many analysts were worried the weak economy would crimp Whole Foods’ sales, both because it sells some higher-priced items that consumers can do without in tough times and because rising food costs are holding back demand.

The USDA estimates food costs will rise about 4 percent for 2011 overall. Whole Foods Chief Operating Officer A.C. Gallo said the company’s costs had risen, particularly in the meat and dairy aisles.

ON THE MOVE

Royal State Insurance has announced the appointment of Patrick P.L. Tom as its senior vice president of sales and marketing. He has more than 25 years of experience at Wells Fargo Financial where he recently served as vice president/manager.

Kaanapali Land Management Corp. has promoted Howard Hanzawa to senior vice president. Since joining the company in 2006, Hanzawa has overseen KLMC’s operations and projects in West Maui as well as worked with Maui Cultural Lands.

The Consulate General of Mexico in San Francisco has announced the designation of Andrew Kluger as honorary consul of Mexico in Hawaii. He is a board of trustees member of St. Andrew’s Priory, chief executive officer of Early Bird Alert and adjunct professor at the City University of Hong Kong.

Lance Wilhelm has joined Enterprise Honolulu’s board of directors. He is the senior vice president and Hawaii area manager of Kiewit Building Group Inc. and has been with the company for 22 years.