Sopogy, Chinese investor sign solar pact

Officials from Honolulu-based Sopogy Inc. said their attendance at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation meeting provided them the opportunity to sign a memorandum of understanding with a Chinese investment firm.

Sopogy, the world’s leading developer of micro concentrated solar power technology, signed the memorandum with Sichuan Dongjia Investment Corp., which will invest in Sopogy projects in Hawaii and China.

Under the agreement, Sichuan Dongjia will be Sopogy’s marketing and manufacturing partner as it expands in China.

Darren Kimura, Sopogy’s president and chief executive officer, participated in a signing ceremony with Sichuan Dongjia officials at the China Aloha Business Leaders’ night gala Sunday co-sponsored by the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade and the Bank of Hawaii.

Sichuan Dongjia was a member of the APEC 2011 Chinese Business Delegation, and Sopogy was one of the winners of the APEC 2011 Business Innovation Showcase for Hawaii companies.

Air Australia offers special Honolulu fares

Newly named Air Australia, formerly known as Strategic Airlines until changing its name Monday, is launching a $299 one-way fare special from Honolulu to Australia to mark the carrier’s foray into the Hawaii market next month.

Flights will depart Honolulu twice weekly to each of Melbourne and Brisbane on a 274-seat Airbus A330. The flights will begin Dec. 15 from Honolulu, and the $299 fare, which includes taxes, is only for the outbound route from Honolulu.

Flights from Brisbane or Melbourne to Honolulu are $349 one way, including taxes. Tickets, available at www.airaustralia.com, will be available until sold out and are applicable only for travel in December.

"We have made a generous allotment of seats that are available at the $299 level, but we prefer not to be specific as to the number allocated on each flight as this is commercially sensitive," Air Australia spokeswoman Heather Jeffery said.

Air Australia unveiled its new name, green, silver and golf aircraft colors and flight attendant uniforms earlier this month.

Hawaii philanthropists to be honored

Hawaii winners of Outstanding Philanthropy Awards have been announced by the Association of Fundraising Professionals Aloha Chapter in advance of the National Philanthropy Day gala later this month.

Awardees include Donna Vuchinich, Outstanding Professional Fundraiser, for her work as president and CEO of the University of Hawaii Foundation; Galen Ho, co-recipient of the Outstanding Volunteer Fundraiser award, for fundraising work for Saint Louis School; Wilmer C. Morris, co-recipient of the Outstanding Volunteer Fundraiser award, for work on behalf of the Hawaii Pacific University President’s Fund; Edward Enterprises Inc., Outstanding Corporation, for work on behalf of the Hawaii Foodbank; Judith Pyle, Outstanding Philanthropist for a $2 million endowment to the Dean’s Chair at the Hawaiinuiakea School of Hawaiian Knowledge at the University of Hawaii at Manoa; and Dick Grimm, winner of the Paulette V. Maehara Leadership Award for his turnaround tenure at the Hawaii Foodbank.

Recipients will be recognized at the annual AFP banquet at 6 p.m. Nov. 29, at the Sheraton Waikiki Hotel. Individual seats at $120 ($135 for nonmembers) or tables for 10 at $1,200 may be reserved through Nov. 22 at www.afphawaii.org or by calling 626-6755.

Made in Hawaii Festival exhibitors sought

Organizers of the 18th annual Made in Hawaii Festival are seeking exhibitors for the 2012 event Aug. 17-19 at the Blaisdell Exhibition Hall and Arena.

All vendors will be required this year to fill out a valuation form and to submit product photos. The changes to the application process have been made to ensure the credibility and viability of the festival, organizers said in a statement.The deadline for applications and full payment for right of first refusal for returning exhibitors is Jan. 31, while the deadline for applications and full payment for all vendors is March 1.

General questions are addressed on the website at www.madeinhawaiifestival.com. Additional information can be obtained via phone at 533-1292, ext. 3; via email at exhibitors@madeinhawaiifestival.com; or by mail at 1050 Bishop St., Box 235, Honolulu, HI 96813.

ON THE MOVE

Hawaii-Western Management Group has appointed Paul Kaiser its new chief operating officer. He has more than 25 years of experience in the insurance industry, including as director of health benefits for Jeld-Wen, and managed Shasta Administrative Services.

New York Life Insurance Co. has named and promoted the following: 

» Sayaka Ogura to partner in its Honolulu office. She has been with the company since 2009.

» Ed Fabregas to partner, based in Kahului. He is a eight-year veteran of New York Life Insurance in Dallas where he was a partner for the firm.

» Kaimana Kaapana to management associate in Honolulu. He joined New York Life in 2008 as an agent and was a medical technician at Research Corp. of the University of Hawaii and an examiner for Portamedic.

Kaiser Permanente Hawaii has named Chris Hause vice president of marketing, sales and business development. She has extensive health care sales and marketing experience, including as senior vice president of sales, sales operations and product innovation at Magellan Health Services in Avon, Conn. Hause also held various senior management positions with HealthNet and United Health Group in California.