BRIEFLY

Union membership rate declines in Hawaii

The nation’s union membership rate continued a decades-long slide last year, falling to 11.8 percent of the U.S. work force in 2011, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported Friday.

That was down from 11.9 percent the previous year even though total union membership rose by 49,000 to 14.76 million. The membership rate declined because the increases in organized labor’s ranks did not keep pace with overall employment growth. Hawaii remained the third-highest unionized state at 21.5 percent despite slipping from 21.8 percent in 2010. New York had the highest unionization rate at 24.1 percent, followed by Alaska at 22.1 percent.

Kurisu appointed to Central Pacific board

Duane Kurisu, a minority investor in the Star-Advertiser and a board member of parent company Oahu Publications Inc., has been appointed a director of Central Pacific Financial Corp., the holding company for Central Pacific Bank.

Kurisu has served on the bank board since September 2004, and will continue to serve as a director of both the CPF and CPB boards.

He is involved in numerous and varied businesses and industries in Hawaii and abroad. Kurisu is a real estate investor and owns and manages office buildings, shopping centers and industrial parks in Hawaii and Washington. He is also chairman, CEO and owner of aio, a holding company for brands focused on Hawaii and the Pacific in media, sports and food. The media group consists of PacificBasin Communications, which publishes a variety of local publications; Watermark Publishing; Talisman LBS, a mobile software company; and Upspring Media, a digital media development and consulting company. KKEA 1420 AM, KHKA 1500 AM, B. Hayman Co. and Hawaii Winter Baseball comprises the sports group. Punaluu Bake Shop; Hukilau restaurants in San Francisco, San Jose, Calif., and Hawaii; and Nutricopia, a nutraceutical company headquartered in Vermont, are the principal companies in the food group.

Honolulu Ford to give away free car today

Honolulu Ford, along with partners 97.5 Hawaii’s Hot Country, 107.9 Hawaii’s Kool Gold and 76 Gas, will hold the grand finale of its "Focus on Football Fever" — 2012 Ford Focus Giveaway, between 8:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. today at 1370 N. King St.

The dealership will give away a new 2012 Ford Focus to the grand prize winner of its "Focus on Football Fever" contest. Registration for the drawing will continue until 1 p.m. today.

All key voucher winners from radio broadcasts, See the Focus events, Hono­lulu Ford weekly drawings, KHON2, 76 Gas Kamaaina Rewards and the finale drawing are eligible to win the grand prize. The entrant for the grand prize must be present to win at 1 p.m.

Other entrants will be entered to win $1,000 worth of gas from 76 Hawaii, an Android phone from Mobi PCS and one of seven free oil change vouchers valued at $39.95. Hono­lulu Ford also will be offering a 10 percent discount off parts and service to all kamaaina through Feb. 15.

Food, drink and entertainment will be provided. For more information, call David Wray at Hono­lulu Ford, 532-1700.

Altria earnings fall 9 percent; CEO to retire

RICHMOND, Va. » Marlboro maker Altria Group Inc. said Friday that its fourth-quarter profit fell about 9 percent on lease, legal and restructuring charges even as higher prices and gains from its smokeless tobacco products helped bolster its sales.

The owner of the nation’s biggest cigarette maker, Philip Morris USA, also announced that CEO Michael Szymanczyk will retire in May following the company’s annual shareholder meeting. Altria’s board has selected Martin Barrington to replace him as CEO and chairman, and David Beran will serve as president and chief operating officer.

Altria reported net income of $836 million, or 41 cents a share, for the three-month period ended Dec. 31, down from $919 million, or 44 cents a share, last year. Revenue increased 5 percent to $4.34 billion.

North America boosts Ford in quarter

DEARBORN, Mich. » North America propped up Ford Motor Co. in the fourth quarter as the European debt crisis and flooding in Thailand hurt profits elsewhere. Ford’s shares took a hit after the company missed Wall Street’s expectations but trimmed losses once the company promised better — if still bumpy — results in 2012.

Ford reported $13.62 billion in net income. Investors shrugged off the result because most of that came from an accounting change. Without that, earnings totaled $1.1 billion, or 20 cents a share.

Chevron earns $5.1B but production drops

Chevron Corp., which has spent more than $20 billion a year since 2007 scouring the globe for new resources, said Friday that it is struggling to produce more oil and natural gas. Production levels last year were the lowest since 2008.

The company still expects to supply more oil, but its troubles last year highlight the many hurdles the industry faces as industrial and developing nations crave more oil to expand their economies.

In the fourth quarter, Chevron’s profits slipped 3.2 percent to $5.12 billion, or $2.58 a share. The results fell short of Wall Street forecasts of $2.86 a share.

ON THE MOVE

» Dustin Sellers was named the new chairman of the Nature Conservancy’s Corporate Council for the Environment. Sellers, president of business development and marketing for Pro­Serv­ice Hawaii, succeeds Jeff Watanabe.

» U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton has appointed the following to three-year terms on the East-West Center’s Board of Governors: Kathy Bushkin Calvin, United Nations Foundation chief executive officer; Margaret Carpenter, Clinton adviser and former USAID official; Ginger Lew, Three Oaks Investments chief executive officer; Marc Nathanson, Mapleton Investments chairman; and M. Osman Siddique, former U.S. ambassador to Fiji and other Pacific island nations.

» The Hawaii Council for the Humanities has elected a new board chairman and officers for 2012: Henry Halenani Gomes, chairman of the board of directors; Linda K. Menton, vice chairwoman; Larry L. Myers, secretary-treasurer and chairman of the development and fundraising committee; and Doug Dyk­stra, chairman of the proposal review committee.

» The Hawaiian Electric Industries Charitable Foundation has awarded a $50,000 grant to the Maui Memorial Medical Center Foundation. The grant will support MMMC’s new Heart, Brain and Vascular Center.