60 tons of telephone books collected
Hawaiian Telcom Yellow Pages and its sales agent, The Berry Co. LLC, collected more than 60 tons of outdated directories as part of a monthlong recycling effort.
Hawaiian Telcom and Berry partnered with West Oahu Aggregate, HPOWER, the Lokahi Giving Project and several area shopping malls to carry out the annual Think Yellow Go Green program.
HPOWER converts the reused directories to refuse-derived fuel, which generates electricity for more than 40,000 homes.
Just Tacos sets Hawaii island celebration
Just Tacos Mexican Grill & Cantina is expanding to Hawaii island with its grand opening at the Shops at Mauna Lani on Friday.
Grand opening festivities will go from 5 p.m. to 2 a.m. and will include entertainment by the band Leche de Tigre.
There will be two cocktail reception areas sponsored by Corona (beer) and Peligroso Tequila.
The new location will offer more than 300 different tequilas, which would take a casual drinker about six months to sample, owner Jesus Santoyo said in a statement.
The restaurant has two locations on Oahu, in Mililani and at Ko Olina Resort & Marina, but state business registration records show much more expansion is planned, with up to seven additional Oahu restaurants.
Realty firm to open kiosk in Kahala Mall
Prudential Advantage Realty will open a full-service kiosk Friday at Kahala Mall, after an 11 a.m. blessing by Pastor Kelekona Bishaw.
The 100-square-foot kiosk will feature four large touch-screen monitors that will allow shoppers to view the newest listings on the market, to be updated hourly; to search open house reports that also will be updated hourly; to get current home value estimates; and access a mortgage calculator.
The kiosk, between Longs Drugs and Macy’s, will be staffed by trained real estate professionals during mall hours.
HP combining computer, printer divisions
NEW YORK » Hewlett-Packard Co. is combining its printer and PC divisions as it tries to overcome sluggish earnings, growing competition and the absence of a focused identity.
The move announced Wednesday will help the company streamline its business and save money to invest in growing areas. HP also hopes the restructuring will boost innovation.
The change comes as sales of printers and ink, once HP’s lifeblood, are falling because people are sharing more documents and photos online instead of printing them.
Charges filed against Chevron executives
SAO PAULO » Federal prosecutors filed criminal charges against 17 Chevron and Transocean company executives on Wednesday for an oil leak in the Atlantic, a move deemed outrageous by those targeted but applauded by environmentalists.
Prosecutors accused the executives of environmental crimes, misleading Brazil’s oil regulator about safety plans and not providing accurate information in the wake of the spill.
At least 110,000 gallons of oil seeped through cracks in the ocean floor near a Chevron Corp. appraisal well off the Rio de Janeiro coast in November. The well drilled by Transocean Ltd. has since been sealed, but a small amount of seepage has reappeared, raising concerns that the damage is not over.
Hartford Financial exiting annuity business
HARTFORD, Conn. » Hartford Financial Services Group Inc. is exiting the annuity business so it can focus on property and casualty insurance, group benefits and mutual funds.
The company said Wednesday that it is also looking to sell or pursue other options for its individual life, retirement plans and broker-dealer Woodbury Financial Services. It will continue to seek new business for them in the meantime.
Christopher Swift, executive vice president and chief financial officer, said in a statement that the individual life, Woodbury Financial Services and retirement plans "will be better positioned for success as part of other organizations."
ON THE MOVE
Central Pacific Bank has appointed the following employees:
» Cindy Suzuki to license branch employee sales and service manager. She was previously a sales representative at Humana Marketpoint and for more than 10 years was an assistant vice president and financial consultant at First Hawaiian Bank.
» Bradford Tom to assistant vice president and investment consultant. He has 14 years of investment and financial planning experience and was previously a wealth adviser at Securities America and vice president and wealth adviser at First Hawaiian Bank.
» Alan Lee to investment consultant. He has 13 years of experience in the financial service industry and was previously an investment executive at LPL Financial and an investment officer at BancWest Investment Services (First Hawaiian Bank).