Registry gives Hawaii an F for businesses
Hawaii was graded with an F for its business climate in data released Tuesday by Thumbtack.com and the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation.
California, Rhode Island and Vermont also received an F by survey respondents, who were small-business owners.
Idaho, Oklahoma, Texas and Utah received A+ grades.
As part of the survey, the business owners said licensing requirements were nearly twice as important as tax rates in determining a good overall business atmosphere, according to a Thumbtack.com statement.
Thumbtack.com is an online registry of small businesses that allows site users to seek bids for needed services, from handyman work to fitness instructors.
State gets B for working-class support
Hawaii, Washington and Oregon were graded with a B for policies supporting working-class families, according to a report released Tuesday by the National Partnership for Women & Families.
Alabama, Delaware, Georgia and 15 other states received F grades for what the organization called weak policies on supporting working-class families. The states with poor grades failed to provide a single benefit or program to help families before and after the birth, adoption or foster placement of a child, the report said.
Central Pacific walk raises $116,612
Central Pacific Bank employees, family and friends will be walking to help raise money for four local nonprofits Saturday from 8 to 10:30 a.m. at Kakaako Waterfront Park. The third annual CPB Walks for You event marks the culmination of two months of fundraising by the company’s more than 900 employees.
The check for $116,612 will be presented to four beneficiaries selected by employees on the day of the walk: American Heart Association, American Cancer Society, Hawaii Children’s Cancer Foundation and Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. To increase giving, the Central Pacific Bank Foundation this year matched 50 percent of donations to all beneficiary organizations.
About 550 participants are expected to attend the walk.
Chase offers prepaid cards for consumers
NEW YORK » Chase is launching a new prepaid card designed to be an alternative to a checking account as banks try to recoup fees lost under recent regulatory changes. The New York company says the reloadable Chase Liquid card is available at 200 branches and will expand nationwide this summer.
Consumers will pay a $4.95 monthly fee for the reloadable card. They can use it the same way they do a debit card to make purchases and withdraw cash from ATMs and Chase branches.
JPMorgan Chase & Co. says the cards are a low-cost alternative to traditional checking accounts.
Yahoo director to exit board amid CEO flap
SAN FRANCISCO » The flap over a bogus college degree on Yahoo CEO Scott Thompson’s official biography has claimed its first casualty: the director who led the committee that hired him four months ago.
Patti Hart will surrender her Yahoo board seat at the company’s still-unscheduled annual meeting. She framed her decision as a commitment to focus on her job as CEO of gambling-machine maker International Game Technology, while allowing Yahoo’s board to deal with the fallout from the recent revelations about Thompson’s inaccurate academic credentials.
Hart, 56, becomes the sixth Yahoo director to depart the board since the company hired Thompson to engineer a turnaround. The exodus will leave Yahoo with nine directors.
Wendy’s cuts forecast, citing higher costs
NEW YORK » The Wendy’s Co. on Tuesday reported a first-quarter profit that missed Wall Street expectations and cut its forecast for the year, as the hamburger chain struggled in its revival efforts amid higher costs for fresh beef and weaker-than-expected sales.
The Dublin, Ohio-based fast-food company noted that it is in a "transition year," with a new management team focused on modernizing restaurants and introducing menu items that will lay the groundwork for growth.
Wendy’s reported net income of $12.4 million, or 3 cents a share, versus a loss of $1.4 million, or break even, a year ago. Excluding the sale of its investment in skin care company Jurlique International and other one-time items, the company said it earned 1 cent a share.
That was lower than the 3 cents a share analysts were expecting.
ON THE MOVE
Simply Organized has announced the appointment of Susan Gusukuma to store manager at Kahala Mall. She has more than 20 years of store operations experience.
The Queen’s Medical Center has honored the following as its 2012 Ke Kauka Po‘okela Outstanding Physicians of the Year:
» Dr. Reid Ikeda received the award for hospital-based physician. He is medical director of respiratory care services and physician chairman of the medication and nutrition committee at QMC.
» Dr. Norman Sato received the award for community-based physician. He is an active staff member in the department of obstetrics and gynecology and focuses on gynecology and women’s health diagnostic ultrasound at QMC.
