Most laid-off workers take pay cuts in new jobs
WASHINGTON >> The U.S. economic recovery hasn’t felt much like one even for people who managed to find new jobs after being laid off. Most of them have had to settle for less pay.
Only 56 percent of Americans laid off from January 2009 through December 2011 had found jobs by the start of this year, the Labor Department said Friday. More than half of them took jobs with lower pay. One-third took pay cuts of 20 percent or more.
The figures would be even lower if people who could find only part-time jobs were included in the total.
Kona Coffee board backs GMO labeling vote
The Kona Coffee Farmers Association’s board is supporting California Ballot Proposition 37, which if passed will make California the first state in the U.S. to require labeling of most foods made with genetically modified organisms.
The association voted unanimously this week to support the proposition. The board said it "has long promoted the importance of the consumers’ ‘right to know’ to the economic health of the Kona coffee economy." While the main issue for Kona coffee growers is making sure coffee packages state clearly where the coffee is grown, the association said the same principle applies in the California GMO ballot item.
"Passage of Proposition 37 will nationally establish ‘consumers’ right to know’ as an important principle which will bring long-range benefits to Hawaii agriculture and Kona coffee farmers," the association said in a news release Thursday.
Mac nut grower taps chief financial officer
Bruce Clarke has been hired as senior vice president and chief financial officer of ML Macadamia Orchards LP.
Clarke, previously CFO of a food manufacturing company and controller for Los Angeles-based Abraxis BioScience Inc., began his new position Monday. He is 61.
Clarke attained a Bachelor of Science degree in accounting and business administration from the University of Kansas, and is working from the Hilo corporate offices.
ML Macadamia Orchards is the world’s largest grower of macadamia nuts and owns or leases 5,070 acres of orchards on Hawaii island.
Mobi PCS activates new cell site
Mobi PCS has activated a new cellular site on Hawaii island that will enhance its network overage in the Kurtistown area. The coverage area extends between Paahana Street and Kukui Camp Road, as well as sections of Hawaiian Acres and Orchidland Estates, according to a news release from Mobi PCS.
The network enhancements allow Mobi customers to use their unlimited voice and data services with fewer dropped calls and clearer in-building and outdoor reception, according to the company.
Samsung ordered to pay Apple $1.05B
SAN JOSE, Calif. » After a year of scorched-earth litigation, a jury decided Friday that Samsung ripped off the innovative technology used by Apple to create its revolutionary iPhone and iPad.
The jury ordered Samsung to pay Apple $1.05 billion in the latest skirmish of a global legal battle between the two tech giants. An appeal is expected.
Apple Inc. filed its patent infringement lawsuit in April 2011 and engaged legions of the country’s highest-paid patent lawyers to demand $2.5 billion from its top smartphone competitor. Samsung Electronics Co. fired back with its own lawsuit seeking $399 million.
The verdict, however, belonged exclusively to Apple, as the jury rejected all Samsung’s claims against Apple. Jurors also decided against some of Apple’s claims involving the two dozen Samsung devices at issue, declining to award the full $2.5 billion Apple demanded.
On the Move
The JAIMS board of trustees appointed intercultural educator Blair M.T. Odo as president of JAIMS. She was previously an executive vice president and chief operating officer at JAIMS. Odo’s experience includes being a professor practitioner and vice chairwoman of student services at the University of Tsukuba’s M.B.A.-I.B. program in Tokyo.
Coldwell Banker Pacific Properties has announced Lisa DeFelice has joined the firm’s Windward office. She was previously working with Keller Williams Realty and MM Real Estate in Avalon, N.J.
Makena Beach & Golf Resort has announced Rossel Critchlow as the new director of training. She was previously a human resource specialist for HMSHost Corp. at Kahului International Airport.
Finance Factors has hired Jean Savoy as business development manager. She has more than 20 years of experience in wholesale and retail residential loans in Hawaii and was previously a mortgage loan officer at Pacific Access Mortgage.
