Consillio selected for U.N. press fellowship
Star-Advertiser business reporter Kristen Consillio is one of 26 U.S. and international-based journalists selected to participate in the 2012 United Nations Foundation Global Issues Press Fellowship program in New York City.
The three-day event, which began Thursday at the Grand Hyatt, is taking place ahead of the U.N. General Assembly and during the 2012 Social Good Summit to provide the fellows with the latest information on pressing global issues, while offering access to high-level experts and policymakers.
This is the second year in a row that Consillio has been chosen to participate in the U.N. Foundation fellowship program in New York.
"This fellowship will bring together a group of world-class journalists to explore a broad range of global issues from disaster relief to infectious diseases and provide the journalists access to the experts and organizations who are working on these challenges every day," said Aaron Sherinian, vice president of public affairs and communications at the U.N. Foundation.
Grass-fed beef research trial expanding
A research trial to improve pastures for raising grass-fed beef in Hawaii is expanding.
Hawaii island cattle company Hawai‘i Beef Producers said it has joined a trial program announced in June between Hawaii island’s Parker Ranch and local social investment firm Ulupono Initiative.
Through the program, participants will jointly finance research to reduce costs and increase beef quality through pasture management, according to an announcement from the three organizations Thursday.
Hawai‘i Beef will test fertilized grass irrigated by the Hamakua Ditch. Parker Ranch will test nonirrigated fertilized grass.
Separately, Kamehameha Schools is doing its own trial with irrigated, unfertilized grass in Hamakua.
Trials are scheduled for completion by May.
Outcomes will be shared among the participants along with the Hawai‘i Cattlemen’s Association and the University of Hawaii’s College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources.
Experts to weigh in on isle energy projects
Experts on various alternative energy technologies will provide updates on projects in Hawaii at a forum set for Thursday at the Plaza Club.
Topics to be discussed include liquid natural gas, ocean thermal energy conversion, wave energy, algae-based biofuels, geothermal and seawater air conditioning.
The event, scheduled from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., is sponsored by ThinkTech, the Hawaii Venture Capital Association, the Hawaii Energy Policy Forum and Hawaii Business Magazine.
Speakers include Robbie Alm of Hawaiian Electric, Adam Esquith of Kauai Farm Fuels, Eric Masutomi of Honolulu Sea Water Air Conditioning, Heidi Kuehnle of Kuehnle Agrosystems, Eileen O’Rourke of OTEC International LLC and state Rep. Cynthia Thielen (R, Kailua-Kaneohe).
To register, go to hvca.org.
Trulia stock jumps 41 percent in debut
Trulia Inc., the operator of a residential-property listings website, climbed 41 percent to $24 in its trading debut after pricing the shares above the proposed range in an initial public offering.
The San Francisco-based company raised $102 million Wednesday for itself and existing shareholders, selling 6 million shares for $17 each, Trulia said.
The IPO attracted higher-than expected demand after residential property values rose 0.5 percent in June from a year earlier, the first year-over-year gain since September 2010, according to the S&P/Case-Shiller index of home prices in 20 U.S. cities.
Starbucks heats up coffee brewer market
NEW YORK » Starbucks Corp. is turning up the heat on the single-serve coffee market, and someone might get burned. The Seattle-based company says it will start selling its new single-serve brewer online this week for $199. The machine will be rolled out in its ubiquitous cafes next month.
The arrival of the Verismo, which was announced earlier this year, comes amid intensifying competition in the piping-hot market for single-serve brewers and the coffee pods they use.
The sector is currently dominated by Green Mountain Coffee Roasters Inc., which pioneered the market after its acquisition of the Keurig brand machine in 2006. But this month the company’s patent on its K-cup technology expired, which spawned copycat versions of coffee pods for Keurig machines.
Rate on 30-year mortgage falls to record 3.49%
WASHINGTON >> The average rate on the 30-year fixed mortgage touched its record low this week, and the rate on 15-year mortgages hit a record.
The declines followed the Federal Reserve announcement last week that it would buy bonds to try to push mortgage rates lower and stimulate the housing market.
Mortgage buyer Freddie Mac said Thursday that the average rate on the 30-year loan declined to 3.49 percent from 3.55 percent last week. That matched the lowest rate since long-term mortgages began in the 1950s.
The average on the 15-year fixed mortgage, a popular refinancing option, plunged to a record 2.77 percent. That’s down from 2.85 percent last week and the previous record low of 2.80 percent.
ON THE MOVE
Servco Pacific has promoted Juli Torigoe to controller at Servco Insurance Services in Honolulu. She joined Servco in 2007 and was previously serving as a group vice president and controller in the company’s corporate division.
Starwood Retail Properties has announced that Laurie Paquette has been hired as director of operations and asset management of Starwood Retail Properties. She was previously a vice president of asset management at General Growth Properties and has more than 25 years of professional experience, most of it in the real estate sector.
Lanihau Properties has announced the appointment of Amy Bircher as office manager/administrative assistant. Her responsibilities include managing the day-to-day operations of the Kona office as well as related tasks, which include the company’s development projects and agricultural lands.
UnitedHealthcare Community Plan of Hawaii has donated $10,000 to FACE (Faith Action for Community Equity), which is the only statewide nonprofit interfaith community-organizing group in Hawaii. The funds will support the development of a community health center in Wahiawa that helps to meet the medical and related needs of the underserved.
