KITV among 8 stations to interview Obama
KITV’s interview with President Barack Obama Wednesday was one of eight scheduled with television stations in media markets that have a strong military presence, Reuters reported. Obama held the interviews on the day the Pentagon said it may furlough about 800,000 civilian employees for 22 days due to budget cuts set to take effect on March 1.
In addition to KITV’s Yunji de Nies, Obama talked to local TV news anchors in Boston, Baltimore, Oklahoma City, San Francisco, San Antonio, Charleston, S.C., and Wichita, Kan.
The furloughs would be part of broad spending cuts the Pentagon would implement to achieve $46 billion in reductions by Sept. 30. More cuts would come in future years as long as the automatic government spending cuts, known as sequestration, remained in effect.
The interviews with local TV stations are part of Obama’s strategy to lay blame for the job losses on Republicans, who control the House of Representatives, Reuters said.
UH business school gets $1 million gift
William R. Johnson Jr., president and CEO of Johnson Machinery Co., has given the University of Hawaii at Manoa Shidler College of Business $1 million to create the William R. Johnson Jr. Study Abroad Endowment. The endowment will fund international study-abroad scholarships for undergraduate students at the Shidler College of Business.
In 2006, Johnson donated $1 million to fund two endowed professorships at the Shidler business school and since then has hosted several Shidler alumni events in Newport Harbor for Southern California Shidler alumni, UH said.
Johnson said in a statement, "I’m pleased to help the students at Shidler explore the world and graduate as global citizens. All of my children benefited greatly from their international study abroad programs, so I know firsthand the life-changing experiences these opportunities can be."
California-based Johnson Machinery supplies heavy construction, industrial and mining equipment. It has 13 locations throughout southern California and more than 400 employees.
Johnson earned his bachelor’s degree in business administration from Shidler in 1965.
Isle restaurants will honor top employees
The Hawaii Restaurant Association has created an annual recognition event for member restaurants’ employees.
The Employee Excellence Awards will honor staffers who exemplify outstanding performance and exceptional service.
Awards categories are for so-called "front-of-the-house" employees including hosts or hostesses, servers and bar staff, as well as "back-of-the-house" employees including chefs, cooks and other kitchen staff.
The HRA for years has honored restaurateurs and others for making significant contributions to the industry through its Hall of Fame event, but "now it is time to recognize the people behind the scenes who support the vision and provide the service that enables success," Executive Director Roger Morey said in a statement.
Nominations are being evaluated but more are welcomed. Further details can be obtained online at restauranthi.com, by phone at 944-9105 or via email at hra@restauranthi.com.
The awards luncheon will be March 11 at the Hawaii Prince Hotel Waikiki.
Goodsill moves to First Hawaiian Center
Goodsill Anderson Quinn & Stifel, which has nearly 70 attorneys representing local, national and international clients, relocated Tuesday to the First Hawaiian Center at 999 Bishop St., suite 1600.
"This begins a new chapter of the Goodsill story," said Peter Kashiwa, Goodsill’s managing partner. "Our new workspace is cutting-edge, maximizing technology and efficiency to effectively provide legal services in the 21st century. There is also a legacy wall that pays tribute to those who have contributed to our 135-year history of serving Hawaii."
Goodsill Anderson Quinn & Stifel LLP was founded in Hawaii in 1878.
ON THE MOVE
B.J. Penn, retired assistant secretary of the U.S. Navy and temporary secretary of the Navy, will serve as honorary chairman of the African American Diversity Cultural Center Hawai‘i. A former naval aviator, Penn was appointed assistant secretary of the Navy in 2005. Under President Barack Obama, he served as acting secretary of the Navy from March 13, 2009, to May 19, 2009. The African American Diversity Cultural Center Hawai‘i is a museum repository collecting historical documents and artifacts that preserve the more than 200 years of history about people of African descent in Hawaii.
Pyramid Hotel Group has named Bryan Byard as chef de cuisine at Rays on the Bay, at Sheraton Kona Resort & Spa at Keauhou Bay. His experience includes cooking and working at Artichoke Cafe, Bien Shur and Santa Fe’s Coyote Cafe in New Mexico. Byard has been mentored by Jeremy Sutphin, Ryan Mann, Mark Miller and Ryan Blanchard.
The Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement has announced Michelle Kauhane as its new senior vice president. She was previously the deputy director for the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands. Kauhane’s experience includes working on affordable housing and finance solutions at the non-profit Hawaiian Community Assets.
