Mac nut company pays off former CEO
Royal Hawaiian Orchards agreed to pay its former President and CEO Dennis Simonis $238,833 as part of a separation agreement, the company said in a filing Tuesday.
The board of the Hilo-based grower and processor of macadamia nuts replaced Simonis with John Kai on June 5. Kai, 47, is a Hilo financial adviser who has been on the Royal Hawaiian Orchards board since 2004.
Royal Hawaiian, formerly known as ML Macadamia Orchards, has been shifting its business from nut-in-shell bulk sales to retail sales.
Royal Hawaiian also agreed to pay Simonis’ attorney $28,967 and reimburse Simonis for health care premiums for Simonis and his wife until June 30, 2014, the company said in its filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Design firm moves office a block over
Building materials and design firm Architectural Glass & Aluminum Group Inc. will relocate its Hawaii office about a block to the 677 Ala Moana Building where the company is helping with a planned $14 million renovation.
The California-based firm signed a lease to move into the 12-story building in Kakaako formerly known as the Gold Bond Building. Architectural Glass & Aluminum Group is moving from 733 Auahi St.
Building owner Redico announced the lease Tuesday. The renovation, which includes a new facade, was announced in May and is scheduled to begin by year’s end.
SolarCity joins with military for projects
SolarCity will partner with a major military housing contractor to install rooftop photovoltaic solar systems with enough generating capacity for 7,500 homes on Army and Air Force bases across Oahu, the company announced Tuesday.
The 12.8 megawatts of generating capacity will be spread across homes at Lend Lease-managed communities, including Fort Shafter, Schofield Barracks, Wheeler Army Airfield, Aliamanu Military Reservation, Helemano Military Reservation and Tripler Army Medical Center, according to a news release from SolarCity.
The new installations and a previously announced 24-megawatt project on Navy and Marine bases in Hawaii are being done under the SolarStrong initiative being undertaken by SolarCity at military bases across the U.S.
"It’s important that we wean ourselves off of imported oil," said Jon Yoshimura, SolarCity’s director of government affairs in Hawaii. "SolarStrong is one of the key programs the military has initiated to try to lessen its energy load, especially in Hawaii," he said.
ON THE MOVE
Straub Foundation has elected Richard Zwern to its volunteer board. Zwern is worldwide director of executive development at WPP Group, an advertising and marketing services group.
Hawaii State Federal Credit Union has promoted Joel Kumabe to senior vice president and chief information officer from chief information officer. Kumabe has more than 30 years of technology industry experience.
