Starwood names scholarship after Vieira

Starwood Hotels & Resorts Hawaii has created the Keith Vieira Ho‘owaiwai a Ho‘ona‘auao Endowed Scholarship at the University of Hawaii’s Shidler College of Business to help develop future business leaders in the state.

The endowment announced Friday honors Vieira, who is stepping down from his role as senior vice president and director of operations for Hawaii and French Polynesia. The Hilo native worked 36 years in the visitor industry.

Starwood operates four Waikiki properties: Sheraton Waikiki; Royal Hawaiian, a Luxury Collection Resort; Moana Surfrider, a Westin Resort; and Sheraton Princess Kaiulani, as well as the Sheraton Maui Resort & Spa, owned by Kyo-ya Hotels and Resorts.

The scholarship at Vieira’s alma mater will help undergraduate and graduate students from local high schools pursue business degrees.

New UHA program urges healthy lifestyle

UHA, formerly known as University Health Alliance, has launched a grass-roots initiative to encourage employers to help their employees live healthy.

The Hawaii Health at Work Alliance, aimed at controlling medical costs and preventable illnesses through healthy living, helps employers integrate wellness into the workplace.

UHA, a health insurer with more than 53,000 members, recently signed an agreement with Health at Work Wellness Actuaries, a global wellness company based in Chicago that advises organizations on how to develop effective wellness policies that improve employee health and productivity and maximize company profitability.

Businesses interested in joining the group can contact worksitewellness@uhahealth.com.

Program backs entrepreneurs and investors

The Hawaii Strategic Development Corp. board of directors approved Friday a program that will support networking opportunities for local entrepreneurs and investors.

The newly created HI Growth CAN program is a part of the HI Growth Initiative, a $6 million investment strategy proposed as part of the Abercrombie Administration’s 2013 legislative package and signed into law on July 9.

"The HI Growth CAN program supports Hawaii’s ecosystem by exposing entrepreneurs to potential customers, partners and investors on a regular basis," said H. Brian Moore, HSDC chairman. "These activities will increase the pipeline of companies that apply for funding from our investment programs."

The program will be administered by the High Tech Development Corp. The type of events that the CAN program is designed to support include investor pitch competitions, entrepreneur scouting, startup events and venture capital summits.

See www.hsdc.hawaii.gov for more information.

Facebook stock above $40 for first time

NEW YORK » Facebook’s stock closed above $40 for the first time Friday.

The social network’s shares have gained 53 percent since July 24, when it reported strong growth in mobile ad revenue and a solid profit during its second quarter.

On Wednesday, Facebook announced a technology partnership that aims to expand Internet access to the 5 billion people not currently connected. That could create more potential Facebook users.

Facebook Inc. went public in May 2012 at $38 per share. There were lofty expectations, but the initial public stock offering was marred by trading glitches.

Worries about growth prospects then weighed on shares. They bottomed at $17.55 in September.

Those fears appear to have eased. The stock closed up 5.2 percent at $40.55 Friday, touching the highest price since its IPO.

GM gets back in the Super Bowl ad game

DETROIT >> General Motors Co. is bringing its ads back to football’s biggest game. The automaker says its Chevrolet brand is returning to next year’s Super Bowl because the Feb. 2  game falls in the middle of new model introductions.

GM announced in May 2012 that it was walking away from this year’s game, saying a price increase from CBS was too steep. At the time, the automaker said it could not justify spending well over $4 million for 30-second TV spot.

The company later dismissed the marketing director who made the decision, largely related to a huge advertising contract with Manchester United, the British soccer club. 

ON THE MOVE

Aqua Hotels & Resorts has promoted: 

» Matthew Pickett to general manager for Polynesian Plaza from Lotus Honolulu, where he guided the hotel through a $2.5 million room renovation and upgrade.

» Kahea Colon to area general manager of Aqua Bamboo Waikiki and Aqua Waikiki Joy. She was previously a general manager for Aqua Bamboo Waikiki.

» Nicole Yoshimoto to hotel manager at Aqua Bamboo Waikiki. She was previously the hotel’s guest services manager.