Hawaii Clean Fleets program debuting

Blue Planet Foundation and Honolulu Clean Cities announced Tuesday that the two are launching a Hawaii Clean Fleets certification program.

The organizations are accepting applications from qualified vehicle fleet operators through the end of July.

The Clean Fleets program will recognize businesses, organizations and government agencies that are making progress on renewable fuels, conservation and fuel-efficiency measures in their vehicle fleets and transportation operations.

The program is modeled after the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design certification program. Blue Planet Foundation will review the applicants based on sustainability criteria established by the nonprofit.

Applicants will be assessed in two key areas: renewable fuels used and fuel-efficiency strategies utilized July 1, 2014, to June 30, 2015. Renewable fuels include electricity, biodiesel, hydrogen, ethanol and other biofuels. Fuel-efficiency strategies can include idle reduction, fuel-saving parts and equipment, maintenance that promotes efficiency, as well as fleet right-sizing and systems efficiency.

‘Ekahi Health System adds physicians

A group of 14 Oahu physicians operating at Kuakini Medical Center as Central Medical Clinic has joined ‘Ekahi Health System.

‘Ekahi Health announced the acquisition Tuesday. Terms were not disclosed.

‘Ekahi Health is an an affiliate of the ‘ikecq family of companies formerly known as DataHouse Holdings, founded in 1975, and unifies independent physician practices into a larger network of doctors and services.

Citi to pay $700M for deceptive practices

NEW YORK >> Citigroup will refund $700 million to consumers and will pay $70 million in fines for illegal and deceptive credit card practices, the bank and federal regulators said Tuesday.

The order, coming from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, is the latest multimillion-dollar settlement against the largest credit card issuers for their role in selling “add-on” products to customers, such as credit score monitoring or “rush” processing of payments. Bank of America reached a similar, slightly larger settlement with regulators in 2014, and JPMorgan Chase was fined in 2013.

Under its agreement with the CFPB, Citi will issue refunds to 8.8 million affected consumers who paid for these types of add-on products, and will pay two separate $35 million fines to the CFPB and to the federal bank regulator the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency.

Toshiba CEO resigns over doctored books

TOKYO >> Toshiba’s CEO and eight other executives resigned Tuesday to take responsibility for doctored books that inflated profits at the Japanese technology manufacturer by ¥152 billion ($1.2 billion) over several years.

Toshiba Corp. acknowledged a systematic cover-up, which began in 2008. Various parts of the Japanese company’s sprawling business including computer chips and personal computers were struggling financially, but top managers set unrealistic earnings targets under the banner of “challenge,” and subordinates faked results.

Microsoft books $8.4B charge on phones

LOS ANGELES >> Microsoft booked an $8.4 billion charge in the fourth quarter, swallowing a bitter pill by writing off the Nokia phone business it bought just over a year ago. It narrowly beat analysts’ depressed expectations for a quarter that also saw a steep decline in personal computer sales even as it prepares to launch its latest operating system, Windows 10.

The Redmond, Wash.-based software giant posted a net loss of $3.20 billion, or 40 cents a share, reversing a profit of $4.61 billion, or 55 cents a share, a year ago.

ON THE MOVE

IQ 360 has announced the following new account coordinators in its Honolulu office:

>> Before joining the company, Elizabeth Steele served as a project manager and assistant to the executive director at Awaiaulu, which is an organization that fosters Hawaiian knowledge through the training of translators and the publication of legacy texts.

>> Haryson Lum previously worked in the athletic department at the University of Hawaii, where he assisted the media relations division with multimedia projects and sports campaigns.

Coldwell Banker Pacific Properties has announced that Realtor associate Quentin Dariah is an independent agent for the firm’s Leeward office. Before joining the company, Dariah was a senior chief in the Navy.