Ford names new chief of N. American group

DETROIT >> A veteran Ford Motor Co. executive who was leading the Lincoln luxury brand has been picked to lead North American operations, replacing an executive who was ousted this week over allegations of inappropriate behavior. Kumar Galhotra, 52, will replace Raj Nair starting March 1, the company said in a statement Thursday.

Airbnb adding inspected-property category

SAN FRANCISCO >> Airbnb is dispatching inspectors to rate some of the properties listed on its home-rental service in an effort to reassure travelers they’re booking nice places to stay. The Plus program is aimed at winning over travelers who aren’t sure they can trust the computer-driven system that Airbnb uses to assess the quality of rentals. Airbnb believes travelers will be willing to pay more for inspector- certified properties, allowing property owners to recoup a $149 fee to participate.

States to forgo most of $650M Takata deal

DETROIT >> Japanese air bag maker Takata has reached a $650 million settlement over legal claims from 44 state governments and Washington, D.C. But the states won’t get much of the money. That’s because they have agreed not to collect the settlement so victims of Takata’s faulty air bags get larger settlements.

Liberal group unveils ‘coverage for all’ plan

WASHINGTON >> A leading liberal policy group is raising the ante in the health care debate with a new plan that builds on Medicare to guarantee coverage for all. Called “Medicare Extra for All,” the proposal released Thursday by the Center for American Progress gives politically energized Democrats more options to achieve a long-sought goal. Even though the plan has no chance of passing in a Republican-controlled Congress, center president Neera Tanden says “it’s time to go bolder.”

ON THE MOVE

Bank of Hawaii has announced two new executive appointments:

>> Teik Ramsey is the bank’s new executive vice president, and director of digital operations and customer care. Ramsey has more than 30 years of management experience in operations and contact centers. She also has held various leadership positions at Bank of America, The Walt Disney Co., GE Capital and Corelogic, where she led a division of 2,100 employees.

>> Brian Dote is the new senior vice president and director of mobile and digital commerce in the bank’s Digital Channels Division. Dote has more than 20 years of experience in UX design, and mobile and software application development. He was previously the chief innovation officer at Mid-Pacific Institute and a founder of Tapiki LLC, an app development company.