Maui recycling firm is purchased

Schnitzer Steel Industries Inc., a Portland, Ore.-based recycling company, has acquired the assets of SOS Metals Island Recycling of Maui.

Terms of the deal weren’t disclosed.

"This transaction continues our strategy of expanding our metals recycling business in order to better serve our customers throughout the world," said Tamara Lundgren, Schnitzer’s chief executive officer.

"We will continue to be a household name for recycling in Maui," said Sandy Shadrow, president of SOS Metals Island Recycling.

SOS Metals Island Recycling has been collecting, processing and recycling scrap metal on Maui for nearly five years.

Big Isle to host meetings conference

More than 300 meetings industry executives and exhibitors will descend on the Big Island this week for the 13th annual Pacific Rim Incentives & Meetings Exchange (PRIME).

The event, Thursday and Friday at the Waikoloa Beach Marriott Resort & Spa, will showcase Hawaii’s potential to host business and incentive groups. After PRIME, members will spend three days touring prospective meeting sites throughout the isles.

"We have an excellent group of planners coming to PRIME from outside the state who have great influence over the scheduling of corporate events and business meetings in 2011 and years to come," said Priscilla Texeira, who founded PRIME and serves as managing director for the conference. "Hawaii’s sales professionals do a superb job of marketing our islands, and I’m confident that PRIME’s format of hosting individual meetings, group events and FAM (familiarization) tours will lead to many new bookings for the state."

Foodland takes over Lahaina Farms

Foodland Super Market has reached an agreement with Kalama Beach Corp. to take over the Lahaina Farms operations on Maui. The store will reopen today as Foodland Farms Lahaina.

This is the third Foodland Farms store to open in Hawaii, and the first store on Maui.

Solar firm signs lease for Oahu plant

Keahole Solar Power LLC, a Hawaii-based solar-thermal project developer, has signed an agreement with the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands to lease land in Kalaeloa on Oahu to build a solar-energy plant.

The 5-megawatt generator will begin construction toward the end of the year and is scheduled to reach completion by the third quarter of 2011, the company said. The proposed plant will be Hawaii’s largest solar thermal power facility to date, Keahole said. The company installed a 2-megawatt power plant in the Kona area in 2009 at a cost of $10 million.

ON THE MOVE

Clarisse Kobashigawa has returned to Galiher DeRobertis Ono as an associate. She will be responsible for personal injury litigation. Kobashigawa was previously an associate at the Johnson Law Office in Minnesota as well as an intern for Galiher DeRobertis Ono each summer while attending law school.

RevoluSun has hired Ben Coffman as project developer. He will be responsible for working with and educating commercial and residential customers to achieve energy independence by finding the best solar systems that will meet their needs.

Aqua Hotels & Resorts has promoted the following:

» KeAlii Alexander to director of operations for Aqua’s AOAO properties from area general manager.

» Albert Roque is director of operations as well as overseeing the housekeeping and maintenance function throughout the company.

» Kahealani Doss to general manager of Aqua Bamboo & Spa from hotel manager for Aqua Palms & Spa.

» Scott Pauli to area general manager as well as overseeing Aqua Waikiki Beachside and Continental Surf Hotel.

» Joy Alder to hotel manager of Aqua Waikiki Wave from guest services manager at Aqua Bamboo & Spa.