Maui Business

In a significant boost to aid Lahaina homeowners affected by last year’s wildfires, American Savings Bank (ASB) and the Federal Home Loan Bank of Des Moines (FHLB Des Moines) have announced an allocation of $400,000 to Hawaiʻi Community Lending through the FHLB Member Impact Fund.

Ameresco, Inc. is hosting a open house community meeting on Tuesday, May 7, to provide information and seek community input about its ‘Ūkiu Energy project located across from the Central Maui Landfill behind Hawaiian Electric’s Waena substation.

Kaiser Permanente Hawaiʻi announced the selection of its new president of Kaiser Foundation Health Plan and Hospitals Hawaiʻi, Edmund “Ed” Chan. Chan’s roots in Hawaiʻi began early in his career. In 2000, after completing his Registered Dietitian training in Boston, he accepted a position as a clinical dietitian for Hale Makua Health Services in Kahului, Maui. Chan also took on roles at the Community Clinic of Maui and served as a consultant dietitian to Maui Youth & Family Services.

Foodland Super Market, Ltd. announced that Foodland Farms Lahaina will reopen at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, April 10. Located at Lahaina Gateway, Foodland Farms Lahaina has been closed since the Aug. 8, 2023, wildfires.

The Maui Chamber of Commerce is now accepting Product Vendor and Food Truck Vendor Applications for the 2024 Hawaiian Airlines Made in Maui County Festival. The 11th Annual event will be held at the Maui Arts & Cultural Center on Nov. 1 and 2, 2024.

Fifteen Maui companies and one from Moloka‘i exhibited their products at the renowned 49th International Food and Beverage Exhibition 2024. More than two dozen other companies from Hawai‘i also took part in the FoodEx event, held from March 5-8 at the Tokyo Big Sight in the Tokyo International Exhibition Center.

Small-business owners are invited to a Spring Mentor-Protégé Program Workshop from 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. April 26 at the Maui Economic Development Board’s Malcom Center in Kīhei.

Small food entrepreneurs seeking to enhance their business growth will gain invaluable insights during two informational webinars in August, focused on food safety and labeling. These webinars are presented by the Maui Food Technology Center (MFTC).

The County of Maui Office of Economic Development (OED) this week published the findings of its Maui Business Health Check survey. Conducted from January to February 2024, the survey garnered responses from 290 businesses, shedding light on the post-wildfire challenges faced by the Maui business community and offering insights for progress.

Hawaiʻi workforce development nonprofit ClimbHI partnered with the Hawai‘i Tourism Authority and the Fairmont Kea Lani, Maui, as well as dozens of Maui businesses and organizations, to host its annual Leadership, Exploration, Inspiration program on Maui on Thursday. More than 150 high school and college students from across Maui participated in a fast-paced schedule of activities which provided exposure to a variety of careers.

US Sen. Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI) spent the day in Hilo, where she met with Lahainaluna students participating in the 61stAnnual Merrie Monarch Festival, toured small businesses participating in this year’s 8th Hawaiʻi on the Hill, and viewed the Puainako Paving Project at Waiākea Intermediate School.

The Valley Isle Community Federal Credit Union has announced a partnership with Ben Zeigler-Namoa, standout first baseman and outfielder for the University of Hawaiʻi baseball team.

Grammy award-winning Maui High alumnus, Jason Baum, will be one of the keynote speakers for the 15th Annual Hawai’i STEM Conference, taking place on April 4 and 5 at the Hawai’i Convention Center in Honolulu. The Hawai’i STEM Conference is presented each year by Maui Economic Development Board’s STEMworks™ program to inspire Hawai’i middle and high school students to study and pursue careers in science, technology, engineering and math by giving them opportunities to learn directly from industry professionals. 

In the state of Hawaiʻi, $76,644 was raised for Special Olympics Hawaiʻi. This included funds raised by Jersey Mike’s franchises in Wailuku (Maui Lani Shopping Center) and Kahului (Pu‘unēnē Shopping Center) during the month of March.

Hawaiian Telcom has rolled out Secure Network, an enterprise-grade network solution priced and tailored for small to medium businesses. The network provides cyberthreat protection for businesses with limited information technology resources while delivering superior network performance and WiFi, according to an announcement.

Inspired by the devastation of the Aug. 8 Maui wildfires, Makawao artist and gallery owner Jordanne Perkins picked up her brushes and painted her Lahaina Strong Series — 45 paintings in 52 days to honor Lahaina residents and memories of their historic town.

Maui Health will host a Maui Health Care Career Fair on Friday, April 5, 1-4 p.m., and Saturday, April 6, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Maui Memorial Medical Center in Wailuku. The career fair will help provide individualized guidance for anyone looking to start or expand a career in health care, including application assistance and on-the-spot interviews for qualified applicants.

Hawaiian Electric kicked off a new framework Monday for customers to streamline their choices for participation in the utility’s rooftop solar energy programs.

Maui Walking Tours LLC is now offering free guided walks through Kīhei every Monday and Wednesday sharing stories of the town’s history through the centuries. Tours start at 5 p.m. and guide participants through a mile-long journey that highlights the area’s origins as a fishing village, the military presence during the 1940s, the tourism boom of South Maui in the 1970s and more. 

Foodland Super Market today launched Project Keiki, a new monthlong statewide community giving program that will help provide lunches and meals to Hawai‘i’s children on days they don’t have access to school lunches. Support will go to the Hawai‘i food banks on four islands to fulfill this mission.