Maui Business

More than 400 entrepreneurs, including Maui Business Brainstormers members, attended the Hui Holomua 9th Business Fest on Oct. 30, 2015, at the Grand Wailea Resort & Spa, an annual, full-day conference organized by Maui Native Hawaiian Chamber of Commerce.

Top 15 Cities in the U.S. Melting Pot HomeInsurance.com ranked cities across the country with multiple ancestral ties. Kahului tied for fifth place along with Norwich, Connecticut; Albany, New York; and Janesville, Wisconsin.

Alison Cohan, an eight-year veteran with the Nature Conservancy of Hawai‘i, will oversee all terrestrial conservation programs for Maui, Moloka‘i and Lāna‘i, including six Nature Conservancy preserves.

The Hawai‘i Public Utilities Commission received a proposal from the Hawaiian Electric Companies with new, lower daytime electric rates for the Hawai‘i Department of Education that could help public schools manage their electricity costs as they install additional air conditioning and cooling equipment, while also using renewable energy that is available during the day.

Hawaiian Commercial & Sugar Company was recently presented with two awards—the Community Business Award and Outstanding Employer of the Year in Maui County.

Retailer Bath & Body Works officially opened to the general public at 9:30 a.m. today at the Queen Ka’ahumanu Center to a crowd of awaiting customers.

The official competition kicks off on Thursday, Nov. 12, with the final pitches held the following Thursday, Nov. 19, at 5:30 p.m. at the MEDB Malcolm Center in Kīhei.

Retailers at The Shops at Wailea are offering special incentives to shop early for the holidays. The Shops at Wailea is hosting a contest throughout the month of November. There will be one winner selected at the end of the month for each of the prizes listed below.

Over 10,000 residents and visitors attended the 2nd Annual Made in Maui County Festival over the weekend, setting a new attendance record. Taking center stage at the Maui Arts & Cultural Center were the over 140 vendors who showcased the islands’ depth and breadth of products on Nov. 6 and 7.

Today’s “Big Festival Day” at the Made in Maui County Festival is anticipated to attract thousands of visitors and residents to the Maui Arts & Cultural Center. The event will open its gates at 8 a.m., event concludes at 4:30 p.m.

The Rotary Club of Lahaina Sunset invites the public to enjoy a two-hour sunset cruise aboard the Trilogy on Saturday, Nov. 14. Proceeds will benefit youth scholarships and other West Maui community projects.

With the help of local organizations, three Hawai‘i finalists will be considered for the InnovateHER Challenge national competition in Washington, DC, in March 2016, vying for $70,000 in prizes.

The Mayor’s Office of Economic Development today announced that all parking is free for the Second Annual Made in Maui County Festival on Saturday, Nov. 7. Changes have also been made to help alleviate the traffic congestion experienced during last year’s inaugural event.

Matson, the the state’s largest ocean cargo carrier, reported a jump in profits for the third quarter of the year to $41.5 million, up from the $21.5 million reported in the same quarter last year.

Maui Land & Pineapple Company Inc. reported income of $9.7 million ($.51 per share) for the third quarter of 2015, compared to a net loss of $.7 million ($.04 per share) for the third quarter of 2014.

The Hawai‘i Farmers Union United will hold its fifth annual statewide convention Friday through Sunday, Nov. 13 to 15, at Maui Tropical Plantation.

Now in its second year, this popular event features over 140 vendors offering a wide variety of made-in-Hawai‘i products, including foods, produce, art, crafts, jewelry, fashion, gifts, collectibles and more all in one location at the Maui Arts & Cultural Center in Kahului.

The US Small Business Administration’s Hawai‘i District Office has reported a stunning 57% increase in the number of loans to small firms in Hawai‘i, Guam and American Samoa for Fiscal Year 2015 compared to 2014.

The County of Maui Department of Housing and Human Concerns, Grants Management Division, is seeking applications from qualified private nonprofit and for-profit organizations providing or planning to provide social welfare, youth services, alcohol and substance abuse, homelessness, youth centers and other public service programs within the county for grant funds for Fiscal Year 2017 and 2018.

Alexander & Baldwin Inc. has appointed Christopher J. Benjamin to its board of directors, effective Jan. 1, 2016, coincident with his appointment as A&B’s chief executive officer.