Maui Business

The officially merged Hawaiian and Alaska Airlines have expanded Hawaiian’s former 64-aircraft fleet into a combined fleet of 350 passenger airplanes, now offering Hawaiʻi residents non-stop or one-stop flights to 128 cities and destinations like Chicago, Denver, Washington, D.C., Toronto, New Orleans, Costa Rica and Miami. But the airline merger will not bring new air service to Molokaʻi, Lānaʻi, Kapalua or Hāna.

Alaska Air Group, the parent company of Alaska Airlines, announced today the interim Honolulu leadership team that will guide Hawaiian Airlines operations from transaction close through a full combination of operations under a single operating certificate with two brands – Hawaiian Airlines and Alaska Airlines. Current Alaska Airlines regional president of Hawai‘i/Pacific, Joe Sprague, will be named chief executive officer of Hawaiian Airlines.

The US Department of Transportation has given Alaska Airlines permission to close on its $1.9 billion acquisition of Hawaiian Airlines, after the carriers agreed to maintain key Hawaii routes and adopt consumer protections. This exemption allows the carriers, which are respectively the fifth and tenth largest domestic airlines, to finalize their merger while maintaining separate operations until DOT rules on their transfer application.

The Hawaiʻi Renewable Fuels Coalition, a new, multi-sector advocacy group representing farmers, land stewards, airlines, and fuel producers that are collectively seeking to support the transformation of the state’s energy landscape by producing renewable fuels in the islands, has named Nahelani Parsons as its executive director.

The Office of Economic Development (OED) will accept new grant applications for programs, projects and events that promote and nurture economic development in Maui County.

The Maui Hotel & Lodging Association announced their 2024-2025 Board of Directors at their annual meeting held on Sept. 12 at the Sheraton Maui Resort & Spa. Board members were elected from a list of candidates nominated by MHLA property and allied members earlier this year.

Registration is now open for the 2024 Hawai‘i Agriculture Conference – AG2024 – to be held Nov. 7 and 8, 2024 at the Hawai‘i Convention Center.

The Hawaiʻi Community Foundation recognized four exceptional leaders in the Hawaiʻi nonprofit sector with its 22nd Annual Ho‘okele Awards. Recipients include: Maude Cumming, Executive Director, Family Life Center; Janice Ikeda, Founding Executive Director, Vibrant Hawai‘i; Kūhiō Lewis, CEO, Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement; and Kelly Maluo-Pearson, CEO, Boys & Girls Club of Maui.

Nonprofit organizations focused on improving economic and social mobility, and environmental sustainability in Hawai‘i are encouraged to apply for a grant from Hawaiian Telcom powered by the Bell Charitable Foundation.

CocoNene, a local brand known for its made-in-Hawaiʻi products, opened its third Maui store on Tuesday, Sept. 10, at The Shops at Wailea.

Teri Edmonds has reached the end of the road as a shoe cobbler. For 20 years, she has provided Maui’s only shoe repair service at If The Shoe Fits. Now, she’s retiring from shoe repairs and starting to turn away that business.

US Small Business Administration Associate Administrator Francisco Sánchez Jr. convened a roundtable of local business and community leaders Thursday to listen and learn about SBA’s performance following the Aug. 8, 2023, wildfires.

Whaler’s Fine Jewelry owner Tien Doan is no stranger to adversity. A survivor of Pol Pot’s “Killing Fields” in Cambodia, Doan lost his Front Street family home to last year’s wildfire, along with two vacation rental properties — reduced to ashes.

AES Hawaiʻi held a blessing ceremony on Friday to launch Kūihelani solar-plus-storage, Hawai‘i’s largest solar facility, which is producing electricity for Maui at 8-cents per kilowatt hour, the lowest renewable energy cost in the state. The facility produces 60 MW of renewable energy, enough to power 27,000 Maui homes.

The Maui Chamber of Commerce has announced nominees for the 2024 Mayor’s Small Business Awards, which will be held on Sept. 19.

Today, Maui United Way announced that Jason Economou is now serving as President and CEO of the organization.  Economou is a local attorney and nonprofit professional with a long history of community service and philanthropy.

Ralph Mesick, a Hawaiʻi banker with nearly 40 years of financial services experience, has joined Central Pacific Bank (CPB) as its senior executive vice president and chief risk officer, according to an announcement today by Arnold Martines, CPB chairman, president and chief executive officer.

Bacon Universal announced the launch of Bacon Rentals, a new division dedicated to providing best-in-class equipment rentals, further enhancing the company’s longstanding commitment to the Hawaiʻi market.

Maui Economic Opportunity Transportation Director Patty Copperfield was recognized Thursday night as one of Hawaiʻi’s best and brightest young leaders, earning a spot on Pacific Business News’ 40 Under 40 Class of 2024.

Hawaiʻi State Federal Credit Union recently presented a donation of $5,000 to Parents And Children Together in support of the nonprofit’s ongoing programs and services. The donation will help PACT continue its work of providing comprehensive services to empower Hawaiʻi’s most vulnerable families and communities.