Maui Business

Maui County’s unemployment rate edged up slightly in April but remained well below the national average, according to figures released Wednesday by the state Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism.

The creation of the Director of Cultural & Community Engagement role marks an important step in MLP’s continued evolution as it works to deepen cultural understanding and long-term community relationships, according to the announcement.

The nonprofit homestead loan fund, Hawaiian Lending & Investments congratulates its employee of 6 years, Rolina Faagai on her transition to the Hawaiʻi Community Foundation.

Whalers Village welcomed Flip Flop Shops to its oceanfront collection of retailers, with a grand opening celebration held Saturday, April 18. Locally owned and operated, the new store offers a curated selection of premium casual footwear.

The Maui Metropolitan Planning Organization announced the appointment of Kasie M. Apo Takayama as its new Executive Director.

The Hawai‘i Tourism Authority has launched its search for the leader who will guide the state’s tourism industry into a new era. The organization is now seeking applications for the position of president and chief executive officer of HTA. The application deadline is Friday, June 26, 2026.

Whalers Village is pleased to announce the appointment of Derrick Garcia as its new General Manager, bringing a track record of operational leadership, team development and strategic growth across premier retail and hospitality destinations.

A tradeshow featuring products from Hawai‘i and Ilocos Norte will run concurrently. The event will close with an evening banquet featuring remarks from Hawai‘i Gov. Josh Green, followed by a reaffirmation ceremony marking 22 years of sister-state relations between Hawai‘i and Ilocos Norte.

The Hawaiʻi Visitors and Convention Bureau announces the appointment of Elizabeth “Liz” Loomis as vice president of island integration and operations, effective 4 May 2026. The new position is designed to deepen collaboration across HVCB’s offices on Kauaʻi, Oʻahu, Maui, and Hawai‘i Island, strengthening the integration of island perspectives into the statewide strategy. 

This full-day summit will bring together more than 200 practitioners — including developers, investors, state and county agencies, financial institutions and nonprofit organizations — for a deep dive into the newly updated Opportunity Zones (OZ) 2.0 program.

HawaiiUSA Federal Credit Union and Southwest Airlines are continuing their partnership to help empower Maui students through financial education, leadership development, and access to new opportunities beyond the classroom.

Maui Building Source will host the Maui Chamber of Commerce May Business After Hours networking event on Thursday, May 21, 2026, from 5 to 7 p.m. at its showroom located at 370 Dairy Road in Kahului.

Wildfire survivors in Maui County can expect to receive settlement money for the first time this year. However, economists say the payments won’t make most families whole, especially as higher electricity bills and gas prices intensify pressure on households still rebuilding their lives.

The Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority is now accepting applications to its 2026 Community Tourism Collaboratives, a set of cohort-based programs that support small businesses and nonprofits in hosting visitors while protecting cultural and natural resources and strengthening community benefits

Celebrating 30 years of creative impact across Hawaiʻi and beyond, Sae Design Group continues to solidify its reputation as one of Hawaiʻi’s premier boutique strategic design firms, earning multiple honors at the 2026 Pele Awards.

The countdown is on for the 13th Annual Hawaiʻi Energy Conference to be held at the Maui Arts & Cultural Center May 20 and 21, exploring the theme of Energy: Power, People and Place.

Nuestro Futuro Foundation has awarded $200,000 annually for the next three years to the Maui Health Foundation’s Patient Resource Assistance Fund, strengthening support for high‑risk, low‑income patients who face barriers to recovery after hospitalization.

Pacific Permanente Group has hired Dr. Cameron Donaldson, a board-certified interventional cardiologist and vascular medicine specialist to its staff, expanding the physician group’s advanced cardiovascular services on Maui. Donaldson earned his medical degree from Tufts University School of Medicine in Boston and completed his internal medicine residency at Tufts Medical Center. He trained in cardiovascular […]

Japanese visitors have been drawn more to Waikīkī than to Maui’s resorts, and a new state report calls for changing that by rebuilding and diversifying Japanese visitor demand.

The Hawaiʻi State Legislature has passed House Bill 1642 CD1, marking a significant step forward in protecting local residents from financial fraud schemes that are becoming increasingly tied to cryptocurrency kiosks and digital asset scams.