Business briefs

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HotU to absorb California firm

Startup Honolulu software company hotU yesterday announced plans to merge with Scholastic Recruits, a Sunnyvale, Calif., company. HotU will be the parent company. Further details of the transaction were not released.

HotU, a year-old firm with about 30 employees, is developing an online information platform for university students and corporate recruiters. It received $5 million in venture money in 2000, but laid off a half-dozen employees this year as it failed to attract further capital.

Scholastic Recruits offers free recruiting services to students, connecting them with corporate clients.

Smart card firm heads to Hawai'i

IVI Smart Technologies, Inc., a San Jose, Calif., smart card company, will move its headquarters and product design group to Honolulu, the company said in a news release. The company is looking for 15,000 square feet of office space in Kaka'ako for what it hopes will eventually be 50 engineers plus support staff, said Keith Rollman, a company spokesman.

"We will be looking to fill the bulk of our engineering positions and support staff with local talent," said company chairman Terry Christensen in a statement.


Unions settle Liliha contract

The Hawaii Teamsters and Allied Workers Local 996, representing about 700 workers at St. Francis Medical Center’s Liliha hospital, dialysis and hospice facilities in the state, reached a tentative contract agreement with the hospital. Details of the deal were not released. The union said workers will hold a ratification vote.