Trade Winds

Advertiser Staff

• Robert "Robbie" Alm, a First Hawaiian Bank officer since 1993, has been hired as senior vice president of public affairs for Hawaiian electric Co. Alm was most recently executive vice president and manager of First Hawaiian's Financial Management Group. Also announced was the promotion of Tom JoaquiN, formerly HECO's vice president of power supply, to senior vice president of operations. In their new duties, Alm will oversee overall company regulatory and government affairs, corporate communications, consumer education and community relations. Joaquin will be responsible for planning and management of the company's generation, transmission and distribution systems.

• RUSSELL MIYASHIRO, former vice president of retail production at Summit Lending of Hawai'i, has joined FINANCE FACTORS LTD. as senior vice president and residential loan division manager. As such, he will oversee both retail and wholesale residential loan production, branch production and the company's call center. He is also former vice president and general manager of General Mortgage Corp., coordinating the new company's start.

• With the increasing emergence of China as a major tourism market, hospitality, leisure and entertainment industry design consultant Wimberly Allison Tong & Goo has promoted CHAO "ROBERT" ZHENG to manager of business development for Greater China. Zheng will continue to work out of the architectural, planning and consultant firm's Honolulu office, where for the past five years he has been responsible for analyzing research data and tracking travel and tourism trends worldwide. Current company projects in Greater China include the Great Wall Nature Resort in Beijing, the Qiandaohu Resort in Hangzhou and the Hualien Oceanpark Resort Hotel in Taiwan. Zheng is also past president of the Hawai'i mainland China Overseas Association.

• Former Ryan's Grill at Ward Centre chef TODD WELLS has been named kitchen manager for Ruth's Chris Steak House at Restaurant Row. Wells has also served at the Lodge at Ko'ele and Henry Clay's Rotisserie, both on Lana'i, and as executive chef at Sunset Grill in Restaurant Row.

• JEFF NASRALLAH, former head of commercial real estate services firm Grubb & Ellis' corporate research department in Los Angeles, has been named director of research for the local office of Grubb & Ellis/CBI Inc., charged with assembling a local research presence. Grubb & Ellis research services is a nationally recognized provider of proprietary research in the commercial real estate industry.

• LORRIE CAHN has joined Consumer Group Insurance Services Inc., one of the Royal State Group family of companies, as vice president for business development in the private group sector. She will be responsible for overseeing market expansion, product development and account acquisition. The 20-year group benefits market veteran was previously assistant director of sales and service for Kapi'olani HealthHawai'i.

• The Hawaii Bankers Association recently named its officers for the new fiscal year. The president is Ronald K. Migita, vice chairman and CEO of City Bank. The new vice president is Warren K.K. Luke, chairman of Hawaii National Bank. The secretary-treasurer is Constance H. Lau, president and CEO of American Savings Bank.