• ALEX KUTSCHERENKO has been named the first regional group sales manager for Ruth's Chris Steak House, with responsibilities for attracting participants of conventions and special events to the chain's restaurant locations in Restaurant Row on O'ahu, and at Lahaina and Wailea on Maui. She is a former coordinator for membership/meetings, conventions and incentives services for the Hawai'i Visitors & Convention Bureau.

• Kapi'olani Health has announced two finance executive promotions:
-- EARL INOUYE has been named vice president and system controller. He was formerly a Bank of America vice president for management reporting and planning, and a Liberty Bank vice president and controller.
--DAVID OKABE was promoted to vice president and treasurer, continuing a responsibility for financial planning, with the added oversight of treasury functions. He joined the company in 1999 as director of hospital financial planning, with responsibility for financial oversight of hospital operations at Kapi'iolani Medical Center for Women and Children, and Kapi'olani Medical Center at Pali Momi. He is a former Ernst & Young senior manager.

• GRANT THORNTON LLP accountants and management consultants has promoted WILCOX W.K. CHOY to assurance partner and GARY NAKATA to tax manager. Choy, who has served as accountant, manager and, most recently, senior manager of the assurance department, will now head that department. Nakata, formerly senior associate of the tax department, will manage tax assignments, develop the department's staff, and maintain client relations. Also promoted from senior associates to assurance managers, in the assurance department, were SHAUN A. SHIMIZU and BETTY Y.S. TSANG.

• Residential management company Hawaiiana Management Co. Ltd. has announced a four new management executives: PATRICIA DYKSTRA, who has been in property management for five years and worked as a general accountant, business manager for a nonprofit organization and, most recently, director of training for Professional Property Management in Illinois; STEVE PHERIGO, former community association manager for Metropolitan Management Inc.; KIM AKANA, former property manager for Metropolitan Management Inc. and past community association manager for Chaney, Brooks & Co.; and ATHEA J. HARGREAVES, former customer service manager and construction liaison with Watt Homes.

• Certified Management has hired SUSAN AMARAL as an account executive. She most recently was property management coordinator for the Housing and Community Development Corp of Hawai'i.

• CHERYL M. PALESH, vice president of Belt Collins' board of directors, has been promoted to chief engineer of the civil engineering, planning, landscape architecture and environmental consulting firm. She has been with the firm for 12 years and has extensive experience in civil and environmental engineering. Palesh has overseen projects such as the Asian tropical forest exhibits at the Honolulu Zoo and improvements to Kailua Beach Park.

• Walnut Creek, Calif.-based investment adviser firm YCMNET Advisors, seeking to expand its presence in Hawai'i, has announced two local hirings: ROBERT DONAHUE, new YCMNET adviser representative, formerly with Prudential Securities in Kona; and MATT TANAKA, consultant and adviser associate, previously with Charles Schwab & Co.