Trade Winds

Advertiser Staff

• Current Mrs. Hawai'i, Kanekapolei Sydney Fernandez Fasi, has been named director of community relations for the family-owned E.K. Fernandez Entertainment, Fernandez Fun Factory and Fernandez Events. Fasi is the daughter of the late "E.K. Fernandez Carnival King" Kane Fernandez, and present company head, Linda Fernandez, and daughter-in-law of former Honolulu Mayor Frank Fasi. Fasi previously worked with Deloitte & Touche and the French Festival of Hawai'i, as well as an international fashion model.

• Wendy A. Abe, former vice president of campaign and community relations for Aloha United Way, has been named director of donor services at the Blood Bank of Hawai'i. She will be responsible for donor recruitment to meet the blood needs for Hawai'i's patients. Also named were: Roger N. Murai, a hotel industry veteran, and human resource executive, new Blood Bank director of human resources; and Ellen DiSalvo, appointed director of laboratory services.

• Longtime Queen's Medical Center spokeswoman Karen Winpenny has been named Hilton Hawai'i regional director of public relations, with responsibility for internal and external communications for Hilton's three Hawai'i properties: Hilton hawaiian Village Beach Resort and Spa, Doubletree Alana Waikiki and Hilton Waikoloa Village. She was most recently the public and professional education coordinator for the state Department of Health's Healthy Hawai'i Initiative. She is also past assistant marketing director for Kahala Mall.

Also named to new positions at local Hilton properties are:

• Stella N. Kimura now adds financial oversight of the Waikoloa and Doubletree properties to previous Hilton Hawaiian Village responsibilities, with her promotion from manager of financial operations for Hilton Hawaiian Village to Hilton regional director of finance.
• Keni Sumpter, a 14-year-veteran, and former assistant director of sales for Turtle Bay Resort has been named director of sales for Hilton property Doubletree Alana Waikiki Hotel.

• Twelve-year professional cost management veteran Kevin Mitchell has been named cost manager of local property and construction consulting firm Rider Hunt Levett & Bailey. As such, he will assist owners, designers, lenders and contractors with project cost, time and quality control decisions.

• Bank of Hawai'i has hired Richard C. Keene, who joined the bank from Atlanta, in January, as executive vice president and controller, overseeing the bank's accounting functions. The veteran of corporate financial management and public accounting experience was previously chief operating officer and controller of MaxRate.com; and controller at the Prudential Bank, both in Atlanta.

• Bank of Hawai'i has also announced the appointment of new vice presidents in several capacities: Roberta F. Chu, Big island Commercial Banking Center manager; Sharon Crofts, cash management manager; Mike Curtis, Internet channel manager; Lynn E. Elaydo, leadership and employee development manager; James M. Ewing, wholesale credit manager; Teresa M. Cronkhite, Bankoh Client Services Division manager; George Fillion, fiduciary risk officer; Patrick E. Green, special assets manager; Jean H. Hamakawa, human resources manager; Charlaine T. Higashi, service and operations manager; Kevin Baptist, neighbor island regional sales manager; Peter M. Biggs, consumer deposit manager; Darlene N. Blakeney, Hawai'i Commercial banking Center manager/Pacific Century SBIC president and manager; Jeanine M. Brelsford, financial accounting manager; and Lisa Burgin, advertising and client experience manager. Burgin, who manages overall brand strategy for the bank, directs development of all television, print and radio advertising and merchandising.

• Jeweler Michael Parker, who with his wife, Joanne, operates two 'Aiea stores — Michael's Fine Jewelry and Island Legacy — has been elected to the board of directors for the Jewelers of America, a national trade association, representing more than 10,000 jewelry retail sites nationwide. Parker has been a longtime board member of the Hawai'i Jewelers Association, and two-year organization president.

• Buck Laird, president of Laird Christianson Harris Advertising, has been elected new president of the Advertising Agency Association of Hawai'i, representing more than 20 local advertising agencies. Also elected were vice president, Jean Myers, president of Myers Advertising; and secretary/treasurer, Tim Deegan, senior vice president of Yesawich Pepperdine & Brown/Pacific.

• Judith Pirie, who has worked locally at the Sheraton Kaua'i Hotel, Mauna Lani Bay Hotel and Kaua'i Marriott Resort, has been named general manager of the Hilo Yacht Club. She has been in the food and beverage industry more than 15 years.