Trade Winds

Advertiser Staff

Two appointments have been announced at two local retirement communities under construction:

• Retired AT&T Hawaii vice president and local business leader KEN SANDEFUR has been named executive director of HaleNohona, the conversion of the 600-room Ohana Waikiki Hobron Hotel into a 163-unit fee-simple condominium senior residence in Waikiki.
  
  The 44-story tower development, with units ranging from about $300,000 to $700,000, and higher for penthouse units, will be one of The Fountains' housing, hospitality and healthcare developments in 14 states
  
  Sandefur is on the board of directors for Hawaii Health Systems Corp.; chairman of the Chamber of Commerce, Military Affairs Council; and has served as a past director for Aloha United Way, Chamber of commerce of Hawaii, American Red Cross, ASSETS School, Bishop Museum, Hawaii Heart Association, Hawaii Visitors and Convention Bureau and the Honolulu Symphony.
  
  
• STELLA LUECKE, former marketing assistant with the 270-unit senior living project under construction on the campus of Star of the Sea Church, has been promoted to resident services manager. She will oversee the apartment "personalization process" for residents, and handle depositor retention and sales. She was formerly with Pacific Century Financial Corp. and Hawaiian Trust Co.

• RICHARD TOYAMA has been named president and chief executive officer for the state's hurricane insurance provider, Zephyr Insurance Co. Inc. The 32-year insurance industry veteran was most recently manager of Hawai'i operations for the Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance Group.

• MICHAEL M. KAWASAKI has joined First Hawaiian Bank as an assistant vice president and private banking officer in the Private Banking Center. The 30-year banking veteran was most recently a financial adviser with Morgan Stanley.

• The Queen's Medical Center's DR. J. EDWARD DeBOARD has been named, by medical staff and employees, the hospital's 2003 Ke Kauka Po'okela (Outstanding Physician). The annual award recognizes the physician who best supports Queen Emma and King Kamehameha IV's (Alexander Liholiho) mission to "preserve, protect and perpetuate the health of all the people of Hawai'i, recognizing the special health needs of Native Hawaiians." Nominations come from Queen's employees, physicians, medical-school residents — even frequent visitors to the medical center.

• Former Maui Marriott executive chef BRENDAN MAHONEY — a veteran also of Maui properties such as Clanderson's Restaurant, Sheraton Maui, Hyatt Regency Maui, Pineapple Hill Restaurant and Chart House — has been named executive chef of the Waikiki Beach Marriott Resort. The culinary veteran will oversee food and beverage operations, catering and room service, including the hotel's signature Kuhio Beach Grill and Moana Terrace Cafe and Bar. He will oversee 72 food and beverage department employees.

Also promoted at the hotel was JEFF TYLER, former banquet manager, named director of restaurant and banquet service, overseeing the hotel's restaurants, room service, and lounge and banquet operations; and COURTNEY HAJKUS, named associate event manager, overseeing all aspects of catered events for group functions and meetings at the resort.

• TRACY ISHII and JOHN TAMASHIRO have been named residential loan officers by Finance Factors, charged with, among other duties, generating and closing residential mortgage loan applications.

Announcements of promotions and job changes can be sent to: Trade Winds, Business Section, The Honolulu Advertiser, P.O. Box 3110, Honolulu, HI 96802; faxed to 525-6763, or e-mailed to business@honoluluadvertiser.com. Photographs may be included but must be identified on the back.