Trade Winds

Advertiser Staff

• GLENN TANGO of Honolulu Plumbing Company has been named president of the Plumbing and Mechanical Contractors Association of Hawaii for 2003-2005. He succeeds Patrick Kanekoa.

Other officers and directors installed were: KENNETH RICHARDSON of Heide & Cook Ltd. as vice president; ROBERT HANN of Trane Pacific Services as secretary; LESTER NAKATA of Oahu Sales Inc. as treasurer; and directors SAMUEL FUJIKAWA of Continental Mechanical of the Pacific, PATRICK KANEKOA of Pacific Mechanical Company Inc., KENT MATSUZAKI of Economy Plumbing & Sheet Metal Inc., BERNARD T. MIURA of K. Miura Plumbing Inc. and MARK SUZUKI of Commercial Plumbing Inc.

• The Queen's Medical Center has announced additions to its staff. They are:

• GAYLE HOSTETTER, neuropsychologist, who will assist in the expansion of the neuropsychology program. Neuropsychology service will evaluate cognitive and behavioral functioning of patients with known or suspected brain dysfunctions, such as seizure disorders, dementias, mild cognitive impairment, stroke, multiple sclerosis and closed head injuries. In-hospital and outpatient patients will be evaluated and physician referrals are welcome.
  
  Hostetter was most recently with Kapi'olani Medical Center for Women and Children. Before that, she was with Stanford University Medical Center.
  
  
• BARB PIERCE has joined the medical center in the newly created position of division manager, obstetrics, emergency department & trauma services administration and respiratory services. She is a registered nurse with a master's degree in science of nursing.
  
  Her primary responsibilities will be the oversight of labor and delivery, postpartum and nursery, IV therapy, emergency room, trauma services and respiratory services.
  
  Before joining Queen's, she served as director of emergency services at Huntsville Hospital in Huntsville, Ala. She sits on the Journal of Emergency Nursing editorial board and the Emergency Nursing editorial board, and is a consulting editor.

• DEMOS PRAGASTIS has been named executive vice president of CM&D Inc., a Honolulu-based construction management firm with offices throughout the nation. He has also been made a shareholder and member of the company's board of directors. He will be based in Chicago.

He has nearly 20 years experience in design, construction and construction management, with a focus on transportation and hospitality industries. He has been involved with such CM&D projects as J.W. Marriott Ihilani Resort and Spa at Ko Olina and the redevelopment of Sheraton Maui.

• NALANI MATSUO has been hired as director of human resources by Communications Pacific.

She comes to CommPac with experience in the areas of human resources and administration. Most recently, she served as manager of administrative services at Tesoro Hawaii Corporation. Earlier, she was director of human resources and administration at Ashford & Wriston.

With a background in community service, Matsuo devotes most of her extracurricular energy to the nonprofit agency PATCH (People Attentive to Children), of which she currently serves as president.

• City Bank has announced the hiring of ARNOLD KANAI as its Kona branch manager. Kanai is responsible for overseeing the daily functions of the branch as well as developing and growing a customer base.

A graduate of Konawaena High School and the University of Hawai'i-Manoa, Kanai has more than 10 years of experience in the banking industry. He was previously employed at Finance Factors in Kona.

He is a member of the Hawaii Association of Mortgage Brokers, Kona-Kohala Chamber of Commerce, Lions Club of Kona, Hawaii Island United Way and the Business Education Partnership, part of Workforce 2000.

• DTRIC Insurance Company Ltd. has hired ROBERT EBANEZ as agency relationship manager in the underwriting department. He serves as company liaison for local insurance agencies, researches and develops new products and services, and provides training and support for insurance agencies, DTRIC's underwriting department and Customer First Center.

Ebanez brings more than 24 years of insurance experience to DTRIC Insurance, with a strong emphasis in underwriting. Before joining the company, he was insurance administrator for Kamehameha Schools.

• Atlantis Adventures has promoted MASAKAZU ISHIDA to the newly created position of director of international marketing and sales.

Ishida is focusing on the eastbound visitor market, overseeing all activities related to marketing, including advertising, public relations and special promotions. In addition, he is responsible for selling the Atlantis product line through suppliers, such as wholesalers, ground transportation operators and travel agents.

• MW Group Ltd. has hired KIM KUMAGAI as an accountant in the finance department. She has more than 10 years of accounting experience.

MW Group has also hired KAPUA NAKAMOTO as an accountant. He recently graduated from the University of Hawai'i-Manoa with a bachelor's degree in business administration, with an emphasis in marketing and management information systems.

• Mid-Pacific Country Club has made the following appointments: DAVID SOSNER, general manager, previously vice president of Kapalua Club and Villas, and general manager of Kapalua Villas; EMI CHANG ESPINDA, member services director, previously director of sales and marketing at Ko'olau Golf Club and Golf Sales, and marketing manager at Waikoloa Beach Resort.

• The Association of Records Managers and Administrators, Hawai'i chapter, recently elected ROB ALSTON president for 2003-2004. He is director of operations at Fileminders.

Also elected to the board of directors are: vice president, GRACE CHINEN of First Hawaiian Bank; secretary, SALINA SANCHEZ of Fileminders; records consultant, ROSALIE BRISSETE; and directors, PAT AKANA of Bank of Hawaii, BERNIE BOLTZ of Shredex/Confidential Records, BRIAN MORIKI of First Hawaiian Bank, and DEBRA MUSGROVE of Carlsmith and Ball.

RUBEN LUM of the state Archives Division is the immediate past president.

• Maui Medical Group has announced the appointment of STEPHEN SUSSMAN to its otolaryngology (ear, nose and throat) department. Sussman, who has a doctorate degree in medicine, recently joined Maui Medical's staff after running his own practice in San Francisco. He has expertise in head and neck surgery and diseases.

• Marc Resorts Hawaii has named EUGENE "GENE" OTSU Manager of the Quarter for the first quarter of 2003.

Otsu, general manager of Marc Suites Waikiki, was recognized for excellence, leading by example and demonstrating the "Marc of Aloha." He has nearly 30 years of management experience in Hawai'i's hotel industry. He is a graduate of Mid-Pacific Institute and the University of Hawai'i-Manoa.

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.