Trade Winds

Advertiser Staff

• GLENN OKAMOTO has been named general manager of what will be the first Courtyards by Marriott branded property in Hawai'i when it opens officially on Kaua'i in August. The 312-room, 10 1/2-acre beachfront Coconut Beach Resort property at Waipouli Beach, purchased by boutique hotel operator, Presidio Hotel Group LLC of California, last year, is currently still open. Okamoto, whose appointment was effective last month, will work to ensure that ongoing renovations bring the property to Marriott standards, at which time it will receive the new Courtyards by Marriott brand. Okamoto was most recently director of guest relations at the Maui Marriott Resort and Ocean Club, and had been in various management positions with the hotel since 1997.

• CLIFF DELOREY has been named area director of operations for the 22 properties in the Marriott International-Pacific Islands and Japan portfolio. The over 20-year hospitality industry veteran has moved to Hawai'i from Santa Barbara, Calif., where he had served as director of international food and beverage operations since 2000.

• The Kauai Marriott Resort and Beach Club has announced the promotion of DONNA ZEFFIRO to sales manager and MICHIRU UMEZU, to event manager, both newly created positions within the sales and event management departments.

• Longtime Asia and Pacific airline sales and marketing executive DAN BURRUSS has joined Hawaiian Airlines as a key team member in its planned launch in May (pending government approvals) of nonstop flights between Honolulu and Sydney, Australia. As new senior director of Asia-Pacific business development, Burruss' primary responsibilities will be development of new trans-Pacific routes to Hawai'i from the Asia-Pacific region, and encouragement of direct, and group, international traffic in those markets. He is a past executive of Delta Air Lines' sales and marketing efforts in Asia, most recently as director of that airline's Pacific business unit.

Also hired by Hawaiian:

• CHARLES NARDELLO, a 28-year veteran of a varied aviation experience — including combat in Operation Desert Storm — has joined Hawaiian Airlines as vice president of maintenance and engineering. His background has included both experience in aviation maintenance and technical operations, as well as supervision of flight operations, logistics and purchasing. Most recently, Nardello served as vice president of technical operations for World Airways; and before that, US Airways, including as vice president of aircraft maintenance and technical services. He is also a veteran of the Air Force and Reserve.

• ALVIN KITAMURA, a former pro shop assistant, has been promoted to assistant manager of the Mililani Golf Club. Among other responsibilities, he will be responsible for customer service, golf reservations, and staff supervision. He is a former general manager for Servco Integrated Office Equipment.

• ELISA DELOS SANTOS has been promoted to associate vice president, and branch manager for the Guam Branch of Finance Factors. She first joined the company as loan officer in 1997.

• MAJKEN MECHLING, a veteran of local nonprofit organization management, has been named executive director of the American Diabetes Association Hawai'i office. She was previously head of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation's local office.

• Territorial Savings Bank has promoted STANLEY TANAKA, who joined the bank as vice president for research and development in 2002, to senior vice president, with oversight of regulatory controls for the bank. Also appointed was STUART PINHO, financial services manager of the bank's Financial Services Group.

• CHRISTINE YOUNG, formerly at The Willows restaurant and The Compleat Kitchen, has been named product innovation technician at Hawaiian Host Inc., charged with assisting in product development projects for the company probably best known for its chocolate-covered macadamia nuts.

Also named at the company are new senior accounting clerk BLYTHE MARI SHINJO; and marketing assistant AUSTIN YOSHINO, experienced marketing and graphic design veteran in a number of California and Oregon businesses — including CBS Television City in Los Angeles.

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.