Trade Winds

Advertiser Staff

• Jeffrey Smith has joined Market Trends Pacific Inc. as director of research and statistics. He brings 30 years of experience to the Honolulu market research firm, with expertise in survey sampling, questionnaire design, tabulation analysis and multivariate analysis.

Smith will direct projects in such areas as market feasibility, consumer behavior and attitudes, travel research, image studies, public opinion research, real-estate development and condominium studies, media research, store audits, distribution observations and product testing.

Smith was statistical research consultant to the Hawai'i Criminal Justice Commission. He also served at top state and city government departments, and was a partner and research director at a private market research and polling firm.

• First Hawaiian Bank has announced these promotions:

• Craig Avellar to assistant vice president and sales manager, First Investment Center. Avellar joined First Hawaiian in 1995 as an investment specialist. He was promoted to sales manager in 2002.
• Susan Lau to assistant vice president and branch manager, Hale'iwa branch. Lau joined First Hawaiian in 1984 as a management trainee. She was promoted to branch manager in 1988. She is a graduate of Sacred Hearts Academy who earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Hawai'i.
• May Nishijima to manager, Kane'ohe Bay branch. Nishijima joined First Hawaiian in 1986 as a management trainee. She has held positions as loan representative, assistant branch manager and business banking officer. She is a Kalani High School graduate who earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Hawai'i.

First Hawaiian Bank also announced these appointments:

• Clyde Nakasue to vice president and area manager, Hilo, Hawai'i branch.
• Robert Drown to corporate training officer, training department.
• Lynne Dela Cruz to manager, Pahoa branch.
• Mele Heresa to trust real-estate officer, trust real-estate services.
• Rob Bertholf has joined Aston Hotels & Resorts Hawaii in the new position of Web programmer and graphic designer in the eCommerce Department "We are excited that Rob has joined the Aston Hawaii eCommerce team just in time for the dramatic and exciting changes to our newly created Web site scheduled to be relaunched in the first quarter of 2004," said Assistant Vice President of eCommerce William Koo.

• Finance Factors announced that Sharon Sekiya has joined the company as mortgage center operations supervisor for the Finance Factors mortgage center in Kailua, Hawai'i. She will be responsible for overseeing day-to-day operational loan procedures and ensuring that loan processing, underwriting and closing practices are in compliance with federal and state regulations and company policies.

Before joining Finance Factors, Sekiya held several positions in Hawai'i's mortgage industry, including mortgage loan officer for Norwest Mortgage of Hawaii. Most recently she served as a residential loan officer for First Hawaiian Bank. She holds an associate's degree from Kapi'olani Community College. In her free time, she serves as president of the Kona Judo Club.

• CSI Inc. (Comfort, Security, Independence) has appointed Wendy Gorka as acting executive director. CSI is a private, nonprofit agency providing individualized money management and related asset management to Hawai'i seniors, the infirm and people with disabilities.

• Mc A. Blasdell has been named chairman of the board of governors at Hawaii Preparatory Academy. His two-year term began Nov. 14. Outgoing chairman Michael Fujimoto will remain on the board as vice chairman.

Blasdell, a resident of Waimea, joined the board in November 2001 and has served on the governance, strategic planning, and buildings and grounds committees. He chairs the student union construction committee, which is overseeing progress on the school's newest facility, scheduled to open in February 2004.

Blasdell brings extensive experience with nonprofit organizations. Originally from Phoenix, he was board chairman of the Phoenix Humana Hospital and served on the boards for Junior Achievement and Waste Not Foundation. He also was a member of the Executive Council of the Boys Clubs of Phoenix.

Other members of the HPA board are Laurie Ainslie, Frank Atherton, LeBurta Atherton, Deborah Baker, Penny Bradley, John Buyers, Putnam Clark, Nona Hasegawa, Charles King, Duncan MacNaughton, Jake Mizuno, Greg Mooers, David Pratt, William Pratt, Patricia Richards, Nicholas Rutgers Jr., Michael Spalding, Roy Vitousek III and Harry von Holt.

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.