Trade Winds
Advertiser Staff
• It's all in the family for postmaster BOB RAPOZA of Honoka'a, Big Island: He has been elected secretary-treasurer of the 42,000-member National Association of Postmasters of the United States advocacy group — the first from outside the continental United States elected in the group's 106-year history. His wife, Sharon — postmaster of Hilo, Hawai'i — is president of the NAPUS Hawai'i chapter. NAPUS represents more than 75 percent of the nation's 27,140 postmasters. Bob Rapoza, who has held Big Island postmaster positions at Pahoa; Kailua, Kona, and Honoka'a, previously was NAPUS area vice president.
• DAWN CHING has been named Kuakini Medical Center vice president of support services, overseeing a number of departments, including security, environmental services, telecommunications, maintenance, plant operations and biomed. Also under her direction will be education services, dietary and volunteer services. She is an almost 20-year veteran with Hawaii Pacific Health, most recently as facilities director for Kapi'olani Medical Center at Pali Momi.
• TERESA MARTIN, a travel industry executive and experienced wedding program catering planner, has been named "Director of Romance" at the Grand Wailea Resort Hotel & Spa. She will organize a "one-stop-shopping" wedding service staff to coordinate wedding packages and ceremonies from start to finish, as well as developing marketing and training staff. The Grand Wailea property on Maui includes a Seaside Chapel for weddings and vow renewals.
• DAWN DUNBAR has been hired as communications manager for American Savings Bank. She will be responsible for all media and corporate communications, and company-wide public relations about the bank, bank personnel, products and services. Before joining the bank, she handled marketing and business development for Wimberly Allison Tong & Goo architects and planners.
• LAURIE ANN K. SATO has been promoted from junior analyst to real estate analyst at real-estate and acquisition consulting firm, Avalon Development Co. She will work with market researchers, financial analysts and perform "due diligence" reviews.
• Group 70 International has named five new partners to the firm. They are: JEFFREY OVERTON, the company's chief environmental planner, whose projects include the Mauna Kea Science Reserve, La'ie Community Master Plan, and the Kawaihae Harbor environmental impact statement; GEORGE ATTA, who was promoted from vice president and chief community planner. He has worked on such projects as the University of Hawai'i-Manoa's long-range development plan, the Mauna Kea Science Reserve master plan, and the Hawaii Baptist Academy strategic master plan; CHARLES KANESHIRO, promoted from project architect, whose projects have included the Iolani School Weinberg Classroom Building, Hawaii Baptist Academy Middle School and Kaiser Permanente interior design; CHRISTINE MENDES RUOTOLA, promoted from senior planner, whose projects have included Outrigger Enterprises Waikiki Beach Walk, the Ward Entertainment Center, and Kaneohe Ranch's community planning process; and JIM STONE, promoted from associate architect, whose career has included resort, retail/commercial, residential and education projects, including the Kamehameha Schools, Maui Campus.
• First Hawaiian Bank has announced several promotions and appointments. SABRINA Y.W. WU, who joined the bank in 1987 as a programmer trainee, has been promoted to assistant vice president, in the Applications and Database Department. LEESA KIM, formerly a branch manager with Central Pacific Bank, has been named personal banking officer in the main banking center. CARRIE HASEGAWA, who joined First Hawaiian in 2002 as a direct marketing specialist, has been named a Direct Marketing Department officer.
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. For e-mailed releases, please make sure the information is included in the body of the message, not as an attachment. Hard copy, color mug shots are preferred.
