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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Tuesday, February 5, 2008

BUSINESS BRIEFS
SBA workshops for businesses set

Advertiser Staff

The U.S. Small Business Administration will hold a series of "Community Express Days" workshops this week on O'ahu and Kaua'i to help business owners with their financing needs.

The workshops will bring together SBA specialists, technical assistance providers and lending institutions to provide hands-on help for small-business borrowers. This week's sessions will feature Sue Malone of Superior Financial Group, an SBA lender that offers loans from $5,000 to $25,000 to qualified small businesses.

When the SBA conducted similar events in December with Innovative Bank, about $300,000 in financing was approved during the events, the SBA said.

This week's workshop schedule is:

  • Tomorrow — Pearl Harbor Fleet & Family Center, 4827 Bougainville Drive, 9 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Contact David Brown, 541-2990, ext. 215, or david.brown@sba.gov.

  • Thursday — Small Business Resource Center, 1041 Nu'uanu Ave., 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Contact Mary Dale at 541-2990, ext. 211, or mary.dale@sba.gov.

  • Friday — Kaua'i Small Business Development Center, Kaua'i Community College, Elections Room, 9 a.m.-2 p.m.

    Registration is recommended for the private 30-minute sessions.


    PEARL HARBOR TORPEDO PACT AWARDED

    Lockheed Martin said the U.S. Naval Sea Systems Command has awarded it a contract worth $35 million to provide torpedo support at Pearl Harbor.

    Lookheed will perform technical and supply support, quality assurance and technical documentation functions.

    "We look forward to our new role to provide the commander of Submarine Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet, with Mk48 exercise and warshot torpedoes to meet fleet operational readiness, training, and tactical commitments," said Larry Gilliam, a Lockheed Martin Mission Services vice president, in a news release.


    INSURANCE FIRM SEEKS ISLE BUSINESS

    Universal Insurance Holdings Inc., a Fort Lauderdale, Fla.-based insurer, said its property and casualty insurance unit has applied to expand into Hawai'i and four other states.

    Universal Property & Casualty Insurance Co. concentrates on the homeowner's insurance market. The unit was formed in 1998 to receive some of the policies written by the Florida Residential Property and Casualty Joint Indemnity Association, which was created for homeowners who couldn't get coverage following Hurricane Andrew in 1992.

    The insurer as of Sept. 30 had 365,000 homeowner dwelling and fire insurance policies. Universal said it also would like to operate in Texas, Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina.


    KCC RESTAURANT EXPANDS HOURS

    The Kulia Grill, a restaurant operated by the Kapi'olani Community College Culinary Program, has expanded its hours to include late-afternoon service.

    The grill yesterday began extending its closing time to 6 p.m. It currently is open weekdays from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m., serving breakfast and then lunch.

    The restaurant has been open since April 2005 and serves about 800 people a day. During its extended hours, the restaurant will offer sandwiches and other "grab and go" items.

    The restaurant on the bottom floor of the medical education building at the John A. Burns School of Medicine also announced it has replaced plastic utensils and Styrofoam carryout trays with biodegradable products.