BUSINESS BRIEFS
FHB accepting Chinese credit card
Advertiser Staff
Visitors from China are now able to use their China Union Pay bankcard to make debit and credit card purchases with local retailers that are members of First Hawaiian Bank's network.
First Hawaiian also said visitors from China can now use their China Union Pay cards at all of First Hawaiian's 281 ATMs in Hawai'i.
A total of 1.5 billion consumers from China and other Asian countries are China Union Pay cardholders.
The United States and China in December signed a memorandum of understanding that allows group leisure travel from China. It also allows U.S. tourist destinations to market themselves in China. Until now, Chinese travelers have been restricted to visiting the United States only for business purposes.
"With the recent memorandum of understanding between the China National Tourism Administration and the U.S. Department of Commerce, which reduces some of the restrictions on leisure travel, we expect to see a growing tourist segment from China," said Don Horner, First Hawaiian Bank's chief executive officer.
GLOBAL FIRM LOOKS AT MAUI PINEAPPLE
Oppenheimer Group, an international produce company, said it is interested in adding Maui-grown pineapple to the list of fruit it carries.
The Vancouver-based company is seeking new sources of pineapple following the sale of one of its Costa Rican suppliers to Fresh Del Monte Produce Inc. The Costa Rican company, Frutas de Exportacion, will supply Oppenheimer with pineapple through the end of this year. After that, Oppenheimer will need to find alternative sources for its pineapple.
Oppenheimer executive David Nelley was quoted on an industry Web site as saying the company was considering getting its pineapple from Maui.
"Although we built our pineapple program on the quality of fruit grown in Costa Rica, the quality of Maui-grown pineapple speaks for itself, so we are very interested," Nelley said in an interview published by www.ThePacker.com.
BANK FOUNDATION GIVES $100,000
The First Hawaiian Bank Foundation has awarded grants of $50,000 each to the YWCA of Oahu and Hale Kipa.
The YWCA grant, which will be paid over five years, will support the YWCA's Power to Change capital campaign to revitalize Laniakea, its headquarters in Downtown Honolulu.
The Hale Kipa grant will help that nonprofit with the construction of a services complex in 'Ewa Beach. The complex will consist of the Hale Kipa Services Center, a multi-purpose education/administration building and up to six residential shelters for at-risk youth.
In 2007, the foundation and bank contributed $3.5 million to more than 350 nonprofit organizations.
PLAN FOR NEW MAUI HOSPITAL UPDATED
Developer Brian Hoyle of Newport Hospital Corp. has filed an updated application for a certificate of need that's required for the building of a $45.8 million hospital to serve West Maui.
The application includes technical changes recommended by the state Health Planning Development Agency. Hoyle has proposed building a 25-bed acute-emergency hospital and a 40-bed skilled nursing facility on 14.5 acres near the Lahaina Civic Center. The project has attracted support from residents who say they'd like a West Maui hospital because emergency-care patients can face an hour of travel time getting to Maui Memorial Medical Center.
Pending approval, Hoyle would like to begin construction in November 2009 with an opening 18 months later.
