BUSINESS BRIEFS
Letarte swimwear opens Maui shop
Advertiser staff
| |||
 |
|
||
Letarte, a luxury swim and sportswear brand that has its roots in Hawai'i, will open a flagship store in Pa'ia, Maui, on Nov. 15. The location will feature bathing suits, tunics and the Petite Letarte line.
The company, founded in 2000 by sisters Lisa Letarte Cabrinha and Michele Letarte Ross, sells its swimwear in more than 350 stores worldwide. Letarte got its start when Lisa, a professional windsurfer, created her own swimsuits when she couldn't find functional yet stylish designs.
Letarte's swimsuits and sportswear have been featured on magazine covers, including the 2005 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition.
LOW HEADS AQUACULTURE PROGRAM
Todd E. Low has been named the manager of the Hawai'i Department of Agriculture's Aquaculture Development Program.
Low is tasked with helping open new markets for the local aquaculture industry, promoting diversification and helping the state move toward greater food self-sufficiency and creating more viable export opportunities.
He will spearhead a consumer education campaign about the variety of aquaculture products in the state as well as the benefits of buying locally grown aquaculture products. Low previously served as manager of the department's Market Development Branch.
KAMAKURA INDEX DETERIORATES
Kamakura Corp., a Honolulu-based maker of risk-management software, said its index of troubled public companies deteriorated in October at the sharpest rate since it was started in 1990.
It said the October index of troubled companies jumped to 22 percent of the public company universe from 16.4 percent in September as it registered declines in credit quality in 14 of the past 15 months. The index covers more than 21,000 publicly traded companies in 30 countries.
"The widespread recognition that a severe recession is under way affected the corporate universe across the board," said Warren Sherman, Kamakura president, in a press statement.
The October index was the highest level since January 2003. The index reached a high of 28 percent in September 2001.
REAL ESTATE MEETINGS SET FOR HILO
The Hawai'i Real Estate Commission has scheduled standing committee meetings in Hilo, Hawai'i, on Nov. 12 at the Imiloa Astronomy Center. The commission said its Laws and Rules Review Committee will convene at 9:30 a.m. and will be followed by the Condominium Review Committee meeting and the Education Review Committee meeting.
The commission said licensees, government officials, educators and others are encouraged to participate in the public meetings. A real estate specialist will be available to answer questions about licensing laws, rules, applications and other topics. A condominium specialist will also be available. For more information call 808-586-2643 or, from the Big Island, 808-974-4000, ext. 62643.
JPMORGAN UPGRADES TESORO SHARES
Shares of Tesoro Corp., the San Antonio-based refiner that operates the bigger of two refineries in Hawai'i, were raised to "neutral" from "underweight" at JPMorgan, according to Bloomberg News.
Tesoro shares have fallen almost 80 percent this year after starting 2008 at $47.70. Yesterday, they rose 11 cents to $7.78.
