BUSINESS BRIEFS
'Ohana Health Plan picks directors
Advertiser Staff
Erhardt Preitauer has been named executive director of 'Ohana Health Plan, one of two health plans selected to provide managed care under the QUEST Expanded Access Medicaid program for Hawai'i residents who are at least 65 years old or have disabilities.
Preitauer, a native of Kaua'i, most recently served as vice president of business operations for United Retiree Solutions. James H.T. Tan was appointed 'Ohana's senior medical director.
'Ohana Health is a unit of WellCare Health Plans Inc., a Tampa, Fla.-based company that now serves more than 1,600 Medicare members in Hawai'i.
MAUI PROJECTS GET $2 MILLION GRANT
Maui County was awarded a $2 million federal grant for its community development block grant program, Mayor Charmaine Tavares announced yesterday.
The $2,038,242 from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development will be used for rehabilitation of the Ka Hale a Ke Ola Homeless Resource Center, construction of the Hana Nutrition Center, installation of an emergency generator for the Keanae Water System, planning and design of the Lana'i Community Health Center and procurement of a fire tanker and equipment for the Hana community.
HOKU SHARES UPGRADED TO 'BUY'
Shares of Kapolei-based Hoku Scientific Inc. were raised to "buy" from "neutral" at Broadpoint Capital Inc., according to Bloomberg News Service.
The report said analyst Colin Rusch has set a price target of $13 a share.
Hoku shares rose 59 cents to $5.61 in trading yesterday on the Nasdaq Stock Market.
Hoku on Tuesday announced that it has obtained another contract for its polysilicon plant under construction in Idaho, bringing it closer to obtaining all the financing it needs to build the plant. The company also announced that it hopes to expand the plant's capacity.
MILLERCOORS URGED TO DROP DRINK
Hawai'i is one of 25 states that have joined together to ask MillerCoors LLC to abandon a plan to introduce a new alcoholic energy drink, according to a Bloomberg News report.
Bloomberg said MillerCoors expects to start selling Sparks Red, a new version of its caffeinated Sparks line, next month. State attorneys generals are pushing brewers to change how they market products combining alcohol with stimulants to young people.
Anheuser-Busch, based in St. Louis, agreed in June to no longer sell caffeinated alcoholic beverages to settle an investigation by the state attorney general.
ATMS ADDED TO JAMBA JUICE STORES
Bank of Hawaii has completed the installation of automatic teller machines at 29 Jamba Juice locations on O'ahu, Maui, Kaua'i and the Big Island.
It is the first time Jamba Juice has featured ATM service at its Hawai'i stores, officials said.
Bank of Hawaii has the largest network of ATMs in the state and will now have a total of 446 ATMs throughout Hawai'i, American Samoa and West Pacific. Bank of Hawaii is the exclusive ATM provider for McDonald's, Longs Drugs, Star Markets, Costco, Aloha Petroleum and Jamba Juice.
Jamba Juice Hawaii entered the Hawai'i market in June 1999 and has 35 stores statewide.
