BUSINESS BRIEFS
Management firm in merger
Advertiser Staff and News Services
Residential real estate management firm Certified Management Inc. has become a subsidiary of Dallas-based Associa, the nation's largest manager of community associations.
Financial terms of the merger were not disclosed. Employees and properties of Certified should not change because of the deal, though the local company said it expects to benefit from national pricing on products from insurance to waste collection.
Certified manages 426 properties statewide with about 60,000 units.
LAB CHOSEN FOR OCEAN RESEARCH
The National Energy Laboratory of Hawaii Authority in Kailua, Kona, has received a $6.2 million, one-year contract to conduct ocean sciences research and development. The money will be used by the National Defense Center of Excellence for Research in Ocean Sciences to fund about 15 to 25 projects. The contract was awarded by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency.
HONOLULU LOW ON INSURANCE LIST
Honolulu ranks 85th among the nation's largest 100 cities for health insurance affordability for children, a report released yesterday shows.
The price for a child's health insurance plan in Ho-nolulu runs as high as $185.87 a month, according to eHealthInsurance, an online health insurance source for individuals and families.
The report ranked Honolulu 57th in health insurance affordability for families.
WAL-MART STORE RENOVATION ENDS
Wal-Mart has completed a three-month renovation of its store in Kailua, Kona.
The project included expanding perishable food sections, widening aisles and enlarging fitting rooms. New flooring and products also have been added to the store, which opened in 1995.
