Hana, the golden retriever that was the face of Mike McKenna's Windward car dealerships, died last week. She was 17 years old.

Affectionately known as "Hana Girl," she was featured in the dealerships' newspaper ads, television commercials and its Wheels 4 Less sign on Kailua Road. She even had a "speaking" part that made her a hit with children, McKenna said.

Hana was born June 17, 1989, and McKenna said he took an instant liking to her when he saw her chewing on a mango floating in water. It reminded him of his youth when he sold mango to earn money while growing up on Maui, he said.

McKenna named her for the small town near his ranch.

Hana would hang out at his Kailua office. "She'd meet the customers all day and then go home and go swimming every day in the pool," he said.

She would also attend charity events, including Project Graduation parties where McKenna would give away a car as an incentive for students to attend the drug- and alcohol-free event.