BUSINESS BRIEFS
Hawaiian's planes 87.9% full
Advertiser Staff and News Services
Hawaiian Airlines said its planes were 87.9 percent full in September. Last month's load factor was up from September 2006 when Hawaiian's interisland and trans-Pacific flights were 83.1 percent full. The state's largest airline also said it served 579,648 passengers last month, which was up 19.5 percent from the year-earlier period.
CANNERY EQUIPMENT ON AUCTION
Maui Land & Pineapple Co. Inc. will auction off cannery production line equipment, can-making machinery and other materials from its now-shuttered pineapple canning operation during bidding scheduled to take place Oct. 30.
The company closed down the business in June saying it will instead focus on fresh fruit and juice. The move ended more than 100 years of pineapple canning in Hawai'i as the local industry fell victim to cheaper foreign imports.
The sale will be conducted at the Maui Beach Hotel in Kahului and over the Internet by San Francisco-based Rabin Worldwide. Rabin said more than 600 items will be up for auction and can be viewed at its Web site, www.rabin.com.
SEMINAR ADDRESSES SCAMS
A representative from the U.S. Secret Service will speak about credit card and check scams, as well as how to identify counterfeit money at a seminar Nov. 8 sponsored by the Hawai'i Chapter of the National Association of Credit Management. In addition, attorney Chuck McCay will address the legal aspects of credit applications at the event at the Halekulani hotel. For more information, call 800-423-5710.
MAUI RESIDENT IN TROUBLE OVER TAXES
The Hawai'i Department of Taxation has filed a criminal complaint against a Maui resident for failing to file general excise and transient accommodations taxes. The tax department said a criminal complaint was filed against Margaret S. Koebke for failing to file her annual return and reconciliation for general excise for the years 2000 through 2005.
It also claimed Koebke failed to file her transient accommodations tax return for the same period. Failing to file a return is a misdemeanor with fines up to $25,000, the state said.
PLEASANT HOLIDAYS NAMES NEW VP
Pleasant Holidays yesterday announced the appointment of Duke Ah Moo to the position of vice president of product development and partner relations.
In his new role, Ah Moo will lead Pleasant Holidays' product and supplier initiatives in support of the company's operations in Hawai'i, Mexico and Nevada. Ah Moo will report directly to Jack E. Richards, Pleasant Holidays' president and chief executive officer. A native of Hawai'i, Ah Moo has worked for Pleasant Holidays for more than 12 years. Ah Moo's industry experience includes a variety of management roles at the Mirage Las Vegas, as well as the Royal Lahaina Resort, Kauai Coconut Beach Resort and Pleasant Holiday Isle hotels in Hawai'i.
FORUM'S FOCUS: HIGH-TECH STARTUPS
A seminar on overcoming the challenges of high-tech start-ups is set for Oct. 17 at the Manoa Innovation Center. Patricia Steiner, president and chief executive officer of VENTURE-SPHERE and a former senior executive at Motorola will hit key points and lead discussions. The seminar runs from 10 a.m. to noon, and costs $15. Registration is ongoing. To sign up for the seminar, call 539-3794 or e-mail sandyp@htdc.org.
