Business conditions couldn't have been tougher when Paul Finazzo was named president of Hawaiian Airlines in 1982.

Fuel prices were high, the national economy was emerging from recession and the launch of Mid Pacific Airlines the year before had set off a prolonged fare war.

Facing potential bankruptcy, Finazzo laid off managers, obtained concessions from the airline's unions and looked to get newer, more efficient aircraft for the company's interisland fleet.

Hawaiian also began the first of its Mainland flights the following year with chartered service to Las Vegas. Hawaiian's trans-Pacific segment now generates more revenues than the company's interisland business.

"He came along when Hawaiian could have been pushed out of business by Mid Pacific," said Peter Forman, author of the 2005 book "Wings of Paradise: Hawai'i's Incomparable Airlines."

"He turned the company around and for that reason he was quite an important figure in the history of Hawaiian Airlines."

Finazzo died on Wednesday in Miami due to complications from a fractured hip.

He was 79.

Born in Queens, New York, but raised in Wyadnotte, Mich., Finazzo was a known as a tough but caring manager.

He came to Hawaiian after serving as president of Airlift International Inc., a Miami-based cargo airline.

Michael Burke, former vice president of operations, credits Finazzo for helping transform Hawaiian into an international carrier.

Two years after launching the Las Vegas charters, the company started flying scheduled service to Los Angeles and then San Francisco.

Under Finazzo's watch, Hawaiian also began flying charters between Hawai'i and smaller airports in Japan. The company later started direct service to Tahiti, New Zealand and Guam.

Burke recalled the timing of the first Mainland flights coincided with a strike at United Airlines, the largest carrier in the West Coast to Hawai'i market.

For the Mainland service, Hawaiian had agreed to purchase five Lockheed L1011 widebody jets from All Nippon Airways, with the first two jets to be delivered prior in the first year.

But Finazzo was able to convince seller ANA to deliver all five jets to meet the demand during the United strike, he said.

"What I liked about Paul is that he was a tough boss and a good boss," said Burke.

"And for what we were going through he was great."

Finazzo, who stepped down as Hawaiian's president and CEO in 1989, was an active member of the local community.

Before returning to Miami in 1993, he served as the commissioner of the first Aloha State Games and was a member of the board of Kapi'olani Women & Children and Pali Momi hospitals.

"We're always saddened at the passing of a member of the Hawaiian Airlines 'ohana," said Hawaiian spokesman Keoni Wagner.

"We offer our condolences to the entire Finazzo family."

Finazzo is survived by Joann Finazzo, his wife of 54 years; sons Nicolas and Vincent; daughters Dr. Josephine Finazzo and Maria Finazzo; and 11 grandchildren.

Funeral services will be held tomorrow at Stanfill Funeral Homes in Miami. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donation be made to the University of Miami School of Medicine.