Kauai Economic Opportunity Inc. is taking steps to save lives by purchasing an automated external defibrillator. Because Kauai Economic Opportunity serves more than 5,000 customers each year, an AED was purchased for the office, as sudden cardiac arrest can strike
Kauai Economic Opportunity Inc. is taking steps to save lives by purchasing an automated external defibrillator.
Because Kauai Economic Opportunity serves more than 5,000 customers each year, an AED was purchased for the office, as sudden cardiac arrest can strike anywhere and anytime. In addition, KEO recently began training its employees in the skills needed to help a fallen client or co-worker.
The device is the size of a laptop computer, weighs less than 10 pounds and sends electric pulses to a cardiac arrest victim to jump start their heart.
AEDs are simple to use, with prompts to alert the user when and if a shock should be delivered to the victim. In addition, built-in safety features make it nearly impossible to use the device incorrectly.
“The opportunity for training has been really well-received by the KEO employees” Brigitte Correia, fiscal officer, said in a press release.
The first training was conducted by an American Heart Association representative. Employees who successfully completed the class were certified for two years in CPR and AED use.
Dorvin Leis Enterprises buys stake in Mokulele
Dorvin Leis, founder and chairman of Dorvin D. Leis Co. Inc, executed the first round a multi-million dollar investment to acquire a minority stake in Mokulele Airlines this week.
Mokulele operates go!Express interisland flights under a code share agreement with Mesa Airlines.
“This is a very smart investment for us,” Leis said in a prepared statement.
Mokulele Airlines has grown from a small, on-demand charter service to a scheduled carrier to under-served points throughout the Hawaiian Islands. The carrier plans to introduce new aircraft and currently operates Cessna Caravan 208B.
go!Express has recently begun offering flights to Moloka‘i and will be introducing service to Lana‘i in October.
Food Industry Association targets plastic bags
Hawaii Food Industry Association has launched a campaign to combat plastic shopping bag litter.
The association is asking shoppers are asked to tie a knot in their bags prior to disposal or recycling to prevent the bags from ballooning and flying up into the air.
The “Knot Your Bag” campaign will be introduced statewide over the next month.
“Our goal is to obtain immediate relief, while our industry addresses other measures that will reduce our solid waste. These measures include a greater use of reusable bags and the recycling of clean plastic bags at grocery stores, so they may be used for other purposes,” Joe Detro, association member, said in a press release.
For more information, visit www.hawaiifood.com.
New hires around town
The following individuals were recently appointed to a leadership position in the business community:
• Peter S. Ho, vice chairman and chief banking officer of Bank of Hawaii, will add responsibility for retail banking in addition to his current responsibilities for commercial banking and investment services. Ho is a member of the bank’s managing committee and its board of directors. He will now direct all revenue-generating banking functions.
• Shelley Thompson, senior executive vice president and chief fiduciary officer of Bank of Hawaii, has been promoted to vice chairman and will have overall responsibility for investment services. Thompson will oversee the bank’s trust, private client, asset management, international client banking, institutional services, brokerage and retirement plan services businesses. Thompson is also a member of the bank’s managing committee and the board of directors.
• Kathy Fujihara-Chong has been promoted to senior executive vice president and manager of Bank of Hawaii’s Business Banking Division from executive vice president. She also becomes a member of the bank’s managing committee. Fujihara-Chong will continue to oversee the division, where she is responsible for the management of the business banking centers throughout the state of Hawai‘i in addition to product development, loan approval and portfolio management.
• Thomas J. Koide has been promoted to senior executive vice president and manager of Bank of Hawaii’s Hawai‘i Branch Division from executive vice president. He also joins the bank’s managing committee and will oversee retail distribution channels including the bank’s Hawai‘i branches, ATM network and Call Center.