Small Business News
February 2005 | Online Edition
Small Business Views
By Sam Slom, President and Executive Director of Small Business Hawaii
You told me you enjoyed the 29th annual Small Business Hawaii annual business and investment conference (January 12) BEST of all! A historic first; the Governor (Lingle) and Mayor (Hannemann) speaking together—and on the same page. It is going to be a great year! The other speakers. U.S. Rep. Ed Case, FTC Commissioner Orson Swindle, Peter Carlisle, Mark Recktenwald, Sandie Hoebeck, Kim Taylor Reece, Angie Runyan and Eric Carson, as well as the Legislative Panel and Media Panel were excellent too. KHVH’s Rick Hamada is our M.C. beyond compare.
Congratluations to our Small Business Person of the Year, Bill Green of Kahala Shell Service. Green had to be forcibly removed from the Sony Open (he was a volunteer) to come to the Ala Moana Hotel to accept his award. Neither Green nor any of the awardees knew in advance they had won a prestigious SBH award.
Mahalo nui for our wonderful sponsors, Bud Weisbrod, other volunteers, and Gina and the staff at Ala Moana Hotel who helped make such a tremendous event possible.
HawaiiReporter set up a full set at the conference and taped interviews for their new television series, Hawaii’s Entreprenurial Spirit. Hostess/M.C. is Malia Zimmerman.
The state’s top marketeer, Steve Bretschneider, has left the Lingle cabinet after two years to become Chief Marketing Officer of Deep SeaWater International, Inc. in Kailua-Kona on the Big Island.
J.P. Schmidt, the state’s Insurance Commissioner, will be the leadoff speaker at the 2005 SBH Sunrise Networking breakfast series which begins Thursday, February 24 at the Pineapple Room (Ala Moana Macy’s). Schmidt will have a lot to say about health insurance options, new initiatives, work comp fraud and other issues vital to small business employers. Register now!
John Reed the two-day Managing Director for new Mayor Hannemann, got a raw deal from the media on the past lawsuit involving phoney “racist” and sexual harassment charges at Brite Smile. Funny how the conventional media were interested in that old, resolved, lawsuit but banned completely coverage of the lawsuit involving Jennifer Bainum and alleged elder abuse during the mayoral campaign. Duke Bainum, who was absolutely silent from November 3 to mid- January says he may run for Congress next.
Aloha Airlines flew into bankruptcy to join Hawaiian Airlines. Is bankruptcy a preferred management strategy for airlines?
Moving and parking ticket fines increased $5-$20 per ticket effective January 1.
Lawmakers got a pay increase January 5, $32,000 to $34,200; first increase in 15 years.
UN said we are “stingy.” in regard to tsunami relief. It is way past time to get the U.N. out of the U.S. Put it in France where it belongs. Americans—including those in Hawaii—are the most generous people in the world, not only in dollar terms but also in terms of volunteer labor and leadership.
Longs Drugs added anti-theft, security columns at door exits. One of the last holdouts. Recognition of rising property crime.
Our favorite “psycho-litigator” (licensed psychologist and attorney) Dr. Suzanne Gelb’s column last month (January, 2005 SB News) had an opening sentence inadvertently deleted. We are happy to report it was a patient of hers and not Dr. Gelb who suffered from the problems outlined! Auwe!
Mandatory legislative ethics training for all public officials began January 4. During a session where illegal campaign and political practices in the Capitol were outlined, a question arose as to how the state could forcibly collect and deduct union dues from public paychecks. Executive Ethics Director, attorney Dan Mollway replied, “A Union is the simple mechanism of life.” Now you know.
We still need to repair the workers’ compensation system, cut taxes and fix Hawaii’s Prepaid Health Act during the Legislative session. While Senate Democrats called for a tax cut for “middle class” taxpayers, House Democrats were caulking for increases in the General Excise Tax, taxing powers for the counties (for rail) and an increase in the Conveyance tax. SBH will be at the Capitol and will keep you posted on business issues.
Congrats to Coldwell Banker’s C. Scott Bradley, “ 2004 Realtor of the Year.”
Mexico’s Dolphin Discovery of Cancun has bought Sea Life Park from a NY investor.
The union is still boycotting Turtle Bay Resort after nearly two years. More than half of the union members called upon the union to end the strike because it was hurting the member workers. The union said they, the member petitioners, were insignificant.
Don’t forget to regularly check our website at www.smallbusinesshawaii.com for the most updated employer alerts and event schedule.
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