Author: Marcie Kagawa

A Computer For Every Student

ILLUSTRATIONS BY ANDREW J. CATANZARITI Peek into Lorelei Saito’s seventh-grade social studies class at Punahou’s Case Middle School and you’ll see students sitting in front of personal laptops, completing multimedia projects to share with students in a classroom halfway around…

Pau Hana with Jan Harada

Jan Harada knows there’s nothing like kung fu to get the blood flowing after a hard day and to stave off burnout. “My work is very rewarding, but it’s also very stressful,” says Harada, president and CEO of the nonprofit…

Hawaii struggles to pass e-fairness law

Hawaii shoppers and businesses have long taken advantage of “tax-free” purchases from online retailers such as Amazon and eBay, but many legislators are trying to put an end to that free ride. As cash-strapped governments hunt for more revenue, and…

50 years on the Job at First Hawaiian Bank

Name: Nelson Nakagawa Current Position: Assistant VP, Card Services Division Started:  Feb. 19, 1962 Total Jobs  at FHB: 12 Why did you join? “It was a stable company, something I thought would provide me with a springboard to better things.” First day: “I was…

Helping the Shelters that Help the Homeless

Like other innovative companies, Upspring Media saw how technology could help organizations improve services and increase efficiency. However, in this case, the clients are homeless shelters, which means that, though the need is great, there’s little profit to be made.…

Feed The Hunger

When Denise Albano and Patti Chang founded Feed the Hunger Foundation in 2008, they had one goal: end poverty and hunger by providing low-income people with loans and other support. Though the foundation started with microloans to the poor and…

Finding Franchise Heaven and Avoiding Franchise Hell

Owning a franchise is always hard work, but here’s how to avoid the hellish pain and reap the heavenly rewards David and Carla Lehn were first-time franchisees who hoped that by purchasing the only Quiznos fast-food restaurant on Kauai, they…

5 Steps to a successful business meeting

Your next business meeting will go more smoothly with proper planning. Plaza Club GM Dan Bower offers five ways to ensure that you succeed and everyone who attends is impressed. 1. Have a clear vision. Before you start planning your meeting, it is…

New Beer with a Familiar Name

With all the different Hawaii beers coming onto the market, it helps if people think your new brew is a long-time favorite. “When I talk about Aloha Beer, for some reason, many believe it already existed from a long time…

Women Veterans Launch Businesses

When many people think of a military veteran or a small-business owner, they assume it’s a man. Instead, consider Chelsea Fernandez, co-founder and managing director of Hawaii Assistive Technology Co. on Maui, one of nearly 100,000 women veterans in America…

Go Back to School

That’s what EMS chief did after getting to the top. During almost three decades of service, Patty Dukes worked her way up from paramedic to become chief of Honolulu’s Emergency Medical Services. Now, she’s back in school, finding that you’re…

HPU Students to Be Global Leaders

Deborah Crown is trying to provide students at Hawaii Pacific University’s College of Business Administration with real-world experience while they are still in school. She became dean at the state’s largest business college in August 2011, the fourth dean or…

Fund Supports Women and Childern

Working out of donated space on a shoestring budget with just one part-time employee and a volunteer board filled with some of the state’s most influential businesswomen, the nonprofit Women’s Fund of Hawaii supports unique programs for women and children.…

Wanted: Kitchen to Rent on Kauai

When Sandy Poehnelt launched her pie business on Kauai in 2009, one of her biggest obstacles was finding a suitable commercial kitchen. “For six weeks, I rented a space that was less than 100 square feet and I could use…

Teaching Dollars and Sense

With so many individuals, businesses and governments facing financial problems, it is more critical than ever that people learn about economics and finance from a young age. However, the subjects are rarely taught in local high schools. The Hawaii Council…