Hawaiian Air to get 6 more A330s

Hawaiian Airlines plans to acquire an additional six Airbus A330-200 aircraft with delivery scheduled between 2012 and 2015. The new long-range planes increase Hawaiian’s commitments for the A330-200s to 16 from 10, including three already in service.

The company exercised six Airbus A330 purchase rights under terms of its 2008 purchase agreement with Airbus and acquired additional purchase rights in this transaction, leaving it with four purchase rights remaining.

Hawaiian is scheduled to have two A330s delivered in 2011 under a previous agreement, which will give the airline five A330s by the end of next year.

Mark Dunkerley, president and chief executive officer of Hawaiian, said the additional aircraft will "give us more flexibility as we pursue domestic and international expansion opportunities and replace our existing long-haul fleet (of Boeing 767s) in the coming years."

Executive Chef expanding to Kailua

Executive Chef has signed a lease for a 4,559-square-foot space adjacent to the under-construction Whole Foods Market. It will be part of Kaneohe Ranch Co’s. Kailua Town Center-Phase 3 at the corner of Kailua Road and Hinano Way, scheduled to open next fall.

"We believe Executive Chef is complementary to Whole Foods and that residents will find it a wonderful addition to our Kailua merchants," said Kimo Steinwascher, vice president of leasing and development for Kaneohe Ranch.

Executive Chef, established in 1981 under the parent company name Hawaii Equipment Corp., has its flagship store in Ward Warehouse, adjacent to its sister store, Bath & Butler.

"We have a lot of customers in Kailua, and it will be wonderful to be closer to them," said owner Jim Russo, adding the new store is expected to open on Oct. 1. The company will move some staff from the Ward store and will hire for both stores next year.

A&B buys California shopping center

Alexander & Baldwin Inc. has added a California neighborhood shopping center to its commercial real estate portfolio, paying $48 million for a 165,500-square-foot complex in Temecula, Calif.

The Honolulu-based company said it bought Rancho Temecula Town Center through subsidiary A&B Properties Inc., in part with proceeds from a warehouse complex in Ontario, Calif., it sold in October for $43 million.

A&B said the shopping center, which was built three years ago and is 97 percent occupied, is one of Temecula’s best-performing retail properties and is expected to benefit from population growth.

Hearing set on PUC’s Pasha decision

A state Senate committee will hold a hearing Thursday on the Public Utilities Commission’s decision to grant Pasha Hawaii Transport Lines permission to carry cargo through the islands on an interim basis through 2013.

The Senate Committee on Commerce and Consumer Protection hearing at the state Capitol is expected to focus on how the decision might affect neighbor island residents and businesses. The PUC says the move will foster competition and provide customers with choice.

But the state’s existing interisland ocean carrier — Young Bros. Ltd. — says the decision will lead to a decrease in service and an increase in cargo costs.

Young Bros. says it may have to reduce its twice-weekly service to Hilo and Kawaihae.

ON THE MOVE

DTRIC Insurance has appointed Jennifer W.M. Murata to vice president and chief financial officer. She will be responsible for overseeing financial reporting, accounting and treasury functions of the company. Murata has 17 years of financial experience with organizations, including as controller for Hawaii Biotech, senior manager of budget and finance planning at Kamehameha Schools and assistant controller for Oahu Transit Services.

Hawaii Employers Council members have elected the following to their board of governors: Gerard Auyong, Barry Helle, Brian Horikami, Shari Makizuru, Colleen Wong, Glenn Yamashita and Jason Yoshimi. The re-elected board members are Michael Cheng, Perry Confalone, Son-Jai Paik and David Rietow.

Coldwell Banker Pacific Properties has announced Jacqueline "Jackie" Oldbury as a Realtor associate. She specializes in luxury residential homes and condominiums in East Oahu. Oldbury was previously a Realtor for Prudential Locations and worked at Elite International.