Hawaii still has the third-lowest unemployment rate in the country.
North Dakota took over the top spot in July with a record-low seasonally adjusted jobless rate of 2.2 percent, according to data released Friday by the U.S. Department of Labor. Colorado, which in June had been tied for the lowest rate with North Dakota at 2.3 percent, saw its unemployment rate tick up to 2.4 percent.
Hawaii’s jobless rate improved to 2.7 percent for July after its June rate was revised upward to 2.8 percent, according to data released Thursday by the Hawaii Department of Labor and Industrial Relations. Hawaii also had the third-lowest jobless rate in June.
The only other states with an unemployment rate under 3 percent are Nebraska and New Hampshire, both at 2.8 percent.
The highest jobless rate last month was Alaska at 7 percent.
Kinzler to step down as Barnwell chairman
The longtime leader of Honolulu-based oil, natural gas and real estate development firm Barnwell Industries Inc. will retire as board chairman at the end of September after stepping down as CEO in December.
Barnwell announced Friday that Morton Kinzler will cease being chairman and turn the position over to another board member, James S. Barnwell III.
Kinzler, 92, helped establish Barnwell Industries in 1956 and has been chairman since 1980. He will continue to be a company director.
James Barnwell, 71, has been a director for the company since 2012 and is related to the family involved with the founding of the company, which has real estate investments on Hawaii island and produces oil and natural gas in Canada. He has been an investor in oil, gas and real estate since 1967 and spent 29 years working at AT&T and successor Lucent Technologies, according to Barnwell Industries.
ON THE MOVE
Coldwell Banker Pacific Properties has announced the following independent agents who have joined its Kahala office:
>> Stefano Di Maio will be helping investors, first-time homebuyers and those who live or want to live in Waikiki. Di Maio previously was a Realtor-associate at Locations and worked in the hospitality industry’s luxury sector.
>> Caroline Mosher was previously a general manager at Pacific Precision Builders. Mosher has experience in sales and marketing, and in commercial and home remodeling and construction.
>> William J. Rodin was previously an independent agent for Primary Properties. He received his Bachelor of Science from the U.S. Naval Academy and is a nuclear submarine officer.
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