Robertson named a PBN Business Leader of the Year finalist

The Pacific Business News has selected Laura Robertson, president and CEO of Goodwill Industries Hawaii and chair of the HANO Board of Directors, as a finalist for the 2008 Business Leader of the Year award, which will be announced at a reception at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 13, in the Coral Ballroom at the Hilton Hawaiian Village.

Other finalists include Rick Blangiardi, president and general manager, KGMB9;  Mark Dunkerley, president and CEO, Hawaiian Airlines; Nate Smith, president, Oceanic Time Warner Cable; Shelley Wilson, president and CEO, Wilson Homecare and Roy Yamaguchi, chef and founder of Roy's Restaurants. In addition, PBN will announce the 2008 Nonprofit Leadership Award. Finalist organizations in that category include Hawaii Foodbank, Hospice Hawaii, Mental Health Kokua, River of Life Mission and the Waianae Coast Community Mental Health Center.

Awards will also be given for Best in Business (two awards, for under 100 and over 100 employees), Innovative Company of the Year and Community Spirit. Bill Paty, former CEO of the Waialua Sugar Co., will receive the 2008 Lifetime Achievement Award and Hawaii Pacific University, Chatt Wright, president, will receive the Sponsor's Leadership Legacy Award. 

Chaminade president taking medical leave

Chaminade University of Honolulu President Sue Wesselkamper is taking a second medical leave of absence because of a tumor recurrence and the continuing effects from surgery for bile duct cancer three years ago, the university said. Chaminade’s executive vice president and provost, Brother Bernie Ploeger, will serve as acting president during Wesselkamper’s leave. Wesselkamper, who joined Chaminade in 1995, has been credited with building enrollment and financial stability for the Catholic university and was named 2008 Businesswoman of the Year.

Women's Fund of Hawaii names new ED

In September, Adria Estribou took over as executive director of the Women's Fund of Hawaii. She brings years of experience in fund development, grant writing and grant administration to her new position. Her work in the nonprofit sector in Hawai'i before joining the Women's Fund included organizations such as Oceanic Institute, Domestic Violence Action Center, EPIC, Inc. and Pacific and Asian Affairs Council. 

A cum laude graduate from Smith College with a Bachelor of Arts degree in religion and international relations, Estribou earned her Master of Arts degree from Johns Hopkins University's School of Advanced International Studies. She replaces Sara Buhler, who resigned in June. Interim Executive Director Lisa Maruyama led the organization during the executive search process and has now assumed her duties as president and CEO of HANO.

Mikulina moves from Sierra Club to Blue Planet Foundation

Jeff Mikulina has been named executive director of the Blue Planet Foundation, which was founded by Hawaii entrepreneur Henk Rogers with a mission is to “change our world’s energy culture, to raise global awareness … and to create a global response to our increasingly urgent climate crisis.” Mikulina was formerly director of the Hawaii chapter of the Sierra Club.

As executive director, Mikulina will oversee the day-to-day operations of the organization. As Sierra Club director, he fought for enactment of a beverage container redemption law, passage of legislation making it easier to install solar panels, and capping the state’s greenhouse gas emissions.