Pye to lead hotel association board

Michael Pye, general manager of the Fairmont Kea Lani, Maui, is the chairman of the 2020-21 Maui Hotel & Lodging Association Board of Directors.

Other officers include Angela Vento, general manager of the Wailea Beach Resort, Marriott Maui, vice chair; Dean Duque, vice president and Maui region manager for First Hawaiian Bank, treasurer.

Other board members are: Bill Countryman, Marriott’s Maui Ocean Club; Michael Cuthbertson, Destination Residences Hawaii; Fred Findlen, Hyatt Regency Maui Resort & Spa; Mufi Hanneman, Hawaii Lodging & Tourism Association; Diane HaynesWoodburn, Haynes Publishing Group; Michael Jokovich, Andaz Maui at Wailea Resort; Gregg Lundberg, Westin Maui Resort & Spa; Gregg Nelson, Napili Kai Beach Resort;

Ryan Nobriga, Westin Ka‘anapali Ocean Resort Villas; Greg Peros, Maui Beach Hotel; Aaron Placourakis, Tri Star Restaurant Group; Sharon Suzuki, Hawaiian Electric Co.; Mike White, Ka‘anapali Beach Hotel; and Tetsuji Yamazaki, Sheraton Maui Resort & Spa.

The board announcement was made Sept. 23 during the MHLA modified annual meeting due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Lt. Gov. Josh Green appeared virtually for 45 minutes to discuss the COVID-19 pretravel testing program for trans-Pacific flyers to Hawaii.

“Having Lt. Gov. Green explain the reopening plan and

answering questions himself has our members more confident in the state’s plan and how it will be executed,” said MHLA Executive Director Rod Antone.

The Maui Hotel & Lodging Association is a nonprofit organization founded in 1987 to advocate for the visitor industry. The organization also provides educational opportunities and scholarships and gives back to the community via the annual Visitor Industry Charity Walk, Excellence in Education Golf Tournament and Na Kupuna Dinner.

The workshop “Starting A Business in Hawaii” will be offered from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thursday online.

The workshop will cover self-assessment tips and characteristics of an entrepreneur; business idea validation and problems being solved; form and organization of a business plan; the forms of organization, such as limited liability company, corporation or sole proprietor; Hawaii business and general excise tax licenses; and taxes to plan for.

Wayne Wong, Maui Center director of the Hawaii Small Business Development Center Network, will be the presenter.

The center provides both existing and aspiring business owners with confidential, oneon-one, no cost business advising services, training workshops and market research services.

The workshop is free but registration is required at http://go.hawaii.edu/reG to receive the Zoom invitation link.

For more information, contact Pat Diaz of the Hawaii Small Business Development

Center at 875-5990.