The Man Behind the Makeover

By :: Lauren Kawana | Photo by :: Dave Miyamoto You can feel the excitement in the open-air lobby of the Sheraton Waikiki as guests browse the shops, head for the pool, check in at the front desk or begin another day of outdoor adventure. Thanks to the man in charge, the newly renovated Sheraton is a great place to be. Click here to read the complete article

Balancing and Building

By :: Charlotte Woolard | Photo By :: Dave Miyamoto When Anthony Giandomenico started his own information security company, the biggest challenge he faced had nothing to do with computers. Click here to read the complete article

The Business Advocate

By :: Adrienne LaFrance | Photo by :: Dave Miyamoto This is a pretty safe bet: Sherry Menor-McNamara wakes up earlier than you do. The 39-year-old is vice president of business advocacy and government affairs for The Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii, and she gets up to work well before dawn each day. “My day starts at 3:30 in the morning,” says Sherry. “I wake up and do some work before my 5:30 a.m. hot yoga class. My colleagues think I’m crazy when they get those early e-mails.” Click here to read the complete article

Powering up

By :: Lauren Kawana | Photo :: Courtesy of Distributed Energy Partners Fast and early success is exciting for a young company, but Todd Georgopapadakos and Mark Duda are focused on growing theirs right. “I always think of myself as ‘building,’” says Todd. “You always look at things and say, ‘How can we do better?’” Click here to read the complete article

Mixing Design, Flavor and a Bit of Frosting

By :: Martha Cheng In the cakelava portfolio, the Incredible Hulk looks surprisingly menacing given that his torso is made of cake and his arms and legs of Rice Krispies treats and chocolate. Glossy, edible green paint gives his exaggerated muscles a sheen. At Cake Works, a peacock feather-inspired cake catches the eye with deep purples, blues and greens in irregular layers. In A Cake Life’s “cakefolio,” two tiers of mini cakes with yellow plumerias, white pikake and orange calla lilies—all made out of a sugar paste—are crowned by a white cake adorned with swirls and leaf patterns replicated from the bride’s veil. Click here to read the complete article

The Claim Game

By :: Pamela Brown | Photo By :: Dave Miyamoto JoAnna J.V. Davis’s business isn’t all that exciting: She invoices medical insurance companies on behalf of healthcare providers. In essence, she helps her clients collect payment for their services. It might sound dry to you, but for JoAnna, believe it or not, it’s a dream job. Click here to read the complete article

Businesses Building Community: Oceanic Time Warner Cable

By :: Lauren Kawana | Photo By :: Dave Miyamoto Behind the scenes, today’s tech professionals ensure that our everyday lives are a snap. Thanks to them we can video chat with friends, check the weather anywhere in the world or tune in to all kinds of TV programming, whether it’s Top Chef or the news, 24/7. Click here to read the complete article

Numerous events take place around town, providing great opportunities to celebrate, educate and network. Having an event? E-mail us at info@thepacificedge.com to be considered for our next edition. Click here to read the complete article

Melodies at Work

By :: Catherine E. Toth | Photo By :: Dave Miyamoto Even as a teenager slack key virtuoso Makana knew that a fancy house and a fat paycheck weren’t his goals. He turned down record deals with big-time producers who wanted to take his music—and his image—into an uncomfortably different direction. Click here to read the complete article