Beverly Creamer

Writer

Beverly

Bev Hb1213 Dc WebBeverly Creamer has worked for almost four decades as a Honolulu newspaper and magazine journalist, covering everything from education and health, to government and lifestyles. She cooked with Aretha Franklin; mourned with Lorna Onizuka after the space shuttle explosion that killed her husband, Ellison; danced with Lawrence Welk; and interviewed Anwar Sadat’s widow, Gloria Steinem, Simon and Garfunkel, and many, many others.

Articles

The Family’s Glass Ceiling

Women continue to face more obstacles than men when they aspire to lead their families’ businesses small survey of women who work in their families’ businesses in Hawai‘i and California indicates they fare no better in securing leadership roles than…

Making Koa Sustainable

The native tree is a vital part of Hawaiʻi's forests and watersheds, and prized by woodworkers and by Hawaiian cultural practitioners. The challenge is making koa sustainable for all of its valuable roles. https://vimeo.com/366353476 Video by Jeff Hawe Koa has…

Sexual Harassment in the Workplace

"I'LL NEVER FORGET IT" Three people – two women and a man – describe being sexually harassed while on the job. They asked to remain anonymous to protect their privacy and to avoid retribution. ■  For a Honolulu woman who is…

Your Workplace Should Be a Safe Space

Two women tackling the issue say the solution is to include everyone in the process: women and men, managers and employees, victims and perpetrators. Rachael Wong's Voice is urgent, but her words are measured. She says sexual harassment in the…

Jones Act: Pro and Con

Advocates say it ensures reliable, on-time delivery of everything Hawai‘i needs, while providing a strong U.S. Merchant Marine in time of war or other crises. Opponents say the Jones Act raises prices for everyone in Hawai‘i and puts those who want to export overseas at a disadvantage.

Healthy Meals Made Easy

Good Clean Food Hawaii helps busy people avoid the fast-food trap by delivering nutritious, ready-to-heat meals to their homes, offices or gyms Over the weekend at a Kailua commercial kitchen, Janelle Bremer oversaw the cutting, cooking and packaging of 160…

Buy Local: A Simple Phrase with Layers of Meaning

This story explores the power of local in business ownership, corporate leadership and consumer preferences. Attorney Jeff Watanabe, who has served on the boards of several large local companies, has spoken often about the subtleties of Hawaii’s culture. He says…

2018 CEO of the Year:
Mark Fukunaga

The CEO of Servco Pacific grew the family business by selling off sideline companies, focusing on core competencies and excelling on both customer service and employee satisfaction, all while constantly reinventing the company. When he returned home for what he…

Is Customer Service Dead?

In some places, yes, but in others it is thriving and evolving to meet the expectations of customers who want all the options, from online shopping to friendly face-to-face service.  When you arrive at Big Island Candies in Hilo, you…

Hello Legal World, Here Comes Hawaii

Local law firm Alston Hunt Floyd & Ing joins the largest partnership of attorneys on the planet Honolulu has joined the world of global law firms with the finalized affiliation between one of Hawaii’s most prestigious law firms – Alston…

Turnaround Artists

There are legendary stories about change agents rescuing local businesses from failure or bankruptcy: John Dean rescued Central Pacific Bank; Mark Dunkerley saved Hawaiian Airlines; Wesley Park helped give new life to the St. Francis Healthcare System, Liliuokalani Trust and…

The Next Generation Takes Over

One of the biggest challenges that family businesses face is transitioning leadership from one generation to the next. Here’s some advice on how to do it right, plus profiles of three companies and families that succeeded. Laurie Foster remembers her…

The Apprentice

New apprenticeships in tech, healthcare, cooking and business are attracting local applicants with a tried-and-true mix: a paid job plus classes to improve your skills. And tuition is almost entirely covered by federal grants. Guy Shibayama says an apprenticeship saved…

When A Creative Passion Becomes Your Career

Art will rarely make you rich, but if the stars align, you might be able to turn your creative passion into a full-time job https://vimeo.com/250328380 Retired District Judge Leslie Hayashi writes children’s books. UH Manoa associate professor Chae Ho Lee,…

CEO of the Year: Bob Harrison

The honor recognizes his leadership of First Hawaiian Bank, how he guided the company’s initial public offering of stock and his community service Calm and Steady The sweat gathers on Bob Harrison’s face as he digs up soil with a…

Hawaii Farming’s Uncertain Future

Hawaii's farmers can't catch a break. Rat lungworm has accelerated difficult changes in local farming. One local leader predicts a quarter of Hawaii’s produce farms will be out of business in a few years. They are already battered by high…

Newcomer’s Guide to Business in Hawaii

New to town? Planning to do business in Hawaii? Then you should know that understanding local culture, with all its subtlety and surprises, is as important to success as paying your bills and keeping your word. "Doing business in Hawaii…

Hawaii’s Young Businesswomen say: We can do it!

They may be young, but the women graduating from business schools these days already know what they want and they're shooting for the stars. They're passionate, assertive, organized, ambitious, altruistic and well-trained – often with many sets of business skills.…

Talk Story: Rick Blangiardi & Scott Humber

Hawaii news now General Manager Rick Blangiardi and News Director Scott Humber are the leaders of local TV’s most watched news stations, but they also operate the state’s most popular digital news platform. Blangiardi says that, on a busy news…

How Family Businesses Survive and Thrive

As Baby Boomers retire, thousands of local family businesses are facing difficult transitions to the next generation. A groundbreaking local survey identifies challenges and solutions. Here’s how family businesses can survive and thrive. There’s a perfect storm ahead, and most…

Talk Story: David Uchiyama

In April 2016, Uchiyama took over at Island Air after it was sold by billionaire Larry Ellison to local investors. Uchiyama has a long track record in the local visitor industry, including serving as VP for brand management at the…

The Doctor is Not In

Hawaii is 500 doctors short. Here's what the UH medical school is doing to fix the huge deficit, especially on the neighbor islands. The Neighbor Islands count success in single digits these days: Two new doctors on Kauai over the…

Talk Story: Livingston “Jack” Wong

Five months after being named interim CEO, Wong became CEO of Kamehameha Schools in September 2014. He oversees a portfolio that includes a $10.6 billion endowment; ownership of more Hawaii land than any other nongovernment organization; and developments in Kakaako,…

Secrets of Headhunters

Sandra Ohara and Chris Cruthers Adams don’t miss a thing: The conversations in the outer office. Smiles. No smiles. Chaotic piles of desk papers. The easy way employees communicate. Or don’t. In short, they explore the culture of a workplace…

You Will Be Hacked

It could have already happened and you just don't know it. Either way, it will happen to you, no matter how big or small your organization is. Here are five ways the cyber war is being fought in Hawaii, and…

You Have to Split Yourself

➨ When you’re the CEO, just about everything lands on your desk. That’s true in small and big businesses. CEOs are hand-holders, problem solvers, cheerleaders, admonishers, risk-takers and workaholics. They deal with financial complexity, human drama and enough email to…

The Science of Success – The Success of Science

On nights with a full moon, scientists and engineers from Oceanit gather at Duke’s statue on Kalakaua Avenue in Waikiki, colorful glow sticks fastened around their necks. Toting surfboards, they head for the water’s edge and plunge into the silvery…

Tough Job But Some Woman’s Got to Do It

TRANSPLANT SURGEON Dr. Linda Wong ➥Wong, Hawaii’s only woman transplant surgeon and a specialist in liver transplants, does her work in the Transplant Center at The Queen’s Medical Center. She performs all the liver transplants – about 12 to 18…

Daughters Rule

While his daughters were growing up, Eddie Flores remembers being careful to keep the family business looking peppy and upbeat in their eyes. No long days of toil in the kitchen, just fun trips to trade shows. No schlepping dishes,…

Middle School Miracles

A groundbreaking program – based on solid data about student performance – is leading to remarkable changes in middle-school students around the state. Let’s start with three students at Waimea Middle Public Conversion Charter School. One eighth grade boy was…

24 Hours in the Life of Hawaii Business

H&W Foodservice & Palama Meat Kapolei Early each day, H&W Foodservice trucks are loaded at the Palama Meat packing plant with steaks, chops, ribs, ground beef and dozens of other products. The overnight shift of 14 uses brawn and forklifts to…

Your Company Wishes You Well

When companies offer effective wellness programs, many of their employees become healthier, happier and more engaged. Here are before-and-after stories of four employees who signed up for wellness programs and turned their lives around. Does one of these "Before" stories sound like yours?