News briefs for July 24: Endowed professorship, Red Hill, tourism conference and more

$500K endowed professorship advances Asia-Pacific finance research at Shidler College of Business

The new $500,000 endowed Dr. S. Ghon Rhee and Dr. Rosita P. Chang Distinguished Professorship of Finance at University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa Shidler College of Business will strengthen the university’s role as a global leader in Asia-Pacific finance research, support faculty excellence in research and help recruit and retain world-class finance faculty. The transformational gift comes from distinguished finance scholars and Shidler faculty members S. Ghon Rhee and Rosita Chang.

Rhee, the K.J. Luke Distinguished Professor of International Banking and Finance, and Chang, professor emerita of finance and co-director of the Asia-Pacific Financial Markets Research Center, devoted their careers to advancing the field of finance through research, teaching and academic leadership. During their tenure at Shidler College, they co-founded in 1993 the Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, establishing one of the world’s premier scholarly journals focused on Asia-Pacific finance.

Contact Shidler College of Business Director of Development Jennifer Lieu at via email at Jennifer.Lieu@uhfoundation.org or by calling 808-956-3597 for additional information about how to support the college. You can also visit the college website to learn more about what it has to offer.

* * * * * * * * *

Pipeline removal begins at Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility on O‘ahu

Pipeline removal operations at Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility began in June. Removal of the pipes, which measure about 10 miles in total length, is a key milestone in the permanent closure of the O‘ahu facility.

The pipeline will be cut into about 6,000 sections, with each piece measuring a maximum of 9.5 feet long, along with the removal of 60 attached valves. Sections will be safely transported out of the facility and shipped to the mainland for recycling. Pipeline removal is anticipated to be complete in 2028.

Pipeline cutting and removal is the third step in the four-step process that includes preparation, draining and cleaning, cutting and removing and transporting and recycling. The cleaning — or pigging process, named for the squealing sound heard during cleaning — was completed in early June, successfully removing 2,532 gallons of residual fuel.

* * * * * * * * *

Registration open for 2026 Hawai‘i Tourism Conference

Registration is now open for Hawai‘i Tourism Authority’s 2026 Hawai‘i Tourism Conference, a gathering of Hawai‘i’s hospitality professionals, stewards of natural resources and community tourism initiatives, government officials and visitor industry thought leaders. This year’s conference, with the theme “Ke Kahu o ka Mālamalama — Guardians of the Light: Honoring Our Stories, Advancing Knowledge, Inspiring a Path Forward,” is scheduled for Sept. 24-25 at Hilton Hawaiian Village Waikīkī Beach Resort on O‘ahu.

The conference provides an opportunity to reflect on the responsibility of Hawai‘i’s visitor industry to communities it touches while affirming a commitment to learning from the past and emerging trends as well as collaborating to build a resilient and thriving future for the state’s visitor industry.

State, national and international speakers will convene for the 2-day conference, exploring the forces shaping Hawai‘i’s evolving visitor landscape and discussing strategies to strengthen long-term resilience, industry vitality and alignment between visitor experiences and resident quality of life. Learn more about the conference and register online.

* * * * * * * * *

Hirono leads colleagues in pressing Hegseth, others on inaccurate casualty reporting, human cost of Iran war

Senior member of U.S. Senate Committee on Armed Services Sen. Mazie Hirono of Hawai‘i led her Democratic committee colleagues in demanding full and accurate accounting of all service members killed, wounded and injured in support or in connection with Operation Epic Fury in Iran.

The senators raise alarms about multiple inconsistencies between the Pentagon’s public casualty number and official statements. They also in a letter to U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth; Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine, U.S. Central Command Commadner Adm. Brad Cooper and Defense Undersecretary for Personnel and Readiness Anthony Tata press for more transparency with the U.S. public, service members and their families about the human cost of the ongoing war in Iran.

“The American people, Congress, service members and their families are entitled to a full and accurate accounting of the human costs of war,” wrote the senators, who also requested a prompt, detailed response by July 30 from the U.S. Department of Defense. “The information currently available to the public suggests that the department has not consistently provided timely and comprehensive public casualty reporting throughout the conflict.”

* * * * * * * * *

Schatz co-introduces bipartisan bill to increase diplomatic presence in Pacific; Hirono a co-sponsor

Hawai‘i Democrat U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz and Republican Sen. Roger Wicker of Mississippi introduced the bipartisan Consular Operations and Regional Engagement in the Pacific Act (“CORE Pacific Act”) to help increase the diplomatic presence of the United States in Pacific Island nations. The legislation would require a feasibility assessment of attaching U.S. Department of State consular officers to existing U.S. Coast Guard and U.S. Navy missions already sailing in the Pacific.

“If we’re serious about strengthening our relations with Pacific Island countries, we need a robust diplomatic presence to match,” said ranking member of U.S. Senate State and Foreign Operations Appropriations Subcommittee Schatz in a release from his office. “We need to explore creative and cost-effective ways to expand our footprint in the region, and our bill will help us determine whether we can leverage existing U.S. engagements to bolster our consular services.”

The legislation is also cosponsored by Democratic Sens. Mazie Hirono of Hawai‘i and Tammy Duckworth of Illinois.

* * * * * * * * *

Community invited to vote for favorite local businesses in first Buy Local Hawai‘i People’s Choice Award

American Savings Bank invites the community to celebrate Hawai‘i’s small businesses by voting in the inaugural Buy Local Hawai‘i People’s Choice Award. Votes will be accepted through July 31 at the bank website.

Anyone can vote, once per person per day, and help honor local businesses making a difference throughout the Aloha State.

Select from more than 150 Buy Local Hawai‘i merchants on O‘ahu, Maui, Kaua‘i, Hawai‘i Island and Moloka‘i, including favorites such as Yama’s Fish Market, Hawai‘i’s Finest, Brick Oven Pizza, Kaua‘i Diner, Ali‘i Coffee Co. and many more.