BUSINESS BRIEFS
Dealers' gas-cap suit dismissed
Advertiser Staff and News Services
A lawsuit filed last year by two Big Island gasoline dealers trying to prevent the state's 2002 gasoline price-cap law from taking effect was dismissed by U.S. District Court Judge David Ezra.
Ezra agreed with the state that the dealers, Dixson Service Inc. and Ken's Service Station Inc., had not shown they would be harmed by the law and had not established the federal court had jurisdiction in the matter.
The dealers had claimed the law, since supplanted by another gas-cap act, marked an unconstitutional taking of property rights because it would cause fuel services in rural areas to decline and possibly disappear.
WAIKIKI AMONG IHOP LOCATIONS
More IHOP restaurants are coming to Hawai'i under a new franchise operator expected to open its first location in Waikiki next year.
IHOP Corp. announced an agreement with Union MAK Corp., a California gourmet hamburger restaurant chain operator, to open six IHOP restaurants in Hawai'i over the next nine years.
There is one IHOP restaurant on Maui operated by another franchisee, who plans to open a second location in January at Windward Mall on O'ahu.
IHOP, also known as the International House of Pancakes, has about 1,100 restaurants in 48 states and Canada.
AIRLINE NAMES FINANCIAL CHIEF
Hawaiian Airlines announced the appointment of Peter Ingram as the company's chief financial officer, effective Dec. 1.
Ingram succeeds Steve Jackson, who has filled the CFO role since August 2004. Ingram previously worked for 11 years at AMR Corp., the parent company of American Airlines and American Eagle Airlines.
HOKU TEAM GOING TO N.Y.
The executive management team of Hoku Scientific Inc. will preside over the opening of the Nasdaq stock exchange Monday.
"Our opening of the Nasdaq market recognizes our company as one of the best performing initial public offerings of 2005," said Dustin Shindo, chairman of the board, president and chief executive officer of Hoku Scientific.
Hoku Scientific designs and manufactures membranes for fuel cells.
NEW TENANTS AT ALA MOANA
Several stores and restaurants are opening at Ala Moana Center in time for the holiday season.
The new businesses are: Alfred Dunhill, Barnes & Noble, Harry Winston, Mani Pedi Spa, The Pacific Place Tea Garden Cafe, Puma, Quizno's Subs, Romano's Macaroni Grill, Ruehl No. 925, Up and Riding, and World of Charms.
DUNKIN' DONUTS PARENT FOR SALE
BOSTON — Three private-equity investment firms have jointly bid to buy the parent company of Dunkin' Donuts and two other restaurant chains that are being sold by France's Pernod Ricard SA, two sources involved in the process said yesterday.
