Hawaiian Commercial & Sugar Co. is promoting Frank Kiger to general manager overseeing day-to-day operations of the Maui sugar producer owned by Alexander & Baldwin Inc., effective Jan. 1.

HC&S is Hawai'i's largest sugar plantation, cultivating more than 37,000 acres on Maui to produce 80 percent of the state's raw sugar. The company has nearly 800 employees.

Kiger's promotion is being made as part of a succession plan involving HC&S general manager G. Stephen Holaday, who plans to retire in a couple of years.

Holaday will continue as president of A&B's agribusiness division, and will retain oversight responsibility for A&B affiliates Kauai Coffee, Kauai Commercial Co. and Kahului Trucking & Storage.

Kiger, a 20-year executive with Kaua'i's McBryde Sugar Co. and former Kauai Coffee Co. president, has been with HC&S since 2003 and is currently senior vice president of factory operations.