netrashetty
Netra Shetty
Alexander & Baldwin, Inc. (NYSE: ALEX) is a Honolulu-based company that was once part of the Big Five companies in territorial Hawaii. The company today operates businesses in shipping, sugar cane, real estate, and diversified agriculture. It is also the only "Big Five" company that still cultivates sugar cane. It remains one of the State of Hawaii's largest private landowners, owning about 89,000 acres (36,000 ha) throughout the state. In addition, the company owns over a dozen income properties in the continental United States.
Alexander & Baldwin has its headquarters in downtown Honolulu at the Alexander & Baldwin Building, which was built in 1929
Alexander & Baldwin, Inc. President and CEO Stanley M. Kuriyama today announced management changes that will facilitate a smooth transition of leadership upon the planned retirement of Norbert M. Buelsing, president of A&B Properties, Inc., the real estate subsidiary of Alexander & Baldwin, Inc. (NYSE: ALEX) (A&B). Buelsing has served as president of A&B Properties since October 2008, and first joined A&B in 1990. He has not yet set a firm date for his retirement and has agreed to stay on while other transitions, described below, are implemented.
Kuriyama announced the following organizational changes:
·
Christopher J. Benjamin, currently senior vice president, chief financial officer and treasurer of A&B and general manager of Hawaiian Commercial & Sugar Company (HC&S), will be promoted to president, A&B Land Group, reporting to Kuriyama. The Land Group includes A&B Properties and the Company’s various agricultural businesses.
·
Rick W. Volner Jr., currently senior vice president of agricultural operations at HC&S, will be promoted to general manager of HC&S, and will continue to report to Benjamin. This promotion will be effective April 1, 2011.
·
To facilitate the replacement of Benjamin as A&B’s Chief Financial Officer, the Company has initiated a search with Russell Reynolds Associates, a global executive search firm. Buelsing’s retirement and Benjamin’s appointment to his new role will be effective upon the hiring of a CFO.
"Norb has been an invaluable contributor to A&B over the past 20 years, and deserves credit for growing the Company’s outstanding commercial portfolio from just 16 properties in 1990 to 46 properties today, and building tremendous value for our shareholders in the process,” Kuriyama said. “Under his leadership, A&B Properties has weathered the recent economic cycle remarkably well, and has positioned itself for growth in the recovering economy. I appreciate his willingness to facilitate a smooth transition over the next several months before his well-deserved retirement.”
“Chris Benjamin has served the company extremely well as our chief financial officer, and his success in the remarkable turnaround of HC&S this past year has led to this major expansion of his operating responsibilities,” Kuriyama continued. “His effective leadership skills, strategic capabilities and knowledge of our agricultural businesses will allow the company to continue to exercise responsible stewardship over, and value creation from, our lands and I have no doubt he will be able to build upon the success we have achieved in our real estate business. Chris will also remain in charge of the company’s evaluation of renewable energy opportunities, which are of critical strategic importance to the future of HC&S.”
Benjamin commented on Volner’s promotion: “Rick has been an integral part of the transformation that has taken place at HC&S, leading the agricultural team that increased sugar production by 35 percent from 2009 to 2010. As a Maui native, he combines a profound understanding of and respect for the local community with his deep knowledge of sugar farming and milling operations. Rick’s family has had a long history of contributions to HC&S. Rick’s great grandparents worked for Maui Agricultural Company, a predecessor of HC&S, and both his grandparents worked at HC&S, where his grandmother retired after 46 years of service. I am thrilled that we are able to recognize Rick by promoting him to the position of general manager of HC&S.”
Additional information follows:
·
Norbert M. Buelsing joined A&B-Hawaii, Inc., which then was A&B's property management and development and food products subsidiary, in 1990 as vice president and was promoted to senior vice president a year later. In 1997, he was named executive vice president of A&B Properties, Inc. In 2008 he was named president of A&B Properties. Before joining A&B he was executive vice president and chief operating officer for Chaney Brooks & Company, a Hawaii real estate firm, where he enjoyed a nine-year career.
·
Christopher J. Benjamin joined Alexander & Baldwin in 2001 as director of corporate development and was promoted to vice president in 2003. In 2004, he was named chief financial officer and in 2005 was promoted to senior vice president. In 2006 he was named treasurer of Alexander & Baldwin. In 2009, Benjamin was named general manager of HC&S, and in 2010 took on responsibility for overseeing A&B’s other agribusiness operations, including Kauai Coffee Company. Prior to joining A&B, Benjamin had worked for General Motors Corporation, Sony Corporation, Booz-Allen & Hamilton and The Queen’s Health Systems. Benjamin holds a bachelor’s degree in economics from the University of Michigan and a master’s degree in business administration from Harvard Business School.
·
Rick W. Volner, Jr. joined HC&S in 1997 as an agricultural engineer and has progressed through a series of roles, including farm manager, vice president – farm operations, and most recently senior vice president agricultural operations. Prior to joining HC&S, Volner worked for the Honolulu Board of Water Supply for four years. Volner holds a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Hawaii at Manoa.
Alexander & Baldwin, Inc., headquartered in Honolulu, Hawaii, is engaged in ocean transportation and logistics services through its subsidiaries, Matson Navigation Company, Inc. and Matson Integrated Logistics, Inc.; in real estate, through A&B Properties, Inc.; and in agribusiness, through Hawaiian Commercial & Sugar Company and Kauai Coffee Company, Inc.
Stanley M. Kuriyama is president and chief executive officer of Alexander & Baldwin, Inc. He became CEO on January 1, 2010, and has held the position of president since October 2008. Prior to that, he was president and chief executive officer, A&B Land Group from July 2005 until September 2008. He also held positions with A&B Properties, Inc., the property development and management subsidiary of A&B. From December 1999 to September 2008, he was its chief executive officer. Kuriyama’s leadership has been the principal element in A&B’s highly successful growth in real estate. He first joined A&B in 1992.
Prior to joining A&B in 1992, Kuriyama was a partner in the law firm of Cades Schutte Fleming & Wright, specializing in real estate and real estate financing. He is a 1977 graduate of Harvard Law School.
Kuriyama is the vice-chairman of the Hawaii Real Estate Commission, and currently serves on the Aloha United Way Audit Committee and as a director of the East-West Center Foundation and the American Red Cross.
Alexander & Baldwin has its headquarters in downtown Honolulu at the Alexander & Baldwin Building, which was built in 1929
Alexander & Baldwin, Inc. President and CEO Stanley M. Kuriyama today announced management changes that will facilitate a smooth transition of leadership upon the planned retirement of Norbert M. Buelsing, president of A&B Properties, Inc., the real estate subsidiary of Alexander & Baldwin, Inc. (NYSE: ALEX) (A&B). Buelsing has served as president of A&B Properties since October 2008, and first joined A&B in 1990. He has not yet set a firm date for his retirement and has agreed to stay on while other transitions, described below, are implemented.
Kuriyama announced the following organizational changes:
·
Christopher J. Benjamin, currently senior vice president, chief financial officer and treasurer of A&B and general manager of Hawaiian Commercial & Sugar Company (HC&S), will be promoted to president, A&B Land Group, reporting to Kuriyama. The Land Group includes A&B Properties and the Company’s various agricultural businesses.
·
Rick W. Volner Jr., currently senior vice president of agricultural operations at HC&S, will be promoted to general manager of HC&S, and will continue to report to Benjamin. This promotion will be effective April 1, 2011.
·
To facilitate the replacement of Benjamin as A&B’s Chief Financial Officer, the Company has initiated a search with Russell Reynolds Associates, a global executive search firm. Buelsing’s retirement and Benjamin’s appointment to his new role will be effective upon the hiring of a CFO.
"Norb has been an invaluable contributor to A&B over the past 20 years, and deserves credit for growing the Company’s outstanding commercial portfolio from just 16 properties in 1990 to 46 properties today, and building tremendous value for our shareholders in the process,” Kuriyama said. “Under his leadership, A&B Properties has weathered the recent economic cycle remarkably well, and has positioned itself for growth in the recovering economy. I appreciate his willingness to facilitate a smooth transition over the next several months before his well-deserved retirement.”
“Chris Benjamin has served the company extremely well as our chief financial officer, and his success in the remarkable turnaround of HC&S this past year has led to this major expansion of his operating responsibilities,” Kuriyama continued. “His effective leadership skills, strategic capabilities and knowledge of our agricultural businesses will allow the company to continue to exercise responsible stewardship over, and value creation from, our lands and I have no doubt he will be able to build upon the success we have achieved in our real estate business. Chris will also remain in charge of the company’s evaluation of renewable energy opportunities, which are of critical strategic importance to the future of HC&S.”
Benjamin commented on Volner’s promotion: “Rick has been an integral part of the transformation that has taken place at HC&S, leading the agricultural team that increased sugar production by 35 percent from 2009 to 2010. As a Maui native, he combines a profound understanding of and respect for the local community with his deep knowledge of sugar farming and milling operations. Rick’s family has had a long history of contributions to HC&S. Rick’s great grandparents worked for Maui Agricultural Company, a predecessor of HC&S, and both his grandparents worked at HC&S, where his grandmother retired after 46 years of service. I am thrilled that we are able to recognize Rick by promoting him to the position of general manager of HC&S.”
Additional information follows:
·
Norbert M. Buelsing joined A&B-Hawaii, Inc., which then was A&B's property management and development and food products subsidiary, in 1990 as vice president and was promoted to senior vice president a year later. In 1997, he was named executive vice president of A&B Properties, Inc. In 2008 he was named president of A&B Properties. Before joining A&B he was executive vice president and chief operating officer for Chaney Brooks & Company, a Hawaii real estate firm, where he enjoyed a nine-year career.
·
Christopher J. Benjamin joined Alexander & Baldwin in 2001 as director of corporate development and was promoted to vice president in 2003. In 2004, he was named chief financial officer and in 2005 was promoted to senior vice president. In 2006 he was named treasurer of Alexander & Baldwin. In 2009, Benjamin was named general manager of HC&S, and in 2010 took on responsibility for overseeing A&B’s other agribusiness operations, including Kauai Coffee Company. Prior to joining A&B, Benjamin had worked for General Motors Corporation, Sony Corporation, Booz-Allen & Hamilton and The Queen’s Health Systems. Benjamin holds a bachelor’s degree in economics from the University of Michigan and a master’s degree in business administration from Harvard Business School.
·
Rick W. Volner, Jr. joined HC&S in 1997 as an agricultural engineer and has progressed through a series of roles, including farm manager, vice president – farm operations, and most recently senior vice president agricultural operations. Prior to joining HC&S, Volner worked for the Honolulu Board of Water Supply for four years. Volner holds a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Hawaii at Manoa.
Alexander & Baldwin, Inc., headquartered in Honolulu, Hawaii, is engaged in ocean transportation and logistics services through its subsidiaries, Matson Navigation Company, Inc. and Matson Integrated Logistics, Inc.; in real estate, through A&B Properties, Inc.; and in agribusiness, through Hawaiian Commercial & Sugar Company and Kauai Coffee Company, Inc.
Stanley M. Kuriyama is president and chief executive officer of Alexander & Baldwin, Inc. He became CEO on January 1, 2010, and has held the position of president since October 2008. Prior to that, he was president and chief executive officer, A&B Land Group from July 2005 until September 2008. He also held positions with A&B Properties, Inc., the property development and management subsidiary of A&B. From December 1999 to September 2008, he was its chief executive officer. Kuriyama’s leadership has been the principal element in A&B’s highly successful growth in real estate. He first joined A&B in 1992.
Prior to joining A&B in 1992, Kuriyama was a partner in the law firm of Cades Schutte Fleming & Wright, specializing in real estate and real estate financing. He is a 1977 graduate of Harvard Law School.
Kuriyama is the vice-chairman of the Hawaii Real Estate Commission, and currently serves on the Aloha United Way Audit Committee and as a director of the East-West Center Foundation and the American Red Cross.