Lisa Foth
• Wailuku attorney James Krueger has been recognized as one of the top personal injury lawyers in the state. Krueger was named to the inaugural 2020 Best of the Best Attorneys’ Top 10 Personal Injury Law Attorney list for Hawaii. The honor is reserved for lawyers who exhibit excellence in their practice and will be given to fewer than 0.05 percent of the 1.3 million practicing attorneys in the U.S., according to a letter from Best of the Best Attorneys Director John Kingston.
“Your expertise, commitment to excellence and countless hours mastering your craft have earned you this well-deserved distinction,” Kingston said.
The New York-based organization was established last year to promote the highest standard of legal excellence. Members are either nominated by peers, clients and/or the organization’s research team.
• Lisa Foth has been promoted from assistant general manager to vice president and general manager of Maui Ku’ia Estate Chocolate Inc., company CEO Gunars Valkirs announced. She will be responsible for overall business planning and execution, sales, marketing, finance, compliance, human resources and external services. She currently supervises 12 employees.
Foth took over for Krishna Narayan on Aug. 1. She joined the company as fulfillment director in March 2019, a position in which she successfully developed a system and best practices for the company’s product inventory and global shipping. She was responsible for the company’s chocolate production system, including product and sales codes, efficient and safe packaging, packaging inventory, protocol for tracking and recall, and overall strategy for online, wholesale/corporate and retail sales.
Ann Sakamoto
In January, she was promoted to assistant general manager. In this position, she continued to manage the factory’s fulfillment and production systems and added the retail store, corporate partners program, oversight of all consumer program and business partnerships and all management duties.
Foth’s professional background includes being co-owner of Foth Plumbing and Heating for 10 years and inn manager at Mama’s Fish House & Inn.
• American Savings Bank announced two hires who will serve Maui clients.
Ann Sakamoto will be first vice president, residential loan manager. The Wailuku resident has more than 15 years of experience in the finance industry in Hawaii in personal and business banking with extensive work in mortgage, private banking and business banking capacities.
Prior to banking, she held a number of supervisory and management roles in the travel and hospitality industries. She attended Kapiolani and Maui Community Colleges and is fluent in Japanese.
Jeffrey Bonk
Jeffrey Bonk will be vice president, financial consultant, American Insurance & Investment Services. He has eight years of experience in investments and planning and will serve clients on Maui. He holds Series 7, 24, 52, 53 and 66 securities registrations and licenses for life and health insurance. He is a graduate of Webster University with a master’s degree in business. In 2010, Bock, a Kula resident, was the first person to finish the United States 6 x 500 mile, 48-hour Ultra Cycling Race.
Securities and insurance products are offered through Cetera Investment Services LLC. Advisory services are offered through Cetera Investment Advisers LLC. Neither firm is affiliated with American Savings Bank and are not FDIC insured.
• Commercial Properties of Maui LLC announces the hiring of two new agents, Emalia Fisher and Jon McCabe.
Fisher holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of Hawaii West Oahu. She joins the company from Hawaii Life Real Estate Brokers.
McCabe has worked in the real estate industry since 2006. He graduated with a dual degree in quantitative mathematics and economics from the University of Colorado at Boulder.
Emalia Fisher
* Names & Faces is published periodically and welcomes news releases and announcements regarding new hires and employee promotions and awards at businesses in Maui County. Photos of the employee will be accepted as well. To submit material or for more information, contact or (808) 242-6343.
Jon McCabe
