biz briefs 6-9

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For more information, contact Ken Love at 323-2417 or Ken@mycoffee.net or Virginia Easton Smith at 322-4892 or vsmith@hawaii.edu.

Natural Investments honored by chamber

Natural Investments LLC received the annual Kuleana Award from the Kona-Kohala Chamber of Commerce at the third annual Kuleana Business Conference and Trade Show recently in Keauhou. The Kuleana Award is presented to the “green business of the year” in West Hawaii based on its integration of outstanding social and environmental criteria in its operations.

The chamber’s Kuleana Green Business Program, initiated in 2005, is a membership initiative that recognizes select businesses for their commitment to quality and leadership in the areas of employee and customer relations, community involvement and environmental stewardship.

“Natural Investments was selected to receive this year’s Kuleana Award because the very nature of the business is to help people find socially responsible alternatives for their investments,” said Diane Chadwick, a Kuleana Committee member, chamber board member and philanthropic services officer at Hawaii Community Foundation. “This builds awareness of what it takes for a business to be considered as socially responsible or ‘green.'”

Natural Investments LLC is the state’s only investment advisory firm to exclusively manage portfolios of socially responsible investments, or SRI. It has been in the SRI industry since 1985 and manages portfolios for individuals, nonprofit organizations, foundations, family offices, and business 401(k) plans nationwide through its offices in Kailua-Kona, Colorado and California. Its founders have authored two definitive books of SRI, “Investing from the Heart” (Crown, 1992) and “Investing With Your Values: Making Money and Making a Difference” (Bloomberg, 1999 and New Society, 2000).

Fruit growers group meeting on Monday

The next regular meeting of the Hawaii Tropical Fruit Growers will be held from 7 to 9 p.m. Monday at the University of Hawaii Cooperative Extension Service office in Kainaliu. Members will discuss tips for harvesting different types of fruit. Grant opportunities for chapter projects will also be discussed.

Members are asked to bring fruit for sampling. Nonmembers are welcome to attend.

There will be a workday beginning at 8 a.m. Sunday at the 12 Trees Project site on Napoopoo Road. Those attending are asked to bring rakes and shovels.

For more information, contact Ken Love at 323-2417 or Ken@mycoffee.net or Virginia Easton Smith at 322-4892 or vsmith@hawaii.edu.