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A big thank you goes to our Web site advertisers. ‘J.S. Services Inc., The Employee Leasing Professionals’ J.S. Services Inc., Hawaii’s Employee Leasing Professionals, enables companies to lease their employees rather than employ them directly — a service that has numerous benefits for business owners and managers. The leasing process allows the principals of any given company to concentrate on expanding and enhancing their business, services and products, rather than being distracted by government filing requirements and managing payroll and employee benefits. For example, J.S. Services pays all TDI Insurance and Workers’ Compensation Insurance, FICA Taxes, withholds State and Federal taxes and SUTA and FUTA Assessments, and files all required State and Federal Employee related reports. The company also provides year-end W-2 Forms and direct deposit of paychecks. (Note: HawaiiReporter.com has been a client of J.S. Services for the last year, which has allowed the principals of the company to focus on reporting the news, building the subscriber base, providing better systems and services, and expanding the company). One of the most popular benefits is the group medical coverage because J.S. Services has the ability to negotiate better rates through its group plan. Business owners in Hawaii have to pay medical care costs for employees who work more than 19 hours per week, a mandate on business owners since 1974 when the Hawaii’s Prepaid Health Care Act was passed by the state Legislature. However, many small business owners decline covering themselves in order to pay for their employees and their employees’ families coverage, while other small business owners cannot get affordable group coverage because their company is too small and the three remaining medical providers refuse to offer them comparable benefits. J.S. Services President Jack Schneider says his leasing service gives employers freedom from government payments, forms and reports; reduction in bookkeeping and accounting costs; more capital conserved by not having to prepay required insurance coverage; and increased control over actual labor costs. “We give employers more time to do what they do best -? run their business,” Schneider says. He assures employers the process is simple: “We transfer employees to our payroll and then lease them back. The only thing employers have to do is provide us with the amounts for salaried personnel or the hourly amounts for hourly personnel, plus any changes that have occurred since the last pay period. Then J.S. Services will do all the rest.” For more information, call J.S. Services at (808) 596-2727 or Toll-Free at (800) 495-2323 or send email at: mailto:manager@jsservices-hawaii.com See the company’s Web site at https://www.JSServices-Hawaii.com ‘Small Business Hawaii, A Strong, Statewide, No-Nonsense Association with Business “Clout” and 28 Years Experience’ Small Business Hawaii (SBH) is unique in Hawaii and the U.S. Mainland among business and trade associations as it is the only completely private, independent, statewide small business association operated entirely by business owners, for business owners. Led by President Sam Slom, a Republican state Senator, SBH is known for its independent voice and for being Hawaii’s most effective small business advocacy organization, not afraid to take any position in support of its members. The organization was founded 28 years ago by local businessman Lex Brodie to provide effective advocacy for growing numbers of very small businesses, but has always accepted within its membership any size business interested in working to improve Hawaii’s business climate. Its influence in business issues, such as taxation, mandated benefits, health care, privatization and educational partnerships, has crossed America and gone international. Small Business Hawaii neither accepts, nor solicits, any government tax or grant money, nor does it take a financial interest in any benefit or group program offered. Reasonable voluntary member dues — $175 per year or $300 for two years — support the organization and active member participation determines the organization’s direction and effectiveness. A small, professionally-experienced business staff operates the association and delivers ever-increasing group member benefits to more than 2,500 businesses, and information to the public, throughout Hawaii. The staff is augmented by a dedicated volunteer Board of Directors and by members who give their time to help others. Small Business Hawaii operates as any small business and its business owner-members take an active leadership role in the community, working to make positive economic changes. Despite Hawaii’s current economic problems, SBH is optimistic for the future of the 50th State and is working for change. Slom, president and executive director of the non-profit organization, says Small Business Hawaii membership is open to any Hawaii business with a current Hawaii General Excise Tax License willing to actively support Small Business Hawaii’s basic principles: the private, competitive market system, and improvement of Hawaii’s business climate. “No firm is too small — or too large — to become a member and help achieve SBH objectives,” Slom says. Some of the benefits of membership are networking, information, education, business services and a choice of many kinds of group benefits. There also are advisory and consulting services for business problems at little or no additional cost to members; an active member referral service and annual Referral Directory; special member product and services discounts; and a full-time staffed office and Small Business Resource Services Center. Other benefits are Group Temporary Disability Insurance, Group Workers’ Compensation Plan and Group Business Auto Insurance. Membership dues include a subscription to the monthly Small Business News; invitations to “Share ‘n Tell” (TM) Business Forums, the SBH “Sunrise Networking Breakfasts,” special technical workshops/seminars, the Annual SBH Business Conference and co-sponsored professional business conferences throughout the year. More benefits are listed at https://www.smallbusinesshawaii.com For more information, call (808) 396-1724 or email at mailto:sbh@lava.net ‘Winners Camp’ Delorese Gregoire has dedicated the last 20 years of her life to what many parents dread — those teenage years. Since founding Winners? Camp two decades ago, Gregoire has taken 12,000 teenagers and 600 support staff and molded them into leaders through her 7-day camps by helping them find and use their talents. She also has helped coordinate similar events for corporations across the state whose executives feel they will benefit from such motivational retreats. Before 2001, Winners? Camp was located on the island of Kauai, but that year Gregoire convinced landowner Kamehameha Schools to let her move Winners? Camp to a three-and-a-half acre property on the edge of Kamehame Ridge. Once a Nike Missile Site, the dilapidated facility had four main buildings covered with cracks, weeds, graffiti; the buildings had broken windows and no doors; and the surrounding area was consumed by brush, rubbish and old tires. But Gregoire saw only the great potential of the camp, which sits on the edge of an emerald mountain range overlooking a stunning view of the sunrise over the Pacific Ocean. So she got to work, gathering volunteers from Small Business Hawaii, U.S. Military, Rotary, Elks, Winners? Camp graduates and local churches who helped with the clean-up effort and donations. Today, the camp sparkles with all of the potential she envisioned 5 years ago. Gregoire gave up her small business 20 years ago to focus full time on her family and running Winners’ Camp. She grew up in a series of abusive foster homes, and says she knows firsthand how important it is to enhance the lives of children, give them the tools they need to succeed and stay on the right path. Kids who participate in Winners? Camp learn to break through self-imposed limitations and learn goal setting, better study habits, memorization tips, visualization, creative thinking, quick note taking, self-management methods, team building and conflict resolution skills. To get involved or to sign up a child for Winners? Camp and the Hawaii Leadership Academy, call (808) 923-8844 or (808) 306-8008, email mailto:success@Winners?camp.com or log onto https://www.Winners?camp.com Camps are scheduled during Spring break and in the summer months. The next camps are March 19-25th and March 26-April 1st. ‘Catholicism without the Guilt’ Father Maurice G. McNeely, who headed Holy Family Catholic Academy and Church for nearly two decades, has just released his book, Catholicism Without the Guilt. McNeely?s charisma, words of wisdom, hope he offers his parishioners, and down-to-earth approach to Catholic teachings and the Catholic faith, attracted thousands of people to his masses in Waikiki, Holy Family and the Cathedral. A chaplain in Vietnam during the war, McNeely also gives interesting perspectives on military-related issues. Recently relocated to Las Vegas, NV., McNeely continues to touch the lives of many people from Hawaii as well as people from around the world who attend mass at the Shrine of the Most Holy Redeemer on 55 East Reno Avenue. His masses are so popular, sometimes there is standing room only in a church that can hold thousands of people. Now his words of wisdom are in print. Fr. Paul L. Bianchi, who reviewed the book, says: “A professor I once knew had this to say about the teaching of others: ‘Challenge them; make them think; cause them to laugh. That’s the atmosphere that leads to wisdom.’ If that’s true, Father McNeely has indeed provided the atmosphere. The wisdom part is up to us.” The 196-page book – Catholicism without the Guilt (ISBN: 1598007645) can be purchased for $25 through Amazon.com ? search for ?Maurice McNeely? or in the book store of Shrine of the Most Holy Redeemer in Las Vegas, Nevada (Phone: (702) 891-8600) ‘Association for Improved Healthcare on Maui’ Association for Improved Healthcare on Maui?s mission is to serve as an advocate for the creation of a system that will provide excellent healthcare services to all of the citizens and visitors of Maui County. Association for Improved Healthcare on Maui will first focus on our most acute needs of a private, state of the art, full service, teaching hospital in Kihei; and a private hospital in West Maui. * All of the people of Maui deserve equal and excellent healthcare. * Maui island needs two additional hospitals. * As Maui County is a healing place, we should diversify our economy with Medical Tourism. * Maui needs a healthcare system that will provide excellent healthcare services to all of the citizens and visitors of Maui County. * Governmental and political constraints are preventing a second hospital in Kihei or a satellite hospital in West Maui. * Facilities and services of MMMC should be improved. * Hospitals on Molokai and Lanai?i should be improved. * Remote areas of Maui County need outreach clinics. * Maui needs health link by telemedicine and rapid patient recovery by Air Helicopter Ambulance. For more information or to get involved with this organization (open to all islands), contact Jan Shields L.V.T., B.S.N., R.N.C. at the Association for Improved Healthcare on Maui, P.O. Box 11420, Lahaina, Maui, HI 96761-6420; by mailto:information@AIHM-maui.com or by phone at (Cell) 808-298-8886; (Fax) 808-573-5468

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