Pacific Business News is once again SBH's The Tradeshow '99 media partner and major sponsor.

Booth space rentals are well ahead of the successful '98 show. There are still some spaces available but if you want to exhibit, you must cal Production Hawaii immediately!

This SBH business trade show will attract thousands of business owners and managers interested in products and services designed to help businesses operate more efficiently and profitably. It is an excellent networking opportunity and will help participants do more business.

For reservation information, contact Barbara Garofano or Darla Hochhalter at Production Hawaii, Inc., new phone 832-7678 (fax 832-7870). See you at the Blaisdell, Wednesday, November 17!

2000 SBH CONFERENCE
CONFIRMS BARR, SWINDLE

Begin the Millennium in Hawaii with business news and strategies to help you have a successful year! Will the economy really turnaround?Where are the best opportunities?

The 24th Annual Small Business Hawaii Conference, Wednesday, January 12, 2000, at the Ala Moana Hotel, is already shaping up as a tremendous millennium kickoff! It will be the first major business event of the year and you won't want to miss it.

Confirmed mainland guest speakers include U.S. Congressman Bob Barr of Georgia and Federal Trade Commissioner, Orson Swindle. There will be others. Look for a complete listing of mainland and Hawaii speakers and program agenda in next month's SB News.

Local and national business legislation, tax tips, success stories and the annual SBH business awards will all be part of this very special conference. You can't afford not to be there, so save that date now and send in your reservation next month. Your guests and the public are all welcome. There will be something of interest for everyone.

2000 ELECTION LESS THAN A YEAR AWAY

The November General Election of 2000 is now less than a year away. It will be a significant election in Hawaii's history and will prove if change ‹meaningful political change to assist the economy‹is really on track.

All 51 State House seats, 13 of 25 State Senate seats, Mayor, Council and Congressional seats will be up for grabs. (The Governor remains until 2002). Reapportionment will also take place meaning usual 4-year state Senate seats will only be for 2 years. In 1998, Hawaii came close to unseating 40 years of one-party rule (which followed 50 years by the other party). Next year's election will be a bellwether.

Could 2000 be the year? Most pundits believe so. Many incumbents may not even run. Others will be challenged. What is needed are more business-experienced candidates.

Small Business Hawaii will be actively involved with informational forums, workshops and get-out-the-vote campaigns. PAYCHECKS HAWAII, the SBH private, independent, non-partisan, political action affiliate has been busy searching out candidates to run for state office with business experience and common sense. Party is not an important factor, business savvy is. If you are considering running and want advice or help, contact PAYCHECKS through SBH.

SBA SEEKS NOMINATIONS FOR HAWAII'S
SMALL BUSINESS PERSON OF THE YEAR

The Hawaii District Office of the U.S Small Business Administration (SBA) opened the annual nominations for the Small Business Awards for the Year 2000. These prestigious awards, part of National Small Business Week Celebration in June 2000, recognize the contributions of Hawaii's small business owners and entrepreneurs to our community and economy. SBA will recognize Hawaii's Small Business Person of the Year, SBA Young Entrepreneur, SBA Exporter of the Year, and Entrepreneurial Success. Other important awards honor small business advocates serving special sectors of the small business community.

SBA's awards are the most firmly established and most coveted small business awards in the state, said Andrew Poepoe, the SBA's District Director. These awards recognize solid accomplishments like increased revenues, staying power, innovation and response to adversity over time. We also recognize significant contributions by looking at factors like job creation, small business advocacy, and community service efforts. We are also seeking the nominations of outstanding small firms across the state representing all the islands.

Hawaii winners will join the ranks of previous outstanding entrepreneurs and advocates, including 1999 Small Business Persons Jon Martin and Wes Jones of Martin and McArthur; National Accountant Advocate, Bill Wong of William Wong CPA & Associates, Entrepreneurial Success Award winner Kent and Lori Untermann of Pictures Plus. The winners of the Year 2000 awards will be announced publicly in the spring on 1999, following a very competitive selection process at the local, regional and national levels.

Nomination forms - for all or any of eleven categories - are available at the Hawaii District Office in hard copy or on computer disc. The forms outline the criteria for the awards and do require the approval of the candidate. Completed forms are due in the Hawaii District Office at 300 Ala Moana , Room 2-235, no later than Friday, November 12, 1999, at 4:00 p.m. To arrange to pick up the forms or for further information, call SBA at 541-2990, or contact Jane Sawyer at jane.sawyer@sba.gov.

Child Enforcement Regulation
Impacts Small Business

Several questions arose at the recent Aiea/Pearl City "Win 3" meeting regarding Hawaii's New Hire Reporting System.

The Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 (PRWORA), commonly known as the "Welfare Reform Act," created a National Directory of New Hires, mandating ALL employers to report ALL newly hired employees to designated state agencies to track delinquent parents. The Hawaii Child Support Enforcement Agency (CSEA) is Hawaii's designated agency.

Hawaii's Legislature passed Act 293 in 1997, effective October 1, 1998, requiring reports to CSEA instead of the State Department of Labor. Originally, employers had to report new hires (copy of W-4) IMMEDIATELY, or face fines. ALL employees, regardless of age, or marital status, are included.

Thanks to clarifications received by Rep. David Stegmaier from CSEA, after the Aiea meeting, the agency states that employers now have twenty (20) days to report new hires‹good because some new hires are gone before that time, and electronic reporting is possible. For more details, contact CSEA at (808) 587-4250 or (toll free) 888-317-9081.

SBH members will have an opportunity to help elect five members of the organization's Board of Directors. There are currently a total of 13 members of the SBH Board.

At its regular monthly meeting in October (October19) the Board unanimously approved Wayne Fukuda, owner of Something Special! in Kaimuki, to serve out the remaining months of his late wife's (Jean) term on the Board. Fukuda will stand for election for a full term. All members were given a chance to announce for a seat earlier this year. Only one other non-incumbent member, David Muldoon, of All Products Corporation, submitted nomination forms.

SBH Board members are volunteers, who serve without compensation in order to support the organization and assist other members and the public. They must be involved directly in SBH activities and community projects. A regular term is three years; newly elected or appointed Directors (to fill a vacancy or expansion seat) serve one year initially).

Incumbent Directors running for reelection (in addition to Fukuda) include: Kenny Lum, Corporate Treasurer/Director, former restauranteur, associated with the Hawaii Restaurant Association; Michael Marsh, partner with the law firm of Case Bigelow & Lombardi and SBH attorney; James Sharp, CPA, and Jane Tatibouet, ASTON Hotels and Resorts.

Current members may vote by mail, fax or in person using the official published in the print edition of SB News. Ballots must be received no later than Wednesday, December 1.

Other Members of the current SBH Board are: Jed Gaines; Geal Fukunoto; Joyce Edwards; Helen Rapoza; Jack Schneider; Bob Sigall; Sam Slom, and John Yanagihara.

STATE "IN BUSINESS?"

The State has been running a series of radio commercials, featuring among others, Governor Ben Cayetano and Vicky Cayetano, extolling the virtues of the state's efforts to cut red tape and reduce regulations. The tag line is, "The State of Hawaii...We're in Business." Several people questioned the truth-in-advertising content of these announcements, while others have said, the State is in business‹theirs. Meanwhile, no Small Business Defender has been funded or appointed as required by state legislation enacted in 1998, and the Lt. Governor's vaunted "SWAT" team (to "slice waste and tape,") promises no results for another 3 years‹just in time for the next election for Governor when the Lt. Governor will be a candidate.