NAMES & FACES

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* Sheraton Maui Resort & Spa has promoted Carlos Torres to director of catering and convention services. He came to the resort early this year as assistant director with more than a decade of experience at hotels such as the Westin Diplomat in Florida and the Grand Wailea.

He is a native of Orlando and a graduate of Central Florida University.

* A&B Properties Inc. announced management changes in conjunction with the reorganizational changes announced by Alexander & Baldwin in August.

Norb Buelsing became president of A&B Properties on Oct. 1. His management team will be Executive Vice President-Development Paul Hallin; Senior Vice President-Leasing David Haverly (replacing Buelsing); and Senior Vice President-Development Richard Stack Jr.

One of Stack's recent projects has been Maui Business Park.

* Lilibeth Briones has been appointed manager of the Kahului branch of HawaiiUSA Federal Credit Union. She has worked in the financial business for 20 years, mostly recently as a branch manager and loan officer at Territorial Savings Bank. She has also worked for City Bank and Central Pacific Bank.

* Bank of Hawaii has named Lance Gross manager of its Kahana Branch. He joined Bankoh in 2002 as branch concierge at the Kihei Star Market outlet and then became a teller at the Lahaina branch.

He is a graduate of Western International University and previously worked as a customer sales representative at First Hawaiian Bank in Lahaina.

* Kent Smith and Hilton Unemori, the developers of Kaheawa Wind Farm, have formed two new alternate energy businesses, Hamakua Biomass Energy LLC and Haleakala Energy Associates LLC.

The officers of Hamakua Biomass are Guy Gilliland, chief executive; Allan King, president; and Bonnie Ancog, executive administrator. In addition, Glenn Yamasaki has been named chief investment officer at KRS Development Inc., Smith's umbrella firm operating energy and real estate development and equity placements; and Sarah Bredhoff has been named executive assistant to Smith and controller.

Gilliland has been involved in real estate asset management for 25 years, beginning at Hawaiian Trust Co. King has been in the energy business for 30 years. He was an original equity partner and chief financial officer of Synergy Oil & Gas Inc., after starting as an energy investment banker at Credit Suisse First Boston and Rotan Mosle.

Ancog was controller at KSD Hawaii and also worked with Makani Nui and UPC Wind on the Kahehawa farm.

Yamasaki was vice president at the Bank of Hawaii and manager of private client services on Maui and the Big Island until he retired. Bredhoff was previously a vice president and senior trust officer at Bank of Hawaii.

* Dr. Mia Carson has opened a practice at 1170 Makawao Ave. She is a family practice physician educated at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine and is licensed in Utah and Hawaii. Her postgraduate training at University Hospitals included hypnosis, music therapy, spiritual medicine, acupuncture, energy-based healing, ostepathic manipulation, and herbs and supplements.

The telephone number of her office is 573-7555, and she has a Web site, www.bridgemedicine.com.