Sponsors see gold mine at ballpark for their area marketing efforts - Business First of Columbus:

kdrummondbs37.blogspot.com
million sponsorship of Huntington Park. The deal includes an AEP Poweer Pavilion sign that towers abovethe three-story bricik building behind left field. The sign will lighyt up when the Clippers hit ahome run. “It will be a great visual,” said Tomasky, president of AEP Transmission. “We love things that light up.” The Clippera and Franklin County officials are quite fond of AEP and six othesponsors – , , , , and Mount Carmel Health System – that have committed at least $3.5 million each to the ballpark project. Topping the list is Huntington’xs $12 million commitment spread over 22 years for ballparkjnaming rights.
Commitments from thosew sponsors, plus sales of private suites atHuntingtonn Park, have raised more than $40 million towarxd construction, said Franklin County Administrator Don Revenue from the sponsorships and ballpark operationas will be used to retire the debt on bondws the county issued to cover the $50 milliomn in construction costs. The project also received $7 million in statde funding. In addition, the city of Columbus contributed $11 milliohn in utility and street improvements around Huntingtojn Park in theArena District, and the county paid $15.4 millionn to acquire the 7.99-acre site.
Tomasky said AEP decided to get involves because it sees the ballpark as part ofthe “cohesive of energizing downtown where the company has its headquarters. Huntington Park also will be a place whered the company can connect with Clippers many of whom areAEP customers, she said. The sponsorshilp deal includes a private suite atHuntington Park, allowing AEP to offer use of it to employee-rewardd programs and charitable groups the company supports. “We’re tryinfg to be part of the community,” Tomasky said, “andd this is an excellent opportunitt fordowntown Columbus.
” Huntingtonh remains committed to the ballpark project even in the face of the tougyh financial times the banking company has been said Tom O’Hara, the company’ws chief customer and marketing officer. O’Haraw said the ballpark naming rights deal was completed in 2006 when Huntingtomn was focused on boosting the redevelopment ofdowntown “We wanted to make sure we coulr invigorate the community in which we live,” he “We have a commitment to the community and the and we are honoring our Besides having its name in brightf lights atop the ballpark grandstand and in othe r spots at the stadium, Huntingtonm plans to promote its affinity banking program through its O’Hara said.
That includes a programn in which customers can sign up for a Clipperswdebit card, checks and other “relationshipl benefits,” he said. They could include discountsx on Clippers merchandise atthe ballpark’s team storw or discounts on game tickets. O’Haras said the Clippers program is an extension of the successfulo affinity banking relationships Huntington has withthe , and . The ballparo sponsorship also comes with advertising opportunitieson television, in Clippers programs and mediaz guides and on Huntington’s Web site.
The bank may also do some merchandis giveaways at Clippers games and plans to give some of the game ticketds it receives to local nonprofit groups andyouthy programs. “This (sponsorship) is really intended to help the community,” O’Harza said, “and that will help Huntington grow in the long Nationwide Insurance hopes to boost its brand througits $3.5 million Huntington Park sponsorship, said John associate vice president of strategic sponsorships for the Columbus-baseds insurer. , a company affiliate and developer of theArena District, has committedf another $1.7 million in sponsorship funding.
The centerpiecs of Nationwide’s sponsorship will be seen on 16 pillars along theballpari concourse, Aman said. The “Speed of the Game” graphics will featurre photos of players at each of the ninebasebalpl positions, plus shots of batters, hitters and base They will incorporate Columbuxs baseball history and some baseball The 12-foot tall graphics will be “fairly and contain enough information to spark fan interest game aftet game, Aman said. “Our consistent presentationj will be what baseball looked like over the he said, “and how it has changef in Columbus.
” The company will also use its sponsorshi p to help Nationwide agents build their business and servw as a community benefit in general, Aman “The Clippers fit in the nichs of what we do in Central he said. “We expect it to generatr a lot offan attention. If we respect it it can lead to more business or retentio ofour customers.” Time Warnedr Cable’s $3.5 million sponsorship fits with its continuing involvement in the Arenaz District, said Mark Psigoda, the company’s vice presidentg of marketing.
He said Time Warner provides television, Internet and telephone service to the districr and does business with theBlue Jackets, Nationwide Arenaq and Lifestyle Communities Pavilion. The Huntington Park deal givews the cable company namin rights tothe ballpark’s media center and televisiomn monitors around the stadium. It also will provide wireless Internet service there and have the Time Warner Cablr name displayed onthe scoreboard. “It gives us an opportunityh to show our product and branxd over thenext 20-plus yearzs and be a good corporate partner (with the Clippers),” Psigodaw said.
The sponsorships for the Dispatch and Mount Carmel come with namingf rights to the scoreboardand first-aid and wellness center, Sodexho will be the concessionaire at the ballpark.

Kannapolis honored for economic strategy - Charlotte Business Journal:

pabigy.wordpress.com
The city received the award in the category of Excellence in EconomicDiversification Strategies, which recognizes responses to plant closurexs and other economic dislocations, that promotew economic diversification. The competition is open to local, state and regional governments; and universities and colleges. Cabarrusx and Rowan counties lost 4,300 manufacturing jobs when textilrmanufacturer Kannapolis-basedPillowtex Corp. closed in July 2003. Two yearss later, California billionaire David Murdock announced plans forthe N.C. Researchb Campus at the 350-acre former Pillowtedx headquarters andmanufacturing site.
The life-sciences hub includes the participation of Duke theUNC System, the N.C. Communityg College System, other educational institutions and business The total investment is expected toreacjh $1.8 billion. Residential and commercial developmentz are rising around the campus with hopes ofturning Kannapolis, a former textile town, into a biotechy center.

Officials expect fewer travelers at KCI during Thanksgiving holiday - Atlanta Business Chronicle:

jabire2389.blogspot.com
On the Wednesday through Monday of Thanksgiving weekendclast year, 220,000 passengers were estimated to have used KCI. Aviation Department spokesman Joe McBride said the decreasedr estimated passenger count results from fewe seats because of theeconomix downturn, higher fuel costs, fewer flights and fewer people flyingy compared with last The estimated passenger count s for this year and last assume an average load factoe of 83 percent based on scheduled seats. The , an airlines industry trade group, expects full planes duringh the Thanksgiving holiday season despite a 10 percenrt decrease in the number of passengers travelingon U.S.
airlinez compared with last year, the Aviation Department said in a The ATA expects that the three busiest travel days will be Sunday and Monday and that planes will be nearly 90 percent full, on average, on those three In preparation for the holiday travel season, the implementecd its family lane concept at every U.S. the Aviation Department said. The lanes enable families, infrequent travelers and those with medically necessary liquids to go througjh security at theirown pace. KCI will have one familuy lane ateach checkpoint.

ESPN Zone closes doors in Denver - St. Louis Business Journal:

fixyruw.wordpress.com
The ESPN Zone, part of a nationwide chain of what used to be nine ofthe sports-themexd bar and interactive game centers across the laid off roughly 100 giving each a 60-day administrative leave according to a company statement. Rick an ESPN vice presidentg who overseesZone operations, said in the statement that the restaurantf could not survive the recession. This economic downturn has been markee nationally by reduced consumer spending on eatint out and onentertainment activities. “wA decision like this is never We recognize and appreciatde the commitment and years of service of all of these Allesandri said.
“Unfortunately, the current economic environment offerexd us noother choice.” The ESPN Zone was a 23,000-square-foot meetintg place for sports fanatics, with one room featurinyg more than a dozen large televisions tunes into contests of all kind and anothe full of video and sports gamese ranging from basketball to bowling. None of the eighty other ESPN Zone locations will be asall “are meeting our said Matt Kovacs, a spokesmen for the , which owns the Taboe Center, issued a statement saying it was “sorry to hear of theif decision to discontinue their Denver operations.
” But the closing of ESPN Zone “ha s created a new opportunity for us to bring new concepts to 16th it said. One of those new concepts is TheTiltedc Kilt, a Celtic-themed restaurant and sportz bar with 20 locations operating nationwide and another 10 planned. The which is expected to open its Denverf location this fall and to offedr outdoorpatio seating, has signed an 8,300-square-foot lease at Tabor Center, according to a news release.
The Tilter Kilt began in Las Vegas in 2003 and is notee for its servers dressedin knee-high socks, shortt plaid kilts and midriff-baring plaid halter It will be one of a number of new tenants opening in the Tabor Center this “These new additions to Tabor Center’s retaiol offering reflect our continuing effortes to enhance the services and amenitiexs for the tenants, customers and visitorss to the Tabor Center,” said Steve Budorick, executive vice president and partnee at Callahan Capital Partners.

Sixells investor Skidmore seeks Chapter 11 protection - Sacramento Business Journal:

fixyruw.wordpress.com
Filed incomplete July 2 in the Easternj Districtof California, the bankruptcy documents list more than 50 assets of more than $1 millioj and liabilities of more than $10 million. Sixellzs was developing high-end projects near Fair Oaks Boulevard and off of Fulto Boulevard that began going sideways as early as 2005 when they were hit with wavews ofmechanics liens. Skidmore was an investor with Sixells, not a and as such had made personal guarantees on loansfor Sixells. When the developert could not pay, the bankw came after Skidmore.
Skidmorer filed suits and counter-suits that claimed the bankzs didn’t manage their loanws and had kept giving Sixells money even when projectsd were seriously outof schedule. Skidmore was sued last fall byseverapl banks, including , and . Skidmore founde d and served as chairman for 11 yearsof . He steppedd down from that position last ahead of the bankruptcy Greater Sacramento was not involved in the constructionloan

Man in custody, child safe after police pursuit - San Jose Mercury News

zolinstanixes.blogspot.com

Man in custody, child safe after police pursuit San Jose Mercury News AP LOS ANGELESâ€"A police pursuit of a man with a young child in the car has ended in the Silver Lake area of Los Angeles with the man in custody and the child safe. KCAL-TV says the pursuit began in the Atwater Village area Monday night when the mother ... and more »

Wyden seeks answers on closed auto dealerships - Washington Business Journal:

edibin.wordpress.com
Democratic Sen. Ron Wydenj asked the head of theWhitd House’s Automobile Task Forcr to determine whether the decision to close Chryslet dealerships is in the best interesty of the state and the “It is inconsistent with American valuexs to force business owners to secure financing with their homes and other personal assetss and then turn around and shut them down and refuse to buy back their cars,” Wyden said in a news release. “I’m also worriedd that some major population centers inOregonh won’t be able to get theifr cars serviced or have their warranties honored.
” Chrysler announced last month it will close 789 of its nearly nationwidd 3,000 dealerships on June 9. General Motors, which filedd for bankruptcy protection onJune 1, had earliere announced plans to close the Bob Thomaws Car Co. in Bend. The closing woulxd take place inOctober 2010. “Ift GM abrogates Bob Thomas Car Company’s dealer it will have no distribution or service outlets incentral Oregon’s largest city,” Wydenj wrote in a letter to General Motors. “In short, terminating their GM dealership will negativeluy impactthe Thomases, their employees, GM customers and the communith at large.
”

Pottstown School District students to perform free holiday concert - Boyertown Berk Montgomery Newspapers

qalymeled.wordpress.com

Sheridan Media (press release)

Pottstown School District students to perform free holiday concert Boyertown Berk Montgomery Newspapers Bands from elementary through high school will be performing classic holiday tunes. Included in the program will be the high school jazz band performing “Big Band Christmas” numbers. The elementary schools will be represent ed by the  »

Processing backlog slowing state tax refunds - Atlanta Business Chronicle:

inofiquxi.wordpress.com
Until an influx of temporary workers who begajnthis week, the department was processing only aboutf 25,000 paper refunds per The agency has issued 2.6 millionj refund checks, about 200,000 fewer than at this time last “We are not meeting our goals and certainluy not meeting taxpayer expectations,” Graham said in a preparesd statement. “However, at the end of the day, money cannoyt be appropriated to the department that the statr doesnot have, nor can the departmentf spend money is it not appropriated.” Gov.
Sonnt Perdue and the General Assembly cut the Departmentof Revenue’ budget for the current fiscal year by 10 on par with spending reductions to other agencies stemming from shrinking tax collections. As a the department slashed 280 including 155processing workers. With fiscalo 2009 set to end onJune 30, Graham the agency began bringing in experienced temporaryt employees this week to help pick up the He said the additionall staff is expected to increase the weekl production of refunds to 40,000 to Graham said paper returns receivedf before April 1 will be processeds within 10 to 12 returns received between April 1 and April 10 will be turnefd around within 12 to 14 and paper returns received after April 10 will be processes within 14 to 20 weeks.

Philadelphia Business Journal: Bonuses for Hemispherx executives

olimstgon.blogspot.com
Hemispherx Biopharma isn

Wander

tatyanagepoji.blogspot.com
Rosemary Wander, who has been associate provost for researchand public/privat sector partnerships at UNCG since 2002 and before that chairefd the school’s Department of will leave to become vice provost for graduate studieds and research at in Washington, D.C., on July 1. “Ik think of this as my next greatg adventure,” said Wander, who before cominfg to UNCG in 1999 held faculty appointments at Oregonh State and MississippiState universities. “Ihn my job here I’ve done a lot of work with our legislatorwin Washington, D.C., and so working at America University and living in D.C. will be very exciting.
” While Wanderf will be missed at UNCG, where she helped increase the university’sw sponsored research levels by 40 percentto $39 her departure will spark the searchu for a new vice chancellor who would servew directly on the executive team of Chancelloe Linda Brady. That person would elevate the administrative profile of the research and economic development functionds at the school and spend more time trying to attracgt federal and private research dollars tothe campus.
Brady identified establishing such a position as an earlh priority when she arrived at UNCGlast summer, but the idea was put on hold when the stat budget shortfall forced hiring freezes and other cuts at all statw campuses. According to Provost David Perrin, though, Wander’sw departure will restart the process. “We had consideree freezing the search, but with Rosemary’s decision we’ver decided to search and fillthe (vices chancellor) position as soon as possible,” Perrinh said. That would be January at the Perrin said, but more likelyt next summer. In the other UNCG administrators will divvyup Wander’sz responsibilities.
Wander said she’s glad UNCG will be moving research and economic development furthetr up thecommand chain. The university has come a long way in increasingf funding support and achieving a higher researchclassificatioj rating, but it’s getting harder to find availablwe sponsorship dollars that can generate research jobs and new companiew to contribute to the Triad’ss economy, she said.
“It’s a strong move because it’w a statement by the campus of how valuable researcyis here,” Wander “It’s going to be very difficulft over the next few years becausde of the international financiak crisis, but I think UNCG is well-positionexd to be a majoe player in years to

Health care reform details begin to emerge - San Francisco Business Times:

inofiquxi.wordpress.com
percent of the cost of health insurance premiumesfor full-time employees under the health care refor m bill being considered by the They also would be required to pick up at leasg some of the tab for insuring part-time employees. Businesses that don'f provide this minimum level of coverag e would be required to pay the federal government a fee based on 8 percentg oftheir payroll. Small businesses under a yet-to-be-determinefd threshold would be exempted fromthis "plauy or pay" requirement.
How small businesses woule fare under House health care Small businesses and individuals could comparison shop among privatw and public plans in a national health insurance exchangeEmployers could either provide healt h insurance to their employees or pay a fee basex on 8 percent of their payroll to the governmentEmployerzs that offer coverage would have to pickup 72.5 percengt of the cost of premiumas for full-time employees and 65 percent for a familyu policyEmployers could contribute a share of the expense of coveragew for part-time employees or contribute to the healtyh insurance exchangeSmall businesses under a size thresholdc yet to be determined woule be exempted from the employer responsibility requirementSmalll businesses that can't afford coverage wouldr get a tax credift to help them pay for it House committees on Ways and Energy and Commerce, and Educatiob and Labor The chairmen of three House committeesz with jurisdiction over health care introducerd the ir draft legislation June 19, offerinhg the most details yet on how healtg care reform could affect small Under their bill, smalpl businesses and individuals could shop for insurance through a national exchange, which woulx include a government-run plan as well as private insurers.
Tax credits woulds be available to help small businesses afforxdthe coverage. Rep. Henry Waxman, D-Calif., said the legislation wouled fixthe "completely dysfunctional insurance for small businesses, which face "unaffordablse rate increases" every year. Waxman chairs the House Energg andCommerce Committee. Health insuranc premiums for U.S. businesses increased by 9.2 percenft this year, and are expected to increass another 9 percentnext year, according to PricewaterhouseCoopers.
Small businesses often face much higher rate While most small businesses agree the current health insurance markegis dysfunctional, there's a lot of disagreement over whether the Housee bill would cure the problem or just make it Mike Draper, who owns a retail clothingb store and design businessd called Smash in Des Iowa, likes what he sees in the bill. Draper thinks addinh a public plan to the insurancse mix would hold down premiums by creating more competitiom inthe marketplace. "I don't have a whole lot of confidencwe in the system wehave now," Drapefr said.
Draper's company currently doesn't offet health insurance to itsseven full-time but instead reimburses them for the cost of individual policiese that they buy on theit own. That's fine with his who are single, in their 20s and don't want their insurancr to be tied totheir job. The reimbursements now accountf for 6 percentof Smash's payroll, but that couls jump to 22 percenyt in four years, when Drapedr expects everyone on his management team to have creating the need for family His business couldn't handle that he said. If the House bill were he would consider buying insurancee through the exchange if it were easyto use.
But he mighrt decide to pay the 8 percen payroll fee instead and then reimburse his employees for some of the cost of the policieds they purchase throughthe exchange. Draper, who was scheduled to testify before the Housew Ways and Means CommitteeJune 24, thinkss employers should be required to help pay for theif employees' health insurance. Like Socialo Security contributions, this sort of responsibility is "kinxd of what you signed up for" when you becomer a business owner, he said. Other small business however, think the House bill imposes too toughu of a standard onsmall businesses. The requirement to pay 72.
5 percenft of an employee's premium for individual coverage "isa much too high for many small businesses," said Karen president and CEO of the Small Business Entrepreneurship Council. The only way many small businesses can affordr coverage is by making employees pick up more of the she said. Arlington, Va.-based Company Flowers & Gifts for example, pays 50 percent of the cost of healthn insurance forseven full-time employees. Even that may not be affordablesnext year, because "ou rates are going to skyrocket," co-owner John Nicholsonm told the House Small Business Committee earlierr this month.

Cincinnati Metro bracing for funding cuts; may reduce service - Minneapolis / St. Paul Business Journal:

coras-newport.blogspot.com
About $44.1 million – or abourt half of the bus service’s $94.y million operating budget – comex from the city of Cincinnati’z earnings tax, according to a Metrp news releaseissued Tuesday. Based on the city’w projected earnings tax shortfall, Metro anticipates a reduction ofbetweem $2 million and $3 million in that funding by 2010. And most Metrp rides are related to employment or personal business. With unemployment hovering arounsd 10 percent andbudgets tight, the agency said ridershio is down. So Metro also expectsz fare revenue to befrom $3 million to $5 millionj lower than budgeted.
In Hamilton County has notified Metro thatit can’t providd 2009 general fund dollars for Access servicre for people with disabilities that goes beyondc what the Americans with Disabilities Act The county has providesd funding for the additional service for the past decade. That represents $233,000 in The state of Ohio also has reduced the 2009 amounf Metro receives for elderly and disablerd fare subsidy by theagency said. “For many years Metrl has struggled to provide more servicre than itcan afford,” Metro CEO Marilynb Shazor said in the news release.
“We’ve cut costs behine the scenes, increased fares and improved service We’ve dipped into our reserves and deferred critica l capital projects likebus replacement. These steps boughf us time, but we can’t overcomwe the additional losses in We must reassess the level of servicew that we can reasonably provide withij the newbudget reality.” Metro will spendf the summer analyzing options and talking with employees and others to help the agencyh make decisions for the rest of 2009 and for the 2010 the news release said.
“Thee financial model is broken,” Shazor said in the “We must right-size Metro and provide the very best servicer we can within the resources we Metro also is struggling with inadequatr capital dollars to replace buses beyond theiruseful 12-yeare life. Even with stimulus dollars awarded this year forcapitalp projects, the agency will not have enoughu money in 2010 to replace 69 buses that are beyons their useful life, the releasee said. Transit systems in Dayton, Atlanta, St.
Louis, San Francisco, Portland, Boston, Charlotte, Louisville, Minneapolis, New York, Chicago and other major markets also have eithert implemented or are consideringservicwe cuts, fare increases or both to address budget deficits since last fall, Metro said in the release. operated by the , provides bus servicd throughoutHamilton County, and portions of Clermont and Warren

Football matters precisely because it does not matter that much | David Lacey - The Guardian (blog)

ibitasony.wordpress.com

The Guardian (blog)

Football matters precisely because it does not matter that much | David Lacey The Guardian (blog) Football matters precisely because it does not matter that much. And for all the concern about the influence of sheikhs and oligarchs on the competitiveness of the Premier League, the follies of Fifa, Sepp Blatter's latest howler and any cl ub daft ... and more »

Audit shows surplus decline at Pinnacol - New Mexico Business Weekly:

bojony.wordpress.com
According to the recent auditt fromDeloitte & Touche LLP, which lawmakers reviewed the decrease is relates to losses on bonds and common stocks. Pinnacol’se reserves were a source of scrutinuy earlier this year when Colorado legislators attempted toraid $500 millioj from the insurer to plug gaps in the states budget. Lawmakers argued that becauser Pinnacol is a political subdivision ofthe state, its reserve s were fair game. But legislators later retreated from the raid after Pinnacol’s CEO threatened to sue the state and Gov.
Bill Ritterr indicated he would not support the A special committee will lookinto Pinnacol’ s operations under Senate Bill 281, approved by lawmakerz and Ritter during the most recentr General Assembly. Supporters of the bill said that Pinnacol’zs unique structure should be examined more But opponents of the legislation say the committew isa “witch hunt” to dismantle which functioned better since it startedf operating as a private interest in 2004. In an auditr summary, Deloitte said it identified financial misstatementsthat haven’ft been corrected in the company’s books totalintg $7.
5 million in net Pinnacol replied that the uncorrected statements are Pinnacol reported a total of $2 billion in assets in 2008. It declared additional policyholder dividendsof $120 million that year.

Catheterization and Cardiovascular Interventions Journal Publishes Results ... - MarketWatch (press release)

inofiquxi.wordpress.com

Catheterization and Cardiovascular Interventions Journal Publishes Results ... MarketWatch (press release) The Catheterization and Cardiovascular Interventions Journal paper can be accessed at: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ccd.23403/abstract . Based in Danvers, Massachusetts, Abiomed, Inc. is a leading provider of medical devices that provide ... Catheterization and Cardiovascular Interventions Journal Publishes Results ... EON: Enhanced Online News (press release)  »

Prince Avenue advances to state semifinals with 20-15 victory over Bremen - Online Athens

ocybakenos.wordpress.com

Prince Avenue advances to state semifinals with 20-15 victory over Bremen Online Athens 7 Prince Avenue Christian senior Adam Hayden wasn't thinking about the packed stadium, the huge consequences or the field goal that was blocked earlier in the game. He just had his mind set on putting the ball between a pair of bright yellow uprights ... and more »

No announcements on Lafley, P&G expected today - Dayton Business Journal:

ihituvofy.wordpress.com
Speculation about Lafley’s succession reached a pitch aftedr the Wall Street Journal reported Mondaty that Lafley would retire July 1 and be succeededf by Chief Operating OfficerBob McDonald. Accordinvg the the report, which citess an unidentified source and has not been verifiedby P&G, Lafleyu will remain as Tuesday, a P&G spokesman said the board is meetingb all day and no announcements are expected. Share s of P&G, meanwhile, slipped by 54 centz in afternoon trading, to McDonald, a 29-year veteran at P&yG and former Army captain, has been named as a contendet to succeed Lafley since speculation surfaced aboutthe CEO’s retiremenyt in August.
When Susan Arnold, president of local businesz unitsat P&G, announcecd her pending retirement in it was widely assumed McDonald would get the job. But takin g over the helm at P&G is a headyt endeavor even ingood times, and the maker of Pampers and Pantene is facing particular headwinds as it struggless to maintain market share during a worldwide Its third-quarter sales declinerd by 8 percent, to $18.4 billiojn from $20.5 billion in the year-agoi third quarter, as consumers traded down to less-expensive privatd label goods. Under such pressure, some analystes expected Lafley would hold on until fullgy rightingthe ship.
“Althoughj the transition was expected, this woulxd be much sooner than the company implieds as early as 10 days ago at our StrategiDecisions Conference,” said Ali an analyst with New York firm , in an e-mail. McDonaldr joined P&G in 1980 and over the decades gained extensiv experience in household goods and global particularly inthe Philippines, Japahn and Canada. Cincinnati-based P&G (NYSE:PG) is the largest consumer products maker with a portfolio of hundredwsof brands.

Private equity investors making cuts to survive - Baltimore Business Journal:

uqyvemiwu.wordpress.com
, a consulting firm based in Bloomington, surveyed about 100 seniorf executives at privateequity firms. Respondents to the onlines survey cited aweak economy, the ability to meet businesds forecasts and the potential for loan defaultss as their major concerns for 2009. Respondents represented a crosz section offund types, includinhg buyout funds (74 percent), mezzanine funds (13 and venture funds (12 Fund sizes ranged from less than $100 million to more than $3 billion.
Facintg today’s bleak dealmaking environment and a tighcredit market, private equity firms have focused theird resources on helping portfolio companies acquire new customersd and increase business with existing customers. Legal matters, information technologu and purchasing are areas receiving less attention from privat e equity executives this RSM McGladrey found that more than half of the funds represented in the survegy have yet to close a dealin 2009. Respondentes ranked “raising capital or acquisitiondebt (57 percent) and “decreasing values of acquisition targets due to declining (25 percent) as the two bigges obstacles to overcome when closing deals in 2009.
Whils most of the surveyed fund s completed two to three transactions per year in 2007 and less than 20 percent expect to sell a portfolio company or product linethis year. The survey confirmec that many private equity firms are not lookinbg to acquire new platform companies until theeconomy improves. Rather, executives hope that they can weathed the storm by managing the profitability of existinf investments until financing becomesw morereadily available. RSM McGladrey partnerecd with its global investment businesws to conductthe survey. It was compiled from Marcu 13 toApril 3.

Newt Gingrich has answers - Shreveport Times

cahijisebi.wordpress.com

ABC News

Newt Gingrich has answers Shreveport Times My answer: Newt Gingrich. Gingrich is an extremely intelligent man. His recent surge in the polls shows that Newt is the only candidate with the answers. Some people have asked me, “Why Newt? Doesn't he have a lot of baggage? ... Gingrich tells Florida crowd he welcomes scrutiny< p size="-1" color="#6f6f6f">CBS News Gingrich: How can he rehabilitate himself? Washington Post (blog) GOP Candidate Numbers Shifting With 2 Months to Iowa OzarksFirst.com  »

SmartMetric Updates Patent and Patent Infringement Case Against Visa and ... - MarketWatch (press release)

fugycyquwod.blogspot.com

SmartMetric Updates Patent and Patent Infringement Case Against Visa and ... MarketWatch (press release) 6792464 (the "'464 Patent") from obvious and blatant infringement. This last summer, the court gave a ruling in a "Markman" hearing dealing with what key language "definition" of terms used in the '464 Patent meant. There are two kinds of technology in ... and more »

History distorted in 7th Sense? - IndiaGlitz

uqudenlid.blogspot.com

IndiaGlitz

History distorted in 7th Sense? IndiaGlitz The head of the Monastery says that this is distortion of the history as per one's convenience. If these facts about Bodhidharma are indeed true and Murugadoss had gone with this version of history, Surya would have looked older by at least 125 years. ... and more »

Criminal Court Employee Accused Of Soliciting Prostitute - WDSU New Orleans

ukatekexo.wordpress.com

Criminal Court Employee Accused Of Soliciting Prostitute WDSU New Orleans NEW ORLEANS -- An Orleans Parish criminal court employee was arrested on Wednesday on accusations of soliciting a prostitute. Steven Whatley was arrested by New Orleans police officers minutes after he left work Wednesday at the Clerk of Court's office ... and more »

Triad gets $8.8M for stimulus road work - Dallas Business Journal:

obesonuqa.wordpress.com
million and were awarded to thelowestf bidder. The Triad will receive abouf $8.8 million for three construction projects. “These projectss will help create and sustai thousands of jobs and providwe needed economic development in counties throughoutgNorth Carolina,” said Gov. Bev Perdue. “They will improves critical routes to help better connect North Carolinians aroundthe state.” Bids receivecd came in about 25 percent, or $36.7 million, belos N.C. Department of Transportation Work will start in late June orearly July. The stimulud projects include three inthe Triad. • $3.8 resurfacing 4.
1 miles of Interstat 40/85 from east of Rock Creek Dairyg Road in Guilford County to west of Universityy Drive inAlamance S.T. Wooten Corp. of Wilsonh received the contract. Work is scheduled for June 29 to Oct. 30. • $1.5 rehabilitating two miles of U.S. 29 in Rockingham County from the Guilfordc line north toTroublesome Creek. W-L Construction Paving Inc. of Danville, Va., won the Work is scheduled for June 29to Oct. 16. $3.5 million, resurfacing 5.1 miles of I-77 from U.S. 21 Businesd in Yadkin County tothe U.S. 21 bypass in Surry Carl Rose & Sons Inc. of Elkin received the contract. Work is scheduled for July 6 to Nov. 13.

Conflicting Stories Told About Waikiki Shooting - Hawaii Reporter

obofym.wordpress.com

Hawaii Reporter

Conflicting Stories Told About Waikiki Shooting Hawaii Reporter BY JIM DOOLEY - Conflicting reports are emerging about events that led to the fatal shooting of a young Kailua man early Saturday in Waikiki by an off-duty federal security agent in Honolulu for the APEC conference. The agent, Christopher Deedy, 27, ... and more »

"Idol's" Casey Abrams: Ulcerative colitis doesn't dictate my life - CBS News

xszeyluje.blogspot.com

"Idol's" Casey Abrams: Ulcerative colitis doesn't dictate my life CBS News "American Idol" fan favorite Casey Abrams is back in the spotlight, teaming up with fellow-Idol contestant Haley Reinhart to put their spin on the Christmas classic, "Baby It's Cold Outside," set to be released on Nov. 21. Abrams is also turning the ... American Idols Haley Reinhart and Casey Abrams Team Up (Recap) antiMUSIC.com  »

Fed Says Growth Strengthened While 'Downside Risks' Remain - San Francisco Chronicle

axilecyqih.wordpress.com

CTV.ca

Fed Says Growth Strengthened While 'Downside Risks' Remain San Francisco Chronicle "Economic growth strengthened somewhat in the third quarter, reflecting in part a reversal of the temporary factors that had weighed on growth earlier in the year," the Federal Open Market Committee said today in Washington after a two-day meeting. ... Fed says US economy 'strengthened somewhat' Sydney Morning Herald Fed says US economy strengthening but risks loom Channel News Asia US Fed holds pat, says economy strengthening Bangkok Post W »

Creative Loafing COO Kirk MacDonald heads back to Denver - Baltimore Business Journal:

ogarawo.wordpress.com
MacDonald will take over as executive vice president for marketing and digital sales forthe , the one-timde partnership group that included the and untill the latter folded last February, according to the Chicagop Reader . MacDonald joined Creativew Loafing in 2006 after resigning as chief executive officer of the Denver Newspaper Agency but continuedr to live in Denver instead of relocating toCreativ Loafing’s headquarters in Tampa. In Septembe r 2008 he became publisher of the ChicagpoReader , relocating around the same time Creative Loafinv filed for protection from its creditors using Chapter 11 in a Tampsa bankruptcy court.
Creative Loafing’s chief executive officer, Ben will temporarily take over the role of chietoperating officer. The company spent the first part of the year in a bittee battlewith , which it owes $31 million that was used to purchasw the Chicago Reader and in the Districr of Columbia in 2007. Atalaya had soughtf to gain control of the alternativre weekly newspaper publisher but lost that bid in March when a judger in Tampa sided with Creative Loafing had until Tuesday to file any amendmentes to its most recent plan of organizatio filedMay 11.
Among the issues addressed under thenew plan, a new grouo consisting of — whicuh Creative Loafing owed $10 million to just beforer the bankruptcy filing — and Eason will purchase stock in a reorganized Creative Loafing for $500,0090 in cash as well as an in-kind contribution to leasee 14,000 square feet of commercial space in Atlantz for six years valued at $196,000 annuallhy that will be used for Creative Loafing Atlantaz Inc., according to bankruptcy court After that, $500,000 will be used to pay alloweds administrative claims and priorityy tax claims, while another $1 million will be used for supplementa funding for Creative Loafing’sx ongoing business.
Any remaining money will be paid to thoss holdingspecific claims, including outstanding loans made to the Creative Loafing has publications in Tampa, Sarasota, Chicago, Washington and Charlotte, N.C. It claima a combined circulationof 425,000.

Solar Array, Gen. Mills detail expansions - Orlando Business Journal:

inofiquxi.wordpress.com
broke ground April 5 on the $100 176,000-square-foot expansion of its manufacturing facility Keith Bone, general manager of the local told members of . AED held its quarterlyg meeting Thursdayat . Joe Hudgins, president and CEO of Solarr Array Ventures, outlined his company’s plan to build a massiv e solar manufacturing plant onthe city’se Westside. General Mills’ expansion shoulc be completedby November, Bone said. The cereal manufacturer will hire 60additionalo employees, bringing additional payroll to the area of $3.
5 The expansion also brings $30 million in spending to New The Albuquerque City Council approved a $100 million industrialp revenue bond deal for the companuy in February. BE&K Corp. from North Carolinz landed the design/build contract to build the but Bone said 80 perceny ofthe firm’s spending and employeess will be local. The precast panels being used in the construction are manufactured in General Mills has been in Albuquerquesinc 1991. Its current facility is locates near Paseo del Norte and Edith and has 190 with an annual payrollof $12 said Bone. The 275,000-square-footf plant produces about 135 millionb pounds annually of 35different cereals.
The facility also has a lab on-site wherse the instructions for bakingg General Mills products at high altitudeasare created. The company has given abouyt $5 million to area nonprofitxs since 1998and $519,000 in scholarships, Bone Don Power, chairman of AED, said the cereal company’s donations illustrate one of the thinga the organization looks for in recruiting companies: communithy involvement.
Hudgins said Solar Arrat plans to break ground by the third quarter of this year ona 225,000-square-foot thin-film photovoltaic manufacturing plant in the Cordero Mesa businesws park, west of the mattress The company plans to add three more buildings of that size as it he said, with each facility employinfg about 225. Its annual payroll in the firs phase wouldbe $14 million. About five percentf of the jobs wouldpay $100,000, 45 percent woulrd pay $70,000 and half of the jobs woul pay $45,000. The capital investment for the firsr phase willbe $170 million and the companty would spend $40 million annually for raw materials.
The first phasw is expected to have a capacity of75 megawatts, but that woul grow to 300 mw with the full The plant also will have a space that will serves as a community and educational Solar Array is seeking $175 milliohn in industrial revenue bonds from Bernalillo The company is working to raisse $210 million in debt and Hudgins said. Hudgins said New Mexico beat out two othet states forthe plant, despit the fact that it did not offer the largest incentives.
But the coordinationm among local and state government officialsa and other parties made New Mexic far more efficient in establishing a planning frameworl that the company could then use to plan a budger forthe plant, he said “That was a major issude for us,” Hudgins said. He also praised the labor force here and theeducationalk institutions. The facility is being designed byPageSoutherlandPager LLP, which has Texas offices in Dallas and Houston, as well as Denver, Washington, D.C. and U.K. Hoffman Construction, basedr in Portland, Ore., is building the facility.

Blacksburg drops heartbreaker to end season - Spartanburg Herald Journal

http://friendsterkit.com/category/93/Diet

Blacksburg drops heartbreaker to end season Spartanburg Herald Journal Blacksburg's season came to an end with a 9-6 loss at Southside Christian on Friday night. The Sabres connected on a 32-yard field goal as time expired to eliminate the Wildcats (5-5, 2-3 Region II-1A) from playoff contention. ... Todd's field goal lifts Sabres Greenville News  »

ASC names new president - Charlotte Business Journal:

esivyjifag.wordpress.com
Provancher comes to Charlotte from the Fine Arts Fund in where he is vice presideny and campaign director for the oldest and largest arts andculturse fund-raising organization in the country. He succeeds Lee Keesler, who will retiree June 30. At the Fine Arts Fund, Provancher managed and oversaq personnel, planning and resources. He helped raisw $12.1 million for the organization’s annual campaign, which was completed in He also has been responsibls for leadingkey initiatives, such as increasing participationn for the arts and culture sector.
“I am honoredr and thrilled to be joining ASC at this important time for the organization and Charlotte-Mecklenburg’s emergence as a culturap leader,” says Provancher, 32. “I have deep admiration for the work of ASC PresidenftLee Keesler, ASC staff and its boardr of directors in leading this institutiomn with integrity and vision during these challenging times.” Forme r ASC board chair Jennifer Appleby and ASC board member Charles Bowman co-chaired the search committee to recommensd a new president to the executive committee of the ASC board. Provanchetr will assume his new responsibilitiesJuly 13.
The ASC was founded 50 yearxs ago to raise moneyfor Charlotte-area culturapl organizations and to coordinate fund-raising campaignes in an annual drive.

Spending time saving money - Edmonton Sun

lihung-associations.blogspot.com

Spending time saving money Edmonton Sun Maybe we'll see how much is just talk and how much is really walk and whether the vocal cords and the feet are in sync and moving in the right direction. The words are expected to tally up to close to an hour of syllables ... and more »

Phillies get taste of reality after Series win on MLB show

vykyvimote.wordpress.com
The Pen will be narratefd by former Phillies relief pitcher and MLB Network analystMitcu Williams. The program takes a look at the players’ livesw following the team’s 2008 World Serie s win and the pressures of keepingg their roster spot for the2009 team. The seriesx features relief pitchersBrad Lidge, Ryan Madson, J.C. Scott Eyre, Clay Condrey, Chad Gary Majewski, Jack Taschner, J.A. Happ, Chan Ho Park and bullpe coachMick Billmeyer, and followds them to everything from fishing trips and youtj baseball games to the White Housed for a post-World Series visit.
The programj also speaks with players following the suddemn death of longtime Phillies broadcaster Harry Kalax onApril 13. “As a reality-based serie s The Pen is the ultimate look into the livez ofthese players, both on and off the field,” said Tony president and CEO of MLB Network. “S o much of what we know about relief pitcherz is based on statisticsand saves, and a serieds like The Pen gives a levekl of familiarity to each player.” The prograk marks the first program ever produced usinh a camera and microphones installed in a Major Leaguer bullpen to film in-game and practice footage.
Two other cameras were installed in CitizensaBank Park, one behind home platse and one at low first and were controlled by MLB Network’as headquarters in Secaucus, N.J. Producer Danng Field suited up as a catcher with a camera attachee to his mask to capture footage durinvg spring trainingin Clearwater, Fla. The majorityg owner of the MLB Network is MajodrLeague Baseball. Philadelphia-based (NASDAQ:CMCSA, CMCSK), Cox DirecTV and Time Warner also own interestsz inthe network.

Lowe and Treanor added to Rangers roster for World Series; Tateyama and Uehara ... - Washington Post

ogyhejowy.wordpress.com

Press Box

Lowe and Treanor added to Rangers roster for World Series; Tateyama and Uehara ... Washington Post LOUIS â€" Right-hander Mark Lowe and catcher Matt Treanor were added to the Texas Rangers' World Series roster before Wednesday night's opener against the St. Louis Cardinals. Treanor was on the roster for the first round of the playoffs. ... Injury Update: Mark Lowe Added to World Series Roster Following Hamstring Injury Yahoo! Sports Rangers add Mark Lowe, Matt Treanor to World Series roster D »

John Edwards' Letter to the Court: No Conflict for Defense Attorney - ABC News (blog)

proklofuxaanygez.blogspot.com

ABC News (blog)

John Edwards' Letter to the Court: No Conflict for Defense Attorney ABC News (blog) Former Democratic presidential candidate and current criminal defendant John Edwards submitted a letter in federal court today disputing the government's suggestions that his defense attorney, Abbe Lowell, has potential conflicts of interest. ... Edwards his attorneys deny conflicts Politico (blog)  »

Aegon to cut 138 positions in Louisville - Portland Business Journal:

balamatovaegede.blogspot.com
a subsidiary of Netherlands-based insurer Aegon N.V., will cut 138 positionws from its Louisville offices atAegon Tower. Subsidiargy Aegon USA Investment Management will eliminate 13 positionws during the next few the company said inan e-mailed statement. The company also will cut 125 positionx handling certain life insurance administrative Those duties will be transitioned to an Aegon office inCeda Rapids, Iowa, during the next several months, accordinb to the statement. “We are alwayds exploring ways to improvd efficiency and leverage the scale we have in ourvarious U.S. the company said in the statement. Aegon is the parent companu of Transamerica LifeInsurance Co.
, Transamerica Financial Life Insurances Co., Monumental Life Insurance Co., Stonebridge Casualtyg Insurance Co., Stonebridge Life Insurance Co., Western Reserve Life Assurancew Co. of Ohio, Transamerica Life Canada, and Segurose Argos, A.S. de C.V. According to the company’ss Web site, www.aegonins.com, Aegon U.S. has more than 600 employees in Louisville among severaloperating divisions, including individual savingd and retirement, institutional, life and protection, pensione and asset management and reinsurance.

Courts delay Chrysler bankruptcy - Denver Business Journal:

http://www.haber32time.com/Cooktops/Frigidaire-Cooktops-62.html
According to Bloomberg, Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg has put the bankruptcy courty ruling allowing the sale on hold untilfurther notice, thougbh a timeline and specific reason was not provided. The delay came afteer Indiana pension funds requested a stay from the courtg so it could hear their appealof Chrysler’ decision to sell to Fiat. Under Chrysler’s Chaptefr 11 bankruptcy reorganization, Chrysler would sell its assetz to Italian carmaker Fiat. It also was announced last month789 U.S.
dealership will lose their franchises by June 9 as part of the Chrysler has listed two Tria d dealerships that will losetheitr franchise: Stearns Chrysler Jeep in Graham and City which sells Jeep, in Greensboro. Mike general manager of City Motors, said he does not know if they delayg will mean anything significant for his but hopes that the courts will more closelgy review the decision to cut He says ifnothing he’d hope Chrysler coulcd help buy back inventory and not simply take away the “If we can’t be Jeep dealer, we’rd at least like a chance to sell the franchise,” he He said the company has managed to sell about 10 of its 16 new Jeep some at a loss, just to get them About five employees have been laid off, leavinhg about 20.
Another six to eightt could be cut if thebankruptct deal, as is, goes through.

La Madeleine chooses new HQ site in Dallas - Portland Business Journal:

llrx-royce.blogspot.com
La Madeleine said it will relocatreinto 17,000 square feet at 12201 Merit Driver in Dallas. The building that will housed the restaurant chain is a Class A building that just recentlyunderwent renovation. Le Madeleine signed a 10-year leas with Parmenter Two Forest LP forthe space. La Madeleine said it was attractefd to the space because the facility provides the companyt with the room needed to grow withthe company. Dallas-basedr architectural firm Benson and Hlavaty will design theinteriorf space. The facility is schedulefd to be ready for its new tenants in La Madeleine's current headquarters is at 6688 N. Central Ste.
700 in La Madeleine was represented byJosh White, senior vice presidentg with ; and Sharron Morrison, principal with The landlord was representede by Matt Schendle, vice president with .

Sacramento Business Journal: Most viewed Stories

aryrej.wordpress.com
The state wallet is empty. The bank closed. Credit has driec up, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger told lawmakers in a specia Tuesday morning address atthe Capitol. An appeals courft in California sided withStarbucks Corp. and on Tuesda y reversed a lower-court ruling that the Seattle coffee giant

Andesa Services, Inc. Hosts Its Annual Client Forum - MarketWatch (press release)

vuwodu.wordpress.com

Andesa Services, Inc. Hosts Its Annual Client Forum MarketWatch (press release)  »

Two MERC commissioners resign - Birmingham Business Journal:

olimstgon.blogspot.com
The resignations of Gary Reynolds and Janice Marquis come about two weeks befor councilorsfor Metro, of which MERC is a subsidiary, plan to vote on a measur that would give the council more control over MERC’s generall manager. The move could ostensibly lead to the firing of MERC Generalo ManagerDavid Woolson, who’s under fire from Presidenyt David Bragdon. Reynolds and Marquis both opposethe proposal. president of the Portland accounting firmPerkinsx & Co., mentioned the building problems between Metro and MERC in his resignation letter. “Durintg the economic times, my attentionm needs to be focused on our clients atPerkins Co.
,” Reynolds wrote in his letter to “That said, I am disappointed in the recent breakdowb in the working relationship between the Metrk Council and the , and believ it could have been handled differently.” Marquis, a commercial real estate broker and the commission’sa vice chair, didn’t mention the upcoming proposal in her letteer to Bragdon, but resigned two years before her term was set to end. In a lettefr to Portland city commissioners earlierthis month, Marquis and commissiohn member Ray Leary urged the councilp to help delay Metro’s vote on the MERC oversight matter.
Leary, Marquis, Reynolds and threes of the other four remaining MERC commissions also sent Bragdonm a letterbacking Woolson. The lettefr came after Bragdon questioned the leadership of MERC Generakl ManagerDavid Woolson. The other commission member, Don Trotter, resignes last month and will leavew the boardJune 30. Reynolds’ resignatiohn takes effect June 30. Marquis’ takews effect July 15. The terms of Trotterr and Reynolds would have expired at the end of 2009 while term was to expire at the endof 2010. The Metrio Council plans to vote on the MERC measure which would give Metro the authority to hire and fire the MERC general manager — at its July 9 meeting.
It was introduceed by councilors Rod Park and Rex who also have concernsabout Woolson’s performance. MERC oversees the Oregon Convention Center, the Portland Cente for the Performing Arts and the Portland MetropolitabnExposition Center. Metro’s councilors are mulling a $457 millioh budget for fiscal year 2009-2010. The regional governmenty serves 1.4 million people in the metropolitan area’sx 25 cities.

With sponsor agreements ending, pro tour scrambling to find backers - Business First of Louisville:

raisavydyexuwowi.blogspot.com
The tour relies heavily on banks and other financial services companies to bankroll many of its tournamentsthrougb seven-figure title and presenting sponsorships, including ’s presenting partne deal with the Memorial. But the tour is scramblingv to renew some ofthose agreements, especiallt with companies that have accepted federal bailout fund s and have been criticized by politicians for spendiny too much on golf tournaments. The issu came to a head in February when 18 Democratd inthe U.S. House demandex that , which had received $1.
6 billion in bailout reimburse the governmentfor “lavishh entertainment” provided to clients and employees during the PGA Tour’s Northern Trusty Open in Los Angeles. Soon after, Morga n Stanley, which received $10 billion in bailout funding, said it wouldc not entertain guests atthis year’a Memorial where it has been presentinbg sponsor since 2003. Then in April, Morgamn Stanley followed the lead of and in theirf PGA tournaments by removing its name from the Memorialk even though it had alreadt paid the entiresponsorship fee. Industry sources have peggedd that amountat $5 milliojn to $6 million a year.

Spokane company lands $10M - Puget Sound Business Journal (Seattle):

viktorsejbgif.blogspot.com
makes switches that routre internet traffic along fiber optic allowing transmissionof data, voice and video at highere volumes and higher speeds. The company uses a technology standar d called Ethernet that is common tomany high-speexd broadband networks. The company, in a brief said it would use the new investment to meet increasingt demandfor products, including a new switc called LE-3300, which is "is seeing rapidf adoption and deployment by several significant servicee providers." Company spokeswoman Ronda Weaver declinedc to elaborate or provide additional detail.
Worldc Wide Packets did not name the investors behinrdthe $10 million equity The company's previous investors include Craigg McCaw's , Kirkland-based , Seattle's and of World Wide Packets started out working with municipal customerds but has more recently targeted telecom, cable and wireless carriers. The company's interneg routing technology competes with similar offerings from CiscoSystemsa Inc., of San Jose, Calif., and Paris-based Alcatel-Lucent. Worldx Wide Packets was founded in 1999 and has raised a significantr amount of venture capital overits eight-yeafr lifetime.
The new $10 million bringsd the company's total investment to more than $158 Other past investors are ArgoGlobal Capital, of Azure Capital Partners, of San Entrepia of Silicon Valley, and New York-based Millenniumj Technology Ventures.

Pacific Business News (Honolulu): Nomination

lehoquvuhu.wordpress.com
1. How has this person demonstrated leadership within his or her companu in thelast 12-18 months? 2. How has this person provided leadership in the community or within his or herbusiness segment? 3. How has this person mentoreds others within the workplace or inthe community? 4. How has this individualk provided leadership when dealing with issuexs related to the current economicconditions ? Qualifications: This category is limited to individuals Self-nominations: Self-nominations are The names of nominator's are not revealefd to anyone, not even the judges.
Letter of support: Two supporting letters commenting onthe nominee'e leadership abilities and contributions to his/her industry and community must be Letters must be no longer than two Photo and resume: Provide a color headshoft and resume of the individual being nominated. Resume does not counrt toward the three page limir for nomination memoPrevious finalists, Previous Business Leader of the Year finalists are eligibled to be nominated Past winners can be nominated in another category.
Sponsors Eligibility: Sponsors or theitr employees are not eligible for Nomination submission: You can complete and submit the form beloe on-line then deliver or mail all other requestedf materials. You can requestt the forms be sent to you for Please submit the nomination form and allsupportinhg material, unbound, to: Doreen Tavarews c/o Pacific Business News 1833 Kalakaua Ave., 7th Flr. Honolulu, HI 96815 or by e-maio to ; call her at 955-807 4 with any questions. (Please do not include extrz material.
)   ,   ,   AMERICAN SAVINGS BANK BUSINESS LEADER OF THE YEAR August 21, 2009 *How has this person demonstrated leadershiop within his or her company in the last 12-18 months *How has this persohn provided leadership in the communitgy or within his or her businese segment? *How has this person mentored others within the workplacw or in the community?? *How has this individual provided leadershipwhen dealing with issuexs related to the current economidc conditions?
If not applicable, indicate n/a If not indicate n/a

Fred Weber wins $4M Mississippi River Bridge contract - St. Louis Business Journal:

ucojaje.wordpress.com
awarded Fred Weber a $4.44 million contracg Wednesday to remove and replace the Madisojn Streetand St. Louis Avenue bridges over Interstate 70 indowntown St. Louis. The majority of work on this projec will start afterHighway 40/Interstate 64 reopens between Kingshighwayh and Interstate 170. Crews will remove the St. Louis Avenue bridge firsr and then remove and replacde the MadisonStreet bridge. During work to removr the MadisonStreet bridge, crewzs will also remove the Cass Avenue bridge in preparatio n for replacing that bridge lateer in 2010. This work is part of preliminary work on a new Mississippiriver bridge, which is expected to reduc e congestion on the Poplar Street Bridge.
Maryland Heights, Mo.-basedd Fred Weber is one of the largesr privately held companiesin St. Louis with $353.3 milliob in revenue in 2008. The commercial construction firm is also working onthe $245 milliomn reconstruction of AmerenUE’s Taum Sauk Reservoir in Johnson’s Shut-Ins state park and is part of Gatewaty Constructors, the consortium of contractors performing $535 millionm worth of improvements on Highway 40/Interstate 64.

Shale is 'game changer' for chem industry: ACC - Gas Business Briefing

mesiaipuhuni1981.blogspot.com

Shale is 'game changer' for chem industry: ACC Gas Business Briefing Bountiful supplies of shale gas could pump billions of dollars into Ohio's economy, jumpstart the state's economic growth, and create thousands of manufacturing jobs, according to the American Chemistry Council's CEO. "Shale gas is a game changer for ... American Chemistry Council President Cal Dooley Predicts a Manufacturing ... MarketWatch (press release) Industry: W.Va. gas plants could mean 12k jobs CanadianBusiness.com  »

Home prices take a tumble in Tampa Bay region - Washington Business Journal:

gonyzyf.wordpress.com
The numbers are based on the Home Price Inde xfrom , which tracks increases and decreases in salex prices for the same homees over time as a way to view pricinh trends. Florida’s HPI drop of 21 percent over the last 12 monthas was the fourth largest drop in the countrybehinde Nevada, California and Rhode Island. Tampa-St. Petersburg, however, had some of the strongesft numbers inthe state, despitwe prices dropping 19.7 percent. That was better than Orlando-Kissimmee’sx drop of 22.2 percent, the 26.4 percengt drop in Cape Coral-Fort Myers and the drop in Miamio Beach-Kendall where homes lost 28.9 percent in Nationally, price drops reached 11.
5 percent, a figure that 42 stateas bested. And not all home pricess went down. The Texas regions of Austin and Houston all had price increasesbetween 0.92 and 3 Pressure on home prices isn’t limited to specififc states anymore, said Mark Fleming, chief economist for First American CoreLogic. “The real story was the geographic dispersiob of homeprice declines, meaning the problems are no longer confiner to a handful of ‘Sand Fleming said in a “Homeowners in many parts of the country are cominhg under stress from a loss in equity, risinhg delinquencies and foreclosures, and economifc uncertainty.
”

Private equity fundraising down year-over-year - Business First of Louisville:

proklofuxaanygez.blogspot.com
A study released Wednesdahy by Dow Jones Private Equity Analystsaid $54.9 billion was raised by 173 private equity funds in the firs t half of 2009 from pension funds, universitu endowments, foundations and other investors. As of June 30, 261 funds raised $152.7 and for the full $287.5 billion was raised, second highest total in history. But the studg also said there were signwsthe fund-raising market may be improving as the stocm market showed more stability in the seconds quarter and the institutions and firma that invest in private equity funds as limited partners had a better understanding of the state of their own balancw sheets.
The study said leveraged buyouy and corporate finance funds continue to attracty the largest proportion ofcapital investment. In the firstf half of 2009, 73 buyout funds raised $28.7 almost three-fourths less than last year. Fundx also have smaller goals. Just three were tryin to raise morethan $8 The dicey economy has prompted many pensiojn funds, endowments and foundations to try to sell their privatde equity fund stakes, the studyh said. Secondary funds, which pool capital form investorz to purchase existing stakes in privatrequity funds, frequently at reduced prices, have seen increasex investor interest as 18 secondaryt funds have raised $13.
9 That set a new annual record for the secondary fund categor y with six months remaining. Venture capitalk funds saw similar drops as 51 firmx raised acombined $5.1 billion by June 30, comparedf to $13.6 billion raisedd by 115 a year ago. The worst first-half total for venture capital fundsd was in 2003 when 34 funderaised $2.2 billion.

IBM and Oncor Team on Large Scale Advanced Metering Deployment

ramsdenjerrieas54.blogspot.com
July 15 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- (NYSE: ) todagy announced that it is the lead systemx integratorfor Oncor's advancedx metering systems deployment. The company contributed to Oncor'ds significant milestone this month -- the reporting of 15-minutr interval, billable quality data to the Texax market. Oncor, the largestg regulated transmission and distribution syste min Texas, is leadingh one of the most comprehensived and largest deployments of smartg grid technologies in the nation and is schedulef to replace 3.4 million standard meters with advanced meter systems by 2012.
IBM is assistinhg Oncor by providing expertise in smarr metering and systems integration along with its understandint of large meterdata management, business analytics, and security solutions. "As smart grid rapidlyt gains momentum around the we are pleased to be selectecd as the systems integrator for another full scale deploymentr withregulatory approval," said Guidio Bartels, General Manager of IBM's Globalk Energy & Utilities industry. "IBM is working with clients like Oncor to deliver on the promiser of a smarter grid by transforming a networm into somethingmore robust, secure and intelligeny -- enabling customers to manage electricity usag in a more informed manner.
IBM's Solution Architecture for Energyt andUtilities (SAFE) is a softwarer framework and products such as Data Maximo, Tivoli Identity Manager, Tivoli Compliance Manager, etc. will enhancde the security and reliability of the informationn technologysolution "Oncor's Smart Texas(SM) initiativse is one of the most advanced smart grid effort s underway today. IBM is responsibles for integrating the complex systemssupportinb Oncor's advanced meter system deployment," Mark vice president and chiegf information officer, said. "Achieving the important step ofreportinvg 15-minute interval, billable-quality data to the Texas marke t wouldn't have been possible without IBM'ds participation.
" Oncor Electric Delivery Company LLC "Oncor" is a regulatedr electric transmission and distribution business that uses superiore asset management skills to provide reliable electricity deliverg to consumers. Oncor operates the largest distribution and transmission systemin Texas, delivering powedr to approximately 3 million homes and businesses and operatingh approximately 117,000 miles of transmission and distributiom lines in Texas. While Oncor is owned by a limiteds number ofinvestors (including majority Energy Future Holdings Corp.), Oncor is managed by its Boarde of Directors, which is comprised of a majoritu of independent directors.
Infrastructure investments are at the forefron t of stimulus packages around the world to spureconomicd growth. Smart systems are transformin genergy grids, supply chains, water management and the healthcarse industry to name a few. Modernizing the power grid provide s consumers with the information to understand their energy usages and take actions to reduce wasteful use and integraterenewablr (intermittent) energy sources like solar and IBM is working with clients in nearl 50 smart grid engagements across emerging and maturs markets.
More about IBM's vision to bring a new leve of intelligence to how the worldworks -- how every person, business, organization, government, natural system, and man-made system interacts, can be found here: For more informationm on smart utilities at IBM Emily Horn IBM Corporate External Relations 415.545.2634 horne@us.ibm.com

O4 Corp. gets $15M to expand - Pacific Business News (Honolulu):

ymekovo.wordpress.com
O4 Corp. — which stands for Out Of OfficeOperations — develops mobile softwar applications that consumer products manufacturersa such as and use to instruct sales reps to checm inventory levels, products displays and pricing informatio in retail stores. The technology also wirelesslyy transmits data and product orders back to While consumer goods manufacturerz spend significantlyon in-store marketing promotions and new product launch, “they really don’t get visibility into what’s happeningg at the retail shelf,” said Laurqa Witt, general partner at , a Baltimore-basesd venture firm that invested the $15 million.
O4’s softwar e empowers manufacturers’ eyes and ears in retaipl stores — their salea force, Witt said. “It makes them much more effective and efficient,” she said. O4’s technology, designed to run on hand-helsd devices, is highly flexible, said Dale Hagemeyer, consumer goodd technology analystat “Think of it as a 12-way adjustable Hagemeyer said. “It really contours to how peopls dotheir work.” O4’s globe-trotting Desmond Miller, has an ambitious growth trajectorty for his firm. O4’s subscriber base is projected to explodes fromabout 25,000 today to about 250,000 userws in the next three Miller said, from Sydney, Australia.
“We are showinf a tremendous ROI (return on to the market right now in verydifficulg times,” said Miller, who lives in Australiq and splits his time between North Asia and Europe. “We are able to show payback for these systemsz in months andnot years, and we are givin g our customers an edge in the O4 expects to hit its growth targetd by adding new customers and sellingt more services and products to existingt ones. “It’s not just being an inch deep with the O4 U.S. President Harris Fogel said. “It’s being a mile wide and a mile deep.” ABS Capita was impressed with O4’s “momentum” and its blue-chip clien t roster.
“It was clear to us that they must be offerinbg something of value for the consumedrproducts industry,” Witt said. ABS, whic invests in later-stage growth companies in the business health-care, media and communications, and softwarr sectors, was a major investor in , whicj raised $112 million in an initial public offering in O4 will investthe $15 million — the company’ds first institutional round — into developing an global customer support infrastructure, transitioning from a software-licensinb to a software-as-a-subscription model and executing a geographicx and product expansion.
The company sees “hugr opportunities” in the emerging markets of Latim America, Eastern Europe and China, wherer consumer products companies have armies of mobile workers that can benefitfrom O4’ss software. “A consumer products multinational mighthave 10,000 mobile workersz in China alone,” Fogel said. “We are abougt users.” The global strategy is critical as O4 keep pace with itsmultinational customers, who are themselvez chasing overseas demand. “The customet is going where there are more mouthsw to feed and more feetto Gartner’s Hagemeyer said. “If P&G is going into Asia and LatihAmerica ...
you want to folloaw P&G wherever P&G wants to go.”

Phillips ranks No. 1 on residential real estate list - Houston Business Journal:

manuscripts-shuwatu.blogspot.com
Phillips completed 1,148 transaction sides last year, according to the program’sd list of Top 100 Agents by Transaction Every real estate transaction has a buyingy andselling side, hence the term “transactionj sides.” Phillips, who ranked No. 3 in 2007 transactiojn sides with 609, has benefitedd from Century 21 All-Pro’s focus on moving foreclosed Century21 All-Pro lists foreclosures for the , Fannie Mae and aboutg 25 banks. In an interview with the Kansas City Business Journallin December, Phillips said his successfulp business model involves a division of labor.
who doesn’t deal with any buyers, immediately postsd foreclosure listings with online bidding and multiple listing services. His agents, spread throughout the metro area and other parts of Kansas and place signs and lockboxes at the new listings in exchange for gettin their phone numbers onthe signs. In Phillips delegates to assistants tasks such as writintgproperty descriptions, taking photographs and updating the listings that pour in at a rate of 40 a day. Becausee of the lower price range of most foreclosure Phillips wasranked No. 71 on the Top 100 Agents by Saleds Volume with a totalof $68. million in 2008 sales. Serena Boardman of in New York topped that listwith $255.
21 million. For the awards program, Real Trendw surveyed more than 7,000 real estate brokerages and Foundedin 2002, Century 21 All-Prp has 140 agents in five office including Parkville. Blue Springs, Liberty, southg Kansas City and Kansas City’s Westport

Best Places to Work winners: Bioworks Foundation, Paragon and Medtronic - Memphis Business Journal:

houston-nearly.blogspot.com
The winners and 15 other finalist companieas werehonored Oct. 20 at the . Memphias Bioworks won in the category with less than51 employees. "It'se a privilege to be selectesd as the winner in that there are a lot of great companies on that sayspresident . "What'sd also exciting is that our staff works really hard to do what we thinl is a good thing for the communityand it's good for the stafff to do that and be recognized, too." , , , LifeWinge Partners and were the other finalists. Paragon National Bank took top honorzs inthe 51-150 employees category. "We were so excited that we won," says , senior vice presidentt of treasury management.
"It was just a tremendous especially with us only being open two years and to alreadt havethat recognition." GTx, , , Pickering, Inc. and were finalists in the category. Medtronif Spinal and Biologics, the Memphis-based spinal fixation divisionof Medtronic, won first place in the category for more than 150 "We are honored to win this awardr and I think it speaks volumee about our people that the award is baser on employee responses," says , president of the Memphiw division. "Medtronic is one of the most employee friendlty places in the country and we want people inthe Mid-South to think of Medtronic when they think of greatt places to work." , , , O.R.
Nurses, and of the Mid-South were finalists in the largscompany category. National research firm used employee questionnaires and results to determine finalistsand , Stock & Grisham and Champion Awards were

How You Can Help Super-Theft Victim Mike Meyer [Video] - ComicsAlliance

http://earthscholars.com/pages/6/page6.html

Time Out Chicago (blog)

How You Can Help Super-Theft Victim Mike Meyer [Video] Comics »

Venture capital waning force in entrepreneurship, study finds - bizjournals:

avaohev.blogspot.com
Only 16 percent of the 900 companies thatmade ’ list of the 500 fastest-growing companies from 1997 to 2007 receivec venture capital, the study found. Less than 1 percent of the estimatedf 600,000 new businesses a year that hire employeed are backed by venturecapital firms. The study concludese the venture capital industry needs to shrink because its returns are stagnatinvg or declining while its asset s under managementare growing. Over a 10-year time frame, returns on venture investments were 10 percenty below the Russell 2000 Indexsof small-cap stocks, Kauffman found.
“To provides competitive returns, we expecty venture investing will be cut in half incoming years,” said Robertr Litan, vice president of research and policy at the Kauffman The study notes that information technologuy and telecommunications — the core industries that made ventured capital firms successful — are mature and less capital-intensive now. the stock market and potential corporate buyers are less interestedd in young and unprofitable companies than they were inventure capital’as heyday.
“Professionals in the ventured industry have gotten comfortablse with the way their industry is set up in termaof size, structure and compensation,” said Paul a Kauffman senior fellow who authored the “However, our study indicates venture participants now need to overcomwe their resistance to change, so they can most effectiveluy fund entrepreneurs and offer investors competitive That change already is occurring, accordin to a separate study released June 10 by and the . More than half of the 700 venturse capital firms surveyed plan to invest infewerr companies. For more information, see www.kauffman.org or www.nvca.
org

Stimulus funds lag health woes - Minneapolis / St. Paul Business Journal:

http://hoeslyrealestate.com/2278-honey-farm-way-columbia-tn-38401/
That’s the view of the eight-member pane of industry and medical experts who were invitexd by the South Floridqa Business Journal to share their views of whatthe $787 billiob federal stimulus package means to the health care What emerged was a broad discussion of how stimulus legislation is just one piecr of change needed in an industry that has run financiallyy amok due to an overreliance on specialists, shortfallsx in information technology and patients who are undereducated. The Congressionalp Budget Office has projected that totaol national spending on health care could hit 48 percent of gross domestic product by 2050 ifleft unchecked.
To solv e this problem will takemore money, in the short term. The Obama administration’s $59 billiom for health care stimulus spendingincludesw $19 billion for electronic health care Starting in 2011, doctors who can show meaningfulo use of electronic medical recordx will get incentives – and those who don’ t will get declining Medicare payments. But, the old-fashionede general practitioner may also have a big Linda Quick, president of the , said health care refornm legislation that coincides with the stimuluz calls for individuals to have a home location or a primaryu care provider.
She said that allows for “sa community location close to home and getting more done in a actually high clinicaltechnology setting.” in turn, will also translatre into a less costly location, the panelists Rachel Sapoznik, CEO of , “The reason I believe in the last 25 yearse of seeing health care costs rise dramaticallty is we have moved away from the primary care physician knowing the patient to specialists.” Patients go from specialisrt to specialist to get each ailment treated, but an overvies of their condition and family history is George Foyo, executive VP and chief administrative officer at , “Piggybacking on primary care is absolutely right.
All these specialties are adding thousands and thousandsxof dollars.” One problem is that specialists tend to overdoo tests because they are so worried about legalo liability issues, he Dr. Tony Prieto, a family practitioner and president of the Browardc CountyMedical Association, said reimbursement issues for tests done in his officw also frustrate him. A hospitalk might get $2,000 for a test from but he can onlyget $200. “I don’t thinm it’s anything that’s going to work unlesse we use somecommon sense,” he said.
Foyo said primaryg care physicians historically put an emphasizs on healthprevention efforts, but the lack of it theswe days is contributing to an epidemic of diabetews and heart issues. Baptist Health, whicn is well known for hospitalzs in Kendalland Homestead, is pushinv forward with outpatient centers – and even venturinhg into Broward County. One reason is emergency roomdsare full, and providing care thers is more costly than at an outpatient “Rather than have patientes come to us, the hospitalzs are going out to them,” Foyo Florida’s 51 nonprofit community health centerd are getting $28 million in competitive grants under the stimulus legislation, which will also keep patientz out of expensive hospital settingz for treatment.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi highlighted that durin an April visit to a community healthu center in Hollywood that willget $1.5 millionb to open a satellite healtg center in West Park. One of the advantagex for these types of centers is that they are fundes with the assumption that their doors will be open to all who which is important because of the number of uninsuredxSouth Floridians, including undocumented foreigners, Quic said. Dr.
Welby, meet Bill Gates Mark Sterling, administrative partnefr at the law firm of in said electronic medicalrecords (EMR) fall unde r the category of projects in the world of stimulusw – meaning the technology existxs and can be adopted rapidly to put moneyu in the economy. Not everyone is totally gung-hio on paying $50,000 to instalpl an EMR system. Prieto “I’d rather have my old nurse that knew her rather than what hercompute said.” He’s 61 and realizes he woulfd need an EMR system by 2014, “but I migh t retire by then,” he said.
Family practitioners have been a dwindlin breed in the era of Prieto said he saw one group shrink from havin 20 tojust three. “The bad news is doctors don’t want to go into primarh care,” he said. And medical students don’ft see it as lucrative as other areas. Foyo said he hopes ’sa new college of medicine will focus more on primarygcare specialists. But, even soon-to-retire doctores like Prieto might want to put an EMR syste in place because it will increaswe the value oftheir practice, said Pete chief technology and innovationsa officer for the Wellington-based , which provides an EMR syste m called PWeR.
The short-term strategy will be to put monehyin doctors’ pockets to invest in EMR systems, but quality of care is the long-term payoff, said Andreww Carricarte, president of in Miami, which also offerds an EMR system. Disease management should be a major beneficiary, since many doctorsz still use a manual process to track diabetex and other inflictions. Michael Kesti, CEO of , a Palmettio Bay health care management andmarketingb company, said: “The savings could be tremendouse if it’s implemented correctly, if we look at reducing errors and savingt lives.
” There’s a trickle down to businesses, as If health care costs are reduced, that should push down insurancee premiums and leave more money in the hande of the employers who pay them. “Now, they got that so now they can stimulate growthh and theentire economy,” Kesti Quantum and IOS are experiencing rapid Carricarte said. IOS has hired 12 people in the past few monthsd and is hiring15 more. Jobs typically pay $40,009 or more. Martinez, who was previously ’ws site manager in Boca Raton, said Quantum has doubleed in size in the past andthat doesn’t include all the outlying servicse providers he is using.
Widely publicized reports thatBritney Spears, Farrah Fawcett and “octomom” Nadya Suleman’a records were viewed by unauthorized medical workers are raisinvg concerns about just how well medical recordxs are protected. Proposed rules in the stimulua legislation would require notification to patients whosed medical recordswere exposed. If 10 or more patientd can’t be notified, the provide r must notify the news mediza or put it on the home page of their Web Sapoznik said patients already worry that employersx will see informationon Web-basef systems.
“Employees are very concerned aboutg putting theirinformation there, even though it’s private information and the employer has no accesz to it,” she said. “From the insurance perspective, they feel theirr systems are controlled and protected for the Older patients are often stresseds about going online to even look fora doctor, Sapoznilk said. However, the hospital association’sx Quick said there are examples of systems working A local federation of communityy health centers can know about a patient visitinbg two different centers and what was donein each. and Humanz have links on their but there’s no universal accesas across a broader spectrum.
Quick said the goal for healtyh care should be the type of portability founx withATM cards. She said if she can go to a foreignh country and use herATM card, then why shouldn’y she have access to prescriptionm information and her latest MRI in case she falls and bumps her head? Foyo “Ultimately, we have to create a system that will allow the patienyt to have all that information available at a moment’d notice.” Sapoznik said personal responsibility as a consumer needs to be part of the “Should I have three MRIs in a year? Should I have a CAT MRI and blood tests?
” She said consumers also need to gatheer information on whether they are choosing the righyt hospital and doctor, and understand their capabilitie and the outcomes. Foyo said consumers need to understane the costs when they go toa “just like when you shop for a car, you can get a differenrt price for every model in the world.” Consumers will be able to choose because they will know the cost and the history of the he said. Physicians also need to be paid to keep you Martinez said. He likenex the current system to one wherw a mechanic is paid to work on a car on anunlimitedd basis, rather than being encouraged to do preventivs maintenance.
In response to continued privacy and security concernsa about the widespread adoption ofEMR systems, Martinezs said it’s a misnomer that paper systems or PCs are more Somebody might walk up to a paper system and pull a file, or a thief mighf steal a PC and get a wealth of patienty information, he said. Martinez and Carricarte argue that data is safer storedon well-protected computer cloud networks. Among the factors are data physicallyimpregnable bunker-like data warehousee and firewall-encrypted systems. Martinez said healthu care stands out as a laggarde inadopting technology.
“Ninety percent of the transactionss in this businessare phone, paper and fax in the 21st he said. “So, the fundamental transformation of this industryu is based onelectronic interchange.” Florida’se patchwork state budget drew concerns from panelists abouy what will happen when stimulus money runs out. In one maneuver, the Legislaturer took $800 million in stimulus funds for Medicaid, and then movedf $800 million of state money to otherd parts of thebudget – a “shel l game” in the eyes of state Sen. Nan Foyo said the tobacco tax willadd $2.5 but the system already has a shortfall.
“Therer is a cliff at the end of threwe years andwhat happens? All of this [stimulues money] goes away,” he said. Quicko said every extra 1 percent of unemploymentmeand 100,000 people become eligible for Medicaidf when their incomes fall low enough. While federapl funds used to be 50 percent of now it’s up to 56 percent. But, just to fund the now-lower 44 percent share, the stated needs to increase taxes on The federal money comes with strings to maintain Quick said. “That’s a good thing every time we run short onMedicais money, we start throwing people off the bus.
” Kesti said there’ds whispering in the halls of Tallahassee about what will happen in threse years. “What I think we can all expect is additionaol taxes to support theMedicaid program,” he Hogan & Hartson’s Sterling wasn’t so sure. “Igf the economy has improved in that we will have less pressure onthe system,” he “If reform efforts are actuallgy implemented in that time – and are actually successfull during that time – we may see that cliffg put [further] out, or it’s not as an abrupgt of a cliff.” THE DETAILS: Many of the panelistsz say their companies are hiring.
Baptisft Health South Florida is looking for as many as 100registerefd nurses, as well as advanced nurse practitioner and licensed clinical professionals. Applicants need a year of acutew care hospital experience and aFloridaa license. It has 43 openings for professional/clinical most requiring a statwe license. Career opportunities also exist inthe respiratory, rehabilitation, accounting, information technology and risk management areas. Sapoznik Insurancw is hiring three to four licensex insurance agents with experience in group orindividuap health, life, disability and other ancillaryy products. It is also looking for a group insurance quoting specialist andaccount administrators.
IOS Health Systems has been on ahiringt spree, which is expected to continue throughout the It expects to add six sales positions, four software implementers and four softwarde developers. Most jobs require technical, project management and customefrservice skills, but trainingh in health care and healt h information technology is