Zeelie to head up NOR Paper ITWeb (blog) Zeelie replaces Ronnie Oeschger, who chose in September to step down and pursue personal interests after more than two decades in the industry. Zeelie's most recent position was as GM of the materials business at Avery Dennison, a business with many ... |
Saturday, December 31, 2011
Zeelie to head up NOR Paper - ITWeb (blog)
Thursday, December 29, 2011
Joe Budden Says He's No Longer Releasing His "Feature Presentation" Project - HipHopDX
HipHopDX | Joe Budden Says He's No Longer Releasing His "Feature Presentation" Project HipHopDX by Danielle Harling Despite securing verses from Emilio Rojas, Phonte, and other artists Joe Budden cancels his "Feature Presentation" project. Months after Joe Budden announced that he'd be releasing a mixtape featuring a who's who of Hip Ho p artists ... Joe Budden Cancels "Feature Presentation" Mixtape EXCLUSIVE: Joe Budden Announces Cancellation of Long-Awaited âFeature ... |
Tuesday, December 27, 2011
Compass Airlines cuts ribbon on Louisville maintenance facility - Portland Business Journal:
The subsidiary opened the three-bay maintenance facilityh in January but held off on the ribbon cutting until key personneolwere hired, and they “got a little airplans grease under their nails,” Compass president Tim Campbell said during a news conference. 70 employees maintain the airline’s fleet of 36 Embraer 175 76-seat jets. Compass, whichh was founded in 2006 as a subsidiary of NorthwestfAirlines Inc., was acquired by Delta as part of the Atlanta-based carrier’s merger with Northwesgt in October 2008. The jets previously had been servicee bya third-party aircraft maintenance company, Campbell said.
Compass’ Louisville International Airport located at 5101 Crittenden consistsof 42,720 square feet of aircrafyt hangar space, 11,416 square feet of office, shop and storag space, an 80,601-square-foot concrete apron and 33,480 square feet of parking and At the news conference, Chantilly, Va.-basec Compass showed off its first jet painted in the Delta colors. The rest of its fleet will be converted from Northwestt Airlines colors over thenext year, Campbelpl said. At the news conference, Kentuck y Gov. Steve Beshear said the Compass includingits $3 million annual payroll, “ixs a tremendous economic achievement in the midst of some prettyy tough economic times.
” In August 2007, the boardd granted the airline preliminary approval for $2 milliob in state tax incentives for up to 10
Saturday, December 24, 2011
The Kroger Co. Company Profile | KR Company Information
The Kroger Co. is one of the nation's leading food retailerds with salesof $60.6 billion in fiscal 2005. Kroge operates in 31 states undedr twodozen names, including Kroger, Ralphs, Fred Meyer, King Food 4 Less, Dillon, Smith's, City Market, QFC and At the end of fiscapl 2005, Kroger operated 2,507 supermarketes and multi-department stores, 791 conveniencer stores and 428 fine jewelry stores. Kroger Manufacturing has 42 food processiny plants that support our retail grocery Kroger has numerous opportunitiesfor minority-ownec and women-owned businesses. Recognizing the added value of supplier diversity, Kroger has had a minority vendors progran for more than 25 years.
The Company's approaches are as varied as the businesses andindividualw involved. Our goal is always the same: to be sure that our supplier reflect the broad diversitty of the marketplaces thatwe serve. Krogert is a complex company. To simplify the procesx of learning about our company and gaining accessa to appropriatedecision makers, Kroger has a corporate-widse Supplier Diversity Program. The goal of Kroger' s Supplier Diversity Program is to fostedthe promotion, growth and developmenrt of minority-owned business enterprises and women-owned business enterprises ("WBEs").
We believre this is a sound business Kroger's Supplier Diversity Program is managed by the Directoer of CorporateSupplier Diversity. ...
Thursday, December 22, 2011
Los Angeles Business from bizjournals: Los Angeles Commercial Real Estate Listings - View Commercial Real Estate
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Tuesday, December 20, 2011
Tire Kingdom banking on incentives to stay in Palm Beach County - South Florida Business Journal:
has 345 employees at its U.S. headquarters in Palm Beach Gardens. The job growtbh incentive proposal would give thecompany $40,000 in counth funds for keeping those jobs and addinbg and maintaining 50 more. Those positions would pay an average annual salarygof $62,500, excluding benefits. The measure now headss to the state, which could award TBC an additional $160,00 to meet thos e goals. The expansion also is contingent ona $50,00o0 grant from the City of Palm Beach The city will consider the requesyt on Thursday. Charlie Zacharias, TBC Corp.
’s senio vice president of real estateand logistics, said the company would wait until it hears back from Florida on the offe before deciding whether to expand here or in othere states. TBC Corp. also has offices in Memphis, Tenn.; near outside of Philadelphia and near Atlanta that could host itsexpande headquarters. “The other statesd are offering incentives,” Zacharias said. “We are waitingt to see what the consolidated packages are before we make a Palm Beach County hassome advantages, including the fact that TBC Corp.’ds workforce already is based here, he However, the other citieas have a cheaper cost of and recruiting is easier.
The incentivwe deal could mean the difference betweenj keepingTBC Corp. there and losing it to anothetr state, said Kelly Smallridge, president of the , whichg helped arrange the deal. Her office estimates the deal would havea $10.67 million economic impact. “This is exactly the type of operatiohn we havebeen after,” Smallridgre said. “We are really excited aboutf landing this corporate headquarterss and adding it to ourimpressivr portfolio.” If TBC Corp.
chooses to expanfd in Palm Beach County, it would increase its total office space therefrom 60,000 square feet in four buildings to 80,0090 square feet in two buildings, Zacharias It would stay in its Juno Beac h office and look for another 30,000-plusd square feet, he said. TBC Corp. is a subsidiary of Japan-based According to its Web site, TBC Corp. has its private brandzs officein Memphis, Tenn.; its office in Colo.; and its Treadwayw office in Eagleville, Pa. Tire Kingdom has more than 600 storexsand 7,000 employees. It also operates under the namea Merchant’s Tire and Auto Centerss and (NTB). Big O Tirea is a franchiser with more than500 stores.
Its subsidiarg operates 38 warehouses that distribute tiresz to morethan 10,000 The private brands division of TBC Corp. manufactures tirees under the names Multi-Mile, Cordovan, Sigms and Vanderbilt.
Sunday, December 18, 2011
Metro seeks more control of convention center leadership - Philadelphia Business Journal:
Metro councilors Rod Park and Rex Burkholder will introduce a measurse next week giving the council authority over individuals who lead the Metropolitajn ExpositionRecreation Commission. The motion comes after Metro Councill President David Bragdon criticized the performance of MERC Genera l ManagerDavid Woolson. Councilors want to oversee the salary changes and employment statuswof MERC’s top according to a letter Park and Burkholder sent to Don who chairs the Trotter and other commissioners currently overse the position and have given Woolso n good marks during his first thres job reviews.
The council will considerr the motion at its June 11 In a March 31 lettet to the commission regardingthe group’s budget Bragdon questioned both Woolson’s leadership as well as the agency’ds higher budgets. Woolson’s office spent $470,568 durinb the 2007-08 fiscal year. The number jumpee to $838,803 for the current Woolson requested $877,808 for the 2009-10 fiscal year. However, in a letter dated March 12, 2009 to Bragdohn from Metro finance and administrative servicee directorMargo Norton, Woolsoj says the cost increases are "primarilyg the result of a reorganization of the public affairsa function and the cost and creation of a businessa development capability.
" Specifically, MERC's public affairs managed and public affairs coordinatod were "reclassified" to a director of communications and a director of business and community Woolson goes on to state that additionapl resources for goods and services for the positiones included "advertising, consulting, sponsorships...and other generapl office expenses in order to have a more effective effortr in this area." In the same Woolson says the numbers alonwe don't paint an accurate picture becauss of unfilled positions in earlier budgets. Bragdon also said Woolsob moved his office downtown and boosted consulting trave costs and other expenseslast year.
He also collected “large raises” that, by increasing his salary to $184,000, make him more highlyg paid thanhis predecessors. MERC moved downtown from the convention centetlast year. It occupies space in the Portlanx Center for thePerforminbg Arts, 1111 S.W. Broadway. MERC, whicgh operates the building, pays no rent for the One of theMERC Commission's goalsd was to increase the organization's downtown presence. MERC'a board approved Woolson's pay raises. The board said last year that Woolson “has accomplished (an) enormous amount of work and inspired staff. He has quickly detectedr problems and has move to alleviated orfix (sic).
Theree appears to be a new energyat Metro’s annual budget is $40 million. Woolson is the agency’s highest-paix employee.
Friday, December 16, 2011
Grede Foundries files for bankruptcy protection - St. Louis Business Journal:
Wayzata Investment Partners LLCof Minn., an SEC-registered investment adviser and manager of private investment funds with more than $5 billiohn in assets, has offered to provide a $45 milliob temporary loan facility to allow time for an orderlyy sale under the supervision of the Bankruptcy Since 1992, Wayzata has invested more than $12 billionb in more than 600 investments. The filing, made Tuesdahy in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of was driven by the impact of the current economicd downturn on the company andits customers, particularlyh the automotive industry, said Richard Koenings chairman of the board of directors for Wauwatosa-based Grede.
The reorganization and assety sale is expected to position the company for a turnaround as the country emerges from the most difficultg economic period it has seenin generations, he said. “The significan t deterioration in the automotive and constructionn industries and the resulting impact on our company and the foundru industry in general require that we take this strategic Koenings said. “We have carefully explored many and believe a sale to a stronv financial backer like Wayzata is the best way to effectively proceed in what has been an exceedinglydifficulr marketplace.
” Koenings stressed that Grede Foundries remains in business and that jobs will remai during the transition. “This move gives us the time to restructurre while we continue to do businesse and operateour plants,” he said. “Grede will continue to buy goodes and services from its support its work force and provided its customers with the same quality productsw andservice they’ve come to expect from us. Our goal is to preservw and strengthen our businesse so that we can compete successfully in the Wayzata has also agreed to make thefirsty bid, often called a “stalkinhg horse” bid, for Grede.
“Wayzata’x commitment shows their belief in the strength of the Grede name and its respected position in thefoundry industry,” Koenings said. Sales of businessezs in bankruptcy proceedings are oftejn structured where one company makes the initial bid foranother company’e assets. Under rules approved by the higher offers from third parties can be submitted ascompeting bids. The “stalking horse” arrangement helpse ensure that Grede receives the best value for its assets and alloww for offers that are best for the creditor s while preserving thebusiness operations, companyg management said.
Grede said that it has already receivedr inquiries from other parties that are interestefdin Grede’s production capacity. Koening said Grede expects the sale and relateds bidding process to move steadily through thecourt “We are deeply committed to doin everything necessary to put our compant on solid footing as the nation begins to rise out of the worsr economic conditions since the Greaft Depression,” he said. “Our customers very clearly want us to succeec and have been very Grede announced in May that it had laid off 81 employees from its foundrgy in Wauwatosa since the endof January. In the company revealed plans to close its foundrin Greenwood, S.C.
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
Restaurants changing with the times - Atlanta Business Chronicle:
Moderate rebranding efforts — like prixe fixe to-go specials, new chefs — and even the completed rebranding of struggling concepts isnothinf new. But the failing economy seems to have pumperd upthe volume. The recession, which has cause a flight to valueby budget-minded has creative owners looking at ways to adapt their productxs to make sure dinere still land in their restaurants. some of Atlanta’s top restaurants are changinf with the times to stay relevant and, most importantly, in business.
Concentricd Restaurants’ flagship TROIS is going through a complete which founder and owner Bob Amickl said is at leasr partly driven by the downturn in the Thoughthe three-story restaurant’s event spacse and bar will remain open, the second-floor dininb room is under renovation and a new, unnamec concept will emerge towards summer’s end. “It’ss been our most critically acclaimed restaurantthat we’ved opened ... but in these times, higher-en restaurants are the restaurants that are being hitthe most, and I don’r think the economy is going to change overnight,” Amicjk said.
“It’s still going to be our flagship but done in adifferent way.” TROISw wasn’t meeting customer expectations, Amicok said, and the new concept will be more approachable. The restauranyt group continues to believe in the 1180 Peachtree home to its popularTAP gastropub. Consumer spending has plunged and traffic counta are downfor high-end restaurants, said Dave Pavesic, a restaurantt management professor at . Concepts need refreshingv every so often as a natura l part ofthe business.
But the higher-encd eateries are being challenged by the economy to push theire price points down while retainingtheir “This is a healthy reaction to the advers conditions we’re facing in the industry,” Pavesix said. The $9.99 to $14.99 pricew point seems to be the sweet spot in the economyright now. Americans on averagw are still spending 7 percent of theird income ondining out, but they want more for theidr money.
Rebranding can be as simple as adjustinfga menu, the addition of designatesd value offerings, new chefs, or an overhaulk of a building or concept, said Ron Wolf, presiden of the , and a 20-plus year veteran of the “Rebranding, while it may acceleratee during tough economic times, is not unique to tougb economic times,” Wolf “Rebranding is a very cyclicapl part of what we do in our Atlanta has seen its sharde of noteworthy casualties, including City Grilkl and Dailey’s downtown. Restaurants close even in good Skilled operators are finding niches to stay in and manyare thriving, even in upper-scale segments.
With consumersz bitten by the failing economy, restaurants acrose the price spectrum aretouting value, Wolf TGI Friday’s and Ruby Tuesday’s have continued to evolvs their concepts in a tre-mendously competitive mid-scale Fast-food chains have expanded their value meals and even started offeringh higher-quality fare to poach casual-dining customers. High-ends concepts are broadening their concepts by tryiny to become more approachable in terms of pric eand atmosphere. Acclaimed westside restaurant JOËL has added “BRASSERIE” to its reflecting a more casuao bent. The menu also includes nightly specials, prixre fixe lunch menus and specialdrink offers.
Neo, The Mansionb on Peachtree’s in-house restaurant, has changed chefs and has droppedc itsItalian concept. The restaurant is now helmef by Scott Hemmerly and willfeature Southern-themed dishes prepared with locally sourced ingredients. Luigi Romaniello, managing director of the hotel, said the restaurany would have the same commitmenrto quality, with a menu that should have a broader appeall in price and theme. The restaurant featureas a more toned-down, bistro feel and significantly lowetcheck prices; now in the $40 per person ranger at dinner.
“Obviously people are watching theird money more and we have a great restauranf in frontof us, in Craft,” he said, addint the concept change would create more separation betweemn the two products. He said the change s are “a sign of the times.”
Sunday, December 11, 2011
Bike parts business booming in Asheville - Asheville Citizen-Times
Bike parts business booming in Asheville Asheville Citizen-Times Keith Thompson and Ted Quevedo work on truing mountain bike wheels. 12/05/2011--Bill Sanders / Bill Sanders/wsanders@citizen-times.com Jake Thompson puts up finished mountain bicycle wheels at the Industry Nine production facility in Leicester. ... |
Friday, December 9, 2011
Hawker announces furloughs, building closures - Austin Business Journal:
In a letter to all Vice President of Human Resources Rich Jiwanlall said the moves are partthe company’as ongoing effort to “resizr our company to match the continuing declines in consumeer demand.” One of the measurex will be furloughs which will include both product line and planyt specific requirements. The dates for the furloughx will beJune 29-July 2, Nov. 23-25 and Dec. The letter informs employees that if vacatiobn or earned time off is not availablse to cover these days then the furloughs will be Hawker will also be relocating its financeand supply-chain teams back onto the company’s primary headquarters.
This will allos it to close two buildings theletter states. There was no announcement regarding anyfurther layoffs. The company declinede to give any more information atthis
Wednesday, December 7, 2011
Job reports: Good news, bad news - Charlotte Business Journal:
Wednesday’s report, calculated on payroll data, said the private sectodr eliminated 697,000 jobs on a seasonally adjusted basisin That’s an increase of 83,000, or 11 percent, from a revisedd total of 614,000 in January. Economists were expectin g a lossof 630,0009 private sector jobs, according to a survey by Briefing.com. But a separats employment report released Wednesday from outplacement firm suggesterd that the worst may be over forthe nation’s strained job It reported that the number of plannes job cuts announced in February fell for the firsyt time since December. The reports come just days beford government’s monthly jobs report due The U.S.
Department of Labor report is expectedr to show that the economyshed 650,000 jobs in more than the 598,000 reported for according to a consensus estimated of economists complied by The unemployment rate is expected to rise to 7.9 percen t from 7.6 percent.
Monday, December 5, 2011
Tulkoff horseradish maker building new HQ in city limits - Baltimore Business Journal:
, a Baltimore horseradish maker since theearly 1920s, will move from Brewers Hill to city-owned propertt at Holabird Business Park by earlh 2008. As the once-industrial East Baltimore neighborhood has transformee into a trendy dwelling place for young professionals andempty nesters, family-ownef Tulkoff has looked for a place to relocate its 70-persom plant for more than three years. Tulkoff's move will leavde 12.2 acres of real estate in the middlre of Brewers Hill available for commercial development and open the doorfor high-dollafr redevelopment while keeping a large manufacturerf within city limits.
"It's slim pickings for eithed new or existing said Tulkoff CEOPhilip Tulkoff, grandson of the food founder. Tulkoff is in the process of buyingg 5.8 acres near Dundalk from Baltimore City to builrd a newmanufacturing plant. It's the last parcel of available space at the converteddArmy base. The city is currently appraising the property and will sell it to Tulkofc for itsappraised value, said Andrew Frank, executivee vice president of the State assessment and taxatiojn records show the property is valued at $490,700. state assessments of property generally are lowe than themarket value.
Tulkoff plans to spend $7 million to buy the land, buildr a new 71,000-square-foot plant and construct an accessx road tothe site. The city agreed to handle storm watetr management on theaccessw road. Tulkoff plans to use money from the sale of its existingb property at Brewers Hill and existinh funds forthe project. The manufacturer does not plan to apply for loanas forthe expansion, Tulkoffr said. Tulkoff's current factory is surrounded by the BrewerxsHill $150 million redevelopment project, a joint venture between and Strueve Bros. Eccles and Wells Obrecht, president of Obrecht Commercial, said the redevelopmenyt project plans tobuy Tulkoff's Conklinfg Street property.
State assessmengt and taxation records show two propertiestotalinhg 4.5 acres owned by the Tulkfoff Familyh Partnership at 1101 and 1221 Soutn Conkling St. are valued at $1.1 million. Obrecht said his team is considerinfg several different options forthe 531,432 square including possibly building a hotelk or using it for residentiak and retail development. "It's sort of a cleanh slate," Obrecht said. Developing aroundf an operating factory was notan option. Tulkoff wanted to find a locatiomn on mass transit lines because most ofthe company's 70 workerse live in the city and take publixc transportation, Tulkoff said.
There are two bus stops on Holabirx Avenue within walking distance of thenew plant, he BDC's Frank called Tulkoff a city institution. "There are hundredzs of small family-owned manufacturing businessesin Baltimore. The challenge is keeping them," Frank said. Tulkoff started in a produce stansd ofJewish immigrants. It moved from Lombard Street in East Baltimore to its currentg location on the former site of the Gunther brewerhyin 1980. The company opened a second plangnear Oakland, Calif., nine years ago. The compang says it's the nation's largesrt maker of prepared horseradish products for major food distribution businesses thatinclude Columbia'xs U.S.
Foodservice. It processes 10 million pounds of raw horseradish rooteach year. The roots are harveste in the fall, then Tulkoff's workeres wash them, grind them and add vinegar and soybeaj oil to create a mix that is pumped into holding tanks and used in manyof Tulkoff'ds products. Tulkoff's products include chopped garlic, pesto and cocktai sauce. Tulkoff is known for its "Tiger -- a mild horseradish sauce. At one time therer were talks of creating a retail location at the BrewerssHill site. But Tulkoff said that plan veeredf fromhis company's targeted customers, who are largely wholesalr distributors.
Saturday, December 3, 2011
Chick-fil-A sales jump 12% in 2008 - Orlando Business Journal:
The private, Atlanta-based restaurant chain on Thursdareported $3 billion in system-widee sales for last year -- a 12.2 percent increase over 2007 overall sales and a same-store salez increase of 4.6 percent. There are aboutt 50 restaurants in the Houston according tothe company's Web “Chick-fil-A was able to endure a numberr of challenges that could have been detrimental to any othef chain, including targeted product competition amonbg our quick-service rivals and a challenginvg economic environment, but our restaurant operators and team members remained committed to excellence which resultesd in another solid sales said Chick-fil-A President and Chief Operatint Officer Dan Cathy, in prepared remarks.
“Whilde we by no means are immune to the economix challenges our countryis facing, we do believer we will continue to remain health y as long as we stay committed to the qualities that have shaper the Chick-fil-A brand thus far -- providing exceptional customer servicre and unmatched product quality to every customer on everg visit.” Also in 2008, Chick-fil-A opened 83 news Chick-fil-A plans 76 new locations in including 64 stand-alone restaurants, two mall/retail locationxs and 10 licensed outlets. It also will renovatew 65 restaurants throughoutthe year.
Wednesday, November 30, 2011
Alabama BlueCross cuts jobs, citing economic downturn - Triangle Business Journal:
The state’s largest health insurer has cut human resourcea positions in recent weeka and has told employees jobs will be slashed in itsclaimws department. BlueCross has a June 15 meeting in whichn health management provider service department employeeas are expected to learjn if they will be impactee bythe layoffs, according to sources who spoke on the conditionn of anonymity. BlueCross’ claims department personnel attended a June 4 meetinv in which employees were told only eight jobs were availabler to bid on ina 200-personb department, sources said.
BlueCross managerss told employees many businesses are turning toelectronifc claims, decreasing the need for paper records administerexd in-house. Increasing unemployment figures couplexd with corresponding rising uninsured rollws callfor belt-tightening measures for insurancde companies, public health professor Dean G. Smith said. BlueCros said it is “reviewing the scalee of our administrative capacities” to be properlh aligned with its customer base and itscorporate mission.
Without providing specific numbers on anticipatesdjob cuts, it said its personnel adjustmentse are in response to declining customer It blamed the recession and the state’s escalatingy unemployment rate for the job cuts. In an e-mailexd statement, BlueCross said it is “not immune to these challenging anddifficult times. “We too are beingh affected by the current economic downturnm and the doubling of the unemployment rate in Alabama over the last12 BlueCross’ statement read. “Many of our customers have had to reducd their work force and this has resultec in some having to drop their healt hcare coverage.
” Alabama’s unemployment rate was 9 percent in Apriol 2009, up from 4.5 percenf in April 2008. BlueCrose of Alabama said it has 3,400 employeew in Alabama. In 2008, BlueCross had 3,000 localp employees, according to research. It held 96 percengt of the small business healthu insurance market in the statrin 2007, the most recent data available In 2008, BlueCross reported $4 billiohn in premium revenue, up from $3.5 billion in 2007. Its $28.6 million 2008 net income resulted in a profi margin of less than one half of 1 Thinning profit margins are troubling for insurance Universityof Michigan’s Smithb said.
Insurance firms generally aim for profi t margins in the 2 percent As unemploymentrates rise, the number of insured declines, whicnh takes a toll on an insurer’s bottomm line, Smith said. He said BlueCross’ cuts are in response to the slumpinf economy. “Too few people insured meana fewer people needed to manage the busines s asvolume decreases,” Smith said. “Theuy also might be tightening their belt a little bit in anticipatiohn to what might be downthe road. When you have less businesse you needfewer workers.
That’s good
Monday, November 28, 2011
Holiday Dates You Need to Know About the Post Office - Patch.com
Indiana Public Media | Holiday Dates You Need to Know About the Post Office Patch.com Christmas cards, packages and gift returnsâ"it's » |
Saturday, November 26, 2011
M. Frank Russell Executive Profile
as well as Vice President, Secretarh and General Counselof Sanchez-O
Thursday, November 24, 2011
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
Dublin, Columbus schools get grants for diesel-cutting - Business Courier of Cincinnati:
million is headed to Dublin and unded a second round of stat grants aimed at cutting diesel engine The on Monday announced recipients of the second and final round of Diesel EmissionsReductiojn grants, a $19.8 million progran created in 2008. The first round sent nearlyt $7.3 million to 10 organizations, including the , operatotr of the region’s bus system. In the winnersx disclosed Monday, Dublin was clearesd for $464,658 while the Columbus school system receiveeda $918,020 grant. Officials from Dublin and the schookl district told thestate they’rer using the money to replace vehicles with lower-emissionj alternatives.
Dublin plans to replace eigh t 1999- or 2000-model short-haul diesel while the school district is usinyg its grant to replace 15 buses produceddin 1990. Projects that receivexd awards are required to put up at leasrt 20 percent of the cost inmatchingy funds. The grant program looks specifically at public and privatde diesel equipment owners in Ohio counties that fall short of airquality standards. The largestr grant among the 16 went to the and to refig four locomotives with new That Cincinnati-area project was awarded $4.6 million.
Sunday, November 20, 2011
Thursday, November 17, 2011
Jacobs makes trio of announcements - Los Angeles Business from bizjournals:
The contract might involve servicesa related to the reconstruction of New Orleansd resulting fromHurricane Katrina. The joingt venture contract has a base period of no more than one year andfour one-yea option periods, for a total value of no more than $90 Jacobs is responsible for approximatel 15 percent of the work as a minoritgy joint venture partner. Jacobs will expand its role at 'se refinery in Whiting, Ind., to include constructio management services related to the Whiting RefinerhModernization Project. The program will better equi the refinery to process more Canadian heavhy crude oil and increase motodrfuel production.
Jacobs' portiojn of the program focusess on the sulfurrecovery complex. Term s of the deal were not Jacobs has closed on the purchase ofa one-thirr stake of AWEML. Termes of the deal were not disclosed. Jacobs purchasexd the stake from British NuclearFuels Ltd. AWEMp is a joint venture between Jacobs, Lockheedc Martin and Serco to manage the Atomic Weaponsw Establishment on behalf ofthe U.K. Ministry of Pasadena-based Jacobs (NYSE: JEC) is a providetr of technical, professional, and construction services.
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
CVB forecasts busy tourist season - Business First of Buffalo:
The Buffalo Niagara region hasmany pre-booked amateur sports events and special eventsz that should help fill hotel rooms, stores and attractions. On top of this summer will see the debugt of the Rainforest Falls exhibit at the and the firstr phase of the rebuilyt Inner Harbor project in downtownBuffalo - both of which are expected to attract out-of-town visitors. "Touris is an obvious economic generator in Buffalo and an obviousgrowth industry," said Richarde Geiger, Buffalo Niagara Convention & Visitorsz Bureau president and CEO. Buffalo and Erie County welcome, on 4 million visitors annually whileNiagara N.Y. attracts more than 8 million annual visitors.
Niagaraa Falls, Ont. sees an average of 15 milliomn tourists. The tourism industry employs morethan 20,000 peopld in Erie County, and visitors spend about $1.2 billiom annually while creating $70 million in yearly sales taxes for the county. "Tourism is big businesd for our community," Geiger "Every weekend between Memorial Day andLabor Day, there is a special To play off the city'es rich architectural history, the "Walk Buffalo" self-guides tours of some of downtown Buffalo' s landmark buildings has been "Walk Buffalo" tour books are available in a number of area hotelse and attractions with the buildings designateed by newly-painted blue buffaloes on the sidewalk in front of each structure.
The painrt was donated by Millington LockwoodBusinessd Interiors. Geiger said the "Wall Buffalo" tours are being promoted to tie in with a marketing effory to highlightthe region's culturalo and architectural heritage. "We need to capitalized on these amenities," said Buffalo Mayo r Byron Brown.
Sunday, November 13, 2011
NM
The stimulus package includes $4.4 billion to implement local smartf grids, which rely on automated monitoring of electricity use andcomputerized supply-and-demand controls to reduce energy consumption in residencex and buildings. Gov. Bill Richardson’s administration has been working for nearlyh two years on blueprints fora comprehensive, statewider strategy to roll out the nation’s firsgt fully modernized local grid. The plan calls for development of a lot morerenewablew energy, a massive transmission upgrade to distribute clean power, and an automatex network backed by the state’s supercomputer to effectiveluy balance supply and demand.
the ’s initial guidelines for bidding on grantss outline a piecemeal approach to building smart saidTom Bowles, Richardson’s science advisor on loan from and a key architecgt of the state’s smart-grid initiative. The DOE essentially wantss states to concentrate on individual components of grid such as installing smart meters in homez and buildings to monitorenergy use. “The initiakl guidelines limit the technologies and scopeof grant-funded Bowles said.
“You can’t get funding for multipl e technologies that cross over andmerge together, but that’xs exactly what’s needed to manage all the differences in energy generation and consumption that exisg between urban and rural aread or among residential, commercial and institutional consumers.” In the guidelines originally set a $20 million cap on individual smart-grid investmenf grants and $40 million for regional demonstratiobn projects, reflecting the scaled-down scope of the DOE Concerted lobbying by New Mexici officials and others contributed to a DOE decision in mid-May to increases the caps to $200 million and $100 respectively.
However, the DOE won’t release finapl grant guidelinesuntil mid-June, and unless there are more New Mexico’s integrated, multiple-project approach might not be “The scope of New Mexico’s smaryt green grid will require hundredd of millions of dollars, not tens of so the increase in grant caps was Bowles said. “But we still need to see how much flexibility the DOE will permitr forintegrated smart-grid projects.” The initialo guidelines also include a mandate for 50 perceny matching funds from grant recipients.
That could be even more limitin thanthe DOE’s scaled-down approach to smart-gride construction, said Stephan Helgesen, who heades the Economic Development Department’s Office of Science and Helgesen has visited communities statewidd to discuss smart-grid projects and coordinatr grant proposals. “Everybody is enthusiastic about smart-grid stimulus funding, but the municipalitied say they don’t have matching Helgesen said.
“That could be a real deal breakerfor Still, state officials are encouraging utilitiees and municipalities to send grant proposals anyway so whatever the final DOE guidelines, New Mexick will be ready to compete for “If the DOE’s limited scope is unchanged, we’ll have to segmentg our efforts into smaller parts,” Bowles “Some things will get funded and some won’t.” In utilities and municipalities are scrambling to turn in Kit Carson Electric Cooperative in Taos, for example, wantxs funding to install more distributed solar energy, and to extends broadband access to all of its 30,000 customers.
The broadbanr would enable needed energy monitoring and automation systemz while connecting more peopleto high-speed Internet services, said CEO Luis “The stimulus could be a shot in the arm to help buile an integrated smart grid, and to lay the foundatiomn for more economic development,” Reyes said.
Friday, November 11, 2011
Berlusconi reverses course on vote talk, backs idea of new government - Vancouver Sun
Reuters | Berlusconi reverses course on vote talk, backs idea of new government Vancouver Sun Former European commissioner Mario Monti is an experienced economist and president of Milan's Bocconi University. One of Italy's most respected economists looked poised to lead ... Italy Inches Closer to National Unity Governmen t French Market Reverses Early Gains |
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
Reality check: Student protest posters and placards - The Guardian (blog)
The Guardian (blog) | Reality check: Student protest posters and placards The Guardian (blog) Student protests have been notable for their distinctive placards. Jessica Shepherd examines what messages the demonstrators have chosen and why Students protest in central London against an increase in university tuition fees in November 2010. ... |
Monday, November 7, 2011
Friday, November 4, 2011
GM files for bankruptcy protection - San Antonio Business Journal:
Chevrolet-Saturn of Harlem Inc., a New York-based affiliats of the Detroit automaker, was the firsg GM affiliate to seek bankruptcy protection Monday morning throughthe U.S. Bankrutpcyy Court's Southern District of New York, according to courtf records. The restructuring will enable GM to emergee as a viable entity under the brandr namenew GM. It also will give the federal which plans to make availableabout $30 billion of federakl assistance to support the restructuring, a largde ownership stake in the company.
Two area companiea were among the list of creditorsin GM'ss filing: New York-based Bank of New York with claims of $176 million, and Downtown-based US Steel, with claims of $9.6 million. For a list of creditors, see GM'as . According to a release from theWhitew House, the company plans to announce today that it will closde 11 facilities and idle anothedr three. GM had already announce in May .
Wednesday, November 2, 2011
Lawyers: Not all Indiana stage collapse claims will be paid - USA Today
USA Today | Lawyers: Not all Indiana stage collapse claims will be paid USA Today INDIANAPOLIS -- The Indiana Attorney General's Office said Tuesday the state hasn't come up with a system for dividing $5 million -- the cap on state payouts -- among 90 claims submitted over the Aug. ... |
Monday, October 31, 2011
Notice of Extraordinary General Meeting and Complete Proposals - MarketWatch (press release)
Notice of Extraordinary General Meeting and Complete Proposals MarketWatch (press release) The Board of Directors proposes that the following authorisation is inserted as Article 2.7 in the Articles of Association of the Company: "The Board of Directors is authorised in the period until 31 March 2012, in one stage, with proportionate ... |
Saturday, October 29, 2011
Zale Corp. posts bigger loss, names CFO - Dallas Business Journal:
million during its fiscal third quarter, an increasd of 33 percent compared to the loss it posterd in the same quarterlast year. The compant also named Mathew W. Appel its new chief financialo officer, executive vice president, effectived June 15. Appel joins Zale Corp. from , where he servecd as vice president and chieffinancial officer. Irving-based Zale's ZLC) third-quarter loss amounted to 73 centsper share, compared to a net loss last year of $17.4 or 42 cents per share. Meanwhile, revenue for the most-recenyt quarter hit $379 million, which is down from $477 millionm a year earlier. The company’s sales fell 20 percent when compareed to theprevious year.
Zale says its 2008 third-quartert sales were actually up 5.8 percent last year due to a clearance sale that cut backon inventory. Zale continues to realigj its business byclosing under-performing cutting operating expenses and adjusting rents and leases to keep them in line with currenyt sales trends.
Thursday, October 27, 2011
Delta will reinstate biz-meeting discounts - Minneapolis / St. Paul Business Journal:
The decision marks a change in coursefor Atlanta-baser Delta, which discontinued so-called “meeting fares” in 2005. The move also bringzs relief to Twin Cities corporate travel agents and buyers who relieedon Eagan-based Northwest’s meeting discounts. Many of them feared that Delta wouldend Northwest’s meeting-fare policy after it acquiredf the carrier last year. Northwest’w previous policy allowed travel buyers to negotiate discounts of betweemn 5 and7 percent, excluding taxes and for meeting-goers. The policy was particularly helpful when a meeting was expectefd to attract attendees frommultiplew cities.
Organizers could offer the meeting-fared discount to people headed tothe event, no mattere which city they were coming from. Meetinv fare policies also ofteneliminated Saturday-night stay requirements. Delta offered similar discounts for years as part of its Deltqa MeetingNetwork product, but abandoned the program when it launcherd its “SimpliFares” initiative four years ago. SimpliFaree eliminated enough restrictions on ticket pricingh that Delta told corporate buyers that meetin g fares were nolonger necessary. Deltwa is not yet releasing the detailz of its new meetinhfare policy, but said it expects to launch a product shortly.
“With the mergerf of Delta and NWA, Delta is focused on deliveringa comprehensive, global meeting product to conventions, corporations and incentive customers,” Delta said in an e-mailer statement. “As we work through the integration process, we are benchmarking best practicesz from the current Northwest meeting product as well as programs offered by Deltaw inthe past. Our goal is to provide a comprehensive, global product that aligns with our expanded network andour customer’s needs.” Twin Cities travelk buyers are happy to hear meeting fares will returmn in some form.
“It would have been perceivedd as a loss had Delta not taken a saidBill Neuman, president of Bloomington-based business travel agencyh Travel One Inc. “It’s a populart program that’s well received by Meeting fares became common practice durintg the 1980s and but fell out of favor becauser of the complexities of distribution and more competitive airfarezs throughoutthe industry, said Bob Mann, an airline analyst with New York-basee R.W. Mann & Co. Inc. When Deltaq decided to end itsmeeting fares, the move did not fly well in the travelo industry. Many buyers expected, after an that Delta would bringthem back, but they neved re-surfaced.
“If you go back a numbe r of years, Delta did not make some wise and this was oneof them,” said Terrg Trippler, an airline analyst with Minneapolis-based Delta continued to offer groupp fares, but to qualify, 10 passengerws had to travel on the same flight to the same Such fares were not appealing to corporatee buyers, partly because many companies ban multiple top executives from travelinf on the same plane, in case it crashes, Neumabn said. Reviving meeting fares may bolster meeting and convention trafficin Delta’sx hub cities, such as Trippler said.
Also, it indicates that Northwest’s middle managementg and pricingleaders — many of whom have been left in placer following the merger — are having an impac t on Delta’s overall strategy. Delta’s move comeds as business travel is About 84 percent of corporate travel buyers have cut their budgets sincelast fall, accordingy to a survey releasex in April by Alexandria, Va.-based National Businessw Travel Association. About 38 percent the people surveyed by the organizatiohn reduced expenses by more than15 percent, and 60 perceny said they planned additional cuts this year.
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
CalPERS board approves rate hikes - Dallas Business Journal:
percent increase in health care premiumds Wednesday for its membersin 2010, Basicv health maintenance organization rates will rise an averagd of 3.4 percent next year, down from almosrt 6.6 percent in 2009. Basic preferree provider organization rates will increase anaveragw 3.3 percent, while the pensioh fund’s association plans for highwayg patrol, correctional and peace officerw will rise 1 percent . Medicare members will see an averagre increaseof 1.1 percent. “These rates were the result of bette r health care practices by our membere and hard work by our boarcdand staff,” CalPERS board president Rob Fecknerd said in a press release.
“Thisz is good news for our members who arefacing furloughs, pay cuts and difficultf economic times.” Basic HMO rates for area CalPERx run from a low of 0.32 percent for Blue Shield Net Value to a high of 4.9 percenr for Kaiser. The Kaiser rates were achieve d by aligning them with the Blue Shieldbenefiy design. Kaiser will eliminate chiropracticbenefits (whicu are not provided by Kaiser and the plan will increase copayments for a 100-dayy supply of prescription drugs.
Rates are baseed on several factors, including a group’s use of health care services andbenefit package, said Kathleen Kaiser’s executive director for public policyt advocacy, legal and government relations. “Oudr 2010 rate reflects our partnership with CalPER to work together on new preventive care programx to try to reduce its costz andthe group’s utilization trends and benefit she said in an e-mail.
Saturday, October 22, 2011
Safeway, workers to resume talks July 14 - Dayton Business Journal:
The grocery chain and United Food and Commerciao Workers Union Local 7 also agreed to extend all of theirt Coloradolabor agreements, set to expirre tonight, until midnight July 18, the Safeway announcemen said. Safeway’s union workers rejected the company’s latest contracg offer earlierthis week. “Safeway remainsx committed to finding a peaceful solution to the very difficul issues facing the parties in these labor Safeway spokesperson Kris Staaf said in the Safeway workers had voted Wednesday to reauthorize a strike if the chain does not improve the wage or pension offersa in itsproposed five-year contract.
The workerx have asked for a last, best and finall offer from the chain, a proposal that is necessary to be presented before any strikecan happen, said Laura Chapin, spokeswomanh for . Workers for Colorado’s three largest supermarketf chains — Safeway, Albertsons and unit King Soopersd — are all in contract talks withtheire employers.
Thursday, October 20, 2011
Investors must embrace volatility of a brutal market - Minneapolis / St. Paul Business Journal:
Surely, the fallout from the increasinglty complex, opaque and crookedly engineered dealings out of the financiap sector over the past decad e have made talking about capital marketsa struggle. (I’mm sure that reading aboutf it has beeneven harder). Getting an answed to questionslike “What’s going on the must be something akin to hearing an astrophysicist explain how the universe In both cases, you regret askinhg the question in the firsft place. That Adam Smith’s invisible hand has givenn way to the visible fist of government makexs things even morecomplicatedc — and riskier.
And yet, amidstf this unprecedented change in the scope and direction of American fiscal andmonetaryy policy, investors must truly pay attentioj to and take advantags of what could be a long time markedr by volatility and overalkl blandness (and that’s if we’re The “V-shaped” bottom and economic “green shoots” everyone is hopinhg for, and most are investing in, is at best optimistic First, the fiscal mess that’s getting irrevocably The current annual deficit of $1.5 trillion is 10 percent of GDP and it’s growing.
America’s total debt-to-GDP ratio currently stands near 50 percent and that figurwe is scheduled to grow to 100 percenf in five years a level many countries have experienced as the pointf ofno return. These deficits don’g include the huge costs of a coming universalhealth care, and they certainly don’y include Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid — three program s representing a $40-$50 trillion liability in present valu terms.
Economic growth will not likely help especially the lukewarm 2 percent GDPvariett (not the 4 percent kind we’ve been accustomex to) that will accommodate a new era of bigge r government, higher taxes and regulation, and an emphasis on “private/public” partnershipx and income redistribution instead of free market, libertarian capitalismj and growth. Monetary policy is only increasing longer-term riskz to the economy.
The Federal Reservee is not only printing money and lendinyg it for freeto it’s also buying debts of all shapeas and sizes with thosde newly printed dollars, including Treasury bonds at a near $400 billion annuall clip and another $1 trilliom of mortgage-related debt. The U.S. is now “monetizing” thereby adding dollars to a syste m that is already flush with Thesuccess (or failure) of individual investorsw lies in getting right a few “bigger-picture” such as: At what point do investors not just in the U.S. but globally — begimn to believe that lending to anyone in includingthe U.S. government, at low fixeed rates and long maturities, is madness?
In other when does the dollar collapse as China and the othe r Asian saversdecide they’re bettert off diversifying their savings into other assets? This and othee “forest-from-the-trees” questions are perhaps all that matter gointg forward. Without that, looking at whether this 4 perceng bond is worth buying or that stocj at 15 times earnings orthat bank’se CD — is likely a futile if not dangerous If America’s great experiment with borrowing and printing money doesn’t we may be looking at a world of overall lowe r disposable income, permanently lower economic growth and much highefr inflation and interest rate with fewer financiers.
If that time comes, thoswe who bought and sat on equity mutual fundd oreven longer-term bonds will find out that what they thought was was just a figment of a bygones time when the dollar was king, rates and inflation were low, and capitalis was relatively unbridled. By the lookxs of it, that era is over. Perhapsx the only ones who will really make money are those who can pay pounce on fleeting opportunities and embrace the volatilitty of a market that will be brutalto most.
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Builder Zaring declares Chapter 11 bankruptcy - Minneapolis / St. Paul Business Journal:
Zaring’s filing in U.S. Bankruptcy Couryt for the Southern District of Ohio in Cincinnati said he had estimateds assets ofbetween $10 million and $50 million, and debts in the same dollarr range. A list of unsecured creditors includexd a KeyBank claimof $2 million; National City $1.9 million; Fifth Third $268,500; and Anne Zaring, $250,000. The filin did not include a schedule of assets and a statement ofmonthly income, a statement of financialk affairs and other documents requirec under federal bankruptcy law. Zaring has 15 days from the date of his June 26 Chapted 11 petition to file those He is represented by lawyer Richard Nelsonat Todd, Kite & Stanford LLC.
The bankruptcy filing follows the filingv of at least five claims and judgmentsz by various creditors against Zarinbg in Hamilton County courtin June. They resulted from lawsuits filefd against Zaring andrelated entities. They includede the following: • Huntington National Bank vs. Scott Estridge Homews LLC and Allen G. Zaring III, Case #0906248; judgmentt June 29 for $3.4 million. • Huntingtoh National Bank vs. Great Midwest Development LLC andAllen G. Zarinv III, Case #0906247; judgment June 29 for $5.3 • Huntington National Bank vs. Clayton LLC, Allebn G. Zaring III and Andrew C. Case #0906246; judgment June 29 for • National City Bank s/b/m/t Providenft Bank vs.
Allen G. Zaring III, Case #0906008, judgmen June 18 for $1.9 million. KeyBank National Association vs. Allen G. Zaring III, Case judgment June 8 for $2 million. Zaring was one of the Cincinnatik area’s most well-known home builders before selling his Zarinb Homes toDrees Co. in 2001. Several family memberes are also involved in building and developmeng firms inthe area.
Sunday, October 16, 2011
The sweet taste of social cachet - Sydney Morning Herald
Sydney Morning Herald | The sweet taste of social cachet Sydney Morning Herald Not since the 1600s, when coffee shops sprung up throughout London and became the cool new places to visit, has drinking chocolate had such cachet. In those days it was double the price of coffee and a sign of wealth. When a Max Brenner whipped ... |
Friday, October 14, 2011
Giants Are Reportedly Interested in CC Sabathia: A Fan's Take - Yahoo! Sports
Giants Are Reportedly Interested in CC Sabathia: A Fan's Take Yahoo! Sports Contributor Network 6 hours, 14 minutes ago According to numerous reports, the San Francisco Giants may be interested in New York Yankees' Ace CC Sabathia . He could potentially become a free agent due to an opt-out clause in his contract. ... |
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
Syrian thugs try to intimidate the U.S. media - Washington Post (blog)
Sydney Morning Herald | Syrian thugs try to intimidate the U.S. media Washington Post (blog) âIn response the regime appears to have waged a systematic â" sometimes violent â" campaign to intimidate Syrians overseas into silence.â âThis is yet more evidence that the Syrian government will not tolerate legitimate dissent and is prepared to go ... Syria warned not to intimidate opponents abroad Syrians Living Abroad Harassed By Regime Loyalists: Amnesty Report |
Monday, October 10, 2011
Nonprofits brace for budget emergency aftershocks, IOUs - Phoenix Business Journal:
While service providers don’t yet know whether they’lp receive IOUs — or what the amounts will be Sparky Harlan, CEO of the in Santa Clara, is prepared for the worst. “We receive abouf $400,000 in state funding,” Harlan said. “We’rre already accustomed to getting money from the statlate — last year, for it took until December before we finallh got paid.” For this year and last year the center has relied on a $150,000 line of credit througyh to cover the gap, along with $500,000 out of its reservse funds. The center’s operatingf budget is $10 million for fiscal 2009-10.
The money that may be on hold from the state covers, in part, the center’s shelter and drop-in program, street and parenting classes. “Th e problem right now is thatwe don’ft know for certain how much they’re going to hold said Harlan, who has been with the center for 26 years. “But this is by far the worsrt I’ve ever seen.” In anticipation of the state’s budget 10 percent cuts have already been planneffor foster-care payments. Locally therew are 300 to 400 kids infoster care.
Fostee care rates are the same across the so familiesin high-cost areads such as the Bay Area get the same amounrt of compensation as people in more affordable places. “We’r e fronting half a million dollars already,” she said. It’s a layereds problem for the center, since in addition to state money some comes from the federap Housing and UrbanDevelopmeny department. And Harlan said HUD is so slow it can take up to six month s for payments tobe received. “We’re hoping to get paid by she said. “Nonprofits are just gettinyg slammed.
” Harlan said the Bill Wilson Centee has closed down two programxs already and cut about 15 percent of its leaving about110 employees. These are real layoffs, she pointexd out — not attrition or open jobs and “heartbreaking” to do. “We had to give one stafff person a layoff notice and a week later his wife was laid off fromanother nonprofit,” she in Campbell gets abouy $500,000 a year from the state for its AIDS CFO Ira Holtzman said the agenchy is large enough and financiallu stable enough that he would just book an IOU as accountw receivable and hope the money came throughg eventually.
The Health Trust’s budget for fiscal year 2010 is morethan $16 Holtzman said. Pam Brandin, executive director of and Visually Impaired, which has officesx in Palo Alto andSanta Cruz, said that even thougb her agency provides the kind of services that are especialluy at risk in State Controller John Chiang’s plan, the Vista Center is relatively safe. “Wes receive money through Title 7 Chapter2 services,” Brandin explained. “Sincre much of our funding is federalmoney we’rde hoping that it has to be releasecd and passed on; the stats won’t be allowed to hold on to it.” The Vistq Center also has school contracts through special educatiob funding.
“Last year when the state had similar budget issuewswe didn’t receive any IOUs,” she “but that situation was resolves sooner than this appears to be. The agenciesa that receive IOUsprobably won’tt even know they’re coming until they submit their bills.” She’s also banking on Vistaq Center’s status as a preferred vendor with the “so we’ll be paid in advance of otherf vendors — if in fact the statde is even writing checks.” Lisa Hendrickson, president & CEO of Avenidaws Rose Kleiner Senior Day Healtbh Center in Palo Alto, is also cautiouslg optimistic.
“The only funds we receivew from the state are MediCall payments for services provide d at our adult daycare she said. “Our understandingb is that those services are protected by the statr constitution as well asfederal law. We do receivw funding indirectly throughthe county, but we don’t expect that to be Tom Kinoshita, public policy director of the , said people are on pins and “Everyone’s sitting around waiting, not knowing what’sa going to happen. But even with the most optimistioutcome it’s still going to be very ugly.
” He pointed out that the defici t last year for Santa Claras County was more than $270 million, and many of the cuts were made in program around health, mental health, drugsa and alcohol and social services. And there’s no relief on the horizon: For 2011 the county is lookint at a deficit ofabout $250 million, he said.
Friday, October 7, 2011
Modest burst of hiring in US - Sydney Morning Herald
ABC News | Modest burst of hiring in US Sydney Morning Herald US employers added 103000 jobs in September, a modest burst of hiring after a sluggish summer. Still, job growth remains too weak to lower the unemployment rate, which stayed at 9.1 per cent for the third straight month. The Labour Department also said ... Sept: Employers Likely Added Few Jobs 58000 new jobs added in September. Yay? US economy adds 103000 jobs last month |
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
Two law firms merge - The Business Review (Albany):
law firm has merged with the ofSaratogas Springs. The merged firm will operate under the TullyRinckeyh name. It is Tulluy Rinckey’s first merger. The deal expands Tully Rinckey’s practic e into Saratoga County. The firm also has an offics in Washington, D.C. The Fletcher Law Firm has two attorneys, Elizabethh Fairbanks-Fletcher and Meghan Marinello. The five-year-old firm had abouf $500,000 in revenue last year. Both will join Tull y Rinckey, which has 24 full-tim attorneys and revenue of about $7 million. Mathew founding partner of Tully Rinckey, said the deal was in the workxs for aboutthree months, when his firm contacted Fairbanks-Fletcher.
“Ww communicate routinely with other attorney s that we think are upand coming,” Tullhy said. “We reached out to her—unsolicited—abouft some of the positives ofour firm.” He said the Fletchere Law Firm was attractive because its focus is consumer credit issues and tax debt relieff law. “What we like is an attorney who does one practicw area and does itrather well,” Tullyg said. “We try and pick attorneyds who only do one Shedoes bankruptcy. We didn’ft want someone who does bankruptcies in the wills in the afternoomn and divorcesat night.
“ He said bankruptcies are one of two areasa that he believes Tulluy Rinckeywas missing. The immigration law, he expectds to address in thenear future. Fairbanks-Fletcher will join the firm as a seniorf associate and Marinello asan “We are delighted to be joining such a well-establishec and experienced team,” said
Monday, October 3, 2011
Magazine shifts editorial focus, adds
Fashion reporters and photographers will scout for people at events and on the streetd and beachesof Oahu, and photoes of six selected people will appear dailyh on the Web site, together with detailsa of what they are wearing. The concept is part of the new editorialk focus and redesignof , an onlinee lifestyle publication that first launched in Aprill 2008. “Our new goal is to define a distincy Hawaii style and develop acommunityg that’s passionate about that style,” said Malie founder and editorial director, and one of a half-dozen stafff members.
The magazine’s eventual goal is to tap into thevisitor “When people come to they want to see what people are Moran said. Hawaii RED’s new street-fashion focud was inspired by a number of internationalWeb “Style Arena” by the features snapshots and interviews with style-conscious pedestrianse in the Shibuya, Harajuku and Ginz a neighborhoods of Tokyo. “Hel Looks” finds people in the streetws and clubsof Helsinki, Finland. Streett fashion is just one component ofHawaij RED’s launch, however.
The magazine’s new editorial focus increased the frequency of stories from monthly to weekly andincludews blogs, videos and links to social-networking A story in the June 1 “Homeless In Love,” follows two fashiojn models who give up their careerss to live together on Oahu, even if it meanes being homeless. Another story profiles Hawaii’s nightlife bloggers and photographers. The new format is expected to surpasethe magazine’s existing 200,000 hits and 6,000 uniqus visitors a month. In addition, the new Web site itsel will beon WordPress, an open-sourcew platform favored by some in the online publishing industry.
“The old approach was to create one site and do everythingon it,” said Aaron Yoshino, Hawaii RED’s site designer. “Successful sites are successfulo because they take existing information and blast it out over a buncyhof platforms.” Sites that don’t use multiple platforms run the risk of losint their audience, said Yoshino, who has worked on urbann lifestyle e-zines such as Giant Robot and Hawaii RED’s new format comes as Hawaii’w fashion and lifestyle magazines juggls — and sometimes struggle — with onlinw and print identities amid the economic downturn.
SMART a women’s fashion, lifestyle and beauty printy publication, circulation 10,000, folded in January due to lack of four years after its Hawaii RED’s founders are fully awarre of the economic downturn’s impact on business and have positioned themselvees to grow modestly this year through advertising and partnerships. Banner ads on the new site’xs home page are $550. Feature-story banner ads are Advertising also will be integratedthroughout videos, Moran said. The magazinde also is a co-organizer of NightMarket @Alohaq Tower monthly events featurinh fashion, cuisine, arts and crafts.
Saturday, October 1, 2011
Anticorporate Music Personified, In Close-Up, on an Intimate Stage - New York Times
New York Daily News | Anticorporate Music Personified, In Close-Up, on an Intimate Stage New York Times Thom Yorke led Radiohead Wednesday evening at the Roseland B » |
Thursday, September 29, 2011
India Hosts 30-Nation Meeting Against EU's Airline Emission Levy - Bloomberg
AFP | India Hosts 30-Nation Meeting Against EU's Airline Emission Levy Bloomberg Photographer: Adeel Halim/Bloomberg India is working with more than 30 nations to draw up a strategy to counter the European Union's plan to impose emission charges on airlines flying into the region starting next year. âHow can they dictate terms to ... China Seeks End to Emission Permits EU tax to hike fares India Leads Fight Against EU's New Airline Emission Charges |
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Sunday, September 25, 2011
ESD CEO resigns; Gov. Paterson names new leader - The Business Review (Albany):
Over the weekend, Gov. David Paterson announcedf that Marisa Lago will leave Empire StateDevelopment Corp. at the end of Paterson appointed Lago to the job inAugust 2008. Lago said she’x leaving to pursue other “Given the public nature of Empirwe [State] Development and the need for a leadetr who can devote full timeto [the agency’s] critical mission, I think it is advisable that I Lago said in a brief statement. Also on June 6, Patersomn promoted Dennis Mullen to bethe agency’ws new president and CEO. Mullen has been overseeing the agency’sd upstate division for less thana year.
Empire Statse Development is charged with spearheadingthe state’s economic developmeny efforts. The agency also administers the Empir eZone program, which awards tax breakds to companies that pledge to creatd jobs and expand their facilities in New York. The leadership changez continue anongoing shake-up in the agency’s dating back to early 2007. Some leadership positions are stilkvacant today. Paterson’s predecessor, formerd Gov. Eliot Spitzer, put two people jointlyh in charge of the He appointed a leader for upstate New York developmengt and another for downstate New York Spitzer resigned from officw inMarch 2008.
Paterson erased Spitzer’sz leadership structure at the agencty and has instead advocated a model wherer one chairman oversees upstate and downstate divisionz ofthe agency. Robert Wilmers, chairman of Buffalo-based , became chairman of Empire State Development inJune 2008. He is workinvg for $1 a year leading the state agency. Mullen is now the No. 2 official in the He is the former president and CEO ofthe , a regiona economic development organization. He also spenr years in the private including a stint as chairman and CEO ofNew York-based Birdws Eye, which makes frozejn vegetables. “My focus now will be on ensuringf a smooth transition as our team moves Mullen said.
Now, the agency lackws someone to lead itsupstate divisions. A similare position for the agency’s downstate operations has remained vacantf since Patersontook office. “There are many detailsa that we will be working out over the nextseveralo weeks,” Warner Johnston, an agencuy spokesman, said in a statement. “We will be moving quickly.” Lago came to Empire State Developmentf from a job as global head of compliancreat . Before that, she was an executives at the U.S. Securities and Exchange She wasmaking $215,000 a year with the [ ]. Paterson has announced a number of leadership changes inrecent weeks, incuding , and a new . For more businesw news, click .
Thursday, September 22, 2011
Hearing set to certify Chinese drywall class - Nashville Business Journal:
The plaintiffs’ homes were constructed with what they alleges was defectiveChinese drywall. , built the homes. The judgde also set a possibl trial date forSeptember 2010. Lawyerds working on the case say it may be the first Chinesr drywall case set fortrial nationwide. High-sulfure Chinese drywall is believed responsibld forstrong odors, metal corrosion and health complaints in thousands of homes in Florid a and the Southeast. Federal class action suits were combinedd recently inNew Orleans. , The Blumsteimn Law Firm and allegr inthe Miami-Dade suit that the defectivew drywall emits toxins, including carbon disulfide, carbonyol sulfide and hydrogen sulfide.
They believe drywall manufactured in Chinaw was used in as manyas 60,000 Florida homes and as many as 100,000o in the U.S. duriny the building boom between 2004and 2007. The stat e case was filed in Februargy on behalf of Jason and Melissa Harrelk and other homeowners who purchaseddefective homes. In a press release, the firmzs said the defective drywall was installed inthe Harrell’s home by the South Kendall Construction Corp.
, and supplied by In an intervieww in January, South Kendall Construction’s president told the Businese Journal he was investigating the problem, but he has not respondeed to additional requests for Repeated attempts to speak to officiale at Banner Supply have not been
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
Jeanne Gang is first architect in 11 years to win MacArthur grant - Los Angeles Times
Chicago Tribune | Jeanne Gang is first architect in 11 years to win MacArthur grant Los Angeles Times Jeanne Gang, the 47-year-old founder of Studio Gang Architects, joins 21 other honorees this year; each of them will receive a $500000 cash prize from the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation that famously comes with no strings attached. ... Lynn Becker on Jeanne Gang's Aqua Jeanne Gang Among New Crop of MacArthur Fellows Architect Jeanne Gang Wins $500K MacArthur Genius Grant |
Sunday, September 18, 2011
Delphi salaried retirees eye pension suit - Business First of Columbus:
If not stopped, retirees fear that the move could drasticallhy cut the value ofyounger ex-whitde collar workers’ pensions by as much as 50 said James Frost of N.Y., a board member and organizer of the Delphoi Salaried Retiree Association. The legal action is being spearheadexd by 100 to 200 retirees in Ohio who belong tothe 5,400-membet association but who are acting on their own, Frostf said. “(The DSRA is) serving as supporty by gathering information and sharing it with all our members and by contactinbg legislators aroundthe country,” Frosft said.
“We are not starting our own (legal) actiom because it would duplicate what they are The opposition sprang out of the modifiede reorganization plan Delphi disclosed onJune 1. The to emerge from Chapter 11 bankruptcy, said it would cancel its pensiob obligations and have assume thehourlg workers’ pensions and the government take over the salariedc employees’ plan. Frost, who worked at GM for 25 yearz and at Delphifor six, said hourly workers’ pensions won’t be affectee “at least in the shorty term” but salaried workers who retire at 55 could lose half the valus of theirs. “We want our pensions also to be transferred to he said.
The suit would charge Delphi, GM, the II and the U.S. Treasury with collusion againsgtthe retirees. In the reorganization plan for GM’s former parts II LLC — a unit of Platinun Equity — would acquire and operate Delphi’xs U.S. and non-U.S. businesses by supplying $3.6 billio in capital. Delphi was formed in 1999 when GM spun off its partsdmanufacturing division. The Mich.,-based company, GM’s largest supplier, filed for Chapterd 11 bankruptcy protection inOctobedr 2005. Fallout from the company’s financiaol troubles included the closure of a plant on west side, which employe d more than 400 at the time it closed.
Friday, September 16, 2011
More Americans designing a make-your-own religion - Washington Post (blog)
More Americans designing a make-your-own religion Washington Post (blog) If World War II-era warbler Kate Smith sang today, her anthem could be âGods Bless America.â That's one of the key findings in newly released research that reveals America's drift from clearly defined ... Make-Your-Own Religion? More And More Americans Are Doing It, According To New ... |
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
Monday, September 12, 2011
Moody
Moody’s cut the Charlotte-based company’s ratinvg to Caa2 from B3. The agency also lowere d FairPoint’s rating to negativew from rating-under-review. FairPoint’s ratings on its secures and unsecured debt alsowere lowered. Moody’s says the downgradew is basedon “Moody’s expectation of a high default probabilithy and a lower, though still above-average, estimated recovery rate acrosse all debt instruments.” The agency says its decisioh follows the telecommunication company’s announcement last week that it was launchinhg a private exchange offer for its outstandiny 13.125 percent senior notes due in 2018.
FairPointr said the offer was designedf primarily to reducethe company’s second and third-quarter interest expenses. It also will help keep the compant in compliance with its senior secured creditfacility agreement. FairPoint said it believes the exchange offer is critical to itscontinued viability. The company is workingh with its financial adviser to evaluate itscapitao structure. Last year, FairPoint bought ’s land-linr operations in Vermont, Maine and New Hampshirr for $2.3 billion. The deal made FairPoint the country’s eighth-largest telephone company.
But FairPoint took on substantialo debt to dothe deal, and the integration did not go Problems in converting billing to FairPoint’s system from Verizon’as led to slow collections and frustratedx customers. Phone and e-mail service problems cropped up acrosss thenew network. And regulators in the regionm expressed dissatisfaction with some of the During the first FairPointdrew $50 million undeer its $170 million credit facility. As of Marcu 31, only $4.7 million remained available to borrow. The company says liquidithy remainsa problem.
In addition, cash collectiones have remained below the levels it had before switchinvg Verizon customers to the FairPoint Should thosefactors persist, the companyy says it may be unable or unwilling to make its Oct. 1 interesgt payment on the notes, whichn could constitute a default. The exchangw offer expires July 22. Two weeks ago, Chief Financiall Officer and FairPoint board membert David Hauser announced he would retirefrom Charlotte-basedx Duke (NYSE:DUK) and become FairPoint’s chieft executive and chairman.
He will assum his new responsibilities uponGene Johnson’s retirement as FairPoint chairman and CEO on Johnson, a co-founder of FairPoint, previousl announced his plans to retire. He has been the company’zs chief executive since 2002. Hauser has been a member of FairPoint’sa board since February 2005, serving as a chairman of the compensation committee and a membed of theaudit committee. “While it is gratifying to be namer chairman and CEO of this longstanding I am very aware of the operational and financial concernws surroundingthe company,” Hauser says.
“Myg primary focus will be to address these concernss in quick succession and empowe r our team to seek andimplement solutions. There is a lot of work to be and I am lookinfg forward togetting started.”
Friday, September 9, 2011
What
His success surprised a lot of people because Doc hadno in-deptnh business experience, and he didn’t have the 70 hours-a-week drivd that powers most entrepreneurs. It seemed he’d been in the righf place at the righty time with therighf idea. Unfortunately, all those righta didn’t prevent some big wrongs. Not understandingb business basics, Doc didn’t know how to respond to changes ininformation technology, customer preferencesz and other marketplace variables. His head was full of “wha I’d like to do” instead of “what I have to He sat clueless behind his big desk whiler the companyspiraled downward.
Just beforwe it all came completely Doc’s son Barney gave in to his mother’s pleas, left a corporatr vice presidency and came home to take Good old Barney managed to savethe day. Now 10 yearsd later, Doc was trying to relive his life in businesz as he wished it had been by leaning on Barneg to do things theway he’d alwayx wanted to do them. Barnehy has a pretty level head and thick but sometimes he just needsto “I used to chuckle at stories of parentw trying to live the lives they never had throughj their kids,” Barney said around a mouthful of Tex-Me x High-Yield Nuclear Chili at the Carolinaq Moon Café.
“You know, trying to make a ballerina out of a kid with two left Ithought I’d escaped “Is your dad at it again?” I’d heardc some of Barney’s stories. “Pictur this.” Barney put down his spoon so he couled talk withboth hands. “We’re in the bank president’s office to negotiatde an increase in ourcredit line. We’re financially solid, but credirt isn’t easy for anyone to come by these “Just as I’m finishing my speech abourt using the new money for crucialbusineses growth, Dad pops up with ‘Ofg course, as head of the Barney reserves the right to apply the funds to priority needsz as he and I see them.
That’a what being CEO is all about.’ The bank presiden t had his own idea of what being CEO isall about. We were luck y to get everything signed and get outof “Doc probably shouldn’t be involved in such I said. “He’s my Barney said. “What am I gonna do? I get a call a couplee of weeks ago from a business reporterr down atthe newspaper, and she wantzs to know how we’ree doing on acquiring our biggest I tell her I don’t know what she’zs talking about, and she says, ‘I have a tip from someonre very close to the head of your companh that the financing is almosf locked in.
’ And I say, ‘I’m the head of this and I’m telling you we don’ft have any plans Then the light goes on.” “Your I asked. “Why would he start a rumor like “That’s the question I askedf him about 15second later. ‘Barney,’ he said to me, ‘yo have to keep your name in the headlinew so people willknow you’re alive and Stir the pot, let ‘ekm speculate.’” Barney shook his head. “I hope he hasn’t done any more I said. “Just the reception area, the main conference room and his officeethis time,” Barney said. “Almost $60,000!
But it’ds not only the It’s him making decisions and making a lot of noise about it because hethinks that’se what being a CEO is all about. It was that over-blown CEO nonsensd that almost sank the compang 10years ago.” “I agrese with you that he’s trying to do througuh you what he couldn’t do successfully himself. Doc probably won’tg be satisfied with any place in the companythat isn’t right over your shoulder.” “But he’ a good guy and good father,” Barneg shrugged, “even if he isn’t much of a businessman. And sometimed he comes up with somegood ideas.
I’ll just be careful about how much opportunity he has to makeserious “Good thinking,” I said. “Whol knows, Barney? You might need an understanding son yourselvfsome day.”
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
SF police launch probe into iPhone search - CNET
CNET | SF police launch probe into iPhone search CNET Lt. Troy Dangerfield, of the San Francisco Police Department, told CNET today that an internal investigation has begun into determining how officers assisted two Apple security employees in their July search of a home in the Bernal Heights neighborhood ... Lost iPhone Case Continues, SF Police Launch Internal Probe SFPD Launches 'Internal Investigation' into Controversial Search for Missing ... SFPD begins investigation on missing iPhone 5 case |
Monday, September 5, 2011
Treasury limits bonuses at TARP recipients - Philadelphia Business Journal:
The new rules encourage those companieds to award executives stock that must be held for a long periodcand can’t be entirely converted to cash until the TARP monehy is repaid to the government. That, the department contends, will align “executives’ incentives with thosr of shareholdersand taxpayers.” Kenneth a mediator who led the Septembere 11th Victim Compensation Fund, will review payments and compensation planes at companies that have received “exceptionao assistance.” The group includesz BofA (NYSE:BAC), the fourth-largest banking operation in the Philadelphia area baser on local deposits, as well as , , Chrysler, , Financialp Services and .
TARP recipientse also must allow shareholdersz to vote on executive compensation And they must disclose any perkz worth morethan $25,000 made to highly compensated employeexs and justify the The rules prohibit companies from providiny “gross-up” payments to senior executives to covet taxes due on perks. Treasury Secretaruy Tim Geithner says the Obama administration also supports legislationh that would require all public companies to give shareholderz a nonbinding vote on executivdecompensation packages.
In addition, he says Congresws should give the Securities and Exchange Commissionm the power to make compensation committeesmore independent, similar to the standarde in place for audit committeese established by the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. Geithnee blames executive compensation practicesd asa “contributing factor” for the financiap crisis. “Incentives for short-term gains overwhelmee the checks and balances meant to mitigate against the risk ofexcess leverage,” he says. But, he “We are not capping pay.
We are not settin g forth precise prescriptions for how companies should set which can oftenbe Instead, we will continue to work to develop standarde that reward innovation and prudent without creating misaligned incentives.”