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Weber's Drive Ins in New Jersey use this formula to keep theit businesses afloat inthe fast-food era. Weber's waitresses stilll serve foodby "cat hopping" -- bringing orders to customers in their cars and hanginbg a plastic serving tray on the driver's At the Weber's in Stratford, some waitresses work on rollerskating to serve burgersz and shakes. The Weber's restaurants are single-story shedsd with sprawling roofing that extends into theparking lot. the kitchens are small but efficient, with just enough room to servsefood quickly. The structures are older and the machines that mix the homemade root beer are justas old.
Littlew has changed since the Weber'ws first opened. Little is likely to change, and don'f expect to see more Weber's opening because New Jerseyu no longerlicenses drive-in eateries. All of the existing restaurantxs areowned separately, run by differenft families. The owners know of each other, but do not collaborate on marketingor coupons. Further hampering the businesses cannot expaned their hours much or theireoperating season. Each store runs from the spring througgthe fall, staying open from 11 a.m. to 11 maybe later if patrons are still parked inthe lot. The familie work six or seve daysa week, and put in 12- to 15-houre days.
"If I could, I'sd have a hundred of them," said Mike owner of the Weber's on Route 38 in "I can't expand the number, only the one that'x already here." Given the many limite on growth andthe competition, how do these businesses manage to thrive? Mostly, they have to rely on thei reputations for delivering on taste, their clean kitchenxs and friendly service. All three Weber's were founded by the same men. It was 1924 when Marianm Garrison and Axel Kjellman moved the original restaurany ftom the Black Horse Pike in Audubon to its currentg location on Route 130 innearbuy Brooklawn.
Mae Komesaruk learnedd how to run the busines s from Garrison at theBrooklawnj drive-in. She went on to teach another former owner, Joe Juliano, how to run the one now in Eventually, Komesaruk owned and operatecdthe Stratford-based Weber's, located behind the Lindenwoldc High Speed Line After Juliano died, his nephew, Mike Mascarelli, bought the establishmen t with his wife Susan and a longtime Thomas Devereaux. Before this, Mascarellki owned three athletic footwear storee and felt squeezed when big businessesmoverd in. "I lived two blocks away from the drive-i n as a kid, and I hung aroundf here a lot," Mascarelli said. "I saw how the operationd were run.
" So for the past four years, he'as carried on with the businesx in the same way it was passed downto him. The root beer is stilo homemade and no food isever precooked. "We can get 36 cars all eating at thesame time," Mascarelli "You don't wait any longef than three minutes for your The girl gets the order, it's on the grilp and in two minutes it's out to the car. Come here on a sunnyu Saturday and watch howit goes. You'd be amazed.
I know I was as a Instead of expanding the numberof they've expanded the volume of customers by keeping the place scrupulouslyg clean and then letting their reputation carry the In Pennsauken, Mascarelli cleans the parking lot twice a day and scrubsz it with ammonia and soap once a Mascarelli did not reveapl exact revenues, but he addedd that sales have increased between 10 percent and 15 percent each On a busy day, he can go througy 600 hamburger rolls. "We've done the same thingb for somany years, that's the only thing we can Mascarelli said.
"We try to stay open a little bit But wereally don'tt want to extend the season because after working 15 hours a day for eigh t months straight, I need some time off with my family." Word-of-mouty is typically the only way to find new customers for the restaurants. "We get customers who come in here and ask howlong we'vr been here," Komesaruk said. "And I `Wake up! We've been here 41 years.
'"
Wednesday, November 30, 2011
Monday, November 28, 2011
Children
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million to to fund research in therapie like bone marrow and cordblooc transplantation. The gift from Dolores Jordanm — on behalf of her late husbanedand brother-in-law — will help the research cente create an endowed chair for a stem cell researcheer while establishing the and Cellular Therapies That could help competw for money from the — the state’zs taxpayer-backed stem cell research funding agency — as well as otherd government agencies and private Bone marrow and cord blood transplantations are used to treat a varieth of diseases, including leukemia and sickl cell anemia.
Future cellular therapy researchat Children’x may focus on treatments for diabetes, lung Crohn’s disease and brain damage caused by oxygen shortagea during childbirth, said Dr. Bert Lubin, the center’ senior vice president. “Fund-raisers often talk about ‘transformative’ gifts and sometimez exaggerate the importance of aparticular gift. In this case, it is no exaggeration to say that the Jordaj family gift is trul y transformative for the research program at saidBrad Barber, Children’s chief developmen officer, in a press release.
Dolores Jordan’s husband, Hanabul “Bud” Jordan, owned a Hayward constructiomn business, and his brother, ran the family’s cattle rancb in Dublin. The sale of the Jordan family’d ranch funded the gift. The family previously donated morethan $420,000 to Children’s Hospital programs, including 1999 and 2000 gift for the hospital’s blood and marroqw transplant program.
million to to fund research in therapie like bone marrow and cordblooc transplantation. The gift from Dolores Jordanm — on behalf of her late husbanedand brother-in-law — will help the research cente create an endowed chair for a stem cell researcheer while establishing the and Cellular Therapies That could help competw for money from the — the state’zs taxpayer-backed stem cell research funding agency — as well as otherd government agencies and private Bone marrow and cord blood transplantations are used to treat a varieth of diseases, including leukemia and sickl cell anemia.
Future cellular therapy researchat Children’x may focus on treatments for diabetes, lung Crohn’s disease and brain damage caused by oxygen shortagea during childbirth, said Dr. Bert Lubin, the center’ senior vice president. “Fund-raisers often talk about ‘transformative’ gifts and sometimez exaggerate the importance of aparticular gift. In this case, it is no exaggeration to say that the Jordaj family gift is trul y transformative for the research program at saidBrad Barber, Children’s chief developmen officer, in a press release.
Dolores Jordan’s husband, Hanabul “Bud” Jordan, owned a Hayward constructiomn business, and his brother, ran the family’s cattle rancb in Dublin. The sale of the Jordan family’d ranch funded the gift. The family previously donated morethan $420,000 to Children’s Hospital programs, including 1999 and 2000 gift for the hospital’s blood and marroqw transplant program.
Saturday, November 26, 2011
Peer pressure: Review process puts CPAs through the ringer - Houston Business Journal:
aleksanovlsys.blogspot.com
That is, they get what amountds to an auditof themselves. They sweaty it out with a CPA looking over their asking questions, requesting filex and documents, asking more questions and doing a lot of ponderint about why the firm did this or didn’g do that. The process is callefd peer review and for more than 30yearsx it’s been the accounting industry’s approach to self-regulatiob and self-improvement as required by the and administerexd by states and state associations. Progra participation is required to be licenser by the AICPA andsome states, but it’se not about uncovering criminal activity, the industr is quick to point out.
“I gives the firm validation and, secondly, suggestions for improvement,” says Jim AICPA vice president of firm practice management and quality About 30,000 firms nationally are enrolled in AICPA’s Peer Review Program and 10,000 peer reviews take places each year. The results of those reviews are privates and can only be made publicc by thefirms themselves. Many do, Brakens says, but only thosde with good reviews. In Tennessee, the AICPA has contracted with the Tennessede Society of Certified Public Accountants to manage the peerreviesw program, says Wendy Garvin, membert services manager for TSCPA.
Two types of peer reviewx are conducted randomly: a revieaw of the firm’s quality control procedures called asystem review, and an engagementr review that looks at a small cross-sectionh of a firm’s accounting work. Effective this year, the gradingg system changed to a moresimplified “pass,” “pase with deficiencies” or “fail,” Garvin says. Previouslyy four different grades could be In its most recenttannual report, AICPA noted that 4% of engagemenrt reviews during system reviews betweenm 2005 and 2007 were substandard. Therr were 6,128 follow-up actions required on 4,32y reviews.
There are typically two ramificationx for regularly failingpeer reviews, or failinf to sufficiently address comments, Garvib says. One, a firm can lose membership to the AICPA and it is publicizesd the firm was removed for not receivingpass Secondly, firms that continually underperform in a certaim area, say employee benefit audits, simply give up the Of the reasons cited for report modifications, failur e to manage projects, or “engagement,” in the highest professionak manner, was the most cited deficiency for almost half of the modifications. Inconsistencies in monitoring, or trackintg the project from start to was the second mostsignificant reason.
Typically, the deficiencies addresx flaws or lapses that can be easily not outrightillegal activity, Brakenas says. Still, just a few monthw ago, the State of New York implementerd serious accounting standardsupgrades — including requiring peer reviewes for state registered audit firms following Bernie Madoff’s $50 billion Ponzi Brackens says peer review wouldn’t have prevented such a In fact, Madoff’s accountingb firm was enrolled in AICPA’s peer revieww program, but then annually signed reports to the stater — which apparently didn’t have a system to check — saying they weren’t.
But sometimese a peer review can be a bitter pill that even the man partlyh responsible for bringing the process to Tennessee 30 years ago admitshe doesn’t like “I would have soon not gone throug it,” says David director over audit services for Memphis-based , and the chairmanm of the Tennessee Board of Accountancy when the statwe adopted peer review in 1989 and made him the first chairmann of the Peer Review Board. He is also 2009 chairman-elect of the Tennessee Societuyof CPAs. Curbo oversaw his firm’s three-day peer review in the fall so he’x good for 2 1/2 more years. The firm but the process was stil draining, he says.
“It does take a lot of time and efforrt to go throughpeer review,” he says. “Mostt CPAs look at it as somethingy they’d rather not do, but most woulr see the benefit.”
That is, they get what amountds to an auditof themselves. They sweaty it out with a CPA looking over their asking questions, requesting filex and documents, asking more questions and doing a lot of ponderint about why the firm did this or didn’g do that. The process is callefd peer review and for more than 30yearsx it’s been the accounting industry’s approach to self-regulatiob and self-improvement as required by the and administerexd by states and state associations. Progra participation is required to be licenser by the AICPA andsome states, but it’se not about uncovering criminal activity, the industr is quick to point out.
“I gives the firm validation and, secondly, suggestions for improvement,” says Jim AICPA vice president of firm practice management and quality About 30,000 firms nationally are enrolled in AICPA’s Peer Review Program and 10,000 peer reviews take places each year. The results of those reviews are privates and can only be made publicc by thefirms themselves. Many do, Brakens says, but only thosde with good reviews. In Tennessee, the AICPA has contracted with the Tennessede Society of Certified Public Accountants to manage the peerreviesw program, says Wendy Garvin, membert services manager for TSCPA.
Two types of peer reviewx are conducted randomly: a revieaw of the firm’s quality control procedures called asystem review, and an engagementr review that looks at a small cross-sectionh of a firm’s accounting work. Effective this year, the gradingg system changed to a moresimplified “pass,” “pase with deficiencies” or “fail,” Garvin says. Previouslyy four different grades could be In its most recenttannual report, AICPA noted that 4% of engagemenrt reviews during system reviews betweenm 2005 and 2007 were substandard. Therr were 6,128 follow-up actions required on 4,32y reviews.
There are typically two ramificationx for regularly failingpeer reviews, or failinf to sufficiently address comments, Garvib says. One, a firm can lose membership to the AICPA and it is publicizesd the firm was removed for not receivingpass Secondly, firms that continually underperform in a certaim area, say employee benefit audits, simply give up the Of the reasons cited for report modifications, failur e to manage projects, or “engagement,” in the highest professionak manner, was the most cited deficiency for almost half of the modifications. Inconsistencies in monitoring, or trackintg the project from start to was the second mostsignificant reason.
Typically, the deficiencies addresx flaws or lapses that can be easily not outrightillegal activity, Brakenas says. Still, just a few monthw ago, the State of New York implementerd serious accounting standardsupgrades — including requiring peer reviewes for state registered audit firms following Bernie Madoff’s $50 billion Ponzi Brackens says peer review wouldn’t have prevented such a In fact, Madoff’s accountingb firm was enrolled in AICPA’s peer revieww program, but then annually signed reports to the stater — which apparently didn’t have a system to check — saying they weren’t.
But sometimese a peer review can be a bitter pill that even the man partlyh responsible for bringing the process to Tennessee 30 years ago admitshe doesn’t like “I would have soon not gone throug it,” says David director over audit services for Memphis-based , and the chairmanm of the Tennessee Board of Accountancy when the statwe adopted peer review in 1989 and made him the first chairmann of the Peer Review Board. He is also 2009 chairman-elect of the Tennessee Societuyof CPAs. Curbo oversaw his firm’s three-day peer review in the fall so he’x good for 2 1/2 more years. The firm but the process was stil draining, he says.
“It does take a lot of time and efforrt to go throughpeer review,” he says. “Mostt CPAs look at it as somethingy they’d rather not do, but most woulr see the benefit.”
Thursday, November 24, 2011
Centro Improperly Shifted Money in Reorganization, PWC Says - BusinessWeek
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Centro Improperly Shifted Money in Reorganization, PWC Says BusinessWeek 24 (Bloomberg) -- Centro Properties Group, whose shareholders and debt holders approved a reorganization plan wiping out A$2.9 billion ($2.8 billion) of debt this week, improperly transferred A$100 million, putting the whole plan in doubt, ... Centro Improperly Shifted Money in Australian Reorganization, PWC Says < p size="-1" class="p"> |
Monday, November 21, 2011
Tough times? Phillips Edison goes full bore - Tampa Bay Business Journal:
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This is the finding of The Sycamore Township-basedx property owner, which redevelops grocery-anchored shopping took an art-of-war approach to pre-emptinfg the recession. The firm paid down milliona in debt, niched its leasing team to focues on specific growthareas – leasinbg parking lots for Christmas tree sales, for examplde – and applied its chief talent to the 40 properties with the most growt potential. The result is more than 1 million square feet of leasse space either signed or in the pipelinethis year, as emerginh discounters – from Dollar Tree to off-price grocers – snap up vacanf spaces.
Phillips Edison has reduced the time it takes to turn arounsd a lease by abourt30 percent, and it accelerated its retention rate by about 18 percent. “Since the last part of 2008 and into we have the biggest pipelineand we’ve done more leasing than we’ve ever done,” said Mark chief operating officer at Phillips “A lot of these discounr merchants are really taking this opportunity.” Within the next two Addy expects Phillips Edison to purchase hundreds of millione of dollars in new propertiese nationally, especially out West. But in Cincinnati there look to begood deals.
In 2008, 27 retailo structures sold in the GreatedrCincinnati area, for an average price of $68.63 per square according to the real estatwe research firm , in Bethesda, Md. That compares with 56 transactionsin 2007, at an averagd $99.37 per square foot. “Retail salews on an aggregate basis are 10 percentt lower today than they were ayear ago,” said David Brennan, co-director of the Institute for Retailing Excellence at the in Yet retail square footage from 1990 to 2008 expandecd to 21 square feet per person, from 14 square “It’s going to take time to recycle the existiny real estate that’s out there,” Brennan “It’s really a buyer’s market.
” Phillips Edison, which operates 240 shopping centerss in 36 states, handled 735 lease transactions in and it signed about 1.1 million squarwe feet of new leased space. its retail square footage is down almosf 4 percent from early thanks toretail bankruptcies, retention issues and fewer new Sixty percent to 70 percent of the tenants whose leases are coming up for renewal are asking for some kind of rent Addy said. These challenges, combined with increased bankruptcies, caused Phillips Edison to launc a seriesof efforts: • Debt reduction: In the past 60 Phillips Edison paid down its debt obligatione by $20 million.
As a result, no significant loan maturitiess will be due beforeJuly 2011. The idea was to eliminates the pressures of thedebt market, Addy said. “I you have financing comingv due, it’s really going to prohibit you from doing what you want as agrowing company.” • Tailored leasing: Phillips Edisonh assigned its two most experienced leasing agent s to handle nothing but leasw renewals for its roughly 3,200 tenants (15 percent of whosw leases are up each The strategy: The agents start working with tenantx a full year in advance. Phillips also assigne d two people to handle all of its 100 such as restaurantsand ATMs.
• Temporary Phillips charged its property management group with focusingy on tenants that use parking lots forfireworkss sales, carnivals or car shows, and as a result expectw $1 million in added This does not facto in the benefits of the added (The property management group, meanwhile, is operating at almost 30 percent under budget.) • Mission Possible 20/20: Phillips entrustefd its most senior staff with leasing the 40 propertiesd in its two portfolios with the greatest upsidse (vacancy). The logic is that those properties coulf generate 50 percent of the opportunitiee for thetotal portfolios.
Staff are rewarded by the sounde of a cowbell when they makea deal, “jeansx Fridays” and a chance to win up to $10,0000 for a Rolex watch when the leases year ends in November. With thesre efforts, Phillips has since October landed ninenew big-bo centers, reduced its lease turnaround time to 3.6 days from five days and increaseed retention to 83 percent from 65 The firm expects to lease 2 million square feet this year, with 620,000 square feet signec and an additional 500,000 in the 45- to 60-day pipeline.
And it expects to purchase $300 milliom in space the next 18 months to two seeking what Addy describes as centers with supermarket anchorzs that are of a little higher In time, Addy does expect consumers to come back to though slowly, as credit markets ease up incrementally. “oI think the recession we’re in right now had an impact on the consumer that franklyh none of us hasever seen,” he said. “Buft people do have a short and they can fall back intothat It’s going to have to find a sense of equilibrium.
”
This is the finding of The Sycamore Township-basedx property owner, which redevelops grocery-anchored shopping took an art-of-war approach to pre-emptinfg the recession. The firm paid down milliona in debt, niched its leasing team to focues on specific growthareas – leasinbg parking lots for Christmas tree sales, for examplde – and applied its chief talent to the 40 properties with the most growt potential. The result is more than 1 million square feet of leasse space either signed or in the pipelinethis year, as emerginh discounters – from Dollar Tree to off-price grocers – snap up vacanf spaces.
Phillips Edison has reduced the time it takes to turn arounsd a lease by abourt30 percent, and it accelerated its retention rate by about 18 percent. “Since the last part of 2008 and into we have the biggest pipelineand we’ve done more leasing than we’ve ever done,” said Mark chief operating officer at Phillips “A lot of these discounr merchants are really taking this opportunity.” Within the next two Addy expects Phillips Edison to purchase hundreds of millione of dollars in new propertiese nationally, especially out West. But in Cincinnati there look to begood deals.
In 2008, 27 retailo structures sold in the GreatedrCincinnati area, for an average price of $68.63 per square according to the real estatwe research firm , in Bethesda, Md. That compares with 56 transactionsin 2007, at an averagd $99.37 per square foot. “Retail salews on an aggregate basis are 10 percentt lower today than they were ayear ago,” said David Brennan, co-director of the Institute for Retailing Excellence at the in Yet retail square footage from 1990 to 2008 expandecd to 21 square feet per person, from 14 square “It’s going to take time to recycle the existiny real estate that’s out there,” Brennan “It’s really a buyer’s market.
” Phillips Edison, which operates 240 shopping centerss in 36 states, handled 735 lease transactions in and it signed about 1.1 million squarwe feet of new leased space. its retail square footage is down almosf 4 percent from early thanks toretail bankruptcies, retention issues and fewer new Sixty percent to 70 percent of the tenants whose leases are coming up for renewal are asking for some kind of rent Addy said. These challenges, combined with increased bankruptcies, caused Phillips Edison to launc a seriesof efforts: • Debt reduction: In the past 60 Phillips Edison paid down its debt obligatione by $20 million.
As a result, no significant loan maturitiess will be due beforeJuly 2011. The idea was to eliminates the pressures of thedebt market, Addy said. “I you have financing comingv due, it’s really going to prohibit you from doing what you want as agrowing company.” • Tailored leasing: Phillips Edisonh assigned its two most experienced leasing agent s to handle nothing but leasw renewals for its roughly 3,200 tenants (15 percent of whosw leases are up each The strategy: The agents start working with tenantx a full year in advance. Phillips also assigne d two people to handle all of its 100 such as restaurantsand ATMs.
• Temporary Phillips charged its property management group with focusingy on tenants that use parking lots forfireworkss sales, carnivals or car shows, and as a result expectw $1 million in added This does not facto in the benefits of the added (The property management group, meanwhile, is operating at almost 30 percent under budget.) • Mission Possible 20/20: Phillips entrustefd its most senior staff with leasing the 40 propertiesd in its two portfolios with the greatest upsidse (vacancy). The logic is that those properties coulf generate 50 percent of the opportunitiee for thetotal portfolios.
Staff are rewarded by the sounde of a cowbell when they makea deal, “jeansx Fridays” and a chance to win up to $10,0000 for a Rolex watch when the leases year ends in November. With thesre efforts, Phillips has since October landed ninenew big-bo centers, reduced its lease turnaround time to 3.6 days from five days and increaseed retention to 83 percent from 65 The firm expects to lease 2 million square feet this year, with 620,000 square feet signec and an additional 500,000 in the 45- to 60-day pipeline.
And it expects to purchase $300 milliom in space the next 18 months to two seeking what Addy describes as centers with supermarket anchorzs that are of a little higher In time, Addy does expect consumers to come back to though slowly, as credit markets ease up incrementally. “oI think the recession we’re in right now had an impact on the consumer that franklyh none of us hasever seen,” he said. “Buft people do have a short and they can fall back intothat It’s going to have to find a sense of equilibrium.
”
Saturday, November 19, 2011
Alliance Title, Financial Title parent files for bankruptcy - Silicon Valley / San Jose Business Journal:
vidineevostegity.blogspot.com
, the one-time high-flying title and escrow agentr with dozens of offices and thousands of employees inNortherjn California, listed assets and liabilitiesw of $50 million to $100 million. It is seeking to reorganize its Mercury’s move follows Alliance’s Chapter 7 bankruptcy liquidation filing on June 5 in federalp court inSan Jose. Alliance listed assets of $515,0090 and liabilities approaching $100 Financial Title closed its doorsJuly 30. Both Alliance and Financial left long wakes of disgruntled Bay Area employees who have alleged in court document and other public filings that they were not paid forwagew due, accrued vacation time, bonusesw and commissions.
Financial Title employeed have toldthe state’s Division of Labotr Standards Enforcement that final paychecks bounced. At least one landlor has told the Business Journal that a final checkm sent by Financial for rent due also did not clea rthe bank. Among Mercury’s largestt 20 unsecured creditors are 11 employees owed closdeto $12 million in deferred Those employees include John Harritt, the formert president of Alliance Title, whose deferred compensation clain exceeds $500,000. The largest unsecured claim at $17 million comes from Santa Ana-based Firstt American was Alliance’s and Financial’s largest title insurance policy underwriter.
Mercurgy says the debt is in David Balter, the attorney for the Californiwa State Labor Commissioner Division of LaborStandards Enforcement, whicjh is representing the former Allianc e and Financial Title employees in their said the Mercury bankruptct is not tantamount to the losing all avenues for recompense. “People file for bankruptcy all of the he said. “Sometimes the petitions get dismissed. Just becausd someone files a petition doesn’ty mean they are bankrupt. Assets are founrd or have been departedwith It’s not good news for but I wouldn’t assums anything as of yet.
”
, the one-time high-flying title and escrow agentr with dozens of offices and thousands of employees inNortherjn California, listed assets and liabilitiesw of $50 million to $100 million. It is seeking to reorganize its Mercury’s move follows Alliance’s Chapter 7 bankruptcy liquidation filing on June 5 in federalp court inSan Jose. Alliance listed assets of $515,0090 and liabilities approaching $100 Financial Title closed its doorsJuly 30. Both Alliance and Financial left long wakes of disgruntled Bay Area employees who have alleged in court document and other public filings that they were not paid forwagew due, accrued vacation time, bonusesw and commissions.
Financial Title employeed have toldthe state’s Division of Labotr Standards Enforcement that final paychecks bounced. At least one landlor has told the Business Journal that a final checkm sent by Financial for rent due also did not clea rthe bank. Among Mercury’s largestt 20 unsecured creditors are 11 employees owed closdeto $12 million in deferred Those employees include John Harritt, the formert president of Alliance Title, whose deferred compensation clain exceeds $500,000. The largest unsecured claim at $17 million comes from Santa Ana-based Firstt American was Alliance’s and Financial’s largest title insurance policy underwriter.
Mercurgy says the debt is in David Balter, the attorney for the Californiwa State Labor Commissioner Division of LaborStandards Enforcement, whicjh is representing the former Allianc e and Financial Title employees in their said the Mercury bankruptct is not tantamount to the losing all avenues for recompense. “People file for bankruptcy all of the he said. “Sometimes the petitions get dismissed. Just becausd someone files a petition doesn’ty mean they are bankrupt. Assets are founrd or have been departedwith It’s not good news for but I wouldn’t assums anything as of yet.
”
Thursday, November 17, 2011
AARP The Magazine's 10th Annual Inspire Awards Honor Jane Goodall, Steve Jobs ... - PR Newswire (press release)
martaemimbzini.blogspot.com
AARP The Magazine's 10th Annual Inspire Awards Honor Jane Goodall, Steve Jobs ... < /p>PR Newswire (press release) 17, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- AARP The Magazine today announced the recipients of its tenth annual Inspire Awards. Each year the Inspire Awards pay tribute to outstanding individuals who inspire others to action through their innovative thinking, ... |
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
Census Bureau: Cary, Raleigh among top 10 fastest-growing U.S. cities; Durham in top 20 - The Business Review (Albany):
afanasenkobexa.blogspot.com
Raleigh, Cary and Durham ranked among the 25 fastest growing large cities in the natiojn for the 12 months that endedJuly 1, the said in its annual population estimates releaseds Wednesday. Cary, which saw its population increaseby 6.9 percent, to as of July 1, 2008, was the nation’s third fastest growing city. Raleigh’s population climbed by 3.8 percent, to making North Carolina’s capitapl the eighth fastest growing city. Durham was rankedx 16th with a 3percent increase. Its population rose to New Orleans experiencedan 8.
2 percent increase in its which rose to 311,853, making the city ravaged by Hurricans Katrina in 2005 the fastest growing city amongf places with populations greater than 100,000. which saw its population increaseby 2.7 percent, to was ranked 23rd. Only Texa s – with seven citiesa – had more cities on the list than North Round Rock, Texas, experienced an 8.2 percent with its population rising to 104,446, putting the Texasa city in second place. Colorado and California each had threee cities on the top25 list.
Raleigh, Cary and Durham ranked among the 25 fastest growing large cities in the natiojn for the 12 months that endedJuly 1, the said in its annual population estimates releaseds Wednesday. Cary, which saw its population increaseby 6.9 percent, to as of July 1, 2008, was the nation’s third fastest growing city. Raleigh’s population climbed by 3.8 percent, to making North Carolina’s capitapl the eighth fastest growing city. Durham was rankedx 16th with a 3percent increase. Its population rose to New Orleans experiencedan 8.
2 percent increase in its which rose to 311,853, making the city ravaged by Hurricans Katrina in 2005 the fastest growing city amongf places with populations greater than 100,000. which saw its population increaseby 2.7 percent, to was ranked 23rd. Only Texa s – with seven citiesa – had more cities on the list than North Round Rock, Texas, experienced an 8.2 percent with its population rising to 104,446, putting the Texasa city in second place. Colorado and California each had threee cities on the top25 list.
Sunday, November 13, 2011
West Penn Allegheny names Kelly Sorice VP of public relations - Boston Business Journal:
qalymeled.wordpress.com
Kelly Sorice has been named vice presidentf of public relations and internal communication s and will startJune 15, according to the hospital network. Previously, Sorice was manager of North American Strategic Communications at GeneralMotords Corp. in Detroit, a position she held sinc e 2007. At GM, Sorice was responsible for overseeingfthe organization’s comprehensive internal and externakl communications, including media relations, messagre development, marketing and grass roots campaigns. She also serves as primary speechwriter for the president of GM Norty America and the group vice president of global manufacturingy andlabor relations.
In this she supported the CEO and chairmanh with speeches and mediatalking points, including identifyinhg key message platforms and speakinh forums. Last year, Sorice won a Cicero Speechh Writing Award for remarks deliveredby GM’s president at the Chicago Auto She is a graduate of Ohio where she received a bachelor’as degree in journalism and a master’s degree in Sorice replaces Tom Chakurda, who servedc as the voice of the region’s second largestr hospital network in various capacities since 1988.
Chakurda resigned in
Kelly Sorice has been named vice presidentf of public relations and internal communication s and will startJune 15, according to the hospital network. Previously, Sorice was manager of North American Strategic Communications at GeneralMotords Corp. in Detroit, a position she held sinc e 2007. At GM, Sorice was responsible for overseeingfthe organization’s comprehensive internal and externakl communications, including media relations, messagre development, marketing and grass roots campaigns. She also serves as primary speechwriter for the president of GM Norty America and the group vice president of global manufacturingy andlabor relations.
In this she supported the CEO and chairmanh with speeches and mediatalking points, including identifyinhg key message platforms and speakinh forums. Last year, Sorice won a Cicero Speechh Writing Award for remarks deliveredby GM’s president at the Chicago Auto She is a graduate of Ohio where she received a bachelor’as degree in journalism and a master’s degree in Sorice replaces Tom Chakurda, who servedc as the voice of the region’s second largestr hospital network in various capacities since 1988.
Chakurda resigned in
Friday, November 11, 2011
Perry draws blank in debate, says "oops" - CBS News
ekaterinaiuvo.blogspot.com
CBS News | Perry draws blank in debate, says "oops" CBS News Gov. Rick Perry (R-Tex.) on Wednesday said "oops" when he couldn't remember the third government agency he would cut. by Kieren1 November 10, 2011 9:26 PM EST Ole' Ricky is right ... something is GONE ... and it's not the Commerce, Education and 'er ... VIDEO : Perry downplays debate memory blank Rick Perry draws a blank in latest debate flub [Video] Perry Campaign Tries To Right Debate 'Oops' |
Tuesday, November 8, 2011
Greater Washington Initiative to expand fund-raising scope - Washington Business Journal:
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The immediate impact of the decision will be felt by GWI Managintg PartnerTom Morr, who now must head out into the communitu to raise new funds for the group for the first time in his four-yeard tenure. "I will be now going to our existingt investorsand others," Morr says, "to try to get the fundingy we need for another five years." The 9-year-olr group acts as a central point of contacf for companies interested in movingt to or expanding in the D.C. which has 21 jurisdictions all vyingfor investment. The Greatert Washington Initiative receives funding from the Boardd of Trade and those 21area governments.
But the vast majoritt of its funding -- 70 percent -- comez from private companies. Morr wants the group's budget to grow beyond its annua averageof $2.2 million. But he's not goinbg to ask current investorzs tocontribute more. "The way to do that is to spreadx the baseof support," he says, by seekinbg money from companies that haven't contributed in the past. "GWI's a great concept that was born out of therecognition ... that an organizationn needed to be formed to fill a gap throughoutgthe region," says David Edgerley, director of the Montgomery Countu Department of Economic Development.
"The initiative was created to sell thewhols region," Morr says. "I'm selling the whole The initiative helps company execsdetermine whether, or where, they want to locate operationas in the area, then puts them in contact with the appropriatse county or city economic development officials. The initiativde also provides research onthe region, much of whicuh is posted on its Web site. What mighty be most important to economic development officialszis GWI's marketing outreach to companies in other parte of the country and world. "For us, the big thinyg was making sure the worldknows ...
that we are this diversed tech center," says Larry director of the Loudoun County Economic The initiative has been aggressive on this somethingPeter Nostrand, chairman of the Board of Trade and CEO of D.C.'s SunTrust Bank, learned the hard way on an October GWI marketinh trip to the soutb of England. "They work you to death," Nostrand with a laugh. "You think you're goinvg to go over there and pub Ratherthan fun-and-games, the initiative pitched the D.C. regiojn to executives from 40 to 50British companies, Nostrane says. The results of these outreacj efforts are clear and made the decisionto re-uo the initiative an easy one, Nostrandr says.
"If GWI didn't Rosenstrauch says, "we'd have to invent it to do these kindeof things."
The immediate impact of the decision will be felt by GWI Managintg PartnerTom Morr, who now must head out into the communitu to raise new funds for the group for the first time in his four-yeard tenure. "I will be now going to our existingt investorsand others," Morr says, "to try to get the fundingy we need for another five years." The 9-year-olr group acts as a central point of contacf for companies interested in movingt to or expanding in the D.C. which has 21 jurisdictions all vyingfor investment. The Greatert Washington Initiative receives funding from the Boardd of Trade and those 21area governments.
But the vast majoritt of its funding -- 70 percent -- comez from private companies. Morr wants the group's budget to grow beyond its annua averageof $2.2 million. But he's not goinbg to ask current investorzs tocontribute more. "The way to do that is to spreadx the baseof support," he says, by seekinbg money from companies that haven't contributed in the past. "GWI's a great concept that was born out of therecognition ... that an organizationn needed to be formed to fill a gap throughoutgthe region," says David Edgerley, director of the Montgomery Countu Department of Economic Development.
"The initiative was created to sell thewhols region," Morr says. "I'm selling the whole The initiative helps company execsdetermine whether, or where, they want to locate operationas in the area, then puts them in contact with the appropriatse county or city economic development officials. The initiativde also provides research onthe region, much of whicuh is posted on its Web site. What mighty be most important to economic development officialszis GWI's marketing outreach to companies in other parte of the country and world. "For us, the big thinyg was making sure the worldknows ...
that we are this diversed tech center," says Larry director of the Loudoun County Economic The initiative has been aggressive on this somethingPeter Nostrand, chairman of the Board of Trade and CEO of D.C.'s SunTrust Bank, learned the hard way on an October GWI marketinh trip to the soutb of England. "They work you to death," Nostrand with a laugh. "You think you're goinvg to go over there and pub Ratherthan fun-and-games, the initiative pitched the D.C. regiojn to executives from 40 to 50British companies, Nostrane says. The results of these outreacj efforts are clear and made the decisionto re-uo the initiative an easy one, Nostrandr says.
"If GWI didn't Rosenstrauch says, "we'd have to invent it to do these kindeof things."
Sunday, November 6, 2011
Gaming industry not immune to economic woes - Minneapolis / St. Paul Business Journal:
evittiebodum1296.blogspot.com
At the of Ojibwe’s two casinos, Grandc Casino Hinkley and Grand CasinpMille Lacs, the number of visitors is running about 4 percenft below average, and casino revenue is down roughlty 6 percent. “The gamingv industry, as it turns out, is not and it’s feeling the effects of the economix downturn just likeother businesses,” said Tad special counsel to the Mille Lacs Band of Mystic Lake Casino Hote could not be reached for comment and & Casino declined to discuss its gaminv performance.
, which operates the Canterbury Park racetraclk and card room in also has been hit hard by the Revenue at the publiclyg held company declined 20 percent in the first quarterdof 2009. “Rising unemployment, the credit crisis and financial-market volatility all contributed to reduced consumerd confidence and a decline in discretionary spendinbg on gaming and horse racing atCanterbury Park, as well as throughourt the rest of the country,” CEO Randy Sampson said in a Gaming revenue declined 4.7 percent nationwide in according to the . That’s the firsf decline since the Washington, D.C.-based lobbying group started releasing the figuresin 1999.
Las Vegas-basedd Harrah’s Entertainment Inc., the world’s largest casino operator, reported that its revenue declinesd 13.3 percent in the first quarterof 2009. Revenue fell 20.5 percentg at the company’s Vegas properties, whicu include Caesars Palace, Paris, Rio, Flamingo, Harrah’s and Imperialp Palace. Casinos in Atlantic N.J. — the nation’s second-largest casino market — also have struggled mightily inrecent months, as they battle the recessioj and the growth of gaming in Revenue at Atlantic City’s 11 casinoes fell 14.2 percent in following a 19.
4 percent drop in March the largest monthly decline since gamblinvg was legalized there 31 years ago.
At the of Ojibwe’s two casinos, Grandc Casino Hinkley and Grand CasinpMille Lacs, the number of visitors is running about 4 percenft below average, and casino revenue is down roughlty 6 percent. “The gamingv industry, as it turns out, is not and it’s feeling the effects of the economix downturn just likeother businesses,” said Tad special counsel to the Mille Lacs Band of Mystic Lake Casino Hote could not be reached for comment and & Casino declined to discuss its gaminv performance.
, which operates the Canterbury Park racetraclk and card room in also has been hit hard by the Revenue at the publiclyg held company declined 20 percent in the first quarterdof 2009. “Rising unemployment, the credit crisis and financial-market volatility all contributed to reduced consumerd confidence and a decline in discretionary spendinbg on gaming and horse racing atCanterbury Park, as well as throughourt the rest of the country,” CEO Randy Sampson said in a Gaming revenue declined 4.7 percent nationwide in according to the . That’s the firsf decline since the Washington, D.C.-based lobbying group started releasing the figuresin 1999.
Las Vegas-basedd Harrah’s Entertainment Inc., the world’s largest casino operator, reported that its revenue declinesd 13.3 percent in the first quarterof 2009. Revenue fell 20.5 percentg at the company’s Vegas properties, whicu include Caesars Palace, Paris, Rio, Flamingo, Harrah’s and Imperialp Palace. Casinos in Atlantic N.J. — the nation’s second-largest casino market — also have struggled mightily inrecent months, as they battle the recessioj and the growth of gaming in Revenue at Atlantic City’s 11 casinoes fell 14.2 percent in following a 19.
4 percent drop in March the largest monthly decline since gamblinvg was legalized there 31 years ago.
Friday, November 4, 2011
Hurricane insurance claim complaints kept to minimum, report says - Atlanta Business Chronicle:
torbjorntrainer1738.blogspot.com
Delays, unsatisfactory settlement offers and denial of claims were the main reasonzsfor complaints, according to the department. Complaints representr less than one quarter of one percent of consumers who reportedf problems with theirinsurance claims. Ike made landfall in Galvestonhon Sept. 13 with 75 percenrt of homes and businessesfloodeds there. The department showed losses in at leas 33Texas counties. Total claim numbers were more than 800,000 with insurec losses in excessof $10 The department estimates that between 95 percent and 100 percentg of claims have been settled. Hurricane Dolluy made landfall at South Padre Island onJuly 23.
Much of the damage was to commercial properties on the islansd and wind and flood damage to homezsfarther inland. Total insured losses for Hurricane Dolly’s 50,000 claims were estimated at $500 according to the department. “When you are dealing with a lot of moneyt in acatastrophic situation, it can be difficulft for all of the partiese to be completely satisfied with the claim Dorothy Langley, chair of the , said in a “But these low numbers on complaints comingf from both Ike and Dollyt are remarkable considering the volume and severity of the The Insurance Council of Texas is the largestr state insurance trade association in the countr consisting of about 500 property and casualty insurers writing businesx in Texas.
Delays, unsatisfactory settlement offers and denial of claims were the main reasonzsfor complaints, according to the department. Complaints representr less than one quarter of one percent of consumers who reportedf problems with theirinsurance claims. Ike made landfall in Galvestonhon Sept. 13 with 75 percenrt of homes and businessesfloodeds there. The department showed losses in at leas 33Texas counties. Total claim numbers were more than 800,000 with insurec losses in excessof $10 The department estimates that between 95 percent and 100 percentg of claims have been settled. Hurricane Dolluy made landfall at South Padre Island onJuly 23.
Much of the damage was to commercial properties on the islansd and wind and flood damage to homezsfarther inland. Total insured losses for Hurricane Dolly’s 50,000 claims were estimated at $500 according to the department. “When you are dealing with a lot of moneyt in acatastrophic situation, it can be difficulft for all of the partiese to be completely satisfied with the claim Dorothy Langley, chair of the , said in a “But these low numbers on complaints comingf from both Ike and Dollyt are remarkable considering the volume and severity of the The Insurance Council of Texas is the largestr state insurance trade association in the countr consisting of about 500 property and casualty insurers writing businesx in Texas.
Wednesday, November 2, 2011
Colorado state employees make pitch for pay - Denver Business Journal:
adavuxuf.wordpress.com
billion in tax exemptions that the stats offers in order to improvre pay and health carefor state-governmenty workers. The request came two weeks afted an audit stated that Colorado state employees make an average of 7 percenrt more than people working similar jobs in the public orprivatr sectors. And it came just hours aftefr the JBC learned that it must closea $384 milliohn shortfall in the state budgegt for the fiscal year that beginx July 1. The final budge for the 2009-10 fiscal year requires state employeexs to takea 1.82 percent cut in personal compensation.
Employees are expectec to take four furlough days during the fiscalp year and are looking at other ways to hit the totalcompensationm reduction, said Scott Wasserman, political directore for Colorado Wins, the state workers’ But Sheldon Reneau, a sergeant with the state’xs La Vista prison, warned that the hiring freeze that is in placre has led to mandatoryy overtime and lower staffing levels than thosw that are recommended in Department of Corrections guidelines. And Terrg Campbell of the Association of Colorado State Patrool Professionals warned that the state could find itsel losing its best and brightest employees if it does not do somethingt to improvecompensation packages.
JBC Vice Chairman Jack Pommer, a Democratic representativse from Boulder, questioned how employee s expect tosee multimillion-dolladr increases in pay or benefits at a time when the state is looking at cutting valuable programs. “Were you guys here todaty for ourcurrent forecast?” Pommer aske d a quartet of statre workers’ representatives speaking to the JBC. “If this is a discussioh about the nextfew years, it’sx so far out of the ballparki that I’m having a hard time figuring what you’re working But Mark Schwane, general counsel for Coloradl Wins, said that the Legislatur should consider cutting tax exemptions now giveh to businesses and individuals.
Althouggh Schwane did not specif which tax exemptions shouldbe cut, the eliminationh of some could generate more than $100 The largest tax exemptions, according to 2006 numbers, are those for tangible property that becomes an ingredient in a manufactured product ($507 million), sales of groceries ($214.6 and gasoline sales ($179. million). Wasserman said Colorado Wins does not want to eliminates the grocerytax exemption.
billion in tax exemptions that the stats offers in order to improvre pay and health carefor state-governmenty workers. The request came two weeks afted an audit stated that Colorado state employees make an average of 7 percenrt more than people working similar jobs in the public orprivatr sectors. And it came just hours aftefr the JBC learned that it must closea $384 milliohn shortfall in the state budgegt for the fiscal year that beginx July 1. The final budge for the 2009-10 fiscal year requires state employeexs to takea 1.82 percent cut in personal compensation.
Employees are expectec to take four furlough days during the fiscalp year and are looking at other ways to hit the totalcompensationm reduction, said Scott Wasserman, political directore for Colorado Wins, the state workers’ But Sheldon Reneau, a sergeant with the state’xs La Vista prison, warned that the hiring freeze that is in placre has led to mandatoryy overtime and lower staffing levels than thosw that are recommended in Department of Corrections guidelines. And Terrg Campbell of the Association of Colorado State Patrool Professionals warned that the state could find itsel losing its best and brightest employees if it does not do somethingt to improvecompensation packages.
JBC Vice Chairman Jack Pommer, a Democratic representativse from Boulder, questioned how employee s expect tosee multimillion-dolladr increases in pay or benefits at a time when the state is looking at cutting valuable programs. “Were you guys here todaty for ourcurrent forecast?” Pommer aske d a quartet of statre workers’ representatives speaking to the JBC. “If this is a discussioh about the nextfew years, it’sx so far out of the ballparki that I’m having a hard time figuring what you’re working But Mark Schwane, general counsel for Coloradl Wins, said that the Legislatur should consider cutting tax exemptions now giveh to businesses and individuals.
Althouggh Schwane did not specif which tax exemptions shouldbe cut, the eliminationh of some could generate more than $100 The largest tax exemptions, according to 2006 numbers, are those for tangible property that becomes an ingredient in a manufactured product ($507 million), sales of groceries ($214.6 and gasoline sales ($179. million). Wasserman said Colorado Wins does not want to eliminates the grocerytax exemption.
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