Tuesday, January 31, 2012

MassMutual, Allstate adding to Minneapolis/St. Paul operations - Minneapolis / St. Paul Business Journal:

soileauifyyfa1786.blogspot.com
The life-insurance unit of Springfield, Mass.-basexd has recruited 27 new agents in the past six monthx in theTwin Cities, many of them casualties of layoffs at companiez such as Minneapolis-based Target and Richfield-based Best Buy Co. Inc. The insurances company plans to add at least a dozen more employees by the end of this year and up to 40 morein 2010. “Thoser who were recently terminated and were out ofa job, that’z a neat value proposition for us,” said Davids Means, president of the MassMutual office in Minneapolis.
As is typicapl in the consumer-based insurance industry, MassMutua agents develop their own practicezs and books of business and operatelike franchisees. Insurance agents usuallu work solelyon commission, even from the start of theire career with an insurance company, but MassMutual is offering an incomes subsidy for agents for up to three yearsd after starting with the company. It’s also using incentiveas such as paid tuition and fees for industry designation andcollege degrees, and it’s offering medical coverage and a 401(k) match for agents for as long as they’re with the “We’re meeting with quite a few people,” Meane said.
The MassMutual recruitment effortis nationwide; the compangy hopes to add 2,000 agents around the countruy by the end of the MassMutual has targeted the Twin Citiez for expansion for the past five years. It especiallyh sees opportunity in the large populationm of people who own closelyheld businesses. Because most agents work out ofthe firm’s Minneapolis office, MassMutualo will add 4,000 squard feet to the 14,500 squarew feet it now has in the AT&T Towerf at 901 Marquette Ave. S. Next year, it mighyt add another 3,500 square feet.
An economif downturn can be a good time for insurance companies to snap up highly qualifiedx people who have been laid off fromothed companies, said Jeff Junkas, Midwest director of public affairs for the Americam Insurance Association, headquartered in D.C. It’s also a good time for agents, because consumers are revisitingb their insurance and refocusingg on protection products such as permanentf life insuranceand long-term care said Todd Johnson, executive directot of the Minnesota branch of the National Association of Insurance and Financialp Advisors.
That rise in demand will come as supplyis nationwide, the number of insurance agentws has dropped over the past 10 years from abouyt 400,000 to about 325,000 while the general populatioj has increased, Johnson said. Allstate Insurance Co., basedd in Northbrook, Ill., also is recruitin g laid-off employees as potential agents. The company is trying to add 30 agentxthis year, most of them in the Twin Citieds metro area. The Allstate model requiresz that the agent investabout $50,000 in openingy up their own practice. “This is a golden said London Bradley, the territorial distribution leaderfor Minnesota, who is based in Bloomington.
“We’re lookinfg for entrepreneurial people who are looking to starg theirown businesses, and therwe are a lot of talented people who’ve been laid off, like mid-levelo managers [and] sales managers.”

Sunday, January 29, 2012

Photo gallery: Bald eagle released from Karn Weadock Generating Complex - The Bay City Times - MLive.com

afanasenkobexa.blogspot.com


The Bay City Times - MLive.com


Photo gallery: Bald eagle released from Karn Weadock Generating Complex

The Bay City Times - MLive.com


By MacKenzie Burger | The Bay City Times Enlarge Yfat Yossifor | The Bay City Times Sandy Miner, wildlife rehabilitator for the wildlife support, takes the eagle out of the cage for release Friday afternoon at Karn Weadock Ge nerating Complex in Hampton ...



and more »

Friday, January 27, 2012

Law firms sit out foreclosure mess - Boston Business Journal:

uraa-quartely.blogspot.com
But not many have followed leaving housing advocates struggling to line up assistancw fordesperate families. Leaders of organizations that provide free legal helpto low-incomew residents say the problem is acute because their own staffsa have been flooded with foreclosure cases. In there were 408 homeowner-foreclosure cases opened from June 2007 throughFebruaryu 2008, up from 77 cases during the Sept. 2006 to May 2007 according to thein Boston, a legal-services hotlin e that refers cases to agenciez like the and . And all indicators suggesg the problem only willget worse.
Close to 800 foreclosures were reportedr in Massachusetts and lendersfileed 2,729 petitions to foreclose on homez this past December, a hike of 28 percenrt compared to the year before, accordiny to in Boston, which tracks real estatde activity in the region. But the list of firmsz that so far have yet to provides attorneys to helpdistressed home-owner reads like a whose-who of the Hub's legal To date, , , , and have not provide lawyers.
And two other local firmd only recently began to work on such and , both in Firms have been reluctantr to take part for a numbert of reasons, chief among them the likelihoofd of conflicts of interest given the firms' relationshipsw with financial institutions. "Being a large we have a large financial andbankint practice, and there was a lot of internal discussion," on whether the firm could take such according to Jeanne Darcey, a bankruptcy partner at Edwardw Angell.
"The cases we'llo be working on do not necessarily implicate Foreclosure cases also canbe time-consuming and often require the expertise of senior lawyers rather than the associatesz who often handle pro bono matters. Then thers are the low odds of prevailing. Stevenb T. Hoort, a bankruptcy partner at Ropesx & Gray, said many subprime cases presengt something ofa Catch-22. A homeowner with equity is not indigen t and therefore considered capable of hiringta lawyer. But if there's no equituy in a house, there's not much that can be The firm will, however, get involve when there are allegations of frauf and homes can be said Hoort.
Which is exactly what happenede in the case ofJanice Gray. The Haverhil mother of six children dodged foreclosure onher four-bedroon condo by less than a month. Last Gray received a letter stating her home would be auctionerdon Jan. 8; she had fallen behind on the mortgagre forher $215,000 Haverhill home after her husband became too ill to work and theif monthly payments jumped 27 percent, from $1,733 to Gray, a social worker who couldn't afford to hire an says she called more than a dozen free legal-service s agencies in the Every single one turned her away. "They all said they were overwhelmedd with theforeclosure issue," said Gray.
she spoke with Andresa Bopp Stark, an attorney from in Lawrencse and an expert on predatorylendinyg practices. Bopp Stark agreexd to take Gray's The lawyer soon discovered that Gray'z broker had inflated her incomeby $3,000 a montb -- without her knowledge, Gray says -- to securee the loan. The lawyed then negotiated with Gray's mortgagse company, OptionOne, and securef a modified rate in December.

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

Lane4 shops for three Johnson County centers - Kansas City Business Journal:

http://www.pixelcreatif.com/p-266.html
The , the shopping center in Prairie Village and the in Fairway are under contract to investors ledby , a Kansasw City-based commercial real estate brokeraged and development firm. The three shopping centere have a combined 2009 appraiser value ofabout $64 million, accordinvg to figures from the . Owen Buckley, president of and Tabitha Zane, a spokeswoman at corporate headquartersin Raleigh, N.C., said compang policies precluded discussion of property transactionsx that have not closed. However, several tenantse in the three northeast Johnsoh County shopping centers confirmed that they had been apprisedc of the pending sale by eithe Highwoods orLane4 representatives.
For a partner in the proposes $1 billion redevelopment of the where retail commitments are proving hard to come by durintthe recession, the deal would mean about 550,009 square feet of retail space that is closw to fully occupied. For Highwoods Properties HIW), a real estate investment the sale would mean a further retreart from theretail sector, though Highwoods’ retailo holdings in this area have remained strongb despite the economy. “Our center is one of the few they have acrossdthe country,” said Kitty McKelvey, owned of the in Corintb Square. “It’s not their niche.” As of Dec.
31, Highwoodsz owned 311 office, industrial and retail properties encompassingabout 27.4 million square feet. The retail propertie s accountedfor 1.35 million square feet, or 4.9 of the total. Highwoods, which merged with the Plaza’ s developer, , in 1998, sold its 112,000-square-foott Brookside shopping center and anadjacent 7,800-square-footr office building in Kansas City for $15.245 million in 2004. The Plaza’s market value was estimated at morethan $1 billiob last year before the recession The development has roughly 700,000 square feet of officde space and 930,000 square feet of retail said Gayle Terry, the Plaza’s marketing director.
Aftet the recent signings of sixnew leases, she said, the Plaza’ss occupancy rate is about 93 percent. McKelvey said Highwoodws had been a good landlord to her bird store inCorinth Square. “But I’km fine with not having a giantcorporated owner,” she said. “I prefedr local businesses.” Mary Rimann, owner of Rimann Liquors in the PrairieVillage Shops, said tenants in that cented did not expect theif rents to change after the anticipatedd sale. “I think it’as all positive,” said Rimann, who said she was lookinhg forward tolocal ownership, too.
If the Lane4r deal closes, the transaction will fall in line with a loca retail investment trend reported on last month by inWalnug Creek, Calif. “Investors in the Kansas City metroi began to focus on the suburbs last year as redevelopmen t efforts Downtown have been slow togain traction,” said Gary Marcus & Millichap’s Kansas City regional manager. “Local buyerz who can handle management-intensive assets will likeluy target older properties in Johnson andPlatte counties, wherwe retail sales are forecast to grow and space demanc is still fairly strong.
” The Kansas City retaikl market as a whole, however, won’t fare so well this according to Marcus & Millichap’s National Retail Research It states that developers are projectedf to complete 2.3 million square feet of new retaill space in the Kansas City area this year, a 2.7 percenyt inventory addition that follows the additiohn of 2 million square feet in 2008. The elevatexd construction and decreased tenangt demand are projected to drivethe area’e retail vacancy rate up by 2.9 percentag points to 13.2 percent in 2009. Asking rentx are expected to recede 5.1 percenty to an average of $13.35 a squars foot this year, while effective rents drop 5.
9 percenr to an average of $11.31 a square the report said.

Sunday, January 22, 2012

New wine competition chooses winners - South Florida Business Journal:

ramsburgsyuheo1544.blogspot.com
The event is believed to be the first-ever U.S. wine competitionb to limit entries to American products with a thresholswine value. The 2006 Summers Alexandef ValleyChardonnay ($22 a bottle) from Sonoma Countyu took best of show in the white wine The 2005 Brochelle Vineyards Paso Roblee Syrah ($39) from Paso Robles on the Centra l Coast took best of show among red The winner among dessert wines was the 2005 Chal Hill L. H. Semillion ($55) from the Alexander Valley areaof "We studied every wine competition we could, and tried to take a step beyond the best that each said judging panel supervisoer Monty Preiser, a wine writer and co-publisher of The Preiserd Key to Napa.
"That required not only that the highesg quality wines possiblebe involved, but that we construct a judgingt panel second to none in terms of skill and About 400 attendees sampled 400 different winezs at a gala dinner at the Boca Ratonn Resort & Club's Mizner Center on Oct. 25. To benefity Broward County's Kids in Distress and Palm Beach County' Homesafe, attendees bid $170,000 on wine-related gift items and paintinga done live by artisrtMichael Israel. Wine writer Sara Preiser supervisedf the acquisition of wine forthe event.
"Oncew we had Sara Preiser, who livezs part-time in wine on board to obtain the best we knew we could find the right andwe did," said the Business Journal' Shari Gherman, chairwoman for the The sponsors for the event were presentert Rothstein Rosenfeldt Adler; The Prakas CHPC Inc.; Guarantee Insurance Co.; Fortessa, Schott, Zwiesel; Boca Raton Resort and Club; ; Base Line Engineering and Land Surveying; Crosd Keys Capital; La Salle Bank; Nova Southeastern RMF Financial; ZYR Vodka; Acquaa Panna, & S. Pellegrino; and Boca Gift Baskets. Doubled Gold Winners were unanimoux choicesas gold, while gold winners had to receive the vote of at leas t 75 percent of the tasting panel.
*Bordeaux Blend: 2002 Gordonh Bros. Tradition Columbia Valley -2004 Peachy Canyon Para Siempre PasoRobles *Chardonnay: 2005 Chateau St. Michelle Ethos Columbiz Valley ($30); 2005 Columbia Crest Horse Heavehn HillsWashington ($30); 2005 Frank Family Carnerosa ($33); 2005 Hartford Court 4 Hearts Russian Rivef ($36); 2005 Landmark Lorenzo Russian River ($48); 2005 Rodneyg Strong Reserve Russian River ($30); 2006 Rombauerd Napa ($30)

Friday, January 20, 2012

Bauer takes stars from 17 banks - Business Courier of Cincinnati:

uhalugupuzyma.blogspot.com
The company uses federal regulatory data to rate bankz based oncapital ratio, profit/losxs trend, delinquent loans and otherd factors. Bauer's rating ranks from a high of 5 stare to a low of0 stars. in Coral Gabless lost a star going to four fromfive (superior) stars. Four others maintained theirf five-star ranking: American National Oakland Park City Nationalo Bankof Florida, Miami Firsr National Bank, South Miami Intercontinental Bank, West Miami in Miamij rose to three stars from two. Firsgt United Bank in Boca Raton and Biscayne Bank in Coconuty Grove roseto 3.5 stars from three. in Fort Lauderdale made four stars, up from 3.5. Severall banks went to 3.
5 from four They are: , Homestead Doral-based slippee again, this time to three stars from three-and-a-halgf stars in the first quarter. That’es down from four stars in the third quarterr oflast year. Other banks that slippedf to threestars (good) from 3.5 are: Executive Miami , Miami , Miami U.S. Century Bank, Miamij Valley Bank, Fort Lauderdale Lydianb Private Bank inPalm Beach, Grand Eastern Bank of Florida in Metro Bank of Dade County, and in Miamui fell to two stars from three. , in North Lauderdale and in Boca Raton fell a notchu toone star, down from two in the fourth quarter.
Four banks retained zero Bauer’s lowest rating: , Miami Republic Federal Bank, Miami , Miami Integrity Bank, Jupiter

Wednesday, January 18, 2012

PFT: Fisher 'torn' between Rams and Dolphins - NBCSports.com

ofycagvezi.blogspot.com


NBCSports.com


PFT: Fisher 'torn' between Rams and Dolphins

NBCSports.com


“Those close to Fisher said he's legitimately torn and going back and forth. He's swung from Rams back toward Fins then back again and now back,” Glazer writes. Apparently Fisher is the new Favre. (If he does this for another three months.) ...



and more »

Monday, January 16, 2012

Biz Bits - Nashville Business Journal:

vasilisaxavymar.blogspot.com
The Fab Four Festival 2008 is cominbg toNashville Oct. 23-25 at Cannery Ballroom. All ticket proceeds will support the CommunityResourcs Center, which providees basic householdd necessities to nonprofit Richard Courtney, principal broker at ; Rogan owner of ; and Floyd president of LLC are coordinatintg the festival, three days of concerts, panel discussions and memorabilia Courtney, a self-professed Beatlemaniac, founded the festivaol four years ago. “The Nashville Fab Four Festival now ranksa as one of the top Beatles events inthe country,” he says.
“Nashville is home to a number of world-class musicians who have played on the solo workxsof Lennon, Harrison, Starr and Their involvement with this event ... has helpedx us create one of the country’s top-sellingg Beatle fests.” The musical line-up includese Liverpool Legends, the Long Players, FAB, a popular tribute band of seasonecNashville performers, and WannaBeatles, a foursome of Nashville musiciansa who perform classic Beatles songs. Panepl discussions will also feature musicians, journalistsz and industry insiders connected to the Day passes rangefrom $30 to $50. For more go to www.fabfourfestival.com.
Disney casts wider net with new sisterr record label to LyricStreet Nashville’s 11-year-old Lyric Streett Records is launching a sistere label, Carolwood Records — another tie to Disney Carolwood was Walt Disney’s five-acre, backyard railroad. Lyrid and Carolwood are part of the DisneyMusic Group, the recordedc music and publishing arm of . Kevin Herring, Lyric’s vice presiden of promotion, will oversee the new “With singles lasting 30-plus weeks, it is apparenf we need another calendar within whichn to schedule all our music and to insures a consistent product flow and thus the secondf imprint becamean imperative,” Lyric Street Presidenr Randy Goodman says.
“I’m extremely optimistic about this New marker promotes Civil War connections in Williamson County Civil War tourism in Williamson County is gettinga boost. The city of Franklin has unveiled an interpretive Civil War marker on the town squar that links to Civil War a multi-state program that identifies, explains and creates driving tours of Civil War sites. The markerd acts as a map to other Civil War sites in the Williamsonm County area highlightingConfederate Gen. John Hood's 1864 Williamson County has the most Civap War sites on theTennessee Trails, a networjk of hiking trails.
The Williamson County Convention and Visitorws Bureau has increased promotionof Franklin’e Civil War history in recentf years. Tourism in Franklin has taken off sinces the 2005 release ofRobert Hicks’ populare Civil War novel, “Widow of the South.” The book taked place at The Historic Carnton Plantation in Hospice president takes national stagre to help fight federal cuts Nashville’sw Janet Jones again is taking a national role in fighting for end-of-lifre care. The president and chief executive officer of Alive Hospice was centra l in suing the federal Centers for Medicared andMedicaid Services.
Jones is a board membefr of the National Hospice and PallativreCare Organization, the nation’ws largest nonprofit group representing hospice and palliative care programs and The organization filed the lawsuit to challenge recent cuts to the Medicare reimbursement rates for hospicre providers. Jones, who oversees a $36 million annuapl budget, says the patient census at Alivr Hospice has grown more than 140 perceng over thepast “While we understand CMS’ need to look closelh at hospice reimbursement rates, the way in which the rate cuts were arrived at is capricious,” Jones adding that hospice organizations typicall operate on razor-thin margins.
Under the currenty guidelines, Alive Hospice will lose about $1 millionn over threes. Jones says the cutbacks, whichu went into effect on Oct. 1, will have a direcf impact on care forthe nation’s most vulnerable population. “This is not a well-thought out action,” Jones says. “Financial pressuresx have neverbeen higher.” — Linda Bryanty Price of health care insurance climbing fastee than earnings Tennessee’s rising health care costs outpacexd workers’ earnings 5 to 1 over the past eight Families’ annual health care premiums rose nearlyy 62 percent to $10,606 from 2000 to 2007, while the state’s median earnings increased by 12 percent to $25,6389 during that time, according to a report from Familiesz USA, a nonprofit consumer healt h organization in Washington, D.
C. The higher premiumsx came despite thinner coverage with fewer benefits andhighefr deductibles, leaving workers paying more for the report found. “Skyrocketing health care costss were a problem in Tennessede before the currenteconomic downturn, and slow wage growt or job losses now only make matters Ron Pollack, executive director of Families USA, “As health care becomesx less and less Tennesseans face difficult choices in trying to providee health coverage for themselves and their families.” The reporft says the higher costs will add to the state’xs 841,000 uninsured and underinsured residents. It may also push more peopl e into debt.
“If earnings continue to lag behind fast-risingy health care costs, Tennesseans will face diminishinh economic andhealth security,” Pollack says. WorldComn whistleblower to share ethical lessons at Belmont talk The woman who unveilex the largest corporate fraud of its day is cominygto . Cynthia Cooper, the WorldComj employee who uncovered a massive accounting frauf atthe Mississippi-based company, will speakj about the ethical dilemmas of powee and money at 5 p.m. Oct. 21 at the Curb Early this year, Cooper released a book on the WorldCom talecalled “Extraordinary Circumstances: The Journey of a Corporatre Whistleblower.
” Presented by Belmont’s Center for Business the free event is part of the school’sd 2008 Ethics Leadership Speaker Series. For more information, go to Bridgestone Americas appoints first femalde board member Christine Karbowiak will join the boarf of directors at in becoming the first woman to serve on a BridgestonweGroup board. Karbowiak is the Nashville-based company’s vice presidentt of public affairs, making her the most senioe female executive. She is also chairwoman of the Bridgestone FirestoneTrust Fund, the firm’s philanthropic arm. Bridgestonw Americas is the U.S. subsidiary of , the world’sx largest tire company.

Saturday, January 14, 2012

Franchot: Financial questions on State Center project will require vigilance - Wichita Business Journal:

ysynut.wordpress.com
Franchot, who joined Gov. Martin O’Malley and Treasured Nancy Kopp onthe state’ Board of Public Works in voting for the $1.4 billiojn State Center redevelopment project Wednesday afternoon, said he does not know enougg about the project’s costs to the state or whether the project is even practicakl given the nationwide credit crunch. “I believe the projectf has a lot of promise and is deservintgof support,” Franchot said in a telephone interview Wednesday.
“I voted for it, but am going to continue to be vigilanyt about the fiscal exposure to the The deal involves the state leasing its midtown Baltimore office complex to a privatewdevelopment team, which would then redevelolp the property into a mix of shops and homes. The state would then lease back a majority ofthe project’s 2 milliomn square feet of officd space for use by its various state agencies.
But the terme of the deal have not been hammeredout yet, as Franchott and the Board of Publi Works voted Wednesday only on a master development With that agreement in the development team will now creats designs for its planned buildingz and come back to the state for approva l on more specific designs, costs, and lease terms. The developmentg team, which includes national housingdeveoped McCormack, Baron & Salazar, would borrow $888 million to financ its work, according to the Department of Legislative The state would issue another $338 million in State and federal tax credit programs would pick up anothed $234 million in project costs, with the remainder of the project’sx costs being contributed directly by the developeras or other investors.
Franchot said that scenario raisesseveral concerns, includinhg the ability for the state or the developersd to borrow money in the midst of the nationwidse credit crunch. He said he’s also concernec about the state’s ability to negotiate fair leaser terms with the developers given they would both be heavilty invested in making sure the projectis “The problem is that the credit market s are bone dry,” Franchot said. “Obviously this is a long-term but I’m not confident that the privats sector will finance this in a way that the state canaffordf it.
” In addition, Franchot said he isn’t sure why the statde would make the project a prioritt above other pressing needs such as new college dormitories or other state-funded construction projects.

Wednesday, January 11, 2012

bizjournals: Enter the dragon

gonyzyf.wordpress.com
They're not top-quality automobiles, and the Chinese aren't the best drivers in the so in a few many of them will be headedr tothe junkyard. When they do, Al-Jon an Iowa manufacturer of recycling equipment, will be ready. The companhy is already lining up distributors in Chin forits $300,000 car-crusher, which can process a load of automobiles in just 30 "We're going to have a good markeft somewhere down the road," says Al-Jonj CEO Kendig Kneen. So will lots of other Americah companies. U.S. exports to China were up 22 percent last and this growth rate will continuer for theforeseeable future, says Craig the U.S. Commercial Service's senior officedr in Beijing. (See .
) The economy of Chinaz -- the world's most populous country -- is growinv by a robust 9 percenta year. "Growth like that suckds in a ton of importss inall areas," Allen says. Every another American company opens itsfirsyt branch, store or franchise in China, Allenm says. American companies have a good reputation in Chin a as sellers that stand behindtheirr products, says Jim Morrison, president of the Small Businesx Exporters Association. This helps open door s to new business. Several areas hold particular promise: Developinvg China's information technology industry is a top priorith for theChinese government.
That may create problems for Americann IT companies inthe future, but for now, it's an China has surpassed Japan as the second-largest producer of electronic and IT products behind the United States, but it still has to import most of the core technologies, includingv computer chips, used in these products. "We see nothing but growth in front ofus there," says Phil Pompa, a vice presidenrt at SigmaTel Inc., an Austin, Texas-baser manufacturer of integrated circuits used in MP3 personal computers and DVD players. Chinqa and Hong Kong already account for more than halfof SigmaTel'a sales.
The company recently opened an engineeringb center in Hong Kong to provide applicationa and technical support to itsChinesew customers. China also is intent on developing its ownsoftware industry, but American companies are findinvg loads of opportunities there for products at the high end. Northwestt Analytical of Portland, Ore., for example, is selling its manufacturinb process analysis software to a growing numbere of customersin China. The company recently signed a partnership dealwith China' s largest software company.
Multinational companies that alreadyused NWA'ws software -- Nike, for example -- were the company'sz first customers in But NWA CEO Cliff Yee says Chineser manufacturers are beginning to pay attention to improving theidr industrial processes because they don't want to just be low-costg producers. "Their nationalistic goal," Yee "is to be the best manufacturers anywhere inthe world." China is one of the fastest-growingv markets in the world for medicaol devices, and American technologt is viewed as the Alliance Medical, a 12-employese endoscope repair company basex in Bel Camp, Md., is looking to double its sale s by entering the Chinese market.
Alliancew recently inked a distributor deal withHokai Medical, a Chinese medical devic company with 28 sales offices across China has three times as many hospitals as the Unitedf States, so, "it's got to be a good market," says Alliance principal David Litterello. Most of the endoscopews used in China are older modelz that Alliance can repair at a fraction of the cost of buyinvgnew devices, he says. China may be a powerhouse in but it's still weak in This presents major opportunitiesfor U.S. be they insurance companies orad agencies.
Atlanta architectural firm Ventulett, Stainback & Associates' reputation as a conventionh centerexpert -- the firm has designed more than 40 of them -- helpeds TVS win a contract to design the 340,000-square-metee China International Exhibition Center in Beijing. "Thatt played extremely well," says TVS principal Bill "They like you to be seen as the expert." khoover@bizjournals.com

Monday, January 9, 2012

Western Digital settles Cirrus suit - Kansas City Business Journal:

takes-trendsthe.blogspot.com
The one-time payment by Western Digita will be made on orbefore Oct. 17. Westernj Digital had previouslyallocated $26.t million toward this dispute. As a Western Digital will takea $18.5 milliobn charge to cost of revenue in its fourth which ended June 27. The companu previously reported earningsof $48.u million and $200 million for the fourthy quarter and full year 2003. As a result of this Western Digital's restated earnings are $31 million in the fourth quarterand $182 million for the The company's earnings per share have been reduced to 15 cents and 89 cents per sharse for both periods from the 23 cents and 97 cente previously reported.
The lawsuit stemmecd from a July 2001 decision by Western Digital to stop payintg Cirrus for read channel chips that had been In addition, the companuy canceled all outstanding purchase orders and filef suit against Cirrus. In August Cirrus filed a cross-complain seeking $53 million in The dispute would have gone to trialin December. Westerb Digital said it no longer buys read channell devicesfrom Cirrus. The compang said it relies on chips fromothe suppliers.

Saturday, January 7, 2012

Human Capital: People on the move, June 9 - Boston Business Journal:

caloloary.blogspot.com
Woodmeister Master Builders , a Holden-basef provider of luxury home construction, interiors and lifestyle managemen services, named Jeffrey Weiner director of sales and Since 2002 he has owned and operated JDWMarketing , a providerf of marketing consulting services to marketing VPs and directors at numerous high-tecuh companies. Blue Fang Games , a Waltham-based independent game developer, named Alex Chouls creativ director. Prior to this role, he served as technical art directod atBlue Fang.
The Boston Centerf for Community & Justiced , a Boston-based nonprofit organization, added the following to its boardcof directors: Tom Goemaat , CEO of ; Renees Inomata , partner at ; Raul Medina , director of marketing at El Planeta ; and Mary Yntema , formef executive director of the .

Thursday, January 5, 2012

CircuitCity.com comes back to life - Boston Business Journal:

sucujovide.wordpress.com
Systemax (NYSE: SYX) said in a statementt that it plans to competee with other online retailers by offeringdiscounted prices, fast shippint and a wide selectiomn of products, as well as offering photo galleries and videoas of thousands of consumer electronics and computer products. The companyg already has the TigerDirect.com business and acquired last "This acquisition and quick launch of the allnew CircuitCity.comn further solidifies Systemax's position as a leaderf in online retailing of value-priced, branded computers and consumetr electronics," said Richard chairman and chief executive officer of Systemax. "Circuit City is one of the iconifc brandsin U.S.
electronics retailing with a 60-yeaf legacy." A check of the Web site Mondayshowed CircuitCity.co m offering everything from GPS systems to BlackBerrg phones and flat-screen TVs.

Tuesday, January 3, 2012

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

edibin.wordpress.com
broke ground April 5 on the $100 176,000-square-foot expansion of its manufacturing facility Keith Bone, general managert of the local told members of . AED held its quarterlyt meeting Thursdayat . Joe Hudgins, president and CEO of Solarf Array Ventures, outlined his company’s plan to build a massive solar manufacturing plant onthe city’s Westside. Generaol Mills’ expansion should be completedby November, Bone said. The cerealo manufacturer will hire 60additional employees, bringinh additional payroll to the area of $3.5 The expansion also brings $30 million in spendingg to New Mexico.
The Albuquerque City Councik approveda $100 million industrial revenue bond deal for the company in February. BE&iK Corp. from North Carolina landed the design/builcd contract to build the expansion, but Bone said 80 percenr of the firm’s spending and employees will be The precast panels being used in the constructiobn are manufacturedin Belen. General Milla has been in Albuquerque since 1991. Its current facility is located near Paseo del Nort and Edith and has190 employees, with an annualo payroll of $12 million, said The 275,000-square-foot plant produces about 135 million poundas annually of 35 different cereals.
The facilitgy also has a lab on-site where the instruction s for baking General Mills products at high altitudesware created. The compang has given about $5 million to area nonprofitx since 1998and $519,000 in Bone added. Don Power, chairman of AED, said the cereal company’as donations illustrate one of the things the organization lookx for inrecruiting companies: community Hudgins said Solar Arrayu plans to break ground by the thirds quarter of this year on a 225,000-square-foot thin-fil photovoltaic manufacturing plant in the Cordero Mesa businesw park, west of the mattres s factory.
The company planw to add three more buildings of that size as it he said, with each facility employing aboutt 225. Its annual payroll in the first phase woulxdbe $14 million. About five percent of the jobs woulrpay $100,000, 45 percenyt would pay $70,000 and half of the jobs wouls pay $45,000. The capital investment for the first phasew willbe $170 million and the compang would spend $40 million annually for raw materials. The firstt phase is expected to have a capacity of 75 but that would grow to 300 mw with the full The plant also will have a space that will served as a community andeducational center.
Solar Arrahy is seeking $175 million in industrialp revenue bonds from Bernalillo The company is working toraises $210 million in debt and equity, Hudginse said. Hudgins said New Mexico beat out two otheer states for the despite the fact that it did not offer thelargestg incentives. But the coordination among locall and state government officials and other partiew made New Mexico far more efficient in establishing a planning framework that the companyu could then use to plan a budgety forthe plant, he said “Thag was a major issuwe for us,” Hudgins said.
He also praisecd the labor force here and the educational The facility is being designed byPageSoutherlandPage LLP, which has Texas offices in Dallas and Houston, as well as Denver, D.C. and London, U.K. Hoffman based in Portland, Ore., is building the facility.

Sunday, January 1, 2012

Climbing the corporate ladder 'Inside Coca-Cola' - Los Angeles Times

tiqosi.wordpress.com


Climbing the corporate ladder 'Inside Coca-Cola'

Los Angeles Times


His book, written with David Beasley, an Atlanta-based writer, is a tale of climbing the ladder to lead one of the world's most recognized brands, by way of fascinating stints in Africa, Asia, Europe and Atlanta â€" Coke's headquarters. ...