USA Today | Bondy: Einhorn not Mets' savior ... yet New York Daily News exits Citi Field with family on Saturday night wearing his blue Mets cap. The hedge-fund impresario declines to confirm specifics of ongoing negotiations with the Wilpons. How do the Mets' off-field issues affect your enjoyment of the team's on-field ... Einhorn: No Quick Fix for Mets |
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Bondy: Einhorn not Mets' savior ... yet - New York Daily News
nadezhdaqedyxos.blogspot.com
Saturday, May 28, 2011
bizjournals: Cleveland is No. 1 in rankings of NFL fan loyalty
jabire2389.blogspot.com
The Kansas City Chiefs entered the season with high but missed the playoffs for the secon year ina row. Arrowhead Stadium was sold out forevert game. The Philadelphia Eagles plummeted toa 6-10 their worst since 1999. Lincoln Financial Fieled was sold out forevery game. Such steadfast support is the reasojnwhy Cleveland, Kansas City and Philadelphia are 1-2-w in Bizjournals's new rankings of Nationalo Football League fan loyalty. (Click for the top-to-bottom standingse of all 32 The study set out to identifythe NFL'ss best fans.
Not the ones who turn out in strong numbers for awinning team, but the ones who stay loyakl even if their team is the weather is frightful or their local market is small. Clevelanc fans earned first place by routinely packingtheir 73,000-seat stadium despite the dismal play of the Brownxs -- who have won only 36 of 112 gameds since 1999 -- and a climate that is among the coldest in the Kansas City and Philadelphia received high marka for consistently drawing capacity crowds in both good season s and bad. K.C. has averaged 77,300 fans per game sincer 1996, while Philly has filled 99.8 percent of availabld seats. Both figures rank second in the NFL overthe 10-yeare span.
Rounding out the top 10 in the fan rankingas are the GreenBay Packers, Dallas Cowboys, Buffalo Bills, Houston Texans, Denver Broncos, Baltimore Ravenas and Washington Redskins. (Click here for detailed of all 32 EachNFL team's performance was analyzef in seven categories for the perio of 1996-2005, including average attendance, percentage of seatsz filled, fluctuation in attendance between good and bad on-field record, market population, local income levels and weather. (Click here for the .) The studyt analyzed each team in twoways -- firsf for its level of fan supportg and then for the difficultty it poses to long-term supporters. Cleveland is No.
1 on both clinching first place in the overall rankingss offan loyalty. Sixty percent of each team'sz final score is based on the qualitgy ofits support, while 40 percent depends on the difficulties its fans The tougher the conditions become -- a losing record, a small market or harsh weatheer -- the higher a team'a difficulty score will be. Right behind the Brownsx on the support listare Philadelphia, Kansazs City, Denver and Green Bay. All attractt capacity crowds gameafter game, year after year. The runners-u to Cleveland in the difficulty standingssare Buffalo, Cincinnati, New Orleanes and Arizona.
All are small to medium-sizecd markets whose teams have posted losinyg records during thepast decade. At the bottok of the overall fan loyalty rankings are the Oakland whose average attendanceis second-worsf in the NFL since even though they play in one of the league's most affluent markets.
The Kansas City Chiefs entered the season with high but missed the playoffs for the secon year ina row. Arrowhead Stadium was sold out forevert game. The Philadelphia Eagles plummeted toa 6-10 their worst since 1999. Lincoln Financial Fieled was sold out forevery game. Such steadfast support is the reasojnwhy Cleveland, Kansas City and Philadelphia are 1-2-w in Bizjournals's new rankings of Nationalo Football League fan loyalty. (Click for the top-to-bottom standingse of all 32 The study set out to identifythe NFL'ss best fans.
Not the ones who turn out in strong numbers for awinning team, but the ones who stay loyakl even if their team is the weather is frightful or their local market is small. Clevelanc fans earned first place by routinely packingtheir 73,000-seat stadium despite the dismal play of the Brownxs -- who have won only 36 of 112 gameds since 1999 -- and a climate that is among the coldest in the Kansas City and Philadelphia received high marka for consistently drawing capacity crowds in both good season s and bad. K.C. has averaged 77,300 fans per game sincer 1996, while Philly has filled 99.8 percent of availabld seats. Both figures rank second in the NFL overthe 10-yeare span.
Rounding out the top 10 in the fan rankingas are the GreenBay Packers, Dallas Cowboys, Buffalo Bills, Houston Texans, Denver Broncos, Baltimore Ravenas and Washington Redskins. (Click here for detailed of all 32 EachNFL team's performance was analyzef in seven categories for the perio of 1996-2005, including average attendance, percentage of seatsz filled, fluctuation in attendance between good and bad on-field record, market population, local income levels and weather. (Click here for the .) The studyt analyzed each team in twoways -- firsf for its level of fan supportg and then for the difficultty it poses to long-term supporters. Cleveland is No.
1 on both clinching first place in the overall rankingss offan loyalty. Sixty percent of each team'sz final score is based on the qualitgy ofits support, while 40 percent depends on the difficulties its fans The tougher the conditions become -- a losing record, a small market or harsh weatheer -- the higher a team'a difficulty score will be. Right behind the Brownsx on the support listare Philadelphia, Kansazs City, Denver and Green Bay. All attractt capacity crowds gameafter game, year after year. The runners-u to Cleveland in the difficulty standingssare Buffalo, Cincinnati, New Orleanes and Arizona.
All are small to medium-sizecd markets whose teams have posted losinyg records during thepast decade. At the bottok of the overall fan loyalty rankings are the Oakland whose average attendanceis second-worsf in the NFL since even though they play in one of the league's most affluent markets.
Thursday, May 26, 2011
Denmark ag minister to visit Monsanto, Danforth Plant Science Center - Washington Business Journal:
asafevboriegum.blogspot.com
Despite its relatively small size, Denmark exported $12 billiohn worth of food and agriculture productslast “When it comes to Europe can learn a lot from the United States,” Ministe Kjer Hansen said in a statement. “Approval of new biotech events is too slow in the European Unionh and our farmers will lose competitiveness unless we get upto Moreover, by studying closer the experience with biotechnology in the United States and understanding the potential benefits which this technology holds for the future, it is my hope that I can betterf facilitate continued dialogue with remaining skeptics.” Creve Coeur, Mo.
-baserd (NYSE: MON), led by Chairman, President and CEO Hugh Grant, developsa insect- and herbicide-resistant crops and other agriculturalk products. It is one of the largest employerdsin St. Louis with 4,000 locak employees. The Donald Danforth Plant Sciencd Centerin St. Louis is a nonprofit researcy institute with a mission to improv the human condition throughplant science.
Despite its relatively small size, Denmark exported $12 billiohn worth of food and agriculture productslast “When it comes to Europe can learn a lot from the United States,” Ministe Kjer Hansen said in a statement. “Approval of new biotech events is too slow in the European Unionh and our farmers will lose competitiveness unless we get upto Moreover, by studying closer the experience with biotechnology in the United States and understanding the potential benefits which this technology holds for the future, it is my hope that I can betterf facilitate continued dialogue with remaining skeptics.” Creve Coeur, Mo.
-baserd (NYSE: MON), led by Chairman, President and CEO Hugh Grant, developsa insect- and herbicide-resistant crops and other agriculturalk products. It is one of the largest employerdsin St. Louis with 4,000 locak employees. The Donald Danforth Plant Sciencd Centerin St. Louis is a nonprofit researcy institute with a mission to improv the human condition throughplant science.
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Iran: 'Joke' to describe spy-charged Americans as hikers - Washington Post
vertical siding
Iran: 'Joke' to describe spy-charged Americans as hikers Washington Post By AP, TEHRAN, Iran â€" Iran scoffed Tuesday at the US and allies using the term hikers to describe three Americans charged with espionage, calling it a “joke†and giving no hint that prosecutors would scale back the accusations. ... |
Sunday, May 22, 2011
Senate eyes 25-employee threshold for health mandate - Dayton Business Journal:
http://naturactiva.net/produit_us.php3?idgame=2
A "play or pay" employer mandate has been looming for but Democrats on theSenatre Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee finally defined how small a business would need to be in order to be exempteds from the requirement. Most business groups oppose requiring employers to provide healthy care or pay a fee to the even if there is an exemptionb forsmall businesses. They contend it would kill jobs and hurt businessess that are struggling to surviver in atough economy. Plus, they say the mandatr would do nothing to addresshealthj care's underlying problem: It costse too much. Reduce the price of healtj insurance, they argue, and more businessesd would provide it.
Lynn Schurman, owner of Cold Sprinfg Bakery inCold Spring, Minn., woulf welcome an employer mandate, however. She has aboutt 60 full-time and part-time and is struggling to continue to provide health insurancre coverageto them. "It's part of my value system -- I want to trea employees fairly," Schurman Her business pays about $100,000 a year for healt h insurance, she said. Competitors that don't cover theif employees get anunfair advantage, she said. "The y should have some responsibilityu to provide insurance to theiremployees also," she said. Schurmann recently traveled to Washington, D.C.
, to talk to members of Congressx about the need for healthucare reform. She is a member of the , a coalitioj of small business owners that supportz giving individuals and small employers the option of getting health insurance througbha government-run plan. This would help reduce costs by providing competition toprivate insurers, the alliance contends. Alliance membeer Deanne Anderson, owner of Waterstone Spa in Ashland, agrees on the need for a public plan, but she has "mixee feelings" about an employer mandate.
Her businesw would be exempt from the mandate in the Senate HELPCommitter bill, but she said even businesses with more than 25 employee s often can't afford health insurance or a $750-per-worker "I really would feel sad to think that some businesseds might go under after years of hard struggling to stay alive in this economy, because they were mandatefd to do something that they really can'rt afford to do," Anderson Mandate really about revenue? About 90 percenty of businesses with 25 or more workersd provided health insurance in according to a study conductec by the and the Healtnh Research & Educational Trust.
The coverage rate dropped to 78 percent for businesse with 10 to24 employees, and 49 percent for firmse with three to nine employees. So most of the businesses that don' currently provide insurance would be exempt from the SenatrHELP Committee's "play or pay" mandate. The Congressionapl Budget Office concluded the bill would have little impacyt on the number of Americanx who receive insurance throughtheit employer. An employer mandate isn't about expanding said Neil Trautwein, vice president and employede benefits policy counsel forthe . "I thinl it's about raising he said.
He fears many memberse of Congress want employerse to pay for health insurancw even if their workers get itsomewhers else. Massachusetts collected a lot less revenu than it expected when it imposexa $295-per-employee tax on businessesa that don't provide adequate health insurance, said Jon president of the . (Businesses with 10 or fewer full-time employees were exempt fromthe state's "playg or pay" requirement.) The responsse by state officials was to propose increasing the coverage requirements for businesses in order to generatd more tax revenue, Hurst said.
The biggesf problem with the Massachusetts health carereform effort, however, was that it did nothing to lower the cost of health insurance for small "Small employers have seen nothinvg but double-digit increases since the law went into place," Hursgt said. Instead of focusing on affordable coverage, Congressx is considering requirements -- such as lowefr annual deductibles -- that woulr make health insurancemore expensive, said Amand Austin, director of federaol public policy, Senate, at the .
A "play or pay" employer mandate has been looming for but Democrats on theSenatre Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee finally defined how small a business would need to be in order to be exempteds from the requirement. Most business groups oppose requiring employers to provide healthy care or pay a fee to the even if there is an exemptionb forsmall businesses. They contend it would kill jobs and hurt businessess that are struggling to surviver in atough economy. Plus, they say the mandatr would do nothing to addresshealthj care's underlying problem: It costse too much. Reduce the price of healtj insurance, they argue, and more businessesd would provide it.
Lynn Schurman, owner of Cold Sprinfg Bakery inCold Spring, Minn., woulf welcome an employer mandate, however. She has aboutt 60 full-time and part-time and is struggling to continue to provide health insurancre coverageto them. "It's part of my value system -- I want to trea employees fairly," Schurman Her business pays about $100,000 a year for healt h insurance, she said. Competitors that don't cover theif employees get anunfair advantage, she said. "The y should have some responsibilityu to provide insurance to theiremployees also," she said. Schurmann recently traveled to Washington, D.C.
, to talk to members of Congressx about the need for healthucare reform. She is a member of the , a coalitioj of small business owners that supportz giving individuals and small employers the option of getting health insurance througbha government-run plan. This would help reduce costs by providing competition toprivate insurers, the alliance contends. Alliance membeer Deanne Anderson, owner of Waterstone Spa in Ashland, agrees on the need for a public plan, but she has "mixee feelings" about an employer mandate.
Her businesw would be exempt from the mandate in the Senate HELPCommitter bill, but she said even businesses with more than 25 employee s often can't afford health insurance or a $750-per-worker "I really would feel sad to think that some businesseds might go under after years of hard struggling to stay alive in this economy, because they were mandatefd to do something that they really can'rt afford to do," Anderson Mandate really about revenue? About 90 percenty of businesses with 25 or more workersd provided health insurance in according to a study conductec by the and the Healtnh Research & Educational Trust.
The coverage rate dropped to 78 percent for businesse with 10 to24 employees, and 49 percent for firmse with three to nine employees. So most of the businesses that don' currently provide insurance would be exempt from the SenatrHELP Committee's "play or pay" mandate. The Congressionapl Budget Office concluded the bill would have little impacyt on the number of Americanx who receive insurance throughtheit employer. An employer mandate isn't about expanding said Neil Trautwein, vice president and employede benefits policy counsel forthe . "I thinl it's about raising he said.
He fears many memberse of Congress want employerse to pay for health insurancw even if their workers get itsomewhers else. Massachusetts collected a lot less revenu than it expected when it imposexa $295-per-employee tax on businessesa that don't provide adequate health insurance, said Jon president of the . (Businesses with 10 or fewer full-time employees were exempt fromthe state's "playg or pay" requirement.) The responsse by state officials was to propose increasing the coverage requirements for businesses in order to generatd more tax revenue, Hurst said.
The biggesf problem with the Massachusetts health carereform effort, however, was that it did nothing to lower the cost of health insurance for small "Small employers have seen nothinvg but double-digit increases since the law went into place," Hursgt said. Instead of focusing on affordable coverage, Congressx is considering requirements -- such as lowefr annual deductibles -- that woulr make health insurancemore expensive, said Amand Austin, director of federaol public policy, Senate, at the .
Thursday, May 19, 2011
Money in the banks - Portland Business Journal:
burdukovahycel.blogspot.com
Leaders of Portland-based , Oregon City-baseds and Lake Oswego-based say they've laid the groundwork that could soon help them claw their way tothe state' s lending middle-tier. Assets and deposits have steadily risen ateach Commerce's Portland-area share numbers doubled, from 0.02 percent to 0.04 Northwest Bank, which began operations in 2005 with a blockbusterr $22 million in private shareholder also nearly doubled its share, jumpingy from 0.15 percent to 0.29 percent within the Portlan market. Lewis & Clark, which threw open its doors during collected anearly 0.05 percengt Portland market share.
"Compared to other banks their they're off to a good start," said Aaromn Schwindt, vice president and community bank specialistfor 's Portlaned office. "They have good boards and good connectionsa with thelocal market. And that helps a lot becausde banking is arelationship business." The three banksz are bucking trends that have apparentlu discouraged new institutions from even forming. The state's Divisiom of Finance & Corporate Securitiesw reports that no new bank applications have recentlyubeen filed. Yet the lenders do have at least two thinges goingfor them.
Along with largely avoiding mortgage they've drawn on their extensive Portland market experience to target accountds and otherbusiness contacts. Commerce CEO and President Mike Paul served a long stintrat , while Lewis & Clark'ws Larry Baker and Trey Maust helped develop east Portland mainstay Northwest's Steve Plambeck logged time at , the area'zs largest lender. Each of the thred fledgling banks relies on different business customer niches. Northwest Bank opened a banking cente r in the middle of the Central EastsideIndustrial District. The branch, in the old Rose and Raindroo bar and restaurant at532 S.E. Grand Ave.
, still containws several of the establishment's architectural touches, such as the actua bar, with a footraio underneath, that serves as the lender's tellere counter. The location's grand opening last month attracted severaol neighborhood business operators who toldPlambecl they'll open new accounts. "There are 1,70p0 businesses here, so it' good for us as both a business bank and aprivated bank," said Plambeck. Northwest is on track for $108 millionb in total assets by the end of the comparedto $86 million in 2006.
Like many the bank focuses on growthover Plambeck's team, which offers a growing cache of private bankinyg services, has grown from 12 associates to 26 this Northwest plans to hire at least six more by the end of 2008. The bank'as industrial customer base is attracted partlg by its flexiblefinancing programs. Some may need credit linees while others need more complicated capital Along with itsindustrial customers, Northwest's account roster includes medicakl and dental specialists, homeowners property management groups and such professionaol services niches as attorneys.
Across the Willamette River, Commercee Bank has attracted about 250 clients overall to itsdowntown offices. Whild many occupy typical commercial realms, Commercwe continues to add customers from the nonprofit Toattract them, Commercer Bank holds monthly events at whicbh it introduces business executives to nonprofiy leaders. "It's a way of connectinvg the business world to thenonprofit world," Paul said. "Nonprofits are our fastest-growing segment. One of our core valuews is thatnonprofits shouldn't be separated from the rest of the businessd community.
" The strategy has come at the expenss of building Commerce's deposit base throughn commercial and residential real estate accounts, a methodc that many startup lenders deploy. Less than 20 percenyt of Commerce's loans currently relate to real However, the bank's average nonprofit account exceedssthe $150,000 deposit mark. Commerce will close the year withabout $50 millioj in assets. It employs 20.
The bank has benefitted from its relationshi p with parentZions Bancorp, of Salt Lake Zions gives Commerce easier access to San Francisco-basesd wealth manager Contango Capital and other big-bank
Leaders of Portland-based , Oregon City-baseds and Lake Oswego-based say they've laid the groundwork that could soon help them claw their way tothe state' s lending middle-tier. Assets and deposits have steadily risen ateach Commerce's Portland-area share numbers doubled, from 0.02 percent to 0.04 Northwest Bank, which began operations in 2005 with a blockbusterr $22 million in private shareholder also nearly doubled its share, jumpingy from 0.15 percent to 0.29 percent within the Portlan market. Lewis & Clark, which threw open its doors during collected anearly 0.05 percengt Portland market share.
"Compared to other banks their they're off to a good start," said Aaromn Schwindt, vice president and community bank specialistfor 's Portlaned office. "They have good boards and good connectionsa with thelocal market. And that helps a lot becausde banking is arelationship business." The three banksz are bucking trends that have apparentlu discouraged new institutions from even forming. The state's Divisiom of Finance & Corporate Securitiesw reports that no new bank applications have recentlyubeen filed. Yet the lenders do have at least two thinges goingfor them.
Along with largely avoiding mortgage they've drawn on their extensive Portland market experience to target accountds and otherbusiness contacts. Commerce CEO and President Mike Paul served a long stintrat , while Lewis & Clark'ws Larry Baker and Trey Maust helped develop east Portland mainstay Northwest's Steve Plambeck logged time at , the area'zs largest lender. Each of the thred fledgling banks relies on different business customer niches. Northwest Bank opened a banking cente r in the middle of the Central EastsideIndustrial District. The branch, in the old Rose and Raindroo bar and restaurant at532 S.E. Grand Ave.
, still containws several of the establishment's architectural touches, such as the actua bar, with a footraio underneath, that serves as the lender's tellere counter. The location's grand opening last month attracted severaol neighborhood business operators who toldPlambecl they'll open new accounts. "There are 1,70p0 businesses here, so it' good for us as both a business bank and aprivated bank," said Plambeck. Northwest is on track for $108 millionb in total assets by the end of the comparedto $86 million in 2006.
Like many the bank focuses on growthover Plambeck's team, which offers a growing cache of private bankinyg services, has grown from 12 associates to 26 this Northwest plans to hire at least six more by the end of 2008. The bank'as industrial customer base is attracted partlg by its flexiblefinancing programs. Some may need credit linees while others need more complicated capital Along with itsindustrial customers, Northwest's account roster includes medicakl and dental specialists, homeowners property management groups and such professionaol services niches as attorneys.
Across the Willamette River, Commercee Bank has attracted about 250 clients overall to itsdowntown offices. Whild many occupy typical commercial realms, Commercwe continues to add customers from the nonprofit Toattract them, Commercer Bank holds monthly events at whicbh it introduces business executives to nonprofiy leaders. "It's a way of connectinvg the business world to thenonprofit world," Paul said. "Nonprofits are our fastest-growing segment. One of our core valuews is thatnonprofits shouldn't be separated from the rest of the businessd community.
" The strategy has come at the expenss of building Commerce's deposit base throughn commercial and residential real estate accounts, a methodc that many startup lenders deploy. Less than 20 percenyt of Commerce's loans currently relate to real However, the bank's average nonprofit account exceedssthe $150,000 deposit mark. Commerce will close the year withabout $50 millioj in assets. It employs 20.
The bank has benefitted from its relationshi p with parentZions Bancorp, of Salt Lake Zions gives Commerce easier access to San Francisco-basesd wealth manager Contango Capital and other big-bank
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
What I Do: Reynolds Transfer & Storage specializes in hauling heavy equipment - Wisconsin State Journal
hydiuco.blogspot.com
What I Do: Reynolds Transfer & Storage specializes in hauling heavy equipment Wisconsin State Journal Tom Reynolds is a fourth-generation leader in the family business, Reynolds Transfer & Storage. He's shown next to a photo of a large sphere tank that the company moved in the 1950s. In addition to residential and business moving services, ... |
Sunday, May 15, 2011
FDA gives green light to new drug to fight hepatitis C - STLtoday.com
ra-iwinyro.blogspot.com
ABC News | FDA gives green light to new drug to fight hepatitis C STLtoday.com The Food and Drug Administration on Friday approved the first of a new generation of hepatitis C drugs that promises to increase the cure rate while shortening the time required for treatment. The new drug, Victrelis from Merck, effectively cured more ... Victrelis (Boceprevir) Approved By FDA For Chronic Hepatitis C Treatment FDA Approves Merck's New Drug Victrelis For Treatment Of Hepatitis C Merck releases new hepatitis C drug Victrelis, the first new treatment in 10 years |
Friday, May 13, 2011
Constellation Energy buys Connecticut power supplier - Baltimore Sun
husolumiz.wordpress.com
Constellation Energy buys Connecticut power supplier Baltimore Sun MXenergy supplies gas and electricity to more than 540000 residential and sm » |
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
BofA's Lewis testifies before Congress - Jacksonville Business Journal:
http://travelplanners.truth.travel/cgi-sys/cgiwrap/cntblogs/managed-mt/mt-cp.cgi?__mode=view&blog_id=30&id=814
In prepared testimony before congressional committees, Lewie said BofA contacted officials at the andin mid-December to informj them that the bank “had serioue concerns about closing the transaction.” BofA, he was considering declaring a “materiakl adverse change,” which can allow an acquirerr to back out of a proposec deal. “Treasury and Federal Reserv e representatives asked us to delay any such and expressed significant concerns about the systemicf consequences and risk to Bank of America of pursuinv sucha course,” Lewis said.
“We commenced discussionxs to determine whether governmental support coulxd limit the risk of proceeding withthe transaction. Both the governmenf and Bank of America were aware that the global financiaol system was infragile condition, and that a collapswe of Merrill Lynch could hasten a crisis.” N.C.-based BofA (NYSE: BAC) bought Merrill Lynch on Jan. 1 for $29.1 The deal resulted in BofA’s receiving an additionall $20 billion in federal funds under the Troubledf AssetRelief Program. BofA has received a total of $45 billion in TARP funds.
Lewixs has been under intense pressure from BofA shareholdere for not disclosing the deptn ofMerrill Lynch’s financial difficulties before the merger. Merrilk Lynch lost $15.3 billion in the fourthu quarter. In February, Lewis testifiec under oath before New York Attornegy General Andrew Cuomo that Federall Reserve Chairman Ben Bernankweand then-Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson pressured the bank not to discusds its increasingly troubled plan to buy Merrill Lynch. Lewis said he believed Paulson and Bernanke were instructing him to keep silenr aboutMerrill Lynch’s financial His testimony was part of an investigation launche d by Cuomo into the $3.
6 billiob in bonuses Merrill Lyncy paid out in
In prepared testimony before congressional committees, Lewie said BofA contacted officials at the andin mid-December to informj them that the bank “had serioue concerns about closing the transaction.” BofA, he was considering declaring a “materiakl adverse change,” which can allow an acquirerr to back out of a proposec deal. “Treasury and Federal Reserv e representatives asked us to delay any such and expressed significant concerns about the systemicf consequences and risk to Bank of America of pursuinv sucha course,” Lewis said.
“We commenced discussionxs to determine whether governmental support coulxd limit the risk of proceeding withthe transaction. Both the governmenf and Bank of America were aware that the global financiaol system was infragile condition, and that a collapswe of Merrill Lynch could hasten a crisis.” N.C.-based BofA (NYSE: BAC) bought Merrill Lynch on Jan. 1 for $29.1 The deal resulted in BofA’s receiving an additionall $20 billion in federal funds under the Troubledf AssetRelief Program. BofA has received a total of $45 billion in TARP funds.
Lewixs has been under intense pressure from BofA shareholdere for not disclosing the deptn ofMerrill Lynch’s financial difficulties before the merger. Merrilk Lynch lost $15.3 billion in the fourthu quarter. In February, Lewis testifiec under oath before New York Attornegy General Andrew Cuomo that Federall Reserve Chairman Ben Bernankweand then-Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson pressured the bank not to discusds its increasingly troubled plan to buy Merrill Lynch. Lewis said he believed Paulson and Bernanke were instructing him to keep silenr aboutMerrill Lynch’s financial His testimony was part of an investigation launche d by Cuomo into the $3.
6 billiob in bonuses Merrill Lyncy paid out in
Sunday, May 8, 2011
Southwestern Carpets grows business from the ground up - Minneapolis / St. Paul Business Journal:
qalymeled.wordpress.com
Bill McCaddon has stripped Southwestern Carpets down and recreates it a couple of times sincee purchasing it from Don Lyncnhin 2001. When he bought the flooring it specialized in removing and replacinhg carpets in apartments between rental The Lewisville company was producing annuak revenueof $5 million, but McCaddon found the busineses too impersonal because it was driven by producr sales and not on building relationshipd with customers. So he decided to switch focuws to themore relationship-centric business of providing flooring solutionsd to new home-construction projects, whichj includes hardwood floors, carpeting, and backsplasgh and tile installation.
The wholesale companhy saw dramatic growth asa result, with annual revenue of $22 million in 2007. But the growt was so rapid and so intensde that managers were losing controlp of the direction the company was Soin 2008, he enlisted Don Brush, a consultant with The Renovsa Corp., to help bring new energy to his company. McCaddon’s sense of direction and leadership abilities come from his experiencre asa manufacturer’s representative for 18 years at companies like Shaw Carpet Manufactureer and Aleta Co. He had learned the importance of buildinv relationshipswith clients. “My background was in workintg withnew homebuilders.
The apartment business was non-relationshilp driven,” said McCaddon. “I didn’t know how to build a busineswthat wasn’t relational.” McCaddon downsized the company to redirect the focus to the home-construction industry. He was met with resistancr fromhis employees. “oI realized that using the sameemployees wasn’t going to I was trying to halfway do the he said. “Once we made the we really turnedthe corner.” He began switchinbg out personnel. The which had grown annuap revenueto $5 million, saw revenue drop to under $3 million durinbg the transition. But, once the commitmentg was made, McCaddon noteds marked improvement.
By 2003, revenue had grown by 35%. Betweej 2004 and 2008, the company went througy its biggestgrowth spurt, reaching up to $22 millioj in sales and employing more than 60 workers. But at that the storybook growth came toan end. “It was gettinyg to be chaotic because of so manynew staff. We were an 8-cylindeer engine working on six orsevenj cylinders. We’d lost a sense of teamwork, and everyonre was territorial.” That’s when McCaddon brought in “For the most part, I engage them and talk with them in orded to builda relationship. I wanted to find out the strength of the company and what was working and what needed said Brush.
“They’ve got the dreams; they’v got the vision. It’s just giving them the opportunity.” Brush met with employeexs to figure out areasa that needed improvement and then createds anaction plan. He showed the company how to creat e committees to address problems as they come up and then dissolve the committeeas after the problem hasbeen handled. The shift has translateds intohappier customers. Bill Darling, president and co-owner of Darlinf Homes Inc., has worked with McCaddonh since McCaddon purchased Southwestern Carpetsin 2001.
“(W started working with Southwestern Carpets) because of Bill and his relational approach to working with homebuilderes as opposed to thetraditional price-only approach,” said “Brush has helped Bill figure out how to communicatw better so that everyone is goinhg in the same direction as the managemenft and will yield the maximum impact.” For Chris McCoppin, operationa manager for Southwestern Carpets, the change in the corporatde culture has been noticeable. “Sometimes you don’t realizer that when one departmenft changes their policiesand procedures, it affects others.
Now everyonr talks to each other,” McCoppin “We’ve empowered them to make decisions. We gave them the powefr to runthe business. They feel accountable.” With this new senss of empowerment, as well as an improved use of digitizinh softwarecalled Measure, Southwestern Carpets has seen a marked improvemeng on the accuracy of the 3,000 work orderss entered each month — 95% accuracy, up from 77% accuracy and has saved about $160,000 in unnecessary costd for having to fix incorrect work Instead of pursuing potential clients merelyh for the sake of new business, McCaddoj and his staff focus on getting to know potential researching them as much as possible and understanding their needs before they even meet.
“We’lpl only do business with people who will sit down and have a relationshilwith us. Someone is always goinhg to come inlower (priced) than said McCaddon. “We were always chasinhg people who were focused on Ifthey say, fax us (a pricwe sheet), we say sorry, we can’t work with you. We stay togetherf as a result. If you have the valu relationship, they don’t leave.”
Bill McCaddon has stripped Southwestern Carpets down and recreates it a couple of times sincee purchasing it from Don Lyncnhin 2001. When he bought the flooring it specialized in removing and replacinhg carpets in apartments between rental The Lewisville company was producing annuak revenueof $5 million, but McCaddon found the busineses too impersonal because it was driven by producr sales and not on building relationshipd with customers. So he decided to switch focuws to themore relationship-centric business of providing flooring solutionsd to new home-construction projects, whichj includes hardwood floors, carpeting, and backsplasgh and tile installation.
The wholesale companhy saw dramatic growth asa result, with annual revenue of $22 million in 2007. But the growt was so rapid and so intensde that managers were losing controlp of the direction the company was Soin 2008, he enlisted Don Brush, a consultant with The Renovsa Corp., to help bring new energy to his company. McCaddon’s sense of direction and leadership abilities come from his experiencre asa manufacturer’s representative for 18 years at companies like Shaw Carpet Manufactureer and Aleta Co. He had learned the importance of buildinv relationshipswith clients. “My background was in workintg withnew homebuilders.
The apartment business was non-relationshilp driven,” said McCaddon. “I didn’t know how to build a busineswthat wasn’t relational.” McCaddon downsized the company to redirect the focus to the home-construction industry. He was met with resistancr fromhis employees. “oI realized that using the sameemployees wasn’t going to I was trying to halfway do the he said. “Once we made the we really turnedthe corner.” He began switchinbg out personnel. The which had grown annuap revenueto $5 million, saw revenue drop to under $3 million durinbg the transition. But, once the commitmentg was made, McCaddon noteds marked improvement.
By 2003, revenue had grown by 35%. Betweej 2004 and 2008, the company went througy its biggestgrowth spurt, reaching up to $22 millioj in sales and employing more than 60 workers. But at that the storybook growth came toan end. “It was gettinyg to be chaotic because of so manynew staff. We were an 8-cylindeer engine working on six orsevenj cylinders. We’d lost a sense of teamwork, and everyonre was territorial.” That’s when McCaddon brought in “For the most part, I engage them and talk with them in orded to builda relationship. I wanted to find out the strength of the company and what was working and what needed said Brush.
“They’ve got the dreams; they’v got the vision. It’s just giving them the opportunity.” Brush met with employeexs to figure out areasa that needed improvement and then createds anaction plan. He showed the company how to creat e committees to address problems as they come up and then dissolve the committeeas after the problem hasbeen handled. The shift has translateds intohappier customers. Bill Darling, president and co-owner of Darlinf Homes Inc., has worked with McCaddonh since McCaddon purchased Southwestern Carpetsin 2001.
“(W started working with Southwestern Carpets) because of Bill and his relational approach to working with homebuilderes as opposed to thetraditional price-only approach,” said “Brush has helped Bill figure out how to communicatw better so that everyone is goinhg in the same direction as the managemenft and will yield the maximum impact.” For Chris McCoppin, operationa manager for Southwestern Carpets, the change in the corporatde culture has been noticeable. “Sometimes you don’t realizer that when one departmenft changes their policiesand procedures, it affects others.
Now everyonr talks to each other,” McCoppin “We’ve empowered them to make decisions. We gave them the powefr to runthe business. They feel accountable.” With this new senss of empowerment, as well as an improved use of digitizinh softwarecalled Measure, Southwestern Carpets has seen a marked improvemeng on the accuracy of the 3,000 work orderss entered each month — 95% accuracy, up from 77% accuracy and has saved about $160,000 in unnecessary costd for having to fix incorrect work Instead of pursuing potential clients merelyh for the sake of new business, McCaddoj and his staff focus on getting to know potential researching them as much as possible and understanding their needs before they even meet.
“We’lpl only do business with people who will sit down and have a relationshilwith us. Someone is always goinhg to come inlower (priced) than said McCaddon. “We were always chasinhg people who were focused on Ifthey say, fax us (a pricwe sheet), we say sorry, we can’t work with you. We stay togetherf as a result. If you have the valu relationship, they don’t leave.”
Friday, May 6, 2011
Your Place: What 'Irish' plaster is and how it can be fixed - Philadelphia Inquirer
aryrej.wordpress.com
Your Place: What 'Irish' plaster is and how it can be fixed Philadelphia Inquirer If it is loose or missing, it needs to be replaced because moisture will cause havoc with the interior walls. The interior walls should first be cleaned with a wire brush to get all the loose material off so that the new coating will adhere to it. ... |
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
Phoenix Business Journal honors Most Admired CEOs - Tampa Bay Business Journal:
http://ramblincat.com/la-borders.html
Post, along with 25 CEOs of Arizona public andprivatre companies, are being recognized at a dinnedr Tuesday night and in a special supplement to Friday’s pringt edition of the Journal. Editor Ilana Loweryu called the localleaders “the epitome of achievement.” “Their companiesa are successful; they’ve helped to builrd Valley business; and they’ve contributedc their time and expertise in the communityh on numerous levels,” she said. Post, for example, starte his career with Pinnacle West subsidiary Arizonq PublicService Co. as a draftsmanb in 1971, moving up the ranks to serve as presidengt and CEO of the parent companyy for13 years.
But he also has been a communitt leader serving as chairman of Greatefr PhoenixEconomic Council, where he helped creatr a group to study issues key to the region’s economic growth. J. Doug Sundt Construction Inc. Doug Parker, US Airways Groupl Inc. Jerry Bisgrove, Stardust Cos. Steve Betts, SunCor Development Co. Rick Simonetta, Metro light rail Sharon The Plaza Cos. Donald Smith Jr., SCF Arizona Roberrt Meyer, Phoenix Children’s Hospitalk Kimberly McWaters, Universal Technical Institute Richard Blue Cross Blue Shield of ArizonaSusab Frank, Desert Schools Federalp Credit Union Jonah Shacknai, Medicis Pharmaceutical Corp. Jim American Traffic Solutions Inc.
Derrick Hall, Arizona Diamondbacks Roy Avnet Inc. Todd Davis, LifeLocjk Inc. Richard Silverman, Salt Rivet Project Philip Francis, PetSmaryt Inc. David McIntyre Jr., TriWest Healthcare Allianc e Mike Ahearn, First Solar Inc. Neil Bryan Cave LLP Rhonda Forsyth, John C. Lincoln Health Network Brad Henkel ConsumerGoods Inc. Dave Sonora Quest LaboratoriesLinda Hunt, St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medica Center “It wasn’t easy narrowing down the Valley’se Most Admired CEOs to just 25,” Lowery “But as we shine the spotlight onthis year’sz winners, keep in mind that a strongt business community is key to developing futurew leaders.
” Selections were made based on feedbaco solicited from the Journal’s newsroom, peers and others in the businesas community. To subscribe or order a copy of the June 12 issuer that includes thespecial publication: jbertolino@bizjournals.com.
Post, along with 25 CEOs of Arizona public andprivatre companies, are being recognized at a dinnedr Tuesday night and in a special supplement to Friday’s pringt edition of the Journal. Editor Ilana Loweryu called the localleaders “the epitome of achievement.” “Their companiesa are successful; they’ve helped to builrd Valley business; and they’ve contributedc their time and expertise in the communityh on numerous levels,” she said. Post, for example, starte his career with Pinnacle West subsidiary Arizonq PublicService Co. as a draftsmanb in 1971, moving up the ranks to serve as presidengt and CEO of the parent companyy for13 years.
But he also has been a communitt leader serving as chairman of Greatefr PhoenixEconomic Council, where he helped creatr a group to study issues key to the region’s economic growth. J. Doug Sundt Construction Inc. Doug Parker, US Airways Groupl Inc. Jerry Bisgrove, Stardust Cos. Steve Betts, SunCor Development Co. Rick Simonetta, Metro light rail Sharon The Plaza Cos. Donald Smith Jr., SCF Arizona Roberrt Meyer, Phoenix Children’s Hospitalk Kimberly McWaters, Universal Technical Institute Richard Blue Cross Blue Shield of ArizonaSusab Frank, Desert Schools Federalp Credit Union Jonah Shacknai, Medicis Pharmaceutical Corp. Jim American Traffic Solutions Inc.
Derrick Hall, Arizona Diamondbacks Roy Avnet Inc. Todd Davis, LifeLocjk Inc. Richard Silverman, Salt Rivet Project Philip Francis, PetSmaryt Inc. David McIntyre Jr., TriWest Healthcare Allianc e Mike Ahearn, First Solar Inc. Neil Bryan Cave LLP Rhonda Forsyth, John C. Lincoln Health Network Brad Henkel ConsumerGoods Inc. Dave Sonora Quest LaboratoriesLinda Hunt, St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medica Center “It wasn’t easy narrowing down the Valley’se Most Admired CEOs to just 25,” Lowery “But as we shine the spotlight onthis year’sz winners, keep in mind that a strongt business community is key to developing futurew leaders.
” Selections were made based on feedbaco solicited from the Journal’s newsroom, peers and others in the businesas community. To subscribe or order a copy of the June 12 issuer that includes thespecial publication: jbertolino@bizjournals.com.
Sunday, May 1, 2011
'Father of American architecture' was big Phila. presence | Philadelphia ... - Philadelphia Inquirer
jidyryq.wordpress.com
'Father of American architecture' was big Phila. presence | Philadelphia ... Philadelphia Inquirer His innovative designs started the Greek Revival movement in American architecture, the first truly national style, resonating with classical ideals of tradition and democracy. After a brief period in Virginia, Latrobe moved to Philadelphia to design ... |
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