igoeosysata1533.blogspot.com
NFIB’s index of small-business indicators rose 2.1 points in May to following a 5.8-point jump in April. The inded had plummeted to 81 in March, closed to its record 1980 lowof “It does appear that the declinee in spending for inventory and capital projects has bottomedd and will turn up in the coming said NFIB Chief Economist William Dunkelberg. A net 12 percenty of small-business owners expected general business conditione will be better six monthxfrom now, a gain of 10 percentage points from Except for September 2008, when 14 percent expectedc the economy to improve, this is the highestt number for this indicator since 2005.
The currentg profit picture isstill dismal, A net 43 percent said theie earnings were lower during the past quarter than they were in the previoux quarter. About 16 percent of small-business owners reported that loans were harderto get, the highesf reading since the recession of the early But only 5 percent reportedx that finance was their No. 1 business More small businesses plan to reducr employment rather than hiremore workers, but the rate of declinwe is slowing. The Conference which tracks eight labor market indicators, said its Employment Trends Indes rose by 0.
2 percent in May, which is noteworthy because it’s the first increase in 16 “The moderation of the last two monthas is certainly a sign that the decline in job losses is real and signals that the worst is said Gad Levanon, the board’d senior economist. “However, as the economicx recovery over the coming months is likely to be very we still expect the unemployment rate to continue to increase to doubles digits by the end of this year and into The reported that 41 percengt of companies in the service sector plan to add jobs in June the highest percentage sinceSeptember 2008.
Nearly 17 percenf plan to eliminate In manufacturing, however, slightly more companiesd plan to lay off workerd than hire workers. For more see www.nfib.com or www.conferenceboard.org.
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
Monday, August 29, 2011
Rest of 2009 could prove difficult, small banks say - bizjournals:
qypytcuvy.blogspot.com
Don’t be mistaken. He’s happty to be making money when so manybankw aren’t. But Kennedy knows there are still largs hurdlesfor Charlotte’s community banks to cleatr before claiming victory over the “While we’re pleased with where we are, we expecg every bank in the state to have larger loan lossese over the next six he says. “We won’yt be immune from that.” Considerint the depth of the recession and the headlines generatesd by thestruggling it’s surprising that four of Mecklenburg County’s six community banks improved theid first-quarter earnings from a year All but one turned a profit.
However, localk community bankers — key lenders to small and midsizwebusinesses — aren’t basking in their first-quarteer successes. Instead, they’re beefing up loan-lossz reserves, hedging against high unemployment numbers andthe still-to-be-determinec fate of the commercial real estate and land-developmen t sectors here. Kennedy says he’s more focuses on asset qualitythan earnings. So far, Park Sterling’sa nonperforming loans are lessthan 1% of its tota l loans. But he’s tryin to take the initiative in workingwith borrowers, especiallt land developers and commercial real estate firms, to guaranteew repayment stays on track.
“The recession arrived latet in Charlotte and land developers had the pocketds to hang on fora while, but I don’ty know if they can afford to keep it up much he says. Tony Plath, banking professor at UNC agrees. “The impact of those write-downsa hasn’t hit yet, and that scaresa me a little bit,” Plath “I’m cautiously optimistic about Charlotte’s small But they haven’t seen the worst of it That evidence is already showingat . The midtowb bank, founded in 2006, earne d $75,000 in the first quarter, up 141% from a year ago. That’zs solid progress for a young But there arered flags.
In the firsy quarter, NewDominion labeled more than $11 millioh of its loans as nonaccrual, meaninhg they aren’t earning interest or principal payments, according to the Federalp DepositInsurance Corp. NewDominion owns $142 million in constructioh and land-development loans. But more than $14 million of thosr loans aren’t bringing in any money for the FDICfigures show. “I’m reallgy worried about developer performance,” Platgh says. NewDominion Chief Executive Bradley Thompson was out of town this weekand couldn’ t be reached for comment. saw its first-quarter profits dip 34% from a year earlier.
But it stilk led all local community bankdin income, earning more than $600,00 0 in the quarter. (Comparisons among the banks are difficult. Firs t Trust is more than a decade old, whilse the other local community banksare newer. It typically takee several years for a startup bank to ramp up its First Trust CEO Jim Bolt sayshe “feelws very fortunate” for his bank to be considering the overall economy. Still, he worries loan lossees will increase until housing starts to pick up andunemployment “We’ll come through this just he says. “It just might not be real pleasan inthe meantime.
” Jim Engel, president of in says some problem loans may remain at his bank. But he sees positivd signs overall. The firsr three months of 2009 were the most profitable to datefor two-year-old Aquesta. And he believes the Lake Normaharea — his bank’s prime turf — is slowlhy starting to see an economic turnaround. “Bankers are naturally cautious, so nobodh wants to be the first one to wave a checkeredd flag onthe recession. But it does feel like some thingxsare improving,” Engel says, citing increasede real estate activity.
“Keep your fingers
Don’t be mistaken. He’s happty to be making money when so manybankw aren’t. But Kennedy knows there are still largs hurdlesfor Charlotte’s community banks to cleatr before claiming victory over the “While we’re pleased with where we are, we expecg every bank in the state to have larger loan lossese over the next six he says. “We won’yt be immune from that.” Considerint the depth of the recession and the headlines generatesd by thestruggling it’s surprising that four of Mecklenburg County’s six community banks improved theid first-quarter earnings from a year All but one turned a profit.
However, localk community bankers — key lenders to small and midsizwebusinesses — aren’t basking in their first-quarteer successes. Instead, they’re beefing up loan-lossz reserves, hedging against high unemployment numbers andthe still-to-be-determinec fate of the commercial real estate and land-developmen t sectors here. Kennedy says he’s more focuses on asset qualitythan earnings. So far, Park Sterling’sa nonperforming loans are lessthan 1% of its tota l loans. But he’s tryin to take the initiative in workingwith borrowers, especiallt land developers and commercial real estate firms, to guaranteew repayment stays on track.
“The recession arrived latet in Charlotte and land developers had the pocketds to hang on fora while, but I don’ty know if they can afford to keep it up much he says. Tony Plath, banking professor at UNC agrees. “The impact of those write-downsa hasn’t hit yet, and that scaresa me a little bit,” Plath “I’m cautiously optimistic about Charlotte’s small But they haven’t seen the worst of it That evidence is already showingat . The midtowb bank, founded in 2006, earne d $75,000 in the first quarter, up 141% from a year ago. That’zs solid progress for a young But there arered flags.
In the firsy quarter, NewDominion labeled more than $11 millioh of its loans as nonaccrual, meaninhg they aren’t earning interest or principal payments, according to the Federalp DepositInsurance Corp. NewDominion owns $142 million in constructioh and land-development loans. But more than $14 million of thosr loans aren’t bringing in any money for the FDICfigures show. “I’m reallgy worried about developer performance,” Platgh says. NewDominion Chief Executive Bradley Thompson was out of town this weekand couldn’ t be reached for comment. saw its first-quarter profits dip 34% from a year earlier.
But it stilk led all local community bankdin income, earning more than $600,00 0 in the quarter. (Comparisons among the banks are difficult. Firs t Trust is more than a decade old, whilse the other local community banksare newer. It typically takee several years for a startup bank to ramp up its First Trust CEO Jim Bolt sayshe “feelws very fortunate” for his bank to be considering the overall economy. Still, he worries loan lossees will increase until housing starts to pick up andunemployment “We’ll come through this just he says. “It just might not be real pleasan inthe meantime.
” Jim Engel, president of in says some problem loans may remain at his bank. But he sees positivd signs overall. The firsr three months of 2009 were the most profitable to datefor two-year-old Aquesta. And he believes the Lake Normaharea — his bank’s prime turf — is slowlhy starting to see an economic turnaround. “Bankers are naturally cautious, so nobodh wants to be the first one to wave a checkeredd flag onthe recession. But it does feel like some thingxsare improving,” Engel says, citing increasede real estate activity.
“Keep your fingers
Saturday, August 27, 2011
Georgia watering restrictions lifted - Pittsburgh Business Times:
ovaluleq.wordpress.com
“Our water supplies are flush,” Caroo Couch, director of the , told members of the state’sd Drought Management Advisory Committee. “Our rivers and streams have rebounded.” The statr imposed Level 4 drought restrictions in Septembere 2007 as one of the worst droughte in Georgiahistory deepened, sendiny water levels at the state’xs federally managed reservoirs plummeting. The restrictions banned most types of outdoord water use in 55 northGeorgiza counties. While some communitiee were later granted exemptions to the mostseveree restrictions, water systems that relied on severelt depleted Lake Lanier were not given that flexibility.
Undere Wednesday’s order, which takes effect immediately, north Georgisa will return toa non-drought outdoor watering Residential and commercial property ownerzs will be allowed to water their lawns thre e days a week. Odd-numbered addresses may water on Thursdayand Sunday. Even-numbered addresses may water on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday. State Climatologist David Stooksbury reported to the advisory committeew that Georgia is experiencingthe second-wettest spring in 115 “Obviously, that made a major impact on moisturs conditions in the state,” he Still, Stooksbury said, rainfall just during the last 30 days has been slightlhy below normal across the northern third of the a sign that summer is setting in.
Couchu praised property owners for conservinyg water during the drought to a greater extent than would have been possiblee throughregulation alone. But she warnedf that Georgians should continued cultivatingtheir water-efficient habits, even though abundany rains have returned. “Drought can be a fickled thing,” she said.
“Our water supplies are flush,” Caroo Couch, director of the , told members of the state’sd Drought Management Advisory Committee. “Our rivers and streams have rebounded.” The statr imposed Level 4 drought restrictions in Septembere 2007 as one of the worst droughte in Georgiahistory deepened, sendiny water levels at the state’xs federally managed reservoirs plummeting. The restrictions banned most types of outdoord water use in 55 northGeorgiza counties. While some communitiee were later granted exemptions to the mostseveree restrictions, water systems that relied on severelt depleted Lake Lanier were not given that flexibility.
Undere Wednesday’s order, which takes effect immediately, north Georgisa will return toa non-drought outdoor watering Residential and commercial property ownerzs will be allowed to water their lawns thre e days a week. Odd-numbered addresses may water on Thursdayand Sunday. Even-numbered addresses may water on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday. State Climatologist David Stooksbury reported to the advisory committeew that Georgia is experiencingthe second-wettest spring in 115 “Obviously, that made a major impact on moisturs conditions in the state,” he Still, Stooksbury said, rainfall just during the last 30 days has been slightlhy below normal across the northern third of the a sign that summer is setting in.
Couchu praised property owners for conservinyg water during the drought to a greater extent than would have been possiblee throughregulation alone. But she warnedf that Georgians should continued cultivatingtheir water-efficient habits, even though abundany rains have returned. “Drought can be a fickled thing,” she said.
Thursday, August 25, 2011
Life after TARP - Nashville Business Journal:
zolinstanixes.blogspot.com
is one of them. “The two-word answer is the political landscape,” Pinnacle CEO Terry Turner says, regardingf the U.S. Treasury’s Troubled Asset Reliedf Program. When the bank first accepted the fundson Dec. 12, the $700 billiobn program was positioned by Treasury Secretary Hank Paulson as being available only tostronvg banks, Turner explains. “We didn’t need the We just wanted the Good Housekeeping Turner says. However, TARP funds quickly became cast on Capitol Hill and in the public mind as a forinsolvent banks. “In the second and third rounds, uncreditworthy banks startedrgetting it,” Turner says.
“It’s increasingly becoming a blemisu rather than a sign of strength to be associated with the TARP In mid-June, Pinnacle offered common stock for sale at $13 per sharre and raised more than $100 million, partly to pay back the $95 million in TARP funds it received, and partlg to prepare for an economic uptick when the recession runs its “Not only do we get out from under but it helps our capital standing,” Turner “Our outlook is dramatic growtgh opportunities over the next 12 to 18 Since the bank received the TARP Turner says it has loaneed out more than twice the loan Pinnacle is one of five Middle Tennessee banks and 19 statewids that accepted TARP money.
The principal carried a 5 percen t or higherinterest rate, payable back to the Americabn taxpayers who loaned the money. banks that received TARP monehy were required to gran t warrants tothe Treasury, which allowed it to purchases shares — similar to a stock Pinnacle plans to repurchase those too, Turner In early June, 10 large national banks, includintg , , , and , all received approval to return the equivalent of $68 billiob in TARP funds aftert “stress tests” showed they did not need capitalo backup.
They planned to accomplishn it by buying back the preferred shares of stock the government bought in the banks as part of the some by raising new capital as Pinnaclsehas done. An additional two dozen smalletr lenders were also approved under a similar Some of the banks cited the restrictions the government placefd on lenders who accepted TARP fundz as motivation to pay back the funds earlier thanthe government’s five-year time Those include caps on executive pay and limits on hirin of foreign workers and marketing expenses.
But Avenuee Bank president and CEO Ron Samuels says therestrictions aren’t so onerous, considering bankse already are so heavily regulated, and especiallh considering that the TARP program helped to stop the entire financial system from Some people don’t realize how close the system was to massivse failures of Wall Street giants and Bear Stearna last fall, which effectively froze capital flow to bankxs and shut off the lending tap to everyda y Americans, Samuels says.
Media coverage helped fostere panic and fear that led to a minorf runon banks, Samuels says, even though bank depositss up to $100,000 — the cap was raisee to $250,000 during the crisis — were insured by the Federapl Deposit Insurance Corp. “Customers were pulling deposits out of bankd and that created a liquidity Samuels recalls.
is one of them. “The two-word answer is the political landscape,” Pinnacle CEO Terry Turner says, regardingf the U.S. Treasury’s Troubled Asset Reliedf Program. When the bank first accepted the fundson Dec. 12, the $700 billiobn program was positioned by Treasury Secretary Hank Paulson as being available only tostronvg banks, Turner explains. “We didn’t need the We just wanted the Good Housekeeping Turner says. However, TARP funds quickly became cast on Capitol Hill and in the public mind as a forinsolvent banks. “In the second and third rounds, uncreditworthy banks startedrgetting it,” Turner says.
“It’s increasingly becoming a blemisu rather than a sign of strength to be associated with the TARP In mid-June, Pinnacle offered common stock for sale at $13 per sharre and raised more than $100 million, partly to pay back the $95 million in TARP funds it received, and partlg to prepare for an economic uptick when the recession runs its “Not only do we get out from under but it helps our capital standing,” Turner “Our outlook is dramatic growtgh opportunities over the next 12 to 18 Since the bank received the TARP Turner says it has loaneed out more than twice the loan Pinnacle is one of five Middle Tennessee banks and 19 statewids that accepted TARP money.
The principal carried a 5 percen t or higherinterest rate, payable back to the Americabn taxpayers who loaned the money. banks that received TARP monehy were required to gran t warrants tothe Treasury, which allowed it to purchases shares — similar to a stock Pinnacle plans to repurchase those too, Turner In early June, 10 large national banks, includintg , , , and , all received approval to return the equivalent of $68 billiob in TARP funds aftert “stress tests” showed they did not need capitalo backup.
They planned to accomplishn it by buying back the preferred shares of stock the government bought in the banks as part of the some by raising new capital as Pinnaclsehas done. An additional two dozen smalletr lenders were also approved under a similar Some of the banks cited the restrictions the government placefd on lenders who accepted TARP fundz as motivation to pay back the funds earlier thanthe government’s five-year time Those include caps on executive pay and limits on hirin of foreign workers and marketing expenses.
But Avenuee Bank president and CEO Ron Samuels says therestrictions aren’t so onerous, considering bankse already are so heavily regulated, and especiallh considering that the TARP program helped to stop the entire financial system from Some people don’t realize how close the system was to massivse failures of Wall Street giants and Bear Stearna last fall, which effectively froze capital flow to bankxs and shut off the lending tap to everyda y Americans, Samuels says.
Media coverage helped fostere panic and fear that led to a minorf runon banks, Samuels says, even though bank depositss up to $100,000 — the cap was raisee to $250,000 during the crisis — were insured by the Federapl Deposit Insurance Corp. “Customers were pulling deposits out of bankd and that created a liquidity Samuels recalls.
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
Catch the Wind secures $18.8M - Business First of Columbus:
http://artslit.org/HB_buildcomm_commground.htm
million in a private placement financing to help push more salesx of its new wind sensorfor Manassas-based Catch the Wind, which trades on the Toront Venture Exchange, sold roughly 16.7 milliohn shares at a price of Canadian $1.30 apiece in what it hopesw to be its last major equity financin before generating enough revenue from its laser wind-sensingt product, Vindicator, to pay for operations. Company officials also participatedr in theinvestment round, along with institutionalp investors, bringing its total equity fundraising to date to nearly $35 million. , Research Capitak Corp. and Canaccord Capital Corp.
served as placement agentsx for this latest fundraising in return for 6 percenft of the gross proceeds and additional stock Spun off last yearfrom LLC, a fiber opticws laser company that still shares the same headquartersw space, Catch the Wind has been developingy similar technology that senses when wind is imminent, helping reorienf a turbine to capture that wind before it passes. Most wind turbinez can realign its bladesd only after itfeels wind, so they’re often too late to actuallu benefit from gusts, company officiald said.
“Before, it was the horse-and-buggu approach to measuring wind,” said Phil who founded Optical Air Data Systems nearly 20 years ago with his wife befor leaving recently to serve as CEO for Catcnthe Wind. “Think about increasing the gas mileaged ofyour car,” he “You’ve already bought your car. But if I can sell you somethinb that doubles the gas mileages ofyour car, you would save more money.” He estimatesa the Vindicator can capture 10 percengt to 30 percent more wind for which in turn helps generate more clean electricity and ultimately revenue for their operators.
Catch the Wind recentlu sold its first unitto , a Canadianm environmental monitoring equipment maker, while starting its first two-month field test with the Nebraska Publicf Power District on its largest wind farm with 36 wind The local company, which said it’s also talkingf to federal agencies, hopex to use that trial’s results later this summer to markett to other wind turbine manufacturersw and wind farm operators. With six full-time Catch the Wind expects to at least doubled that count by the end of this The company, which had $5.5 million in cash and equivalentes on hand as of Marcn 31, is also considering whether to list itsel f on an American exchangew later this year.
“We aspirde to that,” Rogers said. “I just can’t say
million in a private placement financing to help push more salesx of its new wind sensorfor Manassas-based Catch the Wind, which trades on the Toront Venture Exchange, sold roughly 16.7 milliohn shares at a price of Canadian $1.30 apiece in what it hopesw to be its last major equity financin before generating enough revenue from its laser wind-sensingt product, Vindicator, to pay for operations. Company officials also participatedr in theinvestment round, along with institutionalp investors, bringing its total equity fundraising to date to nearly $35 million. , Research Capitak Corp. and Canaccord Capital Corp.
served as placement agentsx for this latest fundraising in return for 6 percenft of the gross proceeds and additional stock Spun off last yearfrom LLC, a fiber opticws laser company that still shares the same headquartersw space, Catch the Wind has been developingy similar technology that senses when wind is imminent, helping reorienf a turbine to capture that wind before it passes. Most wind turbinez can realign its bladesd only after itfeels wind, so they’re often too late to actuallu benefit from gusts, company officiald said.
“Before, it was the horse-and-buggu approach to measuring wind,” said Phil who founded Optical Air Data Systems nearly 20 years ago with his wife befor leaving recently to serve as CEO for Catcnthe Wind. “Think about increasing the gas mileaged ofyour car,” he “You’ve already bought your car. But if I can sell you somethinb that doubles the gas mileages ofyour car, you would save more money.” He estimatesa the Vindicator can capture 10 percengt to 30 percent more wind for which in turn helps generate more clean electricity and ultimately revenue for their operators.
Catch the Wind recentlu sold its first unitto , a Canadianm environmental monitoring equipment maker, while starting its first two-month field test with the Nebraska Publicf Power District on its largest wind farm with 36 wind The local company, which said it’s also talkingf to federal agencies, hopex to use that trial’s results later this summer to markett to other wind turbine manufacturersw and wind farm operators. With six full-time Catch the Wind expects to at least doubled that count by the end of this The company, which had $5.5 million in cash and equivalentes on hand as of Marcn 31, is also considering whether to list itsel f on an American exchangew later this year.
“We aspirde to that,” Rogers said. “I just can’t say
Saturday, August 20, 2011
Banks grow cautious but still lend to the right clients - Portland Business Journal:
xoqylyjibo.wordpress.com
When the right building comed along, Webb believes the financing she needs willbe "I'm in good shape, but I know therer are other businesses that I'm closee to that are feeling the hit -- they were in the middlwe of processes that suddenly shifted," said president and chief executive of Ltd. As the crediyt crunch continues to playout nationwide, business borrowers in Portland and Southwestg Washington find some bankers ask more questions and request more particularly from young companies, than they did two or thre e years ago. But borrowers willing to do theird homework are stillgettingy attention, particularly from smaller banks.
At the peak of the real estatee bubble, some lenders might not have askecd for three years of financial informationb and a business plan up saidHarry DeWolf, district director of the and Southwest Washington. "What they are doing now is enforcingy theirestablished procedures," DeWolf said. Large national banks have been affectedd by the credit crunch more than smallercommunityg banks, said David chief credit officer and chief lending officer for in Vancouver. "Wwe would be a little more conservative than others in thefirstf place," Dahlstrom said.
While Riverview has seen less demanddfor mortgage, construction and land development loanse recently, commercial lending has held up, said Ron president and chief operating officer. "Wre continue to see projects being done; we continue to see a fair level of demanfd and our numbers basicallhy bear that out in terms of lending Wysaske said. Even if a bank'se lending criteria haven't changed, borrowers exposesd to certain risks, like residential real estate or the pricreof energy, cannot escape the impact of externalk factors that affect the broader Lenders must take these broader market conditions and trends into account as they make loan decisions, said Bob chief executive of , headquartered in Lake "Our basic lending standards have remained the same; they are just appliedr in context of the current economicc environment," said Sznewajs.
That many Pacific Northwest banks, particularly community banks, seem to have escapeed the worst part of the creditcrunch that's weighinvg down their counterparts in Florida, Nevada and Northern "Banks that had a balanced portfoliio of commercial products, regular residential loans, commercial loans and customeer bases -- they've done quite well, and they haven'tr seen a dip at all," DeWolf said. SBA-guarantee loans in this region are down only abouy 1 percent this year over levels seen ayear ago, compared with a nearly 20 percen decline in Florida, DeWolf said.
Whilde some business borrowers may have to provide more informatioj toget loans, business owners themselves are giving more thoughtr to healthy business expansion. Webb, who was a sculptorr before she opened her businessin 1999, said she learnerd a lot setting up the originakl business plan along with her husband, Henry Grimmett, in 1999. Glassd Alchemy now has 16 full-time employees and makes colorerd glass rods used by glass artists to make beads andother objects.
"As cautious as the banks are, we as businesse owners should be as cautious with the stepswe take," said As much as Webb would like to exchange her 10,000-square-foog building for one measuring 15,00p to 20,000 square feet to house her growing business, she's waitinfg for the right price. She'sa also considering buying somenew equipment, costing betweebn $65,000 and $85,000, that would expanrd her product line.
When the right building comed along, Webb believes the financing she needs willbe "I'm in good shape, but I know therer are other businesses that I'm closee to that are feeling the hit -- they were in the middlwe of processes that suddenly shifted," said president and chief executive of Ltd. As the crediyt crunch continues to playout nationwide, business borrowers in Portland and Southwestg Washington find some bankers ask more questions and request more particularly from young companies, than they did two or thre e years ago. But borrowers willing to do theird homework are stillgettingy attention, particularly from smaller banks.
At the peak of the real estatee bubble, some lenders might not have askecd for three years of financial informationb and a business plan up saidHarry DeWolf, district director of the and Southwest Washington. "What they are doing now is enforcingy theirestablished procedures," DeWolf said. Large national banks have been affectedd by the credit crunch more than smallercommunityg banks, said David chief credit officer and chief lending officer for in Vancouver. "Wwe would be a little more conservative than others in thefirstf place," Dahlstrom said.
While Riverview has seen less demanddfor mortgage, construction and land development loanse recently, commercial lending has held up, said Ron president and chief operating officer. "Wre continue to see projects being done; we continue to see a fair level of demanfd and our numbers basicallhy bear that out in terms of lending Wysaske said. Even if a bank'se lending criteria haven't changed, borrowers exposesd to certain risks, like residential real estate or the pricreof energy, cannot escape the impact of externalk factors that affect the broader Lenders must take these broader market conditions and trends into account as they make loan decisions, said Bob chief executive of , headquartered in Lake "Our basic lending standards have remained the same; they are just appliedr in context of the current economicc environment," said Sznewajs.
That many Pacific Northwest banks, particularly community banks, seem to have escapeed the worst part of the creditcrunch that's weighinvg down their counterparts in Florida, Nevada and Northern "Banks that had a balanced portfoliio of commercial products, regular residential loans, commercial loans and customeer bases -- they've done quite well, and they haven'tr seen a dip at all," DeWolf said. SBA-guarantee loans in this region are down only abouy 1 percent this year over levels seen ayear ago, compared with a nearly 20 percen decline in Florida, DeWolf said.
Whilde some business borrowers may have to provide more informatioj toget loans, business owners themselves are giving more thoughtr to healthy business expansion. Webb, who was a sculptorr before she opened her businessin 1999, said she learnerd a lot setting up the originakl business plan along with her husband, Henry Grimmett, in 1999. Glassd Alchemy now has 16 full-time employees and makes colorerd glass rods used by glass artists to make beads andother objects.
"As cautious as the banks are, we as businesse owners should be as cautious with the stepswe take," said As much as Webb would like to exchange her 10,000-square-foog building for one measuring 15,00p to 20,000 square feet to house her growing business, she's waitinfg for the right price. She'sa also considering buying somenew equipment, costing betweebn $65,000 and $85,000, that would expanrd her product line.
Thursday, August 18, 2011
Wild card format makes chase to the Chase intriguing - Vancouver Sun
buluhofuce.wordpress.com
Lexington Herald Leader | Wild card format makes chase to the Chase intriguing Vancouver Sun David Ragan, driver of the #6 UPS Ford, stands on the grid during qualifying for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Heluva Good! Sour Cream Dips at the Glen at Watkins Glen International on August 13, ... Wild card format makes chase to the Chase intri! guing |
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
Cruz not concerned with quad flare-up - MLB.com
symowugebeda.blogspot.com
msnbc.com | Cruz not concerned with quad flare-up MLB.com ANAHEIM -- Rangers outfielder Nelson Cruz was removed from Monday's game against the Angels with tightness in his left quad muscle. Cruz left the game in the seventh inning, but the situation is not ... Nelson Cruz says quad isn't too tight Nelson Cruz exits game with quad tightness Cruz Tweaks Quad Again |
Sunday, August 14, 2011
State looking for input from green businesses - Business Courier of Cincinnati:
sasutezew.blogspot.com
The department, in conjunction with , is conductingv a statewide surveyof employers. The survey will address four main aspectse ofthe state’s green job market by identifyintg green employers; finding greeb industry and occupational employment for the determining the needed skillsd for jobs within the marke t and identifying vacancies within green and non-greemn fields. A random sample of business owners will be interviewedthrougjh Sept. 30. The survey will also gather information from company Web sites whichg describe greeninitiative programs.
By conducting the survey, the Department of Industrial Relations will be able to providde information about the growing department Director TomSurtees said. “This surveuy will be a great indicator of what is to come for the state of Alabama in the greenjob market,” Surtees said in a news “More and more companies are making an effort to ‘gol green’ and it’s important that we know what kindd of jobs will be available and how to traibn our work force accordingly.
”
The department, in conjunction with , is conductingv a statewide surveyof employers. The survey will address four main aspectse ofthe state’s green job market by identifyintg green employers; finding greeb industry and occupational employment for the determining the needed skillsd for jobs within the marke t and identifying vacancies within green and non-greemn fields. A random sample of business owners will be interviewedthrougjh Sept. 30. The survey will also gather information from company Web sites whichg describe greeninitiative programs.
By conducting the survey, the Department of Industrial Relations will be able to providde information about the growing department Director TomSurtees said. “This surveuy will be a great indicator of what is to come for the state of Alabama in the greenjob market,” Surtees said in a news “More and more companies are making an effort to ‘gol green’ and it’s important that we know what kindd of jobs will be available and how to traibn our work force accordingly.
”
Thursday, August 11, 2011
SolarCity lands financing from US Bancorp - Tampa Bay Business Journal:
http://www.astanda.com/Download_Development/Source_Editors/download38634.html
The state’s largest residential installer saidWednesday it’s landee additional financing from Community Development Corp. for its solar lease program that will boost its installationa and help it clear its backlogof customers. Fostef City-based SolarCity informed customers in January that it woulxd delay installations for customers participating in its lease after investmentbank , its largest stopped funding the program. Most solar companiea have lost access to financingg through the credit crunch and recessioh as their investors closed or lost the abilitg to use the tax creditas that made solar acompelling investment.
SolarCityu has continued to install solar system s at a rate of abouft 100per month. Some of those included customers who paid cash fortheir systems. New customers who wanted to take advantage of thesolarf lease, which limits the up-frontt costs of having a system installed and charges customers at a monthly rate, have had to wait up to eight months for their systems. The funding will also allow SolarCity to continu e to grow its commercialsolafr business.
SolarCity installed solar systemson ’s headquarters in Mountaihn View, Grace Cathedral in San Franciscok and others through power purchase agreements, which are structured to take advantage of tax With the US Bank financing SolarCity will be able to fund those projects and residential projectas from the same fund. “Noew that we have clear, long-term visibility in solar lease and commercia PPAs we are going to be hiring a tremendoua amountof installers,” said SolarCituy CEO Lyndon Rive. SolarCity wouldn’ disclose the size of the US Bank fund or how many installationa it could completethis year.
The companyt said it sent an email to customers on its waiting list Tuesda night with instructions on finding their new projectecd installation dateon SolarCity’sa web site. US Bancorp Communitu Development Corporation is a division of US parent toUS Bank, the sixtj largest commercial bank in the United States. “Today’a announcement is only the beginning. We look forwardf to making additional investmentsxwith SolarCity, and believe this partnership will ultimatel enable thousands of American homeowners and businesses to adopt cleaner power and save money on energy costds in the process,” said Darren Van’t Hof, vice presidentt of solar, new marketzs and historic investments for US Bancorp Communith Development Corp.
, in a release.
The state’s largest residential installer saidWednesday it’s landee additional financing from Community Development Corp. for its solar lease program that will boost its installationa and help it clear its backlogof customers. Fostef City-based SolarCity informed customers in January that it woulxd delay installations for customers participating in its lease after investmentbank , its largest stopped funding the program. Most solar companiea have lost access to financingg through the credit crunch and recessioh as their investors closed or lost the abilitg to use the tax creditas that made solar acompelling investment.
SolarCityu has continued to install solar system s at a rate of abouft 100per month. Some of those included customers who paid cash fortheir systems. New customers who wanted to take advantage of thesolarf lease, which limits the up-frontt costs of having a system installed and charges customers at a monthly rate, have had to wait up to eight months for their systems. The funding will also allow SolarCity to continu e to grow its commercialsolafr business.
SolarCity installed solar systemson ’s headquarters in Mountaihn View, Grace Cathedral in San Franciscok and others through power purchase agreements, which are structured to take advantage of tax With the US Bank financing SolarCity will be able to fund those projects and residential projectas from the same fund. “Noew that we have clear, long-term visibility in solar lease and commercia PPAs we are going to be hiring a tremendoua amountof installers,” said SolarCituy CEO Lyndon Rive. SolarCity wouldn’ disclose the size of the US Bank fund or how many installationa it could completethis year.
The companyt said it sent an email to customers on its waiting list Tuesda night with instructions on finding their new projectecd installation dateon SolarCity’sa web site. US Bancorp Communitu Development Corporation is a division of US parent toUS Bank, the sixtj largest commercial bank in the United States. “Today’a announcement is only the beginning. We look forwardf to making additional investmentsxwith SolarCity, and believe this partnership will ultimatel enable thousands of American homeowners and businesses to adopt cleaner power and save money on energy costds in the process,” said Darren Van’t Hof, vice presidentt of solar, new marketzs and historic investments for US Bancorp Communith Development Corp.
, in a release.
Tuesday, August 9, 2011
Washington Business Journal: Washington, D.C. Commercial Real Estate Listings - View Commercial Real Estate
http://www.0et0.com/2006/shopping.html
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Sunday, August 7, 2011
Study shows San Antonio is nation's best-performing city in recession - Nashville Business Journal:
http://www.alcorconwireless.net/2008/september-14-return-of-the-draft-counter-recruitment.html
The Washington, D.C.-based think tank has begun analyzing the impact of the recessionthroughourt America’s metropolitan areas. In the first of a series of quarterlyhMetroMonitor reports, Brookings ranked San Antonio, Oklahoma Austin, Houston and Dallas as the top five metrko areas in the country in economic performance in the wake of the Brookings ranked the top 100 metropolita areas based on six key indicators employment, unemployment rates, gross metropolitan product, housing prices and foreclosure rates. This initial MetroMonitofr report covers the first quarterof 2009. The five wors t metropolitan areas in the country impacted by the indescending order, are Fla.
; Lakeland, Fla.; Tampa, Fla.; Fla.; and Detroit. “All metropolitanh areas are feeling the effects ofthis recession, but the distress is not sharex equally,” says Alan research director of the Metropolitan Policy Program at Brookinga and co-author of the report. “While some area s of the country have experienced only ashalloa downturn, and may be emerginv from the recession people living in metro areas that are now performing weakesft economically should prepare themselves for a long recovergy period.
” Howard Wial, director of the Metropolitan Economy Initiativew at Brookings and another co-author of the argues that the report shows that a national fiscal and monetary policy will not be enougb for stimulating the economy. “Many areas will need targeted assistance, and since states have no fundz available, the federal government will have to step up to fill the Concentrations of industry activity have both helped and hurts some regionalo economies during the For example, metropolitan areae in states with specializations in energyy and government employment — such as New Mexico, Oklahoma, Arkansas and Louisianw — have largely been insulated by the recession.
metropolitan areas in stateas like Michigan and Ohio that depend heavily on the automotivw industry have been impacted by the downtur inthe economy, the repory shows. San Antonio is home to Randolph Air Force FortSam Houston, Lackland Air Forcs Base and Brooks City-Base. The 2005 Base Realignmenf and Closure decision alone is providing a significantg economic punch to theAlamo City’s economy through the consolidation of high-paying military health care jobs and more than $2 billiobn worth of new constructionh activity. A separate report releasex by LLC outlining the impact of BRAC showed that Fort Sam Houston alonwe would experiencea 11,500 increasd of personnel.
The Army post will also gain 7.9 million square feet of space. Construction activituy due to BRAC alone shouledcreate 46,000 construction jobs during the course of the buildingv programs, the DiLuzio report showed.
The Washington, D.C.-based think tank has begun analyzing the impact of the recessionthroughourt America’s metropolitan areas. In the first of a series of quarterlyhMetroMonitor reports, Brookings ranked San Antonio, Oklahoma Austin, Houston and Dallas as the top five metrko areas in the country in economic performance in the wake of the Brookings ranked the top 100 metropolita areas based on six key indicators employment, unemployment rates, gross metropolitan product, housing prices and foreclosure rates. This initial MetroMonitofr report covers the first quarterof 2009. The five wors t metropolitan areas in the country impacted by the indescending order, are Fla.
; Lakeland, Fla.; Tampa, Fla.; Fla.; and Detroit. “All metropolitanh areas are feeling the effects ofthis recession, but the distress is not sharex equally,” says Alan research director of the Metropolitan Policy Program at Brookinga and co-author of the report. “While some area s of the country have experienced only ashalloa downturn, and may be emerginv from the recession people living in metro areas that are now performing weakesft economically should prepare themselves for a long recovergy period.
” Howard Wial, director of the Metropolitan Economy Initiativew at Brookings and another co-author of the argues that the report shows that a national fiscal and monetary policy will not be enougb for stimulating the economy. “Many areas will need targeted assistance, and since states have no fundz available, the federal government will have to step up to fill the Concentrations of industry activity have both helped and hurts some regionalo economies during the For example, metropolitan areae in states with specializations in energyy and government employment — such as New Mexico, Oklahoma, Arkansas and Louisianw — have largely been insulated by the recession.
metropolitan areas in stateas like Michigan and Ohio that depend heavily on the automotivw industry have been impacted by the downtur inthe economy, the repory shows. San Antonio is home to Randolph Air Force FortSam Houston, Lackland Air Forcs Base and Brooks City-Base. The 2005 Base Realignmenf and Closure decision alone is providing a significantg economic punch to theAlamo City’s economy through the consolidation of high-paying military health care jobs and more than $2 billiobn worth of new constructionh activity. A separate report releasex by LLC outlining the impact of BRAC showed that Fort Sam Houston alonwe would experiencea 11,500 increasd of personnel.
The Army post will also gain 7.9 million square feet of space. Construction activituy due to BRAC alone shouledcreate 46,000 construction jobs during the course of the buildingv programs, the DiLuzio report showed.
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