Snap judgments Boston Herald By Herald Staff Since they squared off in Super Bowl XLII, Tom Brady [stats] and Eli Manning have not had much postseason success. That is, until this season. Manning has been on top of his game in all three Giants wins, elevating his name into the ... |
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Snap judgments - Boston Herald
mooth35byh.blogspot.com
Sunday, January 29, 2012
Bring on the next victim - ESPN
bengeyqafiba1640.blogspot.com
Kansas City Star | Bring on the next victim ESPN When the game ended in Houston on Saturday night, long after it became abundantly clear that the New York Knicks have a problem, Tyson Chandler swore that he "refuses" to lose, demanded that teammates "man up" and gener » |
Friday, January 27, 2012
Castellon hit a benchmark when her company cracked $1M - Silicon Valley / San Jose Business Journal:
asafevboriegum.blogspot.com
Now she runs Bench-Tek Solutionzs LLC, a Santa Clara company that she builtf after her mentor Tom Clark died and hisbusinese closed. She took a leap of faith when she opened her companyg in the midst of the2002 dot-conm bust. Six years later, that leap paid off. The compan y took in $1.7 million in revenu e in 2008, and she expects to bring in abougt $2.7 million in 2009. The company makes custom workbenches, lab racks and carts. It also distributess ergonomic seating and materialhandlinhg products, and it offers service such as assembly, deliveryy and installation.
The company operates out of about 6,500 squars feet in a building Castellob purchasedin 2007, which includea a showroom featuring some of its popular blue Castellon came to the Unitesd States at age 20 from Guadalajara, Mexico. As she settlef into life in America, she was raising her going to school and holding downa full-times job as an office manageer at Clark Sales. She workeed there for nine As Clark’s health declined, Castellon took on a biggeer role invoicing and began to understandthe product. She also starteds taking bookkeeping classes on the Her determination and drive helped herlaunch Bench-Tek.
Castellon and her brother Jorge Castellon, Bench-Tek’se chief operations officer, had abourt $20,000 in startup capital. They were able to acquirr someof Clark’s equipment and his customer database. Bench-Tek has 585 customers nationwide. They includr the electronic andsemiconductor industries, local educational biotechnology and medical device companies, car manufacturer s and machine shops. They also include everythingh from early-stage startups in Silicon Valleuto mature, publicly traded companies. “Ws make the workbenches We area distributor. We are their one-stop shop,” Castelloj said.
She highlighted how Bench-Tek can customize the benchesw with endless combinations or addon chemical-resistant tops, often needed by life sciencse customers. The company has also become adaptable to the industriessit serves. For example, when FoxHollow Technologies was sold toev3 Inc. for $780 millio in 2007, the endovascular device company had about 200 lab room benchesa that needed anew home. Whiled former employees took someof Bench-Tek purchased about 100 back from Those benches have been refurbished and are now beingh used at medical device company Tactx Medical/Produxx Inc. in according to facility managerPhillip Vargas. That’s how Castellon likesx to do business.
“We buy back our benches to reselplto startups,” she said. “Wew focus on supporting the startups.” Othedr customers include the California Academy of Sciences in San Franciscio and ParacorMedical Inc. in Sunnyvale. “Asw part of our sustainability ethic, we try to use localk producers and supplierswhenever possible,” said California Academyh of Sciences spokeswoman Stephanire Stone. Bill Hartigan, operations manager of Paracor, a startulp developing a medical device for congestiveheart failure, said his company has purchasef benches and supplies from Bench-Tek recently, but his connectionj with the company goes back even further.
He’s bought from Bench-Tej over the past 15 years at other startupeswhere he’s worked. With Castellon’s tracki record for customer service andquality products, she’s hopin g to grow the company in the next five yearas to achieve $10 million in annual “It’s a family-based company, and you can really see that,” Vargaz said. “It makes you want to do busineswswith them.
”
Now she runs Bench-Tek Solutionzs LLC, a Santa Clara company that she builtf after her mentor Tom Clark died and hisbusinese closed. She took a leap of faith when she opened her companyg in the midst of the2002 dot-conm bust. Six years later, that leap paid off. The compan y took in $1.7 million in revenu e in 2008, and she expects to bring in abougt $2.7 million in 2009. The company makes custom workbenches, lab racks and carts. It also distributess ergonomic seating and materialhandlinhg products, and it offers service such as assembly, deliveryy and installation.
The company operates out of about 6,500 squars feet in a building Castellob purchasedin 2007, which includea a showroom featuring some of its popular blue Castellon came to the Unitesd States at age 20 from Guadalajara, Mexico. As she settlef into life in America, she was raising her going to school and holding downa full-times job as an office manageer at Clark Sales. She workeed there for nine As Clark’s health declined, Castellon took on a biggeer role invoicing and began to understandthe product. She also starteds taking bookkeeping classes on the Her determination and drive helped herlaunch Bench-Tek.
Castellon and her brother Jorge Castellon, Bench-Tek’se chief operations officer, had abourt $20,000 in startup capital. They were able to acquirr someof Clark’s equipment and his customer database. Bench-Tek has 585 customers nationwide. They includr the electronic andsemiconductor industries, local educational biotechnology and medical device companies, car manufacturer s and machine shops. They also include everythingh from early-stage startups in Silicon Valleuto mature, publicly traded companies. “Ws make the workbenches We area distributor. We are their one-stop shop,” Castelloj said.
She highlighted how Bench-Tek can customize the benchesw with endless combinations or addon chemical-resistant tops, often needed by life sciencse customers. The company has also become adaptable to the industriessit serves. For example, when FoxHollow Technologies was sold toev3 Inc. for $780 millio in 2007, the endovascular device company had about 200 lab room benchesa that needed anew home. Whiled former employees took someof Bench-Tek purchased about 100 back from Those benches have been refurbished and are now beingh used at medical device company Tactx Medical/Produxx Inc. in according to facility managerPhillip Vargas. That’s how Castellon likesx to do business.
“We buy back our benches to reselplto startups,” she said. “Wew focus on supporting the startups.” Othedr customers include the California Academy of Sciences in San Franciscio and ParacorMedical Inc. in Sunnyvale. “Asw part of our sustainability ethic, we try to use localk producers and supplierswhenever possible,” said California Academyh of Sciences spokeswoman Stephanire Stone. Bill Hartigan, operations manager of Paracor, a startulp developing a medical device for congestiveheart failure, said his company has purchasef benches and supplies from Bench-Tek recently, but his connectionj with the company goes back even further.
He’s bought from Bench-Tej over the past 15 years at other startupeswhere he’s worked. With Castellon’s tracki record for customer service andquality products, she’s hopin g to grow the company in the next five yearas to achieve $10 million in annual “It’s a family-based company, and you can really see that,” Vargaz said. “It makes you want to do busineswswith them.
”
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
Large and small factors contribute to office energy efficiency - Tampa Bay Business Journal:
http://alientamivida.com/daily-news/why-union-support-for-occupy-wall-street-matters/
The individual office worker can take the Little things like turning off your computer before you leav e at night or using a desk lamp willadd up. In a typica office, lighting accounts for 25 to 35 percent of the energh usage and HVAC accounts for 40 to 50 saidAnn Newhouse, manager of business efficiency systems with People need to realizd that being energy efficient does not mean bein uncomfortable, said Newhouse. “If it is a well-balanced the occupants are going to have a higherfcomfort level.
” Computers should be shut off at While some office equipment like copyinb machines will shut off automatically, computers oftenn just go into sleep mode and burn energy overnight, said Curtid Simmons, coordinator for energy management services for The simple actionm of turning off a computer at nighft can save money and energy over Air conditioning is “fatr and away the largest energhy consumer” in Florida offices, said Mark House, managing director for the Florida division of .
Turning up the office temperature by just a coupled degrees can ease airconditioning costs, House Every degree a thermostat is turned up will save betweeh 7 to 10 percent on a coolin cost, said Ann Newhouse with Progress Energy Florida Inc. Settinhg controls on air conditioning will ensure the cool air turns off when peoplreare away. Thermostats should be programmable, and a desk fan can be a usefulp alternative. Houseplants add oxygen and humidity to the air and spruce upa desk. Computers shoulsd be shut off at night.
Whiled some office equipment like copying machineas will shutoff automatically, computers oftebn just go into sleep mode and burn energt overnight, said Curtis Simmons, coordinatord for energy management services for Tampaz Electric Co. The simple action of turning off a computer at nighg can save money and energy over The phone consumes relatively little energy and can even be used in lieu of business travel.
Substituting work-related travel for teleconferencing or video teleconferencing willsave energy, money and A ceramic coffee mug, a thermos or even a disposablwe cup that is reused can reduce waste and save For the cups in the rather than setting the cycled to the dry setting, let the dishesa dry naturally, suggested Dustin office manager for . Also in the kitchen, considert keeping refrigerators a coupledegrees warmer. Make sure to vacuum the coils to keepthem clean.
The individual office worker can take the Little things like turning off your computer before you leav e at night or using a desk lamp willadd up. In a typica office, lighting accounts for 25 to 35 percent of the energh usage and HVAC accounts for 40 to 50 saidAnn Newhouse, manager of business efficiency systems with People need to realizd that being energy efficient does not mean bein uncomfortable, said Newhouse. “If it is a well-balanced the occupants are going to have a higherfcomfort level.
” Computers should be shut off at While some office equipment like copyinb machines will shut off automatically, computers oftenn just go into sleep mode and burn energy overnight, said Curtid Simmons, coordinator for energy management services for The simple actionm of turning off a computer at nighft can save money and energy over Air conditioning is “fatr and away the largest energhy consumer” in Florida offices, said Mark House, managing director for the Florida division of .
Turning up the office temperature by just a coupled degrees can ease airconditioning costs, House Every degree a thermostat is turned up will save betweeh 7 to 10 percent on a coolin cost, said Ann Newhouse with Progress Energy Florida Inc. Settinhg controls on air conditioning will ensure the cool air turns off when peoplreare away. Thermostats should be programmable, and a desk fan can be a usefulp alternative. Houseplants add oxygen and humidity to the air and spruce upa desk. Computers shoulsd be shut off at night.
Whiled some office equipment like copying machineas will shutoff automatically, computers oftebn just go into sleep mode and burn energt overnight, said Curtis Simmons, coordinatord for energy management services for Tampaz Electric Co. The simple action of turning off a computer at nighg can save money and energy over The phone consumes relatively little energy and can even be used in lieu of business travel.
Substituting work-related travel for teleconferencing or video teleconferencing willsave energy, money and A ceramic coffee mug, a thermos or even a disposablwe cup that is reused can reduce waste and save For the cups in the rather than setting the cycled to the dry setting, let the dishesa dry naturally, suggested Dustin office manager for . Also in the kitchen, considert keeping refrigerators a coupledegrees warmer. Make sure to vacuum the coils to keepthem clean.
Monday, January 23, 2012
Rep. West insists no racial coding in Gingrich's 'food stamp president' comments - The Hill
ogarawo.wordpress.com
Rep. West insists no racial coding in Gingrich's 'food stamp president' comments The Hill By Justin Sink - 01/23/12 07:45 AM ET Florida Republican Allen West - the lone Republican in the Congressional Black Caucus - said Monday that there was nothing racially coded about Newt Gingrich's characterization of President Obama as a "food stamp ... |
Saturday, January 21, 2012
Dress Barn acquiring Tween; few job cuts expected - Business First of Columbus:
ramsburgsyuheo1544.blogspot.com
Suffern, N.Y.-based Dress Barn (NASDAQ:DBRN) said the expected to close in October, will give Tween (NYSE:TWB) shareholders about 16 percenty of DressBarn stock. Based on terms of the the company is payingabout $157 milliomn for Tween shares and paying off the retailer’s outstandin g bank debt. Tween in regulatory filings reported an outstandingb balance of morethan $166 million on its credi t facility, but company official s valued the deal at roughl $220 million after accountinf for Tween’s cash Tween, which runs more than 900 storesx under the Justice and Limited Too nameplates, will become a subsidiary of the more than 1,500-store Dress Barn chain.
Tweenb CEO Michael Rayden, in a conferenced call Thursday, said the companuy is in a stronger financial position under Dresw Barn than as astandalone business, particularlyh in regards to access to capital. And with much of the financialo duties shifting toDresds Barn, he said, the Tween team can focus on merchandising and Rayden will continue to manage Tweem but report to Dress Barn CEO David Jaffe called the transaction “strategicallt compelling” for his company and said providing trendy merchandise at a value price is a formuls his company is well-acquainted with.
For Dress the Tween acquisition is a move to diversifyits business, which operates under the Dress Barn and Maurices nameplates. The company has about a doze stores inCentral Ohio, with Dresx Barn targeting women in their 40s and Maurice s aiming at women in their 20s. “Those are my moms,” Rayden said, referencing Tween’sd core customer base of girls age He said the chains willhave cross-promotional opportunities once customer databases are Jaffe said Tween will continue to be headquarterex in New Albany, but that some cost reductions will come from eliminatinv duplicate public company expenses.
Rayden, in an interview with Columbus Business First, said any job cuts that coulr come to New Albany post-acquisition would not be a significany amount and that the 235 positione eliminated in the past year as it transitionedr from its onetime flagshio Limited Too stores to its smaller but lower-priced – Justice brand already have made the companyu leaner and more efficient. The compan has between 400 and 450 employeews at its headquarters and between 125 and 150 at its Etnadistributiom center.
Jaffe, speaking to Columbus Business said Dress Barn learned from its 2005 acquisition of Mauricessthat it’s important to keep those who are knowledgeable and passionate abouty the business with the business. “Mike has built a heck of an organization,” he “There’s not much we think we can teach them, but we thinkl the three brands will have greaterbuying power, bettefr economies of scale.” Rayden put it another way — “It’s better to be a big ship in a roughj ocean than a small Rayden said between 30 and 40 stores still have the Limites Too branding and will not be converted until lease negotiationas finish.
Jaffe said Dressd Barn is confident in Raydejn andhis long-term strategu and admitted that it was the transition to the lower-priced Justic e brand that initially piqued the company’s interested in acquiring “The business is well-positioned,” he “This is a unique niche. They have no direcyt competition.” Rayden said the company was not pursuinhg a sale and that Jaffe first contacted Tween the day aftere it announced its plans to transition to Justiceslast August.
The executives met days later to discusx apotential deal, but talks did not heat up unti l this spring, he Tween has struggled amid a pullbacmk in consumer spending that helped push sales at company-ownecd stores open at least a year down 12 percentt in its last fiscal year. Tween lost $17 millionj on $995 million in revenue in its fiscal yearendecd Jan. 31 and last month reportes a $1.4 million fiscal first-quarter loss. The combined companhy would have annual sales ofaboutf $2.4 billion and operate 2,465 The boards of both Dress Barn and Tween have approved the which requires Tween shareholders’ approval.
Suffern, N.Y.-based Dress Barn (NASDAQ:DBRN) said the expected to close in October, will give Tween (NYSE:TWB) shareholders about 16 percenty of DressBarn stock. Based on terms of the the company is payingabout $157 milliomn for Tween shares and paying off the retailer’s outstandin g bank debt. Tween in regulatory filings reported an outstandingb balance of morethan $166 million on its credi t facility, but company official s valued the deal at roughl $220 million after accountinf for Tween’s cash Tween, which runs more than 900 storesx under the Justice and Limited Too nameplates, will become a subsidiary of the more than 1,500-store Dress Barn chain.
Tweenb CEO Michael Rayden, in a conferenced call Thursday, said the companuy is in a stronger financial position under Dresw Barn than as astandalone business, particularlyh in regards to access to capital. And with much of the financialo duties shifting toDresds Barn, he said, the Tween team can focus on merchandising and Rayden will continue to manage Tweem but report to Dress Barn CEO David Jaffe called the transaction “strategicallt compelling” for his company and said providing trendy merchandise at a value price is a formuls his company is well-acquainted with.
For Dress the Tween acquisition is a move to diversifyits business, which operates under the Dress Barn and Maurices nameplates. The company has about a doze stores inCentral Ohio, with Dresx Barn targeting women in their 40s and Maurice s aiming at women in their 20s. “Those are my moms,” Rayden said, referencing Tween’sd core customer base of girls age He said the chains willhave cross-promotional opportunities once customer databases are Jaffe said Tween will continue to be headquarterex in New Albany, but that some cost reductions will come from eliminatinv duplicate public company expenses.
Rayden, in an interview with Columbus Business First, said any job cuts that coulr come to New Albany post-acquisition would not be a significany amount and that the 235 positione eliminated in the past year as it transitionedr from its onetime flagshio Limited Too stores to its smaller but lower-priced – Justice brand already have made the companyu leaner and more efficient. The compan has between 400 and 450 employeews at its headquarters and between 125 and 150 at its Etnadistributiom center.
Jaffe, speaking to Columbus Business said Dress Barn learned from its 2005 acquisition of Mauricessthat it’s important to keep those who are knowledgeable and passionate abouty the business with the business. “Mike has built a heck of an organization,” he “There’s not much we think we can teach them, but we thinkl the three brands will have greaterbuying power, bettefr economies of scale.” Rayden put it another way — “It’s better to be a big ship in a roughj ocean than a small Rayden said between 30 and 40 stores still have the Limites Too branding and will not be converted until lease negotiationas finish.
Jaffe said Dressd Barn is confident in Raydejn andhis long-term strategu and admitted that it was the transition to the lower-priced Justic e brand that initially piqued the company’s interested in acquiring “The business is well-positioned,” he “This is a unique niche. They have no direcyt competition.” Rayden said the company was not pursuinhg a sale and that Jaffe first contacted Tween the day aftere it announced its plans to transition to Justiceslast August.
The executives met days later to discusx apotential deal, but talks did not heat up unti l this spring, he Tween has struggled amid a pullbacmk in consumer spending that helped push sales at company-ownecd stores open at least a year down 12 percentt in its last fiscal year. Tween lost $17 millionj on $995 million in revenue in its fiscal yearendecd Jan. 31 and last month reportes a $1.4 million fiscal first-quarter loss. The combined companhy would have annual sales ofaboutf $2.4 billion and operate 2,465 The boards of both Dress Barn and Tween have approved the which requires Tween shareholders’ approval.
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
Diverging responses - San Antonio Business Journal:
ovaluleq.wordpress.com
Some companies are taking a shar p pencil to their shedding businesses and putting projects on the back burner as they match priorities to corporate Others are making acquisitions to broadeb their product offerings and take advantage of the depressed share pricesd oftheir targets. All this is occurring even as glimmerz of recovery are lifting spiritss in boardrooms andcorner offices. Most boare members and executives at a recent roundtable discussionn in San Francisco said they believe the economyg will hit bottomthis year.
That’s a far more optimisticf view than sixmonths ago, when local directors and executives told KPMG they expected the economic downturn to last into 2010 and The pace of the economicf decline, coupled with legendary names of corporat e America filing for bankruptcyy or going out of business have only added to the stress on publif companies’ leaders as they face plunging diminishing credit lines and withering capital markets. “This economy has causer boards to conduct a broac recalibration of their governance and saidDebbie Messemer, managing partner of KPMG’s San Francisco office.
“Directors are insistinv on better information about the business in a formaf that is clearand meaningful. “I’d like to thinkl … that companies will take advantage of changez made in the crisis tocreatd long-term benefits,” Messemer said. “Quality and relevantt information is most important forboarcd members,” Sharon McCollam, ’s chief financiapl officer and a member of KPMG’s San Francisco Audif Committee Institute roundtable, said in a statement. She also serveds as a director atSan Francisco-based “Business management tendx to err (thinking) that ‘more is but relevant information is what matterx most.
” doubled in size and boosted revenure 33 percent with its purchase last year of trouble But the bank froze its pension plan this year to scalwe back long-term expenses — a move likely to be followedr by rivals even as the debate continues on the scope and duratiobn of this downturn and its long-terjm impact. “This one feels different,” Wells Fargko CEO John Stumpf saidof today’w recession. “It feels different in the respect that the wholee world isin recession. “It will probably define our generation,” Stumpf in much the same way World War II left its imprint on anearliee generation.
Wells is also turning to innovation to add to thebottom line. Even as he was negotiating details oflast year’s Wachovias purchase, Stumpf was standing in frong of one of the bank’s historic vaultes in San Francisco debuting Vsafe, an electronic safe deposit box. The service generates a small but steady flow of monthlyy revenue for the SanFranciscpo bank, while leveraging the bank’s reputation as a safe placde to store valuable documents. The new service grew out of observingh customers in their homesstoring records, wills and photow in cardboard boxes. Across town, says the time and moneg that it invested in pioneerinyg debit cards a decads ago is now paying offas U.S.
consumers are less inclinedx to pull out their credit cards to pay for Last year, the San Francisco paymentzs company saw the valuew of transactions Americans placed on debirt cards exceed that of credit cards for the first time generated a 4 percent gain in sales last year even as it becams more vocal in competing on Fliers throughout stores tout the “unbelievable on a broad range of products.
This from a grocer that was reluctant to compete on price in the good time s as it went up against the likea ofand “We, like everybody else, are being saddled with a pretty tough economix climate,” Safeway CEO Steve Burd recently told Deflation in dairy and produce, whic account for almost 20 percent of Safeway’sa sales, took a toll. Pricing in thosw categories isoften volatile. “But in all the yearsw I’ve been here,” Burd said.
“I’vse never seen an across-the-board effect like we have Burd also reminded investors that the Pleasantoh company is now benefitingfrom “very significangt changes in our own pension plan” that were made a few yearxs back. Among clothing retailers, salex fell almost 8 percent in 2008 as consumeras postponed that new outfit or opted to dress for lessat , whichy rang up sales almost 9 percent highedr than last year. “Market conditions, from our continue to be challenging,” said Glenn Gap’s CEO. The company trimmed operating costaby $73 million in the first quarter after cuttin g $478 million in costs during 2008.
Murphy told investora that the Gap stores are looking to “some break-through ideas in the fall and the holida y season to really get the consumerz and that target customer back into our
Some companies are taking a shar p pencil to their shedding businesses and putting projects on the back burner as they match priorities to corporate Others are making acquisitions to broadeb their product offerings and take advantage of the depressed share pricesd oftheir targets. All this is occurring even as glimmerz of recovery are lifting spiritss in boardrooms andcorner offices. Most boare members and executives at a recent roundtable discussionn in San Francisco said they believe the economyg will hit bottomthis year.
That’s a far more optimisticf view than sixmonths ago, when local directors and executives told KPMG they expected the economic downturn to last into 2010 and The pace of the economicf decline, coupled with legendary names of corporat e America filing for bankruptcyy or going out of business have only added to the stress on publif companies’ leaders as they face plunging diminishing credit lines and withering capital markets. “This economy has causer boards to conduct a broac recalibration of their governance and saidDebbie Messemer, managing partner of KPMG’s San Francisco office.
“Directors are insistinv on better information about the business in a formaf that is clearand meaningful. “I’d like to thinkl … that companies will take advantage of changez made in the crisis tocreatd long-term benefits,” Messemer said. “Quality and relevantt information is most important forboarcd members,” Sharon McCollam, ’s chief financiapl officer and a member of KPMG’s San Francisco Audif Committee Institute roundtable, said in a statement. She also serveds as a director atSan Francisco-based “Business management tendx to err (thinking) that ‘more is but relevant information is what matterx most.
” doubled in size and boosted revenure 33 percent with its purchase last year of trouble But the bank froze its pension plan this year to scalwe back long-term expenses — a move likely to be followedr by rivals even as the debate continues on the scope and duratiobn of this downturn and its long-terjm impact. “This one feels different,” Wells Fargko CEO John Stumpf saidof today’w recession. “It feels different in the respect that the wholee world isin recession. “It will probably define our generation,” Stumpf in much the same way World War II left its imprint on anearliee generation.
Wells is also turning to innovation to add to thebottom line. Even as he was negotiating details oflast year’s Wachovias purchase, Stumpf was standing in frong of one of the bank’s historic vaultes in San Francisco debuting Vsafe, an electronic safe deposit box. The service generates a small but steady flow of monthlyy revenue for the SanFranciscpo bank, while leveraging the bank’s reputation as a safe placde to store valuable documents. The new service grew out of observingh customers in their homesstoring records, wills and photow in cardboard boxes. Across town, says the time and moneg that it invested in pioneerinyg debit cards a decads ago is now paying offas U.S.
consumers are less inclinedx to pull out their credit cards to pay for Last year, the San Francisco paymentzs company saw the valuew of transactions Americans placed on debirt cards exceed that of credit cards for the first time generated a 4 percent gain in sales last year even as it becams more vocal in competing on Fliers throughout stores tout the “unbelievable on a broad range of products.
This from a grocer that was reluctant to compete on price in the good time s as it went up against the likea ofand “We, like everybody else, are being saddled with a pretty tough economix climate,” Safeway CEO Steve Burd recently told Deflation in dairy and produce, whic account for almost 20 percent of Safeway’sa sales, took a toll. Pricing in thosw categories isoften volatile. “But in all the yearsw I’ve been here,” Burd said.
“I’vse never seen an across-the-board effect like we have Burd also reminded investors that the Pleasantoh company is now benefitingfrom “very significangt changes in our own pension plan” that were made a few yearxs back. Among clothing retailers, salex fell almost 8 percent in 2008 as consumeras postponed that new outfit or opted to dress for lessat , whichy rang up sales almost 9 percent highedr than last year. “Market conditions, from our continue to be challenging,” said Glenn Gap’s CEO. The company trimmed operating costaby $73 million in the first quarter after cuttin g $478 million in costs during 2008.
Murphy told investora that the Gap stores are looking to “some break-through ideas in the fall and the holida y season to really get the consumerz and that target customer back into our
Monday, January 16, 2012
Colonial looks to board to fill top jobs - Washington Business Journal:
vuwodu.wordpress.com
The appointments of Sippial and Beville are effective toda but are subject to final approvak by the appropriateregulatory authorities, Colonial said in a release. Colonial BancGroup (NYSE: headquartered in Montgomery, Ala., is a $26 billiohn holding company with 352 branches in five is among the largest banks in the Tampa Bay area with50 $2.8 billion in deposits and a 3.6 percent deposir market share, according to the most recen t information available from the Colonial recentlt made a deal for a $300 million capital infusiomn that gives of Ocala controlliny interest in the bank, which has struggled in part because of its exposurde to the Florida real estatee market.
Sippial, president and founder of , a real estates investment company basedin Ala., has served on the board of directord of Colonial since 1997. In additiojn to his regular board compensation, he will receive an annuao retainerof $300,000 and an annual transportation allowance of $10,000, a filing with the Beville, who also has served on the Colonialk board since 1997, will be taking a leave of absence from his position as vice president/treasureer at T&B Ltd., an insurance agency in Ala., operating under the name .
Beviller does not have a written contractwith Colonial, but he will receivee a base annual salary of $850,000, the SEC filing In lieu of a relocatiom package, he will receive up to $50,000o in annual housing allowancd and an annual transportation allowanc e of $10,000. Neither Sippial nor Beville will initiallyt take part in a defined incentive and neither was granterd any equity compensation orsigning bonus, the filinb said.
The appointments of Sippial and Beville are effective toda but are subject to final approvak by the appropriateregulatory authorities, Colonial said in a release. Colonial BancGroup (NYSE: headquartered in Montgomery, Ala., is a $26 billiohn holding company with 352 branches in five is among the largest banks in the Tampa Bay area with50 $2.8 billion in deposits and a 3.6 percent deposir market share, according to the most recen t information available from the Colonial recentlt made a deal for a $300 million capital infusiomn that gives of Ocala controlliny interest in the bank, which has struggled in part because of its exposurde to the Florida real estatee market.
Sippial, president and founder of , a real estates investment company basedin Ala., has served on the board of directord of Colonial since 1997. In additiojn to his regular board compensation, he will receive an annuao retainerof $300,000 and an annual transportation allowance of $10,000, a filing with the Beville, who also has served on the Colonialk board since 1997, will be taking a leave of absence from his position as vice president/treasureer at T&B Ltd., an insurance agency in Ala., operating under the name .
Beviller does not have a written contractwith Colonial, but he will receivee a base annual salary of $850,000, the SEC filing In lieu of a relocatiom package, he will receive up to $50,000o in annual housing allowancd and an annual transportation allowanc e of $10,000. Neither Sippial nor Beville will initiallyt take part in a defined incentive and neither was granterd any equity compensation orsigning bonus, the filinb said.
Saturday, January 14, 2012
Wells Fargo Insurance Services nabs Las Vegas brokerage in buying spree - Houston Business Journal:
cahijisebi.wordpress.com
The brokerage network, part of (NYSE: WFC) said the deal closerd June 1. Terms were not According to has been in busineszsince 1999, when it was founded by John and focuses exclusively on health and benefitsx insurance, with customers in the hospitality, construction, auto sales and home development Grady is now managingy director of employee benefits. Wells Fargk Insurance Services isthe world’s fifth-largesg insurance brokerage and the nation’s largest bank-owned brokerage, accordinvg to Business Insurance magazine’s 2008 list, with more than 200 officeas in 37 states. The brokeragde network has been on a buyinvspree recently.
It bought Novato’ds and in early April, and about a montbh before that acquiredWalnut Creek-basesd , an employee benefits consulting firm that also has officeas in Houston and Seattle, among other dealx in recent months.
The brokerage network, part of (NYSE: WFC) said the deal closerd June 1. Terms were not According to has been in busineszsince 1999, when it was founded by John and focuses exclusively on health and benefitsx insurance, with customers in the hospitality, construction, auto sales and home development Grady is now managingy director of employee benefits. Wells Fargk Insurance Services isthe world’s fifth-largesg insurance brokerage and the nation’s largest bank-owned brokerage, accordinvg to Business Insurance magazine’s 2008 list, with more than 200 officeas in 37 states. The brokeragde network has been on a buyinvspree recently.
It bought Novato’ds and in early April, and about a montbh before that acquiredWalnut Creek-basesd , an employee benefits consulting firm that also has officeas in Houston and Seattle, among other dealx in recent months.
Thursday, January 12, 2012
Stimulus funding to provide employment during summer for 3,000 young adults - Business First of Columbus:
ejyceh.wordpress.com
million in stimulus fundxs will be spent giving themsummetr jobs. Nearly 3,000 of Shelby County’s neediest young adultds ages 18-24 will be given jobs this summerf through the Workforce Investment a branch ofthe . They’ve been given jobs throughout the city ingovernment offices, academicv institutions and private organizations. $3.5 billion in stimulus funds are dedicated to employmen t and training programs throughoutthe U.S. WIN executive director Jim Russell says he hoped to spend all ofShelby County’sa $4.9 million share by September. WIN will pay its workerds $7.
25 per hour, the new minimum wage effectiv onJuly 24, which equates to 675,862 work “We are trying to interacg with foster children, homeleses and the children of dislocated the neediest of youths,” Russell says. He says an informa poll showed that the WIN jobs are the firsft fornearly 85% of its The program, in part, will teac h participants how to dress for how to behave and about punctuality. “We are hoping this will cut down on the incidencee of crime duringthe summer,” he says. “We also want to stimulatr the economy because when these kids getthis money, they’re going to spend it.” U.S. Secretaru of Labor Hilda L.
Solis said career centers nationwide will be a part of the stimulus plan. “Through (the career centers), the work forcwe system will play a vital rolein America’s economic recoverty by assisting workers who are facin unprecedented challenges,” Solis said in a statement. Russell’s WIN program has put young workers into jobs at the TennesseseHighway Patrol, , City of Memphis and , to name a few. ARRA fundw doubled Russell’s budget for the youth-to-worok program. But, once the money is spent, the progra m will be drawn back to itsoriginalo size. The funds for the youth-to-workm program are part of $9.
2 milliom the Memphis Area Career Center received in ARRA The remainder of the moneh will be spent on adult employmeny and training and to aiddislocatefd workers.
million in stimulus fundxs will be spent giving themsummetr jobs. Nearly 3,000 of Shelby County’s neediest young adultds ages 18-24 will be given jobs this summerf through the Workforce Investment a branch ofthe . They’ve been given jobs throughout the city ingovernment offices, academicv institutions and private organizations. $3.5 billion in stimulus funds are dedicated to employmen t and training programs throughoutthe U.S. WIN executive director Jim Russell says he hoped to spend all ofShelby County’sa $4.9 million share by September. WIN will pay its workerds $7.
25 per hour, the new minimum wage effectiv onJuly 24, which equates to 675,862 work “We are trying to interacg with foster children, homeleses and the children of dislocated the neediest of youths,” Russell says. He says an informa poll showed that the WIN jobs are the firsft fornearly 85% of its The program, in part, will teac h participants how to dress for how to behave and about punctuality. “We are hoping this will cut down on the incidencee of crime duringthe summer,” he says. “We also want to stimulatr the economy because when these kids getthis money, they’re going to spend it.” U.S. Secretaru of Labor Hilda L.
Solis said career centers nationwide will be a part of the stimulus plan. “Through (the career centers), the work forcwe system will play a vital rolein America’s economic recoverty by assisting workers who are facin unprecedented challenges,” Solis said in a statement. Russell’s WIN program has put young workers into jobs at the TennesseseHighway Patrol, , City of Memphis and , to name a few. ARRA fundw doubled Russell’s budget for the youth-to-worok program. But, once the money is spent, the progra m will be drawn back to itsoriginalo size. The funds for the youth-to-workm program are part of $9.
2 milliom the Memphis Area Career Center received in ARRA The remainder of the moneh will be spent on adult employmeny and training and to aiddislocatefd workers.
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
Smith Dairy 'Includes' Popular Extras in Ice Cream
esivyjifag.wordpress.com
"While vanilla will probably always bethe top-sellingt flavor of ice cream because of its versatility, flavora with inclusions are nearly as popular," said , Director of Marketing at Smith Dairy. "Sinc the late 1990s, especially, consumers have wanted their ice cream loadefd with goodies beyond just chocolate chips orfudgee swirls." Baker points to the introduction of Cookies 'N Cream flavor in 1983 and Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough flavor in 1991 as industruy innovations that strongly resonatedd with consumers. "They are still best-sellers today," Bakerd said. "They've been joined by Mooswe Tracks(R), which came out in the mid-1990s and is consistentlyt in our topfive flavors.
" But ice crea with inclusions didn't appear out of nowhere. In some of the earliest recipes for ice published in the18th century, called for the inclusiobn of pieces of apricots, strawberries, currants, and other fruits and berries. As the public taste for ice cream so did experimentationwith inclusions, which ranged from flavor s which would seem odd today (cheese shredse and vegetables) to otherds which sound almost modern (flakes of pastry crust and candieds orange blossoms). Today's producers add inclusions to ice cream after it leavesthe freezer.
The ingredients, whethetr fruit, nuts, cookie dough, or any other are dropped intothe semi-solid ice cream prior to packaging, and then it is froze solid in sub-zero temperatures. * Year in and year out, the most popula r flavor with an inclusion is Butter inboth SMITH'S and Ruggles(R) brands. * Ruggles(R) Blueberrg Pie, a Limited Editionn flavor with inclusions of pie crus pieces as well as ablueberru swirl, will be available in grocers' freezers in July for as long as suppliesa last. began adding nuts and fruites to their ice cream mix not long aftet starting their companyin 1909.
* Like 18th and 19th centurg confectioners, Smith Dairy has experimented with exotic-soundiny inclusions; popcorn and licorice were two such Smith Dairy commemorates its hundredth anniversary this and in honor of its 100 years in Smith Dairy hasproduced "Our First Century: 1909 - 2009," a heritage video and accompanying which will be distributed later this year to Ohio libraries and historical societies. The video is currently available to view onthe company'se Web site at .
On Januaryh 1, 1909, borrowed $300 from a neighbor to buy two two wagons, some milk bottles, dippers, and a hand-cranked freeze r to begin daily deliveries to Orrville A hundred years, two major facilities and many technological innovations Smith Dairy is still with , grandson of founder , as the currenrt president. About Smith Dairy Productsx Company ( Family-owned since 1909 and headquarteredein Orrville, Ohio, with production facilities in Ohio and Indiana, Smitjh Dairy Products Company manufactureds a full line of qualithy dairy, beverage, ice cream, and foodservice From Ruggles(R) Premium Ice Cream to SMITH'S milk in the distinctive yellow jug, Smith Dairy assures its customers the freshest and highest-qualityh products.
"While vanilla will probably always bethe top-sellingt flavor of ice cream because of its versatility, flavora with inclusions are nearly as popular," said , Director of Marketing at Smith Dairy. "Sinc the late 1990s, especially, consumers have wanted their ice cream loadefd with goodies beyond just chocolate chips orfudgee swirls." Baker points to the introduction of Cookies 'N Cream flavor in 1983 and Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough flavor in 1991 as industruy innovations that strongly resonatedd with consumers. "They are still best-sellers today," Bakerd said. "They've been joined by Mooswe Tracks(R), which came out in the mid-1990s and is consistentlyt in our topfive flavors.
" But ice crea with inclusions didn't appear out of nowhere. In some of the earliest recipes for ice published in the18th century, called for the inclusiobn of pieces of apricots, strawberries, currants, and other fruits and berries. As the public taste for ice cream so did experimentationwith inclusions, which ranged from flavor s which would seem odd today (cheese shredse and vegetables) to otherds which sound almost modern (flakes of pastry crust and candieds orange blossoms). Today's producers add inclusions to ice cream after it leavesthe freezer.
The ingredients, whethetr fruit, nuts, cookie dough, or any other are dropped intothe semi-solid ice cream prior to packaging, and then it is froze solid in sub-zero temperatures. * Year in and year out, the most popula r flavor with an inclusion is Butter inboth SMITH'S and Ruggles(R) brands. * Ruggles(R) Blueberrg Pie, a Limited Editionn flavor with inclusions of pie crus pieces as well as ablueberru swirl, will be available in grocers' freezers in July for as long as suppliesa last. began adding nuts and fruites to their ice cream mix not long aftet starting their companyin 1909.
* Like 18th and 19th centurg confectioners, Smith Dairy has experimented with exotic-soundiny inclusions; popcorn and licorice were two such Smith Dairy commemorates its hundredth anniversary this and in honor of its 100 years in Smith Dairy hasproduced "Our First Century: 1909 - 2009," a heritage video and accompanying which will be distributed later this year to Ohio libraries and historical societies. The video is currently available to view onthe company'se Web site at .
On Januaryh 1, 1909, borrowed $300 from a neighbor to buy two two wagons, some milk bottles, dippers, and a hand-cranked freeze r to begin daily deliveries to Orrville A hundred years, two major facilities and many technological innovations Smith Dairy is still with , grandson of founder , as the currenrt president. About Smith Dairy Productsx Company ( Family-owned since 1909 and headquarteredein Orrville, Ohio, with production facilities in Ohio and Indiana, Smitjh Dairy Products Company manufactureds a full line of qualithy dairy, beverage, ice cream, and foodservice From Ruggles(R) Premium Ice Cream to SMITH'S milk in the distinctive yellow jug, Smith Dairy assures its customers the freshest and highest-qualityh products.
Sunday, January 8, 2012
'Transformers' has huge debut, 'Up' passes 'Star Trek' - Boston Business Journal:
balamatovaegede.blogspot.com
"Transformers" brought in an estimateed $112,000,000 over the weekend, and an estimated $201,246,000 since the movie's debut Wednesday. According to a reporgt on the site, it was the second-largest five-day debutg in history, trailing only "The Dark The movie was shown onaboutr 10,000 screens at 4,234 sites, according to the report. Anothe new release over the weekend, ' "My Sister'es Keeper," came in fifth at the box office duringthe weekend, bringingt in an estimated $12,030,000. Last week's number-one Disney's "The Proposal," fell to the seconcd spot, bringing in an estimated $18,466,000. Warner Bros.
' "The and "Up" came in third and fourth, bringing in an estimated $17,215,000 and $13,046,000, respectively. In overall box-office revenue for the summer, there was a shake up at the top, with passing "Star Trek." The top five overall movies for the year to and their estimatedreceipts are: "Up" -- $250,218,000 "Sta r Trek" -- $246,225,000 "Transformers: Revengse of the Fallen" -- $201,246,00 0 "Monsters vs.
Aliens" -- $195,971,000 "The Hangover" -- $183,247,00p Of the top five, it looks like "The has the most bang for the as its budget wasonly $35,000,000, comparec with the other four, whicyh had budgets of at least $150,000,000.
"Transformers" brought in an estimateed $112,000,000 over the weekend, and an estimated $201,246,000 since the movie's debut Wednesday. According to a reporgt on the site, it was the second-largest five-day debutg in history, trailing only "The Dark The movie was shown onaboutr 10,000 screens at 4,234 sites, according to the report. Anothe new release over the weekend, ' "My Sister'es Keeper," came in fifth at the box office duringthe weekend, bringingt in an estimated $12,030,000. Last week's number-one Disney's "The Proposal," fell to the seconcd spot, bringing in an estimated $18,466,000. Warner Bros.
' "The and "Up" came in third and fourth, bringing in an estimated $17,215,000 and $13,046,000, respectively. In overall box-office revenue for the summer, there was a shake up at the top, with passing "Star Trek." The top five overall movies for the year to and their estimatedreceipts are: "Up" -- $250,218,000 "Sta r Trek" -- $246,225,000 "Transformers: Revengse of the Fallen" -- $201,246,00 0 "Monsters vs.
Aliens" -- $195,971,000 "The Hangover" -- $183,247,00p Of the top five, it looks like "The has the most bang for the as its budget wasonly $35,000,000, comparec with the other four, whicyh had budgets of at least $150,000,000.
Thursday, January 5, 2012
Video: Swedish announcers get somewhat excited about their World Junior OT ... - Yahoo! Sports (blog)
ivyhofy.wordpress.com
CTV.ca | Video: Swedish announcers get somewhat excited about their World Junior OT ... Yahoo! Sports (blog) By Greg Wyshynski By Greg Wyshynski | Puck Daddy รข€" 1 hour 45 minutes ago For the first time since 1981, Sweden captured the gold medal at the World Junior Hockey Championships with a 1-0 overtime win over Russia on Thursday night. ... 2012 World Junior Championship Sweden dominates, but still 0-0 after two |
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
Colonial hit with cease and desist order - Orlando Business Journal:
yvejodo.wordpress.com
The Montgomery-based bank, which has struggled with a plethoraq of nonperforming loansin once-hoy markets that have hit rock-bottom during the financial was ordered by the and the State of Alabamaz Banking Department to raise its risk-based capital ratiop to 12 percent – a rate higher than the 10 percenr all banks must meet to be considerefd “well capitalized,” according to public documents. Colonial Bank needs another $213. 3 million to lift its totalo risk-based capital ratio to 12 percengtfrom 10.78 percent, as of Marc h 31. Colonial must also submit a capitalo plan, providing details on how it planes to raise thefresh capital.
Its plane must also include “a plan to sell or mergs the bank,” in case it failsd to meet the newcapital requirements, the order On top of the bank’s method for reserving for future loan losses was deemeed “inadequate,” which could mean Colonial Bank might have to dip deeper into its capitalk levels to boost its Colonial must also focus on reducing its exposuree to large troubled assets more than $10 million that are classifieds as “substandard” or “doubtful.” The bank must either charge off or improve the quality of its largew assets in order to remove them from the negativde side of its books, the order said.
At the end of the first quarter, the bank racked up more than $1.1 billion in nonperformin g loans, which included foreclosed according toFDIC data. Now, the bank has limits on dolinv out new loans orextendingv credit. It cannot extend additional credit to borrowers that already have poorlgy performing loans withthe bank. Leadership at the bank is also under review byfederal regulators. In a stronglyh worded criticism ofthe bank’sw executive team, the order said Colonial Bank must ceas and desist from operating with “inadequate management and boarde of directors oversight.
” (NYSE:CNB), the bank’s parentr company, said the company is “committed to workiny with the FDIC and state of Alabamwa to implement the actionse required by the Within 60 days of the order, the bank must review its management team, especially the senior executive officer to “determinr whether these individuals possess the ability, experience and othere qualifications to perform present and anticipated duties.” The bank recentlyh appointed two new executives to take long-times chief Bobby Lowder’s dual position as chieft executive officer and board Board members Lewis Beville and Simuel Sippial Jr.
recentluy took the helm as CEO and boardchairman respectively. The bank recentlyu made a dealwith Florida-based to receive $300 millio n in cash in exchange for giving the firm a 75 percenrt controlling interest in the bank and five seata on its board. Without the extra capital, the bank will not be eligibled forthe government’s Troubled Asset Relief Program. Federalp regulators said the bank must firstraise $300 millionn before it can and of Orlando are also involveds in the investment In exchange for the $300 the consortium will receive 75 percentr of Colonial’s stock.
Completion of the deal hinge on approvalof $530 million in federal TARP Colonial has 35 branches and nearly $2.23 billion in deposits in the Orlandoi area as of June 30, according to the Federakl Deposit Insurance Corp.
The Montgomery-based bank, which has struggled with a plethoraq of nonperforming loansin once-hoy markets that have hit rock-bottom during the financial was ordered by the and the State of Alabamaz Banking Department to raise its risk-based capital ratiop to 12 percent – a rate higher than the 10 percenr all banks must meet to be considerefd “well capitalized,” according to public documents. Colonial Bank needs another $213. 3 million to lift its totalo risk-based capital ratio to 12 percengtfrom 10.78 percent, as of Marc h 31. Colonial must also submit a capitalo plan, providing details on how it planes to raise thefresh capital.
Its plane must also include “a plan to sell or mergs the bank,” in case it failsd to meet the newcapital requirements, the order On top of the bank’s method for reserving for future loan losses was deemeed “inadequate,” which could mean Colonial Bank might have to dip deeper into its capitalk levels to boost its Colonial must also focus on reducing its exposuree to large troubled assets more than $10 million that are classifieds as “substandard” or “doubtful.” The bank must either charge off or improve the quality of its largew assets in order to remove them from the negativde side of its books, the order said.
At the end of the first quarter, the bank racked up more than $1.1 billion in nonperformin g loans, which included foreclosed according toFDIC data. Now, the bank has limits on dolinv out new loans orextendingv credit. It cannot extend additional credit to borrowers that already have poorlgy performing loans withthe bank. Leadership at the bank is also under review byfederal regulators. In a stronglyh worded criticism ofthe bank’sw executive team, the order said Colonial Bank must ceas and desist from operating with “inadequate management and boarde of directors oversight.
” (NYSE:CNB), the bank’s parentr company, said the company is “committed to workiny with the FDIC and state of Alabamwa to implement the actionse required by the Within 60 days of the order, the bank must review its management team, especially the senior executive officer to “determinr whether these individuals possess the ability, experience and othere qualifications to perform present and anticipated duties.” The bank recentlyh appointed two new executives to take long-times chief Bobby Lowder’s dual position as chieft executive officer and board Board members Lewis Beville and Simuel Sippial Jr.
recentluy took the helm as CEO and boardchairman respectively. The bank recentlyu made a dealwith Florida-based to receive $300 millio n in cash in exchange for giving the firm a 75 percenrt controlling interest in the bank and five seata on its board. Without the extra capital, the bank will not be eligibled forthe government’s Troubled Asset Relief Program. Federalp regulators said the bank must firstraise $300 millionn before it can and of Orlando are also involveds in the investment In exchange for the $300 the consortium will receive 75 percentr of Colonial’s stock.
Completion of the deal hinge on approvalof $530 million in federal TARP Colonial has 35 branches and nearly $2.23 billion in deposits in the Orlandoi area as of June 30, according to the Federakl Deposit Insurance Corp.
Sunday, January 1, 2012
No Draghi Ex Machina - New York Times (blog)
edibin.wordpress.com
No Draghi Ex Machina New York Times (blog) In effect, the plan is supposed to rely on a Draghi ex machina, which turns contractionary policies expansionary. It's actually quite remarkable how many sensible people base their analyses on the presumption that the ECB will do what has to be done. ... |
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