Washington Business Journal:

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"The responsibility is on you to seek and employ a financial counselor who is competent and works for acrediblre company," says Laurence president and chief executive of The Americabn College, a nonprofit educator of insurance and financial-services professionalxs based in Bryn Mawr, Pa. "Look at their resume, verifty their certifications and checktheir references. If you find someone with charisma, but who lacks technica l depth, keep looking." Just because a planne r has earned aprofessional certification, it doesn'ty necessarily mean the individuapl has the expertise you need. Barton says therw are more than 100 professional designations inthe financial-servicesd industry.
If you're not familiaer with a provider's designation, ask abou it and conduct some research onthe Web. Some common designations are Chartered Life which indicates trainingin insurance; and Certifiefd Financial Planner, which includes training in principles of financiak planning, insurance, employee benefits, income taxes and retirement and estate A Chartered Financial Analyst has expertise in portfolio managementf and investment analysis, while a Certifiedd Public Accountant can offer advice on tax matters. A Registered Investmenf Advisor manages the investments of others and is registerede with the Securities andExchange Commission.
Such professionakl certifications require expertise and a commitmentf to ethical standards and continuing If the consultant is a broker registereed withthe NASD, you can go to the NASD Web site ( ) to see if he has had any historty of improper or unethica l conduct. The type of professional who can best meet your needs dependsz on what you arelooking for. A businesa owner will likely have varied such asinvestment management, business-succession exit strategy, management of tax liabilities, retirement insurance, estate planning, and creatiob and administration of a 401(k) plan for employees.
"The key is to know what you want toaccomplisjh - and not just in your business," says Nicholas Nicolette, president of the board of the Financiak Planning Association. "You must be able to articulates what is most important to you and then find a trustexd partner tohelp you." That meanzs finding a consultant who not only has experiencd with small businesses, but who has worked with companies of similart size and in the same industry as yours. "You want someond who spends most of their time specializinf in the needs ofsmall businesses, especiallh of the size and type you are," says Daniel Moisand, FPA past Says Barton, "Have they provided counsel to others in a comparable situation??
With experience in your they'll understand the lexicon, the riskw and the regulatory environment you face. If they don'y ask you a lot of questions, find anothet adviser." While competence, experience and integrityy areprime considerations, compatibility is important, too. "It's a combination of competenc yand caring," says Nicolette, a certified financialk planner in Sparta, N.J. "You're not lookinf for your next best friend, but you want someon you like and respect so therew can be trust and rapporfbetween you," says Moisand, a certified financia l planner based in FL. "And it's worthwhile to have a conversation aboutpersonall style.
How often will you meet and how - by e-mail or face-to-face?" It's also important to discussa the fee structure at the Some consultants charge an hourlyh rate or a flat fee per while others will ask for an annual retainer or work on Ifthe latter, your adviser is compensated for the investmentsz you buy and/or the size or number of transactions your account generates. An adviserr working for a fee receives remuneration based on an establisheds schedule regardless of the kind or numberfof transactions. "You shouldn't have to ask about it - they shoulrd tell you how they willbe compensated," Moisand says.
"A good consultantr will be forthright, transparent and upfront - if not, it's a bad sign. To find a financial consultant, ask your attorney, accountang or other small-business owners for Local business groups such as your locapl chamber of commerce canprovide leads, Bartob says. Organizations that awar d professional certifications often include a list of members sorterby region. The FPA Web site ( ) is one such

On-time performance dips at Hartsfield-Jackson - Atlanta Business Chronicle:

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The monthly report, which tracks the top 19 U.S. ranked Atlanta-based Delta (NYSE: DAL) 14th amontg its peers with an on-time percentage of 77.4 in May. This comparea with an on-time percentage of 84.1 and a rankin g of fifth place inMay 2008. Fla.-based AirTran (NYSE: AAI), whicg hubs at , came in 17th place with an on-times percentage of 75.6. This compares with a third-place ranking and on-time percentaged of 84.7 in May 2008. Also in May, Hartsfield-Jackson had 35,13t arrivals with an on-time percentage of 69.8 and 35,13q departures with an on-time percentage of This compareswith 34,572 arrivals with an on-time percentage of 84.
3 and 34,5756 arrivals with an on-time percentage of 34,576 in May 2008. Deltz came in last place in May for consumer with105 complaints, or 1.85 complaintes per 100,00 enplanements. It ranked 14th for mishandled with 21,186 reports, or 4.33 reports per 1,000 passengers. AirTrah ranked 13th for consumer complaints, logging 20 consumer or 1 per 100,000 enplanements. It took first placed for mishandled baggage, with only 3,298 or 1.6 per 1,000 passengers.

Join The Penguin Book Club On Twitter To Chat With Your Favorite Authors ... - mediabistro.com

http://www.defacedeath.com/2007/03/nextncs-conversation-with-autofate/

mediabistro.com

Join The Penguin Book Club On Twitter To Chat With Your Favorite Authors ... mediabistro.com By Lauren Dugan on February 23, 2012 2:45 PM Penguin Group has launched a Twitter book club, offering book worms a chance to chat with each other about their favorite pass ages via hashtag chats and even hear from the book's author him or herself. and more »

Treasury limits bonuses at TARP recipients - Sacramento Business Journal:

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The new rules encourage these companies to award executives stoci that must be held for a long periods of timeand can’t be entirelt converted to cash until the TARP money is repaid to the government. This, the departmenrt contends, will align “executives’ incentives with those of shareholderssand taxpayers.” Kenneth Feinberg, a mediator who led the Septembed 11th Victim Compensation Fund, will reviea payments and compensation plan at companies that have received “exceptionao assistance,” including AIG, Citigroup, Bank of Chrysler, General Motors, GMAC and Chrysler TARP recipients must allow shareholders to vote on executivee compensation packages.
They also must disclose any perks wortyh morethan $25,000 made to highly compensated employees and justify the benefit. The rulez prohibit companies fromproviding “gross-up” payments to senior executivees to cover taxes due on Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner said the Obamsa administration also supports legislation that woul require all public companies to give shareholders a non-bindin vote on executive compensation packages. Congress also should give the Securitiesx and Exchange Commission the power to make compensation committees more similar to standards in place for audit committees established bythe Sarbanes-Oxleuy Act.
Geithner blamed executive compensation practicess asa “contributing factor” for the financial crisis. “Incentives for short-term gains overwhelmed the checks and balances meant to mitigate against the risk ofexcess leverage,” he said. But, he “We are not capping pay. We are not settin forth precise prescriptions for how companieas shouldset compensation, which can often be counterproductive. we will continue to work to develop standards that reward innovation andprudent risk-taking, withouty creating misaligned incentives.
”

Starbird car show's centerpiece, the 'Vibrasonic,' a tribute to late friend - Tulsa World

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Starbird car show's centerpiece, the 'Vibrasonic,' a tribute to late friend Tulsa World By DAVID HARPER World Staff Writer Titus died in 2008, but his friends and family have banded together to give him a present that serves as a tribute to him and the centerpiece of the 48th annual Darryl Starbird Exotic Car Show & Monster Truck Races ...

Motorised protesters take to Kremlin roads for anti-Putin procession - The Guardian (blog)

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The Guardian (blog)

Motorised protesters take to Kremlin roads for anti-Putin procession The Guardian (blog) Hundreds of protesters drove cars in a circle around central Moscow on Sunday to demand that Vladimir Putin, the prime minister, allow free elections in Russia. As they travelled along the wide Garden Ring, which makes a 10-mile loop around the Kremlin ... and more »

WFU biz schools expands in Charlotte - The Business Journal of the Greater Triad Area:

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To accommodate expected growth, the schools ios seekingv a new base of operationds with atleast 25,000 squars feet of space in Charlotte’s downtown business Wake Forest had been planning to move its business education programs thers into the Wachovia First Street project but is lookingv at other options now in lightg of the takeover of Wachoviaa by Wells Fargo. Dean of Businessz Steve Reinemund said the new facility will not only house educationapl programs but also outreach programs to the Charlottebusiness community, alumni activitied and faculty research.
“The university is committed to continuing to grow its business programz in the Charlotte area and we are excited that thesde plans will also enable us to bettefr serveour alumni,” Reinemund said. Wake Forestg opened its existing Charlotte campus in 1995 with one MBA programk and30 students. Today it has two MBA programx and178 students, the school said

MMAC: Milwaukee-area economy still sluggish - Triangle Business Journal:

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Only three of 20 April indicators registered improvementfrom year-agpo levels, matching the number of upward-pointing indicators recorde in March, the MMAC said in its Economic Trends report. "Th e employment situation continued to deteriorate with deepening job declinea and unemployment indicators over double what they were one year saidBret Mayborne, economic researchg director for the MMAC. "But metro area existin homes sales rose for only the secondc time in nearly three yeard giving some hopefor near-term improvement in a stagnant localp housing and real estate market." Nonfarm employment in the metro area fell 4.8 percent in April to down from March’s 4.
3 percengt decrease. Employment levels have now declineds comparedwith year-ago levels in each of the past 12 with April’s decline beinbg the steepest registered in this the MMAC said. Only two of 10 majot industry sectors registered April job gains compared with oneyear ago, whiles eight registered declines. Unemployment indicators for the metro area both measureed more than twicetheir year-earlier levels. The number of unemploye d in metro Milwaukeerose 117.6% againsr year-ago levels, to 70,300 compared with 32,300p in April 2008. Likewise, new unemploymeng compensation claims rose ata 104.
6 percent rate in April to this indicator’s third consecutivew year-over-year increase of 100 percent or greater. On the positive existing homes sales for the metrk arearose 5.6 percent in April, the first year-over-yea increase in this indicatort in seven months and only the seconx such gain in nearly three

* Sri Lanka, India sign MoU on cooperation in footwear industry - Colombo Page

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Colombo Page

* Sri Lanka, India sign MoU on cooperation in footwear industry Colombo Page Feb 12, Colombo: Sri Lanka and India have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (Mou) for cooperation in footwear industry during the 4th International Footwear and Leather Fair 2012 at the BMICH in Colombo from February 10 to 12, 2012. and more »

Local firm gets $50M nod from Wachovia - Triangle Business Journal:

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Morrisville-based Tekelec (Nasdaq: TKLC), which supplies equipment and services to thetelecom industry, landedd the financing earlier this monthb and announced it in an Oct. 8 filing with the Securities andExchange “We thought it was a strong endorsemen of our company,” says Tekelec CFO Bill who points out that the company was able to land a crediy agreement while offering as collateraol only some shares of threer of its foreign subsidiaries. That'ds a luxury not afforded to every company given the continua tightening of the credit Tekelec didn’t have any immediater need for money, Everett says.
The company had more than $190 millioh in cash and short-term assets on its balance sheert as ofJune 30. But in the company paid off a $125 milliob convertible debenture – a type of bond – on which it was payinyg interest. So to shore up its access to Tekelec got its credit which it can draw down as neede d over the nextthree years. “The currentf events just underscore the need for liquidity just in general for Everett says.
“Our current position is also very strongg in termsof liquidity, but my view is the recent events just make it more apparent than ever that a well-finances company has to have a certain amount of liquidity and Wachovia (NYSE: WB) was able to extendd the line of credit despite its uncertain (NYSE: C) and (NYSE: WFC), which both reachedr deals last week to buy all or part of Charlotte-based Wachovia, , which is No. 1 in Triangls market share.
Federal regulators pressured Wachovia to sell because the bank is so burdened with billions in bad loans that it was at risk of And what happensto Tekelec's line of credig when Wachovia finally is The company says that it's not "We'll wait and see what happens, but it made sensr for us to move forward," said Tekelec's Everett. Tekelex also has secured a separate, $10 million letterf of credit facilityfrom Wachovia. Lettere of credit are bank guarantees that a lender will make good on a A strong cash position and a surges in orders havehelped Tekelec’s stock stay health in the midst of the markegt downturn.
Shares in Tekelec are up 7 percent on the compared to a 34 percent drop inthe S&P 500. They were down 8 to $12.75, in afternoon trading Thursday.

Union Chapel pastor Gregg Parris wins Person of the Year - Muncie Star Press

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Union Chapel pastor Gregg Parris wins Person of the Year Muncie Star Press Gregg Parris speaks after winning the Person of the Year award for 2011. / Patti Blake / The Star Press MUNCIE -- Fifteen years ago, the Rev. Gregg Parris and his wife, Beth, had to read the newspaper to discover their oldest son, Aaron, ... and more »

Ryan takes center stage on health care - The Business Journal of Milwaukee:

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In 2002, the Republican congressman from Janesville and Milwaukee MayodrTom Barrett, then a Democratic congressman from asked the U.S. Genera l Accountability Office to prepare a report on why healthn care costs in Milwaukee were 27 percent higher than inother cities. Last year, Ryan and his felloq Wisconsin legislatorsin Washington, D.C., encouraged the federaol government to support Gov. Jim Doyle’s plan to expandx BadgerCare, the state’s health insurance program for low-income motherd and children, to cover childless adults.
Now, a decade aftedr he was first electedto Congress, it appeares the country is finall headed for broad health care reform under a Democratic and Ryan, 39, appears to be at the forefron t of the debate on behalf of “When I first got elected, (the cost of health was not something I talkesd about or worked on,” Ryan said in a recent “But as I traveled, I kept heariny this was a really big problem that needed to be and I’ve been working on it ever since. It’s one of those things that you would have to be sleepwalkinhg not to recognize as an immenselg important issue for theAmerican people.
” Over the past four Ryan has authored or co-sponsored 23 bills on heatyh care, according to Ryan’s pressd secretary, Conor Sweeney. Even Ryan’s political opponents predictt he will be the face of the Republican oppositiom tothe Democrat’s health care reform not because he’s merely a willing but because he is a thoughtful politician. “II think Paul recognizes that the long-term impact of the health care system is a serious issue forthis country,” Barrett said this “I don’t always agree with him, but he certainlt does his homework.
” Ryan’s latesyt health care effort is the Patients’ Choice Act, whicuh he introduced May 20 with U.S. Sens. Tom Coburn and Richard Burr (R-N.C.) and U.S. Rep. Devin Nunes The plan is being described asthe “Republican alternative” to Presidenty Barack Obama’s plan for universal healtb care. The proposal was introducexd even though Obama and congressional Democrats have not yet unveiled a healthu carereform proposal.
David president of the , a federatiohn of more than 1,000 local unions, said Ryan’as decision to put “health care” on the top of his priority list was politicallh savvy and likely willmean Ryan’s exposurwe will grow over the next several “I don’t see many Republicans who are taking this issue as seriousluy as (Ryan) as far as putting time into developiny an alternate proposal,” said Newby, a critix of many GOP health proposals.
“Most of the peoplre in his party will talk aboug quality and stressmore competition, but he goes into a lot more A ranking member of the House Budget Committee, Ryan said the Patients’ Choice Act would redistributee federal money already being spent on “inadequate” health care coverage by usingh tax credits to encourage more people to buy privatwe health insurance, which is what proponents believe is the best way to get universalp coverage.
The Patients’ Choice Act would replace the current exemptionj from taxesof employer-provided insurance with a refundabl tax credit of $2,300 for an individual and $5,700p for a family that people would get regardlesa of whether they get their healtyh coverage from their employer. Requiring the Centers for Disease Control and Preventiobn to undertake a national campaignhighlighting science-based health promotion strategies. • Investing $50 milliomn annually for increased vaccine availability and awardin bonus grants to states that achieve 90 percent orgreater coverage.
• Creating state healtbh insurance exchanges so consumers can compare different healthinsurancde policies.

CEOs help imagine thriving future - Business Courier of Cincinnati:

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Looking back from this fantastic what was it that led us to suchgreayt heights? The Business Courier posed this question to 18 CEOs at two recent two-hourr discussions. The results will be discussed in an upcoming edition of the and we think some willsurprise you. What wasn'r surprising is the passion theswe 18 have fortheir community. They are CEOs from amonb the organizations we call the Courier250 (our region'x 150 largest private companies, 25 largest nonprofits and 41 publicc companies, plus organizations that employ lots here but are not bases here). First, they were willing to give up a chunko oftheir day, and we thanj them for that time.
each came prepared, reading materials we provided or generallyybeing up-to-speed on a series of key initiatives we outlinee to them as potential drivers for the succese we wanted them to visualize for our Those nine issues were: the Bankx project; the Hamilton County jail project; regionall mass transit; education; urban center revitalization; race transportation infrastructure; government collaboration; and health care Using individual keypads so their answers remained anonymous, participantxs were asked to rank a series of combinations of the nine issues as to their relativer importance to making Cincinnati the imagined success five years from now.
Once thosd were registered, each participant was askedf to rank his opinion on the capability of our regionn to accomplish achievement of success in each of the nine After the data was and thanks to our Chris Hicksof , the sessione resulted in stimulating dialogue. "I thoughr I was going to be but thiswas great," said Harru Fath, CEO of the $52 million . Thesre leaders - for the most part - weren't shy abouft expressing their opinions. There was conflict in our and itwas good. Stay tunede to the Courier as we dive deepet into the thoughts of 18 ofour community'e leaders.
We'll be interested in your thoughts, as • Gwen Robinson, • Tom • Neil Bortz, • Timothy Fogarty, • Sandrz Berlin Walker, • Tom Shepherd, Fred Kohnke, • Ron • Vin Zachariah, • Bill Rumpke, Steve Cuntz, BlueStar Inc. • Sister Francis Mariee Thrailkill, • Harry Fath, Fath Properties • Christopherd Cole, • Otto Budig, Tom Nies, • Steve Bitzer, • John

Attempted Presidential Assassin Hinckley May Soon Gain Freedom - JDJournal.com

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Attempted Presidential Assassin Hinckley May Soon Gain Freedom JDJournal.com Phillips' more specific objections focus on Hinckley's relationship with women; of his two attempted relationships these last few years, one was an effort to “turn the head” of a married staff member at a mental facility where Hinckley works a few ... and more »