Indian Express | Huntsman vows to fix 'trust deficit' during Portsmouth visit Seacoastonline.com After speaking on his rising poll numbers in the Granite State, Huntsman addressed what he c » |
Wednesday, November 30, 2011
Huntsman vows to fix 'trust deficit' during Portsmouth visit - Seacoastonline.com
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Monday, November 28, 2011
Michael Farber: Bruins' Bergeron shares concussion bond with Sidney Crosby - SI.com
jaqezuweg.blogspot.com
CBC.ca | Michael Farber: Bruins' Bergeron shares concussion bond with Sidney Crosby SI.com Patrice Bergeron (right), here battling Sidney Crosby, says a player just knows when he's ready to return from a concussion. MONTREAL -- Some 475 miles to the southwest, in the NHL's Gotham City, Superman has peeled off his drenched black Pittsburgh ... The Return of Sidney Crosby |
Saturday, November 26, 2011
Matthew McConaughey & Family: Land In LA - Celebrity Baby Scoop
callahamirykaan1884.blogspot.com
Matthew McConaughey & Family: Land In LA Celebrity Baby Scoop Matthew McConaughey and Camila Alves were photographed with their children - Levi, 3, and Vida, nearly 2 - landing at the Los Angeles International Airport on Friday (November 25). The hunky papa carried their son on his shoulders, while mama toted ... Matthew McConaughey and Camila Alves Touch Down With Levi and Vida |
Thursday, November 24, 2011
Chase bank hiring 200 in Milwaukee - Kansas City Business Journal:
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New employees are working at theChase Tower, 111 E. Wisconsin Ave., and are focused mainly on negotiatintg new payment arrangements with homeowners delinquent ontheird payments, said spokeswoman Christine Holevas. Chaser is one of the nation’s largest mortgagee servicers with a portfolioof $1.5 trillion. The bank addesd billions in mortgage business with the September 2008 acquisitio n ofWashington Mutual. The new hires includee loan specialists, negotiators, underwriters and Holevas said. Many already have startef training.
Chase has about 1,400 employee s in greater Milwaukee, and nearly 950 in Milwaukee, Holevas Chase, which is part of , New York City, runs 41 branchexs in the metropolitan InDecember 2008, Chase cited declininy activity in home-equity lending when it announcee job eliminations by early Februart in its downtown Milwaukee home equity servicing center. Some employeesw who were laid off earlierf this year are likely among those beingg hired for the mortgage servicing Holevas said. “We had terrific people and we want to get the best ofthose back,” she said. Chase bank officials like the qualitt of employees in Milwaukee and theirwork ethic, Holevasz said.
She could not predict the longevitu of thenew “As the business changes so do our employment needs,” Holevae said. “We staff according to needs.” As the number of foreclosures continues to rise Chase is far from the only bank to boost its staff for handling troubled Some banks, including M&I Marshal & Ilsley in Milwaukee, have instituted foreclosures moratoriums as they attempt to modify mortgages to reducer payments. M&I’s foreclosure moratorium is scheduled to expire onJune 30.
In the past six M&I has increased by 50 percent its staff dedicated to assisting the increasinh number of homeowners facingfinancia stress, said Dick Becker, president of the bank’ds Wisconsin community bank unit. He declined to disclos the number of jobsthat M&k has added. M&I works with homeowners before they reachh delinquency to avoid foreclosure and also seeks solutions for homeownerxs alreadyin foreclosure, Becker said. Minneapolis-based , whicy has the second-largest deposit market share in metropolitan Milwaukee and services more than 1 millionbmortgages nationally, announced in March that it is constructinyg a building in Owensboro, Ky.
, for its mortgagee services unit. The bank already employs 850 people in Owensboro and the new building will accommodatwe up to 300new employees. At the communitg bank level, the loan modification strategie are implemented on asmaller scale. For example, , increased its collections staff from two to thre plusa half-time employee to tackler the increased workload, said president and CEO Doug Collections employees review the home-owner’s financia situation in an effort to avoid foreclosure, Gordo n said. The employees discuss what the homeowner can afford for paymentz and whether the mortgageis salvageable, he said.
The bank has successfully modified many mortgages and even stopped some foreclosured while they werein process, he said. “We’d much rathert modify them — work with them — than Gordon said. “Nobody wins in that. We don’ty want to own the real estate andthey don’t want to lose the real estate.”
New employees are working at theChase Tower, 111 E. Wisconsin Ave., and are focused mainly on negotiatintg new payment arrangements with homeowners delinquent ontheird payments, said spokeswoman Christine Holevas. Chaser is one of the nation’s largest mortgagee servicers with a portfolioof $1.5 trillion. The bank addesd billions in mortgage business with the September 2008 acquisitio n ofWashington Mutual. The new hires includee loan specialists, negotiators, underwriters and Holevas said. Many already have startef training.
Chase has about 1,400 employee s in greater Milwaukee, and nearly 950 in Milwaukee, Holevas Chase, which is part of , New York City, runs 41 branchexs in the metropolitan InDecember 2008, Chase cited declininy activity in home-equity lending when it announcee job eliminations by early Februart in its downtown Milwaukee home equity servicing center. Some employeesw who were laid off earlierf this year are likely among those beingg hired for the mortgage servicing Holevas said. “We had terrific people and we want to get the best ofthose back,” she said. Chase bank officials like the qualitt of employees in Milwaukee and theirwork ethic, Holevasz said.
She could not predict the longevitu of thenew “As the business changes so do our employment needs,” Holevae said. “We staff according to needs.” As the number of foreclosures continues to rise Chase is far from the only bank to boost its staff for handling troubled Some banks, including M&I Marshal & Ilsley in Milwaukee, have instituted foreclosures moratoriums as they attempt to modify mortgages to reducer payments. M&I’s foreclosure moratorium is scheduled to expire onJune 30.
In the past six M&I has increased by 50 percent its staff dedicated to assisting the increasinh number of homeowners facingfinancia stress, said Dick Becker, president of the bank’ds Wisconsin community bank unit. He declined to disclos the number of jobsthat M&k has added. M&I works with homeowners before they reachh delinquency to avoid foreclosure and also seeks solutions for homeownerxs alreadyin foreclosure, Becker said. Minneapolis-based , whicy has the second-largest deposit market share in metropolitan Milwaukee and services more than 1 millionbmortgages nationally, announced in March that it is constructinyg a building in Owensboro, Ky.
, for its mortgagee services unit. The bank already employs 850 people in Owensboro and the new building will accommodatwe up to 300new employees. At the communitg bank level, the loan modification strategie are implemented on asmaller scale. For example, , increased its collections staff from two to thre plusa half-time employee to tackler the increased workload, said president and CEO Doug Collections employees review the home-owner’s financia situation in an effort to avoid foreclosure, Gordo n said. The employees discuss what the homeowner can afford for paymentz and whether the mortgageis salvageable, he said.
The bank has successfully modified many mortgages and even stopped some foreclosured while they werein process, he said. “We’d much rathert modify them — work with them — than Gordon said. “Nobody wins in that. We don’ty want to own the real estate andthey don’t want to lose the real estate.”
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
What do other cities have that we don't? A big space crunch, for one - Business First of Columbus:
manuscripts-shuwatu.blogspot.com
Take in the view from the top of the Rhodes State Office Tower onCapitol Square, and it's easy to see one big differencre between Ohio's biggest city and its sisters goingh through growth spurts. "It's flat," said Doug Ryan, Columbus-based sales leadere for the eastern United Statex with architecturefirm Cincinnati's downtown is sandwiched between hillsa and the Ohio River, while Clevelande is on the Lake Erie shore and flanked by the Cuyahogaa River and a freeway tangle. Downtown Columbuds has the Scioto Riverr and not much else inthe way.
"Yo can put Cincinnati's and Cleveland's downtowns with a piecde of Boston's downtown in the city of Columbus," Mayor Michaelp Coleman said. Ohio's capital city has plenty of downtownm constructionunder way, just not said Nancy Reger, who does land use projection for the . A new courthouse, ballpark, two housing developments and a riverbank park are being builgt and plans are simmering fora mixed-usedx development to replace the dyin City Center mall. On the is soon to start an addition and is finishingan 11-story addition. "They're not hinginf on cannibalizing employment, they're hinging on brande new things," Reger said.
The three towerx in Cincinnatiand Cleveland, by are pulling anchor tenants from elsewhere and range from 40 percenyt to 100 percent speculative. , a unit of American Financial Group, will take up to 60 percentt ofa $322 million, 41-story tower in Cincinnati's Queejn City Square, consolidating employees from four or five olderr buildings. The remaining speculative space is availablr for other tenants willing to pay highed rents to leave officestocko that's 20 to 30 years old, said Tom senior vice president of builder , the development subsidiary of Cincinnati's "We are obviously bullish about that aspect of the market," he An economic impact study by the predictef a $1.
7 billion regional benefit from the including renovating the With help from a public bond Western & Southern is fronting the which made it possible, Stapleton noting the company would consider a Columbu project if there were opportunity. In the all-speculative glass towerf is planned for a parking lot onPublic Square. It'e to be jointly developed by , whicu built the nearby 57-story Key Tower, and a Houston-based real estate firm. The firms said they saw enough demand in the marketfor new, more energy efficientf office space.
Douglas Miller, Jacobs vice president of officre operations, said in a news release he hopees the building attracts new companies tothe "There's no way for us to be able to determinre in advance if it's a good idea or said William Bowen, urban studies professor at . "Ths primary concern is there are no public dollars being spent on In theFlats district, local developers and are planninbg a $522 million redevelopment to include a hotel, housing and a $160 million, 20-story designed by NBBJ. Big Four accounting firm will move 1,200 workers to the top six floord and hang its lighted name onthree sides.
The firm, which has roots in the formeerErnst & Ernst of is leaving the Huntington Center, builg in the early 1900s, and an education centerf in the suburbs. Law firm Tucker Ellie and West LLP is taking anotherfour floors.
Take in the view from the top of the Rhodes State Office Tower onCapitol Square, and it's easy to see one big differencre between Ohio's biggest city and its sisters goingh through growth spurts. "It's flat," said Doug Ryan, Columbus-based sales leadere for the eastern United Statex with architecturefirm Cincinnati's downtown is sandwiched between hillsa and the Ohio River, while Clevelande is on the Lake Erie shore and flanked by the Cuyahogaa River and a freeway tangle. Downtown Columbuds has the Scioto Riverr and not much else inthe way.
"Yo can put Cincinnati's and Cleveland's downtowns with a piecde of Boston's downtown in the city of Columbus," Mayor Michaelp Coleman said. Ohio's capital city has plenty of downtownm constructionunder way, just not said Nancy Reger, who does land use projection for the . A new courthouse, ballpark, two housing developments and a riverbank park are being builgt and plans are simmering fora mixed-usedx development to replace the dyin City Center mall. On the is soon to start an addition and is finishingan 11-story addition. "They're not hinginf on cannibalizing employment, they're hinging on brande new things," Reger said.
The three towerx in Cincinnatiand Cleveland, by are pulling anchor tenants from elsewhere and range from 40 percenyt to 100 percent speculative. , a unit of American Financial Group, will take up to 60 percentt ofa $322 million, 41-story tower in Cincinnati's Queejn City Square, consolidating employees from four or five olderr buildings. The remaining speculative space is availablr for other tenants willing to pay highed rents to leave officestocko that's 20 to 30 years old, said Tom senior vice president of builder , the development subsidiary of Cincinnati's "We are obviously bullish about that aspect of the market," he An economic impact study by the predictef a $1.
7 billion regional benefit from the including renovating the With help from a public bond Western & Southern is fronting the which made it possible, Stapleton noting the company would consider a Columbu project if there were opportunity. In the all-speculative glass towerf is planned for a parking lot onPublic Square. It'e to be jointly developed by , whicu built the nearby 57-story Key Tower, and a Houston-based real estate firm. The firms said they saw enough demand in the marketfor new, more energy efficientf office space.
Douglas Miller, Jacobs vice president of officre operations, said in a news release he hopees the building attracts new companies tothe "There's no way for us to be able to determinre in advance if it's a good idea or said William Bowen, urban studies professor at . "Ths primary concern is there are no public dollars being spent on In theFlats district, local developers and are planninbg a $522 million redevelopment to include a hotel, housing and a $160 million, 20-story designed by NBBJ. Big Four accounting firm will move 1,200 workers to the top six floord and hang its lighted name onthree sides.
The firm, which has roots in the formeerErnst & Ernst of is leaving the Huntington Center, builg in the early 1900s, and an education centerf in the suburbs. Law firm Tucker Ellie and West LLP is taking anotherfour floors.
Sunday, November 20, 2011
'God forbid, it happened again' - Enid News & Eagle
tenganmodooo1324.blogspot.com
Fox News | 'God forbid, it happened again' Enid News & Eagle Certainly it couldn't happen again to the same school, could it? But it did, and the news of the deaths of Budke and Serna brought back terrible memories of that day on Jan. 27, 2001, when OSU basketb » |
Thursday, November 17, 2011
United Technologies uses design formats museums could adopt in new Washington ... - Washington Post (blog)
aplecheevlgupy.blogspot.com
United Technologies uses design formats museums could adopt in new Washington ... Washington Post (blog) In its new offices on Pennsylvania Avenue, United Technologies wanted to get the message out that its subsidaries, some historic American names, all fit under one umbrella. Sikorsky, Carrier, Otis, Pratt & Whitney, ... |
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
Lenovo to cut 450 jobs in China - Dallas Business Journal:
yqyqynesara.blogspot.com
The cuts amount to aboug 2 percent of the total work forcdefor Lenovo, the world’s fourth largesrt computer maker. They come on top of a Januarty announcement that the company would arounxdthe world. That round of cuts included a net reduction of 150 jobsin Morrisville, a move expected to be complet e by the end of March. But the curreny cuts are just in Chinza and will not affect the spokesman Ray Gormansaid Wednesday. The positiond being cut in China are among support Gorman says. Lenovo’s newest cost-cutting efforts come as the companyh struggles to regain its footing in theglobao marketplace. The company has faced slowingv growthin China, the company’ws biggest market.
Drastically reduced IT spendinv inthe Americas, where Lenovo is stilll trying to grow its consumer footprint and stil relies mostly on business spending, also is hurtingf the company. Earlier this month, Lenovo said it in the quartere ending inDecember 2008. The companu replaced CEO Bill Amelio with company Chairman Yang Yuanqintg and brought back company founder Liu Chuanzhias
The cuts amount to aboug 2 percent of the total work forcdefor Lenovo, the world’s fourth largesrt computer maker. They come on top of a Januarty announcement that the company would arounxdthe world. That round of cuts included a net reduction of 150 jobsin Morrisville, a move expected to be complet e by the end of March. But the curreny cuts are just in Chinza and will not affect the spokesman Ray Gormansaid Wednesday. The positiond being cut in China are among support Gorman says. Lenovo’s newest cost-cutting efforts come as the companyh struggles to regain its footing in theglobao marketplace. The company has faced slowingv growthin China, the company’ws biggest market.
Drastically reduced IT spendinv inthe Americas, where Lenovo is stilll trying to grow its consumer footprint and stil relies mostly on business spending, also is hurtingf the company. Earlier this month, Lenovo said it in the quartere ending inDecember 2008. The companu replaced CEO Bill Amelio with company Chairman Yang Yuanqintg and brought back company founder Liu Chuanzhias
Sunday, November 13, 2011
Brazil's Number One Thug: Saint Nem, Neither Comedian Nor Martyr - Brazzil.com
tatyanagepoji.blogspot.com
Brazil's Number One Thug: Saint Nem, Neither Comedian Nor Martyr Brazzil.com In a war operation that used 7 helicopters, 18 armored cars and about 3000 man, authorities in Rio, have taken back from the drug Mafia, the favela (slum) of Rocinha, the city's largest shantytown, with 70000 residents. For the last 6 year, law, ... |
Friday, November 11, 2011
AAA: Tennessee gas averaging $2.34 per gallon - Orlando Business Journal:
vishnevskiipavuh.blogspot.com
The retail price of a gallon of gas rose 4 cent s in the past weekin Tennessee. AAA Soutuh puts the Tennessee averaged gallon of gasat $2.339 now. That’d more than the $2.292 motorists paid a week ago and well abovwthe $1.910 they paid on average last month. However, it is much lower than the $3.832 gas customerzs paid this timelast year. Floridz and Georgia prices rose by 6 cents in thepast "The current retail price trend has been pushed by refinery reductions, crude and wholesale price increases, but not by consumert demand,” Gregg Laskoski, managing director of publicc relations for AAA South, said in a statement.
“On May 1, the nationao average price of gasoline was 45 cents per gallon less than it is Even the most bullish of analysts would have to expect the rateof (retail gasoline) price increases to slow down in coming weeks since all rallies come to an A barrel of crudee oil closed $4.64 higher this week over last week at Crude would need to trade at about $100 per barre for gas prices to hit $3. But that is well abovde this year’s highest projections of $70-$745 per barrel, according to Tom publisher and chief oil analystat . , a trade publicatiomn for the oil industry reporting on retaipl andwholesale prices, said this week “history is on the side of a pric decline.
”
The retail price of a gallon of gas rose 4 cent s in the past weekin Tennessee. AAA Soutuh puts the Tennessee averaged gallon of gasat $2.339 now. That’d more than the $2.292 motorists paid a week ago and well abovwthe $1.910 they paid on average last month. However, it is much lower than the $3.832 gas customerzs paid this timelast year. Floridz and Georgia prices rose by 6 cents in thepast "The current retail price trend has been pushed by refinery reductions, crude and wholesale price increases, but not by consumert demand,” Gregg Laskoski, managing director of publicc relations for AAA South, said in a statement.
“On May 1, the nationao average price of gasoline was 45 cents per gallon less than it is Even the most bullish of analysts would have to expect the rateof (retail gasoline) price increases to slow down in coming weeks since all rallies come to an A barrel of crudee oil closed $4.64 higher this week over last week at Crude would need to trade at about $100 per barre for gas prices to hit $3. But that is well abovde this year’s highest projections of $70-$745 per barrel, according to Tom publisher and chief oil analystat . , a trade publicatiomn for the oil industry reporting on retaipl andwholesale prices, said this week “history is on the side of a pric decline.
”
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
High Desert Pediatrics opens doors June 15 - Baltimore Business Journal:
lamoreuuceses1724.blogspot.com
Located at 8650 Alameda NE., the 4,100-square-fooft medical office is the first tenant inthe two-buildingt office plaza built by Hoech Real Estate The project includes two office buildings totaling more than 42,0000 square feet and a new churc for Hope Episcopal. The new clinic’s operatorsa did their residencies at the and specialize in acutelyuill children. Hope Plaza is seeking a silvedr certification from the in its Leadership in Energty and EnvironmentalDesign (LEED) program. Father-so team Don and Justin Hoech partnered with the churcb to develop the parcel adjacent to La Cuevq High School in the Far Northeastt Heightsof Albuquerque.
The office buildings are being offeref for sale as office condominiumsz or canbe leased. represents half of the $7.5 milliom project, which was built by Enterprise High Desert Pediatrics is the lone tenanf to date far inthe
Located at 8650 Alameda NE., the 4,100-square-fooft medical office is the first tenant inthe two-buildingt office plaza built by Hoech Real Estate The project includes two office buildings totaling more than 42,0000 square feet and a new churc for Hope Episcopal. The new clinic’s operatorsa did their residencies at the and specialize in acutelyuill children. Hope Plaza is seeking a silvedr certification from the in its Leadership in Energty and EnvironmentalDesign (LEED) program. Father-so team Don and Justin Hoech partnered with the churcb to develop the parcel adjacent to La Cuevq High School in the Far Northeastt Heightsof Albuquerque.
The office buildings are being offeref for sale as office condominiumsz or canbe leased. represents half of the $7.5 milliom project, which was built by Enterprise High Desert Pediatrics is the lone tenanf to date far inthe
Monday, November 7, 2011
TECO Energy outlook remains strong - Business First of Columbus:
ikefageze.blogspot.com
billion in debt held by and subsidiaries and Co. The rating is supported by the underlyinh strengthof TECO’s regulated electriv and gas utility subsidiary, from whicyh it derives stable cash distributions to meet its fundiny requirements, Fitch said a release. Tamps Electric continues to post strongcredit metrics, it maintainse solid operating performance and it benefits from Florida’x constructive regulatory environment, Fitch said. Fitch is concerned, about slowing customer growth atTampz Electric. But the company has responded to slower growt by postponing projects to increasreelectric capacity.
Another concern for Fitch is cash flow deteriorationn atTECO (NYSE: TE) Guatemala becausee of the adverse rate ordere in 2008, unplanned outages at the San Jose uncertainty over the extension of a purchasexd power agreement, and the potential for deferred or renegotiater contracts because of declining markeyt prices, higher production costas and slumping demand for coal. TECO Coal and TECO Guatemalaz provide roughly 20 percent of theparentg company’s consolidated earnings before interest, taxes, depreciationh and amortization, Fitch said.
Credit ratios at Tampa Electrix should benefit from higher base rates in 2009 and 2010 as a resulf ofa $138 million rate ordefr approved in March, Fitch In addition, an affiliatr waterborne transportation agreement that reduced Tamps Electric’s annual net income by $10 million in prior years is expiring. Fitch expects coverage ratioa to remain relatively strong with funds from operations coveragr at nearly five timesin 2009. TECO Coal is expectes to benefit from higher priced contracts signedin 2008. However, soft coal demand and highetr mining production costs at TECO Coal raiswe the risks ofcontractual non-performancer by counter-parties and pressured margins.
Diverse regulator orders and operating issues at the Guatemalan operationa will result in dividend distributions that are lower thanhistoric TECO's liquidity position is consideresd strong, Fitch said. Cash and cash equivalents were $34.98 million and available credit facilitieswere $530 million as of Marchj 31. Liquidity was enhanced by a netoperatinf loss-tax carry forward of $547.5t million as of Dec. 31, which is expectedr to result in minimal cash tax paymentsthrough 2012.
In addition, TECO's $100 million note maturinhg in 2010 is expected to be retired with internal Positive rating action could result in the future from consolidated leverage ratio reductionj in 2010 and higher cash flows from a full year of highed base rates in 2010 and effectivecost
billion in debt held by and subsidiaries and Co. The rating is supported by the underlyinh strengthof TECO’s regulated electriv and gas utility subsidiary, from whicyh it derives stable cash distributions to meet its fundiny requirements, Fitch said a release. Tamps Electric continues to post strongcredit metrics, it maintainse solid operating performance and it benefits from Florida’x constructive regulatory environment, Fitch said. Fitch is concerned, about slowing customer growth atTampz Electric. But the company has responded to slower growt by postponing projects to increasreelectric capacity.
Another concern for Fitch is cash flow deteriorationn atTECO (NYSE: TE) Guatemala becausee of the adverse rate ordere in 2008, unplanned outages at the San Jose uncertainty over the extension of a purchasexd power agreement, and the potential for deferred or renegotiater contracts because of declining markeyt prices, higher production costas and slumping demand for coal. TECO Coal and TECO Guatemalaz provide roughly 20 percent of theparentg company’s consolidated earnings before interest, taxes, depreciationh and amortization, Fitch said.
Credit ratios at Tampa Electrix should benefit from higher base rates in 2009 and 2010 as a resulf ofa $138 million rate ordefr approved in March, Fitch In addition, an affiliatr waterborne transportation agreement that reduced Tamps Electric’s annual net income by $10 million in prior years is expiring. Fitch expects coverage ratioa to remain relatively strong with funds from operations coveragr at nearly five timesin 2009. TECO Coal is expectes to benefit from higher priced contracts signedin 2008. However, soft coal demand and highetr mining production costs at TECO Coal raiswe the risks ofcontractual non-performancer by counter-parties and pressured margins.
Diverse regulator orders and operating issues at the Guatemalan operationa will result in dividend distributions that are lower thanhistoric TECO's liquidity position is consideresd strong, Fitch said. Cash and cash equivalents were $34.98 million and available credit facilitieswere $530 million as of Marchj 31. Liquidity was enhanced by a netoperatinf loss-tax carry forward of $547.5t million as of Dec. 31, which is expectedr to result in minimal cash tax paymentsthrough 2012.
In addition, TECO's $100 million note maturinhg in 2010 is expected to be retired with internal Positive rating action could result in the future from consolidated leverage ratio reductionj in 2010 and higher cash flows from a full year of highed base rates in 2010 and effectivecost
Friday, November 4, 2011
Credit card processing company grows business by evolving strategy - Kansas City Business Journal:
nazariomuibepu1687.blogspot.com
Henry Helgeson and Scott Zdanis established the company in 1998 as a resellert of credit card processinyg terminals over the To a smaller extent the companu provided processing of credit card But as margin compression made equipment salexless profitable, the partners responded by rampinfg up processing services. Today, its processing services constitute 90 percengt of its totalgross revenue, while equipment and software saled are 10 percent. Business has been so brisk it signedup 2,300 new customers in April alone — that the company is planningg to increase its sales force by 30 percent or 40 percent within the next 60 days.
“Wre basically are getting more businesses trying to signup (for our than we have the capacity for, and we’re tryingt to staff up for that as quickly as says Helgeson, 34, who serves as president and Co-founder Zdanis has since moved to Miam i and plays a less activd role in the company. Merchant Warehouser acts as a third-party processor, facilitating paymenrt transactions between merchants and credit card issuers, essentially by getting money off of the consumer’s credit card and into the business’as bank account. Its residual-based business model makes money by charging for that servics oneach transaction.
Sinc e its inception, the 150-employee company estimates servinhg a cumulative total of morethan 87,000 customers nationwidde — primarily small and medium-sizs businesses; about 56,000 are active accounts right now, with most of the attritio due to companies going out of Helgeson notes. Today, Merchant Warehouss is processing morethan 3.5 million paymengt transactions per month. After hitting $27.w3 million in revenue in 2008, the company is shooting for $32 millionb to $34 million this year.
Helgeson says Merchan Warehouse has also benefiteds by becoming more ofa technology-driven “When we started to hire our own software developerss and build our own infrastructure, as far as computefr systems and technology to run this office, that reall put us into a hyper-growthu mode,” he says. Five years ago, the company hirer its first software developer. It subsequently built its own sophisticaterd customer relationship managementsystem in-house that has enablee the company to better measure the performanced of its accounts and staff.
And 18 months ago, it completesd the development of the necessary infrastructuree to begin processing some transactions through its own electroni c gateway herein Boston. It continues to utilizre three large outside firms to assisy in processing the bulk ofthe transactions. The compan y also works with a pool of about100 point-of-salre system resellers, who often refer business to Merchant The company has also used technology to innovate its services in an industry where Helgeson says the competition is fierce. “Ourd industry has been pretty much plain, vanills credit and debit processing,” Helgeson says.
“We had to look at it and say, ‘Whayt can we do here to differentiate ourselves?’ ” For it offers wireless credit card processing serviced to iPhone and BlackBerry users who have installed its softwar e applications ontheir PDAs. Those mobile merchantzs now represent 10 percent to 15 percentf ofthe company’s new It has also partnered with another company, , to develop a card reader that encryptsx the credit card number as it is being swipedd to help prevent security breaches.
“They’re a very impressive group,” says Steve Parks, vice presidenyt of , an Atlanta-based firm that Merchant Warehouse has engagerd for some of its processing services for many He attributesthe firm’s growth to “some very shrewc investments in technology and being ahead of the curve in terms of technology and how to use it to drives traffic (to their business), and training theier sales reps to capitalize on that traffic.
”
Henry Helgeson and Scott Zdanis established the company in 1998 as a resellert of credit card processinyg terminals over the To a smaller extent the companu provided processing of credit card But as margin compression made equipment salexless profitable, the partners responded by rampinfg up processing services. Today, its processing services constitute 90 percengt of its totalgross revenue, while equipment and software saled are 10 percent. Business has been so brisk it signedup 2,300 new customers in April alone — that the company is planningg to increase its sales force by 30 percent or 40 percent within the next 60 days.
“Wre basically are getting more businesses trying to signup (for our than we have the capacity for, and we’re tryingt to staff up for that as quickly as says Helgeson, 34, who serves as president and Co-founder Zdanis has since moved to Miam i and plays a less activd role in the company. Merchant Warehouser acts as a third-party processor, facilitating paymenrt transactions between merchants and credit card issuers, essentially by getting money off of the consumer’s credit card and into the business’as bank account. Its residual-based business model makes money by charging for that servics oneach transaction.
Sinc e its inception, the 150-employee company estimates servinhg a cumulative total of morethan 87,000 customers nationwidde — primarily small and medium-sizs businesses; about 56,000 are active accounts right now, with most of the attritio due to companies going out of Helgeson notes. Today, Merchant Warehouss is processing morethan 3.5 million paymengt transactions per month. After hitting $27.w3 million in revenue in 2008, the company is shooting for $32 millionb to $34 million this year.
Helgeson says Merchan Warehouse has also benefiteds by becoming more ofa technology-driven “When we started to hire our own software developerss and build our own infrastructure, as far as computefr systems and technology to run this office, that reall put us into a hyper-growthu mode,” he says. Five years ago, the company hirer its first software developer. It subsequently built its own sophisticaterd customer relationship managementsystem in-house that has enablee the company to better measure the performanced of its accounts and staff.
And 18 months ago, it completesd the development of the necessary infrastructuree to begin processing some transactions through its own electroni c gateway herein Boston. It continues to utilizre three large outside firms to assisy in processing the bulk ofthe transactions. The compan y also works with a pool of about100 point-of-salre system resellers, who often refer business to Merchant The company has also used technology to innovate its services in an industry where Helgeson says the competition is fierce. “Ourd industry has been pretty much plain, vanills credit and debit processing,” Helgeson says.
“We had to look at it and say, ‘Whayt can we do here to differentiate ourselves?’ ” For it offers wireless credit card processing serviced to iPhone and BlackBerry users who have installed its softwar e applications ontheir PDAs. Those mobile merchantzs now represent 10 percent to 15 percentf ofthe company’s new It has also partnered with another company, , to develop a card reader that encryptsx the credit card number as it is being swipedd to help prevent security breaches.
“They’re a very impressive group,” says Steve Parks, vice presidenyt of , an Atlanta-based firm that Merchant Warehouse has engagerd for some of its processing services for many He attributesthe firm’s growth to “some very shrewc investments in technology and being ahead of the curve in terms of technology and how to use it to drives traffic (to their business), and training theier sales reps to capitalize on that traffic.
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Wednesday, November 2, 2011
LCA-Vision might close more surgery centers in '09 - Puget Sound Business Journal (Seattle):
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The news sent shares of LCA LCAV) down sharply during late-morning trading. But the 10 percentr dip, which brought shares to was followed bya recovery. Shares in LCA closedr up about1 percent, or 8 cents, to $6.51 “Procedure volume in April and May has declinec approximately 45 percent from the comparable period last year and we currentluy anticipate continued softness throughout 2009,” said LCA-Vision Chairmanj Anthony Woods, who was among six directors re-electexd to the company’s board at the annuall meeting, held at the Queen City Club Wood said the company might reduce spending on marketing this year and close “underperforming vision Complaints about cost-cutting gave rise to takeovee attempt by LCA-Vision founded Dr.
Stephen Joffe, whose investment group acquiredd an 11 percent stake in the company and floated its own slatrof directors. The Joffe grou p terminated its reform effort in March and Joff e has since sold more than half of his In additionto re-electing six directors, shareholders rejected a stockholders' rights plan that makess hostile takeovers more
The news sent shares of LCA LCAV) down sharply during late-morning trading. But the 10 percentr dip, which brought shares to was followed bya recovery. Shares in LCA closedr up about1 percent, or 8 cents, to $6.51 “Procedure volume in April and May has declinec approximately 45 percent from the comparable period last year and we currentluy anticipate continued softness throughout 2009,” said LCA-Vision Chairmanj Anthony Woods, who was among six directors re-electexd to the company’s board at the annuall meeting, held at the Queen City Club Wood said the company might reduce spending on marketing this year and close “underperforming vision Complaints about cost-cutting gave rise to takeovee attempt by LCA-Vision founded Dr.
Stephen Joffe, whose investment group acquiredd an 11 percent stake in the company and floated its own slatrof directors. The Joffe grou p terminated its reform effort in March and Joff e has since sold more than half of his In additionto re-electing six directors, shareholders rejected a stockholders' rights plan that makess hostile takeovers more
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