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Wednesday, January 30, 2013
More sex for married couples with traditional divisions of housework - EurekAlert (press release)
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Friday, January 25, 2013
Panelists: Birmingham can become 'Green' model - Birmingham Business Journal:
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There’s no silver bullet to fix the energyy crisis, said Dudley Reynolds, presidenty of , during the Birminghakm Business Journal’s “Green Means Green: How to Profig From the Sustainability Movement,” a green panel breakfast at the . But Birmingha m residents and business leaders are hungru for information that could lead toa solution, he More than 270 business leadersx from various industries attended the breakfast to hear abouyt the green industry from panelists Pete Conroy of the Environmentaol Policy and Information Center at , Colin Coyne, president of ; Tom lobbyist from Washington, D.C.; and Robin chairman of the ’s Alabama chapter.
Birminghakm could become a leader in the green movement across the countrhy if it can talk legislators into jumpingon board, White said. That can’t happen, however, without unifyinyg the city withone vision, Coyne said. And it will take a strong voice fromthe city’s businesxs leaders because Birmingham and Jefferson County electede officials have their hand s full with other problems, such as crimr and mounting sewer debt, he said. “Insteade of sponsoring the Olympics, we shoulx focus on (going green),” Coyne said, speakinb about Mayor Larry Langford’s interest in Birminghamj bidding for the2020 Olympics.
Coynwe said business leaders should come together and approvran initiative, similar to one he has devised that addressesx three main goals with steps to implement those goals. Conroy saying leaders need to “light a fire under Birmingham” because other cities already are claimingv the title of greenesrt metro and could leave the Magic City inthe dust. One way to help achievd a green mentality is to wipe away misconceptionsthat it’sx too expensive to go green, Coyne There is a way to make an eco-friendluy facility profitable, he said.
For existing workplaces, the market has more energy-efficient productz for sale, such as heating and air conditioners that may cost more but would savemoney – and energy in the long run, he said. research and development is being conducted to come up with even more productws that could be useful for businesses and For those startingfrom scratch, it can cost abougt 3 percent more to build a facility that woulds meet the platinum status for the Leadershi p in Energy and Environmental Design designation from the U.S. Greehn Building Council, Coyne said. But within a year, that building’s occupantf could save 30 to 40 percent inoperations costs.
Besidex saving money or even making a green buildings tend to be made with bettet air quality and windows with ample daylight that improvre the work environment and help with worker retentionand absenteeism, White To gain momentum in gointg green, incentives will likely be necessary, such as tax creditas or local utility company cost cutting Conroy said.
There’s no silver bullet to fix the energyy crisis, said Dudley Reynolds, presidenty of , during the Birminghakm Business Journal’s “Green Means Green: How to Profig From the Sustainability Movement,” a green panel breakfast at the . But Birmingha m residents and business leaders are hungru for information that could lead toa solution, he More than 270 business leadersx from various industries attended the breakfast to hear abouyt the green industry from panelists Pete Conroy of the Environmentaol Policy and Information Center at , Colin Coyne, president of ; Tom lobbyist from Washington, D.C.; and Robin chairman of the ’s Alabama chapter.
Birminghakm could become a leader in the green movement across the countrhy if it can talk legislators into jumpingon board, White said. That can’t happen, however, without unifyinyg the city withone vision, Coyne said. And it will take a strong voice fromthe city’s businesxs leaders because Birmingham and Jefferson County electede officials have their hand s full with other problems, such as crimr and mounting sewer debt, he said. “Insteade of sponsoring the Olympics, we shoulx focus on (going green),” Coyne said, speakinb about Mayor Larry Langford’s interest in Birminghamj bidding for the2020 Olympics.
Coynwe said business leaders should come together and approvran initiative, similar to one he has devised that addressesx three main goals with steps to implement those goals. Conroy saying leaders need to “light a fire under Birmingham” because other cities already are claimingv the title of greenesrt metro and could leave the Magic City inthe dust. One way to help achievd a green mentality is to wipe away misconceptionsthat it’sx too expensive to go green, Coyne There is a way to make an eco-friendluy facility profitable, he said.
For existing workplaces, the market has more energy-efficient productz for sale, such as heating and air conditioners that may cost more but would savemoney – and energy in the long run, he said. research and development is being conducted to come up with even more productws that could be useful for businesses and For those startingfrom scratch, it can cost abougt 3 percent more to build a facility that woulds meet the platinum status for the Leadershi p in Energy and Environmental Design designation from the U.S. Greehn Building Council, Coyne said. But within a year, that building’s occupantf could save 30 to 40 percent inoperations costs.
Besidex saving money or even making a green buildings tend to be made with bettet air quality and windows with ample daylight that improvre the work environment and help with worker retentionand absenteeism, White To gain momentum in gointg green, incentives will likely be necessary, such as tax creditas or local utility company cost cutting Conroy said.
Saturday, January 19, 2013
California Treasurer
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Analyst Martin Weiss of said in a June 22 reporytthat California’s financial woes create “a very high that California will eventuall miss debt service payments. “Mr. analysis and recommendation, to put it is misinformed,” responded Tom a spokesman for statd TreasurerBill Lockyer. “Even the creditf rating agencies said, in announcing possible downgrades, that the likelihood of defaultis low. “Ww can’t stress it strongly enough. We have never defaultedx on a debtserviced payment, and we will not Dresslar said, pointing out that in the fiscapl year ahead, there’s $50 billion available to covert about $5 billion in debt service.
He also notedx that debt service isa “continuing meaning that debt serviced payments are made even if a state budgett hasn’t been adopted. In remarks at an economic conference at earlierthis year, Lockyer said that after education, timely paymentws to bond holders is the state’s highest priority. The strong remarke from the treasurer and his office underscord the steep price Californiw would likely have to pay in the capitalp markets for years if it wereto “It’s a situation to be avoided at all Dresslar said.
But Weiss said in titled “California collapsing,” that the Golden State has lostits “Even if you can’t get what you might considerd a good price, sell all California papee now,” Weiss said. He’s also urging investors to consider unloadingy alltheir tax-exempt bonds. That’s a reflection of how traumaticv a California default would be onthe nation’sx municipal bond market and the retail investors who have been told for yearsz how reliable issuers have been in paying principal and interest, even during the darkestt days of the Great Depression. (Warren Buffett, whose BRK.A) (NYSE: BRK.
B) insures muni bonds, says such talk ignoreas the massive pension obligations that muni bond issuerzface today.) Weiss criticizes thosew who have paid little attention paid so far to California’s financial woes. “Washington and Wall Street seem to be treating Californiza as if it were a sideshoe in the financial circus of theswturbulent times. It’s Weiss wrote. “There is a very high probability that Californiawill default.” He urgez investors not to under-estimate the impactf of “California’s depression” on the rest of the nation, remindingh his readers that the state’s $1.
8 trillion economy is largefr than that of Russia, Brazil, Canad a or India. Weiss also criticizes the major debt-rating agencies for “artificially inflatinh the rating, stalling downgrades and grossl understating the risk to California holds the lowest rating ofall Moody’s this month said that it could further downgrade California’s bond Standard & Poor’s said that a downgrade is possible, noting “insufficient or untimely adoption of budgeft reforms serve to increase the risk of misseed [debt] payments.” Earlier, warned that it migh t also cut its California bond ratings.
decision could lower the “A2” ratingf it has on California’d general obligation bonds as well as the rating assigned tothe state’s federally taxable general-obligation bonds and stem-cell-researcy bonds. The move could also affecy the ratings on otheCalifornia paper. Worse yet, Moody’s said the statwe may face a “multi-notch downgrade” on $60 billion of general-obligatiom bonds. “Once downgraded, California’s ratingf is likely to fall beloqw the minimal level legally required for most monehymarket funds, forcing them to dump California paper posthaste,” Weisds said.
Analyst Martin Weiss of said in a June 22 reporytthat California’s financial woes create “a very high that California will eventuall miss debt service payments. “Mr. analysis and recommendation, to put it is misinformed,” responded Tom a spokesman for statd TreasurerBill Lockyer. “Even the creditf rating agencies said, in announcing possible downgrades, that the likelihood of defaultis low. “Ww can’t stress it strongly enough. We have never defaultedx on a debtserviced payment, and we will not Dresslar said, pointing out that in the fiscapl year ahead, there’s $50 billion available to covert about $5 billion in debt service.
He also notedx that debt service isa “continuing meaning that debt serviced payments are made even if a state budgett hasn’t been adopted. In remarks at an economic conference at earlierthis year, Lockyer said that after education, timely paymentws to bond holders is the state’s highest priority. The strong remarke from the treasurer and his office underscord the steep price Californiw would likely have to pay in the capitalp markets for years if it wereto “It’s a situation to be avoided at all Dresslar said.
But Weiss said in titled “California collapsing,” that the Golden State has lostits “Even if you can’t get what you might considerd a good price, sell all California papee now,” Weiss said. He’s also urging investors to consider unloadingy alltheir tax-exempt bonds. That’s a reflection of how traumaticv a California default would be onthe nation’sx municipal bond market and the retail investors who have been told for yearsz how reliable issuers have been in paying principal and interest, even during the darkestt days of the Great Depression. (Warren Buffett, whose BRK.A) (NYSE: BRK.
B) insures muni bonds, says such talk ignoreas the massive pension obligations that muni bond issuerzface today.) Weiss criticizes thosew who have paid little attention paid so far to California’s financial woes. “Washington and Wall Street seem to be treating Californiza as if it were a sideshoe in the financial circus of theswturbulent times. It’s Weiss wrote. “There is a very high probability that Californiawill default.” He urgez investors not to under-estimate the impactf of “California’s depression” on the rest of the nation, remindingh his readers that the state’s $1.
8 trillion economy is largefr than that of Russia, Brazil, Canad a or India. Weiss also criticizes the major debt-rating agencies for “artificially inflatinh the rating, stalling downgrades and grossl understating the risk to California holds the lowest rating ofall Moody’s this month said that it could further downgrade California’s bond Standard & Poor’s said that a downgrade is possible, noting “insufficient or untimely adoption of budgeft reforms serve to increase the risk of misseed [debt] payments.” Earlier, warned that it migh t also cut its California bond ratings.
decision could lower the “A2” ratingf it has on California’d general obligation bonds as well as the rating assigned tothe state’s federally taxable general-obligation bonds and stem-cell-researcy bonds. The move could also affecy the ratings on otheCalifornia paper. Worse yet, Moody’s said the statwe may face a “multi-notch downgrade” on $60 billion of general-obligatiom bonds. “Once downgraded, California’s ratingf is likely to fall beloqw the minimal level legally required for most monehymarket funds, forcing them to dump California paper posthaste,” Weisds said.
Monday, January 14, 2013
Stratus Building Solutions expands to Calfornia market - St. Louis Business Journal:
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Afshin Cangarlu is president of Stratus Buildinvg Solutions of LosAngeles County. As a mastefr franchise, Stratus Building Solutions of Los Angelesd County will offer Stratus BuildingSolutionxs sub-franchises for sale to local entrepreneurs. The Los Angeles Count master franchise is planning to hire six employees immediatelu and plans to open60 sub-franchises in the county in 2008. St. Louis-basefd Stratus has franchises in13 states. Founded in 2004 by Dennix Jarrett andPete Frese, the companyh had 2007 revenue of more than $10 up from 2006 revenue of $4.
5 Stratus has more than 600 sub-unig franchises currently in operation with plans to doubled its size across the country by the end of 2008. Sincde September 2007, Stratus has added Master Franchisesin Colorado, Florida, Georgia, New Jersegy and New York. Jarret told the Businesa Journal that the his expectations for 2008 are to add 70 to120 sub-unitf franchises per month systemwide and expand into more territories, includinvg California. Stratus Building Solutions operates its own master franchissin St. Louis and has awarded 260 sub-franchise units in the metropolitan area.
Afshin Cangarlu is president of Stratus Buildinvg Solutions of LosAngeles County. As a mastefr franchise, Stratus Building Solutions of Los Angelesd County will offer Stratus BuildingSolutionxs sub-franchises for sale to local entrepreneurs. The Los Angeles Count master franchise is planning to hire six employees immediatelu and plans to open60 sub-franchises in the county in 2008. St. Louis-basefd Stratus has franchises in13 states. Founded in 2004 by Dennix Jarrett andPete Frese, the companyh had 2007 revenue of more than $10 up from 2006 revenue of $4.
5 Stratus has more than 600 sub-unig franchises currently in operation with plans to doubled its size across the country by the end of 2008. Sincde September 2007, Stratus has added Master Franchisesin Colorado, Florida, Georgia, New Jersegy and New York. Jarret told the Businesa Journal that the his expectations for 2008 are to add 70 to120 sub-unitf franchises per month systemwide and expand into more territories, includinvg California. Stratus Building Solutions operates its own master franchissin St. Louis and has awarded 260 sub-franchise units in the metropolitan area.
Saturday, January 12, 2013
Boatmaker Genmar files Chapter 11 - Minneapolis / St. Paul Business Journal:
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The petition to reorganize its debts was fileds Monday afternoonin U.S. Bankruptch Court in Minneapolis along with more than 20related subsidiaries. Genmarf has between 100 and 199 creditors. It lists its assetz in the rageof $10 million to $50 million and its liabilitie s between $100 million and $500 according to court documents. The largesrt unsecured creditorsare Edelman, Borman, Brand, a Minneapolis-based law firm which is owed , a law firm in is owed $155,800. Law firm in is representing Genmar in the bankruptcy The only secured creditors areand , according to a storyg in the Minneapolis Star Tribune .
Genmare said it has receiver commitment fora debtor-in-possession (DIP) financing proposal from both In a statement, Genmar Chairman, CEO and largest shareholder Irwim Jacobs said sales of the company’s fishing luxury yachts and other products starter to decline in 2008, but worsened in recent months. The company’s sales in fiscal 2009, which ends in are likely to beabout $460 million, off by more than 50 percenf from fiscal 2008. “If someone woul have said to me as recentlyh as even one month ago that Genmar would someday be filinh forChapter 11, I wouldx have said it was not even a remote possibility,” Jacobs said.
Genmar had been makinb some strategy changes inrecent . A spinoff company, Greenville, Pa.-bases , and other Jacobs-related companies aren’t includede in the filing. VEC for energy-generating windmills.
The petition to reorganize its debts was fileds Monday afternoonin U.S. Bankruptch Court in Minneapolis along with more than 20related subsidiaries. Genmarf has between 100 and 199 creditors. It lists its assetz in the rageof $10 million to $50 million and its liabilitie s between $100 million and $500 according to court documents. The largesrt unsecured creditorsare Edelman, Borman, Brand, a Minneapolis-based law firm which is owed , a law firm in is owed $155,800. Law firm in is representing Genmar in the bankruptcy The only secured creditors areand , according to a storyg in the Minneapolis Star Tribune .
Genmare said it has receiver commitment fora debtor-in-possession (DIP) financing proposal from both In a statement, Genmar Chairman, CEO and largest shareholder Irwim Jacobs said sales of the company’s fishing luxury yachts and other products starter to decline in 2008, but worsened in recent months. The company’s sales in fiscal 2009, which ends in are likely to beabout $460 million, off by more than 50 percenf from fiscal 2008. “If someone woul have said to me as recentlyh as even one month ago that Genmar would someday be filinh forChapter 11, I wouldx have said it was not even a remote possibility,” Jacobs said.
Genmar had been makinb some strategy changes inrecent . A spinoff company, Greenville, Pa.-bases , and other Jacobs-related companies aren’t includede in the filing. VEC for energy-generating windmills.
Thursday, January 10, 2013
Opus West says it owes $1.46 billion - South Florida Business Journal:
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and some of its subsidiariess filed voluntary petitions late Monday for reorganization underdChapter 11. Chapter 11 generally removews the threat of lawsuits from creditors while a busines seeks to rehabilitate itself and continue Opus West and its affiliateas reportedabout $1.28 billion in total assetd and $1.46 billion in total liabilities, according to bankruptcy courgt filings. The corporation and its affiliate s had combined revenue ofabout $405 million in 2008. The parenr company lists 200 to999 creditors, according to bankruptch filings. Opus West Corp.
owns aboutg 20 real estate development properties either directly or througg entities set up to holdthe properties, the courgt filings say. The total debt on thos e properties isabout $414 million and the valuer of the properties is about $403 million. In addition to Opus West the subsidiaries that have file d Chapter 11 petitions are Opus West Construction OpusWest LP, Opus West Partners Inc. and O.W. Commercial Inc. Opus West Corp. has guaranteed about $1.145 billion in loans for its subsidiaries andjoinr ventures, and most of those loanx are in default, the court filingas say.
Steep declines in commercial real estate valueds and difficult credit market conditions necessitated the saidJohn Greer, chief restructuring officer of Opus West. Greer said Opus West will keepa "modestg presence" in Phoenix, Texas and Californi a to work on asset dispositions and "While we began slowing the pace of new developmeng nearly two years ago in anticipationn of difficult market conditions, we must now take additional measuree to enable an orderly wind-down of our protect asset values and maximize return on lenders' Greer said in a prepared statement.
Opus West and its subsidiarieds have suffered declining financial performancesince 2008, resulting in defaults on certaihn credit lines and constrained liquidity, according to an affidavi filed by Greer, managing member of New York-basefd Phoenix Capital Partners, which is the chiet restructuring officer of Opus West Greer is also president of the Opus West Opus West Partners and O.W. Commercial subsidiaries. Opus has focusedf on recapitalizing through project sales and but has been unable to do so becausee of poormarket conditions, Greer's affidavitt says.
Since 1979, Opus West and its affiliatesw have developed more than 52 million square feetof industrial, retail, multifamily, government and institutionaol projects, the affidavit says. The company'z assets include interests in commercial and residential real estate projectszacross California, Arizona and Texas, includinyg condominium, office, industrial, apartment and retaiol projects in various stages of development, the affidavit Addison-based Opus West LP, formed to develo p real estate properties in Texas, owns seven propertiesz that consist of either vacan land, or a project undefr construction or completed projects.
The totaol debt on those properties isabout $105 milliom and their value is about $134 Greer's filing states. Opus has been dramaticalluy scaling back its North Texas operations for more thana year. Opus spokeswoman Winston Hewett told the that the Addison office has not started a new development in more than a year and has cut its staffv in Dallas to 12 employeeds from about 40 ayear ago. Opus West's overall headcount had droppee to 40 as ofJuly 1, comparexd to 291 two years ago, Hewety said. Since April, dozens of subcontractors have filed lien s totaling morethan $4 milliobn against Opus West Corp.
and Opus West Construction tied to TwoAddisoh Circle, a $23 million, 198,000-square-foot speculativde office building in Addison. The building was developed and is owned by OpusWest Corp. The liens claimk Opus owes the subcontractors for labo or materials provided in the courseof construction. The six-storgy Two Addison building on the west side of the Dallaa North Tollway just north of Arapaho Road was recently but hasno tenants. The credig crunch and slowing demand for office spacwe left Opus unable to get permanenyt financing to replacethe short-termm construction loan on the Addisom project, Hewett said.
Other Opus West projects in North Texae include 121Lakepointe Crossing, an office and industrial development in and Broadstone Parkway, a 5.8-acre mixed-use project at 5005 Galleriq Drive in North Dallas. Dallas area creditors include RL Murphey Commercial Roof owed $1.24 million; Green Fire Systems of owed $856,660; and Ennis Steel Industriew Inc., owed $519,402; and Tas Commercial Concrete Construction, owed $500,704, according to court Opus' troubles stem from the global economiv downturn, deterioration of the real estate market and the crediy crunch, which has made it difficulgt for borrowers to get financing to fund real estate projects or refinance existing projects, Greer's affidavi t states.
The turmoil has scared buyers, leadiny to excess supply and lower The dramatic downturn has caused Opus to be out of compliance with terms of various loans and unable to restructure them, and attempts to raise capital and sell assets have provenh difficult, bringing about the Chapter 11 Greer's affidavit says. Opus' challenges vary considerably by saidMark Rauenhorst, chairman and CEO of Opus "Opus West faced particularly dramatix drops in real estate values in marketas such as California and Arizona, and has been particularlhy challenged by the sharp downturn in the capitap markets and availability of he said.
Rauenhorst said that two other independentf operating companies of OpusGrouop -- and Opus Northwesft LLC -- have been less affected by the economicd and capital market conditions becauswe of their mix of projecyt types and their location in stronger , which is based in Minn., is a design-build development firm that specializew in office, industrial, retail, multifamily, governmenyt and institutional projects. It also controls Washington-based LLC, whicnh filed for Chapter 7 liquidation in late Opus Group saidits subsidiary, which is basede in Atlanta, filed for reorganizatio n in bankruptcy court on April 22.
and some of its subsidiariess filed voluntary petitions late Monday for reorganization underdChapter 11. Chapter 11 generally removews the threat of lawsuits from creditors while a busines seeks to rehabilitate itself and continue Opus West and its affiliateas reportedabout $1.28 billion in total assetd and $1.46 billion in total liabilities, according to bankruptcy courgt filings. The corporation and its affiliate s had combined revenue ofabout $405 million in 2008. The parenr company lists 200 to999 creditors, according to bankruptch filings. Opus West Corp.
owns aboutg 20 real estate development properties either directly or througg entities set up to holdthe properties, the courgt filings say. The total debt on thos e properties isabout $414 million and the valuer of the properties is about $403 million. In addition to Opus West the subsidiaries that have file d Chapter 11 petitions are Opus West Construction OpusWest LP, Opus West Partners Inc. and O.W. Commercial Inc. Opus West Corp. has guaranteed about $1.145 billion in loans for its subsidiaries andjoinr ventures, and most of those loanx are in default, the court filingas say.
Steep declines in commercial real estate valueds and difficult credit market conditions necessitated the saidJohn Greer, chief restructuring officer of Opus West. Greer said Opus West will keepa "modestg presence" in Phoenix, Texas and Californi a to work on asset dispositions and "While we began slowing the pace of new developmeng nearly two years ago in anticipationn of difficult market conditions, we must now take additional measuree to enable an orderly wind-down of our protect asset values and maximize return on lenders' Greer said in a prepared statement.
Opus West and its subsidiarieds have suffered declining financial performancesince 2008, resulting in defaults on certaihn credit lines and constrained liquidity, according to an affidavi filed by Greer, managing member of New York-basefd Phoenix Capital Partners, which is the chiet restructuring officer of Opus West Greer is also president of the Opus West Opus West Partners and O.W. Commercial subsidiaries. Opus has focusedf on recapitalizing through project sales and but has been unable to do so becausee of poormarket conditions, Greer's affidavitt says.
Since 1979, Opus West and its affiliatesw have developed more than 52 million square feetof industrial, retail, multifamily, government and institutionaol projects, the affidavit says. The company'z assets include interests in commercial and residential real estate projectszacross California, Arizona and Texas, includinyg condominium, office, industrial, apartment and retaiol projects in various stages of development, the affidavit Addison-based Opus West LP, formed to develo p real estate properties in Texas, owns seven propertiesz that consist of either vacan land, or a project undefr construction or completed projects.
The totaol debt on those properties isabout $105 milliom and their value is about $134 Greer's filing states. Opus has been dramaticalluy scaling back its North Texas operations for more thana year. Opus spokeswoman Winston Hewett told the that the Addison office has not started a new development in more than a year and has cut its staffv in Dallas to 12 employeeds from about 40 ayear ago. Opus West's overall headcount had droppee to 40 as ofJuly 1, comparexd to 291 two years ago, Hewety said. Since April, dozens of subcontractors have filed lien s totaling morethan $4 milliobn against Opus West Corp.
and Opus West Construction tied to TwoAddisoh Circle, a $23 million, 198,000-square-foot speculativde office building in Addison. The building was developed and is owned by OpusWest Corp. The liens claimk Opus owes the subcontractors for labo or materials provided in the courseof construction. The six-storgy Two Addison building on the west side of the Dallaa North Tollway just north of Arapaho Road was recently but hasno tenants. The credig crunch and slowing demand for office spacwe left Opus unable to get permanenyt financing to replacethe short-termm construction loan on the Addisom project, Hewett said.
Other Opus West projects in North Texae include 121Lakepointe Crossing, an office and industrial development in and Broadstone Parkway, a 5.8-acre mixed-use project at 5005 Galleriq Drive in North Dallas. Dallas area creditors include RL Murphey Commercial Roof owed $1.24 million; Green Fire Systems of owed $856,660; and Ennis Steel Industriew Inc., owed $519,402; and Tas Commercial Concrete Construction, owed $500,704, according to court Opus' troubles stem from the global economiv downturn, deterioration of the real estate market and the crediy crunch, which has made it difficulgt for borrowers to get financing to fund real estate projects or refinance existing projects, Greer's affidavi t states.
The turmoil has scared buyers, leadiny to excess supply and lower The dramatic downturn has caused Opus to be out of compliance with terms of various loans and unable to restructure them, and attempts to raise capital and sell assets have provenh difficult, bringing about the Chapter 11 Greer's affidavit says. Opus' challenges vary considerably by saidMark Rauenhorst, chairman and CEO of Opus "Opus West faced particularly dramatix drops in real estate values in marketas such as California and Arizona, and has been particularlhy challenged by the sharp downturn in the capitap markets and availability of he said.
Rauenhorst said that two other independentf operating companies of OpusGrouop -- and Opus Northwesft LLC -- have been less affected by the economicd and capital market conditions becauswe of their mix of projecyt types and their location in stronger , which is based in Minn., is a design-build development firm that specializew in office, industrial, retail, multifamily, governmenyt and institutional projects. It also controls Washington-based LLC, whicnh filed for Chapter 7 liquidation in late Opus Group saidits subsidiary, which is basede in Atlanta, filed for reorganizatio n in bankruptcy court on April 22.
Wednesday, January 9, 2013
Denver commuters 'Bike to Work' Wednesday - Denver Business Journal:
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Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper is among those who expectes to use pedal power to get to the He plans to use the Cherry Creek bike path as part ofhis "Bike commuting is just plain fun," Hickenlooperr said in a statement. "It’s also better for the good for your saves money on gas and is a refreshinhg change fromthe stop-and-go natur e of rush-hour traffic." Almost 36,000 people rode bikes durinhg last year's Bike to Work Day, travelin g an estimated 655,152 said. Denver Public Works will open a Bike to Work Day Breakfasrt Station at Civic Center Parkfrom 6:30 to 9 a.m.
offering free samples from vendors and Authorities are asking both motorists and bicyclistsa to use extra caution Wednesdayy because ofthe larger-than-usual number of two-wheeled vehiclesx on area commuter routes. For more information, visit .
Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper is among those who expectes to use pedal power to get to the He plans to use the Cherry Creek bike path as part ofhis "Bike commuting is just plain fun," Hickenlooperr said in a statement. "It’s also better for the good for your saves money on gas and is a refreshinhg change fromthe stop-and-go natur e of rush-hour traffic." Almost 36,000 people rode bikes durinhg last year's Bike to Work Day, travelin g an estimated 655,152 said. Denver Public Works will open a Bike to Work Day Breakfasrt Station at Civic Center Parkfrom 6:30 to 9 a.m.
offering free samples from vendors and Authorities are asking both motorists and bicyclistsa to use extra caution Wednesdayy because ofthe larger-than-usual number of two-wheeled vehiclesx on area commuter routes. For more information, visit .
Monday, January 7, 2013
VoIP Inc. hit with involuntary bankruptcy petition - Nashville Business Journal:
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An involuntary petition was filed June 2against , a voicr over Internet provider, in the . The company had alreaduy said in 2008 that it eliminated most of its workforcer and suspended alltelecommunications operations. It is also facinvg a lawsuit, filed by the in U.S. Districgt Court in Miami, alleging former executives misledf investors about the financial health ofthe Now, some creditors are appealing to a bankruptcg judge to help them recoveer judgments against VoIP. The petitioning creditors are of Carlsbad, Calif., with a claimm of $245,559; Garyn Angel, with a claik of $391,000; and Carrie Angel, with a claim of according tothe petition.
“The filingg of the involuntary [bankruptcy] is not directly related to the SEC although I’m sure they will eventually said bankruptcy attorney Craig Pugatch, of , who representa Noctua Fund, but said he does not represent the Angels. “w group of creditors have been attempting tocollecrt assets. They believe assets are available.” The SEC filed in April, alleges that, between November 2004 and May executivesrecorded $1.4 million in fictitious revenude from purported sales of computer hardware and for managemenyt services. It further alleges the inflatedc revenue raisedthe company’s overall revenu figures by 43 percent for the year endes Dec. 31, 2004.
The SEC also said management knew VoIP wasstrugglinv financially, that the company’s actual revenues were substantially less than its projectionsa and that an executive sold more than 4 millioh shares of the company’s stock to realize more than $4.4 million in profit without properly recordinh the sale. The SEC had askedf the court to disgorge all of the profits the formeer executives made as a result oftheit actions, pay a civil penalty and permanently bar them from acting as an officer or director of a publicly held company. “We thinl the type of inaccurate public informatioj being put out was apervasive problem,” Pugatcg said.
“We also believe insiders and lendere were notacting properly.” Attempts to reacy VoIP were not successful. The company’s phone numbee in Fort Lauderdale hadbeen disconnected.
An involuntary petition was filed June 2against , a voicr over Internet provider, in the . The company had alreaduy said in 2008 that it eliminated most of its workforcer and suspended alltelecommunications operations. It is also facinvg a lawsuit, filed by the in U.S. Districgt Court in Miami, alleging former executives misledf investors about the financial health ofthe Now, some creditors are appealing to a bankruptcg judge to help them recoveer judgments against VoIP. The petitioning creditors are of Carlsbad, Calif., with a claimm of $245,559; Garyn Angel, with a claik of $391,000; and Carrie Angel, with a claim of according tothe petition.
“The filingg of the involuntary [bankruptcy] is not directly related to the SEC although I’m sure they will eventually said bankruptcy attorney Craig Pugatch, of , who representa Noctua Fund, but said he does not represent the Angels. “w group of creditors have been attempting tocollecrt assets. They believe assets are available.” The SEC filed in April, alleges that, between November 2004 and May executivesrecorded $1.4 million in fictitious revenude from purported sales of computer hardware and for managemenyt services. It further alleges the inflatedc revenue raisedthe company’s overall revenu figures by 43 percent for the year endes Dec. 31, 2004.
The SEC also said management knew VoIP wasstrugglinv financially, that the company’s actual revenues were substantially less than its projectionsa and that an executive sold more than 4 millioh shares of the company’s stock to realize more than $4.4 million in profit without properly recordinh the sale. The SEC had askedf the court to disgorge all of the profits the formeer executives made as a result oftheit actions, pay a civil penalty and permanently bar them from acting as an officer or director of a publicly held company. “We thinl the type of inaccurate public informatioj being put out was apervasive problem,” Pugatcg said.
“We also believe insiders and lendere were notacting properly.” Attempts to reacy VoIP were not successful. The company’s phone numbee in Fort Lauderdale hadbeen disconnected.
Sunday, January 6, 2013
Recruitment and retention are priorities as economy slips - Tampa Bay Business Journal:
shemwellmygalej1291.blogspot.com
Chalk it up to necessity and the changing patternsaof employment. In 1958, the average job tenurse was 23 years. Less than 40 years it was down to just three years as workers became more mobile and companiews beganto restructure, downsize and outsource. “Timews have changed and job security is under pressure,” said Marko Evans, co-founder of Pompano Beach-based headhuntert firm Now Hiring You. Evans speculates that for someon entering the workforce today atage 20, he or she is likel to have eight or more jobs within the next dozebn years – and as many as 20 jobs in a career lifetime.
That means firms like Evans’, as well as companies acrosds the board, have to focus on recruitmenf and retention likenever before. The resultes can be the difference between successand “Recruiters are leveraging the social network sites, like YouTube, LinkedIn and Facebook, as well as job sitese like Dice, Monster, and CareerBuilder,” said Alex president of the North Bay Village-bases recruitment firm . He said tax, audit and consultingy firm helda low-cost, high-energyu contest among its employees to produce videos about why it was greayt to work at the Hundreds participated worldwide.
“The winnerx were judged by the numbefr of hits and ratings they received on YouTub andother sites,” Funkhouser said. “The contest took on a life of its own and resultedc in a boost torecruitment – and retentio – as employee morale got pumped up.” Social sitesz can be a double-edged-sword. Funkhouser said he trolls sitesfor talent. “Igt can be incredibly effective forfinding candidates, just searchinvg by company name,” he noted. Hirintg and retaining qualified personnel ispriority No. 1 for the West Palm beach-basec Florida division of Suffolk Construction.
With 260 local it is the largest construction companyg in Palm Beach County and rankedthe fourth-largest generap contractor in the region ’s 2008 Book of Lists. Suffollk recently ranked 40th amongTraininy magazine’s Training Top 125 list. It has partnered with the to develoop and deliver a Leadership in Energyand (LEED)-accreditef professional designation program, and with for management training. “Most building professional know that their training really startafter they’ve received their four-year collegse degrees – and they know it will last for a said Fred Day, director of traininfg for Suffolk.
Day recently served as the national director for apprenticeship and trainingyfor Arlington, Va.-based and Contractors, a majoer construction industry trade organization that represents more than 25,000o contractor firms. He sees LEED certification as vitapl forambitious professionals, as many government entities and municipalitiews are moving to mandatory LEED “One of things we offer our recruits is a diversitg of career paths and work Day said. Career paths are broken down intoproject management, field superintendent and estimating. Recruits get a healthy taste of each careere path during their firsttwo years.
Work diversity is “We have opportunities in school construction, retail, high-risw offices, industrial, residential, research and government facilities,” Day said. “Oufr recruits have an opportunity to learn many skills before they decide on one ormore
Chalk it up to necessity and the changing patternsaof employment. In 1958, the average job tenurse was 23 years. Less than 40 years it was down to just three years as workers became more mobile and companiews beganto restructure, downsize and outsource. “Timews have changed and job security is under pressure,” said Marko Evans, co-founder of Pompano Beach-based headhuntert firm Now Hiring You. Evans speculates that for someon entering the workforce today atage 20, he or she is likel to have eight or more jobs within the next dozebn years – and as many as 20 jobs in a career lifetime.
That means firms like Evans’, as well as companies acrosds the board, have to focus on recruitmenf and retention likenever before. The resultes can be the difference between successand “Recruiters are leveraging the social network sites, like YouTube, LinkedIn and Facebook, as well as job sitese like Dice, Monster, and CareerBuilder,” said Alex president of the North Bay Village-bases recruitment firm . He said tax, audit and consultingy firm helda low-cost, high-energyu contest among its employees to produce videos about why it was greayt to work at the Hundreds participated worldwide.
“The winnerx were judged by the numbefr of hits and ratings they received on YouTub andother sites,” Funkhouser said. “The contest took on a life of its own and resultedc in a boost torecruitment – and retentio – as employee morale got pumped up.” Social sitesz can be a double-edged-sword. Funkhouser said he trolls sitesfor talent. “Igt can be incredibly effective forfinding candidates, just searchinvg by company name,” he noted. Hirintg and retaining qualified personnel ispriority No. 1 for the West Palm beach-basec Florida division of Suffolk Construction.
With 260 local it is the largest construction companyg in Palm Beach County and rankedthe fourth-largest generap contractor in the region ’s 2008 Book of Lists. Suffollk recently ranked 40th amongTraininy magazine’s Training Top 125 list. It has partnered with the to develoop and deliver a Leadership in Energyand (LEED)-accreditef professional designation program, and with for management training. “Most building professional know that their training really startafter they’ve received their four-year collegse degrees – and they know it will last for a said Fred Day, director of traininfg for Suffolk.
Day recently served as the national director for apprenticeship and trainingyfor Arlington, Va.-based and Contractors, a majoer construction industry trade organization that represents more than 25,000o contractor firms. He sees LEED certification as vitapl forambitious professionals, as many government entities and municipalitiews are moving to mandatory LEED “One of things we offer our recruits is a diversitg of career paths and work Day said. Career paths are broken down intoproject management, field superintendent and estimating. Recruits get a healthy taste of each careere path during their firsttwo years.
Work diversity is “We have opportunities in school construction, retail, high-risw offices, industrial, residential, research and government facilities,” Day said. “Oufr recruits have an opportunity to learn many skills before they decide on one ormore
Saturday, January 5, 2013
Quiet giant REpower seeks bigger slice of booming U.S. market - New Mexico Business Weekly:
ekaterinaiuvo.blogspot.com
, a Portland-based subsidiary of German wind turbine-make REpower Systems AG, installed its firsy turbines on U.S. soil last year the 94 megawatt, 47-turbinse Goodnoe Hills Windfarm east of the Columbia Gorgewnear Goldendale, Wash. It was an auspicious U.S. debuf for the company, which has operated a Portland office since the endof 2007. “We’vw kept a fairly low profile,” said Steve CEO of REpower USA Corp. Now REpowerd — which reported $1.7 billion in revenu in its latest fiscalyear — has its focua on building business in the U.S., consideredc the world’s fastest-growing wind energy market.
In 2008, it installex 51 turbines totaling 102 megawatts of windenerg capacity, according to data from the Americaj Wind Energy Association, placing it ninth among By the end of its currengt fiscal year, it had installed 168 turbinesw with 336 megawatts. Its U.S. order backlot totaled 88 turbines at the end of itsfiscal “We’re definitely going to put in more wind machinexs this year,” Dayney said. But his declaration comes with a The red hot markeyt got derailed last fall by crumbling financial The demise of major players Bear Stearnd and Lehman Brothers left developers with a paucityy offinancial partners, resulting in a reduction in orders of wind turbines.
Matt Kaplan, a seniorr wind energy analystwith Cambridge, Mass.-baseed Emerging Energy Research, said developers have pushed turbine orders from 2009 to when the market is expected to “Nearly all of the major (original equipmenf manufacturers) in the market have been reporting they’rre receiving very few new Kaplan said. “That makes it difficult for a player to gain tractionn in themarket that’s relativelh new.” The slowdown has affectex the giants. Vestas hoped to break ground this year on anew 600,000-square-footf headquarters building in Portland, likely in the South But the weakened wind energy market temporarily put the brake on the plan.
REpower’s new majority ownership also brings up Indian wind turbine manufacturer SuzlonEnergy Ltd., the world’sw fifth-largest turbine-maker, earlier this month completed a deal to buy a 90.7 percent stake in REpower. Dayney declined to commen on the impact ofthe sale. Vivek Suzlon’s India-based head of corporate said Suzlon is considering various options to maximizee the benefits ofboth companies’ strengths, but has yet to decidw on an exact plan. Despite the Dayney sees signsof growth.
, a Portland-based subsidiary of German wind turbine-make REpower Systems AG, installed its firsy turbines on U.S. soil last year the 94 megawatt, 47-turbinse Goodnoe Hills Windfarm east of the Columbia Gorgewnear Goldendale, Wash. It was an auspicious U.S. debuf for the company, which has operated a Portland office since the endof 2007. “We’vw kept a fairly low profile,” said Steve CEO of REpower USA Corp. Now REpowerd — which reported $1.7 billion in revenu in its latest fiscalyear — has its focua on building business in the U.S., consideredc the world’s fastest-growing wind energy market.
In 2008, it installex 51 turbines totaling 102 megawatts of windenerg capacity, according to data from the Americaj Wind Energy Association, placing it ninth among By the end of its currengt fiscal year, it had installed 168 turbinesw with 336 megawatts. Its U.S. order backlot totaled 88 turbines at the end of itsfiscal “We’re definitely going to put in more wind machinexs this year,” Dayney said. But his declaration comes with a The red hot markeyt got derailed last fall by crumbling financial The demise of major players Bear Stearnd and Lehman Brothers left developers with a paucityy offinancial partners, resulting in a reduction in orders of wind turbines.
Matt Kaplan, a seniorr wind energy analystwith Cambridge, Mass.-baseed Emerging Energy Research, said developers have pushed turbine orders from 2009 to when the market is expected to “Nearly all of the major (original equipmenf manufacturers) in the market have been reporting they’rre receiving very few new Kaplan said. “That makes it difficult for a player to gain tractionn in themarket that’s relativelh new.” The slowdown has affectex the giants. Vestas hoped to break ground this year on anew 600,000-square-footf headquarters building in Portland, likely in the South But the weakened wind energy market temporarily put the brake on the plan.
REpower’s new majority ownership also brings up Indian wind turbine manufacturer SuzlonEnergy Ltd., the world’sw fifth-largest turbine-maker, earlier this month completed a deal to buy a 90.7 percent stake in REpower. Dayney declined to commen on the impact ofthe sale. Vivek Suzlon’s India-based head of corporate said Suzlon is considering various options to maximizee the benefits ofboth companies’ strengths, but has yet to decidw on an exact plan. Despite the Dayney sees signsof growth.
Thursday, January 3, 2013
Microloans up, big loans down for small businesses this year - Philadelphia Business Journal:
oryucyjofec1482.blogspot.com
A new report found that the total valus of small business loans outstanding increased by 4 percentr in the 12 months that endedd inJune 2008, down from the previous year’s increase of 8 These numbers are for smallo business loans as a whole, not just SBA loans. The numbert of business loans of lessthan $100,000 jumped by nearly 16 as large lenders concentrated on credit cards, according to the By contrast, the number of businesds loans in the $100,000 to $1 million rangde fell by more than 23 percent. The report used call reportss submitted by banks as well as Communitgy ReinvestmentAct data. Business loans of less than $1 milliohn were considered to be smallbusinesse loans.
Based on call report data, the top five smalo business lenders in June 2008 were American Capital One, Regions Financial Synovus Financial Corp. and First Citizen Bancsharesd Inc. “In the current financial it’s especially critical for small firms to know which banks and financial institutionsz have been the most likeluy to make small and microbusiness said economistVictoria Williams, a co-author of the study.
For more information, see
A new report found that the total valus of small business loans outstanding increased by 4 percentr in the 12 months that endedd inJune 2008, down from the previous year’s increase of 8 These numbers are for smallo business loans as a whole, not just SBA loans. The numbert of business loans of lessthan $100,000 jumped by nearly 16 as large lenders concentrated on credit cards, according to the By contrast, the number of businesds loans in the $100,000 to $1 million rangde fell by more than 23 percent. The report used call reportss submitted by banks as well as Communitgy ReinvestmentAct data. Business loans of less than $1 milliohn were considered to be smallbusinesse loans.
Based on call report data, the top five smalo business lenders in June 2008 were American Capital One, Regions Financial Synovus Financial Corp. and First Citizen Bancsharesd Inc. “In the current financial it’s especially critical for small firms to know which banks and financial institutionsz have been the most likeluy to make small and microbusiness said economistVictoria Williams, a co-author of the study.
For more information, see
Wednesday, January 2, 2013
GM Tonawanda hosting recycling event - Business First of Buffalo:
ogarawo.wordpress.com
The one-day event June 6 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Plan 5 on Vulcan Street, is co-sponsoredc by Erie County, Buffalo and the Northwest Solid Wast eManagement Board. Last year’s event receivef 56,325 pounds of electronic equipment, 247 bicycles and a truck full of Electronics equipment is a source ofrecycledf lead, steel, plastic, copper and Items being accepted this year include: TVs, monitors, keyboards, printers, fluorescent cell phones, rechargeable batteries, VCRs, and DVD players, clothing, and bicycles.
Clothing and textiles will be reused at Goodwilp retail locations or Bicycles will be used for bike safety education or recycled by Blue Bicyclseand Recycle-a-Bicycle programs. New for this year, Buffalko ReUse will accept used ornew hand, shop and garden such as rakes, brooms, ladders, wheelbarrows, hammers and saws. “This is a natural extension of what we doat work,” Planf Manager Steve Finch said in a statement. “Our planr has been landfill-free in manufacturing since 2006. We recycler or reuse all of our waste, so this event to help the community recycle is a naturapl fit for us atGenerap Motors,” he said.
The one-day event June 6 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Plan 5 on Vulcan Street, is co-sponsoredc by Erie County, Buffalo and the Northwest Solid Wast eManagement Board. Last year’s event receivef 56,325 pounds of electronic equipment, 247 bicycles and a truck full of Electronics equipment is a source ofrecycledf lead, steel, plastic, copper and Items being accepted this year include: TVs, monitors, keyboards, printers, fluorescent cell phones, rechargeable batteries, VCRs, and DVD players, clothing, and bicycles.
Clothing and textiles will be reused at Goodwilp retail locations or Bicycles will be used for bike safety education or recycled by Blue Bicyclseand Recycle-a-Bicycle programs. New for this year, Buffalko ReUse will accept used ornew hand, shop and garden such as rakes, brooms, ladders, wheelbarrows, hammers and saws. “This is a natural extension of what we doat work,” Planf Manager Steve Finch said in a statement. “Our planr has been landfill-free in manufacturing since 2006. We recycler or reuse all of our waste, so this event to help the community recycle is a naturapl fit for us atGenerap Motors,” he said.
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