http://purifics.com/technology/ceramic.html
Getting startups to lease the third buildingv atthe , Baltimore BioPark is a toughg sell. And at the University of Maryland, Baltimorde County, some biotechnology tenants are skippinb out on theirrent payments. The economicv downturn has hit major biotech projectzs inthe area. Growing the state’s $29 billion life sciencews industry is the cornerstone ofthe state’sw economic development efforts. But while biotech leaders at Hopkind and Maryland breathed a sigh of relief when they heards May 20that Gov.
Martin O’Malley’s biotech roadmao — the Bio 2020 initiative — includes pumping more money intothe industry, they realizs that getting that money anytime soon is The state will increase funding for the Marylanrd Venture Fund from $2 million to $9 million and raisde the biotech tax credit from $6 But the state can’t say when that will Funding for the tax credit and venture fund will be phasecd in as the state’z fiscal situation allows over the next year or two, said Lawrence C.
senior strategy adviser for the state’s life sciences advisory The biotech plan also callsd for newspending measures, includiny the Maryland Life Sciences Venture Capital with an initial $10 millioj seed investment. But Mahan said that will not be considerecd until 2011 atthe earliest. So the state’ Bio 2020 strategy may not be enoughn to infuse capital into the industry when biotech leaders need it themost now. “In the short term, we have to live througn the budget crisis,” said Aris Melissaratos, senior advised of enterprise development for JohnsHopkins “The money just isn’t there.” Hopkins has spun out five companies this year.
And with just six weekss left in itsfiscalk year, Melissaratos said it is unlikely that it will match last year’sa success when it spun out 12 Attracting venture capital money is tough for any companyu these days. But it is especiall difficult for biotech executivez who can toil as much as a decade performing clinicaol trials and getting federal approvals before theid research results in a product thatmakes money. The state’xs biotech growth strategy could makethingws easier. A biotechnology intended as one-stop resource center for biotech will open in thenext month.
Entrepreneuras will be able to access subscription services that show wherse venture capital firms have puttheirf dollars. That can save them time and moneuy — between $5,000 and $40,000 a year. Having a central resource will make it easiert for entrepreneurs to navigatethe state’d somewhat confusing array of biotechnology biotech leaders say. “State resources will be much morereadilyg accessible,” said Jim Hughes, UMB’s vice president for researcgh and development. That will help startups that want to sign up with the UMB he said. So far, no tenantsd have been signed forthe 180,000-square-foot the third of 10 planned buildings.
Banks now expectg a building to be at least 50 perceng leased before they willcommiy money, Hughes said. Venture capitalists investecd $3 billion during the first quarter, the lowesty funding level in 12 years. That is accordint to a study from and the National VenturewCapital Association.
Sunday, November 28, 2010
Friday, November 26, 2010
Costa Del Mar buys carbon offsets - Phoenix Business Journal:
haygoodfoafyga1359.blogspot.com
The company also purchased carbojn offsets to balance the carbon emissiona created throughits employees' business travel includinh air and ground transportation. Collectively, this will help to prevent up to 1.1 milliom pounds of carbon dioxide emissions from enteringthe Earth's according to a Costa Del Mar release. The carbon sometimes called renewable energy are created by generating power through wind, solar, hydro-electric and biomass While the value of the credits has been questioned, supportersa say they serve as an incentive to invest in generatingy energy through renewable Renewable Choice is a Boulder, Colo.-based providerf of renewable energy credits and carbon offsets.
Costaw Del Mar is a manufacturer ofpolarized sunglasses.
The company also purchased carbojn offsets to balance the carbon emissiona created throughits employees' business travel includinh air and ground transportation. Collectively, this will help to prevent up to 1.1 milliom pounds of carbon dioxide emissions from enteringthe Earth's according to a Costa Del Mar release. The carbon sometimes called renewable energy are created by generating power through wind, solar, hydro-electric and biomass While the value of the credits has been questioned, supportersa say they serve as an incentive to invest in generatingy energy through renewable Renewable Choice is a Boulder, Colo.-based providerf of renewable energy credits and carbon offsets.
Costaw Del Mar is a manufacturer ofpolarized sunglasses.
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
USF moving Sacramento campus to downtown - Business First of Buffalo:
kdrummondbs37.blogspot.com
The University of San which has had a presence in Sacramento for 33 announced Monday that it will move its regional campus to 630K St. at the entrancer of Westfield Downtown Plaza. The campus for the college’sd 250 students, many of whom are working has operated from 2180Harvard St., near Arden Fair mall and Capitalo City Freeway, for abouty five years. The new locatiomn will allow the University of San Franciscoi to offer more programsin Sacramento, a news release said. Because the new site is closer topubli transportation, it also will be more convenientf for students.
The move “will allow us to expanc the program offerings for as well as host workshops and other educationapl seminars for the communityat large,” Barbara campus director, said in the release. Universit of San Francisco leased the recently remodeled spacefrom . The universityt is moving to about 11,000 squarwe feet from a little morethan 9,000 square feet at its currenrt digs. At the new it will use less of the spacefor administration, Godoy said. Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson said in the releas that heis “thrilled” University of San Franciscko is coming to K Street.
“One of my priorities,” he “is the revitalization of downtown and the presence of such a prestigiouds university is exactly what we need to serve as a catalysft to spureconomic growth.” The university’s Sacramento offeringsw are designed for working adultsd who want to finish a bachelor’s degree or earn a master’ds degree while they continue their The campus offers classed that meet one evening a week or on a weekens format. Most programs are designed to be completed withintwo years. The campu offers undergraduate degree completion programse inpublic administration, information organizational behavior and leadership, and applied economics.
Its master’w degree programs include counseling psychology with an emphasids in marriage andfamily therapy, teacher education, publixc administration, nonprofit administration, information system, organization development, and in projecgt management.
The University of San which has had a presence in Sacramento for 33 announced Monday that it will move its regional campus to 630K St. at the entrancer of Westfield Downtown Plaza. The campus for the college’sd 250 students, many of whom are working has operated from 2180Harvard St., near Arden Fair mall and Capitalo City Freeway, for abouty five years. The new locatiomn will allow the University of San Franciscoi to offer more programsin Sacramento, a news release said. Because the new site is closer topubli transportation, it also will be more convenientf for students.
The move “will allow us to expanc the program offerings for as well as host workshops and other educationapl seminars for the communityat large,” Barbara campus director, said in the release. Universit of San Francisco leased the recently remodeled spacefrom . The universityt is moving to about 11,000 squarwe feet from a little morethan 9,000 square feet at its currenrt digs. At the new it will use less of the spacefor administration, Godoy said. Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson said in the releas that heis “thrilled” University of San Franciscko is coming to K Street.
“One of my priorities,” he “is the revitalization of downtown and the presence of such a prestigiouds university is exactly what we need to serve as a catalysft to spureconomic growth.” The university’s Sacramento offeringsw are designed for working adultsd who want to finish a bachelor’s degree or earn a master’ds degree while they continue their The campus offers classed that meet one evening a week or on a weekens format. Most programs are designed to be completed withintwo years. The campu offers undergraduate degree completion programse inpublic administration, information organizational behavior and leadership, and applied economics.
Its master’w degree programs include counseling psychology with an emphasids in marriage andfamily therapy, teacher education, publixc administration, nonprofit administration, information system, organization development, and in projecgt management.
Monday, November 22, 2010
Goedemorgen Arnhem 416 - Arnhem Direct
http://pishtazkhorshid.com/article/Suzlon-subsidiary-to-sell-35-stake-in-Hansen.html
Goedemorgen Arnhem 416 Arnhem Direct ... 28 november as http://bit.ly/btRRkf #NuArnhem yo_c @ReneWouters voorstel #ns #priorail plaatst kerstboom bij ingang Sonsbeek, waar iedereen leuk ... |
Saturday, November 20, 2010
A Kuwait-born seam bowler is Pakistan's latest cricket hero - The National
http://www.i-amfaithweb.net/lords_prayer.htm
A Kuwait-born seam bowler is Pakistan's latest cricket hero The National Their latest star turn, the newly capped seam bowler Tanvir Ahmed, was born just across the Gulf in the cricketing backwater of Kuwait. ... Fate brings player back to the Gulf |
Friday, November 19, 2010
TRUCKS: Busch Looks For Owners' Title - Fox News
http://www.whitezeta.net/2005/le-site-des-fans-de-saint-seiya.html
MiamiHerald.com | TRUCKS: Busch Looks For Owners' Title Fox News 30 Germain Racing Toyota Tundra, already has clinched his second NASCAR Camping World Truck Series championship as a driver. And tonight at Homestead-Miami ... No doubt about this victory Bodine looks to put capper on championship year 2010 Homestead: Todd Bodine NASCAR Truck Race Preview |
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
Regulators order SouthBank to consider sale or merger - Portland Business Journal:
http://nortemaar.org/fetededanse.html
The Office of Thrift Supervision (OTS) signer the supervisory agreement with SouthBank onMay 21. On the same day, it signedf a separate supervisory agreement with itsholding Huntsville, Ala.-based Commonwealth Savingshares Corp., and a more serious cease and desistr order with its sister institution, SouthBank of The Palm Beach Gardens-based bank only had $24.5 milliob in assets as of March 31. It had capitalo ratios in excess ofregulatory requirements. The OTS agreemenyt said the bank failed to comply with the requirementzs of lawsand regulations, though it didn’t specify which ones, and failee in the areas of risk management, operationalo management and correcting deficiencies.
It told the bank it must submit a plan to become viable asa stand-alone withou t depending on its sister institution or parent holding company. The order also placerd restrictions onthe bank’s growth and the hirinbg of executive management. Danny the chairman and CEO of both did not immediately return a callseekingv comment.
The Office of Thrift Supervision (OTS) signer the supervisory agreement with SouthBank onMay 21. On the same day, it signedf a separate supervisory agreement with itsholding Huntsville, Ala.-based Commonwealth Savingshares Corp., and a more serious cease and desistr order with its sister institution, SouthBank of The Palm Beach Gardens-based bank only had $24.5 milliob in assets as of March 31. It had capitalo ratios in excess ofregulatory requirements. The OTS agreemenyt said the bank failed to comply with the requirementzs of lawsand regulations, though it didn’t specify which ones, and failee in the areas of risk management, operationalo management and correcting deficiencies.
It told the bank it must submit a plan to become viable asa stand-alone withou t depending on its sister institution or parent holding company. The order also placerd restrictions onthe bank’s growth and the hirinbg of executive management. Danny the chairman and CEO of both did not immediately return a callseekingv comment.
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Saints go back to back with Saints Footy membership slogan - Herald Sun
http://v-and-j.com/get-inexpensive-credit-card-processing-today-before-its-to-late.html
Saints go back to back with Saints Footy membership slogan Herald Sun ST KILDA has unveiled its membership slogan for next season - and it is exactly the same as its slogan from last season. The Saints announced today that ... |
Sunday, November 14, 2010
Wendy Welsh
http://nesttechnologies.com/nest2/REform_us.htm
As senior vice president of information technologyfor , she managex a staff of about 250 workers, two data centersd and the IT operationss for E.On’s two subsidiaries, Louisvillee Gas & Electric Co. and Kentucky Utilities. It was her team that mannef the outage-management system during the ice stormmin January, and under Welsh’s direction, E.On has made two significantg investments in its technologty within the past year. The first was a $25 millio data and transmission center that openefd in Shelby County last More recently, E.On implemented a customer-carse system that merged LG&E and Kentuckyg Utilities’ previous systems.
It was an $80 milliojn investment, plus training and operational costs, Welshn said. Ability to merge business, IT goalas Welsh’s training is not in the IT sectod butin accounting. A licensed CPA, Welsh joined LG&Ew as an auditor 25 years ago. She was vice presidenf of administration and then vice president of IT before assuminhg her current rolein 2001. E.On’s IT operations were just emergingy atthe time, and company officials knew they neededx to make significant investmentx in technology. Vic E.On’s chairman, CEO and president, said Welsh’x professional background has given her a unique set of skillzs needed to overseethis effort.
She understands the utilityt operations and what is neededd from atechnical standpoint, but she also can providew the financial analysis needed, Staffieri said. “Wer get well-thought-out solutions from Wendy,” Staffieriu said. “She has developed anotherd leg ofour strategy, giving us the capabilities to do what we do everyt day.” Although Welsh has accomplished so she does not tout her successes, Staffieri said. She goes aboutg her work in a veryunassuming way, he describing her as a deep thinker and a listener. Debrw Hoffer, president of Junior Achievementof Kentuckiana, agreed that Welsh’se personality is more reserved.
She might not be the first boarrd member to pipe up in a but behind herquiet facade, she knowz what she wants to do and how she’es going to do it. “She gets results,” Hoffert said. “She’s a highly effective manager while being a reallg warm person at the same Welsh wasJA Kentuckiana’s board chairwoman in when the nonprofit group was planning to open its Jameas W. Robinson Junior Achievement Center for Freedomof Enterprise.
The facility is a learnin g center that teaches children basic financial She traveled with JA staff to review similad facilities acrossthe country, and her involvemeny and enthusiasm helped drive the project forward, Hoffer Not only did she convey the concept to othedr board members, but she also led the $6.5 milliohn capital campaign that funded the In addition, she convincedf her employer to be one of the firstt donors with a $125,00p gift. “She has a real can-dko attitude and strong desire to help young people be successful and Hoffer said. “Her heart is in the righgt place.
” Besides her role with JA, Welsy has spoken to business and managementr classes atthe , and she has becom e a role model for youngg women, said husband John an author and retired U of L higher education “She hasn’t become a CEO, but she’as pretty darn high in an organization and an industr y that has been male-dominated,” John Welsh said. “She’s blazeed some trails for Wendy Welsh said she never set out to break anyglasws ceilings. She simply was raised in a middle-classe home by parents who pushedx education and demonstrated a strongwork ethic.
The lessone seemed to have stuck as Welsh and her threewsiblings — an accountant, CFO and a consultan — all have founcd professional success. But, as a femalr in the IT Welsh said, she clearly is a minority, and it concernsw her that there are even fewe women enteringthe profession. So she has met informally with area professorsz and engineers to discuss how to encourags young women to pursue IT andengineering “As professionals, we need to do a bette job of getting the word out there,” Welsyh said.
Meanwhile, Welsh tries to lead by She takes avery hands-on role in the planning of all majorf IT projects, which can be a challengwe because of the ever-changing nature of technology. Her time also is devotefd to the management and support of day-to-day operations, including the utility’zs network of computers, servers and BlackBerry devices, and its applications, such as the company’sd payroll and customer-care systems. “It’s like a different job everg day,” Welsh said, adding that the varietyu keeps her enthused abouther position.
She also is proud of the fact that she leveragesd her training and brought more of a business focus to the IT whether it’s having budget discussions with her stafft or teaching them how to bettetr communicate with customers. About nine years ago, shortly befor Welsh took on hercurrent role, she marriesd John Welsh. Since then, she has learned to balance work responsibilitieas andpersonal life. The two, who do not have schedule date nights, when they’ll go out for dinner and a theatere performance. And traveling together is one of theirfavoritse pastimes.
At home, Wendy Welsh said, she alwaysd finds something to do, so she doesn’gt truly relax unless she’s on a planr headed somewhere, typically Europe or Sant Fe, N.M., where the couple just bought avacatiob home. For Welsh, planninf a trip is half the fun, and she loveds to see the sights and experience the local historyand art. John Welsh shares thosde interests, but he also just enjoys the time spenft withhis wife. He said she has the rare combinatiob ofbeing smart, attractive — the “cutestt thing in the world,” in his termsz — and modest.
He loves her “evehn keel” personality and subtle sense of and being with her has helper him gain a new perspective on JohnWelsh said. “She made me want to be a bettert person.” Wendy Welsh spent her childhood daysin Louisville’w Audubon Park neighborhood. Her father, Herbert was a lineman for the formed South Central BellTelephone Co. who workef his way through the management rankxs and to theengineering department.
Her Peggy Heck, was a homemaker who was involvex in the PTA and coordinatef family camping trips and Girl Scout After graduating from DurrettHigh School, Welsh attendec the University of Louisvillee and rooted for the Cardinals basketball Welsh remained a big fan aftet she moved to Illinois and then Texas for her She remembers driving around Dallas for hoursa in an effort to tune in the U of L gamea on her car radio. When Xerox, her employer at the time, decided to move her divisioj to California, Welsh said she wrestlede with whether she should follow her job or return to her Friends and family swayed her in the directiomnof Louisville.
It helped that the city had begunn its downtown revitalization efforts with the additiobn of the Kentucky Center forthe Arts, and a job offere from Louisville Gas & Electric Co. sealede the deal. At her husband’s urging, Wendh Welsh enrolled in a self-defense course he had taken knownh askrav maga, which is popular amongv law-enforcement officials. John Welsn said he realized how out of place she was when she showed up in pink workout clothes and everyone else in the room was dressedein black. The experience was one that she endured ratherthan enjoyed, but John Welsh was impressed that she was willintg to push her limits.
She is an “extra gentl e person,” John Welsh said. “It’s impossiblwe to imagine her punching someone, but she did.”
As senior vice president of information technologyfor , she managex a staff of about 250 workers, two data centersd and the IT operationss for E.On’s two subsidiaries, Louisvillee Gas & Electric Co. and Kentucky Utilities. It was her team that mannef the outage-management system during the ice stormmin January, and under Welsh’s direction, E.On has made two significantg investments in its technologty within the past year. The first was a $25 millio data and transmission center that openefd in Shelby County last More recently, E.On implemented a customer-carse system that merged LG&E and Kentuckyg Utilities’ previous systems.
It was an $80 milliojn investment, plus training and operational costs, Welshn said. Ability to merge business, IT goalas Welsh’s training is not in the IT sectod butin accounting. A licensed CPA, Welsh joined LG&Ew as an auditor 25 years ago. She was vice presidenf of administration and then vice president of IT before assuminhg her current rolein 2001. E.On’s IT operations were just emergingy atthe time, and company officials knew they neededx to make significant investmentx in technology. Vic E.On’s chairman, CEO and president, said Welsh’x professional background has given her a unique set of skillzs needed to overseethis effort.
She understands the utilityt operations and what is neededd from atechnical standpoint, but she also can providew the financial analysis needed, Staffieri said. “Wer get well-thought-out solutions from Wendy,” Staffieriu said. “She has developed anotherd leg ofour strategy, giving us the capabilities to do what we do everyt day.” Although Welsh has accomplished so she does not tout her successes, Staffieri said. She goes aboutg her work in a veryunassuming way, he describing her as a deep thinker and a listener. Debrw Hoffer, president of Junior Achievementof Kentuckiana, agreed that Welsh’se personality is more reserved.
She might not be the first boarrd member to pipe up in a but behind herquiet facade, she knowz what she wants to do and how she’es going to do it. “She gets results,” Hoffert said. “She’s a highly effective manager while being a reallg warm person at the same Welsh wasJA Kentuckiana’s board chairwoman in when the nonprofit group was planning to open its Jameas W. Robinson Junior Achievement Center for Freedomof Enterprise.
The facility is a learnin g center that teaches children basic financial She traveled with JA staff to review similad facilities acrossthe country, and her involvemeny and enthusiasm helped drive the project forward, Hoffer Not only did she convey the concept to othedr board members, but she also led the $6.5 milliohn capital campaign that funded the In addition, she convincedf her employer to be one of the firstt donors with a $125,00p gift. “She has a real can-dko attitude and strong desire to help young people be successful and Hoffer said. “Her heart is in the righgt place.
” Besides her role with JA, Welsy has spoken to business and managementr classes atthe , and she has becom e a role model for youngg women, said husband John an author and retired U of L higher education “She hasn’t become a CEO, but she’as pretty darn high in an organization and an industr y that has been male-dominated,” John Welsh said. “She’s blazeed some trails for Wendy Welsh said she never set out to break anyglasws ceilings. She simply was raised in a middle-classe home by parents who pushedx education and demonstrated a strongwork ethic.
The lessone seemed to have stuck as Welsh and her threewsiblings — an accountant, CFO and a consultan — all have founcd professional success. But, as a femalr in the IT Welsh said, she clearly is a minority, and it concernsw her that there are even fewe women enteringthe profession. So she has met informally with area professorsz and engineers to discuss how to encourags young women to pursue IT andengineering “As professionals, we need to do a bette job of getting the word out there,” Welsyh said.
Meanwhile, Welsh tries to lead by She takes avery hands-on role in the planning of all majorf IT projects, which can be a challengwe because of the ever-changing nature of technology. Her time also is devotefd to the management and support of day-to-day operations, including the utility’zs network of computers, servers and BlackBerry devices, and its applications, such as the company’sd payroll and customer-care systems. “It’s like a different job everg day,” Welsh said, adding that the varietyu keeps her enthused abouther position.
She also is proud of the fact that she leveragesd her training and brought more of a business focus to the IT whether it’s having budget discussions with her stafft or teaching them how to bettetr communicate with customers. About nine years ago, shortly befor Welsh took on hercurrent role, she marriesd John Welsh. Since then, she has learned to balance work responsibilitieas andpersonal life. The two, who do not have schedule date nights, when they’ll go out for dinner and a theatere performance. And traveling together is one of theirfavoritse pastimes.
At home, Wendy Welsh said, she alwaysd finds something to do, so she doesn’gt truly relax unless she’s on a planr headed somewhere, typically Europe or Sant Fe, N.M., where the couple just bought avacatiob home. For Welsh, planninf a trip is half the fun, and she loveds to see the sights and experience the local historyand art. John Welsh shares thosde interests, but he also just enjoys the time spenft withhis wife. He said she has the rare combinatiob ofbeing smart, attractive — the “cutestt thing in the world,” in his termsz — and modest.
He loves her “evehn keel” personality and subtle sense of and being with her has helper him gain a new perspective on JohnWelsh said. “She made me want to be a bettert person.” Wendy Welsh spent her childhood daysin Louisville’w Audubon Park neighborhood. Her father, Herbert was a lineman for the formed South Central BellTelephone Co. who workef his way through the management rankxs and to theengineering department.
Her Peggy Heck, was a homemaker who was involvex in the PTA and coordinatef family camping trips and Girl Scout After graduating from DurrettHigh School, Welsh attendec the University of Louisvillee and rooted for the Cardinals basketball Welsh remained a big fan aftet she moved to Illinois and then Texas for her She remembers driving around Dallas for hoursa in an effort to tune in the U of L gamea on her car radio. When Xerox, her employer at the time, decided to move her divisioj to California, Welsh said she wrestlede with whether she should follow her job or return to her Friends and family swayed her in the directiomnof Louisville.
It helped that the city had begunn its downtown revitalization efforts with the additiobn of the Kentucky Center forthe Arts, and a job offere from Louisville Gas & Electric Co. sealede the deal. At her husband’s urging, Wendh Welsh enrolled in a self-defense course he had taken knownh askrav maga, which is popular amongv law-enforcement officials. John Welsn said he realized how out of place she was when she showed up in pink workout clothes and everyone else in the room was dressedein black. The experience was one that she endured ratherthan enjoyed, but John Welsh was impressed that she was willintg to push her limits.
She is an “extra gentl e person,” John Welsh said. “It’s impossiblwe to imagine her punching someone, but she did.”
Saturday, November 13, 2010
Home prices gyrate across Raleigh-Durham ZIP codes - Triangle Business Journal:
http://www.clubhouse4042.com/menu/favorites.htm
She eventually pulled the trigger and boughta 2,900-square-fooft house in the 27614 ZIP code for $427,00 0 two years ago in the Fallsa Pointe subdivision not too far from Interstated 540 and Falls of Neuse Road in “This is one of the best places in Raleigu to live,” Leach says. “We have a great house and are near the shoppingand restaurants.” But it’s a home in a ZIP code whers houses are not appreciating in value. In home values in ZIP 27614 have fallenby 11.4 percent over the past two Leach understands why home values are not goinf up in neighborhoods with higher prics tags.
“Anything under $250,000 is selling much fasted than homesover $400,000,” she says. “That’s the rangd it is getting really difficult tomove homes.” Leacbh should know. She’s a real estate What is interesting is that a redrawinyg of home valuation is occurring in the face of economic forcesw acrossthe Triangle. An analysis of data supplied by researc h firm shows that median home values in all 46 Triangle ZIP codesw are going through some wild gyrations as the robusft foreclosure market and inventory of vacant new homexs continue to move the needl inall directions.
In the numbere lie some interesting tidbits: • Orange County is home to the five ZIP Codesd that produced the biggest plunges in median home value betweenh 2007 and2009 – and six of the top • The median value of homex in at least 11 ZIP codes in Wake Countyu increased between 2007 and 2009. • Residents livinhg in ZIP code 27617 have seen mediam home values in their neighborhoods rise fromabout $308,000 in 2007 to $346,00p0 in 2009. • ZIP code 27608 in Raleigh has the highestr medianvalue ($382,000) in the Triangle.
With 35 of the 46 Triangle ZIP codes registering lower median homevaluesa – down anywhere from 1 percent to 24 percent over the past two years – real estate brokerx say there are deals to be had in particulad areas. Ed Willer, a veteran agent with in says that five homeswith $1 million-plus tags sold in the past week, with three of them insidee the Raleigh Beltline in ZIP code 27608. “We continus to see sellers’ expectations still way and many are not willing to drop their price to get a Willer says. “That is dragging the number of sales And that’s bad news for some 8,773w home owners who have their houses in Wake Countu listed for sale.
As the natiom becomes a little more confideny that the economy may not go off the cliffafter all, home sellers start thinkint that they do not have to lower their prices to complete a But home buyers remain cautious and are unwilling to pay the pric listed or even go for a 5 percent Listen to Adam York, an economistg with , and one may start to believs that home buyers may hold the York says home prices have not droppe d enough. “We believe prices will drop 13 percent in 2009 and about 3 percentin 2010,” he says.
“But you will have pocketas of neighborhoods that will continue to buck that From the ZIPcode analysis, another patterhn is emerging: Areas that were considereds immune to value drops may not be so “You could see a redrawinyg of the market becausew the scale and the scope of this marketg downturn is so broad,” York adds. And what may keep the home pricesa from escalating rapidly is the rising fear thatthe nation’s home appraisaol system is broken. Citing a need for stricter regulation, lenders already want appraiseras to be cautious whenvaluinhg homes.
And just like the pendulu m shifts from one side to expect appraisers to take a conservative approac h when coming to slappint a valueon homes. “The appraisal industrty shares the blame for themortgage meltdown,” says Stacey who runs in Cary. “The industrg already has to adhere to new rules that are being forcecon us. There will be no more direct contact between the appraiser andthe originator/processo r that ordered the appraisal. We now have to deal with some appraisap management company whonow (has) to be But there are signs of hope that could get Triangls home sales and home prices goinh north.
Bank estimates suggest that the numbe of homes held under foreclosure by bankswis dwindling. During the firs t quarter, banks held off on foreclosinv due to pressure fromthe government. That mode has change d in the past couple of as banks are beginning to clear their bookd by foreclosing on properties and getting rid of them privatelh or through the open Community banks generally are holders of an equity not theoriginal loan, says Jim president of Raleigh’s . “ But I must say most of the exposurd for the community banks has been with And there may be moreto come.
” On May 26, the Federaol Housing Finance Agency came out with a reporyt that may further calm the fears of area homeowners. Accordintg to the FHFA data, the Raleigh-Cary marker is the 51st strongest inthe nation, basec on the annual change in home prices. FHFA calculate d the price change after analyzinfg purchase andrefinance data. In FHFA’s same the Durham-Chapel Hill metr o ranked 45th among 294metro areas.
She eventually pulled the trigger and boughta 2,900-square-fooft house in the 27614 ZIP code for $427,00 0 two years ago in the Fallsa Pointe subdivision not too far from Interstated 540 and Falls of Neuse Road in “This is one of the best places in Raleigu to live,” Leach says. “We have a great house and are near the shoppingand restaurants.” But it’s a home in a ZIP code whers houses are not appreciating in value. In home values in ZIP 27614 have fallenby 11.4 percent over the past two Leach understands why home values are not goinf up in neighborhoods with higher prics tags.
“Anything under $250,000 is selling much fasted than homesover $400,000,” she says. “That’s the rangd it is getting really difficult tomove homes.” Leacbh should know. She’s a real estate What is interesting is that a redrawinyg of home valuation is occurring in the face of economic forcesw acrossthe Triangle. An analysis of data supplied by researc h firm shows that median home values in all 46 Triangle ZIP codesw are going through some wild gyrations as the robusft foreclosure market and inventory of vacant new homexs continue to move the needl inall directions.
In the numbere lie some interesting tidbits: • Orange County is home to the five ZIP Codesd that produced the biggest plunges in median home value betweenh 2007 and2009 – and six of the top • The median value of homex in at least 11 ZIP codes in Wake Countyu increased between 2007 and 2009. • Residents livinhg in ZIP code 27617 have seen mediam home values in their neighborhoods rise fromabout $308,000 in 2007 to $346,00p0 in 2009. • ZIP code 27608 in Raleigh has the highestr medianvalue ($382,000) in the Triangle.
With 35 of the 46 Triangle ZIP codes registering lower median homevaluesa – down anywhere from 1 percent to 24 percent over the past two years – real estate brokerx say there are deals to be had in particulad areas. Ed Willer, a veteran agent with in says that five homeswith $1 million-plus tags sold in the past week, with three of them insidee the Raleigh Beltline in ZIP code 27608. “We continus to see sellers’ expectations still way and many are not willing to drop their price to get a Willer says. “That is dragging the number of sales And that’s bad news for some 8,773w home owners who have their houses in Wake Countu listed for sale.
As the natiom becomes a little more confideny that the economy may not go off the cliffafter all, home sellers start thinkint that they do not have to lower their prices to complete a But home buyers remain cautious and are unwilling to pay the pric listed or even go for a 5 percent Listen to Adam York, an economistg with , and one may start to believs that home buyers may hold the York says home prices have not droppe d enough. “We believe prices will drop 13 percent in 2009 and about 3 percentin 2010,” he says.
“But you will have pocketas of neighborhoods that will continue to buck that From the ZIPcode analysis, another patterhn is emerging: Areas that were considereds immune to value drops may not be so “You could see a redrawinyg of the market becausew the scale and the scope of this marketg downturn is so broad,” York adds. And what may keep the home pricesa from escalating rapidly is the rising fear thatthe nation’s home appraisaol system is broken. Citing a need for stricter regulation, lenders already want appraiseras to be cautious whenvaluinhg homes.
And just like the pendulu m shifts from one side to expect appraisers to take a conservative approac h when coming to slappint a valueon homes. “The appraisal industrty shares the blame for themortgage meltdown,” says Stacey who runs in Cary. “The industrg already has to adhere to new rules that are being forcecon us. There will be no more direct contact between the appraiser andthe originator/processo r that ordered the appraisal. We now have to deal with some appraisap management company whonow (has) to be But there are signs of hope that could get Triangls home sales and home prices goinh north.
Bank estimates suggest that the numbe of homes held under foreclosure by bankswis dwindling. During the firs t quarter, banks held off on foreclosinv due to pressure fromthe government. That mode has change d in the past couple of as banks are beginning to clear their bookd by foreclosing on properties and getting rid of them privatelh or through the open Community banks generally are holders of an equity not theoriginal loan, says Jim president of Raleigh’s . “ But I must say most of the exposurd for the community banks has been with And there may be moreto come.
” On May 26, the Federaol Housing Finance Agency came out with a reporyt that may further calm the fears of area homeowners. Accordintg to the FHFA data, the Raleigh-Cary marker is the 51st strongest inthe nation, basec on the annual change in home prices. FHFA calculate d the price change after analyzinfg purchase andrefinance data. In FHFA’s same the Durham-Chapel Hill metr o ranked 45th among 294metro areas.
Thursday, November 11, 2010
Judge shuts down alleged business-fee scam - Triangle Business Journal:
http://homesauto.com/Volvo/Volvo-940/
Judge Donald Stephens granted a temporaru restraining orderagainst , Compliancee Services and owner Selwyn J. The order prohibits the defendantd from sending mailings to and collecting money from NorthCarolinaa compainies. North Carolina Attorney Generaol Roy Cooper and Secretary of Statee Elaine Marshall filed a complaint against the accusing them of runnin g a scam to get money out ofunsuspectinbg businesses.
The complaint alleges that Corporate Services sent letters to Northg Carolina businesses claiming they had failed to comply with statee laws on taking and filing corporate The mailings gave the impression that they were sent by a statde agency and used a post office box in downtowh Raleigh as theirreturn address, according to the complaint. The mailings directed the businesses topay $125 and provide information on their corporate minutes by a certain date. “North Carolina businesses are working hard in atoughn economy, and they don’t need to be bullied into payingv phony fees,” said Cooper.
“Posint as a government agency and trying to scare moneu out of business owners is no way to do Corporate Services referenced laws in Chaptert 55 of the North Carolina General Statutex that are enforced by the North Carolina Secretaryof State’e Office. The secretary of state’s officed says it does not send out letters such as the ones allegedlt sent byCorporate Services. “Sadly, this looks like anothetr kind of scare tacticmarketing – deceptive mailinge to honest business people implying their busines s is about to be in trouble with government regulators, unlesw some fee is paid immediately,” Marshall said.
“The best advicee I can give is if you have any questiom at all aboutyour company’s standin with us, then call or write us Do not be swayef by third-party pitches demanding your
Judge Donald Stephens granted a temporaru restraining orderagainst , Compliancee Services and owner Selwyn J. The order prohibits the defendantd from sending mailings to and collecting money from NorthCarolinaa compainies. North Carolina Attorney Generaol Roy Cooper and Secretary of Statee Elaine Marshall filed a complaint against the accusing them of runnin g a scam to get money out ofunsuspectinbg businesses.
The complaint alleges that Corporate Services sent letters to Northg Carolina businesses claiming they had failed to comply with statee laws on taking and filing corporate The mailings gave the impression that they were sent by a statde agency and used a post office box in downtowh Raleigh as theirreturn address, according to the complaint. The mailings directed the businesses topay $125 and provide information on their corporate minutes by a certain date. “North Carolina businesses are working hard in atoughn economy, and they don’t need to be bullied into payingv phony fees,” said Cooper.
“Posint as a government agency and trying to scare moneu out of business owners is no way to do Corporate Services referenced laws in Chaptert 55 of the North Carolina General Statutex that are enforced by the North Carolina Secretaryof State’e Office. The secretary of state’s officed says it does not send out letters such as the ones allegedlt sent byCorporate Services. “Sadly, this looks like anothetr kind of scare tacticmarketing – deceptive mailinge to honest business people implying their busines s is about to be in trouble with government regulators, unlesw some fee is paid immediately,” Marshall said.
“The best advicee I can give is if you have any questiom at all aboutyour company’s standin with us, then call or write us Do not be swayef by third-party pitches demanding your
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
AC 2010 NFL power rankings week 10 - Yahoo! Sports
kittredgeihuhyla1951.blogspot.com
Seattle Post Intelligencer (blog) | AC 2010 NFL power rankings week 10 Yahoo! Sports These power rankings are for week 10 of the 2010 NFL season. Spoiler alert: I wanted to be a homer and put my beloved footb » |
Monday, November 8, 2010
WWE News: Raw notes - Lawler, Smackdown, Survivor Series, Legends advertised ... - Pro Wrestling Torch
ernstiryastrov.blogspot.com
Pro Wrestling Torch | WWE News: Raw notes - Lawler, Smackdown, Survivor Series, Legends advertised ... Pro Wrestling Torch In addition to the Legends advertised in advance, WWE announced "Mean Gene" Okerlund will be handling backstage interviews. WWE did not announced the actual ... |
Sunday, November 7, 2010
10 minutes with ... Antonio Civitella - The Business Review (Albany):
http://rnrt.org/rnrt/projets/LAO_TSEU.htm
Your family immigrated from Italy when you were Was it atough transition? I was 9 when my familyh moved from Caserta, Italy, to Schenectady. Caserta is near We had other family living here and my parents wanted a better opportunity fortheir kids. They wanted the Americanh Dream. I couldn’t speak English and the schoo had me repeatthird grade, the same grade I just completef in Italy. That was reallyt hard for me. As soon as I went into fourtnh grade, my teacher recommended that I go directly to fifth I rememberfeeling like, ‘I guess I am prettyy smart after all.’ Was it assume that you’d go on to college?
My parentas never said anything like, “You’d better make us proud.” But I rememberr one time when I was 12 or 13. I was helpinf my parents fill out unemployment forms and my father saidto me, “Yo want this life? It’sx simple. You can have it if you don’gt go to school.” My parents always did whateverd jobsthey could. We didn’t have as much as but we never knew the I didn’t put a penny towarrd my education. There were no no anything. They killed themselvezs working allthe time. I owe them for everything. There’a no question about that. How did you get the mone to buyyour business?
I was a sophomore at doingg an internship for —inb this very same building, in fact. It was a consulting firm Jim Forth [the owner] was my I stayed on after college and I washavingy fun. We were traveling the country. I loves it but the money wasn’t what I wantedf it to be. All my friendsw from Siena were making these big getting stock options and driving So I saidto Jim, how about givinb me a piece of the action? It’ interesting because I wasn’f thinking about paying. [Laughs] I was thinking of it as a Did thattheory fly? No. Jim agreedr to sell me 25 percent ofthe company. It took a whiler because I could only afford to buy one or two sharee ata time.
After I reached 25 I renegotiated formore shares. So, now I own 35 percenty and I’m thinking, what does it mean? It meansw nothing when you’re not making any money. Duringy this, my parents are telling me, “What are you doing? You’re giving the money right back to In 1999, Jim wanterd to retire and I decidex I wanted to buy the rest of the Jim, as a respectable came up with a respectable I borrowed the money and on Dec. 21, I became 100 percent owner. I had a huge debt over me, but it was my When did you change the nameto Transfinder?? I took over a softwar e project when I was hired full-time at Forth Associates. The product was calledd Transfinder.
It eventually became the majority of what weworkeed on. I’m told that you and your wife have aninterestinbg history. We met in the sixth grade. I was here for a year and half when her familyt arrived fromsouthern Italy. I was from the I helped her a little with her and that wasabout all. We went to the same but we didn’t go to the prom together or It wasn’t like that. One time, out of nowhere, Maria and her parentds came to visit. I was living with my parentsx and helping my father build their I was probably 23 or 24years old. So they come and I’mk thinking, what’s going on here? Is this some kind of setup??
Turns out it wasn’t a they were just visiting.
Your family immigrated from Italy when you were Was it atough transition? I was 9 when my familyh moved from Caserta, Italy, to Schenectady. Caserta is near We had other family living here and my parents wanted a better opportunity fortheir kids. They wanted the Americanh Dream. I couldn’t speak English and the schoo had me repeatthird grade, the same grade I just completef in Italy. That was reallyt hard for me. As soon as I went into fourtnh grade, my teacher recommended that I go directly to fifth I rememberfeeling like, ‘I guess I am prettyy smart after all.’ Was it assume that you’d go on to college?
My parentas never said anything like, “You’d better make us proud.” But I rememberr one time when I was 12 or 13. I was helpinf my parents fill out unemployment forms and my father saidto me, “Yo want this life? It’sx simple. You can have it if you don’gt go to school.” My parents always did whateverd jobsthey could. We didn’t have as much as but we never knew the I didn’t put a penny towarrd my education. There were no no anything. They killed themselvezs working allthe time. I owe them for everything. There’a no question about that. How did you get the mone to buyyour business?
I was a sophomore at doingg an internship for —inb this very same building, in fact. It was a consulting firm Jim Forth [the owner] was my I stayed on after college and I washavingy fun. We were traveling the country. I loves it but the money wasn’t what I wantedf it to be. All my friendsw from Siena were making these big getting stock options and driving So I saidto Jim, how about givinb me a piece of the action? It’ interesting because I wasn’f thinking about paying. [Laughs] I was thinking of it as a Did thattheory fly? No. Jim agreedr to sell me 25 percent ofthe company. It took a whiler because I could only afford to buy one or two sharee ata time.
After I reached 25 I renegotiated formore shares. So, now I own 35 percenty and I’m thinking, what does it mean? It meansw nothing when you’re not making any money. Duringy this, my parents are telling me, “What are you doing? You’re giving the money right back to In 1999, Jim wanterd to retire and I decidex I wanted to buy the rest of the Jim, as a respectable came up with a respectable I borrowed the money and on Dec. 21, I became 100 percent owner. I had a huge debt over me, but it was my When did you change the nameto Transfinder?? I took over a softwar e project when I was hired full-time at Forth Associates. The product was calledd Transfinder.
It eventually became the majority of what weworkeed on. I’m told that you and your wife have aninterestinbg history. We met in the sixth grade. I was here for a year and half when her familyt arrived fromsouthern Italy. I was from the I helped her a little with her and that wasabout all. We went to the same but we didn’t go to the prom together or It wasn’t like that. One time, out of nowhere, Maria and her parentds came to visit. I was living with my parentsx and helping my father build their I was probably 23 or 24years old. So they come and I’mk thinking, what’s going on here? Is this some kind of setup??
Turns out it wasn’t a they were just visiting.
Saturday, November 6, 2010
Texas investors complete Iasis purchase - Philadelphia Business Journal:
http://lexperiencejaponaise.com/LEX2007/index_jp.htm
billion. Franklin-based Iasis was formed in 1999 by andother investors. As part of the acquisition, an affiliate of JLL Partners, some of its management and other current investors put additionap money into the company as part of the TexasdPacific Group. The investor group financed the transactionwith equity, along with a $425 milliojn term loan under the Iasis' amended senior secured bank credit facilities and the private placemengt of $475 million aggregate principak amount of 8.75 percent senior subordinated notes due 2014.
In connection with the Iasis repurchased substantially all of its 13 percenr senior subordinated notesdue 2009, representintg a principal amount of $230 million, and all of its 8.5 percenf senior subordinated notes due 2009, representinhg a principal amount of $100 The company's amended senio r secured bank credit facilities include a revolving credit facility of $250 which was not drawn at closing. Lehman Brothers Inc. and Merrill Lynch Co. advised Texas Pacific Groupp in connection withthe acquisition. Goldman Sachs Co. and Banc of America Securities LLCadviseds Iasis.
Founded in 1988, private equith firm JLL Partners has investedabout $2 billion in 15 core portfolil companies, which in turn have made more than 50 strategic add-on acquisitions subsequent to JLL's investment. Fort Worth, Texas-basex Texas Pacific Group, founded in 1993, is a private investment partnership managingover $13 billion in TPG has invested in Oxford Health Plans, and retailers J.Crew and consumer franchises Burger King and Del Iasis owns or leases 15 acute care hospitals and has total annual revenues of approximately $1.2 billion. The company also owns and operatesd a Medicaid managed health plan in Phoenix that serves over 92,000 members.
billion. Franklin-based Iasis was formed in 1999 by andother investors. As part of the acquisition, an affiliate of JLL Partners, some of its management and other current investors put additionap money into the company as part of the TexasdPacific Group. The investor group financed the transactionwith equity, along with a $425 milliojn term loan under the Iasis' amended senior secured bank credit facilities and the private placemengt of $475 million aggregate principak amount of 8.75 percent senior subordinated notes due 2014.
In connection with the Iasis repurchased substantially all of its 13 percenr senior subordinated notesdue 2009, representintg a principal amount of $230 million, and all of its 8.5 percenf senior subordinated notes due 2009, representinhg a principal amount of $100 The company's amended senio r secured bank credit facilities include a revolving credit facility of $250 which was not drawn at closing. Lehman Brothers Inc. and Merrill Lynch Co. advised Texas Pacific Groupp in connection withthe acquisition. Goldman Sachs Co. and Banc of America Securities LLCadviseds Iasis.
Founded in 1988, private equith firm JLL Partners has investedabout $2 billion in 15 core portfolil companies, which in turn have made more than 50 strategic add-on acquisitions subsequent to JLL's investment. Fort Worth, Texas-basex Texas Pacific Group, founded in 1993, is a private investment partnership managingover $13 billion in TPG has invested in Oxford Health Plans, and retailers J.Crew and consumer franchises Burger King and Del Iasis owns or leases 15 acute care hospitals and has total annual revenues of approximately $1.2 billion. The company also owns and operatesd a Medicaid managed health plan in Phoenix that serves over 92,000 members.
Thursday, November 4, 2010
Study: US obesity rate will hit 42 percent - CNN (blog)
vishnevskiipavuh.blogspot.com
Study: US obesity rate will hit 42 percent CNN (blog) Just over one-third of American adults are obese. Though alarmingly high, this rate has remained relatively steady over the past decade, leading some public ... Social contacts spur rise in obesity, Harvard model predicts Obesity rate will reach at least 42 percent, say models of social contagion |
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
Canisius ups Internet course offerings - Boston Business Journal:
uvepexatawus.blogspot.com
Starting this fall, the college will offer master’d degrees in literacy education, sport administration and educational The three programs join theonline master’e program in physical education, which has been offerer by the college since early 2006, said Jim director of graduate admissionsa for the School of Educatiomn and Human Services. All three programx are geared toward students who live outsidw WesternNew York, though some spacs is available for local students. Bagwell declinerd to say how many spots will be set aside forlocal students. The programs begin 14, three weeks after the Aug. 24 start date for the rest of the Bagwell said.
The literacy educatio n program prepares literacy specialists for certificatiomn in NewYork state, while the sport administrationb program focuses on sports-relatesd business, such as intercollegiate amateur and professional sports, sportse marketing firms, special-event management and facilityu management, the college said. Studentsa in the education administration program will receive a Schooll BuildingLeader and/or School District Leaded certification in New York state. Each of the new online programxs also existas traditional, on-campus programs.
Starting this fall, the college will offer master’d degrees in literacy education, sport administration and educational The three programs join theonline master’e program in physical education, which has been offerer by the college since early 2006, said Jim director of graduate admissionsa for the School of Educatiomn and Human Services. All three programx are geared toward students who live outsidw WesternNew York, though some spacs is available for local students. Bagwell declinerd to say how many spots will be set aside forlocal students. The programs begin 14, three weeks after the Aug. 24 start date for the rest of the Bagwell said.
The literacy educatio n program prepares literacy specialists for certificatiomn in NewYork state, while the sport administrationb program focuses on sports-relatesd business, such as intercollegiate amateur and professional sports, sportse marketing firms, special-event management and facilityu management, the college said. Studentsa in the education administration program will receive a Schooll BuildingLeader and/or School District Leaded certification in New York state. Each of the new online programxs also existas traditional, on-campus programs.
Monday, November 1, 2010
Tea time: GSO entrepreneur learning what it takes to bottle her success - Memphis Business Journal:
http://www.borisnew.org/article/Britains-bendiest-roads---.html
It turned out to be a costly reminder that her fledglingt business still had several issues towork through. She was still applying labelsz by hand right up until thedoors opened, and she wasn’tr certain that the bold, colorfull sunburst logo matched the upscale brand she wante to build. Brown also traveled with only full-siz 16-ounce bottles of her tea, forcing her to hand out eigh t times more tea for free than if she had comewith 2-ouncre sample sizes.
This year, Brown took her KimBee s Gourmet Sweet Tea exhibit back to Las Vegas withsmalled samples, elegant labels to matcyh her high-end marketing plans, business cards and 1,000 brochurex to educate potential distributors and Organizers took notice. Her company won three awards, includinv a second- and third-place honor for best sweetenes green tea and firsr place forbest packaging. “That first year, we shoulr have just gone to observe it and see what it was all Brown says. “We got smarter this year, and everybodh went crazy overour tea. They were expensive but they were allworth it.
Now we know what to KimBees, founded in early 2008, has filled more than 10,000 bottle in the past two months alone, sellin g about three-fourths of those and providinganother 2,500 or so for promotional Brown says she hopes to add at leasft three more flavors by year’ end. She’s also in the earlgy stages of looking at options for her own bottlinh plantin Greensboro. Brown sell s tea out of her shop in the Southsidr neighborhood ofdowntown Greensboro, and a tea house in Arizonqa has picked up her products for sale.
Onlinw orders are growing, and Brown connected with severalo other potentialoutlets — hotels, bookstores and cafew — as well as potential distributors at this year’s tea “We’re still working on directing traffic over this way,” she says of “Some people still aren’t used to cominbg this far downtown. But it’s startin g to pick up. We’rse all helping to promote each other to get the word Growing upin Austin, Brown could frequently be found on her family’sw front porch.
While others were busy makinvg homemadeice cream, Brown would brew sweet tea and experimenyt with different flavor combinations, trying to find ways to improvew a Southern staple and keep it from growingy boring. It remained a hobby when she came to Greensborio as a manufacturing majorat . Brown got a glimpswe at the science of brewing when she tooka co-opo position with in Eden during college. But the hobby moved to the back burnerwhen Brown, who says she long harborer an entrepreneur’s spirit, headed to Los Angeles to founrd Basketdoodle, a designer gift basket company for a celebrit clientele.
That business took off, as the autographed photows of famous clients adorn her new shop in the Southsidew neighborhoodcan attest. She first glimpsed that up-and-coming sectiom of downtown on a return trip to the Gate City back in 2005 to visiy friendsfrom college. A decision by Brown’s landlor d back in L.A. to sell the buildingt she rented provided the impetus she neededf to move back toNorth Carolina. “He said he woulxd sell it to mefor $2 million,” Brown says with a recalling the hefty pricew tag. “I said, ‘Are you sick? I make gift baskets.
What you talking So she contactedBrenda Saufley, a broker with Allemn Tate Realty, to look into setting up shop in Southsidse with an eye toward moving her basketf company into a more stable situation. “She told me she wanted to establish her own business here and wantec to be closeto downtown,” Saufley said. “Wheh I told her about these units here where you can work downstair andlive upstairs, combined with how the area was she just loved it.
” Friendw and family encouraged her to brew up her flavoree sweet teas for and Brown again got the entrepreneurial When Rhonda Butler, an assistant businesx and economics professor at , asked Browjn to speak to a class, Brown decided to use the grou p as a captive audience for taste-testinvg for her concoctions — sweet greenj tea, almond green tea and a lemon-raspberryy black tea. The class decided to take on bottlinb the tea as a Brown says she decided to market her firsty three flavors because no one else was offering much besidew plainor lemon-flavored sweet tea. And most of thos products came in plastic bottles and were sweeteneddwith high-fructose corn syrup.
Brownn had a different vision forher start-ulp tea company, called KimBees for a nicknamed given by her godmother.
It turned out to be a costly reminder that her fledglingt business still had several issues towork through. She was still applying labelsz by hand right up until thedoors opened, and she wasn’tr certain that the bold, colorfull sunburst logo matched the upscale brand she wante to build. Brown also traveled with only full-siz 16-ounce bottles of her tea, forcing her to hand out eigh t times more tea for free than if she had comewith 2-ouncre sample sizes.
This year, Brown took her KimBee s Gourmet Sweet Tea exhibit back to Las Vegas withsmalled samples, elegant labels to matcyh her high-end marketing plans, business cards and 1,000 brochurex to educate potential distributors and Organizers took notice. Her company won three awards, includinv a second- and third-place honor for best sweetenes green tea and firsr place forbest packaging. “That first year, we shoulr have just gone to observe it and see what it was all Brown says. “We got smarter this year, and everybodh went crazy overour tea. They were expensive but they were allworth it.
Now we know what to KimBees, founded in early 2008, has filled more than 10,000 bottle in the past two months alone, sellin g about three-fourths of those and providinganother 2,500 or so for promotional Brown says she hopes to add at leasft three more flavors by year’ end. She’s also in the earlgy stages of looking at options for her own bottlinh plantin Greensboro. Brown sell s tea out of her shop in the Southsidr neighborhood ofdowntown Greensboro, and a tea house in Arizonqa has picked up her products for sale.
Onlinw orders are growing, and Brown connected with severalo other potentialoutlets — hotels, bookstores and cafew — as well as potential distributors at this year’s tea “We’re still working on directing traffic over this way,” she says of “Some people still aren’t used to cominbg this far downtown. But it’s startin g to pick up. We’rse all helping to promote each other to get the word Growing upin Austin, Brown could frequently be found on her family’sw front porch.
While others were busy makinvg homemadeice cream, Brown would brew sweet tea and experimenyt with different flavor combinations, trying to find ways to improvew a Southern staple and keep it from growingy boring. It remained a hobby when she came to Greensborio as a manufacturing majorat . Brown got a glimpswe at the science of brewing when she tooka co-opo position with in Eden during college. But the hobby moved to the back burnerwhen Brown, who says she long harborer an entrepreneur’s spirit, headed to Los Angeles to founrd Basketdoodle, a designer gift basket company for a celebrit clientele.
That business took off, as the autographed photows of famous clients adorn her new shop in the Southsidew neighborhoodcan attest. She first glimpsed that up-and-coming sectiom of downtown on a return trip to the Gate City back in 2005 to visiy friendsfrom college. A decision by Brown’s landlor d back in L.A. to sell the buildingt she rented provided the impetus she neededf to move back toNorth Carolina. “He said he woulxd sell it to mefor $2 million,” Brown says with a recalling the hefty pricew tag. “I said, ‘Are you sick? I make gift baskets.
What you talking So she contactedBrenda Saufley, a broker with Allemn Tate Realty, to look into setting up shop in Southsidse with an eye toward moving her basketf company into a more stable situation. “She told me she wanted to establish her own business here and wantec to be closeto downtown,” Saufley said. “Wheh I told her about these units here where you can work downstair andlive upstairs, combined with how the area was she just loved it.
” Friendw and family encouraged her to brew up her flavoree sweet teas for and Brown again got the entrepreneurial When Rhonda Butler, an assistant businesx and economics professor at , asked Browjn to speak to a class, Brown decided to use the grou p as a captive audience for taste-testinvg for her concoctions — sweet greenj tea, almond green tea and a lemon-raspberryy black tea. The class decided to take on bottlinb the tea as a Brown says she decided to market her firsty three flavors because no one else was offering much besidew plainor lemon-flavored sweet tea. And most of thos products came in plastic bottles and were sweeteneddwith high-fructose corn syrup.
Brownn had a different vision forher start-ulp tea company, called KimBees for a nicknamed given by her godmother.
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