|
|
|
Tuesday, March 25 Wednesday, March 26 Thursday, March 27 Friday, March 28 Saturday, March 29 Monday, March 31 Thursday, April 3 Friday, April 4 Saturday, April 5 Sunday, April 6 Tuesday, April 8 Wednesday, April 9 Thursday, April 10 Friday, April 11 Wednesday, April 16 Thursday, April 17 Friday, April 18 Saturday, April 19 Tuesday, April 22 Wednesday, April 23 Saturday, April 26 Monday, April 28 Tuesday, April 29 Wednesday, April 30 Saturday, May 3 Wednesday, May 7
|
Join The Business Monthly Today Settlement Reached on Property Near Belmont Conference Center In November 2004, Harry “Chip” Lundy and his business partner, David Adler, had provided seed money enabling the college’s foundation to acquire the Belmont Conference Center and an adjoining parcel of land known as the Dobbin property. Under the terms of the public-private partnership, Lundy and Adler had the option of assuming ownership of the Dobbin property or allowing the foundation to return the funds. An agreement was reached in which the foundation retains full title to the Dobbin property. In the agreement, a total of $1.3 million will be reimbursed to Lundy and Adler, which was the amount they had provided for a down payment, settlement costs and assistance with mortgage payments. No interest or other profit will be paid to Lundy or Adler. “The college and the foundation are very appreciative to Mr. Lundy and Mr. Adler for making it possible to acquire Belmont,” said HCC President Kate Hetherington. “Their assistance has enabled HCC to pursue its vision of Belmont as a first-rate conference center that provides educational opportunities and sustains the economic viability of an historic treasure in Howard County.” The property includes the Dobbin House, a two-story house with five bedrooms used to provide overnight accommodations for conference center guests. For more than 40 years, the Belmont Conference Center has offered an elegant, historic setting for corporate and nonprofit training programs, conferences and family gatherings. Belmont also serves as a lab school for HCC students studying hospitality and culinary management.
CeraTech technology primarily uses fly ash, a waste stream product from coal fired power plants, to produce environmentally friendly, high-performance concrete. Under terms of the agreement, Grace also has exclusive rights to market the company’s products and technology in the manufactured concrete market. Grace currently manufactures various products for commercial and residential construction markets, including concrete admixtures, cement additives, roofing underlayments, fire protection products, air barrier systems and below-grade structural waterproofing systems. “Our investment in this new technology is the latest step in expanding our portfolio of green materials for the construction industry,” said Andrew Bonham, president of Grace Construction Products. “We expect CeraTech technology, combined with Grace’s extensive technical expertise and strong customer relationships in the cement and concrete industry, will accelerate growth for both companies.”
SMC offers extensive domain expertise in linguistic services, providing foreign language translation, interpretation and training services in the defense and intelligence communities. The company is a leading provider on the General Services Administration Language Services schedule and its training services program is accredited by the nationally recognized Accrediting Council for Continuing Education and Training. “We have established an ideal relationship with SAIC — a firm whose corporate values, commitment to the customer and focus on employees mirror our business philosophies,” said Sheila Heinze, SMC president and CEO. “This transaction will allow us to provide a broader range of capabilities to support our customers’ critical missions. In addition, we believe SAIC will provide our employees greater opportunities for further personal and professional development.” SMC will join SAIC’s Mission Integration Business Unit, headquartered in Reston, Va. The company employs more than 460 people in Reston, Linthicum and other U.S. locations.
Given this admission, LoopNet’s marketed claims about its audience size, such as its claim to have 2.6 million users who supposedly are “immediately exposed” to paid listings on LoopNet’s web site, are untrue. At the recent Jefferies Fourth Annual Internet Conference, Boyle was asked to confirm the number of active users on LoopNet’s web site for the past 12 months. In response, he said: “We don’t break out the different segments of active users. Basically, the 2.6 million is total registered users over time.” To the best of CoStar’s knowledge, this is the first public admission by a LoopNet officer that LoopNet’s longstanding claim of having a vast audience of online “registrations” — essentially, a decade-long accumulation of e-mail addresses — is not an accurate measure of its online audience. Boyle’s admission also shows that LoopNet, headquartered in San Francisco, does not have 2.6 million people who could be converted into “premium” (i.e., paying) users, which LoopNet has represented to investors as recently as its 2007 Form 10-K as one of the key metrics that is material to an analysis of its business.
Prior to preparing the final report, the committee received briefings from economists relating to personal income growth in the county and from the Maryland Department of Assessments relating to the increase in county property assessments. Briefings were also given on the future of the Base Realignment & Closure, economic development and demographics as they relate to county revenues and expenditure needs. The committee concluded that this upcoming year appears to be an unsettled time for the national, state and Howard County economies. The slowing of the real estate bubble and the resulting crises in the mortgage industry seems to be pointing the economy towards sluggish growth for the next year. This means that the county will have to be vigilant and wary in projecting revenues and setting spending limits in the upcoming fiscal year. It must also continue to provide funding for other post-employment benefits and determine the effect of that funding on the financial support available for debt service. The committee recommended that, if spending is maintained at projected levels, the county can authorize up to $100 million in bonds supported by the general revenues in the budget each year. However, the committee also noted that these recommendations need to be re-evaluated each year. The complete report is available at www.howardcountymd.gov.
This includes a second generation recombinant Protective Antigen (rPA) anthrax vaccine, a recombinant dual antigen plague vaccine and a third generation rPA anthrax vaccine program. As part of this agreement, PharmAthene and Avecia Biologics have entered into a long-term manufacturing contract for the supply of these vaccine drug substances to PharmAthene. David Wright, president and CEO of PharmAthene, said, “Our acquisition of Avecia’s biodefense vaccine assets significantly advances PharmAthene’s strategy of building a leading biodefense company with a comprehensive portfolio of medical countermeasures that specifically meet the requirements for procurement established by the United States government. Importantly, the rPA anthrax vaccine presents a promising near-term procurement opportunity for PharmAthene based upon a recently issued government solicitation outlining requirements to procure 25 million doses of an rPA vaccine.” The deal calls for PharmAthene to acquire all of the assets and intellectual property related exclusively to Avecia’s rPA anthrax vaccine programs and plague vaccine programs. Approximately 50 employees from Avecia’s UK office will transfer to PharmAthene but remain based in the UK.
In collaboration with the Ordnance Road Correctional Center, the DPW used supervised inmate labor to remove the signs in a similar fashion to the administration of the department’s litter pickup program. To date, approximately 8,114 hours of inmate labor has been used, free of charge to the county — a savings valued at $111, 080 at a $13.69 per hour wage. The only remaining cost to the county is the $65 per ton tipping fee at the Millersville landfill currently calculated at $145,712 for the project, an expense that is absorbed by DPW’s annual budget for roadside waste pick-up. In fiscal ’06, the county’s Waste Management Bureau interoffice billed DPW approximately $527,590 for roadside waste collection.
The move was partly due to increased costs for fuel and aircraft rental, but also due to the low dollar rate, which has reduced American demand for travel abroad. At the same time, Air Greenland now has to compete against SAS and Air Iceland.
It has been estimated that more than 2.2 million Americans who took out subprime mortgages between 1998 and 2006 are in jeopardy of losing their homes during the next two to three years. Of those, approximately 50% do not seek out help to prevent the loss of their homes and many do not know help is available. The PSA encourages homeowners in need to call the Maryland HOPE (Home Owners Preserving Equity) Initiative toll-free at 1-877-462-7555. This foreclosure prevention and assistance program has been established by the state of Maryland Department of Housing & Community Development. The PSA also provides contact information for federal assistance from the Federal Housing Administration at www.FHA.gov. This web site gives further information on avoiding foreclosures and how to obtain FHA loans.
The event netted just more than $200,000 for the organization. The funds will help expand three of the UCF’s local programs, which assist Marylanders: the UCF Young Adult Patient Navigation Program at the Greenebaum Cancer Center at the University of Maryland, the Young Adult Cancer Survivor Activity Group in partnership with the Y of Central Maryland, and UCF Maryland Community Scholars Award program. “When I was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2006, Doug Ulman helped me navigate through my cancer experience — screenings, treatments and second opinions. He provided valuable practical and emotional support at a time of need. Being diagnosed was hard enough. Fighting cancer was harder,” said Crow. “I am proud to support the Ulman Cancer Fund for Young Adults not only because it is a great organization, but because I know first-hand the impact their presence has had in the young adult cancer community.” The evening also included performances by singer Christine Baze, a young adult cancer survivor, and the Cancer Dancers, a group of teenagers and young adults affected by cancer. The crowd included 10 young adult cancer survivors and their guests who attended the event through the Young Adult Cancer Survivor Give-Away and had a chance to meet and talk with Crow.
Sixty vendors will have information on topics such as green buildings, green consumer products, leaving a green footprint and the benefits of hybrid vehicles. Also, local environmental clubs and organizations will have information on environmental awareness. The first 150 people who attend the event will receive free canvas shopping bags from My Organic Market (MOM’s). Visitors will be able to tour the green Community Center or sign-up to tour the Elkridge recycling facility at a later date, as well as register for a free home energy audit. GreenFest will serve as a drop-off location for used cell phones, eyeglasses and binoculars to donate to the needy. And residents are encouraged to drop off paper documents and data storage devices (DVDs, CDs, floppy disks, tapes, etc.) for destruction and recycling. Howard Transit will provide free shuttle bus service from The Mall in Columbia (from the upper parking lot near Sears Service Center) at 9 a.m. and 10:20 a.m.; the return buses
To help raise awareness of the importance of leading a physically active life in the fight against breast cancer, Under Armour is encouraging survivors and women currently living with breast cancer to share their inspirational stories of strength and survival at www.underarmour.com/powerinpink. The company will select three stories of undeniable courage to become the new faces of the “Power in Pink” campaign and star in national magazine and online advertisements and in-store visuals. Stories will be accepted through April 30. Under Armour will donate a percentage of the proceeds from every “Power in Pink” item purchased in-store or online to a number of organizations dedicated to the fight against breast cancer. Since its inception five years ago, Under Armour’s donation amount has more than doubled each year through the continued growth in popularity of the “Power in Pink” apparel and accessories.
Another project, at the 8200 block of southbound Snowden River Parkway and Maryland Route 108 in Ellicott City (at the left turn into the restaurant and service park) is scheduled to begin on or about Monday, March 31. It will extend the median left turn lane into the service area. Weather permitting, the project should be complete in late May.
Attendees are able to explore opportunities, benefits and requirements of teaching part-time at HCC, meet current faculty and staff, and learn about current openings in credit and noncredit teaching positions. A master’s degree is required for most disciplines. For information, visit the HCC Office of Human Resources at www.howardcc.edu/hr or www.hccjobs.org or call 410-772-4697.
The event is a free, no obligation opportunity to learn about and access the college’s programs. It will be held on HCC’s campus at 10901 Little Patuxent Parkway in Columbia in the Transfer Center of The Rouse Co. Foundation Student Services Hall. To reserve a space or for more information, call 410-772-4856, option 3, or e-mail adm-adv@howardcc.edu or visit www.howardcc.edu/military.
Can you volunteer two hours per month or more to help an older person? Sales Professional Wanted: A Fresh Approach to Business Relationship! Call The Business Monthly for article ideas and advertising opportunities, 410-740-7300. Classifieds now available on BizWeekly. E-mail news@bizmonthly.com for details. Refer a Friend! Advertise!
|
|
