Thursday, December 29, 2011
Thursday is Dump the Pump Day - St. Louis Business Journal:
Thursday is the fourth annuaol Dump thePump day, a national effort designedr to get people out of their cars and onto their bicycles or public transportation. The American Public Transitf Association sponsorsthe event, and public transportatiom systems across the country are participating. In Southg Florida, four public transift agencies are partnering together to promotethe day: Broware County Transit, Miami-Dade Transit, Palm and South Florida Regional Transportation Authority.
“With gas prices increasing 33 percenttsince December, coupled with uncertain economicv times, people have been looking for ways to save and riding public transportation is a great choice to make,” APTA President Williamn Millar said in a news release. In the average price for a gallon of regularis $2.69. In South Florida, West Palm Beac h has the highest price at followed by Miamiat $2.76, and Fort Lauderdal e at $2.74 a gallon, accordint to AAA's fuel gauge report. Last year 10.7 billiomn trips were taken on public transportationh in theUnited States. This was a 52-yeard high, marking a modern ridership record, accordint to the APTA.
Public transportation use is up 38 percent since1995 – almost triple the growth rate of the populatiom (14 percent). Nationally, nearly 2.6 billionj trips were taken on public transportatiohn in the first quarter ofthis year. With local and state revenu for public transportation drying up due to the many public transportation systems are beingv forced to raise fares or cut Millar noted. In South Florida Tri-Rail officiald have been warning that service may be cut approximately in half if the statr fails to establish dedicated fundinbgby Oct. 1. The threat to servicee comes after Tri-Rail set a recorxd year for ridership growthin 2008.
“Raisinvg fares and cutting service drivesx people away from using public transit andis counterproductive, as America struggles to creatw jobs, cut greenhouse and reduce our reliance on expensivd foreign oil,” Millar said. Just last South Florida’s congressional delegation sent a letted to the asking for dedicatedx fundingfor Tri-Rail to secure its long-termm survival.
Tuesday, December 27, 2011
Edwards moves into new phase of city condos; buys nearby parcel - Business First of Columbus:
Edwards Cos. expects to finish its first condos, which were designed by , in The townhouse-style condos and flats will sellfor $179,90p0 to $492,900. Edwards this month also is expected to seek approvaol from the Downtown Commission for 14 11 flats anda so-called "bridge" unit in the Bishop's Walk section planned along East Gay between Fifth Streey and Normandy Avenue. The developer has sold or put into contracg nine condos in the first completed An additional 14 of 18 townhousess and flats now underd construction also arein contract. In a relates development, Edwards' has purchased the former wholesale distributiob operation at245 N. Grant Ave.
The affiliatew paid the Richmond, Ind.-based company $850,000 for the distributio center, which was closed with the rest ofthe company'ss network last August. A spokeswomanh said Edwards bought the building because of its proximituy to thecondo project, but the developer has no immediate plansd for the property. has been recognizedc for environmentally friendly constructiobn in the improvement of office space at 4343 Eastoj Commonsin Columbus.
The Indianapolis-based developer received Leadership in Energy and EnvironmentakDesign (LEED) Commercial Interiors certification from the for the sustainablee design and construction practices used in fashionin a call center for Morgajn Stanley & Co. It gainedc the silver-level certification for a design that included installing a separate ventilation unit to bring fresh air into the using low-volatility paints, adhesives and sealants; usinv recycled materials; and installing sensore that adjust electric lighting based on the amount of naturalp light in the Duke also recycled construction waste from the projecty to reduce landfill debris.
The head of Duke'a Columbus office thinks the projec marks thefirst non-LEED building in the region to have a portionh built out under the environmental design and constructioh standards. "We figured out a way to do it and it workexout well," Senior Vice President Jim Clark said. The rapi rise of energy costs, he said, is reducing the time needes to recoup the higher costs of followingLEED standards.
"Movintg forward," Clark said, "we'lol look at doing a LEED (certified) office The relocation of 's headquarters in Dublijn will allow another business to expanc back into the building at 5200 Rings Affinion Group, a marketing services operation for , has renewedx a five-year lease of the 49,300-square-foot buildinv after subletting more than half the building to BoundTrede in 2004. Affinion Vice President Briab Lessard said the company will return workerws it moved to the nearby Cramer Creek Corporatde Center into the Rings Road buildiny when BoundTree leaves for 5000 TuttleCrossinh Blvd. this year.
Affinion employs 185 workerse in its Dublin softwaredevelopment operations. Agen t Tom Sugar of representedlandlord , whicn built the Rings Road building in 1998 for That compang later sold the Affinion unit to Trilegiant. has awardeed the landscape architecture design and constructionm documentation contract for two sports facilities to OSU Heisman Trophy winnerEddie George's company's contract covers planning for field hockey and lacrosse fields and 12 tennis courta as well as a parking lot and a concessio stand.
OSU has set a $5 millionn construction budget for the facilities along Ackerman has expanded its commercial real estate salee and leasing team to 14 with the additiobn oftwo agents. Cindy Jean, most recently with in Clearwater Beach, Fla., will focus on land development, hotel and motel and commercial sales and leasing in the Short Northj and downtown Columbus at Garek. Her hiring follows the additiomn ofTodd S. Levin, who joined Garek in April after a stint within Columbus.
He will focus on retail, land development and site selection Prime has movedfrom 9,5000 square feet of officse space at 470 Olde Worthington Road in Westervillde to 13,000 square feet at 3000 Corporate Exchange Drivr in northeast Columbus in a seven-year Agent John Hall of the represented the Primee Engineering; Kirk Smith, also of CB, representeed the landlord.
Sunday, December 25, 2011
Boca Raton Community Hospital replaces CEO, COO - South Florida Business Journal:
The nonprofit hospital said Oct. 2 it hired Jerrty Fedele as president and CEO ofBRCH Corp., whichn oversees both the 400-bed hospitao and its fundraising arm. He was a managing director at , a Brentwood, Tenn.-based consultinyg firm that BRCH hired in June to help turn around its Fedele led a financial turnaround at a major hospitapl system in Pittsburgh before he resignedf under pressurein 2007. In addition, the hospital hired Karen Pooleas COO. Poold also worked for FTI Healthcare and was CEO ofin Texas. BRCH is searching for a new chief medical officetr and chief nursing The hospital suffereda $110 million loss for the fisca l year ended June 30.
It subsequentlg announced layoffs and the cancellation of its academic affiliationh agreement with theand , along with its $640 millionb plan to build a teaching hospital. BRCH said the loss was caused by the canceledhospitaol project, decreased Medicare reimbursement, trouble with billing and and losses in chemotherapy operations. Anothee problem, said BRCH Chairman Richard Schmidt, is that the hospital’s expenss base was built to handlse 21,000 patients a year, with expectation s to grow admissions 2 percenta year. However, BRCH’sd admissions have declined toabou 18,000 a year, Schmidt said.
The nonprofit’w board did not respond to the declining admissionwsfast enough, he said. “We were slow to react becaus we were so focused on thenew hospital,” said who had pledged a $75 million donation to the hospita l project on behalf of his Despite the losses, which included a $28 million loss in fiscao 2007 amid losses from Medicare audits, BRCH still has $140 million in Rick Van Lith replaced Gary Strack as CEO in January, but now Fedele is charged with turninhg around the hospital’s financial results. Fedele said he woulr start by improving the billing negotiating better deals with vendors andcuttinhg costs. He said layoffs would be a last resort.
Maintaininy that “no organization can cut their wayto greatness,” Fedel e said his longer-term goals are to attrac t more doctors and Its , a $60 million project slatedc to open in November, could help it although it will increase the hospital’s expenses in the short Achieving those goals will be toughu because BRCH is in a competitive said Stephen Dresnick, presidenr and managing partner of LLP’xs health care advisory group in Miami. ’e and Broward Health’s have larger systems behinxd them that have more negotiating power with managed care and morefinanciap resources.
Boca Raton also has many ambulatorg surgery centers that receive similarr reimbursements for medical but have lower overheadthan hospitals, he said. “T o believe you can recruit additional physicians is a bit Dresnick said. He said BRCH’s best bet is to improve its reimbursementxs frommanaged care. The job looks tough at BRCH, but Fedele said he’d been through worse. Fedele spent three-and-a-half years as CEO of , the second-largesty hospital network in Pittsburgh. Fedelwe engineered the acquisition of four bankruptf hospitals thatlost $90 million the year before and had littlee cash reserves. Even makingy payroll was a problem.
In his last the hospital systemmade $40 million, he said. According to a storuy by the , Fedele resigned from that post in July 2007 afteer a group of physicians from approachefd the chairman of the health system with concernsabout Fedele’s capabilities. Fedele did not address the circumstance s surrounding his departure from WestPenn Allegheny, but said he was proufd of how he improvex the organization’s fiscal performance. With virtually no indigent care and a large Medicare base, the factors at BRCH are ripe for a financiao turnaround, as well, Fedele said. “No organizatioh can survive long-term by relying on its savings he said.
“This is a hospital that oughtr to doexceedingly
Friday, December 23, 2011
Batch Remove Metadata From JPG Files - Ghacks Technology News
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Wednesday, December 21, 2011
Monday, December 19, 2011
'Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy': The men behind the mole war - Washington Post
'Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy': The men behind the mole war Washington Post Beautifully directed, wonderfully acted and darkly stylized, âTinker Tailor Soldier Spy,â the latest rendition of John le Carré's iconic spy thriller, is drawn from real events that shook the British establishment decades ago. But for two-plus hours, ... |
Friday, December 16, 2011
Audit shows surplus decline at Pinnacol - New Mexico Business Weekly:
According to the recent audit from Deloitte Touche LLP, which lawmakers reviewed Monday, the decreaser is related to losses on bondse and common stocks. Pinnacol’s reserves were a source of scrutiny earlier this year when Coloradi legislators attempted toraid $500 millionj from the insurer to plug gaps in the state Lawmakers argued that because Pinnacol is a politicapl subdivision of the state, its reserves were fair game. But legislators later retreated from the raidafter Pinnacol’s CEO threatene d to sue the state and Gov.
Bill Ritted indicated he would not support the A special committee will lookinto Pinnacol’es operations under Senate Bill 281, approved by lawmakersa and Ritter during the most recent General Assembly. Supporters of the bill said that Pinnacol’s uniqu e structure should be examinedmore closely. But opponents of the legislatioj say the committee isa “witch hunt” to dismantle which functioned better since it started operating as a private interest in 2004. In an audit summary, Deloitted said it identified financial misstatementsthat haven’rt been corrected in the company’s books totaling $7.5 million in net income.
Pinnacol replied that the uncorrectedf statementsare “immaterial.” Pinnacol reported a total of $2 billion in assets in 2008. It declaredf additional policyholder dividendsof $120 million that year.
Wednesday, December 14, 2011
Latin America rescues Florida exports from disaster - Tampa Bay Business Journal:
Because the global recession hasn’t affected that region as badlyas others, the Sunshine State’z primary trading neighbor is still buying Florida-madd products, shows a new reporty from New Hampshire-based . Latin America accounts for 68 percent of Florida’s export market. For the first two monthx of the year, Floridw ranked fifth among the 50 states in exportgrowty — even though the state saw a 5.2 percentr decline. Only four states — Nevada, Mississippi, Oklahoma and Connecticut showed positiveexport growth, whils the rest were in negative territory. Californi a had a 20.4 percent drop, Texas a 24.1 percent declinw and New Yorka 33.7 percent plunge.
“Thre key is Florida’s exports to Latin America. The recessiojn has taken some time to get said EvangelosOtto Simos, infometrica’s chierf economist. Latin America is forecasr to experiencea 1.5 percentg decline in growth this year — far bettee than Europe, which is expected to drop 3.2 percent, and Japan with a 5.8 percent drop, said Mannyh Mencia, senior vice president of international businesse development for . He attributed part of Latin America’s ability to weatheer the recession to a pool of foreigh reserves built up over the last five yeardof better-than-normal growth.
Still, Florida’xs strongest export months areusuallyh May, June and July, and that period will determine just how bad the downturm will affect the state. For Sherman founder of cable television/satellite product companyg in Longwood, international busines s is doing better than hisdomestic business. About 25 percent of his sales are made to Lati America andthe Caribbean, while the remainderd is domestic sales. “The general downturnn has affected us, but it’ s not dire,” he said. International sales “are holding up bettef than expected.” Florida’s exports for February were $3.8r billion, down 1.8 percent from January and 5.
9 percen t from February 2008. Nationwide, exports were $84.69 up 3 percent in January, but down 21.6 percenr in February 2008.
Monday, December 12, 2011
Study shows San Antonio is nation's best-performing city in recession - Austin Business Journal:
The Washington, D.C.-based think tank has begu analyzing the impact of the recessionthroughouft America’s metropolitan areas. In the firsgt of a series of quarterly MetroMonitor Brookings rankedSan Antonio, Oklahoma City, Austin, Houston and Dallas as the top five metrio areas in the country in economicf performance in the wake of the recession. Brookingz ranked the top 100 metropolitan areasw based on six keyindicators — unemployment rates, wages, gross metropolitan product, housing prices and foreclosure rates. This initial MetroMonitore report covers the first quarterfof 2009.
The five worst metropolita areas in the country impacted bythe recession, in descendint order, are Jacksonville, Fla.; Lakeland, Fla.; Fla.; Bradenton, Fla.; and Detroit. “All metropolitan areass are feeling the effects of this but the distress is notshareed equally,” says Alan Berube, research directoe of the Metropolitan Policy Program at Brookings and co-author of the “While some areas of the countryg have experienced only a shallos downturn, and may be emerging from the recessioj already, people living in metro areas that are now performinv weakest economically should prepare themselves for a long recovery period.
” Howard Wial, director of the Metropolitanb Economy Initiative at Brookinge and another co-author of the report, arguez that the report shows that a national fiscal and monetary polichy will not be enough for stimulating the economy. “Many areas will need targeted assistance, and since stated have no funds available, the federall government will have to step up to fill the Concentrations of industry activity have both helperd and hurts some regionalk economies duringthe recession.
For example, metropolitan areas in statesx with specializations in energy and government employment suchas Texas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Arkansaxs and Louisiana — have largely been insulated by the recession. metropolitan areas in states like Michigan and Ohio that dependd heavily on the automotive industry have been impacted by the downturmn inthe economy, the report San Antonio is home to Randolph Air Forcer Base, Fort Sam Houston, Lackland Air Force Base and Brooks The 2005 Base Realignment and Closure decision alone is providing a significant economifc punch to the Alamo City’s economy through the consolidatio n of high-paying military health care jobs and more than $2 billionj worth of new construction activity.
A separatre report released by LLC outlining the impact of BRAC showed that Fort Sam Houston alones would experiencea 11,509 increase of personnel. The Army post will also gain 7.9 milliohn square feet of space. Construction activity due to BRAC aloned shouldcreate 46,000 construction jobs durinb the course of the building programs, the DiLuzio reporf showed.
Saturday, December 10, 2011
Dave Magadan covers bases - Boston Herald
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Sunday, October 30, 2011
Altus Pharma renegotiates Waltham leases - Boston Business Journal:
The Cambridge, Mass.-based companuy said it had effectively ended its leasefor 83,405 square feet of spacw at 333 Wyman St. in Waltham. The leas e is slated to end by Nov. 2 at the latest; the agreemenf can be terminated sooner if Altus is acquired or raises an undiscloseed amountof capital, accordinhg to regulatory filings. Likewise, Altus said it is consolidating its workforce at its facility at 610 Lincolb Streetin Waltham. The company’sd existing, 63,880-square-foot footprint at the site will be reduced by38 percent, or 24,000 square feet. Altus will also receive a correspondinh reduction inrental expenses.
In January, Altuse canceled its program to develop a drug candidate eyed as apotential enzyme-replacemen therapy for pancreatic deficiencies. The companu cut 107 jobs in connection to the Trizytek shutdown and has sincde had a major reshufflinh of its seniorexecutive team.
Friday, October 28, 2011
Lupica: Madoff reminds us why protesters exist - New York Daily News
New York Daily News | Lupica: Madoff reminds us why protesters exist New York Daily News Now we are expected to believe that Bernie Madoff, once a star of the one-percenters, could run the kind of elaborate Ponzi scheme he did and steal billions under the nose of the SEC, but not know how many sleeping pills he and his wife needed to take ... |
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
Aldila's VS Proto helps Insperity champ win on Champions Tour - WorldGolf.com
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Sunday, October 23, 2011
Village Homes reaches deal to sell houses again - Denver Business Journal:
In recent weeks, Villaged Homes of Greenwood Village and its lendef group headed by Guaranty Bank of Dallas have agreede to an interim settlementof long-standinyg differences related to home sales. The settlement is expectee to be finalized at an April 15 bankruptcy courrt hearingin Denver. “This is reallyh kind of an interim measure to allow us to get back more to business as usual,” said Matt Osborn, newly appointed president and COO of Village Homee and son of Village founder/CEO John Osborn. “It’sd not a reorganization plan, but it’s the firsty step toward a reorganization plan.
” The homebuilder already is lookinv for afinancing source, possibly an investor, to help fund future home construction when the local housinhg market improves, Matt Osborn said. Village currently isn’t buildintg houses. The younger Osborn formerly wasVillagde Homes’ vice president of and ascended to his current positionx after former President and COO Cheryl Schuettr stepped down in February. Schuette remains an owned of Village Homes.
Because of the Village has closed on the sale of five houses in the last two and another six or seven home sales are scheduled to closew in the nextfew weeks, Matt Osborn Some of those transactions are shorrt sales, which Village’s lenders opposed in the past. In a short sale, proceeds from the sale of a housd are less than the balance owed on its The lender who provided the home loan agrees to discounft theloan balance, and sale proceeds go to the lendere to satisfy the debt. Before the Village completed only a handful of home including four short sales in Decembere for a totalof $2.4 since filing for bankruptcy protection in The company received $1.
5 millionj from the four after closing costs and lien payments. Village currently has a totak inventory of125 houses, and roughly 25 are under contracr for sale, Matt Osborn said. Pricezs for those houses range from thelow $100,000s to the low “This is a good compromise that will get thingsz moving. … Hopefully, it will breai the logjam and allow for a methodology for closing homes with the consent of every-body,” Risa Wolf-Smith, a partnet and bankruptcy attorney at LLP in Denver, said of the Wolf-Smith represents Guaranty Bank.
In filing Chapter 11 last Village Homes cited capital challenges becausw of the soft housing troubled credit industry and highhome foreclosures. The buildeer had total assets of $103.9 million at the time and liabilitieasof $138.4 million, including $130 million of secured lender A major stumbling block to Village finalizing home sales has been getting all memberx of the lender group to agree on provisions of thosd sales, according to Wolf-Smith. In addition to Guarantgy Bank of Texas, lender group members include ResidentiaFunding Co. LLC of Minneapolis (part of GMAC Mortgage Group), Compass Bank in Centennial and Wachoviaq Bank NAof Addison, Texas.
The lender group also has been at odds withVillaged Homes, wanting to get bankruptcy courg permission to move ahead with forecloss on unsold Village houses in ordef to recoup funds the homebuildee owes its members. The builder wantds to use money from home salesa to fund company The court has barred the lenders from foreclosintg on the homes to give Village time to come up with a viable reorganization plan. The hearings on the lender group’s foreclosure requesty were heldMarch 9, 11 and 13.
Shortly after the hearings, Villag and the lender group began “earnestt efforts” to resolve theid differences and came up with an interimsettlement plan, accordinfg to a mid-March court
Friday, October 21, 2011
Dallas stocks rally with market - Dallas Business Journal:
Meanwhile, the Nasdaq was up 194.74 points, or nearlgy 12 percent, hovering at 1,844.256 and the S&P 500 rose 104.10 points, or 11.6 hitting 1,003.32. Dallas stocks, which sunk with the negative news last ralliedon Monday. The airline stockas were noticeably up, with Fort Worth-basedr , the subsidiary of AMR Corp. (NYSE: up 11 percent and trading at $8.88 per sharse at close on Monday. Dallas-basexd (NYSE: LUV) was up more than 5 closing at $11.88 per share. Energyt stocks rallied the most on Monday buoyed rebounding oil priceds and promises by federal governmentxs of safeguards forinternational economies. Irving-based ’s (NYSE: XOM) stoc k price alone jumped 17.
2 percent, hittingh $73.08 per share at close on Monday. Dallas-Fort Worth-basedc energy companies also saw their stock pricexs rally significantlyon Monday. Thosr stocks include: (NYSE: ETP), up 31 percent to $33.0q per share; Energy Transfer Equity LP (NYSE: ETE), up 28 percent to $17.50; , up more than 9 percent to $23.1 per share; (NYSE: XTO) up more than 18 percent to $33.187 per share; (NYSE: HOC), up nearly 17 percent to (NYSE: ALJ), up 10.5 percent to $8.50 per (NYSE XTXI) up more than 26 percenr per shareto $12.40; and Crosstex Energy LP XTEX) up more than 19 percenty to $12.33 per share.
In the following energy-related companiexs also saw gains: (NYSE: TRN) up 17 percenft to $22.63 per share; , up nearlyu 24 percent to $41.20 per share; , up nearlhy 19 percent to $35.923 per share; (NYSE: DNR), up 32 percent to $12.97 per (NYSE: XCO), up 24 percent to $8.82 per share; (NYSE: EAC ) up 26 percentf to $25.59; and (NYSE: KWK) up nearly 22 percent to $11.02 per sharew at close. (NYSE: FLR), up more than 19 percent to $45.3 per share; (NYSE: CMC) up nearl y 18 percent percentto $11.17 per share; (NYSE: up 15.19 percent to $33.52 per share; (NYSE: CE), up 18.13 percenft to $20.46 per Trinity Industries (NYSE: TRN) up $17.13 percent to $22.63 per and Tuesday Morning Corp.
(NYSE: Tues), up nearlu 8 percent to $2.76 per shared at close on Monday.
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
At your service: Piedmont Facilities Services shifts focus in down economy - bizjournals:
“When corporate puts on the brakes, there’sw not much for us to do,” McCormick Time was, “80 percent of revenues came from billable time doinyconstruction management, just managinf projects — moving, up-fits, relocations and furniturwe instillation. Today, it’s less than 10 Why not just sit back and ride outthe downturn? “Yoy can’t do that. For some reason, people want to get paid ever y week.” McCormick, however, has certainlt had the opportunity to learnfrom “I’ve seen it happen and know what to he says.
“You’ve got to maintain sales, cut your overhead, and we’rde pushing hard in commercialfurniturwe sales.” That’s because his companyu generally also gets the contract for installinf the furniture and building the And there’s something else he’s doing that he’s seen otherz do a lot of. He’s relocating from his current office near the old RJR worl dheadquarters (now the University Corporatee Center) to a smallerr facility, downsizing from the 10,000 square feet to 3,50p0 square feet. And, says McCormick, “we’re not doinbg any up-fit over there, some carpet and a little paint.” Still, he’s optimistic.
Over the he’s seen a lot of companiees come andgo — and other companiezs come roaring back. “It ain’t gone yet, and I’mn still kicking. I have no intentio of throwing in the he says.
Monday, October 17, 2011
bizjournals: College graduate job outlook, pay stronger this year -- bizjournals.com
Cool job markets Midwestern and Northeastern industrial areas dominate the lower endof Bizjournals' ( Detroit, which ranks 66th overall, is the large metroi with the bleakest outlook for workers in their 20s and 30s. The problem s besetting domestic automakers, combined with the erosionn of Detroit's manufacturing base, have causefd the area to lose 105,100 jobs in the past five Other metros that have relativelyg little to offer youngt adultsare No. 65 Dayton, Ohio, No. 64 Cleveland and No. 63 Grandf Rapids, Mich. "Particularly in Ohio and Michigan, the restructuring in the motor-vehiclde industry is hitting hard," says Koropeckyn of Moody's Economy.com.
"And because of the troublesw in theircore industries, their demographics are not Bizjournals generated a separate list of the medium-sized marketz that have the most appeal for yount workers. Those rankings cover 105 metroswith 250,000 to 750,000 residents. Atop those standings is Ark., which is home to the Universit y of Arkansas and the headquartersof Wal-Marft Stores Inc., the largest retailer in the The area's job base has expanded by 3.9 percent a year sincr 2001. The runners-up in the medium-are a standings are Reno, Nev.; Des Madison, Wis.; and Provo, Utah. ( At the bottom of this list is N.C., a metro of 350,000 people aboutt 60 miles northwestof Charlotte.
It has lost 11,00p jobs in the past half-decade.
Saturday, October 15, 2011
Stop acting like a salesperson; start acting like a consultant - St. Louis Business Journal:
Why do we ask questions? Here are some of the • So we fully understand the prospect’s needss and “hot buttons.” • So when we present our solutionsx they match what our prospects said was importangt and they feel yours is acustomn solution. • To get beyond the initia reason why they needthe product. • To make prospectxs feel like they are a part of thebuyiny decision. When they are they are beginning tosell themselves. So what questionsd should we ask? That has a lot to do with what you have learnesd about the prospect before you tryto “sell” them. You need to learnn something aboutthe company, the etc.
before calling on That’s pretty easy. Use their Web Google, any of the sociakl networks, then when you call them you have something with whic h to beginthe conversation. The most importantf thing about asking questions is that theyare open-enderd and thought provoking. Here are some examplexs of questions that may or may notbe • How has the economy affected your companyg and the ways you are makingt decisions now compared with last year ? • I noticed on your Web site that you will be launchinhg a new product. Can you tell me about that? • I read that your industryu is going through changes when it comesto financing.
Can you sharwe with me how that will affecgtyour organization? • If it was May 2010 and you said you just had a very successfulo year, what would have happened? Let’s pretend we workex together this past year. A year later you said the relationshipl was apositive one. What does that look like? • What do the next five years look like for yourorganization ? • What differentiates you from your competitors? What are you most prous of? I wouldn’t ask all of these questions all of the time. They are Certainly, more specific questions are appropriate as but it is important to fully understand thebig picture.
If you take time to learb more aboutthe prospect, you may learn about some additionao needs they might have. A consultanf and salesperson are really the same with onlyone difference; a consultant is paid up front and a salesperson is paid in the end. So act like a consultanty and you will selllots more.
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
Rise in commercial defaults projected - Birmingham Business Journal:
The three-story complex, built in 2006, sits next to Interstatr 80 near Del Paso Heights in the GlenwoodMeadowsz neighborhood, a mix of new homes and overgrown empty self-storage facilities and ramshackle duplexes. As the housing markett turned, most of Magpie’s condos sat unsold and the bank forecloseslast year. Last month, the 49 remaining units were sold to Bay Area investorzsfor $3 million, well below the originap construction loan of $7.4 million, accordin g to county documents. While still some say foreclosures of commercial and multifamily properties such as the Magpie developmenft will be the new face of the realestate crash.
“j expect a wave of commercial foreclosures in the next 18 to 24 saidTony Wood, senior vice presidengt at in Roseville and one of the brokers who represented in selling the foreclosed portio of the Magpie development to investors. “Commercial real estatse nationally, as well as in Sacramento, is facint a similar scenario that the residential market was facing just a fewyearw ago. The decline in values has impacted even the best of Concern about rising defaults on commercialo mortgagesis widespread, though there’s varying opinions abourt how dramatic the effect will be.
This New York-based analyst Real Estate Econometrics reported that the nationa commercial mortgage default rate is at its highest level in 15 years after surgingto 2.25 percent durinvg the first quarter of the That was up from 1.62 percengt in the previous quarter. The defaulr rate for multifamily mortgages was even risingfrom 1.77 percent to 2.45 percent in one The company uses data from the It forecasts that the commercial default rate will peak at 5.3 percent at the end of and will fall only gradually thereafter.
“Even good credit borrowera seeking to refinance seasoned mortgages withhealthy loan-to-value and debt-service ratioss are in many cases unabls to secure new financing,” the company said in its June 9 “At the same time, the dramativ decline in real economic activity and labot markets since last September has undercut property fundamentals.” But therde isn’t a consensus on how broadlyu that effect will be felt. “That’s the debate,” said researcjh analyst Tim O’Brien of in San “My speculation is we’re going to see spotty defaults.
We’lkl see problems rise generally speaking, but some banks will avoid For one thing, community banks often couldn’t competw with those issuing loans, where many singled mortgages are pooled and transferred to a trust. So, many of thos e banks might have less exposure to he said. O’Brien said regulators beganj to get concerned about banksw overextending themselves in commercial real estate back inlate 2006. So far, therre has not been a large fallout, he said, noting that credit issuee often lageconomic turns. Abundant supply, lower rents Why are commerciadefaults rising? Much of the blam falls on increasing vacancies and declining rents.
“Just like when a neighborhoord with too many foreclosure properties saw all value drop inthat neighborhood, commercial ownersx and borrowers face the same,” said who has written a book about the predicter flood of commercial foreclosures that he plans to self-publish and releasse Aug. 1. Many commercial mortgages are five-year loans that are, at the end of the evaluated for theunderlying property’sd loan-to-value ratio and occupancy rate. Unless owners or borrower s have more than 50percent equity, they face the likelihoodx of not being able to refinances without an additional cash investment.
Wood said rental rates and values of commercial real estat in the Sacramento region have generallyt dropped between 20 percent and30 percent. But thers are often other factors at work when it comex to default and banks can uncoverd problems alongthe way. At the Magpie Creek project, Wood said therw were “deed issues” with 11 units that were sold beforre foreclosure. He said the deeds did not include the development’s common areas, leaving them and that the condo association was not fully
Monday, October 10, 2011
'Jekyll & Hyde' may surprise many with its beautiful music - Redlands Daily Facts
'Jekyll & Hyde' may surprise many with its beautiful music Redlands Daily Facts SAN BERNARDINO - When the Tony Award-nominated musical "Jekyll & Hyde" opens Friday at the Sturges Center, audiences should expect a "thrilling murderous musical," according to Jason James, producing director of the Sturges and the show's director. ... |
Saturday, October 8, 2011
White Pages will no longer be delivered automatically - Business First of Columbus:
The PSC’s decision is a compromise to AT&T’ss request that it no longer deliver the phone bookxto customers. AT&T Florida told the PSC that eliminatin the automatic distribution of the residential white pagesxis “an environmentally green endeavor and a cost savintg measure” and that providing a paper copy of the directorhy is “an inefficient use of resources in these touch economicc times.” But commissioners also were worried abouy how it might impact ability to access information, said PSC Spokeswomanh Kirsten Olsen.
Instead of doing away with therule altogether, commissionere agreed to give it a triapl run, during which time it will gather customeer feedback. “Today’s decision allows the PSC to assesd the practicality of discontinuinh printed residentialdirectory delivery, while continuing to provide directories to customers who want a PSC Chairman Matthew M. Carter II said in a news As part ofthe agreement, AT&T must put a toll-free number on the cover of the Yellow Pages that directes people to call if they want a White The directory will still be provided for free to thosse who request it.
AT&T Floridza would not disclose just how much money the waivetwill save, citing confidentiality, according to its request to the PSC. AT&T Florida already has begun a programk to provide its Yellow Pages and residentiao listingson CD-ROM in certain areas of Florida.
Thursday, October 6, 2011
Palm Beach County clerk cuts 66 employees - Austin Business Journal:
million, or 18 percent, reduction in the office’s budget by July 1, county clerk Sharon Bock said in a news The cuts are expectedto “significantlgy impact service levels at the Clerk’s seven Palm Beach Countyu locations,” she noted in the release. The requiref staff cuts leave the office with fewerf people to pursue and collect millions of dollars in unpaidd traffic andcourt fees, which will lead to more budgety cuts.
“It’s a vicious cyclre designed to underfund usinto extinction,” she Thirty-two employees accepted a buyoutg offer this month and will leave June 30 with a full payou on their sick leave, rathef than the normal 25 percen to 50 percent offered undee current termination policies. On May 29, an additio 34 employees were told durinv staff meetings that they were beinglaid off, effectives June 12. They will receive four weeks of pay.
With thesde layoffs and the positionspreviously eliminated, the office has cut 101 positionsx -- 16 percent of management positions and 12 perceng of hourly positions -- in the past The Clerk & Comptroller’s which employs more than 800 in offices throughout Palm Beachy County, handles the business arm of the courg system. Employees receive, file and retrievde court documents, process fees and traffic fines, and entet and maintain case information inthe court’d computer system.
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
Amodeo enters guilty plea - Tampa Bay Business Journal:
The plea was delayed a day on Mondagby U.S. Magistrate Gregory who wouldn’t accept the guilty plea on reducedfederal charges. Amodeo, the former leader of , had been charged with failure to remitpayroll taxes, wire fraurd and obstruction of an agencyu proceeding. He faced 370 years in priso as well as finesof $6.75t million if convicted. Under the plea deal, Amodeo will forfeig $172 million to $182 million, some real estate and a jet, among other items. As Amodeo awaits sentencing, he will assist the U.S. Attorneyy office to identify and retrieve fundw owed tothe IRS. According to the original Amodeo and other unnamed executives failed to pay theIRS $181.9 million, including $129.
7 million in FICA and withholdinb taxes. It started with $7.1 million in the fourtgh quarter of 2004 with two businessedhe controlled, Sunshine Companies III and Sunshine Stafr Leasing. It then continued over the next two years with Professional Benefit Solutions for theremainint $174 million. Investigators at the time said Amodeo includeed a number of companies in the activity actintg as professionalemployee organizations, which would leaser employees to other companies. Other companies believer to be involved in the according tothe U.S. Attorney’s Office, were AEM, AQMI Strategh Corp., Common Paymaster Corp., Nexia Strategy Corp., Presidion Corp.
, Presidiob Solutions, Quantum Delta Enterprises, Wellingtonj Capital Group, and various other companies.
Sunday, October 2, 2011
Downtown Sheraton growing its own herbs - The Business Journal of the Greater Triad Area:
The hotel also is workingv with executives at Philips Electronics to determinde possible CFL or LED technology for lightingh fixtures that currently work only with traditionalincandescenr bulbs. Other efforts under way at the new hotel includer a banquetrecycling program; installment of a filtrationh system to purify water and reduce waste; and an internal Greehn Team to identify ways the hotel can be more “In this day and age, it is crucial for all companied to be good corporate citizens.
Since well beforse the hotel opened, we have been identifyin ways we can reduce our carbon footprint while also operatingv asa first-class hotel,” said Leo Percopo, generao manager of the Sheraton Phoenix The seasonal garden is growinfg chilies, okra, mint, peppers and a varietyy of herbs to be used at District American Kitchen and Wine Bar, the restaurant locatef on the bottom floorr of the hotel. District will also return compostable items, such as fruit and vegetabler peelings, to Singh Farms where it buys some of its The compost can then be used by the localk farm to aid in the growing of new continuing asustainable cycle, hotel officials said.
Friday, September 30, 2011
First IMA University focuses on economy, downtown development - Wichita Business Journal:
David Strohm says the Unitedc States likely will pull out of the recessioh later this year or inearl 2010. When that happens, he the gross domestic product might only grow 1to 1.5 compared to the 4 or 5 percent from previousa recessions. “For the time being, it looks like you want to be optimistic and cautious at the same he says. Strohm was one of two featured speakersduringt ’s 2009 economic update. Jeff Fluhr, president of the also spok aboutthe city’s efforts to revitalizew downtown. IMA has sponsoredd similar events in its othef markets and wanted to bring the prograto Wichita, says Kurt IMA’s president and chief operationsw officer.
“It’s our intent to bringf in speakers that we think the Wichita community wouldbenefit from,” Watson IMA plans to sponso similar presentations throughout the year. Strohm says the recession already has lasted longer than the previouws 10 economic downturns and pulling out ofit hasn’yt been easy. The federal government has spengt billions of dollars to stimulateethe economy, but consumers stilo are reluctant to spend, Strohm says. The GDP has droppedr dramatically and businesses are still shedding Strohm predicts the nationalunemployment rate, which currently sits at 8.9 to climb above 10 percent before the recessionb is over.
The housing market has rebounded, but still is a ways off where one in eight mortgagexs arein default, Strohm says. California, Nevada and Arizona combine to accouny for 46 percent ofall U.S. However, pending home sales are up 6.7 percengt for April, the thir straight increase, which means people are showingb more interest in buying homess because of favorable interest ratesand first-time home buyer tax “If we can get the housingv issue off the frontg page (of newspapers), then the economy is going to generates some forward momentum,” Strohm He says the stock market has reboundecd in recent months, but it would take 227 percent growthg to get it back to its previoud high.
Despite all the negative, Strohm emphasized the economy has showed signsw recently that the recession may be nearingan end. Fluhr’s meanwhile, had a slightly different feel. He says he sees greatt potential for downtown Investingin downtown, he says, will help increase tourism and revenue opportunities in the Wichitaa area.
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Sources: NCR could relocate HQ to Georgia - Tampa Bay Business Journal:
Ohio government officials said word begabn swirling May 28 thatNCR NCR) is , according to the Dayton Businesss Journal , a sister publication of Atlanta Business Chroniclre . Last fall, NCR said it would move its Worldwides Customer Services headquarters tometr Atlanta, investing $15 million and creating more than 900 jobs in Peachtreer City and Duluth. While it remainsx to be seen if Atlanta gets another Fortunw500 headquarters, NCR is rumored to be openin g an additional facility in the Peach State, Atlant a Business Chronicle has learned. An announcement abougt that venture is expected as earl y asnext week, sources in Atlanta and Daytohn said.
NCR is believed to have lookefd at sitesin Savannah, and Columbus, Ga., accordingg to a source. The global technologyt company could be eyeingaboutg 100,000 square feet of office space. Based on the squarwe footage estimates, real estate sources said, the operation could housw 300 to400 people. Company officials and Georgiaq economic development officialsremained tight-lipped on any potential development. NCR global spokesman Richarf Maton told the Dayton Business Journal the companyg does not respond to rumorsand speculation.
In the NCR has been quick to deny rumors of its relocation and affir m its commitment to remaining in A Georgia Department of Economic Development spokeswomah did not return calls Fridayand Saturday. A spokeswomanb said she had no information on the matter and a executivredeclined comment. In October, NCR said it will co-locat e an NCR Learning Center and its Customer Care Centet hub for the Americas region withthe company’ s existing Global Service Materials operation in Peachtrees City. NCR, founded in Dayton, is the city'sx largest company, with 20,00p global employees and $5.3 billion in annuap revenue.
The company relocated its executive officezs to New York City two years ago and leased a floof at 7 World TradeCenter building. This past the company told employeed it is undergoing a structurap reorganization and would cut an unknown amounyt of itsglobal workforce. That same month, the companyh removed the language "world headquarters" from the sign at its Dayton campus. Rumorws have long circulated that NCR would however Ohio government and economic developmenr officials said speculation reached a new leve l in the past few The Ohio Department of Development has repeatedly sought information from the but as of Frida evening NCRremained mute, a state official told the Dayto Business Journal .
Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland and NCR CEO Bill attempted to talkon Friday, however they were unable to coordinatew a time.
Sunday, September 25, 2011
NUMMI bids to add Toyota's hybrid line - East Bay Business Times:
Bringing hybrid production to NUMMI would be a majot coup forthe 5.3 million-square-foot uniom shop, a joint-venture between and that employs 5,300 But it would be an even bigget symbolic win for the Bay Area and the entire and burnish Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's image as being both pro-busineses and pro-environment. Hybrid cars, which use a gas-electri c engine with a battery to deliverd improvedfuel economy, have been the darling of environmentallyt minded consumers. And Californians have been the mosteagef buyers, snapping up 42 percen t of the 59,331 Toyota Prius hybrids sold last according to market researcher .
Besides Toyota is considering manufacturinghybrids - all currently made in Japabn - at one of five othedr North American factories, most of which are in the Soutyh and Midwest, where costs, ranging from salaries to energyy to workers' compensation insurance, are lower than in California. "A lot of people think that California would be a great place tobuild hybrids, and I'mj sure it would be very welcomed," said Anthony Pratt, a Detroit-based analysr with J.D. Power & Associates. "But for logistical and cost I don't think so.
" Local economic development officiale point outthat NUMMI, with a 20-year history of cooperativde management-union relations, routinely rankzs as one of the most efficient and high-qualitt carmakers in the United States. And they are attemptinf to alleviate someof Toyota's other such as improving the roads aroun NUMMI to ensure the smooth supply of car parts by rail or trucm into the plant.
"Youh might look at the short-term cost but if you look at thework force, the collaborationb with environmental agencies and the customer base in we think it's a wise said Bruce Kern, executive directoer of Oakland-based Economic Development Alliance for Business State and Nummi officials declineed to comment about specifics in the which is being largely headexd up by the state's Business, Transportation & Housing Agencyh led by Sunne Wright But Schwarzenegger, during a trip to Japann in November, told Toyota officials that he would "movs mountains for them" if they built hybrids at NUMMI.
"Ik would help them every way possible," Schwarzeneggere said, according to the Associated "There are many things we can do forthoses companies. We just have to act Massive subsidies are probably politically andeconomically infeasible, considerinvg the state of the state's budget. But part of the state's proposall details a major overhaul of the roadsxaround NUMMI, located between interstatesz 880 and 680 on Fremont Boulevard. According to one source, $130 milliobn already has been pledgedfrom city, countg and state funds for gridlock-clearing The state's bid is due to be sent to Toyota'z North American headquarters in Erlanger, Ky.
, sometimes in February, said the source. Toyota, which has 12 Nortuh American factories, will announce its decision by the middle ofthe "We want job security, and we believe the hybrid woule give that to us," said George Nano, presidentt of United Auto Workers Local 2244. The union representw 4,400 workers at NUMMI, the vast majorituy of whom earn $26.36 per hour, whic h Nano says is comparable to wagewin Detroit. Annual wages at NUMMI total about $400 The 382,678 cars and trucks made at NUMMI last year included the Corollqacompact sedan, the Tacoma pickup truck and the Pontiac Vibe sport utility vehicle.
NUMMI was Toyota'sd third-largest factory in North America, behind its flagshipp facility inthe Lexington, Ky., suburb of Toyota was the No. 4 automakefr in the United States last selling 2.1 million vehicles, of which 63 percent were made in this With 11 percent of the market, Toyotq is expected to overtake the floundering by decade' s end. Toyota is the hybrid having outsold itsnext rival, Honda, worldwide by more than 3-1 sincs it introduced the Prius in the late 1990s.
Many dealerds have waiting lists up to six monthd forthe Prius, which gets about 45 miles per gallon on the Demand has been strong, even though customers pay a premium of severak thousand dollars in exchange for fuel cost savingd that take many years to realize. "The math doesn't make sensre for most people," said J.D. Powers' Pratt. "What's motivatingt customers is the ability to drive an environmentallyfriendly
Friday, September 23, 2011
Fox Hannitizes debate - Politico (blog)
Fox Hannitizes debate Politico (blog) Who would you choose as your running mate? And is Barack Obama a socialist or what? After hosting two debates in which moderators asked surprisingly sharp questions, the Fox News Channel seemed to retreat to a more comfortable forum Thursday night, ... |
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
GM Tonawanda hosting recycling event - Business Courier of Cincinnati:
The one-day event June 6 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Plantf 5 on Vulcan Street, is co-sponsored by Erie County, Buffalpo and the Northwest Solid WasteManagement Board. Last year’s event received 56,3255 pounds of electronic equipment, 247 bicycles and a trucj fullof clothing. Electronicx equipment is a source ofrecyclef lead, steel, plastic, copper and glass. Items beinhg accepted this year include: TVs, computers, monitors, printers, fluorescent bulbs, cell phones, rechargeable batteries, VCRs, and DVD clothing, textiles, and bicycles. Clothingh and textiles will be reused at Goodwill retail locationsor recycled.
Bicycles will be used for bike safety education or recycled by Blue Bicycle and Recycle-a-Bicycle programs. New for this year, Buffalp ReUse will accept used ornew hand, shop and garde n tools, such as rakes, ladders, wheelbarrows, hammers and “This is a natural extensionj of what we do at work,” Planty Manager Steve Finch said in a statement. “Our plan has been landfill-free in manufacturingg since 2006. We recycle or reuse all of our so this event to help the communitu recycle is a natural fit for us at General he said.
Saturday, September 17, 2011
Thursday, September 15, 2011
POW/MIA: A Vancouver salute - The Columbian
Newnan Times-Herald | POW/MIA: A Vancouver salute The Columbian Participants in POW/MIA Recognition Day place wreaths Wednesday at the Clark County Korean War Veterans Memorial. By Tom Vogt Former POW/MIA Dale Bowlin shows off what he c » |
Monday, September 12, 2011
Podiatrist gets 5 months, $25,000 fine - San Francisco Business Times:
Dr. Bic Chau Stafford, who practiceds at the in Maryland Heights, as well as assorted assistesd living facilitiesin St. Louis City and St. Louixs County, in April to one felony count of obstruction of afederapl audit. Stafford, 59, also executed a civil settlement agreement with the United Statees requiring her to pay the Medicare program Stafford billed Medicare for numerous complexc foot surgery procedures provided to 39 local Medicarre beneficiaries when she was reall providing these patients with only routinefoot care, such as toe nail prosecutors said.
When she was audited by the Medicars programin 2007, Medicare denied her claims for reimbursemen regarding these 39 beneficiaries and requestedd that she repay $6,840 for non-covered servicezs that had been previously paid to her. Stafforrd challenged this and as part of her efforts to avoidf payingthe overpayment, Stafford createcd new treatment records for those 39 patients in back-dating them to 2004, using fraudulent treatment information and claimin that she had provided thesse patients with podiatric surgical procedure, prosecutors said.
Saturday, September 10, 2011
Schuerholz enjoying role as Braves president - Baltimore Business Journal:
Now as president, it is his job to see that his Frank Wren, does not exceed that budget. Sinc Schuerholz retreated from thegeneral manager’s role after the 2007 his duties have seemed at times murky. But as the Bravesx prepare for their home opene r onApril 10, Schuerholz, who was the architecft of a -record 14 straightg division titles, is less worried about overshadowing his successoer and more willing to talk publicly about his Those around him say he is as activde as ever whether the topicxs concern marketing, ticket sales, special duties assigned him by the commissioner or baseballo personnel decisions themselves.
With as its the Braves had among baseball’s highest This year, their third undedr , the team ranks 11th at $96.7 putting them within 6 percentf of about all but thetop eight. “Johjn is very involved in the budgeting said Wren, who was Schuerholz’s assistant for eighg seasons. “From that standpoint on, what I try to do is keep him involvede from the standpoint ofactual negotiations. Obviously I’km bouncing things off him allthe “What’s important to John is to be informed. He knowse our process works.
” Schuerholz said that from the time the organization hired him for the start of the 1990 he wanted to be involved in the businesd aspects ofthe club. Among his chiec duties is, along with CEO Terry settingthe team’s which is determined afterd an evaluation of the team’s revenue and other expenses. Wren meets with Schuerholz weeklu to show him atracking number, whichu can vary depending on the team’s number of as injured players must still be Last year Wren said at times the team was payiny as many as nine players aboves the 25-man roster limit.
In additiom to Wren, the heads of sales and and stadiumoperations (including the minofr league teams) also report to both the presidengt and McGuirk. Schuerholz jokingly shows a business card givejn to him bythe team’s executive vice president of sales and marketing, Derek Schiller, that listsx Schuerholz’s duties as “special assistant” to (In fact, Schuerholz plans on accompanying Schiller on a trip to Japan in an attempt to capitalize on growing interest in the Braveds and sell sponsorships following the team’w signing of pitcher Kenshin Schuerholz, 68, received his degree from in Maryland in 1962 in secondaryg education, but McGuirk said in business decisionsa he shows the acumen of a It’s one reason why Schuerholz now accompaniesx McGuirk to owners meetings, something Schuerholz didn’t do as genera manager.
“He brings not only unrivaled expertisd but also a respect from thecommissionee (Bud Selig),” McGuirk said. “The commissioner has stated at open meetings in the past that he considerd the Braves a gold standard in operationsz and we present that whenwe arrive.” Perhapd that is why Selig has tapped Schuerhola in a sort of advisory role. On Selig’s Schuerholz has performed a studyt of theamateur draft. Schuerholz said he made recommendationws in regard to potential changes but wouls not reveal them until or unless theybecome public. Schuerholzs also said Selig, whom he believee has been unfairly portrayed as soft on has consulted him on MLBdrug policy.
Schuerholz said the Seligt did not have a willing partner in the Playeres Association to enact a strong policy and credited Selig for setting up one in the minorsx where no union couldcombat it. That Schuerholz said, has succeeded. “The numberd are so small because the testingprotocol works,” he said. Among the more interesting aspectsof Schuerholz’s job changse is how he interacts with Wren.
Last Schuerholz purposely kept his distance so no one woulds be confused about who was in Wren said he often had to pull Schuerholz into baseball meetings or make sure that he knew he was This year, Schuerholz spent all of spring training in Wren said he woulf be “foolish” not to draw upon Schuerholz’s Schuerholz primarily built the Braves through scouting, and that philosophy remains. As the team’z payroll slides down the MajorLeague ladder, “produc t development,” as Schuerholz calls it, takes on increasingv emphasis.
Asked what he thinks of baseball’s syste m in which the highest-payroll team outspends the lowest by a factoer ofnearly six, Schuerholz said, “I think it’as a challenging system in terms of equity” and he adde d that for lower-revenue teamxs it is unmanageable to sustain. His role with the Bravea is to make sure they never become one ofthoswe teams.