The Business Briefcase

Recovery Act Changes To SBIC Program Mean Increased Funding Available For Small Businesses

2009-07-11T18:41:00.001-04:00

Effective last week, small businesses that would otherwise have difficulty securing private equity or venture capital may find funding easier to get as a result of changes made as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to the U.S. Small Business Administration’s Small Business Investment Company program.

“The Recovery Act expands SBA’s venture capital program to increase the pool of investment funding available to the Small Business Investment Companies licensed by SBA,” said SBA Administrator Karen G. Mills. “We believe those companies will be better equipped by these changes to help sustain and grow small businesses for their next important growth steps.”

SBICs are privately owned and managed venture capital firms which are licensed and regulated by SBA. SBICs use a combination of funds raised from private sources and money raised through the use of SBA guarantees to make equity and mezzanine capital investments in small businesses. There are approximately 338 SBICs with $17.4 billion in capital under management.

The changes made as part of the Recovery Act are:

· The Recovery Act makes SBICs eligible for greater SBA guaranteed funding and requires SBICs to invest 25 percent of their investment dollars into “smaller” businesses. Also, the amount of funding an SBIC may invest in a single small business is set at 10 percent of an SBIC’s total capital rather than the previous limit of 20 percent of an SBIC’s private capital only. This translates to an effective 50 percent increase in funding available to a single business by an SBIC.

· Maximum SBA funding levels to SBICs will increase up to three times the private capital raised by the SBIC, up to a maximum of $150 million for single SBICs, or up to $225 million for multiple SBICs that are under common control. The cap for all licensees was set at $137.1 million before the Recovery Act.

· These limits are even higher for SBICs that are licensed after October 1, 2009, that certify that at least 50 percent of their investments will be made in small businesses located in low-income areas, up to $175 million for single licensees and up to $250 million for jointly controlled multiple licensees.

· Changes made to the SBIC program under the Recovery Act are permanent.

Industry associations have commended SBA for these changes and SBA continues to encourage new SBICs to apply for licensing and actively participate in the program.

The SBIC program was created to stimulate the growth of America’s small businesses by supplementing the long-term debt and private-equity capital available to them. Since the SBIC program’s formation in 1958 through April 2009, it has invested approximately $56 billion in more than 106,000 small businesses in the United States. For more information about the SBA’s Investment Division and SBIC program, go to www.sba.gov/INV or call 1-800-U ASK SBA.

Rep. Ramsey to Speak to Young Professionals of Fayette County

2009-07-11T16:02:00.000-04:00

Professionals ages 21-39 are invited to join join Young Professionals of Fayette County for their next Business to Business Breakfast to be held on Wednesday July 29th, 8:30am at the Four Season's Café in PTC on Huddleston Rd.

All attendees pay $10/pp, which includes the breakfast buffet and your seat to hear guest speaker Matt Ramsey, Georgia State Representative. He will update us on the Current Issues before the Georgia General Assembly. Please be sure to RSVP by Wednesday, July 22 to Diva Thomas at dthomas@bbandt.com to reserve your seat!

We also need your help collecting items for Gracie's Closet. Gracie's Closet provides clothing, free of charge, to foster children on both the south side as well as Metro Atlanta. The following items are much appreciated:

- New or gently used infant, child and teen clothing
- Pajamas
- Socks and underwear (new)
- Children's shoes
- Diaper wipes and diapers
- Baby powder, lotion, diaper rash ointment and infant shampoo
- Baby gear (diaper bags, infant carriers, baby swings, etc.)
- Baby blankets and linens
- Baby bottles, sippy cups, bibs and pacifiers (new)
- Children's books
- Children's toiletries such as toothpaste and shampoo
- School supplies and bookbags
- Suitcases
- Jackets and Coats

Please visit our website www.ypfayette.com today for more information about YP Fayette!
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USDA Urged To Heed Producer Testimony and Scrap The National Animal Identification System (NAIS)

2009-07-10T10:08:00.002-04:00

(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Farm-to-Consumer Legal Defense Fund is urging the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to actually listen to and honor the comments offered by the nation’s livestock producers during the USDA's multi-city listening tour on the National Animal Identification System (NAIS) and scrap the program.

"A common thread that ran through much of the testimony at the USDA hearings was that existing prevention and tracking programs for animal diseases together with state laws on branding and the existing record-keeping by sales barns and livestock shows provide the mechanisms needed for tracking any disease outbreaks," said Pete Kennedy, acting president of the Farm-To-Consumer Legal Defense Fund.

"NAIS is simply not needed," he added. "The USDA continues to confuse industry support for efforts to identify and eliminate animal diseases with support for NAIS, despite the fact that some 80 percent of the people who testified during the hearings testified against USDA's animal identification program," he said.

Kennedy’s comments came as the USDA wrapped up its 14-city listening tour with a session in Omaha last week. During the tour more than 1,600 people attended listening sessions; almost 500 people testified; and more than 400 of those stated their opposition to NAIS.

"Even the U.S. Congress has grown impatient with the NAIS," commented Fund board member Taaron Meikle, "with Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro calling continued investment in USDA's NAIS ‘unwarranted.’ "

De Lauro’s comments came in a release explaining the cuts in the 2010 Agriculture Appropriations Bill her subcommittee recommended.

Instead of pouring more money and effort into NAIS, the Fund is urging Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack to re-focus the nation’s animal disease and food safety efforts on several alternatives including:

* Decentralizing the livestock industry and encouraging local, diversified farms, which would increase animal health, food security, and food safety;
* Increasing inspections of imported animals and agricultural products and barring the entry of animals from countries with known disease problems; and
* Improving enforcement of existing laws and inspections of large slaughterhouses and food processing facilities, including unannounced spot inspections at those large facilities.

The Farm-to-Consumer Legal Defense Fund, along with six of its members from Michigan, last year filed suit in the U.S. District Court – District of Columbia against the USDA and the Michigan Department of Agriculture (MDA) to stop the implementation of NAIS. An amended complaint was filed in January 2009 with the Fund adding a member from Pennsylvania as a Plaintiff.

The MDA has implemented the first two stages of NAIS – property registration and animal identification – for all cattle and farmers across the State under the guise of its bovine tuberculosis disease control program. MDA’s implementation of the first two steps of NAIS was required, in part, in exchange for a grant from the USDA.

The Fund’s suit asks the court to issue an injunction to stop the implementation of NAIS at both the State and Federal levels by any State or Federal agency. If successful, the suit would halt the program nationwide.

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Heart of Georgia Metal Crafters to expand in Dodge County

2009-07-09T22:29:00.001-04:00

Metal fabrication company will invest $550,000 to expand facility at Heart of Georgia Regional Airport

Heart of Georgia Metal Crafters announced today that it plans to expand its Dodge County facility, investing $550,000.

“Aerospace is one of Georgia’s strategic industries, and the growth of Heart of Georgia Metal Crafters shows that our work is paying off,” said Ken Stewart, commissioner of the Georgia Department of Economic Development. “Georgia has the talented workforce and business-friendly environment to help aerospace companies take flight.”

Heart of Georgia Metal Crafters (HGMC), which is headquartered in Eastman, is adding 12,500 square feet onto its facility at Heart of Georgia Regional Airport. The company is adding more office space, equipment and workspace for its metal fabrication business.

HGMC has recently won contracts with Boeing and Lockheed Martin, prompting the expansion. No additional jobs are being created at this time.

“The business environment here in Georgia means we have low overhead, which means our customers get a first-time quality product delivered on time at a competitive price,” said Stephen Pritchett, general manager and CEO of Heart of Georgia Metal Crafters. “The well-trained graduates from Middle Georgia College’s Aviation Campus and Heart of Georgia Technical College enable us to hire kind of talent we need to grow.”
“The Eastman-Dodge County community is very proud of the expansion at Heart of Georgia Metal Crafters,” said Kennon Graham, board chairman of the Eastman-Dodge County Chamber of Commerce. “This expansion demonstrates the commitment of the company and workforce in moving our community forward. Their success will be a vital part of our economy for years to come.”

Ryan Waldrep, project manager for GDEcD, assisted the company in its expansion.

Brightworth Partners Ranked Among Top Wealth Advisors for Client Satisfaction

2009-07-09T18:54:00.000-04:00

Brightworth partners Dave Polstra, Chris Dardaman, Alan Gotthardt and Ray Padron have been selected as 2009 FIVE STAR: Best in Client Satisfaction Wealth Managers SM for metro Atlanta.

More than 147,000 metro Atlanta residents and 14,400 financial service professionals were surveyed to determine the wealth managers who ranked in the top 7 percent for “best in client satisfaction.”

“Exceptional client satisfaction is at the core of who we are,” said Dave Polstra, Founding Partner of Brightworth. “We are greatly honored to be recognized for providing Five Star service.”

Survey recipients were asked to select only wealth managers whom they knew through personal experience, and to evaluate them based upon nine criteria: customer service, integrity, knowledge/expertise, communication, value for fee charged, meeting of financial objectives, post-sale-service, quality of recommendations and overall satisfaction.

Only wealth managers with five years of experience in the financial services industry were considered and each wealth manager was reviewed for regulatory actions, civil judicial actions and customer complaints as reported by FINRA (the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority) and other regulatory agencies.

Before finalizing the list, each wealth manager was reviewed by a blue-ribbon panel that was comprised of knowledgeable individuals from within the financial services industry. Although panelist comments were incorporated into the final score, safeguards were built into the review process to reduce the ability of panel members to influence the composition of the final list on the basis of company affiliation.

Brightworth (www.brightworth.com) is an independent, fee-only wealth management firm that serves entrepreneurs and high net worth families and individuals. The firm and its partners have been nationally ranked as one of Robb Report Worth Magazine’s 100 Most Exclusive Wealth Advisors, Mutual Funds magazine’s 100 Top Advisors, Wealth Manager magazine’s Top 150 Wealth Managers and Barron’s Indie 100 list of top independent financial advisors, and are members of the National Association of Personal Financial Advisors (NAPFA).
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Georgia Seeks Exhibitors for Top World Air Show

2009-07-09T18:38:00.001-04:00

Business opportunities abound for companies, communities at biennial Dubai Airshow

The Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD) is seeking Georgia export companies and communities interested in joining its delegation to the Dubai Airshow 2009 November 15 – 19 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE). To help Georgia companies capitalize on the event, GDEcD has created affordable event packages targeting those who would not otherwise be able to travel to the Dubai Airshow.

“By teaming up with the state, Georgia companies have an outstanding and affordable opportunity to expand their presence and sales to critical world markets,” said Heidi Green, deputy commissioner for global commerce at GDEcD. “We are providing a unique targeted marketing strategy that will give added exposure and value to their efforts at the show.”

The biennial Dubai Airshow is the largest aviation event in the world’s fastest-growing region. In 2007, the show marked its 10th anniversary and attracted more than 850 exhibitors, 45,000 trade visitors, 140 aircraft and record-breaking orders of $155.5 billion. A major trader with the UAE, Georgia was ranked ninth in the U.S in exports to the UAE, totaling $426 million in 2008.

“Aventure has been active in the Middle East aviation arena for eight years now and has established working relationships with the region’s airlines and aviation organizations. Participating in the Dubai Air Show is an absolute must for us," said Zaheer Faruqi, president of Aventure International Aviation of Peachtree City. "Dubai is a perfect location for such an event, as it is not only recognized as the business hub for the Middle East, but also as the premier aerospace industry hub on a global level.”

Aerospace is one of the state’s leading strategic industries. Georgia is home to more than 200 aerospace and aviation businesses, including industry giants like Delta Air Lines, Gulfstream Aerospace, Lockheed Martin, Boeing, Cessna and Northrop Grumman.

GDEcD has developed an affordable participants’ exhibitor package for small- to medium-sized companies and communities that are working with limited marketing budgets. The final deadline for registration is August 15, 2009.

For complete details or to register for the trade mission, contact Kathy Oxford, senior trade manager, at 678-640-4351 or koxford@georgia.org. For more information, visit http://www.georgia.org/Business/International/Trade+News.htm
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Dillard's, Inc. Reports June Sales Results

2009-07-09T08:27:00.000-04:00

Little Rock, Arkansas, July 9, 2009 -- Dillard's, Inc. (DDS: NYSE) ("Dillard's" or the "Company") announced today that merchandise sales ("sales") for the five weeks ended July 4, 2009 were $497,165,000 compared to sales for the five weeks ended July 5, 2008 of $593,285,000. Total sales decreased 16%. Sales in comparable stores decreased 14% for the five-week period.

Sales for the 22 weeks ended July 4, 2009 were $2,344,280,000 compared to sales for the 22 weeks ended July 5, 2008 of $2,773,160,000. Total sales decreased 15%. Sales in comparable stores decreased 13% for the 22-week period.

During the five weeks ended July 4, 2009, sales were above the average total Company trend in the Central region, slightly below trend in the Eastern region and below trend in the Western region. The sales performance in the home and furniture category was significantly below trend during the period.

Dillard's, Inc. is one of the nation's largest fashion apparel and home furnishing retailers. The Company's stores operate with one name, Dillard's, and span 29 states. Dillard's stores offer a broad selection of merchandise, including products sourced and marketed under Dillard's exclusive brand names.
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Cambria and Atlanta Kitchen, Inc. form New Exclusive Partnership

2009-07-02T16:10:00.001-04:00

Cambria, the only producer of natural quartz surfaces in the U.S., announced today that Decatur-based Atlanta Kitchen, Inc. is the latest Cambria fabricator business partner to be inducted into their Lexus Partner Program.

The Lexus Partner Program was designed by Cambria to further strengthen the relationships between Cambria and its fabricator partners as well as provide the highest possible service to the consumer. Atlanta Kitchen, Inc. is the ninth fabricator partner to be inducted into the program. Consolidated Kitchens & Fireplaces (Omaha, Neb.), Renaissance Marble & Tile (Urbandale, Iowa), TrendStone, LLC (Lenexa, Kan.), K & D Counter Tops, Inc. (Trenton, IL), StoneTrends, LLC (Chesterfield, MO) Smokey Mountain Tops (Knoxville, TN), Fine Line Pacific (Seattle, WA) and Floform Countertops (Winnipeg, Manitoba; Edmonton and Calgary, Alberta; and Regina and Saskatoon, Saskatchewan) were inducted in 2008 and 2009.

“The Lexus Partner designation elevates and solidifies our deep partnership with Atlanta Kitchen, Inc.,” said Martin Davis, Cambria President and CEO. “This relationship demonstrates Cambria’s commitment to high-quality, very capable fabricators that set the standard for delivering exceptional products and outstanding customer service.”

Cambria Lexus Partners must meet specific criteria set by Cambria that includes sales success, exceptional quality and customer service and a commitment to marketing the Cambria brand. In return, Lexus Partners enjoy unique benefits from Cambria, including a guaranteed market position through exclusive fabrication and distribution in their marketplace; and dedicated Cambria sales, marketing and training support.

“We are excited about our new Lexus Partner status and look forward to further promoting the Cambria brand,” said Mitch Hires, co-owner of Atlanta Kitchen. “Atlanta Kitchen’s Lexus Partner status will strengthen our relationship with Cambria and create mutual growth and success for both companies.”

Cambria is sold to select fabricators across North America through a partnership model that celebrates a common vision and culture. The pinnacle of that model is the Lexus Partner Program, which formalizes Cambria’s commitment to highly evolved fabricator business partnerships that deliver mutual success. Cambria’s Lexus Partner fabricators are committed to innovation, hard work, are entrepreneurial-minded, and want to grow their businesses in partnership with Cambria.

As a leader in design innovation, Cambria offers more colors with unique design capabilities than any other surfacing material. Complementary colors from the Desert and Quarry collections offer unique opportunities to incorporate multiple colors on a variety of surfaces, creating more depth and character in a home. Cambria is available through builders, designers, architects and kitchen/bath retailers throughout all of North America.

Cambria is a stain resistant, nonporous surface that is harder, stronger and easier to care for than other stone surfaces because it does not require sealing with chemical-based conditioners, polishers or wax. Cambria is also certified by NSF International as safe for use as a food preparation surface—there is no safer surface available to consumers.

Cambria recycles and recovers 100 percent of the water used in its production processes through unique settling and filtering techniques. In addition, Cambria surfaces do not off-gas and contain zero formaldehyde or volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Cambria surfaces have been tested for radon emissions by Air Quality Sciences, Inc. (AQS), an International Organization for Standard (ISO) 9001:2000 registered and ISO 17025 accredited Indoor Air Quality Company. Testing confirms Cambria natural quartz surfaces have no harmful emissions of any type.

Cambria surfaces are GREENGUARD for Children and Schools® certified and GREENGUARD Indoor Air Quality Certified®. Cambria may help projects achieve LEED points towards certification under various LEED Green Building Rating Systems.

Primarily made from North American quartz, and as the only producer of natural quartz surfaces in the United States, Cambria has a lower carbon footprint when compared to other quartz products that are largely produced in the Middle East, Asia and Europe and require greater transportation and carbon resources en route to market.
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Mr. Clean Car Wash Officially Opens 13 Locations in Atlanta

2009-06-30T18:16:00.002-04:00

/PRNewswire/ -- The Procter & Gamble Company (NYSE: PG) , through its subsidiary Agile Pursuits Franchising, Inc., established to oversee its franchising efforts, announced today it will officially open 13 Mr. Clean Car Wash and Oil Change multi-plex locations in Atlanta on July 1, 2009. Previously, these locations operated as Carnett's Car Washes.

The 13 Mr. Clean Car Wash locations in Atlanta are in Austell, Canton, Conyers, Cumming, Gainesville, Grayson, Jonesboro, Lawrenceville, Lilburn, Marietta and Norcross, with multiple locations in some communities. Mr. Clean Car Wash Grand Opening events at each of the 13 locations are scheduled between July 8 and July 12. Events will include a visit from the real Mr. Clean and guests will be eligible to register for a chance to win a 2009 Ford Fusion throughout the month of July.

As previously reported, Agile Pursuits Franchising, Inc. announced the acquisition of Carnett's Car Wash company assets in February 2009. Carnett's is an Atlanta-based car wash chain with a national reputation for car wash excellence. This acquisition marries P&G, the world's largest brand builder, with the leadership, expertise, and capabilities of Carnett's. This recent conversion of Carnett's to Mr. Clean Car Wash brings the total number of car wash locations to 15, including two corporate-owned locations in Cincinnati, OH, as well as five currently in development across the country.

"Carnett's current customers will continue to receive the same great service they've grown accustomed to for the last 22 years, but now will be backed by the beloved Mr. Clean brand -- a household name with over 50 years of heritage and trust," said Bruce Arnett, Sr., CEO, Mr. Clean Car Wash. "A cornerstone of P&G's commitment to its customers is to continually meet their needs and improve their lives. We are honored to be a part of the P&G family of companies."

Bruce Arnett, Sr. and his son Bruce Arnett, Jr. launched the Carnett's Car Washes business in 1987. They will operate as CEO and COO respectively of Mr. Clean Car Wash, reporting to a board of executives and external franchising experts, including the Chairman of the franchising board Jim Amos, Chairman and CEO of Tasti D-Lite, former Chairman and CEO of Mail Boxes, Etc. (now the UPS Store), and past Chairman of the International Franchise Association (IFA).

Mr. Clean Car Wash offers a broad range of car wash and oil change services, as well as amenities including the Mr. Clean Signature Shine(R) interior and exterior wash package -- which includes proprietary signature ingredients such as Mr. Clean Surface Protectant, Mr. Clean Wheel Guard, and other exterior cleaning ingredients.

In addition, Mr. Clean's Express Detail services provide mini-details for busy consumers that like to keep their cars looking great -- like carpet shampoo or orbital-applied wax typically completed in about 30-minutes per service. While you wait, consumers can treat themselves to a variety of refreshments, catch up on current happenings on the flat-screen TVs and free Wi-Fi, and take advantage of fun activities for the kids.

Lastly, following in P&G's commitment to responsibility, all Mr. Clean Car Wash locations will make the most of its natural resources by recycling and filtering the water used. Additionally, all waste water, soaps and chemicals are sent to waste water treatment facilities. This abides with the EPA's recommendation to discharge all wash water to a municipal sanitary sewer system for treatment.

"We're excited to have opened the Atlanta locations and are now franchising nationally," said Nathan Estruth, P&G VP and Board member overseeing the Mr. Clean Car Wash launch. "The combination of P&G's consumer knowledge and the Arnett's in-depth experience within the car wash industry provides a winning combination for future expansion."

As the Atlanta locations open, Mr. Clean Car Wash continues to accept franchise applications nationwide and has recently signed five new franchise agreements, including three in Atlanta, one in Charlotte, NC, and one in Columbus, OH.

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Vega Picks Tennessee Firm to Assist with Construction of Biomass Plant in Georgia

2009-06-30T18:14:00.002-04:00

/PRNewswire/ -- Vega Promotional Systems, Inc. (Pink Sheets: VGPR) today announced it has chosen Chattanooga, TN based consulting firm, Tennessee Power Company, Inc. to assist the Company in building a biomass production facility in Georgia.

Vega recently announced its intention to build a biomass plant in Georgia to take advantage of the abundance of biomass materials in the State's Bioenergy Corridor. Georgia ranks third in the nation as a potential source of renewable energy. Approximately 50 million tons of Georgia's own timber ends up in the State's wood-products manufacturing plants every year and the industry returns nearly half of it in the form of primary mill wood debris.

Vega's Business Plan calls for manufacturing facilities to be constructed in various locations around the world. The Georgia plant would be the Company's first in the United States and would serve as a model facility for other plants in the U.S.

Biomass or biofuel is material derived from recently living organisms. This includes plants, animals and their bi-products. For example, manure, garden waste and crop residues are all sources of biomass. It is a renewable energy source based on the carbon cycle, unlike other natural resources such as petroleum, coal, and nuclear fuels. The use of biomass fuels can therefore contribute to waste management as well as fuel security and help to prevent global warming

The Company markets various products including energy efficient pellet fuel made from organic waste bi-products using unique and innovative ideas combined with proven technology. The Company's current expansion includes building manufacturing plants in various international locations that will produce biomass products and bio-diesel products for power generation units. It is estimated that in the next five years the biomass industry will become a $20 billion industry.

Certain statements in this release constitute forward-looking statements or statements which may be deemed or construed to be forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The words "forecast," "project," "intend," "expect," "should," "would," and similar expressions and all statements, which are not historical facts, are intended to identify forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements involve and are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which could cause the Company's actual results, performance (finance or operating) or achievements to differ from future results, performance (financing and operating) or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements.

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Cherry Blossom Announces Grant and New Leadership and Executive Search

2009-06-26T10:33:00.002-04:00

/PRNewswire/ -- Since its founding 27 years ago, the Macon Georgia's International Cherry Blossom Festival has been a tremendous boost to the Central Georgia economy. Its success this past spring once again demonstrated the strength and durability of this award-winning festival to draw thousands of visitors from across the southeast and the nation.

"Almost 99 percent of the events and activities held this year were sold out," Festival Chairman Steve Jukes said at a press conference today. "The number of sponsorships and grants was especially strong, enabling many of our events to be offered free of charge. The Festival Board is pleased to announce a $50,000 grant awarded by the Fickling Family Foundation. This grant is a match grant stemming from a fundraising campaign the board launched in June of 2008."

Jukes directly attributed much of the success of the annual festival to the business leaders, foundations and government officials who understand the significant role the Cherry Blossom Festival has in building community, increasing the city's national visibility, attracting tourists and generating business revenue.

"We express our appreciation to all of our partners for their generous support and cooperation that made the 2009 Festival a great and memorable event," he said. "This festival is the finest example of success through the cooperation of the many different public and private sectors of Central Georgia."

Indicative of the enduring support the Festival receives from the local community, Bill Fickling III, who is a past Board Chair and Festival Chair, announced that the Fickling Family Foundation has awarded a $50,000 matching grant to the Cherry Blossom Festival.

"We are indeed appreciative and fortunate to have this generous gift from this very civic-minded family," Jukes stated. "This gift from the Fickling Family Foundation is a matching grant based on the fundraising success of the Legacy Fund, which received generous support from past and present board members, trustees and friends to meet this match."

Plans are already underway for the 2010 Festival, which Jukes said he expects to be one of its best. The event is scheduled for March 19-28.

"Through ongoing sponsorships of corporations, businesses and foundations and cooperation from city and county boards, agencies and departments, we are going to once again present the best in talent, shows and activities," he promised. "We will infuse those 10 days in March with great family fun and tremendous excitement."

The 2010 festival leadership was elected at Thursday's Board of Directors meeting. Jukes will exchange his responsibilities as Festival Chairman for those as the Chair of the Board of Directors. Lee Robinson, who was the 2009 Board Chair, will serve as the 2010 Festival Chairman. Steve Farr and Thomas Wicker are moving to the Board of Directors and several new members have been added to the Board of Trustees including Renee Bumpus, Patricia Combes, Tiffany Farrow, Colonial Brian Grady, George Greer, Rhonda Levy, Allen London, David Rosenberg, David Thompson, Janie Hawk Wilhoit, and Garrett Williams.

Festival Chairman Lee Robinson also announced that the Board of Directors is seeking a new President and CEO for the Cherry Blossom Festival and Keep Macon-Bibb Beautiful. The Board is seeking candidates who can take these two well-established organizations to an even higher level of success. It has a consulting service to assist with the search.

"We are looking for a dynamic and creative individual who can build on the festival's foundation of success while drawing broader support and higher attendance," said Robinson.

The Festival expects to fill the leadership post this summer. Information on the opportunity is available on the Cherry Blossom web site: www.cherryblossom.com.

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Immucor Responds To FDA Notice

2009-06-26T10:30:00.002-04:00

/PRNewswire/ -- Immucor, Inc., (Nasdaq/NM: BLUD), a global leader in providing automated instrument-reagent systems to the blood transfusion industry, announced that yesterday the Food and Drug Administration ("FDA"), in an administrative action based on an early January 2009 inspection, issued a notice of intent to revoke the Company's biologics license with respect to its Reagent Red Blood Cells and Anti-E (Monoclonal) Blood Grouping Reagent product. The FDA has not ordered the recall of any of the Company's products.

"We take our regulatory responsibilities very seriously. We have been working diligently to improve our quality systems and processes, including the deficiencies identified by the FDA, with Our Quality Process Improvement Project. We are committed to completing this Project as quickly as possible," stated Dr. Gioacchino De Chirico, Immucor's President and Chief Executive Officer.

During its fiscal third quarter of 2009, the Company formalized efforts to improve its quality systems through the Quality Process Improvement Project. The Project expanded the role of consultants hired in April 2008. During fiscal 2009, the Company spent more than $2 million on the Project with the costs primarily consisting of consulting fees. As previously reported, during fiscal 2010, the Company expects to spend between $4.0 million and $4.5 million on the Project. The Company expects the Project to be completed during its third fiscal quarter of 2010.

"We have kept the FDA informed of the Project's objectives and progress by providing written updates to them on a monthly basis that detail our plans for corrective actions as well as the implementation of the correction action plans to prevent recurrence. The FDA has acknowledged that they are aware of our efforts to correct their identified deficiencies, but the letter indicates the FDA's action is based on their January 2009 inspection. The FDA has not performed an inspection since January 2009," stated Dr. De Chirico.

Per the FDA's letter, the Company has 10 working days to respond to the FDA's administrative action and 30 days to submit a remediation plan. The Company will use the extensive remediation work already underway and already documented in detail to the FDA to facilitate its response.

"We believe our Quality Process Improvement Project will result in Immucor having a world-class quality system. We are committed to achieving this end as quickly as possible," stated Dr. De Chirico.

Founded in 1982, Immucor manufactures and sells a complete line of reagents and systems used by hospitals, reference laboratories and donor centers to detect and identify certain properties of the cell and serum components of blood prior to transfusion. Immucor markets a complete family of automated instrumentation for all of our market segments.

Statements contained in this press release that are not statements of historical fact are "forward-looking statements" as that term is defined under federal securities laws, including, without limitation, all statements concerning Immucor's expectations, beliefs, intentions or strategies for the future. Forward-looking statements may be identified by words such as "plans," "expects," "believes," "anticipates," "estimates," "projects," "may," "will," "could", "should" and other words of similar meaning. Investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements, and Immucor assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements. Immucor urges investors to consider the risks detailed in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

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Dr. Thomas Kollars, Chief Scientific Advisor for MIT and his New Biopesticide ProVectorTM Bti Designed to Eradicate Mosquitoes Featured on CNN

2009-06-26T08:22:00.003-04:00

Dr. Thomas Kollars, Chief Scientific Advisor for MIT and his New Biopesticide ProVectorTM Bti Designed to Eradicate Mosquitoes Featured on a CNN inside Africa Report Concerning Malaria

(BUSINESS WIRE)--CNN recently aired a feature story on Dr. Kollars new invention the ProVectorTM Bti a flower containing the biopesticide Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis (Bti) for use in killing mosquitoes especially those transmitting deadly diseases such as malaria, dengue fever, rift valley fever, and others. (Copy and paste the following to your browser to see the CNN report) http://edition.cnn.com/video/#/video/international/2009/06/09/inside.africa.06.06.bk.c.cnn

What makes ProVectorTM Bti unique is, it is the first commercially available device to imitate a flower to which adult mosquitoes will come to feed on digesting the biopesticide Bti contained inside. It was designed with the philosophy of keeping “Green” and made of virtually indestructible plastic which reduces waste and it only allows mosquitoes to feed on it, eliminating the spread of pesticides into the environment. Dr. Kollars’ believes his invention will help to reduce mosquito populations down in geographical locations to threshold levels where in nature these types of diseases will cycle out of the mosquito population.

Forward-Looking Statements

Some of the information contained in this release contains forward-looking statements (as defined in Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 (the "Securities Act") and Section 21E of the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934 the "Exchange Act"), which mean that they relate to events or transactions that have not yet occurred, our expectations or estimates for our future operations, our growth strategies or business plans or other facts that have not yet occurred. These statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "might," "may," "could," "expect," "anticipate," "estimate," "likely," "intend," "believe," or "continue" or the negative thereof or other variations thereon or comparable terminology. For an explanation of some of the risks and uncertainties facing MIT HOLDING and its investors, please see our most recent prospectus on file with the Securities Exchange Commission. The risk factors contained therein should be considered by prospective investors for their potential impact on forward-looking statements included in this release. These important factors, among others that might not be listed, may cause actual results to differ materially and adversely from the results expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. We caution investors that such discussions of important risks and uncertainties are not exclusive, and our business may be subject to other risks and uncertainties, which are not detailed there.

Investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance on our forward-looking statements. We make forward-looking statements as of the date of this release, and we assume no obligation to update the forward-looking statements after the date hereof whether as a result of new information or events, changed circumstances, or otherwise, except as required by law.

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GM Retirees Call for Congressional Protection of Benefits

2009-06-26T01:23:00.000-04:00

/PRNewswire/ -- Following denial by the federal bankruptcy court of the General Motors Retirees Association application for a benefits committee to protect GM salaried retirees, GMRA is now asking the U.S. Congress to act immediately in defense of the benefits these GM retirees earned through decades of labor and loyalty to GM.

"We at GMRA are deeply disappointed by the failure of the bankruptcy court to allow us to take reasonable steps under Section 1114 of the Bankruptcy Code to protect the health and security of all GM retirees," said John Christie, GMRA President. "The court, in our opinion, did not do what was necessary to permit all parties to be treated fairly."

"While the GMRA leadership will consider all the legal options available to us, we now look squarely to the Obama administration and to the U.S. Congress to make certain there is a fair process and outcome for all GM retirees," said Christie. "GM retirees always expected to sacrifice as part of GM's restructuring, but one group of retirees shouldn't bear the bulk of that burden. Surely our elected officials can intervene to protect the sick and elderly from poverty when these people worked hard and played by the rules."

The majority of all General Motors retirees have been represented by the United Auto Workers in negotiations with the GM leadership and bondholders on pension, healthcare, and other benefits.

However, over 122,000 salaried retirees and their surviving spouses were not part of the UAW agreement and have had no representation in discussions about the new GM. These non-union, salaried retirees were engineers, project managers, clerks, and other employees. Many earned annual salaries equal to or less than the wages earned by union employees.

For the non-UAW retirees, who live throughout the United States, the current GM proposal would reduce certain benefits by two-thirds, including the outright elimination of dental, vision, and long-term disability coverage. The retirees would see significant increases in premiums, co-payments and deductibles for health care.

The non-UAW retirees also would face an immediate reduction of life insurance benefits following the emergence of the new GM from bankruptcy. In some cases retirees would lose $70,000 or more in life insurance benefits.

"For people living on a fixed income, the benefit losses proposed by GM are breathtaking," said Karen DeOrnellas, Director of Communications for GMRA. "These retirees are old. Many are sick or disabled. In almost all cases they cannot make this money back or return to work."

GM retirees have written GMRA to say the latest proposals for benefit losses will make them choose between paying for prescription drugs and paying for food, electricity, and housing. Many will be unable to replace lost life insurance, jeopardizing the ability of their spouses to remain in their homes.

"We want a reorganized GM to succeed, but bankruptcy shouldn't push tens of thousands of retirees and their families into poverty or endanger their health when those people did nothing wrong," said DeOrnellas.

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Less Than 1% of Stimulus Funds Allocated to Middle Class Firms

2009-06-25T08:33:00.001-04:00

/PRNewswire/ -- According to the U.S. Census Bureau, 98% of all U.S. firms have less than 100 employees. Approximately 25 million firms fall into that category. These firms employ over 55% of the private sector workforce and are responsible for over 95% of all new jobs created in America. (www.asbl.com)

The American Small Business League (ASBL) has found of the $2.7 trillion that has been allocated so far to stimulate the national economy, only $21 billion, or less than 1% of the funds have directly gone to small businesses. (http://tinyurl.com/mfzfp7)

The remainder of the funds that were allocated to businesses wound up in the hands of the top 1% of U.S. firms. President Obama has promised to create up to 4.1 million jobs. Census data indicates the top 1% of U.S. firms have not created one net new job since 1977.

There is evidence to suggest the economic stimulus plan is actually harming small businesses. The Wall Street bailout bills were touted as being essential to increasing access to capital for small businesses. Some of the firms that received billions in federal tax dollars are actually cutting access to capital for small businesses. A story in BusinessWeek reported that JPMorgan Chase, one of the largest recipients of the bailout funds, reduced the flow of credit lines for small businesses. (http://tinyurl.com/ou7j79)

Section 107 of the original Wall Street bailout bill gave the Treasury Secretary the power to waive any provisions of the Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR) he chooses. Paragraph 9 (b) of the bill specifically mentions the waiver of "any provision of the Federal Acquisition Regulations pertaining to minority contracting" and the waiver of provisions pertaining to "woman-owned businesses."

The Obama Administration is supporting a new bill in Congress that could dismantle existing federal economic stimulus programs for small businesses by changing the federal definition of a small business. The new definition will allow many of the nations wealthiest venture capitalists to take billions of dollars in federal contracts previously earmarked for small businesses.

In February of 2008 President Obama stated, "It is time to end the diversion of federal small business contracts to corporate giants." To date, the President has refused to adopt any policy to honor that campaign promise. A series of federal investigations discovered that billions of dollars in federal small business contracts are being diverted to Fortune 1000 firms.

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Aflac Lands on Black Enterprise Magazine's List of 40 Best Companies for Diversity

2009-06-24T09:31:00.001-04:00

/PRNewswire/ -- Aflac today announced that the Georgia-based insurance provider has been named to Black Enterprise magazine's list of the Top 40 Best Companies for Diversity. It is the fifth consecutive year the company has been named to the prestigious list.

Aflac, with an employee base comprised of 40 percent minorities, and women accounting for more than half of the management team, will be listed in the magazine's July issue, appearing on newsstands on June 30. Nearly 70 percent of Aflac's overall workforce is women.

"Our commitment to diversity has created an environment where wide-ranging ideas have helped our company grow," Aflac chairman and CEO Dan Amos said. "We embrace the good fortune of a diverse workforce and are proud of this recognition by Black Enterprise's magazine."

According to the magazine, Aflac demonstrates strength and outperformed peers in three of four key categories, including diversity on the Board of Directors, employee base, senior management and supplier diversity. The 40 best companies for diversity were determined through a survey of major corporations coupled with comprehensive outreach to CEOs and diversity executives working at the top 1,000 publicly traded companies and diversity executives at the 50 leading global companies with strong U.S. operations.

Aflac is one of only three Georgia companies to appear on the 2009 list.

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Historic Signing Finalizes Equivalency Agreement Between U.S. and Canada

2009-06-17T14:39:00.002-04:00

/PRNewswire/ -- USDA Deputy Secretary Kathleen Merrigan, today in her keynote address at the Organic Trade Association (OTA)'s All Things Organic(TM) Conference and Trade Show, announced that an equivalency agreement has been reached between the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA). This historic equivalency agreement will allow the continued smooth flow of certified organic products between the two countries and support the continued growth of this rapidly expanding market in North America. It is the first such equivalency agreement worldwide for the organic industry.

The official signing will take place at Organic Trade Association (OTA)'s All Things Organic(TM) Conference and Trade Show at Lakeview Center, McCormick Place this afternoon during the State of the Organic Industry in North America session. The agreement, signed by the two government agencies, takes effect on June 30.

"This is the first step toward global harmonization of organic standards, and marks an historic moment for the organic community," Merrigan told a standing-room-only audience at All Things Organic(TM).

As a result of the historic equivalency agreement, certified organic products as of July 1 can continue to move freely across the U.S. and Canadian border provided they use the new Canada Organic Biologique label or the USDA Organic seal.

"Consumers will benefit from equivalency, as they have access to a more affordable range of organic products, increased product diversity, and a reliable supply chain. As a result, consumers will continue to have confidence in the organic integrity and government oversight of the products they buy," said Christine Bushway, OTA's Executive Director.

Under equivalency, producers certified to NOP regulations by a USDA accredited certifying agent do not have to double-certify to the Canadian organic standards in order to meet Canadian labeling requirements when exporting to the Canadian market. Similarly, Canadian producers certified to Canadian organic standards by a CFIA accredited certifying body will be deemed equivalent to the NOP to meet the labeling requirements of the U.S. market when selling to the U.S.

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Seminar on Changes in Labor Law Friday at Clayton State

2009-06-16T20:28:00.000-04:00

To learn more about the impact the new Lilly Ledbetter Fair Play Act and other employment law changes will have on Georgia businesses, register for the Clayton State University School of Business’ Labor and Employment Law Seminar and Certification on Friday, June 19, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the classroom of the School of Business Building on the Clayton State main campus in Morrow.

The seminar will be taught by Dr. Judith Ogden, Clayton State University associate professor of Accounting, and S.L. Macey, a former judge from Indianapolis, In., and a graduate of Indiana University Law School who is currently an arbitrator in Colorado with Judicial Arbiter Group. The cost of the seminar is $99 and includes free parking, continental breakfast and lunch. For more information, call Dr. Michael Tidwell at (678) 466-4546 or go to: http://business.clayton.edu/registration.htm to register.

Other recent changes to employment law that will be discussed include:

New ADA and EEOC Regulations
Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act
New Family and Medical Leave Act Regulations
Worker, Retiree, and Employer Recovery Act of 2008
Several Recent Supreme Court Decisions

A unit of the University System of Georgia, Clayton State University is an outstanding comprehensive metropolitan university located 15 miles southeast of downtown Atlanta.
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New World Home Achieves Two Historic Green Milestones

2009-06-16T08:38:00.002-04:00

/PRNewswire/ -- New World Home has been awarded LEED(R) for Homes Platinum certification by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) for outstanding achievement in green homebuilding, representing the first factory-built home in the state of Georgia to earn this designation. In addition, the New World Home project is the first home of any type in Georgia to earn the prestigious Platinum rating without the need for any costly renewable energy sources, such as solar panels, wind turbines or geothermal systems.

The New World Home project, located in East Cobb County, also earned EarthCraft Gold certification as well as National Green Building Certification Gold, which is administered by the NAHB Research Center.

"This home brings green living to its highest level," says Mark Jupiter, co-founder and President of the Product Division for New World Home. "It also reflects our mission to provide traditional-style houses that incorporate a 'whole systems' design approach that results in a minimum 50 percent energy savings annually, reduces water consumption by thousands of gallons a year, provides a non-toxic indoor environment for the occupants and will save homeowners thousands of dollars a year in maintenance costs starting from day one."

Mr. Jupiter adds, "We believe people should be able to live in a home that meets or exceeds the highest green standards in the industry without requiring an array of solar panels on the roof or a wind turbine spinning in the backyard."

The company's trademarked New Old Green Modular(R) (NOGM(R)) design platform incorporates a holistic approach to historically inspired green building. The NOGM process results in homes built to exacting standards in less than 100 days, provides a healthier indoor environment and saves homeowners significant money with ongoing electricity, water, maintenance, heating and cooling expenses. The homes are constructed with lumber from sustainably harvested forests certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) and include ultra efficient HVAC systems and low or no-VOC (volatile organic compound) paints, adhesives and finishes. Other base features of the NOGM homes include:

-- Spray foam insulated walls and rafters creating an air-tight thermal
envelope
-- Watersense fixtures, home-run plumbing and a tankless water heater
that reduces annual water usage by 40 percent
-- Low-E, argon-filled, dual pane, energy efficient windows that reduce
air leakage
-- Pre-cast, insulated, moisture resistant concrete foundation that
reduces the potential for mold and mildew growth
-- Advanced framing techniques that significantly reduce waste as well as
thermal bridging energy loss
-- Maintenance-free fiber cement exterior siding that will not rot or
warp and is flame and insect resistant
-- Non-Added Formaldehyde cabinets, floors and trim
-- ENERGY STAR(R) rated doors, windows, roof, ceiling fans and appliances
-- And much more ...

All New World Home NOGM designs are LEED(R) for Homes certifiable at a base level. "We want to help homeowners establish a lasting green legacy, a home that they can be proud of and one that will be around and safe for generations to come," says Tyler Schmetterer, the company's co-founder and Chief Operating Officer. "Our turnkey green housing solution is an effective and affordable way for our customers to attain this important life accomplishment."

"Home buyers are eager to embrace energy efficiency - and save money - particularly if they don't need to learn how to use new equipment or monitor expensive technology," says Michael Natbony, the company's Chief Executive Officer. New World Home's commitment to producing environmentally sensitive houses is reflected in the fundamentals of how they're built. "We're offering a sustainable - even transformative - way to design and mass produce the greenest homes on the market that is accessible to as many people as possible," Mr. Natbony said.

The Platinum home in East Cobb showcases one of New World Home's traditional and regionally-derived American designs. According to Mr. Schmetterer, the underlying essence of a New World Home is that it aligns perfectly with the surrounding design vernacular, while simultaneously representing one of the greenest residential structures available in the country today.

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NCR to Build Innovation Hub and Manufacturing Plant in Brazil, Boosting Jobs in the High Tech Segment

2009-06-16T08:19:00.001-04:00

(BUSINESS WIRE)--NCR Corporation (NYSE: NCR) announced today that it will create a new manufacturing and research and development center in Brazil to produce technologically advanced, high availability automated teller machines (ATMs) for Brazil, Latin America, and Caribbean markets. The innovation center and manufacturing facility will expand over time to include self-service technologies for a variety of industries.

The new innovation hub will initially create approximately 250 new jobs and enable NCR to deliver world-class solutions and strengthen its competitive position in Brazil, which is a key market in NCR’s growth strategy. Brazil is the third largest ATM market in the world. Retail Banking Research predicts that the Brazil ATM market will grow 16 percent by 2012.

“NCR has been doing business in Brazil for 73 years," said Bill Nuti, NCR’s chairman and chief executive officer. "Our strategic decision to develop an innovation and manufacturing hub for self-service technology in Brazil is yet another step in our commitment to this important market. This investment will move us further towards our goal of becoming Brazil's largest self-service solutions provider and the leader in ATM market share. With this new capability, we believe we will be better positioned to take market share by providing leading hardware, software and service solutions, tailored specifically to meet the needs of our customers and fulfilling our goals of growing our business, while lowering our operating costs. As we invest and create high tech jobs, we will continue to look at our options for further investment in this vital emerging market.”

NCR’s ATM production in the region is currently outsourced to a contract manufacturer. ATM manufacturing and product development will be moved to NCR’s new facility and production is anticipated to begin by December 2009.

NCR will initially invest over R$73 million in building its capabilities in Brazil. The company will manufacture NCR SelfServ, the industry’s newest range of ATMs that are proven to have the highest levels of performance and availability for consumers. In addition, NCR will look to design and engineer specific products to meet the needs of our customers in Brazil.

Financial institutions in Brazil have large ATM estates and require custom design ATMs to deliver their branded look and feel; others require features such as biometric identification and check printers, while all require some variation of high security features.

Earlier this month, NCR announced it will establish a new North American ATM manufacturing facility in Columbus, Ga., creating 870 new jobs that did not exist in NCR previously. All North American ATM manufacturing will take place from the Columbus facility, which will begin ATM production early in the fourth quarter 2009.

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Driver’s Alert Wins State of Georgia Contract

2009-06-16T08:15:00.001-04:00

(BUSINESS WIRE)--Driver’s Alert™ (the “Company”), a pioneer in fleet safety and data risk reduction services, today announced that the Department of Administrative Services of the State of Georgia selected the Company to provide its “Report My Driving Solution” for the State’s 15,000 vehicles and 125,000 State employees.

Driver’s Alert’s Total Solution™ Program is an all-in-one, fully integrated system of vehicle observation and reporting, on-line driver safety training and driver risk assessment. The State, which is self-insured, implemented the program to help reduce the annual number of insurance claims and associated expense dollars.

Chris Risley, Director, Risk Management Services for the Department of Administrative Services, said: “We were concerned about the increasing number of vehicular accidents throughout our state agencies. An analysis of the accidents showed an alarming number of fender benders due to sloppy driving. Ultimately, these accidents are paid for by the taxpayers.”

Mr. Risley continued: “We selected Driver’s Alert to help us lower our costs by reducing our risks. They demonstrated the strengths of their program, which combine the identification of unsafe drivers with immediate and effective online corrective-driving safety training, as well as the ability to employ industry-leading metrics such as benchmarking and risk management assessments to measure the effectiveness of the program. After three months of working with Driver’s Alert and the implementation of other sweeping loss control measures, our vehicular accidents are down 21% from the comparable three month period in 2008 at a savings of approximately $130,000 in property damage claims to the State of Georgia taxpayers.”

Mr. Paul C. Milazzo, Co-Founder and Principal of Driver’s Alert, said: “We were pleased to be selected as the State of Georgia’s partner to help identify and correct unsafe driving behaviors. At the end of the day, your ability to truly reduce or eliminate at-fault crashes is what saves lives, property, time and money. We plan to work hard to continue to earn the State’s business and save the taxpayers of Georgia money.”

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Rinnai Corporation Invests $10 Million Capital in U.S. Growth

2009-06-15T12:14:00.001-04:00

(BUSINESS WIRE)--Rinnai Corporation, the world’s leader in gas appliance manufacturing, announced today that the company will make a $10 million capital investment into their North American subsidiary, Rinnai America Corporation (RAC). This investment represents Rinnai Japan’s ongoing commitment to the North American market and will help fund RAC’s continued dynamic growth. RAC, which has experienced double-digit growth in recent years, continues to be the market leader in tankless water heaters in North America and foresees abundant future growth opportunities.

Rinnai America Corporation, a subsidiary of Rinnai Corporation in Nagoya, Japan, was established in 1974 and is headquartered in Peachtree City, Ga.

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Delta: Global Recession, Rising Oil Prices Forcing Additional Changes to Business

2009-06-11T12:25:00.002-04:00

/PRNewswire/ -- Delta Air Lines (NYSE:DAL) today issued the following memo to its more than 70,000 employees worldwide from CEO Richard Anderson and President Edward H. Bastian.

To: Delta Colleagues Worldwide

From: Richard Anderson and Ed Bastian

Subject: Global Recession and Rising Oil Prices Forcing Additional
Changes To Our Business

We are all seeing negative impacts from the global recession and rising oil prices not only in the news, but also in our communities and personal finances. Clearly, the airline industry is not immune. Industry passenger revenues have declined nearly 20 percent in the first four months of the year compared to the same period in 2008. That trend is expected to continue in the near term. On top of this, cost pressures from rising jet fuel prices - up more than 20 percent since the start of the year - coupled with softer travel demand due to the spread of the H1N1 virus, have created a difficult business environment.

These forces that are affecting the industry are creating significant headwinds for Delta. Declining revenues will overtake the more than $6 billion in total benefits we expected this year from lower year-over-year fuel prices, merger synergies and capacity reductions.

This morning, at an investor conference in New York, we will announce additional steps to align our capacity with market demand, preserve liquidity, and ensure Delta's long-term success. This plan includes reducing our system capacity by 10 percent compared to 2008. Capacity reductions will begin in September. In this environment, our merger makes more sense than ever and we will continue to accelerate our integration, as it gives us a competitive advantage and strengthens our financial foundation. We also will maintain tight controls on our costs and capital spending.

Customer demand for international travel has fallen significantly. Accordingly, we plan to reduce our international capacity by an additional 5 percent from what we announced in March, for a 15 percent total reduction in international capacity. This fall's capacity reductions will target routes that have experienced losses in the current economic climate and with higher fuel prices, including:

-- Suspending nonstop service from Atlanta to Seoul and Shanghai and
instead routing customers for these flights over Detroit or Tokyo, or
on nonstop SkyTeam partner flights.
-- Suspending nonstop flights from Cincinnati to Frankfurt and
London-Gatwick. Cincinnati customers will still be able to reach these
and many other international destinations via our other European
gateways.
-- Suspending nonstop service between New York-JFK and Edinburgh.
-- Reducing weekly frequencies connecting Atlanta and Detroit to Mexico
City and postponing some previously planned seasonal service between
non-hub cities and Mexican beach destinations due to the impact of the
H1N1 virus on customers' travel plans.

In keeping with our long-term business plan, we continue to grow the global footprint that is a cornerstone of our successful strategy. While we must reduce capacity this year, our international capacity this fall will still be more than 20 percent larger than it was before our global expansion began in 2005, and we are adding more than 20 new markets to our international network in 2009, including:

-- Los Angeles-Sydney
-- Salt Lake City-Tokyo
-- Detroit-Shanghai
-- New York-Prague
-- Pittsburgh-Paris
-- Atlanta-Johannesburg

By leveraging the unique strengths of our network, hub structure and alliances, we continue to provide the most travel options for our customers. Additional details of network changes are available on DeltaNet.

The additional capacity reductions mean we again must reassess staffing needs. While the challenges of the current environment preclude us from making guarantees, our goal remains to avoid any involuntary furloughs of frontline employees.

We will not allow the economy to negatively affect our merger integration - in fact, the current environment gives additional urgency to accelerate our efforts. You will see us move more quickly to rebrand and consolidate facilities, repaint aircraft and ramp-up our frontline training activities.

These are tough times and people often ask what they can do to contribute. Your most important contribution is to stay focused on doing your job well. We must all continue to deliver excellent customer service, run a strong operation and execute our Flight Plan. The entire industry is dealing with a difficult economy and rising fuel prices, but no one else has the opportunities and the people to match Delta in successfully navigating this crisis. Do what you do well, and we have no doubt that we will win.

Thank you for the incredible work you do for our customers every day. Together, we are building a stronger Delta.

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The Coca-Cola Company Creates New Structure to Integrate Three Key Functions; Promotes Five Executives

2009-06-11T07:37:00.002-04:00

(BUSINESS WIRE)--In support of its ongoing productivity and transformation initiatives, The Coca-Cola Company today announced the formation of a new structure that will integrate three core functions: Global Business Services, Global Information Technology and Transformational Productivity. The newly formed organization, Global Business and Technology Services (GBTS), will enable the Company to deliver global business services such as compensation and benefits administration, accounting and financial reporting, and application development and support -- services that are highly dependent on technology and standardized processes – to its business units in a more effective and efficient way.

Effective July 1, Harry Anderson, currently vice president and controller, will lead this new organization and report to Alex Cummings, chief administrative officer, and Gary Fayard, chief financial officer.

Mr. Anderson joined the Company in 2001 and, prior to his most recent role, served as chief financial officer of Coca-Cola North America from 2004-2007. In 2003, he was named vice president and director of Supply Chain and Manufacturing Management. Before joining the Company, he served in roles of increasing responsibility at Turner Broadcasting System, Inc., where he was executive vice president of Finance and Operations for Turner Entertainment Group. Prior to his roles at Turner Broadcasting, Mr. Anderson worked in Audit and Accounting Services at Price Waterhouse. He has a bachelor's degree in accounting from the University of Alabama.

The Company’s management will recommend at the July Board of Directors meeting that the Board elect Kathy Waller as controller, effective August 1. Ms. Waller is currently vice president and chief of internal audit. Ms. Waller is a Certified Public Accountant who joined The Coca-Cola Company in 1987 as a senior accountant in the Accounting Research Department. Three years later, she became principal accountant for the Northeast Europe/Africa Group and, in 1991, she became marketing controller for the McDonald’s Group. Ms. Waller was then named financial services manager for the Africa Group and The Minute Maid Company in 1996. She served as the director of Financial Reporting from 1998 to 2004 when she assumed her current position. Prior to joining the Company, Ms. Waller worked for the firm now known as Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu. She received her bachelor’s and MBA degrees from the University of Rochester in New York.

The Company’s management also will recommend at the July meeting that the Board of Directors appoint Connie McDaniel to the role of chief of internal audit, effective August 1. Ms. McDaniel, currently vice president and head of Global Finance Transformation, has played an instrumental role in leading the finance transformation over the last two years.

Previously, Ms. McDaniel served as controller, a role held from 1999 to 2007. Prior to that, she served in other critical leadership roles including division finance manager of Germany, division finance manager of the Southeast and West Asia Division, and director of Financial Reporting. Before joining the Company, Ms. McDaniel spent nine years at Ernst & Young. She has a bachelor's degree in accounting from Georgia State University and is a Certified Public Accountant.

Jeremy Faa, currently global director of Finance Transformation, will expand his responsibilities to include the overall strategic direction and implementation of the global finance transformation.

Prior to his leadership role in the Finance Transformation, Mr. Faa served as Group CFO and director of Business Strategy for the Pacific Group. He joined The Coca-Cola Company in 1997 and has since held a number of roles, including the Business Development manager and Operations director for Coca-Cola Indonesia and director of Business Planning and executive assistant to the Coca-Cola Asia Group President. Prior to joining Coca-Cola, Mr. Faa was a consultant at the L\E\K Partnership with assignments in Australia, Indonesia and New Zealand. Mr. Faa has degrees in law and commerce from Bond University in Australia.

Ann Taylor, currently vice president and chief financial officer, Transformational Productivity, will head up Global Business Services, effective July 1, reporting to Mr. Anderson. Since joining the Company in 1984, Ms. Taylor has held a variety of finance roles with increasing responsibilities, including director of Investor Relations from 2004 to 2008. Ms. Taylor served as chief financial officer for the Europe, Eurasia and Middle East group, and prior to that role, she was division finance manager for Great Britain and Ireland, division finance manager for Northwest Europe, and chief financial officer for Western Europe. Before joining the Company, she worked at what is now Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu. Ms. Taylor has a bachelor’s degree in math and economics from Wake Forest University and a master’s degree in business from the University of Virginia.

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SP Newsprint Announces Market Related Downtime at Dublin, Georgia Mill

2009-06-10T10:00:00.001-04:00

/PRNewswire/ -- SP Newsprint Co., LLC announced today that it will take market related downtime at its mill in Dublin, Georgia. The mill will be down from June 5, 2009 through June 21, 2009. This curtailment will result in approximately 25,000 metric tons of reduced production. SP Newsprint will maintain adequate inventories to ensure that its customers will not experience any service interruptions during the shut-down.

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