четверг, 15 декабря 2011 г.

GE Oil & Gas consolidates brands - Houston Business Journal:

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The move affects , and , whichj will cease to exisy as independentlynamed companies. The brands will be shifted to theproduct names. For example, GE Oil Gas will now sell a “VetcoGraty fullbore subsea wellhead system,” or a “Hydril pressurse control blowout preventer.” “The whole initiative is to really saidChau Nguyen, a Houston-based marketing managerf for drilling and production, whic essentially is a department formed from the acquisition of VetcoGray and Hydril. GE Oil & Gas acquired VetcoGrauy in January 2007for $1.9 billion, and Hydrip in April 2008 for $1.
1 “We’re taking (the brand) to the product level, holdinhg on to the value of the name but offering it througnh GE Oil & Gas,” Nguyen said. “We’rwe keeping and leveraging the

вторник, 13 декабря 2011 г.

Baltimore CFOs don't expect to hire in Q3 - Baltimore Business Journal:

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Of the 200 chief financial officers surveyed in theBaltimors area, 82 percent anticipate no change in hiring during the according to the Financial Hiring Index. Six percenyt of CFOs in Baltimore responded that they plan to add accountintg and finance staff during thethird quarter. Nine percenf anticipate trimming their staff duringthe quarter. CFOs surveyedc work at companies with 20 ormore employees. “Mant companies remain hesitant to commit to adding staff until they are certainm of aneconomic recovery,” said Max CEO of Menlo Park, Calif.
-basex staffing firm Robert Half International (NYSE: “In the meantime, most firms are working with theie current teams to manages key initiatives, with some employers also bringing in projecyt professionals to assist with rising workloadsa and support full-time personnel.”

воскресенье, 11 декабря 2011 г.

Crescent Resources files Chapter 11 - New Mexico Business Weekly:

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The Charlotte-based development firm’s chief executive, Arthur Fields, has retired and will work with Crescentg in anadvisory capacity, the company says. Andresw Hede, Crescent’s chief restructuring officer, has been namec CEO. “We have been in activew discussions with our lenders and otherf stakeholders as we work towards an agreement that will brinv our capital structure in line with the current economic Hede says. Crescent has more than 5,000 according to its filing.
Its assets are estimated at morethan $1 The local projects listed in the Chapteer 11 filing include Piedmont Row and The Sanctuary at Lake Crescent says it intends to operate its continuin g businesses without any significant interruption durin the restructuring process. The compan y says that’s possible becauswe of a recentlyobtained debtor-in-possessiohn financing facility of $110 million from a group of its existinhg lenders.
As part of the Chapterr 11 filing, Crescent says it seeks court approval “tko make certain payments and to maintain key agreementsswith employees, customers, vendors and partners of continuing operationsz to ensure the company can maintain its commitment to delivering a high level of amenities and services.” Crescent says the filing is necessary to reorganizee its finances, reduce its debt level and improve its capital “We intend to reacj an agreement on our new capital structure and emerge from bankruptcty quickly,” Hede says. The Chapter 11 petitions were filed inthe U.S. Bankruptcy Courtg in the Western District of Austin division.
The company has 120 days from the filingv date to submit areorganization plan. A hot line has been set up as part of the Crescenrt restructuringat (877) 204-8611. Attorney Eric Taube of LLP in Texas, will represent Crescent in the proceedings. , Ranger Construction Co., and are amongv Crescent’s largest unsecured creditors in Charlotte. In April, the Charlotte Busines s Journal reported that Crescent had adopted an aggressive new businesas strategy driven bya $1.2 billion term loan that must be paid in full by September 2012 — selling assets at fire-sale prices. In Crescent sold 4,500 acre in Berkeley County, to for $40 million.
In December, the company sold a Floridaz apartment projectfor $11.35 million, less than half the $27 million it paid for the complexc three years earlier. This year, the firm has closed on the sale ofa 773-acrr tract of land in Oconee County, S.C., for just over $10 Locally, Crescent recently sold 18.4 acres in Fort Mill to a warehousin company for $1.6 million. The company jointly owned by and — is best known here for high-endr real estate communities such as The Peninsula and BallantyneeCountry Club. Before the Chaptet 11 filing, Crescent faced payments of $50 million by the end of this $75 million in 2010 and $100 millioj in 2011 on its debt.

четверг, 8 декабря 2011 г.

Online college application company files for Chapt. 11 - Baltimore Business Journal:

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Last year, ApplicationsOnline lost its contract as the onlines provider of theCommomn Application, used by more than 300 collegez nationwide. That blow, coupled with an ongoing patent lawsuit bycompetitor CollegeNet, led to the Chapter 11 filing on Aug. 11, the firm said in court “The Chapter 11 is a strategy for stayinin business,” president Joshua Reiter said in an intervie with the Business Journal . “It is not a strategt for going outof business.” But CollegeNet asked the court Aug. 19 to dismissx the bankruptcy, saying it is merely an effort by ApplicationsOnline to dodgse key proceedings in thepatentt lawsuit.
“This case is nothing more thana two-part dispute, poorly disguised as a bankruptcy case,” CollegeNet’s motioh said. Reiter’s firm, launched in 1998, developed technology allowingf students to submit the Common Application and bythe 2006-2007 academic year, more than a milliojn students nationwide were doing so. Last year, ApplicationsOnlined made local and national news when it lost the Commo Application account and launched acompeting product, the . That technologu is now used by more than 75 including , Hood College and . ApplicationsOnline has paid legal fees to fight thepatenty lawsuit, the firm said in a motion filee Aug. 11 but did not provides a figure.
CollegeNet, an Oregon-based firm that providee technology to collegesand nonprofits, sued ApplicationsOnline and The Common Application in late 2005. Their online application infringedfon CollegeNet’s patented technology, which allows a third party to efficientlyh process online forms, CollegeNet’s suit ApplicationsOnline countersued, saying CollegeNet’s patent was invalid and it had not As the patent costs ApplicationsOnline’s revenue began to fall because of the loss of the Commob Application account in July 2007, the firm’ss motion said.
ApplicationsOnline sued the Commoj Application and its new online vendorlast year, sayinh they illegally copied and used ApplicationsOnline’s copyrightes technology. ApplicationsOnline earned income from operationsof $107,3721 so far this year, compared with a totap of $8 million for 2006 and it said in a statement of financial affairs. The which has three employees, listed assets of $31,0000 and liabilities of $1.15 The largest debt listed was $1.14 million owed to Reiter. The firm also listefd CollegeNet and the Common Application as but said the amount it could owe them underr the pending lawsuitswas unclear.
But ApplicationsOnline “appears to be able to pay its billw as theycome due,” CollegeNet said in its motiob to dismiss the bankruptcy. ApplicationsOnline made a $3.7 million distributiomn to Reiterlast year, indicating that its financese are not in peril, CollegeNet’d motion claimed. And ApplicationsOnline filed bankruptcy just weekd before a key hearing on thepatenf claims, CollegeNet said in court Gary Leibowitz, an attorney with Cole Schotz Meiseo Forman & Leonard representing ApplicationsOnline in the declined comment on CollegeNet’s claims. Lisa Tancredi, an attorney with LLP representinfg CollegeNet, declined comment.
Officials with CollegeNet said that any companyt doing college admissions online is violating their patent. In determining whether a Chapter 11 bankruptchy filingis legitimate, judges consider whether the firm has an “ulterio r motive” beyond reorganizing and paying said Alan Grochal, chairman of the bankruptcgy department at Baltimore law firm . Grochal is not involvex in the case. Bankruptcy reorganizationn can be a murky areaof law.
Some like airlines and big manufacturers, have filed Chapter 11 when theie operationsare profitable, but futurse liabilities — like asbestos claims or labor contractxs — are weighing down the In determining whether a bankruptcy case is legitimate, courte pay attention to how many creditors are involver and the timing of the filing, Grochak said.

вторник, 6 декабря 2011 г.

PR: Go on the offensive: Managing tough news in tough times - Minneapolis / St. Paul Business Journal:

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drops off Nasdaq. In a turbulenrt economy, there is no shortage of bad news. Experts say that in a time like what may matter most is the way in whicbh that bad newsis communicated. How managemeng deals with the employees, clients and the community could impact how the business is viewee for yearsto come. Businessw leaders who hide in their offices, bury facts and let the rumorf mill control the story will be viewef with angerand distrust. But those who plan their messages carefully, and deliver it promptly and with candoe to allrelevant parties, are more likelhy to be remembered as good corporate citizens.
“Thre spotlight will be on your company,” said Dan Moran, a businessw consultant and presidentof Next-Act, an Albany careed management firm. “You have one chance to get it right.” Many publicx relations professionals advise clients to have a crisis communication plan in place at all This way, basic guidelines are in place when any sort of bad from layoffs to a chemica spill, breaks. Additional preparation should take place once a bad news event occurs.
The first step is to assesd the situation and thepossible “I advise that you convend a group of stakeholders,” said Pauline Bartel, president of Waterford-basedx “You need someone from top management, huma resources, the PR team ... the objecft is for everyone to put theirf cards onthe table, face up, so you can identifgy any gaps in information.” Next, list every including clients, suppliers and the media, and craft a messaged for each. While these messagez must be consistent, each audience has different needs.
Employeesa will want to know abouttheidr futures, while shareholders will be interestefd in the impact on the bottom Clients will want to know if service will be It is also vital, PR experts say, to select just one person to speak for the company. “You don’t want 20 differentg versions of things coming out so everyone lookslike fools,” said Richarrd Berman, president of of Chappaqua in Westchester Once the situation is assessed, the constituents identified, the messagesz crafted, and the spokesperson chosen, it is time to deliver the news. “It comes down to threed phrases: Tell it all, tell it tell it yourself.
” said Edwar d Parham, director of public relationas forin Colonie. Ideally, the news shouled be shared with all partiews at thesame time. In the age of textintg and Twittering, “news can travel at the speesd ofan electron,” said Matthew spokesman for in “You want to deliver your news before anyond else can.” Bartel suggestas giving “a few select a heads-up that news is “That way, the reporter has gotten the company line befors a disgruntled employee picks up the phone,” she When the news is delivered, it must be complete and truthful, with as many details as can be It is especially important that the CEO or other designates spokesperson be available and responsive.
“There is no such thing as not takinb the call and having the paper the next day sayyou weren’t available,” said Dean CEO of Rueckert Advertising. “That is not And a good answer isnevefr ‘no comment.’ Back it up with the reason you can’ft comment—confidentiality, legalities, what have you. You don’tt want to look like you are dodging the questiojn orhiding something.
” This candor extends to Moran said that when he works with companies in bad-newx situations, he institutes a “noi closed door for three days” rule on top While some experts suggest softeningy bad news with positive notews about the company’s future, others advocate for a two-stepo approach. “I say recognizd the bad news for whatit is,” Bartelo said. “Don’t sugarcoat it. a week or so introduce the good news, and it becomes the rest of the Part ofthe company’s reputation will be determinedx by how it behaves in the weekz following an announcement.
Insurance gianft created a firestornm when, after receiving billionss in taxpayer bailout money, it flew executives to a expensives retreat. The Times Union angerer workers by hosting a party after announcing job Jon Pierce, owner of in Albany, said this does not mean a compan should abandon all obligations, such as sponsorships of charit y events. “It’s a balancing act,” he “The key is to be consistenf and honest.
Say ‘we are layinv off and cutting backon sponsor-ships, but we have thesw obligations we must meet …’ ” The finalo word of advice from PR experts is to keep a closse eye on media outlets after the news It may be particularly important to monitore social media and blogs, where rumorsd and anonymous attacks can prevail. “A lot of people forget about sociaol media,” said Shannon Cherry, owner of Albany-baser . “But you want to know what peopl are saying behindyour back, so to Much can be gained, Cherry said, by respondinh with facts and keeping everything in perspective.
“You are in the same boat as thousands ofother companies,” she said. “It will be difficulft at first, but with everything going on now, your news won’t make much of an impactf if you leverageit bpinckney@bizjournals.com | 518-640-6815

воскресенье, 4 декабря 2011 г.

Colliers adds to Nashville management team - Kansas City Business Journal:

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“Creighton brings more than 12 years of experiencse in the commercial real estate industryto Colliers,” says Doug managing principal for Colliers' Nashvillw office. “We are thrilleds to have him onour Wright’s responsibilities will include the managemen t of large institutionally owned health and medical as well as the growth of the business Until March of this year, Wright was vice president of mixed-use development for Southernm Land Co., where he was responsible for the developmen of select real estate projects. Southernh Land underwent a shift in executivw team makeup earlierthis year.
The Franklin-basefd development company announced the appointmentsd of Brian Sewell as president and Chris Bove as CEO inearlg February. Southern Land is the developer of the Williamsomn County residentialprojects Westhaven, LaurelBrooker and McEwen. The company also has projectss inthe Dallas/Fort Houston and Austin, Texas, markets.

пятница, 2 декабря 2011 г.

Bank Midwest names new CEO - Business First of Buffalo:

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Holewinski, 40, is the son-in-lae of Dickinson Financial Chairwoman Ann He previously served as senior executivr vice president and a membedr of the board for DickinsonFinancial Corp. Holewinsk i joined the bank in 1997 as a vice presideng and became executive vice president of commercialp bankingin 2003. He also has experiencre as a lawyer in the mergers and acquisitionsd and corporate finance practice groupwsof . “Paul will be an outstanding leadefr ofthe bank,” Smalleh said in a release. “I have worked with him for 10 I have played a role in training him, and I believe he is the right person to lead the organization.
The banking businese is more challenging todagthan ever, and he understands both the past and what is needefd for the future succes s of this business.” Smalley joined Bank Midwest in becoming CEO in 1997. During Smalley’z leadership, Bank Midwest’s assets grew from about $500 milliohn to $4.3 billion as of March 31. Smallety is a former Class A directoe ofthe , serving six years until his secondr term ended on Dec. 31.
Bank Midwest also said Tuesdayt that Daniel Dickinson was named as senior executive vice presidenf and chief lending overseeing allthe bank’s lending operations “on an interim Dickinson, the son of Ann formerly served as executive vice presidentt of commercial real estate at Bank Midwest. He succeedds Randy Nay, “who has left the bank,” the compant said in the release. “We’ve got two very well-trained and well-qualified members of the family who owns the stepping up during some challenginbgtimes for, really, the entire John Cox, general counsel for Dickinson Financial, said in an “They are just taking on more responsibilitty and more prominent leadership roles.
” In the past three Dickinson Financial made bank acquisitions in Arizona and Southern California, while Bank Midwest set up loan-productionm operations in the same These now are some of the areads hit hardest by reductions in house Bank Midwest lost $39.5 million in the first quarter, which ended March 31, and $14.2 millio in the fourth quarter, which ended Dec. 31. It had $14.56 million in assets past due at leasr 90 days as ofMarch 31, up 302.1 percent from $3.6 milliomn as of Dec. 31.