All about News Directors

Source: Ad-Hoc-News (Pressemitteilung) (Original Article)

National Life Group announced today the appointment of Edward J. Parry III as executive vice president and chief financial officer. Mr. Parry has been serving as the interim CFO since November.

‘I am pleased to announce Ed’s appointment as our chief financial officer,’ said Thomas H. MacLeay, chairman, president and chief executive officer of National Life Group. ‘Ed has a wealth of experience in financial services and strategic planning.

His seasoned perspective will be of tremendous value as we build on National Life’s nearly 160 years of service.’

Mr. Parry has extensive background in financial services and in the insurance industry, having worked at The Hanover Insurance Group (’Hanover’) in Worcester, Massachusetts (formerly Allmerica Financial) since 1992. Most recently Mr. Parry served as director and executive vice president of Hanover with responsibility for several business units, asset management, finance, claim operations, technology services and corporate development. Hanover is a $2.3 billion property and casualty insurance company with 4,200 employees and operations in 22 states.

‘I am excited to be working with Tom as the Company charts its future. The executive team here is energetic and optimistic and a joy to work with.’

Mr. Parry will assume his post May 1.

About National Life Group

National Life Group is a diversified family of financial service companies that has successfully forged a strong identity as a product innovator. Companies in the group offer a comprehensive portfolio of life insurance, annuity and investment* products to help individuals, families and businesses pursue their financial goals.

National Life, a Fortune 1000 company, serves more than 700,000 customers. With 2007 revenue of $1.4 billion and net income of $109 million, members of National Life Group employ roughly 900 employees, with most located at its home Low Interest Credit Card office in Montpelier, Vt. Group companies …continue reading

Source: StreetInsider.com (subscription) (Original Article)

BETHESDA, Md., April 25 /PRNewswire/ — The American College of Medical
Genetics (ACMG) applauds the signing into law of the Newborn Screening Saves
Lives Act (S.1858) sponsored by Senator Christopher Dodd (D-CT) and 21
co-sponsors including ACMG’s Maryland Senators, Barbara Mikulski (D-MD) and
Benjamin L. Cardin (D-MD). The bill, signed into law by President George W.
Bush on April 24, will expand screenings of newborn babies for congenital,
genetic and metabolic disorders and will authorize a grant program to expand
the funding to state and local health agencies to provide screening,
counseling and health care services to newborns and children having or at risk
for heritable disorders. It also provides for funds for education and
training of health care professionals in new technologies related to newborn
screening and to develop and deliver educational programs about newborn
screening counseling to parents, families and advocacy groups.

“This legislation will undoubtedly save the lives of many children,” says
Michael S. Watson, PhD, FACMG, executive director of the ACMG, which
recommends universal newborn screening for 29 treatable conditions. “Newborn
screening is a vital public health program. Through early screening, diagnosis
and treatment we can prevent the truly dire consequences of a number of
treatable conditions. With the current expansion of newborn screening panels,
it is estimated that about 10,000 of the 4.1 million babies born each year in
the United States will be identified with one of the conditions for which
treatment will have a significant impact on long-term outcome.”

“This bill places resources where they are needed to make the difference
for families across every state in the US. Advances in technology have made
it possible and feasible to test newborns for a number of serious or deadly
conditions. With advances in genetic medicine, it is now possible to diagnose,
and even more importantly, ANZ Visa Debit to treat more diseases than ever …continue reading

Source: International Herald Tribune (Original Article)

FRANKFURT, Germany: Giving farmers in developing countries immediate help to grow more crops should be the focus of efforts to tackle the growing global food crisis, the head of the United Nations food agency said Thursday.

Jacques Diouf, leader of the U.N. Food and Agricultural Organization, said an international meeting in Rome June 3-5 would give the world an opportunity to rethink its policies and act.

“The facts are clear. One, we need to provide food and money so that people have something to eat and to lower the cost for the poor people so that they are getting access to food,” Diouf said in an interview. “Two, we help farmers to get access to what they need to be able to produce.”

He argued that $1.7 billion should be set aside to finance the aid effort.

“Everybody is saying, 'Let's feed the people and let's give more help,' which, of course, is also important,” Diouf said. “But this growing season — the off season in September, October, November — and (the) next growing season should be the focus right now.”

Otherwise, he said, “my impression is that we are just missing the train again.”

To prevent that, he said farmers in developing countries must have immediate access to more seeds, fertilizers and animal feed for the 2008 growing season.

“If we do not help the farmers this season, the problem will worsen.”

At a summit in London Tuesday on the first global food crisis since World War II, World Food Program executive director Josette Sheeran likened it to a silent tsunami, noting that the price of rice has more than doubled since March.

The World Bank estimates that food prices have risen by 83 percent in three years.

The skyrocketing cost of food staples, stoked by rising fuel prices, unpredictable weather and demand from India and China, has already sparked sometimes violent protests in the Caribbean, Africa and Frequent Flyer Cards Asia.

Diouf said that while high demand …continue reading

Source: San Diego Union Tribune (Original Article)

TEHRAN – Iran gave an upbeat assessment on Tuesday of two days of talks with the top investigator of the U.N. atomic energy watchdog, who was looking into Western reports that Iran secretly studied how to design nuclear bombs.

‘The talks with (Olli) Heinonen were positive,’ a senior Iranian nuclear official, who asked not to be named, told Reuters.

Iranian officials had said Heinonen’s visit was intended to advance cooperation between Iran and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the U.N. body investigating Iran’s disputed nuclear ambitions.

Iran says its nuclear programme is a peaceful drive to produce electricity so that the world’s fourth-largest crude exporter can sell more of its oil and gas abroad.

But it has failed to convince the West, which believes Tehran is seeking technology so it can build atomic weapons.

U.S. President George W. Bush and British Prime Minister Gordon Brown last week vowed to prevent Iran from developing a nuclear bomb, possibly by expanding sanctions.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel expressed frustration on Tuesday about the lack of headway in the dispute with Iran.

‘We would welcome it a lot if we could make progress here,’ Merkel said at a joint news conference in Berlin with Qatar Prime Minister Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jabr al-Thani.

‘Unfortunately, we’re not really moving ahead on this,’ she said.

DIPLOMATIC STIR

For his part, Sheikh Hamad urged dialogue rather than punitive measures: ‘Sanctions are counterproductive,’ he said. ‘To us in the region, it is very important that the problem is solved peacefully and not with violence.’
The U.N. Security Council has imposed three sets of limited sanctions on Iran since 2006 because of its inadequate cooperation with IAEA investigations.

Heinonen raised a diplomatic stir in February with a presentation that indicated links in Iran between projects to process uranium, test explosives and modify a ANZ Gold missile cone in a way suitable …continue reading

Source: Thaindian.com (Original Article)

Chennai, April 21 (IANS) City-based consumer durables marketing company ETA Star Appliances Monday launched a range of kitchen appliances under the brand of its Italian partner Indesit. “The total consumer durable market in the region is estimated at Rs.250 billion ($6.25 billion) of which Rs.25 billion will be the premium end,” M. Ejazuddin, director of ETA Star, told reporters here after the launch.

The company expressed the hope that it could garner two percent of the premium-end home appliances segment in the current year.

ETA Star, which has clinched a partnership agreement with Indesit, world’s fifth largest home appliances maker, launched the Moon brand washing machine as well as a range of kitchen appliances, refrigerators and front-loading washing machines.

“The Moon brand washing machine is priced at Rs.30,000. The price of the other appliances starts at Rs.20,000,” Ejazuddin said.

ETA Star will sell the products through retail chains, dealer networks and exclusive showrooms.

“In six months’ time, our products will be present at 600 outlets spread out in 30 major cities here,” remarked Suresh Kumar Bandi, senior general manager-marketing of ETA Star.

The company has earmarked St George Vertigo MasterCard Rs.100 million for marketing and brand building for this fiscal.

Source: Sun.Star (Original Article)

Web

www.sunstar.com.ph

Local News

LGUs told to review orders on public transport

Escalante Peso chief to be probed on ‘private job’

Gasambelo, Sabornay oppose Ceneco’s electrification of NGC

Dole urges NFSP graduates towards self-employment

Monday, April 21, 2008

DEPARTMENT of Labor and Employment (Dole) Regional Director for Western Visayas Aida Estabillo has urged the graduates of the National Federation of Sugarcane Planters (NFSP) Sugar Workers Foundation Livelihood and Technical Skills Training Center to focus not only in finding wage employment but also on self-employment.

About 200 dependents of farm workers and out-of school youth finished their skills training at the NFSP Training Center, bringing the total number of beneficiaries to more than 3,200 graduates since it began operations in 2002.

Arroyo Watch: Sun.Star blog on President Arroyo

The graduation rites were held at the NFSP compound in Alijis, Bacolod City.

The graduates learned highly employable skills in shielded metal arc welding, automotive servicing, building wiring installation, computer operations and food processing. The training and materials were provided for free. Those who live outside Bacolod were also provided with daily stipend for their food and transportation as well as free lodging, which are shared on a 50-50 basis by the NFSP Foundation and the sponsoring NFSP member planter association/cooperative.

Estabillo explained how the graduates could avail of government programs geared towards promoting entrepreneurship among skilled workers. She also lauded the NFSP for helping the government provide skills training and promote employment for the less privileged.

NFSP Vice President for Western Visayas Jaime Golez welcomed the guests led by Estabillo, Technical Educational Skills and Development Authority (Tesda) Drew Carey dvd Negros Occidental Director Yolanda Porschwitz, Elias …continue reading

Source: Sun.Star (Original Article)

Web

www.sunstar.com.ph

Local News

18 ‘hot’ cars seized in raid

Jan-jan to seek court help on hospital surgery records

Dealers pass off some cars as new?

Cordova looms as bone of contention: Nerissa, Tomas both want it

Harassed wants papers to show abuser was fired

32 test takers storm CIDG office

I’ll be busier but I won’t lose focus on Cebu City: Rama

DILG’s Ruiz takes cudgels for city college

Lawmaker bats for policies to solve rice crisis, population boom in RP

Murder cases up

Man tagged in killing of dancer jailed

Let lawyer-drug suspect face regular trial: PDEA

Test shows 3 tanods used drugs

Police investigates ‘rape’ of girl, 7, by 11-year-old

3 youths reported missing from center

Barber shot dead by man on motorcycle

Sunday, April 20, 2008

A CEBU-BASED businessman wants the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) in Central Visayas to investigate his complaint against an auto dealer.

Albert Lim, in a letter to DTI 7 Director Asteria Caberte, said the incident constitutes a violation of the Consumer Act and other trade and industry laws.

He furnished the DTI a copy of a separate letter-complaint he sent to the Cebu City Office of Toyota Philippines Inc.

The scam, Atty. Jade Ponce said, involves the tampering of importation records to fool buyers into believing that a car, which has probably been sitting in a showroom for months, just recently arrived from the manufacturer.

Jose Cuenco, Toyota Cebu general manager, said the matter is already being investigated. He added that the person in question has been placed under preventive suspension. He said they also tried to contact Lim to ask how best to proceed.

He said the sale did not push through and that they are willing to return the deposit Lim paid if he wants it back. BankWest Credit Cards

Lim, Ponce said, stumbled into …continue reading

Source: Phoenix Business Journal (subscription) (Original Article)

Sweet Leaf Tea is one of the fastest-growing makers of ready-to-drink iced teas and sells its products on a national level through grocery chains such as Whole Foods Market, Kroger and Safeway.

The Austin-based company is on its way to becoming an industry giant. But when the tea maker’s in-house design team put their heads together about a year ago to come up with a new look and feel for the company they asked themselves a simple question: What would granny do?

They thought about the grandmotherly- figure stamped on every bottle’s label, and put themselves in the shoes of the cartoon character. She wouldn’t want "her" tea empire to get too big for it’s britches, so the design team’s mission was settled.

Regardless of its growth, Sweet Leaf — which just snagged $18 million to expand distribution — needed to project an image of approachability, says Michelle Weisblat, director of marketing. "Approachable" has always been the Gold Credit Card first adjective in describing Sweet Leaf’s culture, she adds.

Source: On Faith (Original Article)

Catholics don’t argue about abortion or the death penalty nearly as much as they argue about what music is sung (or not sung, or used to be sung) at their local Sunday Mass. It was ever thus — at least since the 1960s, when Sister first shortened her habit, strummed a G7 chord and, to Amex Cards hear some Catholics tell it, all heck broke loose.

Source: Sky News (Original Article)

Juventus are weighing up an offer for Arsenal midfielder Mathieu Flamini, according to sporting director Alessio Secco.

Flamini is out of contract at Emirates Stadium in the summer and has yet to agree terms on an extension.

The France international has previously stated his wish to stay with the Gunners, despite repeated murmurings of interest from Juventus.

Arsene Wenger claimed earlier this month that the Italian giants had been in touch to say they had no plans to sign the 23-year-old.

However, Secco has now conceded that Juventus are assessing the possibility of enticing Flamini to Serie A on a free transfer.

Thinking

“Arsenal tried to sell Flamini to Birmingham and today Wenger will be happy that he wasn’t able to do so,” Secco told Tuttosport.

“At the moment, we haven’t made an offer, we are thinking about that.”

Flamini did appear to be on his way out of Arsenal last summer, only to grasp his chance to establish himself as Cesc Fabregas’ midfield partner.

He is currently sidelined with an ankle injury, but has impressed in a holding role american dad dvd after replacing Gilberto Silva as a regular in the team.