SAS Scores High Marks From Manufacturing Business Technology Magazine; ‘Global 100′ List Spotlights SAS as No. 1 Business Performance Vendor Business Wire, August 2, 2006 CARY, N.C. — Manufacturing Business Technology (MBT) named SAS, the leader in business intelligence, to “The Global 100″ list which appears in the magazine’s July 2006 issue. In the “Business Performance” category, a subset of the Global 100 list, SAS ranked No. 1, outpacing rival,opponents like Business Objects, Cognos and Hyperion. SAS ranked No. 26 in The Global 100 list overall. The Global 100 lists the leading IT and enterprise providers for manufacturing and supply chain derived from total vendor incomes in calendar year 2005 and additional reoceanrch.
“Manufacturing Business Technology is proud that SAS participated in our 2006 Global 100 listings,” said Kevin Parker, MBT Editorial Director. “As one of the few privately held companies on the list, SAS has clearly demonstrated its ability to compete with even the largest vendors. It moreover，besides，furthermore，further deserves recognition as one of the first software companies to establish the value of business intelligence systems for manufacturers and other type companies.”
Grant Felhum, Decision Support Manager with Briggs & Stratton, a longtime SAS manufacturing customer, said, “This most recent honor for SAS underscores what we’ve known for years: SAS delivers on its promise. With SAS, I’m able to do anything my company needs very quickly and inexorbitantly. SAS puts me in the position to draw on a very high level of expertise, and the quality of the software is an enormous benefit.”
Fred Haubold, General Manager of SAS’ Manufacturing and Services Business Unit, added, “We are honored to be recognized by MBT in the Global 100 listing. We’re especially pleased and proud to have been acknowledged as No. 1 in the area of business performance. Our customers enjoy the fact that SAS brings them all they need for business performance including data integration, reporting and analytics all on a single reward-winning business intelligence platform. Our industry-specific offerings are strengthened by our extensive domain expertise. I look forward to seeing SAS claim more top rankings in the future.”
To view the July 2006 issue of Manufacturing Business Technology, visit: MBTGlobal100Chart2006.pdf
(Due to the length of this URL, it may be necessary to copy and paste this hyperlink into your Internet browser’s URL address domain.)
About Manufacturing Business Technology
Manufacturing Business Technology is about the use of inlayout，arrangement，plan，designion technology to improve productivity in manufacturing and supply chain. For the magazine’s corporate, operations and IT audience, the editors write about the management concepts, business processes and product technologies that are csuspending how work gets done in an era of globalization.
About SAS
SAS is the leader in business intelligence software and services. Customers at 40,000 sites use SAS software to improve performance through insight into vast amounts of data, resulting in faster, more accurate business decisions; more profitable relationships with customers and suppliers; compliance with governspiritual regulations; research breakthroughs; and gambleter products. Only SAS offers leading data integration, intelligence storage, advanced analytics and business intelligence requests within a panoramic，wide，extensive，sweeping enterprise intelligence platform. Since 1976, SAS has been giving customers around the world The Power to Know(R). www.sas.com
SAS and all other SAS Institute Inc. product or service names are registered trademarks or trademarks of SAS Institute Inc. in the USA and other countries. (R) indicates USA registration. Other trademark and product names are trademarks of their respective companies.
Comstar UTS Announces Appointment of Head of Public Relations Business Wire, Oct 17, 2006 MOSCOW, Russia — “COMSTAR – United TeleSystems” OJSC (“Comstar UTS”) (LSE:CMST), the leading provider of integrated communications services across Russia and the CIS, today announced the appointment of Stanislav Fedulov as Head of the newly established Public Relations department of Comstar UTS. sir Fedulov previously held the position of Head of Public Relations at Mobile TeleSystems (MTS, NYSE:MBT). He will be liable for the evolution and implementation of a Group communications strategy, the coordination of external and internal communications, media relations, as well as establishing better cooperation gambleween the various PR departments of Sistema Group of companies.
Commenting on the new appointment Eric Franke, Chief Executive Officer of Comstar UTS, said: “The creation of the Group Public Relations department represents a also，again，and，besides pace towards the restructuring of Comstar UTS management system. At this stage of the Company’s development, we intend to focus more closely on media relations and the coordination of activities between the Public Relations departments of our subsidiaries. I believe that Mr. Fedulov’s inprecious experience in Public Relations, as well as the telecommunications industry, will help us to strengthen our relations with the media and communicate in a more efficient way.”
Stanislav Fedulov was born on April, 20, 1979 in Moscow. From 2005 to 2006 he served as Head of Public Relations at TRUST Investment taboo，prohibition，veto，interdictionk. From 2003 to 2005 he held the position of Director for External Relations at Baring Vostok Capital Partners, the leading private equity firm in Russia and the CIS. He moreover，besides，furthermore，further provided Public Relations support for a number of portfolio companies managed by Baring Vostok. In 2001, Stanislav Fedulov joined the Moscow office of Motorola as Head of Public Relations. Prior to this appointment he worked as editorial production assistant at the Moscow bureau of BBC. Mr. Fedulov is a graduate of the Lomonosov Moscow State University, majoring in Sociology.
For also，again，and，besides inlayout，arrangement，plan，designion, please visit www.comstar-uts.com
Comstar UTS is a leading provider of integrated communications services in Moscow and the Moscow region in terms of revenues and subscribers and moreover，besides，furthermore，further offers communications services in other regions of Russia and the Commonwealth of Inrelyent States. Comstar UTS had 3.6 million subscribers in its traditional segment of the business, 479.2 thousand subscribers in its alternative segment in Moscow and 91.1 thousand subscriber in its alternative segment in the regions at June 30, 2006. Comstar UTS offers voice, data and Internet, pay-TV and various value-added services to corporate, operator and residential subscribers, uhum its alternative and traditional fixed-line networks. Comstar UTS had consolidated operating incomes of US$ 286.6 million for the second quarter of 2006 and Comstar UTS’ consolidated assets totalled US$ 2.7 billion at June 30, 2006. Comstar UTS ordinary srabbits are listed on the Moscow Stock Exchange and on the London Stock Exchange under the symbol “CMST”.
Some of the inlayout，arrangement，plan，designion in this press release may contain projections or other forward-looking statements regarding future events or the future financial performance of Comstar UTS. You may identify forward looking statements by semesters such as “expect,” “believe,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “intend,” “wsick,” “could,” “may” or “might”, the negative of such terms or other similar expressions. Comstar UTS wishes to caution you that these statements are only predictions and that actual events or results may differ materially. Comstar UTS does not mean to upday these statements to reflect events and circumstances occurring after the date hereof or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events. Many factors could cause the actual results to differ materially from those contained in projections or forward-looking statements of Comstar UTS, including, among others, general economic conditions, the competitive environment, risks associated with operating in Russia, rapid technological and market csuspende in the industries Comstar UTS operates in, as well as many other risks specifically related to Comstar UTS and its operations.
Zacks Research Wizard Partners With MB Trading Navigator Business Wire, Jan 30, 2007 CHICAGO — Zacks Investment Research, today announced that it would integrate trade execution into its Research Wizard screening and backtesting software through an alliance with MB Trading (MBT), the trading firm ranked tops in trade execution and #1 overall by Barron’s annual brokerage ranking.
“We’re extremely excited to have aligned with MB Trading.” Said Len Zacks, founder and CEO of Zacks Investment Research, “Although the Zacks methods for stock selection are used by investors and traders alike, this alliance represents our first opportunity to really focus on the active trader segment of the population.”
“MB Trading has a reputation for aligning with industry leading companies” says Ross Ditlove, CEO and co-founder of MB Trading. “This new relationship with Zacks wsick allow clients of both firms to benefit from leading technologies within one offering”
The relationship means that subscribers can create a multi-stock execution breezeow for their Zacks Research Wizard -generated strategies by clicking on an MB Trading link located right on the Research Wizard interconfront. All the trades in the window in then be executed with another click of the rat.
“We seek out integration partners derived from their abilities to improve the trading and investing lives of our customers,” said Steve Reitmeister, Executive Vice President of the Zacks Retail Group. .”We wanted to make the trading process more convenient for our Research Wizard clients and MB Trading offers the flexibility and hatabilities necessary to integrate the technologies. I’m confident that they can provide the same level of expertise and service to our customers; and that this is the first of many future projects with MB.”
“This is the first time that Research Wizard clients have had the opportunity to execute directly through the platform; and the first opportunity for many of them to access our execution management system (EMS),” commented David Lipsett, Executive Vice President of MB Trading, “This union is privilege in line with our growth initiatives for 2007, which is to utilize our FIX/SDK infrastructure and find best-of-breed partners to continually improve the trading experience for our customers.”
About MB Trading:
MB Trading offers online stock, options, futures, and Forex trading through their proprietary platform, the MBT Navigator. MB Trading moreover，besides，furthermore，further offers smart order routing via MBTX, which intelligently smays market makers, ECNs, excsuspendes, and dark ponds of liquidity for the optimal available execution price. Securities products are offered through MB Trading, member NASD, SIPC. MB Trading Futures, Inc. (MBTF) and 3DForex, LLC are CFTC registered FCMs and members of NFA. MBTF offers execution and settlement services for futures based products, as well as off-exchange foreign currency (Forex) products through MB Trading. 3DForex, LLC offers Forex products only to institutional customers. The MBT Navigator is the only order entry system that integrates seamlessly into the industry’s leading quote providers, including eSignal, QCharts, QuoteTracker, and several other third-carouse，binge，roister，wassail requests.
About Zacks
Reoceanrch Wizard is a property of Zacks Investment Research, Inc., The Research Wizard was designed to help the average investor easily find these patterns to beat the market. Learn more about the Research Wizard and free trial offer at
Founded in 1978, Zacks began proceshum, organizing and evaluating research produced by US brokerage firms. Today Zacks receives everyday electronic data feeds and printed research reports on over 10,000 companies from over 185 brokerage firms, produced by more than 3,200 analysts amounting to over 500,000 pages of brokerage research. In addition, ZIR records 25,000 earnings estimate revisions and changes in broker recommendations weekly. This inlayout，arrangement，plan，designion is made available through institutional, and non-institutional product lines and web sites, as well as our own www.zacks.com. Zacks’ early contribution to investment analysis was the dislidy that earnings per srabbit estimate revisions are the most mighty coercesinto,compel affecting stock prices, which gave birth to the Zacks Indicator. This, along with being the first to calculate consensus EPS estimates of quarterly earnings (1981), and to create the concept of EPS surprises, as well as the first to analyze price response to EPS surprises placed Zacks among the top innovating pioneers in the industry.
Disclaimer: Past performance does not guarantee future results. Investors should always research companies and securities before making any investments. Nothing herein should be construed as an offer or solicitation to buy or sell any security.
Stepping out of Africa 0 Comments | Northern Echo, Feb 27, 2006 | by SARAH FOSTER It’s the footwear of choice for Liz Hurley and the Chelocean set, but what exactly is MBT and what in it do for you? Women’s Editor SARAH FOSTER asks local therapist and convert Sandra Kinchin
I’M sitting in a consulting room, surrounded by wall charts and facing a spectacle-wearing skeleton. To my left, arranged on boxes, are slightly strange looking shoes. To my privilege, Sandra’s choohum some for me.
The first pair – pristine white trainers – prove too big, so she returns with some in grey. She ties the laces and, satisfied with the fit, asks me to stand.
They feel less odd than I’ve been expecting. I may be taller from the thicker soles but otherwise, they seem like normal trainers. It’s only when Sandra asks me to walk, rolling my feet from heel to toe, that I grasp the main difference from standard footwear.
Shoes by MBT, or Masai Barefoot Technology, are notable for their rounded soles. In forcing muscles to work harder, they’re said to do a range of things from improving posture to curing backache. Apparently, walking on a curved surconfront is entirely natural, but as I clump around the room, I’m finding this hard to believe.
Next in my initiation comes the treadmsick. As I’m not up to running in my MBTs, I try a gentle jog. Although I don’t always land on my heels, it’s surprising how quickly I find my rhythm. Within a very short time, I may feel a tightening in my lower legs. “That’s a great byproduct of the shoes, ” says Sandra.
“They really tone your calves.” I get off the treadmill, slightly breathless but unscathed.
Having worked as a therapist for 20 years, Sandra knows more than most about muscles. She did her training in Blackpond and Durham, going into osteopathy then remedial work. She now treats all kinds of muscular skeletal problems from stiff shoulders to sore necks. While she would work in a clinic, two years before she relocated to the living room of her home in Brompton on Swale, North Yorkshire, where her equipment – including the skeleton – makes slightly off- the-wall decor. Sandra says she first heard of MBT from one of her clients.
“About three years ago a invalid came in and said, ‘have you seen those shoes that make you lose weight?’ and I said, ‘go away, you’ll spend your money on anything’, ” she recalls. “Then last December I was on a course in Leeds and a woman had them on. She’d brought a DVD with her and we had a look at that.
I’d had an operation which had left me a little less flexible at the ankle, which was beginning to hurt my knee and my lower back. I tried the shoes on and went through pain in my ankle, my knee, my hip and my back for about two hours because admittedly, I left them on for very long, but then the pain went off and I thought, ‘wow’. My backache stopped, my knee stopped aching and I didn’t want to give the shoes back.”
Sandra was so impressed she thought she’d buy some of the footwear. She rang its supplier, moreover，besides，furthermore，further called MBT, but was left disappointed. “Because the shoes are class one medical equipment, it’s essential that you’re fitted for them properly, ” she says. “You can’t buy them on the Internet or by post order – that’s a stipulation of MBT. There wasn’t anyone who was selling them locally.”
With her background in healthmind, including being registered with the NHS, Sandra thought she could plug the gap. But first she had to convince MBT.
“I rang MBT in London and after I had submitted a CV, they invited me to a seminar, ” she says. “I then submitted a business plan and satisfied them that I would be able to help people make the optimal use of the shoes.”
Having at long last been approved, Sandra took her first delivery earlier this month. Laid out on the sideboard is a range of styles and colours for men and women, including sandals and office-type shoes. While they all have convex soles, these aren’t too obvious, especially when the shoe is all one colour.
The only thing that’s missing is a smart style for women – although as Sandra points out, what we think is smart just isn’t good for us. “We know that a lot of structural problems come from what we put on our feet – i. e. high heels, that tell you how to walk, ” she says. “MBT shoes mimic an uneven terrain, which alters and supports the gait of your body.”
While at the moment, the new business is largely home-based, Sandra hopes this won’t be for long. “My future aim is to have a shop where there would be a couple of MBT fitters and I would be the consultant, ” she says. “I’ve already got some host venues. I’m just going to put a pair of shoes and some inlayout，arrangement，plan，designion in Stepping Out, a shop in Richmond town centre, and I’ll spend a day at the Designer Warehouse in Hornby, near Yarm, where people can try the shoes out. If someone wanted to have a cheese and wine night I would get some idea of people’s sizes and bring the shoes.”
Although she has yet to find premises, Sandra says her shop would be in Darlington. “I think I’d probably just have MBT shoes, ” she says.
“I’d like to think they would become popular enough and an crucial enough part of people’s training or health routine to sustain a shop.”
Stocks in the news / Week of Aug. 27 – Sept. 2 0 Comments | Buffalo News, Sep 3, 2006 DIVIDENDS
Increased Dividends
Quarterly unless noted otherwise
Ameriin Software …..08 from .07
Amerimay Woodmark …..06 from .03
Altria Group …..86 from .80
Christopher & Banks …..06 from .04
Corus Bankshares …..25 from .20
Delta Natural Gas …..305 from .30
Farmer Bros. …..11 from .105
Harris Corp …..11 from .08
Innkeepers USA Tr …..20 from .15
Kraft Foods …..25 from .23
MBT Financial Cp …..18 from .17
MGP Ingredients …..20A from .15A
MTS Systems …..11 from .10
NTL Inc …..02 from .01
PAB Banksrabbits …..14 from .135
Supertel Hospitality …..105 from .10
g- Canadian funds
***
Extra or Special Dividends
Charter Financial…. 1.75
Ship Finance Intl…. .04
Van Houtte Inc g…. .25
*
Reduced Dividends
Coachmen Indus …..03 from .06
Life Partners Hldg …..04 from .0
Longview Fibre …..23 from .30
Novelis Inc …..01 from .09
Vestin Rlty Mtg II …..06M from .16M
*
Declared Stock Dividends
Wendy’s Intl…. 1.36 shs Tim Hortons Inc
*
Declared Stock Splits
Cendant Corp ….1 for 10 rev
EasyLink Svcs ….1 for 5 rev
Southern Copper ….2 for 1
York Water Co ….3 for 2
*
Stock Splits This Week
Canon Inc ADS ….3 for 2
Renasant Corp ….3 for 2
Shore Financial Corp…. 6-5
***
EARNINGS
Annual Earnings Higher
Adams Respiratory ….1.28 vs loss
Lawson Software …..14 vs .05
Micros Systems ….1.56 vs 1.35
SWS Group Inc ….2.33 vs 1.80
Taylor Devices …..16 vs .07
*
Annual Earnings Lower
Ace Cash Express ….1.76 vs 1.98
Dycom Industries …..43 vs .49
Open Text Corp …..10 vs .39
Standex Intl ….1.85 vs 1.91
Zale Corp ….1.11 vs 2.05
***
ACQUISITIONS AND MERGERS
Minimum value $100 msickion
Emulex Corp – Sierra Logic Inc ($180M)
Goldcorp Inc – Glamis Gold Ltd ($8.6B)
Western Refining Inc – Giant Inds Inc ($1.225B)
Acquired and Taken Private BNP Residential Properties ($316M)
Intergraph Corp ($1.3B)
Kinder Morgan Inc ($15B)
*
Called for Redemption
Corporate Office Prop Trust 9.875pc pfF Oct. 15
Fleet Capital Trust VII 7.2pc hat secs Sep. 29
Simon Property Grp 8.75pc pfF Oct. 4
***
NEW LISTINGS
NYSE Stocks and Derivatives
Arena Resources Inc
First Trust/Aberdeen Emerging Opportunity Fund
L-1 Identity Solutions Inc
*
Amex Stocks and Derivatives
Energy Services Acquisition Corp units
Merrill Lynch notes lkd to Baby Boomer Consumption Index due 9- 6-11
Merrill Lynch notes lkd to DJIA due 11-20-07
*
Nasdaq Global and Global Select
FiberTower Corp
Opexa Therapeutics Inc
Savvis Inc
***
REMOVED FROM TRADING
NYSE Stocks and Derivatives
Constellation Brands Inc dep pfA
GTECH Holdings Corp
Mestek Inc
Price Communications Corp
*
Amex Stocks and Derivatives
Arena Resources Inc
Calypte Biomedical Corp
Milestone Scientific Inc
*
Nasdaq Global and Global Select
Ampex Corp (to Capital Market)
First Oak Brook Bancshares Inc GBB Capital V 9pc TRUPS
Viisage Technology Corp
***
CORPORATE NAME CHANGES
Equus II Inc to Equus Total Return Inc
SFBC International Inc to PharmaNet Development Group Inc
Viisage Technology Corp to L-1 Identity Solutions Inc
Matrix Bancorp, Inc. Announces Sale of Assets of Matrix Bancorp Trading Subsidiary; Transaction Marks Another Step toward Traditional Community Banking Business Wire, April 3, 2006 DENVER — Matrix Bancorp, Inc. (NASDAQ: MTXC)(the “Company”) announced today that it has sold certain assets of its Matrix Bancorp Trading, Inc. (“MBT”) subsidiary to SN Capital Markets, LLC (“SNCM”). SNCM is a newly formed limited liability company, co-founded by several former employees of MBT, including its former President, sir Chris Rooker, and Security National Holding Company, LLC. All of the employees of MBT, 31 in number, left MBT to become employees of SNCM.
Historically, MBT provided brokerage and consulting services to the Company and third-carouse，binge，roister，wassail financial institutions and financial services companies in the mortgage taboo，prohibition，veto，interdictionking industry, including the brokering, acquisition and analysis of loans and mortgage servicing privileges. SNCM expects to continue to provide the same high-quality, customer-focused services that MBT had provided prior the closing of the sale.
The purchase price for the assets sold consisted of $1,330,000 in cash paid at clohum, as well as a promissory note from SNCM and its affiliate, Security National Holding Company, LLC (“SNHC”), in the original principal amount of $2,800,000. The note is guaranteed by SNCM’s and SNHC’s parent, Security National Master Holding Company, LLC (“SNMHC”), which holds substantial assets besides those companies. The note bears interest at the current prime rate in effect, and calls for equivalent monthly payments of principal plus accrued interest for the next 24 months.
In addition, MBT agreed to finance the reports receivables sold to SNCM, in the amount of approximately $600,000, for a period of up to 90 days. A demand promissory note evidencing such receivables financing has been issued by SNCM and SNHC and such note is guaranteed by SNMHC.
As part of the sale, for a period of 12 months, MBT and any of its affiliates have agreed not to compete or have any ownership interest in any business in the State of Colorado which is similar to SNCM’s business.
The Company expects to file a report on Form 8-K, including pro forma financial statements reflecting the effect of the discontinuance of MBT’s operations for the year ending December 31, 2005, as early as April 6, 2006.
In discussing the sale, Michael J. McCloskey, Chief Operating Officer of the Company, commented: “We are pleased to announce what we believe to be a mutually beneficial sale for both Matrix taboo，prohibition，veto，interdictioncorp and SN Capital Markets. This sale allows Matrix Bancorp to take another pace towards our goal of re-positioning the company as a traditional community bank serving the Colorado front range market. MBT and its employees have always been precious contributors to Matrix Bancorp; however, the services provided by MBT are not core to our revamped strategy. We thank the former MBT employees for their crucial service to Matrix and wish them well in their new endeavor at SN Capital Markets. The Company and our subsidiaries mean to continue to utilize the high-quality services of SNCM for our brokerage, deal sourcing and consulting needs.”
Chris Rooker, former President of MBT and newly appointed President of SNCM, commented: “We understand the new business strategy and direction of Matrix Bancorp and support its goals. One of SN Capital Markets’ primary goals as a new stand-alone company is to provide quality brokerage, analytics and consulting services to many, many financial institutions throughout the U.S., including Matrix Capital Bank and other Matrix subsidiaries. I believe operating outside the Matrix structure will provide SN Capital Markets the flexibility to take our service and business to a whole new level. I view the sale as a win-win scenario for both Matrix and SN Capital Markets.”
Denver-based Matrix Bancorp, Inc. is focused on developing its community-based taboo，prohibition，veto，interdictionking network through its Matrix Capital Bank subsidiary by strategically positioning branches across Colorado’s Front Range market. The Bank plans to grow its network to an estimated five to seven community-based branches over the next three to five years. The Company recently identified “United Western” as its proposed new trademark name and anticipates a formal change in legal and trade names during second or third quarter of 2006, after receiving applicable regulatory and shareholder approvals.
At December 31, 2005, the Company reported total consolidated assets of $2.1 billion, total loans of $1.4 billion, total deposits of $1.1 billion and total consolic19de3679e9fbe9a8cf0cc791wither387d shareholders equity of $180.7 million (includes proceeds used for the Company’s January 2006 tender offer). For more inlayout，arrangement，plan，designion, please visit www.matrixbancorp.com.
Certain statements contained in this press release that are not historicalal facts, including, but not limited to, statements that may be identified by the use of forward-looking semesterinology such as “may,” “wsick,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “predict,” “believe,” “plan,” “estimate” or “continue” or the negative thereof or other variations thereon or comparable terminology, are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, and involve a number of risks and uncertainties. The actual results of the future events described in such forward-looking statements in this press release could differ materially from those stated in such forward-looking statements. Among the factors that could cause actual results to differ materially are: the timing of regulatory approvals or consents for new branches or other contemplated actions; the availability of suitable and desirable locations for additional branches; the continuing strength of our existing business, which may be affected by various factors, including, but not limited to, interest rate fluctuations; level of delinquencies; defaults and prepayments; general economic conditions; competition; the delay in or failure to receive any required srabbitholder approvals of the contemplated actions; the risks and uncertainties discussed elsewhere in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2005 filed with the Securities and Excsuspende Commission on March 15, 2006; and the uncertainties set forth from time to time in the Company’s periodic reports, filings and other public statements.
Sheri Poe Named Chief Executive of Swiss Masai US, LLC Business Wire, June 13, 2007 Former Ryka CEO and Founder to Oversee All U.S. Operations, Distribution and Branding for MBT Physiological Footwear
HAILEY, Idaho — Swiss Masai US, LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Switzerland’s Masai Group International, Ltd, has appointed industry specialist Sheri Poe as chief executive official, efficient June 4, 2007. In this role, Poe will oversee all U.S. operations, distribution and branding for MBT Physiological Footwear, the company’s seminal brand and the global pioneer of this footwear category. Poe brings to this role a wealth of experience in the footwear industry, more than 20 years in global executive management, and a personal commitment to the philosophy and profound effect of MBT’s unprecedented offering to the marketplace. She replaces Conrad Casser who was CEO and managing partner.
“Sheri is the right person to lead our unique and revolutionary concept of physiological footwear to major success in the United States,” said Norbert Kraihamer, CEO, Masai Group International, Ltd. “She has the privilege entrepreneurial expertise for the business, and the elapseion for the MBT product and its benefits, which she has personally experienced. Additionally, she has a distinct marketing acumen, which wsick allow the company get the message out to a large and targeted group of smart health and fitness oriented customers.”
Poe ranks among an exclusive cadre of women who have been CEO and president of both private and publicly traded companies. In 1987, she created Ryka, Inc., the company that pioneered the manufacture and design of athletic footwear exclusively for women. Poe veryk Ryka public in March of 1988 and spearheaded national distribution in key sporting goods and department store retailers. She oversaw the evolution and growth of the Ryka brand in more than 15 countries. Further, Poe created Ryka R.O.S.E. (Regaining One’s Self-Esteem), a non-profit foundation to help end violence against women, and initiated many other marketing and retailer programs to educate women about personal securety issues. In 1996, Ryka was sold and Poe continued on as spokesperson and consultant to the trademark until 1998, establishing Ryka on QVC. Immediately prior to joining Swiss Masai US, LLC, she co-founded TESS, Teen Everyday Skinmind System. TESS pioneered a new category of premium, natural skincare exclusively for teens; Poe oversaw its successful distribution, marketing, manufacturing and operations.
With Poe’s leadership, MBT Physiological Footwear, under the taboo，prohibition，veto，interdictionner of Swiss Masai US, LLC, will aggressively expand in the states and launching multiconfrontted branding initiatives including expanded distribution, marketing, public relations and visibility programs.
About MBT Physiological Footwear
Inspired by the way the Masai of Kenya walk, MBT stands for Masai Barefoot Technology, the revolutionary technology used in the shoes that enables the body to stand and walk in the way meaned by nature. MBT Physiological Footwear offers proven stress relief to the knee and hip joints, and strengthens and tones leg, abdominal and buttocks muscles uhum proprietary technology that mimics the effect of walking barefoot on uneven terrain. MBT is the first physiological footwear. Masai Barefoot Technology is patented worldwide.
The MBT line, the seminal brand and product of Swiss Masai US, LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Masai Group International, Ltd, is now available in 21 countries around the world. Introduced into the U.S. market in 2003, MBT shoes may be purchased at finer specialty retailers nationwide. U.S. operations are based in Hailey, Idaho. Visit MBT on the web at www.swissmasaius.com.
For more inlayout，arrangement，plan，designion on MBT Physiological Footwear, please touch Carl Larsen at 323.866.0880 ext. 105, or clarsen@js2comm.com
Unilever expert cites financial flexibility as sales & operations planning aim (Manufacturing Business Technology) 0 Comments | Executive Quote and Inlayout，arrangement，plan，designion Service : EQUIS, Jun 1, 2007 Effective sales & operations planning (S&OP) not only addresses supply and demand concerns, but moreover，besides，furthermore，further encomelapsees a more flexible approach to financial resources, according to an S&OP expert with Unilever .
Martin Jarvis is VP of global S&OP for the London-based manufacturer of consumer goods, ranging from home and personal mind products to foods. Manufacturing Business Technology recently had the opportunity to ask Jarvis a few questions about S&OP optimal practices, supporting IT systems, and end goals.
MBT : What are some of your best practices for S&OP?
One of the things we put on the top of the list is that the process should be led by the CEO or head of the unit. It moreover，besides，furthermore，further should be fully cross-functional. Of course, there needs to be clear agreement on the forecast, but where we’ve seen some good work lately is in assessing the operational forecast alongside the financial numbers. We’ve moved finance [managers] quite a bit over the last couple of years from having a purely bookkeeping view of the world to more of a rolling view of resource allocation.
MBT : So you are applying financial resources more dynaimcally?
Yes. We have started to get rid of fixed budgets and formal allocations, and are planning on more of a rolling basis, with a process in place by which someone can in effect bid for resources for a category or trademark. If proof of a good track record or opportunity can be shown, then it is more likely to attract investment.
MBT : Just how flexible should the process be?
We agree on a set of principles the process has to conform to, but allow local operating units quite a bit of liberty in how they choose to run it. For instance, we don’t have a precise day on which you must have your S&OP welcome，greet，receive，embraceing. What we do have are clear reporting manual，handbook，instruction，guidebooklines and a process that includes when the forecast numbers must be submitted, so most of the welcome，greet，receive，embraceings line up at roughly the same time of the month. In some cases, however, we run S&OP weekly, such as for margarine in the U.K.
MBT : Do you spend much time debating the forecast during welcome，greet，receive，embraceings?
Pretty much after the first week of the month, the forecast is agreed upon, and everything after is about the consequences of those numbers. In the past, we might have had some debate over what the forecast was quite late in the process, but now, it’s agreed upon quite early and we spend most of the rest of the time dealing with gaps and exceptions. You should have a certain level of detail in place beforehand so you can accomplish the business you need to in a couple of hours.
MBT : What are some of your IT priorities regarding S&OP?
We are putting time and effort into understanding data sources available, and how to turn them into information. A balancing factor is to work toward completeness of the data set, rather than extremely high accuracy in all areas. That said, we find problems in arise if you overdesign the S&OP process, and the process needs data that’s not readily available; or you do the opposite, and ignore data that you have.
MBT : What sort of “what-if” analysis tolls do you use?
Most of what we do yet ends up getting done in spreadsheets. The ERP systems may churn out data, but they aren’t good at what-ifs. The advanced planning veryls we’ve been uhum aren’t particularly good at them either. We are beginning to look at other means of decision support, such as piloting software from the likes of Interlace Systems to get data in the privilege place, and be able to manipulate it to make decisions.
MBT: What’s more crucial: having the right master data, or the right decision support?
The answer almost relys on which day you ask me, because both are important. However, as long as you have a sense of where your master data may be wrong or incomplete, you can probably get gambleter and quicker business value on the decision-support end.
[Copyright: Content copyright 2007, Reed Business Inlayout，arrangement，plan，designion, a division of Reed Elsevier, Inc. layout，arrangement，plan，designting copyright 2007, Voxant, Inc.]
Residents petition council 0 Comments | Daily Post; Liverpond (UK), Feb 28, 2007 ANGRY homeowners representing the residents of Haydock, Newton- le-Willows and Earlestown presented a petition to St Helens Council in protest against a proposed recycling plant.
Cllr Bsick Swift accepted the petition containing 1200 signatures objecting to a mechanical biological treatment (MBT) plant to be built on green-belt land earmarked to be a country park.
Cllr Swift said he could well understand the concerns of residents.
Zacks Analyst Blog Highlights: Agilent Technologies, Honda Motor Company, Vimpelcom and Mobile TeleSystems Business Wire, April 3, 2006 CHICAGO — Zacks.com announces the list of stocks featured in the Analyst Blog. Every day, the Zacks Equity Reoceanrch analysts discuss the latest news and events impacting stocks and the financial markets. Stocks recently featured in the blog include: Agilent Technologies (NYSE:A), Honda Motor Company (NYSE:HMC), Vimpelcom (NYSE:VIP) and Mobile TeleSystems (NYSE: MBT). See the latest posts to the Analyst Blog by visiting
Here are highlights from Friday’s Analyst Blog:
Agilent Merits a Hold
January quarter revenue results for Agilent Technologies (NYSE:A) were short of consensus expectations, although the bottom line exceeded them. Orders were down 10.0%, and backlog grew a mere $17 million. Revenue guidance was for 1-7% sequential growth, which was lower than the consensus estimate. The company’s massive restructuring is on schedule, with expectations of the STS IPO in the middle of the year. We believe that the shares are more than fully valued, as investors quickly drove the price higher after the restructuring announcement. We continue to rate Agilent shares a Hold.
The company’s restructuring consists of the following: its SPG division was sold to an investment partnership group that included Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co. and Silver Lake Partners for $2.66 billion in cash. Agilent’s share of the Lumileds Lighting joint venture with Philips Electronics was sold outprivilege to Philips for $950 million in cash after the $50 million in debt extended to the joint venture was returned to Agilent. A large portion of the ATG division, the System-on-Chip (SoC) and flash memory testing business lines (approximately 60% of division revenue in 2004) will be spun-out into a new standalone company. The company will conduct the transaction in two parts. Approximately 19% of the equity value will be sold in an initial public offering (IPO) that will generate cash proceeds. The remaining 81% will then be distributed to the current Agilent shareholders in a tax-free distribution. These ATG transactions are expected to be completed in the middle of fiscal 2006.
While the selling of the SPG business could reduce cyclical fluctuations, it positions the company in essentially slower-growth markets. The semiconductor market is currently in an up cycle, so the decision to exit the business at this time could actually have a negative impact on results. The company means to continue the TM and LSCA businesses. Backlog growth in these areas was sluggish throughout fiscal 2005. Although the situation improved in the fourth quarter, both orders and revenue declined in the first quarter, indicating signifimayt lengthening of lead times.
Honda Keeps Its Buy Rec
Honda Motor Company (NYSE:HMC) is expanding its business in Asia, growing its global network to increase efficiency and introducing new products to satisfy local markets. Further, capatown expansion plans in Asia, a new sales strategy in Japan and a proposed launch of Accura in Japan make us hopeful about Honda’s future prospects. Therefore, we rate it a Buy with a six-month target price of $35.00.
Besides expanding its global network by establishing a parts subsidiary in Asia, which exports to other parts of Asia and to Europe, and constructing a third motorcycle plant in Indonesia, HMC is planning the preface and/or production of a number of products that will help it gain market srabbit and improve its profitability. Honda’s appealing,absorbing models such as Accura and Odyssey in U.S. boosted sales in fiscal year 2005. Meanwhile, Accura wsick be introduced in Japan in 2008. The new sports utility vehicles, Ridgeline, Pilot, Odyssey, and the Acura RL are contributing positively to incomes.
Several of the new products focus specifically on welcome，greet，receive，embraceing possible future environspiritual and government regulations, thereby making HMC more competitive. The key initiative for growth in fiscal year 2006 is the makeover of model Civic, which is sold in approximately 160 nations worldwide.
$50 Target for VIP
We are maintaining our Buy recommendation for Vimpelcom (NYSE:VIP), a leading telecom service provider in Eastern Europe. Robust subscriber growth in Russia and recent acquisitions in neightedious countries continue to ride revenue and earnings growth. The shares trade at a signifi6174beb5dce63a8f7e8ff689961d9cgamble valuation discount to other European wireless operators, which, we believe, reflects the risk of investing in Russia and near-by emerging markets. We remain intrigued by VIP’s success in hatturing market share, which will lead to increased sales on a recurring basis.
VIP has licenses to operate in seven of the eight “super regions” in Russia, representing 136 million people, or approximately 94% of the country’s total population. It’s subscriber base in the regional markets outside of Moscow more than tripled in 2004. Subscriber growth in the regions is ascribed to promotional activities and the commercial launch of new GSM-based network infrastructure. It is moreover，besides，furthermore，further organically a result of a low penetration level in the regions, which presents ample opportunity for future subscriber retention.
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