*Provided by Elizabeth Landau, Jet Propulsion Laboratory*

The Dawn spacecraft has delivered a glimpse of Ceres, the largest body in the main asteroid belt, in a new image taken 740,000 miles (1.2 million kilometers) from the dwarf planet. This is Dawn's best image yet of Ceres as the spacecraft makes its way toward this unexplored world.

"Now, finally, we have a spacecraft on the verge of unveiling this mysterious, alien world. Soon it will reveal myriad secrets Ceres has held since the dawn of the solar system," said Marc Rayman, of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, chief engineer and mission director of the Dawn mission.

Dawn will be captured into Ceres' orbit in March, marking the first visit to a dwarf planet by a spacecraft. To date, the best images of Ceres come from the Hubble Space Telescope. In early 2015, however, Dawn will begin delivering images at much higher resolution.

Since launching in 2007, Dawn has already visited Vesta, a giant protoplanet currently located 104 million miles (168 million kilometers) away from Ceres. The distance between Vesta and Ceres is greater than the distance between the Earth and the sun. During its 14 months in orbit around Vesta, the spacecraft delivered unprecedented scientific insights, including images of its cratered surface and important clues about its geological history. Vesta and Ceres are the two most massive bodies in the main asteroid belt.

The nine-pixel-wide image of Ceres released today serves as a final calibration of the science camera that is necessary before Dawn gets to Ceres. The dwarf planet appears approximately as bright as Venus sometimes appears from Earth. Ceres has an average diameter of about 590 miles (950 kilometers).

Dawn begins its approach phase toward Ceres on December 26.

The Dawn mission to Vesta and Ceres is managed by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington D.C. UCLA is responsible for overall Dawn mission science. The Dawn framing cameras were developed and built under the leadership of the Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research, Gottingen, Germany, with significant contributions by German Aerospace Center (DLR), Institute of Planetary Research, Berlin, and in coordination with the Institute of Computer and Communication Network Engineering, Braunschweig. The Framing Camera project is funded by the Max Planck Society, DLR, and NASA/JPL.

More information about Dawn is online at http://dawn.jpl.nasa.gov.

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*May we suggest - Century Collection Mercury Aurora Autographed Framed Photograph
- Signed by Astronaut Scott Carpenter* Reported by redOrbit 9 hours ago.

Developer of Denver-area townhouse/condominium community will sell over 30 existing units and build another 45 units, leveraging crowdfunded financing

New York, NY (PRWEB) December 08, 2014

iFunding, the real estate crowdfunding platform that makes investing simple, announces that its real estate partner, The Bruckal Group, has raised $1 million on the platform for its latest residential project.

The fundraising was accomplished in 14 days, involving 45 participants from iFunding’s registered base of thousands of accredited investors. The $1 million in crowdfunded equity finance complements another half-million dollars in equity from other sources, and several million dollars via loan.

The financing will support the acquisition and expansion of a townhouse and condominium community in the fast-growing suburb of Aurora, Colorado. Aurora is home to a new biosciences center, air force base, and children’s hospital, and near Denver International Airport. The Bruckal Group will convert over 30 rental units on the estate into resident-owned properties, then build and sell over 45 more units on the remaining open land. This phased development approach will enable investors to receive a preferred return on equity plus return of capital relatively quickly, followed by additional profits from the new construction.

The Bruckal Group are experienced developers and operators on the west coast of the United States and Canada. The company has been renovating a 436-unit apartment complex in Phoenix, Arizona. They are currently going to market with an 18-unit, high end townhouse project in Tempe, Arizona. The Bruckal Group also recently refurbished and sold a 105-apartment high-rise in Denver, Colorado.

Myles Bruckal, CEO of The Bruckal Group, explained their decision to leverage iFunding’s platform for crowdfunding: “We had researched several crowdfunding sites and determined that iFunding was a good fit for a $1 million raise, with flexible terms for our investment plan. iFunding’s track record was outstanding. We found their team to be very thorough and responsive during the listing process. Our team looks forward to further investment collaboration together.”

iFunding’s CEO, William Skelley, commented that “we were very enthusiastic about facilitating The Bruckal Group’s crowdfunded financing. They demonstrated real depth in understanding their markets and executing profitably on sizable residential projects. Because this project involved an eye-catching townhouse community in a growing neighborhood, with attractive returns over several years, this offering quickly caught the attention of many investors.”

In parallel with iFunding ‘s ongoing evaluation of real estate operators and properties to list for crowfunding, the company also is raising equity investment in its own company. In the first three days of listing its corporate fundraising campaign at http://www.crowdfunder.com/ifunding, iFunding raised $995,000. Accredited investors are invited to read our materials on the site and consider investing in our company.

About iFunding
iFunding is a leading real estate crowdfunding platform, facilitating equity and debt fundraising for single family homes, multi-family residences, apartment towers, retail locations, office buildings and mixed-used buildings. iFunding provides opportunities for accredited investors to invest in institutional-quality real estate deals, with a minimum investment of just $5,000. The company oversees each deal throughout its lifespan, providing extensive information and transparency to give investors insight and oversight into their investments. iFunding is based in New York with investments across the U.S. Visit http://www.ifunding.co for more information, or connect with us on LinkedIn at http://www.linkedin.com/company/innovational-funding, on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/iFunding , or via @inno_funding on Twitter. The corporate phone number for investor and operator inquiries is 844-367-4386.

About the Bruckal Group
The Bruckal Group works with strategic partners to purchase real estate assets in the US and Canada. The company’s executive team possesses over 55 years of combined experience in construction, due diligence, financing, acquisitions, operation management and asset disposition. This assures its equity partners that an experienced local operator will provide direct project oversight to see that budgets are followed and strategies are implemented successfully.

iFunding Contact:
Scott Lichtman
Marketing
203-747-8557
press@innovationalfunding.com

Bruckal Group Contact:
Myles Bruckal
Founder
250-712-1110
mbruckal@gmail.com Reported by PRWeb 12 hours ago.

Quality Logo Products unveiled their list of the 25 bestselling promotional products of 2014 recently, ranked based on overall sales for the year. The items featured in this year’s list reflect the emerging trends in the advertising specialty industry.

Aurora, IL (PRWEB) December 08, 2014

Quality Logo Products (QLP), one of the leading distributors of promotional products in the United States, is thrilled to release their official list of the 25 most popular promotional products of 2014. This yearly roundup is based on more than 25,000 customer orders and reveals many hot product trends in the promotional products industry.

According to this year’s sales numbers, four diverse promo items emerged on the top of the 2014 list: Cinch Up Drawstring Backpacks, Round Stress Relievers, Eco-Friendly Non Woven Tote Bags, and Collapsible Koozie Can Coolers. Other items that made the list include personalized pens, sunglasses, and adhesive sticky note pads.

While this year’s list consisted mainly of traditional promo items like custom stress balls and tote bags, the industry predicts an increase in sales of technology products in 2015. “Looking ahead to next year I see technology continuing to be both a major driver of innovation and a disruptor in this industry,” said Bret Bonnet, co-owner of Quality Logo Products.

You can find the complete list of the top 25 promotional products of 2014 by heading to the company’s website here: http://www.qualitylogoproducts.com/blog/top-25-promotional-products-2014/

Quality Logo Products is a promotional products company based in Aurora, Illinois. For nearly 10 years it has specialized in custom printing on promotional items. Among the more than 25,000 items that Quality Logo Products offers on its site are such company best-sellers as stress balls, logo pens, water bottles, and other business accessories. Reported by PRWeb 13 hours ago.

Measures Best Practices in Military and Veteran Education

Rockville, Maryland (PRWEB) December 08, 2014

Military Advanced Education’s 2015 Guide to Colleges & Universities is now available in print and online. The Guide evaluates institutions on their best practices in military/veteran education. A list of participating institutions follows at the end of this release.

As the first publication to launch a reference tool for veterans and servicemembers looking to earn college degrees, Military Advanced Education (MAE) and KMI Media Group (KMI) are publishing the eighth annual Guide to Colleges & Universities, highlighting schools that go out of their way to give back to our men and women in uniform.

With a record number of schools participating in the 2015 Guide, and criteria based on recommendations from the VA and military services, MAE’s Guide to Colleges & Universities provides the foundational information a prospective student would use in framing his or her educational needs.

“Our goal is to be a dynamic resource for active servicemembers and those who have moved from the military to their civilian careers, helping them find the school that best fits their plans for the future,” said Kelly Fodel, Military Advanced Education’s editor.

The extensive student-centric questionnaire evaluates higher education institutes on military culture, financial aid for veterans, flexibility, on-campus support and online support services. In addition to the published guide, MAE offers a free online database to best practices in military and veteran education. Prospective students may visit http://www.mae-kmi.com to view the searchable database, access and review all survey answers from all of participating institutions, and see all the information MAE used in evaluating submissions. The database is searchable by school name, state, online campus or brick-and-mortar campus. This tool is invaluable for comparing and contrasting the schools on a student’s list of consideration.

“We have sharpened our focus on the best practices that make a true difference to servicemembers and student veterans,” said Conni Kerrigan, KMI’s publisher and chief financial officer. “These best practices have been asserted by various higher education groups and reinforced by veteran groups, and we consider our survey to be the most detailed and informative in the industry.”

Military Advanced Education scores and evaluates each participant to determine which institutions have reached a specific benchmark in order to be deemed an “MAE Top School.” Top Schools are awarded with the MAE Guide to Colleges & Universities logo for use in their marketing materials, allowing them to let prospective students know they make the grade with MAE. Additionally, each institution’s information is displayed in the magazine in bar charts that show how well a school did in meeting MAE’s benchmarks. All schools who participated in the survey are included in the Guide, but only Top Schools receive unlimited use of the MAE logo.

The December issue of MAE also features an exclusive with Allison Hickey, under secretary for benefits for the Department of Veterans Affairs. Hickey explains the support that the department provides veterans and what students should look for in maximizing their education benefits.

“Veterans Affairs offers education and career counseling services, as well as an online aptitude test free of charge for all veterans,” Hickey said. “We work with school certifying officials and military partners to make this information available to all eligible beneficiaries throughout their military career and after separation.”

Check out the December 2014 issue of Military Advanced Education for details, and a profile of each school that participated in the 2015 Guide to Colleges & Universities.

About Military Advanced Education and KMI Media Group, Inc.
Military Advanced Education (http://www.mae-kmi.com) is the leading journal of higher education for servicemembers. MAE serves education services officers (ESOs) and transition officers (TOs) at every U.S. military installation, along with the servicemembers they counsel. Published 10 times yearly, MAE’s editorial coverage includes exclusive interviews with military executive leadership, educators, and members of Congress; best practices; career and transition spotlights, servicemember, school, and program profiles, and periodic special reports. KMI Media Group, Inc. (http://www.kmimediagroup.com) is the leading independent publisher of targeted information about military requirements, technologies and operations. Serving as a unique forum for senior military and Department of Defense leadership, KMI focuses on distinct and essential communities within the defense market.

Contact:
Kelly Fodel
Editor, MAE
(717) 309-9952

ALABAMA     
Alabama Agricultural and Mechanical University    Normal
Amridge University    Montgomery
Athens State University    Athens
Auburn University    Auburn
Calhoun Community College    Decatur
Columbia Southern University    Orange Beach
Faulkner State Community College    Bay Minette
Gadsden State Community College    Gadsden
Jacksonville State University    Jacksonville
Jefferson Davis Community College    Brewton
Shelton State Community College    Tuscaloosa
Southern Union State Community College    Opelika
Troy University    Troy
United States Sports Academy    Daphne
University of Alabama    Tuscaloosa
University of Mobile    Mobile
University of North Alabama    Florence
Virginia College    Birmingham
ALASKA    
University of Alaska, Fairbanks    Fairbanks
ARIZONA     
Arizona Western College    Yuma
Art Institute of Phoenix    Phoenix
Art Institute of Tucson    Tucson
Bryan University    Tempe
Chandler-Gilbert Community College    Chandler
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Prescott    Prescott
Glendale Community College    Glendale
Harrison Middleton University    Tempe
Northern Arizona University    Flagstaff
Rio Salado College    Tempe
University of Arizona    Tucson
Western International University    Tempe
ARKANSAS    
Arkansas Northeastern College    Blytheville
Arkansas State University    Jonesboro
Arkansas State University, Mountain Home    Mountain Home
Cossatot Community College of the University of Arkansas    De Queen
Mid-South Community College    West Memphis
Pulaski Technical College    North Little Rock
Southern Arkansas University    Magnolia
University of Arkansas, Fort Smith    Fort Smith
CALIFORNIA    
Academy of Art University    San Francisco
Alliant International University    San Diego
Allied American University    Laguna Hills
American Graduate University    Covina
Apollos University    Huntington Beach
Argosy University    Orange
Art Institute of California, Hollywood    North Hollywood
Art Institute of California, Inland Empire    San Bernardino
Art Institute of California, Los Angeles    Santa Monica
Art Institute of California, Orange County    Santa Ana
Art Institute of California, Sacramento    Sacramento
Art Institute of California, San Diego    San Diego
Art Institute of California, San Francisco    San Francisco
Art Institute of California, Sunnyvale    Sunnyvale
Ashford University    San Diego
Barstow Community College    Barstow
Brandman University    Irvine
California Intercontinental University    Diamond Bar
California Lutheran University    Thousand Oaks
California State Polytechnic University, Pomona    Pomona
California State University, Channel Islands    Camarillo
California State University, Chico    Chico
California State University, San Bernardino    San Bernardino
California State University, San Marcos    San Marcos
California State University, Stanislaus    Turlock
Coastline Community College    Fountain Valley
Community Business College    Modesto
Concordia University Irvine    Irvine
Golf Academy of America    San Diego
Henley-Putnam University    Santa Clara
Hope International University    Fullerton
Humboldt State University    Arcata
Monterey Institute of International Studies    Monterey
National University    11355 N. Torrey Pines Rd.
New York Film Academy    Burbank
Pasadena City College    Pasadena
Saddleback College    Mission Viejo
San Diego City College    San Diego
San Diego Mesa College    San Diego
San Diego State University    San Diego
Southern California Institute of Technology    Anaheim
The Chicago School of Professional Psychology    Los Angeles
The Los Angeles Film School    Hollywood
Touro University Worldwide    Los Alamitos
Trident University    Cypress
University of California, Davis Graduate School of Management    Davis
University of California, Los Angeles    Los Angeles
University of San Diego    San Diego
University of San Francisco    San Francisco
University of Southern California    Los Angeles
Vanguard University of Southern California    Costa Mesa
West Hills Community College    Lemoore
West Valley College    Saratoga
COLORADO    
American Sentinel University    Aurora
Arapahoe Community College    Littleton
Art Institute of Colorado    Denver
Colorado State University    Fort Collins
Colorado State University, Global Campus    Greenwood Village
Colorado State University, Pueblo    Pueblo
Colorado Technical University    Colorado Springs
Community College of Aurora    Aurora
Community College of Denver    Denver
Ecotech Institute    Denver
Jones International University    Centennial
Metropolitan State University of Denver    Denver
University of Colorado    Boulder
University of Colorado, Colorado Springs    Colorado Springs
University of Denver    Denver
CONNECTICUT    
Albertus Magnus College    New Haven
Capital Community College    Hartford
Charter Oak State College    New Britain
Eastern Connecticut State University    Willimantic
Goodwin College    East Hartford
University of Connecticut    Storrs
University of New Haven    West Haven
Western Connecticut State University    Danbury
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA    
American University    Washington
FLORIDA    
Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale    Fort Lauderdale
Art Institute of Jacksonville Design    Jacksonville
Art Institute of Tampa    Tampa
Baptist College of Florida    Graceville
College of Business and Technology    Miami
Eastern Florida State College    Cocoa
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Daytona Beach    Daytona Beach
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Worldwide    Daytona Beach
Erwin Technical Center    Tampa
Everglades University    Boca Raton
Florida A&M University    Tallahassee
Florida Atlantic University    Boca Raton
Florida Institute of Technology    Melbourne
Florida National University    Hialeah
Indian River State College    Fort Pierce
Keiser University    Fort Lauderdale
Miami International University of Art & Design    Miami
Saint Leo University    Saint Leo
St. Petersburg College    St. Petersburg
St. Thomas University    Miami Gardens
Tallahassee Community College    Tallahassee
Ultimate Medical Academy    Tampa
University of North Florida    Jacksonville
University of Tampa    Tampa
University of West Florida    Pensacola
GEORGIA    
Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College    Tifton
Albany State University    Albany
Albany Technical College    Albany
Armstrong State University    Savannah
Art Institute of Atlanta    Atlanta
Art Institute of Atlanta, Decatur    Decatur
Atlanta Metropolitan State College    ATLANTA
Central Georgia Technical College    Warner Robins
Darton State College    Albany
Emmanuel College (Georgia)    Franklin Springs
Georgia Gwinnett College    Lawrenceville
Georgia Highlands College    Cartersville
Georgia Military College    Augusta, Columbus, Fairburn, Madison, Milledgeville, Online, Sandersville, Stone Mountain, Warner Robins & Valdosta
Georgia Perimeter College    Decatur
Georgia Regents University    Augusta
Georgia Southern University    Statesboro
Kennesaw State University    Kennesaw
Oconee Fall Line Technical College    Sandersville
Savannah State University    Savannah
South Georgia State College    Douglas
South University    Savannah
Southwest Georgia Technical College    Thomasville
University of Georgia    Athens
University of North Georgia    Oakwood
Wiregrass Georgia Technical College    Valdosta
HAWAII     
Chaminade University    Honolulu
Hawaii Pacific University    Honolulu
Idaho State University    
Idaho State University    Pocatello
ILLINOIS    
American Intercontinental University    Schaumburg
Benedictine University    Lisle
Black Hawk College    Moline
Carl Sandburg College    Galesburg
College of Lake County    Grayslake
Columbia College Chicago    Chicago
Computer Systems Institute    Skokie
DePaul University    Chicago
DeVry University    Chicago
Eastern Illinois University    Charleston
Illinois Institute of Art, Chicago    Chicago
Illinois Institute of Art, Schaumburg    Schaumburg
Illinois Institute of Art, Tinley Park    Tinley Park
Illinois State University    Normal
Kaplan University    Chicago
Lewis University    Romeoville
Lindenwood University    Belleville
MacMurray College    Jacksonville
Northern Illinois University    Dekalb
Saint Xavier University    Chicago
Southern Illinois University, Carbondale    Carbondale
Southern Illinois University, Edwardsville    Edwardsville
Southwestern Illinois College    Belleville
University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign    Champaign
University of St. Francis    Joliet
INDIANA    
Art Institute of Indianapolis    Indianapolis
Calumet College of St Joseph    Whiting
Indiana Tech    Fort Wayne
Indiana University Bloomington    Bloomington
Indiana Wesleyan University    Marion
ITT Technical Institute    Carmel
Ivy Tech Community College of Indiana    Indianapolis
Manchester University    North Manchester
Trine University    Angola
University of Evansville    Evansville
Valparaiso University    Valparaiso
IOWA     
Clarke University    Dubuque
Hawkeye Community College    Waterloo
Iowa State University    Ames
Kaplan University, Des Moines Campus    Urbandale
Kirkwood Community College    Cedar Rapids
Marshalltown Community College    Marshalltown
Northeast Iowa Community College    Calmar
Palmer College of Chiropractic    Davenport
University of Northern Iowa    Cedar Falls
Upper Iowa University    Fayette
KANSAS     
Art Institutes International, Kansas City    Lenexa
Baker University    Overland Park
Barton County Community College    Great Bend
Central Christian College of Kansas, School of Professional and Distance Education    McPherson
Central Christian College of Kansas, Traditional Campus    McPherson
Fort Hays State University    Hays
Grantham University    Lenexa
Kansas State University Global Campus    Manhattan
Southwestern College, Professional Studies    Wichita
University of Kansas    Lawrence
Wichita State University    Wichita
KENTUCKY    
Eastern Kentucky University    Richmond
Gateway Community and Technical College    Edgewood
Hopkinsville Community College    Hopkinsville
Lindsey Wilson College    Columbia
Morehead State University    Morehead
Northern Kentucky University    Highland Heights
Thomas More College    Crestview Hills
University of Kentucky    Lexington
University of Louisville    Louisville
LOUISIANA    
Northwestern State University    Natchitoches
Tulane University    New Orleans
MAINE    
University of Maine at Augusta    Augusta
University of Southern Maine    Portland
MARYLAND     
Anne Arundel Community College    Arnold
College of Southern Maryland    La Plata
Community College of Baltimore County    Baltimore
Howard Community College    Columbia
Maryland Institute College of Art    Baltimore
Morgan State University    Baltimore
Towson University    Towson
University of Maryland University College    Adelphi
University of Maryland, Robert H. Smith School of Business    College Park
MASSACHUSETTS    
Bristol Community College    Fall River
Cape Cod Community College    West Barnstable
Massachusetts Bay Community College    Wellesley Hills
Middlesex Community College    Lowell
New England College of Business    Boston
New England Institute of Art    Brookline
Northeastern University, College of Professional Studies    Boston
Quinsigamond Community College    Worcester
Salem State University    Salem
University of Massachusetts, Amherst    Amherst
University of Massachusetts, Dartmouth    Dartmouth
University of Massachusetts, Lowell    Lowell
Westfield State University    Westfield
MICHIGAN     
Art Institute of Michigan, Detroit    Novi
Art Institute of Michigan, Troy    Troy
Baker College    Flint
Central Michigan University    Mount Pleasant
Davenport University    Grand Rapids
Ferris State University    Big Rapids
Grand Valley State University    Allendale
Kalamazoo Valley Community College    Kalamazoo
Lake Superior State University    Sault Ste. Marie
Lansing Community College    Lansing
Lawrence Technological University    Southfield
Madonna University    Livonia
Michigan State University    East Lansing
Northern Michigan University    Marquette
Northwestern Michigan College    Traverse City
Siena Heights University    Adrian
University of Michigan, Ann Arbor    Ann Arbor
University of Michigan, Flint    Flint
Wayne State University    Detroit
Western Michigan University    Kalamazoo
MINNESOTA    
Art Institutes International Minnesota    Minneapolis
Augsburg College    Minneapolis
Central Lakes College    Brainerd
Century College    White Bear Lake
College of St. Scholastica    Duluth
Concordia College    Moorhead
Globe University    Woodbury
Inver HIlls Community College    Inver Grove Heights
Metropolitan State University    Saint Paul
Minnesota School of Business    Richfield
St. Cloud State University    St Cloud
University of Minnesota, Carlson MBA Program    Minneapolis
University of Minnesota, Twin Cities    Minneapolis
William Mitchell College of Law    Saint Paul
MISSISSIPPI    
Belhaven University    Jackson
Copiah-Lincoln Community College    Wesson
Delta State University    Cleveland
East Mississippi Community College    Scooba
Hinds Community College    Raymond
Jackson State University    Jackson
Mississippi College    Clinton
Mississippi State University    Mississippi State
Southwest Mississippi Community College    Summit
University of Southern Mississippi    Hattiesburg
William Carey University    Hattiesburg
MISSOURI    
American Business & Technology University    Saint Joseph
Art Institute of St. Louis    St. Charles
Columbia College    Columbia
Global University    Springfield
Maryville University    St. Louis
Missouri University of Science and Technology    Rolla
Park University    Parkville
Saint Louis University    St. Louis
University of Central Missouri    Warrensburg
Webster University    St. Louis
MONTANA     
Carroll College    Helena
Montana State University    Bozeman
University of Montana    Missoula
NEBRASKA     
Bellevue University    Bellevue
Central Community College    Grand Island
Creighton University    Omaha
Doane College    Crete, Lincoln, Grand Island, Omaha
Kaplan University Omaha    Omaha
Nebraska Methodist College    Omaha
University of Nebraska Medical Center    Omaha
University of Nebraska, Kearney    Kearney
University of Nebraska, Lincoln    Lincoln
University of Nebraska, Omaha    Omaha
NEVADA    
Art Institute of Las Vegas    Henderson
University of Nevada, Las Vegas    Las Vegas
University of Nevada, Reno    Reno
NEW HAMPSHIRE    
Dartmouth College    Hanover
Granite State College    Concord
New England College    Henniker
NEW JERSEY     
Burlington County College    Pemberton
Caldwell University    Caldwell
Camden County College    Blackwood
Mercer County Community College    West Windsor
Middlesex County College    Edison
Monmouth University    West Long Branch
New Jersey City University    Jersey City
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey    New Brunswick
The College of New Jersey    Ewing
Thomas Edison State College    Trenton
NEW MEXICO     
New Mexico State University    Las Cruces
University of New Mexico    Albuquerque
NEW YORK    
Adelphi University    Garden City
Art Institute of New York City    New York
Berkeley College    New York
Borough of Manhattan Community College    New York
Bryant & Stratton College, Albany    Albany
Bryant & Stratton College, Amherst    Getzville
Bryant & Stratton College, Buffalo Downtown    Buffalo
Bryant & Stratton College, Greece Campus    Rochester
Bryant & Stratton College, Henrietta    Rochester
Bryant & Stratton College, Online    Orchard Park
Bryant & Stratton College, Southtowns    Orchard Park
Bryant & Stratton College, Syracuse    Syracuse
Bryant & Stratton College, Syracuse North    Liverpool
Cayuga Community College    Auburn
City University of New York    New York
Clarkson University    Potsdam
Clinton Community College    Plattsburgh
Daemen College    Amherst
D'Youville College    Buffalo
Erie Community College    Buffalo
Excelsior College    Albany
Fordham University    New York
Jamestown Community College    Jamestown
Jefferson Community College    Watertown
Le Moyne College    Syracuse
Medaille College    Buffalo
Mercy College    Dobbs Ferry
Monroe Community College    Rochester
Nazareth College of Rochester    Rochester
Niagara County Community College    Sanborn
Rochester Institute of Technology    Rochester
Rockland Community College    Suffern
St. John Fisher College    Rochester
St. John's University    Queens/Staten Island
St. Joseph's College, New York    Patchogue
State University of New York, Canton    Canton
State University of New York, Potsdam    Potsdam
SUNY College, Plattsburgh    Plattsburgh
SUNY, Empire State College    Saratoga Springs
SUNY, Oswego    Oswego
SUNY, Ulster County Community College    Stone Ridge
Syracuse University    Syracuse
University of Rochester    Rochester
Utica College    Utica
Vaughn College of Aeronautics and Technology    Flushing
York College, CUNY    Queens
NORTH CAROLINA    
Art Institute of Charlotte    Charlotte
Art Institute of Raleigh, Durham    Durham
Brunswick Community College    Supply
College of The Albemarle    Elizabeth City
Edgecombe Community College    Tarboro
Fayetteville Technical Community College    Fayetteville
Gardner-Webb University    Boiling Springs
Methodist University    Fayetteville
Nash Community College    Rocky Mount
Pfeiffer University    Misenheimer
University of North Carolina, Greensboro    Greensboro
University of North Carolina, Pembroke    Pembroke
University of North Carolina, Wilmington    Wilmington
Western Carolina University    Cullowhee
NORTH DAKOTA     
Dakota College at Bottineau    Bottineau
Mayville State University    Mayville
North Dakota State College of Science    Wahpeton
University of North Dakota    Grand Forks
OHIO    
Art Institute of Ohio, Cincinnati    Cincinnati
Bowling Green State University    Bowling Green
Brown Mackie College    Cincinnati
Bryant & Stratton College, Akron    Akron
Bryant & Stratton College, Cleveland Downtown    Cleveland
Bryant & Stratton College, Eastlake    Eastlake
Bryant & Stratton College, Parma    Parma
Capital University    Columbus
Case Western Reserve University    Cleveland
Clark State Community College    Springfield
Columbus State Community College    Columbus
Eastern Gateway Community College    Steubenville
Franklin University    Columbus
Heidelberg University    Tiffin
Lakewood College    Cleveland Heights
Oberlin College    Oberlin
Ohio State University    Columbus
Trumbull Business College    Warren
University of Findlay    Findlay
University of Toledo    Toledo
Wright State University    Dayton
Xavier University    Cincinnati
OKLAHOMA    
Cameron University    Lawton
East Central University    Ada
University of Oklahoma, Advanced Programs    Norman
University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma    Chickasha
OREGON    
Art Institute of Portland    Portland
Corban University    Salem
Eastern Oregon University    La Grande
Oregon Institute of Technology    Klamath Falls
Oregon State University Ecampus    Corvallis
Umpqua Community College    Roseburg
PENNSYLVANIA    
Art Institute of Philadelphia    Philadelphia
Art Institute of Pittsburgh    Pittsburgh
Art Institute of Pittsburgh, Online    Pittsburgh
Art Institute of York, Pennsylvania    York
California University of Pennsylvania    California
Chatham University    Pittsburgh
Clarion University of Pennsylvania    Clarion
Community College of Allegheny County    Pittsburgh
Community College of Beaver County    Monaca
Community College of Philadelphia    Philadelphia
Drexel University    Philadelphia
Duquesne University    Pittsburgh
Edinboro University of Pennsylvania    Edinboro
Indiana University of Pennsylvania    Indiana
Keystone College    La Plume
Kutztown University of Pennsylvania    Kutztown
Lackawanna College    Scranton
Lehigh University    Bethlehem
Mansfield University of Pennsylvania    Mansfield
Marywood University    Scranton
Misericordia University    Dallas
Montgomery County Community College    Blue Bell
Moravian College    Bethlehem
Neumann University    Aston
Penn State World Campus    University Park
Robert Morris University    Moon Township
West Chester University of Pennsylvania    West Chester
Westmoreland County Community College    Youngwood
York College of Pennsylvania    York
RHODE ISLAND    
Roger Williams University    Providence
SOUTH CAROLINA    
Art Institute of Charleston    Charleston
Charleston Southern University    Charleston
Coastal Carolina University    Conway
Columbia International University    Columbia
Technical College of the Lowcountry    Beaufort
Trident Technical College    Charleston
University of South Carolina, Aiken    Aiken
SOUTH DAKOTA    
Augustana College    Sioux Falls
Black Hills State University    Spearfish
Mitchell Technical Institute    Mitchell
National American University    Rapid City
Northern State University    Aberdeen
University of South Dakota    Vermillion
TENNESSEE     
Art Institute of Tennessee, Nashville    Nashville
Austin Peay State University    Clarksville
Carson-Newman University    Jefferson City
Christian Brothers University    Memphis
Huntington College of Health Sciences    Knoxville
Jackson State Community College    Jackson
Lipscomb University    Nashville
Motlow State Community College    Lynchburg
Southwest Tennessee Community College    Memphis
Tennessee Technological University    Cookeville
University of Tennessee, Martin    Martin
Vanderbilt University    Nashville
TEXAS    
Abilene Christian University    Abilene
Art Institute of Austin    Austin
Art Institute of Dallas    Dallas
Art Institute of Fort Worth    Fort Worth
Art Institute of Houston    Houston
Art Institute of Houston, North    Houston
Art Institute of San Antonio    San Antonio
Central Texas College    Killeen
Coastal Bend College    Beeville
Collin College    McKinney
Dallas Baptist University    Dallas
Del Mar College    Corpus Christi
El Centro College    Dallas
El Paso Community College    El Paso
Excel Learning Centers, Texas    Austin, El Paso, San Antonio
Howard Payne University    Brownwood
Lamar University    Beaumont
Lee College    Baytown
Lubbock Christian University    Lubbock
McMurry University    Abilene
Mountain View College    Dallas
Paris Junior College    Paris
Stephen F. Austin State University    Nacogdoches
Texas A&M International University    Laredo
Texas A&M University    College Station
Texas A&M University, San Antonio    San Antonio
Texas State Technical College, West Texas    Sweetwater
Texas State University    San Marcos
Texas Tech University    Lubbock
Texas Wesleyan University    Fort Worth
University of North Texas    Denton
University of Texas, Brownsville    Brownsville
University of Texas, Dallas    Richardson
University of Texas, El Paso    El Paso
University of Texas, Permian Basin    Odessa
University of Texas, San Antonio    San Antonio
University of the Incarnate Word    San Antonio
Wayland Baptist University    Plainview
Weatherford College    Weatherford
West Texas A&M University    Canyon
UTAH     
Art Institute of Salt Lake City    Draper
Broadview University    West Jordan
Salt Lake Community College    Salt Lake City
Utah State University    Logan
Weber State University    Ogden
Western Governors University    Salt Lake City
VERMONT    
Green Mountain College    Poultney
VIRGINIA    
Art Institute of Virginia Beach    Virginia Beach
Art Institute of Washington    Arlington
Art Institute of Washington, Dulles    Dulles
Averett University    Danville
Aviation Institute of Maintenance    Virginia Beach
Blue Ridge Community College    Weyers Cave
Bluefield College    Bluefield
Bryant & Stratton College, Hampton    Hampton
Bryant & Stratton College, Richmond    Richmond
Bryant & Stratton College, Virginia Beach    Virginia Beach
Catholic Distance University    Hamilton
Central Virginia Community College    Lynchburg
Centura College    Virginia Beach
College of William and Mary    Williamsburg
Danville Community College    Danville
Eastern Shore Community College    Melfa
ECPI University    Virginia Beach
Emory & Henry College    Emory
George Mason University    Fairfax
John Tyler Community College    Chester
Liberty University    Lynchburg
Marymount University    Arlington
Northern Virginia Community College    Fairfax
Old Dominion University    Norfolk
Piedmont Virginia Community College    Charlottesville
Regent University    Virginia Beach
Stratford University    Falls Church
Tidewater Community College    Norfolk
Tidewater Tech    Norfolk
University of Management and Technology    Arlington
Virginia Western Community College    Roanoke
Wytheville Community College    Wytheville
WASHINGTON     
Art Institute of Seattle    Seattle
City University of Seattle    Seattle
Clover Park Technical College    Lakewood
Olympic College    Bremerton
Saint Martin's University    Lacey
Tacoma Community College    Tacoma
Washington State University    Pullman
Western Washington University    Bellingham
WEST VIRGINIA     
American Military University    Charles Town
Blue Ridge Community and Technical College    Martinsburg
BridgeValley Community & Technical College    South Charleston
Davis & Elkins College    Elkins
Fairmont State University    Fairmont
University of Charleston    Charleston
West Virginia University    Morgantown
WISCONSIN    
Art Institute of Wisconsin, Milwaukee    Milwaukee
Bryant & Stratton College, Bayshore    Glendale
Bryant & Stratton College, Milwaukee    Milwaukee
Bryant & Stratton College, Wauwatosa    Wauwatosa
Marian University    Fond du Lac
Milwaukee School of Engineering    Milwaukee
University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee    Milwaukee
University of Wisconsin, Oshkosh    Oshkosh
University of Wisconsin, Platteville Online    Platteville
University of Wisconsin, Stevens Point    Stevens Point
University of Wisconsin, Stout    Menomonie
Western Technical College    La Crosse
St. Norbert College    De Pere
Edgewood College    Madison
Northeast Wisconsin Technical College    Green Bay
University of Wisconsin Colleges    Madison
University of Wisconsin, Eau Claire    Eau Claire
University of Wisconsin, Green Bay    Green Bay
University of Wisconsin, Whitewater    Whitewater
WYOMING     
Casper College    Casper
University of Wyoming    Laramie Reported by PRWeb 13 hours ago.

Attorneys in the Aurora movie theater shooting case will return to court one final time Monday before jury summonses go out for the case's long-awaited trial. Reported by Denver Post 7 hours ago.

Acquisition Adds $250 Million to the Firm's Total Asset Under Management

NEW YORK, NY (PRWEB) December 08, 2014

Lebenthal Asset Management, the asset management division of Lebenthal Holdings, LLC, announced today the acquisition of Atlanta-based Aurora Investment Counsel, an SEC-registered investment advisor. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

Aurora Investment Counsel, which oversees more than $250 million in client assets, is a core equity manager that offers asset management for foundations, endowments, corporations, public funds, Taft-Hartley plans and individuals. Led by President and Portfolio Manager David Yucius, Jr., CFA, and Director of Marketing Michael T. Doyle, Aurora seeks consistent growth of principal with relatively low volatility using a “Growth At the Right Price,” or GARP, strategy.

“David and Mike have built a terrific business at Aurora, and we are pleased they have decided to join forces with us,” said James B. Lebenthal, President and Chief Investment Officer of Lebenthal Asset Management. “As we continue to grow our company, it is imperative we align ourselves with finance professionals with integrity, ethics and investment skills. I believe that David and Mike and the rest of the Aurora team will enhance the Lebenthal culture and tradition of providing excellent client service and performance.”

Aurora has invested for 19 years in a disciplined, risk conscious manner and has experience delivering separate account management. David Yucius commented, “We are excited to be able to build off of the added strengths of Lebenthal’s personnel, and also to see Aurora’s investment approach become deliverable to a broader audience via Lebenthal’s platform and product extensions.”

Mr. Doyle added. “We have always strived to deliver the best possible client experience, in terms of service and long-term investment returns. Being able to continue our boutique service traditions and offer our capabilities to a broader range of clientele is an inspiring opportunity.”

About Lebenthal Asset Management
Lebenthal Asset Management is the asset management division of Lebenthal Holdings, LLC, the venerable New York-based firm that provides a broad range of wealth management, asset management and capital markets products and services to institutional and retail clients. Lebenthal Asset Management manages taxable and tax-free municipal bond portfolios, equity portfolios and international equity portfolios for high net worth individuals, institutions and non-profit organizations. The Heckman Global Group division of Lebenthal Asset Management is the independent research unit of Lebenthal Asset Management. Further information about Lebenthal Asset Management can be found at http://www.lebenthal.com. Lebenthal Asset Management, LLC is an SEC registered investment advisor.
### Reported by PRWeb 6 hours ago.

St. Marcus School last week bought the location of its second Milwaukee campus, which opened to students in September. The Lutheran college-prep school announced it bought the former Centro Educational Aurora Weier Center, at 2669 N. Richards St. The site serves about 100 children ages three to six, and is expected to grow to have more than 250 students in the next three years. St. Marcus has 740 students on its main campus at 2215 N. Palmer St. The second campus has been in the works for a long… Reported by bizjournals 4 hours ago.

SCHAUMBURG, Ill., Dec. 8, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Across the country, some communities have attempted to reduce the incidence of dog bites by enacting breed-specific legislation that bans the ownership of certain types of dogs. Most recently, residents of Aurora, Colo., voted in... Reported by PR Newswire 3 hours ago.

New home builder Neal Communities expects record breaking year end numbers, heading into December with more than 800 year to date sales.

(PRWEB) December 08, 2014

Southwest Florida’s prolific and rapidly expanding homebuilder Neal Communities, heads into December with 808 year-to-date homes sales, which breaks all prior company records.

With 85 new home sales in November alone, Neal Communities’ CEO and president Pat Neal attributes the trend to a continued increase of active adults moving within Florida and to the Sunshine State from the mid-Atlantic and upper Midwest portions of the nation.

“With the market strengthening in other parts of the nation, such as the Midwest and the ‘Rust Belt’, and homes there finally selling, buyers are free to purchase homes in Florida,” said Pat Neal. “That coupled with historically low mortgage rates and 60 percent of home buyers paying cash, equals a strong southwest Florida market,” said Neal.

Additionally, the Lakewood Ranch-based Neal Communities has expanded its home choices and options and grown into new markets in 2014, adding several new communities in Hillsborough, Manatee, Sarasota, Lee and Collier counties.

The 85 home sales in November span across 16 communities, with 18 sales at Grand Palm, Neal’s master-planned community in Venice, Fla. Other top-selling communities included River’s Reach in Parrish with nine sales, Central Park in Lakewood Ranch with eight sales and Reflection Lakes in Naples and Sugar Mill Lakes in Palmetto with six sales.

Neal unveiled its new Coastal Series at Boca Royale and Grand Palm last month, featuring larger homesites for buyers. New communities opening soon include Woodland Trace and Magnolia Point in Sarasota as well as Neal Signature Homes’ Wildgrass in Sarasota.

Neal Communities was named one of 2012's "America's Best Builders" by BUILDER Magazine and voted the “2013 Best Residential Builder in Southwest Florida” in a readers’ poll sponsored by Gulfshore Business Magazine. The company is ranked No.1 locally by Metrostudy and by Hanley Wood Market Intelligence based on number of home sales and ranked No.50 nationally among homebuilders by BUILDER Magazine. To date, Neal has built over 10,000 homes in Southwest Florida. As the area's largest and most established, locally owned and operated private builder, Neal Communities is continually striving for excellence in every aspect of the home building and development business. Neal Signature Homes, Neal Land Ventures, Charlene Neal PureStyle, Waterscapes Pools & Spas and Allegiant Title Professionals all contribute to the firm's continued, record-setting local success. The company's honors and accolades include 42 Parade of Homes 2014 awards, 50 Aurora Awards, 5 Best in American Living Awards and hundreds of local and regional industry awards. For more information, please visit http://www.nealcommunities.com. Reported by PRWeb 3 hours ago.

Reported by Scientific American 1 day ago.

Reinforcement and communication app becomes part of the business offering for three affiliate partners

Aurora, ON Canada (PRWEB) December 09, 2014

HR.com's innovative Personal Excellence App became the latest business offering for Referral Sales Associates, Schachter Consulting, and WMC Business Services LLC.

The Personal Excellence App and Web Platform were created to provide users with 3 to 5 minutes of personalized daily content to help reinforce training, build leadership, and motivate individuals to take action to improve their personal and professional life.

Companies and affiliates working with the app are able to incorporate their own content, messaging, branding, and user communications. The app is currently being used by F1000 companies to reinforce training and corporate values, by educational institutions to communicate with staff, students and alumni, and by associations to communicate with their members. With full metrics, content administration, and custom branding, organizations and affiliates can customize the App to best suit the needs of their users.

"We are privileged to work with executives deeply committed to ongoing professional development, both for themselves and their organizations. We've partnered with HR.com's Personal Excellence App to combine our award-winning content with their library, and have also taken a role on its Advisory Board. We are excited to delight our clients with readily available top-quality leadership, team and personal effectiveness growth, literally right in their back pocket."
Ephraim Schachter, President, Schachter Consulting

"I believe the PE APP has moved mobile learning from hype to reality where measurable improvements can be achieved in bending training's forgetting curve."
Charles Wood, Referral Sales Associates, Principal.

Affiliates team up with this leading edge mobile platform to continue reinforcing the principles and techniques they deliver while creating a new revenue stream for themselves. Affiliates also have the opportunity to do the following:·     Incorporate their branding and content
·     Complement their curriculum/program with the app's base library of content
·     Extend their reach beyond their own clients
·     Communicate with users and clients
·     Help their clients drive performance and results

More information here on becoming an Affiliate Partner

About HR.com
HR.com, the largest global social networking and resource site for HR Professionals, is the only place to earn IHR (Institute for Human Resources), HRCI and WorldatWork credits all at the same time for no cost. HR.com is committed to developing HR professionals and providing a deeper understanding of the HR function for over 240,000 members by offering guaranteed pass re-certification prep courses, certification and re-certification credits, interactive Excellence Essentials monthly e-publications, 22 Expert Certification Programs, 19 Certificate Programs, 3,500+ webcasts, 230+ virtual conferences, blogs, community networks, industry news and advisory boards, and now a Personal Excellence App. http://www.hr.com
HR.com contact:
Debbie McGrath, Chief Instigator and CEO
http://www.hr.com
http://www.hr.com/affiliateinfo
dmcgrath(at)hr(dot)com
1-877-472-6648, ext. 104

About the Personal Excellence App
The Personal Excellence App is a development tool that allows individuals to build on their personal and professional development, and also provides organizations with a platform to engage, communicate, and train employees on a daily basis to achieve long-term positive changes. Built on uplifting and motivational content from over 4,000 contributors, users can benefit from receiving 3-5 minutes a day of personal development inspiration while organizations can customize the App and add their content to reinforce their training or development initiatives. Personal Excellence removes barriers organizations commonly face when trying to train their employees by creating a cost effective tool that helps build alignment, skills and motivation around any existing program. http://www.personalexcellenceapp.com

About Referral Sales Associates
Referral Sales Associates provides training follow-up services to Chief Learning Officers. Smart mobile devices are used to communicate training content snippets. Corporate goals are to help improve knowledge retention often referred to as training's 'forgetting curve'. Proprietary customer referral training content is also provided to supplement client's sales referral training. Motto: R3...Remind...Repeat...Remember. Contact: Charles Wood, Principal cwood(at)referralsales(dot)com, Chicago, IL USA

About Schachter Consulting
Founded in 2002, Schachter Consulting LLC is a boutique executive coaching firm specializing in helping C-level executives, senior leaders, and top teams improve results and competitiveness. The company provides expertise in the substance and demonstration of executive leadership, preparing successors for critical leadership transitions and in building high-performing senior teams. Contact: Ephraim Schachter President ephraim(at)schachterconsulting(dot)com

About WMC Business Services LLC
Engaging and empowering employees and their families to make positive changes is always a challenge. The Personal Excellence app by HR.com gives us the ability to target specific needs and address solutions for those needs based on the specific demographics of each of our clients. Contact: John Barker, Managing Partner john(at)wmcbusinessservices(dot)com Reported by PRWeb 15 hours ago.

Aurora City Council is a step closer to formalizing new oil and gas regulations after several hydraulic fracturing pad sites near homes in the eastern part of the city prompted resident complaints. Reported by Denver Post 4 hours ago.

The contractor building a new Veterans Administration hospital in Aurora says it will walk away from the troubled project following a federal board of appeals decision that the VA breached Reported by Denver Post 23 hours ago.

Kiewit-Turner, the construction consortium in charge of building a new hospital in Aurora for the Department of Veterans Affairs, said Tuesday it would cease all work on the more than $1 billion project after a ruling in Washington, D.C. that the VA was in breach of contract on the project. The announcement followed a decision Tuesday by the Civilian Board of Contract Appeals (CBCA) that the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs is in material breach of its contract with Kiewit-Turner. Kiewit-Turner… Reported by bizjournals 21 hours ago.

New Aurora Gift Items – a happy, healthy treat for any occasion!

Orange, CT (PRWEB) December 10, 2014

Looking for a healthy, flavorful gift option? Aurora Natural Gift Boxes and Trays come in a variety of sizes and are packed with the highest quality, 100% all natural ingredients. Treat family, friends or yourself to the gift of health…tastes great too!

Trays and gift boxes are filled with a variety of items which include butter-toasted peanuts, honey roasted almonds, cranberry health trail mix, chocolate covered pretzels, chocolate and/or yogurt covered cranberries, nuts and dried fruits. All nuts are roasted on the premises and packed fresh.

Benefits of nuts and dried fruits in the diet include added protein, fiber, vitamins and energy. “Offering healthy snack options are key to providing good nutrition and supporting healthier eating habits”, said Stephanie Blackwell founder of Aurora Products. We care deeply in helping consumers live a healthier lifestyle and are happy to provide beneficial gift options for all occasions.”

Aurora Natural’s Gift Boxes and Trays can be purchased from their website and shipped direct to the consumer. Aurora Natural branded snacks can also be found at retailers such as Stop & Shop, Giant, Shaw’s, Shop Rite, Whole Foods, A&P, Big Y, Acme, Pathmark and quality Independent Stores. The vast array of their product lines can be found in the Produce or All Natural sections within the stores.

About Aurora Products, Inc.
Aurora Products is located in Orange, Connecticut and packages only the highest quality all natural and organic dried fruits, nuts, granolas and trail mixes. The company was established in 1998 by Stephanie Blackwell. In 2005, her son Matthew Blackwell joined the company and together they maintain the tradition and commitment of a family owned and operated company. For more information, contact Kirsten at 203 375 9956 or e-mail us at ANatural(at)auroraproduct(dot)com. Reported by PRWeb 16 hours ago.

People marvel at the active seniors in the travel club getting around so well. The group has grown from six travelers to eighteen in a year's time.

(PRWEB) December 10, 2014

Leila Zweibel and Nellie Lannin scarcely have time to reminisce about the trips they have taken with members of their senior living community, Monarch Landing in Naperville, before they’re on to planning the next excursion. Just over a month ago, Leila and 17 others returned from a 16-day cruise down the Rhine and Mosel Rivers, visiting ports in Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, France, and Switzerland.

“Eighteen people is a record; we never expected to grow from six travelers to 18 in a year’s time,” said Leila, former Monarch Landing travel club chair and current leader of the resident advisory committee. Nellie, a newcomer to the community and a former tour escort for a travel organization overseas, now heads up the travel club. Other committee members are Leila and residents Barb Marsh, Joan Nieman, and Cec Berg.

Beginning with day and overnight trips and gaining steam with a visit to New York City and a river boat cruise down the Danube last year, the travel club has a destination agenda that would exhilarate even the most vigorous of voyagers. One look at the many notices and sign-ups in the Monarch Landing transportation office tells a story of active, vibrant people who are keeping doors to the outside world wide open.

“The travel program at Monarch Landing is very broad,” said Leila. Equally important to variety is ease of travel, cost-efficient opportunities, and the element of choice. “You can do as much or as little as you want.”

Both Nellie and Leila stress the importance of travel details being taken care of so that all residents have to do is pack.

“We often choose deluxe tours in which everything is included and all the particulars are handled by the committee,” said Nellie.

Added Leila, “Monarch Landing ensures that there are appropriate means to get to wherever we need to go, and pre-trip meetings address how to pack, currency conversions, weather expectations, etc. This brings our group travelers closer together, even before we depart.”

While grandiose world sojourns are continuously in the works (currently, the club is planning a cruise down the Seine River, from Paris to Normandy), smaller scale Chicago-area trips remain very popular among Monarch Landing residents. Fifty people (two busloads) have bought 2015 season tickets to shows at the Paramount Theatre in Aurora, and there is already a waiting list.

“So many people committing to season tickets a year in advance is pretty incredible,” remarked Nellie.

Still on the docket for 2014 is an outing to Chicago’s Museum of Science and Industry’s Festival of Lights, while 2015 day trips include productions of “West Side Story” and “Anything Goes,” visits to the Irish Heritage Center and the Swedish American Museum, a Chicago architectural tour, and a cruise down the Mississippi River. The group also plans to attend local concerts at North Central College’s Wentz Hall and two rehearsals of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra…and the list goes on.

“People marvel at groups in their 70s and 80s getting around like we do,” said Leila. “In fact, a gentleman in his 90s joined us on the Rhine river boat cruise and had no difficulty whatsoever keeping up with the group. Our generation is very different these days.”

Monarch Landing is a continuing care retirement community located on a scenic campus in Naperville, Illinois-named “one of America’s best places to live and retire” by Modern Maturity, and “the best city for early retirement” by Kiplinger. Monarch Landing currently offers independent living, promoting a vibrant life style for active seniors. The Springs at Monarch Landing offers assisted living memory support and will soon offer rehabilitation and skilled nursing services, thus providing complete continuing care for seniors. Monarch Landing is owned by Senior Care Development and managed by Life Care Services. For additional information visit http://www.WelcomeToMonarchLanding.com or call 630-548-0400. Reported by PRWeb 14 hours ago.

The expanded distribution agreements with PolyOne and Entec Polymers enhance Styrolution’s offerings of speciality styrenics in the United States and Canada. Distributors serving an array of industries have greater access to Styrolution’s growing portfolio of innovative styrenic solutions which reinforces Styrolution’s leading position in styrenic specialties and address two key tenants of the “Triple Shift” strategy.

Aurora, Illinois (PRWEB UK) 10 December 2014

To offer customers in the United States and Canada greater availability of specialty styrenic materials, Styrolution, the global leader in styrenics, is expanding its distribution arrangements with PolyOne and Entec Polymers. Moving forward, both companies will now offer Styrolution’s full portfolio of specialty products. PolyOne and Entec Polymers were selected for expanded relationships based on their best-in-class customer support with regards to technical, industry and market segment expertise, service, logistical capabilities and geographical competencies. These distribution channels will provide significant value to customers in both the healthcare and automotive industries due to both companies’ proven expertise in these industry segments.

Resulting from the expansion, PolyOne will now add to their line of specialty polymers Luran® (SAN), Terlux® (transparent ABS), Novodur® (specialty ABS), Luran S (ASA), Styrolux® (SBC) and Styroflex® (SBC). These products complete PolyOne’s existing portfolio of Styrolution products, which also includes Styrolution’s full range of transparent styrenic polymers and polystyrene. Additionally, Entec Polymers will also offer the full range of Styrolution’s specialty polymers by enhancing its transparent styrenic offerings with the additions of Zylar® (MBS), NAS® (SMMA) and Clearblend® (MBS).

These expanded distribution relationships come shortly after the company’s recent announcement of new transparent grades, Zylar 670 and Clearblend 155, which are also available through PolyOne and Entec Polymers.

Key points:· Growth with trusted distributors: PolyOne and Entec Polymers are long-standing distributors for Styrolution and have helped drive awareness and availability of its styrenic material solutions. Through these relationships, customers gain greater access to not only styrenic specialties, but also industry expertise and collaborative support, empowering them to find -- or in some cases create -- the precise materials necessary for their applications.

· Materials that drive application innovation: The wider distribution network offers customers across industries access to the materials that help fuel innovation and bring new applications to life. Materials such as Styrolux and Styroflex, as well as Luran S and Novodur will help drive application innovation specifically in the healthcare and automotive industries, respectively.

· Measures reinforce leading position in transparent specialties and advance the “Triple Shift” growth strategy: The expanded distribution network advances the goals of Styrolution’s “Triple Shift” growth strategy, which calls for a focus on styrenic specialties and ABS Standard, higher-growth industries and growth in emerging markets. Through these expanded relationships and by leveraging the deep industry-specific expertise of PolyOne and Entec Polymers, Styrolution continues to elevate its specialties product lines while providing customers with the support and insights necessary to develop market-leading applications.

Quotes:

Bill Bryant, Director of Sales, Styrenic Specialties & Distribution, Styrolution: “We are committed to providing our customers around the world and especially in North America, with the material solutions necessary to address their application requirements, no matter the industry. This includes working with distributors with a reputation and legacy of best-in-class customer and technical support, and industry expertise. As such, we are pleased to expand our distribution network with proven and experienced companies like PolyOne and Entec Polymers to offer our customers greater access to the materials and insights they need for success.”

Mark Crist, SVP, President, PolyOne Distribution: “Customers across industries continue to seek out the unique characteristics and innovative potential of transparent specialty materials. As such, we are excited to leverage our industry expertise and proven distribution model with Styrolution to offer our customers in North America greater options in and access to the innovative technology and potential that are intrinsic to specialty styrenics.“

Steve Tomaszewski, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Entec Polymers: “As a leading distributor in North America, we welcome the opportunity to bolster our offerings to customers by enhancing our portfolio of specialty styrenics. Styrolution continues to lead the industry in developing styrenic material solutions that empower innovation across all industries. We are excited to expand our relationship with Styrolution as they are a trusted global supplier of specialty styrenics, backed by a heritage of innovation and customer focus.”

ABOUT STYROLUTION
Styrolution is the leading, global styrenics supplier with a focus on styrene monomer, polystyrene, ABS Standard and styrenic specialties. With world-class production facilities and more than 80 years of experience, Styrolution helps its customers succeed by offering the best possible solution, designed to give them a competitive edge in their markets. The company provides styrenic applications for many everyday products across a broad range of industries, including automotive, electronics, household, construction, healthcare, toys/sports/leisure, and packaging. In 2013, sales were at 5.8 billion euros, resulting in an EBITDA before special items of 442 million euros. Styrolution employs approximately 3,200 people and operates 17 production sites in ten countries. Reported by PRWeb 11 hours ago.

Inca Networks announced today that diversified telecommunications and technology company, Hamilton Telecommunications, has deployed Inca’s IP video reception and MPEG-4 transcoder products to power their new IPTV service dubbed “Cobalt TV.”

Vancouver, CANADA (PRWEB) December 10, 2014

Inca Networks announced today that diversified telecommunications and technology company, Hamilton Telecommunications, has deployed Inca’s IP video reception and MPEG-4 transcoder products to power their new IPTV service dubbed “Cobalt TV”. In a joint venture with Mid-State Community TV, Inc., Hamilton Telecommunications decided to upgrade from a traditional cable video service to pure IPTV.

In the past, the telephone and cable TV company had only been able to offer their video service to part of their total serving area via an older and geographically-limited cable system. Video is a competitive business and, in order to stay relevant, Mid-State wanted to improve their picture quality, offer more HD content, and extend the reach of their video service throughout their outside plant infrastructure – allowing them to reach all homes in Hamilton’s local telephone service area. By using Inca’s MPEG-4 transcoder and off-air reception platforms as a part of their total solution, Hamilton has successfully launched their IPTV service, Cobalt TV, and now offers 136 SD, 92 HD channels, 52 movie and 50 music digital channels to their serving area in and around Hamilton County in southeastern Nebraska.

“We are excited that we can now offer superior quality IP television service to all the communities and rural areas in our local telephone service area. We have been able to expand our service selection beyond what we could offer on a traditional cable network, better leverage our outside plant assets, and improve the customer video experience,” says Mark Sellers, Network Administrator for Hamilton Telecommunications.

Hamilton uses Inca MPEG-4 IPTV transcoders to affordably optimize the format, resolution, and bit rate of HD and SD satellite and off-air sources for delivery over a DSL and fiber ring infrastructure. The video provider also uses Inca reception equipment to receive, demultiplex, process, and output all HD and SD off-air broadcast channels. The Inca products work seamlessly with Hamilton’s middleware and Amino set-top boxes.

“It is always exciting for the team at Inca to help independent video providers like Hamilton Telecommunications bring next generation digital IPTV service to their communities. We are proud that a cost-effective and operationally-efficient Inca headend is an integral part of Hamilton’s successful video delivery strategy and that Inca VidiOS™ powered equipment has helped boost their bottom line and reduce labor and training costs,” says Jeff Campbell, CEO of Inca Networks.

Hamilton Telecommunications has completed converting most of Mid-State’s traditional cable customers to Cobalt TV. New customers from the expanded service area have continued to subscribe as word has spread regarding the quality and reliability of the service.

We are very pleased with the operational visibility and embedded monitoring included in the Inca platform,” says Sellers. “We have less maintenance and very satisfied customers who continue to be impressed with the amazing picture quality of the HD channels we now offer,” says Sellers.

About Hamilton Telecommunications:

Founded in 1901, Hamilton Telecommunications is a diversified communications and technology services provider based in Aurora, Nebraska. Hamilton Telecommunications provides products and services that touch all 50 states, the District of Columbia, the U.S. Virgin Islands and the Island of Saipan.

About Mid-State Community TV:

Mid-State Community TV has been delivering quality television programming to the Hamilton County and surrounding area since 1967. Mid-State provides television service to the Central Nebraska communities of Aurora, Doniphan, Amick Acres, Giltner, Hampton, Hordville, Marquette, Trumbull, Phillips and the Phillips Platte View Estates subdivision.

About Inca Networks:

Inca Networks is reinventing the future of video delivery. Inca offers industry-leading Intelligent Video Delivery™, a revolutionary software-centric solution for intelligent, real-time processing of television content. At its core is VidiOS™, an advanced software processing and monitoring engine that provides deep visibility and control of all video flows, combined with powerful, modular hardware. Inca’s IP video solutions address all aspects of next-generation video, including high density MPEG-4 and MPEG-2 HD and SD transcoder modules for linear and multi-screen adaptive bit-rate and HLS streaming services; demuxing and remapping of MPTS video from satellite and off-air sources to SPTS streams in digital cable, DSL and fiber to the home (FTTH) IPTV networks; multi-viewer mosaic and status monitoring software, digital music service demuxing, and modular ASI to IP conversion. Video providers around the globe use Inca to easily and affordably deliver content, to any screen on any network, all with the best view—a superior customer viewing experience and a second-to-none view of the network. http://www.incanetworks.com. http://www.incanetworks.com.

For more information please contact Debra Hadden, Tel. +1-604-240-3196, e: haddencommunications@gmail.com Reported by PRWeb 10 hours ago.

The Aurora City Council, acting as the Aurora Urban Renewal Authority, this week unanimously passed a resolution supporting a Houston company's plan to build the Gaylord Rockies hotel/conference center near Denver International Airport. The Aurora Sentinel reports the resolution, which was passed without comment, supports Rida Development Corp.'s financing the $800 million project. The Texas company will be reimbursed by the urban renewal authority "to the extent possible" from future tax increment… Reported by bizjournals 9 hours ago.

New hire to expand company’s role in how major corporations, non-profits and educational institutions use film and video to humanize their stories.

Chatham, NJ (PRWEB) December 10, 2014

Tribe Pictures, the award winning production agency based here, has named Lurdes Borges as its Director of Marketing, a new position at the company. The announcement was made by Tribe Founder and CEO Vern Oakley. Borges will lead Tribe’s move to expand its client base and deepen its relationships with existing clients.

Borges comes to Tribe Pictures from Studio 1200, a Short Hills, New Jersey architecture and design firm that services corporate, residential and restaurant clients, where she held the position of Marketing Manager. Prior to that she spent twelve years at the Morristown, New Jersey office of Gensler, the global design and architectural firm, most recently in the role of Senior Associate and Marketing Manager for its Lifestyle division.

“We’re thrilled to have someone with Lurdes’ experience working with creative companies and large corporate clients,” says Oakley. “With Tribe’s network of partnerships within the corporate and educational sectors and our emphasis on creating compelling narratives on film and video for these companies and institutions, we believe she’ll fit right it.”

An NYU graduate, Borges landed at Gensler shortly afterwards and soon found herself working closely with the studio team tasked with supporting the work of the firm’s designers and architects. In addition to its traditional architectural work, Gensler has an extensive practice in the design of workplace environments to maximize employee comfort, collaboration and creativity. As Borges gained knowledge of the firm and its work with clients across various sectors, she transitioned into marketing and communications support.

“Tribe has great insights into what it takes for a corporation, non-profit, college or university to effectively tell its story to a range of stakeholders, both internally and externally,” says Borges. “It’s more than a production company, and acts as consultant to its clients, helping them get to the essence of their brand and finding ways to articulate that through film and video. I’m excited about tapping into this base as we grow our own brand.”

About Tribe Pictures
Tribe Pictures (http://www.tribepictures.com) is an award winning production agency based in Chatham, New Jersey that specializes in strategic video and film solutions for Fortune 500 corporations and leading colleges, universities and non-profits. With a mission of “humanizing the most successful companies in the world,” Tribe has created compelling content for such household names as Coty, American Express, CIT, Tyco, Hamilton College, Hess and many others. The company brings subject-matter and storytelling expertise to areas such as culture change, human resources and investor relations, and is known for its work with corporate CEOs. Founded by CEO Vern Oakley, Tribe’s work has been recognized with Telly Awards, CINE Golden Eagles, Aurora Awards and many other industry accolades. Reported by PRWeb 9 hours ago.