SURVEY REVEALS ATLANTAEXECUTIVE.COMS GROWING POPULARITY AMONG CAREER TRANSITION SITES

ATLANTA, June 30, 2006 -- Three months since its inception, AtlantaExecutive.com, a career management site for Atlanta-based executives, has become a growing presence in the realm of executive professional development and job board sites. Using data compiled from Alexa.com, AtlantaExecutive.com was found to have more page views per visit among all major executive level career sites.

Below is the data that was compiled in mid-June, 2006:

Executive Career Site Page Views per Visitor
AtlantaExecutive.com 9.3
The Ladders 6.4
CareerJournal from the WSJ 2.2
6figurejobs 6.2
Execunet 3.7
RiteSite.com 4.9
Exec Searches 4.9
Netshare 2.8
Executive Agent 1.3
Executives Only 3.3

Executives in the Atlanta area use the site for a variety of reasons: they visit the site to read updated local business news articles, visit the database of Atlanta networking events, and browse through the resources for professional development. However, most visitors obtain the greatest value from the site’s executive-level job board.

In a recent survey of AtlantaExecutive registered members, over 75% of respondents said they visit the site at least once a week, with 15% visiting every day. The reasons for visitor loyalty, evidenced by the volume of return visits to AtlantaExecutive.com, are simple: it is a local site catering to the needs of a local population, and it consistently updates content to ensure that its listings reflect only actively open positions.

When one executive remarked about not being able to find a job post he came across one month ago, he was informed that all old postings are culled out to ensure that only actively open job positions remain on the site. His response was: “I appreciate that, because it saves me a lot of time.”

About AtlantaExecutive.com
Founded by industry veteran Chris Miller, AtlantaExecutive.com is a comprehensive career management resource for executives in the Atlanta Metro area. AtlantaExecutive.com, a free service for professionals in the $100K+ range, focuses on the career management needs of executives with a comprehensive suite of web-based tools. The company aims to help professionals proactively manage their careers in order to remain in the metro area. For more information, please visit www.AtlantaExecutive.com.

Media Contact:
Chris Miller
678-867-0585



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ACI Specialty Benefits Corporation Named Eight Out of Ten by Business Insurance Magazines List of Largest Employee Assistance Program Providers

ACI Specialty Benefits Corporation Named Eight Out of Ten by Business Insurance Magazine’s
List of Largest Employee Assistance Program Providers

San Diego – June 28, 2006 – Dr. Ann Clark’s leadership in Employee Assistance Programs and specialty benefits resulted in the company she founded, ACI, being named one of the nation’s Top Ten http://www.acieap.com {EAPs} by Business Insurance magazine for two years in a row. A psychologist turned entrepreneur, Dr. Clark broadened the business line to include a complete specialty benefits suite selling through broker partners and customer-direct across the nation and around the world.

Established in 1983, ACI grew to national prominence with such household names as Sizzler, Dietrich’s Coffee, Mercy Hospital, Mercury Insurance and San Diego’s own Luce, Forward Hamilton and Scripps as well as Charlotte Russe/Rampage Clothing. ACI was first named to the national Top Ten list in 2002 and again in 2005. This year http://www.acieap.com {ACI} is proud to be listed as eight out of ten largest employee assistance program providers. Dr Clark attributes the firm’s success to hands-on service from a dedicated employee team, an outstanding national practitioner network and cost-favorable structure.

Dr. Clark’s expertise provided additional visibility for the company in the benefits industry, as well as in the media. Quoted in the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal in 2005, she has also authored four books, including “How to Survive Your Boss,” and numerous http://www.producersweb.com/home/index.php?SMC=1&rIDX=301&pageID=contentFocus&adcID=ed1e3ce0895efde692fa28abee593658 {magazine articles}. She has appeared on the national “Donahue” show as well as local television. She was selected as one of San Diego’s, “Outstanding Women Who Mean Business” and received the Bravo award from the National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO).

{AppleCore Wellness and Affinity Work/Life} are only two of the new products introduced by ACI over the years to accompany the basic EAP package. Adding SOX and Concierge programs helped define the company as a specialty benefits corporation. “We sell the solution,” says Dr. Clark. “As healthcare premiums have quadrupled and employees are asked to pay more, wellness and prevention of illness are critical components to corporate success. More and more the workplace finds intervention through education can impact that all-important bottom line.”

Please visit www.acieap.com to learn more about ACI‘s workforce programs.

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ValueOptions Links a Healthy Heart to Sound Mental Health

ValueOptions Links a Healthy Heart to Sound Mental Health

A new educational guide helps program administrators and members identify
and make behavioral changes necessary to prevent and manage heart disease.

Norfolk, Virginia—June 29, 2006—ValueOptions announced today the launch of an integrated cardiovascular/behavioral health initiative for its corporate customers. Titled “Heart and Mind Connections,” the new training guide provides information, support and tools for applying a behavioral approach to preventing and managing heart disease, the number one killer of Americans and a leading cause of disability.

Behavioral health issues such as depression, anxiety and chronic stress are often silent contributors to coronary heart disease. Research has shown that people with heart problems are more likely to suffer from depression than otherwise healthy people. Conversely, people with depression are also at greater risk for developing heart disease.

Because the relationship between heart disease and mental health is clear, this intervention program focuses on paying specific attention to the links between emotion, behavior, coping strategies and cardiovascular health. The ValueOptions program not only helps individuals identify the behaviors that need to be changed, but also provides specific tools to help individuals mobilize and make healthy behavioral changes.

“ValueOptions has unparalleled expertise in understanding human behavior and helping individuals modify their behavior,” says Christopher Dennis, MD, MBA, vice president and medical/clinical director of ValueOptions’ New York City service center and member of the initiative’s development team. “Every day, we help individuals improve their emotional and psychological health. By supporting individuals in their efforts to prevent or manage heart disease, we can improve their heart health as well.”

The program provides resources and direction to all ValueOptions’ commercial clients with the objective of developing a strong outreach initiative in any setting, including the workplace, that links the relationship between cardiovascular health and behavioral health.
The good news is that for many people, heart disease is a preventable illness. For those individuals at risk or diagnosed with coronary heart disease, there are many lifestyle changes and medications that can effectively control the progression of this disease.

“Heart and Mind Connections” is available for viewing on ValueOptions’ corporate Web site at www.valueoptions.com.

About ValueOptions
Covering over 24 million lives through a variety of direct contracts with health plans, employers, as well as state and county agencies, ValueOptions is a national managed care company that specializes in disease management for all mental health and chemical dependency diagnoses. ValueOptions supports the unique needs of client organizations with traditional managed care products, integrated behavioral healthcare services, as well as wellness and prevention initiatives and work-life programs. Leveraging a national behavioral health provider network of over 70,000 practitioner locations, ValueOptions puts the clinical well being of our members as our first and foremost priority. Visit www.valueoptions.com for more information.

For more information, please contact:

Tom Warburton
Vice President, Marketing & Communications
ValueOptions
(757) 459-5215



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Censeo Introduces New Pharmaceutical/Biotech District Manager 360-Degree Feedback Tool

Maitland, FL – June 29, 2006 – Censeo Corporation is pleased to announce the company’s latest online assessment, the District Manager 360-degree Feedback Tool. Designed specifically for the needs of field sales managers in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries, the tool allows clients to accurately assess leadership competencies both at the individual and organizational level.

Using a multi-rater (i.e., 360-degree) approach, managers are able to gain valuable insight into their personal leadership behaviors from several perspectives: their sales representatives, their peers, their manager, and their own self-assessment. This 360-degree approach is widely accepted as one of the most accurate and impactful assessment processes available.

Once the assessment is complete, managers receive a detailed feedback report that helps them understand their personal strengths and areas for improvement, how their own perceptions compare to others within their organization, and how their unique performance “measures up” against other district sales managers in the industry. The report also provides managers with a set of intuitive, practical suggestions for improving their leadership skills over time.

“Our team is truly excited about this developmental tool because it addresses one of the biggest challenges facing the industry: DMs struggling in their leadership role,” said Censeo Vice President/Co-founder Jim Higgins. “We think the market is long overdue in providing an accurate, intuitive and affordable multi-rater assessment – an assessment specifically designed to assess behaviors that are critical to success as a field sales manager in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries.”

For a additional information on Censeo’s 360-degree feedback process and technology, please visit www.censeocorp.com.

About Censeo Corporation
Headquartered in Maitland, Florida, Censeo Corporation is a human resource consulting firm specializing in the delivery of Internet-based assessment products. Working primarily within the F-1000 market, Censeo’s assessment technologies are designed to help clients select, develop and retain talent. More information regarding Censeo’s products and services can be found at www.censeocorp.com.



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Workplace Options Moves Into the European Work-Life Arena in Partnership With Employee Advisory Resource (EAR), a Division of Accor Services

29th June 2006

Accor Services and Workplace Options today announced that Employee Advisory Resource (EAR), one of the UK’s leading providers of Employee Assistance Programmes (EAP) and Work-Life services, will join forces with Workplace Options (WPO), the largest provider of Work-Life employee benefits in the United States and a current partner of Accor Services.

This strategic partnership will allow EAR’s growing portfolio of global clients to quickly and effectively extend coverage of their employee benefits outside the UK. It will allow WPO’s EAP clients to expand their work-life services internationally and will provide them with access to an extensive network of behavioral health providers throughout Europe. These combined forces will now be able to share ideas and investments, in order to bring innovative new products to the two most dynamic marketplaces for work-life and employee support services.

The partnership reinforces Accor Services’ global EAP/Work-Life strategy, which seeks to leverage shared quality/service standards and technology platforms with a strong local presence. Accor Services currently has EAP/Work-Life subsidiaries in the UK, the US, Australia and France. In addition, its rapidly expanding international network of affiliate partners enables Accor Services to provide EAP coverage in more than 35 countries and to reaffirm its leadership in the global HR benefit market.

Laurent Delmas, Managing Director of Accor Services UK, said:

“Our portfolio of international Blue Chip clients is increasingly telling us they need innovative products and services of the highest quality which are consistent across the geographies in which they operate. This is exactly what this partnership will deliver to our clients and their employees.”

Workplace Options’ Chief Executive Officer Dean Debnam said:

“This is an exciting development for both existing and prospective clients of Employee Advisory Resource and Workplace Options. Through this innovative partnership, leading global businesses will get the benefits of one contract to cover their employees in more than 35 countries.”

“We are delighted to offer a truly international work-life service to our clients in the U.S.,” said Alan King, president of WPO. “This also allows us to expand our emindhealth network to include mental health professionals in 12 European countries.”


For further information please contact:
Sandy Egan, Director of Service Promotion
(919)834-6506 x2161
Email: e-mail protected from spam bots

About Accor Services
Accor Services designs, develops and manages innovative solutions which combine personal aspirations of employee with employer's productivity objectives. Over 340,000 organizations and 21 million employees in 35 countries use our services. Accor Services belongs to the Accor Group, a public company with more than £5 billion revenues worldwide.
www.accorservices.com

About Employee Advisory Resource
Employee Advisory Resource (EAR) is the pioneer of EAP in Europe, established in 1981. EAR’s integrated approach to EAP includes a wide portfolio of services, including counseling, information services, management consulting, training and coaching. EAR has a track record of service innovation, including ManagerAssist™ and EAPDirect™, the UK’s leading Internet based EAP and Work-Life service. Over 300 organisations across Europe take advantage of EAR’s services.
www.ear.co.uk

About Workplace Options
Workplace Options (WPO) is America’s largest provider of Work-Life services and software that help EAPs and other third parties run their business more profitably and efficiently. Founded in 1982 and servicing nearly 15 million employees and their families, WPO is recognized for its innovative web delivery capabilities, flexibility and affordable pricing models.
www.workplaceoptions.com




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Groundbreaking Research Paper from Deploy Solutions Offers Alternatives to Companies Facing Hourly Hiring Dilemma

NEWTON, MASS. – June 30, 2006 – The best employees ultimately make up the best companies, and yet many companies still need a better system to help find and retain their hourly talent. That’s the bottom line of “Change, Challenge and Opportunities in Hiring the Hourly Workforce,” a new research report from Deploy Solutions, the premier provider of talent management solutions for market-leading corporations, and Mel Kleiman of Humetrics, Inc.

The report has been released to give employers information on how to attract, hire, and retain hourly employees, which make up nearly 70% of today’s 133.9 million workers in America. It can be downloaded from the Deploy Knowledge Center, located at www.deploy.com/kc.

It also explores how the most successful service companies are keenly aware of their job requirements, know precisely the type of employee they are seeking, and invest in the tools to promote better fits between employees and their jobs. Yet many companies still focus their energies on traditional means -- finding individuals who are unemployed and available to work, rather than top performers who are already working but desire a better job. The report also delves into pre-screening and assessments of candidates, accepting applications from multiple channels, timely processing of tax credits, and automating the recruiting and hiring process by through adoption of Hourly Hiring Management Systems.

“This paper covers the most up-to-date practices of hiring hourly employees, hitting on key technologies and management trends,” explained Deirdre Aubuchon, Chief Operating Officer for Deploy. “The methodology behind hourly hiring has shifted, which makes this whitepaper a valuable and timely resource for HR and operations professionals.”

Since 90% of a company’s best hourly employees could leave tomorrow and find a job making more money, decreasing turnover and increasing productivity are obvious cost savings resulting from better quality hires. The Institute for Retail Excellence estimates that turnover averages range from 52% for front line hotel and motel employees to over 200% in fast food chains.

The Institute also estimates costs associated with separation, replacement, training, and lost opportunity can range from $7,606 per employee in restaurants to $9,428 per employee in retail. A 5,000 employee company with 100% turnover and average turnover cost per employee of $8,500 will realize more than $4 million in annual savings with a conservative 10% improvement in retention. Despite such compelling evidence, Kleiman argues that most companies are stuck in a reactive hiring mode, and he lays out steps and ideas for employers to take a proactive approach.

To learn more, the paper can be downloaded from www.deploy.com/kc along with a complimentary automation spec sheet tool.

About Deploy Solutions
Deploy Solutions, Inc. provides companies with a competitive advantage in the marketplace by optimizing performance in recruiting, hiring, and retaining top employees. The Deploy Enterprise Talent Suite™ is a proven solution that improves the quality and performance of the workforce, reduces the cost of talent acquisition, and supports regulatory compliance. The company draws upon flexible technology, deep domain experience, and a comprehensive approach to HR metrics and analytics to drive measurable results for its customers. Deploy provides talent management solutions to a diverse and prestigious list of customers, including: Hess, Sheetz, Flying J, The Pantry, Wakefern (ShopRite Stores), Tire Kingdom, Century Theaters, FedEx, Bristol-Myers Squibb, American Electric Power, and many more. For additional information, call 877-GO-DEPLOY (877-463-3756) or visit www.deploy.com.

Visit our Knowledge Center to download white papers and other research on Talent Management and Talent Optimization from leading authors such as Dr. John Sullivan, Nick Burkholder, Mel Kleiman, John Sumser, and others.

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BMH Announces Series of Professional Development Webinar Courses To Help Clients Manage HR Responsibilities

[Dallas, TX, June 30, 2006] -- BMH announced today that it will sponsor the first in a series of professional development courses to help clients better manage their human resources responsibilities. The first Internet class will cover the creation or refinement of a company policy manual.

“Many of our clients are smaller organizations, and their HR staff wears a lot of hats,” stated Emile Bonnecaze, a principal at BMH. “Some are the sole person in Human Resources, or have a small team of support people. Others have the even greater challenge of juggling both HR and Payroll duties. Many have complained about being too overwhelmed in basic, mundane chores to focus on any particular area of responsibility.”

BMH’s goal in offering this series of courses is to help clients concentrate on and master a specific job function. Upon completion of the first course, a user should be able to build or refine a policy manual – an absolute necessity when dealing with their company’s position on the employment relationship. As we all know, poorly-written or non-existent policies can wreck havoc and possibly put the company in a legal liability situation, and as the HR “guardian,” no one wants to put themselves in that position.

Topics to be covered include employment policies (former employees, nepotism, EEO and sexual harassment, etc.); compensation (overtime rules, bonuses, garnishments, loans, etc.); time off (PTO, holidays, weather emergencies, etc.); employee relations (performance reviews, conflict of interest, voice mail, internet access, etc.); separation (voluntary/involuntary, reduction in force, etc.); and general policies such as acceptance of gifts, use of company credit cards and more.

Register now to participate in this valuable course. Cost is $150 per webinar connection. Two offerings will be provided:

Wednesday, July 19, 2 p.m.
Thursday, July 20, 2 p.m.
Internet Registration: Enroll Here
For more information, please contact Susan Williams at BMH
Phone 972-702-0892

This first course will be presented by Kathy Meyer of CDG & Associates.

About CDG & Associates

CDG & Associates is a national consulting firm specializing in the selection, implementation, and maintenance of Human Resources Information Systems and general human resources consulting. CDG and Cynthia Driskill, CEO, have received many awards, including the Ernst & Young Southwest Entrepreneur of the Year, Working Woman magazine’s National General Excellence Award, and The Greater Dallas Business Ethics Award. For more information, please contact Deborah Driskill at 972-250-4104.

Katherine Meyer specializes in providing comprehensive, turnkey human resources expertise to small and mid-size companies with limited Human Resources staff or even no internal human resources function. She is able to create efficient, innovative processes that become vital to organizational effectiveness. Kathy spent 32 years in the financial services industry, 24 years dedicated to the human resources function, both domestically and internationally.

About BMH, Inc.

Based in Addison , Texas , BMH, Inc. is a leading supplier of quality HR and Payroll software. Since 1980, BMH has been selling and supporting its software applications and their flagship product, the Open4® HRIS/Payroll Suite across the USA, Canada, and Puerto Rico.

Information presented in this course is not intended to provide legal or human resources compliance advice and should be used for general information only.

BMH is providing this professional development course as a service to our clients and prospects and is not responsible for information or services provided by third parties.



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TalentHook Features New Update Allowing Users to Search & Retrieve Resumes On Local Hard Drive.

Las Vegas, NV June 28, 2006 – TalentHook, serving recruiters and resume sourcers for over 7 years with cutting-edge spidering technology and industry-leading support and service, has announced an update to their product which allows users to search and retrieve resume files stored on their local hard drive.

Now integrated with the most popular desktop search applications, this new feature adds the ability to search local and network drives for resumes in all of the commonly used file formats including: Plain Text (txt), Rich Text Format (rtf), Microsoft Word (doc), Adobe Acrobat (pdf) and Web Page (htm, html).

“This update brings to users an additional layer of searching capability to their daily efforts by allowing the search and retrieval of resumes across the web as well as through their own hard drive,” said Phil Gonzalez, CEO of Resource Edge. “We remain committed to finding ways to make sourcing automation a faster, stronger reality for recruiting.”

TalentHook is licensed on a subscription basis because it is continually updated to preserve searching effectiveness and compatibility. That subscription affords users with free training, technical support, product enhancements and software updates. For more information on how to acquire TalentHook for your recruiting organization, visit TalentHook, or call: 800-979-HOOK.

About TalentHook
Founded by professional recruiters in 1999, TalentHook has been serving recruiters and resume sourcers for over 5 years with cutting-edge technology and industry-leading support and service. Combining state-of-the-art spidering technology and “in the trenches” understanding of the needs and wants of recruiters and sourcers, TalentHook is one of the premiere software packages in the market.



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PayScale Launches Application to Provide Real-Time Salary Market Metrics

SEATTLE, WA – June 27, 2006 – PayScale, a market leader in online compensation and benefits information and host to the largest ongoing real-time compensation database in the world, today announced the availability of PayScale Analytics. This web-based offering enables service providers industry-wide to instantly incorporate the most recent market-based salary information when processing loan applications, conducting performance reviews and benchmarking their compensation levels.

Possible applications for PayScale Analytics are broad and range from the lending industry to HR solutions. For example, PayScale Analytics addresses the problem of income overstatement within the residential mortgage market by providing a real-time salary validation for any mortgage application. The lender receives immediate feedback if a borrower's self-reported income falls outside the normal range for his/her job position, location, type of company, experience level and education. PayScale Analytics is also appropriate for a variety of popular HR technologies, including compensation, payroll, performance review and recruiting applications.

“What makes PayScale Analytics unique is that it is designed to be integrated directly with existing third-party technologies, providing the end user with seamless access to real-time market-based salary data within current processes,” said Mike Metzger, President and CEO of PayScale. “By providing more accurate information in an automated fashion, PayScale Analytics will help organizations improve their decision-making process.”

PayScale’s ability to present highly-targeted salary and compensation information stems from its unique data collection methodology. Every day many thousands of employees submit detailed job profiles, compensation, and workplace information to PayScale, to compare their pay with their peers and obtain market rates for their job, skills, type of company, location and more. This unprecedented depth of information allows PayScale to create reports that are specific and accurate. Once submitted to PayScale, every profile undergoes a series of tests designed to ensure data quality, and outliers are removed from reports. When a request is made for data, advanced patent-pending search algorithms are used to analyze every variable and determine the best match. Calculations are then performed on matching profiles to determine average salaries, bonuses, and other statistical information about the sample. Every report is
unique, and generated in real-time.

About PayScale
PayScale (www.payscale.com) is a market leader in online compensation and benefit information, providing access to accurate compensation data for both employees and employers. With the unique ability to match numerous job and company specific attributes, PayScale allows users to obtain an unparalleled level of compensation information, providing a precise snapshot of current market pay. The Company provides real-time pay information for employees and businesses across the globe. Launched in 2002 and headquartered in Seattle, Washington, PayScale owns the largest online database of employee salary information in the world and has a patent pending methodology for compiling and aggregating compensation data.



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New Research: Employee Job Satisfaction Related to Individual Energy Management

June 26, 2006—Orlando, FL: Attention employers: want to increase employee job satisfaction? Free cafeteria food and flex time aren’t enough. An employee’s job satisfaction may depend as much on the positive mental, spiritual, physical, and emotional resources the employee brings to the workplace, according to data gathered from 75,000 working adults on a three-year study of personal energy management and work-life balance.

“The people who score in the top 10 percent of job satisfaction report they are also taking care of themselves in the mental, emotional, spiritual and physical realms,” says Dr. Jim Loehr, CEO of the Human Performance Institute in Orlando, FL. The source of Dr. Loehr’s data, the Full Engagement Profile, is based on the book titled The Power of Full Engagement.

“Furthermore, people who report the highest job satisfaction are highly self-confident individuals,” adds Loehr, who notes an 85% correlation between high job satisfaction and self-confidence. “They are not only satisfied with their jobs, they also feel competent in work and life. These two are mutually reinforcing.”

The top 10 percent of people said they “agree” or “strongly agree” with the statement, “I am happy and satisfied in my job.” They also exhibit positive energy management habits to a far greater degree than people in the bottom 10 percent of job satisfaction.

For instance, their average exercise and fitness score is 170 percent of those in the bottom 10 percent of job satisfaction. Their nighttime sleep score is 154 percent of those in the bottom 10 percent. Their overall rest and recovery, which includes daytime rest breaks and constructive diversions from work, is 149% of those with the lowest job satisfaction. Their nutrition is 126% of those in the lowest group. “These are individuals who have somehow found a way to harness their own sources of physical energy and motivation, in spite of the distracting environment in which most of us live today,” Loehr says.

Even more dramatic are the differences in the two groups’ management of “spiritual” energy—practices related to beliefs about the meaning of life. Those with the highest job satisfaction score about 250 percent higher on commitment, passion, self-confidence, vision, and purpose than those in the lowest 10 percent of job satisfaction.

“It is tempting, based on these numbers, to think that job satisfaction can be addressed through good candidate selection,” Loehr adds. “And to some extent, it can. But employers get only one chance at good selection with each opening they fill, while they have a daily opportunity to encourage people towards practices that renew physical energy, and as well as the opportunity to encourage employees’ self-confidence through training and recognition. If the tensions of the job take away energy, enthusiasm and time for self-renewal, the individual with high job satisfaction is at risk for becoming less engaged.”


TIP SHEET

FIVE WAYS EMPLOYERS CAN CREATE A SATISFYING WORK ENVIRONMENT

Dr. Loehr offers the following tips for encouraging job satisfaction, based on findings from Full Engagement Profile data:

1. Build employees’ competence and self-confidence through training, feedback and recognition. “There is a very close relationship between high job satisfaction and feelings of effectiveness on the job,” says Dr. Loehr. “Encouragement of genuine self-confidence is probably the number one way to achieve higher job satisfaction.”

2. Communicate the value of the organization’s products and services, and the role the organization plays in the marketplaces where it operates. “People with high job satisfaction also report an extraordinarily high sense of mission, vision and passion for their work,” says Loehr. “They feel their work is consistent with their values. They couldn’t achieve that feeling if their employers didn’t enable them to get meaningful insight about the value they provide to customers,” says Loehr.

3. Encourage and reward thoughtful risk-taking. “People with high job satisfaction also score high on the desire to try novel approaches, face challenges and perform problem-solving both individually and in groups,” says Loehr. “They appear to have an appetite for mission-driven change. They also rate themselves very high on perseverance.”

4. Encourage positive workplace relations. “People who are highly satisfied in their jobs report good feelings about their bosses, peers and coworkers,” says Loehr. “Their feelings of opportunity are elevated, and they perceive a low hassle-factor.”

5. Encourage meaningful rest breaks and light diversion. “High job satisfaction correlates strongly with the feeling of having fun at work,” says Dr. Loehr. “Highly satisfied individuals also report that they find it easy to wake in the morning, and that their sleep is deep and restful.” He adds, “This is consistent with our thirty years of research on world-class athletes. Top performers in every field know how to enhance performance through rest and recovery.”

Learn more about the work of the Human Performance Institute and Dr. Jim Loehr.

BACKGROUND ON THE HUMAN PERFORMANCE INSTITUTE AND DR. JIM LOEHR:

The performance experts at the Human Performance Institute, formerly known as LGE Performance Systems, have a proven track record for improving the productivity of elite performers. Headquartered in Orlando, Florida. the company was co-founded by performance psychologist Dr. Jim Loehr, Ed.D., author or co-author of 13 books including the national bestseller, “The Power of Full Engagement.” Loehr is a world-renowned performance psychologist whose work has been chronicled in leading national publications including the Harvard Business Review, Fortune, Newsweek, Time, US News and World Report, Success, Fast Company, and Omni. He has worked with hundreds of world-class performers from the arenas of business, sports, medicine, and law enforcement, including Fortune 100 executives, FBI Hostage Rescue Teams, and Army Special Forces.

For additional information, please contact Caroline Rivera at 407-438-9911.

The Full Engagement Profile is operated on behalf of the Human Performance Institute by http://www.performanceprograms.com?source=pressrel626 [Performance Programs, Inc., specialists in employee surveys, personality tests, and other workplace assessments]. Readers can take a free trial of the Full Engagement Profile.




END



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PayScale Announces Real-Time Compensation Data Solution for HR Professionals, Hiring Managers and HR Consultants

SEATTLE, WA – June 26, 2006 – PayScale, a market leader in online compensation and benefit information, today announced the availability of PayScale Professional. PayScale hosts the largest ongoing real-time compensation survey in the world. PayScale Professional offers a unique search platform to enable salary comparisons with actual profile matches based on factors such as, education, workplace skills, and length of service.

The product serves to more accurately support an organization’s salary structure, hiring plans, and business forecasting. HR managers, armed with real-time, specific and local, compensation data will now be able to better work with colleagues and prospects to highlight peer group compensation, provide defensible benchmarks, and allow for fair negotiations between employer and employee.

“PayScale has gained a reputation as a company that understands both the power of search technology and that accurate and reliable compensation data can be a strategic competitive advantage,” Marc Rodriguez said of Irvine Technology Corporation. “PayScale Professional has helped our firm make informed hiring decisions while gaining real-time local knowledge, in all the metropolitan areas we support, that previously did not exist.”

“Today’s employer pay challenges are far different than in the past. Workforce mobility, specialization and pervasive salary information require HR professionals to take a complete and comprehensive view to the setting of pay,” said Mike Metzger, President and CEO of PayScale. “Jobs are now about the position and the person. We recognize this reality and provide the tools to help organizations see the unique skills and attributes of the person behind the job title.”

“The continued adoption of technology and web-based services for HR professionals will only advance the strategic role that human resources plays within an organization. PayScale Professional is the kind of trustworthy and innovative product that can help firms make fact-based decisions,” said Debbie McGrath, President and CEO of HR.com.

Every day individuals submit detailed job profiles, compensation, and workplace information to PayScale, to compare their pay with their peers and obtain market rates for their job, skills, and location. PayScale’s ability to present highly targeted compensation stems from its unique data collection methodology. This methodology then helps create reports that are specific and accurate. Once submitted to PayScale, every profile undergoes rigorous tests to check for validity, and outliers are eliminated from the database. An advanced patent-pending search algorithm is used to analyze data on every variable and determine the best match. Calculations are then performed on matching profiles to determine average salaries, bonuses, and other statistical information about the sample. Every report is unique, and generated in real-time.

About PayScale
PayScale (www.payscale.com) is a market leader in online compensation and benefit information, providing access to accurate compensation data for both employees and employers. With the ability never before available for uniquely matching job and company specific attributes, PayScale allows users to obtain an unparalleled level of compensation information, providing a precise snapshot of current market pay. The Company provides real-time pay information for employees and businesses across the globe. Launched in 2002 and headquartered in Seattle, Washington, PayScale owns the largest online database of employee salary information in the world and has a patent pending methodology for compiling and aggregating compensation data.



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Take the Challenge: ISP Provides Employment Screening Benchmark Audit

Take the Challenge: ISP Provides Employment Screening Benchmark Audit

AUSTIN, Texas—June 23, 2006— Integrated Screening Partners (ISP) has launched a free employment screening benchmark audit for companies to evaluate their current employment screening provider to ascertain whether they are receiving the appropriate level of service.

Results reveal that most HR professionals are not aware of the tremendous variability of employment screening providers and the benefits that a relationship with a true HR partner can provide. Interested companies can submit their requests to take the ISP Employment Screening Benchmark Challenge at http://www.integratedscreening.com/isp_signup.asp?refer=mpr_isp_challenge through 2006.

"Today, the majority of firms use some type of screening services, but the difference between a baseline screening provider and a true recruiting partner is analogous to a telegraph and a Blackberry," said Jeff Collins, CEO of Integrated Screening Partners. "Based on our research of over 5,000 employers, 90 percent are missing out on critical services such as regular screening process updates, legal compliance practices and accuracy reporting."

Based on 2006 research, ISP reveals the Top Five (5) Employment Screening Myths:

1. All screens are the same

Every screen should be customized for what is needed – no more and no less. At first glance, many screens seem reliable, but upon further inspection are inaccurate. For example, county level research is the most common search used, but it is based upon an employee’s living history (counties where an individual has lived or worked). If crimes or charges occurred outside the living history the results will not be accurately displayed by most screening providers. Additionally, any crimes committed at the federal level are not captured by state and/or county searches.

2. Accuracy does not vary widely across screening providers

ISP research reveals two common mistakes: 1. Database searches, which many large screening companies employ because they are inexpensive, capture only 50 percent of the needed data because different states have different requirements. Each state has different requirements on what county level information must be rolled up to the state level; i.e. whether to require misdemeanor information. Other states have nine to eighteen month time lapse on reporting. 2. Using wholesale information bought and sold between database and screening providers. There is no adequate quality control methodology when using data from disparate sources.

3. Employment screening does not have a major impact on operating expenses or revenue generation

Baseline screens focus on weeding out criminals, but wider screens, such as employment and education verifications, improve human capital performance because the best indicator of future success is past performance. A true HR partner digs into an organization to identify the best reference points and also checks the verity of the people completing the references.

4. Customer service does not impact quality-of-hire or time-to-fill

The service behind the screen matters. ISP’s philosophy, regardless of its status as an industry leader with 1.7 average turnaround time, is that customer service, dedicated to accurate screens and legal compliance, improves human capital performance. One ISP client found that positioning their drug screens ($20 per screen) in front of the employment screen ($70) for one department led to a cost savings in hiring costs and ensured that hiring manager spent their time on qualified candidates.

5. All providers are data secure and legal compliant

“It would be a wonderful world if security was a non issue,” said Joel Pearson, ISP representative “Many firms in our industry have had security breaches recently. If you are not receiving regular security updates from your provider how do you know they are staying on the cutting edge?”


ISP’s research divulges that HR professionals are paying too much for pre-packaged screening that consists of a database search and an incomplete http://www.integratedscreening.com/isp_signup.asp?refer=mpr_isp_challenge [criminal background check]. Further complications result because of a slow turnaround time on education and/or employment verifications. Take the ISP Employment Screening Benchmark Challenge at http://www.integratedscreening.com/isp_signup.asp?refer=mpr_isp_challenge.

“A true HR partner can make the difference between screening applicants to keep criminals out versus screening applicants so that hiring managers can select their first choice for the position,” said Jeff Collins, CEO of ISP.

Professionals interested in receiving the most from every background screen and from their screening provider should take the ISP Employment Screening Benchmark Challenge at http://www.integratedscreening.com/isp_signup.asp?refer=mpr_isp_challenge.

About Integrated Screening Partners
Integrated Screening Partners (ISP) understands the importance of investing in human capital, and our goal is to provide the essential information required to make the right hiring decisions in the shortest amount of time possible. Our global client list includes Fortune 100, small and midsize companies as well as education institutions and trade associations.

ISP provides a service level that clients were not aware that they were missing. To learn more, contact us for your customized report to help you recruit, hire and retain quality employees.

Media contact
Charles Bedard
Director
817-204-0389
Take the ISP Employment Screening Benchmark Challenge at http://www.integratedscreening.com/isp_signup.asp?refer=mpr_isp_challenge.

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Employee Engagement Is Still a Goal Not Reality Warns BlessingWhite Study

PRINCETON, N.J.—06/22/06 -- The latest Employee Engagement Report by global consulting firm BlessingWhite indicates that even though the majority of employees express positive feelings about their work, their employers, and even their managers, less than one-fifth are fully engaged in their work. “Engaged employees are not just happy or proud. They are what we call ‘enthused and in gear,’ focusing their talents to make a difference in their employer’s success,” explains Christopher Rice, BlessingWhite’s President and CEO. “We found that only 18% of our survey respondents had all the pieces of this engagement puzzle in place.”

According to the report, lack of alignment is a primary reason for so few employees being fully engaged. Rice observes, “For the third year in a row, our survey results indicate that strategy isn’t getting very far out of the boardroom. Although more respondents this year indicated that their organization’s strategy is well communicated (41% vs. 33% in 2005), only 19% indicated that they believe daily work priorities are linked to a clearly communicated strategy. Our findings suggest that a lot of well-meaning, hard-working employees are spinning their wheels on work that may not matter much to their employers. Sooner or later, their attitude will take a nose-dive or they’ll burn out.” Another key finding: Strong manager-employee partnerships lead to more engaged employees.

This year’s report also found that more than two-thirds of employees do not see visible actions by their employers to increase employee engagement. According to Rice, “We’re not suggesting that organizations implement workforce initiatives emblazoned with ‘engagement’ in neon letters. There is evidence, however, that if leaders begin talking about engagement or conduct employee engagement surveys, they need to be vigilant in helping their workforce understand what’s happening as follow-up.”

BlessingWhite’s 2006 Employee Engagement Report includes recommendations for driving organizational clarity, tapping into the self-interests and motivation of individual employees, and helping managers link business imperatives with employee needs.

About the Study
An online survey link was emailed in April 2006 to individuals representing a cross-section of job functions, job titles, and industries. 73% of the 714 respondents reside in North America, 15% in Europe, and 11% in Asia-Pacific. Nearly two-thirds hold management or supervisory titles. For an executive summary or the full 2006 Employee Engagement Report, contact Deb Ackles at Dackles at Bwinc.com or call 908-904-1000 X8171.

About BlessingWhite
BlessingWhite is a global consulting firm dedicated to creating sustainable high-performance organizations. Based in Princeton, NJ, with locations in London, Chicago, San Francisco, and Melbourne, the company has worked with almost three million professionals in thousands of organizations since its founding in 1973. BlessingWhite’s consulting services, tools, and training create high-performance cultures, develop leaders who get results and inspire, equip leaders to coach more strategically and efficiently, and align individual self-interest and talents at all levels of the organization with business-critical business goals.

Media Contact: Deb Ackles at Dackles at Bwinc.com or call 908-904-1000 X8171.
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MIDRANGE SOFTWARE, INC. ESTABLISHES OEM AGREEMENT WITH NETEDGE DEVICES LLC Leading HR solution provider incorporates TA7000 Data Collection Device

Scottsdale, Ariz., June, 22, 2006 – Midrange Software, Inc. along with its affiliated company, Innovative Personnel Solutions, LLC (IPS), a leading developer and service provider of sophisticated Human Resource and Payroll applications, has entered into an OEM relationship with NetEdge Devices, LLC to integrate its applications into the TA7000 data collection terminal series.

Under the terms of the agreement, Midrange/IPS will sell under private-label, NetEdge’s TA7000 data collection terminals as part of its automated workforce management suite. The TA7000 terminal, which provides advanced data tracking technology, is integrated directly into Midrange’s human resource suite, enabling automated capture of critical workforce information. Through this integration, Midrange is able to deliver robust workforce automation functionality, including time and attendance tracking, employee self service, and access control.

“Working with NetEdge has given us the opportunity to provide a turnkey workforce management solution to our customers,” said Jacques J. Ohana, President of Midrange Software, Inc. “With features such as Power over Ethernet, wireless capability, expanded memory, color touch-screen, and biometrics -- we can deliver a more sophisticated solution to customers who require a higher level of security and the ability to track detailed workforce information,” continued Ohana.

Built on a Linux platform and programmed using industry standard C# language, the NetEdge data collection terminals improve application development time by giving OEM partners flexible programming capabilities. NetEdge’s OEM program also enables application developers and integrators to deploy highly customized applications that serve a variety of needs in industries such as HR, labor management and manufacturing/distribution.

Commenting on the partnership, Jon Weiss, Vice President of Business Development for NetEdge Devices said, “NetEdge is pleased to announce the OEM partnership with Midrange. The combination of Midrange’s software and NetEdge’s device technology delivers an advanced solution that enables customers to effectively track and manage critical Human Resource data.”

About NetEdge Devices, LLC
NetEdge Devices, LLC, manufactures a series of technologically advanced data collection devices that increase operational efficiency and decrease costs in labor management practices. Sold through OEM channels, the TA7000 data collection series provides advanced data tracking for multiple applications across a variety of industries including HR/payroll, manufacturing/distribution ERP, and access control. For more information on NetEdge Devices or the TA7000 terminal series, please email e-mail protected from spam bots or visit the Company’s website at www.netedgedevices.com.

About Midrange Software, Inc. and Innovative Personnel Solutions, LLC
Since 1987, Midrange Software has been providing its clients with innovative software and world-class customer service. Midrange Software is a leading developer of sophisticated solutions that protect, manage and analyze companies and their employees. The solutions assist companies across a broad range of sizes and industries. By working individually with customers, Midrange Software’s leadership has helped organizations streamline their human resources and payroll departments. Now, with the addition of Innovative Personnel Solutions, LLC as the Human Resource and Payroll services provider, through Web hosting, Midrange’s solutions are now available to benefit businesses of any size in any industry. For more information on Midrange Software or IPS please visit them at: www.midrangesoftware.com and www.ipspays.com.

NetEdge Devices, LLC is a wholly owned subsidiary of Time America, Inc. (TMAM.OB)



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NCOA Praises House Action on Older Americans Act and Its Emphasis on Benefits Outreach

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The National Council on Aging (NCOA) commends the House of Representatives for passing the Senior Independence Act (H.R. 5293) without dissent. The legislation would reauthorize and strengthen services offered under the Older Americans Act, the chief federal law governing the organization and delivery of a number of social services for older Americans.

Passage of the bill represents important progress toward achieving the number one priority of the once-per-decade White House Conference on Aging - reauthorization of the Older Americans Act. The final report from the conference is expected in July.

"The House bill contains many of the recommendations advocated by NCOA," said Howard Bedlin, vice president of Public Policy and Advocacy. "We are particularly pleased that it contains a provision that will support further efforts to reach out to and enroll seniors with limited income and resources in benefits they are eligible for. The provision has the potential to boost efforts significantly to find and enroll additional low-income seniors in the extra help provided under the Medicare Prescription Drug coverage. These beneficiaries now comprise fully 75% of those still without drug coverage."

"Means-tested benefits programs historically have been under-utilized either because seniors or their families don't know about them or find it too difficult to apply and enroll. If enacted, this bill begins to provide a framework for hope for millions of vulnerable seniors," Bedlin added.

NCOA is a leader in helping seniors and those who help them access benefits programs, pioneering the Web-based BenefitsCheckUp service (www.BenefitsCheckUp.org) that has provided help in finding benefits for more than 1.5 million people since 2001. NCOA also chairs the 104-member Access to Benefits Coalition that provided support for localized outreach and enrollment help during the recent Medicare Part D educational campaign. It also led the My Medicare Matters campaign that personally assisted 200,000 people with Part D education leading up to the May 15th Part D deadline.

The bill also includes many of NCOA's recommendations on increasing civic engagement of seniors as well as support for evidence-based health promotion and disease prevention initiatives, and for NCOA's Family Friends program.

A committee vote in the Senate on Older Americans Act reauthorization legislation has been tentatively scheduled for June 28th.

Founded in 1950, the National Council on Aging is a charitable organization dedicated to improving the health and independence of older person and to increasing their continuing contributions to communities, society, and future generations. For more information on NCOA, visit www.ncoa.org.

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Lore Continues to Expand Its Associate Network through a Robust Certification Process

Durango, CO, June 21, 2006 – http://www.lorenet.com/Home.asp {Lore International Institute} announces its 14 newly certified coaches and faculty members. Lore instructors have coached more than 15,000 executives in the past 15 years. Its success in finding and maintaining successful coaching clients is due, in part, to its rigorous recruiting, certifying, and supporting procedures for its executive coaches and faculty.

“Excellent executive coaching begins with finding exceptional people to serve as coaches,” said http://www.lorenet.com/assets/Bios/terry%20bacon%20lore%20n%2002.14.05.pdf?s=Terry {Dr. Terry Bacon}, Lore president and CEO. “Lore employs corporate-level coaches who have undergone some of the toughest certification standards in the industry.” In fact, of the more than 200 coaches worldwide, more than 40 percent have Ph.D.s in psychology or a related field, 98 percent have a master’s degree, more than 50 percent have coached C-level executives, and nearly 40 percent have held C-level positions.

After coaches have been carefully selected, they complete a meticulous certification process that includes completing one of Lore’s 360-degree assessments and giving feedback on how they like to be coached. Lore coaches are then taught to master Lore’s Adaptive Coaching Model using the nuances of nondirective coaching and the skill of challenging executives productively by providing concrete, tangible, and specific behavioral feedback.

This Adaptive Coaching Model, developed by Bacon, allows the coach to tailor an approach to meet the needs of the coachee. Through is three dimensions of locus (directive versus nondirective), scope (programmatic versus circumstantial),and focus (specific versus holistic), Adaptive Coaching establishes the importance of adapting to clients’ coaching preferences and shows coaches how to understand what it means to work within the client’s context and to be more effective at helping clients change and develop.

“Lore offers many distinctives of our coaching services including the fact that we incorporate accountability within our coaching process. We also are extremely results focused, and have comprehensive and disciplined processes and reporting procedures. Examine our results--we incorporate breadth and depth of resources, exceptional coaches, and flexibility in working with our clients,” said Bacon.

Lore’s most recent certified coaches and faculty members are well-equipped to guide successful leaders and lead organizations through times of dynamic, often radical, change and growth. This elite group represents former Fortune 50 executives, authors, a publisher, clinicians and well-established management consultants who have experience in nearly every business field--from aerospace technology to health care, manufacturing, and pharmaceutical to IT and visual arts.

About Lore International Institute
Lore International Institute is a privately held, global executive development firm, serving the global business community. Since 1989 Lore has been providing clients with a range of professional development solutions including organizational consulting, executive coaching, executive education, and business development services. For additional information about Lore, contact Jennifer Kwiatkowski, communications manager, at 800-866-5548.

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Accolo acquires Teten Executive Recruiting; combined firm is innovator in using social software and online networks for recruiting

Press Release
For Immediate Release
June 22, 2006

Accolo acquires Teten Executive Recruiting; combined firm is innovator in using social software and online networks for recruiting

Larkspur, CA – June 22, 2006 – Accolo, Inc. today announced the acquisition of Teten Executive Recruiting, a retained executive search firm that specializes in using social software to reach and recruit the most qualified candidates. The firm focuses on the hedge fund, private equity, and strategy consulting industries. Founder and author David Teten joins Accolo’s Advisory Board.

David Teten said, "I first came across Accolo ( www.Accolo.com) in my research for my book about online networks, became a client, and then created a partnership with them. When I learned how they had re-engineered the recruiting process to incorporate the power of online networks, I thought: this is the way recruiting should be. I think that the traditional recruiting model is broken and painfully inefficient, and I am excited to have the privilege of working with a team that understands the logical way that companies should manage the process of finding great people."

In this cash and stock deal, Accolo gains access to Teten Executive Recruiting ( www.TetenCo.com) clients such as American Real Estate Partners, Net2Phone, OfficeTiger, Trium Group, Zacks Investment Research, and IDT Entertainment. All existing and new Teten Executive Recruiting clients have been moved to the Accolo platform. Teten Executive Recruiting is known as a thought leader in using blogs, listservs, online communities, social network software, relationship capital management software, and biography analysis software for recruiting.

John Younger, CEO of Accolo, commented, "We were excited about Teten Executive Recruiting's list of lighthouse clients and its deep expertise in online networks. This acquisition is the logical culmination of a mutually beneficial relationship. The company is providing us with new strategies to continue raising the bar, and new clients to take advantage of our growing senior executive search capabilities. Just in the past year, we have recruited CIOs, CEOs, CFOs, and Vice Presidents for companies with revenues of $5 million to $1.5 billion."

Jon Weber, President of American Real Estate Partners (NYSE: ACP), commented, "Finding top talent quickly and efficiently is a high priority for us. We’ve been pleased with the way Teten Executive Recruiting and Accolo combine their talents to save us time and money to hire the best people. Their solution has worked well for several of our companies”

Martin Babinec, CEO of TriNet (www.TriNet.com ), emphasized, “TriNet’s long association with Accolo has been borne out of a deep faith and confidence in the company’s innovative approach to sourcing and recruiting. The fact that Accolo’s team continues to seek out partners that will expand and deepen its already impressive service delivery is proof that the company won’t rest on its laurels. TriNet is enthusiastic about Accolo’s latest milestone and looks forward to its future successes.”

David Teten, CEO of Teten Executive Recruiting, is coauthor of the first business book on these strategies and technologies, The Virtual Handshake: Opening Doors and Closing Deals Online. He runs a business resource guide and blog about online networks at www.TheVirtualHandshake.com . David also co-writes a monthly column about online networks for www.FastCompany.com, and was recently honored as a "Future HR Leader" by Human Capital magazine for his innovative use of social software. David is a member of the Advisory Board of the Word of Mouth Marketing Association (www.Womma.org), which is also an Accolo client.

David Teten will continue in his current role as CEO of Nitron Advisors, LLC (www.NitronAdvisors.com ). Nitron Advisors provides hedge funds, venture capitalists, other institutional investors, and law firms with direct insight from a broad network of senior industry experts, located at www.CircleofExperts.com.

About Accolo

Accolo has built proprietary, patented software and processes that automate roughly 80% of the recruiting process. Accolo leverages this toolkit to provide Recruitment Process Outsourcing services, becoming part of a company's internal recruitment function. Accolo's unique application of the “art” of recruiting within a highly automated framework, along with a network of over 300,000 past and present candidates, delivers quantifiable improvements in recruiting quality, efficiency and cost. Our clients meet the top performer they will hire in an average of 13 days. The average company spends 15.9% of an employee's salary on recruiting; Accolo clients spend less than 9%.

The company is the HRO World 2005 Recruitment Process Outsourcer of the Year and a founding member of the Recruitment Process Outsourcing Association(www.RPOAssociation.org). The Company was founded in 2000 and its investors include Vedior (Amsterdam: VDR, www.Vedior.com ) and TriNet ( www.TriNet.com ). Accolo works with such leading customers as JDS Uniphase, Blue Shield of California, Starmine, CMP United Business Media, ValueClick, Verity, and PRNewsWire. For more information, visit www.Accolo.com.

Contact
Diane Hassett
e-mail protected from spam bots
415-785-7833 x220

David Teten
e-mail protected from spam bots
1-212-682-5875


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Combining HR and Supply Chain: Top Five Ways to Drive Bottom-Line Contributions

SAN FRANCISCO, CA, June 22, 2006 – Combining services supply chain tactics and human capital management strategies enables corporations to leverage the global talent boom and realize bottom-line cost savings on employee acquisition and spending, improve critical talent metrics like quality-of-hire and time-to-fill as well as ensure compliance and risk management all of which are difficult with traditional HR practices. These methods are detailed in Axiome Sourcing's white paper “Combining HR and Supply Chain: Top Five Ways to Drive Bottom-Line Contributions.”

The white paper discusses trends in labor and five essential (and executable) steps for maximizing the value of HR business processes and the resulting cost savings. You can obtain this whitepaper by registering for the July 11th web seminar, entitled “Combining HR and Supply Chain to Create Tangible Results” at http://www.axiomesourcing.com. Axiome Sourcing details how to combine both contingent labor HR and supply chain practices to achieve reduced costs and compliance.

The white paper and webinar provide tangible methods for improving competitive positioning in a flat marketplace. Topics covered include:
 How to implement and manage your global sourcing strategy;
 Tactics for reducing time-to-fill and labor costs;
 Improving labor utilization and vendor relationships; and
 Managing contingent labor compliance and governance from procurement to invoice payment.

Register for Axiome’s upcoming webinar and receive “Combining HR and Supply Chain: Top Five Ways to Drive Bottom-Line Contributions” at http://www.axiomesourcing.com


About Axiome Sourcing
Founded in 2004, Axiome Sourcing assists companies in reducing costs, enforcing policies and minimizing risks associated with sourcing and managing global contingent labor and third-party services. Axiome’s Resource Management System -- A R M S(sm) -- a best-in-class Business Process Management (BPM) Suite, enables governance through technology to improve business agility and operational performance. For more information on Axiome Sourcing visit www.axiomesourcing.com


Contact Information
Nancy Morales
Axiome Sourcing
http://www.axiomesourcing.com
408-365-8800

Register for Axiome’s upcoming webinar and receive “Combining HR and Supply Chain: Top Five Ways to Drive Bottom-Line Contributions” at http://www.axiomesourcing.com




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BlessingWhite Announces New Leadership in its Western Region

Princeton, N.J.--06/21/06 -- Mira Ringler and Molly Rosen have been selected to lead BlessingWhite's Western Region Operations. Ringler will lead operations in Southern California and Asia-Pacific, and Rosen will oversee the Pacific-Northwest operation. Both Ringler and Rosen will be based in BlessingWhite's San Francisco office. President and CEO, Christopher Rice, announced the appointment by stating, "we are lucky to have the combined expertise and experience that Mira and Molly bring after years of success in the HR Consulting industry."

Ringler joined BlessingWhite in 1998 and specializes in solutions that affect employee engagement & retention, leadership development, career development and executive coaching for companies such as Charles Schwab, Hewlett -Packard and Yahoo!. Prior to joining BlessingWhite, Mira worked at The Advisory Board, a Washington D.C. based research think tank. She received her BA from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor.

Rosen returns to BlessingWhite after her previous 8 year tenure with the company. She has significant experience consulting leading retail, high tech and healthcare companies in the areas of leadership communication, blended learning approaches and coaching. Rosen has presented at the Elliott Masie’s Learning2005, the annual SHRM Conference, and at the Executive Roundtable at Santa Clara University. Rosen earned her MBA at the Anderson School at UCLA and her BA from UC Berkeley.

About BlessingWhite

BlessingWhite is a global consulting firm dedicated to creating sustainable high-performance organizations. Based in Princeton, NJ, with locations in London, Chicago, San Francisco, and Melbourne, the company has worked with almost three million professionals in thousands of organizations since its founding in 1973. BlessingWhite’s consulting services, tools, and training create high-performance cultures, develop leaders who get results and inspire, equip leaders to coach more strategically and efficiently, and align individual self-interest and talents at all levels of the organization with business-critical business goals.

Contact: Deb Ackles at Dackles at bwinc.com or call 908-904-1000 X8171.
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Paradigm Learning Speeds to Market with FastMaps. Accelerated High-Impact Communication for Fortune 1000 Companies.

TAMPA, Fla, June 20, 2006 - Speed and clarity are two essential ingredients when competing in today’s high-performance business environment. Paradigm Learning, the leader in Discovery Maps, business games and simulations, has developed FastMaps™, fully customized, fast-paced employee communication programs developed for organizations with a ready-to-launch message.

Using Paradigm Learning’s rapid-development process, teams of instructional designers, consultants and artists work with companies to create the organization’s own communication program within just six weeks.

Organizations use FastMaps™ when key business issues have already been well developed and documented and senior management needs information delivered quickly.

“With FastMaps, a faster design process means faster deployment and faster return on our clients’ training investment,” says Raymond D. Green, CEO and co-founder of Paradigm Learning.

“FastMaps are an offshoot of Paradigm Learning’s original Discovery Maps®, used by clients when they need help clarifying strategic messages and rolling them out to employees. “The FastMaps development process gets existing messages out even more rapidly, transferring knowledge to the learner with extreme precision,” adds Green.

FastMaps are fully customized educational sessions designed around a colorful, dynamic, table-sized “map” that creates the visual foundation for a 60 -minute learning experience.
In a classroom setting, teams of learners work together to explore the map’s content, discuss issues and develop insights.

FastMaps, dynamic and interactive, are enhanced with game elements, discussion question cards, simulations and other discovery learning techniques to plunge participants immediately into the exploration of information. They become actively engaged in a high-impact learning experience that ensures higher retention and greater commitment.

ABOUT PARADIGM LEARNING

Paradigm Learning is a privately held company based in Tampa, FL. Since 1994, it has worked with more than half of the companies on the Fortune 500 list, creating award-winning business games, simulations and communications tools to address specific business needs. Its flagship program, Zodiak®: The Game of Business Finance and Strategy, has been played by more than one million people worldwide. Other products address such issues as leadership, teamwork, project management and organizational change.

NOTES TO REPORTERS AND EDITORS

In addition to the above topics, Paradigm Learning President Catherine J. Rezak and CEO Raymond D. Green are available to discuss the role of employee education within the modern workplace. To arrange an interview with Paradigm Learning executives and experts, or for more information about the company and its programs, please call Diana Blackburn at 813-287-9330 or email at e-mail protected from spam bots




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Legiant Expresses a New Time and Attendance Breakthrough

AUSTIN, Texas – June 21, 2006 – Legiant, a leading provider of workforce management software, announced the release of their first rapid deployment Time and Attendance system: Legiant Express.

Gina Ross, Legiant's President, described their vision, "When we started engineering Legiant Express, our goal was to provide the key benefits our flagship system, Legiant Timecard, with easy adoption by the customer. Legiant Express retains the same robust zero footprint architecture of Legiant Timecard, and achieves rapid deployment by leveraging our core time and attendance functionality into preconfigured templates." Those templates cover the common configuration choices in a standard system, but reduce the effort and time required to deploy that system. The entire implementation process can be measured in minutes rather than weeks.

Legiant Express equips companies with the tools to establish a more productive workforce and a more accurate payroll. Supervisors and employees are empowered with the ability to view and generate workforce management information in real-time.
When Legiant says they automate the "core capabilities," they mean all the core capabilities. The Legiant Express system is unique in providing salary and hourly employees' features such as employee self-service, leave requests, reporting, messaging and even time and project recording. Express also supports a host of data capture options including PC, Badge and Biometric Readers.

Automated time and attendance systems have proven themselves capable of saving companies up to 7% of their gross annual payroll and cutting payroll processing time by 80%. Legiant Express was designed for companies that want to start achieving these results immediately. Visit http://www.legiant.com/express for more information on Legiant Express.

About Legiant
Legiant is a privately held company based in Austin, Texas that provides innovative time and attendance solutions. Their solution manages hourly, salaried, and exempt time employees. Legiant workforce management software is your answer to complete, easy labor management and employee self-service. Legiant can be found online at http://www.legiant.com.


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DDC Group Concludes Global Summit; Releases News Bulletin #8

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

(New York, NY; & London) June 21, 2006 - DDC Group (www.theddcgroup.com ) reports a successful conclusion of the 2006 DDC Group Global Summit, hosted in Edinburgh Scotland and releases News Bulletin #8 - June 2006.

Highlights of News Bulletin #8 include:

- The successful introduction of DDC OS (www.ddcos.com ) into the DDC Group & expansion of DDC outsourcing services in the UK market

- Sector commentary by DDC HRO (www.ddchro.com) on the growth trajectory in "human capital BPO" and "knowledge work" outsourcing

- An update on DDC support provided for Philippine disaster relief efforts

- DDC's equity investment in OS2i for offshore recruitment process outsourcing services

New products and services also featured include: DDC Host™ for capture, management and client utilization of Accounts Payable, Finance and Human Resources-related information.

A copy of Newsletter #8 may be viewed at the following location: http://www.datacapture.com/ddcgroup/resources/newsletters/DDCNewsletter8.pdf and prior issues may be located at: www.ddchro.com and www.theddcgroup.com


About DDC HRO and the DDC Group of Companies

DDC HRO is a member of the DDC Group of Companies. The DDC Group ("DDC") is a privately held portfolio of companies, providing human capital BPO solutions and global data processing solutions for forward-thinking companies and organizations worldwide. For further information, please visit: www.ddchro.com and/or www.theddcgroup.com -- or contact:

Ann Forde-Johnston, Head of DDC Group Marketing: (+44) 1704-551134


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NEWS RELEASE Supportive Solutions, Inc. Expands Operations to Meet the Needs of a Rapid Growth

Pittsburgh, PA – June 20 2006 - Supportive Solutions, Inc. (SSI) expanded its operations into a new facility at 3145 Carson Ave, Suite 2, Murrysville, PA 15668 on June 1st, 2006. SSI’s 24/7 crisis-line remains the same (1.800.982.8522), as does its main business-line (1.724.325.3367). SSI is a nationwide woman-owned business that specializes in 24/7 telephone and on-site crisis response services for both the corporate and EAP industries.

Opening the doors for business in February of 2005, Supportive Solutions’ rapid expansion is attributed to the emphasis on teamwork and customized services offered to their clients. Relationship building and communication are the foundation for a seamless crisis response and SSI has been committed to these goals since its inception. Unfettered by previous crisis response models that have limited the options available for those impacted by a crisis event, Supportive Solutions focuses on providing a flexible, evidence-informed response service that can be readily adapted to most workplace environments.

“Our steady growth pattern is exciting. This is a testament to the quality of services that we provide as well our ability to be competitive in the business arena. Our decision in the beginning to focus on quality rather than size has been a wise one. We would rather say “no” than provide a substandard service or one which is not reflective of our standards of practice. We knew this position would be a risk, but it has paid off”, explains Tonya Slawinski, President of SSI.

Vice President Mary Cardin says “we are excited about this move for many reasons, but the main one being it affords us ample space to expand our operations and employee base as the demand for our crisis response services grows. Quality of our services and consultants has always been our focus and goal and we are very pleased that the corporate world is recognizing and demanding the need for our approach and for our quality-driven crisis support services. As evidenced by our growth, clients like being remembered and given individualized attention when they call with a crisis need.”



You can visit the SSI website at: www.supportive-solutions.com, click on “serving the business community”


Questions? Contact the following individuals for more information about Supportive Solutions, Inc. and/or about this expansion:


Tonya Slawinski or Mary Cardin
Supportive Solutions, Inc.
Murrysville, PA
1.724.325.3367
1.800.982.8522




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Employers: Are Your Employee Gifts Ending up on EBay?

DAYTON, OH -- June 20, 2006 – Zlimit.com, an online incentive and reward company, recently performed a search on the popular auction site eBay® and found dozens of items where the seller indicated the gift was from his or her company. While this may not be surprising to some people, the variety of items listed illustrates how traditional corporate gifts no longer hold the value they once did.

“Employers purchase gifts for their employees for a variety of reasons: to boost morale, to encourage results or to reward certain behaviors. The last thing you want to have happen as an employer is for the gift to be resold,” explains Jeff Hock, eMarketing Manager for Zlimit.

Some of the items found up for auction were typical corporate gifts: company watches, high-end pens and jackets. Others were more surprising. “We found several iPods,” says Hock. “This came as a surprise since the iPod has been high on people’s wish lists for the past few holiday seasons. Other surprising items included a Hermes® leather men’s wallet and Adobe® Photoshop® software.”

How can an employer ensure its gifts to associates won’t be similarly discarded? “There are several approaches an employer can take,” Hock explains. “One way would be to learn each employee’s likes and dislikes, then buy each individual a unique gift. This of course is terribly time consuming and difficult. Another approach would be to purchase gift certificates. Unfortunately, these have downsides too -- they feel too much like cash and not like an actual reward. The best option is to let the employee choose their own gift within a given budget.”

Zlimit.com is an online incentive and reward company, with a simple concept: employers set a budget for each employee and pre-purchase gifts at award levels varying from $50 to $1,000. The employees then log on to the site and choose their specific gift from a list of items at that award level. Shipping is included so the employee never has to put in their own money, unlike gift certificates. “Fortune 500 companies have been using similar merchandise-based incentive programs for years,” says Hock. “What Zlimit has done is made it affordable for small and medium sized businesses. With Zlimit, there are no setup costs or minimum budgets.”

About Zlimit:
Zlimit is an online employee reward and incentive provider based out of Dayton, Ohio. For more information visit http://www.zlimit.com

Media contact:

Jeff Hock, eMarketing Manager
Zlimit.com
(937) 824-8246

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Axiome Sourcing and Human Capital Institute Team Up to Address How HR Pros Contribute to their Companies Bottom-Line

Axiome Sourcing and Human Capital Institute Team Up to Address How HR Pros Contribute to their Companies’ Bottom-Line

SAN FRANCISCO, CA , June 20, 2006 – As the hunt for quality talent intensifies, HR professionals that combine the best of both contingent labor HR and supply chain practices will be able to position their companies to successfully capitalize on global labor trends and reduce costs. Axiome Sourcing details how to accomplish this in their upcoming webinar “Combining HR and Supply Chain to Create Tangible Results.” Register for the webinar at: http://www.axiomesourcing.com

Using both services supply chain tactics and human capital management strategies allows HR professionals to provide their company with a competitive advantage not possible with traditional HR practices.

The goal of this webinar is to provide tangible methods for innovating in a flat marketplace. Topics covered in this webinar include:
 How to implement and manage a global sourcing strategy;
 Tactics for reducing time-to-fill and labor costs;
 Improving labor utilization and vendor relationships; and
 Managing contingent labor compliance and governance from procurement to invoice payment.

Join Axiome Sourcing at 11 a.m. PST, July 11, 2006 for this 45 minute web seminar; “Combining HR and Supply Chain to Create Tangible Results” which will give HR professionals the tools to transition from conceptual best practices to tangible results.

Plus, register today and receive the companion white paper, “Creating Tangible Results: Top Five Ways to Drive Bottom-Line Contributions.”

The white paper discusses trends in HR, the current situation of the war for talent and five essential (and executable) steps for maximizing the value of HR business processes and the cost savings possible.

This webinar is:
Cost: Complimentary
Date: Tuesday, July 11, 2006
Time: 11 a.m. PST
Comments: Destined to fill up early so register early to reserve your space!

Who should attend?

Registration is restricted to senior governance, purchasing, sourcing and human resources executives.

About Axiome Sourcing
Founded in 2004, Axiome Sourcing assists companies in reducing costs, enforcing policies and minimizing risks associated with sourcing and managing global contingent labor and third-party services. Axiome’s Resource Management System -- A R M S(sm) -- a best-in-class Business Process Management (BPM) Suite, enables governance through technology to improve business agility and operational performance. For more information on Axiome Sourcing visit www.axiomesourcing.com

Contact Information
Nancy Morales
Axiome Sourcing
http://www.axiomesourcing.com
408-365-8800




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SECOVA/ULTRALINK SECURES EIGHT MILLION IN NEW FUNDING FROM BARING PRIVATE EQUITY. Funding Will Help Service Recent Client Wins

COSTA MESA, Calif., June 19, 2006 – Secova/UltraLink, a leading provider of human resource and benefits management services, today announced it has secured eight million in new funding from Baring Private Equity Partners (BPEP), a leading international private equity fund. The new funding will be used primarily for growth initiatives, including sales, marketing and business development, as well as servicing new business signed on in the recent past.

Secova/Ultralink’s wins in the last two months include a Fortune 500 client and a billion dollar client with 20,000 employees.

“Industry response to the best shore offer of Secova/UltraLink has been extremely positive as demonstrated by our new funding and new clients,” said Venkat Tadanki, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of the company. “We’ve already demonstrated our combined ability to leverage our technology, global delivery centers and best-in-class processes to deliver to clients uniquely customized and integrated HR and benefits administration outsourcing services. The new funding from Baring will allow us to be even more aggressive in our pursuit of new clients, delivering our unique HRO capabilities to a wider spectrum.”

“We believe there is a huge opportunity in leveraging global resources for HRO, and our investment into Secova/UltraLink is a reflection of that conviction. Their recent wins have only provided us with further validation and we remain strong supporters of their vision,” said Rahul Bhasin, Managing Partner of BPEP (India). “The combined company’s ability to deliver an integrated, customized solution provides an important competitive differentiator, and at the same time, enhances the ability of their clients to drive business performance. The company has certainly demonstrated an excellent track record of augmenting their client’s internal HR departments by deliver outstanding employee service, cost effectively. We expect Secova/UltraLink will make a significant impact on future HRO practices within the industry.”


A Full Suite of HR & Benefits Management Services

Processing more than 80 million eligibility records, almost $1 billion in healthcare premiums, and managing over 450 vendor/carrier relationships annually on behalf of its clients, the company helps clients reduce costs and streamline their HR processes. The Secova/UltraLink combination offers a group of comprehensive services – from Benefits Enrollment and Administration to Absence Management and beyond – including Benefits Auditing, Benefit Plan Management, COBRA Administration, Employee Communications, HR Support Services and Payroll. All of the administrative functions can be available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, as individual outsourced services or as total HRO/BPO processes - delivered cost-effectively through multiple service centers located globally.


About Baring Private Equity Partners

Founded in 1984, Baring Private Equity Partners has a long history and rich heritage of entrepreneurial initiative that began nearly two decades ago when the firm became one of the first pan-European providers of private equity capital. The firm invests in every major market via seven regional fund groups with local investment teams in Europe, Asia and Latin America. With approximately $3 billion in funds under management, Baring Private Equity International has one of the most extensive on-the-ground networks of any international private equity provider. Baring Private Equity International finalized its MBO from parent company ING Group in August 2004. In India, Baring Private Equity Partners was established in 1997 and is one of the best-performing funds of its vintage in Asia. With a team of eight investment professionals based out of Delhi, the firm actively partners with companies to help them achieve global
scale. More information can be obtained at www.bpepindia.com.


About Secova/UltraLink

Secova/UltraLink delivers HR and benefits management services focused on helping clients control and drive down the costs of their health and welfare benefits offerings. While many outsourcing solutions modify pre-set vendor/service programs, the merged company offers a distinctive, flexible approach, tailoring services to an employer's individual needs. Our “Best Shore” strategy allows us to shape each solution based on our clients’ corporate goals and strategies, utilizing each of our locations to deliver the solution that provides the best value, both in quality and cost – a new approach for mid-to large market companies looking to streamline their HR and Benefits Management operations. For more information, visit the company’s websites at www.UltraLink.com and www.secova.com.

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Founder of Harris, Rothenberg International Receives Highest Leaf Award

New York, NY, June 16, 2006 – Beatrice Harris, PhD, founder of Harris, Rothenberg International (HRI), LLC, a global performance management company, has been awarded the 2006 Highest Leaf Award honoring outstanding women in business.

Nominees for the Highest Leaf Award are selected by a national panel of distinguished business executives from a broad range of industries and professions, including manufacturing, finance, and media. Sponsored by the Women's Venture Fund, the award pays tribute to women whose professional behavior is a positive influence on others and who personify an understanding of the balance between outcome and responsibility in the workplace. As role models within their professions, Highest Leaf Award recipients exemplify the attributes that the Women’s Venture Fund seeks to instill in aspiring entrepreneurs.

"I'm honored to be on the prestigious list of Highest Leaf Award winners," says Dr. Harris. "My personal mission to elevate the importance of our emotional lives and the need to address their impact on how we live, act, and make decisions are expressed in HRI and in everything I do."

Dr. Harris founded HRI in 1982 based on a holistic or systems view of the world. She saw the need for employees to be helped with their day-to-day interactions within their organizations as well as in their lives outside the office. HRI was the first organization to integrate multiple support services for companies and their employees.

Dr. Harris recognizes companies as the communities of the future, and it is the goal of HRI to serve businesses' various needs through diverse services. HRI’s model is problem-solving-based and relationship-driven rather than product-oriented. HRI's high involvement in client cultures distinguishes it from competitors.

Dr. Harris has grown HRI into one of the fastest-growing providers of employee assistance and work/life programs and related services in the United States. HRI's services help companies increase employee engagement and recruit and retain the best employees.

About Harris, Rothenberg International, LLC
Harris, Rothenberg International (www.harrisrothenberg.com), LLC, is a performance management firm. The company helps employers solve their most challenging and complex people issues by removing the barriers that prevent organizations and employees from achieving their best. HRI accomplishes this by delivering executive services, employee and employer assistance programs, work/life services, behavioral risk management, and training. Founded in 1982 and headquartered in New York City, HRI is one of the oldest and most well-respected firms of its kind.

About The Women's Venture Fund, Inc.
The Women's Venture Fund, Inc., is a non-profit organization that targets women entrepreneurs in underserved urban communities. As a multiservice microlender, the Women's Venture Fund assists these entrepreneurs in pursuing their business aspirations, thereby benefiting themselves, their families, and their communities.


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Hundreds of Job Satisfaction and Employee Morale Questions in New Employee Survey Guidebook

OLD SAYBROOK, CT, June 16, 2006 -- Two new books provide everything an organization needs to create, administer, and interpret an employee survey. The “Employee Survey Question Guidebook” and its companion volume, “Employee Surveys: Practical and Proven Methods, Samples, Examples” have been revised and updated in a second edition by Performance Programs, Inc. For the first time, both volumes are available as e-books as well as in print.

“These books are unique in the human resources field, as far as we know,” says author Paul M. Connolly, Ph.D., president of Performance Programs, Inc. “We know of no other resource where employers can obtain such a robust set of 700 field-tested questionnaire items, along with complete instructions for their selection and use.”

The Guidebook is based on Connolly’s 20-plus years of experience in organizational assessment. “All of the questionnaire items have been field-tested in real organizations,” he says. “Typically, organizations use employee surveys to determine employee job satisfaction, engagement, commitment, morale, and motivation. The Guidebook supports all of those goals.” He adds that norms are available for 85 items, including industry norms for employee surveys in 11 industries.

The “Employee Survey Question Guidebook” is organized to capture key aspects of organizational effectiveness, such as organization culture and climate, organization structure, co-workers, team functioning, commitment, performance management, ethical conduct, workplace diversity, fairness, innovation and creativity, and many more. In all, there are 82 categories of questions. The Guidebook also features an easy-to-use index to symptoms of organizational dysfunction and references appropriate diagnostic areas. The print version retails for $125.00 plus shipping; the e-book retails for $110.

“Employee Surveys: Practical and Proven Methods, Samples, Examples” is a how-to resource that aims to increase the survey project manager’s know-how and confidence. From initial concept to final reports, the book includes myriad real-world situations that employers may not expect or know how to handle. Topics include planning, forming a survey project team, identifying respondents, designing reports, norms, questionnaire creation, data gathering and processing, awareness campaigns, administration, feedback, and action plans. At each step, the human side of survey work is addressed. The print book retails for $24 plus shipping; the e-book retails for $20.

Paul Connolly wrote the first editions in 2003 together with co-author Kathleen Groll Connolly. Read Reviews of the first editions.

Prices and availability: Call 1-800-565-4223 or visit the links: Employee Surveys: Practical and Proven Methods, Samples, Examples and
Employee Survey Question Guidebook


About the Authors:
Paul M. Connolly, Ph.D., has provided organizational measurement services since 1981, including employee surveys, 360 feedback, personality assessment, expatriate assessment, customer surveys, and work-life balance assessments. Connolly is the founder of Performance Programs, an organizational measurement firm in Old Saybrook, CT. He has worked with organizations of all types, sizes, and locations, using multiple survey delivery
and reporting methods. He has a B.A. from the College of the Holy Cross and an M.A. and Ph.D. from Fordham University. This is his seventh book in the human resources field.

Kathleen Groll Connolly has authored many articles for print and the Web, and has co-authored four books on human resources topics. She has held various marketing, management and research positions in both small and large businesses. She has a B.A. in writing from Pennsylvania State University and an MBA from New York University.

About Performance Programs, Inc.

Performance Programs, Inc.is an organizational assessment firm in Old Saybrook, CT. The firm specializes in employee surveys for morale, satisfaction, engagement, and commitment, 360 feedback surveys, job personality testing, expatriate assessment, and work-life balance evaluations. Founded in 1987, Performance Programs has served thousands of organizations of all types, sizes, and locations worldwide. They can be reached at 1-800-565-4223.

Also available from the authors: “Employee Opinion Questionnaires: 20 Ready-to-Use Surveys that Work”; Pfeiffer/Wiley, 2005.

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American Community Appoints Vice President of Corporate Communications

Livonia, Mich. – American Community Mutual Insurance Company, a leading provider of Individual and Group health insurance, has appointed Ellen Downey, APR, MHP, as its Vice President of Corporate Communications, effective May 22.

Downey will report jointly to Peg Briggs, Senior Vice President of the Group division and Neal Spero, Senior Vice President of the Individual division. She will be responsible for overseeing the company’s corporate communications strategies and activities including the development of corporate advertising, branding, public relations, communications, marketing events, field training and education, promotional material and marketing incentive programs. She will work closely with the board of directors and senior management to ensure the advancement of the company’s business strategy.

“Ellen is a highly skilled communications professional who has a strong record of accomplishment. She will be instrumental in building the American Community image and brand for all product lines,” said Gerald Meach, President and CEO. “Our products and services are evolving quickly in this very dynamic marketplace and Ellen will be invaluable as she oversees the corporate communication efforts of the company,” he added.

Downey was most recently Director of Communications, Public Affairs & Training for Trinity Health Plans, where she oversaw all aspects of the company’s internal and external corporate communications. Her extensive healthcare experience also includes positions as Senior Manager of Marketing Communications for the healthcare division of Computer Sciences Corporation; Director of HMO Communications for Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan; and Manager of Marketing Communications for Oakwood Hospital System.

Downey holds a Master of Arts degree in advertising from Michigan State University, and a Bachelor of Arts degree in journalism from the University of Maryland. She is accredited in public relations (APR) through the Public Relations Society of America, and has been certified as a Managed Healthcare Professional (MHP) through the America’s Health Insurance Plans. Downey and her family reside in Farmington Hills, Michigan.

About American Community
With beginnings dating back to 1938, American Community Mutual Insurance Company is one of the oldest health insurance companies in the United States. For over six decades, Americans have relied on American Community to make quality health care affordable. Based in Livonia, Michigan, American Community markets individual and group health insurance products in eight states through an agency force of over 5,000. The company provides high quality, affordable coverage to approximately 150,000 people. For more information, visit www.american-community.com.



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Webinar Focuses on Optimizing a Contingent Workforce

Chicago, IL, June 15, 2006 - An upcoming webinar will offer case studies and best practices to those who manage a contingent workforce. "Optimizing High Volume Contract Labor in a Light Industrial Environment" will take place 11 a.m. Eastern/ 8 a.m. Pacific on June 20, 2006. Interested parties can register at http://www.iqnavigator.com/june20webinarmain.html at no cost.

Rob Quadracci of Quad/Graphics will describe the key elements and concepts to successfully run a contingent workforce program for light industrial operations. Rebecca Rogers, Executive Officer from Staff Management and John Martin, Senior Vice President Strategy and Technology, from IQNavigator will also review best practices for automating and operating a full managed service program.

Contingent labor systems use technology to control spending and ensure compliance with contracts, budgets, and other requirements. Experts in the staffing industry anticipate a nine percent growth in the $100 billion industry as more organizations seek solutions to constrained budgets and staffing difficulties.

As the Human Resources Manager for Quad/Graphics, Quadracci wanted to have more control over contract labor orders and improve data management, especially in areas such as billing and supplier performance. Quad/Graphics implemented software from IQNavigator upon the recommendation of Staff Management, one of its suppliers. This resulted in significant cost savings and peace of mind.

"We renegotiated contracts [with suppliers], which allows us to reduce our rates overall," said Rob Quadracci. "Most important, we streamlined so many processes that it had a definite financial impact and made things easier for our managers."

About Quad/Graphics
Quad/Graphics is the largest private printer in the U.S. Founded in 1971 by Henry R. Quadracci, the “Father of Web Offset Printing,” Quad/Graphics has become an industry leader and is responsible for producing Newsweek and other weekly titles. Quad/Graphics’ network can be found at www.qg.com.

About Staff Management
Staff Management is the pioneer of high volume, vendor-on-premise and end-to-end supplier management solutions for strategic users of a contingent workforce. Major organizations across America rely on Staff Management for their expertise and leadership in the staffing industry. These Fortune 500 companies consistently experience reduced labor costs, turnover, overtime and administrative burden as a result of Staff Management’s unique ability to customize the optimal staffing solution for them. For more information, please visit www.staffmanagement.com or call (800) 746-9462.

About IQNavigator
Founded in 1999, IQNavigator provides services procurement and optimization solutions to Fortune 500 companies such as Quad/Graphics, Entergy, Shell, Northrop Grumman, Sony Electronics, Verio, Schlumberger and Alcatel. The company's award-winning suite of integrated applications enables companies to increase profitability by reducing and controlling costs for all types of outside services spending worldwide. IQNavigator has a successful track record for delivering a compelling and fast return on investment, as well as adaptable process control, enterprise-wide financial analysis and enhanced performance. The company is recognized as an industry pioneer and offers deep domain expertise in key market segments such as financial services, energy, healthcare, manufacturing and aerospace/defense. IQNavigator is headquartered in Denver, Colorado, and is found on the Web at www.iqnavigator.com.

FOR MORE INFORMATION
Nancy Harbutte
Director of Marketing
Staff Management
e-mail protected from spam bots
800-746-9462



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Most professionals in high-level positions believe taking risks is more important than playing it safe.

June 14, 2006 - In a recent survey of over 630 working professionals conducted by Caliper, a Princeton-based human resources consulting firm, over 7 out of 10 people feel that taking risks is more important to success than avoiding mistakes.

In addition, people in high-level positions—those who are C-level and Vice Presidents—stressed the importance of taking risks much stronger than those in Administrative or Managerial positions.

Does these mean that if you want to move your career forward, you are better off trying something new, and possibly failing, then never trying at all?

Herb Greenberg, Ph.D., President and CEO of Caliper, shares, “Many top achievers are risk takers—they are simply not afraid to go out into uncharted waters. As a result, they move themselves, as well as their organizations, ahead.”

This theme is explored in much greater depth in Caliper’s new book, Succeed on Your Own Terms, which is being published by McGraw-Hill in June. The message is that people who are truly successful are willing to take risks. And willing to risk is only one of four qualities that top achievers had in common. The other three qualities these people shared are really loving what they do, self-awareness and the ability to focus on their strengths instead of their weaknesses.

Authors Herb Greenberg and Patrick Sweeney discovered that these are the qualities that drive more than four dozen remarkably talented individuals from a dozen countries who have made their marks in business, politics, sports, the arts and global affairs. Through their compelling stories, readers will learn to identify their defining qualities, develop their own definitions of success, and learn to recognize their defining moments.

As a bonus, readers also receive a free personality assessment to help them focus on their most powerful personal motivators and capitalize on their key strengths.
To learn more about Succeed on Your Own Terms please visit www.SucceedOnYourOwnTerms.com.



*********

ABOUT CALIPER
Caliper helps companies achieve peak performance by aligning the potential and motivations of individuals with the goals of a business. Their expertise and accuracy, combined with the depth of their personal approach, has enabled them to provide objective, adaptable solutions for over 25,000 companies throughout the past four decades. By helping executives select the right people, manage individuals most effectively and develop productive teams, they are able to bridge the gap between where a company is and where it needs to be.



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NCOA Calls for Renewed Effort to Enroll Those with Limited Means in Part D

WASHINGTON, June 14, 2006 -- In testimony today before the House Ways and Means Committee concerning Medicare prescription drug implementation, the National Council on Aging (NCOA) commended the successful enrollment efforts thus far and stated that much remains to be done. NCOA called for a targeted national strategy to reach out and enroll the over 3 million beneficiaries in greatest need who are eligible for the low-income subsidy (LIS), and comprise up to 75 percent of those who still do not have drug coverage.

"The promise and potential of the Medicare Modernization Act will not be realized until we find and enroll all of the people who are eligible for and not receiving the Extra Help available to them," said James P. Firman, NCOA president and CEO. "NCOA applauds the efforts of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to permit low-income beneficiaries to apply for help and choose a plan after May 15th, and looks forward to working with the Administration, Congress, and private sector partners to find and enroll them."

Firman, who also chairs the 104-member Access to Benefits Coalition (ABC), added: "Reaching full, or almost full, LIS enrollment will require significant resources, millions of hours of one-on-one assistance, and several years to accomplish."

Through its efforts with the ABC and My Medicare Matters campaign, NCOA has been at the forefront of helping beneficiaries understand, navigate, and enroll in the new Medicare prescription drug benefit. NCOA applied lessons learned over the past year to recommend a number of specific actions integral to a unified national LIS enrollment strategy, including:

- a coordinated private sector effort that that complements government efforts;

- support for trusted grass-roots organizations to provide one-on-one counseling;

- sophisticated list and web-based enrollment strategies;

- specialty call centers focused specifically on LIS enrollments; and

- sufficient public and private sector funding to support the most cost effective, targeted, evidence-based approaches.

In addition to the 3 million beneficiaries who are LIS-eligible and who do not have prescription drug coverage, NCOA also urged that there be greater focus on another one million or more people who are LIS-eligible and already enrolled in a Part D plan. NCOA also estimates that at least 150,000 people who applied for LIS through the Social Security Administration and who were denied coverage would actually qualify for LIS if they applied instead for a Medicare Savings Program. This is because eight states (AL, AZ, DE, ME, MS, and VT) do not have any asset test for one or more categories of the Medicare Savings Program and MSP-eligible beneficiaries are deemed eligible for LIS.

NCOA also called on Congress to eliminate the asset test as a condition of LIS eligibility, saying that more than half of the applications rejected were ineligible because they failed to meet that test. People who scrimped and saved to keep a modest nest egg but still have limited incomes should be encouraged and rewarded, not denied the extra help they need.

Founded in 1950, the National Council on Aging (NCOA) is dedicated to improving the health and independence of older persons and increasing their continuing contributions to communities, society, and future generations. NCOA is a 501(c)3 organization based in Washington, DC.




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Cartus Promotes Deborah Williams to Senior Vice President Broker Services

DANBURY, Conn., June 13, 2006 – Kevin J. Kelleher, president and CEO of Cartus Corporation, the premier provider of global mobility management and workforce development solutions serving corporate, government and affinity markets, today announced that Deborah Williams has been promoted to senior vice president, Broker Services. She replaces W. Bruce Wallin, who retired after 35 years with the company. Williams will report directly to Kelleher.

“Deb is known and respected in the relocation and real estate industries, and she will continue to bring relationship value to Cartus and our Broker Network,” stated Kelleher. “This promotion recognizes the skills and experience she has delivered as a strategic leader within our organization."

Williams started with Cartus in 1981. Prior to becoming vice president, Broker Services, Williams was director for the company’s East, Central and Northeast regions. She also managed marketing services for vehicle management and relocation services, destination services, group move services and the Broker Network in Canada from 1981 through 1995. Since relocating to the United States in 1996, she has held management positions in the midwestern & eastern regions.

Most notably, Williams has been responsible for the strategic growth and development of the Broker Network as vice president, Eastern Region while also overseeing operations, technology and support functionality. She is also a member of on the ERC Coalition Communications Committee and is involved with the Junior Achievement Annual Golf Charity event.

About Cartus
Cartus Corporation is the premier provider of global mobility management and workforce development solutions serving the corporate, government and affinity markets. Through its industry-leading outsourcing, consulting,
intercultural and language training, Cartus helps the mobile workforces of organizations of all sizes achieve success worldwide. With 50 years of experience, Cartus helps clients achieve cost reductions and enhances service performance to accomplish their organizational objectives. Cartus, formerly known as Cendant Mobility is part of Cendant’s Real Estate Services Division. The Division will become a standalone, publicly traded company upon the completion of its previously announced separation from Cendant Corporation, anticipated in July 2006. Visit www.cartus.com for more information.


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Employers Not Prepared for Avian Flu, Survey Finds

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Washington, D.C. -- American businesses are ill-prepared for the potentially devastating effects of a global avian flu pandemic, according to a new survey by Thompson Publishing Group. The survey found that 76% of the 468 respondents have no contingency plan for an avian flu outbreak, even though 47% said senior management considers the issue important.

“Moderate estimates by the World Health Organization (WHO) indicate that up to 25% of the workforce could be lost in a pandemic,” says John Ortman, Thompson’s editor in chief. “This should spur companies to protect against an outbreak.” However, of the 63% of the survey respondents who reported having a business continuity plan, only about one-quarter of them have contingencies for a possible avian flu outbreak.

What are employers worried about? Human resources-related issues (72%) and remote work agreements (48%) are the areas of greatest concern in developing a plan. Other concerns include IT/data processing (41%) and coordination with state and local governments (35%). IT issues may be less important, according to Ortman, because IT contingency plans are already in place in most large and medium-sized business and in the public sector.

Of the 225 people known to be infected with the virus as of June 6, 2006, 128 have died, according to the WHO. Although the virus has mostly spread to humans through contact with infected birds, the possibility of the virus mutating and transmitting human-to-human has health authorities concerned. The World Bank believes that the economic consequences of a pandemic will be severe, costing the global community an estimated $800 billion a year. The U.S. cost alone could top $625 billion.

“For employers, this means a contingency plan could be essential to their survival,” Ortman says. “Developing programs to cross-train employees, creating telecommuting policies and revising sick leave allowances are recommended ways for an employer to prepare.”

Thompson Publishing Group, a Washington, D.C.-based information services provider, has been a leading source of analysis and guidance for business and government executives since 1972. Professionals rely on Thompson for help in tracking, and complying with, the dynamic regulatory mandates facing their organizations in a variety of areas including human resources; pensions and benefits; grants seeking and grants management; education, including Title I; FDA; environment and energy; and health care.




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Integrated Screening Partners Reveals Top 5 Advantages of a True HR Partner

Integrated Screening Partners Reveals Top 5 Advantages of a True HR Partner
ISP outlines the danger signs of a baseline employment screening provider in a recent article

AUSTIN, Texas—June 12, 2006—Unfortunately, most HR professionals are not aware of the tremendous variability of employment screening providers and the benefits that a relationship with a true HR partner can provide. In response, Integrated Screening Partners (ISP) is releasing “Top 5 Advantages of a True HR Partner.”

This employment screening best practice article includes:
• How to increase quality of hire while saving time and money;
• Different employment screening options and differentiators of each; and
• How to get security and legal assurance concerning your employment screening provider.

ISP’s recent research among companies with 1,000 to 20,000 employees reveals that HR professionals are paying too much for pre-packaged screening that consists of a database search and an incomplete criminal background check. Further complications result because of a slow turnaround time on education and/or employment verifications.

Read more about employment screening best practices and the top 5 advantages of a true HR partner at http://www.integratedscreening.com/isp_signup.asp?refer=isp_mpr_advantages

“A true HR partner can make the difference between screening applicants to keep out criminals versus screening applicants so the hiring manager can focus on finding top talent for the position,” said Jeff Collins, CEO and Founder of ISP.

Professionals interested in receiving the most from every background screen and from their screening provider should read “Danger Signs of a Baseline Provider: Top 5 Advantages of a True HR Partner” from ISP.

Employment screening providers can offer more than just background checks—they can help you hire the best talent and maintain a competitive advantage.

About Integrated Screening Partners
Integrated Screening Partners (ISP) understands the importance of investing in human capital, and our goal is to provide the essential information required to make the right hiring decisions in the shortest amount of time possible. Our global client list includes Fortune 100, small and midsize companies as well as education institutions and trade associations.

ISP provides a service level that clients were not aware that they were missing. To learn more, contact us for your customized report to help you recruit, hire and retain quality employees.

Media contact
Charles Bedard
Director 817-204-0389
To receive a free copy of the article “Danger Signs of a Baseline Provider: Top 5 Advantages of a True HR Partner” go to http://www.integratedscreening.com/isp_signup.asp?refer=isp_mpr_advantages

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HRMS / payroll software helps HR professionals increase retention

CHARLOTTE, N.C.—June 13, 2006 — While recruiting is the primary business concern for more than 80 percent of HR professionals throughout the country, it is often an elusive goal because of the numerous factors that influence an employee’s decision-making process. In response to the importance of this issue and the increasingly competitive nature of the talent marketplace, HRAmerica, powered by UltiPro, has released the white paper “The Impact of Human Resources on Employee Retention” with actionable steps and strategies for increasing retention.

“As HR business processes increase in number and complexities, HR professionals often struggle to determine which tasks are most important,” said HRAmerica board member Stephen Boyd. “They need to attain a high-level view so they can focus on improving their firm by retaining and hiring top talent. Outsourcing is often the key to more effective management.”

Companies can retain their top talent by effectively utilizing their HR department. In order to do this, employers must place increasing value on the strategic contributions of HR to their firm and outsource any services that are not core competencies and distract from their primary goal of hiring and retaining top talent. Some components of HR that can increase retention include:

 Talent management
 Employment brand development
 Corporate communications

For more about these strategies, read the white paper "The Impact of Human Resources on Employee Retention” now.

However, many companies do not have the time or talent to devote to these strategies because they are trapped in the mire of administrivia caused by the complexity of current HR business processes and relationship with ineffective services providers. More than 74 percent of companies rely on a HR services provider to manage technical tasks, which allows professionals to again focus on the most important elements of HR and their core competencies if they are competent providers. A partnership with a top-quality services provider can increase:

 HR professionals’ time for strategic management
 Access to latest software
 Access to best practices

For more about the benefits of a partnership with an HR services provider, read “The Impact of Human Resources on Employee Retention” today. For more information about HRAmerica, UltiPro and ESS, please visit www.HRAmerica.com.

Media Contact
Stephen Boyd, HRAmerica
404-277-7903

About HRAmerica
HRAmerica, powered by UltiPro, is an HR services firm offering comprehensive employee administration solutions such as payroll and benefits administration, employee benefit plans, training and recruiting. The company utilizes the Internet to deliver top tier management and reporting capabilities as well as employee self-service functionality.


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Jobscience Exposes Top Five Recruiting Technology Myths

Jobscience Exposes Top Five Recruiting Technology Myths
ATS providers’ fallacies exposed in Jobscience’s latest paper

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. — June 12, 2006—According to a research report by Jobscience, HR professionals cannot differentiate between applicant tracking systems (ATS) during the selection process and more than 50 percent end up dissatisfied.

There are many myths perpetuated by ATS providers, and Jobscience has determined the top five. These can be found in the white paper, “Top 5 Recruiting Technology Myths”, now available through Jobscience written for hospital recruiting professionals and executives.

Myth #2: All ATS providers offer up-to-date technology. Many ATS providers continue to label outdated recruiting technology as up-to-date because they are confident their prospects will not know the difference. What is being missed?

• Resume search agents that crawl multiple sites
• Corporate career site talent pool
• Prequalification for certified professionals
• Built-in candidate email communication system
• The ability to integrate with any job board and report on effectiveness of each
• Network of candidates from multiple job boards, associations, and regional databases

Many advertise up-to-date technology, but few provide upgrades throughout the life of the contract to ensure that the customers are utilizing the best technology to find, hire, and track the best fitting candidates. Professionals should use the same care in searching for a recruiting technology provider as they would a candidate since they are directly related. For more information on these and other features read “Top 5 Recruiting Technology Myths”

“All ATS providers are not the same, nor are their solutions,” says Terry Elliott, CFO of Jobscience. “A lot of the systems we see do as much harm as good. Hospitals that are not using benchmark data and metrics reporting are falling further behind.”

For a complimentary copy of “Top 5 Recruiting Technology Myths” go to http://www.jobscience.net/jpg_form_mpr_myths.htm

About Jobscience www.jobscience.net

Jobscience is a leader in providing services to improve staffing effectiveness and utilization in healthcare. Jobscience helps healthcare clients implement process improvement solutions to recruit and identify talent faster, automate hiring processes and increase HR's contribution to improving the performance of their healthcare organization.

Media Contact
Mark Desrosiers
415.777.1017 x301
For a complimentary copy of “Top 5 Recruiting Technology Myths” go to http://www.jobscience.net/jpg_form_mpr_myths.htm

Recruiting is a science.





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DDC Group Invests In Offshore Growth of HR Outsourcing Sector with Stake in OS2i, a DDC HRO Partner

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

DDC Group Invests In Offshore Growth of HR Outsourcing Sector with Stake in OS2i, a DDC HRO Partner - cites further example of DDC hybrid solution for supporting multi-shore client needs

DDC Group ownership stake in offshore Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO) provider augments DDC HRO offerings and further strengthens DDC hybrid onshore-offshore human capital BPO proposition for growing HR sector - where clients increasingly need help with both onshore and offshore or "hybrid" staffing solutions.

(New York, NY; & London) June 13th, 2006 - DDC Group ( www.theddcgroup.com ) today announced that it has made an equity investment stake in OS2i, a DDC HRO Alliance partner ( www.ddchro.com ) – further evidencing DDC’s view of the growth opportunity in HR BPO that leverages a hybrid onshore-offshore service delivery model. The latter has been a mainstay of DDC Group business philosophy and permeates through all business units.

The resulting "hybrid" or "multi-shore" RPO approach to the difficult issue of successful candidate sourcing yields important results in the modern workplace in that it cuts the time and cost of candidate sourcing; and improves onshore recruitment focus on timely candidate management and good onboarding processes. This to ensure successful hiring and onboarding of 'the right candidates' for the organization in a timely manner.

Speaking of the investment, Group Financial Director Brett Trevalyan said: ”We sense a shared vision for customer service and practical results, leveraging offshore techniques and staff deployment in delivering valuable results for our clients”.

“With this expansion of our existing Alliance relationship and our combined experience-base, we see a great strategic fit working together”, says Jan Trevalyan, DDC Group Founder and Chairman.

Addressing the further strengthening of the working relationship between DDC HRO and OS2i in the category of Recruitment Process Outsourcing (“RPO”), David Kinnear CEO of DDC HRO noted: “Here we spotted an operational and strategic synergy that was compelling and that demanded further exploration. Only a few could see that offshore processing was a key component of the HR BPO business and that this would be key to driving much-sought efficiencies for many clients in the years ahead. These guys did. It’s a pleasure to work with our colleagues at OS2i who are clearly forward-thinking and results-focused.”

Says Regan George, Managing Director of OS2i in the UK: “This investment and our combined experience will accelerate our growth – this being timely as the HR marketplace now takes note of the opportunity for offshore delivery of support services such as recruitment processing. We’re delighted with this turn of events.”

About DDC HRO and the DDC Group of Companies

The DDC Group (“DDC”) is a privately held portfolio of companies, providing human capital BPO solutions and global data processing solutions for forward-thinking companies and organizations worldwide. For further information, please visit: www.ddchro.com and/or www.theddcgroup.com -- or contact:

Ann Forde-Johnston, Head of DDC Group Marketing:

(+44) 1704-551134

Peter Holland, North America Operations Director:

(+1) (212)-553 9408



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Bill Greenblatt, CEO of Sterling Testing Systems, Named a Finalist for Ernst & Youngs Entrepreneur Of The Year� 2006 Award

New York City (June 8, 2006) – Sterling Testing Systems, Inc. announced that Bill Greenblatt is a finalist for the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year® 2006 Award in the New York Metro Region. The annual awards program recognizes outstanding entrepreneurs on a regional, national and global level who are building and leading dynamic and growing businesses. Award winners will be announced at a special 20th anniversary gala event on June 28 at the New York Marriott Marquis (NYC).

As CEO and Founder of Sterling Testing Systems, Bill Greenblatt is one of the nation’s top experts in the field of pre-employment screening, drug testing and background checking. With more than 30 years of experience in the field, Greenblatt is passionate about helping organizations create a safer workplace environment by supplying better information through technological innovation. Under his leadership, the company has enjoyed a 99% customer-retention rate among its 6,000 clients, deploys the most advanced client-support technology, provides an ever-growing roster of services, and doubled its size in the past two years.

Greenblatt was selected as a finalist from many outstanding nominations by a panel of independent judges. The strength of his mission, “never say die” attitude, and commitment to quality has provided the vision and leadership for Sterling to become an industry leader. Greenblatt noted that he is “truly honored to be selected as a finalist for this very prestigious award.” Upon notification of being named as a finalist, Greenblatt thanked and congratulated his entire Sterling staff, recognizing that it is their hard work and dedication that has enabled Sterling’s success.

The Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year awards program celebrates its 20th anniversary this year. Awards are given to entrepreneurs who have demonstrated excellence and extraordinary success in such areas as innovation, financial performance, and personal commitment to their businesses and communities.

Regional award winners are eligible for consideration for the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year 2006 national program. Award winners in several national categories, as well as the overall national Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year award winner, will be announced at the annual awards gala in Palm Springs, California on November 18, 2006. The overall national Entrepreneur Of The Year award recipient is then considered for the world event held in Monte Carlo.


Sterling Testing Systems, Inc.
Sterling Testing Systems is a business information provider and the foremost expert in pre-employment screening, harnessing 30 years of expertise to help companies hire right the first time and avoid costly mistakes. Sterling maintains a 99% client retention rate among its 6000 clients from the Fortune 500 to small to mid-sized enterprises in a wide range of industries including healthcare, financial services, retail and publishing. Sterling's proprietary technology rapidly links HR professionals to the background check data they need, and its SterlingDirect testing module seamlessly integrates into more than 15 unique HR software programs. For more information, visit www.sterlingtesting.com.

Media Contacts
Debbie Zuckerberg
Sterling Testing Systems, Inc.
212-812-1077
e-mail protected from spam bots


About the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year Awards
The Entrepreneur Of The Year awards program was created and is produced by professional services firm Ernst & Young LLP. As the first award of its kind, the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year award recognizes outstanding entrepreneurs who are building and leading dynamic and growing businesses. The program honors entrepreneurs through regional, national and global award programs in over 100 cities and 35 countries.



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NEW WEBSITE BRINGS LOCAL FOCUS, PROVEN TECHNOLOGY AND RECRUITMENT EXPERIENCE TO LOCAL JOB MARKET

ORLANDO, FL, June 8, 2006 ---With the arrival of GreatOrlandoJobs.com, Central Florida job seekers and human resources departments alike now have a dynamic tool to help meet their goals. With its debut on January 9 and the fast-approaching second quarter conclusion, the site can boast strong numbers, with an average of 800 new visitors daily, over 500 listings, some 3,100 resumes posted and nearly 300 clients.

The site’s early success is likely the result of its robust selection of features supported by an experienced staff of recruitment professionals and an in-house team of site developers on hand to customize features and solutions to meet specific client needs.

“If there’s one thing I’ve learned in 20 years in the recruitment profession, it’s that no two job applicants are alike, nor are any two human resources departments exactly alike,” said Roger Lear, president of GreatOrlandoJobs.com.

Partner Scott Kotroba concurred, “We know there’s more to successful recruitment than providing the link between a prospect and a company. Our goal is to offer the local job market a number of benefits and tools all on one site.”

The locally focused Orlando job site uses a proven blueprint. In 2001, Lear and Kotroba founded GreatInsuranceJobs.com, which has since become the nation’s leading insurance niche site with over 42,000 insurance candidates and more than 2,000 job postings. The same technology platform developed for the insurance site now drives GreatOrlandoJobs.

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GREAT ORLANDO JOBS, Page Two

Job seekers using the easily navigable site have access to quick job search agents, indexed job postings, and the distance to and location of posted jobs. A blog provides articles and information on topics ranging from interview tips to local business news. Candidates can also use the automatic job match feature that will notify them any time a job in their preferred field is posted and doesn’t require registration.

Because the site’s postings are limited to the Central Florida market, candidates are able to view more pertinent information than is available on nationwide job sites while still enjoying the benefits of cutting edge technology. “Whether you live here or you’re looking to relocate to the area, you’ll find local jobs on the site without trying to filter out positions that aren’t geographically desirable,” said Kotroba, who also serves as president of GreatInsuranceJobs.com.

Human resources departments can benefit from site solutions such as results management tools, resume search agents, automated job posting and applicant tracking systems. The site also has the ability to offer complete compliance with larger companies. Another advantage large companies see is affordable packages that make it feasible to advertise every opening on the site.

In addition to solutions, GreatOrlandoJobs.com has a staff of experienced recruitment professionals to help clients design the ideal message to attract the best possible employees.

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GREAT ORLANDO JOBS, Page Three

Citing the company’s experience in every recruitment aspect from direct recruiting to cost of hire and metrics, Kotroba said, “We are one in a very small community of employment professionals who understand the challenges of recruiting outstanding people for open positions. Marrying this understanding with technological capabilities, we attract candidates through both the website and a strong network.”

GreatOrlandoJobs.com’s network grows stronger daily as more clients and partners team up with the site. Partner sites feature links to GreatOrlandoJobs.com, resulting a significant number of entry points. Search engine optimization such as the site’s link to HR Marketer also drives candidates to the site as do career fairs, local events, and advertising and marketing efforts.

Further networking and partnership inroads are made through the company’s involvement on the applicant tracking systems committee for the International Association of Employment Websites, of which GreatOrlandoJobs.com is a charter member.

“I’ve been based in Orlando since 1987, recruiting on a nationwide basis,” said Lear, whose firm Lear & Associates is listed among the nation’s 20 largest permanent placement agencies. “This area’s growth and the opportunities offered here have drawn a pool of candidates who are more skilled, more experienced and more qualified than ever. Our goal is to be the leading liaison between these potential employees and local companies.”

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HORIZON BLUE CROSS BLUE SHIELD OF NEW JERSEY LAUNCHES A COMPREHENSIVE INCENTIVE PROGRAM TO REWARD MEMBERS FOR HEALTHY BEHAVIOR

HORIZON BLUE CROSS BLUE SHIELD OF NEW JERSEY LAUNCHES A COMPREHENSIVE INCENTIVE PROGRAM TO REWARD MEMBERS FOR HEALTHY BEHAVIOR

Horizon BCBSNJ offers Horizon Health Rewards to employers

NEWARK, NJ, (June 8, 2006) – Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey (Horizon BCBSNJ) and IncentOne, the leading provider of integrated healthcare incentive solutions, have announced a strategic alliance to drive healthy behavior through an employer-sponsored incentive program. Under the terms of the agreement, Horizon BCBSNJ Health Rewards will be integrated into Horizon BCBSNJ’s My Health Manager, where members have powerful tools to manage their healthcare. Along with comprehensive health information and decision support applications from WebMD, Horizon BCBSNJ members will be able to earn rewards for completing health and wellness activities.

Horizon BCBSNJ, IncentOne and WebMD designed a comprehensive rewards program for employers to help motivate their employees to engage in more healthy behaviors. Members who complete desired health and wellness activities earn points that are deposited into personalized health reward accounts. Points can be redeemed for the reward of their choice from IncentOne’s extensive reward portfolio of gift cards from hundreds of the nation’s leading retailers as well as merchandise, travel packages and more. The solution provides real-time reporting and management of activities and also provides personalized member communications about the importance of health and wellness activities.

“Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey is committed to improving the health of our members and providing innovative solutions to help our employers reduce their healthcare costs by keeping their employees healthy,” said Robert A. Marino, senior vice president of market business units for Horizon BCBSNJ. "With IncentOne and its EMPLOYEE POWERTM platform, we give our employers a powerful tool to encourage healthy behavior among their employees to help reduce their long-term healthcare costs.”

“Incentives are an essential element of any effective cost reduction strategy,” states Rob Kaminoff, chief marketing officer of IncentOne. “With IncentOne’s EMPLOYEE POWERTM platform, Horizon BCBSNJ is providing an innovative and tangible way for employers to reward employees for healthy behaviors. Behavior change requires incentives that drive employees to positive healthcare activities. Horizon BCBSNJ not only delivers behavior-changing rewards, but does so as part of an integrated solution that can be used to drive all elements of an employer’s healthcare cost reduction efforts.”

About IncentOne
Since 1997, IncentOne has provided integrated incentive solutions to clients ranging from small businesses to the FORTUNE® 1000, including half of the FORTUNE® 50. IncentOne’s solutions combine its proven incentive platform with the industry’s most comprehensive reward portfolio and Best Practices to provide companies with a tool to drive business objectives. IncentOne’s clients include Washington Mutual, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Deloitte, MGM, ADP, NBC and the United States Postal Service. For more information, please visit IncentOne at www.IncentOne.com.

About Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey
Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey, with headquarters in Newark, is New Jersey’s largest health insurer providing coverage to more than 3.3 million people. Horizon BCBSNJ’s company Web site is located at www.HorizonBlue.com. Horizon BCBSNJ is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association.

CONTACT:
Rick Gordimer, IncentOne
(201) 372-9250 Ext. 302
e-mail protected from spam bots

Tom Rubino, Horizon BCBSNJ
(973) 466-8755
e-mail protected from spam bots




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Research Shows Human Resource Buyers Use Internet as Primary Source for Gathering Product Information

CAPITOLA, Calif. — June 8, 2006 — According to recent studies, more than half of American Internet users said that the Internet is their primary source for information about products and services they purchase. In response to the increasing popularity of online searches for information, human resource and employee benefits marketers must create an Internet presence to meet their prospects online.

A new article by HRmarketer.com entitled “Research Shows Human Resource Buyers Use Internet as Primary Source for Gathering Product Information" outlines proven techniques for crafting a successful Internet marketing presence so that as consumers increasingly go online, marketing tactics match their buyer purchasing habits.

HRmarketer knows what it’s talking about. The company consistently acquires top page rankings on Google and other major search engines for their chosen keywords such as HR marketing, HR marketing PR, and marketing and selling to human resources.

HRmarketer also help hundreds of other human resource and employee benefit suppliers do the same via HRmarketer.com, the leading online marketing visibility service for companies selling to HR departments and/or employee benefit brokers.

The article shares some of their successful tactics uniquely suited to the HR/Benefits marketplace. The key takeaways from this article include:

• Steps for creating tangible results online
• Techniques for successful marketing PR
• Strategies for making the most of compelling offers
• Cost-effective website optimization methods

For more about targeting online prospects searching for information and creating a strategic web presence, read “Research Shows Human Resource Buyers Use Internet as Primary Source for Gathering Product Information.” For more about HRmarketer, visit their website at www.hrmarketer.com.

About HR Marketer
HRmarketer is a service of Fisher Vista LLC, a marketing and information services firm focusing exclusively on the human capital industry. The company services over 300 HR service providers, employee benefit brokers and consultants, helping them increase their visibility and generate sales leads.


Contact
Charles Bedard
Director of Marketing
817.204.0389



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Retailers Battle for Talent with Compensation.

Retail jobs that have the greatest impact on sales and margins are commanding the largest pay increases. In an era of 3.0% base pay increases, the average annual wage has jumped 10% or more for jobs such as Sales Team Leader, Sales Supervisor and Senior Buyer. This surprising finding was gleaned from an analysis of Western Management Group’s “Retail Sales Compensation Survey” results over the previous two years. The analysis, performed by Axiom Consulting Partners, also found that variable pay (“bonuses”) has emerged as the new currency for rewarding performance at certain leading retailers.

Although challenging to use variable pay in retail jobs populated by teenagers working part-time and turning over every two months, there are many other critical jobs impacting store performance that are increasingly on a performance incentive system. “When implemented properly, variable incentives are powerful tools for providing focus on the things that matter and motivation to perform higher,” said Peter LeBlanc, Managing Partner at Axiom Consulting Partners. Retailers are looking for cost-effective ways of recruiting, retaining and motivating talent and the study found that incentive pay is becoming an important reward.

Axiom Consulting Partners offers its “Retail Sales Compensation Survey Summary Report” in response to the increasing need for retailers to maximize the return on their compensation dollar. This report offers key insights for practitioners responsible for planning and advising senior management on compensation matters. The research report also features industry forecasts, data, trends and recommendations.

The “Retail Sales Compensation Survey Summary Report” findings from Western Management Group’s survey of Fortune 1000 retailers include:
* While base pay wages increased 3.0% overall, Sales Team Leaders and Supervisors jumped 13.7% in 2005 and the Senior Buyer benchmark went up 9.4%.
* On average, only 40% of the participating companies reported using variable pay for the various retail jobs examined in the WMG survey.
* Variable pay is a desirable option among customer-facing jobs where performance is more easily defined but harder to manage to a consistent standard

Download the “Retail Sales Compensation Survey Summary Report” for more about variable pay and trends in the retail industry for 2006 and beyond.

About Axiom Consulting Partners:
Axiom Consulting Partners specializes in hardwiring people to business strategy enabling better articulation and execution of business objectives. We ask the right questions to uncover and remove the disconnects that commonly exist among the boardroom, middle management and the front line. Our clients find that Axiom uncovers insights and generates recommendations that have a quantifiable business impact.

About Western Management Group:
Since 1972, Western Management Group (WMG) has been a global leader in the design, development and conduct of compensation surveys. WMG’s practice is dedicated towards providing timely, valid and accurate market data to compensation professionals through the use of state-of-the-art tools and analyses.

Media contact:
John Whelan
Director, Market Development
161 N. Clark Street, Suite 4700, Chicago, IL. 60601
312.523.2090 office
www.axiomcp.com

Download the “Retail Sales Compensation Survey Summary Report” at http://www.axiomcp.com/knowledge.php



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American Community Presents 2005 Awards at Annual Sterling Club Event for Agents

Livonia, Mich – American Community Mutual Insurance Company, a leading provider of Individual and Group health insurance, presented its 2005 agent awards during its Sterling Club event held in May 2006. The annual event hosts American Community’s top producers from over 5,000 independent agents in eight states.

American Community’s annual awards recognize the highest level of individual accomplishment for its agent partners and Marketing Directors.

The 2005 awardees include:

Rookie of the Year
Renee and Eric Guerin
The Granville Planning Group LLC
Granville, Ohio

Group Agent of the Year
Pam Mellencamp
Community Bancinsurance Services
Springfield, Illinois

Individual Agent of the Year
Rick Young, CLU
Rick Young & Associates
Rochester Hills, Michigan

Leading Premium Producing Agent of the Year
and Company Agent of the Year
Darren Coffman
Benefits Unlimited, Inc.
Springfield, Missouri

Marketing Director of the Year
Patricia A. Cavanaugh
Marketing Director in Illinois

About American Community
With beginnings dating back to 1938, American Community Mutual Insurance Company is one of the oldest health insurance companies in the United States. For over six decades, Americans have relied on American Community to make quality health care affordable. Based in Livonia, Michigan, American Community markets individual and group health insurance products in eight states through an agency force of over 5,000. The company provides high quality, affordable coverage to approximately 150,000 people. For more information, visit www.american-community.com.



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Unitime Systems Launches UNITIME on Demand Time and Attendance System

BOULDER CO, June 6, 2006: Unitime Systems has launched UNITIME on Demand, a subscription-based time and attendance system that’s delivered to customers through a standard Internet browser. UNITIME on Demand marks the company’s entrance into the growing software-as-a-service (SAS) segment of the time and attendance market.

UNITIME on Demand provides a fast, easy, cost-effective method to automate employee time and labor management processes. Offered on a monthly subscription, it is entirely Web-based and can be used from any computer running an Internet browser. The product is targeted to organizations that prefer to avoid the large capital outlay, IT infrastructure investments and long implementation process associated with purchasing licensed software.

The functions of UNITIME on Demand are similar to Unitime’s popular UNITIME Automated Timekeeping System time-and-attendance software package, launched in 1993. UNITIME on Demand is one of four time and attendance products offered by Unitime Systems.

“UNITIME on Demand enables us to address a wider segment of the time and attendance market while enhancing our technology offerings,” said Bill Korstad, Unitime Systems CEO. “We can now provide a greater selection of solutions to both current and future customers, regardless of industry, company size, or infrastructure. Plus, we’re ideally positioned for future growth in the software-as-a-service segment of the marketplace.”

Korstad noted that SAS comprises approximately two percent of the software market today. “Even a small, steady increase in the next five to 10 years in SAS can mean thousands of potential customers seeking to license time and attendance applications like UNITIME on Demand,” he said.

HOW IT WORKS
Employees clock in and out through a data collection device (such as a swipe or biometric timeclock), an ordinary telephone or their UNITIME on Demand home Web page (using a unique login ID and password). Employers can track employee hours according to as many as 15 different labor levels, including jobs, departments, shifts or locations. Managers and supervisors use UNITIME on Demand to review and correct punch data, update schedules, and approve employee hours.

MULTI-TENANT APPLICATION
UNITIME on Demand is a multi-tenant application, offering a single database and application installation for all subscribers. That streamlines regular updates (which occur on a regular basis, during off-peak hours), support and scalability. Company data transmitted over the Internet is encrypted for security; access to the data is available only to those with the company’s alias, user ID and password.

FOR INFORMATION
For information about UNITIME on Demand, contact Unitime Systems at 800-611-4762 or e-mail protected from spam bots; www.unitime.com.

ABOUT UNITIME SYSTEMS
Unitime Systems, based in Boulder CO, provides time and labor management software for small to enterprise organizations in nearly every industry. Founded in 1993, Unitime Systems has helped more than 2,000 businesses in more than 7,500 locations throughout North America enhance the performance of employees, managers and overall operations. Unitime Systems’ products integrate seamlessly with payroll, human resources, ERP and other critical back-office systems. Options include SQL and Web platforms, hosted and premise-based deployments, biometric time clocks, benefit accruals and attendance point tracking, all backed by Unitime Systems’ unparalleled support and professional services. Unitime Systems’ headquarters is at 4900 Pearl East Circle, Suite 110, Boulder, CO 80301; www.unitime.com; e-mail protected from spam bots; 800-611-4762, fax: 303-444-7387.

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ROD ALANIS APPOINTED JWT EMPLOYMENT COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR OF DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION

New York, NY – June 5, 2005 – JWT Employment Communications, one of the world’s largest recruitment marketing and employee communications companies, has appointed Rod Alanis Director of Diversity and Inclusion, responsible for helping clients attract, recruit and retain diverse candidates, as well as for the introduction and management of diversity programs and initiatives.

Prior to assuming this role, Mr. Alanis developed and executed a wide array of diversity marketing initiatives for major government agencies and private industry employers.

“We are amidst one of the most profound demographic changes we've experienced in the past century, and it's a very dynamic time in the marketplace,” said Rod Alanis. “I'm excited about the opportunity to continue to bring value to our clients, while helping to make a positive impact in our diverse communities as well.”

Prior to joining JWT Employment Communications, Rod Alanis worked in Accenture's business process competency group in Dallas, Texas. A graduate of the University of Texas at Austin, he obtained a BBA with a double major in Marketing & MIS and a Spanish minor. He received his MBA from Texas Tech University with an emphasis in Marketing.

The son of Mexican immigrants, Rod is fluent in Spanish. He currently resides in Washington D.C.


JWT Employment Communications helps employers attract, recruit and retain staff through comprehensive advertising, marketing and recruitment communications services, measurement tools, consulting resources and strategic approaches to talent acquisition and management.
The agency has 32 offices across North America and internationally. It is a subsidiary of JWT, an agency of WPP (NASDAQ: WPPGY) that ranks among the oldest and largest full-service global advertising agencies.

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Laurdan Associates Announces the Release of the Eighth Editon of its HR Auditing Tool

POTOMAC, MD, MAY 1, 2006: Laurdan Associates, Inc. recently announced the release of the eighth edition of the Employment-Labor Law Audit™ (ELLA®), the nation’s leading HR auditing and employment practices liability risk assessment tool. Available in hard copy and web-based versions, ELLA® provides users with a systematic approach to assessing the strengths and weaknesses of their organizations’ human resources and employment practices liability risk management activities, to identifying hidden problem areas, to measuring outcomes and benchmarking best practices, and to prioritizing corrective measures.

The eighth edition of ELLA®, which now covers 26 employment practices areas:
► Adds five new Profiles: Governance and Ethics, COBRA and HIPAA, Employee Benefits Plan Compliance, Affirmative Action Planning, and Workplace Safety.
► Adds new material on Wage and Hour, Immigration, Leaves of Absence, and human capital management.
► Updates and expands the assessment of organizational values and culture, performance management, and HR metrics.
► Adds greater emphasis to strategic HR and employment practices liability risk management.

Additionally, the new web-based version includes: 1) enhanced security through encrypted user logins, 2) faster Profile response time, 3) improved navigation throughout ELLA on the WEB™, 4) new external search capabilities using Google™, and 5) new exportability of ELLA® content to Microsoft® Word®, which allows greater customization of users’ HR audit reports.

“There has been a heightened interest in HR audits as organizations seek to enhance the value of their human capital while reducing their exposure to employment related liabilities,” according to Mr. Ronald Adler, president–CEO, of Laurdan Associates, Inc. “Like financial audits, HR audits can help organizations assess asset integrity and organizational well-being, help monitor and assess internal controls, help conduct due diligence, and help demonstrate a commitment to compliance.”

“Further, in the ‘war for talent’ and with the growing recognition of the relationship between HR management and the bottom line, CEOs, CFOs, boards of directors, and internal and external auditors are increasingly finding HR audits a valuable tool to help their organizations align employment practices with business objectives.”

For more information, contact Mr. Ronald Adler, president-CEO, Laurdan Associates, Inc., Suite 201, 10220 River Road, Potomac, MD 20854, 301-299-4117, e-mail protected from spam bots.



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Capital H Group, Human Resources Consulting and Outsourcing Firm, Secures $25 Million Funding Commitment from FTVentures

Chicago, Illinois – June 5, 2006 – Capital H Group, a rapidly expanding human capital consulting and outsourcing firm, announced today that it has closed a $25 million funding commitment from FTVentures, a private equity firm focused on business services and software companies that provide meaningful solutions to the financial services industry. Capital H Group provides a breadth of services that help companies create value – through their people – for better business results by focusing on the effectiveness of an organization, its executive team and staff, as well as its operations and sales practices.

“This funding marks a very important milestone on our expansion path,” said Dan Weinfurter, CEO of Capital H Group. “In the two and a half years since our first capital raise, we have grown our team to over 130 professionals in six cities and have consulted on people issues with dozens of top companies in a range of industries.” Greg Silich, Capital H Group COO, said “We’re excited about this capital infusion which will allow us to expand into new cities to further build out our national presence while also aggressively pursuing acquisitions to enhance our existing capabilities and round out our full service offering.”

“Capital H Group’s experienced management team has the vision and the proven operating acumen necessary to capitalize on this significant market opportunity in human resources consulting and outsourcing solutions for corporations,” said Chris Winship, FTVentures Principal. “Issues related to human resources management, including recruiting, retention, and compensation, continue to be an important area of focus for the financial services industry; we believe that Capital H Group’s offering will be highly attractive to the FTVentures Global Partner Network, which includes 38 of the world’s leading financial institutions. Capital H’s customized approach and business results orientation, as well as its status as an independent company, make it an appealing alternative to existing competitors.” Capital H Group’s clients include Bank of America, Merrill Lynch Global Commodities, LaSalle Bank Corporation (member of ABN
AMRO Group) and International Truck and Engine.

Capital H Group also announced that Richard Garman, FTVentures Managing Partner, and Winship, have joined the Capital H Group Board of Directors. PPM America Capital Partners, an existing institutional investor in the company, will continue to participate on the Board.

About Capital H Group
Capital H Group (www.capitalhgroup.com) is a rapidly growing human capital consulting and outsourcing group, with headquarters in Chicago and operations in Detroit, Houston, Los Angeles, Milwaukee and New York and over 130 professionals recruited from the major firms in the field. Capital H Group helps companies create value – through people – for better business results.

About FTVentures
FTVentures provides capital to growth companies to finance organic expansion, recapitalizations, build-ups and buyouts. The firm invests in software and business services companies that derive value from its unmatched Global Partner Network, which includes 38 of the world's leading financial institutions. FTVentures' Global Partner Network provides the firm with a unique vantage point into the business driven IT and operating challenges of the global enterprise. Founded in 1998, FTVentures currently has $624 million under management with offices in San Francisco and New York. For more information, please visit www.ftventures.com.



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Helping College Graduates Find Their Dream Jobs

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. – June 1, 2006 – This month hundreds of thousands of students are graduating from U.S. universities and heading into the real world. While some are fortunate enough to have already landed their first job, most graduates are still struggling to choose a career that makes sense to them. With this new book from WetFeet, “Finding The Right Career Path,” students can coach themselves to find the best career match for their skills, talents, and personality style.

Experienced career coach and author, Mary Ann Bailey explores the four critical steps to choosing a career: self-assessment, exploration, evaluation and decision-making, and implementation. From helping readers consider their “dream job” to how to start a successful job search, this book uniquely addresses the needs of graduating college seniors through the use of interactive self-assessment tools.

According to author Mary Ann Bailey, “In this book, I’ve captured the process and techniques that we use in our one-on-one career coaching sessions, but in a way that students can actually use those same tools to coach themselves and uncover their true interests and skills.”

“Finding The Right Career Path” is published by WetFeet as part of their successful Insider Guide series, relied on by hundreds of thousands of job seekers. Since 1994, the more than sixty Insider Guide titles explore topics ranging from career planning, resume development, and interview preparation to in-depth information about specific industries, careers, and companies.

Steve Pollock, president of WetFeet, comments, “We’re excited to work with Mary Ann again as her style is engaging, and in a recent WetFeet Student survey, nearly half of all college graduates had not found a position, so this is an area where we want to help students get started on the best path.”

“Finding The Right Career Path” is currently available for sale on www.wetfeet.com and will be available at Amazon.com and in major book stores in late May. $21.95 retail price. ISBN 1-58207-554-9.

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About Mary Ann Bailey

Mary Ann Bailey is a full-time career coach and the president of Bailey Coaching in Seattle, Washington. She holds a BA in psychology, a masters degree in counseling, and is a member of the International Coach Federation. Bailey offers one-on-one career coaching services, and her previous book, “Changing Course, Changing Careers” was one of the top-selling WetFeet Insider Guides in 2005. More at www.baileycoaching.com.

About WetFeet

Since 1994, WetFeet, Inc. has served the needs of job seekers, universities and corporate recruiters. WetFeet provides trusted career advice, university career Web sites, corporate recruiting software, industry research reports, and recruitment consulting services. Customers include many of the top corporations and universities in the world—plus hundreds of thousands of job seekers who visit WetFeet.com and InternshipPrograms.com and purchase the popular Insider Guide books. More at www.wetfeet.com.

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BlessingWhite Files Copyright Infringement Lawsuit Against General Electric

PRINCETON, NJ— 06/01/06 BlessingWhite, an employee-owned consulting firm, filed suit last week in U.S. District Court in Trenton, NJ against General Electric Company (GE) charging copyright infringement of its flagship employee development program, Managing Personal Growth© (MPG). The suit seeks recovery of actual and statutory damages that BlessingWhite sustained as a result of GE’s actions, plus court costs and attorney fees.

“We have taken this step reluctantly,” says BlessingWhite CEO and President Christopher Rice, “Our efforts over the last 10 months to convince GE to take appropriate, responsible action ended in failure.” He continues, “At BlessingWhite, our livelihood resides in our ideas and thought leadership. We take intellectual property rights seriously. GE’s unauthorized use of the MPG program content represents a clear violation of those rights.”

In July 2005, BlessingWhite became aware that GE provides a program called “My Development @ GE” for employee growth and development. Its suit charges that “My Development @ GE” is substantially similar to MPG, and that it has been distributed for several years to GE’s approximately 300,000 employees.

For more than 30 years, MPG has been a mainstay of corporate training and employee alignment efforts, helping employees take ownership of their professional development and success on the job. The program blends personal values clarification, skills feedback, insights into job satisfaction, and structured employee-manager dialogue. Additional information on MPG can be found on www.blessingwhite.com.




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