Category: News

Fast, smooth, no bugs or crashes for me, yet. I like the tabs on top, too.

Permalink

| Leave a comment  »

Lantiq, a portfolio company of Golden Gate Capital, has acquired the wireline business of Infineon Technologies AG (Frankfurt: IFX), for approximately €243 million.

PRESS RELEASE

Infineon Technologies AG (FRANKFURT: IFX) (OTCQX: IFNNY) and Lantiq today announced the closing of the sale of Infineon’s Wireline business to Lantiq, an affiliate of the U.S. based investor Golden Gate Capital.

“We are very pleased that we successfully finalized this transaction with Golden Gate Capital. I am glad to see our former WLC division well prepared and supported to take a leadership position in its core market. As Infineon, we actively assist a smooth transition process for our joint customers and partners from Infineon to Lantiq,” said Peter Bauer, CEO of Infineon Technologies. “This transaction is a positive example for our efforts to stronger focus our R&D investments in our lead business segments. Infineon will continue to drive its leading technological position in the three key sectors energy efficiency, communications and security.”

The new company, Lantiq, is a fabless semiconductor company with over 20 years of experience in Wireline communication and a strong technical foundation with over 800 patent families. Lantiq will continue to drive innovation for the Next-Generation Access and Home Networks.

“It is an exciting day and an important milestone for Lantiq. We are looking forward to developing our market presence further and serving our customers even better by enhancing our product portfolio,” said Christian Wolff, CEO of Lantiq. “Lantiq’s recently announced first acquisition in the Home Networking segment shows our focus and commitment to the wireline communication market.”

The sale of Infineon WLC to Golden Gate Capital was announced in July this year. The final purchase price will amount to approximately EUR 243 Million resulting from customary adjustments in the asset purchase agreement with Golden Gate Capital. Infineon is expected to record a book gain of more than Euro 100 Million as a result of this transaction in the first quarter of its fiscal year ending September 30, 2010.

Lantiq is a market leader in the broadband access market and has approximately 900 employees around the globe. It is among the world’s Top 15 fabless semiconductor companies and fifth largest among the companies headquartered in Europe.

About Infineon

Infineon Technologies AG, Neubiberg, Germany, offers semiconductor and system solutions addressing three central challenges to modern society: energy efficiency, communications, and security. In the 2008 fiscal year (ending September), the company reported sales of Euro 4.3 billion with approximately 29,100 employees worldwide in continuing operations. With a global presence, Infineon operates through its subsidiaries in the U.S. from Milpitas, CA, in the Asia-Pacific region from Singapore, and in Japan from Tokyo. Infineon is listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange (ticker symbol: IFX) and in the USA on the over-the-counter market OTCQX International Premier (ticker symbol: IFNNY).

Further information is available at www.infineon.com.

This news release is available online at www.infineon.com/press/

About Lantiq

Lantiq offers a broad and innovative product portfolio for Next Generation Networks and the Digital Home. The company employs about 900 people in Europe, North America and the Asia Pacific region. Headquartered in Neubiberg, Germany, Lantiq specializes on broadband communications, encompassing analog, digital and mixed-signal ICs along with comprehensive software suites. Lantiq is a fabless company, and its semiconductor solutions are deployed by major carriers and in home networks in every region of the world.

Further information is available at www.Lantiq.com

ShareThis

Advent International has made a public tender offer to acquire Polish educational publisher Wydawnictwa Szkolne i Pedagogiczne SA (WSiP). The offer is valued just north of $142 million.

PRESS RELEASE

Advent International, a leading global private equity fund, announced today a public tender offer to acquire 100% of Wydawnictwa Szkolne i Pedagogiczne S.A. (WSiP), the largest Polish educational publisher.

Pahoa Investments Sp. z o.o., a company indirectly wholly owned by funds managed by Advent International, announced today a public tender offer for all outstanding shares in WSiP (the Offer). WSiP has been listed on the Warsaw Stock Exchange since November 2004.

Summary

• The subject of the Offer is 24,759,330 shares, conferring the right to 24,759,330 votes at the General Shareholders’ Meeting, which represents 100% of the total number of votes.
• The price offered for the shares is PLN 16.35 per share, valuing the equity of WSiP at PLN 404.8 million, and represents:
-Premium of 5.6% compared to the volume weighted average market price of the shares during the six month period directly preceding the date of announcement of the Offer of PLN 15.48.
-Premium of 1.7% compared to the volume weighted average market price of the shares during the three month period directly preceding the date of announcement of the Offer of PLN 16.07.
-Premium of 1.6% compared to the last closing price of the shares of PLN 16.10.
• The acceptance period for the Offer is expected to run from 27th November 2009 through to and including 28th December 2009.
• The Offer is conditional upon obtaining the approval of the Polish Antitrust Authorities.
• The Offer is conditional upon reaching 80% of WSiP’s shares, following the achievement of which, Advent International intends to delist the company.
• If Advent International becomes the owner of 90% or more of the shares in the company, then its intention will be to conduct a compulsory buyout of the minority shareholders.

Commenting on today’s announcement, Monika Morali-Efinowicz, Managing Director at Advent International said: “WSiP is the leading player in the Polish educational publishing market, with a good portfolio of publications. This market is likely to go through changes in the coming years, which will bring both new risks, as well as opportunities to text book publishers. We believe that WSiP is well positioned to continue to be a leading player in its market. Maintaining that leadership position will, however, require the company to invest in new products and take an active part in market consolidation. Advent International can fully support the company in the current market environment and help it to realize its growth strategy.”

Commenting on the tender offer price, Piotr Kędra, Director at Advent International said: “We believe that the price offered by Advent is attractive. There has hardly ever been an opportunity to sell the shares of WSiP at such a high valuation level. It is our goal to delist the company. We believe that delisting WSiP will enable it to react faster to the new competitive environment and future challenges.”

Background and reasons for the Offer

WSiP has been restructured by the current management team and enjoyed moderate growth in the last two years. In order to continue this growth, the company will need to invest in new products and technologies, as well as actively participate in the sector’s consolidation. Advent International is convinced that the implementation of the growth strategy requires an active and devoted shareholder. WSiP would need to invest in the long term growth of the business and we would support the company in doing that with our expertise and exceptional know-how through an extensive network of industry advisors within our Operating Partner Program. Over a period of 25 years Advent International invested in different segments of the media market, including publishing companies in Western Europe, as well as the broader educational market. Advent recently invested in Kroton Educacional, the leading private education company in Brazil, running 654 primary and high schools and 22 university campuses.

The Offer

Advent International launched the Offer on 6th November 2009 and it is anticipated that subscriptions for the sale of the Shares will be accepted from 27th November 2009, through to and including 28th December 2009, on all business days, Monday through Friday, excluding statutory holidays. Estimated date for payment is 6 working days after expiration of the acceptance period. Advent International reserves the right to extend the acceptance period. Completion of the Offer is conditional upon:
(i) a minimum of 80% of shares being tendered; and
(ii) approval from the Polish antitrust authorities.

Description of the financing:

The Offer is fully provided for by way of a stand-by letter of credit supplied by Bank of America, N.A., which is in turn backed by funds provided by Advent International Corporation’s ACEEIV Private Equity Fund

Advisors

The offer is managed by ING Securities S.A.
Vienna Capital Partners acts as the lead financial adviser.
Allen & Overy acts as the lead legal adviser.

About Wydawnictwa Szkolne i Pedagogiczne:

Wydawnictwa Szkolne i Pedagogiczne are the largest Polish educational publisher offering a complete range of textbooks, supplementary books and multimedia for all types of schools and all school levels. Established in 1945, the company has been listed on the Warsaw Stock Exchange since November 3rd 2004.

ShareThis

AT&T has completed its acquisition of rural phone company Centennial Communications Corp. (Nasdaq: CYCL). The deal was valued at $944 million in cash, or $8.50 per share. Welsh Carson Anderson & Stowe was Centennial’s largest shareholder, and has agreed to support the deal.

PRESS RELEASE

 AT&T* today announced that it has completed its acquisition of Centennial Communications Corp. (Nasdaq:CYCL). The acquisition enhances AT&T’s network coverage across the Midwest and Southeast United States and in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

The combination of the two companies’ wireless networks will allow AT&T to deliver broader wireless coverage, including to approximately 893,000 former Centennial wireless subscribers.(1) With the addition of Centennial, AT&T also expands its wired network coverage to Puerto Rico, enhancing service for its business customers with operations there.

“The addition of Centennial will enhance AT&T’s assets in wireless — a strategic priority and one of our biggest growth drivers — and service for customers of both companies,” said Ralph de la Vega, president and chief executive officer of AT&T Mobility and Consumer Markets. “We’re excited to give Centennial wireless subscribers access to the nation’s fastest 3G network plus our premier lineup of smartphones and unmatched portfolio of applications and services.

“We’ll also improve network reliability for our wireless subscribers who will be able to make on-network calls in the Centennial footprint,” said de la Vega. “And as Centennial’s broadband network in Puerto Rico is integrated with AT&T’s extensive global network and advanced service offerings, we’ll offer corporations that operate in Puerto Rico the benefits of end-to-end service over a single network.”

Integration Plans

AT&T plans to integrate Centennial’s networks and products with AT&T’s networks and product portfolio. The transaction extends AT&T’s wireless network coverage in primarily rural areas of Indiana, Louisiana, Michigan, Ohio and Texas as well as enhances coverage in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

In the mainland U.S., AT&T will move quickly to rebrand Centennial as AT&T and to make AT&T’s innovative products and services available to Centennial’s customers.(2) By late January 2010, AT&T products and services will be available at more than 100 Centennial retail locations. Within the same timeframe, AT&T signage will be installed in all Centennial locations. Former Centennial wireless subscribers may keep their existing rate plans, but they will also have the opportunity to migrate to AT&T rate plans without activation or upgrade fees. Existing AT&T customer contracts will not change.

In Puerto Rico, the Centennial brand will continue through mid-2010. AT&T will honor the current rate plans and contracts of Centennial wireless subscribers. AT&T expects to make the full portfolio of AT&T products and services available in Centennial locations in Puerto Rico in the third quarter of 2010. At that point, Centennial customers will have the opportunity to migrate to AT&T rate plans without activation or upgrade fees. Existing AT&T customer contracts in Puerto Rico will not change.

To provide the best experience possible for Centennial customers who choose to migrate to AT&T service, prior to the transition, AT&T plans to deploy 3G at more than 200 sites in Centennial’s markets. This deployment plan includes adding 3G capabilities at more than 100 sites and expanding 3G coverage and capacity at approximately 100 sites.

Centennial customers who choose AT&T plans will enjoy significant benefits as they join the AT&T network. AT&T offers the best wireless coverage worldwide, with more phones working in more places; more applications running over its network; and access to the nation’s fastest 3G network, which will get even faster as AT&T rolls out HSPA 7.2 technology in advance of its deployment of 4G LTE service. And unlike other wireless networks, AT&T’s network enables subscribers to talk and e-mail or surf the Web at the same time — one of the reasons, along with the industry’s leading lineup of devices, that significantly more smartphone users have chosen AT&T over other wireless carriers. Centennial customers who choose select smartphones and LaptopConnect cards will have access to AT&T’s Wi-Fi hot spot network, the largest in the U.S. with more than 20,000 hot spots, at no additional charge. AT&T will also offer Centennial subscribers Rollover(®) Minutes, a feature exclusive to AT&T, as well as a mobile-to-mobile calling community of nearly 82 million(3) members.

Centennial’s wired network assets in Puerto Rico will also allow AT&T to better serve business customers with a presence in Puerto Rico. AT&T will continue to provide switched voice, high-capacity data and Internet Protocol solutions for business customers in Puerto Rico. Existing Centennial customers will now have access to new technologies, to AT&T’s innovative products and to both wireline and wireless services from AT&T.

Merger Synergies and Financials

The acquisition of Centennial will provide AT&T opportunities for synergies in areas such as corporate functions, advertising, customer care and network operations. AT&T expects upfront integration costs will result in minimal dilution to EPS and cash flow in 2009. As previously announced, Centennial stockholders will receive $8.50 per share in cash. Including net debt, the transaction is valued at $2.7 billion. AT&T will take prompt actions to redeem all of Centennial’s outstanding debt under its indentures and credit agreement.

Regulatory Approval Process

AT&T’s acquisition of Centennial has been reviewed and approved by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). Pursuant to a consent decree, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Attorney General of the State of Louisiana have agreed to permit the merger to close.

As a result of the FCC and DOJ review processes, AT&T agreed to divest operations in eight service areas: Alexandria, La., Lafayette, La., LA-3 (DeSoto), LA-5 (Beauregard), LA-6 (Iberville), LA-7 (West Feliciana), MS-8 (Claiborne) and MS-9 (Copiah). Per the terms of a definitive agreement signed in May 2009, AT&T has agreed to divest to Verizon Wireless five of the Centennial service areas covered under the DOJ ruling. These five service areas are Lafayette, La., LA-5 (Beauregard), LA-6 (Iberville), LA-7 (West Feliciana) and MS-8 (Claiborne). AT&T now expects that this transaction will close in the first quarter of 2010, once the companies obtain regulatory approvals. AT&T also has a definitive agreement with Verizon Wireless to acquire wireless properties Verizon Wireless is divesting as a result of its acquisition of Alltel. That transaction is also subject to regulatory approvals and is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2009.

To secure FCC approval of the transaction, AT&T committed to honor agreements for roaming on Centennial’s network. AT&T will honor existing roaming agreements with other carriers for the life of the contract — or, for carriers with fewer than 10 million subscribers, will maintain the roaming agreement for at least four years or the full term of the agreement with Centennial, whichever is longer. AT&T also agreed to certain measures restricting the flow of competitive information between AT&T and América Móvil. AT&T is a minority shareholder in América Móvil, which also provides telecommunications services in Puerto Rico.

(1) Centennial subscriber figure represents the subscriber base after divestitures of Centennial operations in eight service areas: Alexandria, La., Lafayette, La., LA-3 (DeSoto), LA-5 (Beauregard), LA-6 (Iberville), LA-7 (West Feliciana), MS-8 (Claiborne) and MS-9 (Copiah).

(2) Any discussion of integration of Centennial into AT&T’s operations excludes the eight service areas to be divested.

(3 )Mobile-to-mobile calling community includes the addition of Centennial subscribers.

ShareThis

Dementia writes in to point out the rather ironic situation of a “free” concert put on by the band U2, at the remains of the Berlin Wall in order to celebrate the demise of the wall… but MTV decided to put up a big temporary barrier around the event so those who didn’t have free tickets could not even see the event. Yes, they erected a special “wall” to block out a free concert about The Wall. As Dementia noted with the submission, “you’re doing it wrong…”

Permalink | Comments | Email This Story

THE POSITION: Associate Vice President for Student Affairs

SALARY: Competitive

THE ORGANIZATION:

The University of Baltimore (UB) invites applications and nominations for the position of Associate Vice President for Student Affairs. UB may consider Vice President level depending upon the candidate’s background and experience.

UB is a Carnegie Master’s I metropolitan university with an enrollment in Fall 2009 of 6279 students. The University has led the Maryland system in growth for the last three years with average increases of 7% each year. This fall, the University achieved the highest enrollment figures in its history with an undergraduate student population of just over 3000 (an increase of 42% since 2006), a graduate student population of over 2100 including professional-degree students and over 1100 law students. Of the total student body in fall 2009, 53 percent was full-time and 47 percent part-time; 57 percent was female and 43 percent male; 34.3 percent of the student body was minority and 3.9 percent international; 87.2 percent was Maryland resident. UB’s undergraduate student average age is 28.8, and its graduate student average age is 31.4.

UB was founded in 1925 as a private institution. Its founders, a group of Baltimore civic leaders, wanted to provide low-cost, part-time evening study in business and law to working adults. Its first class had 62 law students and 114 business students (fall 2009 attendance for the law school is over 1100 students, the business school enrolled 1198 full and part time students for the same period). UB became a state institution in 1975, and in 1988, it joined the University System of Maryland. It serves the city and county of Baltimore, the state and beyond. In the fall of 2007, UB enrolled its first freshman class in over 30 years. Over 200 full-time traditional age freshmen entered the University this fall and there are now over 800 traditional age undergraduates at the institution. UB’s remarkable growth is projected to continue over the next several years.

UB’s three schools (Yale Gordon College of Liberal Arts, Merrick School of Business, and the School of Law) offer majors in business, management, marketing and related disciplines; corporate communication, publications design and related programs; computer and information sciences and support services; English language and literature/letters; health management and related programs; history; legal professions and studies; liberal arts and sciences; general studies and humanities; multi- and interdisciplinary studies; psychology; public administration and social service professions; criminal justice and forensic studies; and social sciences.

Langsdale Library, UB’s principal library, houses a collection of 258,747 titles and 10,738 serial subscriptions. The University of Baltimore Foundation has total assets of about $50 million; it supports various programs throughout the University, including scholarship initiatives, capital improvements and academic programming.

UB employs 363 faculty members, 45 percent of whom work full time and 86.5 percent of whom have terminal degrees. The student-faculty ratio is 16-to-1.

The University is accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Higher Education (MSACHE), the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB International), the National Association of Schools of Public Affairs and Administration (NASPAA), the American Bar Association (ABA) and the Association of American Law Schools (AALS). For more information, visit www.ubalt.edu.

Division of Student Affairs:
The Division of Student Affairs is the catalyst for student development by engaging students in transformative, wholistic learning experiences that support their discovery and achievement of personal and academic excellence. Through these experiences, students will develop the knowledge and skills necessary to succeed personally and professionally, and to embrace their role as contributing members of the University and civic communities.
The Division of Student Affairs fosters student learning by delivering quality programs and services that support the growth and development of the University’s diverse student population. Through a myriad of learning experiences designed to develop students who are self-aware and productive members of society, the Division partners with the academic and administrative divisions of the University to enrich student life on campus for both traditional and non-traditional students. The ultimate goal is to ENGAGE students in meaningful ways to promote their personal and professional success.

The student development professionals:
Educate…….focus on student learning
Nurture…….respect students’ unique differences and support their development
Grow………..encourage self-reliance personally, academically, and professionally
Advocate…..keep the needs of students in the forefront of university dialogues
Give back….model good campus citizenship through leadership and stewardship
Empower…..give students the tools and resources needed to achieve their goals
The following values guide the work of the Division:
Student-Centered:
Students are at the center of what we do and are our reason for existing; we put students first in all that we do. We meet students where they are developmentally and work with them to meet and attain realistic life, education, and career goals. As student advocates, we proactively educate the university community about the needs of our diverse student population and serve as a central resource for students, faculty, and staff on student issues. We actively assess the student experience and act on data that is obtained. We promote co-curricular learning and develop programs and services to help students achieve their potential.

Embracing Diversity:
The diversity of thought, values, and approach that comes from differences in ethnicity, culture, age, gender, sexual orientation, and other personal dimensions enriches the learning environment for students, staff, and faculty. The Division of Student Affairs incorporates diversity into hiring practices, policies and procedures, curricula, program offerings, and general campus dialogue in order to create an inclusive campus community where all students feel valued and respected. A part of this value includes promoting social responsibility among our students.

Acting with Integrity:
Building trust through open, honest, and direct communication is at the core of what we do. As student affairs professionals, we must model respect and be accountable for our actions. Operating with integrity will build trust with students, staff, and faculty and establish credibility for the Division.

Working Collaboratively:
Staff and faculty must work together to create a stimulating and engaging learning environment outside of the classroom. Developing partnerships within and external to the University community is key to our mission and will often extend limited resources and improve the quality of the student experience.

Forward-Thinking Excellence:
In a time of constant change, the Division strives to be on the cutting edge of student affairs practice and strives to be a national model of best practices. We must be innovative and creative in our approach to providing quality programs and services, and must think proactively about the best ways to serve the needs of tomorrow’s college student.

CAMPUS SETTING:

UB’s dynamic and diverse urban campus distinguishes itself from other University of Maryland system universities. In the heart of Baltimore’s Mount Vernon Cultural District, UB operates within the city’s most creative and energetic neighborhood and home to the Meyerhoff Symphony Hall, the Lyric Opera House, CENTERSTAGE and the Walters Art Museum. The University is also conveniently located at the center of Baltimore’s most well-connected transportation hub, one block away from Penn Station—served by Amtrak and MARC trains—and the city’s Light Rail system. Close to the green, well-kept residential area of Bolton Hill, UB’s community boasts some of the most impressive 19th-century architecture on the East Coast. Students, faculty and staff enjoy the energy and inspiration that comes from working, studying and living in midtown Baltimore. Through its central location, the University contributes to the economic and cultural vitality of the city’s midtown. The Carnegie Foundation has designated UB as a “Community Engaged University,” and the University has launched the UB Midtown development initiative to contribute to the continued revitalization of its community.

UB’s campus includes numerous buildings along the Mt. Royal Avenue corridor. Among the recent expansion activities are the award winning Student Center, renovation of architectural landmarks such as the Liberal Arts and Policy building, new facilities for bookstore, parking, and housing, and ambitious plans for the design and construction of a new law school facility. UB leads the community with its focus on environmental initiatives and sustainability efforts which are included in the University’s strategic plan. The campus’ green commitment can be seen in tangible ways throughout the community, including campus-wide landscape improvement projects, a green roof project on the law school, and numerous programs focused on reducing greenhouse emissions. As expansion continues in the form of off-campus residential units, attention to environment and architectural preservation will continue.

CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENT AFFAIRS:

At University of Baltimore, faculty, staff and administration have joined together to build high quality programs so that the needs of students and the community may be served. UB’s Strategic 2008 – 2012 Strategic Plan includes objectives focused on increasing student enrollment in response to state and regional demand and strengthening retention efforts in all program areas. The evolution of what was predominately a commuter campus to a 24/7 world class learning institution will occur through the expansion of co-curricular offerings that enrich students’ educational, cultural, and social experiences. UB’s student population, richly diverse in age, ethnicity, sexual orientation, and cultures, is excited to be part of a campus community prepared to grow beyond its historic mission while the University continues to strengthen its long term commitment to community involvement. At the University of Baltimore, students are equally engaged outside the classroom as they are within. With a wide array of activities ranging from academic clubs to advocacy and public interest groups, student involvement takes on many forms.

The Associate Vice President for Student Affairs will facilitate initiatives focused on the evaluation of our current programs and will lead in the design and implementation of new, dynamic programs that address the current and future needs and interests of our diverse, and expanding, student body. The Associate Vice President will closely partner with the Senior Vice President Enrollment Management and Student Affairs to balance multiple objectives while ensuring that the culture, environment, and program offerings of the Student Affairs organization are contributing towards the continuing expansion of the University. The creative expansion of co-curricular offerings that enrich students’ educational, cultural, and social experiences, goals articulated in the Strategic Plan, will shape the primary focus of the Vice President’s role upon joining the UB community.

THE POSITION AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

The Associate Vice President for Student Affairs reports to the Senior Vice President for Enrollment Management and Student Affairs. The selected candidate will manage an experienced leadership team responsible for overseeing and directing the efforts of several student development units including Academic Resource Center, Campus Recreation and Wellness Services, Career Center, Counseling Services , Dean of Students, Disability Services , Student Diversity and International Education, and the Rosenberg Center for Student Involvement. A core responsibility for the near term will be the establishment of a Student Residential Life office which will provide various levels of residential support to students interested in living within the campus community. The Associate Vice President will ensure that all units focus on ongoing policy and program evaluation and new program development, student services assessment, communications, and operations including finances, budgets, and quality initiatives. As the chief student affairs officer, the Associate Vice President for Student Affairs must balance two roles: on the one hand, serving as an advocate and providing a voice for students among senior administrators in the shaping and implementation of University policy; on the other hand, interpreting and applying University policies to students, holding them accountable as responsible members of the campus community.

• The Associate Vice President for Student Affairs will bring creative and innovative ideas that reflect the nature of UB’s dynamic student community. The alignment of the student affairs organization and the key initiatives with the University’s strategic goals to provide a supportive learning environment for individuals to advance in their careers and be engaged in their communities will be a critical priority for the new Associate Vice President.
• The position requires a creative leader who articulates a student-centered philosophy and vision of student affairs that promotes excellence, innovation, synergy and creativity among the staff within the division to meet the changing demand of a highly diverse student body.
• The Associate Vice President will maintain the quality of the division by fostering an energized and team-based environment that attracts and retains outstanding staff and students necessary to support and grow strong education, multicultural, global, and creative programs.
• The Associate Vice President will ensure that student affairs policies balance the interests of all constituencies and reflect an accurate and reasonable view of university and system-wide expectations.
• The Associate Vice President will work across organizational boundaries to coordinate and implement student retention initiatives that sustain and support an environment where students thrive, achieve academic excellence, and develop as future leaders for the community.

QUALIFICATIONS:

The ideal candidate will have a master’s degree and a minimum of ten years progressively responsible experience in a higher education institution, with at least five to seven years supervisory leadership; a terminal degree in a related field is preferred. In addition, the position requires evidence of success working with a diverse student population; demonstrated knowledge of student development theory and best practices; ability to multi-task in face of competing demands, and a commitment to enhance student learning and preparation for success in a multicultural, global society.

Additional Qualifications:

• The ability to create a vision, lead change when necessary, and a commitment to continuous improvement;
• Demonstrated capacity to work collaboratively and maintain open dialogue with faculty, staff and students and an ability to build strong connections between student life and academic programs as well as the ability to nurture an atmosphere of collegiality, inclusiveness, shared inquiry, shared responsibility, and collective accomplishment;
• Demonstrated knowledge and experience within and/or across the array of content areas generally associated with Student Affairs work; an understanding or familiarity of enrollment management practices is desirable.
• Documented evidence of success working with diverse undergraduate and graduate (i.e. identities, thoughts, experiences, and involvement) student populations;
• Collaborative leadership style with well-developed communication skills;
• A commitment to diversity with a record of hiring talented and diverse staff, delegating appropriate work to them and holding them accountable for their work;
• The ability to establish and oversee procedures to maintain quality, equity and accountability, including selecting and promoting staff, and developing and managing human, financial and physical resources;
• An appreciation or understanding of urban campus dynamics;
• Experience with facilities management;
• A commitment to building and maintaining a welcoming, inclusive university community in which all students feel safe and protected from harm and harassment;
• The intellectual, analytical, and ethical qualities that will drive work and command respect;
• Respect for the University’s history and achievements;
• Demonstrated achievement in creating innovative and distinctive student life programs, with a particular focus on student learning;
• A demonstrated commitment to integrating student life outcomes with academic outcomes; and
• A sense of humor.

HOW TO APPLY:

Greenwood/Asher& Associates, Inc. is assisting the University of Baltimore in the search. Initial screening of applications will begin immediately and continue until an appointment is made. For best consideration, materials should be provided by December 14, 2009. Nominations should include the name, position, address, and telephone number. Application materials should include a letter addressing how the candidate’s experiences match the position requirements, a resume and contact information for at least five references. Submission of materials as MS Word attachments is strongly encouraged.

Confidential inquiries, nominations, and application materials should be directed to:
Jan Greenwood or Betty Turner Asher
Greenwood/Asher & Associates, Inc.
42 Business Center Drive, Suite 206
Miramar Beach, FL 32550
Phone: 850.650.2277Fax: 850.650.2272
E-mail: jangreenwood {at} greenwoodsearch(.)com
bettyasher {at} greenwoodsearch(.)com

The University of Baltimore is an Affirmative Action, Equal Opportunity Employer.

STR Holdings Inc., an Enfield, Conn.-based maker of solar power module encapsulants, raised $123 million in its IPO. The company priced 12.3 million common shares at $10 per share (below $13-$15 offering range), and closed its first day of trading at $13.10 per share.

Credit Suisse and Goldman Sachs served as co-lead underwriters on the IPO.

DLJ Merchant Banking Partners sold around 4.88 million shares in the IPO, but still holds around a 36% ownership position. Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Co. sold around 1.46 million shares, and now holds a 10.8% stake.

ShareThis

China Investment Corp. has agreed to buy $1.58 billion of new equity in U.S. power generation and distribution company The AES Corp. (NYSE: AES), in exchange for around a 15% ownership position.

PRESS RELEASE

The AES Corporation (NYSE: AES) today announced a binding stock purchase agreement with a wholly-owned investment subsidiary of China Investment Corporation (CIC) to raise $1.58 billion of new equity to fund growth opportunities and extend its global leadership in the power sector. At close, CIC will acquire 125.5 million shares of AES stock for $12.60 per share for an approximate 15 percent stake in the company. AES also announced the signing of a letter of intent with CIC to raise an additional $571 million of equity for an approximate 35 percent interest in its wind generation business.

AES, with headquarters in Arlington, Virginia, owns and operates a diverse portfolio of power generation and distribution businesses in 29 countries. More than two-thirds of AES’ revenue is generated outside of the United States. AES seeks to invest in high-growth areas of the power sector, including renewable energy and emerging markets.

CIC is a long-term institutional investor operated on a commercial basis. Following the closing, CIC will nominate a director to join the AES board, which currently has ten members.

Paul Hanrahan, President and Chief Executive Officer of AES, stated, “We see tremendous potential for growth in meeting demand for affordable and sustainable power throughout the world. Having CIC as a partner will enhance our financial flexibility, provide capital needed to move more quickly on our project development pipeline, and offer broader access to high quality investment opportunities.”

The stock purchase agreement is subject to completion of regulatory reviews and receipt of applicable approvals, including the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) and the antitrust review under Hart-Scott-Rodino Act. Approvals are expected to be completed during the first half of 2010. The letter of intent is concerning CIC’s investment in AES Wind Generation. The final execution of the terms in the letter of intent would be subject to additional due diligence, completion of final documentation and regulatory approval.

About CIC

CIC is an investment institution established in September 2007. It is operated on a commercial basis, seeking stable and long term risk-adjusted financial returns. For more information, please visit CIC’s website: http://www.china-inv.cn.

About AES

The AES Corporation (NYSE:AES) is a Fortune 500 global power company with generation and distribution businesses. Through our diverse portfolio of thermal and renewable energy sources, we provide affordable and sustainable energy to 29 countries. Our workforce of 25,000 people is committed to operational excellence and meeting the world’s changing power needs. Our 2008 revenues were $16 billion and we own and manage $35 billion in total assets. BusinessWeek named AES to its 2009 “BW 50 Best Performers” list. To learn more, please visit www.aes.com.

ShareThis

Amazon has a pretty aggressive deal on a refurbished Logitech Harmony 890 universal remote control. It’s priced at $99.99, today only, down from just under $250 normally.

The remote controls up to 15 devices and includes both RF and infrared signals. Setup is handled via PC or Mac and the list of compatible devices is up over 175,000 currently. There’s a built-in color LCD screen and lithium-ion rechargeable battery as well. Again, this deal is good today only. The remote carries a 90-day warranty direct from Logitech.

Logitech Harmony 890 Remote Control – Refurbished [Amazon]

Graceway Pharmaceuticals LLC, a portfolio company of GTCR Golder Rauner, has acquired the global license to an anti-proliferative agent from Gilead Sciences. The investigational molecule is designed to inhibit cellular DNA synthesis, leading to the induction of apoptosis. No financial terms were disclosed.

PRESS RELEASE

Graceway Pharmaceuticals, LLC, a portfolio company of GTCR Golder Rauner, LLC, today announced that the company has acquired from Gilead Sciences, Inc. the worldwide license, including related regulatory filings and intellectual properties, to Gilead’s investigational molecule, GS 9191, for topical use. GS 9191 is an anti-proliferative agent that works by inhibiting cellular DNA synthesis, leading to the induction of apoptosis, or programmed cell death.

“This acquisition is further evidence of Graceway’s proven practice of working with industry leading companies, like Gilead, to acquire and develop cutting edge compounds and technologies. The transaction with Gilead today is similar to our previous transaction with Pfizer in that we have licensed important compounds, processes, and intellectual properties that we hope will lead to exciting products for the treatment of important dermatological conditions faced by patients,” stated Jefferson J. Gregory, Chairman and CEO of Graceway.

A topical version of GS 9191 was evaluated for the treatment of external genital warts in a recently completed Phase 2 study. GS 9191 was well tolerated and statistically significantly superior to placebo in this proof of concept study. These results suggest GS 9191 could be a potential treatment for skin conditions characterized by excessive cellular proliferation.

About Graceway Pharmaceuticals, LLC

Graceway Pharmaceuticals, LLC (”Graceway”), headquartered in Bristol, TN, is a pharmaceutical company focused on acquiring, in-licensing, and developing branded prescription pharmaceutical products. Current prescription products marketed by Graceway include ALDARA® (imiquimod) Cream, 5%, Maxair® Autohaler® (pirbuterol acetate inhalation aerosol), Atopiclair® Nonsteroidal Cream, and Estrasorb® (estradiol topical emulsion). ALDARA®, Maxair®, Autohaler®, Atopiclair®, and Estrasorb® are trademarks owned by or licensed to Graceway. For more information on Graceway’s products, including important safety information, please visit www.gracewaypharma.com.

About GTCR Golder Rauner, LLC

Founded in 1980, GTCR Golder Rauner, LLC (”GTCR”) is a leading private equity investment firm and long-term strategic partner for outstanding management teams. The Chicago-based firm pioneered the investment strategy of identifying and partnering with exceptional executives to acquire and build companies through a combination of acquisitions and strong internal growth. GTCR currently manages more than $8 billion of equity capital invested in a wide range of companies and industries. More information about GTCR may be found at www.gtcr.com.

ShareThis

RPO Inc., a San Jose, Calif.-based developer of optical touch technology, has raised $19.3 million in new Series C funding. BASF Venture Capital and JAFCO were joined by return backers Jolimont Capital, Allen & Buckeridge and Neo Technology Ventures.

PRESS RELEASE

RPO Inc. today announced that on November 3, 2009, the company closed a supplemental issuance of its Series C Preferred Stock for $19.3 million from several existing investors in RPO, plus a new strategic investor contributed to this financing.

RPO’s Chairman and CEO, Malcolm Thompson, noted, “This is a major milestone for RPO that will enable the development and launch of its cutting edge touch screen technology. With this new financing, RPO is well positioned to develop a wide range of products, engage strongly with customers and to commence high-volume manufacturing of its DWT™ systems in 2010.”

“Over the coming months, RPO will be aggressively expanding its engineering and manufacturing capabilities, and will be seeking to recruit highly skilled engineers and business professionals in both the US and Australia,” Dr. Thompson added.

RPO provides a highly differentiated optical touch technology called Digital Waveguide Touch™ (DWT™) to one of the fastest growing markets today. Touch is finding widespread application in a range of products, including cell phones, cameras, consumer products, netbooks, car navigation systems, e-books and laptop computers. DWT™ is the only product that provides touch interaction with pen, finger, gloved finger or any object and has superior optical performance over other technologies because it does not cause any deterioration of brightness and contrast to the displayed image on the screen. It can sense multiple touch points, as well as the size and width of the touch object and is ideally suited for Windows 7. Furthermore, the patented technology is simple, elegant and low cost. RPO’s DWT™ platform is ideal for a wide range of consumer products including smart phones, navigation devices, e-Books, netbooks, handheld gaming, cameras, notebooks and desktop displays.

About RPO

RPO Inc is incorporated in Delaware and has headquarters in San Jose. The core technologies have been developed at its research and development facilities in Canberra and Sydney Australia. It has received venture funding in this round from existing investors including Australian funds managed by Jolimont Capital, by Allen & Buckeridge and by Neo Technology Ventures; and from BASF Venture Capital and from Jafco. For more information visit www.rpo.biz

ShareThis

The Los Angeles Times reports that the health care proposals being considered by Congress would prohibit insurers from charging higher premiums based on preexisting conditions, “[b]ut the far reaching clampdown on insurers leaves one highly controversial element untouched: the issue of charging higher premiums to older policyholders than to younger, presumably healthier consumers who are less likely to file costly claims. Under the provisions of the bill passed by the House on Saturday, as well as in the probable Senate version, insurers will be able to charge middle-aged consumers at least twice as much as they do younger customers. And depending on the ultimate language of the Senate bill, insurers could be allowed to demand four times as much.”

Older Americans spend more on health care than younger Americans, but there is a question of how those costs should be distributed. “Advocates for older Americans argue that age rating amounts to discrimination … The insurance industry says age rating is necessary to make coverage affordable for younger people, whose participation in the system is crucial to keeping the overall costs of insurance down for everyone” (Oliphant, 11/9).

Related KHN story: Health Insurance: How Much More Should Older People Pay? (Appleby, 8/31)

McClatchy/The Sacramento Bee reports on a the experience of Scott Hawkins, a 23-year old student who received five minutes of ER care at the UC Davis Medical Center before being pronounced dead. McClatchy reports: “Few question the extent to which doctors tried to save the student’s life on Oct. 21, but the amount billed for his emergency care has provoked outrage – a further example, critics said, of what is wrong in a health care system that is roundly maligned for its escalating costs.” The bill for those five minutes of care talllied $29,186.50, “including a single-ticket item for $18,900.50, described on the itemized bill as ‘Trauma Rescue Service.’”

“What’s more, the Hawkins case may be a dramatic and brutal example of the wide disparities in the sticker price for medical care provided to those with insurance and those without it. With millions of Americans unemployed and increasingly uninsured, emergency rooms have become part of the focus of the high cost of medicine in this country. … Hawkins was mistakenly classified by the hospital as medically indigent. Had the hospital realized that the student was insured, the bill would have been sent to his insurer, Kaiser Permanente, which would undoubtedly have paid thousands of dollars less” (Calvin, 11/8).

Today Nokia announced a world-wide recall of three chargers made by BYD, a third party supplier. The models in question are AC-3E and AC-3U manufactured between June 15th and August 9th, 2009 and AC-4U made between April 13th to October 25th, 2009. The reason for the recall is a defect which could cause the “plastic covers of the affected chargers [to] come loose and separate, exposing the charger’s internal components and potentially posing an electric shock hazard if certain internal components are touched while the charger is plugged into a live socket.” Nokia is strongly encouraging those who believe they have a defective charger to visit http://chargerexchange.nokia.com/chargerexchange/en/ and enter in some information on their chargers label to confirm whether or not their equipment is part of the recall. So far Nokia is not aware of any injuries or property damage as a result of the affected chargers, but just to give you a general idea of how large of a recall this is, Reuters is reporting that 14 million units are affected.

Read

Companies approach social in one of two ways: The first way, companies experiment with little order or goals, the second way, companies have clear goals and intend to invest in a deeper relationship.

1) Shotgun: Toyota’s Yaris Campaign Spreads Chances
While experimentation is always important, companies must do so in the context of a goal, whether it’s to test and learn, or just to prove to management it can be done. Take for example Toyota’s latest campaign, which is much akin to interactive marketing or advertising (not social engagement), where they’ve funded eight agencies to spend $15,000 only on their social marketing campaigns. The goal is to see who can make it work and stick, then they’ll spend more money with the firm that achieves ‘viral’ growth. This shotgun approach has caught the criticism of Laurel Papworth, she’s right at vegas, this is called spreading your bets on the roulette table.

2) Laser: Ford’s Fiesta Movement Amplifies a Smaller Target
On the other hand, take for example the competitive car, the Ford Fiesta, which also plays the young hip efficient car for today’s youth. Ford’s approach was more focused, they put most of their eggs into reaching only 100 drivers that were social savvy influencers to get them to spread the word. This “Fiesta Movement” (NYT) was targeted at social influencers, empowered them although it’s unknown what the final impacts of the expensive loaner car program is.

Web Strategy Matrix: Social Marketing Approaches, Shotgun vs Laser

	Shotgun	Laser
Description	Hiring multiple agencies to conduct social campaigns	Building a deeper relationship with a core group of influencers
Similar to	Interactive Advertising, “Fishing”	Influencer Relations, ‘Friending”
Benefits	Efficient way to get started, identify hot spots to pursue.	Deeper relationships with core influencers who may spread word of mouth, and become brand evangelists.
Risks	Brand burnout on community, risk of appearing disingenuous	Spending more resources on a smaller few reduces chances of spread.
Costs	Inexpensive. In this case, it was 15k X 8 agenices, for a total of 120k.	Costly. Relationship marketing estimated 50-100k in agency costs. Loaning 100 economy cars at 15k each around 1.5 million.
Takeaway	Ideal for the company that doesn’t understand social marketing and is willing to test on their own customers.	Ideal for company that’s ready to invest time, people and money on relationships.

Brands Should First Start With Understanding Customers
So which way is better? First, let’s start with the most important factor, people. While padding the top line for revenues in a slumping economy continues to be important, it’s important to note that burning out your relationships with your community can cause long-term drain. Rather than test eight campaigns on a community causing ‘brand overload’, first do the research to find out the social behaviors (we call this SocialGraphics), identify who they trust online, and where they are located at online before doing anything. By first starting with data, you can reduce eight campaigns to two, or maybe one, and avoid burning out your brand –and community.

So what does this means to Toyota and Ford?  Toyota’s social efforts come across as young, they’re not sure what they’re doing so they’re hoping to see which (interactive+advertising) agency will figure it out for them.  On the other hand, Ford comes across as slightly more mature as having true influencer relationships (Similar to PR Influence Relations) and spend the time to build these real-world relationships.

Update: Thanks to Barbara for the “Fishing vs Friending” analogy.  Apparently the CEO of Ford read this post, welcome, an honor.

Volvo – 50th Anniversary of the seatbelt

Promethera Biosciences, a Belgium-based stem cell therapy company, has raised €5.3 million in new Series A funding. Vesalius Biocapital led the round, and was joined by SRIW, Life Sciences Research Partners, NivelInvest, Capital & Croissance, LRM Oxygen for Growth, Vives and return backer Sopartec.

PRESS RELEASE

Promethera® Biosciences an innovative stem cell therapy company today announces the successful closing of a EUR 5.3 million capital increase in a Series-A equity financing round.

The investor syndicate, led by Vesalius Biocapital (Belgium), includes SRIW, Life Sciences Research Partners, NivelInvest, Capital & Croissance, LRM Oxygen for Growth, Vives, several business angels as well as existing shareholders, (Sopartec and the founder, Prof Etienne Sokal, UCL). The round will be completed by significant public funding. Alain Parthoens, Partner at Vesalius Biocapital announces: “Promethera® Biosciences’ stem cell technology has impressive potential with a strong proprietary position in addition to benefiting from a high quality management team. We believe that Promethera® Biosciences is well positioned to play a leading role in tomorrow’s liver regenerative medicine market”.

ShareThis

Tim Lui has joined SB China Venture Capital as a managing partner. He previously was executive vice president of Tongfang Co. Ltd., and general manager of its digital media group. www.sbcvc.com

ShareThis

Applied Materials Inc. (Nasdaq: AMAT) has acquired the assets of Advent Solar Inc., an Albuquerque, N.M.-based maker of solar cells and modules. No financial terms were disclosed. Advent Solar had raised around $114 million in VC funding, from firms like @Ventures, Battery Ventures, EnerTech Capital, Firelake Capital,, Globespan Capital Partners, New Mexico Co-Investment Partners, Sun Mountain Capital and ZBI Ventures.

PRESS RELEASE

Applied Materials, Inc., the leading supplier of equipment and services to the solar photovoltaic (PV) industry, announced today that it has acquired substantially all the assets, including the intellectual property, of Advent Solar, Inc. for an undisclosed cash amount. Advent Solar is a developer of advanced technology for crystalline silicon (c-Si) PVs. This acquisition is expected to complement Applied’s portfolio of solar PV technologies and enhance its leadership in the c-Si equipment market.

Advent Solar has pioneered several innovations for producing c-Si cells and modules, including technology for streamlining module assembly processes and advanced efficiency device architectures. The company, founded in 2002, is headquartered in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

“We believe the acquisition of Advent Solar will increase our opportunities to provide innovative solutions for reducing module production costs,” said Dr. Mark Pinto, chief technology officer and general manager of Applied’s Energy and Environmental Solutions Group. “Combining Advent Solar’s PV technology with Applied’s expertise in automated wafering and cell production equipment, we expect to deliver systems that will enhance customers’ c-Si roadmaps and accelerate the reduction in cost per watt of solar electricity.”

After the close of this transaction, Advent Solar’s assets will be integrated with Applied’s Energy and Environmental Solutions Group.

Safe Harbor Statement. This press release contains forward-looking statements relating to the acquisition of assets of Advent Solar and expected benefits of the transaction. These statements are subject to known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those stated or implied, including but not limited to: (a) the successful integration and performance of the acquired business; (b) demand for PV products, which is subject to many factors, including uncertain global market conditions, government renewable energy policies and incentives, cost in relation to other energy sources, and technology innovations; (c) Applied’s ability to (i) develop, deliver and support a broad range of products and expand its markets, (ii) obtain and protect intellectual property rights in key technologies, (iii) manage its supply chain and production capability, and (iv) recruit and retain key employees; and (d) other risks described in Applied’s SEC filings. All forward-looking statements are based on management’s estimates, projections and assumptions as of the date hereof and Applied undertakes no obligation to update any such statements.

Applied Materials, Inc. (Nasdaq:AMAT) is the global leader in Nanomanufacturing Technology™ solutions with a broad portfolio of innovative equipment, service and software products for the fabrication of semiconductor chips, flat panel displays, solar photovoltaic cells, flexible electronics and energy efficient glass. At Applied Materials, we apply Nanomanufacturing Technology to improve the way people live. Learn more at www.appliedmaterials.com.

ShareThis