Category Archives: Business

You’re never too old to fall in love: Seniors around the country set a new trend

February 11, 2015 straightlinepr Leave a comment

Residents at retirement communities around the country find love in their golden years

Lake Oswego, OR, February 10, 2015 — As Valentine’s Day approaches, seniors across the country who have lost their sweethearts are finding love again—but this time, it is with fellow residents in senior living communities. When introduced into a community of similarly aged seniors – many of whom have already raised families or had long-lasting marriages – these individuals are falling in love. Many are even getting married well into their 80s and 90s. Their heartwarming senior romance stories are an emerging trend and will give you one more reason to believe in love this February.

“After moving into Lakeview Park within just a few weeks of one another, I kept seeing Phil at many of the activities the community offers,” explains Nina, 85, Lakeview Park resident and now a blushing bride-to-be. “We would chat afterwards and started hanging out on our own, and our friendship just grew from there into love. We are quite excited for our wedding in May!”

Seniors today are not sitting idly by; they are engaging with friends, enjoying their favorite hobbies, staying active in their communities, and even finding love. Here are just a few stories of senior romances that have recently bloomed between Holiday Retirement residents:

1. Sparks fly and love blooms in time for the May 2015 wedding at Lakeview Park in Fenton, Missouri
When Nina, 85, decided her home required too much upkeep, she moved into a local senior living community. She never expected that just a few weeks later she would meet her beau Phil, 81. What started as a friendship quickly bloomed into love, and the two will be married among fellow Lakeview Park residents and staff this May.

2. Glee club sparks senior romance at Village Gate of Farmington in Farmington, Connecticut
Cheryl, 58, has called Village Gate her home for five years and is active in the retirement community’s glee club. When Jim, 69, moved in and joined the glee club, he only had eyes for Cheryl, and friendship quickly turned to romance. This senior couple will tie the knot this Valentine’s Day at the senior living community.

3. A city boy and a farm girl find love at Edgewood Downs in Beaverton, Oregon
John, a 90-year-old city boy from San Francisco, met Fran, an 82-year-old farm girl from Iowa, when she bluntly asked what his name was while waiting for the elevator. This moment was the start of a beautiful senior romance; the two began dining together and have been inseparable ever since.

4. Cupid strikes when you least expect it at Edgewood Downs
Neither 72-year-old Judy nor 80-year-old Asher expected to find their sweethearts when they each decided to move to the local independent senior living community. However, Cupid had other plans. After sharing their first dance at Edgewood Downs’ Valentine’s Day Celebration in 2014, these two lovebirds will celebrate their one-year date-anniversary on Saturday.

5. True love strikes at Madrona Hills in Salem, Oregon
Jim, 73, moved into Madrona Hills and was depressed after losing his wife; then Jim met Dina, a spry 79-year-old fellow resident, on a bus trip and his spirits were lifted. The two say they have found true love and enjoy spending time together dancing, shopping, and going to the Elks Club.

While being “young and in love” is something many people yearn for, there is something to be said for the growing number of seniors who are finding love years after they originally thought it was no longer in their life plan. As lifespans lengthen and seniors stay active longer, senior romances continue to have more opportunity to bloom in senior living communities across the U.S.

Learn more about our Valentine’s Day couples at holidaytouch.com/love.

“When many of our residents decide to move into a senior living community, it’s often after the loss of a spouse, and many believe they’ll never find love again,” said Jamison Gosselin, vice president of marketing, communications, and resident enrichment for Holiday Retirement, a provider of more than 300 senior living communities. “In our communities, seniors today are much more active than they have been in the past. We find that after spending mealtimes together, socializing with neighbors, and participating in a whirlwind of daily activities, our residents are quick to make new friends, and some even find romance.”

Looking for a little advice on love and relationships this Valentine’s Day from those who have seen it all? Seniors – centenarians, specifically – shared their advice on love, relationships, and marriage in a recent report, “100 Years of Wisdom: The Perspective of Centenarians.” Request a copy today at 100yearsofwisdom.com.

Media Contact:
Brian K. Fawkes
Holiday Retirement
(971) 245-8337
brian.fawkes@holidaytouch.com

About Holiday Retirement
Since 1971, Holiday Retirement has endeavored to provide its signature “Holiday Touch” to residents and their families. Today, Holiday is a trusted name in senior living and provides security, comfort, and value to independent seniors seeking a fulfilling lifestyle. Holiday operates more than 300 retirement communities, making it the second largest senior housing operator in the United States. For more information about Holiday Retirement, please call 800-322-0999 or visit www.holidaytouch.com.

Contact:
Molly Koch
Communications Strategy Group
3225 East 2nd Avenue
Denver, CO 80206
720-726-5435
mkoch@csg-pr.com
http://www.holidaytouch.com

Business

Hyatt Regency Monterey Hotel and Spa Ballrooms and Meeting Space Underwent a $6 Million Renovations Last Year and has a New Theme

February 10, 2015 straightlinepr Leave a comment

“LAND, EDGE, SEA” “… the greatest meeting of land and sea …” Robinson Jeffers

Monterey, CA, February 10, 2015 — The Hyatt Regency Monterey Hotel and Spa offers extensive meeting facilities that are much more than a space to work. It’s a place where your meeting attendees will enjoy world-class amenities, while you relax in the knowledge our expert staff is on hand to assist with every detail. The meeting space offers a “campus-like setting” with no distractions. Attendees can easily move from indoor to outdoor between meetings which offers a more productive and inspiring environment.

Throughout 2013 and 2014, the ballrooms and meeting spaces underwent a $6 million major renovation. The new theme “LAND, EDGE, SEA.” The Monterey coast has been described in literature as “the greatest meeting of land and sea”. It is a place of sublime beauty and fertile land, with a coastline that is unequaled in its sense of power and drama.

Centered on this coastline, Monterey captures an atmosphere of intense energy and inspiration and has become a favored destination for anyone seeking rejuvenation of mind and spirit and a gathering place for poets, writers, artists and musicians.

The new design for the Monterey Ballroom and the Monterey Conference Center at the Hyatt Regency Monterey Hotel and Spa are inspired by this “great meeting” and reflect the unique characteristics and drama of a location that fosters such creativity.

* The meeting suites offer inviting seating arrangements. Guests experience an almost a living room like-feel.

The theme of LAND, EDGE, SEA, allows guests to experience:

* The Land of The Monterey Ballroom theme is based around the agricultural land and coastline and will provide a calm, fertile ground concept aimed at nurturing life and creativity. Warm earthy colors, repetitive patterns and contrasting textures will complete this concept. The carpet design was inspired by the rhythmic pattern of farm land furrows against the dynamic texture of rugged coast line. The main feature wall expresses undulating pattern inspired by the rolling agricultural hills.

* The Edge and Sea come together in the Monterey Conference Center with waves, coastal bluffs and whales. This area will add verticality, contour, drama and intersection of the land and sea! The main facade to the ballrooms features organic-shape “fins”, whose design was evolved from the pectoral fin of migrating Blue Whale in the Monterey Bay.Dynamic play of cleft coastal bluff and surging waves was gracefully expressed in carpet design. There is a layering ceiling pattern inspired by the encroaching marine fog.

* The Sea is about deep ocean and shimmering water. The life force of intensity, power and raw energy. These themed areas will be bold, powerful, organic and free flowing. The carpet design was inspired by the continuously evolving, shimmering school of fish against deep ocean blue.

Other enhancements made during the renovation include:

* State of the art digital signage

* An expanded the pre-function space

* 10’ x 10’ glass projector screen that displays promotional messages, program of events, messages and more.

Background on the Hyatt Regency Monterey Hotel and Spa Meeting Facilities:
They Hyatt Regency Monterey Hotel and Spa meeting facilities are the largest from the San Francisco Bay area to LA. Our team provides everything needed to host a productive and memorable event.

* Over 40,000 square feet of flexible meeting space, including indoor and outdoor facilities

* On-site audio-visual experts

* New designed 24 hour business center and Wi-Fi Internet access throughout the hotel

* Enticing catering including creative menus

* Extensive on-site activities including Marilyn Monroe Spa, Monterey Bay Racquet Club and Pebble Beach Company’s Del Monte Golf Course

* Delicious on-site dining, including indoor and outdoor venues

* Programs for corporate tournaments, games and families, from team building to offsite excursions

* 550 spacious guestrooms Individual controls for climate, sound, music, telephones, multiple electrical / microphone outlets, audiovisual equipment, and 100V single-phase and 220V single-phase electricity.

About Hyatt Regency Monterey Hotel and Spa on Del Monte Golf Course
Nestled in 22 acres of soaring Monterey Pines, the Hyatt Regency Monterey Hotel & Spa on Del Monte Golf Course is a destination resort providing the discerning traveler the quintessential Monterey experience. Its location offers guests close proximity to downtown Monterey and Monterey Airport and easy access to some of the Peninsula’s most well-known attractions. With its warm, contemporary ambiance, elegant furnishings and convenient amenities, the hotel offers both leisure and business travelers a Northern California respite of unmatched serenity and comfort. Features include 550 guestrooms including 32 suites, and the President’s House, TusCA Ristorante, Knuckles Sports Bar, Fireplace Lounge featuring live entertainment, personalized concierge service at the Regency Club, a 2,000 square foot fitness facility, Monterey Bay Racquet Club, McIntyre Tasting Studio, two pools and whirlpools, and 12,000 square foot full service luxury spa.

The hotel is located at 1 Old Golf Course Road in Monterey, California. For information call (831) 372-1234 or visit www.hyattregencymonterey.com

Contact:
Marci Bracco Cain
Chatterbox Public Relations
Monterey, CA 93940
831-747-7455
marci@chatterboxpublicrelations.com
http://www.hyattregencymonterey.com

Business

Monterey Bay Brewing Company Produces Fine Ales and Craft Beer

February 9, 2015 straightlinepr Leave a comment

The New Monterey County Operation Launches Flagship Brew Mad Otter Ale

Monterey, CA, February 09, 2015 – Demand for quality craft beer has never been greater, especially in California, where the micro-brew concept was born in the 1960s.

To keep up with that demand, small-batch beer production in the state increased by more than half a million barrels in 2013 — and 108 new craft breweries opened their doors and their kegs.

Embracing this surge of suds is Monterey Bay Brewing Co., a new operation in Monterey County that produces fine ales and craft beers. Mad Otter Ale is the company’s flagship brew, made in small batches by its founders, former accountant Mark Fitch and former real estate agent Scott Coming.

The two friends always shared a love of beer. After attending the Mammoth Mountain Blues and Brews Festival a few years ago, Mark camped out at the two-day event and experienced how everyone was going “mad” over craft beer. The friends attended together the next year and knew they wanted to bring that kind of energy and excitement for craft beer to southern Monterey Bay, an area where they sensed a void of quality craft beer.

They started to homebrew out of their kitchens, and one early evening on a golf course the name Mad Otter Ale popped into Mark’s head. From that light-bulb moment the two have expanded the business, putting their beer into kegs and cans and building community relationships with bar and restaurant owners.

“From that point on we knew we had something special,” Mark said. “Our passion is to provide high quality ales to this area while having fun doing it.”

The first year of brewing proved so successful that they have nearly tapped out their current production capacity. Mark and Scott hope to double the amount of beer they produce in 2015, and are also laying the groundwork for establishing their own facility.

“We currently are focusing on the quality of our flagship pale ale, but are always toying around with what we would like to produce next,” Mark said. “Our loyal customers have lots of ideas of what that should be and we are always happy to get their input.”

Monterey Bay Brewing Co. became the first local craft brewery to can its beer, which is a growing trend in the industry. More than 500 craft breweries across the country now can their beer, accounting for 20 percent of the 2,500 small-batch breweries in the U.S. The canning boom took place in remarkable fashion, from just a few dozen to 500 in just two years, thanks in large part to the ease of packaging and a lower cost than bottles.

Mad Otter Ale has already made numerous appearances at local events, most recently the Big Sur Foragers Festival. Look for the brew at the following local establishments: Tarpy’s Roadhouse, A Taste of Monterey, The Wharf Marketplace and LaLa Grill in Monterey; Poppy Hills Golf Course in Pebble Beach; Barmel in Carmel; and Big Sur Taphouse in Big Sur. Kegs can be purchased at Lopez Liquors in Carmel. Find out more about Monterey Brewing Co. and Mad Otter Ale at www.madotterale.com.

Company Overview
Monterey Bay Brewing Co., is a new independent brewery owned by two local friends, former professional men who wanted to change careers and change the landscape of American-style micro-brew.

Mark Fitch (on the left) and Scott Coming (on the right) brewed their first batch of Mad Otter Ale in 2012, and today the hoppy yet refreshing ale is pleasing palates all over Monterey County and beyond. Tapping into a growing craft beer trend, Fitch and Coming began canning Mad Otter Ale in 2013, and full kegs are also available.

Find out more about Monterey Brewing Co., and Mad Otter Ale at www.madotterale.com

Tasting Notes
At its heart, Mad Otter Ale is a classic American-style pale ale packed with notes of tangerine and grapefruit that last from first aroma to the final sip. Showcasing American hops, Mad Otter Ale is brewed with a considerable amount of pale and caramel malts, creating a steady malt profile to balance the bitterness of the hops. A true crowd pleaser, Mad Otter Ale is not overly bitter but is packed with hop flavor.

This handcrafted beer is refreshing enough to cut through the heaviest of dishes while the firm malt notes help to accentuate the caramelized flavor of grilled foods. The citrus notes make it a natural choice for Latin or spicier cuisines; the hops temper the spiciness and accentuate the lime and citrus flavors while cutting through creamy cheese toppings. It is also a great choice to pair with grilled meats and juicy burgers. Because Mad Otter Ale pairs so well with a wide array of foods, it’s a great beer to keep on hand for everyday consumption.

Contact:
Marci Bracco Cain
Monterey Bay Brewing Company
Monterey, CA 93940
831-747-7455
Marci@chatterboxpublicrelations.com
http://www.madotterale.com

Business

How Does Electronic Trading Impact Investors at Golden Networking’s The Speed Traders Workshop 2015 Dubai

February 4, 2015 staronepr Leave a comment

Edgar Perez, former McKinsey and IBM consultant, is a global expert, author of The Speed Traders, Knightmare on Wall Street, and the course director of The Speed Traders Workshop 2015 Dubai, “How Banks, Hedge and Mutual Funds and Brokers Battle Markets ‘RIGGED’ by Wall Street’s ‘Flash Boys’, High-frequency Trading, Exchanges and Dark Pools”.

New York, NY, USA (February 4, 2015) — High-frequency trading provides market liquidity, and that’s good for individual investors. Some say it’s unfair because a few very smart people are making money doing it. Rick Ferri, founder of Portfolio Solutions LLC, disagrees Competition will take care of that, he says. In his view, as long as this method of stock trading can be done by anyone with the resources to participate, and if the process leads to lower overall trading costs for investors, then he is all for it.

How does Edgar Perez, author of Knightmare on Wall Street (http://knightmareonwallstreet.com) analyze the situation? Mr. Perez will open the door to the secretive world of computerized low-latency trading, the most controversial form of investing today; at The Speed Traders Workshop 2015 Dubai, “How Banks, Hedge and Mutual Funds and Brokers Battle Markets ‘RIGGED’ by Wall Street’s ‘Flash Boys’, High-frequency Trading, Exchanges and Dark Pools” (http://thespeedtradersworkshop.com), the first and most comprehensive initiation to the world of high-frequency trading.

The Speed Traders Workshop 2015 Dubai covers the latest research currently available and reveals how high-frequency trading players are operating in global markets and driving the development of electronic trading at breakneck speeds from the U.S. and Europe to Japan, India, and Brazil. The “flash crash”, the suspended BATS IPO, the botched Facebook IPO, Knight Capital’s trading malfunction and NASDAQ’s Flash Freeze are just a few of the milestones in the history of high-frequency trading that will be dissected with participants.

Mr. Perez is widely regarded as the preeminent global expert and speaker in the specialized areas of algorithmic and high-frequency trading. He is author of Knightmare on Wall Street, The Rise and Fall of Knight Capital and the Biggest Risk for Financial Markets (2013), a minute-by-minute account of the terrifying hours following Knight Capital’s August 1, 2012 trading debacle, The Speed Traders, An Insider’s Look at the New High-Frequency Trading Phenomenon That is Transforming the Investing World, published in English by McGraw-Hill Inc. (2011), Published in Mandarin by China Financial Publishing House (2012), and Investasi Super Kilat, Pandangan Orang dalam tentang Fenomena Baru Frekuensi Tinggi yang Mentransformasi Dunia Investasi, published in Bahasa Indonesia by Kompas Gramedia (2012). He contributes to The New York Times, UltraHighFrequencyTrading.com and China’s International Finance News and Sina Finance.

Mr. Perez has been engaged to present at the Council on Foreign Relations, Vadym Hetman Kyiv National Economic University (Kiev), Quant Investment & HFT Summit APAC 2012 (Shanghai), U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (Washington DC), CFA Singapore, Hong Kong Securities Institute, Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences at New York University, University of International Business and Economics (Beijing), Hult International Business School (London and Shanghai) and Pace University (New York), among other public and private institutions. In addition, Mr. Perez has spoken at a number of global conferences, including Inside Market Data 2013 (Chicago), Emerging Markets Investments Summit 2013 (Warsaw), CME Group‘s Global Financial Leadership Conference 2012 (Naples Beach), Harvard Business School’s Venture Capital & Private Equity Conference (Boston), High-Frequency Trading Leaders Forum (New York, Chicago, London), MIT Sloan Investment Management Conference (Cambridge), Institutional Investor’s Global Growth Markets Forum (London), Technical Analysis Society (Singapore), TradeTech Asia (Singapore), FIXGlobal Face2Face (Seoul) and Private Equity Convention Russia, CIS & Eurasia (London).

Mr. Perez has been interviewed on CNN’s Quest Means Business, CNBC’s Squawk on the Street, Worldwide Exchange, Cash Flow and Squawk Box, FOX BUSINESS’s Countdown to the Closing Bell and After the Bell, Bloomberg TV’s Market Makers, CNN en Español’s Dinero, Sina Finance, BNN’s Business Day, CCTV China, Bankier.pl, TheStreet.com, Leaderonomics, GPW Media, Channel NewsAsia’s Business Tonight and Cents & Sensibilities. In addition, Mr. Perez has been globally featured on WILS 1320’s Capital City Recap, FXFactor, Columbia Business, OpenMarkets, Sohu, News.Sina.com, Yicai, eastmoney, Caijing, ETF88.com, 360doc, AH Radio, CNFOL.com, CITICS Futures, Tongxin Securities, ZhiCheng.com, CBNweek.com, Caixin, Futures Daily, Xinhua, CBN Newswire, Chinese Financial News, ifeng.com, International Finance News, hexun.com, Finance.QQ.com, Finance.Sina.com, The Korea Times, The Korea Herald, The Star, The Malaysian Insider, BMF 89.9, iMoney Hong Kong, CNBC, Bloomberg Hedge Fund Brief, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Dallas Morning News, Valor Econômico, FIXGlobal Trading, TODAY Online, Oriental Daily News and Business Times.

Mr. Perez was a vice president at Citigroup, a senior consultant at IBM, and a strategy consultant at McKinsey & Co. in New York City. Mr. Perez has an undergraduate degree from Universidad Nacional de Ingeniería, Lima, Peru (1994), a Master of Administration from Universidad ESAN, Lima, Peru (1997) and a Master of Business Administration from Columbia Business School, New York, with a dual major in Finance and Management (2002). He belongs to the Beta Gamma Sigma honor society and is an accomplished salsa and hustle dancer.

Media Contact:
Taylor Blankfein
Media Relations Coordinator
Golden Networking
+1-414-FORUMS0
taylor.blankfein@goldennetworking.com
http://www.goldennetworking.com

Business, Technology

T5 Facilities Management to Deliver Best-in-Class Data Center Operations to New Forsythe Data Centers

January 31, 2015 staronepr Leave a comment

Forsythe Data Centers Turns to T5 Facilities Management (T5FM) to Ensure Reliable Data Center Operations for New Retail+® colocation facility in Chicago area.

Elk Grove Village, Illinois, USA (January 30, 2015) — T5 Facilities Management (T5FM), a T5 Data Centers company, which provides best-in-class facilities management services to data center owners across North America, today announced a new partnership with Forsythe Technology to operate its new Forsythe Data Centers Retail+® colocation facility. The Elk Grove Village, Ill. data center is on track for completion and will be open to tenants in May 2015.

With this partnership, T5FM will deliver comprehensive data center support and facilities management for Forsythe Data Centers, including staffing, training programs, operational policies, and site-specific procedures. T5FM will apply the same best practices that have been proven in operating T5’s own data center facilities in Atlanta, Charlotte, Dallas, Los Angeles, and Portland.

“This is the first step in a long-term relationship with Forsythe Technology to deliver ongoing data center facilities management services as Forsythe’s business continues to grow,” said Mike Casey, President of T5 Facilities Management. “When we launched T5FM, we had facilities like Forsythe Data Centers in mind as target clients. Using what we learned managing our own data centers, we have developed proven operational procedures to mitigate risk and eliminate downtime with an emphasis on safety, training, process, and customer communications.”

Forsythe Data Centers offers tenants secure, client-controllable, private suites from 1,000 to 4,000 square feet, as well as micro-suites and cabinets. The facility will also consolidate Forsythe’s multi-vendor Technology Evaluation Center, Integration and Configuration Center, and Executive Briefing Center under one roof. The new data center will use Forsythe’s new Retail+® model, which features private, hard-wall client suites like those in wholesale facilities, coupled with the flexible, modular design of retail facilities.

“Partnering with T5FM to manage operations allows us to focus on what we do best – building optimized colocation facilities and delivering the technology, products, and services our tenants need,” said Steve Harris, Vice President, Development, Forsythe Data Centers. “The new relationship with T5FM will give our clients the best colocation solutions with the finest operational support available.”

For more information visit http://www.forsythedatacenters.com.

About Forsythe

Founded in 1971, Forsythe is one of the largest, independent IT integrators in North America, serving approximately 1,000 U.S. and Canada-based companies. Clients come to Forsythe for help optimizing cost, managing risk, improving performance and enabling innovation within their IT and data center operations to deliver greater value to their business. Forsythe’s experience crosses all facets of the data center. Forsythe provides independent professional services and financial solutions, as well as IT products from all the leading IT infrastructure manufacturers and vendors, and related services. Forsythe is privately held and 100-percent employee-owned, with nearly 1,000 employees in 40 locations. 2013 was Forsythe’s 43rd consecutive profitable year, with revenues of $1.1 billion. Forsythe Data Centers, Forsythe/McArthur Associates Inc., Forsythe Solutions Group Inc., Forsythe Technology Canada Inc., Forsythe International Inc., KillerIT, Mentora Group, SOS Security and Synnefo Technology Solutions are wholly owned subsidiaries of Forsythe Technology Inc. (http://www.forsythe.com)

“Retail+®” is a registered trademark of Forsythe Data Centers, Inc. in the U.S. and/or other countries.

About T5 Facilities Management

T5 Data Centers provides enterprise and wholesale colocation data center services to organizations across North America using proven, best-in-class technology and techniques to design and develop facilities that deliver the lowest possible total cost of operations for its customers. In addition to operating T5 Data Centers’ wholesale data center portfolio, T5 Facilities Management (T5FM), a T5 Data Centers Company, provides 3rd party on-site facilities management services to data center owners across North America. T5FM applies the same best practices used in all of T5 Data Centers’ facilities, including policies and procedures to mitigate risk and eliminate operational concerns with an emphasis on safety, training, and customer communication. T5FM currently operates data center facilities in Charlotte, Atlanta, Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles, Portland, and Chicago.

For more information, visit http://www.t5datacenters.com/facilities-management.

Contact:
Aaron Wangenheim
T5 Data Centers
(415) 292-7700
aaron@t5datacenters.com
http://www.t5datacenters.com

Business

Prestige Estates Q3 FY15 Turnover at Rs. 6,453 Mn (up by 40%) & PAT at Rs. 995 Mn (up by 23%)

January 27, 2015 flashnewsrelease Leave a comment

Registers New Sales of Rs. 10,094 Mn for Q3 FY15 and ties up for 14 New Property Developments.

Bangalore, India, January 28th, 2015 — Registers New Sales of Rs. 10,094 Mn for Q3 FY15 and ties up for 14 New Property Developments.

Q3 FY15:
* Revenue at Rs. 6,453 Million, considering revenue from operations and other income, up by 40% as compared to the revenue for the corresponding quarter of previous year (Q3 FY14) which stood at Rs. 4,600 Million.

* PAT at Rs. 995 Million, up by 23% as compared to the PAT for the corresponding quarter of previous year (Q3 FY14) which stood at Rs. 807 Million

*The Company has sold 611 Residential units and 0.21 million square feet of Commercial Space, aggregating to 1.55 million square feet amounting to Rs. 10,094 million of sales. (Of this, Prestige share is: 532 units – 1.13 million square feet amounting to Rs. 7,594 Million of Sales.)

* Total collections for the quarter aggregated to Rs. 9,209 million. (Prestige share of collections for the quarter aggregated to Rs. 7,561 million.)

For the Quarter ended 31 December 2014 (Q3):
Financial Highlights (Q3 FY15):

* Revenue at Rs. 6,453 Mn, considering revenue from operations and other income, up by 40% as compared to the revenue for the corresponding quarter of previous year (Q3 FY14) which stood at Rs.4,600 Mn.

* EBIDTA at Rs. 2,241 Mn, up by 39% as compared to the EBIDTA for the corresponding quarter of previous year (Q3 FY14) which stood at Rs.1,614 Mn

* PAT at Rs.995 Mn, up by 23% as compared to the PAT for the corresponding quarter of previous year (Q3 FY14) which stood at Rs.807 Mn

Operational Highlights (Q3 FY15):

New Sales:
* The Company has sold 611 Residential units and 0.21 million square feet of commercial space, aggregating to 1.55 million square feet amounting to Rs. 10,094 million of sales. (Of this, Prestige share is: 532 units -1.13 million square feet amounting to Rs. 7,594 Million of sales.)

* During the corresponding Q3 of previous year FY 13-14, the company had sold 1,204 Residential units and 0.03 million square feet of commercial space, aggregating to 2.08 million square feet amounting to Rs.12,620 million of sales. (Prestige share of sales for Q3 FY13-14 were 904 units -1.55 million square feet amounting to Rs.9,402 Million of sales.)

Collections:
* Total collections for the quarter aggregated to Rs. 9,209 million. (Prestige share of collections for the quarter aggregated to Rs. 7,561 million.)

* Total collections for Q3 FY 13-14 were Rs. 7,133 million and Prestige share of collections were Rs. 5,923 million.

Completions:
* This quarter, the Company has completed one residential project in Bangalore aggregating to 0.66 Mnsft.

For the Nine months ended 31 December 2014 (9M FY15):
Financial Highlights (9M FY15):

* Revenue at Rs. 18,304 Mn, considering revenue from operations and other income, up by 23% as compared to the revenue for the corresponding 9 months of previous year (9M FY14) which stood at Rs.14,933 Mn.

* EBIDTA at Rs. 6,097 Mn, up by 30% as compared to the EBIDTA for the corresponding 9 months of previous year (9M FY14) which stood at Rs.4,689 Mn

* PAT at Rs.3,004 Mn, up by 23% as compared to the PAT for the corresponding 9 months of previous year (9M FY14) which stood at Rs.2,448 Mn

Operational Highlights (9M FY15):
Sales:
* The Company has for the nine months ended December 2014 sold 3,263 Residential units & 0.46 million square feet of Commercial space, totalling to 6.27 million square feet, amounting to Rs.39,026 million of Sales, up by 10% as compared to the sales for the corresponding 9 months of previous year (9M FY15)

* Of the above, Prestige Estates share is 2,986 units totalling to 5.36 million square feet amounting to Rs. 33,560 million of Sales, up by 11% as compared to Prestige Estates share of sales for the corresponding 9 months of previous year (9M FY15)

* For the corresponding 9 months ending December 2013, the Company has sold 3,659 units and 0.15 Mnsft of commercial space, totalling to 6.01 Mnsft, amounting to Rs.35,560 million of Sales. Of this, Prestige Estates share of sales is 3,141 units and 0.15 Mnsft of commercial space, totaling to 5.15 Mnsft amounting to Rs.30,316 million of Sales

Collections:
* Total collections for the nine months ended 31st December 2014 aggregated to Rs. 27,688 million up by 28% as compared to the total collections for the corresponding 9 months of previous year (9M FY15). (Of this, Prestige Estates share is Rs. 23,269 million, up by 28%)

* Total collections for 9M FY 13-14 were Rs. 21,618 million and Prestige share of collections were Rs. 18,195 million.

Launches:
* The Company has launched total 7.38 million square feet of developable area for the nine months ended December 2014.

Commenting on this strong performance and growth, Mr. Irfan Razack, Chairman and Managing Director, Prestige Estates Projects Limited, said “Things on ground are pretty robust and positive. In fact, this quarter has been fantastic for us in terms of sales. We have clocked over Rs.10,000 Mn of total new sales in spite of having no new launches during the quarter and without having the need to advertise much. During the quarter we have also tied up for 14 new property developments across the geographies and these projects, once launched will further enhance our sales momentum and help us in taking our company to next level.”

Mr. Venkat K Narayana, Executive Director & CFO added to this saying that “The growth is supported by collections in excess of Rs. 9,200 million during the quarter, excluding the rental income. On the turnover front, there is sizeable un-booked revenue around Rs. 83,776 million and with the execution of projects moving in line with the schedule, these revenues consistently flow to the top line to sustain these numbers going forward and grow further.”

About the Company:
Prestige Estates, having a legacy spanning over 28 years, is one of South India’s leading Real Estate Developers. It has 184 completed projects aggregating over 60.74 Mnsft of developable Area to its credit and currently has 57 ongoing projects aggregating to 59.24 million square feet of developable area and 43 upcoming projects aggregating to 44.11 million square feet of developable area spanning across Residential, Commercial, Retail and Hospitality sectors in major South Indian cities such as Bengaluru, Mysoru, Mangaluru, Chennai, Kochi, Hyderabad, Ooty, Goa, etc. It is also currently one of the few CRISIL DA1 rated Developers in India. This rating indicates the Company’s excellent ability to execute real estate projects as per specified quality levels within stipulated time schedules and to transfer clean title.

Disclaimer:
Certain statements in this document may be forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties like regulatory changes, local political or economic developments, technological risks and many other factors that could cause our actual results to differ materially from those contemplated. Prestige Estates Projects Limited will not be in any way responsible for any action taken based on such statements and undertakes no obligation to publicly update these forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent events or circumstances.

For further information, please contact:
Mr. Venkat K. Narayana
Executive Director & CFO
Prestige Estates Projects Limited
The Falcon House
No.1, Main Guard Cross Road
Bangalore – 560 001
Phone: +91-80-25001280
Fax: +91-80-25591945
E-mail: venkatkn@prestigeconstructions.com
URL: http://www.prestigeconstructions.com

Business

The Advantages of Managing an Organization with Cloud Business Process Management

January 23, 2015 straightlinepr Leave a comment

AuraPortal Cloud Computing enables any entity to enjoy the benefits of the most powerful Business Process Management (BPM) software on the market and the most secure hardware, without any investment, paying only for usage, or a small monthly fee.

Woburn, MA, January 10, 2015 – AURA (www.auraportal.com), a global provider of Business Process Management (BPM) software, has announced the creation and launch of its structurally solid Cloud Computing.

This will enable any type of private or public organization to undertake BPM implementation projects through the AuraPortal suite without the usual structure and investment concerns inherent in such projects, and with the software licenses included in the service.

AuraPortal has been distinguished with great advantage over its competitors by Ovum in its Decision Matrix (2011) report and by other renowned analyst firms.

The idea of the Cloud is simple: It consists of adopting the same model for the computing services as the one used in public services, for example, in the supply of electricity.

In the same way that an electricity user simply plugs in a cable to obtain a power supply without worrying whatsoever about the cost and knowledge required to build and manage power plants and distribution grids, any company (whether public or private) will be able to manage its processes with AuraPortal BPM by simply connecting to the Internet from any browser without having to think about hardware or software requirements. Furthermore, this allows complete mobility as AuraPortal can be accessed from any Tablet or Smartphone.

After several years of development and fine tuning, Cloud Computing is rapidly becoming the latest and unstoppable trend for the use of software applications, now that the questions about access, security and reliability have clearly been answered.

Whatever the level of service, the user does not have to invest in hardware or software, AuraPortal handles all the necessary investments.

ABOUT AURA (http://www.auraportal.com)
AURA is a global BPM (Business Process Management) software provider delivering a solution that creates, without the need of IT programming, Business Process Workflow Execution Models. AuraPortal is 100% Web-based, and is complementary to existing ERP and CRM systems.

AURA has a presence in 40 countries with more than 300 customers including, among others: Walmart, Toyota, General Motors, Pemex (Petroleos Mexicanos), Carrefour, ArcelorMittal, PepsiCo, Coca-Cola, Danone, INCAE, Kimberly-Clark, Yamaha, Royal KPN, Bristol-Myers Squibb, etc., as well as many Government Agencies and Departments in several countries. All of these customers benefit from maintenance contracts.

It is headquartered in Europe and has an executive branch in North America (Florida). It also has offices in several countries and a vast network of partners who locally attend customers throughout the world.

Contact:
Cristina Siscar
Auraportal
400 Trade Center
Woburn, MA 01801-7472
978-808-6340
pr@straightlinepr.com
http://www.auraportal.com

Business

Cybersecurity Boardroom Workshop 2015 to Bring Critical Cyber Security Lessons for Boards and CEOs

January 20, 2015 staronepr Leave a comment

Building off of the momentum of past successful workshops, Golden Networking brings Cybersecurity Boardroom Workshop 2015 (http://www.CybersecurityBoardroomWorkshop.com), seminar specifically designed for board members and senior executives of public and private firms looking for new ways to gain and maintain competitive business advantage.

New York, NY, USA (January 20, 2015) — In the days prior to Thanksgiving 2013, malware designed to steal credit card data at Target was surreptitiously installed. According to Bloomberg BusinessWeek, the company had installed a malware detection tool. Target had specialists in Bangalore to monitor its computers around the clock. Two days after Thanksgiving, the malware was spotted. The team in India got an alert and flagged Target’s security managers. And then?

Nothing happened. Target’s alert system had worked effectively. But then, Target stood by as 40 million credit card numbers flowed out of its computers. Only a few months later, CEO Gregg Steinhafel and CIO Beth Jacob were both out of the company.

Cybersecurity has become widely recognized as a critical corporate challenge. Boards and senior managements are putting it on their agenda, categorizing cybersecurity not as a compartmentalized risk for the information technology team, but as strategic and enterprise-wide.

However, a security program is only as strong as its weakest link. While a survey by the Institute of Internal Auditors found 58% of board members felt they should be actively involved in cybersecurity preparedness, only 14% said they were actively involved. Unfortunately, 65% also said their perception of the risk their organizations faced had increased.

Board members and senior managers need to become more educated about the topic to be able to ask questions that are strategic yet granular enough to address company-specifics. To go further, it will be imperative to join Cybersecurity Boardroom Workshop 2015 (http://www.CybersecurityBoardroomWorkshop.com), the first seminar targeted at strategic and executive leaders for whom cybersecurity readiness is a relatively new yet critically important area to be intelligently conversant about.

Cybersecurity Boardroom Workshop 2015 is specifically designed for board members and senior executives of public and private firms looking for new ways to gain and maintain competitive business advantage. Business executives with responsibility for IT, finance, compliance, risk management and procurement as well as entrepreneurs and innovators are welcome.

By the end of Cybersecurity Boardroom Workshop 2015, to be held in Dubai, March 8-9, Hong Kong, March 12-13, Seoul, March 19-20, Singapore, March 26-27, London, 9-10 April, and New York City, April 16-17, participants will:

• Understand enterprise cybersecurity and the impact on shareholder value in the short and long term
• Identify immediate security needs for the organization with actionable steps for senior management
• Learn how to identify current and future challenges to better enable management to focus on threat reduction and operational reliability
• Get up to speed on international and domestic approaches and frameworks for effective cybersecurity practices corporate wide

DAY 1: UNDERSTANDING THE CYBER WORLD

Understanding Cybersecurity
• The trillion dollar global cyber risk environment
• The enterprise-wide challenge of protecting the organization’s assets
• The impact of cybersecurity attacks on shareholder value
• Identity theft and the legal implications of data breaches

Social Engineering: The “Weakest Human Link” in Cybersecurity
• The responsibility for cybersecurity in the organization
• Assessing the quality of the cybersecurity workforce
• Evaluating shortcomings in meeting cybersecurity workforce standards
• Assessing the effectiveness of current professionalization tools

Understanding the Cybersecurity Testing Method
• Reconnaissance: How to use tools to find vulnerable systems and devices
• Packet sniffing: How to gather information from computer systems
• Port scanning: How port information is exposed on computer systems
• Password policy and cracking: What to consider when developing password policy
• Vulnerability: How to reduce attacks by enforcing proactive compliance policies

Basics of Security Architecture for Board Members and CXOs
• How architecture defines the structure of a system and makes it explicit
• The fundamentals of layered architecture: presentation, business, data, and service layers
• How the current computer network infrastructure was not designed originally to be secure
• Embedding architecting security into systems from inception

DAY 2: RESPONDING TO THE CYBERSECURITY CHALLENGE

Introduction to NIST’s Cybersecurity Framework
• Describing the enterprise’s current and target cybersecurity posture
• Identifying and prioritizing opportunities for improvement
• Assessing and accelerating progress toward the target state
• Communicating with internal and external stakeholders about cybersecurity risk

The Five Core Functions of NIST’s Cybersecurity Framework
• Identify: Organizational understanding to manage cybersecurity risk
• Protect: Safeguards to ensure delivery of critical infrastructure services
• Detect: How to identify the occurrence of a cybersecurity event
• Respond: Taking action regarding a detected cybersecurity event
• Recover: Maintaining plans for resilience and to restore any impaired capabilities

Introduction to Intelligence-driven Cyber Network Defenses
• How investigations are based upon the scientific method: observing, hypothesis, evaluation, prediction and validation
• How to leverage cutting edge technology, vigilant people and innovative processes
• How to continuously improve the enterprise process for defending IT assets
• How to empower people to resolve the problem with guidance and mentoring

Establishing or Improving a Cybersecurity Program
• Prioritize and scope: Identifying business/mission objectives and high-level priorities
• Orient: Identifying related systems and assets, regulatory requirements, and risk approach
• Create a current profile: Developing a profile by indicating current degree of preparedness
• Conduct a risk assessment: Analyzing the operational environment in order to discern the likelihood of an attack
• Create a target profile: Describing the organization’s desired cybersecurity outcomes
• Determine, analyze, and prioritize gaps: Determining gaps between current and target profiles
• Implement action plan: Deciding which actions to take in regards to identified gaps

Cybersecurity Boardroom Workshop 2015 is produced by Golden Networking, the premier networking community for business and technology executives, entrepreneurs and investors. Panelists, speakers and sponsors are invited to contact Golden Networking by sending an email to information@goldennetworking.com.

Media Contact:
Julia Petrova
Media Relations Coordinator
Golden Networking
+1-414-FORUMS0
jpetrova@goldennetworking.com
http://www.goldennetworking.com

Business

What Investors can Learn from Morgan Stanley’s Data Breach with Edgar Perez at Cyber Security World Conference 2015 New York City

January 8, 2015 staronepr Leave a comment

Building off of the momentum of past successful conferences, Golden Networking brings Cyber Security World Conference 2015 New York City (http://www.CyberSecurityWorldConference.com), summit that will bring the latest thinking from security experts to hundreds of senior executives focused on protecting enterprises’ information assets.

New York, NY, USA (January 8, 2015) — Morgan Stanley joined a growing list of prominent corporate brands to suffer a data breach, after it revealed one of his financial advisors stole the information of as many as 350,000 wealth management clients, and that some of the data was posted online for sale. The event reminds consumers and investors of the ever-evolving and ubiquitous threat of data breaches.

Many other large companies including Adobe Systems, Automated Data Processing, Citigroup, E*Trade Financial, Fidelity Investments, Home Depot, HSBC, JPMorgan Chase, Nasdaq OMX, Neiman Marcus, Sony, Target and Wal-mart had suffered high-profile cyber security breaches. It is not beyond the realm of possibilities to think that today the information of every American has already been compromised in any of these publicly disclosed attacks.

Amidst these pressing challenges, Edgar Perez, author of Knightmare on Wall Street, will discuss what consumers and investors can learn from recent cybersecurity incidents in the United States at Cyber Security World Conference 2015 (http://www.CyberSecurityWorldConference.com) New York City. The forum will provide a platform for information security authorities and innovative service providers to distil their latest research for hundreds of senior executives focused on protecting enterprise and government valuable assets. Cyber security experts will discuss subjects such as protecting individuals and companies against cyber-attacks, biometrics as the future of security, risks brought by mobile computing, and protecting corporate and national infrastructure against foreign attacks.

Mr. Perez has been engaged to present at the Council on Foreign Relations, Vadym Hetman Kyiv National Economic University (Kiev), U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (Washington DC), Quant Investment & HFT Summit APAC 2012 (Shanghai), CFA Singapore, Hong Kong Securities Institute, Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences at New York University, University of International Business and Economics (Beijing), Hult International Business School (London and Shanghai) and Pace University (New York), among other public and private institutions.

Mr. Perez is widely regarded as the preeminent global expert in technology and investing. He is the author of Knightmare on Wall Street and The Speed Traders and has been interviewed on CNN, CNBC, FOX BUSINESS, Bloomberg TV, CNN en Español, CCTV China, BNN, Bankier.pl, Leaderonomics, TheStreet.com, GPW Media, Channel NewsAsia’s Business Tonight and Cents & Sensibilities. Mr. Perez has been globally featured on FXFactor, Columbia Business, OpenMarkets, Sohu, News.Sina.com, Yicai, eastmoney, Caijing, ETF88.com, 360doc, AH Radio, CNFOL.com, CITICS Futures, Tongxin Securities, ZhiCheng.com, CBNweek.com, Caixin, Futures Daily, Xinhua, CBN Newswire, Chinese Financial News, ifeng.com, International Finance News, hexun.com, Finance.QQ.com, Finance.Sina.com, The Korea Times, The Korea Herald, The Star, The Malaysian Insider, BMF 89.9, iMoney Hong Kong, CNBC, Bloomberg Hedge Fund Brief, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Dallas Morning News, Valor Econômico, FIXGlobal Trading, TODAY Online, Oriental Daily News and Business Times.

Mr. Perez was a vice president at Citigroup, a senior consultant at IBM, and a strategy consultant at McKinsey & Company in New York City. Mr. Perez has an undergraduate degree from Universidad Nacional de Ingeniería in Lima, Peru (1994), a Master of Administration from Universidad ESAN in Lima, Peru (1997) and a Master of Business Administration from Columbia Business School in New York, with a dual major in Finance and Management (2002). He belongs to the Beta Gamma Sigma honor society. Mr. Perez resides in the New York City area and is an accomplished salsa and hustle dancer.

About Cyber Security World Conference 2015
Renowned information security experts and innovative service providers will present at Cyber Security World Conference 2015 their latest thinking to hundreds of senior executives focused on protecting enterprises and governmental agencies. Topics that Cyber Security World Conference 2015 will discuss include:

• Cyber Security Megatrends Security Professionals can’t Ignore Today
• Strengthening the Security of Industry-wide Technology Infrastructure
• How Hackers Really Operate to Obtain Financial Data
• Cyber Security and its Role in the Overall Security of the United States
• Key Considerations about Security in the Internet of Things Age
• Designing and Managing Effective Information Security Programs

Cyber Security World Conference 2015 is produced by Golden Networking, the premier networking community for business and technology executives, entrepreneurs and investors. Panelists, speakers and sponsors are invited to contact Golden Networking by sending an email to information@goldennetworking.com.

Media Contact:
Julia Petrova
Media Relations Coordinator
Golden Networking
+1-414-FORUMS0
jpetrova@goldennetworking.com
http://www.goldennetworking.com

Business

After The Interview, Sony’s Rebuilding at Golden Networking’s Cyber Security World Conference 2015 New York City

January 2, 2015 staronepr Leave a comment

Building off of the momentum of past successful conferences, Golden Networking brings Cyber Security World Conference 2015 New York City (www.CyberSecurityWorldConference.com), summit that will bring the latest thinking from security experts to hundreds of senior executives focused on protecting enterprises’ information assets.

New York, NY, USA (January 1, 2015) — Headlines in recent weeks have been consumed with the news of a cyberattack that targeted Sony’s movie studio as it geared to release The Interview, film that describes a CIA attempt to assassinate North Korean leader Kim Jong- un.

The company now could face tens of millions of dollars in costs from the massive computer hack that hobbled its operations for days. Major costs include investigations into what happened, computer repairs or replacements, and steps to prevent a future attack. Lost productivity while operations were disrupted will add to the price tag.

The attack, believed to be the worst of its type on a company on U.S. soil, also hits Sony’s reputation for a perceived failure to safeguard information. Recently on October that U.S. President Barack Obama signed an executive order to strengthen security measures for federal credit cards, and urged banks and retailers to follow suit in an effort to combat cyber theft and identity fraud. Several major corporations would take steps to make their own systems more secure and offer more customer protections as well.

These recommendations came after many other large companies including Adobe Systems, Automated Data Processing, Citigroup, E*Trade Financial, Fidelity Investments, Home Depot, HSBC, JPMorgan Chase, Nasdaq OMX, Neiman Marcus, Target and Wal-mart had suffered high-profile cyber security breaches. It is not beyond the realm of possibilities to think that today the information of every American has already been compromised in any of these publicly disclosed attacks.

For instance, JPMorgan Chase, America’s largest bank with $2.39 trillion in assets, has revealed that about 76 million households and 7 million of small-business customers have been impacted by a cybersecurity attack in one of the most sweeping disclosed global breaches. Unknown attackers stole customers’ contact information, which included names, email addresses, phone numbers and addresses, affecting an amount equivalent to two-thirds of American households.

Cyber Security World Conference 2015 New York City (http://www.CyberSecurityWorldConference.com) will provide a platform for information security authorities and innovative service providers to distil their latest research for hundreds of senior executives focused on protecting enterprise and government valuable assets. Cyber security experts will discuss subjects such as protecting individuals and companies against cyber-attacks, biometrics as the future of security, risks brought by mobile computing, and protecting corporate and national infrastructure against foreign attacks.

Top-of-mind topics that Cyber Security World Conference 2015 will discuss include:

Media Contact:
Julia Petrova
Media Relations Coordinator
Golden Networking
+1-414-FORUMS0
jpetrova@goldennetworking.com
http://www.goldennetworking.com