All posts by staronepr

All I Want for Christmas…Is a Loving Partner Keynotes Holiday Singles Convention

“No one wants to be single over the holidays,” says Rich Gosse, Keynote Speaker at the Holiday Singles Convention, Saturday, December 8, 2012, at Silo’s at the historic Napa Inn, 530 Main Street, Napa CA 94559. His topic is “All I Want for Christmas…Is a Loving Partner.”

San Rafael, CA, November 09, 2012 — Contact: Tom Andrews, 415/507-9962

“No one wants to be single over the holidays,” says Rich Gosse, Keynote Speaker at the Holiday Singles Convention, Saturday, December 8, 2012, at Silo’s at the historic Napa Inn, 530 Main Street, Napa CA 94559. His topic is “All I Want for Christmas…Is a Loving Partner.”

“The holidays are the BEST time to search for a romantic partner,” says Mr. Gosse. “Singles are much friendlier and open to new friendships during this time of the year. Rather than wait for Santa to bring a loving partner, singles should follow three rules during the holidays:

1. GET OUT OF THE HOUSE. “Most singles stay home seven nights a week and complain they never meet anyone.”

2. GO WHERE THE DUCKS ARE. “Most singles go where the ducks AREN’T. They make the mistake of going where there are lots of people of their own sex to compete against, and very few of the opposite sex from whom to choose.”

3. INITIATE CONTACT. “Some poor fool has to make the first move and risk rejection.”

Rich Gosse is the author of eight books on dating, including You CAN Hurry Love, Singles Guide to the Bay Area, and A Good Man Is EASY to Find (“This is a great book!” Oprah Winfrey). His expert advice has been featured by ABC’s Nightline, CBS, CNBC, CNN, NBC’s Today Show, Oprah, Donahue, Cosmopolitan, Newsweek, Playboy, Playgirl, The Wall Street Journal, The London Times, The Australian, The New Zealand Herald, etc. His website is http://www.RichGosse.com. Mr. Gosse is available to the news media for interviews by calling 415/479-3800.

The Holiday Singles Convention begins at 7:30pm with Mr. Gosse’s Keynote Address, which is followed by a Dance Party until Midnight. Adults of all ages are welcome. The cost is $10 at the door. The Convention is sponsored by The Society of Single Professionals, the world’s largest non-profit singles organization. Anyone wishing more information about this and many more events for singles may visit http://www.ThePartyHotline.com or call 415/507-9962.

Media Contact:
Rich Gosse
Society of Single Professionals
205 Mark Twain Avenue, San Rafael CA 94903
415-507-9962
richgosse@richgosse.com
http://www.ThePartyHotline.com

Experts Connection for Recruiters Webinar Shares Onboarding Strategies That Promote Success for New Employees

Learn How Recruiters and Hiring Execs Can Help New Employees Take Charge, Build Their Teams, and Get Great Results in Record Time.

NOVATO, Calif. (November 7, 2012) — It’s proven that 40 percent of new hires fail within the first 18 months, often due to mistakes made by the new hires and the companies in the first days and weeks of employment. In the next Experts Connection™ for Recruiters webinar (http://www.experts-connection.com/recruiters.aspx), “On-Boarding: Get Your New Employees Up To Speed in Half the Time,” George Bradt, author of The New Job 100-Day Plan, will share his secrets for helping Fortune 500 executives be more effective corporate leaders from day one. The Experts Connection for Recruiters session is scheduled for Thursday, November 15, from 4:00 – 5:30 p.m. ET, (1:00 – 2:30 p.m. PT), and is sponsored by NETSHARE® (http://www.netshare.com).

Bradt has developed a three-phase approach that recruiters and hiring managers can apply to help new employees be effective faster than anyone ever expected. Much like orchestrating a show, these phases are 1) Producing – assembling the resources required for success, including aligning the stakeholders around the onboarding plan; 2) Directing – co-creating a Personal Onboarding Plan to clarify expectations and interdependencies; and 3) Stage Managing – making sure the new hire has what he or she needs from day one and adjusting along the way.

Drawing from his expertise in working with Fortune 500 companies, Bradt will explain:

– How to create an onboarding timeline and recruiting brief, and aligning stakeholders around those plans.
– How to help others deliver by supporting a new employee’s Personal Onboarding Plan.
– Managing the new hire announcement and proactively introducing new employees.
– Providing the right resources and support to help new employees accelerate and adjust along the way.

“Onboarding is always tricky, but George’s work with Fortune 500 companies has taught him what works and what doesn’t when it comes to bringing on new executives. His integrated onboarding approach has reduced the executive failure rate from 40 percent to 10 percent, which is pretty impressive,” said Katherine Simmons, CEO of NETSHARE and host of the Experts Connection. “We are fortunate to be able to share his expertise with recruiters through this Experts Connection webinar.”

The cost of the Experts Connection seminar is $100, and access is provided via web and telephone. A web archive also is available for registrants. For more information, visit the Experts Connection online at http://www.experts-connection.com/recruiter.aspx.

About George Bradt
George Bradt is Managing Director of PrimeGenesis (http://www.primegenesis.com), an executive onboarding firm. George formerly served as chief executive of J.D. Powers’ Power Information Network and held general management, marketing and sales positions at Coca-Cola, Procter & Gamble, and Unilever. He is also a principal of CEO Connection. George is the author of four books: The New Leader’s 100-Day Action Plan, Onboarding, The Total Onboarding Program and The New Job 100-Day Plan. He has a weekly column on Forbes.com, The New Leader’s Playbook. He earned his BA degree from Harvard University and an MBA from Wharton School of Business.

About NETSHARE
NETSHARE (http://www.netshare.com) is a confidential, membership based organization dedicated to providing executives across all disciplines and industries with quality $100K plus job lists. NETSHARE also offers networking opportunities and a community of peers for the exchange of strategic information related to job search, professional development and best practices. NETSHARE has been recognized by Fortune and Forbes magazines as the best online destination for executive positions.

Contact:
Annette DiSano
NETSHARE, Inc.
(415) 883-1700
Annette@netshare.com

Tom Woolf
Woolf Media & Marketing
(415) 259-5638
tomw@woolfmedia.com

Santa Cruz Artist Mary Karlton Featured in Exhibit Honoring Degas at Carnegie Arts Center

Santa Cruz artist Mary Karlton is displaying her work at the juried exhibit, “Lines and Colors: Celebrating Degas,” at the Carnegie Arts Center in Turlock, California from November 7, 2012 through February 3, 2013.

SANTA CRUZ, Calif., November 7, 2012 — Santa Cruz artist Mary Karlton is displaying her work at the juried exhibit, “Lines and Colors: Celebrating Degas,” at the Carnegie Arts Center in Turlock, California from November 7, 2012 through February 3, 2013. The show honors the great French impressionist Edgar Degas and offers visitors the unique perspective of artists from the region on Degas, the artist and the man. The exhibit emphasizes the use of line and color while capturing vivid moments in modern human life. Following this theme, Ms. Karlton presents her piece “In Bloom,” an oil painting in the French Impressionist style of a young woman relaxing on a wooden stool. Ms. Karlton’s use of bright colors and soft lighting, along with the youthful glow of the subject, are reminiscent of Degas’ signature style and his celebration of the beauty of the human form.

Concurrent with this exhibit is “Edgar Degas: The Private Impressionist, Works on Paper by the Artist and his Circle,” on view from October 6, 2012 until January 13, 2013. Featuring more than 100 works on paper, the exhibit includes drawings, prints, pastels, and photographs by Degas from his early days at the Louvre to late in his career as well as works by artists in his circle.

About Mary Karlton

Mary Karlton studied painting and printmaking in Chicago, San Francisco, and Santa Fe. Her style is eclectic with highly textured works that combine elements of collage, photography, and abstraction. She is captivated by the versatility and expressive potential of acrylic media. Her heroes in the art world are multifaceted and innovative – DaVinci, Lautrec, Van Gogh, Picasso, Dali, Magritte, Klimt, Kandinsky, Schiele, DeKoonig, and Richter.

Her work has been included in a wide array of exhibitions in Northern and Southern California, including various books, galleries, and wine labels.

Recently, her acrylic painting “How Are You M’Lord?,” the keystone piece in her upcoming “Pomegranate Portrait” series, was awarded a first place ribbon at Madera County Art’s Council’s annual Celebrate Agriculture with the Arts exhibition.

Mary lives and paints in the scenic coastal town of Santa Cruz, CA with her husband, musician and photographer Peter Sterbach. To learn more about Mary Karlton or to view her online gallery of artwork, please visit http://www.marykarlton.com.

About the Carnegie Arts Center
Located at 250 North Broadway in Turlock, California, the Carnegie Arts Center hosts exhibits, classes, and programs all aimed towards celebrating the arts in all forms as well as invigorating the Central Valley community. Over one quarter of their events and programmed are designed to include and inspire local children and teens. The arts center can be reached at 209-632-5761 or by visiting their website at http://www.carnegieartsturlock.org.

Media Contact:
Mary Karlton
Mary Karlton Fine Art
303 Potrero St., Suite 12B
Santa Cruz, CA, 95060
(831)-466-9660
mkarlton@earthlink.net
http://www.marykarlton.com

Experts Connection Offers LinkedIn Master’s Class for Executives

Social Media Recruiting Specialist Jim Durbin Discusses Advanced Career Management Strategies for LinkedIn Users.

NOVATO, Calif. (November 7, 2012) — LinkedIn continues to be the first stop for recruiters and hiring managers looking for fresh talent. It’s also the best place to find networking contacts that can make the right introductions when you are trying to get hired. In the next Experts Connection (http://www.experts-connection.com) webinar, “LinkedIn for Executives: Beyond the Basics (2012 Edition),” social media headhunter Jim Durbin will demonstrate to attendees to advanced techniques in how to use LinkedIn to research new contacts and how to be found by hiring professionals. The webinar is scheduled for Wednesday, November 14, from 4:00 – 5:30 p.m. ET, (1:00 – 2:30 p.m. PT), and is sponsored by NETSHARE® (http://www.netshare.com).

During this webinar, Jim will apply his expertise as a retained search headhunter to show executive job seekers how to identify contacts, executives, and colleagues, how to use LinkedIn search engines and filters, and other executive sourcing techniques that will reveal how job seekers can increase their own visibility. He also will show you how to be found by those seeking your talents. The webinar will include live demonstrations of how to approach interviews and meetings armed with superior knowledge.

In this 90-minute webinar, Jim will explain how to:

– Read the information hidden in a profile;
– Find companies that are hiring in your city, and identify who they want to hire;
– Get instant updates on promotions, terminations and hires from your connections;
– Turn your profile from “average executive” to “forward thinking rock star”;
– Be found by those looking to hire;
– Quickly research someone you’re scheduled to meet; and
– Stand out, both in your profile, and online.

“LinkedIn continues to reign as the primary resource for professional networking, yet few senior executives really understand how to really use LinkedIn effectively to meet their own needs,” said Katherine Simmons, CEO of NETSHARE and host of the Experts Connection webinars. “In this master class, those with a basic understanding of LinkedIn will be able to add to their expertise. The tools and techniques that Jim will share in this session are not well known, and will give attendees competitive edges that will make them stand out online.”

The Experts Connection teleseminar series gives executives access to leading career experts. The cost of the seminar is $60, $50 for NETSHARE members, and access is provided via web and telephone. For more information, visit the Experts Connection online at http://www.experts-connection.com.

About James Durbin:
Jim Durbin is a retained search headhunter and trainer specializing in social media. As a blogger and business owner, Jim is an expert and frequent speaker on such topics as online employment, recruiting blogs, and using social media in the hiring process. His prior experience includes account management for a national staffing firm where he was a top performer. He is a graduate of Washington and Lee University and lives in Dallas.

About NETSHARE
NETSHARE (http://www.netshare.com) is a confidential, membership based organization dedicated to providing executives across all disciplines and industries with quality $100K plus job lists. NETSHARE also offers networking opportunities and a community of peers for the exchange of strategic information related to job search, professional development and best practices. NETSHARE has been recognized by Fortune and Forbes magazines as the best online destination for executive positions.

Contact:
Annette DiSano
NETSHARE, Inc.
(415) 883-1700
Annette@netshare.com

Tom Woolf
Woolf Media & Marketing
(415) 259-5638
tomw@woolfmedia.com

Evolution of the Unhealthy American by Michael Furci Released Worldwide In Print and eBook

Furci’s dynamic book rewrites how to lose weight and keep it off.

Lorain, OH, USA – November 6, 2012 — If you are one of the millions of Americans who joins a diet center, eats low fat foods, or takes a supplement, and loses a little weight only to gain it back — Michael Furci’s Evolution of the Unhealthy American is for you. His non-fiction book, available worldwide in print and ebook, explains why it is what you are eating, not how much, is the problem. Evolution of the Unhealthy American was written to get people started on a path of optimum health with proper nutrition, a positive attitude, and appropriate goal setting to stay motivated for the long haul.

On the issue of weight loss the author said, “There is more to the obesity epidemic than the amount of calories people consume. Through research this epidemic has been shown to have a glaringly linear relationship to the amount of devitalized, denatured, convenience foods and ingredients people consume, especially fructose and vegetable oil.”

Michael Furci’s http://www.mindbodyconditioningsystems.com. Evolution of the Unhealthy American is available on-line wherever books are sold. Evolution of the Unhealthy American is published by First Edition Design Publishing http://www.firsteditiondesignpublishing.com. It is 78 pages, print, ISBN 9781622870530 PRINT, eBook ISBN 9781622870332.

“The greatest impediment to your goals is your mind. Your body, if the mind leads it, will do whatever you ask of it. Staying focused and determined is essential, but impossible without the right mental attitude,” commented Michael Furci.

About the author:

Mike Furci graduated from Bowling Green State University with a Bachelors of Science in Health Education and later became a Registered Nurse. His curriculum laid the foundation for his future in fitness and sports specific training. He owned and operated Club Olympia Fitness Center in Westlake, Ohio for more than 10 years, and was voted “Best Personal Trainer” by Cleveland Magazine. Mike specializes in improving athletic performance through strength, conditioning and nutrition, and is a member of NSCA (National Strength and Conditioning Association). He has used his education and knowledge to train athletes in sports ranging from golf to football. However, his specialty is in training clients according to their specific goals, including increased fitness, strength, weight loss, health, and sports performance. He won several overall titles as a competitive bodybuilder including 1999 Mr. Ohio. He started bodybuilding and strength training 30 years ago and continues to train to this day with 100% intensity. This experience has also allowed him to train and consult with many aspiring power lifters and bodybuilders as well as people interested in getting into shape and looking their best in the least amount of time possible. Mike has appeared on many news stations as a fitness consultant. His qualifications allow him to offer expert information on all aspects of health, fitness and sports specific training. Mike shares his knowledge as a personal coach, and through his online Personalized Phone Consultation Program provided at http://www.mindbodyconditioningsystems.com.

Media Contact:
Mike Furci
E-Mail: mike@mindbodyconditioningsystems.com
Tel: 1-440-655-9102
Website: http://www.mindbodyconditioningsystems.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/MichaelSFurci?ref=stream

BusinessVibes presents Simple and Useful Email Marketing Strategies

Global B2B networking platform – BusinessVibes presents some simple and useful strategies for email marketing which may help companies to make the best out of email marketing strategies.

London, UK, November 3, 2012 — Email marketing could be either efficient or annoying. Best practices in email marketing demand communications that go beyond advertising, respect the customer, and speak in a familiar one-on-one style. That’s why many marketers believe that email is the most personal advertising medium. According to Silkstream, email marketing strategies can be effective as long as marketers understand some key points inside out. Global B2B networking platform – BusinessVibes presents some simple and useful tips for email marketing which may help companies to make the best out of email marketing strategies.

1.Avoiding the Spam Filters
The majority of large Internet service providers now use rigerous spam protection mechanisms to trap unsolicited email before it gets into their customer’s inboxes. Spam filters generally “rank” each email by a number of different criteria, and, if that email rates above a certain level (such as 10 spam points), then it is flagged as spam and deleted.

2. Maximising Click-Thru Rates
Both web pages and emails can contain a lot of text and graphics, and this sometimes makes it harder to get your subscribers to perform a certain task, such as clicking on a link to see your special offers.So, if you’re going to include links in your emails, make sure they are bold, blue and underlined. This will mean that more subscribers click through, meaning more conversions/sales for you.

3. The Power of Personalisation
The power of personalisation can and should be used in your emails, by simply starting your email with “Hi [subscriber_name]” instead of the boring “Hi there”, you can increase both your reading and click-thru rates by up to 650%. Put simply, it’s because your subscribers feel like they already have a relationship with you as you’ve addressed them by their first name.

4. One-Click Unsubscription
If you want to grow your mailing list, then there’s 2 things that you absolutely must have: a double opt-in process, and a quick way to unsubscribe. In some countries, it’s actually mandatory by law that every email has an unsubscribe link in it. The unsubscribe link should take the recipient directly to a page where they are then removed – courteously – from your mailing list.

5. Signup Confirmation
Don’t get accused of spamming – always, and I mean always use a double opt-in confirmation process. Double opt-in means that after your visitor initially enters their email address to subscribe to your list, you should then send them a “confirmation” email. This email should contain a special link back to your email marketing program, which will then verify that this visitor did indeed sign up to your mailing list.

6. Consistency is the Key
If you’re running a newsletter or frequent email publication, make sure you keep the look and feel consistent from issue to issue. By keeping the look and feel consistent, you help to maintain and strengthen your brand and your image to your subscribers, which again will make it easier to close sales when you need to.

7. On Time, Every Time
When sending an email to your subscribers, always make sure that it’s sent on the same day, at the same time. Your subscribers will come to “expect” your email to arrive in their inbox on the same day at the same time every week, meaning that they want to read your content and are generally more receptive to any special offers or promotions you may include.

8. The Free Bonus Hook-In
Free is overused these days, especially on the Internet. However, if you’re looking to grow your subscriber list, then create or source a product of value to your visitors (such as an eBook or discount coupon) and offer it to them for free when they signup to receive your newsletter.

BusinessVibes as a prestigious global business network platform will be more than happier to have further discussion with you and get you started in making your own successful email marketing strategies. At BusinessVibes, you can find organizations to partner with in media production, or visit BusinessVibes’ blog for more business tips and insight!

Media Contact:
Lise Martineau
Marketing Executive – Europe
BusinessVibes Network International Inc
8 Wimpole Street
London W1G 9SP
+44 20 7291 0883
lise@businessvibes.com
http://www.businessvibes.com
Follow us on Twitter @businessvibes for daily updates
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/BusinessVibes

Engage PEO Partners with Aetna to provide Robust National Medical Plans to its Clients and their Employees

“In our continuous mission to provide our clients and their employees with the best solutions available for all aspects of their human resources needs, a partnership with a carrier of Aetna’s quality and reach is essential. We are very excited to be working closely with a team that cares so much about providing the American employee the best medical insurance on the market,” said Jay Starkman, Engage PEO’s chief executive officer.

St. Petersburg, FL – November 2, 2012 — Engage PEO, a leading professional employer organization providing HR outsourcing solutions to small and mid-sized businesses, today announced that it has entered into an agreement with Aetna to provide Aetna healthcare solutions to Engage clients and their employees across the nation. The new suite of products and services will be available to Engage PEO clients as of Jan. 1, 2013.

The new suite of Aetna plans will focus on market-driven products, including HMO, POS and national PPO options. The plans and solutions available will provide healthcare reform compliant solutions to Engage PEO clients and their employees across the United States, tailored to their industry, specific needs, size and location.

“Aetna is one of, if not the, leading provider of healthcare and employee benefits in the country,” said Jay Starkman, Engage PEO’s chief executive officer. “In our continuous mission to provide our clients and their employees with the best solutions available for all aspects of their human resources needs, a partnership with a carrier of Aetna’s quality and reach is essential. We are very excited to be working closely with a team that cares so much about providing the American employee the best medical insurance on the market.”

About Engage PEO
Engage PEO delivers comprehensive HR solutions to small and mid-sized businesses, sharpening their competitive advantage. Comprised of the industry’s most respected veteran professional employer organization executives, certified HR professionals and attorneys, Engage PEO provides hands-on, expert HR services and counsel to help clients minimize cost and maximize efficiency for stronger business performance. The company’s superior service offering includes a full range of health and worker’s compensation insurance products, payroll technology and tax administration, risk management services and best-of-breed technology as part of an extensive suite of HR services. For more information visit http://www.EngagePEO.com.

Media Contact:
Sandra Fine, rbb PR
Engage PEO
3001 Executive Drive
Suite 340
St. Petersburg, FL 33762
(305) 567-0535
kristy.kennedy@rbbpr.com
http://www.engagepeo.com

NanoMarkets Issues Report on Emerging Opportunities Smart Cards with Onboard Power

NanoMarkets today announced the release of its report titled “Emerging Opportunities for Powered Smart Cards 2012.”

Glen Allen, Virginia – November 2, 2012 — Industry analyst firm NanoMarkets today announced the release of its report titled “Emerging Opportunities for Powered Smart Cards 2012.” In this new report, NanoMarkets analyzes the opportunities for smart cards with onboard power in key applications over the next eight years. The report estimates that the total market for powered smart cards will grow from its current value of about $70 million today to about $8.5 billion (USD) by the year 2019, which corresponds to over 1.8 billion powered smart cards shipped. Within this same time period, the value of thin film and/or printed batteries for such smart cards will grow from just over $7.5 million today to $365 million in 2019, and the value of small information displays used in powered smart cards with grow from about $7 million today to over $715 million.

Additional details from the report are available at: http://nanomarkets.net/market_reports/report/powered_smart_card_markets_2012

Within the report NanoMarkets reviews the status of several key early applications for powered smart cards, including one-time password (OTP) cards available from eBay/PayPal, Visa, and MasterCard. The report also examines the product development and marketing strategies of the key players in the development of both powered smart cards and their key subcomponents, including ActivIdentiy, AniCa, Blue Spark, dz card, EE-Ink, MUE, Gemalto, Identita, InCard/STMicroelectronics, Infinite Power Solutions, Inteligensa/Intelicard, Nagra ID, Rocket Electric, SmartDisplayer, Secure Metric, Solicore, and Thin Profile Technologies.

The report contains granular, eight-year forecasts for powered smart cards, in both quantity (numbers shipped) and value ($ millions) terms, broken out by application and by region of use.

From the Report:

– NanoMarkets forecasts that smart cards with onboard power in the form of a printed or thin-film battery can penetrate as much as 20 percent of the wider (non-powered) smart card market by 2019. Powered smart cards shipments are expected to grow from about 11 million in 2012 to 500 million in 2016 and to over 1.8 billion in 2019.

– The biggest market for powered smart cards will be OTP cards, which will grow from a value of about $10.5 million in 2012 to nearly $1.4 billion in 2019.

– A key growth region for powered smart cards is Asia. Today, Asia account for less than one percent of the overall powered smart card market, but by 2019 will account for nearly half, or almost $850 million.

– Printed batteries such as those marketed by Solicore will remain the dominant battery type used in powered smart cards. The market value for such printed batteries will surpass $331 million by the end of the forecast period in 2019.

– Although LCDs dominate displays in powered smart cards today, electrophoretic displays have the highest growth potential. The market value of electrophoretic displays in powered smart cards will grow from about $1.4 million today to almost $370 million in 2019.

About NanoMarkets:

NanoMarkets tracks and analyzes emerging market opportunities in solid-state lighting, energy, electronics and other markets created by developments in advanced materials. The firm is a recognized leader in industry analysis and forecasts of this kind and has been covering the smart card, printed electronics, and thin-film/printed battery space since 2005.

Visit http://www.nanomarkets.net for a full listing of NanoMarkets’ reports and other services.

Media Contact:
Robert Nolan
NanoMarkets, LC
PO BOX 3840
Glen Allen, VA 23058
(804) 938-0030
rob@nanomarkets.net

Home

Investment Expert says Timber to outperform all other Asset Classes

The latest prediction from investment guru Jeremy Grantham that timber will outperform all other asset classes in the coming seven years has been welcomed by FRA.

Seattle, United States, November 2, 2012 — The latest prediction from investment guru Jeremy Grantham that timber will outperform all other asset classes in the coming seven years has been welcomed by Forestry Research Associates (FRA).

The research and analysis consultancy supports forestry investment and is backing Mr Grantham’s prediction that annualized returns for timber investors will reach around 6.5 per cent over the coming years. Grantham is well-known in investment circles for co-founding the Grantham Mayo Van Otterloo (GMO) fund and has made a number of accurate prediction about asset bubbles in the past.

“It’s a good idea to take note of Grantham’s predictions when it comes to the next big asset,” claimed FRA’s analysis partner, Peter Collins. “At a time when stocks and bonds are continuing to struggle to generate anything near a strong return, a growing number of investors are looking for the perfect alternative asset class in which to put their hard-earned cash – and timber could be just that.”

In addition Grantham’s predictions may be on the modest side, as they only take inflation of 2.2 per cent into account. With higher inflation, returns from timber investment could be even higher.

The average price of timber has risen by 5 per cent each year for the past 100 years and timber tends to do particularly well during times of economic hardship, making it a very attractive prospect at the moment. For example, between 1973 and 1981 when the US inflation rates grew to as high as 9.2 per cent, timber prices were increasing at a rate of 22 per cent per year.

Mr Collins added, “Investing in timber through sustainable projects like those run by Greenwood Management in Brazil offers an ethical way to invest in managed forestry and a great opportunity to see strong returns while helping to reduce climate change and deforestation.”

About Forestry Research Associates

Forestry Research Associates is a research and advisory consultancy that focuses on forestry management, sustainability issues and forestry investment around the globe.

Media Contact:
Peter Collins
Forestry Research Associates
620 Vineyard Lane
Bainbridge Island, WA 98110
(206) 316 8394
info@forestry-research.com
http://www.forestry-research.com

AAA supports Investing in Locally Controlled Forests

Investing in locally controlled forests could offer great returns and help communities in forested regions of developing countries to flourish and work themselves out of poverty, according to AAA.

Boston, MA, USA, November 2, 2012 — Investing in locally controlled forests could offer great returns and help communities in forested regions of developing countries to flourish and work themselves out of poverty, according to Alternative Asset Analysis (AAA).

Following a report in The Guardian newspaper in the UK, which advocated the investing in locally controlled forests (ILCF) model, AAA’s analysis partner, Anthony Johnson, spoke about the model. He stated, “We believe that encouraging investment in locally managed forests can benefit communities and help to prevent climate change.”

“Not only does investing in managed forests generate very good returns for alternative investors, increasing the amount given over to forestry also helps to absorb carbon dioxide and generate cash for local community, social and business projects.”

The investment model has so far involved dialogues with nine countries in four continents and has attracted funding from Growing Forest Partnership (GFP). The project also gets funding from the government of Sweden, which has a rich history of successful ILCF.

The G3 definition of ILCF is “The local right for forest owner families and communities to make decisions on commercial forest management and land use, with secure tenure rights, freedom of association and access to markets and technology.”

AAA said that they support this model for forestry management and investment and also support sustainable plantations in countries like Brazil. Businesses that run managed forestry projects, such as Greenwood Management, can help to provide alternative sources of timber and biomass, thus protecting local forests that might be targeted for timber products if these alternatives were not available.

Alternative investors are increasingly seeking ethical options, largely in response to the growing awareness of the benefits of impact investing. However, some investors are also simply keen to make wiser choices when deciding on an investment after the impact of the economic crisis and the controversies that surrounded this.

About Alternative Asset Analysis:
The remit of Alternative Asset Analysis is to analyse and provide news on the global performance of a wide range of alternative asset classes including, but not restricted to, commodities, real estate, forestry, foreign exchange, hedge funds, private equity and venture capital.

Media Contact:
Anthony Johnson
Alternative Asset Analysis
71 Commercial St
Boston, MA 02109-1320
617-939-9596
info@alternativeassetanalysis.com
http://www.alternativeassetanalysis.com