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Education

Bryant & Stratton College Online Hosts Series of Virtual Open Houses for Prospective Students

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Prospective students can chat live with admissions and financial aid representatives and get questions about online education answered on December 12, December 28 and January 3

Buffalo, NY, December 07, 2011 – Bryant & Stratton College Online, a premier provider of online Associate’s degree programs, will host a series of Virtual Open House in December and January. The first event will be on Monday, December 12 from 6:00-8:00pm EST. Admissions representatives will be available to chat live and answer questions from prospective students about the online degree programs at Bryant & Stratton College Online. Currently Bryant & Stratton College offers five online Bachelor’s degree programs and eleven online Associate’s degree programs in fields including business, criminal justice, financial services, healthcare, human resources and information technology. Representatives will also give an overview of the overall online college experience from application deadlines, the enrollment process and courses, to career services, opportunities and support available to students.

Additionally, prospective students will have the opportunity to connect directly with financial aid representatives about financial aid options and scholarships available at Bryant & Stratton College Online. Military personnel and their spouses who are considering an online degree program will be able to speak with Ed Dennis, Military Relations Manager at Bryant & Stratton College Online, about their specific needs and concerns.

Other Virtual Open Houses will be held on Wednesday, December 28 from 6:00-8:00pm EST and Tuesday, January 3 from 6:00-8:00pm EST. To complete a free registration to attend the Online Virtual Open House, go to http://online.bryantstratton.edu/openhouse/.

“We understand that finding the time to research schools can be difficult, especially for busy adults who are balancing work and family responsibilities, the Virtual Open House allows them to see if online education is a good fit and gather information about the degree programs and financial aid available at Bryant & Stratton College Online,” said Scott Traylor, Associate Campus Director for Online Education at Bryant & Stratton College. “The Virtual Open House will walk attendees through the flexible course schedules and career focused curriculum available at Bryant & Stratton College Online, and see they will be receiving the skills and training they need to succeed.”

Bryant & Stratton College was founded in 1854 and is regionally accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education. For more information about Bryant & Stratton College and its online degree programs, visit http://online.bryantstratton.edu.

About Bryant & Stratton College Online
Bryant & Stratton College is a private career college delivering outcomes based education and training through a flexible, contemporary curriculum in a personalized environment. The College is regionally accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education and has locations in New York, Ohio, Virginia and Wisconsin, as well as an Online Education division, and a Professional Skill Center. For over 155 years, Bryant & Stratton College has been providing real world education leading to bachelor’s and associate’s degrees and professional certificates. Bryant & Stratton College Online offers five online bachelor’s degree programs, eleven online associate’s degree programs and eleven online certificate programs in a variety of fields including business, criminal justice, financial services, healthcare, human resources and information technology. Some online programs are not yet available in all states. For more information about our graduation rates, the median debt of graduates and other important information, please visit www.bryantstratton.edu/disclosures.  General information about Bryant & Stratton College and its online degrees can also be found at http://online.bryantstratton.edu.

Contact:
Kavitha Thimmaiah
Communications Strategy Group
3225 East 2nd Avenue
Denver, CO 80206
(303) 433-7020
kthimmaiah@csg-pr.com
http://online.bryantstratton.edu

Education

HealthEdSolutions.com Highlights State-Specific Career Resources and Health Trends; Pennsylvania and Illinois Featured

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Leading Provider of ACLS Certification Releases Free Online Resources for Pennsylvania and Illinois Paramedics and EMTs

Lincoln, NE, December 06, 2011 – Health Education Solutions, a leading provider of Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) online courses and Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) online certification, today released a new online special section: Career Resources and Health Trends: Pennsylvania (PA) and Illinois (IL). This series of articles featuring health trends, Illinois and Pennsylvania healthcare career outlook data, and training resources is available for free at healthedsolutions.com.

“In Health Education Solutions’ online courses for PALS and ACLS certification, Illinois, Pennsylvania and other healthcare professionals and first responders can learn valuable skills and advance their careers with industry-focused resources and convenient online certification courses,” said Melissa Marks, president of Health Education Solutions.

The resource section is free and available for individuals seeking information about ACLS classes or PALS certification, Pennsylvania (PA) and Illinois (IL) healthcare professionals or anyone who simply wants to be prepared to provide care in an emergency situation.

Health Education Solutions has also released ACLS practice tests to help healthcare providers and first responders prepare for the ACLS certification or recertification exam. The free ACLS practice quiz offers three five-question sample tests. A full ACLS certification practice test and an ACLS recertification practice exam, both complete with 50 timed multiple-choice questions, are available for $35. A portion of this fee can be applied to the purchase price of the full certification course. A practice test is available at http://www.healthedsolutions.com/courses/acls-certification-practice-test.

For more information about PALS and ACLS courses, health trends in Pennsylvania and Illinois and practice exams, please visit healthedsolutions.com.

About Health Education Solutions
Health Education Solutions (HES) is a leading provider of continuing education solutions for healthcare professionals. HES, a subsidiary of Nelnet Inc. (NYSE: NNI), offers ACLS and PALS courses developed in partnership with medical faculty at Union College in Lincoln, Nebraska.

Contact:
Shannon Fern
CSG|PR
3225 East 2nd Avenue
Denver, CO 80206
303.433.7020
sfern@csg-pr.com
http://www.healthedsolutions.com

Business

FRA highlights Positive Forestry Report from UK

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A new report highlighting the strength of the forestry market in the UK over the past year has been highlighted by Forestry Research Associates (FRA) as another reason to invest in timber.

Bainbridge Island, WA, December 06, 2011 – A new report highlighting the strength of the forestry market in the UK over the past year has been highlighted by Forestry Research Associates (FRA) as another reason to invest in timber.

The report from property firm Savills and UPM Tilhill, published earlier this week, claims that timber prices are expected to be largely unaffected by the wider economic crises taking place in the Eurozone and the UK. “This report adds weight to the argument for putting some cash into alternatives that are less likely to correlate with wider economic trends,” stated Peter Collins, an analyst with FRA, a research and analysis consultancy that has a special interest in forestry investment and sustainable forestry.

The report highlights the rise in value of forested land in the UK, showing that purchasing forest land is a good way to diversify an investment portfolio to protect it against risk. This is particularly relevant at a time when stocks and shares are so volatile and investors are looking for safe havens for their money over the long and medium term.

This is according to FRA, which supports various forms of forestry investment, from buying forested land in the UK as a property investment, to buying areas of plantation land in Brazil, through managed forestry firms like Greenwood Management.

George McRobbie the forestry operations director at UPM Tilhill said, “We recorded a surge in forest values with an average of £4,650 per stocked hectare being attained, the highest level since our survey started and 34 per cent, some £1,174, up on 2010.”

He added, “This is equivalent to an annualized increase of 13.7 per cent since 2003. Optimism is clearly strong and overall the market is rising, backed by clear investor confidence and strengthening timber prices.”

Savills added that these value increases, along with the tax advantages of investing in timber, will continue to attract people to timber as an asset class.

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

Technology

GeoSurf, the Premium Proxy Solution for Smartphones, Partners with Epic Direct, the Largest Performance-Based Network

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Epic’s 45,000+ publishers will now be able to monitor and validate geo-targeted advertising via the world’s fastest and most secure proxy network on iOS and Android devices.

New York, NY, December 06, 2011 – GeoSurf and Epic Direct Network announced this morning their partnership, which will enable 45,000 Epic publishers to keep control of their campaigns while on the go during the holidays and throughout the year.

GeoSurf enables users to Surf Locally . . . without being local by connecting to a worldwide network of fast, secured proxy servers in 80+ global locations, including 25 United States demographic market areas. Through the GeoSurf premium proxy solutions, users can experience the internet and interact with web content as local users do. For instance, a user in New York can view websites and localized advertising as a user does in Germany, Australia, China, or Chicago.

“Our publishers realize that geotargeting their ads is a sure-fire way to increase conversions,” says Audrey B. Breheney, Senior Director, Epic Advisor Division & Network Marketing. “GeoSurf enables publishers to ensure their ads are displayed properly in other areas of the world while being able to research and profile new advertisers and markets. As a whole, it could dramatically increase the number of campaigns run while positively impacting a publisher’s overall business results.”

“Epic’s publishers have been benefitting and profiting from our toolbar for a long time. We are happy to now welcome them with this special promotion the entire GeoSurf product suite, especially GeoSurf for Smartphones. We are sure that their use of these tools will further improve their performance and compliance.” says GeoSurf’s Oren Zafrir, VP, Sales & Business Development.

Epic Direct Network has partnered with GeoSurf to offer holiday promotions on the GeoSurf product suite to publishers who sign up through December 31, 2011. Details about signing up as an Epic publisher can be found on Epic’s company’s website, epicdirectnetwork.com. Details about the GeoSurf products can be found on GeoSurf’s site at geosurf.com.

About Epic Direct Network:
Epic Direct is a division of the Epic Media Group and is the company’s flagship performance-based ad network focused primarily on customer acquisition and pay-for-performance online advertising campaigns. With over 45,000 publishers, Epic Direct is the largest network of its kind worldwide resulting in an ability to drive the best performance for advertisers and publishers/affiliates. Epic Direct supports campaigns across all channels through search engine marketing, web/display, social media, email and more.

About GeoSurf:
GeoSurf™ is product suite that enables users to get the local perspective from more than 80 global locations. It is often used by online media professionals (agencies, buyers, campaign managers, sales, affiliates, QA, and compliance teams) to view geo-targeted ads and web content. This way, they can easily validate and monitor campaigns, see who is bidding on localized ad placements, generate new sources of business, and enhance current marketing activities. It is straight-forward and easy-to-use. The company’s commitment is to extraordinary customer service for its customers. The products: browser toolbars, VPN connection, Direct Connect by API, and a Smartphone Solution grant access to a broad worldwide network of servers that provide premium proxy service. All of the servers on the network are owned by the company, thereby making them fast, secure, and reliable.

Contact:
Lital Barkan
BIScience ltd.
11 HaAhim MiSlavuta
Tel Aviv 67010
Israel
+ 972-3-604-0622
Lital.barkan@geosurf.com
http://www.geosurf.com

Education

Recent Hires Complete Ecotech Institute’s Student Services Department, Creating a Welcoming Environment for all Students

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Career Services, Student Liaisons and Mentorship Programs Foster a Positive Student Experience

Denver, Colorado, December 05, 2011 – Ecotech Institute, the first and only college focused entirely on preparing America’s workforce for careers in renewable energy and sustainability, today announced a growing suite of services focused on student life and success. With students coming from all walks of life across the country, Ecotech’s administration is committed to extending assistance beyond the classroom. Ecotech’s Student Services department, Career Services department and mentorship program all serve as examples of the school’s focus on fostering an engaging, well rounded experience.

As part of that initiative, Ecotech recently named Kim Stromire as Manager of Student Services. Kim and her team help students in all aspects of settling in, from the enrollment and orientation process to relocation plans for out-of-state students. Under her direction, Ecotech provides students with local and community resources, including housing information, part-time job opportunities and more. In addition, Student Services implements student activities and clubs; supervises the Military Strategy Committee and the Political Action Committee; provides campus communication tools; and offers tutoring assistance and advisement.

Under the Student Services umbrella, Ecotech also offers a unique mentorship program for students. The program, MORE (Mentoring Others Results in Excellence), is open to all first-term Ecotech students to help them acclimate into a new school – and, for many, a new city. Since more experienced students have expertise and knowledge about Ecotech, course material and the Denver Metro area, students are matched up to get the “inside scoop.”

During students’ tenure at Ecotech, they will also become acquainted with Susan Pawlak, who Ecotech recently named as its Director of Career Services. Susan is committed to matching students with renewable energy careers that fit their skills and personal assets. She is well connected with sustainable companies nationally and locally and ensures that Ecotech students are in front of hiring managers in their respective fields.

“A school is just a building without its students. We are focused on producing graduates who are fulfilled from an educational experience that meet all of their needs,” said Mike Seifert, president of Ecotech Institute. “We have built a team that truly cares about every person in our diverse student body.”

To help with relocation, Ecotech has also created a relocation guide that details information about Aurora and the Denver Metro area. That guide can be found at http://www.ecotechinstitute.com/ecotech-location.cfm.

Ecotech Institute will have its first graduating class in June 2012. Ecotech, which is accredited by the Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools, launched in Aurora, Colorado in April 2010 with seven highly practical degree programs and one certificate program that provide graduates with skills valued by today’s alternative renewable energy employers.

To learn more about Ecotech Institute, visit us online or call us at 1-877-326-5576. The next round of classes begins in January 2012 and applications are being accepted now. Financial assistance is available to those who qualify.

About Ecotech Institute
Ecotech Institute is the first and only college entirely focused on preparing America’s workforce for careers in renewable energy and sustainability. Launched in April 2010 in Denver, Colorado, the college offers seven associate’s degrees and a certificate program designed by experts in the industry for people seeking careers in the emerging cleantech economy. Ecotech Institute is a division of Education Corporation of America. For more information about Ecotech Institute, visit www.ecotechinstitute.com.

About Education Corporation of America
Education Corporation of America is a leader in the post-secondary career school market with current enrollment of nearly 19,000 students. The ECA website is www.ecacolleges.com. In addition to Ecotech Institute, ECA schools include Virginia College, founded in 1983, a private institution of higher education that offers non-degree and associate’s, bachelor’s and master’s degree programs in the areas of Health and Medical, Business, Information Technology, Interior Design, Computer Design, Culinary Arts, Cosmetology, Nursing and more in twenty different cities. Virginia College campuses are located in Birmingham, Huntsville, Mobile and Montgomery, Alabama; Jacksonville and Pensacola, Florida; Augusta, Macon, Columbus and Savannah, Georgia; Biloxi and Jackson, Mississippi; Charleston, Spartanburg, Columbia, and Greenville, South Carolina; Chattanooga, Tennessee; Baton Rouge, Louisiana; Richmond, Virginia; and Austin, Texas. The Virginia College website is www.vc.edu. Virginia College also offers classes worldwide via the Internet, with student services and admissions facilities in Birmingham, Alabama, and Tampa, Florida. Information about online classes at Virginia College is available at www.vconline.edu. Additionally, ECA operates Culinard, the Culinary Institute of Virginia College, with locations in Birmingham and Mobile, Alabama; Richmond, Virginia; and Jacksonville, Florida. The website is www.culinard.com. ECA also operates Golf Academy of America, with locations in Phoenix, Arizona; San Diego, California; Orlando, Florida; and Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. The Golf Academy website is www.golfacademy.edu.

Contact:
Jenny Foust
CSG|PR
3225 East 2nd Avenue
Denver, CO 80206
303.433.7020
jfoust@csg-pr.com
http://www.ecotechinstitute.com

Education

Allen Interactions and Global Compliance Garner Silver Award for Harassment e-Learning Course

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The 2011 International Davey Awards are Announced

Charlotte, NC, December 04, 2011 – Allen Interactions, an internationally-acclaimed custom learning design, development and strategic consulting firm, and Global Compliance, a leader in corporate compliance solutions and services, won a Silver International Davey Award for an e-learning course in the Interactive Multimedia – Training category.

The award-winning e-learning course, Preventing Workplace Harassment and Discrimination is an innovative, immersive multimedia learning experience, written and approved by in-house expert advisers with proven legal experience in the field of harassment. This course utilizes the inductive approach to training, where learners are given scenarios and examples to facilitate learning new concepts, principles, and best practices. This method enables the learner to add to their prior knowledge by experiencing new situations to analyze and new problems to solve. This practice enables the learners to self assess the application of content learned.

A variety of interactive exercises in this harassment and discrimination e-learning course allows learners to:
explore situations which tend to result in common mistakes

view eye-opening perspectives on harassment in the workplace and learn what the law and policies actually say and mean

distinguish appropriate, casual behavior from inappropriate behavior

make challenging decisions and explore the specific consequences of one’s actions

The course also ensures that supervisors understand their responsibilities to respond to employee questions and concerns as well as when it is appropriate to involve Human Resources and other authorities
.
“So often harassment (or soft skills) training does not get the creative consideration needed to produce high quality learning experiences. Our partnership with Global Compliance demonstrates just how successful this approach can be,” stated Dr. Richard Sites, Tampa Studio Executive for Allen Interactions.

“Our customers are leaders in their respective fields and demand market-leading online training solutions for their employees,” said Jim Burke, CEO, Global Compliance. “We partnered with Allen Interactions to help our customers create safe and harassment free working environments with an engaged and educated workforce.”

About The Davey Awards
The Davey Awards exclusively honors the “Davids” of creativity: the finest small firms, agencies and companies in the world. David defeated the giant Goliath with a big idea and a little rock – the sort of thing small firms do each year. The annual International Davey Awards honors the achievements of the “Creative Davids” who derive their strength from big ideas rather than big budgets. The Davey Awards is the leading awards competition specifically for smaller firms, where firms compete with their peers to win the recognition they deserve.

The Davey Awards is sanctioned and judged by the International Academy of the Visual Arts, an invitation-only body consisting of top-tier professionals from a “Who’s Who” of acclaimed media, advertising, and marketing firms.

About Allen Interactions
Allen Interactions is an internationally-acclaimed company focused on improving performance through powerful learning experiences. Since 1993, we have designed and developed custom e-learning and blended learning solutions addressing many different content areas for varying audiences (employees, channel partners, and customers) for many leading organizations. With multiple locations in the U.S., we have deep experience and expertise in instructional design, technology, creativity, process, and project management that allows us to create learning solutions that consistently result in positive business impact.

In addition to our service offerings, in 2011, Allen Interactions launched a revolutionary authoring and publishing platform, ZebraZapps, which allows developers and non-programmers to create rich interactive media applications easily and quickly, as well as share, publish, and sell objects or entire applications.

About Global Compliance Services, Inc.
Global Compliance is the leading global provider of integrated corporate governance, risk management, and business ethics training solutions. Global Compliance also currently provides whistleblower hotline services to greater than 4,000 clients and their respective 25 million employees in more than 200 countries and territories. To learn more about these compliance solutions from Global Compliance, as well as their sexual harassment training and new AB 1825 California harassment training, visit their extensive website: GlobalCompliance.com

Contact:
Erin Melton
Global Compliance
13950 Ballantyne Corporate Place | Suite 300
Charlotte, NC 28277
1-800-528-5745
erin.melton@globalcompliance.com
http://www.GlobalCompliance.com

Travel

Luxury Travel Ltd’s Founder Suggests a Slogan for Vietnam Tourism

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With 15 years of experience in the travel industry, Pham Ha (founder and CEO of Luxury Travel Ltd) suggests a slogan inspired by what Vietnam has to offer and which sets Vietnam apart from other destinations in the region.

Hanoi, Vietnam, December 03, 2011 – With increasing profits from tourism, Vietnam is poised to seize the opportunity to maximize its potential as a premier destination in Asia.

For several years, Vietnam has been gradually increasing its popularity a tourist destination. With its booming economy, growing middle class and constantly improving standards of service, its profile as a bright new Asian destination has brought great rewards.

The current logo “Vietnam – the hidden charm” may be a key to further growth, and local authorities are looking for a striking rebrand which will open up the window of opportunity even further.

With 15 years of experience in the travel industry, Pham Ha (founder and CEO of Luxury Travel Ltd) suggests a slogan inspired by what Vietnam has to offer and which sets Vietnam apart from other destinations in the region. Experience Vietnam! An Asian Charm

1. Thrills, 2. Nature, 3. heritage, 4. festival, 5. pristine, 6. enjoyment, 7. scenery, 8. essence

1. Thrills:
The thrills on offer are endless and span a wide range, including: hiking, trekking, biking, kayaking, climbing, rafting, snorkeling, scuba diving, fishing, hot air ballooning, camping, yachting and more. Some of the locations where these activities can be enjoyed include: Sapa, Halong Bay, Cu Lao Cham, the Central Highlands, the Mekong Delta, Phan Thiet, Con Dao, the Phu Quoc Islands and many more.

2. Nature:
The nature amazes, from the green beauty of the national parks, reserves and ramsars to the mountains, waterfalls, rivers, lakes and grottoes. Halong Bay is a new seven natural wonder of the world. Discover the natural allure of Vietnam by indulging in a wide array of accommodations, tour packages and attractions at places such as Mai Chau, Sapa, Ha Giang, Ba Be, Halong Bay, Phong Nha Ke Bang, the òCentral Highlands, Nam Cat Tien and many more.

3. Heritage:
With its long history and unique way of life, Vietnam has a rich heritage. There are many interesting and diverse sites to be found around the country. In fact, Vietnam boasts 7 world natural and cultural heritage sites, not to mention many intangible heritages.

World Heritage Site List:

My Son Sanctuary
Hoi An Ancient Town
Complex of Hue Monuments
Central Sector of the Imperial Citadel of Thang Long – Ha Noi
Ho Dynasty Citadel
Phong Nha – Ke Bang National Park
Ha Long Bay

Other traditional elements of Vietnamese heritage:

Quan Ho Bac Ninh folk songs
The Space of Gong Culture in the Central Highlands of Vietnam
Nha Nhac Vietnamese Royal Court Music
Ca Tru singing
Hat Xoan Singing

4. Festivals:
Many colorful festivals can be enjoyed year round. The time after Tet Nguyen Dan (Vietnamese Lunar New Year) is especially exciting. Festivals include the Perfume Pagoda, Hung King, Kate, Lim and Giay Festivals, just to name a few.

5. Pristine:
Many pristine islands and beaches are to be found in this tropical country. Vietnam has 3620 km of coastline, with beautiful white sand beaches and world class resorts. Of these, you should not miss the stunning sand and clear waters of My Khe, Cua Dai, Nha Trang, Ninh Van Bay, Quy Nhon, Mui Ne, Vung Tau, Phu Quoc and the Con Dao Islands.

6. Enjoyment:
Holidaymakers have the choice of new and trendy boutique hotels, spas, golfing, cruises, shopping centres, restaurants and nightlife. With new luxury hotels and world class golf courses having recently opened or set to open soon, and the introduction of luxury train journeys, exclusive cruises and upscale private tours spanning the length of the country, Vietnam is fast emerging as an exciting destination in Asia.

7. Scenery:
Spectacular scenery and a diverse landscape exist from North to South. Mountains, forests, nature reserves, rivers, beaches, and islands are all here to be enjoyed. Verdant patchworks of rice paddies and pointed lampshade-style hats are just a small part of what there is to be seen in this formerly war ravaged country. Visitors will see more than the economic repression often portrayed on worldwide television and in newspapers. There is also natural beauty, a harmonious array of ethnic cultures, imperial monuments, timeless traditional villages, idyllic sea resorts and dynamic cities.

8. Essence:
Vietnam boasts scores of traditions, lifestyles and religions. The friendly and hospitable population has been influenced by the cultures of China, France and America, and this is reflected in the country’s lifestyle, architecture, cuisine and art. Vietnam is a True Asian Charm. Experience Vietnam Now!

Contact:
David Nguyen
Luxury Travel Company
05 Nguyen Truong To Street
Ba Dinh Dist
Hanoi, Vietnam 71000
+84.4.3927 4120
phamha@luxurytravelvietnam.com
http://www.luxurytravelvietnam.com

Food & Beverage

Coda Coffee’s Farm2Cup Program helps People Feel Good about the Coffee they Drink

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Global Program Improves Quality of Coffee for Customers and Quality of Life for Farmers and their Communities

Denver, CO, December 02, 2011 – Coda Coffee, a Denver-based specialty coffee roaster and sustainable wholesaler, today announced its Farm2Cup program. The program aims to continuously improve Coda’s coffee quality and positively impact farming communities around the world. Through the Farm2Cup program, Coda Coffee invests money and works directly with coffee farmers, who then reinvest in their coffee and community. Coda expects Farm2Cup participants to use the funds they receive for research, development, experimentation, best practice sharing and sometimes inner-village or cross-community competitions to improve coffee quality. The program also requires farmers to give back to their local community.

Coda Coffee informally implemented the program as a business practice about two years ago, but is now formalizing the program, launching www.farm2cup.org and labeling the coffee bags for customers and partners.

“By simply drinking Farm2Cup coffee, you know you’re enjoying a product that supports people around the world,” said Tim Thwaites, Coda Coffee co-founder. “In addition, the coffee exceeds taste and quality expectations because of best practice sharing and the traceability of the coffee from farm to cup.”

Farm2Cup can drastically impact the livelihood of the farmer’s family, employees and even an entire village. Coda Coffee works with farmers around the world, in countries such as Guatemala, Ethiopia, Brazil and Honduras. Some examples of how Farm2Cup funds have helped farmers and communities include:

El Salvador: Coda Coffee held fundraisers for a school in Ayutepeque, which funded a new kitchen, utensils, desks and chairs for the children. Additionally, the community is working on plans for a school library.

Guatemala: In Guatemala, Coda purchases high quality micro lots of coffee to encourage overall product improvement. The community has also held cupping competitions, where the local coffee farmers come together to have their coffee graded. The premium that Coda Coffee pays for the best coffee has helped build a road to A’Achimbal, a school, church, community center and 80 homes with electricity and running water.

Las Capucas, Honduras: Cupping competitions in Honduras also helped improve coffee quality, which increased the coffee’s price and allowed one community to build cupping labs, a wet mill and a dry mill.

Coda Coffee performs site visits and its importer, Atlas Coffee Importer, assists with annual quality control checks. The trips are to make sure that farmers are spending time and money on improving their products and communities, which allows them to stay in the Farm2Cup program.

“There is a great story behind every cup of Farm2Cup coffee,” added Tommy Thwaites, Coda Coffee co-founder. “This program helps personalize those stories and makes a global purchase feel local. A better quality of life for our farmers actually does make a better cup of coffee for our customers.”

To learn more about the program, visit www.farm2cup.org. To find Farm2Cup coffee, look for the Farm2Cup logo at coffee shops. Farm2Cup products are available where Coda Coffee is sold. To find a retail location near you that serves Coda Coffee, visit www.codacoffee.com.

Contact:
Alicia Hassinger or Jenny Foust
CSG|PR
303.433.7020
ahassinger@csg-pr.com or jfoust@csg-pr.com

About Coda Coffee
Coda Coffee Company is family owned and operated by brothers Tim and Tommy Thwaites. Originally from the Seattle area, they took different paths and reconnected in Denver, Colorado and launched Coda Coffee in 2005. Coda Coffee strives to be a corporate role model, with business practices focused on social responsibility and environmental protection. Through proactive education, advocacy, partnerships and the belief that success is reciprocal, Coda does what it takes to exceed expectations. Learn more at www.codacoffee.com.

Contact:
Alicia Hassinger
CSG|PR
3225 East 2nd Avenue
Denver, CO 80206
303.433.7020
ahassinger@csg-pr.com
http://www.codacoffee.com

Business

Family Focus Blog Wins #1 Rank for Savviest in Social Media in Top Home-Based Business National Annual Ranking

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Family Focus Blog Wins #1 Rank for Savviest in Social Media in StartupNation Home-Based Business Competition

Nashville, TN, December 01, 2011 – Family Focus Blog has been recognized as one of the top home businesses in the nation by StartupNation in its annual Home-Based 100 competition.

Many of the StartupNation Home-Based 100 entries showed that people are leveraging the efficiencies and lower overhead of home-based businesses to pursue their passion and bring in income during these tight economic times.

“The 2011 ranking reveals that home business is serious business – more relevant than ever. It’s a natural response to loss of job opportunities, the need for supplemental income and the sheer passion for blazing your own trail and running your own show,” said Rich Sloan, co-founder of StartupNation.com, one of the leading small business networking and knowledge hubs online. “Home based businesses are the biggest block of all businesses in existence and we expect numbers to grow ever greater as extra bedrooms, kitchen tables, basements and garages increasingly host the innovative thinking and pursuit of success by millions of Americans.”

“I am thrilled to have received this recognition for my blog and social media has been such a fantastic tool for interacting with my blog followers and reaching new blog readers,” say Scarlet Paolicchi, founder of Family Focus Blog.

Being savvy in social media is a must for businesses seeking to build rapport and relationships in the community. Do you follow? Over 28,000 people follow Scarlet Paolicchi on Twitter @familyfocusblog.

Family Focus Blog is focused on going green and fun family activities. It’s written by a stay-at-home mom blogger from Nashville who reports on family fun, eco tips, giveaways, products, and causes that a following of people find interesting. While she’s based in Nashville, Paolicchi has cultivated a communication channel far beyond Tennessee.

The full results of the Home-Based 100 ranking are available on StartupNation’s website at www.startupnation.com/home-based-100/2011-winners .

For more information, press only: Karen Torres, StartupNation (248) 685-9005, kares (at) startupnation.com, Scarlet Paolicchi momswearyourtees@gmail.com at http://familyfocusblog.com

Contact:
Scarlet Paolicchi
Family Focus Blog
6141 Tuliptree Ln
Nashville, TN 37221
404-661-4163
momswearyourtees@gmail.com
http://familyfocusblog.com

Entertainment

Casino Lunch Launches New Affiliate Program

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Casino Lunch Adds Multi-Tier Real Time Affiliate Reporting For Members

Valetta, Malta, December 02, 2011 – Casino Lunch, one of the newest online casino sites on the World Match gaming platform, is proud to announce the launch of their new affiliate program, Lunchbox Affiliates.

“It’s taken a lot of hard work by our entire team to get this done,” stated Gian Perroni, Affiliate Program Director, “but it was worth the wait as the player activity reporting is just great. Affiliates can watch their earnings grow in real time!”

“We think the name of the program is appropriate as well,” Perroni continued. “Affiliates get up and go to work every day like the rest of us, so it makes sense for them to have a lunchbox with them, and more importantly we see our lunchbox as being like a toolbox, complete with all of the tools that our affiliates need to build a successful, growing and enduring business.

Casino Lunch is now offering players over 70 different games, including 12 variations of Roulette and more than 25 different Slots games. The site is open 24/7 for both fun and real money play, and is in English, Polish, Russian, and Spanish, with additional languages coming shortly. New players are offered €1,200 in deposit bonuses, and the site has a very player-friendly VIP program in place.

Affiliates are offered a selection of tools to help them promote the site, including custom creative, dedicated bonus codes, no deposit bonus offers, and special promotions. A minimum revenue share percentage of 30% is offered to all partners, and they are provided with 365 day/year multilingual support.

In addition to the great selection of casino games, the site will be adding a new poker room shortly on the Euro Cake Network, providing poker player with world class action on an established and recognized network.

Both the casino and the pending new poker room are fully licensed by the Lotteries and Gaming Authority (LGA) in Malta, a recognized and respected online gaming licensing regulatory body. Casino Lunch provides online casino gaming to players from all countries except the U.S.

Media Enquiries
Nick Adams
care@casinolunch.com
+1.778.999.1150

About Casino Lunch
Casino Lunch (www.CasinoLunch.com) offers online players a delicious menu of licensed and regulated casino games, including roulette, slots, video poker and table games. Providing a no-download experience and attractive promotions, Casino Lunch focuses on creating the best VIP player experience online. Casino Lunch accepts players worldwide, except for those from the United States, and operates 24/7/365. Players are welcome for both free and real money action.

Contact:
Nick Adams
Casino Lunch
Level 2, Centre Point Building
Dun Karm Street
Birkirkara
Malta BKR 9037
+1.778.999.1150
care@casinolunch.com
http://www.casinolunch.com/