PROFNET EXPERT & DAILY TOPIC ALERTS: Business & Technology

Jan. 15, 2008

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DAILY TOPIC ALERT

Employer Incentives for Healthy Behavior (28 experts)
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EXPERT ALERTS
1. Business: Gaming/Hospitality Design in China and Effect on U.S. Biz
2. Business: Entrepreneurs Must Use Their Energy to Attract Ideal Clients
3. Business: Parallels Between Artistic Creative Process, Innovation
4. Internet: Thin Line Between Photo Sharing vs. Photo Stealing
5. Technology: Virtualization, Consolidation Expected to Dominate IT
6. Technology: Online Commerce Meets Social Networks
7. Workplace: Romo's Relationship with Simpson Affecting His Performance

EMPLOYER INCENTIVES FOR HEALTHY BEHAVIOR
According to a recent study by the National Business Group, nearly half (46
percent) of the 355 large employers interviewed said they offer financial
incentives to employees to encourage healthy behaviors. This may include
healthier food in company cafeterias, exercise and fitness programs, weight-
loss initiatives and incentives for employees to quit smoking. It was found
that workplace health programs resulted in lower costs for sick leave, long-
and short-term disability, and general health coverage. But as these programs
increase, many wonder: To what extent should companies be responsible for the
health choices of its employees? Following are experts who can discuss:
**1. JOYCE L. GIOIA-HERMAN, CMC, CSP, strategic business futurist and
president/CEO, THE HERMAN GROUP: "Companies will be responsible for the
healthy choices of their employees as long as it makes financial sense. My
best guess is that it will for the foreseeable future. With rising insurance
costs and a tightening labor market, offering these incentives won't be
optional any time soon." Herman is the author of The Herman Trend Alert,
distributed weekly to 29,000 people in 80 countries in four languages, and of
five books, including "Impending Crisis: Too Many Jobs, Too Few People" and
"How to Become an Employer of Choice." Web site: http://www.hermangroup.com
(1/10/07)
**2. DONALD R. FISCHER, senior vice president and chief medical officer,
HIGHMARK, INC.: "Much of today's chronic disease and disability is directly
linked to lifestyle. Seventy percent of the illness burden is related to
lifestyle and is, therefore, preventable. Unhealthy lifestyles -- smoking,
poor nutrition, lack of exercise -- are a primary reason for rising health
care costs, absenteeism and lost productivity in the workplace. When
employers reward employees for healthier behavior, employees have a greater
hand in their own health." News Contact: Kristin Ash,
kristin.ash@highmark.com Phone: +1-412-544-8971 (1/10/07)
**3. STEVE GLICK, president of CHAMBER INSURANCE TRUST, is involved with
many groundbreaking plans that firms are starting to implement when it comes
to wanting their employees to live a healthier and happier life: "Some firms
are sponsoring walkathons, some bring in nutrition experts and fitness
experts, some even bring in people who speak on organization of your life.
The companies do this because they want to cut down on health care costs and
have a healthier, happier employee." Glick is a top wellness expert who can
speak to the different types of plans and initiatives corporate America and
chambers of commerce are putting into place. He is also working with CT Care,
a top insurance organization, to help promote healthier lifestyles for
employees. News Contact: Ronald Magas, rmagas@charter.net Phone: +1-203-445-
8981 (1/10/07)
**4. KRISTIE Z. HOWARD, account executive, employee benefit services,
LONGFELLOW BENEFITS, Boston: "Given the enormous increases in health care
costs year after year, and the fact that 70 percent of health care costs are
directly attributable to lifestyle choices, promoting healthy behaviors
through the use of financial incentives should be central to any employer's
health care strategy." News Contact: Henry Stimpson,
henry@stimpsoncommunications.com Phone: +1-508-647-0705 (1/10/07)
**5. MICHAL ANN STRAHILEVITZ, Ph.D., chaired professor of marketing and
business administration, GOLDEN GATE UNIVERSITY, San Francisco: "What could
possibly make more sense than an employer investing in the health of his or
her employees? Let's mention just a few of the benefits: 1) increased
employee loyalty; 2) decreased absenteeism; 3) increased productivity
(healthy employees get more done in an 8-hour day). In short, this is win-
win-win." (1/10/07)
**6. CAROLYN M. PLUMP, Esq., partner in the labor and employment law
practice group of MITTS MILAVEC, LLC: "In general, I would counsel employers
against utilizing wellness programs because of the potential for legal
exposure, the impact such programs could have on the good will and harmony in
the workplace, and the difficulty in administering such plans. Employee
wellness programs raise several legal implications, including potential ADA
violations if the employer treats or retaliates against employees because of
a disability or perceived disability; potential discrimination claims based
on age, gender, religion, race, or national origin if certain conditions that
affect insurance premiums are more likely to occur in people over a certain
age, of a particular gender, who subscribe to a certain religion, are of a
certain race, or based on national origin; and potential invasion-of-privacy
claims." News Contact: Jessica Sharp, jsharp@mavenagency.com Phone: +1-267-
546-9034 (1/10/07)
**7. JOE MARLOWE, senior vice president, AON CONSULTING's health and
benefits practice: "In the past six years, health care costs have increased
nearly 80 percent, but general inflation has increased only 17 percent.
Employers are looking for ways to reduce their health care costs, and one way
is to focus specifically on wellness programs, due to the link between
medical costs and lifestyle behaviors. Offering incentives to employees to
change their unhealthy behaviors through wellness programs has gained
momentum in the past three years. In fact, more than half of employers today
are offering wellness programs, and of those, more than half are offering
some type of incentive to motivate employees to take action to improve their
lifestyle. Employers do favor positive vs. negative incentives, and
incentives are working. By matching the right incentive to the needs of the
employee population, employers can see 70 to 80 percent participation among
employees." Marlowe has been quoted in multiple media outlets in 2007 on this
topic of employers offering positive versus negative incentives. His comments
appeared in more than 10 daily newspapers, including the Los Angeles Times
and Chicago Tribune, and a taped interview also appeared on the Web site for
"CBS Evening News with Katie Couric." News Contact: Sara Carlson,
Sara_Carlson@aon.com Phone: +1-312-381-5045 (1/10/07)
**8. DR. ROBERT SCHWARZ, psychologist, coach and consultant, MARS VENUS
WORKPLACE SEMINARS AND CONSULTING: "'Subsidizing' is not the correct concept.
Employers are responsible for maximizing the productivity of their workers
and minimizing the costs of production. Making smart choices that achieve
these goals is good business. Employers are not responsible for the choices
of their workers; employers are responsible for their choices as employers.
It makes good business sense for employers to cultivate healthy cultures. It
is strange that this issue is even being raised when the research says it is
cost effective. Some companies and leadership get it -- some don't." Web
site: http://www.marsvenusatwork.com (1/10/07)
**9. AMIE DEVERO, strategy consultant and author of "Powered by Principle:
Using Core Values to Build World-Class Organizations": "No business should
have to provide any of these benefits. But for those that do, it all comes
down to a return on investment -- albeit sometimes an indirect one. One form
of indirect ROI is the advantage of becoming an 'employer of choice.' A
company can generate a huge strategic advantage in the knowledge marketplace
if they can compete on more than just salary and conventional benefits.
Ultimately, that translates into revenue and productivity. The same kind of
thinking leads to incentivizing 'green' behavior. A company that gives
hybrid-car drivers or carpoolers better parking or financial bonuses can be a
magnet for the right employees -- and often retains those employees longer
than the average. Again, lower turnover and higher-quality workers are a
measurable return on investment." (1/10/07)
**10. JOANN M. LAING, president and CEO of INFORMATION STRATEGIES, INC.:
"Financial incentives power wellness programs, but more is needed; other
factors must be considered. Interviews of 30,000+ health care insurance users
and 6,000 company executives demonstrate that wellness programs help
companies reduce overall benefits costs. The key is balancing the incentives
against the cost savings. Establishing measurement criteria is essential.
Other factors include: 1. reducing individual health care insurance costs; 2.
access to helpful, quality information; 3. support and participation by all
levels of management; 4. enlisting the support of employee families; 5.
agreed/reachable individualized goals; and 6. 'penalties' for not
participating and/or succeeding should be considered. Wellness programs work
well, but there must be rewards for both employee and employer to make them
more attractive." Laing is the author of two books on health savings
accounts. News Contact: Don Mazzella, dmazzella@is-incorp.com Phone: +1-201-
242-0600 (1/10/07)
**11. GABRIELA CORA, M.D., MBA, president of THE EXECUTIVE HEALTH AND WEALTH
INSTITUTE, INC., and managing partner of FLORIDA NEUROSCIENCE CENTER:
"Personal responsibility is key. Financial rewards may work, particularly if
tied with a stellar motivational intervention from the employer. Employers
usually benefit from their investment, particularly if they have an overall
healthy and young workforce. The programs need to be implemented from the top
(leadership) throughout the organization and employees to be effective." Cora
is a medical doctor, board-certified psychiatrist, life and business coach,
and wellness corporate consultant, and lectures on issues of health care. She
is a professional speaker and gives talks at national and global meetings for
associations and companies. Cora is the author of "Leading Under Pressure,"
"Managing Work in Life" and "Quantum Wellbeing." Web site:
http://www.ExecutiveHealth.com and http://www.FloridaNeuroscience.com
(1/10/07)
**12. PHYLLIS ISLEY, Ph. D., director of the Bureau of Business Research and
Economic Development, GEORGIA SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY: "Finding ways to help
firms provide affordable and effective wellness programs is important to
regional economic development efforts. We have just begun to examine the
critical links between investments in health and economic development." The
Bureau of Business Research and Economic Development is in the second year of
a pilot program to develop a collective approach to workplace wellness
programs for small rural employers. News Contact: Loretta Brandon,
labrandon@georgiasouthern.edu Phone: +1-912-681-0336 (1/10/07)
**13. MARION B. SCHREMP, CEO of Multiple Benefit Services, an employee
benefit consulting firm, and author of "Building a Wellness Program That
Delivers Real Business Results": "Skeptics may wonder how offering a bowl of
apples in the lunch line could ever possibly correlate to lower health care
costs. It won't if it's the only thing you do. Rather, the combination of
dietary and other wellness initiatives -- amounting to a dramatic change in
the corporate culture around the topic of physical and emotional health -- is
what experts recommend for a program that delivers the kind of results that
are possible today. You can make the commitment now to launch a program that
offers a better chance of saving money and lives. A $50,000-$60,000 first-
year investment isn't a lot of money when you consider you might save
$100,000 in health care costs by helping one employee discover he or she is
pre-diabetic and help them take steps to avoid the disease." To download the
complete wellness white paper, please visit the link below. News Contact:
Elizabeth Fairleigh, elizabeth@econnectionpr.com Phone: +1-404-874-4562 Web
site: http://www.mbservices.net/wellness (1/10/07)
**14. ANGELA NEELEY, compliance manager at J. ROLFE DAVIS INSURANCE: "There
are a variety of approaches to wellness in the workplace, but the most
effective programs exist where the employer has created a culture of health,
integrating key components such as disease-management programs, biometric
screening and cash-based incentives." News Contact: Sultana F. Ali,
sali@masseycommunications.com Phone: +1-407-581-4222, ext. 115 (1/10/07)
**15. BARBARA FULMER, global managing director, corporate wellness, JENNY
CRAIG, INC.: "There has been a palpable shift in the way employers address
weight-loss programs with their employees within the last 12 months. A year
ago, you would find weight management listed among other discount programs on
the employee intranet, along with discounts for online bookstores and pet
supplies. Today, employers are not only better communicating the benefits and
risks related to obesity, but are providing motivational incentives to
promote action." News Contact: Gail Manginelli, gail@jennycraig.com Phone:
+1-480-563-3414 (1/10/07)
**16. MICHELLE DODDS, VP of wellness at COMPSYCH, a provider of employee
assistance programs: "Money does not solve all problems, but it helps. Poor
health habits are hard to break, and a reasonable cash incentive can get
employees off the dime in improving their health. Employers shouldn't be
taking full responsibility for workers' health decisions, but they do have an
interest in keeping health costs down in order to keep health insurance
benefits alive. Without health incentives and controls, employer-sponsored
health insurance will go the way of the New Year's resolutions most of us
make." Dodds has more than 13 years of experience in health care, disease
management and wellness. Her responsibilities have included health care
product development, operations and client support. She has designed wellness
solutions for organizations in a variety of industries, ranging in size from
small companies to Fortune 500 employers. Dodds holds a doctorate in clinical
psychology with an emphasis in health and is a member of the Association for
Applied Psychophysiology and Biofeedback. News Contact: Jennifer Hudson,
jhudson@compsych.com Phone: +1-312-595-4048 Web site: http://www.compsych.com
(1/10/07)
**17. CAROL HARNETT is a clinical physiologist and vice president and
national disability and life practices leader for the group benefits division
of THE HARTFORD FINANCIAL SERVICES GROUP, INC., a leading U.S. provider of
group disability, life and accident insurance: "If employers create a happier
environment for their employees, there will be fewer disability claims
related to chronic health conditions. Employers are focused on expense, but
employees are focused on quality of life. As long as employers and employees
are on different pages, behavior change will remain elusive. Employers should
ask their employees what's making them unhappy. Surveys indicate employees
are most bothered by seasonal allergies, sleep problems, depression, fatigue,
neck and back pain, and anxiety -- virtually all driven by stress. Employers
can jumpstart personal change by reducing stress. All by itself, the act of
reducing stress will improve employees' health. The holy grail we're looking
at is employee satisfaction and, really, employee happiness. Achieve that,
and productivity will take care of itself." News Contact: Kelly J. Carter,
Kelly.carter@hartfordlife.com Phone: +1-860-843-9420 (1/10/07)
**18. CHRISTINE FERGUSON, director of the STRATEGIES TO OVERCOME AND PREVENT
(STOP) OBESITY ALLIANCE: "Research shows that as obesity increases in
prevalence throughout America, so do stereotypes and discriminatory
attitudes. This stigma reinforces a perception that obesity is solely an
individual, not a societal, responsibility. By encouraging healthy-living
incentives among employers, the stigma can be reduced through a more
collaborative, supportive approach to weight loss, and all parties can sooner
realize the benefits of a healthy, productive workforce." Ferguson can
discuss the power of stigma against obese individuals, and how it impacts
weight-loss efforts, and can speak to the power of providing incentives and
fostering an environment that encourages healthy habits and weight loss. News
Contact: Tom Murphy, TMurphy@ccapr.com Phone: +1-202-609-6000 (1/10/07)
**19. BARRY HALL, FSA, MAAA, is a principal with BUCK CONSULTANTS, an ACS
company, where he leads global research and strategic development of new
products, services and technologies related to wellness and health care
consumerism: "Employers seeking to break away from the 'zero sum game' of
shifting more and more health benefits costs to employees are embracing
wellness or disease prevention programs, which offer a win-win-win situation:
employees receive rewards and live longer, healthier lives; employers reduce
health care costs and absenteeism while boosting productivity; and the
nation's runaway health care expenditures (and social health issues such as
obesity) are reduced. However, employers face significant challenges in
providing the motivation necessary to cause lasting behavior and lifestyle
changes among their workforce. Incentive strategies are popular today, with
different types of behaviors targeted (activities, achievements or adherence)
and a range of reward types offered (cash, points, premium reductions,
penalties). Public attitudes toward privacy and regulations, such as HIPAA
and ADA, impact how far an employer can go when seeking to drive employee
health behaviors, such as smoking, nutrition, exercise, weight loss and
stress management." Hall is a nationally recognized expert with numerous
articles to his credit, quotes in global news publications, and appearances
on CNN and CNNfn television. News Contact: Ed Gadowski,
Edward.gadowski@buckconsultants.com Phone: +1-201-902-2825 (1/10/07)
**20. MARY KEY, Ph.D., leadership pillar director of I4CP: "Our research
indicates that 81 percent of the 329 organizations we surveyed in late 2007
have wellness programs, and another 8 percent are considering implementing a
program in the next year. Offering incentives to use the programs can enhance
their usage. Since organizations pay billions of dollars on health care for
employees, being proactive and rewarding healthy habits has a big pay off.
Most importantly, if money is an incentive to an employee, they can learn new
behaviors that contribute to their health and overall well-being. I've toured
hundreds of companies that have junk food available in the machines in the
cafeteria. When employees are working hard and that's all that's around, poor
nutritional habits get reinforced. Offering incentives on new eating and
exercising habits is a win-win for everyone involved." Web site:
http://www.i4cp.com (1/10/07)
**21. TIM SMITH, president and COO of BIOSIGNIA, a predictive modeling
company delivering innovative solutions to the health care and life insurance
industries: "As 50 to 70 percent of America's health care costs are
associated with avoidable conditions, it would follow that every self-insured
company in America is paying a lot of its health care dollars toward
avoidable chronic morbidities. Providing incentives to employees who adopt
habits and participate in healthy programs pays off. The optimum approach has
yet to surface, but it is likely over time that employees engaging in
harmful, non-compliant behaviors will be expected to 'get with the program'
or 'pay the price.' Our advice to manage morbidities is to measure morbidity
and then take steps to control disease-specific risks. With the rising costs
in health care premiums, employees will need to take more responsibility for
their own health and lifestyle behaviors." News Contact: Alison Kramer,
akramer@919marketing.com Phone: +1-919-459-8157 Web site:
http://www.biosignia.com (1/10/07)
**22. CHRISTIAN M. MORENO, vice president and executive director, COOPER
BENEFITS (a division of Cooper Aerobics Center): "The trend in employers
offering financial incentives linked to wellness programs in the United
States today is a necessity, rather than an issue to debate. The future of
the health care system depends on the health and wellness of its
constituents, and the greatest opportunity to reach them rests with corporate
America. The link between wellness and the cost of health insurance has been
proven time and time again. As health care costs continue to rise as a result
of unhealthy lifestyles in America, the question for the employers footing
the majority of the health care bill is this: How can we encourage members to
live a healthier lifestyle? The answer is: pay them to do it." Moreno can
speak in-depth about corporate health care costs, employee benefits and
corporate wellness programs. Cooper Benefits is one of 10 health companies,
along with a nonprofit education and research institute, that makes up the
world-renowned Cooper Aerobics Center in Dallas and McKinney. Cooper Benefits
combines traditional employee benefits consulting with custom corporate
wellness programs. News Contact: Amy George, algeorge@cooperaerobics.com
Phone: +1-972-560-3236 Web site: http://www.cooper-benefits.com (1/10/07)
**23. LARRY O'TOOLE, founder and president of GENTLE GIANT MOVING COMPANY,
an award-winning full-service local and interstate residential mover based in
New England, with 15 locations on the East Coast: "Whatever role a company
takes on regarding its employees' health, it should be based on the real
values of its leaders and truly be part of the culture in order to be
meaningful. For people who do physical work, it especially makes sense to
have a shared interest in being strong and healthy and have that actively
supported by the organization. Supporting or even celebrating an individuals'
passion, be it fitness (as in the case of my company) or something else, can
define a company culture and attract like-minded people who enjoy working
together every day, because they see their personal values reflected all
around them. That cohesiveness is extremely valuable." The 27-year-old Gentle
Giant Moving Company has been recognized nationally in the Wall Street
Journal as one of the nation's Top Small Workplaces, due to the company's
exemplary employee development practices and unique culture, and has won Best
of Boston for eight years. News Contact: Stephen T. Coady,
scoady@gentlegiant.com Phone: +1-617-806-1068 Web site:
http://www.gentlegiant.com (1/10/07)
**24. JESSE JACOBS, founder of SAMOVAR TEA LOUNGE, San Francisco: "As
contributing members of society, it is the role of the company to help its
employees lead happy and successful lives -- and that stems from their
working life. Although it is up to every individual to live in a responsible,
healthy way, it is up to the employer to support the individual in living
healthily. Healthy employees mean healthy, productive, constructive,
successful work. Therefore, it is also the responsibility of the employer to
create healthy opportunities for their employees -- whether it is some kind
of financial subsidy for health insurance, or, an 'in-kind trade' with
preventative medicine practitioners. As stress is the number one cause of
poor health and an unpleasant work environment, it is the role of the
employer to help create a stress-free environment, and it is up to the
employer to determine creative ways to do this -- some of which may have out-
of-pocket costs." For the last five years, Jacobs has run his tea company,
with a staff of 40-60, in the city with America's most progressive (and
expensive) employee benefits -- San Francisco. He has worked with the City of
San Francisco, other entrepreneurs, and his staff in finding creative ways to
offer comprehensive benefits ranging from the nations highest minimum wage
($9.36/hr) to health insurance for non-salaried, part-time employees to paid
sick days and vacation days for the same group. Web site:
http://www.SamovarTea.com (1/10/07)
**25. JEFF SKELTON, regional vice president of sales, SPECTRUM ATHLETIC
CLUBS: "As long as companies continue to have a vested financial interest in
the health and productivity of their employees, they will also have a share
of the responsibility. Currently, companies participating in incentive-based
wellness programs are reporting favorable returns on their investment, as
well increased morale and productivity. With that in mind, these incentive-
based programs are more of a "cost shifting" than a direct expense. Rather
than waiting until an employee has reached a diseased state and requires
attention that is costly to the company (direct, as well as indirect), it is
shifting a fraction of those funds to employees that exhibit healthy
lifestyle behaviors. Considering a high percentage of health care costs are
spent on lifestyle-related illnesses, it becomes quite obvious that the
preferred choice should be on prevention rather than solely on reactive
medical attention that is much more costly." Headquartered in San Antonio,
Spectrum is the 10th largest fitness company in the United States and an
innovator in healthy lifestyle approaches to fitness. They are very active in
working with companies to implement fitness programs into their benefits
packages. News Contact: Leslie Komet Ausburn, leslie@kometcommunications.com
Phone: +1-210-479-7255 Web site: http://www.spectrumclubs.com (1/14/08)
**26. JACK BASTABLE, national practice leader for health and productivity
management at CBIZ BENEFITS AND INSURANCE SERVICES, INC.: "It's been well-
documented that small, and sometimes large, employers struggle with the
balancing act of keeping benefit costs in check and employee retention high.
Small-business owners now can improve employee productivity while managing
health costs just as well as larger companies." For the past 14 years, as an
employee benefits consultant, Bastable has developed award-winning
comprehensive Health and Productivity Management (HPM) strategies for
employers that integrate employee health-benefits plans with workplace health
and wellness initiatives. News Contact: Jimmy Moock, Jimmy@gregoryfca.com
Phone: +1-610-642-8253, ext. 153 Web site: http://www.cbiz.com (1/14/08)
**27. STUART TEDDERS, Ph.D., director of the Office of Public Health
Practice and associate professor of epidemiology, Jiann-Ping Hsu College of
Public Health, GEORGIA SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY, is an expert in health promotion
program planning. Tedders assisted regional employers in creating a two-
pronged plan that takes a wellness approach to health and gets the community
acting on its own behalf. His experience includes surveillance of health-
related outcomes, community health assessments, health planning and rural
health. News Contact: Loretta Brandon, labrandon@georgiasouthern.edu Phone:
+1-912-681-0336 (1/10/07)
**28. JOANNE WOJCIK is senior editor of BUSINESS INSURANCE MAGAZINE. As an
independent observer, Wojcik can discuss how wellness programs and incentives
reduce health care costs for companies and how widespread these programs are
in corporate America. She can also discuss the impact on the insurance
industry. Wojcik has written a series of articles in Business Insurance
Magazine related to the topic. News Contact: Robert Barletta,
robert@themarino.org Phone: +1-212-889-0808 Web site:
http://www.businessinsurance.com (1/10/07)
_____________
EXPERT ALERTS
**1. BUSINESS: GAMING/HOSPITALITY DESIGN IN CHINA AND ITS EFFECT ON U.S.
BUSINESSES. STEVE GALBREATH, vice president in global design firm RTKL's
Hospitality Design practice: "The Cotai Strip in China has surpassed Las
Vegas as the largest revenue-producing gaming district in the world, and is
growing at an extremely rapid rate. Originally modeled after American gaming
and Las Vegas in particular, the Cotai Strip has been redesigned with Chinese
gaming customs in mind. The differences between American and Chinese gaming
are varied, and provide some lessons any American company doing business in
China can learn from." Galbreath can discuss the cultural differences in the
hospitality and gaming industries and provide tips for U.S. companies in
China on overcoming cultural differences. News Contact: Amanda Watkins,
amanda@blisspr.com Phone: +1-707-256-3830 Web site: http://www.rtkl.com
(1/14/08)
**2. BUSINESS: ENTREPRENEURS MUST USE THEIR ENERGY TO ATTRACT IDEAL CLIENTS.
HEATHER DOMINICK is an entrepreneur success coach and creator of the
ENERGYRICH SUCCESS SYSTEM, a step-by-step system to coach entrepreneurs by
creating an energetic map to harness their energy: "Your energy is your most
valuable marketing tool. It's helpful to think of your energy as a powerful,
internal magnet. You can activate this magnet by setting time aside every day
(even five minutes) to connect to that inner part of yourself, which is about
the passionate reason why you went into business. It's this place that gives
you access to the ideas, solutions and 'how tos' that cannot be conceived of
when 'going 24-7.' Now, this alone won't build your business, but it will
have you in a confident, connected place (rather than fearful, doubtful or
disconnected) during your business interactions, and this is very attractive
to potential clients." News Contact: Patricia Vaccarino, media@xanthuscom.com
Phone: +1-206-979-3380 Web site: http://www.energyrichcoach.com (1/14/08)
**3. BUSINESS: EXECS DRAW PARALLELS BETWEEN ARTISTIC CREATIVE PROCESS AND
BUSINESS INNOVATION. SUZANNE FETSCHER, president/CEO of the MCCOLL CENTER FOR
VISUAL ART and creator of an executive program called the INNOVATION
INSTITUTE: "While many people would consider business executives and artists
as polar opposites when it comes to problem solving, a growing number of
savvy CEOs are discovering that they have more in common with painters and
sculptors than they may have thought. Artists are constantly challenged to
stretch their visions, be rigorously disciplined, research, display courage
and work hard. All of these elements can be applied to business." Fetscher
can discuss the similarities between the artistic creative process and
business innovation, and how business executives can take clues on creativity
by exploring the nature of artistic expression. News Contact: John Mader,
jmader@wrayward.com Phone: +1-704-926-1316 (1/14/08)
**4. INTERNET: THIN LINE BETWEEN PHOTO SHARING VS. PHOTO STEALING. ALLEN
MURABAYASHI is CEO of PHOTOSHELTER, a thriving creative community where
advanced technology combines with a native understanding of photographers to
power the future of photography online. He is available to discuss the thin
line between photo sharing versus photo stealing: "There have been several
well-publicized cases of image theft on the Internet from individuals: Lane
Hartwell vs. The Richter Scales, mommy blogger Tracey Gaughran-Perez vs. the
NFL on FOX, and the Chang family vs. Virgin Mobile (Australia). While user-
generated content continues to be an enormously popular source of
entertainment, people need to realize any photo posted on an unprotected site
is vulnerable to theft and misuse. Corporations are actively seeking photos
from real people doing real things, and as such, everyone needs to be more
aware of their intellectual property rights and the existing and readily
available mechanisms to protect and share their content." News Contact: Tobi
Young, tobi@matternow.com or photoshelter@matternow.com Phone: +1-401-351-
9501 Web site: http://www.photoshelter.com (1/14/08)
**5. TECHNOLOGY: VIRTUALIZATION AND CONSOLIDATION EXPECTED TO DOMINATE IT
FOR 2008. BOB BUTCHER, business development manager at LOGICALIS, which has
just been named a VMware Premier Partner: "Scarce resources mean IT managers
and CIOs are hungry for strategies that will make more efficient use of their
current IT infrastructures. Almost every business, from mid-market on up to
enterprise level, is taking a careful look at virtualization and
consolidation techniques for making the most of their server and storage
capacity. CFO buy-in requires a CIO to demonstrate ROI. Successful
implementation means careful analysis to avoid making your data management
challenge even more complex." News Contact: Arthur Germain,
agermain@gocsg.com Phone: +1-631-239-6335 Web site:
http://www.us.logicalis.com (1/14/08)
**6. TECHNOLOGY: ONLINE COMMERCE MEETS SOCIAL NETWORKS. BILL EAGER and SUE
SPIELMAN are co-founders of BSOCIAL NETWORKS, the leading provider of B2C and
C2C software for social networks. Eager: "Until now, social networks like
Facebook, MySpace and LinkedIn have used online advertising as their primary
revenue stream. The next revolution in e-commerce will capture the 'social
bond of trust' inherent in social networks. This empowers social networks,
members of the social networks and suppliers to capitalize on product
suggestions made by the members of social networking communities." News
Contact: Annette Filliat, afilliat@arketi.com Phone: +1-404-929-0091, ext.
209 Web site: http://www.bsocialnetworks.com (1/14/08)
**7. WORKPLACE: TONY ROMO'S RELATIONSHIP WITH JESSICA SIMPSON AFFECTING HIS
PERFORMANCE. NICOLE WILLIAMS, best-selling author, lifestyle and career
expert, is the founder of WORKS BY NICOLE WILLIAMS, the leading career
management brand delivering highly integrated content across multiple
platforms for young professional women: "Jessica Simpson officially has the
weight of the Cowboys' lost chance at the Super Bowl on her shoulders, but is
she really to blame? The truth is, a new romance can go either way on the
career-performance scale. On the one hand, there's nothing like the shot of
adrenaline that comes with the first flush of wanting to impress your new
love (along with those other 70,000 fans in the stands). And on the other,
those late nights of crush-talk and one too many drinks inevitably mess with
your tired head. In this case, with all eyes watching, heading to a fiesta-
filled long weekend with Romo wasn't the smartest idea in the world -- unless
of course, you're looking to give a your own career a boost after your latest
flicks went straight to DVD." Using the Romo-Simpson affair for illustration,
Williams will run down the dos and don'ts for using a new relationship to
help, not hinder, performance. News Contact: Laura Ackermann,
lackermann@muchandhousepr.com Phone: +1-323-965-0852, ext. 150 Web site:
http://www.nicolewilliams.com (1/14/08)
SOURCE ProfNet