AMA Tampa Bay has landed IKEA’s Mary Lunghi, the retail giant’s market intelligence director, to help shed light on consumer research and enhancing the customer experience for their upcoming event, “IKEA’s Approach to Customer-Centricity.”

Lunghi, who has 29 years of experience in advertising, marketing and strategic planning, will explain to attendees how she uses consumer research to understand customer wants and needs and how consumer insights lay the foundation for strategic planning.

“It’s imperative to collect and analyze data for the purpose of answering specific pre-determined questions and developing actionable insights,” says Lunghi. “Only actionable insights can influence our customer experience.”

Additionally, Lunghi’s presentation will have a large focus on qualitative data and analysis. According to Lunghi, this data in particular allows marketers to understand consumers in greater depth and helps design a superior customer experience.

The luncheon will also explore the different types of consumer research and how each can be incorporated in everything from product development and merchandising, to sales and marketing.

“We’re honored to host a speaker of Mary’s caliber,” said Chris Bush, President of AMA Tampa Bay. “The insights she can provide on consumer research and customer experience will be an invaluable resource to our AMA members and attendees.”

“IKEA’s Approach to Customer-Centricity” will be held at the Centre Club in Tampa, April 21, 2016 from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

Key takeaways from the event include:

• The value of customer-centricity
• The impact of market research, across functions, in a customer-centric organization
• How easy and turn-key it can be to obtain consumer insights
• How to turn insights into action

The cost of the event is $30 for AMA Tampa Bay members, $50 for non-members and $25 for students. Click here to register for the April 21^st event.

For more information, please visit http://www.amatampabay.org/events/

About AMA Tampa Bay: AMA Tampa Bay provides local marketers unparalleled access to professional resources as well as the opportunity to showcase their talents while connecting with others in the marketing field. Members also benefit from hearing nationally-recognized speakers discuss today’s most relevant marketing-related topics. Past speakers have represented some of the biggest names in business, including: Yahoo!, Chik-fil-A, SouthWest Airlines, Bing, Zappos, HSN, The New York Yankees, IBM, Chipotle, Starbucks, Lego and many more. The organization prides itself on providing top quality events and engaging educational content. For more information, please visit www.amatampabay.org.

For media inquiries please contact vpprogramming@amatampabay.org

A major piece of Right to Work legislation has reportedly been taken “off the table” for the current legislative session in Kentucky, handing labor groups in the state yet another victory in their long-running Right to Work Battle.

Recognizing the House’s reluctance to move the legislation forward, Republican Senate President Robert Stivers stated that no bills related to Right to Work would be addressed during the current session.

Despite being a state that leans toward conservatism, Kentucky’s State House is currently controlled by democrats that are sympathetic towards labor unions. In the words of Democratic House Speaker Greg Stumbo, “I don’t think you can overstate just how important organized labor was in the special elections.”

In light of the news, labor leaders in the state are looking towards the future optimistically.

“Although it’s only a temporary victory, it’s nice to be able to focus on the future without wondering when the next Right to Work fight will start,” says Richard Dalton, business manager for the International Union of Operating Engineers (IUOE) Local 18 which represents all of Ohio and several counties in Kentucky. “When it comes to this issue, every Republican setback only serves to give us more and more momentum.”

In February, a federal judge overturned Hardin County’s controversial Right to Work laws, ruling that county governments couldn’t enact the legislation on a local level.

Kentucky’s latest Right to Work failures come as a major blow to Gov. Matt Bevin, who was elected in 2014 after campaigning on a platform that included Right to Work initiatives. As it stands, democrats hold a four seat majority in the lower house and are preventing the legislation from gaining any traction.

It’s a fact that isn’t lost on unions throughout Kentucky.

“We have to keep pushing forward ahead of November,” says Dalton. “While it would be easy to sit back and savor these moments, we have to do everything in our power to make sure that voters know what’s at stake when they cast their votes. Who they vote for could very well alter the future of the state’s middle class.”

Designed to weaken the strength of labor unions by allowing employees to opt out of paying union dues, Right to Work laws have long been derided for weakening workers’ rights, lowering salaries, decreasing benefits and leading to inferior working conditions.

The laws have been passed in 26 states to date. Kentucky is currently the only state in the south that hasn’t passed Right to Work legislation.

For more information on Right to Work in Ohio, visit: http://protectohiosmiddleclass.org/

An article posted at the University of Southern California’s Center for Health Journalism, provides explosive details as to how the healthcare system has been rigged to extract the wealth of our nation. The author, Steven Weissman, is a reform advocate and the former president of a Florida hospital.

 See: Health care industry follows Big Tobacco’s deadly blueprint

 According to the article, healthcare is just the latest in a regularly recurring pattern of corporate scandals from big tobacco, Enron, WorldCom, and Bernie Madoff to the recent near collapse of the banking system. What healthcare has in common with past scandals is the pursuit of profit entirely removed from the norms of human decency.

Following the all too familiar pattern, in retrospect, everyone will be incredulous that the scam was allowed to continue for so long; but Weissman states that in comparison to the misery and suffering inflicted by the healthcare industry, other scandals were petty theft.

CONTACT:
Steven I. Weissman, Esq.
Email: W1152a@comcast.net
Tel. 954-704-9050

Dr. Rand McClain, D.O., a top performance sports and rejuvenation medicine expert, is featured in DADDYHOOD, the free online magazine for dads.

From his office in chic Santa Monica, he and his team provide patients with personalized and comprehensive medical services so that patients reach their optimal level of health and recovery. But it is fatherhood and family where he derives his inspiration.

Excerpt of article on DADDYHOOD:

“Celebs will wind through the Hollywood Hills and battle L.A. traffic just to get in front of him.

Make no mistake, Dr. Rand McLain, D.O., a sports and rejuvenation medicine expert, loves his patients more than Donald Trump loves his millions of voters.

But, more than anything, his inspiration in life is not his impressive list of A-list actors he sees or the top class CEOs he coaches. It is family and fatherhood.

“I happen to be a doctor also. I happen to do sports medicine and rejuvenation and anti-aging, but foremost I am a dad to my daughter and my two stepsons.”

The kids are no longer little. They’re teenagers. His daughter is 16. One of his stepsons is also 16 and the other 19.

For a time, he was a single dad, juggling all the responsibilities on his own.

“When you are a single dad you are the mom and the dad. So I spent a lot of time with my daughter and that was a blessing. And I think we bonded better because of it.”

His single dad years were different than most. Just six years old at the time, his daughter’s biological mother was out of the picture dealing with an illness. As he juggled life and going to medical school at Western University in Pasadena, he literally would sleep in his car because driving back home was just not an option.

Read the entire story: http://daddyhood.net/2016/03/30/hollywoods-top-performance-sports-and-rejuvenation-medicine-expert-finds-strength-inspiration-in-fatherhood/

Datalogics, Inc., the premier source for PDF and eBook technologies for developers, today announced the integration of Active Textbook to create new pay-as-you-go digital textbook platform, iFlipd.

Active Textbook is an end-to-end solution for enhancing, managing, and distributing learning content. Active Textbook includes authoring tools to enhance EPUB2, EPUB3 and PDF content with interactive videos, quizzes, and other multimedia; as well as powerful and customizable eBook readers.  It includes in-browser viewing on all major browsers on laptops, desktops, Chromebooks, and branded native client apps for iOS, Android and Windows mobile devices.

Active Textbook provides a powerful platform that enables iFlipd to bring content and interactive elements directly into a student’s hands. iFlipd’s pay-as-you-go model enables students to break up the cost of textbooks so they only pay for the weeks that they need.

“We are excited to be working with iFlipd to bring their innovative solution to market,” stated Ching Yue, Product Manager, Datalogics. “For so long, college textbooks have been a burden to students, whether it be financial or physical, and this new advancement could be a great option for many in significantly lowering costs and creating more educational flexibility and ownership. The partnership between these two products was a natural one, and by integrating iFlipd and Active Textbook, a truly exciting solution has been created.”

“iFlipd solves a huge problem for students and professors by offering an affordable, intelligent textbook learning platform,” states Kati Radizwon, iFlipd CEO and Founder.  “Along with our extensive content selection, we now have an eBook Reader that is able to reach the full potential of our technical goals. Through Active Textbook, iFlipd supports protection, distribution, and enhancement of content to best fit the student’s academic needs.”

About iFlipd

Based out of Portland, Oregon, iFlipd replaces the traditional bookstore and online book rental models with the first pay-as-you-go digital textbook platform. iFlipd saves customers an average of 50% off retail price of textbooks, and a no-cost financing solution. iFlipd’s professor portal integration into popular Learning Management Systems allows professors to quickly and easily distribute course content at a discount to students.

For more information, visit https://iflipd.com/

About Datalogics

Chicago-based Datalogics, Incorporated, the premier source for PDF and eBook technologies, has dedicated over 45 years to delivering the highest quality software.  Datalogics offers solutions that include a wide range of powerful PDF and eBook technologies for .NET, Java, and C/C++ developers. Datalogics is a member of the International Digital Publishing Forum (IDPF) and the Readium Foundation, and is on the board of the PDF Association.

For more information, visit www.datalogics.com

For more information
Nicole Bullock
Senior Marketing Manager
tel. +1.312.853.8200

NBC Olympics announced today that it has surpassed $1 Billion in national advertising sales for its coverage of the 2016 Olympic Games from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, this August. Rio 2016 remains on pace to secure the most national advertising sales ever for an Olympic Games and the most by any network for any media event in U.S. history.

“The value of live, event programming is more important than ever to advertisers because of its ability to reach large audiences,” said Seth Winter, EVP, Advertising Sales, NBC Sports Group. “The Olympics’ ability to dominate primetime for 17 consecutive nights is unmatched. If brands want to reach viewers and their customers in the third quarter, they have to be in the Olympics.”

On overall sales, Winter added that “The market is very healthy and bullish on the Olympics as evidenced by the fact that we’ve surpassed the $1 Billion mark four months ahead of Rio. Advertisers know that integrating their brands in front of Olympic viewers is good for their businesses. We continue to expect to set the Olympic record for national ad sales.”

The $1 Billion milestone — which includes national broadcast, cable and digital sales — comes roughly four months earlier than when it was achieved for the 2012 London Olympics. That milestone was announced on July 25, 2012, just two days prior to London’s Opening Ceremony on July 27. There are 129 days until the start of the 2016 Rio Olympics, which begin on August 5.

– See more at: http://www.nbcuniversal.com/article/nbc-olympics-surpasses-1-billion-national-ad-sales-rio-2016#sthash.GavVh4Im.dpuf

On Mon., Mar. 14, 2016, a special dedication took place in Hillel Academy’s middle school building. The Forman family donated funds to support science education and in turn the school’s science lab was named in memory of Arthur J. Forman – their husband, father and grandfather. The lab will be known as The Arthur J. Forman Science Lab.

Amy Wasser, Hillel Academy’s Head of School, planned and conducted the dedication ceremony with the Forman grandchildren per the wishes of Susan Forman, their grandmother.

Dr. Forman, an area psychiatrist, had a deep love of Judaism. He was a member of Rodeph Sholom and a staunch supporter of Hillel Academy. Dr. and Mrs. Forman’s three sons (Seth, Jonathan and Howard) attended Hillel Academy and now Seth and Jonathan, who live locally, send their children to the school.

Family Quotes from the Dedication Ceremony:

Abby, the oldest of the Forman cousins, said, “We are very lucky to be here to help dedicate the science lab in memory of our grandpa. As the oldest cousin I am very lucky to have had the most time learning from him, watching him with our family and benefiting from his love. The Jewish community was very important to my Grandpa and I think this lab would be very meaningful to him because his life focused on maintaining Jewish traditions and keeping up with the latest scientific trends in his field.”

Asher added, “Grandpa loved science. I remember once going with him to Barnes and Noble and he bought a huge kit with experiments and a tank with eggs that were supposed to hatch. My Grandpa was so committed to Judaism. He passed down his love of science to his sons and he kept a very Jewish home that my Grandma keeps up today. So this lab at Hillel would be very special to him.”

Jadyn said, “Today would be very special for my Grandpa. He would be so pleased to know that Judaism and science were going to flourish because of his dedication to this school, to our community and to the broader Jewish world.

Sam said, “This would mean so much to Grandpa, knowing he was making a difference in the lives of others and that he is still loved. His grandchildren in New Jersey also live a life dedicated to Jewish education and values and we wish they lived here.”

Ari added, “When Gabe and I were young Grandpa died and we are very lucky to have our Grandma in our life.”

Mission Statement

Hillel Academy’s mission is to provide a superior education that encourages a love of learning and a strong Jewish identity. To that end, Hillel students are encouraged to attain the highest possible level of personal achievement.

Hillel Academy offers morning bus service from South Tampa and North Pinellas/Hillsborough counties with bus stops in Palm Harbor, Oldsmar and Westchase.

Hillel Academy is accredited by the Florida Council of Independent Schools (FCIS) and the Florida Kindergarten Council (FKC) and is a member of the Jewish Community Day School Network and the National Association of Independent Schools. The school is recognized by the U.S. Dept. of Education as a Blue Ribbon School.

MEDIA CONTACT:
Jody Sherman
jsherman@hillelacademytampa.com
Cell: (727) 421-7733

This morning the U.S. Supreme Court rejected an effort from former Illinois governor Rod Blagojevich to get the high court to reconsider his conviction on corruption charges.

The following statements from Patti Blagojevich, the former governor’s wife:

FROM PATTI BLAGOJEVICH

“While we are incredibly disappointed that the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear the case now, it is not entirely unexpected because of the government’s position that the case was not over yet. We are hopeful that after the governor is resentenced, as a result of a federal appeals court tossing out five of the counts against him, that the highest court may be moved to take the case then.

“This was, of course, not the outcome that Rod, our daughters Amy and Annie, had hoped and prayed for. But we continue to have faith in the system and an unshakable love for Rod. We long for the day that he will be back home with us.”

For more: http://thepublicityagency.com/the-blagojevich-appeal/

MEDIA CONTACTS:

HEARING FOR DALIA DIPPOLITO CASE

DATE:         Tuesday, March 22, 2016

TIME:          4:00 pm

WHERE:

Palm Beach County Courthouse

205 N. Dixie Highway, W. Palm Beach, FL

Courtroom 11-F

Honorable Glenn D. Kelley

 

DEFENSE TEAM NEWS CONFERENCE

TIME:           Following court

WHERE:      Outside Palm Beach County Courthouse, on steps in front of courthouse

WHO:           Counsel for Dalia Dippolito: Brian Claypool, Mark Eiglarsh and Greg Rosenfeld; Dalia Dippolito will attend

At news conference, defense team will discuss court hearing as well as next legal maneuvers.

**Media should make necessary arrangements for microphone stand and other gear.

MORE INFORMATION

http://thepublicityagency.com/dalia-dippolito/

**For media requests, please use the contacts below.
MEDIA CONTACTS

For defense attorney Brian Claypool: (626) 664-9489 or publicist Wendy Guarisco (404) 354-6468

For defense attorney Mark Eiglarsh: (305) 674-0003

For defense attorney Greg Rosenfeld: (516) 721-5014

For Dalia Dippolito: Glenn Selig, The Publicity Agency, (813) 708-1220 x7777, mobile (813) 300-5454, email: glenn@thepublicityagency.com; or Adam Farragut, The Publicity Agency, (813) 708-1220 x7778, mobile (770) 881-3034; email adam@seligmultimedia.com.

For more on Dalia Dippolito: http://thepublicityagency.com/dalia-dippolito/

Organized labor unions in the state of Illinois have reason to believe that trouble could be on the horizon.

According to a public opinion poll by the Paul Simon Public Policy Institute, 57 percent of registered voters polled would support Right to Work legislation, with four percent leaning towards supporting it. In comparison, 33 percent would oppose the legislation.

The poll results, which surveyed the support of three major policy initiatives that are being pushed by Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner, were unexpected to say the least.

“This is not a state where you’d expect people to favor Right to Work by anywhere near that margin,” said John Jackson of the Simon Institute.

Citing the decline of union membership in the state, Jackson believes many voters simply aren’t familiar with Right to Work and why unions would be against it.

It’s a sentiment that is shared among labor supporters as well.

“We’ve always maintained that our best weapon against this type of legislation is an informed public,” says Richard Dalton, business manager for the International Union of Operating Engineers (IUOE) Local 18 in Ohio. “Once voters understand the motives behind Right to Work and the dangers that come with passing it, they typically agree that it’s not something they want in their state.”

With that in mind, many labor supporters are pushing for an increased awareness campaign to cut off any momentum labor opponents might have.

Despite the poll results, Illinois has traditionally been a state that strongly supports collective bargaining rights.

Just last year the state House of Representatives shot down a piece of Right to Work legislation in which not a single representative voted for the bill. In what was perceived to be a strong rejection of Governor Rauner’s agenda, every democratic member voted against the bill while most republicans voted “present” or not at all.

Right to Work laws, which are designed to diminish the strength of public and private sector unions by prohibiting the collection of mandatory union dues as a condition of employment, are viewed by labor supporters as damaging to worker rights while also leading to lower salaries, decreased benefits and inferior working conditions.

Although it remains to be seen if legislators will try to act on the recent shift in public support, it’s readily apparent that labor supporters plan to.

“When something like this happens, the labor community does an excellent job of standing together and fighting those who try to shut us down,” said Dalton. “At the end of the day, you can count on the community to keep standing firm and fighting back against any assault on workers’ rights that may come our way.”

For more information on right to work issues visit http://protectohiosmiddleclass.org/

Given Tuesday’s election results, seismic panic has ensued on K Street as lobbying firms brace for a reality of a possible Donald Trump presidency and what that might mean for them and their futures.

Prominent D.C. lobbyist Jack Burkman said today that he started assembling a delegation of lobbyists and lobbying firms to meet with the New York billionaire and begin building a bridge to the Trump organization.

“Trump is a Washington outsider. We need the outreach now or Trump will bring in a whole new team made up exclusively of New Yorkers, effectively ending our grip on the White House and The Capitol which will bring about the end of life as we know it here,” says Burkman, who represents a diverse set of national and multi-national clients.

Since Trump has no experience as a politician, not a single D.C. lobbying firm has any ties to Donald Trump.

“More than $4 billion in lobbying business could be lost overnight should Donald Trump become president,” says Burkman. “Decades of relationship-building in politics could be lost. And make no mistake every lobbyist in the town is worried.”

Lobbyists routinely use money to gain access and buy influence. They leverage their connections for wealthy clients who want access. But The Donald has said he won’t accept their money.

“Since Trump has no plans to accept contributions in the general election, lobbyists may be robbed of their biggest weapon–money–in a presidential election year,” adds Burkman. “Literally 30-thousand jobs could be lost if Trump is sworn in. Washington as we know it, and how business is conducted, will change instantly.”

Burkman says he and his fellow lobbyist delegation will try to convince Trump to accept donations in the general election.

“Asking him to accept contributions in the general must be order number one. It is critical to our survival. We must also make him understand that the Capitol city simply cannot be run without us. We, in fact, make things happen.”

Should Trump win the GOP nomination, Burkman says he expects shakeup to begin well before election day because of what it will mean for the down ticket Congressional races.

MEDIA CONTACT:
Adam Farragut
PR firm: The Publicity Agency
Phone: (813) 708-1220 x7778
Email: adam@seligmultimedia.com

One week ago former hospital president, Steven I. Weissman, announced a campaign to end predatory healthcare pricing and vowed to change the system, stating that he is “beating the proverbial drums now because there’s a presidential campaign in high gear.”

(READ: Former hospital president blows whistle on predatory U.S. healthcare pricing)

The response has been phenomenal, says Weissman, reflecting outrage at the way U.S. healthcare services are priced. In the past week, more than 80,000 people signed his Petition to End Predatory Healthcare Pricing. Upon reaching this significant milestone, he is calling on each of the remaining presidential primary candidates, Hillary Clinton, Donald Trump, Gov. John Kasich and Senators Ted Cruz and Bernie Sanders to publically pledge support for outlawing predatory healthcare pricing.

“Predatory pricing is the reason that the USA is suffering from health cost misery” says Weissman. “The healthcare industry has entirely eliminated real prices for hospitals, physicians and labs.”

Ask the price of anything and the answer is always the same: What insurance do you have? Patients are blocked from shopping for fair value. The part of the Affordable Care Act which was supposed to control insurance costs, perversely, incentivizes insurers to pay higher, not lower costs. Under the Affordable Care Act, premiums and profits are legally permitted to rise only as health costs rise. In short, when it comes to pricing, nobody is watching the store and citizens cannot shop to protect themselves from medical price gouging.

This former insider says that because billing rates are not set, the health industry is able to prey on patients at their most vulnerable. And if you are out of network or uninsured, you pay the highest rates.

Healthcare pricing has been rigged by the industry that dumps, by far, the most cash into Washington. The industry spends more on lobbying than the defense, aerospace, and the oil and gas industries combined. It is the only mass market product or service sold in the USA without real pricing. And it is no coincidence that it has created an unsustainable cost crisis.

A simple blood test for cholesterol can range from $10 to $400 or more at the same lab. Hospitalization for chest pain can result in a bill from the same hospital for the same services ranging anywhere from $3,000 to $25,000 or more. The widely discussed concept of price transparency will not come close to solving the health cost crisis. Transparency would merely show that each healthcare provider has numerous different prices for each service and continue to sow confusion over the real price. This kind of disclosure will not effectively enable patients to shop and compare pricing.

The solution is for Congress to take action and require healthcare providers to bill all patients, insured and uninsured, the same amount for the same service. Hospitals, physicians and labs should have continued freedom to set their own prices, but predatory pricing — a different rate for each patient — must be prohibited. Patients should not be financially brutalized for being out of network or uninsured.

When rates are set, patients will be able to shop for good healthcare value. Providers will be forced to compete based on price, quality and service. Healthcare costs and insurance premiums will plummet.

Thousands of public comments on the Petition to End Predatory Healthcare Pricing (including many from people who identify themselves as physicians, nurses and others working in healthcare), reflect universal nationwide determination to finally compel politicians to hear patients over the voices of industry lobbyists.

Imagine if you are in line in Macys and the three people in front of you are all charged $19 for a particular shirt; but the same cashier charges you $175 for the exact same item.

Everyone would recognize such conduct as outrageous,” says Weissman “It is only the health industry that is legally permitted to impose random, predatory pricing for essential, life or death services.”

Last summer the New York Department of Consumer Affairs made national headlines when it forced Whole Foods to admit the company short-weighted customers. Our government employs thousands to protect us from being bamboozled on an ounce of ham or fruit or gasoline and in other areas as well, yet we are abandoned when it comes to healthcare pricing.

Medical price gouging and fraud is so widespread that, to protect the U.S. treasury, a special Medicare Fraud Strike Force was created. Contrast Medicare enforcement with the plight of individual patients, who generally can’t even learn what the price is supposed to be. If you eat at a restaurant with no prices on the menu, how do you complain when charged 10X higher than you expected for a hamburger – after eating it?

Citizens have no effective remedy to defend themselves against the industry whose influence wrote the rules. This is unfair and unsustainable, as well as un-American, Weissman says.

Weissman is calling for each candidate to publicly pledge that he or she would begin reform by seeking to end predatory healthcare pricing. He says that health insurance costs are simply a function of underlying medical charges. “Unless health services are required to have real prices, just like all other goods and services sold in the U.S., there will continue to be no real price competition, patients will not be able to shop for good value; and, no magic, smoke, or mirrors will make a real dent in insurance rates.”

CONTACT:
Steven I. Weissman, Esq.
Email: W1152a@comcast.net
Tel. 954-704-9050

Already receiving accolades from legal experts in the United States and elsewhere for how it exposes illegal practices by Swiss banks, the investigative documentary, “Presumed Guilty,” has now been named an Award of Merit winner at the International Movie Awards.

The bold documentary, produced in the U.S., tells the story of banking corruption in Switzerland and the country’s efforts to prosecute prominent individuals in an effort to win international credibility.

The documentary, which will be screened for the first time at the film festival in Jakarta, Indonesia later this month, gets to the truth behind accusations against former coal mining executives convicted in 2013 of siphoning and laundering money through Swiss bank accounts, and examines a “witch hunt” by the Swiss authorities led to a prosecution of innocents littered with mistakes and prosecutorial negligence.

“I was transfixed,” says Joel A. Brodsky, a well-known and high profile Chicago criminal defense attorney. “It is an ugly truth of the legal system which regularly presumes defendants guilty instead of innocent.”

The movie, directed by American Jijo Reed, documents the case of a former IMF and World Bank Director, Jacques de Grooote, prominent former US officials, and five Czech businessmen and investors, who were involved in MUS, a large, formerly state-owned coal mining company in North Bohemia that was privatized in the 1990s.

(Watch ‘Presumed Guilty’ on YouTube)

The managers were accused, and subsequently convicted, in Switzerland, of negligence and laundering the company’s profits through illegal transactions that prosecutors say involved more than 100 Swiss bank accounts. The Swiss authorities have frozen hundreds of millions of dollars of the company’s assets, despite no proof that any crimes were ever committed on Swiss soil.

At the time, the verdict in Switzerland was seen as a damning indictment of both the ‘wild privatization’ of the 1990’s and also the Czech criminal justice system, which failed to prosecute the case successfully because repeated Czech investigations into the case produced no evidence of wrongdoing.

The International Movie Awards take place at Planet Hollywood Cinema XXI in Jakarta, Indonesia between March 25th –31st, 2016. The festival will also feature screenings, film-making workshops and special guest appearances by filmmakers, media and celebrities.

Notes to Editors
The documentary’s trailer can be viewed here: https://youtu.be/N71-D1HZQ9Y
Produced and directed by the production company, Sugar Studios LA, “Presumed Guilty” seeks to establish a new feature length category for investigative cinematic journalism.

For further information contact:
U.S.A.
Adam Farragut, The Publicity Agency
(813) 708-1220 x7778
adam@seligmultimedia.com

EUROPE
Jonathan Hawker, Slate Campaigns
+44 7979907000
jh@slatecampaigns.com

Booker D. Surfdog has done it again. The Bodacious bad girl of the surfdog world has hung up her retirement jacket, a PawsAboard life vest, ended her month long protest and is blasting out of the Ides of March for the Florida International Dog Surfing Championship.

“I know it’s a cliché about old dogs and new tricks, but like everything else she does, this senior champion surfdog is still teaching humans new tricks,” says Bookers rescued human, Pops. “It is going to be the END of two legged surfing supremacy on the East Coast.”

The 2016 Florida International Dog Surfing Championship, presented by Blue Buffalo, will take place March 25-27^th at Main Beach Park on Fernandina Beach.

Although she’s ended her protest, Booker D. hasn’t given up her No Kill Florida crusade.

“There are just too many animals being killed ‘for space’ in all parts of the state. It’s the older shelters with incinerators that we really have to look at,” says Pops. “In addition to that, animal cruelty has reached such epic proportions around the world, coupled with species extinctions, it’s a wonder that Booker and her crew want to surf at all.”

At a time when warm & fuzzy stories are few and far between, those lucky enough to attend the Easter weekend event will see warm & fuzzy cranked up to eleven with love for everyone’s best friend, and all animals, on full display throughout the action-packed, high energy weekend.

A celebration of all things Dog and fueled by No Kill Love, Booker D and her Sponsors, the City of Fernandina Beach, Days Inn- Amelia Island, Redbones Bakery & Boutique, La Mancha Restaurant, and Blue Buffalo Dog Food Co, the ultimate “Water Dog Sports Extravaganza” will rock the island of “eight flags” off of its sand dunes and leave everyone wondering if it will ever be the same.

Dock Dogs, the most intense professional dock diving outfit in the country, will also be on hand to splash the Jacksonville area 10 feet out of the water. Featuring the most “pawmazing” jumpers, leapers and swimmers competing for the highly contested top prize in the Dock diving world, the roster is highlighted by the BeanTown DockDogs from Boston, Team PMP, Team Camo and Team Kaos, all from Texas, as well as the best canine athletes from the Blue Ridge and Georgia.

Since, every dog has their day, including those that can’t leap 20 feet, the American IDogs lure chasing challenge will round out the event’s four-legged festivities.

There’s even events for the two-legged friends in the crowd, with a spiritual sunrise service welcome to all denominations on Easter Sunday by Pastor Willie Jenkins of Pahokee, Florida.

Following the service, spirits will soar even higher as the Days Inn, Seabreeze Lounge’s weeklong bluesfest moves into Main Beach Park and converts what’s left of the island into an old time Mississippi Delta juke joint featuring a cast of iconic bluesmen.

A one of a kind event featuring one of a kind athletes, celebrating everything Dog and fastened with unconditional love, the 2016 Florida International Dog Surfing Championship, presented by Blue Buffalo, is the place to be for all dog lovers in North Florida and South Georgia.

So bring Sparky and the leash to help Booker D. Surfdog spread the word and make Florida a No Kill state, while enjoying the event of a lifetime.

Stay tuned to 97.9 KISS FM and 107.3 JACK-FM for more information leading up to the event.

For more information on the 2016 Florida International Dog Surfing Championship presented by Blue Buffalo, or for media inquiries, please visit: http://www.FIDSC.com

To keep up with the Florida International Dog Surfing Championship on social media, follow #teamsurfdog, #bluedockdogs and #pawsaboard

MEDIA CONTACT:
Rod Crews
Phone:   321-693-0496
Website: http://fidsc.com/contact/
Email:    teamsurfdog@gmail.com

House Bill 1891, the latest so-called Paycheck Protection legislation in Missouri, has sailed through both the Missouri Senate and House with sweeping majorities, making it unlikely that there’s anything anyone can do to stop it from becoming law—even the governor.

Similar to the 2013 Paycheck Protection measure that was vetoed by Gov. Jay Nixon, the latest bill passed with such large majorities in both legislative bodies that it’s likely those pushing the measure have enough votes to override a potential veto.

“It’s a disappointing development but as we’ve learned time and time again, the fight is far from over,” says Richard Dalton, business manager for the International Union of Operating Engineers (IUOE) Local 18 in Ohio. “The only thing that’s certain is that regardless of whether the bill is struck down or not, Missouri unions will continue to stand up for workers in their state.”

Although the Paycheck Protection bill is deemed to be anti-union and anti-worker by labor supporters, the legislation is billed by backers as pro-worker because it offers workers options.

House Bill 1891 would “prohibit any sum from being withheld from the earning of a public employee… for dues, agency shop fees, or other fees… except upon annual written authorization from the employee.”

Which means that on an annual basis, unions must ask each worker to opt-in to paying union dues, a painstaking and costly process that siphons resources from lobbying or other efforts unions engage in to protect their members, as well as wages and benefits throughout the workplace.

In Missouri, union members are currently on an opt-out program, which allows them to leave at any time after a one-time sign up.

“The amount of extra paperwork and time will be a nightmare for Missouri unions,” says Dalton. “It should be a wakeup call to every union member in Ohio that these measures are an assault on unions and all the mechanisms in place to protect workers.”

Often called misleading names such as “Paycheck Protection” and “Workplace Freedom,” opponents of divisive efforts such as this remain dedicated to ensuring the voting public knows the truth about the GOPs controversial Right to Work agenda.

Right to Work laws prohibit making union dues a condition of employment and have been passed in 25 states. Opponents say such laws weaken workers’ rights and will lead to lower salaries, decreased benefits and inferior working conditions.

For more information on Right to Work in Ohio, visit: http://protectohiosmiddleclass.org/

The American Marketing Association (AMA) Tampa Bay has announced the finalists for the inaugural Marketer of the Year Awards. Featuring many of Tampa Bay’s most prestigious brands, agencies, and most importantly, the campaigns they create, the finalists are all vying for the chance to call themselves Marketer of the Year.

Category winners will be announced on Wednesday, March 23rd at the AMA Tampa Bay Marketer of the Year Awards Dinner, with one category winner taking home the top prize…the first-ever Grand Marketer of the Year Award!

Congratulations to the Marketer of the Year Finalists!

22squared, Inc.
BayCare
Bloomin’ Brands (Bonefish Grill)
Bluleadz
ChappellRoberts-Campaign: Florida Hospital Tampa
Dunn&Co.-Campaign: Tampa Bay Lightning
Entravision Communications Corp.-Campaign: Entravision Communications – Univision Tampa Bay
Grow Financial Federal Credit Union
Health Integrated
Helios
Mad Bear Productions-Campaign: DiscoverE
Metropolitan Ministries
Monin Inc.
Nationwide Title Clearing, Inc.
Odato Marketing Group-Campaign: NOBLE NEW GEN TANGERINES
Odato Marketing Group-Campaign: MMB Music
Raymond James
Raymond James Marketing
Roger West-Campaign: Phytel, an IBM Company
Roger West-Campaign: Wellcare Healthcare Plans, Inc.
Social Business Engine
TECO Peoples Gas
The Dali Museum
The Florida Orchestra
Visit Tampa Bay
WilsonHCG

“The Marketer of the Year submissions demonstrated stellar innovation that produced tangible results. Tampa Bay’s premier, results-based marketing award will honor the very best marketers from both brands and agencies. The Tampa Bay community is invited to join us for an elegant evening of celebrations, networking, jazz music, and great food – all overlooking the Tampa skyline at the newly-renovated Centre Club,” said Kristin Whitaker-Marketer of the Year Chair.

In addition to the awards, Publix Super Markets will be inducted into the inaugural AMA Tampa Bay Hall of Fame. This illustrious honor recognizes a venerable local brand that has distinguished themselves in the marketing community for their excellence. Publix has a long-standing history in the Tampa Bay community and has established itself as a well-known, loved brand that continues to be seen as a leader in marketing and community relations.

The AMA Tampa Bay Marketer of the Year Awards promises to be a “Who’s Who” of the Tampa Bay marketing elite and an opportunity to mingle with award-winning marketers. The ceremony and dinner will be held on Wednesday, March 23, 5:30-9:30 at the Centre Club. Ticket prices are $75 for members and $90 for non-members. Tables of 8 are available for $800 and include company signage. To reserve your seat or a table, go to amatampabay.org or contact Kristin Whitaker-Marketer of the Year Chair, kwhitaker@gswcf.org or (813)262-1778.

AMA Tampa Bay is a membership organization of marketing professionals with the mission to foster an interactive community dedicated to the future of marketing and innovation. AMA provides access to marketing resources, networking opportunities, career resources and monthly events with nationally recognized speakers discussing the latest trends, developments and hot topics in marketing.

It’s Tampa Bay’s showcase for cutting-edge technologies, digital innovation and entrepreneurial inspiration, and today, in Ybor City, the Gasparilla Interactive Conference begins.

“It is really amazing what is happening in Tampa especially in the area of tech and innovation,” says Glenn Selig, founder of the PR firm The Publicity Agency, which first signed on as a member of the Founder’s Club last year when it launched, and again this year. “We are thrilled to see it grow and thrive and we are proud to be a part of Gasparilla Interactive.”

The conference is being held in Historic Ybor City today and Friday, March 10th and 11th 2016 at the Hillsborough Community College’s Ybor City Campus, Mainstage Theatre and Performing Arts Building. The event features presentations and forums from some of the brightest minds in technology, interactive media, and disruptive entrepreneurialism.

There also will be networking events hosted by industry leaders.

The I-4 Corridor, the stretch of Florida that extends from Tampa to Orlando has become a hot spot for technology. Tampa, in particular, has become quite a hotbed for technology startups and entrepreneurism, including tech investors.

“This area is not just popular during political season,” says Selig from the PR firm. “I am an entrepreneur myself and as a company we are very involved with technology and startups. So being associated with the conference makes great sense for us. We congratulate and salute everyone involved with making it happen.”

About The Publicity Agency
The Publicity Agency (TPA) is a full-service, national PR firm with home corporate offices in Tampa, Florida.
The Publicity Agency is a leading strategic public relations firm founded in 2007 by power publicist Glenn Selig, a multiple award-winning former major city network news reporter/anchor.

CNN host/anchor Nancy Grace dubbed Glenn “The PR Guru.” Fox News Channel calls Glenn “one of the best in the PR business.” And ITV News network’s Good Morning Britain program named Glenn “one of America’s leading PR experts.” The Agency has also been called “one of the top PR firms in the U.S.” by the Tampa Tribune, and named a ‘Top 25 PR Firm’ by the Business Journal every year since 2010 The Agency represents businesses, newsmakers, entertainers, professionals seeking top-tier Agency representation and those with great stories to tell. Website: www.thepublicityagency.com.

About Gasparilla Interactive Festival
The Gasparilla Interactive Conference is a Florida non-profit organization that was founded by the past presidents of the American Advertising Federation and Ad 2 Tampa Bay chapters. Proceeds from the conference will be used to create an endowment for scholarships, educational programing and economic development. The conference is a community event and is made possible through the collaboration of Tampa Bay’s public, private, non-profit, and academic institutions. Website: www.gasparillainteractive.org; EPK: http://thepublicityagency.com/gasparilla-interactive-festival/

MEDIA CONTACTS
Adam Farragut
The Publicity Agency Office: (813) 708-1220 x7778
Mobile: (770) 881-3034
email: adam@seligmultimedia.com

If you’ve been hoping for a last minute deal to the Gasparilla Interactive Conference, you’re in luck. Through a sponsorship from Conscious Capitalism Florida Chapter a limited number of $50 registrations to the 2-day conference are now available. That means a significant savings.

(REGISTER NOW for the Gasparilla Interactive Conference for $50)

Central Florida’s social enterprise community will be center stage beginning Thursday morning for the Gasparilla Interactive Conference at HCC’s Ybor City Campus.

Thursday morning will feature a keynote by Phil Michaels, the founder and CEO of Tembo Education, a social enterprise based at the University of Tampa.

Following the keynote will be a panel discussion on social enterprise consisting of Michaels; Richard Berman, Visiting Social Entrepreneurship Professor at the University of South Florida MUMA College of Business; Debbie Fara, founder and CEO of Orlando based Bajalia Trading Company and Shawn Seipler, CEO of Clean the World, also based in Orlando.

The panel, “Going Beyond Greed: Global Implications of Social Enterprise” could not be more timely said Vinny Tafuro, panel moderator and Conscious Capitalism Florida Chapter founder and CEO. The public discussion around social enterprise and the ability of companies to be a force for good is growing.

“Nearly all of Central Florida’s colleges and universities have embraced social entrepreneurship with funded programs catering to millennials’ desire to evolve corporate purpose.” says Tafuro, adding that 2014’s passage of Benefit Corporation legislation illustrated that the state’s lawmakers also recognize the shift.

“The question of corporate purpose made the March cover of Inc Magazine, which suggests “Go Ahead, Be Evil” to capture readers attention to their interview with two notable entrepreneurs. Shark Tank’s Kevin O’Leary and Adam Lowry, co-founder of Method.

In it O’Leary sides with the opinions of economist Milton Friedman, that business should only focus on profits while Lowry argues that countless entrepreneurs are proving Friedman wrong.

Creative Loafing said the Gasparilla Interactive lineup has potential “for education, inspiration and alternative avenues of thought” and that the varied topics being addressed “just might lead to the next big thing in any number of contemporary fields.”

Tafuro is also the executive director of the Gasparilla Interactive Conference and the board’s of both organizations arranged for the partnership with Conscious Capitalism Florida to offer a $50 conference registration. Tafuro says “the limited offer will allow people to attend that might not have otherwise been able to attend” noting that it’s hard for locals to take two days off to attend a conference.

The conference will be held in Historic Ybor City on Thursday and Friday, March 10th and 11th 2016 at the Hillsborough Community College’s Ybor City Campus, Mainstage Theatre and Performing Arts Building.

On Snapchat and Twitter: @GasparillaIX  

Facebook: Gasparilla Interactive 

The Conference hashtag is #GasparillaIX.

News media: EPK for Gasparilla Interactive http://thepublicityagency.com/gasparilla-interactive-festival/

MEDIA CONTACTS
Glenn Selig
The Publicity Agency Office: (813) 708-1220 x7777
Mobile: (813) 300-5454
email: gselig@seligmultimedia.com

Adam Farragut
The Publicity Agency Office: (813) 708-1220 x7778
1220 x7778
Mobile: (770) 881-3034
email: adam@seligmultimedia.com

This week Savannah Peterson shared “Five Reasons I love Tampa Bay” in advance of her return trip to Tampa Bay for Gasparilla Interactive. Her number one reason? That “Tampa Bay is Tight” where she describes our community based entrepreneurial ecosystem as “small enough that everyone knows each other, and most importantly can help each other out through co-promotion, trades, referrals and resources.”

We couldn’t agree more and that’s why we want to take this opportunity to share with you the promotional backbone of next week’s Gasparilla Interactive Conference. Each of the Community Partners below supports our region’s entrepreneurial ecosystem and each has played an integral part in building Gasparilla Interactive.

Clicking on any link below will help us Tweet thank you… and provide you a Discount Code for $100 off registration.

• Startup Bus
• Tampa Bay Startup Week
• St Petersburg Greenhouse
• Tampa Bay WaVE
• SMART Start Pasco
• My Startup Tampa Bay
• World IA Day Tampa
• Florida Next Foundation
• Conscious Capitalism Florida

Creative Loafing said the Gasparilla Interactive lineup has potential “for education, inspiration and alternative avenues of thought” and that the varied topics being addressed “just might lead to the next big thing in any number of contemporary fields.”

The conference will be held in Historic Ybor City on Thursday and Friday, March 10th and 11th 2016 at the Hillsborough Community College’s Ybor City Campus, Mainstage Theatre and Performing Arts Building. Stay up to date on the latest news and updates for the 2016 Gasparilla Interactive Conference by following the conference on Snapchat and Twitter @GasparillaIX and via the Gasparilla Interactive Facebook Page. The Conference hashtag is #GasparillaIX.

The Florida Museum of Photographic Arts is pleased to announce that TEGNA Foundation and 10News WTSP have awarded FMoPA a $2,000 Community Action Grant for ongoing support.

“We are honored that TEGNA Foundation and 10News WTSP have recognized the cultural value of FMoPA to the Tampa Bay and Sarasota communities and graciously demonstrated their support of the museum,” says Zora Carrier, FMoPA’s Executive Director.

The TEGNA Foundation Community Action Grant Program provides support to nonprofit organizations in the communities served by TEGNA Inc. 10News WTSP (Channel 10, CBS) is a TEGNA company serving Tampa Bay and Sarasota. TEGNA Community Action Grant priorities include education and neighborhood improvement, economic development, youth development, community problem-solving, assistance to disadvantaged people, environmental conservation, and cultural enrichment.

The Florida Museum of Photographic Arts is one of fewer than ten museums in the United States dedicated exclusively to photography and one of two such museums in the state of Florida. FMoPA seeks to enrich the lives of the citizens of the Tampa Bay area by providing rare, specialized access to the wonders of photography not only as an aesthetic form but also as a multi-faceted historical and contemporary document of our world through exhibitions, education, outreach programs, and local collaborations.

About FMoPA: The Florida Museum of Photographic Arts is a museum dedicated to exhibiting important photographic art as central to contemporary life and culture. FMoPA collects, preserves, and exhibits historic and contemporary works by nationally and internationally known photographic artists. FMoPA also enriches the community by operating outreach programs for children and adults and by offering an extensive array of photography classes. For more information, visit www.FMoPA.org

Contact: Zora@fmopa.org

Florida Museum of Photographic Arts

400 North Ashley, Cube 200

Tampa, FL 33602 813.221.2222 | fmopa.org

Monday – Thursday: 11 a.m. – 6 p.m.

Friday: 11 a.m. – 7 p.m.

Saturday – Sunday: Noon – 5 p.m.

Docent tours every Sunday @ 2 p.m.

Please join us for the fundraising opening reception of The Physicians Photography Show at 6 p.m. on March 3, 2016. The reception will be followed by a 7 p.m. lecture by Fadi Matar, M.D. who has organized the show featuring his photography as well as the photography of fellow physicians William Carson, Shawn Meader, Raviender Bukkapatnam, Amerigo Gonzalvo, Roberto Medina, Koushik Reddy, and Irwin Browarsky.

Dr. Matar, Associate Professor of Medicine at USF Morsani College of Medicine and Director of the Cardiac Cath Lab at Tampa General Hospital, specializes in nature photography and describes his practice as an “enchanted journey with an eternal quest for the elusive perfect shot.” Other categories of works included in the show include landscape, waterscape, cityscape, travel, and architectural photography.

“There is a wealth of photographic talent in the Tampa Bay area, and it is not only associated with our professional artists,” says Zora Carrier, FMoPA’s Executive Director. “Dr. Fadi Matar has organized a wonderful show of works by his colleagues who, like Dr. Matar, are both highly accomplished physicians as well as photographers. We are delighted to share their work with the community.”

Admission to the opening reception is $25.00 for non-members (free for FMoPA members) and includes wine and appetizers. All proceeds benefit the opening night reception and lecture. Admission to the lecture is free to public with a suggested donation of $10. The exhibition runs through April 30, 2016 with support from the Tampa General Hospital Foundation and NorthStar Bank.

The Florida Museum of Photographic Arts is one of fewer than ten museums in the United States dedicated exclusively to photography and one of two such museums in the state of Florida. FMoPA seeks to enrich the lives of the citizens of the Tampa Bay area by providing rare, specialized access to the wonders of photography not only as an aesthetic form but also as a multi-faceted historical and contemporary document of our world through exhibitions, education, outreach programs, and local collaborations.

About FMoPA: The Florida Museum of Photographic Arts is a museum dedicated to exhibiting important photographic art as central to contemporary life and culture. FMoPA collects, preserves, and exhibits historic and contemporary works by nationally and internationally known photographic artists. FMoPA also enriches the community by operating outreach programs for children and adults and by offering an extensive array of photography classes. For more information, visit www.FMoPA.org

Contact: Zora@fmopa.org

Florida Museum of Photographic Arts

400 North Ashley, Cube 200

Tampa, FL 33602 813.221.2222 | fmopa.org

Monday – Thursday: 11 a.m. – 6 p.m.

Friday: 11 a.m. – 7 p.m.

Saturday – Sunday: Noon – 5 p.m.

Docent tours every Sunday @ 2 p.m.

Irvine, California-based Global Discovery Biosciences (GD Biosciences) announced the American College of Cardiology published a patient case study online at ACC.org as part of the Diabetes and Cardiometabolic Disease Clinical Topic Collection demonstrating the detection of sub-clinical coronary artery disease (CAD) in a 46 year old male.

Heart disease remains the leading cause of death and disability in the U.S. despite recent improvements in disease management. The PULS Cardiac Test has received significant attention within the medical community as an effective diagnostic tool that allows physicians to identify patients with subclinical, asymptomatic heart disease, who may otherwise be unaware they are at risk of experiencing an acute cardiac event.

Such was the case with a young, 46-year old veteran who, during a pre-retirement medical evaluation, only reported slight chest pain from a previous war injury. Although all of his conventional cardiac evaluation tests including a stress test were normal, his PULS Cardiac test indicated the patient’s risk of a heart attack was five times the expected for his age and gender group. A subsequent coronary computed tomography angiogram (CCTA) was performed and identified a non-obstructive left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD) lesion with a thin cap necrotic core (vulnerable plaque).

The patient was given pre-op cardiac medications and was scheduled for elective angioplasty. Unfortunately, the patient neglected to start his medications and had a heart attack prior to the angioplasty. Luckily, because he was aware of his condition, he was rapidly transported to the hospital where a rescue stent provided successful re-vascularization and an excellent recovery.

“This is the first case where I informed the patient that he would most likely have a heart attack if we do not intervene. The PULS Cardiac Test played an important role in improving patient care.” commented Dr. Eric Harrison,M.D., FACC.

The PULS Cardiac Test is a blood test that measures the 9 protein biomarkers of the body’s immune response to arterial injury leading to formation of cardiac lesions which can become unstable and might rupture causing a blood clot leading to a heart attack. Unstable lesion rupture is the most common cause of heart attacks (75%), not narrowing of the arteries as is commonly believed.

“The PULS Cardiac Test is unlike any other test because it was developed to detect the body’s immune system response to arterial or endothelial damage. ” said Douglas S. Harrington, M.D., CEO of GD Biosciences. “This allows physicians to better identify the cardiac disease stage and improve patient care.”

For more information and to request testing, visit www.pulstest.com.

About GD Biosciences

Global Discovery Biosciences (GD Biosciences) is a pioneer in the field of diagnostic medicine. The company works on the cutting edge of medical research, turns discoveries into innovative products and brings those products to the global marketplace.

The company works with advanced research teams to develop, manufacture and distribute innovative technology platforms to address the needs of the global disease burden. Its CLIA-certified and GMP laboratory performs a menu of clinically effective tests targeting key health issues. Our goal is to equip physicians with the tools they need to transform health care – one patient at a time.

About the PULS Cardiac Test

The PULS Cardiac Test is a simple blood test that uses breakthrough medical technology to identify individuals with active, yet undetected subclinical Coronary Heart Disease (CHD), who are at risk of experiencing a Heart Attack, and for whom early intervention can help. The test uses 9 clinically-significant protein biomarkers to measure the body’s immune system response to arterial injury leading to the formation of unstable cardiac lesions – the cause of 75% of all Heart Attacks.

Check out our recent news coverage:

Fox News Special Report – Technology Helps Predict Heart Attacks

Travel Pulse – Could Blood Test Warn Pilots of Heart Attack Risk?

Times Colonist – Blood test can assess Heart Attack risk, conference told

Saskatoon Star Phoenix – New test for Heart Attack risk

The Province – Blood test can assess Heart Attack risk, Vancouver conference hears

MEDIA CONTACT:
Adam Farragut
PR Firm: The Publicity Agency
Email: Adam@Seligmultimedia.com
Phone: 813-708-1220 x7778
Website: www.thepublicityagency.com

“Our gala is an opportunity to recognize philanthropic figures that have shared time, talent, and treasure to the benefit of our Girls Inc girls. Mrs. Kathryn Schoen and Dr. Meg Delgado have both earned our “Champions Spotlight” award and we will applaud their generous efforts at the Girls Inc Gala on March 4^th, said Kristina Fortner, Executive Director of Girls Inc of Pinellas.

Kathryn Schoen has been a member of the St Petersburg community since the mid-90’s and has been involved with Girls Inc for many years, as a volunteer, advocate, donor and financial sponsor of their scholarship programs. Above and beyond the financial support given to Girls Inc annually, Kathryn has led her family foundation to fund $30,000 towards the purchase of new vehicles. “Reliable transportation in out-of-school time programs is a high priority for the safety of our participants and to reach more girls with impact, and it is a current focus of our Strategic Plan”, explained Fortner.

Dr Meg Delgado is the academic chair in the College of Education at St Petersburg College. “Meg works hands-on with our girls to bring a variety of programs to our center, like the Science of Drumming, when she and 25 of her students along with staff of Giving Tree Music provided lessons to 60 of our girls. Last summer she and her students brought in all of the materials to teach the girls about shark dissection,” described Fortner. “Her contributions to our academic programs are invaluable!”

The event, presented by HSN Cares, will take place at The Club at Treasurer Island on Friday, March 4^th from 7:00 – 10:30 pm. The Club at Treasure Island is located at 400 Treasure Island Causeway, Treasure Island, FL 33706. Tickets are $100 and are available online at www.girlsinc-pinellas.org or by calling 727-544-6230 ext 112.

Girls Inc of Pinellas provides the “Girls Inc Experience” through mentoring relationships, intentional programming, research-based curricula, interactive activities, and sustained exposure in a girls-only environment. The organization targets both short-term and long-term outcome goals in three focus areas: healthy living, academic enrichment and support, and life skills instruction.

For tickets and more information go to www.girlsinc-pinellas.org or call 727-544-6230.

Inspiring ALL Girls to be Strong, Smart and Bold!

###

Contact:
Kathie Michael, Community Development Coordinator
Phone: 727-544-6230 ext 112
E-mail: kmichael@girlsinc-pinellas.org
Website: www.girlsinc-pinellas.org

Pennsylvania-based not for profit Canine Partners for Life (CPL) asked a Chester County judge to force a Florida county commissioner to remove “defamatory and harmful statements” from the Internet and prevent her from speaking publicly about a cross-state custody battle over a 10 year old service dog named Livy, according to documents filed in Chester County.

The maneuver is the latest legal action in a bitter battle for custody of the service dog that has put the charity at loggerheads with Hernando County Commissioner Diane Rowden.

“Ms. Rowden’s false, defamatory and harmful statements continue to linger across the Internet, repeatedly injuring Canine Partners in perpetuity,” according to the filing.  “Further, based upon Ms. Rowden’s past actions, she will continue to publicly disparage Canine Partners – attempting to prejudice these proceedings and affect the outcome in her favor.”

Canine Partners asked the Court to impose a temporary preliminary injunction against Ms. Rowden; that the injunction immediately direct Rowden to remove, or otherwise deactivate, two Websites under her exclusive control – her Internet site “Help Us Save Livy” and her Facebook page “Save Livy” – pending final determination in this case.

CPL is asking that the injunction prohibit Rowden from attempting to prejudice legal proceedings by discussing – or otherwise communicating – any matters related to the litigation with the news media, or through social media or other public outlets.

Last month the charity sued Rowden for launching a “campaign of disparagement.”

Lawyers have been involved in this cross-state dog custody battle case for some time. The charity was told by one of the lawyers who had represented Rowden that Rowden agreed to return Livy. Instead, the two-term Hernando County Commissioner, who recently announced that she’s again running for re-election, initiated a smear campaign, according to the lawsuit.

ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTS: http://thepublicityagency.com/canine-partners-for-life-cpl/

MEDIA CONTACTS
Glenn Selig
The Publicity Agency
Office: (813) 708-1220 x7777
Mobile: (813) 300-5454
email: gselig@seligmultimedia.com

Adam Farragut
The Publicity Agency
Office: (813) 708-1220 x7778
Mobile: (770) 881-3034
email: adam@seligmultimedia.com

HEARING FOR DALIA DIPPOLITO CASE

DATE:         Tuesday, February 23, 2016

TIME:           1:30 pm

WHERE:

Palm Beach County Courthouse

205 N. Dixie Highway, W. Palm Beach, FL

Courtroom 11-F

Honorable Glenn D. Kelley

 

DEFENSE TEAM PRESS CONFERENCE

TIME:           Following court

WHERE:     Outside Palm Beach County Courthouse, near steps in front of courthouse

WHO:           Counsel for Dalia Dippolito: Brian Claypool, Greg Rosenfeld

Dalia Dippolito

**Media should make necessary arrangements for microphone stand and other gear.

MORE INFORMATION

Dalia Dippolito as well as the Boynton Beach Police Chief will testify as part of Ms. Dippolito’s Motion to Dismiss hearing. This will look like a mini trial.

On January 19, 2016, counsel for Ms. Dippolito cross-examined the undercover informant involved in the Boynton Beach Police Department’s sting operation. This crucial witness never testified live during Ms. Dippolito’s first trial.

News conference will be held in front of the Palm Beach County Courthouse, near the front courthouse steps, to discuss the motion to dismiss all charges.

**For media requests, please use the contacts below.

**For more on Dalia Dippolito and the case: http://thepublicityagency.com/dalia-dippolito/

**Download High Res photo: Dalia Dippolito at Palm Beach County Courthouse

MEDIA CONTACTS

For defense attorney Brian Claypool: (626) 664-9489; or publicist Wendy Guarisco (404) 354-6468

For Dalia Dippolito: Glenn Selig, The Publicity Agency, (813) 708-1220 x7777, mobile (813) 300-5454, email glenn@thepublicityagency.com; or Adam Farragut, The Publicity Agency, (813) 708-1220 x7778, mobile (770) 881-3034; email adam@seligmultimedia.com

 

With spring around the corner, Opus Virtual Offices, leader in the alternative workspace industry with more than 650 locations in all 50 U.S. states and Canada, has announced a limited-time Spring promotion. Opus will waive its usual $100 setup fee when new customers enter the promo code SPRING16 at checkout. Opus has helped thousands of small business owners cut their overhead and boost efficiency with the services of a virtual office. For only $99 per month, all-inclusive, Opus customers receive a live professional receptionist answering and forwarding calls during business hours; a prestigious corporate mailing address; local business phone and fax numbers as well as voicemail to email and fax to email forwarding.

“No fine print, no hidden fees. Opus makes it easy to create the impression of a large corporate organization, for only $99,” said Opus Virtual Offices COO Dave Zimet. “With our professional live receptionist answering every client phone call coming into the office, many small business owners can free up their time and energy for other things. Feeling spring fever? Let Opus Virtual Offices answer the phones while you take the rest of the day off! Enter the promo code SPRING16 to have our regular setup fees waived.”

There are more home-based businesses in the U.S. than ever before, and Opus makes it easy to maintain the owner’s privacy at home with a dedicated business mailing address while also projecting a high level of professionalism. Even though laptops and cell phones have made conducting business remotely very simple, image still matters. Anyone calling an Opus customer during business hours will be greeted with a cheerful voice at the other end of the phone who can transfer calls to up to four different numbers. If an on-site meeting is required, many Opus Virtual Office locations feature state of the art conference rooms available for a simple hourly rental rate, and hardcopy mail forwarding services are also available.

Further information is available at www.opusvirtualoffices.com

Media Contact
Vadim Zimet
Phone: (561) 988-6900
Email: Vadim@opusvo.com

The investigative documentary, “Presumed Guilty,” that tells the story of banking corruption in Switzerland and the country’s efforts to win back international credibility following international criticism, has been shortlisted at the International Movie Awards.

The documentary investigates the truth behind accusations against former coal mining executives convicted in 2013 of siphoning and laundering money through Swiss bank accounts, and examines a “witch hunt” by the Swiss authorities led to a prosecution of innocents littered with mistakes and prosecutorial negligence.

The movie, directed by American Jijo Reed, documents the case of a former IMF and World Bank Director, prominent former US officials, and five Czech businessmen and investors, who were involved in MUS, a large, formerly state-owned coal mining company in North Bohemia that was privatized in the 1990s.

The managers were accused, and subsequently convicted in Switzerland, of negligence and laundering the company’s profits through illegal transactions that prosecutors say involved more than 100 Swiss bank accounts. The Swiss authorities have frozen hundreds of millions of dollars of the company’s assets, despite no proof that any crimes were ever committed on Swiss soil.

At the time, the verdict in Switzerland was seen as a damning indictment of both the ‘wild privatization’ of the 1990’s and also the Czech criminal justice system, which failed to prosecute the case successfully because repeated Czech investigations into the case produced no evidence of wrongdoing.

“This is a case that most people around the world never heard about because of where it happened—until now,” says Jijo Reed, the film’s Los Angeles-based director. “When you see the film, you will share the horror of what it is like to be presumed guilty when you know with 100% certainty you did nothing wrong. For the men dragged through the Swiss courts, whose reputations have been trashed and legitimate assets frozen, it is clear that they faced a skewed fight for justice in a country where the government is out to get you no matter what, that evidence can be overlooked, and that you are a pawn in a country’s fight to prove it is cleaning up its historic misdeeds.”

The documentary is in consideration for Best Documentary Feature category at the International Movie Awards, which will be announced at Planet Hollywood Cinema XXI in Jakarta, Indonesia between March 25th – 31st, 2016. The festival will also feature screenings, film-making workshops and special guest appearances by filmmakers, media and celebrities.

Notes to Editors

The documentary’s trailer can be viewed here: https://youtu.be/N71-D1HZQ9Y

Produced and directed by the production company, Sugar Studios LA, Presumed Guilty seeks to establish a new feature length category for investigative cinematic journalism.

For further information contact:

U.S.A.
Adam Farragut, The Publicity Agency
(813) 708-1220 x7778
adam@seligmultimedia.com

EUROPE
Jonathan Hawker, Slate Campaigns
+44 7979907000
jh@slatecampaigns.com

In a bold attempt to drastically reduce the risk of terror on American soil, ultra-Conservative and top Washington lobbyist Jack Burkman today began prepping legislation on Capitol Hill that would require every county and parish in the U.S. to register Muslims living in their area. On his syndicated talk radio show, which is also simulcast on Newsmax TV, he challenged the GOP presidential candidates to support it.

The bill, still in draft form and called THE AMERICAN SECURITY ACT OF 2016, would not only mandate that local governments maintain a database of those in their area who are Muslim or practice Islam, but would also require them to post the names and addresses on a publicly accessible website, similar to a sexual offender registry.

“It is sad that such measures have become necessary, but we must put the safety of our country ahead of political correctness,” said Burkman. “The time has come to do what most of us know is sensible. How many of our children must die for the sake of political correctness?”

Expecting backlash from the left, Burkman also hit back against the hypocritical nature of his critics.

“Those liberals who would oppose our initiative would do well to remember that American women cannot even enter most Muslim nations without shrouding their faces,” added Burkman. “How can one support the rights of women and oppose our bill?”

In addition to walking the halls of Congress to push the bill, Burkman says he is reaching out to each of the GOP presidential candidates, challenging them to support the bill if elected president.

“The time has come for candidates like Trump and Cruz to stop talking and start acting,” said Burkman. “By endorsing this bill, they will be putting their money where their mouths are.”

No stranger to controversy, in 2014 Burkman drafted a bill that would ban gay players from the NFL.

In addition to being named the top lobbyist by The Hill, Burkman also hosts a weekly syndicated radio show that is now simulcast on Newsmax TV on Saturdays.

Newsmax TV is a conservative news outlet available to 40 million U.S. homes via cable and satellite services, such as Verizon FiOS, DISH, DIRECTV, in addition to smartphones. In fact, more than 100 million Americans can turn into Newsmax TV via free online mobile and tablet apps.

DOWNLOAD: THE AMERICAN SECURITY ACT OF 2016

About Jack Burkman: Jack Burkman is CEO of Burkman LLC, DC’s top-rated lobbying firm. With 25 years’ experience in the bowels of Washington, Burkman maintains an impressive intelligence network made up of insiders in the highest corridors of power. Burkman hosts a nationally syndicated radio show which also airs on Newsmax TV. For more on Jack Burkman, please visit http://goo.gl/uBoKdJ.

MEDIA CONTACT:
Adam Farragut
PR firm: The Publicity Agency
Phone: (813) 708-1220 x7778
Email: adam@seligmultimedia.com

Tickets are now on sale for Girls Inc of Pinellas Fire and Ice Gala. This year marks the organizations 55^th anniversary and plans are well underway to create “a night like no other” to celebrate this milestone. Tickets are available online at www.girlsinc-pinellas.org or by calling 727-544-6230 ext 112.

The event, presented by HSN Cares, will take place in a few weeks at The Club at Treasurer Island on Friday, March 4^th from 7:00 – 10:30 pm. The Club at Treasure Island is located at 400 Treasure Island Causeway, Treasure Island, FL 33706. Tickets are $100.

The gala will include an elegant dinner created by Executive Chef Paul Liptak, silent and live auctions, dancing and more! Two women who have given time, talent and treasure to the organization will be honored through Girls Inc Champions Spotlight. The names of the recipients will be released soon.

Girls Inc of Pinellas continually strives to grow and serve more girls and families with impact in the community. The organization aspires towards outcome goals through comprehensive and structured programming and by providing unique opportunities for participants over time. As an affiliate of a national organization, Girls Inc of Pinellas provides the “Girls Inc Experience” through mentoring relationships, intentional programming, research-based curricula, interactive activities, and sustained exposure in a girls-only environment. The organization targets both short-term and long-term outcome goals in three focus areas: healthy living, academic enrichment and support, and life skills instruction.

One of Girls Inc’s biggest needs right now is transportation including purchase of new vehicles, maintenance, insurance and inspections. A 30-passenger minibus and 12-passenger van will be used to provide safe transportation from 24 Pinellas County schools to Girls Inc of Pinellas for students in the after-school youth development program. The minibus and van will also be utilized for off campus field trips during school year, spring break, and summer camps. Proceeds from the Fire & Ice Gala will be used to support these transportation expenses, allowing more girls to participate in our program.

For tickets and more information go to www.girlsinc-pinellas.org or call 727-544-6230.

Inspiring ALL Girls to be Strong, Smart and Bold!

Media Contact:
Kathie Michael, Community Development Coordinator
Phone: 727-544-6230 ext 112
E-mail: kmichael@girlsinc-pinellas.org
Website: www.girlsinc-pinellas.org

Labor supporters in Kentucky started February off with a significant victory in their longstanding battle against Right to Work.

Last week, U.S. District Court Judge David Hale overturned Hardin County’s Right to Work laws, ruling that county governments couldn’t enact the rules on a local level.

It’s a development that has invigorated union leaders.

“Even though this was the outcome the community was expecting, it still feels great to get the win,” says Richard Dalton, business manager for the International Union of Operating Engineers (IUOE) Local 18 which represents all of Ohio and several counties in Kentucky. “It’s important for labor supporters everywhere to keep up the pressure so Right to Work advocates can’t gain back any of the ground they’ve lost.”

Stemming from a suit filed by a collection of nine Kentucky unions last January, the ruling officially ends a controversial tactic that could have led to Right to Work passing on a county-by-county basis. Citing the National Labor Relations Act, the unions argued that federal law only allowed for that type of legislation to pass at the state or territorial level.

In December of 2014, Warren County, home to the sizeable General Motors factory that builds Chevrolet Corvettes, became the first Right to Work county in Kentucky, passing the local ordinance 5-1. Following the decision, several other counties attempted to pass similar measures.

Still, despite the hard fought victory, union leaders in Kentucky and neighboring Ohio aren’t resting on their laurels.

“If there’s one thing I’ve learned throughout all of this, it’s that there’s always another fight just around the corner,” said Dalton. “Luckily, we have a great community that will keep battling Right to Work and will keep looking out for our middle class for as long as it takes.”

Right to Work laws prohibit making union dues a condition of employment and have been passed in 25 states. Opponents say such laws weaken workers’ rights and will lead to lower salaries, decreased benefits and inferior working conditions.

Often called misleading names such as “Paycheck Protection” and “Workplace Freedom,” opponents of the divisive efforts remain dedicated to ensuring the voting public knows the truth about the GOPs controversial agenda.

For more information on Right to Work in Ohio, visit: http://protectohiosmiddleclass.org/

The State of Delaware is well-known as a “low tax domicile” – aka, a legal tax haven – which is literally home to more corporations than people. In fact, over half the companies in the United States are legally registered in Delaware which helps them to substantially reduce their tax bill. For a long time, small businesses have been at a disadvantage but now many of them have come to realize the power of using the prestigious Opus Virtual Office location in Wilmington, Delaware to instantly cut thousands from their annual tax bill.

By signing up with an Opus Virtual Office for one monthly fee of $99, small businesses will get the advantage of having a complete Delaware presence. And regardless of where the owner is actually operating and living, his or her Delaware virtual office will be fully functional as Opus provides a live professional receptionist to answer calls and which will they will forward to client wherever they are. Making the remote operation even further, Opus offers a free mail scanning service so businesses can receive their snail mail via email for added convenience if they reside out of state or even out of the country. And should a physical meeting in Wilmington be necessary, Opus offers high-tech conference rooms for a simple hourly rental rate.

“With an Opus Virtual Office address based in Wilmington, every small business can operate like a multi-million dollar corporation,” said Opus Virtual Offices CEO Yori Galel. “For only $99 per month, and no hidden fees, a small company can not only cut thousands from their taxes but they can function seamlessly and even more efficiently and professionally than before with a live company receptionist during business hours and state-of-the-art mail scanning services.”

Opus Virtual Offices operates more than 650 locations in all 50 U.S. states and Canada. With an Opus virtual office, every element is in place to establish an impressive corporate identity, regardless of the organization’s true size or geographic location. Opus Virtual Offices has become the fastest growing company in the alternative workspace industry thanks to its simple, all-inclusive $99 per month pricing.

Further information is available at www.opusvirtualoffices.com

Media Contact
Vadim Zimet
Phone: (561) 988-6900
Email: Vadim@opusvo.com

Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/07/02/delaware-tax-haven_n_1644006.html

Attorneys for Dalia Dippolito struck back this morning, filing a legal brief citing specific reasons why the cases cited by prosecutors in its opposing legal brief don’t apply.

DOWNLOAD: DIPPOLITO BRIEF

STATEMENT FROM BRIAN CLAYPOOL, ATTORNEY FOR DALIA DIPPOLITO “The Palm Beach County State Attorney shot blanks, relying heavily on cases involving the NBC show “To Catch a Predator” even though these cases are not factually similar to Dalia Dippolito’s.

Unlike in the “To Catch a Predator” cases where suspected child predators voluntarily entered chat rooms to lure minors into sexual encounters, Dalia Dippolito did not initiate contact with law enforcement. Rather, Boynton Beach P.D. had to threaten an undercover informant to coerce him to lure Dippolito into the alleged murder for hire plot.

Moreover, in the cases cited by the State Attorney, the primary reason the Court didn’t throw out the charges was because ALL phone calls were recorded. In Dippolito, over 500 phone calls were NOT recorded and a key recording between the informant and Dippolito at a Chili’s restaurant was destroyed by Boynton Beach P.D.”

DOWNLOAD: DIPPOLITO BRIEF

MORE INFORMATION

On Tuesday, Feb. 23 at 1:30pm at the Palm Beach County Courthouse, live testimony in the Motion to Dismiss Charges Based on Entrapment continues. Testimony will last several hours. Ms. Dippolito is expected to testify for the first time.

The Dippolito camp remains optimistic that the expected testimony on Feb. 23 will solidify its position that all charges should be thrown out.

**For media requests, please use the contacts below.

MEDIA CONTACTS

For defense attorney Brian Claypool: (626) 664-9489 or publicist Wendy Guarisco (404) 354-6468

For defense attorney Mark Eiglarsh: (305) 674-0003

For Dalia Dippolito: Glenn Selig, The Publicity Agency, (813) 708-1220 x7777, mobile (813) 300-5454, email glenn@thepublicityagency.com; or Adam Farragut, The Publicity Agency, (813) 708-1220 x7778, mobile (770) 881-3034; email adam@seligmultimedia.com.

Hillel Academy’s premier fundraising event, Gift of Gold, is Sat., Feb. 27, 2016, at 7:30 p.m. (A VIP reception will be at 7 p.m.) For the first time the event is being held at the Ritz Ybor located at 1503 East Seventh Ave., Tampa, FL 33605. The event’s theme is the Roaring Twenties. It features a silent auction, musical entertainment and delicious food.

The 2016 Hillel Academy honorees will be Rabbi Richard Birnholz and Nat and Debbie Doliner. Event Co-chairs are Carolyn Fink and Bonnie Amsterdam-Miele.

Cost to attend the event is $75 per person. Tickets and sponsorship opportunities for Gift of Gold are available. Sponsorship levels range from $10,000 to $250.

The yearly event is the core component of the community day school’s annual fundraising campaign. Like many private schools, tuition at Hillel Academy covers approximately 80% of the school’s operating costs. Donations and fundraising make up the remaining 20%. Proceeds from Gift of Gold provide tuition assistance, teacher education and campus improvements.

For further information, call Hillel Academy, (813) 963 – 2242, or email giftofgold@hillelacademytampa.com.

Hillel Academy Mission Statement

Hillel Academy’s mission is to provide a superior education that encourages a love of learning and a strong Jewish identity. To that end, Hillel students are encouraged to attain the highest possible level of personal achievement.

***

Hillel Academy offers morning bus service from South Tampa and North Pinellas/Hillsborough counties with bus stops in Palm Harbor, Oldsmar and Westchase.

Hillel Academy is accredited by the Florida Council of Independent Schools (FCIS) and the Florida Kindergarten Council (FKC) and is a member of the Jewish Community Day School Network and the National Association of Independent Schools. The school is recognized by the U.S. Dept. of Education as a Blue Ribbon School.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Jody Sherman
jsherman@hillelacademytampa.com
Cell: (727) 421-7733

Local STEM Education and Training non-profit organization Computer Mentors is partnering with Girls Inc of Pinellas and ITWomen to provide girls with exposure to coding and robotics programming through Computer Mentors’ KidsCode program. The KidsCode Program teaches kids ages 10-13 basic coding/logic skills and Lego Robotics programming, opening them up to exploring the possibility of future STEM careers. Students learn the logic behind coding, create projects using MIT’s Scratch platform, and learn to build and program Lego EV3 Mindstorm robots.

Classes will be five 90-minute sessions during the week of spring break (March 21-25, 2016), from 10:00 a.m. until 11:30 a.m. at Girls Inc of Pinellas County (7686 61^st Street Pinellas Park, FL 33781).

Computer Mentors was formed nearly 19 years ago to provide those without sufficient means access to technology, so they would not miss out on opportunities typically afforded to those with access to technology. Computer Mentors offers KidsCode for 4^th-8^th graders, and STEM Corps for 9^th-12^th graders. CM’s primary focus remains with youth and children; however, over the years, the organization has expanded into 4 programs serving Middle School, High School, Juvenile Offenders, and Young Entrepreneurs. Computer Mentors gives its students the tools and helps cultivate the talent needed to become savvy, self-starting achievers in a tech-centric world. For more information, please visit http://www.computermentors.org

The mission of Girls Inc of Pinellas is to inspire all girls to be Strong, Smart and Bold. Our organization aspires towards outcome goals through comprehensive and structured programming and by providing unique opportunities for participants over time. As an affiliate of a national organization, Girls Inc of Pinellas provides the “Girls Inc Experience” through mentoring relationships, intentional programming, research-based curricula, interactive activities and sustained exposure in a girls-only environment. Girls Inc of Pinellas targets both short-term and long-term outcome goals in three focused areas: healthy living, academic enrichment and support, and life skills instruction. For more information please visit thhp://www.girlsinc-pinellas.org

ITWomen, which was founded in 2002 and is based in South Florida, proudly announces our expansion into the Tampa Bay area. The mission of ITWomen is to increase the number of girls and women in the fields of technology and engineering and to provide professional development, student education and scholarships through a supportive network. ITWomen is a not-for-profit organization that is working to close the gender gap in technology and engineering. As part of the ITWomen community outreach, the organization has also established the nonprofit ITWomen Charitable Foundation. The ITWomen Charitable Foundation’s college scholarship program supports the mission of ITWomen to increase the number of women earning information technology and engineering degrees. For information on the local Tampa Bay Community, please contact us at tampabay@itwomen.org

Computer Mentors Group, Inc.
Contact: Ralph Smith, Executive Director
Tel: (813) 417-6132 Fax: (813) 241-4242
Email: RSmith@computermentors.org
Website: http://www.computermentors.org

With the temperature in Florida frequently bouncing from cold to comfortable, many are experiencing dry, irritated skin that’s associated with winter weather. Fortunately for Floridians, Tampa dermatologist Dr. Seth Forman offers a few ways to keep their skin in great condition.

“One of the biggest contributors to dry skin during the colder seasons is a hot shower,” says Dr. Forman. “I recommend patients use lukewarm water rather than extremely hot water when in the shower or washing their hands. Scalding hot water can strip the skin of its moisture, leaving cracked and dry skin behind.”

And another surprising mistake that’s all too common… excessive handwashing.

With the flu and colds floating around, excessive hand washing becomes even more common, which ultimately causes hands to dry out. That’s why it’s important to regularly use a non-alcohol based lotion to prevent dryness and cracking while keeping hands soft.

Finally, Dr. Forman also encourages routine sunscreen use, despite the cooler temperatures and overcast days of winter. Because sun damage can still occur during overcast days, it’s important to lather on the sunscreen when spending time outdoors and to use a moisturizer with SPF in it.

“The key to looking and feeling younger and having less problems during the changing seasons has always been to stay hydrated and take extra care of your skin regardless of the weather,” says the Tampa dermatologist.

Dr. Forman is the founder of Forman Dermatology and Skin institute, located in Tampa, Fla. and has appeared on TV shows across the country, including the nationally syndicated show “The Doctors,” to provide sun-protection tips and to demonstrate his breakthrough skin cancer treatments.

For more on Dr. Seth Forman, Tampa dermatology or Forman Dermatology and Skin Cancer Institute, please visit www.FormanDerm.com.

About Dr. Seth Forman: Dr. Forman is a board-certified dermatologist practicing in Tampa, Florida. He was voted the “Best Dermatologist in Carrollwood” the past three years by the Carrollwood News and Tribune. In December 2011, he opened his new Tampa dermatology office, Forman Dermatology and Skin Cancer Institute, where he gives psoriasis sufferers access to the latest treatment options, including topical and oral medications, as well as biological and phototherapy. Dr. Forman is one of the few Tampa dermatologists to offer narrowband light therapy, which uses pharmaceutical grade light to suppress psoriasis. He’s also one of the few board-certified dermatologists in the U.S. to use the SRT-100 radiotherapy to treat basal cell carcinoma, the most common form of skin cancer.

MEDIA CONTACT
Adam Farragut
PR Firm: The Publicity Agency
Email:  Adam@Seligmultimedia.com
Phone: (813) 708-1220 x 7778
Website: www.thepublicityagency.com

According to new data from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), from 2000 to 2014 nearly half a million Americans died from drug overdoses. Opioid overdose deaths, including both opioid pain relievers and heroin, hit record levels in 2014, with an alarming 14 percent increase in just one year.

“We see it in our practice on a regular basis: addiction to pain killing drugs that can lead to overdoses and deaths,” says Clearwater psychiatrist, Dinar Sajan, MD, from Health and Psychiatry.

The most commonly prescribed opioid pain relievers, those classified as natural or semi-synthetic opioids such as oxycodone and hydrocodone, continue to be involved in more overdose deaths than any other opioid type. These deaths increased by 9 percent (813 more deaths in 2014 than 2013).

Increases in prescription opioid pain reliever and heroin deaths are the biggest driver of the drug overdose epidemic, experts say. Deaths from heroin increased in 2014, continuing a sharp rise that has seen heroin overdoses triple since 2010. Deaths involving illicitly made fentanyl, a potent opioid often added to or sold as heroin, also are on the upswing.

“The increasing number of deaths from opioid overdose is alarming,” said CDC Director Tom Frieden, M.D., M.P.H. “The opioid epidemic is devastating American families and communities. To curb these trends and save lives, we must help prevent addiction and provide support and treatment to those who suffer from opioid use disorders. This report also shows how important it is that law enforcement intensify efforts to reduce the availability of heroin, illegal fentanyl, and other illegal opioids.”

Drug overdose deaths are up in both men and women, in non-Hispanic whites and blacks, and in adults of nearly all ages. Rates of drug overdose deaths were highest among five states: West Virginia, New Mexico, New Hampshire, Kentucky, and Ohio. A map of drug overdose deaths by state (2013 and 2014) is available at http://www.cdc.gov/drugoverdose/data/statedeaths.html.

ONLINE RESOURCES:

Health and Psychiatry

Already one of the event’s biggest draws, commercials during the big game have risen to be nearly as “must watch” as the game itself. For Tampa marketing professionals, the real competition this year isn’t what’s taking place on the field… it’s what’s taking place on the airwaves.

At their 2^nd Annual Big Game Ad Watching Party, AMA Tampa Bay brought the marketing community together to critique some of the year’s most popular ads ahead of time to give viewers a heads-up on what to watch for in between the action.

As it turns out, Heinz’s “Wiener Stampede” led the pack and was ultimately dubbed this year’s champ. Along with 15 other advertisements, the Heinz commercial competed in a bracket style, head-to-head challenge against the heavyweights of this year’s advertisements.

Beating out Hyundai’s popular “Ryanville” commercial featuring actor Ryan Reynolds, “Wiener Stampede” features dozens of dachshunds dressed as hotdogs running towards a collection of ketchup and mustard dressed actors… all while Air Supply’s “Without You” plays in the background.

“Heinz taps into the universal love of dogs by connecting it to the relevance of their brand,” said Bernie Borges, AMA Tampa Bay’s VP of Communications.

Click to watch “Wiener Stampede” on YouTube: http://youtu.be/aNN9nL2vppM

Hosted by Scott Sheinberg, executive vice president of 22squared, the 2^nd Annual Big Game Ad Watching Party brought Tampa’s marketing professionals to The Dugout Club at Steinbrenner Field for an engaging and educational luncheon.

During the event, Sheinberg, who has worked on advertising campaigns for the Big Game with Publix, shared stories from his experiences and provided insightful tips on how brands of all sizes can benefit from the game’s reach.

For more information on the event or AMA Tampa Bay, please visit http://www.amatampabay.org/

About AMA Tampa Bay: AMA Tampa Bay gives marketers unparalleled access to marketing resources and networking. Members benefit from hearing nationally-recognized speakers and get the opportunity to discuss “hot topics” in marketing. Volunteer contributions to the Chapter enable them to showcase their talents and connect with others in the field. Members have access to career resources focused on their needs and skills.

With so much at stake, the stress of appearing on live TV and before successful celebrity funders, is sometimes too much to handle.

Standing in front of Mark Cuban, Barbara Corcoron, Lori Greiner, Robert Herjavec, Daymond Jon and Kevin O’Leary can be quite stressful and overwhelming. After all, who wants to get eaten alive by up to four sharks at a time as about seven million viewers watch?

“I could not imagine going on that show,” says Steve Edwards, an entrepreneur from Pinellas County, Fla. who used his own money to start his fledgling online based business. “I’d be scared you-know-what to be on that show. I give those entrepreneurs lots of credit, whether they were successful or not. It sure is fun to watch but I’d hate to be the contestant.”

The pitching on “Shark Tank” is often must-see TV because it involves crying. Sometimes it’s happy tears. Sometimes sad ones. It’s not just the product. There’s also so much riding on the success or failure of the performance and that it can be overwhelming.

Over the summer, a “Shark Tank” entrepreneur contestant fainted after he pitched his product to the sharks. The segment will never air.

“The stress is really a concern to me,” says Pinellas psychiatrist Dinar Sajan, MD, from Health & Psychiatry. “Contestants can walk away depressed, excited, disappointed or a host of other emotions or combinations thereof. The show can have a massive psychological impact on a contestant.”

Though viewers see about 10 minutes of the presentations on air, but a typical pitch lasts about an hour! It’s edited quite a bit. And not everyone who pitches even gets on the show.

Regardless of whether the segment airs, if you succeed or fail, entrepreneurs are forced to see a psychiatrist, regardless of whether stress gets to them or their cool as a cucumber. It’s written into every contract. It’s part of the deal contestants make to be on the program.

“I’m was glad to hear that,” says the Clearwater psychiatrist Dinar Sajan, MD. “That is the responsible way to go. Psychiatrists help people deal with whatever emotion a person may be feeling. And some of the contestants clearly might need some help adjusting.”

For more information, please visit www.healthandpsychiatry.com.

With more than 150,000 new cases of psoriasis every year in the United States, psoriatic arthritis is a significant concern for a number of Americans. Luckily, one Tampa dermatologist is attempting to shed some light on the condition… while hopefully alleviating some fears.

“Patients assume that just because they have psoriasis, they’re guaranteed to eventually get psoriatic arthritis. Luckily, it’s not that black and white,” says Dr. Seth Forman. “Although it’s still a risk, only about a third of psoriasis patients develop the disease.”

To help put themselves in the best possible scenario, Dr. Forman urges patients to be vigilant with screenings and to try to catch the condition early on. As with most diseases, early diagnosis often leads to more favorable treatment results.

“This is a condition that has the potential to greatly impact the quality of life for those suffering from it. By catching it early and starting the proper medications, patients can ensure they’re putting themselves in the best possible position to combat their symptoms,” says the Tampa dermatologist.

Dr. Forman, who is currently conducting a clinical trial for psoriatic arthritis, encourages any patients interested in taking part in the trial to visit his website.

A chronic inflammatory arthritis, psoriatic arthritis can range from mild to severe depending on the patient and when it’s diagnosed. For most patients, treatment helps to relieve pain, protect joints and maintain mobility.

Dr. Forman is the founder of Forman Dermatology and Skin institute, located in Tampa, Fla. and has appeared on TV shows across the country, including the nationally syndicated show “The Doctors,” to provide sun-protection tips and to demonstrate his breakthrough skin cancer treatments.

If interested in being a part of the trial for psoriatic arthritis, or for more on Dr. Seth Forman, Tampa dermatology or Forman Dermatology and Skin Cancer Institute, please visit www.FormanDerm.com.

About Dr. Seth Forman: Dr. Forman is a board-certified dermatologist practicing in Tampa, Florida. He was voted the “Best Dermatologist in Carrollwood” the past three years by the Carrollwood News and Tribune. In December 2011, he opened his new Tampa dermatology office, Forman Dermatology and Skin Cancer Institute, where he gives psoriasis sufferers access to the latest treatment options, including topical and oral medications, as well as biological and phototherapy. Dr. Forman is one of the few Tampa dermatologists to offer narrowband light therapy, which uses pharmaceutical grade light to suppress psoriasis. He’s also one of the few board-certified dermatologists in the U.S. to use the SRT-100 radiotherapy to treat basal cell carcinoma, the most common form of skin cancer.

MEDIA CONTACT
Adam Farragut
PR Firm: The Publicity Agency
Email:  Adam@Seligmultimedia.com
Phone: (813) 708-1220 x 7778
Website: www.thepublicityagency.com

True to their word, Republicans in West Virginia have advanced a Right to Work bill that leaves the state on the precipice of enacting controversial legislation.

Dubbed “The Workplace Freedom Act,” the bill, which recently passed the state Senate, is currently under consideration in the House of Delegates. Furthermore, despite an expected veto from Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin, the GOP has maintained a veto-proof Senate majority that all but assures them the power to force the bill through.

Yet in spite of the seemingly dire situation, labor supporters are determined to beat the odds by doing what they do best… buckling down and getting to work.

“There’s never been a more important time for the labor groups in West Virginia to band together and fight,” says Richard Dalton, business manager for the International Union of Operating Engineers Local 18, which represents all of Ohio and several districts in Kentucky. “Call your representatives, inform your neighbors, do whatever you can to get the word out about the dangers of this type of legislation. It’s vital that they do everything in their power to protect the middle class in their home state.”

Following a debate in the state’s House of Delegates Judiciary Committee, U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV) also spoke out against a bill that he believes “will do nothing to create jobs in West Virginia.”

“During my time as Governor of West Virginia, and now your Senator, I never had a single company tell me that it would relocate to our great state if only we would pass Right to Work legislation,” Sen. Manchin said in a statement. “During these tough economic times, we must focus on fighting for every job we have and every potential job we can create, rather than fighting over a divisive political issue being used to divide us, rather than unite us. I find it highly objectionable that people would attempt to play partisan politics with our jobs.”

Right to Work laws prohibit making union dues a condition of employment and were passed in 25 states. Opponents say such laws weaken workers’ rights and will lead to lower salaries, decreased benefits and inferior working conditions.

Last November, comments by prominent members of the GOP-controlled state legislature led many experts to believe a Right to Work bill would be introduced at the start of the year. Both West Virginia House Speaker Tim Armstead and Senate President Bill Cole expressed support for the controversial movement following an out-of-session hearing on the issue.

With the legislation taking center stage so close to home, labor groups in neighboring Ohio have remained on high alert for any further developments in their backyard.

“Unfortunately you can never afford to take it easy when going against Right to Work. We’re dedicated to fighting this movement and we’ll continue to stand up and speak out for Ohio’s middle class,” says Dalton.

For more information, visit: http://protectohiosmiddleclass.org

The Florida Museum of Photographic Arts (FMoPA) is pleased to announce a call for entries in the 2016 International Photography Competition. All photographers worldwide are invited to participate.

A juried panel will select winning photographs based on originality, technical excellence, composition, overall impact, and artistic merit. The seven competition categories from which first, second, and third place winners will be chosen include People/Portraits, Places/Landscape/Drone, Nature/Science/Animals, Documentary/Social and Political Photojournalism, Still Life, Abstract Photography, and Conceptual Photography. Judges will also select an overall Best in Competition winner, and online voters will select a People’s Choice winner. All winning photographs will be shown in a group exhibition at FMoPA from June 10 – June 30, 2016. Prizes include a $1,000 cash award for Best in Competition. The registration fee is $10 per entry. Unlimited entries per person. Entries will be accepted through April 17, 2016. Please visit http://mulabula.com/splash/fmopa.html for additional details.

“We are excited to host FMoPA’s sixth annual International Photography Competition, providing a forum for photographers from diverse backgrounds to share their work with the members of our community. We always receive an interesting array of entries, and this year has already proven itself to be no exception,” says Zora Carrier, FMoPA’s Executive Director.

The Florida Museum of Photographic Arts is one of fewer than ten museums in the United States dedicated exclusively to photography and one of two such museums in the state of Florida. FMoPA seeks to enrich the lives of the citizens of the Tampa Bay area by providing rare, specialized access to the wonders of photography not only as an aesthetic form but also as a multi-faceted historical and contemporary document of our world through exhibitions, education, outreach programs, and local collaborations.

About FMoPA: The Florida Museum of Photographic Arts is a museum dedicated to exhibiting important photographic art as central to contemporary life and culture. FMoPA collects, preserves, and exhibits historic and contemporary works by nationally and internationally known photographic artists. FMoPA also enriches the community by operating outreach programs for children and adults and by offering an extensive array of photography classes. For more information, visit www.FMoPA.org

Contact: Zora@fmopa.org

Florida Museum of Photographic Arts

400 North Ashley, Cube 200

Tampa, FL 33602 813.221.2222 | fmopa.org
M – TH: 11 a.m. – 6 p.m.

F: 11 a.m. – 7 p.m.

Sat – Sun: Noon – 5 p.m.

Docent tours every Sunday @ 2 p.m.

The Gasparilla Interactive Conference will feature product designers from Facebook and BuzzFeed, two Forbes 2016 30 Under 30 winners, two best selling authors with stories of disruptive ideas and entrepreneurial inspiration.

(Download: Gasparilla Interactive poster)

Product designers Gabe Valdivia of Facebook and Alison Chefec of BuzzFeed will present on careers and organizational growth respectively as well as participate a discussion on information architecture moderated by Amy Espinosa organizer of Tampa’s World IA Day.

Entrepreneurial inspiration is prominent throughout the two days featuring Taylor Pearson, an entrepreneur and author of The End of Jobs; Jorge Brea, CEO of Symphonic Distribution and Phil Michaels of Tembo. Inc.com rated The End of Jobs one of the Top Three ‘Start Your Own Business’ Books of 2015 and a Top 25 Business Book of 2015. Symphonic Distribution, a digital music distribution service, has  distributed over 300,000 releases of over 7,000 record labels and 15,000 artists around the globe and paid out over 8 million in royalties. Tembo educates children in slums around the world using mobile phones whose founders were recognized in Forbes 30 Under 30 list for social entrepreneurship.

Returning to the Gasparilla Interactive stage is Savannah Peterson, now director of innovation strategy, at Speck Design and a 2016 Forbes 30 Under 30 in Consumer Technology and known voice in the hardware space.

List of presenters with more TBA:

• Allison Chefec, Product Designer, BuzzFeed
• Gabe Valdivia, Product Designer, Facebook
• Savanna Peterson, Director of Innovation Strategy, Speck Design
• Taylor Pearson, Author, End of Jobs
• Alex Rodriguez, Author, Digital BACON
• Richard Berman, Director, USF Patel College of Global Sustainability and Visiting Social Entrepreneurship Professor, MUMA College of Business
• Jorge Brea, CEO, Symphonic Distribution
• Patricia Lawman, Founder/CEO, Morphogenesis
• Phil Michaels, Founder/CEO, Tembo
• Vincenzo Landino, CMO @52Creative

The conference will be held in Historic Ybor City on Thursday and Friday, March 10th and 11th 2016 at the Hillsborough Community College’s Ybor City Campus, Mainstage Theatre and Performing Arts Building. Registration is open and $200 with discounts available through Community Partners such as the St Petersburg Greenhouse, One Million Cups, Tampa Bay WaVE, and Tampa Bay Startup Week.

To follow the latest news and updates for the 2016 Gasparilla Interactive Conference you can follow on the conference on Snapchat and Twitter @GasparillaIX and via the Gasparilla Interactive Facebook Page. The Conference hashtag is #GasparillaIX.

For more information please contact conference executive director, Vinny Tafuro via phone at 813.240.0739, email at vinny@gasparillainteractive.org or on Twitter @vinnytafuro.

About the Gasparilla Interactive Conference
The conference is a Florida non profit organization that was founded by the past presidents of the American Advertising Federation and Ad 2 Tampa Bay chapters. Proceeds from the conference will be used to create an endowment for scholarships, educational programing and economic development. The conference is a community event and is made possible through the collaboration of Tampa Bay’s public, private, non-profit, and academic institutions.

MEDIA CONTACTS
Glenn Selig
The Publicity Agency
Office: (813) 708-1220 x7777
Mobile: (813) 300-5454
email: gselig@seligmultimedia.com

Adam Farragut
The Publicity Agency
Office: (813) 708-1220 x7778
Mobile: (770) 881-3034
email: adam@seligmultimedia.com

The American Marketing Association (AMA) Tampa Bay is pleased to announce that Publix Super Markets will be the inaugural Marketing Hall of Fame recipient as part of its inaugural Marketer of the Year Awards. The Hall of Fame recognizes a venerable local brand that has distinguished themselves in the marketing community for their excellence.

“Publix Super Markets has a long-standing history in the Tampa Bay community and has established itself as a well-known, loved brand. Through heart-warming and also savvy marketing campaigns and dedication to the customer experience, Publix continues to be seen as a leader in the marketing and community relations disciplines. The AMA is pleased to honor this esteemed leader in the marketing community with our first Marketing Hall of Fame award,” said Kristin Whitaker, VP-Marketer of the Year, event chair.

Publix will be honored as part of the Marketer of the Year awards ceremony, hosted by the AMA Tampa Bay chapter, on March 23, 2016 at the Centre Club. Brands and agencies from all over Tampa Bay will join in the celebration as marketing leaders and teams receive recognition for their results-based work.

“It is an honor for Publix to be part of the AMA Tampa Bay’s Marketer of the Year Awards, specifically as the first local brand inducted into the Hall of Fame. We have a talented and energetic marketing team focused on doing great work, so it’s rewarding to have our peers recognize those efforts,” said Maria Brous, Director of Media and Community Relations, Publix Super Markets. “Publix has long been a proud community partner in Tampa Bay and we are thankful to be a pivotal part of the culture that makes it great!”

Founded in 1930 by George Jenkins, Publix is the largest employee-owned retail grocery chain in the United States. Their mission is to be the premier quality food retailer in the world. Publix is one of the 10 largest-volume supermarket chains in the country. Retail sales in 2014 reached $30.6 billion. Currently there are 1,111 store locations in the Southeast employing over 179,000 people.

The Marketer of the Year awards ceremony will be held on March 23, 2016 at the Centre Club, Tampa. As the Tampa Bay area’s premier, results-based marketing award, the Marketer of the Year will recognize and honor the very best marketers from both brands and agencies for their work, excellence and success in 14 categories, as well as an overall winner, the prestigious Grand Marketer of the Year. Publix Super Markets will be awarded the Marketing Hall of Fame and a Distinguished Educator of the Year will also be recognized.

Candidates that believe they have an award-winning marketing campaign from 2015 can submit their applications. The awards criteria are results-based so companies and budgets of all sizes are encouraged to enter the competition. Any marketing work that was created by a marketer, marketing agency, or advertising agency based in Tampa, St. Petersburg, Sarasota or surrounding areas is eligible for submission.

Go to amatampabay.org for details and to complete a Marketer of the Year application. All entries must be submitted by February 10, 2016.

AMA Tampa Bay is a membership organization of marketing professionals with the mission to foster an interactive community dedicated to the future of marketing and innovation. AMA provides access to marketing resources, networking opportunities, career resources and monthly events with nationally recognized speakers discussing the latest trends, developments and hot topics in marketing.

For more information, please contact Kristin Whitaker-VP-Marketer of the Year kwhitaker@gswcf.org or 813-262-1778. All entries must be submitted by February 10, 2016.

Go to amatampabay.org for details and to complete an application.

Save the date for the Marketer of the Year Ceremony & Dinner, March 23, 2016, 5:30-8:30 p.m. at the Centre Club, Tampa. All are invited to attend.

Sponsorships are available for Marketer of the Year. Visit amatampabay.org for details or contact Brenda McGowan bmcgowan@anchorcomputer.com.

Cybersecurity was anticipated to be a huge topic in the presidential race, given the threat hacking poses to U.S. companies and the attack on the federal Office of Personnel Management (OPM) that was likely carried out by China.

Yet, even as the Iowa Caucuses move into the rearview mirror and talk now turns to the first in the nation New Hampshire primary, cybersecurity has failed to gain the traction as a topic that it deserves, cybersecurity experts lament.

“The dangers of phishing and other email attacks are there and are very real and pose a huge danger to the government and businesses everywhere, whether the candidates are talking about them or not,” says Thomas A. Cellucci, PhD, MBA, former Chief Commercialization Officer at the US Department of Homeland Security in both the Bush and Obama Administrations.

Cellucci is now CEO of Bravatek Solutions, Inc. (OTCQB: BVTK), which makes the Ecrypt One cybersecurity email solution to thwart phishing. A true whitelist system, Ecrypt One is focused on PREVENTION, not detection.

Ecrypt One is a direct replacement for conventional secured email systems consisting of an email server – such as Microsoft Exchange – bundled with email security products and services. Ecrypt One delivers the security as an integrated part of the complete solution so customers can install it easily on their preferred server hardware: on premises or in the cloud.

When people think about cybersecurity in the presidential race, what comes to mind is Hillary Clinton’s emails and her use of a private email server to conduct official business. Though the focus is on whether or not Hillary Clinton did anything wrong, the takeaway should also be a wakeup call about how vulnerable emails are to attack or snooping.

“Servers can absolutely be attacked or corrupted,” says Cellucci. “I hope part of the takeaway is that every business needs to rigorously secure emails with a product such as Ecrypt One—otherwise they are leaving themselves vulnerable to trouble.”

Organizations interested in learning more about Ecrypt One and its anti-phishing technology can go to www.ecryptone.com and sign up for a free trial on a pre-built server at Amazon’s AWS Marketplace (https://aws.amazon.com/marketplace).

About Bravatek Solutions, Inc.
Bravatek Solutions, Inc. is a high technology security solutions portfolio provider that assists corporate entities, governments and individuals to protect their organizations against both physical and cyber-attacks through its offering of the most technically-advanced, cost-effective and reliable software, tools and systems.

For more information, visit www.bravatek.com

Safe Harbor Statement
This press release contains certain “forward-looking statements,” as defined in the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, that involve a number of risks and uncertainties. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate and the actual results and future events could differ materially from management’s current expectations. The economic, competitive, governmental, technological and other factors identified in the Company’s previous filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission may cause actual results or events to differ materially from those described in the forward looking statements in this press release. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Media contact:
Bravatek Solutions, Inc.
media@bravatek.com
1.866.204.6703

The global press release newswire PR NewsChannel today released its February Deal of the Month: an offer to distribute a single press release three times for the price of one.

“Often when you’ve got a new product, new website, new book or new business it takes repetition to BREAK THROUGH to get the attention you deserve,” says Adam Farragut from PR NewsChannel, the press release distribution newswire. “This deal brings repetition, and the ability to send a press release, at a huge savings.”

So the press release newswire is urging businesses to think THREE, as in the“Rule of Three” to distribute a press release.

The Rule of Three helps people remember things. Think three blind mice. Three little pigs. I came, I saw, I conquered. One, two, three.

You’ve got three act plays. Three strikes you are out. Location, location, location.

Three Little Pigs. Three Stooges. Three Blind Mice.

Oh, and the list goes on…

Given the Rule of Three, why should we expect that journalists will act on a press release the first and only time they see it? And that’s why PR NewsChannel created Three Times the Charm PR™ for a $695, and a savings of hundreds of dollars to make it easy, affordable and effective to send a press release.

What comes with the PR NewsChannel Three Times the Charm U.S. Distribution Package:

Your press release distributed online and to our vast syndication network ONE time.
Instead of sending your press release ONE time to journalists across the U.S., PR NewsChannel will send journalists the same press release THREE TIMES.
It will be spaced over a month. So you won’t be hounding them. But offering friendly reminders each time the press release is sent. (Journalists need a little push sometimes…)
And it gets better: It costs less that what you’d pay to send two press releases!
So to repeat: You’ll be sending the same press release THREE times for less than the cost of sending two press releases!

“Think of the possibilities,” says Farragut.

ON THE WEB:

https://prnewschannel.com/shopping-cart/three-times-the-charm-u-s-distribution-package/

Known to many as the “Kelly Slater of Canines,” Booker D. Surfdog has been called many things in her storied career. Now, heading into the upcoming 2016 Florida International Dog Surfing Championship the bodacious bad-girl of the surf dog world is drawing even more legendary comparisons.

“Booker D. Surfdog seems to be more like Reggie Jackson these days,” says her rescued human, Pops Steinberg. “She’s like Mr. In and Out, you never know if she wants to hang up her retirement jacket, in this case a Paws Aboard life vest, or if she wants to sweep everybody from the outside in a championship.”

Held in Florida’s most international city, the Florida International Dog Surfing Championship is back in Fernandina Beach, a.k.a. “The Isle of 8 Flags,” March 25-27, 2016.

With Booker D. and a collection of the best professional surf dogs in the nation carving waves and shredding shorepound, the premier canine aquatic athletic league, DockDogs®, will be ratcheting up the action with a World Championship Wildcard Splashdown.

And if two days of gravity defying, gnarly canines jumping, swimming and surfing isn’t your cup of tea, then the American IDOGS Incredible Lure Chasing Challenge is sure to wet your whistle.

Even with a weekend packed with “furrocious” competition, it wouldn’t be Easter without a beautiful sunrise service from sunup until noon, led by Pastor Willy Jenkins. Following the service, the spring break weekend will draw to a close with a legendary blues act.

Finally, as is the case with every Booker D. Surfdog event, the surfing canine and Pops would like to remind everyone that the 2016 Florida International Dog Surfing Championship is a no kill event. The Nassau Humane Society, as well as other regional no kill rescue and spay and neuter operations, will be on site to promote “No Kill Florida,” the only message appropriate for an event of this magnitude.

For more information on the 2016 Florida International Dog Surfing Championship, or to inquire about sponsorship opportunities, please visit: www.FIDSC.com

To keep up with the Florida International Dog Surfing Championship on social media, follow #teamsurfdog, #dockdogs and #pawsaboard

For more information on Booker D. Surfdog, visit: www.facebook.com/eastcoastdogsurfingassociation

MEDIA CONTACT:
Rod Crews
Phone:   321-693-0496
Website: http://fidsc.com/contact/
Email:    teamsurfdog@gmail.com

Have you checked Groupon lately? You’ll find all sorts of discount offers for laser hair removal in Pinellas County.

But, ladies, is laser hair removal really something you want to be buying at a discount? It is technically a medical procedure.

At Health and Medspa in Clearwater, a premier laser hair removal center, the prices are always down to earth. (The company charges about 50% less than its biggest competitors.)

“You need to be careful when selecting a med spa for laser hair removal—whether it’s in Pinellas, Clearwater or anywhere,” says Irina Peters, spa director at Health and Medspa. “Make sure it is doctor run, which Health and Medspa is, and check out reviews on Yelp.”

Sylvia Johnson, 35, spent more than two decades shaving, tweezing and sitting through painful waxing. Finally, about six months ago, she decided she had had enough.

“I knew I did not want to just let the hair grow and look awful. My friend recommended this Pinellas County medspa, so I thought why not? I decided to give laser hair removal a try,” says Johnson. “I am so happy I did.”

Laser hair removal for women is safe, comparatively gentle and super effective. And since there’s no recovery time needed after treatments, it was easy for Johnson, a Clearwater area banking executive, to fit them into her busy schedule.

Before she receives her treatments on her legs and arms at the Pinellas County office, Johnson dons a pair of glasses that shield her eyes from the laser.

During the 40 minute treatment, lasers produce a bright beam of light that is absorbed by the pigment of her hair. Without damaging surrounding tissue, the laser causes trauma to the hair shaft and follicle, making it hard for hair to grow back. Because the laser sees color, laser hair removal has been super effective on Johnson, who’s a brunette. (Laser hair removal is not effective on those with blonde or white hair.)

She’s so pleased with the results so far, she thinking about starting laser hair removal treatments for under her arms.

“I am so happy I found laser hair removal,” says Johnson. “The med spa is incredibly convenient and not having to shave or wax is saving me amazing amounts of time in the morning.”

ON THE WEB:

Laser hair removal Clearwater: Health and Medspa

Last year, the Four Seasons development team set out to capture a City of New Orleans public-bid process for redevelopment rights to the Mississippi Riverfront World Trade Center (WTC) skyscraper. They proposed a $364 million makeover, touting a construction budget to dominate and dwarf the spending plans of four other developer/luxury hotel finalists vying for the site. Four Seasons’ WTC-redevelop construction budget pitch surpassed rival project budgets by over $100 million. The media floated their numbers, and Four Seasons’ principals attested to and certified the over-the-top construction costs. The huge disparity in Four Seasons’ flashy construction costs was never fully vetted because, after all, the brand has a certain gold halo luster, shiny and bright as an eye-trick mirror. Everything they do is hailed as “better and bigger,” so they say. The city awarded Four Seasons the massive 99-year contract on city-owned property last May in a deal tied to their inflated now-proven-false construction budget proposal, but an immediate lawsuit began to unmask the charade last April. Now the view widens and deepens. Four Seasons’ sham construction numbers plunged faster than falling concrete and cement—tumbling to “$225 million.”

It’s open season in New Orleans.

The City of New Orleans already faces the hot seat in a courtroom scorcher set to unfold at trial later this year. The high-wattage lawsuit against the city contests the “illegal” 99-year lease deal Mayor Mitch Landrieu signed with the Four Seasons group to redevelop the WTC tower into a luxury hotel-and-condo project, according to court testimony and exhibits. Now more of the masquerade continues to unwrap with a new twist.

The latest. Duplicity. The bevy of billionaire developers and investors behind the Four Seasons Hotel and Private Residences New Orleans project do hard math the old-fashioned way. How? By making $139 million vanish from the nuts and bolts of the project from the get-go. Even before a construction shovel hits the dirt. The term “bait-and-switch” describes the ploy of offering something desirable to gain favor (i.e. political support, public opinion, or to win a bidding war) then thwarting expectations with something less desirable. Here the sleight-of-hand bargaining chips are $364 million vs. $225 million = $139 million windfall gone missing from the Mississippi Riverfront. But there is much more in this Crescent City tale of what may be called brazen “capital cronyism” passing as standard fare.

The Four Seasons group [whose co-developer partner Paul Flower’s Woodward Design+Build has been plagued by persistent Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) scandals] recently issued a double-whammy online document seeking a “third-party DBE monitor” for the World Trade Center project AND disclosing the real “construction budget of $225 million.” The problem? This is a bombshell revelation. The group “won” a competitive public procurement bid process last May based on a proposed $364 million construction budget.

Two Canal Street Investors, Inc. (TCSI), a finalist in the competition to lease out the 33-Story WTC building, filed suit in the Orleans Parish Civil District Court last April seeking a judicial ruling to overturn the city’s secretive selection process, slanted toward the winning Four Seasons developers. The legal action concerns transparency and fairness in public procurement and clear violations of the Public Lease Law by the city. TCSI argued they should have been awarded the project because their proposal included a $65 million upfront payment, and the largest overall offer to the city. The suit claims the process was rife with favoritism, improper influence and backdoor dealings. Consultants hired by the city manipulated the proposals to subjectively select a lease, TCSI claims in legal proceedings.

Meanwhile, the city must also fork over to the TCSI legal team 10,000 secret emails and documents prepared and exchanged between city employees and representatives and the Four Seasons group during the WTC bidding process. The discovery production is court-ordered. City attorneys unsuccessfully argued to declare the staggering volume of cryptic correspondence as attorney-client-privilege confidential.

TCSI attorneys prevailed in making their case to the court that the vast majority of these materials involve communications directly relating to the procurement process for the WTC lease; that is the exact subject of the lawsuit, and those communications are public records as well.

Joining New Orleans-based Paul Flower and his Woodward Interests are Four Seasons’ “Team NOLA” development and equity investors Richard L. Friedman, Carpenter & Co.; Alan Levanthal, Beacon Capital Partners; Robert Merrick, Latter and Blum; and Sherry Marcus Levanthal. Friedman is the corporate director of Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts, a Canadian company co-owned by Bill Gates and Saudi Prince Al-Waleed Bin Talal. The project’s ownership partnership entity is now known as Delaware Corporation Two Canal Owners, Inc.

TCSI’s eye-opener lawsuit accuses the mayor’s office and others of decisively orchestrating a “sweetheart deal” scheme to hand the WTC property to the Four Seasons-Carpenter-Woodward Group. Even before the latest revelation of a massive 38 percent construction budget cut, the “preferred” group “won” the competitive procurement process to gain control of the iconic building by offering the actual lowest rent to the city of five pre-vetted and short-listed development teams vying for the right to redevelop the 33-story WTC. Now matters are made worse with published proof that the “$364 million” development deal was an apparent fake financial plan, a shell game.

The city’s Request for Qualifications/Proposals (RFP) to reinvigorate the WTC and waterfront was in part based on each proposal’s potential economic impact and stimulus but TCSI says the Four Seasons group was the predetermined winner from the onset of the RFP bid process, regardless of which proposal actually offered the highest monies to the city.

Four Seasons’ own project description provides the starkest proof yet of the real truth behind the master development’s deceptive plans. This “current” budget equates to the fast shuffle of a substantially trimmed down and scaled back project. The difference between a $225 million and $364 million project may have all the fluid and slippery consistency of oil and water, infused with hot air.

The Four Seasons group hawks its commitment to the “Golden Rule: do unto others as you would have them do unto you.”

TCSI’s court case against the city details a disturbing pattern of basic RFP arithmetic errors, favoritism, secrecy, improper communications, deceit, crazy-math numbers crunching…and the apparent steamroller handprint of Mayor Landrieu written clear across the entire selection process…in a supposedly “fair” and “impartial” forum designed to match the biggest open-checkbook developer with the 670,000-square-foot Edward Durrell Stone landmark office building at the foot of Canal Street in New Orleans’ CBD.

“There’s no place like New Orleans,” people say. Open to interpretation.

TCSI contends the “very flawed” public bid process of selecting a WTC lease award “winner” cuts deep to involve a plot to give preferential treatment to the Four Seasons group by complicit city consultants, the law firm of Stone Pigman and Jones Lange LaSalle (JLL), NYSE. JLL is a professional services and investment management company specializing in real estate.

Court documents evidence city consultants Stone Pigman attorney Scott Whittaker and Managing Director of JLL’s Hotels & Hospitality Group Greg Hartmann and JLL Associate Judd Stensrud hatched and gave form to the distorted “construction budget” mathematics that culminated in a “recommendation” that the Four Seasons group receive the lease. “Although its [Four Seasons] rent…is substantially lower than the other bidders, the size, quality and structure of the development would produce the most direct economic benefit to the city,” the consultants’ report to the committee said.

TCSI pre-trial discovery filed into the court shows Four Seasons-Carpenter-Woodward’s own team member knew JLL was using an unsound methodology based on construction/project costs in an improper tax analysis. “It is more likely that an income approach would be used for calculating RE tax,” a Carpenter & Co. associate said in a recovered email. The associate’s bio states he holds a Harvard Business School MBA.

The consultants both counseled and guided the selection committee. These “fiscal analysts” consultants were charged with the public-benefit responsibility of making an assessment that has a considerable financial impact on New Orleans taxpayers for the next 99 years.

At the time of the Four Seasons selection, the city’s consultants tried to validate their skewed actions by noting that the Carpenter development team calculated to spend between $95 million and $130 million more than their competitors in construction, therefore giving the property potential for higher real estate tax payments to the city over the life of the lease. But even then, before the Four Seasons-Carpenter-Woodward group slashed $139 million from their budget once awarded the WTC contract, that false blueprint of a formula didn’t fly.

Charline Gipson, one of the lawyers representing TCSI, said “a fatal flaw” in the city’s consultants’ calculations occurred when they estimated potential property tax revenues based on Four Seasons’ higher construction budget, rather than net operating income.

Court filings indicate city consultants evaluated and openly presented advice and recommendations based on incorrect information in a ploy to ensure the selection of the Four Seasons. They utilized and construed an uncustomary construction budget formula to estimate “property taxes” that favored the Four Seasons group—not how the Orleans Property Assessor’s office actually determines taxes for New Orleans hotel projects.

TCSI’s lead counsel in the lawsuit against the city Daniel Davillier said the city’s RFP methods and formulas used for calculations were “completely improper in a public procurement process.” He adds, “All this manipulation of the data has just allowed for a predetermined outcome to be justified on a post hoc basis.”

Davillier goes on to say that TCSI’s offer was “the most lucrative for the city, including a $65 million upfront payment, and it should have been selected under Louisiana Public Leasing Law.” Instead the city appointees and consultants played behind-the-scenes favorites in picking Four Seasons, whose upfront payment was five million.

TCSI’s hotel proposal featured the world-class Valencia flag (luxury product), Hotel Alessandra. Condé Nast Traveler readers have named all four of Valencia Group’s urban hotels to the magazine’s 2015 Readers’ Choice Awards list. Each one was rated the best hotel in their respective cities. Even though there is a Four Seasons hotel in Houston, the Hotel Sorella CityCenre, a Valencia Hotel, was rated the best hotel in Houston.

Other competing developer/hotel flag teams included Hilton’s Conrad Brand, Starwood’s Luxury Collection and the Godfrey Hotel. While the Four Seasons group floated a onetime colossal “$364 million construction budget,” now proved to be utterly untrue, each of the other RFP contenders for the WTC property offered actual and specific upfront and annualized payments to the city (not speculative) that far exceeded and overshadowed Four Seasons lowball rent bid.

TCSI attorneys continue to uncover paperwork trails that undo flagrant and misleading falsehoods the Four Seasons group and city representatives peddled to the public and trumpeted in the media about the proposed Four Seasons project.

For more than a year, city spokespersons and media outlets have consistently reported the Cambridge, Mass.-based Carpenter and New Orleans-based Woodward’s proposal consisting of a 350-key Four Seasons hotel and a 76-room hotel-serviced condo component at an estimated value of $364 million, or alternately a $360 million price tag. Friedman gave a Bisnow publication December interview boasting a $350 million budget.

Shockingly, a simple review of public documents reveals that the city allowed the Four Seasons group to execute a final WTC lease with NO obligation for any minimum construction budget at all.

The Advocate recently ran another article chronicling Woodward’s most recent continuing DBE troubles at the Iberville housing complex revamp, still under investigation by the Housing Authority of New Orleans for funneling DBE work to non-DBE contractors. Ironically, Woodward and the Four Seasons group scored highest among the Mayor’s selection committee members in DBE participation. The December 25, 2015 coverage says Woodward’s work on the “$364 million” WTC deal continues. Again, the writer references a bogus WTC construction figure number.

Court records show that the city recently filed “Expert Report” opinions into the court of law, citing and relying upon the moot $364 million construction budget. One report reads, “The comparatively high construction cost associated with the [Four Seasons-Woodward-] Carpenter proposal, which at $364 million, was 53 percent higher than that of the TCSI proposal ($228 million).” Memo. Four Seasons hacked down their WTC project construction costs to $225 million. Confirmed in a dispatch sent straight from the desk of Two Canal Owner, LLC (“Owner”) and published on Woodward’s letterhead and website*.

The WTC redevelopment has been called an “urban catalyst” and “the most important real estate project in New Orleans since the Superdome.” Yet neither the city nor Four Seasons has been forthcoming to the public with an announcement or press conference about the dramatically downsized project, with $139 million lopped off the construction budget, which equally impacts economic benefits to the city.

Ordinary people may not know much about public affairs but the public is not stupid, court watchers say.

The Four Seasons group’s website claims that New Orleans is “a city without seasons.” However, a local joke has it that New Orleans really does have four seasons: Summer, Hurricane, Christmas and Mardi Gras. Whether or not the city ever has “Four Seasons” is yet to be seen.

To date, the city has not yet complied with the judge’s recent order to turn over to TCSI attorneys all emails and documents.

“The City and the NOBC [New Orleans Building Corporation] circumvented the Public Lease Law by awarding the lease of this valuable property to the lowest bidder at a cost of over $2 billion to the citizens of New Orleans, and now they are attempting to circumvent the Public Records Law and cover up their actions by wrongfully withholding over 10,000 documents and communications directly related to the public procurement process. There is no transparency or accountability in this Administration,” Davillier said.

Landrieu and his administration have garnered a reputation for plain power politics, critics say, and a history of controlling virtually all aspects of a “flawed” process. Insiders say, the administration makes decisions as a foregone conclusion and then maneuvers “stacking the decks” and forcing through decisions by assembling “committees” or “bodies” comprised of Landrieu appointees and city employees, civil servants who depend on the city for a paycheck. “Don’t mess with Mitch,” is a slogan.

Lawyers for TCSI say Landrieu will be deposed and called to take the stand in the TCSI case against the city, along with principals from the Four Seasons Group and others.

The TCSI lawsuit against the city remains “front and center” in New Orleans.

“To everything there is a season,” is one of the world’s oldest beliefs.

For now, the storied WTC skyscraper sits silent and frozen in time on the Mississippi Riverbanks.

*Download Screencap of Woodward Article: Project Budget

MEDIA CONTACT:

Adam Farragut
PR Firm: The Publicity Agency
Email: Adam@Seligmultimedia.com
Phone: 813-708-1220 ext. 7778
Website: www.thepublicityagency.com

Due to high interest, AMA Tampa Bay has announced an extension for submissions to the inaugural Marketer of the Year Awards. Candidates will now be able to submit applications through February 10, 2016.

A fantastic opportunity for marketers to be recognized for their marketing efforts, the competition is set to bring together the best of the best in the Tampa Bay marketing community. As the Tampa Bay area’s premier, results-based marketing award, the Marketer of the Year will recognize and honor the very best marketers from both brands and agencies for their work, excellence and success in 14 categories, as well as an overall winner, the prestigious Grand Marketer of the Year.

The Marketer of the Year awards ceremony will be held on March 23, 2016 at The Centre Club, Tampa.

AMA Tampa Bay is urging interested applicants to visit amatampabay.org for details and to complete the online application.

The following work is eligible for submission:

-Any marketing work that was created by a marketer based in Tampa, St. Petersburg or Sarasota (or surrounding areas)

-Any marketing work that was created by a marketing/advertising agency based in Tampa, St. Petersburg or Sarasota (or surrounding areas)

AMA Tampa Bay is a membership organization of marketing professionals with the mission to foster an interactive community dedicated to the future of marketing and innovation. AMA provides access to marketing resources, networking opportunities, career resources and monthly events with nationally recognized speakers discussing the latest trends, developments and hot topics in marketing.

For more information, please contact Kristin Whitaker-Marketer of the Year Chair kwhitaker@gswcf.org or 813-262-1778. All entries must be submitted by February 10, 2016.

Go to amatampabay.org for details and to complete an application.

Save the date for the Marketer of the Year Ceremony & Dinner, March 23, 2016, 5:30-8:30 p.m. at the Centre Club, Tampa.

Sponsorships are available for Marketer of the Year. Visit amatampabay.org for details or contact Brenda McGowan bmcgowan@anchorcomputer.com.

Canine Partners for Life, a Pennsylvania not for profit that raises and trains dogs and places them with those who have physical, developmental or cognitive disabilities, including wounded armed forces veterans, says it was left with no choice but to sue Hernando County Commissioner Diane Rowden, when she refused to stop her media and social media smear campaign that she launched in a last-ditch effort to retain custody of Livy, a 10-year-old service dog.

“We raise the dogs, we train the dogs and it is our responsibility to make sure every dog remains in a safe place for their entire lives,” says Darlene Sullivan, Executive Director of Canine Partners for Life (CPL). “Diane Rowden, who’s a Hernando County Commissioner, has lied to the public and to the media in a stop-at-nothing effort to keep Livy. She never asked. She just took. It’s terribly sad that Livy is caught in this tug of war. But she’s like family to us and we have a responsibility to protect her.”

Up until 2007, Livy was with CPL, when she was transferred from the charity to Bruce Hicks, a paraplegic who utilized a wheelchair. He lived in Pennsylvania at the time but later moved to Florida. In both states, Livy helped him become more independent.

When he was about to enter hospice, Hicks notified the charity. He asked Rowden to care for Livy while he was away. But when Hicks died, Rowden, who had on one occasion filled out routine, bi-annual reports for the charity on Hicks’ behalf, failed to mention it. In fact, the day after Hicks died, Ms. Rowden stated everything was back to “normal” with no mention of the fact that Mr. Hicks had died the day before.

Canine Partners for Life learned from a third party that Hicks had died, and that Livy might still be living with Rowden, but despite repeated emails and phone calls, Rowden could not be reached to confirm it.

Canine Partners for Life said it had to hire a private investigator to find answers, because the dog’s well-being was of great concern.

Lawyers have been involved in this cross-state dog custody battle case for some time. The charity was told a few months ago by one of the lawyers who had represented Rowden that Rowden agreed to return Livy.

Still, the two-term Hernando County Commissioner, who announced earlier this month that she’s again running for re-election, initiated a smear campaign, according to the lawsuit.

“Rowden’s campaign of disparagement, which is intentionally designed to inflect severe financial harm upon CPL, spans across the Internet, social media and traditional news outlets,” the lawsuit says. “Rowden’s attack on CPL was entirely related to the dispute over Livy.”

The 19-page lawsuit seeks to force Rowden to remove all statements and social media posts about Canine Partners and direct her supporters to do the same. Rowden rebuffed repeated requests to do so voluntarily even though she has refused to return Livy as she had promised.

It took nearly two weeks to serve Rowden with the lawsuit, which the charity’s Pennsylvania attorney believes was no accident.

“It is a continuation of her deceptive and dishonest practices that led us to believe that she was an unfit home for Livy in the first place,” says Arthur D. Goldman, Esq.

The lawsuit seeks a jury trial and more than $100-thousand in damages.

For a copy of the lawsuit, Canine Partners for Life v. Diane Bennett Rowden, please use the media contacts below.

ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTS: http://thepublicityagency.com/canine-partners-for-life-cpl/

MEDIA CONTACTS
Glenn Selig
The Publicity Agency
Office: (813) 708-1220 x7777
Mobile: (813) 300-5454
email: gselig@seligmultimedia.com

Adam Farragut
The Publicity Agency
Office: (813) 708-1220 x7778
Mobile: (770) 881-3034
email: adam@seligmultimedia.com