Clayton State SBDC to Hold Free Class on Opening a Business, Dec. 13

The Clayton State University Small Business Development Center (SBDC) will be holding a special free class to help educate people interested in owning their own business.

Designed to help the public decide if entrepreneurship is right, “Opening a Business in the New Year” will be held on Monday, Dec. 13, in the Allan Vigil Ford Conference Room, 6790 Mount Zion Blvd., Morrow. The class will run from 10 a.m. to noon.

“If you are considering starting a small business, attending this workshop is the first step for potential entrepreneurs” says Allison Segal, SBDC program coordinator. “Learn what it really takes to be successful by identifying needed skills and resources. This workshop is Part I in the start-up process. You can then follow this workshop with Part II, `Starting a Business.’”

To register on-line for this free, public workshop, visit the SBDC website at; www.business.clayton.edu/sbdc. For more information, please contact Segal at (678) 466-5100 or asegal@georgiasbdc.org.

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UPS Adds Photo ID Requirement for Retail Shipping

(BUSINESS WIRE)--As part of its ongoing review to enhance security, UPS (NYSE: UPS) today announced it is expanding its policy to require customers who ship packages from retail shipping locations to present a government-issued photo ID for verification of identification. The directive will apply at The UPS Store ® and Mail Boxes Etc. ® locations as well as authorized shipping outlets worldwide.

Consumers who tender a shipment through any retail access location and do not already have a pre-printed shipping label attached will have to present a government-issued photo ID or they will not be allowed to use UPS services. The ID policy has been in place at UPS Customer Centers since 2005.

Valid forms of identification in the U.S. include a current state-issued driver’s license or Department of Motor Vehicles ID card, U.S. or foreign government-issued passport, U.S. Permanent Resident card, U.S. military identification or a Native American Tribal photo identification card. Qualifying documentation may vary by country at international retail locations.

“Since retail centers experience a significant increase in business from occasional shippers during the busy holidays, this enhancement adds a prudent step in our multi-layered approach to security,” said Dale Hayes, UPS vice president of small business and retail marketing. “The safety and security of our customers, business partners and employees is our highest priority and UPS will continue to implement additional security precautions as necessary.”

UPS (NYSE:UPS) is a global leader in logistics, offering a broad range of solutions including the transportation of packages and freight; the facilitation of international trade, and the deployment of advanced technology to more efficiently manage the world of business. Headquartered in Atlanta, Ga., UPS serves more than 220 countries and territories worldwide. The company can be found on the Web at UPS.com and its corporate blog can be found at blog.ups.com. To get UPS news direct, visit pressroom.ups.com/RSS.

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Revitalization Plans Become Concrete at the Jekyll Island Convention Center Groundbreaking

/PRNewswire/ -- Governor Sonny Perdue, the Jekyll Island Authority (JIA) Board of Directors, staff, legislative and business representatives and members of the community gathered just north of the former convention center December 7 to commemorate the beginning of construction on the new Jekyll Island convention center and beach village.

The new Jekyll Island convention center replaces the former center and will be the only oceanfront convention facility in the southeast. The new center is expected to achieve Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED) certification at a Silver level. The 128,000 sq. ft. facility will feature many "green" aspects including structural facets that serve to capture and reuse rainwater, alternative/renewable energy generation and use and the latest in energy-saving technology.

Construction on the ocean front convention center is expected to take approximately 18 months and is scheduled to be complete along with the two new hotels, loft condominiums and 40,000 sq. ft. of retail space that make up the commercial components of the new Jekyll Island Beach Village in 2012. Great Dunes Park and a public village green are integrated to create a new, vibrant beachside destination on Jekyll Island.

"The revitalization of Jekyll Island is a story of renewal – of restoring the island to its rightful place as a premier public beach resort available to all Georgians and visitors," stated Governor Perdue. "This project is already benefiting a reinvigorated coastal Georgia economy, and I look forward to seeing the finished product thanks to the hard work and dedication the Jekyll Island Authority Board of Directors and the Jekyll Island Authority staff have invested in this effort."

The facility will be integrated into its natural beachfront location in a manner that minimizes impact on the environment while creating a wonderful and unique guest experience. The interior design will celebrate the natural transect of the island from the dunescapes to the marsh vistas.

"We can not be more excited to embark on this monumental project for Jekyll Island," stated Chairman Bob Krueger. "My hope is for the new convention center to create a wealth of special memories just as the former has done for so many visitors and residents alike."

The day concluded with JIA Executive Director Jones Hooks inviting ceremony guests to make a permanent mark on slabs of wet cement to signify the permanence of revitalization. The cement tiles will be used in the new Beach Village area as a lasting tribute to those who have worked together to make the revitalization of Jekyll Island a reality.

"In this economy, it is truly remarkable that we are at this critical point of getting construction underway," stated Jones Hooks. "Timing has always been a critical element, and what we have been able to accomplish over the last twelve months is almost a miracle and would not be possible if not for the steadfast support of the Governor, the state legislature and our JIA Board."

Brasfield & Gorrie, LLC, the Georgia based general contractor for the convention center and related infrastructure will begin construction in January of 2011. Currently crews are sorting out material from the demolition debris to be recycled. Concrete is being ground to be used as the base for the new convention center and beach village streets. The beginning of construction on the convention center and accompanying retail area signifies the cornerstone of revitalization efforts for the Jekyll Island Authority.

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Consumer Product Services Announces the Opening of its Fifth Returns and Remanufacturing Center in Atlanta Georgia

/PRNewswire/ -- Consumer Product Services (symbol CPSV) today (December 3) announced the opening of its fifth (5th) consumer returns and remanufacturing center in Acworth Georgia. The Acworth facility was planned due to the continuing growth of the CPS client base requiring North American scalability, flexibility, reliability, consistency, transparency and rapid deployment of competitive reverse logistics solutions available through the CPS "Single Source Solution" approach to reverse supply chain management.

Mr. Darren Krantz, the Company's CEO stated, "With the opening of the Atlanta facility, we have greatly expanded our capacity and more importantly have created the ability to capture product in the strategic Southeastern corridor. Our existing clients as well as potential new clients require that we have strategically located logistic and remanufacturing facilities within certain geographic zones. This new facility is of key importance."

Acworth is located in the northwest quadrant of the Atlanta metro area. The newly constructed facility is located in the Cherokee Commons Industrial Park adjacent to I-75. The facility maintains over 50,000 sq feet of space dedicated to returns management and remanufacturing of CPS client products in the categories of major appliances, small appliance, outdoor power, air comfort and floor care.

Like other CPS facilities, Acworth is a multi client facility that provides state of the art engineering quality labs for on site defect data collection and reporting, debit reconciliation, remanufacturing, parts recovery, recycling as well as fulfillment services on behalf CPS clients. According to Michael Edwards CPS VP, Logistics and Supply Chain, Acworth is strategically located to service in excess of 25% of the US population and major retailer stores in the region within one day of shipment. This is a decided advantage in reducing transportation costs, improve inventory velocity and minimize exposure to cosmetic and mechanical damage incurred from longer transit times and multiple handlings through the carrier supply chain.

Consumer Product Services was founded in 2002 and is corporately based in Deer Park, Long Island, New York. In addition to operating five (5) North American returns and remanufacturing centers, CPS consists of five interrelated companies including Consumer Product Services for remanufacturing, CPS Supply Chain Services for transportation and warehousing, CPS Warranty Group for first and second warranty placement as well as B to C web stores and B to B auction sites.

CPS is dedicated to the principles of:

* Operational and Financial Benefits for our Clients
* Market Control
* Support of Brand Loyalty
* Continuous Quality Improvement
* Environmental Stewardship
* Creation of North American Jobs


This document may include statements that constitute "forward-looking" statements, usually containing the words "believe", "estimate", "project", "expect", "anticipate", or similar expressions. Forward-looking statements inherently involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from the forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause or contribute to such differences include, but are not limited to, the Company's ability to secure capital to fund current operations; future trends in the returns business; financial, environmental or remanufacturing difficulties affecting the Reverse Logistics and Remanufacturing programs; uncertainties surrounding estimates of product returns; and other risks associated with the Company's business. By making these forward-looking statements, CPS undertakes no obligation to update these statements for revisions or changes in the future 

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American Textile Company Opening Manufacturing Facility in Tifton, Ga

/PRNewswire/ -- American Textile Company (ATC) continues its growth in manufacturing bed pillows and utility bedding by announcing the opening of a new manufacturing and distribution facility in Tifton, Ga.

The 218,000 square foot facility, leased from the Tifton County Development Authority, is strategically located to service ATC's customers in the Southeast. The state-of-the-art manufacturing facility will begin by manufacturing bed pillows, one of the key items offered by ATC. "The opening of the Tifton facility completes our strategic nationwide pillow distribution strategy," said John Riccio, Chief Financial Officer for ATC. "With pillow manufacturing facilities in Duquesne, Pa.; Salt Lake City, Ut.; Dallas, Tx.; and now Tifton, Ga., we can efficiently ship bed pillows across the United States and Canada. We are thrilled with our interaction at the state and local level that executed this plan in a short period of time."

In addition to Georgia's pro-business climate, the company selected the Tifton, Ga. location from among competitive sites due to its strategic location to customers with distribution centers in the Southeast, access to a skilled textile workforce, low cost of doing business, and incentives provided by the State of Georgia. Customers with distribution points in the Southeast will benefit from a significant reduction in their freight costs. "Providing cost effective and efficient service to our customers is the cornerstone to our continued success," said Mark Bachner, Senior Vice President of Manufacturing for ATC.

The facility will open at the end of Q1 2011 and will employee 50 people immediately. A total of 120 people will be employed at the facility by the end of 2016.

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