Fed is ready to cut interest rates again

WASHINGTON - Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke pledged Thursday to slash interest rates as needed to prevent housing and credit problems from plunging the country into a recession.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080110/ap_on_bi_ge/bernanke

Take an Eye-Opening Virtual Tour of the 755 Club

The 755 Club at Turner Field, Atlanta’s most unique meeting and event facility, recently debuted a virtual tour showcasing the club’s most spectacular assets and characteristics. The eye-opening virtual tour appears on the 755 Club’s website as a portal to experience all the facility has to offer.

A stunning grand lobby featuring cherry wood and brushed stainless steel welcomes customers to the Club, ushering them into the contemporary, cool atmosphere of the venue. Viewers are able to access the facility’s floor plan and observe the unrivalled views of Turner Field from the 755 Club. The virtual tour displays the numerous venue options available for functions within the 755 Club. Focusing on the club’s special atmosphere, the interactive online tour is the perfect introduction to the 755 Club’s unique ambience. The 755 Club will beckon you to experience the sublime, again and again.

Fernando Saenz, Sales Manager at the 755 Club, states, “The new virtual tour shows customers the elegant décor of the 755 Club, and demonstrates the breathtaking skyline and stadium views through floor-to-ceiling windows. With the world’s largest high-definition video screen, an onsite, state-of-the-art kitchen staffed with award winning chefs, a wine list to rival any in the city and access to the entire Turner Field Stadium, from Scout’s Alley to the Braves Museum, the 755 Club truly offers the ultimate experience.”

The 755 Club accommodates meeting for 75 to 500 guests and consists of five expansive rooms totaling over 24,000 square-feet. In addition to meeting space, the 755 Club offers event planning for trade shows and corporate events, team building activities, over 70 custom TV monitors, custom menus, wedding/reception planning and reception space for 75 to 3000. The 755 Club delivers the excitement of Turner Field and the storied history of the Braves with service and amenities to rival the finest venues in the city.

For more information, visit www.755club.com or http://www.realviewtv.com/online/755club. Fernando Saenz, Sales Manager, may be reached at 404-614-2413.

BULLARD, FULTON REAL ESTATE COMPANIES ANNOUNCE MERGER

Steve Bullard and Jim Fulton have announced the merger of Coldwell Banker Fulton Realty Associates with the Bullard Realty organization.

This is the second merger of companies with Coldwell Banker Bullard Realty in recent weeks. Earlier, it was announced that Jonesboro-based Coldwell Banker Joe T. Lane Realty had merged with the Bullard Realty organization.

Jim Fulton, who is now an associate broker with Bullard’s Peachtree City/Fayette County office, said, “Steve Bullard and I have known each other a long time, and we’ve discussed this possible merger previously. We both felt that now is the right time to do it.”

Bullard noted that merger will result in a much stronger operation serving the real estate needs and providing Coldwell Banker services to the Peachtree City/Fayette County area. The office will be the largest in the Bullard organization and one of the largest real estate offices in Peachtree City. “We’re also extremely pleased to have someone of the caliber of Jim Fulton, who is a longtime community leader in Peachtree City and Fayette County, associated with our company,” he said.

Including Jim Fulton, 25 Realtors previously with Coldwell Banker Fulton Realty Associates are joining Bullard’s Peachtree City/Fayette County office as a result of the merger. They include Minka Fulton, Debbie Lowe, Pete Benson, Bruce Williams, Bruce Cole, Billy Simpson, Tracy Willis, Terry Hoffman, Reggie Johnson, Harrison Miller, Judy Powell, Martin Wise, Dianne Maney, Larry Moseley, Beverly Bryant, Tracey O’Brien, Carol Owen, Darlene Pearson, Jim Qualls, Cyndi Randolph, Marie Rich, Greg Schneider, Stephan Curcio and Cheryl Dunson.
The addition of the agents from Fulton Realty Associates increases the size of the Bullard Peachtree City/Fayette County office at 201 Prime Point to 82 agents. There are also three managers and support staff, headed by Managing Broker George Wiley.

The Fulton family’s activities in real estate go back to 1961, when Miriam Fulton, Jim Fulton’s mother, started selling homes and homesites for the developer of Peachtree City. This was just after the Fulton family had moved into one of the first new homes in Peachtree City.

Miriam Fulton founded Miriam Fulton Realty in 1971,and Jim Fulton joined her in 1972. When Jim Fulton received his broker’s license in 1975, he took over the operations of the company on a day-to-day basis. In January of 1991, the Fultons purchased a Coldwell Banker network-owned office in Peachtree City, merging it with their own office and becoming a Coldwell Banker affiliate. At that same time, the business name was changed from Miriam Fulton Realty to Coldwell Banker Fulton Realty Associates.

Jim Fulton, who plans to concentrate his efforts for Bullard Realty in the commercial real estate area, is a former chairman of the Fayette County Chamber of Commerce and the Development Authority of Peachtree City. He served as president of the Fayette County Board of Realtors and the Home Builders Association of Midwest Georgia, and he has been named Fayette County Business Person of the Year and Realtor of the Year.

Coldwell Banker Bullard Realty is the oldest and largest real estate company headquartered in the Metro South area of Atlanta and was ranked #194 on RISMedia’s Real Estate 2007 Power Broker Report, which included 500 of the most successful real estate companies from throughout the nation. The company was ranked at No. 13 in the Atlanta Business Chronicle's most recent listing of “Atlanta's Top 25 Residential Real Estate Companies”, and it is the principal Cendant Mobility broker for the South and East Metro Atlanta areas, having the largest Relocation Department on the Southside. The company became a Coldwell Banker franchisee in early 1998 and is the largest Coldwell Banker franchise in Georgia.

The Bullard organization has its corporate headquarters and a local office in Jonesboro, branch offices of Bullard Realty in McDonough, Peachtree City, Jackson, Griffin, Newnan, and Conyers, and an affiliated company, American Land Mart in Conyers, which has a major share of the luxury home market in the Rockdale County area.

Paulson: no easy answer to mortgage woes

WASHINGTON - The Bush administration is working to combat the country's severe housing crisis but there is no simple solution, Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson said Monday, adding that a correction in the housing market is "inevitable and necessary."

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080107/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/paulson_housing

Stocks end mixed in shaky trading

NEW YORK - Wall Street ended an erratic session mixed Monday as investors grew more confident that the Federal Reserve will lower interest rates again to ward off recession and as they also wrestled with worries about the upcoming earnings season.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080107/ap_on_bi_st_ma_re/wall_street

Travelport GDS to Relocate North American GDS Corporate Headquarters and Primary Data Center to Atlanta, Georgia

PRNewswire/ -- Travelport GDS, one of the world's largest global distribution systems (GDS) providers, which operates both the Galileo and Worldspan brands, today announced that it will consolidate operations across its current North American locations of Rosemont, IL; Parsippany, NJ and Denver, CO; and has selected Atlanta as the location for its new North American GDS headquarters and its primary data center.

"Travelport's acquisition of Worldspan and its integration of the Galileo and Worldspan GDS businesses represent our commitment to meeting the growing demands of our customers globally and to establishing even more efficient and effective travel distribution services," said Jeff Clarke, CEO and president of Travelport Ltd., parent company of Travelport GDS. "The relocation of the combined North American GDS headquarters to Atlanta underscores this commitment as well as our continued investment in the North American market."

"Travelport's decision to locate a division headquarters in Atlanta signals that our position as a hub in the travel and IT industries is second to none," said Governor Sonny Perdue. "The addition of these high-paying jobs will provide more opportunities for Georgia's best and brightest to stay in the state and continue to grow our economy."

"Atlanta has an excellent position geographically within North America which means that it is easy to do business with, has attracted and developed a well educated and technologically literate work force and has an ever expanding international network of air services which is crucial for a global business such as ours," said Gordon Wilson, CEO and president, Travelport GDS. "The consolidation of our business and primary data center into a North American GDS headquarters is a significant step in building upon synergies across our pre-existing Galileo business and the recently acquired Worldspan business. The State of Georgia, Cobb and Fulton Counties and the city of Atlanta have demonstrated strong support for our move which is appreciated. Our customers will benefit from an organization which is easier to do business with and which is within easy reach as well as from a state of the art Travelport managed central data centre serving the world for both the Galileo and the Worldspan GDS product lines."

Over time, Travelport plans to leverage the existing infrastructure and resources already located in Atlanta to expand its presence in the city.

Tamper Resistant Receptacles Help Protect Children from Electrical Injuries

PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Cooper Wiring Devices today announced a new line of Tamper Resistant receptacles designed specifically for dwelling units - residential homes, extended stay hotels, assisted living facilities, nursing homes and apartment buildings - anyplace electrical injuries to children could be a concern. The new receptacles resist the insertion of foreign objects, thereby providing protection for young children from electrical injuries, which is a frequent worry of parents.

This new line of receptacles continues the high quality and performance for which Cooper Wiring Devices' products are known. New safety features ensure a home or facility is offering superior protection against electrical injury. Tamper Resistant receptacles utilize a UL-Listed shutter system that resists the insertion of foreign objects, and provides significantly improved protection when compared to regular receptacles with plastic safety caps. Additional features include a patented built-in wire stripper for convenience, tri-combo screws for flexible installation, and a highly visible "TR" designation that makes the receptacles easy to identify.

In a recent study performed by the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), it was estimated that from 1991 to 2001, more than 24,000 children 10 years old or younger were treated in emergency rooms for incidents related to electrical receptacles. On average, this translates to about seven children every day.

"Our new line of Tamper Resistant receptacles will help make homes and other dwellings safer for young children." says Cooper Wiring Devices' Michele Salimbeni, Product Manager for Residential Products.

The industry efforts to develop safer electrical receptacles is in large part the reason new requirements are being added to the 2008 National Electrical Code(R) (NEC)* under section 406.11, Tamper Resistant Receptacles in Dwelling Units. The new code states that effective January 1, 2008, all receptacles installed in new dwelling units must be tamper-resistant. Cooper Wiring Devices' new line of Tamper Resistant Receptacles is fully compliant with these new code changes.

For more information, call 866-853-4293 or visit www.cooperwiringdevices.com.

The Special Event Show to Attract Nation’s Leading Event Planners and Designers to Atlanta January 15-18

The Special Event 2008

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Penton Media’s The Special Event®, the leading trade show and conference for event producers, planners and designers, is expected to attract thousands of industry trendsetters to Atlanta, showcasing the talents of experts responsible for some of the nation’s most high-profile events. The Special Event 2008 conference will take place January 15-18, 2008, with exhibit halls open January 16-18 at the Georgia World Congress Center, in Atlanta. Full details on the conference agenda and activities are available at www.thespecialeventshow.com.

Last year’s show in Los Angeles set new attendance records, hosting 9,000 professionals from around the world; attendance in 2008 is expected to surpass this number. The show will feature more than 100 educational sessions, six “showcase” events and a wide variety of exhibitions by more than 300 vendors, all organized by a distinguished group of the world’s leading event professionals.

Educational class tracks will cover all aspects of the event industry, including food services; event management; sales and marketing; design; wedding trends; business and professional development; and event tools & resources.

The six “showcase” events at The Special Event offer numerous ideas for professionals in décor, entertainment, catering and floral. Each showcase is organized and executed by committees comprised of the nation’s top designers. A detailed description of each showcase, with details on its organizing committee, can be found at www.thespecialeventshow.com.

Event planners visiting the exhibit hall floor will see thousands of products and services, reflecting the latest trends in the industry. The hall will include a gallery offering displays in tabletop design; a performance stage with an ongoing showcase of entertainment and educational acts; and “Gala Boards,” displaying photos of some of the world’s top events in 2007. Winning entries from the Gala Boards will be announced at the Gala Awards and Celebration on Friday, January 18th.

For a press badge to attend the tradeshow or conference sessions, or for information on exhibition and other marketing opportunities at The Special Event 2008, contact Betsy Carballo, marketing manager at (913) 981-6140, email betsy.carballo@penton.com or visit www.thespecialeventshow.com.

Sutherland Asbill & Brennan Elects Eight New Partners

ATLANTA & WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sutherland Asbill & Brennan LLP announces the election of eight new partners effective January 1, 2008.

“All of these lawyers have been very significant contributors to the firm on many fronts, and we are certain they will be a large part of our continued growth and success in the years to come,” said Mark D. Wasserman, Sutherland’s Managing Partner.

The following three lawyers in the firm’s Atlanta office have been elected partner:

Michael C. Castellon is a member of the Litigation Practice and focuses his practice in the areas of construction law, contracts and all types of dispute resolution.

Joseph M. DePew is a member of the Tax Practice and specializes in tax litigation and controversy, corporate taxation and income tax, with a focus on federal tax controversy issues, including IRS procedures, dispute resolution, collection and tax litigation matters.

Jennifer R. Van Ness is a member of the Real Estate Practice and focuses her practice in the areas of acquisitions and dispositions, development, finance, leasing and joint venture work.

The following five lawyers in the firm’s Washington office have been elected partner:

Thomas E. Bisset is a member of the Financial Services Practice and concentrates his practice on investment management regulation, including advising mutual funds, insurance company issuers of fixed and variable insurance products and other financial entities on the establishment and operation of investment companies and novel financial instruments and on compliance with the Securities Act of 1933, the Investment Company Act of 1940 and other federal securities laws.

Thomas R. Bundy III is a member of the Litigation Practice who has a commercial practice focusing on labor and employment law, particularly worker classification issues.

John J. Mahon is a member of the Corporate Practice and focuses his practice in the areas of securities law and mergers and acquisitions, including advising clients on compliance with the Securities Act of 1933 and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and handling matters relating to the establishment and operation of both public and private closed-end funds and business development companies.

Steven C. Sparling is a member of the Energy and Environmental Practice and devotes the majority of his practice to LNG, oil spill and emergency preparedness.

Carol P. Tello is a member of the Tax Practice and focuses primarily on international tax matters, including a broad range of cross-border tax planning and IRS controversy matters for both business entities and individuals.

Sutherland Asbill & Brennan LLP is an AmLaw 100 law firm known for solving challenging business problems and resolving unique legal issues for many of the world’s largest companies. Founded in 1924, the firm has grown to more than 500 lawyers with offices in Atlanta, Austin, Houston, New York, Tallahassee and Washington. For further information about the firm, please visit www.sablaw.com.

Challenges Create Opportunities that Can Improve Our Future

Most of the time, it takes a crisis or a near crisis situation to concentrate our thinking. It’s amazing what human beings are capable of when faced with big problems. All we know at the time is that we need answers. These answers may not be obvious, but, the industrious people that we are, we go right to work looking for them.

America has faced its share of catastrophes, both large and small, and will again in the future. Forgive me in this age of internationalism, but I believe that Americans have no peers when it comes to tackling big challenges.

The ones we are facing in Georgia as we move into 2008 are serious. Maybe not life threatening, but serious nonetheless. They cry out for answers. Left unsolved, they will limit growth, diminish employment opportunities and set our state back a decade or more. If you love this state as much as I do, you won’t let that happen.

One of the big agenda items in 2008 is water. How could something so benign, something we take for granted, cause such headaches?

The short answer is that we have grown as a state and the water supply has not. Thus, we find ourselves embroiled in mini-disputes: state against state, county against county, rural vs. urban and, our old nemesis, north Georgia vs. South Georgia, none of it the least bit productive.

A higher power controls the supply of water in the form of precipitation. As good stewards, our job is to use it wisely and to conserve, which we are doing, voluntarily and otherwise. Is it really a crisis? Not yet, maybe, but it is on the road to becoming one.

The Georgia Chamber is on that same path, committed to avoiding a crisis, working with state and local officials to stay one step ahead of the gloom and doom crowd. As the unified voice of the state’s business community, we knew that a water shortage was looming and that it had the potential to put small businesses at risk. And that a few good rain showers was not the answer.

We needed a strong plan, more of a strategy, if you will, agreed upon by all parties (and there are many), that was fair, equitable and effective. The state Department of Natural Resources produced the first one and I commend them for doing a thoughtful and thorough job.

Meanwhile, the Georgia Chamber of Commerce, representing the state’s business community, was invited to be part of the discussion and we were ready. We had already secured the services of an eminent water professional with hands on experience in situations much ours in Georgia. Doug Meile, a native Australian, has been part of our team for six months and he has been deeply involved in the negotiations, as the representative of Georgia business.

I am confident that the plan that surfaces during the upcoming legislative session will be a good one. I expect business to be treated fairly and that the jobs of millions of Georgians will be protected.

One final note on how this happened. More than a year ago, we launched a major fund drive known as The Georgia Initiative, to enable the Georgia Chamber to become more involved in public policy issues. Water was the first project we launched and, though much remains to be done, I already see this as a solid return on our investment. Certainly not just for business, but for every citizen of Georgia.

by George Israel, President & CEO of the Georgia Chamber of Commerce