Consumer Reports Study Reinforces Need for Right to Repair Act

/PRNewswire/ -- According to the June 2010 issue of Consumer Reports, more Americans (74 percent) are very satisfied with independent repair shops for vehicle repairs than new car dealers (59 percent). To ensure that car owners can continue to choose between local repair shops and dealerships for vehicle repairs, Congress introduced the Motor Vehicle Owners' Right to Repair Act (HR 2057/S 3181).

In May 2009, Consumer Reports came out in support of the Right to Repair Act, stating that "Consumer Reports agrees, in principle, with the Right to Repair Act as it restricts its scope to 'repair' which would increase repair options for car owners."

"As evidenced by the Consumer Reports study, millions of car owners trust independent repair shops to provide affordable and competitive automotive repair service," said Kathleen Schmatz, president and CEO of the Automotive Aftermarket Industry Association (AAIA). "The top priority of the Right to Repair Act is motorist safety, ensuring that car owners know what is happening with their vehicles. To keep every motor vehicle serviced, repaired and operating safely, there must be equal access to safety alerts and repair information from the car companies."

The Right to Repair Act protects motoring consumers from a growing and potentially hazardous vehicle repair monopoly by requiring that car companies provide full access at a reasonable cost to all service information, tools and safety-related bulletins needed to repair motor vehicles, ensuring a competitive, level playing field between dealerships and independent repair shops. The legislation further provides car companies with strong protections for their trade secrets, only requiring them to make available the same diagnostic and repair information they provide their franchised dealers.

"It is important that every repair facility, whether a neighborhood repair shop or a new car dealer, has the same access to safety alerts and repair information from the manufacturers," said Ray Pohlman, president of the Coalition for Auto Repair Equality (CARE). "Supporters of Right to Repair are not seeking an unfair advantage, nor are they looking for access to the proprietary information protected by the bill. Instead, they are asking Congress to ensure that car owners, and not the car companies, decide where their vehicles are repaired."

The Right to Repair Act has bipartisan support in both chambers of Congress. The Senate version of the bill (S 3181) was recently introduced by Sens. Barbara Boxer (D-CA) and Sam Brownback (R-KS) and has 3 co-sponsors. The House version (HR 2057) was introduced by Reps. Edolphus Towns (D-NY), Anna Eshoo (D-CA) and George Miller (D-CA) and currently has 62 co-sponsors.

About Right to Repair:

The Motor Vehicle Owners' Right to Repair Act (S 3181) was introduced into the Senate by Sens. Barbara Boxer (D-CA) and Sam Brownback (R-KS). The House version of the bill (HR 2057) was introduced by Reps. Edolphus Towns (D-NY), Anna Eshoo (D-CA) and George Miller (D-CA). The Right to Repair Act protects consumers from a growing vehicle repair monopoly by requiring car companies to make the same service information and tools capabilities available to independent repair shops that they provide to their franchised dealer networks. The legislation further provides car companies with strong protections for their trade secrets. For more information about the Right to Repair Act, visit www.righttorepair.org.

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Employment Gains Signal Upward Potential, Says The Conference Board

/PRNewswire/ -- The 224 thousand gain in jobs (excluding the 66,000 additional workers on the census) in April is very welcome news. It clearly shows that this economic recovery can no longer be seen as a jobless one. Following three quarters of growing production, companies apparently find they can't squeeze out any more output without adding workers. This underscores yesterday's news that Q1 productivity growth slowed to a healthy 3.6 percent following the staggering rate of above 7 percent on average in the previous three quarters.

These job gains are comparable to what we've seen following other deep recessions, suggesting that U.S. business has become more confident that the recovery is sustainable. Manufacturing jobs are returning to a significant extent, and construction employment turned the corner in the previous two months. The key factor this spring will be continued gains in service-sector employment beyond health and education.

Continued employment gains of this size could put the economy on a solid 3 percent growth track and -- if productivity growth stays up - even boost it to 3.5 or 4 percent.

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Georgia Showcases Bioscience Advances at Industry's Top Global Conference

/PRNewswire/ -- Georgia will continue to accelerate the growth of its bioscience industry at the annual BIO International Convention in Chicago, the largest global event for the biotechnology industry. The event attracts the biggest names in biotech and offers key partnering opportunities as well as insights into major trends.

"This strategic industry for the state continues to experience significant growth in the wake of last year's convention in Georgia," said Governor Sonny Perdue. "The research coming out of our universities combined with Georgia's top-notch business environment has generated increased interest from the industry as a result of their heightened exposure over the last year."

Georgia's groundbreaking research, combined with top-ranked universities and a supportive business climate, have propelled the state's development as the crossroads of global health. More than 300 bioscience companies in fields like pharmaceuticals, biotech, diagnostics and bioenergy call Georgia home, making it the most industry-diverse state in the U.S. Southeast. Institutions like Emory University, Georgia Tech, the University of Georgia and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the world's top public health agency, keep Georgia in the top 10 states for research and development.

Among the most significant developments following the BIO International Convention, which was held in Georgia for the first time in 2009, was the August announcement by Seattle-based Dendreon Corporation that it would locate a $70 million facility in Union City, Georgia. This plant will manufacture Provenge, an aggressive treatment for prostate cancer that won FDA approval last week. The company is in the process of creating several hundred jobs in Georgia.

Other biotechnology companies recently announcing locations, expansions or funding partnerships in Georgia are Sepmag Technology of Spain (in-vitro medical devices), Iverson Genetics of Washington (genetic testing), Qualtex Labs of Texas (blood testing), Cancer Treatment Centers of America (hospital) and a number of bioenergy-focused enterprises.

Numerous biotechnology companies in the state are developing, testing and implementing ground-breaking discoveries. For example, Georgia-based Geovax Labs, which has licensed and is testing one of the world's most promising therapeutic vaccines for HIV/AIDS, received FDA approval in March to begin Phase 1 clinical trials. The vaccine was created by the Emory Vaccine Center, renowned for its discovery of the breakthrough HIV drug Emtriva. Altea Therapeutics, which is developing a proprietary technology enabling drug delivery, including insulin, through transdermal patches, currently has five products in development and several clinical and preclinical studies underway with pharmaceutical companies.

Georgia universities like the Medical College of Georgia (MCG) are fueling this pipeline with new findings in cardiovascular, diabetes and obesity, immunologic and vision science and children's health. Research funding per basic scientist at MCG ranks second in the nation among similar-sized institutions, and MCG was named among The Scientist magazine's top 15 places in the U.S. to work in academia.

Incubators at MCG and the Georgia Institute of Technology have been recognized by national publications as among the nation's top facilities. Last month Forbes magazine named the Advanced Technology Development Center at Georgia Tech to its new list of "10 technology incubators that are changing the world." ATDC, one of around 20 state-funded incubators in Georgia, now has more than 300 companies in its program.

Georgia Tech is also a new member of the American Association of Universities (AAU) and joins Emory University as two of just 63 public and private universities inducted into this elite group based on academic and research credentials.

Joining the Georgia Tech-affiliated Technology Enterprise Park and other bioparks around the state in the future will be a public-private "Crossroads Institute for Global Health" at the former Fort McPherson. This 165-plus acre campus will be able to accommodate companies working in vaccines, infectious diseases, neurosciences and other targeted sciences.

Under Governor Perdue's leadership, Georgia has been a leader in improving life sciences education and workforce development. The Governor's Office of Workforce Development has launched a comprehensive program to create an articulated life sciences career pathway from high school to technical colleges to universities; create training for the existing life sciences industry workforce; eliminate the skills gap using Work Ready Certificates and Work Ready job profiling; and increase high school graduation rates through Certified Work Ready Communities.

Georgia's Innovation Crescent, which organized two years ago to focus on the bio-rich cluster identified by Governor Perdue's workforce study, has just announced its formalization as an economic development entity called the Innovation Crescent Regional Partnership. The Innovation Crescent is a 13-county region from Atlanta to Athens containing numerous bio-focused colleges and universities, as well as industry leaders like Merial, Ciba Vision and Kimberly-Clarke.

The Innovation Crescent is one of five Georgia Work Ready Regions established to bring together bioscience assets and leaders from multiple counties to create regional talent pools. Other regions include Augusta Bioscience, Bioscience Technology Circle of South Georgia, Renewable Energy Front, and the Southwest Georgia Agribusiness Consortium. To date, Georgia has invested in $2.1 million in developing these regions, their workforces and industry networks.

Professionals at Georgia Quick Start, the state's program for customized workforce training, has deep experience in FDA-regulated process and has helped many major pharmaceutical and medical device manufacturers in Georgia find, assess and train team members. A recent example is the customized, 20,000-training hours program Quick Start developed for 400 workers at the new world laboratory headquarters of Quintiles, one of the world's leading pharmaceutical companies.

Georgia's Center of Innovation for Life Sciences (http://lifesciences.georgiainnovation.org/), part of a network of six Centers of Innovation aligned with the state's strategic industries, makes it easier for early-stage companies to thrive by connecting entrepreneurs and emerging companies around Georgia to industry experts and university research in order to accelerate innovation and commercialization. To complement its work, the public-private Georgia Bioscience Commercialization Center has launched a Web site, www.georgiabcc.com, that will likewise give entrepreneurs access to mentoring assistance from company CEOs and university faculty.

At last year's BIO conference, Georgia debuted a first-of-its kind searchable database called iResearchGeorgia, a partnership between the state and academia. Managed and funded by the Georgia Research Alliance, the online database connects innovative companies with Georgia's top bioscience experts, intellectual property assets and much more. (www.gra.org)

iResearch is just one focus of the Georgia Research Alliance (GRA), whose existence is a testament to the unified commitment of industry, government and academia in Georgia to grow a technology-based economy. The GRA has recruited over 60 eminent, enterprising scientists to the state, developed 28 nationally recognized Centers of Excellence, and helped leverage $2.6 billion in federal and private investment.

Georgia's 2009 No. 1 ranking for entrepreneurial activity by the Kauffman Foundation attests the strong regional entrepreneurial culture. The state continues to develop a compelling environment for such companies to grow and succeed.

The Centers for Innovation program helped sponsor the Venture Atlanta conference last fall, which drew nearly 500 people and attracted more than 100 VCs from top firms around the country to hear investment opportunities from 21 Georgia companies. More than $410 million in venture capital was invested in Georgia in 2008, ranking the state 14th in the country.

Support for biotech entrepreneurs has also increased in the state with the 2009 implementation of a revised Research & Development tax credit that is tied to the federal calculation and can also be used against payroll withholding. Small, innovative companies now have a longer time period and greater opportunity to position themselves for success.

Other financial incentives for the industry are the Advanced Technology Development (ATDC) Seed Capital Fund, which has invested about $4.6 million since 2004 into life science companies in Georgia that have raised nearly $58 million in total capital, and the Georgia Research Alliance Venture Capital Fund, which provides $30 million of seed and early stage capital for companies growing research coming out of Georgia's universities. Bio companies can also benefit from the Quality Jobs Tax Credit, created in 2009, which rewards companies who create jobs paying higher-than-average wages for the community in which they locate, and has a component that can be monetized against employee withholding taxes.

The bioscience industry in Georgia created almost 18,000 jobs in 2007, the most recent year for which data is available. According to other statistics from the "Shaping Infinity" report released by Georgia BIO, the industry was responsible for the creation of more than 62,000 jobs in Georgia, created $16 billion in output and contributed $6.2 billion to the state GDP as well as $517 million in tax revenues for state and local governments. In addition, life sciences research at the state's colleges and universities generated $1.3 billion in output and nearly 15,000 jobs in fiscal year 2006.

"The high-wage jobs created by this industry generate economic growth in Georgia and help drive the innovation so necessary to success in the global marketplace," said Ken Stewart, commissioner of the Georgia Department of Economic Development. "Our participation in this conference is a key component to our long-term strategy to raise Georgia's profile in this sector and attract companies and venture capital to the state."

The state is hosting 12 Georgia universities, companies and agencies in its exhibit hall booth this year, including Aderans Research, Altea Therapeutics, Emory University, Georgia Bio, Georgia Innovation Crescent, Georgia Tech, Georgia Quick Start, Georgia Work Ready, GeoVax Labs, Medical College of Georgia, Morehouse School of Medicine and Shionogi & Co., Ltd.

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Mercedes-Benz USA Vehicle Preparation Center in Brunswick, Georgia Marks its Opening

/PRNewswire/ -- Mercedes-Benz USA (MBUSA) marks the official opening of its Brunswick, Georgia Vehicle Preparation Center (VPC) during a ribbon cutting ceremony held by Ernst Lieb, CEO of Mercedes-Benz USA for employees and Georgia State dignitaries including Lt. Governor of Georgia Casey Cagle, Steven Green, Chairman of the Board for the Georgia Ports Authority, and U.S. Senator, Mack Mattingly.

"Today's event is a prime example of the impact one company can have on a community and why job creation is our top priority. We are proud to welcome Mercedes-Benz and stand ready to assist and support them as they continue to invest in Georgia," said Lt. Governor Casey Cagle.

The Brunswick Vehicle Preparation Center in its entirety consists of four structures (under roof) totaling 103,260 sq. ft on a 50 acre site. It is one of five VPC facilities in the U.S. that serve as the first stop - after U.S. Customs - for new Mercedes-Benz vehicles destined for Mercedes-Benz dealerships throughout the United States. Located in Glynn County on the south side of Colonels Island, the Brunswick VPC is strategically port-located to processes vehicles headed for Mercedes-Benz dealerships throughout the Southern Region, Texas and Oklahoma.

"The opening of the new VPC, and the choice of this location, represents our ongoing commitment to drive operational efficiencies that ensure we are giving our dealers what they need to provide the very highest levels of customer satisfaction," said Ernst Lieb, CEO of Mercedes-Benz USA. "This new facility has already enabled reductions in terms of cost and time in the delivery of new vehicles and this is obviously to the benefit of our customers."

In addition its strategic location to improve efficiencies, many of the key functions for vehicle inspection and prep leverage advanced computerized control systems and facilities designed to ensure the high quality condition of each new vehicle. The VPC is capable of accessory installation, full body shop operations, homologation operations, and vehicle detailing and distribution operations.

The VPC is built with functional design and efficiency to optimize the employee work environment. The VPC is in the process of being LEED Certified as it incorporates components that are environmentally friendly from water use reduction to indoor environmental quality controls including use of daylight in 75 percent of spaces, thermal monitors and construction materials.

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Governor Perdue, Johnson Controls Celebrate Grand Opening in West Point

Top-tier Kia supplier creating 300 jobs in Harris County

Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue joined with executives from Johnson Controls and a host of local officials today to celebrate the official grand opening of Johnson Controls’ West Point plant. Johnson Controls is a global leader in automotive seating, door and instrument panels, and interior electronics. As a leading supplier for Kia Motors Manufacturing Georgia, the Johnson Controls West Point facility will manufacture seats and door panels for the Kia Sorento. This company location was initially announced in 2008, and currently employs approximately 300 workers.

“I am pleased to officially welcome Johnson Controls to Georgia,” said Governor Perdue. “The 300 jobs here at Johnson Controls are part of the more than 3,600 jobs Kia suppliers have created in West Georgia. Georgia continues to foster a competitive business environment that makes growth opportunities a reality for industry-leading manufacturers like Johnson Controls.”

The Milwaukee-based company occupies a 127,000-square-foot plant in West Point near the Kia Motors assembly plant, and ships products to the Kia facility on a just-in-time basis. The plant receives 50 percent of its energy from renewable sources including hydro, biomass, solar and wind. Compared to traditional energy, these renewable energy sources will save the emission of nearly 7,500 metric tons of carbon dioxide over the next six years, which is the equivalent of planning nearly 200,000 trees.

“Johnson Controls is pleased to support our customer Kia in West Point and bring new jobs to the community,” said Jeff Williams, group vice president and general manager for the Automotive Experience business of Johnson Controls. “We appreciate all of the support we have received from the state of Georgia, the local community and the Valley Partnership in establishing this new plant.”

The Johnson Controls West Point plant is located in the Northwest Harris Business Park in Harris County.

“We are proud to welcome a strong automotive company like Johnson Controls to Harris County,” said Harry Lange, Harris County Commission Chairman. “I know they will provide terrific opportunities for our citizens, and I look forward to their continued success in our area.”

Mark Lytle and Yoonie Kim, project managers with the Georgia Department of Economic Development, assisted the company with its location.

About Johnson Controls Johnson Controls is a global diversified technology and industrial leader serving customers in over 150 countries. Our 130,000 employees create quality products, services and solutions to optimize energy and operational efficiencies of buildings; lead-acid automotive batteries and advanced batteries for hybrid and electric vehicles; and interior systems for automobiles. Our commitment to sustainability dates back to our roots in 1885, with the invention of the first electric room thermostat. Through our growth strategies and by increasing market share we are committed to delivering value to shareholders and making our customers successful.
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RUE21 to Open at Arbor Place

Arbor Place Mall announced today that Rue21, a leading specialty fashion retailer, will soon open inside Arbor Place mall. The 4,500 square foot store will be located on the upper level next to Regal Cinema. “We are looking forward to Rue21 joining our growing number of Arbor Place merchants,” said general manager of Arbor Place Mall, Bill Ball. “They are a welcome addition, as we strive to continually improve the shopping experience at Arbor Place.”

Rue21 strives to provide the best selections while offering a competitive pricing strategy, making a specific, unique statement by offering fashion, quality and value. As new goods arrive daily, the choices of style are always fun and affordable for that fashion-conscious customer.

Rue21 has more than 500 stores, a figure that could jump to more than 1,000 if its growth plans, which include doubling the number of stores over the next four to five years, come to fruition. Last year, the company opened 88 stores and plans to open 100 additional stores in 2010.

Additionally, Charming Charlie, a unique fashion accessory retailer which features thousands of fashion jewelry and accessory pieces as well as a wide assortment of handbags, shoes and apparel merchandised by color, not category, recently opened at Arbor Place. The new 7,900-square-foot store is located on the first floor between Bed, Bath & Beyond and RadioShack.

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Senate Extends Vital SBA Programs

/PRNewswire/ -- The United States Senate unanimously agreed to extend the Small Business Administration (SBA) and vital programs that fall under the Small Business Administration Act and the Small Business Investment Act, such as the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs. The programs, which have been operating under a temporary extender and were set to expire on April 30, 2010, will continue with a three-month extension through July 31, 2010. The bill now heads to the House for approval. United States Senator Mary L. Landrieu, D-La., Chair of the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship made the following comment on the passage of the extension:

"The extension of these programs that fall under the Small Business Administration, such as the SBIR and STTR, will allow the nation's innovators and entrepreneurs to continue their work as we continue negotiations with the House for a longer, more comprehensive agreement. Over the next three months, I encourage the entrepreneurs, scientists and engineers looking for jobs, or waiting for a chance to explore a promising and innovative idea, to apply for research projects through these programs. SBIR and STTR entrepreneurs start businesses, create jobs and account for 25 percent of our nation's innovators, and we are ready to support them and their businesses."

Small firms employ 41 percent of the nation's high-tech workers and generate 13 to 14 times more patents per employee than large firms. The SBIR program alone has generated more than 84,000 patents and millions of jobs. Eleven federal agencies participate in the SBIR program -- including the Department of Defense and National Science Foundation -- allocating 2.5 percent of their extramural research and development dollars for the program.

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GE Center of Excellence will Make Atlanta Worldwide Hub for Smart Grid Breakthroughs

(BUSINESS WIRE)--The leading worldwide resource for clean, reliable, efficient energy delivery will be headquartered in Atlanta, Ga., with the opening of GE’s (NYSE: GE) Digital Energy business’ new Smart Grid Technology Center of Excellence (COE), the company announced today. The center is another demonstration of GE’s commitment to discovering and deploying clean, sustainable and economically viable energy solutions to satisfy ever-increasing worldwide energy demand.

“Research on smart grid technologies and their related systems is important at Georgia Tech, so there are limitless opportunities to collaborate with GE”

“Atlanta is an ideal location for us to continue to grow our smart grid business,” said Bob Gilligan, vice president—digital energy for GE Energy Services. “This new center of excellence will strengthen our green workforce and help GE continue to create solutions to better address our 21st century energy needs.”

The center is expected to add about 400 new jobs over three years. It will combine the world headquarters for GE’s Digital Energy business, a world-class smart grid engineering laboratory and a world-destination smart grid customer solutions showcase.

To help develop and deliver the leading-edge technologies and solutions planned for the COE, GE will need a highly trained “green” workforce. Funding from the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 is being used to train and build a solid, energy-savvy human resource that will benefit the Atlanta area for years to come.

In addition to federal government cooperation, the Georgia Economic Development Office and the Georgia governor’s office worked with GE to help secure the green jobs for Atlanta.

“GE Energy’s decision to expand its presence in Georgia through the opening of the Smart Grid Technology Center of Excellence supports our state’s strategic growth as a global leader in the energy sector,” said Governor Perdue. “The solutions that will be developed at the Smart Grid Technology Center of Excellence not only benefit GE’s customers, but also will serve as a model for smart and responsible energy production throughout this industry.”

The smart grid lab features collaboration between GE and the Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech), one of the nation’s top research universities. The partnership will work to develop and test new smart grid technologies that can help improve the efficiency, reliability and environmental impact of energy transmission, distribution and consumption—from integrating more renewable energy sources, like wind and solar, to lowering the peak power demand that lowers the need for new power plants, to improving the ways consumers manage their power usage.

“Research on smart grid technologies and their related systems is important at Georgia Tech, so there are limitless opportunities to collaborate with GE,” said Greg King, Strategic Partners Office at Georgia Tech. “We look forward to working with GE in this latest area of technology and innovation.”

The smart grid customer solutions showcase will feature hands-on interactive displays that can help visitors from throughout the world understand the challenges and opportunities inherent in delivering electricity over the power grid. Visitors will see how changes in the ways power is generated, delivered and consumed can improve the ways they live—from plug-in car charging and home energy management to renewable generation and automated grid communications networks. The showcase also will feature in-depth demonstrations to help educate grid engineers about the proven energy-saving solutions available.

“Georgia and metro Atlanta’s relationship and experience with GE is solid. The Chamber is proud to have partnered with the state to help GE with this new headquarters project,” said Hans Gant, senior vice president of economic development for the Metro Atlanta Chamber. “GE has steadily grown its presence in Atlanta for a number of years and has had success in managing their worldwide energy and infrastructure organizations from Atlanta. The high-paying jobs this new facility will create are the kinds of jobs where the Chamber’s New Economy Task Force recommended we focus our efforts. Atlanta has everything GE needs to continue to succeed: talent, quality of life and access to market.”

GE will move into the new headquarters in July, and the customer showcase is scheduled to open in September.

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Delta Air Lines Accelerates Employee Pension Funding

/PRNewswire/ -- Delta Air Lines (NYSE:DAL) today announced the addition of $558 million on an accelerated basis to four pension funds covering most of the airline's U.S.-based employees. With the accelerated contributions, Delta will complete its required contributions to these plans for 2010 approximately seven months ahead of schedule. Delta's pension funding is normally distributed throughout the year, with the majority of contributions added near the end of the year.

"Putting this money into our pension plans earlier means it will start working for employees sooner, by earning returns that add to the plan assets," said Mike Campbell, Delta's executive vice president - Human Resources. "Delta is committed to funding these plans, which provide an important part of the retirement benefit for many of our employees."

By the end of this month, Delta will have contributed $665 million to its traditional pension plans in the first four months of this year, in addition to $100 million that has been contributed to employees' defined contribution 401(k) plans. With another roughly $200 million scheduled to be contributed to 401(k) plans during the balance of the year, Delta is on track to contribute nearly $1 billion towards employees' retirement security in 2010.

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Equifax Signs Agreement to Sell APPRO

PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Equifax Inc. (NYSE:EFX) today announced it has entered into a definitive agreement to sell its Equifax Enabling Technologies LLC unit, consisting primarily of the APPRO suite of loan origination software ("APPRO"), to CRIF Corporation, an affiliate of CRIF S.p.A., an Italian credit reporting firm. The sales price is $72.4 million, subject to adjustment. The transaction is expected to close in April, upon satisfaction of customary closing conditions. Equifax intends to use the net proceeds from the transaction for general corporate purposes. The divestiture is not expected to have a material impact on adjusted EPS for full-year 2010.

APPRO is a leading provider of comprehensive loan origination systems for financial institutions and is based in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. CRIF Corp., with headquarters in Tampa, is a provider of decision support systems, business information solutions, credit management, direct marketing and credit collection services. CRIF S.p.A., is based in Bologna, Italy, and is a leading provider of banking credit information in Europe, including business and commercial information and credit and marketing management services.

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