He Is Our Captain
“The Captain of Her Heart,” the hit of the Swiss duo Double, was an international success, reaching #8 in the UK Singles Chart and #16 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Double (pronounced dubb-el -) formed in 1983 in Zürich, Switzerland, by Felix Haug (drums and keyboards) and Kurt Maloo (guitar and vocals) out of the trio Ping Pong of which both Maloo and Haug were members.
Better?
President Obama named himself one of the four best presidents in history — but he is just being modest. President Obama is the best president at piling on debt. In four years, he has managed to pile on nearly as much debt as all the previous presidents combined
Barnes & Thornburg LLP Named Top Workplace in Central Indiana
INDIANAPOLIS—Barnes & Thornburg LLP has once again been recognized as Central Indiana’s top company based on the results of the 2012 Indianapolis Star/WorkplaceDynamics Top Workplaces employee survey. This is the third year in a row that Barnes & Thornburg has been ranked as a “top workplace” and the second time in three years that the firm has been listed as the No. 1 large company in Central Indiana.
In addition to this recognition, the firm received top honors in the leadership category with Robert T. Grand, managing partner of the Indianapolis office, receiving the survey’s Leadership Award.
This year’s survey collected responses from over 20,000 employees throughout 98 Central Indiana companies. The survey covered areas regarding values, leadership, management, benefits, pay, growth, opportunities, appreciation, work/life balance, and retention.
With more than 550 attorneys and other legal professionals, Barnes & Thornburg is one of the 100 largest law firms in the country. The firm serves clients worldwide from its offices in Atlanta, Chicago, Delaware, Indiana, Los Angeles, Michigan, Minneapolis, Ohio and Washington, D.C. You can also visit us online at www.btlaw.com.
Private Company Sales Continue to Grow, GDP Expected to Follow, But What about Unemployment?
Private Company Sales Continue to Grow, GDP Expected to Follow, But What about Unemployment?
April 26, 2012–According to data released today by Sageworks, privately held companies in the United States saw average sales growth of 8.3 percent in the 12-month period ending in April 2012. That’s up slightly from the 2011 growth rate of around 8.2 percent, and up significantly from the low in 2009, when sales declined by an average of almost 6 percent. Since private companies drive over 50 percent of GDP, the increase in average revenue growth bodes well for the first quarter real GDP estimate being released tomorrow.
Financial Metric 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 Last 12 Months
Private Company Sales Growth* 6.15% 3.60% -5.75% 4.76% 8.19% 8.29%
U.S. Real GDP Growth 1.90% -0.30% -3.50% 3.00% 1.70% n/a
*Source: Sageworks, a financial information company
While private company sales and U.S. GDP have been growing consecutively for over two years, another important economic indicator, the national unemployment rate, now at 8.2 percent, has not improved at a similar rate.
Brian Hamilton, CEO of Sageworks and a noted expert on privately held companies explained, “In reviewing the numbers, the fear now is that we may be running out of runway before the onset of another recession. We will not be surprised to see continued growth in GDP given the fact that privately held companies continue to grow at a healthy rate. However, what is becoming slightly concerning is that the unemployment rate is not decreasing at a fast enough rate. In general, if you look over a long period of time, the average expansionary cycle is approximately 4 years and the average recessionary period is one year. Historically, it has taken approximately 12 to 20 months for unemployment to fall in an expansion to roughly pre-recession levels. Right now, we are into the 34th month of the recovery, and, yet, unemployment remains too high. If we don’t get employment up, we may be bumping into the next recession, during which time we cannot expect job growth.”
Residence Inn Indianapolis Downtown On The Canal Unveils Innovative Renovation
Merrillville, Ind.- White Lodging Services is pleased to announce the Residence Inn Indianapolis Downtown on the Canal has undergone a complete renovation of its 134 suites and public spaces, transforming it into an upscale hotel, designed to enhance the comfort and lifestyle of travelers on the road today. The newly refreshed hotel, owned by RLJ Lodging Trust and located at 350 W. New York St., offers guests flexible spaces and amenities to help maintain a healthy balance and routine while traveling.
Hilton Appoints Stuart Foster as Vice President of Marketing
MCLEAN, Va.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Today, Hilton Worldwide Luxury Brands announced Stuart Foster as Vice President of Marketing. Former Vice President of the Southeast Region for Moët-Hennessy USA, a division of LVMH, Foster will lead all luxury marketing initiatives and oversee the strategic development of global positioning for Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts and Conrad Hotels & Resorts. Foster will report directly to John Vanderslice, Global Head of Luxury & Lifestyle Brands, of Hilton Worldwide and work from the Hilton Worldwide Headquarters in McLean, Va.
Barnes & Thornburg Represents Renowned Music Producer in Recent High-Profile Projects
Barnes & Thornburg announced today that the firm represented multiple Grammy- and Oscar-winning music producer, T Bone Burnett, in connection with two recent high-profile projects: Lionsgate’s engagement of Burnett to provide executive music producer services for the film The Hunger Games and to produce its companion album The Hunger Games: Soundtrack, Songs from District 12 and Beyond, and Elton John’s hiring of Burnett to produce John’s forthcoming studio album, The Diving Board.
Sidney S. Fohrman, a Los Angeles-based Barnes & Thornburg attorney and member of the firm’s Entertainment and Music Practice Group, represented T Bone Burnett in the negotiation of these deals.
Jason Karlov, national chair of the Barnes & Thornburg Entertainment and Music Practice Group, said that “Sid’s knowledge and experience in negotiating music and entertainment deals is integral to Barnes & Thornburg’s ability to represent such legendary names in the industry such as T Bone Burnett, and to the continued growth of the Barnes & Thornburg entertainment and music practice.”
George Mason Mortgage Announces Relocation, Expansion of Frederick Office
FREDERICK, Md.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–GEORGE MASON MORTGAGE, a Subsidiary of Cardinal Bank (NASDAQ: CFNL) is pleased to announce the relocation and expansion of its Frederick, MD mortgage office.
“We are excited to expand our lending area into Frederick County”
Residents of Frederick County, with a proven track record, Tom McLister, Branch Manager, and Darren Chamblee, Asst. Branch Manager, each bring over 22 years of mortgage lending experience to this new office, located at 5235 Westview Drive, Suite 102, Frederick, Maryland 21703. George Mason Mortgage stands tall amongst our peers with an unwavering commitment to customer service.
American General Names John Deremo Executive Vice President and Chief Distribution Officer
HOUSTON–(BUSINESS WIRE)–American General Life Companies (American General) has named John Deremo Executive Vice President and Chief Distribution Officer. He joins American General from Protective Life Corporation, where he served as Senior Vice President and Chief Distribution Officer.
