(ARA) – The urge to help others runs deep in America. In 2006, roughly one in four adult Americans, 61.2 million total, volunteered their time, according to a new federal report by the Corporation for National and Community Service.

But another reality for many Americans is that everyday life can get in the way of their good intentions; increasingly busy work schedules and other commitments reduce the amount of spare time they have to volunteer or give in other ways. The solution for busy Americans? Technology.

To keep up with their busy lives, people are searching for a way to maximize their time while still making a difference. Technology is once again meeting a critical need and playing an integral role in improving the situation. One example is the significant increase in online charitable donations. According to a Pew Internet & American Life Project report, since the beginning of 2005, the number of Americans who say they have ever made an online donation has increased by 53 percent.

One of the newest entries to this space is the i’m Initiative, developed to raise money to support 10 of the world’s most effective nonprofit organizations. Instant messaging, a communications technology used by millions of people, is a way to keep in touch with colleagues, friends and loved ones online.

With the i’m Initiative, every time someone uses Windows Live Messenger to carry on a conversation, Microsoft donates a portion of the program’s advertising revenue to the participating organization of choice. While the company will make a minimum $100,000 guaranteed donation to each of the 10 organizations during the first year of the program, there is no limit to the amount of money it will donate.

Amy Leavitt, 31, a marketing specialist and avid Messenger user, selects a different charity each week to receive the donation she generates with the 35 hours per week she spends sending instant messages.

“I was taught at a very early age that if you have money or time to spare, then you need to give back to charity,” Leavitt says. “Volunteering is a big part of my life, and i’m gives me one more way to donate.”

People can get involved and learn more about the i’m Initiative by joining at http://im.live.com and downloading the latest version of Windows Live Messenger at no cost. Once they join, they simply enter a text code that corresponds to one of the participating organizations into their Display Name field. People will recognize others who are participating by the small bold green i’m lettering next to their display name.

With millions of people using it each month, Windows Live Messenger significantly expands the potential audience of donors for many of these social causes.

“Microsoft’s i’m Initiative has provided users of instant messaging technology with an important opportunity to help the millions of Americans that rely on the American Red Cross each year,” says Kathleen Loehr, interim senior vice president of development at the American Red Cross. “This endeavor is even more exciting because people can help those in need by simply living their normal lives, chatting with their friends or families. While users may never meet all of the people their gift helps, we are glad that they are ready to help make a difference.”

The organizations participating in the i’m Initiative include American Red Cross, Boys & Girls Clubs of America, the Humane Society of the United States, the National AIDS Fund, National Multiple Sclerosis Society, ninemillion.org, Sierra Club, Stopglobalwarming.org, Susan G. Komen for the Cure, and U.S. Fund for UNICEF.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

ARA) – Worn tires are blamed for the death of an Irving, Texas, police officer killed in a crash on his way to a call this past April; and in Greenville, S.C., two ambulance workers were recently injured and a patient killed when their vehicle flipped after the rear tire tread came off .

First responders put their lives on the line every day to help others; never expecting to run into problems with their equipment, but it happens. In an effort to show appreciation for the work firefighters and EMS personnel do, Michelin North America is encouraging individuals and communities to nominate a first responder to win a new set of tires, ensuring that safe and reliable tires will be on the community’s emergency response vehicle. This year, 50 winners will be awarded a set of new tires, double last year’s prize. To nominate a local hero, visit www.MichelinMan.com and either e-mail a nomination prior to November 23, or print and mail the form postmarked by November 15.

Ryan Sutter, reality television star from “The Bachelorette” and full-time firefighter for Vail Fire and Emergency Services is working with Michelin to raise awareness of the importance of tire safety for first responders.

“Tire maintenance is essential to emergency responder vehicles and many fire departments and EMS units struggle to maintain their vehicles,” says Sutter. “Through this Michelin program, communities have the opportunity to recognize the brave efforts of local first responders and help them maintain vehicle safety by nominating them for new tires.”

Last year Linda Embry of Marietta, S.C., submitted her nomination, husband David Embry, as the community’s hero and he became the first winner to receive a new set of Michelin tires for his vehicle.

“My husband David works selflessly to help the people of our community. People know they can call him at home at anytime and he will drop what he is doing and get to them. Right now he is at the church “Trunk or Treat,” operating a borrowed smoke house to teach children fire safety,” Embry wrote in her nomination. “I know he’s my husband, but I can’t imagine anyone more deserving of being recognized as a local hero. And I can’t imagine anything making him any happier than winning a new set of Michelin tires for his beloved fire department.”

Many local fire departments are under funded and sponsor chili cook-offs or hold pancake breakfasts to raise money for vehicle maintenance and repairs. New tires are a necessity that many departments cannot afford. Take the time to nominate an individual or team and help ensure the safety of the people who generously and selflessly keep their communities safe.

Remember, tire safety is important for the safety of emergency responders, but also for individuals too. Here are some things to think about for all vehicles:

* Air Pressure
Keeping tires properly inflated is essential for the maximum performance and longevity of the tire, as well as the ride quality and safety of the vehicle. Tires carry the entire weight of the vehicle and when under inflated or over inflated, they cannot do their job properly. Check pressure once a month.

* Tread
Looking at the wear and tear of the tread of a tire can tell its history. Tread is important to help the vehicle properly grip the road. Wear in the middle of the tire indicates over inflation for a significant amount of time, as wear on both outer edges indicates under inflation.

* Rotation
Regular rotation extends the life of the tires, saving both time and money in the long run. For rotation, each tire and wheel is removed from the vehicle and replaced in a different position. This ensures that all of the tires wear evenly and last longer.

*Alignment
Alignment generally refers to the adjustment of a vehicle’s front and rear suspension parts. Proper alignment not only ensures that the vehicle handles correctly but it will also help increase the life and performance of the tires. Check alignment after hitting an object, when wear patterns develop on the shoulders of the tires or if there is a difference in vehicle handling.

For more information visit www.MichelinMan.com.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

(ARA) – For generations it seemed millions of American women served only in supporting roles among the nation’s charitable and activist organizations. Today more women are taking leadership roles in activism and are founding their own outreach organizations.

“Exceptional women of all ages are taking lead roles in grassroots activism,” says Carol J. Hamilton, president of L’Oréal Paris. “They are truly making a difference in their communities. By recognizing their achievements, we not only encourage their continued commitment to their causes, we can inspire the next generation of women in their service to the community.”

L’Oreal Paris launched a national campaign earlier this year to find and honor women committed to community achievement and volunteerism. Consumers nominated thousands of women in the first phase of the “Women of Worth” program. A panel of judges from business, media and activism organizations has chosen 13 top activists. Honorees range in age from just 23 to 80, and include some women who began their activism careers as early as age 8 and 15.

Online voters will choose the Women of Worth National Honoree, who will receive $25,000 for her cause from L’Oreal Paris. To vote, go to www.womenofworth.com.
Honorees include:

* Maureen Cavaiola, 59, of Severna Park, Md. Cavaiola founded “Partners in Care,” an organization that helps older and disabled adults remain independent in their own homes.

* Tara Church, 29, of New York City. At age 8, Church co-founded the world’s first youth environmental nonprofit, “Tree Musketeers.”

* Meagan Corlin, 23, of Strafford, N.H. When she was just 17, Corlin founded the “StarMight Foundation,” a nonprofit organization that empowers youth to make a difference through volunteerism.

* Angelia Curran, 41, of Smith’s Station, Ala. Curran began volunteering with the Friendship Volunteer Fire Department at 15, and is now the department’s deputy chief.

* Anne Garrett Addison, 45, of Lake Stephens, Wash., co-founded the Pre-eclampsia Foundation. The organization’s mission is to reduce maternal and infant illness and death due to pre-eclampsia.

* Millicent “Mama” Hill, 67, of Los Angeles. She established Mama Hill’s Help, providing tutoring for more than 125 neighborhood youth in south Los Angeles.

* Gayle Hutchens, 60, of Indianapolis, founded Paws & Think, which matches underserved youth with shelter dogs to enhance the lives of adults and children with special needs.

* Shamika Lee, 27, of Boston. Lee volunteers at Graham Windham, a home that provides preventive services as well as foster care and adoption.

* Pauline Lewis, 69, of Phoenix, Ariz., founded the Phoenix Foundation for Homeless Children and ministers to hundreds of homeless children and their families by tending to their medical, nutritional and other basic needs.

* Wendy Masi, 55, of Fort Lauderdale, Fla. The Love Jen Fund which Masi founded provides emergency financial assistance to families who have a child sick with cancer.

* Eva Payne, 31, of Lincoln, Neb.; founded Camp Kindle, a summer camp for young people impacted by HIV and AIDS.

* Hesther Rippy, 80, of Lehi, Utah, founded the Lehi-Rippy Literacy Center, which offers effective one-on-one literacy training to help families and individuals develop the necessary reading skills to thrive in society.

* Karen Stark, 58, of Oklahoma City, founded the HUGS Project, a nationwide troop support effort.

L’Oréal Paris will recognize the Women of Worth honorees by making a monetary donation of $2,500 on their behalf to the nonprofit organization they work with and a matching monetary donation of $2,500 will be made in the name of each winner to The Ovarian Cancer Research Fund, the 10-year charitable partner of L’Oréal Paris. The Women of Worth National Honoree will receive $25,000 for her cause from L’Oreal Paris.

For more information about the Women of Worth Program, honorees bios and to vote for the 2007 Women of Worth National Honoree, please visit www.womenofworth.com. Voting closes Oct. 15, 2007.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

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L’Oreal Paris, a division of L’Oréal USA, Inc. has helped raise over $13 million dollars on behalf of the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund with fundraising efforts such as the L’Oréal Legends Gala and L’Oréal’s annual “Color of Hope” cosmetic and jewelry collections

ARA) – Successful communities are built, not born. What makes communities successful has changed dramatically over the past decade. Evidence shows that now, more than ever before, successful communities can be built. In other words, the characteristic assets of a successful community can be created, developed and encouraged.

An excellent example is Bemidji, Minn. The Bemidji Leads! program involved more than 300 community members, led by seventeen community stewards, working together to become a force for positive change in the lives of the community. The results have been incredible. More than 10,000 trees are being planted each year to reforest the community. Bemidji State University has been identified as a center for excellence, and plans for a new event center are well underway. These are just a few examples of the positive changes resulting from Bemidji Leads! Another was the creation of the Center for Community Stewardship – a group dedicated to helping other communities realize the same success as Bemidji.

The trick to growing successful communities is knowing where to start. According to the Center for Community Stewardship, the key is empowering a community’s most important asset — its leaders.

* Identify “Successful Gardeners”
Much like successful gardeners, community leaders plant the seeds of success so that everyone can enjoy the fruits of their ideas, innovation and labor. They are people of vision who are passionate about their community, take risks and understand the changing dynamics of community development. Leaders not only possess these qualities themselves, but they’re able to recognize these characteristics in potential leaders for the future. The Center for Community Stewardship’s Steward Academy program, for example, focuses on helping communities identify, grow and support strong leaders. These community leaders then work to communicate, plan and accomplish their goals of community progress and change.

* Understand the “Ecosystem” Of Your Community
Just like a garden has differences in soil, the characteristics of communities are extremely diverse and unique. Leaders and representatives should draft a community profile, which will serve to clarify its identity and determine the resources needed to meet goals and address problems. This profile also serves to pinpoint where there is community interest and energy, prioritizing strategies and opportunities.

Finally, a community profile can help by providing a realistic, yet optimistic, picture of the community’s destiny. This serves to help the community graduate from “good” to “great.” It also ensures proper planning, which makes implementing positive change much easier.

* Plant the Seeds of Improvement
Once community leaders have been identified and the community has been profiled, a plan of action can be created and realized. This is where ideas become real plans with clear goals, and the seeds of improvement are sown. It is necessary to identify specific action steps and strategies for bringing about positive change in a community.

As soon as a plan is established and agreed upon, it can be put into action. Here’s where leaders are transformed into coaches, helping the community improve itself through the plan that has been developed. These coaches need to generate a positive “buzz” around the changes that are taking place, thus encouraging more community members to participate. They can do this by promoting practical reasons for change, identifying big ideas and encouraging achievable first steps.

* Evaluate the Yields of Growth
In order to determine if a plan’s goals have been achieved, they must be properly evaluated and measured. Has the community utilized the right recipe for the right soil mixture to best raise the crops of progress and optimism? Techniques such as community surveys and focus groups can provide feedback on existing efforts and help assess where improvements can be made. Mistakes or errors in judgment are bound to happen. Through evaluation, communities can learn from mistakes and improvements can be made.

Steward Academy sessions provide the basics for many of these concepts. In fact, by utilizing help from organizations like the Center for Community Stewardship, communities across the country are realizing similar success to that of Bemidji. In other words, when strong leaders plant the seeds of improvement, communities can reap the benefits of positive change. To learn more, visit www.stewardacademy.com.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

(ARA) – If you’re unsure what you can do to successfully grow your savings account, you’re not alone. Just like committing to a regular workout routine and eating healthier, getting out of the starting blocks is half the battle. Beginning a savings program is no different and according to a recent national survey, the majority of Americans are not following the three simple steps that are key to a successful savings plan.

The survey, conducted by Harris Interactive on behalf of Countrywide Bank, FSB, the nation’s third largest federal savings bank, shows that the majority of Americans who have both savings and checking accounts keep them at the same bank; they have never thought of having the accounts at separate banks, and have no automatic savings plan in place.

“Consumers are potentially leaving money on the table,” says Pierre P. Habis, managing director for deposits and investment services at Countrywide Bank. “Serious savers view their savings accounts as ‘one way’ only, meaning they make more deposits than withdrawals. They succeed at this by keeping their transactional banking relationship at one bank and savings at another.”

“We’ve found that if consumers’ checking and savings are under the same roof, it’s too easy to draw from that nest egg, and that’s when savings stagnate,” he adds.

So what are the three secrets of successful savers? Habis offers the following advice:

1. Separate

In the Harris survey, 71 percent of respondents said they keep their savings and checking accounts in the same bank. And 67 percent have never even considered separating their accounts. This, Habis says, can be a serious mistake.

Keep your primary savings and checking accounts at different financial institutions. This strategy may help you get the best rates, and will make it more difficult to dip into your savings – one of the worst saving mistakes people commit. Shop around for institutions that offer the best possible terms. It is possible that the institution that best meets your checking needs might not be suited for providing market-leading savings rates.

2. Automate

Sixty one percent of the respondents in the Harris poll do not automatically transfer or deposit a set amount into their savings on a regular basis. Paying yourself first is one of the hallmarks of a basic savings plan. Habis recommends that consumers establish a savings plan, whereby a percentage of your income, or a set dollar amount, is automatically deposited into your savings account on a regular basis. “Start out by trying to allocate a small amount, perhaps even $20 per week to start, towards a high-yielding account,” says Habis.

3. Shop for the Best Rate

If you’re not sure what the annual percentage yield (APY) is on your savings account, how do you know if your money is working hard for you? According to the survey, 32 percent of adults with savings accounts don’t know what the yield and corresponding interest rate is, and 45 percent know that it is less than 5 percent. To find the best rate, survey several banks and compare the APY on your savings accounts, money market accounts or certificates of deposit.

Avoid leaving money on the table by ensuring that your account has market-leading savings rates. Web sites such as www.bankrate.com help consumers identify the highest rates available in their market.

“As with any financial decision, consumers should carefully evaluate their options and fully understand the advantages and disadvantages before making a change,” Habis says. “Consumers can maximize their returns if they separate, automate and always seek the best rate.”

Courtesy of ARAcontent

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EDITOR’S NOTE:

Countrywide Bank, FSB, is a member of the Countrywide Financial Corporation (NYSE: CFC) family of companies. For more information about Countrywide Bank, visit www.countrywidebank.com or call (866) 805-5919. Member FDIC. Equal Housing Lender.

Steps Everyone Should Take to Ensure the Safest Surgery Possible(ARA) – It’s likely that everyone will have some type of surgical procedure at some point in their life. As intimidating as it might be, there are some steps you can take to help ensure a successful procedure and recovery.

“Patients need to be proactive about surgery,” says Alecia Cooper, RN, CNOR and vice president of clinical services at Medline Industries, Inc. “You can’t just assume the doctors do it all. People should never be embarrassed to ask questions before and after their surgery.”

Steps for a Successful Surgery

* Research your surgeon before you schedule your surgery. Consider any recommendations and choose a doctor who specializes in your particular procedure. Inquire about their infection rate. There are Web sites such as healthgrades.com where you can learn more about particular hospitals, doctors and nursing homes.

* Follow the doctor’s recommendations prior to surgery. Generally, if you smoke, you should quit several weeks prior. Quitting smoking will help your lungs be in better shape for the procedure. Most doctors will request you arrive for surgery with an empty stomach, asking you not to eat eight hours prior to the procedure.

* Meet with your doctor prior to surgery and always ask questions. Doctors should be able to answer any questions you might have about surgical preparation, the actual procedure and your recovery. Don’t ever be afraid to ask a question, no matter how small or embarrassing it might be.

* On the day of the surgery, wear loose-fitting clothing. The length of stay in the hospital will dictate what clothes you will need, but generally pack for comfort and make sure your clothes are loose enough to accommodate any bandages.

* Ask the hospital staff to clean their hands. This might seem like common practice, but it is one of the most influential things staff can do to prevent infection in your body. It’s okay to politely ask if they will wash their hands in front of you so you can see that it has been done.

Sterillium Rub manufactured by BODE-Chemie and distributed by Medline, is a surgical hand scrub used in the operating room. It has a unique formulation containing a single active ingredient (80 percent ethyl alcohol), which effectively kills bacteria while protecting and moisturizing skin. Sterillium Comfort Gel, also manufactured by BODE and distributed by Medline, can be used for hand hygiene throughout a medical facility. It contains 85 percent ethanol-alcohol to greatly reduce bacteria and help reduce the likelihood that bacteria becomes a threat to you. Both Sterillium products are designed to be gentle on the care givers hands to encourage their frequent use. Frequent and proper use of these, and similar products make it safer to be a patient.

* Ask the staff to clean the tools they will be using on you. For example, ask the doctor to clean the stethoscope, in particular the flat surface that they put on your body to hear your heart. Bacteria can grow on this frequently used tool.

* Shaving the surgical site can leave small nicks that are susceptible to infection. If needed, a better choice to remove hair is with clippers instead of a razor.

Medline’s MediClip surgical clippers have several key features that enable safe clipping, as recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for surgical hair removal. The exclusive ergonomic design means greater comfort for the user and the patient. MediClip can be used with the wrist in a neutral position that helps avoid skin-to-blade contact.

* Depending on the type of surgery, some type of anesthetic will be used. Ask your doctor about the process and what to expect after the surgery.

* Post surgery, you will be put in a recovery room where nurses will monitor you as the anesthesia wears off. During this time, the doctor will meet with your family and friends to update them on your condition. Family and friends should feel comfortable to ask questions regarding how the surgery went and what they can expect as you recover. They should also feel comfortable asking hospital staff to clean their hands prior to coming in contact with you. In fact, because they are coming in from the outside, it is wise for them to disinfect their hands as well.

* After you reach a stable level you will be discharged and become an outpatient. Follow your doctor’s instructions for your recovery and if something unexpected comes up, call your nurse or doctor immediately. It’s important to follow prescription and diet instructions in order to ensure a positive recovery.

“Taking the right steps when having a surgical procedure can make a seemingly negative experience a positive one, where the patient feels confident, comfortable and recovers nicely,” adds Cooper.

For more information visit www.medline.com.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

Davie Street Presbyterian looks back on a turbulent time after the historic black church hired a white pastor

Members of Davie Street Presbyterian Church were accustomed to the injustices that came with being black in North Carolina in the 1960s — school segregation, political disenfranchisement, separate lunch counters.

But they were caught off guard when a four-foot-tall cross wrapped in burlap and doused with gasoline was set on fire on the front yard of the parsonage.

The church’s offense? The mostly black downtown Raleigh congregation had just hired a white pastor.

The Rev. Frank Hutchison and his family had moved into the parsonage on South East Street in January 1965. One month later, they awoke to find their house — and their whole neighborhood — aglow from the burning cross outside. Although no one was hurt and the fire was soon extinguished, members of the church were horrified.

“We knew there was some restlessness,” said Lethia Young Daniels, a church member, now 87. “But we didn’t know it was to that extent.”

Last weekend, during the church’s 139th anniversary celebration, members reflected on those four turbulent years, from 1964 to 1968, when Hutchison served the church. The Presbyterian pastor, now retired and living in Florida, was the guest of honor.

Cross-burnings were typical across the South during the civil rights era, and especially in rural areas as white supremacists tried to intimidate African-Americans. They were less common in Raleigh. Still, as the struggle for equality swept through various sectors of society it affected the churches, too.

Some blacks tested the waters by trying to attend white churches. They were often rebuffed at the door by ushers who asked them to leave. Most white churches remained mum on the subject of integration, hoping to tamp down a potentially explosive issue.

“The most typical response of the white church was passive,” said Collins Kilburn, a retired minister and a former leader of the North Carolina Council of Churches. “They didn’t offer any aggressive leadership.”

A good fit

Davie Street Presbyterian was not seeking the limelight when it called a white man as its pastor. Hutchison, who spent a year in Detroit training to serve in interracial settings, applied for the opening, and the church accepted him.

“We felt very comfortable with Frank, and as a matter of fact, he felt very comfortable with us,” recalled Harry Payne, a longtime member of the church.

The church had always had good relations with whites. It was a group of Northern white missionaries who came down to Raleigh after the Civil War that helped get the church started. Davie Street is part of the mostly white Presbyterian Church USA. The local New Hope Presbytery, stretching across Eastern North Carolina, includes 130 churches, of which 13 are mostly black.

But the church was not quite prepared to serve on the vanguard of the civil rights battle.

After the cross-burning, the men of the church got together to develop a strategy. They tapped Payne, who served in the U.S. Army Special Forces, to figure out how to prevent future cross-burnings.

“All we were trying to do was make sure the minister and his wife were safe,” said Payne.

Their first task turned out to be persuading the Hutchisons to stay. It didn’t take long.

“That they would open themselves up to the trouble of having a white minister impressed me,” said Hutchison. “The commitment of the people was outstanding.”

As misfortunes often do, the cross-burning led to closer ties between the church and its pastor. Church women stayed with Hutchison’s wife and daughters until 9:30 every night, and friendships were quickly formed.

Read More:News & Observer

Xerox, NC State University College of Management collaborate to advance research in service and innovation management

Raleigh, N.C. — Xerox Corporation (NYSE: XRX) and the North Carolina State University College of Management this week announced a three-year collaborative project to fund research that will lead to new courses in professional service management and innovation management.

“We are operating in a service-led economy and increasingly larger segments of our Xerox research portfolio are dedicated to developing differentiated technologies for services,” said Sophie Vandebroek, Xerox chief technology office and president, Xerox Innovation Group. “Our collaboration with faculty at NC State, who are global leaders in services and innovation management, is an excellent way to advance knowledge in this area.”

“Establishing such industry-academic partnerships reflects the university’s commitment to economic development,” said James Oblinger, chancellor of NC State University. “Our students benefit through relevant courseware and employment opportunities that evolve from these relationships, and both the faculty and industry benefit through a dynamic exchange of knowledge.”

The new academic programs and research are being developed and delivered through NC State College of Management’s Service and Product Innovation Initiative (SPI) and the Center for Innovation Management Studies (CIMS), a unique industry/university cooperative research center based at the college.

The new courses include the Service Innovation Lab where graduate and undergraduate students will work with companies to develop innovative service concepts. In addition, a new graduate-level service management course will be taught in partnership with Indiana University, using emerging virtual world tools and technology.

“At the College of Management, our faculty has leveraged NC State’s strengths in engineering and design to establish a technology focus in all our programs,” said Ira R. Weiss, dean of the college. “Working in collaboration with engineering, textiles and design faculty, as well as industry leaders such as Xerox and IBM, assures a depth of relevance to our research and courseware in this area.”

A CIMS partner since 2002, Xerox recently hosted the biannual CIMS meeting at the Xerox Research Center Webster (XRCW), one of the company’s four worldwide research centers.

About NC State SSME
North Carolina State University’s management and engineering faculty offer graduate courses in Services Science, Management and Engineering (SSME). The MBA program in NC State’s Jenkins Graduate School of Management offers a concentration in services with two options: one emphasizing professional services and relationship management, and one emphasizing service innovation. The Jenkins Graduate School is part of NC State’s College of Management. NC State’s College of Engineering offers a master of science in computer networking with concentrations in IT services and network services. Business and engineering students and faculty work collaboratively in several of the service courses.

About Xerox
Xerox Corporation is the world’s leading document management, technology and services enterprise. A $16 billion company, Xerox provides the industry’s broadest portfolio of color and black-and-white document processing systems and related supplies, as well as document management consulting and outsourcing services. This year Xerox was awarded the National Medal of Technology, the highest technology award in the United States, for its innovations. For more information, visit www.xerox.com/innovation.

ReadOn:CarolinaNewsWire

North Carolina Secretary Of State Receives U.S. Chamber Of Commerce’s Distinguished Service As A State Government Official Award

RALEIGH, N.C. – North Carolina Secretary of State Elaine Marshall (www.sosnc.com) has received the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Distinguished Service as a State Government Official Award in recognition of her national leadership in the fight against counterfeit and bootleg products. Marshall was one of only two individuals and the only state official to be recognized by the Chamber at its fourth annual Anti-Counterfeiting and Piracy Summit, which took place October 2-3 in Washington, D.C. She has established a task force to seek out counterfeiters and pirates in North Carolina, and she spoke at the summit about the need to prosecute those individuals on both the state and federal level.

Elaine Marshall has served as N.C. Secretary of State since 1997 when she became the first woman ever elected to statewide executive office. She has since made substantial strides in modernizing government record keeping, in order to make public records accessible, researchable and transparent in North Carolina.

“It was a great honor for our department to be recognized this way,” said Secretary Marshall. “I don’t know if people in North Carolina quite realize this, but nationally, our State is considered to be the role model of how to build a successful state law enforcement program against product counterfeiters and pirates.”

“Elaine Marshall is a true leader on this issue,” said Tom Donohue, U.S. Chamber of Commerce president and CEO. “She has established a task force that seeks out counterfeiters and pirates which steal North Carolina jobs and North Carolina tax revenue, and threaten the lives of North Carolina citizens. She has made intellectual property one of her top priorities and we wish every state had a leader as passionate about fighting counterfeiting and piracy as she is.”

Read More:CarolinaNewsWire

RALEIGH, NC — Steven R. Ogburn, President and CEO of CapStone Bank, announced that Capstone Bank has formed an advisory board comprised of twelve of the Triangle’s rising business leaders.

“The purpose of the board is twofold,” said Ogburn. “First, we believe that it’s important to give our up-and-coming business leaders insights into banking, finance and board service that will serve them well in the years to come. They, in turn, will help us by providing feedback on how we’re perceived in the markets we serve. By sharing their day-to-day experiences in dealing with the bank, or even those of others they know, they will enable us to better gauge how we conduct our business.”

Members include Michael Becker, Plexus Capital LLC; Mark Chesson, Hill, Chesson and Woody; Grant Fisher, Custom Brick Co.; Will Hamlin, The Hamlin Companies; Tyler Highsmith, Highsmith & Associates; Austin Koon, Corporate Realty Advisors; Karen Lichtin, Lichtin Corporation; Quinton Maynard, Morehead Capital; Lee Perry, East West Partners; Warren Smith, L & L Land of Raleigh; Todd Turner, Thomas Nelson, LLC; and George York, York Properties, Inc.

Read More:CarolinaNewsWire