RALEIGH, N.C. – Better Business Bureau serving Eastern North Carolina is now accepting nominations for the 2010 Torch Award. The award recognizes companies and charities that are committed to exceptional standards for ethical business practices and service to their customers, employees, suppliers, and communities.

Customers may nominate potential winners. Companies and charities also may nominate themselves. The award will be presented at a ceremony in January, 2011. Nominees must be in good standing with the BBB; however, BBB Accreditation is not a requirement.

A panel of volunteer community leaders will select the new recipient.

BBB is looking for businesses and nonprofits that others will want to emulate. Nominees must show creativity in their ability to manage customer expectations, provide excellent customer service and resolve disputes. They must demonstrate the ways they inspire their workforce to adopt and communicate their ethics and further their mission. They must embody truth in advertising and help foster ethics within their industry and community.

Benefits for winners include:
•Winners’ names will be used in promotions for the Torch Award event in 2011.
•Winners will be recognized at a ceremony in January, 2011. They will receive a personalized award that can be displayed in their offices.
•After the event, winners will receive a Torch Award logo and details on how they can promote their status as a winner in advertising, marketing and on websites.
•Being named a BBB Torch Award winner may add to an organization’s reputation and prestige, confirming the confidence placed in it by its stakeholders.
To be considered, an organization must be nominated for BBB’s Torch Award, and submit an application along with all supporting documents before 5pm on Tuesday, November 30, 2010. If you have any questions about the form or need assistance in applying for the Torch Award, please contact BBB at: csmith@raleigh.bbb.org, or 919-277-4220
Read More:CarolinaNewsWire

Lots of people all over the USA just love a great pork steak, center cut pork-chops.
For last 15 years I would shop at my local grocery store, and be very disappointed in the
qualty and value of what you get.

A good pork chops that not too thin, not too thick, not too much fat and not a lot of bone.
That’s not asking too much, but after shopping at the grocery stores and seeing the nicely
packaged packs of pork on display at the meat counter, and buying and serving to the family
for so long and just dealing with the fact that in each package of 5 to 10 pounds 1/3 to 1/2 of the pork is fat, bone and mixed lean, fat, that looks like throw away scraps.

We went to 4 of the major grocery supermarkets in Raleigh and surrounding area’s and purchased 2 packages of pork chops about 7 to 10 pounds per package, from each store,
we found that all four stores was doing the same thing. Each package had the top of the package displayed very nice, the meat looked great through the plastic wrap but under the top layer was, what my sister calls, “scraps for dogs food” not what you want to eat.

Each package had only 1/2 to 2/3 of eatible meat in them, this is a practice that’s been happening for years, and it could be an industry practice accross the board.

Well what can you do? Write you grocery store, call your consumer BBB, your local government, complain to the USDA or don’t shop that store.

I found a place in Raleigh NC, at the North Carolina State Farmers Market.

PORK KING, Nahunta Pork Center (919) 242-4735

The State Farmers Market is conveniently located on I-40 and Lake Wheeler Road, exit 297. Covering 75 acres, the modern facility provides up to 225,000 square feet of covered, climate controlled, all season retail and wholesale spaces

Garner NC City Guide       

Get your site listed in 2 min

GARNER — Local and state officials have asked ConAgra Foods for more time to put together a financial incentives proposal that they hope will persuade the company to keep its damaged Slim Jim plant open in Garner.

Officials plan to present ConAgra with an incentives plan by Friday, said Ken Atkins, director of Wake County Economic Development. The company had originally wanted to see a proposal by Jan. 15, he said.

“We’re working on trying to get the details nailed down,” Atkins said

He said an incentives package, which could include state and local grants and tax breaks, could climb into the millions of dollars.

The Garner Town Council held a closed-door meeting Thursday to talk about wooing ConAgra. About half of the company’s plant off Jones Sausage Road was destroyed in an explosion June 9 that killed four and injured dozens 

Mayor Ronnie Williams said a preliminary proposal discussed Thursday includes $450,000 from the One North Carolina Fund through the state Department of Commerce. Garner could match that amount in the form of tax breaks, Williams said.

Atkins declined to comment about the fund and what the state might be willing to offer

Read More:News & Observer

Garner North Carolina is growing, “as they say” like a weed, well in the mist of all this growth a number of area businesses has found a little hidden treasure that most businesses have over looked, Local online advertising and marketing, meaning locally owned and operated.

Garner NC City Guide has been competing, not only with the online and off-line local newspapers, but other local online business directories and the Internet giants, “Most of the major search engines” for Garner NC business customers for the past few years and Garner NC and the surrounding area’s answered by a 600% increase in free and paid listings since 11/15/2007.

Garner City Guide is nothing fancy with pop-up all over the pages, other ads all around your listings, promotional music and graphics screeming on your screen, but what Garner City Guide is, is bring traffic to your business and website at an affordable yearly fee.

If the search engines can’t find Garner NC business directory and local City Guide then its of no use to our Garner NC Businesses.

Garner North Carolina Business Directory!

Our goal is to provide community businesses and residents with a low cost way to advertise and be seen by many people in and around our growing area. Now with our City Guide Site businesses can finally get the exposure they deserve.

Our City Guide, business directory, event calendar and free classifieds allows local residents, as well as anyone around the world, to find information about businesses ranging from a wide variety of categories in Garner, North Carolina. garnernc-online.Best of all, gold member businesses are evenly rotated and featured on our home page below, as well as on the top of their respective category page. Therefore, receiving the highest level of exposure for their business, plus even more exposure with a new personal webpage on our server. You can also use our MARKETPLACE for buying and selling your products and services in the CLASSIFIEDS ADS Section.Local Basic Classifieds are FREE, however we offer a more advanced level for more exposure for your advertising. Garnernc-online is more than just a place to advertise your business or promote your products and services, we offer information, useful information about Garner NC and surrounding area’s that you and your business are looking for.

We invite you to use Garner’s Event Calendar, it’s also free, “list your events” -Crafts, Government, Charity, Sports, Holiday, Business, Church, Theater, Party, Networking. Lots of things happening in Garner NC- List Your Business Today!

Local Crafts Birdhouses Made In Raleigh NC

Small-business owners see silver lining in the recession

(ARA) – The current gloomy economic conditions contain some good news for the small-business sector.

According to a recent survey conducted by Citibank, some small-business owners and managers are finding a silver lining in the current recession, seeing more high-quality candidates available for hire, rising employee retention rates and gains in market share.

As a business owner, how can you take advantage of these small-business opportunities and make them work for your business? Small-business expert Dan Goodgame recently moderated a robust roundtable of small-business owners, who offer these three tips:

1. Take advantage of the talent pool
As a result of the recession, there is larger pool of highly qualified and highly skilled employees available for hire. Many who may not have considered working for a small firm are now more open to the idea. Take time to interview a variety of job candidates on a regular basis, even if you don’t have a current opening at the company. This technique can help you fill an opening as soon as it is created with the best possible talent, and avoid some of the costs – typically 50 to 200 percent of the employee’s annual salary – normally associated with staff turnover.

2. Retain your best employees
Holding on to your best employees is of course crucial to building your business, and it’s going to get harder as the economy starts growing again. First, create a two-way communication system that allows employees, on a regular basis, to give and receive feedback on their performance and the performance of their peers and managers. Second, create an employee recognition and rewards program that extends beyond compensation and bonus. Be creative with the rewards program; provide employees with paid time off to volunteer at their organization of choice. Provide recognition with “surprise” thank you gift certificates to a local cafe or restaurant. The “thank you” does not have to be a big dollar amount – just the recognition can go a long way.

3. Seek feedback from customers as you seek referrals
With marketing budgets pinched, many business owners are taking a fresh look at ways to gain new sales by winning referrals from existing customers. One of the most effective methods is to seek feedback from existing customers on the quality of your products and services, and on your pricing. Tell customers directly that you want to do whatever is necessary so that they will be so pleased that they will recommend your company to their friends and colleagues. Listen to their suggestions on how you can improve. And when you’ve followed through on their advice, check back with them. If you know of a good prospect, ask your existing customers if they know her, and can introduce you to her and recommend you. One advantage of this approach is that it helps you get the feedback that you need to improve your service, even as it brings in new business.

The small-business sector typically leads the U.S. economy out of recession, and that pattern seems to be holding up in the current downturn. Leveraging tips such as these will be key to surviving the toughest business conditions in more than half a century.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

The state will give the Research Triangle Park company as much as $4.8 million to create the new jobs. As part of the incentives grant, Talecris will have to retain its 2,298 existing jobs in the Triangle, including 1,500 at the Clayton plant already.

Talecris’ new jobs in Clayton will pay average annual salaries of $51,066, state officials said. That’s above the Johnston County average of $33,800.

The company wants to increase production to meeting rising demand for its drugs made from blood plasma. Talecris was considering three sites in South Carolina for a new production facility, a factor that helped it qualify for incentives from North Carolina.

Critics argue that handing out incentives to multimillion-dollar corporations is a waste of taxpayer money. Talecris is the Triangle’s largest biotechnology company and its stock began trading on Wall Street on Oct.

Read More:http://blogs.newsobserver.com/business/talecris-biotherapeutics-to-add-259-jobs-in-clayton

Outsourcing payroll allows small-business owners to concentrate on their day-to-day operations

(NewsUSA) – As the year turns, small-business owners will start reviewing their past actions and planning for the future. But one big issue -; payroll -; can prove to be a problem every year.

Many businesses find themselves in trouble with the IRS, not because they’re dishonest, but because they miscalculate numbers or miss due dates. The government’s financial penalties can be unwelcome blows to small businesses.

Even if a business employs only one worker, small-business owners can find federal and state employment forms complex and demanding. Some small-business owners might believe that they can save time and money by performing their own payroll calculations, but it’s usually in businesses’ best interest to hire outside payroll service providers.

Small-business owners need to concentrate the bulk of their time and attention on making their business successful. Paychex, Inc., a national leader in the payroll and human resource industry, offers these tips to small-business owners looking for a reliable payroll-processing service:

- Insist on personal service. For best results, you should be talking with the same payroll representative each pay period. That same person should handle any questions or concerns about your service.

- Look for national payroll-processing companies. National payroll service providers are bonded and insured, so any liability for inaccuracy or fraud will not affect your business.

In the event of a natural disaster or other calamity, national providers often have multiple backup systems to preserve data and deliver payroll packages on time. Paychex employs a rigorous backup plan to ensure continuity for clients across the country. Moreover, national providers offer the best confidentiality and security, and payroll deposits are taken care of electronically.

- Look for payroll service providers that also offer human resource services. Integrated HR services might include 401(k) administration, workers’ compensation insurance administration and payment services, health benefits and other employee benefits such as flexible spending accounts and bonuses or other compensation paid on debit cards.

“Small-business owners can realize a new level of productivity and convenience when they choose to outsource their payroll function,” said Walter Turek, senior vice president, sales and marketing for Paychex. “Outsourcing ensures accuracy, timeliness and peace of mind, allowing business owners to focus on growing revenue, instead of worrying about administrative burdens.”

Garner, N.C. – Triangle East magazine’s new editor, Nancy Pardue, has put together a holiday issue brimming with tips, tricks and recommendations for the holiday season.

“It’s one big celebration in the newest issue of Triangle East, as we rejoice in the delights of Christmas and the promise of a new year,” said Pardue. “I’m glad to have this new beginning with our readers and hope they’ll love our holiday issue.”

In the article “Winter Wonders,” readers will learn how to spruce up their homes by bringing the outdoors indoors with tips from Tony Avent, owner of Plant Delights Nursery. Gardening expert L.A. Jackson also offers tips on extending the life of poinsettias in his Garden Adventurer column.

“Christmas Treasures” offers tips on holiday collectibles such as Department 56 Christmas Villages, Mark Roberts Christmas Fairies, Buyer’s Choice Carolers and more.

To stave off the winter chill, “Get Fired Up” profiles three great fireside-friendly dining establishments and offers secrets on getting that fireside seat.

Two recent college graduates received makeup, hair and fashion makeovers to get them ready for a new year in “New Year, New You.”

“Giving Back in 2009” reports how students at Vandora Springs Elementary in Garner are participating in two charity projects, and provides a guide for plenty of volunteerism opportunities in the local community.

In this issue, readers can also learn about how two Miss Garners are vying for the Miss America crown, what Butterball CEO Keith Shoemaker thinks of the company’s new corporate headquarters, and what Christmas goodies and gifts will tempt shoppers this year.

The December/January issue of Triangle East magazine is available now at more than 100 locations throughout eastern Wake and Johnston counties. Subscriptions may be ordered directly by visiting www.triangleeastmagazine.com or by calling (919) 674-6020.

Read More:CarolinaNewsWire

CARY, N.C. — Regional financial services institutions like Bremer Financial Corporation must find ways to keep operations agile and efficient. When Bremer wanted to find a better financial management system, they selected SAS, the leader in business analytics, to more effectively create and analyze financial reports and budgets.

“With six separate databases required to accommodate the changing needs of our organization, we knew our processes needed an upgrade,” said Bob Buck, Chief Financial Officer at Bremer. “SAS® Financial Management provided a single solution for financial management reporting, budgeting, forecasting and consolidation. We found the solution offered the greatest flexibility for a single database of all financial management information.”

Bremer was frustrated by the need to use multiple modules for the budgeting, forecasting and reporting of financial and non-financial data. The processes in place were slow and inefficient. With SAS, Bremer will have a more streamlined and integrated planning and forecasting process, freeing up more time to analyze and improve financial plans across the organization. The added flexibility from SAS Financial Management will help the finance department manage the growing demands of business line profitability reporting and analysis.

“We anticipate increased productivity of our finance professionals with SAS in place. They will be able to focus their attention on higher-level analysis with less time devoted to managing cumbersome mechanics,” explained Ron Hansen, project manager at Bremer. “In addition to better analysis, the new solution will improve morale and retention of our experienced finance professionals, resulting in a more efficient cost structure for our finance division.”

SAS Financial Management improves the accuracy, relevance and timeliness of financial plans, budgets and reports while promoting the alignment and execution of strategy. SAS Financial Management is one component of SAS financial intelligence, a vision for financial performance management that includes solutions for financial management, activity-based management, dashboards and scorecarding, risk management, and advanced analytics such as optimization and forecasting. By combining the hindsight, insight and foresight provided through these powerful solutions, corporate finance departments can build credibility and confidence within other areas of the company.

Bremer Financial Corporation
Bremer Financial Corporation is a privately held, $7.6 billion regional financial services company jointly owned by its employees and the Otto Bremer Foundation. This unique ownership structure is the only one of its kind in the nation. Founded in 1943 by Otto Bremer, the company is headquartered in St. Paul, MN, and provides a comprehensive range of banking, investment, trust and insurance services to more than 100 locations in Minnesota, North Dakota and Wisconsin. A significant portion of company profits are distributed in the form of charitable grants by the Otto Bremer Foundation to communities served by Bremer. In 2007, more than $30 million in charitable donations were given across the Bremer footprint and employees donated more than 92,900 volunteer hours to their communities. For more information, please visit www.bremer.com.

Read More:CarolinaNewsWire

CARY, N.C. — Dex has been honored with a 2008 Yellow Pages Publisher Recognition Award by the Association of Directory Marketing (ADM). ADM recently selected Dex for its “Communication Award,” which “recognizes efforts to improve communications between publishers and CMRs (Certified Marketing Representatives).” The award was announced at ADM’s Annual Conference in San Antonio, Tex.

Dex was selected based upon several criteria, including commitment to excellence in facilitating communications between the company and CMRs, who help develop, implement, manage and maintain Yellow Pages programs for national advertisers. Dex was also noted for its provision of high-quality, effective sales materials and marketing collateral and the continuous enabling of easy access to these materials. As a result, ADM recognized Dex’s ability to help CMRs improve efficiencies, solve challenges and implement successful advertising programs.

“Our goal is to provide CMRs with simple, focused communications that make it easier for them to access information and do business with Dex. This award is a reflection of that,” said Stephen Gibbons, vice president of national sales, Dex. “We’re happy to accept this award from ADM, and will continue to provide CMRs with exceptional communications tools that help them implement and manage their advertising programs.”

Dex is the market brand of R.H. Donnelley (NYSE: RHD), a leading print and online local search company. R.H. Donnelley’s products and services include the Dex(R) Yellow Pages; DexKnows.com(TM), a leading online local search site; 1-800-Call-Dex(TM), a free, voice-enabled local search solution; and Dex Search Marketing, which provides web site optimization and paid search advertising solutions.

Read More:CarolinaNewsWire