text:
- Baby Non-Food Products
- Baking/Cooking Staples
- Beverages
- Cosmetics
- Foods
- Household Products
- Kitchen Products
- OTC/Healthcare
- Paper Products
- Personal Care
- Pet Products
PL Grocery Sales:
$42.3 billion
Web site:
Retail Banners: Neighborhood Markets, Marketside, Walmart Express, Walmart on Campus, Walmart Supercenter
No. of U.S. Stores: 4,300
No. of U.S. Employees:
1.4 million
CEO: Mike Duke
Key PL Personnel: Deborah Wright, senior director private brands quality; Sandra Farwell, director private label food & consumables; Dan Engdahl, director, private label sourcing
Private Labels: Great Value, Home Trends, Equate, Ol' Roy, Parents' Choice, others
PL News: Walmart's private label offerings went on a rollercoaster ride starting in 2010 and continuing into this year. First, the giant retailer went through a SKU rationalization program that cut branded goods and upped its private label assortment. When consumers balked, Walmart recanted and brought brands back. It still seems to be trying to figure out what the right mix of private label and branded goods is for it.
The Bentonville, Ark.-based retailer also announced that it would reformulate its private label foods to cut sodium content by 25 percent and sugar content by 10 percent over five years. "This is a significant and far-reaching initiative that will be felt by manufacturers, customers and competitors alike, it is an impressive commitment to leverage both its private brands and its buying power to encourage better health and create differentiation for its stores," Christopher Durham, founder of the mypbrand.com private label blog, told PLBuyer.
In July, rumors were circulating that Walmart wanted to buy Rite Aid Corp., the nation's No. 3 drugstore chain but no union had been announced or proposed as of press time.
PL Grocery Sales:
$21.4 billion
Web site:
Retail Banners: Kroger, Ralphs, Dillons, King Soopers, Fry's, QFC, City Market, Hilander, Owen's, Jay C, Pay Less, Baker's Gerbes, Scott's Food & Pharmacy, Fred Meyer, Dillons Marketplace, Fry's Marketplace, Kroger Marketplace, Smith's Marketplace, Food 4 Less, Foods Co
No. of Stores: 2,449
No. of U.S. Employees: 338,000+
CEO: David Dillon
Key PL Personnel: Linda Severin, vice president, corporate brands
Private Labels: Active Lifestyle, Big K, Comforts, Fresh Selections, Kroger, Kroger Value, mirra, Naturally Preferred, Pet Pride, Private Selection, Private Selection Organics,
PL News: Kroger has stepped up its private label efforts the past year. The grocer introduced more than 600 new private label products in 2010 with its Wholesome@Home line and several prepared foods. Kroger had its own happy hour as it jumped on the private label beer band wagon by rolling out its premium private brand beer, Port Republic in January 2011. It also continued expanding the renovation and relaunch of its premium Private Selection brand in June 2011. During a first quarter conference call with analysts, executives also said it had reformulated or rebranded hundreds of products in its Home Sense private label household line. Kroger's main banner private label, which has upwards of 5,000 SKUs across some 276 categories, is also in the midst of a major renovation. In an effort to reach its mom shoppers, the company launched a new Web site through its private brand baby product line, Comforts.
PL Grocery Sales:
$10.7 billion
Web site:
Retail Banners: Carrs, Dominick's, Genuardi's, Pavilions, Randalls, Safeway, Tom Thumb, Vons
No. of Stores: 1,687
No. of U.S. Employees: 180,000 (Year-end 2010)
CEO: Steve Burd
Key PL Personnel: Joe Ennen, senior vice president, consumer brands
Private Labels: Bright Green, Eating Right, Lucerne, mom to mom, O Organics, Open Nature, Pantry Essentials, Primo Taglio, Priority Pet Care, Rancher's Reserve, refreshe, Safeway, Safeway SELECT, Signature Café, The Snack Artist, waterfront BISTRO
PL News: Over the past year, Safeway has continued to evolve and grow its vast private label portfolio. In October 2010, the California-based retailer announced the launch of In-Kind, a natural personal care line of products for body, hair, face and hands. A month later in November, the retailer launched The Snack Artist line of private label snacks. To pair with its private label snack rollout, Safeway added a new line of Signature Café private label salsas in December 2010. In 2011, the retailer highlighted the launch of its private label Open Nature with a Guinness World Records title for world's longest picnic table. It also quietly launched Safeway Kitchens, a private label line of fresh bread, rolls, hot dog and hamburger buns, English muffins, bagels and specialty breads.
PL Grocery Sales:
$10.2 billion
Web site:
Retail Banner: Costco
No. of Stores: 587 (as of
Aug. 4, 2011)
No. of U.S. Employees: 107,200
CEO: James D. Sinegal (retiring)
Key PL Personnel: Nancy Griese, vice president
Private Label: Kirkland Signature
PL News: Issaquah, Wash.-based Costco is well-known for pairing its Kirkland Signature private label with national brands to create exclusive products that prove mutually beneficial. During a third quarter 2010 conference call with investors, Costco executives said it planned to introduce more private label consumables under its Kirkland Signature label. Costco's Kirkland Signature Handcrafted Lagers and Ales was the only private label product among the 10 hottest products of 2010. The warehouse retailer also received accolades for its Kirkland Signature private label environmentally friendly liquid dish soap, landing it a Consumer Report's magazine Best Buy designation.
Companies Ltd.
PL Grocery Sales:
$8.2 billion
Web site: www.loblaw.ca
Retail Banners: Atlantic Superstore, Bloorstreet Market, club entrepot, Dominion, Extra Foods, Fortinos, independent, Les Entrepots Presto, Loblaws, Loblaw Great Food, Loblaw Superstore, nofrills, maxi, maxi & cie, provigo, Real Canadian Superstore, Real Canadian Wholesale Club, SaveEasy, T&T Supermarket, valu-mart, Zehrs, Zehrs Great Food and more.
No. of Stores: 1,700
No. of Employees: 136,000
COO: Peter K. McMahon
Key PL Personnel: N/A
Private Labels: Joe Fresh, no name, President's Choice, President's Choice Blue, President's Choice Green, President's Choice Organics.
PL News:The Ontario, Canada-based retailer will be introducing this year its Loblaw's Everyday Essentials private brand items specially designed for Habitat for Humanity Canada. The line includes more than 500 items, including home décor, appliance and table top products, many of which are priced below $20.
The retailer also introduced its Everyday Living store brand general merchandise last year. Everyday Living includes store brand categories in the beauty, kitchen and seasonal toy department. First introduced in mid-2010, there are now 21 newly renovated stores carrying the products. Loblaw stores throughout Canada also have begun carrying private label WiseSource salmon. The salmon is farmed Atlantic salmon raised in Canadian waters. In 2010, the company launched 37 President's Choice Green products, reduced President's Choice packaging by 5 million pounds and was recognized as one of Canada's Greenest Employers by Mediacorp Canada Inc.
PL Grocery Sales:
$7.3 billion
Web site:
Retail Banners: Acme, Albertsons, Cub Foods, Farm Fresh, Hornbacher's, Jewel-Osco, Lucky, Shaw's/Star Market, Shop 'n Save and Shoppers. Hard Discount: Save A Lot
No. of U.S. Stores: 1,107 retail, 1,283 hard discount and 1,900 independent stores serviced primarily by the company's traditional food distribution business.
No. of U.S. Employees: 140,000
CEO: Craig R. Herkert
Key PL Personnel: Sam Mayberry, vice president of private brands
Private Labels: Essential Everyday, Arctic Shores, Baby Basics, Carlita, Culinary Circle, Equaline, Farm Stand, Flavorite, homelife, Java Delight, Richfood, Shoppers Value, Stockman & Dakota, Stone Ridge Creamery, Super Chill, Super Crunch, wild harvest
PL News: Supervalu in July introduced its new line of private brand products under the Essential Everyday name. The rollout comes as a part of a strategic rebranding initiative that will unify its former individual banner private labels under a single private label. The company announced that it also plans on expanding its Save-A-Lot stores by adding approximately 160 new stores by 2012. Earlier this summer, it rolled out its new Save-A-Lot Today line which includes 19 items such as paper towels, brownie mix, frozen pizza and toaster pastries.
The company will extend its Shoppers Value, Culinary Circle and wild harvest lines this year, adding 80 new and re-launched SKUs and expanding into new categories. The successful introduction of $1 single-serve frozen-fish under the Shoppers Value brand last year prompted the retailer to introduce single-serve pork, chicken and beef offerings in mid-June.
Co. Inc.
PL Grocery Sales:
$6.8 billion
Web site: www.traderjoes.com
Retail Banner: Trader Joe's
No. of U.S. Stores: 350
No. of U.S. Employees: 5,500
CEO: Dan T. Bane
Key PL Personnel: N/A
Private Labels: Trader Joe's, Trader Ming's, Trader Jose, Trader Giotto, Pilgrim Joe and more
PL News: Monrovia, Calif.-based Trader Joe's held a private brand contest this year, allowing customers to create a pie recipe using strictly Trader Joe's products. The HiiP (highly innovative ingredient pairing) award went to the customer that made the best dish using only five store brand ingredients.
The retailer is considered one of the leaders in private label product launches, according to a study done by The Global New Products Database (GNPD) of Mintel International Group Ltd., Chicago. Trader Joe's has introduced 221 new private label products from January to May 4, 2011, according to the study.
The company also has continued its expansion efforts, announcing plans to open new stores in Knoxville, Tenn., and Lexington, Ky. in the coming year.
PL Grocery Sales:
$5.5 billion
Web site:
Retail Banners: Publix, Publix Sabor, Publix GreenWise Markets
No. of U.S. Stores: 1,038
No. of U.S. Employees: 147,500
CEO: William Crenshaw
Key PL Personnel: Dave Bornmann, vice president of purchasing
Private Labels: Publix, Publix GreenWise, Publix Premium, Publix Bakery, Publix Deli
PL News: Lakeland, Fla.-based Publix continued to be a private label trendsetter in 2010 and early 2011. In July, 2010, it rolled out a new assortment of private label children's meals priced at $3.99 each. Offerings included chicken tenders, ham sandwiches, peanut butter apple wraps and turkey rolls, each with two sides and a drink. In December, 2010, and January of this year, it also introduced a variety of private label domestic and imported cheeses, taking its cues from customer feedback in regard to what varieties to offer. "Consumers are looking for a cheese that delivers flavor and taste, and that appears to be what Publix is trying to do with [its] specialty line," Maria Schurer, president/owner of Culinary Connections, a Chicago-based food consulting firm, told PLBuyer in January about the new Publix cheeses. In addition to being named PLBuyer's Private Label Retailer of 2010, Publix also did well in another survey done by Market Force Information which asked consumers which retailers ranked highest in a variety of characteristics, including low pricing.
PL Grocery Sales:
$5.4 billion
Web site: www.aldi.us
Retail Banner: Aldi
No. of U.S. Stores: 1,100+
No. of U.S. Employees: 11,000+
Co-Presidents: Jason Hart, Charles (Chuck) Youngstrom
Key PL Personnel: Joan Kavanaugh, vice president, corporate purchasing
Private Labels: Fit & Active, Tuscan Garden, Lacura, Grandessa Signature, L'oven Fresh, Sweet Harvest, Clancy's, Kirkwood, Summit and others; 46 in all.
PL News: Aldi's has spent the past year and a half expanding both its store footprint across the United States and its lines of private label products. It moved into New York and Texas with new stores for the first time while also unveiling a new store footprint that will mean slightly larger stores than it has opened in the past.
On the private label product front, it captured attention in 2011 with its Kirkwood frozen chicken offerings in a can-shaped paperboard container that includes a spinning clear window that allows for more product information to be shown consumers. In 2010, it introduced Bremer Select private label entrees in a package that combines flexible packaging and a thermal processing technique designed to better offer what consumers would perceive as restaurant quality frozen food. Aldi also topped a consumer survey released in March that asked shoppers who they see as price leaders in food retailing.
PL Grocery Sales:
$5.4 billion
Web site: www.target.com
Retail Banners: Target, SuperTarget, Target PFresh
No. of Stores: 1,750 (2010 FY)
No. of U.S. Employees: 355,000 (2010 FY End)
CEO: Gregg Steinhafel
Key PL Personnel: Annie Zipfel, director of owned brands
Private Labels: Archer Farms, Choxie, DwellStudio for Target, Market Pantry, Merona, Mossimo, Sutton & Dodge, up & up, Wine Cube and others
PL News: Minneapolis-based Target has put its private label offerings front and center in its weekly advertising circulars many times in the past year. It touted its retail brand proposition and price positioning of its Market Pantry brand on the front page, with page two pitting five up & up brand products against a comparable product at a substantial savings one week, for example. Most recently, the retailer featured private brands Room Essentials, Market Pantry, up & up and the launch of its Vintage Varsity line in a back-to-school themed ad circular. Target also redesigned and relaunched its private label pet brand, Boots & Barkley.
PL Grocery Sales:
$5.1 billion
Web site:
Retail Banners: Food Lion, Bloom, Bottom Dollar Food, Hannaford Bros., Sweetbay Supermarkets
No. of U.S. Stores: 1,640
No. of U.S. Employees: 109,000
CEO: Pierre-Olivier Beckers, president and CEO of Delhaize Group SA. Carol Herndon, chief administrative officer, Delhaize America
Key PL Personnel: Nancy Dumais, director of branding and design, private brands; Tim Jacques vice president, private brand
Private Labels: Healthy Accents, My Essentials, Food Lion, Taste of Inspirations, Home 360, Smart Options, Nature's Place, Healthy Concerns
PL News: Delhaize America, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Brussels-based Delhaize Group SA, hopes to increase its private label brand share to 35 percent by 2013. In 2011, it introduced 500 items in its new My Essentials line that is replacing Smart Options.
CEO Pierre-Olivier Beckers has said publicly that "the contribution of private brand to total sales now stands at more than 26 percent at Food Lion, an increase of 120 basis points compared to two years ago." A similar trend is evident at the company's Hannaford and Sweetbay stores, he says.
Delhaize re-launched 200 Food Lions stores. The remodels are the first phase of a full brand overhaul that should be completed by the end of next year, the company says.
"Customer feedback tells us that Food Lion is on the right track and the changes we have made are being noticed and appreciated," said Beckers.
PL Grocery Sales:
$4.7 billion
Web site:
Retail Banner: Walgreens
No. of U.S. Stores: 8,195
No. of U.S. Employees: 244,000
CEO: Greg Wasson, president and CEO
Key PL Personnel: Moe Alkemade, divisional vice president and general merchandise manager of private brands
Private Labels: Nice!, which includes more than 400 grocery and household products.
PL News: TheWalgreens Nice! brand rollout of 400-plus products is scheduled to be finished by early 2012. Nice! means the eventual phasing out of long-time Walgreens' private labels like W, Cafe W and Deerfield Farms, among others.
Walgreens is betting that consumers will continue to increase their private label spending at the Deerfield, Ill.-based drug giant, which has noted a jump in private label sales. "Persistent high unemployment, a weak housing market, high fuel prices and inflation all put pressure on consumers," Wasson said. "In response, we believe our customers are managing their overall spending by buying more ad and private brand items."
At its last annual meeting, Wasson shared the company's strategy to evolve from a "retail drugstore to a retail health and daily living store." It continues to expand its food and grocery items in urban areas that are under-served by mainline food retailers.
Walgreens began testing this expanded format last summer in a handful of stores and now says it will be rolling it out, in various iterations, nationwide. The test stores offer more than 750 new products, including fresh fruits and vegetables, frozen meat and fish, pasta, rice, beans, eggs and whole-grain cereals.
PL Grocery Sales:
$4 billion
Web site:
Retail Banners: Sobeys, IGA extra, Thrifty Foods IGA, Foodland and FreshCo. It also owns the Needs, Sobeys Express and BoniChoix convenience stores.
No. of Stores: 1,300 in every province in Canada
No. of Employees: 85,000
CEO: Bill McEwan, president and CEO
Key PL Personnel: Kristine Ramezani, director, packaging brand and development, John Hale, director, product appraisal & development; Linda Hodgkinson, director, product development; Yvonne Graham, director, integrated marketing communications; Paul Flinton, vice president, brand and product marketing
Private Labels: Sobeys, Compliments, Sensations by Compliments, Compliments Balance, Compliments Organics, Compliments Collection, Compliments Value Signal
PL News: This past summer, Sobeys introduced two new items in its Sensations by Compliments line: Korean-style beef burgers and Angus beef sliders. During 2011, Sobeys converted 57 of its Price Chopper stores into FreshCo discount food stores. FreshCo stores sell an expanded selection of meats and produce, including seasonal and local produce. It also sells ethnic and cultural items, like specialty bakery and dairy products targeted to specific locales. Unlike many discount food stores, FreshCo, sells gluten-free and lactose-free products. Stellarton, Nova Scotia-based Sobeys is Canada's second largest retailer, and wholly owned by Empire Company Ltd.
PL Grocery Sales:
$3.4 billion
Web site:
Retail Banner: Sam's Club
No. of U.S. Stores: 602
No. of U.S. Employees: 100,000+
CEO: Brian Cornell, CEO and president
Key PL Personnel: Maurice Markey, vice president, private brands
Private Labels: Sam's Choice, Simply Right, Daily Chef, Artisan Fresh, Member's Mark, Bakers & Chefs, Sophyto, Calle Azul, Rue 33
PL News: In March, General Nutrition Centers said it will offer private brand products at Sam's – the first time the retailer has sold its products in a warehouse club. The move is part of Sam's increased focus on health and wellness-oriented consumers.
The Walmart Stores, Inc.-owned warehouse giant is replacing its longstanding Members Mark grocery, bakery and beauty brand with three new private labels. Daily Chef (grocery items), Simply Right (baby and health and beauty aids) and Artisan Fresh (deli and baked goods) are part of Sam's ongoing attempt to improve private label quality and boost private label sales, which have been flat during the past five quarters. The new private labels should total more than 400 products by the end of the year.
The challenge is to convince consumers that the new brands are of solid quality, and can compete successfully with Costco and its Kirkland private label, one analyst notes.
PL Grocery Sales:
$3.2 billion
Web site:
Retail Banners: H-E-B., H-E-B.-Plus, Central Market
No. of U.S. Stores: 300+
No. of U.S. Employees: 76,000
CEO: Charles Butt, chairman and CEO. Craig Boyan, president and chief operating officer.
Key PL Personnel: Juan De Paoli, director own brand; Don Hawkins, director own brand design & innovation
Private Labels: H-E-B, Hill Country, Hill Country Fare, Hill Country Essentials, Central Market, H-E-Buddy
PLNews: H-E-B recently expanded its line of private label pure cane sugar sodas. The San Antonio, Texas-based retailer introduced three new flavors: orange burst, wild red and old-fashioned root beer. The new beverages are in response to consumer demand for more products made with natural sweeteners instead of high fructose corn syrup, an ingredient some claim contributes to obesity.
PL Grocery Sales:
$3.1 billion
Web sites: www.cvs.com,
Retail Banner: CVS
No. of Stores: 7,266 retail stores
No. of Employees: 200,000
CEO: Larry J. Merlo, president
and CEO
Key PL Personnel: Grant Pill, vice president of merchandizing for store brands/photo
Private Labels: Just the Basics, Life Fitness, PLAYSKOOL Baby Care, Skin Effects by Dr. Jeffrey Dover, 24.7
PL News: In February, the Woonsocket, R.I.-based CVS/pharmacy division launched the first 100 items in its Just the Basics private label line of products, including home goods like paper towels, sandwich bags, cleaners, laundry detergent and light bulbs. Personal care products include baby care, hair products, oral care, shaving products and hosiery. Just the Basics includes a wide range of groceries, beverages and snacks. It planned to add 900 new store brand offerings in 2011. The company's 2010 annual report noted that it carries more than 5,000 store brand items and that these account for more than 17 percent of sales in the front of the store. It expects its private label sales to reach more than 20 percent of front of the store sales over the next two years.
CVS Caremark forecasts that it will add more than 150 net new stores annually. In 2010, it opened stores in Memphis, Omaha, St. Louis and Puerto Rico.
PL Grocery Sales:
$2.3 billion
Web site:
Retail Banners: Meijer,
Meijer Marketplace
No. of U.S. Stores: 196
No. of U.S. Employees: 72,200
CEO: Hank Meijer, co-chairman, CEO
Key PL Personnel: Ralph Fischer, group vice president, foods
Private Labels: Meijer, Meijer Brand, Meijer Organics, Meijer Naturals, Meijer Ecowise, Meijer Elements, Meijer Gold
PL News: Grand Rapids, Mich.-based Meijer launched Meijer Marketplace, a more localized grocery store, in the Chicago area. At 96,000 square feet, Meijer Marketplace is about half the size of Meijer's largest supercenters. Meijer says it is ensuring that the store has the benefits of larger Meijer stores, in essence offering a "mini" supercenter concept that provides local customers with a tailored grocery offering along with a broad variety of general merchandise items.
Marketplace stores will focus on fresh quality meats and produce, as well as a wide variety of deli, bakery and pantry items. Products will include a range of Hispanic and Italian foods, providing a new shopping option for the surrounding ethnically-diverse community.
Market Inc.
PL Grocery
Sales: $2 billion
Web site:
Retail Banner: Whole Foods Market
No. of U.S. Stores: 288
No. of Employees: 58,300 in North America and the U.K.
CEO: John Mackey and Walter Robb, co-CEOs; A.C. Gallo, president and COO
Key PL Personnel: Chris Slick, senior global coordinator for exclusive and store brands
Private Labels: 365 Everyday Value, 365 Organic Everyday Value, Eco Baby, Whole Foods Market, Whole Kids Organic, Whole Kitchen, Whole Pantry, Whole Paws, Whole Ranch, Whole Treat, Whole Creamery, Whole Catch
PL News: Whole Foods shoppers have shown signs of increasing their branded purchases, the Austin-based company said in July. This could signal a shift in consumer thinking to less of a recession mentality. "It's a new time with a new set of things happening here that we haven't seen before," said Walter Robb, co-CEO. "We see branded product actually outpacing private label growth. We see the branded products growing nicely. We see people making incremental trade ups." In May, the company said it is expanding its private label product range, despite rising commodity prices. Private label items like Three Wishes Wine, brand cheese, soymilk and almond milk can help the grocer steer away from its "Whole Paycheck" image, but only if the company is "better with the pricing of highly recognizable items," says analyst Paula Rosenblum, of Retail Systems Research. Whole Foods anticipates further private label product releases within its current fiscal year. "We're in a situation now where certain costs are going up, and certain prices are going up. And we feel like in order to counterbalance that, we need to continue to develop even better selections of value items in each category we have," President A.C. Gallo said.
PL Grocery Sales:
$2 billion
Web site:
Retail Banner: Dollar General
No. of U.S. Stores: 9,500
No. of U.S. Employees: 85,900
CEO: Richard Dreiling
Key PL Personnel: Gary Stephens, senior director of private brands
Private Labels: Bobbie Brooks, Clover Valley, DG Body, DG Health, Ever Pet, Holiday Style, Open Trails, Smart & Simple, Sweet Smiles, True Living, more
PL News: In August, Dollar General reported a 15 percent year-to-date jump in private label sales, attributable in part to its Rexall product offerings and to consumers trading down to lower priced offerings. The company is an exclusive supplier of Rexall health care products,
a hybrid national brand/private label. "We now have over 1,400 private brand SKUs, including nearly 300 Rexall SKUs, and we believe we still have significant opportunity to grow," CEO Richard Dreiling said. Its fastest growing customer base is household with incomes of more than $70,000. While CEO Dreiling credits the recession with bringing new shoppers into the stores, he says it is product quality and the company's unique shopping experience that prompts customers, even the more affluent ones, to return.
"They're coming in now, and they're seeing a national-brand-equivalent private brands program that has retail price points that they're incredibly comfortable with," he says.
Goodlettsville, Tenn.-based Dollar General opened 600 new stores in 2010, 300 so far this year and plans to open 1,200 more during the next two years, including for the first time, stores in Nevada, Connecticut and New Hampshire. It will enter the California market by 2012.
$1.9 billion
Web site:
Retail Banners: Metro, Metro Plus, Super C and Food Basics, as well as more than 250 drugstores under the Brunet, The Pharmacy and Drug Basics banners
No. of Stores:
650+ in Canada
No. of Employees: 65,000+
CEO: Eric R. La Flèche, CEO
Key PL Personnel: Marie-France Gibson, senior director; Francis Cournoyer, director, design & packaging; Martin Turcotte, director, business development and negotiation
Private Labels: Irresistibles, Selection, which also feature: Irresistibles Life Smart / Irresistibles Bio / Irresistibles Gluten Free / Selection ECO
PL News: The Canadian retailer is giving its Selection private label products a makeover that includes a new logo and new packaging. All 2,500 products should be redesigned and relaunched by the end of 2012. In May, 2010, Metro launched its 24-item Irresistibles Gluten Free product line, touting it as the only Canadian private label gluten-free line. Among new private label products it has rolled out in 2010 and this year are Irresistibles Easy Roast uncooked seasoned whole turkey, Irresistibles Red Velvet ice cream, Irresistibles Non Alcoholic mocktails, Irresistibles Life Smart nutrient enhanced water beverages and Selection Mediterranean-style marinades.
Stores Inc.
$1.5 billion
Web site:
Retail Banner: Winn-Dixie
No. of U.S. Stores: 514
No. of U.S. Employees: 49,000
CEO: Peter Lynch
Key PL Personnel: Matt Gutermuth, group vice president of center store, pricing and own brands and Wesley Bean, vice president, own brands strategy and innovation
Private Labels: Winn & Lovett, Winn-Dixie, ValuTime
PL News: Winn-Dixie, which has more than 4,000 private label offerings, in August began offering private label over-the-counter medications, branded Top Care, through Topco Associates LLC. The Topco items can be substituted for some prescription medications. In June 2010, the grocer introduced Winn-Dixie Organic Active Yogurt, an all-natural line with no preservatives or artificial flavors, offering strawberry, blueberry, peach, vanilla and raspberry options. "We are always looking for new ways to provide healthy products for our customers," Mary Kellmanson, group vice president, marketing, said at the time. In January 2010, Winn-Dixie rolled out a "mojo marinade" with grapefruit juice, orange juice, and bitter orange concentrate, part of its Hispanic-focused line.
$1.5 billion
Web site:
Retail Banners: Giant Eagle, Market District, Giant Eagle Express, ValuKing, GetGo
No. of U.S. Stores: 228 groceries (170 corporate and 58 independently owned), 165 GetGo fuel and convenience stores
No. of U.S. Employees: 36,000
CEO: David S. Shapira
Key PL Personnel: Lisa Henriksen, senior vice president of marketing and own brands; David Atkins, director of own brands for center store and HBW; Krista Sammartino, director of own brands for perimeter, Market District, research & development
Private Labels: Giant Eagle, Market District, Nature's Basket, Valu Time, Top Care
PL News: In August, Giant Eagle decided to participate in a cooperative for private label over-the-counter medications that can be substituted for some prescription medications, available through Topco Associates LLC.
In late 2010, Giant Eagle began supplying its own pre-cut fresh fruit and certain soups and prepared foods to its Giant Eagle and Get Go stores. Del Monte Fresh Foods had supplied the fruit previously. On the unhappy news side, Giant Eagle was among four retailers whose private label ground turkey, supplied by Wichita-based Cargill Value Added Meats Retail, was recalled on Aug. 4 due to possible Salmonella Heidelberg contamination. The massive recall covered 36 million pounds of ground turkey products overall.
PL Grocery Sales:
$1.5 billion
Web site:
Retail Banners: A&P, A&P Super Foodmart, Pathmark, Waldbaums, Super Fresh, The Food Emporium, Food Basics, Woodson & James Choice
No. of U.S. Stores: 336
No. of U.S. Employees: 39,000
CEO: Sam Martin
Key PL Personnel: Kevin Broe, vice president, own brands
Private Labels: America's Choice, Hartford Reserve, Live Better Wellness, Home Basics, Food Basics, Greenway, Via Roma, Food Emporium Trading Company
PL News: Analyst Boris Planer, a research director of Planet Retail, said last December that A&P's bankruptcy filing that month might curtail the company's private label expansion. But Sam Martin, president and CEO, had earlier told analysts that A&P sees private label as key to a turnaround from eight straight quarters of losses between 2008 and 2010. "By enhancing and expanding our private label brand identity to America's Choice, Food Basics and the Food Emporium Trading Company, we are offering customers additional value and variety," he said, during a quarterly earnings conference call in October 2010.
In November, the company launched a new private label brand, Food Emporium Trading Company, which includes international specialty items like cooking oils, candies, coffees, teas, gelato, pasta, pasta sauces and salsas. The line is being sold at A&P, Waldbaum's, SuperFresh, and The Food Emporium.
In May 2011, A&P upgraded its private label beef line, rebranded Woodson & James Choice, which features the type of steakhouse quality meat offered by most other grocers, according to Jim Wisner, president of Wisner Marketing Group.
PL Grocery Sales: $1.4 billion
Web site:
Retail Banners: Hy-Vee,
Hy-Vee Drugstore
No. of U.S. Stores: 233
No. of U.S. Employees: 58,000
CEO: Ric Jurgens
Key PL Personnel: Steve Jensen, director, private label procurement
Private Labels: Hy-Vee, Midwest Country Fare, Baking Stone Bread, Hy-Vee Mother's Choice, Hy-Vee Garden Helpers, Hy-Vee Kitchen Helpers, LeTechniq, Di Lusso, Paws Premium, Amana Beef, Hy-Vee HealthMarket, Blue Ribbon, others
PL News: Hy-Vee sees the growth of private label as "exciting for our business and a great opportunity for our customers," chairman CEO Ric Jurgens said last year.
"During the recession, private label penetration increased across the country as customers switched to store brands in order to save money," Jurgens said. "A large percentage of those customers will stick with private label as they discover private label products provide value for their shopping dollars. Many analysts see this focus on value as the 'new normal' that's likely to linger beyond the recession." To that end, Hy-Vee "does a great job using social media sites like Facebook" to reach Generations X and Y, according to Todd Hale, senior vice president, consumer & shopping insights, Nielsen.
During the midwinter FMI meeting in January, Jurgens, who also chairs FMI, introduced the new Nutrition Keys labeling program that will place calorie, saturated fat, sodium and sugar information on the front of packaged goods. Hy-Vee is among the retailers committed to using this labeling on its private label products.
PL Grocery Sales:
$1.3 billion
Web site:
Retail Banner: Wegmans
No. of U.S. Stores: 77
No. of U.S. Employees: 41,000+
CEO: Danny Wegman
Key PL Personnel: Mike DeCory, vice president, Wegmans Brand
Private Labels: Wegmans
PL News: Despite dramatic increases in commodity and fuel costs, Wegmans announced in February that it would not increase prices on 40 products, most of them its own private label. In July 2010, Mike DeCory, vice president of private label, was among eight retail executives recognized for building unique, customer-friendly private label programs as part of PLBuyer's Retail Executives of the Year Awards. "The most critical component to a successful private brand program is total commitment from the entire organization. At Wegmans, commitment starts with the enthusiasm and passion of the Wegman family and continues throughout the organization," DeCory said at the time. "Our store employees feel connected to our brand and therefore do an unbelievable job of merchandising our products and educating our customers on features and benefits." The grocer last September introduced the private label Super Pasta; six varieties of burgers and sliders in May and June 2010; and organic fruit-on-the-bottom offerings, as part of its Blended Super Yogurt line, in January 2011.
Efficient Collaborative Retail Marketing has repeatedly recognized Wegmans as the most active retailer in promoting private label items in its weekly circular in an exclusive analysis of private label ad trends it does for PLBuyer.
PL Grocery Sales:
$1.3 billion
Web site:
Retail Banner: Rite Aid Pharmacy
No. of U.S. Stores: 4,714
No. of U.S. Employees: 91,800
CEO: John T. Standley
Key PL Personnel: Kathy Horton, senior director of Rite Aid brands
Private Labels: Rite Aid, Thrifty Ice Cream, PharmAssure, Tugaboos, Pantry and Simplify
PL News: Rite Aid had more than 1,000 items converted to its private label brands and private-label penetration had increased to 16.5 percent from 15.4 percent during the final quarter of fiscal 2010, which ended Feb. 26, 2011. President and CEO John Standley said the pharmacy chain expected to have 2,200 items in its own brands in fiscal 2012, in reaction to consumers' persistent frugality.
"We continue to invest in private label," Standley said in a statement in July 2011. "I think it's going to continue to gain traction and grow as we go forward."
New private label lines for Rite Aid have included Simplify, a price-fighter brand that spans paper products and beverages, introduced in July 2010; baby care products called Tugaboos, which include jumbo and overnight diapers and training pants, introduced in May 2010. Rite Aid also has revived the drugstore ice cream counter of past eras in its California stores, featuring the company's own Thrifty brand hand-dipped ice cream, with a half-dozen new flavors, along with its first frozen yogurt line.
PL Grocery
$1.1 billion
Web site:
Retail Banner: Family Dollar
No. of U.S. Stores: 7,000
No. of U.S. Employees:
30,000 full-time,
20,000 part-time
CEO: Howard R. Levine
Key PL Personnel: Mary Rachide, division vice president, private brands; Don Hamblen, senior vice president, customer marketing
Private Labels: Family Dollar, Family Gourmet, Family Pet, Family Wellness, Family Chef, Kidgets, Indoors by Design, Outdoors By Design, Tropic Sun, Extremely Me, Mix & co, Highland Outfitters
PL News: Family Dollar reported a 22 percent increase in private label sales during the first three quarters of fiscal 2011, which ended June 30. Chairman and CEO Howard Levine said the company had introduced more than 500 items year to date. "Our continued efforts to build an integrated global supply chain are supporting our private brand objectives," he said. At the end of fiscal year 2010, Levine said the company had increased private label sales to 22 percent, up from 19 percent in fiscal 2009. "While I'm pleased with the progress we have made, we still have a significant opportunity to increase our penetration of private branded consumables," he said.
In June 2010, Family Dollar launched the Kidgets private label clothing line for newborns through toddlers. Levine told PLBuyer that the enhancement and relaunch of that brand and others like Tropic Sun and Outdoor by Design underscored the company's commitment to quality for a competitive price. In addition to Kidgets, Family Gourmet and Family Pet also have been introduced in the past year and a half.
PL Grocery Sales:
$1 billion
Web site:
Retail Banners: ShopRite, PriceRite Supermarkets
No. of U.S. Stores: 28 ShopRite stores (plus 220 owned by cooperative members), more
than 40 PriceRite markets
No. of U.S. Employees: Wakefern, 1,500; ShopRite,
more than 50,000;
PriceRite, NA
CEO: Joseph Colalillo
Key PL Personnel:
Loren Weinstein, director
private label branding
Private Labels: ShopRite, PriceRite
PL News: Wakefern's ShopRite subsidiary launched a blog, called Potluck, in which about a dozen writers endorse the store's ShopRite-branded private label products. ShopRite plans to add video cooking demonstrations and photos from exclusive Potluck events to the site. "It's personal, honest and bound to resonate with budget savvy shoppers," says Natalie Berg, research director at Planet Retail, a London-based consultancy. "It also provides ShopRite with an opportunity to add value and move beyond pure price. Retailers in the U.S. should also be thinking about partnering with celebrity chefs. Getting a celebrity chef to endorse your private label can do wonders."
ShopRite's private label products were among five that Consumer Reports tested for a study, released in October 2010, that found store brands save an average of 30 percent-more than $1,500 annually for a family spending $100 a week on groceries-and that quality is high enough that shoppers should try private labels.
Web site:
Retail Banners: Stop & Shop, Giant Landover, Giant Carlisle, Martin's Food Markets, Peapod
No. of U.S. Stores: 2,994 total for corporate parent Royal Ahold, 751 in the U.S.
No. of U.S. Employees: 115,993
CEO: Dick Boer (Royal Ahold)
Key PL Personnel: Thomas Becker, director private label marketing, strategy and brand management
Private Labels: Stop & Shop, Giant, Nature's Promise, Simply Enjoy, CareOne, Guarantee Value
PL News: In fall 2010, Ahold began a "Combo Deals" program to pair its own private label SKUs with those of national brands. These included free-with-purchase items like Giant brand maple syrup with two boxes of General Mills' Bisquick all-purpose baking mix, and CareOne cough drops with two boxes of Kimberly-Clark's Kleenex tissue.
Ahold's private label sales were about 15 percent to 16 percent of total U.S. sales in the second quarter of 2010, and the company is optimistic about private-label growth in the States in 2011. CEO Dick Boer told analysts during a spring quarterly earnings discussion that Ahold plans to continue growing its American customer base by expanding its stores' private label selection.
PL Grocery Sales:
$758 million
Web site:
Retail Banners: Shoppers Drug Mart, Pharmaprix (Quebec), Shoppers Simply Pharmacy, Pharmaprix Simplement Sante (Quebec), Shoppers Home Health Care, Murale
No. of Stores: 1,189 Shoppers Drug Mart/Pharmprix, 59 Shoppers Simply Pharmacy/Pharmaprix Simplement Sante, 63 Shoppers Home Health Care, 8 Murale
No. of Employees: 51,000+
CEO: David M. Williams (interim)
Key PL Personnel: Morne Van Wyk, senior vice president, corporate and exclusive brands
Private Labels: Allude, Amigo, Baby Life Brand, Baléa, Bath Retreat, Bella, Bio*Life, Easypix, Etival, Everyday Market, Get, Jolie, Life Brand, Nativa Organics, Simply Food, Sox Sense, Stylize, Sunthera 3
PL News: To stay competitive, Shoppers Drug Mart in early 2010 embarked on a strategy that will involve boosting private label products from 14 percent of food offerings to 20 percent by 2012, introducing a new line of private label foods as part of that effort.
In 2010, Shoppers Drug introduced a dermatological skin care line called Etival Laboratoire, a bath line called Bath Retreat, and new sun care products under the Life Brand. The company also introduced in early 2010 the "Double Up & Save" program that gives savings to those who pick up two of the same Life products. Its efforts garnered a thumbs-up at a spring 2011 Efficient Collaborative Retail Marketing event from Laureen Schroeder, director of health and beauty at Daymon Worldwide. "You see quite a few exclusive beauty brands that are Shoppers Drug Mart brands or Loblaws that are doing quite well and [have] become a true consumer choice," Schroeder said.
PL Grocery Sales:
$720 million
Web site:
Retail Banners: S-Mart Foods, Lucky and FoodMaxx
No. of U.S. Stores: 235
No. of U.S. Employees: 18,000
CEO: Bob Piccinini
Key PL Personnel: N/A
Private Labels: World Classics, Full Circle, Pacific Coast Selections, MasterCut, Master Catch, Sunny Select, Sunnyside Farms, Bayside Farms, Maxx Value, ValuTime, Today's Health, Pacific Coast Café
PL News: Save Mart in 2010 was working with several new Topco brands, including Valu Time, Top Care, Paws, Full Circle and World Classics. It expanded its private label offerings in areas such as frozen pizza, desserts and prepared meals as well as in value-added cheese items. Sunny Side Farms, its own private label, moved into offering probiotic yogurt, seasonal flavors of ice cream, fruit on the bottom cottage cheese, and convenient squeeze sour cream. Save Mart's exclusive premium private label Pacific Coast Selections was expanded to hit all edible departments of Save Mart and Lucky stores.
Save Mart said goodbye to its Pacific Coast Cafés in October. The economy, the company told PLBuyer at the time, put coffee spending on the back burner for a lot of people and its cafés "no longer do enough business to stay afloat." The stores continue to sell ground and whole bean Pacific Coast coffee and drip coffee is offered in the bakeries and deli departments.
PL Grocery Sales:
$696 million
Web site: www.bjs.com
Retail Banner: BJ's
No. of U.S. Stores: 190
No. of U.S. Employees: 24,000
CEO: Laura Sen
Key PL Personnel: N/A
Private Labels: Richelieu Foods, Berkley & Jensen, Lanesboro, Rozzano, Wellsley Farms, Executive Choice
PL News: BJ's Wholesale Club Inc. reported strong earnings and sales in its second quarter with overall sales impacted by "favorable merchandise sales, higher gas profitability and expense savings that exceeded plan," Laura Sen, BJ's Wholesale president and chief executive officer, announced in a press release."We are very excited about our positive sales momentum for the second quarter and first half of 2011. It is clear that our members are doing more of their weekly food shopping with us. And I believe that we have tremendous opportunities to further grow our business," says Sen.
BJ's food sales rose 5 percent in the quarter, driven mainly by an 8 percent increase in perishable food sales. BJ's announced on June 29 that it had entered into a definitive agreement to be acquired by Leonard Green & Partners and CVC Capital Partners.
$590 million
Web site:
Retail Banners: Sun Mart, Econofoods, AVANZA, Family Thrift Center, Pick 'n Save, Family Fresh Market, Prairie Market and Wholesale Food Outlet
No. of U.S. Stores: 52
No. of U.S. Employees: 6,822
CEO: Alec C. Covington
Key PL Personnel: Maria Francisca Gallegos, senior director, marketing and merchandising
Christopher A. Brown, President and COO Nash Finch Wholesale
Private Labels: Our Family, Nash Brothers Trading Company, Value Choice
PL News: Nash Finch held its first-ever food show for both independent retailers and corporate stores in the past year, highlighting its 102-year-old private label Our Family line in numerous booths. It also announced a strategic alliance with the Minnesota Twins to include Our Family Half-Price Tuesdays, Saturday Tailgate Parties and Photo Night with players. Customers also can sample Nash Finch products at the ballpark. The company also launched Nash Brothers Trading Company, which offers a line of organic and natural food that aims to be a
national brand.
$500 million
Web site: www.wincofoods.com
Retail Banner: WinCo Foods
No. of U.S. Stores: 79
No. of U.S. Employees: 13,000
CEO and President: Steven L. Goddard
Key PL Personnel: N/A
Private Labels: N/A
PL News: WinCo is known in the supermarket business as a low-cost, no-frills provider, whether for national brands or private label. In 2010, the company opened a store in Orem, Utah; marking the return to an area it once occupied under the banner of Waremart Food Centers. Later in the year, it continued to expand its presence in the state by opening in new cities such as Ogden and Roy. It plans to build a 2-million-square-foot distribution center in Beaumont, Calif., in addition to expanding into Arizona. In April, WinCo repurchased the entire interest held by Endeavour
Capital Management in the company.
PL Grocery Sales:
$155 million
Web site: www.7-eleven.com
Retail Banner: 7-Eleven
No. of U.S. Stores: 8,800 in the U.S.; 42,800 worldwide
No. of U.S. Employees: 20,700
CEO and President:
Joseph DePinto
Key PL Personnel: John Centala, director of private brands
Private Labels: 7-Eleven®, 7-Select®, Slurpee®, Big Gulp®, Big Bite® Proprietary wines include: Sonoma Crest, Yosemite Road, Cherrywood Cellars, VitAlma
PL News: 7-Eleven added many new private label products in 2010, including packaged bakery, packaged cookies, frozen pizza, salsa, dip, frozen appetizers, carbonated soft drinks in bottles and s'mores ice cream sandwich. The company also created a mid-tier-priced wine ($7.99 - $8.99 per bottle) called Cherrywood Cellars, available in three varietals – chardonnay, cabernet sauvignon and merlot. The brand opened more than 300 new stores in 2010, as well. In 2011 it rolled out private label lemonades, new bottled juices, VitAlma pinot grigio wine (in four markets), packaged burritos and packaged sour candies.


text:
Sunday, March 29, 2015
Enjoy a non-stop island celebration in honor of the 10th anniversary of the Deering Seafood Festival on Sunday, March 29, 2015 from 10 am to 6 pm, complete with delicious catch from the waters of the world, a fun-filled kids' adventure called "10 Leagues Under the Sea," stilt walkers, a Junkanoo musical parade and on-going live entertainment.
Be sure to listen to BIG 105.9 & MIA 93.9 starting on Monday, March 24th for the radio spot featuring the Deering Estate Seafood Festival!
Florida's freshest fish and seafood are always the main event. The top ten restaurants and caterers lining Seafood Alley are: Golden Rule Seafood Market, Whole Foods Market, Devon Seafood + Steak, Black Point Ocean Grill, Iggy's Street Wok, Rodbender's, Paella Party, Marhaba Mediterranean Cuisine, Asian Fusion, and the unique Caribbean flavors from Fancy Loaf Antigua Association. Shrimp, oysters, conch, crab and all types of fish will be steamed, grilled or fried to please every palate. For land lovers, Sports Grill is on hand with their famous wings and burgers.
Under the big top tent is an All-Star line up of alumnae chefs conducting cooking demonstrations. Returning for their command performances are the following executive chefs:
Jouvens Jean at Pierre's at Morada Bay
Kareem Anguin at Oceanaire Seafood Room
Samir Canaan at Truluck's Seafood Steak and Crab House
Damian Gilchrist at Ocean Reef Club
Chef Sean Bernal, a crowd-favorite
Joining the local celebrity chefs is this year's winner of the Johnson & Wales Student Seafood Competition is Gabriel Martinez whose recipe contains '10' ingredients.
Four culinary arts students from Johnson & Wales competed for a coveted spot to host a cooking demonstration at the Deering Seafood Festival. This year's winner is Gabriel Martinez and will cook for more than 100 guests alongside chefs from top local restaurants!
Check out the Miami Herald article
"Johnson & Wales chefs compete for chance to cook at Deering Seafood Festival" by Jacqueline Salo
Check out the Photo Album
for the 2014 Johnson & Wales University Third Annual Deering Seafood Student Competition
Check out the 10th annual Deering Seafood Festival 2014 video
Kids will enjoy the monstrous hands-on activities in "10 Leagues Under the Sea," created by the Deering Estate's Educational and Interpretive Staff. Part scavenger hunt and part scientific exploration, boys and girls seek to find sea creatures whose habitats can be found in various levels of the ocean. For the less intrepid, the Lil' Shrimp Kids Zone is filled with unlimited fun on inflatables, and when hunger strikes, there is a menu with kid-friendly food.
You won't want to miss the fun with continuous live entertainment featuring the island groove of the steel drummers, Bushwood Band and Caribbean Crew plus rock 'n roll music to close out the day with Been There Done That. Enjoy pontoon boat rides to Chicken Key, an Artist Lane and tours of the historic Deering Estate.
Cost: $15 for adults in advance online OR $25 at the gate;
$5 for children ages 4-14; Children under 4 are FREE.
Admission includes park entrance and all activities excluding, food, drink, pontoon boat rides and rock climbing.
Tickets can be purchased ONLINE for an additional fee or by calling 305-235-1668 ext. 263.
Deering Estate Foundation Members get FREE ADMISSION! Not a member? Join ONLINE today or call 305-235-1668 ext. 263.
Check out this video from NBC 6 South Florida where Roxanne Vargas previews the 9th annual Deering Seafood Festival! Roxanne talks to Dan Yglesias, Chair of the Deering Seafood Festival and Samir Canaan, Executive Chef of Truluck's Seafood, Steak & Crab House.
Palmetto Bay Village Center, 18001 Old Cutler Rd.
Westminister Christian School, 6855 SW 152 St.
Ride your bike and enjoy the FREE BIKE VALET SERVICE at the Main Gate
courtesy of the Green Mobility Network!
Deering Estate Foundation Members get FREE ADMISSION!
Not a member? Join today! 305-235-1668 ext. 263
Monies raised from the Festival benefit the Deering Estate Foundation.
Sponsorship opportunities are available.
To request a package or to receive more information, please contact Laura Llagomasino at firstname.lastname@example.com or call 305-235-1668 ext. 266.
The Ritz-Carlton Coconut Grove, Miami
3300 Southwest 27th Avenue
Coconut Grove, Florida
Phone: 305-644-4680
Reservations: 800-241-3333
For special rates:
Ritz-Carlton Coconut Grove Deering Reservation Page
The Deering Seafood Festival is made possible with the support of the Miami-Dade County Tourist Development Council, the Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs, the Cultural Affairs Council, the Miami-Dade County Mayor and Board of County Commissioners.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
The 2014 Action Pack will be available on October 1, 2013.
Thank you for your support of PSI's Take Your Dog To Work Day® (TYDTWDay®)!
Please complete the registration form below to download your free 2014 TYDTWDay Action Pack and begin planning your company's event.
Once you select "Download My Action Pack" at the bottom of the form, you will be taken to a confirmation page with a link to the 2014 Action Pack. Please be sure to save a copy of this Action Pack in your files.
If you would like event creator PSI to let local media know your company will be participating, submit your information here.
Reporters contact us each year to inquire about local participants and this is an excellent way to garner positive media coverage for your business.
Remember, you can only register once and your registration form cannot be updated once submitted. If you have any questions, please contact email@example.com.


text:
A mock school-bus crash held this month is helping contractor Illinois Central School Bus respond to concerns arising from when drivers are unable to report the accident.
The Jan. 9 drill held in Batavia, Ill., simulated a collision between a school bus carrying students from Rotolo Middle School and another vehicle. Illinois Central collaborated with Batavia Public Schools and the Batavia fire and police departments. Four of the student victims were members of the middle school's eighth-grade first-aid class, and the school bus driver acted as an unconscious victim.
"(The) big lesson learned was what happens when the driver cannot report the accident. We have reinforced with our bus evacuation team that the older students need to instructed what to do if the driver is not responsive, such as utilizing the bus radio, their cell phones to call 911, etc.," said Dawn O'Connell, Illinois Central's contract manager for the area. "Also, we will utilize those drivers that do stage out during the day as response vehicles when routes are not running during (morning and afternoon routes).
She explained that if a crash occurs during midday, the buses closest to district schools respond versus waiting the 20 minutes for a bus to come from base.
Also participating were was the Tri-Com Central Dispatch and Southern Fox Valley and Central DuPage Emergency Medical Services System.
"We are proactively testing and evaluating emergency response systems to ensure that each agency is fully prepared to respond and execute systems in the event of a real crisis,: said Dr. Jack Barshinger, superintendent for Batavia Public Schools.
Batavia Fire Department's Ed Jancauskas added that all angencies used normal communications procedures, treating the drill as the "real deal."
Illinois Central operates 104 buses to transport nearly 4,000 students each day for Batavia and surrounding schools.


text:
Crash tests
Toyota Sienna fares well in new crash test; 3 other minivans perform poorly
7:09 am U.S. ET | Nov. 20, 2014In a front overlap crash safety tests of four minivans sold in the United States, only the latest model of the Toyota Sienna scored well, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety said today....
Read More »
Stop the Datsun Go, safety group requests
12:01 am U.S. ET | Nov. 10, 2014Nissan's budget-priced Datsun Go hatchback has sold poorly since it debuted with much fanfare in India last March, and a devastating new assessment of the car's crash safety surely won't help....
Read More »
Honda to modify 12,000 redesigned Fits sold in U.S. to enhance crashworthiness
10:00 am U.S. ET | Aug. 21, 2014Honda plans to modify 12,000 redesigned 2015 Fit models in customer hands in the United States following a mid-model-year engineering change that improved the subcompact's showing in a key industry crash test....
Read More »
Crash testing is still a good business
11:00 am U.S. ET | Aug. 6, 2014Crash simulations and calculations are becoming increasingly sophisticated, and yet more and more real-life tests are being carried out. A little-known company south of Munich is benefiting from the trend....
Read More »
Mini Cooper tops other small cars in latest round of overlap crash tests
12:01 am U.S. ET | Aug. 4, 2014The four-door Mini Cooper Countryman stood out among its peers in a new round of insurance industry crash testing, receiving the only good rating among 12 small cars evaluated....
Read More »
Small cars struggle in latest round of IIHS crash tests
12:01 am U.S. ET | July 30, 2014Small cars performed poorly in a new round of insurance industry crash testing, with the four-door Mini Cooper Countryman receiving the only good rating of 12 cars evaluated. Meanwhile, the lithium ion electric batteries of the Chevrolet Volt plug-in hybrid and Nissan Leaf electric vehicle survived during their first Insurance Institute for Highway Safety tests with no problems reported....
Read More »
Honda aims to take 3D leap forward with advanced crash-test simulation software
12:01 am U.S. ET | June 25, 2014It takes roughly 5 years, on average, to develop and launch an all-new vehicle today. Honda believes it's poised to take a major chunk of time out of the process....
Read More »
ADAC auto club tests car safety in Germany
May 2, 2014 08:30 CETThe test facility at Germany's ADAC automotive club near Munich is one of only a handful of test centers in Europe accredited by EuroNCAP to assess the safety of passenger cars....
Read More »
Two GM SUVs score 'good' ratings in new crash testing
12:01 am U.S. ET | April 8, 2014Only the Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain survived the challenging new small-overlap crash test for mid-sized SUVs from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety with a "good" rating....
Read More »
Crash avoidance is a noble idea
12:01 am U.S. ET | Feb. 10, 2014The government is suggesting that perhaps the first step in creating a safer automotive environment would be to install transmitting devices in all vehicles sold in the United States, the first step toward enable vehicles to communicate with one another to avoid accidents. What may be a noble suggestion is probably an impractical solution to automotive collisions....
Read More »
Making vehicles safer
12:01 am U.S. ET | Jan. 27, 2014It's not surprising that several minicars and subcompacts generally fared poorly in the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety's small-overlap crash test. In the short term, the results may embarrass some automakers. But longer term, it's good news for consumers because automakers will make better vehicles for the next round of testing....
Read More »
Minicars fare worst in U.S. frontal crash test, report says
Jan. 22, 2014 10:49 CETMinicars such as the Fiat 500 and Honda Fit performed worse than any other vehicle segment in a U.S. frontal crash test that mimics what happens when a car hits another vehicle, utility pole or tree....
Read More »
Special Report
Canadian dealer buries a Jeep, hires an ambassador and puts on the RitzAt Bay King Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, Ram in Hamilton, Ontario, dealer Jamie Richter has put luxury-hotel touches in his new showroom. They include concierges who see to the needs of service customers. Mon., December 15
» Watch the Video
News by Brand


text:
FNB United Corp. Schedules 2012 Fourth Quarter Investor Conference Call
ASHEBORO, N.C., Feb. 5, 2013 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- FNB United Corp. (Nasdaq:FNBN) announced today that it will host a pre-recorded investor call on March 20, 2013 at 11 a.m. Brian Simpson, Chief Executive Officer, and Dave Nielsen, Chief Financial Officer, will discuss the company's 2012 financial and operating results.
Interested parties should dial in five to ten minutes prior to the scheduled start time to 1-888-317-6016. International callers should dial in to 1-412-317-6016. Canadian callers may dial in to 1-855-669-9657. To join the call, participants will be required to provide conference ID number 10023291. The webcast may be accessed at http://services.choruscall.com/links/fnbn130320.html . The webcast replay will be available until March 20, 2014. The teleconference replay will be available one hour after the end of the conference through June 21, 2013 at 9:00 a.m. Eastern Standard Time. To access the teleconference replay, dial toll free in the U.S. to 1-877-344-7529 or international callers may dial 1-412-317-0088 and Conference ID Number will be 10023291.
About FNB United Corp.FNB United Corp. is the North Carolina-based bank holding company for two historic community banks, CommunityOne Bank, N.A. (MyYesBank.com) and Bank of Granite (BankOfGranite.com). Founded in 1907, CommunityOne operates 45 branches in 38 communities throughout central, southern and western North Carolina. Founded in 1906, Bank of Granite operates 16 branches in western North Carolina. Through its banking subsidiaries, FNB United offers a full range of consumer, mortgage and business banking services, including loan, deposit, cash management, wealth management and online banking services.
CONTACT: Pam Cranford (336) 626-8300 firstname.lastname@example.com
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Global Macro: Gold Pushes Higher on Volatility
NEW YORK ( TheStreet) -- Volatility returns to the marketplace as we near the much anticipated September Federal Reserve meeting. Analysts believe that September will be the chosen start date to rein in the Fed's unprecedented monetary stimulus.
The charts below highlight how assets in the futures market have reacted to uncertainty of future monetary policy. By analyzing futures, we can look at a wide range of liquid assets to determine to where money is flowing and what the current expectations for financial markets are.
The first chart below is of the gold futures. Gold has been heavily sold, as investors have priced in lower inflation expectations and a stronger dollar. An ETF that closely tracks gold futures is the SPDR Gold Shares (GLD).
(TLT). As can be seen in the chart below, the 20-day exponential moving average, which gives greater weight to near-term price action compared to a simple moving average, is trending strongly downward. When the price of the long bond does cross above the moving average, it is only for a few days at most, then the price retreats. Until this trend can reverse, prices will continue to decline and rates will move to higher levels.
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|Name: _________________________
|Period: ___________________
This quiz consists of 5 multiple choice and 5 short answer questions through Chapter 3.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. How does Philippovich feel about the new Soviet order in Moscow?
(a) Nervous.
(b) Liberated.
(c) Inconvenienced.
(d) Disgusted.
2. What does Philippovich say he will use to perform an ovarian transplant?
(a) Monkey ovaries.
(b) Cow ovaries.
(c) Cat ovaries.
(d) Pig ovaries.
3. What kind of weather is occurring in Chapter 1?
(a) A hail storm.
(b) A blizzard.
(c) A thunderstorm.
(d) A heat wave.
4. In which city is the story set?
(a) Novosibirsk.
(b) St. Petersburg.
(c) Moscow.
(d) Vladivostok.
5. What does the dog learn to do on his own?
(a) Navigate streets.
(b) Read.
(c) Open doors.
(d) Operate a telephone.
Short Answer Questions
1. What does Philippovich say is the only way to get living creatures to respond?
2. How does Sharik feel at first to be wearing a collar and leash?
3. What is the name of the dog?
4. What is Sharik's name for Philippovich?
5. How does Sharik feel about living with Philippovich?
This section contains 178 words
(approx. 1 page at 300 words per page)


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Our Vision
By 2026, Parity Trust will be an established and respected brand across Europe, delivering a broad array of regeneration solutions, financial products and services, and innovative projects which meet the local need in communities.
As an ethical, socially responsible community development finance institution, our business is about more than just finance – it's about making community development and regeneration happen, through partnership working.
We are committed to improving the economic and social well-being of local people, encouraging enterprise, creating greater prosperity and challenging disadvantage where it exists.
We are an organisation that exists and trade for mutual benefit, recognises the importance of local solutions which are tailored to the needs of the whole community, not its disparate parts. We always adopt a person-centred, caring and responsible approach to the achievement of these aims.


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Posted: Tuesday, October 8, 2013 1:19 PM
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Blog updates directly to your inbox.
My colleague had the new display of cookery books and food writing well under way this morning. At some point, two different labels suggested themselves: "Just Desserts" or "Getting Your Just desserts". I concurred that "Just Desserts" was the less risky option. What if someone who loves sweets and is perfectly cognizant of their dismal calorie-to-vitamin ratio reads the sign and takes offense? He or she might view the phrase as implying that dessert fanciers will get what they have coming (e.g., weight gain and guilt) if they follow through with the lusciously illustrated titles on offer.
Surely we all recognize the morality factor associated with food: you're an admirable human being if you choose whole grains and count fat grams but frivolous and self-indulgent if you veer toward pies and frosting. (Those of us who both relish whole grains and mentally count fat grams in the layer cake we're ecstatically consuming belong in a special category.) Because food is elemental for us, we have to discuss it; we just require less controversial and more entertaining outlets for our obsession.
Mystery authors figured this out long ago and have successfully marketed hundreds of volumes featuring caterers (Diane Mott Davidson), herbalists (Susan Whittig Albert), Pennsylvania Dutch recipes (Tamar Myers)--even a White House chef (Julie Hyzy), along with many other culinary connections. Entering this popular field must be a daunting venture, necessitating not only literary imagination but also a fresh angle and an eye on culture and trends.
Enter Sandra Balzo and Cleo Coyle. Observers of contemporary caffeine- and latte-driven society, they've authored clever coffeehouse mysteries. Beginning in 2003, Coyle has produced eight titles, including Espresso Shot, French Pressed, and Holiday Grind. The next installment--Roast Mortem--is due out in August. Sandra Balzo's Maggie Thorsen series debuted in 2004 with Uncommon Grounds, followed by Grounds for Murder; Bean There, Done That; and Brewed, Crude, and Tattooed.
You could also watch for an upcoming bakery treat to accompany your beverage mysteries. A reviewer of Jenn McKinlay's Sprinkle With Murder deemed it a "tasty concoction". Combining popular themes--cupcakes and the Big Wedding (think Bridezillas or Say Yes to the Dress)--McKinlay's story is set in a specialized bakery, Fairy Tale Cupcakes. I could tell you more, but it's after 5:00 and I need to go home and bake something.
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Maca is a potent superfood root from the Andes Mountains of Peru that has been prized for centuries due to its ability to increase stamina, boost libido and combat fatigue. Navitas Naturals Gelatinized Maca Powder is a concentrated form made by extracting the starch - which makes the nutrition easier to digest and absorb. It has a nutty butterscotch flavor.Peruvian folklores tell of maca being used in the Tahuantinsuyo Empire by warriors to increase their strength and endurance. The maca root has potent adaptogenic properties helping each body differently based on individual needs. Maca is most often regarded as a powerful stamina booster, libido enhancer, hormone regulator and exhaustion buster. Unique alkaloids found in maca, called Macainas, have been shown to nourish and support the endocrine system, which regulates many of the body's important functions. Maca also provides an abundance of vitamins, minerals, amino acids and sterols that can support general health and immune function.Maca is a healthy food, not a miracle drug. Health claims herein have not been reviewed by the FDA. Navitas Naturals products are not intended to treat, diagnose, cure or prevent any disease.Product of PeruThere is evidence that maca has been cultivated in Peru as far back as 1600 BC. We source our certified organic maca roots from high up on the Junin Plateau in the Peruvian Andes. The stark, beautiful environment on the plateau is home to very few plants. Maca is one of the rare and special botanicals that can thrive in that extreme ecological zone. Days filled with intense sunlight and evenings of whipping winds and freezing temperatures infuse the roots with strength.After harvesting only the finest maca roots, they are slow-dried and gently milled at low temperatures to preserve the natural integrity of the food. Gelatinized maca powder is a concentrated form. To create it, the starch is extracted, which makes this superfood more digestible and the nutrients more bioavailable for increased absorption.
Other Ingredients:
Certified organic maca powder (Lepidium meyenii, walpers).
Food Sensitivity:
Packaged in a facility that also handles tree nuts.
Refrigeration not required.Store in a cool, dark, dry place.


text:
March US Auto Sales May Be Highest Since 2007
By DEE-ANN DURBIN
DETROIT (AP) â¿¿ U.S. car and truck sales are expected to hit their highest level in nearly six years in March, as buyers armed with tax refund checks were lured by flashy new vehicles and low interest rates.
Auto companies release U.S. sales figures Tuesday.
Analysts predict total sales of nearly 1.5 million cars and trucks, a number not seen since May 2007. That's almost double the 855,000 vehicles sold in March 2009, the low point for sales during the economic downturn, according to Ward's AutoInfoBank. Sales are expected to be up 3 to 5 percent over last March.Alec Gutierrez, a senior market analyst with the car pricing company Kelley Blue Book, said the improving job market is boosting sales. The number of Americans seeking unemployment benefits fell to a five-year low during March. Low interest rates are also making new-car purchases more appealing, Gutierrez said. The average rate for a 60-month new-car loan is now 4.12 percent, down from 4.52 percent at this time last year, according to Bankrate.com. And Gutierrez says tax refunds can also spur purchases. The average federal tax refund this year is nearly $3,000, or enough to cover the down payment on a three-year lease of a Toyota Camry hybrid or a BMW 3-Series sedan. Full-size pickup truck sales are expected to rise nearly 15 percent in March, following big gains in February, Kelley Blue Book said. Construction companies are rapidly replacing their truck fleets as the economy improves and they win more business. Gutierrez said incentive deals â¿¿ such as the $7,500 cash back now offered for the Chevrolet Silverado pickup â¿¿ are helping truck sales, and should continue for a while. General Motors, Ford and Chrysler each have a healthy supply of trucks for sale and GM wants to clear out older models before introducing its new Chevrolet Silverado in a few months.
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text:
Downloading it now don't have time to listen to it till tomorrow though. I can not wait to hear about the epcot that never was.
Welcome back to The WDW Radio Show Your Walt Disney World information Station, hosted by Lou Mongello. Thanks for tuning in once again. This is Show #10 for the week of April 15, 2007.
This week's show starts off with some News and Views from Walt Disney World, including the planned Re-Imagineering of Spaceship Earth. Lou will talk not only about the what is to come, but some of the changes through the years. Mike Scopa comes on to talk about another Best of the Best at Walt Disney World, which leads directly into the next special guest and topic. Steve "TikiMan" Seifert joins Lou in talking about the history of Disney's Polynesian Resort, its changes over time, vacationing there now and all that it has to offer, and some of its hidden secrets and treasures that even the most seasoned veteran might overlook. Lou and Jeff Pepper take a trip on the Walt Disney World Wayback Machine to visit The Epcot That Never Was, as they explore pavilions and attractions that were planned for EPCOT Center, yet never came to be, as well as why we still don't see them today. The answers are revealed and the winner of the first Where in the World Have You Heard This? contest is announced, so sit back, relax, and enjoy this weeks episode of the WDW Radio Show! View this week's show notes.
You can email the show at firstname.lastname@example.com or call the voicemail at 206-202-4WDW.
Lou Mongello
Host, Author & Site Owner
Downloading it now don't have time to listen to it till tomorrow though. I can not wait to hear about the epcot that never was.
I can't wait to hear another great episode Lou, keep up the good work. As a former cast member from the Canada pavilion at Epcot my heart lies very strongly with Epcot and I always look forward with extra special delight to episodes where you spend time on my favorite park. I can't wait to listen to this, you always make Monday's lunch hour much more bearable for me as I have a pleasant voice to listen to as opposed to the background noise of the people I work with debating which project they'd rather take on then the one they ARE on. Again thank you for the wonderfull show you put on Lou, you are truly a Disney legend in your own right.
Hey Lou, I booked a three night stay at the Swan for October in February and I was wondering if I can take advantage of the free dining package. I will have an annual pass, and I remember on a previous show that someone said you could just buy a one-day ticket package and just keep the ticket but still get the free dining. I made the reservations for the Swan when it was $99 a night, and I booked it for friday, saturday, and sunday night. It would be great if I could get the free dining feature added onto my vacation. Thanks, great show by the way, can't wait to see the plus-ed epcot.
The Butabi brothers from Night at the Roxbury:
Doug Butabi: So anyways, I was standing there waiting to use the pay phone.
Steve Butabi: Yeah, he was, seriously.
Doug Butabi: And this guy who was on the phone, turns around and tips his hat like this.
Steve Butabi: And who do you think that guy was?
Doug Butabi: Lou Mongello.
Steve Butabi: The Disney World Trivia man, I swear to God, I was there.
Doug Butabi: Of course you were, you were the one who yelled the Podcaster's name.
Steve Butabi: I was like, "LOU!!!"
"Mike Scopa comes on to talk about another Best of the Best at Walt Disney World, which leads directly into the next special guest and topic. Steve "TikiMan" Seifert joins Lou in talking about the history of Disney's Polynesian Resort, its changes over time, vacationing there now and all that it has to offer, and some of its hidden secrets and treasures that even the most seasoned veteran might overlook."
I love the Polynesian and really enjoyed these segments of your show. We stayed there in December in the Hawaii building w/lagoon view. This was by far the best view we have ever had on property and we thought it was worth the extra $. My husband and I sat on the balcony watching everything. There were boats, fireworks, the monorail going in and out of the Contemporary, and even a wedding on the point. It was very romantic and we did all this while our son watched TV or played in the room. Soooo relaxing.
"Lou and Jeff Pepper take a trip on the Walt Disney World Wayback Machine to visit The Epcot That Never Was, as they explore pavilions and attractions that were planned for EPCOT Center, yet never came to be, as well as why we still don't see them today."
This was excellent. I always learn so much from your shows. I can't thank you enough for all the work you put into these shows and providing us with all this information.
- Kate
Thank you!!! Glad to hear you are enjoying the show!!!
A bit thanks also has to go to my guests, without whom... well... the show would just be... ummm. me
Seriously, they are all wonderful and I appreciate all of their efforts and hard work
Lou Mongello
Host, Author & Site Owner
Another Great show. Kate is right in that you learn so much in the hour and change it takes to listen to WDWradio. The segment on Epcot and what could have been is a perfect example. Ill save comments for the other thread though.
As for Steve the Tikiman, weve gotten to know his site well. We also stayed at the Polynesian this past December. It was great, but probably wont happen again for a long time due to price. Everything you guys said was true. Easy to get to the TTC and Epcot when ever we wanted. We usually took the small boats to the
. On the night that the Space Shuttle took off, we took the big ferry boat back to the TTC, watching the shuttle the whole time. Nice to get off the boat and walk the 5 minutes to our room. Speaking of rooms, they were beautiful. The plasma was awesome. We were able to plug our camera into it each night and edit pictures and video. Very Cool. The entire property was very tropical and island like. If you talk to Steve again, you gotta ask him what is up with the shower heads in Magic Kingdom Niue. They were chest high and I am 6 feet tall. We had a Garden view and walked down to the beach to watch wishes. We must have seen it 4 times. We also saw the Very Merry Christmas Fireworks. WOW! From the Polynesian beach, the finale of Fireworks stretch from the Grand Floridian all the way to the Contemporary along the MK side of the Bay. Did I say Wow?
And, Capt. Cooks is great. Nothing like a Dole Whip on demand. You should try the Grown-up Grilled Cheese.
The Maz Disney Blog: http://themazdisneyblog.blogspot.com/
The "We're Going to WDW" Podcast: http://wgtwdw.podbean.com/
longhouse is a great location and the view is one of the best. I get asked often if I would take the view or concierge (since a MK view room and garden view concierge is the same price) and I have a hard time deciding which is best. I love the view ever since my first stay in Moorea (now Hawaii Tahiti) in a lagoon view room. With that said the concierge is great to have right there and the garden views are nice also.
I was on the beach video taping the shuttle taking off.
As far as the shower heads in Niue they are all like that in the original longhouses since the ceiling in the bathroom and entrance of the room is dropped down for the air system. (See photo)
I must say that I enjoy the Polynesian a little more in the warmer months. Sort of goes with the theme. Also I tried to sample all the new things at Captain Cook's and the Grilled Cheese was my favorite.
Lou, I'm only part way thru the show (most of the interview with Steve), but want to let you know that I am enjoying it, just like I enjoy the show each week. Very good stuff!! Steve had a lot of great info and I look forward to the rest of the show and each show in the future!! Keep up the great work!! It's always very informative and entertaining!! Thank you again for your hard work and the great guests!!
Mahna mahna....
Officially escaped the Box on January 4, 2012!
I have short term memory loss. It runs in the family. Well, at least I *think* it does. Hmmmm... where are they???
Another Great Show! An update on Spaceship Earth will be cool (As long as they don't insert any Ratatouille, which they'll probably try to put in Tomorrowland)laughsEnjoyed the history and info. on the Polynesian Resort.Loved the segment with Jeff on Epcot (I remember checking the Epcot book, that Jeff mentioned, out of my college lib. and just ordered it today!). It is a shame that Disney is not celebrating 25 years of Epcot! The talk of attractions in the pavilions...I'd like to see attractions in all the pavilions. I think that they would draw more people to the park (if it is a Trill Ride) and they really give the guest a little extra incentive to experience a pavilion.As far as characters in Epcot... I don't mind at all, that is when used in context with the park or pavilion they are in. Goofy over health, Simba in the land etc... But Nemo??? If they would have created something new and educational about the oceans I think that it would be great use of a character. I just don't see the conection with the attraction and its place in Epcot.Anyway, Lou (and guest) thanks for your hard work and keep it up!
Another great show!!!! Love the guest segments! Thanks again, Lou.........can't wait 'til Sunday!
a dream is a wish your heart makes.......
D23 Charter Member
Great show this week lou has i said in my email loved the epcot segment hopefully we will hear this for all the parks.
I remember Dole Whips coming up on a previous show but I really didn't pay much attention. I assume it's not native to Disney based on Lou's reply when it was mentioned this week. I think it's hysterical when Lou pretends not to have heard of Universal Studios or the like. So anyway, what's the deal with these Dole Whips?
Creator, The Best of Walt Disney World
Thanks Jeff!
Creator, The Best of Walt Disney World


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At nine minutes apiece, give or take a heat-seeking anvil or Acme equipment failure, the original Looney Tunes represented the apotheosis of content matching perfectly timed form. The hour-and-a-half-long Looney Tunes: Back in Action so overstays its welcome, you may start identifying with a certain Sisyphean coyote, battered and blown up in the pursuit of a few good ducks 'n' yuks. A more faithful translation of the original Looney spirit than the soulless ''Space Jam,'' ''Back in Action'' nonetheless proves enervating for anyone with an attention span more developed -- or energy level less boundless -- than an 8-year-old's. (Judging from the slim grosses, the number of prepubescent wisenheimers idolizing Bugs Bunny is, sadly, dwindling.)
All this helps explain why ''Action'' improves as a DVD experience. Break it up by 'toon-size chapter stops and you'll have the patience to explore the gems popping up on the way to the overheated action climaxes. The inanimate plot -- in which a security guard (Brendan Fraser) and a studio VP (Jenna Elfman) chase Daffy into a world-domination scheme overseen by the Acme Corp. COO (Steve Martin, mincing and leering at Mary Woronov) -- serves as a conduit for mirth-inducing cameos by varmints like Yosemite Sam (now a Vegas casino boss), Elmer Fudd, Pepe Le Pew, and the Tasmanian Devil (who gets to eat Ron Perlman alive).
But less isn't always more: The 15 minutes of behind-the-scenes footage, while sufficient for kids, is skimpy for animation buffs. And you can't view the extra 26 minutes of deleted scenes, in DVD-ROM format, if you're offline or a Mac or Linux user. Director Joe Dante fashioned the movie as a paean to Daffy Duck's anarchic spirit; do they really expect us to believe Daffy does Windows?


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Romance on the Ruby contest finalist 9
Catherine Conner
Clatskanie, Ore.
It was the morning of our 25th wedding anniversary in Bali, Indonesia. My husband pulled back the white lace netting that had cocooned us for the night and gently nudged me awake. He pressed into my hand a tiny box. As I opened the lid, I burst into tears. Tucked inside was a gold necklace with grains of rice floating within. He started to tell me what it was: rice that had been tossed upon us on our wedding day -- which he had safely kept. He took the treasured grains to his jeweler who transformed them into my husband's design. My tears still streaming, he gave me his hand-made card. Inside he had penned Wedding Rice Forgotten It waited For the right moment And the right moment Is NOW. Thank you Wedding Rice For your blessing On that Day Twenty-five years ago Today. Twenty-five years A lifetime for some A lifetime of happiness For me. The minutes And the hours And the days Have sped along. When you're With Someone You love Time truly flies. Time stands still For no man But for you And me A dreamscape Of happiness Is all that I recall Of twenty-five years. Now let us Take this moment And stop the earth And hold each other For another Moment so brief As twenty-five years. In a few months we will celebrate our 40th (RUBY) anniversary. What better way for me to thank and surprise him than aboard the RUBY PRINCESS!


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"OB - Best answer for this question is "brand inflation." Of all the chocolate makers, Valrhona has done the best job of positioning itself as "the" premium brand for confectionery and pastry. And you pay for that. Is it the best?…"
1012 members40 Likes
Started this discussion. Last reply by Clay Gordon Jan 31, 2013. 16 Replies 0 Likes
© 2014 Created by Clay Gordon.


text:
Author: Bill Crounse, MD
Bill Crounse, MD, is Senior Director of Worldwide Health for the Microsoft Corporation. He is responsible for providing worldwide thought leadership, vision, and strategy for Microsoft technologies and solutions in the healthcare provider industry. He received his B.S. Degree at the University of Puget Sound and is a graduate of the Medical University of Ohio. As a board certified family physician, he practiced medicine in the Seattle area for 20 years.
This article could be useful for this specialty and I would like to share it with the said specialty members.
According to the author, "The Australian Centre for Health Innovation (CHI) serves as a simulation and test bed facility where health providers can experience and evaluate the latest technologies. It also provides resources enabling innovators to demonstrate technological solutions that improve patient care. The Centre features a fully isolated medical grade network which is the first of its kind in Australia. This enables advanced equipment, software implementations and evaluations in a full health environment without any risk to patient safety or critical hospital systems.
Centre Technology Director, Frank Smolenaers, gave me a private tour of his facility prior to our event. The Centre features an operating theatre, emergency department, hospital ward, and clinical office environments. Each area has all the medical equipment you would normally find in a real clinical setting. In some areas, high fidelity simulation mannequins add to the realism and the kinds of clinical scenarios that staff can experience there. The Centre is a hotbed not only for innovation, but training."
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© 2014 Created by Omar Baig.


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alternateLine breaks: al¦ter|nate
Definition of alternate in English:
- In the wards indigenous hammocks alternate with traditional hospital beds.
- In some ways it's a mess of a film, in which the dramatic face-offs alternate with TV sitcom brawling.
- What's more, they discovered, El Nino has a sister phenomenon, La Nina, a period of unusually cold waters that seemed to alternate with El Nino.
- Once both players have made their selections they alternate turns revealing their top card and performing the corresponding action.
- My prescription was tapered off so that I was alternating days of full dosage, half dosage.
- Condition by alternating between running and mountain biking at least 3 miles a week.
- Individuals were assayed in an alternating fashion to correct for any fluctuations in environmental conditions over the course of the day.
- Back then it was just Ben and Dale forever in their twenties, driving always down country roads in old trucks, alternating between rage and wild openness.
- The zebra's coat alternates in contrasting areas of light and dark pigmentation.
- Every second window has been screwed closed, with alternate windows to be opened periodically to aerate the interior.
- My second and third exercises are dumbbell preacher curls and seated alternate dumbbell curls, and again I supinate or pronate appropriately.
- My father took me to the Marina every alternate day and buried me hip deep in the sand.
- The former Turk deftly slid in front of me, eyes shadowed, face thrown into alternate patterns of light and dark.
- The behaviors of binging and then purging are often performed in secrecy, and are accompanied by alternate feelings of shame followed by relief.
- The alternate North and South checkerboard pattern widen the blood vessels to increase blood circulation to the affected area and increase lymphatic flow.
- Ulmus pumila is a woody species with monopodial branching and alternate leaves.
- The upright stems have many, alternate, pinnately compound leaves with sharply toothed or lacerate leaflets.
- Although the shapes of mums vary depending on their species, they usually have stems sporting multi-branches with alternate leaves.
- Now obviously things might go quite differently in our universe than I conjecture, and they might have gone quite differently in the alternate universe.
- In this case, we were sitting there for over fifteen minutes until one-by-one, cars began swinging into U-turns to backtrack to an alternate route.
- We plotted our methods of evasion like we were planning a covert military operation, carefully mapping out alternate routes of entry and exit.
- Not only that, but if your ex-wife is named as your executor or trustee, she will be ineligible to serve, and the person named as the alternate will serve.
- In the drawing for the eighth position, three alternates will be selected to substitute for any qualified driver who may be unable to compete.
- Originally the first alternate for the vault final, Tsiopoulous was substituted for Russia's Anton Golutsutskov and won the gold with two dynamic vaults.
early 16th century (earlier ( late Middle English) as alternation): from Latin alternat- 'done by turns', from alternare, from alternus 'every other', from alter 'other'.
In both British and American English the adjective alternate means 'every other or every second', as in they meet on alternate Sundays, or '(of two things) each following and succeeded by the other in a regular pattern', as in alternate layers of potato and sauce. Alternative means 'available as another possibility or choice' ( an alternative route; some European countries follow an alternative approach). In American usage, however, alternate can also be used to mean 'available as another choice': an alternate plan called for construction to begin immediately rather than waiting for spring. This American use of alternate is still regarded as incorrect by many people in Britain.
- 1
- Example sentences
- The night zoomed by, with the DJ alternately filling and then emptying the floor with his choice of music.
- By alternately stretching and compressing abdominal muscles, it improves the blood supply to the internal organs.
- This dish consisted of thick slices of yam arranged alternately, sandwich-style, with slices of thick pork.
- 2
alternation noun
- Example sentences
- As though imbued with a Zen sensibility, her art develops its images through a calibrated alternation between speed and patience, disclosure and silence.
- Extensive alternations and improvements have been carried out at Worsley during the last year.
- Maazel continued to handle deftly his musicians, bringing out in alternation the warmth and the severity of the strings in the fourth movement, presto.
Words that rhyme with alternateconsternate • Italianate
Definition of alternate in:
- US English dictionary
- English synonyms
- US English synonyms
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