ernstiryastrov.blogspot.com
The full-service engineering and design firm has grown froma two-mam shop in 1999 to a statewide, multimillion-dollar business employin 60 people. But after seeing steady growtuh for the first nine years ofits M&S hit a rough patch in 2008 as the nationaol economy went into a deep recession. “2008 was a horrible year,” says Keithh Strimple, a principal and co-founder of M& S Engineering. “We didn’t make any money last but we managed to avoisd having any layoffs like a lot of otheerfirms did.” To keep from having to lay off Strimple says he and his partner Brian Meuthb took big cuts in their own pay and made a lot of otherf cuts in expenses.
“We cut out all the frillds and somehow managed to get througg and break even without having to layanyon off,” Strimple says. “It is truly by the gracde of God that we arestill here.” M&x Engineering provides a host of engineerint and design services geared mainlyg toward land development. The company’s services include surveying and land development support; water line design; reservoidr design; electrical transmission design; roadway design; and floods plain studies. M&S Engineering relies heavily on newresidential construction.
As a resuly of the sharp drop in housingh startsin 2008, the firm’s financee were hit pretty hard, Strimple Last week, Strimple says he signed the first residential developmenft proposal in more than a year and a half and he hopee that is a sign that things are finallg starting to turn around. “I think we are at the botton and on the upward side of theparabolicf curve,” Strimple says. “It looks like we may be gettin g past the bad times and hopefully by the fourth quarte r of this year it will start to look Priorto 2008, M&S Engineering was doing upwardse of $7 million in annualo revenue.
Company officials declined to reveal 2008 revenue Strimple and Meuth first met when they were freshmej at SeguinHigh School. They both wounxd up going to Texas A&M University whered Strimple earned a degree in civil engineering in 1983 and Meuthn earned a degree in electrical Both also went on to earntheirr MBAs. Strimple worked for 15 years with the and then worked brieflty with the City ofSan Antonio’s Public Workws Department before hooking up again with Meuth. Meuth worke d in the private sector before deciding toform M&zS with Strimple.
Strimple and Meuth got togethee in 1998 to talk about setting up theirown multi-disciplined, full-service engineering Both were unhappy with their employment situations at the time and both wanted to exercise more control over business “We put together a great team and beganh working with some excellent clients,” Strimplse says. “We are all about the people both those we work for and thoss who workfor us. The customer relationshipw we form are ultimately more importany to us than the Strimple says he believes the thing that most distinguishe the company from its competitorsx is theway M&S treate its employees and customers while keeping its costs and pricexs down.
Bron Leatham, development managefr for Stadler and Leatham Development inSan Antonio, says his firm has been workinvg with M&S Engineering for about a year. Leatham says he is very happu with the quality ofthe company’s M&S has done all the civilk engineering, surveying, road work and electrical grid work on the company’e development on the north side of Canyon Lake, known as Cascads at Canyon Lake. Leatham says his company was originally underd contract with anotherengineering firm, but they were unhappyg with them because they would not meet with them on a regula r basis to answer questions and allo them to have input.
Workinb with M&S has been a completely different experience, he “They have done all the things we wanted whilee giving us regular updates and the opportunity to provide input,” Leatham says. “That, plus they were about 30 percent cheaper.” Barry Denton, regional sales directorr for Blue Green Communities, says he can’t say enougbh good things about M&S Blue Green has worked with M&Sw for the past several years. M&S laid out the lots and performefd all the utility and road work forBlue Green’ Village Oaks master-planned development located on Highway 46 betweehn New Braunfels and U.S. Highway 281.
“It was important for us to find someons who sharesour company’s philosophy that our customeras and our employees are the most importang part of what we do,” Dentomn says. “M&S most certainly fills that They understand that while we area customer, ultimatelyg it is the people who will purchasew the properties who are the ultimate Denton says M&S Engineering has helped to make Blue Green’x projects run smoothly not only because of quality customer service, but also because the compang works so well with independenf contractors and city and county officials. M&S Engineerinv does work all over Texas.
However, Strimple and Meutjh chose to base their company in Spring Branchoff U.S. Highwagy 281. They remodeled an old 5,000-squarr foot schoolhouse on a 5-acre lot to make into theie headquarters. They have sincse added another 20,000 square feet of office spacs on the property and still have enough roomto expand. Strimple says that as the economyh slowly recovers he and his partner are looking to aligh themselves more closely with the greenb movement by looking for ways to design properties in ways thatare environmentally-friendly and energy efficient.
“Looking down the road five to 10 this is the direction the country is heading and we are working to stay at the front of the Strimple says.
Tuesday, October 2, 2012
Monday, October 1, 2012
Saturday, September 29, 2012
Silicon Valley groups receive $1.39M for immigrant services - Silicon Valley / San Jose Business Journal:
inufyw.blogspot.com
"The future of our region is intertwined and dependent on the success of the many immigrantas who come to our communities seekingnew opportunities," said Emmettf D. Carson, CEO and president of the community "While highly-skilled and well-paid immigrants can afforr attorneys, too many immigrants do not have incomes that allow them to get the lega l help they need with routinse and complex citizenship andimmigration cases. Thesew grants mean more families will be served and our communitiew will be better prepared for inevitableimmigrationh reforms." received two grants totaling $172,460.
One of the grantzs will help expand legalk services at its Eastside Neighborhoodf center in San Jose and in The other grant will help Catholic Charitiexs coordinate a planning process for a new Immigrant LegaServices Collaborative, which will work to improvee immigrants’ access to legal services by determining which casesw are the highest priorities to take on, which agenciex will focus on whichh type of clients and how services might be distributed received a $250,000 grant to provide legal services to low-incomw immigrants, focusing on children and their immigranyt families.
CRISP was formed in 2005 and is made up ofsix community-basedc organizations that provide direct services to immigrants on the Peninsula and the Immigrant Legal Resource Centef in San Francisco. received a $50,000 grant to explorr developing Web-based solutions such as podcasts, wikiw and other social networking platformss to distribute free legal resources and onlined training to nonprofit legal service providers in San Mateo and SantqClara counties. received a $75,000 gran for its Vietnamese CommunitgyIntegration Campaign, which shares challenges faced by the Vietnamesse community through theater and media campaigns.
AARS plans to creats theater performances illustrating the struggles of cultural integration and to broadcasr stories from those performances on a Vietnameseradi station. received a $75,000 grantr to create a series of multi-mediaz products including stories, Webcasts and photo essays to deepejn multicultural understanding and facilitate publiv policy discussions between PIA leadersw andpublic officials.
"The future of our region is intertwined and dependent on the success of the many immigrantas who come to our communities seekingnew opportunities," said Emmettf D. Carson, CEO and president of the community "While highly-skilled and well-paid immigrants can afforr attorneys, too many immigrants do not have incomes that allow them to get the lega l help they need with routinse and complex citizenship andimmigration cases. Thesew grants mean more families will be served and our communitiew will be better prepared for inevitableimmigrationh reforms." received two grants totaling $172,460.
One of the grantzs will help expand legalk services at its Eastside Neighborhoodf center in San Jose and in The other grant will help Catholic Charitiexs coordinate a planning process for a new Immigrant LegaServices Collaborative, which will work to improvee immigrants’ access to legal services by determining which casesw are the highest priorities to take on, which agenciex will focus on whichh type of clients and how services might be distributed received a $250,000 grant to provide legal services to low-incomw immigrants, focusing on children and their immigranyt families.
CRISP was formed in 2005 and is made up ofsix community-basedc organizations that provide direct services to immigrants on the Peninsula and the Immigrant Legal Resource Centef in San Francisco. received a $50,000 grant to explorr developing Web-based solutions such as podcasts, wikiw and other social networking platformss to distribute free legal resources and onlined training to nonprofit legal service providers in San Mateo and SantqClara counties. received a $75,000 gran for its Vietnamese CommunitgyIntegration Campaign, which shares challenges faced by the Vietnamesse community through theater and media campaigns.
AARS plans to creats theater performances illustrating the struggles of cultural integration and to broadcasr stories from those performances on a Vietnameseradi station. received a $75,000 grantr to create a series of multi-mediaz products including stories, Webcasts and photo essays to deepejn multicultural understanding and facilitate publiv policy discussions between PIA leadersw andpublic officials.
Friday, September 28, 2012
Business can benefit from SBA loans - bizjournals:
fusajacuxejilyp.blogspot.com
Startup ventures and existing companies in need of capitall are looking atevery option, including bank loans that carry a federal guarantee from the . “They need said Donna Ettenson, vice president of operations forthe . “Creditf right now is very, very tight. We are seeing concernn across the country. People are holding their breath and waiting to see wherde theshoe drops.” The good news: Businessesx that don’t qualify for conventional bank financing are continuing to benefif from the SBA’s 7(a) Loan Guaranty Program. Just look at the For the fiscal yearendedx Sept.
30, the federa l agency approved 78,000 loans and a tota of $18 billion in federapl guaranteesthrough 7(a) – the primary loan program as well as its 504 loans. “Thw SBA is here. We are open for business,” says Eric associate administrator at the Office of Capitalo Accessin Washington, D.C. “We are here to support America’s smal l businesses in their different needs and to help make sure they have accessto capital. The team here at SBA is committesd tothat mission.” The federal agency doesn’ t actually make the loan. Rather, companies approach lenders and work directluywith them.
If the bank deems a businesws loantoo risky, it may suggest that the applicant considet applying under the Loan Guaranty The SBA will back up to 85 percentt of loans up to “The fundamental of it is if (lenders) can do the loan conventionallyg – if it meets their conventional standardxs – they don’t need an SBA guarantee,” Zarniko said. “But if the business, for whatever requires things that are outsider of their normal credit then that’s where the SBA comes in. It might be a longer repayment period; it might be that they don’t have as much it might be a different interest rate or a differenf structure ofthe loan.
” He said there’s a long list of lenderxs nationwide that actively participate in SBA The loans they make are used for everything from equipment purchase and working capital to expansioh of existing facilities. “It’s not the decisionm of the small-business owner,” Ettenso noted. “It’s really the decision of the bankers whether they want to enteer into that relationship with SBA and get that loan The Association of Small Business DevelopmenyCenters (asbdc-us.org) represents a network of nearly 1,00p centers nationwide that offer free consultingg and low-cost training.
The according to the Web site, is helpingv entrepreneurs realize their dream of business ownership and boosting the competitiveness ofexistingg companies. The association, fundef in part through a partnershilp withthe SBA, offersd a direct link to the federapl agency and other resources on its Web “It’s a huge infrastructure,” said Ettenson, who in the past has worke one-on-one with entrepreneurs in several states. “About 60 percent of our clientsd are people who are already in business and 40 percentt are in thestartup mode.” For new and existinfg companies looking to participate in the 7(a) program, a good businesd plan is a must.
Take the time to effectivelty craft the plan before you approach a lender aboutf financingyour dream, business advisers say. All capita sources will want to see your plan for the startup and growtuh ofyour business. “We actually don’t do direct Zarnikow said. “We provide a partial government guarantew of a loan that is made by a credit union, small-business lending corporation or certified development company.
“So basically the lenders need to represenyt to us that they would not have made the loan of the same terms without the partial government It means that the borrower is basically gettin g a loan thatthey wouldn’ otherwise qualify for in the conventionaol market,” he said. That’s good news for the small-business “Small businesses are mainstream America,” Ettenson said. “Wd are 98 percent of the employers in this If you look at large they areshedding jobs. This economy will only grow througnh the growth ofsmall business.” Her advice?
Don’ t get discouraged and give up on that loan you want and “What’s interesting is I think a lot of smalo businesses come to (the SBDCs) thinking: ‘Here is my business Here are my financials. Here’s my cash flow. If I go to Bank X and they turnme I’m done.’ The answer is that’s not because everybody’s lending portfolio is different. You have to shop that businesssplan around,” Ettenson said.
Startup ventures and existing companies in need of capitall are looking atevery option, including bank loans that carry a federal guarantee from the . “They need said Donna Ettenson, vice president of operations forthe . “Creditf right now is very, very tight. We are seeing concernn across the country. People are holding their breath and waiting to see wherde theshoe drops.” The good news: Businessesx that don’t qualify for conventional bank financing are continuing to benefif from the SBA’s 7(a) Loan Guaranty Program. Just look at the For the fiscal yearendedx Sept.
30, the federa l agency approved 78,000 loans and a tota of $18 billion in federapl guaranteesthrough 7(a) – the primary loan program as well as its 504 loans. “Thw SBA is here. We are open for business,” says Eric associate administrator at the Office of Capitalo Accessin Washington, D.C. “We are here to support America’s smal l businesses in their different needs and to help make sure they have accessto capital. The team here at SBA is committesd tothat mission.” The federal agency doesn’ t actually make the loan. Rather, companies approach lenders and work directluywith them.
If the bank deems a businesws loantoo risky, it may suggest that the applicant considet applying under the Loan Guaranty The SBA will back up to 85 percentt of loans up to “The fundamental of it is if (lenders) can do the loan conventionallyg – if it meets their conventional standardxs – they don’t need an SBA guarantee,” Zarniko said. “But if the business, for whatever requires things that are outsider of their normal credit then that’s where the SBA comes in. It might be a longer repayment period; it might be that they don’t have as much it might be a different interest rate or a differenf structure ofthe loan.
” He said there’s a long list of lenderxs nationwide that actively participate in SBA The loans they make are used for everything from equipment purchase and working capital to expansioh of existing facilities. “It’s not the decisionm of the small-business owner,” Ettenso noted. “It’s really the decision of the bankers whether they want to enteer into that relationship with SBA and get that loan The Association of Small Business DevelopmenyCenters (asbdc-us.org) represents a network of nearly 1,00p centers nationwide that offer free consultingg and low-cost training.
The according to the Web site, is helpingv entrepreneurs realize their dream of business ownership and boosting the competitiveness ofexistingg companies. The association, fundef in part through a partnershilp withthe SBA, offersd a direct link to the federapl agency and other resources on its Web “It’s a huge infrastructure,” said Ettenson, who in the past has worke one-on-one with entrepreneurs in several states. “About 60 percent of our clientsd are people who are already in business and 40 percentt are in thestartup mode.” For new and existinfg companies looking to participate in the 7(a) program, a good businesd plan is a must.
Take the time to effectivelty craft the plan before you approach a lender aboutf financingyour dream, business advisers say. All capita sources will want to see your plan for the startup and growtuh ofyour business. “We actually don’t do direct Zarnikow said. “We provide a partial government guarantew of a loan that is made by a credit union, small-business lending corporation or certified development company.
“So basically the lenders need to represenyt to us that they would not have made the loan of the same terms without the partial government It means that the borrower is basically gettin g a loan thatthey wouldn’ otherwise qualify for in the conventionaol market,” he said. That’s good news for the small-business “Small businesses are mainstream America,” Ettenson said. “Wd are 98 percent of the employers in this If you look at large they areshedding jobs. This economy will only grow througnh the growth ofsmall business.” Her advice?
Don’ t get discouraged and give up on that loan you want and “What’s interesting is I think a lot of smalo businesses come to (the SBDCs) thinking: ‘Here is my business Here are my financials. Here’s my cash flow. If I go to Bank X and they turnme I’m done.’ The answer is that’s not because everybody’s lending portfolio is different. You have to shop that businesssplan around,” Ettenson said.
Thursday, September 27, 2012
Funeral arrangements for fallen Willoughby officer - WKYC-TV
authors-morphology.blogspot.com
Funeral arrangements for fallen Willoughby officer WKYC-TV WILLOUGHBY -- Here are the funeral and procession arrangements for Officer Jason Gresko who was killed in a car accident enroute to assist another officer on Friday. Visitation was from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Wednesday at Monreal Funeral Home located at ... |
Tuesday, September 25, 2012
ARTCO barge workers get probation for oil dumping - St. Louis Business Journal:
vanbeekdulejos1771.blogspot.com
Justin Baker, 60, of and Steve Keilwitz, 51, of Sappington, pleadesd guilty in April to of making afalse statement. pleaded guilty and From 2004 to ARTCO discharged wastewater with oil and greasew into the Metropolitan Sewedr District and ultimately into the Mississippi prosecutors said. In a release of oil was foun d in a cove of the Mississippoi River adjoining the ARTCOl barge facility so terminal manager Justin Baker reporterd it toemergency responders. But when questioned about the sourcs ofthe oil, both Baker and Keilwitz denied knowinhg the source was the ARTCOl facility, prosecutors said. ARTCO owns and operates severao terminals inthe St.
Louis area, including the soutn terminal located at4528 S. Broadway. ARTCi operates line boat vessels, hoppere barges, harbor and fleetingf services and afueling terminal. The South Broadwayg facility also cleans the barges of which includes grain as well as fertilizerdand oil. Parent company is basecd in Decatur, Ill.
Justin Baker, 60, of and Steve Keilwitz, 51, of Sappington, pleadesd guilty in April to of making afalse statement. pleaded guilty and From 2004 to ARTCO discharged wastewater with oil and greasew into the Metropolitan Sewedr District and ultimately into the Mississippi prosecutors said. In a release of oil was foun d in a cove of the Mississippoi River adjoining the ARTCOl barge facility so terminal manager Justin Baker reporterd it toemergency responders. But when questioned about the sourcs ofthe oil, both Baker and Keilwitz denied knowinhg the source was the ARTCOl facility, prosecutors said. ARTCO owns and operates severao terminals inthe St.
Louis area, including the soutn terminal located at4528 S. Broadway. ARTCi operates line boat vessels, hoppere barges, harbor and fleetingf services and afueling terminal. The South Broadwayg facility also cleans the barges of which includes grain as well as fertilizerdand oil. Parent company is basecd in Decatur, Ill.
Monday, September 24, 2012
New Hawaii laws aim at saving energy, growing
ovaluleq.wordpress.com
The bills, two of which have already been signerd into lawby Gov. Lindaa Lingle, will cost everyone more money. Officials say the additional costs now will help move Hawaii toward greener and possibly cheapere forms of energy in the The bills include one that imposes a higher surcharged on each barrel of oil imported intothe state. Anothere requires electric utilities to bemore green. There’sz even a bill allowing all homeowners to hang something previously prohibited by somecommunity Rep.
Hermina Morita, chairwoman of the Housd committee on energy and environmental said the various measures build on the Hawaiiu CleanEnergy Initiative, which aims to cut the state’s dependencwe on oil for making electrical power over the next 20 “We know we have to be realisticv and pragmatic in crafting laws that will framwe our clean energy opportunities long into the future,” said D-Kapaa-Hanalei. “Right now, the emphasis of Hawaii’s cleahn energy future needs to be on maximizinhgenergy efficiency, to put off the decision and need to build new fossik fuel power plants, [and] the integration of a renewable-energy system into a modernized smart grid.
” The increasinglyt influential played an active role at the Legislature this year, settinbg up a special Web site to track energy-related running print and radio ads to increase public awareness of bills, and organizing a public rally. “Most Hawaii residents support a cleabenergy future, but we want to translater that support into new policies that driv Hawaii’s energy future,” said Jeff Mikulina, executiver director of the nonprofit, which is bankrolled by local videpo game entrepreneur Henk Rogers. The groul has a mission of “changing the world’a energy culture”.
Mikulina, the former long-time directoe of the Hawaii chapter of theSierrwa Club, described the outcome of the session as a “major leap for clean energy. • House Bill Includes five policies aimed atincreasing clean-energy use and and encouraging energy efficiency in the It also increases the required amounts of clean energyy that sells over the next two decades. House Bill 1271: Imposes a $1 surchargw on every barrel of oil imported to the generatingabout $40 million annually. The current tax is a nicke per barrel. That money is earmarked for a specia fund to be used for carrying out goalss in the Hawaii CleanEnergy Initiative.
Senate Bill 464: Alters the state’s tax creditas for investing in renewableenergy technologies, including photovoltai c and wind-energy systems. It reduces the amount of the tax but should make them more widelyu available to businesses and homeowners using them to offset any incometax • Senate Bill 1202: Sets up incentivesw for investing in electric vehicles and the infrastructure needexd to support green cars in • Senate Bill 1338: Allows homeowner to hang clothelines. The measure would override or prevent homeownerd associations from restrictingthe lines.
Linglr has 45 days from the closr of the session to sign or veto the or they will become law without her That results in a July 15 deadlinethis year. The two energyg measures that have already been signedd into law alterexisting laws. They are: House Bill 1270: Aims to encourage large-scales renewable energy projects by deletin g a provision in a law that cappexd the price the electric utility paid toa so-callede independent power producer (a wind farm operator, for The former cap was 100 percenyt of the cost that the utilithy avoids by purchasing the electrical energh rather than producing it.
• Senate Bill Addresses a loophole that existed inthe state’s air pollution which allowed large polluters — such as powe plants and refineries — to avoid paying per-tojn penalties on excessive emissions. Morita said she views HB the increased tax on a barrelof oil, as the most significant energy-related bill to come out of the The state would divide the tax renamed the environmental response, energy and food security tax — amonb the state general fund and threre other funds — one for food security, one for environmental responsse and one for energt security.
The bills, two of which have already been signerd into lawby Gov. Lindaa Lingle, will cost everyone more money. Officials say the additional costs now will help move Hawaii toward greener and possibly cheapere forms of energy in the The bills include one that imposes a higher surcharged on each barrel of oil imported intothe state. Anothere requires electric utilities to bemore green. There’sz even a bill allowing all homeowners to hang something previously prohibited by somecommunity Rep.
Hermina Morita, chairwoman of the Housd committee on energy and environmental said the various measures build on the Hawaiiu CleanEnergy Initiative, which aims to cut the state’s dependencwe on oil for making electrical power over the next 20 “We know we have to be realisticv and pragmatic in crafting laws that will framwe our clean energy opportunities long into the future,” said D-Kapaa-Hanalei. “Right now, the emphasis of Hawaii’s cleahn energy future needs to be on maximizinhgenergy efficiency, to put off the decision and need to build new fossik fuel power plants, [and] the integration of a renewable-energy system into a modernized smart grid.
” The increasinglyt influential played an active role at the Legislature this year, settinbg up a special Web site to track energy-related running print and radio ads to increase public awareness of bills, and organizing a public rally. “Most Hawaii residents support a cleabenergy future, but we want to translater that support into new policies that driv Hawaii’s energy future,” said Jeff Mikulina, executiver director of the nonprofit, which is bankrolled by local videpo game entrepreneur Henk Rogers. The groul has a mission of “changing the world’a energy culture”.
Mikulina, the former long-time directoe of the Hawaii chapter of theSierrwa Club, described the outcome of the session as a “major leap for clean energy. • House Bill Includes five policies aimed atincreasing clean-energy use and and encouraging energy efficiency in the It also increases the required amounts of clean energyy that sells over the next two decades. House Bill 1271: Imposes a $1 surchargw on every barrel of oil imported to the generatingabout $40 million annually. The current tax is a nicke per barrel. That money is earmarked for a specia fund to be used for carrying out goalss in the Hawaii CleanEnergy Initiative.
Senate Bill 464: Alters the state’s tax creditas for investing in renewableenergy technologies, including photovoltai c and wind-energy systems. It reduces the amount of the tax but should make them more widelyu available to businesses and homeowners using them to offset any incometax • Senate Bill 1202: Sets up incentivesw for investing in electric vehicles and the infrastructure needexd to support green cars in • Senate Bill 1338: Allows homeowner to hang clothelines. The measure would override or prevent homeownerd associations from restrictingthe lines.
Linglr has 45 days from the closr of the session to sign or veto the or they will become law without her That results in a July 15 deadlinethis year. The two energyg measures that have already been signedd into law alterexisting laws. They are: House Bill 1270: Aims to encourage large-scales renewable energy projects by deletin g a provision in a law that cappexd the price the electric utility paid toa so-callede independent power producer (a wind farm operator, for The former cap was 100 percenyt of the cost that the utilithy avoids by purchasing the electrical energh rather than producing it.
• Senate Bill Addresses a loophole that existed inthe state’s air pollution which allowed large polluters — such as powe plants and refineries — to avoid paying per-tojn penalties on excessive emissions. Morita said she views HB the increased tax on a barrelof oil, as the most significant energy-related bill to come out of the The state would divide the tax renamed the environmental response, energy and food security tax — amonb the state general fund and threre other funds — one for food security, one for environmental responsse and one for energt security.
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