CHICAGO, IL – February 2, 2012 – Distressed consumers, worried about paying bills or buying food for their families, are turning to payday loans for fast cash. While many borrowers believe they can pay off the loans quickly, the Better Business Bureau serving Chicago and northern Illinois (BBB) warns payday loans may have long-lasting and devastating effects.

“Consumers should be extremely cautious when considering loans either from an online business or a neighborhood loan office,” said Steve J. Bernas, President & CEO of the Better Business Bureau serving Chicago and northern Illinois. “Payday loans can trap borrowers in a revolving door of debt that can be difficult to escape. When borrowers discover their loan repayments leave them unable to meet their bills, they are forced to take out additional payday loans.”

The BBB offers these tips for consumers considering taking out a payday loan:

• See if your bank or credit union offers short term loans.
• Contact your creditors or loan Service Company as quickly as possible if you are having trouble with payments. Ask if you can have more time.
• Use a credit card for emergencies. Shop for the credit offer with the lowest cost. Compare the APR and the finance charge, which includes loan fees, interest and other credit costs. Find out if you can delay paying a bill which has no interest charges, and make payment arrangements with the company. 
• If you do take out a payday loan, read the agreement thoroughly and make sure you understand it. Know exactly when the loan payment is due, how the money will be collected and how much your payments will total.

For more consumer tips you can trust from your BBB, visit www.bbb.org  

###

As a private, non-profit organization, the purpose of the Better Business Bureau is to promote an ethical marketplace. BBBs help resolve buyer/seller complaints by means of conciliation, mediation and arbitration. BBBs also review advertising claims, online business practices and charitable organizations. BBBs develop and issue reports on businesses and nonprofit organizations and encourage people to check out a company or charity before making a purchase or donation.

Better Business Bureau Advice: Avoid Payday Loans | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

CHICAGO, IL – January 26, 2012- Each New Year millions of people crowd into gyms armed with willpower and personal goals toward healthier, more active lifestyles. While it’s exciting to gear up towards a goal, it’s also important to treat this decision like any other major purchase. If you’re pledging to lose some pounds this year by joining a gym, the Better Business Bureau (BBB) provides ten questions to ask before signing on the dotted line.

Will my membership renew automatically? Many times people who joined a gym didn’t realize that their contract would renew automatically and that they would have to take specific steps to cancel their contract. 

How can I get out of my contract? Getting out of a gym contract isn’t always as easy as getting into one, so make sure you understand what steps you would need to take to cancel your membership.

What happens if I move? Gyms have any number of different policies when it comes to how moving will affect your membership. It might depend on how far away you’re moving and if they have other locations nearby.

What happens if the gym goes out of business? Ask the gym to explain what will happen to your money if they suddenly close down.
 
Five questions to ask yourself when looking at potential gyms/health clubs:

What are my fitness goals?Determining your fitness goals in advance will help you select a facility that is most appropriate for you. If you have a serious health condition, consult with a medical professional when setting your fitness goals.

Is this location convenient?If the gym is across town, you’ll be less likely to work out. Choose a fitness club that is convenient to work or home so the location is not a deterrent to getting exercise.

Can I really afford this every month? Monthly gym fees add up and, after any introductory periods are over, the price could jump higher than your budget can handle. Do the math before you join and make sure you can afford a gym membership.

Am I feeling pressured to join? Do not give in to high-pressure sales tactics to join right away. A reputable gym will give you enough time to read the contract thoroughly, tour the facilities, and make an informed decision.

Did I get everything in writing? Read the contract carefully and make sure that all verbal promises made by the salesperson are in writing.  What matters is the document you sign, so don’t just take a salesperson’s word for it.

For more advice from BBB on how to be a savvy consumer all year long, visit www.bbb.org

###

As a private, non-profit organization, the purpose of the Better Business Bureau is to promote an ethical marketplace. BBBs help resolve buyer/seller complaints by means of conciliation, mediation and arbitration. BBBs also review advertising claims, online business practices and charitable organizations. BBBs develop and issue reviews on businesses and nonprofit organizations and encourage people to check out a company or charity before making a purchase or donation.

The Better Business Bureau Advises: Lose Weight Not Money | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

Release Date: January 25, 2012

For release at 2:00 p.m. EST

Following careful deliberations at its recent meetings, the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) has reached broad agreement on the following principles regarding its longer-run goals and monetary policy strategy. The Committee intends to reaffirm these principles and to make adjustments as appropriate at its annual organizational meeting each January.

The FOMC is firmly committed to fulfilling its statutory mandate from the Congress of promoting maximum employment, stable prices, and moderate long-term interest rates. The Committee seeks to explain its monetary policy decisions to the public as clearly as possible. Such clarity facilitates well-informed decisionmaking by households and businesses, reduces economic and financial uncertainty, increases the effectiveness of monetary policy, and enhances transparency and accountability, which are essential in a democratic society.

Inflation, employment, and long-term interest rates fluctuate over time in response to economic and financial disturbances. Moreover, monetary policy actions tend to influence economic activity and prices with a lag. Therefore, the Committee’s policy decisions reflect its longer-run goals, its medium-term outlook, and its assessments of the balance of risks, including risks to the financial system that could impede the attainment of the Committee’s goals.

The inflation rate over the longer run is primarily determined by monetary policy, and hence the Committee has the ability to specify a longer-run goal for inflation. The Committee judges that inflation at the rate of 2 percent, as measured by the annual change in the price index for personal consumption expenditures, is most consistent over the longer run with the Federal Reserve’s statutory mandate. Communicating this inflation goal clearly to the public helps keep longer-term inflation expectations firmly anchored, thereby fostering price stability and moderate long-term interest rates and enhancing the Committee’s ability to promote maximum employment in the face of significant economic disturbances.

The maximum level of employment is largely determined by nonmonetary factors that affect the structure and dynamics of the labor market. These factors may change over time and may not be directly measurable. Consequently, it would not be appropriate to specify a fixed goal for employment; rather, the Committee’s policy decisions must be informed by assessments of the maximum level of employment, recognizing that such assessments are necessarily uncertain and subject to revision. The Committee considers a wide range of indicators in making these assessments. Information about Committee participants’ estimates of the longer-run normal rates of output growth and unemployment is published four times per year in the FOMC’s Summary of Economic Projections. For example, in the most recent projections, FOMC participants’ estimates of the longer-run normal rate of unemployment had a central tendency of 5.2 percent to 6.0 percent, roughly unchanged from last January but substantially higher than the corresponding interval several years earlier.

In setting monetary policy, the Committee seeks to mitigate deviations of inflation from its longer-run goal and deviations of employment from the Committee’s assessments of its maximum level. These objectives are generally complementary.  However, under circumstances in which the Committee judges that the objectives are not complementary, it follows a balanced approach in promoting them, taking into account the magnitude of the deviations and the potentially different time horizons over which employment and inflation are projected to return to levels judged consistent with its mandate.

Federal Reserve issues FOMC statement of longer-run goals and policy strategy | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

According to a Better Business Bureau Survey, Shoppers Pick ‘Customer Service’ as Most Important Consideration When Buying

CHICAGO, IL-January 17, 2012 – While price and product selection were factors in the recent Holiday shopping season, customer service showed itself to be the most important element for shoppers according to a post-Christmas poll by the Better Business Bureau.

In the 10 days following the holiday, More than half (51%) of visitors to the BBB website picked customer service over price (33%), product selection (11%) and location (5%) as the key concern in making purchasing decisions.

“These results show that consumers continue to place a very high value on customer service,” said Steve Bernas, president and CEO of the Better Business Bureau of Chicago and northern Illinois. “Price and product selection were significantly lower in consumers’ interest than how the business relates to its customers.” 

The BBB president noted that while price usually is usually highlighted in advertising and promotions, stores may be missing what is truly important to the consumer if they do not make the buying experience pleasing to the customer. 

“Most store owners will admit that while price may pull customers into the store initially, it is the customer service and experience in the store that makes them into a repeat customer,” Bernas explained. “And repeat customers are what every business wants.” 

For more consumer advice, visit www.bbb.org

###

As a private, non-profit organization, the purpose of the Better Business Bureau is to promote an ethical marketplace. BBBs help resolve buyer/seller complaints by means of conciliation, mediation and arbitration. BBBs also review advertising claims, online business practices and charitable organizations. BBBs develop and issue reviews on businesses and nonprofit organizations and encourage people to check out a company or charity before making a purchase or donation.

According to a Better Business Bureau Survey, Shoppers Pick ‘Customer Service’ as Most Important Consideration When Buying | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

The BBB’s top ten scams are ranked based on number of specific inquiries made by consumers to provide insight on the trending illegal and certainly deceptive business practices in 2011. 

“In 2011, some consumers were trying to improve their financial situations in these challenging economic times,” said Steve J. Bernas, president & CEO of the Better Business Bureau serving Chicago and Northern Illinois. ”That opened the door to scammers who were ready to capitalize on this vulnerability.”

Bernas explained, “Being aware these scams exist is the most important way to avoid becoming a victim and losing money.”

The complete list of Top 10 Scams in 2011 from the BBB includes:

1. Work-At-Home schemes. There are certainly legitimate telecommuting jobs, but many work-from-home opportunities are scams. Promising convenient work always attracts attention; however, when the requirement is to send money for materials first, consumers should always be on guard. Do not purchase services or products from a firm that’s reluctant to answer your questions and be cautious of any company that offers an exceptionally high salary requiring few skills and little work. Check offers out thoroughly with the BBB at www.bbb.org  

2. Credit Repair Services with Advance Fees. Consumers with bad credit ratings are particularly vulnerable to this scam. Everything a credit-repair operation offers an individual can do personally at little or no cost. Credit repair operations cannot ask for money in advance and they cannot automatically remove legitimate negative reports from your credit history.

3. Advance Fee Lenders. Often these appear to be very professional operations with attractive websites and advertisements. However, it is illegal for a business to charge a fee prior to providing a loan. Typically, after wiring money to the scammer, the victim never receives the loan. These “lenders” will use fake physical addresses or the addresses of real companies that are victims of identity theft.  

4. Foreign Lotteries. Any lottery from a foreign country is illegal in the United States. Stating a person can win, or is a winner already provides a strong incentive; however, people should never send money to obtain lottery money. Scammers using fictitious addresses will request you send “fees and taxes” to them through a wire service, they take the cash and never provide any winnings because there are no winners.

5. Ponzi/Pyramid Schemes. Both Ponzi and pyramid schemes are frauds because they pay returns to investors from their own money or the money paid by the newest investors, rather than from any actual profit earned by the individual or organization running the operation. These scams collapse because payouts exceed investments, or because the legal authorities prosecute the organizers for sale of unregistered securities. Often the organizers simply disappear with funds sent to them.

6. Prize Promotions. There are several variations of this scam, but most include some aspect that requires people who are identified as “winners” to provide money or some type of personal information, such as a credit card or social security number, to verify being a winner. In the end, no prize is awarded and the personal information is then used to withdraw a victim’s money from accounts or for identity theft. 

7. Office Supplies – Sale by Deceptive Telemarketing. This scam features fake invoices for office supplies being sent to a business, often for only a couple of hundred dollars. This relatively low amount makes it easier for company personnel to quickly sign off and feel it is not worth their time to check the invoice’s validity, which would be done if it was for a larger amount. 

8. Paving, Painting, Home Improvement by “Traveling” Workers. Never pay upfront to a “traveling” contractor who just happens to be in the neighborhood, is doing work nearby, or has extra materials. The technique to get your money often requires you to pay for added materials. Once you pay the contractor, he disappears with the money and no work is ever done. Having access to your property also provide an opportunity for these people to check what valuables you may have for a future burglary or ID theft.

9. Sweepstakes. If you don’t remember entering a sweepstakes, be very suspicious about being declared a winner. If the prize provider wants you to send money or give your social security number to receive your prize, take no action. If you send money you will likely never receive a prize, or you will get a prize of lesser value than the money you’ve sent. 

10. Online Drug & Prescription Services from Unapproved Foreign Locations. Buying any type of drug or product from a foreign location bypasses the protections that are part of the drug delivery system used by the medical community in the United States. You may risk your health and your life by using unapproved drugs from out-of-the-country locations. 
    

“Remember, before giving any company credit or debit card information, the BBB recommends reviewing the business fully to avoid potential billing nightmares,” said Bernas. “As always, if an offer seems too good to be true, it probably is.” 

For more information on these top 10 scams, visit www.bbb.org

###

As a private, non-profit organization, the purpose of the Better Business Bureau is to promote an ethical marketplace. BBBs help resolve buyer/seller complaints by means of conciliation, mediation and arbitration. BBBs also review advertising claims, online business practices and charitable organizations. BBBs develop and issue reviews on businesses and nonprofit organizations and encourage people to check out a company or charity before making a purchase or donation.

Better Business Bureau’s Top Ten Scams of 2011 | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

Chicago, IL-December 23, 2011 – Customer service is the most important consideration for Holiday shoppers in spite of the fact that more than half will decrease their Holiday spending, according to an online survey of consumers visiting the Better Business Bureau website in the weeks before Christmas.  More than 250,000 people visit the BBB in a typical week.

In the snap shot survey on the Chicago.bbb.org website, 43 percent of users selected Customer Service as the most important consideration when shopping.  Price was selected by 30 percent, while Product Selection was picked by 17 percent and Location by only 9 percent.

More than half the visitors participating in the survey (56 percent) on the BBB website indicated they would decrease their spending for the Holidays.  A total of 34 percent noted their spending would stay the same.  Only 9 percent showed their Holiday spending would increase.

###

As a private, non-profit organization, the purpose of the Better Business Bureau is to promote an ethical marketplace. BBBs help resolve buyer/seller complaints by means of conciliation, mediation and arbitration. BBBs also review advertising claims, online business practices and charitable organizations. BBBs develop and issue reviews on businesses and nonprofit organizations and encourage people to check out a company or charity before making a purchase or donation.

Shoppers Value Customer Service Even Though Spending Less | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

CHICAGO, IL - December 21, 2011 - The holiday season is upon us, and so are Grinches and Scrooges out to take your money. The Better Business Bureau serving Chicago and northern Illinois (BBB) offers ten tips to consumers to avoid theft, fraud and scams during the holiday season.

The holidays are a prime time for scammers to take advantage of last minute shoppers. It’s in every consumer’s best interest to be alert and aware when shopping, including online.

“For many families, giving gifts to loved ones is an important part of holiday celebrations,” said Steve J. Bernas, President & CEO of the Better business Bureau serving Chicago and northern Illinois. “You can make the holidays even more enjoyable if you learn how to avoid potential headaches, shop smart and spend wisely.”

The BBB offers the following ten tips to prevent holiday scams:

1.      Think twice before clicking a link sent to you via email: Links may lead to viruses and allow scammers to get your personal and banking information. Instead, independently find the sites you want to shop on and check www.bbb.org for free Business Reviews. Look for secure sights Look in the address box for the “s” in https:// and in the lower-right corner for the “lock” symbol before paying. If there are any doubts about a site, the BBB recommends right-clicking anywhere on the page and select “Properties.” This will let you see the real URL (website address) and the dialog box will reveal if the site is not encrypted.

2.     Remember criminals and scammers don’t take a holiday: Check out businesses’ privacy policies before entering personal information. If shopping online be sure your computer has the most up to date anti-spyware software.

3.      Keep all receipts and read the fine print: Online businesses are required by law to send your product within 30 days unless otherwise stated or you get your money back. Before you find yourself crying Grinch, understand that refund and exchange policies can differ significantly from one seller to another.

4.      Pay with a credit card, instead of cash or bank card: If it’s a scam you’ll have record of it and are more likely to get your money back by disputing the charges if you don’t receive the item or dispute false charges made to your account. No other form of payment offers this protection. Also, make sure to check your credit card statements often and not just when your bill comes in the mail.

5.      Beware of gift card scams: Con artists can get important numbers off of gift cards before you have even bought them by scanning the identifying number before hand. They can then go onto the website and see when it is activated, and use it to purchase items. Instead, ask for gift cards behind the counter instead of the ones displayed and use your gift cards as soon as possible.

6.     Don’t leave your purchases in plain sight in your car:  The holidays are a car thief’s prime time to break in and steal your purchases. Either remove your purchases from your car or make sure they are out of sight.

7.     Verify validities of charities The sneakiest Scrooges will often adopt a similar name to known charities, so make sure you do your research and always make out your payment to the charity and not individual solicitors. Visit www.bbb.org/charity

8.     Make a list and check it twice: Often consumers will head out to the malls and spend more money than intended, so make a list of what you want to spend and keep track of how much you are spending.

9.     If going with a layaway plan check out their policy, and if they are BBB Accredited: Layaway is an excellent option when paying for something pricy or expensive. Make sure to find out all the details, like how much you need to put down, interest costs, when payments are due, and return policies so that there are no surprises at the end.

10.  Beware of deals that sound to good to be true…they probably are: When shopping online there are hundreds of websites offering to beat out great deals. Make sure to check if the website is legitimate at www.bbb.org Sometimes paying less can cost you more.

For more shopping information you can trust, visit www.bbb.org 

###

As a private, non-profit organization, the purpose of the Better Business Bureau is to promote an ethical marketplace. BBBs help resolve buyer/seller complaints by means of conciliation, mediation and arbitration. BBBs also review advertising claims, online business practices and charitable organizations. BBBs develop and issue reviews on businesses and nonprofit organizations and encourage people to check out a company or charity before making a purchase or donation.

The Better Business Bureau offers Ten Tips to Prevent Grinches from Spoiling your Holiday Season | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

Chicago, IL-November 8, 2011 – Job hunters may get an early present this year as retailers look to increase the number of hires during the holiday season. Competition for these jobs will likely be fierce, and the Better Business Bureau (BBB) recommends applying early and taking steps to put your best self forward.

“The holiday season will create a much welcome bump in the number of job openings, particularly in the retail and restaurant industry,” said Steve J. Bernas, president & CEO of the Better Business Bureau serving Chicago and northern Illinois. “While the jobs are usually temporary, this is great opportunity for struggling families and people who have had trouble finding work.”

The BBB offers the following tips for job hunters this holiday season:

Start the job search earlier rather than later. The key to landing a seasonal job is to start searching early. Retail, shipping, restaurants and catering companies are common sources of seasonal employment. Now is the time for job hunters to determine which job suits them best, identify companies they’d like to work for and then begin submitting applications and resumes. 

Research the companies to which you submit job applications. Always check out the company’s BBB Business Review for free at www.bbb.org to see if the company has received a passing grade from the BBB. Also, never give your credit card or checking account information to an individual or business that promises employment. Legitimate employers never charge fees to prospective employees. 

Work where you shop. Try to identify seasonal employment with businesses you actually shop at or frequent. You will already be familiar with the company and its products and, secondly, discounts available for employees may mean significant savings when shopping for Christmas gifts.

Put your best foot forward.Even if you are just picking up an application at stores in the mall, dress your best and be prepared for an interview. This includes being familiar with the company’s brand and its products. Retail job hunters in particular need to focus on impressing potential employers with their customer service skills—which is a must when dealing with stressed-out shoppers, long check-out lines and day-after-Christmas returns.  

Be flexible. Full-time employees usually have first dibs on the preferred hours and shifts, so, as a seasonal employee, expect to work long, sometimes inconvenient hours including working on Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve. If this is a second job in addition to your day job, be upfront and clear with your new employer about your available hours.

For more holiday tips you can trust, visit www.bbb.org

###

As a private, non-profit organization, the purpose of the Better Business Bureau is to promote an ethical marketplace. BBBs help resolve buyer/seller complaints by means of conciliation, mediation and arbitration. BBBs also review advertising claims, online business practices and charitable organizations. BBBs develop and issue reviews on businesses and nonprofit organizations and encourage people to check out a company or charity before making a purchase or donation.

The Better Business Bureau Offers Tips for Finding Holiday Jobs | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

CHICAGO, IL – November 30, 2011 – If Black Friday was the start for your Holiday shopping and more still lies ahead, its not too late to think about a budget. There is a tendency for consumers to overspend during the holidays, but by planning ahead they can lessen the impact when their credit card bills start rolling in. The Better Business Bureau (BBB) and Clearpoint Credit Counseling have teamed up to offer financial tips and an online Holiday Planner Calculator to help make sure your holidays are merry and bright!

“The holidays are a joyous time, but it’s important to remember to stay within your budget,” said Steve J. Bernas, President and CEO of the Better Business Bureau serving Chicago and northern Illinois. “You don’t want to find yourself struggling to pay the bills after the holidays.”

The Holiday Planner Calculator, at http://video.bbb.org/clearpoint-holiday-tips/clearpoint-holiday-budgeting-calculator.html, can help determine an overall budget, decide how much to designate for each category (gifts, parties, travel, food and donations), then get into details like how much to spend on each person or budgeting for parties and travel. Creating a budget and sticking to it can be a challenge, but being more conscious of your holiday spending habits will help you start the new year without a lot of new debt.

The BBB offers more ideas for sticking to a budget:

Less Is More: Cut down on gift-giving. For work gatherings, have everyone draw a name and give one gift. Set limits with family members and then get creative about finding something in your new, lower price range. For the person who has everything, consider making a charitable donation in his or her name.

Do It Yourself: Homemade crafts and decorations can be fun to make and to give. Consider baking or canning your gifts this year. Give gift certificates for future services (babysitting, dog walking, leaf raking) or special events after the holidays (shows, ice skating).

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle: Use less of everything, because little things add up. Is it necessary to gift wrap that huge box? How about putting a “clue” under the tree instead and have the recipient find the present hidden someplace else in the house. Reuse gift bags – they are sturdy enough to be used five or six times. Make your own gift tags and decorations. Spray paint old candle holders gold or silver instead of buying new ones.

Trim Energy Costs: Switch to LED lights and you’ll not only burn less energy, you’ll need fewer strands because the lights are brighter. Turn off your outside decorations when you go to bed. Turn down the thermostat when no one is home. Combine shopping trips and errands, and carpool to family gatherings.

For more information on holiday shopping and finding businesses you can trust, visit www.bbb.org

###

As a private, non-profit organization, the purpose of the Better Business Bureau is to promote an ethical marketplace. BBBs help resolve buyer/seller complaints by means of conciliation, mediation and arbitration. BBBs also review advertising claims, online business practices and charitable organizations. BBBs develop and issue reviews on businesses and nonprofit organizations and encourage people to check out a company or charity before making a purchase or donation.

Keeping Your Holiday Budget on Track: The Better Business Bureau Offers Help | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

CHICAGO, Dec. 8, 2011 /CHICAGOPRESSRELEASE.COM/ — Golub Capital BDC, Inc., a business development company (NASDAQ: GBDC), today announced its financial results for the fourth quarter and fiscal year ended September 30, 2011. 

Except where the context suggests otherwise, the terms “we,” “us,” “our,” and “Company,” refer to Golub Capital BDC, Inc. and its subsidiaries.  “GC Advisors” refers to GC Advisors LLC, our investment adviser.

Fourth Fiscal Quarter 2011 Highlights

• Net investment income for the quarter ended September 30, 2011 was $6.5 million, or $0.30 per share, as compared to $6.0 million, or $0.28 per share, for the quarter ended June 30, 2011; and
• Net gains (losses) on investments and derivative instruments for the quarter ended September 30, 2011 was $(3.5) million, or $(0.16) per share, as compared to $0.6 million, or $0.03 per share, for the quarter ended June 30, 2011;
• Net increase in net assets resulting from operations for the quarter ended September 30, 2011 was $3.0 million, or $0.14 per share, as compared to $6.5 million, or $0.31 per share, for the quarter ended June 30, 2011;
• Our board of directors declared a quarterly distribution on December 7, 2011 of $0.32 per share, payable on December 29, 2011 to stockholders of record as of December 19, 2011.

Portfolio and Investment Activities

At September 30, 2011, the Company had investments in 103 portfolio companies with a total fair value of $459.8 million.  The investments in these portfolio companies consisted of $203.8 million of senior secured loans, $177.9 million of unitranche loans, $21.9 million of second lien loans, $46.8 million of subordinated debt and $9.4 million of equity investments.   The Company also had investments in derivative instruments with a total fair value of $(2.0) million.  This compares to our portfolio as of June 30, 2011, at which we had investments in 99 portfolio companies with a total fair value of $438.9 million that consisted of $207.9 million of senior secured loans, $152.7 million of unitranche loans, $23.8 million of second lien loans, $46.3 million of subordinated debt and $8.2 million of equity investments.   The Company also had an investments in derivative instruments with a total fair value of $(0.3) million. 

For the quarter ended September 30, 2011, the Company originated $59.8 million in new investment commitments, of which 68% were unitranche loans, 30% were senior secured loans and 2% were equity securities.  Sales and repayments on investments for the same period totaled $28.9 million.

For the quarter ended September 30, 2011, the weighted average annualized investment income yield (which includes interest income and amortization of fees and discounts) and the weighted average annualized interest income yield (which excludes income resulting from amortization of fees and discounts) on the fair value of investments in the Company’s portfolio was 9.9% and 9.1%, respectively. 

Consolidated Results of Operations

Total investment income for the three months ended September 30, 2011 and June 30, 2011 was $10.8 million and $10.1 million, respectively.  This $0.7 million increase was primarily attributable to higher average invested assets and a higher yield during the three months ended September 30, 2011.

Total investment income for the years ended September 30, 2011 and 2010 was $39.2 million and $33.2 million, respectively.  This $6.0 million increase was primarily attributable to higher average invested assets and a higher yield during the year ended September 30, 2011.

Total expenses for the three months ended September 30, 2011 and June 30, 2011 were $4.4 million and $4.1 million, respectively.  This $0.3 million increase was primarily due to an increase in interest expense as a result of higher average debt outstanding, increased management fees due to higher average assets and higher professional fees.    

Total expenses for the years ended September 30, 2011 and 2010 were $16.3 million and $9.8 million, respectively.  This $6.5 million increase was primarily due to an increase in interest expense as a result of higher average debt outstanding and higher interest rates on our debt outstanding, increased management fees due to higher average assets, and higher professional and other general and administrative fees as the fiscal year ending September 30, 2011 was our first full year as a public company.    

During the three months ended September 30, 2011 and June 30, 2011, the Company had $40,000 and $71,000 of net realized gains on investments and derivative instruments, respectively.  During the three months ended September 30, 2011 and June 30, 2011, the Company recorded net unrealized depreciation on investments and derivative instruments of $(3.5) million and net unrealized appreciation on investments and derivative instruments of $0.5 million, respectively. 

During the years ended September 30, 2011 and 2010, the Company had $2.0 million and $(40,000) of net realized gains (losses) on investments and derivative instruments, respectively.  During the years ended September 30, 2011 and 2010, the Company recorded net unrealized depreciation on investments and derivative instruments of $(3.5) million and net unrealized appreciation on investments and derivative instruments of $2.9 million, respectively. 

Liquidity and Capital Resources

The Company’s liquidity and capital resources are derived from the Company’s debt securitization, SBA debentures, revolving credit facility and cash flow from operations.  The Company’s primary use of funds from operations includes investment in portfolio companies and payments of fees and other expenses that the Company incurs.  The Company has used, and expects to continue to use our debt securitization, SBA debentures, revolving credit facility, proceeds from our investment portfolio and proceeds from public offerings of our securities to finance our investment objectives. 

As of September 30, 2011, the Company had cash and cash equivalents of $46.4 million, restricted cash of $23.4 million and $237.7 million of total debt outstanding.   As of September 30, 2011, the Company had $38.7 million in available SBIC debenture commitments and approximately $72.6 million available for additional borrowings on our revolving credit facility, subject to leverage and borrowing base restrictions.

On December 7, 2011, the Company’s board of directors declared a quarterly distribution of $0.32 per share, payable on December 29, 2011 to holders of record as of December 19, 2011.  

Portfolio and Asset Quality

GC Advisors regularly assesses the risk profile of each of the Company’s investments and rates each of them based on the following categories:

The following table shows the distribution of our investments on the 1 to 5 investment performance rating scale at fair value as of September 30, 2011 and June 30, 2011:

Conference Call

The Company will host an earnings conference call at 1:00 p.m. (Eastern Time) on Friday, December 9, 2011.  All interested parties may participate in the conference call by dialing (888) 228-0609 approximately 10-15 minutes prior to the call.  International callers should dial (303) 223-2680.  Participants should reference Golub Capital BDC, Inc. when prompted.  For a slide presentation that we intend to refer to on the earnings conference call, please visit the Events and Presentations link on the homepage of our website (www.golubcapitalbdc.com) and click on the Investor Presentations link to find the September 30, 2011 Investor Presentation.  An archived replay of the call will be available shortly after the call until 3:30 p.m. (Eastern Time) on January 6, 2012. To hear the replay, please dial (800) 633-8284. International callers, please dial (402) 977-9140.  For all replays, please reference program ID number 21542939.

About Golub Capital BDC, Inc.

Golub Capital BDC, Inc. principally invests in senior secured, unitranche, mezzanine and second lien loans of middle-market companies that are, in most cases, sponsored by private equity investors. Golub Capital BDC, Inc.’s investment activities are managed by its investment adviser, GC Advisors LLC, an affiliate of the Golub Capital group of companies (“Golub Capital”).

About Golub Capital

Golub Capital, founded in 1994, is a leading lender to middle-market companies.  In 2010, Golub Capital was named “Middle Market Lender of the Year” by Buyouts Magazine and “Debt Financing Agent of the Year” and “Mezzanine Financing Agent of the Year” by M&A Advisor. As of September 30, 2011, Golub Capital managed over $5.0 billion of capital, with a team of investment professionals in New York and Chicago.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release may contain “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Statements other than statements of historical facts included in this press release may constitute forward-looking statements and are not guarantees of future performance or results and involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements as a result of a number of factors, including those described from time to time in filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Golub Capital BDC, Inc. undertakes no duty to update any forward-looking statement made herein. All forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this press release.

SOURCE Golub Capital BDC, Inc.

http://www.golubcapitalbdc.com

Golub Capital BDC, Inc. Declares First Fiscal Quarter of 2012 Distribution of $0.32 Per Share and Announces Quarter and Fiscal Year Ended September 30, 2011 Financial Results | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

Read the original post:
Promotions Announced in Chicago Fed Central Bank Services, Financial Markets Group and Supervision and Regulation Departments

Promotions Announced in Chicago Fed Central Bank Services, Financial Markets Group and Supervision and Regulation Departments | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

CHICAGO, Dec. 6, 2011 /CHICAGOPRESSRELEASE.COM/ – OrderZone, a business-to-business platform for purchasing a wide variety of business products and services, has hired Tom Bersch as Executive Vice President of Sales. A 25-year veteran of the office products industry, Bersch will oversee customer development, build a North American sales force, and manage supplier relations for OrderZone.

(Photo:  http://photos.CHICAGOPRESSRELEASE.COM.com/prnh/20111206/CG14675)

OrderZone goes to market with its orderzone.com web site, a multiple-supplier marketplace that allows customers of all sizes to order everything from bearings to light bulbs using one simple registration, one search method, and one order form—saving customers time and money. Bersch’s sales and executive management experience will help expand OrderZone’s mission by building a larger, stronger customer and supplier base.

“We are thrilled to welcome Tom to Orderzone,” said Orderzone CEO Brent Ray. “Tom is a sales team leader with 25 years’ experience in the office products industry and more than 15 years of executive sales management experience. His background and leadership skills will help take our organization to the next level.”

Bersch was Business Development Director for office products retailer Staples from 2009 to 2011. Prior to that, he spent 18 years with business-to-business office products supplier Corporate Express, where he held a number of executive positions, including Vice President of Strategic Accounts from 2007-2009. Bersch was also general manager of a small office products company—Spangenbergs in Milwaukee, Wis.—from 1986 to 1991.

About OrderZone.com

OrderZone.com was launched in 1999 by broad-line MRO distributor W.W. Grainger and today is owned by a group of private investors. The site brings together business-to-business (B2B) buyers and sellers in a convenient, one-stop shop for purchasing a wide range of MRO, OEM, and other business products and services. For more information, go to www.orderzone.com.

Media Contact: Brent Ray OrderZone.com, LLC, 1-312-268-5694, brent.ray@orderzone.com

News distributed by PR Newswire iReach: https://ireach.CHICAGOPRESSRELEASE.COM.com

SOURCE OrderZone.com, LLC

http://www.orderzone.com

OrderZone Names Tom Bersch Executive Vice President of Sales | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

CHICAGO, Dec. 5, 2011 /CHICAGOPRESSRELEASE.COM/ — Business Insurance has named its 2011 Women to Watch. Profiles of the 25 honorees are featured in the Dec. 5 edition of Business Insurance and online at www.BusinessInsurance.com/women2011. All of the honorees will be recognized at a Dec. 6 Women to Watch Leadership Workshop and Awards Luncheon in New York.

Business Insurance’s Women to Watch feature is an annual salute to business leaders and influential executives who are doing outstanding work in commercial insurance, risk management, employee benefits and related fields. 2011 is the sixth year Business Insurance has run this awards program.

This year’s honorees were selected after an evaluation of nominations by Business Insurance editors. Nominees are selected based on recent professional achievements, influence on the marketplace, and contributions to the advancement of women in business. The list is open to women leaders worldwide. This year, Business Insurance received a record more than 350 nominations.

“The Business Insurance Women to Watch awards program is an integral part of Business Insurance‘s calendar of events,” said Gavin Souter, editor of Business Insurance. “We began the program in 2006 to recognize women doing outstanding work in what, at the executive levels at least, is still a male-dominated sector. Over the years we have profiled many women who have already achieved significant successes and are continuing to make a big impact. The 2011 honorees represent another group of leaders who are doing outstanding work.”

The 2011 Women to Watch will be honored at a luncheon held at the Hilton New York on Dec. 6. The annual event brings together the current class of honorees and past recipients who wish to celebrate the newest members of this exclusive group and to expand and strengthen their professional contacts.

In addition to the awards luncheon, the event includes the Women to Watch Leadership Workshop. Speakers include feminist activist Gloria Steinem and Lynn Cronin, co-author of Damned If She Does, Damned If She Doesn’t: Rethinking the Rules of the Game That Keep Women from Succeeding in Business. The event also will include panel discussions with senior insurance industry executives, risk management and benefit management leaders and former Women to Watch honorees.

For more information, please go to www.BusinessInsurance.com/womentowatch

About Business Insurance: In print, online and in custom e-mail news alert products and videos, Business Insurance reports on risk management, risk financing, employee benefits management and workers compensation. Business Insurance is read by corporate risk and benefit executives as well as financial and administrative executives. Its audience also includes insurance brokers, agents, consultants, insurers, reinsurers, and others concerned with corporate insurance, risk management, alternative risk financing, employee benefits, workers compensation and reinsurance. It is published by Crain Communications Inc.

SOURCE Business Insurance

http://www.BusinessInsurance.com

Business Insurance Names the 2011 Women to Watch in Insurance | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

NAPERVILLE, Ill., Dec. 1, 2011 /CHICAGOPRESSRELEASE.COM/ – The Business Marketing Association (BMA) today announced Mike Hensley, Executive Vice President of gyro, has been named this year’s winner of the G.D. Crain Award for Excellence in business-to-business (B-to-B) marketing and service to the association. The award was presented by David Klein, vice president/group publisher, Crain Communications at the monthly BMA luncheon meeting in Chicago. The annual award recognizes a BMA member for career achievement in business-to-business marketing and exceptional service in the advancement of the Association at the national level.

With over thirty years at gyro, Hensley has helped to build creative and service teams to meet the global needs of some of the agency’s largest accounts, including GE, Kodak, and BP. Hensley brings a wealth of perspective, insight and knowledge to his position, serving as creative director, account director and account planner at the agency. He has been a member of BMA for 26 years and has served as president of the Cincinnati chapter and International Chairman of the association.

“Mike deserves our gratitude and recognition for all of his efforts to support business marketers around the world through BMA,” says Al Maag, National Chairman, Business Marketing Association.  “We congratulate him on this honor and offer him our thanks for his continued efforts.”

All recipients of the Crain Award are also elected into the prestigious BMA Hall of Fame. In addition, Hensley will receive a commemorative plaque and an honorarium from the G.D. Crain Foundation in recognition of his hard work and dedication.

Entering its 42nd year, The G. D. Crain Award is named in honor of Gustavus Dedman Crain Jr., the founder of Crain Communications and a founder of BMA.

About Business Marketing Association
Started in 1922, today’s Business Marketing Association (BMA) works to increase the importance, impact and value of marketing in businesses worldwide.  BMA is the only professional organization with an exclusive focus on business-to-business marketing and its key drivers: Customer engagement and relationships, product and service innovation, value pricing, channels, online/offline marcom, and analytics.  BMA’s members represent state-of-the art expertise in business-to-business marketing and communications, and share best practices for the benefit of the global business community. For more information about BMA, call 630-544-5054 or visit www.marketing.org.

SOURCE Business Marketing Association

http://www.marketing.org

Business Marketing Association Announces 2011 G.D. Crain, Jr. Award Winner | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

Key perspectives gathered from employers, employees, spouses, physicians and health coaches

CHICAGO, Nov. 29, 2011 /CHICAGOPRESSRELEASE.COM/ — To assist employers in their efforts to improve the health of employees and families, the Midwest Business Group on Health (MBGH) released a series of recommendations to better structure the design, communication and delivery of benefits, wellness incentives and health management activities. Based on the findings of a five-year research project focused on understanding the employer and employee perspectives on health care and health benefits, the white paper report – Identifying the Triggers and Barriers to Engaging Employees in their Health Benefits and Wellness Programs – is available on MBGH’s website at www.mbgh.org.

“Employers have invested substantial resources to improve the health of their workforce by offering health benefits, workplace health programs and external health management resources,” said Larry Boress, MBGH president and CEO. “Unfortunately, in spite of these investments, many employers experience low program participation and disappointing levels of employee understanding and engagement. We’re working with employers to combat these problems and explore alternative approaches to benefit design and health improvement programs with the intent to motivate employees to be more responsible for their health.”

The research provides employers with key recommendations to supporting employee engagement and health improvement efforts including:

• Take into account a company’s culture when implementing workplace health and benefit programs. Have strategies in place that build trust – a big influence on employee participation.
• Include dependents and other family members in company communication efforts so they can support health improvement and behavior change efforts at home and in their daily lives.
• Offer “Benefits-at-a-Glance” resources that include information such as cost comparisons among plans, the actual cost of health services, and benefit/coverage changes that could have an impact on out-of-pocket costs. 
• Use the results of clinical screening programs and campaigns such as Know Your Numbers as the trigger to get employees to consider making necessary lifestyle changes.
• Structure incentives as part of the benefit design to maximize the employer’s investment in these resources and to promote value to the employee.
• Provide information and resources on resiliency/stress management to help employees handle the extremes of a hectic work and home life.

Next Steps

The next phase of the research series will focus on addressing the significant challenges employers face in successfully communicating health benefits and health improvement programs. In 2012, MBGH will launch an Employer Communications Toolkit on Benefits Literacy and Consumer Engagement. The results will be used to build a best practices communications road map and toolkit for employers that includes templates, resources and employer best practices to help companies increase participation and engagement in their health management programs.

About the Midwest Business Group on Health

Celebrating more than 30 years of advancing value in health care and health benefits management, the non-profit Midwest Business Group on Health (MBGH) is one of the nation’s leading business groups of private and public employers. MBGH’s more than 100 members represent over 3 million lives, spending more than $3 billion on health care benefits annually. MBGH member benefits include educational workshops for health benefits management, networking opportunities, research, demonstration projects and community initiatives. MBGH is a founding member of the National Business Coalition on Health. www.mbgh.org

SOURCE Midwest Business Group on Health

http://www.mbgh.org

MBGH Releases Employer Recommendations to Help Maximize Health Benefits, Workplace Health and Wellness Programs | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

CHICAGO – November 22, 2011. Governor Pat Quinn today proclaimed Saturday, Nov. 26 as “Small Business Saturday” in Illinois to encourage shoppers to support the more than 500,000 small businesses in our state. Consumers are encouraged to use the Saturday after Thanksgiving, Nov. 26, between “Black Friday” and “Cyber Monday” – traditionally two of the busiest shopping days of the year – to shop at small businesses around the state.

“Thanksgiving weekend traditionally serves as the kick-off for the holiday shopping season, and we want all Illinois businesses to have a strong showing,” Governor Quinn said. “I encourage people throughout Illinois to use this time to show their support for local merchants that contribute to our local economies, putting people to work and keeping our economy moving forward.”

Small business success is critical to Illinois’ and the nation’s overall economy. According to the U.S. Small Business Administration, there are approximately 28 million small businesses in the United States, which have created 65 percent of new jobs over the past two decades. For every $100 spent in locally-owned, independent stores, $68 returns to the community through taxes, payroll and other expenditures, according to the 3/50 Project, a small business advocacy group.

“If every Illinois small business was able to create one new job, we’d lower the unemployment rate five points,” DCEO Director Warren Ribley said. “‘Small Business Saturday’ continues our efforts to boost locally-owned businesses throughout Illinois by giving them the tools and support they need to succeed and grow.”

In October, Governor Quinn launched Advantage Illinois, a new program for small businesses to access capital, thanks to more than $78 million from the federal State Small Business Credit Initiative (SSBCI). Advantage Illinois consists of three programs to spur institutional lending to small businesses and one program to leverage private venture capital in start-ups and high-growth businesses. Illinois expects to leverage at least $10 in new private lending for every $1 of federal funding, generating more than $800 million in private investments in Illinois’ small businesses.

For more information on the state’s small business resources, visit www.ildceo.net.

Governor Quinn Encourages Consumers to Support Illinois’ Small Businesses this Holiday Season – Proclaims November 26 “Small Business Saturday” | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

University of Illinois at Chicago disability and human development professor Fabricio Balcazar, who has studied and worked on the problem for two decades, calls the lack of job opportunities for this population “unacceptable.” He has secured a two-year, $550,000 grant from the U.S. Labor Department to pull together a partnership of interested groups to try a new approach.

“We want those youths and young adults to get prepared, so we’re going to invest to make sure they succeed,” says Balcazar, a psychologist who directs UIC’s Center on Capacity Building for Minorities with Disabilities Research.

The focus is not just to find jobs for these youths, but jobs that require a flair for entrepreneurship. And if they need training on how to develop and run a business, college-level courses will be provided.

“Entrepreneurship development — helping them start their own small businesses — this has become a key anchor of the whole initiative,” Balcazar said.

Chicago youths who have dropped out of the city’s public schools are one of the target groups. Their disabilities may include severe learning disabilities, behavioral disorders or mild cognitive disorders. Two other target groups include individuals with spinal cord injuries resulting from violence, and Asians with disabilities.

About 60 participants will be selected for the study. They will get special mentoring from teachers and business people, and from peer mentors who themselves have sustained disabling injuries resulting from violence.

If the participants develop a viable business plan that is approved by a panel of reviewers, they may be eligible for no-interest business start-up loans of up to $5,000, to be matched equally by government agencies partnering in the program. The participants may use their loans to partner with and help expand established businesses, which may attract additional capital and provide special on-the-job training.

“We’re trying to increase the likelihood that the project will work,” Balcazar said. “And for youths who don’t get their proposals approved, we’ll help them to get additional training, change their mentor, or change their business idea — or maybe all.

“We want to develop a model that we can test or replicate.”

Balcazar’s partner groups include the Federation of People from Jalisco, Mexico; Chicago’s Schwab Rehabilitation Hospital; Chicago’s Youth Connection Charter School for Dropouts; the Asians with Disabilities Outreach Think-Tank program; and the Illinois Division of Rehabilitation Services.

If the partnership plan works as a job-creation model, it may win additional funding to expand. Balcazar is optimistic the plan will put more disadvantaged youth to work in rewarding, permanent jobs.

“I hope we will train as many as we can. In this economy, whatever training you can get, it’ll be beneficial and make them more competitive in the job market.”

UIC ranks among the nation’s leading research universities and is Chicago’s largest university with 27,000 students, 12,000 faculty and staff, 15 colleges and the state’s major public medical center. A hallmark of the campus is the Great Cities Commitment, through which UIC faculty, students and staff engage with community, corporate, foundation and government partners in hundreds of programs to improve the quality of life in metropolitan areas around the world.

Educators, Business Join in City Minority Youth with Disabilities Jobs Plan | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

The business advocacy organization Chicago United has announced that Nim Chinniah, Vice President for Administration and Chief Financial Officer for the University of Chicago, is among 44 local business executives being recognized in a new publication, Business Leaders of Color. 

Chicago United promotes multiracial leadership in business to advance parity in economic opportunity. It supports the business community’s need to maximize the use of corporate and entrepreneurial talent, and brings together diverse senior business leaders to break through barriers to realize the benefits of diversity and inclusion.

Chicago United selects leaders for recognition based on their demonstration of integrity, commitment, drive and concern for their communities, as well as for their global experience and perspective. Described as professionals who embrace well-considered risks as opportunities, the 2011 Business Leaders of Color were selected for their leadership in solving problems and expanding markets in an ever-changing global economy.

This year’s honorees were chosen from a pool of more than 150 nominees from a wide variety of product and service industries.

Chinniah also is a member of the Diversity Leadership Council, working to ensure that the University’s relationships with its business partners appropriately reflect the University of Chicago’s commitment to diversity as part of its core mission.

Chinniah currently oversees the Administration and Finance Division of the University, which comprises more than 950 staff in several departments. Those units are Facilities Services, Human Resource Services, Information Technology, the University of Chicago Police Department, Parking and Transportation, Risk Management and Audit, Environmental Health and Safety, Financial Services, Business Diversity, and Real Estate. Other responsibilities include fiscal and strategic planning and support of University of Chicago Trustee committees, including audit, compensation, financial planning, and campus planning and facilities.

Chinniah earned an MBA from Vanderbilt University and a BS in computer science and business (summa cum laude) from Lambuth University. He currently serves on the Board of the Chicago Children’s Choir and the University of Chicago Charter Schools Governing Board.

“The 2011 Business Leaders of Color represent the kind of talent that companies seek and they, in turn, actively recruit and groom other accomplished executives as an integral part of their professional mission,” said Gloria Castillo, president of Chicago United.

“Recurring values described by these individuals include developing people and relationships as top priorities. The publication provides a talent showcase of individuals eminently qualified to serve our nation’s corporations. Through their identification, Chicago United aims to accelerate the rate of change of diverse representation in corporate governance.”

Past Business Leaders of Color members include First Lady Michelle Obama, Valerie B. Jarrett, senior advisor to President Barack Obama, Christina M. Tchen, director of the White House Office of Public Engagement, Don Thompson, president and chief operating officer of McDonald’s Corp., Luis Sierra, refinery chief financial officer of BP, and more than 200 others.

Chinniah, who joined the University in 2007, also was a recent finalist for the 2011 CFO of the Year Award given by the Chicago Chapter of Financial Executives International. He also received a “Rising Star” award in 2003 from the National Association of College and University Business Officers.

Chicago United names Nim Chinniah a 2011 Business Leader of Color | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

CHICAGO, Nov. 10, 2011 /CHICAGOPRESSRELEASE.COM/ — UBM Studios today announced new ways to create engagement through its interactive business environments. UBM Studios builds and delivers world-class user engagement through online events, websites and communities.

“Digital environments are a vital marketing tool for businesses to tap into audiences and create user engagement,” said Michele McPhail, Vice President of Product Development, UBM Studios.  ”Our interactive business environments now enhance the user experience to increase mobility, enhance social technologies and virtual learning as well as extend global capabilities.”

Key new features include:

Increased Mobility

Smartphones and tablet devices are quickly becoming important tools in digital environments to enhance the experience and create engagement.

• UBM Studios environments now support Windows Media Video and Silverlight Video Uploads as well as a Universal Webcasting tool that allows video delivery through non-Flash formats and providers such as Ustream, Silverlight, YouTube, MP4 videos and more, allowing for additional options for iPad compatibility.
• In addition to iPad compatibility, digital events are now more accessible, via the iPhone, through the Smartphone Events App.  Event attendees using the new app can now access the same data available to desktop browser and tablet users, including presentations, access to documents and more.  Additionally, event producers are able to select the mobile experience best suited to their event.

Enhanced Social and Communications Tools

Social technologies are important tools for building momentum and driving user engagement in digital environments offering marketers and event producers a fundamental shift in the way to deliver messages, connect with individuals, foster education and improve communities.  

• Similar to popular social media sites, the Social Message Wall now allows a user to post and comment in line as well as “Like” another user’s post.  In addition, notifications can be set to send users emails when new posts or comments have been made.
• A social media plug-in, entitled the “Like” Box, enables Facebook fan page owners to attract and gain “Likes” from the environment. The “Like” Box enables users to see how many users already “Like” the page and which of their friends “Like” it; read recent posts from the page; and “Like” the page with one click, without visiting the page.
• The Chat Request process has been enhanced to allow participants to include a pre-chat invitation message.
• UBM Studios environments seamlessly integrate with other technology platforms enabling customers to extend the value of existing programs.  Through the development of a desktop application that works with JIVE, a popular social business and enterprise collaboration software, companies can promote their digital environments and events through existing JIVE communities as well as providing one-click access for attendees.  

Virtual Learning

UBM Studios’ eLearning solutions enable customers to launch customizable education programs including a variety of rich-media content formats hosted in a user-friendly, interactive environment.  In addition, the solutions are accessible globally to multi-lingual audiences.  

• UBM Studios now offers integration with leading SaaS LMS provider, Taleo, for companies interested in advanced learning management functionality.

Extending Global Capabilities

Connecting globally is imperative for businesses to grow and communicating in different languages expands a businesses’ reach.  

• The Bing Translate API service has been added in addition to the existing Google Translate API allowing users to communicate with each other across multiple languages.  Event producers can now choose which translation service will support their environment.
• With the addition of Greek, Czech Republic, Hebrew, Polish, Russian, Turkish, Ukrainian and Traditional Chinese, a total of 19 languages are now supported.

UBM offers a complete digital environment solution as a Marketing-as-a-Service (MaaS), from the production and creation of digital solutions to the content development, recruitment, custom creative development and the management of audiences within the digital environment. 

Follow UBM Studios on Twitter (http://twitter.com/UBMStudios), Facebook, or LinkedIn for all the latest news.

About UBM Studios (www.ubmstudios.com)

UBM Studios is a global leader in interactive digital environments transforming the way audiences connect, educate and engage.  UBM Studios offers a complete global marketing service from content and audience to creative and analytics creating world-class user engagement. For additional information on UBM Studios, visit www.ubmstudios.com.

About UBM LLC

UBM LLC is a leading global business media company. We inform markets and bring the world’s buyers and sellers together at events, online, in print and provide them with the information they need to do business successfully. We focus on serving professional commercial communities, from doctors to game developers, from journalists to jewellery traders, from farmers to pharmacists around the world. Our 6,000 staff in more than 30 countries are organised into specialist teams that serve these communities, helping them to do business and their markets to work effectively and efficiently.

SOURCE UBM Studios

http://www.ubmstudios.com

UBM Studios Offers New Ways to Create Engagement Through Its Interactive Business Environments | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

CHICAGO, Nov. 7, 2011 /CHICAGOPRESSRELEASE.COM/ — Chicago United announced today that it will present Patricia Hemingway Hall, president and chief executive officer of Health Care Service Corporation, with the 2011 Bridge Award and will honor the 45 individuals featured in the 2011 Business Leaders of Color publication during the Bridge Awards Dinner.  Bruce Gordon, former president and chief executive officer of NAACP and retired president, Retail Markets Group, Verizon Communications Inc., will serve as the keynote speaker at the Diversity Leadership Luncheon which opens the Changing Color of Leadership Conference on November 16 at the Hilton Chicago, 720 South Michigan.

Companies and executive leaders looking for successful strategies to drive diversity and inclusion don’t have to look any further. Chicago United, a business organization that promotes multiracial leadership in business to advance parity in economic opportunity, will equip senior executives with strategies for professional development, growing the multiracial leadership pipeline, and advancing inclusive practices in national and global business environments during its highly-regarded annual event.

This year’s conference features two high-level plenary sessions from which attendees will gain thoughtful insights from effective business leaders responsible for enhancing an inclusive corporate culture. Each session will feature a diverse group of senior executives who will examine diversity and inclusion practices in today’s business environment.  Plenary Session One, “Frontline Perspectives from Business Leaders of Color” will feature a panel of Chicago United’s 2011 Business Leaders of Color who will share their unique perspectives from frontline experiences in corporate leadership roles. Plenary Session Two, “Stewarding a Unified Diversity and Inclusion Vision” will feature a panel of C-Suite leaders who will share their insights and visions on personal leadership development and their efforts to drive organizations success. Marsha Jones, senior vice president and chief diversity officer of PNC Financial Services Group, will moderate the panel to include Anne Pramaggiore, president and chief operating officer of ComEd, Al Grace, co-founder and president of Loop Capital Markets, and Terry Mazany, president and chief executive officer of  The Chicago Community Trust.

Those attending the Diversity Leadership Luncheon will hear from telecommunications veteran Bruce Gordon who will serve as the keynote speaker. Gordon retired in 2003 after a 35-year career where he last served as president of the Retail Markets Group for Verizon Communications where worked since 1968. He also became the first business executive to head the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and led the 500,000 member organization from 2005 to 2007.

The Bridge Awards Dinner will conclude the conference, and this year’s award will be presented to Patricia Hemingway Hall for her efforts to support a vibrant and richly diverse business community.  The dinner will also honor 45 individuals profiled in the 2011 Business Leaders of Color Publication which biennially features viable candidates for Fortune 1000 companies’ boards of directors. The Business Leaders of Color publications provide a talent showcase of individuals eminently qualified to serve our nation’s corporations.  Through their identification, Chicago United aims to accelerate the rate of change of diverse representation in corporate governance.

“Talented professionals today are looking to work for corporations that clearly have a range of diversity in their senior leadership.  Tangible confirmation of an opportunity for advancement demonstrates that corporations have a commitment to inclusion,” said Chicago United President Gloria Castillo. “This year’s theme “Driving the Inclusionary Vision” will be a unique opportunity for business professionals to measure their progress and set new goals toward improving diversity and inclusion on all levels.”

The annual Changing Color of Leadership Conference and Bridge Awards Dinner is Chicago’s premier event for networking with the most diverse group of business leaders in the region. For more information about the conference or to register, please call 312-553-2000 or visit www.chicago-united.org.

About Chicago United

Chicago United promotes multiracial leadership in business to advance parity in economic opportunity. Chicago United supports the business community’s need to maximize the use of corporate and entrepreneurial talent and brings together diverse senior business leaders to break through barriers to realize the benefits of diversity and inclusion.

Chicago United is the premiere organization creating an environment where racially diverse CEOs and executive level management can share common experiences to promote multiracial leadership in governance, management, and business partnerships while delivering best practices for diversity practitioners and building relationships among leaders who share common values.

SOURCE Chicago United

http://www.chicago-united.org/

Patricia Hemingway Hall, Bruce Gordon and 45 Business Leaders of Color Featured at Chicago United’s 8th Annual Changing Color of Leadership Conference and Bridge Awards Dinner | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.