WOOD DALE, Ill., Nov. 29, 2011 /CHICAGOPRESSRELEASE.COM/ — AAR (NYSE: AIR) announced today that the United States Transportation Command (USTRANSCOM) has exercised two renewal options for AAR to provide airlift support in Afghanistan through October of 2012. The first option has a value of $99 million and is part of a task order awarded to AAR in October, 2010. The second option has a value of $51 million and is part of a task order awarded to AAR in August, 2011.

The Company’s AAR Airlift operating unit provides rotary-wing aircraft and related personnel, equipment and maintenance to transport personnel, cargo and mail in support of U.S. and NATO operations in Afghanistan. AAR Airlift will support the requirement using three Bell 214ST, seven Sikorsky S-61 and two Sikorsky S-92 helicopters, which were acquired to fulfill the initial contract award.

“We are very proud to provide airlift for the U.S. Government and its allies as an integral part of our nation’s transportation and logistics capability in this austere environment,” said Randy J. Martinez, Group Vice President, for AAR’s Government and Defense Services segment. “This renewal reflects the dedication and outstanding work of our pilots and support personnel and the confidence that they’ve earned from both the U.S. Transportation Command and Department of Defense.”

AAR’s Airlift Group provides expeditionary airlift services and performs specialized aircraft modifications for defense, security and humanitarian relief operations. Under current contracts, the Company provides airlift for the Department of Defense (DoD) in three regions around the world, using both fixed-wing aircraft and rotary-wing aircraft to transport personnel, supplies and mail over land and at sea.

AAR is a leading provider of products and value-added services to the worldwide aerospace and government and defense industries. With facilities and sales locations around the world, AAR uses its close-to-the-customer business model to serve customers through four operating segments: Aviation Supply Chain; Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul; Structures and Systems; and Government and Defense Services. More information can be found at www.aarcorp.com.

AAR – Named One of The Most Trustworthy Companies by Forbes magazine.

This press release contains certain statements relating to future results, which are forward-looking statements as that term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.  These forward-looking statements are based on beliefs of Company management, as well as assumptions and estimates based on information currently available to the Company, and are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from historical results or those anticipated, including those factors discussed under Item 1A, entitled “Risk Factors”, included in the Company’s May 31, 2011 Form 10-K. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize adversely, or should underlying assumptions or estimates prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described.  These events and uncertainties are difficult or impossible to predict accurately and many are beyond the Company’s control.  The Company assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date of such statements or to reflect the occurrence of anticipated or unanticipated events. For additional information, see the comments included in AAR’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

SOURCE AAR

http://www.aarcorp.com

AAR Selected to Extend Airlift Support for U.S. Military | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

CHICAGO, Aug. 26, 2011 /CHICAGOPRESSRELEASE.COM/ — IntercontinentalExchange (NYSE: ICE), a leading operator of global regulated futures exchanges, clearing houses and over-the-counter (OTC) markets, reported record daily volume in the ICE NYH RBOB Gasoline Futures Contract of 13,877 contracts on 25 August 2011.  The new record surpassed the previous daily record of 8,879 contracts set on 13 June 2011.

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“Trading activity in the ICE NYH RBOB and ICE Heating Oil futures contracts has been spurred by the launch earlier this year of crack spreads in ICE Heating Oil vs ICE Brent Futures and ICE RBOB Gasoline vs ICE Brent Futures. We have seen increased interest of late from market participants in trading both the futures and the crack spread contracts,” said Jeff Barbuto, ICE Vice President, Oil Marketing.

ICE NYH RBOB Gasoline futures trade 22 hours a day, from 8:00pm through 6:00pm Eastern time the next day, and from 1:00am through 11:00pm London time.  The contract is sized at 42,000 gallons and priced in U.S. dollars and cents per gallon.  It trades for 12 consecutive months at a time and is based on Reformulated Gasoline Blendstock for Oxygenate Blending for delivery in New York Harbor.

For questions regarding ICE NYH RBOB Gasoline futures contracts and crack spreads, please contact Jeff Barbuto +1 646 733 5014, jeff.barbuto@theice.com or Deborah Pratt +44 20 7065 7734 deborah.pratt@theice.com. 

About IntercontinentalExchange

IntercontinentalExchange (NYSE: ICE) is a leading operator of regulated futures exchanges and over-the-counter markets for agricultural, credit, currency, emissions, energy and equity index contracts. ICE Futures Europe hosts trade in half of the world’s crude and refined oil futures. ICE Futures U.S. and ICE Futures Canada list agricultural, currencies and Russell Index markets. ICE is also a leading operator of central clearing services for the futures and over-the-counter markets, with five regulated clearing houses across North America and Europe. ICE serves customers in more than 70 countries. www.theice.com  

The following are trademarks of IntercontinentalExchange, Inc. and/or its affiliated companies: IntercontinentalExchange, ICE, ICE and block design, ICE Futures Europe and ICE Clear Europe. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. For more information regarding registered trademarks owned by IntercontinentalExchange, Inc. and/or its affiliated companies, see https://www.theice.com/terms.jhtml

Safe Harbor Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 – Statements in this press release regarding IntercontinentalExchange’s business that are not historical facts are “forward-looking statements” that involve risks and uncertainties. For a discussion of additional risks and uncertainties, which could cause actual results to differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements, see ICE’s Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filings, including, but not limited to, the risk factors in ICE’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2010, as filed with the SEC on February 9, 2011 and ICE’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2011, as filed with the SEC on August 3, 2011.

ICE-ENGY

SOURCE IntercontinentalExchange

http://www.theice.com

ICE NYH RBOB Gasoline Futures Set Daily Volume Record | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

NAPERVILLE, Ill., Aug. 12, 2011 /CHICAGOPRESSRELEASE.COM/ — As part of its focus on building differentiated capabilities and expertise in its Contract organization, OfficeMax® Incorporated (NYSE: OMX) today announced that it has appointed Mike MacDonald as executive vice president and president of the global Contract organization and Steve Mongeau as senior vice president of sales and growth initiatives, effective August 15, 2011.  

Mr. MacDonald will report to Ravi Saligram, president and CEO of OfficeMax, and will be responsible for all aspects of the global Contract business P&L.  Mr. Mongeau will report to Mr. MacDonald and will spearhead initiatives to enhance the company’s proposition for small to mid-market customers and the sales aspects of growth opportunities such as print services and solutions.  In addition, the OfficeMax Contract leadership team, including the field sales and vertical leaders, functional heads and the leaders of the customer service operations team and the Australia/New Zealand and Canada business will report to Mr. MacDonald.  He will also oversee OfficeMax’s relationship in Europe with Lyreco to serve OfficeMax’s global customers.  

“The appointment of these two strong leaders to our Contract business is an exciting and pivotal move as we drive innovation and expand our offerings to targeted segments of our business customers,” said Mr. Saligram.  

Mr. MacDonald has more than 30 years of experience at Xerox Corporation in general management, sales and marketing leadership roles.  His last 10 years of experience includes serving as president of North America, where he had P&L responsibility for all products, services and solutions sold by the direct sales force representing about $6.5 billion in revenue, president of marketing operations and global accounts; and most recently corporate senior vice president of operational effectiveness.  He also served on the company’s strategy committee.  He currently serves as lead director for PAETEC Holding Corporation and is a director of Medifast, Inc.  He is a graduate of Rutgers University.

“Mike has a proven track record at Xerox of growing sales and profits and driving successful turnarounds while building strong teams,” said Mr. Saligram.  “His strong general management expertise, as well as experience in all areas of the services business including global account management, pricing, marketing and operations will help grow our business and accelerate momentum in our Contract organization.” 

Mr. Mongeau has extensive experience in driving sales efforts for office solutions and leading small businesses.  He was most recently chief executive officer of Pietzo Hybrid Electric Bikes in Bedford, Mass., and prior to that, senior vice president of sales and marketing for Eduventures, Inc. in Boston.  He previously spent 14 years with Staples, Inc., including serving as senior vice president of Staples Business Advantage where he drove significant growth.  He was also vice president of sales and marketing for Staples Direct, where he helped develop and grow a direct/delivery model for small business customers.  He is a graduate of Cornell University and serves as chair of the board of directors for Samaritans of greater Boston.

“Steve is a talented and dynamic leader who has a recognized ability to develop new opportunities and drive profitable growth,” said Mr. Saligram.  ”He has an entrepreneurial spirit and a proven ability to scale emerging businesses in the office products industry including growing the small and mid-market customer segments.  He is uniquely qualified to drive our growth initiatives and I look forward to his joining the team.”  

About OfficeMax

OfficeMax Incorporated (NYSE: OMX) is a leader in both business-to-business office products solutions and retail office products.  The OfficeMax mission is simple.  We help our customers do their best work.  The company provides office supplies and paper, in-store print and document services through OfficeMax ImPress®, technology products and solutions, and furniture to businesses and individual consumers.  OfficeMax customers are served by approximately 30,000 associates through direct sales, catalogs, e-commerce and nearly 1,000 stores.  To find the nearest OfficeMax, call 1-877-OFFICEMAX.  For more information, visit www.officemax.com.

SOURCE OfficeMax Incorporated

http://www.officemax.com

OfficeMax Appoints New Leaders to Its Contract Organization | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

OAK BROOK, Ill., March 2, 2011 /CHICAGOPRESSRELEASE.COM/ — The University HealthSystem Consortium (UHC) announced today that its member academic medical centers achieved record supply chain savings and value of $261 million in 2010.  The savings amount represents 3.7% of UHC members’ record aggregated spend of $7 billion and includes cash returns as well as operational savings.

UHC’s Supply Chain program distributed $111 million in cash to members through their participation in Novation, UHC’s supply contracting company. In addition, UHC members documented operational savings of $150 million, which surpassed projections.  This achievement was a result of UHC’s assistance with clinical preference items, improvements in supply utilization, as well as Novation’s focus on continuous contract price improvement, price protection, and new contracts. As the largest group purchasing organization in the United States, Novation’s aggregated buying power provides economies of scale that lower cost and provide a high return to participants.  

“UHC’s academic medical center members have extensive needs for medical products and services to support complex patient care. After labor costs, supplies are the next largest expense for these organizations,” said Roberta Graham, executive vice president. “The growth in UHC members’ spend signifies their recognition of the savings opportunities and overall value provided by UHC and Novation.”

UHC’s programs, tools and resources help participating hospitals optimize supply chain efficiency.  Its unique data integration ties together operational, supply chain and clinical data, giving hospitals enterprise-wide spend visibility.  SpendLINK™, UHC’s spend analytics tool, helps to identify savings opportunities and provides actionable information for achieving sustainable cost reduction across the supply chain continuum.

“We are very pleased to continue providing industry leading competitive pricing and savings opportunities for our members, particularly during a time of economic strain and capital squeeze,” said Jake Groenewold, UHC senior vice president, Supply Chain. “It is part of our strategic vision to help members attain national leadership in health care by achieving excellence in quality, safety, and cost-effectiveness,” he added.

About UHC

The University HealthSystem Consortium (UHC), formed in 1984, is an alliance of 112 academic medical centers and 256 of their affiliated hospitals, representing approximately 90% of the nation’s nonprofit academic medical centers. UHC offers its members specific programs and services to improve clinical, operational, financial, and patient safety performance. The mission of UHC is to create knowledge, foster collaboration, and promote change to help members succeed. For more information, visit www.uhc.edu.

About Novation

Founded in 1998, Novation is the leading health care supply contracting company for more than 25,000 members of VHA Inc. and the University HealthSystem Consortium (UHC), two national health care alliances, and 5,500 members of Provista, LLC, representing 28,000 sites. Novation provides alliance members contract and price management and spend management services. Based in Irving, Texas, Novation develops and manages competitive contracts with more than 600 suppliers. VHA, UHC and Provista members used Novation contracts to purchase nearly $40 billion in 2010.

SOURCE University HealthSystem Consortium

https://www.uhc.edu/

University HealthSystem Consortium Helps Member Hospitals Achieve Record Supply Chain Savings of $261 Million in 2010 | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

CHICAGO — If a college education might be in your child’s future, consider making a New Year’s resolution to start saving today. While it’s never too late to start putting money away for college, the College Illinois!® Prepaid Tuition Program makes it easy to start early.

Administered by the Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC), the College Illinois! Prepaid Tuition Program is a tax-advantaged way for purchasers to lock in the cost of tuition and mandatory fees for a future college student today, helping them avoid the sting of tuition inflation. When a beneficiary is ready to go to college, he or she can apply benefits almost anywhere according to the terms of the contract.

“Life comes at you in a hurry; kids grow up fast, and college tuition prices are growing faster,” said Andrew Davis, ISAC’s executive director. “Locking into a prepaid tuition plan such as College Illinois! lets families limit their costs as well as their exposure to risky stock market fluctuations, giving themselves security, flexibility and piece of mind.”

Because it is an IRS-designated 529 plan, College Illinois! Prepaid Tuition benefits are exempt from state and federal taxes when used for qualified education expenses. Illinois taxpayers can deduct contributions up to $10,000 per individual or $20,000 for married couples filing jointly. Those purchasing a plan as a gift may be eligible for a gift-giving tax exemption of up to $13,000 for individuals or $26,000 per couple.  Please consult a professional tax consultant or financial planner concerning tax implications of a plan purchase.

“With the College Illinois! Prepaid Tuition Program, families are encouraged to start saving early. The younger the child, the greater opportunity for savings on college tuition and mandatory fees,” continued Davis, a contract holder himself. “January’s pricing discounts make it the perfect time to fulfill New Year’s resolutions of saving money for college, letting families save more money on the price of college while saving at the same time.”

Since every family’s situation is different, College Illinois! offers flexible plans and affordable payment options that make it easy to start early and save for college over time while also saving money on college. Three distinct plans (Community, University, University +) let purchasers start out small by paying for a semester or year of school, with the option to add on later. Purchasers can choose to pay over time or in a lump sum on a schedule that best fits their needs.  However, the deadline to receive January’s pricing discount is Monday, January 31, 2011, and prices will increase in February.

Visit www.529prepaidtuition.org or call toll-free at (877) 877-3724 for program information, monthly pricing discounts and enrollment guidelines. 

Administered by the Illinois Student Assistance Commission, the College Illinois! Prepaid Tuition Program is a secure college funding option because benefits do not fluctuate with the stock market.  Since the program’s inception in 1998, more than 68,000 prepaid tuition contracts with a value of more than $1.6 billion have been purchased. ISAC’s commissioners are responsible for the overall management of the program and its investments, including hiring a qualified slate of investment managers and other professionals.

A state agency, ISAC’s big goal is to increase the proportion of Illinois adults with a postsecondary credential to 60 percent by 2025.  The commission continued its mission to make college accessible and affordable for Illinois students by distributing almost $430 million in student aid to nearly 200,000 students across the state in FY 2010 alone.

The Commission provides educational funding via numerous programs such as the Monetary Award Program (MAP), the Illinois Veteran Grant and College Illinois! Prepaid Tuition Program in addition to outreach to underserved populations through the College Illinois! Corps. Students and families have free access to a wealth of financial aid and college planning information at ISAC’s family of websites available at www.CollegeIllinois.org and www.529prepaidtuition.org. 

Fulfill Your New Year’s Resolution & Save With College Illinois!® Prepaid Tuition – Just one week remaining to take advantage of January pricing discounts | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

MUNDELEIN, Ill., Jan. 10, 2011 /CHICAGOPRESSRELEASE.COM/ — Z Trim Holdings, Inc. (OTC Bulletin Board: ZTHO), manufacturer of multifunctional ingredients used in food production, today announced that it recorded, in the month of December 2010, in the fourth quarter of 2010 and for the entire year of 2010, its best month, best quarter and best year of manufacturing output in its history. Further, the product produced in this period has all been sold. “Although we are ramping up production, demand for our products continues to outpace our current manufacturing capabilities,” said Steve Cohen, Z Trim CEO. “We intend to triple our current capacity in our present facility, while we continue our search for the right contract manufacturer partner to increase our capacity further.”

ABOUT Z TRIM®

Z Trim Holdings, Incorporated, http://www.ztrim.com, deploys technology, formulation, and product performance solutions built around cutting edge multifunctional ingredients for both domestic and international food markets. Made from either corn bran or oat hulls, Z Trim® ingredients contribute multifunctional attributes for food product design and processing, including moisture management, texture and appearance quality, fat and calorie reduction, clean labeling, and cost-control. Z Trim® can provide enhanced eating quality, outstanding product performance, and frequently, improved nutritional profiles in meats, sauces, dressings, microwaveable hand-held snacks, baked goods, fillings, toppings, prepared meals, ice cream, cream cheese, dips, and many other food products.

Forward-Looking Statements and Risk Factors

Certain statements in this press release are “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. These statements involve a number of risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results, performance or achievements of Z Trim Holdings to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. Other factors, which could materially affect such forward-looking statements, can be found in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission at www.sec.gov, including risk factors relating to our history of operating losses, that our auditors have expressed substantial doubt regarding our ability to continue as a going concern, the fact that we may dilute existing shareholders through additional stock issuances, and our reliance on our intellectual property. Investors, potential investors and other readers are urged to consider these factors carefully in evaluating the forward-looking statements and are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements made herein are only made as of the date of this press release and we undertake no obligation to publicly update such forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent events or circumstances.

SOURCE Z Trim Holdings, Inc.

http://www.ztrim.com

Z Trim Holdings Reports Best Month, Best Quarter and Best Year of Manufacturing Output in Company History | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

– Third Quarter Adjusted Net Income Increases 41 Percent to $27.0 Million(1); Adjusted Diluted EPS of $0.26(1)

– Third Quarter GAAP Net Income Up 7 Percent to $20.5 Million; Diluted EPS of $0.20

– Average Transaction Fee Per Contract Increases 15 Percent

(1) A full reconciliation of our non-GAAP results to our GAAP results for the 2010 reporting periods is included in the attached tables. There are no adjustments relating to the prior year periods. See “Non-GAAP Information” in the accompanying financial tables.

CHICAGO, Nov. 4, 2010 /CHICAGOPRESSRELEASE.COM/ — CBOE Holdings, Inc. (Nasdaq: CBOE) today reported third quarter 2010 GAAP net income of $20.5 million, an increase of 7 percent compared with $19.2 million in the third quarter of 2009.  GAAP diluted earnings per share were $0.20 compared with $0.21 in the third quarter of 2009.  

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Adjusted net income, which excludes the impact of the accelerated recognition of stock-based compensation expense, was $27.0 million for the third quarter of 2010, an increase of 41 percent compared with adjusted net income of $19.2 million in the third quarter of 2009.  Adjusted diluted earnings per share were $0.26 compared with $0.21 in the third quarter of 2009.  During the quarter, the company accelerated the recognition of stock-based compensation expense tied to employment agreements with certain executives for an after tax effect of $6.5 million, or $0.06 per diluted share.  

For the nine months ended September 30, 2010, the company reported GAAP net income of $68.0 million, or $0.71 per diluted share, on total operating revenues of $319.7 million.  For the comparable period last year, the company reported GAAP net income of $71.5 million, or $0.79 per diluted share, on operating revenues of $305.2 million.  Adjusted net income for the first nine months of 2010 was $74.5 million, or $0.78 per diluted share.

“Solid third quarter operating results demonstrate CBOE Holdings’ ability to deliver in the short term while continuing to invest in initiatives to drive long-term growth,” said William J. Brodsky, CBOE Holdings Chairman and Chief Executive Officer.  ”I’m pleased with our performance, particularly given an economic backdrop that dampened trading volume industry wide during the period.  We are encouraged by recent signs that volume is returning to stronger levels, and continue to take actions to drive future growth such as the recent launch of C2, our new all-electronic exchange.  We are confident that our commitment to cost control, customer service, product innovation and options education will enable CBOE Holdings to deliver value for our shareholders over the long run.”

“Our third quarter results demonstrate the discipline with which we continue to manage our business,” commented Alan J. Dean, CBOE Holdings Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer.  ”Our results benefited from our new post-demutualization trading permit program and lower expenses.  Moving forward, we remain focused on achieving profitable growth, maintaining stringent cost controls and continuing to identify additional growth opportunities.”  

The table below highlights CBOE Holdings’ operating results for the comparative quarters and nine-month periods ended September 30, 2010 and 2009.

Revenues

Total operating revenues for the third quarter increased $7.8 million, or 8 percent, to $106.0 million.  This increase was primarily driven by a $13.5 million increase in access fees tied to a new trading access program.  On July 1, 2010, CBOE began charging monthly fees to trading permit holders.  Prior to the company’s demutualization, trading permit holders that were CBOE members, or seat holders, were not assessed an access fee; the fee was only assessed to temporary members and interim trading permit holders.  The increase in access fees was partially offset by a $3.4 million decline in transaction fees and a $1.4 million decrease in exchange services and other fees.

Transaction fees in the third quarter decreased 4 percent compared with the same period last year, reflecting a 17 percent decline in trading volume, substantially offset by a 15 percent increase in the average transaction fee per contract.  Trading volume for the third quarter was 238.4 million contracts, or 3.73 million contracts per day, versus 287.2 million contracts, or 4.49 million contracts per day, in the third quarter of 2009.  The average transaction fee per contract was $0.306 for the quarter compared with $0.266 in the third quarter of 2009.

The increase in the average transaction fee per contract primarily resulted from a shift in the volume mix and lower volume discounts.  In the third quarter, higher margin index options accounted for a larger percentage of options contracts traded, representing 25.2 percent of total options contracts traded versus 19.1 percent in the third quarter of 2009.  The average transaction fee per contract represents total transaction fee revenue divided by total reported trading volume for the Chicago Board Options Exchange (CBOE) and the CBOE Futures Exchange (CFE).

Exchange services and other fees were lower in the quarter, primarily due to the elimination of the hybrid electronic quoting fee and lower revenue from data services fees.

Expenses

Total third-quarter GAAP operating expenses grew $5.9 million to $71.1 million, primarily due to an $11.0 million pretax charge for the accelerated recognition of stock-based compensation expense.  The company recorded this expense in the quarter to recognize the remaining fair value of the stock-based compensation awards granted to certain executives due to provisions contained in their employment agreements, including $6.7 million which should have been recorded in the second quarter.  The Company determined that the exclusion of this expense adjustment to the second quarter 2010 financial statements was not material and accordingly a restatement of those financial statements was not necessary.  The company expects to recognize an additional $2.0 million of accelerated stock-based compensation expense in the fourth quarter of 2010.  Stock-based compensation expense to be recognized over the remaining vesting period will be reduced by the accelerated expense.  

Adjusted operating expenses, which excludes the accelerated recognition of stock-based compensation expense, for the third quarter of 2010 declined $5.1 million, or 8 percent, to $60.1 million, compared with $65.2 million in the third quarter of 2009.  Core operating expenses for the third quarter of 2010 declined $2.1 million to $39.2 million.  Core operating expenses represent total operating expenses less depreciation and amortization, accelerated stock-based compensation expense and volume-based expenses.  Volume-based expenses include royalty fees and trading volume incentives.

Core operating expenses for the 2010 third quarter include $4.0 million for the recognition of continuing stock-based compensation expense related to restricted stock grants awarded on June 15, 2010, but not the previously mentioned accelerated stock-based compensation expense.  Core operating expenses, excluding the continuing stock-based compensation expense decreased $6.1 million, or 15 percent in the quarter.  

Volume-based expenses of $13.8 million in the third quarter of 2010 decreased $3.2 million compared with last year’s third quarter due to a $4.4 million decrease in trading volume incentives, offset somewhat by a $1.2 million increase in royalty fees.  The decrease in trading volume incentives is primarily related to lower volume in equity and ETF options, which decreased 27 percent and 15 percent, respectively.  The increase in royalty fees is directly related to higher trading volume in CBOE’s licensed index products, with total volume in index options up 9 percent over last year’s third quarter.  

Operating Margin

The company’s operating margin on a GAAP basis was 33.0 percent for the third quarter 2010 compared with 33.6 percent in the same period last year.  On an adjusted basis, the company’s operating margin increased 970 basis points to 43.3 percent for the third quarter, reflecting the company’s stringent focus on controlling expenses.

Third Quarter 2010 Operational Highlights and Recent Developments:

• On September 20, 2010, CBOE began disseminating calculations on two new volatility benchmark indexes based on options on futures contracts listed on CME Group exchanges. The CBOE/NYMEX WTI Volatility Index (ticker symbol OIV) and the CBOE/COMEX Gold Volatility Index (ticker symbol GVX) are the first in a series of new volatility benchmark indexes to be created as a result of the licensing agreement between CBOE and CME that was first announced in March 2010. Under this licensing agreement, CBOE will receive a percentage of the revenues generated.
• On September 28, 2010, the CBOE Futures Exchange introduced trading in its first options on a futures contract – weekly options on VIX futures (ticker symbol – VOW).  
• On October 29, 2010, C2 Options Exchange, a new all-electronic exchange, began operations.  C2 plans to list substantially all of the most active options classes and series in the Penny Pilot Program using a measured roll-out over a period of several weeks.  C2 is structured to support a fully electronic marketplace for CBOE’s flagship product, S&P 500 Index Options (SPX), which is expected to launch in the first quarter of 2011.  C2 has a flexible structure, which provides greater strategic flexibility and offers broader opportunities in a highly competitive and rapidly changing options environment.
• On November 1, 2010, CBOE reported that average daily volume (ADV) in October was 4.3 million contracts, a 14-percent increase from September 2010 ADV of 3.8 million contracts and a six-percent decline from October 2009 ADV of 4.6 million contracts.

Financial Guidance

CBOE Holdings currently expects the following for the fourth quarter of 2010:

• Continuing stock-based compensation expense of $3.1 to $3.3 million and accelerated stock-based compensation expense of approximately $2.0 million, which will be excluded from adjusted earnings.  This expense is included in employee costs.  
• Depreciation and amortization expense of $8.3 to $8.6 million.  Increase in depreciation expense expected in the fourth quarter of 2010 compared with third quarter 2010 is due to the launch of C2.

Tender Offers

On October 13, 2010, CBOE Holdings launched two concurrent tender offers for 6,648,570 shares of its Class A-1 common stock and for 6,648,570 shares of its Class A-2 common stock, each at a price of $22.50 per share.  The tender offers are scheduled to expire on Friday, November 12, 2010.

Dividend

On November 2, 2010, CBOE Holdings, Inc. announced that its Board of Directors declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.10 per share.  The dividend is payable December 24, 2010, to shareholders of record at the close of business on December 3, 2010.

Earnings Conference Call

Executives of CBOE Holdings will host a conference call to review its third quarter financial results today, November 4, 2010, at 8:30 a.m. EDT / 7:30 a.m. CDT.  The conference call and any accompanying slides will be publicly available via live webcast from the Investor Relations section of the company’s website at www.cboe.com under Events & Presentations.  Participants may also listen via telephone by dialing (877) 372-0876 from the United States or Canada, or (253) 237-1167 for international callers.  Telephone participants should place calls ten minutes prior to the start of the call.

The webcast will be archived on the company’s website for replay.  A telephone replay of the earnings call also will be available from approximately noon EDT, November 4, through midnight, November 18, by calling (800) 642-1687 within the U.S. and Canada, or (706) 645-9291 for international callers, using replay code 13316255.

About CBOE Holdings

CBOE Holdings, Inc. is the holding company for Chicago Board Options Exchange (CBOE) and other subsidiaries.  CBOE, the largest U.S. options exchange and creator of listed options, continues to set the bar for options trading through product innovation, trading technology and investor education. CBOE offers equity, index and ETF options, including proprietary products, such as S&P 500 options (SPX), the most active U.S. index option, and options on the CBOE Volatility Index (VIX). Other products engineered by CBOE include equity options, security index options, LEAPS options, FLEX options, and benchmark products such as the CBOE S&P 500 BuyWrite Index (BXM). CBOE’s Hybrid Trading System incorporates electronic and open-outcry trading and is powered by CBOEdirect, a proprietary, state-of-the-art electronic platform that also supports the CBOE Futures Exchange (CFE), CBOE Stock Exchange (CBSX) and OneChicago. CBOE is home to the world-renowned Options Institute and www.cboe.com, named “Best of the Web” for options information and education. CBOE is regulated by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), with all trades cleared by the AAA-rated Options Clearing Corporation (OCC).

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains statements which may be considered forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, including, without limitation, statements regarding operating strategies, future plans and financial results. Forward-looking statements may be accompanied by words such as “anticipate”, “believe”, “could”, “estimate”, “expect”, “forecast”, “intend”, “may”, “possible”, “predict”, “project” or similar words, phrases or expressions.  These statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions that are difficult to predict. Therefore, actual outcomes and results may differ materially from what is expressed or implied in any forward-looking statements made herein. Among the factors that might affect our performance are: legislative or regulatory changes affecting the options markets, including a possible cap of transaction fees; changes in law or government policy, including changes relating to the recently enacted or proposed legislation relating to the current economic crisis; changes to the tax treatment for options trading, including the possible imposition of a transaction tax on options transactions; increasing competition by foreign and domestic entities, including increased competition from new entrants into our markets and consolidation of existing entities; our ability to continue introducing competitive new products and services on a timely, cost-effective basis, including through our electronic trading capabilities, and our ability to maintain the competitiveness of our existing products and services; our ability to adjust our fixed costs and expenses if our revenues decline; our ability to maintain existing customers, develop strategic relationships and attract new customers; our ability to keep pace with rapid technological developments, including our ability to complete the development and implementation of the enhanced functionality required by our customers; our ability to accommodate increases in trading volume and order transaction traffic without failure or degradation of performance of our systems; our ability to maintain our growth effectively; the costs associated with protecting our intellectual property rights and our ability to operate our business without violating the intellectual property rights of others; our ability to preserve and maintain our exclusive licenses; our ability to generate revenue from our market data that may be reduced or eliminated by the growth of electronic trading or declines in subscriptions; changes in our rate per contract due to shifts in the mix of the products traded, the trading venue and the mix of customers; the ability of our compliance and risk management methods to effectively monitor and manage our risks; changes in price levels and volatility in the derivatives markets and in the equity markets in general; economic, political and market conditions, including the recent volatility of the capital and credit markets and the impact of current economic conditions on the trading activity of our current and potential customers; our ability to continue to generate funds to allow us to continue to invest in our business; industry and customer consolidation; decreases in trading activity; and the unfavorable resolution of material legal proceedings.

The Company does not undertake any obligation to update the information contained herein, which speaks only as of the date of this press release.  More detailed information about factors that may affect our performance may be found in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2010 under the heading “Forward-Looking Statements” and/or “Risk Factors,” and other reports filed by the Company from time to time  with the SEC. Such discussions regarding risk factors and forward-looking statements are incorporated herein by reference.

The condensed consolidated statements of income, balance sheets and statements of cash flows are unaudited and subject to reclassification.

Trademarks

CBOE®, Chicago Board Options Exchange®, CBOEdirect®, CBOE Volatility Index®, VIX®, FLEX®, Hybrid®, LEAPS®, CFE® , CBSX® and CBOE Stock Exchange® are registered trademarks of Chicago Board Options Exchange, Incorporated (CBOE).   SPX(SM), BXM(SM), The Options Institute(SM), Weeklys(SM) , C2(SM) and CBOE Futures Exchange(SM) are service marks of CBOE.  All other trademarks and servicemarks are the property of their respective owners.

CBOE-F

Non-GAAP Information

In addition to disclosing results determined in accordance with GAAP, CBOE Holdings has disclosed certain non-GAAP measures of operating performance.  The non-GAAP measures provided in this press release include core operating expenses, adjusted operating expenses, adjusted operating income, adjusted operating margin, adjusted income before income taxes, adjusted income tax provision, adjusted net income, and adjusted diluted net income per common share.

Management believes that the non-GAAP financial measures presented in this press release, including adjusted net income and core operating expenses, provide useful and comparative information to assess trends in our core operations and a means to evaluate period-to-period comparisons.  Non-GAAP financial measures disclosed by management are provided as additional information to investors in order to provide them with an alternative method for assessing our financial condition and operating results.  These measures are not in accordance with, or a substitute for, GAAP, and may be different from or inconsistent with non-GAAP financial measures used by other companies.

Core operating expenses is the company’s operating expenses after excluding (i) depreciation and amortization expense, (ii) accelerated stock-based compensation expense and (iii) volume-based expenses.  

Each financial measure presented below is adjusted from its respective GAAP category to reflect the pretax and after tax impact of the recognition of accelerated stock-based compensation expense as shown in the table below.

SOURCE CBOE Holdings, Inc.

http://www.cboe.com

CBOE Holdings, Inc. Reports Third Quarter 2010 Results | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

Housekeeper Maria Flores walked the picket lines around the Chicago Hilton at 720 S. Michigan Ave. for three days before returning to clean rooms Tuesday in the hotel she says is trying to squeeze more work out of fewer people.

Flores joined scores of Unite Here Local 1 housekeepers, dishwashers, cooks and bell staff in a loud three-day strike to protest increased workloads and the lack of a contract for taxpaying employees while Hilton hotels in Chicago and across the nation benefited from a $180 million federal bailout.

The Chicago Hilton strike piggybacked on strikes at Hilton hotels in San Francisco and Honolulu that started last week. Together, nearly 3,000 hotel workers picketed work conditions and contract issues.

In August, Hilton workers across the city voted to authorize a strike after a year without a contract. Across the city, 8,000 hotel workers contracts expired in August 2009, said Unite Here Local 1 spokesperson Annemarie Strassel. Nearly all workers voted in favor of the strike, she said.

Flores, a Hilton housekeeper for seven years, is on the negotiation team that last saw the bargaining table in September. She said her main issue is the attempt by Hilton to change contract language and increase her work load from cleaning 15 rooms each day to cleaning 20 in the same time. Unite Here Local 1 refers work load increase as the dirty rooms program.

Hilton got a bailout and was supposed to protect jobs, she said.

Despite having benefited from millions in taxpayer dollars, Hiltons proposals threaten to lower the standard for cleanliness and guest services at one of the citys premiere convention hotel properties, Unite Here Local 1 President Henry Tamarin said.

Flores said that as the hotel and convention economy recently began its rebound, Hilton laid off 30 housekeepers and pushed their workloads onto other workers.

Given the physical nature of the work, such a speed-up could result in more injuries for housekeepers, Strassel said.

About 15 workers were too scared to strike, because they were told they would lose benefits if they did so, Flores said, before adding she had no fear.

Members of at least two other unions could be seen Monday working the picket lines with Unite Here members.

Tuesday, its back to work like nothing happened, Flores said. No one can bother me.

Originally reported by the Chicago Journal. Read the original story here.

Three-day strike | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

CHICAGO (AP)—The Chicago Bulls have exercised the fourth-year contract option
on All-Star forward Derrick Rose(notes) and third-year options on two forwards, Taj
Gibson(notes) and James Johnson(notes).

By exercising the options Monday, the three players will be under contract
with the Bulls for the 2011-2012 seasons.

In his two seasons with the Bulls, Rose has averaged 18.7 points per game.
Named to the All-Star team last season, Rose was the first Bulls player so
honored since Michael Jordan in 1998. He was a member of the USA Men’s
Basketball Team that claimed the gold medal at the 2010 FIBA World
Championships.

Gibson appeared in all 82 games during his rookie season, averaging 9 points
and 9 rebounds.

Johnson played in 65 contests, averaging 4 points per game.

Bulls exercise option on Rose, 2 others | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

MUNDELEIN, Ill., Oct. 19 /CHICAGOPRESSRELEASE.COM/ — Sysmex, a global leader in medical diagnostic testing equipment and information systems technology, today announced a three-year, dual source hematology contract agreement with Amerinet. Amerinet members have immediate purchasing/leasing access to Sysmex automated hematology analyzers, reagents, controls, and service. Training and technical support for Amerinet members will be provided through Sysmex America’s headquarters in Mundelein, Illinois. The contract, which includes Sysmex’s newest addition to the hematology product line, the Sysmex XT-4000i™ Automated Hematology Analyzer, is effective immediately with an expiration date of September 2013. Amerinet is a leading national healthcare group purchasing organization that strategically partners with more than 41,000 healthcare providers to reduce costs and improve quality.

“We at Sysmex America are pleased to be continuing our working relationship with Amerinet. The fact that this is our third consecutive hematology contract award from Amerinet is a strong indicator that the reliability and uptime of our hematology instruments remain critical to a clinical laboratory’s survival in a new healthcare era. We look forward to meeting these expectations,” said John Kershaw, President & CEO, Sysmex America, Inc.

Amerinet GPO members also have access to the Sysmex Peak Performance Program. This program is a rich and comprehensive set of systems and resources that set apart three distinct categories of instrument or system support for Amerinet’s GPO member-sites: Pre-implementation, Implementation and Long-Term. Amerinet GPO customers can select their support services of choice. Sysmex’s hematology contract partnership with Amerinet follows a dual-source urinalysis contract awarded to Sysmex by Amerinet for its GPO members.

About Amerinet

As a leading national healthcare group purchasing organization, Amerinet strategically partners with acute and alternate care providers to reduce costs and improve quality through its performance solutions. Built on a foundation of data, savings and trust, and supported by a team of clinical and supply chain experts, Amerinet enriches healthcare delivery for its members and the communities they serve. To learn more about the Amerinet difference, visit www.amerinet-gpo.com.

About Sysmex America, Inc.

Sysmex America, Inc., the U.S. headquarters of Sysmex Corporation (Kobe, Japan), is a world leader in clinical laboratory systemization and solutions, including clinical diagnostics, automation and information systems. Serving customers for over 40 years, Sysmex focuses on extending the boundaries of diagnostic science while providing the management information tools that make a real difference in clinical and operational results for people worldwide. For more information about Sysmex, please visit www.sysmex.com/usa.

SOURCE Sysmex America

http://www.amerinet-gpo.comhttp://www.sysmex.com/usa

Sysmex America Announces Amerinet Hematology Contract | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

MUNDELEIN, Ill., Sept. 28 /CHICAGOPRESSRELEASE.COM/ — Sysmex, a global leader in medical diagnostic testing equipment and information systems technology, today announced that the company has been awarded a BPA Equipment purchase contract agreement. The contract was issued by USA Medical Research ACQ Activity for the U.S. Army Medical Material Agency (USAMMA). Under the agreement, Sysmex will supply medical hematology analyzers as listed under GSA GS-07F-5531R in a configuration to support the specific needs of the military including bio-medical training for field-based Medical Maintainers. USAMMA fulfills needs at hospitals and clinics in the U.S., Europe, and the medical units stationed and deployed throughout Southwest Asia.

“Sysmex is honored to be given the opportunity to meet the inherent challenges of hematology testing unique to army-deployed medical units. We trust that the reliability and durability of Sysmex’s hematology analyzers will serve the Army’s clinical laboratory professionals exceptionally well, as they provide field medical care to our men and women in uniform. Working with USAMMA throughout the process has been a rewarding experience. We look forward to working and refining this program to meet the changing needs of our military forces,” said Cathleen Fuhrman, Corporate Account Executive-Federal Government, Sysmex America.

Sysmex’s broad range of hematology products and its instrument configuration flexibility enables Sysmex America to meet the hematology needs of all military branches in a wide variety of field applications, resulting in long-term contract program sustainability for all military branches.

About Sysmex America, Inc.

Sysmex America, Inc., the U.S. headquarters of Sysmex Corporation (Kobe, Japan), is a world leader in clinical laboratory systemization and solutions, including clinical diagnostics, automation and information systems. Serving customers for over 40 years, Sysmex focuses on extending the boundaries of diagnostic science while providing the management information tools that make a real difference in clinical and operational results for people worldwide. For more information about Sysmex, please visit www.sysmex.com/usa.

SOURCE Sysmex America, Inc.

http://www.sysmex.com/usa

U.S. Army to Benefit From Sysmex Hematology Instrument Reliability | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

By Brett BallantiniCSNChicago.com

ANAHEIM Meanwhile, in matters not centered on Ozzie Guillens did-he or didnt-he pitch for a long-term contract extension

The Chicago White Sox won Saturday nights baseball game in SoCal, romping 6-2 over the Anaheim Angels in continued dominance over their vanquished 2005 ALCS foes. In fact, since that battle for the AL pennant, the White Sox have failed to lose a single season series vs. Anaheim. Saturdays win pushed Chicagos season record vs. the Angels to 6-2 and ensured the 82-72 Chisox a plus-.500 mark for the season.

John Danks earned the first win by a White Sox starter in 19 games by tossing eight innings of seven-hit, two-run ball. It was Dankss first outing vs. Anaheim since his career masterwork, a complete-game, two-hit win that he polished off in less than two hours back in Chicago on July 8.

Ive had a couple of rough ones coming into this one, said Danks, who admitted he was unaware of Chicagos winless streak for starters and was left relatively speechless by the fact. I want to go out there and finish on a high note, try and get on a roll for my last starts.

John has worked very hard. Hes a bulldog, Guillen said. Hes matured a lot. He knows how to pitch now.

In this win, Danks shook off a shaky two-run, two-hit, one-walk, one-HBP first to be perfect in the subsequent seven innings. In fact, Danks didnt walk a batter for six innings after a leadoff pass to Angels center fielder Peter Bourjos and walked just two in the game.

The first couple of innings I was a little worried, Danks said. Catcher Ramon Castro did a great job, called an awesome game. I shook Castro off maybe twice tonight and those turned into a couple of hits. Just have to bow your neck and tell yourself youre just going to try to give the team five, six innings. I definitely felt I wasnt right and needed to do something, and was able to.

He struggled early in the game, couldnt find the plate, Guillen said. But he went through it, and after that he started to throw the ball very well.

With the win, the fourth-year lefty assured himself of a career-high in innings pitched (and his second campaign of 200-plus) and the 2010 team high in victories, with 14.

Obviously, its nice to set a new career high and feel like youre contributing a little bit, but Id trade them all back to go to the playoffs, Danks said. Its a team game.

Meanwhile, a Chicago offense that Danks admitted relaxed him roared in the third, scoring four runs, fueled by Alexei Ramirezs one-out, two-run single and subsequent doubles by Alex Rios and Manny Ramirez.

Castro added a solo shot to straight center in the fourth, and in the seventh inning Juan Pierre squeezed home Brent Morel to finish the games scoring. Morel continued to impress, going 2-4 on the night with two runs scored and a nifty diving play to retire Juan Rivera in the sixth.

Thats the reason Morel is still out there, Guillen said. He gives you good at-bats and his defense is outstanding. Defense wins games, and thats why hes out there every day.

In the ninth, Chris Sale bailed out J.J Putz for the second time in two games, coming on to douse the threat after Putz started the inning by issuing a free pass to leadoff batter Hank Conger.

I didnt like the way Putz was throwing, very wild, and I didnt want to bring Sale in with the game on the line and a lot of people on base, Guillen explained, before praising his prize lefty: As long as this kid is healthy, hes going to be nasty.

It took Sale just four pitches to induce a rally-killing double play out of pinch-hitter Hideki Matsui. Sale then whiffed Bourjos on five crisp pitches, ending the game.

Thats what we needed right there, Sale said. It was good to get the double play and finish the game strong. Im having fun with it, just going out there and competing, trying to get comfortable and find the strike zone.

Brett
Ballantini is
CSNChicago.coms White Sox Insider. Follow him @CSNChi_Beatnik
on Twitter for up-to-the-minute Sox information.

Article brought to you by Comcast SportsNet

Sox cruise as Ozzie controversy runs rampant | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

ANAHEIM Meanwhile, in matters not centered on Ozzie Guillens did-he or didnt-he pitch for a long-term contract extension

The Chicago White Sox won Saturday nights baseball game in SoCal, romping 6-2 over the Anaheim Angels in continued dominance over their vanquished 2005 ALCS foes. In fact, since that battle for the AL pennant, the White Sox have failed to lose a single season series vs. Anaheim. Saturdays win pushed Chicagos season record vs. the Angels to 6-2 and ensured the 82-72 Chisox a plus-.500 mark for the season.

John Danks earned the first win by a White Sox starter in 19 games by tossing eight innings of seven-hit, two-run ball. It was Dankss first outing vs. Anaheim since his career masterwork, a complete-game, two-hit win that he polished off in less than two hours back in Chicago on July 8.

Ive had a couple of rough ones coming into this one, said Danks, who admitted he was unaware of Chicagos winless streak for starters and was left relatively speechless by the fact. I want to go out there and finish on a high note, try and get on a roll for my last starts.

John has worked very hard. Hes a bulldog, Guillen said. Hes matured a lot. He knows how to pitch now.

In this win, Danks shook off a shaky two-run, two-hit, one-walk, one-HBP first to be perfect in the subsequent seven innings. In fact, Danks didnt walk a batter for six innings after a leadoff pass to Angels center fielder Peter Bourjos and walked just two in the game.

The first couple of innings I was a little worried, Danks said. Catcher Ramon Castro did a great job, called an awesome game. I shook Castro off maybe twice tonight and those turned into a couple of hits. Just have to bow your neck and tell yourself youre just going to try to give the team five, six innings. I definitely felt I wasnt right and needed to do something, and was able to.

He struggled early in the game, couldnt find the plate, Guillen said. But he went through it, and after that he started to throw the ball very well.

With the win, the fourth-year lefty assured himself of a career-high in innings pitched (and his second campaign of 200-plus) and the 2010 team high in victories, with 14.

Obviously, its nice to set a new career high and feel like youre contributing a little bit, but Id trade them all back to go to the playoffs, Danks said. Its a team game.

Meanwhile, a Chicago offense that Danks admitted relaxed him roared in the third, scoring four runs, fueled by Alexei Ramirezs one-out, two-run single and subsequent doubles by Alex Rios and Manny Ramirez.

Castro added a solo shot to straight center in the fourth, and in the seventh inning Juan Pierre squeezed home Brent Morel to finish the games scoring. Morel continued to impress, going 2-4 on the night with two runs scored and a nifty diving play to retire Juan Rivera in the sixth.

Thats the reason Morel is still out there, Guillen said. He gives you good at-bats and his defense is outstanding. Defense wins games, and thats why hes out there every day.

In the ninth, Chris Sale bailed out J.J Putz for the second time in two games, coming on to douse the threat after Putz started the inning by issuing a free pass to leadoff batter Hank Conger.

I didnt like the way Putz was throwing, very wild, and I didnt want to bring Sale in with the game on the line and a lot of people on base, Guillen explained, before praising his prize lefty: As long as this kid is healthy, hes going to be nasty.

It took Sale just four pitches to induce a rally-killing double play out of pinch-hitter Hideki Matsui. Sale then whiffed Bourjos on five crisp pitches, ending the game.

Thats what we needed right there, Sale said. It was good to get the double play and finish the game strong. Im having fun with it, just going out there and competing, trying to get comfortable and find the strike zone.

Article brought to you by Comcast SportsNet

White Sox cruise as Ozzie controversy runs rampant | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

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CHICAGO—-The state of Illinois notified Aetna that it has awarded a Medicaid managed care contract to Aetna Better HealthSM, Aetna’s Medicaid business.

Aetna Wins Contract for Illinois Managed Medicaid Pilot Program | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – A loud crash. A crumpled front end. A brief stay in an ambulance.

It was a very bad start to Tom Brady’s day.

A new contract. The highest average salary in the NFL. A deal that ties him to the New England Patriots through 2014.

It was a very good ending.

The shaggy-haired star quarterback was involved in a two-car crash near his home in Boston’s Back Bay at about 6:30 a.m. Thursday and was unhurt. One of the NFL’s marquee players stood beside the damaged black Audi he had been driving with a fire engine behind him.

Then his day began to improve.

Brady made it to Gillette Stadium for the walkthrough practice beginning about 10:45 a.m. and participated with his teammates, all in full uniform, in a practice beginning shortly after 1 p.m. Everything appeared normal as he stretched then lofted passes to both sides of the field.

And then he wrapped up some unfinished business.

Brady agreed to a four-year contract extension beginning in 2011, two people with knowledge of the contract said Thursday night. It has an average annual value of $18 million — and a total of $48.5 million guaranteed, one of those persons said. Both spoke on condition of anonymity because the paperwork had not yet been filed with the NFL.

The extension was first reported by Peter King of Sports Illustrated during halftime of NBC’s telecast of the Minnesota-New Orleans game.

This season Brady will make $6.5 million in the final year of a four-year extension that averaged $12 million.

The two-time Super Bowl MVP wanted to get his new deal done before the season opener Sunday at home against the Cincinnati Bengals, although he said he wouldn’t let it distract him. Considering that he sustained a season-ending knee injury in the 2008 opener, having a deal in place before his first snap of the season provides security in case of another injury.

“I don’t assume anything any more in life,” Brady had said Wednesday when asked if he was excited about possibly being with the Patriots for a long time. “I don’t think anything is guaranteed to us beyond what we have today and I really feel that way. That’s the approach I’ve taken over the years, because you never really know when your last day will be.”

Brady wants to play even beyond his new deal, which expires when he’s 37. He’s entering his 11th season and has said he’d like to play 10 more years.

“I think we’re fortunate to get paid for something that we love,” he said Wednesday. “There’s no better job in the world that I’d rather have, to do what I’m doing. That’s why I want to do it for a long time. Everything else in my life pales in comparison to how much I love this.”

He kept doing it Thursday despite the car crash.

The 21-year-old driver of a red minivan involved in the crash, Ludgero Rodrigues, was cited Thursday for failing to stop at a red light, based on witnesses statements, police said. Two other people left the minivan and had no visible injuries, they said.

The police report didn’t name Brady but said the driver of the Audi had no visible injuries and was evaluated by Emergency Medical Services. A 49-year-old passenger in the minivan was freed with the Jaws of Life and taken to a hospital.

Brady went to work.

From a sixth-round draft choice out of Michigan in 2000 to a three-time Super Bowl champion and 2007 NFL MVP, he has come from obscurity to reach the top of his sport. And now he’s getting paid like it.

The average value of Brady’s deal surpasses that of New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning, who agreed this year to a six-year, $97.5 million ($16.25 million average) extension starting next year. He’s making $9.4 million this season.

Peyton Manning is in the final year of a seven-year, $98 million deal ($14 million average) and Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay said he intends to make his quarterback the NFL’s highest paid player.

But for now, after a very eventful day, that distinction belongs to Brady.

Brady’s day starts with crash, ends with contract (AP) | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

That’s according to a survey released today by Manpower, an employee placement company.

But some of the numbers aren’t positive. 13 percent of employers are planning on decreasing staff levels, compared to only 4 percent last quarter.

Anne Edmunds is with Manpower. She says employers continue to be cautious when it comes to hiring.

EDMUNDS: Companies have built into their business model more of a flexible workforce. So they’re using more contract labor than they have in the past because they’re unsure of you know where this economy is going to go.

71 percent of Chicago employers plan to maintain their current staff levels next quarter and 14 percent plan on hiring more workers.

250 employers in the Chicago-area were surveyed.

Originally reported by Chicago Public Radio. Read the original article here.

Report: Chicago-area Staffing Levels are Stable | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

QUINCY — Sept. 6, 2010 — Gov. Pat Quinn today announced the awarding of contracts for a $2.4 million construction project at the Illinois Veterans’ Home at Quincy, the latest work to begin under the Illinois Jobs Now! capital construction program.

“It is imperative that our Veterans homes serve as safe havens where the men and women who selflessly chose to defend our democracy can get the care they need,” said Governor Quinn. “This project will make the Veterans’ Home at Quincy an even safer, even better place for the men and women who deserve it most.”

“Quincy is the oldest and largest of the four Veterans’ homes that we operate statewide, and its continued maintenance is essential to the safety of our residents and staff,” said Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs Director Dan Grant. “We are grateful that these contracts will not only provide physical improvements to the facility but also construction jobs.”

The project will replace the deteriorated chimney stack and ash handling system at the Quincy Veterans’ Home. The general construction contract worth $2.056 million was awarded to Waterkotte Construction Inc. of Quincy. The heating and air conditioning contract was awarded to Doyle Plumbing and Heating Co. of Jacksonville on their bid of $380,629. The contracts were awarded following a state-mandated competitive bidding process.

The chimney stack, built in 1886, has deteriorated and temporary repairs have reduced its height. The construction project will replace the deteriorated bricks and increase the stack height to meet Environmental Protection Agency emission requirements, and to generate the proper amount of updraft to maintain proper boiler operation. The ash handling system, which removes caustic materials generated by the power plant operation, will also be replaced.

The construction work will be coordinated by the Capital Development Board (CDB), which administers all state-funded, non-road construction projects. The project is expected to create approximately 17 construction jobs. It will begin this fall and be completed by late 2011.

“As a wounded combat Veteran myself, I feel very strongly about the medical care received by our fighting men and women. We will make sure this project helps the Veterans’ Home operate more efficiently,” said CDB Executive Director Jim Riemer.

Opened in 1886, the Illinois Veterans’ Home at Quincy is the state’s flagship Veterans’ home. The Home, often labeled a “city within a city” because of its size, sits on 210 acres and houses 25 buildings on the northern edge of Quincy. More than 450 veterans from 70 of the state’s 102 counties call the facility home.

Governor Quinn Announces $2.4 Million Capital Project at Quincy Veterans’ Home | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

CHICAGO – Bob Bradley will remain coach of the U.S. men’s soccer team through the 2014 World Cup.

U.S. Soccer announced late Monday it had agreed to a four-year contract extension with Bradley, whose current deal expires in December. Bradley is 38-20-8 over the last four years, including a victory over then-No. 1 Spain at last year’s Confederations Cup. The Americans reached the second round at the World Cup in South Africa before losing to Ghana.

US Soccer signs Bradley to four-year extension (AP) | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

LOS ANGELES – The owner of an RV dealership sued by Taylor Lautner over a customized vehicle challenged the “Twilight” star Monday to use his muscles instead of his lawyers to resolve the case.

Brent McMahon, who owns McMahon’s RV in Irvine, Calif., offered to compete in a push-up contest to settle the breach of contract lawsuit that Lautner filed Aug. 23 claiming the dealership failed to deliver a $300,000 RV on time for use as a dressing room on the set of the actor’s latest film.

McMahon and his attorney denied wrongdoing and said they will vigorously defend the case in court if Lautner, 18, doesn’t accept the challenge.

The dealership said Lautner’s camp had sought a $40,000 settlement to resolve the case, leading to the unorthodox proposal by McMahon. The 47-year-old businessman said if he won the contest, he would donate the settlement money to Children’s Hospital of Orange County.

Lautner’s attorney Robert Barta declined comment, citing the pending lawsuit.

Lautner’s lawsuit claimed McMahon’s failed to complete the customized RV on time, and it needed additional work after it was delivered.

It was unclear what upgrades Lautner sought. McMahon said the vehicle was given a custom paint job.

Lautner gained fame for his role as Jacob Black in the “Twilight” movie series. He is currently filming “Abduction” and will reprise his role as Black in the two-part “Twilight” finale.

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Beginning in September, Exelon will launch the first of 101 individual projects in a $4.6 billion spending program that includes the decommissioning of the shuttered Zion Station in Lake County, equipment upgrades at six Illinois nuclear plants to produce more carbon-free megawatts and refueling outages that require thousands of temporary workers.

By way of context, the total allocation under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act for Chicago, Cook County and the collar counties is $3.6 billion.

“This is our own economic stimulus program for Illinois,” said Exelon Nuclear President and Chief Nuclear Officer Michael Pacilio. “The state is going through tough economic times, and we believe private investment, ultimately, is what will bring us back to prosperity. We want the people of Illinois to know that we’re vested in their future.”

The first project in line is the decommissioning of the Zion Station, which officially begins in September. The $1 billion, 10-year project will be the largest nuclear plant dismantling ever undertaken in the United States, requiring an average of 200 skilled workers each year, most of them local, and a peak workforce of 400. Zion Station sits on the shore of Lake Michigan about 40 miles north of Chicago.

In a first-of-its kind arrangement approved by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Exelon expects to transfer the station license early next month to EnergySolutions, a Salt Lake City nuclear services company that will dismantle the plant and remove material and parts to its Utah waste facility. At the completion of the project, responsibility for the site will transfer back to Exelon, and the 200-acre site will be available for other unrestricted commercial uses. Throughout the process, Exelon will retain ownership of the plant’s used nuclear fuel, which must remain on the property in a secure facility.

EnergySolutions is an industry leader in the decommissioning of nuclear plants and permanent disposal of nuclear waste, and has clients worldwide. EnergySolutions was formed in 2006 by merging BNG America, Duratek, Envirocare of Utah, and the D&D division of Scientech.

“The Zion plant has been part of our community for years, and we’re gratified that it will continue to deliver benefits over the next decade as it is dismantled,” said City of Zion Mayor Lane Harrison. “This project will be of immense help to our residents by bringing desperately needed new employment.”

Other Exelon projects include:

• Planned investments totaling $1.4 billion in uprates at six Illinois nuclear stations, generating an estimated 50 permanent positions and an additional 280 full-time equivalent jobs. The installation of state-of-the-art equipment and materials will increase continuous generation of carbon-free electricity in Illinois by 420 million watts.
• Execution of additional plant upgrades and 33 nuclear plant refueling operations at Exelon’s six Illinois nuclear plants through 2015, at a cost of $2.2 billion (not including the cost of uranium fuel). The 33 refueling outages alone will result in approximately $990 million spent for contractor services including wages for about 3,700 full-time equivalent positions.

“This kind of private investment in infrastructure with an eye to the future is what we need more of in Illinois,” said Jerry Roper, president of the Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce. “The people of Illinois should take note that Illinois business and industry and the workers we depend on are leading the way to new investment and recovery.”

A “full-time equivalent” job is the sum of work hours that total 2080 (the normal number of work hours in a year). Multiple part-time or temporary positions can equal one full-time equivalent position.

Additional information about the Zion Station decommissioning can be found at www.exeloncorp.com and www.EnergySolutions.com.

Exelon Corporation is one of the nation’s largest electric utilities with more than $17 billion in annual revenues. The company has one of the industry’s largest portfolios of electricity generation capacity, with a nationwide reach and strong positions in the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic.

Exelon distributes electricity to approximately 5.4 million customers in northern Illinois and southeastern Pennsylvania and natural gas to approximately 486,000 customers in the Philadelphia area. Exelon is headquartered in Chicago and trades on the NYSE under the ticker EXC.

Starting With Zion Station Decommissioning, Exelon to Make 5-Year, $4.6 Billion Investment in Illinois | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.