| Cross Plains residents pleased
CROSS PLAINS - After sitting dark for nearly two years, the building that once housed a Lands' End call center was buzzing Wednesday morning with smiles, applause and optimism as local and state leaders welcomed an insurance giant to this village of 3,000. With a construction crew toiling in the background to update the building, Gov. Jim Doyle said that Allstate Insurance Co. will soon fill the space with its own call center and about 200 jobs while receiving up to $750,000 in state tax credits. "I know this community well and you are going to find the best, hardest-working people," Doyle told Allstate representatives. "The Department of Commerce worked hard to help the community find a new use for this facility." Leo Fansler, Allstate assistant vice president for claims, said the planned Cross Plains office, which will be one of eight Allstate express-claims call centers in the United States, will help the company achieve its goal of providing the best customer service in the insurance industry.
Local Medical Leaders Develop Plan for Physician-Owned Insurance ...
In response to the growing health insurance crisis, local medical leaders have developed plans to create The Physicians Assurance Corp. (TPAC). The intended goal of TPAC is to provide a fair, equitable, and shared insurance solution primarily owned and managed by local physicians for both the medical community and small employer members. "Group medical insurance premium rates are not stable for small employers, especially in the central Ohio market. It is not uncommon to see price increases two to three times the trend," said Dr. Alice Epitropoulos, founder of The Refractive Center of Ohio and board member of TPAC. "This variance leads to significant employer uncertainty and in turn, uncertainty to their employees." "Small employers see larger premium rate increases because they lack the purchasing power of larger employers.
Newtek Business Services Enters Into Web Linking Agreement with ...
NEW YORK, April 9 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Newtek Business Services, Inc. (NASDAQ: NEWT) (http://www.newtekbusinessservices.com/), a provider of business services and financial products to the small business market, today announced that it has signed an agreement which allows Newtek to market its services through the AIG Small Business website (http://www.aigsmallbusiness.com/). Both companies hope this agreement will allow them to grow their respective presence and leadership in providing business services, financial products and insurance to their respective existing and future clients. "AIG Small Business is dedicated to helping small business pioneers reach their maximum potential with peace of mind that their business risks are minimized. We are focused on serving local business owners throughout the United States who are the key drivers of US economic growth.
Genworth Financial Opens Regional Office in Johnson City
Steve Wilson, General Agent, with the Mid-South Long Term Care Insurance Group has opened a regional office at 801 Sunset Drive in Johnson City. The Mid-South office provides support for Georgia, Tennessee and Northern Alabama. Genworth Life Insurance Company is a Genworth Financial company. Its Long Term Care Insurance Division helped pioneer the development of long term care insurance in 1974, and has been an industry leader ever since. Genworths comprehensive long term care insurance plans help people protect their retirement savings and preserve their financial independence. Our agency specializes in helping to protect families and businesses against the risk of long term care expenses. For information about long term care insurance, including individual or group sales presentations and/or career opportunities in long term care insurance sales, contact the local office at 423-282-1019.
To Shore Up the Force, SDPD Bails Out of Task Forces
Monday, April 9, 2007 | For the last two years, as dozens of police officers have left the San Diego Police Department, the city has pulled police officers out of some of the region's most cutting-edge public safety programs. The city is now no longer represented on at least two major crime task forces that it contributed officers to until 2006. The SDPD has also reduced the number of its investigators on several other task forces, a move that has sparked criticism from the local law enforcement agencies who have been left to pick up the slack. .
Allianz Sheds Its Accident-Prone Past
WHEN MICHAEL DIEKMANN ASSUMED the chief executive job at German insurer Allianz four years ago this month, the global financial giant had just reported a record quarterly loss after a costly acquisition of Dresdner Bank and had posted big provisions for Sept. 11 and asbestos claims in the U.S. Investors had watched their shares go into free fall, losing about 80% of their value. At last, the insurer, with Diekmann at the helm, seems to have put that nasty string of disasters behind it. Best known in the U.S. for its Pimco money-management and Fireman's Fund insurance businesses, Allianz is ... .
Canadian-educated physicians need to practice in Canada, not the US
Health is a unity and harmony within the mind, body and spirit which is unique to each person, and is as defined by that person. The level of wellness or health is, in part, determined by the ability to deal with and defend against stress. Health is determined by physiological, psychological, socio-cultural, spiritual, and developmental stage variables. .
Norvax Names Steve Greanias Director of Client Services
Today Norvax, the leading provider of online insurance marketing tools and sales technology to the health insurance industry, announced that Steve Greanias has joined the company as director of client services. Chicago (PRWeb) April 1, 2007 -- Today Norvax, the leading provider of online insurance marketing tools and sales technology to the health insurance industry, announced that Steve Greanias has joined the company as director of client services. Mr. Greanias joins Norvax from Wilson Dow Group, a marketing consulting agency focusing on internal communications and sales strategies for pharmaceutical companies. At Norvax, Mr. Greanias will oversee all client services, including support and training programs for insurance agents, general agencies, and carriers.
People on the move
Gregory Buck joins Telemus Merchant Bank as managing director. Telemus Merchant Bank is part of Telemus Capital Partners LLC. Tim Burns was recently elected to serve a three-year term on the board of directors for Clawson Community Credit Union. Burns is an attorney with the Better Business Bureau and represents the cities of Clawson and Troy on the Oakland County Board of Commissioners. Health care Detroit Receiving Hospital appointed Tommye Hinton associate vice president of patient care services. MPRO hired Daniel Van Ackeren to serve as vice president of marketing and business development. Van Ackeren will oversee the organization's sales and future growth opportunities. Detroit Receiving Hospital appointed three new members to its board of trustees.
Holding the Line on Employee Benefits Costs
If you want to get small-business owners riled up, ask them how much they're spending on employee health-care coverage. What can small employers do to hold down costs? To explore this and other questions, we spoke with Dan McCarthy, a principal in the New York life and health practice at Milliman Inc., a New York-based consulting firm whose clients include small employers. Mr. McCarthy is an actuary and a former chairman of Milliman. WSJ.com: How can small employers know if their employee benefits are cost effective? Mr. McCarthy: There really are no standard measures to judge the cost effectiveness of ... .
Student Health Center offers students affordable medical care
When cold and flu season comes, one of the many reasons why students hope they do not get sick is because of the cost involved with getting better.
With insurance co-pay and numerous medicines, students can generally expect to pay around $50 to get well. This is not the case with the Student Health Center.
Designed for currently enrolled students, the Health Center system is a way for students to get the medical attention they need, at a price they can afford.
"The health center is a great way for students to have medical resources," Shelly Kendrick, senior English major said. "Those with a lower income are able to get medical attention with out the high costs."
Slashing back prices on medicine is a large perk of the Student Health Center.
Business people on the move
John LaRue, director at Miami-based accounting firm Mallah Furman, was named president of the Greater Miami Tax Institute.
BankUnited Financial Corp., parent company of BankUnited FSB, named Andrés G. Manrara senior vice president, financial consultant, based in the bank's Coral Gables headquarters. Nancy Ernst was named vice president and market manager for Central Palm Beach County, based out of the Boynton Beach office.
BrightStar Credit Union named Colette Alhabahbeh manager of its Hollywood branch.
Great Florida Bank announced David Edward Hernandez was appointed to executive operations officer.
Rachel Lapidot, vice president of business development at Republic Federal, was recognized as "Woman of Valor" for the "OR" and "Mazal" chapters of NA'AMAT USA at their recent annual awards presentation gala luncheon held at the Aventura Turnberry Jewish Center-Beth Jacob.
SC Gov. and Insurers Call Senate Workers' Comp Bill 'Weak'
The South Carolina Senate has passed workers' compensation reform legisaltion but many observers are not impressed and hope the House will do a better job. The bill, S. 332, moves to the House this week. Backers hope it will hep employers save on premiums. "The bill will lead to stability in premiums over time, said Sen. Brad Hutto, D-Orangeburg. "But none of this is going to happen on anybody's next month's premium,'' he said. The bill calls for businesses that understate how much they pay workers or classify workers improperly face felony charges. The legislation also would eliminate the Second Injury Fund, a program intended to cover future injuries of workers with past workplace injuries and illnesses. Problems with payments for arthritis and a surge of claims have made payments to that fund skyrocket in recent years, costing state businesses hundreds of millions of dollars.
Fear of lawsuits means fewer radiologists read mammograms
It's white on white - white tumors on white breast tissue - and it can be very difficult to see, even for the most experienced eye.Mammography is arguably the most difficult thing radiologists do, but it is also one of radiology's most common and most important practices. .
Gazette Opinion: Lawmakers must CHIP away kids' care barrier
U.S. Sen. Max Baucus and a ballroom full of parents, health-care professionals and policy makers this week turned the spotlight on national efforts to insure American children. Baucus, chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, held a hearing in Billings to get ideas on improving the federal Children's Health Insurance Program, which will expire in September. Baucus said reauthorizing and expanding CHIP is his No. 1 health-care priority and he pledged to have it accomplished well before the Sept. 30 deadline.In Montana, the state's Children's Health Insurance Plan faces a tighter deadline. Any improvement of the program for the next two years must be authorized by the Legislature before it adjourns in the next three weeks.Senate Bill 22 sponsored by Sen. Dan Weinberg proposes to expand eligibility by raising the maximum family income from 150 percent of poverty to 175 percent of poverty ($36,177 annual income for a family of four).
Fidelity National Real Estate Solutions Acquires Realigent's Award ...
JACKSONVILLE, Fla., March 12 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Fidelity National Real Estate Solutions, a division of Fidelity National Financial, Inc. (NYSE: FNF) , announced today that it has acquired the assets of Realigent, an Irvine, California-based technology company that provides software solutions for real estate professionals. Fidelity National Real Estate Solutions (FNRES) will now own and offer Realigent's industry-leading rDesk(TM), CMA Deluxe, VantagePoint and SearchPoint, as well as HomeSeekers.com, Realigent's established consumer portal for locating properties and REALTORS. According to Fidelity National Real Estate Solutions SVP and General Manager of Broker Agent Products and Data Aggregation, John Hensley, his company's acquisition of Realigent's superior tools for REALTORS(R), brokers and Multiple Listing Services will significantly enhance FNRES' already robust product line up, firmly solidifying the company as the industry's preeminent technology solution provider.
Oak Lawn mayor points to progress after two years, but critics ...
Early in the 2005 campaign for mayor, Dave Heilmann cast himself as a different kind of political character when he belted out show tunes for campaign cash. But the Oak Lawn native relied on more than just his theatrical skills to captivate an audience of voters. Heilmann railed against wasteful spending, sky-high legal bills, back-door deals and what he calls an ill-conceived Center of Town development that left taxpayers on the hook for more than $1 million. And he pledged to update Oak Lawn's image. Voters liked what they heard, and in spring 2005, they elected the business attorney. Two years after Heilmann was sworn into office, the former park district board president still casts himself as the leader poised to bring Oak Lawn into the 21st century.
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