Author Archives: theprossman

Scenic View Cabins and Lodges in the Laurel Highlands Taps Virtual Edge for More Work

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Virtual Edge Collaborative, an alternative to U.S. and Pittsburgh advertising agencies, marketing companies, marketing firms, marketing agencies, web design companies and graphic design companies, has been hired again by Scenic View Cabins and Lodges in the Laurel Highlands to create and produce additional marketing materials to support its recent rebranding.

Virtual Edge Collaborative recently completed work on the property’s rebranding initiative, which included a renaming, new logo and new identity materials for the Pennsylvania lodging and event s destination. These efforts have now evolved into the creation and production of additional materials to further support this initiative, including a 12-page capabilities brochure and catalog envelope, 2-sided enlarged postcard and a press release. The brochure and matching catalog envelope will be utilized to respond to new reservation inquiries, while the postcard and press release will officially announce the renaming and rebranding of the property to the public and existing/potential customers.
 
“It is always pretty special to work with any client that is so happy with what we have previously done for them, that they come back to tap us for more work. Our first projects with Scenic View were a huge success. We are thrilled to work such a wonderful group of people again to help them further promote such a lovely destination,” said Virtual Edge President + CEO, Gregg P. Gantwarg.
 
About Scenic View:
Scenic View is a 180-acre lodging and events destination located in Laurel Highlands, just minutes from Pittsburgh’s two major ski resorts and vacation spots, (Seven Springs and Hidden Valley). The property is surrounded by natural beauty in a serene setting in Rockwood, PA, a borough of Somerset County. Among its many attributes are breathtaking panoramic views/private lake, clean and spacious lodging accommodations, ample special events facilities, close proximity to a host of activities and attractions, and a value that is unmatched to any comparable local destination. For more information, please call 412.231.2979 (ext. 103) or email sevans@scenicviewpa.com
 
About Virtual Edge Collaborative:
Virtual Edge Collaborative (The Virtual Marketing Firm) is Pittsburgh’s first and only virtual marketing firm. Virtual Edge Collaborative’s revolutionary virtual business model makes it possible for small to mid-sized businesses throughout the United States to receive high-quality marketing services, on an a la carte, all inclusive flat fee basis, from seasoned industry pros, without it costing a small fortune. Virtual Edge Collaborative typically charges up to 50% less than the average ad agency or print/web design firm.

Apangea Learning Receives Tech & Learning’s 2009 Award of Excellence

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Apangea Learning Inc., leaders in personalized, one-on-one online tutoring for students nationwide, is pleased to announce Apangea Writing has been honored with the prestigious 2009 Award of Excellence from Tech & Learning magazine, a top resource for K-12 leaders.  Apangea Writing was awarded the Award of Excellence in the New Products category in education and will be showcased in Tech & Learning’s December 2009 Awards Issue and featured online at www.techlearning.com.

Tech & Learning’s Awards of Excellence program has been recognizing outstanding education technology products for the last quarter century. With a solid reputation in the industry as a longstanding, high quality program, the Awards of Excellence recognize the “best of the best” that help educators in the business of teaching, training and managing with technology.

“It is a true honor to be recognized by Tech & Learning and be the recipient of its 2009 Award of Excellence,” expressed Apangea Learning CEO Mark DeSantis. “I am very proud of the work and dedication of entire Apangea team and all of our customers who have contributed great ideas to the development of Apangea Writing.”

All entries are tested by a panel of more than 30 educators in several rounds of judging of more than 100 entries across the country. Evaluation criteria for all entries include: quality, effectiveness, ease of use, creative use of technology, and suitability for use in an educational environment. “Our judges, who include stalwarts such as our resident expert Joe Huber and the staff of Philadelphia’s Science Leadership Academy, put dozens of entries through their paces. To come out with their seal of approval is a testament to the product” says Kevin Hogan, Editorial Director for NewBay Media’s Tech & Learning Group.

Apangea Writing, a solution designed to help student achieve writing proficiency, was released for the start of 2008-2009 school year. Highlights of Apangea Writing include:

Live, Online Certified Teachers – Customized feedback is provided through “intelligent” tutoring technology and live, certified teachers.

6-Step Writing Process – Based on one of world’s largest bodies of cognitive research, the six-step process teaches students the framework and critical skills needed to become a strong writer.

Built-in Reward – The motivational system rewards students for effort and achievement.

Advanced Reporting and Measurement – Educators monitor and track student progress and pinpoint trouble areas through easy to use, graphically rich reports.

Neuro Kinetics and Military Researchers in push to Improve Diagnosis and Treatment of Combat Brain Injuries

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With financial backing from a leading  non-profit supporter of  military medical research,  medical device manufacturer Neuro Kinetics, Inc. (www.neuro-kinetics.com) recently announced that it is collaborating with the U.S. Army Aeromedical Research Laboratory (USAARL) at Fort Rucker, Alabama, and three other military medical facilities in a comprehensive research project to improve early diagnosis and treatment of mild traumatic brain injuries (mTBI).

The coordinated research focuses on using Neuro Kinetics’ I-Portal® NOTC (Neuro-Otologic Test Center) system to evaluate and characterize vestibular, auditory and oculomotor conditions in soldiers suffering from hard-to-detect mTBI as a result of blast exposure.  An estimated 20 percent of soldiers returning from Afghanistan and Iraq suffer from mTBI.

The other military medical facilities in the research project are Tripler Army Medical Center (Hawaii), The Traumatic Brain Injury Warrior Resilience and Recovery Center at Fort Campbell (Kentucky) and Walter Reed Army Medical Center (D.C.).

The military researchers’ purchase of NKI’s I-Portal NOTC system was supported in part by grants from the T.R.U.E. Research Foundation (www.trueresearch.org), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation that assists the military medical community.

The project is expected to run until July 2010.

“It is our honor to be working closely with military researchers on this critically important effort,” said J. Howison Schroeder, NKI president and CEO. “Research suggests that the oculometric measurements included in the I-Portal NOTC’s battery of tests can provide effective neuro-physiologic and vestibular-auditory evaluations for mTBI, and that in turn can improve early screening and treatment.
“Our wounded soldiers deserve the best care possible and we are proud to be playing our part to deliver exactly that.”

The NKI-military collaboration comes as a number of U.S. military facilities have installed the I-Portal NOTC system to improve diagnosis and monitoring of returning brain-injured military personnel.  Numerous other federal government medical facilities, including those operated by the Veterans Administration and the National Institutes of Health, also rely on NKI  equipment for conducting daily clinical evaluations of patients as well as undertaking a wide range of research projects.

FLABEG Solar U.S. Corp. opens new Solar Mirror Plant with greater Product Range

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FLABEG, global leader in high-tech glass and mirror applications, is opening a new production facility for solar mirrors which are used to help generate electricity at large-scale solar power plants. The new 209.00sq.ft manufacturing facility is erected in the Clinton Commerce Park near Pittsburgh International Airport. As planned production will begin immediately, and first deliveries are schedulded for November. The factory will have a annual capacity to deliver parabolic curved mirrors up to 450 MW for PT plants. This production site is therefore equipped to produce tempered solar mirrors in addition to the established monoliths, untempered mirrors.

“Our philosophy has undergone no change, nevertheless we want to be fully prepared for all possible changes in the law,” commenting FLABEG CEO Axel Buchholz on the extended production range. “We expect some federal states will introduce standards for safety glass for Concentrated Solar Power applications, especially for the large-size RP4 mirrors measuring 1570 x 1900 mm. However, our core production will remain with untempered solar mirrors.” Field tests indicate a breakage rate of 0.027% for FLABEG untempered solar mirrors. At such low levels breakage is not an issue. “As always FLABEG continues to keep abreast oft he changing demands of the CSP market,” says Buchholz. “If parabolic trough were formerly regarded as state-of-the-art CSP technology, than other technologies have also undergone rapid research and development and demonstrated their excellence in practical application.”

The new facility will in future also be home to thinglass applications for Solar Dishes and Concentrated PV and also flat mirrors for Power Tower heliostats and Linear Fresnel power plants. Buchholz’s thanks go to the state of Pennsylvania and Gov. Ed Rendell for their first-class support during the construction phase.

“We are no strangers here, having another facility in Brackenridge, Pennsylvania, which manufactures mirror glass for automobiles. Both, the excellent social and business contacts in the area and the excellent local sources of glass were important factors in the choice of site location. FLABEG, founded in 1882, is an independent company with manufacturing facilities in Europe, America and Asia. FLABEG is active in the commercial sectors of automotive mirrors, solar glass mirrors and technical glass, specializing in all processes of glass finishing, and sets technological standard in terms of the company‘s core competencies – bending and coating.”

IQity Solutions, LLC Joins Business Growth Alliance

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Business Growth Alliance, LLC (BGA) is pleased to announce that IQity Solutions, a premier Cloud Computing and Business Performance Optimization Services firm, has joined BGA’s growing network of Affiliates. BGA has appointed Mr. David D. Gustovich, the President of IQity Solutions, to the BGA Affiliate Advisory Board.

 

IQity Solutions is a premiere Business Process & Performance Management Improvement services firm, whose core competency is creating sustainable business performance improvements. IQity’s principals have over 25 years experience. Mr. Gustovich, Founder and President of IQity Solutions said, “IQity is excited to join BGA, which shares a common goal to help the world’s best closely-held, middle market companies make decisive improvements to create more value for their stakeholders.”

 

BGA, founded in 2005, is an expanding national alliance of growth advisory and investment banking firms dedicated to providing services to controlling owners of family-owned and closely held middle market businesses. BGA has assembled a strategic mix of market leading firms, which collaborate on client matters, share back office data platforms, and research and business performance analytical tools to provide advisory and transactional services to clients throughout the United States. BGA is currently comprised of fourteen Affiliate Member Firms, with offices in 28 cities throughout the USA, and aggregating a professional team, which by year-end 2009 is expected to be approaching 300 professionals.

 

“IQity has a passion for aligning technology solutions with their elite blend of professional services and we are excited to have them on-board as a specialty service provider,” said Christian Echavarria, President & COO of Business Growth Alliance, LLC. Additionally, Mr. Echavarria added, “IQity’s specialized industry expertise in manufacturing, food & beverage, technology, and healthcare will help better meet the needs of BGA’s family-owned and closely held middle market business owner clients in those industries.”

 

“IQity is reinventing the way an organization will manage its business processes to better isolate improvement opportunities and enable real-time monitoring going forward.,” said James C. Bly, Jr., Co-Chairman of BGA. “As such, IQity is uniquely positioned and qualified to meet the growing business needs of middle market companies to find cost effective advices and tools to help improve operating results,” he added.