Profitable Inventory Control Systems, Inc. has added Jim Watters to their team. Jim previously sold ERP and other software solutions to manufacturing clients throughout the Southeast. He has recently been certified by CompTIA, receiving their RFID+ Certified Professional certificate.
Watters will be heading up RFID engineering, performing RFID based site surveys and manufacturer process control and consulting.
Red Hat has announced the promotion of Mark E. Cook to Vice President, Finance and Controller and the appointment of Paul Argiry as Vice President and Treasurer. Both will report to Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, Charlie Peters.
With over 30 years of financial experience, Cook joined Red Hat as Treasurer in November 2004 and later was promoted to Vice President and Treasurer. Prior to joining Red Hat, Cook served as Director of Finance at Cluett American Corp., with responsibilities for treasury and other financial functions. Cook served as Treasurer of the multi-national textile company, Guilford Mills, Inc. Previously, Cook also held a number of financial positions at Worthington Industries, Inc., Blount International, Inc. and RJR Nabisco, Inc.
Argiry brings over 15 years of diversified financial experience including public accounting, mergers and acquisitions, corporate finance and treasury. He is now responsible for leading Red Hat’s treasury function, including corporate treasury, payroll, credit and collections and facilities. Prior to this role, Argiry was the Senior Director of Corporate Finance and Treasury at Jabil Circuit, Inc., a NYSE-listed electronic manufacturing services company based in St. Petersburg, Florida. Argiry also served as Director of Finance for Mergers and Acquisitions at Jabil and worked in the audit division and transaction services group with Price Waterhouse Coopers.
The Council for Entrepreneurial Development (CED) today announced details of the featured panels of the Tech 2007 conference. The 17th annual conference, scheduled for October 10-11 at the Friday Center on the University of North Carolina campus in Chapel Hill, will feature two interactive panel discussions – “Corporate Acquisition and Investment Strategies†and “Technology Trends of Today and Tomorrowâ€.
Tech 2007 panelists include:
Eric Auchard, chief technology correspondent for Reuters, has been covering consumer Internet trends, the venture capital industry and emerging technologies for Reuters since 1993. He works as a reporter, blog editor and Web technician and serves on Reuters’ internal venture-funding board.
Donna Bogatin, founder and chief analyst of InsiderChatter.com, advises internet companies on business planning and development. She is the founder of her own web venture, UrbanSavings.com.
Don Dodge, director of Business Development for Microsoft’s Emerging Business Team, writes a daily blog, Don Dodge on The Next Big Thing. For more than 20 years, he has worked with start-ups in the software industry including high-profile companies Forte Software, AltaVista, Napster, Bowstreet and Groove Networks.
David Horowitz, principal of Comcast Interactive Capital (CIC), sources and identifies new investment opportunities and conducts due diligence on pending investments. He serves on the board of directors of CIC portfolio companies Black Arrow, Home Décor Products, Visible World and XOS Technologies.
V. Rory Jones, partner of Business Intelligence Associates, LLC, has been helping clients leverage market strategy to maximize cash flow and business value since the 1980s. He is the author of The Executive Guide to Boosting Cash Flow and Shareholder Value.
Greg Pelton, senior director of the Technology Center at Cisco Systems, Inc., has worked at Cisco for 10 years developing disruptive technologies and strategies to enter new markets. He has launched numerous businesses including IP Telephony, Wireless, Mobile Networking, IPTV, Home Networking and Telepresence.
Heather Rebuelta, investment manager of Motorola Ventures, accelerates Motorola’s existing and future businesses and markets by identifying and managing private equity investments. Previous to joining Motorola, she financed early stage to middle market technology companies at Silicon Valley Bank.
Frank Stasio, host of The State of Things on WUNC Radio, is a longtime NPR correspondent who has been in the radio industry since the age of 19. His credits include associate producer and newscaster for All Things Considered and guest host of Talk of the National, as well as other national and special news programs.
“The Tech 2007 panelists will offer insider angles on investing and future trends in technology,†said CED President Monica Doss. “These experts bring a wealth of experience and insight to Tech 2007 to showcase the dynamic culture of today’s technology industry.â€
Previously announced keynote speakers Edward Iacobucci, President and CEO of DayJet Corporation, and Ron Louks, Vice President and CTO of Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications (USA) Inc., will also impart their knowledge and experiences at Tech 2007. Louks replaces Najmi Jarwala, President of Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications (USA) Inc., who had to remove himself from the conference due to an unavoidable conflict.
In addition to interactive panel discussions and high-profile speakers, Tech 2007 offers the Demo Pavilion showcasing the innovative technologies of more than 30 companies from across the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic.
More information about CED’s Tech 2007 can be found at http://www.cednc.org/tech.
SATSair, a provider of on-demand air cab services, has announced that they have surpassed five million passenger miles since the operation began nearly three years ago.
“We’re very excited about this key milestone in the growth of our organization,†said Phil Quist, SATSair’s Vice President of Business Systems. “We’re not only excited about this key landmark, but about how our customers have helped us reach this point in our operation. This really validates the desire and demand for an affordable air cab system.â€
SATSair flew its first passenger air cab flight in November of 2004 when the company began with a single Cirrus SR22 aircraft and eight employees. The company now flies 26 aircraft and employs more than 80, which will continue to grow as the operation expands.
As one of the first next generation air taxi operators, SATSair has shown the effectiveness of the air taxi concept. With over 25,000 passenger hours completed and an average passenger load of nearly two passengers, SATSair has saved their customers approximately three hours for every hour flown, totaling 75,000 productive hours. Based on average time, meal, and hotel costs associated with traveling by car, SATSair’s customers saved an estimated $11 million during the five million miles.
SATSair currently operates a fleet of technologically advanced Cirrus SR22 aircraft. SATSair predicts that they will reach 10 million passenger miles as early as summer of 2008, nearly half the time it took to reach the first five million.
“SATSair passing the five million passenger miles mark is an incredible accomplishment not only for SATSair, but in what it means to the rapid growth ahead for all of our members in the next generation air taxi industry,†said Joe Leader, Air Taxi Association President. “The Air Taxi Association congratulates SATSair in leading the charge of providing affordable, efficient air taxi service to much of the eastern United States.â€
SATSair, Smart Air Travel Solutions, is the first company to offer the innovative air cab service based on extensive research and strategic relationships with agencies such as NASA and the FAA. Using new Cirrus SR22 aircraft, SATSair’s mission is to provide safe, convenient, economical air travel and top-notch customer service. SATSair’s service area includes much of the eastern United States, and the company plans continued expansion. As a market leader, SATSair is a founding member of the Air Taxi Association (www.atxa.com), an organization that has banded together leading next generation air taxi companies to increase market awareness and best practices. For more information on SATSair, visit www.satsair.com.
Advertising that taps into consumers’ passions is likely to deliver greater online engagement which leads to brand loyalty and advocacy, according to new research from Yahoo! (NASDAQ:YHOO) and MediaVest. According to the study, highly-engaged consumers called “Passionistas†are much more likely than typical consumers to create and share content online about their passions and the brands associated with them. By tapping into the power of Passionistas, marketers have a unique opportunity to engage these credible, influential advocates to spread brand messages through digital media.
The study, “Passionistas: The New Empowered Consumers,†which tracked the online behavior of consumers with specific passions including health, sports, food and entertainment, showed that Passionistas spend significantly more time engaged in activities related to their passions than the average consumer. For example:
In addition, Passionistas heavily engage with communities of like-minded consumers who use email, text messaging, and instant messaging significantly more than typical users, and are more likely to create and share user-generated content online such as photos, blog posts or videos about their passions. Because of their intense engagement around sharing information about their passions through digital media, Passionistas are natural brand advocates and 52% more likely than typical users to recommend or influence others about brands aligning with them.
“Being passionate today means digital content sharing and influencing others’ brand perceptions and purchase behaviors,†said Mark McLaughlin, Vice President of Audience Strategies at Yahoo!, “Marketers who build their campaigns from the start with the goal of tapping into passions are inviting consumers to get engaged and create an authentic dialogue.â€
“Brands that stimulate conversation among passionate consumers will be rewarded through the credibility that comes from trusted word of mouth,†said Jim Kite, President of Connections Research and Analytics at MediaVest. “Accessing Passionistas online also offers the ability to track this valuable group’s media consumption habits, enabling brands to optimally – and accountably – leverage their advocacy power.â€
The study also found that timing is a critical ingredient in making the most effective connection with these hyper-enthusiastic consumers. Passionistas become unusually active and engaged when their interest is sparked by noteworthy events, such as Britney Spears’ appearance at the MTV Video Music Awards, the beginning of the NFL season, the premier of a new TV show, or the opening of a new restaurant.
These “sparks†catalyze online activity such as blogging, photo sharing or instant messaging, which comes naturally to Passionistas. For example, rapper Eve’s new video might spur one Passionista to share her excitement with friends via email or texts, search online for Eve’s other recent releases, shop for similar looks, blog about the lyrics, and then share photos of herself wearing a similar dress. These spark events trigger consumer behavior way out into the long tail of media that can benefit the brand associated with this initial spark.
Additional findings from the study support the conclusion that Passionistas are more open than others to advocating brands that appear to share their passions:
According to the research, Passionistas seek relevant and timely information, including ads that look and feel like content, email subscriptions and RSS feeds, and customized suggestions from vendors like Amazon or Netflix. They hold their brands to a high standard – and expect intelligent advertising, new approaches and authenticity. These consumers are more likely than average to remix content as a way to play with a brand, using online tools that make it increasingly easy for them to create movies, songs or slideshows to share with their friends.
Lovemypets, LLC, founded by Upstate South Carolina residents Mike Macatee and Jerry Garren, announces the launch of the LovemypetsGPS® Pet Safety Collar. With a reported five million family pets reported missing annually, the product serves a real need to help owners immediately and proactively locate and track lost pets via a Web-based system.
The collar also protects pets from darkness-related accidents—as many as 1.2 million dogs are killed on US roads every year—with an expertly engineered glow-in-the-dark banding and a material with one of the highest reflective values on the market. The system’s award-winning GPS device locates and tracks both outdoors and in—even in heavily wooded areas and inside buildings—using both state-of-the-art GPS technology and cellular signals.
The safety collar is currently available for only dogs, but as GPS technology evolves, Lovemypets plans to offer a product small enough and lightweight enough to accommodate both smaller dogs and cats.
With the large number of missing pets every year, LovemypetsGPS founders Mike Macatee and Jerry Garren realized the need for a reliable pet recovery alternative. “Following very real tragedies involving lost pets, Mike and I saw a need for a reliable pet recovery alternative, rather than waiting for someone to find your pet days or weeks later,†stated co-founder Jerry Garren. “We found a solution that can deliver results in a way microchip-tagging can’t. The worried owner does not have to wait until someone else finds their pet but can instead be proactive in retrieving their own animal immediately upon identifying the pet’s location. This option eliminates the owner from having to wait on others to find, identify and try to reunite the pet owner with his or her lost pet.â€
Each order includes a safety collar with an award-winning GPS device, battery, battery charger, informational brochure, start-up guide and a convenient wallet card with simple step-by-step recovery instructions. The guide also includes phone contact information for reaching Lovemypets pet consultants, for emergency situations when system owners are unable to access the Web. Lovemypets offers additional products, including a harness and a safety leash. A sizing guide is available on www.lovemypetgps.com.
“LovemypetsGPS was born of our genuine love of pets,†said co-founder Mike Macatee. “After performing extensive research and countless interviews, we recognized that pet owners would benefit from the peace of mind of subscribing to a system that allows them to remain in control of being reunited with their lost pet. The locating and tracking technology combined with the reflective, glow-in-the-dark safety features provide the reassurance every dedicated per owner deserves.â€
For more information or to place an order, visit www.lovemypetgps.com.
The Worthwhile Company, Inc. of Greenville, SC added a new team member in September. Chris Rackley joined the development team as a Web Strategist in order to help clients establish and develop their web presence.
Chris specializes in learning the clients’ business and providing an effective web strategy that will grow their business. He received his B.A. from Bob Jones University in 2003 and has recently returned to the Greenville area to pursue his Masters’ degree.
“We are very excited to have Chris on the team,†Worthwhile Chief Operating Officer Dan Rundle said. “His enthusiasm and abilities will add a lot to our organization and provide more opportunities to serve current and future clients.â€
The Worthwhile Company, Inc. is a Greenville, South Carolina based software development, web design, web hosting, and network support team.
The international celebration of Software Freedom Day will come to Greenville, SC on Saturday, 15 September 2007. The Upstate Carolina Linux Users Group is sponsoring an all-day event with open source software demonstrations, instruction, and freebies!
Demonstrations will be held for TheOpenCD, a compilation of free open source software for users of Microsoft Windows; and several Linux distributions including: Ubuntu, Fedora Core 7, and PCLinux2007. All Linux distributions come with lots of pre-installed software including: OpenOffice, Firefox, and Beryl, which brings 3D desktop visual effects to the Linux operating system.
This event is free and open to the public.
Details
* Saturday, 15 September 2007, 10am-2pm
* Greenville County library in downtown Greenville
* map:
For additional information on Software Freedom Day visit www.uclug.org.
The Upstate Carolina Linux Users Group was founded in 1998 to facilitate communication and collaboration among members of the Upstate SC communities who want to utilize, support, or develop open source software. UCLUG is devoted to educating businesses, groups, and individuals in the Upstate about open source software and its technical, economic and social benefits; and is committed to offering positive and realistic open source solutions for local needs and challenges.
Human Technologies, Inc. (HTI), a Greenville-based recruiting and human resource services company, has been ranked Company No. 880 on the first-ever Inc. 5,000 list of the fastest-growing private companies in the country.
The Inc. 5,000, published in the September issue of Inc. magazine, is an extension of the magazine’s annual Inc. 500 list. Human Technologies landed a spot the coveted ranking by experiencing revenue growth of 397.6 percent between 2003 and 2006, well above the median three-year growth of 140 percent for companies on the Inc. 5,000. Human Technologies was also ranked No. 57 on the Top Companies in HR list.
“Human Technologies has experienced phenomenal growth since our start eight years ago,” said HTI President Herb Dew. “We attribute our success to a combination of committed employees and loyal customers.”
To qualify for the Inc. 5000, companies had to be U.S.-based and privately held, independent and have had at least $200,000 in revenue in 2003 and $2 million in 2006. According to Inc. magazine these companies, taken as a whole, represent the backbone of the U.S. economy.
We hope you didn’t miss the September meeting of the GSA Technology Council, but in case you did, you can read what we talked about in a story by Rudolph Bell of the Greenville News.
Senator seeks statewide wireless — Ritchie says state must focus on technology to prosper
