In the Open Category, First Place went to K-9 Achievement Center of Centertown, a revolutionary dog-training and police-dog facility. Madhatterr Games Presents… of Lamar, a company specializing in online, supernatural-fantasy gaming, took Second. Kaitlynn’s, a restaurant specializing in cheesecake and dessert in Brunswick, won Third Place.

In the Youth Category, two projects made it to the State Level. First place went to Holdems Company, owned by KD and Becca Burkhart of Keytesville. Holdems offers wire-based products like tomato cages and sports equipment. Second place went to Nick’s Glycerin Soaps of Blue Springs, an allergy-free soap company run by Nickolaus Dungy.

The MADE In Missouri State Entrepreneurship Competition is an economic development project that provides new and potential business owners in Missouri an opportunity to put their business ideas up against others throughout the state. The State Level was the last of three phases in the competition. Businesses competed using a business plan and a 20-minute presentation to judges consisting of business professionals and technical assistance specialists. The competition also included a trade show-open free to the public-which highlighted finalists’ wares and accomplishments. Winners were announced at the Awards Ceremony that afternoon with Senator James Mathewson as Master of Ceremonies.

“I’m pretty speechless,” says Alena, the business manager for K-9 Achievement. “We are overwhelmingly grateful. We [she and her husband Michael] have been dreaming of being in business together since high school, and that dream never went away. Winning this competition is a blessing for us. We’re very excited!”

First, Second, and Third Place cash prizes in both categories were $2500, $1500, and $1000, respectively. All participants, regardless of placement, are also provided continuing support from technical assistance professionals beyond the competition.

As the new businesses prepare for their next phases, MADE Allies are now looking toward next year. “It has been wonderful seeing how these businesses have benefited through this process,” says Cheryl Zimny, Project Manager for MADE. “We anticipate an even larger number next year.” As she makes notes on evaluation documents, she adds, “We already have a school that is encouraging all their students to participate next year!” Drafts for Preliminary Level Criteria in the 2011 Competition are currently available at the agency Web site.

For questions or more information, go online to www.mvcaa.net/index.cfm?Page=MADE or contact Cheryl Zimny at 660-886-7476, x816.

The Missouri Alliance for the Development of Entrepreneurship (MADE) is a project facilitated by Missouri Valley Community Action Agency of Marshall, Missouri, a not-for-profit organization.

News Source for this Press Release: Missouri Alliance for the Development of Entrepreneurship :: This news release was first issued by and is Copyright © 2010 the Neotrope® News Network – all rights reserved. Originally published on CitizenWire™.

With hurricane season in full swing, Southeast Computer Solutions hopes its appeal to the charitable nature of south Florida businesses will help lessen the economic harm done by hurricanes every year. “The financial impact to small and mid-sized businesses after a hurricane is sobering,” says Ralph Ceccarelli, Vice President of Southeast Computer Solutions.

“Based on some estimates we have seen, up to 60 percent of businesses that experience downtime greater than 48 hours will be closed within three years. And what’s unfortunate is that kind of economic devastation to businesses can be prevented with relative ease.”

The IT consulting firm recommends having a disaster recovery plan for not only natural disasters like hurricanes but also fires, hardware failures, data theft and deliberate sabotage by disgruntled workers.

Ceccarelli says: “Because a ‘disaster’ can come in many forms, we always recommend a risk analysis to determine what areas pose the greatest risk. Based on identified risks, a business continuity plan can be created and preventative measures established to prevent, or minimize, potential damage.”

Southeast Computer Solutions plans to contribute all proceeds to United Way of Miami’s “Operation Prepare and Share” campaign, which notes on its Web site that 33 percent of south Floridians have no disaster plan. With only 339 donations made to date, Ceccarelli hopes his company can do its part to make “disasters” a little more manageable for all involved. Donations to Operation Prepare and Share can be made online at: www.unitedwaymiami.org .

About Southeast Computer Solutions:

Southeast Computer Solutions has been an IT consulting firm and Sage Authorized Reseller since 1985. Headquartered in Miami, Southeast has offices in Dallas and Buenos Aires. With over 600 installations across the United States and in Latin America, Southeast Computer Solutions is the largest Sage Reseller in Miami and was ranked 75 on the 2010 VAR 100 list. For more information about how to raise your company’s performance, please contact us at: www.southeastcomputers.com .

News Source for this Press Release: Southeast Computer Solutions :: This news release was first issued by and is Copyright © 2010 the Neotrope® News Network – all rights reserved. Originally published on CitizenWire™.

Using statistics drawn from the Foreclosure Deals database of foreclosure properties, the company revealed that bank repossessions, also known as REO properties, totaled 94,500 during July with a drop of less than 1 percent in the month of August, nearly matching the single-month record. Bank repossessions represent the final stage of the foreclosure process, but are still sold for discounts as bank owned homes. Notices of default, which mark a new foreclosure, were up 1 percent in July, but down over 28 percent from July of 2009.

The trend of increasing bank repossessions and fewer Notice of Default has been the case for several months, but experts are careful to point out that it does not signal that the foreclosure market is flagging.

“Foreclosure totals are up over 300,000 for the month of August, and that’s a huge number,” remarked James Foxx, a business analyst with Foreclosure Deals. “A lot of bank repos are occurring because they’re finally clearing out the huge log of properties that have been in foreclosure limbo due to moratoriums, loan negotiations and similar delays. Notices of default are down, but a lot of that has to do with foreclosure prevention programs. So we’re cutting down on new foreclosures, but there are still plenty of bank-owned homes out there, keeping the foreclosure inventory high.”

The top 5 states for foreclosure totals, California, Florida, Michigan, Illinois and Arizona, all saw foreclosures increase during August by at least 7 percent, except for California, which saw its totals decrease slightly by 3.1 percent. Illinois saw a staggering monthly increase of 33 percent mainly in Chicago.

The states with the highest rates of foreclosure however, Arizona, Florida and Nevada, all saw a dramatic decrease in foreclosures from August of 2009. Other states saw their foreclosure rate increase dramatically during the same time period, including Michigan, up 128 percent; Illinois, up 35 percent; Maryland, up 35 percent; and Georgia, up 13 percent.

“A lot of buyers are reporting great deals on bank repossessions,” notes Foxx. “Banks are looking to get rid of that surplus inventory, and prices have been very competitive.”

Foreclosure Deals is a leading source for detailed foreclosure listings, news and information for buyers and investors. For more information on foreclosures or to browse listings in your area, visit www.ForeclosureDeals.com .

News Source for this Press Release: Foreclosure Deals :: This news release was first issued by and is Copyright © 2010 the Neotrope® News Network – all rights reserved. Originally published on CitizenWire™.

Mark Maio, co-founder of RFQ Resources, explains, “During my years working with channel resellers, I found recurring pricing data needs that no one was meeting. There was tremendous demand for reliable and real-time pricing intelligence, but channel customers didn’t have time to contact every distributor and couldn’t risk revealing their product requirements to all players. RFQ Resources meets those pricing needs easily, affordably, and anonymously.”

RFQ Resources is endorsed by NASBA – The Association of Channel Resellers (www.nasba.com). NASBA Executive Director Frank Raimondi adds, “Today’s buyers have just-in-time requirements in a volatile market, and at the same time, limited visibility to spot market pricing. The process of researching the market can be a very time consuming and bring unwanted exposure. In line with NASBA’s goals of providing empowering services for resellers, RFQ Resources offers an innovative way for Resellers to quickly and anonymously collect spot market pricing from Mainstream Distributors to meet their procurement goals.”

The RFQ Resources process was designed for ease-of-use. Buyers anonymously post their specific requirements while sellers respond with equally specific anonymous bids. A secure site is provided for identity exchange to efficiently facilitate deal closure, while prospective buyers capture real-time street price data regardless of actual purchasing activity.

The current lineup of Distributors includes ASI Computer Technologies, Avnet Embedded, Americas, a division of Avnet, Inc. (NYSE: AVT), Computech, SED International, and Synnex. Channel Customers pay just $19.98 per month for unlimited access to post RFQs and obtain real-time street pricing for their product requirements. There are no other fees.

About RFQ Resources:

RFQ Resources (www.rfqresources.com) is a Web-based clearinghouse for B2B buyers and sellers of computer components to arbitrate spot-market pricing. It charges only a monthly membership and takes no active or monetary part in any transaction that is consummated.

In addition to its core service of price discovery, RFQ Resources hosts an active Channel Forum (www.channelforum.com).

News Source for this Press Release: RFQ Resources :: This news release was first issued by and is Copyright © 2010 the Neotrope® News Network – all rights reserved. Originally published on CitizenWire™.

In 2010, these readers voted again and Moonlite once again rose to the top and was selected for the best barbecue in Kentucky. Additionally, USA Today reported that Moonlite is, “One of the 10 best places to fill up your plate.”

Moonlite Bar-B-Q has also been featured in Gourmet Magazine, Southern Living, the Wall Street Journal, the Los Angeles Times and on the Food Channel.

“These successes have been such an honor and I am overwhelmed by our employees’ loyalty throughout the years,” says Patrick Bosley of Moonlite Bar-B-Q. “So, there’s simply no better way to celebrate these successes than to share them with our valued employees who have worked so diligently to keep the fires burning and the plates full.”

“It’s the people who make it all come together,” says Patrick. “Treat your customers and employees like friends and family, add a pinch of luck, mix ‘em together and get out of the way.”

Patrick Bosley is the youngest grandson of Pappy and Catherine Bosley, who built the Moonlite Bar-B-Q Inn into a Kentucky Tradition from a 30-seat roadside stand to a 350-seat, award-winning, world-renowned dinner destination.

Meats are personally selected for quality and then placed in the restaurant’s custom-built, hickory-fired pits. Meat is cooked low and slow, giving it that distinctive, hickory flavor.

For those employees who cannot make the trip, Moonlite has a new Facebook page: facebook.com/MoonliteBarBQ . People can view photos, learn about the event and more.

To shop Moonlite’s online store, visit: www.moonlite.com .

News Source for this Press Release: Moonlite Bar-B-Q Inn :: This news release was first issued by and is Copyright © 2010 the Neotrope® News Network – all rights reserved. Originally published on CitizenWire™.

This is exactly what the joint venture of World Food Association Organization S.A. Inc., World Food Ghana Ltd., (WFAO/WFG) and local partners and the Government are planning to do. February 1 the partners entered into a Joint Venture Agreement that will begin to shed some light on the lives of millions of workmen, struggling women and starving children.

Ford and WFAO/WFG are working around the clock to begin the project and infrastructure of their ten year project that encompasses 800,000 acre mega-farm that will produce sugar, corn and cassava. This project will promote food supplies for consumption and food supplies for energy.

“It is going to take a lot of work and dedication to see this project through,” said WFAO president Henry Oliver Ford. “We have a brilliant team of senior engineers in specific fields necessary to accomplish the project goals, including our very own Michael Ferguson, owner of WFAO.”

The farmers have very limited cash income and, as a result, they have traditionally been overlooked by corporations that believe they have little to offer to these poor people. This project along with other project projects proposed such as: social projects (housing, hospitals, and clinics), development projects (cement plants, asphalt plants, and brick manufacturing plants), and state revenue projects (oil refineries, petroleum plants, and saw mills), will bring in the necessary funds to create existence for the African people.

About World Food Association:

World Food Association Organization S.A. Inc. (WFAO) is incorporated in Florida, USA and parent company to World Food Ghana Ltd. (WFG), incorporated in Accra Ghana, Africa. For more information please contact us at 1-561-515-6015 in the USA or online at www.wfao.us .

News Source for this Press Release: World Food Association Organization S.A. Inc. :: This news release was first issued by and is Copyright © 2010 the Neotrope® News Network – all rights reserved. Originally published on CitizenWire™.

PETAP’s campus based and online schools and colleges directory offers information regarding hundreds of online and campus based schools. The A-Z directory page provides information about traditional campus based colleges and universities, campus based vocational schools, and campus based natural healing schools, and distance learning and online schools.

Certificate and degree program information is available through the online and traditional campus based schools and colleges directories. These directories provide information about the different certificate and degree options available.

PETAP LLC provides information regarding education partners, tuition assistance programs, accrediting organizations, career and academic services, and much more. Through the premier education channel PETAP.org, students can access information regarding a variety of available resources for gaining a higher education. Services can benefit prospective college students, business, and even communities.

To learn more about online schools and colleges visit www.PETAP.org .

About PETAP LLC:

Partners in Education and Tuition Assistance Programs (PETAP) furnishes complementary no obligation information pertaining to online and campus based schools and colleges, career assessment and counseling services, certificate and degree programs, education partners, and tuition assistance programs.

News Source for this Press Release: PETAP LLC :: This news release was first issued by and is Copyright © 2010 the Neotrope® News Network – all rights reserved. Originally published on CitizenWire™.

The new PSAs, which include television and radio spots as well as Web banners, direct audiences from around the world to visit www.state.gov where they can donate to the Fund through a secure online donation page. Americans can also donate by text messaging the word “FLOOD” to 27722, which will charge $10 to their cell phone bill. Standard text messaging and data rates apply.

In her message Secretary Clinton says, “now is a time for our shared humanity to move us to help. That is why the United States government through the Department of State has established the Pakistan Relief Fund for all Americans to join in this tremendous relief, recovery and reconstruction effort.”

Secretary Clinton’s video message can be found by visiting: www.state.gov/video/?videoid=600301459001 . The Ad Council is distributing the PSAs to media outlets nationwide today. The PSA’s will run in advertising time and space that is donated by the media.

The Pakistan Relief Fund contributions will go towards funding programs run by the Department of State and other federal agencies for relief, recovery and reconstruction efforts in Pakistan, or to provide funds to international organizations, non-profit organizations and other appropriate recipients for relief, recovery and reconstruction efforts in Pakistan.

Several companies have donated production and digital distribution services for the new PSAs and Getty Images donated images of the Pakistan floods that are featured in the television and Web ads.

For more information about the Pakistan Relief Fund, visit www.state.gov/pakistanrelief.

The Ad Council is a private, non-profit organization that marshals volunteer efforts from the advertising and media industries to deliver messages to the American public.

The State Department’s Pakistan Relief Fund builds on the momentum of the text SWAT to 50555 campaign launched earlier this year and benefits UNHCR.

Ghana has many orphans. Sometimes they are children of illiterate teenage mothers, who could not face the task of bringing up kids. Often, the mother has died or the child had to be abandoned due to abject poverty, and the father can’t or doesn’t want to look after the children. With four phases of the mission completed, the organization has given a total of tons of food and supplies worth $4 million. Sumrall announced the outreach would be extended another year to cover all of 2009.

“As with all outreach programs, our trip was truly an eye-opening experience,” said Henry Oliver Ford. “We are blessed to have had the opportunity to meet the children we have been supporting. They have endured so many hardships at very young ages that no one should have to face, ever. Serving them is something I will never forget, but as we return back to our homes and back to our families, the mission must continue, so we have decided to continue our support for another year.”

Ford and his team at WFAO has been supporting the orphanages and schools located around Ghana. The children spend their days learning in cramped classrooms with no electricity, windows, lighting or running water. Because the stay of a child in the shelter is only temporary (for example until the child’s parents are located), the number of children housed in the shelter varies a lot. Usually it houses between 10 and 20 children who stay in the shelter for 1 day up to 9 months.

The home has a full-time staff of 1 social worker living at the compound. When there are no volunteers, the social worker is hardly able to leave the compound for groceries and that’s where Henry Oliver Ford comes in. WFAO’s on-site administrators oversee the food distribution to ensure the program proceeds with integrity and focus. These hardworking members of WFAO find ways to keep the food from being stolen by desperate and hungry individuals, ensuring that the children receive the food and supplies designated as theirs.

Contact WFAO if you know of a community or other countries in need. WFAO would like to team up with you! WFAO, West Palm Beach, FL 561-515-6015 or www.wfao.us .

News Source for this Press Release: World Food Association Organization S.A. Inc. :: This news release was first issued by and is Copyright © 2010 the Neotrope® News Network – all rights reserved. Originally published on CitizenWire™.

From production and performance to marketing and career-building, this book instructs artists on how to take the hard-earned lessons of a fellow musician and put them to work in their own careers.

This book has already received favorable reviews from several industry veterans such as Scotty Moore, Jon “Bermuda” Schwartz, JC Conga and many more.

“It is going to be a harder road than you thought, and short-cutting, half-assing, and second-guessing will only hurt your career in the end. Step out, step up, and step forward. If you can’t take those three steps, you don’t belong in today’s music business,” says Weisman.

Loren Weisman is an accomplished music producer and consultant based in Seattle, WA. Having worked on hundreds of albums, studio productions, and tours as both a drummer and producer, he gained a spectrum of insight on the music industry as a whole. Loren is also the founder of Brain Grenade Entertainment LLC.

For more information on the book, visit www.artistsguide.net – or, for more information on the author, visit www.lorenweisman.com .

Title – The Artist’s Guide to Success in the Music Business.
Subtitle – The Best Moves for the Roughest Odds
Author – Loren Weisman
Type – Paper Back – 6″ x 9.” ISBN-10: 1-935359-33-9; ISBN-13: 978-1-935359-33-3; LCCN: 2010903762. Page Count – 423. Publisher – Self. Language – English.

Image of book jacket: www.braingrenadeentertainment.com/promo/bookcover-800.jpg .
Image of author: www.braingrenadeentertainment.com/promo/weisman-web8x10-color.jpg .

News Source for this Press Release: Loren Weisman :: This news release was first issued by and is Copyright © 2010 the Neotrope® News Network – all rights reserved. Originally published on CitizenWire™.