SBA, NUL Team Up To Promote Urban Businesses
The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) and the National Urban League (NUL) have entered a new partnership, according to SBA Administrator Hector Barreto. This collaboration is prompted by and part of the Urban Entrepreneur Partnership (UEP), a public-private initiative announced by President Bush earlier this year.

"The President’s small business agenda seeks to expand business ownership and entrepreneurship among minorities," SBA Administrator Hector Barreto said. "The Administration will undertake a unique association with the NUL to create an entrepreneurship network that will include one-stop centers for business training, counseling, financing, and contracting in historically neglected and economically underserved urban areas. We want to extend prosperity to all parts of America."

Business sessions will take place at each of the five NUL locations around the country which are the centers for the UEP. An estimated 10,500 small businesses are expected to be assisted over the course of the partnership, which can be expanded throughout the NUL’s 105 local affiliates. The agreement will remain in effect through Sept. 30, 2006.


OS(1) Users Organize
Users of the ManageMen (OS1) cleaning program formed a new group to support and expand the annual (OS1) Users Symposium. The non-profit support group is called the (OS1) Power Users. (OS1) Power Users will meet regularly following each scheduled Janitor University session.

“We need to work together for benchmarking and planning more often than once a year," says Marsha Surprenant, (OS1) Process Owner for The Boeing Co. and one of the founding members of the Power Users group. Other organizers include Paul Condie, vice president of operations at GMI in San Diego; Jim Alty, director of physical plant for University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill; Michael Martin, implementation manager for The Boeing Company; and Bob Daniels, CEO of PARC – the NISH pilot organization for (OS1).

The first Power Users meeting will be held on December 3-4, 2004 at the Prime Hotel in Salt Lake City.


Nanny Lori Feldt recently received $2.2 million for brain damage resulting from inhaled paint-thinner fumes. Workers used the paint thinner to remove graffiti at the home of her employer, Vogue magazine editor Anna Wintour, after Wintour's home was vandalized by animal-rights activists. According to her lawyer, Feldt went from excellent health and leading an active life to suffering headaches, numbness in her face and hands, short-term memory loss and urinary incontinence.


The U.S. Green Building Council recently released the Leadership In Energy and Environmental Design standards for existing buildings (LEED-EB). The organization stated that the program is no longer in its pilot stage and is “fully balloted” by the USGBC for registered facilities.


A fire recently erupted at a Georgia-Pacific paper mill in Green Bay, Wis. The Atlanta-based manufacturer of paper products reported that the fire is still under investigation. G-P customers are not expected to experience delays, according to the company.


Boise, Idaho-based ProTeam has again been honored as one of Idaho's top 75 private companies, based on annual revenue and management achievement.
The company said in a release that the Idaho Private 75 tribute is a joint venture between The Idaho Statesman newspaper; U.S. Bank Idaho; and the international audit, tax and advisory firm, KPMG.


The International Custodial Advisors Network recently welcomed Thomas J.A. Jones, Ed.D., to its membership. Jones is an associate professor in the Department of Hotel Management at the W.F. Harrah College of Hotel Administration at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. 

Also, ICAN recently announced that Gary A. Penrod has joined its board of directors. Penrod is the managing associate of GPA Inc., a building service industry consulting firm based in Hilton Head, S.C.


ServiceMaster Clean has been awarded a five-year contract to clean FedExForum, the home of the National Basketball Association’s Memphis Grizzlies. The contractor’s responsibilities include restrooms, skyboxes, locker rooms and public areas. ServiceMasterClean is based in Downers Grove, Ill.


For the second straight year, Melton Franchise Systems, operator of Coverall Cleaning Concepts of Mid-State California, has been named one of the fastest-growing privately-held companies in the U.S. by Inc. magazine, in its annual ranking of the Inc. 500.

Melton’s Coverall headquarters are based in Carpinteria and include additional offices in Santa Maria, Burbank, Fresno and Bakersfield. Coverall of Mid-State California currently supports over 250 Coverall franchise owners serving well over 1,800 business customers located throughout Santa Barbara, Ventura, San Luis Obispo, Los Angeles, Fresno, Tulare and Kern counties.

Mergers & Other Moves
• Wausau Paper, Mosinee, Wis., a manufacturer of paper towel and tissue supplies, recently announced that it has acquired Missota Paper LLC, Brainerd, Minn., for $9.6 million. Included in the acquisition is a facility that is capable of producing 170,000 tons of paper annually.

• G&K Services Canada Inc., a subsidiary of G&K Services Inc., Minneapolis, a national facility service provider, recently announced the acquisition of Nettoyer Shefford Inc., a uniform manufacturer that currently supplies the cities of Granby and Montreal.

• Clorox Co., Oakland, Calif., recently announced Henkel KGaA has sold its 29 percent stake in Clorox. Henkel made the sale to free up funds for its $2.84 billion purchase of Dial Corp.




POSTED ON: 11/1/2004