In 2009 the DOT commenced a series of inquiries involving air charter brokers that were arranging air charter services for government agencies under the aegis of a General Services Administration (GSA) contract. The DOT’s initial position deemed it against the law for air charter brokers to act as agents of a government agency. However, for many years the GSA had awarded specific schedules to air charter brokers under which air charter services had been arranged. ACANA launched an aggressive campaign to inform and educate the DOT relative to the benefits and successful history of air charter brokers assisting government agencies with arranging air charter services.

ACANA provided a single, organized and unified response on behalf of the air charter brokerage community. The association also worked with the GSA in clarifying its position relating to government charter. Thus, on April 14, 2010 the DOT issued a final order granting certain air charter brokers with indirect air carrier status-specifically to provide air charter services on behalf of U.S. governmental agencies via a GSA award.

ACANA is pleased that the DOT has recognized that the air charter brokerage community continues to provide a valuable service to government agencies. The association’s role in influencing this policy change evidences its growing presence in promoting air charter brokerage standards and best practices.

About ACANA: The Air Charter Association of North America is a nonprofit organization consisting of the finest air charter service providers in the industry. Stringent membership requirements of ACANA ensure that its members adhere to the highest standards of ethics, integrity and professionalism. Providing a benchmark for excellence and professionalism for consumers is the association’s foremost priority.

For more information about ACANA, please visit www.flyacana.org .

News Source: Air Charter Association of North America :: This story was issued by Send2Press® and is Copyright © 2010 Neotrope® News Network – all rights reserved.

In selecting the Center for Life Science | Boston, jurors praised its “sophisticated planar interplay of large volumes and materials” and “the wonderful play of mass and light at night [that] gives some indication of experiential variety within.”

“It’s particularly gratifying to receive this award from our peers in New England,” says Tsoi/Kobus & Associates Senior Principal Rick Kobus, FAIA, FACHA. “Science and technology is a signature industry in our region and a primary focus of our firm, so it was an exciting challenge for us to design a new building type that anticipates the future needs of this sector.”

The Center for Life Science | Boston provides flexible, cutting-edge research space for some of the world’s premier academic and medical institutions, including Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Children’s Hospital Boston, and the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. The 777,600-square-foot building occupies a tightly constrained urban site in the heart of Boston’s Longwood Medical Area and optimizes its unusual site configuration by varying floor size as the building rises. Massing components were conceived as interlocking volumes and were inspired by the progressive, analytical nature of the research process. The dynamic facade features varying degrees of transparency and offers an interplay of tilting planes, curves, and cantilevered volumes aspiring upward and evoking the optimism and challenge of the research taking place within.

Interior solutions accommodate a full range of tenant needs, including innovative flexibility features such as utility zoning and metering as well as accessible shafts to accommodate and anticipate unknown tenants and changing research needs.

About Tsoi/Kobus & Associates

Tsoi/Kobus & Associates was founded in 1983 and has since grown to become one of the nation’s leading architecture, planning, and interior design firms for science and technology, healthcare, college and university, and commercial real estate projects. The firm’s award-winning designs are rooted in solutions that advance clients’ strategic goals and missions, and that combine cutting-edge technology with compassion and creativity. TK&A has been recognized by Architectural Record magazine as one of the country’s “Best Managed Firms,” by Engineering News-Record as one of the top 500 design firms, and by Architecture magazine as one of the “Top 50 Global Giants.”

For more information about Tsoi/Kobus & Associates, please call 617/475-4000 or visit www.tka-architects.com.

The Kids’ Edition team wrote the handbook to be a guide and a reference book for parents and children of all ages living with von Hippel-Lindau syndrome (VHL). VHL is a hereditary cancer syndrome that increases one’s risk of having tumors of the eye, brain, spinal cord, kidneys, pancreas, and adrenal glands. The book is specifically designed for parents to read with their children to begin answering their questions about VHL. It is meant to be used as a starting point for discussions about how VHL has affected the family. The handbook gives children a basic understanding of VHL and information on how to live with it and manage their own health.

The book can also be a resource for families dealing with other hereditary cancer syndromes. It explains genetics in simple terms and is a tool to teach children about this topic. The book is available for $12.99 from Amazon.com or from the VHLFA at http://www.vhl.org. Members of the VHLFA are eligible to receive a copy of the book at a fifty percent discount from the association.

Also released this week is a video trailer about the book put together by VHLFA parent and child team, Renee and Noah Sissons, available for viewing on YouTube now at www.youtube.com/vhlfa. To find about more about VHL Handbook Kids’ Edition, call 1-800-767-4VHL. Visit http://vhl.org/vhlsales/kidsbook.php for an inside look at the book and its illustrations.

About Von Hippel-Lindau Disease

VHL is a genetic risk factor for a number of tumors that is caused by a tiny misspelling in one copy of one gene, the VHL gene. People who carry this flaw are at increased risk for tumors of the retina, brain, spinal cord, kidneys, pancreas and adrenal glands.

About VHL Family Alliance

VHLFA is a non-profit organization. It provides information for families and physicians about this disorder and local and online self-help support groups for families affected with VHL. It is dedicated to improving diagnosis, treatment and quality of life for individuals and families affected by von Hippel-Lindau disease. It has been endorsed by the BBB and ICA as one of the Best Charities in America.

Alex was diagnosed with VHL at the age of four and has been through numerous surgeries. He has dedicated much of his time to helping spread awareness of VHL. With eight scheduled events, the VHLFA, a small organization, run by 5 staff and 150 volunteers proves today that the “little guy” can spread awareness in a big way. The VHLFA serves people dealing with vascular tumors of the eye, brain, spinal cord, kidney, pancreas, and adrenal glands. These and other tumors occur in a condition called von Hippel-Lindau disease (VHL). There is a clear link between VHL and cancer. The VHLFA funds research to find the right drugs to treat VHL and help find a cure for cancer.

Alex says, “I have often felt that kids feel powerless in today’s society. Giving them an opportunity to participate in helping to cure cancer also gives them a feeling of significance.” This year Alex and his family will be hosting several booths throughout Margate, New Jersey, with information about VHL and will be partnering with the popular eatery, “Steve & Cookies by the Bay” on May 9th to encourage all their customers to dine and donate to VHLFA. According to Alex who has already raised more than $10,000 for VHL, “When I’m fundraising, I always feel more significant in the world, like I really matter.”

Among its events, will be a benefit performance of the first play ever written about VHL, “The Thing That ate My Brain…Almost” at the Perishable Theater in Providence, RI. Playwright, Amy Lynn Budd, a VHLFA member, also plays the leading role in this neo-burlesque sci-fi play based off her experiences with VHL. The VHLFA will be posting news about its upcoming events on its website The page contains contact information for each event, along with links to purchase its new releases VHL Day t-shirts. The VHLFA is actively encouraging its members and the general public to attend an event nearest them during month of May.

Three states have already declared May 9th to be VHL Day. The VHL Family Alliance is also using the internet to “tweet” and cause a buzz about International VHL Day. In addition, to creating event pages via its Facebook group, “VHL: Spreading the Awareness of von Hippel-Lindau disease.” VHLFA has also established a YouTube channel, which displays inspirational videos from its young members with VHL (http://www.youtube.com/vhlfa).

For more information on awareness activities or to confirm your attendance to one of these events, please visit http://vhl.org/announce/09aware.

About Von Hippel-Lindau Disease

VHL is a genetic risk factor for a number of tumors, caused by a tiny misspelling in one copy of one gene, the VHL gene. People who carry this flaw are at increased risk for tumors of the retina, brain, spinal cord, kidneys, pancreas, and adrenal glands.

About VHL Family Alliance

VHLFA is a non-profit organization that provides information for families and physicians about this disorder and local and online self-help support groups for families affected with VHL. It is dedicated to improving diagnosis, treatment, and quality of life for individuals and families affected by von Hippel-Lindau disease. Endorsed by the BBB and ICA as one of the Best Charities in America. Visit the pressroom, at http://www.vhl.org/press.

Chapters across the country are inspired by his vision and have signed on to host their own events and fundraisers. The Boston chapter and headquarters of the VHLFA, decided to help Alex’s dream come true by hosting an awareness event for VHL.

The VHL Awareness Benefit Concert will be held on May 23rd from 11-3 p.m. at the Parkman Bandstand on Boston Common. The free concert will have various performances by some of the best singers, dancers, and bands from the New England Area and feature music from Keith Richards, a rapper from New York who also deals with VHL. Among its talented acts is 12 year old, Yasmin from Boston, who will sing her inspirational song titled, “Be Yourself.” The event will also include performances by Hyde Square Task Force Latin Dance troupe, from Jamaica Plain, MA. The group is led by youth from an after school program “that develops the skills of youth to enhance their own lives and build a strong urban community.” These acts among others have volunteered their talents to support the VHL Family Alliance’s cause. In addition various sponsors such as Game Stop, J.P. Licks, Duck Tours, Black Seed Cafe & Grill, and many more have donated special items to be raffled off during the show.

The concert will be hosted by local comedian, Matt Donaher and join together everything from hip hop to alternative rock along with great raffle prizes, including a signed autograph by Celtics player, Tony Allen. The free concert will take place in the Parkman Bandstand located near the Boylston Street T station in the Boston Common. This event is dedicated to spreading the awareness of Von-Hippel Lindau disease and the importance of research in developing safe, effective treatment for this rare disease. The rest of the line up includes, Derek Adams, Katelyn Clampett, Blue Moon Harem, Jaxon Boom, Jennifer Behnke, Erin Marie & Its Edge Dance Troupe, Yoleisha and Ria.

To find about more about VHL Awareness Benefit Concert and find about more about each act, call 1-800-767-4VHL or visit http://vhl.org/announce/09aware/bostonbenefit.php.

About Von Hippel-Lindau Disease

VHL is a genetic risk factor for a number of tumors, caused by a tiny misspelling in one copy of one gene, the VHL gene. People who carry this flaw are at increased risk for tumors of the retina, brain, spinal cord, kidneys, pancreas, and adrenal glands.

About VHL Family Alliance

VHLFA is a non-profit organization that provides information for families and physicians about this disorder and local and online self-help support groups for families affected with VHL. It is dedicated to improving diagnosis, treatment, and quality of life for individuals and families affected by von Hippel-Lindau disease. Endorsed by the BBB and ICA as one of the Best Charities in America. http://www.vhl.org.

“What’s In Store” featuring GerrityStone is scheduled to premiere on Wednesday, February 25 on WSBK-TV Channel 38 at 9:30 p.m., and on Sunday, March 1 on WBZ-TV CBS Boston Channel 4 at 11 a.m. The video can also be viewed on www.wbztv.com.

“We’re very excited to be the first company featured on this new program,” states Tracy Streckenbach, Chief Executive Officer for GerrityStone. “We hope to educate our clients on the custom stone fabrication process and to give them the confidence to know we’ll guide them every step of the way. We were thrilled that so many of our customers wanted to participate in this program to express their great satisfaction with GerrityStone and we look forward to letting them share their experiences with viewers in the greater Boston area. “What’s in Store” gives our customers a platform to get the word out about what we do best.”

GerrityStone specializes in precision-crafted stone works for interior and exterior applications. Achieving the industry’s highest customer satisfaction ratings and offering the widest-selection of directly sourced materials are the cornerstones of the company’s philosophy.

GerrityStone is located just 10 miles north of Boston, in Woburn, MA and serves clients throughout New England. The GerrityStone Design Center is open Monday through Saturday with extended hours Tuesday through Friday.

“Power Translator 12 is a multi-purpose tool, for companies with a desire to develop business in new markets,” said LEC President Glenn Akers. “LEC offers the largest range of machine translation products anywhere. Over 10 million users, from individuals to large corporations agree LEC’s consumer and SaaS products generate accurate, high-quality translation, not available through free services. With instant translation for over 21 languages in one convenient package, Power Translator 12 Premium is common sense approach to generating new business while keeping under budget.”

Instantly Translate
* Documents and Product Information
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Additional Uses:
* Overseas Career Alternatives
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PLUS:
* Award winning (translation) accuracy
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**Power Translator 12 Premium works with Microsoft Office speech recognition feature

Languages:

CD includes: Spanish, French, Portuguese, English, Italian, German and Russian. Package includes a 3 month subscription to LEC translation services for Arabic, Chinese, Hebrew, Indonesian, Japanese, Korean, Pashto, Persian, Polish, Tagalog, Turkish, Ukrainian and Urdu and more – totaling 340 language pairs.

About Language Engineering Company, LLC (LEC):

Since 1985, LEC’s award winning translation software has helped over 10 million users around the world communicate, instantly and accurately. LEC provides the largest selection of machine service translation products and SaaS solutions available anywhere.

LEC Power Translator 12 Premium is now available at J&R, Office Depot, Amazon, Fry’s Electronics, Micro Center ABS Computer, Newegg.com, Shop.com, Outpost.com, Arcadia Multimedia, ASAP Software, Best Buy (CA), Buy.com, Future Shop (CA ), Nebraska Furniture Mart, PC Mall and http://www.LEC.com.

The VHL Family Alliance (VHLFA) will be posting news about this upcoming event on its website (http://www.vhl.org) and is actively encouraging its members to write essays and post videos sharing their experiences with VHL. An article about Rare Disease Day is in VHLFA’s January newsletter.

According to Graff, “Those of us with VHL have many issues in common with other rare diseases — the difficulty of getting a diagnosis, or finding appropriate treatment, the stresses of living with a long-term condition, the worries about what may happen to your children.” Graff hopes that Rare Disease Day will help to raise awareness of rare diseases and the need for safe, timely diagnosis, and effective treatment.

Along with other NORD partners, VHLFA is holding its own local event – a dinner in honor of Rare Disease Day on February 26th in the Coolidge Corner/Brookline area. For tickets and more information, call 1-800-767-4VHL.

Nord welcomes anyone with any medical challenge or rare disease at http://rarediseases.inspire.com or www.rarediseases.org.

About Von Hippel-Lindau Disease

VHL is a risk factor for a number of tumors, caused by a tiny misspelling in one copy of one gene, the VHL gene. People who carry this flaw are at increased risk for tumors of the retina, brain, spinal cord, kidneys, pancreas, and adrenal glands.

About VHL Family Alliance

VHLFA is a non-profit organization that provides information for families and physicians about this disorder and local self-help support groups for families affected with VHL. It is dedicated to improving diagnosis, treatment, and quality of life for individuals and families affected by Von Hippel-Lindau disease.

About NORD

The National Organization for Rare Disorders is federation of voluntary health organizations dedicated to helping people with rare “orphan” diseases and assisting the organizations that serve them. NORD is committed to the identification, treatment, and cure of rare disorders through programs of education, advocacy, research, and service.

Obvious question is: How are they doing well when many companies in the housing industry are failing? The answer can be attributed to product offerings and most importantly professional relationships. Mr. Donlin came aboard the forty year old company in 2007. He ascertained Van Millwork’s position in the marketplace and decided to expand the company’s product line. As early as first quarter of 2008, the industry was already showing signs of distress, but Mr. Donlin trudged forward with a strategy to expand Van Millwork’s product lines. He brought on Azek exterior trim and mouldings as well as multiple lines of hardwood flooring including Stuart, and Bruce.

To jumpstart sales for the new brands, the President initiated a competitive promotional offering which has generously paid off for the company as well as its customers. As the promo boasts in its offering, it helps “Liberate Your Bottom Line.” Any order that includes up to 1,000 square feet of flooring is awarded a 3 percent discount on the entire order – that includes the remainder of their stock inventory of interior and exterior doors, hardware, stair parts, mantels, trim and mouldings. Anything over 1,000 square feet receives a 5 percent discount. This has proven successful and increased sales for flooring as well as overall.

With that success under his belt, Donlin has concentrated on other areas of the business including what he calls “the company’s gem” – the $1 million dollar showroom in Needham that Van Millwork shares with its sister companies, C&R Flooring and Dustless Floor Sanding. The showroom displays full-size applications of Van Millwork’s products in nine vignette rooms that showcase different distinct architectural styles that allow a homeowner, builder, designer, contractor or architect to match their room’s design. With little effort, Van Millwork has increased traffic into their showroom by maximizing its relationships with associated partners in the building industry. Along with their partners and Design New England magazine, Van Millwork has hosted six free Design Seminars in 2008 which have attracted close to 300 consumers and interior designers to its Needham showroom to learn new ideas in conjunction with product knowledge enhancement. The seminars include either a sit-down lunch or brunch for attendees prior to the hour-long seminar presented by greater Boston area experts. Thanks to Van’s media sponsor, Design New England of Boston Globe Media, the advertising cost is minimal and the seminars operate at less than $250 each. In addition, Van Millwork worked with their vendors to create a two-day Continuing Education course that offered up to 10 credits for AIA certified architects. Van Millwork hosts many events for the media, designers, builders, and most recently their chosen charitable organization, The Room To Dream Foundation, in their showroom. The response has been overwhelming and has allowed Van Millwork to forge new relationships with potential consumers and long term relationships with trade professionals.

One element that has remained true and steadfast among the professionals at Van Millwork is a dedicated focus on customer relationships. While words like “Service,” “Quality,” and “Satisfaction” are often used as lip service to promote businesses, Van Millwork prioritizes these words as goals. Van Millwork’s Vice President of Operations, Mary Wills states, “We’re proud of our employees’ consistent execution of service and quality, which results in our customers’ satisfaction. It is strengthening our relationships and points to future growth opportunities.” The company attributes their professional relationships to what has allowed them to survive the down economy and by continuing to nurture these relationships, they have confidence that they will stay afloat. Van Millwork is implementing a new business strategy that customers will find rewarding.

As Donlin puts it, “Our biggest reward is customer loyalty so why not give something back to them. If we don’t focus on our customer base, someone else will, and we value them too much to lose them.” While he won’t say what his plan is, he is excited that his customers stand to gain more through their relationship with Van Millwork.

President and CEO, James Donlin might be on to something. After all Boston Home Magazine just named Van Millwork Best of Boston for 2009 in the Millwork category, in addition to choosing the company’s Custom Division for Custom Woodworking in its Stockist Resource Guide.

Founded in 1967 as a full service lumber company, Van Millwork has grown into the largest interior millwork supplier in New England. The company offers a full array of millwork products and architectural trim for the interior and exterior of the home, including moldings, interior and exterior doors, stair components, signature mantels, wainscot panel systems, and columns. The company also offers showrooms in Bellingham, Needham and Mashpee, MA, and a full-service custom woodworking shop in Fitchburg, MA.

“The difference this year for specialty retailers will come down to the people in the store. It’s the staff that will have a huge impact on the winners and losers this year,” Fleener says. The letter appears in Fleener’s newsletters and on his retail blog, The Retail Contrarian.

Dear Retail Employee,

With one week left before the “official” launch of the holiday season, let’s discuss the challenges and opportunities facing specialty retailers.

The good news is that there should be some growth this holiday. The bad news for most readers is that most growth will probably happen at the discounters and online. No one can deny that it is going to be a challenging year for specialty retailers.

But with every challenge comes opportunity. For every store that struggles there will be another that succeeds. For every store that fails before the doors open another will succeed out of sheer determination. For every staff that throws in the towel another will grind it out.

The difference this year is going to be you. I’m convinced that the difference this year for specialty retailers will come down to the people in the store. It’s the staff that will have a huge impact on the winners and losers this year.

Here are some tips for you and your colleagues to make sure you’re one of those winning stores:

1. Stay positive. Attitude could be the biggest difference between the winning and losing stores this year. Every employee needs to do his or her part in keeping a positive outlook.

2. Succeed one day at a time. If you have a bad day – shake it off. If you have a good day – do it again. You make your holiday by making your month. You make your month by making your week. You make your week by making your day.

3. Maximize every customer opportunity. Don’t let your guard down and miss even one sale, because that one sale could be the difference in success or falling short.

4. Don’t pre-judge what a customer is going to spend. Customers aren’t a survey in the newspaper. Customers aren’t a sales projection in some pundit’s article. Customers are unique individuals who offer us a unique opportunity. Give them a unique experience and you’re sure to be rewarded.

5. Be a better salesperson every single day. Push yourself out of your comfort zone. Keep showing products until the customer says they’re done. Focus on increasing your average sales and unit-per-transaction.

It doesn’t matter if you work for the owner of an independent store, a regional or national corporation; I believe you can make the difference this holiday.

Do you?

About Doug Fleener

Doug Fleener is president and managing partner for Dynamic Experiences Group LLC (DEG), a Lexington, Massachusetts retail and customer experience training and consulting firm. He is the former director of retailer for Bose Corporation with over 25 years of hands-on retail experience. He has also owned and operated his own specialty stores.

Fleener is the author of “The Profitable Retailer: 56 surprisingly simple and effective lessons to boost your sales and profits” (ISBN-13: 978-1933631264, paperback, 228 pp, Acanthus Publishing). He publishes the retail industry’s only daily subscription newsletter, The Daily Retail Experience, which specializes in the growth and development of specialty retail stores and staff.

Fleener is available throughout the holidays to discuss the issues facing specialty retailers this holiday season.