Free Benefits Assessment at bit.ly/benefits-assessment

(PRWEB) May 18, 2012

Zane Benefits, which provides small businesses with comprehensive and flexible alternatives to traditional group health insurance, this week published a new article on the history of Flexible Spending Accounts. The article teaches the history of the program, which 24 million employers offer.

In the late 1960s, as inflation and other factors increased the cost of employer-sponsored health benefits, employers began instituting annual deductibles and coinsurance on their health benefits plans, and/or excluding coverage for certain medical items that were legally allowed to be covered by IRS regulations (e.g. vision, dental, alternative medicine). Excluding these medical expenses effectively almost doubled the employee cost for these items on an after-tax basis.

Flexible Spending Accounts were Created in the 1970s

To respond to this dilemma, in the 1970s the IRS created Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs) to allow employees to pay pre-tax dollars for medical expenses and dependent (child) care expenses not covered by their employer-sponsored health plan. With a Medical FSA, employees tell their employer they wish to forego receiving a certain amount of their taxable gross wages each year in return for an equivalent size non-taxable FSA annual allowance to pay for out-of-pocket qualified medical expenses.

If an employer pays for a $ 100 medical item for an employee it costs the employer $ 100. The employer would have to pay the employee up to $ 200 in gross pre-tax wages in order for the employee to have $ 100 left over after FICA/FUTA and federal, state and local income taxes (e.g. 50% combined tax bracket) to pay for the same $ 100 item himself. A $ 100 health benefit paid by an employer is worth up to $ 200 (100% more) in gross pre-tax wages to an employee. See Why Do Employers Offer Health Insurance.

There are three Types of Flexible Spending Accounts

There are three types of FSAs: Health, Dependent Care, and Adoption. The FSA allowance for a Health FSA must be an annual allowance given on the first day of the plan year, even though the employee will not have foregone the equivalent amount in salary reduction until the last day of the plan year. In contrast, with a Dependent Care FSA, employees can receive benefits only up to the then-current amount of pre-tax salary that has been withheld from their payroll (e.g. $ 200/month).

Health Flexible Spending Accounts

With a Health FSA, employees direct their employer to lower their pre-tax wages next year by $ 200/month, and the employee, on the first day of the next plan year, receives a $ 2,400 FSA allowance for medical expenses. The employee must be given access to the full $ 2,400 on the first day of the plan year. If an employee spends the full $ 2,400 in the first month and quits, the employer is not allowed to recover the unpaid balance.

Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts

Dependent Care FSAs are similar to a Health FSA that can only be used for dependent care expenses, except that employers may not allow employees access to any FSA funds that have not been already contributed through payroll deduction.

Depending on their individual income tax bracket, employees save a combined 18-50 percent federal, state, and local income and wage taxes on medical expenses funded through an FSA. Equally important, employees receive the intangible benefits of having funds for anticipated out-of-pocket medical expenses available through forced payroll savings.

Flexible Spending Accounts Reduce FICA

Employers also save money with FSAs by not paying wage taxes on FSA contributions. Each $ 100,000 of salary foregone by employees in favor of FSA contributions saves an employer $ 7,650 (7.65%) in FICA and FUTA taxes.

Today, 24 Million Employers Offer Flexible Spending Accounts. Employers have generally embraced FSAs. According to a 2005 survey by Mercer Human Resource Consulting, in 2005:

(1) 80 percent of employers with 500 or more employees offered FSAs;

(2) 26 percent of employers with 10 or more employees offered a health care FSA, 35 percent of eligible employees were participating, and the average annual FSA employee contribution was $ 1,235/year; and

(3) 27 percent of employers with 10 or more employees offered a dependent care FSA, 14 percent of eligible employees were participating, and the average annual FSA employee contribution was $ 2,630/year.

There are approximately 24 million Health and Dependent Care FSAs.

Health Care Reform Limits Flexible Spending Accounts

The health care reform bill creates the following restrictions on the use of flexible spending accounts (FSAs):

Beginning in 2011, non-prescribed over-the-counter drugs will no longer be qualified medical expenses

Beginning in 2013, employee contributions to FSAs through salary reduction will be limited to $ 2,500 per year and adjusted in subsequent years based on inflation

Some Employees and Employers Dislike Flexible Spending Accounts

Despite their popularity, some employees and employers may dislike Flexible Spending Accounts for several reasons:

Employees must specify in advance during the prior plan year how much money to take out of their pre-tax wages for their FSA (e.g. $ 100/month or $ 1,200/year). The employee loses 100% of any balance they do not spend in the subsequent plan year (or within the grace period following the plan year).

Employers must make available to employees the full annual Health FSA amount (e.g. $ 1,200/year) on the first day of the plan year (e.g. January 1). This “Uniform Coverage Rule” means that an employee has access to the full annual FSA amount on January 1 even if an employee hasn’t yet funded any of their payroll contribution. If an employee quits on January 2 after submitting and being reimbursed for a $ 4,800 claim, the employee does not have to repay such “pre-funded” FSA reimbursements after termination. (The Uniform Coverage Rule applies only to Health FSAs and not to dependent care FSAs.)

FSAs encourage frivolous end-of-year “use it or lose it” spending, and don’t reward consumers for wellness behavior by allowing them to save what they don’t spend today for their future medical expenses.

Tax-sensitive employees desiring FSAs are often the same employees wanting Health Savings Accounts (HSAs). However, FSAs are not generally compatible with HSAs. Employees with an FSA cannot make contributions to a Health Savings Account (HSA) unless their FSA has an HSA-Compatible deductible (i.e. “post-deductible” FSA), or unless their FSA covers a limited number of items such as dental, vision, and preventative care allowed under HSA rules for compatible high deductible coverage (i.e. “limited purpose” FSA). Most existing FSA administration platforms cannot handle deductibles and/or differentiate between different categories of medical expenses to comply with HSA qualification rules.

There is a low likelihood of the IRS changing (1) and (4) above because a major tenet of FSAs (and Section 125 Cafeteria Plans) is that they cannot be used to defer the recognition of employee taxable income. Allowing employees to roll forward FSA balances would greatly increase their popularity, encourage tax abuse and have a significant revenue impact on the U.S. Treasury.

The IRS or Congress will also probably not change (2) above (“Uniform Coverage Rule”) because the IRS believes that in order to fall within the parameters of Code sections 106 and 105(b) (which allows FSA contributions to a health FSA and reimbursements from a health FSA to be tax-free), the FSA must operate like “insurance,” with both the employer and the employee bearing some risk.

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About Zane Benefits, Inc.

Zane Benefits, Inc, a software company, helps insurance brokers, accountants, and employers take advantage of new defined contribution health benefits and private exchanges via its proprietary SaaS online health benefits software. Zane Benefits does not sell insurance. Using Zane’s platform, insurance professionals and accountants offer their clients a defined contribution health plan with multiple individual health insurance options via a private health exchange of their choice. Learn more at http://www.zanebenefits.com.

©Copyright 1997-

, Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.
Vocus, PRWeb, and Publicity Wire are trademarks or registered trademarks of Vocus, Inc. or Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.

Nashville, Tennessee (PRWEB) May 16, 2012

Vertical Consultants welcomes AMI Equities as its newest client. AMI Equities is a Bloomington, Indiana based real estate company with properties in the state of Indiana.

Vertical Consultants was engaged by AMI Equities to provide counsel, review and optimize opportunities regarding its current cell tower assets associated with its North American properties.

Hugh Odom, the President of Vertical Consultants, states “We welcome AMI Equities to our expanding list of commercial clients nationwide. A growing number of real estate companies are realizing the immediate and long-term significant value Vertical Consultants can deliver to our clients by optimizing their current cell tower and rooftop lease assets that have been overlooked and undervalued.”

Vertical Consultants has established itself as not only as a source of needed information for property owners, but also a source for these same property owners to obtain true value for the use and occupancy of their property. In 2011 Vertical Consultants provided an average of 98% immediate increases in rents for its clients across North America.

Vertical Consultants was founded in 2010 by Hugh Odom and is comprised of a group of wireless industry veterans with more than forty (40) years combined experience. Vertical Consultants specializes in issues surrounding the wireless telecom industry and prides itself as a source of information for property owners. Vertical Consultants experience in the industry allows it to offer its clients unmatched expertise, services and results. Unlike others in their field, Vertical Consultants is able to handle every aspect of the issues surrounding a cell tower, rooftop or any other type of telecom lease, from start to finish. To learn more visit http://www.vertical-consultants.com or contact Vertical Consultants at info(at)vertical-consultants(dot)com or 877.456.7552.

Attachments

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, Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.
Vocus, PRWeb, and Publicity Wire are trademarks or registered trademarks of Vocus, Inc. or Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.

Philadelphia, PA (PRWEB) September 19, 2005

On September 21st, FundingPost (http://www.fundingpost.com) is hosting a panel discussion with leading Angel Investors at its “Angels in Philadelphia” event, sponsored by Wolf Block with the support of the PA Angel Network and PA Investors Forum. While most Investor events deal with Venture Capitalists, this event will give early-stage companies a chance to meet local Private Investors.

The FundingPost Event Calendar and registration information are available online: http://www.FundingPost.com/events.asp

After Angel Investing series of events in 2005, FundingPost is kicking off its Angel event series again this year in Philadelphia. The panelists for the event include:

    Chris Starr, Managing Dir /VP Investments, Innovation Philadelphia & Mid-Atlantic Angel Group (MAG)

    Ellen Weber, Executive Director, Robin Hood Ventures

    Michael Shoemaker, Angel Investor, Lancaster Angel Network

    Stuart Shapiro, Angel Investor, LORE

    Mike Zisman, Angel Investor, NY Angels

    Alan R. Kraus, Senior Dir, Investment Group, Ben Franklin Technology Partners

    Moderator: David Gitlin, Chair Corporate/Securities, Wolf Block

Following the breakfast presentation, companies will have the opportunity to “pitch” the entire panel and additional Angels. “It’s a rare and great opportunity for a start-up to get to spend 15 minutes pitching a room full of Angels and Seed Investors,” said Joe Rubin, Director, FundingPost. “After the ‘bubble’ burst a few years ago, Angel investors shied away from these opportunities. We now see many Angel Investors coming back in full force looking for great ideas.”

For more information on the Investor conference and other FundingPost events, contact events@fundingpost.com, call 800-461-5509 or visit the website at http://www.FundingPost.com/events.asp

About FundingPost.com

For over three years FundingPost has worked with thousands of Angel and Venture Capital Investors and Entrepreneurs. With over 2,500 CEOs and 400 Venture Funds attending events in 15 cities nationwide; a quarterly Dealflow magazine; and a deal-exchange website that has, on average, seen an introduction of an Investor to an Entrepreneur every business day since its inception; FundingPost believes that it is important to reach investors in every medium possible – both online and offline, and is experiencing strong growth as the venture capital markets continue to improve worldwide.

# # #

©Copyright 1997-

, Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.
Vocus, PRWeb, and Publicity Wire are trademarks or registered trademarks of Vocus, Inc. or Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.

San Jose, California (PRWEB) May 15, 2012

Over the last few years, industry experts have been trying to scare mobile operators into implementing video optimization solutions to solve the ‘bandwidth crunch’ that video is going to cause. But the experts have missed the point and operators are the ones who pay.

On May 30th, Mobixell Networks, a leading global provider of intelligent mobile Internet solutions, will host a free Knowledgecast webinar in conjunction with Pipeline Magazine to dispel the myths and set the record straight. In the webinar, entitled ‘What Video Optimization Experts Are Not Telling You’, Seth Greenberg, Mobixell director of corporate marketing, together with Teresa Cottam, chief analyst with Telesperience, will show how mobile network operators who aim to use video optimization to reduce overall data volume are wasting valuable resources chasing impossible goals.

Most of today’s advanced mobile optimization techniques and technologies are still used to reduce overall network traffic. But even as mobile data traffic balloons, solutions that reduce data volume also reduce data revenue. To stay competitive, mobile operators need to focus on the real threats to their business strategy: dropping data ARPU and customer experience. Among the points that the Mobixell webinar will attempt to promote are:

– Policy-driven video optimization as a part of a solution to generate new revenue (along with cost reduction)

– Real congestion management focused on customer experience and not just traffic management

– The reasons that mobile operators large and small should be optimistic about network monetization

The interactive Pipeline KnowledgeCast webinar will be presented live on May 30th at 16:00 UK / 11:00 EDT. To join in the conversation, you can register here: bit.ly/mobixell-webinar1

###

Seth Greenberg

Seth is the director of corporate marketing for Mobixell. Previously holding management positions at companies including Eastman Kodak, Sandisk and ECI Telecom, Seth has dedicated the last 20 years to introducing new technologies to the telecom, security and consumer electronics markets.

Teresa Cottam

Teresa is the Chief Analyst at Telesperience, an independent telecoms IT analyst company. She has more than 17 years’ industry experience and was previously an Associate Principal Analyst with UK-based telecoms consultancy Analysys Mason, covering the billing, CRM and service delivery sectors. Before that she was Research and Publications Director at Chorleywood Consulting, a specialist BSS/OSS consultancy which was acquired by Informa Telecoms and Media. Prior to this she was Managing Editor at industry analysts Ovum.

Teresa has authored numerous influential reports and trends papers during her career, is a regular speaker at telecoms industry events, and is a judge at various industry awards including the GSMA awards. Teresa is passionate about helping CSPs optimise the value of their software, and strongly believes that software will play an increasingly important role in helping CSPs differentiate their offering, operate profitably, and attract & retain customers.

About Mobixell:

Mobixell Networks provides intelligent mobile Internet solutions to mobile operators that optimize data networks and maximize data profitability. Mobixell’s flagship product, Seamless Access, enables mobile operators to intelligently manage, optimize, and monetize the surging mobile data and video traffic while giving subscribers an exceptional user experience. Mobixell has more than 400 deployments, including Verizon, Vodafone, Bharti, Orange, and Telefonica, providing specially adapted services in Mobile Video and TV, Mobile Internet and Broadband, and Mobile Messaging. Founded in late 2000, Mobixell is a U.S.-based company with additional offices in the UK, Germany, Switzerland, India, China, and Israel.

For more information, visit: mobixell.com

Mobixell Mobile BroadTalk Blog: mobixell.com/blog

Follow Mobixell: twitter.com/mobixell

Subscribe: linkedin.com/company/11397

©Copyright 1997-

, Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.
Vocus, PRWeb, and Publicity Wire are trademarks or registered trademarks of Vocus, Inc. or Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.

FieldConnect Service Platform

Irvine, CA (PRWEB) May 03, 2012

Diagnostic Imaging Supplies & Services (DISS), a Puerto Rico-based leader in digital solutions, radiology, cardiology, mammography, and other medical equipment solutions, has implemented FieldConnect’s FieldAccess™ mobile technician software to replace paper-based work orders for its field services team.

FieldAccess technician software allows for seamless integration with DISS’s existing Microsoft Dynamics GP ERP system, as well as remote access to repair site history, equipment specifications, pictures, and diagrams. As a result, calls can be created in the Microsoft Dynamics GP environment and routed immediately to the field, providing accelerated service, eliminating manual data entry errors, and allowing DISS to race out invoices the same day.

“We challenged FieldConnect to implement our mobile solution in a very short period of time and they met and exceeded that challenge. FieldConnect’s implementation staff worked closely with our Digital Solutions Engineer, Yamill Garcia, to have us up and running in less than a month,” says DISS executive Ruben Garcia Jr. “In the three months we’ve been using FieldAccess, we have a happier service staff, 100% accurate electronic service tickets, and very impressed customers.”

Rapid implementation of the FieldAccess software was achieved through FieldConnect’s FieldPledge™ mobile services implementation process. For more than a decade, FieldPledge has been the company’s proprietary implementation toolkit, ensuring that its many thousands of users are adopting and executing the technology in the field. This set of best practices allows the organization to immediately realize value from the FieldConnect Service Platform – which also includes FieldDirect™, FieldLocator™, FieldDispatch™, FieldTime™, and FieldQuotes™ – with unequaled simplicity and effectiveness.

FieldConnect’s Field Service Platform is a comprehensive mobile solution that empowers customers and boosts efficiency in a client’s field services, billing, and payroll departments by extending the functionality of Microsoft Dynamics AX, GP, and SL, as well as Sage Timberline, ERP systems.

For more information, please visit http://www.fieldconnect.com.

About FieldConnect

FieldConnect maximizes customer satisfaction and profit per field technician by managing real-time service call information to all service stakeholders: customers, technicians and dispatchers. Our suite of software applications extends the functionality of the Sage Timberline and Microsoft Dynamics field service solutions. FieldConnect is a privately held Microsoft Certified Partner and Sage Development Partner based in Irvine, California and has been deploying field service solutions since 2002. http://www.fieldconnect.com

About Diagnostic Imaging Supplies & Services

DISS, Inc. provides a high level of service in radiology, mammography, ultrasound and urology equipment and supplies. With our combined 50 years of experience and proven track record we can confidently say that we are the leaders in the industry.

Attachments

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, Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.
Vocus, PRWeb, and Publicity Wire are trademarks or registered trademarks of Vocus, Inc. or Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.

McDermott & Associates specializes in human resources and compensation consulting

Red Bank, NJ (PRWEB) May 11, 2012

D.G. McDermott Associates (http://www.dgm.com) and Snelling Staffing Services of NJ announce the rollout of a new Central NJ Compensation Survey specifically designed for companies in Middlesex, Monmouth, Ocean, and Somerset, NJ, counties. The survey gives company owners the opportunity to compare their employee salary and benefits plans to other Central NJ companies.

Central NJ businesses have not had sources for reliable, unbiased third party data that can help them benchmark their employee wage and benefits plans against a cross-section of similar companies in the region. “Most of the scrutiny has been on executive compensation at Fortune 500 companies,” says Don McDermott, owner and principal of D.G. McDermott Associates, a Red Bank, NJ, management consulting firm. “The 2012 Central NJ Compensation Survey is the first tailored for public and private companies in four Central NJ counties that will offer confidential, real-world comparisons to others in the same geographic area.”

McDermott Associates, with consulting specialties in human resources and executive compensation, developed this survey in collaboration with Snelling Staffing Services, a full service staffing firm offering temporary, temp-to-hire, career placement, and executive recruiting Services.

Survey participation is free and all participants receive a complimentary executive summary of survey results. Participants can also order a detailed report for $ 149 that compares their company’s data to the Central NJ market.

Enrollment is open until June 15, 2012. Survey participants who order the detailed report will receive a customized analysis for 17 positions including administrative/clerical, light industrial, technician, and first-line management, legal and accounting/finance. The analysis will include information about various practices relating to compensation, recognition, incentive, and benefits plans, and flexible work practices.

Those interested in the survey can learn more at http://www.dgm.com/central-NJ-comp-survey-faqs or by calling D.G. McDermott Associates at 732.842.8634. Those who want to enroll can do so at http://www.dgm.com/Central-NJ-comp-survey.

About D.G. McDermott Associates

Founded in 1985, D.G. McDermott Associates, LLC, is a full-service management consulting firm that provides practical human resources and executive compensation programs to a range of public, private and not-for-profit firms. The company is known for thinking outside the box, and blending successful age-old business practices into modern-day solutions. McDermott Associates is based in Red Bank, N.J., and has served clients in the financial services, health care, durable and nondurable goods industries, utilities, and non-profits. For more information about McDermott Associates, visit dgm.com or call 732.842.8634.

About Snelling Staffing Services

Snelling Staffing is a full service staffing firm offering temporary, temp-to-hire, career placement, executive recruiting and consulting services. Businesses use Snelling to contract qualified individuals in a diverse range of positions including administrative, clerical, light industrial, accounting and finance, legal and biopharmaceutical work.

Attachments

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, Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.
Vocus, PRWeb, and Publicity Wire are trademarks or registered trademarks of Vocus, Inc. or Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.

Columbia, MD (PRWEB) April 18, 2012

April marks National Financial Literacy Month and the financial experts at CareOne Debt Relief Services want to help consumers celebrate by offering free resource guides. Financial literacy is important, especially in a recession where consumers fear layoffs, go through their savings to meet everyday expenses, or are unable to find work.

There are a total of fifteen resource guides available for download, each providing a variety of rich and diverse educational materials and resources, offering the kind of support consumers need to play an active role in their financial future. Some of the guides include:

    Debt Consolidation101
    Debt Consolidation vs. Debt Consolidation Loans: What is the difference?
    Guide to Choosing a Debt Relief Plan
    The CareOne Budget Planning Guide
    The CareOne Spending Journal

Handling debt is a tricky situation to navigate, especially if the facts are unknown. Consumers evaluating their debt relief options will find the resource guides provide all the information necessary to make a knowledgeable decision about how to handle debt.

CareOne founder, Bernie Dancel understands how the need for good information can positively impact ones financial situation. Dancel says, “At 22, I filed for personal bankruptcy because I thought it was my only option. With a pending divorce and the responsibility of supporting two households with one income, I was strained financially. I didn’t know where to turn, so I contacted my lawyer, someone I thought I could trust. My lawyer recommended bankruptcy, unaware that I had other options to pay off my debt, I took the advice and filed for bankruptcy.”

Dancel’s realization that there are other options when it comes to debt relief is changing the lives of millions of CareOne customers. CareOne continues to provide financial education to consumers and customers though their online community, article library, and money management tools. The free resource guides are CareOne’s way of educating consumers about all of their options so they can make smart decisions and reach their goal of financial freedom.

CareOne Debt Relief Services is the nation’s largest provider of debt relief services with over 5 million people helped to date. CareOne founder, Bernie Dancel, and many CareOne employees know what being in debt is like and are proud to offer a second chance to those struggling with debt. It is this foundation of shared experience that sets CareOne apart from the rest of the debt relief industry. CareOne knows what being in debt feels like, and more importantly, what it takes to get out. Visit CareOne at http://www.CareOneCredit.com for more information about the company and services.

Attachments

©Copyright 1997-

, Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.
Vocus, PRWeb, and Publicity Wire are trademarks or registered trademarks of Vocus, Inc. or Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.

Las Vegas, NV (PRWEB) May 07, 2012

Car buffs, DIYers, and drivers of all ages in search of a huge selection of auto parts, auto insurance, auto loans and more now have a brand new place to start their enjoyable and rewarding online shopping experience: the Auto Parts & Services Portal at MyReviewsNow.net. Featuring top companies like Allstate auto insurance, 800loanmart auto loans, Auto Parts Warehouse and many more, the Auto Parts & Services Portal at MyReviewsNow.net also allows online shoppers to read unbiased consumer reviews so they can make smart choices. They can also leave reviews to help inform their fellow shoppers.

“MyReviewsNow.net is widely known as the go-to online shopping source for a variety of products and services,” commented Lina Andrade, Press Director at MyReviewsNow.net. “And now, we’re extremely pleased to add auto parts, auto insurance, auto loans and more to the virtual mall through our new Auto Parts & Services Portal. We make it easy, enjoyable, informative and rewarding for people to get all of the auto parts and services they need – and all through the comfort and convenience of their computer, tablet or smartphone.”

MyReviewsNow.net’s new Auto Parts & Services Portal is open 24/7/365, and there’s no membership fee or registration hassle.

For more information or media inquiries, contact Lina Andrade at info(at)myreviewsnow(dot)net.

About MyReviewsNow.net

A virtual mall of services, products and publications available online, MyReviewsNow.net is a business directory that sets itself apart from similar sites by offering both professional reviews and customer testimonials on the Internet’s hottest offerings in a fun, simple format that is easy for online shoppers to enjoy. Learn more at MyReviewsNow.net

About MyReviewsNow.net

A virtual shopping mall of services, products and publications available online,

MyReviewsNow.net is a business directory that sets itself apart from similar sites by offering both professional reviews and customer testimonials on the Internet’s hottest offerings in a fun, simple format that is easy for visitors to shop and enjoy.

About SEO Champion

SEO Champion was started in 1999 and is owner operated by Michael Rotkin, SEO Specialist for over 17 years. Michael Rotkin’s goal for his clients is to “own” keyword placements for the top 3 slots organically, so that his clients can earn a higher return on investment from their advertising dollars. Rotkin realizes the value of SEO over Pay-Per-Click campaigns, where click-throughs are generally more expensive and harder to convert into sales. SEOChampion’s intense work ethic can be seen in daily and weekly reports that show progress through organic keyword gain. This effort is the reason his SEO firm has been able to build a loyal client base for many years. Learn more at SEO Champion.

©Copyright 1997-

, Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.
Vocus, PRWeb, and Publicity Wire are trademarks or registered trademarks of Vocus, Inc. or Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.

Houston, TX (PRWEB) May 04, 2012

Winnie, Hart, President and Founder of The H Agency (http://www.thehagency.com), a strategic and creative marketing agency, participated as a judge with the nCourage Entrepreneurs Investment Group which presented two new awards for Courageous Women Entrepreneurs at the Rice Business Plan Competition held at Rice University April 12, 13 and 14, 2012.

The Rice University Business Plan Competition is the world’s richest and largest graduate-level business plan competition. It is hosted and organized by the Rice Alliance for Technology and Entrepreneurship, which is Rice University’s flagship initiative devoted to the support of entrepreneurship, and the Jesse H. Jones Graduate School of Business. This is the 12th year for the competition. In that time, it has grown from nine teams competing for $ 10,000 in prize money in 2001, to 42 teams from around the world competing for more than $ 1.3 million in cash and prizes.

To be eligible for the $ 25,000 in Women’s Entrepreneur cash prizes, graduate-level business plan teams must have, in addition to standard qualifications: a woman as CEO or in a top leadership role or a minimum 25% woman-ownership, and all teams must have at least one female on the presenting team.

The H Agency is a strategic marketing and creative agency. The company has grown from a local New Orleans design firm into a regional strategic marketing and creative agency that develops marketing programs and brand strategies for companies. In its 20+ years of service to clients, The H Agency has been recognized with more than 125 top industry awards for excellence in marketing, communications and design. http://www.thehagency.com

For additional information about the Rice Alliance for Technology and Entrepreneurship and the Jesse H. Jones Graduate School of Business visit http://business.rice.edu .

Contact:

Winnie Hart – company president and founder

504.522.6300

Winnie(at)thehagency(dot)com

©Copyright 1997-

, Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.
Vocus, PRWeb, and Publicity Wire are trademarks or registered trademarks of Vocus, Inc. or Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.

Destination Irvine

Irvine, CA (PRWEB) May 03, 2012

To encourage summer travel, Irvine hotels have come together to offer specials and discounts ranging from hotel credit to gas cards when guests stay through August 31, 2012*.

“With gasoline prices predicted to hit record levels this summer, we wanted to help make a visit to Irvine easier on the budget,” said Wendy Haase, Director Tourism Marketing, Destination Irvine. “Whether driving in or flying in and renting a car, visitors can take advantage of these specials and discounts to help make their trip to the center of Orange County more affordable.”

The list of hotels include: Crowne Plaza Irvine, DoubleTree by Hilton Irvine Spectrum Center, Embassy Suites Irvine, Hilton Irvine, Hyatt Regency Irvine, Irvine Marriott, Residence Inn Irvine Airport and Residence Inn Irvine Spectrum.

For full details on the “Save at the Pump with Irvine Hotel Deals” visit http://www.destinationirvine.com/gaspromo.

*Three of the hotels’ offers are extended through the end of December 2012.

About Irvine

Located in the center of Orange County, Irvine is conveniently accessible via John Wayne/Orange County Airport, train and car. The destination offers visitors shopping, golf, diverse dining, outdoor recreation, arts and culture, along with accommodations for every budget. Irvine’s close proximity to the area’s beaches and attractions makes it an ideal location for a true Southern California experience.

About Destination Irvine

Under the Irvine Chamber of Commerce, a non-profit 501(c)6, Destination Irvine, funded by a self-imposed assessment through a Hotel Improvement District (H.I.D.) positions Irvine as a destination for visitors, meetings and groups. Destination Irvine through direct sales efforts including database marketing, lead generation, trade show participation, and familiarization tours, sells the destination. In addition, Destination Irvine promotes Irvine through marketing, advertising and public relations efforts.

©Copyright 1997-

, Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.
Vocus, PRWeb, and Publicity Wire are trademarks or registered trademarks of Vocus, Inc. or Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.