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Monday, November 12, 2007

Munich Re Reduces Treaty Creation Time with Exari InsuranceAccelerator™

Munich Re's UK Life Branch (UKLB) uses Exari InsuranceAccelerator™ to automate their Treaty Contracts. The company believes the efficiencies achieved through this document automation project will help them lower costs and offer even better customer service. Treaty Department head cites substantial time savings.

Ferndale, WA (PRWEB) September 1, 2009

Boston, MA and London - September 1, 2009 - Exari Group Inc. announced today that Munich Re's UKLB, a branch of the world's largest reinsurer, is using Exari's InsuranceAccelerator™ solution to power their XENA Treaty Documentation System. The system integrates Exari with Tier 2 Consulting's Arena Document Control Application. Exari InsuranceAccelerator™ enables various departments to capture and input their requirements for the contract allowing the Treaty Documentation team to complete the first draft in a fraction of the time.

Post execution contract changes are also automated by Exari InsuranceAccelerator™. The software makes valuable contract data available enabling reports that summarize exactly which parts of the main treaty have changed. If a claim arises, everyone is aware of what clauses are relevant and can evaluate their impact.

Sigi Kammerer, Head of Claims and Treaty Documentation at Munich Re UKLB said, "Not only is it much faster and safer to create these Treaty documents with Exari InsuranceAccelerator™, there are other benefits as well. We have full version control and an audit trail, which is very important with such complex insurance documents. In the future, we plan to expand XENA to include Underwriting and Claims Authorities Documents as well as Non Disclosure Agreements. And we are pleased that other areas across the company have expressed their interest in using the system."

"We are proud to welcome Munich Re into our rapidly expanding group of insurance customers around the world," said Exari President Terry Lee. "We integrated Exari InsuranceAccelerator™ with our channel partner Tier2 Consulting's Arena, to provide an overall solution that Munich Re can grow into new areas of their business, in any location around the world.

Exari (http://www. exari. com) is a global leader in document automation for large enterprises. Exari's intuitive web-browser interface empowers business people to create their own contracts using the templates created by their legal department. This approach accelerates the contracts process and reduces the burden on busy legal departments. The Exari system significantly reduces costs, cycle time and risk, and is used worldwide by legal, procurement, sales, insurance, banking and government professionals. Customers are supported from Exari offices in Boston, London, Munich and Melbourne.

Try a demo of our NDA or Services Agreement.

The Munich Re Group operates worldwide, turning risk into value. The Group operates in all lines of business, with around 44,000 employees at over 50 locations throughout the world and is characterized by particularly pronounced diversification, client focus and earnings stability. With premium income of around €22bn from reinsurance alone, it is one of the world's leading reinsurers. The primary insurance operations are mainly concentrated in the ERGO Insurance Group. With premium income of over €17bn, ERGO is one of the largest insurance groups in Europe and Germany. It is the market leader in Europe in health and legal expenses insurance, and 40 million clients in over 30 countries place their trust in the services and security it provides.

Contact:

Adine Deford
(617)938-3777
Adeford (at) exari (dot) com

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New American Meditation Institute Mind-Body Medicine Meditation and Yoga Courses with Leonard Perlmutter

Averill Park, NY (Vocus) January 13, 2010

The American Meditation Institute in Averill Park, New York will present a six-week mind-body medicine CME course on meditation and yoga for physicians and the general public January 19-March 2, 2010, in addition to a one-day Meditation for Heart Disease workshop on January 20, 2010. Physicians will receive 12 AMA Category 1 credits by attending the American Meditation Institute’s (AMI), mind-body medicine CME course on meditation and yoga. The Albany Medical College and the American Medical Association accredit the mind-body medicine CME course entitled American Meditation: The Heart and Science of Yoga. The course presents a comprehensive survey of the historical, philosophical and scientific nature of meditation and yoga. It will be taught by Leonard Perlmutter, founder and director of the American Meditation Institute and award-winning author of “The Heart and Science of Yoga: A Blueprint for Peace, Happiness and Freedom from Fear”. Noted physicians Mehmet Oz, Dean Ornish and Larry Dossey have endorsed Mr. Perlmutter’s book, which serves as the curriculum for this mind-body medicine CME course.

For coronary heart disease patients and those at risk for heart disease, the one-day workshop Meditation for Heart Disease will teach skills that complement and support traditional medical therapy. Yogic breathing and meditation practices encourage all systems within the body to operate optimally. By learning a simple one-minute meditation technique and re-learning to breathe like a newborn, individuals can quickly reduce many symptoms of heart disease and lower their blood pressure.

According to a new American Heart Association study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), meditation cures heart disease. The trial was sponsored by a $3.8 million grant from the National Institutes of Health–National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, and was conducted at The Medical College of Wisconsin in Milwaukee in collaboration with the Institute for Natural Medicine and Prevention at Maharishi University of Management in Fairfield, Iowa. Research found that coronary heart disease patients who meditate have almost 50% lower rates of heart attacks, stroke and deaths compared to similar patients who do not meditate. The randomized controlled trial followed 201 African American men and women with coronary artery disease for nine years in a control trial. While one group of the patients (average age 59) practiced meditation, the control group received classes in traditional exercise and dietary modification. Everyone received standard medical care. The study found a 47 percent reduction in heart attacks, strokes and deaths in meditating participants as well as a clinically significant reduction in blood pressure.

Noting that The U. S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, Georgia report that 53 percent of all illness is attributable to lifestyle choices, the American Meditation Institute founder Leonard Perlmutter concludes that “If people could learn some form of mind-body medicine like basic meditation, breathing and yoga practices, they’d be motivated to make more skillful choices which would enhance their overall health and lower their annual health care costs.”

About the American Meditation Institute
The American Meditation Institute is a 501(c)3 non-profit educational organization devoted to the teaching and practice of Yoga Science, meditation and its allied disciplines as mind-body medicine. In its holistic approach to wellness, the AMI combines the healing arts of the East with the practicality of modern Western science. The American Meditation Institute offers a wide variety of classes, retreats, and teacher training programs. AMI also publishes “Transformation,” a bi-monthly journal of Yoga Science as holistic mind-body medicine. Call 800.234.5115 for a mail or email subscription.

Media Contact:
Mary Helen Holloway
60 Garner Road, Averill Park, NY 12018
Tel: 800-234-5115
Fax: 518-674-8714

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Citi's "Global Community Day" Mobilizes More Than 46,000 Volunteers Across 100 Countries

Tens of thousands of Citi volunteers across the world will be mobilized in the company’s third annual Global Community Day, Saturday, November 8, 2008. Citi expects more than 46,000 volunteers to participate in hundreds of projects around the world in 100 countries.

NEW YORK (PRWEB) November 7, 2008

Many Citi employees volunteer year-round in their communities. Global Community Day is an annual initiative to bring company employees, along with their families and friends, together as a global volunteer team on a single day each year. Local volunteer teams will be working in North America, the Asia Pacific, Latin America, Europe, the Middle East, and Africa on a variety of projects addressing specific community needs including literacy, housing, environmental protection, nutrition and health care.

"On Global Community Day, Citi employees in more than 100 countries around the world will assemble to make a difference in their local communities," said Pamela Flaherty, president and chief executive officer, Citi Foundation and director, Corporate Citizenship. "In these difficult times, community engagement is more important than ever because the needs are so great. Whether it is teaching financial education to young people; planting trees to combat deforestation; refurbishing schools in poor communities; or serving meals to the homeless, Citi employees will turn out to help. Global Community Day is one of the many ways, from sound business practices to our Foundation programs that Citi strengthens the communities where we live and work."

Highlights of Citi's volunteer projects from around the world:

In the Asia Pacific, volunteers will be teaching personal financial literacy to low-income adults and children. Hundreds will be walking to raise funds to support the school rebuilding effort in the aftermath of the Sichuan, China earthquake and over 1,500 books will be collected to encourage reading among underserved children. Throughout Europe, the Middle East and Africa, more than 200 activities are planned to help those in need across the region, from HIV testing in Ghana, to planting trees in Portugal, mentoring senior citizens in Switzerland, visiting an orphanage in Kuwait and building homes in South Africa. Extensive consultations with community partners, government agencies and employees helped ensure that our 10,000 Citi volunteers aid those in most need. In Japan, over two hundred people from Citi and Nikko are cleaning the beach on the beautiful islands of Okinawa while others are preserving the ancient road in the Kumano World Heritage area in Western Japan. Other teams will experience a game of futsal blind-folded with the students from a blind high school in Tokyo. Across Latin America and the Caribbean hundreds of volunteers are refurbishing a number of schools. Others are working on environment-related activities such as tree planting and park and beach clean-up. Additionally, many are visiting children and elderly at orphanages, hospitals and homes. Mexico will host a country-wide food drive in 52 cities, working with a national food bank in collecting and delivering food. Last year the efforts of employees in Mexico yielded 140 tons of food. Across the U. S. students will receive financial education from our volunteers about "Get Smart About Credit" using the Citi Financial Education Curriculum; volunteers are collecting and "scrubbing" cell phones and blackberries at 23 Citi sites for local domestic violence shelters in Citi's "Wireless Roundup;" and food will be collected, community pantries will be stocked and Thanksgiving meals will be served to those in need. Citi, the leading global financial services company, has some 200 million customer accounts and does business in more than 100 countries, providing consumers, corporations, governments and institutions with a broad range of financial products and services, including consumer banking and credit, corporate and investment banking, securities brokerage, and wealth management. Citi's major brands include Citibank, CitiFinancial, Primerica, Smith Barney and Banamex. Additional information may be found at www. citigroup. com or www. citi. com.

Certain statements in this document are "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act. These statements are based on management's current expectations and are subject to uncertainty and changes in circumstances. Actual results may differ materially from those included in these statements due to a variety of factors. More information about these factors is contained in Citi's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

OCA-NY Condemns Bias Treatment by NYC Spelling Bee Towards Chinese American Student

The Organization of Chinese Americans, New York Chapter (OCA-NY) condemned an incident where a Chinese American student was denied the right to participate in a city-wide spelling bee, after she was told she had qualified.

New York, NY (PRWEB) April 12, 2008

Today, the Organization of Chinese Americans, New YorkChapter (OCA-NY) condemned an incident where a Chinese American student was denied the right to participate in a city-wide spelling bee, after she was told she had qualified.

On January 29, 2008, Ariel Leung, a PS 124 student from District 2 qualified for the city-wide spelling bee, after having placed 7th in the Manhattan borough spelling bee. The final 8 contestants were told they had all qualified to advance to the city-wide spelling bee and parents were told they would be notified once the details of the event were finalized.

On March 5, 2008, PS 124 librarian, Ms. Albert, learned that the spelling bee would be taking place on March 13 and asked Ariel's mother, Ms. Li Wen Mo, if she had received the notice of the event. As it turned out, Ms. Mo was not notified and the spelling bee operation manager simply said Ariel did not qualify. PS 124 Principal, Ms. Hom, then contacted the spelling bee organizers to obtain to arrange for Ms. Mo to listen to the tape. Mo found the exact location on the tape that indicated her daughter's qualification to compete. When confronted on this fact, the operation manager stated that the organizer had made a mistake and that the ultimate decision on who would move forward should have been made by the judges and told Ms. Mo that Ariel would not be able to compete as it would mean another student would have been kicked off.

It was at this point that OCA-NY Executive Vice President, Elizabeth R. OuYang, who also is a civil rights attorney, intervened. Ms. OuYang contacted the attorney representing the spelling bee and insisted that the tape of the January 29 competition be preserved and that given the evidence on the tape, Ariel Leung should be allowed to compete in the city-wide spelling bee. With one-days' notice, the organizers of the spelling bee allowed Ariel to compete. As it turned out, a student who DID NOT finish in the top 8 at the Manhattan competition was competing at the city-wide event, in addition to Ariel.

In an April 8, 2008 letter to Joel Klein, Chancellor of the Department of Education, Vicki Shu Smolin, President of OCA-NY wrote, "As you and Mayor Bloomberg both can agree, access to quality education, participation by parents and a healthy spirit of competition, along with support from the Department of Education and the community, are essential to the academic and psychological growth of our city's youth. This incident highlighted the achievement of a student, the tenacity of a parent, the support of the school and the backing of the community, but the breakdown somewhere was somewhere in the administration."

"The manner in which Ms. Mo was treated by the organizers was appalling," stated Liz OuYang, Executive Vice President of OCA-NY. "They did not notify her of the date of the city-wide competition, then they were trying to convince Ms. Mo her daughter did not make it when she herself was at the competition and it was caught on tape. It sends the wrong message to the Chinese American community, a message that implies that Chinese immigrant parents are stupid and can be taken advantage of. More Chinese parents like Ms. Mo must assert their rights or they will be treated like second class citizens."

Comments Ms. Mo, "They need to be more responsible. They need to treat parents with respect and not with an attitude that they can do whatever they want. It is not fair that anyone has to go through what I did. I do not want it to happen to anyone else."

Founded in 1973, OCA is a national non-profit, non-partisan organization dedicated to advancing the social, political and economic well-being of Asian Pacific Americans. With a national headquarters in Washington DC and over 80 chapters and affiliates across the country, OCA embraces the hopes and aspirations of the nearly 12 million Americans of Chinese and Asian/Pacific Islander ancestry in the United States. The New York Chapter was founded in 1976.

OCA-NY is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Contributions are tax deductible to the fullest extent permitted by law.

OCA, "Embracing the Hopes and Aspirations of Asian Pacific Americans."

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Healthcare Packaging Expands Annual Conference Program and Moves to New Venue in Princeton, NJ

Healthcare Packaging's annual event for packagers of pharmaceuticals, medical devices, nutraceuticals and biologics boasts more than a name change; customizable content and a new location offer increased relevance for attendees to Healthcare Packaging Conference & Workshops on May 27 at the Hyatt Regency Princeton.

Chicago, IL (PRWEB) February 22, 2010

Summit Publishing Company's Healthcare Packaging magazine has launched their annual event with changes and enhancements designed to appeal to a new breed of conference-goer. A revised format, a move to Princeton, NJ, and an expanded agenda combine with a sold-out sponsor roster to offer increased educational value for packagers of pharmaceuticals, medical devices, nutraceuticals and biologics. The former Pharmaceutical Packaging Forum, now Healthcare Packaging Conference & Workshops (http://www. healthcare-packaging. com/conference), will be held May 27 at the Hyatt Regency in Princeton, NJ. Produced by Healthcare Packaging, this event is designed for packaging decision-makers, including packaging engineers, validation and regulation specialists, package designers, security and quality control professionals, packaging sustainability managers and solution providers.

Healthcare Packaging Publisher Jim Chrzan comments on the changes to this year's event. "Our move from Philadelphia to Princeton underscores the educational nature of our conference, and offers additional convenience and affordability for attendees. We're also pleased to incorporate medical device packaging in this year's program. Topics such as sustainability, package design, compliance, FDA regulations, validation, and counterfeiting are critical issues, whether you are packaging pharmaceuticals or medical devices, so this was a logical content expansion. These changes, plus the addition of over a dozen afternoon breakout workshops, will appeal to today's professionals, who have limited time and resources. Our new format will deliver an efficient, affordable day, filled with relevant content and great networking opportunities."

Keynoting this year's general session will be Pfizer's Director of Global Packaging Technology, Geoffrey Glauser, who will speak on biopharmaceuticals, the cold chain and the regulatory environment. A representative from Watson Pharmaceuticals and other experts will discuss medical device packaging, compliance, transitioning from prescription to OTC markets, the FDA under Obama, and more. Afternoon breakout workshops will enable attendees to choose topics based on their needs. Workshops will address innovations in materials, sustainability, label printing, sorbent technology, aseptic packaging, automation, and more. Registration is now open at http://www. healthcare-packaging. com/conference.

About Summit Publishing Company
Chicago-based Summit Publishing Company is an integrated media publisher offering business information for packaging professionals. Print magazines include flagship monthly Packaging World, Healthcare Packaging (http://www. healthcare-packaging. com), Packaging World's PACK EXPO Showcase; Contract Packaging and Shelf Impact!; Summit also owns GreenerPackage. com Web resource for sustainable packagers. In addition to newsletters, Summit produces Webcasts and a variety of conferences for packaging professionals.

For more information:

Susan DaMario, Director of Marketing
Summit Publishing Company | Summit Media LLC
Phone 312-222-1010

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Sunday, November 11, 2007

New Magazine is Gunning for Top Dog

A self-styled Â“GQ for dogs,Â” WAG magazine devotes itself to the art of living with a dog and looking damn good doing it.

(PRWEB) April 19, 2005

This June will see the launch of a new magazine that's looking to give other publications a run for their money in more ways than one. Not all pet, not just fashion, WAG magazine represents a new breed altogether. A self-styled Â“GQ for dogs,Â” WAG magazine devotes itself to the art of living with a dog and looking damn good doing it, which may leave readers asking themselves why they are wasting their money on multiple subscriptions to interest magazines when one can do the job.

Â“We wanted our magazine to be different from all the magazines that have come and gone in a matter of weeks,Â” says editor Josh Magness. Â“We plan to walk onto the scene and show our readers something they haven't seen in everyone else's magazines. You'll find us standing with one leg raised over the competition.Â”

WAG's main focus is not only the everyday do's and don'ts of pet care, but also the fun and comedy that can only come from living with a furry friend. With fashion spreads from top designers as well as a blend of edgy humor and pop culture, WAG readers might not necessarily have pets, but theyÂ’ll almost certainly have a twisted view of the world.

Rather than drawing from the same well that most other magazines look to for their talent, WAG has searched for writers who won't just roll over and play dead. Their stated mission is to deliver the freshest, most original material out there, which will make for content that is anything but neutered. Readers can expect the debut to feature the newest fashions from such designers as Kate Spade, Jasper & Lennor, Posh Poochy, and Buckle, tales of humiliation at the paws of a pet, the ultimate guide to grooming your dog, columns, photos, as well as a special feature on taking care of a dog, reality TV-style.

Though WAG's premiere is due out this summer, the magazine is by no means the runt of the litter. Originally hitting the scenes as Paw Prints, one of the nation's largest pet health newspapers with a readership of over 25,000, the editors saw a journalistic vacuum for the finer things in an animal loverÂ’s life. In November of 2004 they held the nationÂ’s largest pet fashion show with designers from around the world. The response to an injection of style into the animal world was tremendous and the concept of WAG magazine was born.

The future of WAG magazine and its readership stands to determine a lot more than the old story of flash-in-the-pan publications looking to squeeze into an overcrowded niche. With its blend of information and entertainment in a genre that is saturated with predominantly health content, WAG could be a leader in a new generation of publications that manage to keep our dogs healthy while giving us a treat. What remains to be seen is if WAG will be able to teach the old dogs new tricks. For more information visit http://www. mywag. com (http://www. mywag. com).

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Consumer Demand for Natural Personal Care Products Continues to Grow

C. J. Buck, CEO of Xenna Corporation, which distributes natural foot care products, says that in addition to department stores and supermarkets, both chain and independent pharmacies are continuing to expand their offerings of natural products. Buck says, "Consumers are looking for advice, recommendations, and natural choices." For those seeking natural foot care products, NonyX Nail Gel for yellow, discolored nails is a logical choice. It softens and exfoliates keratin debris - the discolored, yellow or thick granular buildup under nails which is the actual source of embarrassing toenail or fingernail discoloration, using natural ethanoic acid."

Princeton, NJ (PRWEB) November 21, 2005

According to the Natural Marketing Institute, sales of personal care products experienced the second-biggest percentage of growth (14%) in 2004, following foods and beverages. Substantiating the trend, market research publisher Packaged Facts projects the natural personal care market will climb to $7.9 billion by 2009, driven by widespread consumer concern about toxic ingredients; not only in foods, but in deodorants, skin care and other personal care items.

Consumers are drawn to personal care products containing natural ingredients because they are perceived as being both healthier and as having higher standards of quality, enabling manufacturers to charge higher prices for products derived from them. This perception has injected value into the market and, according to Euromonitor, driven packaging developments "which convey fresher, more upscale appearances for natural products. Origins and Aveda, for example, have achieved success by emphasizing the quality of their products, which in turn have prompted smaller producers to introduce competing products and rejuvenate their packaging."

Upscale department stores such as Nordstrom's in the US are taking advantage of the growing interest and are expanding their selections. "Natural supermarket" chains and health food stores, such as Whole Foods in the US, are also educating consumers on the benefits of natural personal care products.

According to the September 5, 2005 issue of Mass Merchandising Retailer, NonyX Gel is one of "a growing number of topical products that have come to market promising to address the problem of yellow, discolored nails." MMR also reports that "Xenna Corp., which has carved out a niche for itself in the foot care category with the success of its NonyX Nail Gel…. has now developed a product that is called CalleX Dry Heel Ointment."

Buck says "One of the main advantages of CalleX Dry Heel Ointment is that it's acid-free. It exfoliates using natural enzymes, thinning thickened skin areas and removing dry, scaly skin without burning, stinging or other irritation." CalleX has been sold to podiatrists for several years. After a successful year exclusively in Longs Drug Stores, Xenna is now looking at broader distribution. "The exclusivity gave Xenna a chance to optimize the item's pricing," says Buck. MMR reports that Xenna "has established itself as an exfoliants specialist with NonyX, which has seen steady sales growth since its launch two years ago." Both NonyX Nail Gel and CalleX Dry Heel Ointment are diabetic-friendly.

Buck says, "Consumers are no longer resistant to purchasing high-price personal care products in supermarkets, and stronger HB&C margins counterbalance ever-thinner grocery margins. All of these trends explain why CalleX and NonyX are the right products at the right time for foot care."

NonyX Nail Gel can be purchased in the footcare section of Walgreens, Rite Aid, Longs, Drug Emporium, Brooks, Duane Reade, Eckerd and many Medicine Shoppe drugstores. It is also available at HEB, Roundy's and Brookshire grocery stores, through podiatric physicians, independent pharmacies and online at www. drugstore. com, www. FootSmart. com and www. xenna. com.

CalleX Dry Heel Ointment is now available in the footcare section at Longs and many Medicine Shoppe pharmacies, as well as from podiatric physicians and online at www. drugstore. com and www. xenna. com. To view photos, click on www. xenna. com.

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