http://bulldogreporter.com/ME2/Console/XmlSyndication/Display/RSS.asp?xsid=78531D2D98114690A88AC165D60701FE IR Alert RSS Feed http://www.iralert.com/ME2/Audiences/dirmod.asp?sid=&nm=&type=Publishing&mod=Publications%3A%3AArticle&mid=8F3A7027421841978F18BE895F87F791&tier=4&id=A254057026F6438A9FCB341BF97CC6F1&AudID=A1FCE2EF3676463990AB81F4BB13E149 LIG Assets, Inc ., a Dallas-based investment company, today announced it has retained Halliburton Investor Relations (HIR; www.HalliburtonIR.com ), a full-service financial communications firm, to assist the company with its investor relations program. HIR will work with LIG as an integral partner in developing and executing investor relations programs designed to broaden the company's exposure within the investment community. Tue, 31 Aug 2010 00:00:00 EST A254057026F6438A9FCB341BF97CC6F1 http://www.iralert.com/ME2/Audiences/dirmod.asp?sid=&nm=&type=Publishing&mod=Publications%3A%3AArticle&mid=8F3A7027421841978F18BE895F87F791&tier=4&id=186785DD64174ABB892378C05A92A1FB&AudID=A1FCE2EF3676463990AB81F4BB13E149 Titan Medical Inc . announced that it has retained ICR, LLC ( www.icrinc.com ) as its investor relations consulting partner. The firm represents many clients across many verticals, including growth companies in the life sciences and medical device sectors. Tue, 31 Aug 2010 00:00:00 EST 186785DD64174ABB892378C05A92A1FB http://www.iralert.com/ME2/Audiences/dirmod.asp?sid=&nm=&type=Publishing&mod=Publications%3A%3AArticle&mid=8F3A7027421841978F18BE895F87F791&tier=4&id=18E808A24C6241938F9DC80001B27062&AudID=A1FCE2EF3676463990AB81F4BB13E149 Financial Times moves San Francisco-based technology correspondent David Gelles ( david.gelles@ft.com ) to U.S. media and marketing correspondent, replacing Kenneth Li , who moved to Reuters . He will be based in New York. The Wall Street Journal hires New York Observer commercial real estate and economic development reporter Eliot Brown as contributing news writer, effective in September. Bloomberg News moves Toronto-based legal reporter Joe Schneider ( jschneider5@bloomberg.net ) to the same role in Sydney, Australia. Charlotte Observer promotes Ely Portillo ( eportillo@charlotteobserver.com ) to retail business reporter. He will also cover general business assignments. Inc. Magazine reporter Nitasha Tiku leaves. Tue, 31 Aug 2010 00:00:00 EST 18E808A24C6241938F9DC80001B27062 http://www.iralert.com/ME2/Audiences/dirmod.asp?sid=&nm=&type=Publishing&mod=Publications%3A%3AArticle&mid=8F3A7027421841978F18BE895F87F791&tier=4&id=3751283BF5D44A63ADE192DB76A99698&AudID=A1FCE2EF3676463990AB81F4BB13E149 It's been three years since the subprime mortgage market fell apart and the financial crisis started to gain steam. Shouldn't things be looking up by now? No, according to a new study of more than a dozen financial crises from the past century. Far from it. In most cases, there's at least a decade when unemployment remains higher and home prices remain lower than they were before the crisis. The authors, husband and wife economists Vincent and Carmen Reinhart , take a close, quantitative look at the 21-year period surrounding financial crises (10 years before, the year the crisis hits, and 10 years after). Their analysis includes the Great Depression, the 1973 oil shock, and a bunch of smaller, regional crises in both developed and developing economies. They find that, in general, economies take a long, long time to recover, NPR reports. Tue, 31 Aug 2010 00:00:00 EST 3751283BF5D44A63ADE192DB76A99698 http://www.iralert.com/ME2/Audiences/dirmod.asp?sid=&nm=&type=Publishing&mod=Publications%3A%3AArticle&mid=8F3A7027421841978F18BE895F87F791&tier=4&id=FBEB381CF0C247C5AC59269B8578B7BD&AudID=A1FCE2EF3676463990AB81F4BB13E149 This week, Boston digital marketing agency Overdrive Interactive launched SocialEye , a robust tracking and measurement dashboard designed to reveal the true ROI of social media marketing. In addition to tracking newer social media metrics such as connections (friends, fans and followers) and buzz, the comprehensive SocialEye dashboard helps marketers report on the actual ROI of their social media efforts, reporting on metrics such as site traffic, leads and revenue generated by social media marketing efforts. Tue, 31 Aug 2010 00:00:00 EST FBEB381CF0C247C5AC59269B8578B7BD http://www.iralert.com/ME2/Audiences/dirmod.asp?sid=&nm=&type=Publishing&mod=Publications%3A%3AArticle&mid=8F3A7027421841978F18BE895F87F791&tier=4&id=36A436FF578846D3ABF4AD7AC522C8B9&AudID=A1FCE2EF3676463990AB81F4BB13E149 Cal Dive International, Inc . announced the departure of Bruce P. Koch , the company's Chief Financial Officer, to pursue personal interests. Also, the company announced that Brent D. Smith , its current Vice President -- Finance, has been promoted to Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer of the company. Smith has led the finance, treasury and investor relations efforts. Tue, 31 Aug 2010 00:00:00 EST 36A436FF578846D3ABF4AD7AC522C8B9 http://www.iralert.com/ME2/Audiences/dirmod.asp?sid=&nm=&type=Publishing&mod=Publications%3A%3AArticle&mid=8F3A7027421841978F18BE895F87F791&tier=4&id=543093DD2A1F4749946BE444CC8DAF43&AudID=A1FCE2EF3676463990AB81F4BB13E149 By Brian Rivel, President, and James Peebles, Executive Vice President, Rivel Research Group Investment professionals are paying attention on the proxy access front, and may even think that new SEC rules don't go far enough. Many see it as an important way in which they can be reassured about a company's corporate governance and the integrity of its senior leadership team. Indeed, our studies have proven that corporate governance is inextricably linked to the single most important driver of investment decisions today, management credibility. A company's ability to display sound governance practices can help it tip the balance of an important investor's (one who is more apt to be long-term oriented) stock purchase decision. The risk today lies not in investors appreciating the strategic importance of proxy access but in IROs' apparent tendency to give the issue short shrift. While investment professionals say proxy access matters, IROs often say they really don't think so, given progress already made in recent years in bolstering corporate governance. Tue, 31 Aug 2010 00:00:00 EST 543093DD2A1F4749946BE444CC8DAF43 http://www.iralert.com/ME2/Audiences/dirmod.asp?sid=&nm=&type=Publishing&mod=Publications%3A%3AArticle&mid=8F3A7027421841978F18BE895F87F791&tier=4&id=E288B448B55C4B2DBF9CDDE60B7B4A27&AudID=A1FCE2EF3676463990AB81F4BB13E149 Meadowbrook Insurance Group, Inc ., which specializies in the specialty program management market, has announced the appointment of John P. Shallcross as Director of Investor Relations & Capital Strategies. Karen M. Spaun , SVP & Chief Financial Officer, made the announcement. Tue, 31 Aug 2010 00:00:00 EST E288B448B55C4B2DBF9CDDE60B7B4A27 http://www.iralert.com/ME2/Audiences/dirmod.asp?sid=&nm=&type=Publishing&mod=Publications%3A%3AArticle&mid=8F3A7027421841978F18BE895F87F791&tier=4&id=CC9F048A16FC496EB0E3B7C8E018F38C&AudID=A1FCE2EF3676463990AB81F4BB13E149 Massey Energy Company announced the promotion of Roger Hendriksen to the position of Vice President, Investor Relations. Hendriksen will continue to be the liaison between Massey and the investment community including institutional and individual investors, equity research analysts and the financial media. He was previously Director, Investor Relations. Tue, 31 Aug 2010 00:00:00 EST CC9F048A16FC496EB0E3B7C8E018F38C http://www.iralert.com/ME2/Audiences/dirmod.asp?sid=&nm=&type=Publishing&mod=Publications%3A%3AArticle&mid=8F3A7027421841978F18BE895F87F791&tier=4&id=81C03471B7DC4C0480AEAD7430B1601E&AudID=A1FCE2EF3676463990AB81F4BB13E149 Some sell-side analysts are claiming that the economic situation in the U.S. is not like it was in Japan a decade ago — and they are right: Things are much, much worse, warns Albert Edwards , global strategist at Société Générale . "Equity investors are in for a rude shock," he says. "The global economy is sliding back into recession and we are about to see yet another leg down in valuations, the third major bear market since the equity valuation bubble burst. We are closer to outright deflation than many suppose." So far, "Equities have shrugged off much of the weaker data that abounds, and have not joined the bond market in its perceptive move. But the equity market will crumble like the house of cards it is when the U.S. manufacturing Institute for Supply Management index slides below 50 into recession territory in coming months," he warns. Tue, 31 Aug 2010 00:00:00 EST 81C03471B7DC4C0480AEAD7430B1601E http://www.iralert.com/ME2/Audiences/dirmod.asp?sid=&nm=&type=Publishing&mod=Publications%3A%3AArticle&mid=8F3A7027421841978F18BE895F87F791&tier=4&id=4D5D2290398C4D93A912DCAB59286D9D&AudID=A1FCE2EF3676463990AB81F4BB13E149 Hecla Mining Company , a silver producer in the United States, recently announced the appointment of Melanie Hennessey to the position of Vice President - Investor Relations. In this role, Mrs. Hennessey will be the primary liaison between Hecla and its investors, analysts and the financial community globally. Mon, 30 Aug 2010 00:00:00 EST 4D5D2290398C4D93A912DCAB59286D9D http://www.iralert.com/ME2/Audiences/dirmod.asp?sid=&nm=&type=Publishing&mod=Publications%3A%3AArticle&mid=8F3A7027421841978F18BE895F87F791&tier=4&id=2693E60548BA4292BA5ADA1C54DC4CD8&AudID=A1FCE2EF3676463990AB81F4BB13E149 HQ Global Education Inc., which controls and operates 11 vocational schools in China under the widely known "HQ" brand and is one of China's leading providers of customized or "order-oriented" vocational education, announced that it has engaged RedChip Companies, Inc . ( www.RedChip.com ) to lead its public and investor relations efforts. Mon, 30 Aug 2010 00:00:00 EST 2693E60548BA4292BA5ADA1C54DC4CD8 http://www.iralert.com/ME2/Audiences/dirmod.asp?sid=&nm=&type=Publishing&mod=Publications%3A%3AArticle&mid=8F3A7027421841978F18BE895F87F791&tier=4&id=991E9F11DC9647B1900EDC058BBC8498&AudID=A1FCE2EF3676463990AB81F4BB13E149 By Laura Rittenhouse, President, Rittenhouse Rankings ; Author, " Buffett's Bites " Warren Buffett, CEO of Berkshire Hathaway, is 80 today. So, what can investor relations professionals and financial communicators learn from him and how he's run his business? In fact, Berkshire Hathaway has never had an investor relations officer. Not only is Buffett the company's IRO and chief communications officer, he is also the chief risk and capital allocation officer. These multiple hats allow him to focus on two important goals: 1) intelligently allocating capital to grow shareholder wealth and 2) building investor trust. In most companies, investor trust depends on financial results. At Berkshire, investor trust starts with Buffett's ability to live up to the principles listed in the "Berkshire Hathaway Owner's Manual." These are embodied in fiduciary-rich corporate governance and management practices. Here are seven practices that address key IRO communication challenges: Mon, 30 Aug 2010 00:00:00 EST 991E9F11DC9647B1900EDC058BBC8498 http://www.iralert.com/ME2/Audiences/dirmod.asp?sid=&nm=&type=Publishing&mod=Publications%3A%3AArticle&mid=8F3A7027421841978F18BE895F87F791&tier=4&id=E91FF0AAEEDF4BC0A4413BAE32E2134E&AudID=A1FCE2EF3676463990AB81F4BB13E149 Forty-five percent of IBM Business Partners are experimenting with a social media business strategy to generate new revenue streams; however, three quarters say they still are uncertain how to apply it as an effective sales tool, according to survey results from 1,000 IBM worldwide partners released this week. The proliferation of social media outlets and the potential to capitalize on social networking trends may help boost sales in a challenging economy, the groups report. Mon, 30 Aug 2010 00:00:00 EST E91FF0AAEEDF4BC0A4413BAE32E2134E http://www.iralert.com/ME2/Audiences/dirmod.asp?sid=&nm=&type=Publishing&mod=Publications%3A%3AArticle&mid=8F3A7027421841978F18BE895F87F791&tier=4&id=5AF0227A803249F98B633EE0A89CE3A4&AudID=A1FCE2EF3676463990AB81F4BB13E149 Tivus, Inc ., a provider of turnkey media entertainment technology to the hotel and hospitality industry, recently announced it has retained SmallCap Support Services ( www.smallcapss.com ), a Houston-based investor relations firm. Mon, 30 Aug 2010 00:00:00 EST 5AF0227A803249F98B633EE0A89CE3A4 http://www.iralert.com/ME2/Audiences/dirmod.asp?sid=&nm=&type=Publishing&mod=Publications%3A%3AArticle&mid=8F3A7027421841978F18BE895F87F791&tier=4&id=A632FEB2EB90461D8C9A88F785676F8D&AudID=A1FCE2EF3676463990AB81F4BB13E149 Thomson Reuters appoints Reuters politics and news editor Howard Goller ( howard.goller@thomsonreuters.com ) to editor for tax, accounting, healthcare and science coverage in the Professional NewsCenter. This is a news service that adapts Reuters editorial content for clients of the company's Legal, Tax & Accounting and Healthcare & Science units. The move is effective after Labor Day. David Clarke ( david.c.clarke@thomsonreuters.com ) boards as D.C.-based financial regulation correspondent for the Reuters wire. Crain's Chicago Business hires Boston Magazine associate editor Brigid Sweeney ( bsweeney@crain.com ) as retail and non-profits reporter. She also covers convention business. Kate MacArthur boards Sept. 7 as consumer issues and food and beverage industry reporter, replacing David Sterrett , who left. Business Insurance associate editor Colleen McCarthy leaves. Mon, 30 Aug 2010 00:00:00 EST A632FEB2EB90461D8C9A88F785676F8D http://www.iralert.com/ME2/Audiences/dirmod.asp?sid=&nm=&type=Publishing&mod=Publications%3A%3AArticle&mid=8F3A7027421841978F18BE895F87F791&tier=4&id=AE808207EB2E4694862CCF469B05AB18&AudID=A1FCE2EF3676463990AB81F4BB13E149 Assurant, Inc ., a provider of specialty insurance and insurance-related products and services, announces that Brian D. Koppy is joining the company as vice president, investor relations. Koppy was most recently director of investor relations and communications at Barnes Group Inc ., a diversified specialty industrial business. Mon, 30 Aug 2010 00:00:00 EST AE808207EB2E4694862CCF469B05AB18 http://www.iralert.com/ME2/Audiences/dirmod.asp?sid=&nm=&type=Publishing&mod=Publications%3A%3AArticle&mid=8F3A7027421841978F18BE895F87F791&tier=4&id=BF2DD03B9B8C40B9863B2A61F517D722&AudID=A1FCE2EF3676463990AB81F4BB13E149 Computershare Limited , a financial services provider for the global securities industry, this week said that the SEC 's ruling on proxy access moves the industry one step closer to broader reforms for the industry's proxy system — allowing for greater transparency of share ownership and more frequent communications with investors. "With the elimination of the broker discretionary vote on director elections, the forthcoming rules of the Dodd-Frank bill and now with 'proxy access,' there are many more avenues for shareholders to press for significant changes to companies' corporate boards," said Paul Conn , president of Computershare Global Capital Markets. "It is highly likely that companies will now push even harder for related changes to the proxy system to enable companies to identify their shareholders." Mon, 30 Aug 2010 00:00:00 EST BF2DD03B9B8C40B9863B2A61F517D722 http://www.iralert.com/ME2/Audiences/dirmod.asp?sid=&nm=&type=Publishing&mod=Publications%3A%3AArticle&mid=8F3A7027421841978F18BE895F87F791&tier=4&id=627E6316210B4DF8B55D304883CC3697&AudID=A1FCE2EF3676463990AB81F4BB13E149 The recently enacted financial regulatory reform includes provisions seeking to prevent federally insured banks from making speculative bets using their own money. But that will not stop banks from making bets that some critics deem risky, even as the rules go into effect over the next few years. That is because many such bets — on the direction of the stock market or the price of coal, for example — are done on behalf of clients. So, the banks say, they will continue to be allowable despite the new restrictions — potentially leading to the same kinds of blowups that contributed to the financial crisis and forced the federal government to spend billions of dollars to bail out financial institutions, the NY Times reports. Mon, 30 Aug 2010 00:00:00 EST 627E6316210B4DF8B55D304883CC3697 http://www.iralert.com/ME2/Audiences/dirmod.asp?sid=&nm=&type=Publishing&mod=Publications%3A%3AArticle&mid=8F3A7027421841978F18BE895F87F791&tier=4&id=A1AEB6B129BC491F81D51272E795A3FF&AudID=A1FCE2EF3676463990AB81F4BB13E149 by Gene Marbach, Group VP, Makovsky + Company Some of you old-timers and students of journalism will recognize "-30-" as the traditional journalistic closing. Details on the origins of the practice, which came to be adopted for ending press releases, are a bit murky. It is believed that the practice originated during the Civil War when telegraphers tapped "XXX," the Roman numeral for 30, at the end of a transmission. I've entitled this column "-30-" because it is my last for IR Alert . Mon, 30 Aug 2010 00:00:00 EST A1AEB6B129BC491F81D51272E795A3FF