Cal/OSHA Issues High Heat Advisory as Heat Wave Arrives in Southern California
Cal/OSHA Issues High Heat Advisory as Heat Wave Arrives in Southern California
OAKLAND, Calif., Sept. 12, 2014 /PRNewswire- HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — Cal/OSHA is reminding all employers to protect their outdoor workers from the risk of heat illness, as temperatures in parts of Southern California climb into the upper 90s today and will continue to rise through the weekend and into early next week.
“California’s heat illness standards are the strongest in the country, and we will continue to work with both labor and management to ensure that workers stay well on the job,” said Christine Baker, director of the Department of Industrial Relations (DIR). The Division of Occupational Safety and Health, commonly known as Cal/OSHA, is a division within the DIR.
“Heat illness can easily be prevented,” said Acting Chief of Cal/OSHA Juliann Sum. “It is essential that employers with outdoor workers adopt a comprehensive approach that protects against a variety of risk factors.”
California’s heat regulation requires all employers with outdoor workers take basic steps to protect outdoor workers:
- Train all employees and supervisors about heat illness prevention, including “acclimatization” to get used to the heat.
- Provide plenty of cool, fresh water and encourage employees to drink water frequently.
- Provide a shaded area for workers to take a cool down recovery break.
- Prepare an emergency heat illness prevention plan for the worksite, with training for supervisors and workers on the steps to take if a worker shows signs or symptoms of heat illness.
Special “High Heat” procedures are also required when temperatures reach or exceed 95 degrees for construction, landscaping, agricultural, oil and gas extraction, and transportation outdoor worksites. At these times, supervisors must take extra precautions:
- Observe workers for signs and symptoms of heat illness.
- Remind workers to drink water frequently.
- Provide close supervision of workers in the first 14 days of their employment (to ensure acclimatization).
- Have effective communication systems in place to be able to summon emergency assistance if necessary.
Employers are reminded to check the National Weather Service for your local forecast.
Cal/OSHA will inspect worksites in outdoor industries such as agriculture, construction, landscaping, and others throughout the heat season. Through partnerships with various employer and worker organizations in different industries, Cal/OSHA will also provide consultation, outreach and training on heat illness prevention.
Information on the heat illness prevention requirements and training materials are available on the Cal/OSHA’s Heat Illness web page and Water. Rest. Shade. campaign site. Additional resources include the Cal/OSHA’s Heat Illness Prevention e-tool.
Cal/OSHA’s Consultation Program provides free and voluntary assistance to employers and employee organizations to improve their health and safety programs. For assistance from the Cal/OSHA Consultation Program, employers can call (800) 963-9424.
Employees with work-related questions or complaints, including heat illness, can contact the Cal/OSHA district office in their region to file a confidential report. Recorded messages in English and Spanish detailing resources for California workers are also available toll free at 1-866-924-9757.
For media inquiries, contact Erika Monterroza at (510) 286-1164 or Peter Melton at (510) 286-7046.
The California Department of Industrial Relations, established in 1927, protects and improves the health, safety, and economic well-being of over 18 million wage earners, and helps their employers comply with state labor laws. DIR is housed within the Labor & Workforce Development Agency. Non-media inquiries can contact DIR’s Communications Call Center at 1-844-LABOR-DIR (1-844-522-6734) for help in locating the appropriate division or program in our department.
The Nutrition Facts Label Can Help Young People Make Healthful Choices
The Nutrition Facts Label Can Help Young People Make Healthful Choices
SILVER SPRING, Md., Sept. 12, 2014 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — To help kids make healthful dietary choices, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration encourages kids to Read the Label!
To view the multimedia assets associated with this release, please click http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7106353-fda-national-childhood-obesity-month/
Foto – http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140912/145692
The Nutrition Facts Label is a simple tool available on food and beverage packages. It lets kids know exactly what they’re eating and helps them choose and compare snacks and other foods. The earlier they start using the Nutrition Facts Label, the sooner they’ll be making choices that keep them feeling great and promote long-term good health!
Young people can follow these tips to get started – and they will soon see how easy reading the label really is! Parents, caregivers, and others who interact with young people can also help model label-reading by following these key steps, too.
- Check the serving size. All of the nutrition information listed on the Nutrition Facts Label is based on one serving of that food. But, it’s common for one package of a food to contain more than one serving. If a package contains two (or more) servings and you eat the entire package, you are consuming two (or more) times the number of calories and nutrients listed on the Label. So be sure to check!
- Consider the calories. For weight management (whether it’s to lose, gain, or maintain weight), it’s important to pay attention to the calories. The overall goal is to balance how many calories you eat with how many calories your body uses. As a general rule, 400 or more calories per serving for a single food is high and 100 calories is moderate.
- Choose nutrients wisely. There are certain nutrients that young people should aim to get “less of.” Kids can use the Percent Daily Value (%DV) on the Nutrition Facts Label to find foods that are lower in saturated fat, sodium, and sugars. Here’s an easy guideline: 5%DV or less of a nutrient means the food is low in that nutrient, and 20%DV or more means it’s high! Sugars have no %DV, so remind kids to use the amount of grams (g) as a guide.
Kids can start using the Nutrition Facts Label today to compare foods and make smart snack choices. By knowing a food’s serving size, calories, and nutrients – they’ll be taking charge of managing their own healthful diet!
For more information, visit FDA’s Read the Label Youth Outreach Campaign. Additional nutrition education materials from FDA can be found at www.fda.gov/nutritioneducation.
FDA is proposing to update the Nutrition Facts label for packaged foods. For more information, see Proposed Changes to the Nutrition Facts Label.
Contact: Media: 1-301-796-4540
Consumers: 1-888-SAFEFOOD (toll free), 10 AM to 4 PM ET, Monday through Friday
Nationally Aired Community Forum Latino Education: Crisis & Response Kicks off Day of Community Engagement with “Los MacArturos” Boyle Heights, Los Angeles
Nationally Aired Community Forum Latino Education: Crisis & Response Kicks off Day of Community Engagement with “Los MacArturos” Boyle Heights, Los Angeles
OAKLAND, Calif., Sept. 12, 2014 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — “What Can Be Done NOW to turn around the crisis preventing Latino educational success?” – will be probed in a live Radio Bilingüe-produced bilingual community forum from Boyle Heights, Los Angeles featuring renowned Latino education scholar Patricia Gándara on Wednesday September 17, 2014 from 11 am to 2 pm PDT. The public is encouraged to attend and comment during the event at Casa 0101 Theater, 2102 E. First St., Los Angeles, CA. The forum will be broadcast live nationwide on the Radio Bilingüe National Latino Public Radio Network and in Los Angeles by partnering Pacifica public radio station KPFK 90.7 FM.
Gándara, co-Director of the Civil Rights Project at UCLA and author of numerous works on Latino education disparities, will be joined on the panel by members of “Los MacArturos” – Latino recipients of the MacArthur Foundation’s prestigious “Genius” Fellowships, kicking off a day of engagement focused on youth and community building in Boyle Heights in partnership with Radio Bilingüe, the Alliance for California Traditional Arts (ACTA), and Centro Binacional para el Desarrollo Indígena Oaxaqueño.
Media may meet the panelists from 10 to 10:45 am PT at the forum venue. “Los MacArturos” expected include artists, writers, scholars and community workers Joan Abrahamson, Luis Alfaro, Ruth Behar, Guillermo Gómez-Peña, Rueben Martínez, Amalia Mesa‐Bains, Hugo Morales, Francisco Núñez, Benjamin “Pepón” Osorio, María Varela, and Camilo J. Vergara. Hosted by veteran journalists Richard Gonzales and Graciela “Chelis” López, forum hours 1&3 will be in English and Hour 2 in Spanish.
Also scheduled in Boyle Heights Sept. 17: a private dialogue between Los MacArturos and invited community members, 4 pm, Boyle Hotel; a public creative lab “ActivARTE” using arts and culture to address neighborhood displacement, 6 pm, Mariachi Plaza; and a performance by MacArturo Guillermo Gómez Peña, 8 pm, Casa 0101 Theater.
The national broadcast is part of Radio Bilingüe’s Diploma en Mano/Diploma in Hand series, supported by The Corporation for Public Broadcasting’s American Graduate – Let’s Make it Happen! Also supporting the day’s events are The California Endowment, Building Healthy Communities – Boyle Heights, and the Los Angeles County Arts Commission.
Premier Organization for Hispanic Business Professionals Announces Diana Bolivar as a New Board of Directors Member
Premier Organization for Hispanic Business Professionals Announces Diana Bolivar as a New Board of Directors Member
IRVING, Texas, Sept. 12, 2014 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — The National Society of Hispanic MBAs (NSHMBA) announces the appointment of Diana Bolivar, President of the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Metro Orlando (HCCMO), as a board member to the NSHMBA National Board of Directors.
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Bolivar’s current role as president of the chamber helps to promote the economic development of the Hispanic business community of Metro Orlando. Bolivar’s vision for the chamber is to continue the support of economic development in Central Florida by offering HCCMO’s members and stakeholders an attractive economic proposition.
NSHMBA CEO Manny Gonzalez commented, “Diana Bolivar will be a significant addition to our board with her strong business experience in the non-profit sector as well as in the chamber. Diana will make valuable contributions to help us continue to empower Hispanics to achieve their fullest educational, social and economic potential.”
An exemplary individual, Bolivar is committed to serving and listening to the Hispanic community’s needs while focusing the HCCMO’s effort in bringing local businesses while generating profitable growth. Bolivar’s experience ranges from nonprofit, legal, and medical fields, to construction industry and community engagement roles. Throughout her career, Bolivar has served as president and owner of Florida Quality Inspections Inc., specializing in hurricane-related inspections for residential and commercial clients.
Bolivar currently serves as a board member at the Leadership Seminole, Heart of Florida United Way and Career Source Central Florida. She is on the advisory boards for Ana G. Mendez University, Public Allies, Orange County School Board Hispanic Council, BETA Center and the Children’s Summit.
Bolivar holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Massachusetts and is a graduate of Leadership Seminole.
About The National Society of Hispanic MBAs (NSHMBA) was formed in 1988 as a non-profit organization. NSHMBA aims to empower Hispanics to achieve their fullest educational, social, and economical potential. NSHMBA serves the Hispanic community and its constituents through a national network of 40 chapters and hundreds of community strategic partners across the United States and Puerto Rico covering 100 percent of the Hispanic community. NSHMBA is dedicated to building and advancing Hispanic leadership, advocating the pursuit of higher education and providing its members with world-class professional development and career management programs. Visit nshmba.org
Sprint Announces Exclusive New Rate Plan for iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus and a Revolutionary New Way to Acquire iPhone
OVERLAND PARK, Kan., Sept. 12, 2014 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — Sprint is proud to offer iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus, the biggest advancements in iPhone history, beginning on Friday, Sept. 19. Demonstrating the best value in wireless Sprint will offer the Sprint Simply Unlimited Plan exclusively for iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus, giving new and existing customers unlimited data, talk and text while on the Sprint network for only $50 per month.1 Sprint will allow iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus customers to connect to its fast LTE network, including Sprint Spark, an enhanced LTE service.2 Customers can pre-register
starting today at www.sprint.com/iphone and pre-orders begin on September 12 at www.sprint.com/iphone, Sprint retail stores or through Sprint Telesales at 1-800-Sprint1.
In addition, Sprint introduced the iPhone for Life Plan, the most economical way to get any new iPhone 6 or iPhone 6 Plus. iPhone 6 is only $20 per month for 24 months for a 16GB model, and iPhone 6 Plus is only $25 per month for 24 months for a 16GB model – there are no out-of-pocket costs and the plan guarantees a new device every two years. At the end of 24 months, customers in good standing can upgrade, purchase the leased phone or continue leasing on a month-to-month basis.3
iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus are the biggest advancements in iPhone history, featuring two new
models with stunning 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch Retina HD displays, and packed with innovative technologies in an all-new dramatically thin and seamless design that is still comfortable to hold and easy to use. Both models are better in every way and include: the Apple-designed A8 chip with second generation 64-bit desktop-class architecture for blazing fast performance and power efficiency; advanced iSight and FaceTime HD cameras; ultrafast wireless technologies; and Apple Pay, an easier way to simply and securely make payments with just the touch of a finger.*
The new iPhones include iOS 8, the latest version of the world's most advanced mobile operating system, featuring a simpler, faster and more intuitive user experience with new Messages and Photos features, predictive typing for Apple's QuickType keyboard and Family Sharing. iOS 8 also includes the new Health app, giving
you a clear overview of your health and fitness data and iCloud Drive, so you can store files and access them from anywhere.
"We have made a commitment to offer the best value in wireless to any individual, couple or family, and we are excited to offer our customers the innovative iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus with an exclusive unlimited plan," said Marcelo Claure, Sprint CEO. "In addition, we're proud to introduce a revolutionary new way for American consumers to acquire the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus. Our iPhone for Life Plan allows customers access to iPhone 6 with the industry's lowest monthly fee of $20 with no out-of-pocket costs, and it guarantees a new device every two years."
Sprint has introduced differentiated rate plans that provide the best value in wireless whether you're an individual, couple, or family. The best value for an
individual is the Simply Unlimited Plan for the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus. For a family, the best value is Sprint Family Share Pack, a new shared-data plan that offers double the high-speed data at the same or lower price as AT&T and Verizon Wireless.
Sprint customers can also acquire the new iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus by purchasing through Sprint Easy Pay. Qualified customers pay $0 down and $27.09 per month for 24 months for a 16GB iPhone 6 or $31.25 per month for 24 months for a 16GB iPhone 6 Plus.4 Customers can also purchase iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus with a traditional two-year agreement. iPhone 6 will be available for $199.99 for the 16GB model, $299.99 for the 64GB model and $399.99 for the 128GB model. iPhone 6 Plus will be available for $299.99 for the 16GB model, $399.99 for the 64GB model and $499.99 for the 128GB model. Customers purchasing under these
offers can activate on an unlimited plan for $85 per month or on a Sprint Family Share Pack Plan. (All prices exclude taxes.)
For a limited time, Sprint is offering two special deals: (1) Customers can get a free 16GB iPhone 6, valued at $199.99, after instant credit when they trade-in any used iPhone model at Sprint stores in good working condition5 and sign-up for a two-year agreement. (2) Customers who bring their number from another carrier and activate an iPhone 6 or iPhone 6 Plus on the Sprint Simply Unlimited Plan, Sprint will buy out their family's contracts with a Visa Prepaid Card worth up to $350 per line.6 The switching offer will be available at Sprint stores and through Sprint Telesales.
Sprint already has built its 4G LTE network to serve more than 255 million people, with more on the way, making it easy for customers to take
advantage of all the great features on the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus. In addition to Sprint's all-new 3G network and its 4G LTE network, Sprint is deploying Sprint Spark, a technology designed to greatly improve the performance of video and other bandwidth-intensive applications, including new generations of online gaming, virtual reality and advanced cloud services. It enables stutter-free video chat on-the-go and mobile gaming that leaves lag behind. Sprint Spark is an enhanced LTE service that's built for data and designed to deliver average wireless speeds of 6-15Mbps and peak wireless speeds of 50-60Mbps today on capable devices, with increasing speed potential over time. Sprint plans to reach 100 million Americans by year-end with the service.2
For more information on iPhone, please visit: www.apple.com/iphone.
About Sprint
Sprint (NYSE: S) is a communications services company that creates more and better ways to connect its customers to the things they care about most. Sprint served more than 54 million customers as of June 30, 2014, and is widely recognized for developing, engineering and deploying innovative technologies, including the first wireless 4G service from a national carrier in the United States; leading no-contract brands including Virgin Mobile USA, Boost Mobile, and Assurance Wireless; instant national and international push-to-talk capabilities; and a global Tier 1 Internet backbone. The American Customer Satisfaction Index rated Sprint as the most improved U.S. company in customer satisfaction, across all 43 industries, over the last six years. Sprint has been named to the Dow Jones Sustainability Index (DJSI)
North America in 2011, 2012 and 2013. You can learn more and visit Sprint at www.sprint.com or www.facebook.com/sprint and www.twitter.com/sprint.
1The $50 Unlimited Plan features unlimited talk, text and data while on the Sprint network for up to 10 lines for $50 per month for any new or existing customer who purchases or leases a non-discounted iPhone 6 or iPhone 6 Plus through October 16, 2014. Excludes premium content, international, roaming, taxes and Sprint surcharges. Prohibited network use rules apply. To improve data experience for the majority of users, throughput may be limited, varied or reduced on the network.
2Sprint Spark (enhanced LTE) is available in limited
markets. Sprint Spark actual deployment plans and speeds will be determined over time based on many factors, including build economics and the availability of equipment, devices and applications.
3 No equipment security deposit required. Req. service plan. Customer is responsible for insurance and any repairs. If service or lease is cancelled early, the remaining lease payments become due immediately and customer must return the device or pay the purchase option. Future leasing subject to device availability and monthly payments may vary. Service plan rates and availability are subject to change. Payments exclude monthly taxes.
4 MSRP: iPhone 6 (16GB) $649.99 and iPhone 6 Plus (16GB) $749.99.
5 Offer ends Sept. 30, 2014. Trade-in must be in good working condition. Subject to other terms of Sprint Buyback
Program.
6 All lines must be ported from an active wireless line at another carrier and remain active and in good standing for at least 45 days to receive the prepaid card. Offer available Aug. 22, 2014 – Oct. 31, 2014. Allow 12 weeks for your prepaid card to arrive. Register at www.sprint.com/jointoday.
Markel Global Reinsurance suma a Erik Manning, Jamie Welsby y John Duda a su equipo
Markel Global Reinsurance suma a Erik Manning, Jamie Welsby y John Duda a su equipo
RICHMOND, Virginia, 11 de septiembre de 2014 /PRNewswire/ — Markel Corporation (NYSE: MKL) anunció hoy que el Dr. Erik Manning y Jamie Welsby fueron nombrados directores ejecutivos de Markel Global Reinsurance (Markel Re), la división operativa de reaseguro de Markel Corporation. Además, John Duda fue nombrado vicepresidente adjunto de suscripción de reaseguros para Markel Re.
Jed Rhoads, presidente y director de suscripciones para Markel Re, comentó: “Nos complace enormemente sumar a Erik, Jamie y John a nuestro equipo de liderazgo en las Bermudas. Aportan un gran caudal de conocimientos y experiencia en reaseguros de propiedades de inversión de terceros administradas que serán muy valiosos para alcanzar la meta de expandir nuestra presencia en ese mercado. Mejorarán nuestra capacidad de análisis y nos ayudarán a desarrollar una oferta de productos más amplia, además de ayudarnos a recaudar fondos y servir a nuestros clientes, corredores e inversores. Sus actividades no se limitarán al reaseguro de retrocesión que suscribimos bajo Markel y New Point, nuestro vehículo de seguros con fines especiales, que ya tiene ocho años.
“Erik, Jamie y John apoyarán a nuestro actual equipo de reaseguro de retrocesión y cobertura de catástrofes administrada, con base en las Bermudas, que actualmente está formado por Andrew ‘Barney’ Barnard, Crystal Doughty y Elena Marshall. Estamos comprometidos con el mercado de cobertura de retrocesión y con el crecimiento de nuestro negocio de capital de terceros administrado”.
Erik Manning recientemente ocupó el puesto de director ejecutivo de Prácticas especializadas para Guy Carpenter Bermuda. Previamente fue director de ICG/DCM en el Deutsche Bank (con sede en Londres). Antes de unirse al Deutsche Bank, fue jefe de estructuración de títulos asociados a seguros en ABN, AMRO. También trabajó en RK Carvill and Company, Ltd. Erik obtuvo su licenciatura en la Universidad Estatal Appalachian y su máster en la Universidad de Sheffield. También tiene un título de doctor en teoría del riesgo de Birkbeck, Universidad de Londres.
El cargo más reciente de Jamie Welsby fue director de Logic Reinsurance Underwriting Management, Ltd., empresa que cofundó. Antes de ayudar a crear Logic, fue jefe de reaseguro de propiedades en RBC Reinsurance en Toronto. Tiene 23 años de experiencia en la gestión y suscripción de reaseguros. También trabajó con GE Insurance/Frankona, donde ocupó los puestos de líder de carteras de propiedades globales, líder de cobertura de catástrofes globales y actuario líder de fijación de precios, con base en Múnich, Alemania. Jamie se graduó en la Universidad McMaster.
John Duda viene de desempeñarse como gerente de cartera para Logic Reinsurance en Toronto. Su experiencia también incluye puestos en Benfield (entonces, Aon Benfield) y Guy Carpenter, donde trabajó en el equipo canadiense y el de asesoramiento. John tiene una formación en la rama analítica y se dedicó a la colocación de seguros de catástrofe para propiedades. También trabajó para Zurich Financial Services en Londres. Obtuvo su título de licenciado en matemáticas de la Universidad de Waterloo.
Acerca de Markel Corporation
Markel Corporation es un conglomerado financiero diverso que ofrece servicios a una variedad de nichos del mercado. Sus principales actividades comerciales son la venta y suscripción de seguros especiales. En cada una de sus actividades, la compañía busca ofrecer productos de calidad y un servicio al cliente de excelencia para ser un líder en el mercado. Los objetivos financieros de la compañía son generar ganancias permanentemente al operar y al suscribir seguros y ofrecer los mejores retornos de inversión para crear valor para los accionistas. Visite Markel Corporation en internet en markelcorp.com.
March of Dimes Switches Domain to marchofdimes.org
March of Dimes Switches Domain to marchofdimes.org
WHITE PLAINS, New York, Sept. 11, 2014 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — The March of Dimes has switched its domain name to marchofdimes.org.
“For 12 years, the March of Dimes has used .com to promote our presence on the internet because it was the best and only descriptive domain available to us,” said Dr. Jennifer L. Howse, president of the March of Dimes. When the .org became available this year we saw an opportunity to more appropriately align ourselves with other top nonprofit organizations around the world. We think it will help consumers more intuitively understand that the March of Dimes is a not-for-profit dedicated to mom and baby health.”
“Changing to www.marchofdimes.org is a subtle improvement, but it’s a natural for us,” said Dr. Howse. “It lets more moms know that we’re a trustworthy, independent, non-commercial source. We are a one-stop shop for the information women need to help them have healthy pregnancies and healthy, full-term babies.”
Founded by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1938, the March of Dimes has become a familiar household name, reaching more than about 90 percent name recognition across the United States, according to internal research.
About March of Dimes
The March of Dimes works to improve the health of babies by preventing birth defects, premature birth and infant mortality. The March of Dimes is the leading nonprofit organization for pregnancy and baby health. For more than 75 years, moms and babies have benefited from March of Dimes research, education, vaccines, and breakthroughs.
For the latest resources and health information, visit our websites marchofdimes.org and nacersano.org. Find us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter.
Native American Contractors Association and National Association of Surety Bond Producers Sign Memorandum of Understanding
Native American Contractors Association and National Association of Surety Bond Producers Sign Memorandum of Understanding
WASHINGTON, Sept. 11, 2014 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — Today, the Native American Contractors Association and National Association of Surety Bond Producers signed a Memorandum of Understanding between the two organizations.
Photo – http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140911/145450
Logo – http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110325/MM71964LOGO
In an effort to increase awareness by Native business enterprise of the benefits afforded them through surety credit relationships, the leadership of NACA and NASBP came together in early 2014 to build a report between not only their respective membership, but also the communities at large.
Historically underserved, Native businesses increasingly are pursuing contracting opportunities that require surety bonds and are interested in the best ways to qualify for such bonds in Indian Country.
“Partnerships from all sectors are vital to economic development in Indian Country,” said NACA Executive Director Kevin J. Allis. “It’s through building relationships with organizations like NASBP that both sides can learn the intricacies of one another’s industries, and find the appropriate solutions for both parties.”
The formal MOU signing occurred at the NACA Capitol Hill headquarters office today in Washington, DC, with leadership from both organizations in attendance.
“We are looking forward to beginning a long standing relationship with Indian Country through our partnership with NACA,” said NASBP CEO Mark H. McCallum. “Business diversity is imperative to the future growth of the American economy, and Native businesses are part of that growth.”
NASBP joins a sophisticated group of organizations looking toward the future economic development in the United States.
Over the past year, NACA has actively developed working relationships with American Indian Chambers of Commerce in California, Arizona and South Carolina, and have standing MOUs with U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, U.S. Black Chambers, Inc., Native Hawaiian Chamber of Commerce, and Native Hawaiian Association Organization.
Native American Contractors Association
NACA is a national Native advocacy organization based in Washington, D.C., and represents Tribal, Alaska Native Corporations, and Native Hawaiian Organizations across the country. NACA seeks to protect the economic self-sufficiency of America’s indigenous people that is enhanced through the participation of its members in the SBA 8(a) program. NACA’s members represent and provide benefits for nearly 700,000 Tribal members, Alaska Natives, and Native Hawaiians.
National Association of Surety Bond Producers
Founded in 1942, the National Association of Surety Bond Producers (NASBP), www.nasbp.org, is the association of and resource for surety bond producers and allied professionals. NASBP members specialize in providing surety bonds for construction contracts and other purposes to companies and individuals needing the assurance offered by surety bonds. NASBP members engage in contract and commercial surety production throughout the United States, Puerto Rico, Guam, and a number of countries. They have broad knowledge of the surety marketplace and the business strategies and underwriting differences among surety companies. As trusted advisors, professional surety bond producers act in many key roles to position their clients to meet the underwriting requirements for surety credit.
Media Contacts:
Ricki McCarroll
[email protected]
(202) 503-9169
Kathy Hoffman
[email protected]
(202) 464-1175
AFF Ad Campaign Highlights Culture of Corruption Under Puerto Rican Governor Padilla
AFF Ad Campaign Highlights Culture of Corruption Under Puerto Rican Governor Padilla
DES MOINES, Iowa, Sept. 11, 2014 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — The American Future Fund (AFF), a national 501(c)4 organization, launched its latest advertising campaign aimed at exposing the culture of corruption under Puerto Rican Governor Alejandro Padilla that should alarm investors, creditors and taxpayers.
Nick Ryan, Founder of the American Future Fund, said: “Governor Padilla continues to lead a government that disregards The US Constitution. His repeated efforts to publicly shame political opponents, rip up legal contracts and fleece unsuspecting businesses to save face is not only wrong, it is illegal.”
Under Governor Padilla, Puerto Rico has:
- Racked up huge levels of public debt through the opaque and politically-controlled Government Development Bank, at the expense of unsuspecting investors;
- Violated the U.S. Constitution by enacting an illegal bankruptcy law that destroys the rights of creditors and eviscerates individual pensions that are invested in the island’s public utility;
- Trumped up charges against a private bank in order to seize the bank’s assets to enrich political cronies;
- Threatened a NY-based rating agency with investigation and persecution after the agency downgraded the creditworthiness of the island; and
- Presided over public corruption that has transformed Puerto Rico into a major transit point in the global drug trade originating from Venezuela.
Ryan concludes, “Puerto Rico is becoming an unsafe place to invest. Governor Padilla can change course, and do the right thing. Nancy Soderberg, a Democrat and former Clinton administration official, put it best, saying Governor Padilla must “uphold property rights, the rule of law, contractual rights and the rights of investors and creditors”.
To view the initial advertisement click here.
Background
Governor Padilla and his government have undertaken a full-blown attack on the rule of law, the U.S. Constitution and investor rights. The first example, Doral Financial Corporation, a US-based bank and mortgage lender that Puerto Rico lawfully entered into a contractual agreement in 2012 acknowledging the Commonwealth owes Doral over $230 million. The agreement was ratified by both parties yet again in 2013. But Governor Padilla and his government are now refusing to honor this contract. Moreover, Doral’s regulator – the Office of the Financial Institutions Commissioner – and key political leaders including the Department of Justice are threatening the bank and its employees. These actions, coming after Doral’s decision to file litigation to enforce its agreement with the government, are disturbing, and an abuse of power by Governor Padilla and his government. The second example involves a new law, the Debt Enforcement and Recovery Act, which was rammed through the legislature by Governor Padilla. This law would allow the Puerto Rican government to repudiate the debts of the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority (PREPA) and could leave the lights on the island literally being turned off because of Padilla’s actions. This action stiffs investors and pensioners to the benefit of a few select bondholders that are covering for the GDB. This law violates the U.S. Constitution, and has led the island’s bond ratings to be downgraded to junk status.