HAUPPAUGE, N.Y., Sept. 4, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --Personal Communications Devices, LLC (PCD) (http://www.pcdphones.com), a leading provider of wireless devices to service providers in the Americas, Africa and the Pacific for more than 25 years, has elected George Appling as its new President and CEO. The selection of Mr. Appling, who brings 20 years of broad wireless industry experience, covering every aspect of PCD's business, provides PCD with a clear path into its next chapter in the wireless industry.

"George is the ideal person to take PCD into the future, focusing on the value-added services PCD provides like inventory management, forward and reverse logistics and product life cycle management and marketing," the PCD Board of Directors said in a statement. "Our customers and manufacturing partners will continue to experience the exceptional level of service they have come to expect from PCD."

In his new role, Appling will lead PCD's existing team of longtime industry executives

"This team has played an integral role in PCD's success in recent years," added the Board in a statement. "We're proud of their accomplishments and ability to help lead the company. Mr. Appling is joining a strong team and we are confident that under his leadership, the organization will continue to provide value to both our carrier and device manufacturer partners, while bringing to market the newest technologies to meet our customers' needs."

Mr. Appling comes to PCD from Booz & Company where he has been a Partner since 2009. Prior to that, he was a Principal at Katzenbach Partners and had served as both President of Global Solutions and Chief Operating Officer of Brightstar Corp. While at Brightstar, Appling was responsible for the operation of more than 60 distribution centers, global IT, human resources, indirect procurement and the division that marketed device management and supply chain services to mobile operators and retailers. Earlier in his career, Mr. Appling was founder and President of Xelibri the fashion phone business unit of Siemens Mobile, and an Associate Principal with McKinsey & Company in its Houston, Moscow, and Munich offices.

"I'm excited to join PCD and continue the company's unique place in the wireless industry as the only company to provide the right devices to fill the right needs with the right features to sell at maximum volumes," said Mr. Appling. "I want to assure our customers and partners that they can continue to expect the same high level of attention from the same PCD professionals with whom they are accustomed to dealing. This transition will be seamless as we look forward to building on a legacy of service and innovation."

For almost 30 years, PCD has built its reputation on the knowledge, experience and consistency of its management team by providing end-to-end product lifecycle services and support to both device manufacturers and carriers. Under Mr. Appling's stewardship, PCD will continue to focus on its core array of services, including:

Personal Communications Devices, LLC (PCD), formerly known as Audiovox Communications until 2004 and then UTStarcom Personal Communications Division, has been a leader in the wireless industry since 1984. Relying on a unique business model, PCD works closely with strategic design and manufacturing partners in Japan, Korea and China to bring innovative products to all of the major wireless carriers throughout the world.

Mr. Appling succeeds former President and CEO Philip Christopher, who was with the company for 28 years and shepherded it through its transitions from Audiovox to UTStarcom to PCD. He joined Audiovox Corporation in 1970 and was instrumental in launching Audiovox Communications Corp. (ACC) in 1984, where he served as President and CEO. In 2000, ACC formed a joint venture with Toshiba and was then acquired by UTStarcom in 2004. With this acquisition, UTStarcom Personal Communications Division was formed where, as president and CEO, Mr. Christopher is credited with growing the division's revenues and profits to record levels. In July 2008, Mr. Christopher spearheaded a management buyout of UTStarcom Personal Communications Division and created Personal Communications Devices.

In the 28 years Mr. Christopher has been involved in the wireless industry, he has worked with every top carrier in North and South America including Verizon Wireless, Sprint, AT&T, T-Mobile and carriers in Canada and Latin America. He is responsible for bringing many recognizable brand manufacturers to the Americas, including Toshiba, LG, HTC, Pantech, Casio and Sharp. Additionally, he has served on both the Board of Directors and the Executive Committee of CTIA The Wireless Association since 1999.

Original post:
Personal Communications Devices Announces New President and CEO

An investment rooted in the belief that with support, courageous leaders can create broad impact for the communities in which they live and work defines the essence behind the Bush Fellowship Program. The depth of work planed by the second cohort of 2012 Bush Fellows promises an inspiring range of exploration including systems change, community engagement, and personal development.

We take a behind-the-scenes look at one of the recently announced 2012 Bush Fellows. Zahra Aljabri, a COO of MuslimBuddy, mom, and fashion TV junkie, shares with us not only the path that brought her to this fellowship, but also gives us extended insight into her forward thinking idea that could change the face of community organizations' engagement and governance strategies for decades to come.

What three adjectives would you use to describe your childhood self?

Any professions you idealized as a child?

Police officer

What's the greatest takeaway from your educational experiences?

One of the most important lessons I learned during undergraduate, and was reinforced in law school, is the importance of developing meaningful, reciprocal relationships. Learning to be selective about who you closely associate with and not waste precious time or energy with people who bring you down or only take and never give. Sometimes it's hard to realize, but people you surround yourself with have an immense impact on how you perceive yourself and what you do. It's important to be mindful about the quality of those relationships.

Did you ever face a career crossroads?

I came to an important crossroads when I returned from extended stay overseas and was making a decision whether to work for an established organization or pursue MuslimBuddy full-time. On one hand, I had opportunities that were relatively secure positions with specific roles that would not utilize my full potential or stretch my comfort zone. On the other hand, I could purse an uncertain path that could potentially allow me to leave a significant social impact. I decided to pursue the riskier option. I felt it was a better use of my time, talent, and skills. Though it was a bit scary at the time, I'm confident that I've made the right decision to not stay safe in a limited role working for someone else.

As an entrepreneur, I value creativity and autonomy. At the same time, in order to succeed I needed support and structure while maintaining control and autonomy. The Bush Fellowship offered exactly that! As a Bush Fellow, I will have a fellowship plan and access to innovators and change-makers in the nonprofit sectorwhile having the control to make choices that meet the needs of my community. I am comfortable with risks and uncertainty and the Bush Fellowship makes a perfect fit as they focus more on learning and execution rather than success and failure per se.

Read the original:
Pursuing uncertainty: A path towards social impact for a 2012 Bush Fellow

The Winter Haven Young Professionals Group offers networking activities for people age 21 to 40. "Some of what we do is social; some is personal development. Lots of times we try to link those together," said Clay McKown, the group's chairman.

LAKELAND | If you're a young professional in Polk County, there's an easy way to learn about the community and meet others like you.

Lakeland, Winter Haven and Bartow all have groups designed for professionals in their 20s, 30s or early 40s. Affiliated with local Chambers of Commerce, the organizations offer social gatherings, personal and professional development activities and opportunities for volunteer work.

In Lakeland, there's EMERGE (emergelakeland.com), a group with nearly 200 members open to young professionals age 21 to 42. EMERGE Lakeland holds monthly events open to members and nonmembers alike. Membership is $50 annually.

Recent activities have included a presentation on business etiquette, a field day with mentors and youths from the Big Brothers Big Sisters organization, and a "casino night" membership drive. You'll regularly catch EMERGE members downtown during the monthly First Friday event.

"I moved to Lakeland three years ago and got signed up with EMERGE through work. All of a sudden I got to meet all of these other young professionals in town that grew up here or are new to town," said Jorge Rivera, 32, a senior accountant with CPS Investment Advisors, who also serves as EMERGE's treasurer and membership committee chairman.

"I've built up a big base now of all of these people I consider friends that are like-minded and involved in the community," Rivera said. "Some of them are really inspiring."

EMERGE will hold a gathering with Congressman Dennis Ross on Sept. 24 to get an inside look at the campaign process. October will bring "A Round of Shots For Breakfast," a morning event held at the Shoot Straight gun range.

In East Polk, the Winter Haven Young Professionals Group (whypg.camp7.org) is open to those age 21 to 40 in the greater Winter Haven area. Membership is $60 annually.

Clay McKown, 26, is the current WHYPG chairman and a member of three years. He describes the group as a "springboard to meet other young professionals and build a network with your peers and also learn about your community."

Go here to read the rest:
Three Polk Groups Offer Networking for Young Professionals

Sep 3, 2012 - 11:00

Image Caption: A woman selling vegetables at the market at Fada N'Gourma, Burkina Faso (Keystone)

byJean-Michel Berthoud, swissinfo.ch

After a period of expert advice we quickly came to the conclusion that we need to allow the local population to take their development goals into their own hands, Philippe Fayet of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) told swissinfo.ch. The coordinator of the SDC cooperation office in Burkina Fasos capital city Ouagadougou cites the example of the town of Fada NGourma to illustrate the efforts for development of medium-sized towns in the countryside. In Fada the livestock market has developed into an economic hub. Every week hundreds of animal traders and other traders meet here. The Swiss-financed development project has an impact which extends far beyond the local context. The market is significantly contributing to the development of the whole region, Fayet said.

The trading infrastructure provided by the community of Fada NGourma, with Swiss support, which includes a central market, an animal market and a bus station, appears to have been a success. I dont trust the word success, Fayet said. To set up a market and make it work is not as important as the question what will the population make of it in the future. The decisive thing, according to Fayet, is what other people will develop out of this idea to solve their own problems building slaughter houses, bus stations, product processing, for example. This independent choice of activities by the people is important. And we have to support it. In this sense our activity at the moment is successful. Our commitment has to advance such success, said Fayet, who attended a recent development aid conference in Bern.

Josphine Ouedraogo, sociologist, ex-minister in Burkina Faso and former general secretary of the non-governmental organisation Enda Tiers Monde, accompanied SDCs rural development work at a time when the farmers movement was emerging. There was an SDC rural development study that promoted discussion among farmers and encouraged them to take personal responsibility. Through this the farmers made an important step forwards, she told swissinfo.ch. The personal responsibility acquired by the local actors can be seen now in places like the market at Fada: the activities of the local authorities, the business people, the animal traders, the banks, the local committees. Thats where the success of this movement is visible. In any case a useful infrastructure has now been put in place, Ouedraogo said. Infrastructure that mobilises even traditional circles like the livestock traders. And at this livestock market in Fada there are lots of other activities and exchange possibilities, including dealers from neighbouring countries. The earnings from this market allow the authorities to invest in other sectors, she added.

Does this mean Burkina Faso is on the right path for the future? I wouldnt put it like that, Ouedraogo answered. We have a market economy that first has to be developed, the same goes for the farmers movement. We have another long way to go towards the building of a democracy, it is a very long process. What is happening now is that the population, with or without development aid, has become aware that they can demand the local authorities or the state to deliver on their promises. Ouedraogo gives an example. In a rural village the schoolchildren not their parents staged a sit-in demanding the removal of an unpopular and violent teacher. The authorities had to get rid of him and find a replacement. That happened without the help of a development organisation, Ouedraogo laughed. This sense of personal responsibility, this self-confidence that is an important means on the way to a law-based state.

There will always be mistakes in projects, Fayet believes. We have a bus station in Fada NGourma that works badly, because of negotiations with the unions. The problem wasnt created by SDC but by the local authorities because they played it down. Whats important is that there is a solution culture. How can one overcome these difficulties? I believe such problems also happen in Switzerland. The question is the same everywhere: How can we solve such difficulties?

It is clear to Fayet that the effectiveness of development aid cannot be measured with figures alone. What really counts is listening to the voice of the local people. SDC will remain active in Burkina Faso until 2016. And then? The foreign aid organisations have to leave. Otherwise we always feel under their patronage, not confident, needing help, Ouedraogo said. Im not saying we dont need help from outside but it must be a different kind of help. Countries like Burkina Faso have to be capable to move forward with their own resources. We have to choose our own partners tell them what we need. Maybe it will then be SDC again

Jean-Michel Berthoud, swissinfo.ch (Translated from German by Clare O'Dea)

Excerpt from:
Supporting the cattle market as rural hub

McDONOUGH An ongoing debate regarding standards for personal care homes in Henry County will soon come to a head.

The Board of Commissioners is set to vote Tuesday on proposed recommendations for such facilities.

Cheri Hobson-Matthews, Planning and Zoning director, said discussions stemmed from a moratorium adopted by commissioners in March.

As a result of that moratorium, the staff was charged with going back and revisiting provisions in our code as it pertains to personal care homes in residential zoning districts, she said.

Planning and Zoning staffers examined personal care home ordinances in neighboring jurisdictions to determine whether changes were needed in Henry. The ordinance regulates the development and standards of personal care homes within unincorporated portions of the county.

We were originally recommending that a conditional-use permit be required, said Hobson-Matthews. She added that the ordinance requires a hearing before the countys zoning advisory board in order to approve a personal care home in a residential zoning district.

A series of public meetings revealed opposition to restrictions on personal care home applicants, particularly from the special needs community in Henry.

Approximately 100 people attended a recent town-hall meeting on personal-care homes in Henry. They were sharply divided between on the issue of putting them in subdivisions.

That meeting followed a personal care home application submitted in January by Jeff Boyd, in Stockbridges Cottonfields subdivision.

Boyd said he began the endeavor while taking care of his elderly parents. His supporters said tighter restrictions on personal-care homes would make it difficult for special-needs individuals to receive care.

Originally posted here:
Commission poised to vote on personal-care homes

Abuja There were indications, yesterday, that the State Security Service, SSS, might have embarked on a secret probe of those behind leakage of the personal data of over 60 current and former staff of the spy organization.

The leakage of the employees' records, including that of the head of the agency, Mr. Ita Ekpenyong, was reported by a foreign news agency yesterday, which claimed that the development had embarrassed the organisation.

The records of the affected staff and their immediate family members were reportedly posted on a website suspected to have links with the Boko Haram sect, raising fears as to whether the information was given out by insiders or through hackers bent on using it for pecuniary purposes.

The SSS spokesperson, Marilyn Ogar, could not be reached for comments on the development as calls to her phone were not answered.

However, a competent source acknowledged that the agency was aware of the development and had begun investigations into it.

The security source, who described the development as strange and embarrassing to the agency, said that those behind the act would be apprehended and made to account for their misdeeds.

Another source familiar with the agency, said they were suspicious that the staff data were sourced from the data submitted by the affected personnel to a federal government pension agency, which the SSS recently broke away from.

It was learnt that the pension agency might have taken offence and thrown away the data from its archive following an approval by the Presidency that the spy body should set up and run its own pension scheme due to the peculiar nature of its assignment.

"We have a strong suspicion that this information leaked to the website in question was taken directly from the pension agency.

"A cursory examination of the information including the staff records and their family members bear semblance to that which we filled with our former pension managers.

Read the rest here:
Nigeria: Tension in SSS Over Leakage of Staff Data

IRVINE, Calif., Aug. 30, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Toshiba's Digital Products Division (DPD), a division of Toshiba America Information Systems, Inc., today announced its entry into the cloud storage space with the Toshiba Canvio Personal Cloud. This easy-to-use storage hub allows users to save their extensive media libraries securely in their own homes, with the added benefit of being able to access and stream files remotely via the cloud. With the Canvio Personal Cloud, users will be able to access digital data at home or on the go with their tablets, smartphones or computers via an Internet connection.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120830/SF66051)

"Given Toshiba's extensive experience within the storage space and comprehensive ecosystem of devices offered, we've come up with a simple, intuitive solution that perfectly ties everything together," said Maciek Brzeski, vice president of product marketing and development, Branded Storage Products, Toshiba America Information Systems, Inc., Digital Products Division. "We've designed the Canvio Personal Cloud with the consumer in mind, truly enabling the digital home by using storage to bridge the gap between an array of electronic devices. What's even more impressive is that Canvio Personal Cloud will allow users to access their personal data from anywhere in the world."

Canvio Personal Cloud Toshiba's Canvio Personal Cloud is a centralized file sharing and storage hub for the connected home, that enables users to bring all their content together in one place, including music, photos, video and documents stored on PCs, Android-based tablets and smartphones and iOS devices such as the iPhone and iPad. Using the Canvio Link software for Windows or Canvio Link apps for Android and iOS, users can easily access and stream content stored on the Canvio Personal Cloud to their Internet-connected devices, whether on the home network or away. Smart TVs can also access Canvio Personal Cloud, allowing users to share music, photos and videos on the big screen.

Available with either 2TB or 3TB of storage[1], Canvio Personal Cloud empowers consumers to simply and securely store, access, share and stream their ever-expanding digital content within their connected home, or anywhere in the world. It enables the availability of content on a contextual basis flowing from device to device, screen to screen and location to location and unlike public and private cloud applications, the Canvio Personal Cloud is completely self-managed, so the content and accessibility is always under users' own personal control and there are no usage fees or subscription charges.

Straight out of the box, Canvio Personal Cloud includes an extremely easy three step set-up process and simple, intuitive interface. The device features broad compatibility between desktop computers, laptops, tablets, gaming consoles and smartphones. It works seamlessly with Windows Vista, Windows 7 and Windows 8 PCs, Android-based tablets and smartphones, iOS tablets and smartphones as well as DLNA-compatible devices.

Pricing and Availability The Canvio Personal Cloud will be available for purchase on ToshibaDirect.com and select retailers in September 2012 for of $219.99 MSRP[2] for the 2TB version and $249.99 MSRP for the 3TB version.

Image Gallery: http://bit.ly/CanvioPersonalCloud

Connect with Toshiba on Facebook at facebook.com/ToshibaUSA, on Twitter at twitter.com/ToshibaUSA and on YouTube at youtube.com/ToshibaUS.

About Toshiba America Information Systems, Inc. (TAIS) Headquartered in Irvine, Calif., TAIS is comprised of three business units: Digital Products Division, Imaging Systems Division, and Telecommunication Systems Division. Together,these divisions provide digital products, services and solutions, including industry-leading portable computers; televisions, TV/DVD Combination products, Blu-ray Disc and DVD products, and portable devices; imaging products for the security, medical and manufacturing markets; storage products for computers; and IP business telephone systems with unified communications, collaboration and mobility applications. TAIS provides sales, marketing and services for its wide range of products in the United States and Latin America. TAIS is an independent operating company owned by Toshiba America, Inc., a subsidiary of Toshiba Corporation. For more information on TAIS visit us.toshiba.com.

Excerpt from:
Toshiba Launches First Personal Cloud Storage Device For The Digital Home

By Peter Pham - August 30, 2012 | Tickers: AMD, AAPL, ARMH, INTC, MSFT | 0 Comments

Peter is a member of The Motley Fool Blog Network -- entries represent the personal opinions of our bloggers and are not formally edited.

Highly successful companies are not accidents. One does not just wish billions of dollars in revenue, high profit margins and streamlined operations into being. Intels (NASDAQ: INTC) management prides itself on being at the right place at the right time; from strategic decisions to rewarding and nurturing their employees, all of these details are prioritized. After reporting record annual revenue at the end of 2011 of $54 billion, Intel was quick to realize that the management should not be complacent but rather made decisions for promotions and rotations quickly.

But Intel is at a bit of a crossroads as their focus as chip designers has always been about producing more IPC (instructions per cycle). Their chips reveal a form of myopia that has them slightly behind the curve as the world of computing shifts away from discrete PC units to devices that are more an extension of us. While that transition takes place, however, Intel will rely on its core strengths of design efficiency and manufacturing to carry them while new products designed around power management are developed.

Mastering Management

The technology industry is so competitive and changes within it so rapid that it requires tremendous precision in making deals leading to mergers and acquisitions. This is one area that Intel has down cold. Developing strong partnerships and purchasing companies that they have worked in the past is Intels process. In essence, doing business with someone is the best form of due diligence. In this context, purchasing 15% voting rights in ASML was of great significance as it would help Intel lower the cost of manufacturing 450mm wafers, thereby streamlining production as the competition moves from 300mm to 450mm wafers.

Managements efficiency has allowed them to fend off the odd challenge by rival AMD (NYSE: AMD) over the years by using size to their advantage and executing at a consistent level, making AMDs margin for error very small. Moreover, the top management and executives encourage the middle management to seek ideas and suggestions from those closest to the market in order to develop products thatll help them acquire first mover advantage with each chip generation.

To develop specific solutions within a market a functional team is set up for the development of any particular product or venture in the pipeline. A functional team at Intel is made up of the technical departments needed for the job at hand. Having functional teams at the product development stage is designed to get the maximum out of the expertise team members have. But this structure retains the flexibility to form cross functional teams for more complex tasks. Product development and product ownership is the same thing at Intel in that the person that generated the idea becomes a part of the product development cycle. Allowing people to see their ideas through to the end is an important part of maintaining employee loyalty.

The Current Conundrum

Even though the management at Intel has worked exceedingly well in making the organization the giant in the chip manufacturing industry, management has not taken any backup measures considering the macroeconomic problems surrounding the economies across the world. There are a number of challenges on the horizon: rising costs resulting in margin erosion, shifting computing tastes which de-emphasize their x86 i-series Core CPUs in favor of ARM Holdings-based (NASDAQ: ARMH)SoCs.

Here is the original post:
Managing Intel’s Way

BOUCAN CARRE, Haiti The people who live in this part of Haitis Central Plateau need more of pretty much everything that makes life safe, comfortable and predictable.

Three-quarters of families do not have enough food and two-thirds do not have access to clean water. Thirty percent of households are headed by women, and 40 percent of children are not in school. One in four children is unvaccinated, and half are underweight. About 80percent of houses do not have latrines, and 60percent of farmers do not own the land they cultivate, according to a survey of 5,200 families in the commune, or county, of Boucan Carre.

Is it realistic for people to make headway against so many problems on their own? Several centuries of poverty would suggest the answer is no.

Would a personal assistant help? An experiment here may answer that.

Half of the communes 10,000 households are being assigned a household development agent a neighbor who will work as a health educator, vaccinator, epidemiologist, financial analyst, social worker, scheduler and advocate all at the same time. With the agents help, a family will assess its needs and come up with a plan to make things better.

The idea is to forge a relationship from the get-go, said Maryanne Sharp, an official at the World Bank, which is overseeing the $4million project. We want the family to say, Yes, we own the plan and we will work on these objectives on this timetable.

The other 5,000 households will function as a control group, continuing as they have, scrounging out a living in one of Haitis poorest and most isolated places.

In two years, the families will be resurveyed and their children and houses reexamined. If those with agents are doing better, then the strategy of coaching people out of poverty may be expanded to the whole country.

The experiment, aided by Haitis Health Ministry and run by two charities, Zanmi Lasante and World Vision, acknowledges several realities of life here.

One is that fixing just one of a poor familys many problems say, access to medical care or substandard housing may not make much difference. The second is that house calls are the most efficient way to reach people in rural areas. The third is that finding help in a place where more than 900 nongovernmental organizations operate and provide 70percent of the health care can be daunting and confusing.

Here is the original post:
Personal coaches help Haitian families try to get out of poverty

VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA--(Marketwire -08/30/12)- The BC Chapter of the American Marketing Association (BCAMA) introduces the new Board of Directors for the 2012/2013 season. The BCAMA, founded in 1955, has been lead by a group of volunteer BC-based marketing professionals who balance their volunteer positions with the already challenging demands of career and personal life. They are dedicated to providing exciting programs and new initiatives that our BCAMA members and supporters value.

The 2012/2013 BCAMA Board of Directors:

Steve Kim - President

Steve is the President of Boilingpoint Group, and has over 13 years of expertise in strategic marketing, communications and business development gained from his experience within the media, entertainment, and technology sectors.

Sarah Clayton - President Elect

Sarah is the Director of Marketing and Communications at Regent College, where she works with an in-house marketing team to forge new innovative marketing paths in a competitive higher education industry.

Darrell Hadden - Immediate Past President

Darrell started Graphically Speaking over 20 years ago. As President, he has seen the company evolve from being the largest presentation graphics company in the Pacific Northwest to the second largest web developer in Greater Vancouver.

Kerry J. Plowman - Vice President Elect

With over 10 years of experience in marketing, Kerry founded WestCoast Internet Marketing to help small and medium sized business expand their reach into target audiences using inbound and outbound marketing technique, with a focus on lead generation and results-driven marketing strategies.

Follow this link:
BCAMA Introduces 2012/2013 Board of Directors