Aging expert Joesph Coughlin with "AGNES" -- short for "Age Gain Now Empathy System" -- which simulates how aging affects mobility.

(Money Magazine) -- You think you're on top of this retirement-planning thing. You've maxed out your 401(k) matches and loaded up your IRA.

Joseph Coughlin says you probably aren't even close to being ready for life after 65. The director of the AgeLab at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology says you also have to consider whether you'll be able to work if you want to, where you'll live, how you'll stay connected with friends and family, and whom you'll be able to trust when you need help making financial decisions.

The AgeLab's work is eclectic -- one of Coughlin's research specialties is the driving ability of older people -- tapping fields from engineering to psychology to find insights into ways people can live better as they age.

The group has designed a full-body suit, which enables product designers to experience the physical limitations of older customers, and has worked to develop smart-home technologies to help seniors live independently.

Coughlin spoke with editor-at-large Penelope Wang; their conversation has been edited.

You say that people need to think about not just retirement planning but "longevity planning." What's the difference?

The good news is that you are likely to live a lot longer than your parents did. That requires thinking and planning in areas that go beyond hitting a certain number in your retirement account.

Take the idea of working in retirement. People say they want to do it. But do you really believe that the education you got before you turned 22 -- or 24 if you went to grad school -- is going to last till you're 50, let alone 75?

Related: How to measure career success

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Planning for a very long retirement

(MoneyWatch) If you've decided you'd like to work with a financial advisor to help you generate reliable retirement income for the rest of your life, it's essential that the person has no incentive other than to act in your best interests. This often includes helping you choose between annuities and investing your savings to use systematic withdrawals for your retirement paycheck.

So one important thing to find out is how your advisor is paid. Having a trained professional whose compensation is aligned with your best interests can increase the odds that your retirement nest egg will turn out sunny side up, not scrambled.

My least favorite way to pay for retirement planning advice involves paying someone a commission or sales charge on investments or insurance products. With this method, advisors may be tempted to direct you to the investments or insurance policies that pay them the highest commissions. They may also be tempted to churn your account -- which means to buy and sell your investments frequently to generate commissions on every sale and purchase. Because commissions can range from 2 percent to 10 percent or more, on a $100,000 transaction you'd be paying $2,000 to $10,000 on every purchase or sale!

Fee-based planners are a better choice because, at least in theory, they shouldn't have a stake in your investing decisions. However, even here you need to be careful. The most common fee-based arrangement is to charge you a percentage of your assets that are under the advisor's management -- 1 percent is a common charge. And while 1 percent sounds small, it can really add up over the years. For example, suppose you have $400,000 in retirement savings. With this amount under the advisor's management, you'd incur annual charges of $4,000 -- year after year. After 10 years, you'll have paid your advisor $40,000 in fees, money you could have spent on yourself.

In addition, an advisor who charges an annual fee may not be too thrilled to recommend an immediate annuity -- which might be a good choice for you -- since those assets won't be subject to the advisor's charges.

My favorite way to pay for retirement planning advice is to find someone whom you pay by the hour or on a flat fee basis. Typical hourly rates range from $150 to $300, while a typical project fee could be $1,000, $2,000 or even more. Although that flat fee may sound high, it often works out to be less than 1 percent of your assets under management. It's comparable to the amount you might pay an attorney for estate planning or other legal matters. In many cases, an hourly fee-based advisor will give you a fee quote for a specific project, so you'll have a very good idea how much you'll spend in total.

A good hourly planner should also set you up with a plan to generate retirement income that doesn't need constant attention. So instead of paying a fee every year, as you would with a percentage of assets under management, you can pay for a periodic checkup or a review if an important event, such as the death of a spouse or a market meltdown, requires attention.

Even with hourly planners, however, there are no guarantees. Watch out for planners who put together complex plans that would require them to spend many hours each month monitoring your investments. All planners will have their biases, based on their background and training, but paying your advisor by the hour has the best chance of minimizing these biases.

Two networks of fee-based financial planners I'd suggest you investigate are Garrett Planning Network and the Alliance of Cambridge Advisors. Both of these planning organizations have national networks of advisors who meet specified standards for training and experience. These two suggestions are just starting points for your investigation, however, since there can be many qualified advisors near you.

Also, I should point out that many financial advisors who charge a percent of assets under management would also be willing to charge a flat fee or by the hour if you only ask them, so don't reject these type of advisors outright without investigating their fees further. If you can't find a planner who charges by the hour, then the percentage of assets under management is the next best approach. Be sure to have them explain the pros and cons of the different methods of generating retirement income.

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The best way to pay your retirement advisor

(MoneyWatch) Generating reliable retirement income for the rest of your life -- no matter how long you live -- is an ambitious undertaking that takes time and skill. So it's entirely understandable that you might want to seek the advice of a professional financial advisor to help you with this task. After all, you can't afford to make mistakes, and you'll need to make every dollar count if you want your money to last throughout your retirement.

Yet not all financial advisors are qualified to help plan for retirement. Some advisors lack the necessary skills or expertise when it comes to generating retirement income, while some are more interested in making money for themselves than for you. Indeed, be aware that some advisors actually pose a danger to your retirement security.

Of course, there are also trustworthy advisors with specialized skills in this sort of financial planning. Your job is to find a trusted financial advisor who will take your goals and circumstances into account and then help you choose the best methods for you for generating a lifelong retirement income.

Let's start by distinguishing between investment advisors and retirement planners. An investment advisor might be good at helping you decide what your asset allocation should be and selecting specific securities or mutual funds. They might also help you minimize income taxes on your investments. This may have been all the advice you really needed while you were growing your retirement nest egg.

But using your retirement savings to generate retirement income is more complex, and you'll need a retirement planner who's experienced with helping people decide which retirement income generator (RIG), or combination of RIGS, will work best for you.

To this end, look for an advisor with credentials that require substantial training and experience with financial planning. Examples include Certified Financial Planners (CFP), Chartered Financial Analysts (CFA), Certified Public Accountants - Personal Financial Specialists (CPA-PFS), and Chartered Financial Consultants (ChFC). These credentials all show evidence of training on a broad variety of financial planning topics.

But be aware that these credentials focus on asset investment and accumulation, without much of an emphasis on generating lifetime retirement income. As a result, I recommend that you ask potential advisors if they have supplemented their training or expertise with specialized training on the various methods of generating retirement income. Three examples of this are the Certified Retirement Counselor (CRC) designation from the International Foundation for Retirement Education; Retirement Management Analyst (RMA) designation from the Retirement Income Industry Association; and the Retirement Income Certified Professional (RICP) designation from American College.

When you're interviewing potential retirement advisors, ask if they have one of these credentials. These designations are fairly new, so it may not be easy to find advisors with these certifications. At the very least, you'll want an advisor who's been trained on the various methods of generating a retirement paycheck and who is able to explain the pros and cons of each method in a way that is easy to understand.

In addition, I'd ask about their approach to generating retirement income. Find out if they'll work with you to decide which RIG (or combination of RIGs) will work best for you based on your needs and circumstances. Avoid planners who express any biases toward one method without first learning about your personal financial and retirement goals.

It's well worth your time to search for a skilled retirement advisor who puts your interests first. My next post will discuss another important consideration to achieve this goal: the best ways to pay your retirement advisor.

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Does your financial advisor have the skills to plan your retirement?

There are many clear differences between Republicans and Democrats this election season, one of which is their feelings about retirement. In a variety of recent surveys, members of each political party expressed contrasting views about how retirement should be paid for and the future of entitlements. Here's a look at how Democrats and Republicans differ in their perceptions of retirement:

Responsibility for funding retirement. Republicans (56 percent) are more likely than Democrats (42 percent) to say the responsibility for retirement finances rests largely with individuals, according to a recent Wells Fargo and Harris Interactive survey of 1,000 middle-class Americans. Democrats were more likely than Republicans to report that employers and the government should also play a role in funding retirement. "Most middle-class Americans are waking up to the fact that I own and control and am responsible for my own retirement," says Joseph Ready, executive vice president of Wells Fargo Institutional Retirement and Trust.

[Read: How Retirement Expectations Differ From Reality.]

401(k)s. Democrats are more likely than Republicans to think employers should play a bigger role in helping employees save and invest for retirement. More Democrats (86 percent) than Republicans (67 percent) say employers should provide personal advice to help employees manage their retirement savings. Democrats are also more likely to say companies should automatically enroll employees in 401(k) plans (77 percent) and automatically increase contribution rates by 1 percent each year (72 percent) than Republicans (55 percent and 56 percent, respectively), according to the Wells Fargo survey. "We see a generalization that these plans are confusing, but it sure would be nice to get some help," says Ready. "What's really great about these auto features is people can opt out of them."

Retirement saving. More Republicans (79 percent) between ages 55 and 65 say they started saving for retirement prior to age 50 than Democrats (69 percent), Independents (71 percent), or people without a political party preference (67 percent), according to an Allianz Life survey of 1,209 people approaching retirement. The survey also found that, among people within 10 years of age 65, 12 percent of Republicans, 19 percent of Democrats, 19 percent of Independents, and 23 percent of those with no party preference say they have not yet begun saving for retirement. The most popular decade to begin saving for retirement was the 30s, when 33 percent of Republicans and 28 percent of Democrats say they started to build a nest egg.

Politicized investing. The Allianz Life survey also found that 57 percent of the Republicans surveyed say they will change their retirement saving strategy if Barack Obama were to be reelected. The majority of Democrats, Independents, and people with no political preference said they would not change their retirement investment strategy based on the election results. "Politics is so polarizing right now," says Katie Libbe, vice president of Consumer Insights for Allianz Life. "Who knows if they would really change their strategy, but they said they would."

[Read: Why Older Citizens are More Likely to Vote.]

Social Security. An overwhelming majority of Americans (87 percent) of all political persuasions agree that Social Security has been good for the country, according to a 2011 Pew Research Center survey of 1,502 adults. Most Americans also say preventing future cuts to the program is more important than avoiding increases in Social Security taxes for workers and employers (56 percent to 33 percent). However, a greater proportion of Democrats (67 percent) prioritize avoiding benefit cuts than Independents (55 percent) and Republicans (49 percent). There is also a divide within the Republican party, with preserving benefits being much more important to low-income Republicans than affluent Republicans. Some 63 percent of Republicans and Republican-leaning independents with family incomes of $75,000 or more say it is more important to take steps to reduce the budget deficit than to preserve entitlements. The majority of middle-income Republicans (53 percent) and Republicans with incomes of $30,000 or less (62 percent) prioritize maintaining entitlements over deficit reduction (53 percent). Democrats do not have a divide among income lines.

Medicare. Majorities of Republicans (53 percent), Democrats (72 percent), and Independents (58 percent) say people on Medicare already pay enough of the cost for their healthcare, the Pew Research Center found. But 41 percent of Republicans say recipients should pay more for Medicare benefits, compared with 32 percent of Independents and 23 percent of Democrats. Young and more affluent Republicans are more likely than Republicans overall to want to pass more of Medicare's costs on to retirees. In neither party does the majority of those surveyed favor changing Medicare into a program that offers future participants credits or vouchers toward purchasing private health-insurance coverage, but Republicans (46 percent) are much more likely to be in favor of this change than Democrats (28 percent) or Independents (34 percent).

[In Pictures: States with the Best Older Voter Turnout.]

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How Democrats and Republicans View Your Retirement

Downsized retirement lifestyles

When empty nesters think about changing their retirement lifestyle, they usually consider downsizing to a place with fewer rooms to heat and cool, less grass to cut.

But some retired and semiretired boomers have changed their lifestyle to the extreme, ditching their fixed residences for homes on wheels, going off the grid and finding other ways to live smaller.

They're the kind of people Lloyd Kahn, editor-in-chief of Shelter Publications, features in his 2012 book, "Tiny Homes: Simple Shelter," such as the elderly man who fashioned himself a home out of a 120-square-foot garden shed, or the 70-something woman who lived in a converted school bus.

Kahn says the current tiny-homes movement, spurred partly by the downturn in the economy, is a bit of a throwback to the late '60s and early '70s.

"It's an idea that's been around, but all of a sudden a lot of people are thinking in terms of getting smaller rather than larger," says Kahn.

This trend doesn't apply to everyone, of course. Recent Census Bureau figures show the average size of new homes went up slightly from 2010 to 2011. But Bankrate found four examples of people who altered their retirement lifestyle, ranging from the fairly typical to the extremely frugal.

Priscilla Kleinman, a retired teacher and Kenner, La., resident, shrank her living space by about 60 percent when she moved from her 2,200-square-foot home to a 900-square-foot apartment. She later relocated to another similarly sized apartment in the gated community where she now lives.

Kleinman and her ex-husband sold their home in 2002 after they divorced. Because the house was paid off, downsizing for Kleinman has actually meant an increase in housing expenses. She says her current rent, which she would only give as "more than $800 a month" for a one-bedroom, second-floor walk-up, is straining her budget.

"My rent is more than what we were paying in maintenance, insurance and taxes," says Kleinman, who nevertheless appreciates not having to worry about the upkeep of her apartment.

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4 fun and frugal ways to downsize in retirement

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Moral Intelligence 2.0: Enhancing Business Performance And Leadership Success In Turbulent Times - ,
ll4.me Moral Intelligence 2.0: Enhancing Business Performance And Leadership Success In Turbulent Times - , Fred Kiel This is the eBook version of the printed book.A dramatic erosion of trust in our business, financial, and government leaders has provided even stronger evidence of the links between moral intelligence and optimal business and personal performance. In Moral Intelligence 2.0, Douglas Lennick and Fred Kiel thoroughly update their best-seller to demonstrate those linkagesand to guide leaders in measuring, developing, and applying moral intelligence throughout their organizations.Author: Lennick, Doug Author: Kiel, Fred Publisher: Pearson Prentice Hall Illustration: N Language: ENG Title: Moral Intelligence 2.0: Enhancing Business Performance and Leadership Success in Turbulent Times Pages: 00336 (Encrypted EPUB) / 00337 (Encrypted PDF) On Sale: 2011-04-14 SKU-13/ISBN: 9780132498289 Category: Business Economics : Leadership This is the eBook version of the printed book.A dramatic erosion of trust in our business, financial, and government leaders has provided even stronger evidence of the links between moral intel doug lennick, fred kiel, business, economics, leadershipFrom:julianwatkins64Views:0 0ratingsTime:00:12More inPeople Blogs

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Moral Intelligence 2.0: Enhancing Business Performance And Leadership Success In Turbulent Times - , - Video

LOUISVILLE, Ky., Nov. 6, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --Almost Family, Inc. (AFAM), a leading regional provider of home health nursing and personal care services, announced today its financial results for the three and nine month periods ended September 30, 2012.

Highlights:

Comments on ResultsWilliam Yarmuth, Chief Executive Officer, commented on the results: "Our results for the third quarter reflect the impact of normal seasonality in our VN segment along with an apparent slowing in health care utilization nationwide. While external market conditions continue to be somewhat challenging, we are continuing to focus on improving the organic growth of our business. We have been extremely pleased with the success of our operators in tightly managing the efficiencies of their business units delivering meaningful year over year cost savings in the VN segment."

With regard to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) development described in more detail below, Yarmuth added: "We continue to be very proud of our track record of sound compliance and the absence of any findings of wrongdoing at Almost Family by any of the investigatory bodies that began probing us and others in the industry in mid-2010. I am extremely proud of the way our management team, and most importantly our caregivers, have refused to allow any of this to detract from our Senior Advocacy mission of providing the highest quality care to our patients."

Third Quarter Financial ResultsAlmost Family reported third quarter results that included the impact of the 2012 Medicare reimbursement rate cut in the Visiting Nurse (VN) segment. The Medicare rate cuts reduced revenue and operating income by $2.7 million and earnings per diluted share by $0.17, while a change in certain Medicare Advantage plans paying on a per visit versus episodic basis reduced revenue by $0.8 million and earnings per diluted share by $0.03. While total VN admissions increased approximately 2% and traditional Medicare episodic admissions increased approximately 1%, total Medicare episodic admissions declined 2.5% primarily as a result of certain Medicare Advantage plans switching from episodic to per visit payment models.

The Company's earnings were favorably impacted by efforts to improve its operating efficiencies and the inclusion in the quarter of a full three months of the Cambridge Home Health Care Holdings, Inc. (Cambridge) acquisition, which closed in early August of 2011. Improvements in operating efficiencies, principally in the VN segment, improved earnings per diluted share by $0.17.

Net service revenues for the third quarter were $85.1 million, a 1% decrease from $86.2 million reported in the third quarter of 2011, primarily as a result of the VN segment's Medicare rate cut, partially offset by the Cambridge acquisition.

Net income for the third quarter of 2012 was $4.1 million, or $0.44 per diluted share, down from third quarter of 2011 net income of $4.8 million, or $0.52 per diluted share.

The effective tax rate of 39.5% in the third quarter of 2012 was consistent with the 39.4% for the third quarter of 2011.

SEC and Legal DevelopmentsSince our last quarterly report the Company has received two favorable determinations with respect to previously disclosed regulatory inquiries and litigation. On November 2, 2012, the Company and those affected executive officers and members of its board of directors were all notified by the SEC Staff that it has concluded its investigation and does not intend to recommend enforcement action to the Commission. Separately, on October 2, 2012 the judge in certain shareholder derivative actions in Kentucky state court granted the Company's motion for dismissal. Although the plaintiffs have appealed that ruling, the Company intends to vigorously defend the appeal of the ruling.

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Almost Family Reports Third Quarter 2012 Results

SAN FRANCISCO, Nov. 5, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --Lending Club (http://www.lendingclub.com), the leading platform for investing in and obtaining personal loans, today announced that it has enabled more than $1 billion in personal loans. With originations and servicing revenue sharply accelerating, Lending Club announced that it has generated positive cash flow for the preceding quarter.

San Francisco-based Lending Club has experienced tremendous growth since it began in 2007, with facilitated loan volumes doubling each year and on pace to triple in 2012. With $82 million in personal loans facilitated in the month of October, Lending Club is also on a $1 billion annual run rate.

"The platform has now reached a scale and stability that makes it even more attractive to borrowers and investors," said Lending Club CEO Renaud Laplanche. "Larger commitments from a wider base of investors mean a faster funding process for qualified borrowers, and higher loan volumes mean more choices for investors and more efficient pricing overall."

2012 Lending Club highlights include:

Lending Club reduces the cost of traditional banking to offer borrowers better rates and investors better returns. The platform's growth has been largely fueled by borrowers looking for lower rates. More than 72 percent of borrowers on the platform report using their personal loans to pay off existing credit card balances. By focusing on high-credit-quality borrowers, Lending Club's platform has also generated 21 consecutive quarters of positive returns.

About Lending Club

Lending Club utilizes technology and innovation to reduce the cost of traditional banking and offer borrowers better rates and investors better returns. Lending Club started operations in 2007 and has been recognized for its results and innovation by the Harvard Business Review and Dow Jones, was named one of Forbes' America's Most Promising Companies in 2011 and recognized as a 2012 World Economic Forum Technology Pioneer. Lending Club is based in San Francisco, California. More information is available at: http://www.lendingclub.com. Currently only residents of the following states may invest in Lending Club notes: CA, CO, CT, DE, FL, GA, HI, ID, IL, KY (accredited investors), LA, ME, MN, MO, MS, MT, NH, NV, NY, RI, SC, SD, UT, VA, WA, WI, WV, or WY.

Additional information about Lending Club is available in the prospectus for Lending Club's notes, which can be obtained on Lending Club's website at https://www.lendingclub.com/info/prospectus.action.

About LC Advisors

Lending Club Advisors, a wholly owned subsidiary of Lending Club, isregistered with the Securities and Exchange Commission as an investment advisor. LC Advisors was founded in 2011 and registered in November 2011. Registration does not imply any specific level of skill or training.

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Lending Club Exceeds $1 Billion in Personal Loans

ZURICH--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

ACE Limited (NYSE: ACE) announced today that it has reached a definitive agreement to acquire ABA Seguros in Mexico from Ally Financial Inc. for approximately $865 million in cash.

Established in 1958, ABA Seguros is Mexicos sixth-largest property and casualty (P&C) insurer and provides auto, homeowners and small business coverages. Based in Monterrey, the company has over 30 sales offices throughout Mexico and distributes its products through a network of nearly 2,000 independent agents as well as through auto dealerships, banks and direct channels.

ABA Seguros is a highly regarded franchise in the Mexican P&C market with a terrific brand and an impressive and profitable track record, said Evan Greenberg, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, ACE Limited. ACE has been operating in Mexico for many years through ACE Seguros, a business with an industrial commercial and personal accident focus. Following our announcement last month to acquire Fianzas Monterrey, the second largest surety writer in Mexico, and now ABA, a major personal lines and agency company, we are extremely well positioned to take advantage of the many growth opportunities we believe will occur in this important country over the next decade and beyond. We expect the acquisition of ABA Seguros to be accretive to earnings in the first year and to meet or exceed our companys long-term return on equity target by the third year.

The transaction is expected to be completed during the first half of 2013 and is subject to regulatory approvals.

The ACE Group is one of the worlds largest multiline property and casualty insurers. With operations in 53 countries, ACE provides commercial and personal property and casualty insurance, personal accident and supplemental health insurance, reinsurance and life insurance to a diverse group of clients. ACE Limited, the parent company of the ACE Group, is listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: ACE) and is a component of the S&P 500 index. Additional information can be found at: http://www.acegroup.com.

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements:

All forward-looking statements made in this press release, related to the acquisition of ABA Seguros or otherwise, reflect ACEs current views with respect to future events, business transactions and business performance and are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements involve risks and uncertainties, which may cause actual results to differ materially from those set forth in these statements. For example, ACEs forward-looking statements related to ABA Seguros and the anticipated acquisition (including the statement regarding impact on earnings and return on equity) could prove incorrect if the transaction were to not close, if ABA Seguros and its subsidiaries were to perform differently than currently expected by ACE or if anticipated expense-related efficiencies are not realized. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the dates on which they are made. The company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Copyright Business Wire 2012

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ACE To Acquire Mexican Personal Lines Insurer ABA Seguros

HIGHWOOD, Ill., Nov. 6, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --Performance Factory Training (PFT), a new CrossFit and personal training facility located in Highwood, is scheduled to open its doors on November 19. The 5,000 square foot building, positioned on Bank Lane just west of Sheridan Rd., will offer group CrossFit classes as well as individualized athletic-performance training.

Co-owners Aaron Kauffman and Josh Tooley will be two of the certified trainers on staff to, as PFT's website states, help people achieve their goals.

"Our intent," said Kauffman, "is not to pump as many people as possible through our doors but to offer each individual a quality experience. Our personal training and sports performance programming is highly individualized to help each specific athlete reach their potential."

No matter a client's goalwhether to simply get in shape or, more precisely, take his/her athletic abilities to elite levelsPFT will be able to help, drawing on Kauffman and Tooley's years of experience as trainers and coachesand before that, collegiate athletesand utilizing top-of-the-line equipment from Maverick Athletic Company.

CrossFit, a quickly-growing favorite among those looking to get in shape, will be one of PFT specialties.

"I have seen and personally felt the life-changing effects of CrossFit," Tooley said, "and would like to share it with others."

Unlike other training facilities, however, which Kauffman and Tooley have seen sacrifice proper technique and service in the pursuit of profits, PFT intends to keep the clientele its first priority.

"Our hope," Tooley said, "is to gain a reputation as a training facility that not only produces results but also stays grounded in customer service and a great community atmosphere. I would like our clients to see that we care first about their success, not about making money."

Highwood and the surrounding communities are important to Kauffman and Tooley, and they are excited to, as Kauffman said, "provide a service to the military men and women who report to Fort Sheridan military base."

Those interested in PFT can get more information about the facility and the services it offers at performancefactorytraining.com. PFT's grand opening will be celebrated in January, but personal training will be available starting November 12. The first CrossFit classes are set to start November 19.

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A Factory Of Fitness: CrossFit, Personal Training Facility Opens In Highwood