Dallas-Based FITCO Launches CultureFIT for Small Business Growth from the Inside Out
Posted: October 10, 2012 at 3:21 am
DALLAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--
Dallas-based FITCO, a $20 million distributor of elite fitness equipment and solutions for corporations across the U.S., announced today the launch of a new service offering called CultureFIT, designed to help companies bridge the gap between personal development and corporate goals. Led by CEO Jason Kos, this new series of intense workshops and corporate coaching was created for entrepreneurs and executives of small- to mid-sized businesses to learn how to spur corporate growth from the inside out.
I have been fortunate enough to sit under people like Tony Hsieh, CEO of Zappos, and learn how their unique internal values contributed to corporate success, said Kos. I have seen how our own culture at FITCO has led us toward growth. Simply put, as we aligned our day-to-day activities with our core values, we became a better company that worked harder to make our customers happy. CultureFIT is a way to equip small- and medium-sized business owners with those same tools for success.
The idea was birthed from Jasons unique vocational and personal experience. A holder of a masters in psychology, he watched the details of how companies like Zappos used customer service to mold its culture. He appreciated the human touch to service, as he does with a personal dedication to a life of wellness. Thats when it dawned on him to establish something he wished he was given a culture changing workshop that would help the entrepreneur or executive from the inside out.
CultureFIT was made to be scalable, cost-effective and easy to implement for small- and medium-sized businesses. It focuses on changing internal practices in hiring, communication and collaboration, as well as the way an organization is positioned as a brand by establishing core values and balance within self, family and work. In short, CultureFIT helps business owners unlock the potential from within their organizations.
Jason combines a unique skill set of being both an extremely visionary leader and a rock-solid understanding of business, said Gregory Florez, CEO of The Vitality Group. The real proof of business success is in the numbers, and [Jason] is one of the very few in any industry who has experienced growth in a very difficult economy. I believe the tools in CultureFIT are why.
CultureFIT provides three different phases of interaction, involvement and investment:
Most executives have read all the great books and have been to the important conferences, but no one seems to have cracked the code to create change, said Kos. CultureFIT is that change for a dynamic working atmosphere, immediate productivity and a change that lasts.
For more information about CultureFIT, fitness room design and premier fitness equipment, visit http://www.FITCOFitness.com or call 888.516.2086.
About CultureFIT
Visit link:
Dallas-Based FITCO Launches CultureFIT for Small Business Growth from the Inside Out
Marginal Revolution University: Q
Posted: at 3:19 am
Here is the original post:
Marginal Revolution University: Q
Drexel University Online to Offer Catholic Health Initiatives Nurses Higher Education Options
Posted: at 3:19 am
Drexel University Online, a premier provider of Internet-based higher education, is partnering with Catholic Health Initiatives to offer its nurses professional development opportunities through tuition reduction on Drexels nursing programs.
Philadelphia, PA (PRWEB) October 09, 2012
At Catholic Health Initiatives, we believe that professional development through degree advancement is an important part of the CHI culture and is key to our ongoing pursuit of clinical excellence and leadership development, said Pat Patton, CHIs vice president of Clinical Innovation and Leadership Development. We take great pride in the way our employees have embraced advancement at all levels and are excited to partner with Drexel University Online to provide employees with access to high quality education that specifically fills our needs and meets our values.
Through the agreement, CHI nurses are eligible for a 10 to 25 percent tuition reduction, payment deferral and additional benefits with Drexel University Online. CHI nurses can take advantage of a variety of online bachelors, masters and doctorate degrees, as well as certificate programs, through Drexel Universitys College of Nursing and Health Professions (CNHP). Drexels CNHP is ranked by U.S. News & World Report as having a top-three online graduate nursing program.
As the nation embraces new models of health care delivery, the care that is provided by nurses becomes ever more apparent, said Dr. Al Rundio, DNP, RN, APRN, CARN-AP, NEA-BC, and CNHPs associate dean for Post Licensure Nursing Programs. Our partnership with CHI is another initiative that demonstrates Drexel's commitment to working with health systems in order to educate nurses so that they are well prepared for a reformed health care delivery system.
Drexels RN-BSN program allows partnering organizations to more closely align with the Institute of Medicines recommendation calling for 80 percent of nurses to have bachelors degrees by 2020.
We are very excited about this partnership with CHI and its potential to contribute to the Institute of Medicines ambitious goal, said Dr. Gloria Donnelly, RN, FAAN and dean of Drexel Universitys CNHP. Care is complex and nurses must continuously update their knowledge and skills. Drexels RN-BSN program not only broadens and deepens a nurses knowledge base, but builds the nurses technological and information literacy skills for a lifetime of learning, said Donnelly.
Drexel University Online offers tuition discounts to employees and members of more than 250 diverse partner organizations. Other benefits include special programming to help companies maintain employee retention and a highly-educated workforce, while additionally helping individuals remain at the top of their professions.
About Drexel University Online:
Drexel University Online, a subsidiary of Philadelphia-based Drexel University, specializes in innovative, Internet-based education programs for working professionals, organizations, and corporations in the United States and abroad. Ranked by U.S. News & World Report among the Best Online Graduate Programs in the fields of Business Administration, Engineering, Nursing, and Library Science, Drexels online programs are among the elite in the nation. Drexel University has been an innovator in the e-Learning industry, offering degrees online since 1996, and enjoys regional accreditation by the Middle States Association of Colleges & Secondary Schools. For more information on Drexel University Online, please visit http://www.drexel.com.
See original here:
Drexel University Online to Offer Catholic Health Initiatives Nurses Higher Education Options
YUDU Media Launches YUDU Education: The First OS-Agnostic Digital Textbook Publishing Platform
Posted: at 3:19 am
LONDON, Oct. 9, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Online publishing pioneer YUDU Media today announced the launch of its new YUDU Education, the first digital textbook publishing platform that enables educational publishers to seamlessly digitize, optimize and deliver multimedia textbooks for ubiquitous access on tablet, laptop and desktop computer.
With YUDU Education, publishers can quickly and easily create rich, engaging digital textbooks that students can access on iPad, Android and Windows tablets, or any Mac or Windows PC, inside and outside the classroom. In addition, YUDU Education also allows students and instructors to annotate, bookmark and take clippings of content, and even integrate supplemental materials, all of which are instantly synchronized to the YUDU cloud for access on any device.
"YUDU Education solves the biggest challenge of the Bring-Your-Own-Device era for both publishers and studentscross-platform access," said YUDU CEO Richard Stephenson. "Students may need to read and take notes on a Windows PC in the classroom, but then want to pick up where they left off on their iPad at home. Or, perhaps the school provides iPads for classroom use, but the student has an Android tablet, or maybe a laptop, at home. With most publishing platforms, this is impossible. YUDU makes it possible."
YUDU Puts Publishers in ControlYUDU is the first system that puts the needs of publishers and students first, providing access to content from anywhere on any device and enabling publishers to sell directly to a broader audience.
Amazon, iBooks and other platform-specific systems lock publishers into a singular OS, forcing them to recreate content in order to offer it on multiple devices. Plus, these systems put the platform operator in control of the customer relationship, preventing publishers from accessing valuable consumer data.
In addition to providing ubiquitous access, YUDU Education puts publishers in control of their own content without having to build their own high-end digital publishing platform. And, unlike other digital textbook platforms, YUDU allows publishers to maintain a direct relationship with the customer.
"In Ireland, around 10% of all new middle school students are using a device to read textbooks," Conor O'Sullivan, Education Technology Manager at Folens, said. "While a majority of students are using iPads, there are a number of Android devices and there are also schools running with Windows netbooks. YUDU has been able to provide us with a system, which caters for all three. As a mainstream publisher, it is important that we can provideour educational content on every type of devicefor all students, it would cost us a fortune to build this type of platform ourselves."
Digital Publishing Made Easy, AffordableYUDU's self-service web-based portal makes it easy for publishers to publish rich interactive books in a matter of minutes. First, simply upload an existing textbook in PDF format. Once YUDU digitizes the content, publishers can add animations, videos, hyperlinks and more. Once complete, just click "Publish" and the digital textbook immediately appears in the publishers' YUDU digital store. Edits, revisions and updates can be made at any time and published immediatelyno more waiting for the platform provider to make the changes and published the revised edition.
"YUDU Education makes it easy and affordable for publishers, school districts and students to keep up with the rapid pace of technology and protect their investment with a future-proof solution," Stephenson said. "With YUDU, you don't have to worry about committing to a specific device or operating system that might be gone tomorrow."
Rather than a per-book sales fee that penalizes publishers for being successful, YUDU Education pricing is based upon the number of pages published, making administration simple and maximizing revenue. An annual maintenance fee ensures continuously updated technology to accommodate the latest OS upgrades on every platform.
More here:
YUDU Media Launches YUDU Education: The First OS-Agnostic Digital Textbook Publishing Platform
EverFi Presents Universal Authentication Solution At The White House "Education Datapalooza"
Posted: at 3:19 am
WASHINGTON, Oct. 9, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --EverFi, Inc., the leading education technology company for critical skills, today presented its universal authentication solution at the White House's "Education Datapalooza," an event highlighting innovators and entrepreneurs who are using freely available data to build products, services, and apps with the potential to advance educational achievement.
Universal authentication allows students and teachers to access their online education resources using a single username and password. EverFi has partnered with Mozilla and North Carolina's Anson County School District to build and deploy a new system that allows students to log on to the EverFi platform and other online education systems using a single login backed by their existing Anson County email address.
EverFi Chief Technology Officer Adam Wenchel showcased this technology in the opening session of the White House event, which included special guests U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, U.S. Chief Technology Officer Todd Park, Under Secretary of Education for the U.S. Department of Education Martha Kanter and Assistant Deputy Secretary for Innovation and Improvement at the U.S. Department of Education Jim Shelton.
"At EverFi, we are huge data nerds, and we closely examine how much time our teachers and students spend in every part of our learning platform," said Wenchel. "The average EverFi teacher spends 12 minutes managing student accounts in a 50-minute class period, and the usability of our system is above average. EverFi's goal is to help all teachers spend less time troubleshooting login issues so they can focus on student learning."
"Until now, every seventh grader in Anson County had to remember eight different logins," said Anson County Superintendent Dr. Greg Firn. "Adopting EverFi's single authentication technology was remarkably easy, and now teachers can see all of a student's digital learning badges in one place, not scattered across eight systems. Universal authentication is the foundation for a lot of great interoperability."
EverFi and Mozilla's universal authentication system adheres to the four principles established by the National Institute of Standards and Technology's (NIST) National Strategy for Trusted Identities in Cyberspace (NSTIC).
About EverFiEverFi, Inc. is the leading education technology company focused on teaching, assessing, and certifying K-12 and college students in the critical skills they need for life. The company teams with major corporations and foundations to provide the programs at no cost to K-12 schools. Some of America's leading CEOs and venture capital firms are EverFi investors including Amazon founder and CEO Jeff Bezos, Twitter founder Evan Williams, Rethink Education, New Enterprise Associates, Inc. (NEA), and Tomorrow Ventures (the investment arm of Google Chairman Eric Schmidt). Learn more at http://www.everfi.com
Media Contact: Jennifer Sykes, EverFi Senior Director of Marketing, jenny@everfi.com 202-625-0011 x318.
Visit link:
EverFi Presents Universal Authentication Solution At The White House "Education Datapalooza"
Online education has its place
Posted: at 3:19 am
Re: Unplug the digital classroom, Opinion, Oct. 7
I have to say I was totally engaged in Doug Manns sermon about the ills of digital technology in the classroom. I said more than a few amens over my afternoon cup of tea. But I nearly choked mid-sip when he implicated distance-education courses in his rant, calling them cheap imitations of the real thing, going so far as to suggest we stop promoting them altogether.
Im sure wed all love to have a Louis Vuitton education, but distance education however generic it may be has a time and a place and for many people that time and place is right now. The so-called cheap imitations are helping a lot of working professionals the ranks of the working and commuting moms and dads for example to finish their degrees, do a mid-career gear shift or circle back to complete some overlooked certification. These are all things that will help them get ahead (or at least not fall too far behind) in a challenging economy.
By all means, ban cell phones and texting and Facebooking and the like in classrooms theyre a scourge, I totally agree. But putting the brakes on online distance-education courses would be throwing the proverbial baby out with the bathwater. Surely Mann might be willing to reconsider see the light as it were that online education has some redemptive value.
Michelle Hauser, Napanee
See more here:
Online education has its place
World title push beckons Aylish
Posted: at 12:13 am
Oct. 10, 2012, 4 a.m.
NOT many people make it to a world titles after only being involved in a sport for two years.
But Warrnambool teenager Aylish Auchettl is an exception.
She will head to the Netherlands later this week to compete in the World Aerobic Championships.
Aylish will travel with her teammates from EKB Fitness and Aerobics to compete in the teams event.
The 14-year-old was excitedly packing her bags when she spoke to The Standard and said she was looking forward to being among the best competitors in the world.
Its very exciting, Im looking forward to the whole experience of travelling overseas, and seeing the best in the world compete, she said.
The Warrnambool College student said she was doing up to 10 hours training a week in preparation for the championships.
I do about one-and-a-half hours a day, she said.
Action Fitness sponsors the team and as part of that we get a membership, so we have been doing gym sessions and using the mirrors for choreography.
Original post:
World title push beckons Aylish
Lenovo Premiers Yoga and Debuts Family of Convertible Devices Designed for Windows 8
Posted: at 12:12 am
NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--
Lenovo (0992.HK) (PINK SHEETS: LNVGY) today announced a new family of four convertible devices designed for Windows 8/RT to change the way people use PCs and redefine the future of mobile computing. For consumers, the touch-optimized family includes the IdeaPad Yoga 13, a foremost blend of play and productivity, Yoga 11, a svelte, all day mobile companion, IdeaTab Lynx, a premier dual core Intel Atom-based tablet, and for professionals, the ThinkPad Twist, a business-ready device that puts a new spin on the traditional convertible tablet.
Our family of Ultrabook convertibles addresses the unique needs of consumers, businesses and everyone in between by creating high performance laptop-tablet combinations in new designs and different sizes, said Peter Hortensius, senior vice president, Lenovo, and president, Product Group, Lenovo. We think these innovative convertibles are the best devices for a groundbreaking touchscreen experience, plus their multi-modes give people even more ways to use their PC.
IdeaPad Yoga 13 Flexes Into Totally Unique Poses
The IdeaPad Yogas revolutionary hinge allows it to uniquely move 360 and fold from laptop to tablet in one simple motion. As one of the worlds first multi-mode Ultrabooks, Yoga 13 provides a high level of flexibility between work and play without compromises. Infused with powerful 3rd generation Intel Core processors and running Windows 8, Yoga 13 provides laptop-grade performance to get work done all day without slowing down with its super slim 16.9 mm frame and eight hours of battery life.
At the flip of the hinge, Yoga 13 transforms into a media-friendly tablet primed with rich audio-visual features including Dolby Home Theatre. Visuals - photos, videos and websites - look stunning on its 13.3-in high definition IPS display, which provides bright background and vivid colors. Users can even gesture to flip through photos and other content with Yoga 13s special Motion Control technology or simply use their fingers on the multi-touch screen.
The Yoga convertibles are a great example of the commitment Lenovo has made to continued innovation with Windows, said John Case, vice president, Worldwide OEM Marketing, Microsoft Corp. The commitment is evident in the beautiful hardware designs that exhibit flexibility, mobility and extended battery life; combining that with the new capabilities of Windows 8 these PCs provide an experience that is sure to delight customers.
IdeaPad Yoga 11 Balances Power and Mobility
Yoga 13s smaller screen size counterpart, Yoga 11, is the worlds slimmest multi-mode PC, measuring just 15.6 mm. Yoga 11s slim design, 11.6-in screen and long 13 hour battery life make it a great convertible for mobility. Equipped with NVIDIA Tegra 3 the worlds only quad-core processor for Windows RT Yoga 11 lets users watch HD movies, play games, get connected and stay productive with Microsoft Office applications virtually all day long. As an added bonus, both Yoga 13 and 11 can be used in completely new ways: convert them into a Stand1 by flipping the keyboard behind the screen to comfortably watch movies or view pictures up close, or bend them upright like a Tent2 to bring games or video chats to life.
The IdeaPad Yoga 11 is elegant, thin and light, combining the convenience of a tablet with the capability of a laptop, said Rene Haas, vice president, Notebook Business Unit, NVIDIA. Powered by the energy-efficient Tegra 3 processor, the Yoga 11 lets you work and stay connected all day long and leave your laptop charger at home.
Read more from the original source:
Lenovo Premiers Yoga and Debuts Family of Convertible Devices Designed for Windows 8
Yoga at work may relieve stress and back pain
Posted: at 12:12 am
If you're stressed at work, a little yoga on your lunch break might just help.
A new study from the United Kingdom suggests yoga done at work can reduce stress levels and lowerback pain.
The study involved 74 British government workers ages 25 to 64 who said they experienced stress and back pain that was somewhat bothersome. Participants were randomly assigned to practice either eight weeks of yoga, or no yoga.
People in the yoga group took part in a 50-minuteyoga classonce a week, either at lunchtime or after work. They could also practice yoga at home twice a week for 20 minutes using a DVD.
All participants completed questionnaires designed to assess back pain, stress levels and overall well-being.
At the beginning of the study, 10 people in the yoga group and eight in the control group said they had back pain. At the end of the study, just four participants in the yoga group reported back pain, compared to 13 in the control group.
In addition, participants in the yoga group had reported lowerlevels of stressand less sadness at the study's end, compared with those in the control group.
The findings agree with previous research showing that yoga can reduce stress levels and back pain.
The researchers, from the Bangor University in North Wales, noted that the majority of participants were women, so the findings may not apply to men. Also, the benefits in the yoga group may have been influenced by the placebo effect the idea that a treatment is beneficial simply because patients believe it will work.
Future studies should examine whether yoga at work can reduce the number ofsick daysworkers take, the researchers said.
Originally posted here:
Yoga at work may relieve stress and back pain
Lenovo Flips Out With New Yoga Windows 8 Laptop
Posted: at 12:12 am
The number of computers being released ahead of Windows 8 might seem crazy, but there's also a bit of crazy in the computers themselves.
This evening Lenovo released the details of its Yoga convertible laptop and its ThinkPad Twist and Lynx models. All three of the Windows 8 computers pair touch screens with keyboards.
In some cases, as with the Lynx, Lenovo is offering a simple tablet with a keyboard accessory, but in others, like the Yoga, it is offering a laptop with a hinged screen that is more flexible than your yoga instructor.
Flexibility With Yoga
The Yoga, which was first previewed at the Consumer Electronics Show last year, looks like a regular laptop -- until you start pushing the screen back. The hinge moves 360 degrees, allowing you to rotate the screen all the way over the back of the keyboard to make it a tablet. You can also prop it up and turn it into an easel or tent of sorts. To see the entire thing in action we encourage you to check out the video above.
The Yoga will come in two flavors. The Yoga 13 comes with Intel processors (Core i3 or i5), a 13.3-inch display, and Windows 8 Pro. It will start at $1,099 and will be sold at Best Buy starting Oct. 26, when Windows 8 officially launches.
The Yoga 11 will have an 11-inch screen and be powered by an ARM Tegra 3 processor from Nvidia.
The lower-powered processor enables the computer to run Windows RT, a version of Windows that doesn't support older applications. However, because of the lower-energy chip, it will run 13 hours on a single battery charge. The processor architecture also costs less, so the Yoga 11 will start at $799.
Twist, Lynx While the Yogas might steal the show with their flexible screens, Lenovo has two more tablet/keyboard devices up its sleeve. The ThinkPad Twist is a modern take on the old tablet PC. Or, really, it is just like an old tablet PC with a new operating system. The 12.5-inch screen swivels around and locks over the keyboard to turn it into a tablet.
Aimed at business users, it will be available with Intel's Core processors, solid-state hard drives, and optional 3G. It will start at $849 and be available at Staples and other retailers.