Lew urges quick increase in US borrowing limit

Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew, right, follows Senate Finance Committee Chairman Sen. Max Baucus, D-Mont., on Capitol Hill in Washington, Thursday, Oct. 10, 2013, prior to Lew testifying before the committee. Lew headed to Capitol Hill to both give and get a public scolding. Lew's appearance before the Senate Finance Committee promised to be yet another public restatement of the administration's stance that Congress needs to reopen the government and lift the U.S. borrowing cap before Obama will negotiate over the nation's budget ills. (AP Photo/ Evan Vucci)

Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew, right, follows Senate Finance Committee Chairman Sen. Max Baucus, D-Mont., on Capitol Hill in Washington, Thursday, Oct. 10, 2013, prior to Lew testifying before the committee. Lew headed to Capitol Hill to both give and get a public scolding. Lew's appearance before the Senate Finance Committee promised to be yet another public restatement of the administration's stance that Congress needs to reopen the government and lift the U.S. borrowing cap before Obama will negotiate over the nation's budget ills. (AP Photo/ Evan Vucci)

Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew is surrounded by photographers prior to testifying on Capitol Hill in Washington, Thursday, Oct. 10, 2013, before Senate Finance Committee. Lew headed to Capitol Hill to both give and get a public scolding. Lew's appearance before the Senate Finance Committee promised to be yet another public restatement of the administration's stance that Congress needs to reopen the government and lift the U.S. borrowing cap before Obama will negotiate over the nation's budget ills. (AP Photo/ Evan Vucci)

WASHINGTON (AP) — Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew on Thursday urged Congress to raise the government's borrowing limit before Oct. 17, warning that a Republican idea to prioritize payments with cash on hand could cause "irrevocable damage" to the U.S. economy.

In testimony before the Senate Finance Committee, Lew said that trying to make such perilous choices between paying veterans or Social Security checks is not a good option and risks the first default on U.S. debt in history. He repeated the administration's demand that Congress pass legislation needed to end a partial government shutdown and raise the country's $16.7 trillion borrowing limit.

In what could be a breakthrough, House Speaker John Boehner will ask Republicans to approve a short-term extension of the U.S. government's borrowing authority, Republican aides said Thursday.

President Barack Obama was to meet later Thursday with top House Republicans at the White House to seek a path beyond a confrontation that has left the government shuttered for close to two weeks.

"The president remains willing to negotiate over the future direction of fiscal policy, but he will not negotiate over whether the United States should pay its bills," Lew told the committee.

Lew's testimony came after a day of activity but no real signs of progress.

Obama on Wednesday had House Democrats over to the White House. And Republican conservatives heard a pitch from the House Budget Committee chairman, Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis., on his plan to extend the U.S. borrowing cap for four to six weeks while jump-starting talks on a broader budget deal.

The deal Ryan proposed could replace cuts to defense and domestic agency budgets with cuts to benefit programs like Medicare and reforms to the loophole-cluttered tax code. Curbs to "Obamacare" were not mentioned.

At the hearing, Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, accused the Obama Administration of intentionally scaring the public and financial markets over the borrowing limit, "in an apparent effort to whip up uncertainty in the markets."

Hatch said the administration was refusing to "even have a conversation" over reducing the soaring cost of the government's big benefit programs such as Social Security and Medicare.

"If the Obama administration won't negotiate on entitlements in the context of the debt limit, when will they negotiate on entitlements," Hatch asked.

Lew said that the government's payment systems were not designed to allow him to pick and choose which bills to pay out of the 80 million payments the government makes each month.

"Prioritization is just default by another name," Lew said.

Lew said default would cause serious damage as outlined in a report Treasury issued last week.

That report, Lew said, "points to the potentially catastrophic impacts of default, including credit market disruptions, a significant loss in the value of the dollar, markedly elevated U.S. interest rates, negative spillover effects to the global economy and real risk of a financial crisis and recession that could echo the events of 2008 or worse."

In 2008, a serious financial crisis pushed the country into the deepest recession since the 1930s.

Republicans on the committee insisted that Obama would have to agree to negotiations as a way to end the current stalemate.

"If you are saying, you give me everything I want and then we can have a conversation on things that are important to you, I find that shocking," Republican Sen. Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania told Lew.

Toomey said that if Obama doesn't agree on spending reforms, "There appears to be a real chance that Congress will not pass a debt ceiling increase before Oct. 17."

Toomey pressed Lew to say whether he could provide assurances to the millions of investors who hold Treasury securities that the administration would do everything possible to make sure that payments were made on those obligations.

But Lew refused to provide such an assurance. "The only way to make sure we can pay all of our obligations is to raise the debt ceiling," he said.

___

Associated Press writer Stephen Ohlemacher contributed to this report.

Associated Press
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The Gift of Support: Church group answers call to aid cancer patient

Jessica Newsome is pictured?with her husband, Jason, and their two little girls, Savannah and Ella.

---

As Jessica Newsome battles for her life, The Grove rallies around her to help in any way possible. The Grove is Newnan First United Methodist Church's aid committee for medical crises and longterm illness, which started soon after Newsome was diagnosed in March with kidney cancer while serving as the church's children's minister.

Newsome suffered from exhaustion almost immediately after taking the job in July 2012. She fought off symptoms of fatigue for months until her husband, Jason, finally put her in a car and drove her to the emergency room.

The news was heartbreaking. Jessica had stage 4 renal cell cancer.

Word of Jessica's illness shook the church and spurred a group effort in coordinating the massive outpouring of assistance church and community members wished to send the Newsomes' way. The Grove immediately became the facilitator for funds and assistance to reach the church families in need, just like the Newsomes.

This past month, The Grove renovated the Newsomes' bathroom to make it wheelchair accessible. The group also bought the family a recliner to make visitors more comfortable.

One of Newsome's wishes was to attend a Braves game. When she got there, word of her illness spread all the way to pitcher Tim Hudson and his wife. His Hudson Family Foundation has since provided a grant to the Newsome family, with Hudson also donating autographed items to The Grove, which will be used to raise money for the family.

Those who know Newsome find her amazingly strong-spirited, giving and an overachiever. Newsome, who recently turned 30, continues to battle advanced stages of cancer with the support of her husband and her two little girls, along with friends and family.

'Jessica is the true definition of a mother,' says Sarah Dewberry, who helped start The Grove and has been friends with Jessica since college.

'She is selfless, caring, warm and nurturing to everyone she meets. She has always shown an interest in the people around her, and even through her personal struggles, she finds ways to minister to those she cares about. The world should wish to have her as a friend.'

The family started a blog titled getbetterjess.blogspot.com in order to update loved ones and concerned community members on Newsome's journey. The blog includes posts from Newsome. The pages are filled with loving thoughts and family photographs.

Along with supporting Jessica, The Grove is assisting about a dozen other families dealing with medical crises.

If a family needs a wheelchair ramp, online meal calendar, or monetary support, The Grove always donates a planted seedling tree as a symbol of its love and support. For Kelley Welden, another one of The Grove's founders, the ministry is a blessing for those involved.

'It is a joy to work with other women who truly care about our church members. The people that we have helped have been so appreciative, whether it's been meals, prayer shawls or the dogwood trees. We are just happy to be able to do our part.'

Since The Grove's conception, community support has been overwhelming for Jessica and her family as they continue to battle her illness - and pray.

It's amazing what the love and care of a community accomplish when people are pulled together for a common cause. It's just a shame it takes the worst battles to realize the depths of human compassion.

To request assistance or make a donation to The Grove call 770-2537400 or email churchoffice@newnanfumc. org.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/rss/TopStories/~3/rftk4AYjczY/20130804-Jessica-Newsome-Cancer-Fund

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FOOTBALL PREVIEW: Are Rockets ready to roar?

By MIKE SMITH
So near and yet so far!
For all their success in recent years, the Toledo Rockets have not been able claim a MAC title during that surge. The last time UT hoisted the trophy, in fact, was 2004. With a wealth of talent returning, Toledo certainly has an offense with 2013 title credentials. The question may be: Does it have enough defense?

This year?s senior class represents a turning point in UT?s football fortunes. The Rockets had gone through three straight losing seasons prior to the class of 2013?s arrival as freshmen.? Toledo then went 8-5, 9-4 and 9-4. With those marks came three bowl appearances, yet nary one trip to the MAC Championship game.

Timing is often key, and the Rockets? rise coincided with Northern Illinois? leap to MAC West supremacy. ?As the 2013 season approaches, UT players, coaches and fans realize that not only is NIU returning its own championship-caliber squad, other MAC West programs will be fielding strong teams, as well.

"At the end of the day, our goals remain the same," said UT head coach Matt Campbell. "We want to win the MAC West Division, win the MAC Championship Game, go to a bowl game and get our team GPA to as close to a 3.0 as possible. But to get there, we need to focus on the process. We need to work hard at getting better every day. That?s the only way I know how to reach your goals."

Campbell joined Toledo in 2009 and was appointed offensive coordinator. That Rockets offense finished 16th in the nation. It was a peek at things to come as the Toledo offense continued to shine. By 2011, UT owned the eighth-ranked offense in the country.

When head coach Tim Beckman moved on to Illinois following that campaign, Campbell moved up into the HC role. His quest, and the Rockets quest, is to bring home a 2013 MAC title.

OFFENSE

Offense will once again lead the way. Simply put, the Rockets are LOADED! With outstanding talent at quarterback, running back, receiving positions and along an experienced line, UT will be a huge challenge for opposing defensive coordinators.

Nine starters return on offense. Among them is First Team All-MAC running back David Fluellen (6-0, 215, SR). The 2012 Doak Walker Award (nation?s top running back) semifinalist gained 1,498 yards despite missing the season finale against Akron. He was also injured early in the Rockets? loss to Utah State in the 2012 Famous Idaho Potato Bowl. That injury, coupled with the loss of defensive standout Dan Molls on the opening kickoff, set the tone for a tough day.

With major injuries hopefully behind them, Fluellen and the Rockets are now poised TO dish out a season of tough days for opposing defenses. Five returning Rocket offensive players earned All-MAC honors in 2012.

Quarterback Terrance Owens, also battled some injuries (ankle) last season. However, Owens (6-4, 205, SR) is healthy again, and hopes to repeat the monster season he had in 2011 when he set the MAC record by completing 72.2 percent of his passes.

Among his targets is Bernard Reedy. The 5-9, 175-pound senior from St. Petersburg, Fla. is on both the Biletnikoff Award (receiver) and Hornung Award (most versatile) watch lists. He was a First Team All-MAC selection at both receiver and punt returner, as well as Second Team All-MAC as a kickoff returner. Suffice it to say, he is dangerous the second he gets a ball in his hands, and the Rockets see to it he gets plenty of touches. Reedy was sixth in the nation in all-purpose yards last year.

A bigger target is 6-4 sophomore Alonzo Russell. He caught 56 passes and earned Second Team All-MAC honors while averaging 17.1 yards per catch as a freshman. Like Reedy, Russell ?is very capable of turning in the big play. His haul included a 59-yard TD against Arizona, a 60-yarder at EMU and a season-best 66-yard TD grab versus Bowling Green.

Sophomore Kishon Wisher is a former cornerback who can add even more speed to the fleet receiving corps, as well as special teams. He missed most last year with an injury. Others adding to depth at the position are juniors Justin Olack, Dwight Macon and senior James Green.

Sophomore Alex Zmolik had a pair of touchdowns and distinguished himself as a blocker at tight end in 2012.

No small amount of credit for what makes the Rockets? offense click is an experienced line that includes four returning starters. Centering the unit, literally and figuratively, is Rimington Award candidate and All-MAC First Teamer Zac Kerin.?

DEFENSE

On paper, the defense appears to be an inverse of Toledo?s offensive experience. Eight starters departed, but the Rockets have been managing playing time in order to build more depth. There were also injuries, especially along the front line.

"One of the things that helps us on the defensive line is that because of injuries last year we were forced to play a lot guys," said Campbell. "That hurt us last year but will help us as we go forward."

Senior defensive end Christian Smith, if he stays healthy, could be a big cog for the Rockets? ?D.? A part time starter in his freshman and sophomore years, Smith became a full time starter in 2012. He was leading the down-linemen in tackles when he suffered a season-ending injury in Game 5.

"It was tough losing Christian last year," said Campbell. "He has recovered nicely from his knee injury. He?s played a lot of football here and is definitely one of the leaders on this team."

Classmate Jayrone Elliott is part of a group challenging for the other defensive end spot. Others include former linebacker Ray Bush (JR), as well as sophomores Allen Covington and Kennan Gibbs.

Senior Elijay Jones (6-2, 305) is the most experienced interior lineman on defensive side, and he recorded 7.5 TFL in 2012. JUCO transfer Robert Zimmerman (6-3, 325), a one-time Texas A&M signee, could also be a stopper.

One of the Rockets biggest losses from last year is the departure of linebacker Dan Molls, who recorded 266 stops over the 2012 campaign. Though just a sophomore, Trent Voss has the makings to step into the gap.

"Trent can play inside or outside linebacker, but we will probably start him on the outside at the star position," Campbell said. ?"He had a great freshman season, and he?s kept that momentum going in the off-season. Trent is as skilled as any linebacker we?ve had at Toledo since I?ve been here. We like the mentality he plays the game with."

Seniors Vladimir Emilen (33 tackles in 2012) and Ethan Kagy will be in the outside linebacker mix. Among those in a battle for ?Mike? and ?Will? linebacker spots are Junior Sylvestre (49 tackles in 2012), sophomore Chase Murdock and redshirt freshman Jaylen Coleman.

The secondary was hit hard by graduation (three starters), but like other defensive groups, there is somebody to build around. In the case of the secondary, that somebody is junior cornerback Cheatham Norrils. He notched Third Team All-MAC honors after logging 76 tackles and two interceptions.

"Cheatham has the talent to be one of the better players in the conference. He just needs to work on his consistency." Campbell said.

Sophomores Juwan Hayes and Chris Dukes, as well as junior Cameron Cole, also figure at the corners.

Senior Ross Madison (24 tackles) and junior Jordan Haden (16 tackles, two INTs) are veterans available for strong safety. Redshirt freshman D.J. Larkins and sophomore Chaz Whittaker will vie for time at free safety.

"At safety, we don?t have a lot of experience but one guy who has played a lot is Ross Madison," Campbell said. "He has played well for us and should help us bridge the experience gap at safety. Jordan Haden will probably play both safety and corner, but we are going to start him off at safety and let him challenge for a starting spot there."

SPECIAL TEAMS

Toledo?s offense should provide an abundance of scoring opportunities, and that goes for the placekicker as well. Junior Jeremiah Detmer earned? Second Team All-MAC honors in 2012 after connecting on 24-of-29 field goals, including his last 17 kicks in a row. He also produced 23 touchbacks on kickoffs.

Senior punter Vince Penza averaged 40.5 yards per boot and showed accuracy. Opponents managed to return just 15 punts for an average of 7.2 ypr.

Toledo ranked second ?(MAC play) in punt returns but was 10th in kick returns, so there is room for improvement in the latter. UT finished fourth (MAC play) in kickoff coverage.

UPON FURTHER REVIEW

At least offensively, Toledo should be one of the league?s most exciting teams to watch. Barring injuries, it has the talent to keep the scoreboard busy.? On a given day, the Rockets can make an opponent look pretty bad. But for UT to reach its goal of a MAC championship, the defense needs to step up ? especially in crucial contests. Toledo can ill-afford a slip against anybody. But if the Rockets take care of business, they get Northern Illinois at home November 20, leaving only a regular season finale at Akron.

NOTES

- Toledo?s? hopes to improve its defensive ranking despite significant personnel losses. The Rockets were 109th nationally in overall defense. UT finished 116th against the pass, 78th against rushes and 67th in scoring defense.?

- After failing to play an SEC team for their first 92 years, the Rockets meet two SEC foes in 2013. UT opens the season against Florida in ?The Swamp? Aug. 31. One week later, Toledo goes Missouri where they will match up against the Tigers of former UT head coach Gary Pinkel.

Pinkel coached the Rockets from 1991-2000, going 73-37-3. Missouri was 5-7 in 2012, its first season in the SEC. It was the Tigers first losing season since 2004.

- Two other non-conference foes could provide a good matchup. Eastern Washington was 9-2 in 2012, advancing to the FCS playoff semi-finals. The Eagles reigned as FCS national champs in 2010.

Both Eastern Washington and Navy (8-5) visit the Glass Bowl. The Midshipmen went 8-5 last year, earning a berth in the Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl.

- If Toledo gets a bowl ticket this year, the Rockets will have appeared in bowl games each of the last four years.

- In addition to the Nov. 20 date against NIU (at home), Toledo has a key matchup Sept. 28 when it meets Ball State in Muncie.

- The rivalry game against neighboring Bowling Green is set for Oct. 26 at BG. The Falcons are a strong MAC East contender. UT won last year?s meeting, 27-15.

-- Photo courtesy of Toledo Athletics

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Source: http://www.macreportonline.com/1/post/2013/08/football-preview-are-rockets-ready-to-roar.html

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World & UK News: Cuadrilla starts test oil drilling

Aug 2 2013

Energy company Cuadrilla has started exploratory oil drilling in the English countryside as anti-fracking protests at the site entered a ninth day.

The project has been subject to days of delays because of high-profile protests designed to halt delivery of trucks and equipment to the plant.

A Cuadrilla spokesman said: "We started test drilling at 11.15am, and we will do a 3,000ft vertical well. We will be there for two to three months."

Campaigners fear the project at Lower Stumble, near Balcombe, West Sussex, could lead Cuadrilla to go on to conduct hydraulic fracturing, or fracking.

The controversial method of fracking involves high pressure liquid being pumped deep underground to split shale rock and release gas supplies. Opponents of fracking have highlighted concerns about potential water contamination and environmental damage, as well as small-scale earthquakes.

Police have had to mount a daily security operation around the test site's entrance as dozens of anti-fracking protesters have turned out to halt deliveries.

More than 30 people have been arrested since last Friday, mainly on suspicion of obstructing deliveries, including Natalie Hynde, 30, the daughter of the Kinks' Ray Davies and the Pretenders' Chrissie Hynde. Natalie Hynde's boyfriend, veteran eco campaigner Simon "Sitting Bull" Medhurst, 55, was also held after the pair superglued their hands together around the gate for around two hours.

This week Cuadrilla's chief executive, Francis Egan, reacted to concerns surrounding the drilling by saying his firm has "no intention of ruining the countryside and won't ruin the countryside".

Mr Egan insisted fracking was safe and would not pose a threat to the public or people's drinking water. He said "significant" amounts of oil and gas could be made available through fracking in the UK, but acknowledged his firm's activities had been delayed as a result of protests against its exploratory drilling activities in West Sussex.

The sensitivity of the subject was highlighted after former Government energy adviser Lord Howell issued an apology for suggesting fracking could be used in "desolate" north east England without any impact on the surrounding environment. Lord Howell went on to provoke further criticism when he tried to clarify his comments by suggesting he actually meant "unloved" areas of the country such as Lancashire.

Source: http://www.uxbridgegazette.co.uk/west-london-news/world-uk-news/2013/08/02/cuadrilla-starts-test-oil-drilling-113046-33684701/

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Michael Catanzarite combines competitiveness and a family ...

?Today, you better be the best at everything or you?re going to get run over.?

Michael Catanzarite, CEO, Darice Inc.

?A Pat Catan?s Company? reads the sign in the lobby of Darice Inc. where Michael Catanzarite greets his guests. Catanzarite, or Catan for short, is the son of Pat Catan and is CEO of Darice Inc., a premier wholesale distributor in the craft industry.

That lobby sign is a symbol of the company Catanzarite?s father started in 1954 with $200, basically creating the craft industry.

?It?s a unique story because how the hell would you get into the craft business?? Catanzarite says.

Pat Catan was a pilot instructor during World War II. When he returned from service the only place to get a job in Cleveland was at NASA. As a new guy living in Cleveland walking around, he saw a need for supplying decorations for decorators of store window displays.

?Back then, department stores? biggest form of advertising was the window decoration itself,? Catanzarite says. ?He started supplying products for that. It evolved into material for making your own flowers for displays and floral arrangements for your house and grew from that point.?

In 1954 Pat Catan?s was just one single store. By the mid-?70s, the company had six or seven stores.

?He was a pioneer in the industry, because there really was no craft industry,? Catanzarite says. ?In the early?70s, we came up with the name Darice. Darice is our wholesale name and that?s the majority of our business. If you go into any big box store like Wal-Mart, Target or Michael?s, you would see the Darice brand in there.?

The wholesale division started in the 1970s. Catanzarite entered the family business following his graduation from high school in 1976.

Catanzarite knows the ins and outs of Darice. He knows the names of virtually every employee and can quote his father?s sayings and other inspiring messages that line the walls of the Darice office.

But what else would you expect from a man who has worked at the company for his entire life?

?My dad was my idol, my hero,? Catanzarite says. ?I enjoyed being with him and I enjoyed working with him. Why did I come into the family business? I hated school.?

Catanzarite has been CEO for nearly 20 years, but he isn?t the only family member working at Darice. In fact, there are 22 family members who work full time in the business. His office contains nearly 100 photos of family and items like his dad?s old briefcase and jacket, which help motivate him and serve as a symbol of who started the business.

From 1954 to today there have been a lot of changes within Darice and the craft industry itself.

?The difference between today and yesterday is the speed to market and the speed of business,? Catanzarite says. ?You better be at the wheel every day and have your foot on the gas 100 percent or you?re going to be left behind.

?Today, we are fortunate because of our employees and their hard work, we?re the largest in the industry at what we do. Being the largest has its challenges in that you?re always a target for competition.?

Here?s how Catanzarite keeps a family feel at Darice while also pushing the company to remain an industry leader.

Fight the competitive forces

Darice Inc. today has 1,800 employees and is one of the top privately held companies in Ohio. The company supplies craft product lines such as craft basics, jewelry making, paper crafting, bridal, floral design, fine art supplies, kid?s crafts and licensed products to retailers such as Wal-Mart, Target and Michaels.

?We?ve made it a priority in our company that we are going to be product-first people and product-innovation focused,? Catanzarite says. ?That?s our business: creativity and products. When we do that, everybody in this building understands that our goal is to find the next best product to make sure we?re to market quick and can respond to a call from Target or customer X to have a presentation done in a week.?

Anything that Catanzarite does to be successful is a result of the company?s mission statement and that his employees work on it every day. It requires the right kind of people to live the company?s mission.

?Do we have the right people and the free thinkers for that?? Catanzarite says. ?That?s how we take something from concept to reality. In any company, if you just talk about stuff and you don?t make it a priority with the facility and the people, you?re not going to get anywhere.

?If you say you?re going to do something, but all you have is an idea on a piece of paper, well, what the hell good is that? You?ve got to give it substance.?

Catanzarite spends a lot of his day motivating and counseling employees and trying to figure out what areas Darice needs to improve.

?You?re constantly changing and trying to upgrade, but not because the people are bad, successful companies merge new ideas in with the old ideas,? he says. ?We never really focus on the competition. We just try to be as good as we can be.?

Part of making the company better is continuing to get products to market quicker than anyone else.

?Here, we do things quickly,? Catanzarite says. ?We get stuff to market in half the time of our competition. We react to our customer faster than anybody. That?s the only way you?re going to beat the competition because everything is so fast and everybody is trying to increase their margin to go around you.

?Today, you better be the best at everything or you?re going to get run over. We?re focusing on how we do that.?

A big reason for Darice?s success is due to its employees and the culture Catanzarite has helped foster over the years.

?The people part of the business, which a lot of people shy away from, is really the most important part of the business,? he says. ?It?s what?s driving the company. You have to motivate them to do what?s next.?

Catanzarite fosters this kind of culture through commitment, consistency, being honest with his organization and devoting the time to it.

?I always compare it to being a parent,? he says. ?The biggest component to being a parent is that children need your time. There?s nothing, as you raise your children, that?s more important than time. Your employees are the same way.

?If your boss came in today, sat with you, had a cup of coffee, and was nice to you, that would make your day. But a lot of people are just so busy going to the next meeting that they don?t carve out that time.

?You?ve got to spend time on relationships. That?s how you get the trust. My goal is for people to do good because they want a paycheck, but also because they like me and they don?t want to fail me.?

Eliminate family politics

In a family business, it?s easy for family members to develop office politics and destructive habits that can destroy a company. Darice and the Catanzarite family follow a simple motto to squash any of those possibilities.

?Faith, family and friends is our motto,? Catanzarite says. ?We live by it. There?s nothing more important than faith, which drives our family. Once you?re my friend, I?ll never get rid of you. We have 22 full-time family members that derive their full-time income from working at Darice. How do we deal with that? We try to eliminate politics.?

If a family member wants to come to work at Darice, the most important thing Catanzarite does is find the right job for that person.

?Are you going to make a guy who?s good with his hands and likes working on cars a salesman at Wal-Mart?? Catanzarite says. ?You may, but his chance at failure is much greater.?

Catanzarite?s family members let him have the ability to place them where he thinks they?re best served within the company.

?So far everybody still comes over on Christmas,? he says. ?But with 22 family members, if somebody gets mad, they go home and tell their spouse and they tell her mom who might be my sister, so you have to have the openness and honesty.?

Not every family member works full time inside the company. There are others who play outside roles.

?Even if you?re not internally in the building, most everybody else is in the business,? Catanzarite says. ?The guys that are outside play such an integral part that if I lost them, it would be like I?m losing somebody internally. It?s good the way we mesh that.?

To keep the family atmosphere in a company that has gone from three employees to 50, 50 to 100 and 100 to 1,800, it takes openness and transparency. Most importantly, someone needs to take charge.

?There are a lot of families that have trouble even sitting in the same room to meet,? he says. ?As a company you need a plan and unfortunately there could be five to 20 relatives in there, so you need a boss.

?There has to be a single leader in the family and the family has to be committed to supporting that, otherwise you?re going to fail,? he says.

Darice is currently undergoing a succession planning process so that it is prepared for the future. The company has also brought in people from outside the family for integral leadership roles.

?A lot of family businesses struggle to bring in professionals in executive positions,? Catanzarite says. ?We were the opposite. Our president is a non-family member. Our CFO is a non-family member. Our IT director is a non-family member. Our head of marketing is a non-family member.

?Long term, one of our decisions will be that we always want an outside president and CFO. In family businesses, it?s tough for people to do that sometimes. They say, ?I?ve been doing this forever; I know everything.? I may know more about crafts than anybody, but I don?t know more about selling to Wal-Mart and Amazon. I?m not an expert in distribution.

?Bring those people in and allow them that ability. Having those outside positions in a family business helps the rest of your employees too, because they see that it?s not just Catanzarite?s running the company.?

Every decision Catanzarite makes about the future of Darice is done so with his family and employees in mind and how that decision is going to make everybody feel.

?My focus is on continuing to grow this business to be a premier company in what we do and taking it to the next level and seeing the employees flourish,? Catanzarite says. ?I?m driven by the goal that my dad wanted a great company for his family, and if I don?t finish that, I failed. I?m not going to fail. You?ve never met a guy so driven to make something successful for the benefit of his family.?

How to reach: Darice Inc., (440) 238-9150 or?www.darice.com

Source: http://www.sbnonline.com/2013/08/michael-catanzarite-combines-competitiveness-and-a-family-atmosphere-to-keep-darice-atop-the-craft-industry/

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Useful Ideas For Success In Real Estate Buying | Understanding ...

July 31st, 2013 by abnAdmin

Purchasing real estate is a frightening experience. If you purchase wisely, however, it is extremely financially rewarding. The below article provides some tips to assist you in beginning purchasing real estate, regardless of whether you are completely new to the world of real estate, or a pro.

Real estate agents who make an effort to remember clients will be rewarded when those clients need to remember a real estate agent. Hearing your voice again will trigger positive memories of the real estate transaction that occurred. When you sign a card or letter, or even on a phone call, remind them about how you work based on referrals, and would love it if they recommended your business to their friends.

TIP! Be moderate in your real estate negotiations. The worst thing to do is be aggressive with the price.

If you are planning on having a family, look for a house with enough space. Think about safety too. A swimming pool or stairs present a major risk for small children. Purchasing a house from a family who has already raised children can guarantee the house is safe.

If you?ve made an offer for a house that seller didn?t take, don?t be discouraged, since you might find a better home. The seller might be willing to do some repairs or cover the closing costs, in order to make the sale possible.

When seeking a new home, think long-term. If you plan on living in the home you purchase, then you might want to view the nearby schools even if you do not have kids. You might want them someday, and it?s better to be safe than sorry.

TIP! Real estate agents should keep in contact with former clients over the holidays and on the anniversaries of their home-buying. Receiving correspondence from you is likely to prompt memories of the good experience they had when you assisted them with their real estate transaction.

When you are buying a property, have some extra money so that you can pay for costs that you did not expect. Closing costs will include down payments and taxes. However, there may be additional items such as appraisals, surveys or home association fees.

When trying to make a good investment for your real estate, think about remodel or repair work. The good thing is that you will get a good profit from your investment when you repair a fixer. The value of the home should increase more than the investment.

Now is the perfect time to start investing in real estate. Property values are currently at an all time low because of the housing market crash. This makes it a perfect time to move from that apartment into a home of your own. Eventually, the market will rise again over time, making your investment profitable.

TIP! If a home is in need of many repairs and updates, it is likely to be sold at a greatly reduced price. This gives you great negotiating power, meaning you will save a lot on the home purchase.

When making your offer on a house you are interested in, it is possible to ask the seller to help with closing costs or provide other financial incentives. For example, you could ask for a seller to buy down your interest rates for a limited period of time. Some sellers may not want to give you a price break on the home if you ask for financial perks.

If you are going to interview your own real estate agent, you should ensure your questions are planned out properly. You should ask questions such as how many homes they sell and whether they are homes that are located in the area you are interested in buying. This agent should have the ability to answer each question professionally.

You should always have your home inspected before you purchase it. If you don?t you could wind up with a home that will need a lot of repairs. Some problems may be so severe that you won?t be able to live in the house until they are repaired.

TIP! Be flexible when you are making choices. You probably won?t be able to get everything on your want list, but narrowing it down to a few things you absolutely have to have can give you a lot of what you want.

It is best to purchase a house that only has a fireplace in the family room unless you reside in a climate that makes it necessary to have more. It is not easy to clean fireplaces and it is pointless to have to go through this if you are not going to use it much.

When looking to purchase a new home, don?t choose one based solely on its aesthetic appeal. A home should be bought for the shape and manner it?s built. You might overlook something that will cause you a serious problem if you buy a home for its decor.

TIP! Get a checklist from your Realtor. Many Realtors will have a checklist that will cover every aspect of buying a home; from finding the right house that is in your budget to finalizing the mortgage.

More than likely, when you purchase real estate, it will be the biggest decision and purchase you may ever make. Hopefully, the tips that have been covered here, have given you some of the tools you need to be more prepared to make the decision to buy real estate.

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Tags:closing costs,Real Estate Agent

Source: http://understanding-real-estate.com/real-estate/buying-real-estate/useful-ideas-for-success-in-real-estate-buying

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