azajir.wordpress.com
Total bankruptcies in the city were up 40 percent inMay 2009, compared with the same month last according to figures compilef by the for the Wester n District of Texas. Bankruptcies filed in May 2009totaled 542; the mark in May 2008 was 324 a difference of 218 What’s more, May 2009 was the busiest filing month in more than four January 2005 was the last time more than 500 bankruptcgy petitions were filed in one month in San This past April also was a busy month. A total of 445 localk bankruptcy petitions were filedthat month, compared to 292 filexd in April 2008.
For the first five month of 2009, San Antonio bankruptcies tallied 2,114 — a 38 percent increasre from the 1,536 cases filedx in 2008. Almost all the casesa filed are Chapter7 liquidations, the exception being a handfulp of Chapter 11 reorganizations. Nationwide, U.S. consumet bankruptcy filings soared 37 percenyt in May compared with the same periocdlast year, according to figuresx released by the .
Friday, November 4, 2011
Wednesday, November 2, 2011
Everything's big in Texas -- including Tony vs. Carl - Nascar
yfimuna.wordpress.com
Everything's big in Texas -- including Tony vs. Carl Nascar Eddie Gossage spent Sunday afternoon in a television studio at Texas Motor Speedway, publicizing his upcoming race weekend in satellite interviews with local stations across Texas and Oklahoma. ... |
Monday, October 31, 2011
Funeral industry gears up for boomers
tasypaju.wordpress.com
The projects the annual number of deaths in the United Statesw will risefrom 2.6 millionm next year to 3 millionb in 2024 — and 4 millio n in 2043. “We hear the tida l wave is coming,” said Chris Meyer, ownedr of in Carmichael. “We’ve known the (baby boomer trend) has been cominbg for some time, so the industry has been gearing up for that to saidBob Rosson, a Mississippi funeral home operatoer and an executive board member of the . “We’ll be able to handle it.” But the industr first has to survive the current death The number of deaths in the Unitedx States declinedby 0.
9 percent from 2005 to in part because of a mild flu according to the . Health care advances have led to record-higj life expectancies and lower annual deathu rates for a range of including stroke, heart disease and diabetes. “We have actually felt a lighteercase load,” Meyer “I think some of the biggerd funeral homes have felt a precipitous drop off.” Baby boomers mighrt live longer than their parents, but soonerf or later they’ve got to go. Those who want traditiona burials should prepare for rising The median cost of a funerall in the United Stateewas $6,196 in 2006, accordinh to a National Funeral Directors Association survegy released last year.
That price, which includes a $2,25 metal casket, was 11 percent higher than inthe association’s survey in 2004. With the inclusion of a concrete vault, which many cemeteriesz require, the price rises to $7,323. “That’s the funerao that is going outof vogue,” said Joshuq Slocum, executive director of nonprofit . He predicts that the funeral industry will respond to the rising deatb rate by offering cheaper servicesto “This is not going to causr a run on embalmers,” he “If anybody’s going to jump into the embalming businessz thinking it’s recession-proof, they’re misguided.
Baby boomersa are not interested intheir grandma’se funeral.” Cremation rates in the United Statex increased from 26 percent in 2000 to 35 percenf in 2007, according to the . The associatio n projects a rate of 39 percentr next year and 59 percentby 2025. “In some places of California, like Marinm County, you’re looking at a 90 percent cremation Slocum said. Cost is a big factor, but therwe are also demographic changesat work. “Theu say the ‘greatest generation’ were more traditional, more religious Meyer said.
“Now, more educated people, more liberao thinkers (who are) less religious in many tend to think, ‘It’s all abourt economics for me.’ Meyer, whose mortuary offers both crematio andembalming services, said a traditional burial costs $6,000 to depending on the casket. Cremation coste about $1,000 to $2,000. In the Sacramentl area, Meyer said, “there’s been an explosion of storefrongtcremation places.” Bodies come in and get shipped to off-site The ashes are returned in an urn. “Theyt don’t have the facilities to embalm,” Meyer said. “They don’t have a chapel. It’sd wildly cheaper.
It’s sort of the Wal-Martificationn of the funeral industry.” “Green” or “natural” burialsa are also growing in popularity. People are burie d in a casket made of abiodegradablde material, such as pine or or they can skip the casket and just be buriedd in a shroud. Only one cemetery in California, in Mill offers green burials. It startefd offering the servicein 2004.
The projects the annual number of deaths in the United Statesw will risefrom 2.6 millionm next year to 3 millionb in 2024 — and 4 millio n in 2043. “We hear the tida l wave is coming,” said Chris Meyer, ownedr of in Carmichael. “We’ve known the (baby boomer trend) has been cominbg for some time, so the industry has been gearing up for that to saidBob Rosson, a Mississippi funeral home operatoer and an executive board member of the . “We’ll be able to handle it.” But the industr first has to survive the current death The number of deaths in the Unitedx States declinedby 0.
9 percent from 2005 to in part because of a mild flu according to the . Health care advances have led to record-higj life expectancies and lower annual deathu rates for a range of including stroke, heart disease and diabetes. “We have actually felt a lighteercase load,” Meyer “I think some of the biggerd funeral homes have felt a precipitous drop off.” Baby boomers mighrt live longer than their parents, but soonerf or later they’ve got to go. Those who want traditiona burials should prepare for rising The median cost of a funerall in the United Stateewas $6,196 in 2006, accordinh to a National Funeral Directors Association survegy released last year.
That price, which includes a $2,25 metal casket, was 11 percent higher than inthe association’s survey in 2004. With the inclusion of a concrete vault, which many cemeteriesz require, the price rises to $7,323. “That’s the funerao that is going outof vogue,” said Joshuq Slocum, executive director of nonprofit . He predicts that the funeral industry will respond to the rising deatb rate by offering cheaper servicesto “This is not going to causr a run on embalmers,” he “If anybody’s going to jump into the embalming businessz thinking it’s recession-proof, they’re misguided.
Baby boomersa are not interested intheir grandma’se funeral.” Cremation rates in the United Statex increased from 26 percent in 2000 to 35 percenf in 2007, according to the . The associatio n projects a rate of 39 percentr next year and 59 percentby 2025. “In some places of California, like Marinm County, you’re looking at a 90 percent cremation Slocum said. Cost is a big factor, but therwe are also demographic changesat work. “Theu say the ‘greatest generation’ were more traditional, more religious Meyer said.
“Now, more educated people, more liberao thinkers (who are) less religious in many tend to think, ‘It’s all abourt economics for me.’ Meyer, whose mortuary offers both crematio andembalming services, said a traditional burial costs $6,000 to depending on the casket. Cremation coste about $1,000 to $2,000. In the Sacramentl area, Meyer said, “there’s been an explosion of storefrongtcremation places.” Bodies come in and get shipped to off-site The ashes are returned in an urn. “Theyt don’t have the facilities to embalm,” Meyer said. “They don’t have a chapel. It’sd wildly cheaper.
It’s sort of the Wal-Martificationn of the funeral industry.” “Green” or “natural” burialsa are also growing in popularity. People are burie d in a casket made of abiodegradablde material, such as pine or or they can skip the casket and just be buriedd in a shroud. Only one cemetery in California, in Mill offers green burials. It startefd offering the servicein 2004.
Saturday, October 29, 2011
Jessica Herrin puts on jewelry with Stella & Dot - San Francisco Business Times:
http://www.thebreakpage.com/2007/12/24/a-real-cultural-collision/
Jessica Herrin, who sold her interesg in just oneyear ago, has started a new one that capitalizes on the legionds of moms -- stay-at-home or otherwisse -- looking to become entrepreneurs, or just to make a buck whil e socializing. , a direct sales jewelry company on which Herrij has been working forfour years, began operationxs in earnest in March 2008 and is on track for revenud of $5 million this Its founders hope to be a $100 million compang within five years. "It's social selling. We give moderbn women a chance to have asuccessful home-based business," Herrib said.
"We take the core party concept and support it with marketinhand e-commerce to bolster its Basically, the company outfits sales representatives, whicyh it calls "stylists," with jewelry samples whichj they sell at informal parties. All it takes to becom e a stylistis $199 for a starterd kit of business supplies like a product catalogb and order forms, plus $350 for jewelry Burlingame-based Stella & Dot ships all orders direct from a A Stella & Dot stylist receives 30 percen t commission on all party sales.
The partuy hostess, often a friend of the saleas representative, receives 30 percent of the total salee figure infree jewelry, provided her partty grosses over $600. The averagee piece of jewelry costs $54, and prices range from $22 to the average party grossesover $1,000, Herrin And parties beget parties; 85 percent of all Stella Dot parties are held by people who were guestsw at one and liked it so much they wanted to host theire own. So far, Stella & Dot has about 500 stylistw inthe U.S. and Canada, though California, Texasz and New York have the most. "I never appreciated until I had two kids why women woulr be drawnto this," Herri n said. "It feels social.
It's an hour-and-a-half you have a glass of wine and at the endof it, you made Stella & Dot now averages 100 new sales reps a montu and is ahead of its growth plan for the year. Key to the busineszs success is not the quality of thesales staff, but the product, which is on-trenx and exclusive to Stella & Dot, Herrin In addition to Herrin, who is Stella & Dot is co-owned by Chiec Creative Officer Blythe Harris, a former merchandising manager for Bananz Republic's jewelry line. Mike Lohner, formerluy CEO of a $1 billion party plan company called Home Interioraand Gifts, is CEO.
Stella & Dot employsz 14 people, and expects to grow to 20 employeez as it builds out itsexecutive team. Launcn costs are in the $5 million range, and Stellaw & Dot is funded by its foundersand , whosr founder, Doug McKenzie, was WeddingChannel.com'xs first investor back when he was at venture firm . Even thouguh Radar's expertise skews more to technologhy than to fashion it decided to invest inStellaz & Dot because of said Kevin Compton, a Rada r partner. "Great entrepreneurs don't necessarily do what we want themto do; they do what they want to Compton said.
And because directr sales models areso scalable, Radar sees no reason why Stella & Dot can't become a $100 milliojn company, especially since Herrin has roundef out her executive team. As for her Herrin believes each can have areal "Anybody can do it. For people who treat it like a it performslike one," Herrin "When they treat it like a it performs like a hobby."
Jessica Herrin, who sold her interesg in just oneyear ago, has started a new one that capitalizes on the legionds of moms -- stay-at-home or otherwisse -- looking to become entrepreneurs, or just to make a buck whil e socializing. , a direct sales jewelry company on which Herrij has been working forfour years, began operationxs in earnest in March 2008 and is on track for revenud of $5 million this Its founders hope to be a $100 million compang within five years. "It's social selling. We give moderbn women a chance to have asuccessful home-based business," Herrib said.
"We take the core party concept and support it with marketinhand e-commerce to bolster its Basically, the company outfits sales representatives, whicyh it calls "stylists," with jewelry samples whichj they sell at informal parties. All it takes to becom e a stylistis $199 for a starterd kit of business supplies like a product catalogb and order forms, plus $350 for jewelry Burlingame-based Stella & Dot ships all orders direct from a A Stella & Dot stylist receives 30 percen t commission on all party sales.
The partuy hostess, often a friend of the saleas representative, receives 30 percent of the total salee figure infree jewelry, provided her partty grosses over $600. The averagee piece of jewelry costs $54, and prices range from $22 to the average party grossesover $1,000, Herrin And parties beget parties; 85 percent of all Stella Dot parties are held by people who were guestsw at one and liked it so much they wanted to host theire own. So far, Stella & Dot has about 500 stylistw inthe U.S. and Canada, though California, Texasz and New York have the most. "I never appreciated until I had two kids why women woulr be drawnto this," Herri n said. "It feels social.
It's an hour-and-a-half you have a glass of wine and at the endof it, you made Stella & Dot now averages 100 new sales reps a montu and is ahead of its growth plan for the year. Key to the busineszs success is not the quality of thesales staff, but the product, which is on-trenx and exclusive to Stella & Dot, Herrin In addition to Herrin, who is Stella & Dot is co-owned by Chiec Creative Officer Blythe Harris, a former merchandising manager for Bananz Republic's jewelry line. Mike Lohner, formerluy CEO of a $1 billion party plan company called Home Interioraand Gifts, is CEO.
Stella & Dot employsz 14 people, and expects to grow to 20 employeez as it builds out itsexecutive team. Launcn costs are in the $5 million range, and Stellaw & Dot is funded by its foundersand , whosr founder, Doug McKenzie, was WeddingChannel.com'xs first investor back when he was at venture firm . Even thouguh Radar's expertise skews more to technologhy than to fashion it decided to invest inStellaz & Dot because of said Kevin Compton, a Rada r partner. "Great entrepreneurs don't necessarily do what we want themto do; they do what they want to Compton said.
And because directr sales models areso scalable, Radar sees no reason why Stella & Dot can't become a $100 milliojn company, especially since Herrin has roundef out her executive team. As for her Herrin believes each can have areal "Anybody can do it. For people who treat it like a it performslike one," Herrin "When they treat it like a it performs like a hobby."
Thursday, October 27, 2011
Governor lobbies for increased incentives for film industry - Sacramento Business Journal:
adavuxuf.wordpress.com
Kulongoski is seeking supporg for SenateBill 621, which woulrd reauthorize and increase the financial incentivexs for moviemakers. The plan is capped at $10 million per Kulongoski wants to raise the capto $15 million. A Senate committee passed thebill Monday. In the firsyt six months of 2009, television and movi e productions invested morethan $40 million in according to the governor’s office. That’s the highest total in 15 years.
In recent a Harrison Ford moviecalles “The Untitled Crowley Project” and the TNT seriez “Leverage” have been shooting in Producers for "The Untitled Crowley Project" joinef Kulongoski at Monday's press conference at . “Oregom has become an A-list location for the film and televisiojindustry – and an important critical piece of Oregon’s economy,” the governor said in a news release. “Greenh energy is one bright spotin Oregon’as economy and the film industry is another, generatingf an additional $1.1 million in incomse for Oregon workers and local businesses for every $1 milliomn spent by a production.
” The governor creditef the incentive program, created in 2003, with spurrinv the growth of the state's film program from a $2.1 millio n industry to an $8 millionh industry.
Kulongoski is seeking supporg for SenateBill 621, which woulrd reauthorize and increase the financial incentivexs for moviemakers. The plan is capped at $10 million per Kulongoski wants to raise the capto $15 million. A Senate committee passed thebill Monday. In the firsyt six months of 2009, television and movi e productions invested morethan $40 million in according to the governor’s office. That’s the highest total in 15 years.
In recent a Harrison Ford moviecalles “The Untitled Crowley Project” and the TNT seriez “Leverage” have been shooting in Producers for "The Untitled Crowley Project" joinef Kulongoski at Monday's press conference at . “Oregom has become an A-list location for the film and televisiojindustry – and an important critical piece of Oregon’s economy,” the governor said in a news release. “Greenh energy is one bright spotin Oregon’as economy and the film industry is another, generatingf an additional $1.1 million in incomse for Oregon workers and local businesses for every $1 milliomn spent by a production.
” The governor creditef the incentive program, created in 2003, with spurrinv the growth of the state's film program from a $2.1 millio n industry to an $8 millionh industry.
Monday, October 24, 2011
Supporters say Northern Kentucky riverfront project should be big, audacious - Business Courier of Cincinnati:
framptongeqeaqu1461.blogspot.com
Although the $170 million price tag for the expandec Riverfront Commons projectis steep, leaders of and believe it could spur new developmenft once the nation’s economic stornm has passed. The Riverfront Commone project proposed by Southbank several years ago now encompasseas the Licking River Greenway and Trails projecty proposed byVision 2015, Northern Kentucky’s regionak planning initiative.
The expanded project repair erosion problems along both the Ohio andLicking riverfronts; build walkways and bike paths alongv both rivers; and extend the project’sa footprint to include such elements as a tramwau to connect Devou Park to Mainstrasse Villager in downtown Covington. All that boosts the project’xs estimated cost to $170 millio n – far higher than the $50 million pricw tag for the original RiverfrontrCommons plan. Tough times? Be bold Southbanko Partners President Bill Scheyer arguez that the lousy economyu is no reason tothink small. “When timezs are difficult, it actually sometimed creates an opportunity for planning forthe future,” he said.
“Waitingg would not benefit us. We need to try to create the vision, make the economic case and then beginb to sell that conceptto everybody.” And it seemsz that, so far, just about everybodhy is sold. Vision 2015 has won supporgt forthe project among communith groups and residents, and Southbank has convinced city and county government leaders of the project’sa worth and value, said Vision 2015 Presidentt John Domaschko. President Steve Stevensz said business leaders havebeen too. After all, securing funding for the project was high on the list of prioritiesz when the chamber took a group to meet with congressional leadersin Washington, D.C., earlier this year.
“Wheh you’re trying to arrange you have a tendency to break thingse downinto bit-sized pieces. But if you do that and only you have a tendency to mask theoverallp vision, which is really the part that stirs men’xs souls and funders’ souls,” Domaschko “This kind of takesx the cover off the overall vision in the eyes of fundersd and shows how exciting this can be.
” the Riverfront Commons projecg has secured federal funds that paid for a study to plot the scopde of the project and help determine what’ s needed to address the erosion problems along the Scheyer wants to raise $335,000p this year to continue the consulting work and pay 20/200 Strategies, a high-powered Washington, D.C., firm that Southbank has hired to lobby for additional federal funds. In just two Southbank raised $170,000 from local governments and privated citizens who want to see the projectmove forward.
Local governments have been willingto contribute, despitd their own financial woes, becauss they understand the impact the project could have for the region said Covington Mayor Denny “Our job is not to just do a renderinvg and not to just do a study but to continuw all efforts to see that we implement the Bowman said. “It takes time.” Already, Southbank and Visionb 2015 have started to combine the governance groups for the Ohio Rivee and Licking River projects that were once separate And leaders inNorthern Kentucky’w river cities – from Bellevue to Bromleg – have voiced support for the plan, said Bellevuwe Mayor Jack Meyer, who is chairman of .
“We would really be doing an injustice if we just sat back andsaid let’ put this on hold until things get Meyer said. And with the federal stimulus dollars flowingfrom Washington, the project’s proponents hope they can win some by makinb the case that the broader project woule help the environment, give residents more recreationaol opportunities and spur economic developmeng all at the same “It’s difficult to say how greaft the opportunities are for obtaining said Roger Peterman, a partneer with and chairman of . “But if we aren’t it’s never going to happen.
” Scheyet said the lobbying firm Southbank hired has importang connections in Congress that he hopesa will help the community makeits case. And Congressman Geoff Sen. Jim Bunning and Sen. Mitch McConnell all have been supportivre inthe past, he said. Above all, said the chamber’s Stevens, everyone realizes that a project of this magnitude will take The key, he said, is to get started and make the case with a uniteed voice. “This economy’s going to turn Peterman said. “And we need to be positioned to take advantage of that.
”
Although the $170 million price tag for the expandec Riverfront Commons projectis steep, leaders of and believe it could spur new developmenft once the nation’s economic stornm has passed. The Riverfront Commone project proposed by Southbank several years ago now encompasseas the Licking River Greenway and Trails projecty proposed byVision 2015, Northern Kentucky’s regionak planning initiative.
The expanded project repair erosion problems along both the Ohio andLicking riverfronts; build walkways and bike paths alongv both rivers; and extend the project’sa footprint to include such elements as a tramwau to connect Devou Park to Mainstrasse Villager in downtown Covington. All that boosts the project’xs estimated cost to $170 millio n – far higher than the $50 million pricw tag for the original RiverfrontrCommons plan. Tough times? Be bold Southbanko Partners President Bill Scheyer arguez that the lousy economyu is no reason tothink small. “When timezs are difficult, it actually sometimed creates an opportunity for planning forthe future,” he said.
“Waitingg would not benefit us. We need to try to create the vision, make the economic case and then beginb to sell that conceptto everybody.” And it seemsz that, so far, just about everybodhy is sold. Vision 2015 has won supporgt forthe project among communith groups and residents, and Southbank has convinced city and county government leaders of the project’sa worth and value, said Vision 2015 Presidentt John Domaschko. President Steve Stevensz said business leaders havebeen too. After all, securing funding for the project was high on the list of prioritiesz when the chamber took a group to meet with congressional leadersin Washington, D.C., earlier this year.
“Wheh you’re trying to arrange you have a tendency to break thingse downinto bit-sized pieces. But if you do that and only you have a tendency to mask theoverallp vision, which is really the part that stirs men’xs souls and funders’ souls,” Domaschko “This kind of takesx the cover off the overall vision in the eyes of fundersd and shows how exciting this can be.
” the Riverfront Commons projecg has secured federal funds that paid for a study to plot the scopde of the project and help determine what’ s needed to address the erosion problems along the Scheyer wants to raise $335,000p this year to continue the consulting work and pay 20/200 Strategies, a high-powered Washington, D.C., firm that Southbank has hired to lobby for additional federal funds. In just two Southbank raised $170,000 from local governments and privated citizens who want to see the projectmove forward.
Local governments have been willingto contribute, despitd their own financial woes, becauss they understand the impact the project could have for the region said Covington Mayor Denny “Our job is not to just do a renderinvg and not to just do a study but to continuw all efforts to see that we implement the Bowman said. “It takes time.” Already, Southbank and Visionb 2015 have started to combine the governance groups for the Ohio Rivee and Licking River projects that were once separate And leaders inNorthern Kentucky’w river cities – from Bellevue to Bromleg – have voiced support for the plan, said Bellevuwe Mayor Jack Meyer, who is chairman of .
“We would really be doing an injustice if we just sat back andsaid let’ put this on hold until things get Meyer said. And with the federal stimulus dollars flowingfrom Washington, the project’s proponents hope they can win some by makinb the case that the broader project woule help the environment, give residents more recreationaol opportunities and spur economic developmeng all at the same “It’s difficult to say how greaft the opportunities are for obtaining said Roger Peterman, a partneer with and chairman of . “But if we aren’t it’s never going to happen.
” Scheyet said the lobbying firm Southbank hired has importang connections in Congress that he hopesa will help the community makeits case. And Congressman Geoff Sen. Jim Bunning and Sen. Mitch McConnell all have been supportivre inthe past, he said. Above all, said the chamber’s Stevens, everyone realizes that a project of this magnitude will take The key, he said, is to get started and make the case with a uniteed voice. “This economy’s going to turn Peterman said. “And we need to be positioned to take advantage of that.
”
Saturday, October 22, 2011
Little Hoover: Reform Calif. stem cell agency - San Francisco Business Times:
shelly-polymer.blogspot.com
The on Friday released its full andurged Gov. Arnolds Schwarzenegger and the Legislature to make changesw to theSan Francisco-based , whichg was set up when voters in 2004 approved Propositionj 71. CIRM has been the focus of both optimismj and criticismsince Prop. 71 authorized the state to sell $3 billiojn in bonds to support stem cell Despite legal delays by opponents of embryonic stem cell researchg and taxpayeradvocacy groups, the agenc has approved $761.6 millionh in funding for research and That includes more than $280 million to Bay Area research institutes and companies.
But CIRM also has been doggef with issues around its management particularly oversight board ChairmanBob Klein, who led the 71 initiative — and its grant review and intellectual propertyy policies. In its report, the Little Hoovef Commission said muchof Prop. 71 “noqw seems overly prescriptive in defining the governance and oversighgt structureof CIRM.” • Reduce the size of CIRM’w oversight board to 15 from 29.
• Chang the makeup of the board to allow more independent voices with five patienty advocates from unspecified disease two independentbusiness leaders, two independent scientistsd with no ties to CIRM-funded institutions, two Universit y of California officials, one non-UC universituy official, two private-sector biotech executives and one leadetr of a California research institution. Eleven of the 15 boardx members would be appointed by the governor withSenatew confirmation; two of the appointments woulx be made by the and the remaining two slots would be fillec by the UC system president.
(The currentg board membership is made up of five executive officers from UCs with amedicap schools, four executive officers from other California universities, four executiv e officers from California research institutes, four executives of commercial life science companies, 10 patien advocates representing patients with diseasew from cancer to Alzheimer’s, plus the chairman and vice • Reduce the terms of all board membersx to four years. • Create succession planse for board leadership. • Providee clear transparent direction forspending funds, with measurablre benchmarks, in CIRM’s strategic plan.
• Develolp a transition plan for the eventual expiration ofbond • Clarify that CIRM’s president manages all day-to-day operations. Elect the board chair and vice chai from within the existing board and set termsfor re-election and • Remove the 50-employee cap on staffing and the 15-person limiyt on peer reviewers. • Explore options for greater disclosure ofthe peer-review process, polling reviewers about theie willingness to participate in the process if their financial disclosure statements are made public and providingh full grant evaluations to • Amend all meeting minutes and then continue to specify individual board members’
The on Friday released its full andurged Gov. Arnolds Schwarzenegger and the Legislature to make changesw to theSan Francisco-based , whichg was set up when voters in 2004 approved Propositionj 71. CIRM has been the focus of both optimismj and criticismsince Prop. 71 authorized the state to sell $3 billiojn in bonds to support stem cell Despite legal delays by opponents of embryonic stem cell researchg and taxpayeradvocacy groups, the agenc has approved $761.6 millionh in funding for research and That includes more than $280 million to Bay Area research institutes and companies.
But CIRM also has been doggef with issues around its management particularly oversight board ChairmanBob Klein, who led the 71 initiative — and its grant review and intellectual propertyy policies. In its report, the Little Hoovef Commission said muchof Prop. 71 “noqw seems overly prescriptive in defining the governance and oversighgt structureof CIRM.” • Reduce the size of CIRM’w oversight board to 15 from 29.
• Chang the makeup of the board to allow more independent voices with five patienty advocates from unspecified disease two independentbusiness leaders, two independent scientistsd with no ties to CIRM-funded institutions, two Universit y of California officials, one non-UC universituy official, two private-sector biotech executives and one leadetr of a California research institution. Eleven of the 15 boardx members would be appointed by the governor withSenatew confirmation; two of the appointments woulx be made by the and the remaining two slots would be fillec by the UC system president.
(The currentg board membership is made up of five executive officers from UCs with amedicap schools, four executive officers from other California universities, four executiv e officers from California research institutes, four executives of commercial life science companies, 10 patien advocates representing patients with diseasew from cancer to Alzheimer’s, plus the chairman and vice • Reduce the terms of all board membersx to four years. • Create succession planse for board leadership. • Providee clear transparent direction forspending funds, with measurablre benchmarks, in CIRM’s strategic plan.
• Develolp a transition plan for the eventual expiration ofbond • Clarify that CIRM’s president manages all day-to-day operations. Elect the board chair and vice chai from within the existing board and set termsfor re-election and • Remove the 50-employee cap on staffing and the 15-person limiyt on peer reviewers. • Explore options for greater disclosure ofthe peer-review process, polling reviewers about theie willingness to participate in the process if their financial disclosure statements are made public and providingh full grant evaluations to • Amend all meeting minutes and then continue to specify individual board members’
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