ACA creates opportunities for WellCare - The Business Journal

 

Two elements of the Affordable Care Act expanding health insurance coverage were singled out by WellCare Health Plans Inc. in a statement reacting to the U.S. Supreme Court    U.S. Supreme Court Latest from The Business Journals Supreme Court justices question health insurance mandateMaking the case in public Follow this company ruling upholding the health care reform measure.

WellCare (NYSE: WCG), a Tampa company that provides managed care services targeted to government-sponsored health care programs such as Medicaid and Medicare, said it was pleased that the high court preserved states’ option to expand Medicaid coverage. “We welcome the opportunity to serve more members of the low-income and vulnerable populations in the states where we currently operate,” the statement said.

The ACA also calls for establishing health care exchanges, new marketplaces for individuals and small businesses to compare and choose private health plans. WellCare “believes that many of the people who will obtain insurance through the exchanges are likely to have similar health care needs and demographic characteristics to our current members … and [we] would welcome the opportunity to serve them,” the statement said.

Investors, who liked the potential business expansions for WellCare, sent the company’s stock price up nearly 9 percent Thursday, closing at $53.98 a share.

Stock gains were smaller at other commercial health insurers, including UnitedHealth Group (NYSE: UNH), the country’s largest insurer and a market leader in the Tampa Bay area. While insurers generally are expected to add millions of new customers because of the individual mandate in the ACA, they also face new requirements on providing coverage and costs. UnitedHealth (NYSE: UNH) closed up by about a half-percent, while Aetna Inc.    Aetna Inc. Latest from The Business Journals Which area stocks are up, which are down after health-care rulingSome health stocks get a boost from Supreme Court rulingHealth stocks, Dow down on ruling Follow this company (NYSE: AET) was up 2.7 percent.

Aetna issued a statement saying the Supreme Court decision did not change the company’s business strategy or commitment to reform that make quality care more affordable and accessiblMargie Manning is Quality and Content Editor of the Tampa Bay Business Journal. She also covers banking, finance and professional services.

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'Solopreneurship' creates business opportunity for experienced Baby Boomers - msnbc.com

The recession hit many generations differently, and the baby boomer generation was no exception when it came to losing jobs or finding it difficult to obtain a new one.

While companies cut their bottom line, many times that meant they also had to cut high level, experienced employees, said Buddy Hobart, founder of Solutions 21. With fewer jobs available and retirement looming, Hobart notices many boomers are changing the way they think about job security, life with one company and retirement plans.

This is where “solopreneurs” come in, Hobart said, the owner of the company that seeks to connect and build budding solopreneurs. These are people with a lot of experience in management and project development who work for a company on a project-by-project basis.

“Employers are in desperate need for experience, but not willing to pay for full freight,” Hobart said. “The recession has made them wary of adding a significant number to their bottom line.”

Instead of paying a six-figure salary to an executive, a business can buy the brain power and experience of what the Harvard Business Review is calling a “supertemp.”

“‘You’re too old or too expensive,’ is what they say,” said Mark Hagan, a local “solopreneur” who recently opened his own consulting firm with clients in Gilbert and Chandler. “It’s a lot harder to find that position that we’re used to finding.”

Instead of staying with one company for the entirety of a career, many people are adapting skills to different jobs and using them in project-based “temp” work, Hobart said.

Linda Capcara, the owner of Global Connect Communications in Chandler, who worked 20 years in technology public relations for companies like Motorola and Intel, found that she was out of a job.

“I got laid off by my last employer,” she said. “Within the first year, I had replaced my salary.”

Rather than try to find a similar job at a similar company, she opened her own firm, hoping to utilize her experience in a more broad sense.

“It’s about the realization that this is the time to do something differently,” Hobart said. “Before, I would go from ‘job A’ to ‘job B’ in the same industry. If I was in banking, I’d try to go find another job in banking. The model moving forward is different.”

Mark Hagan, another Phoenix-based “solopreneur” with clients in Gilbert and Chandler, found that the independence was always something he wanted to do.

Hagan now operates a service that helps to grow businesses by mapping out a long-term business plan and advising them on how to set themselves apart.

“I speak geek,” Hagan said. “I’ve found that a lot of businesses don’t (speak geek) when it means getting into the newest social media and marketing strategies. So many businesses want to leverage their technology, many businesses are using these tools, but they’re not always using them in an effective way.”

With technology such as conference calling, video calling, email, websites and social media, there are a lot of new tools that have little or no expense, which are available to even small business owners, Hagan said.

Admittedly, both Hagan and Capcara are baby boomers, a generation that was hit hard when the economy went into the recession.

Generationally, baby boomers grew up in an era when loyalty to a company was valued by both employers and employees, but when bottom lines became increasingly more important, the payroll was generally where companies made cuts, Hobart said.

It’s a generational thing that leaves boomers at a disadvantage, he said.

“Gen X and Gen Y have always focused on continual development; it almost defines them,” Hobart said. “Gen Y is always asking what’s next. And Gen X has always been enhancing skill sets—taking classes, keeping up on technology. Those generations will develop their skills in a supertemp sort of way.”

And while it may seem counterintuitive that being a solopreneur has more job security than a traditional job, that’s exactly what Hobart described.

Rather than having one employer paying a six-figure salary, a solopreneur might have eight to ten projects throughout the year, each paying roughly $20,000 to $30,000 per project, Hobart said. With that pay grade, a solopreneur could make enough money to cover the loss of employee benefits and still save for retirement.

“I can’t really imagine going back to a corporation,” Capcara said. “I enjoy the diversity of the clients and I’m excited about building the firm. I have plans to make a team—full-time marketing and PR team focused on the technology industry.”

View the original article here

'Solopreneurship' creates business opportunity for experienced Baby Boomers - msnbc.com

The recession hit many generations differently, and the baby boomer generation was no exception when it came to losing jobs or finding it difficult to obtain a new one.

While companies cut their bottom line, many times that meant they also had to cut high level, experienced employees, said Buddy Hobart, founder of Solutions 21. With fewer jobs available and retirement looming, Hobart notices many boomers are changing the way they think about job security, life with one company and retirement plans.

This is where “solopreneurs” come in, Hobart said, the owner of the company that seeks to connect and build budding solopreneurs. These are people with a lot of experience in management and project development who work for a company on a project-by-project basis.

“Employers are in desperate need for experience, but not willing to pay for full freight,” Hobart said. “The recession has made them wary of adding a significant number to their bottom line.”

Instead of paying a six-figure salary to an executive, a business can buy the brain power and experience of what the Harvard Business Review is calling a “supertemp.”

“‘You’re too old or too expensive,’ is what they say,” said Mark Hagan, a local “solopreneur” who recently opened his own consulting firm with clients in Gilbert and Chandler. “It’s a lot harder to find that position that we’re used to finding.”

Instead of staying with one company for the entirety of a career, many people are adapting skills to different jobs and using them in project-based “temp” work, Hobart said.

Linda Capcara, the owner of Global Connect Communications in Chandler, who worked 20 years in technology public relations for companies like Motorola and Intel, found that she was out of a job.

“I got laid off by my last employer,” she said. “Within the first year, I had replaced my salary.”

Rather than try to find a similar job at a similar company, she opened her own firm, hoping to utilize her experience in a more broad sense.

“It’s about the realization that this is the time to do something differently,” Hobart said. “Before, I would go from ‘job A’ to ‘job B’ in the same industry. If I was in banking, I’d try to go find another job in banking. The model moving forward is different.”

Mark Hagan, another Phoenix-based “solopreneur” with clients in Gilbert and Chandler, found that the independence was always something he wanted to do.

Hagan now operates a service that helps to grow businesses by mapping out a long-term business plan and advising them on how to set themselves apart.

“I speak geek,” Hagan said. “I’ve found that a lot of businesses don’t (speak geek) when it means getting into the newest social media and marketing strategies. So many businesses want to leverage their technology, many businesses are using these tools, but they’re not always using them in an effective way.”

With technology such as conference calling, video calling, email, websites and social media, there are a lot of new tools that have little or no expense, which are available to even small business owners, Hagan said.

Admittedly, both Hagan and Capcara are baby boomers, a generation that was hit hard when the economy went into the recession.

Generationally, baby boomers grew up in an era when loyalty to a company was valued by both employers and employees, but when bottom lines became increasingly more important, the payroll was generally where companies made cuts, Hobart said.

It’s a generational thing that leaves boomers at a disadvantage, he said.

“Gen X and Gen Y have always focused on continual development; it almost defines them,” Hobart said. “Gen Y is always asking what’s next. And Gen X has always been enhancing skill sets—taking classes, keeping up on technology. Those generations will develop their skills in a supertemp sort of way.”

And while it may seem counterintuitive that being a solopreneur has more job security than a traditional job, that’s exactly what Hobart described.

Rather than having one employer paying a six-figure salary, a solopreneur might have eight to ten projects throughout the year, each paying roughly $20,000 to $30,000 per project, Hobart said. With that pay grade, a solopreneur could make enough money to cover the loss of employee benefits and still save for retirement.

“I can’t really imagine going back to a corporation,” Capcara said. “I enjoy the diversity of the clients and I’m excited about building the firm. I have plans to make a team—full-time marketing and PR team focused on the technology industry.”

View the original article here

An Investment From the Government of Canada Creates Opportunities for the Use of Agricultural Biomass

SAINT-ALEXIS-DE-MONTCALM, QUEBEC--(Marketwire -02/27/12)- Thanks to an investment by the Canadian government, Canadian producers will have access to new business opportunities for agricultural biomass. Today, the Honourable Christian Paradis, Minister of Industry and Minister of State (Agriculture), announced an investment of up to $126,400 in Biofour Inc., through the Canadian Agricultural Adaptation Program (CAAP), to test an incinerator for agricultural biomass combustion.

"This project offers producers new opportunities and will generate positive economic benefits while reducing both greenhouse gas emissions and the contamination of the water table and soil," said Minister Paradis. "The marketing of this technology in other industries could generate an interesting diversification of the sector. The green economy is creating jobs and shows promise for the entire country."

Biofour Inc. will use this investment to test a boiler incinerator that burns biomasses other than those derived from forest products. The goal is to verify its effectiveness and its economic value in the sector's daily applications. This trial will attempt to evaluate the energy potential of various biomasses. The project will supply a poultry house and will allow for use of the incinerator in a heating network supplied by crop residues and poultry litter.

This project will have a positive impact on the agricultural sector by giving producers new ways to profit from agricultural residues, either by marketing their raw materials in organized markets or by acquiring an oven and reclaiming the residues.

"These funds will help support our efforts to develop technologies that add value to agricultural and agri-food residual materials," said Marilou Cyr, Director of Marketing, Communications and Business Development at Biofour Inc. "Our goal is to provide an alternative heating and residue management solution for Canadian agricultural and agri-food businesses, thus helping to simultaneously reduce production costs and greenhouse gas emissions."

CAAP is a five-year program (2009-14). It has a budget of $163 million and aims to help the Canadian agricultural sector adapt and remain competitive. The measures included in the next phase of Canada's Economic Action Plan, combined with other Government of Canada programs and initiatives, such as CAAP, will continue to help farmers by emphasizing job creation and strengthening the economy. The investments in new business opportunities will help to further reinforce Canada's agricultural sector and economy for the future.

For further information about CAAP, please visit the following website: www.agr.gc.ca/caap.

View the original article here

An Investment From the Government of Canada Creates Opportunities for the Use of Agricultural Biomass - Yahoo Finance

SAINT-ALEXIS-DE-MONTCALM, QUEBEC--(Marketwire -02/27/12)- Thanks to an investment by the Canadian government, Canadian producers will have access to new business opportunities for agricultural biomass. Today, the Honourable Christian Paradis, Minister of Industry and Minister of State (Agriculture), announced an investment of up to $126,400 in Biofour Inc., through the Canadian Agricultural Adaptation Program (CAAP), to test an incinerator for agricultural biomass combustion.

"This project offers producers new opportunities and will generate positive economic benefits while reducing both greenhouse gas emissions and the contamination of the water table and soil," said Minister Paradis. "The marketing of this technology in other industries could generate an interesting diversification of the sector. The green economy is creating jobs and shows promise for the entire country."

Biofour Inc. will use this investment to test a boiler incinerator that burns biomasses other than those derived from forest products. The goal is to verify its effectiveness and its economic value in the sector's daily applications. This trial will attempt to evaluate the energy potential of various biomasses. The project will supply a poultry house and will allow for use of the incinerator in a heating network supplied by crop residues and poultry litter.

This project will have a positive impact on the agricultural sector by giving producers new ways to profit from agricultural residues, either by marketing their raw materials in organized markets or by acquiring an oven and reclaiming the residues.

"These funds will help support our efforts to develop technologies that add value to agricultural and agri-food residual materials," said Marilou Cyr, Director of Marketing, Communications and Business Development at Biofour Inc. "Our goal is to provide an alternative heating and residue management solution for Canadian agricultural and agri-food businesses, thus helping to simultaneously reduce production costs and greenhouse gas emissions."

CAAP is a five-year program (2009-14). It has a budget of $163 million and aims to help the Canadian agricultural sector adapt and remain competitive. The measures included in the next phase of Canada's Economic Action Plan, combined with other Government of Canada programs and initiatives, such as CAAP, will continue to help farmers by emphasizing job creation and strengthening the economy. The investments in new business opportunities will help to further reinforce Canada's agricultural sector and economy for the future.

For further information about CAAP, please visit the following website: www.agr.gc.ca/caap.

View the original article here

Net Insight Creates Opportunity In The New Video Landscape With Its Solutions For Service-Aware Media Networks - TMCnet

Stockholm, Sweden, Feb 29, 2012 (Thomson Reuters ONE via COMTEX) -- Net Insight's unique SAMN approach meets the call for smarter delivery of IP video so service providers can enter the OTT-value-chain and capitalize on the new media trends STOCKHOLM, Sweden - Net Insight, a leading provider of efficient and scalable transport solutions for media, IP and broadcast networks, unveils key industry insights outlined in a recent analyst whitepaper by an independent research firm. The white paper provides an overview of how service providers can capitalize on the many emerging business opportunities developing from today's changing video and media landscape. It recommends utilizing a service aware media network (SAMN) architecture to drive revenue opportunities in video production, distribution and delivery over existing IP networks.

The white paper "New Video Landscape Dynamics Require Smarter Delivery of IP Video," explores how today's new video landscape opens up opportunities for IP service providers to become part of the OTT-value chain, and this opportunity is heavily contingent upon their ability to meet the Quality of Service (QoS) and Quality of Experience (QoE) demands of content owners, media and broadcast companies. The implementation of a SAMN architecture is critical to meeting the quality demands of premium services, as it provides service-centric network management that ensures service integrity is upheld throughout the delivery process and improves the performance of the IP network.

As more video traffic continues to flood networks, and the lines between traditional broadcast television and OTT video services are blurring, consumer expectations are increasing and quality will become even more of a challenge. Live content, interactivity and personalized advertising are also complicating network quality issues. Yet this challenge comes hand-in-hand with a lucrative opportunity. By leveraging a SAMN architecture, network owners have the capability to re-insert themselves into the content value chain by offering premium video contribution, delivery and distribution networks.

"The great untapped opportunity is for network owners to sell premium access to content owners that can monetize the higher QoE via subscriptions and advertising. This will drive service provider revenues and the needed infrastructure upgrades that can move our whole industry forward," says Brian Partridge, vice president of Yankee Group's Network Research group and author of the whitepaper. "In the report we detail how service-aware media networks, with the ability to look at each individual service in the network, are the first technical step in this much-needed direction." Once the SAMN architecture is in place for premium QoS and QoE, Partridge outlines how monetization opportunities for service providers are realistic and extensive. For content delivery and distribution, media-aware premium CDNs and OTT hosting services are two areas on most service provider's strategic agenda and for which a SAMN architecture is ideal and game changing. Ideas presented in the paper include creating direct relationships with content owners to create content-specific data access packages. In addition, IP network operators can build on-deck, IPTV and three-screen entertainment propositions. In these models, they can also leverage existing network footprints to cache stored content closer to the consumer to support high quality live streaming.

"At Net Insight, we have architectured our solutions to provide the technical capabilities required for service providers to monetize on the OTT-value chain," adds Per Lindgren, founder and VP, business development, Net Insight. "Customers are willing to pay for quality and that means that the right network architecture makes the new environment a good revenue opportunity for innovative service providers." The white paper "New Video Landscape Dynamics Require Smarter Delivery of IP Video," is commissioned from Yankee Group by Net Insight.

To review the whitepaper in full please visit www.netinsight.net/News/Resource-center/ For further information, please contact: Per Lindgren, vice president corporate and business development and co-founder, +46 8 685 04 00, per.lindgren@netinsight.net About Net Insight Net Insight delivers the world's most efficient and scalable transport solution for Broadcast and IP Media, Digital Terrestrial TV, Mobile TV and IPTV/CATV networks.

Net Insight products truly deliver 100 percent Quality of Service with three times improvement in utilization of bandwidth for a converged transport infrastructure. Net Insights Nimbra(TM) platform is the industry solution for video, voice and data, reducing operational costs by 50 percent and enhancing competitiveness in delivery of existing and new media services.

More than 150 world class customers run mission critical video services over Net Insight products in over 50 countries. Net Insight is quoted on the NASDAQ OMX, Stockholm. For more information, visit www.netinsight.net This announcement is distributed by Thomson Reuters on behalf of Thomson Reuters clients.

The owner of this announcement warrants that: (i) the releases contained herein are protected by copyright and other applicable laws; and (ii) they are solely responsible for the content, accuracy and originality of the information contained therein.

Source: Net Insight AB via Thomson Reuters ONE HUG#1589704 Net Insight creates opportunities in the new video landscape - http://hugin.info/130084/R/1589704/499267.pdf [ IPTV Community's Homepage ]

View the original article here

An Investment From the Government of Canada Creates Opportunities for the Use of Agricultural Biomass - Market Wire

SAINT-ALEXIS-DE-MONTCALM, QUEBEC--(Marketwire - Feb. 27, 2012) - Thanks to an investment by the Canadian government, Canadian producers will have access to new business opportunities for agricultural biomass. Today, the Honourable Christian Paradis, Minister of Industry and Minister of State (Agriculture), announced an investment of up to $126,400 in Biofour Inc., through the Canadian Agricultural Adaptation Program (CAAP), to test an incinerator for agricultural biomass combustion.

"This project offers producers new opportunities and will generate positive economic benefits while reducing both greenhouse gas emissions and the contamination of the water table and soil," said Minister Paradis. "The marketing of this technology in other industries could generate an interesting diversification of the sector. The green economy is creating jobs and shows promise for the entire country."

Biofour Inc. will use this investment to test a boiler incinerator that burns biomasses other than those derived from forest products. The goal is to verify its effectiveness and its economic value in the sector's daily applications. This trial will attempt to evaluate the energy potential of various biomasses. The project will supply a poultry house and will allow for use of the incinerator in a heating network supplied by crop residues and poultry litter.

This project will have a positive impact on the agricultural sector by giving producers new ways to profit from agricultural residues, either by marketing their raw materials in organized markets or by acquiring an oven and reclaiming the residues.

"These funds will help support our efforts to develop technologies that add value to agricultural and agri-food residual materials," said Marilou Cyr, Director of Marketing, Communications and Business Development at Biofour Inc. "Our goal is to provide an alternative heating and residue management solution for Canadian agricultural and agri-food businesses, thus helping to simultaneously reduce production costs and greenhouse gas emissions."

CAAP is a five-year program (2009-14). It has a budget of $163 million and aims to help the Canadian agricultural sector adapt and remain competitive. The measures included in the next phase of Canada's Economic Action Plan, combined with other Government of Canada programs and initiatives, such as CAAP, will continue to help farmers by emphasizing job creation and strengthening the economy. The investments in new business opportunities will help to further reinforce Canada's agricultural sector and economy for the future.

For further information about CAAP, please visit the following website: www.agr.gc.ca/caap.

View the original article here

An Investment From the Government of Canada Creates Opportunities for the Use of Agricultural Biomass

SAINT-ALEXIS-DE-MONTCALM, QUEBEC--(Marketwire -02/27/12)- Thanks to an investment by the Canadian government, Canadian producers will have access to new business opportunities for agricultural biomass. Today, the Honourable Christian Paradis, Minister of Industry and Minister of State (Agriculture), announced an investment of up to $126,400 in Biofour Inc., through the Canadian Agricultural Adaptation Program (CAAP), to test an incinerator for agricultural biomass combustion.

"This project offers producers new opportunities and will generate positive economic benefits while reducing both greenhouse gas emissions and the contamination of the water table and soil," said Minister Paradis. "The marketing of this technology in other industries could generate an interesting diversification of the sector. The green economy is creating jobs and shows promise for the entire country."

Biofour Inc. will use this investment to test a boiler incinerator that burns biomasses other than those derived from forest products. The goal is to verify its effectiveness and its economic value in the sector's daily applications. This trial will attempt to evaluate the energy potential of various biomasses. The project will supply a poultry house and will allow for use of the incinerator in a heating network supplied by crop residues and poultry litter.

This project will have a positive impact on the agricultural sector by giving producers new ways to profit from agricultural residues, either by marketing their raw materials in organized markets or by acquiring an oven and reclaiming the residues.

"These funds will help support our efforts to develop technologies that add value to agricultural and agri-food residual materials," said Marilou Cyr, Director of Marketing, Communications and Business Development at Biofour Inc. "Our goal is to provide an alternative heating and residue management solution for Canadian agricultural and agri-food businesses, thus helping to simultaneously reduce production costs and greenhouse gas emissions."

CAAP is a five-year program (2009-14). It has a budget of $163 million and aims to help the Canadian agricultural sector adapt and remain competitive. The measures included in the next phase of Canada's Economic Action Plan, combined with other Government of Canada programs and initiatives, such as CAAP, will continue to help farmers by emphasizing job creation and strengthening the economy. The investments in new business opportunities will help to further reinforce Canada's agricultural sector and economy for the future.

For further information about CAAP, please visit the following website: www.agr.gc.ca/caap.

View the original article here

The Star Business Survey 2012: Sheffield City Region creates opportunities - VIDEO - The Star

Published on Wednesday 18 January 2012 12:54

THE Star Business Survey 2012 is out today and Sheffield City Region (LEP) chairman James Newman reveals how hard work to counter a tough 12-months will maximise future economic potential.

VIDEO: Read his full comments below and click the play button to watch Mr Newman in conversation with The Star’s Business Editor Bob Rae.

The Star Business Survey 2012, in association wuith Lambert Smith Hampton, is a 44-page supplement in which business leaders take a close look at the shape of the region’s industry, manufacturing, innovations and training.

It is a FREE pull-out in The Star on Wednesday, January 18, 2012.

Mr Newman tells how Sheffield City Region is creating opportunities. Here’s his article in full:

Undoubtedly, the last 12 months have been tough for both the national and local economies,

At a national level there has been only sluggish growth, an increase in unemployment – particularly amongst younger people – and a reduction in both business and consumer confidence.

These trends have also been felt within the Sheffield City Region where, for example, over 6,500 more people are claiming job seeker’s allowance compared with the same time last year. Young people, including many graduates from our excellent Universities and Colleges, have been badly affected and are finding it increasingly difficult to find sustained and meaningful employment.

The future growth of the City Region will be determined by the way in which we create and shape opportunities now. Clearly, our local economy will be influenced by both national and international factors such as global commodity prices, consumer confidence and the crisis in the euro area.

However, independent economic forecasts make clear that a coordinated local response to local issues, additional private sector funding for investment and a more innovative use of specialist funding schemes are some of the measures that could make a lasting difference to our economy.

We are not fighting for our economic survival as the City Region is in a far stronger position, but we are working hard to maximise the City Region’s economic potential in the future. Just over a year ago, our proposal for a Sheffield City Region Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) was one of the first to be approved by the Government.

Our vision was for the Sheffield City Region to make a greater contribution to the UK economy by having a local economy less dependent on the public sector, providing conditions for businesses to grow and by giving the nation its prime centre for advanced manufacturing and materials and a focus on other key sectors where we are already ahead of the game. We want the Sheffield City Region to remain a great place to live, work, invest, and visit. From the start, we were determined that our LEP would be one of the pioneers and one of the best run and feedback from many observers suggests that this is the case.

During this first year, we have established a board, which represents a genuine collaboration between the public sector and local business leaders.

This is a new and innovative partnership and not simply the private sector being invited into existing public sector structures. Working with government, we have secured an Enterprise Zone on a series of sites along the M1 corridor, which will stimulate growth in the modern manufacturing and technology sectors and secure a long-term source of investment through the local retention of business rates. As announced in the Chancellor’s Autumn statement, we have creatively used £7 million of our £12.3 million national Growing Places Fund to leverage a further £13 million of match funding from the European Union. This will give us a total of £25 million to unblock stalled local infrastructure projects, create jobs and promote sustainable economic growth.

However you measure it, this is a great start for the Partnership. We are clear about the challenges we face and our priorities going forward. These include supporting existing businesses to increase their competitiveness and productivity, developing the Sheffield City Region as the area of choice for private sector investment and reinvestment and creating the workforce of tomorrow by developing an employer-led approach to delivering the skills that the economy really needs. We are also taking steps to put in place the right conditions for growth, which includes improving important transport connections and unlocking the potential of key centres, economic sites or development areas.

We believe we also need a strong two-way partnership and dialogue with government to achieve our aspirations for the City Region. Government is beginning to realise that growth can only be achieved by harnessing the economic power of areas like the Sheffield City Region and is committed, as never before, to working with areas like ours to secure that growth. For our part, we will continue to develop proposals for growth which are well-argued, well-evidenced, brave and bold. We will demonstrate to government that the investment of money, incentives or new powers in the Sheffield City Region, will yield a significant return.

* James Newman is the first chairman of the Sheffield City Region Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) established in November 2010. James has a career spanning more than 35 years, including senior roles in manufacturing, services and utilities.

A former Master Cutler and deputy chairman of Sheffield Hallam University, James is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants and is currently chairman of Finance Yorkshire and a non-executive director of a number of public companies.

* Employment figures drawn from Nomis: www.nomis.co.uk (October 2011 compared with October 2010).

* Over 3000 or the 6,500 more claimants are aged 16 to 24) (October 2011 compared with October 2010).

View the original article here

The Star Business Survey 2012: Sheffield City Region creates opportunities - VIDEO - The Star

Published on Wednesday 18 January 2012 12:54

THE Star Business Survey 2012 is out today and Sheffield City Region (LEP) chairman James Newman reveals how hard work to counter a tough 12-months will maximise future economic potential.

VIDEO: Read his full comments below and click the play button to watch Mr Newman in conversation with The Star’s Business Editor Bob Rae.

The Star Business Survey 2012, in association wuith Lambert Smith Hampton, is a 44-page supplement in which business leaders take a close look at the shape of the region’s industry, manufacturing, innovations and training.

It is a FREE pull-out in The Star on Wednesday, January 18, 2012.

Mr Newman tells how Sheffield City Region is creating opportunities. Here’s his article in full:

Undoubtedly, the last 12 months have been tough for both the national and local economies,

At a national level there has been only sluggish growth, an increase in unemployment – particularly amongst younger people – and a reduction in both business and consumer confidence.

These trends have also been felt within the Sheffield City Region where, for example, over 6,500 more people are claiming job seeker’s allowance compared with the same time last year. Young people, including many graduates from our excellent Universities and Colleges, have been badly affected and are finding it increasingly difficult to find sustained and meaningful employment.

The future growth of the City Region will be determined by the way in which we create and shape opportunities now. Clearly, our local economy will be influenced by both national and international factors such as global commodity prices, consumer confidence and the crisis in the euro area.

However, independent economic forecasts make clear that a coordinated local response to local issues, additional private sector funding for investment and a more innovative use of specialist funding schemes are some of the measures that could make a lasting difference to our economy.

We are not fighting for our economic survival as the City Region is in a far stronger position, but we are working hard to maximise the City Region’s economic potential in the future. Just over a year ago, our proposal for a Sheffield City Region Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) was one of the first to be approved by the Government.

Our vision was for the Sheffield City Region to make a greater contribution to the UK economy by having a local economy less dependent on the public sector, providing conditions for businesses to grow and by giving the nation its prime centre for advanced manufacturing and materials and a focus on other key sectors where we are already ahead of the game. We want the Sheffield City Region to remain a great place to live, work, invest, and visit. From the start, we were determined that our LEP would be one of the pioneers and one of the best run and feedback from many observers suggests that this is the case.

During this first year, we have established a board, which represents a genuine collaboration between the public sector and local business leaders.

This is a new and innovative partnership and not simply the private sector being invited into existing public sector structures. Working with government, we have secured an Enterprise Zone on a series of sites along the M1 corridor, which will stimulate growth in the modern manufacturing and technology sectors and secure a long-term source of investment through the local retention of business rates. As announced in the Chancellor’s Autumn statement, we have creatively used £7 million of our £12.3 million national Growing Places Fund to leverage a further £13 million of match funding from the European Union. This will give us a total of £25 million to unblock stalled local infrastructure projects, create jobs and promote sustainable economic growth.

However you measure it, this is a great start for the Partnership. We are clear about the challenges we face and our priorities going forward. These include supporting existing businesses to increase their competitiveness and productivity, developing the Sheffield City Region as the area of choice for private sector investment and reinvestment and creating the workforce of tomorrow by developing an employer-led approach to delivering the skills that the economy really needs. We are also taking steps to put in place the right conditions for growth, which includes improving important transport connections and unlocking the potential of key centres, economic sites or development areas.

We believe we also need a strong two-way partnership and dialogue with government to achieve our aspirations for the City Region. Government is beginning to realise that growth can only be achieved by harnessing the economic power of areas like the Sheffield City Region and is committed, as never before, to working with areas like ours to secure that growth. For our part, we will continue to develop proposals for growth which are well-argued, well-evidenced, brave and bold. We will demonstrate to government that the investment of money, incentives or new powers in the Sheffield City Region, will yield a significant return.

* James Newman is the first chairman of the Sheffield City Region Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) established in November 2010. James has a career spanning more than 35 years, including senior roles in manufacturing, services and utilities.

A former Master Cutler and deputy chairman of Sheffield Hallam University, James is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants and is currently chairman of Finance Yorkshire and a non-executive director of a number of public companies.

* Employment figures drawn from Nomis: www.nomis.co.uk (October 2011 compared with October 2010).

* Over 3000 or the 6,500 more claimants are aged 16 to 24) (October 2011 compared with October 2010).

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