LAKE FOREST, Calif., Oct. 10, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --Crummack Huseby Property Management, based in Lake Forest, California, has welcomed four new team members to accommodate our new and existing business.

"We're proud that we are in a position to increase our staff," said Margo Crummack, co-founder and CEO of Crummack Huseby Property Management. "We believe in surpassing our clients' expectations. That means we are always on the look out for professionals that add dimension to our team."

Courtney Chastain and Melissa Towns both join the team as Community Management Consultants.

Courtney Chastain holds a California Real Estate license and has a strong background in property management of single-family homes. Chastain shares the company's passion for delivering a high level of customer service to its clients.

Melissa Towns has extensive experience managing properties in California, as well as Alaska, Hawaii, Oregon and Washington. Melissa's experience dealing with CC&R compliance issues, along with her attention to detail plays an integral part in reaching clients' goals.

Ryan Sommers has joined Crummack Huseby as an Accounting Associate. He is a recent graduate of California State University Fullerton, where he received his degree in Business Administration with Accounting as his area of concentration. Sommers provides delinquent assessment collection management and tracking according to each association's collection policy.

Joslyn Kim is the new Operation's Associate and Architectural Coordinator. She serves as the liaison to each association's Architectural Committee to ensure all timelines are met. She has a talent for covering all details of the plan review process, guiding homeowners every step of the way.

"We are excited with the continuing expansion of the company and are pleased about the added value all of these new employees have brought to the Crummack Huseby Team," said Sandy Huseby, co-founder and COO.

About Crummack Huseby, Inc.

Based in Orange County, California, Crummack Huseby, Inc. manages residential and commercial associations, individual properties and provides financial management services for businesses. Crummack Huseby prides itself on service, retaining 95 percent of its clients since its inception in 1999. Founders Sandy Huseby and Margo Crummack each have more than 20 years of experience in Common Interest Development management. Both managing partners possess the state designation of Certified Community Association Manager (CCAM) and the National designation of Professional Community Association Manager (PCAM). Sandy Huseby is a licensed California Real Estate Broker. For more information, please visit http://www.ch-pm.com, email info@ch-pm.com, or call toll free at 888-399-9430.

Go here to read the rest:
Crummack Huseby Property Management of Lake Forest is Growing Again!

Dylan Chappell Architects, specializing in modern Santa Barbara architecture, has opened a new office at 550 Maple Ave., Suite A, in downtown Carpinteria

Carpinteria, CA (PRWEB) October 09, 2012

Known for its functional and energy efficient modern design, DCA brings a fresh and interactive approach to the design process. DCA is a full-service architectural and planning firm that creates residential, retail, and commercial buildings.

I started DCA based on the simple idea that buildings can serve as a link between culture, nature, and the people who inhabit them. We are a uniquely creative firm geared to helping people realize their architectural dreams in both a timely and highly cost effective manner, noted Mr. Chappell.

His domestic and international projects include restaurants, resorts, retail, educational facilities, multi-family housing, and custom residences. Mr. Chappell is the author of the series A Guide for Homeowners Building Strategies for a New Age, which includes the popular DCAs Great Design System. This system is a leading edge approach that is truly different.

The Great Design System is a summary of the five phases used in designing a custom new home or residential remodel. This guide includes details on what information an architect needs from a client, what clients can expect in services and plans from an architect, and an outline of fees and typical costs for each of the five phases. This guide is a general and gentle introduction to the very exciting world of working with an architect to make your dreams and visions for a new home a reality.

Born in Ventura and a Buena High School graduate, Mr. Chappell holds a Bachelor of Architecture from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo. He also studied modern architectural design in Denmark at The University of Copenhagen. He is a licensed California Architect. His pro bono projects have included rebuilding from the 2008 Tea Fire and Casa de Una Esperanza, an orphanage in Juarez, Mexico.

Clients can get to know DCA by watching A Studio Visit With Dylan Chappell, a short video introduction into the firms philosophy, where Mr. Chappell explains why he got into architecture and how he finds his passion for being a designer.

Dylan Chappell Architects

550 Maple Ave.

View original post here:
Santa Barbara Architect Dylan Chappell Announces New Office in Carpinteria

CAROL STREAM, Ill.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

The industrys leading construction firms gathered at the San Mateo Marriott in California this past Friday to discover which builders, contractors, and corporate owners would be named this years Constructech Vision Award winners.

The Constructech Vision Awards honor companies that have realized the advantages of applying advanced technologies to their everyday businesses. In addition to honoring builders and contractors, Constructech magazine also recognized the hardware and software suppliers that enabled each construction company to achieve its goals.

Companies eligible to participate include residential, commercial, and heavy construction firms, professionals in all trades, architectural and engineering firms, corporate owners, facility management companies, government agencies, and land developers.

The 2012 Vision Awards ceremony was held following Constructechs annual Technology Day event. This years Technology Day theme was Flash Forward IT, which centered on the question: What will your IT department look like in 3-5 years? This years Vision Awards winners proved they have been thinking about the exact questionand have even taken great strides to reach the answer.

The Vision Awards have a steep tradition rooted in honoring the most forward-thinking, innovative companies in the construction industry. Make no mistake, the 2012 winners carry on this stellar tradition, says Peggy Smedley, editorial director, Constructech. These companies have implemented technology solutions that are improving their businesses far beyond what we could have even imagined just a few years ago. Now, with an eye on tomorrow, they are using technology to serve as a strong foundation as we advance the future of IT in the industry.

The winners of the 2012 Constructech Vision Awards are:

AEC/Design Gold: Vista Projects Limited

Builder/GC Commercial: $26 million to $100 million Gold: Tocci Building Corporation Silver: Milestone Construction Services Inc.

Builder/GC Commercial: $101 million to $250 million Gold: The PENTA Building Group Silver: Anslow Bryant Construction Ltd. Bronze: Elford, Inc.

See more here:
Constructech Announces Vision Award Winners for 2012

STV acquired ARCHITECTURE/vbn (VBN), an award-winning architectural design firm based in Oakland, Calif. VBN will be integrated into STVs West Coast operations.

VBNs talented employees share our commitment to excellence, said Dominick M. Servedio, PE, STV executive chairman. We have known this firm for many years, and have always been impressed with their portfolio of work. I am excited to welcome VBN into STVs family.

Founded in 1958, VBN serves education, transportation, government and commercial clients, and has extensive experience in the design of transit facilities. They bring an established and highly-regarded presence in Northern California to STV. The firm is also a registered green business.

STV and VBN have been working together to seamlessly integrate our corporate cultures, said Milo E. Riverso, Ph.D., P.E., CEO and president of STV. This is a great match. VBNs excellent skill set strengthens STVs services, so we can better serve our existing clients in the Western region.

VBNs work encompasses large- and small-scale projects, consisting of intermodal terminals, bus facilities, light rail, rail stations and transit centers. VBNs notable projects in these areas include the Millbrae Station for the Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) System; the Transit Mall Station for Long Beach Transit; the Richmond Intermodal Station for the Contra Costa Transportation Advisory Committee; and multiple stations for the California High Speed Rail project, including three stations from Fresno to Bakersfield.

Eli Naor, AIA, who was one of the principals at VBN, is joining STV at a vice president and will head the California Facilities group.

Rob Barthelman, AIA, also a principal with VBN, will join STV as a VP. He will lead STVs West Coast education market, continuing the innovative excellence his team has brought to the education market in Northern California.

STV is celebrating its 100th anniversary in 2012. Since its earliest predecessor firm opened its doors in 1912, the firm has grown to become a leader in providing architectural, engineering, planning, environmental and construction management services for buildings and facilities, transportation systems, energy and infrastructure.

STV is ranked 32nd in Engineering News-Records Top 500 Design Firms survey. STV is 100 percent employee-owned. For more information, visit the company's website at http://www.stvinc.com or follow @STVGroup on Twitter.

The rest is here:
STV acquires Calif. architecture firm

For Immediate Release

Chicago, IL October 5, 2012 Zacks.com announces the list of stocks featured in the Analyst Blog. Every day the Zacks Equity Research analysts discuss the latest news and events impacting stocks and the financial markets. Stocks recently featured in the blog include 3M Company (MMM), Avery Dennison Corporation (AVY), EI DuPont de Nemours & Co. (DD), Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) and Bebe Stores Inc. (BEBE).

Get the most recent insight from Zacks Equity Research with the free Profit from the Pros newsletter: http://at.zacks.com/?id=5513

Here are highlights from Thursdays Analyst Blog:

3M Restructures, Drops Avery Plan

3M Company (MMM), a globally diversified technology company, has reorganized its business groups to better serve its operating market. The company had been operating through six business groups: Consumer and Office, Display and Graphics, Electro and Communications, Healthcare, Industrial and Transportation, Safety, Security and Protection Services Business.

After the restructuring the company will operate through five business groups: Consumer (2011 sales of $4.2 billion), Industrial ($9.6 billion), Health Care ($5.0 billion), Safety & Graphics ($5.5 billion), and Electronics & Energy ($5.7 billion). The last two segments have been newly formed.

The restructured groups are effective immediately. The company will be providing the restated historical figures for the two new segments from first quarter of 2013. Safety & Graphics group will comprise nine operating divisions (3M Touch Systems, Communication Markets, Electrical Markets, Electronic Solutions, Electronics Markets Materials, Infrastructure Protection, Mobile Interactive Solutions, Optical Systems and Renewable Energy). Electronics & Energy will have eight operating divisions (Architectural Markets, Building & Commercial Services, Commercial Graphics, Industrial Mineral Products, Mining, Oil & Gas Solutions, Occupational Health & Environmental Safety, Security Systems and Traffic Safety Systems). Along with this reshuffle, the company also made some changes in its leadership positions.

See the article here:
The Zacks Analyst Blog Highlights: 3M, Avery Dennison, EI DuPont de Nemours, Johnson & Johnson and Bebe Stores

3M Company (MMM), a globally diversified technology company, has reorganized its business groups to better serve its operating market. The company had been operating through six business groups: Consumer and Office, Display and Graphics, Electro and Communications, Healthcare, Industrial and Transportation, Safety, Security and Protection Services Business. After the restructuring the company will operate through five business groups: Consumer (2011 sales of $4.2 billion), Industrial ($9.6 billion), Health Care ($5.0 billion), Safety & Graphics ($5.5 billion), and Electronics & Energy ($5.7 billion). The last two segments have been newly formed.

The restructured groups are effective immediately. The company will be providing the restated historical figures for the two new segments from first quarter of 2013. Safety & Graphics group will comprise nine operating divisions (3M Touch Systems, Communication Markets, Electrical Markets, Electronic Solutions, Electronics Markets Materials, Infrastructure Protection, Mobile Interactive Solutions, Optical Systems and Renewable Energy). Electronics & Energy will have eight operating divisions (Architectural Markets, Building & Commercial Services, Commercial Graphics, Industrial Mineral Products, Mining, Oil & Gas Solutions, Occupational Health & Environmental Safety, Security Systems and Traffic Safety Systems). Along with this reshuffle, the company also made some changes in its leadership positions.

The company also announced that it has dropped its plan to acquire Avery Dennison's Office and Consumer Products business. The agreement entered into by the two companies has been terminated.

We continue to maintain a Neutral rating on 3M Company for the long term and a Zacks #3 Rank (Hold recommendation) over the next one-to-three months.

See more here:
3M Restructures, Drops Avery Plan - Analyst Blog

3M Company (MMM), a globally diversified technology company, has reorganized its business groups to better serve its operating market. The company had been operating through six business groups: Consumer and Office, Display and Graphics, Electro and Communications, Healthcare, Industrial and Transportation, Safety, Security and Protection Services Business.

After the restructuring the company will operate through five business groups: Consumer (2011 sales of $4.2 billion), Industrial ($9.6 billion), Health Care ($5.0 billion), Safety & Graphics ($5.5 billion), and Electronics & Energy ($5.7 billion). The last two segments have been newly formed.

The restructured groups are effective immediately. The company will be providing the restated historical figures for the two new segments from first quarter of 2013. Safety & Graphics group will comprise nine operating divisions (3M Touch Systems, Communication Markets, Electrical Markets, Electronic Solutions, Electronics Markets Materials, Infrastructure Protection, Mobile Interactive Solutions, Optical Systems and Renewable Energy). Electronics & Energy will have eight operating divisions (Architectural Markets, Building & Commercial Services, Commercial Graphics, Industrial Mineral Products, Mining, Oil & Gas Solutions, Occupational Health & Environmental Safety, Security Systems and Traffic Safety Systems). Along with this reshuffle, the company also made some changes in its leadership positions.

Through this reorganization the company believes that it will be able to provide enhanced services to its customers globally. 3M, which now operates in as many as 65 countries worldwide, expects to expand its presence in the markets being served by it. Further, the company will also be able to compete better in its operating markets, taking full advantage of the opportunities for innovation and commercialization. The major competitors of 3M are Avery Dennison Corporation (AVY), EI DuPont de Nemours & Co. (DD) and Johnson & Johnson (JNJ).

The company also announced that it has dropped its plan to acquire Avery Dennisons Office and Consumer Products business. The agreement entered into by the two companies has been terminated.

We continue to maintain a Neutral rating on 3M Company for the long term and a Zacks #3 Rank (Hold recommendation) over the next one-to-three months.

Read the Full Research Report on AVY

Read the Full Research Report on DD

Read the Full Research Report on JNJ

Zacks Investment Research

See the original post here:
3M Restructures, Drops Avery Plan

BOSTON, Oct. 4, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --Margulies Perruzzi Architects (MPA), one of Boston's most innovative architectural and interior design firms, today announced that the firm's interior design for Philips has won the 2012 CoreNet Global New England's Award of Excellence for Best New Workplace. The award was given in the small building renovation category for Philips' new office at 200 Minuteman Road in Andover, Mass.

The annual Best New Workplace Award recognizes a corporate workplace constructed within the last year that demonstrates innovative application of space layout, design and applicability to purpose.

For the 32,000 sq. ft. interior fit-up of Philips' new office environment, MPA provided interior architecture and corporate design services to translate the company's shift in work and corporate culture into a high performance workspace that aligns with work-from-home practices and technology, provides collaboration space and privacy, and promotes Philips' brand of improving the quality of people's lives by focusing on health and well-being. Philips, a globally diversified health and well-being company, moved into its new office in November 2011.

The jurors commented that Philips was taking "bold and innovative steps by responding to both its organizational needs as well as the challenges facing commercial real estate (CRE) organizations to be more efficient in every way." The jury panel was also "impressed by the engagement of the CRE organization with the user groups to get participation in creating the facility and buy-in for the end result."

With no private offices, Philips' open workspace features 200 individual work-settings for 260 employees in a "free addressing" concept. To promote collaboration and interaction, the open workspace is arranged in seven "neighborhoods." At the center of the neighborhoods, a large, multi-functional and colorful "Town Square" anchors the office like an urban center, serving as a cafe and meeting room.

About Margulies Perruzzi Architects

Consistently ranked as one of Boston's top architectural and interior design firms, Margulies Perruzzi Architects creates buildings and corporate interiors for clients who value design. The firm services the corporate, professional services, healthcare, research/lab, and real estate communities with a focus on sustainable design. Clients include Manulife/John Hancock, Nuvera Fuel Cells, Reliant Medical Group, Sapient, Hobbs Brook Management and Forrester Research. For more information, please visit http://www.mp-architects.com.

Media Contact:Michele Spiewak Rhino PR 617-851-2618 MPArchitects@rhinopr.com

View original post here:
Philips Receives CoreNet Global New England Award of Excellence for Best New Workplace

NEW YORK, Oct. 3, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Lend Lease, one of the world's leaders in Project Management & Construction, is pleased to announce that Kelly Benedict became Regional Director of Business Development for the Americas region of Lend Lease on September 24, 2012. Kelly will remain based in the Chicago office of Lend Lease.

"Kelly has demonstrated an innovative, passionate and professional approach to business development in our Great Lakes business unit and is an obvious person to take on this role regionally for us," stated Dale Connor, Managing Director, Project Management & Construction, Americas.

In Kelly's new role, she will bring together business developers from the Americas region of Lend Lease into a Peer Group and ensure consistency of sales efforts, that lessons learned are shared and that there is a renewed focus, where appropriate, on regional clients.

Kelly Benedict has been in the commercial real estate industry for over 20 years as a Senior Business Development and Marketing Executive. She has served in business development and marketing roles in the Architectural, Construction, and Development disciplines, and has a balanced perspective of the business. In her previous position she held the role of Vice President, Director of Business Development for the Chicago office, and has previous experience working in the Lend Lease Washington, D.C. office.

Benedict is also involved with a number of professional affiliations, including Chairman of the Board for the Chicago Affiliate of ACE Mentoring, National Association of Industrial & Office Properties (NAIOP) and Urban Land Institute (ULI). She and her husband and son live in the Chicago area.

About Lend Lease

Lend Lease is a leading international property and infrastructure group. Listed on the Australian Securities Exchange and with circa 17,000 employees worldwide, the firm's capabilities span the property and infrastructure spectrum.

In the US, Lend Lease offers over 95 years of experience in the project management and construction industry. In the past decade alone, the firm has provided construction services on over 2,500 projects for 1,100 clients nationwide. The company provides a full range of construction services including construction management, general contracting, program management, project management, design/build and consulting services.

We create innovative and sustainable property solutions, forging partnerships and delivering maximum benefits to clients, investors and communities. Safety is our number one priority and Lend Lease is committed to operating Incident & Injury Free wherever we have a presence.

http://www.lendlease.com

See the original post:
Kelly Benedict Becomes Regional Director of Business Development for the Americas region of Lend Lease

Apogee Enterprises, Inc. (APOG) climbed to a new 52-week high on September 20, 2012 after reporting its forecast-topping second quarter results. This industrial glass maker raised its earnings guidance for fiscal 2013, sparking upward revisions from analysts that boosted the Zacks Consensus Estimate. This Zacks #2 Rank ("Buy") fits the bill for aggressive growth investors, given its rising estimates, solid double-digit earnings growth projection for this year, favorable building industry trends, strong architectural backlog and the healthy performance of its framing glass and acrylic business. Sixth Straight Beat Apogee Enterprises reported solid second-quarter fiscal 2013 results on September 19, including earnings per share of 17 cents that reversed a loss of 6 cents a year ago. The result comfortably beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 9 cents by nearly 90%, marking the sixth positive surprise over the last seven quarters. Revenues rose 6% year over year to $175.9 million, driven by growth across the board. Gross margin improved to 20.5% from 15.7% a year ago. Revenues from the core Architectural Products and Services segment rose 5% year over year to $156.4 million, fueled by share gains in the storefront and installation businesses. The segment returned to profit in the quarter. Moreover, the division's backlog climbed 32% and reached its highest level in twelve quarters. Sales from the Large-Scale Optical Technologies division surged 19% to $19.6 million. The improvement stemmed from higher value-added glass and acrylic mix across picture framing sectors. Apogee raised its earnings guidance for fiscal 2013 to between 56 cents and 64 cents per share from the previous guidance of 48 cents to 58 cents. It expects revenue growth in the mid single-digits, driven by share gains in the architectural businesses. Earnings Estimates Shoot Higher For fiscal 2013, all three estimates have been revised higher in the last 30 days, pushing the Zacks Consensus Estimate upward by 18% to 66 cents a share. This reflects an estimated annualized growth of roughly 198.5%. All three estimates have moved higher for fiscal 2014 as well, sending the Zacks Consensus Estimate up by 20% to 95 cents per share. This represents an estimated year over year growth of 44.7%. Valuation: Stretched but Justified Apogee's valuation appears expensive on a P/E basis. Its trailing twelve months P/E of 36.39x is much higher than the peer group average of 6.56x. Moreover, the stock is currently trading at a forward P/E of 29.92x, which is well above the peer group average of 12.45x. The price-to-book of 1.72x is in line with the peer group average. Given the robust earnings trajectory, the premium valuation should not scare investors away. Bullish Technicals Technical indicators show that Apogee has been above its 200-day moving average since late 2011. Moreover, after a series of peaks and troughs, the stock is trading above its 50-day moving average of late. Notably, following a golden crossover in early 2012, the 50-day moving average continues to read higher than the 200-day moving average, manifesting the bullish trend. Founded in 1949, Apogee Enterprises Inc. is a leader in technologies for the design and development of value-added glass products, services and systems. The company's larger Architectural segment is engaged in designing, engineering, fabricating, installing and renovating windows and walls of glass that make up the outside of the commercial buildings. The smaller Large-Scale Optical Technologies segment makes value-added glass and acrylic products for the custom framing market as well as optical thin film coatings for consumer electronic displays. Apogee, which has a market cap of roughly $549 million, markets its products directly as well as through independent distributors and retailers. Want More of Our Best Recommendations? Zacks' Executive VP, Steve Reitmeister, knows when key trades are about to be triggered and which of our experts has the hottest hand. Then each week he hand-selects the most compelling trades and serves them up to you in a new program called Zacks Confidential. Learn More>>

More:
Apogee Enterprises - Aggressive Growth