The Black Hills Community Loan Fund is offering a free financial literacy class, Building Wisdom and Wealth. The class will be offered in three parts, from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. on Tuesdays June 19, June 26 and July 3, in Room 337 of National American University's new campus location located at 5301 S. Highway 16, Rapid City.

The class will use the Credit When Credit is Due curriculum.

Graduates will be registered in a national database and will receive a card identifying them as a graduate of this nationally recognized credit education course. For information or to register call 716-1274.

Main Street Square honored for design

Main Street Square won the Healthy Communities for All Urban Plazas Award from the International Making Cities Livable Board and Awards Committee, which commented, Much careful and creative thought has been brought to bear on the conceptualization and realization of this small, almost jewel-like square.

The square was designed by Deane Rundell of Rundell Ernstberger Associates of Indiana, with survey, planning, architectural, civil engineering and landscape architectural services by FourFront Design of Rapid City.

Learn tips for buying a home

NeighborWorks Dakota Home Resources will hold homebuyer education classes from 5:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Tuesday, June 19 and Thursday, June 21 at the Belle Fourche Chamber of Commerce, 415 Fifth Ave.

The class covers the homebuying process including insurance, budgets, credit, appraisals, financing, home inspections, and working with a Realtor. To register, call 578-1401.

Strider partners with childrens foundation

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BUSINESS BRIEFCASE: Class teaches financial literacy

By NIGEL DUARA Associated Press

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - The Agnes Flanagan Chapel is a 16-sided architectural marvel that seats 650 under stained glass windows depicting the book of Genesis.

In the early 1970s, it was also a big, conical quandary. Chapels aren't really chapels unless they have an organ, and the newly minted structure at Portland's Lewis & Clark College was in need.

But those 16 sides presented a hitch. How do you fit an ordinary pipe organ into a building that's anything but?

You don't. So the college went in search of an organ builder willing to try something different. Several, said organ curator Lee Garrett, backed away. But the world-renowned Larry Phelps took the challenge.

Phelps' solution was to build something to fit the chapel, and the idea for the world's only circular pipe organ was born. Unlike a traditional pipe organ - played by someone sitting in front of the instrument as the notes flow through the pipes into the audience - this organ is suspended from the ceiling, allowing the music to reflect off the floor and into the crowd.

"One of the challenges of playing any organ is that no two are identical," said Garrett, a professor emeritus of music at Lewis & Clark. "Here, it's unusually difficult because the organist plays from the balcony and the organ is suspended from the ceiling."

The electro-pneumatic instrument and its 4,000 pipes turned 40 last year. It has played to graduations, memorials and holiday celebrations.

Players use three keyboards, called manuals, along with pedals and a series of knobs, to create a range of sound. With a couple of setting changes, the organ can be altered to mimic other instruments, like a trumpet.

Now, it serves as a recruiting tool for the college's music school.

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Ore. chapel's circular pipe organ is one-of-a-kind

COSTA MESA, CA--(Marketwire -06/12/12)- C2, the largest privately owned reprographics firm in Southern California, announced its December 2011 acquisition of Robins Signs, a sign company serving Southern California since 1910. The values and stability of the 100-year-old company perfectly complement the good old-fashioned service model that C2 was founded upon.

Former Robins Signs customers will benefit from the availability of additional products and services. C2's clientele will find a wider depth and breadth of digital capabilities and color & sign production. Combining the expertise of a century in business with C2's state-of-the-art technology and color specialists make C2 a powerful one-stop shop for sign production and installation.

Robins Signs President Bob Burandt will continue to lead and operate Robins Signs, doing so as part of C2's color product offering, within the C2 headquarters.

"Bob's leadership has contributed to the longstanding success of Robins Signs, and that's something we couldn't just replace," says Gary Crisp, President of C2. "He's great with customers, and his expertise and dedication to customer service are important assets that we know will benefit all of us as we move forward as a single company. We've always considered our people to be at the core of our success, and Bob is a shining example."

The expansion brings C2 the additional equipment, vehicles and personnel to further develop its capabilities as a full service sign and installation provider. C2 previously delivered architectural renderings, marketing materials, construction and trade show signage under its C2 Color Studio Division. The division is now able to produce and install any form of non-electrical signage including: vehicle graphics, dimensional signs, parking signage, menu displays, vinyl cut lettering, sight signs (Braille), ADA signs, fleet graphics, dimensional lettering, safety signage, trade show graphics, banners, exhibits and displays, back-lit displays, monument signs, lobby signs, warehouse signage, equipment identification, window graphics, POP signs, wall graphics, city pole signs and street banners.

"We've always prided ourselves in the premier quality of our work and consistent service, and that's what kept clients coming back during more than a century of service," says Burandt. "Robins Signs and C2 really enhance each other's brands. We're embarking on an exciting new chapter in the business, and I'm enjoying the experience of being a part of that."

Gary and Julie Crisp founded C2 in 2002 and made its staff and customers a priority from the beginning. Their successful approach led to rapid growth resulting in seven (7) offices in Orange, Los Angeles, San Diego counties and the Inland Empire -- a feat accomplished by outworking and outperforming competitors.

ABOUT C2: C2 is the largest privately owned reprographics firm in Southern California, with production offices in the Orange County, Los Angeles, San Diego and Inland Empire areas and hub stores in Costa Mesa, San Diego, Ontario and downtown Los Angeles. Founded by Gary and Julie Crisp (the two "C"s in C2) in 2002, the firm provides premier reprographic services to the legal and courtroom, AEC (architect, engineer and contractor) and commercial business-to-business markets. The company's C2 Color Studio, C2 Business Solutions, C2 Legal Solutions and C2 Reprographics divisions are known for exceptional customer service. For more information, visit http://www.c2repro.com.

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C2 Expands Capabilities With Acquisition of Robins Signs

June 13, 2012 - ASTM International Committee D20 on Plastics presented Award of Merit and accompanying title of fellow to Mark Lavach, manager of applications development and technical services in Functional Additives Division at Arkema Inc. Lavach works on several D20 subcommittees and is chairman of D20.13 on Statistical Methods as well as vice chairman of D20.20 on Plastic Lumber. With contributions recognized by various awards from D20, Lavach has been ASTM member since 1994. ASTM International 100 Barr Harbor Dr., Box C700 West Conshohocken, PA, 19428-2959 USA Press release date: June 5, 2012

W. CONSHOHOCKEN, Pa.-ASTM International Committee D20 on Plastics has presented the Award of Merit to Mark Lavach, manager of applications development and technical services in the Functional Additives Division at Arkema Inc., King of Prussia, Pa. The Award of Merit is the highest organizational recognition for individual contributions to ASTM standards activities, and includes the title of ASTM fellow.

Lavach works on several D20 subcommittees and is chairman of D20.13 on Statistical Methods and vice chairman of D20.20 on Plastic Lumber. He previously served as vice chairman of membership and vice chairman of products on the main committee. D20 has recognized his contributions with several awards, including an Award of Appreciation, Award of Recognition, Outstanding Achievement Award and the Award of Excellence. A member of ASTM International since 1994, Lavach is also a member of Committees E11 on Quality and Statistics and E60 on Sustainability.

At Arkema, where he has been on staff since 1984, Lavach specializes in polymer additives for thermosets and thermoplastics and applications development of polymer systems. Prior to assuming his current role in 1998, Lavach was a scientist in the PVC additives group and a senior research chemist in the plating division. He has received several awards for his work in polymer additives at Arkema, including the Chairman's Award.

Outside ASTM International, Lavach is a member of the Society of Plastics Engineers, where he has served as president of the Palisades-New Jersey Section; the American Architectural Manufacturers Association; the American Chemical Society the American Composite Manufacturers Association; and the Vinyl Siding Institute, where he received the Ken Mieure Award for Distinguished Service in 2011. He has authored several publications on polymer additives and physical testing, and holds multiple U.S. patents.

A graduate of Fairleigh Dickinson University where he received a bachelor's degree in chemistry, Lavach holds a master's degree in engineering science from the New Jersey Institute of Technology and a certificate in technology management from the California Institute of Technology.

ASTM International is one of the largest international standards development and delivery systems in the world. ASTM International meets the World Trade Organization (WTO) principles for the development of international standards: coherence, consensus, development dimension, effectiveness, impartiality, openness, relevance and transparency. ASTM standards are accepted and used in research and development, product testing, quality systems and commercial transactions.

View this release on the ASTM Web site at http://www.astmnewsroom.org.

ASTM PR Contact: Erin K. Brennan, Phone: 610-832-9602; ebrennan@astm.org

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Mark Lavach Receives ASTM International Award of Merit for Contributions to Plastics Committee

TORONTO, ONTARIO--(Marketwire -06/12/12)- The estimated market value of Parliament Hill's Centre Block as an office-building property in downtown Ottawa has increased by 138 per cent over the past 12 years - to a current value of $87,900,000.

In the lead-up to Canada Day, when the value of our national symbols and assets is top-of-mind, Altus Group's Research, Valuation & Advisory (RVA) Practice has estimated the value of the Centre Block. This is the first in a series of "What is This Landmark Worth?" valuations of iconic national, regional and local Canadian landmarks. The series will also highlight key economic trends affecting commercial and residential real estate across the country.

"Considered one of the most iconic heritage buildings in Canada, the Centre Block is clearly a unique building that has value beyond what can be measured through traditional real estate methods," says Colin Johnston, President of Altus Group's RVA practice in Canada. "Our Parliament Buildings, including the Centre Block, are national symbols of government, and a site of architectural beauty and historic significance," explains Johnston. "However, the Centre Block is also an office building and influenced by factors and trends affecting the broader market."

The Centre Block, which includes the Library of Parliament and the Peace Tower, is located at 111 Wellington Street in Ottawa. Occupying a portion of the easterly section of the Parliamentary Precinct (bounded by Wellington Street to the south, Bank Street to the west, the Ottawa River to the north and the Rideau Canal to the east), the buildings and grounds have strong historical associations, an impressive Gothic Revival architectural design and detailing, and status as a national landmark.

The original Centre Block was constructed between 1860 and 1866, with the Library completed in 1876. With the exception of the Library, the building was destroyed by fire in 1916 and reconstructed in 1922. The Peace Tower was added in 1927. The cost to build the original Centre Block was $1,373,633 at 1866 rates; the original budget was $300,000. The cost of building the new Centre Block after the fire was close to $11,000,000, compared to the original budget estimate of $5,000,000.

Centre Block Value Grows By 138 Per Cent Over 12 Years Due to Robust Real Estate Market

Altus Group's research estimated the Centre Block's current market value at $87,900,000, 20 per cent higher than its estimated value in 2007 ($73,100,000), but 138 per cent higher than in 2000 ($36,900,000). Between 2000 and 2007, the value of the Centre Block grew by 98 per cent.

"The Centre Block's increase in value as an office building reflects an increase in rental values in Ottawa, combined with a general improvement in investment market conditions for commercial real estate," says Johnston. "Although the amount of downtown office space in Ottawa has grown 20% over the past decade, demand has outpaced supply, helping to drive up rental rates. Investment demand also informs pricing, and Canada's position as a low-risk and transparent investment environment - in combination with readily available low-cost borrowing - ensures a robust commercial real estate market."

As with All Buildings, Ongoing Investments Required to Ensure Centre Block Holds Its Value

Given current real estate trends, the value of the Centre Block is expected to increase in the next five to ten years, according to Altus Group. However, like other buildings, regular investments are needed to preserve and enhance its value.

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Canada's Centre Block Valued at $87.9 Million According to Altus Group

Stewart Engineering and HadenStanziale announced Tuesday that they are merging to become one of the largest engineering and landscape architectural design firms in the state.

The two companies will have a total of 115 employees, including about 85 in the Triangle.

Raleigh-based Stewart, which has about 90 employees, had been looking for ways to expand its capabilities in land planning and landscape architecture, said Robert Macia, the firms president and chief operating officer. Although Stewart offers both civic engineering and landscape architecture services, Macia said HadenStanziale has a level of design and sophistication that is sort of beyond what we have been able to provide historically.

The two companies have worked together on numerous projects, with Stewart doing the engineering work and HadenStanziale handling the land planning and overall aesthetic design of a site.

This is an opportunity for us as a combined company to provide all those complementary services together for our clients on those types of projects, Macia said.

The combined companys headquarters will be Stewarts Raleigh office, but HadenStanziales Durham office will also remain open. The Charlotte offices of the two companies will be consolidated into a single office.

We have no intention of laying off any staff or doing any staff reductions, in fact, we hope this creates some opportunities for us to continue to hire, Macia said.

The companies are still working through several details of the merger, including the new firms name. Terms of the deal are expected to be finalized in the coming months.

Both Macia and Willy Stewart, Stewarts CEO and chairman, will retain their roles in the merged company. The two main principals in HadenStanziale, George Stanziale Jr. and Jim Haden, will become owners, vice presidents and principals in the new company.

Macia said that after a rough three-year stretch where very little new construction took place, business began to pick up for Stewart last year.

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Stewart Engineering and landscaping firm HadenStanziale to merge

DALLAS and FORT WORTH, Texas, June 11, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- NBC 5 / KXAS-TV has finalized plans for construction of a state-of-the-art broadcasting and multimedia news facility to be located in The CentrePort Business Park, just south of the Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport.

The technologically advanced facility is being specifically designed to provide the resources for journalists to collect, interpret and report the news and information most relevant to North Texans 24-hours each day on multiple distribution platforms.

The 75,000-square-foot building will combine NBC 5 facilities currently located in east Fort Worth and Dallas to the 8.1 acre site in Fort Worth. The project developer, KDC, will commence construction at the end of June with completion slated for late 2013.

"We have a long history of local broadcasting firsts and have been operating from our original east Fort Worth studios for 64 years," said Tom Ehlmann, NBC 5 President and General Manager. "As the North Texas area grew, we added a facility in Dallas. Now we will combine operations into one first-class operation to better serve our viewers and advertisers via television, the internet, mobile and still developing technologies."

NBC 5 / KXAS-TV signed-on as WBAP-TV on September 27, 1948 as the first facility in the southwestern U.S. specifically designed for television. Amon G. Carter, Fort Worth Star-Telegram publisher, businessman and civic leader, dedicated the studios that expanded his media business into the exciting new technology of TV.

The new facility will be located at 4805 Amon Carter Boulevard in Fort Worth.

"It's fitting that the facility will be located on a street named in honor of our founder, Amon Carter," said Ehlmann. "We worked closely with the City of Fort Worth to remain in Fort Worth, yet locate in a more centralized location to better serve all the communities of North Texas."

"NBC 5's new facility will be an iconic, long-term institution at CentrePort," said Bill Guthrey, Senior Vice President, KDC. "The NBC Team will be able to take full advantage of the quick access to all parts of the Metroplex and enjoy the many amenities within walking distance."

As part of the agreement to build the new facility in Fort Worth, NBC 5 will convey its current 66,000-square-foot building and 26-acre site in east Fort Worth to the city.

In addition to NBC 5, the new facility will house Telemundo / KXTX-TV and several other smaller businesses associated with NBC Universal, the parent company of NBC 5. A total of approximately 300 people will work at the Amon Carter Boulevard location.

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NBC 5 / KXAS-TV Announces Construction Of State-of-the-Art Media Facility to Include Telemundo and NBC Universal ...

SANTA CLARA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

McAfee and 2e2 have today announced a partnership to globally deliver McAfee Enterprise Mobility Manager (McAfee EMM) software to service providers and large enterprises as a cloud-based managed service. Partnering with 2e2, McAfee will be delivering cloud-based access to highly-scalable, customizable mobile device management and security solutions to large and small commercial customers through Telcos and Service Providers.

Threats to smartphones are becoming more common and the need to secure mobile devices has never been more important, said Chris Kenworthy, senior vice president at McAfee. IT security operations want to adopt new technologies and support new mobile platforms, operating systems and architectures, while maintaining corporate security and compliance. We now have a comprehensive cloud-based managed service offering for Service Providers and corporate customers who cant or dont want to build out their own mobile management and security infrastructure.

McAfee EMM software combines secure mobile application management, anti-malware, strong authentication, high-availability, a scalable architecture and compliance reporting in a seamless system. It enables companies to leverage the value of mobile, by implementing extended endpoint policies and compliance management, while protecting the corporate network from growing threats from personal mobile devices. With the 2e2 partnership, McAfee can now offer its McAfee EMM software solution via a cloud-based solution so end-user customers can be up and running quickly with a minimum of up-front architectural work and cost.

There has been explosive growth in mobile devices across the enterprise over the last few years. This has resulted in an ever increasing need to secure a wide range of mobile devices including iPhones, tablets, Android and Windows devices, commented Nathan Marke, CTO at 2e2. Concerns around cyber-security continue to rise, and, for many organisations, finding the time and budget to deploy an on-premise solution has been difficult. By taking McAfees solution and transforming it into a managed cloud-based service we can now quickly and cost-effectively provision and secure mobile devices with no disruption to an organizations existing IT infrastructure.

About McAfee

McAfee, a wholly owned subsidiary of Intel Corporation (INTC), is the world's largest dedicated security technology company. McAfee delivers proactive and proven solutions and services that help secure systems, networks, and mobile devices around the world, allowing users to safely connect to the Internet, browse and shop the Web more securely. Backed by its unrivaled Global Threat Intelligence, McAfee creates innovative products that empower home users, businesses, the public sector and service providers by enabling them to prove compliance with regulations, protect data, prevent disruptions, identify vulnerabilities, and continuously monitor and improve their security. McAfee is relentlessly focused on constantly finding new ways to keep our customers safe. http://www.mcafee.com

About 2e2 (www.2e2.com)

2e2 is an ICT Lifecycle Services Provider; providing end-to-end next generation IT services. The companys primary focus is on solutions and managed services for medium and large private and public sector organisations, delivered in varying architectures, including on-premise, cloud, hosted, and managed service.

2e2 works with many companies within local and regional government, telecommunications, financial services and the commercial sector.

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McAfee and 2e2 Launch Cloud-Based Mobile Device Management Solution Designed for Service Providers

TORONTO, ONTARIO--(Marketwire - June 8, 2012) - Construction Control Inc.("CCI") announced the acquisition of VVV Engineering Ltd.("VVV"), a Burnaby, BC based building science engineering consulting firm.VVV will supplement CCI's growing presence in Western Canada, with its established market position in British Columbia and its strong experience in building envelope, structural and related engineering services.The partnership of these two organizations joins both a similar set of values as well as a wealth of engineering expertise across Canada.

"We are very pleased to have Val Varga and his team join CCI and look forward to working with them," said Dr.Gina Cody, President of CCI."By combining our broad platform of services with VVV's strong local presence in the Greater Vancouver market, we will be better able to serve our clients nationally."

"We are extremely excited about the resources, experience and depth of technical knowledge we now have access to," said Val Varga, Principal of VVV Engineering."CCI is an ideal partner for us as we look to expand in the growing Western Canadian market."

About VVV Engineering Ltd.

Founded in 2001, VVV is an experienced building science consulting firm located in Burnaby, British Columbia.It provides professional engineering consulting services for the residential and commercial sector; specializing in Building Envelope Design, Architectural Envelope Design, Structural Design, Failure Analysis, Materials Inspections, Roofing and Contract Administration for both new construction and rehabilitation projects.

About Construction Control Inc.

Founded in 1972 and headquartered in Toronto, CCI is a multidisciplinary engineering firm that provides engineering services related to the construction and rehabilitation of building structures.With offices across Canada, the company services a variety of established customers, including leading financial institutions, REITs, property managers, condominium corporations and government institutions.With an employee base consisting of experienced engineers, building scientists, and environmental specialists, CCI provides a full scope of engineering services across the life cycle of a building.

Contacts

Dr.Gina Cody, P.Eng., F.E.C. Construction Control Inc. President 905-856-5200 Ext.266 ginac@constructioncontrol.com

Valentin Varga, P.Eng. VVV Engineering Ltd. Principal 604-454-9000 val@vvvengineering.com

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Construction Control Expands Presence in Western Canada, by Acquiring VVV Engineering

GREENSBORO, N.C.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Varrow today announced that it received the 2011 EMC Velocity Services Quality (VSQ) Award for the fourth consecutive year from EMC Corporation for achieving outstanding service excellence and customer satisfaction as measured by the EMC Velocity Services Quality (VSQ) program. Varrow was honored with the VSQ award during EMCs Global Partner Summit at EMC World in Las Vegas, NV, which took place from May 21 22, 2012.

The EMC VSQ program is a project-specific survey program designed for partners with Velocity Services designations to solicit customer feedback about the quality of the partners service engagements.

Being recognized by EMC in this way is an honor and also serves as a testament to our hard work and talented team members, said Dan Weiss, co-founder and CEO of Varrow.

Its great to see that we have a number of Velocity Solution Provider Partners around the world who continue to drive and deliver outstanding levels of customer service to their customers. The survey results demonstrate that these partners have embraced and honed their EMC services skills set to maintain high levels of customer satisfaction, said Brian Abernethy, Senior Manager, EMC Partner Services - Americas. As an EMC Velocity Services Quality Award winner, Varrow demonstrates leadership in service delivery quality and exemplifies the attributes to which EMC holds its own Global Services organization.

EMC Velocity Services designation enables a select community of trained and certified EMC authorized partners to deliver a comprehensive portfolio of services ranging from installation and implementation to technical support. These partners provide value-added services to address the most crucial aspects of a customers information technology infrastructure.

About Varrow

Varrow provides world-class technology solutions through advanced consulting, design, and managed services from the industrys most talented engineers. Our solution focus includes data storage management, virtualization, and disaster recovery. Varrow is certified at the highest datacenter level with Cisco, EMC and VMware. Varrow is vBlock certified, a certified Cisco Datacenter Networking and Storage partner and UCS Advanced Technology Partner, a Premier VMware partner, and was named EMCs Commercial partner of the year in 2009 and 2010. In 2010 and 2011 Varrow was recognized with the VAR 500 award. Varrow was recognized for CRN Tech Elite 250 list, Inc. 500 for 2010, 2011, and 2012. Varrow was #1 on the Triad Fast 50 for 2010 and 2011. In 2012 Varrow was ranked in the CRN Tech elite 250, was one of only 10 VMware Partners in the world to achieve Virtualizing Business Critical Applications (VBCA) Competency, and named the Architectural Excellence - Data Center Partner: South Region by Cisco. Also in 2012, Varrow was also selected as one of 12 VMware Partners in North America to participate in the VMware View Focus Partner Program as well as being named to the 19th annual Solution Provider 500. Learn more about Varrow by visiting http://www.varrow.com

EMC and Velocity are trademarks or registered trademark of EMC Corporation in the United States and/or other countries. All other trademarks used herein are the property of their respective owners.

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Varrow Receives EMC Velocity Services Quality Award at EMC’s 2012 Global Partner Summit