CaribPR Wire

Ricardo Cury, M.D., leads clinical evaluation of GE Healthcare’s innovative Revolution CT

CaribPR Wire, MIAMI, FL, Tues. Dec. 17, 2013:  Radiologists at West Kendall Baptist Hospital have completed a clinical evaluation of a highly advanced new computed tomography (CT) system developed by GE Healthcare. A CT scan uses X-rays to make detailed, cross-sectional images of body organs.

GE Healthcare collaborated with West Kendall Baptist Hospital to demonstrate the capabilities of the new Revolution CT scanner. The clinical data obtained will be used to create sample clinical images for product and technology development, for FDA regulatory submission and inclusion in publications.

“This is innovation at its best and is really an all-in-one scanner,” said Ricardo Cury, M.D., Chairman of Radiology and Director of Cardiac Imaging at Baptist Health South Florida, who was the principal investigator of the study. “Diagnostic-quality images of the coronary vessels are now possible in patients with high heart rates with a single heartbeat acquisition, which is a significant advancement. The impressive ability of Revolution CT to combine improvements in coverage, spatial and temporal resolution in a single scanner will translate into many clinical applications and improved patient care.”

The Revolution CT addresses the challenges of getting accurate diagnostic images for patients with high or irregular heartbeats. Due to the speed, coverage and the unique intelligent motion-correction capability of Revolution CT, motion-free cardiac images are possible even for these patients. The system offers shorter scan times and optimized X-ray dose. There are also scan modes for pediatric use.

“The opportunity to partner with GE Healthcare for this clinical evaluation is an important step in building our reputation as a research and teaching facility,” said West Kendall Baptist Hospital Chief Executive Officer Javier Hernández-Lichtl. “Our physicians are pleased to contribute their expertise to this important initiative.”

“This will be the first CT scanner that’s right for everybody in every clinical specialty,” said Steve Gray, president and CEO of MICT & AW for GE Healthcare. “Revolution CT is able to scan even the most challenging patients, day in and day out, with remarkably clear images. And we made sure that using it is productive, logical and intuitive.”

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About Baptist Health International

Baptist Health International is one of the largest and most successful International programs in the United States. Thousands of people travel to Miami each year from around the world to receive care from our respected physicians at our medical facilities. Baptist Health International is dedicated to providing comprehensive, high-quality services for international physicians and their patients, including hospital admissions, outpatient testing and physician consult, as well as other concierge services.

About West Kendall Baptist Hospital

West Kendall Baptist Hospital is part of Baptist Health South Florida, the largest faith-based, not-for-profit healthcare organization in the region. It includes Baptist Hospital, Baptist Children’s Hospital, South Miami Hospital, Doctors Hospital, Homestead Hospital, Mariners Hospital, Baptist Cardiac & Vascular Institute, Baptist Outpatient Services and Baptist Health Medical Group. Baptist Health Foundation, the organization’s fundraising arm, supports services at all hospitals and facilities. For more information, visit BaptistHealth.net and connect with BaptistHealthSF on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.

Loading up on cans for Canstruction® 2013.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CaribPR Wire, ST. THOMAS, USVI, Thurs. Nov. 28, 2013: Thanksgiving is traditionally a time when the community opens their hearts and wallets to help their less fortunate neighbors. Leave it to advertising professionals to come up with a clever way to collect food for the hungry.

The Caribbean Advertising Federation is hosting the territory’s first-ever Canstruction event in the U.S. Virgin Islands. Canstruction® is a competition that pits corporate teams against each other to create the best sculpture made entirely of canned foods. The works of canned art are judged, exhibited to the public, and then dismantled and distributed to Catholic Charities of the U.S. Virgin Islands, the Salvation Army and Family Resource Center.

The competition is being hosted at Tutu Park Mall in the former FYE store this Saturday from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.

“Just look for the store with truckloads of canned foods,” said Renae Quinton, President of the Caribbean Advertising Federation. “Also look for the corporate banners. We are very pleased that major corporations are choosing our Canstruction project to help the community and have fun doing it.”

Scotiabank’s sculpture alone will consist of more than 1,200 cans. Sadie Clendinen, Marketing Manager for Scotiabank is looking forward to this “uncanny” event.

“The employees of Scotiabank conduct a food drive every year. This is a different and very visible way of bringing community attention to the fact that we have hungry families right here on St. Thomas. We are making sure everyone on St. Thomas has a healthy holiday meal and having a great time doing it,” said Clendinen.

There is no admission fee to watch the Canstruction event and cheer on your favorite corporate team. Scotiabank, Choice Wireless®, MLB Creative and the V.I. Daily News will be vying for the best use of labels and structural design. You can vote for your favorite sculpture by donating one can of food, so bring a bag to donate and vote multiple times.

The Caribbean Advertising Federation is a division of the American Advertising Federation (AAF), the largest advertising organization in the United States providing a professional conduit for networking, resource sharing and to promote member businesses. Current President, Renae Quinton from Barbados said “Our local leadership headed by MLB Creative has done a great job in collecting thousands of cans of food worth thousands of dollars. I would also like to thank Plaza Extra for providing our builders with a discount on the canned goods and TuTu Park Mall for the competition space.”

About Canstruction®

Canstruction® was founded in 1992 to help promote the design community and raise food hunger relief efforts. Canstruction® has held events in over 140 cities worldwide donating over 15 million pounds of canned food to alleviate the plague of hunger and malnutrition.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CaribPR Wire, BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, Tues. Nov. 26, 2013: The Caribbean Advertising Federation (CAF) took home an impressive number of ADDY awards in 2013, confirming that the talent coming out of this region is bright and widespread.

On Wednesday December 4^th, 2013 the Caribbean Advertising Federation (CAF) will be hosting a workshop at Accra Beach Hotel & Spa, Barbados for attendees to view last year’s national ADDY winning submissions. To win an ADDY at national level means to create advertising that stands out against over 40,000 competing pieces.

The CAF workshop serves to showcase the brilliant work created here in the Caribbean, to not only our regional counterparts, but also to our wider audience across the USA. It will also teach attendees how to use this year’s newly developed software for submissions, which are due on January 4^th, 2014.

Winning Caribbean ADDY pieces are entered into the fourth district competition along with South Florida winners.  In last year’s awards, agencies that are part of the CAF took home an impressive amount of awards in almost every category. Everything Slight Pepper won a Charlie Award for Best of Sales Promotion and also a Gold ADDY for Single Unite Packaging for 3ZERO Rums by 3ZERO Ltd.

2013 was the first time in history a Caribbean agency has won a district Charlie Award. Trinidadian agency McCann Erickson took home the District’s coveted Mosaic Award that recognises cultural diversity.

Terri Brown, our founder and ADDY Chair, won The Jack Phillips Gold Medal award. This is the highest honor in the AAF Fourth District. This award is given in recognition of outstanding contributions to advertising and furthering the industry’s standards, creative excellence, and public service.

This not only shows the superior level of talent our Caribbean Universities and Colleges are churning out, but also how this talent is being used to create such dynamic advertising.
CAF members, marketing agencies, freelance talent, creative students, and marketing managers are the attendees who will be part of the workshop on the December 4^th.

The purpose of this workshop is to launch and review the process for this year’s award submissions.  The new software will make submissions easier, less expensive and less time consuming than previous years. Terri Brown will be hosting this part of the workshop and providing an overview as well as tips for this year’s submission.

“The CAF was able to shine in last year’s submissions, but in seeing all the great package designs on our shelves and moving to radio jingles, there is a whole lot more that is award-worthy.  We are looking to make this the best year yet for CAF,” says Renae Quinton, President of CAF.

Once the software is learnt and the agencies are ready, we are looking forward to seeing what they all have to offer and how many awards we can bring home to the Caribbean next year.

The ADDY deadline is January 14^th, 2014 for work published between January 1^st, 2013 and December 31^st, 2013.

VERONA, Pa., Nov. 22, 2013 /PRNewswire/ – Conco Systems, Inc. is proud to announce their new partnership with Serpaga, Inc. in San Juan, Puerto Rico.  While Serpaga’s name is new to the power generation industry, they inherited many years of experience from Passco, Inc., their predecessor.  Not only does Serpaga operate out of Passco’s former facilities, but Serpaga also continued the partnership started between Passco and Conco several years ago.  Now, Serpaga is a leader in providing tube and condenser cleaning products and services to the power generation industry in Puerto Rico.  Conco Systems has extended a letter of exclusive representation to Serpaga so that Conco products and services will once again be available in Puerto Rico.  Serpaga, Inc. will provide Conco Tube Cleaning, Leak Detection, and Eddy Current Testing.  In addition, Serpaga will be offering new services like Condenser Cleanliness Inspections and Total Condenser Performance Audits to local power plants and the power authority company.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20131122/NE22744LOGO )

Founded in 1923, Conco is the world’s leading provider of condenser and heat exchanger services to the power generation industry with offices located in the US, Europe, and Asia Pacific.

For more information on Conco Systems, please visit: http://www.concosystems.com.

Felicia Persaud, the Caribbean-born executive of Hard Beat Communications, rallies for immigration reform on Oct. 5, 2013. (NAN Image)

CaribPR Wire, NEW YORK, NY, Sun. Oct. 6, 2013:  Caribbean-born, New York-based media entrepreneur and columnist, Felicia J. Persaud, was among tens of thousands in the United States joining the march nationally for Comprehensive Immigration Reform, (CIR), on Saturday, October 5, 2013.

The Hard Beat Communications executive, along with Guyanese Valence Williams and Menes De Griot were the lone Caribbean nationals joining the New York Immigration Coalition organized rally in Brooklyn, NY, as they put the spotlight on the voiceless Caribbeans who are undocumented and desperate for immigration reform yet remain in the shadows.

Carrying a sign that read simply: “Caribbeans Too Need Immigration Reform,” Persaud, founder of CaribPR Wire, News Americas Now and Invest Caribbean Now, who has penned her 46^th open letter to President Obama in her weekly column in the New York Amsterdam News calling for immigration reform now, got the thumbs up from Chirlane McCray, the wife of New York City mayoral front-runner, Bill de Blasio, whose roots extend to the Caribbean, as she proudly carried her sign around Cadman Plaza, Brooklyn, NY.

Then along with De Griot on the drum and Williams on the cowbells, Persaud marched over the Brooklyn Bridge Saturday afternoon along with thousands of mainly Latino advocates to send a message to President Obama and the U.S. Congress that passage of comprehensive reform reform was an issue  just as important as the debt ceiling and the re-opening of the government.

“The fact the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service and consuls worldwide are largely open because of immigrants fees and the government shutdown has not affected them tells why the Congress needs to pass CIR now,” Persaud said.

Though they were only three, the small Caribbean contingent stole the show with their rhythm and sent a clear message that the Caribbean was in the house and also needed immigration reform.

Valence Williams, l., and Menes De Griot marching over the Brooklyn bridge. (NAN Image)

Carrying a sign that read simply, “Caribbeans Too Need Immigration Reform,” Persaud, founder of CaribPR Wire, News Americas Now and Invest Caribbean Now, who has penned her 46^th open letter to President Obama in her weekly column in the New York Amsterdam News calling for immigration reform now, got the thumbs up from Chirlane McCray, the wife of New York City mayoral front-runner, Bill de Blasio, whose roots extend to the Caribbean, as she proudly carried her sign around Cadman Plaza, Brooklyn, NY.

Then along with De Griot on the drum and Williams on the cowbells, Persaud marched over the Brooklyn Bridge Saturday afternoon along with thousands of mainly Latino advocates to send a message to President Obama and the U.S. Congress that passage of comprehensive reform reform was an issue was just as important as the debt ceiling and the re-opening of the government.

“The fact the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service and consuls worldwide are largely open because of immigrants fees and the government shutdown has not affected them tells why the Congress needs to pass CIR now,” Persaud said.

Though they were only three, the small Caribbean contingent stole the show with their rhythm and sent a clear message that the Caribbean was in the house and also needed immigration reform.

“It’s beyond incomprehensible that some three million Caribbean people can party each year down Eastern Parkway in Brooklyn, New York but only three of us can show up to make our voices heard for something that is important to thousands in our community,” said Persaud.

The march by tens of thousands nationally took place on the 100^th day anniversary since the passage of the Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act in the Senate. The Republican controlled House has refused to bring the measure to a vote, insisting they will address the hot button issue through smaller bills only but has yet to bring any bills to the House floor.

The rally was held under the theme, “National Day of Immigrant Dignity and Respect,” and came just days after House Democrats introduced their own immigration bill in the U.S. House of Representatives, calling too for immigration reform and a path to citizenship for 11 plus million undocumented immigrants in the United States.

Canadian and Caribbean researchers to participate in the Caribbean Week of Agriculture

GEORGETOWN, Guyana, Oct. 4, 2013 /PRNewswire/ — Researchers from universities in Canada and the Caribbean will discuss improvements in the region’s agriculture and nutrition during the Caribbean Week of Agriculture (CWA2013): Linking the Caribbean for Regional Food and Nutrition Security and Rural Development, to be held in Guyana, October 4-12, 2013.

Since 2011, researchers from the University of the West Indies in Trinidad and Tobago and McGill University in Canada have been working together to improve to improve food production in the region, as well as the nutrition and health of CARICOM populations.  The project is funded under the Canadian International Food Security Research Fund (CIFSRF), a CA$124 million program that supports partnerships between Canadian and developing-country researchers to  increase food security through applied research in agriculture and nutrition.

The From farm to fork: improving nutrition in the Caribbean project seeks to address rising obesity rates in the region, due in large part to the limited attention Caribbean countries have paid to local food production. As a result, there is a high dependence on imports of high-calorie, low-nutrition foods. This has created a paradox of obesity and poor nutrition, which threatens people’s health throughout the region.

Results to date are promising. Children in Trinidad and Tobago and St. Kitts and Nevis are receiving improved school meals that contain vegetables and fruit produced by local farmers.  By adopting water management techniques such as drip irrigation and mulching, crop production has increased. Farmers have also diversified their crops. These and other research results will be presented during the two-day workshop Coming Soon: A Healthier, Food Secure Caribbean: Improving Nutrition and Health of CARICOM Population, Oct. 10-11.

IDRC will also participate in the CWA2013 exhibition and trade show. Journalists are invited to visit the interactive CIFSRF CARICOM Food Security Project booth to learn more about the work that the research teams are carrying out in Guyana, Trinidad and Tobago, St. Kitts and Nevis, and St. Lucia.

Experts from IDRC, McGill University, and the University of the West Indies will be available for interviews before and during CWA2013.

Journalists and the public can join in the conversation through Twitter (#IDRC and #CWA2013) and Facebook.

For more information, visit www.idrc.ca.

Putting research to work

Canada’s International Development Research Centre (IDRC) funds practical research in developing countries to increase prosperity and security, and to foster democracy and the rule of law, in support of Canada’s international development efforts. We promote growth and development and encourage sharing knowledge with policymakers, other researchers, and communities around the world. The result is innovative, lasting solutions that aim to bring change to those who need it most.

About CIFSRF

CIFSRF is a CA$124.5 million program of Canada’s International Development Research Centre, undertaken with the financial support of the Government of Canada provided through Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development Canada. CIFSRF supports applied research partnerships between Canadian and developing-country organizations to find lasting solutions to hunger and food insecurity. It is a core element of Canada’s Food Security Strategy.

For more information:
Isabelle Bourgeault-Tassé
(+1 613) 696-2343
[email protected]
@IsabelleBT

OTTAWA, Ontario, Oct. 3, 2013 /PRNewswire/ — The Royal Canadian Mint is pleased to announce recent contract wins with the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank (ECCB), the Central Bank of Barbados and Centrale Bank van Curacao en Sint Maarten, representing both circulation and numismatic coins.

“For the past 35 years, the Mint has proudly produced coins for over 75 countries and maintaining and expanding our international business through superior quality and customer service remains a top priority,” said Ian E. Bennett, President and CEO of the Royal Canadian Mint.

The recent contracts include:

• Production of one-cent circulation coins for the ECCB.  This represents a re-order for this denomination, with the ECCB being a customer of the Mint’s since 2008.  The ECCB is the monetary authority of a group of eight independent Caribbean nations, namely namely Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, the Commonwealth of Dominica, Grenada, Montserrat, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, and St Vincent and the Grenadines.
• Production of five-cent circulation coins for the Central Bank of Barbados.  The Mint has been proudly working with the Central Bank of Barbados since 1978.
• A first-ever numismatic coin contract with the Centrale Bank van Curacao en Sint Maarten to produce painted nickel-silver coins to celebrate the 4th edition of the Curacao North Sea Jazz Festival, which took place at the end of August.

The Royal Canadian Mint offers foreign customers a full spectrum of coin manufacturing and consulting services; from the production of circulation numismatic coins; ready-to-strike blanks; medals, medallions and tokens; to coin distribution management, marketing and communications, and technology transfers.

About the Royal Canadian Mint
The Royal Canadian Mint is the Crown Corporation responsible for the minting and distribution of Canada’s circulation coins. An ISO 9001-2008 certified company, the Mint is recognized as one of the largest and most versatile mints in the world, offering a wide range of specialized, high quality coinage products and related services on an international scale. For more information on the Mint, its products and services, visit www.mint.ca.

SOURCE: Royal Canadian Mint

(MNT. MNT.U.)

ATLANTA, Oct. 2, 2013 /PRNewswire/ – In April of this year, Cummins Power South announced plans for the expansion of its Cummins Power Generation business in the Caribbean.  A vital part of the Caribbean expansion focuses on partnering with local businesses in the area to provide customers with Cummins world class support and exceptional service.  Cummins Power South is pleased to announce Tess Truck & Equipment Sales and Services as the official Cummins Power Generation dealer in the Bahamas.

Tess Truck & Equipment Sales and Services has been in business since the early 1970s providing industrial vehicles and equipment to the Bahama islands through their flagship of Bahamas Mack.   Expanding upon their product offering, Tess Truck & Equipment Sales and Services will now provide the full line of Cummins Power Generation products from residential and light commercial generators to commercial generator sets and power systems.  As the infrastructure in the Bahamas continues to grow, Tess Truck & Equipment Sales & Services, with the support of Cummins Power South, will help meet the energy needs of expanding industries such as healthcare, hospitality, government and water management as well as supply dependable backup emergency power for residential homes and communities throughout the islands.  Tess Truck & Equipment Sales and Services will serve as the main source of Cummins Power Generation sales and service, offering legendary Cummins service as the only certified Cummins Power Generation dealer in the Bahamas.

Detailed information on Cummins Power South and the expansion in the Bahamas may be obtained by visiting the company’s website at www.cumminspowersouth.com/bahamas/ .

Established in 2006, Cummins Power South, LLC is a joint venture distributorship within the Cummins North American Distributor System. Cummins Power South specializes in the sales and service of all Cummins engines, generators and related products within Georgia, Florida, and Chattanooga, Tennessee, as well as selected areas of the Caribbean.  Cummins Power South is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia (USA) with service locations in Atlanta, Albany, Augusta, Gainesville, Savannah, Fort Myers, Jacksonville, Miami, Ocala, Orlando, Tampa, West Palm Beach and Chattanooga, TN. Additional information about the company may be found at www.cumminspowersouth.com

The Winning “Ark of Return” Permanent Memorial Announced By Secretary-General

Ban Ki-moon During Special Ceremony At The United Nations on September 23, 2013

Memorial designer Rodney Leon (standing, third from left) along side judges next to model of the "Ark of Return," the winning design for the United Nations Permanent Memorial in Honor of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade. (Photo: DPI / the U.N.)

CaribPR Wire, NEW YORK, NY (September 24, 2013) – Rodney Leon Architects announced its winning design of the International Competition for the Permanent Memorial at the United Nations as a significant symbol to remember and honor the victims of slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade.  The United Nations’ theme for the competition, “Acknowledge the Tragedy, Consider the Legacy, Lest We Forget,” formed the inspiration for Rodney Leon’s winning design entitled The Ark of Return.  Leon’s winning design expresses the cross-cultural and global impact of the slave trade, while honoring those who have died and those who have shared their struggle.

The international competition garnered 310 entrants from 83 countries.  A panel of internationally acclaimed design professionals, artists, and other relevant stakeholders served as jurors. Haitian-American Leon was unanimously chosen from among seven finalists representing countries including China, Columbia, Finland, France, Italy, Portugal and the United States. The competition was launched two years ago by the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), with support from the UN Department of Public Information’s Remember Slavery Programme, and Member States from the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and the African Union.  Jamaica serves as Chairman of the Permanent Memorial Committee.

A special Unveiling Ceremony was held at United Nations Headquarters in New York on September 23, 2013 to recognize the competition’s finalists and officially announce Leon’s winning design. Notable presenters and guests included: Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon; Under-Secretary-General for Communications and Public Information, Peter Launsky-Tieffenthal; Mr. John W. Ashe, President of the 68th session of the General Assembly; Portia Simpson Miller, Prime Minister of Jamaica; Arnold Nicholson, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Jamaica; Pierre Richard Casimir, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Religion of Haiti; UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova; and Mr. Courtenay Rattray, Chair, Permanent Memorial Committee.

Commenting on winning this groundbreaking competition, Leon noted, “It’s a privilege to have been chosen by the International Design Competition Panel of Judges to honor victims of slavery and the transatlantic slave trade.  I designed The Ark of Return memorial as a sacred space to psychologically and spiritually transport visitors to the United Nations to a place where acknowledgement, education, reflection and healing can take place.”

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said the memorial “will serve as a reminder of the bravery of those slaves, abolitionists and unsung heroes who managed to rise up against an oppressive system, fight for their freedom and end the practice.”

The memorial’s exterior form is constructed in a fashion to reflect the image of a vessel or ship in acknowledgement of the millions of African people transported on slave ships to different parts of the world during the “Middle Passage.”  Images of maps depicting the “Triangular Slave Trade” influenced the use of the triangle as a primary element in designing the memorial’s shape. The memorial is conceptually also organized in three parts and visitors are meant to pass through The Ark of Return to intimately experience three primary elements on the interior space.

Native New Yorker Rodney Leon, the founder and principal of Manhattan-based Rodney Leon Architects PLLC, has an architectural background as a designer on a diversity of projects including memorials, housing, churches and cultural institutions in the U.S. and abroad. Leon received his Bachelor of Architecture degree from Pratt Institute School of Architecture and his Masters of Architecture from Yale University. As a graduate student, he served as a teaching assistant for the eminent African art historian professor Robert Farris Thompson and after graduation spent time living and working in the Ivory Coast, West Africa.  Among Leon’s various honors and accolades, in 2005 he was awarded the prestigious commission for design and construction of the African Burial Ground Memorial in New York City, which is the only National Monument in the United States dedicated to the contributions of people of African descent.

As a first generation Haitian-American, Leon is also an active supporter of philanthropic causes benefiting Haiti. He is a founding Board Director of The Haitian Roundtable and serves as a lecturer, media expert and presenter on the subject of Haiti’s reconstruction since the January 2010 earthquake.

For more information regarding the Permanent Memorial at the United Nations to honor victims of slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade, please visit www.unslaverymemorial.org.  For more information regarding the award-winning work of Rodney Leon Architects, please visit www.rodneyleon.com

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WASHINGTON, Sept. 10, 2013 /PRNewswire/ – Global cocoa sustainability experts and practitioners will gather in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, on October 15 – 16 for the World Cocoa Foundation (WCF) 24^th Partnership Meeting & Cocoa Sustainability Trade Fair. More than 300 guests representing the chocolate and cocoa industry, governments, NGOs, academia, and research institutes from Latin America, the Caribbean, North America, Africa, Asia and Europe will use the occasion to learn about the latest developments in efforts to ensure greater sustainability in the sector.

“The Partnership Meeting is a unique opportunity for the global cocoa community to discuss cocoa livelihoods worldwide,” said Bill Guyton, WCF president. “We’re honored to be hosting the Meeting in the Dominican Republic, and look forward to learning from the Latin America cocoa sector and exploring new opportunities in the region and how it relates to other cocoa-producing regions in West Africa and Southeast Asia.”

The agenda for the Meeting covers topics including Latin America’s role in the global cocoa sector, gender and cocoa, community development in cocoa-growing areas, agroforestry, cocoa genetics, technological advances and more. Speakers for the event feature top sustainability experts from cocoa companies, cocoa producing country governments, non-profit organizations, academia, and more.

The event will take place at the Hotel Occidental El Embajador in Santo Domingo. Running concurrently with the Meeting is WCF’s inaugural Cocoa Sustainability Trade Fair, which will feature information and displays about sustainability efforts being undertaken in the cocoa sector. The event will be followed by site visits to nearby cocoa farms to view on-the-ground sustainability efforts. Sponsors for the event include: Barry Callebaut; Cargill; Mondelez International; ADM Cocoa; The Hershey Company; Ferrero; Rizek Cacao S.A.S.; and Roig Agro-Cacao, S.A, with support from CEI-RD and Olam. Simultaneous translation from English to Spanish and Spanish to English will be available for the duration of the Meeting.

To register, view the agenda, or learn more about the Partnership Meeting, visit: worldcocoafoundation.org/wcf-partnership-meeting. Participate in the meeting remotely by following #WCFPM on Twitter.

About WCF
WCF is an international membership foundation of more than 100 companies that promotes a sustainable cocoa economy by providing cocoa farmers with the tools they need to grow more and better cocoa, market it successfully, and make greater profits. For more information, visit www.worldcocoa.org.

New Laser Printer Series for Home and Small Offices Brings “Designed in Japan Quality” to Latin American Consumers and Small Businesses at an Attainable Price

CaribPR Wire, ROSEAU, DOMINICA, (September 9, 2013) Brother International, the office equipment manufacturer world renowned for quality, reliability and value, introduces a new series of monochrome laser printers and all-in-one machines designed specifically for emerging markets around the globe including the Latin American region.  The new series was developed for consumers, entrepreneurs and small business owners who desire more professional looking documents but until now thought the cost was prohibitive.

The new series enhances the Brother offering in the region by adding a line of entry-level laser printers to its already extensive line-up of printers, all-in-ones, scanners and P-touch label makers.  The new series was designed in Japan specifically to enable entrepreneurs and small businesses owners to have a feature-rich machine at an affordable price.  In addition, the compact stylish design can fit in any home or small office where space is at a premium.

“The new laser series gives consumers the opportunity to afford a laser product from a company world renowned for its quality and reliability,” said Don Cummins, Senior Vice President of Brother International.  “This expansion to our current line of office technology products shows our ongoing commitment to the region by providing quality products for every office need and budget.”

The new series consist of a single function printer (HL-1112), a three-in-one (DCP-1512) and four-in-one (MFC-1810) to meet any document output need.  They offer fast print speeds of up to 21 ppm as well as a high quality output of up to 2400 x 600dpi.  In addition, the machines use economical replacement toners and feature a Toner Save Mode to help save money throughout ownership.  Brother International also provides a one-year limited warranty on all machines as well as free phone support for the life of the product.

In addition to the features available on all of the printers, the DCP-1512 and the MFC-1810 also provide fast, stand-alone copying (no computer required), a high resolution glass flatbed scanner, and a 150 sheet  capacity paper tray that holds up to  legal size paper.  The MFC-1810 four-in-one, featuring fax capability, has a 10-page capacity auto document feeder for easy copying, scanning and faxing.

New Monochrome Laser Printer and All-in-Ones

HL-1112

• Paper tray holds up to 150 sheet capacity for legal sized paper
• Stylish, space saving design to fit virtually anywhere
• High-quality output at up to 2400 x 600 dpi
• Toner Save mode option for less critical business documents
• Economical, low cost replacement toner¹
• Designed in Japan for reliability
• Fast printing speeds of up to 21 ppm²
• 1 year limited warranty; toll-free technical support for the life of the machine

DCP-1512

All the same features as the HL-1112, plus:

• High-quality scanning with resolutions up to 19,200 x 19,200 dpi
• Stand-alone copying; ID copy and reduce/enlarge documents from 25-400% in 1% increments
• Convenient flatbed for easy copying and scanning to email, file and image

MFC-1810

All the same features as the DCP-1512, plus:

• Fax capability
• 10-page capacity auto document feeder for easy copying, scanning and fax

About Brother

Brother International Corporation is one of the premier providers of products for the home, home office and office. The company currently markets many industrial products, home appliances and business products manufactured by its parent company, Brother Industries, Ltd. of Nagoya, Japan.  These products include an award-winning line of Multi-Function Center® machines and printers. Brother also provides a line of facsimile machines and is the leader in electronic labeling, with its full line of P-touch® Electronic Labeling Systems. For more information you can visit the website at www.latinamerica.brother.com.

NOTE: All trademarks and registered trademarks referenced herein are the property of their respective companies.

¹Additional purchase required.

² PPM speed is based in printing in FAST mode and excludes time to complete first page and will vary depending on a variety of factors.

CaribPR Wire, MIAMI, Fla. – August 28, 2013: An aggressive form of skin cancer silenced the living voice of Bob Marley, the legendary reggae star, who died more than three decades ago in Miami. Marley’s musical legacy endures with sad notes about skin cancer, the most common form of cancer in the U.S., according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Every year more than 3.5 million cases of skin cancer are diagnosed, the EPA reports.

No one is immune.  Asians, non-white Latinos, and people of African or mixed descent can develop melanoma and other forms of skin cancer—and are doing so at increasing rates, according to national statistics.

Due to the myth of melanoma immunity—outdated beliefs held by some patients and even doctors—people of color may not be diagnosed with skin cancer until it’s almost too late, when the disease is more dangerous and difficult to treat.  Delays in treatment can be fatal.

As was the case with Marley.

“What was dismissed as a soccer injury under his toenail turned out to be an aggressive form of melanoma that ultimately caused his death at 36,” the Skin Cancer Foundation reports.

Dorsey Goosby, M.D., a Board-certified pediatrician and chief medical officer at Homestead Hospital suggests that everyone, no matter what their skin color is, use broad spectrum sunscreens with sun protection factor (SPF) of 30 or higher and follow other sun-safety guidelines..

“We have a sun culture. We enjoy the outdoors. But we have to be careful and understand the potential harm of UV rays,” Dr. Goosby said. “The harm is accumulative. The sun damage from last summer is added to the sun damage from this summer, which will be added to next summer’s sun exposure.”

Dr. Goosby recommends these steps:

• Limit your exposure to the sun, especially from 10 a.m.-4 p.m., even on cloudy days.
• Cover up with hats, sleeves, or tightly woven clothing.
• Reapply sunscreen regularly. Use and reapply sunscreen every two hours when you are outdoors or in the water.
• Inspect your skin for new blemishes, moles and marks. Encourage other family members to do the same.

Dr. Goosby also tells parents to pay close attention to their child’s skin. “Every child should have an annual head-to-toe skin examination,” Dr. Goosby said. “No one is immune.”

About Baptist Health South Florida

Baptist Health South Florida is the largest faith-based, not-for-profit healthcare organization in the region. It includes Baptist Hospital, Baptist Children’s Hospital, Baptist Cardiac & Vascular Institute, South Miami Hospital, Homestead Hospital, Doctors Hospital, West Kendall Baptist Hospital, Mariners Hospital and Baptist Outpatient Services. Baptist Health Foundation, the organization’s fundraising arm, supports services at all hospitals and facilities affiliated with Baptist Health.

About Baptist Health International

Baptist Health International is one of the largest hospital-based International programs in the United States. Thousands of people travel to Miami each year from around the world to receive care from our respected physicians at the Baptist Health South Florida facilities. Baptist Health International is dedicated to providing comprehensive, high-quality services for international physicians and their patients, including hospital admissions, outpatient testing and physician consult, as well as concierge services.

Global safety leader introduces driving course for countries that drive on the left side of the road

ITASCA, Ill., Aug. 13, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ – The National Safety Council, a global leader in driver safety training for almost 50 years, has launched the NSC Defensive Driving Course – Left Side of the Road for the Caribbean nations. This course is designed specifically for motorists who drive in countries with road systems that pass oncoming traffic on the left side.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130530/MM23334-b)

“Driving safety is a major global issue,” said Roger Marks, President, International Safety Council (a division of the National Safety Council). “Recognizing that about 30% of the world drives on the left side of the road, the Council felt the need to create this program to better keep people safe in more places around the globe.”

The Council operates in over 100 countries and has certified DDC training centers in 28 countries around the world. DDC-LSR is modeled after the same defensive driving principles that shape the world-renowned NSC DDC 8/6 Hour (9^th Edition) program. Participants of the course will learn:

• Practical knowledge and techniques to avoid collisions and violations
• Sensible advice for choosing safe and responsible driving behaviors and habits
• The importance of occupant safety devices and how to use them correctly
• Guidance for dealing with difficult driving conditions, distractions and fatigue
• Skills to recognize how attitude can help prevent accidents and improve decision making

To learn more about the DDC-LSR program, or how to become a certified training center in your area, please visit nsc.org/lsr.

About the National Safety Council
Founded in 1913 and chartered by Congress, the National Safety Council, nsc.org, is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to save lives by preventing injuries and deaths at work, in homes and communities, and on the road through leadership, research, education and advocacy. NSC advances this mission by partnering with businesses, government agencies, elected officials and the public in areas where we can make the most impact – distracted driving, teen driving, workplace safety, prescription drug overdoses and Safe Communities.

Connect with NSC:
Facebook
Twitter
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Pablo León de la Barra Appointed Guggenheim UBS MAP Curator, Latin America

NEW YORK, Aug. 2, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ – Richard Armstrong, Director, Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum and Foundation, today announced that distinguished independent curator Pablo León de la Barra has been selected as Guggenheim UBS MAP Curator, Latin America. He is the second curator to have been chosen to participate in the Guggenheim UBS MAP Global Art Initiative, an ambitious collaboration between the Guggenheim Museum and UBS that was launched last year.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130802/DC54198)

Through the Initiative, the Guggenheim is engaged in a multi-year effort to identify and support a network of artists and curators from three major regions—South and Southeast Asia, Latin America, and the Middle East and North Africa—in a comprehensive program involving curatorial residencies, acquisitions for the Guggenheim’s permanent collection, international touring exhibitions, and extensive educational and online activities.

Pablo León de la Barra will undertake a two-year residency in New York, where he will work with the Guggenheim’s curatorial staff to identify recent artworks by artists of Latin American origin that reflect some of the region’s most significant contemporary cultural practices and ideas. Artworks chosen by León de la Barra will enter the collection and form the basis of an exhibition planned to open at the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in 2014 before traveling to two international venues.

León de la Barra was nominated by a committee of five esteemed experts on this region: Magalí Arriola, Curator, Fundación Jumex, Ecatepec de Morelos, Mexico; José Falconi, Fellow, Department of History of Art and Architecture, Harvard University; Gabriela Rangel, Director of Visual Arts and Chief Curator, Americas Society, New York; Ana Sokoloff, art advisor, New York, and Yolanda Wood Pujols, Director, Center for Caribbean Studies, Casa de las Américas, Havana.

About Pablo León de la Barra

Born in Mexico City in 1972, Pablo León de la Barra earned his Ph.D in Histories and Theories from the Architectural Association, London. He has curated or co-curated more than a dozen exhibitions over the past decade. In London, he was founding member of 24-7, a collective of artists and curators (2002–05), artistic director of Blow de la Barra Gallery (2005–08), and founder and co-curator of the community art space White Cubicle Gallery (2005–12). He is also the founder of the Novo Museo Tropical, and was the curator of the first Bienal Tropical in San Juan, Puerto Rico (2011). León de la Barra serves on the advisory committees of the Cisneros Fontanals Art Foundation, Miami, and the Fundación Luis Barragán, Mexico. In 2012, he received the first Colección Patricia Phelps de Cisneros Travel Award for Central America and the Caribbean. For a complete bio, please visit
www.guggenheim.org/new-york/about/staff-profiles/curators/pablo-leon-de-la-barra.

About Guggenheim UBS MAP Global Art Initiative

Launched in April 2012, the Guggenheim UBS MAP Global Art Initiative is a multi-year collaboration that seeks to stimulate dialogue and creative interaction both regionally and globally through curatorial residencies, public and online programming, and collection building. The program is designed to reflect and augment the Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation’s distinguished history of internationalism.

Website:
guggenheim.org/MAP

UBS Website:
ubs.com/Guggenheim

Social Media:
twitter.com/guggenheim
facebook.com/guggenheimmuseum
youtube.com/guggenheim
flickr.com/guggenheim_museum
foursquare.com/guggenheim

For updates on the Guggenheim UBS MAP Global Art Initiative, follow #GuggUBSMAP on Twitter.

For translations of the media release in Arabic, Brazilian Portuguese, Chinese (traditional and simplified), German, Spanish, Basque, and Italian, visit: http://www.guggenheim.org/new-york/press-room/releases/5551-maplatinamericacurator

For publicity images, visit: guggenheim.org/pressimages User ID: photoservice Password: presspass

CONTACT: Betsy Ennis/Lauren Van Natten, Guggenheim Museum, +1 212 423 3840, [email protected]; Amy Wentz, Polskin Arts, +1 212 715 1551, [email protected]; For inquiries about UBS Corporate Communications: Karina Byrne, UBS Americas, +1 212 882 5692, [email protected]; or Dominique Scheiwiller, UBS Switzerland, +41 44 234 84 28, [email protected]

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, July 22, 2013 /PRNewswire/ — The Central Bank of Barbados has confirmed that any misunderstanding regarding the status of Verus International has been clarified and resolved.  Verus International is in good standing to conduct its business in Barbados.

In making the announcement, Governor of the Central Bank DeLisle Worrell explained, “Verus International has met all the criteria to operate as a private investment firm.”  He added, “The Company has been licensed under the International Business Companies Act in Barbados since 1999, and is approved to conduct business here.  We value Verus International’s long-standing presence in Barbados and are grateful for their vision and commitment to the region.”

Ajmal Khan, Chairman and CEO of Verus International, was pleased any miscommunication is now cleared up and reiterated the Company’s commitment to Barbados and continued investment in the Caribbean.  Mr. Khan explained, “Verus International has operated in Barbados for 15 years.  We appreciate the professionalism and support of the Central Bank of Barbados in this matter.”

Verus International, a leading diversified global investment group based in New York and Barbados, invests across multiple sectors including Energy, Infrastructure, Real Estate, Education and Health & Wellness.  Having already made significant investments into Real Estate, Hospitality, and Sports and Entertainment in the Caribbean, the Company is seeking additional opportunities in the Caribbean that leverage its global relationships and generate significant economic development for the region.

Bergin University of Canine Studies Awards a Cuban Scholarship

ROHNERT PARK, Calif., July 19, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — Bergin University of Canine Studies Project Fidelity promotes International relations by awarding a scholarship to a Cuban student.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130719/DC49381)

Bergin University of Canine Studies (BUCS) is the only fully accredited college in the world that offers degrees in Canine Life Sciences. Cuban scholarship recipient Beatriz Amparo Labrador de la Osa has arrived at the Rohnert Park, Ca. campus. She has dreams of returning to Cuba and working to better the lives of the disabled by introducing the Assistance Dog concept in her native country. Beatriz fondly recalls Booster, the yellow Labrador retriever Service Dog who travelled to Cuba twice in recent years to demonstrate what he can do to help people. Booster travelled to Havana, Cuba as an ambassador for BUCS Master’s student Davis Hawn’s Project Fidelity.

According to Hawn, “My Project Fidelity sought to project fidelity between two Cold War adversaries utilizing my Service Dog Booster to prove my thesis that dogs are a social lubricant. With International help of Canadians and Bahamians we ventured into Cuba not speaking a word of Spanish. Booster was so successful that we met myriad leaders of organizations for the disabled. Booster removed the socks from a paralyzed man’s feet and we later appeared together on live educational television in Havana! The International relations spawned by my dog and a canine related education opened doors of enlightenment that I never previously envisioned. My life began at Bergin University.”

“In recognition of the warm Cuban reception we received I offered a scholarship for a Cuban dog lover to come to the U.S. to learn to train Assistance Dogs. The Cuban animal welfare association ANIPLANT introduced me to Beatriz. I was instantly impressed by her overwhelming love of dogs. She is currently attending BUCS’ classes under the tutelage of Dr. Bonita Bergin the founder of the Service Dog concept and Canine Companions for Independence (CCI). Beatriz  plans to open the first Assistance Dog training facility in Cuba and aptly name it The Booster Center in honor of my now cancer stricken dog Booster. I am so honored. I welcome any inquiries about my Project Fidelity and BUCS related educational experiences.”

“None of this would have been possible without the International help of Canadians and Bahamians. A Canadian firm, Cuba Education Tours arranged many important meetings. Bahamasair flew me with Booster at my feet into Havana and as a direct result Bahamasair now accommodates Assistance Dogs on all flights. When I fell in love with a homeless Cuban street dog, Canadian airline Airtransat flew him to Toronto free of charge. The little dog is Booster’s step-brother and his name is Fidelity!  I welcome any inquiries about my Project Fidelity and BUCS related educational experiences. My experience with both has created life-changing passion. “

Bergin University of Canine Studies attracts students from all over the world. Historically, students have come from 16 countries seeking a canine related education.  They aspire to implement canine related programs in their native countries. BUCS faculty, staff and students work together to create novel programs utilizing canines to help humans. For example, the BUCS program Paws for Purple Hearts teaches war veterans to train dogs for other disabled veterans in order to help them reintegrate into society when they return home. Anyone interested in attending classes, lending a hand, or donating is encouraged to contact the university.

For more information, please visit Bergin University of Canine Studies (BUCS)
http://www.berginu.edu/contact.html
707-545-3647

The Chinese panel at the 2013 Avalon Invest Caribbean Now forum on June 5 in NYC. (Hayden Roger Celestin image)

CaribPR Wire, NEW YORK, NY, Fri. July 12, 2013: Caribbean governments and top private sector executives in the tourism and investment sectors are being urged to participate in a 10-day trade mission to four top cities in China, set for this September 14^th-23^rd.

The trip comes on the heels of the June 5^th Avalon Invest Caribbean Now Forum in New York City and is being planned by Peter Zhang and Li Li of the Chinese American Business Development Center, in collaboration with Hard Beat Communications’ CMO, Felicia Persaud.

CABC has been leading trade missions for U.S. companies to China for the past 10 years while Hard Beat’s Invest Caribbean Now forum is in its third year.

The planned trip to Beijing, Shannxi , Zhejiang and Guangdong comes on the heels of Chinese President’s Xi Jinping first visit to the Caribbean island of Trinidad on May 31^st and his pledge of more than $3 billion in loans to 10 Caribbean nations and Costa Rica on June 2^nd.

The 2013 Caribbean/China Trade Mission is designed to help Caribbean premiers, ministers of governments, investment agencies and C-level private sector business leaders, meet with top Chinese officials from varied ministries, such as tourism and finance as well as  C-level company execs  including from the China Import Export Bank, to: promote  direct in country investment opportunities and company products and services; establish strategic connections, strengthen existing relations, explore opportunities for joint ventures, source potential suppliers and extend friendships and create relationships for return visits to the  Caribbean region.

The Mission will provide Caribbean governments and business leaders’ new access and close-up insight into the dynamic Chinese market— including its scale, diversity and potential.

Consequently,  the Chinese ministry and private sector executives will  be able to enhance  and expand business and investments to the Caribbean in their quest to  compete effectively in today’s global marketplace.

China’s 1.3 billion people are rapidly gaining purchasing power. In fact, by 2020, China will surpass the U.S. in middle class consumption. And as quickly as China is emerging as a new market for Caribbean real estate and products like tourism.

For event details and participation in the trip contact Felicia Persaud at [email protected].

Region’s top distributor will sell Enecsys micro inverters in regions burdened with high cost of conventional electricity

REDWOOD SHORES, Calif., July 2, 2013 /PRNewswire/ — Enecsys Limited, a premier supplier of micro inverter products for the global solar market, announced the addition of a new distributor, Glenn International, to meet increasing demand from customers in the Caribbean and Central America.

(Photo:  http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130402/SF66080-a)

(Logo:  http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130402/SF66080LOGO-b)

“The rate of growth in the solar energy market in this region is unprecedented,” said Ignacio Diaz, Director of Sales and Marketing at Glenn International. “We’re happy to be partnering with Enecsys, because we’ve found their Micro Inverter System maximizes solar energy harvest, which makes the switch to solar power easy and affordable for both installers and homeowners.”

As a major component of the Solar System, Enecsys offers two choices – Single and Duo micro inverters.  This provides installers the flexibility to mix singles and duos as needed in complicated rooftop installations, saving installation time and Balance-Of-System costs.

Enecsys Micro Inverters attach directly to the rack behind each module within a solar installation. The advantage of installing Enecsys Micro Inverters is that users gain visibility into the performance of each solar module, and can easily assess and address problems associated with shading, soiling or other obstructions.

“Enecsys is pleased to partner with Glenn International to distribute our micro inverter throughout the Caribbean and the rapidly solar emerging market of Central America,” said Thomas Nelson, Senior Director of Strategic Accounts. “Our new generation of micro inverters are designed to handle multiple grid settings in a single SKU, allowing Glenn International to be well positioned in supporting these regions.”

About Glenn International
With headquarters in Puerto Rico, Glenn International is the leading supplier of electrical, lighting and telecom equipment for the Caribbean and Central America. Since 1967, Glenn International has created energy solutions for customers in the region. With nearly a half century of experience, the company has the expertise to choose the best manufacturers and provide technical support that is unparalleled in the market.

About Enecsys
Enecsys Limited is the premier supplier of smart, highly reliable grid-connected micro inverters and monitoring systems for homes and businesses. The advantages of the Enecsys Micro Inverter System include: maximized energy harvest, improved safety for installers and users, increased reliability, an extended lifetime that matches the life of the solar modules, real-time performance monitoring for each solar module, and simplified PV array design and installation. Headquartered in Cambridge, UK, Enecsys has corporate offices in Redwood Shores, California, with additional sales and support facilities in Bad Homburg, Germany and Taipei, Taiwan.

For more information, please visit www.enecsys.com

Kitchen & Bath Products Leader Will Serve as Platform for North American Presence as LIXIL Continues Globalization of Business

TOKYO, June 28, 2013 /PRNewswire/ – LIXIL Corporation (Headquarters: Tokyo, Japan; President: Yoshiaki Fujimori), today announced that it has reached a definitive agreement to acquire 100% of the share capital of ASD Americas Holding Corp., the parent company of American Standard Brands (Headquarters: New Jersey, US; President and CEO: Jay Gould, hereafter called “American Standard”) at an enterprise value of $542 million (53.1 billion JPY, $1=98JPY) from an affiliate of Sun Capital Partners, Inc. (”Sun Capital”) (Headquarters: US).

American Standard is a leading North American manufacturer of a wide range of high quality kitchen and bath products.  On completion of the transaction, which is subject to regulatory approval, the company will remain headquartered in the U.S., and continue operating all existing facilities.

LIXIL Group, 1.4 trillion JPY ($15.3 billion, $1= 94.05JPY) building products company, has been actively expanding its global business.  LIXIL Group’s international sales reached approximately 200 billion JPY, contributing over 14% of the sales for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2013 and will increase to approximately 300 billion JPY comprising approximately 20% of LIXIL Group revenues. LIXIL’s global operations are present in more than 30 countries. In North America, Permasteelisa Group, a high-end curtain wall contractor owned by LIXIL Group, has existing revenues of approximately 30 billion JPY. The addition of American Standard will provide LIXIL with greater scale and more opportunities in North America, and will continue the growth of the international business towards its mid-term goals.

Yoshiaki Fujimori, President of LIXIL Corporation, said, “American Standard is the leader in the kitchen and bath products market with a deep history of more than 130 years.  LIXIL is targeting 1 trillion JPY sales revenue in its international businesses, with the goal for the international business to grow to approximately 30% of total LIXIL Group revenues.  American Standard will serve as a key platform for LIXIL as we continue to fulfill our ambitions to become a worldwide leader in the building materials and housing equipment market. LIXIL already owns the American Standard brand in the Asia Pacific market, and this transaction will strengthen the brand and the company’s considerable manufacturing capabilities and technological best practices.”

“This transaction marks an exciting chapter in our 137-year history,” said Jay Gould, American Standard Brands President and CEO. “We and our customers will surely benefit by combining LIXIL’s quality control, manufacturing technology and product development with American Standard’s sales networks, and I believe these will help the company maintain our position as a market leader.”

“The market leadership that American Standard enjoys today has been fueled by considerable operational improvements, an expanded product platform achieved through four strategic acquisitions, and a commitment to innovation,” said Marc Leder, Co-CEO at Sun Capital, a leading private investment firm specializing in leveraged buyouts and investments in market–leading companies. “I expect LIXIL will continue to invest in these strategies, and that the combined technology and product development capabilities of American Standard and LIXIL will ensure significant progress in the years ahead.”

About LIXIL Corporation
LIXIL is Japan’s largest manufacturer group for building materials and housing equipment and has more than 75,000 employees worldwide. The Group recorded net sales of 1.4 trillion JPY in FY ended March 2013. It offers comprehensive solutions in housing and lifestyle and an extensive product lineup from windows, tiles, front doors, kitchens, bathrooms, and toilets under the brand name of American Standard (Asia Pacific), INAX and Tostem.

In Japan, LIXIL is the biggest housing and building materials company with top share in eight different categories currently led by President Yoshiaki Fujimori. Those include approx. 55% share in exteriors, approx. 50% share in housing sashes/doors, approx. 50% in curtain walls and approx. 40% in sanitary wares. LIXIL also is a top brand in tiles, washstand cabinet units, bathroom units and kitchen units. LIXIL, through the integration, now has a vast and unique business portfolio.

In the global market, its operations are led by group companies, such as Permasteelisa Group, which has strong presence in the curtain wall business with unmatched technology and designs. Their projects in the US include: New York by Gehry, One Bryant Park in NY and San Francisco Federal Building.

For more information about LIXIL, please visit http://global.lixil.co.jp/

About American Standard
American Standard is a leading manufacturer of a wide range of high-quality kitchen and bath products for residential and commercial customers in the North America, Canada and Mexico. The company employs more than 5,000 people and markets products under the brand names of American Standard®, Jado®, Porcher®, Safety Tubs®, Crane Plumbing®, Eljer®, Fiat® and Decorative Panels International®.

For more information about American Standard, visit:
www.americanstandard.com
twitter.com/AmStandard
www.facebook.com/AmericanStandardPlumbing.

About Sun Capital Partners, Inc.
Sun Capital Partners, Inc. is a leading private investment firm focused on leveraged buyouts, equity, debt, and other investments in companies that can benefit from its in–house operating professionals and experience. Sun Capital affiliates have invested in more than 320 companies worldwide with combined sales in excess of $45 billion since Sun Capital’s inception in 1995. Sun Capital has offices in Boca Raton, Los Angeles, and New York, as well as affiliates in London, Paris, Frankfurt, Luxembourg, Shanghai and Shenzhen. For more information, visit www.SunCapPart.com.

Caribbean governments congratulate Royal Caribbean International for its 2013 award along with ICN Founder Felicia Persaud and Dr. Grace Lappin, managing director of Avalon Partners and this year's marquee sponsor. (Hayden Roger Celestin image)

CaribPR Wire, NEW YORK, NY, Fri. June 7, 2013: Avalon Invest Caribbean Now concluded with a bang Wednesday, June 5^th, with delegates, sponsors and speakers alike buzzing over the event’s presentation and program line-up that included a representative from the U.S. State Department and a Chinese delegation.

“Incredible,” “informative” and “superb,” were just some of the phrases used to describe the ICN 2013 forum that kicked-off with the VIP reception on Tuesday evening, June 4^th and wrapped up at noon on Wednesday at the Radisson Martinique Hotel in New York City.

Over twelve dozen delegates attended the Avalon Invest Caribbean Now Forum and reception, including Premier of the Turks & Caicos Islands, Dr. Rufus Ewing and his Minister of Finance C. Washington Misick; Minister of Tourism & International Transport, International Trade, Industry, Commerce & Consumer Affairs St. Kitts, Ricky Skerritt; Minister for Tourism, Heritage and Creative Industries, St. Lucia, Lorne Theophilus; Minister of Tourism Nevis, Mark Brantley; Minister of Tourism of Antigua & Barbuda, John Maginley; Minister of Tourism, Sports & Culture, St. Vincent & The Grenadines, Cecil McKie; Assemblyman Tracy Davidson-Celestine, Deputy Chief Secretary and Secretary, Division of Tourism and Transportation, Tobago; Nicolaas Sneek, Commissioner, St. Eustacius; Minister of Tourism of The Bahamas, Obie Wilchcombe and Chairman of the Caribbean Tourism Organization, and Commissioner of the United States Virgin Islands, Beverly Nicholson Doty.

ICN founder, Felicia Persaud, opened the forum with a passionate speech on the relevancy of the Caribbean while Anthony Eterno, of the Office of Caribbean Affairs in the Western Hemisphere Division in the U.S. State Department, discussed key issues regarding American investment in the Caribbean.

Alan Loewenstein delivered the keynote address and insisted the Caribbean is ripe for investments.

This was followed by a panel on “Development, Tourism & Beyond,” by Heather Flossiac of Belle Vue Properties of St. Lucia; E. Jay Saunders, CEO of Digicel TCI; Brian Lilly, founder of One Caribbean Television and Ganesh Ramanathan, creative director at Hard Beat Communications. The panel was moderated by Dr. Grace Lappin of Avalon Partners, Inc.

Xiaoguang Liu, consul in charge of economic & commercial affairs at the Consulate of China in New York; Johnny Liu of the American Chinese Commerce Development Association, (ACCDA); and Li Li, managing director of the Chinese American Business Development Center, (CABDC), were part of a well received panel on China and the Caribbean that was moderated by Arthur Piccolo of the Bowling Green Association.

The panel was presented by the Sino-American Friendship Association, (SAFA) and supported by ACCDA and the CABDC.

Additionally, US-based; Royal Caribbean Cruises, Ltd; the “ICN 2013 Corporate Leadership Award” winner, discussed its US$200 million in investments in the Caribbean region over the past ten years.

The event was the most promoted of the Caribbean Week activities with media placements in over one thousand media outlets, including CNBC, Reuters, Bloomberg and the Wall Street Journal.

Invest Caribbean Now is organized annually by The Caribbean Tourism Organization and digital media solutions company, Hard Beat Communications, during Caribbean Week in New York. The event is the brain child of Persaud and is now in its third year.

Kara Coleman, news anchor of One Caribbean Television emceed the forum which was sponsored by Avalon Partners; The Turks & Caicos Islands Investment Agency; Royal Caribbean Cruise, Ltd; One Caribbean Television, The Chinese American Business Development Center, the American Chinese Commerce Development Association and No-Jet-Lag.

2013 media partners included the PR Newswire, CaribPR Wire, News Americas Now, WINN FM of St. Kitts, South Florida Caribbean, Caribseek, Antigua Tribune, Bahamas Spectator, Barbados Gazette, British Caribbean News, Caribbean ET Roundup, Caribbean Financials, Cuba Chronicle, Dominica Gazette, Dominican Republic Post, Dutch Caribbean News, French Caribbean News, Grenada Chronicle, Guyana Inquirer, Haiti Gazette, Jamaica Inquirer, Puerto Rico Tribune, St. Kitts Gazette, St. Lucia Chronicle, St. Vincent Tribune, Trinidad Tribune, the Bajan Reporter, The Bahamas Weekly and Bahamas Local.

For more including additional photos and videos of the speeches and presentations stay logged on to InvestCaribbeanNow.com.