HOTS : June 2008

Bits N' Pieces

BISBEE’S BUZZ

Dot.com 2^nd Decade (2001-2010) is bigger & better than anyone ever imagined.

In 1969, four research computers were connected to create the genesis of the Internet at the blazing server speed of 56 Kb. By 1990, there were 313,000 servers on the Internet. Today, Google.com by itself has more than 458,000 servers on line and some servers can operate at speeds of 92 terabits/second (two (2) billion times faster than the 1969 speeds).

Some experts estimate that 17% of the world population has used the Internet and the hypertext World Wide Web (August 6,1991). We may see that user group swell to 50% in the next few years. Internet growth has not slowed. In 1994, the Internet usage growing 2300% per year and Internet growth has not slowed.

Shocking statistics show the USA is third in usage behind China & Europe. However, the USA e-mail traffic has surpassed telecommunications and printed mail. Last year, there were about 170 billion e-mails per day (2 million each second). The introduction of cell phones/portable devices like the Blackberry and other smart phones is increasing the volume significantly. Estimates indicate that by 2010, the information flowing over the Internet will double every eleven hours.

The systems are converging in ways that offer improved efficiency and reduced costs. Using the newer technologies isn’t just a choice it is a competitive imperative in both the public and private sectors.

Cabling is the foundation highway at the termination point for this dazzling new information age. Folks, it ain’t getting slower.

Cabling Changes in Store for 2008

By Bisbee, Frank

Fiber to the desktop, Wi-Fi networks and copper prices affect plans. The enterprise network is undergoing a major shift in emphasis that impacts cabling." according to Jim Hayes of the Fiber Optic Association, the international non-profit professional society for the fiber-optic industry that develops educational programs and certifies fiber-optic technicians.

"Users expect mobility, demonstrated by the sales of laptops exceeding desktop computers and the popularity of mobile platforms like the BlackBerry and iPhone. Wireless has had growing pains, but with the advent of 802.11n, better cell phone data systems and the likelihood of success for WiMAX, users now have adequate wireless bandwidth practically everywhere and are not crazy about being tethered to a patch cord.

"The network of the future is certainly not recabling every couple of years with another UTP upgrade," he adds. "If 10-Gigabit Ethernet needs to be delivered to the desk, it's probably going to be on fiber, not just for the bandwidth, but also for the lower power consumption. But I'm betting on more mobile applications, with a backbone of fiber connecting wireless access points. That's how cell phone networks are built, as well as many metro Wi-Fi networks. With most large enterprises already depending on fiber backbones, adding adequate wireless access is easy, and, of course, upgrades are simply a matter of replacing wireless access-point hardware."

Zone cabling with fiber to the zone hub is the first step to fiber to the desktop (FTTD). Fiber has been a crucial part of the campus and riser solution for years; now, fiber is reaching the horizontal plane in the structure with a host of economic and functional benefits.

Currently, plenum-approved communications cable dominates new building installs in the United States. Return-air plenum design is still less expensive than ducting feed-and-return HVAC. That brings up another area of concern: supply.

Copper continues to be a cost concern, as well as a supply issue. The most significant supply weak point, however, is the fluoropolymer materials used to insulate high-performance copper- based twisted-pair cabling for plenum-approved cable.

There are only two major producers of the fluorinated ethylene propylene (FEP; commonly known by their trade names: Teflon from DuPont and Neoflon by Daikin USA). If either or both of these material suppliers have a problem, the entire communications industry may have a problem. The National Electrical Code (NEC) may be changed to allow other cable constructions to be approved, but that process with the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) takes three years.

The NFPA might open the plenum-approved cable exemption to include low-smoke zero-halogen RoHS-compliant cable that is already approved by the European Union. That would still take three years to approve, however.

A shortage of FEP has occurred several times in the history of plenum-approved (CMP-rated) copper cable. During each shortage, the prices rose dramatically, and hybrid constructions were introduced using a mix of other insulating materials to make up for some of the material shortfall. Today, that may not be possible because the higher-performance copper cables (Category 5e, Category 6 and soon Category 6a) cannot function properly with the resultant delay skew caused by different insulation material properties.

"Fire-safe" fluoropolymer materials used in plenum-approved CMP- rated cables generate toxic gases when the cables are exposed to various levels of heat. Since the original approval of the use of CMP-rated cables in the return-air building plenum spaces, there has been no official testing of the cables for any incapacitation factor or toxicity of the gases generated in fires.

According to Chris Pezoulas, vice president of business development at Canadian wiring systems manufacturer: Electec, "Engineers, consultants, specifiers, building owners and contractors alike should look at the cable they are contemplating installing in their air-handling spaces and consider setting a higher standard, not only for themselves, but for anybody that may ever occupy the space they are using.

"With all that we know today about the toxic nature of Teflon, FEP and PFOA, it astounds me that the policy and code makers in North America have ignored the toxicity of plenum cable flame retardants," he adds. "Exposed plenum cable in air-handling spaces is a chemical nightmare."

"Fire-safe" fluoropolymer materials used in plenum-approved CMP- rated cables generate toxic gases.

Frank Bisbee is the president of Communication Planning Corp., Jacksonville, Fla., and editor of "Heard on the Streets," a widely circulated newsletter for the communications cabling industry. The newsletter can be found at www.comnews.com.

Reprinted with permission from Communications News Magazine

This month, the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) is meeting in Las Vegas for their annual conference and voting on many issues under review for the NEC 2011 (National Electrical Code). Our appreciation goes out the army of volunteers who work to build the consensus process for the code development. Our curses go to the shills who represent commercial interests over safety.

Putting Profits over PUBLIC SAFETY is deplorable.

But that’s just my opinion,

Frank Bisbee
"Heard On The Street"
Monthly column
www.wireville.com
Jacksonville, FL
(904) 645-9077
(904) 645-9058
frank@wireville.com

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Industry News

3M Releases Improved Dynatel Modular Test Platform

New Features of 3M Dynatel Advanced Modular System 965AMS Focus on Physical Media Layer for Unsurpassed Accuracy

An outside plant technician using the newest features of the 3M Dynatel Advanced Modular System 965AMS will find an easier-to-use test set that includes a standard voiceband spectrum analyzer and live differential TDR in addition to the optional 3M Dynatel All-in-One Modem Module VDSL2 with Internet browser and Ethernet test capability introduced in February 2008.

“The advanced copper test capabilities of the 3M Dynatel Advanced Modular System 965AMS not only measure, but analyze the network,” said Steve King, business unit manager for 3M Test & Measurement Solutions. “Unlike many other diagnostic test sets, this system focuses primarily on the physical media layer instead of merely the protocol being carried over it. The advantage is technicians can quickly and accurately identify copper line problems, pinpointing where, why or to what extent a fault or interference exists”

The 3M Dynatel lab brings 100 years of cumulative experience to diagnostics for the physical media layer. Developed with strict adherence to existing industry standards, the 3M Dynatel 965AMS also complies with and encompasses new service types for which standards have not yet been defined.

Now a standard feature of the 3M Dynatel 965AMS, the new voiceband spectrum analyzer provides a graphical representation of the voiceband frequency spectrum giving technicians the ability to identify noise sources that contribute to metallic noise or power influence readings. In addition, the new wideband spectrum analyzer interference templates allow technicians to compare DSL interference signatures to further pinpoint and identify line problems.

The new live differential time domain reflectometer (TDR) option allows the outside plant technician to capture a baseline trace on a troubled pair then view a live trace as stress voltage is applied to the pair. Differential operation with panning and zoom further highlights differences to enable detection of subtle changes in the pair.

Combined with the new “All-in-One” modem module, these new features of the 3M Dynatel 965AMS offer a complete test platform for the field technician. The “All-in-One” modem module provides VDSL2, ADSL2+, ADSL2, ADSL, and Ethernet connectivity in a single rugged module. It is compliant with ITU standards including G.993.2 (VDSL2), G.993.1 (VDSL), G.992.5 (ADSL2+), G.992.3/4 (ADSL2), G.992.1 (G.DMT), and ANSI T1.413 (ADSL). It also supports ADSL2+ Addendum 1 requirements for full rate performance with non-zero INP settings and WAN Protocols including PPPoE, PPPoA, and RFC1483. An integrated Internet browser validates web access to complete the network analysis package.

The hand-held, five-pound 3M Dynatel 965AMS is housed in a lightweight, ergonomically designed case for portability and ease of handling. It has a large display that is highly visible, even in bright sunlight. The unit’s rugged, waterproof design meets or exceeds the stringent IEC IP67 immersion test and ASTM D4169 five-foot drop test for reliable outdoor use in all weather conditions.

About 3M Communication Markets Division
With more than 40 years in the telecommunications industry, 3M Communication Markets Division offers one of the widest and most comprehensive suite of scalable solutions to communications service providers around the world, from underground and buried plant, to central office, premises and more. Proven systems from 3M optimize network testing, construction, locating and maintenance for faster, more reliable high-bandwidth transmissions; enable physical media-layer capabilities for FTTP and DSL deployments from central office to customer premises; and deliver fiber optics technologies to leverage existing infrastructure or install completely new networks.

About 3M

A recognized leader in research and development, 3M produces thousands of innovative products for dozens of diverse markets. 3M’s core strength is applying its more than 40 distinct technology platforms – often in combination – to a wide array of customer needs. With $24 billion in sales, 3M employs 75,000 people worldwide and has operations in more than 60 countries. For more information, visit http://www.3M.com.

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Anixter International Inc. Announces Share Repurchase Program

Anixter International Inc. (NYSE: AXE - News) today announced a share repurchase program under which the Company may repurchase up to 1 million of its outstanding shares with the exact volume and timing dependent on market conditions. Anixter noted that all previously announced share repurchase programs had been completed prior to the end of the first quarter of 2008. Anixter currently has approximately 35.7 million shares outstanding.

Anixter International is a leading global distributor of communication products, electrical and electronic wire & cable and a leading distributor of fasteners and other small parts ("C" Class inventory components) to Original Equipment Manufacturers. The company adds value to the distribution process by providing its customers access to 1) innovative inventory management programs, 2) more than 400,000 products and over $1 billion in inventory, 3) 218 warehouses with more than 6 million square feet of space, and 4) locations in 249 cities in 49 countries. Founded in 1957 and headquartered near Chicago, Anixter trades on The New York Stock Exchange under the symbol AXE. http://www.anixter.com

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Anixter International to record $4.2 million charge for granting retiring CEO options

Anixter International Inc. said Monday it will incur $4.2 million in charges in the second quarter because the communication products company agreed to let its departing chief executive keep his stock options and restricted stock upon his retirement.

Chief Executive Robert W. Grubbs is retiring at the end of June, to be replaced by Robert J. Eck.

Previously, Grubbs agreed not to compete against the company for two years, and his stock options and other grants would be terminated within 90 days of his departure.

The company said Monday it amended the agreement. Now, Grubbs agrees not to compete against the company for the longer of five years, or two years beyond his retirement from the company's board. In exchange, Grubbs will keep his options and they will vest as scheduled.

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Beast Cabling Systems Meets Market Need with New SPEED™ Solutions

Beast Cabling Systems, Inc. introduced new SPEED™ solutions as an enhancement to their comprehensive line of Cabling Installation Systems (CIS) and components. The offering includes the cost-effective SPEED Labeler, SPEED Patch Panel Organizer, and SPEED Installation Services.

“The network cabling industry has been calling for flexible solutions that make copper and fiber cabling installations more efficient and cost effective by speeding up the pulling process, eliminating errors, reducing waste, and maintaining proper separation of today’s high-bandwidth cables for maximum performance,” says Greg Bramham, vice president of Beast Cabling Systems. “Through recent R&D efforts, we’re please to offer a new line of lightweight and significantly lower-cost SPEED solutions that respond to the market need and appeal to a broad range of network cabling installers.”

The SPEED Labeler is a lightweight, portable tool that acts as an Extra-Hand™ to maintain order and allow technicians to quickly and accurately label cables for the rough-in pulling stage of a network infrastructure installation. Easily positioned in front of up to 24 boxes of cable, this ergonomic tool enables application of color-coded labels on both ends of each cable in a fraction of the time as conventional processes while eliminating errors, keeping kinks out of pathways, and reducing technician fatigue.

The SPEED Patch Panel Organizer is a convenient, labor-savings sorting board that eliminates the tedious task of cable sorting when routing into racks in the telecommunications room. This lightweight Patch Panel Organizer features a Lexan® dry-erase writing surface mounted on foldable legs with left-right sorting locations for sorting up to 384 cables by patch panel location.

SPEED Installation Services delivers fully trained Beast SPEED Technicians to the job site to help meet compressed schedules or heavy workloads that exceed available staff. Available on short notice and for extended hours, these SPEED Technicians install a significantly greater volume of rough-in cable in shorter periods of time using Beast SPEED solutions and CIS for maximum efficiency and reduced cable usage.

About Beast Cabling Systems

Headquartered in Arlington, VA, privately held Beast Cabling Systems provides patented cabling installation system (CIS) components and services to the voice and data cabling markets. Contractors using Beast CIS achieve a competitive advantage by improving practices and profitability on every job for better network performance and customer satisfaction. For more information, visit www.beastcablingsystems.com .

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Beast Cabling Systems Enters European Market

Beast Cabling Systems, Inc. (BCS) is proud to announce the first product sale of their innovative Cabling Installation System (CIS) into the European Marketplace. CIS and its components are designed to bring systemization and control to the various tasks required to properly install network cabling. CIS enables consistent, efficient installations that conserve time and material, reduce errors, and enhance industry best practices for overall better network performance.

Denmark-based T.J. Transmission A/S, provider of voice and data infrastructure solutions, purchased CIS, and the company will first deploy the technology at a Computer Sciences Corporation data center project in Copenhagen. “When we came across Beast Cabling and the CIS at a BICSI conference, we thought the system had a lot of possibilities for improving cable pulling here in Denmark,” says Troels Joergensen of T.J. Transmission A/S. “With CIS, we anticipate being able to pull cables more uniformly, color code bundles for better management, and reduce waste during the installation.”

T.J. Transmission A/S has plans to introduce CIS to the Danish market as they deploy the system on many future cabling installation projects. “While there is no committed sales effort to the European market, we’re very excited about this sale and the growing interest in our products,” says Greg Bramham, vice president of Beast Cabling Systems. “The installation market in Europe has the same concerns and issues that we experience here in the U.S. – a shortage of skilled technicians, high labor costs, increasing costs for cable and components, and the increasing need for proper installation methods to install their high-speed cable products. Consequently, it makes sense that the demand for our innovative products is growing on a global scale, and we believe it’s only a matter of time before CIS tools are the preferred method to install every cable infrastructure installation in the world.”

With CIS, Joergensen plans to easily pull 24 to 48 horizontal communications cables at a time, a process that he says previously required more space, wasted approximately 3 to 5 meters of every cable, and resulted in more errors. “We’ll be able to now pull cables right to the patch panel without having to cut down lengths and move labels, which created the potential for mistakes. I believe we can reduce waste by 50% with CIS, which is great for the environment and the bottom line,” says Joergensen. “Documentation is the one thing that everyone talks about but many don’t care enough about. With CIS, there’s no reason whatsoever to not properly label the cables, and we now have a greater possibility of ensuring good documentation throughout the installation process.”

About Beast Cabling Systems

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Belden's CEO Pumps Up HIS PAY - Enters 10b5-1 Program

Belden (NYSE: BDC - News) announced today that John Stroup, the company's Chief Executive Officer, has established a pre-arranged stock trading plan to sell shares of Belden stock. This plan was established as part of his individual long-term strategy for asset diversification and liquidity. The plan was adopted in accordance with guidelines specified under Rule 10b5-1 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and Belden's policies regarding stock transactions.

The transactions under the plan will be disclosed publicly through Form 144 and Form 4 filings with the Securities Exchange Commission.

About Belden

Belden is a leader in the design, manufacture, and marketing of signal transmission solutions for data networking and a wide range of specialty electronics markets including entertainment, industrial, security and aerospace applications. To obtain additional information contact Investor Relations at 314-854-8054, or visit our website at http://www.belden.com.

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Berk-Tek Hires Fiber Optic Product Business Manager

Copper and fiber optic cabling technology and solutions leader Berk-Tek, a Nexans Company, is pleased to announce the addition of Mike Connaughton, RCDD, as the Fiber Product Business Manager.

Reporting to Todd Harpel, Director of Marketing, Connaughton is responsible for managing all Berk-Tek optical fiber LAN product activities, as well as participating in the global Nexans Operational Product Management team.

Before joining Berk-Tek, Connaughton spent 15 years at Mohawk, a Belden Company, focusing on fiber optic product development and support. He has held various positions in technical support, sales, marketing and product management. Connaughton has his Bachelors of Science in Electronic Engineering Technology from Wentworth Institute of Technology in Boston, and has achieved the RCDD designation from BICSI. Connaughton and his family will be relocating from Massachusetts to North Carolina, as he will be based out of the Berk-Tek fiber optic facility in Fuquay-Varina.

“Mike brings a wide variety of experience in the industry and a unique perspective on our company,” notes Harpel. “Combining his technical expertise with his reputable industry relations, I am sure he will be an asset to Berk-Tek.”

About Berk-Tek, A Nexans Company

For more than 45 years, Berk-Tek has been a leading manufacturer of more than 100 different network copper and fiber optic cable products. The company has led in the development of high-performance and enhanced fiber optic and UTP cables designed to transport high-speed data and voice transmissions. Berk-Tek has major manufacturing facilities at New Holland, PA, Fuquay-Varina, NC and Elm City, NC. For more information, visit www.berktek.com.

About Nexans

Nexans, the worldwide leader in the cable industry, brings an extensive range of advanced copper and optical fiber cable solutions to the infrastructure, industry and building markets for telecommunications and energy networks. With an industrial presence in 29 countries and commercial activities worldwide, Nexans employs employs 21,000 people and had sales in 2006 of $10 billion. Nexans is listed on the Paris stock exchange as NEX. Visit www.nexans.com.

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California Senate votes to ban heat-resistant compounds

This is big news for the cabling industry. What if Teflon® was banned?

- The Associated Press

Published 6:34 pm PDT Monday, May 12, 2008

The California Senate has voted to ban food packaging containing a family of chemicals that have been used for decades in products that resist heat, oil, stains, grease and water.

The legislation by Sen. Ellen Corbett, D-San Leandro, would prohibit the use of perfluorinated compounds in items used to package, transport or hold food, starting in 2010.

Perfluorinated compounds, or PFCs, are considered to be likely human carcinogens by the Environmental Protection Agency.

They also are associated with higher rates of heart disease, stroke and diabetes and with diminished weight in newborns, immune system problems and hormone imbalance.

Monday's 22-15 vote sent the bill to the Assembly.

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CommScope to Close Jaguariuna Brazil Facility

CommScope, Inc. (NYSE:CTV - News), a world leader in infrastructure solutions for communication networks, plans to close its Jaguariuna, Brazil broadband facility as part of the company’s goal to eliminate duplicate manufacturing and distribution centers to reduce costs and enhance its long-term competitive position.

The Jaguariuna facility, which employs approximately 200 people and primarily produces broadband cable products, is expected to close by the end of September, with most equipment redeployed to other facilities elsewhere in the world. These changes do not affect the company’s other Brazilian facility located in Sorocaba or the company’s ongoing commitment to providing Latin America customers with high-performance wireless, enterprise and broadband solutions.

“This is the latest step in our ongoing drive to improve our competitive position, enhance our long-term financial performance and achieve our cost-synergy targets associated with the Andrew Corporation acquisition,” said CommScope President and Chief Operating Officer Brian Garrett. “We regret the impact on our people in Jaguariuna and appreciate their many contributions during the past eight years. However, we have an extensive worldwide manufacturing and distribution footprint that can be better utilized and more efficiently operated by consolidating facilities. As we execute this manufacturing strategy we intend to make sure that our customers continue to receive the outstanding service that they have come to expect from CommScope.”

The 221,000 square-foot Jaguariuna facility was purchased in June 2000. Both the costs and the savings related to this facility closing will make up part of the projected total savings and transition costs announced in connection with the acquisition of Andrew, which was completed in December 2007.

Separately, CommScope Europe S.P.R.L. has notified its Works Council of its intention to discontinue production activities at its facility in Seneffe, Belgium. A final decision on the proposed restructuring will be made after a consultation period with the Works Council. The company also has notified employees of its intent to proceed with the closing of its Capriate, Italy facility, which was acquired as part of the Andrew acquisition. Some Capriate activities will be centralized in the company’s Agrate, Italy site. Discussion is ongoing to finalize these consolidation plans.

About CommScope

CommScope, Inc. (NYSE: CTV www.commscope.com) is a world leader in infrastructure solutions for communication networks. Through its Andrew® brand, it is a global leader in radio frequency subsystem solutions for wireless networks. Through its SYSTIMAX^® and Uniprise^® brands, CommScope is the global leader in structured cabling systems for business enterprise applications. It is also the premier manufacturer of coaxial cable for broadband cable television networks and one of the leading North American providers of environmentally secure cabinets for DSL and FTTN applications. Backed by strong research and development, CommScope combines technical expertise and proprietary technology with global manufacturing capability to provide customers with infrastructure solutions for evolving global communications networks in more than 130 countries around the world.

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President and CEO Clark Kinlin Assures Corning Cable Systems’ Technology Community That Corning Will Protect Intellectual Property Around the World

Corning Cable Systems LLC, part of Corning Incorporated’s (NYSE:GLW) Telecommunications segment, recently recognized its technology community for development of numerous patented technologies significant to advancements in telecommunications. Over the past 3 years, more than 400 patents have been granted globally to Corning Cable Systems.

In remarks to members of Corning Cable Systems’ U.S. technology community, President and Chief Executive Officer Clark Kinlin hailed innovation as the key to providing Corning with sustainable competitive advantage in its global markets. Kinlin touted the development of products with clear customer value, coupled with protection of related intellectual property around the world, as one of Corning’s top priorities. He added that Corning’s intellectual property leadership in the industrial materials sector has been well recognized by sources such as The Patent Board.

Kinlin made his remarks to more than 350 Corning employees and guests during recent awards ceremonies in Texas and North Carolina. In addition to honoring patent recipients and operations excellence awards winners at these celebrations, the 2007 Corning Cable Systems Inventor and Innovations of the Year were announced for both cable and hardware & equipment.

Kinlin opened his remarks by highlighting Corning’s 2008 celebration of 100 years of research and development, one of only five U.S.-based, industrial R&D companies to achieve this significant milestone. He noted, “Corning is an innovation-driven company. And managing the innovation process is one of Corning’s top business priorities. We invest approximately 10 percent of sales in RD&E and will continue that level of investment in 2008. This sustained investment in RD&E is one of the factors that drives Corning’s success.”

Kinlin acknowledged that “innovation is expensive and requires sustained commitment.” He continued, “The problems we solve for our customers are difficult technology challenges requiring highly-skilled knowledge workers. Where we are successful, we deliver dramatic new utility and value to our customers.”

As an example of this utility and value, Kinlin referred to Corning’s ClearCurve™ product suite, named by Time magazine as one of 2007’s Inventions of the Year. Corning’s breakthrough solution to a customer’s challenge involved re-creating the molecular structure of optical fiber to prevent signal loss. This was paired with new cable designs and smaller, compatible hardware to create the ClearCurve solution set, currently being deployed by several of Corning’s U.S. customers.

Kinlin closed by pledging Corning’s vigilance regarding its intellectual property. “We are committed to vigorously protecting and defending our intellectual property in the marketplace,” said Kinlin.

About Corning Incorporated
Corning Incorporated (www.corning.com) is the world leader in specialty glass and ceramics. Drawing on more than 150 years of materials science and process engineering knowledge, Corning creates and makes keystone components that enable high-technology systems for consumer electronics, mobile emissions control, telecommunications and life sciences. Our products include glass substrates for LCD televisions, computer monitors and laptops; ceramic substrates and filters for mobile emission control systems; optical fiber, cable, hardware & equipment for telecommunications networks; optical biosensors for drug discovery; and other advanced optics and specialty glass solutions for a number of industries including semiconductor, aerospace, defense, astronomy and metrology.

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Jim Young Construction Company, Inc. Becomes Newest Member of the Corning Total Access Program^SM (TAP)

Corning Cable Systems LLC, part of Corning Incorporated’s (NYSE:GLW) Telecommunications segment, announces Jim Young Construction Company, Inc. as the newest member of the selective Corning Total Access Program^SM (TAP).

Corning’s TAP provides highly qualified design, engineering, furnishing and installation companies with the tools necessary to ensure successful fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) and wireless deployments. Certified TAP members receive all-inclusive access to Corning’s innovative and reliable FTTH solutions. After completing specialized training in the installation of optical access networks, TAP members are able to offer their customers an extended product warranty on complete Corning FTTH solutions.

Jim Young Construction Co., Inc. is a privately owned enterprise established in 1978 with extensive experience in all types of fiber-optic construction, including FTTH, intra-exchange trunking and long-haul applications. The company provides full-service outside plant construction to telecommunication service providers. Jim Young Construction Co., Inc. delivers quality and value-based services to a client base that includes consumer-owned cooperatives, privately held corporations and large publicly-held corporations. The company is licensed in Ga., Ala., N.C. and S.C.

"We look forward to a long and successful association with Corning,” said Larry Lance, president of Jim Young Construction Company, Inc. “This program will allow us to provide our clients with the best in installation technology."

Through its Evolant^® Solutions for Access Networks, Corning Cable Systems offers specialized portfolios of innovative products and services that enable customers to cost-effectively deploy fiber in the last mile. For additional information on Corning Cable Systems, contact a customer service representative at 1-800-743-2675, toll free in the United States, or (+1) 828-901-5000, international, or visit www.corning.com/cablesystems.
(www.corning.com)

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Craig Consulting Services :BELDEN Training Schedule

June– September 2008

Dates Class

JUNE

6/9-6/10 303 Design San Antonio, TX

6/11-6/12 700 Installation San Antonio, TX

6/23- 6/24 303 Design Memphis, TN

6/25 - 6/26 700 Installation Memphis, TN

JULY

7/22 – 7/23 303 Design Kansas City, MO

7/24 – 7/25 700 Installation Kansas City, MO

AUGUST

8/5 303 Design Salt Lake City, UT

8/6-8/7 700 Installation Salt Lake City, UT

8/11-8/12 303 Design Tulsa, OK

8/13-8/14 700 Installation Tulsa, OK

SEPTEMBER

9/9-9/10 303 Design Denver, CO

9/11-9/12 700 Installation Denver, CO

9/23 303 Design Las Vegas, NV

9/24-9/25 700 Installation Las Vegas, NV

This schedule is subject to change based upon Customer requests.

James R. (Ray) Craig RCDD/NTS Specialist

Belden Regional Trainer

Craig Consulting Services

520 Lynn Court

Coppell, TX 75019

* Classes scheduled by Belden Training Department

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Craig Consulting Services :BICSI Training Schedule

June– December, 2008

Dates Class

JUNE

6/16 – 6/20 Technician

JULY

7/14 – 7/18 ITS Installer 2

AUGUST

8/18 – 8/22 TPMA PM 125

8/25 – 8/29 Technician

SEPTEMBER

9/15 – 9/19 ITS Installer 2

OCTOBER

10/6 - 10/10 Technician

NOVEMBER

11/10 – 11/14 Installer 1

DECEMBER

12/8 – 12/12 Technician

This schedule is subject to change based upon Customer requests.

James R. (Ray) Craig RCDD/NTS Specialist

Craig Consulting Services Training Center

13370 Branch View Lane

Farmers Branch, TX 75234

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D-Tools Unveils New Website

D-Tools Inc., the worldwide leader in system integration software, today announced, the launch of its newly re-designed website located at www.d-tools.com.

“With its fresh appearance and dynamic interactivity, our new website’s new format and redesigned navigation bar makes it easy for visitors to quickly and easily navigate through the site and locate information they are seeking, “said Tim Bigoness, VP of Sales and Marketing of D-Tools. “The new website is completely template-driven which makes it easier to update and add new content, while the new design gives it a more atheistically pleasing appearance.” www.d-tools.com

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D-Tools Enhances Manufacturer Vantage Point (MVP) Program with Elegant Addition

D-Tools, Inc., the worldwide leader in system integration software, today announced that Media Decor has joined the D-Tools Manufacturer Vantage Point (MVP) program. Florida-based Media Decor, LLC was founded in 2003 to fulfill elegant designer-level solutions for today’s home entertainment installations. Media Décor’s elegant product line provides cutting edge solutions to custom entertainment display concealment.

“We anticipate joining D-Tools MVP Program to be a great deal of success for our team,” said Jonathan Graham, President of Media Decor, “This is a great opportunity for SI users to offer their clients a stylish and customized solution for their entertainment systems and we are pleased to be the only concealment company within the program at this point.”

The D-Tools Manufacturer Vantage Point (MVP) program is designed to help provide system integrators with the most up-to-date product information to over 2,500 companies using D-Tools System Integrator software. D-Tools MVP members are dedicated to helping companies streamline the design process and making it easier for system integrators and installers to provide accurate proposals to their clients.

“We are pleased to have Media Décor be a part of the MVP Program,” said Adam Stone, President of D-Tools. “Their designer-level solutions will offer our users a high-end outlet adding another stylistic attribute to their clients systems.”

About Media Decor

Florida-based Media Decor, LLC was founded in 2003 to fill the growing demand for elegant designer-level solutions for today's home entertainment installations. Its team of expert and inspired technicians, interior designers, and structural craftsmen collaborate to create and deliver the world's most compelling, beautiful, and customized entertainment environments. For more information on Media Decor and its service and product offerings, please visit www.mediadecor.com.

About D-Tools, Inc.

D-Tools, founded in 1998 and based in Concord, California, is a worldwide leader in accessible, highly accurate system design and documentation software. The company’s flagship product, System Integrator™ (SI), is a total design solution that utilizes Autodesk® AutoCAD and Microsoft® Visio for comprehensive system design, documentation and project management. D-Tools SI allows commercial integrators to streamline their business processes to increase overall revenues while reducing the time and costs associated with the installation and integration of low-voltage systems. Over 2,000 leading companies use D-Tools software to reduce time and costs and streamline the system integration process. D-Tools is the recipient of the Consumer Electronics Association’s Mark of Excellence Award (2004, 2005, 2006), National Systems Contractors Association and Sound and Video Contractor’s Innovations in Technology for Business Productivity Award (2004, 2005) and CE Pro’s High Impact Award for Design Software. www.d-tools.com .

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New Test Suite in EtherScope Network Assistant Creates New Business Opportunities for Value Added Resellers and System Integrators

Installers now have the ideal tool for LAN installation and validation, allowing projects to be completed more quickly at lower cost

Fluke Networks today announced new capabilities for the company's award winning EtherScope Network Assistant that helps Value Added Resellers (VARs) and System Integrators (SIs) expand their network installation business. VARs and SIs installing new networks will find that the EtherScope analyzer's new capabilities help them install, validate, and document LAN installations faster and at a lower cost.

Validating LAN performance during installation is made possible by EtherScope’s new Service Performance Tool. Installers, VARs and SIs use this tool to demonstrate and document that those network services that are critical for acceptable LAN operation (DHCP, DNS, web) are available and responsive. Such documentation may be a client requirement, or the installer may use this feature to differentiate his service from the competition. When teamed with Ethernet performance testing, network installers have a powerful new combination of tools to validate that network infrastructure was correctly installed and configured. Validation and the resulting documentation provide assurance that the LAN will perform as designed – resulting in robust network operation, fewer trouble tickets and more satisfied users and clients.

These validation results are captured by the EtherScope Network Assistant and turned into easy-to-interpret documentation that thoroughly characterizes LAN and WAN link performance at turn-up. Any performance issues later noted by the customer can be compared against this turn-up documentation. Validation documentation serves as proof of a project successfully completed.

Other new installation tests are provided by the expanded Ethernet performance test suite. Users can now measure and assess end-to-end Ethernet performance using new RFC 2544 procedures and other advanced tests, including jitter and bit errors, with customizable pass/fail criteria. The EtherScope analyzer can now also be paired with a low-cost Gigabit LinkRunner Pro packet reflector for end-to-end testing. The smart LinkRunner Pro packet reflector supports layer 2 and 3 networking at a price that allows installers to instrument multiple links or to equip multiple field technicians.

Technicians working for SIs and VARs typically spend 70% of their time on deployment issues. EtherScope's new battery of installation validation tests lets installers spend less time on site and helps SIs and VARs save money.

In addition to these new installation-centric features, the EtherScope Network Assistant now offers enhanced troubleshooting with the addition of draft 802.11n access point detection and location. "We have a customer who swore there were no unidentified wireless access points on the site," said Jennie Lassig of CompuTech Consulting in Woods Cross, UT. "With EtherScope we found that a user had mounted an unknown AP and was transmitting unsecured."

The EtherScope Network Assistant is a handheld network analyzer that helps network professionals quickly solve problems on 10, 100 and Gigabit, twisted pair and optical fiber LANs and wireless LANs. CompuTech's Lassig reported that a "customer had a tech on site for 2 days who couldn’t resolve the problem of slow network performance." With the EtherScope Network Assistant "we went there and within two minutes found a network loop in a switch that didn’t have spanning tree enabled. The customer was thrilled and we gained their trust and confidence in our technical expertise." EtherScope also now supports SNMPv3, crucial for network technicians responsible for devices using this newest version of SNMP.

Product availability

The EtherScope Network Assistants is available for immediate delivery from Fluke Networks sales partners worldwide. All EtherScope Network Assistants shipped after April 28 will include new version 4 software. Existing EtherScope owners with Gold support can upgrade their units by visiting www.flukenetworks.com/EtherScope.

About Fluke Networks

Fluke Networks provides innovative solutions for the installation and certification, testing, monitoring and analysis of copper, fiber and wireless networks used by enterprises and telecommunications carriers. The company's comprehensive line of Network SuperVision™ Solutions provide network installers, owners, and maintainers with superior vision, combining speed, accuracy and ease of use to optimize network performance. Headquartered in Everett, Washington, the company distributes its products in more than 50 countries. More information can be found by visiting Fluke Networks’ Web site at www.flukenetworks.com

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New MicroScanner 2 Termination Test Kit Increases Technician Productivity From the First Day of Use

Complete set of best-in-class tools for network cable installers, TV cable technicians leads to faster, higher quality work with less risk of error

Fluke Networks, provider of innovative Network SuperVision Solutions™ for the testing, monitoring and analysis of enterprise and telecommunications networks, today announced the new MicroScanner2 Termination Test Kit. This comprehensive new collection of installation and service tools includes everything a network cable installer or TV cable technician needs to locate, terminate and verify their copper cabling installations.

Central to this combination of best-in-class tools is the MicroScanner2 Cable Verifier, which works with all major cable types: coax, UTP and two-lead conductors. This cable tester shows installers the four most important test results — cable length, wire map, cable ID and distance to break or short — as visual representations on a single screen. This makes testing faster and reduces the chance of human error switching between tests.

“Seeing all test results at once saves time and improves technician accuracy. That allows us to deliver high quality installations at a lower cost to our clients, “ said Kevin Kolinac, owner of Communications Facilities & Design, Los Angeles, CA.

Cable ID simplified, faster with IntelliTone digital toning
Also part of the MicroScanner2 Termination Test Kit is Fluke Networks’ IntelliTone Pro Probe. The IntelliTone probe is immune to electrical interference, using digital signaling technology to separate trace signals from background noise. This permits quick, precise identification of specific wire pairs and cables on active networks. The IntelliTone probe responds to the built-in tone generator of the MicroScanner2, which produces both digital and analog tones.

All-in-one Voice/Data/Video test set
The MicroScanner2 Termination Test Kit provides the installer with all common adapters and patch cords needed on the job site. The essential hand tools include an impact tool which accepts all industry standard blades, electrician’s D-Snips™ with long-tailed handle for better cutting leverage, an adjustable wire cutter-stripper with depth gauge, flashlight and marker.

Of particular use to cable TV technicians is a push-on F-Coax patch cord. Also included are six remote cable identifiers, a shielded twisted-pair RJ45 patch cord, an RJ11 patch cord, and a clip-set that connects the MicroScanner2 RJ45 jack to 8 bare wires via alligator clips. This gives a new installer everything needed to be productive from day one.

Product availability
The MicroScanner2 Termination Test Kit is available for immediate delivery from Fluke Networks sales partners worldwide.

About Fluke Networks
Fluke Networks provides innovative solutions for the installation and certification, testing, monitoring and analysis of copper, fiber and wireless networks used by enterprises and telecommunications carriers. The company's comprehensive line of Network SuperVision™ Solutions provide network installers, owners, and maintainers with superior vision, combining speed, accuracy and ease of use to optimize network performance. Headquartered in Everett, Washington, the company distributes its products in more than 50 countries. Fluke Networks is part of the Danaher (NYSE:DHR) family of companies. More information can be found by visiting Fluke Networks’ Web site at www.flukenetworks.com or by calling (800) 283-5853.

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General Cable's Goenaga cashes in on options

General Cable Corp.'s executive vice president and CEO of its European and North Africa operations, Domingo Goenaga, pocketed more than $900,000 before taxes from the exercise of options and sale of the stock in late May.

Goenaga exercised 10,000 options with a strike price of $7.71 and another 5,000 at $14.125 and then sold the resulting shares for between $70.50 and $71.50 each, according to a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. The transactions left him with no direct holdings of the company's stock, it said.

Goenaga has been in charge of Highland Heights-based General Cable's European operations since 2001. He joined the company in 1963.

General Cable (NYSE: BGC) designs, manufactures and markets copper, aluminum and fiber optic wire and cable products.

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Graybar reports hefty increase in first quarter net income

Graybar reported first quarter 2008 net income of US$18.9 million, a 58.7% over the first quarter of 2007.

Net sales grew 4.8% during the quarter to US$1.28 billion. The company said the increase is a result of modest growth in electrical market sales coupled with a solid rate of sales growth and competitive performance in the data communications market.

"Our focus on organic growth, expense management and process improvement continues to deliver positive results for the company and its customers," said Robert A. Reynolds Jr., chairman, president and CEO of Graybar.

He added that Graybar continues to invest in technical resources to help its customers manage the implementation of complex projects such as data center redesign and energy-efficient facility construction.

www.graybar.com

Graybar Starts 2008 with 58.7 Percent Increase in First-Quarter Net Income

Company’s Organic Growth Strategy Continues to Deliver Top- and Bottom-Line Results

Graybar, one of the nation’s leading distributors of electrical and communications products and related supply chain management and logistics services, reported net income of $18.9 million, a 58.7 percent increase over the first quarter of 2007.

Net sales grew 4.8 percent during the first quarter of 2008 – to $1.28 billion – compared to the same period in 2007. The company said the increase is a result of modest growth in electrical market sales coupled with a solid rate of sales growth and competitive performance in the data communications market. First-quarter 2008 income from operations rose 22.8 percent – to $30.5 million – compared to the first quarter of 2007.

“Our focus on organic growth, expense management and process improvement continues to deliver positive results for the company and its customers,” said Robert A. Reynolds Jr., chairman, president and chief executive officer of Graybar. “We provide products and supply-chain solutions that make our customers more efficient and productive. During this economic slowdown, we see customers leveraging our distribution services more than ever to lower their total cost of ownership.”

Reynolds added that Graybar continues to invest in technical resources to help its customers manage the implementation of complex projects such as data center redesign and energy-efficient facility construction.

“We understand these opportunities, especially where it relates to power, energy conservation and faster completion to take advantage of cost savings,” Reynolds added. “With our knowledge and use of leading-edge technology, we continue to raise the bar on performance and value for our customers.”

About Graybar

Graybar, a Fortune 500 corporation and one of the largest employee-owned companies in North America, is a leader in the distribution of high quality electrical, telecommunications and networking products, and specializes in related supply chain management and logistics services. Through its network of more than 250 North American distribution facilities, it stocks and sells products from thousands of manufacturers, serving as the vital link to hundreds of thousands of customers. For more information, visit http://graybar.com/

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DialAmerica Improves Operational Efficiencies with All-in-One IP Communications Software Suite from Interactive Intelligence

DialAmerica, one of the largest privately owned telemarketing companies in the U.S., has reported increased operational efficiencies and reduced costs as a result of deploying an all-in-one IP communications software suite from Interactive Intelligence (Nasdaq: ININ).

DialAmerica deployed the Customer Interaction Center^® (CIC) software suite to replace its multi-point PBX, automatic call distributor and interactive voice response systems.

“Due to our growing customer base we needed to re-evaluate the capacity of our existing call center platform,” said DialAmerica’s director of technology, Michael Bardwell. “After a thorough analysis, we chose an all-in-one platform to improve efficiencies and continue to provide the highest return on investment for our customers.”

DialAmerica selected Interactive Intelligence based on CIC’s architecture and the vendor’s experience and responsiveness to better support the challenges presented by DialAmerica’s diverse and demanding client base.

“Interactive Intelligence’s superior product offering and scalable architecture provided us with an all-in-one-solution to meet our changing needs,” said DialAmerica’s senior vice president, Christopher Conway. “In addition, Interactive Intelligence offered us the ideal combination of a proven track record and a culture of accessibility that we were seeking.”

Today DialAmerica uses the all-software SIP-based CIC version to support approximately 600 contact center agents and 200 business users across four sites in Georgia, South Carolina, Pennsylvania and New Jersey.

The company uses CIC for IP switching, multi-channel routing and queuing, IVR, call recording, and unified messaging.

In addition to simplifying management by consolidating systems across sites, DialAmerica has also credited CIC with helping it to more quickly and cost-effectively scale up and down as business needs require.

“DialAmerica has built a business model based on distributed contact center sites that enables us to more effectively recruit the best quality agents,” Bardwell said. “Because of this model, we need to be able to quickly and cost-effectively activate new centers and redirect calls to outbound sites based on call volume. CIC has provided cost savings by using voice over IP technology and enabling us to purchase off-the-shelf servers. The centralization of administration and use of non-proprietary hardware have resulted in improved reliability and maximum flexibility so that we can effectively meet our customers’ needs.”

Another benefit of CIC has been the product’s customization capabilities, according to Bardwell. “CIC has enabled us to develop our own agent interface along with a host of other custom applications so we can best satisfy our unique business requirements,” he said. “As a teleservices firm that supports an incredibly diverse and dynamic client base, this kind of business agility has been essential to our success.”

About DialAmerica

DialAmerica Inc., one the nation’s largest teleservices companies, is recognized for its expertise in providing comprehensive, cost-effective customer acquisition and care solutions for consumer and business-to-business marketers. Serving the marketing and fundraising communities for 50 years, DialAmerica has a diverse portfolio of clients in multiple industry sectors, including financial services, communications, healthcare, pharmaceutical, technology, travel and leisure, consumer products, energy and others.

The company has extensive experience in the publishing arena and in supporting clubs, continuity programs and cause-related marketing. DialAmerica’s vast expertise in designing customer acquisition and care programs and in hiring/training superior teleservices representatives – coupled with its proprietary technology platform – enables the company to provide its clients with the highest standards of account service, information security and regulatory compliance, while delivering the lowest cost-per-transaction. For more information about DialAmerica call 800-913-3331, or visit http://www.dialamerica.com.

About Interactive Intelligence

Interactive Intelligence Inc. (Nasdaq: ININ) is a global provider of unified business communications solutions for contact center automation, enterprise IP telephony, and enterprise messaging. The company was founded in 1994 and has more than 3,000 customers worldwide. Interactive Intelligence is among the top 500 global software and services suppliers, and is ranked among the top 200 North American networking vendors. The company employs approximately 600 people and is headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana. It has six global corporate offices, with additional sales offices throughout North America, Europe, Middle East, Africa and Asia Pacific. Interactive Intelligence can be reached at +1 317.872.3000 or info@inin.com; on the Net: http://www.inin.com.

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Interactive Intelligence Adds Contact Center and IP Telephony Capabilities to Microsoft Office Communications Server Environments

Interactive Intelligence Inc. (Nasdaq: ININ) is releasing an integrated solution that combines its all-in-one IP communications software platform with Microsoft Office Communications Server 2007. The integration is designed to help organizations communicate more effectively by adding contact center and IP telephony functionality to OCS environments.

The Interactive Intelligence all-in-one IP communications software platform adds features such as multi-channel skills-based routing, call and screen recording, an operator console interface, workforce management, and cradle-to-grave reporting. The integration also offers the ability to exchange instant messages (IM) between the two systems using OCS’s secure IM engine through a common enterprise-wide user directory.

“We’ve gone beyond the basic integration of simply connecting audio calls between systems,” said Interactive Intelligence founder and CEO, Dr. Donald E. Brown. “Combined with OCS, our solution provides a broad set of contact center and IP telephony applications, a common company directory, and simplified administration for user provisioning.

“The beauty of this combined solution is that all users can share information and communicate with one another in real-time even though they are running desktop software from two different vendors. For instance, an engineer in California running an Office Communicator Client using a PC as a soft phone can call or ‘IM’ a product manager in New York running our Interaction Client^®. In addition, because our integration to OCS uses a direct SIP connection, customers don’t have to purchase pricey gateways.”

“Interactive Intelligence has taken OCS integration a step forward by enabling customers to more easily take advantage of both the collaboration capabilities in OCS, and the contact center and IP telephony functionality in CIC – all while giving users the choice of which client to run at the desktop,” said Yankee Group enterprise research group analyst, Vanessa Alvarez. “From an industry perspective, this move pushes unified communications forward, which Yankee believes is critical for achieving the Anywhere Enterprise^™where employees, customers, assets and partners can easily connect to applications, information and services whenever and wherever they need them.”

Microsoft Office Communications Server 2007 manages real-time communications, including instant messaging, voice over IP, audio and video conferencing. It works with existing telecommunications systems so businesses can deploy advanced VoIP and conferencing without tearing out their legacy phone networks. Microsoft OCS also powers presence, a key benefit of Microsoft unified communications that unites all the contact information stored in Active Directory with the ways people communicate.

In 1997 Interactive Intelligence launched its first product based on the company’s all-in-one IP communications software platform called Interaction Center Platform^®. This platform was designed to deliver comprehensive applications minus the cost and complexity introduced by multi-point products. Today it serves as the basis for all the Interactive Intelligence products, including Customer Interaction Center^® (CIC) for contact center automation and Vonexus Enterprise Interaction Center^™ (Vonexus EIC) for enterprise IP telephony.

The Interactive Intelligence integration to OCS is planned for general availability in Q3 2008. It will be offered through the Interactive Intelligence channel of approximately 300 value-added resellers worldwide.

About Interactive Intelligence

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Interactive Intelligence Introduces Customer Feedback Management Products

New offerings designed to help organizations better measure and improve customer service

Interactive Intelligence (Nasdaq: ININ), a global provider of unified IP business communications solutions, is introducing new customer feedback management products designed to help organizations better measure and improve customer service.

The first product being introduced is Interaction Feedback^™ -- an automated customer satisfaction survey module that enables organizations to accurately measure customer service levels in a timely and cost-effective way.

Further extending its customer feedback management portfolio, the company is also actively developing a speech analytics/emotion detection product. The product is designed to provide real-time alerts to contact center supervisors when heightened emotion is detected on a call.

Both customer feedback management products are designed as add-on modules to the company’s Interaction Center Platform^® -- a standards-based, all-in-one platform designed to reduce the cost and complexity introduced by multi-point products.

“During these challenging economic times the need for communications technologies that help organizations improve service levels and retain customers becomes more critical than ever,” said Yankee Group program manager and senior analyst, Ken Landoline. “We consistently find there is a major discrepancy between company perceptions of customer satisfaction and reality. The new customer feedback management products from Interactive Intelligence enable organizations to take a more real-time approach to identifying and resolving specific customer problems, while providing a cost-effective method for measuring and managing true customer satisfaction levels.”

In addition to a wizard interface that eliminates the need for programming expertise, Interaction Feedback^™ offers organizations real-time supervisory alerts, integration with call recording and scoring features, the removal of agent bias in the survey process, and a built-in third-party question library from CFI Group (www.cfigroup.com), which holds a patented methodology for tying customer satisfaction to financial results.

The Interactive Intelligence real-time speech analytics software module will enable organizations to monitor calls in real-time to detect heightened states of emotion. The module will also include supervisory monitoring and alerts, along with the ability to distinguish between customer and agent emotion.

“Real-time feedback and simplicity are the two main things missing from today’s customer feedback methods,” said Interactive Intelligence founder and CEO, Dr. Donald E. Brown. “By offering our Interaction Feedback^™ and real-time speech analytics products as part of our all-in-one communications software suite, we give organizations the most cost-effective and simple way to proactively address customer issues before they escalate. With discussions of improving the customer experience now taking place at the board level, our alternative to costly and complex standalone feedback management products has major significance that extends beyond the contact center into the entire enterprise.”

The Interactive Intelligence Interaction Feedback^™ and real-time speech analytics products are targeted at mid-size to large contact centers and enterprises. They will be sold through the company’s channel of more than 300 resellers worldwide.

Interaction Feedback^™is plannedfor general availability in Q3 2008. The Interactive Intelligence real-time speech analytics software module is part of the company’s customer feedback management roadmap.

About Interactive Intelligence

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Leviton Tops Patent Board’s Scorecard for Third Consecutive Quarter

Rated # 1 in Brand Preference by Builders and Electrical Contractors, Leviton Maintains Dominant Position in Tech Strength and Industry Impact

Leviton Manufacturing Company, North America's leader in residential, commercial and industrial wiring devices, was ranked by the Patent Board™ for the third time as having one of the strongest and most influential patent portfolios for Industrial Components and Fixtures. Of 35 companies whose patent activity was analyzed using the Patent Board’s Patent Scorecard metrics, Leviton received the second highest ranking in Tech Strength of all companies surveyed and moved up 3 percentage points in Current Impact over last quarter’s ratings.

“Our exceptionally high ranking in the areas of tech strength and industry impact is evidence of our leadership in pioneering new technologies that set the benchmark in our industry,” said Donald J. Hendler, President and CEO of Leviton. “It is a tribute to our staff of talented engineers that we stand at the forefront of progress and innovation in the marketplace. Given the very high profile of those industry giants and the relative size of their patent portfolios, all of us at Leviton could not be more pleased.”

The 13-week rolling average of manufacturers of Industrial Components & Fixtures was published in the April 22nd issue of The Wall Street Journal. It positions Leviton highly favorably when compared to companies of significantly greater size, market capitalization and size of their patent portfolio. Leviton’s rating in the Tech Strength category placed it nearly 40 points ahead of General Electric, 65 points ahead of the Legrand Group, 90 points ahead of Thomas & Betts and 100 points ahead of Lutron Electronics.

The Patent Board’s Scorecard rates corporate innovation across 17 industries and combines more than 50 industry-standard indicators to arrive at measures of patent portfolio quality, technological strength and breadth of impact. The aggregate score received by a company determines its ranking.

The Scorecard criteria includes measures of a company’s technology strength, industry impact, patents granted, science strength, research intensity and innovation cycle time.

Founded in 1906 at the dawn of the electrical era, Leviton manufactures over 25,000 different products and is North America’s leading electrical and electronic wiring device producer. Leviton products are used in nine out of ten homes in the US and Canada, and in commercial facilities, industrial plants and OEM operations. Independent surveys consistently show Leviton is Number One in brand preference among builders, electrical contractors, architects, specifying engineers and end-users. A third-generation family owned and operated business, Leviton sets the pace of progress in the industry. For more information about Leviton, visit www.leviton.com.

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Leviton Introduces Expanded Line of Cable Management

Leviton Network Solutions, a leading manufacturer of voice and data equipment and a division of Leviton Manufacturing Company, Inc., now offers an expanded line of Velcro® Brand Fasteners designed for cable management. The broad line of products, including Bulk Rolls, Compression Straps, Soft-Cinch Rolls and Bulk-Packaged Wraps, secures and organizes copper and fiber cables in a variety of applications.

Leviton recommends Velcro Brand Fastener products for all low voltage multimedia systems. The reusable solution safely secures cables without kinking or crimping and facilitates quick moves, adds and changes.

All products in the Velcro Brand line are available in black, blue, orange and yellow. Velcro Wraps in bulk rolls and Tie Wraps in three standard lengths are also available with plenum rating indicated by the color maroon. Search “Velcro” at www.leviton.com and explore the full line today.

About Leviton Network Solutions

Leviton Network Solutions was created 20 years ago to meet the growing need for telecommunications and high-speed data technologies. Today, the division is dedicated to producing complete system solutions for network infrastructure, from the backbone to the workstation, for the enterprise, data center, service provider, and residential markets. Incorporating fiber and copper innovations to create the best and most integrated network possible, Leviton Network Solutions offers connectors, cabling assemblies, panels, wall plates and workstation solutions, cable management, and home technology equipment for commercial and residential uses. www.leviton.com

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Megladon Announces New Product Release of E2000 HLC® Fiber Optic Patch Cords

Megladon’s cutting edge patch cord technology provides mating surface durability and low loss.

Megladon Manufacturing Group, LTD announced the release of its singlemode and multimode E2000 patch cords utilizing HLC technology. Applying the HLC process to E2000 connectors provides a mating surface that is dust and scratch resistant with signal losses well below industry standards. The result is one of the most reliable, long lasting, and efficient patch cords to serve the global market.

“Our customers realize fiber optic patch cords are not a commodity. They are just as critical as the application hardware and software,” stated John M. Culbert, President of Megladon. “Reliable networks require reliable patch cords.” He continued: “Our product has proven itself in numerous applications including a Fortune 20 solution. We now feel it is time to adapt this value proposition to a wider variety of products and serve additional markets.”

The emphasis of solving intermittent network failures caused by using sub-standard patch cords was the reason for creating Megladon’s HLC technology more than 7 years ago. It’s dust and scratch resistant durability provides an extended life span that lowers overall cost of replacement for network managers and companies. Its ease of install and compatibility with all existing connectors make it the only choice for replacement and newly engineered environments. Now proven in a Tier 1 ILEC, Megladon’s solution looks to soon become the benchmark product for network installers and network applications worldwide.

www.megladonmfg.com

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Come and See Mike Holt Live

Mike is nationally recognized as one of America's most knowledgeable electrical trainers. He has touched the lives of many thousands of electricians, inspectors, contractors and engineers. His dynamic and animated teaching style is relaxed, direct and fun. Perhaps Mike's best quality is his ability to motivate his students to become successful.

Now is your chance to meet Mike in person and experience one of his live seminars. Get your book autographed and picture taken with Mike and find out why his seminars are so popular.

Mike’s Upcoming Seminars:

Coral Springs , FL

July 30 – 31: Instructor Conference

August 1: Business Management, Workplace Safety, Workers’ Comp.

August 2: Grounding versus Bonding

August 1st and 2nd (Both Days): Business Management, Workplace Safety, Workers’ Comp. and Grounding versus Bonding

July 30th through August 2nd (All 4 Days): Instructor Conference plus Business Management, Workplace Safety, Workers’ Comp. and Grounding versus Bonding

Portland, OR , September 4 – 5: EC&M - Changes to the NEC 2008

San Antonio, TX , September 8 – 9: EC&M - Changes to the NEC 2008

Allentown, PA , September 11: ABC Eastern PA - Changes to the NEC 2008

Salt Lake City, UT , October 3: Northern Utah Building Inspectors Association - Changes to the NEC 2008

We hope to see you at one of these seminars! If you can’t join Mike for one of these live seminars then visit www.MikeHolt.com to order one of his special 2008 Code Change or Grounding versus Bonding packages.

If you have any questions please feel free to contact our office at 888-632-2633.

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Certified Partner Program for Resellers announced by Para Systems/ Minuteman Power Technologies

Para Systems has introduced its Certified Partner Program for resellers of its Para Systems/Minuteman Power Technology products. The Minuteman Certified Partner Program is an opportunity for resellers and installers and their customers to tap into Para Systems' marketing resources and earn funds for the promotion of Minuteman products with annual purchases of Minuteman products in excess of $10,000.

Qualified resellers and installers of power and communication-related products and services are eligible for Para Systems'

Certified Partner program if they agree to:

· Submit a Minuteman Certified Partner Program application

· Actively sell power-related products to end users in the United

States.

· Annually purchase at least $10,000 of Minuteman products from

authorized Minuteman distributors.

· Have sales, service and technical personnel trained on Minuteman

products.

· Participate in promotional campaigns initiated by Para Systems.

· Include a customized www.sizemyups.com page on their website

· Highlight Minuteman products on their web site

In order to qualify for the program, resellers must submit an Certified Partner Program application (available on-line at www.minutemanups.com/partners <http://www.minutemanups.com/partners> ).

Each Partner Agreement will be valid for one year and may be renewed annually. Certified Partners may be re-certified each year based on the prior year's performance and with agreement of both parties.

In turn, Para Systems will:

· Provide early notification of product news and announcements.

· Provide and additional year of warranty on Minuteman UPS products.

· Provide full access to technical and marketing assistance.

· Provide a customized www.sizemyups.com website for their business.

· Provide on-line access to forms and information updates.

· Include the Certified Partner in the Certified Partner/Dealer

Locator on www.minutemanups.com which allows potential customers to find their business and contact information.

· Provide signage for their office.

· Offer replacement batteries and Minuteman services at a 20%

discount.

In announcing the Certified Partner Program, Rod Pullen, President of Para Systems stated:

"We are very excited about being able to add this level of support for the resellers of our Minuteman product line. This will help us better support some of our vertical markets including security and telephone systems resellers. We look forward to working with our reseller partners. "

Minuteman Power Technology products are sold through major national and regional distributors. Products include:

· Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) systems

· Power Distribution Units (PDUs)

· Power Management Systems

· Keyboard-Video-Mouse (KVM) systems

· Surge Suppressors

· Power monitoring and management software

Additional information on the program can be found at:

www.minutemanups.com/partners <http://www.minutemanups.com/partners>

www.minutemanups.com. A free UPS sizing and selection tool is available at www.sizemyups.com that can determine which Minuteman(r) UPS units can best meet your application's power protection needs. The website www.sizemypdu.com can determine which PDU is appropriate and www.comparemyups.com can compare UPS features to competitive products.

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MOHAWK Announces The Addition Of Lee Snedaker To Their Staff

Effective immediately, Mohawk would like to announce the appointment of Lee Snedaker for the South Texas territory.

Mr. Snedaker has over 13 years of broad industry experience from Lockheed-Martin, TCI Cablevision, Datacom Design Group, 2002 Olympics Organizing Committee in Salt Lake City and most recently ACS Dataline. Lee’s broad knowledge and experience in the South Texas territory will allow Mohawk to expand our market position and grow our open architecture strategy with all our channel partners as well as open new opportunities in strategic vertical markets.

Lee resides in Austin, Texas with his wife Juliet, 10 year old son Jacob, 8 year old son Jordan and 2 year old daughter Brooklynn.

About Mohawk
Mohawk, a division of Belden, is headquartered in Leominster, Massachusetts, and has been providing fiber and copper cable innovations for over 50 years. Their headquartered location dedicates 210,000 square feet to today’s most advanced facilities for the design, development and production of copper, fiber optic, and hybrid wire and cable. Mohawk, an ISO 9001 certified company, develops products to meet and support TIA/EIA, ISO/IEC, ICEA and NEMA standards. As part of the global Belden operations, Mohawk is supported with worldwide management, financial resources, and distribution capabilities.

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Magenta Endorses Mohawk Low-Skew Cable for Use With MultiView™ Product Line

Spectrum M55814 exceeds Magenta performance standards to 2,000 feet

Magenta Research, a leading manufacturer of equipment for video, audio and serial signal distribution plus switching over UTP cable or fiber, has endorsed Mohawk’s Spectrum™ Low Skew UTP cable for use with its MultiView Series product line.

The approval follows rigorous in-house testing of Mohawk’s cable with a wide range of Magenta manufactured signal distribution systems; products that concurrently pass analog video, stereo audio and duplex RS-232 signals on a single cable. The Mohawk cable facilitated the transmission and reception of exceptionally strong and consistent signals, even over a single 2,000-foot length of cable.

This latest endorsement continues Magenta’s long-standing commitment to offering its customers a cabling choice when implementing long-distance signal transmission over UTP. For situations when cabling is already installed and cannot be changed without a large capital expenditure, Magenta offers an optional hardware delay compensation (Aku Comp II) that is integrated into long distance MultiView receivers.

For applications where cable can be specified ahead of time, the Mohawk cable enables users to forego employing Aku Comp II without compromising signal quality.

Mohawk Spectrum low skew cable is available in plenum (#M58814) and non-plenum (#M58813) versions that fit all categories of application types, from commercial to residential. Both cables also comply with EU-RoHS directive regulations.

“The cable was designed to deliver the uncompromising signal quality and clarity that have been demanded from Magenta’s products and the rigorous tests they perform,” stated Joe Barry, Mohawk’s Manager of Specialty Products who is also the cable’s designer. “We know that distance and signal quality are the two most important criteria to the end user to ensure a reliable and versatile installation and that is exactly what these cables provide.”

“We ran Mohawk’s cable through a battery of tests,” explained Magenta Chief Scientist Chris Miller. “The end result was that it performed exceptionally well with Magenta’s MultiView products, even at 2,000 feet when used with Magenta’s flagship XR-2000 receiver. We endorse the use of Mohawk M58813 and M58814 as a MultiView cabling solution with no hesitations!”

About Magenta Research
Magenta Research is the industry-recognized leader in the adaptive distribution and switching of video/audio/control signals over CatX cable, DVI over fiber and/or Cat6 and more recently, HDMI over Cat6. Over ten years, Magenta has developed the highest-performance, broadest and most flexible video-over-CatX product line, the MultiView™ Series. The company utilizes proprietary technologies to enable WUXGA/1080p video distribution at 2,000 feet (610m). MultiView Series transmitters, receivers, switchers and distributive systems have been installed in a large variety of A/V applications, especially dynamic signage for retail, airport, fast food, museum, casino, theatre, courtroom and corporate applications. In 2005, Magenta introduced the Mondo Matrix, the first multimedia Cat5 matrix switcher that can be scaled incrementally from 16x16 to 256x512. The Mondo has quickly become the new standard for larger-scale video plus audio and/or serial matrix switching. In 2006, Magenta launched the Infinea DVI Series and an industry-first – unlimited DVI extension over optical fiber and/or Cat6 using digital signal repeaters at 10km of fiber or 600 ft. (183m) of Cat6. Based in Connecticut, USA, Magenta utilizes a network of international distributors, manufacturers’ representatives and resellers to market its enabling technology worldwide.
http://www.magenta-research.com

About Mohawk
Mohawk is headquartered in Leominster, Massachusetts, and has been providing fiber and copper cable innovations for over 50 years. Their headquartered location dedicates 250,000 square feet to today’s most advanced facilities for the design, development and production of copper, fiber optic, and specialty wire and cable including a line of professional HD broadcast camera cables. Mohawk, an ISO 9001 certified company, develops products to meet and support TIA/EIA, ISO/IEC, ICEA and NEMA standards. As part of the global Belden operations, Mohawk is supported with worldwide management, financial resources, and distribution capabilities. www.mohawk-cable.com

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More news on the Toxic Teflon chemical

The webcast is accessible on the WVU Department of Community Medicine website. To find it, go to http://www.hsc.wvu.edu/som/cmed/index.asp .

Click on "Education and Students", "Continuing Education", then "Public Health Grand Rounds". Then click on "webcast". Go to the May 7, 2008 presentation and click on "webcast" again. Or you can select "handout"

to view or print the materials.

http://wvgazette.com/News/200805080134

May 9, 2008

Early C8 results suggest liver, immune impacts Researchers believe that C8 may be associated with changes in liver and immune function, as well as higher cholesterol levels in children, according to a preliminary analysis of data from a landmark new health study.

Researchers believe that C8 may be associated with changes in liver and immune function, as well as higher cholesterol levels in children, according to a preliminary analysis of data from a landmark new health study.

"These preliminary results are exactly that - preliminary," said West Virginia University researcher Stephanie Frisbee.

"Right now - first pass - it looks like there may be something there,"

Frisbee said Thursday. "There is something there that warrants further investigation."

Frisbee and other WVU researchers are poring over blood tests and other data assembled as part of a huge study of C8's possible impacts on the health of nearly 70,000 residents near the DuPont Co. Washington Works plant south of Parkersburg.

The C8 Health Project is a multi-year effort to examine the chemical's possible effects on mid-Ohio Valley residents. It is funded by major portions of a $107.6 million settlement paid by DuPont to settle a lawsuit alleging the company poisoned residents' drinking water with C8. The settlement is also funding a related examination by a three-person science team of possible C8 links to adverse health effects.

C8 is another name for ammonium perfluorooctanoate, or PFOA. DuPont has used the chemical since the 1950s at its Washington Works plant. C8 is a processing agent used to make Teflon and other nonstick products, oil-resistant paper packaging and stain-resistant textiles.

Researchers are finding that people around the world have C8 in their blood in low levels. Evidence is mounting about the chemical's dangerous effects, but regulators have not set a federal standard for its safety.

Earlier this week, a study published in the American Journal of Epidemiology linked C8 levels in newborns with smaller abdominal circumference - an indicator of liver size - and decreased birth length.

Last month, initial data from the C8 Health Project reported that residents of communities around DuPont's plant have more than five times more C8 in their blood than average Americans. Over the next six months or so, additional data that examines possible connections between C8 exposure and health effects is expected to be made public.

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NTI Goes North

The National Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee for the Electrical Industry (NJATC), co-sponsored by the National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA) and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW), and the University of Michigan (U-M) jointly announced today that the NJATC’s annual National Training Institute (NTI) is moving to the University of Michigan’s main campus in Ann Arbor, Michigan in 2009. NTI has grown into the most comprehensive training program in the electrical construction industry. Serving all sectors of the electrical construction market, NTI offers hands-on state-of-the-art technical training, advanced educational theories and practices for the classroom, and cutting-edge workshops and seminars for Apprenticeship Committee members and NECA contractors. NTI was jointly established in 1990 by the NJATC and the University of Tennessee. The U-M will proudly host the NTI for the first time July 31 – Aug. 7, 2009. This will be the NTI’s 20^th anniversary, marking a true milestone in training for the organized electrical construction industry. Joining the U-M in this effort will be the Ann Arbor Convention & Visitors Bureau, as well as numerous merchants and service providers from the Ann Arbor area.

The NJATC expects total participation in the 2009 NTI to be well in excess of 2,000 industry representatives. It is estimated that this will annually produce $4.5 to 5 million in new revenue for the economy of Ann Arbor. In selecting a new home for the NTI, of major concern was the commitment to and support of organized labor. The U-M currently employs IBEW members full-time in the electrical division of its maintenance department. Additionally, the University retains the services of NECA contractors employing IBEW members to complete all of its electrical construction projects. IBEW President, Edwin D. Hill, NECA CEO, John M. Grau, and U-M President, Mary Sue Coleman are delighted to announce this new tripartite alliance dedicated to the training and betterment of all members of the NECA/IBEW electrical construction family.

About the NJATC

The NJATC is a nonprofit organization founded in 1941 by the National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA) and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW). The organization is committed to developing and standardizing education in the electrical industry to properly and effectively train members of NECA and the IBEW; providing the electrical construction industry with the most highly trained and highly skilled workforce possible. Since its inception, more than 325,000 apprentices have completed NJATC training programs and become competent Journeymen, making the organization one of the largest training and apprenticeship programs of its kind. For more information, go to www.njatc.org.

About NECA

NECA has provided over a century of service to the $130 billion electrical construction industry that brings power, light, and communication technology to buildings and communities across the United States. NECA’s national office and 119 local chapters advance the industry through advocacy, education, research, and standards development. For more information, visit www.necanet.org.

About The IBEW

The IBEW is an international labor organization that has trained the most qualified electricians in the trade for more than 110 years. With approximately 725,000 members in the United States, Canada, Puerto Rico, Guam and the Republic of Panama, the IBEW has members in construction, utilities, manufacturing, telecommunications, broadcasting, railroads and government. For more information, visit www.ibew.org

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RHINO & Leviton Team Up

RHINO labeling products will give Leviton end users and contractors a cost-effective and efficient solution for their labeling needs.

RHINO Professional Labeling Tools is pleased to announce a strategic partnership with Leviton Network Solutions. Leviton Network Solutions is the most recognized brand in the Telcom/Datacom arena and is sold through major distribution across the U.S.. Teaming with Leviton will provide RHINO a new avenue for reaching customers in these markets and enable them to address their labeling needs in a cost-effective and efficient manner.

“I was employed by Leviton for almost 20 years,” stated Keith Smith, National Field Sales Manager for RHINO. “It is a fact that Leviton’s Network Solutions product line is one of the most widely accepted US manufactured connectivity products in the nation. Combining RHINO and Leviton expertise will be a powerful benefit to installers and contractors who can now acquire both a superior network solution and the best available handheld labeling solution to easily identify installed system components and connections.”

As part of the new business relationship, Leviton will recommend RHINO products for use in labeling Leviton panels, enclosures, wall plates, QuickPort housings and patch cords, using RHINO’s non-adhesive, nylon, polyester and vinyl labels, applied with the newly released RHINO 6000 & 6500 label printers. These two new printers allow installers to create and print labels in the field and/or to connect to a PC via RHINO CONNECT software. Their dedicated buttons for patch panels, vertical & horizontal cable-wrapping labels and flag labels make the RHINO 6000 or 6500 a must to own. The software allows Leviton customers to easily customize label designs from scratch or import label data from an external file. Of notable mention, the RHINO 6000 & 6500 are currently the only available options for creating printed labels for Leviton’s ¼” wide, magnifying lens label holder found on the 1RU/48-port high density patch panel.

To make the transition to RHINO Labeling Products easier for Leviton customers, RHINO and Leviton have developed a Quick Reference Guide. This guide provides the correct settings to create labels for use with Leviton Network Solutions patch cords, wall plates and QuickPort housings, 110 termination blocks and the many patch panels in Leviton’s product portfolio. This guide, along with pre-formatted Leviton template files for the RHINO CONNECT software, are available for download at RHINO’s website, www.rhinolabeling.com.

“This labeling solution will save our end users time and money while making their installations look more professional,” commented Z Zakaria, Industrial Global Business Team Leader. “It’s a great example of how RHINO continues to differentiate our product offering, build category awareness and promote labeling through strategic partnerships.”

About RHINO

RHINO is a brand of Newell Rubbermaid company (NYSE: NWL). RHINO designs and manufactures professional label printers and tools for commercial, residential and industrial use. RHINO professional labeling tools are designed with easy-to-use features that greatly reduce labeling time. Learn more at www.rhinolabeling.com.

About Leviton
Leviton Network Solutions, a division of Leviton Manufacturing Company inc., develops and manufactures complete copper and fiber connectivity solutions for enterprise, data center, service provider and residential applications. Solutions include eXtreme 10G, eXtreme 6+, and GigaMax 5e copper systems and Plug-n-Play, LightSpace, and Opt-X fiber systems. Leviton offers connectors, wallplates, patch panels, enclosures, cable management, PoE, wireless, power and industrial connectivity. For more information please visit www.leviton.com

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SNAKE TRAY Launches New Website To Help Customers Design Cable Management And Power Distribution Systems

Snake TrayÒ is pleased to announce the launch of the new website ww.snaketray.com) designed to help architects, engineers, installers, distributions and end users design the most cost effective cable management, power distribution and airflow management solutions.

The new site allows customers to evaluate the benefits of the products to help choose the most cost effective solutions for their projects. All Snake Tray products are designed to use less parts and labor to bring down the overall cost of a project. All products have green features including being movable and reusable and stackable for easy handling and low cost shipping.

www.snaketray.com

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New Snake Tray Catalog and Website are now available

Snake TrayÒ is pleased to announce the launch of the new website (www.snaketray.com) and a brand new catalog designed to help architects, engineers, installers, distributions and end users design the most cost effective cable management, power distribution and airflow management solutions.

The new site and catalog allow customers to evaluate the benefits of the products to help choose the most cost effective solutions for their projects. All Snake Tray products are designed to use less parts and labor to bring down the overall cost of a project. All products have green features including being movable and reusable and stackable for easy handling and low cost shipping.

Request your catalog today by contacting us on 880-308-6788, or emailing Lori@snaketray.com or visiting us online at www.snaketray.com. We would welcome the opportunity to assist with your next cable management or power distribution project.

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Announcing Telephony’s New Publisher, Wayne Madden

It is with great excitement that we introduce Wayne Madden as the new Publisher of Telephony magazine. Wayne joins us as the current Group Publisher of the Communications, Video, and IBM Technology Groups at Penton Media. Among his colleagues and staff, Wayne is known for his great passion for driving reader benefit, strong online knowledge and finding new product paths for print and online.

"It is a great pleasure to be joining the Telephony team," said Wayne. "I am looking towards the future with enthusiasm and ready for the challenges ahead. Telecom is an ever-changing market and Telephony is poised for success."

Wayne began his career in the IT field working as a systems operator, programmer, systems programming manager and consultant. He began writing for NEWS 3X/400 (now System iNEWS) in 1988 and moved fully into publishing as an author, writing hundreds of articles and three books. Wayne became the Publisher and Editor in Chief of what is now System iNEWS in 1995. Wayne became Group Publisher in 1997 and has managed a variety of publications and Web properties over the years. Wayne became Group Publisher of the Video Group (Sound & Video Contractor, Digital Content Producer, millimeter, and Reel-Exchange.com) in June of 2007.

Wayne will take the Telephony reigns immediately, working closely with former Publisher Mark Hickey.

And after 21 years as the Publisher of Telephony , Mark Hickey is leaving to become the Publisher for Natural Food Merchandiser magazine, of Penton Media’s New Hope portfolio in Boulder, CO. Mark’s love of the telecom industry and his deep passion for this market helped make Telephony what it is today. His strong leadership has cultivated a standard of excellence in print and online content and across all Telephony products.

“I have loved being in telecom for the last two decades – it’s a great industry to be a part of and never a dull moment. But more importantly, it’s been a joy and an honor to work with all the talented and generous people who have made Telephony such a great product,” said Mark. “While I am looking forward to my new role, I will certainly miss my friends and colleagues at Telephony."

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New SilverLine™ QMA Adaptor for Bird Electronics Watt Meters

Times Microwave Systems has recently introduced a new QMA adaptor for use with the Bird Electronics Watt Meter.

The 4-hole flange mount QMA jack is designed to Bird Electronics specifications for connectors that mate to its popular bench top Watt Meter. The new adaptor designated 3191-202EA complements the SilverLine-QMA, quick mating test leads and adaptors that replace aging BNC’s in 2-way radio test applications.

Times Microwave part number 3191-202EA replaces Bird Electronics part number 4240-XXX. Used in conjunction with a SilverLine-QMA test lead and a QMA radio test adaptor (also available from Times) the user now has a complete fast mating, push-on, pull off, two-way radio test system.

Features and benefits include:

* Push on, pull off fast mating interface

* Rugged, stainless steel construction

* 5,000 mate life cycle

* 360° rotation of DUT with little or no RF performance change

* Extremely accurate, consistent insertion loss

* Low VSWR

A QMA-equipped SilverLine test lead has the added feature of changeable interfaces. A full complement of 29 changeable interface adaptors exists for SilverLine-QMA test leads. www.timesmicro.com

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Transaction Broadens Optical Cable's Product Line and Builds on its Position as a Leading Provider of Fiber Optic Cables in the Enterprise Market

Optical Cable Corporation (Nasdaq: OCCF - News) announced today that it has acquired Superior Modular Products Incorporated (doing business as SMP Data Communications), a leading supplier of fiber optic and copper connectivity products for the data communications industry. The transaction was consummated on May 30, 2008, and now SMP Data Communications is a wholly owned subsidiary of Optical Cable Corporation.

Optical Cable Corporation acquired SMP Data Communications from Preformed Line Products Company (Nasdaq: PLPC - News) for a purchase price of $11.5 million, subject to certain minimum working capital requirements and related purchase price adjustments. The transaction was effected by an Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated May 30, 2008, whereby SMP Data Communications merged with a newly formed wholly owned subsidiary of Optical Cable Corporation.

"Our long-term strategy for Optical Cable includes expanding our product offerings to provide our customers with more complete cabling and connectivity solutions. This acquisition builds on Optical Cable's strong presence in the enterprise market and is a major step toward fulfilling our long-term vision for Optical Cable," stated Neil Wilkin, President and CEO of Optical Cable Corporation.

SMP Data Communications will broaden Optical Cable's product offering to include a fiber optic and copper connectivity. SMP Data Communications manufactures more than 2,000 products including high performing enhanced Category 5e systems, high-density fiber optic enclosures, and cutting edge Category 6a connectivity solutions offering 10 Gig throughput.

"SMP Data Communications is an internationally respected and industry-leading innovator in copper and fiber optic connectivity products. Optical Cable now has the fiber optic and copper connectivity products necessary for us to offer an integrated suite of high quality cabling and connectivity solutions," stated Mr. Wilkin.

Founded in 1990, SMP Data Communications is located near Asheville, North Carolina, and employs a total of approximately 120 persons, including manufacturing and office personnel. SMP Data Communications net sales (unaudited) were approximately $21.0 million for calendar year 2007.

Financing

On May 30, 2008, Optical Cable Corporation established $17.0 million in credit facilities with Valley Bank of Roanoke, Virginia in connection with the acquisition of SMP Data Communications. Approximately $8.7 million in bank debt financing was used in connection with the transaction, with the remaining purchase price and expenses funded with available cash. After the acquisition, Optical Cable has additional unused and available bank financing of approximately $8.3 million.

"Our new bank credit facilities increased our borrowing capacity to $17.0 million, up from our previous $13.5 million in credit from Valley Bank," stated Tracy Smith, Chief Financial Officer of Optical Cable Corporation. "Our strong, debt-free balance sheet has enabled us to fund prior capital expenditures and investments from operating cash flow. This made it possible to finance the acquisition of SMP Data Communications with bank financing, while maintaining appropriate financial flexibility for Optical Cable," Ms. Smith added.

Leadership

Bill Reynolds, previously the general manager of SMP Data Communications, will continue in his leadership role, serving as President of SMP Data Communications. Mr. Reynolds will also serve as a Senior Vice President of Optical Cable Corporation with responsibilities for sales in the U.S. for both Optical Cable Corporation and SMP Data Communications products.

Mr. Wilkin will serve as Chairman and CEO of SMP Data Communications, in addition to his existing position as Chairman, President and CEO of Optical Cable Corporation.

Ms. Smith will serve as Chief Financial Officer of SMP Data Communications, in addition to her existing position as Chief Financial Officer of Optical Cable.

Michael Newman, Vice President of International Sales for Optical Cable Corporation, will now have responsibilities for sales outside of the U.S. for both Optical Cable Corporation and SMP Data Communications products.

Mr. Reynolds' and Mr. Newman's teams, which will include both SMP Data Communications and Optical Cable Corporation sales and marketing professionals, will also share certain other marketing and sales operations responsibilities.

"We look forward to welcoming the talented men and women of SMP Data Communications, including its experienced management team, to the Optical Cable team," stated Mr. Wilkin.

About Optical Cable Corporation

Optical Cable Corporation is a leading manufacturer of fiber optic cables primarily sold into the enterprise market, and the premier manufacturer of military ground tactical fiber optic cables for the U.S. military. Founded in 1983, Optical Cable Corporation pioneered the design and production of fiber optic cables for the most demanding military field applications, as well as fiber optic cables suitable for both indoor and outdoor use. The Company's current broad product offering is built on the evolution of these fundamental technologies, and is designed to provide end-users with fiber optic cables that are easy and economical to install, provide a high degree of reliability and offer outstanding performance characteristics. Optical Cable Corporation sells its products worldwide for uses ranging from commercial and campus installations to customized products for specialty applications and harsh environments, including military applications. The Company manufactures its high quality fiber optic cables at its ISO 9001:2000 registered and MIL-STD-790F certified facility located in Roanoke, Virginia.

Further information about Optical Cable Corporation is available on the World Wide Web at www.occfiber.com.

About SMP Data Communications

SMP Data Communications, headquartered near Asheville, North Carolina, is internationally recognized for its role in establishing the world's data communications standards, through its innovative and patented technologies. SMP, founded in 1990, manufactures and develops copper and fiber passive connectivity hardware components for use in commercial and residential applications. The company is a wholly owned subsidiary of Optical Cable Corporation (Nasdaq: OCCF - News).

Further information about SMP Data Communications is available on the World Wide Web at www.smpdata.com.

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Tripp Lite Expands Its Product Offering with the Acquisition of Keyspan

Tripp Lite, a world-leading manufacturer of power protection and connectivity equipment, is pleased to announce the acquisition of Keyspan, a leading provider of computer connectivity solutions. Keyspan offers adapters, servers, cables and remote controls for home, school and office environments.

“Keyspan has developed a loyal customer base and established itself in a competitive computer peripherals market, making their products ideal for integration into Tripp Lite’s offering,” stated Keelin Wyman, Tripp Lite Executive Vice President. “We share similar target markets as well as channel loyalty and product quality philosophies. This acquisition will ensure that Keyspan customers benefit from Tripp Lite’s manufacturing excellence, broad distribution channel and trusted reputation for providing reliable products worldwide.”

Founded in 1995, Keyspan has enjoyed great success in the computer peripherals industry by offering remote controls and USB connectivity accessories for PCs, Macintosh® computers and Apple® iPod® mobile digital devices.

“We at Keyspan have created a strong brand name associated with high quality products,” said Mike Ridenhour, Keyspan President. “We’re pleased that Tripp Lite will continue providing Keyspan’s customers with the reliable products they expect, world-class service and support and unmatched channel loyalty. The combination of the Tripp Lite and Keyspan brands under the umbrella of Tripp Lite will provide increased efficiency by streamlining production, distribution and shipping.”

For more information about Keyspan, visit: www.keyspan.com

About Tripp Lite
Outstanding product reliability and exceptional service have been Tripp Lite trademarks for more than 85 years. Tripp Lite’s innovations include the world’s first UPS system designed specifically for personal computers, and the world’s most trusted premium surge suppressor—the Isobar^®—with more than 16 million in use. Tripp Lite maintains the highest level of ready-to-ship inventory in the industry with more than 1,000 different products, including UPS systems, rack systems, PDUs, PowerAlert software for enterprise-level system management and control, surge suppressors, KVM switches, cables and connectivity products, inverters, power strips, notebook accessories and more. Headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, Tripp Lite maintains a global presence with fully staffed offices worldwide. Additional information, including a list of Tripp Lite’s sales offices and authorized reseller partners, can be found by visiting Tripp Lite’s website: www.tripplite.com.

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Tripp Lite Introduces Easy-to-Install 8kVA SmartOnline UPS Systems with Corded Input

Tripp Lite, a world-leading manufacturer of power protection equipment, has introduced two new 8kVA SmartOnline™ Hot-Swappable Modular UPS Systems (models: SU8000RT3UN50 and SU8000RT3UN50TF). The new models include a convenient corded input that eliminates the need for an electrician to install the UPS via hardwire connection. Model SU8000RT3UN50 features 200-240V input/output and model SU8000RT3UN50TF includes a transformer module for additional 120V output. Both models include a 50-amp Hubbell twist-lock plug and heavy-duty input power cord.

“The new UPS systems provide exceptional ease of deployment,” said Rich Feldhaus, Tripp Lite Product Specialist. “The high-amperage cord and 50-amp plug allow sites to be prepared in advance of UPS project funding so that once acquired, the UPS systems can be installed quickly by IT/network staff. Unique among competing hardwired systems at the 8-10kVA power level, these systems are otherwise identical to our existing 8kVA Hot-Swappable Modular UPS Systems, with the same high-availability design. Customers who want to streamline installation should specify and install the 50-amp receptacle.”

SmartOnline Hot-Swappable Modular UPS Systems have been designed from the ground up for the needs of enterprise business customers. Tripp Lite’s hot-swappable design eliminates power-related downtime and ensures maximum power availability. End users can perform all potential UPS maintenance—including complete power module exchange—without powering down connected equipment. Additional features include expandable runtime, cost-reducing user-service options, flexible outlet configurations, remote management capability and N+1 configurability for efficient fault tolerance.

For more information on Tripp Lite’s new 8kVA SmartOnline UPS Systems with Corded Input and the entire Hot-Swappable Modular UPS System line, go to:
http://www.tripplite.com/products/ups/4u/

About Tripp Lite
Outstanding product reliability and exceptional service have been Tripp Lite trademarks for more than 85 years. Tripp Lite’s innovations include the world’s first UPS system designed specifically for personal computers, and the world’s most trusted premium surge suppressor—the Isobar^®—with more than 16 million in use. Tripp Lite maintains the highest level of ready-to-ship inventory in the industry with more than 1,000 different products, including UPS systems, rack systems, PDUs, PowerAlert software for enterprise-level system management and control, surge suppressors, KVM switches, cables and connectivity products, inverters, power strips, notebook accessories and more. Headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, Tripp Lite maintains a global presence with fully staffed offices worldwide. Additional information, including a list of Tripp Lite’s sales ffices and authorized reseller partners www.tripplite.com.

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Association News

BICSI

BICSI Executive Director Resigns; Interim Appointed

BICSI regretfully announces that David C. Cranmer, RCDD, BICSI Executive Director, has tendered his resignation, citing personal reasons. The BICSI Board of Directors has appointed Betty M. Eckebrecht, BICSI CFO, as BICSI Acting Executive Director, effective immediately.

“Betty has proven her leadership skills with BICSI in the past as Interim Executive Director and continues to be an excellent Chief Financial Officer of BICSI,” said BICSI President Edward J. Donelan, RCDD/NTS Specialist.

The BICSI Board of Directors has formed an Executive Director Search Committee (EDSC) under the leadership of Brian Hansen, RCDD/NTS Specialist, BICSI President-Elect. The EDSC will immediately undertake the process of selecting a new Executive Director.

“David contributed to the success of BICSI in many ways,” said Donelan. “Although this is disappointing news to our community, we look forward to the future with an opportunity to all work together and maintain our directions with the BICSI Strategic Plan, the BICSI NxtGEN Business Plan and our Outreach Program. Most important to BICSI is adherence to our Core Purpose—advancing the knowledge and success of our members, their customers and the information transport industry; as well as adherence to our Core Values—Integrity, Leadership and Respect.” www.bicsi.org

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CABA

Thursday, June 19, 2008 ; Hewlett-Packard Campus Cupertino, CA

http://www.caba.org/iha/ecosystemforum.html.

The Digital Home Ecosystem Forum, hosted by Hewlett-Packard Company (HP), will bring together leading companies dealing with integration of consumer electronics and other cutting-edge technology throughout the home. Learn about current trends in the digital and connected home from a wide range of companies working in this space and explore future research opportunities.

Organizations such as HP, Whirlpool Corporation, Cisco Systems, Microsoft Corporation and many more will discuss new leading-edge research on two recent research initiatives entitled Going Green Energy Efficiency Research Project and the State of the Connected Home Market Study. In addition, hear about HP's vision of the "Connected Home" and tour the HP "SmartHome".

Agenda

8:15 to 8:30 - Opening Comments – Alex Detre, CABA's Research Director

8:30 to 8:50 - Explanation of IHA-RC Ecosystems, quick review of past research; bi-yearly research and updating the research in 2008/2009 : IHA-RC Chair, Carol Priefert, Whirlpool Corporation

8:50 to 9:40 - Industry Leaders Panel – Discussion on ”Going Green Energy Efficiency Research Project”

Moderator / Speaker: David Dollihite, Direct Energy

The study examined what "green" means to homeowners, and identified the outcomes that homeowners wish to achieve as they manage the energy resources within their home. The study further dealt with identifying the constraints that homeowners face when trying to make their home more energy efficient and identifies the outcomes that builders have in understanding and communicating "green" options to home buyers. Strategyn, Inc., a firm that specializes in innovation management, conducted the study

9:40 to 10:00 - Networking Break and Refreshments

10:00 to 10:50 - Industry Leaders Panel – Discussion on "State of the Connected Home Market Study"

Moderator / Speaker: Orly Cocco, Procter & Gamble

An in-depth study about the status of the smart home, a home where the systems (security, lighting, sensors, heating, air-conditioning, audio-video, etc.) are interconnected to allow the automatic or remote control of the home to save energy and improve comfort, safety and convenience for the homeowner.

In addition to validating past and current trends in the marketplace and evaluating general consumer understanding of the connected home, the study will assess potential products and services and provide trend lines in specific application areas, including music, video, gaming, lighting temperature control, security, communications/scheduling, health/fitness and productivity.

10:50 to 11:30 - Hewlett-Packard Vision of the "Connected Home"

Speakers: Brian Burch and Raymond Aldrich

11:30 to 12:15 - Tour of HP's "SmartHome"

12:15 to 1:15 - Networking and Lunch Break

1:15 to 1:30 - Introduction - open collaboration research

Session Topics:

1:30 to 2:05 - Radio Frequency ID (RFID)

2:05 to 2:40 - Sensor technology and artificial intelligence (AI)

2:40 to 2:55 - Break

2:55 to 3:35 - Entertainment Connectivity

3:35 to 4:10 - AI tools for the connected home/service issues

4:10 to 4:40 - Session topics from the floor

4:40 to 4:50 - Summary of research topic ideas and next steps

4:50 to 5:00 - Closing remarks - Brian Burch and Alex Detre

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CABA Intelligent Buildings Leadership Forum

CABA and Building Intelligence Group will be conducting the 2008 Intelligent Buildings Leadership Forum, in Las Vegas on June 17 at infoComm08 and in conjunction with NXTcomm08. Last year’s inaugural event attracted a strong audience including CABA and infoComm members, building owners and operators, suppliers, contractors and integrators.

This year’s event will provide a chance for attendees to learn from industry experts and it is structured around a theme that aims to provide an overview of Intelligent Buildings and illustrate how Intelligent Buildings deliver on sustainability. The theme, Transitions: From the Conference Room to the Boiler Room, and Beyond, is designed to show the successful A/V contractor exciting and profitable opportunities to expand their business into new areas related to sustainability and integration.

Sessions will explore key intelligent building systems and technologies, including building automation and energy management, open and integrated systems, lighting controls, and structured cabling and networking, all the while drawing a strong connection between Intelligent Buildings and sustainability.

Space is limited this year and we expect to sell out, register now so you are not disappointed. CABA Member Price: $495 Non-Member Price $595. The event will include a keynote talk on the importance of Intelligent Buildings as the Key to Delivering Sustainability as well as panels featuring industry experts and case studies. www.caba.org

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FOA

FOA Offers New Guide to Fiber Optic Network Design

The Fiber Optic Association, Inc, the professional society of fiber optics, has added a new technical bulletin to its website that offers guidance for those designing fiber optic networks. The document was written for use in training for the new FOA Fiber Optic Design Certification, but will be useful for all contractors, installers, architects and engineers, project managers or others who are involved with projects that include fiber optics.

This 30 page document covers the design process in 15 separate topics from deciding if fiber optics is right for your network through how to design, install and maintain a fiber optic network. The material covers both premises and outside plant networks for almost any application.

The technical bulletin "Designing Fiber Optic Networks" can be downloaded from the FOA Tech Topics website at http://www.thefoa.org/tech.

More information on the FOA certification program for fiber optic network design is at http://www.thefoa.org/cfosd.html.

The Fiber Optic Association, Inc. is an nonprofit educational organization chartered to promote fiber optics through education, certification and standards. Over 200 FOA-Approved schools around the world have certified over 24,000 fiber optic technicians. The FOA offers free online introductory fiber optic tutorials for everyone and training for instructors at FOA-Approved schools. http://www.thefoa.org/

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FTTH

FTTH Legislative and Regulatory Update

The FTTH Council will host a Fiber Community Web Seminar on Wednesday May 28, 2008 at 2:00 pm EDT(11:00 am PDT).

Join us as Tom Cohen runs through the state and federal legislative and regulatory issues impacting fiber to the home and its deployment. Tom will provide the latest information on the progress of video franchising bills in the state legislatures, as well as a look at what the FCC and Congress are doing with regard to telecommunications and broadband.

As the Counsel to the FTTH Council, Tom Cohen oversees a wide range of legislative and regulatory matters affecting the industry. He has more than 25 years in the telecommunications industry sector, first as a government policy maker - Assistant General Counsel for Legislation at the Federal Communications Commission and Senior Counsel at the Senate Commerce Committee - and then as a principal in firms assessing and developing communications / telecommunications properties and advising businesses.

Cohen received his JD in 1975 from the University of California - Los Angeles and a Master's Degree in City and Regional Planning from the University of California - Berkeley in 1977. He received his Bachelor's degree from the University of Michigan.

For each FTTH Community Call, the FTTH Council provides a phone bridge to call into for audio, and a Web address for viewing presentations. To register and view the accompanying presentation for the May 28th call, click here.

The FTTH Council is using a new forum for the Monthly webinars. You will receive a confirmation of your registration by email, containing the link and the audio portion required for the May 28th webinar.

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NAED

NAED Centennial eBook and TED Commemorative Issue Now Available

National Association of Electrical Distributors & The Electrical Distributor Magazine - Two New Publications Celebrate NAED Leadership
NAED's special Centennial eBook and TED Magazine issue are now available. Along with NAED history, the TED Magazine commemorative issue features a collection of "100 Faces for 100 Years," a representation of the individual contributions that have shaped our industry. Also find coverage of both electrical distributors and manufacturers who have surpassed the centennial threshold. www.naed.org www.tedmag.com

In the spirit of NAED's centennial theme, "Honor Tradition, Ignite Innovation," NAED created an eBook where members could share their wisdom in a written format as well as video. The eBook, Lessons in Leadership: A Legacy for 100 Years and Beyond, features thoughts from more than 50 industry leaders. Check out the eBook. More...

Read selections of TED's Commemorative Issue. More...

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Charles and Rhoda Steiner Have Pledged $100,000 to the NAED Education & Research Foundation

"It's payback time," says Charles Steiner

Charles and Rhoda Steiner have pledged $100,000 to the National Association of Electrical Distributors (NAED) Education & Research Foundation's Channel Advantage Partnership (CAP) Endowment. The commitment was made in honor of the employees of Gee Electric Company, Central Supply, Blue Grass Electric, and Branch Electric Supply Company.

"The electrical distribution industry, NAED, and the education foundation have been very good to me. It's payback time," said Chuck Steiner, former CEO of Branch Group.

During his diverse career, Steiner acquired and divested a number of small electrical distributorships and in 1984 purchased Branch. In 2000, Branch was sold and today is a part of Rexel S.A., the world's largest electrical distributor.

Steiner also played a key role in the creation of several industry organizations, including: EDIC, a captive insurance company for distribution; Vantage Group, an alliance of six North American distributors as a national sales organization; and IMARK, an electrical marketing group.

Steiner has been an active supporter of the electrical industry and served on various NAED committees and councils. He was recognized with the NAED Distinguished Service Award and the Arthur Hooper Award for his outstanding contributions to NAED and the industry.

"We are pleased to have the support of such a dedicated veteran of the electrical industry as Charles Steiner and his family," said John Spoor, chairman of the Foundation's Channel Advantage Partnership campaign and president and COO of State Electric Supply. "Their contribution will help us continue to pursue the education and research initiatives that are vital to the continued success of our industry."

Steiner's donation will become part of an endowment fund for the NAED Education & Research Foundation. The principal amount of the endowment will remain untouched, while the interest will be used to commission future projects and studies. As a $100,000 contributor, Steiner will be recognized at the governor level and have a permanent position on the Channel Advantage Partnership Council, which will help select future educational programs and research projects.

For more information about contributing to the NAED Education & Research Foundation endowment, contact Eward Orlet, NAED director of development, at 888-791-2512 or eorlet@naed.org.

NAED is the trade association for the $70+ billion electrical distribution industry. Through networking, education, research, and benchmarking, NAED helps electrical distributors increase profitability and improve the channel. NAED's membership represents approximately 4,200 locations internationally.

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Registration Open: Lake Michigan Club Conference

Green Building, Economic Outlook Among Topics of June 12-15 Event
Make plans to attend the NAED Lake Michigan Club Conference, June 12-15, at the Grand Geneva Resort & Spa in Lake Geneva, Wis. Among the featured speakers is Jerry Yudelson, green building expert and author of numerous books on green buildings. He also is 2004-2008 conference chair for the U.S. Green Building Council.

The other main speaker is William A. Strauss, economic advisor for the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago. He will share his economic forecast and how economic trends could affect electrical distribution.

The conference also allows plenty of time for networking with industry trading partners. Early bird registration deadline is May 12. More...

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Burt Schraga Named Incoming Chair-Elect of NAED Board of Directors

Burt Schraga, a 34-year veteran of the industry, is the new chair-elect of the National Association of Electrical Distributors (NAED) Board of Directors. In this position, Schraga, CEO of the Santa Clara, Calif. based Bell Electrical Supply, will prepare to lead the NAED board during 2009-2010.

"I am so glad to be able to give back to this industry that has been so good to me and my company," said Schraga. "I know that we can accomplish great things as an industry because of the great people we have on board. In this industry and in my company, it is all about the people. With the right team, you can't help but win. I am so proud of our Bell Electrical team, and especially our leadership team. Because of them, I am able to take on the chairman's role for NAED."

Schraga started in the industry by turning a college job into a lifetime career. He has dedicated the last three-plus decades to the same company, which has provided a wide range of electrical products to manufacturers, end users, and contractors for over half a century. This month, Bell Electrical is merging with Industrial Control Components to further expand its offerings.

Throughout his career, Schraga has taken on many leadership positions within NAED. He served two terms on the association's board of directors from 1985-1987 and 1994-1996, and was also Western Region Vice President. He has also chaired both the NAED Strategic Focus and Executive Conference Committees.

His strong commitment to electrical distribution has also extended to other organizations within the channel. Schraga is currently chairman of the Elite Distributors Insurance Co. (EDIC) and is a member of the Affiliated Distributors (A-D) U.S. Electrical Board. Under Schraga's leadership, Bell Electrical was presented with the A-D 2007-2008 Affiliate of the Year Award.

NAED's current board chair is Tammy Miller, CEO of Border States Electric Supply. At the association's National Electrical Leadership Summit, May 17-21, Richard (Dick) Waterman, senior advisor of International Electric Supply Corp. (IESCO), will become NAED board chair for the 2008-2009 year.

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NEMA

NEMA Hails House Passage of Pro-Intellectual Property Act

The National Electrical Manufacturers Association applauds the House of Representatives for its passage yesterday by a vote of 417-11 of the "Pro-Intellectual Property Act" (HR-4279).

"As with the Stop Counterfeiting in Manufactured Goods Act passed in 2006, we have played a strong role in the development of this important new bill, which would further strengthen enforcement of intellectual property rights, as well as enhance criminal penalties when counterfeit products are defective and cause harm," said NEMA President and CEO Evan Gaddis. "This bill also builds well on the Administration's three-year-old Strategy Targeting Organized Piracy (STOP) initiative by improving the coordination of federal government resources. We thank the bill's sponsor, Judiciary Committee Chairman Conyers, as well as the 19 co-sponsors from both parties, for their leadership on this matter, and now look forward to continuing our work with the Senate as it formally takes up IPR enforcement legislation."

The National Electrical Manufacturers Association is the trade association of choice for the electrical manufacturing industry. Founded in 1926 and headquartered in Rosslyn, Virginia, its 430 member companies manufacture products used in the generation, transmission and distribution, control, and use of electricity. These products are used in utility, medical, industrial, commercial, institutional, and residential applications. Domestic production of electrical products sold worldwide exceeds $120 billion. In addition to its headquarters in Rosslyn, Virginia, NEMA also has offices in Beijing, São Paulo, and Mexico City

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NEMA Member Companies Selected to DOE’s Electricity Advisory Committee

Executives from two NEMA member companies have been tapped to serve on the Electricity Advisory Committee (EAC) at the Department of Energy (DOE). The EAC will advise Secretary Bodman on major electricity policy initiatives articulated in the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (EPAct 2005) and the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (EISA 2007).

Enrique Santacana, CEO of ABB North America, and John McDonald, General Manager of Marketing for Transmission and Distribution at GE Energy are among the 30 members invited to serve the EAC. Mr. Santacana has had a distinguished career in electrical engineering and currently serves on the NEMA Board of Directors. Mr. McDonald has extensive experience in control systems and holds leadership positions in several engineering professional societies.

NEMA applauds the DOE for the inclusion of manufacturers on the EAC. As the makers of devices for the Smart Grid, energy storage, renewable integration, and transmission infrastructure, the members will provide valuable insights on the potential for new technologies to enhance the operation of the nation’s electricity grid. www.nema.org

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NEMA Publishes MG 1 Condensed and NEMA Premium® General Specifications

The National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) has published two standards related to MG 1-2006, Revision 1-2007 Motors and Generators. MG 1 Condensed Information Guide for General Purpose Industrial AC Small and Medium Squirrel-Cage Induction Motor Standards and General Specification for Consultants, Industrial and Municipal: NEMA Premium® Efficiency Electric Motors (600 Volts or Less) have been updated to mirror the updated contents of the most recent MG 1 edition.

MG 1 Condensed summarizes the motors included in NEMA Standards Publication MG 1 Motors and Generators. It covers alternating-current squirrel-cage motors up to and including the ratings built in frames corresponding to the continuous open-type ratings, and incorporates references to the most recent NEMA MG1 edition.

General Specification for Consultants, Industrial and Municipal: NEMA Premium® Efficiency Electric Motors (600 Volts or Less) outlines the minimum requirements for three-phase AC induction motors applied to municipal and industrial applications for operation on voltages 600 volts or less, rated 500HP or less, operating more than 2000 hours per year at >75% of full-load.

According to Roger Daugherty, chairman of the 1 MG Technical Committee that publishes these documents, the Condensed MG1 and the General Specification have been updated to include changes made in MG1 in the recent years. This includes efficiency levels for 50 Hz NEMA Premium Efficiency Electric Motors in the Condensed MG1.

An electronic copy of MG 1-2007 Condensed may be downloaded at no charge or a hard copy may be purchased for $88 by visiting NEMA’s Web site at http://www.nema.org/stds/mg1condensed.cfm, or by contacting IHS at 800-854-7179 (within the U.S.), 303-397-7956 (international), 303-397-2740 (fax), or on the Web at global.ihs.com.

An electronic copy of General Specification for Consultants, Industrial and Municipal: NEMA Premium® Efficiency Electric Motors (600 Volts or Less) may be downloaded at no charge.

NEMA is the trade association of choice for the electrical manufacturing industry. Founded in 1926 and headquartered near Washington, D.C., its approximately 450 member companies manufacture products used in the generation, transmission and distribution, control, and end-use of electricity. These products are used in utility, medical imaging, industrial, commercial, institutional, and residential applications. Domestic production of electrical products sold worldwide exceeds $120 billion. In addition to its headquarters in Rosslyn, Virginia, NEMA also has offices in Beijing, São Paulo, and Mexico City.

www.nema.org

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NEMA Publishes MS 1-2008 Determination of Signal-to-Noise Ratio (SNR) in Diagnostic Magnetic Resonance Imaging

The National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) has published MS 1-2008 Determination of Signal-to-Noise Ratio (SNR) in Diagnostic Magnetic Resonance Imaging. It was produced by the Magnetic Resonance Section of MITA (Medical Imaging and Technology Alliance), a division of NEMA.

MS 1 is part of a series of test standards developed by the medical diagnostic imaging industry for the measurement of performance parameters governing image quality of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) systems. First developed in 1988 to define a standard procedure for measuring a useful index of image quality performance for MRIs, MS 1 describes four methods to measure image SNR. It is intended for use by MRI manufacturers, manufacturers of accessory equipment (including radiofrequency coils), and by MRI end-users.

MRI standards pertaining to SNR and uniformity measurements have been restructured to consider the coil geometry. In addition, new measurement methods have been added to this standard. The parameters serve as a guide to those factors that can influence the measurement. These standards also serve as reference procedures for acceptance testing and periodic quality assurance.

An electronic copy of NEMA MS 1-2008 may be downloaded at no charge, or a hard copy may be purchased for $45, by visiting NEMA’s Web site at http://www.nema.org/stds/ms1.cfm, or by contacting IHS at 800-854-7179 (within the U.S.), 303-397-7956 (international), 303-397-2740 (fax), or on the Web at global.ihs.com.

www.nema.org

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North American Indexes Down Sharply in April

NEMA’s Electroindustry Business Confidence Indexes (EBCI) for both current and future North American conditions fell precipitously in April. After climbing for two straight months in February and March, the EBCI for current North American conditions tumbled by more than 20 points to 27.3, the lowest level recorded since late 2001. An index reading below 50 is indicative of a contraction in industry conditions.

Meanwhile, survey panelists’ expectations for the next six months eroded further in April, as the EBCI for future North American conditions slid 3.8 points to 29.5. This latest skid came on the heels of March’s 12.5 point drop.

Click here for the complete April 2008 report.

The Electroindustry Business Confidence Index gauges the business confidence of the electroindustry in Asia, Europe, North America, and Latin America, and is based on the results of a monthly survey of senior managers at NEMA member companies. Those companies represent more than 80 percent of the electroindustry.

NEMA is the trade association of choice for the electrical manufacturing industry. Founded in 1926 and headquartered near Washington, D.C., its 430 member companies manufacture products used in the generation, transmission and distribution, control, and end-use of electricity. These products are used in utility, medical imaging, industrial, commercial, institutional, and residential applications. Domestic production of electrical products sold worldwide exceeds $120 billion. In addition to its headquarters in Rosslyn, Virginia, NEMA also has offices in Beijing, Sao Paulo, and Mexico City.

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NJATC

NJATC Sees Accomplishments in 2007

The NJATC Annual Survey, curricula, Craft Certification, and the National Training Institute were issues taking center stage at the National Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee’s (NJATC) National Committee Meeting, held April 28-29, 2008 in Annapolis, Maryland.

Taking top bill at this year’s meeting was the Annual Survey that showed an increase not only in the number of apprentices enrolled in the both the Inside and Outside programs, but also a slight increase in the number of female apprentices for the Inside program. As the training arm of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) and the National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA), the organization has worked diligently to recruit new apprentices, and the Annual Survey illustrates definitive progress is being made. Craft Certification also had a part to play in the meeting, as the NJATC continued in its dedication to training the most qualified apprentices by providing local training programs with the necessary tools to implement Electrical Craft Certification into apprenticeship programs. The new 2008-2010 Inside curriculum was presented along with a new curriculum cycle schedule that will ease the process of curriculum development.

The National Committee Meeting is an annual event allowing the NJATC to provide its board of Trustees, made up of NECA and IBEW members, an executive summary of the organization’s activities. This year’s event was held in downtown Annapolis at the Annapolis Marriott Waterfront Hotel.

about the NJATC

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Cengage Learning To Provide E-Learning Solution for training and Development of Electrical Workers

Delmar, a part of Cengage Learning, today announced a partnership with the National Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee (NJATC) to provide an electronic learning solution for the Outside Line Apprenticeship Program.

The blended learning experience will combine the power of an electronic learning solution with printed reference materials, classroom, and application based experiences.

“For more than 65 years, the NJATC has provided the highest quality training and apprenticeship programs for NECA and IBEW members. With that, we recognize the need to incorporate technology into our curricula to help us meet our students’ diverse needs,” said Michael Callanan, Executive Director of the NJATC. “The Cengage

Learning solution combines traditional education materials and web-based learning solutions that allow us to better prepare our students for their career.”

Individuals enrolled in the Outside Line Apprenticeship program benefit from this online solution through the use of interactive study guides for the most difficult concepts and by receiving instant feedback on their workbook questions. The solution delivers the study guides and workbook assignments outside of the classroom, allowing for valuable class time to be spent with more “hands-on” lab work and direct instructor led learning. The student homepage allows students to keep track of their lessons, monitor their grades, and interact with the instructor throughout their program.

Instructors benefit from prepared and streamlined assignments with automatic student scoring freeing up time for lab and application-based instruction. The solution allows for access to ongoing monitoring of student strengths and weaknesses, enabling instructors to redirect lessons based on areas where further training is needed. The ability to isolate questions and address specific learning concerns, paired with more time for hands-on training, will ultimately better prepare students for the workplace.

“Cengage Learning developed this courseware for the NJATC based on our extensive understanding of the electrical industry and our broad experience in delivering e-learning solutions,” said Greg Clayton, Vice President at Cengage Learning. “The program exposes learners to online resources and testing outside of the classroom throughout their apprenticeship training. The solution also helps instructors isolate particular concepts that need further review allowing more in-class time for application-based work.”

“Cengage Learning has unique technology and e-learning development capabilities combined with a long history of providing learning solutions to our customers. We are very proud to continue our work with the NJATC and support their efforts to train apprentices in the Outside Line Apprenticeship Program.”

www.InformationDestination.cengage.com

About the National Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee

About Delmar and Cengage Learning

Cengage Learning delivers highly customized learning solutions for colleges, universities, professors, students, libraries, government agencies, corporations and professionals around the world. Delmar, part of Cengage Learning, is the leading provider of lifelong learning products and services for the health care, technology and trades, and career education markets. Delmar's market-leading imprints include Autodesk Press, Chilton, Milady, NetLearning, OnWord Press, Singular Publishing Group, and West Legal Studies. For more information please visit www.cengage.com or www.delmar.cengage.com

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SCTE

SCTE Approves Its 200^TH Industry Engineering Standard

The Society of Cable Telecommunications Engineers (SCTE) today is proud to announce that it has reached the milestone of 200 approved technical standards for the cable telecommunications industry.

The SCTE Engineering Committee, which oversees the American National Standards Institute (ANSI)-accredited SCTE Standards Program, recently approved SCTE 151 2008, Mechanical, Electrical, and Environmental Requirements for RF Traps and Filters to achieve the milestone. SCTE 151 was developed in the SCTE Interface Practices Subcommittee (IPS); the standard provides the mechanical, electrical, and environmental requirements for broadband Radio Frequency (RF) trap and filter devices whose primary purpose is to provide a fixed attenuation of RF signal(s) at user-defined frequencies.

SCTE, which has been developing technical standards for the cable telecommunications industry since 1988, became ANSI-accredited in 1995. It took SCTE eight years, from 1995 to 2003, to approve its first 100 standards but fewer than five years, 2004 to present, to double that output. The accelerated pace reflects growing demand in recent years for standards that promote interoperability in the industry’s fast-changing marketplace. SCTE standards address a wide range of industry requirements from basic network components such as F connectors to the advanced technology used in Digital Program Insertion (DPI) for advanced advertising systems.

“Recognizing this 200th-approved SCTE standard achievement for our program is a salute to the many dedicated volunteers who have contributed their time and expertise to developing sound and effective technical standards for our growing and changing industry,” said SCTE Vice President, Standards Steve Oksala, CAE.

The SCTE Standards Program, which soared from a rank of 79th in 1998 to 15th in 2007 for production among the more than 200 standards development organizations accredited by ANSI, is made possible through the generous support of the program’s members and sponsors. Membership in the SCTE Standards Program is open to any individual or organization willing to participate and pay the membership fee.

Information about the program’s membership requirements, benefits, and fees is available at www.scte.org

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Sean Burris Garners 2008 Shapp Honors

The Society of Cable Telecommunications Engineers (SCTE) is pleased to announce today that Sean Burris, a senior at Northwest Christian School in Phoenix, is the 2008 recipient of the $20,000 Milton Jerrold Shapp Memorial Scholarship.

The scholarship, awarded to a high school senior son or daughter of a telecommunications industry employee, honors the memory of Mr. Shapp, who was a cable telecommunications pioneer and a former governor of Pennsylvania. Eligible students must desire a degree relevant to the telecommunications industry. The scholarship is funded by Motorola.

Burris will be honored as part of the prestigious Annual Awards Luncheon at the 25th Anniversary SCTE Cable-Tec Expo^® 2008, which is set for Tuesday through Friday, June 24–27 at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia.

The high school standout, who will graduate on May 22, is the son of Don and Lori Burris. Don Burris is a project manager with Corning Gilbert in Glendale, Ariz.

Sean Burris, with a grade point average of 3.93, ranked 19th in a class of 91 students. He aspires to study engineering at Arizona State University.

Academic honors for Burris have included the Honor Roll, the Principal’s List, participation in the National History Day regional competition, and the Scholar Athlete Award. His high level of involvement has included his high school’s track and field team, student government, and many hours of community volunteer service ranging from outreach programs in Mexico to being a leader in the community youth program known as Young Life.

Burris’s instructor for honors chemistry, Ellen Millard, also taught Burris in an ACT prep class, for which “Sean never missed a session and worked diligently to improve his test scores,” she said. “He was, by far, the most dedicated student in the class.”

Kathy Mallow, Burris’s track and field coach, said, “Sean far exceeds any expectations a coach or teacher could imagine for a student or athlete. His grades reflect great dedication and study skills. He is driven to succeed in all areas of his life.”

More information about the annual Shapp Scholarship is available at www.scte.org by clicking on the Member Services section of the site and then the Awards and Recognition link in the left-hand column.

The Society of Cable Telecommunications Engineers (SCTE) is a non-profit professional association that provides technical leadership for the telecommunications industry and serves its members through professional development, standards, certification and information. SCTE currently has more than 14,000 members from the U.S. and 70 countries worldwide and offers a variety of programs and services for the industry's educational benefit. SCTE has 68 chapters and meeting groups and more than 3,000 employees of the cable telecommunications industry hold SCTE technical certifications. SCTE is an ANSI-accredited standards development organization. Visit SCTE online at www.scte.org.

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COMCAST’S Soehren To Give Keynote Address At SCTE’S L&D Conference

The Society of Cable Telecommunications Engineers (SCTE) is pleased to announce today that Comcast Cable Communications Chief Learning Officer and Senior Vice President Martha Soehren, Ph.D., will deliver the keynote speech at the upcoming SCTE Conference on Broadband Learning & Development (CBL&D) 2008.

Soehren will address the cable telecommunications industry’s L&D professionals on the subject of “Learning in a Virtual Space” at the noontime keynote luncheon for the daylong conference, which is set for Tuesday, June 24 in Philadelphia and is sponsored by Jones/NCTI™.

An SCTE member since 2001, Soehren will explore virtual learning opportunities across the cable industry, looking at how the MSOs are using interactive online modalities to engage their employees in a safe learning environment to improve their knowledge and skills. The keynote address will include MSO demonstrations of learning solutions in a virtual space. After lunch, attendees will have the opportunity for more in-depth exploration of the learning solutions.

Soehren has more than 20 years of experience in leadership roles within the public, non-profit, academic, and government sectors. Her Ph.D. is in educational leadership and policy studies, and she also holds an MBA. In addition to SCTE, Soehren is a member of various other professional organizations including Women in Cable Telecommunications (WICT), the Cable & Telecommunications Association for Marketing (CTAM), and the National Association for Multi-Ethnicity in Communications (NAMIC). Soehren recently received the Liberty Award for leadership from the Philadelphia Chapter of WICT.

SCTE’s CBL&D 2008 will feature Mobile Learning, or mLearning, the use of mobile technologies to enhance the learning experience. The conference will be all about mobility, from leveraging the mobile devices such as PDAs and laptops for training and communications purposes, to delivering training to where the workforce resides.

Full details about the conference, including the presenters and descriptions of their sessions, are available at www.scte.org along with registration for the event. SCTE is conducting CBL&D in conjunction with SCTE Cable-Tec Expo® 2008, which is set for Tuesday through Friday, June 24–27. Attendees can save by registering for both events.

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TIA

Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA) UpdatesWireless Communications Systems Performance Standard

FCC “Spectrum Refarming” Created Need for New Methodology to Address Compatibility, System Performance and Interference

The Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA), the leader in advocacy, standards development, business development and intelligence for the information and communications technology (ICT) industries, has published TIA Bulletin TSB-88.1-C, Wireless Communications Systems Performance in Noise-Limited Situations, Part 1: Recommended Methods for Technology-Independent Performance Modeling. TSB-88.1-C supersedes TSB-88-B (including addendum TSB-88-B1).

The FCC’s “spectrum refarming” of existing frequency bands, the proposed 800 MHz band reorganizations and new allocations in the 700 MHz band, along with increasing reports of interference, dictated that TIA update the standard for performance modeling with the effects of single or multiple potential distortion sources for public-safety and other land mobile communications systems.

Limited to frequencies below 1 GHz, TSB-88.1-C defines methodology for assessing and addressing compatibility issues, system performance and interference, including:

Performance parameters
Co-channel and off-channel users
Internal and external noise sources
Equipment non-linearity
Transmission path geometry and transmission loss modeling
Delay spread and differential signal phase
Over-the-air and network protocols and
Performance verification

The standard TSB-88.1-C provides a recommended best practice reference for developers and suppliers of land mobile communications system design, modeling, simulation and spectrum management software and automated tools.

TSB-88.1-C was formulated under the cognizance of the TIA TR-8: Mobile and Personal Private Radio Standards Engineering Committee's TR-8.18 subcommittee on Wireless Systems Compatibility. To obtain copies of the document, contact IHS International at 800.854.7179 or visit http://global.ihs.com.

For technical information regarding participating in the TR-8.15 committee, please contact Ronda Coutler a at rcoulter@tiaonline.org. For media inquiries, please contact Taly Walsh at twalsh@tiaonline.org.

About TIA

Celebrating its 20^th Anniversary, the Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA) represents the global information and communications technology (ICT) industries through standards development, advocacy, business opportunities, market intelligence and world-wide environmental regulatory compliance. Thousands of companies and individuals work through TIA to enhance the business environment for telecommunications, broadband, mobile wireless, information technology, networks, cable, satellite, unified communications, emergency communications and the greening of technology. TIA is accredited by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI).

TIA’s Board of Directors includes senior-level executives from ACS, ADC, ADTRAN, Alcatel-Lucent, Anda Networks, ArrayComm, AttivaCorp, Avaya, Bechtel Communications, Inc., Cam Communications, Cisco Systems, Corning Incorporated, Ericsson, Inc., Graybar, Henkels & McCoy, Intel Corporation, LGE, Microsoft, Motorola, Nokia Siemens Networks, Nortel, OneChip Photonics Inc., OnSite Systems, Panasonic Computer Solutions Co., Research In Motion, Sumitomo Electric Lightwave Corporation, Tellabs, Tyco Electronics, Ulticom, Inc., Westell Technologies, Inc. and Zebra Technologies Corporation. Advisors to the Board include FAL Associates, ILS Technology, Orca Systems and Telcordia Technologies.

TIA membership enhances the ability of companies to prepare for the future of communications. TIA brings people and businesses together by helping the industry overcome technical and political barriers to communications. Visit www.tiaonline.org for details.

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Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA) Hires Ellen Farmer to Manage Environmental Program

TIA’s Green Initiative Launched with Acquisition of EIATRACK, New Hire

The Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA), the leader in advocacy, standards development, business development and intelligence for the information and communications technology (ICT) industries, today announced that Ellen B. Farmer has joined its staff in the new position of Environmental Program Manager. Farmer will manage TIA’s recently-acquired EIATRACK environmental information alert regulatory tracking service and TIA’s global “green” program for the ICT industry.

“This important TIA initiative has the complete support of the association’s Board of Directors. We intend to play a key role addressing industry needs as companies determine how to participate in the green and sustainable resources movements,” said Grant Seiffert, President of TIA. “Ellen Farmer’s international training and diverse experience make her the ideal person to lead our pivotal efforts.”

Farmer brings to TIA extensive management and environmental information research experience, as well as impressive college credentials in the environmental arena. Her master’s degree with honors from King’s College in London focused on the environment, politics and globalization, and her bachelor’s degree was in government and sociology from Wofford College in Spartanburg, S.C., where she was on the Dean’s List.

Farmer’s experience ranges from environmentally-conscious management of The Mansion on O Street, a boutique hotel and private events venue in Washington, D.C., to consulting and information research at Booz Allen Hamilton, where Farmer focused on the Environmental Protection Agency’s Superfund and the U.S. Postal Service’s energy efficiency program. In addition, she was a researcher and writer at Green Guide Publishing in the UK.

TIA’s EIATRACK service, acquired in January, provides global benchmarking in environmental intelligence, as well as product-oriented regulatory tracking analysis and reporting. Hundreds of subscribing companies throughout the world use the tool as an early-warning system for monitoring and evaluating environmental legal and regulatory activity. The EIATRACK team consists of experts from the legal, environmental policy and science sectors, including the law firms Beveridge and Diamond (USA); Hunton and Williams (Europe); Holland and Knight (China); and subject-matter experts EcoFrontier (Korea); Tokio Marine (Japan) and WSP Environmental (Australia).

More information is available at www.eiatrack.com. For more information about TIA, contact Taly Walsh at +1.703.907.7744 or twalsh@tiaonline.org.

About TIA

Celebrating its 20th Anniversary, the Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA) represents the global information and communications technology (ICT) industries through standards development, advocacy, business opportunities, market intelligence and world-wide environmental regulatory compliance. Thousands of companies and individuals work through TIA to enhance the business environment for telecommunications, broadband, mobile wireless, information technology, networks, cable, satellite, unified communications, emergency communications and the greening of technology. TIA is accredited by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI).

TIA's Board of Directors includes senior-level executives from ACS, ADC, ADTRAN, Alcatel-Lucent, ANDA Networks, ArrayComm, AttivaCorp, Avaya, Bechtel Communications, Inc., Cam Communications, Cisco Systems, Corning Incorporated, Ericsson, Inc., Graybar, Henkels & McCoy, Intel Corporation, LGE, Microsoft, Motorola, Nokia Siemens Networks, Nortel, OneChip Photonics Inc., OnSite Systems, Panasonic Computer Solutions Co., Research In Motion, Sumitomo Electric Lightwave Corporation, Tellabs, Tyco Electronics, Ulticom, Inc., Verari Systems, Westell Technologies, Inc. and Zebra Technologies Corporation. Advisors to the Board include FAL Associates, ILS Technology, Orca Systems and Telcordia Technologies.

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Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA) Releases Terrestrial Mobile Forward Link Only Repeaters Standard

Optimizes Multicast Broadcast Content to Mobile Devices

The Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA), the leader in advocacy, standards development, business development and intelligence for the information and communications technology (ICT) industries, has published TIA-1132, Minimum Performance Specification for Terrestrial Mobile Multimedia Multicast Forward Link Only Repeaters.

TIA-1132 specifies minimum performance requirements to expand interoperability of new and emerging forward link only repeaters technology and networks that optimize multicast broadcast of advanced multimedia content to mobile devices. With open standards for mobile broadcast environments, service providers can more efficiently and cost effectively provide streaming and on-demand audio, video and IP-data content, such as CNN, ESPN, NPR, stock quotes and sports scores, to large numbers of mobile users, at the same time.

The standard TIA-1132 was formulated under the cognizance of the TIA TR-47.1: Subcommittee on Terrestrial Mobile Multimedia Multicast Based on Forward Link Only Technology. To obtain copies of the document, contact IHS International at 800.854.7179 or visit http://global.ihs.com.

For technical information regarding participating in the TR-47.1 committee, please contact Marianna Kramarikova at mkramarikova@tiaonline.org. For media inquiries, please contact Taly Walsh at twalsh@tiaonline.org.

About TIA

TIA's Board of Directors includes senior-level executives from ACS, ADC, ADTRAN, Alcatel-Lucent, Anda Networks, ArrayComm, AttivaCorp, Avaya, Bechtel Communications, Inc., Cam Communications, Cisco Systems, Corning Incorporated, Ericsson, Inc., Graybar, Henkels & McCoy, Intel Corporation, LGE, Microsoft, Motorola, Nokia Siemens Networks, Nortel, OneChip Photonics Inc., OnSite Systems, Panasonic Computer Solutions Co., Research In Motion, Sumitomo Electric Lightwave Corporation, Tellabs, Tyco Electronics, Ulticom, Inc., Verari Systems, Westell Technologies, Inc. and Zebra Technologies Corporation. Advisors to the Board include FAL Associates, ILS Technology, Orca Systems and Telcordia Technologies.

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Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA) Publishes Packet Data Registration/OTAR Messages and Procedures

Updates Digital Encryption Standards for Two-Way Radio

The Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA), the leader in advocacy, standards development, business development and intelligence for the information and communications technology (ICT) industries, has published TIA Standard 102.BAAD-1, Common Air Interface Description for Conventional Channels, Addendum 1 – Packet Data Registration/OTAR Messages and Procedures.

Federal, state and local public safety agencies, utilities, railroads, manufacturers, and a wide variety of other businesses rely on the conventional channels of private land mobile radio systems, i.e., two-way radio, every day. To ensure communication is reliable and secure when using emerging digital technology, TIA-102.BAAD-1 defines additional packet data standards for two-way radio systems, including Packet Data Registration, Packet Data Scan Mode, and Packet Data Encryption Support features, including changing encryption by Over-the-Air-Re-keying (OTAR).

TIA-102.BAAD-1 was formulated under the cognizance of the TIA TR-8.15: Common Air Interface (CAI) subcommittee, with input from the APCO Project 25 Interface Committee (APIC), APIC Data Task Group, and TIA members.

P25 is an interoperability suite of standards for digital two-way wireless communications products and systems. TIA, in collaboration with prominent public safety organizations, generates standards, specifications and telecommunications systems bulletins that define the equipment and processes necessary for implementation of digital public safety radio communications under the APCO/NASTD/FED Project 25 standard. APCO/NASTD/FED is composed of the Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials (APCO); the National Association of State Telecommunications Directors (NASTD); and Federal Government Agencies (FED).

To obtain copies of the document, contact HIS International at 800.854.7179 or visit http://global.ihs.com.

About TIA

TIA’s Board of Directors includes senior-level executives from ACS, ADC, ADTRAN, Alcatel-Lucent, Anda Networks, ArrayComm, AttivaCorp, Avaya, Bechtel Communications, Inc., Cam Communications, Cisco Systems, Corning Incorporated, Ericsson, Inc., Graybar, Henkels & McCoy, Intel Corporation, LGE, Microsoft, Motorola, Nokia Siemens Networks, Nortel, OneChip Photonics Inc., OnSite Systems, Panasonic Computer Solutions Co., Research In Motion, Sumitomo Electric Lightwave Corporation, Telcordia Technologies, Tellabs, Tyco Electronics, Ulticom, Inc., Westell Technologies, Inc. and Zebra Technologies Corporation. Advisors to the Board include FAL Associates, ILS Technology and Orca Systems.

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Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA) Publishes Public Safety Project 25 MOS Test Plan Vocoder Standard

Strengthens First Responder Communications, Voice Quality in Land Mobile Radio Systems

The Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA), the leader in advocacy, standards development, business development and intelligence for the information and communications technology (ICT) industries, has published TIA TSB-102.BABF, Experiment 3 MOS Test Plan for Vocoder Technology for Project 25, Phase 2. This new standard, developed in collaboration with prominent public safety organizations under the Project 25, specifies testing standards for new and emerging vocoder technology enhancements.

The choice of vocoder technology impacts the voice quality of a communications system.

In emergency situations, the public’s safety can depend upon the ability of first responders to communicate successfully via digital two-way radio, regardless of the level of background noise or other situations, including translating analog signals to digital.

TIA TSB-102.BABF provides methodology to evaluate the voice quality of land mobile radio systems using various vocoders under a variety of noise levels and operating conditions, including fire truck and police cruiser noise levels with and without sirens, helicopters, and Coast Guard outboard boats.

The standard also specifies methodology to evaluate audio quality subjectively, including the use of a ½ rate vocoder. Listeners associate a quality adjective with speech samples, which are then transferred to a numerical scale that provides testing results by mean opinion scores (MOS), which are statistically analyzed. TIA TSB-102.BABF compares enhanced digital technology with the baseline speech codec in TIA-102.BABA, Project 25 Vocoder Description.

P25 is an interoperability suite of standards for digital two-way wireless communications products and systems. TIA, in collaboration with prominent public safety organizations, generates standards, interim standards, specifications and telecommunications systems bulletins that define the equipment and processes necessary for implementation of digital public safety radio communications under the APCO/NASTD/FED Project 25 standard. APCO/NASTD/FED is composed of the Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials (APCO); the National Association of State Telecommunications Directors (NASTD); and Federal Government Agencies (FED).

The standard TIA-102.AABC-B-3 was formulated under the cognizance of the TIA TR-8: Mobile and Personal Private Radio Standards Engineering Committee's TR-8.4: Subcommittee on Trunking and Conventional Control. To obtain copies of the document, contact IHS International at 800.854.7179 or visit http://global.ihs.com.

For technical information regarding participating in the TR-8 committee, please contact Ronda Coulter at rcoulter@tiaonline.org. For media inquiries, please contact Taly Walsh at twalsh@tiaonline.org.

The companies participating in TR-8 are: Aeroflex, Agilent Technologies, Inc., Alcatel-Lucent, APCO Project 25, Aselsan Inc., Booz, Allen & Hamilton, Cisco Systems, Inc., City of Mesa, Communications Div., CML Microcircuits (USA) Inc., CommScope Network Division, CSI Telecommunications, Daniels Electronics Ltd., Datron World Comm. Division, Dietrich Lockard Group, Inc., Digital Voice Systems, Inc., E.F. Johnson, EADS Public Safety Inc., Ericsson, Inc., Etherstack, FBI, General Dynamics C4 Systems, Harris Corporation, Icom America Inc., Industry Canada, Institute for Telecommunication, IPC Positron, Kenwood USA Corp., Lockheed Martin Corporation, M/A-Com, Inc., Microtronix Systems Ltd., Midland Radio Corp., MITRE Corp., Motorola, National Technical Systems (NTS), NIST-OLES, Nortel Networks, Oregon State Police/SAFECOM, RELM Wireless Corp., RTKL Associates Inc., SAIC, Sigma Delta Communications, Inc., Sony Wireless Tech Division, Space Data Corporation, Tait Radio Communications, Technisonic Industries Ltd., Telchemy Incorporated, Texas Instruments, Inc., Thales Communications, Inc., TX RX Systems, Inc., Tyco Electronics, U.S. Department of Commerce, U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Vertex Standard, Zetron, Inc.

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About TIA

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USGBC

USGBC Announces Recipients of Excellence in Green Building Curriculum Recognition Awards & Incentive Grants

Recognizes innovative green building curricula from pre-K through college and provides financial support for promising new programs

The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) has awarded twelve programs its inaugural Excellence in Green Building Curriculum Recognition Awards and Incentive Grants. The awards and grants program is a central component of USGBC’s commitment to identify and disseminate innovative green build curricula to educators across the country.

“USGBC launched this initiative to highlight the central role education plays in furthering the green building movement,” said Peter Templeton, Senior Vice President, USGBC. “The submissions we received showcase the range of institutions and organizations taking an active role in educating young people about green building and the Council is committed to fostering more growth in this arena.”

The awards and grants recognize pre-K through college-level curricula that advance the green building ideals of transforming how buildings and communities are designed, built and operated. Recognition awards honor existing green building education projects, activities or programs. The Incentive Grants provide monetary support of $20,000 each for schools or organizations to develop new curriculum.

“We knew excellent green building education programs existed in a wide variety of settings, but there was no method to capture these programs and share them with other educators,” noted Margot McDonald, chair of USGBC’s Formal Education Committee and Professor of Architecture at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo. “We were extremely pleased with the large number of high-quality submissions received in the program’s inaugural year, and we are eager to develop ways to share the curricula and promote the interdisciplinary approach so crucial in making green build principles a reality.”

USGBC will establish a repository of the newly identified curricula and will develop a teaching resource database, which will serve to disseminate these programs nationally and facilitate contact among educators from a wide variety of disciplines. In addition, an Educator Summit during the USGBC’s Greenbuild Conference in Boston on November 21, 2008 will showcase the winning curriculum.

The award and grant recipients are located in all regions of the country and include community colleges, universities, non-profit institutions, a professional association and a state government agency. The recognition awards were judged on demonstrated success, ability to be replicated, scope of influence, advancement of green principles within the educational community and the fostering of a collaborative or interdisciplinary approach. Grant proposals were evaluated on originality, collaborative or interdisciplinary approach, scope of influence, feasibility and the ability to be replicated.

Recipients of USGBC’s inaugural Excellence in Green Building Curriculum Recognition Awards and Incentive Grants programs include:

2008 Recognition Awards

School Building Week: School of the Future Student Design Competition
The Council of Educational Facility Planners (Scottsdale, AZ)

School of the Future Student Design Competition is a national program that offers an opportunity for middle school students to bring their creativity to the design process. Student teams are challenged to design their schools to enhance learning, conserve resources, be environmentally responsive and engage the surrounding community. The competition is a component of School Building Week, which focuses on the importance of high performing, healthy, safe and sustainable school facilities and to showcase their connection to learning. School Building Week is supported by the CEFPI Foundation & Charitable Trust in collaboration with the Council of Educational Facility Planners International, U.S. Department of Energy, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, National Association of REALTORS®, American Institute of Architects and over 35 other organizations.

Kentucky Green & Healthy Schools
Kentucky Environmental Education Council (Frankfort, KY)

Kentucky Green & Healthy School (KGHS) is a web-based program that allows students and staff to make their schools greener and healthier by studying their learning environments. The program assists teachers in utilizing their schools as a teaching tool and enables students to take an active role in the management of their school buildings and grounds. The program aligns with the Kentucky Core Content for Assessment so teachers can prepare the students for the state’s mandatory testing program as they study the efficiency and sustainability of their school’s environment.

Residential Building Technology Program
Yavapai College (Prescott, AZ)

Yavapai College’s progressive Residential Building Technology (RBT) program teaches students to design, build and manage the construction of safe, durable, affordable, energy-efficient, and environmentally responsive houses. Through this unique classroom and jobsite-based training program, students learn how to incorporate appropriate climate-specific building materials, specify systems and technologies based on current applied building science principles, and to implement sustainable design and green building practices.

Beyond Curriculum: Cross-Campus Sustainability at Grand Valley State University
Grand Valley State University (Allendale, MI)

Grand Valley State University (GVSU) is pledged to a comprehensive sustainability strategy that integrates curricular development; campus operations, including a commitment to LEED® construction; student involvement; and community engagement. Planning for GVSU’s transformation into a sustainable campus began in 2004 with the establishment of the Sustainability Initiative and a baseline collection of operational and administrative performance indicators. This effort resulted in GVSU’s first sustainability report (October 2005), which addressed the triple bottom line (TBL) indicators of sustainable development and utilized 64 performance measurements.

The Alley-Flat Initiative
University of Texas Austin

The Alley-Flat Initiative (AFI) is a joint collaboration between the University of Texas Center for Sustainable Development, the Guadalupe Neighborhood Housing Development Corporation (GNDC), the Austin Community Design and Development Center (ACDDC), and the BaSiC Initiative. The program was conceived through student research and design studios at the University of Texas School of Architecture. Alley flats are small, detached residential units accessed from Austin’s extensive network of under-utilized alleys. The goal of the Initiative is to build two prototypes (one is currently under construction) to showcase innovative design and environmental sustainability features. The prototypes will demonstrate how sustainable housing can support growing communities by being affordable and adaptable. The long-term goal is to create a flexible and self perpetuating delivery system for sustainable and affordable housing in Austin and to demonstrate a process that might be replicated elsewhere.

ecoMOD
University of Virginia (Charlottesville, VA)

ecoMOD is a research and design/build/evaluate project that is creating a series of ecological, modular and affordable housing units. The program works directly with affordable housing organizations to ensure sustainable housing is no longer a luxury reserved for the wealthy. Since 2004, the ecoMOD project has built a total of five units for Piedmont Housing Alliance (PHA) and Habitat for Humanity (HFH). The housing units are designed and built by interdisciplinary teams of students, working closely with faculty and outside experts. After the homes are occupied, student evaluation teams monitor and evaluate them carefully, with the results guiding subsequent designs. ecoMOD is imbedded in UVA’s curriculum and is structured to maximize educational opportunities. It is a partnership of the UVA School of Architecture and School of Engineering and Applied Science.

2008 Incentive Grants – $20,000 each

Architecture Handbook 2: A Student Guide to Understanding Buildings
Chicago Architecture Foundation

The Chicago Architecture Foundation will develop the second level of its The Architecture Handbook: A Student Guide to Understanding Buildings (TAH2). The project’s first level (TAH1) was a high school architecture curriculum published in the fall of 2007, which was an innovative pedagogical resource and model in the forefront of architecture and design education for high school students. TAH2 will be an online interactive and integrated curriculum for high school students and teachers to investigate the design and construction of green schools. It will serve the needs of upper level (junior and senior) Chicago public school students learning about architecture by utilizing web-based technology. A secondary audience will be high school students and teachers across the United States working within a classroom setting or independently.

Design + Build + Live Green
Youth Learning Academy (Charlottesville, VA)

Design + Build + Live Green (D+B+L) will be the green initiative of the Youth Learning Academy’s Design + Challenge program, which promotes interest in construction as a career and builds tangible skills in building and design. D+B+L strengthens the Design + Challenge program with specific components on how to design, build and live green and demonstrates why sustainable practices are of the utmost importance in the building industry. The goals of the program include facilitating young people’s involvement in sustainable building practices, expanding marketable skills, initiating hands-on training in sustainable building practices, and encouraging youth to transfer green awareness to their families and peers.

Green Building Technologies Course Curriculum
Eastern Iowa Community College District (Davenport, IA)

As part of the Renewable Energy Systems Technician program, Eastern Iowa Community College District (EICCD) plans to develop a four-credit course entitled Green Construction Technologies to provide students with the necessary skills to build quality, sustainable, and affordable housing. The course will give students hands-on experience with green technologies by learning through construction and will allow participating high school students to receive dual enrollment college credit. Individual green construction technology modules will also be developed to be inserted into existing EICCD two-year programs in areas such as heating, ventilation and air conditioning, interior design, horticulture, and manufacturing maintenance.

Online Course Green Building Off the Grid: A Net-Zero Energy Residence
Santa Fe Community College

Santa Fe Community College will develop an online course to visually document the entire process of building an energy-efficient house that generates its power off the grid. The three-credit course will be part of a college certificate program in green building. Designed for students who are generally hands-on and visual learners, this audio-visual documentary will provide a more engaging and memorable presentation than traditional lectures and books. Each stage of the building project will be documented by video and will include listening to homeowners, builders, and subcontractors discuss design and construction elements such as the selection of materials, cost of green vs. traditional construction, amortization of costs by energy savings, and comfort and health benefits of green-built structures.

Collaborative Green Building Practice
Cornell University (Ithaca, NY)

The Collaborative Green Building Practice course emphasizes interactive learning experiences and critical thinking to help students understand the broad scope of green building practice. Instead of focusing on green building design, the course challenges students to go outside the classroom to interact with authorities, researchers, professionals and the public to learn about the key factors that influence how buildings are built and operate, including the roles of all key stakeholders. As a part of the course, teams of students produce a ten-minute documentary film for posting on an interactive course website.

Sustainable Architecture that Teaches (SAT) Curriculum
University of Maine Farmington

The University of Maine at Farmington (UMF) has undertaken a commitment to establishing a culture of environmental sustainability. To that end, UMF will use its two new LEED® certified buildings to expand its sustainability efforts through a multi-level curriculum to influence university students as well as Pre-K to 12 teachers and students and community members. Three faculty members will incorporate the new LEED® certified buildings into their curricula and student leaders will serve as mentors to work closely with faculty and train future student leaders to carry on the curricular goals once they leave UMF. Pre-K to 12 students and teachers will learn not only about the green features of LEED® certified buildings, but how they can make a positive impact in their own homes. Teachers will also be given the opportunity to contribute to curricular development.

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Green Schools at the Top of the Agenda for U.S. Communities

One school a day. That’s the rate America’s schools are registering for the U.S. Green Building Council’s (USGBC) LEED certification program for green schools, signaling their intent to build and operate schools that are more energy and water efficient, which will save taxpayers money. Green schools also have significantly improved indoor air quality, and that results in healthier kids.

“When you consider the fact that 50 million young people spend 8 hours a school day in a school building, we should do everything we can to make that environment work for them, not against them. Parents, teachers and school board officials understand better than anyone the link between child health and learning; and the fact is that children in green schools have fewer sick days and better test scores,” said Michelle Moore, Senior Vice President, USGBC.

“And if these reasons aren’t compelling enough to go green,” Moore continued, “the operational cost savings should be. If you do the math, energy savings alone could pay for 5,000 new textbooks per school per year.”

Moore noted that there are about 100,000 public and private schools in the U.S., and that fully one-third of their facility costs are in heating/cooling buildings, providing water, electricity, and other energy/utility functions.

“LEED buildings have a demonstrated track record for lowering energy use by up to 40% and reducing water use by up to 50% over conventional buildings,” Moore said. “Between climate change, skyrocketing energy prices, and growing concerns about water, building green schools and operating and maintaining them using green best practices should be a top priority in every community across the country.”

Moore notes that some communities have made the commitment. “Pennsylvania, Michigan, New Jersey, Oregon and Virginia have the most LEED certified schools to date, and many local school districts and state departments of education are beginning to develop and implement policies that require schools to be built green.”

The State of Ohio is one community that’s leading the way. Hundreds of new and renovated schools are set to meet higher energy efficiency and environmental standards through the Ohio School Facilities Commission’s adoption of the LEED for Schools Rating System as part of its school design standards. When the Commission did the math, it determined it could save $1,415,529,914 in taxpayer money over the next 40 years by reducing the energy consumption of school buildings.

USGBC’s local Chapter network is leading the way to help replicate Ohio’s success in communities in all 50 states. Local “green school advocates” active in each of the organizations 77 Chapters and Affiliates are engaging school boards and PTA’s, and helping them to take the next steps towards committing to green schools.

The newly-formed Green Schools Caucus in the U.S. House of Representatives has lent a federal voice to the green schools agenda. Created by co-chairs Rep. Darlene Hooley (D-Ore), Rep. Michael McCaul, R-Texas), and Rep. Jim Matheson (D-Utah), the goals of the caucus are to raise awareness of the benefits of green schools, lead the policy discussion on the topic in various forums, create legislative opportunities for the collective efforts of the caucus members, and provide members of Congress with constituent outreach resources.

“We need to green our schools within a generation,” concluded Moore. “Twenty percent of America goes to school every day: There’s no more important place to start.”

The LEED certification program was developed by USGBC for parents, teachers, school boards and communities as a tool to measure and manage their school buildings. For more information on green schools, visits USGBC’s green schools site: www.buildgreenschools.org.

To find green schools in your neighborhood: www.buildgreenschools.org/leed/leed_schools_maps.html
About USGBC
The U.S. Green Building Council is a nonprofit membership organization whose vision is a sustainable built environment within a generation. Its membership includes corporations, builders, universities, government agencies, and other nonprofit organizations. Since USGBC’s founding in 1993, the Council has grown to more than 15,000 member companies and organizations, a comprehensive family of LEED® green building rating systems, an expansive educational offering, the industry’s popular Greenbuild International Conference and Expo (www.greenbuildexpo.org), and a network of 77 local chapters, affiliates, and organizing groups. For more information, visit www.usgbc.org.

About LEED® for Schools
The LEED® (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) for Schools green rating system delivers green building guidelines and third-party certification to assure schools’ stakeholders that their school incorporates best practices in green building with measurable results. LEED for Schools addresses classroom acoustics, master planning, mold prevention and environmental site assessment, together with the energy and water efficiencies and waste reduction strategies that are part of all LEED rating systems. The LEED for Schools rating system was launched by the U.S. Green Building Council in spring 2007. Since its launch, 78 schools have been LEED-certified, and more than 750 schools under construction have registered towards certification. For more information, visit www.buildgreenschools.org.

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Green Building Council Testifies Before U.S. Congress

Testimony Addresses the Role of Greening Existing Buildings, Including Schools, in Mitigating Climate Change

The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) testified today before the U.S. Congress about the importance of green buildings as a solution for global climate change, one of the biggest challenges facing society today.

Michelle Moore, Senior Vice President, Policy and Public Affairs for USGBC, spoke before Chairman Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) and the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming, and detailed the impact of the built environment on the natural environment, economy and health and productivity of building users. Moore’s testimony stressed the importance of green building practices not only in new construction but through smart retrofit of existing building stock, with a focus on schools, and the role that the LEED Green Building certification program plays in driving the reduction of energy consumption and carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions.

“Buildings are the single largest contributor to carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, accounting for 39% of emissions in the U.S. Of those buildings, school buildings represent the largest construction sector in the country and 20% of America goes to school every day,” said Moore. “It’s fundamental to promote the design and construction of green schools, which play a tremendous role in bettering the health and performance of our students and children. Every new building coming out of the ground today should built green and every existing building should be retrofitted, whether it is an office building, a school or your own home. Buildings offer an immediate, measureable solution for mitigating climate change - and we don’t have time to wait. ”

Moore joined actor Ed Norton and San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom at the Select Committee Hearing. Norton is a Trustee for the Enterprise Foundation, USGBC’s partner to promote green affordable housing within the LEED for Homes Rating System.

Governments at all levels have been highly influential in the growth of green building, both by requiring LEED for their own buildings and by creating incentives for LEED for the private sector. Currently, 12 federal agencies or departments, 28 states, 120+ local governments, 12 public school jurisdictions and 36 higher education institutions have made policy commitments to use or encourage LEED.

Photos available. Please contact akatz@usgbc.org for more information.

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About USGBC
The U.S. Green Building Council is a nonprofit membership organization whose vision is a sustainable built environment within a generation. Its membership includes corporations, builders, universities, government agencies, and other nonprofit organizations. Since USGBC’s founding in 1993, the Council has grown to more than 15,000 member companies and organizations, a comprehensive family of LEED® green building rating systems, an expansive educational offering, the industry’s popular Greenbuild International Conference and Expo (www.greenbuildexpo.org), and a network of 74 local chapters, affiliates, and organizing groups. For more information, visit www.usgbc.org.

About LEED®
The LEED® (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Green Building certification program is a feature-oriented rating system that awards buildings points for satisfying specified green building criteria. The six major environmental categories of review include: Sustainable Sites, Water Efficiency, Energy and Atmosphere, Materials and Resources, Indoor Environmental Quality and Innovation and Design. Certified, Silver, Gold, and Platinum levels of LEED green building certification are awarded based on the total number of points earned within each LEED category. LEED can be applied to all building types including new construction, commercial interiors, core & shell developments, existing buildings, homes, neighborhood developments, schools and retail facilities. LEED for Healthcare is currently under development and is expected to be released in early 2008.

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Please see www.wireville.com for all included reprinted articles.

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Wireville.com

Issue: June 2008
By: Frank Bisbee

Wireville.com

Issue: June 2008 By: Frank Bisbee

Issue: June 2008
By: Frank Bisbee