Rice Recipe Can Make You Rich. $325,000 Rich.

Rice Business Plan Competition Announces Administaff as Title Sponsor
World’s Richest and Largest Business Plan Competition slated for April 15-17, 2010

The Rice Business Plan Competition is pleased to announce that Administaff has expanded its role to become the title sponsor of the 2010 competition that will be held on April 15-17, 2010. The Rice Business Plan Competition is the largest and richest business plan competition in the world. Forty-two of the top graduate schools from around the world will compete for more than $800,000 in prizes, including equity investment. The grand-prize winner will receive a total package worth $325,000, including over $245,000 in cash/investment funding and $80,000 in services.

More than 85 past competitors have successfully launched their companies after competing at Rice and raised over $150 million in early-stage funding. These are high-growth companies that can all benefit from Administaff’s HR and business services.

The competition is hosted by the Rice Alliance for Technology and Entrepreneurship (Rice Alliance) and the Jesse H. Jones Graduate School of Business at Rice University.
“The key to an economic recovery is the entrepreneurial spirit of small business, which creates the most jobs and economic growth in our country,” said Jay E. Mincks, Administaff executive vice president of sales and marketing. “Administaff’s commitment to helping small and medium-sized companies succeed is reflected in its support as title sponsor of the 2010 Rice Business Plan Competition. In its 10th year, the competition is a proven vehicle for helping to launch the next generation of successful entrepreneurs and high-growth enterprises.”

Key 2010 Competition Dates:
Friday, February 26, 2010
Applications Due
Thursday, March 11, 2010
RBPC Announces 42 Teams
April 15-17, 2010

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Reliant Energy Launches New Seasonal Rate Plan

Plan Provides Relief from High Winter Electric Bills with a Lower Rate

Reliant Energy is launching a new Seasonal Rate Plan designed specifically for customers who rely on electric heat. With the Seasonal Rate Plan, customers get a lower price in the high-usage winter and summer months and pay a slightly higher rate during low-usage months, helping to smooth their bills throughout the year.

“This winter has been unusually cold with 10 days below freezing in the Houston area and even more days of cold weather in North Texas,” said Bill Clayton, vice president, customer care at Reliant Energy. “Customers with electric heat often see the highest electricity usage of the year during winter months. This new plan helps by providing two prices that adjust automatically with the seasons.”

During the hottest and coldest months of the year, customers will pay a lower price to offset the increased electricity usage. As a result, there will be less variation in bill amounts from season to season and families can enjoy greater predictability in their household budget.

“Providing a range of plans and options to fit the needs and lifestyles of our customers is part of the Reliant Advantage and one of the ways we deliver the Promise of Power ” Clayton added.

To sign up or for more information about these or other services from Reliant Energy, call 1-866-735-4268.
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Anadarko Buys Office Building for $215M

Anadarko Petroleum Corp. has acquired the office complex it occupies in The Woodlands for $215 million in cash. The deal included Anadarko’s 30-story office building at 1201 Lake Robbins Dr.; an adjacent mid-rise office building at 1200 Timberloch Place; and a parking garage — all on 14.5 acres of premium land located on the Woodlands Waterway.

The 30-story headquarters building, which opened in 2002, is the only LEED certified office complex in The Woodlands, according to Anadarko spokesman John Christiansen. LEED stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design — a rating system developed by the U.S. Green Building Council that measures the environmental impact of a building’s design, construction and operations.

The Woodlands-based company saw its fourth quarter earnings plummet 71 percent from the prior year, citing lower oil and gas prices and decreased demand for the drop.

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Cat Lift Trucks, Lopez Negrete and HAHMP Supports Local Students

Scholarships Deadline: February 20, March, 1, April, 2

Cat Lift Trucks

Cat Lift Trucks will award two Houston-area high school students with a $5,000 scholarship.

Students from public and private schools in Harris, Brazoria, Chambers, Fort Bend, Galveston, Liberty, Montgomery and Waller counties are eligible. Applicants must plan to attend an accredited college, university or technical school in Texas and major in mechanical engineering or a business-related field.

Application forms and scholarship requirements can be downloaded at www.cat-lift.com or picked up at the local Houston Office. Applications must be postmarked by 5 p.m. on Friday, April 2, 2010. Applications should be sent to: Cat Lift Trucks University Scholarship Fund, 808 Travis Street, Ste 501, Houston, TX 77002. For inquiries, please contact Lauren Winterfeld or Amanda Modglin at 713-970-2100.

Lopez Negrete Scholarship

The deadline for students to apply for the Lopez Negrete Hispanic Marketing Education Fund scholarship is March 1. Links to the scholarship application can be found at www.aaf-houston.org/2010-scholarship/.

Students must major in a marketing-related field such as advertising, marketing, communications, radio/TV/film production, media studies or marketing research. Applicants may be Latino or non-Latino, but must be bilingual and focused on, or with a specific interest in, Hispanic marketing and advertising.

Students may attend eligible institutions in any location, but preference will be given to those attending classes full time at the University of Houston, University of St. Thomas, Emerson College, Texas State University or The Florida State University.

Houston Association of Hispanic Media Professionals Scholarship

The Houston Association of Hispanic Media Professionals (HAHMP) is inviting high school seniors, college undergraduates and first-year graduate students pursuing careers in print, photo, broadcast, and online journalism to apply for HAHMP scholarships. Public Relations majors are also invited to apply. Students must plan to attend a community college or university that is within the United States or Puerto Rico. They must attend classes full-time for the entire academic year. Applicants must reside in the Greater Houston area. This year, HAHMP will award ten $2,500 scholarships. The scholarships will be awarded at the 21st Annual HAHMP Sylvan Rodriguez Scholarship Gala on March 30th, 2007 at the InterContinental Hotel in the Galleria. The application deadline has been extended to February 20, 2007. For more information please visit www.hahmponline.org.

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LOS TRES TOUR to play in Houston and Dallas

Alejandro Fernandez, Joan Sebastian, and Marco Antonio Solis and LOS TRES TOUR to play in Houston and Dallas

International superstars Marco Antonio Solis, Joan Sebastian and Alejandro Fernandez announced today that they will headline their first tour together this spring. LOS TRES TOUR is a mega star match up of Mexico's most extraordinary and respected talent playing some of the most exciting and important music in the world. Tickets go on sale at www.livenation.com.

The artists on LOS TRES TOUR have a successful recording and touring career of their own, is more than a concert, it's a history making event; the biggest showcase of Regional Mexican Music and Mexican pop ever. Each show is an opportunity for fans to see individual performances by three of their favorite artists and also see them as they join each other on stage to perform some musical surprises. The artists share mutual admiration and respect, but this is the first time that all three have shared a headline tour.

LOS TRES Tour Dates
May 28th Houston, TX Toyota Center
May 30th Dallas, TX American Airlines Center

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Have a Plan and Save Money on Valentine’s Day

It’s an unspoken rule that the guy is responsible for Valentine’s Day. Most girls have expectations, and they will not tell you what they are. They hope for flowers, dinner and hopefully a romantic evening.
Doing nothing because you are on a budget is a big mistake. No matter how frugal or wonderful your woman is, she still wants you to put some effort into Valentine’s Day.

Flowers
Flowers are a must. If your wife or girlfriend works she probably hopes that you will send her flowers at work. This year might be a little different though because Valentine’s Day is on a Sunday. There is something special about getting a single flower and remember, it’s the thought you put into it that counts.

Dinner
Every Valentine’s date has to include dinner. You get to pick from the two obvious choices of going out or cooking dinner at home. If you are doing dinner at home you are going to save a ton of cash. You can try to impress her with your cooking skills, or you can avoid that disaster and pick up pre-made dishes at a specialty grocery store.

Dessert
You can make dessert into a second event for the evening. It falls after dinner so it’s easy to use it to transition to another venue. You can move on to your dessert spot or you can save money by doing desert at home. Simple surprises go a long way.

Fun Things to Do
Home can be a fun place, if you put a little effort into it. It’s amazing what $15 worth of romantic music from iTunes and $5 worth of candles at Target can do to a house. This is where your creativity saves you money and earns you points with your wife or girlfriend.
Have Fun

Saving money is important, but it’s not the most important thing this Valentine’s Day. Once you have your plan set go have fun and forget about saving money and being frugal. Spend your time enjoying the one you are with.

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Historic Galveston Island Unveils Charging Stations for Electric Vehicles

Coulomb Technologies announced that the Galveston Historical Foundation has installed the first of twelve publicly accessible ChargePoint® Networked Charging Stations for electric vehicles (EV). The official unveiling of the stations will take place at the Historical Foundation’s headquarters in the 1861 Custom House located at 502 20th Street. The 1861 Custom House ChargePoint charging station installation is the first of more than a dozen planned installations by Positive Energy Resources, a Texas Renewable & Sustainable Resource Systems Integration company based in Houston and Galveston Island over the next few months. The charging stations were sold through Verdek-EV, Coulomb’s exclusive southwest distributor.

Galveston Island residents and Mardi Gras visitors can see a “Sneak Peek” of the 2010 Tazzari Zero electric sports car on display at Hotel Galvez.

The City of Houston recently purchased and installed several ChargePoint Networked Charging Stations and has nearly 50 EV’s and PHEV’s in service today. The installation of the ChargePoint charging stations in Galveston will serve to promote inter-city travel by Houston businesses and residents who own and drive plug-in vehicles and who travel to Galveston.

“The ChargePoint Networked Charging Station is an aesthetically pleasing and effective method of encouraging a practical, viable, renewable and sustainable resources program within our city,” said Matthew Pelz, Galveston Historical Foundation special projects coordinator. “The ChargePoint charging stations allow for the use of an emerging clean fuel technology that can be easily integrated in the Historic Downtown District. We are in the process of rebuilding our community since Hurricane Ike swept through. We are embracing sustainable transportation and renewable energy solutions and these charging stations are a welcome addition.”

For more information on Verdek, please go to: www.verdek-ev.com. For more on Positive Energy Resources: www.PositiveEnergyResources.Com or www.houstonEVcharge.com. For information on The Galveston Historical Foundation, please go to: www.galvestonhistory.org.

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6 Ways to Fend Off Debt Collectors

Whether or not you owe money, the law protects you from abusive practices.

You owe money, and a debt collector is calling you night and day. Or maybe you don't owe money, and a debt collector is calling you night and day. Collectors are applying the thumbscrews -- often illegally -- as recent complaints to the Federal Trade Commission bear out.

But the federal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act protects you from abusive and annoying practices on the part of third-party collection agencies -- companies that buy debts from creditors and attempt to collect on them -- and collection attorneys. The law does not cover collection attempts made by creditors (but some state laws do). Virtually every state prohibits serious harassment no matter who does the collecting. (To learn the law in your state, visit www.privacyrights.org.)

Here are six steps to take when a collection agency hassles you.
1. Get the facts. In its first letter, the collection agency must provide you with the name of the creditor, the amount of the initial debt, a breakdown of penalties and interest, and an explanation of your rights. If the collection agency calls rather than writes, get the details on the phone and remind the caller that you are entitled to the written information within five days.
Ask for an address and a phone number so you can follow up if necessary, and start a file that includes a record of every call and a copy of every document involved in the claim.

2. Set the record straight. If you don't recognize the debt, or know you're being dunned in error, write a letter disputing the claim to both the collection agency and the creditor. Include details, dates and copies of any supporting paperwork, and send the letters by certified mail, with a request for a receipt, within 30 days of the first written notice.

3. Hang up on harassment. Collection agencies are prohibited from calling you between 9:00 p.m. and 8:00 a.m. and from using abusive or threatening language. If you don't want to be called or contacted at all, write to the agency and say so. It must abide by your terms, although it can send one more notice telling you how it will proceed. If your lawyer writes the letter, the agency must communicate only with him or her.

4. Agree on a plan. If the debt is yours, work with the agency to come up with a realistic plan for paying it back. "Don't promise something you cannot do," says Robert Markoff, of the National Association of Retail Collection Attorneys. Debt collectors would rather adjust the terms of repayment than face future defaults, he says.

5. Tell the authorities. Still have a problem? Complain to the Federal Trade Commission (www.ftc.gov), which enforces the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act. Your complaint, added to others, can help it identify and pursue the most egregious bad guys, although it probably won't help get your case resolved. Also contact your state attorney general's office. Depending on state law, that office may be willing and able to pursue your case.

6. Sue the bums. You can sue a collection agency that flouts the federal law and collect statutory damages of up to $1,000, plus real damages and attorney's fees. Many lawyers will take your case on a contingency basis or charge a fee of, say, $25 to $100, says Robert Hobbs, of the National Consumer Law Center. Some will also represent you in serious cases involving collectors who are not covered by the federal law. To find a lawyer in your area, go to www.naca.net.

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Teach for America offers Opportunity for Positive Impact in the Hispanic Community

College Graduates and Professionals of All Backgrounds and Majors Invited to Apply by Feb. 19

Teach For America, the national teaching corps, will soon close its selection period for new teachers for the 2010-11 school year. The final deadline for submitting applications is February 19. Application materials are available online at www.teachforamerica.org.

Teach For America’s mission is to end educational inequity. The organization seeks college graduates and professionals from all backgrounds who will commit to teach for two years in underserved public schools. Teach For America operates in 35 regions in the country.

Last fall, Teach For America placed more than 4,000 teachers nationwide, the largest incoming corps in its history. They worked in more than 100 school districts in 27 states and the District of Columbia.

Among the teachers, 7 percent are Hispanic or Latino, which represents an increase of 1.3 percent compared with the previous year.

Teach For America provides intensive training and ongoing professional development to its teachers and fosters their impact and leadership after they complete their corps commitment. Joining Teach For America is an excellent opportunity to make a meaningful difference in the community while earning a competitive salary, health benefits, and transitional financial aid. BusinessWeek ranked Teach For America seventh in its 2009 list of “Best Places to Launch a Career,” marking the organization’s third straight year as the top-ranked nonprofit on the list.

Teach For America exists to address the educational disparities between poor students and their more affluent peers. Nine-year-old students growing up in low-income communities are, on average, three grade levels behind those in high-income communities. Only half of low-income students will graduate from high school, and only one in ten will earn a college degree. These disparities disproportionately affect Latino students, who are three times as likely to live in a low-income community.
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Employees Are Eyeing the Door

Matching hiring and benefits strategies now will give employers the edge as the economy heats up.

Companies worried about losing critical employees may have good reason to be. Some savvy firms are already trying to pick off the cream of the crop, and when the job market improves, more workers will gratefully seize the opportunity to jump ship. “Now is the time to make a preemptive strike to hang on to the most valuable employees,” says Ravin Jesuthasan with Towers Watson, a consulting firm.

No company should think it’s immune. A recent survey from The Conference Board shows that 22 percent of workers want to switch jobs as soon as they can—a painful prospect. Recruiting and training a replacement plus the loss of productivity can cost up to three times a wage earner’s annual pay.

Employees with important skills will leave first. Later on, the floodgates will start to open, though probably not until the jobless rate falls to seven percent or so. That’s not expected until 2012 at the earliest.

Now is the time for companies to take preventive steps, even while asking staffers to do more for less. Waiting until a worker who is pivotal has an offer from another firm is probably waiting until it’s too late.

Firms can take some relatively easy and low cost steps:
--Show you care. Offer flexible hours and telecommuting options. Say “thanks” and “well done” whenever they’re deserved. Give some extra days off or offer gift cards and bigger discounts on your own firm’s products. “Employers need to show the love—job advancement, leadership and support and recognition are high on employees’ lists of what’s important to them,” says Jeff Schwartz of Deloitte.
--Take an interest in career goals and emphasize training opportunities. If promotion slots are few, offer lateral moves that allow workers the opportunity to broaden their knowledge and increase their skills.
--Keep promises, if at all possible. If a pay freeze or cut came with a pledge to catch up later, do it. Or at least explain why you can’t now and when you might. “Companies that don’t keep their promises will see even more dramatic losses,” says Ray Baumruk of Hewitt Associates.
-- Reduce unnecessary tasks—maybe make monthly reports quarterly instead.
-- Save what cash you have for the most important people on your staff. That may be a line foreman rather than a vice president. Think productivity, experience and the availability of a replacement when deciding who gets a bonus.

Remember the other side of the coin: Now’s a good time to fill staff holes and to plot a hiring strategy so you can compete when you’re ready to add more employees.

Money will always be the primary lure, but a good approach needs more. If you have a prospect in mind, home in on his or her personal goals and needs. Be willing to offer flexible work schedules, training and advancement potential. Some workers hunger for informal dress codes or the occasional right to bring a child or even a dog to work. Introduce prospects to fellow employees who can seal a deal by telling them your company is a good place to work. Show you’re financially secure, if that’s the case, so workers won’t worry about the long-term viability of a move.

Take generational differences into account. No one size fits all. What attracts a 20-something technology whiz who hates being tied to a desk can be very different from a seasoned baby boomer’s wants. Flexibility in schedules and in tasks assigned, autonomy, company stability and more are part of the package.

By Martha Lynn Craver, Associate Editor, The Kiplinger Letter

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Business Corner



Memorial CITYCENTRE

Memorial area has a new spot! Welcome to CITYCENTRE, a well planned community developed by Midway Companies. CITYCENTER combines some of the nation’s most successful retailers, businesses, hotel, dining and entertainment. The new center is surrounded by air plazas and beautiful green spaces, featuring fine restaurants and nightly entertainment, like Eddie V's Prime Seafood from Austin, TX, San Francisco-based Straits Restaurant has also opened its doors; the restaurant introduces modern Singaporean cuisine to Houston. RA Sushi known for fresh sushi and cool happy hours also opened its second location in the CITYCENTRE last year. Yard House, from Long Beach, CA also joined the plaza. Yard House offers an upscale-casual eatery with extensive menu, classic rock and a large selection of draft beer. And that’s not all - Bistro Alex and Café Rose - from Alex Brennan-Martin from the famous Louisiana Brennan restaurant family are also in town.

Laurenzo's Grille opened a new Restaurant in the heart of Houston's Washington corridor

Roland Laurenzo, son of the famous Mama Ninfa, offers prime steaks alongside some of the family's favorite Tex-Mex dishes. Laurenzo’s is the perfect place for prime rib with chili con queso and chips complemented by strong margaritas. The margaritas are made to order, using fresh lime, lemon and orange juice, top-brand triple sec and high-octane tequila.

Keeping it all in the family is grandson Domenic Laurenzo, who mans the spacious open kitchen.

Laurenzo’s Grille,
4412 Washington Ave.,
Houston, TX 77007,
713-880-5111.
website

Chef Suggestions

Chef Juan Carlos Gonzales

Bistro Alex is now open in Houston’s new City Centre under the command of Chef Juan Carlos Gonzales.


Puerto Rican Chef Juan Carlos Gonzales started to appreciate the culinary arts at a young age. Born into a family of Spanish and Italian, is not a surprise he has a taste for bold flavors.

Chef Gonzales worked most kitchen stations and trained with great Chefs, like Chef Eric Ripert from New York City’s respected Le Bernardine and late Chef Jamie Shannon, the acclaimed chef from New Orleans’s Commander's Palace

Combining years of experience and a passion for intense flavors Chef Juan Carlos incorporates bits and pieces of his upbringing and culinary training by infusing bold flavors and fresh ingredients into dishes such as Boudin Blanc Crusted Black Grouper with Five Mustard Sauce.

Events
 

February 11
Membership Orientation

09:00 AM - 10:00 AM

Membership Orientation
Federal Reserve Bank
1801 Allen Parkway

Description
New and renewing members learn about the benefits of being a member
Contact:
M. Madrid
M. Rojas
R. Jones
L. Flores

February 16, 2010
Lunch & Learn: Jumpstart the New Year!

11:30am to 1:30pm
University of Houston
Small Business Development

Join us for an interactive Lunch & Learn to Jumpstart the New Year with a Motivated Workforce! This is an absolute MUST for anyone who depends on the actions of others for their business success! You will learn: Best Practices and New Strategies for motivating your people. Keys to create an environment that brings out the BEST in your people Maximize your organization performance by tapping into employee "discretionary effort". Unleash the passion in your people in 2010! Presented by Bambi McCullough, CEO Chrysalis Partners
University of Houston Small Business Development Center, 2302 Fannin, Suite 200
Abby McFarland
email
713 844 3692

February 17/18
Women’s Business Summit "The New Rules of Business for Women Entrepreneurs"

National Hispanic Professional Organization- NHPO
Start 8:00am Feb/17
End 5:00pm Feb/18
JW Marriott
5150 Westheimer Road, Houston-TX
The Summit will focus on The New Rules of Business for Women Entrepreneurs and participants will receive advice and useful content to help women business owners grow in the current economy.

The Summit will also be a valuable networking opportunity for women business owners in the Houston metro area and attendance is expected to gather hundreds of leading entrepreneurs.

Please find more information on the Summit below:
website

February 17 & 24
Rice Design Alliance (RDA) with support from the Mexican Consulate
General and Bank of America

RDA Lectures Examine the Palaces to Progress in Mexico City
District Federales Architecture Topic of Spring Lecture Series

This year’s focus is Mexico City Surging: DF Architecture, and includes a
lineup of young architects and urban planners helping to shape the burgeoning Mexico City landscape.
The lectures coincide with Mexico’s year-long celebration of the Bicentennial of Mexican Independence
(Día de La Independencia) and the Centennial of The Mexican Revolution (La Revolucíon Mexicana).

Wednesday, – Javier Sanchez, Principal, JSa
February 24 – Frida Escobedo Lopez

7:00 p.m. in Brown Auditorium, The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston. No guaranteed seating for ticket holders after 7:00 p.m.

February 19
Latina Roundtable

02:00 PM - 04:00 PM
Central Market
3815 Westheimer Rd,Houston, TX 77027

Contact:
M. Madrid
M. Rojas
R. Jones
L. Flores

March 24, 2010
International Summit & Business Expo

HHCC
Renaissance Hotel Greenway
6 Greenway Plaza East, Houston TX 77046
7:30 AM - 10:30 AM

Networking and Business Development Breakfast

Contact:
M. Madrid
M. Rojas
R. Jones
L. Flores

March 25
Luncheon Meeting
IAPG Houston

Repsol's LNG Strategy: Addressing the Increasing Role of LNG in the World Gas Market
Guest Speaker:
Pablo Giner - Deputy Director LNG Strategy & Business Development – Repsol USA
Price: free
A chance to discuss, practice and have fun speaking Español.
Venue: Epicure Cafe
2005 W. Gray (at Shepherd)
Contact Info: 281-536-3927
website

April 08
2010 State of the City Address
Mayor Annise Parker

12:00 PM to 1:30 PM

Location: Hilton Americas, 1600 Lamar
Considered one of the Partnership's premiere events for networking with key local decision makers, join us for this forum with the mayor of Houston as she comments on the initiatives for the year ahead.
Blanca Ortega
713 844 3695
email

April 22, 2010
17th Annual Membership and Corporate Sponsors' Luncheon & Business Expo

April 22, 2010
Annual Membership and Corporate Sponsors' Luncheon & Business Expo
10:30 AM – 3:00 PM Business Expo
11:00 AM – 1:00 PM Luncheon

HHCC
With over 1400 in attendance, the Annual Membership/Corporate Sponsors' Luncheon & Business Expo is the largest Hispanic business luncheon in Houston. This event gives Chamber members the opportunity to network with established and emerging Houston Corporations and to showcase their company at the Business Expo.

Business Expo
Please Call
713 644 7070
website
 

We recommend this website:

The Universal Packing List

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