Greater Philadelphia Area Office Space

Trivia Question of the Week

tweet@aecphilly.com (American Executive Centers) — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 12:00:00 EST

For Your Networking Event, Consider this Tip...

tweet@aecphilly.com (Ryan Dugan) — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 12:00:00 EST

Exton Region Chamber of Commerce
September 16th, 2010
2010 Golf Outing

Radley Run Country Club
1100 Country Club Rd.
West Chester, PA
11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Join the Exton Region Chamber of Commerce on September 16, 2010 at Radley Run Country Club for the Chamber's Annual Golf Outing. Golfers of all levels are welcome! The cost for individual golfers is $195 for Exton Chamber Members and $245 for Non- Members. If you do not wish to golf, please join us for the reception & dinner. The cost for Chamber Members is $50 and $65 for Non Members.

Sponsorship Opportunities are available. For more information and to register for this event, visit: http://www.ercc.net/index.php/members1/events1/

Main Line Chamber of Commerce
September 15th, 2010
Golf Leaf Celebration

Philadelphia Country Club
1601 Mill Rd.
Gladwyne, PA
11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

$75 for Members and $90 for Non-Members. For more information and to register, visit: http://www.mlcc.org/index.php?id=32

Chamber of Commerce Southern New Jersey
September 2nd, 2010
Networking Connection Lunch at Lamberti's

Caffé Aldo Lamberti's
Time: 12 p.m.
2011 Route 70 West( for GPS, use: 2011 Marlton Pike West, Cherry Hill, NJ 08002)

Join this informal group of Chamber members and non-members at this Camden County location the FIRST THURSDAY of every month to learn more about each other's businesses and exchange business cards. The registration fees are $20 per person for members and $35 per person for non-members and are payable at the door by cash, check or credit card.

Directions to Caffe Aldo Lamberti: Route 295 to Route 70 West, Cherry Hill Exit. Caffe Aldo Lamberti is 3 miles ahead on left, across from the Garden State Pavillion at the intersection of Haddonfield Rd./Grove. St. and Route 70.

Chamber of Commerce Southern New Jersey
September 22nd, 2010
State Affairs Committee

The Honorable Don Norcross
New Jersey Senator, District 5
The Mansion on Main Street, Voorhees, NJ
8:15 a.m. to 10:00 a.m.

Senator Norcross represents District 5, which is comprised of Camden and Gloucester counties. He is vice chair of the Senate Law & Public Safety, and the Senate Transportation Committees, and serves on the Joint Committee on the Public Schools. Senator Norcross will discuss his legislative priorities for the second half of the year and other issues of interest to the South Jersey business community.

$25 pre-registered members
$35 members at the door
$50 non-members*

For more information about Chamber of Commerce Southern New Jersey, visit: http://www.chambersnj.com/

Irish American Business Chamber & Network
September 15th
Welcome Back Networking Happy Hour Aboard the Moshulu

The Moshulu
401 S. Columbus Blvd
Philadelphia, PA 19106

Members: $35.00
Non-Members: $45.00

Irish American Business Chamber & Network
September 23rd
International Chambers Business Networking Reception

The Simeone Automotive Museum
For more information about these events or to register, visit: www.iabcn.org

Trivia Question of the Week

tweet@aecphilly.com (American Executive Centers) — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 12:00:00 EST

Ready for the Answer?

Netscape. Morgan Stanley priced the browser's stock at 28 dollars per share. The first closing bell left the stock at over 58 dollars per share.

Training Program for Attorneys Who Need to Develop New Business

tweet@aecphilly.com (G. Michael Howard) — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 12:00:00 EST

Chuck and Evan Polin from The Training Resource Group, one of our networking partners who I have been fortunate to meet through our membership with Business Clubs America, invites you to participate in an Executive Briefing designed to help you understand and acquire client development skills that will produce long term, positive results for you and your firm.

When:        Fridays: September 10, 17, 24, and October 1.
Time:         All sessions 12:00-2:00 pm
Location: Philadelphia Bar Association
                  1101 Market Street, 11th Floor, Philadelphia, PA
Fee:          The cost is $795 per participant which includes four training
                      sessions, one individual coaching session, & materials.
RSVP:       Call 215-320-4650

Click here for program details and registration form.

American Executive Centers' Exton Client, Andy Meehan Invites You to Join Business Books Discussions of Philadelphia

tweet@aecphilly.com (Dee Byrd) — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 12:00:00 EST

Andy Meehan --

Knowing that so many of my neighbors at American Executive Centers are business owners, entrepreneurs or managers, I want to introduce you, along with other business professionals in the Delaware Valley, to a group I started a few months ago called, Business Books Discussions of Philadelphia.

Business Books Discussions of Philadelphia offers a terrific forum to read and discuss topical business books for extracting ideas to enhance one's professional life.

Business Books Discussions of Philadelphia meets once per month on the Main Line - convenient for Radnor, Bala Cynwyd, Plymouth Meeting, King of Prussia and Exton American Executive Centers' clients interested in attending. We have a following of approximately 40 professionals, so it's a great networking venue too! Membership and attendance is completely FREE!

The next meeting is scheduled for September 7^th at Panera Bread in Wayne (located off of Lancaster Avenue in the same Plaza as Whole Foods and 5 Guys). For directions visit: http://www.panerabread.com/cafes/find.php

This month we are discussing Outliers: The Story of Success, by Malcom Gladwell. It's available at most bookstores or on Amazon.com. To read a review visit: http://www.amazon.com/Outliers-Story-Success-Malcolm-Gladwell/dp/0316017922/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1282582943&sr=1-1

Trivia Question of the Week

tweet@aecphilly.com (American Executive Centers) — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 12:00:00 EST

Ready for the Answer?

New York instated the first mandatory seat-belt law on July 12, 1984.

Building Success for Clients and Community through Support for a Great Cause

tweet@aecphilly.com (G. Michael Howard) — Mon, 23 Aug 2010 12:00:00 EST

For the rest of the year, American Executive Centers will be offering special in-house office and virtual office client service promotions that include discounts for business support services, as well as a customer appreciation referral incentive program. Click here to learn more about the Program and Special Offers.

For every company/client that utilizes American Executive Centers' Partnering for a Cure offers at any of our seven office business center locations, we will make a donation to Susan G. Komen for the Cure®. The goal is to raise $5,000 for the foundation and join hands with our clients to help this worthy cause.

For more information about Susan G. Komen for the Cure® visit: http://ww5.komen.org/

Hope for Kids

tweet@aecphilly.com (Anne Senski) — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 12:00:00 EST

This group depends on charitable donations and volunteer support to keep the programs running. I was able to attend a "Thank You" luncheon on June 23, 2010, to honor the various groups who donated time, money and supplies to the camp. Walking through the camp, memories of camps I attended in my younger days came flooding back. The scenic views, the pool, the lake and the cabins brought back many fond memories. Most impressive were the children and how appreciative and polite each and everyone was. Hope for Kids Camp and the many volunteers are molding these young participants and impacting their future in a positive, fun and educational environment. It was a pleasure seeing such commitment to giving back to our community and the disadvantaged.

If your organization would like to contribute to Hope for Kids in any way, please contact Pat Gempel, Board Chairman or Kim Evans at 1-888-H4K-4696 (1-888-445-4696). Hope for Kids is eligible to receive grants through the Educational Improvement Tax Credit (EITC) program as an Educational Improvement Organization. The EITC allows business stakeholders to redirect their tax dollars to support scholarships for students to participate in the summer programs. If you would like a tour of the camp, feel free to contact Pat or Kim.

Trivia Question of the Week

tweet@aecphilly.com (American Executive Centers) — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 12:00:00 EST

Ready for the Answer?

The horse. California governor, Leland Stanford took a $25,000 bet (in 1872) that all four hooves of a horse sometimes leave the ground. In 1877 photographer Eadweard Muybridge used 12 cameras to photograph a galloping horse, put the photos on a rotating disc and shone a light through them, proving that all four hooves do leave the ground.

The Value of Paralegal Support through The Legal Facilities at American Executive Centers

tweet@aecphilly.com (Stephanie Sykes) — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 12:00:00 EST

The Legal Facilities at AEC is extremely beneficial, in this case, to a sole practitioner in that attorneys are able to utilize the services of the paralegals here at American Executive Centers minus the overhead concerns of having to pay our salary, along with all of the other expenses that come with having employees. Another advantage of using The Legal Facilities at AEC is that the attorney can utilize our services on an as-needed basis and are only billed at a rate of $35.00 per hour. If the attorney chooses to bill their client at a reduced rate of $75.00 an hour for paralegal services, they are still making a $40.00 profit. Utilizing the Legal Facilities at AEC on an as-needed basis helps to ease the mind of the attorney who has occasional tight deadlines, but does not feel they have enough consistent work that would warrant employing a paralegal.

As a paralegal, over the past few years at American Executive Centers, I have seen firsthand just how heavily attorneys rely on paralegals to manage the day-to-day operations of their practice. The value paralegals offer attorneys in helping them to run their practices in a more efficient and cost-effective manner cannot be understated.

The paralegal support clients receive through The Legal Facilities at AEC helps create more time in the attorney's schedule so they can focus on their core competency. Some examples of assistance provided include:

Servicing incoming calls regarding cases
Legal research
Drafting complaints and other documents pertaining to litigation
Filing documents with the courts, facilitating
Off -site travel - this is especially convenient when an attorney's paralegal is out sick or on vacation. We are able to fill in and make the work flow seamless until the paralegal returns.
Maintaining communication with the clients and opposing counsel, or any other task associated with maintaining a client's file, the Legal Services at AEC is here to help.

Should you have any questions, please feel free to contact Stephanie Sykes at 610-940-1600 ssykes@americanexecutivecenters.com or Gail Redman at 215-854-6300 gredman@americanexecutivecenters.com.

Trivia Question of the Week

tweet@aecphilly.com (American Executive Centers) — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 12:00:00 EST

Ready for the Answer?

Victoria Claflin Woodhull ran against Ulysses Grant in 1872 She was a feminist, spiritualist and advocate of "free love" (allowing people to choose relationships, instead of the social and legal constraints of marriage put upon women of the time)

Upcoming Social/Networking Opportunities

tweet@aecphilly.com (American Executive Centers) — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 12:00:00 EST

PLYMOUTH MEETING:

Thursday August 12th

3 p.m. - 5 p.m.
American Executive Centers Plymouth Meeting Summer Social/Networking Luau Party

American Executive Centers' clients are welcomed to join us at our Plymouth Meeting location for our summer social/networking party. This is a great opportunity to meet other American Executive Centers' clients and our Plymouth Meeting American Executive Centers' staff. We look forward to seeing you!

American Executive Centers
600 W Germantown Pike Suite 400
Plymouth Meeting, PA 19462

Tuesday August 24th

5 p.m. - 7 p.m.
Penn Suburban Chamber and Wissahickon Valley Watershed Association invite you to join them for refreshments, food and a card exchange. WVWA's mission is to protect the health and beauty of our area's most valuable natural resource, the Wissahickon Creek. For more information visit: www.pennsuburban.org and www.wvwa.org

KING OF PRUSSIA:

Tuesday, August 10th

4:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.
Bahama Breeze Networking Event

American Executive Centers and PBN to host a summer networking event at Bahama Breeze(http://www.bahamabreeze.com/). Please join us for a great event. Meet new people and learn about upcoming PBN events. Drink specials and hot and cold appetizers, cash bar. Admission is FREE for American Executive Centers' clients and PBN members. All others $10. For more information about PBN visit: www.pbnworks.com. RSVP to: aeckoprr@americanexecutivecenters.com.

EXTON:

Wednesday, August 11, 2010

5 p.m. - 8 p.m.
Summer Barbeque Bash

The Chester County Chamber of Business & Industry will be hosting a "Summer Barbeque Bash" for members and guests at CCCBI Headquarters: 1600 Paoli Pike, Malvern, PA19355.

The cost for Chamber Members is $20. Future Members is $30.

Start your weekend early and join the Chester County Chamber for an evening of summer fun. This event will feature an inflatable pub and slushy machine, barbequing, wine tasting with compliments of Chaddsford Winery, lawn games, music, and much more! You will not want to miss this fabulous opportunity to make new connections while enjoying a summer evening of fun. Reserve your ticket today! You can register at the following link: http://www.cccbi.org/signature_events.php?id=336.

MARLTON:

Thursday, August 19th

Chamber of Commerce Southern NJ Network Connection Lunch-Braddock's
Braddock's
39 South Main Street
Medford, NJ 08055

Join this informal group of Chamber members and non-members at Braddock's in Medford for our Burlington County Network "Lunch to Learn" more about each other's businesses and exchange business cards. The registration fees are $20 per person for members and $35 per person for non-members and are payable at the door by cash, check(payable to CCSNJ) or credit card.

Directions: Travel on Route 70 East toward Medford, cross Route 73 and continue five miles east on Route 70 until you reach the traffic light where Route 70 and Main St. (Route 541 South) intersect and turn right on Main St. Follow Main St. through the first traffic light then turn left, about 100 yards beyond the traffic light, onto Coates Street. Braddock's Colonial Room is located on the right. Additional parking is available on the left in the Community Parking Lot. Additional directions are available at http://www.braddocks.com/Directions.htm

For more information about the Chamber of Commerce of Southern NJ visit: http://www.chambersnj.com/ . If you are interested in this event, contact Rita Bohus at 856-988-5500 or rbohus@americanexecutivecenters.com

Understanding Public Relations...The Most Cost-Effective, Powerful Marketing Tool for Businesses!

tweet@aecphilly.com (Robyn Axner-Davis) — Wed, 04 Aug 2010 12:00:00 EST

As I see it, marketing is made up of three elements: sales, advertising and public relations. Anyone of those three elements can stand alone, but together...if the budget permits, they form an image of your company and brand that drives its success.

Sales, in and of itself, is self-explanatory. And, while the return of investment for advertisement can be of great value to a business, big budget advertising is often cost prohibitive...especially when the marketing budget is tight. Unlike advertising, which anyone can purchase, public relations is not paid for space. When your name or business appears in print, online or via electronic media (radio/TV), you are receiving the coverage because the media think you and your company are newsworthy enough to write about or report on. The value a business receives from major media coverage can not be overstated.

Public relations efforts should always start out as a plan or campaign; created and carried out by a public relations consultant or media relations specialist. A proper plan involves first assessing the client's business and communications needs to determine the best approach for generating results. And, while there a several tactics today being used by PR professionals to help clients gain visibility, recognition and credibility, one tactic that continues to be very effective in generating press attention is the press release. This is a great way to get the media's interest in "your story." Keep in mind that the media has an overwhelming number of news stories to choose from 24 hours a day, so getting the media interested in your business is the trick. You may know what makes your business noteworthy, but can you spin your story from a variety of perspectives to keep your name in the news? Again, this is where a savvy PR professional comes in handy. At Furman Communications we have been crafting newsworthy stories/press releases for clients for almost 15 years that have secured major press coverage both regionally and nationally for clients, helping them further brand their name and grow their business.

When it comes to crafting a press release that will pique the media's interest, there are several techniques to getting it right. A big part of writing a great press release correctly is understanding the media. Media personnel are very busy, and respect for their time is appreciated if you want to see results. Sure you can find sites on line that provide press release examples and steps for writing releases, but to get yours to stand out so the media takes the time to read it, takes special talent and is best left in the hands of professionals who do that for a living. Let me also point out that the media turn to leading newswire sites daily for stories and expert sources, so in many cases its best to distribute press releases via a reputable newswire service, such as PR Newswire, Marketwire, or Business Wire. There is a fee involved in using these wire services, but I have found them to be worth the investment. Wire services help to increase your search engine optimization and they provide extensive reports for tracking your press release coverage.

Before trying to put together a public relations plan yourself, talk to a professional to determine if your efforts will generate the results you desire. Oftentimes, a professional public relations consultant can put together a plan that will, in the end, save you time and effort as well as get you the results you seek. The impact of media exposure and the value PR support provides for any business is simply priceless!

For more information about how public relations can help increase your business' visibility and credibility, and in turn help grow your business, please post your comments below or contact Robyn Axner-Davis, President, Furman Communications, at robyn@Furmancommunications.com

New Restaurant in King of Prussia Offers a Great Venue for Your Next Business Lunch or Dinner

tweet@aecphilly.com (Gwen Donnon) — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 12:00:00 EST

Seasons 52
160 North Gulph Rd.
King of Prussia - (610) 992-1152
http://www.seasons52.com/locations/king_of_prussia.asp

Some of the menu highlights include:

Year Round Favorites - Cedar Plank Atlantic Salmon, Grilled Rack of New Zealand Lamb, Caramelized Sea Scallops and Char Crust Filet Mignon

Seasonal Specialties - Chicken Tortilla Soup, Artichoke & Goat Cheese Flatbread, New Zealand Venison Chop and Blackened Mahi-Mahi

Lunch Selections - Spicy Chicken Chile Relleno, Mediterranean Shrimp Salad, BBQ Grilled Chicken Salad and Oak-fired Western Buffalo Burger

Award-Winning Mini Indulgences - Perfectly portioned servings of Key Lime Pie, Pecan Pie with Vanilla Mousse, Mocha Macchiato, Old-Fashioned Carrot Cake, Rocky Road with Belgian Chocolate, Mango Cheesecake, Market-Fresh Fruit and Chocolate Peanut Butter Mousse

Seasons 52 also offers complimentary valet parking. To make reservations, please call (610) 992-1152 or visit http://www.seasons52.com/locations/king_of_prussia.asp

Trivia Question of the Week

tweet@aecphilly.com (American Executive Centers) — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 12:00:00 EST

Ready for the Answer?

It painted giant eyes on the engine intakes to discourage birds from approaching.

Upcoming Social Event at our Radnor American Executive Centers' Location

tweet@aecphilly.com (Dana Long) — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 12:00:00 EST

An invitation sent on behalf of your Brandywine Realty Trust Property Management team...

Who: Radnor Financial Center Tenants
What: Annual Ice Cream Social
Where: 150 Main Atrium
When: Wednesday, July 28^th, 2010
Time: 1:00 pm - 2:30 pm

We look forward to seeing you there!

Latest Google App Lunch and Learn on Us

tweet@aecphilly.com (Dana Long) — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 12:00:00 EST

Come join us on Thursday, August 5^th from Noon till 1p.m. at the Radnor American Executive Centers location for a COMPLIMENTARY Lunch and Learn session: "HOW TO SAVE MONEY AND REDUCE SPAM USING GOOGLE GMAIL." Learn about the powerful and affordable option the Google Apps platform can offer your small business.

WHAT IS THE GOOGLE CLOUD? - AND HOW CAN IT HELP MY SMALL BUSINESS?
EMAIL: ANYWHERE, ANYTIME, ANYPLACE - With your mobile device or internet access

GOOGLE GMAIL SPAM PROTECTION

We look forward to seeing you on August 5^th!

Trivia Question of the Week

tweet@aecphilly.com (American Executive Centers) — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 12:00:00 EST

Ready for the Answer?

Post-it Notes. 3M scientists accidently created a reusuable, low-tack, pressure sensitive adhesive in 1968. The actual product wasn't launched by 3M until 1977.

American Executive Centers' Shelterbox - Helping the People of Haiti

tweet@aecphilly.com (Rita Bohus) — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 12:00:00 EST

The American Executive Centers' ShelterBox has been assigned and will soon be deployed to a disaster-affected region. To track our box, go to www.shelterboxusa.org and click the "Track Your Box" link on the Homepage. Select "Search by box number" and be sure to select United States of America in the drop down menu. Our Shelterbox number is 11104.

Thank you again for supporting ShelterBoxUSA and helping this wonderful organization deliver shelter, warmth and dignity throughout the world.

To make a donation online for ShelterBoxUSA, for more information, or to get the latest updates on the charity's response to the Haiti earthquake visit www.ShelterBoxUSA.com

Trivia Question of the Week

tweet@aecphilly.com (American Executive Centers) — Wed, 14 Jul 2010 12:00:00 EST

Ready for the Answer?

The Keyboard, in order to reduce stress injuries resulting in carpal tunnel syndrome.

Upcoming Socials to Mark on Your Calendar this Month!

tweet@aecphilly.com (American Executive Centers) — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 12:00:00 EST

Latest Google App Lunch and Learn on Us!

tweet@aecphilly.com (Tom Heffren) — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 12:00:00 EST

WHAT IS THE GOOGLE CLOUD? - AND HOW CAN IT HELP MY SMALL BUSINESS?
EMAIL: ANYWHERE, ANYTIME, ANYPLACE - With your mobile device or internet access
GOOGLE GMAIL SPAM PROTECTION

American Executive Centers is sponsoring Google Cloud/Gmail Lunch and Learn sessions at the following American Executive Centers' locations and the dates and times below:

Location:                             Date:                                   Time:
Marlton                                July 13, 2010                       12:00 - 1:00 pm
King of Prussia                   July 15, 2010                      12:00 - 1:00 pm
Bala Cynwyd                      July 27, 2010                      12:30 - 1:30 pm
Exton                                    July 28, 2010                      12:00 - 1:00 pm
Radnor                                 August 5, 2010                   12:00 - 1:00 pm

Database Marketing

tweet@aecphilly.com (Raquel Spatzier) — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 12:00:00 EST

A database is one of your most valuable business assets. When it comes right down to it, your database should include everyone who might wind up in a business relationship with you. Once you've compiled the information, start devising targeted communications. Think about the financial impact it can have on your business...

Market to your own customers! Continuity programs keep you in touch with customers and helps build new business and referrals. They will increase repeat and referral business, help turn satisfied customers into LOYAL customers and create a two-way communication between you and your customer.

Are there additional products or services you can sell your customers? Keep all the information you can in a database on your customers and leads and start communicating regularly. Contact . . . contact . . . contact is a good way to build loyalty. The more a customer sees something from your company, the more likely you'll get the next sale. Send Birthday and Greeting Cards, quarterly newsletters, follow-up with phone and telemarketing calls, send mailings or eblasts, satisfaction questionnaires, marketing surveys, and personalized letters and emails. The more they know about you, the more they see you as someone to help.

Don't forget your past customers! One of the biggest mistakes is forgetting about those you have worked with in the past. Once you've sold someone, even if he or she drifted away, you'll have an easier time selling them again than making a first sale to an unidentified prospect.

Don't forget those leads! A prospect who has requested your information is officially a hot lead. At that time, capture names, emails and all the information you can. If that lead turns cold, turn your efforts to database marketing. You never know when their situation will change, but with your efforts, they will remember your name and product.

If you would like help setting up your database or a marketing program, please feel free to email me rspatzier@aecphilly.com or contact your center manager.

Trivia Question of the Week

tweet@aecphilly.com (American Executive Centers) — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 12:00:00 EST

Ready for the Answer?

Death Valley, California.

WHO'S NEW AT AMERICAN EXECUTIVE CENTERS

tweet@aecphilly.com (Rita Bohus) — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 12:00:00 EST

Jessica Coleman, LPC, CEO, Child and Family Solutions

Child and Family Solutions has been providing intensive in-home counseling to children throughout the state of New Jersey for over six years. Their counselors specialize in ADHD, Depression, Anxiety, Trauma, Eating Disorders, and a wide array of emotional/behavioral challenges. Jessica says, "Moving our office to the Marlton American Executive Centers location has been a seamless transition and has helped us overcome our growing pains." Jessica is interested in meeting other American Executive Centers clients who are professionals in various mental health professions, as well as American Executive Centers clients with financial backgrounds. Jessica Coleman can be reached at 856.262.9100 or at jcoleman@childandfamilysolutions.org. For more information about the organization visit their website at: www.childandfamilysolutions.org

Brad Geist, Director, B & F Capital Markets, Inc.

Based in Cleveland, Austin, B & F Capital Markets is in the business of private labels interest rate swaps, caps and collars for banks that would like to have access to the products, but do not want to spend the capital to build the group in-house. The firm generally works with commercial lending groups, but can assist with any Treasury activity. Brad opened his office in Marlton at American Executive Centers where he is responsible for developing and managing the business in the Northeast. Brad Geist can be reached at 856.988.5886 or via email at bgeist@bfcmi.com. For more information visit: www.bfcmi.com

Farrukh Kazmi, Portfolio Manager, A& S Asset Management

Farrukh Kazmi provides a type of portfolio management service he claims to be unique...one that no one has seen before. He is a former Goldman Sachs trader and has brought his money management experience to the local level through A & S Asset Management. Farrukh would like to meet other American Executive Centers' clients who are attorneys or accountants and can be reached at Farrukh1@aol.com or at 856.988.5530. For more information about A & A Asset Management visit: www.asassetmanagement.com

Trivia Question of the Week

tweet@aecphilly.com (American Executive Centers) — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 12:00:00 EST

Ready for the Answer?

Abraham Lincoln was not on the ballot in 9 states (AL, AR, FL, GA, LA, MS, NC, TN, TX) when he won the election of 1860.

WHO'S NEW AT AMERICAN EXECUTIVE CENTERS

tweet@aecphilly.com (Dana Long) — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 12:00:00 EST

Paul Milnes, Managing Partner & President, Outsourced Financial Analytics, LLC.

Partners: Bob Milnes, VP of Business Development and Dan Lovell, Head of Analytics

Outsourced Financial Analytics, LLC provides financial analysis on an outsourced, project specific basis. The firm specializes in investment analysis and business/investment valuation. A group of highly educated professionals, the Outsourced Financial Analytics team is passionate about their business! New to American Executive Centers, Paul and his partners are looking to connect with RIAs, private equity managers, hedge fund managers, financial advisors, and small business owners. Paul, Bob and Dan can be reached at 610.977.0889 or at paul.milnes@outsourcedanalytics.com. For more information visit: www.outsourcedanalytics.com

Best Places for Your Next Business Lunch/Dinner and Best Venues for Networking in Plymouth Meeting

tweet@aecphilly.com (Ann Lokay) — Fri, 25 Jun 2010 12:00:00 EST

Directly across the street from the Plymouth Meeting American Executive Centers location sits an array of new, exciting restaurants, including: Benihana (Japanese Style Hibachi Cooking), Bertucci's Italian Restaurant, and California Pizza Kitchen. For an upscale networking crowd and finer dining experience, it's worth checking out Redstone American Grille, with their fantastic outdoor bar and seating in the summertime, or, P.F. Changs with their spacious, elegant bar area offering up more than 40 wines by the glass and a variety of specialty cocktails. If you're looking for a restaurant that accommodates larger groups, Dave and Busters is the place...a stone's throw away from Redstone Grill and P.F. Changs. Also new to the Plymouth Meeting Mall is Whole Foods Market, the largest branch of the store in Pennsylvania. Whole Foods Market features an expansive prepared food department, a ‘roof top' deck and "Cold Point Pub" where you can enjoy fresh beers on tap and a wine bar, along with a meal from the prepared food section. Plus, Whole Foods hosts regular events, such as, ‘Roof Top' Yoga, Beer Tastings, Cooking Presentations featuring local celebrity chefs, and more. For more information about Whole Foods Market and to view their Plymouth Meeting store's calendar of events listing visit: http://wholefoodsmarket.com/storesbeta/plymouthmeeting/

For more information about dining at Plymouth Meeting Mall, visit: http://www.shopplymouthmeetingmall.com/dining

Plymouth Meeting has always been a convenient location for business and is now an even greater place to work!

WHO'S NEW AT AMERICAN EXECUTIVE CENTERS

tweet@aecphilly.com (Sally Conchewski) — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 12:00:00 EST

Carole Cleere, President and Brian Cleere, Cleere & Cleere Law, PC

Cleere & Cleere Law, PC, a law firm in business 28 years, specializes in Wills & Estates, Personal Injury, Family Law, Adoptions, and more. "We are very pleased to have our offices at American Executive Centers' Bala Cynwyd location," says Carole Cleere. "We love the team here and feel very much at home after just a couple of months!" Interested in meeting other attorneys with offices at American Executive Centers, Carole and Brian Cleere can be reached at 610.660.7784 or via email at: cleerelaw2004@yahoo.com.

Richard L. Green, President, James Marshall and J. Ronald White, Vice Presidents Pioneer International Systems, Inc.

Founded 13 years ago, with three partners, Pioneers International Systems is a training and job placement organization. They offer a large variety of training programs aimed at providing careers for individuals that are in High School or post High School. Programs vary from culinary training and certification, to computer training and training for environmental services. Pioneer International Systems provides teachers and curriculum for Alternative Schools and Charter Schools. The organization has provided staff training for professionals and customized training to the downsized dislocated worker and ex-offender population.

Over the past year, Pioneer International Systems has been providing high school teachers and curriculum for various courses to the School District of Philadelphia for The Oasis Program and an alternative High School. For more information about Pioneer International Systems visit their website at: www.pintlsystems.com or contact Richard Green at 610.660.7780 or email Ronald White at rwhite@pintlsystems.com

Mark Landau, Esquire and Vanya Dugalic, Esquire, Dugalic & Landau, PC

In business since 2004, Dugalic & Landau, PC provides full estate planning services, business succession planning, as well as financial and long-term care planning. They also offer insurance licensing.

Interested in connecting with financial planners that need estate plans for their clients, as well as other attorneys who would require estate planning services for their clients, Mark Landau and Vanya Dugalic can be reached at 484.412.8242 or at office@dugalicandlandau.com. For more information visit their website at: www.dugalicandlandau.com

Trivia Question of the Week

tweet@aecphilly.com (American Executive Centers) — Wed, 23 Jun 2010 12:00:00 EST

Ready for the Answer?

The steel industry, in 1923, Henry Ford adopted it in 1926.

How to Stabilize Cash Flow and Reduce Bad Debt Expense

tweet@aecphilly.com (G. Michael Howard) — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 12:00:00 EST

Bob's exceptional knowledge and experience in accounts receivable management has greatly helped me to leverage our own best practices for improving cash flow. As many of us in business know, bad debt undoubtedly directly impacts your bottom line, so it's imperative that you make sure your business gets paid. According to Bob, "If you have receivables running over 45-60 days delinquent you need to implement a plan to proactively collect your receivables." Below are some quick tips Bob and his team at Leib Solutions recommends. "Keep in mind," adds Bob, "our Front End Tips will help avoid problems...and if you already have problems, we recommend considering our Back End Tips.

Front-End Tips - Front End is defines as 0-60 days delinquency period.

Recognize Warning Signs - Decrease in your customer's staff, Decrease in your customers' office space or locations, Downgrades in their credit ratings.
Offer Discounts for Fast Payment - 1%-3% discounts on your invoices if paid within the first 15 days of receipt of the product or materials.
Work With Your Customers - Remember, collecting your receivables is very personal to you - so remember to be respectful, honest and proactive with your customers.

Back End Tips - Back End is defined as over 60 days delinquency period.

Vendor Partnership - Have partnerships in place with CCAA Certified Collection Agency. Don't work with non-certified agencies!
Move Quickly - Don't wait until day 160 to refer a matter to your collections partner - The longer you wait to pursue your outstanding invoices, the less of a chance you have in collecting your receivable.

If you learn that you have customers already over 45-60 days delinquent and they are refusing to pay your invoices, ACT NOW!

If you would like to learn more about ways to improve your cash flow, Bob and his team at Leib Solutions have partnered with American Executive Centers and, like some of our other BCA partners, will be hosting a "Lunch and Learn" series. As added value they will be discounting their services to American Executive Centers clients. They have made the offer to provide an 18% flat and contingent fee for service for any of American Executive Centers' clients.

Contacts:

Robert Leib - rleib@leibsolutions.com
Bob Short - bshort@leibsolutions.com
Bryan E. Leib - bleib@leibsolutions.com

Robert Leib Bryan Leib

A Smart Start to Your Next 30 Second Networking Elevator Speech

tweet@aecphilly.com ( Ryan Dugan) — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 12:00:00 EST

Studies show that people are more likely to pay attention when they feel they are learning something new. Reciting the same elevator speech every time you speak will surely tune out your audience before too long. Changing up the message and starting with "Did you know..." will lead to a more captive audience, increasing your chances of getting your message across to your prospect!

WHO'S NEW AT AMERICAN EXECUTIVE CENTERS

tweet@aecphilly.com (Ann Lokay) — Mon, 21 Jun 2010 12:00:00 EST

Ralph M. Dittrich, Regional Sales Director, Ohio National Financial Services

Ohio National Financial Services, in business for 100 years, markets a variety of insurance and financial products through more than 40,000 representatives in 47 states (all except Alaska, Hawaii and New York) and the District of Columbia. Ralph Dittrich is responsible for recruiting independent life insurance producers and financial services professionals in the Philadelphia region. Ralph can be reached at 610.940.1742 or via email at: Ralph_dittrich@ohionational.com

For more information, visit www.ohionational.com

Raymond Ishman, M.D., CEO/CMO, Cenegenics Philadelphia

Cenegenics specializes in age management medicine. The program is designed to help patients stay healthy and vital as they age, maintaining good energy level, body composition, sexual function, and cognitive ability. At Cenegenics, they also help patients to minimize risk of disease; everything from heart disease, stroke, cancer, and dementia. "The goal is to help maintain optimal health and function throughout life. This is accomplished through a comprehensive medical program of low glycemic nutrition, appropriate exercise, nutritional supplementation, and hormone management where medically indicated," says Dr. Ishman. Cenegenics Philadelphia opened in January, 2001 as the first Cenegenics Center in the northeast.

Dr. Ishman can be reached at 610.940.1620 or at: rishman@cenegenics.com. For more information about Cenegenics Philadelphia visit: www.cenegenics-philadelphia.com

Robert R. Schratz, AAI, Agency Principal, Schratz Insurance Agency

Schratz Insurance Agencyoffers the best of both worlds: hometown service for their clients' insurance needs with the benefit of national support. As a member of a national insurance agency alliance, Schratz Insurance Agency is able to utilize the network to research the offerings of large group insurance carriers, in order to provide the best value. Schratz Insurance Agency prides itself on continuing to provide ongoing, value-driven, integrity-based and personalized business to their customers with their personal, life and health insurance services.

With 25 years as an insurance professional, Robert Schratz now enjoys his independent agency. Robert says, "The comfort of leaving my office in the hands of the very capable American Executive Centers staff enables me to visit with my clients at their convenience outside the office." As a recent client of American Executive Centers, Robert welcomes the opportunity to connect and network with fellow American Executive Centers clients. He can be reached at 610.940.1621 or by email: Robert@Schratzinsurance.comFor more information about Schratz Insurance Agency visit: www.schratzinsurance.com

Jay Scoggin, VP, Business Development & Program Support, Theodor Wille Intertrade (TWI)

Theodor Wille Intertrade (TWI) specializes in integrating and accelerating the expeditionary supply chains of government customers and prime contractors in contingency environments. They have built their reputation on a foundation of over $1.2 billion in transactions with the U.S. Government and twelve years of pioneering performance as a Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) Prime Vendor of multiple commodities. TWI's recent selection as the General Services Administration's (GSA) first overseas contract integrator to source and deliver common consumable items further strengthens their posture in the important markets and distribution channels of Central Asia.

Headquartered in Zug, Switzerland, TWI has office/operations in Germany, United Arab Emirates, Turkey, Kuwait and Kyrgsztan, and has been in business for 166 years. "The friendly and accommodating staff at American Executive Centers' Plymouth Meeting location made it an easy decision for us to open our first U.S. office," says Jay Scoggin.

Jay Scoggin can be reached at 610.940.1711 or at: jay.scoggin@twipv.com. For more information about TWI visit: www.twipv.com

Wildwood Days Summer Kick-Off Networking Party

tweet@aecphilly.com (Sally Conchewski) — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 12:00:00 EST

Just like the boardwalk at the beach, you'll be sure to find a variety of fun summer treats at our party; such as, ice cream and toppings, French fries, penny candy, fudge, saltwater taffy, and more! It's a great opportunity to come have some fun, meet our staff, and meet and network with other American Executive Centers clients. Don't miss out on the Wildwood Days of Summer Boardwalk Networking Party in our Boardroom at Bala Cynwyd American Executive Centers. For more information, please contact Sally Conchewski, Center Manager for our Bala Center at 610.660.7700 or at sconchewski@americanexecutivecenters.com

Trivia Question of the Week

tweet@aecphilly.com (American Executive Centers) — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 12:00:00 EST

Ready for the Answer?

The paperclip!

WHO'S NEW AT AMERICAN EXECUTIVE CENTERS

tweet@aecphilly.com (Gwen Donnon) — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 12:00:00 EST

Charles Mann, Wealth Advisor, Trinity Wealth Management, LLC.

At Trinity Wealth Management, their mission is to provide unbiased, customized strategies to help their clients manage all aspects of their finances and investments. This is accomplished through Advice for Life, Trinity's 4-step wealth management process. Advice for Life is a client-centric, holistic approach to financial guidance that reflects the client's specific life circumstance and priorities. This unique wealth management process will provide clients with three important tools: 1) A clear understanding of your financial goals and dreams. 2) A well-defined road map for working toward those goals and dreams. 3) Ongoing advice to help adjust your road map along the way.

Trinity Wealth Management's services cover all areas of financial management, from investment and retirement planning to risk management and estate conservation. "We specialize in working with individuals and families that have complex financial needs and want unbiased, independent advice," says Charles Mann.

Charles is looking to connect with CPAs or estate planning attorneys or people who have recently changed jobs or left a company to start a business and have 401ks they want to rollover to an IRA.

"Running my business out of American Executive Centers has been a great experience," says Charles. "Their Business Support Services have been instrumental in handling my administrative work."

Charles Mann can be reached at 610.768.8054 or via email at cmann@trinity-wealth.com. For more information visit: www.trinity-wealth.com

George S. Yacoubian, Jr., LLC. Attorney at Law

George Yacoubian, Jr., LLC practices criminal defense law and family law. As a new client of American Executive Centers King of Prussia location, George is looking to meet and network with other American Executive Centers clients. George Yacoubian, Jr. can be reached at 610.768.8988 or via email at George@yacoubian-law.com. For more information about the practice visit: www.yacoubian-law.com

National TV Spot to Promote Benefits of Locating a Company to the Greater Philadelphia Region

tweet@aecphilly.com (G. Michael Howard) — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 12:00:00 EST

Select Greater Philadelphia assists companies interested in the region by providing detailed information about the 11-county area. They are a one-stop shop, providing customized information to meet the specific needs of your business. From providing regional data and site location support, to market analysis and making local business connections, Select Greater Philadelphia is the "go to" source!

Through our investor partnership with Select Greater Philadelphia, we have been fortunate to learn of many companies expanding to the Greater Philadelphia area and we help them streamline their transition here. Companies who are referred by Select Greater Philadelphia will often put their foot into the region with a Virtual Office at one of our seven Philadelphia area business centers, which gives the company a local presence until they hire a regional manager. Once the local manager is hired, the expanding company will typically move into a full-time private office, relying on our business support services to grow their local work group. When the client's regional team reaches full capacity, they might choose to move on to a traditional office.

For more information about Select Greater Philadelphia and how this non-profit organization can help your expanding or relocating business, please visit: http://www.selectgreaterphiladelphia.com/

Networking Opportunity in Marlton, NJ

tweet@aecphilly.com (Rita Bohus) — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 12:00:00 EST

Come prepared to mingle with your American Executive Centers neighbors, make some new business contacts, blow some bubbles from the Stars and Stripes Bubble Bottles, try your hand at playing with the Patriotic Yo-Yos, swinging your hips in the hula hoop, making a hole-in-one on our putting green, or winning the race of the Wind-Up Chomping Patriotic Top Hats!!!

We will also be raffling a basket of goodies to support the Susan G. Komen 3-Day for the Cure. This amazing 60-mile journey helps mothers, sisters, spouses, and friends get one step closer to a world without breast cancer.

Looking forward to the fun!!

Networking Opportunity in Philadelphia

tweet@aecphilly.com (Kathy Fahy) — Fri, 11 Jun 2010 12:00:00 EST

Professional Women's SuperNetworking Event
Thursday, June 24th from 6 p.m. until 8:30 p.m.
The Double-Tree Hotel (Broad and Locust Streets, Philadelphia)

To register, visit http://www.acteva.com/booking.cfm?bevaid=204456

Ticket Cost: $35

There will be a FREE Pre-Event Workshop from 5:15 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. called "Connecting the Dots to Success," facilitated by Marilyn Kleinberg of eWomen Network. Come out early and learn how to navigate the SuperNetworking Event like a pro!

For a list of Host Organizations and additional details visit: www.womensmbanetwork.org

Trivia Question of the Week

tweet@aecphilly.com (American Executive Centers) — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 12:00:00 EST

Ready for the Answer?

In the 1983 season the Flyers scored 350 goals.

WHO'S NEW AT AMERICAN EXECUTIVE CENTERS

tweet@aecphilly.com (Kathy Fahy) — Tue, 08 Jun 2010 12:00:00 EST

Attorney Paul P. Gaffney of the Gaffney Firm

The Gaffney Firm specializes in plaintiff personal injury litigation and criminal defense. According to Paul, "Philadelphia is a prime hub for attracting new business and American Executive Centers helps me meet all of my business needs at their Philadelphia office business center location." As a new client, Paul is interested in meeting other lawyers at American Executive Centers and can be reached either by phone at 215.769.1177 or via email at paul@gaffneyfirm.com

Kathy Snead, KS Outsourcing Solutions, Inc.

KS Outsourcing Solutions, Inc. helps small and startup businesses work without support staff. When it makes better business sense for a small company not to hire a larger staff, KS Outsourcing Solutions helps set the business up with vendors to whom they can outsource the work; such as, web developers, technology consultants, accountants and lawyers, etc. Particularly because of her line of work, Kathy is interested in making new connections at American Executive Centers.

Profiled in Philadelphia Magazine's February 2010 issue, Kathy Snead is a trained labor economist and an economic historian. She has worked with lawyers for 20 years and is particularly interested in working with startups and legal solo practitioners. For anyone interested in a copy of KS Outsourcing Solutions' recommended reading list for Startups, please contact Kathy at 215.874.0610 or at ksnead@ksoutsourcingsolutions.com.

For more information, visit their website at: www.ksoutsourcingsolutions.com

Networking Opportunity in Exton

tweet@aecphilly.com (Dee Byrd) — Mon, 07 Jun 2010 12:00:00 EST

To learn more about The Exton Region Chamber of Commerce visit their site at: http://www.ercc.net/

If you are an American Executive Centers client and would like to attend this event, please contact American Executive Centers' Exton Center Manager Danielle Byrd at 484.875.3000.

Plymouth Meeting/King of Prussia Area Upcoming Networking Event to Consider...

tweet@aecphilly.com (Ann Lokay) — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 12:00:00 EST

The MCEDC, a counterpart of Select Greater Philadelphia, are the "go to" people for assistance for growing businesses in Montgomery County. They are well connected to contacts within the government, and are widely knowledgeable about government and private funding programs for business development, as well as all township regulations, property availabilities, employer assistance and training programs. The MCEDC offer educational programs, opportunities for networking and exposure in the community and advocacy in Harrisburg. They are a great resource! For more information about MCEDC visit http://www.montcoedc.com

For any American Executive Centers clients who would like to attend, please contact Ann Lokay, American Executive Centers' Plymouth Meeting Center Manager at 610.940.1600 or at alokay@americanexecutivecenters.com

Trivia Question of the Week

tweet@aecphilly.com (American Executive Centers) — Wed, 02 Jun 2010 12:00:00 EST

Ready for the Answer?

J. Willard Marriott, on May 20, 1927, with his partner, Hugh Colton opened their A & W rootbeer stand at 3128 14th St, NW, Washington, D.C.

Networking Opportunities in King of Prussia

tweet@aecphilly.com (Gwen Donnon) — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 12:00:00 EST

PBN Networking Luncheon
Wednesday, June 2nd

Philadelphia Business Network (PBN) (www.pbnworks.com) will host a Networking Luncheon on Wednesday, June 2^nd at Maggiano's Restaurant in King of Prussia.

11:30 am : Networking & Card Exchange
12:00 pm : 'Family-Style' Luncheon (TBA)
12:30 pm : Program: Learning from Their Success - Todd Leiberman
12:50 pm : Individual Introductions

A "serial entrepreneur", Todd Leiberman has established, successfully grown and sold two businesses and is currently building another. He will share the trials and tribulations of his efforts and share ideas that contributed to his success. Join us for Todd's suggestions on how to grow your businesses as well!

Menu: Maggiano Salad, Gnocchi, Chicken Francese, Sautéed Spinach, Bailey's Cheesecake & Vanilla Ice Cream
Cost: $25 pre-paid members, $30 guests and members on-site. Payments by cash, check or credit cards online (Credit Cards for pre-payment only!)

Location:
Maggiano's
205 Mall Boulevard
King of Prussia, PA

For directions: Call 610.992.3322 or visit www.maggianos.com.

For more information, call Bruce Zanar, 610.792.2105 or contact American Executive Centers' King of Prussia Center Manager Gwen Donnon at 610.768.8000.

Please note that PBN needs to advise Maggiano's of anticipated attendees. If you plan to attend, please email rsvp@pbnworks.com by May 28, even if you are not pre-paying.

Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce Annual Golf Outing
Wednesday, June 9th

Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce is hosting an annual Golf Outing, sponsored by Continental Bank, on June 9^th at PineCrest Golf Course, 101 Country Club Drive, Lansdale. This is a terrific opportunity to meet and network with business professionals throughout Montgomery County. An individual play is $200 and includes greens fees, cart, lunch, snacks and dinner. For more information email info@schuylkillalliance.com or contact the Chamber by phone at 610.277.9500.

If you are an American Executive Centers client interested in the Golf Outing contact AEC King of Prussia Center Manager, Gwen Donnon, at 610.768.8000.

To learn more about Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce and additional upcoming events visit their website at: http://www.montgomerycountychamber.org/index.htm

Why You Need Insurance for your Business!

tweet@aecphilly.com (Gwen Donnon) — Thu, 27 May 2010 12:00:00 EST

Do You Need Office Insurance?

To learn more about business insurance visit http://www.allstateagencies.com/SusanGerrity/welcome or contact Denice Dougherty at ddougherty2@allstate.com or by phone at 610-687-2103.

Trivia Question of the Week

tweet@aecphilly.com (American Executive Centers) — Wed, 26 May 2010 12:00:00 EST

Ready for the Answer?

William Boeing

Philadelphia Reading Olympics - A City-Wide Celebration of Reading

tweet@aecphilly.com (Anne Senski) — Thu, 20 May 2010 12:00:00 EST

Today the Mayor's Office of Education is a coordinating partner and participation has expanded to middle school teams. Approximately 159 teams, made up of 1,700 students representing 87 schools and organizations from all over the city of Philadelphia compete in the Reading Olympics at area colleges, universities and the Free Library of Philadelphia.

Volunteering to help with the Reading Olympics has been such an inspiring experience for our staff and clients. The young students work hard as a team from January through May, reading and mastering the lessons of the 20 books they are assigned for the competition. The program is clearly quite successful in encouraging students to share an enthusiasm for reading and to learn collaboration skills through teamwork. The Reading Olympics is undoubtedly helping to develop a city of readers and at the same time is an event where everyone who participates has a ton of fun! Team American Executive Centers is proud to be a part of the Reading Olympics year after year, and we will continue to support this great cause with volunteers in future.

Trivia Question of the Week

tweet@aecphilly.com (American Executive Centers) — Wed, 19 May 2010 12:00:00 EST

Ready for the Answer?

William Procter. (and his brother-in-law, James Gamble)

2nd Annual Spring Fling Event on City Line, Wednesday, May 19th

tweet@aecphilly.com (Sally Conchewski) — Mon, 17 May 2010 12:00:00 EST

Samplings from some of the best restaurants City Line Avenue has to offer, along with wine and beer, live music - including one of the region's favorites, Love Seed Mama Jump, a Radio Row that will feature 16 local radio stations showcasing activities for all, special guests from 6ABC WPVI-TV, Segway rides, and a chance to win some fantastic door prizes.

Come out and see what a great place City Line Ave is to work and play! Network with your neighbors and enjoy a great time! Bring your business cards and enter to win some great prizes! For more information, visit...http://www.cityave.org/news.php?item=100

Google Apps for Small Business

tweet@aecphilly.com (Tom Heffren) — Thu, 13 May 2010 12:00:00 EST

Google Apps is a collection of applications: Gmail, Calendar, Google Docs, Google Sites, and Google Groups. What differentiates Google's applications from traditional software suites is that all of these applications can be accessed with just a web browser - using an internet connection. Additionally, all of these applications are fully integrated and provide collaboration capabilities not only for your network users - but users and clients outside of your network as well. Google offers the Google Apps Suite in two (2) versions - Standard and Premier (also referred to as Google Apps for business). Both versions include the same applications - the difference is storage limitations, advertisements, and security. The Google Apps Standard edition is free, however there are limits on data storage, advertisements will appear when using the applications, and keywords can be scanned for targeting your area of interests. Google Apps Premier edition is $50 per year per user, and data storage limits jump up considerably (25GB for Gmail) - no advertisements are presented, and keywords are not searched for in content.

Gmail, Google's flagship application, comes with 25GB of storage (premier edition) and provides a solid e-mail platform. At $50 per year this application alone is priced considerably less than hosted Exchange or other traditional e-mail solutions. By using Gmail, small businesses can easily tie their domain name to their e-mail accounts - so instead of: yourname@gmail.com , your e-mail address is: yourname@yourcompanydomain.com. With the 25GB of email storage per premier user, Gmail surpasses (by far) all hosted e-mail storage limitations. Google recently purchased Postini, a leading provider in e-mail spam protection. This product filters spam before it gets to your mailbox and is included with a Google Apps Premier account. Additionally, the free product "Outlook Sync for Google Apps" allows the Gmail user to keep Outlook as a desktop e-mail application, while Gmail provides the back-end and easy access to the Gmail interface from any web connection.

Google Docs is a web-based suite for word processing, presentation building, and spreadsheets. As with all applications Google provides, the work is done within the internet browser, and the data is saved in the Google storage cloud. One of the most impressive features of this suite is the ability to collaborate in real time on any document, spreadsheet, or presentation. Multiple users can simultaneously view and edit documents, and the Google user can set different permissions (view only, view and edit) on their documents for other network users and outside collaborators. Although these applications are not as mature and robust as their Microsoft Office counterparts - Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, they do provide good functionality and are far superior in the collaboration features. Additionally, a 3^rd party product called "OffiSync" (available for $12/per year) fully integrates Microsoft Office with Google Docs. This enables users to take advantage of document creation and collaboration, leveraging the best of both software offerings.

Google Apps provides compelling benefits to small business customers - a cost effective e-mail solution, a fully integrated suite of applications that enable collaboration, integration with Microsoft Office and Outlook, and all of this available anywhere, anytime, from any Internet connection. If you're interested in trying Google Apps you can start a free Google Apps standard account and begin testing this software suite.

Coming next month, I'll provide additional information on this application suite and the many advantages and capabilities it provides.

Additional Information Links:

http://www.google.com/apps/intl/en/business/details.html
https://tools.google.com/dlpage/gappssync
http://www.offisync.com/

Trivia Question of the Week

tweet@aecphilly.com (American Executive Centers) — Wed, 12 May 2010 12:00:00 EST

Ready for the Answer?

Ted Turner

C2C Construction: Setting the Benchmark in its Industry Finds the Right Arrangement at American Executive Centers, Exton Location

tweet@aecphilly.com (Dee Byrd) — Thu, 06 May 2010 12:00:00 EST

A commitment to the principals in which the family business was founded on: building both client and employee relationships on trust and integrity while providing the highest quality of work and superior service at an affordable price. C2C Construction's signature "BUILDSmart" process makes it possible to meet their client's expectations from Planning to Pre-Construction to Execution. The company's many repeat customers reflect their high level of standards and best practices. C2C Construction specializes in residential renovations/additions, new construction/LEED certified houses. Additionally, they serve the renovation and new construction needs for Country Clubs and Athletic Facilities. With clients in PA, NJ, DE and Northern MD, some of C2C Construction's current projects include: New Construction, LEED Certified, Residential 10,000 sq. ft. home in York, PA; New Construction, ADA Handicap, Residential 2500 sq. ft. home in Downingtown; Historic Restoration, Residential 6000 sq. ft. home in Philadelphia; and Renovation for new Commercial GREEN, Amy's Restaurant in Ambler.

Another significant factor that has positively impacted the company's recent growth is Ron and Shawn Bishop's decision two years ago to move their corporate offices out of traditional space to an office business center. As a client of American Executive Centers' Exton location, Ron and Shawn quickly discovered the benefits and value the American Executive Centers' business support team brings to their business. "The reception services and administrative support we receive at American Executive Centers has become integral to running our business more efficiently and has proven to be significantly more cost-effective than our previous traditional office arrangement," says Shawn Bishop, President, Business Development. "Exton's business support team, specifically Kaitie and Amanda, handle a full load of the day-to-day operations of C2C Construction, freeing my father and I and our team to focus on our core competencies. Some of the work the business support team at Exton manages for us includes bookkeeping, purchasing orders for client projects, recapping our team's weekly meetings through ‘minutes', updating our "Build Trend" System to provide clients with daily communication on project status, ongoing communications with our sub-contractors, and basically keeping the various operations of our business organized to help projects run seamlessly. There is no task that is too small or too large the business support team can't handle. We are exceptionally pleased with the level of service, and in fact recently added a second office here!"

To learn more about C2C Construction visit their site at www.C2Cbuildsmart.com or contact Shawn Bishop at 484.875.3016.

Trivia Question of the Week

tweet@aecphilly.com (American Executive Centers) — Wed, 05 May 2010 12:00:00 EST

Ready for the Answer?

Michael Dell started Dell Computer Corporation with $1000 from his dorm room at the University of Texas at Austin and was 26 when his company earned a place on the Fortune 500.

Trivia Question of the Week

tweet@aecphilly.com (American Executive Centers) — Wed, 28 Apr 2010 12:00:00 EST

Ready for the Answer?

Green and maroon.

EMPLOYEE RETENTION IS KEY STRENGTH TO AMERICAN EXECUTIVE CENTERS' SUCCESS!

tweet@aecphilly.com (R. Michael Dugan) — Thu, 22 Apr 2010 12:00:00 EST

Among some of the company's secrets to employee longevity: tone and culture of the workplace environment, a proactive approach to learn and explore emerging technologies and develop employee skills, and a dedication to implementing ongoing employee incentives.

Most recently American Executive Centers' honored company president, G. Michael Howard, as he celebrated his 20^th year and became a member of the company's "20+ Year Club. Joining the company in 1990 as a sales representative, Mike has been instrumental in elevating American Executive Centers to the position of excellence it occupies today within the executive suite industry. His dedication to both the company and his staff, along with his effective results to his more recent role as president of American Executive Centers are just a few reasons why we celebrate his milestone employee anniversary!

Members of this Club: Sonia Harrison, Controller; Mike Dugan, CEO/Chairman; Kathy Fahy, Center City Center Manager; Anne Senski, VP of Operations; Mike Howard, President; Raquel Spatzier, Manager of Business Services; Gwen Donnon, King of Prussia Center Manager; Ann Lokay, Plymouth Meeting Center Manager; and Pat Dugan, VP of Marketing (not shown).

"Being a member of the American Executive Centers team for 20 years, and for the past three at the helm, has been exceptionally rewarding," says G. Michael Howard. "I have had the opportunity to grow with an outstanding company and a team that shares my same core workplace values and commitment to excellence. I am honored to be a part of our team!"

April Networking Events in Exton

tweet@aecphilly.com (Dee Byrd) — Wed, 21 Apr 2010 12:00:00 EST

It goes to show that the people we remember favorably are more likely to become part of a networking circle. Make an impression the next time you meet a new contact. Employ a firm handshake, have a positive story to tell, smile a lot, ask questions about your new contact's business...perhaps even have a joke. Do not under any circumstances bring down the mood of the conversation with doom and gloom talk about the economy. If you are perceived as someone positive, your chances of others wanting to be around you are increased by 75%. The rest will depend on your product and what's being served for lunch!

The Exton Region Chamber of Commerce will be hosting the following events...

Thursday, April 22
Business After Business
Networking Reception - Discussions include iPod Touch presentation and Apple instructions
Location: Springboard Media
290 Main Street
Exton, PA 19341

Wednesday, April 28
Social Networking Presented by Diana Hong of SCORE - Discussions to include How to Tweet, Facebook, Linkedin etc.
Location: Holiday Inn Express Exton
120 North Pottstown Pike
Exton, PA 19341

Friday, April 30
Dale Carnegie Training
How to Cold Call and Build New Customers
Location: The Desmond Hotel & Conference Center
1 Liberty Boulevard
Malvern, PA 19355

Monday, May 10
2010 Golf Outing at Radley Run Country Club
Location: Radley Run Country Club
1100 Country Club Rd.
West Chester, PA

To find out more about any of these events visit www.ercc.net Or contact American Executive Centers' Exton Center Manager Dee Byrd at 484.875.3000.

Trivia Question of the Week

tweet@aecphilly.com (American Executive Centers) — Wed, 21 Apr 2010 12:00:00 EST

Ready for the Answer?

$75.00

Learn Everything You Need to Know about Why You Need Insurance for your Business!

tweet@aecphilly.com (Gwen Donnon) — Tue, 20 Apr 2010 12:00:00 EST

Insurance experts, Susan Gerrity and Denice Dougherty of Allstate Insurance Company will tell you everything you ever wanted to know about protecting yourself for the unexpected and why business insurance doesn't cost a lot. This is a great opportunity to have all your questions about business insurance answered and even receive a quote!

Lunch will be provided, so please RSVP to Gwen Donnon at 610.768.8000.

Trivia Question of the Week

tweet@aecphilly.com (American Executive Centers) — Wed, 14 Apr 2010 12:00:00 EST

Ready for the Answer?

The Hudson Bay Company. Founded in 1670, its realm once covered nearly 3 million square miles. The company now operates Canada's largest department store chain.

Top Restaurants for Your Next Business Lunch in the Bala Cynwyd Area

tweet@aecphilly.com (Sally Conchewski) — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 12:00:00 EST

The site once occupied by the landmark Adams Mark Hotel, is now a brand new commercial space featuring a Target store and a selection of several trendy restaurant chains sure to satisfy whatever your taste of cuisine might be. In the new Center you'll find California Pizza Kitchen, Chipotle Mexican Grill, Pei Wei, and Potbelly Sandwiches. Several of the restaurants offer outside seating - always a nice option for a beautiful spring day. There is also a spacious Starbucks, which is always buzzing with business professionals.

Whether you work off of City Line Avenue or you are just in the neighborhood for a business meeting you will find an abundance of choices for your next business lunch.

In addition to the newer restaurants listed above, you will find a Chili's Gril & Bar, TGI Friday's, and Houlihan's also in the Bala Cynwyd section off of City Line Avenue. And, if you're looking to impress your clients with a more upscale restaurant, both Chops and the Delmonico's Steakhouse at the Radisson Twelve Caesars are conveniently located off of City Line Avenue, too. Suffice it to say, you will never go hungry in Bala Cynwyd!!

For a more complete list of dining options in Bala Cynwyd, visit http://www.cityave.org/

Trivia Question of the Week

tweet@aecphilly.com (American Executive Centers) — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 12:00:00 EST

Ready for the Answer?

The 1948 Lincoln Continental.

Rainmaking Tips for Attorneys

tweet@aecphilly.com (G. Michael Howarrd) — Thu, 01 Apr 2010 12:00:00 EST

Rainmaking Tips for Attorneys

By Chuck and Evan Polin of The Training Resource Group

www.trainingresourcegroup.com

1. Have a plan for business development: Most attorneys do not have a plan for business development. They would like to open new files, but they don't have a plan or a process in place. Make sure you focus on: who you'd like to target, utilizing prospecting activities that will place you in front of your target, and spending the time that it takes to build your practice.

2. Your business should increase by 25% each year strictly through referrals: It is vital that you are proactive in asking your clients and strategic partners for referrals. If you are not building your business through referrals, you are working harder than you need to be working.

3. You should work to have your prospects see you as a trusted advisor, not as a vendor: It is important that you are not viewed as a commodity by your prospects and clients. It is important that people view you as a problem solver. Vendors have short term relationships and get shopped on rate, strategic advisors stay with their clients for a lifetime. Do your prospects and clients see you as a trusted advisor?

4. Developing business is about trust and relationships: It is important to develop a relationship with your prospects starting with the first meeting. Clients need to trust you to be able to share their concerns with you. We also find that clients like to work with people they like, and clients like to work with attorneys who they feel are like them. If you don't develop rapport early in the process, you won't develop business.

5. The number one reason that clients leave is because they don't feel like you "love them" any more. Our experience tells us that clients leave when they don't feel appreciated any more. What are you doing to show your clients that you care?

If you find these tips helpful and are interested in learning more about developing more business in 2010, you should know that The Training Resource Group in Conjunction with the Philadelphia Bar Association is holding a four part training program designed to teach business development skills to attorneys. After completing the four part Program, participants will have the mindset, skills, and confidence to create an individual business development plan, successfully network and create strategic partnerships, better cross sell current clients and build account relationships at a higher level. The Program will focus on teaching tactics and techniques that will help participants to develop new opportunities, and turn those opportunities into new clients.

You or members from your firm should attend if you are concerned about producing new rainmakers for your firm, increasing your own practice, and developing an essential skill set that was never taught in law school.

As an added benefit, American Executive Centers' clients will receive a $50.00 discount off the price of the program.

When: Fridays: April 9, April 16, April 23, April 30
Time: All sessions 12:00 - 2:00 pm
Location: Philadelphia Bar Association, 1101 Market Street, 11th Floor, Philadelphia, PA
Fee: The cost is $795 per participant which includes four training sessions, one individual coaching session, & materials.
RSVP: Please call 215-320-4650 or fax back registration forms

Trivia Question of the Week

tweet@aecphilly.com (American Executive Centers) — Wed, 31 Mar 2010 12:00:00 EST

Ready for the Answer?

Rodda Candy Company, bought by Just Born in 1953.

Rise of virtual offices cuts into conventional leases

tweet@aecphilly.com (American Executive Centers) — Mon, 29 Mar 2010 12:00:00 EST

That's not a patch of beach where you plant a chair, crack open a cold one and your laptop, and declare yourself "at the office."

A virtual office is shared work space - meeting and conference areas, reception desks, copy rooms - used on an as-needed basis, at a cost that could be considerably less than rent under a conventional multiyear office lease.

It includes shared support services, too. Depending on the provider, that could mean a receptionist along with a team of administrative assistants to help develop marketing plans, create business cards and brochures, even assist at trade shows.

And sometimes, just a stiff drink is in order. At American Executive Centers' virtual-office facility in King of Prussia, manager Gwen Bonsall Donnon dipped into the office-party stash one day to come to the aid of a client who declared after a rough day: "I need a rum and Coke."

Donnon also is keeper of the props. In her office, among other things, is a box of framed photos belonging to one of the virtual-office clients. She puts them out when he visits, to help personalize his rented space.

"We even put trash in the trash can so it looks like he's been in there," she said.

The Philadelphia region has at least five virtual-office providers offering a range of space - even in such posh addresses as One Liberty Place - and services. Costs range from at least $60 a month (for a corporate address to which mail can be sent) to $460 a month.

At American Executive, believed to be the region's largest locally based virtual-office provider (seven facilities), business is up 75 percent over the last year, said president G. Michael Howard. Lawyers account for 30 percent of new clients; entrepreneurs and start-up companies make up an additional 25 percent.

And for the first time in its 27-year history, Howard said, American Executive's virtual-office clients outnumber conventional tenants, 550 to 375.

For years, virtual-office users were typically global companies wanting a place to hold meetings during temporary visits.

But the concept's appeal has grown recently, in large part because of the recession, said Bruce Bard, owner of Intelligent Office, a virtual-office operator in Marlton with about 135 clients.

"When the times get tough, people look to drop their overhead expenses - to work from home or find cheaper alternatives without losing their professionalism," Bard said.

Nancy Fox, general manager of The Office Works in Trevose, called its virtual offices "the hybrid space between a post office box . . . and an actual physical office" secured by a long-term lease.

"It's a way to take that step forward during these hard times for people who are afraid to spend money," Fox said.

Owners of three local businesses with virtual offices shared their experiences last week.

Expand reach, enhance image

Brian Lureen still leases 2,500 square feet in Malvern's Great Valley Corporate Center for $5,800 a month.

But a year ago, the 47-year-old president and chief executive officer of Heritage Fincorp Inc., a wealth-management company, added through American Executive virtual-office space at the Radnor Financial Center for a monthly base price of $330. Some services are extra.

So satisfied is Lureen with the results - he has been able to expand his business reach to other markets without the expense of a conventional office lease and hiring more office staff - that he is about to enter into a second virtual arrangement. It will be with Executive Office Link Inc., of Malvern, where American Executive does not have a presence, but where Lureen has a home.

Why not just have a home office? The need for some space between his personal and professional life.

"I want to separate my house from clients and regulators," Lureen said.

At home, he also would not have the Radnor Financial Center's stunning decor: marble lobby floors, soaring skylights, lush garden boxes, soothing fountains.

"The virtual office enhances not only your business model, but also your professional image."

Minimalist, yet serviceable

Brian Pradon set his laptop on the cherry desk before him, contributing the sole personal touch to his virtual office in King of Prussia. The walls were bare, but for an American Executive Center-provided framed picture of the Great Wall of China bearing an inspirational message: "Teamwork. Many hands. Many minds. One goal."

Pradon shrugged off the austere surroundings. Personal effects, he said, belong "at home. Now, I'm on work mode."

At 31, the Valley Forge resident is operations manager for his family's Mack Employment Services, a staffing company with headquarters in Reading. It has five branch locations: Lancaster, Allentown, Harrisburg, Ephrata, and King of Prussia, the latter being the only virtual office. If such an option were available in the other markets, Pradon said, he would switch to it.

Converting from a traditional office lease to a virtual arrangement has saved his company about $1,800 a month, "which, to a small company, is significant," he said. That is especially true for his, he added, since Mack's business dropped 35 percent from 2008 to 2009.

In Pradon's virtual office, for $205 a month, his calls are answered and rerouted to him if he is on the road. His mail is collected. Packages are signed for. Copy machines are just across the hall - and bagels and cream cheese are served every Friday.

"You have what you need to do the job," Pradon said.

Lower rent, fewer hassles

Carole A. and Brian P. Cleere are virtual-office novices. On Feb. 1, they cut the cord on their conventional office, at the Wynnewood Shopping Center for the 23 years they have practiced law together.

They have jettisoned an $1,700 monthly rent and the hassles of maintaining an office with a staff of "one-and-a-half people" to answer the phone and handle some secretarial work.

In exchange, the Cleeres said, they have gained access for $330 a month (plus incidentals) to more extensive support services than they had, including paralegals, and more impressive digs - a 15,000-square-foot suite of meeting rooms and accessory areas on the third floor of a nine-story office building just off City Avenue.

"A stepped-up image" is what Brian Cleere, 71, called it, minus two staples of law-firm interiors - framed law degrees on the walls and shelves of brainy books.

Legal journals are so yesterday, it seems, replaced by online research opportunities. As for the professional certificates?

"They are in my home office, so I feel protected," Brian Cleere said. "My ego is still there."

Contact staff writer Diane Mastrull at 215-854-2466

or dmastrull@phillynews.com.

Top Five Networking Tips

tweet@aecphilly.com (Ryan Dugan) — Fri, 26 Mar 2010 12:00:00 EST

Networking is about making and retaining connections, be memorable - not pushy. No one likes feeling as though they are being pushed or "sold" into something they were not looking for in the first place. Experienced networkers concentrate on making relationships so that when a need arises they are called upon by that contact, or even better...the contact makes another connection for you!
Greet people with a firm handshake. A firm handshake exudes confidence and creates a stronger presence over a limp or weak handshake.
Be certain and confident that what you're selling is accurate and can be backed up. Nothing spreads faster in networking circles than poor performance or false claims.
Ask about the other person's line of business first and offer up a connection, when possible. In return, this new connection will most likely reciprocate by inquiring about your business. This is a much more positive approach and will leave the person with a memorable impression of you after the event.
Have a goal for each event- for example, if you plan to meet 10 people, then get 10 new cards and write 10 nice to meet you follow up e-mails. Networking events can get costly, so rather than always sitting with people in your company or the same circle of acquaintances each week or month, switch it up and try to get out of your comfort zone by sitting with new folks to meet. After all, the purpose of these events is to make new connections!

Trivia Question of the Week

tweet@aecphilly.com (American Executive Centers) — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 12:00:00 EST

Ready for the answer?

From the main ingredients coca leaves and kola nuts.

Trivia Question of the Week

tweet@aecphilly.com (American Executive Centers) — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 12:00:00 EST

Ready for the answer?

13!

Major Networking Opportunity in King of Prussia

tweet@aecphilly.com (Gwen Donnon) — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 12:00:00 EST

Second Chance St. Pattie's Networking on Thursday, March 25^th, 4:30 to 7:30 p.m.
King of Prussia, Gulph Rd. & Route 202 (behind Exxon Station)
Enjoy drink specials, cold and hot appetizers, cash bar. All American Executive Centers' clients receive 1 Free drink voucher!

Come meet new contacts and learn about other local networking programs.
AEC Clients, AEC, PBN and SMEI Members: Free!
Non-members: $10

This event drew over 100 attendees last year! Don't miss it - RSVP Today!
Contact King of Prussia Center Manager, Gwen Donnon at 610.768.8000 or at gwen@aecphilly.com
Or go to the follow link to register on line... http://www.pbnworks.com/upcoming.asp

Networking Event in Plymouth Meeting

tweet@aecphilly.com (Ann Lokay) — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 12:00:00 EST

If you are interested and would like more details, please contact Ann Lokay, Center Manager for Plymouth Meeting American Executive Centers. Ann can be reached at 610.940.1600. For more information about MCEDC visit www.montcoedc.com

IS YOUR BUSINESS COMMUNICATION UP TO SPEED?

tweet@aecphilly.com (Anne Senski) — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 12:00:00 EST

What does this mean for our clients? They can now receive larger files and download Web pages faster than ever before, using this state of the art, fiber optic technology! Large files and email attachments can now be sent in a flash! No other current internet provider can beat this upload connection speed. Clients are enjoying this lightening fast internet access and upgraded infrastructure with improved firewalls and virus protection. FiOS is the fastest internet access solution for businesses today! "As an active market trader, the enhancement in speed and increased download/upload capacity means a lot to our business, as quicker and reliable access to market data is essential for making good trading decisions," says American Executive Centers Radnor location client Tony Fusco, Trader, Schooner Investment Group, www.schoonerfunds.com

For more information about Verizon FiOS visit http://www22.verizon.com/content/verizonglobalhome/ghp_business.aspx

Trivia Question of the Week

tweet@aecphilly.com (American Executive Centers) — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 12:00:00 EST

Ready for the answer?

Any device or strategy used to ward off a hostile takeover.

Networking Events Scheduled in the Exton area

tweet@aecphilly.com (Dee Byrd) — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 12:00:00 EST

The breakfast will be held at the Thorndale Inn located on Bailey Road.

If you would like to attend this event, please notify Dee Byrd, Center Manager of American Executive Centers' Exton location.

Networking Opportunities in Philadelphia

tweet@aecphilly.com (Kathleen Fahy) — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 12:00:00 EST

This event is open to ALL American Executive Centers clients. Please see your Center Manager if you are interested in attending.

Also...

Annual Ambassadors Award Luncheon at the Irish American Business Chamber & Network, Friday, March 26th

Anyone who might be interested can contact Kathy Fahy, American Executive Centers' Center Manager in Philadelphia. You can also register directly through the website. http://www.iabcn.org/index.php

St. Patrick's Day Breakfast with The Union League Business Network, Wednesday, March 17, 2010

The Union League of Philadelphia
140 South Broad Street
Philadelphia, PA 19102

Members: $25
Non-Members: $40
Complimentary Parking at the Midtown Garageat 1415 Sansom Street.

Please RSVP by Friday the 12th of March Contact Alanna Barry McCloskey at abarry@iabcn.org with questions or to RSVP.

Trivia Question of the Week

tweet@aecphilly.com (American Executive Centers) — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 12:00:00 EST

Ready for the answer?

Chewing gum.

Trivia Question of the Week

tweet@aecphilly.com (American Executive Centers) — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 12:00:00 EST

Ready for the answer?

A teabag!

American Executive Centers offers a Lunch Time Training Program for our Attorney Clients

tweet@aecphilly.com (G. Michael Howard) — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 12:00:00 EST

Training Resource Group provides business solutions to companies and professional service firms who are looking to increase sales, profits and productivity. As part of our on-going commitment to help our clients become more successful faster, Chuck and Evan will be offering a customized training program designed to help you Develop and Maintain Business in 2010. They will be bringing the program to three different centers for your convenience. In addition to sharpening your client conversion skills, the program will offer an opportunity to network with attorneys both from your center and our other locations, and of course have some lunch!

For those of you who have considered any of the following criteria for your 2010 business plan/goals, then this Training Session is for You!

What to do with your great list of contacts that never seem to convert into new business.
Believing you are leaving business opportunities on the table
Interest in learning new ways to differentiate yourself from the thousands of other attorneys in you field when you try to develop business
Desire to learn new ways for your firm to generate more business through cross selling and warm referrals

Place: One Greentree Centre, Marlton
               American Executive Centers Boardroom
Date:     March 3^rd
Time:    11:30

Place:   Plymouth Meeting Executive Campus
               American Executive Centers Boardroom
Date:     March 11^th
Time:    11:30

Place:   Two Penn Center
               American Executive Centers Boardroom
Date:    March 18^th
Time:     11:30

SHELTERBOX USA OFFERS A GREAT WAY FOR ALL US TO HELP PROVIDE RELIEF TO VICTIMS OF HAITI

tweet@aecphilly.com (Rita Bohus) — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 12:00:00 EST

Each ShelterBox contains a 10-person tent and other survival essentials, such as, thermal blankets, multi-fuel stoves and cooking utensils, tool kits, water containers and purification kits, and children's activity kits. ShelterBoxes can be sponsored for $1,000 which in turn enables a family of up to 10 people to survive for at least six months! "ShelterBox is one of the simplest and best humanitarian programs I've ever seen," says Tom Veevers, RI District 7640 ShelterBox Representative. "This is one situation where we want you to ‘think inside of the box', where it will provide shelter, warmth, and dignity to disaster victims without duplicating the services that other disaster relief organizations offer." American Executive Centers' goal is to donate a minimum of $1,000, and to date we have collected approximately $900.

We encourage you to get involved in this unique opportunity to help the people of Haiti as public donations are vital to ShelterBox's continuing work in Haiti and around the world. If you are a client of American Executive Centers it's as simple as reaching out to your Center Manager to make a donation towards sponsoring an AEC ShelterBox. To make a donation online for ShelterBox USA, for more information, or to get the latest updates on the charity's response to the Haiti earthquake visit www.ShelterBoxUSA.com.

Pictured Left to Right is the Marlton AEC Staff supporting the cause: Sheryl, Rita, Emma (sitting), Carol, Jane and Susan.

AN INVALUABLE RESOURCE FOR BUSINESSES EXPANDING OR RELOCATING TO THE GREATER PHILADELPHIA REGION!

tweet@aecphilly.com (G. Michael Howard) — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 12:00:00 EST

As an investor partner with Select Greater Philadelphia, we have found the organization and their team to be quite instrumental in helping us streamline the transition of companies expanding to the Greater Philadelphia area. Companies who are referred by Select Greater Philadelphia will often open with a Virtual Office at one of our seven Philadelphia area business centers, which gives the company a local presence until they hire a regional manager. Once the local manager is hired the expanding company will typically move into a full-time private office, relying on our business support services to grow their local work group. Once the client's regional team reaches full capacity, they will move on to a traditional office.

We recently had the pleasure of having Alice Solomon, Director of Business Development, and Sarah Birdshall, Business Development Representative, meet with our management team to address how they can work together with the organization more effectively, acting as ambassadors for their Center's region. We thank Alice and Sarah for helping our management team become better acquainted with Select Greater Philadelphia , as it will most definitely serve them well, indefinitely.

"It's a real pleasure to work with American Executive Centers," says Alice Solomon. "They are a fine organization and we very much appreciate their support of our efforts. We look forward to our continued collaboration."

For more information about Select Greater Philadelphia and how this non-profit organization can help your expanding or relocating business, please visit http://www.selectgreaterphiladelphia.com/

Trivia Question of the Week

tweet@aecphilly.com (American Executive Centers) — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 12:00:00 EST

Ready for the answer?

The coat hanger.

Trivia Question of the Week

tweet@aecphilly.com (American Executive Centers) — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 12:00:00 EST

Ready for the answer?

The 100^th anniversary of George Washington's inauguration, April 30, 1889.

Trivia Question of the Week

tweet@aecphilly.com (American Executive Centers) — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 12:00:00 EST

Ready for the answer?

It was General Motors, in 1954.

An Event That Represents Outstanding Internal Public Relations!

tweet@aecphilly.com (Robyn Axner-Davis) — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 12:00:00 EST

The biggest moment of the evening, which we will gleefully reminisce about for years to come, was the surprise of seeing American Executive Center's President, Mike Howard; VP of Operations, Anne Senski; and Manager of Business Services, Raquel Spatzier; parade to the podium to deliver the awards presentation in full costume representing the main characters of Wicked; The Wizard of Oz, Glinda the Good Witch, and the Wicked Witch of the West, Elphaba. The photos accompanying this blog say it all. The celebration left us all buzzing with great energy for days after.

But, again, the real excitement and motivation behind the annual celebration is to show the American Executive Centers staff just how much their hard work, dedication and commitment to provide above and beyond client service is appreciated. There was great anticipation among the staff for this portion of the evening and as we got going, the cheers and applause over the winners was at full volume! "We so look forward to this annual event that brings our seven Centers together to connect and build team camaraderie," says American Executive Centers, G. Michael Howard. "But, our true intention is to give me and my executive team the opportunity to express our sincere gratitude for our outstanding staff that have made an imprint on our success."

Here are the evening's winners...

Clerical Superstars:

Michelle Madonna - Exton Center
Sue Goodrich - Exton Center
Jennifer McCaulley - Exton Center

Business Support Service Superstar

Amanda Ripley - Exton Center
Jane Passarella - Marlton Center
Stephanie Sykes - Plymouth Center

Center of the Year

Radnor Center

Customer Service Team of the Year

Radnor Center

Congratulations to all the American Executive Centers Superstars!

Trivia Question of the Week

tweet@aecphilly.com (American Executive Centers) — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 12:00:00 EST

Ready for the answer?

A squirrel entered a transformer causing a power surge halting trading for 82 minutes and disabling other systems for several hours.

Montgomery County Economic Development Council Addresses Finance Solutions in a Tough Economy

tweet@aecphilly.com (Ann Lokay) — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 12:00:00 EST

The discussion with be led by the Montgomery County Economic Development Council and a finance panel including:

Carmen S. Italia Jr., President MCEDC
Chuck Evans, Seed Co. of PA
Bill Hughes, Innovative Financing Solutions
Donald Jefferson, U.S. small Business Administration
Gail Kronig, The Governor's Action Team
Steve Pettit, US Realty Capital

The seminar will be held at: Lower Merion Township Building, 75 East Lancaster Ave., Ardmore, PA 19003.

The member rate for this panel discussion is $15.00 and I will be happy to take any American Executive Centers clients interested in accompany me!

For more information on the MCEDC you can visit their website at www.montcoedc.com

Trivia Question of the Week

tweet@aecphilly.com (American Executive Centers) — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 12:00:00 EST

Ready for the answer?

Benjamin Franklin

American Executive Centers Launches Customer Appreciation Program

tweet@aecphilly.com (Raquel Spatzier) — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 12:00:00 EST

For each scratch-off card there is a prize. Everyone is a winner! Prizes will range from e-mail blasts, premium concierge services, collection calls, to IT support for assessments of technology security and virus protection, usage of meeting rooms, and more. Look for your Scratch-Off card to arrive soon. Once you reveal your prize, schedule your business support service that you've won with your Center Manager.

Let's build success together!

For more information about our business support services and/or the Client Appreciation Scratch-Off Card, please contact your Center Manager.

American Executive Centers Annual Company Celebration

tweet@aecphilly.com (G. Michael Howard) — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 12:00:00 EST

Categories for awards include, Clerical Superstar, Business Support Service Superstar - both of which we will be honoring our top three performers, Center of the Year, and Customer Service Team of the Year.

Each Superstar honoree will be awarded a $100 gift card, along with an Oscar Trophy; Center of the Year staff and Customer Service Team of the Year staff will receive a $150 gift card, as well as the coveted plaque inscribed with their name to hang in their Center for the year.

Look for a follow-up post the week of January 25^th which will reveal 2009's Superstars!

Networking Tip of the Month

tweet@aecphilly.com (Ryan Dugan) — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 12:00:00 EST

Thursday, January 21^st

Business Clubs America (BCA) of Philadelphia will be hosting a breakfast for members at one of our city's finest historical landmarks, The Union League located on Broad Street.

Owned and operated by long-time entrepreneur and former NFL great, Ron Jaworski, Business Clubs America of Philadelphia is a national membership driven business development organization that serves decision makers and leaders in the middle market business community. BCA was built on the foundation of relationship marketing and strives to shift focus away from solely traditional notions of marketing toward the development of meaningful long term relationships. Exclusive category memberships allow members to build relationships with each other and their customers through a variety of platforms, while excluding their competition. BCA's mission is to facilitate and leverage relationships between their members, their clients, and vendors to develop new business.

The core mission at BCA is to help business leaders develop and maintain a relationship marketing strategy and that begins and ends with people.

If you think the BCA is a good fit for your business development needs and would like to explore joining this excellent networking Club, please let us know, and we will be happy to bring you as our guest to this upcoming breakfast meeting or to another event scheduled this year.

Thursday, January 28^th

The Main Line Society of Professional Women (a division of The Main Line Chamber) will host "Networking in Stilettos"

This luncheon networking event, held at The Radnor Valley Country Club, is from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Guest speaker, Neen James, is an international productivity expert who helps women rocket-charge their performance and results through networking. Members of Ladies Who Launch (LWL), an alliance partner of Main Line Society of Professional Women Club, will also be in attendance.

Ticket cost is $30 for MLCC & LWL Members and $35 for non-members. If you would like to attend this event, register at www.mlcc.org

Wednesday, February 3^rd

PBN (Professional Business Network will host a Luncheon Networking Event at Maggiano's in King of Prussia.

Here's a breakdown of this event:

11:30 am : Networking & Card Exchange
12:15 pm : Lunch (TBA)
12:30 pm : Program: Learning from Their Success: (TBA)
12:50 pm : Individual Introductions

Cost: $25 pre-paid members, $30 guests and members on-site.
Payments by cash, check or credit cards online*.

* Credit Cards for pre-payment only!

Location:

Maggiano's
205 Mall Boulevard
King of Prussia, PA

For directions: 610.992.3322 or click here for directions www.maggianos.com.

Important! PBN needs to advise Maggiano's of anticipated attendees. If you plan to attend, please register below by January 29th even if you are not pre-paying.

For more information, call Bruce Zanar, 610.792.2105.

Pre-Register by clicking on the link below:

Register for this event

For more information about PBN visit the follow link... http://www.pbnworks.com/aboutus.asp

Trivia Question of the Week

tweet@aecphilly.com (American Executive Centers) — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 12:00:00 EST

Ready for the answer?

West Virginia. It was effective July 1, 1921

Trivia Question of the Week

tweet@aecphilly.com (American Executive Centers) — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 12:00:00 EST

Ready for the answer...

Nokia, founded in 1865

The Value of Networking Equals New Business Development!

tweet@aecphilly.com (Ryan Dugan) — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 12:00:00 EST

Looking back I distinctively recall just how nervous I was about attending my first networking function. I remember thinking....What do I talk about? What do I wear? What if people ask me questions that I can't answer? What if no one is interested in talking to me? Fast forward five years and I've dramatically advanced from Networking 101 to now having the skills to stroll into any networking group and strike up conversations with complete strangers without skipping a beat. What has enabled me to be able to do this is my perception! Remember that most everyone is there for the same reason...to drive business to their company. Once you come to grips with the fact that you're going to have to talk to people you don't know, you are well on your way.

The best piece of advice I can offer when starting out is to take time to learn about other members and their businesses. The more you ask, the more you will be liked, because everyone likes talking about themselves!

Sure, networking takes getting over the initial hump of learning how to feel at ease in order to engage in conversations with strangers, and along with that comes more time and ongoing effort out of your already busy schedule, BUT you are your best marketing tool and you simply can't beat face-to-face contact when it comes to connecting with your potential prospects or with business associates who can put you in touch with the right people to grow your business. By attending networking events you will be expanding your network of potential leads that could ultimately turn to sales.

So where should you start? A great place to begin with networking efforts is to get involved with your local Chamber. Chambers typically hold regular monthly luncheons or business card exchanges, which both offer perfect venues for meeting new business professionals to expand your network. Check out the links below to learn about Chambers and Business Organizations in your business community. You can also speak to our seven Center Managers, as they all attend monthly Chamber meetings local to their Centers. Our Center Managers are happy to provide additional information and answer any questions about the local business organizations they attend.

Numerous Business Chambers throughout The Delaware Valley:

Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce - www.greaterphilachamber.com

South Jersey Chamber of Commerce - http://chambersnj.com

Main Line Chamber of Commerce - www.mlcc.org

Exton Chamber of Commerce - www.ercc.net

The Montgomery County Chamber - www.montgomerycountychamber.com

Penn Suburban Chamber of Commerce - http://macalliance.basecampbusiness.com/node/1052

Professional Business Network - www.pbnworks.com

Midlantic Business Alliance - www.mbainc.org

For some larger Networking Groups to consider visit the following links...

BCA - Business Clubs of America - www.businessclubsamerica.com

BNI - www.bni.com

LeTip - www.letip.com

Please keep in mind, that we welcome you to join our staff in attending networking functions, any time! We will gladly take you along to help make introductions and/or to simply provide the comfort of not having to attend functions alone. Just see the Center Manager at your office location or at the American Executive Centers location local to your business.

For ongoing networking tips and upcoming events, visit our Blog regularly.

Trivia Question of the Week

tweet@aecphilly.com (American Executive Centers) — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 12:00:00 EST

Ready for the answer?

Julius Caeser declared it in 46 B.C. January was named after the Roman God, Janus, who had two faces, one looking forward and one looking back which inspired the idea.

Trivia Question of the Week

tweet@aecphilly.com (American Executive Centers) — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 12:00:00 EST

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Mr. Potato Head

Trivia Question of the Week

tweet@aecphilly.com (American Executive Centers) — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 12:00:00 EST

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The shopping cart. Not successful at first but at his persistence in their use, Sylvan Goldman, owner of several Humpty Dumpty stores left behind a $400 million estate.

Clients In The News

tweet@aecphilly.com (American Executive Centers) — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 12:00:00 EST

Photo by Curt Hudson

Schooner Investment's Greg Levinson says his expertise lies in protecting investors. His methods were tested.

RADNOR - A schooner is a vessel known for setting the sail in a certain position to cope with bad weather. So Greg Levinson thought Schooner Investment Group would be a perfect name for his new investment firm, which is built around the philosophy of protecting investors during a downturn.

Levinson's philosophy got an early test. Schooner introduced its first mutual fund product, the Schooner Growth and Income Fund, a month before the stock market collapsed in September 2008.

While the average fund in the Morningstar US Stock fund category lost 19.1 percent year over year through Aug. 31, 2009, Schooner's fund generated a positive return of 4.02 percent from its inception on Aug. 29, 2008, through Aug. 31, 2009. And from the fund's opening to the stock market's lowest point in March 2009, it lost 23 percent while the S&P 500 Index lost 50 percent.

"The philosophy is that you don't need to capture all of the upside movement in the market," Levinson said. "It's more important to preserve capital during a downslide than capturing anything on the high side. It just happened to be that the market went in that direction after we started."

Levinson said there is not a lot of consideration given to dealing with a downswing and risk management.

"People are obsessed with beating the market," Levinson said. "Our fund is not designed for those looking to hit home runs. But it protected people during the downturn."

Levinson, 36, is a native of Kingston, Luzerne County, who graduated from the Wharton School of The University of Pennsylvania, with a bachelor's degree in economics and finance in 1995. He immediately began his trading career at Cooper/ Neff & Associates on the equity derivatives desk in Radnor. A year later, Levinson was named head of convertible arbitrage for Cooper/Neff's proprietary trading desk and later took on the additional responsibilities of running several hedge fund business lines.

In 2002, Levinson founded Polaris Advisors, an investment manager specializing in convertible arbitrage, equity, and derivative strategies. But opportunities diminished and he wound down the firm in 2005.

Levinson said he took 18 months off for some "personal adventures" and worked on some venture capital projects. But he said he got the trader bug again and in 2007 he became a senior portfolio manager for Sailfish Capital in Stamford, Conn.

But he wanted to return to Philadelphia after the commute became too much to handle and realized after looking at the local landscape that there were not a lot of trading firms in the region. So in January 2008, he formed Schooner Investment Group in Radnor and launched the mutual fund eight months later.

Levinson said the genesis of the mutual fund was a desire to combine the positive attributes of the mutual fund structure with some of the advanced trading and risk management techniques used by hedge funds. Specifically, he said the positives of a mutual fund are that it is regulated, has no leverage, provides transparency and has only a management fee. The strength of a hedge fund is that it brings sophisticated strategies, good risk management and a high level of talent.

He said he has tried to incorporate all of those attributes into the fund in hopes of luring investors who do not want to choose between mutual and hedge funds because of the negatives associated with each. Hedge funds are known to come with high fees, lack of regulation and illiquid securities. Mutual funds include a lack of sophisticated trading strategies, poor performance and poor risk management.

Levinson said the fund has a few hundred retail investors with the minimum investment being $5,000. He said Schooner uses institutional brokerage firms such as Fidelity Investments and Charles Schwab for distribution.

In the coming years, Levinson said he would like to develop new products, add 15 to 20 staffers and broaden distribution options.

"We didn't see the kind of collapse coming that happened after Lehman Brothers [went out of business in September 2008]," Levinson said. "But because of what has happened, we feel the market will want more products with this philosophy."

Up Close

Name: Greg Levinson
Age: 36
Company: Schooner Investment Group, 150 N. Radnor-Chester Road, Ste F-200, Radnor Pa. 19087
Best business decision: Focusing on developing skills and relationships rather than short term economics.
Key challenge you overcame: Gaining access to decision makers and partners that can advance the business.
Advice to other young entrepreneurs: Stay flexible, create options, and pursue every avenue.

jblumenthal@bizjournals.com | 215-238-5136

Trivia Question of the Week

tweet@aecphilly.com (American Executive Centers) — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 12:00:00 EST

Ready for the answer......

Bird cages

BCA Networking Breakfast

tweet@aecphilly.com (Ryan Dugan) — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 12:00:00 EST

In our short time as a member, we have already begun to build lasting relationships with key members of the Philadelphia region's business community relevant to our industry. Of the many business networking organizations to which we belong, the BCA has proven to be the most beneficial for our business, by far. While the meetings offer outstanding networking opportunities to connect with the many top business leaders throughout the Delaware Valley, you can also expect to take away valuable business tips, insight and motivational leadership lessons that will help you be a better leader and more successful business professional.

To give you a better idea of a typical breakfast meeting, here's a run down of last week's agenda:

From 7 a.m. to 8 a.m. all attendees took advantage of a Power Hour for Business Development. Immediately following, breakfast was served via plated service, at which time the program began. During this time we heard from top local business leaders offering great sales and leadership tips, and from a local charity sponsoring the breakfast, The Work Group, who shared a very personal story from one of the lives touched by their good will. The program was highlighted with a feature guest speaker, Margot Morrell, an acknowledged expert on leadership. Margot shared a very inspirational and motivational story about a boat journey that took place in the early 1900's and how the captain, Ernest Shackleton, successfully led his crew through a harrowing, two-year ordeal that occurred during his Great Antarctic Expedition. So inspired by Shackleton's leadership style and people skills, Margot Morrell wrote a book about it, called "Shackleton's Way," available on Amazon.com. http://www.amazon.com/Shackletons-Way-Leadership-Antarctic-Explorer/dp/0670891967

If the BCA sounds like a good fit for you and your business, please don't hesitate to inquire with our Center Managers. For more information about the BCA visit http://www.businessclubsamerica.com/philadelphia-pennsylvania-m-12.html

Trivia Question of the Week

tweet@aecphilly.com (American Executive Centers) — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 12:00:00 EST

Ready for the answer...

C-T-R, for computing-tabulating-Recording Company

Holiday Parties Could Mean More Business For You!

tweet@aecphilly.com (Ryan Dugan) — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 12:00:00 EST

1) If possible, for a productive use of your time, find out in advance the names of people attending the party and then determine who is a great match for your business.

2) Arrive early, armed with a list of people you'd like to meet, and offer to help.Arriving early when the crowd is more manageable gives you the chance to mingle with the host and develop good will.

3) Always have a positive, humorous story to tell.

4) Always allow time in the conversation to let the other person talk and NEVER sell your product - sell yourself!

These few tips will help to subconsciously make you a likable person - and combined with a follow up phone call a day or two later - could lead to a sit down meeting to discuss synergy between you and your prospect.

American Executive Centers' will be hosting holiday parties during the month of December. What better way to get to know both neighbors at your Center whom you have yet to meet and some of the clients at another location than while enjoying some holiday cheer? We encourage you to come see our other Center locations, meet our fantastic Center teams, and come explore a new business opportunity that might be waiting for you! Below is a list of the upcoming American Executive Centers holiday parties...

Radnor - December 10^th at Noon

Marlton NJ - December 10^th at Noon

King of Prussia - December 11^th at Noon

Bala Cynwyd - December 16^th at Noon

Center City Philadelphia - December 16^th at 2:00 pm

Plymouth Meeting - December 18^th at Noon

Exton - December 18^th at 1:00 pm

Good Telecommunications For Small Business Owners

tweet@aecphilly.com (Anne Senski) — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 12:00:00 EST

For most professionals starting a new venture, a good telecommunications framework is probably the one area of the set-up in their business that gets overlooked. It doesn't matter if you're a sole proprietor or a Fortune 500 company, I have come to realize as a veteran in my industry that telecommunications is critical to the success and growth of any business. Why is this so, you might ask? Well, if business development is key to the success of your business, then your accessibility for every prospect trying to reach you is crucial. When a customer comes calling for business, they expect someone to address their inquiry once the call is answered. In the event that their call is greeted by an answering machine, voice mail, or worse, lost in the auto-attendant purgatory, the customer will most likely hang up and call the next company on their list. If you don't have the right teleco infrastructure in place, then you can be certain you are missing out on calls from prospects. In today's economic climate and competitive business environment, no one can afford to lose a single sales call!

As part of your teleco plan, there are two components essential to the system's success. Firstly, you want to make sure you have the right staff fielding your calls - a team who knows you and your business well, knows your schedule and who your VIPS are and how you want their calls processed. Secondly, you have to have the right technology in order to provide your team with the best tools to process this segment of your business. Here are some "must have" Teleco features for start-up ventures...

Live Person to Handle Incoming Calls: This is so important as it provides your company with a strong professional image and gives your prospects a level of comfort, knowing someone is handling their request upon inquiry...or at least the person answering the call is able to answer routine questions without the customer going directly to voice mail.
Call Patching: The ability for your staff to seamlessly "patch" (transfer) a call to you when you are off-site is critical for business emergencies or new sales inquiries. It gives you the freedom and flexibility to step out of your office when you are waiting for an important call and the option to work from another location, if need be.
Voice Mail with Unified Messaging: This feature keeps all of your messages, whether voice mail or email, in one location for you to manage. It gives you the ability to listen to voice mail messages via your email account. (This is one feature I don't know how I ever lived without!)
Find Me Follow Me: Many clients who work with customers and or prospects in different time zones need a way to get these calls transferred to them during non-business hours without giving out their home or cell phone numbers. This feature enables your calls to be forwarded to a different, off-site number of your choice. Again, this offers further flexibility so you can leave your office at your set hours with the comfort of knowing you won't be missing important calls.
Caller ID and the ability to transfer a call from your phone to a third party: This a great feature if you recognize an incoming caller ID and you know it's for your associate. You can simply transfer the call directly to your associate without having to take the call, regardless if your associate has already left the office.

As an expert in office business center management, with extensive experience in telecommunications infrastructures, I hope you can take away and put to use for your business some of the information I have shared that I have personally found vital to the success of American Executive Centers. Check back next month and read about what some of our top vendors want to share. If you have any questions about this posting, please post a comment or feel free to email me at Senski@aecphilly.com

Lunch and Learn Sessions Address Internet Performance Enhancement And Best Practices for Internet Security

tweet@aecphilly.com (Tom Heffren) — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 12:00:00 EST

If you would like to hear more about this topic, I will be hosting a series of "Lunch and Learn" sessions describing some of the recent upgrades we've made to our IT Infrastructure that improve internet performance and increase the level of protection provided to clients in our executive suites. We will introduce our new high-speed FiOS business class service and Fortigate enterprise class firewalls, and describe their benefits to our in-house clients. This session will also provide information on some of the common threats that need to be addressed in protecting your systems, as well as some best practice tips. A complimentary lunch will be served. The schedule for these sessions is as follows:

American Executive Centers Bala Cynwyd Executive Conference Room
12:00-1:00 pm Wednesday, December 2^ndTwo Bala Plaza, Suite 300
Bala Cynwyd, PA 19004

American Executive Centers Radnor Executive Conference Room
12:00-1:00 pm Thursday, December 3^rdRadnor Financial Center
150 N. Radnor Chester Rd., Suite F 200
Radnor, PA 19087

American Executive Centers Exton Executive Conference Room
12:00-1:00 pm Wednesday, December 9th
102 Pickering Way, Suite 200
Exton, PA 19341

American Executive Centers King of Prussia Executive Conference Room
12:00-1:00 pm Tuesday, December 15^th1060 First Avenue, Suite 400
King of Prussia, PA 19406

If you have any questions or would like more information about this posting, please post your comments below or email Tom Heffren, IT Manager at American Executive Centers, at theffren@aecphilly.com

Networking at Marlton, NJ American Executive Centers

tweet@aecphilly.com (Rita Bohus) — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 12:00:00 EST

In December each of the American Executive Centers locations will host a holiday luncheon for clients and their guests. The luncheons offer the perfect opportunity for casual business encounters with new faces that in turn may lead to new business.

An attorney client in our Marlton Center, Josele Finney, has been with us for 14 years and has expressed numerous times just how much business she has generated by being a client at American Executive Centers. We hope you will take advantage of participating in our networking events throughout the year which that may be beneficial to your business development.

In hope that you will be joining us for the festive holiday luncheons we will be hosting at each one of our American Executive Centers' location, below are the dates...

Marlton, NJ: December 10^th, 12 p.m.

Center City, Philadelphia: December 16^th, 3 p.m.

Radnor: December 10^th, 12 p.m.

Exton: December 18^th, 12 p.m.

Bala Cynwyd: December 16^th, 12 p.m.

Plymouth Meeting: December 18^th, 12 p.m.

King of Prussia: December 11^th, 12 p.m.

Join us for Breakfast at the Union League in Philadelphia November 20th

tweet@aecphilly.com (Ryan Dugan) — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 12:00:00 EST

BCA was built on the foundation of relationship marketing and strives to shift focus away from solely traditional notions of marketing toward the development of meaningful long-term relationships. Exclusive category memberships allow members to build relationships with each other and their customers through a variety of platforms, while excluding their competition. BCA's mission is to facilitate and leverage relationships between their members, their clients, and vendors to develop new business.

The core mission at BCA is to help business leaders develop and maintain a relationship marketing strategy; this process begins and ends with people.

If the BCA sounds like a good fit for you and your business, we invite you to join us as our guest on November 20^th at 7 a.m. at the Union League in Philadelphia, when American Executive Centers is formally inducted as a member into the BCA. For additional information or questions about November 20^th's event, please feel free to contact any of our seven Center Managers. For more information about BCA, visit http://www.businessclubsamerica.com/philadelphia-pennsylvania-m-12.html

Helping provide the benefits of a large law firm to sole practicing attorneys

tweet@aecphilly.com (G. Michael Howard) — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 12:00:00 EST

Lawyers Services is a full-service litigation support and management consulting firm, comprised of marketing, management, and computer professionals who are available to support law firms of all sizes to achieve greater success. Mike started the company in 1992 and states, "Our primary focus is improving the complete and overall functionality of your law office. "

Rita tells me, "The purpose of the lunch and learn is to help provide the benefits of a large law firm to the sole practicing attorneys who operate their firm within our executive office suite. Our attorney clients with both in-suite private offices and virtual offices will have the opportunity to:

Learn new ways to market their law firm in today's changing market place
Get an entree to social media
Network together
Establish a client referral base while maintaining their independence
Provide feedback about the topics they would like us to cover in future seminars.

In today's seminar, Mike Lamond will be covering how a small law firm, operating within the American Executive Centers' network can harness more of the four P's of Marketing; Product, Promotion, Price and Place to develop more business and a better bottom line. Learn how to increase your market share by adding practice areas. Increase your productivity by spending more time on marketing activities, while farming out your administrative tasks to the support services team at American Executive Centers. Attract new clients and get more referrals with email blasts and database marketing programs. Increase your geographic service area with the AEC network already available to you.

For more information on the seminar, please contact Rita Bohus by phone at 856-988-5500 or email at Rita@aecphilly.com. To learn more about how Michael Lamond at Legal Services, LLC can help improve the functionality of your law office please contact Mike by email michael.lamond@lawyers-services.com.

Radnor Run event in support of the American Lung Association

tweet@aecphilly.com (Dana Long) — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 12:00:00 EST

This is an annual event and we encourage anyone and everyone of all ages to please come out next year to participate in the fight to prevent lung disease and to help further promote lung health! Help the American Lung Association "Fight for Air!" For more information visit www.lunginfo.org/radnorrun

Suzanne Gault, Mike Howard, Rose Miller

Basic Wireless Router Protection

tweet@aecphilly.com (Tom Heffren) — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 12:00:00 EST

Staying on top of the latest technology, IT changes, alerts, and advancements is an essential requirement for my role as the IT Manager of American Executive Centers. Like many fast-paced industries, changes are constant within the IT world...and it's my job to pass this information along to our clients as part of our commitment to their success. With the recent launch of the AEC Blog, I will be sharing IT news and information on a monthly basis with the intention of bringing valuable knowledge to our visitors. Below please find some helpful news and tips related to securing your small business technology from hackers.

Today small business owners increasingly depend on technology and the internet to manage their business and clients. Until recently, large corporate environments have been the target for hackers and other malicious efforts. A recent gathering of experts speaking at Visa's 2009 Security Summit agreed that today "smaller businesses offer a much more attractive target than larger enterprises that have steeled themselves with years of security spending and compliance efforts." http://www.darkreading.com/story/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=215901301

Although many small businesses may be protected in their offices with business class firewalls, many use laptops that are also brought into their home for use. Home use of the internet typically involves using a wireless router that needs to have security set both on the wireless capability and for the network as well. By default, the security settings are not usually set on most routers. Below I have identified some basic best practice settings for wireless routers to better protect the computers used on your home network. (Although a variety of wireless routers are available for home use, most of these are consistent in the type of settings that can be configured. I'll describe some basic settings that you should use, and you can then refer to your wireless router's documentation for the specific steps required for your router)

You can gain access to the Login Screen for your wireless router by typing in the IP address from a browser. There are typical IP addresses used by most of the routers (e.g. 192.168.0.1, 192.168.1.1) and a default User Login ID (usually "admin") is used to login and configure settings. Once logged into the router, you should set a good password for the "Admin" ID. This is typically done under an "Administration" menu item. Additionally, there should be a setting for "Remote Management" which I recommend setting to "off" or "disabled". This will limit management of the router to local network users.

To avoid intruders accessing your wireless network connection (WLAN), you should configure your wireless setting options (usually under "basic wireless settings"). Here you will find an option to create an SSID name. This is the name that your wireless router will broadcast to wireless devices within the range of the router. I recommend that you record this name and set SSID broadcast to "disabled." This will prevent unauthorized users from sharing your WLAN. A setting for network authentication and encryption should present several choices for encryption (listed here from weakest to strongest level of protection):

WEP (64 Bit) - Weakest, but better than no encryption
WEP (128 Bit)
WEP (256 Bit)
WPA-PSK (data encryption TKIP or AES)
WPA2-PSK (data encryption TKIP or AES) - Strongest

Choose one of these methods and configure this according to your documentation - an encryption code, key, or passphrase will be used to configure the encryption depending on which method you choose.

As a final recommendation you can look for a setting on the router (usually Advanced WAN settings or WAN settings) named "Respond to Ping on Internet WAN Port". Set this to "disabled". This will prevent your public IP address from being exposed to hackers.

For more information or for IT assistance contact Tom Heffren, IT Manager, at theffren@aecphilly.com.

Welcome Post

tweet@aecphilly.com (G. Michael Howard) — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 12:00:00 EST

As social media is becoming an integral part of today's business community, we are excited to welcome you to the American Executive Centers Blog!! The purpose of our Blog is to provide yet another channel of ongoing communication with Greater Philadelphia's business community. We hope to achieve this by providing professional insight and tips with the intention of helping you maximize the success of your business, while protecting you from pitfalls. You'll find useful and resourceful postings, business-related event listings, and monthly trivia just for fun, brought to you by American Executive Centers' staff, clients, networking contacts and industry experts. Over the next few months, we encourage you to visit our Blog where you can engage in postings covering a wide range of topics, from networking tips and upcoming functions to IT best practices advice, from community interest to how to properly apply for a SBA loan...all brought to you from the voices of our American Executive Centers' team and network of professionals. We will look forward to hearing from you too!

Greater Philadelphia Area Office Space

Trivia Question of the Week

For Your Networking Event, Consider this Tip...

Exton Region Chamber of CommerceSeptember 16th, 20102010 Golf Outing

Main Line Chamber of CommerceSeptember 15th, 2010Golf Leaf Celebration

Chamber of Commerce Southern New JerseySeptember 2nd, 2010 Networking Connection Lunch at Lamberti's

Chamber of Commerce Southern New JerseySeptember 22nd, 2010State Affairs Committee

Irish American Business Chamber & NetworkSeptember 15thWelcome Back Networking Happy Hour Aboard the Moshulu

Irish American Business Chamber & NetworkSeptember 23rdInternational Chambers Business Networking Reception

Trivia Question of the Week

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Training Program for Attorneys Who Need to Develop New Business

American Executive Centers' Exton Client, Andy Meehan Invites You to Join Business Books Discussions of Philadelphia

Trivia Question of the Week

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Building Success for Clients and Community through Support for a Great Cause

Hope for Kids

Trivia Question of the Week

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The Value of Paralegal Support through The Legal Facilities at American Executive Centers

Trivia Question of the Week

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Upcoming Social/Networking Opportunities

PLYMOUTH MEETING:

Thursday August 12th

Tuesday August 24th

KING OF PRUSSIA:

Tuesday, August 10th

EXTON:

Wednesday, August 11, 2010

MARLTON:

Thursday, August 19th

Understanding Public Relations...The Most Cost-Effective, Powerful Marketing Tool for Businesses!

New Restaurant in King of Prussia Offers a Great Venue for Your Next Business Lunch or Dinner

Trivia Question of the Week

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Upcoming Social Event at our Radnor American Executive Centers' Location

Latest Google App Lunch and Learn on Us

Trivia Question of the Week

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American Executive Centers' Shelterbox - Helping the People of Haiti

Trivia Question of the Week

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Upcoming Socials to Mark on Your Calendar this Month!

Latest Google App Lunch and Learn on Us!

Database Marketing

Trivia Question of the Week

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WHO'S NEW AT AMERICAN EXECUTIVE CENTERS

Jessica Coleman, LPC, CEO, Child and Family Solutions

Brad Geist, Director, B & F Capital Markets, Inc.

Farrukh Kazmi, Portfolio Manager, A& S Asset Management

Trivia Question of the Week

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WHO'S NEW AT AMERICAN EXECUTIVE CENTERS

Paul Milnes, Managing Partner & President, Outsourced Financial Analytics, LLC.

Best Places for Your Next Business Lunch/Dinner and Best Venues for Networking in Plymouth Meeting

WHO'S NEW AT AMERICAN EXECUTIVE CENTERS

Carole Cleere, President and Brian Cleere, Cleere & Cleere Law, PC

Richard L. Green, President, James Marshall and J. Ronald White, Vice Presidents Pioneer International Systems, Inc.

Mark Landau, Esquire and Vanya Dugalic, Esquire, Dugalic & Landau, PC

Trivia Question of the Week

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How to Stabilize Cash Flow and Reduce Bad Debt Expense

A Smart Start to Your Next 30 Second Networking Elevator Speech

WHO'S NEW AT AMERICAN EXECUTIVE CENTERS

Ralph M. Dittrich, Regional Sales Director, Ohio National Financial Services

Raymond Ishman, M.D., CEO/CMO, Cenegenics Philadelphia

Robert R. Schratz, AAI, Agency Principal, Schratz Insurance Agency

Jay Scoggin, VP, Business Development & Program Support, Theodor Wille Intertrade (TWI)

Wildwood Days Summer Kick-Off Networking Party

Trivia Question of the Week

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WHO'S NEW AT AMERICAN EXECUTIVE CENTERS

Charles Mann, Wealth Advisor, Trinity Wealth Management, LLC.

George S. Yacoubian, Jr., LLC. Attorney at Law

National TV Spot to Promote Benefits of Locating a Company to the Greater Philadelphia Region

Networking Opportunity in Marlton, NJ

Networking Opportunity in Philadelphia

Professional Women's SuperNetworking EventThursday, June 24th from 6 p.m. until 8:30 p.m. The Double-Tree Hotel (Broad and Locust Streets, Philadelphia)

Exton Region Chamber of Commerce
September 16th, 2010
2010 Golf Outing

Main Line Chamber of Commerce
September 15th, 2010
Golf Leaf Celebration

Chamber of Commerce Southern New Jersey
September 2nd, 2010
Networking Connection Lunch at Lamberti's

Chamber of Commerce Southern New Jersey
September 22nd, 2010
State Affairs Committee

Irish American Business Chamber & Network
September 15th
Welcome Back Networking Happy Hour Aboard the Moshulu

Irish American Business Chamber & Network
September 23rd
International Chambers Business Networking Reception

Professional Women's SuperNetworking Event
Thursday, June 24th from 6 p.m. until 8:30 p.m.
The Double-Tree Hotel (Broad and Locust Streets, Philadelphia)

PBN Networking Luncheon
Wednesday, June 2nd

Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce Annual Golf Outing
Wednesday, June 9th