Business

VANCOUVER, Wash. -- Three young entrepreneurs searching for capital for their startup business are taking a unique approach to fundraising; and they are calling on all Americans to help them out. What does America get in exchange? The opportunity to help write a book detailing what Americans want to see changed in America. Jason Timm, Nick Ewing, and Michael Brown of Vancouver, Washington have launched HelpWithChange.com.

MADISON, Wis. -- SigmaFlow, a leading provider of Enterprise Performance Improvement Software, and Oriel, a major business productivity consulting and training organization, today announced an innovative joint offering that integrates Oriel's Lean training content with SigmaFlow's Project Portfolio Management Solution for Lean Six Sigma. The offering will be available for purchase by end-customers and for leading training firms to integrate into their own engagements.

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- YFonGlobal, a leading-edge provider of turnkey social network marketing technology, reports raising its second angel round of funding for a total of $1.8 million with an opportunity to raise $2.1 million from one angel investor's matching funds offer. YFonGlobal leaders say they plan to use these funds to expand sales and marketing of their wyndstorm(TM) social network software.

PALO ALTO, Calif. -- AmeriChinaB2B, the importing and exporting Internet marketing platform to China has launched its newest service, a web portal exclusively for recruiting distributors. The recruiting portal is designed to provide U.S. businesses with assistance in locating distributors, middlemen or manufacturing sourcing sites in China's vast industrial base.

SUNRISE, Fla. -- The Board of Directors of Interim HealthCare Inc. announces the appointment of Russ Cooper as President and CEO. Mr. Cooper brings more than 25 years of franchising experience and will lead Interim HealthCare's national network of 300 offices while launching aggressive franchise development.

NANUET, N.Y. -- Little Scoops, the retro 50's themed children's birthday party franchise, will be exhibiting for the first time at the National Franchise & Business Opportunities trade show at the Meadowlands Exposition Center in Secaucus, New Jersey on March 17-18, 2007, it was announced today by Michelle Violetto and Tanya Ehrlich, co-founders of LS Franchise Corp.

COSTA MESA, Calif. -- Costa Mesa-based BandCon, the leading peering network provider for large content sites, today announced that Todd Braning has joined the company as Vice President of Peering and Backbone operations. Braning is responsible for the company's peering and backbone services and operations.

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Dr. Fred Haney, a venture capital veteran with a reputation for success joined forces today with ElectionMall Technologies, Inc. (www.electionmall.com), a nonpartisan worldwide provider of campaign technology solutions. Fred was the founder of 3i Ventures California in the 1980s, a highly successful venture fund and later was a founding member of the Tech Coast Angels, the largest group of angel investors in the country.

ST. CHARLES, Ill. -- Chicago-based property tax consulting firm Advantax(R) Group announced today the appointment of Sam Kinslow as National Director of Real Property Consulting Services. Mr. Kinslow has 13 years of experience in the fields of property valuation, consulting, and tax assessment.

NEW YORK, N.Y. -- Gameshastra, a leading provider of Game Outsource Services, announced today the appointment of Geoff Mulligan to its Advisory Board. Geoff will assist the company in formulating its strategic vision and corporate strategy to become a global leader in outsourcing services for the games industry.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Two West, Inc. is a branding and communications firm providing research-driven, strategic consulting services and agency solutions for high-growth companies and products. While the firm offers experience in select verticals including telecommunications, retail, automotive, human and animal health, and professional services, it has also developed horizontal expertise in brand strategy for companies needing next-level marketing guidance.

REDWOOD CITY, Calif. -- Authernative, Inc., the developer of innovative user authentication and identity management technologies, announced today that the European Patent Office has granted the company its patent for a user authentication method.

NEW YORK, N.Y. -- Gameshastra, a leading provider of Game Outsource Services, announced today the appointment of Jason Wong as Vice President - Quality Assurance. In this position, Mr. Wong will be responsible for overseeing all of Gameshastra's outsource testing operations, including their offshore testing facility in Hyderabad, India.

TRIPOLI, Libya -- According to Phoenicia Group, the U.S.-Libyan diversified business group, which is a strategic partner to several U.S. and international companies in Libya, business opportunities in the oil services sector is rocketing as E&P majors ratchet up their drilling schedules in Libya's much sought oil fields, with hundreds of wells estimated to be drilled in the next few years.

PITTSBURGH, Pa. -- GSP Consulting, a fast-growing government affairs and economic architecture consulting firm today announced the expansion of their Federal Government Affairs practice in Washington D.C. and Pittsburgh.

VENICE, Calif. -- in January 2006, Richard Karno, a Los Angeles-based organic coffee roaster, introduced a single serving packet of organic liquid coffee extract, which he named Java Juice(R). The shelf-stable, portable coffee packets were a great fit for the outdoor and travel industries, so Karno chose the 2006 Winter Outdoor Retailer, the leading outdoor industry event to showcase his invention.

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- ElectionMall Technologies, Inc., a nonpartisan worldwide provider of technology solutions to political campaigns, released today a testimonial by Joe Trippi praising ElectionMall's suite of technology tools for federal, state, and local races, and also announced that Dr. Michael Cornfield has been named Vice President of Public Affairs.

ATLANTA, Ga. -- GeckoSystems, Inc. (OTC PK: GKSY / GKSY.pk) announced today the formation and opening of its new UK office located in greater London, England. The new subsidiary, GeckoSystems UK Ltd., will be responsible for manufacturing, sales, and support in the commercial security and defense marketplaces.

LOS ANGELES, Calif. -- CADFORCE, the Los Angeles-based global leader in outsourced architectural services, today announced that it has added three new people to its management team. They are Paul Fielding, Ph.D., Chief Operating Officer; Jeffrey Matzek, AIA, Vice President of Quality; and Catrina Gregory, Vice President of Client Care.

TRIPOLI, Libya -- Phoenicia Group Libya LLC (www.phoenicia-group.net), the leading U.S.-Libyan diversified business and consultancy group, today announced acquisitions of several Libyan companies in key growth sectors in Libya and spearheading the establishment of Libya's first private equity fund. New acquisitions include Al-Itlala Healthcare Co, a medical services company.

DULUTH, Ga. -- ActionCOACH Cornerstone, a local, independently-owned licensee of ActionCOACH, the world's #1 business coaching franchise, announced today that it will be expanding it's business presence in Georgia through a merger with two other established ActionCOACH Business Coaches. This will significantly impact the Business Coaching Firm's ability to help private business owners and their teams to become more efficient, more productive, better focused, and more profitable through professional, objective mentoring and education.

PETALUMA, Calif. -- World Business Services, Inc., founded in 1994, has contractual agreements with a myriad of vendors who provide one-of-a-kind programs designed to help businesses save money, improve efficiencies, and increase sales. By having several service providers available, World Business Services, Inc. is able to custom tailor a specific program to help any sized company, in any vocation, in the United States.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Action International, the world's #1 business coaching franchise, today announced it is changing its company name to ActionCOACH effective immediately. Among other benefits, the name change will give clients, potential franchisees and the general public an immediate understanding of the services that have propelled the company to the top of the business coaching field.

PHILADELPHIA, Pa. -- The Architect of the Capitol (AOC) awarded U.S. Facilities, Inc. (USF) a five-year contract for facilities management and maintenance services at the Thurgood Marshall Federal Judiciary Building (TMFJB) in The District of Columbia.

DULUTH, Ga. -- The local, independently-owned office of Action International, the world's #1 business coaching franchise, today announced its corporate name is changing to ActionCOACH, effective immediately. ActionCOACH will continue to aggressively expand its mission to help small- to medium-sized businesses and their owners become more efficient, more productive, better focused, and more profitable through professional, objective mentoring and education.