Press Releases

SANTA CLARA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- What is difficult and worthwhile “always seems impossible until it’s done,” Google’s chief legal officer David Drummond told the 340 graduating students from Santa Clara University School of Law.

The law school’s commencement took place at 9:30 a.m. Saturday, May 25, in the University’s Mission Gardens.

Drummond, a 1985 undergraduate alumnus of Santa Clara University, is senior vice president and chief legal officer of Google, where he leads the company’s global teams for legal, communications, government relations, and corporate and new-business development. He joined Google in 2002 as vice president of corporate development from a partnership position at Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, where he was Google’s first outside counsel.

Speaking on a sunny, breezy morning, Drummond quoted South Africa’s famed leader Nelson Mandela, telling graduates that in activities from advocating against apartheid on Santa Clara University’s campus in 1981 to helping Google decide in 2010 to pull its search engine out of China over its repressive activities, “it’s always impossible until it’s done.”

He added that “plenty of change can, and often is, sparked from the inside.” He talked about his goals at Google, which he noted is a giant company despite its casual dress, free food and pinball machines. “Because it’s a big company doesn’t mean I can’t fight to make sure that this big company sticks to its principles, that its continual march toward openness and progress and fairness mirrors the marches I participated in 30 years ago on this campus.”

The graduating class comprised 48 percent women and 52 percent men. Half the graduates identified as Caucasian, with 31.5 percent identifying as Asian; 10 percent Hispanic; 5.5 percent multi-ethnic, and 2 percent African-American.

Sixty-seven graduates received certificates in various areas of high-tech law; another 33 received certificates in public-interest and social-justice law; and 20 specialized in international law.

Drummond received an honorary doctorate of laws at the event. He earned his bachelor’s degree in history from Santa Clara University in 1985, and his J.D. from Stanford Law School.

For more information about Santa Clara University School of Law, see law.scu.edu.

SCU Media RelationsDeborah Lohse, 408-554-5121dlohse@scu.edu

Source: Santa Clara University

Local 2 Strike “Continues Pattern of Disrespect to Military, Veterans on Memorial Weekend”

SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- AT&T Park concessionaire Centerplate said a strike at today’s baseball game by Local 2 Unite Here will not interrupt service to fans at the ballpark.

“Centerplate is prepared with senior managers and additional staff to ensure fans enjoy today’s baseball game and can get hotdogs, garlic fries, beer, soft drinks and other foods as they normally would,” said Centerplate spokesman Sam Singer.

Centerplate believes “this labor action by Local 2 is unnecessary, unfortunate and illegal. The timing of the strike, coming as it does on Memorial Day Weekend, continues a disturbing pattern of disrespect for the military, veterans and servicemen and servicewomen by the UNITE HERE leaders. Remember this is the same union whose President previously made derogatory remarks against veterans and veteran’s organizations during negotiations,” Singer said.

“Centerplate values our employees. That is why they are already the highest paid staff in the concession business, earning between $15 and $20 an hour, receiving full healthcare and other benefits for their part time work,” he added.

Centerplate has bargained in good faith and offered union members:

• A 4.5 percent ratification bonus for those who worked more than 40 games in 2012
• A 1.7 percent annual wage increase on top of the best compensation package in the industry
• Increased contribution of 9.2 percent to the Unite Here benefit plans
• Employer paid health care for employees and their families

Centerplate this week filed a lawsuit against Local 2 Unite Here for attempting to illegally mandate the signing of a “successor addendum” that would bind any future concessionaire at AT&T Park to the same terms Local 2 negotiates with Centerplate. This action is illegal under the federal labor laws, Centerplate officials said.

The lawsuit says Local 2 President Michael Casey seeks to end Centerplate’s relationship with nonprofit organizations, forcing out such groups as St. Teresa Music and Arts, Leukemia Lymphoma Society, Athletes Committed to Academics, Berkeley Youth Alternatives, the United States Navy, and other nonprofits, from working at the stadium to raise money for their charitable works.

“Local 2’s President scoffed at the value of the (nonprofit) program, stating that the U.S. Navy did not need to work a stand at the ballpark to pay for prosthetic limbs for wounded Veterans,” the lawsuit states. “Casey also quipped about the Marines, ‘Why don’t you have them man a boat and they can sell hot dogs on the water,’” according to the Centerplate lawsuit against Local 2.

The nonprofits make hundreds of thousands of dollars a year through partnering with Centerplate at baseball games by staffing concession stands and earning commissions based upon sales for their charitable work. Local 2 is now demanding Centerplate pay a penalty of $200 for each volunteer used for charitable work, which would eliminate Centerplate’s ability to partner with nonprofits.

“Local 2 has overstepped the bounds of the law and of humanity,” said spokesman Singer. This past week, Local 2 union leaders walked out on contract negotiations with Centerplate and a Federal Mediator, refusing to accept or to even make an economic counter proposal and thereby denying, for the time being, Centerplate’s employees at AT&T Park the economic benefits that would flow from a new contract.

Centerplate, which manages concessions at 300 ballparks and arenas, said its current contract as well as its new offer keeps AT&T Park employees the highest paid in the concession business.

Local 2 Unite Here publically acknowledged that Centerplate’s employees are already the highest paid workers in the concession industry. In a YouTube video posted on May 12, the union spokesperson is quoted saying, “so what if they’re (the employees) the best paid…that doesn’t mean anything.”

Centerplate said it wanted to make clear that this strike is a dispute between Local 2 Unite Here and Centerplate and not the San Francisco Giants.

For CenterplateSam Singer, 415-336-4949singer@singersf.com

Source: Centerplate

OAKLAND, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- In the formal Rite of Installation at the Cathedral of Christ the Light today, the Fifth Bishop of Oakland, Bishop Michael C. Barber, SJ began his service as spiritual leader of the East Bay’s 550,000 Catholics. Bishop Barber previously served as Director of Spiritual Formation, St. John’s Seminary, in the Archdiocese of Boston until his May 3, 2013 appointment as Bishop of Oakland by Pope Francis.

In a centuries-old ceremony at 11AM today in the cathedral Most Reverend Carlo Maria Viganò, Apostolic Nuncio to the United States, read the Papal letter announcing Bishop Barber’s appointment and then Metropolitan Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone seated him in the formal chair (cathedra) as the Bishop of Oakland.

In addition to Archbishop Viganò, seventeen U.S. archbishops and bishops gathered to witness Bishop Barber’s installation. These Catholic leaders included the Second, Third and Fourth Bishops of Oakland, respectively, Bishop Emeritus John Cummins, Archbishop Allen Vigneron and Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone.

The Diocese of Oakland was created in 1962, encompassing Alameda and Contra Costa counties. The Diocese is comprised of 84 parishes and is also home to 11 pastoral centers, four specialized service centers, two homes for the aged, five specialized homes, nine high schools and 45 elementary schools. The schools enrolled over 17,000 students in 2012.

The Catholic Church is also the largest private provider of social services across Alameda and Contra Costa counties, offering shelter, meals, counseling, education, health care and other critical services free of charge to over 400,000 people of all faiths each year.

Diocese of OaklandMike Brown, 650-387-1160Director of Communications

Source: Diocese of Oakland

LAKE ZURICH, Ill.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Fresenius Kabi USA announced today it has initiated a voluntary recall of one lot – Lot 6103882 – of Magnesium Sulfate Injection, USP due to the potential presence of glass particles in the vials. The recall is a precautionary measure, following a routine company inspection of retained product samples.

No adverse events, patient reactions or customer complaints have been reported to date. All customers who received the recalled vials are being notified and instructed to return any unused product to their supplier.

The recalled product is labeled with Product Code 6450 and packaged as 500mg/mL strength in 50mL glass vials (25 vials per tray). The product was shipped in the United States between May 30, 2012 and June 6, 2012 and has an expiration date of October 31, 2014.

Magnesium sulfate is used as electrolyte replacement therapy in the treatment of magnesium deficiency, and as an anticonvulsant to prevent and control seizures in severe toxemia of pregnancy.

The administration of glass particulate, if present in a parenteral drug, poses a potential safety risk to patients. Case reports suggest that sequelae of thromboembolism, some life-threatening (such as pulmonary emboli), may occur. There have also been reports in the literature of particulate possibly causing phlebitis, mechanical block of the capillaries or arterioles, activation of platelets, subsequent generation of microthrombi, and emboli. Patients with preexisting condition of trauma or other medical condition that adversely affects the microvascular blood supply are at an increased risk. Administration of a glass particulate can also lead to formation of granulomas, which represent a protective local inflammatory response to the foreign material and are typically non-serious. The defect discovered in this product lot was noted as visible particulate.

To report adverse events or quality problems experienced with the use of this product, call Fresenius Kabi USA’s Vigilance and Medical Affairs at 1-800-551-7176, Monday through Friday, between the hours of 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. (CST), or by e-mail appmedicalinfo@APPpharma.com.

Adverse events may also be reported to the FDA’s MedWatch Adverse Event Reporting program either online, by regular mail, or by fax.

• Online: www.fda.gov/medwatch/report.htm.
• Regular Mail: use postage-paid, pre-addressed Form FDA 3500 available at: www.fda.gov/MedWatch/getforms.htm. Mail to MedWatch 5600 Fishers Lane, Rockville, MD 20852-9787
• Fax: 1-800-FDA-0178

Additional Fresenius Kabi contact information

Health care professionals can find additional information about the recall on the company’s web site (www.apppharma.com/our-products/product-updates) or by calling Fresenius Kabi USA Quality Assurance at 1-866-716-2459, Monday through Friday, between the hours of 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. (CST).

Questions regarding product availability and ordering can be directed to Fresenius Kabi USA Customer Service at 1-888-386-1300, Monday through Friday, between the hours of 7 a.m. and 6 p.m. (CST).

Fresenius Kabi USA is the U.S. subsidiary of Fresenius Kabi, a global health care company that focuses on medicines and medical devices used to care for critically and chronically ill patients inside and outside the hospital.

Matt KuhnFresenius Kabi1-847-220-3033

Source: Fresenius Kabi USA