Press Releases

Maas Companies to auction three-year old biodiesel energy plant that uses soybean oil as primary feedstock in Keokuk, Iowa.

KEOKUK, Iowa--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Maas Companies of Rochester, MN will auction the 5 MGY Tri-City Energy Biodiesel Refinery Wednesday, Dec. 16, 2009 at 10 a.m. onsite at 219 S. 5th Street, Keokuk, Iowa. It is conducted in conjunction with Iowa District Court in and for Lee County.

Founded in 2006, Tri-City Energy is a privately-held company and the 11th biodiesel plant in Iowa to begin production using soybean oil as a primary feedstock.

Recent news reports indicated the plant was being purchased by an overseas entity, however the mortgage is still in default and the court-ordered auction is proceeding as planned.

Buyers will have the option of purchasing plant equipment and real estate as one tract. The facility also has an extensive lab that will be available for purchase as a second tract, independent of the real estate and process equipment. A detailed equipment catalog is available by contacting Maas Companies at (507) 285-1444 or at the auction website, www.maascompanies.com.

The court-ordered sale is pursuant to foreclosure proceedings and the property will be sold subject to court approval.

Potential buyers are encouraged to attend the open houses:

 Wednesday, November 18, 11a.m. to 4 p.m.

 Thursday, November 19, 11a.m. to 4 p.m.

 Tuesday, December 15, 11a.m. to 4 p.m.

 Other times by appointment.

Details of the sale are available on the Maas Companies website, www.maascompanies.com, or by contacting the auction company directly at (507) 285-1444.

Maas Companies Inc. is an international marketing company located in the U.S.A. with extensive experience in successfully marketing industrial plants, equipment, and real estate, hospitality and commercial properties worldwide.

    Source: Maas Companies Inc.

PERTH, Western Australia and BETHESDA, Md., Nov. 11, 2009 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Fastwave Communications has received a contract from Chevron Australia Pty Ltd to supply a water quality monitoring system for the Gorgon offshore gas project based on Iridium satellite data links provided by Iridium Communications Inc. (Nasdaq: IRDM).

The system will provide monitoring of turbidity levels arising from dredging and spoil operations in waters near the gas processing plant location on Barrow Island.

The Fastwave system consists of underwater instrumentation modules positioned on the sea floor around the dredging and spoil disposal sites. Each subsea module contains turbidity sensors, data loggers, an Iridium short-burst data (SBD) modem and rechargeable battery packs. They are connected to small moored buoys which relay the data packets through the Iridium satellites to an environmental monitoring system onshore.

"We designed our underwater monitoring systems to take advantage of Iridium's global coverage, high network quality and low-latency, two-way SBD links, providing a robust solution capable of working reliably under extreme environmental conditions," said Nick Daws, Director, Fastwave.

Protection of the marine environment is a key priority for the Gorgon project and this will include a program of water quality monitoring using the Fastwave system. The system has all electronics and instrumentation packages in waterproof, hardened subsea capsules rather than in surface data buoys, providing extra protection from the cyclones that prevail in the region. The modules are designed to function at depths up to 50 meters with endurance of at least four months between battery recharges.

"Iridium's fast-growing machine-to-machine (M2M) data business is being driven largely by the innovative and creative solutions being developed by our Value-Added Partners such as Fastwave," said Patrick Shay, vice president of Iridium's data division. "Iridium offers a unique value proposition for remote M2M asset monitoring and tracking, providing reliable, low-latency data communications anywhere in the world, on land, in the air, on the sea and even under the sea."

About Iridium Communications Inc.

Iridium Communications Inc. (www.iridium.com) is the only mobile satellite service (MSS) company offering coverage over the entire globe. The Iridium constellation of low-earth orbiting (LEO) cross-linked satellites provides critical voice and data services for areas not served by terrestrial communication networks. Iridium serves commercial markets through a worldwide network of hundreds of distributors and provides services to the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD), and other U.S. and international government agencies. The company's customers represent a broad spectrum of industry, including maritime, aeronautical, government/defense, public safety, utilities, oil/gas, mining, forestry, heavy equipment and transportation. Iridium has launched a major development program for its next-generation satellite constellation, Iridium NEXT. The company is headquartered in Bethesda, Md., U.S.A. and trades on NASDAQ Global Market under the ticker symbols IRDM (common stock), IRDMW ($7.00 warrants), IRDMZ ($11.50 warrants) and IRDMU (units).

About Fastwave Communications

Established in 2001, Fastwave Communications (www.fastwave.com.au) is an Australian company specializing in the development of remote monitoring, control and tracking solutions for organizations with personnel, assets and equipment located in remote parts of the world. Fastwave won three Australian national industry safety awards in 2008 for its innovative remote vehicle speed and safety monitoring system.

CONTACT:  Iridium Communications Inc.
          Liz DeCastro
          +1 (301) 571-6257
          liz.decastro@iridium.com

          Rhodes Communications
          Jim Rhodes
          +1 (757) 451-0602
          jrhodes@rhodescomm.com

          Fastwave Communications
          Nick Dawes
          +61 (6) 9486-4256
          nick@fastwave.com.au

STATE COLLEGE, Pa., Nov. 11 /PRNewswire/ -- All Traffic Solutions, the leader in traffic safety outcomes, has been selected by the Rhode Island Department of Transportation (RIDOT) and the Rhode Island Police Chiefs Association (RIPCA) to provide thirty-eight (38) variable message signs (VMS) for use in statewide initiatives for alcohol, speed and occupant protection safety enforcement.

The signs, which have been distributed to each law enforcement agency in the state, will be used at specific times throughout the year to communicate a consistent safety message statewide. The signs were put to use for the first time on Halloween; each was programmed to include a message about driving safely on Halloween night and added the tag line, "If you drink and drive you lose."

Rhode Island officials purchased All Traffic Solutions' trailer-mounted VMS that are able to display up to three (3) lines of text or full graphics. The signs can be programmed remotely using a computer or PDA. In addition, the signs include radar and communicate speed data back to drivers. Scott Johnson, Vice President of All Traffic Solutions, applauds Rhode Island's proactive efforts, "Rhode Island DOT and its Police Chiefs have come up with a strategy for safety improvement that is notable for its thoroughness. Some organizations may encourage law enforcement to communicate a message; Rhode Island officials gave law enforcement both the program and the technology to implement it. We are looking forward to seeing positive outcomes from this approach."

Rhode Island is one of many states that cannot conduct sobriety checkpoints due to provisions in its State Constitution. Rhode Island will couple VMS with overtime patrols to help drive down safety violations. Janis Loiselle, RIDOT's Office on Highway Safety Administrator, explains, "A drunk driving crash is totally preventable. One way to get this message out is to couple overtime patrols with VMS reinforcing messages that, in Rhode Island, if you drink and drive, you will be caught."

RIDOT held a launch of the new technology and the initiative in Warwick, RI on October 29th. Featured speakers included RIDOT Director Michael P. Lewis, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Regional Administrator Philip Weiser and Pawtucket Police Chief George Kelley, who also serves as President of the Rhode Island Police Chiefs Association. Eight of the All Traffic Solutions VMS flanked the outdoor stage, flashing their Halloween message.

About All Traffic Solutions

All Traffic Solutions, the leader in traffic safety outcomes, is headquartered in State College, PA and is a division of Intuitive Control Systems, LLC. Our highly engineered smart devices -- radar speed signs, message boards, and video imaging systems -- direct and monitor traffic patterns and supply the traffic data necessary to manage public safety. Municipalities, schools, construction companies and private organizations rely on All Traffic Solutions to do more than slow traffic -- we provide the information necessary for these organizations to manage comprehensive safety programs and efficiently deploy human and technological resources. Online at www.alltrafficsolutions.com

    Media Contact:  Anne Marie Heil
                    amheil@amheil.com
                    610-933-8065

SOURCE All Traffic Solutions

Stephanie M. Chmiel and Peter E. Jones Join Columbus Office

COLUMBUS, Ohio--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Stephanie M. Chmiel and Peter E. Jones have joined the law firm Thompson Hine LLP as associates in the firm's Columbus office.

Chmiel, a member of the firm's Business Litigation group, focuses her practice on civil litigation matters in state and federal courts, including product liability, consumer protection, unfair trade practices, tort and commercial disputes. She formerly was an associate with Jones Day. Her pro bono experience includes drafting a habeas petition to the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals on behalf of an indigent prisoner, drafting and arguing appellate briefs on behalf of the Kings County District Attorney's Office and drafting an appeal to the Board of Immigration Appeals on behalf of a Tibetan monk.

On joining the firm, Chmiel says, "Thompson Hine's breadth and depth of experience, along with their commitment to client service, as evidenced by their Client Service Pledge, sets them apart from other firms. I'm pleased to be a part of Thompson Hine."

Chmiel earned her J.D. from Cornell University and her B.A., magna cum laude, from Miami University. She is admitted to practice in New York, Pennsylvania and before the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania.

Jones, also a member of the Business Litigation group, was formerly an associate with Squire Sanders. He focuses his practice on general litigation and political law compliance, including commercial litigation, product liability and First Amendment issues. Jones counsels individuals, businesses and public entities on compliance with government ethics, lobbying regulations and campaign finance-related matters at both the state and federal levels. During law school, Jones was an extern for The Honorable Jeffrey S. Sutton of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit. Prior to entering law school, Jones taught high school English.

"By joining Thompson Hine's business litigation practice, I can expand my ability to provide excellent service to my clients," says Jones. "I am excited about the new opportunities I have with Thompson Hine."

Jones earned his J.D., summa cum laude, from Capital University and his B.A. from Bradley University. He is admitted to practice in Ohio.

Bill Jacobs, who heads the firm's Business Litigation group, states, "We are very pleased to add Stephanie and Peter to our group. Each brings a unique background that strengthens our group. Their experience will help further our ability to do our best work for clients every day."

Columbus office partner-in-charge Tony White adds, "Stephanie and Peter are both strong additions to our Columbus office. We're glad to have them at Thompson Hine."

About Thompson Hine LLP: Established in 1911, Thompson Hine is a business law firm dedicated to providing superior client service. The firm has been recognized as one of the Best Corporate Law Firms in America (in an annual survey of corporate directors conducted by Corporate Board Member magazine). With approximately 400 lawyers, Thompson Hine serves premier businesses worldwide. The firm has offices in Atlanta, Brussels, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus, Dayton, New York and Washington, D.C. For more information, go to www.ThompsonHine.com.

    Source: Thompson Hine LLP

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc (MMC) honored three female executives yesterday at the 36th annual YWCA-NYC Academy of Women Leaders Salute Luncheon, held at New York City's Gotham Hall.

Lucy Fato, Vice-President, Deputy General Counsel & Corporate Secretary for MMC; Barbara Marder, World Wide Partner and Principal at Mercer; and Eugenie Steele Dieck, a partner at Oliver Wyman Delta, were among the women recognized at the event this year for their outstanding leadership, professional achievement and civic commitment. The YWCA-NYC, one of the oldest non-profit organizations in the country, established the Salute in 1974 to honor trailblazing women in business who exemplify the organization's mission. Honorees are inducted into the YWCA-NYC's Academy of Women Leaders, joining the ranks of the more than 3,000 women who have been recognized by their companies and the YWCA since the Salute's inception.

"MMC is incredibly fortunate to have the expertise of these three exceptionally talented women in one organization. We are proud to honor them at this event for the ways in which they share of themselves both within the company and within their communities," said Kathryn Komsa, Vice President of Diversity and Inclusion at MMC and Co-Chair of the 2009 Salute Steering Committee.

MMC, a participant in the Salute luncheon for more than 25 years, was the Presenting Sponsor of this year's event. MMC Senior Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer Orlando Ashford delivered the keynote speech.

Ms. Fato has been practicing law since 1991, joining MMC's legal team in late 2005. She volunteers with a number of organizations in New York City and her hometown, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. She is a member of the National Board of Alumnae Visitors for The Ellis School, a college preparatory school dedicated to the education of girls and young women in Pittsburgh.

Ms. Marder, based in Mercer's Baltimore office, is the global leader of both the company's Global Defined Contribution and International Consulting practices. She was instrumental in the recent re-launch and expansion of the Mercer Women's Business and Leadership network. Outside of work, Ms. Marder has been active in the Beth Tfiloh Community School, having served as the Upper School Committee Chair and Vice Chair and sitting on the board of directors.

Ms. Dieck's work with Oliver Wyman Delta has allowed her to consult with boards and executive leadership across a variety of industries to effect large scale organizational change. As a member of the firm's U.S. management committee, she is responsible for the development of consultant talent. Ms. Dieck, who resides in the Philadelphia area, is active in her community through pastoral care work with the elderly. She has also been involved in fundraising to assist schools in providing services for children with special needs.

MMC is a global professional services firm providing advice and solutions in the areas of risk, strategy and human capital. It is the parent company of a number of the world's leading risk experts and specialty consultants, including Marsh, the insurance broker and risk advisor; Guy Carpenter, the risk and reinsurance specialist; Mercer, the provider of HR and related financial advice and services; Oliver Wyman, the management consultancy; and Kroll, the risk consulting firm. With approximately 52,000 employees worldwide and annual revenue of $11 billion, MMC provides analysis, advice and transactional capabilities to clients in more than 100 countries. Its stock (ticker symbol: MMC) is listed on the New York, Chicago and London stock exchanges. MMC's website address is www.mmc.com.

    Source: Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc.