Press Releases

Five Innovative Northwest Leaders Recognized by the Annual Ecotrust Indigenous Leadership Award

PORTLAND, Ore.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Ecotrust today recognized five of the West's most innovative indigenous leaders for their efforts to improve conditions in their communities. The recipients were selected by a panel of tribal leaders, and their efforts span the areas of youth advocacy, education, renewable energy, cultural restoration and scholarship.

The Ecotrust Indigenous Leadership Award has quietly become one of the preeminent programs honoring and supporting tribal, First Nation, and Alaska Native leaders in the West. Tribes and First Nations are more than an ethnic or minority demographic; they are nations and representative governments, major land owners, committed co-managers in natural resources, and they are major drivers of local and regional economies. Tribes, First Nations, and Alaska Natives hold long-range vision, sustainable societal values and a history of the land and marine and terrestrial ecosystems that provide a sense of place in the growing global economy.

Five Innovative Leaders

The award recipients received a total of $45,000 in support, and the grants are awarded with the goal of catalyzing further positive change within indigenous communities. The main awardee, Jim Manion, received $25,000, and four finalists each received $5,000.

Awardee: Jim Manion ($25,000)

James Manion is honored with the 2009 Ecotrust Indigenous Leadership Award for his work representing the Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs Reservation, as the general manager of Warm Springs Power Enterprises, and as the chair of the Deschutes River Conservancy. Throughout his career, Manion has focused on improving the tribe's economic, political, and environmental strength through creative leadership, managerial skills, and an open form of communication. Manion is of Wasco descent, one of the three distinct tribes that make up the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs. Manion was responsible for negotiating with PGE for the tribe's joint ownership of the Pelton-Round Butte Hydroelectric Project - an unprecedented negotiation in Indian country. Manion's leadership resulted in a source of renewable energy for the region, economic support for the tribe, and more focus on environmental mitigation, fish and wildlife usage within the Deschutes River basin.

Finalist: Janeen Comenote ($5,000)

Janeen Comenote is honored for her efforts to improve the lives of urban indigenous people. She is Hesquiaht and Kwakiutl First Nation from her mother's side and Oglala Lakota and enrolled Quinault from her father's side. She works in Seattle and focuses on street youth counseling, foster home licensing, poverty reduction and research, local coalition building, and development. She is a founding member and director for the National Urban Indian Family Coalition, which represents 24 urban Indian centers in 19 cities, several Native American organizations, and more than 860,000 Native Americans living away from their traditional land base.

Finalist: Allen Pinkham, Sr. ($5,000)

Allen Pinkham, Sr. is honored for his storied career as a community leader, scholar, and advocate for the Nez Perce people and lands. He is the past president of Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians and former vice-president of the National Congress of American Indians. Pinkham co-authored Salmon and His People: Fish and Fishing in Nez Perce Culture, among other works. His leadership is evidenced by his role in helping acquire 23,000 acres for the tribe while serving as an elected official. Pinkham is associated with the founding and leadership of the Chief Joseph Foundation, which emphasizes Nez Perce horse culture, youth education, and development.

Finalist: A. Brian Wallace ($5,000)

A. Brian Wallace is an honored for his tireless efforts to protect, restore, and strengthen Washoe ancestral homelands, community programs, youth programs, and tribal culture. The Washoe Tribe of Nevada and California was removed from the heart of its homeland -- the Lake Tahoe basin -- during the 19th century gold rush, but it withstood extinction and continues to build strength. Wallace contributed by serving four four-year terms as tribal chairman, all while working to protect cultural and environmental resources at home and abroad through true innovation and a unique type of leadership. In 2002, Secretary of State Colin Powell nominated Wallace to serve on the U.N. Working Group on Indigenous Peoples, and he has served in multiple leadership capacities associated with the environment, social services, child welfare, and cultural resource protection.

Finalist: Patricia L. Whitefoot ($5,000)

Patricia L. Whitefoot is honored for her leadership in tribal, regional, and national efforts to improve Indian education at all levels. She is of Yakama descent and has worked at every conceivable level of Indian education, including: superintendent, principal, consultant, counselor, teacher, program director, school supervisor, Head Start, and visionary founder of many instrumental programs. Whitefoot serves as the Director of Indian Education for the Toppenish School District on the Yakama Reservation. The Potlatch Fund Award for Education Leadership bears her name, and today she serves as president of the National Indian Education Association.

About Ecotrust

Over nearly 20 years, Ecotrust has converted $60 million in grants into more than $300 million in capital for local people, businesses, and organizations from Alaska to California. Ecotrust's many innovations include co-founding the world's first environmental bank, starting the world's first ecosystem investment fund, creating a range of programs in fisheries, forestry, food, farms and children's health, and developing new scientific and information tools to improve social, economic and environmental decision-making. Ecotrust works locally in ways that promise hope abroad, and it honors and supports the wisdom of Native and First Nation leadership in its work. More on the Web at www.ecotrust.org.

    Source: Ecotrust

MIDLAND, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Smith-Midland Corporation (OTCBB: SMID) announces the following Company updates:

Production begins on $8 million project

Highest 1st three Quarter earnings in Company history

New $1.1 million contract

Three new product patent applications

(details below)

Production begins on $8 million project:

An $8 million highway soundwall project for the state of Maryland began on December 1, 2009, after a short delay which was previously reported on Form 10-Q for the period ended September 30, 2009 filed on November 12, 2009.

Smith-Midland develops, manufactures, licenses, rents, and sells a broad array of precast concrete products for use primarily in the construction, transportation and utilities industries.

Highest 1st three Quarter earnings in Company history:

On Form 10-Q filed on November 12, 2009, the Company reported higher first nine month earnings than in any prior comparable period since the beginning of the Company. Pre-tax income was $3.5 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2009. Net income for the same period was approximately $2.1 million, or $.45 per share (fully diluted).

New $1.1 million contract:

Smith-Midland Corporation has been awarded a new contract in the amount of $1.1 million to provide its precast soundwall panels for the I-195 interchange to Route 1 in Baltimore County, MD. The contract goes into production immediately.

Three new product patent applications:

Smith-Midland and Easi-Set Industries, our licensing company, has filed new patent applications (provisional) for three new precast concrete products:

1.  A new embedded post and integral cast panel for the commercially successful
    Sierra Highway Soundwall.

2.  The first USA offering of a free standing double JJ Hooks bridge parapet
    (not bolted down).

    New integrally cast prestressed and post tensioned floor and wall
3.  foundations system for the Smith-Midland line of Easi-Set Ultra large
    precast buildings sizes up to 50' clearspan by 200 ft.

This announcement contains forward-looking statements, which involve risks and uncertainties. The Company's actual results may differ significantly from the results discussed in the forward-looking statements. Factors which might cause such a difference include, but are not limited to, product demand, the impact of competitive products and pricing, capacity and supply constraints or difficulties, general business and economic conditions, the effect of the Company's accounting policies and other risks detailed in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K and other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

For more complete information on Smith-Midland Corporation, visit the Company's web site at SMITHMIDLAND.com. The "Investor Relations" area will include the Company's Form 10-K.

    Source: Smith-Midland Corporation

It's official: the next big thing in online television is here. And, it's happening in the broadband video entertainment world of the Internet courtesy of Rogers Communications and Empathy Lab.

PHILADELPHIA--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Empathy Lab client, Rogers Communications of Toronto, Ontario, announced the Beta launch of Rogers On Demand Online (https://www.rogersondemand.com), Canada's best authenticated online television destination for primetime and specialty programming, movies, sports and web-only extras, all available when and where you want to watch, exclusively to Rogers customers.

Working closely with the Rogers online television team, Empathy Lab assisted with design and development of the user experience, information architecture, visual design and developed the website and application for this innovation in broadband video entertainment.

Kevin Labick, CEO of Empathy Lab, notes just how significant this online television project is to the broadband industry. "Rogers On Demand Online (RODO) transforms the process of watching TV over the internet. Now it's something anyone can do - it's not just for college kids and geeks anymore. Rogers is leading the way and in a few years we'll wonder how we ever got along without services like this."

Empathy Lab, a leading digital agency, is headquartered in Conshohocken, Pa. Founded in 2005 by a team of cross-disciplinary online industry veterans, Empathy Lab offers a wide variety of interactive services to leading brands and retailers. Each client engagement is structured to deliver optimal end-user adoption and maximum financial performance.

To learn how to engage Empathy Lab for your next digital initiative, visit Empathy Lab at www.empathylab.com or email us at publicrelations@empathylab.com.

    Source: Empathy Lab

DALLAS, TX -- (MARKET WIRE) -- 12/03/09 -- NewMarket Technology, Inc. (PINKSHEETS: NWMT) and Worldwide Strategies, Inc. (OTCBB: WWSG) have entered into a letter of intent as a first step toward building an emerging market systems integrator by coupling NewMarket's operations headquartered in Brazil with Worldwide. NewMarket and Worldwide anticipate closing the Brazil transaction in the month of December. Senior management will conduct a Webcast on Tuesday, December 8th to provide an update on the anticipated closing and the combined business plan. A link to the Webcast will be available at www.newmarkettechnology.com upon release.

NewMarket's systems integration operation in Brazil is an Oracle partner with fourteen years experience in the region and a portfolio of over 300 customers, including Wal-Mart Brazil, DHL, Embraer, Avon, L-Oreal, Hitachi, and Brasil Telecom. The technology operation focuses on providing Business Intelligence (BI) as well as Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP), Business Performance Management (BPM), Customer Relationship Management (CRM), Services Oriented Architecture (SOA) and Database Administration (DBA) consulting services.

Sign Up to Receive Regular NewMarket Updates

NewMarket sends regular Company updates to its opt-in, permission-based email database. Interested investors can easily, safely and quickly register to receive these communications directly on the corporate website homepage (www.newmarkettechnology.com). Recipients can manage their own email contact profile and safely unsubscribe at any time.

About NewMarket Technology, Inc. (www.newmarkettechnology.com)

NewMarket is a reporting company with audited financial reports filed with the SEC. NewMarket provides systems integration, technology infrastructure services and emerging technology worldwide. NewMarket has a focus on providing technology and support services to rapidly growing economies where technology purchasing is on the rise. In addition to its base of operations in North America, NewMarket has operations today in the growing economies of China, Southeast Asia, Brazil and Northern Latin America. Last year the Company reported over $40 million in revenue from Asia and over $20 million in revenue from Latin America. Overall, NewMarket reported over $95 million in revenue for 2008.

Across the globe, NewMarket is a Microsoft and Oracle partner, distributes various computer hardware and peripherals from brand partners such as Dell, HP, IBM, Cisco, Sony, Epson, Canon and Sanyo and is also an authorized reseller of operating systems and various software from companies such as Red Hat, Sybase, IBM, BEA, Veritas and others. Additionally, the Company works with emerging technologies such as mobile computing, various security and wireless broadband technologies.

NewMarket's rapid growth since 2002 has placed the Company on the Deloitte Technology Fast 500 for 5 consecutive years. NewMarket was recognized as the third fastest growing technology company in the United States in 2006 and the number one fastest growing technology company in North Texas for two years in a row.

"SAFE HARBOR STATEMENT" UNDER THE PRIVATE SECURITIES LITIGATION REFORM ACT OF 1995

This press release contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. The statements in this release are forward-looking statements that are made pursuant to safe harbor provision of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Actual results, events and performance could vary materially from those contemplated by these forward-looking statements. These statements involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties, which may cause NewMarket's actual results in future periods to differ materially from results expressed or implied by forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, among other things, product demand and market competition. You should independently investigate and fully understand all risks before making investment decisions.

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Contact:
NewMarket Technology, Inc.
Investor Relations
214-722-3065

HARRISON, Ark., Dec. 3, 2009 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- A $4,500 Affordable Housing Program (AHP) grant from the Federal Home Loan Bank of Dallas (FHLB Dallas) and Bank of the Ozarks helped Seth Chaney obtain an affordable mortgage.

Photos accompanying this release are available at

http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=6894

http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=6895

Mr. Chaney used the grant to cover closing costs on his home in Harrison, Arkansas. For the past three years, Mr. Chaney has rented a home from Arah Dean Turner, who is also his realtor. Mr. Chaney moved to Harrison because he felt there were more agencies that had experience with his disability, Ms. Turner said. Mr. Chaney has cerebral palsy and has been in a wheelchair his entire life.

Because of his limited income, the AHP grant was able to help lower the cost of his home and make it more affordable for him.

"I know that it wouldn't have been possible for him to get his payments where they needed to be without this grant money," Ms. Turner said. "It just makes a big difference."

The grant funds Mr. Chaney received were part of a $67,500 grant that FHLB Dallas awarded to the Northwest Arkansas Regional Housing Authority (NWRHA), through Bank of the Ozarks in 2008. The AHP grant will assist 15 individuals or families with closing costs.

"Thanks to the Federal Home Loan Bank of Dallas and our sponsoring bank, Bank of the Ozarks, we have been able to put disabled individuals in their own home," said Ken McDowell, Executive Director of NWRHA. "Working with the USDA Rural Development Mutual Self Help Housing program with closing costs paid by FHLB of Dallas grant funds, the dream of homeownership has suddenly become reality for these community members."

The NWRHA utilized USDA 502 loan funds and the Mutual Self Help Program, allowing each new homeowner to obtain mortgage financing directly through USDA. The Mutual Self Help Program is a federal program to assist low-income families with homeownership. Participants agree to help each other build their homes and form building cooperatives. Homeowners build "sweat equity" by contributing 65 percent of the construction labor.

"It is exciting to know we were able to help this family achieve their dream of homeownership," said Martie North, Vice President and Director of Community Development at Bank of the Ozarks. "Bank of the Ozarks strives to be a community partner with entities such as the NWRHA in creating homeownership opportunities throughout Arkansas. Through this partnership, this family will be able to enjoy an affordable, brand new energy efficient home for years to come."

Each year, the FHLB Dallas returns 10 percent of its profits to the communities served by member institutions in the form of AHP grants issued through its member financial institutions. As of September 30, 2009, FHLB Dallas has awarded $8.4 million to projects within its five-state District, including more than $1.45 million to projects in Arkansas, resulting in the creation or renovation of 247 housing units in the state.

For more information about FHLB Dallas programs, please contact the Corporate Communications Department at 214.441.8445.

About the Federal Home Loan Bank of Dallas

The Federal Home Loan Bank of Dallas is one of 12 district banks in the FHLBank System created by Congress in 1932. FHLB Dallas, with total assets of $67.3 billion as of September 30, 2009, is a member-owned cooperative that supports housing and community development by providing competitively priced loans and other credit products to more than 900 members and associated institutions in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico and Texas. For more information, visit the FHLB Dallas web site at fhlb.com.

The Federal Home Loan Bank of Dallas logo is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=3013

The photos are also available via AP PhotoExpress.

CONTACT:  Federal Home Loan Bank of Dallas
          Corporate Communications
          (214) 441-8445
          www.fhlb.com