Social Premier: New Breed of Social Network

17, 2011 A Social Network is described as a website where one connects with those sharing personal or professional interests, place of origin, education at a particular school, etc. Alexa list that there are over 100+ social networks worldwide. Social Premier suggests they offer a new social networking experience.

An online social network marketing community for advice leading to financial freedom; their philosophy is "Sharing knowledge today will lead to sharing wealth tomorrow". After participating in their 7 day free trial, it's easily realized they are a network entrenched in developing the community to achieve financial freedom.

The site provides members with a multitude of financial concepts. Personal finance, credit improvement, business creation, and real estate evaluation are the foundational concepts of Social Premier. Upon initial sign in, the network is already full of groups, forums and articles to enlighten members in business and individual acumen.
Their subscription offers the availability for consumers to network in a safe public user-friendly environment. The network includes all the features of the most popular social networks and the financial foundation from a community of professionals, experts, educators, and advisors.

They offer users access to financial videos, related blogs, links, news, tools, information shared and network available to all members. Educational Videos are provided by industries including but not limited to: Banking & Lending, Insurance, Law, Bankruptcy, CPA, Accounting, Financial Advisory, Mortgage, Real Estate, HR, Payroll, etc. Also, the network includes forums and/or blogs where users can ask an expert about specific financial questions related to video topics.

Social Premier is a truly valuable source of financial information for novice to professional users. The network welcomes users to comment and participate in the network, including experts. The community within Social Premier believes in the company philosophy - actively participating in creating their own blogs, groups and tools as well as motivating other members to accomplish their goals.

Social Premier provides a central resource for news feeds from top financial and business sources. Utilizing the network, an individual is able to gather the proper resources to accomplish their goals. The company plans to continue to grow and improve everyday based on the needs of their members. The central concepts and philosophies of Social Premier provide a solid foundation of financial principles.

Social Premier takes a hands-on approach to providing real life financial advice to real life financial problems. As stated on their welcome page, "You will join a network of members who understand what you're going through and want you to succeed!" Visit http://www.socialpremier.net for more information.

Introducing the Proformative Online Community for Corporate Finance and Accounting Professionals

San Jose, CA 25, 2009 Introduced today, Proformative (http://www.proformative.com) is a professional online community that addresses the needs of a large and under served market -- Corporate Finance and Accounting Professionals. A free and open community, Proformative enables members to easily communicate, share their knowledge and get work done.

A Practical Network for Corporate Finance and Accounting Professionals.
In today&39;s tough economic environment, corporate finance, accounting, treasury and related professionals are more critical to the success of their organizations than ever before. The Proformative community provides the tools, resources and exchange of member knowledge that these professionals need to help themselves and their companies succeed.

Proformative provides a highly focused online platform that serves the daily support needs of corporate finance and accounting professionals. Created by John Kogan, a four-time CFO with a proven record of building new technology companies, this exclusive community enables members at all professional levels to address the wide range of complex issues that they face on a daily basis. It allows them to communicate in either public or private discussions covering virtually any functional, technical or operational issue. Members can join or create new discussion groups based on function, specialty, geography or other interests. Plus, they can find all manner of free business resources, financial tools and templates, view or attend events, create and read blogs, and use powerful search tools to find specific topics from past community discussions.

Delivering a "Noise-Free" Experience.
Proformative is community-driven, not corporate-driven. Unlike other social networking or business-related websites, Proformative is "noise-free" in every respect; no advertising, no self-promotion allowed, and information and opinions only from qualified finance, accounting and related professionals.

"Proformative is the place where corporate finance and accounting professionals go to get work done, increase their knowledge, and advance their careers," says John Kogan, a long-time CFO and the CEO and co-founder of Proformative. "The business and technical demands placed on finance and accounting professionals go well beyond the abilities of any one person -- and they simply have no effective centralized or peer-based support resource to help them solve these problems. Based on the tremendous response from the public and private company executives and others in our Beta user community, Proformative is well positioned to serve the community support needs of the more than five million corporate finance and accounting professionals in the United States."

Who participates in Proformative
Anyone related to the world of corporate finance and accounting can join the Proformative community; from Financial Analysts to CFOs, Bookkeepers to Corporate Controllers, Treasurers, Tax, Transactional Finance, Internal and External Audit, and more. Community members come from companies large and small, public and private, domestic and international. Only corporate finance, accounting and related professionals may participate and the site is free to all who join.

What the members are saying about Proformative:
"Proformative allows me to communicate directly with other public and private company CFOs. I can discuss practical matters involving the day-to-day operation of my company -- without having to pay or wait for my outside service providers to get back to me. The advice and input that I receive are from people sitting in my seat who understand my issues, and tends to be highly practical and useful," says Rex Jackson, CFO, Symyx Technologies.

"There is nothing like having dozens of highly qualified "advisors" working with you, for free, most of whom are professionals with titles and responsibilities just like yours. This is exactly what I get with Proformative," stated Dan Morgan, VP Finance, Force10 Networks.

"Proformative is the most practical and valuable business tool I have ever used, period," says Glenn Robertson, CFO of Havas Digital.

"An invaluable resource that saves me hours of effort on a broad range of accounting and operating issues," noted Margaret Hsia, CPA with decades of public and private company experience.

Proformative and the &39;Economics of Community&39;.
The &39;economics of community&39; are what drive Proformative and other successful online communities. The compelling reason to join a community, beyond person-to-person engagement, is the economics of that community. This is not about dollars and cents; rather it is about personal ROI and what people get back as a return on the time and effort that they invest in online communities.

When a typical finance or accounting professional has a technical or operational question, it may take them hours, days or weeks (and possibly thousands of dollars) to hunt down the right answer through personal research or by hiring experts to give them the answer. There is a good chance, however, that the Proformative community has someone in it who already has the right answer. Members share their professional experience directly through discussion forums, or by adding content to the shared knowledge Resource Center. By investing a few minutes of their time, they have saved the other users hours, days or weeks of effort. That is the economics of community and it flows to and from all users. In addition, future users that come to Proformative with that same question will find it already there, answered for them - instantly and for free. Thus, the economics of the Proformative community has a multiplier effect. This is what draws people to communities and this is why the highly technical, ever-changing world of corporate finance and accounting are ready for Proformative. Simply put, no one knows it all, but by having a free and open community, the knowledge that lives in all members can now be unleashed for their collective benefit.

Demographic trends: Corporate Finance and Accounting Professionals.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, corporate finance and accounting professionals number over 5 million, and are projected to grow to over 6 million by the year 2016. Their importance to and impact on corporate performance has been sharply on the rise this past decade.

Proformative provides the first vertically-focused online community for these professionals to come together for peer support - and most importantly - to share knowledge and get work done.

About Proformative:
Founded in 2008 in San Jose/Silicon Valley, California, Proformative (http://www.proformative.com) is a free and open online professional community dedicated exclusively to serving the needs of corporate finance and accounting professionals, helping them learn from one another and get work done. Proformative is community-driven, not corporate driven, and delivers a "noise-free" environment for its members. Privately funded and privately held, Proformative was created by co-founders John Kogan, CEO/CFO, and Greg Stout, CTO/VP of Engineering & Development.

Media | Blogger | Analysts Resources:
Fact Sheet(PDF)
Company Backgrounder (PDF)
The Story Behind Proformative (PDF)
Corporate Finance & Accounting Employment Trends (PDF)
Proformative on Twitter

Media Contact:
Bob Dorr
Proformative
408-400-3993 x103

Funding deal allows Wellington investor to expand portfolio

Sydney, Australia 26, 2009 Leading New Zealand property organisation, The Whats New Group, has signed a deal with GE Commercial Finance Australia/New Zealand for NZ$5.4 million to finance the purchase of three floors in Wellington building, Radio New Zealand House.

Owned by Ian Cassels and Caitlin Taylor, Whats New is Wellington&39;s leading property development and investment company. Whats New has developed inner city apartments, commercial and retail space, and assembled a significant portfolio of high-yielding inner city assets in the process.

&194;“The Wellington property market had been undervalued since the economic crash in 1990 but now vacancy rates are at record low levels and there are great opportunities for people looking to invest in this market,&194;” said Ian Cassels, Managing Director, The Whats New Group. &194;“We feel very confident about the market and are constantly looking for opportunities to expand. The three floors in Radio New Zealand House are a great investment for us.&194;”

GE Commercial Finance, one of Australia and New Zealand&194;’s largest non-bank lenders, specialises in the mid-sized business market providing finance for a range of business purchases such as property, equipment and inventory as well as financing mergers and acquisitions and other business expansion activities. Its commercial proprerty business services the owner occupier and property investor markets. Typically able to lend more against the value of an asset, for longer, and on more flexible terms GE Commercial Finance enables clients like Whats New to use its capital for additional investments.

&194;“It is great having a finance business like GE Commercial Finance in Wellington,&194;” said Cassels. &194;“They understand the value of an asset and, in our case, they understand the sustainability of the property market whereas the banks can&194;’t see past the end of the lease term.

&194;“GE&194;’s attitude probably comes from being part of a worldwide operation which gives them a broader view of business activity and economic trends.&194;”

GE Commercial Finance has a unique offering in the commercial property market. It will lend up to 85 per cent of the value of the property and typically does not require directors to make personal guarantees or use their family homes as security.

"Our focus on the small-to-medium enterprise (SME) market enables us to expertly assess the risk and opportunities of a property deal and so loan more against the value of the asset," said Keith Rodwell, Managing Director, Property Finance, GE Commercial Finance, Australia/New Zealand.

"GE Commercial Finance offers more flexible loans over longer periods so that our clients can focus on growing their businesses," Rodwell said. "Our clients are generally owner-occupiers who want to free up capital to reinvest in their businesses, and investors who want to minimise their equity in the real estate purchase so they can invest more elsewhere."

Cassels said GE Commercial Finance&194;’s willingness to lend more against the value of the Wellington property was an important consideration.

&194;“The deal required us to use less of our capital than is typical in this market, allowing us to take advantage of the increasing opportunities in the Wellington property market,&194;” Cassels said.

About The Whats New Group

The Whats New Group of companies purchases inner-city buildings, and develops this space into apartments, car parks, commercial, and retail space. Its innovative and stylish developments have contributed to the city&194;’s restored heritage and architectural integrity.

Whats New Limited (a company of The Whats New Group) has sold nearly all of its apartment developments to owner-occupiers or investors. As Whats New Limited manages these apartments on behalf of the investors, it provides unique apartment accommodation options direct to local residents and visitors to the city.

The Whats New Group now focuses its business on the purchasing and leasing of inner-city commercial space. Its large portfolio of commercial, retail and car park space is leased and managed by its property management company, Enhance Property Management Limited.

Directors, Ian Cassels and Caitlin Taylor, founded The Whats New group in 1993. Whats New Limited is the leasing and management company for apartment accommodation. Enhance Property Management Limited is the leasing and management company for commercial, retail, and car park space.

For more information, contact: The Whats New Group, PO Box 11660, Wellington, New Zealand. Phone: + 64 4 494 9690. Fax: +64 4 494 9697. Email: info@whatsnew.co.nz. Web: http://www.whatsnew.co.nz.

When Turned Down For A Business Loan, Turn To A Business Grant

Columbus, OH 3, 2008 The National Institute of Business Grants is encouraging entrepreneurs to look to business grants for financing, when turned down for a loan.

If you&39;ve applied for a business loan in the last six months, its a strong possibility that you were denied - even if you have good credit. This is because the current economic times have forced banks to be super cautious towards all loan applicants, even if you appear to be responsible.

This is even worse news for minorities and women who have always found it difficult to obtain business and personal loans from financial institutions. In this regard, many have turned to business grants as a solution. In 2008 alone, $360 billion dollars in grant money was awarded and more than 25% of that was given to individuals who wanted to start or expand a business.

Though many grant programs have been eliminated or reduced by corporations and government agencies, there are still plenty of opportunities available.

For instance, business grants continue to be awarded from the Small Business Administration, the Department of Commerce, the U.S. Agency for International Development, the U.S. Business and Cooperative Programs, and many more. Even companies such as Miller Brewing Company, Ford Motors, and others are offering business grants through various competitions and contests.

The National Institute of Business Grants (http://www.Business-Grants.com) is encouraging entrepreneurs and small business owners to not give up in their efforts to seek financial support, but just to redirect their search towards business grants.

Helpful Resources Include:

http://www.Grants.gov - a central storehouse for information on over 1,000 grant programs that provides access to billions in annual awards.

http://www.Business-Grants.com - a useful reference to learn about frequently asked questions pertaining to business grants

http://www.Business.gov/guides/finance/financing/ - a directory of local and national business financing programs

The first ever Barclaycard World Freerun Championships come to London

October 16, 2008

Barclaycard has announced the inaugural Barclaycard World Freerun Championships which will be staged in September at Camden&39;s iconic Roundhouse. This standout occasion for the capital features a specially designed course constructed as a massive challenge for more than 20 top-flight international freerunners.

Freerunning began as an urban expression of freedom and athleticism in Paris in the 1990s. Its exponents perform breathtaking combinations of running, climbing, jumping, vaults, spins, flips and somersaults, usually across an urban landscape.

This groundbreaking Barclaycard (http://www.barclaycard.co.uk/ ) sponsored event will be a global celebration, showcasing the awesome artistry of the world&39;s best athletes in this incredible urban sport. Each will perform to the accompaniment of his own individually selected soundtrack and in a unique twist, each will be judged by his fellow competitors. The Barclaycard World Freerun Champion will be the athlete who displays the greatest skill, complexity and above all, fluidity or "flow".

Sponsorship of the World Freerun Championships marks an exciting time for Barclaycard. Dan Mathieson, Barclaycard Head of Sponsorship, said, "Barclaycard is really excited to be bringing the inaugural World Championships of this spectacular, fast growing sport to London. We feel the fluidity and freedom of movement associated with free running mirror the key needs of Barclaycard customers, especially those using the Barclaycard OnePulse (http://www.barclaycard.co.uk/personal-home/cards/onepulse-hero/index.html ) card in London allowing contactless travel and purchases across the capital."

Championship organisers, World Freerun Ents, share a similarly upbeat view of Barclaycard&39;s involvement. "World-class brands have been getting more and more into the freerun thing," said Championship spokesman and Urban Freeflow supremo, Ez, "but we always make sure that we are comfortable with any commercial tie-ups and that they make sense for the freerun lifestyle. The clincher for us here is that Barclaycard&39;s global ambitions for the sport match our own."

Barclaycard&39;s role as main sponsor complements that of associate sponsors Sony Ericsson, The Carphone Warehouse and Adidas.

Dave Hilton, Head of Marketing at Sony Ericsson, UK&Ireland said "Everyone at Sony Ericsson and The Carphone Warehouse are really excited to be an associate sponsor of the Barclaycard World Freerun Championships. The event is a celebration of artistic freedom mixed with high-value entertainment - the same attributes as the new Sony Ericsson C702 and W760i handsets. As experts in mobile entertainment, we&39;re proud to support this unique event by developing compelling freerun content for our customers."

Jascha Muller, responsible for Global Sports Marketing at adidas said, "Adidas is proud to support and sponsor the Barclaycard World Freerun Championships. Freerunning is an inspirational activity and adidas is working closely with the athletes to create the adiScape range; bespoke footwear and clothing that perform to the specific needs of the sport."

Notes to Editors

About Barclaycard
Barclaycard is a multi-brand credit card (http://www.barclaycard.co.uk/personal-home/cards/compare-all-cards/index.html ) and consumer lending business which also processes card payments for retailers and merchants and issues credit and charge cards to corporate customers and the UK Government. It is one of Europe&39;s leading credit cards (http://www.barclaycard.co.uk/personal-home/cards/index.html ) businesses and has an increasing presence in the United States.

Outside the UK, Barclaycard provides credit cards in the United States, Germany, Spain, Italy and Portugal. In the Nordic region, Barclaycard operates through Entercard, a joint venture with Swedbank.

Barclaycard OnePulse
Barclaycard OnePulse is the name of the unique card that combines the ease and convenience of Oyster with the security and flexibility of Barclaycard and new contactless technology, ideal for commuters who live and work around London.

For further media information contact:
Andrew Bond
Barclaycard Press Office
1234 Pavilion Drive
Northampton
NN4 7SG
01604 251229
http://www.barclaycard.co.uk

New Financial Year, New Financial Resolutions

Sydney, NSW 10, 2011 In the dawn of a new financial year, Australia’s leading online payday lender, Cash Doctors, is turning the focus on developing strong financial resolutions that will benefit both the company and its customers.

High personal debt levels in Australia have led to an abundance of short-term finance lenders entering the market, however - more options can bring increased confusion to customers.

Cash Doctors co-founder, Sean Teahan, said that the company’s financial resolution is to help improve the financial literacy of their clients so they are able to make informed decisions when selecting a lender.

“Improving financial literacy empowers people to make more informed financial decisions,Mr Teahan said.

“We’re doing this through providing a range of helpful information on our website, excellent customer service and a transparent loan process. We’re helping potential customers decide whether Cash Doctors is the right finance option for them.

Greg Ellis, fellow co-founder of Cash Doctors, said that as a lender, he strongly believes in transparency in the lending process.

“Throughout all aspects of the loan process we encourage our customers to be responsible in their borrowing behaviour, by ensuring the fees, terms, conditions and the intended use of our product are completely understood before the loan is approved,Mr Ellis said.

Mr Ellis said that helping improve the financial literacy among clients is an obligation of being a responsible lender.

“We lend for the right reasons and we want our clients to borrow for the right reasons too; we want to raise the bar in terms of the company as well as the customers."

“At Cash Doctors, we pride ourselves on our reputation as a responsible lender that provides advances under a continuing credit contract which at all times is governed by the 48% rate cap in applicable states."

Cash Doctors was established in 2010, and continues to grow as Australia’s leading online payday lender. For more information, visit http://www.cashdoctors.com.au.

For further information, please contact:
Kirsten Stallard
Public Relations Coordinator
kstallard(at)cashdoctors(dot)com(dot)au
Ph: 133 156

Compound Profit Now Offers Business Financing with Interest Rates That Start at 0%

January 18, 2011 The current economical climate has made it much more difficult for the business owners to get the needed funding. The conventional financing institutions appear to have lost their trust in the small business owners; nevertheless, Compound Profit continues to support America’s entrepreneurs, offering business financing with interest rates that start at 0%.

Joe Zavagnin runs a small construction company and was struggling to get additional sources of financing; fortunately, a quick search on the internet has led him to Compound Profit’s website. According to him, “from the first day when we’ve contacted your company, we’ve had nothing but great service. You have managed to guide me successfully along the right path, thus helping me get over $400,000 in business loans! I would definitely recommend your very professional services to anyone

James Penny, founder, president and CEO of Compound Profit, has kindly taken the time to comment on his company’s services: “we launched the ‘we carecampaign about a year ago and it has been a huge success; more and more entrepreneurs have learned that we are here to help them get the needed financing, even if they have just started their activity or if their business credit scores aren’t that good the proof is our newly launched unsecured business finance program. Our clients are happy to work with their personal Profit Advisors and continue to use our services over and over, getting the money they need in order to grow their business fast; this allows them to purchase merchandise or simply to pay their debt while constantly increasing their business credit scores

Compound Profit offers working capital, invoice factoring, purchase order factoring and equipment leasing to companies of any size, while its Profit Advisors help the clients increase sales and cut the costs dramatically - for free! Launched in Texas, Compound Profit has expanded throughout the entire U.S.A. and operates under a successful franchise model. For more information, visit http://www.cprofit.com

WorldRemit Now Offers Interac&174; Online Payment Option in Canada

May 31, 2011

WorldRemit, an innovative online money transfer service, now offers Interac Online, a payment option that allows customers to pay for money transfers directly from their bank accounts. Customers will now have access to a full suite of payment options including credit cards, debit cards and Interac Online.

Unlike traditional money transfer services that require senders to visit an agent, WorldRemit’s money transfer service is internet-based, allowing customers to send money safely from the comfort of their own home. In a country like Canada, where people often need to travel long distances to the nearest agent, this is a major convenience.

Interac Online makes paying for goods and services over the Internet easy. It's immediate and secure, allowing customers to pay using funds directly from their bank accounts. According to a survey by Toronto based organization, The Strategic Counsel, nearly one in two Canadians say Interac Debit is their favourite way to pay. The Interac Online service is secure and easy-to-use because it works with the customer’s existing Web banking service.

Money remittances from Canada are a lifeline for many African families particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. A recent Gallup poll revealed that in 35 countries, 10 percent or more of households rely on international remittances. In Zimbabwe for example, as many as 32 percent of adults reported receiving international remittances from diaspora members.

WorldRemit has an extensive network of pay-out locations in many African countries. As soon as a sender initiates a successful transaction on the website, WorldRemit sends an SMS text message to the recipient’s mobile phone notifying them that the cash is ready for collection. The recipient can then visit one of the many pay-out locations to collect the cash.

WorldRemit now offers online money transfer to over 25 countries. The integration with Interac online will make its service more accessible to the African diaspora in Canada.

About WorldRemit
Founded in 2009, WorldRemit is an online money transfer business enabling customers to send money to family and friends back home using various payments options including debit cards and credit cards.

&174; Interac and the Interac logo are trade-marks of Interac Inc.

CheckINN Direct Offers New Ways to Save on Business Lodging

Wichita, Kansas August 20, 2009

Corporate Lodging Consultants (CLC), the leading provider of customized lodging programs for business, is offering its CheckINN Direct members the opportunity to see just how much they save every time they check into a hotel using their CheckINN Card. It's part of several new enhancements to the CheckINN Direct business lodging program.

Now the savings are displayed for every hotel in the CheckINN Direct network when members conduct online hotel searches at http://www.CheckINNcard.com. Members simply enter the rate range that meets their travel budget to view results that list the hotel's Lowest Published Rate, the CheckINN Direct member rate and the daily savings. "We're making it easier than ever to see exactly what you save with CheckINN Direct," said Kyle Rogg, CLC senior vice president of Business Development. "Members can pick their price when they search for a hotel, check out the daily savings by hotel, and track what they save per hotel stay."

Hotel rates are updated weekly so members can find current rate information about their daily savings every time they search for a CheckINN Direct hotel. Members also now have the ability to add multiple credit cards to a CheckINN Direct Account. This simplifies account management and tracking for any business that has multiple travelers using CheckINN Direct.

CheckINN Direct allows small to medium-sized businesses to enjoy the same discounted lodging rates as large companies, offering significant savings on hotel stays at more than 8,500 hotels nationwide. The lodging program provides 24-hour traveler support 365 days a year, and no reservations are required at participating hotels. "We're continually looking for ways to make CheckINN Direct as effective as possible for our members," Rogg said. "These latest enhancements will help our members easily and quickly find the hotels where they can save the most."

Over the last 30 years, CLC has built a network of thousands of hotels nationwide to help businesses with their specific lodging needs, while offering state-of-the-art data management and payment processing systems to manage client billings and reports. These advantages provide clients with significant savings and increased visibility into lodging costs. Wichita based CLC was acquired by FleetCor, the Global Fleet Card Company, in April 2009. CLC and FleetCor share the same key principle: helping businesses save money on purchases made by their traveling workforces.

Businesses interested in CheckINN Direct can sign up for an account at http://www.CheckINNcard.com.

Corporate Lodging Consultants (CLC), a division of FleetCor, the Global Fleet Card Company, has more than 30 years experience as the leading provider of lodging management programs to businesses, serving thousands of clients in North America. CLC's clients purchase more than 9 million hotel room nights annually across CLC's proprietary network of thousands of hotels.

Fast Track Meet and Assist and City Transfers at Airports Worldwide. No More Queues

Singapore December 20, 2009

Premium Track, an airport arrival and departure service that fast tracks passengers through immigration in 140 of the busiest Asian and European airports, and then drives them to their hotel all for a fixed price charged to a credit card, is launching its service in Asia.

Premium Track Meet&Assist provides frequent fliers in Asia Pacific, the Middle East and much of Europe unique access to fast track immigration, plus a coordinated private transfer between the city centre and airport. The two services can be used together or separately.

At the airport passengers are met at the airbridge or kerbside, fast tracked through immigration and security and taken direct to their driver, lounge, or the boarding gate,

Previously only available to VIPs and diplomats, and never before bookable on line, the Fast Track service promises frequent and business fliers an end to immigration lines, missing drivers and airport taxi queues.

ABOUT PREMIUM TRACK

Premium Track Meet&Assist provides frequent fliers in Asia, Middle East and Europe unique access to fast track immigration and personal VIP treatment.

Passengers are met at the air bridge or kerbside by a Premium Track rep, and given a private fast track route through immigration and security and then escorted direct to their driver, lounge, or boarding gate.

Premium Track drivers speak English; their vehicles are modern, comfortable and insured.

Booking is online: through agents, direct with PremiumTrack.com, or using online booking platforms at the same time as reserving flights or hotels. The two services are available separately or together. No cash is needed and prices are inclusive. Travelers get instant confirmation and an E Ticket, and full 24x7 English language telephone support.

Fast Track is offered in 140 worldwide airports, and city transfers in 550 others.

Premium Track is the flagship brand of the Ground Asia group which provides ground travel services for passengers and ground travel booking solutions to the travel trade, worldwide.

Charles Pollard - CEO PremiumTrack.com PTtrade.net
Direct Line | +65 6879 2108 Mobile | +65 9800 4634

CSI Enterprises, Inc. Launches New Fleet and Fuel Webcast - CSI Global FuelCast

Bonita Springs, FL May 23, 2008

CSI Enterprises, Inc., one of the nations leading fleet fuel credit card companies, announces the launch of CSI Global FuelCast, a video webcast featuring detailed news relating to the fleet business industry. Included in each FuelCast are stories on gas price news, oil industry news, as well as operational and management news specifically useful to the fleet industry. The FuelCast can be found at http://www.csi-gascard.com.

"Technology has changed the way we communicate," explained Keith Stone, CSI President and CEO. "Video is the best way to share information. Our FuelCast encapsulates today&39;s news in a clean, quick, informational presentation that everyone who either manages fleets or gets behind a wheel will find useful."

CSI Global FuelCast utilizes the large CSI Enterprises database of daily transactions to compile and calculate the latest, most accurate, fuel price news available. Leading the CSI Global FuelCast production is Rob Wood who brings more than twenty-five years of journalism and marketing experience to the show.

"We want to make sure we bring useful information to our specific audience," Wood said. "Every FuelCast will draw upon our unique resources available to us. Not only do we have an abundance of data, but also the expertise that comes with working with the fleet industry for so many years, as we have at CSI. We know what our audience wants to see."

As gas and oil prices continue to break records, it has become critical for fleet business managers to have as much information as possible. FuelCast consolidates the most important information so no time is wasted sifting through unwanted and unrelated news.

"We are a service business," Stone said. "Our fuel cards offer the best savings and control features on the market. CSI Global FuelCast is yet another way we are taking the lead in providing unparalleled service to our clientele."

New broadcasts of CSI Global FuelCast are currently being posted every Monday, Wednesday and Friday with plans of going daily by the beginning of June.

To learn more about CSI Global FuelCast visit http://www.csi-gascard.com.

About CSI Enterprises, Inc:
CSI Enterprises Inc. provides a specific line of controlled financial payment products including business fleet fueling/maintenance payment cards, a corporate virtual payment MasterCard&174; and card solutions for corporate purchasing, travel and entertainment spending. Today CSI and its products operate in all fifty states including Canada, Mexico and Caribbean with operating subsidiaries involved in municipal tax reclamation, venture capital and real estate development activities nationwide. Since 1988, CSI Enterprises Inc. was the first and largest U.S. organization to have a successful corporate asset management and payment network throughout the U.S. and Latin America.

Moneynet Supports Drive for Ethical Advertising for Loan Products

7, 2010 Almost two thirds of newspaper advertisements for loans are breaking the law according to the UK’s trading watchdog, a figure deemed “wholly unacceptableby Richard Brown of the consumer finance website moneynet.

Moneynet has been championing greater consumer awareness of personal finance products for over eight years. In response to rising consumer debt in the UK, the financial research specialist is taking additional action to educate consumers on personal finance products such as personal loans, credit cards, mortgages and life insurance. Moneynet believes that clear loan information will not only help consumers to choose the most appropriate personal loan for their circumstances, but by understanding the terms of the loan, the consumer is more likely to be able to keep up repayments and avoid an adverse credit history, which could affect future applications.

According to a recent MORI poll, only 33% of people who have taken out a personal loan were aware that there was an early redemption charge, whilst an even smaller number of people could actually specify the percentage or figure of the early redemption charge. The same poll also highlighted that only two out of five people could correctly identify the financial term APR as the Annual Percentage Rate and only one in ten people were able to equate the APR with the interest rate.

Richard Brown, CEO of moneynet, stated, “At moneynet we question the effectiveness of quoting APRs in loan adverts for several reasons. Firstly we question whether the general public really knows what this means and even those people that do understand it are probably unaware of the effect of a change in the APR on actual monthly repayments. For example a 1% difference in the APR on a loan of &163;5000 over 3 years makes a difference in the monthly repayments of only &163;2.14. We would argue that whilst the APR is important in deciding which loan to choose it is not the only deciding factor. Other things such as early repayment penalties and the cost of payment protection insurance can be equally as important.

In addition to extensive price comparison research for loans and credit cards, moneynet also offers a wide range of free downloadable consumer information guides on credit cards, mortgages, loans, life insurance, ethical investing, family finance, student finance and insurance.

http://www.moneynet.co.uk

About moneynet:

Moneynet.co.uk is the UK’s most established personal finance research and data website. The company offers consumers a wide range of low cost financial products: from mortgages and personal loans; to car, home and medical insurance; credit cards; savings accounts and best-buy fixed rate products. Moneynet.co.uk is an ethical, impartial and comprehensive source of consumer finance information, covering the whole of the personal finance sector.

Moneynet was founded in 1997 by Chief Executive Richard Brown to simplify the personal finance market and provide consumers with impartial and interactive information on financial products and services.

Press and consumer enquiries:

Moneynet

Contact: Richard Brown, Chief Executive

Telephone: 0208 313 9030

Web: http://www.moneynet.co.uk

Press distribution by bigmouthmedia

Contact: Rachel Lane

Telephone: 0131 561 2251

Web: http://www.bigmouthmedia.com

Military-Travel.net Offers Guaranteed Low Hotel Rates Plus Additional 5% Rebate For Military Personnel and Their Families

LOS ANGELES, CA April 13, 2004

Military-Travel.net&194;™, an affiliate of the highly-successful Hotels.com, has kicked off a program that provides both the guaranteed lowest rates possible at more than 40,000 hotels and motels worldwide plus an additional 5% cash rebate to active and retired military personnel and members of their families.

According to Charles Kessler, president, &194;“There are no restrictions on the number of times an individual can reserve rooms through the Military-Travel.net site, and the hotel accommodations can be used whether traveling on official military business, leave, vacations or other personal matters.&194;” Reservations can be made for short and long stays at the guaranteed lowest rates possible and with the additional 5% rebate in effect.

&194;“Obviously, there are many reasons for the men and women in our Armed Forces to travel and have need of hotel accommodations, not the least of which is going on leave from areas of military action to visit spouses and families,&194;” Kessler explains. &194;“In such cases, for example, a &194;‘half-way&194;’ meeting point for military personnel to join up with their families can increase the amount of time they can spend together, and an affordable hotel room rate can help make that possible.&194;”

To make a reservation, just log on to http://www.Military-Travel.net, and follow the easy, step-by-step instructions. Or call (800) 275-9183. All major credit cards are accepted, including American Express, VISA, MasterCard and Discover. The rebates are paid via PayPal.com and are either credited to an individual&194;’s credit card account or mailed 14 days after check-out.

When you log on to Military-Travel.net complete hotel descriptions are provided, including photos, amenities, a location map and rates. Military-Travel.net is the premier &194;– and only &194;– travel service specifically established to provide active and retired military personnel and members of their families with both discounted hotel and motel accommodations worldwide and an additional 5% rebate. An affiliate of Hotels.com, Military-Travel.net is a private company and was founded by its president, Charles Kessler, in Los Angeles.

Military-Travel.net is located at 5767 Uplander Way, Suite 203; Culver City, CA 90230 (310) 215-0005; FAX (310) 507-0215; http://www.Military-Travel.net

2011 Prepaid365 PreGphone.net Delivers Low Cost Worldwide Phone Calling Card For Mobile Phone Userspaid Card Awards Winners Announced

March 29, 2011

Launched in 2009, this is the third edition of the fast growing annual Prepaid365 Consumer Awards with over 128 prepaid cards entries across 22 categories being voted for by over 37,000 consumer respondents and Prepaid365 subject matter experts in the business categories.

Divya Sharma, Marketing and PR director at Prepaid365 commented "The prepaid industry continues to grow and so do the Prepaid365 Awards. We had 22 award categories as opposed to 14 from last year and the consumer response has been absolutely astounding. We have always maintained that raising consumer awareness is key to increasing the adoption of prepaid credit cards as a payment mechanism in the UK and the Prepaid365 Awards are all about providing prepaid industry stakeholders a platform for that consumer recognition. Whether it is prepaid MasterCard, Visa or Maestro prepaid cards, Prepaid365 remains the consumers first resource to review and compare prepaid cards. "

Winners on the night included

Best Prepaid Card - Neteller Prepaid MasterCard

Best Newcomer Prepaid Card 2010-2011 - Kalixa Prepaid MasterCard

Best General Spend Prepaid Card - Cashplus Prepaid MasterCard

Best Travel Prepaid Card - Caxton FX Prepaid Card

Best Unbanked Prepaid Card - Secure Trust Bank Prepaid Card

Best Payroll Prepaid Card - Freedom Eagle Prepaid Card

Best Privacy Prepaid Card - Splash Plastic Prepaid Card

Best Incentives/Rewards Prepaid Card - Virgin Money Prepaid PAYG Card

Best Gaming Prepaid Card - Neteller Prepaid MasterCard

Best Youth Prepaid Card - Splash Plastic Prepaid Card

Basic Back Account with Prepaid Card - Think Banking Prepaid MasterCard

Best Online Shopping Prepaid Card - BaBeeCard Prepaid Card

Best Free Prepaid Card - O2 Cash Manager Prepaid Card

Best Gifting Prepaid Card - Starbucks Prepaid Card

Best Moneyshare Prepaid Card - Payzone Worldwide Money Prepaid Card

Best International Prepaid Card - PCS Prepaid Card

Best Prepaid Card Innovation - Neteller Virtual Prepaid Card

Best Prepaid Marketing Campaign - Travelex Prepaid Marketing Campaign

Best Prepaid Card Website - Escape Travel Prepaid Card

Best Prepaid Card Design - BaBeeCard Prepaid Card

Best Programme Manager - Small Programmes - Prepaid Financial Services

Best Programme Manager - Large Programmes - Payment Card Technologies

Mark Horgan, Director at Travelex said: &39;As the global currency specialist with over 34 years experience, Travelex prides itself on being an industry leader. The prepaid market has become increasingly competitive, especially here in the UK, so this is a great honour and tribute to our market leading Cash Passport product. To be acknowledged by consumers at the Prepaid365 Awards for our work in educating consumers on the benefits of prepaid cards is testament to the hard work the team put into this campaign. Further, the fact that this award was voted by the public is a wonderful commendation, so thank you to everyone who took the time to vote.&39;

Dan Starr, Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer at Optimal Payments (NETELLER) said: "We are delighted to win yet more consumer awards at the Prepaid365 Awards for the NETELLER Net+ card. Prepaid365 provide the industry with comprehensive information on the prepaid market and are helping raise consumer awareness of prepaid cards; a mandatory site bookmark for all prepaid stakeholders."

Amit Sharma, CEO at prepaid marketing consultancy Emotion Associates and founder of the Prepaid365 Awards commented that "The great thing about consumer awards is that the endorsements actually mean something for prepaid industry stakeholders - you are getting things right. From the originators like Splash and Cashplus to the innovators like Neteller and Kalixa, the Prepaid Card industry is in excellent health and continues to grow. As with all maturing markets, as the market grows, so does the competition and the innovation and the incentives and that means better value for consumers and that can only be a good thing."

Prepaid365 is the UK&39;s leading prepaid card portal online to review, compare and buy prepaid credit cards representing an encyclopaedia of information on prepaid cards, providers and all things prepaid including prepaid MasterCard, visa prepaid cards and free prepaid cards. To review and compare prepaid cards for Money Transfer, Travel, Gaming, Shopping, Payroll and Expense management, Privacy, Gifting and Business, visit the Prepaid365 prepaid portal.

What the Winners Said

Dan Starr, Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer at Optimal Payments (NETELLER) said: "We are delighted to win yet more consumer awards at the Prepaid365 Awards for the NETELLER Net+ card. Prepaid365 provide the industry with comprehensive information on the prepaid market and are helping raise consumer awareness of prepaid cards; a mandatory site bookmark for all prepaid stakeholders."

Rupert Kainzbauer, Head of Issuing at Vincento Payment Solutions, says: "On behalf of the Kalixa team, I&39;m delighted that consumers voted for us as the Best Newcomer Prepaid Card at the Prepaid365 Awards. It means a lot to us because these awards are about consumer choice, and we&39;re grateful to all the hard work put in by Prepaid365 educating the consumer and championing the prepaid industry as a whole."

Rich Wagner, Chief Executive Officer, APS was delighted with the award wins and commented that "APS is honoured to be recognised as the Best General Purpose Card category for the 3rd year in a row. As with Prepaid365, APS never rests on its success. In 2011 we are further improving our Cashplus product with the introduction of faster payments, an integrated bank account, and the rollout of the highly anticipated and desired Direct Debit functionality. We believe this award and those won over the past 2 years with Prepaid365 show the immense credibility we have built as the primary payment&39;s innovator in the prepaid industry today."

Andrew Swailes, Head of Communications, Caxton FX: "The Caxton FX card was the first of its kind, and ever since then we have strived to continue to offer a unique product in what is now an immensely competitive field. I am delighted that Caxton FX has been recognised as the market leader. We have always tried to put the customer first and make their life as easy as possible - since the day we started the greatest percentage of card sign-ups has come through clients recommending our card."

Philippe Hardy, Sales Director of White Eagle (Europe) Plc, commented "I am pleased to accept this award on behalf of the team at White Eagle. We are passionate about delivering an exceptional service and to be recognised in this way increases our determination to produce and deliver quality products to meet the needs of our customer."

Gilles Coccoli, Managing Director at PrePay Solutions, comments: "The Splash card has a well established heritage, being the first of its kind to be launched in the market. We&39;re delighted by these wins and the consumer recognition at the Prepaid365 Awards."

Grant Bather, spokesperson at Virgin Money commented "We are delighted to have won the Prepaid365 Best Incentives/Rewards Prepaid Card. Prepaid cards can help users to budget as well as providing a host of uses, including as an alternative to pocket, or travel money. We anticipate that the market for prepaid cards will continue to grow in the coming years and we look forward to continuing to innovate in this sector."

Steve Muirhead, Head of Service at Thinkbanking said: "We are delighted, and very grateful, that so many of our customers voted for us at the Prepaid365 Awards- evidence, perhaps, of how we make their lives easier. Thinkbanking is more than just a prepaid card or basic banking facility; it is in fact a current account like no other. Our unique budgeting service enables customers to ring fence the money they need to pay their bills, which gives them peace of mind. Thinkbanking isn&39;t just aimed at the more than 1.4 million people in the UK paying more than &163;500 a year in bank charges or the 6 million plus Brits who struggle to keep to budget each month, but also at those that just want somebody else to manage their finances so they don&39;t have to."

Gemma Johnson, founder and CEO at BaBeeCard, commented that "we are delighted to have won consumer recognition at Prepaid365 Awards for a third year running. BaBeecard continues to flourish and looks forward to new and exciting developments in 2011. Our premise has always been to deliver exceptional value to our customers and the awards are recognition for those efforts over the last 12 months. BaBeecard&39;s aim to help families save money, remains one we are passionate about, with the recession having left many families struggling not least due to inflation which continues to rise. Despite the recent March budget specifically claiming to &39;raise the standards of families&39; with some helpful concessions, families will actually be hit harder than single earners over the next two years, due to the tapering away of tax credits for incomes of more than &163;40, 000 and the imminent removal of child benefit from higher-rate taxpayers. Financial saving for Families has never been so important."

Philip A&239;m, CEO of Creacard expressed his delighted with the result stating "we are extremely proud to have launched the first prepaid card in France, but much more proud to receive this consumer award at the Prepaid365 Awards, which for us is primarily the recognition of a successful project that&39;s both secure and reliable. We hope that the French market for prepaid will grow successfully for PCS products and that our customers will find in this product an alternative to traditional means of payment, with additional services that will enrich the offer in the coming weeks."

July 19, 2004

GPhone.net announces the release of its new World Passport dual mode callback phone card and worldwide toll free access calling card in one. Regardless of country, the World Passport allows callers using mobile phones and regular phones the ability to bypass expensive local phone company and hotel long distance and international calling rates. The new offering works in any country in the world and is available by instant online signup using a credit card and offers simple monthly credit card billing. For a limited time new customers also receive 30 minutes of free calls when they sign up.

The new World Passport offering is ideal for regular phone users, mobile/cellular phone users and users that travel and need to place calls from any available touchtone phone.

For further details, please visit http://www.gphone.net .

Paul Smith, managing director, EZPay Ltd, the operator of the Escape Travel Money Prepaid Card, commented: "Winning one of the top awards in the prepaid business within 12 months of the Escape Travel Money Card and website launching is fantastic news. We&39;re really proud to have overtaken traditional players in the prepaid sector so quickly, and thrilled that our efforts to offer the best option for consumers looking to save money and enjoy simple and fee-free spending abroad have been recognised. The Prepaid365 Prepaid Card Awards win is a significant signal that our customers, and our industry, are enjoying our no-nonsense approach to business as much as we are."

Mark Horgan, Director at Travelex said: &39;As the global currency specialist with over 34 years experience, Travelex prides itself on being an industry leader. The prepaid market has become increasingly competitive, especially here in the UK, so this is a great honour and tribute to our market leading Cash Passport product. To be acknowledged by consumers at the Prepaid365 Awards for our work in educating consumers on the benefits of prepaid cards is testament to the hard work the team put into this campaign. Further, the fact that this award was voted by the public is a wonderful commendation, so thank you to everyone who took the time to vote.&39;

Noel Moran, CEO of Prepaid Financial Services Ltd expressed his delight with the results commenting, "We are delighted to have been recognised with these two awards. We are particularly proud that we have been recognised in two fields which have been our key focus from day one. Since its inception PFS has strived to offer corporate clients flexible low cost entry into the prepaid market. Our purpose built prepaid software platform is constantly tailored to improve our offering and meet the requirements of our clients."

Ian Clowes, Managing Director of PCT commented that "the award recognises the amazing efforts of our highly knowledgeable and dedicated team who help to turn clients&39; often complex visions into successful prepaid solutions. Award wins such as this reinforce the premise that we are providing our clients with expert programme management from concept to delivery."

Wise Man Finance is Now Offering a New Alternative Business Financing Program

Las Vegas, NV 18, 2010 Wise Man Finance can help small business owners receive a cash advance up to $150,000 in as little as 10 days! Over the years Wise Man Finance has earned an impeccable reputation for great service. Acquiring business financing and maintaining high customer service standards seems to be impossible in this market; yet Wise Man Finance has been able to accomplish this task by being rated the highest company in customer service by outside sources.
Knowing the needs of business owners Wise Man Finance is now offering an “alternative financing program

Traditional banks require a business owner to provide financials and collateral to secure a small business loan. This is not the case with Wise Man Finance’s merchant cash advance program. “A merchant cash advance does not require tax returns or collateral,explained Joseph Ferriolo, CEO of WMF. “In fact, the business cash advance is based on the historical sales of the merchant’s Visa and MasterCard processing. We have found auto repair shops, restaurants, liquor stores, dry cleaners, medical offices, and retail stores to be a great fit for this type of alternative business financing.

Pay Back

Paying back the cash advance is easy since the payments are based on your credit card sales. A small portion of each credit card sale goes towards paying back the merchant cash advance without interfering with your cash and check receipts. Since there are no fixed repayment amounts and no fixed repayment terms, this gives flexibility to the business if they are having a slow month. Even small business owners with low personal credit scores are able to obtain high approval rates. Qualifying for a merchant business loan is easy. The business just has to process at least $5,000 a month in Visa and MasterCard payments and be in operation for at least six months.

Additional Business Funds

After the initial advance is paid back 70%-80% of business owners renew and receive a new merchant advance. This is proof that businesses find this type of financing to be advantageous. The funds can be used for inventory financing, payroll, marketing, advertising, equipment, or working capital.
“We want business to know financing still exists,Ferriolo stated. “We help the small business owner make it through the difficult times. Wise Man Finance puts a lot of time and research into strategically aligning themselves with business banks. Each bank we have partnered with has to meet our internal qualifications. We are excited to launch our new merchant cash advance program and know it will give small business owners more financing options.

About Wise Man Finance

Wise Man Finance is a business consulting company that caters businesses in need of financing. The firm’s small business programs help businesses obtain unsecured working capital from $20,000 to $150,000 within 21 days with little to no paperwork. To learn more, visit http://www.wisemanfinance.com.

Capital Solutions Announces A Cash Surplus For 2009 To Aid The Struggling Commercial Truck Financing Market

Tucson, AZ 3, 2009 Capital Solutions and it’s investors have announced a cash surplus making available much needed financing to truckers and others in the commercial truck financing arena. This, in spite of a tightening credit market brought on by the shrinking economy. For truckers and other operators that haven’t been able to secure financing through more traditional sources due to personal credit problems can find relief with Capital Solutions large funding capacity.

For purchasers in need of semi truck financing, Capital Solutions can use creative tools such as current revenue streams, potential partnerships with trucking companies, and asset allocation to provide much needed financing for truckers. For those purchasers in need of dump truck financing and other related assets in the aggregate hauling and construction industries, Capital Solutions can provide financing for trucks as well as other heavy equipment.

As a self funded truck and equipment financing company, Capital Solutions and it’s small network of private investors have been immune to the effects of the credit crunch. With banks pulling out of much of the commercial market in general, many independent truck financing companies have been forced to close down. Capital Solutions has remained intact, building up reserves of cash. This liquidity enables the twelve year old company to continue to fund these transactions and grow their portfolio.

This is great news for everyone connected to the trucking industry. Truck dealers are experiencing the slowest time in decades. With Capital Solutions self funded program and cash cushion they will be able to increase their sales by making financing more available to their customers.

Services that cater to the trucking industry will also see a much needed shot in the arm. Insurance companies, truck maintenance, truck stops, etc are just some of the business that will benefit by this liquidity.

Founded in 1997 Capital Solutions specializes in financing commercial trucks, trailers, and heavy equipment for people with less than perfect credit. Over the past twelve years Capital Solutions has grown to service all fifty states. As a self funded financing company Capital Solutions with its investors are poised for growth with plans of expansion into the construction equipment and forestry markets.

To Successfully Obtain Business Capital, Every Business Needs A Coach

Foothill Ranch, California 16, 2010 BusinessFinance.com has developed an online Business Finance Coach. The Business Finance Coach (http://www.businessfinance.com/business-finance-coach.htm) guides small business owners or entrepreneurs through the very difficult task of finding the capital they need to start their business. A task at which most business owners fail because they have never been taught how to do it and therefore they have no clue where to begin.

The Business Finance Coach (http://www.businessfinance.com/business-finance-coach.htm) instructs business owners in a step-by-step format on exactly what they must do to get their business ready to be approved for financing, how and why to build the business credit scores they need to get approved and then guides the business capital seeker to sources of financing where their business matches the lender’s programs and approval criteria.

The Business Finance Coach provides entrepreneurs with hands on instruction about how to get true business credit rather than just credit that they must personally secure. The Coach teaches them how to build good business credit scores and what steps are required to get approved for business financing.

The Business Finance Coach helps entrepreneurs to have their businesses stand on their own for financing without using their social security number to secure every loan. The Coach directs the business owners to sources for business credit cards, vendor lines of credit and for other creative forms of financing.

The Business Finance Coach is part of http://www.BusinessFinance.com. BusinessFinance.com (http://www.businessfinance.com) is the largest business capital search engine of more than 4,000 sources for obtaining business capital.

SimplyFinance.co.uk to Become Premiere Destination for Personal Finance News and Services

London, UK 11, 2008 The recently launched personal finance site SimplyFinance.co.uk aims to become the leading online source for personal finance products and services, as well as for relevant and up-to-date financial advice and news.

SimplyFinance.co.uk is an independent, third party consumer advocacy site. With hundreds of informational guides and financial current event articles, the site aims to help consumers become as knowledgeable as possible about the financial products they are seeking. The goal is to provide consumers with current and timely information to help them find the best provider for their unique needs.

Arthur Wang, Director of SimplyFinance, says, "SimplyFinance is dedicated to providing consumers with high quality personal finance content while simplifying the time and effort required to find a professional financial broker or adviser."

As a financial services aggregator, SimplyFinance delivers information and news on nearly 50 types of financial products and services. These include everything from personal loans, mortgages, and insurance to debt solutions, banking services and investments. In addition to furnishing consumers with information on financial products and services, SimplyFinance supplies mortgage and loan calculators and up-to-date rate charts to assist UK consumers with staying on top of the ever-changing financial market.

Once consumers feel equipped with the knowledge needed to confidently find the right financial product for them, they can conduct a search for advisers and brokers right on the SimplyFinance site. By having hundreds of product offers in one place, SimplyFinance helps consumers find a product tailored to their unique needs.

SimplyFinance.co.uk is user-friendly, and it is designed for the utmost ease of use. Furthermore, the site is a comprehensive financial resource, and it provides all of these tools and resources at absolutely no cost to the consumer.

About SimplyFinance:
SimplyFinance aims to provide consumers with the tools and assistance they need to find quality mortgages, loans, insurance, debt solutions, investments, and banking products. Through SimplyFinance, customers can find, compare, and apply for all of these products online, which will save them time, money, and effort. SimplyFinance provides informational guides and current financial news articles, mortgage and loan calculators, as well as product comparison tools to assist consumers in making the wisest and most prudent financial decisions. SimplyFinance is a free, impartial, and unbiased internet based service. They are an entity of Terra Matrix Media.

UK travellers relying on overseas ATMs may pay more for their travel money

London, UK April 9, 2010

Research has revealed that 72 per cent of UK holidaymakers use their debit cards at overseas ATMs to withdraw foreign currency. The research has also shown that just over half (52 per cent) of UK travellers use their debit cards to make purchases abroad, instead of using local foreign currency.

Post Office Travel Services advises that holidaymakers should plan ahead when buying travel money as anyone withdrawing foreign currency at ATMs may be charged higher commission and cash withdrawal fees. If travellers leave it too late to change their sterling into foreign currency and exchange it at airport bureaux de change, they also risk paying more for their travel money through extra charges and commission fees.

The research from Mintel also revealed that UK travellers who take holidays in Europe are more likely to plan ahead and take foreign currency with them before travel. Holidaymakers travelling further afield tend to favour travellers&39; cheques, or take sterling with them to use at foreign exchange bureaux at their destination.

The Post Office advises UK holidaymakers to plan ahead and buy their foreign currency before heading overseas to get the most from their travel money.

Sarah Munro, head of Post Office Travel Services, said:
"UK travellers can save themselves unnecessary extra costs by buying foreign currency in advance or taking the Post Office pre-paid Travel Money Card rather than picking up their travel money at the airport or at an overseas ATM using a credit or debit card."

Citibank changes the face of retail banking in China Opens high-technology, environmentally friendly sub-branch in Shanghai

Mr. Jonathan Larsen (middle), Citi’s Head of Consumer Banking & Global Cards,
Asia Pacific and Citi China seniors at the opening ceremony of Xintiandi sub-branch

Shanghai, November 25, 2009 Citibank (China) Co. Ltd. (“Citibank China opened a new high-technology sub-branch in Xintiandi, Shanghai today designed to provide a unique customer service experience among banks in China. The sub-branch was opened at a ceremony attended by Mr. Jonathan Larsen, Citi’s Head of Consumer Banking & Global Cards, Asia Pacific, Mr. Andrew Au, Chief Executive Officer of Citi China, and Mr. Anand Selva, Country Business Manager of Consumer Group, Citibank China.

Mr. Jonathan Larsen said, “The opening of this high-technology sub-branch in Shanghai marks a new era for retail banking in China. We believe it will provide Citibank customers with a superior banking experience, and its opening reflects our intent to be the most innovative, customer-focused international bank in China.

Mr. Andrew Au said, “Citi is committed to continued investment in our network around China, and this includes deepening our presence in the cities in which we already operate. We are delighted to be opening this world-class sub-branch which is helping to redefine how banks interact with customers in China.

The Citibank Xintiandi sub-branch has been designed to cater to the changing needs and lifestyles of Citibank customers. Key attributes of the new sub-branch include:
#8226; Wi-Fi enabled the sub-branch is first Citibank outlet to be fully Wi-Fi enabled, allowing customers to go online while inside the outlet using their mobile devices
(laptop, cell phone, PDA, etc).
#8226; Internet kiosks dedicated and state-of-the-art complimentary kiosks are available for customers to browse the Internet.
#8226; Touch screens a number of interactive touch screens are available that enable customers to easily view at their own leisure Citibank’s latest product and
service offerings, latest news relating to Citibank, and a range of other information at the touch of a finger.
#8226; Live interactive video phones customers seeking additional expert opinion in relation to a particular financial need have the ability to consult with Citibank
China specialists at another location on a real time basis using video phones.
#8226; Wallboard screens and Tablet PCs wall board screens ensure an uncluttered working environment and a more interactive customer service experience
allowing customers to see everything their personal banker sees. In addition, wireless tablet computers provide added convenience, mobility and flexibility
during customer interactions.
#8226; Interactive multimedia High resolution LCD TV integrated media contents of CBN news, latest Citibank product & service posters and text lively updated via
centralized media content management system.
#8226; Soft phones the sub-branch uses wireless phones for all staff while providing complimentary use of mobile phones for its customers.

The new sub-branch will also be Citibank’s first retail outlet in China to be submitted for LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification. LEED is an internationally recognized green building certification system, providing third-party verification that a building was designed and built using strategies aimed at improving performance across all the metrics that matter most: energy savings, water efficiency, CO2 emissions reduction, improved indoor environmental quality, and stewardship of resources and sensitivity to their impacts.

Environmentally-friendly aspects of Citibank’s Xintiandi sub-branch include:
#8226; Materials: all carpet at the sub-branch is LEED certified and recycled wooden material has been used for interior finish.
#8226; Water efficiency: water efficiency equipment has been installed to reduce water consumption at the sub-branch.
#8226; Fresh Air: an additional fresh air system has been installed to improve indoor air quality.
strong>• Lighting efficiency: through a 15% reduction in lighting power density and using energy efficiency bulbs, power consumption relating to lighting is expected to fall
by 40%.
•Equipment: more than 80% of the equipment used at the sub-branch meets or exceeds the Energy Star standard.

The new Xintiandi outlet is a full service one, providing foreign currency and RMB products and services. Like all other Citibank retail outlets in China, the new outlet offers both Citibank and Citigold services. Customers using the Citibank service, which requires a minimum balance of RMB80,000, will be provided with a choice of a comprehensive range of services to manage their wealth. Services provided include savings, deposits and investment products (including Premium Accounts, Structured Investment Accounts and QDII products); ATM/debit cards; mortgage loans in multiple currencies; insurance products designed to protect, grow and transfer wealth; unsecured personal loans and remittance services. Customers can also conduct their banking at their convenience through the multiple electronic channels such as online banking, mobile banking, 24x7 phone banking and fax banking.

The outlet also features a Citigold Service Center, designed to provide leading wealth management services. The Citigold offering, which requires a minimum balance of RMB500,000, is distinguished by factors that include:
•Dedicated relationship managers supported by a team of product specialists
•Personalized banking products and services
•Access to award winning global research, market outlook, latest financial developments and dedicated information channels
•Unique proprietary tools such as Citigold Financial Needs Analysis
•Membership rewards and privileges
•Citigold customers also benefit from Citi’s global presence with worldwide Citigold VIP recognition, courtesy access to world wide Citigold centers, overseas account opening referral, overseas emergency cash up to USD10,000, overseas Citigold preferential FX rate and fee charge, worldwide toll-free home connection service hotline and Citigold International SOS Healthcare Services, etc.

The Xintiandi outlet houses 12 retail banking professionals including Citigold Relationship Managers and Personal Bankers, trained and certified to provide premium
banking services. It is located at Unit F, No. 222, Ma Dang Road, Xintiandi, Shanghai.

Citibank’s high technology sub-branch comes shortly after the launch of its new mobile banking capability in China. The new service, known as Citi Mobile, is the first to be offered by an international bank in China, and allows customers to access online banking services using their mobile phone anytime, anywhere.

William Rhodes appointed University professor-at-large

27 September 2010,Shanghai -William R. Rhodes, recently retired senior vice chairman at Citigroup Inc. and Citibank, has accepted appointment to a five-year term as professor-at-large at Brown University. Rhodes, a banker with a distinguished career in international financial diplomacy, will be based at the Watson Institute for International Studies.

PROVIDENCE, R.I. [Brown University] William R. Rhodes, an international financial diplomat known for leading the resolution of economic crises in Asia and Latin America, has accepted a five-year appointment as professor-at-large at Brown University. His appointment began July 1, 2010.

“At a time when international economic turmoil dominates affairs among nations and commands the attention of scholars and financial executives, Bill Rhodes brings a wealth of experience and expertise to the understanding of these issues,said Brown President Ruth J. Simmons. “His long career in international finance and his leadership role in the development of the Rhodes Center and the Watson Institute will make him an invaluable resource for undergraduates, graduate students and faculty colleagues.

Rhodes began his 53-year career at Citibank following his graduation from Brown in 1957. He spent two decades in a variety of senior positions in Latin America and the Caribbean before returning to New York in 1977 as head of corporate business in Latin America. During the 1980s, he chaired Citibank’s restructuring committee and headed the advisory committees of the international banks that negotiated debt-restructuring agreements for Argentina, Brazil, Mexico, Peru and Uruguay. In early 1998, when the Republic of Korea experienced liquidity problems, he chaired the international bank group that negotiated the extension of short-term debt of the Korean banking system. In early 1999, at the request of the government of Brazil, he acted as the worldwide coordinator to help implement the maintenance of trade and interbank lines by foreign commercial banks to Brazil. Rhodes retired as senior vice chairman of Citigroup and Citibank on April 30, 2010.

Rhodes is a longtime member of the Board of Overseers of the Watson Institute for International Studies at Brown University and concluded his service, becoming a Board member emeritus on July 1, 2010. He is also a trustee emeritus of the University. Rhodes is the recipient of the New York Brown Club’s Independent Award and the Brown Alumni Association’s William Rogers Award. The University conferred an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters (L.H.D.) on Rhodes in 2005.

In recognition of his contributions to international banking and finance, Rhodes has received decorations and honors from governments in Poland, Korea, Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, Venezuela, Colombia, Panama and Jamaica, and appointment as Chevalier and Officer of France’s Legion of Honor.

In 2007, the University established the William R. Rhodes Center for International Economics and Finance, associated with the Watson Institute, and the William R. Rhodes Professorship in International Economics, which honors a distinguished scholar in international trade and finance.

Brown University established the professor-at-large position to invite individuals of exceptional distinction to participate in the intellectual and academic life of the University. Other current or former professors-at-large include Romano Prodi, the former prime minister of Italy; Richard C. Holbrooke, former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations and Germany, now the U.S. special envoy to Pakistan and Afghanistan; and Ricardo Lagos Escobar, former president of the Republic of Chile.

Citibank Appoints New Head of Consumer Banking in China

Shanghai, June 8, 2011 - Citibank (China) Co., Ltd. (“Citibank announced today the appointment of Simon Chow as Country Business Manager for its China consumer operations. Simon was previously deputy head of Citibank’s consumer business in Hong Kong, and in his new role will be responsible for the sustained growth of Citibank’s consumer business in China. Simon replaces Anand Selva, who has transferred with Citibank to a new role outside of China, and will report to Andrew Au, Chief Executive Officer of Citi China, and Jonathan Larsen, Region Head, Consumer Banking for Asia Pacific. The appointment is subject to regulatory approval.

Andrew Au said, “We are undergoing a period of unprecedented investment in China, and our consumer bank business represents a key element of our plans. I thank Anand Selva for his tremendous contributions over the course of a number of years to our business in China, and I am delighted to welcome Simon to our China franchise. We are confident that Simon’s appointment will see Citibank continue to enjoy success in this vital market.

Jonathan Larsen said, “Our consumer business in China is performing strongly, driven by a series of significant innovations we have introduced to the market together with our leading wealth management proposition. We are well positioned for continued success in China, and Simon has the right mix of experience and skills to guide Citibank’s ongoing growth in China, which remains one of our priority markets globally.

Simon Chow said, “I am pleased to be joining the Citibank China team at a time when the business is thriving. I look forward to working with the team as we dedicate ourselves to providing the best available customer service and advice, widening our product offerings, building our brand and increasing our presence around China.

Simon has played an important role in expanding Citibank’s retail presence in Hong Kong, and prior to his appointment, was the Deputy Country Business Manager in Hong Kong leading both the Retail Banking and Consumer Finance businesses, a role he has held since 2008. Simon commenced his career with Citibank in 1998, in Financial Control, and became Chief Financial Officer of the Consumer Bank in Hong Kong in 2000. In 2003, Simon was appointed head of consumer finance in Hong Kong, before taking on his current role as Deputy Country Business Manager. Simon has held prior roles in finance and operations with UBS Securities, Lehman Brothers and Price Waterhouse.