http://www.earthtimes.org The Earth Times online newspaper, serving the planet with news that matters. Covering current affairs, world news, environmental affairs and sport en-us PHP/4.4.4 http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/fitch-assigns-cmbs-primary-servicer,1055789.shtml NEW YORK - Fitch Ratings assigns Columbia National Real Estate Finance, LLC (Columbia National) a CMBS primary servicer rating of 'CPS2-'. Columbia National's primary servicer rating is based on the company's extensive experience as a commercial real estate loan servicer for PressRelease Thu, 19 Nov 2009 20:03:36 GMT http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/fitch-assigns-cmbs-primary-servicer,1055789.shtml http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/ecopetrol-sa-received-a-communication-from-the-colombian-ministry-of-finance,1053762.shtml BOGOTA, Nov. 18 -- On November 18, 2009, Ecopetrol S.A (NYSE: EC; BVC: ECOPETROL) ("Ecopetrol" or the "Company") received a communication from the Colombian Ministry of Finance (Ministerio de Hacienda y Credito Publico) regardi... PressRelease Thu, 19 Nov 2009 01:22:05 GMT http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/ecopetrol-sa-received-a-communication-from-the-colombian-ministry-of-finance,1053762.shtml http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/sidley-partner-to-join-the-financial-crisis-inquiry-commission-senior-staff,1060194.shtml LOS ANGELES - Sidley Austin LLP announced today that Gary J. Cohen, a partner in its Los Angeles Corporate and Finance group, will take a leave of absence from the firm to accept an appointment as Special Business Counsel to the Financial Crisis Inquiry Commission created pursuant to the Fra PressRelease Mon, 23 Nov 2009 22:11:34 GMT http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/sidley-partner-to-join-the-financial-crisis-inquiry-commission-senior-staff,1060194.shtml http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/universal-orlando-announces-closing-of,1059906.shtml ORLANDO, Fla. - Universal City Development Partners, Ltd. (d/b/a “Universal Orlando”) announced today that UCDP Finance, Inc. and it (collectively, the “Issuers”), have completed the cash tender offer for their outstanding 11 3/4% senior notes due 2010 (the “Not PressRelease Mon, 23 Nov 2009 19:50:36 GMT http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/universal-orlando-announces-closing-of,1059906.shtml http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/universal-city-florida-holding-co,1059903.shtml ORLANDO, Fla. - Universal City Florida Holding Co. I and Universal City Florida Holding Co. II (collectively, “Holdings”) announced today that UCFH I Finance, Inc., UCFH II Finance, Inc. and they (together, the “Issuers”) have completed the cash tender offer for their PressRelease Mon, 23 Nov 2009 19:49:55 GMT http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/universal-city-florida-holding-co,1059903.shtml http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/fitch-assigns-411-loss-severity-ratings-to-us-cmbs-bonds,1055755.shtml NEW YORK - Fitch Ratings assigns 411 Loss Severity (LS) Ratings to U.S. CMBS bonds in 22 fixed-rate, vintage 2006 to 2008 transactions. The assignments follow the recent reviews of these transactions and correspond to Fitch's 'Criteria for Structured Finance Loss Severity Ratings' dated PressRelease Thu, 19 Nov 2009 19:57:33 GMT http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/fitch-assigns-411-loss-severity-ratings-to-us-cmbs-bonds,1055755.shtml http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/medtronic-chairman-and-ceo-bill,1055689.shtml MINNEAPOLIS - Medtronic, Inc. (NYSE: MDT), chairman and CEO Bill Hawkins today issued the following statement regarding the U.S. Senate’s revised proposal regarding a medical device industry fee released yesterday. This new proposal amends the Senate Finance Committee’s earlier p PressRelease Thu, 19 Nov 2009 19:12:32 GMT http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/medtronic-chairman-and-ceo-bill,1055689.shtml http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/medtronic-chairman-and-ceo-bill,1055681.shtml MINNEAPOLIS - Medtronic, Inc. (NYSE: MDT), chairman and CEO Bill Hawkins today issued the following statement regarding the U.S. Senate’s revised proposal regarding a medical device industry fee released yesterday. This new proposal amends the Senate Finance Committee’s earlier p PressRelease Thu, 19 Nov 2009 19:09:34 GMT http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/medtronic-chairman-and-ceo-bill,1055681.shtml http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/statement-by-medtronic-chairman-and,1055676.shtml MINNEAPOLIS - Medtronic, Inc. (NYSE: MDT), chairman and CEO Bill Hawkins today issued the following statement regarding the U.S. Senate’s revised proposal regarding a medical device industry fee released yesterday. This new proposal amends the Senate Finance Committee’s earlier p PressRelease Thu, 19 Nov 2009 19:07:10 GMT http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/statement-by-medtronic-chairman-and,1055676.shtml http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/equifax-offers-consumers-a-free-snapshot-of-their-credit-score-range,1055656.shtml ATLANTA, Nov. 19 -- Equifax, Inc. (NYSE: EFX), announced today an addition to its Personal Information Solutions suite of identity protection, credit monitoring and personal finance products, Equifax Credit Score Card((TM)). The Equifax Credit S... PressRelease Thu, 19 Nov 2009 19:00:42 GMT http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/equifax-offers-consumers-a-free-snapshot-of-their-credit-score-range,1055656.shtml http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/fitch-rates-wells-fargo-stage,1055483.shtml NEW YORK - Fitch Ratings assigns a rating of 'AA/F1+' to the floater certificates and a rating of 'AA' to the residual certificates of Wells Fargo Stage Trust series 2009-82C. The long-term 'AA' rating is based on the rating that Fitch has assigned to the Indiana Finance Authority, revenue a PressRelease Thu, 19 Nov 2009 17:37:40 GMT http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/fitch-rates-wells-fargo-stage,1055483.shtml http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/fitch-rates-wells-fargo-stage,1055437.shtml NEW YORK - Fitch Ratings assigns a rating of 'AA/F1+' to the floater certificates and a rating of 'AA' to the residual certificates of Wells Fargo Stage Trust series 2009-83C. The long-term 'AA' rating is based on the rating that Fitch has assigned to the Illinois Finance Authority revenue b PressRelease Thu, 19 Nov 2009 17:23:16 GMT http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/fitch-rates-wells-fargo-stage,1055437.shtml http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/lockheed-martin-mcdonaldrsquos-volksbank-wells,1055233.shtml ARLINGTON, Va. - Ingenuity is more necessary than ever in this economic climate. To recognize and honor insightful, groundbreaking practices, the Corporate Executive Board (NASDAQ: EXBD) launched the Force of Ideas Awards in Procurement, Strategy, Internal Audit, and Corporate Finance PressRelease Thu, 19 Nov 2009 16:07:08 GMT http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/lockheed-martin-mcdonaldrsquos-volksbank-wells,1055233.shtml http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/global-full-service-real-estate,1055004.shtml HARTFORD, Conn., Nov. 19 /PRNewswire/ -- Cornerstone Real Estate Advisers LLC and Babson Capital Management LLC announced today that they will integrate Babson Capital's Real Estate Finance Group (REFG) into Cornerstone effective in the first quarter of 2010. The newly ex... PressRelease Thu, 19 Nov 2009 15:03:14 GMT http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/global-full-service-real-estate,1055004.shtml http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/more-than-half-of-accountants,1054893.shtml MELVILLE, N.Y., Nov. 19 /PRNewswire/ -- Ajilon Finance Solutions, a leading provider of senior level financial and operations expertise, today announced findings from its latest survey, which shows that accountants believe their companies could do more to prepare for an economic recover... PressRelease Thu, 19 Nov 2009 14:31:18 GMT http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/more-than-half-of-accountants,1054893.shtml http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/filifecom-launches-question-and-answer,1054764.shtml NEW YORK, Nov. 19 /PRNewswire/ -- FiLife.com (www.filife.com), one of the fastest growing personal finance sites and a joint venture of Dow Jones and IAC (Nasdaq: IACI), today introduced a question and answer platform and two-way API that allows u... PressRelease Thu, 19 Nov 2009 14:05:53 GMT http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/filifecom-launches-question-and-answer,1054764.shtml http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/cypress-cfo-to-address-investor-conferences-in-december,1054531.shtml SAN JOSE, Calif. - Cypress Semiconductor Corp. (NASDAQ:CY) today announced that its Executive Vice President of Finance and CFO, Brad Buss, will be making presentations at two investor conferences in December to discuss Cypress’s financial and strategic outlook. PressRelease Thu, 19 Nov 2009 13:17:37 GMT http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/cypress-cfo-to-address-investor-conferences-in-december,1054531.shtml http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/citi-prime-finance-ranked-second-in-2009-institutional-investor-alpha-awards,1054713.shtml NEW YORK - Citi today announced its Prime Finance division was ranked second overall by hedge fund firms with at least $1 billion in assets in the 2009 Prime Broker Survey conducted by Institutional Investor magazine, a move up from Citi's 2008 position of number three. Pr PressRelease Thu, 19 Nov 2009 14:02:09 GMT http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/citi-prime-finance-ranked-second-in-2009-institutional-investor-alpha-awards,1054713.shtml http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/fitch-downgrades-rfc-cdo-2006-1-revises-outlooks-amp-assigns-ls-ratings,1062374.shtml NEW YORK - Fitch Ratings downgrades ten classes of RFC CDO 2006-1, Ltd./LLC (RFC 2006-1), formerly known as CBRE Realty Finance CDO 2006-1, Ltd. / LLC, reflecting Fitch's base case loss expectation of 34.8%. Fitch's performance expectation incorporates prospective views regarding comm PressRelease Tue, 24 Nov 2009 22:36:38 GMT http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/fitch-downgrades-rfc-cdo-2006-1-revises-outlooks-amp-assigns-ls-ratings,1062374.shtml http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/new-interim-cfo-appointed-at-core-groupe-llc,1062334.shtml MIAMI, Nov. 24 /PRNewswire/ -- John Kingston appointed new CFO of Core Groupe LLC as of October 1, 2009. John Kingston (FCA, FCBV) will act as CFO for an interim period during which he will oversee all areas of finance & controlling, legal and tax affairs, as well as supp... PressRelease Tue, 24 Nov 2009 22:06:58 GMT http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/new-interim-cfo-appointed-at-core-groupe-llc,1062334.shtml