Miami PR News | David PR Group | Miami Public Relations

SBA Helping Owners Tap Their Real Estate Loans for Equity | Inc.com

2011-12-08T11:23:00.000-05:00

David PR Group client Mercantile Capital Corporation quoted in story in INC.com.

SBA Helping Owners Tap Their Real Estate Loans for Equity | Inc.com

Source: www.miamipublicrelations.com

Miami PR Firm David PR Group Wins Four MarCom Awards

2011-12-08T10:07:00.000-05:00

The Association of Marketing and Communication Professionals recently honored David PR Group (www.davidpr.com) with four 2011 MarCom Awards, which recognize outstanding achievement by marketing and communications professionals throughout the world.
The firm received three Marcom Awards for public relations work for Atlanta-based life insurance settlement provider The Lifeline Program. David PR Group received a Platinum Award, the highest level award, for its white paper, "How Life Insurance Can Save Your Retirement." The authoritative report explained how a life settlement can work as an alternative finance option for the millions of baby boomers approaching retirement with little savings. The agency also received a Gold Award for a trade magazine placement in Life Insurance Selling, "Life Settlement Industry Approaching Recovery," written in collaboration with Stephen Terrell, Lifeline SVP. The association also awarded David PR Group's work two additional honorable mentions for media relations efforts on behalf of corporate clients and professional services firms.
"Recognition by one of the largest associations in marketing and communications reflects the quality of our work, and our commitment to strong communications efforts for our clients," said John P. David, the firm's president.

http://www.bulldogreporter.com/dailydog/article/miami-pr-firm-david-pr-group-wins-four-marcom-awards

Source: www.miamipublicrelations.com

David PR Group Client Kelsay Patterson Published in the Miami New Times

2011-09-16T15:57:00.000-04:00

Entire Homestead City Council Sued for Leaking Sexts

By Kyle Munzenrieder Thu., Sep. 8 2011 at 3:26 PM

Johanna Faddis

In 2009, the Homestead City Council wanted to fire City Manager Mike Shehadeh, but Shehadeh wouldn't leave without a good severance package. So the council, being as it is a Miami-Dade government body, decided to hire a private investigator. Shehedah, being as he is a Miami-Dade government official, of course had skeletons in his closet, including a habit of sending numerous sexts on his city-provided BlackBerry. Those sexts were leaked to the press, and now one of the objects of Shehedah's sexting binges is suing.

Johanna Faddis served as deputy city manager under Shehadah, but it seems Shehadah wanted Faddis actually under him. He sent her messages like this one:

"I have a problem! I cannot entertain another woman in my mind beside you. I am deeply in love with you girl. I am getting deeper and deeper into it."

And Shehadah was found to be visiting dominatrix sites during work. The head of the city's parks department, Robert Landen, was also found to be sending explicit sexts and sending racist jokes in the same scandal.

Those messages where then leaked to several members of the South Florida media.

Obviously, Shehadah got shown the door, but so did Faddis. The reasons given: "reduction in force." She's none too happy that the city council leaked the embarrassing messages to the press. Faddis is now suing and claims negligence, invasion of privacy, and defamation.

Named in the suit: the City of Homestead, the entire city council, Vice Mayor Judy Waldman, and the private investigation firm that turned up the messages.

"In the city's overzealous effort to bring down Mike Shehadeh, it failed to protect one of its own from collateral damage," Faddis's attorney, Kelsay Patterson, said in a statement. "Johanna Faddis never responded to Shehadeh's advances, but instead of viewing this as a potential case of sexual harassment against a married city employee, the city and council chose the sensational route and cast her as a participant in an adulterous relationship. Faddis has been irreparably harmed."

Follow Miami New Times on Facebook and Twitter @MiamiNewTimes.

Source: www.miamipublicrelations.com

David PR Group Client Published in National Underwriter

2011-09-16T15:51:00.000-04:00

Life Settlement Video Stars Betty White

By NU ONLINE NEWS SERVICE

Published 9/14/2011
http://www.lifeandhealthinsurancenews.com/News/2011/9/Pages/Life-Settlement-Video-Stars-Betty-White.aspx

Wm. Page and Associates Inc. is turning to an 89-year-old performer to help it plant the idea of selling unwanted life insurance policies in the minds of baby boomers.

Wm. Page, Atlanta, the parent of the Life Program, will be promoting life settlements with a music video starring Betty White and Luciana, a British musician.

White is best known for playing Sue Ann Nivens on "The Mary Tyler Moore Show" and Rose Nylund on "The Golden Girls." She now plays Elka Ostrovsky in "Hot in Cleveland."

The music video features White dancing to Luciana’s "I’m Still Hot."

The Lifeline Program has released a 12-second clip from the video this week, and it will release one clip per week until the video premieres in October.

The video will be for sale on iTunes. A portion of the proceeds will benefit the Los Angeles Zoo, Wm. Page says.

- Allison Bell
Source: www.miamipublicrelations.com

David PR Group Client Published in ProducerseSource

2011-09-07T13:13:00.001-04:00

Life Settlements Create Golden Opportunity for Boomers and Your Agency

By Stephen Terrell

Life insurance settlements offer ethical independent agents the opportunity to help their over-insured clients evaluate the asset value of whole, universal and convertible term life insurance policies. In the right circumstances agents earn commissions when policyholders cash out by selling the policies to legitimate investor groups. Particularly the elderly, sick or retirees with changed personal circumstances often have pressing needs for cash within their portfolios. Also, life insurers will soon be responsible for informing customers about options such as life insurance settlements and accelerated death benefits, according to a model act recently passed by the National Conference of Insurance Legislators.

In 20 years the life settlements segment has grown to more than $6 billion annually. Insurance agents are the key, client facing and with a wealth of information about policyholders and their personal and family situations. Settlement partners receive agent applications, process and underwrite them and prepare settlement offers with sources of capital prepared to purchase the policies for cash. Here are some tips on how to start offering life settlements to your clients
Life insurance settlements have become an increasingly viable financial option in recent years for several reasons. First, baby boomers represent the best-insured generation of all time. Many boomers purchased life insurance to protect spouses and children or for estate tax reasons. If a husband purchased a life insurance policy to financially protect his wife and children, for example, the policy may have become unwanted or unneeded once the children have grown or if the marital status has changed. Recent changes in estate tax law have made some life insurance purchased for that purpose unnecessary
Another reason for life settlement’s growing popularity is that the elderly insured simply need cash. It’s an open secret that many Baby Boomers have little or no retirement savings set aside. Prior to life insurance settlements, unneeded or unwanted insurance often lapsed and most of the value of the policies was lost.
When your clients express updated needs such as these, agents can turn to life settlement companies currently looking for individuals with policies that match these traditional circumstances.

Step 1: Run the Numbers for Your Agency

Insurance agents can envision their roles in the burgeoning business and get started with an estimate of the potential, based upon the number of brokers, a review of potentially eligible policies in their database and a reflection on the personal circumstances of key policyholders. A simple spreadsheet calculation indicates twelve brokers, each converting an average one $500,000 policy per month at 2-4 percent commission could mean as much as $3 million additional agency revenues per year.

Step 2: Reflect on Your Potential Market

Seniors 65 or older with at least $250,000 in life insurance coverage, or younger policyholders with shorter life expectancy, are prime candidates. Your initial client consultation would determine if their estate planning factors have changed, making current life insurance policies unneeded or burdensome. A life settlement appraisal requires you to complete a simple application and obtain permission to access the policyholders’ medical records.

Step 3: Integrate Life Settlements into Your Product Mix

As with life insurance, equities and other financial services, agents who decide to offer life settlements will likely undergo an orderly process to fully understand the products and processes, train and install metrics and build relationships with settlement partners and investors. This process can include:

A review to determine agent potential, construct a management plan and set financial targets that result in the agent’s final decision to engage.

Training and education in life settlement products and a formal integration strategy with the agent’s other products and services, complete with tactics, a timeline and metrics to evaluate progress.

Initial contact with the agent’s database, prioritizing customers with the greatest potential needs, leveraging marketing materials and resources to target specific niches.

Step 4: Build Your Own Settlements Network

Once agents have made the decision to offer life settlements to their policyholders, they sign a letter of intent with a settlement partner, undergo training and begin to contact top priority clients to submit applications.
From the agency standpoint, life settlements become an important integrated revenue source. In addition to the commissions earned, the process opens opportunities for new life insurance policy sales or alternatives such as estate planning with the same clients. Today there is limited competition as agents are just awakening to the demographic goldmine of Baby Boomers. However, in the medium term, life settlements can also help counterbalance life insurance cycles and provide financial as well as insurance solutions to client portfolio needs.
In the course of your professional life you have helped your elderly clients amass a pile of ‘chips’ they’ve used at each stage of their lives. Now, you can be there waiting at the cash window for those who are interested in cashing out.

About Stephen Terrel

Stephen E. Terrell is Senior Vice President of Sales, Marketing, and Public Relations of The Lifeline Program, a life settlement provider based in Atlanta, Ga. Terrell oversees all aspects of marketing including the P3 Program (Production – Performance – Profit), which enables agencies and agents to build a new market with life settlements, broadening revenue and increasing commissions. For more information, call 770-724-7300 or visit www.thelifeline.com. Or follow him on Twitter @LifelineProgram.

Source: www.miamipublicrelations.com

David PR Group Client Published in The Miami Daily Business Review

2011-09-07T13:01:00.007-04:00

Investors put IRAs to work in real estate

Since U.S. debt was downgraded, investors have become more interested in alternatives to stocks and bonds when making investment decisions in their tax-deferred retirement accounts. One little-known option is real estate.

Paola Iuspa-Abbott

2011-09-06 12:00:00 AM

Tax attorney Adam Bergman clearly remembers the week his phone began ringing off the hook after U.S. debt was downgraded and the stock market began a hair-raising roller-coaster ride.

Suddenly, people began calling his Miami Beach and New York offices about pulling their retirement money out of the stock market to buy tax-deferred real estate.

"We have been quite busy the whole year, but the week of the downgrade we saw a huge spike in call volume and Internet traffic, probably close to 35 percent," said Bergman, co-founder of IRA Financial Group.

His office helps retirement investors with the paperwork to set up IRAs and 401(k) retirement accounts that can be directed to buy real estate and other nontraditional assets. A self-directed 401(k) or IRA is created by rolling over a former employer's 401(K) account or transferring an IRA or Roth IRA into a self-directed 401(k) or IRA.

"People just want more stability," he said of investors seeking more control over retirement investment decisions. "They want to diversify."

As with most retirement funds, revenue generated by investments must go back into the self-directed retirement account to remain tax-deferred or tax-free. The revenue can't be touched without penalty until the account holder turns 59½, barring some exceptions.

Replacing bonds and stocks with brick and mortar is gaining momentum because home prices are affordable to the point where many retirement accounts can cover much of a purchase price. Most retirement account values generally range from $80,000 to $100,000, said Bergman, who often charges a one-time fee of $1,200 to set up a self-directed account.

Many account holders were locked out of the market during the housing boom. But since then, prices have dropped by more than 50 percent across South Florida. Now, they have an opportunity to jump into the housing market, said Glen Mather, a principal with Entrust Administration Services near Orlando.

His company establishes self-directed retirement accounts for 401(k) rollovers and IRA transfers moving from financial institutions like T. Rowe Price, Schwab and JPMorgan Chase, which hold stocks, bonds and mutual funds but rarely hold nontraditional assets like real estate, he said.

"For our investors, real estate is booming again," said Mather, who just signed a lease to open an office on Las Olas Boulevard in Fort Lauderdale. He wants to tap into South Florida investors seeking to buy properties to be held in their retirement accounts.

"Most people want to invest in what they know and understand so if they live in Kendall, they will want to invest there," he said, adding he expects 80 percent of his South Florida clients to be buying properties in Miami-Dade and Broward counties.

IRA and 401(k) administrators like Entrust charge fees to manage the account and do the reporting to the Internal Revenue Service. For example, Entrust charges $50 to open an account, $95 to execute real estate transactions and $295 a year per property held in the self-directed retirement account, Mather said.

With home values down, rental properties are generating income in the 8 percent range, said Jim Pamplin, who co-chairs the Dade Real Estate Investor Association.

He owns a Lauderdale Lakes condo through his self-directed retirement account and rents the property to tenants.

"If you want to be in the rental business, this is a great time," he said. "You can get returns now that you couldn't get before."

Mather said the fact that property values can't fall too much farther gives retirement investors more confidence than they now have in the stock market.

"There is safety in real estate if you buy it at a low enough price," he said.

Becoming A Lender

Retirement investors also are increasingly using their self-directed accounts to lend money to real estate investors.

"They become the bank, and they benefit from this investment like a bank would," said Eddie Miller, who buys single-family homes in Miami-Dade County and fixes them to flip or rent. A big part of his business is financed by investors using their self-directed retirement funds.

Miller often offers them returns of 8 percent to 10 percent, depending on the property. He takes loans for no less than $15,000.

"The money we get from them is backed by a note and a mortgage on the property," said Miller, chief executive of Miami Property Solutions. "When I sell the property, their money goes back into their retirement account."

Miller, a former construction project manager, began raising money from retirement investors three years ago as the credit markets froze. He usually borrows from one or two investors per home and never borrows more than 70 percent of the value of the remodeled home, he said.

"Usually, one person puts up the money for the purchase price and the other for the rehab cost," Miller added.

No Hand Free

Buying real estate to hold in a self-directed retirement account requires work, said Pamplin, who also lends his retirement money.

"It is not a hands-free occupation as it is investing in the stock market," he said.

Before buying a property or lending money, retirement investors need to educate themselves on specific real estate markets and analyze the risks.

"You need to understand property values in the area you are buying, the work that needs to be done in the property and the cost of owning it," he said, referring to property taxes and homeowner association fees.

Real estate consultant Dan Mathason said buying real estate through self-directed retirement accounts is not for everybody.

"Is it a good idea?" he asked. "It really depends on which real estate you are looking at, it depends on which stock you are comparing it to, it depends on your timing and depends on your expertise."

He said investors need to have enough money to deal with the unexpected, such as repairs, association fees and taxes even when the property is vacant.

"If there is a problem with the tenant, you eat the loss in the interim," said Mathason, a principal with Miami-based Ultra Strategy Group. "With a stock, you can buy it and sell it within two seconds, and there is no active management at all."

Paola Iuspa-Abbott can be reached at (305) 347-6657.

Source: www.miamipublicrelations.com

Farrell & Patel on TV in New Orleans and Houston Discussing BP Litigation

2011-08-16T11:42:00.000-04:00

Farrell & Patel, a Miami litigation firm representing hundreds of hotel clients in Gulf Coast states, were featured on local television in New Orleans and Houston. The attorneys are educating business owners about filing oil spill claims against BP.

Here's a clip:

Source: www.miamipublicrelations.com

Our Client Personalized Power Systems on Fox News Houston

2011-07-13T11:39:00.000-04:00

Source: www.miamipublicrelations.com

Meet the Self-Directed IRA

2011-07-05T14:39:00.002-04:00

Source: www.miamipublicrelations.com

THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS

July 2, 2011 Saturday
1 EDITION

BUSINESS; PAMELA YIP; Pg. D01

873 words

Meet the self-directed IRA

PAMELA YIP, pyip@dallasnews.com

When you open an IRA at a bank or brokerage firm, you're typically limited to choosing their investment products.

And your investment choices are pretty much limited to stocks, mutual funds and bonds.

But some investors want to do more with their IRAs and invest in nontraditional investments such as real estate, hedge funds or limited partnerships.

That's where a self-directed IRA comes in.

"People are seeking higher returns than what they've seen in their mutual fund accounts," said Adam Bergman, chief executive of the IRA Financial Group, which helps investors set up self-directed IRAs. "They're also seeking to diversify so that their entire retirement doesn't ebb and flow with just the stock market.

"These people want more control over their retirement accounts. They want the opportunities to not just have all their money focused on the stock market. They're looking for that diversification, as well as the opportunity to do investments that they know and that they have a little bit more trust in."

So what is a self-directed IRA?

"The term self-directed does not actually have any legal connotation," according to Pensco Trust Co. "It does not imply a different type of IRA or a separate set of IRS rules. Self-directed is simply an accepted industry term indicating that the IRA custodian is allowing the IRA owner greater control over their investment decisions."

Firms that help investors set up self-directed IRAs say business has been growing as consumers want their IRAs to get fatter.

Business at Pensco has doubled in the last five years, said chief executive Kelly Rodriques.

Before you venture into a self-directed IRA, make sure that you're participating in your employer's 401(k) plan - especially if it matches your contribution. Then look to an IRA if you have funds left over for savings.

But self-directed IRAs aren't for everyone. Here's what you need to consider:

Your knowledge level

How knowledgeable are you about the investments you want to put in your self-directed IRA?

"If you have no comfort in real estate, then maybe you shouldn't be using a good portion of your retirement funds to buy real estate," Bergman said. "If you don't feel [precious] metals are going to be a strong investment, maybe you don't want to buy it. If you're not sure of what you know and what you don't know, you want to be a little bit more conservative."

A note about precious metals: The only precious metals you're allowed to put in an IRA are certain types of coins and bullion.

The long haul

Can you hold the asset in your IRA for the long haul?

You should be investing your retirement money for the long term anyway, but it's especially critical with nontraditional investments.

"It is not for everyone because, by definition, most alternative assets are illiquid," Rodriques said. "If you get into an alternative asset, you may end up holding it for a time horizon that makes you uncomfortable."

For example, if you own real estate in your IRA and market conditions are bad, you might not be able to sell it when you want to.

Know the rules

It's critical to know the rules because if you trip up here, the Internal Revenue Service could disqualify your IRA and you could end up paying income tax and a penalty that could jeopardize your funds.

"The rules are no joke," Rodriques said.

For example, there are certain "prohibited transactions," such as using IRA funds to buy collectibles or a life insurance policy or to lend to a family member.

"Dealing with family members when it comes to your IRA is a prohibited transaction because you are considered to be self-dealing," said Ed Slott, a certified public accountant and author of several books on IRAs.

Self-dealing means you're using the funds in your IRA "for your benefit, not that of the account," he said.

"This means that even though it is your savings account, you cannot just treat it as another pocket to dip into for cash you may need to make any old investment," Slott said. "If you do, your entire account may become taxable due to a prohibited-transaction penalty, and you could end up taking such a hit that your nest egg is depleted."

Be prudent

"Sometimes an IRA is a great place to focus on that part of your portfolio where you don't have to worry about capital gains and losses [because of tax deferral], so you can use that IRA as a place to do a little more active trading strategies," said Wade Chessman, president of Chessman Wealth Strategies in Dallas.

"It's a great place to focus on your more income-oriented investments because you have the ability of tax deferral," he said.

However, be sure your trading is disciplined.

"I'm not talking about day trading," Chessman said. "I'm talking about being more tactical."

Stay vigilant

Always investigate anyone who pitches you an investment.

"There are people who routinely set up investment scams to prey on the elderly," Rodriques said. "If someone is approached with an investment that allows them to put retirement money into it, you need to scrutinize who that investment sponsor is."

Don't forget that this is your retirement money and you need to be especially protective of it.

As Rodriques said: "You're moving the country's most precious citizen asset into an investment that you are now more directly involved in."

ILLUSTRATION(S): (Michael Hogue/Staff Artist) IRA

July 2, 2011

LexisNexusNews Article

GoSection8.com Earns National Recognition for Affordable Housing Portal and New Deconcentration Tool

2011-06-29T10:47:00.000-04:00

Source: www.miamipublicrelations.com

BOCA RATON, FLA., June 20, 2011 – GoSection8.com, the largest rental listing service for Section 8 landlords, tenants and public housing authorities in the United States, recently earned national recognition for its affordable housing portal and new deconcentration tool. The Fort Worth Housing Authority won a National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Organization (NAHRO) award for its use of the GoSection8.com portal and the new Deconcentration Controller product, which enables housing authorities to better comply with U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) guidelines.

“Working in tandem with our portal, the new deconcentration tool assists housing authorities in identifying low poverty areas that are a good match for affordable housing,” said Richard Cupelli, president of GoSection8.com. “The Fort Worth Housing Authority has been at the forefront of using technology to benefit tenants and landlords, and we congratulate them on the award.”

GoSection8.com maintains a proprietary database that has become the country’s premier source for information on the Section 8 Rental Voucher Program. The continually updated database distributes rental listings online and in the lobbies of hundreds of housing agencies across the country in order to connect tenants with landlords seeking guaranteed rent.

The new Deconcentration Controller feature enables housing authorities to compare and analyze the availability of rental units against Census Tract data. The technology assists in pinpointing areas of low and high poverty so that housing authorities can modify marketing efforts, comply with requirements for HUD assistance, improve grant applications and meet eligibility for Empowerment Zone and Neighborhood Revitalization funding.

“The GoSection8.com portal and associated software bring state-of-the-art technology to families for whom we are committed to assisting at the highest possible levels,” said Selarstean Mitchell, Vice-President of Assisted Housing for the Fort Worth Housing Authority.

GoSection8.com also provides public housing authority administrators the most comprehensive “rent reasonable” database in the industry. The company’s Rent Watch software product enables housing authorities to achieve rent reasonable certifications required by HUD.

GoSection8.com, based in Boca Raton, Fla., is the largest rental listing service for Section 8 housing landlords, tenants and public housing authorities in the United States. The company’s services are available for free to tenants and housing authorities. For more information, call (866) 466-7328 or visit www.GoSection8.com.

Hospitals Embrace Text Messaging of Emergency Room Wait Times; Patient Satisfaction, Load Balancing Drive Trend

2011-06-16T14:29:00.001-04:00

Source: www.miamipublicrelations.com

MIAMI, June 16, 2011 – According to Miami-based healthcare technology company ER Texting, Inc., more hospitals are publicizing emergency room wait times through text messaging but for reasons that go beyond driving patient traffic.

Using ER Texting, patients can send a text message to a dedicated SMS short code (4ER411) and instantly receive a message in return which lists the emergency room wait times for participating hospitals in their area. The application enables patients to find hospitals with the shortest wait times using any mobile phone.

While the technology was originally marketed as a means to drive traffic to emergency rooms, hospital executives have discovered the added benefits of improved patient satisfaction and load balancing. These are two of the additional reasons why the Hospital of Central Connecticut (HCC) implements ER Texting services.

“We know that information in the hands of patients helps drive satisfaction,” said Jeffrey Finkelstein, chief of emergency medicine at HCC. “This service helps us to be transparent to our patients, even before they arrive at one of our campuses.”

The system can be implemented for a single hospital or a group of hospitals. ER Texting works with the hospital to create a live wait-time feed. The hospital then incorporates the 4ER411 message in its advertising campaigns. When patients have an emergency, they send a text message to 4ER411 and instantly receive a text message reply which lists the hospital’s short wait time. Patients immediately determine actual current wait times at local hospitals and go to the one that is providing the shortest wait at that time.

Apart from utilizing the service to advertise a hospital’s short emergency and/or urgent care facility wait time, the ER Texting system also gathers and populates a database for participating consumers--which can be used for outbound texting messages of interest to patients within their service area.

ER Texting provides texting services to hospitals and urgent care facilities that want to post their emergency room wait time and allow consumers to access those times via text message. By virtue of its dedicated and highly recognizable SMS short code 4ER411, ER Texting offers a complete, secure and integrated texting and marketing platform. The company currently operates in Connecticut, Florida, Kansas, Maine, Massachusetts and New Jersey. For more information on ER Texting please visit http://www.ERtexting.com or 1-877-4ER-WAIT (1-877-437-9248).

NSI Insurance Group Merges with Royal Marine

2011-06-14T11:52:00.001-04:00

Source: www.miamipublicrelations.com

David PR client NSI Insurance Group merged with Royal Marine Insurance Group to become one of the largest private insurance firms in Florida.

Miami Herald--South Florida Insurance Groups Merge

Client featured in InvestmentNews

2011-01-03T09:27:00.000-05:00

UBS private-wealth advisers from The Cornide Group were recently featured in and InvestmentsNews article titled: "Partnering helps bring assets in the door for UBS."

http://www.investmentnews.com/article/20110102/REG/301029979

Source: www.miamipublicrelations.com

Lifeline Program in Life Insurance Selling

2010-12-06T09:57:00.000-05:00

Our client The Lifeline Program is all over the latest issue of Life Insurance Selling Magazine. Here's a link to an article by Lifeline's Steve Terrell regarding the industry's recovery: http://www.lifeinsuranceselling.com/Issues/2010/December-2010/Pages/Life-settlement-industry-approaching-recovery.aspx

Source: www.miamipublicrelations.com

Politics Jeopardize Luggage Wrapping Contract at Miami International Airport

2010-10-11T13:05:00.002-04:00

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: John P. David
David PR Group
Office: 305-255-0035 | Mobile: 305-255-0035
E-mail: john@davidpr.com

Politics Jeopardize Luggage Wrapping Contract at Miami International Airport;
High-Bidder Sinapsis Trading Says County Officials May Forfeit $55 Million

MIAMI, October 11, 2010 – Executives from luggage wrapping company Sinapsis Trading, a subsidiary of industry leader TrueStar Group S.p.A of Italy, today announced that its contract at Miami International Airport may be in jeopardy due to political pressure from the No. 2 bidder and hyper-technical airport officials. Sinapsis won the luggage wrapping contract in August with a bid of $55.5 million over five years while the second place and incumbent bidder only offered $20.5 million for the same five-year period.

Sinapsis is asking for an extension of the contract negotiation period to finalize the agreement, but company executives fear that airport and county officials may bow to increasing pressure from the politically connected lobbyists of losing bidder Secure Wrap. If an extension is not granted at a meeting tomorrow, financially struggling Miami-Dade County will lose $35 million.

“We have negotiated in good faith in hope of finalizing the contract so we can begin paying the airport approximately $10 million more per year than what it is receiving today,” said Fabio Talin, president and CEO of TrueStar Group. “We do business in 33 airports in 13 countries and have never seen a bidding process so politicized.”

Aside from supplying financial paperwork to comply with the contract, Sinapsis has already submitted a transition plan to the airport, screened potential employees and ordered production of the luggage wrapping equipment. Executives said that hyper-technical interpretations of the contract requirements by airport and county officials have put the contract in jeopardy.

“Our competitor senses an opportunity to have us disqualified and has assembled an all-star team of lobbyists to derail us,” said Talin. “The contract had been locked-up for years until the county’s own inspector general forced the airport to open the luggage wrapping business to competitive bids.”

TrueStar Group S.p.A. is an international airport services operator with a widespread presence in 33 airports in 13 countries located on three continents. The company offers a complete range of comprehensive passenger assistance services and provides luggage and document wrapping, protection and insurance services to the passenger, with its SecureBag brand. More information is available at www.truestargroup.com.

-end-
Source: www.miamipublicrelations.com

The Lifeline Program® Extends its agreement with Betty White

2010-08-31T11:07:00.000-04:00

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:   John P. David
                 David PR Group
Phone:      305-255-0035
E-mail:     john@davidpr.com

The Lifeline Program® Extends its agreement with Betty White,
Celebrating 5 Years as the Most Famous Face of Life Settlements

ATLANTA, August XX, 2010 – The Lifeline Program® today announced that entertainment legend Betty White has renewed her promotional agreement with the company. For the past 5 years, White has been the face of The Lifeline Program educating and informing seniors to help them unlock the substantial value hidden in often unwanted or unneeded life insurance policies.

Betty White, who recently won her seventh Emmy Award for her "Saturday Night Live" hosting duties, has been a vocal believer in The Lifeline Program, one of the world’s most experienced, respected and well-capitalized providers of life settlements and its management team. She can be seen on the firm’s website and also starring in its promotional videos. Betty White was identified as the ideal spokesperson, due to her cross-generational and global appeal.

“We originally selected Betty as our spokesperson because she was well-regarded among our target audience of seniors and early boomers,” said Stephen Terrell, Senior Vice President of The Lifeline Program. “Her ever-expanding star power has since helped build and define our brand. Today, whether you are talking to an emerging hedge fund manager, financial advisor or a senior who is considering a life settlement, everyone knows Betty White.”

A life settlement is the sale of an existing life insurance policy, by an elderly or terminally ill policyholder, for more than the current cash surrender value. A settlement is a unique alternative to surrendering a policy or letting it lapse and can be offered on term, whole or universal life policies. Money from a settlement can be used to pay for any expense, from paying for a grandchild’s education to funding a long-term care insurance policy.

“The Lifeline Program offers life settlements that truly help seniors make the most of their life insurance,” said Betty White. “Getting money now, when you need it most, is like turning a life insurance policy into life experience.”

The Lifeline Program is a life settlement provider based in Atlanta, Ga., and is a division of Wm. Page and Associates, Inc. Founded in 1989, The Lifeline Program offers life settlement portfolio aggregation services and alternative investment opportunities to financial institutions, fund managers and other investment entities. The company partners with insurance agencies and broker dealers to establish life settlement business lines and assists seniors with retirement planning options. For more information on life settlements, contact Stephen Terrell of The Lifeline Program at 770-724-7300 or visit www.thelifeline.com.

Link to a hi-resolution photo of Betty White at: http://www.thelifeline.com/en/press_bettywhite_photo.php

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Source: www.miamipublicrelations.com

Track-Life Secures Multi-Billion Dollar Life Settlement Servicing Engagement

2010-08-19T13:23:00.000-04:00

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:   John P. David
                 David PR Group
                 Phone: 305-255-0035
                 E-mail: john@davidpr.com

Track-Life Secures Multi-Billion Dollar Life Settlement Servicing Engagement

ATLANTA, August 19, 2010 – Track-Life, LLC today announced that the company recently secured a contract to service a multi-billion dollar life insurance settlement portfolio. Company executives believe it is one of the largest life settlement servicing engagements in recent industry history. This engagement marks a significant milestone for the company as it manages an increasing number of distressed portfolios which include complex premium-financed policies.

“Our technology platform with online access to weekly mortality tracking, rate-of-return data and premium management tools gave us a significant advantage when pursuing this project,” said Track-Life President and COO Brian J. Barclay. “Real-time data and transparency continue to drive decision-making in tracking and servicing of life settlement portfolios.”

With roots in the life settlement industry that date back more than 20 years, Track-Life’s experienced team of financial and medical professionals manage all aspects of life settlement policy tracking and servicing. Track-Life, launched in 2008 by executives from The Lifeline Program, utilizes a proprietary software platform which provides the foundation for servicing thousands of policies and has handled hundreds of death claims.

The company has recently begun analyzing portfolios on behalf of hedge funds and investment groups, and company executives believe in-depth analysis of a portfolio’s asset quality and origination processes in advance of purchase can greatly assist investors in life settlement portfolios. As more portfolios with premium-financed policies hit the tertiary market, such analysis becomes even more critical.

“We continue to be sought out by banks and institutional investors that are taking ownership of these complex assets after loans default,” said Barclay. “Some institutions lack the expertise and resources to maximize the value of their portfolio. We are bringing in our resources to manage the process through policy maturity.”

Track-Life, LLC, based in Atlanta, offers a proprietary suite of services and software that enables portfolio managers to track, analyze and optimize life insurance policies held within a life insurance settlement portfolio. For more information, visit www.track-life.com or call 770-934-4390.

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Source: www.miamipublicrelations.com

Criminal Tax Attorney Garvin in Miami Herald

2010-08-12T10:08:00.000-04:00

Client David Garvin was quoted extensively today in an article by the Miami Herald's Jay Weaver on the IRS investigation of the Miccosukee Tribe. Here's a snippet and a link:

A Miami attorney who specializes in income-tax cases said he was not surprised by the judge's ruling, saying that Morgan Stanley, not the tribe, generated the credit-card records.

Attorney David Garvin, who successfully defended Indy 500 champ Helio Castroneves in a criminal tax-evasion trial last year, said he doesn't expect the turnover of the tribe credit-card records to be resolved easily.

``Damage control is in full gear,'' Garvin said. He predicted that the tribe's lawyers would continue to fight the IRS at every turn because the Morgan Stanley records could expose other members besides Cypress to federal scrutiny -- including possible criminal charges.

``Once you start down this slope,'' he said, ``it's like a snowball picking up momentum that's turning into an avalanche.''

http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/08/12/1772312/judge-rules-for-irs-in-tribal.html

Source: www.miamipublicrelations.com

Mario Murgado of Brickell Motors in Herald Business Monday

2010-08-09T12:18:00.000-04:00

Client Mario Murgado of Brickell Motors was profiled in today's Miami Herald Business Monday. In its View from the Top column, Murgado described how his company has prospered during the recession by "playing offense." Follow this link and learn some things from a great businessman:

http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/08/09/1765099/auto-dealer-plays-offense-even.html

Source: http://www.miamipublicrelations.com/

Dade County Federal Credit Union in Business Monday

2010-08-09T12:13:00.001-04:00

George Joseph of client Dade County Federal Credit Union was quoted extensively in a story about the South Florida economy. A snippet:

Joseph sounds far more relaxed now as he describes the credit union's monthly reckoning: bad debts have returned to normal. Fewer customers are dropping off the keys to cars with loans they can't pay. And his mortgage staff once again has applications to process.

``In the last few months, I'm sensing a recovery,'' Joseph said. ``It's been a while.''

Read the whole story here:

http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/08/08/1765094/whats-next-for-the-economy.html

Source: http://www.miamipublicrelations.com/

J.C Planas of Kurkin Forehand Brandes in Miami Herald

2010-08-04T15:54:00.000-04:00

JC Planas of Kurkin Forehand Brandes www.kfb-law.com was quoted on an interesting case win in the Miami Herald.

http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/08/04/1761152/doral-councilwoman-sandra-ruiz.html

Source: www.miamipublicrelations.com

Client appears in Miami Herald

2010-08-02T17:00:00.002-04:00

Miami attorney David Garvin was interviewed as part of the Miami Herald's story "Miccosukee tribe launches counterattack against IRS." Click here to see full story

Source: www.miamipublicrelations.com

Attorney Garvin in Daily Business Review, American Lawyer

2010-07-28T10:39:00.000-04:00

Client David Garvin, a criminal tax attorney, was quoted in an interesting story by John Pacenti of the Miami Daily Business Review. The story was picked up by American Lawyer. Here's a snippet and link to the article:

HSBC Trying to Avoid Becoming Next UBS
Probe comes as IRS plans to beef up its overseas operations with 800 new agents, most of them heading to the Pacific Rim

John Pacenti

Daily Business Review

July 27, 2010
The Justice Department and Internal Revenue Service are moving beyond UBS -- and that's bad news for the rest of the international banking industry.

The newest target of U.S. authorities appears to be HSBC, the London-based bank prominent in Asia.

"It appears that it is indeed the next bank in what is likely a series of banks that will be targeted by the IRS," said Miami tax litigator David Garvin. "Since June of this year, there has been at a minimum 15 or more clients of HSBC who have already received letters from the United States government and are being investigated for tax evasion." ....... Link to American Lawyer (Law.com)

Source: www.miamipublicrelations.com

Mercantile Capital Corporation Reports Record SBA Loan Volume for First Half of 2010

2010-07-28T09:12:00.001-04:00

For Immediate Release

CONTACT:
John P. David
David PR Group
Phone: 305-255-0035
E-Mail: john@davidpr.com

Mercantile Capital Corporation Reports Record SBA Loan Volume for First Half of 2010; Despite Downturn, Company Lends more than $81 Million to Fund Small Business Expansions

ALTAMONTE SPRINGS, Fla. -- Small business lender Mercantile Capital Corporation closed the first half of 2010 with commercial loan dollar volume up more than 415 percent over the same period last year. Through the end of June, the company lent more than $81 million to small businesses and already eclipsed its record performance of 2009.

Since January, Mercantile Capital has closed 29 commercial loans for projects valued at $81.6 million, compared to 10 loans valued at $15.8 million during the same period last year.

"During the first half of 2010, we have already exceeded our entire 2009 loan volume, and we expect an even bigger second half," said Christopher Hurn, CEO of Mercantile Capital. "We feel small business owners, who have good credit and successful businesses, are eager to invest in their companies."

Hurn believes that owner-occupied real estate, which his company specializes in, is one of the strongest segments of the economy. Small business owners who have weathered the financial crisis are taking advantage of low prices and record-low interest rates to purchase new facilities and grow their businesses.

"Our company has had faith in this part of the real estate market, and it has paid-off with record numbers," said Hurn. "As more business owners realize that this is an unprecedented time to own commercial property, we expect further growth."

A former member of the Inc. 500 list, Mercantile Capital Corporation has been called the "Fastest Growing Commercial Lender in America," the "most unique and entrepreneurial bankers around," and the "fun bankers." From its start in late 2002, Mercantile Capital has focused on providing SBA 504 loans for small business owners to acquire or enhance their own facilities. The company was named "Best Place to Work" by the Orlando Business Journal in 2005, 2006 and 2007.

Additional information on MCC and its loans for small and mid-size businesses is available by calling (866) 622-4504 (toll free) or visiting www.mercantilecc.com .

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Source: www.miamipublicrelations.com

Client's bylined article in National Underwriter

2010-07-27T09:43:00.000-04:00

Client Wm. Scott Page of The Lifeline Program penned an article for National Underwriter this month on the future of the life insurance settlement industry.

You can read it here: http://www.lifeandhealthinsurancenews.com/Exclusives/2010/7/Pages/Life-Settlement-Industry-Poised-for-Growth.aspx

Source: www.miamipublicrelations.com