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Combines WealthCraft Advisor Workbench Financial Planning Tools
and Financial Express’ Fund Performance Solutions

HONG KONG, May 22 /Xinhua-PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — WealthCraft Systems Inc. (BULLETIN BOARD: WCSY) , a leading IT solution provider for financial institutions, has forged a strategic alliance with Financial Express, the United Kingdom’s leading fund data and analysis provider.
This alliance will provide a hosted market-advanced fund research and trading solution to financial institutions in Asia through the powerful combination of WealthCraft Advisor Workbench’s extensive tool suite for financial planning and Financial Express’s fund performance, price and factsheet modules. The first implementation of the combined solution is for Wing Lung Bank’s financial planning service.
Wealth management professionals at Wing Lung Bank and within the banking and insurance industry, as well as independent financial advisors, using WealthCraft’s Advisor Workbench will be able to access a range of successful and innovative Financial Express solutions. These packages include Analytics, Factsheet & Literature, automated production and Webtools as well as comprehensive real-time price information on over 70,000 funds including those domiciled in the Hong Kong, Singapore, UK and offshore markets.
”As a leading provider of fund data to fund distribution platforms and powerful software solutions, our alliance with WealthCraft offers financial institutions a range of sophisticated fund data and analytical solutions that is fully customisable,” said James Jones, Head of Asia Pacific at Financial Express.
Financial services professionals using WealthCraft’s Advisor Workbench at Wing Lung Bank and other financial institutions will now be able to receive the latest fund prices, fund performance data throughout Asia and funds factsheets. This information would be similar to that within solutions provided to Skandia, Standard Life, AXA and Fidelity FundsNetwork and fund supermarket platforms.
”Financial Express’ superior funds research and analysis research capabilities integrated with Advisor Workbench’s portfolio tracking system for forecasting and quick reaction strengthens the service of financial institutions while supporting compliance and reporting requirements,” said Kelly Tallas, Chief Executive Officer, WealthCraft.
”This integrated funds management solution enables Wing Lung Bank and other Asian financial institutions to enhance their financial planning services and select the right portfolio at the right time to support a broad range of financial products,” Tallas added.
WealthCraft Advisor Workbench is a comprehensive and scalable wealth-management solution to banks, insurance companies and other businesses specializing in financial advisory, asset management and retail investment management. Advisor Workbench enables financial institutions to invest in a single solution in a service-oriented architecture with Web services at its core. Advisor Workbench features a set of interchangeable modules for market data research, financial planning, portfolio management, risk analysis and customer relations management
About Financial Express
Financial Express is the main provider of fund data and website solutions to the UK financial sector. The company collects daily fund prices for more than 70,000 European and global investments, and is relied upon as the sole or main source of data by providers (e.g. Skandia, Standard Life, Henderson) wrap platforms, fund supermarkets, personal finance websites and financial advisers. Financial Express data is also a distributor to the main vendors, including Bloomberg, Reuters, Morningstar and Telekurs.
About WealthCraft
WealthCraft Systems Inc. (BULLETIN BOARD: WCSY) headquartered in Hong Kong SAR, is the parent company of WealthCraft Systems Ltd, an information technology company that designs, develops, markets and supports a flexible, scalable and secure technology platform for wealth management services to financial institutions, including investment advisory firms, securities brokerage firms, retail and private banks, mutual fund companies and insurance companies.
WealthCraft’s Advisor Workbench enables professionals to develop their wealth management business while its ATOMS Order Management provides an integrated back-office system providing order execution, order management and portfolio and commission management. WealthCraft’s products facilitate seamless implementation of the industry standard SWIFTNet Funds solution for automated mutual fund transactions. For more information please visit our website at .
This news release contains certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements are based on WealthCraft management’s current expectations and are subject to risks and uncertainties and changes in circumstances. All forward-looking statements included in this press release are based upon information available to WealthCraft as of the date of the press release, and it assumes no obligation to update or alter its forward- looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Further information on risks or other factors that could affect WealthCraft’s results of operations are detailed in the filings of WealthCraft with the SEC.
For more information, please contact:

Investor Contact:
Ms. Rebecca Meng
WealthCraft Systems Limited
Tel: 86-755-8828-4994
Email:

Media Contact:
Ms. Jennifer Shay
Upstream Asia Limited
Tel: 852-2973-0222
Email:
WealthCraft Systems Limited

LOS ANGELES, April 21 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — Affinity Media International Corp. (BULLETIN BOARD: AFMI) (”Affinity”), a special purpose acquisition company that previously announced a definitive agreement to acquire Hotels At Home Inc. (”Hotels”), announced today that stockholders of record as of April 29, 2008 (the “Record Date”) will be invited to attend Affinity’s special meeting of stockholders to be held on May 28, 2008.Stockholders of record will be asked to vote on five proposals, including (1) the approval of the proposed merger with Hotels, pursuant to the Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of July 24, 2007, and amended as of January 14, 2008, by and among Affinity, Affinity Acquisition Subsidiary Corp. and the transactions contemplated thereby; (2) the approval of an amendment to the Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation to increase the total number of shares of stock that the Company will have authority to issue from 16,000,000 to 30,000,000; (3) the adoption of the 2007 Long-Term Incentive Plan pursuant to which Affinity will reserve 1,400,000 shares of common stock for issuance pursuant to the Incentive Plan; (4) to elect five directors to Affinity’s board of directors to hold office until the next annual meeting of stockholders and until their successors are elected and qualified (in the event the Merger is approved); or — to elect two Class A directors to Affinity’s board of directors to hold office until the next annual meeting of stockholders and until their successors are elected and qualified (in the event the Merger is not approved); (5) the adjournment of the Special Meeting, if necessary and appropriate, for the purpose of soliciting additional proxies if there are not sufficient votes for the foregoing proposals; and such other business as may properly come before the meeting or any adjournment or postponement thereof.Certain Proxy Voting ProceduresPursuant to Affinity’s certificate of incorporation, each stockholder who holds shares of common stock issued in Affinity’s initial public offering has the right to vote against the acquisition proposal and demand that, if the acquisition is consummated, Affinity convert such stockholder’s shares into cash equal to a pro rata portion of the funds held in Affinity’s trust account, calculated as of April 29, 2008. If the holders of 27.26ACIORFIPROCENTE (862,098) or more shares of common stock issued in Affinity’s initial public offering vote against the acquisition proposal and properly exercise their conversion rights, Affinity will not consummate the business combination.If you are considering a vote against the acquisition proposal and the conversion of your shares of Affinity common stock into cash, please contact Morrow & Co., Affinity’s proxy solicitor, at (800) 607-0088, or Howard Cohl, President, at (310) 479-1555, for further information and instructions.Ensuring Your Vote is CountedIn advance of the Record Date, Affinity Media advises holders of its securities to move these securities into accounts which do not permit the lending of securities, so called cash accounts or segregated accounts, and out of accounts that permit the lending of securities, such as margin accounts. These steps are designed to ensure that votes related to common shares beneficially owned by stockholders are properly counted. Beneficial owners of common shares that have been lent out (either with or without the beneficial owners’ knowledge) are not permitted to vote those shares.About Affinity Media International Corp.Affinity Media International Corp. (BULLETIN BOARD: AFMI) (”Affinity Media”) is a publicly traded acquisition corporation focused solely on acquiring businesses in the publishing industry. Affinity Media raised gross proceeds of approximately $18.9 million through its IPO completed in June 2006 led by Maxim Group LLC. For more information please visit .About Hotels At Home, Inc.Hotels At Home, Inc. (”Hotels At Home”) is an industry leading publisher of in-room retail catalogs and hotel-branded e-commerce Web sites for luxury hotels and resorts worldwide. Founded in 2000, Hotels At Home has established partnerships with many of the world’s leading hotel brands. Hotels At Home’s programs are available in approximately 2,400 properties representing over 500,000 rooms worldwide. Hotels At Home is headquartered in Fairfield, New Jersey, and maintains international operations in Paris, France, Toronto, Canada and Dubai, United Arab Emirates. For more information please visit .Important Additional Information has been and will be filed with the SECIn connection with the proposed merger, Affinity filed a preliminary proxy statement with the Securities and Exchange Commission (”SEC”) on February 14, 2008 for its shareholders’ meeting. Before making any voting decision, Affinity’s shareholders are urged to read the preliminary proxy statement, and the definitive proxy statement to be filed with the SEC, regarding the merger carefully in its entirety because it contains important information about the proposed transaction. Affinity’s shareholders and other interested parties may also obtain, without charge, a copy of the proxy statement and other relevant documents filed with the SEC from the SEC’s website at . Affinity’s shareholders and other interested parties may also obtain, without charge, a copy of the proxy statement and other relevant documents by directing such request to 1850 Sawtelle Blvd., Suite 470, Los Angeles, California, 90025. Affinity and its directors and officers may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies from Affinity’s shareholders with respect to the merger.Forward Looking StatementsThis press release may contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, about Affinity Media, Hotels At Home and their combined business after completion of the proposed transaction. Forward-looking statements are based largely on expectations and projections about future events and future trends and are subject to numerous assumptions, risks and uncertainties, which change over time. Affinity Media’s actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in forward-looking statements and you should not place any undue reliance on such forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual performance to differ from these forward-looking statements include the risks and uncertainties disclosed in Affinity Media’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).The forward-looking statements in this news release are made as of the date hereof, and neither Affinity Media nor Hotels At Home assumes any obligation to update, amend or clarify them to reflect events, new information or circumstances occurring after the date hereof. Contacts: Denise Roche (Investors) Brainerd Communicators, Inc. 212-986-6667 Joe LoBello (Media) Brainerd Communicators, Inc. 212-986-6667Affinity Media International Corp.

BEIJING, April 18 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ — Greater China Media & Entertainment Corporation (BULLETIN BOARD: GCME) (GCME), an integrated professional media and entertainment company, announced that its subsidiary, Racemind HuaDing (Racemind), has signed an agreement to design and produce a promotional clip titled “Communication Changes Our Life” for H-line Ogilvy (Beijing) Information Services Co., Ltd. (H-Line Ogilvy), one of the first and largest public relations and communications consultancy firms in China.Under the terms of the US $33,000 (RMB 231,480) contract, Racemind will launch and produce the designated promotional video “Communication Changes Our Life” with professional technical supports such as high-definition and 3D techniques.H-Line Ogilvy is a joint venture between H-Line, one of the largest public relations firms in China, and Ogilvy, one of the world’s top five communications groups. Founded in 1994, H-Line Public Relations Corporation was one of the first public relations and communications consultancy firms in China.”Coming on the heels of last month’s successful achievement, this exciting deal with H-line Ogilvy, the flagship of China’s public relations industry, highly demonstrates GCME’s ability to provide quality services,” said Jack Wei, Chairman and CEO of Great China Media & Entertainment Corporation. “This is the first time we’ve contracted with a competitor in our industry. The selection of H-line Ogilvy reveals our competitive competency in the public relations sector. Contracts such as this, as well as our successful forays into film and television productions, will definitely boost our brand image and move us closer to our goal of being the market leader in China’s public relation industry.”About Greater China Media and Entertainment Corporation:Greater China Media & Entertainment Corp. (”GCME” or the “Company”) is an integrated professional media and entertainment company covering various areas including film and TV program production, management, promotion and distribution. The Company maintains its own film and television production center, promotion agency, audio-visual distribution company, digital network company, talent agency, and sales and advertising agency as a result of recent joint ventures. With its broad range of media and entertainment talents, the Company is capable of making films, TV programs and related projects on a large scale.Joint Ventures and Affiliated Entity:In 2006, the Company formed a joint venture with Beijing Racemind HuaDing International Marketing Consultants Limited (Racemind) specializing in public relations, media strategy, consulting and event management services.The Company signed an agreement with Beijing Star King Talent Agency to form a joint venture to carry on business as a talent agency. The joint venture is in process.In March 2008, the Company obtained control of a local Chinese company called Beijing HuaDing Century International Cultural Limited Corp. (”Beijing HuaDing”) to produce movies and TV series. Milestones Movie and television series productions and distributions — GCME signed a trust agreement with Beijing Jin Ying Xiang Media Culture Limited Corp. to produce ‘Rose Thorn’, a 24-episode TV series. — GCME-signed stars appear in the ‘Invincible’ TV series. — GCME closed first round of private placement for US $1.6 million. — Signed a production and distribution deal with Mega Vision Productions Limited for the new movie ‘Tough Guy.’ — Delivered its first script for its ‘True Love’ television series to be directed by famed director Wong Jing. — Signed a production and distribution deal for its ‘Poor Dad, Rich Dad’ television series with HuaYi Union Cultural Media Investment Company Limited. The series wrapped up shooting recently. Racemind HuaDing — Released 2007 Chinese Film Industry Overview. — Released Contracts Achievement for January, February and March 2008. — Signed service agreement with Siemens Ltd., China’s Transportation Systems group. Organized the 10th Anniversary Ceremony of Siemens Management Institute. — Selected by Microsoft China as an approved public relations vendor.For more information, please visit the Company website at .Forward-looking statements:This report contains “forward-looking” statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. All statements other than statements of historical facts included in this report are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties including, but not limited to, economic and political factors; developments of the Chinese and North American markets and changes in regulatory matters; our business strategies and future plans of operations; the market acceptance and amount of sales of our products and services; our historical losses; the competitive environment within the industries in which we compete; and our ability to raise additional capital, currently needed for expansion. The Company cautions that forward-looking statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements due to several important factors. For more information, please contact: Greater China Media & Entertainment Corp. Jake Wei Tel: 86-10-5921-2333Greater China Media and Entertainment Corporation

WASHINGTON, April 16 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — With its primary on April 22, Pennsylvania’s 2007 population of 12.4 million has a higher median age than the nation as a whole, a higher percentage of the non-Hispanic white-alone population and a lower percentage of Hispanics, according to U.S. Census Bureau statistics. About 65 percent of Pennsylvania’s voting-age citizens cast a ballot in the 2004 general election, about the same as the national rate of 64 percent.These and other statistics about Pennsylvania’s population at the state and local levels on topics ranging from language spoken to commute times can be found in the American FactFinder section of the Census Bureau Web site . More information about the nation’s voting record can be found in Voting and Registration in the Election of November 2004 at . Highlights include the following: Selected Characteristics Pennsylvania U.S. Median age 39.5 36.4 Women 51.4ACIORFIPROCENTE 50.7ACIORFIPROCENTE White alone, not Hispanic or Latino 82.1ACIORFIPROCENTE 66.4ACIORFIPROCENTE Black alone 10.7ACIORFIPROCENTE 12.8ACIORFIPROCENTE Hispanic or Latino 4.2ACIORFIPROCENTE 14.8ACIORFIPROCENTE Median household income $46,259 $48,451 Foreign born 5.1ACIORFIPROCENTE 12.5ACIORFIPROCENTE Persons below poverty 12.1ACIORFIPROCENTE 13.3ACIORFIPROCENTE Bachelor’s degree or higher (age 25 ) 25.4ACIORFIPROCENTE 27.0ACIORFIPROCENTE Median home value $145,200 $185,200Source: U.S. Census Bureau Total Population Estimates (2007), State Population Estimates by Characteristics (2006), American Community Survey (2006).Editor’s note: News releases, reports and data tables are available on the Census Bureau’s home page. Go to and click on “Releases.” Danielle Conceicao Public Information Office 301-763-3691/763-6340 (fax) 301-457-1037 (TDD) E-mail: U.S. Census Bureau

ATLANTA, Georgia, April 16 /PRNewswire/ — The GSM Association (GSMA) today announced the headline speakers for the Mobile Innovation Marketplace - Americas, which is being held in Atlanta, Georgia, June 3 - 4, 2008. Ralph de la Vega, President & CEO, AT&T Mobility; Michael Joseph, CEO, Safaricom, the leading mobile operator in Kenya; Bob Berner, EVP & CTO, Rogers Wireless, Canada; Ted Matsumoto, CSO, SoftBank Mobile Corp., Japan; Torbjorn Nilsson, Senior Advisor to the CEO, Ericsson; Michael Nash, EVP Digital Strategy & Business Development, Warner Music Group and Tom Wheeler, MD, Core Capital Partners, are some of the industry leaders who will discuss ways in which the mobile industry can encourage and leverage new and innovative ideas, products and services to help shape the future success of mobile communications.”With the calibre of experienced industry leaders headlining the event, I am sure we’ll see a lively debate focused on how new mobile products and services are developed and brought to market successfully,” said Bill Gajda, Chief Commercial Officer of the GSMA. “The event also offers innovators a valuable opportunity to pitch their products and services to decision makers and senior executives within the mobile operator and venture capitalist communities.”Some of the other speakers and panellists include:- Rajeev Chand, MD and Senior Equity Research Analyst for Wireless, Rutberg - David Christopher, CMO, AT&T Mobility - Patrick Gauthier, Senior VP, Innovation, Visa - Mohan Gyani, Vice Chairman, Roamware Inc. - Francis McDougall, CTO & Co-Founder, GestureTek - Neeraj Roy, CEO, Hungama Mobile - Ori Sasson, CEO, Zad Mobile Inc. - Christina Domecq, CEO, Spinvox - John Giere, CMO, Alcatel-Lucent - Chris Barraclough, MD, STL Partners - Mauro Sentinelli, Board Member, TIM Group - Will Hodgman, CEO & President, M:Metrics Inc. - Trevor Adey, CEO, Consilient - Jean Marc Harion, VP Business Development, Orange - Brian Cayce, Investment Director, Grey Matters Capital - Kamal Quadir, CEO, Cell BazaarThe GSMA Mobile Innovation Market is designed to identify the industry’s top priorities for new products and services and elevate the best-in-class innovations that are building them, as well as facilitate dialogue with potential interested customers or investors. The Mobile Innovation Market is hosting the Americas Marketplace event to bring together global thought leaders from the mobile industry’s innovative technology companies, operators, major brands, investors and key suppliers, as well as showcase the best innovators who will compete for a place on the global stage at the GSMA’s Mobile World Congress in February 2009 in Barcelona, Spain.The Mobile Innovation Marketplace - Americas will be a unique platform for top innovators competing for the Mobile Innovation Global Championship Competition. During the event, 15 emerging growth companies from around the world will compete in five innovation categories, reviewed by senior executives from mobile operators and venture capital organisations. One winner will be named in each of the following categories: - Most Innovative True Mobile Start-Up - Most Innovative Carrier Infrastructure or Platform - Most Innovative Consumer Application or Service - Most Innovative Mobile Application in a Vertical Market - Most Innovative Wireless Device Centric TechnologyFrom the five Category Winners, two will emerge as Global Finalists and win a trip to Barcelona to compete against other Global Finalists selected from regional Global Award tournaments in Macau and Barcelona, for the prestigious title of ‘2009 GSMA Mobile Innovation Global Champion’, which will be announced at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona next February.For further information about the Americas Marketplace event or to enter the Mobile Innovation Global Championship Competition, please visit or email .About the GSMA:The GSM Association (GSMA) is the global trade association representing more than 700 GSM mobile phone operators across 218 countries and territories of the world. In addition, more than 200 manufacturers and suppliers support the Association’s initiatives as key partners.The primary goals of the GSMA are to ensure mobile phones and wireless services work globally and are easily accessible, enhancing their value to individual customers and national economies, while creating new business opportunities for operators and their suppliers. The Association’s members serve more than 2.5 billion customers - 85ACIORFIPROCENTE of the world’s mobile phone users. The GSM Association (GSMA)

LONDON, April 9 /PRNewswire/ — Rather than a real marketing recession new research from creativebrief, the world’s only interactive database for the marketing services industry, shows the question is far more about how marketing will change, not contract. The latest evidence from the USA (Forbes, Reason Inc) and various UK reports from the IPA, Campaign magazine, Media Week and others all point to shifting sands in spend rather than any downturn.Martin Sorrell of WPP, has published his latest forecast, wrapped up in his ‘quadrennial event’ theory, that again points to 3.9ACIORFIPROCENTE increase in spend 2008, but that newspaper advertising revenue dropping by a massive 9.4ACIORFIPROCENTE in USA, will follow in UK.Paul Duncanson, MD of creativebrief, says: “This is a view creativebrief supports from our research amongst key UK based advertisers (Jan - Mar 2008). Year on year few are considering reductions in spend but calling for efficiencies in spend, focusing on measurable delivery. The results are already here to see in the continued boom in the online channel and a 10ACIORFIPROCENTE reduction in forecast TV revenue for May alone (media forecasts).”As advertisers seek to maximise returns, they turn to review their marketing channel strategies and then their suppliers. creativebrief is beginning to see the reticence and stability of the first quarter 2008 turn to more positive action by companies as they seek advice about where to spend their budgets with most effectively in this tighter economic environment.”All is not gloom on the broader economic front, and this is why we are not yet seeing massive cuts in marketing spend’, continues Paul Duncanson. ‘Latest HM Treasury forecasts (industry averaged) still show 2008 GDP growth of 1.8ACIORFIPROCENTE with inflation at 2.7ACIORFIPROCENTE and growth increasing in 2009 to 1.9ACIORFIPROCENTE whilst inflation reduces further to 2.4ACIORFIPROCENTE. Set this against falling unemployment statistics in the UK, at least to date and the outlook remains positive.”The key message from this first stage of findings from creativebrief’s clients is cautiously encouraging. Perhaps the lessons that are delivered through past experience (for example the recent IPA study based on 880 IPA effectiveness case studies) that reduction in marketing spends in economic downturns is self-defeating has been learned, at least by the more growth orientated brands.BackgroundThe first service of its kind, creativebrief connects buyers and sellers of marketing services (including advertising, creative, media and PR services). It utilises the latest and best digital technology, industry knowledge, research expertise and extensive database to provide a unique search and selection service for clients looking to find the best marketing services for their business.Service delivery is quick, confidential and totally objective covering every marketing sector, type and in every part of the world. creativebrief uniquely monitors new and emerging talent providing clients with up to date information on the fast changing supply market.The company was launched in UK in October 2002 by founder Tom Holmes and since this time has built up a client list of some of the leading international brands and agencies. The team has managed agency reviews in all four corners of the globe and across all major marketing sectors and for many different industries. Holmes says “our goal is to be the search engine, networking and procurement tool for the marketing industry”.The company remains privately owned and funded and hence totally objective and independent. For more information visit For more information please contact Paul Duncanson 44(0)20-7478-8200creativebrief UK Limited

NEW YORK, April 4, 2008 /PRNewswire/ — Engineering News-Record (ENR), McGraw-Hill Construction’s prestigious weekly publication and part of The McGraw-Hill Companies , yesterday presented its Award of Excellence to Clyde N. Baker, Jr., P.E., senior principal engineer at STS-AECOM. Baker’s major contributions to field of geotechnical engineering have firmed up the science of soils to support the extreme skyscrapers of tomorrow, including the Chicago Spire and Burj Dubai. Following the awards luncheon held earlier in the day, the 43rd annual black-tie awards dinner hosted 1,300 construction industry leaders at the New York Marriott Marquis in Times Square.During his 50 years as a geotechnical engineer, Baker has enabled designers and engineers to build super-high and super-confidently, as they pack in more valued space at less cost to developers. From his early days at the challenging site of Chicago’s John Hancock Center to today’s tallest buildings, Baker’s ability to analyze soil conditions, back up predictions with proven tests, and convey opinions with an expert yet easygoing style, has elevated Baker and his firm, STS-AECOM, to one of the world’s most sought-after geotechnical consultants and peer reviewers. Engineers the world over credit him with the pursuit of efficient foundations that result in economic options for building developers. Together with his team, Baker has worked on eight of the 20 tallest buildings in the world, including the Chicago Spire and Burj Dubai.”Today’s skylines would not look the same without the important work of Clyde Baker,” said Janice Tuchman, ENR editor-in-chief. “Considering the extreme pressures that these buildings place upon the earth and Baker’s role in raising allowable bearing loads, especially in the Chicago area, we are proud to award him for his lifelong contributions to the field, which have enabled the immense strides the industry has taken in recent years.”The recipient of the Award of Excellence and the Top 25 Newsmakers, also honored at yesterday’s award ceremonies, were selected from a large pool of nominees judged by ENR editors to have made the most important contributions to the industry and the public in 2007. ENR magazine and its website, ENR.com, are the leading sources of news, data, trends, and analysis in the construction industry.Baker joins a distinguished group of prior ENR Award of Excellence winners. Recent recipients of the award include Lewis E. Link, Jr., civil engineering professor at the University of Maryland, who headed the Interagency Performance Evaluation Taskforce that decoded Hurricane Katrina to improve natural hazard defense, and J. Dwayne McAninch, chairman and CEO of McAninch Corp., a leading advocate for the use of global positioning technology for earthmoving.Sponsors of the 43rd annual Award of Excellence include AECOM, The Associated General Contractors of America, Allied North America, AON Construction Services Group, Balfour Beatty Construction, Cianbro, Construction Management Association of America, CMiC, Figg Engineering Group, Hill International, HNTB, The Shaw Group, and Turner Construction.For more information or photos of the awards or winners, please visit ENR.com or contact Kathy Malangone at 212-904-4376 or .About McGraw-Hill ConstructionMcGraw-Hill Construction connects people, projects and products across the design and construction industry. For more than a century, the Company has remained North America’s leading provider of construction project information, plans and specifications, product information, industry news, and industry trends and forecasts. In print and online, the Company offers a variety of tools, applications, and resources that easily integrate with its customers’ workflows. Backed by the power of Dodge, Sweets (), Architectural Record (), Engineering News-Record (), GreenSource () and 11 regional publications, McGraw-Hill Construction serves more than one million customers within the $4.6 trillion global construction community. To learn more, visit .About The McGraw-Hill CompaniesFounded in 1888, The McGraw-Hill Companies is a leading global information services provider meeting worldwide needs in the financial services, education and business information markets through leading brands including Standard & Poor’s, McGraw-Hill Education, BusinessWeek and J.D. Power and Associates. The Corporation has more than 280 offices in 40 countries. Sales in 2007 were $6.8 billion. Additional information is available at . McGraw-Hill Construction

CHAPEL HILL, N.C., March 28 /PRNewswire/ — With continuing economic woes, applying quality initiatives to customer service areas must show return to gain management buy-in. “Use great service to help establish a premium for product opportunity in a downturn,” explained a benchmarking manager in new product development. “There is a greater need for service when there is a downturn.”At “Using Quality to Improve the Customer Experience,” the 10th annual customer experience conference hosted by Best Practices, LLC’s GLOBAL BENCHMARKING COUNCIL, executives from leading companies shared results from recent quality initiatives to improve the customer experience. Presentations ignited discussion among GLOBAL BENCHMARKING COUNCIL members and guests from 36 companies around hot-button issues such as strategic customer experience tools to increase customer advocacy, improving the company’s Web site to ensure positive customer experiences, creating a distinctive brand to drive financial performance, achieving call center excellence and more.Download a complimentary excerpt of the post-conference report at to view a list of companies in attendance, presenting companies and their topics of interest, and notes from two roundtable discussions on Creating World-Class Customer Experiences: Successes, Failures and Insights from the Front Lines. Topics covered included: — Listening to Customers to Identify Their Unmet Needs & Harvest Insights — Using Customer Insights for Growth & Performance Improvement — Innovations in Managing & Enhancing Customer ExperiencePlease mark your calendar and inform your colleagues about the 10th Annual HR Management Conference, “Leadership Development: Finding, Growing & Retaining Top Talent,” in Sarasota, Fla., June 4-6, 2008. Learn more about this unique learning and networking opportunity at .To discuss the line-up of conferences or to explore research and networking opportunities available to you through the GLOBAL BENCHMARKING COUNCIL service, contact Bridget Watson directly at 919.767.9238 or at .Best Practices, LLC’s GLOBAL BENCHMARKING COUNCIL ( ) is an innovative research, benchmarking and networking service for business executives in pharmaceutical and life sciences, consumer and industrial products manufacturing, financial services and other industries to promote top-line revenue growth, cost reduction and innovative problem-solving. Best Practices, LLC

CAIRO, Egypt, March 24 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ The American Islamic Congress today announced that its office in Cairo, Egypt, has published an Arabic comic book on Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy of nonviolence.Called “The Montgomery Story,” the comic book was published fifty years ago in the US and helped inspire the American civil-rights movement in the 1960s.”Nonviolent activism is needed in the Middle East more than ever,” said Dalia Ziada, director of AIC-Egypt. Ziada was profiled last Thursday by BBC World Report as a champion of nonviolent reform speaking out against female genital mutilation (of which she is a survivor).”Martin Luther King’s legacy offers a powerful alternative to violence, and we hope this new Arabic comic book can inspire young Middle Easterners to take responsible action for reform,” said Ziada.The comic book was printed in Cairo and will be distributed to thousands of readers across the region as well as released online.”A colorful comic book about a campaign that happened over fifty years ago in a far-off country is actually a great way to teach about nonviolence,” Ziada explained. “The struggle of Martin Luther King in Montgomery, when he was not even thirty years old, has lessons for young people today in the Middle East.”The comic book was translated and designed by young reformers in the region. It features full-color panels depicting the Montgomery Bus Boycott, a campaign to end segregation on buses in the capitol of the state of Alabama. The comic book ends with a section on “how the Montgomery Method works,” outlining essential techniques of nonviolence.”The comic book is being published to give people hope,” Ziada observed. “There were many obstacles in the way of the Martin Luther King, but his message and his techniques helped make his society stronger, safer, and more free. We hope for the same.”The American Islamic Congress is a civil-rights organization promoting tolerance and the exchange of ideas. With the motto “passionate about moderation,” the organization leads initiatives around the world and has offices in Washington, Boston, Egypt, and Iraq.To view the comic book online, visit American Islamic Congress