For Concord native Phyllis Meaders April 24, 2024, will be a day she will never forget. Afters years of dreaming, she finally achieved her long-awaited goal of becoming a homeowner, thanks to Habitat for Humanity Cabarrus County.
Meaders was officially handed the keys during a Wednesday afternoon ceremony at the home, located at 291 Academy Avenue, surrounded by her family, friends, Habitat Cabarrus officials and several volunteers who helped build the home, otherwise known as the Weekday Warriors.
“This means so much to be because this has been one of my dreams,” Meaders told the Independent Tribune in a brief interview before the ceremony. “It’s just a wonderful feeling being able to say, ‘This is going to be my forever home.'”
The many hardships Meaders has had to overcome, including losing her mother at a young age and losing her youngest son a few years ago, makes this moment all the more meaningful.
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“This is really emotional,” she said, noting her mother and son have been with her throughout the entire process.
Meaders will be living in the home, which is 1,030 square feet and includes three bedrooms and two bathrooms, with her great-niece Amiyah, though she has several children and grandchildren who will make frequent visits.
She first applied to become a Habitat homeowner in the summer of 2022; she was notified her application was approved in March 2023. Meaders completed the required 250 volunteer hours of sweat equity on her home and those of other homebuyers.
Nick Lovelace, president of the Habitat Cabarrus Board of Directors, attested to the Meaders’ determination, noting it is not easy to become a Habitat homeowner.
“When I think of endurance, I think of perseverance, and I know the perseverance that Phyllis has gone through in order to get to this point,” Lovelace said.
Meaders’ hard work to finally realize her new home gives hope to everyone that “this is the American Dream and you’re about to realize that today,” he added.
One of Meaders’ co-workers and good friends, Vicki Gaston, told the crowd that Meaders has always been a blessing to anyone she comes into contact with.
“She goes above and beyond sometimes–a lot of times,” said Gaston, who handed the keys to the home over to Meaders. “If anybody deserves this today, it is Phyllis. She has worked hard, she’s been through a lot and God has brought her a long way.”
During brief remarks, Meaders acknowledged the struggles she has experienced throughout her life. “But I made it through,” she said. “It’s nobody but God, he gave me the strength to keep going.”
Habitat Cabarrus has built 173 homes for those in the community, who are cost-burdened, since its inception in 1986, according to a Habitat Cabarrus press release. The organization will celebrate three additional new home dedications within the coming weeks.
Real estate inventory in parts of Florida is surging to uncomfortable levels — and sellers are beginning to slash prices, according to a report.
On the west coast of Florida, the number of houses up for sale and the rate at which their current owners are cutting asking prices is soaring, according to a report from real estate company Redfin released Thursday.
Redfin found that in the western parts of the state, whose coastline is on the Gulf of Mexico, inventory in Cape Coral and North Port has jumped the most, about 50% year-over-year as of March — more than any other US metro.
Trendy North Port-Sarasota saw homes for sale rise 48%, while the figure in upscale West Palm Beach, known to be home to wealthy snowbirds during the Northeast’s cold winters, rose a more modest 20%.
Of the 10 cities where sellers are most likely to slash their list prices, five alone are in Florida, including North Port-Sarasota — which had the highest share of listings reducing their prices in the country, at 48% — as well as Tampa, Cape Coral, Orlando and Jacksonville, Redfin found.
In recent years, “the North Port metro was one of the most competitive housing markets in the country because it was affordable for remote workers and there was a shortage of homes for sale, but none of those things are true today,” Eric Auciello, Redgin’s sales manager said in the report that was earlier reported on by Fortune.
“Sarasota, in particular, has been overvalued for decades, and the chickens have finally come to roost.”
As a result, many aspiring homeowners have been priced out of Florida altogether, instead opting for North Carolina or Tennessee to get more bang for their buck.
“Out-of-town homebuyers no longer see Florida as a place to get amazing value,” Auciello added.
Part of the reason: an insurance crisis, according to Redfin, which has been throwing a wrench into home purchases and delaying deals.
At the 11th hour, many buyers are realizing that they won’t be grandfathered into affordable home insurance rates that the owners before them enjoyed.
Auciello — whose own home insurance is now $14,000 a year, up from around $8,000 two years ago — noted that “a hefty insurance bill…can be a really big issue for someone buying a waterfront home on a smaller budget.”
Home insurance premiums in storm-battered Florida even has seniors growing concerned that they won’t be able to hang onto their homes.
Homeowners insurance in Florida ranges from $1,700 to $2,700 per year based on $300,000 in dwelling coverage and $100,000 of liability coverage, according to US News.
The insurance is required for those seeking a mortgage, forcing many buyers to reconsider how much they are willing to spend.
In addition, existing HOA fees for condo owners have doubled in the past year amid the growing threat from hurricanes.
However, the state had a fairly light hurricane season last year, with only Hurricane Idalia rumbling through the less-densely populated western region on Sept. 1.
It caused damages between $3 billion and $5 billion.
When Patrick Smitheman, of Harwood Estate Agents, heard that the group of nine artists were staging a unique exhibition at the Footprint Gallery in Jackfield he offered to sponsor the fliers and a reception on the opening evening on May 22.
Broseley-based artist Sam Waters approached Patrick whose offices are nearby.
“There’s a synergy between estate agents and artists, when a new home is found there is an exciting new beginning and space created for artwork,” she said.
“Nine different artists, from print making, paint, mixed media and ceramics to abstract landscapes, florals and statement portraits have come together to hire the Footprint Gallery for two weeks to showcase their work in the Beyond Boundaries Exhibition.
“Each day two artists will be in attendance to welcome visitors, have a chat about art or help visitors to select a piece that they love. Original artwork brings joy and a unique style to people’s homes,” said Sam.
“We are sharing the cost of hiring the gallery and Beyond Boundaries is our first exhibition together at The Footprint gallery which we hope will attract people from a wide area.
“The artists are grateful to Patrick for sponsoring our first event and we are looking forward to our collaboration,” she added.
Patrick said: “Harwood are really pleased to have been asked to play a little part in supporting the exhibition co-ordinated by Sam.”
The exhibition runs from May 22 to June 2, and is open daily from 10am-4pm with free entry. The Footprint Gallery is at Jackfield Tile Museum, Jackfield.
Action Global Communications is thrilled to announce its recognition as the Mediterranean Consultancy of the Year at the esteemed 2024 EMEA SABRE Awards, presented by Provoke Media. The prestigious accolade marks a significant milestone in Action’s illustrious journey, spanning over half a century of dedication, innovation, and commitment to fostering meaningful connections.
“The Mediterranean Consultancy of the Year accolade holds special significance for us as it marks a momentous milestone in our journey; a journey that spans over half a century of dedication, innovation, and commitment to fostering meaningful connections,” reflected on the achievement Chris Christodoulou, CEO, Action Global Communications, highlighting that the prestigious recognition comes exactly a decade after Action’s late founder, Tony Christodoulou, stood on stage to accept the very same honour.
“Receiving this award is a testament to the dedication and talent of our team members, as well as our steadfast commitment to excellence and making a positive impact in the world of communications,” added Chris Christodoulou.
The EMEA Consultancies of the Year accolades represent unrivalled independent analysis of the region’s best communications firms, with the final winners being selected from over 200 submissions from across the EMEA.
In the final assessment, Action earned acclaim in various areas, from our long-standing legacy and demonstrated ability to deliver impactful campaigns built on local insights, to our commitment to developing and promoting women into leadership roles. Additionally, our inaugural multi-market research, entitled “Media Navigator by Action,” which explored media consumption trends and public perception dynamics across seven diverse countries also received a special mention.
In addition to this prestigious honour, Action UAE’s multi-award-winning Got.Got.Need. initiative, a FIFA World Cup themed internal campaign also received an in2SABRE award in the PR Agency Employee Program category, adding yet another accolade to Action’s illustrious collection.
A leading estate agent’s Newark and Southwell offices have been acquired by a Lincolnshire firm after more than 30 years of trading.
Mundys is expanding into Nottinghamshire after acquiring Alasdair Morrison and Partners’ two town centre offices.
Mundys, which has two offices in Lincoln and one in Market Rasen, has bought the sales side of the business, taking its total number of offices up to five.
Alasdair Morrison has retained the residential lettings arm of the business as Alasdair Morrison Lettings and will operate as normal from the same offices.
He will also continue to work in the agency as a consultant.
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Alasdair Morrison said he’s delighted to be selling the business he’s invested over 30 years of his life in to a company which has such a high regard for its clients and staff.
Alasdair said: “I joined the agency in 1982 and became a partner in 1985 before rebranding it to Alasdair Morrison and Partners in 1990 and opening the Newark office in 1998.
“It’s been exciting and challenging and I’ve thoroughly enjoyed running the business and working in the property industry. However, after more than four decades in property sales I’m looking forward to joining forces with Mundys, which shares our values of honesty, integrity, trust and professionalism.
“There’s a lot of synergy between the two businesses, which are both run by chartered surveyors, and I’m sure Mundys will build upon and enhance the high-quality services we have become so well known for.”
Mundys senior partner Simon Bentley said the acquisition has significantly increased Mundys’ presence across the East Midlands.
“We’re delighted to have acquired Alasdair Morrison’s long-standing property sales business,” said Simon.
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“Alasdair Morrison and Partners is one of the leading estate agents in the area and has provided a fantastic service to the people of Nottinghamshire for over 30 years. Working with Alasdair’s existing team, we will use our skills, knowledge and experience to build on and enhance the existing provision.
“Both businesses share the same values of honesty, professionalism and quality and we offer very similar services, so there’s great synergy.
“Initially it will be very much business as usual in Newark and Southwell; the staff, who are all local people and can offer local knowledge and expert advice, will stay the same and we look forward to working with them to grow the business under the Alasdair Morrison and Mundys name in the future.”
Mundys was established in 1898 and has been awarded Best Estate Agency in Lincolnshire five years running and Best Letting Agency in Lincolnshire three years running at the UK Property Awards.
Most recently it was awarded Best in Postcode in the ESTAS Customer Service Awards 2023.
Mundys is also one of 800 independently owned agents from across the UK selected to join The Guild of Property Professionals based in Mayfair, London. Members work together to raise and maintain standards in the property industry and promote sellers’ properties across the network.
The founder of a construction consultancy firm is urging more professionals to share their expertise and knowledge with the younger generation.
Kevin Osbon, from Fiskerton, has been appointed as a Nottingham Trent University Alumni and Industry Fellow and wants to take the opportunity to encourage others in the industry to follow in his footsteps by working with their universities.
He studied as a mature student at Nottingham Trent University (NTU) in the late 1980s, gaining a BSc Hons in Construction Management in 1990 — four years later he set up Focus Consultants.
Since then, the multi-disciplinary company has grown to become a leading consultancy in the construction, sustainability, cultural and regeneration sectors, managing over £300 million of construction projects each year.
For the past eight years Kevin has been revisiting NTU as a lecturer after stepping back from frontline consultancy, although remains majority shareholder and operates as joint chairman of Focus Consultants.
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This reduced involvement in the company gave Kevin the opportunity to teach construction management, quantity surveying and construction commercial management, contract administration and control and finance at the university.
He hopes that by highlighting his professional journey, he can encourage others who have a wealth of experience in their respective careers to find a way to share that knowledge with the younger generation.
“When you come to the point of stepping away from frontline consultancy or construction work then all of that intellectual capital should not be lost,” he said.
“The over 50s have vast resources. I have basically had another career in the eight years that I have been working with NTU — gradually increasing my involvement from teaching to writing papers, contributing to books and various other initiatives. It’s been extremely stimulating.
“I never thought I would become a published author or be part of a team that won an internationally significant award for an academic paper, but that’s what has happened as a result of taking on a teaching role at NTU.
“Some over 50s took early retirement after the pandemic and the government is now encouraging them to return to the workplace.
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“This age group has a lot of wisdom and experience to share with the younger generation. They have a lot to give. In my view, the over 50s are a vastly untapped resource.
“There are stacks of people out there like me, who have had a successful first career but who could go on to have a second successful career in teaching, mentoring or training.”
The university is now able to tap into the knowledge and resources of the Focus Consultants team, while skilled graduates have a opportunity for employment with an industry leading company.
The partnership between the two organisations has recently been formalised in a three-year framework looking to provide deliverables such as:
• Knowledge exchange and building links with industry
• Provision of lecturers and guest lecturers
• Fostering talent and providing workplace opportunities for students and graduates
• Providing support and expertise for the new Centre for Sustainable Construction and Retrofit
• Collaboration on project work to facilitate hands-on student work experience
• Contributions to research initiatives leading to published works
Kevin added: “Little did I know that when I studied at Nottingham Trent University in the late 1980s that I would return to the university as a lecturer towards the end of my career and become involved in research and various initiatives leading to a strategic partnership between my consultancy and NTU.
“I’ve enjoyed a very fulfilling career in consultancy and I’m very proud of the business that myself, my partners and my colleagues have built up over the past 30 years.
“It feels good to be giving something back to help future generations and it’s also been extremely positive for me personally to have had a second career teaching in my 50s.
“I would encourage the over 50s to consider ways that they can share their knowledge and skills.
“It’s certainly something that I am very pleased to have done and would recommend it to others, if it’s relevant and appropriate for them.”
The tender for the project was initially floated by BPCL in February, inviting proposals from various firms. Ahasolar Technologies emerged as the winner, presenting a compelling proposal for the venture.
Under the terms of the contract, Ahasolar Technologies is tasked with overseeing the entire project lifecycle, from concept to commissioning, ensuring adherence to stringent quality standards and engineering practices. The project aims to supply renewable energy to three of BPCL’s key refineries: Mumbai Refinery (8 MW), Bina Refinery (22 MW), and Kochi Refinery (16 MW).
The consultancy firm’s responsibilities encompass a wide range of tasks, including the preparation and finalization of engineering and tender documents, technical specifications, and the engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) contract terms. Ahasolar Technologies will also manage the technical and financial evaluation of EPC bids received by BPCL, ensuring the selection of the most suitable contractors for the project.
Additionally, Ahasolar Technologies will play a crucial role in planning, supervising, and executing project activities, as well as overseeing commissioning processes. Post-commissioning support will also be provided to ensure the project’s smooth transition to operational status and stabilization.
Tata Consultancy Services is currently trading at Rs. 4045.80, up by 45.50 points or 1.14% from its previous closing of Rs. 4000.30 on the BSE.
The scrip opened at Rs. 3995.00 and has touched a high and low of Rs. 4062.75 and Rs. 3974.90 respectively. So far 23525 shares were traded on the counter.
The BSE group ‘A’ stock of face value Rs. 1 has touched a 52 week high of Rs. 4254.45 on 18-Mar-2024 and a 52 week low of Rs. 3070.30 on 17-Apr-2023.
Last one week high and low of the scrip stood at Rs. 4030.00 and Rs. 3916.60 respectively. The current market cap of the company is Rs. 1447343.55 crore.
The promoters holding in the company stood at 72.41 % while Institutions and Non-Institutions held 22.54 % and 5.03 % respectively.
TCS has reported results for fourth quarter (Q4) and year ended March 31, 2024. Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) has reported rise of 16.26% in its net profit at Rs 11,393 crore for the quarter under review as compared to Rs 9,800 crore for the same quarter in the previous year. Total income of the company increased by 4.06% at Rs 53,294 crore for Q4FY24 as compared Rs 51,213 crore for the corresponding quarter previous year.
On consolidated basis, the company has reported rise of 9.32% in its net profit at Rs 12,502 crore for fourth quarter ended March 31, 2024 as compared to Rs 11,436 crore for the same quarter in the previous year. Total income of the company increased by 3.41% at Rs 62,394 crore for Q4FY24 as compared Rs 60,337 crore for the corresponding quarter previous year.
For the year ended March 31, 2024, the company has reported 11.38% rise in its net profit at Rs 43,559 crore as compared to Rs 39,106 crore for the previous year. Total income of the company increased by 7.12% at Rs 2,09,632 crore for year under review as compared to Rs 1,95,682 crore for year ended March 31, 2023.
For the year ended March 31, 2024, on the consolidated basis, the company has reported 8.97% rise in its net profit at Rs 46,099 crore as compared to Rs 42,303 crore for the previous year. Total income of the company increased by 7.16% at Rs 2,45,315 crore for year under review as compared to Rs 2,28,907 crore for year ended March 31, 2023.
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Fujifilm said Friday it would increase its investment in a planned biotech plant in North Carolina by $1.2 billion at a time when Japan-US trade ties are in the spotlight.
The cash injection to ramp up output to meet growing demand for antibody drugs brings “the total investment in the facility to over $3.2 billion”, the company said.
It plans for the facility to reach full capacity by 2028 and says its total investment will create 1,400 local jobs.
The announcement comes with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on a tour to the United States as a state guest.
Marring the mood between Washington and Tokyo at the summit has been President Joe Biden’s opposition to Nippon Steel’s proposed $14-billion acquisition of US Steel, based in the key election battleground state of Pennsylvania.
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A planned visit by Kishida to Toyota and Honda factories in North Carolina on Friday to highlight Japanese investment is seen as an attempt to soothe fears about the deal.
Kishida told reporters in the southern state on Thursday evening that “in terms of economic relations, Japan is the world’s largest investor in the US and creates significant employment”.
“From tomorrow, I would like to use the visit to see how Japanese companies… are contributing to the US economy,” he said, touting “the great importance of promoting investment on both sides in driving the global economy”.
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Fujifilm announced its original investment in the large-scale cell culture facility in North Carolina, part of its pharmaceutical business, in 2021.
The investment is part of its strategy of enabling the firm “to construct identical large-scale production facilities” in the United States and Europe, it said.
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The US business employs about 45,000 people in 65 countries, a workforce which has ballooned 60pc from 28,000 people in 2018.
Recent efforts to trim its headcount include a voluntary notice period scheme targeting consultants across McKinsey’s UK and US offices.
Under the terms of the scheme, UK employees can spend nine months looking for new jobs while receiving full pay.
It follows sweeping job losses under one of the largest restructurings in McKinsey’s 98-year history, dubbed Project Magnolia.
The overhaul announced last year eliminated 1,400 jobs in back-office and support functions, including human resources, communications and IT.
The layoffs reportedly attracted criticism from among the company’s 750 senior partners who accused Bob Sternfels, global managing partner of the firm, of mishandling the process.
McKinsey, which recorded $16bn (£13bn) of revenue last year, is often called on by companies and governments needing help cracking their toughest problems.
However, the business has since warned 3,000 consultants that their performance is unsatisfactory and needs to improve.
Underperforming employees typically have three months to improve before being counselled to leave the business altogether.
The slowdown has also forced McKinsey to cut the number of new people promoted to its partnership and to defer partner bonuses.