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Wed. Apr. 25, 2012 U. of Washington taps Fidelity to manage its retirement plans Fidelity Investments said Wednesday that it has been hired to be the master administrator of retirement benefits for two retirement programs at the University of Washington. Those plans are available to more than 27,000 university employees and retirees, said Boston-based Fidelity, a financial services company whose products include workplace retirement plans for tax-exempt entities such as colleges and universities.	Advertisement
Governor Deval Patrick establishes Council for Innovation Governor Deval Patrick is establishing a Council for Innovation as part of an ongoing effort to use new technologies to find cost efficiencies in the delivery of government services. To form the council, Patrick has recruited venture capitalists, academics, and the founders of start-up companies. The council’s mandate is to advise the governor on how innovation and new technology can be used to streamline the delivery of government services and cut expenses at a time when the state government’s workforce is shrinking.
Tidy Cats offers free gas at Hub station as part of a kitty litter promotion Gas prices “stink,” but your cat’s litterbox won’t if you use its new kitty litter formula. So reasons Tidy Cats. To promote its Tidy Cats Scoop, a litter with state-of-the-art “Odor Eraser” properties, Tidy Cats is giving away free gas and gas discount cards Wednesday at the Shell gas station at 1241 Boylston St. in Boston. The promo is set to end at 2 p.m. --- or after 300 customers show up at the station.
Dassault, DMT, Immunetics to be feted with AIM Global Trade Awards The Associated Industries of Massachusetts, a trade group representing hundreds of businesses in the Bay State, is planning to honor Dassault Systèmes, Diamond Machining Technology, and Immunetics Inc. with its annual Global Trade Awards. The awards are bestowed on local firms, institutions, and public agencies of all sizes that have demonstrated excellence in international trade, said the association, which is also known as AIM. The awards are scheduled to be presented at AIM’s annual meeting May 11 at the Waltham Westin Hotel.
Staples launches managed print services offering for businesses Staples Advantage, the business-to-business division of office supply giant Staples Inc., said it is launching new print services for its business customers. Framingham-based Staples described its Staples Technology Solutions Managed Print Services as a way to help businesses to better control their print networks, achieve savings, and improve IT staff productivity.
Progress Software unveils strategic plan that includes layoffs of 10 to 15% of workforce Progress Software Corp., a Bedford-base maker of business software, unveiled a restructuring that includes layoffs as the company looks to evolve to a shift toward cloud computing. Progress is looking to become a leaner company by divesting non-core product lines and by workforce reductions. Plans call for the company’s global workforce to be reduced by 10 percent to 15 percent. A stock repurchase program is also part of the new strategic plan.
In rare public appearance, Fidelity chairman accepts ‘Distinguished Bostonians’ award In a rare public appearance, Fidelity Investments chairman Edward C Johnson 3d and his family accepted a Distinguished Bostonians award before an estimated crowd of 1,600 at the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce annual dinner.
Attorney general expected to detail program for Mass. homeowners threatened with foreclosure A new program to help prevent unnecessary home foreclosures, paid for with a $25 billion multistate morgage loan settlement with five major US lenders, is expected to be unveiled Wednesday by Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley. The program, HomeCorps, will offer $24 million in grants for borrowers facing foreclosure as well as aid to neighborhoods. The attorney general’s office said the program could benefit all Massachusetts borrowers facing foreclosure by offering them an evaluation of their financial situation and assistance from a loan modification specialist.
Luxury jeweler Shreve, Crump & Low gets ready to move to Newbury Street Shreve, Crump & Low, a luxury jeweler with a long local heritage, is now poised to open a three-level “flagship store” on Boston’s fashionable Newbury Street early next month. David Walker, who has owned Shreve since 2006, is “committed to opening the finest jewelry store in Boston, one with its own personality,” said Michael Groffenberger, vice president of operations for Shreve, Crump & Low. The new location will replace an existing store on Boylston Street that is set to close at the end of the month.
Samuel Adams is going national with its ‘Brewing the American Dream’ program The Boston Beer Co., which is best known for its Samuel Adams brand, is going national with an initiative that started out by seeking to help local small businesses. In 2008, Boston Beer debuted what it calls the “Brewing the American Dream” program, which works with microlender Accion in looking to help small businesses with mentoring support as well as with loans that generally run in the range of $1,000 to $20,000. In its early years, the program was limited to small businesses in New England.
Carney gets new president Steward Health Care System, parent company of Carney Hospital in Dorchester, named a new president for the hospital Tuesday: Andrew Davis, the former chief executive of the Davis Regional Medical Center in Statesville, N.C. Davis will start at Carney on May 7.
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