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Tue. May. 08, 2012 Bob Badavas is the new CEO of PlumChoice PlumChoice Inc., a Billerica company that provides computer technical support services, said Tuesday that Bob Badavas has been appointed to the posts of president and chief executive. Badavas has been a member of the company’s board of directors since 2011. Previously, he was with TAC Worldwide, where he served as chief executive. At PlumChoice, Badavas succeeds company founder Ted Werth, who now serves in the newly created role of chief strategy and products officer, PlumChoice said. Werth remains company chairman.	Advertisement
Objet ‘print out’ of Fenway Park is now on Youtube. And, say, is that the Spaceman? Objet Ltd., a company specializing in 3D printing, recently unveiled a 100th birthday present to Fenway Park: A 3D print-out of the famous Red Sox landmark. Objet, which has offices in Billerica, has everything from machinery that can help create visual effects for Hollywood movies such as “Iron Man” to printers that are used to make rapid prototypes of new products. Objet has posted a Youtube video on its Fenway project. Added bonus: Former Red Sox star Bill Lee --- a.k.a. the Spaceman --- can be seen offering some base-running tips.
Sports Authority gears up for Watertown store opening Sports Authority, a sporting goods chain with about 470 locations, said that it will celebrate the grand opening Saturday of its newest store, which is located at the Arsenal Mall in Watertown. The new story occupies roughly 30,000 square feet of space, the Colorado-based company said, and it uses a new format that features simplified layouts and brighter lighting to showcase such brands as Nike, Under Armour, Adidas, the North Face, and TaylorMade.
Linear Retail buys retail space in Boston’s Back Bay for $4.92m Linear Retail Properties, a Burlington-based operator and owner of retail properties, has purchased the ground level at 727-731 Boylston St. in Boston’s Back Bay neighborhood for $4.92 million. What the firm has acquired is a retail condominium with 4,479 square feet of space. The space is currently occupied by an Uno Chicago Grill restaurant on a stretch of Boylston Street between Exeter and Fairfield streets. The seller, Spencer Family LLC, is managed by Aaron D. Spencer, founder of Pizzeria Uno, the previous name of Uno Chicago Grill.
Dunkin’ Donuts distribution center is planned for Phoenix A distribution and purchasing cooperative of Dunkin’ Donuts franchisees has signed a lease for a distribution center in Phoenix, which will be the cooperative’s first warehouse located west of the Mississippi River. For the last several years, the parent of Dunkin’ Donuts has been pursuing ambitious expansion plans. While Dunkin’ cafes are seemingly ubiquitous in Greater Boston, they can be thin on the ground in other parts of the country, particularly out West. The Phoenix distribution center should help support the chain’s western expansion.
Mass. pending home sales rose for 12th straight month The number of Massachusetts single-family homes put under agreement in April was up 35.6 percent when compared with the same month last year, the Massachusetts Association of Realtors said Tuesday. It was the 12th straight month of such gains, the association added. The number of Bay State condos put under agreement in April was up 30.9 percent on a year-to-year basis. This metric is referred to as pending sales. Some real estate analysts think pending sales can give a snapshot of where the housing market might be heading.
Facebook pitches Boston investors on coming IPO Tuesday’s Boston presentation of the Facebook Inc. road show, as the giant social media company holds meetings with investors and analysts ahead of its initial public offering, closed this morning without an appearance by Mark Zuckerberg, the company’s co-founder, who was reported to be in the city. More than 200 investment bankers and potential investors gathered at the Four Seasons Hotel for the presentation, which was conducted by Facebook chief operating officer Sheryl Sandberg and chief financial officer David Ebersman.
Eleven Biotherapeutics secures $20m and expands Series A financing Eleven Biotherapeutics Inc., a Cambridge biopharmaceutical company, said Tuesday that it has secured $20 million dollars in Series A equity financing, expanding the total Series A investment to $45 million. New investor, JAFCO Co. Ltd., a Tokyo-based private equity firm, joined the Series A financing with a $10 million investment; $10 million was also received from commitments from existing investors, Third Rock Ventures and Flagship Ventures. Third Rock and Flagship helped found Eleven Biotherapeutics in 2010.
Massachusetts to receive $19.8 million as part of multi-state settlements with Abbott Laboratories Massachusetts will get $19.8 million as part of a pair of multi-state settlements with Illinois drug company Abbott Laboratories, which agreed to pay a total of $900 million and plead guilty to violating a federal drug law to resolve charges of illegal off-label marketing. The settlements revolve around the company’s promotion of the anti-seizure medication Depakote for off-label uses over a 10-year period. In one, Abbott will pay the states and federal government $800 million in civil damages and penalties.
Babe Ruth’s Sudbury home for sale The Sudbury house that Babe Ruth owned after he was sold to the New York Yankees in the 1920 is for sale. And while it looks to be little changed from the outside, inside it is a far cry from the house that Ruth knew.
Facebook’s Zuckerberg said to meet would-be investors Facebook Inc. chief executive Mark Zuckerberg is meeting would-be investors as the largest social-networking service begins marketing its initial public offering, said a person with knowledge of the matter. Facebook, after meeting potential shareholders in New York Monday, has arranged meetings in Boston and Palo Alto, Calif., this week. The person who discussed Zuckerberg’s attendance asked not to be identified because the meetings are private. CNBC televised footage of a hooded sweatshirt-clad Zuckerberg arriving at the Sheraton New York Hotel.
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