Ideal Business Consultants

We know CEOs have it good … but this good? The New York Times had executive pay data firm Equilar analyze bigwigs 2010 compensation, and what Equilar found wasnt just a gain. It was a big, big gain: a 23% boost over 2009, with the median pay for chief executives at 200 large companies clocking in at $10.8 million. Thats not back to where it was pre-recession, but, as the Times notes, it definitely seems headed in that direction.

As for whats behind the jump, Equilar found that cash bonuses were resurrected by many firms, and were up 38% over the year prior. Some of the increase could be “makeup pay,” too, with corporate boards deciding to be more generous to execs who weathered the leaner years.

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Railroad historian and author John Taibi will give a guest lecture called “Along the Cobles Kill and D&H Heritage Trail” at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, July 13 at The Cave House Museum of Mining & Geology. The museum is located at 139 Blowing Rock Road, next to the original entrance to Howe Caverns. The event is free and open to the public.

Mr. Taibi will give an overview of the railroad corridor between Albany, Schenectady and Binghamton and will focus on the Central Bridge to Richmondville-Summit section where the Cobles Kill rises, falls and then deposits its water into the Schoharie Creek.

Mr. Taibi is the curator of the Franklin Museum & Community Museum in Ithaca and is publishing his 10^th book this fall. He

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Farmville may be booming, but the games success hinges precariously in a co-op with Facebook. Zynga—the company behind the social-gaming phenomenon—filed for a $1 billion IPO today, and the language in the document mentions Facebook more than 200 times, points out Fast Company. Its a warning to potential investors that if the relationship sours or if Facebook courts Zynga competitors, the rosy outlook could change.

“We generate substantially all of our revenue and players through the Facebook platform and expect to continue to do so for the foreseeable future,” reads the companys IPO statement. “An

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Bank of America has, as expected, reached an agreement for an $8.5 billion settlement with a group of disgruntled investors who lost truckloads of money buying mortgage-backed securities from Countrywide Financial, the bank announced today. It’s the largest payoff yet from a financial services firm, the Wall Street Journal reports, and it may embolden other financial crisis victims to file suits of their own.

The Bank said that the payment would “resolve nearly all” of its Countrywide obligations—BofA bought Countrywide in 2008 for $4 billion. It will hand over the money to Bank of New York Mellon Corp., which will then distribute it to other investors. The mov

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Using your holiday weekend to clean out your basement and/or garage? Got household hazardous waste you don’t know what to do with?

Bring it to the Elkhart County Correctional Facility, C.R. 7 at C.R. 26 (enter from C.R. 7), Elkhart, between 8 a.m. and 3 p.m. Saturday. That’s the location for the monthly household hazardous waste collection sponsored by the county’s Solid Waste Management District.

Accepted items include oil-based paints, motor oil, gasoline, pesticides, medications and household cleaners. Materials should be in their original, labeled containers if possible. No co

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National Grid PLC, the British parent company of National Grid, has appointed Sir Peter Gershon to succeed Sir John Parker as chairman.

Gershon, who is currently chairman of a international food conglomerate and a healthcare company, will join the National Grid board Aug. 1 and will assume the chairman duties Jan. 1.

Of note, National Grid says that Tate & Lyle PLC, the food company he is chairman of, has extensive business interests in the U.S. The U.S. also represents a huge amount of the companys business.

National Grid has been reorganizing its U.S. business units in New York and New England, so Gershons experience dealing with the U.S. markets could have been a key attribute.

UP TO 30,000 sq ft of office and workspace is to be created in Anfield.

A scheme at Anfield Business Centre aims to attract fledgling and existing small businesses, including gaming and media operators, to a five-storey development in Breckfield Road South.

It involves the conversion of a former Department of Work and Pensions office block into new workspace, as part of a £500,000 refurbishment, including £208,569 of backing by small business support agency Stepclever.

Anfield Business Centre manager, Chris Dunford, said: “We plan to offer new, modern, serviced offices over 30,000 sq ft, aimed at attracting new business start-ups and established businesses to the area, thus creating new local employment opportunities.

“We will be introducing services such as hot-desking, reception services, a coffee bistro, and also a Dark Fibre internet link in collaboration with AIMES Grid Services, with a view to attracting creative companies to the business centre, at affordable easy-in easy-out agreements.”

He added: “Anfield, as is often reported, is a deprived area. We genuin

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Strong demand in the rental market means landlords are in a good position to increase rents, it has been suggested.

More non-homeowners are looking to rent rather than getting on the property owning ladder and likely to continue upward. Research from Halifax shows that renting is seen as the norm and Britain is predicted to become a nation of renters within the next generation.

Many young people have given up all hope of raising a deposit to buy their own home due to being hindered by higher deposits and tougher lending criteria.

Alison Blackwell, of the National Centre for Social Research said:

“The phenomenon of Generation Rent could have major socio-economic implications. ”

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