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Lack of Honest Communication Top Morale-Buster
Friday, July 02, 2004MENLO PARK, Calif. -- Employees and their managers agree on one thing: A lack of open, honest communication takes a heavy toll on morale.Fully 52% of executives and 30% of workers gave this response when surveyed recently by OfficeTeam about factors that negatively affect the workplace mood.Failing to recognize employee achievements was the second most common answer among both executives and workers.Next on the list of morale-busters is micromanaging employees, cited by about 17% of both groups.
Foreign Lobbyist Database Could Vanish
Friday, July 02, 2004By Kevin BogardusCenter for Public IntegrityWASHINGTON -- U.S. Justice Department officials say a huge database that serves as the public's lone window on lobbying activities by foreign governments has been allowed to decay to a point they cannot even make a copy of its contents.
Labor Department Reports Job Growth Slowed in June
Friday, July 02, 2004WASHINGTON -- Unemployment remained steady at 5.6%, but the pace of job growth slowed from previous months, the U.S. Labor Department reported today.The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that payroll employment increased by 112,000 jobs in June to 139 million jobs. But job growth was down sharply from the pace set in May, when the labor department reported 248,000 nonfarm jobs were created. The Associated Press reported this morning that stocks fell slightly following the report. Economists had expected more than double the number of new jobs reported for June.
Disaster Recovery Center Will Open in Mahoning County
Friday, July 02, 2004COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Mahoning County residents who suffered flood damage this spring can get assistance at a local office next week. Representatives of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Administration and the Ohio Emergency Management Agency announced today that five disaster recovery centers will open next week, including one in the Mahoning County Southside Annex Building in Youngstown. The center will be open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
"JPMorgan Chase, Bank One Complete Merger"
Thursday, July 01, 2004"NEW YORK -- Bank One offices will begin converting to branches of JPMorgan Chase state by state beginning early next year. J.P. Morgan Chase & Co. and Bank One Corp., Chicago, yesterday completed the merger of their holding companies. The financial services company, with assets of $1.1 trillion and operations in more than 50 countries, will operate under two distinct brands in the marketplace. JPMorgan will serve corporate and institutional clients as well as high-net-worth individuals across the globe. Chase will serve U.S.
"Sky Bank Signs Go Up, Second National Come Down"
Thursday, July 01, 2004"YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio -- Beginning this weekend, residents of the Mahoning Valley will no longer see Second National Bank signs or advertisements. Sky Financial Group Inc. this morning announced it has finished its acquisition of Second Bancorp Inc. and the changeover to the Sky Bank brand, products and operating systems has begun.The merger includes Second Bancorp's Stouffer-Herzog Insurance Agency Inc., based in Ashtabula. The agency will be integrated with Sky Insurance some time after the bank conversion is completed, officials said.The acquisition increases Sky's assets to $14.2 billion.
On Nearly Cloudless Day, Gen. Gjede Deluged by Showers"
Thursday, July 01, 2004VIENNA, Ohio -- Brig. Gen. Michael F. Gjede's last day as commander of the 910th Airlift Wing was much celebrated Wednesday as he navigated his last flight and returned, like the coach of the winning Super Bowl team, to be doused with water and champagne.The flight aboard a C-130 Hercules at the Youngstown U.S.
National City Completes Acquisition of Provident
Thursday, July 01, 2004CLEVELAND -- National City Corp. has completed its acquisition of Provident Financial Group Inc., officials announced today. Following conversion of its business systems to the National City platform, Provident Bank will be merged into National City Bank and building signage will change in early 2005.As a result of the acquisition, Provident Financial Group shareholders will receive 1.135 shares of National City common stock for each share of Provident common stock in a tax-free exchange.
Entertainment, Media Industry on Fast Track to Growth"
Thursday, July 01, 2004NEW YORK -- Global entertainment and media industry spending will increase at a 6.3% compound annual growth rate to $1.7 trillion in 2008, according to a new PricewaterhouseCoopers report.
Teens Worldwide Rank Unemployment as No. 1 Threat
Thursday, July 01, 2004COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. -- Nearly a third (30%) of teen responses to the first Junior Achievement Worldwide poll on global business indicates that "unemployment" is the No. 1 threat to their nations' economies. "Poverty" (18%) was seen as the second largest economic threat, followed by "political instability" (12%). "Lack of education" and "terrorism" tied for the next most popular answer (11% each) among participating students (who selected the top two economic threats).Teens in the United States named terrorism as the No.