Articulon News and Announcements

BRI Appoints New Chairman

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RTP, N.C. (April 28, 2011)—North Carolina Agricultural Biotechnology company BioResource International, Inc. (www.briworldwide.com) announces today that president and co-founder Giles Shih, Ph.D. has been named as chairman. His father and co-founding partner Jason Shih, Ph.D. is stepping down from the chairmanship role and will continue his work with the company in an advisory capacity.

In a written statement presented to the BRI board of directors last month, Jason Shih expressed his pride in BRI achieving its position as one of the 10 fastest-growing businesses in the Triangle in 2010, as recognized by the Triangle Business Journal’s Fast 50 Award. He also credits the management team under Giles’ leadership in driving the company from start-up developmental phase to a revenue generating business.

Giles Shih has a Ph.D. in Microbiology and Molecular Genetics from Emory University, as well as an MBA from the Fuqua School of Business at Duke University. Prior to co-founding BRI, he served as a consultant for biotechnology venture capital firms. He serves on the Advisory Board of the North Carolina State University Technology Incubator and is active in the North Carolina World Trade Association and North Carolina Chinese Business Association.

About Former Chairman Jason Shih, Ph.D.:
Shih, a native of Hunan, China, is a longtime advocate for building Sino-American relationships. Dr. Shih accompanied North Carolina Governor James Hunt on his first mission to China in 1998. In the years since, he has traveled extensively between North Carolina, China and Taiwan, serving as an Adjunct Professor at China Agricultural University in Beijing from 2003-05 and Distinguished Visiting Professor at Academica Sinica in Taiwan since 2007. In 2009, Dr. Shih retired as a professor from North Carolina State University’s Department of Poultry Science after 33 years of service He and his wife, Jane Shih, split their time between Taipei, Taiwan and their home in Cary, North Carolina.

About BioResource International, Inc.:
BRI is an RTP-based biotechnology company focused on harnessing the natural power of enzymes. Through the discovery and development of innovative animal feed enzymes, BRI hopes to create a future for animal agriculture that is both economically and environmentally sustainable from farm to fork. Founded by Drs. Jason and Giles Shih, BRI has developed two products, Versazyme® and Valkerase®, that are distributed to more than 80 countries worldwide. BRI continues to research science-based solutions to aid growing agricultural and industrial markets around the world. For more information, visit www.briworldwide.com.

Geami Packaging Products Added to Library of Innovative Materials

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RALEIGH, N.C. (April 28, 2011) – Engineers from Fortune 500 companies will now find Geami sustainable products (www.geami.com) in the Material ConneXion archives. For brands like Adidas and Whole Foods, Material ConneXion (www.materialconnexion.com) is the go-to resource when designing the next generation of products and packaging. A Certificate of Excellence in Material Development was awarded to Geami by an international panel of material experts as a result of their product assessment. Geami products will take their place alongside a biodegradable paper alternative and a liquid coating used to produce metallic effects on packaging substrates.

“We are honored that our products have been approved for inclusion in this esteemed library,” says Marcelo Passos, vice president of Geami. “This will introduce our product line to a larger audience of packaging designers.”

Using a patented process to convert ordinary kraft paper into a honeycomb web of angled cells when expanded, the size of Geami paper is 60 percent more than that of the original kraft paper. The resulting honeycomb web provides impact deflection and shock absorption better than foams, bubble wrap and air pillows of equal volume.

Designed as a sustainable packaging alternative for shipping fragile and breakable products, inclusion in the library opens the door to new markets and customers, explains Passos.

About Geami: Geami® uses patented technology to create paper-based protective packaging that prevents damage during the shipment of fragile materials. Founded in 1994 and based in Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina, Geami is a privately held company serving Fortune 500 companies, Top 100 catalogers and light-volume shippers worldwide. The 100 percent recyclable Geami product serves as a cost-effective alternative for oil-based materials such as foams, bubble packaging and air pillows. Nearly 20,000 packages are shipped daily with their contents protected by Geami. Visit http://www.geami.com.

About Material ConneXion® Material ConneXion is a global materials consultancy and library of innovative and sustainable materials. Built on the belief that Every Idea Has A Material Solution™, Material ConneXion is the trusted advisor to Fortune 500s, smaller forward-thinking companies, and government agencies seeking a creative, competitive, or sustainable edge through strategic material selections. With offices in New York, Bangkok, Istanbul, Cologne, Milan and Daegu, Korea, Material ConneXion’s international network of specialists provides a global, cross-industry perspective on materials and their potential uses. Material ConneXion maintains the largest subscription-based Materials Library of innovative materials and processes in the world – a vital design tool and an indispensable asset to a wide audience of designers and architects and a vital design tool for the development of design, industry and economy.

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Identity Theft…10 Simple Steps to Protect Yourself

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Last year, more than 8 million Americans were victims of identity theft, resulting in a loss of $37 billion. In North Carolina alone, nearly 300,000 people are victimized each year. The average person spends about 59 hours and $631 recovering from ID theft. It’s pretty staggering when you stop and think about it.ID Theft Image

Although I have not been victimized, I do know someone who is going through the painful process of fixing their credit after someone used their identity unscrupulously. The interesting thing I found when talking to her about this, is that, unlike many common beliefs that ID theft happens with your bank account or credit cards, her pain has been caused by someone setting up phone and cable service using her name.

So what can we do to reduce the risk of identity theft? Thanks to our friends at the Better Business Bureau serving Eastern North Carolina, here are 10 everyday steps you can take to protect yourself:

  1. Secure your personal documents at home.
    Securing your personal documents at home is always a good idea, especially if you have roommates, employ outside help or are having work done in your house.
  2. Shred any mail that you don’t want to keep.
    This includes credit card applications, insurance forms, financial statements, health forms and billing statements. Also cut up expired credit and debit cards.
  3. Monitor your bank and credit card transactions thoroughly.
    Criminals with your account number generally start with small transactions to see if you’ll notice.
  4. Protect your Social Security number, all account numbers and passwords.
    Don’t carry these numbers in your wallet. Also, minimize the personal information you print on checks. You don’t need to include your Social Security number, phone number or driver’s license number.
  5. Never respond to emails requesting to “verify” your personal information and identifiers.
    Your bank, credit card company, online payment system, the IRS—none of these organizations will call or email asking for your confidential information. They already have it.
  6. Don’t create obvious passwords.
    Mix in some numbers with capital and lowercase letters.
  7. Never use e-mail to communicate sensitive personal information.
    Examples of such personal information are your user name, passwords, Social Security number or credit card number.
  8. Don’t use your PDA or cell phone to store bank information.
    Consumers should never store bank information such as credit card numbers or other financial information on their cellular devices.
  9. Keep your computer system and browser software up to date and set the highest security level you can tolerate.
    Back up your data regularly on a separate storage device and never store passwords or financial information on your hard drive.
  10. Check your credit report at least once per year.
    There is only one source authorized to give you ONE FREE annual credit file disclosure per year from each of the three consumer reporting companies. Call 877.322.8228 or visit www.AnnualCreditReport.com. Call every four months to receive a report from Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. Doing so will help you keep an even closer eye on your rating.
    BBB Secure Your ID Day

BBB is also hosting its semi-annual “Secure Your ID” day local shredding event on Saturday, April 16. The organization encourages you to bring up to three bags or boxes of documents (no binders please) and they will shred them for you on the spot for free. The event is rain or shine and takes place from 8:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in the parking lot of Coastal Federal Credit Union on St. Albans Drive in Raleigh. More information is available at www.easternnc.bbb.org/secure-your-id. It’s a great way to clean out your files, especially right as the deadline for filing your taxes approaches. We’ll be there and you should too, so come out and see us.

N.C. Biotech Company to Build Facility in China

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RTP, N.C. (April 12, 2011) — BioResource International, Inc. (www.briworldwide.com), a North Carolina-based agricultural biotechnology company, announces today the signing of a formal agreement to construct a manufacturing facility in China. BRI has partnered with Taiwan-based Yung Zip Chemical Industrial Co., Ltd. and Yung Shin Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. to purchase the land and begin construction in Tianmen, a city in Hubei Province, China. The plant will be used to produce BRI’s patented natural feed additives that improve chicken and pig nutrition, thereby lowering costs and reducing waste associated with farming operations.

The decision is a result of the growth in global demand for products such as BRI’s Versazyme® and Valkerase.® The global feed additives market is expected to reach $18 billion by  2015, according to a 2010 report by Global Industry Analysts, Inc.

“We  are excited to work with our partners and the government of Tianmen,”  says Giles Shih, Ph.D., BRI president and CEO. “This project is a great  fit with our three-fold strategic plan of investing in strong global  partnerships, environmental sustainability and long-term profitable  growth.”

The  construction and operations of the China manufacturing facility will  support economic development for the region and provide immediate economic and environmental benefits for the rapidly growing poultry and   swine industry in greater Asia. Moreover, the strategic location in  China will allow BRI to be closer to Asian consumers, thereby reducing  the carbon footprint and the shipping time involved in delivering  products.

Construction  is scheduled to begin this summer and the new facility will be  operational by the end of 2012. Once complete, the new facility will  serve the needs of mainland China, while BRI’s U.S. facility in Apex,  North Carolina will focus on filling orders across the Americas, Southeast Asia and the Middle East. BRI’s RTP headquarters will continue  to be the center for new product development and innovation.

About BioResource International, Inc.: BRI is an RTP-based biotechnology company focused on harnessing the natural power of enzymes. Through the discovery and development of innovative animal feed enzymes, BRI   hopes to create a future for animal agriculture that is both  economically and environmentally sustainable from farm to fork. Founded by  Drs. Jason and Giles Shih, BRI has developed two products, Versazyme® and Valkerase®, which are distributed to more than 80 countries worldwide. BRI continues to research science-based solutions to aid growing agricultural and industrial markets around the world. For more information, visit www.briworldwide.com.

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HPG Partner Brooks Malone Coaches Duke Business Students

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RALEIGH, N.C. (March 21, 2011) — Hughes Pittman & Gupton, LLP (www.hpg.com), one of the largest CPA firms headquartered and staffed in the Research Triangle Park region of North Carolina, announces today that partner Brooks Malone is serving as a judge for the Duke Start-Up Challenge and as a “Coach on Call” for the DUhatch Student Business Incubator program. This is the 3rd consecutive year Malone has supported Duke students in their entrepreneurial efforts.

“The Start-Up Challenge and the DUhatch incubator are two great opportunities Duke offers to gain practical and valuable experience,” says Malone. “I am proud to work with the students as they develop their entrepreneurial vision.”

This is the 11th year Duke has held the Start-Up Challenge. Spanning the entire academic year, teams progress through a series of competitions that include presenting an elevator pitch, presenting an executive summary, submitting a business plan and making an investor pitch presentation.

From the original 110 student teams, seven finalists will be invited to give a second investor pitch during the Investor Pitch Finals. At the Grand Finale, the winning team is revealed and both the finalists and runners-up take part in an elevator pitch competition. The winning team will receive $50,000.

The DUhatch student business incubator connects enterprising students with faculty and industry mentors, gives them office space and facilitates business development. As a “Coach on Call” Malone meets one on one with prospective and early-stage company entrepreneurs to discuss questions they may have and offer financial advice.

About Hughes Pittman & Gupton, LLP (HPG): HPG is one of the largest CPA firms headquartered and staffed in the Research Triangle Park region of North Carolina, as ranked by the Triangle Business Journal. More than just an accounting firm, HPG assists clients in looking beyond the bottom linesm by being the right people, right value and right firm to achieve each client’s definition of success. HPG is a member of CPAmerica International and affiliated with the Crowe Horwath International alliances of firms, with offices worldwide. The firm leverages this to provide national and global accounting resources to its clients. HPG offers a wide array of business accounting, auditing, corporate tax and management advisory services. Specialties include serving owner-managed, investor-backed technology and life science organizations, healthcare services, real estate development, manufacturing and distribution businesses, as well as providing ERISA audits, family wealthcare services and Sarbanes-Oxley internal audit services.

HPG has remained committed to advancing a thriving Triangle community since its founding in 1983. In recognition, the firm is the recipient of two Pinnacle Business Awards by the Greater Raleigh Chamber of Commerce; the 2009 Large Entrepreneurial Business Award and the 2010 Integrity in Business Award. Additionally, HPG has been certified Green Plus by the Institute for Sustainable Development for integrating environmental sustainability efforts into company culture, and has been named one of the top 100 Best Accounting Firms to Work For in the country by Accounting Today. Visit www.hpg.com or follow HPG on Twitter at http://twitter.com/HPGcpas.

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