BizAims

No conversation about the vibrant city of New Orleans would be complete without talking about the succulent seafood dishes and distinctive flavor of New Orleans-Style cuisine. At the heart of all this delicious discussion would surely be the name Zatarain's. That's because Zatarain's has been an important part of New Orleans-Style cooking for over 100 years and a key ingredient in the city's rich cultural heritage.

Today, families everywhere have fallen in love with the delicious flavor of these zesty seasoned productsand recipes. The reason for the popularity of Zatarain's is that it truly captures the flavor and rich texture of New Orleans-Style cooking.

The tradition for making such amazing food was started well before the turn of the century by a man named Emile A. Zatarain, Sr. In 1889, he obtained the company's first product trademark and started to market root beer. Shortly after, he began to produce mustards, pickled vegetables, and extracts. As the business grew, so did the demand for a broader range of products. Through their expertise in blending spices, the company established a reputation for making only the most authentic New Orleans-Style food. In 1963, the Zatarain family sold the business which was then moved to Gretna, Louisiana, a suburb of New Orleans.

Today, Zatarain's is the nation's leading maker of New Orleans-Style food products. Zatarain's prides itself on great taste, high quality, and a near fanatical dedication to New Orleans cuisine. Interestingly, Zatarain's is as much a tradition at backyard barbeques as it is at formal dinners. It's amazing to think that, from such humble beginnings, the company has grown to make over 200 food products from Rice Dinner Mixes, Pasta Dinner Mixes, Breadings, Seasoning & Spices, to Seafood Boils, Stuffing Mixes, and other products based on authentic New Orleans-Style foods and seafood preparation.

WPS formed in 1883 as the Oshkosh Gas Light Company and incorporated as Wisconsin Public Service Corporation in 1922.

In 1947, the Public Service Bayside Plant, near the mouth of the Fox River, was renamed the J.P. Pulliam Plant to honor the long-time president.

WPS was first listed for trading on the New York and Midwest stock exchanges in 1953. In September 1994, we became a subsidiary of WPS Resources Corporation, a holding company approved by shareholders in May 1994. Then in February 2007, WPS Resources Corporation became Integrys Energy Group.

The company serves more than 429,000 electric and 311,000 natural gas customers within an 11,000-square-mile, 20-county service territory. That territory consists of a large portion of northeast and central Wisconsin and a small part of Upper Michigan.

WPS operates coal, natural-gas and hydroelectric generating plants to produce electricity. All of our gas is purchased directly from gas producers and marketing companies, and we have a contract with ANR Pipeline Company for transportation of the gas we purchase.

Below is an abbreviated history of WPP.

1985

Martin Sorrell takes stake in Wire and Plastic Products Plc , a UK manufacturer of wire baskets, following his search for a public entity through which to build a worldwide marketing services company

1986-87

Sorrell becomes chief executive of the renamed WPP Group Builds below-the-line capabilities with acquisition of marketing services companies in the UK and US

1987

Acquires J. Walter Thompson Group for $566m, including ad agency JWT , PR firm  Hill and Knowlton Inc and market research network MRB Group

1988

Listed on NASDAQ exchange in New York Continued acquisition of US and UK-based marketing services companies

1989

Acquires The Ogilvy Group for $864m, including ad agency Ogilvy & Mather Worldwide ,  Ogilvy Direct and  Ogilvy Public Relations Worldwide Research firms Millward Brown and Research International join WPP

1990-92

WPP named the world's top agency group by Advertising Age Group financial re-structuring

1992

For nearly half a century, families have turned to KB Home to experience the dream of new home ownership. Today, KB Home is one of the country's premier new home builders with a reputation for providing architectural innovation, tremendous quality, superior customer service and warranties, plus smart financing with our preferred lender, Countrywide KB Home Loans. Of course, the KB Home Studio is what makes buying a new KB home a truly personal experience. From cabinets to countertops, flooring to appliances, you'll find everything you need to create a unique and personalized home.

Whether you're new to the home buying process or not, KB Home understands it is perhaps the single largest financial decision you will make. Our preferred lender, Countrywide KB Home Loans, has skilled loan consultants who have the experience to guide you through every step of the home buying process. They'll review your financial status and provide important feedback on the strength of your buying power. Countrywide KB Home Loans' consultants will offer competitive financing options to make owning a new home more affordable. KB Home Studio design consultants will help you create a home that suits your style. This unique showroom offers thousands of design options to truly personalize your new KB home. And during the building process, you'll receive numerous updates from your construction and customer service teams. Where Trust Is Built.

In the beginning...

Rutabaga was founded way back in the '70s. There were a few fledging companies out there like Wenonah Canoe, and a score of small companies making accessories, (Dagger was a paddle company back then). The problem was that the leading sporting good shops in town thought whitewater was for crazy people, they didn't have any gear available, and they wouldn't go to the trouble of ordering it. Basically, if it didn't involve hunting, fishing, or a ball of some sort, it wasn't a real sport. Parenthetically, those places are all out of business now. Adapt or perish.

Rutabaga moved from the basement of Rutabaga Manor, (the source of the name), to an old gas station, then to an old grocery store, and finally into the current facility eleven years ago.

Fast-forward fifteen years or so...

Although in a way funny, it is also sad. Unlike a normal playfull cat chasing mice, or playing with yarn, the cat in this picture would never be able to act in the same activities.

This is superb, I think. If you like that take a look at this.

The G. Leblanc Corporation is one of the world's leading makers of woodwind and brass instruments. The company manufactures instruments under the brand names Leblanc, Noblet, Normandy, Vito, Holton, Martin, and Courtois. Leblanc's Holton subsidiary is the world's largest maker of French horns, and makes other brass instruments as well. Leblanc's Martin subsidiary is known for an esteemed line of trumpets, and specializes in smaller brasses. Leblanc also manufactures instrument cases and woodwind mouthpieces. Leblanc operates three factories in the United States, in Kenosha and Elkhorn, Wisconsin, and one plant in La Couture-Boussey, France. The company was originally set up as a joint venture with a French company, Leblanc S.A. Leblanc S.A. was one of the oldest corporations in France, tracing its roots back to 1750. Leblanc USA purchased a majority interest in the French company in 1989, then acquired the entire firm in 1993. Leblanc has been a key promoter of school music programs in the United States from the 1950s onward. The company manufactured an improved line of instruments for beginning students and helped establish the type of instrument rental practice that is now an industry standard. The company helped organize the school musical instrument sales industry, and its efforts led to the founding of the National Association of School Music Dealers.

18th-Century French Antecedents

At a Glance

3M was founded in 1902 at the Lake Superior town of Two Harbors, Minn. Five businessmen set out to mine a mineral deposit for grinding-wheel abrasives. But the deposits proved to be of little value, and the new Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Co. quickly moved to nearby Duluth to focus on sandpaper products.

Years of struggle ensued until the company could master quality production and a supply chain. New investors were attracted to 3M, such as Lucius Ordway, who moved the company to St. Paul in 1910. Early technical and marketing innovations began to produce successes and, in 1916, the company paid its first dividend of 6 cents a share.

The world's first waterproof sandpaper, which reduced airborne dusts during automobile manufacturing, was developed in the early 1920s.

A second major milestone occurred in 1925 when Richard G. Drew, a young lab assistant, invented masking tape – an innovative step toward diversification and the first of many Scotch® Pressure-Sensitive Tapes.

In the following years, technical progress resulted in Scotch® Cellophane Tape for box sealing and soon hundreds of practical uses were discovered.

In the early 1940s, 3M was diverted into defense materials for World War II, which was followed by new ventures, such as Scotchlite™ Reflective Sheeting for highway markings, magnetic sound recording tape, filament adhesive tape and the start of 3M's involvement in the graphic arts field with offset printing plates.

In the 1950s, 3M introduced the Thermo-Fax™ copying process, Scotchgard™ Fabric Protector, videotape, Scotch-Brite™ Cleaning Pads and several new electro-mechanical products.

Sep., 1969

●          Installation of a FACOM 230-25 (Fujitsu, 16kB memory) for payroll calculation and other accounting.         Movement toward the computerization of business and sales.

May,1971         

●          Upgrade to 64kB memory to keep pace with a growing business department and begin the movement toward an eventual on-line network.

Jan.,1975         

●          Testing of an "on-line inquiry system" (IBM 370 Model 125, 128kB mem.). Movement toward a decision support system.

Aug.,1976        

●          Upgrade of IBM 370/125 to 256kB memory.

●          RJE format shipping waybill processing system is implemented.

●          Accounts payable/receivable system is implemented for branch-office use.

Feb.,1980         

Throughout our history, Saks Incorporated has transformed with the times to achieve this mission.

OUR BEGINNING

We began as Proffitt’s, Inc. with just five Proffitt’s stores in metropolitan Knoxville, Tennessee. Proffitt's, Inc. became a public company in June 1987. From 1994 to 1998, we added McRae’s, Parisian, Younkers, Herberger's, and Carson Pirie Scott & Co. (which included Bergner's and Boston Store) as well as 32 additional stores from Lovemans, Hess, Parks-Belk, and Brody’s, which were converted into existing store nameplates.

BECOMING SAKS INCORPORATED

In September of 1998, Proffitt’s, Inc. and Saks Holdings, Inc. completed a merger transaction where Saks Fifth Avenue and Saks Fifth Avenue OFF 5TH outlet stores became a division of Proffitt’s, Inc., and our corporate name of Proffitt’s, Inc. was changed to Saks Incorporated. The stock began trading on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “SKS” on September 18 of that year.

GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT

We acquired Club Libby Lu, a specialty store focusing on "tween" age girls, in May 2003. Its mission: To create a spontaneous environment that encourages girls to express their imagination and individuality.

To create value for our shareholders, we sold our Proffitt’s and McRae’s businesses to Belk, Inc. on July 5, 2005, our Northern Department Store Group (operating under the Carson Pirie Scott, Bergner's, Boston Store, Herberger's, and Younkers nameplates) to The Bon-Ton Stores, Inc. on March 6, 2006, and our Parisian business to Belk, Inc. on October 2, 2006.

The first and, for many years, the largest commercial airline to serve Las Vegas, Western Air Express was instrumental in putting Las Vegas on the commercial airlines map. Las Vegas had the good fortune to lie on a natural air route between Los Angeles and Salt Lake City.

In 1925, the federal Kelly Act spurred the growth of U.S. air travel by creating a national network of airmail routes to be operated by private couriers.

Western Air Express, a new Los Angeles-based company, won a contract for Airmail Route Four, connecting Los Angeles and Las Vegas with the central transcontinental route at Salt Lake City. Founded by Los Angeles auto dealer Harris M. "Pop" Hanshue, Western Air Express was one of many that took advantage of ex-World War I pilots and mechanics seeking civilian jobs in aviation.

On April 17, 1926, pilots in Los Angeles and Salt Lake City pulled on coveralls and goggles, strapped on revolvers, and climbed into the open cockpits of two new Douglas M-2 biplanes. Stopping to refuel and pick up mail at dusty Rockwell Field in Las Vegas, they completed their flights in a leisurely eight hours. Flying instructions were simple: stay to the right of the railroad tracks to avoid colliding with the plane headed in the opposite direction.

R. M. Palmer Co. sells seasonal chocolate novelties. Although it remains the largest producer of Easter bunny confections in the United States, over the years, the company has evolved from being primarily a producer of novelty Easter chocolates to a producer of hollow and solid molded chocolate items for holidays and occasions throughout the year, especially Christmas, Halloween, and Valentine's Day. The company also manufactures a line of NASCAR candy products as well as candies inspired by Marvel comic book heroes. Its customers include discount retailers and drugstores across the country as well as in Canada, Mexico, and Russia. The company has two production facilities: a 220,000-square-foot plant containing eight manufacturing lines and a 330,000-square-foot warehouse in Pennsylvania.

1948-90: Making a Mark with Seasonal Caricatures

In 1948, Richard M. Palmer started manufacturing chocolates for the Easter season. In an effort to stand out, Palmer Co. began manufacturing "caricatures in chocolate." Baby Binks, Timid Timmy, Flopsy, and Wooly Willy were not the usual standing or seated Peter Rabbit, but were instead hollow-chocolate "Palmer personalities." Palmer received patents on his original four Easter items. He opened shop with four employees and an investment of $25,000 with which he bought some secondhand equipment and rented a small space in Sinking Springs, Pennsylvania.