FACILITYCalgary is a compilation of news items & commentary of interest to people who have a real estate, infrastructure, construction, oil & gas or general interest in Calgary published weekly by MaxComm Communications.
FRESH TODAY - Monday, May 19, 2008
+ crude oil futures @6:40 AM, MDT May 20 as quoted by Bloomberg.com ; Nymex Crude Future US$127.21/barrel, Dated Brent Spot US$123.24/barrel, WTI Cushing Spot US$127.05(Mon. close)/barrel; price volatility continues, boosted by weak U.S. dollar, strong Chinese demand & Opec refused to increase supplies following Saudi Arabia's promise to the US that it would provide an extra 300000 barrels/day
+ Devon Energy Corporation closed the sale of its operations in Gabon; US$205.5 million
+ Microsoft Corporation resumed talks with Yahoo! Inc. in effort to acquire search services to aid its competitive battle with Google
+ Victoria Day Holiday in Canada
+ Ryuji Imada claimed his first PGA Tour victory winning US$990,000 at the AT&T Classic played at the TPC Sugarloaf course, Duluth, Georgia
+ asset-backed commercial paper investors face another delay as the judge dealing with the $32-billion restructuring is not sure the arrangement is fair . .stay tuned
+ Athlone Energy Ltd. engaged advisors to review strategic alternatives to maximize shareholder value
+ Bankers Petroleum Ltd. will spin off its U.S. division into a new company
+ BCE Inc. leveraged buyout by consortium led by Ontario Teachers Pension Plan is in jeopardy as lending consortium seeks to re-jig the $52 billion deal
+ Crew Energy Inc. closed its acquisition of Montney formation rights in NE British Columbia. for $67 million from Terra Energy Corp.
+ GSC Acquisition Co. to acquire Complete Energy Holdings, US$1.3 billion
+ Hewlett-Packard to acquire Electronic Data Systems for US$12.6 billion
+ InterOil Corporation closed US$95 million equity financing
+ Paramount Resources Ltd. engaged advisors to assist with the sale of its northern assets
+ Royal Bank of Canada took $855 million in write- downs, largely due to capital markets
+ Transeuro Energy Corp. closed $4,000,000 convertible debt financing
+ U.S/ Europe recession watch: MBIA Inc. the world's largest bond insurer, posted a quarterly loss of US$2.4 billion on exposure to bonds linked to subprime mortgages; Credit Agricole announced US$9 billion rights issue as a result of further write- downs at its Calyon investment banking arm; three other European banks disclosed combined write- downs of nearly US$3 billion; British bank Barclays took a 1 billion pound (US$1.95 billion) writedown on assets tarnished by the credit crunch; BlackRock's bought a subprime portfolio from UBS - a US$22 billion portfolio for $15 billion
+ Zargon Energy Trust secured control of Newpact Energy Corp. in its takeover bid
SHAKERS + Movers on the Move
+ Arnell Bay to Sr. VP Exploration @ Marathon Oil Company
+ Brian Vaasjo to COO @ EPCOR Utilities Inc.
+ Colin Henderson to Director Modular Interiors @ Element Industrial Workplace Solutions
+ Diane Paddison to Exec. Dir. Global Operations @ ProLogis
+ Dion Legge to Partner @ Macleod Dixon LLP
+ Donald McLeod to Of Counsel, Infrastructure Group, Calgary @ Gowling Lafleur Henderson LLP
+ Douglas Forer to Associate, Tax Group @ McLennan Ross LLP
+ Edward Farrauto to Interim CFO @ Transeuro Energy Corp.
+ Graham Garner to Interim Pres. & CEO @ Jura Energy Corporation
+ Howard Elliott to COO @ Resin Systems Inc.
+ James Kneale to Pres. & CEO @ ONEOK Inc.
+ Jolan Storch to Partner @ Macleod Dixon LLP
+ Judge James Wheatley to Assistant Chief Judge @ Provincial Court Criminal Division
+ Karen Kirkeby to Construction Coordinator @ Centrex Contracting
+ Laura Sayavedra to CFO @ Spectra Energy Partners LP
+ Mark Gow to VP & CFO @ Elk Valley Coal
+ Mark Langlois to VP Application & Consulting Services @ EDS Canada Inc.
+ Meera Sikka to VP Global Bus. Dev. @ Bristow Group Inc.
+ Michael McLean to VP, Developments @ Killam Properties Inc.
+ Michael Morgan to VP Bus. Dev. @ Harvest Natural Resources Inc.
+ Nitin Kawale to Pres. @ Cisco Canada
+ Olivia Colic to Partner @ Gowling Lafleur Henderson LLP
+ Richard Holloway to Chief Technology Officer @ Resin Systems Inc.
+ Richard Nielsen to Construction Mgr. @ Centrex Contracting
+ Susan Waller to VP Stakeholder Outreach @ Spectra Energy
+ Trent Patterson to Controller @ Centrex Contracting
SAVE THE DATE:
Business Events, Functions etc.
May 27; The Land & Development Conference, Metro Toronto Convention Centre, South Bldg, Toronto; info/registration: http://www.realestateforums.com/LandConference/ind ex.html
June 10 - 12; Global Petroleum Show, Stampede Park, Calgary, info/register: http://www.petroleumshow.com/globalpetroleum/page. cfm/Link=12/t=m/goSection=8
June 19 & 20; Commodities, The Economy and Money Conference, Glenbow Museum, Calgary; info/registration http://www.haskayne.ucalgary.ca
July 4 - 13; Calgary Stampede, Stampede Park, Calgary; info/tickets: http://www.calgarystampede.com
July 7-9 ; 34th G8 Summit, Tokyo, Japan
SAVE THE DATE:
Annual & Special Meetings
May 20;
Baytex Energy Trust, Annual Meeting, Calgary
Harvest Energy Trust, Annual Meeting, Calgary
Technicoil Corporation, Annual Meeting, Calgary
May 21;
Berens Energy Ltd., Annual Meeting, Calgary
Ember Resources Inc., Annual Meeting, Calgary
Ensign Energy Services Inc., Annual Meeting, Calgary
True Energy Trust, Annual Meeting, Calgary
May 22;
Bonterra Energy Income Trust, Annual Meeting, Calgary
Comaplex Minerals Corp., Annual Meeting, Calgary
Delphi Energy Corp., Annual Meeting, Calgary
Eurogas Corporation, Annual Meeting, Calgary
First Capital Realty, Annual General Meeting, Toronto
Iteration Energy Ltd., Annual Meeting, Regina
Pine Cliff Energy Ltd., Annual Meeting, Calgary
Richards Oil & Gas Limited, Annual Meeting, Calgary
Savanna Energy Services Corp., Annual Meeting, Calgary
Triton Energy Corp., Annual Meeting, Calgary
Upper Lake Oil and Gas, Ltd., Annual Meeting, Calgary
World Energy Solutions Inc., Annual Meeting of Stockholders, Worcester, Massachusetts
May 27; Quest Capital Corp., Annual & Special General Meeting, Toronto
May 30; Patch International Inc., Special Meeting of Stockholders, Calgary
June 5; Manulife Canada Ltd., Annual Meeting of Shareholder & Policyholders, Toronto
June 18; SulphCo. Inc. , Annual Meeting, New York, NY
June 26; CanArgo Energy Corporation, Annual Meeting of Stockholders, New York
SAVE THE DATE:
2008 Charity & Industry Golf Tournaments
May 29, The 15th Annual "IFMA OPEN" , IFMA Calgary Chapter , Calgary Elks Lodge & Golf Club, info/register: info@ifmacalgary.org
May 29-30, 9th Annual AMBA/MLAA Spring Golf Classic, Mortgage Loans Association of Alberta (Edmonton Chapter) & the Alberta Mortgage Brokers' Assn., Industry Night and Golf Tournament; proceeds to Habitat for Humanity, The Links, Spruce Grove; info/registration: james.robertson@firstnational.ca
June 9; Global Petroleum Show Charity Golf Tournament in support of the Werklund Foundation; Valley Ridge Golf Course, Calgary; info/register: http://www.petroleumshow.com/globalpetroleum/page. cfm/Link=39/t=m/goSection=22
June 12; 6th Annual Coast Hotels & Resorts Golf Classic , Westwood Plateau Golf & Country Club, Coquitlam, BC; in support of Coast Athletic Assistance Program; info/register: m.hope@coasthotels.com
June 24; 18th Annual CMA Calgary Golf Tournament, in support of Ronald McDonald House Southern Alberta and Scott Smed Memorial Foundation, SilverTip Golf Resort, Canmore; info/register: angus@silvercrestinsurance.ca
June 26; CREB Charitable Foundation's 10th Annual Building Hope Charity Golf Tournament, Lynx Ridge Golf Club, Calgary; info/registration: http://www.hearttohome.org
July 2; 6th Annual Calgary Chamber of Commerce/TELUS Play with the Presidents Golf Classic, Heritage Pointe Golf Club, DeWinton; sponsorships still available. Contact Ron Peters at 750-0400 or rpeters@calgarychamber.com
July 14; 8th Annual Ronald McDonald House Southern Alberta Charity Golf Classic, Silvertip Resort, Canmore; Lawson Projects is the Presenting Sponsor; info/registration: lorne@lawsonprojects.com or colleen@rmhsouthernalberta.org
August 15; University of Lethbridge Alumni Association - Calgary Chapter 7th Annual Alumni & Friends Golf Tournament, Shaw-nee Slopes, Calgary; info/registration: kfilbert@shaw.ca
note: if you are sponsoring / supporting a charity tournament in the Calgary area in 2008 we are happy to list them early here; just send your tournament data and contact information to: research@maxcomm.ca
INFRASTRUCTURE News / P3 / Go Green
+ PLANDFLEX CORPORATION will develop and or acquire commercial and institutional properties: Public Private Partnerships (P3), development for governments, NGOs, school boards, hospital boards, municipalities etc., build-to-suit developments for strong credit tenants location focus is smaller & major communities in Western Canada. Inquiries and/or property offerings to:
PLANDFLEX CORPORATION
Attn: Mark Kolke, President
Suite 1000, 888 - 3rd Street SW
Calgary, AB T2P 5C5
Phone: 403-444-6939
e-mail: mark.kolke@maxcomm.ca
+ Edmonton International Airport plans a 5 yr. expansion program; Scheduled for completion in 2012, the project will include a new air traffic control tower complex, new concourse, include more office space, restaurants & services.
+ the Alberta Ecoroof Initiative is co-hosting, with the Calgary Zoo & various local organizations, a regional conference on green roofs. Primary objectives of the conference are to demonstrate the benefits of a green roof system, share information on challenges and advance an action plan to establish a local green roof industry through case study review, research and policy development. The Alberta Prairie Green Roof Conference will be held at the Calgary Zoo & Botanical Gardens on June 9th to 11th, 2008; info/registration: http://www.calgarytechnologies.ca/bins/content_page. asp?cid=5259-8135
Mark Kolke lists properties For Judicial Sale on behalf of lenders engaged in foreclosure actions to realize on security for recovery of defaulted mortgage loans. He operates this website to aid in the marketing of these properties and to host the listings of other agents marketing properties offered by way of Judicial Sale
"Learning is about more than simply acquiring new knowledge and insights; it is also crucial to unlearn old knowledge that has outlived its relevance. Thus, forgetting is probably at least as important as learning." - Gary Ryan Blair
"Existence is no more than the precarious attainment of relevance in an intensely mobile flux of past, present, and future." - Susan Sontag
"The garden is a metaphor for life, and gardening is a symbol of the spiritual path." - Larry Dossey
"An idea is a feat of association, and the height of it is a good metaphor." - Robert Frost
"A library, to modify the famous metaphor of Socrates, should be the delivery room for the birth of ideas - a place where history comes to life." - Norman Cousins
"Examination of motives at pivotal points in relationships is key if we hope to solve problems with any affect at all in business. Conversely, I think there is a tendency in personal relationships to avoid, to use a hockey metaphor, to go digging in the corners; even tougher is my relationship with myself - how often do I go digging around in the corners of my life to examine meets and bounds, testing my limits, examining my relevance?" - Mark Kolke
"The coldest word was once a glowing new metaphor." - Thomas Carlyle
"Golf has become so manicured, so perfect. The greens, the fairways. I don't like golf carts. I like walking. Some clubs won't let you in unless you have a caddy and a cart." - Robert Redford
"Always remember that however good you may be, the game is your master." - J.H. Taylor
"You don't hit anything on the backswing, so why rush it?" - Doug Ford
"If you really want to get better at golf, go back and take it up at a much earlier age." - Thomas Mulligan
"The best exercise for golfers is golfing." - Bobby Jones
Innovative strategies, inspiring work plans and cutting- edge initiatives; we are writers, editors and business communicators who help you frame your message right the first time, on time.
www.frameyourmessage.com is our website - featuring information on services, writer credentials - writing, speaking, coaching -
We have established a presence in Houston, Los Angeles and Maui - staffing up in each market with well credentialed writers in those markets with subject area expertise and availability. Our work is 99% English content for audiences in Canada, US, UK, Australia:
oil & gas, energy
environment
education
real estate, development, residential & commercial
Mark Kolke writes a daily column (posted at http://markmusing.com ) Musings, after his morning walk. To subscribe (free) to receive his daily musings, write to mark@markmusing.com
+ our objective is to feature information and links to articles which provide insights, ideas and services to help our readers access useful resources to help employees at all levels build on their skills.
+ the Toastmasters program offers an opportunity to improve professional skills; public speaking, leadership training, confidence building - a great way to give your career a boost as you climb the ladder. Toastmasters International - 210,000 members in 90 countries; 65 Toastmasters clubs in Calgary. Toastmasters offer a supportive environment, networking opportunities & a proven program to help people overcome their worst fear - public speaking.
+ Singles and Friends Toastmasters, offers a 'singles only' format - opportunity for socializing & speaking; meets every Wed. @ 7 PM. Info: http://singlesnfriends.freetoasthost.info next meeting May 21
+ MVP Advanced Toastmasters Club, meets @ 7 PM, 2nd & 4th Thursday of the month @ Fluor facility in south Calgary; a club for experienced Toastmasters wishing to hone their skills in a place where the bar is set high; contact club President for further info: Mark.Kolke@frameyourmessage.com or Gerda.Timm@Fluor.com .. next meeting May 22, 7PM http://mvpadvanced.freetoasthost.net
FACILITYCalgary, a MaxComm Communications publication, e-published every Monday. Subscription is free. To subscribe, write to: facilitycalgary@maxcomm.ca
+ having sat on boards where 'changing the governance model' was the panacea du jour I have two concerns - that everything will change & that it won't - it doesn't make sense to me; Health Minister Ron Liepert created a new province wide health 'board of everything', quashed 12 previous boards & plans to tap the treasury for $200 million to clear the deficits - which seems odd because he could have funded the deficits without the shell game; the new board & its CEO will, de facto, be the deputy minister of health for Alberta which is fine with me if the people running things have the right skill sets & accountability; I am sure Charlotte Robb is a good manager, but to put someone with no health care delivery experience in charge of our province's health care system is ridiculous; I am sure, if it was a deputy minister's job being hired for, someone would require appropriate credentials beyond a PC party membership card; as for the deficits, I doubt putting a banker in charge will prevent people from getting sick or lower the costs of leading edge technologies in treatment - but, for the moment Mr. Liepert appears to be king however the 'loyal subjects' aren't lining up just yet to follow - stay tuned, this movie has barely begun because the Minister presumes his new structure will bring harmony, equity & accountability to bear on our most pressing problem while, to me, it looks like a government operated HMO . . bottom line driven, bottom line everything . . coming soon to a clinic near you. The minister's shell game, while politically swift & clever, fails to recognize the most important part of the Alberta experience - of the Alberta Advantage - is the sense that when we are sick, when we are injured, when we are distraught over the care of family members there will be an accountant with a clipboard rather than a physician with a chart at our side.
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