MICROSOFT PRODUCTS AND SERVICES WILL KEEP GUESTS CONNECTEDAT SHERATON’S NEWLY BRANDED SIGNATURE COMMUNICATIONS HUB:“LINK AT SHERATON EXPERIENCED WITH MICROSOFT”  WHITE PLAINS, NY – May 14, 2008 – Sheraton Hotels & Resorts and Microsoft Corp. announced today a partnership to implement products and services at the “Link @ Sheraton,” its signature communications hub rolling out in Sheraton lobbies this year. Under the agreement, Sheraton will also co-brand and rename the space “The Link @ Sheraton experienced with Microsoft.” The partnership is one component of a comprehensive effort to enhance and differentiate the guest experience at Sheraton’s 408 hotels across 75 countries, currently rolling out globally.   Sheraton’s Link is a unique virtual and physical lobby lounge space that meets the needs of Sheraton’s core guests by enabling them to work, relax and remain connected with friends and family during their travels. It offers a unique and convenient online experience, including free Wi-Fi and Internet-enabled computer stations, to allow guests to email, search the Web, review local attractions and even print up boarding passes. Through its relationship with Microsoft, the new, enhanced “Link @ Sheraton experienced with Microsoft” will offer Windows-based computers providing visitors with search, maps, email and information. In addition, many Link computers will also feature webcams, allowing guests to have free video-chats or email video postcards back home. Guests will also have access to televisions, daily newspapers, and food and beverage offerings.

PHOENIX (April 7, 2008) – Still six months out from its official opening, the Sheraton Phoenix Downtown has exceeded its projections for advance group bookings, reaching the $52 million benchmark – a goal that the hotel had hoped to reach by the October opening. “Downtown Phoenix has emerged as a first tier destination, and reaching this ambitious goal so far out is a testament to the quality of this city, this hotel, and those people who have represented us so well” said Steve Spivak, director of sales and marketing at Sheraton Phoenix Downtown. “Despite what’s happening in the economy, we’re encouraged by not only the number of commitments we’ve secured, but also the continued inquiries we’re fielding from all different markets.” Since the hotel’s sales effort began in early 2006, in cooperation with the Phoenix Convention and Visitors Bureau, the sales team has secured commitments from groups varying in size from 50 to 2500 attendees. Committed groups include European software giant SAP and National Automobile Dealers Association. And like other Downtown venues, the Sheraton anticipates a major boost when Phoenix hosts the NBA All-Star game in 2009. With a projected on-time opening of October 1, 2008, the highly anticipated 1000-room Sheraton Phoenix Downtown Hotel will be Arizona’s newest and largest hotel, offering luxury accommodations in the heart of Phoenix. Located in Downtown Phoenix, Sheraton boasts more than 80,000 square feet of meeting space, 17 meeting rooms that can accommodate up to 2,900 people, and three outdoor function areas. One of the more intriguing amenities of the new Sheraton is the Link at Sheraton, featuring the Link Café.  “The Link is a third place, we want our guest to have an option between the meeting room and their hotel room, an area that allows guests to connect with home or work or with each other.” said Spivak. The Link features complimentary Internet access, soft seating, flat panel TVs and a signature café experience that is social but not bar-like. Sheraton is rolling out the concept at all of its properties as part of Starwood’s focus on its largest and most recognizable brand.   The Sheraton’s 29,000-square-foot ballroom and 15,000-square-foot junior ballroom are an ideal location for annual fundraisers, training sessions or trade shows. High-tech presentations and business meetings can be held in one of two boardrooms offering state-of-the-art technology, video-conferencing capabilities and on-site audio-visual staff. Additional amenities include the Sheraton Sweet Sleeper^SM Beds, a 3,500-square-foot fitness center programmed by Core Fitness and a 4,000-square-foot outdoor pool and sundeck.  The Sheraton is located in the center of the bustling Copper Square. It is the first hotel that has been built in Downtown Phoenix since 1976. It is owned by the City of Phoenix and managed by Starwood Hotels and Resorts. It strives to be a place that is warm and comforting, second only to home, where visitors can come to connect and belong. For more information visit www.sheraton.com/phoenixdowntown.

April 2. Free and open to all job seekers from entry to managerial level. Come dressed to interview and bring your resume. Phoenix Convention Center, noon-5pm. For information, call 602-200-6829 or visit www.jobing.com

March 4. Engineering and technology professional job fair. Phoenix Convention Center, 10am-4pm. Free and open to the public. For information, call 877-842-3976, ext. 17

The Fed's Minutes can be read at: http://www.federalreserve.gov/monetarypolicy/files/fomcminutes20080130.pdf. )

To quote again from Economist John Mauldin, "The minutes from the January Fed meeting are quite frankly bearish. In just one paragraph on the housing market, they used the words "fell," "plunged," "dropped," "moved down," "declined," and "restrained."

Reading these minutes, you get the distinct feeling that this is a Fed that is very concerned about the immediate future of the economy. You can take it to the bank that there will be more rate cuts. A 2% Fed funds rate by this summer would not surprise me.

The possibility that house prices could decline more steeply than anticipated, further reducing households' wealth and access to credit, was perceived as a significant risk to the central outlook for economic growth and employment."

Thanks, John, for another honest forecast into how the Fed will respond to the national quagmire brought on by the real estate market changes.

Fortunately, it presents a much needed, different purchase climate with some rates tied to the 3% and dropping Fed, and the values that top-rated Phoenix/Mesa MSA offers for the long term in growth.

Yours for long-term success, Andrew Schmidt

Nations Home Funding BK0905991 ACSchmidt4@aol.com

Jan B. Jacobson
Special for The Republic
Feb. 10, 2008 06:31 PM

A new TV show will be using the streets of downtown Phoenix as a stand-in for Los Angeles over the next few weeks, but it wasn't the architecture or the weather that drew it here.

The show's producers came for Arizona's entertainment-industry tax incentives, and they're not the only people looking east from Hollywood toward Arizona.

TV and film productions spent an estimated $208 million in Arizona in 2007, and 2008 may be an even bigger year.

As of Nov. 29, the state had received 25 applications for production in 2008. In addition, the Arizona Department of Commerce received six applications in November to build infrastructure and studios or augment existing Arizona facilities in accordance with the state's tax-incentive program.

Source: The Business Journal of Phoenix, Friday, November 23, 2007 

Forget sales, accounting or law: Phoenix College will offer a look at some nontraditional careers when it hosts the Toyota Yaris Road to Success Career Fair next week.

Participants will be able to meet a photographer, artist, video director and other professionals in an event that will focus on jobs based on creativity, expression and skill. Industry experts will lead demonstrations and talk about their chosen fields.

Other careers to be explored include Web design, recording engineering and car racing.

The event will run from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Nov. 28 and 29 at Phoenix College, 1202 W. Thomas Road. For more: 602-285-7422

If you are interested in working for the City of Phoenix, check out their job openings at

http://phoenix.gov/EMPLOY/empidx.html

Happy Holidays!

November 14. Phoenix Convention Center South Hall D, 11am-4pm. Free and open to the public. For information, call 480-491-5858 or visit jobexaminer website

Want to get involved with the movies behind the scenes? Looking for another venue to display your talents? "Hollywood Hands-On" is a two weekend seminar focusing on set building, grip, electric, production office administration, make-up and hair.

The Phoenix Film Office, in conjunction with the Governor's Commission on Film and Media and many local colleges are pleased to announce the formation of "Hollywood Hands-On". This two weekend program spans 10/26-10/27 & 11/2-11/3 and will be hosted by the Maricopa Skill Center. Training will be provided to those with current skills in any of the following: cosmetology, production administration, accounting, electrical, framing and carpentry. The classes will introduce students to how their specialties translate into the Motion Picture Industry. Classes are filling up fast! If you are interested, please visit the Maricopa Skill Center website and fill out an information form and they will be in touch with you shortly!