Chicago's best companies to work for

Being named a Chicago's 101 Best and Brightest Companies to Work For, is a designation that hundreds of companies pursue. This year, the 2012 winners proved to be companies that deliver exceptional human resources practices and an impressive commitment to their employees.

The National Association for Business Resources selected only 101 companies that best represent the most innovative human resource programs to date. The winning companies will be honored at the Chicago's 101 Best and Brightest Companies to Work For symposium and awards luncheon on Aug. 20 at the Double Tree Hotel in Oak Brook.

Of the hundreds of nominations received, the companies listed below met the criteria as a "Best and Brightest Company to Work For"

• ADP
• Advanced Group
• American Academy of Pediatrics
• Armstrong Aerospace, Inc.
• Arrow Strategies, LLC
• ArrrowStream
• Assurance
• BDO USA, LLP
• Bel Brands USA
• BGT Partners
• Blue Plate
• Blue, Inc.
• Bosch Rexroth Corp.
• Burwood Group, Inc.
• Care Communications, Inc.
• Centro Media Inc.
• Clarity Consulting Inc.
• Comcast Corp.
• Community Counseling Centers of Chicago
• ContextMedia Inc.
• Conway MacKenzie, Inc.
• DentalPlans.com
• Donlen Corp.
• EMKAY Inc
• Enesco, LLC
• Ernst & Young
• Flexco
• FONA International, Inc.
• Geneca
• Genesis Technologies
• Getty Images
• Ghafari Associates, LLC
• GoHealth Insurance
• Greeley and Hansen LLC
• Harley Ellis Devereaux
• Harrah's Joliet Casino & Hotel
• Hephzibah Children
• Hitachi Consulting
• iD Commerce + Logistics
• Ifbyphone Inc.
• Impact Networking, LLC
• Instant Technology
• Jupiter Communities, LLC
• kCura
• KeyLimeTie
• KPMG LLP
• Kutchins, Robbins & Diamond, Ltd.
• LaSalle Network
• Laurus Strategies
• LeasePlan USA
• Levenfeld Pearlstein, LLC
• Luna
• McGladrey
• Medline Industries, Inc.
• Milhouse Engineering and Construction, Inc.
• Mortenson Construction
• Mutual Trust Financial Group
• National Futures Association
• NCSA Athletic Recruiting
• Nitel
• NOW Foods
• Office Concepts
• Omron Electronics
• OtterBase, Inc
• Paylocity
• PEAK6 Investments, LP
• Perspectives, Ltd
• Plexus
• Protiviti Inc.
• PSC Group, LLC
• Rabjohns Financial Group
• Radio Flyer
• RealTick / ConvergEx Group
• Red Frog Events
• Rightpoint
• Robbins, Schwartz, Nicholas, Lifton & Taylor, Ltd.
• Ryan, LLC
• Service Express, Inc.
• Shure Inc.
• Sikich LLP
• Skender Construction
• Slalom Consulting
• Sonoma Partners, LLC
• Spot Trading
• Starcom
• Stout Risius Ross, Inc
• SunCoke Energy
• SWC Technology Partners
• Takeda Pharmaceuticals U.S.A., Inc.
• Tasty Catering
• The Carlson Group, Inc.
• The Comprehensive Group
• The James
• ThoughtWorks, Inc
• Turner Construction Company
• Verizon Wireless
• VW Credit, Inc.
• West Monroe Partners
• WestLake Financial Group
• WMS Industries
• WOW Internet Cable and Phone

Cameras chosen for NASA asteroid mission

Advanced Scientific Concepts, Inc., based in Santa Barbara, Calif., announced on Tuesday their 3D Flash LIDAR range cameras have been selected to fly aboard a NASA planetary science mission designed to study and return samples from a deep space asteroid.

Set for launch in 2016, NASA’s OSIRIS-Rex mission will return samples from an asteroid known as 1999 RQ36. The 3D Flash LIDAR cameras will be designed for determining the spacecraft range to the asteroid surface, as well as evaluating the approach to potential sample sites.

"The OSIRIS-REx sample return mission is of major importance in revealing the origin of volatiles and organics that led to life on Earth," said Dante Lauretta, the principal investigator overseeing the mission. "Being able to accurately range to the asteroid surface during the 'touch and go' maneuver allows us to monitor the target profile and ensure that we are on a safe approach trajectory, with the possibility of multiple approaches if necessary.”

The OSIRIS-Rex's principal investigator is located at the University of Arizona. NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md., will provide overall mission management, systems engineering and safety and mission assurance for OSIRIS-REx. Lockheed Martin Space Systems in Denver will build the spacecraft.

American Airlines reduces senior leadership by 20 percent

American Airlines announced on Tuesday the third phase of its organization redesign since the company filed for bankruptcy in November.

The multi-phased reorganization is part of the company's commitment to reduce total costs and put the customers' experience at the heart of American's operation. This phase included the elimination of five officer positions. Combined with the previous organizational changes, Tuesday's announcement represents a 20 percent reduction in the company's most senior leadership positions.

“We must get leaner and more streamlined,," said Tom Horton, AMR Corp. chairman and chief executive officer. American Airlines is a wholly-owned subsidiary of AMR. "Our organization redesign purposefully began at the top, and today's changes will further advance the company's restructuring objectives and bring us one step closer to ensuring American has the leanest, most capable and effective leadership team in the industry."

“American is rethinking every aspect of its business - painting a clear picture of the company's team for the new American, designed to work together differently, with greater efficiently, and with an innovative and relentless focus on the customer,” the company said in a press statement on Tuesday. “All employee groups are reducing costs by 20 percent, and will continue throughout the summer.”

The following officers have announced their retirement:

David Brooks has served as American's President - Cargo for almost 16 years, and has been with American for almost 30 years.

Mark DuPont is another veteran of the company. During his 29-year career with American, he has held key leadership positions in Chicago, Orange County, Los Angeles, New York and the Dallas/Fort Worth headquarters office.

Susan Garcia has served as American's Vice President - Information Technology for 10 years, and has been with American for almost 25.

Andrew Watson has served in American's Technology organization for more than 10 years, including his most recent position as American's Vice President - Customer Technology.

In addition, the position of Vice President - Operations Finance and Strategy Planning has been eliminated. Doug Herring, who previously held that position, will be working on special projects through the end of the year.

American Airlines, American Eagle and the AmericanConnection carrier serve 260 airports in more than 50 countries and territories with, on average, more than 3,300 daily flights. The combined network fleet numbers more than 900 aircraft.

Lufthansa 747-8 Intercontinental Frankfurt to Washington service in June

On Tuesday, Boeing and Deutsche Lufthansa AG celebrated the flyaway of the first 747-8 Intercontinental delivered to an airline.

Boeing and Lufthansa employees joined leaders from both companies, media and suppliers for a delivery ceremony at the Future of Flight Aviation Center beside Paine Field airport in Everett, Wash.

At the conclusion of the ceremony, Carsten Spohr, chairman of the executive board and CEO of Deutsche Lufthansa; Nico Buchholz, executive vice president, Group Fleet Management, Lufthansa; and Elizabeth Lund, Boeing vice president and general manager, 747 Program, boarded the airplane with about 30 passengers and crew for the flight taking the airplane from Everett to Lufthansa's home base at Frankfurt, Germany.

When the airplane lands at Frankfurt, Lufthansa will host a special celebration. The airplane will begin regular revenue service June 1 on a flight from Frankfurt to Washington, D.C.

The 747-8 Intercontinental will bring double-digit improvements in fuel burn and emissions over its predecessor, the 747-400, while generating 30 percent less noise. It is powered by GE Aviation's GEnx-2B engines.

Solar eclipse visible from California to Texas

View sunspots and a solar eclipse through solar-safe telescopes this month.

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New gaming casino opens in Maryland June 6

A new $500 million gaming and entertainment casino located at the Arundel Mills Mall in Hanover, Md. will open June 6 at 10 p.m. EDT.

Located in Anne Arundel County, the first phase of Maryland Live! Casino will open with approximately 3,200 Las Vegas-style slot machines and electronic table games, including Blackjack, Roulette, Mini-Baccarat, and Pai Gow Poker.

In advance of the opening celebration, Maryland Live! Casino has a play-for-fun online casino, Myliveonlinecasino.com, a free website that allows gaming enthusiasts to play their favorite slots games, win virtual credits, compete in online tournaments, and sign-up early for the Live! Rewards players card.

A lineup of nationally-acclaimed restaurant brands, such as Bobby's Burger Palace, from celebrated chef Bobby Flay, The Cheesecake Factory and Baltimore-based Phillips Seafood will join Market Buffet and Noodles, an Asian wok and noodle bar, to offer a variety of irresistible dining options.

Upon completion, the full facility will represent the third largest commercial casino in the United States.

The project broke ground in January 2011. Upon completion, the property will employ approximately 1,500 employees; generate $400 million in tax revenue per year to support local schools, making it the single largest annual and ongoing source of revenue for Maryland's children; and generate $60 million in annual spending on goods and services, all benefiting the local economy.

The casino will be open Sunday through Thursday from 8:00 a.m. – 2:00 a.m.; and Friday and Saturday from 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 a.m. Casino guests must be 21 years of age.

Dallas/Fort Worth bids farewell to US military charter flights

More than one hundred employees and volunteers at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport bid farewell to the final departing U.S. military charter flight on Friday, bringing an end to eight years of scheduled rest and recuperation (R&R) flights at the airport. The flight departed from DFW with a shower of affection water cannon salute from DFW Airport Department of Public Safety fire trucks. With the final flight now airborne, the U.S. Army will close its Personnel Assistance Point (PAP) at DFW Airport, which had processed soldiers and worked with airport-based volunteer groups over the past eight years.

The start of R&R charter flights at DFW for a trial run in late 2003 prompted a grass roots volunteer greeter program known as "Welcome Home A Hero" to welcome each incoming soldier at DFW. That effort helped convince the Army to move the charter flights to DFW on a semi-permanent basis in 2004.

Over the life of the program, "Welcome Home A Hero" program volunteers greeted over 460,000 inbound soldiers transiting through DFW on their way home for two weeks of rest and recuperation from active duty in Iraq and in Afghanistan. Hundreds of local organizations and more than 10,000 individual volunteers greeted soldiers from a total of 2,700 incoming flights.

In January, the U.S. Army Human Resources Command announced it would end the daily R&R charters into DFW and close its PAP at DFW airport, consolidating flights into Atlanta-Hartsfield Jackson International Airport as military deployment reductions continue overseas. The final arrival into DFW took place two weeks ago on March 14.

“We know it's good news that the Army charter flights are being reduced, because it means fewer of our nation's troops are in harm's way,” said Jeff Fegan, CEO of DFW International Airport.

The USO facility at DFW airport will remain in operation serving troops. DFW expects about 100,000 individual troops annually will transit through the airport on their travels between the United States and the Middle East.

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