University of Missouri Board of Curators Name Michael Middleton Interim President

University of Missouri Board of Curators Name Michael Middleton Interim President

The Board of Curators announced that Michael Middleton, 68, will lead the four-campus system until it finds a permanent replacement for Tim Wolfe, who resigned Monday under pressure from students who criticized his administration’s response to a series of racial incidents.

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Football players boycott then President Tim Wolfe. Michael B. Thomas / Getty Images

“I am honored to accept the appointment as interim president of the UM System, and lead our state’s premiere university during this extraordinary time,” Middleton said. “The time has come for us to acknowledge and address our daunting challenges, and return to our relentless adherence to the University of Missouri’s mission to discover, disseminate, preserve and apply knowledge.”

Middleton, a longtime law school professor, had retired Aug. 31 after 17 years as deputy chancellor, the Board of Curators said in a statement.

He received his bachelor’s degree from the university in 1968. Three years later, he became the third black student to graduate from Mizzou’s law school, the Board of Curators said.

Middleton then began a career in civil rights law in Washington, D.C., working as a trial attorney for the Civil Rights Division of the Justice Department. He returned to Mizzou as a law professor in 1985.

Quad/Graphics plans to close plants, cut $100M in costs

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“Our third quarter financial performance was challenging and below our expectations,” Joel Quadracci, CEO of the commercial printing firm, said in a statement.

Quadracci said the company would move swiftly to slice costs and bring them in line with sales.

Quad did not say how many jobs it might cut, or identify any plants for closing. However, spokeswoman Claire Ho suggested that the firm’s operations in Wisconsin, where it employs 7,000 people at 14 facilities, are not high on the target list for closures.

Quad continues to move work to its most efficient printing and distribution plants, and the Wisconsin operations are “among the most efficient platforms in the entire printing industry,” Ho said in an email. She said Quad is still hiring in Wisconsin.

The company, the biggest printer of magazines and catalogs in North America, operates 57 printing plants in the U.S. and another eight outside the country. It employs 24,000 people worldwide.

However, like other printers, it has seen demand dampened by the rise of the Internet and digital technologies such as iPads and other tablets.

In its annual report filed with securities regulators last March, Quad noted that prices for printing had “declined significantly in recent years.”

Tuesday, Quadracci said in his statement that pricing pressure accelerated during the three months that ended Sept. 30, while Quad’s manufacturing productivity declined.

The firm’s sales for the three months ended Sept. 30 totaled $1.16 billion, down 6.5% from the $1.24 billion in third-quarter 2014 revenue.

The company booked a loss of $552.2 million, or $11.50 a share, in the quarter. But that stemmed almost entirely from a $532.6 million non-cash, after-tax charge Quad recorded for “goodwill impairment” triggered by the decline in the firm’s stock price.

Before Tuesday’s announcement, Quad’s stock closed at $13.10, down 18 cents.

The company went public in July 2010 at $49. Its shares traded above $40 for almost a year, then plunged. They rebounded above $30 in 2013, but have trended downward for the last two years.

The slide in the stock notwithstanding, Quad generates enough cash to pay a hefty dividend — at least at the prices of the last two years. The current dividend of $1.20 a year amounts to roughly 9% of Tuesday’s closing price.

Quad on Tuesday declared another 30-cent quarterly dividend.

The company also reduced its 2015 revenue estimates by about $200 million. Previously, Quad had estimated sales of $4.8 billion to $4.9 billion for the year. The firm now expects $4.6 billion to $4.7 billion in revenue.

Since 2009, Quad has more than doubled its revenue, in large measure through acquisitions.

Quadracci may disclose details of the company’s cutback plans this morning during a conference call with analysts.

About Rick Romell

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Rick Romell covers retail and general business news.

Quad/Graphics is an American printing company, based in Sussex, Wisconsin. It was founded on July 13, 1971, by Harry V. Quadracci, son of Harry R. Quadracci.
Headquarters: Sussex, WI
Company Website: qg.com
CEO: Joel Quadracci
Founded: 1971

Serving Those Who Have Served Our Country

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United Veterans Partnership

MAKING CONNECTIONS, ONE VETERANS AT A TIME!

United Veterans Partnership, Inc. (UVP) is a non-profit 501(c)(3) community development organization that works with our partners to build more sustainable communities where veterans and their families live, work, play and pray.

The UVP works closely with our partners to deliver programs that connect veterans to better housing and employment opportunities, financial literacy, business development resources and improved access healthcare and healthy food options.

At the end of the day, our success isn’t measured by the number of awards we get or the money we have raised but, rather, by the number of veterans who are living a better quality of life because of a connection that we made.


The Mission of the United Veterans Partnership is to “Help Veterans Build Sustainable Communities.”

For two years, the United Veterans Partnership (UVP) has listened to, communicated with and learned from veterans and other members of the community that the most pressing need is employment and business opportunities after their service to our country has ended. UVP is our answer to helping Veterans find the opportunities need to continue to be successful in the next chapter of their lives.

We are dedicated to helping veterans build communities through outreach programs and leadership development that focus on obtaining gainful employment, financial education, housing, entrepreneurial opportunities in business.

To do this the UVP has focused on striving to meet five goals to help meet the needs of returning veterans and the communities in which they live:

Jobs/Jobs Training: Develop a comprehensive Accelerated Job Training Program to reduce the jobless rate among veterans and partner with local companies to keep veterans employed long after their military obligation has ended.
Connecting the Veteran Workforce to Opportunities: Build stronger linkages between businesses and the central city workforce of veterans through partnerships with the Department of Veteran Affairs and other organizations that share the same goals of helping veterans achieve their goals.

Greater Veteran Involvement in Economic Development: Increase the participation of veterans of veterans with assistance from the UVP on local and regional planning and project development efforts.

Community Development: Deepen thee impact of Veterans on the development of the community, including but not limited to; housing and housing development, economic development, financial education and training, and community leadership opportunities.
Entrepreneurship/Small Business Development: Foster greater entrepreneurship in the community by guiding veterans on the creation and expansion of Veteran owned businesses and franchises.


Source: Our Mission

6 Changes You Can Make to Your Morning Routine That’ll Start Your Day Off on a Better Note

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By Rachel Grumman Bender of LearnVest

Even if you pop out of bed with every intention of having a productive day, it’s easy to get derailed.

Let’s be honest—who hasn’t gotten sidetracked first thing in the morning checking social media or reading up on what everyone thought of last night’s Walking Dead episode?

Here’s the thing: How you kick off your morning can set the tone—and momentum—for getting things done throughout the day.

So we’ve rounded up six quick (because we know how important getting enough shut-eye is, too) and easy ways to jump-start your morning with power and purpose to set yourself up for a killer productive day.


Power Morning Move #1: Fit In a Seven-Minute Workout

While we know it’s easier said than done to roll out of bed as the sun is coming up, budgeting some extra time to exercise in the AM can help give you lasting energy for the entire day.

Research shows that fitting in a workout helps improve mental functioning and memory—helping to make you more productive.

And did we mention it can also help keep you trim? A 2013 study found that working out before breakfast helps burn 20% more body fat than if you schedule a workout later in the day.

The Morning Move

Check out The New York Times’ “The Scientific 7–Minute Workout,” an at-home routine that features 12 high-intensity interval-training moves that use just your body weight, a chair, and a wall.

There’s even an app for it so you can exercise anywhere, anytime—even in your pj’s.


Power Morning Move #2: Bliss Out With a Two-Minute Meditation

Convinced you don’t have the time or the discipline to meditate every day? Well, if you can spare 120 seconds, you do.

While that may not sound like much time, multiple studies have shown that even brief doses of meditation come with a slew of benefits that can boost your career—from making you cognitively sharper and more focused to improving decision-making.

The Morning Move

Zen Habits blogger and best-selling author Leo Babauta recommends sitting still and, for just two minutes, keeping your attention focused on your breath as it comes into your body and goes out.

“When your mind wanders, take note of that, but then gently come back to the breath,” Babauta has said. “That’s it—no mantra, no emptying of the mind, no perfect lotus position, no meditation hall or guru. Just pay attention to your breath.”

Babauta explains that these small bouts of meditation each morning can help you feel a bit calmer, less distracted, and less reactive during the day—especially when work stress creeps up on you.

Not bad for two minutes of your time, right?

Related: 5 Outside-the-Box Ways to Combat Work Stress That Really Work


Power Morning Move #3: Draft a Thoughtful Things-Not-To-Do List

We all have mile-long to-do lists that we semi-diligently try to tackle each day, but a surprising productivity secret is actually doing the opposite-thinking of things that, no matter how much you may want to do them, you can skip doing for 24 hours.

The Morning Move

Make a short anti-to-do list of typical time wasters you want to avoid that day, recommends Carson Tate, author of Work Simply: Embracing the Power of Your Personal Productivity Style.

Maybe your list includes dodging unnecessary meetings or even limiting the amount of time you spend on that ultimate time waster—email!

While you probably can’t go email-free for too many hours of the day, Tate suggests at least not starting your day by checking email.

“It’s counterintuitive, but I always tell clients that emails in your inbox are everyone else’s agendas,” Tate says. “They represent what everyone wants from you—their goals and objectives. Why not start your day with your own goals and objectives?”

Related: Power Hack of the Week: How to Tackle To-Dos Like a President

Power Morning Move #4: Listen to a Power Podcast

The “5 AM Miracle” is a weekly podcast that’s dedicated to “dominating your day” before breakfast by focusing on healthy habits, personal development, and productivity.

“Waking up with intention, with a plan and with a solidified purpose can make a dramatic difference, not only in your day but more importantly in your future success,” host Jeff Sanders notes.

The Morning Move

Tune in to a new podcast once a week or download one of the 100-plus shows from the archive.

Sanders and guests cover an array of topics geared toward becoming more efficient and productive, such as “How to Create Your Ideal Morning Routine,” “A Sharper Perspective on Getting Things Done” and “The Definitive Guide to Inbox Zero.”


Power Morning Move #5: Do the Dishes (Yes, You Heard Right!)

Rolling up your sleeves to hand wash a sink full of dirty dishes from last night’s dinner may be the last thing you want to do first thing in the morning, but a recent study found that mindfully cleaning dishes—in other words, staying in the moment while scrubbing away—reduced anxiety and made study subjects feel more inspired.

Who doesn’t want to kick off their day this way? But in order to truly reap the benefits, you have to do it right.

The Morning Move

Buddhist monk “Thich Nhat Hanh suggests that, while washing dishes, we should only pay attention to the experience of washing dishes and attend to the full sensory experience—the warmth of the water, the scent of the soap, the texture of each dish or utensil,” explains the study’s lead author, Adam Hanley.

Hanley chose to study dishwashing because it’s such a common task and so sensory-rich—and subsequently found that study participants who mindfully washed dishes reported a decrease in nervousness and a boost in inspiration.

Meanwhile, another group that simply washed dishes without practicing mindfulness didn’t experience any emotional changes—just clean plates.

Power Morning Move #6: Name Your Top Two Goals for the Day

We make choices all day long—from picking an outfit to deciding how to approach a major project at work.

The problem is that making one decision after another uses up mental energy, leading to what’s called “decision fatigue,” which means you may have already used up your best brainpower for the day by mulling over the options for your AM latte.

But there’s a way to combat decision fatigue—with one simple to-do.

The Morning Move

When you wake up and you’re at your freshest, “decide on the one or two things you want to accomplish,” Tate says, adding that even if you just spend a few minutes doing this, you’ve still prioritized your day.

And to help keep your decision-making sharper for longer, consider creating a morning routine that minimizes decision-making, such as eating the same breakfast each day.

“You don’t have to make grandiose, sweeping changes in your life,” she explains. “It can be really subtle, but you’ll see a pretty significant pop in productivity.”

6 Changes You Can Make to Your Morning Routine That’ll Start Your Day Off on a Better Note

8 Reasons to take out a Life Insurance Policy while you’re young

Life Insurance

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  1. Your premium will be lower

Sure, you’ll pay into your life insurance plan for a while longer, but your premium will be lower. You’re young, you’re pretty healthy, and your wrinkles aren’t too terrifying just yet. Your age and health will work in your favour and drive down the cost of your life insurance plan.

  1. Yourlife insurance policyprotects yourself and your future

Maybe, at this moment in time, you don’t have any kids, or you’ve just started thinking about starting a family with your other half. Maybe kids are still a good fifteen years into the future, and you’re happy right now just looking after your cat. Either way, life insurance isn’t just for now. Your plan will help out your hypothetical family, your future partner, or the partner or parents you do have, if something were to happen. Not to get too heavy, but life insurance also…

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