IT Service Manager

Bridgestone Americas, Inc. - Nashville, TN, United States
 

The IT Service Manager will lead the development and continuous improvement of robust, ITIL compliant processes for consistent Services Management across BSA IT. This teammate will partner with all stakeholders to identify key performance metrics and targets for IT Operations that will enable effective measurement and governance of IT services delivery and support continuous process performance.
ESSENTIAL RESPONSIBILITIES:
Facilitate the development of Service Level Agreements between IT functions and between IT functions and the businesses to enable effective governance of IT Operations. Aid in negotiation and/or renegotiation of service level agreements, interfacing with various department managers and business customers.
Develop capabilities to enable monitoring, measurement and reporting of IT performance against targets and Service Level Agreements. Responsible for the production of timely and accurate reporting—both ongoing and exception.
Collaborate with Infrastructure Operations and Client Services organizations to select, acquire and implement tools for monitoring infrastructure performance and automating Services Management.
Work with external service providers / outsourcers, the Vendor Management organization and internal stakeholders to facilitate the development of processes and procedures for managing and governing the relationship between BSA IT and the external providers.
Participate in external service provider selection, as appropriate, and negotiate service levels with external service providers.
Manage operational service level delivery by external service providers and ensure accountability for results.
Other duties as required.
Requirements
REQUIRED:
BA/BS degree or equivalent in an IT or business related discipline.
7-10 years professional IT work experience, preferably within a large company.
Experience in multiple IT operations disciplines including services, infrastructure and applications.
Broad familiarity with IT Services Management process frameworks including ITIL and COBIT.
Ability to build effective work rapport with others and strong teambuilding skills.
Strong customer service orientation.
Able to work effectively in a matrix organization and achieve results through others.
Requires well-developed communication skills and the ability to maintain positive and cooperative working relationships with IT Operations teams and Business Unit/Functional leaders.
Strong negotiation and conflict resolution skills.
Must have excellent judgment, leadership and presentation.
DESIRED:
BA/BS degree in an IT or business related discipline or equivalent experience / advanced degree desired.
10 years professional IT experience, preferably within a large company.
Experience in multiple IT operations disciplines including services, infrastructure and applications.
Experience working with and managing External Services Providers.
ITIL certification highly desirable.
Demonstrated success in development and deployment of ITIL processes in a complex IT organization.
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5 days ago
Bridgestone Americas, Inc. - original job

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IT Intrusion Detection/Incident Response Analyst

Bridgestone Americas, Inc. - Nashville, TN, United States
 

The IT Intrusion Detection & Incident Response Analyst will be responsible for providing day-to-day administration and oversight of several new and existing IT security technologies for Bridgestone Americas, Inc. They will assist the IT Security team with the implementation and oversight of security measures used to ensure IT security standards and compliance.
Essential Responsibilities:
Integrate various information security monitoring technologies with Bridgestone Americas business units/LLCs networks providing custom solutions (hardware, software, and scripts) to meet this demand.
Administer various security hardware and software applications which may include technology related to encryption, firewalls, authorization, authentification, intrusion detection and gateway security controls.
Manage various IT Security technologies such as but not limited to firewalls, SSL/VPN, DNS, IPS/IDS monitoring, mobile device security, Blackhole, and Internet filtering.
Analyzing network traffic flows, configuration, deploying, of various security hardware and software applications.
Enforce security policies and procedures by administering and monitoring security profiles, reviewing security violation reports and investigating possible security exceptions.
Provide status updates on security matters to analyze security risk and response procedures.
Update, maintain and document security controls.
Works collaboratively with areas of IT and IT security to ensure that all IT technology solutions are appropriately implemented and supported.
Other duties as needed.
Requirements
IPRequired:
Bachelors Degree in an IT or related field from an accredited university and 5-7 years of cumulative work experience in Information Technology OR equivalent work experience.
High level of competency in multiple Windows domains of IT and Linux systems.
Strong understanding of IT networking product solutions (such as Cisco/Juniper), distributed computing systems, wireless networks, and enterprise directory services (such as Active Directory).
Proven experience working collaboratively in a team environment.
Strong customer service skills with the ability to work well with the end-users.
Desired:
Bachelors Degree in an Information Technology related filed from an accredited university along with Industry Certifications such as GCIA, GCIH, CISSP.
5 of the cumulative 7 years worked are in a technical information security role (Firewall, DNS, VPN, network design/troubleshooting and monitoring support), with an additional 3 years spent in a security officer/consultant/advisory role.
Candidates who can demonstrate multiple years experience in an established IT security role or experience with security tools will be preferred.
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5 days ago
Bridgestone Americas, Inc. - original job

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FVC Director of Information Technology (IT)

Renal Advantage Inc. - Berwyn, PA, United States

FVC Director of Information Technology (IT)
Job Location: Berwyn, PA
Job ID: 13000BCX
PURPOSE AND SCOPE:
Directs the Information Technology functions for Fresenius Vascular Care, providing vision, leadership, guidance, and support to the FVC IT department regarding the planning, development and implementing of pertinent FVC and FMCNA IT initiatives that support the long term goals, objectives, mission, and vision of the FVC division and FMCNA.
Provides for the effective and efficient functioning of the FVC IT department providing the appropriate expertise and direction ensuring all FVC activities related to IT and systems are performed in compliance with the pertinent department and company policies and procedures and in accordance with all applicable regulatory requirements.
DUTIES / ACTIVITIES
CUSTOMER SERVICE:
Responsible for driving the FMCNA and FVC culture through values and customer service standards.
Accountable for outstanding customer service to all external and internal customers.
Develops and maintains effective relationships through effective and timely communication.
Takes initiative and action to respond, resolve and follow up regarding customer service issues with all customers in a timely manner.
PRINCIPAL RESPONSIBILITIES AND DUTIES
Develops Information Technology (IT) strategic plans based on of the Fresenius Vascular Care (FVC) information technology needs to ensure the computer capabilities are responsive to the needs of the division's growth and objectives.
Aligns IT initiatives with FVC business priorities and strategic goals while balancing resource constraints (human and fiscal) to optimize IT investments (IT portfolio).
o
Participates in the annual FVC strategic planning process collaborating with other FVC department heads in the development of FVC vision, goals and initiatives.
o
Ensures requests from FVC departments regarding IT systems and/or applications are consistent with FVC strategy and that the needed resources have been budgeted appropriately to ensure effective implementation and execution.
o
Explores options to leverage technology to provide a technical platform to support goals when applicable.
o
Advises FVC senior management regarding strategic systems conversions and integrations in support of FVC Division business goals and objectives.
Oversees and manages IT integration and collaboration strategy between Fresenius Vascular Care and FMCNA, acting as the liaison from FVC regarding IT related shared projects including data, network, system, and integration, for example, audits and network requests to access applications that are hosted in FMCNA network.
Establishes an Information Technology infrastructure to support and guide FVC‘s divisions/departments/sites in computing and information technology efforts.
o
Develops and establishes IT operating policies and approaches for computing and information technology for FVC collaborating with other department stakeholders as appropriate.
o
Provides oversight ensuring the appropriate management of information and
data integrity for FVC departments to include management of the various departmental (including billing, sales, marketing, and finance) databases, systems and reports.
o
Oversees the infrastructure and network teams to ensure the security of the FVC Division information systems, communication lines and equipment, making sure there are processes for application security control, change management, etc.
Develops and monitors the FVC approved annual operating and capital budgets for information and technology systems, managing activities related to IT purchasing, budgeting, and budget review to facilitate the orderly and efficient capture, storage,
processing, and dissemination of information.
Works closely with FVC management regarding IT related projects for both internal and external (such as third party vendors or consultants) operations which are impacted by the capture, storage, processing and dissemination of information, ensuring the required changes in IT do not compromise existing systems and processes, and that all security, compliance and project resources are aligned.
Reviews and approves major contracts for computing and information technology services and equipment related to the FVC Division in conjunction with FVC Finance and FMCNA Legal when appropriate.
This may include standard contracts regarding internet and phone lines for FVC, IT security assessments, new software implementation, maintenance agreements, support agreements, equipment warranty agreements etc.
Nonstandard and the more complex contracts are managed by the FMCNA Legal department with input from FVC IT.
Provides direction and support to the FVC IT Manager,
FVC Manager Network Admin & IT Infrastructure,
FVC Project Manager - Infrastructure,
and the
FVC Systems Programmer Analyst
providing guidance, support and subject matter expertise as needed to establish effective and efficient performance of the FVC IT functions.
o
Contributes to the improvement of outcomes and efficiencies by ensuring the IT staff is properly trained and motivated towards meeting related goals and objectives.
o
Provides counseling, support, and encouragement regarding professional growth as appropriate.
o
Ensures
all department staff members are in full compliance with all FMC and FVC policies through constant and consistent reinforcement as well as documented observation.
o
Drives the performance of the employees by establishing expectations/goals at the beginning of the appraisal year, providing informal feedback throughout the year and formal feedback in the form of the annual performance evaluation.
o
Manages the staffing through the appropriate hiring, firing and disciplinary actions in collaboration with Human Resources partners.
o
Collaborates with HR resources to recruit and interview candidates for the open department positions.
o
Follows the FMCNA process regarding obtaining recommendations for employment and promotion offers for candidates according to FVC selection standards.
o
Works with HR to ensure execution of offer letters and appropriate completion of other related new hire and promotion paperwork according to FMCNA policies and procedures.
Facilitates communication between staff, management, vendors, and other technology resources within FVC Division.
Reviews all hardware and software acquisition and maintenance contracts for the FVC Division, soliciting involvement and participation of other management team members as appropriate.
Provides advice and counsel to FVC leadership and departmental heads regarding FVC IT issues and industry trends.
Responds to questions, concerns, and project related requests involving new technology, new technology platforms, or healthcare IT trends that can support departments’ objectives and processes, and system issue trends that may affect their current systems.
Ensures that all FVC‘s information systems and networks operate according to internal standards, external accrediting agency standards, regulatory agencies and legal requirements, including HIPAA.
Other duties as assigned.
EDUCATION
Bachelors in Computer Science, Business Administration or a related field required.
A Master’s degree in Health/Hospital Administration, Public Health, or Business Administration, or related field is highly desirable.

EXPERIENCE AND REQUIRED SKILLS
10 years’ experience with increasing leadership responsibilities comprising of at least 4-5 years of management experience and 5-7 technical and/or analytical experience, preferably with health data
Management experience must include experience with development and deployment of IT strategic plans, operating plans, and budgets.
Must be able to effectively interact with all levels of the organization
Must have excellent influencing and negotiation skills
Must have strong oral and written communication skills plus problem analysis and solution skills
Significant experience in a health care setting is desirable, specifically in technology and information systems planning to support business goals.
Experience should also include exposure to both shared and outsourced solutions, as well as support of in-house information and communication systems in a multi-site client-server environment.
Specific experience with practice management, financial management and clinical management information systems is a plus.
Demonstrated experience with IT systems and IT management as a senior level with a sequence of increasing responsibilities in large and diverse business settings.
Familiarity with the health care industry – its critical issues and major challenges
A track record of working in a geographically diverse complex organization
Demonstrated project management skills.
Ability to analyze and resolve complex issues, both logical and interpersonal.
Ability to negotiate and defuse conflict.
Self-motivator, independent, cooperative, flexible, creative

15 days ago
Renal Advantage Inc. - original job

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Director of IT (TECH)-45603

Nelson Technology - Novato, CA, United States
 

Job Description

The Director of Information Technology’s primary responsibility is to oversee the streamlined operation of the IT department and to ensure it aligns with and delivers upon the strategic and business objectives of the organization.  This individual’s principal goals are to develop and manage strategic IT initiatives, develop and manage application portfolios for each department and to attain all IT service level agreements for the user community both within and outside the organization.
The Director of IT will oversee all aspects of IT within the organization and will, among other things, plan, coordinate, direct, and design all operational activities of the IT department, as well as provide management, direction and support for IT solutions that enhance mission-critical business operations.  The Director of IT will work closely with decision makers in other departments to identify, recommend, develop, implement, and support cost-effective technology solutions for all aspects of the organization.
Major Responsibilities:
Strategy & Planning
Formulate and deploy long-term strategic plans for acquiring and enabling efficient and cost-effective information processing and communication technologies.
Manage IT department operational and strategic planning, including people within the department, business requirements, project planning, and organizing and negotiating the allocation of resources.
Devise and implement planning and strategy to ensure that company remains at forefront of technological offerings and solutions in its industry.
Operational Management
Manage IT personnel to ensure that they deliver efficient and excellent service both within and outside of the company.
Where necessary, re-engineer applications support to ensure it aligns with business processes, tactical planning, and strategic vision.
Oversee and to extent necessary, participate in all development projects.
Define, communicate and monitor project milestones, service level agreements, and resource allocation to executive team, department leads, support staff, and end users.
Develop and review budgets for and from IT department divisions and ensure it complies with stated goals, guidelines, and objectives.
Review performance of IT personnel and systems to determine group performance and delivery, operating costs, productivity levels, and upgrade requirements are satisfied.
Benchmark, analyze report on, and make recommendations for the improvement of the IT infrastructure and IT systems.
Develop bid requirements for all hardware and software upgrades, reviews submitted bids for compliance with stated requirements, and makes the appropriate award.
Authorize and oversee the deployment, monitoring, maintenance, development, and support of all hardware and software based on department needs.
Develop business case justifications and cost/benefit analyses for IT spending and initiatives.
Direct research on potential technology solutions and implementations in support of new initiatives, opportunities, and procurement efforts.
Oversee provision of end-user services, including help desk and technical support services.
Develop and implement all IT policies and procedures, including those for architecture, security, disaster recovery, standards, purchasing, and service provision.
Oversee negotiation and administration of vendor, outsourcer, and consultant contracts and service agreements.  Monitor and track all aspects of performance from all vendors.
Manage IT staffing, including recruitment, supervision, scheduling, development, evaluation, and disciplinary actions.
Establish and maintain regular written and in-person communications with the organization’s executives, department heads, and end users regarding pertinent IT activities.
Job Requirements:
Skills/ Knowledge:
Experience with front-end/backend and multi-tiered application environments.
Experience overseeing the design, development, and implementation of software applications.
Proven experience in IT infrastructure strategic planning and development, project management, and policy development.
Experience with systems design and development from business requirements analysis through to day-to-day management.
Strong leadership skills.
Excellent written, oral, and interpersonal communication skills.
Ability to conduct and direct research into IT issues and products.
Ability to present ideas in business-friendly and user-friendly language.
Highly self-motivated, self-directed, and attentive to detail.
Ability to effectively prioritize and execute tasks in a high-pressure environment.
Degrees/Certificates:
 Bachelor’s degree (B.S.) in Computer Science required.
Job Experience:
Minimum of 8 years experience managing and/or directing an IT operation.
Minimum of 5 years experience running an application development department
About Nelson:
For a full listing of jobs, go to
www.nelsonjobs.com
, our premier job search engine for candidates. Comprised of three major business units—Nelson & Associates, Nelson Staffing, and Nelson Technology—this company with 40 years in staffing provides recruiting services to clients and candidates in accounting & finance, clerical, administration, human resources, technology, light industrial, manufacturing, legal, engineering, computer gaming, digital media, and the wine and beverage industries. Nelson places job candidates quickly in a number of fields in full-time, executive, consultative, and temporary positions.
Additional Skills and Other Requirements
Contact Information
Business:
Nelson Technology
Contact Individual:
Evan Sjostrom
Contact Email:
esjostrom@nelsontechnology.com
Contact Phone:
000-000-0000
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12 days ago
Nelson Technology - original job

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Director of IT, Neurovascular

Stryker. - Fremont, CA, United States
 

Job Description

Stryker offers results-driven people a place where they can make a difference. It is our privilege to create medical technology that exceeds our customers’ expectations and improves peoples’ lives around the world. We give you the opportunity to develop your career based on your strengths and potential, including the possibility to move geographically, functionally, laterally and vertically. Stryker is a career destination for engaged, passionate and talented people who seek the innovation, growth and opportunity that only we offer.
Stryker’s Global IT organization serves to streamline the business with innovative IT global services and solutions that support the changing needs of Stryker.
The IT Director, Neurovascular serves as one of the primary connection points between the division business and the global IT shared services organization. The role is part account manager and part division IT director, a combination we call Business IT Leader or BITL. This individual manages the division’s IT strategy, advises division leaders on IT decisions and projects that best enable the business strategy, and ensures delivery of IT support and services for existing and future systems. Our most successful candidates have strong executive presence, keen ability to tailor their communication to their audience, an understanding of business processes, an appetite for technical discussions and, most importantly, the ability to lead through influence. The role typically has no direct reports, but has access to the incredible IT talent in our 700 person IT products and services organization.
Responsibilities include:
-Understand business operations and strategy and resulting IT needs, assess gaps, and develop plans to address
-Budget for local IT projects and negotiate funding with divisions and Corporate when required
-Earn the trust of the business leaders and serve as their advisor on leveraging process and technology to achieve business goals and choose projects with the biggest impact
-Earn the respect of the global IT organization and partner with them to accomplish division, company, and global IT goals; help ensure our internal customers experience a unified global IT team delivering services regardless of reporting lines and locations
-Keep business leaders informed of major IT initiatives across the company and their impact on local business and IT operations
-Define and prioritize division projects (in partnership with division PMO where applicable) and move selected projects from business request phase through discovery phase before handing off to a project manager for the planning, execution, deployment and close phases; this involves writing charters and scoring projects
-Partner with other division and functional IT directors and other global IT leaders to “join forces” where applicable, bundle projects, and deliver standardized solutions across divisions; this often requires influencing divisions to standardize or harmonize processes as well
-Manage escalations if IT services or projects are not performing as expected
-Be a vocal and visible advocate for IT quality and controls
-Where appropriate, participate in technology decisions and setting technology standards. (In general the final decision resides in the IT products and services organization with applications or infrastructure leaders.)
-If there are IT staff members at the director’s location, the IT director is often asked to serve as site leader, monitoring and managing local employee engagement in collaboration with onsite and offsite IT managers
Qualifications/Work Experience
The ideal candidate will have a minimum of 10 years prior work experience with at least 1 year participating in IT projects and strategy (directly or as a partner with IT). Prior management experience is strongly preferred.
Education and/or Special Training
Bachelor’s degree required.
MBA is a plus.
Qualifications/Work Experience:
No
Education:
Percent Travel Required:
20%
In Country Relocation Provided
Yes
International Relocation Provided
No
Nearest Major Market:
San Francisco
Nearest Secondary Market:
Oakland
Apply now »

6 days ago
Stryker. - original job

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Accounts Payable Associate

Ralcorp Frozen Bakery Products - Ralcorp Domestic jobs - Saint Louis, MO, United States Job

Summary

Process Accounts Payable invoices and resolve invoice exceptions; which may include document preparation and scan, match invoices to PO receipt, sales and use tax assessment and verification against approval matrix.

Position Responsibilities

• Determine the correct payee for invoices and request vendor data maintenance, when needed.
• Effectively communicate with internal and external contacts regarding resolution of invoice exceptions, status of invoice processing, company policy and procedures and other inquiries.
• Manage work queues; reallocate time and efforts as needed.
• Develop, recommend, and implement process improvements.
Position Qualifications
• Associates degree and or minimum one year work in accounting or bookkeeping; relevant work experience in accounting or other business areas will be considered.
• Must have fundamental understanding of accounting practices.
• Excellent analytical and communication skills are required. Ability to work in a self-directed team environment with minimal supervision.
• Intermediate knowledge and experience using Excel.
• Desired: Experience supporting multiple locations, working towards a business degree, previous exposure to a workflow environment, JD Edwards or similar accounting system

6 days ago

Ralcorp Frozen Bakery Products - Ralcorp Domestic jobs - original job

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Production Associate

Ralcorp Frozen Bakery Products - Ralcorp Domestic jobs - Buckner, KY, United States

Primary Function:

This position requires general knowledge of all jobs within the operating area. At the direction of the Shift Supervisor, the employee fills in for employees who are on vacation, breaks or otherwise need assistance.
Position Responsibilities

Position Description:

• Ability to run at least three (3) of the processing machines and/or perform three (3) of the various jobs in the operating area.
• Serves as relief worker in production area during absences, vacations, leaves of absences, and as needed.
• Must perform change- over duties without assistance.
• Other duties as assigned.
Position Qualifications
Skill Factors/Qualifications:
• High School Diploma or GED equivalent required.
• Forklift certification preferred. Must be willing to obtain certification after hire.
• Must be dependable, reliable and mature enough to handle equipment safely and sensible.
• Ability to follow verbal and written instruction.
• Must be able to work independently as well as effectively in a team environment.
• Works on all lines and performs all positions including changeovers.
Physical demands:
• Must be able to perform the essential functions of the job.
• Ability to perform the following: standing, climbing, pulling, and or pushing, carrying, grasping, reaching, twisting, turning and stooping
• Good physical condition, able to lift 50 lbs frequently.
• Vision: 20/20 corrected, and normal hearing range.
• Good hand/eye coordination and motor skills.
Health/Safety:
• Must wear required personal protection equipment associated with specific manufacturing work environment and job duties.

20 days ago
Ralcorp Frozen Bakery Products - Ralcorp Domestic jobs - original job

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Texas Speech Language Pathologist (SLP) Jobs for 2013-2014 School Year

Bilingual Therapies Inc - Houston, TX, United States

Great Speech Language Pathologist opportunities are available for the 2013-2014 school year in Houston, TX. These are full-time positions, 37.5 hours per week, Monday-Friday. Caseloads vary based on preference and experience. New graduates are encouraged to appy as supervision will be provided for CFY. Bilingual candidates fluent in English and Spanish are preferred.

Available benefits include:
-Competitive salary
-Medical, Dental and Vision plans
-Tuition Reimbursement
-Paid Time Off
-401k Retirement plan
-Paid Association dues
-Relocation assistance
-Continuing Education allowance
To apply for SLP jobs in Houston, TX or to learn more about compensation and our industry leading benefits contact:
Donielle Saint-Louis
Senior Executive Recruiter
Bilingual Therapies
866.414.4101
donielle.saint-louis@bilingualtherapies.com

20 days ago

Bilingual Therapies Inc - original job

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Summer Jobs- General Laborers

Company Description

Amotec Inc. is a recruiting and staffing firm with multiple openings for General Laborers. Lots of summer jobs available in Landscaping, Moving, Construction and Manufacturing.

Interview today and go to work tomorrow!

Job Description

Job Requirements:

Must be able to bend, turn, twist and lift up to 50 lbs.+ unassisted
Must be able to stand for 8+ hours.
High school diploma or GED preferred



Compensation:

$10-$12/hour
Medical, Dental, Vision, Short term & Disability Insurance Available



Additional Info:

All applicants are required to complete a background check and drug test.

Most positions are not on a bus line and require your own transportation to and from job site.

To Apply Call:  440-250-4600 and ask to speak with a Staffing Specialist.

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Physical Therapy (PT) Contract Jobs in Maryland

Bilingual Therapies Inc - Silver Spring, MD, United States

We have multiple contract jobs available throughout the state of Maryland for experienced Physical Therapists. Full-time 13-week contract jobs, Monday-Friday, 40 hours/week. Locations include: Silver Spring, Gaithersburg, and Waldorf. Positions require active MD licensure and previous home health experience. Great hourly pay plus mileage.
Comprehensive benefits packages include:
**Weekly pay via direct deposit
**Affordable Medical/Dental/Vision insurance
**Relocation funds
**Licensure reimbursement
**Tax-free housing stipend
**Continuing Education reimbursement
**401(k) retirement plan

21 days ago

Bilingual Therapies Inc - original job

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Is there Justice for the Black Off-duty Officer Shot 28 Times by White Cops?

In light of the Trayvon Martin case, the nation might not be ready to pour its heart into another racially charged but factually ambiguous case. That’s what community leaders such as Jesse Jackson have discovered in their attempt to garner media attention on the the story of Howard Morgan, a black cop who was shot 28 times by white officers while off-duty.

It happened Feb 21 of 2005. Morgan was pulled over for going the wrong way down a one way street in Chicago. He subsequently opened fire on one cop, who was wearing a bullet proof vest, and in the end was himself shot 28 times by the officers, and survived.

But is that how it really went down? As he says it, he explained that he was a cop, only to be shot and nearly killed by four white officers.

To muddy the mix, Morgan’s van was crushed before forensic investigation was done on it, his hand was never tested for gun residue, and the shot cop’s vest was never produced. To make matters worse, supporters of Morgan are claiming that he faced double jeapardy in court. The second time he went to court, Morgan was found guilty of four counts of attempted murder, and on April 5th will be sentenced up to 80 years in prison.

“If they can do this and eliminate double jeopardy and your constitutional rights then my god, I fear for every Afro-American – whether they be male or female – in this corrupt unjust system,” said Morgan’s wife.

And regarding his conviction, she said, “It’s just wrong. They want to sweep this under the carpet and don’t want to take the blame. All the young people who were victims of police shootings are dead. They can’t tell their side of the story. Mr. Morgan was shot 28 times – 21 in the back of his body and seven in the front. The man deserves to be treated fairly.”

Morgan, however, did get to tell his side of this story, and was subsequently found guilty in the court of law. Whether supporters can garner enough attention to make a case that justice has been denied is yet to be seen.

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Baylor Law Formally Introduces Upcoming Students to Each Other

Baylor Law just committed a bone-headed breach of confidentiality amidst its newly admitted students: it accidentally emailed them with an attachment that listed the entire class roster, with such personal information as names, sex, undergraduate college and GPA, and amount of tuition to be paid by scholarships.

After realizing their mistake, about seven hours later, Baylor Law administered an apology:

An e-mail sent earlier today to you inadvertently contained an attachment with personal information about you and other accepted applicants. We apologize for this error. The earlier email was sent in response to numerous phone calls and emails we received from applicants expressing concern that they were unable to make online seat deposits over the weekend because of technical difficulties with the university’s online payment system. The attachment did not contain social security numbers or birth dates and we do not have reason to believe that the information has been put to any unauthorized use at this time.

Our high standards of professionalism require us to treat all student data with the greatest degree of confidentiality and we regret this unfortunate mistake. Due to the sensitive nature of the information that was contained in the attachment, we ask you to treat the document as confidential, just as you would as a lawyer, and delete the information.

Again, we send our deepest apologies for this error. We sincerely regret any concerns caused by our action. We have taken steps to ensure that such a mistake is not made in the future.

Should you have additional questions regarding this matter, you may contact me by calling [Redacted], or Nicole Masciopinto, Director of Admissions, by calling [Redacted].

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86-Year-Old-Gymnast Shows the Kids How it’s Done

It’s fun to watch those crazy kids with their parallel bars, their cartwheels and handstands, the full planches at the bars, their rolls and handstands. You or I could do that too, sure, if we were still fourteen years old. But what about Johanna Quaas? The 86-year-old German has wowed audiences at the 2012 Cottbus World Cup, where, decked in an green leotard, she jumped, spinned, twirled, and burst into handstands, cartwheels, and backwards rolls.
The feat was not exhausting for the octogenarian, who practices on the parallel bars daily “just for fun.” She doesn’t bother to compete anymore, because contenders in her age group don’t hold a candle.
“I want to give others a chance too. I used to perform against 70-year-olds all the time is no fun after a while.”

She could add that she’s also getting overwhelmed with media attention, and has even taken to hiring a media agent. She gained the spotlight after appearing on a health program on German television in early March, and after a video of her performance went viral on YouTube garnering more than 1.4 million views.
Quaas is keeping up with a lifelong activity with sports and competition. In 1954 she was part of the handball team that won the Eastern German Championship. She also for years was a sports teacher.
She is a reminder that age is never a good excuse to give up regular exercise (though the rest of us can always find another good excuse!)

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Marion Barry Blasts Asian Americans, then Apologizes

After winning the Ward 8 primary, with 73 percent of the vote, assuring him of another four-year term as the council seat, Marion Barry reversed the mood of triumph with comments many find racist and disrespectful. As reported on the news Wednesday, Marion used his victory speech to condemn Asian Americans.

“We’ve got to do something about these Asians coming in, opening up businesses, those dirty shops,” he said “They ought to go. I’ll just say that right now, you know. But we need African American businesspeople to be able to take their places, too.”
Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D), told Barry she was “stunned by the offensive nature of the comments,” and also, “reminded Barry of how long she had known him and the values they first shared when they were students together in the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee in the South fighting for racial justice.”

By Thursday, Barry had eased up on his comments, tweeting that he was “sorry for offending the Asian American community” with an “admittedly bad choice of words.” Yet he held to his concern over the conditions of certain Ward 8 restaurants owned mostly by Asians.

“I admit, I could and should have said it differently. But the facts are still very present in our daily lives here,” he tweeted. “We are tired of sub-standard treatment, tired of being kept [at] arms length distance, tired of the lack of community engagement.”

Barry said in an interview that his apology was “as solid as Marion Barry can make it. And believe it, because I have a history of not doing anything to purposely disparage any group of people.” He said this despite upsetting voters by opposing gay marriage in 2009.

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U.S. Marine Faces Discipline and Discharge for Posting “Screw Obama” on Facebook

Though the alleged remarks have been removed from Facebook, U.S. Marine Gary Stein paraphrased himself to the San Diego Union-Tribune Newspaper as stating: “I say screw Obama. I will not follow orders given by him to me.” However, the Marine Corps. disagrees, because by virtue of his position, President Obama is the commander in chief of the U.S. armed forces.

Stein later explained online that he had meant he would not follow “unlawful orders” from the president, but the Marine Corps. remains unconvinced. Since then, Stein has taken down the comments which he had made in course of a heated online debate over the punishment meted out to NATO and U.S. military personnel over allegations of burning the Koran in Afghanistan.

Earlier, in 2010, Stein had been criticized for expressing his opinion as a member of the armed forces on the same Facebook page titled “Armed Forces Tea Party,” though the page carries a disclaimer: “We do not represent, and are in no way affiliated with the military, or United States Armed Forces.”

In 2010, Stein had averted calamity when the American Civil Liberties Union supported and spoke up for him. However, this time the Marine Corps. doesn’t seem keen on letting him get away citing First Amendment, and disciplinary proceedings and discharge seems on way. Military experts have opined that Stein has put himself in the position of speaking publicly while in uniform by associating his Facebook page with the name of the armed forces, despite the disclaimer.

Stein holds that he is free to express personal opinions when off-duty and not in uniform, and that rules of the Defense Department allow soldiers the freedom to make political statements as long as they make them not as representatives of the armed forces.

Sergeant Gary Stein, who works as a meteorologist at Camp Pendleton, filed a lawsuit in San Diego federal court to block the military proceedings against him on the grounds of his First Amendment rights. A copy of the lawsuit, along with a copy of a letter sent to the Marine Corps on his behalf by U.S. Representative Duncan Hunter was posted on Stein’s Facebook page on Tuesay. Duncan, who is a former Marine, is supporting Stein, as are many others including the local representative of the ACLU.
The Marine Corps. has not made any comment yet on the court action by Stein.

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Arizona Sheriff Who Targeted Latinos, Now Targeted by the Feds

On Tuesday, the Obama administration announce that it would be suing Arizona county sheriff Joe Arpaio and his department for violating civil rights by improperly targeting Latinos during operations for preventing illegal immigration. Joe Arpaio’s controversial crackdown on illegal immigrants had pushed the issue to headlines prompting many states to adopt tougher laws against illegal immigrants.

The Department of Justice and the office of the Maricopa County Sheriff have been conducting settlement talks for months over allegations that officers made unlawful stops and arrests of Latinos on a regular basis. The allegations also include the use of excessive force against the Hispanic community and inadequate provision of protection to them.

However, the talks seem to have broken down as the Sheriff’s office refused the demand of the Justice Department to appoint an independent monitor by a federal court for overseeing compliance with the settlement. According to the Obama administration, the proposed settlement has already run into a draft of 128 pages.

Roy Austin, deputy assistant attorney general in the civil rights division of the DOJ, recently mailed a letter to a lawyer representing the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office saying “We believe that you are wasting time and not negotiating in good faith.”

The letter further mentions, “MCSO’s refusal to engage in good faith negotiations requires us to prepare for civil (court) action.” Austin also mentioned that the Justice Department has recently discovered information that showed Arpaio’s office had failed, “to reasonably investigate sex crimes.”

In a report issued in December, the DOJ mentioned several civil rights violations by Arpaio’s office including the fact that Latino drivers were four to nine times more likely to be stopped by Arpaio’s force than non-Latinos.

However, Arpaio continues to deny any wrongdoing either on his part or that of his staff and has accused the Obama administration of failing to deal with the problem of 11.5 million illegal immigrants believed to be within United States.

On Tuesday, Arpaio said that the appointment of a monitor would tactically deprive him of his responsibility for his police force, including decisions about policies, operations, enforcement, and jail programs. Arpaio said, “To the Obama administration, who is attempting to strong arm me into submission only for its political gain, I say: This will not happen, not on my watch!”

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BCG Attorney Search Releases 2012 Guide to America’s Top 50 Law Schools

BCG Attorney Search has released the 2012 BCG Attorney Search Guide to America’s Top 50 Law Schools. The Guide is a comprehensive overview of America’s top 50 law schools as identified by the 2013 U.S. News & World Report.

The Guide relies on the time-tested metrics and rankings of law schools made by U.S. News & World Report. Backed with BCG Attorney Search’s own knowledge bases and research data, the Guide creates a dependable study for law firms, legal recruiters and potential law students.

The BCG Attorney Search Guide to America’s Top 50 Law Schools assists law firms with objective information crucial to understanding the grading systems of top law schools and the various academic programs and journals in which students at these schools participate.  For students, the Guide provides a solid and unbiased base of information for making critical and educated choices in their career supported by reliable comparison data.

The 2012 BCG Attorney Search Guide to America’s Top 50 Law Schools lays down key markers that identifies top talent and distinguishes him or her from students at other top law schools. Some of these include (among others):

    * the honors distinctions an attorney may have earned, namely summa cum laude, magna cum laude, cum laude, or honors;
    * membership to any honors societies, such as the Order of the Coif or the Law Review;
    * the average median undergraduate GPA of a law school’s entering class;
    * the average median LSAT of the entering class;
    * the acceptance rate of the entering class.

This year’s rankings by the U.S. News & World Report threw up some interesting findings. Some schools moved up the ranks while others slid down. Some of the major ranking highlights include:

    * Yale Law School continued to hold the top spot.
    * Stanford Law School out-seated Harvard Law School to move up to 2nd position.
    * Harvard Law School moved down to 3rd position.
    * The University of California—Berkeley School of Law and the University of Virginia School of Law both moved up two spots to tie with the University of Pennsylvania Law School for the 7th spot.
    * University of Michigan—Ann Arbor Law School slid from 7th to 10th position.
    * Cornell Law School, now ranked 14th, and the Georgetown Law Center, at 13th, switched spots from last year’s list.
    * The University of Texas—Austin School of Law fell two spots to from 14th to 16th.
    * The Arizona State University Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law leapt to the 26th spot, up 14 spots from 40th.
    * University of Washington School of Law moved 10 spots up from 30th to 20th position.
    * The Emory University School of Law and the Washington and Lee University School of Law both jumped six spots from 30th and remained tied at 24th.
    * The Pepperdine University School of Law moved five spots from 54th to 49th to crack the top 50.

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Where there’s a Will there’s a Way: Former Cocaine Dealer Wins Truman Scholarship

When Walter Fortson was arrested in 2007 for dealing in crack cocaine, the police officer told him “your life is over.” In 2012, he is studying with honors in Rutgers University and the only New Jersey undergraduate to receive the prestigious $30,000 Truman Scholarship. The Truman Scholarship is a national award given to outstanding students pursuing careers in government or public affairs.

Fortson, now 27 was apprehended at the age of 22. He began university classes through a program while still living in a halfway house. He accepted a plea deal and was sentenced to five years with a parole possibility after 26 months.

On Friday, he told the media after receiving the news of winning the Truman Scholarship: “I knew that I had to bear the weight of being a felon and I thought that was something I would never be able to shed … The officer told me, ‘You know your life is over, right?’ I took him at his word.”

While at the Mountainview Youth Correctional Facility, Fortson was introduced to Donald Roden, a Rutgers History professor who started the program to help felons enroll as students in the University. Roden told the media that Fortson “impressed me immediately by his determination and his brilliance.”

Roden’s program has enrolled 35 students to the university convicted of various felonies.

Fortson helped create the Mountainview Student Organization at Rutgers and is now its president. The organization recruits volunteers from Princeton and Rutgers to tutor at state correctional facilities.

He said that he accepts he broke the law and deserved punishment. However he holds the frequent strip searches, “is something I would not wish on my worst enemy.”

Fortson told the media that he felt lucky to have the chance to rehabilitate once out on parole, and he now wants to help other young people in prison find equal opportunities.

Currently, Fortson is studying exercise physiology with honors at Rutgers. The future may not be as dark for him as the police believed.

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CLARIFICATION OF THE FIRST AMENDMENT

It may come as a surprise to many that The First Amendment and many of the Constitution’s other protections only extend to the government, not to private employers.

Employees of the Elizabeth R. Wellborn law firm, located in Deerfield Beach, Florida, wore orange shirts to work apparently to protest draconian new work rules.  They were summarily fired.

Being a political year, people talk politics in the workplace with the notion that we have freedom of speech.  Not necessarily.  Fact is that a constitutionally protected freedom of speech for government workers doesn’t extend into the private-sector workplace.

Brian Finucane, an attorney at Fisher & Phillips in Kansas City, says, a private-sector employer “has a lot of latitude as to what’s permitted or not with respect to political speech, or pushing any view for that matter,”

An employer can allow one point of view to be aired but at the same time discipline an employee who voices a contrary opinion; even fire a worker who supports a different candidate or stance.

While not exactly ‘best practice’ at the work place it is important for private-sector employees to understand limits of their free-speech rights at work.

Are these tyrannical, arbitrary and callous acts illegal?  Can management just throw you out?  Yes!  The First Amendment and many of the Constitution’s other protections only extend to the government, not to private employers.

Calm discussions; politics, religious etc. are usually fine until the discussion morphs into a hostile work environment.

Offensive or pervasive comments that may violate a worker’s rights to legal protection against discrimination on the basis of sex, race, age, religion, ethnicity or pregnancy may raise a problem.

Offended employees subject to repeated racist or sexist references may give them grounds for discrimination lawsuits, something employers need to watch out for.

Judith M. Conti, federal advocacy coordinator for the National Employment Law Center (NELP), says many assume that they have more protection at work then they actually do.  “People also assume they have some right to be treated decently, and fairly, and respectfully at the workplace. They have the right to freedom from discrimination based on certain immutable characteristics like sex, race and age, but as long as treatment at work isn’t related to one of those characteristics you can be treated badly with no legal recourse. It’s kind of a free-for-all.”

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From Combating Enemies To Combating Unemployment – For War Veterans’ The Battle Endures

Tens of thousands of young war veterans have returned home, from war torn zones, in Iraq and Afghanistan, much to the happiness and relief of their families. But their joy has been short-lived as they find themselves, struggling to find work that will keep their home fires burning.

Unemployment for veterans, especially in the ages between 18 and 24, is increasing even as the country’s jobless rate declines. In an interview Paul Rieckhoff, founder and executive director of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, a New York-based advocacy group said, “Unemployment is our No. 1 issue.

Unemployment is not down, it’s up. And it’s a serious problem.”

After returning to his home in the suburbs of Cincinnati, U.S. Army Private Brandon Click delivers Papa John’s Pizza at night for a little more than $31,000 a year, to help support his infant son. Till now his search for a job has proved futile. “It gets the bills paid, but barely,” said Click.

Click was driving a 68-ton Abrams tank in Iraq on March, 2008, when a roadside bomb blast, “melted his eyelashes and peppered the left side of his body with shrapnel.”

The army said that Click was honorably discharged. Over the two years since his return home, he has been delivering pizza, continuing unsuccessfully, to search for more rewarding work to help support his infant baby, he fathered with a girlfriend.

The US Bureau of Labor reported that the unemployment rate for veterans who’ve served since the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks was 12.1 percent last year, up from 11.5 percent in 2010, Among non-veterans, 8.7 percent were jobless last year, down from 9.4 percent in 2010.

The gap is likely to increase further. The President has announced plans to withdraw combat troops from Iraq and Afghanistan by the end of 2014. This, coupled with Pentagon’s plans to reduce US military by 5.5.  percent, means that there will be that many more veterans searching for jobs.

Compounding the problem is that young veterans, who left high school to join the army, have returned to the civilian workforce with no obvious marketable skills.

“I’ve looked at other things,” Click said as he waited to talk to recruiters at a job fair in Fort Mitchell, Kentucky. “I can’t find nothing. I don’t even know what a resume looks like. I don’t know what’s supposed to be on it.”

Emily King, a Herndon, Virginia-based consultant who specializes in recruiting and training veterans for civilian jobs observes, “These people are out in the market without a clue, they either never get an interview, or they get an interview and they don’t know how to tell the story of their experience.”

Companies however, are saying that they are giving cognizance to the government’s appeal to provide jobs to veterans. According to spokesman Bryan Goettel, more than 30 companies pledged last year to hire at least 100,000 veterans collectively by 2020. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce has held 102 job fairs over the past year in 45 states and the District of Columbia is helping more than 8,400 veterans and spouses land jobs.

A silver lining to the unfortunate job situation for the job veterans is that, the job fair was lucky for Click, who landed a job at a call center and said he would take up the job starting April 16.

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