2012 Facility of the Year Awards (FOYA) Winners Announced

(TAMPA, FLORIDA USA, 24 January 2012) - The Facility of the Year Awards Judging Panel has named five Category Award Winners and selected one project for Special Recognition in the 2012 Facility of the Year Awards (FOYA) program. The winning projects for 2012 are located in Germany, India, Ireland, Italy, and the USA. The winning companies and respective award categories are:

• Chiesi Farmaceutici S.p.A., winner of the Facility of the Year Award for Sustainability for its Chiesi Farmaceutici Research and Development Centre facility in Parma, Italy
• Eisai Pharmatechnology & Manufacturing Pvt. Ltd., winner of the Facility of the Year Award for Project Execution for its Eisai Knowledge Centre facility in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh India
• Merck & Co., Inc., winner of the Facility of the Year Award for Facility Integration for its Merck Vaccine Bulk Manufacturing Facility (VBF) Program of Projects in Durham, North Carolina USA
• Rentschler Biotechnologie GmbH, winner of the Facility of the Year Award for Equipment Innovation for its REX III manufacturing facility in Laupheim, Germany
• Roche Diagnostics GmbH, winner of the Facility of the Year Award for Operational Excellence for its TP Expand project in Penzberg, Germany
• National Institute for Bioprocessing Research and Training (NIBRT), winner of the Facility of the Year Award Special Recognition for Novel Collaboration for its New Greenfield facility in Dublin, Ireland

The FOYA program is the pharmaceutical industry's premier awards program dedicated to celebrating innovation and accomplishments in facility design, construction, and operation. The Facility of the Year Awards program recognizes state-of-the-art pharmaceutical manufacturing projects that utilize new and innovative technologies to enhance the delivery of a quality project, as well as reduce the cost of producing high-quality medicines. Now entering its ninth year, the awards program effectively spotlights the accomplishments, shared commitment, and dedication of individuals in companies worldwide to innovate and advance pharmaceutical manufacturing technology for the benefit of patients worldwide. The Facility of the Year Awards program is sponsored by ISPE, INTERPHEX, and Pharmaceutical Processing magazine.

"Our 2012 Category Winners reflect the true spirit of the Facility of the Year Awards program," said Judging Panel Chairperson and upcoming "Lessons from 483s" conference keynote speaker Chaz Calitri. "The winning projects exemplify innovation in pharmaceutical manufacturing for the benefit of patients all over the world, who depend upon us for medications that are high quality, available and affordable. Our winners come from 5 different countries and include novel, low cost biologics facilities, creative and visionary industry-academia-government collaborations, and hyper-fast track investments made to ensure vaccine's get to patients in need. We are also proud this year to recognize facilities that seek to speed up drug development as well as facilities that greatly reduce the environmental "footprint" of manufacturing in the communities in which they reside"

The Facility of the Year Awards program is truly global, as submissions over the past eight years have been received from more than 25 different countries and territories. Each of the submissions was reviewed by an independent, blue-ribbon judging panel consisting of global senior-level executives from all aspects of the industry. The judging panel met personally in December to select the Category Awards Winners and select the 2012 overall winner, which will be announced to the world for the first time at ISPE's Annual Meeting in November.

2012 Facility of the Year Events
There will be several opportunities to learn first-hand about the facilities being honored as "best in their class." These opportunities include :

• INTERPHEX2012 - Attendees will be able to meet the Category Award Winners at the Facility of the Year Awards Display Area near the front of the exhibit hall of the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York City, New York, USA. Team members from winning companies will be on-hand to discuss the success stories associated with these pharmaceutical manufacturing facilities. More information, including registration information, can be found at www.interphex.com.
• ISPE 2012 Annual Meeting - Category Winners will give presentations about their winning projects during ISPE's 2012 Annual Meeting, 11-14 November in San Francisco, California USA. The highly anticipated announcement of the 2012 Facility of the Year Awards Overall Winner will also take place during the Keynote Session of this event. Information and updates on this global event can be found at www.ISPE.org.
• Feature Articles - Comprehensive coverage will appear in Pharmaceutical Processing magazine and ISPE's Pharmaceutical Engineering magazine.

Comprehensive details about each of this year's award-winning projects and their support teams, plus additional information on the awards program itself, can be found at www.FacilityoftheYear.org.

About ISPE
ISPE, the International Society for Pharmaceutical Engineering, is a not-for-profit Society of 22,000 pharmaceutical professionals in 90 countries who use expert knowledge to create high-quality, cost-effective GMP solutions. ISPE is "Connecting a World of Pharmaceutical Knowledge" by providing Members with opportunities to develop their technical knowledge, exchange practical experience within their community, enhance their professional skills, and collaborate with global regulatory agencies and industry leaders. Founded in 1980, ISPE offers online learning opportunities for a global audience and has its worldwide headquarters in Tampa, Florida, USA; its European office in Brussels, Belgium; an Asia Pacific office in Singapore; and its newest office in Shanghai, China. Visit www.ISPE.org for additional Society news and information.

About INTERPHEX
Now in its 33rd year, INTERPHEX is the largest gathering for FDA regulated drug and drug delivery products for technical professionals in development & manufacturing for pharmaceutical, biologic, generic, contract manufacturing and supporting services. ISPE is the exclusive official association sponsor of this industry-leading annual event. Scheduled for May 1-3, 2012 at the Javits Convention Center in New York City, NY, USA, the event hosts more than 650 suppliers on the show floor along with an expanded conference program, featuring a high-profile roster of subject matter experts. For information, visit www.INTERPHEX.com/ISPE.

About Pharmaceutical Processing
Pharmaceutical Processing magazine is the pharmaceutical industry's leading information provider, reporting on a full range of innovative new products, equipment, technology and trends for 28,000 engineers and managers responsible for the development, manufacture, validation and packaging of pharmaceuticals. An official sponsor of INTERPHEX, Pharmaceutical Processing distributes critical information to these professionals in a timely manner through a full range of print, electronic and online media. For information, visit www.pharmpro.com.

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Local Leaders Seek to Enlist Community Participation in Achieving Broadband Expansion

Des Moines, IA - Today, Connect Iowa and the Iowa Association of Regional Councils (IARC) announced a new partnership to launch a statewide "Connected" community engagement program aimed at increasing broadband access, adoption, and use. High-speed Internet is the key to attracting quality jobs, improving education, putting people in touch with government services, and building an all-around better quality of life. In collaboration with Connect Iowa, members of the Iowa Association of Regional Councils are taking charge of expanding broadband's reach in their communities.

Last week, staff of regional Council of Governments (COGs) from all over the state took an intensive weeklong Connect Iowa training and began forming teams of local leaders who want to help create the plan for broadband expansion in their community. These leaders arrived back home this week with a critical new mission: revive their communities through broadband expansion.

"Getting all of Iowa connected to quality broadband is vital to the economic development of our state. Iowa's Councils of Governments, in conjunction with IARC, will be the driving force in getting the Connect Iowa initiative up and running in each of their regions," says Iowa Association of Regional Councils Executive Director Nichole Warren. "They'll be reaching out to their community leaders and asking them to join the local planning teams."

Last week, Connect Iowa announced the formation of a new broadband advisory committee that will help guide and oversee this new initiative.

"We are thrilled to be joining forces with IARC to begin working in the local communities," says Connect Iowa Program Manager Amy Kuhlers. "Change happens at the local level and by drawing in our relationships with the providers and local leaders and combining that with the intelligence we've gathered through our maps and research, we can identify solutions that best fit the community."

Connected is a community-based initiative to accelerate broadband access, adoption, and use. The certification process benefits communities through a process of assessment, benchmarking, and planning by helping participants identify their community's technological strengths and challenges and helping community partners match up with local opportunities.

"Connect Iowa's Connected community program is an amazing opportunity for towns and regions across the state to assess their broadband needs and find real solutions," says Kuhlers. "The aim is to put the tools in the hands of the community, help them do a detailed assessment of what the true local needs are, and then construct an informed plan to get the community connected in the most efficient way possible. It could be updating a school's network or getting access to an unserved community, but the best part is that each plan will be custom-tailored to each region's own specific needs and landscape."

Anyone with an interest in bringing better broadband to local homes and businesses is encouraged to join in the community planning effort. For more information on how to get involved, please contact Kuhlers at akuhlers@connectiowa.org or 515-421-2561.

Local COG leaders are listed below.

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About Connect Iowa: Connect Iowa is a subsidiary of Connected Nation and operates as a nonprofit in the state of Iowa to promote broadband access, adoption, and use. The Iowa Economic Development Authority (IEDA) is leading the initiative to increase broadband Internet access throughout rural Iowa. Connect Iowa was commissioned by the state to work with all broadband providers in Iowa to create detailed maps of broadband coverage and develop a statewide plan for the deployment and adoption of broadband. For more information visit: http://www.connectiowa.org.

Follow Connect Iowa on Facebook and Twitter.

Agency/ COG	Contact	Address	Phone	Email	Counties
Area 15 Regional Planning Commission	Matt Bauman	P. O. Box 1110 Ottumwa, Iowa 52501	(641) 684-6551	matt.bauman@indianhills.edu	Davis, Keokuk, Jefferson, Mahaska, Van Buren, Wappello
Bi-State Regional Commission	Doug DeLille	1504 Third Avenue P.O. Box 3368 Rock Island, Illinois 61204-3368	(309) 793-6300	ddelille@bistateonline.org	Muscatine, Scott
East Central Intergovernmental Association	Kelsey McElroy Anderson	7600 Commerce Park Dubuque, Iowa 52002	(563) 556-4166	kmcelroy@ecia.org	Cedar, Clinton Delaware, Dubuque Jackson
East Central Iowa Council of Governments	Tracy DeKoter & Hilary Copeland	700 16th Street NE, Suite 301 Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52402	(319) 365-9941	tracy.dekoter@ecicog.org hilary.copeland@ecicog.org	Benton, Iowa, Johnson, Jones Linn, Washington
Iowa Northland Regional Council of Governments	Kyle Durant	229 E. Park Avenue Waterloo, Iowa 50703	(319) 235-0311	kdurant@inrcog.org	Black Hawk, Bremer Buchanan, Butler Chickasaw, Grundy
Metropolitan Area Planning Agency	Clint Sloss	2222 Cuming Street Omaha, NE 68102	(402) 444-6866	csloss@mapacog.org	Mills, Pottawattamie
MIDAS Council of Governments	Carissa Miller	602 First Avenue South Fort Dodge, Iowa 50501	(515) 576-7183	cmiller@midascog.net	Calhoun, Hamilton Humboldt, Pocahontas, Webster Wright, Boone
North Iowa Area Council of Governments	Dan Schroeder & Dana Heimbuch	525 Sixth St. S.W. Mason City, Iowa 50401	(641) 423-0491	dschroeder@niacog.org	Cerro Gordo, Floyd Franklin, Hancock Kossuth, Mitchell Winnebago, Worth
Northwest Iowa Planning and Development Commission	Aaron Sedey	217 W. Fifth Street, P. O. Box 1493 Spencer, Iowa 51301	(712) 262-7225	aaron.sedey@nwipdc.org	Buena Vista, Clay Dickinson, Emmet Lyon, O'Brien Osceola, Palo Alto Sioux
Region 6 Planning Commission	Donna Sampson	903 E. Main Street Marshalltown, Iowa 50158	(641) 752-0717	dsampson@region6planning.org	Hardin, Marshall Poweshiek, Tama
Region XII Council of Governments	Stacy Lentsch	1009 East Anthony Street P.O. Box 768 Carroll, Iowa 51401	(712) 792-9914	slentsch@region12cog.org	Audubon, Carroll Crawford, Greene Guthrie, Sac Dallas
Southeast Iowa Regional Planning Commission	Justin Bushong	211 N. Gear Avenue, Suite 100 West Burlington, IA 52655	(319) 753- 5107	jbushong@seirpc.com	Des Moines, Henry Lee County, Louisa
Southern Iowa Council of Governments	Andrew Collings	101 East Montgomery Street Creston, Iowa 50801-0102	(641) 782-8491	collings@sicog.com	Adair, Adams, Clarke Decatur, Madison Ringgold , Taylor Union
Siouxland Interstate Metropolitan Planning Council	Andrea Westergard	1122 Pierce Street P.O. Box 1077 Sioux City, Iowa 51102	(712) 279-6286	awestergard@simpco.org	Cherokee, Ida Plymouth, Woodbury
Southwest Iowa Planning Council	John McCurdy	1501 S.W. Seventh Street Atlantic, Iowa 50022	(712) 243-4196	john.mccurdy@swipco.org	Cass, Fremont Harrison, Montgomery, Page Shelby
Upper Explorerland Regional Planning Commission	Casey Mai	325 Washington St., Suite A Decorah, Iowa 52101	(563) 382-6171	cmai@uerpc.org	Allamakee , Clayton Fayette, Howard Winneshiek
IARC	Nichole Warren	1123 Sandalwood Ct. SW Altoona, IA 50009	(515)554-3210	iarcdirector@live.com	Polk, Jasper, Story, Warren, Marion, Lucas, Appanoose, Monroe & Wayne

New advisory committee kicks off intensive community broadband expansion program

Des Moines, IA - This week, Connect Iowa and the Iowa Economic Development Authority (IEDA) convened the first broadband advisory committee meeting, kicking off a new community engagement effort to expand broadband access, adoption, and use across the state. Community leaders from around Iowa are now joining forces to oversee the expansion of high-speed Internet to every corner of the state. Connect Iowa's new broadband advisory committee includes elected officials, public service agency representatives, providers, educators, librarians, and business people. Their common goal is to support and guide the Connect Iowa initiative.

During the meeting broadband stakeholders discussed the history of broadband expansion in the state, and the plan for bringing broader access to Iowa communities in the coming year. The meeting was a great success and set the groundwork for how diverse broadband stakeholders can work together to further progress across the state in 2012.

"The inauguration of our broadband advisory committee marks an important step for Connect Iowa and signals our commitment to closing the digital gap that persists in our communities," says Connect Iowa Program Manager Amy Kuhlers. "We are excited to be bolstered by the support of key stakeholders representing all areas of economic interest. Connect Iowa, with the support of the advisory committee, is undertaking the important work of building grassroots regional planning to grow and expand technology use in communities across the state."

The closing of the digital adoption gap in Iowa will have a significant impact on the way citizens learn, work, and live their daily lives. According to Connect Iowa's latest broadband availability research from the 2011 Iowa residential and business surveys:

• 37% of Iowa households still do not subscribe to broadband at home

• 45% of Iowans living in rural areas do not subscribe to broadband service at home

• 23,000 Iowa businesses are still not using broadband despite the fact that Iowa businesses that use broadband make an average of $259,000 more in annual revenue than businesses without

"The first meeting of the advisory council was really interesting because there were so many people representing different pieces of the broadband puzzle around the table," said committee member and Iowa State Librarian Mary Wegner. "I am excited that we will be working together to improve broadband adoption in Iowa, improve the speed, and get more Iowans using broadband. The most important part, and the part where libraries really come into the picture, is to help Iowans really understand the limitless opportunities and what they can do when they have access to high-speed Internet."

Connect Iowa, in collaboration with the Iowa Economic Development Authority, is working with broadband providers and other public and private partners to speed up the expansion of broadband in unserved and underserved areas. The organization is pinpointing remaining gaps in Iowa's broadband availability and supporting the development of a statewide plan for the deployment and adoption of technology that promises economic development and better quality of life for Iowa residents.

The committee's first meeting kicked off a week of intensive training for a new grassroots program that Connect Iowa will be unveiling next week. The committee expects to meet quarterly with the next meeting planned for April.

If you have suggestions regarding how technology can be improved to better serve your community, Connect Iowa wants to hear from you. To submit comments, ideas, or gain access to the initiative's many online tools and resources, please visit www.connectiowa.org or contact Amy Kuhlers at akuhlers@connectiowa.org.

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About Connect Iowa: Connect Iowa is a subsidiary of Connected Nation and operates as a nonprofit in the state of Iowa to promote broadband access, adoption, and use. The Iowa Economic Development Authority (IEDA) is leading the initiative to increase broadband Internet access throughout rural Iowa. Connect Iowa was commissioned by the state to work with all broadband providers in Iowa to create detailed maps of broadband coverage and develop a statewide plan for the deployment and adoption of broadband. For more information visit: www.connectiowa.org.

Leading Business Technology Provider Changes the Way Law Firms Communicate

DAVENPORT, IA - December 20, 2011 - Midland Communications, a leading provider of unified communications, announced today that the company is placing special emphasis on bringing its innovative technology and applications to the rapidly growing legal industry.  Midland Communications has a number of valuable communications and data networking solutions that support the needs of the legal community.  These solutions have the unique ability of increasing productivity while decreasing the firm's carbon footprint because of the significant impact they have on attorney's commute times, marketing efforts, reduction of office space and reduction in operational costs.
"An attorney's time is very valuable and anything we can do to increase their efficiency has a dramatic impact to a law firm," said Jason Smith, Vice President of Midland Communications.  "The utilization of technology solutions like Unified Communications enhances a firm's green initiatives by drastically reducing the use of paper, reducing travel by utilizing video conferencing or web collaboration and allowing attorneys to receive calls, faxes and voicemails anytime, anywhere. This allows attorneys to work from home, at the courthouse or while they are visiting a client at their residence, while still providing the quality experience that both the firm and their clients have come to expect."

Unified Communication solutions provide a number of impressive benefits which increase productivity in law firms. One example is presence management, which informs assistants and partners of where the attorneys are located at all times. Another is call recording, which allows lawyers to save recordings to client files and email them internally. Conference call management integrates with Microsoft Outlook and call attached data tracks who called and other various statistics as well.  Fax-to-email and  the ability to schedule outgoing faxes through a fax server lower telecommunication costs help businesses go paperless. Furthermore, businesses can benefit multiple office connectivity through VoIP, which unifies all incoming and outgoing communication.  Additionally, law firms benefit significantly because attorneys are no longer tethered to a desk when they take advantage of Unified Communications' mobile capabilities. Mobile devices, such as smartphones and tablets, enable law firms to increase productivity in a myriad of other ways as well.
The Unified Communications interface has been developed with the end user's specific needs in mind. This essentially means that the front-end of these systems are extremely easy to operate regardless of the individual's age or technical know-how.  The advanced technology is hidden within each solution and may be managed internally by the organization's IT department or by certified team of Unified Communications professionals.
"Legal is a very unique industry and we have partnered with leading Unified Communication manufacturers who make these solutions cost effective by integrating all these capabilities into a single box solution," added Jason Smith. "The types of solutions we offer greatly benefit law firms as well as make the lives of their attorneys easier and less stressful."

ABOUT MIDLAND COMMUNICATIONS
Midland Communications began more than 60 years ago in 1946 as the Worldwide Marketing Arm of Victor-Animagraph Projectors. In 1977 a communications division was formed due to a partnership with NEC America. Today, As a distributor of NEC America, for 33 years, Midland Communications has a customer base of more than 3,000 satisfied customers that include general businesses, government agencies, Universities, colleges, hospitals, and hotels.
Midland provides a wide range of communication services including VOIP, PBX and key systems, Wide Area and Local Area networking, computers, Computer integration, voice mail, CCIS, and video conferencing and paging systems. Our philosophy is simple, provide quality products at a fair price, backed by an average emergency response time of twenty minutes, and the best service in the industry. For more information on Midland Communications, call (563) 326-1237 or visit www.midlandcom.com.