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Massachusetts adds 10,900 jobs in December

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According to a January 22, 2015 statement from the Massachusetts Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development (EOLWD), there were 10,900 jobs added in Massachusetts in December. The EOLWD based these figures on early estimates provided by the Federal Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).

The largest number of jobs added in December was in the leisure and hospitality sector with 4,700 jobs added. Other significant sectors with jobs added in December were scientific and business services as well as education and health services, adding 2,700 and 2,200 jobs respectively. In addition, there were 2,300 jobs added by the government in December. There were also significant numbers of jobs added in construction, transportation, and utilities, which added 600, 300 and 200 jobs, respectively.

However, the news was not all positive as the financial activities sector lost 800 jobs, and the manufacturing and information sectors each lost 700 jobs.

The EOLWD also reported in their recent statement that the state’s unemployment rate decreased to 5.5 percent in December, which was 0.3 of a percentage point less than the November unemployment rate. The December 2014 estimates provided by the BLS indicated that 194,900 Massachusetts residents were unemployed while 3,371,500 residents were employed, representing a cumulative labor force of 3,566,400 residents. This total labor force was estimated to be approximately 83,300 more than the December 2013 BLS estimation of 3,483,100, with 51,400 less residents unemployed and 134,700 more residents employed. In addition, BLS amended their November job estimate to show a gain of 11,700 jobs rather than the 13,500 formerly reported for November.

UMass Amherst Replacing Campus Bookstore with Amazon

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Students at the University of Massachusetts Amherst campus will no longer be buying their textbooks at the campus bookstore. That familiar on-campus amenity is being replaced by online retail giant Amazon.com. The current textbook annex operated by Follett Corp. is being replaced by an Amazon distribution center that is designed to save the students money.

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According to UMass spokesman Ed Blaguszewski, University officials recognized that as the cost of textbooks and course materials are increasing every year for students and represent one of the major expenses of attending classes on campus, the new deal using book services provided by Amazon will not only offer students what they need at lower prices but also provide a more convenient shopping experience.Compared with the prices being charged currently at the UMass Amherst campus bookstore, the new Amazon pricing structure will enable students to save as much as 31% annually, translating to an average cost savings of $380 per student. The new system gives students the option of purchasing either digital copies of the textbooks and course materials they need, or the option of taking delivery of traditional physical ink and paper books to either on-campus or nearby addresses using free one-day delivery. Students also have the option of ordering their textbooks online and then picking them up in person at a location in the campus center staffed by Amazon personnel.

UMass Amherst’s five-year deal with the retailing giant will provide the school with a 2.5% commission on almost all student sales conducted through the Amazon storefront linked to the University’s course-selection software. The University is guaranteed payments of at least $375,000 the first year, increasing to $465,000 and $610,000 for the next two years. Amazon already has similar textbook service agreements with the University of California Davis as well as Purdue University.

An Amazon spokesman says that this effort to reinvent the traditional campus bookstore is a win-win for everyone, with students lowering their cost of obtaining textbooks and other course materials, while the school realizes a guaranteed revenue from student sales.

Harvard Pilgrim Acquires TrestleTree

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Wellesley, MA–based Harvard Pilgrim Health Care announced Friday that it has purchased Arkansas-based TrestleTree, Inc., provider of lifestyle health behavior change coaching. Harvard Pilgrim’s interest in TrestleTree developed because of their software, which supports and monitors patient progress in such programs as smoking cessation, health-risk assessment, weight and stress management, exercise monitoring; it also analyzes gaps in care.

“TrestleTree’s approach has achieved measurable and sustainable change for employees and their families, regardless of motivation level or severity of condition that has resulted in lower healthcare costs for employers,” a Harvard Pilgrim spokesperson said.

“We are thrilled to offer our employers TrestleTree’s proven methods for health transformation, ” Deb Hodges, Health Plans, Inc. president, said in the statement. “This acquisition complements our existing integrated care management and third-party administration services, enabling us to offer higher-level risk management and cost savings for employers.”

Baker Announces New Business Posts

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Nominations for vital business posts were recently announced by the incoming Baker administration. The candidates chosen are well-known and , as a result, their nominations have been met with little fanfare but, more importantly, little protest.

Chapman1_0Baker named John Chapman as his new Undersecretary for Consumer Affairs and Business Regulations. This is a key position for Chapman, as it represents a substantial promotion for the Cape Cod based Republican who first appeared on to the radar of most party voters last year when he challenged William Keating for a seat in Congress. Positions previously held by Chapman included postings as Commissioner of the Department of Industrial Accidents, as well as Undersecretary for the Office of Economic Development. Both of these positions were held during the administration of the former Governor, Mitt Romney.

pvn001Meanwhile, in a true milestone in the history of Massachusetts state politics, the administration has announced that its nominee for Assistant Secretary of Business Development will be Nam Pham. Mr. Pham, a Vietnamese American, is currently serving as the outgoing director of VietAID, the largest community development foundation focused on the needs of American citizens of Vietnamese descent. Pham has been a long time political ally of Baker.

Both of the nominees will serve under the supervision of Housing and Economic Development Secretary Jay Ash.

More information on these new postings is expected to be released shortly.

Study Foresees Continued Medical Technology Growth

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In recent years, the medical technology and medical device manufacturing industries have become an increasingly significant sector of the Massachusetts economy. According to predictions from Evaluate Ltd., a market research firm, it is expected to grow at a five percent annual rate for the next five years. The report, entitled “EvaluateMedTech World Preview 2014, Outlook to 2020,” shows that medical technology sales are expected to reach $514 billion by the end of that period, with influential mergers reconstructing the faces of industry leaders.

The announcement of the merger involving Medtronic and Covidien, estimated at $42.9 billion, is one such example. It is anticipated that together they could become the new market leader in an industry that will be worth over half a trillion dollars by 2020. Research has also shown that spending on global research and development will reach $30.5 billion by that year, a growth of 4.2 percent. In the first half of 2014, $1.3 billion was raised in completed medical technology IPO offerings, a 44 percent increase from the same period in 2013. During the first half of this year, the value of mergers in the medical technology field rocketed up by 363 percent compared with the same period the year before, a huge indicator of what can be expected at least in the near future.

The Evaluate Ltd. report predicted that activity among the major players in the sector will continue on a large scale. The Medtronic-Covidien union represents the biggest merger in the industry’s history and marks the beginning of a period of rapid change for the market. This, and other megamergers, will continue to dominate and reshape the various areas of the field in the immediate and possibly extended future.

It’s #GivingTuesday

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We just had a day of giving thanks, plus two more for getting great deals on seasonal gifts. Now, we have #GivingTuesday, a global day dedicated to giving back.

Today, charities, families, businesses, community centers, and students around the world come together for one common purpose: to celebrate generosity and to give.

It’s a simple notion; we all come together to give something more.

With this in mind, here are three recipients worthy of your donations:

15-4015-40 Connection is an emerging national organization committed to raising awareness about the life-saving advantage of early cancer detection. They empower individuals to take personal responsibility for their health, check themselves for cancer, and take assertive action in response to persistent health changes. 15 to 40-year-olds are diagnosed with cancer nearly five times more frequently than young children. However since 1975, improvements in their survival rates have not kept pace with those for other age groups. 15-40 Connection strives to improve cancer survival rates for this overlooked population by providing educational resources, tools, and programming.

Worcester County Food Bank (WCFB) is the region’s leading anti-hunger organization distributing over 5 million pounds of donated food and grocery product in partnership with food donors, financial supporters, and volunteers. WCFB provides this product to a network of 138 partner agencies that have programs for feeding people including food pantries, community meal sites, and shelters.

gdrne_web_logoGreat Dog Rescue New England is a nonprofit, shelterless, all-breed rescue group headquartered in Massachusetts. The group is comprised of volunteers all over New England who love dogs and want to help those that end up homeless through no fault of their own.

Do You Hate Your Boss?

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You know the feeling! The very thought or mention of your boss causes your knuckles to turn white and your blood pressure to go through the roof. Family members and friends know to avoid mentioning his or her name unless they want the conversation to take a turn for the worse. Dealing with a bad boss can be emotionally draining and exhausting if it’s someone you don’t like or can’t trust.

Is it possible to find a silver lining in such a situation? Yes! Before you fly off the handle or pack up your personal things and head for the exit, there are several simple rules that can help you win the day.

Become Your Boss’s Ally

Choosing to become your boss’s ally could be a tough pill to swallow because you may be harboring a lot of animosity toward your boss. In reality, your mission is to support your boss’s initiatives at work. The obvious exceptions would be if you boss wants you to do something immoral, illegal or destructive to yourself, someone or the organization.

Sit Tight and Ride it Out

Your situation at work might be like a bad weather day. Difficult situations often take time to change. Relationships and what others expect of you can change and evolve over time. The result may be a far different work environment than your first one. Keep a balanced mind. Not everything will go in your favor, even if you’re the perfect employee. There will be things and outcomes in life that you’ll simply have no control over.

Create an Exit Plan

Change is the one constant in life! If your work situation is hopeless, move on to greener pastures. Sure, there are always obligations in life that can bind you to a job. However, the reality is that you will always be responsible for your career. While maintaining your professional demeanor on the job, search for a better career opportunity elsewhere.

There could be something better for you just down the road. Just remember to leave your present job with your integrity and good name intact.

Cutthroat Shopping App Lets Retailers Compete for Shoppers

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With Black Friday and its shopping bonanza madness quickly approaching, big retailers are getting ready to fight each other in an effort to attract customers during the busiest shopping days of the year. In recent years, major retailers such as Target and Walmart have waged discount and inventory battles to gain the most customers, but such tactics are no longer effective with the advent of major online retailers such as Amazon.

Retailers have been paying attention to the slew of mobile apps that help shoppers get the most out of their retail experience. There is no shortage of apps that scout deals, deliver coupons and give shoppers detailed information about the good and services they crave. To this end, many retailers offer their own mobile apps that keep shoppers informed about store discounts and special sale events, but shoppers have upped the ante in recent years with “showrooming,” a 21st century shopping behavior that consists of going to a store and using a smartphone to check for lower prices in the vicinity.Showrooming has led to apps such as Find&Save, which recently added a new feature that enables retailers to engage in a bit of cutthroat competition to steal potential shoppers away from each other. Until recently, Find&Save was similar to many mobile apps that deliver enticing coupons on smartphones; what was added is the ability for retailers to reach shoppers while they are physically on the premises of their competitors.

One example would be a shopper whose GPS-enabled smartphone places her at the nearest Home Depot. This could open an opportunity for competing chain Lowe’s to steal that potential customer with either lower prices or a cash reward of $25. For the time being, apps like Cash Dash require shoppers to take a photo of their purchase receipt in order to have their reward transferred to their PayPal accounts, but future versions of the app may actually subtract the reward from the customer’s purchases at the checkout register, thereby making the offer even more attractive and convenient.

Baker Chooses Lepore For Top Finance Post

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Governor-elect Charlie Baker  has named Kristen Lepore as the head of his finance office. Currently, Lepore is the Vice President of Government Affairs at the Associated Industries of Massachusetts.

Previously, Lepore was the Deputy Chief of Staff to Governor Cellucci and the Director of Fiscal Policy in Cellucci’s Executive Office for Administration and Finance. President George W. Bush chose Lepore as New England’s regional rep for the United States Department of Education. In 2012, Lepore joined the Associated Industries of Massachusetts. During her time with A.I.M., Lepore has gone up against changes to the Massachusetts health insurance rating system from the Affordable Care Act.

Baker has his first annual spending bill due in just three months and the budget shortfall from mid-2014 is still not entirely sorted out. It’s possible that one of Lepore’s first duties will be to fix the budget gap that’s been determined at $329 million by Governor Deval Patrick. Patrick took care of part of the gap with reductions in executive spending, but earlier in November, he filed a bill that called for an additional $57 million in cuts.

At this point, it’s unclear if the House and Senate will try to close the gap before the end of 2014 or if they’ll wait for Baker to be sworn in.

Amazon Announces 100 Percent Renewable Energy Initiative

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In recent years, big corporations such as Facebook, Google, and Apple have all made the push toward renewable energy. Despite these companies’ moves to more green sources for energy, Amazon failed to follow suit. On Wednesday, November 19, 2014, they finally changed their tune.

Amazon Web Services was updated on Wednesday with information pertaining to the company’s vision of making a complete transition to renewable energy. Because Amazon is a massive entity and key player in cloud computing, supplying services to companies such as Pinterest, Spotify, and Netflix, there’s no doubt that the global environment will benefit from this move. At this point, however, there isn’t much cause for celebration. Because Amazon is an intricate entity, it will likely take several years for its transition to 100% renewable energy to complete.

Gary Cook, a Greenpeace IT analyst, was one of the first to notice that Amazon has still failed to publish a timeline or roadmap that indicates a plan for its renewable energy transition. This has caused heavy speculation about whether or not Amazon is serious about the move.

There’s no doubt that the company’s decision to move towards green processes is a good one. For years, Greenpeace criticized Amazon for not following suit in making a transition to healthier practices. As a result, in their “Clicking Clean” report released last April, Amazon was regarded as one of the worst companies on the map.

At this point, Amazon’s data centers are located primarily in Virginia and are powered by coal, natural gas, and nuclear power. However, certain data centers built since 2011 claim to run off of 100% renewable energy sources.

Cook was quick to note that one of Amazon’s biggest pitfalls is its failure to be honest and outspoken about the energy sources it uses. Cook believes that if Amazon is sincere about taking a significant step towards green energy sources, the company will become much more transparent over the next few years.