MCED announces Steven Bazinet as new Executive Director to begin July 1

finance to assist growth-oriented companies in the art of creating and capturing value. He has a knack for solving problems and developing ideas in innovative and bottom-line oriented ways.

As an entrepreneurial family member, owner, advisor and senior level executive of numerous privately-held companies, Steve has always been empathetic to the challenges of building enterprises of high value.  “For the past five years I have enjoyed my experience as an interim management and corporate finance professional. The MCED is a new sort of opportunity for me - one that combines my finance and business acumen with my passion for helping companies move through their various stages of development.” His primary focus will be to refine the growth strategy of MCED and to solidify a business model which fosters incubation for many years to come.

A graduate of Plymouth State University with a Bachelors Degree in Management, Steve has also completed extensive training at Bell Leadership Institute in Chapel Hill, NC; the Investment Banking Institute, Boston, MA; and is a graduate of the Executive Management Program, at the Leadership Institute, Boston University.

<click here for copy of press release>

<click here to view Steve's Resume>

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May/June 2008 Newsletter Table of Contents

MCED Announces new Exec.Director Steve Bazinet
2008 USM Business Plan Competition Winner was mCaddie Inc
Environmental & Energy Technology Council Forum Thu June 26
Links to information on our services, clients and sponsors

The monthly MCED Lunch and Learn Workshop Series
"Win-Win Negotiations" Thurs June 26
SBIR/STTR grant summer session Wed. July 9
MTI Grant Programs Upcoming Deadlines
 

MTI - 2008 REGIONAL SUMMER SESSION

SMALL BUSINESS INNOVATION RESEARCH (SBIR)/

SMALL BUSINESS TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER (STTR)

What: Overview of the $2.0 Billion plus federal SBIR/STTR grants available for innovative technologies

• Increased chances for your winning a SBIR/STTR grant

• Presentations on agency specific SBIR/STTR programs from different federal agency program managers

• One-on-one meetings with federal program managers to discuss your specific innovative technology

• Workshops on Maine’s grant opportunities for SBIR/STTR support, additional funding for your development project and a seminar on commercialization of new technologies

• For More Information: Contact Karen West at 207-845-2934 or email at cpmgmt@pivot.net

When: Wednesday July 9, 2008

• 7:30 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. -- Registration, networking and coffee

• 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. -- SBIR/STTR presentations, workshops  one-on-one meetings with the SBIR/STTR program managers & other service providers within the New England Region

Where: Portland Regency, 20 Milk Street, Portland, ME

How: Pre-registration is required via any of the below:

• online at: www.mainetechnology.org  or

• e-mail to info@mainetechnology.org ; or

• click here: 2008 Regional Summer Session

• call Andrea Phillips at MTI at 207-582-4790, x201

Cost: $30.00 per person payable by cash or check

What is the SBIR/STTR Program? The SBIR/STTR program is a competitive grant program where small businesses may receive up to $850,000 to fund feasibility and prototype development of innovative technologies. Topics of interest are broad and grants are awarded in response to proposals submitted. Phase I funding provides up to $100,000 to prove feasibility and Phase II provides up to $50,000 for prototype development.

($2Billion + is available for SBIR/STTR grants -
Since 1999, Maine businesses have won $46 Million!

Come learn how your business can compete!)

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This was the 7th year of the USM Student Business Plan Competition,  the only one of its kind in the state of Maine. The competition is designed to promote the entrepreneurial spirit and recognize small business ideas in Maine. The competition allows student teams to create and develop an original business idea into a solid business plan in the hopes of winning $10,000 in cash and $15,000 in consulting services to start their business venture.  The six finalist teams (out of the initial 30+ registered teams) pitched their business idea at the finals on Sat April 5 before the 3 judges. Each gave a short description and participated in a student panel discussion Wed April 9 at the USM Corporate Partners Breakfast where mGolfCo was announced as this year's winner!

The six finalist teams in the USM Business Plan competition were:

·         bwell health (team of Dr. Kevin Bardwell and Jennifer Baker)

·         Comprehensive Wound Care Center (team of Gisele Castonguay, Lorri Pelletier & Liz Beal)

·         Fresh Pulp (team of Scott Abbotts, April Joyce, & Aimee Goodwin

·         Jewel Dust (team of Andrew Sangalang & Bryan Hamel)

·         Journey Giftbags (Nora Irvine)

·         mGolfCo (team of Kurtis Petersons & James Daniels)

mGolfCo's beta product is mCaddie, a credible social network wrapped around an intuitive GPS based scorecard, which feeds statistics into a robust database for use by a mobile golf caddie application. mCaddie will provide club suggestions, distance to hole information, and will integrate with satellite maps and course information. Accessible through the mobile Internet, mCaddie is also being developed for Apple's iPhone and Google's Android platforms.

mGolfCo has been a Campus Ventures company , the MCED program that helps student teams compete. MCED provides a one-year, commercialization services scholarship to all competition finalists  funded by Campus Ventures sponsorships from the private sector. Supporters of Campus Ventures to date have included Clark Associates Insurance, Key Bank, Pierce Atwood, Pro-Search, Inc., Mr. Widgery Thomas, the Maine Office of Innovation, Bangor Savings Bank and the Maine Community Foundation.
<click here for more info on MCED's Campus Ventures Program>
<click here for more info on the USM Business Plan Competition>

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Free Satellite broadcast of MIT Enterprise Forum @ USM Portland campus

Topic: to be announced

Presented by:  MIT Club of Maine in cooperation with
                           University of Maine System Network
                           Center for Entrepreneurship, School of Business, USM
                           Finance Authority of Maine

Time:              6-7 p.m. networking,
                             7-8:30 p.m. presentation

When:             Thursday, September 25, 2008
                                     
Where:            Payson Smith Hall, Room 306 USM Portland Campus               
Cost:               Free and open to the public
Registration:    space is limited so please register as soon as
                              possible  - Call Rick Fontana of the MIT Club of Maine
                              at 207-799-6026 or e-mail at: rfontana@alum.mit.edu

For further information about the presentation, please visit: http://enterpriseforum.mit.edu/network/broadcasts/200806/index.html
 

Future Global Broadcast Dates:

 

2009

Thursday, January 22, 2009
Wednesday, June 3, 2009

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Maine Technology Institute offers new R&D funding - the MAINE TECHNOLOGY ASSET FUND

In 2007, the Maine State Legislature authorized and the voters of the State of Maine approved $50 million in bond funds for research, development and commercialization projects that boost economic development and create jobs across the State.

The Legislature directed the Maine Technology Institute (MTI) to administer this venture based on its track record of administering high-impact innovation funding programs in the for-profit, nonprofit and university sectors. MTI has established the Maine Technology Asset Fund in response to this directive.

The Maine Technology Asset Fund is a two-year, competitive award program. The awards must be used to fund capital and related expenditures supporting research, development and commercialization projects that will lead to significant economic benefits for Maine. The expenses may include facilities construction and renovation, machinery and equipment (including computers, software and licenses required for their use, as well as related technician training for operation of equipment and machinery purchased) and land purchase. This may also include expenses directly associated with the acquisition and installation of such assets. The awards may not be used to fund ordinary annual operating expenses.

APPLICATION TIMELINE

Round 1: (NOW CLOSED)
March 17, 2008: Notice of Intent due filed electronically on the MTI form.
April 17, 2008: Paper applications due at MTI by 5:00 p.m.
The MTI board anticipates approving this first round of awards by September 2008.

FMI: and information on Round 2 of financing as it becomes available (anticipated end of 2008) please <click Maine Technology Asset Fund> Please note: Late submissions are not accepted.

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"Win-Win Negotiations" June 26, 2008
Workshop tailored for entrepreneurs in high growth and tech businesses
8:30 AM to 3:00 PM at Abromson Center, USM Portland Campus. The cost is $45 per person and includes morning refreshments, lunch, and training materials. Produced and underwritten by the Maine SBTDC and MTI, this workshop helps develop the skills needed to become a successful negotiator. Whether funding a new initiative, allocating resources for a project, or establishing a supply chain for a new product, negotiations is at the center of the process.

In this hands-on, hard hitting workshop customized specifically for Maine technology companies by Baker Communications, participants will learn how to succeed in even the most difficult negotiations with confidence.

To register and learn more, visit www.mainebusinessworks.org or www.mainesbdc.org. Or call 800.679.SBDC. Note that space is limited. 
<Click here for details>

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Maine Technology Grant Programs Upcoming application deadlines

FMI:forms & online registration, visit www.mainetechnology.org. Complete applications must be in the MTI office by 5 p.m. on day of the deadline, 405 Water Street, Suite 300, Gardiner, ME  04345.

Development Awards

June 2, 2008

Up to $500,000 per project available

* Please note that there have been changes to the Development Award Request for Application. Please click here to review the changes.
 

Seed Grants

April 17, 2008 (NOW CLOSED)

Up to $12,500 per project available

Maine Technology Asset Fund

April 17, 2008 (NOW CLOSED)

Complete application must be in the MTI office by 5 p.m., Thursday, April 17, 2008. Late applications will not be accepted.

Small Business Innovation Research / Small Business Technology Transfer

The SBIR/STTR program provides more than $2 billion each year to small business, helping entrepreneurs take their ideas from laboratory to market. The following SBIR agencies are currently accepting proposals:

·   Dept of Health & Human Services, Nat’l Instit. of Health: Due April 5, August 5 and December 5, 2008

·   Environmental Protection Agency: Due May 21, 2008

·   National Science Foundation: Due June 10, 2008.
 

Upcoming releases:

·     Department of Transportation: Release April 15, 2008

·      Department of Defense: Release April 21, 2008
 

To monitor agency release dates or find other information on the SBIR program, go to www.sbir.gov or www.zyn.com/sbir. The Maine Technology Institute will be sponsoring an all day MTI SBIR/STTR Summer workshop in Portland, (Tues. July 8 @ 7:30-4, location TBD) where you be able to hear presentations and meet one-on-one with federal Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) program managers from a number of federal agencies. Note: Most agencies are migrating to electronic submission of grant applications and companies submitting proposals must first complete a registration process. To begin registration, visit www.grants.gov/GetStarted.

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SIFE is a nonprofit organization founded in 1975 that cultivates the partnership of business and higher education, to foster student communication and leadership skill development through the teaching of free enterprise principles. The USM SIFE organization resides in the MCED incubator.

                         2nd Annual

 National Entrepreneurship Week

As proclaimed by  Governor John Baldacci, Maine celebrated and recognized the 2nd Annual National Entrepreneurship Week the last week in February. There were over 40 activities around the state hosted by various organizations offering entrepreneurship education programs and preparation to our youth and adults for careers in the 21st Century. Entrepreneurship is a driving force in the U.S. economy. During the past 15 years, businesses less than five years old accounted for about 70 percent of the net job creation. To maintain America's edge as an entrepreneurial society, more Americans in the future will need to generate new ideas and better innovations to keep pace with the large populations of educated citizens in emerging and globally savvy economies.

For a listing of the 2008 events here in Maine <click here> 

Please put February 21 - 28, 2009 on your calendars and plan to celebrate the 3rd Annual National Entrepreneurship Week! Consider joining the state steering Committee and help continue building the entrepreneurial mindset in Maine! To be kept informed of planning activities in the fall or for more information: email eweekmaine@mced.biz

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National Entrepreneurship Week Maine 2008
Governor Baldacci proclaimed Entrepreneurship Week in Maine recognizing the significant contribution of these entrepreneurial businesses to economic growth and job creation.

Governor Baldacci with EWeek Maine Steering Committee members:
(L->R) Sandra Stone, Valarie Lamont (Chair) and Barbara Hart.

<click here to see President Bush's letter of congratulations>

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MCED CELEBRATES 10^th ANNIVERSARY and GRADUATES 3 COMPANIES

On Tues, November 13, The Maine Center for Enterprise Development hosted a 10^th Anniversary Reception/Celebration of Entrepreneurship and Innovation in the Abromson Center, on the Portland USM Campus. Lead sponsor for the event was Verrill Dana, LLP with additional sponsorship support provided by Evergreen Credit Union; Arnson Environmental & Safety; MacDonald Page & Co., LLC; Ranson Environmental Consultants, Inc. and Davidson Associates.  Approximately 130 guests came to honor this exciting time in our organization’s young history.

The featured speaker was Diane Sammer, President & CEO of Emergent Music, LLC of Portland whose product is Goombah, a web-based service for music discovery. Goombah connects people to music and each other based on their taste, and was recently named one of the Top 100 Most Useful Websites by The Guardian and "New Technology of the Year 2007" by MESDA.  She was also co-founder of Systems/Link, which was named by Inc. magazine to the "Inc. 500 list of the fastest growing companies in the U.S." and Diane was featured in Wireless Week magazine as one of 24 "Enterprising Women of Wireless." Diane is currently Chair of the Board of Directors of the Small Enterprise Growth Fund, a state-funded venture capital fund. She has also served as a judge for the University of Southern Maine Student Business Plan Competition.

Emcee for the festive evening with a welcome speech highlighting the Campus Ventures program was given by Edward S. McKersie, President Pro Search, Inc. and Chair, USM Corporate Partners. John Ferland, President MCED gave a retrospective 10^th Anniversary message emphasizing how far the technology incubator had come, and the vision for the 2^nd decade. <click here for timeline>

(top L-R) speaker Diane Sammer of Emergent Music, Emcee Edward McKersie, President Pro Search, Inc. and Chair, USM Corporate Partners, MCED Executive Director John Ferland; (bottom L-R) Michael Leathem & Zachariah Conover of CrossRate Technology, Rebecca Stockbridge of Medicreative, Joel Glatz & Brad Taylor of Frontier Energy

** Photo by M. Kathleen Kelly                                                     Back to top

 ììììì    Honored were 3 graduating companies    ììììì

CrossRate Technology

CrossRate Technology, led by Zachariah Conover (President/CEO) and Michael Leathem, is a leader in high reliability position, navigation, and time receivers. Through its application of patent pending eLoran technology, coupled with GPS, CrossRate is helping to secure America's critical national infrastructure and keep people safer while they work and play.

Frontier Energy

Frontier Energy, founded by Joel Glatz and Brad Taylor, is the first full-service oil company in the nation to offer retail bioheat fuel, and Maine's first distributor of blended Biodiesel for transportation. Frontier supplies blended biodiesel fuel to LLBean, Dragon Products, and the municipalities of Portland, South Portland, Falmouth, Cape Elizabeth and Scarborough, and is a major wholesaler of Biofuels to numerous downstream marketers throughout New England.

MediCreative

MediCreative, owned by Rebecca Stockbridge, provides graphic and web design services to medical professionals to help doctors create a brand identity and web presence for their practice. MediCreative was one of the finalists in the 2006 USM student business plan competition and a 2006 Libra Future Fund grant recipient, (which targets interesting projects proposed by persons 18-25 years old.) In November 2007, to better service her growing client base of businesses outside of the healthcare field, Becky launched iBec Creative - a web and graphic design company geared to the needs of businesses.

Back to top         <click here for photo recap of 10th event>

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A New Leader for the Next Decade – MCED announces Steven Bazinet as new Executive Director beginning July 1

Building upon the strong foundation established in MCED’s first ten years, Steven Bazinet will become the new Executive Director to lead the MCED into its second decade.  For over twenty-two years, Steve has been combining his passion for entrepreneurial business with his knowledge of business and finance to assist growth-oriented companies in the art of creating and capturing value. He brings to the job extensive education and professional credentials and has a knack for solving problems and developing ideas in innovative and bottom-line oriented ways.  

As an entrepreneurial family member, owner, advisor and senior level executive of numerous privately-held companies, Steve has always been empathetic to the challenges of building enterprises of high value.  “For the past five years I have enjoyed my experience as an interim management and corporate finance professional. The MCED is a new sort of opportunity for me - one that combines my finance and business acumen with my passion for helping companies move through their various stages of development.” His primary focus will be to refine the growth strategy of MCED and to solidify a business model which fosters incubation for many years to come.

A graduate of Plymouth State University with a Bachelors Degree in Management, Steve has also completed extensive training at Bell Leadership Institute in Chapel Hill, NC; the Investment Banking Institute, Boston, MA; and is a graduate of the Executive Management Program, at the Leadership Institute, Boston University.

<click here for copy of press release>

Steve succeeds John Ferland, who has led the MCED for the past seven years, and will be leaving the MCED next month to pursue a professional opportunity with one of the MCED’s successful client companies, ORPC Maine, a tidal power development company. As Director of Projects for ORPC Maine LLC, the firm’s Maine subsidiary, John will be responsible for managing the day-to-day project development activities in New England and eastern Canada, and operate out of their office at the Marine Trade Center on the Fish Pier. MCED deeply appreciates the contributions John has made and wishes him all the best!

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mCaddie won the 2008 Annual USM Student Biz Plan Competition!

This was the 7th year of the USM Student Business Plan Competition, designed to promote the entrepreneurial spirit and recognize small business ideas in Maine. The competition allows student teams to create and develop an original business idea into a solid business plan in the hopes of winning $10,000 in cash and $15,000 in consulting services to start their business venture. It is the only one of its kind in the state of Maine. The 6 finalist teams pitched their business idea at USM’s Corporate Partners breakfast.

And the winner was……mCaddie Inc (d/b/a mGolfCo), the team of Kurtis Petersons, a part-time student in entrepreneurial studies at the University of Maine, Machias and James Daniels, a math and computer science student at the University of Maine, Orono. The start-up company's beta product is mCaddie, which introduces wireless connectivity to the golf course. The company provides golfers with cell phone access to an electronic golf scorecard and handicap tracking system. It will create a social networking capability and wireless link to the course pro shop and food service. Additionally the technology will collect statistical data that mCaddie will use to attract advertisers.  Accessible through the mobile Internet, mCaddie is also being developed for Apple's iPhone and Google's Android platforms.

The company is moving on site to the MCED incubator in June. They had great write ups in both the Portland Press Herald (5/9/08 business section http://pressherald.mainetoday.com/business/), May’s Maine Biz http://www.mainebiz.biz/story.html?story_id=1117, and the MaineBusiness.com May 5 blog 2.0 Innovation (http://mainebusiness.mainetoday.com/blogentry.html?id=2031) by John Ferland. Their website is (www.mCaddie.com)

The MCED incubator also offers a one-year, commercialization services residence scholarship to all of the finalists, which is funded by the Campus Ventures program sponsorships from the private sector. Supporters of Campus Ventures to date have included Clark Associates Insurance, Key Bank, Bangor Savings Bank, Maine Community Foundation, Pierce Atwood, Pro-Search, Inc., Mr. Widgery Thomas and the Maine Office of Innovation.
<click here for more information on the Campus Ventures Program>

(If your company is interested in becoming a sponsor of the Campus Ventures Program, please contact John M. Ferland at JFerland@mced.biz or Steven Bazinet at SBazinet@mced.biz .)

They other 5 finalists were:

• bwell health (team of Dr. Kevin Bardwell and Jennifer Baker)

• Comprehensive Wound Care Center (team of Gisele Castonguay, Lorri Pelletier & Liz Beal)

• Fresh Pulp (team of Scott Abbotts, April Joyce, & Aimee Goodwin)

• Jewel Dust (team of Andrew Sangalang & Bryan Hamel)

• Journey Gift Bags (Nora Irvine)

 bwell health  

 The “bwell health and fitness” center plan was to build a 14,000 square foot building that will be located in Cumberland Foreside Village, on Route 1, Cumberland, with 7,000 square feet fitness center downstairs and 2,000 square feet upstairs for their chiropractic business and 5,000sq ft for lease to like businesses in health & wellness. The fitness center would not only offer traditional group exercise classes, but also some new innovative classes and offer 24 hour access to the gym for premium level members for an extra cost.  As both athletes and healthcare practitioners, experienced in health, fitness, exercise, and nutrition, with  chiropractic and exercise physiology expertise, their concept is “eat well, sleep well, train well… be well.”

 Comprehensive Wound Care Center

This business plan proposed to establish a service that would provide care to populations of Maine’s community afflicted with specific chronic life changing medical conditions in a unique and all inclusive way. The comprehensive inpatient and outpatient multidisciplinary ostomy, wound and lymphedema care clinic would provide comprehensive care to the consumers of Oxford, Androscoggin, Franklin and Cumberland counties as well as outlying regions of central and western Maine.

Fresh Pulp (http://fresh-pulp.com/ )

Fresh Pulp is a two-women design team who creates exceptionally uncommon custom paper designs for all or your social stationery needs, including an extensive wedding collection, a baby and children’s line, holiday and seasonal offerings, and everyday social stationery and note cards. They are a hybrid, web-based boutique operating primarily on-line through their extensive and detailed website, but also conduct client meetings, consultations, and design sessions in person. 

Jewel Dust (www.jeweldust.com )

JewelDust, LLC is developing a line of men's toiletries targeted towards generation X & Y male groups. Jewel Dust is their first product, a fragrant men's body powder that will keep skin dry, comfortable, and smelling great. All manufacturing and order fulfillment of Jewel Dust is automated and outsourced within the U.S.A.  Jewel Dust is sold through the website.

Journey Giftbags (www.journeygiftbags.com )

Journey Giftbags® are beautiful, reusable fabric gift bags, lined with satin and tied with a shimmery ribbon. Nestled in a fabric pocket attached to each bag is a 24-page Journey Card in which each person consecutively writes a message as the bag is passed along over the  years. These "green" gift bags, created and patented by Nora Irvine as an elegant solution to throw-away wrap, are available in three sizes and many fabric choices at the website.

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Environmental & Energy Technology Council Forum on June 26

The Environmental & Energy Technology Council of Maine (E2 Tech Council) also operates out of the MCED incubator. They are an association of private companies, government agencies, educational institutions and non-profit organizations seeking to advance jobs and research and development in the environmental and energy technology sector of the Maine economy. More information about E2 Tech and its programming can be found at www.e2tech.org.

The June E2 Tech Forum will feature a panel discussion regarding a collaborative approach to resolving water quality issues. The program, “The Long Creek Restoration Project: Communities and Businesses Collaborating to Restore Their Streams Through Innovation in Storm Water Management,” is scheduled for Thursday, June 26th from 7:30 a.m. to 9 a.m. at the Maine Audubon Society Education Center in Falmouth. (Click for directions) The cost is $10 for E2 Tech members and students, and $20 for non-members. A continental breakfast will be served. To register, contact forum@e2tech.org . The sponsor of this forum is Fairchild Semiconductor of South Portland.

The communities of South Portland, Westbrook, Portland and Scarborough are working with businesses, non-profits and State agencies to develop a plan to restore Long Creek and its watershed. The planning process is funded by a grant to South Portland from the Maine Department of Environmental Protection.

The following representatives will attend the meeting to describe the project:

Zach Henderson, Project Scientist, Woodard & Curran, and Fred Dillon, Project Manager, FB Environmental. Mr. Henderson and Mr. Dillon are lead members of the technical team developing a draft watershed management plan

Chris Hall, Senior Vice President - Government Relations, Portland Regional Chamber, a member of the Steering Committee

Ann Gosline, Gosline & Reitman, the Project Facilitator

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Business Assistance Provider

May/June 2008
April 2008
March 2008
February 2008
January 2008

December 2007
November 2007

October 2007
USM Corporate Partners New Chair Profile - Ed McKersie
August/September 2007

July 2007

June 2007
Interview with Dean James Shaffer
New Entrepreneurship Concentration at USM School of Business
May 2007
USM awards sports bra designer (PPH - 4-20-07)
April 2007
March 2007
February 2007
January 2007
list of 2006 L&L workshops

For additional archived newsletters, please contact
Sandra Stone at SStone@mced.biz.

list of newsletters back to Sept 2004

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