Maryland is rolling out a new program to keep state employees in good health, and study the most effective fitness strategies employed by state agencies.

The State of Maryland Employee Wellness Initiative, led by the state Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, will develop best practices for state agencies to promote healthy lifestyles among their employees, said Fran Philips, the departments deputy secretary for public health.

The initiative eventually will use Marylands StateStat data-collection system to track the health of state employees and promote sound eating, exercise and avoiding tobacco. Research shows that living by those three principles can prevent 80 percent of heart disease, stroke and diabetes and 40 percent of some cancers, according to DHMH.

It is our responsibility as employers to provide our employees opportunities to improve their health while at the same time improving the bottom line for our businesses, our government and our communities, said Gov. Martin OMalley (D) in a statement.

The program was announced Friday at a workplace health and wellness symposium in Linthicum, and the first phase will include a series of state-sponsored activities in the coming months, including promotion of healthy recipes, physical activity in the workplace and Maryland Quitline, a free hot line and website for people who want to quit smoking.

Because there can be a difference in the levels of physical activity between jobs employees at the Department of Corrections, for example, face different physical challenges than park rangers agencies will be given the freedom to adopt the policies that best suit their needs, Philips said.

Next year, the state will begin examining data, such as which policies have been adopted and how many employees have gotten flu shots, to measure whats been most effective, Philips said.

Increasing basic exercise, such as walking for 30 minutes per day, is particularly important for those whose daily life isnt active, said Dr. Brit Saksvig, professor of epidemiology and biostatistics at the University of Maryland, College Park.

Reducing that sedentary time can have great benefit, she said.

Good dietary choices, particularly avoiding sugary drinks such as sodas, also are crucial, Saksvig said.

Read the rest here:
Gazette.Net: Maryland kicks off wellness initiative for employees

Information contained on this page is provided by companies via press release distributed through PR Newswire, an independent third-party content provider. PR Newswire, WorldNow and this Station make no warranties or representations in connection therewith.

SOURCE MapMyFITNESS

Leader in online and mobile fitness applications poised to accelerate growth through latest round of funding and new strategic business partnerships with Competitor Group, Inc. and run.com, the e-commerce platform for The Running Specialty Group, LLC

AUSTIN, Texas, June 5, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --MapMyFITNESS, a health and fitness technology company powering the Internet's largest and fastest growing community of fitness enthusiasts, today announced $9 million in Series B funding led by Austin Ventures and Milestone Venture Partners. Strategic business partners Competitor Group, Inc. and The Running Specialty Group, LLC also announced their participation in the funding as part of larger business partnerships.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120522/SF11456LOGO)

MapMyFITNESS is an online and mobile platform that helps over nine million active users plan workout activities, measure their fitness and track their progress both in real-time and over time. The company leverages a fast-growing business model that has doubled revenue each of the past four years and is projected to nearly triple in 2012. This investment will help MapMyFITNESS continue to advance its leadership position in the global online and mobile fitness application markets and further develop its offerings.

"Austin Ventures' continuing enthusiasm is a great validation of our success to date. We're also thrilled to leverage Milestone Venture Partners' unique expertise on healthcare technology services, and to deepen our business partnerships with Competitor Group and run.com, the e-commerce platform for The Running Specialty Group," said Richard Jalichandra, chief executive officer of MapMyFITNESS. "This Series B funding allows us to continue innovating and improving our tools for people of all levels to improve their fitness, nutrition and overall health."

"MapMyFITNESS has built the leading fitness activity tracking technology platform for consumers and enterprise alike," said Mike Dodd, partner at Austin Ventures and MapMyFITNESS board member. "The company has also proven its ability to build the business, with growth in audience and revenue far exceeding expectations."

"The connected health space is rapidly expanding, and the MapMyFITNESS team has established a solid early leadership position," said Todd Pietri, partner at Milestone Venture Partners.

"MapMyFITNESS' amazing growth of one of the largest audiences of runners, walkers, cyclists and active people has tremendous synergy with what we're doing at Competitor with events like the Rock N Roll race series," said Scott Dickey, president and chief executive officer at Competitor Group, Inc.

See the article here:
MapMyFITNESS Secures $9 Million in Series B Funding Led by Austin Ventures and Milestone Venture Partners

When Social Security was created in 1937, the average American lived to age 60. Since then, medical advances have added decades to life expectancy. Most 55-year-olds today will see their 82nd birthday.

Problem is, we haven't adjusted the way we work, the way we save, or the structure of our public programs to support these extra years, says psychologist Laura Carstensen, head of Stanford University's Center on Longevity and one of the nation's top researchers on aging.

In her newly updated book, "A Long Bright Future," Carstensen, 58, proposes actions for individuals, employers, and public institutions that, she says, will provide us financial security for the long road ahead.

Her other pet project: the just-launched Financial Fraud Research Center, a partnership with securities regulator FINRA that aggregates data and provides funding to investigate why older people are so frequently targeted by scammers. Her conversation with senior writer Donna Rosato has been edited.

You've spent a lot of time looking into the perceptions of aging vs. reality. What's the biggest myth?

At the top of the list is the Misery Myth, the presumption that older people are lonely, depressed, and discouraged.

In one study we had participants carry pagers and randomly asked them to report on their emotions. Older people reported as many positive emotions as younger people, but far fewer negative ones.

The data are striking on mental health disorders too. Anxiety, depression, and substance abuse are much lower in older people.

Great to know we'll be happier than we expect. But surely money plays into that. How can we make certain we'll be secure in our longer lives?

I cringe when I see headlines about most people not saving enough. Humans are very sensitive to social norms, and this makes people feel comfortable about doing nothing. But there are ways to get around our tendencies.

See the rest here:
Retirement: Financial security for the long road ahead

NEW YORK, June 4, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --J.P. Morgan Retirement Plan Services (RPS), the retirement plan record keeping business of J.P. Morgan Asset Management, today announced that it has hired Bill McDermott in a newly created role as Head of Sales and Client Solutions. Mr. McDermott will oversee the teams responsible for distribution, relationship management, and the delivery of client solutions, including investment and participant communication and education services. He will be based in New York and will report to David Musto, Chief Executive Officer for Retirement Plan Services. He also will serve on the Executive Committee of J.P. Morgan's Retirement business, led by Michael Falcon.

"Bill has a proven track record in leading teams to drive client satisfaction and business growth. He will be instrumental in delivering the full scope of our capabilities to clients and in continuing our business momentum," said David Musto. "In this new role, Bill will ensure that all client-facing resources are coordinated to deliver the best insights, tools and solutions, with emphasis on building our critical partnership with the retirement advisor community."

Mr. McDermott previously led the defined contribution business at Goldman Sachs Asset Management. Before that, he developed new distribution channels for annuity and investment products at AXA Equitable and led business development, relationship management, marketing, communications and education in the retirement services and benefits administration businesses at Fidelity and Hewitt.

About J.P. Morgan Asset Management RetirementJ.P. Morgan Asset Management is a leading comprehensive retirement solutions provider dedicated to improving individual retirement outcomes. J.P. Morgan Retirement Plan Services provides bundled defined contribution services to more than 650 clients and 1.8 million plan-level participants, representing more than $125 billion in retirement plan assets as of March 31, 2012. J.P. Morgan Defined Contribution Investment Solutions manages more than $61 billion in defined contribution assets as of March 31, 2012.

About J.P. Morgan Asset ManagementJ.P. Morgan Asset Management, with assets under supervision of approximately $1.9 trillion and assets under management of $1.4 trillion (as of 03/31/12), is a global leader in investment management. J.P. Morgan Asset Management's clients include institutions, retail investors and high-net worth individuals in every major market throughout the world. J.P. Morgan Asset Management offers global investment management in equities, fixed income, real estate, hedge funds, private equity and liquidity. JPMorgan Chase & Co. (JPM), the parent company of J.P. Morgan Asset Management, is a leading global asset management firm with assets of approximately $2.3 trillion and operations in more than 60 countries. Information about JPMorgan Chase & Co. is available at http://www.jpmorganchase.com.

More here:
J.P. Morgan Retirement Plan Services Hires Bill McDermott As Head of Sales and Client Solutions

Alameda, CA (PRWEB) June 05, 2012

The San Francisco Bay Areas retirement plan specialists, Retirement Desk, a firm devoted to the small and mid-sized plan market, was recently engaged by PensionOnline.com, a leading provider of proposal software for the pension industry. Pensiononline.coms FlexSoft retirement plan design software is already popular with Pension administrators for its ease of use and reports that illustrate how business owners can save more in taxes with retirement plans. Now, as many new advisers are entering the retirement plan market, the need to equip these advisers in the intricacies of the qualified retirement plan world is greater than ever.

I have used the FlexSoft product for years to close business faster and easier when I was an adviser. I am honored that Pensiononline.com has given us the opportunity to share this success with other advisers, Jason Woon of Retirement Desk said.

This announcement comes as both Pensiononline.com and Retirement Desk are expanding their products and services to the largely underserved small and mid-sized retirement plan world and its advisers. The goal is to help clients illustrate the features and communicate the benefits of qualified retirement plans to both employers and employees.

Retirement Desk already knows this market and how to help advisers capitalize on this low-hanging fruit in their practice and with their centers of influences, Marco Brown, founder of Pensiononline.com, said. Now it is about getting the word out to this new wave of advisers.

Founded in 1985 and headquartered in San Francisco, Pensiononline.com is a leading technology provider for the pension industry. It introduced the first suite of Web-based proposal and management systems for the defined contribution industry. Pensiononline.com now provides comprehensive software solutions that enable businesses to facilitate employees' retirement planning needs.

For more information about the partnership or any of Retirement Desks services, call 510-457-1925 or view the 401K plans expert on the Web at http://www.retirementdesk.com.

About Retirement Desk

Retirement Desk was founded by retirement industry veterans in 2010. With an insider view of retirement plan providers and the understanding of the needs of registered investment advisers, Retirement Desk set out to create a set of turnkey solutions that truly meets the needs of both advisers and plan sponsors. The results are independently crafted packages that would serve small and mid-sized companies with no hidden fees or conflicts of interest. Retirement Desk is capable for providing independent consulting on 401k plans and retirement plans, as well as perform fiduciary reviews and benchmarks.

Read this article:
Retirement Desk of San Francisco Engaged by Pensiononline.com to Expand Retirement Plan Design Software, Especially to ...

By Carla Fried - 2012-06-04T20:19:13Z

When it comes to saving for his own retirement, certified public accountant Barry Picker takes advantage of a tax strategy ignored by most Americans. Each year he stashes some of his retirement savings in a Roth 401(k), rather than putting all his savings into a traditional 401(k).

While that means he misses out on the immediate tax break that comes from contributing to a traditional 401(k), Picker has something else in mind -- a less taxing retirement. By paying taxes now, he wont have to worry about paying taxes when he withdraws money from his Roth 401(k) later. Money withdrawn from a traditional 401(k), of course, will be taxed as ordinary income.

The big question investors have to grapple with, of course, is why they would rather pay taxes now instead of later -- especially when there is no way to know where tax rates will be in the future. Its a compromise, says Picker, who is also a certified financial planner. I am giving up some control over managing my tax bracket today for being able to manage it in retirement. Thats going to be valuable to me later.

While Picker is thinking about keeping his taxes down in retirement, a Roth 401(k) also provides more flexibility when it comes to managing income and some less obvious payoffs as well.A traditional 401(k) requires you to begin taking distributions in the year your turn age 70 (or if later, the year you retire) -- and then you pay taxes on that income. With the Roth 401(k), there is no required minimum distribution (if you roll the Roth 401(k) into a Roth IRA). That means you can choose to leave your funds invested and reduce your gross income.

Maria Bruno, a senior investment analyst at Vanguards Investment Counseling & Research group, says regardless of what happens to tax rates, if you have to take a distribution from a traditional 401(k) that could bump you into a higher marginal tax bracket as well as reduce the net value of your Social Security benefit and increase your Medicare costs.

Consider this. For a married couple filing a joint tax return in 2012, up to half their Social Security benefit will be taxed if the sum of their adjusted gross income plus half of their Social Security payout and any nontaxable interest income is between $32,000 and $44,000. If their adjusted gross income rises above $44,000, up to 85 percent of the Social Security benefit becomes taxable. The distribution requirements of a traditional 401(k) could push their income over the edge. If it's in a Roth 401(k) it doesnt need to.

While the Social Security benefit isnt that practical for many people, given thelow-income thresholds, leaving your money in a Roth 401(k) can have a more significant impact on your Medicare premiums during retirement.

This year, the standard monthly premium for Medicare Part B, which covers outpatient doctor and medical services and equipment, is $99.90. If a couples joint modified adjusted gross income is above $170,000, the per-person monthly premium can rise by $40, to $220. The highest premiums go to couples with a joint income above $428,000 ($214,000 for individuals). For those with joint incomes above $170,000 who are enrolled in Medicare Part D, which covers expenses for prescription medications, there is an additional per-person monthly premium ranging from $11.60 to $66.40.

Despite the benefits, few people are switching from traditional 401(k) plans to Roth 401(k) plans. One reason is that Roth 401(k) plans are still a relatively new option (since 2006) in employer retirement plans,and only about 40 percent of 401(k) plans offer a Roth option. Among those that do offer a Roth 401(k), fewer than 10 percent of employees are choosing them, according to a study by Vanguard. Many people also believe the Roth 401(k) is for younger workers who have yet to hit their peak earnings (and marginal tax brackets). For them, the logic goes, losing out on the upfront tax break isnt such a big deal.

More:
The Retirement Savings Move Tax Pros Love

(MoneyWatch) It's been widely accepted as retirement planning gospel that your retirement income needs to increase to account for inflation. Indeed, many experts say that the natural rise in the cost of living means that the monthly income you collect early on may not be enough to cover your living expenses in your later years.

But is this that necessarily so? Is it prudent or irresponsible to spend more in your early years of retirement -- your sixties and seventies -- assuming that you'll actually spend less in your eighties and nineties?

Given the meager level of retirement savings that most baby boomers have accumulated, knowing whether your income should increase for inflation could be an important issue. For one thing, if you don't need to plan for increases due to inflation, you can choose retirement income generators that help your retirement savings generate more initial income. (You can see how this works by looking at my April retirement income scorecard for immediate annuities.) For a married couple both age 65, $100,000 in retirement savings would buy an immediate fixed annuity that would generate an annual income of $5,840, or an inflation-adjusted annuity that would generate just $3,875 annually. The initial income for the fixed annuity is 50 percent higher than for the inflation-adjusted annuity.

IRA and 401(k) retirement drawdown: Don't die broke Retirement income scorecard: Immediate annuities

You'd see similar results if you used managed payouts to generate retirement income -- remember that a strict application of the four percent rule assumes you'll increase your retirement income each year for inflation. You might be able to justify withdrawing money from your savings at a much higher rate if you assumed you wouldn't increase your retirement income for inflation.

Some researchers have used data from the annual Consumer Expenditure Survey to imply that people spend less as they age. For example, financial expert Wade Pfau's excellent blog post, "How do spending needs evolve during retirement," summarized data from the 2010 Consumer Expenditure Survey to show that people age 75 and older spend 40 percent less than people age 55 to 64, and 26 percent less than people age 65 to 74.

The implication is that people spend less money on recreation, transportation, gifts, and other discretionary purchases as they reach their eighties and nineties. So do you need less money than you think to retire?

Before you hand in your retirement notice, consider a few limitations with relying on this type of data. First, it's entirely possible that retirees who are currently age 75 or older spend less money than younger retirees simply because they have less money to spend. This could be the case for a few reasons. For example, Social Security and pension benefits are based on a person's wage history, and recent retirees had higher real wages than older retirees. Thus, the retirement income of recent retirees could be higher than older retirees.

It's also possible that some older retirees have exhausted their savings and are now relying just on Social Security and pension benefits, if they have any, while younger retirees are still drawing on their retirement savings. The older retirees may not be making voluntary reductions in spending -- and they may not be too happy about it.

This data may also not be relevant to future retirees when you consider medical expenditures. Given the erosion of Medicare and retiree medical plans, and given that medical expenses are rising much faster than inflation, future retirees compared to current retirees may have to devote a much bigger chunk of their retirement income to medical costs.

Read more here:
Three ways to boost your retirement income

LOS ANGELES Lit Motors calls it the C-1, but the San Francisco start-ups untippable motorcycle seems nothing short of magic. It uses gyroscopes to stay balanced in a straight line and in turns in which drivers can, in theory, roll down their windows and drag their knuckles on the ground.

Is it a motorcycle? A car? Neither. Its an entirely new form of personal transportation, presuming it gets off the ground.

The all-electric vehicle is fully enclosed and uses a steering wheel and floor pedals like a car. But it weighs just 800 pounds and balances on two wheels even when stopped, making it more efficient than hauling around a 2-ton four-wheeler and safer than an accident- prone bike.

Most people dont drive motorcycles because theyre dangerous, said Lit Motors founder and C-1 creator Daniel Kim, 32.

Were bringing safety to motorcycles with car-like controls that everyones familiar with, Kim said of his self-stabilizing two wheeler.

If it goes into production in early 2014 as planned, it will be made with a steel uni-body and glass windows to protect drivers from the weather and objects that might crash into them, leaving enough room behind the drivers seat to carry a passenger, groceries or suitcase.

Two years away from production, there are currently two versions of the C-1: a sleek, Swedish-influenced model to demonstrate its curb appeal, and a rudimentary, drivable mock-up that can travel 10 miles per hour and withstand a swift kick to its side and remain standing.

The C-1, or Concept 1, uses the same type of electronically controlled gyroscopes as the Hubble Space Telescope. Two counter-rotating gyroscopes are mounted into the floor of the vehicle, working together to maintain balance in a turn, a straight line or at rest.

The C-1 is a more user-friendly version of the X-Prizewinning E-tracer, a $100,000 electric cabin motorcycle controlled with handlebars, a throttle and outriggers to keep it upright at slow speeds and when stopped.

The C-1 isnt the first vehicle to use gyroscopes. Mechanically controlled gyro cars have been around for almost a century. While the Segway personal transporter is the most modern and mainstream example of gyroscopic technology working to balance an otherwise teetering two-wheeler, whats different about the C-1 is the configuration of the wheels and the number, size and speed of the gyros, which are as big as dinner plates piled with pancakes, their centers spinning up to 12,000 revolutions per minute.

Read the original here:
New untippable motorcycle balances performance, safety

CHAPEL HILL, N.C.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Bell Leadership Institute today announced that it is launching the Bell Peak Performance Profile, a new survey to evaluate an individuals effectiveness, happiness, and success in the seven major domains of life. The survey will be used for the first time during the July 17-19 Peak Performance & Complex Lives seminar in Chapel Hill.

The Peak Performance & Complex Lives seminar, now expanded to a three-day format, is recommended for individuals wanting to maximize their personal and professional performance. Designed and delivered by Dr. Gerald D. Bell, founder and CEO of Bell Leadership Institute, the seminar offers advanced strategies for peak performance. Its methods have been used by thousands of top leaders to achieve more significant and lasting contributions, deeper and more meaningful relationships, greater wealth, and true enjoyment in their lives.

Using the data provided by the 360-degree online survey, participants receive an accurate reading on how they are currently operating on the Bell Peak Performance Curve. These insights are compiled into a comprehensive, confidential report to help each participant build an action plan for achieving and maintaining a high level of performance and productivity. The world is designed to suck you into the trivia. Dont let yourself become nickel-and-dimed by the small things because youll miss out on life and success, said Dr. Bell.

The content and the presentation of the material were fantastic. The pre-course work was amazing in building relationships and opening up conversations at a very deep level, said past seminar participant, Diane Mueller, Heartland Dental Care. This was by far the best course I have ever attended and it will have a profound effect on my life.

Couples often attend this seminar together. Working on a joint life plan and understanding your partners strengths and weaknesses leads to improved partnerships. This class is truly a life changing experience. Dr. Bell is excellent at bringing into focus what makes life truly meaningful, said Mark Ritchie, former President, Carolina Beverage Corporation.

Bell Leadership Institute (www.bellleadership.com) is a recognized leader in executive education and development. Since 1972, Bell Leadership has helped organizations develop leadership mastery through its programs and services. Its training programs have been used by more than 500,000 leaders in more than 4,700 organizations in over 30 countries.

See the rest here:
Bell Leadership Launches New Peak Performance Survey

MILPITAS, CA and SUNNYVALE, CA--(Marketwire -06/05/12)- Virident Systems, a performance leader in flash-based storage class memory (SCM) solutions, and Colfax International, a leading provider of innovative and expertly engineered workstations, servers, clusters, storage, and personal supercomputing solutions, today announced a strategic partnership and the availability of custom-designed high-performance server solutions for enterprise customers. The custom-designed servers will feature high-performance processing from Colfax's extensive line of server solutions, and Virident's FlashMAX high capacity PCIe storage class memory solutions delivering unconditional performance.

Customers in the defense, aerospace, energy, government, education, finance, manufacturing, digital media, Web 2.0 and scientific research industries will benefit from the high-performance processing and storage performance of the server solutions. For example, a computer-aided design and manufacturing (CAD/CAM) application will return stress, fluid, or material analysis results much quicker than before possible, and create time for additional queries. Any applications running on Oracle, MySQL, or SQL Server will run faster with custom-configured server solutions from Colfax featuring Virident FlashMAX SCM solutions, which are able to support the ever-increasing capabilities and speeds of multi-core processors, the influx of big data, and demands for application performance.

"Virident's and Colfax International's customers fit a similar profile," said Kumar Ganapathy, CEO of Virident. "We both cater to large enterprises where unconditional, peak performance is critical to their business. Our joint solutions are ideal for high-performance applications based on Oracle, MySQL, and SQL Server databases."

"Colfax International chose Virident because of the unconditional performance characteristics of FlashMAX for high-performance applications," said Gautam Shah, CEO of Colfax International. "We are confident that Virident FlashMAX will be an excellent complement to our product portfolio because our customers rate top performance as their measurement for success."

Virident FlashMAX, a PCIe storage class memory solution, ensures that application performance is 10 times faster than hard disk drive systems at one-third of the total cost of ownership. FlashMAX offers the industry's highest storage capacity in the smallest footprint while delivering twice the performance of competing solutions. FlashMAX SCM has been designed from the ground up to fully exploit today's computer architectures which leverage many fast CPU cores and the PCI Express interconnect bus to deliver maximum application performance.

High-performance server solutions are available in a wide variety of custom configurations from Colfax International and Virident. For more information contact Virident at sales@virident.com or (408) 503-0100; contact Colfax International at sales@colfax-intl.com or (408) 730-2275.

About Colfax InternationalColfax International is a global provider of customized workstations, servers, clusters, storage and personal supercomputing solutions. Founded in 1987, Colfax International is based in Sunnyvale, California and is privately held. For more information, please visit http://www.colfax-intl.com.

About Virident SystemsVirident Systems enterprise-class Storage Class Memory (SCM) solutions deliver unconditional, consistent performance that supports the most data-intensive content and applications. The inherent advantage associated with this disruptive technology revolutionizes computing by speeding application response time and optimizing datacenter efficiency for new levels of ROI. Virident Systems is backed by strategic investors, Intel, Cisco Systems and a leading storage hardware and software solutions provider, as well as venture investors Globespan Capital Partners, Sequoia Capital, and Artiman Ventures. For more information, visit http://www.virident.com.

Virident, Virident FlashMAX, vFAS and the Virident logo are trademarks of Virident Systems. All other products and services listed herein are trademarks of their respective companies.

More:
Virident Systems and Colfax International Deliver Customized Server Solutions Tuned for High Performance