AeA Texas Council teeing it up to benefit Dallas youth

Who:
AeA Texas Council

What:
Everyday Einsteins Golf Scramble and Auction

When:
Monday, Oct. 27, 2008; Event begins at noon, golf starts at 1 p.m.

Where:
Indian Creek Golf Club
1650 W. Frankford Rd.
Carrollton, TX 75007

The inaugural Everyday Einsteins Golf Scramble and Auction is a fundraising effort hosted by AeA Texas Council with proceeds benefiting the Everyday Einsteins after-school program. The event, which is open to the public, kicks off at noon with lunch for golf participants. At 1 p.m., golf begins with four-person groups playing a traditional scramble format. During the round, various holes will play host to longest-drive and closest-to-the-pin competitions. Following the tournament, participants have the opportunity to take part in the silent and live auctions and enjoy the award festivities and catered dinner.

AeA Texas Council, together with Big Thought, a Dallas-based learning partnership educating children and communities through arts and culture, worked to create Everyday Einsteins – an elementary-school-level program that engages young minds and makes learning about math and science inspirational and fun. With mentorship and donations provided by AeA members, the program will help build children’s excitement for science and math through hands-on experimentation and real-life problem solving, kindling interest in those respective career paths.

About AeA
AeA, the nation’s largest technology trade association with 2,500 member companies representing all segments of the high-tech industry, is dedicated solely to helping our members’ top line and bottom line. We do this in partnership with our small, medium, and large member companies by lobbying governments at the state, federal, and international levels, providing access to capital and business opportunities, and offering select business services and networking programs. For more information, please visit http://www.aeanet.org/.

About Big Thought
Big Thought, based in Dallas, Texas, is a non-profit learning partnership providing programs and educational opportunities that inspire, empower and unite children and communities through cultural, educational and civic partnerships. Programs include Young Audiences of North Texas, Dallas ArtsPartners, Creative Solutions, North Texas Wolf Trap, Library Live!, Make a Connection thru Art, and the Dallas Arts Learning Initiative. These programs provide creative learning opportunities for students to become more imaginative, adaptable and productive adults resulting in stronger communities and a capable future workforce. Big Thought is supported through the generosity of corporations, foundations, endowments, individuals and from government grants. For more information, visit http://www.bigthought.org/.

M/C/C to Bring ‘Awe’ to ShockWatch’s Campaign

Dallas agency to strengthen damage prevention pioneer’s public relations, marketing

Dallas – May 13, 2008 – When it comes to damage prevention, ShockWatch is the global leader in developing products that provide visible reinforcement in asset management. So it’s no wonder it brought in a visible reinforcement – advertising, public relations and marketing agency M/C/C – to help strengthen its brand. The North Texas-based companies have teamed up to increase public awareness about ShockWatch’s extensive line of shipping and handling monitors, equipment monitors and additional damage prevention services, which can help companies dramatically reduce damage-incurred costs.

“ShockWatch has a great line of damage prevention products that benefit a wide range of consumers, and M/C/C can help lift that message out toward the masses,” said Kerri Lusk-Barnes, vice president of marketing and product management for ShockWatch. “There’s a strong need for ShockWatch products in asset management. M/C/C harnesses that need and creates damage prevention awareness, so that everyone from CEOs to consumers might benefit from our offerings.”

Industry leaders in various markets understand they can save millions by practicing damage prevention. ShockWatch has helped guide its numerous customers – many of which make up Fortune magazine’s annual success lists – toward financial gain and increased credibility. ShockWatch has undergone substantial growth since late 2006, doubling the size of its manufacturing plant and acquiring IntroTech, Inc. – a privately held manufacturer of chemical-based temperature sensors. Bringing M/C/C onboard shows ShockWatch doesn’t intend to slow down.

“For more than 30 years, ShockWatch has pioneered the damage prevention industry, and its recent growth is evident ShockWatch intends on staying at the top of its game,” said Mike Crawford, president and founder of M/C/C. “ShockWatch has done a great job of establishing brand presence, and M/C/C will help make sure that when you think ‘damage prevention,’ ShockWatch is the first thing that comes to mind.”

About M/C/C
Dallas-based M/C/C provides marketing, advertising, public relations, Internet marketing and research for companies ranging from growing start-ups to global leaders. Several of M/C/C’s clients dominate their industries, including Alienware, CapRock Communications and CommScope Enterprise Solutions. The agency’s mantra of “living the unexpected” has not only helped clients exceed their marketing goals, but it consistently has made M/C/C one of the top PR and ad agencies in Dallas for more than 20 years. M/C/C’s Web site is http://www.mccom.com.

M/C/C’s Brand Flakes Takes Bronze at 2008 TPRA Awards

Dallas – The Texas Public Relations Association (TPRA) recently recognized M/C/C in its 2008 Silver Spur/Best of Texas Awards for excellence in public relations. M/C/C – an advertising, marketing and public relations agency – was awarded bronze in the “Electronic Newsletter/E-zine” category for Brand Flakes. M/C/C’s electronic monthly newsletter, which debuted in November 2007, is sent out to more than 3,000 marketing and communications executives as a creative marketing campaign for the agency. Brand Flakes allows the M/C/C staff to voice opinions on popular ad campaigns and product hype, and it educates readers on M/C/C personas, new words and other pop culture references. The creative project was an instant success.

“We had been looking for a fun and creative way to exhibit M/C/C’s expertise and abilities in advertising, marketing and public relations, and Brand Flakes was that outlet,” said Nathan Johnson, M/C/C’s public relations director. “We get all the M/C/C employees involved and let them vent about their favorite toys, Super Bowl commercials and pop-culture happenings, while integrating professional advice and opinions from industry experts. It’s a way to show that M/C/C isn’t your average media agency.”

This marks the third public relations award M/C/C has received in the past two years. At the 2007 TPRA Best of Texas Awards, M/C/C took home silver in the “speech” category for its Alienware speech, “Better than Real – The Immersive Worlds of Tomorrow’s Technology,” which was given at Digital Life. The agency also won merit for its Samsung BCS external newsletter, “Imagine the Possibilities.”

To view the most recent Brand Flakes edition, visit http://www.mccom.com/ and click on the “Brand Flakes” button at the bottom of the page.

ShockWatch FleetControl™ Manager Monitors Forklifts, Increases ROI on Vehicle-mounted Computers

DALLAS (April 21, 2008) — For forklifts and other warehouse trucks utilizing vehicle-mounted computers (VMC), ShockWatch – the global leader in developing and manufacturing damage prevention products – uses the onboard computer to deliver its new FleetControl™ Manager. ShockWatch’s latest innovation enables an enterprise to optimize its VMC investment by integrating with and utilizing the power of the computer’s processing, touch screen, AC power supply and wireless communications capabilities.

Using the VMC touch screen, FleetControl Manager enables operators to gain access and operate the lift, complete the pre-shift OSHA safety checklist and send and receive messages with others in the warehouse, including warehouse managers. With a thorough understanding of the warehouse environment, ShockWatch has designed FleetControl Manager’s graphical user interface (GUI) on the VMC to eliminate the need for a separate display unit that requires additional space on a forklift dashboard and may restrict operator view. Additionally, the GUI features large on-screen buttons and easy-to-read text, providing a user-friendly functionality that enables operators to keep their work gloves and safety glasses on.

“FleetControl Manager comes with all of the standards customers expect from ShockWatch’s Equipment Monitors product line,” said Clint Branch, ShockWatch VP of Engineering. “The new system offers equipment location services, general usage monitoring and real-time impact detection and recording through a triaxial accelerometer – adjustable through the associated enterprise software, EquipCommand™ – all of which help ensure that fleets operate in the safest and most productive manner.”

FleetControl Manager works with almost any lift truck with a VMC to help ensure that only trained and certified operators gain access to lifts. FleetControl Manager can use existing company personnel identification systems, including ID badges or employee numbers, further maximizing customer investment in those systems.

Through the EquipCommand software, FleetControl Manager enables management to set impact, utilization and maintenance thresholds from a central location, receiving alerts only when action is warranted. Alerts, as well as notifications of events such as impacts and required maintenance, can be sent to the manager’s desktop computer or to a text-enabled cell phone. In addition, FleetControl Manager – like all ShockWatch products and services – can help dramatically reduce damage-related costs caused by forklifts.

As with all ShockWatch Equipment Monitors, ShockWatch’s hosted software service, Remote Data Management (RDM), is available with FleetControl Manager. This service allows customers to focus on their core business, while ShockWatch hosts and manages their database, tracks that each equipment monitor is functioning properly and manages customer-defined event notifications and reports.

“By adding FleetControl Manager to your warehouse equipment, you can increase operator accountability and improve driving behavior without supervisory presence – something a VMC alone cannot provide,” said R.C. Greenberg, equipment monitor product manager at ShockWatch. “Employee safety should be the top concern of every manager inside a warehouse environment. Accident liability can be a costly matter. With ShockWatch onboard, you have the ability to improve safety, ensure OSHA compliance and reduce forklift–induced, damage-related costs – all with one product.”

About ShockWatch
ShockWatch has specialized in damage prevention since 1976, offering shipping and handling monitors and equipment monitors for use in thousands of applications in varied industries, including automotive, aerospace, defense, logistics, marine, utilities, medical and manufacturing. ShockWatch products are used to monitor the handling of goods throughout the production and delivery processes and to reduce costs and prevent damage in the operation, access and usage of equipment. With representatives and distributors worldwide, ShockWatch is a global industry leader with customers in 62 countries.

Media Recovery Inc. (MRI) is the parent company of ShockWatch, DPC and Media Recovery. Based in Dallas, Texas, MRI has developed an international customer base that includes two-thirds of the Fortune 100 and over half of the Fortune 1000 companies.

COMPTEL PLUS Fall 2007 - Greg Smith - AccuData Technologies

AccuData Technologies' Greg Smith talks about a new survey the company commissioned that shows customers are satisfied with what the company calls poor caller ID returns. Click here to watch