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The Collingwood Group Announces Mortgage Industry Conference Call On the Topic of FHA Servicing Compliance

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The Collingwood Group Announces Mortgage Industry Conference Call On the Topic of FHA Servicing Compliance











Washington, DC (PRWEB) March 29, 2012

The Collingwood Group (Collingwood) is pleased to announce its second in a series of industry conference calls – “FHA Servicing Compliance”, being held on Thursday, April 12, 2012.

This call will focus on FHA servicing compliance including how FHA’s Quality Assurance Division conducts on-site servicing compliance reviews and the sanctions they may request for violations of FHA requirements. As an example, requests for indemnification are not exclusively for loan origination violations but can also be levied against servicers. Senior consultants from Collingwood’s Risk Management and Compliance Division will discuss these topics and other common findings from the QAD compliance reviews, as well as the loss mitigation waterfall and what documentation you need to retain to be compliant.

“There are numerous programs in place – which are in fact mandated by FHA – to help mitigate losses, beginning with early intervention to help promote home retention, moving through various steps and options including loan modification, and going all the way to foreclosure, when necessary,” said Brian Montgomery, Collingwood Group Chairman and former FHA Commissioner. “How servicers can – and should – deal with these situations will be the primary focus of this industry call, with a goal of providing information that is timely, insightful, and useful.”

The call, offered at no cost to participants, will be led Brian Montgomery, who will moderate a discussion between Karen Garner, Collingwood Group Managing Director and former HUD compliance manager, and Earl Greer, Senior Consultant for Collingwood and former Field Monitor for FHA’s Quality Assurance Division.

“FHA has increased the number of on-site reviews at servicers over the past several years. It is not unusual for a servicer with years of business to be experiencing their first FHA servicing review,” said Garner. “With increased emphasis on servicing compliance by FHA, the CFPB, OCC and other regulators, now is the time to ensure that you know what to expect and have policies and procedures in place to minimize the risk to your firm.”

Collingwood’s Risk Management and Compliance Division is sharing information on an ongoing basis with Collingwood clients and other industry colleagues. Its first call – “FHA Enforcement: Myths, Misconceptions and Facts”, focused on FHA Enforcement, Quality Assurance and Inspector General reviews, and the Mortgagee Review Board. A summary of that call is available on Collingwood’s website at http://www.collingwoodllc.com.

About The Collingwood Group

The Collingwood Group (http://www.collingwoodllc.com) is a Washington, DC-based business advisory firm focused on growing clients’ businesses, promoting revenue growth and increasing investment returns. The firm is led by Chairman Brian Montgomery, former Assistant Secretary for Housing and Federal Housing Commissioner, and Vice Chairman Joe Murin, former President and CEO of Ginnie Mae. Both played major roles in the federal government?s efforts to address the nation?s financial crisis and restore stability and liquidity to financial markets. The firm?s expertise spans all aspects of Agency, non-Agency and FHA/VA housing financing programs; Ginnie Mae securitization activities; domestic and international secondary market activities and issues; primary and special servicing; full asset lifecycle vendor and talent management; and all elements of portfolio due diligence, acquisition, property management and asset disposition.

Visit http://www.directeventreg.com/registration/event/64180522 for additional information on The Collingwood Group’s April 12, 2012 conference call – “FHA Servicing Compliance” or to register for the call.





















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North Carolina Attorney Thomas Henson Jr. Contributes Chapter to Book on Caring for Stroke and Traumatic Brain Injury Patients

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North Carolina Attorney Thomas Henson Jr. Contributes Chapter to Book on Caring for Stroke and Traumatic Brain Injury Patients











HensonFuerst is a North Carolina-based law firm, concentrating in traumatic brain injury, nursing home abuse, medical malpractice, and mass tort cases.


RALEIGH, North Carolina (PRWEB) March 19, 2012

North Carolina attorney Thomas Henson Jr. recently contributed a chapter for the book The Miracle Mind: Sonya’s Story, a guidebook designed to help stroke and traumatic brain injury (TBI) patients, their families, and their caregivers. With more than 20 years of experience handling TBI-related cases at law firm HensonFuerst, Henson is well-versed in the aspects surrounding the legal needs and rights of those affected by brain injuries.

The book was written by Sonya Rulli and her daughters, Stephenie and Mary, and tells the true story of Sonya’s learning experience as she overcame the obstacles associated with becoming the caregiver for her mother-in-law, a stroke patient who suffered memory loss and was paralyzed on one side. Sonya was frustrated with the lack of information available for caregivers and developed The Miracle Mind program as a result.

Henson was introduced to the authors through one of HensonFuerst’s employees. After several discussions, the authors realized that Henson’s work with TBI victims complemented what they were trying to achieve with their book.

“We were so impressed with Thomas’s knowledge of brain injury, his compassion, and the work he does on behalf of families,” said Sonya Rulli. “His chapter is a perfect complement to The Miracle Mind: Sonya’s Story. It adds another piece for the caregiver to bridge the gap from hospital care to aftercare.”

Henson’s contribution to the book, which was originally published in 2010, focuses on the challenges of coping with TBI and how to achieve the proper care, best quality of life, and security for TBI survivors.

“I believe one of my callings is to help people who have been affected by traumatic brain injury, as I deeply empathize with their struggle to conquer the obstacles posed by their conditions,” Henson said. “I have spent countless hours making sure I understand the issues and problems facing these families and working to help them put their lives back together after such devastating events.”

Henson recommends the following advice for anyone affected by TBI:


Make sure to get medical attention for your injuries. Medical literature indicates that the best opportunity to make significant gains after a brain injury is within the first six months.

Get involved in support groups for TBI victims and their families. Caregivers of all kinds, but especially TBI caregivers, are prone to burnout, especially when dealing with a loved one with drastic personality changes or other cognitive and emotional deficits.

If the injury is due to the fault of someone else, talk to a lawyer as soon as possible to preserve evidence, get relevant witness statements, and help coordinate medical and therapeutic interventions.

To learn more and purchase The Miracle Mind: Sonya’s Story, visit TheMiracleMind.com.

About HensonFuerst

HensonFuerst, P.A., is a North Carolina-based law firm with offices in Raleigh, Rocky Mount, Creedmoor, and Boone, concentrating in traumatic brain injury, nursing home abuse, medical malpractice, and mass tort cases. For nearly 40 years, the North Carolina personal injury lawyers at HensonFuerst have represented those injured by the negligence of others. With successful multimillion-dollar verdicts and settlements throughout the state of North Carolina, the team of 13 lawyers and 40 staff members at HensonFuerst offer considerable experience and resources for their clients. For more information, visit HensonFuerst.com.

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LISTSERV? Email Communities Change and Save Lives

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LISTSERV® Email Communities Change and Save Lives











Landover, MD (PRWEB) February 28, 2012

Delivering life-changing and even life-saving information to thousands of people are all in a day’s work for two award-winning LISTSERV® email communities. L-Soft honored the powerful efforts and profound results of The Kidney Cancer Online Support Group (KIDNEY-ONC) and BELG-L, a community of Belgian Shepherd owners, naming each email list as a grand prize winner in its global LISTSERV Choice Awards — The Mailys — competition.

“LISTSERV and email fulfill a fundamental human need — the need to form communities and share ideas, experiences, joy and pain. People have been doing this for as long as mankind has existed, but LISTSERV removes the barrier of physical distance,” says Eric Thomas, L-Soft Founder and CEO who invented LISTSERV in 1986. “When I wrote LISTSERV, I had absolutely no idea that it would save lives … KIDNEY-ONC and BELG-L embody this use of LISTSERV, which touches me the most.”

To commemorate the 25th anniversary of LISTSERV, the software that launched the permission email list industry, L-Soft awarded two grand prize winners in 2011.

“Sometimes we save lives,” says KIDNEY-ONC List Owner Robin K. Martinez.

Martinez details an example of one couple that was spurred by the KIDNEY-ONC email community — which connects patients and their loved ones with information, support and empowerment — to get a second opinion from an expert, despite the need for significant travel at their own expense.

“The local doctor had said there was nothing to treat. The expert said, ‘Those spots are definitely metastatic kidney cancer’ and provided treatments that put the fellow into remission several times over the years,” Martinez said.

Martinez notes that this patient’s partner was very active on the list, guiding people in their area to the doctors who knew the most and encouraging other list members to be proactive. In turn, his advice helped a nearby man, a husband and father of three, to achieve complete remission.

BELG-L is also a lifesaver — of Belgian Shepherd dogs.

List Owner Libbye Miller describes how: “BELG-L is used almost daily by people involved with rescue to find and identify Belgian Shepherds that may be in pounds. If a dog is found, the word goes out and a list member who is close-by will go and get the dog. Once the dog is out of danger, BELG-L is used to arrange transport to the dog’s forever home. Using volunteers assembled via the email list, dogs can be transported across the country at no cost to the rescue organization.”

While saving dogs, the BELG-L email community supports its subscribers, the dog owners themselves: “Most touching are the notes I get from subscribers who, no matter what turmoil and trauma they experience in their everyday life, look forward to their daily dose of BELG-L,” says Miller.

“List topics include health, temperament, training, and the adventure of living with these intelligent, active dogs. List members and their Belgians are involved with multiple activities such as herding, tracking, agility, obedience, conformation shows as well as medical service dogs, therapy dogs, protection sports, search and rescue and law enforcement,” says Miller. “A lot of our Belgians have multiple jobs in addition to being our much loved family pets. This makes for lively and diverse discussions.”

Despite the growth of newer social media, email communities such as BELG-L and KIDNEY-ONC are still going strong. Martinez shares an insight as to why: “With our LISTSERV email exchange, everything is permanently archived and searchable by topic, time frame, sender and many other options. So if I remember one salient point about a KIDNEY-ONC post, even from long ago, I can find it again. The information on the ‘talk-based’ social media is ephemeral; it can be valuable but may not be easy to locate again if you need it because it’s not archived,” says Martinez. “Email also offers the immediacy of social media, so to me it’s the best of both worlds.”

Founded in 1997, KIDNEY-ONC is one of more than 100 LISTSERV email lists hosted by the Association of Cancer Online Resources (ACOR) and connects some 2000 subscribers in more than a dozen countries, spanning patients with kidney cancer and their caregivers, researchers and healthcare providers, including top kidney cancer experts. The list is a key contributor to the body of knowledge on the disease and the e-patient movement.

BELG-L began in 1995 and currently has some 1400 subscribers representing 16 countries. The list continues to grow, with 150 new subscribers since 2010. Serving as an information network for the worldwide Belgian Shepherd owner community, topics include anything related to the four-variety dog breed.

The award-winning LISTSERV list owners, Miller and Martinez, share tips and best practices for running a successful permission-based email community:

http://www.lsoft.com/news/choicewinners-tips.asp

KIDNEY-ONC and BELG-L are the sixth and seventh winners in L-Soft’s annual LISTSERV Choice Awards — The Mailys — program, launched in 2004 to recognize the most successful and beneficial LISTSERV email list or LISTSERV Maestro email marketing campaign. The three honorable mention finalists in the 2011 competition are IWETEL, SHOWDOGS-L and WORDS-L. Nominations are now open for the 2012 LISTSERV Choice Awards.

Nominate and Learn More about The Mailys:

http://www.lsoft.com/news/choiceawards.asp

View the KIDNEY-ONC case study, “A Subscription for Life”:

http://www.lsoft.com/customers/kidney-onc.asp

View the BELG-L case study, “Saving Dogs, Creating Community”:

http://www.lsoft.com/customers/belg-l.asp

About L-Soft

Incorporated in 1994, L-Soft is the exclusive provider of LISTSERV® email list software, email marketing software and email list hosting services. L-Soft’s opt-in email solutions are used to manage email newsletters, announcement lists, discussion groups and email communities, serving more than 100 million list subscriptions worldwide. Invented by L-Soft Founder and CEO Eric Thomas, LISTSERV launched the permission email list communication industry in 1986 and remains the gold standard. L-Soft celebrated the 25th anniversary of LISTSERV in 2011.

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Vocus, PRWeb, and Publicity Wire are trademarks or registered trademarks of Vocus, Inc. or Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.







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Free Restaurant Scheduling Software

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Free Restaurant Scheduling Software










Lubbock, TX (PRWEB) February 26, 2012

TimeForge, a leading provider of labor management software, announced Friday that it is making labor management simple with the first free restaurant scheduling software to be offered to consumers, TimeForge Scheduling Free. This fusion of technology and common sense uses a powerful software engine to allow for quick scheduling of employees, eliminating costs associated with time-consuming Excel and paper scheduling.

Additionally, restaurant management can easily set up TimeForge Scheduling Free so that employees are able to check their schedules online from anywhere, eliminating late and missed shifts. This free restaurant scheduling software also automatically communicates the schedule to employees by email, and allows employees to enter their own time off requests, which are automatically enforced once they are approved by restaurant management. TimeForge Scheduling Free allows restaurant managers to build a schedule in just a few minutes, then quickly and easily modify that schedule as needed, while the system ensures employees are constantly kept in the loop through emails and TimeForge messages. Restaurant managers can review or approve employee requests, build shift schedules, estimate labor costs, and accomplish other restaurant management tasks through TimeForge Scheduling Free from any internet-enabled device or computer. The most radical advancement by the forward-thinking company is remote access for restaurant managers and staff access their schedules while off-site. TimeForge Scheduling Free makes labor management simple.

TimeForge Scheduling Free reduces the amount of time managers spend in the office. Using TimeForge, managers can be sure that their schedule is built quickly and easy for staff to understand. By cutting down their scheduling time, restaurant owners and operators will have more time to be on the floor with customers and manage employees face to face. This will improve their company’s bottom line through better customer service and reduced turnover. “The request for a free restaurant scheduling software came from a friend, and I thought it was a great idea for small businesses,” commented TimeForge owner Anthony Presley. “By allowing managers to build their schedules from anywhere and rest assured that every employee has received their schedule – all for free – we can help business owners really kick their operations into high gear without hurting their profit, and it’s a great way to shake up the industry!”

Building schedules has always been easy with TimeForge. Now that TimeForge offers free restaurant scheduling software, managers at businesses with less than 25 employees can have the same labor management advantages that large chains and corporations have. Since TimeForge is internet-based, this information is securely accessible from any location. Managers and employees can see when they are scheduled or approved off by using their smartphone or home computer.

A manager or owner can simply sign up for TimeForge Scheduling Free through the website http://www.freerestaurantschedulingsoftware.com to set up his or her account. Immediate scheduling can be done from anywhere. This promises to be a great advancement for managers who are concerned about the time they are spending in the office.

TimeForge’s announcement that it now features the free version promises major changes in the way labor management is done. The scheduling industry has never seen anything like this. Labor management can be easy, with simple and fast scheduling for any business, regardless of budget. Setting up the system is fast, and saves businesses a lot of revenue. Since it is so easy to use, TimeForge helps managers get back on the floor and out of the office – for good.

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Vocus©Copyright 1997-

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Vocus, PRWeb, and Publicity Wire are trademarks or registered trademarks of Vocus, Inc. or Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.







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San Francisco Music Studio Records All Three 2011 Jazz Search West Winners

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San Francisco Music Studio Records All Three 2011 Jazz Search West Winners











2011 Jazz Search Winners Thea Rose Cristman, Isaac Schwartz and Janere Ashley.


Berkeley, CA (PRWEB) February 18, 2012

Priscilla Rice, the owner of Live Oak Studio (http://www.liveoakstudio.com) in Berkeley, California has donated professionally engineered studio time to a winner of Jazz Search West at her enchanting, suburban San Francisco recording studio for the last three years. This year, because of special circumstances, Live Oak had the privilege of recording all three 2011 winners.

Jazz Search West is a competition that gives emerging jazz singers and musicians the opportunity to gain exposure performing for live audiences and judges, who give every performer constructive tips. The annual event is hosted by Living Jazz (http://www.livingjazz.org), a unique brand of program that focuses on friendship and human interaction while inspiring people through the shared love of jazz and related genres. The organization’s inclusive and supportive activities build and sustain joyful communities that foster diversity by embracing people of all ages, economic and cultural backgrounds.

“Living Jazz makes music come alive, nurtures creativity, and enriches people’s lives, while building a greater sense of community through the love of jazz,” said Rice, who also serves as chairman of the board for Living Jazz. “Jazz Search West is an opportunity for emerging talent to gain exposure and visibility, for the public to enjoy new talent and support local artists, and for musicians and vocalists to advance their musical careers.”

Sixteen year old Thea Rose Cristman, a sophomore in a Marin County high school, was the third-place Jazz Search West winner in 2011. She used her prize, four consecutive hours of studio time at Live Oak Studio, to record “Walking After Midnight,” “Cheek to Cheek,” “The Shadow of Your Smile, “’Round Midnight” and “Sittin’ on the Dock of the Bay.”

Cristman was accompanied by legendary jazz pianist and Jazz Search West judge Ben Flint and 20-year veteran jazz singer Kellye Gray, Cristman’s inspirational voice coach from Jazz Camp West—another supportive Living Jazz community organization.

Cristman, who sings with many Bay Area jazz ensembles, including the Medicine Ball Band and the Jim Whiteside Trio, is a favorite at Caffe Trieste, weddings and parties. She also performs with Andrew Dudnick at the Ageis retirement home, and she is the singer for her high school’s newly formed jazz band, which is named Burst.

The young singer’s Live Oak Studio recording will be used as a demo to get more work and be sold to raise funds to go back and record a full CD at Live Oak in the future.

“It was great to be able to get professional help from adults who were so supportive,” said Cristman. “They all made sure I had everything I needed.”

The second prize winner, a jazz drummer named Isaac Schwartz, won a recording session with Flint. For the session, Schwartz also brought in a bass player and 2011 Jazz Search West first-place winner Janere Ashley, who sang “My One and Only Love” for one of the recordings.

“Live Oak Studio is awesome,” said Schwartz. “On top of it being a nice space designed to capture sound well, the Bay views are amazing and the atmosphere is very relaxed—which is always great when recording.

“Sometimes drums aren’t seen as having the same capabilities or emotional power of other instruments, so during the 2011 competition I played the melody to the song I chose, ‘Cherokee,’ before the other musicians came in—and I ended up winning second place. Being recognized for what I do on an instrument that’s not typically in the forefront is very satisfying.”

Isaac is planning to use the Live Oak Studio recording as a demo for gigs and anyone else who is interested in his work.

Although she recorded at Live Oak Studio with Schwartz, the first place winner Ashley’s Jazz Search West actual prize was free tuition to Jazz Camp West, an 8-day jazz music, dance and vocal program held at YMCA Camp Jones Gulch, near Half Moon Bay.

About Jazz Search West

Launched in 2009, Jazz Search West is the Bay Area’s first annual Jazz talent search. Weekly competitions are held each March in various jazz venues in Oakland and San Francisco. A panel of prestigious judges provides feedback to each contestant.

Three finalists are selected at each weekly public event and perform at the Grand Finale held at Piedmont Piano Company in Oakland. Four top winners are ultimately selected and awarded prizes designed to enhance their musical career.

About Live Oak Studio

Since 1984, Live Oak Studio, a greater San Francisco music recording studio, has recorded music legends, including Destiny’s Child, Boyz II Men, Will Smith, Alicia Keys, Tony! Toni! Tone! and E-40. The Berkeley studio utilizes a Digidesign Pro Tools HD-based system to record breakthrough and award-winning albums for artists all of genres. The East Bay recording studio specializes in audio, voiceover, live band recording, audiobook and narration recording services. The studio can also help artists with mixing, editing and creating audiobooks, podcasts and meditation CDs.

For more information about recording at Live Oak Studio, please call (510) 423-0771 or visit them on the web at liveoakstudio.com.

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