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Memorial Hermann has reduced its carbon footprint by trading in disposable containers for reusable sharps containers.

The 3,200 bed, 11-hospital health care system launched the Sharps Management Service using Bio Systems reusable containers by Stericycle Inc. (NASDAQ: SRCL). Each reusable container keeps an average of 600 disposable sharps containers from going to a landfill.

Marshall Heins, chief facility services officer at Memorial Hermann, said the shift means Memorial Hermann will no longer buy disposable containers.

“With more than 1.4 million patients visits a year, there are hundreds of thousands of pounds less plastic and cardboard going to landfills,” he said. “Equally important is managing the regulatory compliance and avoiding hundreds of thousands of dollars in costs since we implemented the program in 2006.”

Between April 2009 and March 2010, Memorial Hermann diverted 138,627 pounds of CO2 from 232,610 pounds of plastic and 19,982 pounds of cardboard. Such a carbon diversion is the equivalent to 7,138 gallons of gasoline or 2,622 propane cylinders for home barbecues.

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Just hours into its public debut, the highly anticipated, glowingly reviewed, social media aggregating iPad application called Flipboard crashed.

The new app promises to create a "personal magazine" by bringing in content from Twitter, Facebook and other social media sites. But when a sea of eager downloaders tried to log into their various social media accounts on Tuesday, the requests overwhelmed Flipboard’s servers.

Users encountered error messages that said, "Due to overwhelming interest we are currently limiting the rate at which we are accepting new Facebook and Twitter connections." Flipboard urged users to follow its Twitter account, @flipboard, for updates on the status of the server delays, saying, "We promise it will be worth the wait."

Flipboard’s solution is still pending. As it works to add more server capacity, the company is set to debut a new version of its software that will create a wait list for users trying to connect to their Twitter and Facebook accounts. When the app is ready for users to sign in, it will send them e-mails notifying them that they’re next in line.

Though Flipboard encouraged patience, Twitter users sounded off on their frustrations installment payday loans.

"Has Flipboards 15 mins of fame come and gone? The backlash begins!" said one Twitter user.

Many blamed tech blogger Robert Scoble for creating too much hype about Flipboard. He posted nearly 30 tweets on Wednesday about the new iPad app.

"24 hours later, where is @Scobleizer after destroying the launch for @flipboard? Too much hype too soon. I hope @flipboard can recover," tweeted another user.

It’s not the first time that incredible demand has overwhelmed an app or website.

Twitter famously displays its "Fail Whale" several times a month, as it is routinely over capacity. The company said Wednesday that it is building a new data center in Salt Lake City that it will move into later this year.

Apple’s Store app crashed last month on the day it launched, as iPhone 3GS users bombarded it with requests to buy a new iPhone 4.

And users looking for information online about Michael Jackson’s death last summer caused a host of websites — including mighty Google — to crash or slow down to a crawl. 

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This is a weekly roundup of promotions, appointments and employee accomplishments in the Birmingham metro area. For more People on the Move, check out the Birmingham Business Journal’s print edition each week. Send announcements to ccrawford@bizjournals.com.

AGRICULTURE

Shep and Rite Morris of Morris and Morris Farms in Shorter were named the Alabama Farm-City Committee’s 2010 Farm of Distinction winner. The committee is part of the Alabama Farmers Federation. Five finalists also honored were Bryan and Beverly Hughes of Tuscaloosa County, Larry and Bonita LouAllen of Lawrence County, Chase and Noelle Bradley of Monroe County, Garry and Denise Staples of St. Clair County and John and Katie Wesson of Talladega County.

INSURANCE

Allstate Insurance Co. recognized eight Birmingham-area Allstate exclusive agency owners with the Honor Ring award for high standards in customer satisfaction, customer retention and profitable business growth. They are Jim Anthony of Pelham, Mika Marcum of Warrior, Ken Massey of Alabaster, Breck Price of Birmingham, Pete Russell of Birmingham, John F. Saddler of Homewood, Jessup Standifer of Birmingham and Cindy Stuman of Pinson.

Allstate Insurance Co. recognized Allstate personal financial representatives Richard Akel and Keeley Moore, both of Birmingham, with the Chairman's Conference award for high standards in customer satisfaction, customer retention and profitable business growth. Akel and Moore are among only 6 percent of Allstate producers nationally to reach this level of achievement, based on financial services sales.

LEGAL

J. Vernon Patrick Jr., an attorney with Haskell Slaughter Young & Rediker LLC, has been recognized in the latest edition of The Global Directory of Who’s Who. Patrick has focused his practice on securities, derivative and class action litigation and other complex civil litigation for about 50 years.

MEDIA

Gregory O. Griffin Sr., chief legal counsel for the Alabama Board of Pardons and Paroles, was appointed by Gov. Bob Riley to represent the Second Congressional District on the Alabama Educational Television Commission. Ferris W. Stephens, an Alabama Assistant Attorney General, was appointed to represent the Sixth Congressional District of Alabama.

Panorama Public Relations Vice President Melanie Green and Genevieve Douglass, client services manager, will lead a team handling services for Hallman Hill townhouses and condominiums in Homewood.

REAL ESTATE

John Coleman of Graham & Co. represented GE Capital in the disposition of the former Expressions Cabinetry facility in Gadsden. The 55,000-square-foot building was purchased by United Caseworks and will continue to be used for cabinet manufacturing. Coleman also represented Thistle Properties in the acquisition of a 10,000-square-foot office warehouse off of Academy Drive in Bessemer. The building will be occupied by an automotive related company providing automotive solutions, from mechanical and controls design to fabrication and installation. The seller, Crew Development, was represented by Jack Brown, also of Graham & Co.

RETAIL

ConsignmentChic.com founder Tracy True Dismukes has been named a finalist for the National Association of Women Business Owners/Wells Fargo Trailblazer Award. Dismukes is the owner of a chain of three consignment shops called Collage Designer Consignment and Collage Plus Sizes in Birmingham. Three female business owners will be recognized with the trailblazer award based on business performance, innovation, growth and contribution to the community. Winners receive a $5,000 cash grant and will be honored at the 2010 NAWBO Annual Women’s Business Conference in Washington, D.C.

UNIVERSITIES

The University of Alabama System Board of Trustees appointed University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Health Professions faculty member Stephen N. Collier a professor emeritus. Collier first joined the faculty at UAB in 1980. He left in 1985 to serve as president of the MGH Institute of Health Professions in Boston and as dean of the College of Health Professions, professor of Health Science and director of the Center for Health Policy and Workforce Research at Towson University. Collier also served in the U.S. Navy for 24 years as an intelligence officer and retired as commander. Collier returned to UAB in 2003 and established the Office of Health Professions Education and Workforce Development to address health work force issues through research, publications, presentations and associated activities.

Lt. General Ronald L. Burgess Jr., director of the U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency, spoke at Samford University’s Brock School of Business Samford Business Network on April 6. Burgess is responsible for providing critical intelligence to U.S. forces around the world, including coalition forces in Afghanistan and Iraq, as well as to senior Department of Defense and national security leadership.

The University of Alabama System Board of Trustees appointed Hemant Kumar Tiwari to the William “Student” Sealy Gosset Endowed Professorship in Biostatistics at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. He joined UAB in 2002 and became an associate professor in 2006.

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The Tennessee unemployment rate again remained unchanged in February, stuck at 10.7 percent, according to data released today by the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development.

One year ago, state unemployment stood at 9.6 percent. The national unemployment rate for February was 9.7 percent, unchanged from the January rate.

According to the Department of Labor and Workforce Development, 3,100 monthly job gains occurred in state government educational services, 3,000 job gains came in educational and health services, and 1,900 job gains came in professional and business services. Major employment decreases from January to February occurred in mining and construction, down by 1,800, transportation and warehousing (-1,400 jobs), and clothing and clothing accessories stores (-1,200 jobs) guaranteed fast personal loans.

According to the Department of Labor and Workforce Development, year-over-year increases occurred in educational and health services, up by 9,300 jobs; state government gained 1,000 jobs; and real estate, rental and leasing was up by 900 jobs. Year-over-year decreases occurred in manufacturing, down by 26,200 jobs; trade transportation and utilities, down 22,500 jobs; and mining and construction, down 15,100 jobs.

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The risk posed by asset bubbles in Asia is overstated because surging prices in markets don’t threaten regional economies, said Stephen Roach, chairman of Morgan Stanley Asia Ltd.

“The difference between the asset bubbles in this region and asset bubbles also around the world is that they have not affected the real side of the Asian economy,” Roach told Bloomberg Television in an interview in Hong Kong today.

Concerns about inflation in Asia are “overblown” as excess capacity in the global economy is likely to keep a “lid” on prices for the next few years, said Roach, author of “The Next Asia.” “Beyond that, it’s a big challenge.”

Standard & Poor’s warned yesterday that Asian policy makers may fuel asset bubbles by leaving interest rates “too low for too long” as the region leads a global recovery from the worst slowdown since World War II. Stock and property markets are looking “frothy” in Asia, said David Wyss, an economist at S&P.

The U.S. had “monster bubbles in property credit that ended up stalling home-building activities and personal consumption” and when they burst the “economy went into the tank,” said Roach. In contrast, in Asia “you have bubbles that come and go, but they don’t impact on the real economy free credit reports.”

China’s Economy

Roach also said that Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao’s past warnings that his nation’s growth path is “unbalanced and unsustainable” have become a “serious concern now.”

“Two of the main engines of the Chinese economy, exports and investments, really have reached their point of maximum dynamism,” Roach said. “The Chinese need to change the model and move much more into consumer-led” growth, he said.

China’s central bank last month ordered banks to set aside more deposits as reserves for the second time in a month to cool the economic expansion after loan growth accelerated and property prices surged 9.5 percent in January, the most in 21 months. The China Banking Regulatory Commission told banks the same month to “strictly” follow property lending policies.

China’s consumer prices increased 1.5 percent in January from a year earlier, mainly due to gains in food costs resulting from the cold winter weather, the National Bureau of Statistics said. The gauge rose 0.6 percent from December.

In the fourth quarter of 2009, the Chinese economy grew 10.7 percent from a year earlier, the fastest pace since 2007.

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UPS announced plans to cut 1,800 jobs as part of a restructuring plan intended to streamline the company’s domestic management structure.

The cuts will eliminate management and administrative positions across the country, UPS (UPS, Fortune 500) said in a statement Friday. Approximately 1,100 employees will be offered voluntary separation packages; other impacted workers will receive severance benefits and access to support programs.

"The decision to reduce our workforce is difficult and we appreciate the significant contributions of those who will be affected by this change," said Scott Davis, UPS chairman and chief executive. "But we believe this will allow us to sharpen our focus on profitable growth while being even more nimble in serving our customers."

UPS said the restructuring plan, which takes effect in April, will reduce the number of districts in the company’s small-package operation to three from five and the number of regions to 20 from 46. The consolidation does not involve closing operating facilities.

The announcement came the Atlanta-based company said its expects to beat its earnings estimate for the fourth quarter of 2009. The company previously projected it will earn between 58 cents and 65 cents per share during the final quarter of last year. Analysts polled by Thomson Reuters expect earnings per share to fall to 63 cents, a 24% decline compared to same period in 2008.

UPS said it expects to incur a charge in 2010 as a result of the restructuring plan, but said it will be offset by cost savings.

Shares of UPS were up more than 5% in early trading.  

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In another ominous sign for state budgets nationwide, state and local governments reported another drop in overall tax revenue on Tuesday.

General sales tax, individual income tax and corporate income tax were all down in the third quarter of 2009, resulting in an overall 6.7% drop in total tax revenue, compared to the same quarter in 2008, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

This is the fourth consecutive quarter in which tax revenue collection has fallen.

The one bright spot was property tax collection, which showed a slight increase of 3.5%, compared to the same quarter in 2008.

Total taxes collected in the third quarter were $266.5 billion compared to $285.6 billion during the same quarter in 2008.

States are wrestling with some of the worst budget deficits since the Great Depression. Rising unemployment has wreaked havoc on their vital revenue streams of personal income, corporate profits and sales taxes.

Though governors and lawmakers are reluctant to raise taxes, particularly in bad economic times, the current fiscal situation has prompted some to turn to such measures.

Some 29 states enacted revenue hikes for fiscal 2010, which began on July 1 in nearly all states. Personal income tax hikes accounted for the largest portion, some $10.7 billion. Corporate levies declined by $202.2 million. 

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Italian business confidence rose to the highest in 18 months in December on expectations by manufacturers that growing exports will boost the economy’s recovery from the worst recession since World War II.

The Isae Institute’s manufacturing sentiment index climbed to 82.6, the highest since June 2008, from a revised 79.4 in November, the Rome-based research center Isae said today. That compared with a median forecast of 79.7 in a Bloomberg News survey of 8 economists.

The survey showed “a strong recovery in production expectations and in the assessment on orders, the ones from abroad in particular,” Isae said in the report. “Inventories remain stable and below levels considered normal.”

The $2.3 trillion economy expanded 0.6 percent in the three months through September after five quarters of contraction as exports grew. The economy may grow 1.1 percent in 2010, employers’ lobby Confindustria forecast on Dec. 17. Exports to non-European Union countries rose 2.6 percent in November after falling 9.1 percent in October. Economic growth in France and Germany, which emerged from the recession in the second quarter, is also supporting Italian manufacturers.

The rise in confidence in Italy mirrored gains in optimism in Europe’s largest economy. Business confidence in Germany increased to the highest level in 17 months in December as the global recovery supported exports and manufacturing growth, the Munich-based Ifo institute said on Dec. 18.

French business confidence fell in December for the first time in nine months on concern that fading government-stimulus measures may slow the economy’s recovery from its worst slump in six decades, Paris-based statistics office Insee said last week.

Reduced Stimulus

Government incentives across Europe contributed to the recovery of auto and home appliance sales from a global decline caused by the recession. In Italy, they benefited Fiat SpA, whose Italian sales rose 28 percent in November from the previous year.

Italy’s government plans to reduce incentives to trade in old cars for newer models to 300 million euros ($432 million) next year, Il Sole 24 Ore reported on Dec. 27. Italy set aside about 400 million euros to spur sales of more fuel-efficient cars in 2009.

Manufacturers remain pessimistic about the job market on expectations that hiring will lag the economic recovery, today’s report showed. A sub-index measuring expectations on employment held at minus 18 in December.

The jobless rate climbed in the third quarter to the highest in four years, Istat said on Dec. 17. Rising unemployment and reduced stimulus may weigh on consumer spending in coming months.

Isae conducted its latest survey of 4,000 companies between Dec. 1 and Dec. 18. The research center revised its November reading from an initial 78.8.

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China and other faster growing developing nations may lure more funds away from advanced economies for the next two decades, according to Goldman Sachs Group Inc.

Those flows will counter any impact on China’s capital markets from government measures aimed at curbing asset bubbles, said Thomas Deng, Goldman Sachs’ head of China strategy. Corporate profit growth in China, estimated at between 20 percent and 30 percent on average next year, will fuel an equity market rally, said Deng. He recommended buying shares in China’s auto and healthcare industries, and companies with large land reserves in Shanghai ahead of next year’s World Expo.

“Western countries’ money is moving to oriental countries, and that means developed world money is flowing into developing countries,” Deng told reporters in Hong Kong yesterday. “This will be a trend in the next 10 to 20 years.”

Developing economies will expand 5.1 percent in 2010 compared with 1.3 percent growth in advanced nations, according to the International Monetary Fund. Asia-excluding-Japan equity funds posted net inflows of $975 million in the week ended Nov. 25, bringing the total for the year to $18 billion, EPFR Global said on Dec. 1. Flows into China equity funds reached a year-to- date high of $827 million, according to EPFR, which tracks funds holding $10 trillion worldwide.

China Index Forecasts

Goldman Sachs forecasts Hong Kong’s Hang Seng China Enterprises Index will reach 17,000 by the end of next year, according to Deng. That’s higher than his previous forecast of 16,800 in an Oct. 29 report and the gauge’s closing level yesterday of 13,341.17.

China’s CSI 300 Index will hit 4,300 by the end of 2010, Deng said. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index will climb to about 27,000 next year, Timothy Moe, an analyst at the brokerage, said at the same media briefing. The CSI 300 closed at 3,957.33 and the Hang Seng at 22,289.57 yesterday.

An unprecedented $1.3 trillion of loans this year and a $586 billion stimulus package pushed China’s economy to record 8.9 percent growth in the third quarter, the fastest expansion in a year. The credit boom helped the Shanghai Composite Index rally 80 percent this year and Hong Kong’s H-share index surge 69 percent. Home prices in 70 major cities in China climbed at the fastest pace in 14 months in October, the government reported Nov. 10.

Real estate in China is “slightly expensive, but not a bubble,” Deng said. The nation needs a gradual exit strategy to prevent a bubble, he said.

Bubble Concerns

China is among the emerging markets facing risks of property and commodity market bubbles, central bank adviser Fan Gang said Nov. 18, echoing the World Bank, which said last month that the nation needs to tackle the “misallocation of resources.” China’s five largest banks have submitted plans to regulators for raising money after record lending eroded their capital, according to four people with knowledge of the matter.

China’s economy will expand 9 percent this year and 11 percent in 2010, mainly driven by domestic demand and will translate into corporate earnings, Deng said.

Investors should also favor companies that will sell shares in Shanghai for the first time next year, Deng said yesterday. China Mobile Ltd., Cnooc Ltd. and China Resources Enterprise Ltd. were named as examples of companies that would likely perform well in Hong Kong ahead of their mainland listings, Deng wrote in his Oct. 29 report.

“Liquidity is favorable to Chinese shares, particularly the Hong Kong-listed Chinese shares,” the analyst said.

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Oprah Winfrey knows how to keep viewers on the edge of their seats.

In the last 10 minutes of her show, Winfrey confirmed that she will be ending her syndicated "Oprah Winfrey Show" in September 2011.

"After much prayer and months of careful thought, I thought that next season, season 25, will be the last season of ‘The Oprah Winfrey Show,’ " she told the audience.

"You may hear a lot of speculation in the press about why I’m making this decision now, and I wanted you to hear it from me," she said. "Twenty-four years ago on September 8, 1986, I went live from Chicago to launch the first show. I was beyond excited, and a little nervous."

Winfrey remained calm after her announcement, even when guest Ray Romano joked that she was going to make this is his mother’s saddest and happiest day by simultaneously having Romano on and confirming the Oprah era had come to an end.

"I knew what a miraculous opportunity I had been given, but I certainly couldn’t have imagined the yellow brick road of blessings," Winfrey said, pausing as she became visibly and audibly choked up. "You, the viewers, have enriched my life beyond measure. You have graciously invited me into your kitchens, living rooms and lives. Some of you have literally grown up with me; we’ve grown up together.

"Whether you’ve been there in the beginning or just started last week, I hold it dear. It still means as much to me to spend an hour with you as it did in 1986," she said.

And then, the answer to the most obvious question: why leave the show? Oprah didn’t give much of an answer.

"Here is the real reason: I love this show, this show is my life, and I love it enough to know when it’s time to say goodbye. It’s the perfect number, the exact right time," she said.

She encouraged her fans to stick out the next 18 months as she and her production team pull out all the stops to make the last season of "Oprah" one that will "knock your socks off."

"The countdown to the end of ‘The Oprah Winfrey Show’ starts now," she said. "Until that day, I intend to soak up every meaningful, joyful moment with you. I’ll see you on Monday." 

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