Star One Public Relations: Oct 5, 2012

Mall REITs could Grow in Popularity, claims AAA

Mall REITs are becoming an attractive choice for investors, claims Alternative Asset Analysis, following the publication of a report on the issue in Forbes this week.

Boston, MA, USA, October 5, 2012 -- Mall REITs are becoming an attractive choice for investors, claims Alternative Asset Analysis, following the publication of a report on the issue in Forbes this week.

Forbes real estate analyst Brad Thomas claimed that investing in Mall-based real estate investment trusts (REITs) can be a lucrative choice for a number of reasons. He suggested that the retail sector's growth will mean strong incomes for malls as well as the construction of new malls across the US. There is already 1,400 malls across the US and the demand for retail mall space is increasing. This is all good news for investors, according to Anthony Johnson, AAA's analysis partner.

Mr Thomas backs this view, explaining: "Excellent locations and moderate but steady growth in retail sales, reduces risk and provides for predictable and growing cash flows."

The median occupancy levels for regional malls in the US is an impressive 94.2 per cent - showing that malls that are built, do not suffer from problems attracting tenants, and this, making income.

REITs are a popular form of alternative investment at a time when all kinds of alternative asset classes are growing in popularity. AAA advocates all forms of alternative investments, with an emphasis on ethical investments, such as forestry projects and social impact investing.

These types of investment choices are proving attractive to people who want to make a difference with their cash investments and reflects the way the markets have changed since the economic crisis. "People are less interested in short term gains and are more likely to be in it for the long-haul when it comes to investments these days," explained Johnson.

He added, "Investing in a social fund that lends money to small businesses in a developing countries, for example, can be very rewarding and profitable. Investing in a sustainable plantation projects that helps reduce deforestation is also a lucrative and ethical choice."

About Alternative Asset Analysis:

The remit of Alternative Asset Analysis is to analyse and provide news on the global performance of a wide range of alternative asset classes including, but not restricted to, commodities, real estate, forestry, foreign exchange, hedge funds, private equity and venture capital.

Media Contact:

Anthony Johnson

Alternative Asset Analysis

71 Commercial St

Boston, MA 02109-1320

617-939-9596

info@alternativeassetanalysis.com

http://www.alternativeassetanalysis.com

October Experts Connection Offers Tools and Techniques for Using LinkedIn To Extend Your Career

Webinar Provides an Intense Course in LinkedIn Basics, Including How to Use LinkedIn for Better Job Research and for Personal Brand Building.

NOVATO, Calif. (October 5, 2012) -- LinkedIn continues to dominate the Web as the world's largest professional networking destination with more than 175 million members in 200 countries. More professionals are making LinkedIn their first stop when they have to research a new job prospect or career opportunity, but most executives only use a fraction of LinkedIn's capabilities. In the October session of Experts Connection (http://www.experts-connection.com), headhunter and social media expert Jim Durbin will present "LinkedIn for Executives: The Basics" with practical strategies and dos and don'ts to help executives get the most out of their LinkedIn engagement. The webinar is scheduled for Thursday, October 24 from 4:00 - 5:30 p.m. ET, (1:00 - 2:30 p.m. PT), and is sponsored by NETSHARE® (http://www.netshare.com).

More users are turning to LinkedIn to manage their professional connections, but the scope and diversity of LinkedIn offer so much more than basic contact information. LinkedIn can help you research potential employers, learn more about a target industry, prepare for an interview, and much more. No matter what your career objective, LinkedIn can be an invaluable tool once you understand how to use it.

In this webinar, Jim will explain how to optimize LinkedIn for your specific goals, including how to change the way you network. The presentation will include:

- How to create a professional profile that promotes a positive, searchable personal brand identity;

- Criteria for contacts to add to your network, and who to keep out;

- How to use LinkedIn’s search tools for your next career move;

- The three biggest mistakes your colleagues are making on LinkedIn;

- How to research competitors for better business intelligence; and

- How to communicate effectively using your LinkedIn network.

"LinkedIn continues to gain momentum as the first resource people turn to when they want to advance their career," said Katherine Simmons, CEO of NETSHARE and host of the Experts Connection webinar series. "Using LinkedIn effectively gives you an advantage that other job seekers may be missing. This webinar will provide all the basics you need to apply LinkedIn to meet your career goals."

The Experts Connection teleseminar series gives executives access to leading career experts. The cost of the seminar is $60, $50 for NETSHARE members, and access is provided via web and telephone. For more information, visit the Experts Connection online at http://www.experts-connection.com.

About James Durbin:

Jim Durbin is a retained search headhunter and trainer specializing in social media. As a blogger and business owner, Jim is an expert and frequent speaker on such topics as online employment, recruiting blogs, and using social media in the hiring process. His prior experience includes account management for a national staffing firm where he was a top performer. He is a graduate of Washington and Lee University and lives in Dallas.

About NETSHARE

NETSHARE (http://www.netshare.com) is a confidential, membership based organization dedicated to providing executives across all disciplines and industries with quality $100K plus job lists. NETSHARE also offers networking opportunities and a community of peers for the exchange of strategic information related to job search, professional development and best practices. NETSHARE has been recognized by Fortune and Forbes magazines as the best online destination for executive positions.

Contact:

Annette DiSano

NETSHARE, Inc.

(415) 883-1700

Annette@netshare.com

Tom Woolf

Woolf Media & Marketing

(415) 259-5638

tomw@woolfmedia.com

Mastering the Behavioral Interview To Make a Perfect Hire is Topic of Next Experts Connection Webinar for Executive Recruiters

Managers Can Minimize the Risk of Making a Bad Hiring Decision, No Matter what the Position, with a Well-Crafted Behavioral Interview.

NOVATO, Calif. (October 5, 2012) -- A single bad hiring decision can cost a company between $25,000 and $50,000, but companies still fail to use a methodical approach to hiring and interviews, preferring instead to go with "gut feeling" that can cost a lot of money. Behavioral interviews can minimize the risk of making a bad hire. In the next Experts Connection session for Executive Recruiters (http://www.experts-connection.com/recruiter.aspx), recruiting expert Matt Gill will present "Predicting the "Right Hire": The Art of the Behavioral Interview." The webinar is scheduled for Thursday, October 25, from 4:00 - 5:30 p.m. ET, (1:00 - 2:30 p.m. PT), and is sponsored by NETSHARE® (http://www.netshare.com).

The premise behind the behavioral interview is simple; past performance will predict future performance. The objective for the interviewer is to gain an accurate portrait of how well the candidate performed on his or her last job, and whether those performance metrics will serve the company's needs. A well-designed behavioral interview will reveal how well a candidate performed in a similar role, and how well those skills adapt to the current position. When included as part of a broader hiring process, the behavioral interview provides an excellent barometer to determine if a candidate is a good fit.

This 90-minute presentation will explain how to develop, administer, and evaluate a behavioral interview. The discussion will include how to incorporate the needs of the company, the department, and the position into your questions, and how to prepare for the interview itself. It also will include tips on how to work with hiring managers to gather the right information for evaluation.

Specific topics to be covered include:

- Creating a behavioral interview that can be adapted for any position.

- How to conduct a behavioral interview, including how to use specific behavioral questions.

- How to guide “off-message” candidates to drill down to get to relevant, even critical information.

- How to assimilate that information into an assessment to help make the best hiring decision.

"Behavioral interviews are misunderstood by a number of hiring professionals," said Katherine Simmons, CEO of NETSHARE and host of the Experts Connection webinars. "The right information gathered in the right way can provide insight that can head off a real hiring mistake. Matt is an expert in behavioral interviews and his expertise can help minimize the risk of making the wrong hiring decision."

The cost of the Experts Connection seminar is $100, and access is provided via web and telephone. A web archive also is available for registrants. For more information, visit the Experts Connection online at http://www.experts-connection.com/recruiter.aspx.

About Matt Gill

Matt Gill, is the Managing Partner and a founding member of MICA Consulting Group, a retained recruiting firm specializing in connecting people in marketing, interactive, creative and advertising disciplines. Matt has been active in the recruiting industry for the past 17 years, and over the last decade has served as a retained search recruiter in marketing, sales and advertising. He is also a certified Behavioral Interview Trainer. Matt has served on a number of boards including the Susan G. Komen Foundation, serving as head of governance. He is a graduate of Saint Michael’s College and resides in Boston.

About NETSHARE

Contact:

Annette DiSano

NETSHARE, Inc.

(415) 883-1700

Annette@netshare.com

Tom Woolf

Woolf Media & Marketing

(415) 259-5638

tomw@woolfmedia.com

Pavel Gagarin Diagnoses the Medical Market in Russia as looking very Healthy for Investors

In late September 2012, Pavel Gagarin, Chairman of the Board of Gradient Alpha Investments Group, explained to the participants of the third all-Russia medical forum in Moscow the ways of attracting investments into medical establishments.

Moscow, Russia (October 5, 2012) -- In late September 2012, Pavel Gagarin, Chairman of the Board of Gradient Alpha Investments Group, explained to the participants of the third all-Russia medical forum in Moscow the ways of attracting investments into medical establishments.

The need for quality health care in Russia is huge, with most people believing that they can only get it for money. According to a survey carried out by Romir Holding this summer, 67% of Russians have used paid medical services in the last year. More than half of the respondents paid their own account and 15% used those services as part of their corporate or private health insurance schemes.

Russian commercial medicine is one of the fastest growing industries in the country. From 2007 to 2011 the market volume has grown from 367 to 535 billion roubles (from £7.3 bn to £10.7 bn). The annual growth, even during the crisis, has remained at a level of 16%. Outpatient services comprise half of this market, laboratory-diagnostic services take one-quarter, a 16% share of the market is taken by in-patient treatment and 8% by rehabilitation services.

67% of Russians, when using paid medical services, turn to private health care institutions; 46% of patients go to state clinics and hospitals (13% use both). Among the five most popular services customers prefer to pay for are: dentistry, gynaecology, therapy (GP), ophthalmology and medical anaesthetics. Only 23% of those who do not use paid medicine believe that they cannot afford it; the others either claim to be completely healthy or are happy with the free medicine provided by the state.

The second factor that makes the market for private medical services in Russia promising and attractive to private capital is of the state policies for the privatization of medical institutions. In accordance with the Federal Law of 08.05.2010, No.83-FZ "On Amendments to Certain Legislative Acts of the Russian Federation in connection with the improvement of the legal status of state (municipal) institutions", many hospitals that have received autonomous status will be incorporated and transferred to the management of private parties. Tax incentives, such as corporation tax will also contribute to the growth of investment. Thus, within the framework of the Russian health reform, the state is gradually but purposefully substituting its operational functions by controlling functions.

Gradient Alpha's experience in supporting investment projects in the health area and auditing health facilities shows that competent management can increase the revenues of a medical institution by 30% to 50%. This fact is not a secret to the authorities who are willing to pass health care facilities to private owners in exchange for shares in the business of these companies.

A vivid example of such a transaction is the April 2012 deal between the Moscow government and the Medsi group of companies. Under this project, the city authorities passed two state-owned sanatoriums, three hospitals and five out-patient clinics in Moscow, as well as one resort in the Crimea to Russia's largest private network of health care institutions in exchange for a 25% share of the new company. Using these medical institutions, Medsi is launching new, specialized centres providing high-tech services. Thanks to the administrative resources that it has acquired through this transaction, the network of clinics is expecting to acquire the state quota for such services. The well-known American fund Apax Partners and the Russian Direct Investment Fund have signed an agreement to invest about $200 million in the development of this project.

Therefore, Russian health care is an attractive area for investors. Despite long investment horizons and difficulties in obtaining permits, the vast growth potential of the market provides for very good opportunities in terms of future income.

-Ends-

For more information, please visit the company web site http://www.gradient-alpha.biz or use the following contacts:

PR department

Gradient Alpha Investments Group

Tel: +7 (495) 740 1264

E-Mail: m.shetilenko@gradient-alpha.ru

PR representative in Europe

Eva Smit

Tel: +44 (0) 7538 978986

E-Mail: insidersuk@gmail.com

Gradient Alpha Investments Group has more than 15 years of experience in facilitating investment deals in Russia. Acting as a strategic growth consultant for many Russian companies, the group has conducted hundreds of investment projects, both private and public, in various sectors of the economy. The total amount of investment capital procured through Gradient Alpha has averaged around three billion US dollars per year during the last five years.

Facebook Offers Ideal Platform to Reach 955 Million Potential Customers - Experts Connection for Business Shows You How

Facebook Offers Hidden Potential for Marketing and Brand Building and Social Media Expert Neil Schaffer Explains How to Build Your Fan Base Among Those Who Matter to You.

NOVATO, Calif. (October 5, 2012) -- Everyone talks about the power of Facebook, but few business users really understand how to reach the 552 million daily active Facebook users, or the 543 million users who access Facebook from their handheld devices. This month, Experts Connection for Business (http://www.experts-connection.com/business.aspx) will host "Facebook for Business: A Practical & Actionable 10-Step Guide to Promoting Your Company to 900 Million Users," a 90-minute webinar presented by Social Media Strategist Neil Schaffer. The event is scheduled for Tuesday, October 23, from 4:00 to 5:30 ET (1:00 to 2:30 PT) and is sponsored by NETSHARE® (http://www.netshare.com).

How do you effectively build a following from among more than 950 million potential customers? How do you create a corporate page that differentiates your company or service and promotes brand loyalty? How do you manage your Facebook profile to maximize the potential of social media? Neil Schaffer will answer these questions and more, illustrating a 10-step approach to create a dynamic business presence on Facebook so you can take your marketing efforts to the next level.

During this informational webinar, Schaffer will explain:

- Facebook's unique role in an overall Social Media Marketing program;

- How to create a targeted Facebook strategy;

- Best practices in developing your corporate Facebook page and using the Facebook timeline;

- How to build your fan base and extend it beyond Facebook;

- Tactics to engage your Facebook community and keep them following you;

- Understanding Facebook performance, including using Google Analytics to assess your Facebook presence; and

- Everything you always wanted to know about micro-targeting Facebook Ads, campaign ideas, and EdgeRank

"Many companies still don't understand how to use Facebook to effectively expand their marketing program," said Katherine Simmons, CEO of NETSHARE and host of the Experts Connection webinar series. "The 10 steps that Neil presents are proven and effective, and they are simple enough that any business can follow them. This is an essential informational event for any organization using social media for marketing."

The Experts Connection webinar series allows business professionals to connect with experts in a wide range of areas, gathering information about business-critical topics presented with an eye toward the practical, not just the theoretical. Experts Connections recruits the most knowledgeable specialists to address problems facing small companies, multi-national corporations, B2B, B2C; businesses of any size serving any market. The cost of the seminar is $100, and access is provided via web and telephone. A web archive also is available for registrants. For more information, visit the Experts Connection online at http://www.experts-connection.com/business.aspx.

About Neil Schaffer

Neal Schaffer is an expert in helping organizations strategically leverage and maximize ROI from social business strategies. He is currently Senior Vice President of Social Media Strategy for Social 5150, and Vice President of Social Media Strategy for Green Dream Social. Neal is also the author of two books on LinkedIn and the upcoming "Maximizing Twitter for Business." Neil also is a Forbes Top 30 Social Media Power Influencer and creator of the AdAge Top 100 Global Marketing Blog, Windmill Networking. He is a frequent speaker, having appeared at media events sponsored by ABC and CBS and quoted in the Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg, BusinessWeek, Yahoo!, and American Express Open Forum. His consulting achievements include a Fortune 50 software company and a Grammy-winning musician with more than one million social fans. Neal graduated from Amherst College and is fluent in Japanese and Mandarin Chinese.

About NETSHARE

Contact:

Annette DiSano

NETSHARE, Inc.

(415) 883-1700

Annette@netshare.com

Tom Woolf

Woolf Media & Marketing

(415) 259-5638

tomw@woolfmedia.com