Brown-Forman to Expand the Jack Daniel Distillery

Global demand drives more than $100 million investment in Tennessee

LOUISVILLE, Ky.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Brown-Forman Corporation (NYS: BFA) (NYS: BFB) announced today the expansion of the Jack Daniel Distillery in response to global demand for its world-famous Tennessee Whiskey. The more than $100 million investment includes the addition of stills, barrel warehouses, and related infrastructure to support the expanding operations.

"The demand for Jack Daniel's Tennessee Whiskey worldwide speaks volumes for the craftsmanship and specialness of a spirit distilled from a small cave spring hollow in Tennessee," said Jeff Arnett, Master Distiller, Jack Daniel Distillery. "The expansion will help Jack Daniel's continue to bring our distinctive, charcoal-mellowed whiskey to the world and to follow Mr. Jack's belief when he said, 'Every day we make it, we'll make it the best we can.'"

Brown-Forman's investment of more than $100 million is expected to result in approximately 90 additional full-time jobs over the next five years. Construction on the expansion will begin this fall and is expected to be completed within two years.

"I want to thank the Jack Daniel Distillery for today's announcement and their continued investment in the people of Lynchburg and Tennessee," Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam said. "This company is an American brand but, more importantly, a Tennessee brand well recognized across the world, making it a global ambassador for our home state. Jack Daniel's is one of our most historic exports, and it helps us in our efforts to bring new Tennessee products to the world marketplace."

The distillery expansion will be located on distillery property in the Lynchburg area and tied to the same source of cave spring water.

"Jack Daniel's is a globally recognized and well-respected brand that boasts a rich history filled with Tennessee tradition," Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development Commissioner Bill Hagerty said. "The substantial expansion set to occur in the upcoming years is tremendous for the community and underscores Tennessee's No. 1 ranking for job growth in the Southeast. I appreciate the company's continued investment in the state and the jobs created from today's impressive announcement."

This year, with the support of Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam, the Tennessee General Assembly passed legislation designating that any whiskey labeled as "Tennessee Whiskey" must be charcoal mellowed and produced in the state, in effect creating a new spirit category similar to Kentucky Bourbon.

Jack Daniel's Tennessee Whiskey has grown volume for 21 consecutive years, underscoring the brand's premium, iconic image and reinforcing Brown-Forman's belief in its long-term appeal and sustained growth potential. The Jack Daniel's family of brands grew global net sales by a strong 9% in the last fiscal year.

Officially registered by the U.S. Government in 1866 and based in Lynchburg, Tennessee, the Jack Daniel Distillery, Lem Motlow, proprietor, is the oldest registered distillery in the United States and is on the National Register of Historic Places. Jack Daniel's is known for the world-famous Jack Daniel's Old No. 7 Tennessee Whiskey, Gentleman Jack Rare Tennessee Whiskey, Jack Daniel's Single Barrel Tennessee Whiskey, Jack Daniel's Tennessee Honey, Jack Daniel's Ready-to-Drink Beverages and Jack Daniel's Country Cocktails.

For more than 140 years, Brown-Forman Corporation has enriched the experience of life by responsibly building fine quality beverage alcohol brands, including Jack Daniel's Tennessee Whiskey, Southern Comfort, Finlandia, Jack Daniel's & Cola, Canadian Mist, Korbel, Gentleman Jack, el Jimador, Herradura, Sonoma-Cutrer, Chambord, New Mix, Tuaca, and Woodford Reserve. Brown-Forman's brands are supported by nearly 4,000 employees and sold in approximately 160 countries worldwide. For more information about the company, please visit http://www.brown-forman.com/.

Please enjoy your Tennessee Whiskey responsibly. For more information on Jack Daniel's, visit www.jackdaniels.com or visit Facebook at www.facebook.com/jackdaniels.

Important Information on Forward-Looking Statements:

This press release contains statements, estimates, and projections that are "forward-looking statements" as defined under U.S. federal securities laws. Words such as "aim," "anticipate," "aspire," "believe," "continue," "could," "envision," "estimate," "expect," "expectation," "intend," "may," "plan," "potential," "project," "pursue," "see," "will," "will continue," and similar words identify forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date we make them. Except as required by law, we do not intend to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve risks, uncertainties and other factors (many beyond our control) that could cause our actual results to differ materially from our historical experience or from our current expectations or projections. These risks and other factors include, but are not limited to:

• Unfavorable global or regional economic conditions, and related low consumer confidence, high unemployment, weak credit or capital markets, sovereign debt defaults, sequestrations, austerity measures, higher interest rates, political instability, higher inflation, deflation, lower returns on pension assets, or lower discount rates for pension obligations
• Risks associated with being a U.S.-based company with global operations, including political or civil unrest; local labor policies and conditions; protectionist trade policies; compliance with local trade practices and other regulations, including anti-corruption laws; terrorism; and health pandemics
• Fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates
• Changes in laws, regulations or policies - especially those that affect the production, importation, marketing, sale or consumption of our beverage alcohol products
• Tax rate changes (including excise, sales, VAT, tariffs, duties, corporate, individual income, dividends, capital gains) or changes in related reserves, changes in tax rules (e.g., LIFO, foreign income deferral, U.S. manufacturing and other deductions) or accounting standards, and the unpredictability and suddenness with which they can occur
• Dependence upon the continued growth of the Jack Daniel's family of brands
• Changes in consumer preferences, consumption or purchase patterns - particularly away from brown spirits, our premium products, or spirits generally, and our ability to anticipate and react to them; decline in the social acceptability of beverage alcohol products in significant markets; bar, restaurant, travel or other on-premise declines
• Production facility, aging warehouse or supply chain disruption; imprecision in supply/demand forecasting
• Higher costs, lower quality or unavailability of energy, input materials or finished goods
• Route-to-consumer changes that affect the timing of our sales, temporarily disrupt the marketing or sale of our products, for result in implementation-related or higher fixed costs
• Inventory fluctuations in our products by distributors, wholesalers, or retailers
• Competitors' consolidation or other competitive activities, such as pricing actions (including price reductions, promotions, discounting, couponing or free goods), marketing, category expansion, product introductions, entry or expansion in our geographic markets or distribution networks
• Risks associated with acquisitions, dispositions, business partnerships or investments - such as acquisition integration, or termination difficulties or costs, or impairment in recorded value
• Insufficient protection of our intellectual property rights
• Product counterfeiting, tampering, or recall, or product quality issues
• Significant legal disputes and proceedings; government investigations (particularly of industry or company business, trade or marketing practices)
• Failure or breach of key information technology systems
• Negative publicity related to our company, brands, marketing, personnel, operations, business performance or prospects
• Business disruption, decline or costs related to organizational changes, reductions in workforce or other cost-cutting measures, or our failure to attract or retain key executive or employee talent

For further information on these and other risks, please refer to the "Risk Factors" section of our annual report on Form 10-K and quarterly reports on Form 10-Q filed with the SEC.

Brown-Forman Corporation
Phil Lynch, 502-774-7928
Vice President
Director Corporate Communications and Public Relations
or
Jay Koval, 502-774-6903
Vice President
Director Investor Relations

KEYWORDS:   United States  North America  Kentucky  Tennessee

INDUSTRY KEYWORDS:

Airlines for America: U.S. Airlines Achieve 2 Percent Net Profit Margin in First Half of 2013 and Deliver Solid Operational Performance Despite Challenging Weather and Economic Conditions

Customers, Employees, Investors and the U.S. Economy Benefit from Financially Improving Industry as Airlines Continue Significant Reinvestment in Travel Experience

A4A Recaps Industry's Strong Environmental Record and Commitment to Doing Even More

WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- At today's Quarterly Media Briefing, Airlines for America (A4A), the industry trade organization for the leading U.S. airlines, reported the airlines achieved a 2 percent profit margin during the first half of 2013, invested in the travel experience for customers and delivered strong operational results despite challenging weather and economic conditions. A4A also recapped the industry's environmental progress and commitments going forward.

Overall financial performance improves

Ten U.S. passenger airlines - Alaska, Allegiant, American, Delta, Hawaiian, JetBlue, Southwest, Spirit, United and US Airways - collectively reported a net profit of approximately $1.6 billion, up from $1.2 billion during the same period last year. This translates to a net margin of 2.1 percent, also improved from the 1.6 percent margin reported in the first half of 2012.

For the first half of 2013, airlines continued to reinvest this modest profitability at a rate not seen since 2001, spending approximately $6 billion. Those investments included new fuel-efficient aircraft, state-of the-art seats and interiors, modern airport terminals and customer lounges, expanded in-flight entertainment, mobile technology, Wi-Fi and gourmet meal offerings.

"While the airline industry is making the transition from razor-thin to paper-thin margins, keeping just 2.1 pennies per dollar of revenue generated in the first half of 2013, it is reinvesting in the product and travel experience for customers at a rate not seen in 12 years - to the tune of $1 billion per month," said John Heimlich, Vice President and Chief Economist for A4A. "Airline customers, employees, investors and the U.S. economy are all vastly better off with a financially strong industry that can cover its costs over an entire business cycle and compete effectively on the global stage, while expanding air service and creating even more American jobs."

Heimlich added that U.S. airlines have built a solid foundation for the future amid a challenging economic backdrop, led first and foremost by high fuel costs. He noted that an increase of just 20 cents per gallon in the price of jet fuel would have completely wiped out the airlines' first-half profits.

Despite a slight fuel-price relief during this six-month period, jet fuel remains the airline industry's single-largest and most volatile expense, having already risen 26 cents per gallon since the end of June. Every penny increase in the price of a gallon per year costs the industry $180 million annually.

"The fact that airlines are still able to post a modest profit at jet fuel prices north of $3 per gallon is nothing short of remarkable," Heimlich said. "It speaks to the work the airlines have done to transform their businesses over the past 13 years. The good news for customers is that air travel remains a great bargain with 2012 domestic round-trip airfares actually 15 percent below 2000 levels when adjusted for inflation."

Overall operational performance remains strong

U.S. passenger airlines' operational performance remained strong in the first half of 2013, showing substantial improvement from the past decade despite numerous thunderstorm and weather events, as well as air traffic control delays resulting from federal budget sequestration. According to the Department of Transportation, 99.6 percent of passengers had their bags properly handled. Also, U.S. airlines completed 98.3 percent of their flights, of which 78.1 percent arrived on time. Consumer complaints fell to just 1.13 per 100,000 passengers.

Customers continue to benefit from the proactive approach the airlines are taking to prepare for weather events and minimize travel disruptions. The airlines and their employees remain focused on providing the safest mode of transportation in the world and continuing to advocate for and improve service, efficiency and reliability for customers.

In addition, as airlines serve more international destinations, those customers visiting the country on U.S. carriers are spending three times as much on tourism as they do on airfare, which is a win-win for airlines and for the nation's economy. In the first half of 2013 alone, visitors to the U.S. spent more than $20 billion on U.S. airline flights and $67 billion on additional U.S. travel and tourism-related goods and services. Because there is such a clear benefit to the U.S. economy from international tourism, airlines are calling on the Department of Homeland Security to fix the excessive customs wait times customers face upon arrival at U.S. gateway airports before dedicating any resources to opening a Customs and Border Protection preclearance facility in Abu Dhabi. Learn more about the effort at DrawTheLineHere.com.

Commercial aviation is the green engine of the economy - and is getting greener

A4A also reported on the significant advancements airlines have made in their environmental and emissions reduction efforts. Carriers continue to reduce emissions even further through ongoing investments in new aircraft and engines, winglets and operational procedures in-flight and on the ground, among many other initiatives. And they are working to deploy commercially viable, environmentally preferred alternative aviation fuels that will bring additional emissions reductions in the future.

"The U.S. airlines are proud that their business models align with environmental interests - airlines are a green engine of the economy and we're only getting greener," said Nancy Young, Vice President of Environmental Affairs. "While aviation contributes less than 2 percent of the total U.S. greenhouse gas emissions, we are committed to doing even more to reduce our environmental footprint."

Young noted that the U.S. airlines improved fuel efficiency by 120 percent between 1978 and 2012 - the equivalent of taking 22 million cars of the road each of those years. Further demonstrating their environmentally responsible contribution to the nation's economy, the U.S. airlines carried 16 percent more passengers and cargo in 2012 than they did in 2000, while emitting 10 percent less carbon dioxide (CO₂). The airlines also reduced noise exposures by 95 percent between 1975 and 2012 as enplanements grew 259 percent.

A4A and its members are part of a worldwide aviation coalition with a significant proposal on the table for further addressing aviation CO₂ through a global sectoral approach, under the United Nations body charged with setting standards for international aviation, the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). When it convenes in its 38^th Triennial Assembly next month, ICAO will consider such proposals towards a global agreement on aviation and climate change. The industry's proposal calls for ICAO to:

• reaffirm the aggressive emissions goals it set in 2010, including having aviation achieve carbon neutral growth from 2020 through concerted industry and government efforts;
• confirm and advance key pieces of ICAO work on technology, operations and infrastructure, including developing a CO₂ standard for new aircraft and advancing air traffic management improvements and the deployment of commercially viable, sustainable alternative aviation fuels;
• expand country-specific action plans for aviation fuel efficiency improvements and emissions savings; and,
• commit to the development of a global emissions offsetting scheme that could be employed to fill the gap should aviation not reach its emissions goals through industry and government investment in technology, operations and infrastructure.

ABOUT A4A

Annually, commercial aviation helps drive more than $1 trillion in U.S. economic activity and more than 10 million U.S. jobs. A4A airline members and their affiliates transport more than 90 percent of all U.S. airline passenger and cargo traffic. America needs a cohesive National Airline Policy that will support the integral role the nation's airlines play in connecting people and goods globally, spur the nation's economic growth and create more high-paying jobs.

For more information about the airline industry, visit www.airlines.org and follow us on Twitter @airlinesdotorg.

For more information about the National Airline Policy campaign:

Visit: www.nationalairlinepolicy.com

Twitter: @Natl_Air_Policy

Facebook: facebook.com/nationalairlinepolicy

Airlines for America (A4A)
MEDIA CONTACTS:
Katie Connell
Managing Director, Airline Industry Public Relations and Communications
202-626-4034
kconnell@airlines.org
or
Victoria Day
Managing Director, Corporate and Member Communications
vday@airlines.org
or
Vaughn Jennings
Managing Director, Government and Regulatory Communications
vjennings@airlines.org
or
Jean Medina
Senior Vice President, Communications
jmedina@airlines.org

KEYWORDS:   United States  North America  District of Columbia

INDUSTRY KEYWORDS:

Hotel Outsource Management International, Inc. Announces Extension of Rights Offering Final Subscription Date to September 9, 2013

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Hotel Outsource Management International, Inc. ("HOMI") (OTC: HOUM),a multi-national service provider in the hospitality industry which supplies computerized minibars that are primarily intended for in-room refreshments, announced today that the final subscription date of the current shareholder rights offering, with a record date of July 12, 2013, was extended from August 26, 2013 to September 9, 2013.

About HOMI

HOMI is a multi-national service provider in the hospitality industry, supplying a range of services in relation to computerized minibars that are primarily intended for in-room refreshments. HOMI was incorporated under the laws of Delaware in 2000 and is listed on the Over-the-Counter "OTC" Exchange, under the symbol "HOUM."

HOMI and its subsidiaries are engaged in the distribution, marketing and operation of computerized minibars in major branded hotel chains, operating approximately 10,600 computerized minibar systems at 44 hotels located in the United States, Europe and Israel, and in the development and manufacture of a new range of computerized minibar systems, designed to improve the performance of minibar departments, thereby improving the hotel's bottom line.

HOMI offers a number of solutions that are designed to meet the hotels' needs, ranging from consultation, supervision and rental services, to full outsource installation and operation arrangements.

HOMI's leading products are the HOMI^® 330, HOMI^® 226 and the External Dry-Section computerized trays.

For more information about HOMI, visit: http://www.my-homi.com/

Forward-Looking Statement

This press release contains forward-looking statements as that term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements relate to future events or to the company's future financial performance. In some cases, forward-looking statements can be identified by terminology such as "may," "will," "should," "expects," "plans," "anticipates," "believes," "estimates," "predicts," "potential" or "continue" or the negative of these terms or other comparable terminology. These statements are only predictions and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the company's or the industry's actual results, levels of activity, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, levels of activity, performance or achievements expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. Although the company believes that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, it cannot guarantee future results, levels of activity, performance or achievements. Except as required by applicable law, including the securities laws of the United States, the company does not intend to update any of the forward-looking statements to conform these statements to actual results. The terms, the "Company," "we," "us," and "our" means Hotel Outsource Management International, Inc. and its subsidiaries, unless otherwise indicated.

Hotel Outsource Management International, Inc.
Jacob Ronnel
CEO / CFO
+ 972 9 9728620
jackronnel@my-homi.com
or
KM Investor Relations
Meirav Bauer
Account Director
+ 972 3 5167620
meiravb@km-ir.co.il

KEYWORDS:   United States  North America  New York  Middle East  Israel

INDUSTRY KEYWORDS:

TRADE NEWS: Agilent Technologies to Present Food Science Data at AOAC Conference and Expo

Key Topics to Include Pesticide Analysis, Gluten, Food Allergens, Whiskey Profiling

SANTA CLARA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Agilent Technologies Inc. (NYS: A) today announced that company scientists and collaborators will present at AOAC International's Annual Meeting & Exposition in Chicago. The event, scheduled for Aug. 25-28, draws thousands of professionals from industry, government and academic organizations to share information on the latest advancements in food science.

AOAC is a nonprofit professional association and publisher focused on advancing analytical standards for the global food-science industry.

"Every year, we actively participate in this event, which is one of the most important food-science conferences in the United States," said Steve Royce, Agilent's food segment manager for the Americas.

"This year, we are proud to welcome guest speakers Dr. Jennifer Sealey-Voyksner, co-owner of LCMS Limited, and Drs. Philip Wylie and Jerry Zweigenbaum, Agilent GC/MS and LC/MS scientists, who will discuss the latest laboratory advancements in pesticide analysis, plant-based allergen testing, gluten testing, and the highly specialized field of whiskey analysis."

Agilent is an organizational affiliate of AOAC International and part of a large, cross-sector group representing food and beverage, dietary supplements, government agencies, technology providers, ingredient suppliers, contract research organizations and test-kit manufacturers.

Agilent AOAC Program Highlights

The Agilent booth (No. 200) will be open on the exposition floor every day, from Sunday through Wednesday, Aug. 25-28.

On Monday, Dr. Philip Wylie will host a session on GC/Q-TOF analyses of foodborne contaminants and residues. An Agilent-hosted luncheon seminar to follow will feature Dr. Jerry Zweigenbaum, discussing triggered MRM and all-ions MS/MS for screening pesticides, veterinary drugs, pharmaceuticals and other contaminants in food and water along with a presentation on non-volatile profiling of whiskies using UHPLC/Q-TOF MS.

On Tuesday, Dr. Jennifer Sealey Voyksner will make a presentation focused on LC/MS screening methodology for the simultaneous detection of multiple plant-based allergens and gluten.

For more details on Agilent's AOAC conference programming, click here. To sign up for Monday's luncheon seminar, complete the form on Agilent's AOAC 2013 Vendor Luncheon Seminar registration website.

Agilent provides a comprehensive portfolio of food testing and agriculture solutions for the analysis of a wide range of chemical and organic contaminants, food pathogens, trace metals, pesticides, additives and other harmful compounds. These chromatography and mass-spectrometry products are used to analyze food packaging, authenticate fish species, detect veterinary drugs in livestock and poultry, and to conduct soil analysis, mobile food testing, and consumer product testing.

About Agilent Technologies

Agilent Technologies Inc. (NYS: A) is the world's premier measurement company and a technology leader in chemical analysis, life sciences, diagnostics, electronics and communications. The company's 20,500 employees serve customers in more than 100 countries. Agilent had revenues of $6.9 billion in fiscal 2012. Information about Agilent is available at www.agilent.com.

NOTE TO EDITORS: Further technology, corporate citizenship and executive news is available at www.agilent.com/go/news.

Agilent Technologies Inc.
Susan Berg, +1 408-553-7093
susan_berg1@agilent.com

KEYWORDS:   United States  North America  California  Illinois

INDUSTRY KEYWORDS:

Veolia Environmental Services Opens State-of-the-Art Electronics Recycling Facility

Expanded Recycling Capabilities to Serve Businesses and Consumers

WEST BRIDGEWATER, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- A new Veolia electronics recycling facility that serves businesses and consumers in the Northeast and mid-Atlantic states has opened in West Bridgewater, Mass., and features the latest state-of-the-art recycling of fluorescent lamps, ballast, batteries, computer electronics and mercury-bearing waste.

Drum of mixed batteries with various RecyclePak pails in the background ready for recycling. (Photo: Business Wire)

Local and state officials joined Veolia Environmental Services employees at an on-site ribbon-cutting event celebrating the new facility, which replaces one in Stoughton, where Veolia has been operating since 2000.

"As technology improves, we're able to break down and reclaim even more materials, especially hazardous materials, and prevent them from entering the waste stream," stated Jim Bell, CEO and president of Veolia ES Technical Solutions. "Our investment in this facility represents our commitment to finding better solutions for lighting and electronic waste as well as ways to minimize the impact of waste on our environment."

The ability to process and reclaim material instead of sending it to a landfill is a primary goal of the facility. Veolia installed new processing equipment that allows for more than 99% of a fluorescent lamp, by weight, to be recycled. The company not only separates a fluorescent lamp into its core components of glass, aluminum and mercury-bearing phosphor power, but also reclaims the mercury and works with partners to recover rare-earth elements from the phosphor powder.

Veolia currently processes approximately 15.5 million pounds of lighting and electronic waste annually and over 155 lbs. of elemental mercury is reclaimed from recycling fluorescent lamps. New state-of-the-art recycling equipment will provide for an increased capacity for fluorescent lamps by 150%.

The new 55,000 square foot West Bridgewater facility incorporates expanded employee locker rooms and decontamination area, a permitted Class C area for mercury recovery activities and a permitted TSCA/ballast processing area. The facility is conveniently located at the intersection of MA Routes 106 and 24, with access to major highways connecting to the northeast corridor.

All 75 employees from Stoughton facility are now working at the West Bridgewater site. As volumes increase, staffing levels are likely to increase as well.

The facility will serve industrial, commercial and government organizations across West Virginia, Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, Washington, DC, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York and the New England States. In addition, Veolia has agreed to provide its recycling services to the residents of the Town of West Bridgewater, at no charge, through the Town's transfer facility.

About Veolia Environmental Services

Based in Chicago, Veolia Environmental Services North America Corp. (VESNA) is a trusted partner to industry, helping solve the unique challenges of safely managing waste and maintaining efficient operating processes. The company's service offering includes turn-key industrial cleaning and maintenance services, and the treatment, recycling and disposal of hazardous and regulated wastes in North America. VESNA has approximately 5,400 employees and reported revenues of $800 million in 2012.

Veolia Environmental Services is the global reference in waste, cleaning and resource management. Its parent company, Veolia Environnement (NYSE: VE and Paris Euronext: VIE), recorded annual revenues of over $38.8 billion in 2012. For more information, visit the company's website at www.VeoliaES.com.

Photos/Multimedia Gallery Available: http://www.businesswire.com/multimedia/home/20130822005187/en/

Veolia Environmental Services North America
Denisse Ike, 312-552-2800
Denisse.ike@veoliaes.com
or
On Ideas
Denise Graham/Kortney Wesley, 904-354-2600
deniseg@onideas.com
kwesley@onideas.com

KEYWORDS:   United States  North America  Massachusetts

INDUSTRY KEYWORDS:

Innovative Solution Wins Utah.Gov Prestigious Award

Public Technology Institution Recognizes Utah.Gov Master Data Index

SALT LAKE CITY--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Today Mark VanOrden, Chief Information Officer for the State of Utah, announced Utah.Gov has won the Public Technology Institution's (PTI) Web 2.0 Award. PTI recognizes public institutions that excel at engaging citizens, demonstrating government accountability and enabling department operations online. Criteria for the award includes: measuring specific tools, goals, participation rates, system integration, standards and policies, interoperability, data access and sharing, channel coordination and performance metrics.

"In this third year of the awards program," said Dale Bowen, Deputy Executive Director for Program Development of the Public Technology Institute, "the Web 2.0 and social media applications demonstrate a new level of sophistication."

Utah.gov won the award for its Master Data Index, which connects citizens to vital information and critical government services. It encourages cross-agency information sharing; enables real-time, efficient and interactive communications; engages the public in government decision-making, and empowers government staff through data access and streamlined processes.

Utah is the first state to build a Master Index of all state online services, websites, data sources, and social media sites (Facebook, Twitter, Flickr, Instagram, Pinterest, SlideShare, etc.), including 30 different content types, giving applicable state employees the capability to add new types as needed from a convenient user interface. All sources are tagged so that they can be utilized across multiple platforms and portals. The top categories currently indexed are business, health, jobs, voting and elections, public safety and corrections.

"The result is two fold," said VanOrden. "New websites can easily pull applicable social media feeds based on multiple points of data. The Master Index also allows staff to aggregate social media feeds to one page, the Connect Portal where citizens can see all the social media. In addition, the new Master Index allows us to generate customized webpages to display data to citizens in an infinite number of ways."

Government employees aware of new social media accounts or data sources now have the ability to maintain and add any indexed item, without requiring additional resources from the Utah.gov design team. This not only saves time, it also allows for the most current and relevant data to be displayed to citizens. Citizens benefit from enriched searching due to tagged data and the structure allows for more qualified, up to date, and relevant information.

To find out more information about Utah.Gov visit:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/UtahGov
Facebook: http://www.utah.gov/facebook/
RSS feeds: http://www.utah.gov/connect/feeds.html
Utah blogs: http://www.utah.gov/blogs/

About Utah.Gov

Utah.gov is the entry point to over 1000 online services and benefits over 2.7 million residents in the State of Utah. Utah.gov provides citizens and businesses with more convenient options for interacting with government. Through Utah.gov, citizens can find public meetings, renew their vehicle registration, buy a hunting and fishing license, register a business, find a transparent state budget, and much more. In 2011 alone, Utah.gov received an unprecedented 17 awards making it the nation's most honored state website.

Utah.gov is the official Web portal for the State of Utah (http://www.Utah.Gov). It is managed and operated without tax funds through a public-private partnership between the state and Utah Interactive, the Salt Lake City-based official eGovernment partner for the state of Utah. Utah Interactive is part of eGovernment firm NIC's family of companies.

About NIC

NIC (NAS: EGOV) is the nation's leading provider of government Web sites, online services, and secure payment processing solutions. The company's innovative eGovernment services help reduce costs and increase efficiencies for government agencies, citizens, and businesses across the country. The NIC family of companies provides eGovernment solutions for more than 3,500 federal, state, and local agencies across the United States. Additional information is available at http://www.egov.com.

The State of Utah
David Fletcher, 801-538-3476
Chief Technology Officer
dfletcher@utah.gov
or
Utah Interactive
Rich Olsen, 801-983-0275
General Manager
rich@utahinteractive.org

KEYWORDS:   United States  North America  Kansas  Utah

INDUSTRY KEYWORDS:

Le Meridien Breaks Ground on New Hotel in Arts District of Columbus

Slated to Debut in Early 2015, Le Méridien Columbus, The Joseph, to be located in the City's Short North

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. (NYS: HOT) today announced the debut of Le Méridien Columbus, The Joseph, adding this cosmopolitan Midwest city to Le Méridien brand's rapidly expanding global portfolio. Owned by The Pizzuti Companies and operated by Wischermann Partners, the new build 10-story hotel will offer 135 modern rooms with all of the Paris-born brand's signature amenities and services. Located in the Short North Arts District, the city's cultural center, Le Méridien Columbus is slated to open in early 2015, and today's ground-breaking ceremony, attended by representatives from Pizzuti, Starwood, and Wischermann Partners, marked the start of construction for not only Le Méridien Columbus but also the office and retail building and parking garage that make up Pizzuti's The Joseph mixed-use development project.

"The uptick of Le Méridien hotel deals we're seeing underscores the success of the brand's recent repositioning and its popularity among cosmopolitan travelers," said Allison Reid, Senior Vice President of North America Development, Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. "We are delighted to partner with The Pizzuti Companies and expand our relationship with Wischermann Partners as we work together to bring this contemporary design-led brand to Columbus."

Le Méridien Columbus will feature a full-service restaurant, signature bar, two deluxe spa suites, and 1,200 square foot 24-hour fitness center. The hotel will be equipped with nearly 8,000 square feet of state-of-the-art meeting and event space, perfect for social occasions and business functions.

"Le Méridien Columbus, The Joseph is an exciting addition to Columbus and the Short North Arts District," said Joel S. Pizzuti, president of The Pizzuti Companies. "As part of our overall Joseph development, which also includes a mix of office, retail, parking and art exhibition space, the new Le Méridien hotel will further establish the Short North as the place to be in Columbus."

Le Méridien Columbus, The Joseph will feature a two-story signature Le Méridien Hub™ experience, which re-interprets the traditional lobby into a social gathering place for creative people to converse, debate, and exchange. The Le Méridien Columbus Hub will offer both guests and locals a creative atmosphere where contemporary, curated artwork from the famed Pizzuti Collection will set the environment. Le Méridien Hub further builds on the brand's award-winning arrival experience and coffee culture. Le Méridien arrival consists of four elements: large-scale artwork in high impact areas to reset the mind and stimulate dialogue and curiosity; the sensory experience, illustrated through Le Méridien signature scent, sound and use of light, creating a unique and distinctive atmosphere; UNLOCK ART™ programme, featuring LM100 ™ artist designed key card collections that not only offer access to the guestroom but also to Le Méridien affiliated contemporary cultural centers in the city; and a 24-hour curated soundtrack.

"We are delighted to partake in the creation of this modern classic design experience in Columbus, the fourth Le Méridien branded hotel in our portfolio," said Paul Wischermann, President of Wischermann Partners. "The Short North is the perfect setting, where Starwood's most loyal guests will be invited to discover, explore and engage with the local cultural scene."

Le Méridien Columbus will anchor a highly anticipated, new mixed-use Joseph development complex that is slated to open in 2014 and will include a six-story, cubist-inspired office building with 60,000 square feet of premium office and retail space, a 313-space parking garage adjacent to the office building, and the Pizzuti Collection, which houses the contemporary art collection of Ron Pizzuti, founder and CEO of The Pizzuti Companies, and will open September 7, 2013. Pizzuti announced in July that women's apparel and accessory retailer Anthropologie will occupy approximately 9,800 square feet on the first two floors of the office/retail building.

Located at 620 North High Street, Le Méridien Columbus will be one block north of the Columbus Convention Center and within walking distance to the art galleries, restaurants, coffee shops, boutiques and nightclubs of the Short North. The hotel will also offer close proximity to The Ohio State University campus and the corporate headquarters of Nationwide Insurance, Cardinal Healthcare and the Limited Brands.

About Le Méridien Hotels & Resorts

Le Méridien, the Paris-born hotel brand currently represented by nearly 100 properties in more than 40 countries, was acquired by Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. (NYS: HOT) in November 2005. With more than 80 of its properties located in Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and Asia-Pacific, Le Méridien provided a strong international complement to Starwood's then primarily North American holdings at the time of purchase. Since then, Le Méridien has gone through a brand re-launch, which included a large scale hotels product consolidation as well as redefining its brand strategy. Through creation of the LM100 artist community, Le Méridien has transformed numerous guest touch points, thus bringing unique, interactive and curated experiences to its guests. Plans call for dynamic expansion of Le Méridien Hotels and Resorts within the next five years, concentrating on markets in Asia-Pacific and the Americas. Le Méridien recently opened new hotels in Bali, Atlanta, Dallas, Istanbul, Oran (Algeria), Arlington (Virginia, USA), and Coimbatore (India), and will open in the next 12 months in Chicago, Zhengzhou (China), Mahabaleshwar (India), Ho Chi Minh City (Vietnam), Cairo (Egypt), Qingdao (China), Dhaka (Bangladesh), Tampa (Florida, USA) and Columbus (Ohio, USA). For more information, please visit www.lemeridien.com or www.facebook.com/lemeridien. Follow @lemerdienhotels on Instagram.

About The Pizzuti Companies

The Pizzuti Companies is a recognized leader in the development, marketing and management of real estate. With operations in Columbus, Chicago and Orlando, Pizzuti has developed more than 40 million square feet of Class A office, hospitality, medical and healthcare, retail, residential and institutional-quality industrial facilities throughout the Midwest and Southeast regions of the United States. Pizzuti also has considerable experience working with local governments in the development of creative public-private partnerships. A leader in sustainable design practices, Pizzuti has completed build-to-suit and speculative construction projects in each of their major markets. Pizzuti Solutions LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary, boasts a staff with decades of combined public-sector work experiences, and focuses extensively in the areas of public facilities, sports and recreation, cultural facilities, education and strategic planning.

About Wischermann Partners

Wischermann Partners, Inc. is a national hospitality firm, focused on the operations of upper upscale and luxury hotels. Recognized by clients, peers and industry experts, Wischermann Partners brings a unique mix of knowledge, experience and insight to hospitality management, development and acquisitions. Currently, Wischermann Partners operates a hotel portfolio of nearly 3,000 rooms. For more information about Wischermann Partners, please visit www.wischermannpartners.com.

Media:
Global Public Relations, Le Méridien
Trey Sarten, +1 212-380-4010
Trey.Sarten@starwoodhotels.com
or
The Pizzuti Companies
Bob Monds, +1 614-280-4058
bmonds@pizzuti.com

KEYWORDS:   United States  North America  New York

INDUSTRY KEYWORDS:

Dr. Reddy's Announces the Launch of Divalproex Sodium Extended - Release Tablets, USP

HYDERABAD, India--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Dr. Reddy's Laboratories (NYS: RDY) announced today that it has launched Divalproex Sodium Extended - Release Tablets, USP (250 mg and 500 mg), a therapeutic equivalent generic version of Depakote^® ER (divalproex sodium) Tablet, Extended Release in the US market on August 19, 2013. Dr. Reddy's ANDA for Divalproex Sodium Extended - Release Tablets, USP was approved by the United States Food & Drug Administration (USFDA).

The Depakote^® ER brand and generic had combined U.S. sales of approximately $194 Million MAT for the most recent twelve months ending in June 2013 according to IMS Health*.

Dr. Reddy's Divalproex Sodium Extended - Release Tablets, USP 250 mg are available in bottle count sizes of 100 and 500 mg are available in bottle count sizes of 100 and 500.

Disclaimer

This press release includes forward-looking statements, as defined in the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. We have based these forward-looking statements on our current expectations and projections about future events. Such statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results to differ materially. Such factors include, but are not limited to, changes in local and global economic conditions, our ability to successfully implement our strategy, the market acceptance of and demand for our products, our growth and expansion, technological change and our exposure to market risks. By their nature, these expectations and projections are only estimates and could be materially different from actual results in the future.

About Dr. Reddy's

Dr. Reddy's Laboratories Ltd. (NYS: RDY) is an integrated global pharmaceutical company, committed to providing affordable and innovative medicines for healthier lives. Through its three businesses - Pharmaceutical Services and Active Ingredients, Global Generics and Proprietary Products - Dr. Reddy's offers a portfolio of products and services including APIs, custom pharmaceutical services, generics, biosimilars, differentiated formulations and NCEs. Therapeutic focus is on gastro-intestinal, cardiovascular, diabetology, oncology, pain management, anti-infective and pediatrics. Major markets include India, USA, Russia and CIS, Germany, UK, Venezuela, S. Africa, Romania, and New Zealand. For more information, log on to: www.drreddys.com

Depakote^® ER (divalproex sodium) Tablet, Extended Release is a trademark of Sanofi Corporation.
*IMS National Sales Perspectives: Retail and Non-Retail MAT June 2013

Dr. Reddy's Laboratories Ltd.
Investors and Financial Analysts:
Kedar Upadhye, +91-40-66834297
kedaru@drreddys.com
or
Saunak Savla, +91-40-49002135
saunaks@drreddys.com
or
Milan Kalawadia (USA), +1 908-203-4931
mkalawadia@drreddys.com
or
Media:
S Rajan, +91-40-49002445
rajans@drreddys.com

KEYWORDS:   Asia Pacific  India

INDUSTRY KEYWORDS:

Comcast Commemorates 50 ^th Anniversary of the March on Washington with Unprecedented Commentary from Civil Rights Leaders across Multiple Platforms

Interactive Website Chronicles Civil Rights Movement History on HisDreamOurStories.com

Video Interviews with Civil Right Leaders, Including Rev. Billy Kyles, Mamie Chalmers, Rep. John Lewis, and Former U.N. Ambassador Andrew Young to be Available through Xfinity On Demand, Online, Comcast Newsmakers and E-Book

PHILADELPHIA--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- To commemorate the 50^th anniversary of the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, a major milestone of the Civil Rights Movement where Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. delivered his historic "I Have a Dream" speech, Comcast has created a first of its kind video compilation to help chronicle the history and impact of the movement. Called His Dream, Our Stories, the package includes more than 80 unique and personal interviews with civic leaders, elders, clergy, and activists, and will be available on Xfinity On Demand and online through October 12^th and permanently at HisDreamOurStories.com.

Through commentary and archived footage, His Dream, Our Stories chronicles the March on Washington, the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and the Civil Rights Movement through interviews from influential leaders, including Rev. Billy Kyles, Rev. Jesse Jackson, Sr., former U.N. Ambassador Andrew Young, Ernest Green of the Little Rock Nine, political leaders like Rep. John Lewis and attendees of the March on Washington, the Detroit Walk to Freedom and the Selma-Montgomery March. Other topics include sit-ins of the 1960s, the Atlanta Student Movement, Memphis Sanitation Workers Strike of 1968 and the impact and legacy of the Civil Rights Movement on minority communities of all types.

In addition to viewing the full library of interviews, visitors to HisDreamOurStories.com will be able to submit their own stories commemorating the 50^th anniversary of this pivotal event in our nation's history. Users will also be able to discover and learn about civil rights organizations which continue to work toward equality and freedom, including the National Coalition on Black Civic Participation, the National Urban League, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People and the National Civil Rights Museum.

"Comcast and NBCUniversal are proud to contribute to this anniversary with such compelling content about the fight for civil rights," said Charisse R. Lillie, Vice President of Community Investment, Comcast Corporation, and President of the Comcast Foundation. "It's important to remember Dr. King's legacy, and this unprecedented interactive multimedia package enables stories to be shared like never before."

In addition to HisDreamOurStories.com, which serves as the ongoing online location for footage, features and finding and sharing information about the Civil Rights Movement, Comcast and NBCUniversal are making the content available across a variety of other platforms as part of current and planned coverage of the August 28^th March on Washington anniversary.

• Xfinity.com/MLK : Open to both Xfinity customers and non-customers, this microsite will include His Dream, Our Stories interviews as well as news articles, photo galleries and video biographies relevant to the Civil Rights Movement.

• Xfinity On Demand: Xfinity TV customers can access the "March on DC at 50" folder to watch 80+ video interviews.
• Xfinity TV Player App: Xfinity TV customers can view 80+ video interviews on mobile devices.
• His Dream, Our Stories e-book: In late August, an educational e-book from NBC Publishing including 25 videos and an introduction from news journalist Lester Holt will be available to download for free on iTunes, Amazon and Nook stores.
• MSNBC: MSNBC will feature His Dream, Our Stories content online.
• NBC Owned Television Stations: NBC stations (including New York, Southern California, Chicago, Philadelphia, Dallas-Fort Worth, Bay Area, Washington, D.C., South Florida, San Diego and Connecticut) will have His Dream, Our Stories content on their websites.
• InteractiveOne.com: The website from the RadioOne/TVOne family will provide access to the videos on their NewsOne site as well as local sites.
• Comcast Newsmakers: Selected interviews will be inserted on CNN Headline News as part of the National Edition of Comcast Newsmakers.
• RollingStone.com: Rolling Stone will feature His Dream, Our Stories content online.

Additionally, anyone interested in utilizing the rich content library of His Dream, Our Stories can embed any of the videos to share content on their own websites, blogs and social media platforms.

For more information about Comcast and NBCUniversal's diversity and inclusion efforts, visit www.comcast.com/diversity.

About Comcast Corporation:

Comcast Corporation (Nasdaq: CMCSA, CMCSK) is a global media and technology company with two primary businesses, Comcast Cable and NBCUniversal. Comcast Cable is the nation's largest video, high-speed Internet and phone provider to residential customers under the XFINITY brand and also provides these services to businesses. NBCUniversal operates 30 news, entertainment and sports cable networks, the NBC and Telemundo broadcast networks, television production operations, television station groups, Universal Pictures and Universal Parks and Resorts. Visit www.comcastcorporation.com for more information.

Comcast Corporation
Katie Lubenow, 215-286-5691
Katie_Lubenow@comcast.com

KEYWORDS:   United States  North America  District of Columbia  Pennsylvania

INDUSTRY KEYWORDS: