The program is a partnership between the Tennessee Valley Authority and 24 universities in the TVA service territory to provide students a hands-on experience managing a real stock portfolio for the agency.

Over a calendar year, teams of students manage an average of $330,000 of TVA funds per school, by designing long-term investment strategies under the guidance of faculty members. That includes analyzing companies, buying and selling stocks and tracking the risks and returns. The universities operate under similar guidelines as TVA’s own professional investment managers.

“The TVA Investment Challenge is a creative use of our resources that offers experience and training for the next generation of financial leaders in the region,” TVA Senior Vice President and Treasurer John Hoskins said.

In 2009, the universities collectively beat the average return on the Standard & Poor’s 500 index by 5.42 percent, with 31.88 percent returns last year. The program average has beaten the S&P 500 index eight times since it began in 1999.

TVA provided $1.9 million from TVA’s Nuclear Decommissioning Trust Fund to start the program. The program’s investment pool has now grown to around $8 million.

“The Investment Challenge is not a simulation or paper portfolio. This is real money that we’ll one day use to decommission our nuclear plants,” Hoskins said. “These students are part of TVA’s financial success.”

Universities also receive monetary awards based on the amount of assets they managed and the rate of returns. The combined performance awards totaled $71,597 in 2009.

The three top schools for 2009, based on performance, are:

• Lipscomb University, 62.29 percent return
• Western Kentucky University, 45.62 percent return
• East Tennessee State University, 43.83 percent return

Monetary Awards:

Lipscomb University                                       $8,602

Trevecca Nazarene University                        $7,501

East Tennessee State University                     $6,485

Western Kentucky University                        $6,106

Belmont University                                         $5,943

Vanderbilt University                                     $5,894

Alabama A&M University                              $5,565

Western Carolina University                           $5,374

University of Alabama, Huntsville                 $4,843

Mississippi St. University                               $4,137

University of Tennessee, Chattanooga           $3,955

Murray State University                                 $2,346

Union University                                            $1,376

University of Tennessee, Martin                     $1,314

University of Memphis                                   $1,070

Middle Tennessee State University                $780

University of Kentucky                                  $306

Other participating schools include: Austin Peay State University, Tennessee State University, University of Mississippi, Mississippi University for Women, University of North Alabama, Christian Brothers University and Tennessee Technological University.

“The world must come together to save women’s and children’s lives,” said Gates.  ”In poor countries, pregnancy and childbirth often end in tragedy.  Our goal must be to build a world where every birth brings joy and hope for the future.”

Gates, co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, discussed her vision for maternal and child health in a speech at the Women Deliver 2010 conference, an international meeting of policymakers, health experts, and advocates.

Gates said it is critical to challenge the notion that large numbers of maternal and child deaths are inevitable, or even acceptable, in poor countries.

“Every year, millions of newborns die within a matter of days or weeks, and hundreds of thousands of women die in childbirth,” said Gates.  ”The death toll is so huge, and has persisted for so long, it’s easy to think we’re powerless to do much about it.  The truth is, we can prevent most of these deaths – and at a stunningly low cost – if we take action now.”

Gates highlighted the importance of designing integrated health programs for women and children that address multiple needs – such as family planning, prenatal care, safe childbirth, and nutrition.

“The Gates Foundation is joining many others in the global health community in working toward a more integrated approach to women’s and children’s health,” said Gates.  ”Women and children have a continuum of needs, and we must design health programs accordingly.”

New Progress and Momentum on Maternal and Child Health

In her remarks today, Gates said that investments in maternal and child health programs have brought new hope and opportunity to developing countries.

“Most maternal and newborn deaths can be prevented with existing, low-cost solutions – such as basic prenatal care, or educating mothers about the importance of keeping babies warm,” said Gates.  ”Countries that have made women’s and children’s health a priority – and have invested in proven solutions – are achieving amazing results.”

Recent studies from researchers at the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation provide compelling new evidence of global progress.  Researchers found that the number of women dying from pregnancy-related causes has dropped by more than 35% in the past 30 years – from more than 500,000 annually in 1980 to about 343,000 in 2008.  Deaths among children under five are declining at a surprisingly rapid rate, globally and in many developing countries.  An estimated 7.7 million young children will die this year, compared to 11.9 million in 1990, and 16 million in 1970.

Gates noted that the next several months are a critical window of opportunity to secure new global action.  Canada is urging donor countries to endorse a major maternal and child health initiative at the G8 summit in Muskoka, Ontario, later this month.

“This is a pivotal moment for women’s and children’s health,” said Gates.  ”Canada is proposing a bold but achievable plan that can save countless lives – and I hope all G8 members will lend their strong support.  The need is urgent and clear.”

Gates commended the United States, Norway, and other donor countries for making women’s and children’s health a foreign aid priority, and UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon for crafting a global action plan for maternal and child health.  The plan will help accelerate progress toward Millennium Development Goals 4 and 5, the global targets for reducing maternal and child mortality by 2015.

New Gates Funding for Maternal and Child Health, Family Planning, Nutrition

To help advance a comprehensive approach to women’s and children’s health, Gates announced that the Gates Foundation will invest $1.5 billion from 2010 through 2014 to support innovative projects addressing family planning; health care for pregnant women, newborns, and children; and nutrition.

This new pledge will add to the foundation’s spending in other areas that affect women’s and children’s health – such as developing and delivering children’s vaccines, and preventing pneumonia, diarrhea, malaria, and HIV/AIDS.

A significant portion of the new funding will support programs in India, Ethiopia, and other countries that have relatively high rates of maternal and child mortality.  The foundation is providing initial grants totaling $94 million in India and $60 million in Ethiopia, with additional grants to be announced over the coming year.  The grants will primarily fund non-governmental organizations and research institutions, and will be closely coordinated with government programs.

The new grants will support a variety of projects, including efforts to:

• Support the development of comprehensive, integrated programs, for example, by training front-line health workers to provide multiple services
• Develop and introduce interventions that could have a major health impact, such as simplified antibiotics for newborn infections and more cost-effective treatment for post-partum hemorrhage
• Conduct social and behavioral research on promoting lifesaving practices such as immediate, exclusive breastfeeding and skin-to-skin contact to keep newborns warm
• Develop effective strategies to expand the availability and use of voluntary family planning services in poor urban areas
• Rigorously evaluate innovative programs, and share effective strategies with other countries

“Ethiopians know that safeguarding the health of women and children is critical for future generations to prosper,” said Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Ethiopia’s minister of health.  ”This funding and support will help us pursue innovative strategies to save lives more quickly and effectively.”

“John Wooden touched the lives of millions and he was truly one of the rare sports figures whose influence transcended the world of sports,” says Philip Ruppel, president of McGraw-Hill Professional.  “Coach’s books that McGraw-Hill published provide a unique look at the principles, insights, and lessons that guided his life and continue to serve as powerful and inspiring examples to people in all arenas—including business people, teachers, and parents.”

Coach Wooden published seven books with McGraw-Hill encompassing several genres including memoir, business, and inspirational: Wooden (1997), My Personal Best (2004), They Call Me Coach (2004), Wooden on Leadership (2005), The Essential Wooden (2007), and Coach Wooden’s Leadership Game Plan for Success (2009).  Altogether, John Wooden’s books sold more than a million copies, hit national best-seller lists, and were embraced by readers of all ages.  Up until very recently, Coach Wooden made regular appearances at bookstores where his events drew hundreds of fans who stood in line for hours to meet him.

Coach Wooden’s final book, The Wisdom of Wooden:  A Century of Family, Faith, and Friends, a commemorative of his life written with his longtime collaborator Steven Jamison, will be released in early July.  Filled with fond personal memories, warm fatherly advice, and beautiful color photographs–some never before seen, it is an unforgettable tribute to a life well lived.

A House-Senate conference committee will try to reach a compromise on the financial regulatory reform bills passed by the House in December 2009 and the Senate a few weeks ago. Headed by Senator Chris Dodd and Rep. Barney Frank, the committee will work to reconcile the two versions with the goal of passing a final bill by July 4th. Among the issues the committee will be seeking to resolve is the regulation of the over-the-counter derivatives market, expanded audits of the Federal Reserve Board, and the creation of a new consumer protection agency.

But rather than trying to pass such sweeping legislation with an eye toward the November election, lawmakers would be better off taking more time to seek expert opinion. Bliss said lawmakers would benefit from bringing in more business and economic experts to advise them rather than approaching the legislation as a political issue. It also is important to take the reform’s worldwide implications into account.

“The legislation and these proposals are entirely domestic, and the financial system is entirely international,” said Bliss, who formerly served as a senior financial economist at the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago.

“Although the 2008 financial crisis started in America, it impacted Europe because their banks were buying our subprime mortgages, and now we’re looking at a situation where there’s a major financial crisis brewing in Europe and that’s going to feed back in the U.S. financial markets and our economy,” he added. “In today’s global markets, we can’t have our heads in the sand about the reform’s international implications.”

Despite the inherent risks involved, Congress is likely to pass the legislation in the weeks ahead. “The financial crisis of 2008 has passed, and now we’re talking about a response to it,” Bliss said. “But the consequences will continue to play out well into the future.”

U.S. Foodservice

U.S. Foodservice Corporate Chef Marty Bermpohl joined Mrs. Obama on the South Lawn of The White House this morning to launch the program. Bermpohl is adopting a school in the Washington, D.C. area, and will work with students, teachers, parents, school nutritionists and administrators to re-build menus, cook, educate and help improve food and nutrition in a fun and appealing way.

“As a leader in the foodservice distribution industry, U.S. Foodservice is in an ideal position to help schools develop healthier and more nutritious school lunches for the nation’s children,” Bermpohl said. “This is a great idea and we applaud the First Lady for making Chefs Move to Schools a key part of the solution to reducing childhood obesity.”

U.S. Foodservice was recently featured on ABC’s “Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution” as one of the nation’s leading suppliers of fresh produce and meats to public and private schools. The company also distributes food and related products to restaurants, hospitals, colleges and universities, hotels, military bases and other facilities.

More than 31 million children participate in the National School Lunch Program and more than 11 million participate in the National School Breakfast Program.  By joining the Chefs Move to Schools initiative, U.S. Foodservice hopes to help improve the nutritional value of the food many of these students consume.

“I have no idea who this woman is and I deny her allegations,” Simmons says. “I was only at the ESPN studios for a very short time, perhaps a half-hour, and was accompanied by KISS’ drummer Eric Singer the entire time. I will not stand by and allow this baseless allegation to go unchallenged.”

Makeup artist Victoria Jackson filed a lawsuit against Simmons in Los Angeles Superior Court on May 27, demanding that the KISS front man pay her $500,000 in damages for an assault that never took place.

According to Simmons’ attorney, Barry E. Mallen of Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, “Gene denies that any assault took place or that Ms. Jackson suffered any injuries attributable to any action on his part. Mr. Simmons intends to defend himself aggressively and he looks forward to refuting Ms. Jackson’s charges in the courtroom.”

On May 14, after Mr. Simmons was made aware of Jackson’s claim, he filed a complaint against her in Los Angeles Superior Court, charging that Jackson was threatening to sue him for an alleged incident that never occurred unless he paid to her the outrageous sum of $185,000 for nonexistent injuries. Simmons asked the court for a judicial declaration that no assault took place and that Jackson did not suffer any damages or injuries attributable to him.

After Simmons made clear in his complaint that he was not about to be coerced into making a $185,000 pay-off to anyone, Jackson filed her own lawsuit in which she escalated her monetary demand to $500,000.

Jackson’s allegations involve an appearance by Simmons on ESPN SportsCenter last November. Simmons, along with KISS’ drummer, Eric Singer, appeared on the show in full KISS costume and make-up just before a KISS concert at Los Angeles’ Staples Center on the evening of November 24, 2009. Two months later, Simmons received a letter from an attorney claiming to represent Ms. Jackson alleging that Simmons accosted her during his visit to the ESPN studios. In a follow-up email to Barry Mallen, Jackson’s lawyer demanded that Simmons pay Jackson $185,000 by May 14, 2010, in order to avoid a lawsuit. In fact, as Simmons’ complaint noted, Simmons and Singer were at the ESPN studios for only a few minutes before their appearance on SportsCenter and the type of alleged “sexual assault” that Jackson alleges – that Simmons allegedly “grinded” against her – is belied by the fact that at the time Simmons was in full costume, which includes a “codpiece” over Mr. Simmons’ groin area.

Galarraga retired 26 consecutive Cleveland Indians batters on Wednesday evening. The 27th and final batter, Jason Donald, hit a routine ball in the hole between first and second base. Tigers’ first baseman Miguel Cabrera fielded the ball and threw to Galarraga, who stepped on first base, apparently before Donald touched the base and was called safe.

Galarraga kept his cool, returned to the mound and retired the next batter to record a one-hit, 3-0 shutout, throwing just 88 pitches.

GM North American President Mark Reuss, who presented a Chevrolet Corvette to Galarraga at today’s game against the Cleveland Indians, said the way the pitcher had handled the incredible events deserved to be recognized regardless of what record books would ultimately show.

Reuss said he had known the Ilitch family, owners of the Detroit Tigers, his whole life and the family has always been a great supporter of General Motors.

“It is only fitting we help give back for all the Ilitches have done for Detroit and to celebrate Armando’s pitching and sportsmanship during one of the most captivating evenings in Tigers history.”

Visitors to the new iExplore site will see a clean, fresh design with expanded navigation, new trip search functionality and updated travel guides.  A brand new section will be introduced: iExplore Experiences. The Experiences section provides in-depth content about a particular destination or activity and includes custom articles from leading travel writers, interviews with expedition leaders, top 10 lists and photo galleries. At launch, the Experiences section will feature the following:

• Antarctica
• Peru
• Egypt
• Safaris
• Culinary
• Cruising
• Summer Family Vacations
• America’s Best Kept Vacation Secrets

“iExplore’s new website is the next step in our evolution as the #1 ranked adventure travel website. We are expanding our product portfolio to include more small group trips—based on feedback from our customers—as well as adding a significant amount of new and unique travel content to our already extensive library,” said Dallyce Macas, President and CEO of TUI North American Distribution—iExplore’s parent company.

The new website furthers iExplore’s position as the essential travel destination website for travelers, or armchair travelers, at every point in their journey.  iExplore’s advertising partners will also benefit from increased sponsorship opportunities, custom integration solutions and new media placements.

Founded in 1999, Chicago-based iExplore is the No. 1 ranked website for adventure and experiential travel, with more than 1 million visitors per month.  It is Google’s “authority site” in the adventure travel category, and powers adventure tours behind many trusted brands like Expedia, Travelocity, Travel Channel, Fodors, Frommers and Lonely Planet, to name a few.

Vote iQ features include:

• Matching technology to connect voters with candidates who reflect their views
• Profiles of tens of thousands of politicians
• Immediate interactions between constituents and politicians
• Tools to help voters organize, protest, and attract attention to the causes they support
• Even-handed analyses of the hottest topics in the news
• Moderated debates between representatives from multiple parties
• Points and awards for civic engagement

“This is an opportunity to empower voters to control the future of our country,” noted CEO and founder Jim Tisch.  ”The American people will be able to provide feedback directly to elected officials while learning about elections, pending legislation, and the news that affects them.”

This product launch emerges on the heels of a new study that indicates approximately 85% of Americans do not trust government leaders – clearly a vital time for voter empowerment and engagement.

“Vote iQ educates the public about civic issues in a nonpartisan way and then gives them the tools to take charge of our democracy,” added Vice President Rick Shenkman, best-selling author of Just How Stupid Are We.  ”It makes civic engagement fun, interactive, and meaningful.”

Vote iQ beta is available to the public today and already provides insight into elections from nine major swing states: California, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Nevada, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Washington.

“The ink is hardly dry on Google’s questionable AdMob acquisition,” said John M. Simpson, consumer advocate for the nonprofit, nonpartisan group, “and the Internet giant is forging ahead with an insatiable appetite for more. When is enough, enough?”

Simpson and the Center for Digital Democracy’s Jeff Chester said that combining Invite Media’s database with the information Google gathered though the $750 million AdMob deal and the earlier DoubleClick acquisition raised substantial privacy concerns. The deals give Google unprecedented access to consumers’ personal data. The Invite purchase appears to be anticompetitive, they said.

“The FTC blinked in the face of Google’s Washington clout on the AdMob deal,” said Simpson. “It’s time for the Commissioners to stand firm and give Google the scrutiny it deserves.”