America?s Sheriff, Joe Arpaio will join conservative congressional candidate Phil Liberatore for a patriotic rally on Saturday, May 5th at the Apple Valley Amphitheater, the candidate?s office has announced. The event will feature country music and inspirational speeches from Arpaio, Liberatore and others, and falls on Cinco De Mayo.

“I’m honored to receive the endorsement of America’s Sheriff, Joe Arpaio,” noted Liberatore. “We share the same values – we value and appreciate freedom, we respect the rule of law and we serve the people. I intend to bring those values to Washington DC and serve the people of the 8th district by representing their interests, hopes and dreams.”

Sheriff Arpaio, of Maricopa County, Arizona, first took office in January 1993 and has since been re-elected five times. He is perhaps most well known for his stance against illegal immigration and securing the border between the United States and Mexico.

?I?m delighted to endorse Phil Liberatore for Congress,? said Arpaio. ?Our nation needs strong, credible leadership, especially in today?s difficult economic time. We need leaders who will defend the Constitution. Liberatore will fight to enforce our current immigration laws. I believe Phil Liberatore is the man for the job. I look forward to celebrating with him and all of our friends in the 8th district of California.?

?Cinco De Mayo is a day in which we stand with our brothers and sisters to the South and express our pride in their accomplishments in remaining free and strong as a nation and as a good neighbor to the U.S,? noted Liberatore. ?It?s also a day when we stand shoulder to shoulder with our Mexican-American brothers and sisters who properly immigrated to the U.S. and pursued the American dream. Criminal activities along the US-Mexico border bring illegal drugs and gun smuggling, which harms people on both sides of the border. One of my goals, if I am elected to Congress, will be to keep our children and families safe, by shutting down the border to illegal activity and simultaneously encouraging legal and orderly immigration for others. We must be a nation that rewards those who obey the law and discourages those who break it.”

Liberatore, one of thirteen candidates vying for the newly created congressional seat in California?s 8th District, shares Arpaio?s belief that America?s borders must be secure. Liberatore and Arpaio will be joined by the Victor Valley Young Republicans at the Apple Valley Amphitheater. All are welcome to attend the festivities celebrating freedom.

For more information on Phil Liberatore please visit http://www.voteforphil.com. To schedule an interview please contact: desare(at)liberatoreforcongress(dot)com.

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In April, NPR?s Audie Cornish indicated that operatives for the Obama and Romney campaigns debate each other over the question of a war being waged on women. ?But,? Cornish maintains, ?what?s really going on is a war for women?s vote.” According to a Chicago Tribune article, those supporting the existence of such a ?war? claim that the Republicans are proposing a personhood amendment, ultrasound bills, and legislation that may even criminalize birth control. Writing for South Florida?s Sun Sentinel, Jonah Goldberg asserts that this is a ?manufactured controversy.? However, Tom Mach, the author of Angels at Sunset,argues that there is a historical basis for believing the idea of a ?war on women? is not a new phenomenon.

According to the author, it is difficult to get to the truth of the matter about this ?war? during a presidential election year; yet, it is worthwhile to get a historical perspective on progress women have made since the 19th century. As mentioned in Angels at Sunset, women were deprived of more than the right to vote. They were discouraged from speaking in public, going to college serving on a jury, and having a profession. If they were married, they were not allowed to sign contracts and could not even have their own children if divorced.

What Mach found problematic and which was brought out in Angels at Sunset was the evident inconsistency between two amendments. The 14th Amendment to the Constitution stated that “all persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof,are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside.” But the 15th Amendment, which involved voting rights, used the term “male” so that while women were citizens only men could vote.

In his book, Mach described these women as being rightfully indignant. How could women be citizens and yet not have the basic right to vote for their representatives? Similarly, obscure language concerning eligibility to be a president is muddled in the ?natural born citizen? clause in Section 1, Article 2 of the U.S. Constitution. There is, of course, no such unclear language in the 19th Amendment, which clearly states that women have the right to vote.

A woman named Alice Paul was not satisfied with only the 19th Amendment. Paul, a suffragist described in Mach?s Angels at Sunset,suffered brutal treatment in a Virginia prison because she picketed the White House. After winning the right the vote, Paul drafted an Equal Rights Amendment and introduced it to Congress in 1923. The basic tenet of this bill was that ?men and women shall have equal rights throughout the United States and every place subject to its jurisdiction. Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.? Unfortunately, the bill was never ratified. So the real question involving women in this presidential election year is?should another attempt be made to reintroduce the Equal Rights Amendment and seek ratification?

Angels at Sunset by Tom Mach is not just another historical novel. It?s an accurate portrayal of the abuses women endured not only to get the right vote but to obtain other rights as well. Shirley Johnson, a senior reviewer with Midwest Book Review claims that Mach?s book ?is somewhat like the Titanic?the movie was to the real Titanic what this novel is to the real struggles faced by women in that day.?

According to TechDirt via an article published on April 26th of 2012 the Cyber Intelligence Sharing and Protection Act or CIPSA passed the House in a rushed vote and soon will be reaching President Obama’s desk for review.

Michael Maxstead (founder of VPNReviewz.com) comments “Similar to SOPA and PIPA, CISPA again threatens online privacy by effectively eliminating the 4th amendment of our constitution when it applies to online behavior. Although President Obama has threatened that he would veto CISPA this recent version of CISPA was amended slightly to make it more palatable for passage. It’s far from a sure thing that CISPA will be shot down so its important you let it be known that you are not in favor of this legislation”

The impending CISPA legislation proposes that ISPs and other online Web services and sites monitor and store customer’s Internet activities. In addition to monitoring and storing data companies must report data collected when asked via any Government organization.

Mr Maxstead further comments “Under the auspices of cyber security this legislation would allow Internet providers and other online companies to share the information that they collect with any government authority or agency. There have been many amendments to the legislation offered an attempt to satisfy activists objections but amendments that have been offered up to this point have been ineffective at satisfying activists objections. This maneuver should be a eye-opener for the American public. Unfortunately online privacy is eroding and most Intenet users will now need the services of a VPN provider if they wish to maintain privacy on even the basest of levels, i.e. e-mails, Skype, or any other Internet communications.”

According to ArsTechnica, ISPs have entered an agreement with the RIAA/MPA to monitor Internet communications for possible copyright infringement activities. This program is due to start in July of 2012 and five ISPs have agreed to create a punitive program. No ISPs have agreed to permanent Internet banishment however many are already outlining graduated levels of punishment for repeat offenders.

Mr. Maxstead asserts that “if American Internet users would like to retain their privacy then they should be looking at signing up with a VPN or proxy service. And even then complete privacy will not be assured. Tor services and networks are also often talked about but these services often end up being impractical for everyday and continued use.”

Mr. Maxstead explains “the US government has computers and decryption software that could feasibly decrypt virtually any encryption an Internet user could implement. But decryption of the 128 bit encrypted VPN stream could take up to several weeks for a solution, and cost in the tens of thousands of dollars. And while a VPN solution may not totally assure your privacy, it can increase the cost of decryption to a point that makes it unfeasible. Using a good VPN, combined with either a 128 bit, or 256 bit encryption will create a stream that is cost prohibitive for decryption. And if decryption is difficult for the government, the ISPs won’t bother, and the possibility of nosy employees and others intrusive eyeballs won’t be a worry.”

If you would like more information on VPN services, online privacy, and protecting your data you can visit VPNReviewz.com.

About VPNReviewz.com

Michael Maxstead specializes in testing, analyzing, and reviewing the top VPN providers. Publishing from an undisclosed location somewhere in South America he rates online VPN service providers and manages the website VPNReviewz.com.

Vision Media Marketing Inc., a full-service North Jersey public relations and media consulting firm, today announced it has produced the first known television commercial using the issue of marriage equality for an incumbent member of Congress.    

The advertisement, a positive spot titled ?Our Values,? highlights Congressman Steve Rothman?s support of marriage equality in a heated primary race in New Jersey?s newly configured Ninth Congressional District. It shows two women caring for a child with the captions ?First? and ?Marriage Equality? scrolling across the screen. It can be seen by following this link.

Paul Swibinski, President of Vision Media Marketing and Chief Strategist for the Rothman re-election campaign, said, ?Congressman Rothman believes in fundamental human rights and is willing to step up to defend them. This commercial showcases Steve?s commitment to progressive values, and we believe it will help him achieve victory in June.?

Swibinski went on to note that Vision Media Marketing is used to being in the forefront of political advertising innovation. The company recently received extensive news coverage for a ?hip-hop? themed advertisement produced for North Bergen Mayor Nicholas Sacco, who won reelection with 83 percent of the vote. It is also pioneering SEO and social media techniques for its corporate clients after achieving its own #1 Google ranking for ?North Jersey public relations? and related keywords. And Vision Media specializes in lampooning national political figures to drive home hard-hitting messages through humor.

Swibinski concluded, ?We are proud of all the attention we are getting for ?Our Values,? and we believe it could make a real difference in the Rothman race. But our emphasis on creativity and out-of-the-box thinking helps all our clients beat the competition, whatever their field of endeavor.?

Vision Media Marketing maintains a blog, VMMI Policy Perspectives, at http://vmmi.net/blog, and it distributes a quarterly newsletter to clients, colleagues and other interested parties. For more information, please call Philip Swibinski at 201-864-0600 or visit http://vmmi.net.

About Vision Media Marketing

Vision Media Marketing, Inc. was incorporated in 1985 by Jean Swibinski and Paul Swibinski, who continue to direct the company. A full-service public relations and media communications firm with a long history of successfully delivering clients? messages, it specializes in public policy issues and crisis communications. Vision Media helps clients break through today?s cluttered media landscape and makes their voices heard.

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As of July 1st, federal subsidized loans will jump to 6.8%. That is, if nothing is done to change the law that allowed interested rate increases this year. In his State of the Union address, President Obama has urged lawmakers to stop this increase. People need to be educated. For people to be educated, they need to go to college. Over 7 million undergraduates have used subsidized students loans. This means that the government is bearing the burden for many middle and lower income based families. My College and Careers can educate everyone who is unsure of the rising costs of traditional brick and mortar institutions.

The increase in the interest rate will mean that if a student borrows the maximum of $ 23,000 in loans, they will be stuck with paying more than $ 5,000 over 10 years. It costs over $ 5.8 billion to keep interest rates where they are now. This means that political parties won’t be too keen on keeping the interest the same. Congress has started to eliminate subsidized loans for graduate students and have cut over $ 8 billion out of the Pell Grant program for lower-income students. To raise student loans would be costly. Student loans are necessary for many college students today. More than half of graduating students are faced with debt. Online colleges are the way for students to save money while still getting their much-needed education.

The New York Federal Reserve has reported that students loans are the leading cause of debt, with $ 870 billion last month. This tops even credit card and car loan debt, which come in at $ 690 and $ 735 billion, respectively. With the rising costs of education, My Colleges and Careers can ensure that students will get a rewarding education while minimizing their debt. Students can decide to attend colleges online, which will reduce costs and enable students to get the degrees that will lead them to any career they want, from a pediatric nurse practitioner, to a forensic scientist. Students that take advantage of My Colleges and Careers will enter the workforce with valuable skills, and less debt weighing them down.

My Colleges and Careers provides students with ways to find the best online universities, and resources that will help them find a rewarding career. Online colleges do not have a high cost associated with them, and students are able to choose when and where they want to attend class.

About My Colleges and Careers:

My Colleges and Careers is primarily focused on providing an education for students that want an education, but may not be able to afford a traditional school. For most of these students, online degree programs are the types of programs they need to be able to juggle all of their commitments and responsibilities, and this is all at an affordable rate for the student. With online programs, students are able to choose when and where they complete their coursework. Because students are not attending a traditional brick and mortar school, the cost of their education is greatly lessened. All of the services and tools that are offered on My Colleges and Careers website have helped students get a valuable education at a low cost.

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Access Receivables, a national debt collection firm based in Baltimore, Maryland, has announced the first results of its ?Nice People Collect More? debt recovery strategy.

This strategy stands in stark contrast to a debt collection industry that has come under fire in recent years because of increased complaints by consumers and businesses over the way that debts are collected. In the 2012 report to Congress, the FTC stated that complaints about debt collection practices jumped nearly 20 percent in 2011. In addition, the Financial Services Protection Bureau (FSPB) announced a proposal to potentially supervise all debt collectors over $ 10 Million in revenue in February 2012.

According to Tom Gillespie, Access Receivables President, the ?Nice people collect more? debt recovery process is a significant departure from traditional debt collection methods that have drawn so much controversy. Its? ?non-adversarial? processes were designed and evaluated over the course of several years and include numerous new developments such as:

    -Creation of a debtor educational website ? whycreditmatters.net

    -A new multi-tier training program and testing for all employees

    -Certification of the company?s senior management and training staff as certified

                 credit counselors in addition to collection certifications.

    -A new awards program for associates that reward excellence in debtor customer      service.

                -Reinforced monitoring and recording of phone calls to continually improve the              process.

             – An AVATAR based virtual collector that allows the debtor to self-resolve their

                 account 24/7/365.

Account managers are thoroughly trained to develop relationships with debtors and help them resolve their credit issues. Another positive result of the new process is that the number of accounts requiring litigation has dropped substantially.

Measured results cover November 1, 2011, when the strategy was fully implemented through March 31, 2012. The numbers represent the average increase in collection payments compared to averages established previous to the Nov. 1, 2011 date (historic averages). According to the firm?s President, Tom Gillespie, average payment per person will eventually equate to higher recoveries.

The Results:

The overall increase in payments for the measured period is 40.1%

FOR SPECIFIC AREAS OF FIRM EXPERTISE:

Increase in educational debt recoveries: 71.1%

Increase in commercial insurance debt recoveries: 20.3%

Increase in personal lines recoveries 52.6%

Increase in commercial telecom recoveries 18.0%

Although historically Access Receivables? complaint-to-account ratio has been low, it has not received any complaints relating to this new program since November, 2011, and has received numerous positive comments from debtor companies and consumers regarding the new approach.

?We did this for the benefit of our clients, our debtor customers, and of course, for our own benefit,? stated Gillespie. ?But we?re already seeing responsible companies in the debt collection business observing our actions and taking their own steps to make the collection experience a win-win for the debtor and the client.? Gillespie believes the ?Nice People Collect More? process also helps preserve relationships with debtors who are often a source of future business for clients. In addition, he believes through the process debtors are gaining insight as to why it is important to repay obligations in an era where obtaining future credit is more difficult than it has been in decades.

Based in Baltimore, Maryland, Access Receivables services several key markets as a third party debt collector. They do not purchase debt. They primarily service the educational, insurance, commercial debt, and telecommunications clients located in the U.S.

                For more information contact:

                Tom Gillespie

                President

                1.877.276.8600.

                tgillespie(at)access-receivables(at)com

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Vehicle design groups find it challenging to link physical validation with software simulation for a successful outcome. Throw in trying to take advantage of the power offered through Open Source software and they find it impossible. In an effort to eliminate these barriers, Streamline Solutions LLC, a joint venture formed between ENGYS LTD and the Auto Research Center LLC, has combined all three challenges into one software suite. Elements, a software suite focused on bridging the gap between stylists, engineers and management offers a more complete design integration to force shorter product to market cycles, improved vehicle efficiency and lower product cost. Elements will be on-line in June of this year. ?The opportunity to combine ENGYS? leading-edge software design, the momentum of the Open Source community and ARC?s world leading validation techniques is a compelling opportunity to positively impact the vehicle design world,? explained Mike Camosy, CEO of Auto Research Center LLC.

Helping to cross the boundaries between the stylist?s need for a product?s emotion and the engineer?s need of functionality, Elements will engender a type of communication throughout the entire design/development team that will lead to shorter product cycles, reduced costs and ultimately benefit the vehicle end user. A software design suite with this type of system integration capability has been in need for years. The competitive advantage of linking with the Open Source community will allow Elements the opportunity for unparalleled development. ?This is a unique situation where we have the opportunity of bringing together for the first time the best of automotive engineering design practices with the latest and most advanced Open Source CAE software, all within a common easy-to-use platform?, explained Eugene de Villiers, General Manager of ENGYS LTD.

Streamline Solutions LLC, founded this year, is a vehicle software development company with in-house capabilities for physically validating its own software. The Auto Research Center LLC, founded in 1998, is a world leader in vehicle efficiency design, measurement and validation. ENGYS LTD was founded in 2009 to deliver all the advantages of Open Source CAE software to industry via a range of application, development and support services.

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For additional information, Streamline Solutions LLC will be hosting a question/answer session at this year?s SAE World Congress on April 24 at 9:00 ? 10:00am in COBO Center, Detroit, Michigan in Room D2 – 09.

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The market for renewable energy from waste is rapidly emerging across the US. The market has a number of large scale and entrepreneurial players, ranging from companies such as Waste Management and Veolia, to venture capital-led start-ups such as Coskata, Harvest Power and Methane Power.

It is becoming clear that early leaders will be at the forefront of an incredibly lucrative opportunity. ?First mover advantage is going to be a clear driver of success in many states?, claims a new report, ?Renewable Waste Management Markets Report?, by Renewable Waste Intelligence. As a result companies experimenting in technologies such as gasification, anaerobic digestion, landfill gas and waste to biofuels, will no doubt head the future of the waste-to-energy industry.

In this strive towards sustainable, yet profitable waste management practices, landfills are facing tougher regulations on their methane emissions. Landfill emissions, if left uncontrolled, contribute to air toxics, climate change, tropospheric ozone, and urban smog.

FlexEnergy?s Vice President, Mike Levin, talks optimistically about altering the large number of landfills that flare their gas: ?What I?m seeing is an abundant source of energy that is essentially being wasted?. The company explained that they have developed a new turbine that can generate electricity even from low concentrations of methane.

?We are turning [the municipality?s] current source of frustration with the flared methane into a source of revenue,? says Levin. Essentially, the local government can benefit from a share of the profit from power sold to the utility. ?Waste has been transformed into a profitable resource for the community at hand? states Levin.

Harvey Gershman, President of Gershman Bricker & Bratton, looks towards the exponential growth for waste conversion. ?Looking around the US, you?d think places with high disposal costs would be logical locations for new plants. But actually we have seen plants developed in places with low disposal costs, like Mississippi and Texas,? observes Gershman. ?It?s more about where the company can find a willing partner to work with? he concludes.

The recent industry report also outlines a ?cautious optimism? in the waste to energy market with interviewees reporting a ?who will leap first?? mentality.

Evidently the industry has a diverse landscape to navigate through. Advice on building a sound business model, independent technology evaluation, and regulatory guidance, are all essential in building a commercially sound WtE project.

Thankfully the Waste Conversion Congress East Coast, in Philadelphia June 12 -13 2012, is well placed to deliver this clarity. The Congress will bring together industry leaders including Gershman, Brickner & Bratton, the Energy Recovery Council, the US EPA, Cleveland Public Power, Enerkem, Waste Management Inc, to discuss these issues.

The conference [http://www.renewable-waste.com/waste-conversion-east focuses on delivering successful, profitable waste conversion projects and includes;

    Comparison of new and proven technologies to select the right technology for feedstock type

    Practical information on how to structure financing

    Understand legislative, regulatory and permitting requirements to produce an environmentally and commercially viable project

    Maximise value of your feedstock

Emily McMahon of Renewable Waste Intelligence said; ?There is a very real need for this meeting as the industry strives to deliver viable, scalable, commercial waste conversion technology that will secure long term profitability for MSW feedstock?.

To find out more details about the congress contact;

Emily McMahon

Renewable Waste Intelligence

Tel: +44 (0) 207 375 7196

Email:e.mcmahon (at) renewable-waste (dot) com

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The increasing globalization of the drug supply presents a host of public health challenges: theft and diversion of medicines, growth of illegal Internet pharmacies and insertion of adulterated medicines or ingredients into the supply chain. As pharmaceutical companies, regulatory authorities, lawmakers, healthcare practitioners and others continue to determine the best approaches to securing increasingly complex supply chains and protecting patients from potentially dangerous products, the U.S. Pharmacopeial Convention (USP) is convening a Supply Chain Integrity Workshop, May 22-23 in Rockville, Md., to consider key issues and solicit feedback on its newly proposed informational standard.

?The issues surrounding pharmaceutical supply chain integrity are not theoretical. On the contrary, they are very real, as evidenced by the discovery of counterfeit Avastin in various U.S. medical clinics in February and April,? said Praveen Tyle, Ph.D., executive vice president and chief science officer for USP. ?Legislative proposals circulating in Congress, continuing debate over product- versus lot-level tracking, gray markets growing in the face of drug shortages and other circumstances are converging, making it clear that the status quo is no longer adequate. Through this workshop, we hope to bring the different and sometimes disparate stakeholders together to find some common ground in addressing these difficult topics and to help determine a path forward on an overall approach to supply chain integrity.?

Supply chain integrity involves minimizing risks that arise anywhere along the supply chain. As current approaches vary based on individual companies, and present guidelines consider specific aspects of this issue but not supply chain integrity as a whole, USP is encouraging comprehensive public standards through its proposed informational standard contained in the draft General Chapter 1083 Good Distribution Practices?Supply Chain Integrity. The proposed general chapter will be part of the United States Pharmacopeia?National Formulary (USP?NF), which contains quality specifications for medicines and their ingredients in the United States (these standards also are widely used internationally). The proposed standard covers four areas: importation, counterfeit drugs and medical devices, best practices to combat counterfeit drugs and medical devices, and diversion and theft. Based on feedback provided at the workshop and through other channels, USP will consider whether changes to its proposed standard are needed.

The keynote presenter at the workshop will be Ilisa B.G. Bernstein, Pharm.D., J.D., director (acting), Office of Compliance, Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, FDA. Broad areas to be addressed at the workshop will include Supply Chain Members: Role, Responsibilities and Risks; Industry Perspective on Safeguarding the U.S. Drug Supply; and USP: Role, Processes and General Chapters.

Specific sessions and topics will include:

    Regulations and Guidance Impacting the Supply Chain?Representatives from North America (California State Board of Pharmacy, FDA and Health Canada), South America (Brazil, Argentina), Europe (European Directorate for the Quality of Medicines, World Health Organization, United Kingdom MHRA and Turkish Ministry of Health) and Africa (Nigeria National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control) will present regulatory supply chain approaches from around the world.

    Regulatory Issues and Standards?Topics will include an FDA update on standardizing numerical identification for prescription drug packages, FDA unique device identification and GS1?Global Standards (both unique identification numbers and track and trace standards).

    Technologies and Enablers?Different presentations on track and trace, including global efforts and industry?s response, pilot studies and best practices will be featured.

Other presentations will consider tamper-evident packaging and impact and implementation issues related to new technologies from the perspectives of wholesalers, pharmacies and pharmacists.

Early registration is available through April 20 at $ 395 for association/academia/government and $ 595 for industry. To view the agenda and to register, please visit http://www.usp.org/meetings-courses/workshops/supply-chain-integrity-workshop. Inquiries may be directed to mediarelations(at)usp(dot)org.

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USP ? Advancing Public Health Since 1820

The United States Pharmacopeial Convention (USP) is a scientific, nonprofit, standards-setting organization that advances public health through public standards and related programs that help ensure the quality, safety, and benefit of medicines and foods. USP?s standards are relied upon and used worldwide. For more information about USP visit http://www.usp.org.

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Leaders Engaged on Alzheimer?s Disease (LEAD), a national coalition of key organizations committed to sharing information and advocating for national policies related to Alzheimer?s disease research and care issues, has named Ian Kremer of Fairfax, VA as its executive director.

Kremer comes to this post after having led the public policy and advocacy arm of the Alzheimer?s Association National Capital Area Chapter for the past 15 years.

He joins LEAD at a critical time?when federal leaders are developing the first-ever national plan to defeat Alzheimer?s disease and when Congress is weighing budget choices that could dramatically impact the lives of the more than five million Americans diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease and their family caregivers, and determine the future of scientific progress toward preventing, delaying and ultimately curing the brain disorder.

?I am looking forward to working with LEAD members and other stakeholders to advance the coalition?s efforts,? Kremer said. ?LEAD is building a movement to end Alzheimer’s disease. It is in our national interest and a moral and ethical imperative for every American that Alzheimer?s disease and related dementias be eradicated.?

In announcing Kremer?s appointment, LEAD?s co-facilitators noted that the new executive director has the expertise to take LEAD to the next level.

?We are excited to have someone with Ian?s knowledge, passion and leadership abilities to expand upon LEAD?s accomplishments and to ensure that LEAD strategically moves forward to meet the current and emerging research and care needs of the Alzheimer?s community,? said Eric J. Hall, president and CEO of the Alzheimer?s Foundation of America, a LEAD co-convener.

George Vradenburg, co-founder and chair of USAgainstAlzheimer?s, a LEAD co-convener, said, ?We are honored to welcome Ian, a proven leader in coalition building and a real champion in advancing the Alzheimer?s cause. Through Ian?s leadership and deep commitment to building an aggressive, outcome-driven Alzheimer?s movement, we will help take LEAD to the next level in the fight to stop Alzheimer?s by 2020.?

Evident of the urgency of LEAD?s efforts, the incidence of Alzheimer?s disease is rising dramatically in line with the nation?s aging population?prompting LEAD officials and others to refer to it as the public health crisis of the 21st century. Alzheimer?s is also the only disease in the top ten leading causes of death that currently cannot be prevented, cured or modified.

The disease is expected to cost the United States $ 200 billion this year alone, with about 70 percent of that cost borne by Medicare, Medicaid and other government programs. Total costs to society will soar to an estimated $ 1.1 trillion (today?s dollars) per year by 2050.

In its comments submitted last month to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) on HHS? draft national Alzheimer?s plan, LEAD called for strengthening the goals, strategies and actions within the draft plan, as well as setting meaningful metrics to mark progress.

In addition to advocating for swift implementation of the historic national Alzheimer?s plan, LEAD?s priorities include increasing government funding for Alzheimer?s disease research, accelerating the federal review process for drug development, and mobilizing the Alzheimer?s-serving community to raise awareness of the current crisis.

Kremer has a Bachelor of Arts degree from the Washington University in St. Louis and earned his Juris Doctor from the University of Michigan School of Law.

Leaders Engaged on Alzheimer?s Disease (LEAD) was convened by the Alzheimer?s Foundation of America and USAgainstAlzheimer?s, two leading advocacy organizations, in February 2008 to bring together key stakeholders from the government, business and civic sectors to increase attention to and awareness of Alzheimer?s disease, its care, treatment, prevention, research and eventual cure. The free-standing coalition currently includes more than 40 member organizations. For additional information, visit http://www.leadcoalition.org.

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