On Our Own 17. Property owners, particularly those in areas at risk for fire, should take some basic precautions to protect their investment, says Sam Husoe, executive director of the Committee for Firesafe Dwellings and a thirty-year veteran of the fire service. Property owners can take such simple steps as landscaping with non-combustible plants to potentially avoiding millions of dollars of devastating loss. When planning new construction or remodeling, non-combustible building materials offer some of the best protection available against fires. Nearly all U.S. companies give a corporate holiday gift, according to a recent survey by Per Annum, publishers of unique city diaries for fifteen metropolitan areas.
Nobody needs another widget.
Battery Patrol's unique approach to manufacturing and supplying businesses and consumers nationwide with over 5,000 different types of batteries has created a new market niche for the company. The force behind the recent spate of 70s-related marketing is more one of economics than nostalgia, says Gary Burns, professor of popular culture studies at Northern Illinois University and president of the American Culture Association. The time is right for an investing concept that focuses on giving back, says Michael Garrison, founder and CEO of Garrison Asset Management. This new investment philosophy, called charitably conscious investing, enables investors to support worthy causes of their choice, while building and securing their own financial future. Although acquisition REITs show some signs of slowing, development REITs continue to find excellent investment opportunities for institutional investors, says Don Faloon, executive vice president of Prime Group Realty Trust's Development Division.