Free Social Security Death Index (SSDI) Online Search

The Social Security Death Index, commonly referred to as the SSDI, is a database containing the names and dates of birth and death for over 77 million Americans. This massive database is a wonderful resource for genealogists, and is available in many online locations for free search. To learn more about about the Social Security Death Index, and what it can tell you about your ancestors, read How-to Guide to the SSDI. Note about free Social Security Death Index Access: In late 2011, a number of genealogy sites removed or restricted access to the free SSDI database, the public version of the SSA Death Master File. The following sites still provide free SSDI access as of December 2015: FamilySearch—SSDI Search Free online search of the SSDI, a name index to deaths recorded by the Social Security Administration beginning in 1962. Free, unrestricted search. This database was last updated on 28 February 2014, just prior to restrictions enacted in March 2014 which require that newly reported deaths will not be made available in the public version of the Social Security Death Index for three years after the individuals death. As such, new deaths reported after February 2014 will not be available in this database until 2017. Social Security Death Master File, Free Tom Alciere makes available this free version of the Social Security Death Master File, current as of November 2011, and searchable by name or social security number. This copy does not have available the death-residence location or death benefit payout ZIP Code. For additional search features for accessing these files, check out the SSDI search tool at DonsList.net. GenealogyBank—Free SSDI Search Advanced search features make this free version of the SSDI easy to use (with registration). However, it is only current through 2011, stating that due to  compliance with Section 203 (Restriction on Access to the Death Master File) of the Budget Act of 2013, they are no longer able to display SSDI records for individuals who have died within the previous 3 years. More importantly, GenealogyBank  does not  provide social security numbers for any individual in the database, whether or not the death was recent. Searching the Social Security Death Index (SSDI) in One Step Steve Morse has created a very handy search form which enhances the search abilities of many of the free SSDI search engines on the Web. You can choose from a variety of free SSDI databases to search through this flexible search interface. Ancestry.com also offers a searchable version of the SSDI, but it is available only to paying subscribers and not free. It is current through mid-March 2014, but does not include social security numbers for individuals who died within the past 10 years.  Going forward, new records will be available when they are older than 3 years (1095 days), to comply with U.S. law. More on the SSDI Tips for Searching the Social Security Death IndexHow to Request a Copy of a Social Security Application SS-5Social Security Numbering: How to Tell Where a Social Security Number Was Issued

The Effects Of Fossil Fuels And High Levels Of Greenhouse...

Introduction The phrase sustainable development is defined as meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. To create an impact on lowering the usage of fossil fuels and high levels of greenhouse gases there are several different forms of renewable energy available for worldwide use today. This includes biofuels (bioethanol and biodiesel), biomass, geothermal energy, hydroelectric power stations, solar powered cells, and wind turbines to name a handful of sources of energy. Solar energy from the sun can also be derived to produce photochemical, photoelectric, and photovoltaic energy to diversify its format. By increasing uses of fossil fuels we endanger ourselves with the†¦show more content†¦The protocol agreement suggested countries were required to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions to 5% against levels produced in 1990. A further extension was agreed to depreciate the emissions by 18% below the levels in 1990 during an eight year time period from 2013 to 2020. The triple bottom line (TBL) effect is taken into consideration when used to describe the sustainability of an industry. This is an accounting framework measuring the economic, environmental, and social aspects over a specific period of time. With the diversity of renewable energy and its different formats, it is an effective method to impose and produce a TBL. These results in accelerating profits and decelerating emissions of greenhouse gases produced by fossil fuel combusting power stations and also nuclear power stations. Creating renewable energy projects result in more jobs for qualified people for installation and labour processes. Although the initial cost of installation for renewable sources of energy is high, the maintenance costs are low and are easily accessible, for example solar panels and wind turbine farms. The production of wind turbine farms has drawn eyebrows for many local communities complaining about them to be visually displeasing. However, many renewable energy projects increase domestic revenues on tourism. A prominent example being the Hoover Dam situated on the border of

Strategic Mangement(Krispy Kreme) Free Essays

P r o j e c t o f Strategic Management Case Study Krispy Kreme Doughnut HAILEY COLLEGE OF COMMERCE UNIVERSITY OF THE PUNJAB We are thankful to ALLAH (all mighty) for guiding us and giving us power and courage. Project submitted: Sir Ishfaq Ahmed This project is based on our course of S. M. We will write a custom essay sample on Strategic Mangement(Krispy Kreme) or any similar topic only for you Order Now We have tried to utilize our knowledge about the subject which was taught by our professor. S. M is a vast field and it was a bit difficult for us to cover it all at our learning phase. We have applied many concepts of S. M to the case study We are very much thankful to our Sir Ishfaq Ahmedfor teaching us this important subject with all dedication and interest. It was very necessary for us to understand the real concepts of S. M. for our future practical working life. Project prepared by: Bilal Raja 792 Krispy Kreme Doughnut History and Growth The founder, Vernon Rudolph, worked for his uncle, Ishmael Armstrong, who purchased a secret recipe for yeast-raised doughnuts and a shop on Broad Street in Paducah, Kentucky, from Joseph LeBeouf of Lake Charles, Louisiana. Rudolph began selling the yeast doughnuts in Paducah and delivered them on his bicycle. The operation was moved to Nashville, Tennessee, and other family members joined to meet the customer demand. The first store in the nation with the Krispy-Kreme name opened on Charlotte Pike in 1933. Rudolph sold his interest in the Nashville store and in 1938 opened a doughnut shop in Winston-Salem, and began selling to groceries and then directly to individual customers. The first store in North Carolina was located in a rented building on South Main Street in Winston-Salem in what is now called historic Old Salem. The Krispy Kreme logo was designed by Benny Dinkins, a local architect. By the 1960s, Krispy Kreme was known throughout the southeastern United States, and it began to expand into other areas. In 1976, Krispy Kreme Doughnut Corporation became a wholly owned subsidiary of Beatrice Foods of Chicago, Illinois. The headquarters for Krispy Kreme remained in Winston-Salem. In 2003, a pilot project in Mountain View, California, to sell doughnuts through car windows and sunroofs at a busy intersection (with wireless payment) failed. On February 19, 2007, Krispy Kreme began selling the Whole Wheat Glazed doughnut in an attempt to appeal to the health conscious. The doughnut has twenty Calories fewer than the original glazed (180 vs. 200) and contains more fiber (2 grams vs. 0. 5 grams). As of January 2008, the trans-fat content of all Krispy Kreme doughnuts was reduced to 0. 5 of a gram or less. The U. S. Food and Drug Administration, in its guidelines, allow companies to round down to 0 g in its nutrition facts label even if the food contains as much as 0. 5 of a gram per serving. Krispy Kreme benefited from this regulatory loophole in its subsequent advertising campaign, touting its doughnuts as â€Å"trans- fat free† and having â€Å"0 grams trans-fat! Krispy Kreme began another phase of rapid expansion in the 1990s, opening stores outside the southeastern United States where most of their stores were located. Then, in December 2001, Krispy Kreme opened its first store outside the U. S. in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada, just outside Toronto. Since 2004, Krispy Kreme has rapidly expanded its international operations. On April 5, 20 00, the corporation went public on the NASDAQ using the ticker symbol KREM. On May 17, 2001, Krispy Kreme switched to the New York Stock Exchange, with the ticker symbol KKD, which is its current symbol. On January 18, 2005, Krispy Kreme announced Stephen Cooper, chairman of financial consulting group Kroll Zolfo Cooper LLC, as interim CEO. Cooper replaces Scott Livengood, who the company said has retired as chairman, president, CEO and a director. The company also named Steven Panagos, a managing director of Kroll Zolfo, as president and COO. Although based on informal advertising such as word-of-mouth, in 2006, Krispy Kreme moved into television and radio advertisements, beginning with its â€Å"Share the Love† campaign with heart-shaped doughnuts. Vision and Values Our Vision †¢ To be the global leader in doughnuts and complementary products, while creating magic moments worldwide. Our Values (with acknowledgement to Founder, Vernon Rudolph) we believe†¦ †¢ Consumers are our lifeblood, the center of the doughnut †¢ There is no substitute for quality in our service to consumers †¢ Impeccable presentation is critical wherever Krispy Kreme is sold †¢ We must produce a collaborative team effort that is unexcelled †¢ We must cast the best possible image in all that we do †¢ We must never settle for â€Å"second best†; we deliver on our commitments We must coach our team to ever-better results Mission statement We create the tastes for good times and warm memories for everyone, everywhere. With our Original Glazed doughnut as our signature and standard, we will continually improve our customer’s experience through: †¢ Innovative ideas †¢ Highest quality, and †¢ Caring service Financial/ business performance Environmental analysis Internal factors Strong brand recognition and recall Wide appeal of signature glazed doughnuts Vertical integration Development in international markets Strong channel of distribution Quality of product Expanded assortment of offerings at KKD stores including beverages Doughnut machine technology. Perishability of product Limited product line (heavy reliance on doughnut sales) Overextended (i. e. , Montana Mills acquisition) Lack of locations in some areas Pricing in some locations External factors Increasing popularity of coffee shops and bakery cafes Popularity of American foods and fashion in overseas markets Growth in two-income households Americans continue to experience time-starvation Entertaining opportunities moving from home to work environment Technological advancements (i. e. paperless ordering, predictive modeling software, hand held computers for delivery drivers) Channel expansion possibilities (i. e. , Internet pre-ordering) Competitors like Dunkin Donuts and Starbucks Low-carb trend in eating preferences All-natural, organic, healthy eating trends Cultural differences in breakfast and snack foods Increase in eating at full-service restaurants combined with a decrease in the use of fast-food restaurants S. W. O. T analysis Strengths 1. Affordable, high-quality doughnuts with strong visual appeal and â€Å"one-of-a-kind† taste 2. Neon â€Å"Hot Doughnuts Now† sign encourages people outside the store to make an impulse purchase 3. Market research shows appeal extends to all major demographic groups including age and income 4. â€Å"Hot shop† stores save money while keeping KKD customer experience intact 5. Vertical integration helps ensure high quality product 6. Consistent expansion; now in 16 countries 7. Product sold at thousands of supermarkets, convenience stores, and retail outlets through U. S. Weaknesses 1. Return on equity, assets, and investments all negative in the trailing twelve months; skill of mgmt. s questionable 2. Shareholders have not received dividends recently, and are not expected to in near future; stock price in state of flux 3. Closing stores when stores should be opening globally at steady rate to keep up with competitors’ growth 4. Management states in recent 10-K that it is struggling with how to make stores profitable 5. Product line slow to expand with nothing Threats 1. Dunkin’ Donuts presently dominates the doughnut market, particularly in northeastern U. S. 2. People are becoming more healthconscious, which does not bode well for highsugar, high-fat treats 3. Starbucks has approximately 25 times the amount of stores worldwide that Krispy Kreme Donut has 4. Restricted cash flow from banks and massive layoffs have stifled the world economy, decreasing discretionary income 5. Europeans prefer their local brands of Opportunities 1. Families crave convenience because of busy lifestyles 2. Asians love sweets and are open to trying foreign foods 3. Starbucks lacks a diversified and distinctive pastry line 4. Dunkin’ Donuts does not have hot doughnuts to sell 5. Many children love sweet treats 6. Tim Horton has yet to expand beyond the U. S. nd Canada, and its product line does not appear to be competitive 7. South America, Africa, and Southern Asia are markets to conquer outside â€Å"sweet treats† to draw in healthconscious customers 6. Advertising not aggressive enough to appeal to areas outside southeast of U. S. where most stores are 7. Revenues down, net losses in each of past three years 8. Per 10-K, continued disputes with f ranchisees could hurt future business doughnuts 6. Britons tend not to have cars, which inhibits drive-thru customers, and their eating habits and office etiquette differ from Americans 7. Shareholders may sell KKD stock for lack of returns and dividends compared to other similar firms in the industry SO Strategies 1. TV, radio, and print ads demonstrating 27 varieties of doughnuts against non-descript pastry offerings by Starbucks (S3, O3) 2. All store signs in supermarkets and conveniences where product is sold have picture of young child eating a Krispy Kreme doughnut (S7, O5) 3. Continued grand openings of stores in highly-populated cities such as Sao Paulo, Brazil Johannesburg, South Africa (S6, O7) ST Strategies 1. Compare â€Å"hot† doughnut appeal of Krispy Kreme Donut to cold doughnuts of Dunkin’ Donuts in TV and Internet ads (S1,T1) 2. Do â€Å"roadshow† across Europe as means of advertising, driving truck and mobile â€Å"hot shop† to major European cities and filming their reactions for European ads (S2, S4, T5, T6) 3. Express strengths and outline concrete strategies in clear format within 10-K in order to restore shareholder confidence in future of Krispy Kreme Donut (S1-S7, T7) WT Strategies 1. Expand product line with low-calorie foods (W5, T7) 2. Recruit top executive talent from other WO Strategies 1. Make doughnuts filled with fruit, put fruit cups on menu, and develop wide variety of fresh fruit smoothies; offer ways to incorporate nuts and protein into foods (W5, O3) 2. Aggressive Internet ads demonstrating the appeal of Krispy Kreme Donut hot doughnuts (W6, O4) 3. Open small but profitable â€Å"hot shops† in South America, Africa, and Southeast Asia in order to expand globally (W3,O7) fast-food firms (W1, T7) 3. Survey franchisees to discover ways to repair business relationships and retain growth of franchise model; study McDonald’s model for tips (W8, T1, T3) I. F. E E. F. E C. P. M Space matrix Boston Consulting Group Matrix (BCG) Krispy Kreme Donuts has three business segments, and they are presented here along with their annual revenues per Form 10-K filed on April 17, 2009: Company Stores ($266M), Franchise ($26M) and Krispy Kreme Supply Chain ($93M), with approximately $384M in total revenues for the year ending February 1, 2009. This means that each business segment represented the following percentage in revenues: Company Stores (69. 2%), Franchise (6. 7%), and Krispy Kreme Supply Chain (24. 1%). Profits for each business segment are as follows: Company Stores ($-2M); Franchise ($18M); and KK Supply Chain ($25M), for a total of $41M in profits. Therefore, Company Stores has 0% of the profits; Franchise has about 41%; and Krispy Kreme Supply Chain has about 59%. We’ll assume that Company Stores has 3% of the market share and a -13% growth rate; Franchise has 3% of the market share and a 10% growth rate; and Krispy Kreme Supply Chain has 3% of the market share and -7% growth rate. Grand Strategy (GS) Matrix Recommendations 1- Reduce operating expenses (down-size individual stores) Lower Costs of Doing Business †¢ reduce operating costs per individual store by changing average size of stores from 2500-4500 sq. t. range to 15002000 sq ft. Potential for 30 – 50 % decrease in operating cost on a cost per square foot basis. I. Change entire manufacturing and distribution strategy – Implement par baked manufacturing operation †¢ to allow individual stores to decrease in size, thus lowering per store operating costs to a more appropriate level for sales volume †¢ Increased efficiency – smal ler workforce per store, par-bake allows for minimal waste – inventory as needed (important b/c fresh goods – low shelf life †¢ Par bake will allow for â€Å"hot doughnuts now† all of the time. Implications of transition to par bake operation †¢ New Plant Equipment – freezers, production equipment, freezer trucks for distribution/delivery. †¢ Store Equipment – freezers, oven for various par baked goods, fryers for doughnuts. †¢ RD for unique par bake operation, doughnuts still to be fried and glazed on site. II. Sale of Plant and Equipment -sell Effingham plant †¢ Potential buyers are large scale baked-goods manufacturers †¢ Sara Lee Corporation †¢ Entenmann’s (George Weston Bakeries Distribution) †¢ Harlan Bakeries, Inc. Estimated value of 10. 5 – 12 million. III. Remove â€Å"doughnut theater† from 95% of locations, doughnut theater can be part of a select few Flagship locations only. ( 3 – 5 Stores) 2- Develop stronger relations and control of franchisees I. Short-term period of one year – postpone new franchise agreements/new store openings II. Implement Franchise Support Systems †¢ Communication – between corporate and franchisees †¢ Support – training, advertising †¢ Utilize recommendation #1 in order to lower operating expenses for franchisees. – Implement Marketing Strategies I. Advertising – national television and radio advertising campaign based on â€Å"hot doughnuts now†. II. Marketing research – periodic research to stay abreast of trends. III. RD – product development 4- Strengthen Competitive Advantage †¢ Strengthen Competitive Advantage through differentiation in products and services. I. Continue to utilize â€Å"hot doughnuts now† II. Expand product line †¢ Account with AS â€Å"New York† Bagels (par-baked). Par baked will allow for â€Å"Hot Bage ls Now†. How to cite Strategic Mangement(Krispy Kreme), Essay examples

Brl Hardy free essay sample

How do you account for BRL Hardy’s remarkable post-merger success? Prior to the BRL and Hardy merger both companies were rivals with diverse views of the wine industry. Due to the varying views both companies had different organizational structures and approaches. Hardy was a family owned business focused on producing great wine. In 1853 Thomas Hardy acquired land near, Adelaide which is in South Australia. Thomas used the land to plant vines, by 1857 he produced his first vintage, and two hogsheads were exported to England.By 1882 hardy won his first international gold medal at Bordeaux. At the time of Thomas’ death in 1912, Hardy was the largest winemaker in Australia. Hardy became known for award-winning, quality wines, and the company focused on global external brand awareness. BRL on the other hand focused on commercial exporting, the cooperative was referred to as â€Å"the oil refinery of the wine industry†, and the company was more concerned with quantity rather than quality. BRL specialized in fortified, bulk, and value wines and it was the second largest crush in Australia.Both BRL and Hardy were respected in the wine market, unfortunately both companies were suffering financial losses and the merger of both companies was the best alternative. According to an ex-BRL manager, â€Å"we had access to fruit, funds, and disciplines management; Hardy brought marketing expertise, brands and winemaking know-how†. The above mentioned characteristics added to the success of the BRL Hardy merger. The newly formed company focused on client retention, branding and cost savings.Steve Miller, CEO of the newly merged company focused on his first task, the financial situation. Since both companies performed poorly the previous year, Miller wanted to protect its share of the bulk cask business and concentrate on branded bottle sales growth. Another aspect that added to the success of the merger was Miller’s awareness of the differences in culture and management style. Miller’s objective was to create a decentralized approach while keeping management accountable. With the delegation of small tasks, Miller wanted to create a â€Å"have a go† mentality.The objective was to have the company try 20 things and getting 80% right instead of doing two big things that needed to be 100% right. Determined to â€Å"earn his stripes† David Woods was able to integrate the two sales teams which resulted in impressive results. Both domestic bottle market share and profitability increased significantly in the first two years of BRLH’s operation. What is the source of the tension between Stephen Davies and Christopher Carson? How effectively has Steve Millar handled their differences?There are a few sources that contributed to the tension between Davies and Carson; there were conflicts in leadership, po wer struggles, and organizational dysfunctions. The BRL dominated headquarters management supported delegation, but only for those that â€Å"earned their stripes†, even though Carson had a good track record, his past performance he was treated as a new comer by the new management structure. Within the Hardy built European company there were questions about whether their bulk-wine-oriented BRL colleagues understood international marketing.Due to the differences in views there was a feeling of â€Å"Us vs. Them† (UK Subsidiary vs. Headquarters). Carson did not think Davies and the Headquarters were credible and legitimate when it came to marketing. The largest dispute came from marketing strategies, specifically branding and labeling issues. Carson felt that the image of the Hardy brands eroded in the United Kingdom and they needed to be relabeled, repositioned and re-launched. There was difficulty convincing the home office of his strategy, since Australia controlled all aspects of the brand Carson felt like he was on a tight leash.Initially Millar handled the tension between Carson and Davies effectively, Millar acknowledged the expertise and potential the two managers brought to the company; his intention was to get them to collaborate. Unfortunately I think Millar made some errors in how he handled the delicate situation. There was no clear reporting structure, Davies reported directly to Millar, on the other hand Carson reported to Millar regarding the U. K. Company’s profit performance, and reported to Davies for marketing and branding strategies. In essence, Carson had direct access to Davies boss.Millar’s approach was flawed because he did not want to be pulled into resolving disputes, but hoped for negotiation. Hoping for negotiation is not a solution, it’s like putting a Band-Aid on a bullet wound, Millar was focused on growth and he did not encourage Carson and Davies to work things out. Should Millar approve Carson’s proposal to launch â€Å"D’Istinto†? Why or why not? Carson wanted to launch a new wine D’istinto because he felt it would have a unique image built around Mediterranean lifestyle; passionate, warm, romantic and relaxed.Carson wanted to target everyday wine consumers that enjoyed wine, but were not knowledgeable about it; he also knew that women represented 60% of the supermarket wine buyers. With D’istinto buyers would be encouraged to write to receive free recipes. Carson wanted to create a database of wine and food loving consumers that would receive futur e promotions through the mail. The D’istinto line would help build BRLH Europe in size, impact and reputation. In addition to the positive impact on BRLH’s financials, D’istinto would help Carson become more influential.Millar was not convinced that launching D’istinto was a good move for BRLH, there was too much risk involved with competing on the same market with Stamps and Nottage Hill. I think Millar should allow Carson to launch D’istinto since Stamps and Nottage Hill were not doing well in the markets. A new sophisticated Italian wine would be the key in elevating the BRLH brand. What recommendation would you make to the organization concerning the conflicting proposals for â€Å"Kelly’s Revenge† and â€Å"Banrock Station†? What would you decide to do as Carson?As Millar? After struggling to manage things on his own, Carson hired an Australian marketing manager, he needed someone to come into the organization and take charge and get things done. The ne w hire, Paul Browne was an eight year veteran eager to capitalize on an opportunity to create a Hardy brand at the ? 3. 99 price point, but be able to promote it at ? 3. 49. Browne felt the market was ready for a fun brand that would appeal to a younger market. He came up with Kelly’s Revenge, with the support of the U. K. ales management Browne pursued the new product, creating colorful labels and preparing a detailed marketing plan. During this time BRLH in Australia was also creating a new product targeted at a similar price point. The Banrock Station brand was launched in Australia in 1996, its motto was â€Å"Good Earth, Fine Wine†. Banrock Station became an immediate success in Australia and New Zealand. With this success it was difficult for Browne to find a place for Kelly’s Revenge since both wines had the same price point in the U.K. My recommendation would be to produce Banrock Station since it was doing well in the market and Kelly’s Revenge was not well received when surveyed by consumers. In business there are tough decisions that need to be made, but I think the wise choice is going with the product that shows better potential. I think Carson and Millar were back to the dilemma they had regarding D’istinto. How would you compare the management style of Millar to Shackleton and Schulman?Millar, Shackleton, and Schulman were able to recognize the strengths and weaknesses of the individuals that worked for them. I think Schulman and Shackleton were similar in their leadership style because they were not selfish when it came to the success of their team. I think Shackleton was a bit stubborn and this caused him to get in his own way. Overall they possess great leadership skills which helped them to be successful in different ways. Even though Shackleton has passed, his legacy lives on because he did not allow rejection or an iceberg to stop him from his endeavor.The same goes for Schulman she could have played the victim, but she decided to have a voice and inspired others to be great. Millar on the other hand could have learned a few things from Schulman and Shackleton; I think he tried to separate himself from situations too much. He was focused on profits and he needed to put more emphasis on making sure teams meshed well. One example was the dissention between Carson and Davies. Millar could have been a better leader in handling the situation, putting each person in their respective â€Å"corner† does not solve the problem.