Frontier flights begin at COS

From SpringsGov.com

After a 10-year wait, the Colorado Springs Airport once again can boast the services of a low-cost airline. On April 15, a Frontier Airlines Bombardier Q-400
turboprop aircraft carrying about 10 passengers from Denver landed just after 9 a.m. and received a water cannon salute before making the return flight with about 35 passengers.

Frontier passengers will be able to connect in Denver to 58 other destinations.
Not since the end of Western Pacific airlines in 1998 have Colorado Springs travelers had a low-cost airline choice and many hope Frontier ’s presence will hold down local travel costs.

The news was tempered by an announcement that Frontier had entered bankruptcy protection. Company officials were quick to assure Colorado Springs residents of their plans to continue local flights, although plans to build a maintenance facility at the airport have been halted.

Frontier had announced in February plans to build the $55 million facility that would employ 225 employees. City Council had approved the issuance of tax-exempt bonds to finance the structure. Frontier had planned to repay the bonds by paying a 30- year lease.

Youth Workshops from Pikes Peak Workforce Center

The Youth Zone at the Pikes Peak Workforce Center offers the following workshops for youth, 14 through 21, in May. There is no charge to attend. Register online at www.ppwfc.org, click on Youth Zone icon or call 719.667.3790.

The Importance of Volunteering: Changing Your Life in a Positive Way! Wednesday, May 21, 4:30 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.

Learn how to begin, where to look and why volunteering is so important and rewarding.

Performance and Professionalism - Wednesday, May 7, 4:30 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.

Learn the basics of customer service, a vital part of any job, and become an employee your supervisors will be proud of!

Resume and Interviewing – Back by Popular Demand! - Monday, May 5 or May 12, or Wednesday, May 28, 4:30 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.

If you have no work experience, how do you write a resume?

Electronic Portfolio - Wednesday, May 14, 4:30 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.

Get an edge over other applicants -- impress a potential employer with your electronic portfolio!

College Preparation - Monday, May 19, 4:30 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.

Find the best fit for you by weighing your college options and deciding what’s important to you.

About the Youth Work Zone

The Youth Work Zone supports education and promotes employment for youth in El Paso and Teller counties. More information about the Youth Work Zone can be found online at www.ppwfc.org.

BBB offers $2,500 Scholarship for Student in Southern Colorado Area

A $2,500 scholarship for a graduating 2008 senior will be given by your BBB of Southern Colorado Foundation for the first time. The recipient must apply the scholarship toward 2008 fall college expenses and attend a college in Colorado. The scholarship will be presented at the BBB Excellence in Customer Service Award Dinner on September 25, 2008.

Scholarship criteria for student includes: a 3.0 GPA, live in the BBB of Southern Colorado service area, references, and write an essay explaining how you use ethics in your own life. The deadline for entry is July 5, 2008. For more information and/or an application, interested students can go to www.southerncolorado.bbb.org/scholarship.

For more information contact Carol Odell, 719-636-5076, ext. 111.

Simtek Rejects Buyout Offer from Cypress Semiconductor

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Simtek Corporation (“Simtek”) (NASDAQ:SMTK), the inventor, pioneer, and world’s premier supplier of nonvolatile static random access memory (nvSRAM) integrated circuits, today confirmed that it has received a proposal from Cypress Semiconductor Corporation (“Cypress”) to acquire Simtek for $2.20 per share in cash.

Simtek’s Board of Directors has reviewed Cypress’ proposal with the assistance of management and Simtek's independent financial and legal advisors. Based on this review, Simtek’s Board has concluded that the proposal significantly undervalues Simtek, and that a sale of Simtek on the terms set forth in the proposal would not be in the best interests of Simtek's stockholders.

Robert Pearson, Chairman of the Board of Simtek, commented that "in the Board's opinion, the Cypress proposal, significantly undervalues the combination of our core business in nvSRAMs and our AgigA Tech subsidiary through which we are developing and intend to take to market breakthrough high density non-volatile RAM solutions." Mr. Pearson concluded, "We remain committed to building value for all of our stockholders and, as we have stated before, will continue to explore various strategic alternatives in order to maximize long-term value for stockholders. We intend to vigorously resist any attempt by Cypress to acquire Simtek at a price that does not adequately value the company and its growth opportunities."

Pagemill Partners is acting as financial advisor to Simtek and Cooley Godward Kronish LLP and Holme Roberts & Owen LLP are acting as its legal advisors.

This communication does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities or a solicitation of any vote or approval.

About Simtek Corporation

Simtek Corporation designs and markets "NV + fast SRAM" nonvolatile semiconductor memory products for use in a variety of systems including RAID servers, storage arrays, GPS navigational systems, industrial controllers, robotics, copiers, avionics, metering, consumer, UPS, and networking and broadcast equipment. Information on Simtek products can be obtained from its web site: www.simtek.com; email: information@simtek.com. Simtek is headquartered in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, including statements predicting Simtek’s future growth. These forward-looking statements are inherently difficult to predict and involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially, including, but not limited to, projections of future performance including predictions of future profitability and expectations of the business environment in which Simtek operates. For a detailed discussion of these and other risk factors, please refer to Simtek's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), including its Annual Report on Form 10-K and subsequent Form 10-Q and Form 8-K filings.

Stephan Brannen of Fountain announces release of new CD

Fountain Productions announces the release of Stephen Brannen’s latest CD – Reaching Through the Veil – a collection of modern instrumental hymns. The album is an acoustic guitar-driven instrumental mix of ambient, ethereal, classical and electronic stylings with gentle grooves and a strong sense of melody. Familiar selections include “At the Cross” and “Just as I Am.” All music on this album was performed and produced by Stephen Brannen.

Stephen Brannen was born and raised in the Deep South , the son of a preacher. Music has always been in his life. He studied composition, guitar performance, and music production at colleges in Louisiana , Texas , and Tennessee . He has a degree in Recording Industry Production and Technology from Middle Tennessee State University . Stephen has played guitar professionally for over 20 years in Nashhttp://www.blogger.com/img/gl.link.gifville , Tennessee and across the world for the United States Air Force. He is currently a guitarist in the USAF Academy Band in Colorado Springs , where his family resides. He is the owner of Fountain Productions and produces music for Danc’eM. He also teaches guitar at Fountain Arts Center in Fountain, Colorado .

Reaching Through the Veil can be purchased on and CDbaby or by calling Fountain Productions at 244-1830.

CD Release Party - Sunday April 13th at the Fountain Arts Center (Main Street Fountain) from 6pm to 8pm.

Current Agrees to Buy Lillian Vernon

From inRich.com:

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. -- Current USA Inc. has agreed to acquire gift catalog and online retailer Lillian Vernon Corp., which filed for bankruptcy protection in February.

Bankruptcy court filings show Current USA agreed to a base purchase price of $15.8 million. The sale is expected to close Thursday.

Current USA is a subsidiary of Taylor Corp. that provides stationery, home decor and personalized items. It says it expects Lillian Vernon's operations at its facility in Virginia Beach, Va., would continue.



Lillian Vernon is an online retailer of decorative household goods, but may be best known for the Mad TV sketches which feature "Lillian Verner" items as prizes in a TV game show.

Colorado.gov Gets More User Friendly

New Online Service Gives Citizens the Right Contact the First Time

DENVER--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Do you have a question relating to the state government, but don’t know whom you need to contact? Do you want to contact the right department, division or office the first time you call? The Department of Personnel and Administration (DPA) - Division of Central Services, in collaboration with Colorado.gov, the state’s official web portal, have introduced the Contact Compass service, which will help point you in the right direction. The Contact Compass service is available at www.Colorado.gov.

“With services like Contact Compass, Colorado is using the latest technology to advance customer service," said Governor Bill Ritter. “This convenient, user-friendly service will not only aid Colorado's citizens in finding the agencies or services they are seeking, but will advance our efficiency in government efforts."

The Contact Compass service has taken the State Organizational Telephone Directory to a new, interactive level. What once was a non-searchable PDF of state government contact information is now a keyword-driven searchable database. Not only does Contact Compass help state operators more effectively direct customer calls, but the service also empowers the public to find more accurate contact information themselves.

The user simply enters a keyword or phrase, for example “motor vehicle,” and then clicks Search. The user immediately gets the correct contact information for related departments, divisions and/or offices. Contact information and keywords will be updated regularly by Department of Personnel and Administration through a specially developed, administrative interface. This means citizens will have faster access to the state resources that are there to serve them.

“Contact Compass creates a simple way for citizens to be engaged with state government regarding programs that impact their lives,” said Rich Gonzales, Executive Director of the Department of Personnel and Administration. “This is a quick and easy way for citizens and employees to find the information they need. Contact Compass greatly improves our ability to guide citizens through state government and its employees.”

About Colorado.gov

Colorado.gov is the official Web site of the state of Colorado (www.Colorado.gov) and a collaborative effort between the Statewide Internet Portal Authority (SIPA) and Colorado Interactive to help Colorado government entities Web-enable their information services. SIPA is responsible for Colorado.gov. Colorado Interactive, a Denver based subsidiary of eGovernment firm NIC (NASDAQ: EGOV) markets, operates and maintains Colorado.gov.

About SIPA

The Statewide Internet Portal Authority was created in 2004 by the Colorado legislature and is a state Authority governed by a 13-member Board of Directors consisting of businesspersons and state and county representatives. The mission of SIPA is to make Colorado government at all levels more accessible to its citizens and businesses and more productive through the use of eBusiness technologies.

About NIC

NIC manages more eGovernment services than any provider in the world. The company helps government communicate more effectively with citizens and businesses by putting essential services online. NIC provides eGovernment solutions for 2,800 state and local agencies that serve more than 69 million people in the United States. Additional information is available at http://www.nicusa.com.

2WIN!® Global Announces Upcoming Open Enrollment Workshops

Company Offers Strategies to Help Sales Professionals Increase Business Wins

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--2WIN!® Global announces three upcoming open enrollment workshops that teach sales techniques and training to improve all customer touch points:

Execute2WIN!® US – April 15-16, 2008, in Colorado Springs, Colorado
Demo2WIN!® UK – April 21-22, 2008, in Buckinghamshire, England
Demo2WIN!® US – May 6-7, 2008, in Colorado Springs, Colorado
“We offer demonstration skills for any company that sells complex products, including software, computer and networking hardware, graphics communications products, medical or industrial-related equipment and many others,” says Bob Riefstahl, co-founder of 2WIN! Global. “Our strategies work immediately, because they are practical and easy to implement – guaranteeing an increase in revenue by increasing the win ratio of each point of contact.”

Execute2WIN!

2WIN!’s workshops deliver a practical, proven set of skills, tools and procedures that both beginners and experienced sales professionals can immediately put to use to improve their winning percentage. The Execute2WIN! workshop is geared towards sales professionals who don’t necessarily demonstrate software, but are involved in the demonstration event with pre-sales resources on their team.

2WIN! will focus on skills to effectively engage an audience and be remembered during the opening presentation, develop and correctly outline the value proposition, advance the deal after the demo is completed and much more.

Demo2WIN!

Day one of the Demo2WIN! workshop focuses on the presentation elements of a demonstration. Participants learn techniques to effectively engage their audience, show business processes to different personality types and deliver benefits that help close more business. After covering how a demonstration should be given, attendees have the opportunity to practice by giving a live demonstration in front of the 2WIN! Global experts.

Throughout the workshop, real product examples are used to model the techniques being taught, as well as the most common mistakes (Demo Crimes) committed by sales professionals.

Custom Workshops

In addition to these general workshops, 2WIN! offers customized training workshops for each client, depending on need, product and focus that integrates with existing sales methodology and procedures. Clients include Microsoft, SAP, SunGuard and Heidelberg, a leader in the printing industry.

To register for the open enrollment workshops, click here. For more information, contact Bob Riefstahl at 719-594-9959 or email bobr@2winglobal.com.

2WIN! Global

2WIN! Global is a Colorado Springs-based company, founded in 2001 to help sales and support professionals around the world win more business and reduce the length of sales cycles. The workshops’ purpose is to create successful customers by dramatically improving the sales and demonstration tactics of complex solutions. 2WIN!’s demonstration training is designed to complement existing sales strategy and techniques. For more information on the company, visit www.2WinGlobal.com.

Configuresoft Supports Compliance Efforts for Convergys

ECM Chosen by Leading Relationship Management Provider to Quickly Identify and Remediate Non-compliant Configurations Across the Enterprise

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Configuresoft, the world's leading enterprise server configuration management company, today announced that Convergys has selected Configuresoft’s Enterprise Configuration Manager (ECM) to help manage and maintain compliance with multiple regulatory and industry standards including PCI DSS (Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard).

Convergys is a global leader in relationship management with more than half of the Fortune 50 companies as its clients. Convergys selected ECM for its scalability, performance, rapid and granular data collection of IT assets, industry leading compliance content and templates, and enterprise remediation capabilities.

“Convergys serves a diverse roster of clients across multiple vertical markets including retail, healthcare, banking and finance,” said Convergys Director of Global Information Security Greg Allender. “ECM’s out-of-the-box compliance templates, intuitive interface and speed of implementation help us comply with requirements such as HIPAA, GLBA, Sarbanes-Oxley and PCI DSS to name just a few. Configuresoft’s Center for Policy and Compliance templates provides the ability to track changes in regulations and our team can take advantage of Configuresoft’s regulatory expertise.”

By using ECM, Convergys is able to quickly assess and monitor PCI security controls through a continuous process that simplifies compliance. ECM quickly discovers, analyzes and automatically remediates PCI issues such as password policy violations and vulnerable machine configurations. In addition, Configuresoft’s Center for Policy & Compliance (CP&C) can ensure that as new PCI guidelines are introduced, Configuresoft will update Convergys.

“Convergys is a step ahead of the many companies that continue to struggle with PCI compliance and other regulatory mandates by designing and implementing a plan that goes above and beyond the minimum requirements of today’s regulations,” said Configuresoft Vice President Andrew Bird. “Convergys’ compliance strategy is a model for any organization seeking compliance, security and operational efficiency on a continuous basis, across the enterprise.”

About Convergys

Convergys Corporation (NYSE: CVG) is a global leader in relationship management. We provide solutions that drive more value from the relationships our clients have with their customers and employees. Convergys turns these everyday interactions into a source of profit and strategic advantage for our clients.

For 25 years, our unique combination of domain expertise, operational excellence, and innovative technologies has delivered process improvement and actionable business insight to clients that now span more than 70 countries and 35 languages.

Convergys is a member of the S&P 500 and has been voted a Fortune Most Admired Company for seven consecutive years. We have approximately 75,000 employees in 84 customer contact centers and other facilities in the United States, Canada, Latin America, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia, and our global headquarters in Cincinnati, Ohio. For more information, visit www.convergys.com.

(Convergys and the Convergys logo are registered trademarks of Convergys Corporation.)

About Configuresoft

Configuresoft, the world’s leading enterprise server configuration management provider, delivers the Configuration Intelligence® that brings automation and intelligence to IT operations. Hundreds of organizations, including 13 of the world’s 25 largest companies, rely on Configuresoft to effectively and efficiently manage the complexity of today’s physical and virtualized IT environments. Configuresoft’s team of security and policy experts ensure continuous compliance with regulatory requirements such as Sarbanes-Oxley and industry standards such as PCI DSS, and Microsoft and VMware Hardening Guides. To contact Configuresoft, please call (888) U-CONFIG or visit www.configuresoft.com.