Cornucopia of information for this Monday

From the Desk of the Consultant

We have entered a new phase in this country. We have a new leadership with new progressive ideas as to how to solve the problems we face. Despite this every day brings more news about corporations who are reducing their staffs. This obviously is going to have some affect on our industry. But I would suggest to you that as certain areas find that they are short on talent for their needs relocation will come back into vogue. It has before and it will again.

Relocation Announcement

Children's Place, the children's retail chain, has announced that it is moving its e-commerce division from New jersey to Alabama. Move will affect 350 families

DBAI Client is seeking new talent
MovingInsurance.com, a groundbreaking online insurance company in Montclair, NJ owned by Relocation Insurance Group, LLC, provides a full range of moving insurance services for families and businesses worldwide. We are seeking a talented and self-motivated programmer who can create innovative features and enhancements for our website, maintain all existing online applications, and provide both IT management and tech support. This full time position is ideal for someone who enjoys wearing many hats and wants to contribute to the success of a small, entrepreneurial company in a family-like environment.

REQUIREMENTS
• ASP/ASP.Net knowledge.
• Familiarity with SQL Server and/or other relational databases.
• Ability to work on both Web Design and Development.
• HTML/CSS proficiency.
• Knowledge of JavaScript is a plus.

Our ideal candidate is bright and ambitious with 1-3 years of working experience; strong organizational, problem-solving & follow-up skills; ability to work independently and capable of managing multiple projects under tight deadlines. We provide growth potential, learning opportunities and great benefits including bonuses, paid vacations and life/health insurance. If you meet the above qualifications, please send your resume which MUST include salary requirements to hr@movinginsurance.com.

Hilton Relocation

Hilton Hotels has announced that it is moving its corporate headquarters from Beverly Hills, CA to the Washington D.C. Metroplex.

Changes in the New Jeresy marketplace

GLORIA NILSON GMAC REAL ESTATE SOLD TO INVESTMENT GROUP LED BY REAL ESTATE VETERAN DICK SCHLOTT

The Former 16 Company-Owned Offices Will Now Become Franchised Offices of GMAC Real Estate

Gloria Nilson GMAC Real Estate, one of New Jersey’s largest and best-known real estate firms with 16 offices and more than 700 sales associates, has been purchased by SCS Realty Investment Group LLC, a firm led by 40-year real estate veteran Dick Schlott.

As part of the agreement, Gloria Nilson GMAC Real Estate will continue to operate under that name and will become a franchisee of GMAC Real Estate, owned by Brookfield Residential Property Services. The Schlott-led Gloria Nilson GMAC Real Estate firm will now be the largest GMAC Real Estate franchise in the Northeast.

“The Schlott name is synonymous with New Jersey real estate and we are absolutely thrilled Dick has chosen to purchase these offices and in turn, become a franchisee of our company,” said John Bearden, president and CEO of GMAC Real Estate. “We look forward to seeing this tremendous company grow under his leadership, backed by the resources of our new parent company, Brookfield Residential Property Services,” Bearden said.

Schlott founded Schlott Realtors in 1971 and grew the firm to one of the nation’s preeminent real estate brokerages with 140 offices in five states, thousands of sales associates and annual sales of more than $7 billion, before selling the company in 1991. He has also led a major global real estate franchise system, and served as president and CEO of GMAC Home Services. During his career, Schlott has held key positions within industry associations including Director of the National Association of Realtors, Vice President of the New Jersey Association of Realtors and President of the Northwest Bergen Board of Realtors.

“This is truly a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for me to re-enter the real estate industry in a huge way and become part of an organization whose philosophy and vision for the business are so closely aligned with my own,” said Dick Schlott.

Brookfield Residential Property Services, which less than 60 days ago purchased GMAC Real Estate, is already making significant headlines. The company was recently named in the 2009 Swanepoel TRENDS Report as the number one trendsetter in 2008.

“With the backing of Brookfield Residential Property Services and as a franchisee of GMAC Real Estate, I’m very confident we’re positioned with the right team to deliver tremendous success,” said Schlott.

Terms of the purchase were not announced.

From Business Wire January 14, 2009

Relocation Announcement

Neptune Orient Lines to relocate Americas regional headquarters

By end of third quarter 2009 Neptune Orient Lines will have moved their regional headquarters from Oakland, California to Phoenix, AZ.

Relocation announcement

The Gable Top division of Tetra Pak (Minneapolis) is moving to Sweden

New Year, New Opportunities

Here is our first post for the new year. There are some signs that the financial community sees the beginning of a turnaround in the coming months. Hopefully we can all see some benefit of it. The staff of Daniel Bloom and Associates, Inc. wishes all our client family and readers of this blog the happiest of new years.

QuadraMed to Move Headquarters

QuadraMed Corp., San Rafael, Calif., will move its corporate headquarters to its existing facility in Reston, Va., resulting in an undisclosed number of layoffs. The move will enable the software vendor to consolidate its financial, legal and operations management in one location. The company will take a charge during the fourth quarter for severance and relocation costs. Some 50 of QuadraMed's 1,000 employees work at the San Rafael location

Move Insurance Seeking Relocation Professionals

We are seeking sales people (part/full time) to join our Relocation Insurance Group (www.RelocationInsurance.com). Work from home, flexible hours, great potential for growth, innovative environment. Paid expenses. Commission based compensation. Need to be internet and computer savvy, sales and target oriented, display high communication skills, be a team player yet able to operate independently. Potential for a full time and long term employment for high producers. Please respond to hr@RelocationInsurance.com

Moving Pets Part Three

It’s a Big World After All

For transferees making international moves, the idea of sending their pet to a new country becomes even more daunting and worrisome. The variety of import requirements and quarantine restrictions can be overwhelming at first. Each country has its own set of individual import and export requirements, and it is important that the pet relocation professional have a familiarity with shipping to and from the transferee’s destination. International relocations for pets, just like their human counterparts, require months of advance planning and careful attention to paperwork details. A pet relocation company ensures that all of the documentation is in order before the pet leaves the origin country so there are no delays or problems upon arrival.

The most common misconception is regarding quarantine facilities and the level of care found at them. Countries with unavoidable quarantine periods, such as Singapore and Australia, have created very comfortable, clean areas for pets to stay, not unlike modern boarding facilities found in the US. Singapore’s quarantine facility has visiting hours when owners can take their pets outside to designated pens for exercise. The one caveat with these facilities is that they often fill up months in advance so it is crucial for transferees to be connected with their pet relocation specialist early on so the quarantine booking can be made ahead of time. Other countries like the UK and Japan have mandatory six month quarantines; however this can usually be avoided by doing what is known as “home quarantine.” Pets must undergo a series of rabies shots followed by a blood test and then wait out the requisite amount of time. This also requires ample advance planning and careful attention to the order in which the inoculations must be given.

Certain countries also have restrictions on what types of animals can be imported and exported. For example, many countries have banned American Pit Bull Terriers altogether, due to their aggressive reputations. Switzerland doesn’t allow animals with docked ears and tails into the country without proof that the owner of the pet is moving to Switzerland, such as a visa or residency permit. A recent policy change in Indonesia disrupted many relocating pet owners. In September of 2007, Indonesia banned all animals coming from anywhere in the United States (with the exception of Hawaii). Import and export policies become even more difficult when dealing with exotic pets or animals like wild birds protected by international trade laws. It is crucial that exotic animals such as these be exported properly, because if the owner ever needs to move their pet again, they will need to show the past documentation showing that the animal was legally brought into the country initially. All of these delicate matters make up the stepping stones of an international pet relocation and are why it often takes several months to prepare all of the necessary documentation.

Home at Last

After all of the stressors of moving, a transferee is ultimately the happiest when their pet arrives safely at their new location. Through careful planning and open communication between the transferee and the pet relocation specialist, a corporate relocation professional doesn’t have to concern themselves with the intricacies of a pet move. From Albany to Amsterdam, pet owners around the world will agree that their house isn’t a home until their best friend is resting quietly beside them.

This is part three in a three-part series on pet relocations, written by Rachel Farris with PetRelocation.com, based out of Austin, Texas. This series originally appeared in MOBILITY magazine. PetRelocation.com offers on-site and webinar training for CRPs and companies interested in learning how to best answer their transferee's frequently asked questions surrounding domestic and international pet relocations. For more information or to schedule a free training seminar for you and your staff, please contact PetRelocation.com at +1-512-264-9800.