[ BUSINESS BRIEFS ]

Topeka Capital-Journal, The, May 18, 2003 by Capital-Journal

Grant to help seniors buy produce

Beginning June 1, low-income seniors in Shawnee County will be among those eligible for $30 in coupons to buy fresh produce.

Clients at Let's Help Inc. and Meals on Wheels of Shawnee & Jefferson Counties age 60 and older whose household income qualifies will be among 6,200 Kansas seniors assisted in the pilot program. Wyandotte, Sedgwick, Riley, Johnson and Douglas counties also will be served by the $182,000 U.S. Department of Agriculture grant, administered by the Kansas Department on Aging.

Seven farmers markets, including the downtown farmers market at S.W. 10th and Topeka Boulevard, will accept the coupons for fresh fruit, vegetables and herbs.

More information is online at www.agingkansas.org/kdoa/programs/ 03farmersmarket.htm.

Net pay options

discourage buyers

Internet service and content providers appear out of touch with the payment concerns and preferences of potential customers, a perception gap that may limit content sales growth, according to a new study.

Initiated by PaymentOne, the Online Payment Strategies and Preferences Poll surveyed more than 10,000 consumers and marketing executives at 300 Internet, content and premium service providers.

When consumers who haven't made online purchases were asked what would persuade them to buy online content, 53 percent cited more secure payment options. Payment security was chosen over price or product-related responses by more than a 2-1 margin.

Fewer executives at content and service provider companies perceive payment as a critical strategic issue. Executives responding to survey questions consistently cited pricing, content quality and other non-payment issues as their primary concerns.

Nonprofit

matches needs

An Illinois nonprofit is in the business of matching supply and demand.

The National Association for the Exchange of Industrial Resources seeks excess or non-moving inventory from companies across the country and redistributes the items to schools, churches and other nonprofit organizations.

In its 26 years, NAEIR has worked with thousands of companies. The free service is available by calling (800) 562-0955 or e-mailing donor@naeir.org.

Former SEC chair opening business

Harvey L. Pitt, the controversial former chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission who was forced to resign last year, is forging a new career as a consultant.

Pitt is in the process of forming a consultancy called Kalorama Partners LLC, a Washington-based firm that will specialize in corporate-governance and crisis-management issues and provide regulatory advice for companies in the United States and abroad.

Kalorama Partners will help corporate board members and audit committees with issues related to the landmark Sarbanes-Oxley Act passed by Congress last year, such as setting up anonymous programs for whistle-blowers and conducting investigations of possible wrongdoing by executives, according to people working with the venture. Pitt won't represent clients before the SEC, they said.

Firm releases

MBA results

Below are results of the partnership between the University of Maryland's Robert H. Smith School of Business and executive search firm Stanton Chase International, which involves 100 students, about half this year's graduating class. Results are as of May 2.

A May 9 story in The Topeka Capital-Journal described tactics some universities are taking to help students with the advanced business degree find jobs. Among them was the University of Maryland, which temporarily hired four full-time executive search consultants from Stanton Chase International.

- Resumes sent or posted --- 2,408

- Letters and e-mails sent --- 1,983

- Networking calls --- 1,675

- Informational interviews --- 290

- Formal interviews --- 181

- Job offers --- 33

--- From staff and wire reports