Green Energy Management Services completes reverse merger with CDSS Wind Down

Green Energy Management Services (GEM) has completed its previously announced reverse merger with CDSS Wind Down. Pursuant to the merger, GEM became a wholly owned subsidiary and sole operating entity of CDSS and CDSS will be changing its name to Green Energy Management Services Holdings. In connection with the transaction, prior to the merger, CDSS affected a 1-for-3 reverse stock split. As a result of the merger, former shareholders of GEM were issued shares of CDSS’ common stock in exchange for their shares of GEM and own approximately 80% of the public company, with CDSS’ shareholders owning the balance.

GEM is a full service, national energy management company. GEM provides its clients with energy efficiency solutions mainly based in two functional areas: energy efficient lighting upgrades and renewable energy generation.

In addition, as a result of the merger, Michael Samuel, the Chief Executive Officer of GEM, was appointed as Chairman, President, Chief Executive Officer and a director of CDSS, Robert Weinstein, the Chief Financial Officer of GEM, was appointed as the Chief Financial Officer of CDSS, William D’Angelo, a director of GEM, was appointed as a director of CDSS, and all of CDSS’ officers and directors prior to the merger resigned from all of their positions held with CDSS.

“We are excited to have completed the process to become public,” said Michael Samuel, Chief Executive Officer of GEM. “We are seeing strong interest from public and private entities looking to reduce their cost of energy and energy management. This interest is leading to promising opportunities for GEM to provide both the technology and management expertise that will result in its customers dramatically lowering their energy costs.”

USA, Dallas, Texas

IBM to acquire Unica Corporation

IBM is to acquire Unica in a cash transaction at a price of $21 per share, or at a net price of approximately $480 million, after adjusting for cash.  A publicly held company in Waltham, Mass., Unica will expand IBM’s ability to help organizations analyze and predict customer preferences and develop more targeted marketing campaigns. The acquisition is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2010.

Unica has more than 1,500 global customers across a wide range of industries including financial services, insurance, retail telecommunications, travel and hospitality. Customers include Best Buy, eBay, ING, Monster, Starwood and US Cellular. 

Today’s news expands IBM’s growing portfolio of industry software solutions designed to help companies automate, manage, and accelerate core business processes across marketing, demand generation, sales, order processing and fulfillment.  This acquisition along with IBM’s recent acquisitions of Sterling Commerce and Coremetrics will enhance IBM’s ability to support customers increasing demands in this growing market.

“IBM understands the demands on today’s organizations to transform core business processes in functions such as marketing with intelligence and automation,” said Craig Hayman, general manager, IBM Industry Solutions.  “Unica was a clear choice for IBM based on its power to automate a broad set of marketing capabilities and its established reputation for delivering customer success in marketing to organizations around the world.” 

“Unica’s focus is to help our customers deliver marketing messages so relevant that they are perceived as a service to our clients’ customers,” said Yuchun Lee, CEO, Unica Corp.  “Together with IBM, we will bring our leading enterprise marketing management solutions to a wider set of customers worldwide and with a much broader, more comprehensive portfolio.”

Unica’s 500 employees will be integrated into IBM’s Software Solutions Group, which includes a range of industry-focused offerings.  Unica software will complement the capabilities of IBM’s Business Analytics and Optimization Consulting organization – a team of 5,000 consultants and a network of analytics solution centers, backed by an overall investment of more than $11 billion in acquisitions in the last five years.

USA, New York, NY & Waltham, MA

All3Media acquires Optomen Television, producer of The F Word

Optomen, one of the UK’s top factual TV producers, has been acquired by independent television production group, All3Media.

Optomen’s joint venture with superchef Gordon Ramsay, One Potato Two Potato, also joins All3Media as does Optomen’s New York based company Optomen Productions Inc. All three companies will be wholly owned by All3Media.

Over more than a decade, Optomen has been responsible for launching the TV careers of household names including Clarissa Dickson Wright and Jennifer Paterson (Two Fat Ladies), Jamie Oliver (The Naked Chef), Gordon Ramsay (Gordon Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares) and Mary Portas (Mary Queen of Shops). Other recent hits include Heston’s Feast, Great British Menu and Market Kitchen as well as Police, Camera, Action! which has been running for 15 years on ITV. These series are distributed globally by Optomen International.

The sale of One Potato Two Potato after two years of trading is a coup for Gordon Ramsay, who in recent years has taken a keen interest in the business of television in addition to fronting an unprecedented five network TV series on both sides of the Atlantic. These include the upcoming Gordon Ramsay’s Best Restaurant on Channel 4 in the UK and Optomen’s original format, Kitchen Nightmares, alongside Hell’s Kitchen and Masterchef for Fox in the US.

Since its launch in 2002, Manhattan based Optomen Productions Inc has also produced a wide-range of factual programming for U.S. networks. The company has enjoyed continued growth and is currently in production on shows for Animal Planet, Discovery, Travel Channel and Food Network. Recent hits include Worst Cooks in America and Monsters Inside Me.

Pat Llewellyn, Managing Director of Optomen said: “The television landscape has changed dramatically and now feels like the right time to benefit from the scale and experience of All3Media. The support they’ll give us on the business side will allow us to spend more time doing what we love most, working with the best talent to make fantastic programmes that people want to watch.”

Gordon Ramsay joined her in saying: “I’m very happy to be joining All3Media and look forward to growing One Potato Two Potato in the UK and in America. Twenty years of working in kitchens has taught me that success is always a team effort, and with the help of the team at All3Media I’m confident we can take things to the next level and soon reach three potato, four potato and more.”

Steve Morrison, Chief Executive of All3Media said: “Pat Llewellyn and her team have done a wonderful job with Optomen producing long running, award winning and genre defining TV series one after another. They are a jewel in the UK’s TV crown and have a distinguished record in discovering new on screen talent and developing shows that get the best out of that talent. And with One Potato Two Potato they have created a brilliant vehicle to make the most out of the unstoppable force of nature that is Gordon Ramsay. We look forward to helping Optomen and One Potato Two Potato grow in Britain, America and around the world. We welcome them to the All3Media family.”

UK, London & USA, New York, NY

Endemol acquires Authentic Entertainment

Endemol has acquired a majority share of Authentic Entertainment. Authentic Entertainment was founded in 2000 by Lauren Lexton and Tom Rogan. Authentic’s credits include Ace of Cakes, Flipping Out!, My First Home, The Best Thing I Ever Ate and Toddlers and Tiaras. The company has also produced numerous award-winning specials, including The 750 Pound Man, My Husband’s Three Wives, Help I’m a Hoarder! and Incredibly Small: Kenadie’s Story.

“We are proud to become a part of one of the world’s most creative and successful content producers. This deal reinforces our position in the US while also giving us the global leverage that comes with belonging to the Endemol network.” Said Lauren Lexton.  Tom Rogan added, “We are very much looking forward to working with the Endemol Group’s extremely talented teams, both in the US and internationally, to build on the success we’ve achieved over the last ten years.”

Ynon Kreiz, Chairman and CEO of Endemol Group comments: “This acquisition further strengthens our presence in North America and represents another significant addition to our global network. The agreement with Authentic Entertainment in the USA is in line with Endemol’s global growth strategy of combining organic growth and expansion through acquisitions. Authentic’s great portfolio of hit shows and strong creative track record will also significantly contribute to our plans for further growth in the US cable space.”

The transaction with Authentic marks a further step in Endemol’s growth, which has seen the company conclude numerous acquisitions over the last 18 months. This has included Australia’s largest drama producer, Southern Star; leading German drama producers Wiedemann & Berg Television, led by the producers behind the Oscar winning film, ‘The Lives of Others’; Weit Media in Russia, led by one of Russia’s most successful producers and already commissioned to produce 16 local scripted projects in 2010; and three of the UK’s most successful independent production companies, Tiger Aspect, Darlow Smithson and Tigress.

Headquartered in Los Angeles, Endemol North America is one of the USA’s largest independent producers with a portfolio of hit programming including Wipeout, Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, Big Brother, Jerseylicious and Dating in the Dark. Endemol’s companies in the USA also includes  majority  shares in leading drama and entertainment producer Original Media (Miami Ink, LA Ink, The Rachel Zoe Project, Storm Chasers) and non-scripted entertainment specialists 51 Minds (Ochocinco: The Ultimate Catch, Money Hungry, Rock of Love, Brandy & Ray Jay: A Family Business). Endemol NA also incorporates leading non-fiction, reality and documentary producer True Entertainment (The Real Housewives of Atlanta, A Baby Story, Whose Wedding Is It Anyway), headquartered in New York.

CAA represents Authentic Entertainment and Evolution Media Capital advised Authentic Entertainment on the transaction.

USA, Los Angeles, CA

ghg acquires Geoff Howe Marketing Communications

WPP’s wholly-owned operating company, ghg, the global healthcare communications network, has acquired 100% of the capital stock of Geoff Howe Holdings, which owns 100% of the capital stock of Geoff Howe Marketing Communications, a US-based agency specialising in the marketing of animal health, diet and nutrition products. In addition, ghg will acquire the European client account of Hills Pet Nutrition, Inc and certain associated assets from Geoff Howe’s UK and Prague-based operations.

Headquartered in Kansas City, Missouri, Geoff Howe employs 48 people in the US and has two European offices in London and Prague. Clients include Bayer Healthcare, Boehringer Ingelheim, Colgate-Palmolive and Hill’s Pet Nutrition.

The consolidated unaudited revenues of GHH and GHMC for the year ended 31 March 2010 were US$ 6.7 million, with gross assets at the same date of US$ 4.1 million.

USA, Kansas City, MO

Federated Media acquires technology suite from TextDigger

Federated Media Publishing has acquired a platform for semantic and linguistic profiling of web-based content from TextDigger, a San Jose-based semantic search startup.

“FM’s home-grown technology platform is largely an untold story”.“We’re proud to place TextDigger’s semantic profiling technology in FM’s hands,” said Tim Musgrove, founder and CEO of TextDigger. “I’ve followed FM’s growth over the last few years and admire the company’s work. They have amassed a great team and a solid technology platform. I’m happy that our IP and our people will be integrated into such a wonderful company. This is a great strategic fit for all sides involved.”

TextDigger’s technology complements FM’s platform with a robust set of semantic solutions for content tagging, filtering and clustering, as well as related tools that simultaneously enhance the user experience, ad targeting, and semantic search engine optimization for a site or network of sites. The addition of TextDigger’s technology will bolster FM’s custom publishing and sponsorship capabilities for brand advertisers.

The acquisition is one major piece of FM’s ambitious technology plans. The company recently hired Chief Product Officer, Amy Yeh, to head up a growing technology team and platform roadmap. Tim Musgrove, TextDigger’s founder, will join FM as Chief Scientist, while retaining an affiliation with TextDigger as their Senior Research Fellow. Also joining FM will be Robin Hiroko Walsh, VP Engineering, Peter Ridge, Sr. Director of Product Management, and Jim Hull, Lead Software Engineer.

TextDigger will continue its search business, with Bob Perreault, the company’s Chief Business Development Officer, moving into the role of CEO. All of TextDigger’s customers will continue to be supported by either FM or TextDigger, depending on their type of project or service.

USA, San Francisco, CA

Euro RSCG 4D Discovery acquires digital agency Congruent Media

Euro RSCG 4D Discovery, the North American data analytics, CRM and behavioral marketing agency network of Euro RSCG Worldwide, has acquired Congruent Media, a full-service Internet marketing and interactive design agency, based in Baltimore, Maryland.  Effective immediately, the agency will become part of Euro RSCG 4D Discovery’s Baltimore office, expanding the entire network’s digital and behavioral marketing capabilities, client base and talent pool. This news comes on the heels of Euro RSCG 4D announcing the acquisition of Acmic Digital in India just over a week ago.

Congruent Media Founding Partners Dan Dawes and Jeffrey Rudolf will join Euro RSCG 4D Discovery as Senior Vice President of Digital and Senior Vice President of Digital Technology, respectively.

“We believe digital is far too important to be left in a silo. This acquisition is the latest in the continuation of our digital at the core model that we put in place back in 2005 where we integrate digital inside all of our agencies. In Baltimore, we’ll now be replicating this very successful model already in place in New York, Chicago and San Francisco” said David Jones, global CEO of Havas Worldwide and Euro RSCG Worldwide.

“Congruent media has a trusted reputation in the industry for building advanced interactive solutions for its clients, and this strategic move will continue to build momentum for the future-focused Euro RSCG 4D Discovery network,” said Ron Bess, President of Euro RSCG North America.  “Dan and Jeffrey have built a world-class interactive agency, and we are confident that this acquisition will enhance Discovery’s behavioral marketing strength and infuse our digital at the core model.”

Euro RSCG 4D Discovery assumes marketing and creative responsibilities for Congruent Media’s full client roster, including Metal Roofing Alliance, Speakman Company, Hurricane Grill & Wings, Pollard Banknote Limited, McElroy Metal Inc., Johns Hopkins University and Signs by Tomorrow. The Congruent Media team will join Euro RSCG 4D Discovery’s Baltimore office, creating 14 new positions at the agency.

USA, Chicago, IL

Nokia to acquire Motally

 

Nokia has announced that it has signed an agreement to acquire Motally Inc., a privately-held US-based company. Motally’s mobile analytics service offers in-application tracking and reporting, and is designed to enable developers and publishers to optimize the development of their mobile applications through increased understanding of how users engage. The service offering is planned to be adapted for Qt, Symbian, Meego and Java developers, and Nokia plans to continue serving Motally’s existing customer base.

“The acquisition underpins Nokia’s drive to deliver in-application and mobile web browsing analytics to Ovi’s growing, global eco-system of developers and publishers, enabling partners to better connect with their customers and optimize and monetize their offering”,  said Marco Argenti, Vice President, Media, Nokia.

Motally currently employs a team of eight people.

The transaction is subject to customary closing conditions and is expected to close during the third quarter of 2010.

Finland, Espoo

Facebook acquires Hot Potato

Hot Potato, an app that lets you build a social stream around events and other activities, are reporting on their blog that they have been acquired by Facebook.

“This wasn’t an easy decision, especially since we’ve built up a base of dedicated users. If Hot Potato was going to sell to anyone, Facebook was the natural choice. Facebook is still small, moves fast, provides a great supportive environment for people to be entrepreneurial, and most importantly, Facebook builds great products. We’re looking forward to joining their team. We’ll soon be wrapping up operations at Hot Potato. We will no longer be accepting new user registrations, and we will be offering existing users a way to download their information from the site. To do this, go to: http://hotpotato.com/dashboard/history. In about a month, Hot Potato will close up shop and delete all user data. No user data or account information will be kept by Facebook. We will be sure to keep you posted on this process over the next few weeks.”

USA, Brooklyn, NY

PennWell acquires Fire Apparatus Magazine

PennWell Corporation, a diversified global media and information company, has acquired Fire Apparatus & Emergency Equipment magazine and the website FireMagazine.com.  Financial terms of the sale were not disclosed.

Fire Apparatus & Emergency Equipment, founded in 1996 in Tunbridge, Vermont by C. Peter and Kathryn Jorgensen under the company name Fire Apparatus, LLC, is a leading source of information about fire apparatus-related products. Published monthly for a North American readership of 35,000, Fire Apparatus & Emergency Equipment caters to fire chiefs, purchasing and finance committees, trustees, commissioners and other fire professionals who buy trucks, tools, turnout gear and firefighting equipment. They read Fire Apparatus and the monthly Fire Apparatus eNewsletter for news and insight to make well-informed buying decisions.

PennWell President and Chief Executive Officer Robert F. Biolchini said, “PennWell is pleased to expand our fire portfolio with this outstanding publication and website, which provides us a vertical extension focused on equipment and apparatus.  Since 1996 Kathryn Jorgensen and her late husband Peter Jorgensen have built their company based on editorial excellence and a strong industry reputation.  Fire Apparatus offers a perfect fit with PennWell as we celebrate our own centennial anniversary this year.”

Fire Apparatus, LLC President Kathryn Jorgensen will assist with the transition and expressed her confidence in PennWell as the best home for the future growth of the publication and website. “My goal in selling Fire Apparatus was to find a publisher who would continue and strengthen the magazine that my husband founded.  I am very pleased that PennWell, which has an excellent reputation in the fire service and in providing information to multiple global markets, will do that,” she said.

PennWell will manage the business from its headquarters in Tulsa under Lyle Hoyt, senior vice president responsible for PennWell’s Dental and Fire Groups. Current Fire Apparatus publisher and sales manager Bob Kelly and editor-in-chief Lyn Bixby will continue in those roles under PennWell.

USA, Tulsa, UK