Derek Hood has come a long way in seven years, when he moved to Carterville after graduating from SIU with a degree in finance, and started knocking on doors to try to solicit clients for his new business, as an

MAKANDA - Gillian Prepejchal sure knows how to add sparkle to the world.

HARRISBURG - This Mother's Day, David Hilliard will find himself surrounded with buckets full of white, pink and red peonies.

MARION - Anyone who stops by for a bite to eat at the former Pulley's Barbecue on Old Illinois 13 in Marion will notice a change in ownership. Kevin and Michelle Borum opened the business under their name, KB Bar

Germany's building materials manufacturer Xella is launching its first production unit in Russia. The company is investing 24 million in the production of its aero concrete on the premises of a concrete plant in the city of Mozhaisk near Moscow

The new President says he has plans to increase the number of small enterprises in Russia. Figures show just 17 per cent of the work force are employed by small businesses, compared to 60 per cent in Europe. Dmitry Medvedev

Vladimir Putin has opened a new terminal for the shipment of light-oil products in the Baltic port of Primorsk. The new terminal has a capacity of over 7 million tonnes of oil products a year and will provide Russia with

The owner of MTS, Sistema, wants to continue its aggressive expansion outside Russia this year and has found new partners in a bid to break into African and Middle Eastern telecom markets. The Russian mobile phone giant almost doubled its

Slovak investor J&T group has bought a 75 per cent stake in one of Moscow's best situated hotels, the Balchug Kempinsky, outbidding several Russian companies. However, experts say a five-star hotel in Moscow is more a sign of prestige for

Dallas-based eWomenNetwork, an international business women's networking organization, says there is a real and measurable change in the way women entrepreneurs are pushing forward and profiting despite negative news about the economy.

Sierra announced that it will be at the 2008 Houston Apartment Association Expo on May 21st to demonstrate Sierra's Utility Management program iLink and discuss how its newest services can improve NOI and Resident focus for its Clients.