Change is in the air this October.
Click inside to page 2 to find a feature article about the immigrant visa allocation system. We’ll tell you about the September 22, 2010, meeting where Charles Oppenheim explained the process used to assign priority dates and provided background in the applicable law. We’ll also share his predictions about the progression of visa numbers over the next few months. Oppenheim is Chief of the Visa Control and Reporting Division of the Visa Office at the U.S. Department of State (DOS).
On page 3, you’ll find our Immigration Updates, where among other changes, you’ll learn that the USCIS (U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services) has changed its filing fees and extended the validity period of advance parole.
All of us at Trow & Rahal are available to help with your immigration-related needs. Don’t hesitate to call for more information: 202-537-4830. — info@trowlaw.com
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This month, Steve Trow traveled to Switzerland to speak at the Association of Foreign Banks in Switzerland Conference in Geneva (on Sept. 8) and in Zurich (on Sept. 9). The topic of the conference was “FATCA: first set of guidance for implementation.”
He addressed U.S. immigration rules that determine whether an individual is a U.S. citizen or has U.S. permanent resident (green card) status. This is not always clear, as a person may be unaware that he is a U.S. citizen or may mistakenly think that he has lost U.S. citizenship by acquiring another nationality or lost permanent resident status by residing abroad. Click here to view the agenda for the conference.
Steve’s next speaking engagement is October 26: He will travel to Calgary to conduct a four-hour presentation for Moodys Tax Seminars. The topic is “U.S. Immigration and Citizenship Planning for High Net Worth Clients.” Learn more about that here.
In this issue: You’ll learn about the EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program, which allows foreign investors and their families to obtain U.S. permanent resident status (green cards) to reside permanently in the United States. Read all about that by clicking inside. Don’t miss the insights we share in our immigration news briefs. Specifically, take a look at the higher filing fees that will be required for companies with a large H-1B/L-1 workforce.
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Welcome to the first issue of our monthly newsletter, Cooking with Culinaria. Each month, our chefs will bring you new and exciting cooking tips and recipes. And our wine director John Peters will provide insights and ideas about wine.
Click “Read More” below to find a list of our fall classes, including individual sessions on cooking regional Italian dishes, tapas from Spain, and crepes. Teen classes include learning to make Chinese food, cookies and quick breads, and summer camp. There will be classes for couples, team building opportunities for businesses, and more. Also below, you will meet our team of professionally trained chefs who have years of experience in teaching the fundamentals of cooking.
We look forward to welcoming you into our kitchen at our grand opening in October. Look for details on the date and time in our next newsletter.
From all of us here at Culinaria Cooking School, Salud! — Chef Robyn Alexander, Chef and Co-owner Stephen Sands, Chef and VP Pete Snaith, Wine Director John Peters (pictured above), Chef Bonita Woods, Chef Brian Batsel, and Office Manager Stefanie Sacripante
Visit us online: www.culinariacookingschool.com • Send us an email: info@culinariacookingschool.com
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By Janice Miller
Chairman, City of Fairfax School Board
As we welcome students and staff back to school this September, we are thrilled to invite you to celebrate the 75th anniversary of our beloved Fairfax High.
Festivities will begin with a Homecoming Parade on Friday, September 24, at 4:15 and continue through the evening. (See the entire list of events, at right.)
A new school year brings some other changes, including the redesign of our City School Close-Up newsletter. We’ll be publishing six issues this year, and in each one you’ll learn about something new and exciting in the field of education.
In upcoming issues, we’ll be interviewing local and national experts and writing about:
- The Importance of Diversity in Our Schools (November-December)
- The Value of Cultivating Creativity (January-February)
- How to Prepare Your Kids for College (March-April)
- The Power of Resilience (May-June)
- Graduation 2011 (July-August)
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CAN YOU MANAGE MANGERS?
Can you explain how to write meaningful and measurable performance goals? Can you show us how to tell someone their work is not up to expectations?
I am asked these questions frequently as I interact with business leaders. Immediately, my brain opens the big mental file folder labeled “Managing Performance.”
Whether I am coaching individual leaders, working with a management team, or teaching a class on management skills, nearly everything I communicate falls into this huge knowledge area called performance management.
Why is the job of directing the work of others so difficult? Read on to find out. You’ll also learn about a wonderful new book by Sharon Armstrong, a human resources expert and the author of The Essential HR Handbook.
ALICE WAAGEN IN THE NEWS: Speaking of managing managers, Inc. magazine reporter Darrell Dahl quoted me in his article published on Aug. 23. “Your company’s managers are smart, committed, and passionate. How can you make sure they perform to their potential?” Read the entire article here: www.inc.com.
Enjoy the rest of your summer! I’ll talk to you again in October.
Alice Waagen, President
Workforce Learning
alice@workforcelearning.com.
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By Scott Golden
Co-Owner and CFO
Scott@Golden-Cohen.com
On August 3, Agent’s Sales Journal reporter Heather Trese published an article featuring my comments about the future of Medicare.
She wrote: Some people, including Scott Golden, chief financial officer of the health benefits consulting company Golden & Cohen, predict that Medicare plans — such as original Medicare with a Part D or Med supp addition — will start to become more attractive as Medicare Advantage loses its luster.
I said: “Whenever you make one product less attractive, you’ll make the other product more attractive. So it does work to an advantage for those who work in the indemnity market.” Click here to read Heather’s entire article.
This issue is incredibly timely. In fact, back in March our monthly newsletter focused on Medicare — an important topic, especially if you or a loved one is nearing age 65. The process is complicated, and try as you might, don’t be surprised if you can’t get all the information you need to understand how to apply, what benefits you will receive, and a myriad of other questions you are likely to have. Click here for details.
Also in this issue:
• You’ll find an article by our accountant Eric Cohen, who asks, “Is it time for a Roth conversion?”
• And check out the 10th chapter in our upcoming book, “You Gotta Laugh: Life in the Trenches of the Health Insurance Business.” In this month’s insurance issue, my wife and business partner Stephanie Cohen and I explain why you need to carefully track and pay your premiums at the same time each month.
From all of us at Golden & Cohen, here’s to your good health!
Stephanie Cohen, CEO, stephanie@golden-cohen.com
Scott Golden, CFO, scott@golden-cohen.com
Jack Cohen, COO, jack@golden-cohen.com
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By Scott Golden, CFO
Scott@Golden-Cohen.com
Over the course of a lifetime, there are certain events that can change someone forever. For me, that moment occurred when I found out that my cousin, Steven Seiden, was diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. He lived with that disease for 12 years, but finally succumbed in 2002.
I watched him deteriorate, slowly at first and then rapidly. I, like everyone who knew and loved him, felt helpless. But I wanted to be helpful in any way that I could. I visited Steven many times in his final days, and was there for his funeral alongside my entire family.
On that day, I made a decision to become active in the fight against ALS.
I had made a promise to Steven — not verbally, but emotionally. After his death, I got involved with the ALS Association — DC/MD/VA Chapter, and hosted a gala to raise money to help those stricken by this deadly disease. From that point on, I viewed philanthropy in a whole different way. I made it a priority to give both time and money to this cause, and to other good causes, many that are health-related. I feel that I am a better person for it — and that was the gift my cousin gave me.
Every year in October, I now gather as many friends, colleagues, clients, and family members as possible to participate in the DC Walk to Defeat ALS. It is my way of honoring someone who impacted my life so greatly. I invite you to join me! Mark your calendar now for October 17. I’ll meet you at the Old Folklife Festival Area in downtown DC. Sign up here.
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As we sweat our way through the heat of July here in Washington, DC, we are reminded of the performing artists who all too often sweat their way through the immigration process.
In this issue of our newsletter: You’ll find insights and guidance from Trow & Rahal attorney and shareholder Cynthia Hemphill about how performing artists and organizations can minimize their chances of a denial and/or inherent delays if the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) issues a request for evidence.
Also in this issue: You’ll find an interview by Attorney Linda Rahal with Human Resources expert Sharon Armstrong, author of The Essential Performance Review Handbook. And don’t miss this month’s Immigration Update, which shares details about the forward movement in the availability of immigrant visa numbers and future projections, cut-off dates, best hiring practices set forth by the Department of Homeland Security, and more.
We appreciate your comments and feedback. We are looking forward to helping you with all of your immigration-related needs.
With warm regards from all of us at Trow & Rahal,
Steve Trow, Attorney / Owner / Founder, strow@trowlaw.com
Linda Rahal, Attorney / Owner / Founder, lrahal@trowlaw.com
Cynthia Hemphill, Attorney / Owner, chemphill@trowlaw.com
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By Janice Miller, Chairman
City of Fairfax School Board
This school year ended with much celebration at each of our four City Schools. Many of our students achieved at high levels this year in academics, activities, athletics and the arts. We are proud to be able to share some of these accomplishments in this issue of Close-Up Online.
The graduation at Fairfax High School was once again a very special event. I am always happy to sit on the stage and look out at the senior class, ready to go on to the next phase of their lives — so different from the children they were just a few years before.
Scott Mattock, the student graduation speaker selected by his peers, spoke of how much he, his classmates, and the world had changed in the four years that they had attended Fairfax High School (read his speech by clicking inside).
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TOTAL QUALITY MANAGEMENT: 20 Years Later
By Dr. Alice Waagen, president and founder
Workforce Learning
The 1990’s love affair with Total Quality Management (TQM) empowered work teams, process improvement, and other business buzzwords killed the professional manager.
Organizations flattened themselves, removing layers of managers, while distributing their responsibilities to key individual contributors.
This new breed of manager retained its full individual contributor duties while picking up the job of overseeing the work of staff. This concept of “working managers” permeates organizations today and has resulted, in my humble opinion, in a poorly run, overly stressed mess.
Nearly two decades later, we are still reaping the fruits of this flawed logic.
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