Gov. Chris Gregoire has appointed Sandy Ward, marketing director for the Future of Flight Aviation Center and Boeing Tour in Mukilteo to the newly created Washington Tourism Commission. Ward, who previously was executive director of the Snohomish County Tourism Bureau, has more than 30 years of experience in the tourism industry. She and the 13 other members of the commission will create a strategic plan to boost tourism statewide.
Neah Power to enter Defense contest
Neah Power Systems Inc. of Bothell said it intends to make a wearable power supply for a competition sponsored by the Department of Defense. Neah, which is developing portable fuel cells to power small electronic devices, said it can meet the requirements the military wants in a power system, including the ability to operate for four days and weigh very little. Competitors will demonstrate their prototypes in late 2008.
McDonald’s to sell Boston Market
McDonald’s Corp. said Monday it agreed to sell its meat-and-potatoes Boston Market restaurant chain to private equity firm Sun Capital Partners for an undisclosed sum. Richard Hurwitz, a spokesman Sun Capital, based Boca Raton, Fla., confirmed the agreement but declined to make further comment.
Phone handsets stopped by chip ban
The Bush administration upheld an import ban Monday on phones that contain Qualcomm Inc. chips, further threatening the introduction of new handsets. U.S. Trade Representative Susan Schwab said she was sticking to a long practice of declining to overrule the U.S. International Trade Commission unless conditions were “extraordinary.” In June, the ITC banned imports of new, high-end phones that contain Qualcomm chips, raising doubts about the introduction of some models from carriers including Sprint Nextel Corp. and manufacturers like LG Electronics Inc. and Samsung Electronics Co.
Countrywide outlines backing
Countrywide Financial Corp. said Monday it has access to $46.2 billion in cash, credit lines and other investments, a move aimed at reassuring nervous investors the nation’s biggest mortgage lender can weather a market downturn. The Calabasas-based company made the disclosure in a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
U.S. airline delays worst on record
U.S. airline delays are at their highest level in at least 13 years, and analysts say fliers can expect more of the same for the rest of the summer. The Department of Transportation on Monday said the industry’s performance in the first six months of the year was its worst since 1995, the earliest period for which the agency has comparable data. In June, nearly a third of domestic flights on major U.S. airlines were late.
From Herald staff
and news services
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
