MINNEAPOLIS—Smart Candle, the Minnesota-based manufacturer and distributor of Light Emitting Diode (LED) technology products throughout The Americas, has been selected as a 2008 Small Business Success Story by Twin Cities Business, a leading business publication in the Minneapolis/St. Paul market. The award was presented during a recognition dinner on January 15, 2009, at the Radisson Plaza Hotel in Downtown Minneapolis. Award recipients were selected from a statewide pool of applicants based on criteria that included the ability to detect and act upon opportunities; perseverance, energy, marketing savvy and managerial skill. “We are proud to have been recognized by Twin Cities Business,...

SANTA CLARA, CALIF.—Milestone Internet Marketing, a full-service Internet marketing agency for hotels, announced that it won three awards for Search Marketing Strategy in the “Hotel—Individual Property” category in HSMAI’s recently concluded Adrian Awards Competition. Out of almost 1,300 sites submitted for the Adrian Awards this year, Milestone was honored for its creativity and best practices in Internet marketing for the hospitality and travel industries. The websites were judged using five criteria including marketing objectives, creativity, quality, content, and results. The highlight among the award winning websites is The Orchard hotel (www.theorchardhotel.com), which won the Silver Award. The website’s creative design...

BEAUFORT, S.C.—Harris Pillow Supply, a family-owned business that has been providing quality-conscious customers with a large variety of high-end pillows since 1958, has launched a new website to better educate hotels on their product lines including the Pillow-Vac, a “pro-green” machine used by hotels and other institutions to renovate pillows. “We have seen a marked increase in the interest of our Pillow-Vac due to its ‘green’ impact of reducing the amount of pillows shipped to landfills,” says John Harris, president of Harris Pillow Supply. “The Pillow-Vac also drastically reduces pillow replacement costs.” The new website includes a video segment demonstrating the...

HILLSBORO, OREGON—Caroma, a leader in dual flush toilets and bathroom sinks, was chosen by Cambean Hospitality, a Miami Beach-based hospitality group, to supply high efficiency toilets for the Clifton South Beach hotel. The Clifton South Beach is a 35-room historic Art Deco boutique hotel in Florida that is currently undergoing a multi-million dollar renovation with the ultimate goal of LEED Gold certification. Caroma was chosen by Cambean Hospitality to help maximize water savings in the bathrooms at the Clifton. The entire hotel is being retrofitted with Sydney Smart 270 toilets, a dual flush toilet using 1.28 gallons per flush for...

ASHLAND CITY, TENN.—A. O. Smith has redesigned its line of commercial electric water heaters. The new Gold Series, Gold Xi and Custom Xi models include innovative features intended to provide customers with enhanced performance and reliability. “We’re really excited about the debut of our new commercial electric line,” said Matt Schulz, A. O. Smith standard commercial product manager. “Customers will truly appreciate and benefit from what we believe to be the smartest and most innovative commercial electric water heaters available.” The new Gold Series DRE incorporates several new features, including the addition of Goldenrod elements as a standard feature on all...

LOS ANGELES—Artisan Precast, a leader in precast concrete walls and fences, is offering a more eco-friendly line of precast concrete fencing and walling solutions for 2009. Artisan Precast’s brands have been used for residential, commercial, industrial and government projects for more than 27 years. By utilizing eco-friendly products in the manufacturing process—including VOC and mercury-free molds, water-based release agents, and recycled materials to reduce the use of cement—Artisan Precast has found a way to make a durable, sustainable, aesthetically pleasing material, while reducing the product’s carbon impact. Precast concrete is concrete that has been poured into molds or forms, and allowed...

PORTLAND, ORE.—Meeting Strategies Worldwide announces the release of their industry report: “2009 State of the Sustainable Meeting Industry.” The paper gives an overview of trends and economic factors impacting the meetings industry for 2009 and addresses emerging ideas in policy, technology, and human interest for events. Click here to download the report for free. “We are proud to present our inaugural 2009 State of the Sustainable Meeting Industry report,” says Nancy J. Wilson, CMP, of Meeting Strategies Worldwide. “Trends and forecasts speak to continued economic challenges and increased demand for sustainable meetings. Both present a perfect storm of conditions to...

BOYLSTON, MA.—Owl Power Co., developer and manufacturer of clean energy cogeneration systems, has announced Vegawatt, an innovative new cogeneration system for restaurants and food service facilities. Vegawatt uses waste vegetable oil from any food service operation as a fuel to generate on-site electricity and hot water, saving the restaurant thousands of dollars as well as providing a clean, renewable source of energy. Vegawatt is installed and has been running since early December at Finz Seafood & Grill. “As a restaurant operator I am constantly looking for more efficient methods, and especially for cost-saving measures,” said George Carey, owner of Finz...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Green Seal Inc., the first-ever eco logo in the United States, is participating in the Presidential Inauguration by certifying Neenah Paper’s Classic Crest, the paper stock for the Inauguration cards, and providing Green Seal certified accommodations at the Four Points By Sheraton Points in downtown D.C and the Hyatt Regency Washington on Capitol Hill. The inaugural invitations were printed on recycled paper called Classic Crest and Green Seal certified the paper product as made with a minimum of 30 percent post consumer fiber and that mill processes, including packaging, are environmentally preferable. “It’s a distinguished cream color,” said Bernie Hennessy,...

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C.—Moyer Diebel, boasting more than half a century of experience in the field, has recently added its newest under counter, the 351HT, to its lineup of quality dish machines. Replacing the current 301HT, this cost-efficient under counter has been updated with many new features and will make its world premiere at the NAFEM 2009 show. Made for small kitchens and bars, the 351HT is an Energy Star qualified machine that significantly reduces water and energy consumption while still delivering sparkling clean wares using a low 0.80 gallons per rack. New features on the 351HT include counter-balanced, double skin door,...