VANCE — Inside the Mercedes-Benz museum on the grounds of the German automak­er’s Tuscaloosa County plant last week, a well­-heeled crowd of business and political power brokers sipped cocktails and munched hors d’oeuvres.

The invitation-only soiree followed the formal produc­tion launch of the third-gen­eration M-Class SUV, the plant’s flagship model that kicked off the company’s Al­abama operations — along with the state’s auto indus­try — more than 14 years ago.

There were lots of laughs and back slaps as guests milled around the museum, all in all a celebratory scene that has been scarce in re­cent years.

The party, as well as the earlier celebration inside the plant with its 2,800 employ­ees and the new M-Class, sent a clear message: Mer­cedes is back on top.

Dieter Zetsche, chairman of Mercedes parent Daimler AG, flew in from Germany for the event, bringing with him the board of Mercedes-Benz Cars.

“Bama and Benz is a win­ning combination,” Zetsche said during the M-Class launch, no doubt comfort­ing words to employees, economic developers, gov­ernment leaders and others across Alabama who have a vested interest in the health of the plant.

The global auto downturn that stretched through 2008 and 2009 shook the faith of some, as the automaker slashed its Alabama output and shrank the plant’s work force. For a while

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With group buying becoming a phenomenon across Australia, OurDeal has six simple tips for businesses to make the most of the opportunities it presents.

According to OurDeal CEO Julian Holman, group buying should be seen as another rich resource in a business owners toolkit, “which, if used properly, can be an integral part of a company’s sustainable marketing strategy.”

“At OurDeal we work closely with merchants to create deals that not only people want but also deliver real value to the business.  Relevancy, timing and planning are crucial to the success and execution of a deal and this is an approach we believe in and work with,” Holman added.

With this in mind, OurDeal has the following tips for creating deals that are eye-catching and deliver long-term business value.

1.  Do the basics right
Managed correctly, group buying creates opportunities for companies to bring in new customers and build future relationships but it’s vital you don’t forget the basics.  First impressi

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The Co-operative Group today announced deputy chief executive Neville Richardson is standing down.

Mr Richardson, also chief executive of Co-operative Financial Services, will leave the group later in the year.

However, CFS chief financial officer Barry Tootell becomes acting chief executive of the group’s banking and insurance arm with immediate effect.

Mr Richardson originally joined the organisation in August 2009, following the CFSFS merger with Britannia Building Society, of which he was chief executive.

Since then, he has spearheaded a strategic review of the enlarged business, which culminated in last week’s announcement it was shedding 670 door-to-door financial adviser jobs.

Mr. Richardson stated: “It was always my intention to seek new challenges once the merger of CFS and Britannia was well advanced. That

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It strikes me that I’ve written a whole book-load of articles cautioning would-be self-employed types about the pitfalls of starting their own businesses, but written almost nothing about how great owning your own business is. One article certainly won’t right the balance, but for the benefit of those who are thinking of plunging into the self-employed lifestyle and opening small businesses of their own, here is a summary of the best advantages of owning your own business.

When you own your own business:

1) You’re the one in control.

Yep, the be your own boss thing is pretty great. I should lie to you and tell you that that means that no one tells me what to do, but people (customers, suppliers, government workers) still tell me what to do all the time (and on bad days, might even tell me where to go, too). The good news is that when you own your own business, you don’t have to do what they tell you (most of the time).

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BIRMINGHAM, Alabama — Jailed corporate titan Richard Scrushy has asked the United States Supreme Court to review the 2009 case that led to him being found liable for the fraud at HealthSouth Corp. and subject of a $2.9 billion court judgment.

Scrushy filed his petition asking for review by the high court late last week. He says in the eight-page document that the judgment he was ordered to pay was excessive, that he wasn’t allowed to participate in the trial and that he never harmed anyone’s health or safety.

“The judgment of $2,878,103,000.00 against an individual is unconscionable, against public policy, grossly excessive and violates due process under the 14th Amendment,” the petition reads. “The magnitude of this judgment against an individual as CEO or Chairman of the Board will have far-reaching, adverse and long lasting effects on the American economy.

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