Mohammed Babangida: Avid Polo Player & Successful Businessman

The sport of polo is played professionally and by avid players across the world.  Fans and players of the sport gather for exhibition matches in open fields and arenas in major cities around the world.  Mohammed Babangida can be found among these players and fans.  Babangida is a successful businessman from Nigeria who was educated in the United States and Europe and a polo player enthusiast.

As a member of the Kaduna Polo Club and owner of the El Amin Polo team, Mohammed Babangida partakes in the sport and also travels abroad for exhibition matches.  In 2009, Babangida traveled to Dubai for its 2009 Polo Invitational exhibition match organized by the Al Habtoor Brothers.  The match featured the El Amin team as well as the Dubai Equestrian and Polo Club.

While the sport is relatively new to Dubai, the match attracted foreigners from neighboring countries including Nigerians like Mohammed Babangida.  Babangida was impressed with the match and said that it was successful.  He also noted that the match was held to promote the sport in Dubai and to bring a glamor to the sport that had been missing in Dubai.  Further, the exhibition match was held to promote business relationships between Dubai and Nigeria and owners of the two polo teams.  Presently, Mohammed Babangida continues with his business ventures, philanthropic activities and his commitment to the sport of polo.

Spring Flowers

After a long cold Winter, the budding blossoms of flowers in Spring is a sight for sore eyes.  A walk in the park can awaken the senses or a trip to the local botanical garden can do a lot for the soul.  The sight of colorful flowers can awaken the senses, improve the mood and so much more.  For those without a garden in their backyard and who would prefer to have flowers delivered to their home, a call to 1-800-Flowers can make the difference.

This Spring, 1-800-Flowers is offering specials and sales on some of their most popular bouquets and baskets using Coupons for 1-800 Flowers.  There are also discount and promotional codes being offered using 1-800-Flowers Promotion Codes.  All of these are a great way to add the beauty of flowers to your home or office at a discounted price from 1-800-Flowers.

Eyeglasses: Get The Look And The Glasses You Need

Eyeglasses can be sharp, hip, professional or funky depending on the look that you are going for.  Most people who wear eyeglasses do so because they need them.  But there are some people who just prefer the look of a good reading glass, it highlights their features or gives their face that extra something they desire.

Whatever your motivation, if you are looking for a good pair of eyeglasses consider purchasing from eyeglasses.com.  Not only is it convenient, you cannot beat shopping for eyeglasses at home in the comfort of your pajamas.  But they also have a variety of styles and options offered in their extensive inventory, great prices and convenient customer service.  It's a great place to shop for eyeglasses and you can find whatever you need.

Alex Crisses And Insight Venture Partners

Alex Crisses, an expert on infrastructure software and internet investments joined Insight Venture Partners in 2002.  He gained experience in investment banking while working as an analyst at Credit Suisse First Boston's Global Energy and Power Group. 

Educated at the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School of Business where he received a Bachelor's of Science degree in Economics.  There, Alex Crisses also received the Dean's Award for Excellence and joined two prominent honor societies: The Mortar Board National Honor Society and the Golden Key International Honor Society.  From there, he went on to earn his MBA from Harvard's Business School, graduating with high distinction and as a George F. Baker Scholar. 

With all of his professional achievement, Alex Crisses still makes time for his personal interests which include tennis and raising money for some of his favorite charities.  He is a supporter of the Make A Wish Foundation as well as Minds Matter, The New York City Police Foundation, and the Sergeants Benevolent Association.  He has raised money for all of these charities, including hosting fund raising events and was the former Director of Fundraising and an Executive Committee Member of the Minds Matter Foundation.  Alex Crisses' commitment to charities that support education and those who sacrifice their lives to keep our citizens safe is worthy of commendation.

Flowers For Valentine's Day

When we think of Valentine's Day, images of flowers, chocolates, heart-shaped valentines and cupids come to mind.  Flowers of every kind, and especially roses, are popular as gifts on this lover's holiday.  Flowers are a welcome gift to both men and women, and for people of every age group including children and the elderly.

Flowers were also used extensively as symbols of love within of the Twilight series.  In the Twilight series, author Stephenie Meyer uses roses, lilacs, baby's breath, orange blossoms and freesias to describe the breaking dawn wedding scene.  She also uses flowers extensively throughout the books series which was carried on into the film versions of her books.  

In honor of both Valentine's Day and the phenomenal series that is Twilight, 1-800-Flowers, has issued a special Twilight Flowers Poster Bundle that will include a movie poster for Twilight and a bouquet of flowers.  There is also the option of upgrading the bundle to include a copy of the movie Twilight. 

If you are not a fan of the Twilight series but would like to purchase a bouquet for that special someone, 1-800-Flowers has a wide selection to choose from and some of the best prices around. MSNBC has taken note of the fair pricing practices of 1-800-Flowers in a recent report and says that of all its competition the company is most transparent in its prices.  1-800-Flowers offers the best selection at the best prices and without all of the hidden fees that so many floral companies include.

Take advantage of these fantastic prices and options and make it a special Valentine's Day for that special someone in your life.  Order directly online or call 1-800-Flowers.

Ron Bongo-Visionary Of Open Source Software

Ron Bongo is a visionary in the open source software industry.  As the CEO of  Corra Technology, also known as CorraTech, Bongo brings two decades of experience in technology, management consulting and finance.  At CorraTech, Bongo manages its corporate strategy and directs its management team.  Further, he also works to build key strategic and business relationships for the company's benefit.

Before working at CorraTech, Ron Bongo honed his skills first at Gettysburg College where he obtained a Bachelor's degree in Economics.  Later, he worked as a Vice President for two management consulting firms where he managed high profile projects for Fortune 1000 corporations.  As founder and CEO of Financialpro.com, Ron Bongo was one of the first to adopt emerging relationship management solutions for financial solutions.  As a a Director for SymphonyRPM, Bongo provided performance management solutions in real time for key vertical markets.

It is all of this experience in the business world that allowed Ron Bongo to become the visionary he is in the open source industry.  Bongo was one of the first to adopt open source software technology and offer it to his clients.  He is also an advocate of the OSA or Open Solutions Alliance, a non-profit organization which promotes the usage of open solutions between businesses in the open source software industry.

Gina Penzarella-Bridal Gown Connoisseur

If you have been a bride or a member of the bridal party, you would know how stressful it can be to plan a wedding and pick out the right gowns for all members of the bridal party.  Everyone has an opinion and finding the right gown for the right person that meshes with the tone and vibe of the wedding theme can be an art in itself.

Working with a wedding planner can help relieve some of the strain but it is often helpful to go to the right bridal shop where you can work with an expert of bridal gowns and other accessories.  An expert, such as Gina Penzarella, who owns and manages her own bridal shop, Footlights, in Easton, PA. 

Footlights Boutique is one of the more popular bridal shops in the Lehigh Valley area of Pennsylvania, precisely because Gina Penzarella's expertise in bridal (and prom) gowns and the personal services that she provides to all customers.

Gina Penzarella's experience and knack for handling even the most anxiety-ridden bride-to-be comes from years of experience with her bridal shop as well as experience in customer service, advertising and marketing.  Her business sense comes from experience in the business world as well as the undergraduate degree she earned from Fordham University in Marketing.

If you are planning a wedding or are going to be in a wedding soon, consider stopping by the Footlights Boutique.  Perhaps Gina Penzarella can put your mind at ease and make the experience of finding the perfect wedding gown, one that you will always remember.

Sak Narwal-Fishing Enthusiast

SakNarwal is a dedicated fisherman when not working as a successful businessman and entrepreneur.  Sak learned to fish when he was a young boy, his passion for the sport increasing as he got older.  As a young man, he began to travel the world, discovering new places to explore his favorite hobby.

Sak Narwal's love of fishing has taken him to all of the fishing hot spots in America from coast to coast.  He has fished for salmon in Bristol Bay, Alaska and bass at Dixon Lake, California on the West Coast.  On the East Coast, he hunted for brook trout in Beaverkill River, New York and for catfish down in the Florida Panhandle along the Apalachiola River.

Sak Narwal loves to hunt for shark as much as he loves the hunt for fish of every variety.  Shark hunting is especially popular in the waters along Montauk, Long Island.  Shark hunting is popular in this area because it is a location where several bodies of water converge in one place, allowing for Sak Narwal to discover many varieties of the shark including: Blue, Mako, Thresher, Brown, Dusky and Hammerhead.

Despite his love for fishing and his enjoyment of an occasional fish dinner, Sak Narwal is a catch-and-release fisherman, which means he does not fish for food.

Flowers-The Perfect Gift

When most people think of giving the gift of flowers, it is usually assumed to be a romantic gesture, or something you send for a wedding or a funeral. But the gift of flowers can be received for most any occasion.  And 1-800-Flowers provides so many options to choose from, all of which befit any and all events, holidays and special occasions.

People love to have fresh flowers at parties---think dinner parties or a birthday gathering. Your boss or favorite colleague who has been working on that big project would love the gift of a bouquet of flowers if only as a sign of appreciation for their efforts.  You can find the perfect bouquet for him or her at 1-800-Flowers.

Recently, a friend of mine announced that she received a promotion on her job and we celebrated at an upscale restaurant in her neighborhood of Murray Hill, an area just south of Midtown Manhattan. In recognition of her success, I bought her a bouquet from 1-800-Flowers, a bouquet that included a combination of her favorite flowers.  They arrived at her new office promptly when scheduled and she thanked me for profusely for them. What I thought of as a small gesture, not only made her day but also brightened up her cozy one-bedroom apartment for days thereafter.

Consider my story when you think about purchasing a gift for your loved ones and give 1-800-Flowers a call.

Steve Stevanovich-Asset Manager & Philanthropist

Steve Stevanovich, is the founder of an asset management firm with offices in North America, Europe and Asia. He also supports the work of The Stevanovich Center for Financial Mathematics at the University of Chicago.

The Stevanovich Center was founded with an initial multi-million dollar donation from Steve Stevanovich and it is the only center of its kind in the country, and possibly the world, that integrates mathematics, statistics and economics to understand the complexity of the financial world.

Academic researchers and financial professionals like Steven Stevanovich gather at The Stevanovich Center to work together to discuss the real-world of finance and apply it to financial theory in an effort to improve financial practices. Together they work to create more sophisticated tools that will analyze, visualize and interpret massive data sets to build more accurate financial models that measure and hedge risk.

The Stevanovich Center has created professional programs that combine research in the life sciences and clinical practice. It also holds conferences and workshops as well as academic and research papers on financial mathematics for visitors from around the country. In June, The Stevanovich Center held the Creates Conference in Denmark, which explored current themes and new directions in Financial Econometrics and Statistics. Most recently, a conference on Liquidity Risk and Extreme Financial Events was held at the University of Chicago in October.

Deven Parekh-Henry Crown Fellow & Private Venture Capitalist

Deven Parekh, an alum of University at Pennsylvania's Wharton School with a bachelor's degree in Economics, currently works as a managing director for Insight Venture Partners. Insight Venture Partners, is a private equity and venture capital firm based in New York. The firm was founded in 1995 by Jeff Horing and Jerry Murdock, and focuses exclusively on software and Internet-based businesses, working with a capital base of $3 billion dollars.

Prior to working with Insight Venture Partners, Parekh worked for Berenson Minella & Company, a New York based merchant banking firm. Parekh was a Principal and served on the firm's M&A Committee. He had similar duties when he worked for The Blackstone Group.

In addition to his work in the business field, Deven Parekh is a Henry Crown Fellow of the Aspen Institute. The fellowship honors the memory of a Chicago industrialist, Henry Crown, a remarkable businessman who committed to honor, integrity, industry and philanthropy. The Aspen Institute continues its mission of value based leadership and encouragement to individuals to act for the good of society with its seminars, young-leader fellowships, policy programs, public events and conferences around the globe.

In accordance with these goals and following the Aspen Institute's mission, Deven Parekh sits on the board of a non-profit organization, Publicolor, that uses color and painting to motivate and engage disaffected teenagers.