Member Log-In
|
Associations
Contact Information
News & Events
Press Releases
|
Press Releases
Inc. Magazine Unveils 31st Annual List of America’s Fastest-Growing Private Companies—the Inc. 500ClearOne Advantage ranks No. 392 on the 2012 Inc. 500 with three-year sales growth of 959%. New York, NY (PRWEB) August 27, 2012 Inc. magazine today ranked Maryland-based ClearOne Advantage No. 392 on its 31st annual Inc. 500|5000, an exclusive ranking of the nation's fastest-growing private companies. The list represents the most comprehensive look at the most important segment of the economy—America’s independent entrepreneurs. Companies such as Microsoft, Zappos, Intuit, Jamba Juice, Zipcar, Clif Bar, Vizio, Oracle, and many other well-known names gained early exposure as members of the Inc. 500|5000. “We were thrilled to be included in Inc.’s prestigious list of fastest growing private companies. The distinction is a testament that our dedication and hard work in creating a viable, full service debt resolution provider that delivers superior debt negotiation and attentive, tailored customer service to our clients has truly paid off in the five years since we formed,” said Tomas Gordon, CEO of ClearOne Advantage. ClearOne Advantage was the highest ranked Maryland-based financial service company on the 2012 list and the twenty-fifth ranked financial service company nationally. The company also landed in the top ten fastest growing Baltimore, Md. based private companies, at No. 6. The 2012 Inc. 500, unveiled in the September issue of Inc. (available on newsstands August 21 to November 15 and on Inc.com), is the most competitive crop in the list’s history. To make the cut, companies had to have achieved a staggering minimum of 770% in sales growth. The Inc. 500’ s aggregate revenue is $15.7 billion, with a median three-year growth of 1,431 percent. The companies on this year's Inc. 500 employ more than 48,000 people and generated over 40,000 jobs in the past three years. Complete results of the Inc. 500|5000, including company profiles and an interactive database that can be sorted by industry, region, and other criteria, can be found at http://www.inc.com/500. "Now, more than ever, we depend on Inc. 500/5000 companies to spur innovation, provide jobs, and drive the economy forward. Growth companies, not large corporations, are where the action is,” says Inc. magazine Editor Eric Schurenberg. Methodology The 2012 Inc. 500|5000 is ranked according to percentage revenue growth when comparing 2008 to 2011. To qualify, companies must have been founded and generating revenue by March 31, 2008. They had to be U.S.-based, privately held, for profit, and independent—not subsidiaries or divisions of other companies—as of December 31, 2011. (Since then, a number of companies on the list have gone public or been acquired.) The minimum revenue required for 2008 is $100,000; the minimum for 2011 is $2 million. As always, Inc. reserves the right to decline applicants for subjective reasons. Companies on the Inc. 500 are featured in Inc.’s September issue. They represent the top tier of the Inc. 5000, which can be found at http://www.inc.com/500.
ClearOne Advantage Announces Sponsorship of 2012 Charm City Youth LeagueClearOne Advantage, LLC, a Maryland-based debt resolution company, is proud to be a Major Sponsor of the Charm City Youth Lacrosse League.
The Charm City Youth Lacrosse League program provides lacrosse instruction, league play and mentoring to vulnerable Baltimore City youth at no cost. Baltimore, MD (PRWEB) May 10, 2012 ClearOne Advantage, LLC, a Maryland-based debt resolution company, is proud to be a Major Sponsor of the Charm City Youth Lacrosse League. “We are thrilled to lend our support for such a fantastically important organization that gets local, underserved children involved in structured athletics while instilling positive messages of teamwork, leadership and camaraderie,” said Tomas Gordon, CEO of ClearOne Advantage. The Charm City Youth Lacrosse League program provides basic lacrosse instruction, league play and mentoring to vulnerable Baltimore City youth for eight weeks during spring and early summer at no cost. Now in its fourth year, the 2012 season has grown to include over 300 elementary and middle-school children and more than 100 volunteers. The program also features weekly speakers from the Baltimore business, civic and sports communities to engage students on the importance of education, civic responsibility, and community involvement. Previous guest speakers have included former NFL defensive tackle Reggie E. White, Congressman Elijah Cummings and former Baltimore Mayor Kurt L. Schmoke. The 2012 Charm City Youth Lacrosse League’s Major Sponsors are ClearOne Advantage, Comcast, The Cordish Companies, DLA Piper, Fellowship of Christian Athletes Lacrosse, Kelly & Associates Insurance Group, KTBSPayroll, Pfizer, PNC Bank, Verizon, Warren Brown, Esq., Wells Fargo and the Harry & Jeannette Weinberg Foundation, Inc. Supporting Partners of the league are the Baltimore City Recreation and Parks, Baltimore Community Foundation, Calvert Street Capital Partners, Dick’s Sporting Goods, Lichtenberg & Associates, MedStar Health, Pepsi, Royal Farms, Inc., Sidus Group, Under Armour and US Lacrosse. The league’s Partner High Schools are: Atholton (Girls); and Boys’ Latin, Calvert Hall, Cristo Rey, Friends, Gilman, Landon, Loyola Blakefield, McDonogh, & St. Paul’s (Boys). Service vendors for the 2012 Charm City Youth Lacrosse League are Bollinger Insurance, Just4UTransit, LaxWorld, & U-STORE
ClearOne Advantage, LLC CEO, Tomas Gordon, is an Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year® 2012 finalist in Maryland
Summary: Tougher Regulation on Credit Card Protection Plans Applauded by ClearOne Advantage Summary: Baltimore, MD - Executives at ClearOne Advantage, a Maryland-based debt resolution company, are encouraged by recent efforts being made by federal regulators in creating stricter guidelines for credit card payment protection plans and urge consumers to make educated decisions before signing up. “These plans are being marketed to credit card customers as a safety net for unforeseen misfortunes, but all may not be what it seems”, says Tomas Gordon, CEO of ClearOne Advantage. Protection plans, offered by credit card issuers such as Discover, Bank of America, Citibank and others as a way to put monthly payments on hold in times of illness or financial distress, have become big business for credit card companies. Credit lenders collected $2.4 billion in fees from the 24 million credit card accounts enrolled in payment protection plans in 2009, according to a report released by the Government Accountability Office on the nine largest credit lenders. From those collected fees, lenders posted $1.3 billion in pretax profits, with an additional quarter of the fees going to marketing costs and administering the plans. Only 21% of fees, roughly $518 million annually, are spent on paying out actual benefits to customers, the report found. ... Clear Here To Read More ... Positive Economic Signs Elicit Caution from ClearOne Advantage Summary: ClearOne Advantage executives caution consumers against falling back into the credit-debt cycle—a potentially tempting option in light of positive economic reports. Baltimore, MD, January 13, 2011- Executives at ClearOne Advantage, a Maryland-based debt resolution company, encourage cautious optimism in response to recently reported positive economic signs. The jobless rate fell to 8.5 percent, the lowest rate in nearly two years (since February 2009) according to the U.S. Department of Labor: “Both the number of unemployed persons (13.1 million) and the unemployment rate (8.5 percent) continued to trend down in December. The unemployment rate has declined by 0.6 percentage point (sic) since August,” according to the most recent report. Furthermore: “The data surpassed economists’ expectations and mark a six-month stretch in which the economy generated 100,000 jobs or more in each month. That hasn't happened since April 2006,” reported MSNCB's Bottomline. ... Clear Here To Read More ... ClearOne Advantage Encourages Shoppers to Use Layaway for Holiday Purchases Summary: Encouraged by a surge in the Consumer Confidence Index, ClearOne Advantage executives are cautiously optimistic for an improved economy in 2012, and are recommending that consumers begin 2012 with a financial budget in order to spend wisely and avoid additional credit card debt in the New Year. Baltimore, MD, December 30, 2011- Executives at ClearOne Advantage, a Maryland-based debt resolution company, encouraged by an increase in the Consumer Confidence Index (CCI), are urging consumers to start the New Year on the right financial foot. “As we head into the New Year, we can already see some encouraging signs,” said ClearOne Advantage Chief Operating Officer John Wrinn referring to the CCI, which rose much more than expected in December. Wrinn and other ClearOne Advantage executives are encouraged by this news, as well as holiday retail reports that indicate better-than-expected sales. The CCI is issued by The Conference Board, an independent economic research organization. Their monthly Consumer Confident Survey is "a monthly report detailing consumer attitudes and buying intentions." Simply put, the more confident consumers feel about the economy, the more likely they are to make purchases. According to an article by CNBC, “the surge builds on another big increase in November, when the index rose almost 15 points from the month before.” ... Clear Here To Read More ... ClearOne Advantage Encourages Shoppers to Use Layaway for Holiday Purchases- Baltimore, MD, December 23, 2011- Executives at ClearOne Advantage, a Maryland-based debt resolution company, are encouraging holiday shoppers to avoid additional credit card debt and instead to use cash or sign up for layaway payment options available at large stores such as Walmart, Kmart, Sears, Best Buy, and other furniture and department stores. While many credit card companies offer incentives for purchases, these offers rarely result in significant savings for consumers. Instead, ClearOne Advantage executives are urging consumers who cannot afford to pay cash for last-minute holiday purchases, to choose layaway over charging purchases to their credit cards. "It's easy to overspend spend on loved ones this time of year, sometimes despite financial realities,” said ClearOne Advantage Executive Vice President John Repetti. He emphasized that paying cash for holiday spending can not only help consumers spend less overall, but will let shoppers start the New Year with less credit card debt. ... Clear Here To Read More ... ClearOne Advantage Is Fully Complying With The New FTC Telemarketing Sales Rule - October 27, 2010 -- ClearOne Advantage, a premier debt settlement company, announced today that it has implemented a new business model that fully complies with the recently enacted Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Telemarketing Sales Rule, 16 CFR Part 310. The FTC Telemarketing Sales rule is designed to improve customer service and consumer protections within the debt settlement industry. ClearOne lauds the FTC for sharing its commitment to ethical business and marketing practices, and is looking forward to the positive industry changes effectuated by these new regulations. ClearOne Advantage has created a business model that not only exceeds the goal of full FTC compliance, but also significantly improves customer service via streamlined payment options and better negotiation processes. Under their new business model, ClearOne will not collect any fees until the client’s debts have been negotiated or settled. “Our company has positively impacted the lives of thousands of individual consumers and businesses across America by delivering consumer debt relief with superior customer service. These regulations are critical, not just for consumers, but for debt settlement companies like ours that have always operated with a strong commitment to transparency and a devoted focus on delivering meaningful results to our clients,” said John Wrinn, President of ClearOne Advantage. ... Clear Here To Read More ... ClearOne Advantage Agrees to Acquire Yellow Brick, LLC - September 24, 2010 -- ClearOne Advantage, a premier debt settlement company, is pleased to announce an acquisition agreement with privately held Yellow Brick, a leader in debt negotiation. This acquisition will enable ClearOne Advantage to provide even better services for its customers, with greater resources and more expansive service options. During its acquisition conversations, the recent FTC ruling (aimed at protecting consumers in credit card debt) was met with great enthusiasm by both ClearOne Advantage and Yellow Brick and seen as a distinct and mutual advantage. While many debt settlement providers are working hard to keep their fees; fighting legislation or looking for loopholes (instead of producing a more consumer-centric services), ClearOne Advantage and Yellow Brick have created a business model that not only bolsters their goal of full compliance, but significantly improves customer service - with streamlined options and better negotiation processes. The acquisition will enable both companies to thrive, while a significant number of illegitimate debt settlement firms are expected to collapse. "With this acquisition, ClearOne is taking another step forward in expanding the scope of its operations. We’re excited to bring Yellow Brick, and potentially additional companies into our conglomerate," said Tomas Gordon, CEO of ClearOne Advantage. "Our ability to innovate and develop solutions for our customers to better their financial standing will continue to accelerate with this and future acquisitions." With ClearOne and Yellow Brick’s record of maintaining the highest customer retention rate in the marketplace, Yellow Brick is an attractive asset with intrinsic growth capabilities. ClearOne will engage Yellow Brick's specialized talent to support its expanding portfolio of clients, particularly in managing strong settlement on legal accounts. Together, ClearOne and Yellow Brick will combine their proficiencies and sales channels to provide customers with customized and affordable debt solutions in full compliance to all FTC regulations. The new ClearOne will operate with an increased business agility that will redefine the debt settlement industry. ... Clear Here To Read More ... ClearOne Advantage Employees receive International Association of Professional Debt Arbitrators (IAPDA) debt specialist certification - March 19, 2009 -- ClearOne Advantage a premier debt settlement company focusing on superior product knowledge and customer service while offering the leading options in debt settlement announces employees recently received IAPDA debt specialist certification. IAPDA Certification includes training that is comprised of content that complies with the accreditation training requirements set out in the draft version of the new Uniform Debt-Management Services Act - the proposed legislation governing the debt settlement Industry in all 50 states. Certified IAPDA individuals represent their client's best interest during sensitive debt negotiations with creditors and collectors. ClearOne Advantage Launches New Sections on its Website to Show Cases of Actual Client Settlements and Testimonials - March 7, 2009 -- ClearOne Advantage a premier debt settlement company focusing on superior product knowledge and customer service while offering the leading options in debt settlement announces that it recently launched new sections on its website to showcase client settlement letters as well as client testimonials. ClearOne Advantage Announces it Has Been Certified as an Accredited Member of TASC - Columbia, MD (PRWEB) March 5, 2009 -- ClearOne Advantage a premier debt settlement company focusing on superior product knowledge and customer service while offering the leading options in debt settlement announces that is has been certified as an accredited member of The Association of Settlement Companies (TASC). The accreditation audit was performed by BSI Management Services, a leading provider of certification and training services management systems. Question and Answer - Columbia, MD (PRWeb) May 30, 2008 -- ClearOne Advantage, a foremost debt settlement company focusing on superior product knowledge and customer service while offering the leading options in debt management, debt settlement, and debt resolution, announces that is has launched a new Question & Answers Knowledge Base section of their website at http://answers.clearoneadvantage.com. TASC - Columbia, MD (PRWeb) May 19, 2008 -- ClearOne Advantage, a premier debt settlement company focusing on superior product knowledge and customer service while offering the leading options in debt management, debt settlement, and debt resolution, announces that is has been approved as a member of The Association of settlement Companies (TASC). USOBA - Columbia, MD (PRWeb) March 13, 2008 -- ClearOne Advantage, a premier debt settlement company focusing on superior product knowledge and customer service while offering the leading options in debt management, recently joined The United States Organizations for Bankruptcy Alternatives (USOBA) www.usoba.org.
|
