MINNEAPOLIS  (Profitable.com)  For the eighth time in recent history, Carlson, a privately held, global hospitality and travel company, has been recognized as one of the “100 Best Companies for Working Mothers” by Working Mother magazine.

Carlson repeated the honor – noted for its commitment to the advancement of women; a strong, values-based culture; flexible work schedules; parental leave; adoption assistance, and on-campus child care.

The top companies were selected based on an extensive application. This year’s “100 Best” evaluation gave particular weight to benefits, flexibility and parental leave.

“We are pleased to be recognized again as one of the ’100 Best.’ As a vibrant and fast-growing hospitality and travel company, it is important that we have programs to attract and retain great people,” said Hubert Joly, Carlson president, chief executive officer and director.

Among Carlson’s many benefits and programs are seminars on work/life, health/wellness and finance topics, and volunteer opportunities. The “Gift of Time” program enables employees to donate their vacation time to co-workers facing a life-threatening crisis or disaster-related emergency.        

Carlson also offers lactation facilities, domestic partner benefits, and on-site medical services through MinuteClinic at the company’s headquarters. Employee development programs include tuition reimbursement and mentoring.

Michele Capece Selected as Carlson Mother of the Year

The Working Mother 100 Best Companies initiative is celebrating its silver anniversary this year. According to the publication, with 70 percent of mothers working and women outnumbering men in the workplace for the first time in U.S. history, advancement of women in the workplace is instrumental.

In recognition of this, Carlson has selected Michele Capece of Carlson Wagonlit Travel (CWT) as its Working Mother of the Year. Capece is a senior client implementation project manager, traveler and transaction support services, North America. She has worked at CWT for 21 years and lives in Norwalk, Conn.

“Being a wife and mom of three children is an incredible blessing, but it can be stressful when you have a demanding job. At work you have demanding customers, urgent deadlines, hectic schedules and long work hours. At home you’re mom and must manage doctor appointments, activities, field trips, PTO functions and just ‘being there,’” Capece said.

“I’m lucky to have the flexibility to meet work obligations and also fulfill family responsibilities. I am able to give my kids the time and attention they require – attend the activities, help with homework and still deliver a quality performance at work,” Capece said.

Diagnosed with breast cancer over two years ago, Capece said that she appreciates the support of CWT management and her team.

About Carlson

Carlson is a privately held, global hospitality and travel company headquartered in Minneapolis, Minn. Carlson encompasses more than 1,075 hotels, including Radisson®, Country Inns & Suites By Carlson(SM), Park Inn® and Park Plaza®; more than 1,000 restaurants, including T.G.I. Friday’s® and Pick Up Stix®; and a majority stake in Carlson Wagonlit Travel®, the global leader in business travel management. Carlson operates in more than 150 countries and its brands employ about 150,000 people. http://www.carlson.com

MIAMI  (Profitable.com)  Black Enterprise magazine has named Burger King Corp. (NYSE: BKC) one of the “40 Best Companies for Diversity” in the publication’s 6^th Annual Diversity Report, which is a comprehensive analysis of the top 1,000 publicly-traded companies and 50 leading global companies with U.S. operations. This is the third consecutive year BKC has been recognized for demonstrating diversity among the company’s suppliers and employees.

“At Burger King Corp., we have always strived to foster an inclusive work environment and have ensured that inclusion and diversity are woven into not only our business strategy, but also our culture,” said Robert Perkins, vice president, inclusion and talent management, Burger King Corp. “We are proud to see such efforts come to fruition, and we are honored to be recognized by such an esteemed publication as Black Enterprise.”

BKC has dedicated considerable effort to creating a diverse culture in the workplace. Centering on four key pillars led by the executive team, BKC’s inclusion efforts focus on the workforce, community, restaurant guests and operators/suppliers. Recognizing the powerful impact of diversity within the brand, BKC continually strives to create business opportunities in the BURGER KING® system for qualified suppliers owned by women and minorities and is committed to recruiting, retaining and developing its employees from various backgrounds through workshops, speakers and various networking opportunities.

“We are proud that our efforts and accomplishments have garnered the attention of such a prominent and established publication for African American professionals as Black Enterprise,” Perkins said. “By continually recognizing and appreciating the differences in each individual, BKC is committed to helping our employee base grow both personally and professionally.”

In addition, BKC was recently named to the Working Mother 2010 list of the Best Companies for Multicultural Women, which honored 23 companies that are dedicated to bringing more perspectives to the decision-making table by promoting the advancement of multicultural women.

About Burger King Corporation

The BURGER KING® system operates more than 12,150 restaurants in all 50 states and in 75 countries and U.S. territories worldwide. Approximately 90 percent of BURGER KING® restaurants are owned and operated by independent franchisees, many of them family-owned operations that have been in business for decades. In 2010, Fortune magazine ranked Burger King Corp. (BKC) among America’s 1,000 largest corporations and Standard & Poor’s included shares of Burger King Holdings, Inc. in the S&P MidCap 400 index. BKC was recently recognized by Interbrand on its top 100 “Best Global Brands” list and Ad Week has named it one of the top three industry-changing advertisers within the last three decades. To learn more about Burger King Corp., please visit the company’s website at www.bk.com.

About Black Enterprise

BLACK ENTERPRISE (BE), your ultimate source for wealth creation, is the premier business, investing, and wealth-building resource for African Americans. Since 1970, BE has provided essential business information and advice to professionals, corporate executives, entrepreneurs, and decision makers. Every month, black enterprise magazine provides 4.3 million readers with information on entrepreneurship, careers, and financial management. A multimedia company, BE also produces radio and television programming, business and lifestyle events, Web content, and digital media. Black Enterprise is the definitive source of information for and about African American business markets and leaders, and the authority on black business news and trends.

Diverse Issues in Higher Education ranks the school 15th nationally

CAMBRIDGE, Mass.  (Profitable.com)  Cambridge College, a private non-profit college serving working adults, was named one of America’s Top 100 Graduate Degree Producers by Diverse Issues in Higher Education Magazine. Nationally, the college ranked 15th in awarding the most master’s degrees to African American students, higher than any other school in New England. It also ranked 34th nationally in awarding master’s degrees to all minorities.  

“We’re pleased to receive this distinction because it reflects the college’s commitment to providing educational opportunities for hard-working adults across all walks of life,” said college President Tito Guerrero, III. “We specialize in providing an avenue for adult students to reach their educational goals and the diversity of our student body creates a rich and inclusive classroom environment.”

Last year, the college enrolled more than 8,100 students in professional education and degree programs.  In addition to receiving distinction at the college-wide level, each of Cambridge College’s graduate schools individually ranked nationally on the diversity Top 100 list, including: 6th in minorities receiving master’s degrees in Education; 22nd in minorities in Psychology; and 41st in African Americans in Business.  

A full list of Cambridge College’s rankings in the Top 100 follows:

Master’s Degrees in All Disciplines

• 15th to African Americans
• 47th to Hispanics
• 34th to Minorities

Master’s Degrees in Education

• 5th to African Americans
• 18th to Hispanics
• 46th to Native Americans
• 6th to Minorities

Master’s Degrees in Psychology

• 26th to African Americans
• 14th to Hispanics
• 44th to Asian Americans
• 22nd to Minorities

Master’s Degrees in Business/Management

• 41st to African Americans

About Cambridge College

Cambridge College, (www.cambridgecollege.edu), is dedicated to providing academically excellent, time-efficient, and cost-effective higher education for a diverse population of working adults for whom those opportunities may have been limited or denied.  Founded in 1971, Cambridge College is a private non-profit institution of higher education accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges Commission on Institutions of Higher Education, (NEASC CIHE).  Comprised of four schools –Undergraduate Studies, Education, Psychology and Counseling, and Management – and Cambridge College enrolls more than 8,000 students each year in professional education and undergraduate, graduate and doctorate-level degree programs at the main campus in Cambridge, Massachusetts and across seven regional centers nationwide in Springfield and Lawrence, Massachusetts; Chesapeake, Virginia; Memphis, Tennessee; Augusta, Georgia; San Juan, Puerto Rico; and Ontario, California.

New edition includes specialty rankings and online guides for admission and paying for college

WASHINGTON  (Profitable.com)  U.S. News Media Group today released the 2011 edition of Best Colleges, which includes rankings of more than 1,400 schools nationwide. Harvard University is ranked No. 1 among Best National Universities, while Williams College tops the list of Best National Liberal Arts Colleges. The exclusive rankings, available online today at USNews.com, will also be published in the September issue of U.S. News & World Report, on newsstands starting August 31.

Over the past two decades, the U.S. News college rankings, which group schools based on categories created by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, has grown to be the most comprehensive research tool for students and parents considering higher education opportunities.

“As soaring college costs make the decision more complicated than ever, U.S. News strives to provide students and families with the best information to help guide them through this process,” said U.S. News & World Report Editor Brian Kelly. “This year the challenge comes down to finding the right college–at a cost you can afford. The 2011 edition includes specialty rankings, online guides for admission and paying for college advice to help navigate your search.”

The 2011 Best Colleges feature the established rankings of the Best National Universities and Best National Liberal Arts Colleges, while also including rankings of A+ Schools for B Students, Great Schools at Great Prices, and Up-and-Coming Schools, among others.

The 2011 Best Colleges package provides the most thorough examination of how more than 1,400 accredited four-year schools compare on a set of up to 16 widely accepted indicators of excellence. Among the many factors weighed in determining the rankings, the key measures of quality are: peer assessment, graduation and retention rates, faculty resources, student selectivity, financial resources, alumni giving, and for National Universities and National Liberal Art Colleges “graduation rate performance” and high school counselor ratings of colleges. U.S. News has made some significant changes to the 2011 Best Colleges’ ranking methodology and presentation. For more details on these changes, go to www.usnews.com/collegemeth

For more information about Best Colleges, visit www.usnews.com/colleges. To access the Premium Online Edition, go to www.usnews.com/usnews/store/products/college_index.htm

About the U.S. News Media Group. The U.S. News Media Group is a multi-platform publisher of news analysis, research and rankings which includes the monthly U.S. News & World Report magazine, the digital-only U.S. News Weekly magazine, and the company’s websites, www.usnews.com and www.rankingsandreviews.com. Focusing on Health, Money, Education, Politics & Policy, Autos and Travel, the U.S. News Media Group has earned a reputation as the leading provider of service news and information that improves the quality of life of its readers. The U.S. News Media Group’s signature franchises include its News You Can Use® brand of journalism and its “Best” series of consumer guides that include rankings of colleges, graduate schools, hospitals, health plans, and more.

EL SEGUNDO, Calif.  (Profitable.com)  Mattel, Inc., (NASDAQ:MAT) the world’s largest toymaker, announced it has been named as one of 2010’s “Best Places to Work in Los Angeles,” ranking 5th among large-sized companies. The complete list will appear in next week’s issue of the Los Angeles Business Journal. Mattel moves up the list for the fourth consecutive year to rank 5^th in 2010.

“To be recognized with this honor is so reflective of Mattel’s unique corporate culture and how each and every day our employees are realizing our vision to create the future of play,” said Alan Kaye, Senior Vice President of Human Resources. “Since our founding in Los Angeles 65 years ago in a garage workshop, Mattel has grown up to become the world’s largest toymaker. We value the many communities all around the world where our employees live, work and play, and are honored that Mattel is being recognized as a top five best employer in our home town of Los Angeles.”

About Mattel

Mattel, Inc., (NASDAQ: MAT, www.mattel.com) is the worldwide leader in the design, manufacture and marketing of toys and family products. The Mattel family is comprised of such best-selling brands as Barbie®, the most popular fashion doll ever introduced, Hot Wheels®, Matchbox®, American Girl®, Radica® and Tyco R/C®, as well as Fisher-Price® brands, including Little People®, Power Wheels® and a wide array of entertainment-inspired toy lines. In 2010, Mattel was named as one of FORTUNE Magazine’s “100 Best Companies to Work For” for the third year in a row, and was ranked among Corporate Responsibility Magazine’s “100 Best Corporate Citizens.” Mattel also is recognized among the “World’s Most Ethical Companies.” With worldwide headquarters in El Segundo, Calif., Mattel employs approximately 27,000 people in 43 countries and territories and sells products in more than 150 nations. At Mattel, we are “Creating the Future of Play.”