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October 8, 2008 News for the wholesale distribution industry     News and Trends    Cardinal Health to pay $34 million fine over DEA charges Cardinal Health is expected to pay $34 million in civil penalties to settle allegations that it failed to report suspicious orders of the painkiller hydrocodone to the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Justice Department announced. The drug distributor denied any wrongdoing and said it will resume shipment of controlled pharmaceuticals by the end of November. Houston Chronicle (10/3) , The Wall Street Journal (10/3) VWR International acquires Swiss lab-supply distributor VWR International has acquired Switzerland's OMNILAB AG for an undisclosed sum. OMNILAB supplies laboratory equipment to the biotechnology, pharmaceutical and industrial scientific markets. This acquisition supports West Chester, Pa.-based VWR International's plans for additional growth in Western Europe. Modern Distribution Management (10/2) , American City Business Journals/Philadelphia (10/2) Staples to reduce work force following Corporate Express merger Staples acquired Corporate Express in May for $2.7 billion, and now has begun laying off employees as it merges the two companies. Staples spokesman Paul Capelli said the company does not yet know what the exact number of layoffs will be. Rocky Mountain News (Denver) (10/2)   Free White Paper: Enhance Your Supply Chain Visibility Technology is helping companies speed the flow of accurate information, increase transparency and connectivity, and facilitate collaboration to deliver more value to customers. The insights discussed in this FREE White Paper can improve your own supply chain visibility and integration to help your company achieve optimal operational performance.   ADVERTISEMENT   Best Practices  Improve profit management, gross margin with key strategies Perform a cost analysis of your account base to get the ball rolling on gross margin improvement. Implementing a "margin hold" system that requires management to approve orders that come in below a minimum gross-margin percentage can also help. CEO Strategist (10/3) Perks that can take the place of raises Keeping employee morale strong is important as small businesses work to tighten budgets, and few things work as well as freebies in helping motivate workers, one expert says. Three key perks that can keep employees happy without breaking the bank are giving them some flexibility in their work schedules, providing recognition for a job well done and offering personalized incentives. Entrepreneur.com (10/1) Get Active to Reach Passive job seekers. 57% of NAW SmartBrief's 34,000 subscribers are industry decision makers. Reach this selective, high value audience with NAW SmartBrief Job Listings. Start your focused recruiting campaign now.   Sales  Reach out to "Gamma women" for marketing success Companies can benefit by reaching out to so-called Gamma women, active female consumers who share information within their communities. Companies can get the attention of Gamma women using a number of strategies, including giving these consumers exclusive access to certain products or services. Manage Smarter (10/3)   Small Business Manager  Five tips for hanging tough When credit is not available, these five tips may help a small business keep operating until the economy recovers: slash expenses, eliminate unprofitable areas, develop a back-up revenue source, even if it means getting a job, offer compensation linked to increased revenue, and cut production costs. The Wall Street Journal/SmallBusiness.com (10/3)   Executive Life  Survey finds wealthy cutting back, but not on travel Trouble in the economy is prompting America's most affluent consumers to curb their spending on jewelry, fashion and other luxury items, but not on travel, according to a recently released study from American Express Publishing and Harrison Group. In fact, the study found that spending on travel is increasing. The survey, which is a quarterly update of the original survey, was conducted from Sept. 19 through 23. Travel Weekly (10/2) Where in the world is the only sustainable sushi bar? This article reveals that the only sustainable sushi bar in North America is in San Francisco. The number of restaurant meals in the U.S. that include sushi increased 11% last year over the previous year, and environmentalists are highlighting overfished species. San Francisco Chronicle (10/1)   NAW Insider  Enrollment in NAW Health Insurance Program is simple Through a convenient and paperless telephone application process, member companies and their employees can easily apply for group coverage in the NAW Health Insurance Program. What are the advantages of enrolling in the Trust? Learn more about this unique group health insurance enrollment process. Save on overnight shipping with DHL ShipReady NAW and DHL have partnered to offer a unique delivery service from DHL Express. Members can ship anywhere in the continental U.S. for one flat rate with no weight limits, extra fees or fuel surcharges. Receive two free envelopes with your first order by visiting the ShipReady site and entering the promo code NAWSR07. Learn more about NAW -> Join NAW  |  Business Products  |  Publications  |  Meetings  |  Govt. Relations   Weekly Poll  What incentives does your company offer to its salespeople? After voting once, check out the real-time poll results on NAW's All Access page as often as you'd like. Tangible incentives: trips, latest techno gadgets, money Intangible incentives: employee recognition, feedback, reviews It used to be a mix of these, but our incentives program is suffering right now. We do not offer incentives. Logistics Manager II Menlo Worldwide Augusta, GA   SmartQuote  Careers, like rockets, don't always take off on schedule. The key is to keep working the engines." --Gary Sinise, actor     Subscriber Tools       Print friendly format | Web version | Search past news | Archive | Privacy policy Advertise Sales Associate:  Henry Murphey 202-737-5500 ext. 245 Download Media Kit Job Board:  Lee Vanderwerff 202-737-5500 ext. 248   Read more at SmartBrief.com A powerful Web site for SmartBrief readers including: Breaking News Industry Home Competitor News Readers' Choice Press Releases Search Archive Who's Hiring? 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