Hunt earns distinguished
sales / marketing honors
The Akron/Canton affiliate of Sales & Marketing Executives International recognized Darryl Hunt on Feb. 22 at its 41st annual distinguished sales and marketing award program.
Hunt is business development manager for Global Promotions and Incentives, an ASW Global company. With 12 years in the promotions industry, he serves as account manager for some of GPI's largest fulfillment clients.
Hunt joined ASW Global, headquarter in Akron, in 2007 and assumed his account management role in 2011. He has extensive sales experience with regional, national and international accounts, having managed business development and account management in industries such as promotions, print and warehouse and fulfillment services.
Hunt is an active community leader, having filled roles in Rotary International and the Aurora Chamber of Commerce, was a local sports coach and now serves as a board member for the Minority Business Enterprise Input Committee.
Cedar Fair reports record
financial results for 2012
Cedar Fair Entertainment, which operates Wildwater Kingdom in Aurora and Bainbridge and many other theme parks nationwide, recently report record financial results for the year ended Dec. 31, 2012.
The company reported record net revenues of just over $1 billion, up 3.9 percent from 2011, reflecting strong growth among its parks. Net income of $101.2 million, or $1.81 per diluted limited partner unit, was up $30.5 million from a year ago.
Adjusted Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization for the full year was a record $391 million, up 4.4 percent from last year, while in-park average guest per capita spending increased to a record $41.95 per guest, up 4.8 percent from 2011.
The firm reduced its total leverage ratio to 3.9 times debt to adjusted EBITDA, down from 4.2 times in 2011, and it reported it is on track to meet its long-term goal of $450 million in adjusted EBITDA by 2016.
"I'm pleased to report a third consecutive year of both record revenues and adjusted EBITDA, and we expect this trend to continue into 2013," said Cedar Fair President and CEO Matt Ouimet. "Our strong current year results are attributable to solid increases in average in-park guest per capita spending across the majority of our parks, along with near-record attendance levels."
Attendance in 2012 was comparable to 2011 at 23.3 million visits.
Lowe's to offer programs
through April's first week
Lowe's Greenhouses, Florist & Gift Shop in Bainbridge will offer a greenhouse landscape school March 9 from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and a pruning workshop March 16 from 10 to 11:30 a.m.
A hanging garden workshop and greenhouse tour will be offered March 16 from noon to 2 p.m., and a community Easter egg hunt will be March 23 at 11 a.m.
Professional lawn care tips and techniques will be offered March 30 at 10 a.m. and organic solutions for a greener garden will be offered March 30 from noon to 1 p.m.
Then on April 6, growing herbs for beginners will be offered at 10 a.m. and growing vegetables for beginners will be offered at noon.
For information about the programs and other special offerings and events at the business, which is run by Aurora residents, visit www.LowesGreenhouse.com or call 440-543-5123.
New car and truck sales
up 4 percent nationwide
New car and truck sales were up 4 percent in February. While the pace of growth is slowing, industry analysts expect more gains in the coming months.
Car buyers have shrugged off higher Social Security taxes, which cut their take-home pay starting in January. Gas prices, which rose 36 cents to $3.78 per gallon in February, didn't change their habits.
February sales hit an annualized rate of 15.4 million cars and trucks. That's still short of the recent peak of close to 17 million in 2005, but it's quite healthy compared with the anemic 10.4 million recorded in 2009.
"All of the automakers are in good, strong positions, so it's harder to get those share gains," said Lacey Plache, chief economist with the auto buying site Edmunds.com.
GM's sales rose 7 percent to their highest February level since 2008. Chevrolet Silverado pickup sales jumped 29 percent.
Ford Motor Co.'s sales increas-ed 9 percent, including a 15 percent gain for its F-Series pickups, and Chrysler was up 4 percent.
-- The Associated Press
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