Newsmakers
I asked our local Multiple Listing Service, MRIS, and its subsidiary, RealEstate Business Intelligence, to give us some local interpretation. John Heithaus, MRIS’s chief marketing officer, offers his take:
“It has been a really positive year, continually outpacing other markets in the U.S.,” said John Heithaus, chief marketing officer of Metropolitan Regional Information Systems, the database used by area real estate agents.
Washington Business Journal
November 2011
Transit projects rev up interest in nearby housing
As the roads get more crowded and rush hours get longer, we at MRIS are seeing a shift from sprawling suburbanization to mini urban hubs as more commuters look to plant their roots in clustering residential housing developments around transit centers.
WUSA 9
November 2011
Now at Noon
Arlington Magazine's Greg Hamilton was featured on 9 News' Now at Noon program. Greg hand-delivered JC a copy of the first issue.
Washington Business Journal
November 2011
On the same page
Last summer, when Greg Hamilton was at a career crossroads, he happened to drop by an old boss’s office for some advice. A year later, that former boss, Steve Hull, and Hamilton were shopping around the first publication of a neighborhood magazine they co-founded.
Washington Post
November 2011
Arlington gets its own glossy magazine
First there was Washingtonian magazine. Then there was Northern Virginia Magazine. And now, we have the inaugural issue of Arlington Magazine.
Washington PostNovember 2011
Two D.C. women’s shelters to merge
By 2009, the message that operators of the N Street Village began hearing from its funders was clear: Find ways to do more with less. The organization, one of the District’s largest providers of services for homeless women, began looking for a partner to complement its services. It found a match in Miriam’s House, a transitional housing program for homeless women living with HIV and AIDS.
New York Times
October 2011
Arab Investors Are Urged to Lead the Way / U.A.E. Bolsters Small and Midsize Firms
Youth unemployment in the region is the highest in the world, averaging 25 percent, according to CHF International, a development organization with operations in both the Middle East and North Africa.
270 Inc.
September 2011
The Social Media Hype
Stacy Ramirez is hooked. Her salon, Bella Bethesda, tweets four times a day. It can be an update on new hair product or maybe a few words about an upcoming style trend.
TODAY
September 2011
Ten Stylish Staples You Should Own
Travalo was featured as a must-have style product every woman should have
Wall Street JournalSeptember 2011
New on the Travel Scene
Favorite fragrances no longer have to languish at home while you roam the globe. The Travalo, a lipstick-size, aluminum-clad atomizer, can be filled from a spray bottle, no pouring—nor the attendant spilling—involved.
Scientific American
August 2011
Share the Wealth: New Urban Poverty Atlases Now Provide Data to Slum Dwellers
Since 2007 nonprofit CHF International has been mapping urban poverty in areas of India and Africa through a program called Slum Communities Achieving Livable Environments with Urban Partners.
Express
August 2011
Hair Tactics: Let Your Locks Loose In Style
If a product can add moisture and shine to Scarlett Johansson's locks, I'm trying it. This mask, made with argan oil from a Moroccan tree, works, says Bella Bethesda stylist Megan Atkinson, because it nourishes without residue. After a relaxing scalp massage to work in the stuff, I hardly cared what my hair looked like — until I saw how shiny it was after the blow-out.
TBD
July 2011
NewsTalk with Bruce DePuyt
Interview with MRIS CMO, John L. Heithaus to discuss the June Pending Home Sales Index
NBC Washington
July 2011
Frizz-Free Summer Hair Tips
Megan Atkinson, curly hair specialist, on taking control of your hair this summer.
Washington Examiner
July 2011
Cover Story: Housing bust still fresh for many in area
"You have a large population of African-Americans and Hispanics, and these were the customers that were targeted by these ultrapredatory lenders," said John Heithaus, chief marketing officer at real estate technology developer Metropolitan Regional Information Systems.
Voice of America
July 2011
US Aid Groups Organize HIV/AIDS Camps in Africa
“In Rwanda, where more than 170,000 people are estimated to be living with the disease, the U.S.-based group CHF International is also organizing a series of camps for AIDS orphans and other vulnerable children.”
O Magazine
July 2011
Bright Idea: Porta-Perfume
“We once used a tiny funnel to siphon our favorite scent from its bulky glass bottle into a travel-friendly atomizer. The project did not end well...A far better option: Travalo.”
June 2011
U.S. colleges' appeal fading for foreign students
"We have a great product. Our offering is still the best in the world. But we don't want to rest on our laurels," says U.S. Commerce Undersecretary Francisco Sánchez, who hosted the Jakarta event, the agency's largest-ever higher education trade mission overseas.
June 2011
Revel in the (Green) Details: Recycled Materials Enter D.C. Homes
“The economy has contributed to the demand for salvaged, energy-efficient design elements, says Tim Campbell, a product manager at Metropolitan Regional Information Systems (MRIS.com), which runs the country's largest real estate listing service and monitors market trends.”
Gadling (AOL travel)
June 2011
"Hyatt for Her" launches at select European hotels: what else would improve a woman's travel experience?
“We've found a few workarounds - sites like 3floz.com to find our favorite products in travel size, gadgets like Travalo, a refillable perfume atomizer, and the Inouis CORE, a handbag organizer that doubles as our in-flight gadget and makeup holder.”
Washington Business Journal
June 2011
Washington home sales still rising
“The RBI Pending Home Sales Index, from listing service Metropolitan Regional Information Systems Inc., or MRIS, shows that pending home sales in May rose 6.5 percent from April and were up 43.1 percent from the same time a year ago.”
Washington Examiner
June 2011
Ex-NFL player turns victims advocate
“Chesley, 53, is receiving the National Center for Victims of Crime's annual Leadership Award.”
Arizona RepublicMay 2011
Maricopa County lauded for restitution enforcement
"A National Center for Victims of Crime report released last month identified Maricopa County's restitution-enforcement court as one of the five most successful models in the country for collecting money that defendants owe to victims."
New York Times via ClimateWireMay 2011
Legitimizing India's Invisible Environmentalists
"With support from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and Caterpillar Foundation, CHF is attempting to turn their unofficial business into a professional market."
Inman News"John L. Heithaus, chief marketing officer for Metropolitan Regional Information Systems (MRIS), the largest multiple listing service in the nation, with about 46,200 active subscribers, 15 years ago participated in the first-ever Inman News Real Estate Connect conference in San Francisco while working for Coldwell Banker Relocation Services."
WAMU"One example of this kind of care provider is N Street Village shelter for women. Last year, they served 46 percent of the adult, single, homeless women in D.C., not only by providing meals and clothing, but supportive housing, case management, mental health therapy, physical wellness programs, job training, and peer support."
Washington DiplomatApril 2011
Despite Downturn, High-End Real Estate Holding Up Quite Well
"There are a number of reasons for that," said John Heithaus, chief marketing officer at Metropolitan Regional Information Systems (MRIS). "Number one, being the nation's capital, there's a lot of money around here that's related to the government, whether it's lobbyists, whether it's some of the companies that are headquartered here, whether it's diplomats that are coming here from other countries that want to buy real estate. It's really helped the overall strength of the D.C. market."
Washington Post Capital BusinessApril 2011
Behind the career: Mark Ishaug
"The new president and chief executive of AIDS United, a District-based national policy and grantmaking organization that seeks to end AIDS in America. After witnessing the devastating effects of AIDS on friends and people he knew, Ishaug knew he wanted to contribute to ending the disease — he just wasn’t sure how."
Washington ExaminerApril 2011
D.C. area has many options for active adult living
"For active adult communities, it's often individual developers that decide the minimum age and not the market as a whole," said Joel Danick, co-owner of Transitional Assistance and Design, a company providing downsizing assistance to Washington area retirees."
Washington ExaminerApril 2011
Empty nesters, move-up buyers give high-end real estate a boost
"Overall, sales were down by 8 percent in Northern Virginia across the board in March based on Metropolitan Regional Information Systems data. The average sales price in March increased by about 3 percent from March 2010 to $448,957."
TBDApril 2011
Real Estate Update
MRIS Chief Marketing Officer John L. Heithaus and Stephanie Rall, Anne Arundel County Association of Realtors join Bruce Depuyt to discuss the local market.
Bisnow Real EstateApril 2011
Condo Corner
"MRIS’s John Heithaus in his Rockville office on Friday, tells us In March, sales contracts were signed for 5,432 residences (462 of them condos and townhomes) in the DC metro. That’s the second highest since May ’06 and a 34% month-over-month increase. There are still hurdles making things difficult for condo buyers, though, including stricter underwriting standards by Fannie and Freddie to factor in the condo building’s fiscal health."
Wall Street JournalApril 2011
Thanks for Stopping By, Mr. Presiden
"Last summer, Obama also stopped by local Washington, D.C., business Gelberg Signs, a manufacturing concern with 60 employees. “We gave him a shop tour and he watched people working,” says Guy Brami, co-owner. “Then (the president) actually gave the employment report for the nation.”
Roll CallApril 2011
Save The Social Innovation Fund
"As a recipient of SIF funding thanks to a recent AIDS United grant, The Washington AIDS Partnership is now able to support the implementation of its Positive Pathways program, an evidence-based structural intervention which will address barriers to HIV medical care for African-American women living in the poorest neighborhoods of Washington, D.C."
National JournalMarch 2011
Galvanizing Women Candidates
"With Debbie Walsh, director of the Rutgers center, Hughes created the 2012 Project, a national, nonpartisan campaign that hopes to replicate the successes of the 1992 elections. The mission: to get 24 or more women elected to Congress in the next election and to regain the seats lost by women in state legislatures in 2010."
Business GazetteMarch 2011
Regional housing market heating up
"Sales of existing homes across Maryland jumped 5 percent in February from a year earlier, according to statistics from the Maryland Association of Realtors and Metropolitan Regional Information Systems. It was the third consecutive year-over-year monthly gain, following five straight months of declines."
Washington ExaminerMarch 2011
March expected to kick off new wave of home sales
"Home sales in the Washington area are expected to jump this spring as the number of pending sales in February has increased significantly compared with last year, with the District and Northern Virginia leading the way. Homes under contract in the region, which includes suburban Maryland, the District and Northern Virginia, are up by 33 percent to more than 4,000, compared with a little more than 3,000 a year ago, according to a new report by Mid-Atlantic real estate tracker Metropolitan Regional Information Systems Inc."
Gazette
March 2011
Globetrotting is a way of life for nonprofit's technical officer
"As a technical officer for Cooperative Housing Foundation International, a Silver Spring nonprofit that works in post-conflict, unstable and developing countries, Gegenheimer monitors the organization's programs to ensure they are running as effectively and efficiently as possible."
Make a Marathon Worth More: Causes to Run For
One new option this year: Team to End AIDS. It's filling the shoes left by the National AIDS Marathon Program, which ended in 2006. "People are very connected to the cause," says national director Mike Dilbeck. That's important because signing on with a charity means you now face two goals instead of just one — running 26.2 miles and raising a significant amount of dough.
MTV Act blogFebruary 2011
Act’s Guide To Everything Good, Lovable (aka The V-Day Gift Guide)
Get a trim. Locks of Love--the organization that makes wigs for kids who've lost their hair to illness or injury--will motivate you to try out that Michelle Williams crop without sending your beloved ponytail to the landfill. All you need are 10 peroxide-free inches and the moxy to chop 'em off. If you happen to live in or around the Bethesda, Maryland, area, drop into Bella Bethesda hair salon during "Cut It For a Cause" week (Feb. 12-20) and one of the stylists will give you a dramatically new 'do for free.
Express
February 2011
Please Touch: Techniques to Impress and De-Stress
For a basic rubdown, go Swedish, says Karen Johnson, a massage therapist at Massage Envy in Waldorf, Md. Start at the top, she advises. "Put your fingers on the scalp and rotate. You want to do the temples and on the ridge on the back of the head; that's a wonderful place to go around in slow circles," Johnson says. Then, cup your hand and glide it across the shoulder and up the neck, gripping the muscle gently. To work the hands, run your thumbs across the recipient's palms.
Tonic
January 2011
Volunteer for a New Look this Valentine's Day
Need a new hair cut? Wait until February and you can get a free shampoo and style for Valentine's Day at one of the best salons in Bethesda, Md. But don't be surprised if you leave looking more like a chic Michelle Williams or sexy Halle Berry."My sister is head stylist at Bella Bethesda and offers her services [along with all of the other stylists] to those who donate their hair during this event," explains Stacy Dabney Ramirez, owner of the downtown salon.
January 2011
MRIS is interviewed on NewsTalk with Bruce DePuyt
John L. Heithaus was interviewed on on NewsTalk with Bruce DePuyt on the state of the housing market in the region.
TechPodcasts
January 2011
Sonamba at CES
“Robert Burk Joins Andy and Tom for the TPN Live CES coverage. He shows off Sonomba – a device that tracks seniors activities to monitor their status. Medication alerts and other calendar reminders will turn this device into a digital picture frame that members can send photos to.”
PopSci
January 2011
Best of CES 2011: PopSci's Products of the Future
“Sonamba sits on her countertop and learns her movement patterns with motion and sound sensors. If, for example, she's normally up and about by 8AM, and it hasn't seen her by 9, it will send you an automatic text alert that something might be amiss.”
USA Character Approved Blog
“The Sonamba Wellbeing Status Monitor is an innovative product designed to fill this gap and solve many of these problems at the same time.”
Information Week
January 2011
CES 2011: Home Sensor Network Spots Breaks In Patterns Of Elderly
POM Devices was at the Consumer Electronics Show showing off a network of sensors that can be places around the house of an elderly person in a way that, if their daily pattern is broken, family members are notified via technologies like SMS.
TIME
January 2011
Haiti's Quake, One Year Later: It's the Rubble, Stupid!
“With an $8 million grant from the U.S. Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance, two American NGOs — Cooperative Housing Foundation International (CHF) and Project Concern International — have helped connect Ravine Pintade to running water, set up a health clinic, installed latrines and built a daycare center."
January 2011
Another Great Depression for Housing?
“Jonathan Miller, an analyst for the MRIS/RBI thinks the numbers for the real estate market this year show "artificial highs" and "artificial lows," primarily because of the ups and downs of the market in 2009 and 2010 caused by the tax credits. People were pushed to purchase homes to meet the tax credit deadlines earlier than they might have done so."
Testing Gadgets On CES Floor
“See which technology trends are going to end up a lot of people's wish lists.Segment featured Sonamba, the wellbeing monitor for independent living
GazetteJanuary 2011
Silver Spring nonprofit builds shelters in Haiti, keeps families warm and dry
“The Silver Spring-based Cooperative Housing Foundation International, a development organization that works in post-conflict, unstable and developing countries, works with Haitian communities to clear rubble and provide housing."
Tech Tuesday – Sonamba
"Sonamba came from the personal experiences of its founders with senior care and their families. Co-founders Raleigh, NC based Ajit Pendse and Robert Burke struggled with juggling demanding careers and their own families’ commitment to caring for aging parents."
Guia De Regalos 2011
"Visita vivaboxusa.com para elegir entre muchas opciones. Bar-B-Que, de Vivabox, $90. Viene con especias y un adobo preparado, de Urban Accents y una tarjeta de regalo para comprar churrascos de Omaha Steaks."
$25,000 Real Estate Technology Giveaway
Innovation prizes have become a big deal lately – all to help solve big problems, and advance various technologies – and now MRIS is in the game too.
Bella Bethesda Salon Holds Hair Show to Support Women’s Shelter
"Bella Bethesda Salon in Bethesda, MD, hosted a New York City-style runway show on November 11 called Hair & Now to demonstrate how hairstyles from past eras influence many of the looks created today."
Foreclosures Decline in Kingstowne
"The capital area is made up of many markets and sub-markets and some are more hard hit than others," said John L. Heithaus, chief marketing officer of Metropolitan Regional Information Systems or MRIS, headquartered in Rockville, Maryland."
Selling To Seniors
November 2010
Sonamba Monitoring Takes to the Mall
"Robert Burke, co-founder and chief marketing officer for the company, tells Selling to Seniors that "we did our homework, and our approach [to the market] is going to be different. We wanted to go from a lifestyle perspective; any of the other items that are in this space were basically operating on a panic or an emergency and there was a negative sell on it. We felt we were coming out with a product that's going to extend seniors' ability to live independently and give peace of mind."
ZD Net
October 2010
Sonamba takes mass market approach to elder care
"Ajit Pendse, the former Intel executive who has just launched Sonamba, is taking a mass market approach to the problem is elder care."
Fast Company
October 2010
Sonamba Makes Sure Your Parents Are Still Standing
"Want to make sure your aging parents are still up and about? Don't feel like paying for a pricey activity monitoring system? Neither did Ajit Pendse, CEO of a startup called pomdevices. That's why he built Sonamba, a standalone all-in-one in-home monitoring system that makes it easy for seniors to connect with long-distance caregivers."
Triangle Business Journal
October 2010
Serial entrepreneur starts firm that assists senior living
"Serial entrepreneur Ajit Pendse is betting his latest venture can bring a new twist to the old cliche. Durham-based Pomdevices has developed a new monitoring and communications system that will keep tabs on seniors and maintain contact with family."
DCist
October 2010
Local Multiple Listing Service Announces 'Innovation Challenge'
"It probably won't be as much fun to play with as Angry Birds, but MRIS -- which is the real estate listing provider for most of the D.C. metro area -- has announced an MRIS Innovation contest to spur the creation of an innovative local real estate app. A sizable grand prize of $25,000, and all the accompanying publicity, go to the winner."
CNN Newsroom
December 2010
CNN Talks with AIDS United President and CEO Mark Ishaug on World AIDS Day
Mark Ishaug discusses AIDS in America now and the newly created organization, AIDS United.
CNN Newsroom
November 2010
Ali Velshi Chats with All for Good Creator and Ethos Water Founder Jonathan Greenblatt
CNN Newsroom takes an insider look at Greenblatt's latest venture, a popular new API called All for Good that is remaking the way people around the world connect with local service opportunities.
Bethesda Patch
November 2010
Hair Fashion Show Raises Awareness and Funds for Homeless Shelter
“Bella Bethesda Salon hosted a hair show on Thursday night that generated funds and awareness for a D.C.-based nonprofit that helps low-income and homeless women. It also offered a glimpse into hairstyles over the decades."
The Washington Post
November 2010
At Gelberg, their signs point to growth
“Luc, Neil and Guy Brami, the three brothers who own the District-based manufacturer, are looking for an investor who will provide the $5 million they need to go national.”
GOOD Magazine
October 2010
What It Really Means to Leave No Child Behind
“At CHF International, we understand the vital role of education in the lives of these child-headed households. We know that it is more important than ever that education be accessible to the children of Rwanda so that the vast societal consequences of a lost generation can be reduced.”
The Examiner
October 2010
Stung by tough market, new financing rules, developers offer incentives
“There’s a tremendous amount of caution,” says John Heithaus, chief marketing officer for Metropolitan Regional Information Systems. Developers’ trepidation may be good for buyers, however.
Matt Lauer and Phil LeBeau take an exclusive look inside the three winning vehicles of the Progressive Insurance Automotive X PRIZE, live from Rockefeller Plaza.
Wall Street Journal
September 2010
Creative Financing
To understand the history of innovation over the past several centuries, it helps to remember a familiar refrain: Follow the money. Earlier this month, for instance, three teams shared the Progressive Insurance Automotive X Prize—a $10 million bounty awarded for the first production-ready car that can achieve a fuel efficiency of 100 miles per gallon or its energy equivalent.
FOX Business
September 2010
VIDEO: President Obama Spotlights Gelberg Signs in Speech on Small Business Jobs Act
From President Obama’s speech on the new Small Business Jobs Act bill: “We passed a new tax credit for companies that hire unemployed workers, which is benefiting several of the people with us here today. Guy Brami from Gelberg Signs is here in Washington and he is making use of this tax break after he hired six workers.”
Wall Street Journal
September 2010
Big City, Small Neighborhood: Finding Your Fit
Heithaus, based in Rockville, Md., is a former relocation company executive who has relocated seven times himself. He says the best way to determine the agreeability of an area is to act as though you already live there. Test drive the district by getting a hotel room for a long weekend and replicate your everyday routine to see how it feels, filtering it through the lens of the entire family.
Wall Street Journal
September 2010
No Radio, but It Gets 100 Miles a Gallon
“Three teams of engineers won shares of a $10 million prize Thursday in a contest to design a vehicle capable of traveling 100 miles on the equivalent of a gallon of gasoline. Among the exotic-looking vehicles that shared the Progressive Insurance Automotive X-Prize was the Very Light Car, winner in the "mainstream" class.”
NPR
September 2010
X Prize Marks Fuel-Efficiency Spot For Future Cars
“Oliver Kuttner and his team of designers have seen the future of fuel-efficient cars topping the dreamed-of mark of 100 miles per gallon. This week, the Edison2 team is being rewarded for its vision with half of the $10 million X Prize. More than 100 competitors also jumped at the chance to compete for the Progressive Insurance Automotive X Prize.”
September 2010
23 Salons to Try
Bella Bethesda Salon- The fact that everyone here has a great haircut is a good sign. Stylists and colorists are all talented, but standouts include co-owner Lindsey Dabney for cuts, Ngoc Le for highlights, Megan Atkinson and Tania Osinaga for curly cuts, and Demetrios Bafitis for color and blow dry.
Washington Post Capital Business
September 2010
Cover story: Labor Daze
In the Washington region, hiring is picking up at small businesses experiencing an increase in demand for their goods and services. For Luc Brami, principal of Gelberg Signs in Northwest Washington, and Craig Savarick, director of executive recruiting firm Capital Search Group in Vienna, an incentive came in the form of an Obama initiative: a temporary exemption from payroll taxes on every unemployed person they hired.
The Washington Times
September 2010
Artist interview: Jason T. Wright's passions in life
“Speaking with Wright over Skype, I found myself immersed in an interesting conversation with a young artist whose world and life experience, including a childhood spent traveling with a military family and the loss of his brother, have all influenced who he is, how he sees life and light and how his art path has developed from his first passion as an illustrator and mixed-media artist.”
