Company opens global headquarters in Irving

By Sissy Courtney

Taleris, a new company that helps airlines recover from costly disruptions to service, opened its global headquarters in Irving with a ribbon cutting and open house on Apr. 15. Mayor Beth Van Duyne welcomed Norm Baker, president and CEO of Taleris, the company’s board members and employees to town.

“The proximity of DFW International Airport and the central accessibility to the world and our customers was a prime reason for locating our headquarters in Irving,” said Taleris spokesperson Jennifer Villarreal.

Taleris provides operations services to over 20 passenger airlines and cargo carriers worldwide.

“What we do at the end of the day is we take aircraft, and we combine that with ground operational systems at the airlines to provide predictive recommendations to help them recover from and deal with maintenance and operational issues,” Baker said. “(Airline delays) can be very frustrating for a passenger, and I think what’s most frustrating about it at times is watching the function or dysfunction of how the airline recovers from that or deals with those disruptions to minimize the impact on the customer.

“It costs (airlines) more than $10 billion annually worldwide,” Baker said. “At Taleris, we’re bringing intelligent operations to the airlines to really enable them to predict, prevent, and recover from those costly disruptions.”

The company was not involved in resolving American Airline’s computer glitch Apr. 16, because American is not their customer for the specific system that created that issue, according to Villarreal. The problem caused American to voluntarily shut down operations companywide for about two hours.

“When you’re talking about delays, people don’t really think about… (how) it affects so many people down the road,” Mayor Van Duyne said. “We all want to know when we get on a plane that it is a safe environment, and I appreciate all you do. We are so happy to have you in the City of Irving.”

Van Duyne told the group that the company’s location has changed miraculously since 1986.

“You are so lucky of all the changes coming,” she said. “You’ve got restaurants across the way; we’re working on our Dart Line; 161 will take you anywhere in the Metroplex. You are in the heart of it right now. Everything in the Metroplex is probably about a 12 minute drive for you.

“We were noticed by Bluebird Magazine for being one of the top 50 cities to live,” Van Duyne said. “So we’re hoping as your employees come, and as you fill out more, you will find a place of home, not just work in the City of Irving.”

Accenture and GE Aviation are parent companies of Taleris. For more information on the company visit: www.taleris.com.

ExxonMobil and its employees are donating $9.3 million to higher education institutions across Texas as part of the ExxonMobil Foundation’s 2012 Educational Matching Gift Program.

ExxonMobil Foundation contributed unrestricted grants of $6.3 million to match donations of $3.0 million from employees, retirees, directors and surviving spouses.

The program matches donor pledges 3:1 up to $7,500 to qualified colleges and universities in the United States along with the American Indian College Fund, Hispanic Scholarship Fund and the United Negro College Fund. Since the Educational Matching Gift Program began in 1962, more than $500 million has been donated to institutions of higher learning.

“ExxonMobil employees have a history of giving back through both their volunteerism and philanthropy. The corporation and Foundation share that philosophy and are proud to join them in their generous support,” said Suzanne McCarron, president of the ExxonMobil Foundation.

During 2012, 1,204 employees and retirees made individual donations to Texas colleges and universities. Although grants are unrestricted, recipients are encouraged to designate a portion to math and science programs supporting student engagement. Over the past 10 years, ExxonMobil and its employees have given more than $73 million to universities and colleges in Texas.

Nationwide, 871 institutions received $40.2 million through the 2012 Educational Matching Gift Program.

In addition to the Educational Matching Gift Program, ExxonMobil and the ExxonMobil Foundation support and develop programs that encourage students, particularly women and minorities, toward careers in math and science fields, as well as teacher training initiatives.

Source: ExxonMobil

By Amanda Casanova

Two new companies will open their doors in Irving after the City agreed to about $100,000 in economic incentive agreements to bring in the businesses.

The City of Irving uses economic incentive agreements to lure companies into the City to boost the tax base and stimulate the local economy.

The two companies, Century Center Holdings and Project Services Group, will bring in about 90 employees total to the City.

Click here for the complete story.

Junior Achievement USA^® (JA) presented Exxon Mobil Corporation with a 2011-2012 Silver U.S. President's Volunteer Service Award on March 6 for providing the organization with significant volunteer resources during the year. ExxonMobil provided Junior Achievement with more than 10,000 volunteer hours.

“Through innovative partnerships between businesses, educators and volunteers, we can prepare young people to enter the workforce and succeed in a global economy,” said Alan Kelly, president of ExxonMobil Fuels & Lubricants, who received the award on behalf of the company. “This award honors the commitment of hundreds of ExxonMobil employees around the world who volunteer with Junior Achievement and share their experiences at schools in their communities.”

President George W. Bush established the President's Council on Service and Civic Participation in 2003 to recognize the valuable contributions volunteers make in communities and encourage more people to serve. The Council created the President's Volunteer Service Award program as a way to thank and honor Americans who, by their demonstrated commitment and example, inspire others to engage in volunteer service.

In 2006, Junior Achievement became an official certifying organization for this award, which also recognizes corporations with a U.S. presence that provide volunteers to teach JA programs anywhere in the world.

"I thoroughly enjoyed the Junior Achievement program on leadership and professional communications,” said Ebony Jackson, a junior at Wunsche High School in Spring ISD, Houston. “The program inspired me to be a leader on my campus and a role model to my peers."

ExxonMobil is one of only 33 JA corporate partners to be honored with a President’s Volunteer Service Award this year.

"Junior Achievement volunteers play a key role in bringing Junior Achievement to life. By sharing their personal and professional experiences and skills with students in their communities, volunteers help young people to make a connection between what they are learning in school and what they will need to succeed in work and life. In so doing, they support students, their local communities and America's economic competitiveness," said Jack E. Kosakowski, president and CEO of Junior Achievement USA. "The U.S. President's Volunteer Service Award is an outstanding way to acknowledge ExxonMobil and its employee-volunteers, who demonstrate a commitment to their communities and encourage others to make volunteering a priority."

“By recognizing and honoring volunteers, we shine a spotlight on everyday heroes who are working to address pressing social challenges,” said Larry A. Leva, global vice chairman of Quality and Risk Management for KPMG International and chairman of Junior Achievement USA. "We are also setting a standard for service and fostering civic participation."

Source: Junior Achievement USA^®