2008 September | Cooper Smith Agency Public Relations

- Celebrity Cafe & Bakery opens new store at Watters Creek at Montgomery Farm in Allen

New location opened in vibrant, high-profile, mixed-use development on September 28

DALLAS, September 30, 2008 – Celebrity Café & Bakery, a long-time Dallas institution perhaps best known for its hand-crafted iced cookies, opened its tenth North Texas location in Allen, Texas, on September 28. Celebrity Café & Bakery is located in Watters Creek at Montgomery Farm, a new lifestyle/mixed-use development, located 30 minutes north of downtown Dallas.

“This is an ideal location for Celebrity Café & Bakery to increase our presence in North Texas,” said Mark Menking, president of Celebrity Café & Bakery. “Our restaurant is a great place for people to take a break from shopping and enjoy afternoon tea and goodies in a relaxing environment. We could hardly have found a better location.”

Watters Creek features retail, restaurants, office and living space, and is home to a variety of restaurant and retail options, including Brio, Cru Wine Bar, Vera Bradley, Paciugo, White House|Black Market and many more. Celebrity’s new store is featured prominently on the village green near the development’s natural amphitheatre.

Celebrity Café & Bakery is well-known for its fresh, quality menu. Specialty items include dessert treats such as cakes, pastries, petit fours and Celebrity’s famous decorated sugar cookies; lunch items such as sandwiches, soups, salads, paninis and wraps; and fresh baked breakfast goods such as scones, cinnamon rolls, muffins and teabreads.

Celebrity Café & Bakery currently has nine locations in the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex, including Addison, Arlington, Colleyville, Frisco, Highland Park, Las Colinas, Preston Royal (North Dallas), Plano and Rockwall. The new Allen location will be open from Monday – Wednesday 10 a.m. – 8 p.m., Thursday-Saturday 10 a.m. – 9 p.m., and Sunday 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.

About Celebrity Café & Bakery

Celebrity Café & Bakery provides a delightful assortment of café, bakery and specialty beverage items for special occasions and everyday enjoyment in the simple, welcoming elegance of their cafes and through attractive, high quality takeout and catering selections. For more information, please visit www.enjoycelebrity.com.

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Media Contact: Diana DuBois
diana@coopersmithagency.com, (214) 329-9191

- Celebrity Cafe & Bakery donates money from cookie sales to Kidd’s Kids

$2.00 for every hand-decorated iced sugar cookie sold from September 29 – October 19 to be donated

DALLAS, September 30, 2008 – Celebrity Café & Bakery is doing something very special to kick off the fall season! Celebrity is donating $2.00 for every hand-decorated iced sugar cookie sold from September 29 – October 19 directly to Kidd’s Kids, a non-profit organization that sponsors annual trips to Disney World for terminally and chronically ill children and their families.

And to commemorate this month of giving, Celebrity has created one-of-a-kind Kidd’s Kids-themed iced sugar cookies. Cookies can be purchased at all ten Celebrity Café & Bakery locations.

“We are so excited to be able to give back and donate sales from our cookies to Kidd’s Kids,” said Mark Menking, president of Celebrity Café and Bakery. “Kids are such an important part of what we do and who we are, it seemed fitting to align ourselves with such a great organization. All of our employees are thrilled to be involved in this year’s trip.”

In addition to donating money from their famous goodies, Celebrity is also providing each child on the trip with a certificate for a free birthday cake.

Kidd’s Kids was founded with the hope of making a difference in the lives of terminally and chronically ill children. The dream was to gather families of special needs children together and treat them to a fantasy-filled Walt Disney World vacation. During the five-day trip, these kids and their families enjoy all the excitement that a trip to the Magic Kingdom has to offer. It’s the goal of Kidd’s Kids and Celebrity to make this a trip of a lifetime. With that in mind, the money donated to Kidd’s Kids will help cover all expenses including a chartered jet from DFW to Orlando, hotel, park passes, all meals, transportation while in Florida, souvenirs, special private character visits and so much more!

Celebrity Café & Bakery currently has ten locations in the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex, including Addison, Arlington, Colleyville, Frisco, Highland Park, Las Colinas, Preston Royal (North Dallas), Plano, Rockwall and the newly opened Allen store.

About Celebrity Café & Bakery

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Media Contact: Diana DuBois
diana@coopersmithagency.com, (214) 329-9191

- Well-known educational architecture expert to sign copies of new book at 48th annual TASA/TASB Convention

Author of “Teaching the Digital Generation: No More Cookie-Cutter High Schools” Launches New Book in the SHW Group Booth

PLANO, Texas, Sept. 26, 2008 – Educational architecture expert Frank Kelly, FAIA, director of educational facilities planning for SHW Group, will sign copies of his new book Teaching the Digital Generation: No More Cookie-Cutter High Schools at the 48th Annual TASA/TASB Convention. During a conference that’s expected to attract more than 8,000 attendees, Kelly will speak with Texas school superintendents, educational architects and other key industry influencers and reveal his methodologies and strategies for designing high schools for the 21st century. The book signing will take place from 2:45 to 5 p.m., on Saturday, September 27, 2008, in the SHW Group booth #1231, at the Dallas Convention Center.

Published by Corwin Press and co-authored with education gurus Ted McCain and Ian Jukes, Kelly’s book asserts that the traditional comprehensive high school, created in the early 20th century to afford the American education system with industrial efficiency, no longer meets the learning needs of today’s diverse, 21st-century students. The resource demonstrates how other high school models are more suited to today’s children and their futures, and encourages readers to tailor schools to meet the individual needs of their students and communities. The book also recommends that society radically rethink its perceptions of traditional, “cookie-cutter” high schools, as well as learning and teaching in a digitally connected, 21st-century world.

Kelly taught design for the School of Architecture at the University of Tennessee and has worked with architectural classes at both Texas A&M University and Rice University. With particular interest in the relationship between instruction and facilities, much of his architectural experience has focused on the planning, programming and design of K-12 schools. Kelly frequently lectures at school conferences on instruction and has written a number of articles for education journals. His projects have been recognized by design awards from the architectural profession and educational organizations. In 1984, he was elected to the American Institute of Architects’ College of Fellows for his work in design.

To schedule an interview with Frank Kelly, please contact Nicole Traycoff, public relations manager for SHW Group, at 214.473.2424 or via email at ntraycoff@shwgroup.com. For a review copy of Teaching the Digital Generation, please contact Charline Wu, promotions/marketing specialist for Corwin Press, at 805.410.7750 or charline.wu@corwinpress.com.

About SHW Group

Specializing in both K-12 and higher educational projects, SHW Group is one of the world’s largest educational architecture and design firms. More than just an architecture firm, the company is known for its comprehensive collaboration with educators, cognitive researchers and strategic planners to design innovative facilities that support the learning process. Founded in 1945, SHW Group has grown to nearly 400 employees and seven studios nationwide. For more information, please visit www.shwgroup.com.

About author Ted McCain

Ted McCain has taught high school students at the Maple Ridge Secondary School in Vancouver, BC, for 28 years. His primary calling is to help prepare teenagers for success as they move into adult life. McCain is the coordinator of the Maple Ridge Secondary School Digital Art Academy, where he teaches digital art courses in PhotoShop, 3D modeling and animation, special effects for film, Web site design, and music composition and sound engineering. In 1997, Ted received the Prime Minister’s Award for Teaching Excellence. He has also consulted with school districts and businesses for more than 25 years on effective teaching for the digital generation and the implementation of instructional technology.

About author Ian Jukes

Ian Jukes has served as a teacher, administrator, writer, consultant, university instructor and keynote speaker. He is the director of the InfoSavvy Group, an international consulting group that provides leadership and program development in the areas of assessment and evaluation, strategic alignment, curriculum design and publication, and more. His focus has consistently been on the compelling need to restructure our educational institutions so they become relevant to the current and future needs of children.

Teaching the Digital Generation

No More Cookie-Cutter High Schools

Frank S. Kelly, Ted McCain, Ian Jukes

2008, 7 x 10, 280 pgs.

Paperback: $36.95, ISBN: 9781412939270

Hardcover: $76.95, ISBN: 9781412939263

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Media Contacts: Nicole Traycoff, SHW Group
ntraycoff@shwgroup.com, (214) 473-2424

Claire Bloxom, Cooper Smith Agency for SHW Group
claire@coopersmithagency.com, (214) 329-9191

- Uptown Players presents “Legends”

DALLAS, September 22, 2008 – Uptown Players closes it’s 2008 season with Legends, the hysterically funny comedy by Tony-Award winning author James Kirkwood, running October 3 through November 2, 2008, at the KD Studio Theatre.

Legends centers on two desperate and waning movie stars, Sylvia Glenn (BJ Cleveland) and Leatrice Monsee (Coy Covington). Both actresses are courted by an unscrupulous young hot-shot producer named Martin Klemmer (Chris Dover) as he hopes to have the ladies star together in his new Broadway show, despite the fact that they have hated each other for decades. If Martin succeeds in signing both actresses, he will have the funding needed to produce the show. Unfortunately, each hates the other with a deep abiding passion and won’t be caught dead in the same room as the other-let alone onstage.

Will Martin be able to resolve this dilemma? Perhaps, but perhaps not. Maybe if he convinces both ladies that they will be starring in the show alongside Antonio Banderas, he will have more luck. This hilarious set-up provides the background for a full-blown confrontation between the two divas and the surprising, equally hilarious resolution. Rounding out the cast are Natalie King, D. Dean and Shane Beeson, under the direction of Andi Allen.

The production runs October 3 through November 2, 2008, with shows on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and on Sundays at 2pm (no matinee October 5). All shows take place at the KD Studio Theatre (2600 N. Stemmons Freeway; I-35 at Motor Street). Tickets are $22-25 and can be purchased online at www.uptownplayers.org or by phone at 214-219-2718.

Now finishing its seventh season, Uptown Players has gathered a dedicated following with an annual audience base of over 10,000 patrons, including over 850 season subscribers. The response from the community and critics has been remarkable, including over 25 Leon Rabin Awards from the Dallas Theatre League, several hundred “The Column” Awards and 14 Theatre Critics Forum Awards in its first six seasons. Uptown Players has also been named the best theatre company by the Dallas Voice Readers in 2006 and 2007 and the Dallas Observer in 2004 and 2005. Uptown Players is a 501 (c) 3 non-profit organization, presenting plays and musicals that challenge audiences artistically, build cultural bridges, and strive to create greater positive public awareness and acceptance through the performing arts. There is no other theater group with this unique mission in the Dallas area.

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Media Contact: Cooper Smith
cooper@coopersmithagency.com, (214) 329-9191

- Michigan State University in Dubai facility complete and open for 2008-2009 academic year

SHW Group’s Detroit studio designed the MSU campus, which is the first American Campus in the Dubai International Academic City

DETROIT, September 15, 2008 – SHW Group has completed the design for the new 32,000-square-foot education facility for Michigan State University (MSU) in Dubai, making it the first American university to have a presence in the Dubai International Academic City (DIAC). Classes have begun and the 2008-2009 academic year is underway.

The DIAC, often called “the world’s only free zone dedicated to international higher education,” was established in 2006 to address the enormous demands for higher education in a nation noted for its growing positive regional and world influence. Located about 20 minutes from the Dubai business district, the DIAC spans 25 million square feet and is dedicated solely to universities and colleges. Eight million square feet has been dedicated to the international higher education zone, while three million square feet will be allocated for research and development centers.

SHW Group’s project includes MSU’s Construction Management, Family and Community Services, Communication Arts and Computer Engineering programs. SHW designers took two floors of shell space in a new building through programming, conceptual design, schematic design and design development, which includes mechanical, electrical and architectural development.

“The concept is predicated on the diverse cultures coming together and interacting in an MSU environment,” said Jim Chatas, AIA, Principal at SHW’s Detroit studio. “At the center of the space is the “origin” – an interactive space where students from the various programs can collaborate, share learning experiences and develop relationships. With this interaction, a social energy is created which ripples throughout the surrounding learning environments, reinforcing the discovery of the students who will be attending the four programs that the university has to offer.”

Through the use of materials and a dynamic “building language,” the concept enhances the learning experience through interaction and culture exchange. These ideals align with MSU’s goals to increase student attraction and retention and going beyond the basic needs and creating an enhanced educational experience for all who attend the University.

About SHW Group

SHW Group is one of the world’s largest educational architecture and design firms, as ranked in the BD World Architecture’s 2008 The Big List. More than just an architecture firm, the company is known for its comprehensive collaboration with educators, cognitive researchers and strategic planners to design innovative facilities that support the learning process. Founded in 1945, SHW Group has grown to nearly 400 employees and seven studios nationwide. For more information, please visit www.shwgroup.com.

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Media Contact: Claire Bloxom
claire@coopersmithagency.com, (214) 329-9191

- Turner Construction’s Dallas office promotes Abrar Sheriff to Vice President

DALLAS, September 2, 2008 – Turner Construction Company, the top general builder in the U.S., has promoted Abrar Sheriff to vice president and general manager of Turner’s Special Projects and Interiors Division, overseeing projects in Dallas, Fort Worth, Austin and San Antonio. The Special Projects Division combines interior finish with the construction of smaller free-standing structures. Projects typically range in size from $100,000 to $15 million. This specialized market segment of Turner focuses on the flexibility, efficiency and sensitivity that clients require for their interior and special projects.

Interior work has long been a mainstay of the Texas division, with current work including law firms, commercial and retail banking, financial and investment facilities, educational facilities, data centers, call centers, corporate interiors, zoo exhibits, pharmaceutical facilities and automotive showrooms.

Abrar joined Turner in 1997 as field engineer on the Jackson County Detention Center project in Kansas City, Missouri. Since then, positions within Turner have included project superintendent, project engineering, finance and senior project manager within Turner’s general construction and Interiors group. In 2005, Abrar transferred to Dallas from Kansas City to head up the firm’s Special Projects and Interiors Division as division manager. Since then, Abrar has been responsible for more than $100 million in construction volume on tenant fit-out and renovation projects as well as small free-standing structures.

Abrar is an active board member of the North Dallas Chamber of Commerce and is an alumni of the Leadership Dallas Class of 2005. Abrar has a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering from Bangalore University in India, and a Master of Science degree in Architectural Engineering from the University of Kansas. He and his wife, Tara, reside in Murphy, Texas, with their two sons Bilal and Hamza.

About Turner Construction

Turner is the leading general builder in the U.S., ranking first or second in all major segments of the building construction field. During 2007, Turner completed $9.6 billion of construction. Turner is the only builder offering clients a nationwide network of offices across the U.S. Founded in 1902, the firm is a subsidiary of HOCHTIEF, one of the world’s leading international construction service providers. For more information, visit Turner’s website at http://www.turnerconstruction.com.