Prudential Financial and Fosun International commemorate launch of life insurance joint venture in China

Pramerica Fosun Life Insurance Company Ltd. (PFL), a 50/50 joint venture between Fosun International Limited and Prudential Financial, Inc., marked the start of its operations with a grand opening ceremony in Shanghai today.

In September, PFL received approval from the China Insurance Regulatory Commission (CIRC) to launch operations. PFL, which has registered capital of RMB 500 million, is the first life insurance joint venture in China to receive approval from CIRC in the last three years.

During the ceremony, Fosun’s Chairman Guo Guangchang and Prudential’s Vice Chairman Mark Grier expressed their confidence in the new company.

Guo said, “Fosun believes financial services will be a high growth industry in China in the future. As a shareholder of PFL, Fosun will leverage its own advantages to provide the joint venture with abundant channel resources.”

Grier noted, “China’s emerging life insurance industry presents significant growth opportunities for the business. There is no better partner than Fosun to help us develop a strong presence in the Chinese life insurance industry. By combining our life insurance expertise with Fosun’s track record in China and the PFL team’s insights, we are confident that we will build a strong company known for providing competitive products and excellent customer service.”

In his welcoming remarks at the ceremony, Kenny Wu, PFL’s general manager and a 27-year veteran of the Chinese life insurance industry, said, “PFL has arrived at a critical time for the life insurance industry in China, as demand is growing for comprehensive protection for the livelihoods of families around the country. We are confident that this market will continue to grow over the long term, and we are implementing a differentiated strategy to meet the needs of our customers – one that always puts their needs first.”

Prudential Financial, Inc. (PRU), a financial services leader with approximately $1.005 trillion of assets under management as of September 30, 2012, has operations in the United States, Asia, Europe, and Latin America. Prudential’s diverse and talented employees are committed to helping individual and institutional customers grow and protect their wealth through a variety of products and services, including life insurance, annuities, retirement-related services, mutual funds and investment management. In the U.S., Prudential’s iconic Rock symbol has stood for strength, stability, expertise and innovation for more than a century. For more information, please visit http://www.news.prudential.com/. Pramerica Financial is a trade name used by Prudential Financial, Inc. Prudential Financial, Inc. of the United States is not affiliated in any manner with Prudential plc, a company incorporated in the United Kingdom.

Life Fitness Launches New Green to Go Certification Program

Life Fitness announced today that it will expand its "Green to Go" initiative with a new customer certification program, furthering its commitment to developing products and processes that respect the Earth's resources and create sustainable solutions. The new "Certified Green to Go with Life Fitness" program rewards customers who purchase energy-saving cardio products from Life Fitness.

"There is a growing audience of green-minded exercisers who are becoming more and more aware of their impact on the environment," said Dan Wille, vice president of global marketing and product development for Life Fitness. "Life Fitness' 'Certified Green to Go' program helps facilities that purchase energy-efficient products set their facilities apart."

As part of Life Fitness' ongoing pledge to lighten the company's carbon footprint, it recently introduced a hybrid energy-saving feature that works in conjunction with the Elevation Series Engage Cross-Trainers and Lifecycle® exercise bikes.  The products automatically switch from electric to self-generated power when a user reaches a certain intensity level, lowering the energy draw from the console by more than 75 percent. The green initiative extends to the LCD TVs seen on many of Life Fitness' products, which utilize power generated from a user's workout to operate.

Facilities that purchase these energy-efficient products and have a minimum of 90 percent of cardio products from Life Fitness qualify for certification proving the facility's green commitment. Qualified customers may complete a certification request to receive their plaque and display in their facility.

Ill. man gets life term for killing wife, kids

A suburban Chicago man was sentenced to life in prison Tuesday for killing his wife and three school-age children as they sat buckled into the family's SUV — allegedly so he could start a new life subsisting in the Canadian wilderness.

The sentencing of Christopher Vaughn, 37, came two months after jurors found him guilty of killing his 34-year-old wife, Kimberly, and their children on June 14, 2007. Each child was shot once in the chest and head.

The judge sentenced Vaughn to four consecutive life sentences with no possibility of parole. Vaughn did not make a statement in court.

Kimberly Vaughn's twin sister, Susan Ledbetter, poignantly described her pain, telling the court how she occasionally walks by a mirror and sees her sister's image and how she hears her sister's laughter whenever she laughs.

"I silently wonder if my parents and older sister experience pain in my presence because Kim and I share not only our looks but also many of our personality traits," she said, weeping as she read her impact statement to the court.

Vaughn, who lived with his family in a spacious Oswego home, faced a mandatory life term for the killings. But the hearing in Joliet gave relatives a chance to confront him and to convey how much pain he caused.
The 2007 murders started out as a death penalty case, slowing the pace to trial. But Illinois has since abolished capital punishment, making life in prison the maximum penalty.

"There isn't a punishment that fits this crime," Will County State's Attorney James Glasgow told reporters outside the courtroom after the sentencing.

"What this guy did here was a diabolical atrocity, and he's a heartless, soulless, psychopath," Glasgow said.

Vaughn murdered his family members, prosecutors say, because he saw them as obstacles to his dream of a new life in Canada. He posted wistful Internet messages about building a cabin and settling in the Yukon cut off from the world.

According to prosecutors, Vaughn woke his family on the day of the killings promising a surprise trip to a water park. But shortly after 5 a.m., he pulled off the road, shot his wife, then killed 12-year-old Abigayle, 11-year-old Cassandra and Blake, 8.

Abigayle was found holding a stuffed animal; Blake's wounds indicated he had raised his arm to shield himself.

At trial, defense attorneys told jurors that Vaughn's wife was to blame, saying she was suicidal over marital strife. They suggested she shot her husband in the wrist and leg, then killed the children and herself.

Prosecutors balked at that theory, asking jurors whether it seems reasonable that a woman who disliked guns could have shot her husband twice, only grazing him each time, but fatally shot each of her children with a marksman's precision.

They said Vaughn shot himself to make it look like his wife carried out the attack. Prosecutors said Vaughn showed little emotion after the shootings and was more interested in his damaged clothing than the fate of his family.

Trailer Life Magazine Announces 2012 Readers' Choice Award Winners

The results of Trailer Life magazine's first-ever Readers' Choice Awards are in and this year's winners include many of North America's most popular RVs, campgrounds, RV products and services.

More than 220,000 Trailer Life readers were invited to choose from 100 brands and cast votes online at www.TrailerLife.com for their favorites in 25 categories such as Fifth-Wheel Trailer, Campground/Resort and Satellite Hardware. Among the winners are recognizable names such as Keystone, Camping World, Jayco, Banks Power, Pilot Flying J and Cracker Barrel.

As true RV enthusiasts, Trailer Life readers are the experts. The Readers' Choice Awards gave readers an opportunity to share their knowledge and recognize the companies that make their passion possible.

"We're excited to tap into the wealth of knowledge Trailer Life readers have gained during years of experience as RV owners and travelers," Trailer Life Chairman Marcus Lemonis said. "Trailer Life readers know what works best, and for the first time -- and moving forward on an annual basis -- we've asked them to rate their favorite RVs, campgrounds, products and ancillary services."

"The winners are the best of the best in the RV industry and we thank our loyal readers for participating in this valuable asset to the pages of Trailer Life magazine," Trailer Life Publisher Bob Livingston said. "Congratulations to all the winners for being at the top of their game."

Camacho taken off life support, dies

Former Boxing great Hector Camacho was taken off life support Saturday morning and died a few minutes later, according to the New York Times. He was 50.

Camacho, who was shot in the face on Tuesday night, had been on life support at Centro Medico trauma center in San Juan, Puerto Rico. He had a heart attack and died shortly after being taken off life support.

Dr. Ernesto Torres, the director of the trauma center, reported the death.

Camacho, known for his quickness and flamboyance, was a world champion in three different weight classes.
Maria Matias, Camacho's mother, told reporters Friday that she planned to remove her son from life support. She wanted to wait until Saturday so his three sons could say goodbye to him.

Doctors said Camacho was clinically brain dead from the shooting in his hometown of Bayamon.
Camacho won super lightweight, lightweight and junior welterweight world titles in the 1980s. He had a career record of 79-6-3.

Camacho's mother says life support will end

Hector "Macho" Camacho will be taken off life support, his mother said Friday night, indicating she would have doctors do that Saturday. It was a decision the former championship boxer's eldest son opposed.

The boxer's mother, Maria Matias, told reporters outside the hospital where Camacho lay unconscious since being shot in the face that she had decided doctors should remove life support, but only after three of his sons arrived in Puerto Rico early Saturday and had a chance to see him a last time.

"I lost my son three days ago. He's alive only because of a machine," Matias said. "My son is not alive. My son is only alive for the people who love him," she added.

The three other sons were expected to arrive from the U.S. mainland around midnight Friday. "Until they arrive, we will not disconnect the machine," Matias said.

Another news conference was scheduled for Saturday morning at Centro Medico, the main trauma center for San Juan.

The former champion's mother has the final say in the matter, but his eldest son, Hector Jr., said he wants to keep his father alive.

"He's going to fight until the end. My father is a boxer," the son said.

Doctors have said Camacho is clinically brain dead from a shooting Tuesday night in his hometown of Bayamon. But relatives and friends told The Associated Press they were still wrestling with whether to remove him from life support.

"It is a very difficult decision, a very delicate decision," former pro boxer Victor "Luvi" Callejas, a longtime friend, said in a phone interview. "The last thing we lose is hope and faith. If there is still hope and faith, why not wait a little more?"

Aida Camacho, one of the boxer's aunts, said in an interview that the family could decide by late Friday whether to donate his organs.

As some relatives and friends continued to pray for a miracle, condolences kept coming in for Camacho's family and preparations began for memorials and a funeral Mass.

Gov. Luis Fortuno lamented what he called a sudden loss. "'Macho' will always be remembered for his spontaneity and charisma in and out of the ring," he said.

Also offering condolences was governor-elect Alejandro Garcia Padilla, who defeated Fortuno in November.
"The life of Macho Camacho, like other great athletes of ours, united the country," he said. "We celebrated his triumphs in the streets and we applauded him with noble sportsmanship when he didn't prevail."

Camacho was shot as he sat in a car with a friend, 49-year-old Adrian Mojica Moreno, who was killed in the attack. Police spokesman Alex Diaz said officers found nine small bags of cocaine in the friend's pocket and a 10th bag open inside the car.

Police reported no arrests and said investigators continued to interview potential witnesses. Capt. Rafael Rosa told reporters Friday that they are tracking down several leads, but added that very few witnesses were cooperating. He declined to say whether police had identified any suspects.

Hector Camacho Jr. lamented the violence that grips Puerto Rico, a U.S. island territory of nearly 4 million people that reported a record 1,117 homicides last year.

"Death, jail, drugs, killings," he said. "That's what the streets are now."
Camacho's sisters have said they would like to fly Camacho's body to New York and bury him there. Camacho grew up mostly in Harlem, earning the nickname the "Harlem Heckler."

He won super lightweight, lightweight and junior welterweight world titles in the 1980s and fought high-profile bouts against Felix Trinidad, Julio Cesar Chavez and Sugar Ray Leonard. Camacho knocked out Leonard in 1997, ending the former champ's final comeback attempt. Camacho had a career record of 79-6-3.
Camacho battled drug, alcohol and other problems throughout his life. He was sentenced in 2007 to seven years in prison on burglary charges, but a judge eventually suspended all but one year of the sentence and gave Camacho probation. He wound up serving two weeks in jail, though, after violating that probation. A wife also filed domestic abuse complaints against him twice before their divorce.

Empire Life Launches eClaims for Group Customers

The Empire Life Insurance Company (Empire Life) has launched a new electronic claims service, making it fast and easy for group insurance customers to submit claims.

Plan members can submit healthcare claims online and be reimbursed within 24 hours. Features include real-time adjudication, coordination of benefits capability, and flexibility for employers to choose from different levels of robust audit controls based on their risk tolerance and benefits philosophy.

"Our new eClaims service gives our group customers choice, convenience and control," says Steve Pong, Senior Vice-President, Group Solutions. "We know how important it is for small and mid size businesses to focus on what matters most - their business. This service will reduce paperwork and free up time for business owners, helping them to do just that."

Smart screens walk group customers'' employees through questions only relevant to their claim, and provide help along the way. Receipts do not need to be submitted unless requested, and need to be kept for just one year.

"Our smart, simple solution makes submitting claims a breeze," says Janet Jackson, Vice-President, Group Marketing. "It''s intuitive and convenient for employees, which means employers spend less time answering questions and managing paper claim forms."