Paul Woltman, International Monetary Systems’ IT manager, commented, “The IMS Barter Mobile app currently allows access to many of the IMS Barter web functions on your iPhone or iPod touch. Other mobile platforms will follow in the future. Our technology gives users the power to locate dining establishments nearby that accept IMS trade dollars, view their accounts, process transactions, and much more.”

Some other IMS phone app features allow clients to:

* Locate nearby restaurants that accept multiple dining scrip or the IMS Barter Card for payment

* See detailed information about those trade members

* Request authorizations

* Retrieve account information

* View transactions

* Search accounts for specific activity

* Find IMS office and broker information

The new mobile app is free to those IMS members that want the power of the IMS website in their hand, along with instant member information that is constantly being updated.

The Seoul office location will allow Ormita to provide better service, support, sales and training in the heart of the ASEAN region, alongside its existing China and Hong Kong offices.

“This announcement demonstrates continued progress in the ASEAN marketplace. We are pleased by the reception of the Korea market to the Ormita business model and our progress to date,” said Daniel Evans, Ormita’s Chief Executive Officer.

The IRTA Deficit Advisory Memo, defines the different types of deficits that exist in barter exchanges (exchange and system deficits) and presents a simple and easily understandable recommended parameter of 2.5 to 3.0 times monthly averaged trade volume as a maximum threshold. The Deficit Advisory Memo also provides specific recommended methods for exchanges to reduce their deficits so as to fall within the suggested IRTA guidelines. Companies like FXCM are adjusting their tools to help with the recent change in exchange deficits.

IRTA Global Board member and officer, Annette Riggs says the Advisory Memo is a major positive step for exchanges and the public, “IRTA’s Deficit Advisory Memo provides a guide for industry veterans and those new to the industry to understand in clear terms the importance of trade deficit management and tax implications for trade exchanges. Following this advisory will benefit the health of the exchange, the exchange members and the community at large.” IRTA President, Michael Mercier also views the Advisory Memo as an important piece in protecting the public, “When a trade exchange ceases to exist it is a problem to the owner and the members as well. This directive will reduce failures in the modern trade and barter industry by helping owners and also protecting the public.”

UC trading in February of 2012 was $465,289 and March finished at 652,896, both of which are all-time trading records for the specific month.

SocialContaks.com is a free-trade, Web-based Social Network that allows registered Users the opportunity to form entrepreneurial ventures online via bartering the services of unrestricted professionals – services that would otherwise cost the User tens of thousands of dollars in startup expenses.

Membership on this site is in the form of a Community made up of two kinds of registered users: Submitting Users (Entrepreneurs who wish to submit an Internet / Tech Startup idea or concept in search of development); and Joining Users (Qualified personnel who seek to render their professional expertise and services to aid these up-and-coming entrepreneurs in exchange for an executive title, and equity stake in the concept once developed).

Equity percentages for Joining Users start out at around 49 percent, and is allocated equally among the number of qualified personnel the Submitting User deems necessary to complete the concept (hence “Project”). Submitting Users retain the remaining 51 percent, thus preserving inclusive control over the startup.

Joining Users consist of a team of qualified Community Member professionals made up of: (Designers, COOs; Programmers, CTOs; Writers, CDOs; Marketers, CMOs; Administrators, CAOs; Consultants, CIOs or CNOs; Financiers, CFOs; and Legal Counselors, CLOs). Submitting Users are regarded as the Team Leader of their Projects, therefore giving them the exclusive title of Chief Visionary Officer or Chief Executive Officer, whichever he/she asserts.

All Community Members who agree to “team-up” on a Project are considered to be Co-founders.

Founded in 1991 by Wayne Sharpe, Brian Hall and Andrew Federowsky today sees Wayne Sharpe step down from the role of Executive Chairman and CEO of the Bartercard Group of companies now after selling his majority stake.

Bartercard has been operating for over 21 years in Australia and has 55,000 international business members trading in 6 countries over $1billion a year.

Bartercard Australia team has plans to continue to invest in transactional based technology to make it easier and more convenient for business members to barter trade. Brian Hall says, “We also hope to ignite the international expansion program into other countries to create more travel and import/export opportunities for members worldwide.” Hall further says, “We are looking forward to the challenge ahead that is to make Bartercard as well known to business owners as Visa and Mastercard by becoming the noncash global trading currency of the world!”

Wayne Sharpe, who has led Bartercard since inception and humble beginnings on the Gold Coast, Australia , will concentrate all his efforts in the development of his exciting new carbon trading company called, Carbon Trade Exchange (CTX), which is based out of Sydney, Australia. Hall says “Wayne is hoping CTX will gain a lot of momentum to become a global player through his concentrated focus and with an expected boost of business as a result of the introduction of the carbon tax scheduled to start in Australia in July, 2012.”

Although Bartercard started in Australia the parent company moved to the UK over a decade ago when Wayne relocated to London. Bartercard European headquarters will continue to be led by UK CEO Simon Barker, and the new majority owners have big plans for expansion via their core franchising/licensing model into the UK and European markets. Bringing the ultimate ownership ‘back home‘ will help deliver a bright new future for Bartercard globally according to its outgoing CEO.

“Australians have played a huge role in Bartercard’s global expansion” says Wayne Sharpe. “It’s with great pride I look back on the past 21 years and I have no doubt that the new ownership will invigorate growth, I look forward to seeing the next 21 years.” On CTX he says ”the opportunity to bring my skills and experience to the huge challenge of Global Warming is my next challenge- and one I look forward to with enthusiasm”.

The Los Angeles Unified School District, the second largest school district in the United States with over 900,000 students, will now be able to move surplus assets efficiently and with little expense.

Scot Vorse, president and founder of Vorsetrade, had an idea – get public schools trading their excess inventory, such as desks, chairs, or textbooks for the items that they need. Instead of doing a direct trade, they can barter with their own internal credits. This is a barter exchange with a real twist. The LAUSD figured this could be a way to smartly reallocate resources that were sitting in storage.

Mr. Vorse came to BCL Soft to see if the existing Barter21 software could be modified to some very unique specifications. So instead of starting from scratch and taking several years to develop, modifications to the existing and very robust Barter21 software took only a few months to complete.
Schools in the LAUSD can now put up their “for sale” items onto a trading floor. Items for sale are approved by the school district and made available for purchase, not with cash but with barter credits, to the other schools in the LAUSD. So instead of having too many student chairs and holding them in storage, a school can now “sell” the excess chairs and use the barter credits to buy the desks they need.

For the 2011 – 2012 school year, the budget for the LAUSD is approximately $7 billion. The potential savings to the LAUSD could be in the millions of dollars. Plans are in the works to take the Vorsetrade system to other school districts. Large budget or small, this system can potentially save a school district a lot of money.

NASCAR veteran David Reutimann is set to compete on Sunday, March 18, at 1 p.m. EST. The NSCS will be televised on Fox (check the local listing).
“Tradebank’s business model is predicated on creating win-win relationships which is certainly the case with our partnership with TBR,” stated Todd Gerry, Senior Vice President of Marketing of Tradebank.” Our partnership will allow Tradebank to enhance its brand awareness with the loyal fans of NASCAR Nation while providing TBR with the many resources required, through our vast barter network, to pursue its goal of competing at the highest levels of the NSCS.”

“The new partnership between TBR and Tradebank accentuates the benefits of a barter relationship between Tradebank and regional- and nationally-based businesses,” commented TBR owner Tommy Baldwin. “Our participation in Tradebank means additional resources and revenue for us. TBR and Tradebank provide a cost effective way to pursue championship performance in your industry.” TBR is currently fielding two entries in the NSCS. The No. 10 Tradebank Chevrolet is competing for a top-35 spot in the 2012 NSCS Owner Points. The team is currently 39th in points, 14 points outside of the top-35.