Roger N. Chauza of Coppell received U.S. Patent 8,118,318 for “Hand Cart for Fuel Transport and Refueling.”

Texas Business Patent Of The Day:  What do you do when you don't have a gas station to drive your boat to? A Dallas-area man devised a way to fuel your boat and other vehicles when you don’t have a convenient fuel depot.  Roger N. Chauza of Coppell received U.S. Patent 8,118,318 for “Hand Cart for Fuel Transport and Refueling.”

Texas Business reports:  A group of California community colleges and open-education advocates announced a partnership with the Rice University-based open-education platform Connexions and the California-based 20 Million Minds Foundation to enable their new course materials developed with a $20 million federal stimulus grant to be available free online for any educator to use, modify and tailor for their own needs.

Texas Business reports:  AMARILLO—EnergyNet promoted Chris Atherton to vice president of business development.

Texas Business reports:  DALLAS—SPM Communications adde Austin-based Stubb's Legendary Kitchen, makers of Stubb's barbecue sauces, rubs and marinades, to its client roster.

Texas Business reports: AUSTIN—University of Texas at Austin researchers have demonstrated a new and more effective method for regrowing blood vessels in the heart and limbs — a research advancement that could have major implications for how health care treats heart disease, the leading cause of death in the Western world. 

Texas Business reports:  AUSTIN—Silverback Enterprise Group, which acquires and builds enterprise software companies, acquired PowerSteering Software Inc., a provider of cloud-based enterprise project and portfolio management (PPM) software, and Tenrox Inc., a provider of cloud-based, workflow-driven project workforce management software.

Texas Business reports:  IRVING—ACE Cash Express, Inc., a retailer of financial services, announced Douglas Lindsay has been promoted to the role of executive vice president and chief operating officer and Temple Weiss will join the company as executive vice president and chief financial officer effective immediately.

Texas Business reports: COLLEGE STATION – In a study recently reported in the journal BMC Genomics, researchers at Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, working with collaborators in the Texas A&M College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and the Texas AgriLife Genomics and Bioinformatics Center, have sequenced the first Quarter Horse genome – helping unlock the secrets of what makes this breed so unique.

Texas Business reports:  DALLAS—Satterfield & Pontikes Construction (S&P) took top honors in two categories at the Engineering News-Record (ENR) regional awards banquet held recently. S&P’s Kathlyn Joy Gilliam Collegiate Academy project in Dallas and Jackson Barracks project in New Orleans were selected as 2011 Best Projects in ENR’s Texas-Louisiana region. 

Texas Business reports:  ASCO Equipment acquired the Case Construction Equipment distributorship from Heritage Equipment for the Lubbock and Amarillo markets.

 Tourist Traps. Some are absurdly large. All are monuments to the bizarre notions of the human spirit.

Texas Business reports: COLLEGE STATION, Texas — An estimated 5.6 million trees that once shaded homes, streets and parks in communities across Texas now are dead as a result of last year’s unrelenting drought.  

Texas Business reports:  FORT WORTH—Wound Management Technologies Inc., an emerging  innovator in advanced wound care solutions, sold its wholly-owned subsidiary, Secure eHealth LLC  to two entities that previously financed the acquisition of Secure eHealth by WMTI in January 2010.

Texas Business reports: PLANO—Lee Roy Mitchell, chairman of Cinemark Holdings Inc. (announced that Tim Warner, who led the company’s expansion throughout Latin America as the president of Cinemark International before becoming president of the domestic circuit in 2006, has been promoted to the position of chief executive officer. 

Texas Business reports: AUSTIN—University of Texas at Austin researchers have demonstrated a new and more effective method for regrowing blood vessels in the heart and limbs — a research advancement that could have major implications for how health care treats heart disease, the leading cause of death in the Western world. 

Texas Business reports:  RICHARDSON—Vertex Business Services signed a five-year contract with Think Energy, the GDF SUEZ Energy Resources business established to serve small commercial electricity customers, to provide a fully hosted retail CIS solution, including call center management and back office operations.

Texas Business reports:  GRAPEVINE, Texas—GreenHunter Energy  Inc., a diversified renewable energy company predominately focused on water resource management in the unconventional oil and gas shale resource plays, appointed  Ernie Easley to its board of directors. 

Carlos Ray Norris of Dallas received U.S. Patent 8,109,835 for “Systems and Methods for Martial Arts Combat.”

Texas Business Patent Of The Day:  A Texas man has devised a way to conduct martial art competitions to involve fans and increase the fan base.  Carlos Ray Norris of Dallas received U.S. Patent 8,109,835 for “Systems and Methods for Martial Arts Combat.”

Texas Business reports:  A Fort Worth firm won a $56.7 million contract to provide components for the manufacturing of the Huey helicopter upgrade program.

Texas Business reports:  A Rice University undergraduate will depart with not only a degree but also a possible patent for his invention of an efficient way to create protein libraries, an important component of biomolecular research.

Texas Business reports:  ABILENE—First Financial Bankshares  Inc. announced several promotions for officers based in Abilene and Fort Worth.

 Texas Business reports: FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla.—Ryan, a tax services firm with the largest indirect tax practice in North America, opened a new office location in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. 

Texas Business reports:  DALLAS—Tyler Technologies Inc. signed an agreement with Missouri City, Texas, to deliver its Munis enterprise resource planning (ERP) and Incode  municipal court solutions under a software as a service (SaaS) agreement that enables the city to access current technology for a low upfront investment. 

Candis A. Taylor of Plano received U.S. Patent 8,075,367 for “Absorbent Pad For Underwire Brassiere.”

Texas Business Patent Of The Day:  A Dallas-area woman has devised a product for women (and some men) who sweat in their bras.  Candis A. Taylor of Plano received U.S. Patent 8,075,367 for “Absorbent Pad For Underwire Brassiere.”

Texas Business reports:  TEMPLE—Wilsonart International and Illinois Tool Works (ITW) named Kristen Manos as president of Wilsonart.

Texas Business reports:  HOUSTON—The eagerly anticipated and much needed expansion of Henry W. Grady Middle School was recently completed by Satterfield & Pontikes Construction Inc. for the Houston Independent School District. 

Texas Business reports: NEW YORK—Legacy Recordings, the catalog division of Sony Music Entertainment, entered into a historic new record deal with Texas musician Willie Nelson. 

Texas Business reports:  AUSTIN—HomeAway Inc., a provider of online vacation rentals, opened its third Austin office, which brings 235 employees from the customer service and sales teams to the Penn Field campus, located at 3601 South Congress. 

Texas Business reports:  TEMPLE—Scott & White Healthcare today announced long-time supporters Elizabeth and Drayton McLane Jr. made the largest gift in the 115-year history of Scott & White to benefit its Children's Hospital.

Jimmy I. Frank , Thomas L. Guy, Raymond A. Glatt, Richard E. Frankenberg, Kristan L. Dawson, Carl R. Martin and Craig Cloud of received U.S. Patent 8,079,230 for “Food Dispensing Machine.”

Texas Business Patent Of The Day: Seven Texans devised a better way for machines to give you cool refreshments. Jimmy I. Frank of Houston, Thomas L. Guy,  Raymond A. Glatt and Richard E. Frankenberg, all of San Antonio,  Kristan L. Dawson of Brookside, Carl R. Martin of Burton and Craig Cloud of New Braunfels received U.S. Patent 8,079,230 for “Food Dispensing Machine.”

Texas Business reports:  HOUSTON—Encon Safety Products reached a marketing agreement with Guard-Dogs, Aggressive Eyewear. 

Alfredo Marroquin of McAllen and Mateo Salazar Sr. of Mission received U.S. Patent 8,112,029 for “Method for Developing Writing Skills by Creating Customized Books Using a Network.”

Texas Business Patent Of The Day:  Two South Texas residents developed a way to get children to learn how to read books by writing books. Alfredo Marroquin of McAllen and Mateo Salazar Sr. of Mission received U.S. Patent 8,112,029 for “Method for Developing Writing Skills by Creating Customized  Books Using a Network.”

Texas Business reports: NEW YORK—Legacy Recordings, the catalog division of Sony Music Entertainment, entered into a historic new record deal with Texas musician Willie Nelson. 

Texas Business reports:  AUSTIN—Insuraprise Inc., a Medicare Supplemental Insurance agency, promoted Casey Hughes, its vice president, market development to chief operating officer.

Texas Business reports: DALLAS—UT Southwestern Medical Center installed a new system to deliver extremely precise and individualized radiation treatment, assuring that cancer patients in the region have access to the latest advances in radiation oncology.

Texas Business reports: COLLEGE STATION – Mother Nature sent many Texas farmers an early Valentine’s Day card in the form of rain the last week.

Ovidio Farias III, Jim Lee McNeil and Theresa Eilers, all of Manchaca, Texas received U.S. Patent 8,091,378 for “Hitch Mounted Keg Beverage Dispenser.”

Texas Business Patent Of The Day:  Beer kegs are something that fraternities, tailgate parties and other social events need, if not outright require.  Now three Texans have invented the portable keg for your trailer hitch. Ovidio Farias III, Jim Lee McNeil and Theresa Eilers, all of Manchaca, Texas received U.S. Patent 8,091,378 for “Hitch Mounted Keg Beverage Dispenser.”

Texas Business reports:  AUSTIN—There’s marketing, and then there’s marketing. Alamo Drafthouse launched a signature wine inspired by The Princess Bride in honor of the 25th anniversary of the film. 

Texas Business reports:  DALLAS—J--W Energy Company announced that Perry A. Harris has accepted the position of president of J-W Wireline Company.

Evan D. Collins of Houston received U.S. Patent 8,110,000 for “Ligament Reconstruction System.”

Texas Business Patent Of The Day:  A Texas man devised a better way to rebuild your elbow. Evan D. Collins of Houston received U.S. Patent 8,110,000 for “Ligament Reconstruction System.”

Texas Business reports:  LONGVIEW—Diagnostic Clinic of Longview (DCOL) and Longview Regional Medical Center (LRMC) will merge.

Texas Business reports:  THE WOODLANDS—Huntsman Corporation appointed Jon Huntsman, Jr. as a new director to its board.

Texas Business reports:  AUSTIN, Texas — A systematic analysis of power usage in microprocessors could help lower the energy consumption of both small cellphones and giant data centers, report computer science professors from The University of Texas at Austin and the Australian National University.

Texas Business reports:  HOUSTON—Global NuTech, soon to be renamed Texas Gulf Energy Inc. formed a new wholly owned subsidiary named Texas Gulf Electrical & Instrumentation Inc.

Texas Business reports:  FORT WORTH— Bell Helicopter, a Textron Inc. company  announced the U. S. Army’s OH-58 Kiowa Warrior helicopter fleet have accumulated 2 million flight hours.

Texas Business reports: Actors from the London Stage, an international touring theater troupe based in London and the University of Notre Dame, will present Shakespeare's comedy of love, "Twelfth Night," Feb. 16-18 at Rice University's Hamman Hall. 

Don Rutledge Day and Rabindranath Dutta, both of Austin, received U.S. Patent 8,112,705 for “Magnifying the Text of a Link while still Retaining Browser Function in the Magnified Display.”

Texas Business Patent Of The Day:  Two Travis County men were the ones who allow you to see what  a link is before you click.

Don Rutledge Day and Rabindranath Dutta, both of Austin, received U.S. Patent 8,112,705 for “Magnifying the Text of a Link while still Retaining Browser Function in the Magnified Display.”

Texas Business reports: DALLAS—Lockheed Martin received contracts totaling $921 million from the U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Command for hardware and services associated with the Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3) Missile Segment program.

Texas Business reports:  SUGAR LAND—CVR Partners LP, a master limited partnership and manufacturer of ammonia and urea ammonium nitrate (UAN) solution fertilizer products, announced that Kevan A. Vick, executive vice president and fertilizer general manager for the general partner of CVR Partners LP and CVR Energy, elected to retire after more than 35 years in the fertilizer industry.

Texas Business reports:  Richardson— Hill & Wilkinson received the top green building award from Education Design Showcase for the LEED Platinum-certified UT Dallas Student Services Building.

Texas Business reports: AMARILLO—The air we breathe may have a little more ammonia in it as the years go by, but the general public can rest easy that it is not anywhere close to posing a health threat, according to a Texas AgriLife Research scientist.

Texas Business reports:  AUSTIN, Texas — A systematic analysis of power usage in microprocessors could help lower the energy consumption of both small cellphones and giant data centers, report computer science professors from The University of Texas at Austin and the Australian National University.

James Clifford Lewis of Tomball received U.S. Patent 8,097,152 for “Apparatus for Removal of Oil from Ice.”

Texas Business Patent Of The Day:  Despite being a resident of a state known for dust and recording breaking heat and droughts, a Texas man has developed a way to remove oil from sea ice. James Clifford Lewis of Tomball received U.S. Patent 8,097,152 for “Apparatus for Removal of Oil from Ice.”

Emily A. Parker

Texas Business reports:  DALLAS—The law firm of Thompson & Knight LLP named Emily A. Parker as managing partner of the Firm effective February 15.

Texas Business reports: A Fort Worth firm won a $14.8 million change to a F-35 acquistion contract, the U.S. Department of Defense announced.

Texas Business reports:  The Thin Line Film Fest, Texas’ only international documentary film festival, starts its 5th annual festival lineup today.

Texas Business reports:  McALLEN —  A total of 14 citrus trees infected with citrus greening disease have been destroyed, leaving experts hopeful that the destructive plant disease can be contained.

Texas Business reports: KATY—Two pro sports women's associations are teaming up to form a credit union with an educational wealth empowerment program for pro athletes and their families. 

Texas Business reports: Texas has been ranked the top exporting state in 2011 for the 10th year in a row, according to data released by the U.S. Department of Commerce.

Texas Business reports:  HOUSTON—Global NuTech Inc. will change its name to Texas Gulf Energy Incorporated.

Texas Business reports:  DALLAS—A grant from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will help improve the drinking water treatment system in Andrews, Texas.

Texas Business reports:  HOUSTON – Bassey Essien, the former co-owner of Durable Medical Equipment (DME) companies Logic World Medical and Roben Medical in Houston, was sentenced to 99 months in federal prison for defrauding the Texas Medicaid program, United States Attorney Kenneth Magidson announced today along with Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott.

Douglas Jones of Point, Texas, received U.S. Patent 8,088,028 for “Tracking System For Use With An Arrow.”

Texas Business Patent Of The Day:  Arrows that transmit radio signals? A Rains County man developed a way to keep track of your arrows, wherever you shoot them. Douglas Jones of Point, Texas, received U.S. Patent 8,088,028 for “Tracking System For Use With An Arrow.”

Texas Business reports: KATY—Two pro sports women's associations are teaming up to form a credit union with an educational wealth empowerment program for pro athletes and their families. 

Texas Business reports:  The Thin Line Film Fest, Texas’ only international documentary film festival, starts its 5th annual festival lineup today.

Texas Business reports:  AUSTIN—Virtual Bridges Inc. appointed Iser Cukierman to the company’s executive leadership team.

Texas Business reports: A large portion of Galveston Bay is now open to the harvesting of oysters and other molluscan shellfish after DSHS testing in those areas shows shellfish are safe to consume. 

Texas Business reports: Fitch Ratings says there will be a noticeable impact from the pending American Airlines layoffs on the Dallas-Fort Worth region.

Texas Business reports:  AUSTIN—The greater Houston area is one step closer to reduced traffic congestion for more than 2.5 million people as the Texas Department of Transportation accelerates plans for the completion of the next phase of State Highway 99, also known as the Grand Parkway.

Texas Business reports:  HOUSTON—Global NuTech Inc. dba Texas Gulf Energy Inc. acquired 100% of the equity interests of Texas based Fishbone Solutions Ltd.

Texas Business reports:  Among corporations involved in the 2006 stock-option backdating scandal, those implicated earlier were more likely to dismiss their top executives than those that surfaced later on, according to new research from Rice University and the University of California at Irvine.

Kenneth J. Kistner and Carolyn R. Kistner, both of Midlothian, received U.S. Patent 8,110,096 for “Septic System.”

Texas Business Patent Of The Day: Two Ellis County residents devised a new way to process sewage in an old way. Kenneth J. Kistner and Carolyn R. Kistner, both of Midlothian, received U.S. Patent 8,110,096 for “Septic System.”

Texas Business reports:   AUSTIN—Buffalo Technology, a designer, developer and manufacturer of wired and wireless networking and network and direct attached storage solutions, appointed Hajime Nakai as chief executive officer of Buffalo Technology (USA) Inc. 

Texas Business reports:  CORPUS CHRISTI—Uranium Energy Corp completed a second uranium sale which will be reflected in the company's upcoming fiscal 2012 Q2 report. 

James M. Guthrie and Jonathan C. Stupka, both of Austin, received U.S. Patent 8,110,729 for “Pyrolytic Carbon Components For Stringed Instruments.”

Texas Business Patent Of The Day:  Two Austin men devised better materials for a better violin sound. James M. Guthrie and Jonathan C. Stupka, both of Austin, received U.S. Patent 8,110,729 for “Pyrolytic Carbon Components For Stringed Instruments.”

Texas Business reports:  RICHARDSON—Mavenir Systems appointed Hubert de Pesquidoux to its board of directors.

Texas Business reports:  AUSTIN—The greater Houston area is one step closer to reduced traffic congestion for more than 2.5 million people as the Texas Department of Transportation accelerates plans for the completion of the next phase of State Highway 99, also known as the Grand Parkway.

Texas Business reports:  HANOVER, Md.—Conmed Healthcare Management Inc.,  it has purchased the assets of Panhandle Correctional Care, Inc., a Texas Corporation, including its three medical staffing contracts in the Texas panhandle.

Texas Business reports: SOUTHLAKE—Sabre Travel Network announced a new strategic relationship with Regus, the world's largest supplier of high definition public video communication rooms.

Kieu Thi-Bich Phan of Austin received U.S. Patent 8,109,417 for “Garment Washing Device With Removable Form.”

Texas Business Patent Of The Day: A Travis County resident developed a way to wash brassieres. Kieu Thi-Bich Phan of Austin received U.S. Patent 8,109,417 for “Garment Washing Device With Removable Form.” 

Texas Business reports:  HOUSTON—University General Health System Inc., a diversified, integrated multi-specialty health delivery system, finalized the acquisition of Sybaris Group LLC, a luxury hospitality service provider and facilities management company headquartered in Houston.

Texas Business reports:  COLLEGE STATION – Recent rains greatly improved soil-moisture levels in many parts of the state, according to reports from Texas AgriLife Extension Service county agents.

Texas Business reports: HOUSTON—Reservoir Group's surface logging business, Empirica, appointed Etienne Roux as its new managing director.