Performing assetsStephen R. Brunner shares with Martin Ashcroft his strategy for turning Constellation Energy Partners into a top performing oil and gas production company. Stephen Brunner was appointed chief operating officer of publicly held Constellation Energy Partners LLC in February this year. Before the end of March, the roles of president and CEO were added to his responsibilities.

Serious about sustainabilityBill Yarwood and Pat Nahan tell Keith Regan how Central Washington University has dramatically reduced energy consumption, even as its campus has grown. If anyone doubts that focusing on sustainability can help an organizationÔÇÖs bottom line, the story of Central Washington University should change their minds.

I am hugely impressed with the involvement of the current generation of college students in sustainability and environmental initiatives.

Living with turmoil is the new status quo, says Anand Sharma. A lean culture is the best way to survive.┬á No one ever said running a business would be easy, but the convergence of unrest in the global social and economic landscape is today creating a tsunami of concern about how to keep an enterprise above water. The prices of commodities are going up; oil is through the roof. There seem to be more hurricanes, floods, drought, tornadoes, and other natural disasters. We have war, energy gouging, and currency acrobatics. And itÔÇÖs all happening at once.

Care with characterColchester East Hants Health Authority CEO Peter MacKinnon shares his healthy philosophy with Jenn Monroe. When designing plans for meeting the future healthcare needs of its community, the Colchester East Hants Health Authority (CEHHA) had among its considerations not only its demographics but also its geology and its geography. The organization was created by the Nova Scotia Department of Health in January 2001 and today provides healthcare for the 73,000 residents of Colchester County and the Municipality of East Hants.

McMaster UniversityMcMaster University looks forward to a sustainable future right on its campus, Jenn Monroe reports. As it is preparing its students for the future in the classroom, McMaster University is also teaching them how to be good global citizensÔÇöone building project at a time. McMaster University is not your typical downtown university.

Crystal ballSenior vice president George Read tells Gary Toushek what he sees in the future for Shore GoldÔÇÖs diamond explorations. "On the Star Diamond project we have defined our resource and can now enter a pre-feasibility study, ultimately with the definition of a reserve calculation, then we move on to bankable feasibility by the end of 2008.ÔÇØ  George Read, senior vice president of exploration & development of Saskatoon, SaskatchewanÔÇôbased Shore Gold Inc., is commenting on the National Instrument 43-101 compliant mineral resource estimate p

Chrysler has followed rivals Ford and General Motors by announcing plans to cut back on the production of minivans in the US, as rising fuel prices drive consumers to opt for smaller vehicles.  ┬á Two factories in Missouri are affected, with one minivan plant in St Louis shutting down completely and another cutting back from two shifts to one. The reductions will lead to a cut of 2,400 hourly jobs.┬á┬á "The market is fairly slow and consumer confidence has been down," said Chrysler president Jim Press.

┬áStrategy & leadershipBusiness leaders must develop a people strategy and leadership style to maximize business performance and achieve their companyÔÇÖs vision, says Jon Minerich, principal, Oliver Wight Americas, Inc.┬á In todayÔÇÖs business environment, events happen quickly. To meet this challenge, many leaders focus on technology and process improvement strategies in an attempt to make their companies more responsive to changing market conditions.

University of UtahAt the University of Utah, director of sustainability Craig Forster explains his ideas for raising awareness to Gary Toushek. "In terms of sustainability, weÔÇÖre ahead in some ways, and weÔÇÖre behind other folks in other ways. The spectrum is very large.ÔÇØ Craig Forster, director of sustainability at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City, is discussing how to involve students, faculty, the administration and the outside┬ácommunity in a meaningful discussion of important environmental and conservation issues.