Latest news with #DavidConnor
Irish Times
2 days ago
- Business
- Irish Times
Liquidators appointed to marketing company Frank&Bear amid alleged misappropriation of funds
Joint provisional liquidators have been appointed by the High Court to Dublin company Frank&Bear Limited, stated to be involved in a number of significant digital marketing campaigns in Ireland, the UK, Europe and the United States. Barrister Eoin Coffey told Mr Justice David Holland that the company, which employs 12 people, was unable to meet its debts and that two of its three directors were engaged in promoting a petition through the courts for the winding up of the firm. Mr Coffey, who appeared with Grace Armstrong of McCann Fitzgerald Solicitors , said the petition was being sought by directors Niamh Haughey and fellow director Michael Corcoran, a key member of the company's senior management team responsible for running a consultancy arm by the name of 'Frankly.' Counsel told the court that Ms Haughey, of Hollywood Grove, Newry, Co Down, had indicated in sworn written evidence opened to the court that director and financial controller David Connor of Ontario Terrace, Ranelagh , Dublin, had misappropriated approximately €1.75 million of company funds. READ MORE Ms Haughey said a forensic investigation had revealed that Connor had taken out company funds for renovations to his family home and also for the acquisition of a number of vehicles that had been applied to his personal use and for members of his family. She also stated that Connor owned a season ticket to a UK Premier League Club and had used company funds to finance family holidays. Mr Coffey told Judge Holland that Connor had also formed the opinion that the company should be wound up but was not co-operating with the appointment of joint provisional liquidators Dessie Morrow and Diarmaid Guthrie of Azets Ireland. Ms Haughey said Frank&Bear had been involved in a number of significant digital marketing campaigns throughout Ireland, the UK, Europe and the US and had provided consulting services to a number of well-known brands in the area of social media strategy and operations. She had met Mr Connor when she had commenced working for an unrelated digital marketing company in May 2016 when he was CEO and majority shareholder of that company which had also employed Mr Corcoran. In January 2020 she had been offered a role in a leading international agency and on Mr Connor having become aware of the offer he had suggested she turn it down, which she did, and go into business with him instead which she had done. Frank&Bear was a social media and digital marketing agency specialising in creating and managing online marketing campaigns to help businesses reach and engage their target audiences and increase revenue. The company operated fully remotely and did not own or lease any real property. To her knowledge the company had traded profitably for the period ending December 2022 but in April 2025 Mr Corcoran had been informed by a building contractor that they had carried out renovations to Mr Connor's personal property but had received payment for the works by Frank&Bear. This had led to the forensic investigation into the financial matters of the company and she stated there had been a complete breakdown in trust and confidence between Mr Connor and herself and Mr Corcoran. Mr Connor, who had refused to co-operate with the investigation, had been suspended on full pay. Both she and Mr Corcoran now believed the company should be wound up in the interest of employees and creditor. Judge Holland directed that Mr Morrow and Mr Guthrie be appointed joint provisional liquidators of Frand&Bear with power to take control of all property to which the company appeared to be entitled, including books and records and power to institute legal proceedings. The application was brought ex parte in the absence of any representation on behalf of the company and returned to July 7th.
Yahoo
02-03-2025
- Yahoo
Arizona's 10 most historic hotels, from Grand Canyon to Castle Hot Springs
Some history can be learned from a book. And some history requires immersing yourself in it − perhaps by staying in a century-old hotel. Arizona's oldest hotels have captivated guests for decades, steeped in character and legends (some of which might be ghost stories). Their walls once guarded historic and famous figures. They weathered disasters that threatened their existence, from devastating fires to the economic headwinds of the places where they stand. These are the 10 oldest hotels in Arizona, hotels that stood the test of time, enduring the setbacks that came their way and championed by their communities as important historical landmarks in Arizona. Opened: 1896. A 1,100-acre luxury resort in central Arizona's Bradshaw Mountains, Castle Hot Springs began as a luxurious wellness retreat where people sought healing from aches and pains in its mineral-rich hot springs. The resort has three spring-fed pools, each with different temperatures. The hottest, closest to the source, has an average temperature of 106 degrees, as hot as a summer day in Phoenix. Besides relaxing in the springs, other activities include hiking, archery, ax throwing, yoga and meditation (including seasonal paddleboard yoga), and for an additional cost, a via ferrata adventure course, horseback riding and electric bike and utility task vehicle tours. Castle Hot Springs closed after its Palm House was destroyed in a fire in 1976, but new ownership and a multibillion-dollar renovation brought it back to life. It reopened in 2019, its second life winning high praise: Travel + Leisure readers named it Arizona's best hotel of 2021, 2022 and 2024. Details: 5050 N. Castle Hot Springs Road. 877-600-1137, Opened: 1898. The oldest hotel in the historic former mining town of Jerome overcame destruction from not one but two fires. The Connor Hotel endured because owner David Connor insured the building and was able to rebuild quickly as a result. At the turn of the 20th century, the Connor Hotel was considered one of the West's finest lodging establishments; it had its own shuttle bus that took guests to the train depot in Clarkdale, and the hotel was one of the first buildings in Jerome that was wired for electricity. The hotel also survived two closures and the shutdown of the mines in the 1950s, persevering as people come to experience nostalgia and history of the West. Originally designed with 20 rooms, today the Connor Hotel has 12. Today, it's also known as the home of the lively Spirit Room bar with live music and open mic nights. Details: 160 Main St., Jerome. 928-634-5006, Opened: 1900. In 1897, after a series of fires plagued Flagstaff, the city enacted rules requiring all commercial buildings to be built from brick, stone or iron. A Texan named John Weatherford built one of the first buildings to meet these new requirements, housing a general store and living space for his family upstairs. A three-story modification of the building transformed his property into the Weatherford Hotel, which had its grand opening in 1900. The Weatherford was Flagstaff's most prominent hotel in its first 30 years, at various points housing a theater, restaurant, billiard hall and local radio station. It fell into disrepair after Weatherford lost the hotel in 1933, but brothers Henry and Lloyd Taylor bought and renovated it in the 1970s, hoping to save the building from demolition. Henry Taylor still runs the Weatherford today with his wife, Pamela "Sam" Green, not only continuing to make improvements on the hotel but also sharing its history with the public. It's also where people can see Flagstaff's popular New Year's Eve tradition, the Great Pinecone Drop. Details: 23 N. Leroux St., Flagstaff. 928-779-1919, Opened: 1901. The story of Hotel St. Michael begins with the end of another hotel. The Hotel Burke, opened in 1891, was lost to the Great Prescott Fire on July 14, 1900. A new hotel was built on its site, opening a year later as the Hotel St. Michael. In contrast with the former hotel's more modest look and feel, the Hotel St. Michael was built with more elaborate accommodations fitting its central location along Prescott's Whiskey Row. The Hotel St. Michael was designed with stone faces, or gargoyles, believed to represent local politicians. It's also where Prescott's first elevator was installed, debuting in 1925. Details: 205 W. Gurley St., Prescott. 928-776-1999, Biltmore, Valley Ho and more: Top 10 historic hotels in metro Phoenix Opened: 1902. The Phelps Dodge Corporation, which owned Bisbee's Copper Queen Mine, conceived the Copper Queen Hotel as a place to host visiting investors and dignitaries. Long after mining ceased in the city in the 1970s, the hotel became a Bisbee landmark for its luxurious setting and rich history as one of Arizona's oldest continuously operating hotels. People also come here for the ghost stories, something made apparent by the animation of a ghost creeping forward just before pages on the hotel's website load. Copper Queen's most famous ghost story involves Julia Lowell, a prostitute who was believed to have killed herself after a man she fell in love with rejected her. Lowell is believed to haunt Room 315, a room the hotel promotes as combining "mysterious allure" with an "intimate atmosphere." Details: 11 Howell Ave., Bisbee. 520-432-2216, Opened: 1903, as the Grand Saloon & Hotel. Many of the historic buildings along Prescott's famous Whiskey Row were built after fires engulfed its saloons of yesteryear. The Grand Highland had to rebuild after a fire, too, but that wouldn't happen for more than a century. The Grand Highland first opened as the two-story Grand Saloon Hotel in 1903, with the saloon downstairs and 16 guest rooms and three shared bathrooms upstairs. By the 1950s, Howard Hinson took over the hotel and renamed it the Highland Hotel; he also put in a curio shop where the saloon used to be. The Highland was destroyed in a fire in 2012, but was rebuilt as a boutique hotel and called the Grand Highland, opening in 2013. The hotel had once been considered a flophouse, but the fire inspired the hotel's then-owners, Howard Hinson's son and daughter-in-law, to reimagine it as a boutique with spacious, contemporary rooms and a courtyard in the middle of the property that filled a void left by the fire. Details: 154 S. Montezuma St., Prescott. 928-776-9963, Opened: 1905. Fourteen years before the Grand Canyon became a national park, a hotel opened as the natural landmark became a popular tourist spot. El Tovar was developed by the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway in partnership with the Fred Harvey Company to host guests traveling by railroad to the canyon. Architect Charles Whittlesey envisioned El Tovar as a cross between a Swiss chalet and Norwegian villa, according to Xanterra, which manages lodging at Grand Canyon National Park. El Tovar hosted many notable guests since its opening, from Albert Einstein to Oprah Winfrey, as well as several U.S. presidents. Teddy Roosevelt stayed there as president in 1909 and returned in 1913. The hotel was designated a U.S. National Historic Landmark in 1987. Historic Hotels of America says travelers appreciate El Tovar for its "gorgeous historical architecture, interesting institutional history and unrivaled hospitality." Details: 1 El Tovar Road, Grand Canyon Village. 928-638-2631, Opened: 1907. Bisbee wasn't the only Arizona city to benefit from the Phelps Dodge Corporation's copper mining. About 27 miles east in the border city of Douglas the company set up its copper smelting plant, where copper was extracted from its ores. The smelter closed in 1987, outliving Bisbee's Copper Queen Mine. Like Bisbee, Douglas has a hotel rich with history. The Gadsden Hotel was named in commemoration of the Gadsden Purchase, an 1854 transaction between the U.S. and Mexico that included most of present-day Arizona and part of New Mexico. It opened in 1907, becoming a meeting place for a clientele that included "cattlemen, ranchers, miners and businessmen," according to the hotel's website. Rebuilt after a 1928 fire that spared little but the elevator car cabin, marble staircase and marble columns, the Gadsden Hotel was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1976. The hotel has changed hands several times in recent years and drew curiosity after its on-site restaurant and bar were abruptly closed in December 2023. Details: 1046 G Ave., Douglas. 520-364-4481, Opened: 1913. The San Marcos Hotel, has been a cornerstone of the region's tourism industry since its opening in 1913 and was notable for being the first steel-reinforced, cast-in-place concrete structure in Arizona. Built by Dr. Alexander J. Chandler and designed by architect Arthur Burnett Benton, the hotel was inspired by the Spanish Colonial mission heritage of California. It played a pivotal role in transforming Phoenix into a winter tourism paradise, attracting visitors with luxurious amenities and recreation, such as golf on Arizona's first grass course. Today, it operates as the Crowne Plaza Phoenix-Chandler Golf Resort, maintaining its historical charm while offering modern amenities. Details: One N. San Marcos Place, Chandler. Opened: 1917. Like the Grand Highland, the Hotel Vendome was once a flophouse in its long life and is now a relaxing boutique hotel embracing an Old West feel. When the two-story hotel made of red bricks opened, the Vendome was promoted as "the classiest place in town" to people coming to Prescott for mining jobs and the health benefits of the region's dry air. The hotel went through several owners, but some didn't maintain its classiness. That changed when, in 1983, investors renovated the building and added modern amenities. The hotel's website described the renovators as "meticulous about the amount of preservation they did, even down to the numbers on the guestroom doors." The Vendome, which was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1983, has 20 guest rooms, including four suites. Some have vintage features such as claw-foot tubs. Details: 230 S. Cortez St., Prescott. 928-776-0900, Arizona Republic reporter Tiffany Acosta contributed to this story. Michael Salerno is an award-winning journalist who's covered travel and tourism since 2014. His work as The Arizona Republic's consumer travel reporter aims to help readers navigate the stresses of traveling and get the best value for their money on their vacations. He can be reached at Follow him on X, formerly Twitter: @salerno_phx. Subscribe to today. This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Oldest hotels in Arizona: 10 most historic lodgings
USA Today
19-02-2025
- Health
- USA Today
Before dyeing your hair at home, consider these stylist-approved tips
Whether you're on a budget or don't have time to sit in the hair salon, sometimes dyeing your hair at home is your best option for changing up your hair color. If you're adamant on skipping the salon, you don't need to sacrifice achieving salon-quality results. But if you're ready and willing to take matters into your own hands, there's a few things to consider. Is box dye ever a good idea? If you're dead set on coloring your own hair, proceed with caution if you're tempted by that $15 box dye. No matter the shade, it's always best to use professional-grade hair color, recommends David Connor, a stylist and owner of ANTI-GRAVITY salon in New Orleans. Lower-quality hair colors contain direct dyes, which have a greater likelihood of staining your skin and fade much faster than professional-grade products. Ideally, find a color that's formulated with low amounts of ammonia, or none at all. Bonus points if it contains extra conditioning agents that will help nourish the hair while the color is still processing, Connor says. Should you have clean hair on color day? It's true that the scalp's natural oils can counteract potential irritation, but if you're someone who regularly uses products like root cover-up spray or thick, moisture-rich conditioner, you could run into some problems. If you haven't shampooed thoroughly enough, buildup that's accumulated on the scalp can create a barrier between your hair and the hair dye. So, once the color is applied, it can lead to inconsistencies in the coverage, and make the hair look hollow. Need a break? Play the USA TODAY Daily Crossword Puzzle. Invest in the right tools What's the difference between a successful color application versus a botched dye job? There are many factors at play, but investing in the right tools is one of them. 'Generally, the applicator brush and bowl that comes in the at home kit is very low quality,' Connor says. So, if you're truly committed to coloring your hair on your own, he suggests purchasing a professional grade brush and hair color bowl. Is the strand test really that important when dyeing hair? Step one to avoiding a colossal color mishap: Please don't forget to read the directions on your dye kit of choice. If you apply the dye throughout your hair without actually knowing how it's going to process or oxidize, your at-home color experiment could end quickly in disappointment, Connor notes. On top of that, strand tests are crucial for identifying if you have an allergy or sensitivity to a product, helping to prevent further scalp irritation or damage to your hair. 'So, I always recommend doing a small color patch in the back of the hair near the occipital bone, just to see what the color would look like before it's applied everywhere,' he says. Be careful out there:Botox complications are rare. But what happens when an injection goes awry? How to get the best results with at-home hair dye Use a color barrier . Apply it to the skin around the hairline, but be careful to not cover your baby hairs. It's also a good idea to apply the color barrier to your ears, he suggests. . Apply it to the skin around the hairline, but be careful to not cover your baby hairs. It's also a good idea to apply the color barrier to your ears, he suggests. Section the hair before application . If you begin brushing the dye into the hair without sectioning it out first, color inconsistencies could arise. To avoid any potential mishaps, start by separating the hair into four quadrant sections. Then, work quadrant by quadrant from the back of your head to your front hairline. . If you begin brushing the dye into the hair without sectioning it out first, color inconsistencies could arise. To avoid any potential mishaps, start by separating the hair into four quadrant sections. Then, work quadrant by quadrant from the back of your head to your front hairline. Let your hair down during color processing . Despite misconception, you don't need to touch, move or wrap the hair during color processing. After the color is applied, pull it back loosely and away from the face, Connor recommends. If you're coloring gray hair, this is especially important. . Despite misconception, you don't need to touch, move or wrap the hair during color processing. After the color is applied, pull it back loosely and away from the face, Connor recommends. If you're coloring gray hair, this is especially important. Follow-up with a hydrating hair mask. Once you've rinsed and shampooed the color from your hair, follow it up with a hair mask that will hydrate and repair the hair. Noted:Bleach can cause your hair to break off. Here's how to lighten your hair without it. How do you get hair dye off of skin? Coloring your hair on your own is always going to be a little messy, and despite even the best of attempts to prevent dye from staining your skin, it's sometimes inevitable. The good news: Color removers formulated for the skin make it a fairly seamless process to fade the stains. These products typically come in liquid form, but Connor has also seen them available to purchase as small pads. At the end of the day, dyeing your hair at home is no small feat. If you're not happy with your at-home results, it could take multiple color correction appointments with a stylist to meet your desired hair goal, which is why Connor always recommends visiting a salon to change up your hair color. However, taking everything into consideration, it's definitely possible to do this at home.
