Drones fly with Mass. users

Some Bay State businesses are already putting drones in the air to boost their bottom line as the Federal Aviation Administration hints it may be open to some commercial uses of the hovering craft.

"It's a novelty now, but I think it will become more of a mainstay," said Missy Cummings, a drone expert at MIT. "These drones can really improve business processes."

Lexington Realtor Jonathan de Araujo has been using a drone to take aerial shots of properties he is listing since last summer, and the birds-eye view has quickly found a place in de Araujo's real estate arsenal.

"The end result is just unparalleled," he said. "Everything we can do to give a more positive impression means more people at the open house. The idea is to just give a better, more positive, a more thorough impression of what you're looking at."

De Araujo uses his drone, a model outfitted with a camera and available to any consumer, to give his homes more context, including offering a complete view of a backyard, or showing how close the park down the street is.

"When you're taking stills from ground level, you're seeing one angle, one shot," he said. "It just made sense to add that extra dimension."

Last week, the FAA said it is considering letting seven movie and television filming companies use drones. Now, the only commercial drone flights permitted by the FAA are those by one company off the Alaskan coast. The FAA has been working for the past decade on potential safety regulations that would allow widespread commercial drone use, but those regulations have been repeatedly delayed. Most recently, the FAA has said it will release proposed regulations for operating small drones by November. That would be followed by a potentially yearslong process to finalize the regulations.

Dan Kara, a robotics and drone industry analyst with Myria Research, said the FAA is under pressure to clarify the guidelines because many, from individual real estate agents to Amazon.com, are using or expressing interest in making drones part of their toolkit.

"It's happening organically," Kara said.

Marcella Hoekstra, who runs wedding video company Heirloom Pictures, is planning on buying a drone soon.

"I've seen what these drones can do, and I've seen some really beautiful, sweeping shots of landscapes and architecture," Hoekstra said. "It's a wonderful way to explore ... and give the bride and groom a bird's-eye view."

Kara said some are looking to drones for the novelty — a club in Las Vegas is delivering high end champagne to its high-rollers by drone.

But others are advocating for the permitted use of drones for search and rescue missions, to get a good view of wildfires and to help farmers track their crops.

"There's no question drones can revolutionize (agriculture)," Cummings said.

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When there’s white smoke, check first for coolant leak

I own a 2003 Honda Accord. In April a large amount of white smoke came out of the front of the car when I started it. It has happened three more times, coming from the rear of the car. Three times the engine was cold, once warm. The Honda dealer found nothing, but told me to keep track of these instances. Nothing has leaked on the garage floor.

White smoke from an automobile can be caused by three things: condensing moisture, heated coolant and vaporized fuel. In your case I'd be suspicious of an external coolant leak that collects on some part of the exhaust system and is heated into smoke as the exhaust system heats up, leaving no evidence on the garage floor.

Do you smell the semi-sweet odor of antifreeze/coolant? Before you start the cold engine next time, open the hood and visually inspect for any coolant in the engine compartment. Make sure you are monitoring the coolant level in the radiator/reservoir.

If the white smoke is exclusively from the exhaust pipe, a leaking cylinder head gasket would be a suspect. In this case the coolant would end up being heated in the combustion chambers and blown out the exhaust as the engine starts.

White smoke from the exhaust on a cold morning start is normal condensation of moisture that has collected in the exhaust system overnight, and is of no concern.

White smoke from vaporized but unburned fuel — unlikely in this case — can be caused by a failed or stuck fuel injector allowing raw fuel to be carried through and vaporized in the exhaust system as it is heated.

My 2011 Subaru is squeaking so loudly I'm ready to tear my hair out! It started on the driver's side just behind the driver's seat, moved to under the driver's seat near the middle, and then under the console. All three areas are squeaking! It's been on a lift and nothing that can be seen is an issue, according to the mechanic. A body shop owner with 40 years experience found that the back of the rear seat hadn't been put in place properly and the spare tire was not tightened down securely. The noise lessened, but is still a major nuisance.

The most common causes of body squeaks and rattles are something flexing or something loose. The entire exhaust system and its hangers should be inspected for evidence of flexing, movement or contact. Next, all engine, transmission and drive shaft mounts should be checked.

If the squeaking is rhythmical and varies with engine or road speed, the noise may be coming from the transmission or drive shaft CV joints. Subaru issued a service bulletin addressing a high-pitched sound originating in the transmission extension housing. Thermal expansion can potentially damage a pre-loaded bearing, causing the noise.

I have a 2007 Dodge Caravan with the automatic door lock feature. When I drive in the rain, the locks start locking and unlocking rapidly for 60-90 seconds then quit for a while, then do it again. This continues even after removing the key, but quits after being parked for a while. I tried to disable the auto lock, using the instructions in the manual, but was unsuccessful. There is no separate fuse that controls this. Any thoughts?

Water/moisture is grounding the electrical circuit that operates the locks. A scan tool should be able to identify specific fault codes with the power door lock system, but you could try "watering" each window for a minute or so, one at a time, with a garden hose. Water may be getting by the window seals, running down the inside of a door and grounding the circuit, causing the rapid cycling of the locks. This may help you pinpoint which door or cylinder lock switch or connector is getting wet.

Paul Brand, author of "How to Repair Your Car," is an automotive troubleshooter, driving instructor and former race car driver. Readers may write to him at: Star Tribune, 425 Portland Ave. S., Minneapolis, Minn. 55488 or via email at paulbrand@startribune.com. Please explain the problem in detail and include a daytime phone number.

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Startup tests resistance to HIV drugs

A simple, fast, affordable test developed by a Boston-based MassChallenge finalist is able to determine which drugs HIV is resistant to, saving money and lives.

Using a technology called Pan Degenerate Amplification and Adaptation, Aldatu Biosciences allows doctors to match patients with drugs the HIV won't be resistant to, based on the genetics of the virus.

"If resistance is present, switching people to effective drugs improves quality of life and saves money by reducing the risk of new infections," Aldatu CEO David Raiser said. "If resistance is not present, money is saved by not switching patients to more expensive drugs unnecessarily. There are clear economic and public health benefits to performing the test, regardless of the result."

Aldatu's test produces results in about two hours, compared to roughly two days for current tests, Raiser said, and the price is $99, about one-third the cost of other tests.

"Ours is a simple 'sample in/answer out' format, whereas the current tests have multiple steps and require several pieces of equipment," he said.

Raiser and co-founder Iain MacLeod, Aldatu's chief scientific officer, plan to bring their test first to Botswana, where one in four adults has HIV and about 10 percent of those receiving treatment don't respond to it, but the price of the prevailing drug-resistance test prevents most doctors from using it.

"Presently, (doctors) give everyone the same drugs and wait for them to fail to see if they're resistant to the drugs," Raiser said.

If they are, they are put on a second line of drugs, which typically costs four times as much as the first, he said. And if they're resistant to that, they're put on a third line, which can cost 15 times as much.

"In some cases, people are being switched to a second or third line of drugs because doctors don't realize the virus isn't resistant; the patients just aren't taking their meds correctly," Raiser said.

"There's the ethical question of leaving people on ineffective drugs when their quality of life is poor and they're at risk of infecting other people with drug-resistant HIV," he said.

There is also the economic question, one that countries around the world are wrestling with.

"What happens in Botswana can and will impact what happens in the U.S.," said John Hallinan, chief business officer at the Massachusetts Biotechnology Council. "What's happening is a drain on the entire global health system. We think (Aldatu) has a very promising technology."

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Large lot adds appeal to Milton home

This Milton home, built in 1995, sits on two acres that back up to 26 acres of conservation land and is also near the entrance to the Blue Hills Reservation.

The four-bedroom hip-roof Colonial at 3 Green St. has a blue clapboard exterior with black shutters and white trim. The home is built for entertaining as well as family living, with more than 5,600 square feet of finished living space and the potential for even more.

The refinished oak-floored living spaces on the first floor, with nine-foot ceilings and recessed lighting, are made for large gatherings. The spacious entry foyer has a grand reverse staircase with a large chandelier and this space, along with an adjacent fireplaced living room, have French doors leading out to a covered patio overlooking a large backyard. Across the hall, a formal dining room with paneled wainscoting will seat a large party.

The adjacent kitchen features lots of white-painted cabinets, white appliances and Uba Tuba granite counters and island, with newly added beadboard wainscoting, pendant lights and marble backsplashes.

But the house is also built for raising a family. There's a vaulted family room with a wood fireplace and a front porch that connects the main part of the house to an attached three-car garage with a nanny/in-law suite above that has a living room, bedroom and full bathroom completed in 1997-98.

There's three other bedrooms on the second floor, including a large, newly carpeted master bedroom suite with a newly redone marble-lined glass shower and granite-topped vanity, a walk-in closet and a home office area. The other two newly carpeted bedrooms are ideal for children and there's a second full bathroom. There's also a laundry closet with a Maytag washer and dryer.

Upstairs is an 800-square-foot unfinished attic that could be converted to additional living space, as could a large unfinished basement where one small area is a carpeted exercise room. The basement also holds a three-zone oil heating system; there's two zones of central air conditioning.

The first 40 feet of a long driveway leading to the home is an easement through a neighboring property.

HOME SHOWCASE

• Address: 3 Green St., Milton
• Bedrooms: Four
• Bathrooms: Two full, one half
• List price: $1,449,000
• Square feet: 5,664
• Price per square foot: $256
• Annual taxes: $17,424
• Location: Off Route 138 on Milton 
Canton line near Blue Hills Reservation; 1.8 miles to the Readville commuter rail station and supermarket.
• Built in: 1995; updated 1997-98 
and 2013
• Broker: Eileen Cain of William Raveis Real Estate at 508-254-6865

Pros:

• Living dining/foyer areas are built for entertaining
• Two-acre site with 26 acres of conservation land behind
• Finished nanny in-law suite over three-car garage
• Large master suite with walk-in closet, home office area

Cons:

• Has septic system
• Easement with neighbor for stretch of driveway

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Feel secure in well-crafted Volvo SUV

The best thing about climbing behind the wheel of a Volvo is the instant sense of security, craftsmanship and well-being you get.

Maybe it's the incredibly comfortable leather seats, the way the austere interior is set off with well-placed controls and a leather-wrapped steering wheel or maybe it's the tight, well-fitted interior that settles you which makes driving a Volvo such a pleasant experience. It's no secret too that the unibody construction and host of safety and security features adds a dimension of confidence to piloting any of the brand.

Firing up the new 2.0-liter 4-cylinder Drive-E engine of the 2015 Volvo XC60 T6 SUV adds to the rush of wanting to get rolling. By combining both super and turbocharger technologies, Volvo has created a smaller, more powerful and fuel-efficient power plant. But what kind of performance from this 4-cylinder engine you ask? How about 6.5 seconds to 60 mph with a rated 30 miles per gallon on the highway and 22 mpg around town. This rakishly handsome mid-sized utility vehicle cranks out an impressive 302 horsepower driven through a smooth shifting 8-speed transmission.

Think again if a rough ride is anticipated with the truck. The front MacPherson struts, multi-link rear suspension and Dynamic Stability Traction Control make for a smooth, compliant ride yet return such a surprising amount of steering feedback and fine handling that I thought it rivaled a sedan's.

The one drawback to the two 2.0-liter offerings is that you can currently only get the vehicle in front-wheel drive. To get all-wheel drive it looks like the 3.0-liter turbocharged T6 or R-Design is the way to go.

I had the chance to stretch the XC60 out for an extended highway run and achieved better than average 26 mpg. The auto features ultra-low emission technology that did not dampen how powerful it was. Maneuvering through highway traffic was a breeze and what was really surprising was how nimble the truck was in the city. It feels like it drives smaller than its dimensions and parking it was no problem. Do, however, disengage the auto start/stop when in traffic — it's annoying.

The panoramic sunroof was part of the base package, along with push-button start, keyless entry and digital dash display. The $4,000 Platinum package adds some niceties, including power tailgate, rear parking camera, retracting side view mirrors and the navigation system. Another $4,700 in extras upgrade the leather on the seats, 20" wheels, interior wood inlay detailing and adds another layer of collision and driver alerts including adaptive cruise control with queue assist, auto braking, distance warning and Xenon lights.

You'll recognize the brand immediately as the diagonal strip with the famed Volvo nameplate is emblazoned on the louvered grill and the elegant, sensible lines give the truck a striking curbside appeal. Great sight lines in the truck give you a sweeping view of the road, and if those rear headrests are in the way, a tap of the dash button will lower them.

With three-way folding rear seats you can configure the cargo deck for a wide variety of chores and weekend sports gear or let your passengers relax in the spacious cabin. The roof rails add more storage functionality providing a base for bikes, canoes or cargo containers. More than just a luxury people mover, the $50,725 list price with a base of $40,050 is also very competitive to offerings from Acura, Lexus, BMW, Audi and Porsche.

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Harley settles state suit for hogging refunds

The financing arm of U.S. motorcycle maker Harley-Davidson Inc. reached a settlement with the state after allegedly hogging customer refunds.

Harley-Davidson Financial Services will pay $228,133 to 600-plus Massachusetts consumers, according to Attorney General Martha Coakley's Office. It also must pay $25,000 to the cover the cost of the state's investigation.

"We are pleased that this finance company stepped forward to reimburse Massachusetts customers and promptly adopted changes to its procedures," Coakley said in a statement.

Harley-Davidson Financial Services was accused of not correctly refunding optional financing contract enrollment fees paid by customers in exchange for special loan terms. Customers often are entitled to pro-rated refunds of the fees when they pay off their loans early.

Borrowers eligible for refunds will be mailed notices and payments in July.

A Harley-Davidson spokesman said the facts of Coakley's announcement "speak for themselves."

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Market Basket growth on shelf

The board of Demoulas Super Markets Inc., owner of the Market Basket grocery chain, said it has instructed company management to open its long-stalled stores in Attleboro and Revere "at the earliest possible moment."

But it's unclear when that will be. Despite the go-ahead, management is at an "impasse" with the board on leasing issues and hasn't decided when the stores will open, Market Basket director of operations Bill Marsden said.

"Unless those issues become resolved, things are status quo, to say the least," he said.

The stores have been delayed by infighting between the Tewksbury chain's board and management, including allegations that CEO Arthur T. Demoulas was involved in "self-dealing" real estate deals related to new sites that benefited his wife and brother-in-law. The board took over real estate decisions after a change in majority control last June that favors the CEO's rival cousin, Arthur S. Demoulas.

Arthur T. Demoulas could not be reached for comment.

In a statement, a spokeswoman for the board said it has been "waiting patiently for many months for management to propose a plan and timetable to open the store in Attleboro. Management has not provided this plan, so the board has now instructed management to open the store ... at the earliest possible moment."

In March, Market Basket signed a lease for its new Waltham store, allowing work there — stalled since September — to proceed. New stores planned for Athol and Littleton are "on track," according to the Demoulas board website.

The construction firm for Market Basket's Attleboro store, which received a temporary occupancy permit in January, was granted a 90-day extension this week that expires Aug. 28. "I also let them know … that no further extensions would be granted," Attleboro building commissioner Doug Semple said. There has been no communication with Market Basket "whatsoever," he noted.

The Revere store was completed last July.

"The board ... has been required to be actively involved in negotiating the lease of (the) property ... given that the company's CEO has a conflict of interest regarding the ownership and lease," the board spokeswoman said.

The board previously approved the lease subject to certain conditions, which since have been satisfied, she said. "… The board …instructed management to sign the lease and ... to open the store in Revere at the earliest possible moment," she said.

Board chairman Keith Cowan declined comment. In a May 21 letter to Revere Mayor Daniel Rizzo, Cowan pointed to "deficiencies" in the Revere deal with "certain deed restrictions, site accessibility and the appropriateness of certain fees, charges and benefits."

Earlier in the month, Rizzo wrote a letter to Cowan — which Cowan said he didn't receive — saying that, "Having a brand new vacant and unused business facility was never part of my vision for economic growth" when he took office in 2012. "… I am turning this matter over to the city solicitor to explore whatever legal options may be at our disposal in order to rectify the situation we unfortunately find ourselves in," Rizzo's letter said.

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Suburban owner wonders why sunroof won’t close

The sunroof on my 2005 Suburban will not close. I turned on the ignition switch to lower the windows and open the sunroof to air out the interior a couple of weekends ago. I left the key on after opening the windows and discharged the battery to the point where the windows and sunroof would not close. I charged the battery and the windows closed, but the sunroof moved about an inch and stopped. To reprogram the sunroof, the manual states to push the switch to the vent position to start the programming process. However, the window is open and will not close to start the process. A Chevy dealership and a business that specializes in interiors and sunroofs did not have an answer or a possible solution without bringing it in.

According to the GM reprogramming instructions in my Alldata automotive database, even if the sunroof won't close when you push the switch to the vent position, hold the switch in this position for at least 30 seconds until you hear a slight clicking noise from the front of the sunroof — this should confirm the reprogramming was successful.

If this doesn't work, the sunroof assembly must be removed so that the motor can be removed and the guide pins pushed all the way forward to the stops. Good luck.

Several months ago my '05 Hyundai XG350 displayed an "air bag" message in my dashboard. I had my dealer perform a diagnostic test that informed me I had a "bad air bag" located in the driver's seat. The cost to repair: $1,500 for the part, plus labor. I declined. My brother has a mechanic friend who suggested I "turn on your cruise control." Within five minutes the airbag light went out. To this day, several months later, the airbag light has NOT come on. I have called several dealers and shops asking if another diagnostic test can be performed without the light on and they all replied they cannot do another test. I truly believe the "sensor" was the cause of this air bag message and that I do not have a bad air bag. Do you have any other suggestions?

Wow! Who ever said that automobiles cannot be "self-healing"? I have absolutely no idea how or why the operation of the cruise control would have any influence on a restraint system fault code, but I can tell you that if the air bag warning light flashes during its initial self-test when you first turn on the ignition, then goes out for the duration of your drive, there is no current fault with the system.

With that said, most 
"B-series" body codes will stay in memory until cleared by a scan tool. So it would seem the original DTC code for the airbag light should still be in the computer memory. You should have the dealer scan the body control module for any stored restraint system fault codes.

I have a 2005 Chevy Silverado 1500 with 115,000 miles on it. Just recently my gas gauge needle went from 3/4 to way over full and stayed there for several days and is now working fine. Yesterday my oil pressure gauge needle went from normal to off the gauge on the high end. I checked my oil level and it is in the normal range. What do you suggest?

GM issued several bulletins on this type of instrument cluster issue for your year truck and ultimately extended the warranty on these components out to several years/70,000 miles for parts and labor, and an additional 10,000 miles — a total of 80,000 miles — for parts only.

I wouldn't hesitate to ask the dealer to ask GM for some type of "customer goodwill" adjustment to help with the cost of the repair. If no help is available — your vehicle is significantly past the extended warranty — you'll have to choose whether to have it repaired or live with the condition.

Paul Brand, author of "How to Repair Your Car," is an automotive troubleshooter, driving instructor and former race-car driver. Readers may write to him at: Star Tribune, 425 Portland Ave. S., Minneapolis, Minn., 55488 or via email at paulbrandstartribune.com. Please explain the problem in detail and include a daytime phone number. Because of the volume of mail, we cannot provide personal replies.

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Cape Cod apartments for those with limited vision

YARMOUTH, Mass. — Life with limited vision can be challenging, but a partnership between a local nonprofit organization and a Cape Cod assisted living facility could make it a little brighter.

The Cove at Thirwood Place, located on Flax Pond in South Yarmouth, is now marketing a new low-vision support services program complete with apartments outfitted with technology to help residents read, cook and better manage their environment.

"We're equipping these apartments to make life easier for folks with low or impaired vision," said Larry Lyford, director of sales and marketing at Thirwood Place, during a recent tour of a prototype unit.

Lyford and a small army of other officials, including Cynthia Stead, who is executive director of Sight Loss Services Inc. Cape Cod and Islands and a Times columnist, showed off a device that warns a user before his or her cup literally runs over and a computer mouse that reads and digitizes text, enlarging it on a flat television screen.

"I always like to demonstrate them on telephone books," Stead said about the reader's ability to boost the size of small print.

The apartments also come equipped with an iPad loaded with applications to scan bar codes, read money (Lyford showed how it could discern a $5 bill in his hand) and read aloud the resident's calendar, news, weather and notes.

In the kitchen, adjustments ranged from the high tech (a talking microwave) to the simple (a cutting board colored black on one side and white on the other for contrast). The apartment also included a talking thermostat, thermometer and bathroom scale.

Stead and Thirwood officials said they expect the number of people with impaired vision on Cape Cod to continue to rise.

Last year, Sight Loss worked with 2,048 clients, including both individuals and institutions, Stead said. At least 1,500 of those are people with sight loss, she said. Barnstable County puts the number of legally blind residents at 1,900, she said.

"It's probably closer to 7,000," she said about the region's population with low or impaired vision. That could easily double in the next 10 years, she said.

The Cove low-vision apartments — which can be equipped to order — also come with dimmers on all the lights and a high-intensity task lamp, said Beth Patkoske, spokeswoman for the Davenport Cos., which owns Thirwood.

The company is working with other partners to provide even more services and to train its employees to be better-prepared for clients with limited vision, said Lyford and Paul Rumul, chief operating officer for Davenport.

"The thing that's going to make the difference is the staff, the care and compassionate follow-up," Rumul said.

The technology and services are available for a one-time added cost of $2,000, which pays for equipping the apartment, he said.

Because help at the Cove is available 24 hours a day, residents can be taught how to use the technology as often as necessary, Patkoske said.

Thirwood, which has 212 units on 45 acres, is also collaborating with Cape Cod Healthcare and a doctor who works specifically with individuals who have low vision, she said.

Thirwood also offers scribe services to read residents mail or write out cards for them, Rumul said.

This is important because, while the reader technology can read printed material, it still has trouble with most handwriting, Stead said.

"This isn't just new to the Cape," Stead said about the suite of services. "This is new to New England."

Despite research and progress at a significant cost, sight loss diseases are largely incurable, she said.

"It's a matter of managing a condition as long as you can," she said.

Rumul admits offering the low-vision services makes sense in other ways as well.

"This is just good business," he said.

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The Ticker

Romney, Peter Lynch sell local properties

Mitt and Ann Romney are pulling up roots in Belmont — and apparently turning a profit.

Massachusetts' former first couple sold their South Cottage Road condo earlier this month for $1.2 million, according to property records.

Romney, the former Bay State governor and 2012 presidential candidate, and his wife, Ann, had owned the condo at the Woodlands at Belmont Hill since June 2010, when they purchased it for $850,000, records show.

Meanwhile, legendary Fidelity money manager Peter Lynch and his wife, Carolyn, have sold their Beacon Hill home at 51 Chestnut St. in Boston at a loss, for 
$4.5 million, according to Registry of Deeds documents. The circa-1830, Federal-style townhouse had been on the market since 2010, when the asking price was $6.85 million. The Lynches bought it for 
$5.125 million in 2005.

Lincoln Property buys 40 Court St.

Dallas-based Lincoln Property Co. has purchased the 110,000-square-foot office building at 40 Court St. in Boston's Financial District for $31 million, according to Registry of Deeds documents. The seller, New York real estate private equity firm Brickman, bought the property for $37 million in 2007 at the height of the Boston real estate market.

Built in 1912, the United States Trust Co. or Scollay Building's tenants include the Oceanaire Seafood Room, Massachusetts League of Community Health Centers, the Anti-Defamation League of New England and Kearney, Donovan & McGee P.C.

States release zero-emissions auto plan

Eight states on the East and West coasts including Massachusetts released a plan yesterday to work together to put 3.3 million zero-emission vehicles on the nation's roads by 2025.

The so-called "action plan" follows last year's memorandum of understanding announced by the governors of the states, including California and New York. The other states in the pact are Maryland, Oregon, Connecticut, Rhode Island and Vermont. The states represent about 23 percent of the U.S. auto market.

Car manufacturers applauded the action plan but said a lot of work needs to be done to meet the
3.3 million goal with zero-emission vehicles making up less than 1 percent of nationwide new car sales.

Today

 Commerce Department releases personal income and spending for April.

THE SHUFFLE

The Parthenon Group has named Peter Gates as senior adviser. Gates joins the Global Healthcare Practice, where he will focus on strategy development and value creation in the health care industry. Gates has 25 years of experience as both an executive and a consultant for health care companies.

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