Mason Food Pantry Relieves Food Insecurity through Pantry Store

An investment advisor and professional transition coach, Theodore “Ted” Catino is a cofounder of the GigSmart mobile app. Ted Catino formerly served as the CEO for Security National Automotive Acceptance Corporation (SNAAC) in Ohio. Sold in 2011, SNAAC continues its work in the insurance industry and makes efforts to contribute to service member support and community organizations, including the Mason Food Pantry. 

With a focus on compassion and dignity, Mason Food Pantry helps families who experience food insecurity due to unemployment, homelessness, financial struggle, health issues, and other means beyond their control. The organization accepts donations of non-perishable foods, basic care items, and pet food. 

Donated items are placed within a public-access pantry, where families can shop for the supplies and food products that best suit their individual needs and family preferences. Open three days a week, the pantry is designed for convenience with items colorized and organized by category. Families who use the pantry purchase items using points distributed according to household size, and shoppers receive feedback on their remaining point value throughout their visit. 

To use the service, families must reside in the Mason City School District and provide proof of residency, including a Mason City school ID or current report card for school-aged children. Persons residing in a Mason motel must bring a current invoice during each visit.

Bengals Sign Jordan Willis

Theodore “Ted” Catino stands out as a founding partner of 625 Investments, LLC, a Boston-based opportunistic fund that invests in private equity and real estate, and as a co-founder of GigSmart, an app that connects workers and employers. In his free time, Ted Catino enjoys watching professional football, particularly the Cincinnati Bengals. 

In June 2017, the Bengals officially signed defensive end Jordan Willis, whom they selected in the third round of the NFL Draft. Willis comes to the NFL out of Kansas State University, where he appeared in 48 games and started in 39. Among his many accomplishments at Kansas State, he registered 26 sacks, the third-most career sacks in the school’s history, which is also the seventh-highest figure in the Big 12 Conference. Further, he ranks ninth in school history for the number of tackles for a loss (40.5). 

Named Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year in 2016, Willis started in all of Kansas State’s 13 games and registered 52 tackles, 17.5 tackles for loss, and 11.5 sacks.

Boston Red Sox Select Pitcher Tanner Houck in 2017 MLB Draft

Theodore "Ted" Catino is an entrepreneur and co-founder of a number of businesses, including GigSmart. Beyond his professional pursuits, Ted Catino is a fan of Major League Baseball's (MLB) Boston Red Sox.

The MLB Amateur Draft took place June 12-14, 2017, during which time teams selected 40 college and high school players to round out their minor league affiliates. The Red Sox owned the 24th pick in the draft and used it to select Missouri right-handed pitcher Tanner Houck. A native of Collinsville, Illinois, Houck was drafted out of high school by the Toronto Blue Jays in the 12th round of the 2014 MLB Amateur Draft, but chose to play college baseball with the University of Missouri. That decision paid off immensely, as Houck improved his fastball speed by roughly 6 miles per hour (mph), up to 98 mph, through three seasons with the team. He also boasts an above-average slider and decent change-up, but lacks consistency on a game-to-game basis with his secondary pitches.

The 6-foot-5-inch pitcher has great command of the strike zone, however. Through 301 innings at the college level, he recorded 292 strikeouts and issued only 63 walks. He completed his collegiate career with a 3.26 earned run average and a win-loss record of 17-18.

Macau’s Ruins of the Church of St. Paul

An alumnus of Miami University where he received his degree in accounting, Theodore “Ted" Catino is a seasoned business executive and entrepreneur, establishing an investment firm and an auto finance company. His more recent project is Gigsmart, a mobile application that helps individuals look for short-term jobs online. Outside of his work, Ted Catino enjoys traveling to tourist destinations around the world, including Macau.

Globally regarded as the "Vegas of China," Macau has gained a reputation as a haven for gamblers in the Far East. Because it is mostly known for its resorts and casinos, tourists may not realize that there is more to this place than its luxurious facade. With its rich heritage of Chinese and Old World Portuguese culture, colonial villages and temples, Macau offers a complete tourist experience.

One of the most visited destinations is the Ruins of the Church of St. Paul, the most treasured landmark of the region. Also known as Sam Ba Sing Tzik, the ruins include a front facade with decorated statues and a grand stone staircase. The structures are vestiges of what used to be St. Paul College, and the Church of St. Paul, a 17th-century Jesuit edifice. 

Built in 1580, the church became one of the greatest Christian monuments in Asia. It was twice rebuilt after fires in its early years. In 1835, however, the church was ravaged a third time by fire following a typhoon, leaving the remnants that stand today. Yearly, thousands flock to the ruins daily to visit and to offer prayers for luck.

Tips for Beginning Snowboarders

Ted Catino is a leading investor and trusted advisor to 625 Investments, LLC, an opportunistic fund which targets venture capital, private equity and real estate opportunities. In his leisure time, Ted Catino enjoys various outdoor sporting activities, including snowboarding.

Snowboarding is one of the most enjoyable outdoor winter activities that one can partake in, but for beginners, the learning process can sometimes feel overwhelming. That’s why it’s important to take things one step at a time and just focus on the basics. With that in mind, here are two quick, but fundamental tips to help beginning snowboarders.

One of the most important things a beginner can do is to invest in the proper protective gear. The learning process involves a lot of falling, and it’s important to protect the body, especially the wrists and legs. Wrist guards and lacrosse shorts are the best ways to do this, and a sturdy helmet is also a necessary piece of protective gear that beginners shouldn’t go without.

When snowboarding, the first, and perhaps most important, concept when controlling the board is to look where you want to go, as the body follows where the eyes are looking. Based on how the eyes perceive the snowboarding path, the body will learn how to adjust weight and move the shoulders and hips to get the board moving in that direction. If one focuses on the hazards instead of the path between them, however, they might find themselves crashing into a tree rather than avoiding it.

AACSB Accreditation Promotes High Quality Business Education

Entrepreneur, consultant, and mentor Theodore “Ted” Catino co-founded his first company, Security National Automotive Acceptance Corporation, in 1986. Ted Catino got his start with a BS in accounting from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio.

The accountancy department of Miami University’s Farmer School of Business recently passed the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) Five Year Continuous Improvement Review. The accreditation is a high mark of excellence for business schools, with only five percent of business schools worldwide achieving the accreditation. 

Established in 1916, the AACSB promotes quality education in management through valuing thought leadership and value-added services. In addition to accreditation, the organization provides educational opportunities for its members that gather a network of people together to explore challenges and trends in the business education industry. 

The Farmer School of Business noted that they performed very well on the review, suggesting that the differentiating factor is the high degree of student engagement at the school through various curricular, co-curricular, and extra-curricular programs and activities.

Benefits of a Catholic Education

Theodore “Ted” Catino is the cofounder of the Catino Family Foundation. In this role, Ted Catino oversees the organization's support of military service personnel and Catholic education initiatives.

Catholic education allows children to live the faith and its values on a daily basis, learning the discipline and focus that play key roles in academic success. Data indicates not only a higher level of academic achievement in Catholic schools in comparison to public schools, but also a reduced achievement gap.

Research shows that the most disadvantaged students make the most relative gains in Catholic school. Furthermore, according to one study, African-American and Latino students have a higher likelihood of graduating. All graduates have a better chance of earning more than their public school counterparts and are more likely to engage in civic life.

Students gain all of these benefits as well as those implicit in belonging to a strong faith community. Catholic schools emphasize service to others and responsibility to oneself, instilling these values in their students. By also encouraging families to participate and support the school, Catholic education helps to champion success as a community effort.

Bengals Head Coach Marvin Lewis Inspires Withrow Students

A graduate of Miami University, in Oxford, Ohio, Theodore “Ted” Catino, confounded Security National Automotive Acceptance Corporation in 1986. Now a consultant and business coach, Ted Catino supports the Cincinnati Bengals in his leisure time.

Committed to its community, the Cincinnati Bengals organization, including its iconic head coach Marvin Lewis, participates in numerous community events and programs. The coach recently spoke to students at Withrow High School, one of the city’s most storied schools, following an incident involving the spray painting of racial slurs on the school’s campus.

During his speech to approximately 250 students, Coach Lewis, one of only 11 NFL head coaches to spend 15 years with the same organization, touched on topics such resisting labels and the importance of commitment to doing your best in whatever goal you choose. He also answered a wide range of student questions, from requests for football tips to queries about his childhood. He advised his audience to, “Look ahead. Don’t look back. Always continue to look ahead.”