This new feature will present business briefs, news items and interesting asides from the staff of the Business Journal. To submit an item for the Lowcountry Biz Boil, click here.

Moneyball
A pair of North Charleston youth baseball teams are heading to World Series tournaments this week. Before they go, though, supporters are taking a swing at raising funds to assist with travel expenses.

A luncheon will be held from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wednesday at the Felix C. Davis Community Center, 4800 Park Circle. Proceeds will benefit the North Charleston Dixie Pre-Majors and Majors teams.

The Pre-Majors World Series, for 15- and 16-year olds, will be held Guntersville, Ala. The Dixie Majors squad, made up of 17- to 19-year-olds, will play in Independence, La.

Both double elimination tournaments begin Saturday and will feature 11 state champions from throughout the Southeast, as well as the host-city team.

For more information or to make donations, contact Belinda Swindler at 843-745-1028 or go online.

The rich get laid off (then richer)
Three out of four laid-off executives in the South find a new position at the same or higher level as the one they previously held, according to a new study.

Career guidance experts Right Management analyzed data on nearly 600 senior-level executives who used the company’s services and found new jobs during the first half of 2010. The study examined general managers, directors, vice presidents, senior vice presidents, executive vice presidents and even chief executive officers.

Among the 71 executives in the Southern U.S., 76% found comparable or better positions compared with a national average of 72%, according to the study. Compensation was generally comparable to that in their previous position.

“Our findings suggest that most top-level executives are bouncing back from job loss despite uncertain economic indicators,” said Kathy Mazzanti, Southern Region general manager for Right Management.

Mazzanti recommends executive level job-seekers:

• Demonstrate impact for immediate, on-the-job performance. New hires need to get up to speed fast and demonstrate a smooth transition into the new environment. Know the priorities and develop a plan for the first 30, 60 and 90 days.
• Understand the culture of the prospective employer in advance of the interview. There’s a lot you can learn about an organization by tapping your online and traditional network. Ask your contacts for advice on how they think you would fit in and what the obstacles may be.
• Highlight in resume and during interviews how interpersonal and work skills will align with the company’s culture. Share examples of how your motivation or interpersonal skills helped you to overcome barriers or solve problems. Look for opportunities to share how your values are aligned with those of the organization.”

The study of 599 executive-level jobs seekers who participated in Right Management career transition programs was conducted between Jan. 1 and June 30, the company said.

Right Management is an arm of employment service firm Manpower.

Let’s get physical
On-demand media production service CreateSpace is helping a trio of fitness programming companies broaden their customer bases while pumping them up.

Charleston-based CreateSpace, an arm of Amazon.com Inc., will make, package and ship exercise DVDs produced by Anchor Bay Entertainment, Exercise TV and Gaiam Inc. The companies will utilize CreateSpace’s platform, services that make up a “one-stop shop for exercise entrepreneurs to develop and distribute their content directly to consumers at Amazon.com and through other channels.”

The latest fitness content made available through CreateSpace features smash hits such as Gaiam’s The Firm: Bootcamp 3 in 1 Mix and Cardio Burn Kickbox; Exercise TV blockbusters Leslie Sansone: Start! Walking at Home – 1&2 Mile Walk and Leslie Sansone: Start! Walking at Home – 3 Mile Walk; and critically acclaimed hits Crunch: Cardio Go Go Dance and Pick Your Level: Fat to Firm Fast from Anchor Bay Entertainment.

Distributors and independent creators use the CreateSpace platform, company officials said.