Today's number: 17 million

Pounds of mail a week that the Postal Service will ship via 34 airlines under 18 new contracts announced last month; it's about the same amount the agency ships by Federal Express under a separate agreement.

The Associated Press

Today's career talk

If your email lands on a laptop computer - also known as a lap-drop computer - be doubly careful, says Nancy Flynn and Randolph Kahn in their book Email Rules. "Leaving them in hotel rooms, rental cars and at airports means the company's assets and confidential information is up for grabs," the authors contend. "Laptop theft in the United States accounted for as much as $5 million in losses in 2002 - a fivefold increase over losses reported in 1997."

John Eckberg

Today's mover

Sonja C. Kranbuhl has joined Fort Hamilton Healthcare Corp. as director of the Fort Hamilton Healthcare Foundation. Kranbuhl will direct the Healthcare Foundation in planning, supervision and management of activities and projects. She had owned and operated a residential and commercial interior design firm in Hamilton. She graduated from the University of Cincinnati with a bachelor's degree in design and a minor in business economics.

Shirley Dees

Today's money tip

With a deductible IRA, you don't pay taxes on the money going in the account, but withdrawals are taxed coming out. Money going in a Roth IRA is taxed, but withdrawals can be tax-free. If you can't decide between a deductible IRA and a Roth IRA and you qualify for both, consider what your future tax bracket might be. You're typically better off in a Roth if you expect to be in a higher tax bracket when you retire.

Amy Higgins

Today's Company: Studio Vertu

All Fresco: When he closed his Over-The-Rhine art gallery, Vertu, in 1994, owner Mark Schmidt pondered how to develop a successful art-related business. He transformed the gallery into a design studio that produced wall art and accessories, developing and patenting the Fresco Tile. Soon the company began creating murals with tile blocks. Schmidt then created coaster sets with a variety of designs. Currently Studio Vertu's Fresco Tile-based products also include wall and mantel clocks, frames and address tiles.

On The Surface: Designs on the Fresco Tiles include the work of several artists, with new design series introduced every few months. It was the first company to license images from the Vatican Library Collection. Studio Vertu can custom print customers' logos or other specialty graphics on the tiles.

Sports Scenes: Studio Vertu has created tile murals for NFL Headquarters in New York City as well as for the Indianapolis Colts, Chicago Bears and the Philadelphia Eagles.

Artful Enterprise: Now 8 years old, the company employs 45 and has a roster of 3500 customers in 13 countries.

Jenny Callison