The NBA Development League serves as the in-house minor league of the National Basketball Association, boasting 16 teams each affiliated with one or two NBA franchises. Young players serving their first or second year in the pro ranks can be assigned to the D-League for development and training before getting called up to the NBA. The league stages its regular season between November and April, concluding with a playoff tournament. The D-League also serves as a training ground for referees, coaches, trainers, and front-office personnel. The NBA formed the D-League with eight teams in 2001.

If you really had two left feet, wouldn't you just keep dancing to the left? Arthur Murray International would prefer not to find out. Originally famous for its "footprints" method of dance instruction (foot outlines placed on the floor, a method it no longer uses), the company franchises about 225 studios in approximately 15 countries. Dance lessons range in skill from beginning to competition-level dancing, and students can learn a variety of steps, including swing, samba, merengue, rumba, cha-cha, mambo, tango, and waltz. Founder Arthur Murray began teaching dance in 1912; he formed the company in 1946. The company consists of approximately 275 franchised studios in eight countries including the United States, Australia, Canada, Germany, Israel, Japan, Italy, and South Africa. Former staff members who have worked their way up in the company own and operate the franchised studios. These owners typically began their careers with Arthur Murray as dance instructors, realized the opportunity of operating a studio, and reached executive level. Arthur Murray staff members were eligible to become franchisees within just a few years of beginning as teachers. Sales for Arthur Murray International during the late 1990s amounted to an estimated $50 million.

The Yard House opened its doors in 1996 in Long Beach, California and continues to grow thanks to the continued loyalty of its valued guests and tremendous team of employees. The Yard House was founded by restaurateur Steele Platt who moved to California from Denver, Colorado. While in Colorado Steele owned a popular bar in 1989 called The Boiler Room - which helped inspire him to create the Yard House concept in California.

Prezzo operates a chain of more than 130 restaurants throughout the UK specializing in Italian cuisine. The eateries are known for their rustic pizza, but they also serve such alternatives as pasta, salads, and rotisserie chicken and offer beer, wine, and mixed drinks. In addition to its flagship chain, Prezzo operates a small number of restaurants under such names as Chimichanga, iMMO Cafe, Jonathan's, and The Ultimate Burger. The company is controlled by the Kaye family, who also started the ASK chain of pizza restaurants (now part of Gondola Group).

HTH Corporation owns and manages two hotels in Hawaii: the 837-room Pacific Beach Hotel in Waikiki and the 359-room Pagoda Hotel in Honolulu. The Pacific Beach hotel is home to the 280,000-gallon Oceanarium -- three-stories high, the aquarium houses more than 70 species of fish and is viewable from the hotel's three restaurants. The company also owns office buildings, apartments, and residential buildings that are run by its HTH Property Management subsidiary. Advertising for the corporation is managed by subsidiary HTH Advertising, Inc.

What's more all American than a buff body? All American Fitness Centers operates a chain of more than a dozen fitness and health facilities in the Tulsa and Oklahoma City, Oklahoma areas. The centers offer the standard weight, walking, and cycling machines, as well as fitness classes. It also offers personal trainers who wrap everything into the company's Six Dimensional Training system, which includes nutritional guidance, cardio training, flexibility, core strength, resistance training, and professional guidance. Some locations have pools, spas, tanning booths, saunas, and child care.

Island Hospitality Management is a National Hotel management company with a stellar reputation for its expertise in managing upscale extended stay, select service and full service hotels across major brands such as Marriott, Hilton, Hyatt, Sheraton and many more in demographically divergent markets with varied demand generators that require intense focus on differing market segments.

The Minnesota Vikings Football Club joined the National Football League in 1961 and won its only league championship in 1969; however, the team has been unsuccessful in four attempts to win the Super Bowl. Minnesota's roster has included such Hall of Fame players as Warren Moon, Alan Page, and Fran Tarkenton, as well as former head coach Bud Grant. Vikings fans cheer the trumpeting Gjallarhorn at Mall of America Field at the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome in Minneapolis. The team has been owned since 2005 by a group headed by New Jersey real estate developer Zygmunt (Zygi) Wilf.

Islands Restaurants was founded in 1982 with a basic philosophy – serve great, fresh food with friendly service in a fun atmosphere. Entrepreneur Tony DeGrazier had a vision of a restaurant that would offer a simple, original menu featuring gourmet hamburgers, specialty drinks and a fun, tropical theme. In fact, he wanted to recreate the dining experiences he had in the 1960s while stationed in Oahu with his Navy buddies. Islands was an instant hit -- we ran out of food the first night at our West Los Angeles location, and we’ve been building a loyal following ever since. Since that first night, we’ve been slowly expanding and building upon our success. You can now find more than 50 Islands Restaurants throughout Southern California and Arizona, and more recently in places like Summerlin, NV and Sacramento. Over the years, we’ve added a few more burgers, served too many baskets of our fresh-cut fries to count, and perfected our salads and soft tacos, but our commitment to you – our guest – hasn’t changed.

After many dark and dreary seasons, the Ravens no longer just ponder a Super Bowl victory. Named in honor of the Edgar Allan Poe poem, the Baltimore Ravens Limited Partnership owns and operates Baltimore's National Football League franchise, which won its first Super Bowl following the 2000 season. The team was created in 1996 when former Cleveland Browns owner Art Modell relocated his franchise to Maryland. As part of the deal, Modell agreed to give up all rights to the Browns' name, colors, and history. The team plays host at M&T Bank Stadium. Stephen Bisciotti, a local businessman who founded staffing firm Allegis Group, acquired control of the team from Modell in 2004.

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