Thursday, December 17, 2015

Habitat for Humanity and Bank of America Team Up for Global Build


Experienced financial services executive Peter Ambrose serves as managing director of the Merrill Lynch offices and personnel in northern Virginia. Outside of his activities at Merrill Lynch, Peter Ambrose supports a number of charitable organizations, including Habitat for Humanity.

For the second consecutive year, Habitat for Humanity teamed up with Bank of America for its Global Build, an initiative designed to address affordable housing challenges in communities around the world. During the week-long Global Build, approximately 2,000 Bank of America employees worked with Habitat for Humanity on 75 revitalization projects in the United States and several other countries, including Canada, China, Australia, and India.

Global Build is part of Habitat and Bank of America’s broader partnership, which began as a housing sponsorship program in 1990. Over the years, Bank of America has provided millions of dollars to support Habitat, and Bank of America employees have donated hours upon hours to the nonprofit group’s affordable housing projects. For more details about Global Build or to find information about other Habitat for Humanity activities, visit www.habitat.org.                            

Friday, December 4, 2015

Habitat for Humanity Releases Its Fiscal Year 2015 Annual Report


With over a decade of experience as a Merrill Lynch executive, Peter Ambrose manages the employees and activities at several Merrill Lynch offices as the director of the company’s operations in northern Virginia. Outside of his professional pursuits, Peter Ambrose dedicates his time and resources to several charitable causes and organizations, including Habitat for Humanity.

In 2015, Habitat for Humanity helped improve housing conditions for more than 1.8 million people, according to its recently released annual report, titled Together We Build. The report breaks down Habitat’s efforts by region and highlights some of the stories of individuals and families in over 70 countries who benefited last year from its work, including new home construction projects, renovations and repairs, and disaster-response efforts.

Habitat’s fiscal year 2015 annual report also recognizes the individual donors and sponsors who helped make its recent projects possible. In addition, it identifies how many people have been affected by the organization’s housing opportunities and solutions since Habitat was founded nearly four decades ago. To view the report, visit www.habitat.org/multimedia/annual-report-2015.

Friday, November 20, 2015

Amenities at the River Bend Golf and Country Club


Peter Ambrose, director of Merrill Lynch's northern Virginia marketplace, is an avid golfer in his free time. When Peter Ambrose is not working at Merrill Lynch, he enjoys taking time to play at the Robert Trent Jones Golf Club and the River Bend Golf and Country Club.

The River Bend Golf and Country Club in Great Falls, Virginia, offers a memorable golf experience as well as access to athletic and event facilities. Its par 71 course spans 7,000 yards and features a state-of-the-art watering system to keep the grass in top shape. Golfers can also make use of the facility's well-equipped practice facility, which features an indoor hitting station and nine-hole executive course. Host to a number of events and tournaments, including the Dogwood Three-Day Member-Guest and Member-Member Championships, the club offers instruction to golfers at all levels.

Club members also have the opportunity to enjoy the facility's fitness and wellness program, which features individual training and group classes as well as a fully equipped fitness center. This program is the newest addition to the club's range of amenities, which includes a 25-meter heated swimming pool with diving area and a tennis program for all ages. Fine dining, featuring the work of a chef educated at the Four Seasons as well as available event space and catering, rounds out the River Bend experience.

Thursday, November 5, 2015

A Brief History of the Ryder Cup


Peter Ambrose has spent the last eight years heading operations at Merrill Lynch in McLean, Virginia, as the director of the northern Virginia region. When he is not managing the Merrill Lynch offices and financial advisors, Peter Ambrose likes to stay active playing golf.

The Ryder Cup is a biannual golfing competition, contested between European and American golf teams, which follows a traditional match play format. Established in 1927, it ranks as one of the oldest international sporting events in American history. Originally, the Ryder Cup only involved U.S. and British teams. Between 1927 and 1935, the respective teams took turns hosting the event every four years. For the first five contests, the hosting team won, until the U.S. broke the trend in 1937.

The Ryder Cup resumed after World War II in 1947. Over the next two decades, Great Britain and Ireland managed just one victory and one draw. The extensive period of American dominance resulted in the British team expanding to include all nations in continental Europe. Since that time, America has won the Ryder Cup on seven occasions and drawn once, compared to nine wins for Europe, including seven of the last nine competitions. The U.S. leads the overall series 25 to 13, with two draws.                            

Friday, October 23, 2015

Developing Good Timing Can Benefit Your Tennis Game

Good timing is a key to playing well. A suitable playing rhythm comes naturally to players who grew up with the game. It is more difficult to achieve for an adult learning tennis.

Many novice players stay too close to the baseline, preferring to accumulate points by hitting short-distance balls. However, this reduces the time available for hitting the ball, and causes muscle contractions that interfere with overall technique. Stand about two or three yards back from the baseline. Doing so gives you time to adjust to an incoming shot and allows you to use more of the court. As a bonus, you will have less reason to worry about hitting too long, since the opponent's baseline is further away. If you’re new to the game, avoid playing solely for points; this will help you in the long run.

Following these suggestions can help you find an effortless rhythm of hitting the ball as it descends. This will in make the game that much more enjoyable.

Wednesday, October 14, 2015

United Way Launches Center on Human Trafficking and Slavery

Peter Ambrose leverages more than two decades of experience in the financial industry to
serve as the director of Merrill Lynch’s Northern Virginia office. Outside of his endeavors
with Merrill Lynch, Peter Ambrose remains actively involved in his community through his
involvement with a number of organizations, including United Way.

Recently, government officials, leading nonprofits, and other groups gathered at United
Way Worldwide to celebrate the opening of its United Way Center on Human Trafficking
and Slavery. United Way explained that the center is designed to address the multifaceted
issue of modern slavery through collaborative partnerships that generate and execute
solutions in an effort to end the $150 billion business.

The United Way Center hosted a Leadership Forum to Combat Human Trafficking that
included a series of multi-sector talks on partnership development. The United Way Center will continue to unite top organizations to facilitate a greater response to human
trafficking, providing additional services for survivors, better victim identification, and
increased prevention efforts.                            

Wednesday, September 30, 2015

Peter Ambrose on River Bend Golf and Country Club


Located in Great Falls, Virginia, River Bend Golf and Country Club has functioned as a prestigious, member-owned country club since its creation in 1961. A family-focused facility, River Bend Golf and Country Club offers a number of recreational diversions.

Golfers appreciate the club’s 18-hole course set amidst the countryside of northern Virginia. A par 71 course, it features stonework walls, bridge frames, rolling hills, and streams. Moreover, its practice facility sits on 16 acres and consists of six target greens, a 75-yard short game, five bunkers, and a number of other amenities.

Youths and adults who are interested in tennis can play social or competitive games at the club. People can sign up for lessons with staff professionals who provide education, fun, and exercise when teaching people how to enhance their abilities.

Those who enjoy the water can relax and swim in the club’s 25-meter heated pool. A recent addition to River Bend Golf and Country Club, the pool area also contains a walk-up bar, a premier restaurant, and a pool house.

About the Author

Financial executive Peter Ambrose has spent much of the past decade with Merrill Lynch, where he currently is the Director of the firm’s northern Virginia branch. He recently became a member of River Bend Golf and Country Club.

Friday, September 18, 2015

Golf Courses in Virginia by Peter Ambrose


Golfing is a great way to get exercise and socialize with friends, colleagues, and acquaintances. There are numerous courses in and around McLean, Virginia that are enjoyable and vary in their advantages.

1. Westwood Country Club. Located in Vienna, Westwood Country Club is a members-only club geared towards the entire family. The Club features an 18-hole course and a driving range. Members may also take golf lessons. The course is currently undergoing renovations with expectations to open in 2013.

2. Washington Golf and Country Club. This Arlington-based course spreads across over 6000 yards, with the longest tee at a par of 70. An older institute, the course was opened in 1894.

3. Jefferson District Golf Course. This club offers a nine-hole executive course with beautiful manicured landscaping that features rolling hills and ponds. The course also offers some challenges with par five and par four holes.

4. Riverbend Country Club. This beautiful club is home to an 18-hole championship course that was designed by Press Maxwell Jr. in 1957.

About the author: Based in McLean, Virginia, Peter Ambrose is an avid golfer and maintains a membership with Riverbend Country Club. Professionally, he the Director of Merrill Lynch Financial Services in Northern Virginia.

Thursday, August 13, 2015

Basic Exercises for Tennis Players, By Peter Ambrose

During the weekend, I love to unwind by playing tennis at the local country club. While it is certainly a recreational activity, nobody likes to lose on the court. In order to improve your game and stay in peak condition, it is necessary to participate in some type of sport-specific workout or training program. Tennis requires a combination of speed, agility, and power, which means that a variety of training techniques should be employed. Because players exert bursts of energy over a prolonged period during the match, both aerobic and anaerobic activities must be integrated into a training regimen. Below are some of the best ways to achieve this combined approach:

Plyometrics: Through a combination of speed and resistance, plyometric training is ideal for developing the force needed for serves and forehands. Common examples of plyometric exercises include box jumps, bounding, and hopping. Upper body training can be accomplished by throwing medicine balls in different ways, such as slamming the ball into the ground, throwing it out from your chest, or heaving it straight up in the air.

Interval Training: Ideal for building endurance strength while preparing for the intensity of individual points, the athlete pushes to an anaerobic level for a short period, and then recovers while remaining in an aerobic state, repeating the cycle. The exercise develops cardiovascular capacity while maintaining Type II, or fast twitch, muscle fibers. Sprinting the straights and jogging the curves on a typical track is a common example of interval training.

Agility Training: Lateral quickness is essential for tennis success. One of the best ways to develop this type of speed is by training with the agility ladder, which is a tool that looks like a single row of hopscotch squares. Athletes go through the ladder with a variety of foot sequences to improve coordination and quickness. Running through various cone drills also vastly improves footwork.

About the Author: Off the court, Peter Ambrose serves the Northern Virginia Complex of Merrill Lynch as a Director.