According to a new study released last week by the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, entrepreneurial activity increased in 2007, especially among men and immigrants, the Business Courier of Cincinnati reported Friday. The Kauffman Index of Entrepreneurial Activity showed 495,000 new businesses a month were started in the United States in 2007, involving 0.3 percent of the adult population. This is slightly up from a participation rate of 0.29 percent in 2006. The study showed that immigrants had the highest rate of entrepreneurialism, at 0.46 percent in 2007, up from 0.37 percent in 2006. The rate for native-born Americans remained constant at 0.27 percent. The rate of business creation among men increased to 0.41 percent in 2007, up from 0.35 percent the previous year. The rate among women decreased to 0.2 percent from 0.23 percent in 2006.

General Growth Properties Inc., the owner and manager of Jordan Creek Town Center, will announce its first-quarter earnings results tomorrow after the U.S. markets close. A conference call will be held on Wednesday at 8 a.m. and is available on the company’s Web site, www.ggp.com.

Sauer-Danfoss Inc. will release first-quarter results today after the U.S. stock markets close and will hold a conference call tomorrow at 9 a.m. to discuss first-quarter 2008 results. The call can be accessed through the company’s Web site at ir.sauer-danfoss.com.

Dice Holdings Inc. will host a conference call to discuss first-quarter 2008 financial results tomorrow at 7:30 a.m. The conference call can be accessed live over the phone by dialing (866) 825-1709; the participant passcode is 31403244. The call will also be Webcast live from the company’s Web site at www.diceholdingsinc.com.

The West Des Moines Leadership Academy is accepting applications for its inaugural class beginning September 2008. Applications, tuition structure and other information is available at www.wdmleaders.org. For additional information, contact West Des Moines Chamber Director Linda Hulleman at 225-6009 or at info@wdmleaders.org.