Esmark received a $500 million financing commitment from GE Corporate Lending for its Wheeling-Pittsburgh Steel unit and steel processing operations. The company expects to close on the revolving credit facility this quarter after making arrangements with its other lenders. On Friday, Esmark's current lenders gave the steel company two weeks to obtain a commitment for replacement financing and to reach a definitive agreement to sell a nonstrategic asset. The current revolving credit agreement expires at the end of the month.

Candi Castleberry-Singleton has been appointed chief diversity officer of the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. In the newly created position, Ms. Castleberry-Singleton will be responsible for diversifying the work force, including recruitment and retention, and training. She formerly was vice president for global inclusion at Motorola and holds degrees from Pepperdine University and the University of California, Berkeley.

The Pittsburgh Regional Health Initiative is one of 14 "chartered value exchanges" recently designated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The designation means the local group will be able to analyze Medicare data and report differences in care among various physician groups.

United Airlines will begin charging passengers $25 to check in a second piece of luggage for domestic travel if they are not part of its most-frequent-flier programs, the airline said yesterday. Travelers would have to log at least 25,000 miles in a year on United to ensure they can check their second bag for free. The new charge, which takes effect May 5, applies to those who purchase nonrefundable domestic economy tickets.

Intelius Inc., a Bellevue, Wash., startup that launched online directory assistance for cell-phone numbers, has shut down the service after complaints from consumers and Verizon Wireless. Intelius had 90 million numbers in its database, according to its Web site, and was selling them for $15 each to anyone who had a name and wanted a number.

RTI International Metals and the United Steelworkers unions have reached an agreement on a contract extension at RTI's Niles, Ohio, operation. The agreement, which expires July 1, 2013, covers 365 employees and includes increases in wages and pension benefits. The previous contract was to expire Jan. 31, 2010.

Royal Philips Electronics is extending its $5.1 billion offer for Murrysville medical device maker Respironics Inc. to Feb. 22 because the Dutch buyer has not yet received approval from the European Union.