Quick thoughts: Logo in the top header seems really small and cramped in that space. Colors are too dark and monochromatic. Mix in lighter shades of the blues and reds in the middle box.
With all respect, the designer tried to deliver an awesome 2.0 web feeling, however they fell short.
I agree, the logo needs some spacing, the "e" especially needs some spacing on the left side. I think a better logo is needed period.
For started the typography is not all that appealing. The default font verdana looks like blah, I think arial looks nicer, at least to me.
Another thing that bugs me is the content area. The contents are not flowing right; it needs to be re-arranged or something. The the gray area with black text on top is not doing it for me, maybe a lighter gray to increase contrast.
Anyway, it's a good start, but a lot of work needs to be done. Good luck.
