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The Joint Foreign Chambers of Commerce (JFCCT) works closely with the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) to continued support its anti-corruption efforts

The Joint Foreign Chambers of Commerce in Thailand (JFCCT)

BANGKOK THAILAND - Media OutReach - 24 April 2023 - Joint Foreign Chambers of Commerce (JFCCT) advocates for zero tolerance, and works closely with the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC), Anti-Corruption Organization of Thailand (ACT) and Thai Collective Action Against Corruption ( CAC) to support anti-corruption in Thailand. In 2017, JFCCT hold a seminar to Exchange Information on Corruption Prevention and Corruption Suppression with NACC and have formally met annually to share experience and learning. The Conclusions from that seminar, JFCCT reported that in just about all cases, corrupt practices always takes at least two parties. Private sector need to continue to do our part to reduce corruption. So JFCCT continue to: Make members aware of the various effects of corruption, and move away from the view that some corruption is OK as long as the economy continues to do well, or that someone may 'miss out' if they do not engage. Engage in meaningful and not just token ways in anti – corruption organisations. Take responsibility to achieve outcomes. Bring to members' attention legal and policy changes Provide recommendations on measures to reduce corruption. We are developing an anti–corruption Code of Conduct. However, JFCCT is not an enforcement body but we can (and do) aim to make an impact. For example promoting the Rule of Law and really understanding what it means is one way to support respect for the laws in force in Thailand. In addition, on 9th December 2022, JFCCT Chairwoman, Vibeke Lyssand Leirvag meet the NACC, alongside Prime Minister General Prayut, Pol. Gen. Watcharapol Prasarnrajkit President of the NACC and others related organization on the occasion of the Zero Tolerance "Ending Corruption: Key to Boosting Investment in Thailand" Leirvag was pleased to share the arguments from JFCCT on the negative effect corruption caused to Thailand and its competitiveness for both existing and new investment, as well as sharing a series of concrete recommendations for the government and private sector to work together to improve the ease of doing business. These steps included improved protection for whistle-blowers and witnesses, better education, stronger investigative powers as well as courts more empowered to enforce stronger penalties. "JFCCT try to share the relevant toolkits with our members and guide them as best we can, so that they embrace the information," Leirvag said. In an recent exclusive interview, Ms Leirvåg presented her point of view and suggestions about ways to anti-corruption. Of primary importance is doing away with the mindset that 'a little corruption is acceptable' Leirvåg suggested. Nowadays, Thailand has a long and difficult journey ahead to fight corruption. This will require the participation of all parties, the government, academia, the public and the private sectors, said Leirvåg. The current Thai government has worked to improve the issue of corruption, but the situation needs to be addressed more, and much remains to be done, said Leirvåg in an exclusive interview. Ms Leirvåg added that Thailand could do much better and it was time for the government and the political establishment to walk the talk, not only talk. "We also need to set goals and work as a team towards real and effective zero tolerance for corruption." According to Leirvåg, it is the general mindset that needs to be changed; without the change it will be impossible to increase transparency and rid the country of graft. "That mindset needs to change. There should be zero tolerance for corruption if we are serious in moving ahead." While public surveys have been held, many have answered that fighting corruption is impossible and therefore some grey zones are acceptable, also that a little corruption is OK as long as the wheels of business keep turning. Thailand's Corruption Perception Index (CPI) in the 2022 Report improved by nine places to 101st out of 180 countries and the overall score also improved from 35 to 36 out of 100. The CPI had been on a slide from 99th in 2019 through to 110th in 2021. Early education is key One of the points Ms Leirvåg raised is the fact that children are not taught from an early age that corruption is wrong. She believes that malfeasance can be stopped if people are educated starting in kindergarten. Ms Leirvåg hails from Norway where children are taught at an early age that stealing and telling lies are wrong. Norway ranked fourth and scored 84 out of 100 in the 2022 CPI report. Children look up to grownups as role models, but when role models don't play their role right, the educational system must step in and point the way. Ms Leirvåg is managing director and founder of Felicia Design, a high-end jewellery manufacturer in Thailand and has lived in the Kingdom since 1989. She was elected chairperson of JFCCT last year, becoming the first woman to hold the position. Asked to compare the difficulties of doing business in Thailand with other countries, Ms Leirvåg said she did not think doing business in Thailand was more difficult than elsewhere overall, as all countries have positive and less positive sides. Thailand still has a lot going in a positive direction and by working together it is possible to tackle challenges like corruption. The Thai premier made a commitment on International Anti-Corruption Day last December that Thailand would work towards zero tolerance for corruption. "The work towards zero tolerance has to be a joint effort by all parties. We have to work together to tackle graft problems instead of pointing fingers at each other or other stakeholders. Ms. Leirvåg encouraged success stories to be shared, not only wrongdoings. Stopping corruption is a gradual process but it must start now Rome was not built in one day, Ms Leirvåg said, "this is a journey and the journey needs to start at the top, meaning that the government must show serious willingness to fight malfeasance. It is impossible to expect Thailand to go from the current situation to the situation of a country being perceived as least corrupt. For many countries, including her native country Norway, this was a journey that took a century or more." The government needs to "walk the talk and not only talk." In the past, governments have focused their efforts on establishing policies, but now it is time to take action and implement what they have promised. The premier has promised to work towards zero tolerance but dealing with corruption is a task for everyone including politicians from all parties as well as government officials, and of course, the private sector, Ms Leirvåg said. A general election is to be held soon and a new government will take office, she recommended that everyone joins together to set expectations up front, so that changes and serious goals to fight corruption, which would also improve the corruption perception ranking. "We must accept that corruption exists, we must deal with wrongdoings and together find preventive solutions as well as educate and communicate the evils of corruption.", Ms Leirvåg said. "All firms, big and small, Thai and foreign, public and private, should be working together to tackle corruption. Efforts should go hand-in-hand with government initiatives to stamp out corruption." Willingness to pay, means willingness to collect With bribery, we usually point the finger at each other. "We say that it is the government, the firms and the public sector that made us pay tea money. However, if you pay the tea money, things will never change. It's teamwork; you are willing to pay, so they are willing to collect. It will definitely be embedded deeper in the Thai culture and society. So if you stop paying bribes, they will stop taking them. She also praised the new Anti-Corruption Law that criminalizes bribe-giving by legal entities and can make senior executives accountable under the new law, legal entities—including corporations—can be criminally liable for bribes paid to state officials, Thai and foreign, and officials working with intergovernmental organizations. "However, all stakeholders need to be made aware of the laws" Ms Leirvåg said, adding that the foreign business community in Thailand has a role to play in informing and training their staff in anti-corruption work including understanding of the legislation. Experiences with "tea money" Throughout her years of doing business in Thailand, she has been involved many situations where paying "tea money" would speed up her company's applications especially on permits and licenses. However, Ms Leirvåg has steadfastly refused to bow to pressure and to pay bribes for her firm to obtain what it wanted. "I have had somebody telling me that if I paid under the table or gave him the money, he could speed up the process. I said no, I can wait." Saying no to bribery resulted in her firm's applications taking longer time to process, but she is happy to wait. Understanding that her company would not agree to pay bribes, officials stopped asking. Many foreign companies have complained that some rules and regulations which delay or create administrative burdens to their business could be potential risks of corruption. This includes rules and regulations that give authority to the official to use their own judgement to process the request from companies. She suggested that processes should as much as possible be fully digitalized as digitalization is one way to reduce corruption. In Thailand, anti-corruption regulations and laws have been issued and are in place, but laws are not enforced, sometimes out of ignorance. The assumption is that paying a bribe can resolve the issue. It is important to emphasize the principle of rule of law and how to enforce the law effectively. Organizations like the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) has prepared policies and guidelines including for example about implementing internal controls (an essential aspect of a company potentially avoiding criminal responsibility where the company leaders did not know about a corrupt act and had put in place procedures to prevent it, Thai Collective Action Against Corruption (CAC) also has training clinics, and recently, OECD launched a tool kit for SMEs The Anti Corruption Network (ACN) also has measures. These tools must be better communicated to both the public and agencies, with training and implementation. Most are available in English and other languages but if there is no communication about their existence, they are as good as useless, Ms Leirvåg said. Asked about the role of whistleblowers, Ms Leirvåg said that this was a major challenge as most do not feel they are protected and feel pressure to be silent instead of reporting the wrongdoing. The government has to do more to protect those who report wrongdoing, she said, as well as having witness protection schemes. The future workforce should be educated about zero tolerance for corruption. They should also be ensured that they will be protected if they decided to become whistleblowers. When they work in a business and they see malfeasance, only then will they feel safe enough to report it. The Joint Foreign Chambers of Commerce in Thailand (JFCCT) The Joint Foreign Chambers of Commerce in Thailand (JFCCT) is the umbrella body for various Thai- foreign chambers or business associations operating in Thailand. It was back in 1976 that the entire foreign community of business people joined in an idea where the American Chamber invited members of the British, French, German and Japanese chambers to attend a meeting with the Prime Minister. A foreign business organization which came to be known as the Joint Foreign Chambers of Commerce in Thailand (JFCCT) was formed.We work with the Royal Thai government and various government agencies such as the Board of Trade, Board of Investment and the Federation of Thai Industries and many sector-specific agencies, and by way of advice and recommendation to foreign governments – for the benefit of the Thai economy. Contact Details The Joint Foreign Chambers of Commerce in Thailand (JFCCT) Media Contact +66 2 018 6995 info@jfcct.org

April 24, 2023 11:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

Freelance Creative Jobs Thrive Despite AI Surge

FREELANCER.COM

New data released today by Freelancer.com (ASX: FLN) (OTCQX: FLNCF), the world’s largest freelancing marketplace by number of users and jobs posted, shows an incoming startup boom amongst an unprecedented surge in freelance creative design and AI job growth. The Fast 50 Q1 2023 Index, the world’s largest forward indicator of freelance job trends, analyzes over 304,000 jobs posted to Freelancer.com between January and March 2023. The index finds that jobs for T-Shirt Design (up 33.1%, from 1,403 to 1,868), Covers & Packaging Design (up 27.3%, from 1,128 to 1,436), and Corporate Identity Design (up 24.2%, from 2,474 to 3,073) were the three fastest growing job types by total percentage growth when compared to Q4 2022. These were followed by Product Design (up 22.9%, 1,214 to 1,493) and 3D Design (up 22%, from 5,027 to 6,135) jobs. Design skills with the largest job counts on the platform also grew significantly this quarter. There were a whopping 7,495 extra Graphic Design jobs in Q1 (up 12.1%, from 61,709 to 69,204), followed by an additional 6,731 Logo Design jobs (up 20.4%, from 32,963 to 39,694) and 5,902 extra jobs requiring skills in Photoshop (up 15.4%, from 38,224 to 44,126). Design is both the most in-demand and the highest paying skill on Freelancer.com, as found in the Freelancing in 2022 Report. These types of jobs, particularly logo design, packaging design and t-shirt creation, are typically the starting point for many founders launching a new business. The sudden influx of design, eCommerce and marketing jobs are a key indicator of a boom in startups. Simultaneously, jobs requiring skills in Artificial Intelligence were the seventh fastest growing skill on Freelancer.com (up 20.62% in Q1 2023 from 1,038 to 1,252). Jobs demanding Generative AI skills, such as ChatGPT, Dall-E, Midjourney and Chatbots, grew by more than 325% from 286 in Q4 2022 to 1,216 in Q1 2023. “While many speculate whether AI will take design jobs, our latest data shows that this is certainly not the case. Design jobs are the most popular job type on the platform and continue to grow despite advances in hyper-realistic generative AI tools,” said Matt Barrie, Chief Executive at Freelancer.com. “What’s more interesting in this data is zooming out and looking at the main trend: the startup boom. The most in-demand jobs on the platform for this quarter are all related to the launch of new businesses. New logo, website and branding jobs. In fact, there were 75 extra logo design jobs posted each day last quarter, which could suggest the launch of 75 new businesses.” The data also shows an increase in Digital Marketing (up 12.8%, from 1,524 to 1,720) and Videography (up 14.2%, from 2,716 to 3,102) jobs which also suggests businesses are focusing more on their online marketing and content creation strategies to amplify their brands. Fastest Falling Jobs of Q1 2023 While design jobs dominated the fastest growing, the jobs that were in less demand in this quarter are related to tech, development and writing. Software Development, which was ranked as the fastest growing job in Q2 2022, began to decline this quarter and was down by 34.4% (from 2,001 to 1,311). Similarly, programming related jobs which were one of the fastest growing skills in Q4 2022 also declined this quarter by 20.9% (from 5,899 to 4,665). Demand for these types of jobs surged last year as many tech employees were laid off globally. However, the new data suggests demand is beginning to stabilize and return to pre-mass layoffs levels. Seasonality also plays into employers moving away from specific types of jobs quarter-to-quarter. Report Writing, Technical Writing, Research Writing and Business Plans were ranked as the fastest growing jobs in Q4 2022 as many employers traditionally turn to freelance support to help prepare end of year reports and 2023 plans. These types of jobs naturally reduce in the first quarter of the year. Fast 50 Q1 2023 - Data Analysis Startup Boom Fuels Creative Design Job Growth Historically, more businesses are started during a recession. Economic downturns have led to the creation of some of the world’s most well known brands, such as Microsoft, Uber and Burger King, just to name a few. Only a few years ago, the world witnessed this trend playing out as COVID sparked a startup boom, which saw a 24 percent increase in new business applications in the United States alone. According to the latest US Census Business Formation Statistics, the number of new business applications is beginning to grow in 2023 by an increase of 451,752, an increase of 4.5 percent compared to February 2023. Data from the latest Freelancer Fast 50 Index suggests there’s a sudden increase in the number of new businesses and startups being launched globally. The fastest growing skills, such as T-Shirt, Covers & Packaging, and Corporate Identity Design, as well as the growth of major jobs such as Logo Design, are all usually posted by founders at the starting point for a new business or venture. T-Shirt Design jobs, as an example, are growing as people hire freelancers to create t-shirts with their business logo as a way of promoting a brand or creating business uniforms. An uptick in Covers and Packaging Design jobs are the result of businesses turning to freelancers for new product labels and marketing brochures. Growth in website building jobs, such as Shopify (up 20.5%, from 2,302 to 2,775), Shopify Templates (up 16.1%, from 1,392 to 1,617) and eCommerce (up 15.5%, from 4,212 to 4,866), also support the rise of new businesses last quarter. Almost three quarters of the fastest growing jobs (72%) posted on Freelancer.com in the last quarter required skills in creative design or marketing. Serial entrepreneur Davuud Ghani, who recently founded Pivitt, a creative and branding support agency based in the United Kingdom, is just one example of how founders are turning to freelancers to support the growth of their business in 2023. “As a start-up, agility is our advantage over mature businesses with similar service offerings. It’s becoming easier for businesses to locate and leverage global talent, with platforms such as Freelancer.com. We are able to really finetune the skills needed on a project basis to drive excellence through our service offering to our partners, keeping us competitive in the market. That’s what our model is built from and has allowed us to secure partnerships with the likes of BMW & MINI,” said Davuud Ghani, founder of Pivitt. Generative AI Jobs Triple In Last Quarter Advancements in artificial intelligent and generative AI are impacting almost every faucet of business and creativity. Powerful AI tools, such as ChatGPT, Dall-E and Midjourney, are becoming smarter and more sophisticated by month, resulting in rapid leaps in capabilities and applications. In the first quarter of 2023, Open AI released GPT-4, introducing a more powerful and intelligent version of the application which could exhibit human level performance on several benchmarks. In the AI image generation space, research lab Midjourney also released the alpha iteration of its 5th version which allowed users to create photorealistic generations. Growing interest for AI is represented clearly in the Fast 50 Q1 2023 data which ranks jobs for Artificial Intelligence as the seventh fastest growing job on the platform, growing by 20.6% up to 1,252 jobs in total. Many projects posted in the first quarter aim to harness AI text generators or automate mass image generation, while some look for freelance experts who can help create their own AI models and applications. Generative AI skills (ChatGPT, Dall-E, Midjourney, Chatbots) grew the fastest over the quarter, recording a total percentage increase of 325% from 286 last quarter to 1,216 in Q1 2023. In total, there were 5,262 jobs requiring skills in AI, Machine Learning, Deep Learning, TensorFlow, ChatGPT and Dall-E. Digital Marketing & Content Creation Popularity of content marketing is growing amongst businesses. Major success stories, such as Netflix’s Drive to Survive series or Spotify’s Wrapped, are pushing businesses and marketers towards incorporating content marketing within their strategies. It’s a trend that was identified in the Fast 50 Q3 2022 Index and is continuing in Q1 2023. Videography (up 14.21%, from to 3,102), Digital Marketing (up 12.86% to 1,720), YouTube (up 11.30% to 1,576), and Video Production (up 10.25% to 5,401) were all in-demand skills last quarter. This finding suggests that businesses are increasingly focusing on online marketing and content creation strategies to reach their target audiences. While YouTube remains as the main platform people are turning to freelancers for support, employer interest in TikTok video creation is also growing, increasing by 25% in Q1 2023, from 405 projects in Q4 2022 to 507 total jobs Q1 2023. Product Design Jobs Apart from design projects specific to branding and new business ventures, the number of 3D Design, Product Design and general Design collectively grew over Q1 2023. ##### Freelancer Fast 50 The Freelancer Fast 50 index is the world’s largest forward indicator of trends in online jobs related to industries, technologies, products, and companies. The data is based on 304,000 jobs posted to the Freelancer platform between January 1 to March 31 2023. Fast 50 Quarterly Index – Q1 2023 About Freelancer Freelancer.com is the world's largest freelancing and crowdsourcing marketplace by total number of users and projects posted. More than 64 million registered users have posted over 22.3 million projects and contests to date in over 2,000 areas as diverse as website development, logo design, marketing, copywriting, aerospace engineering and manufacturing. Freelancer also owns Escrow.com and Loadshift. Freelancer Limited is listed on the Australian Securities Exchange under the ticker ASX:FLN and is quoted on OTCQX Best Market under the ticker FLNCF. Contact Details freelancer.com Marko Zitko +61 404 574 830 mzitko@freelancer.com

April 21, 2023 08:15 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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Dear America, Mission Possible: Prevention and Cures Starts Now

The American Center for Cures

I hope this letter finds you and your family in good health. The exceptional leadership and resilience of this nation has been an inspiration to Dr. Rick Boxer and me, prompting us to embark on a vital mission that resonates with every American, regardless of wealth, race, or political affiliation: combating disease. Despite our nation's efforts, we have not achieved the level of prevention and cures necessary to alleviate the suffering and burden of diseases that affect us all. It is time for a paradigm shift, and we believe that every American is in a unique position to help drive this transformation. The American Center for Cures, which we co-founded, aims to establish a fully funded private-sector mission dedicated to preventing and curing the most devastating diseases, such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, various forms of cancer, heart disease, diabetes, and all other diseases including orphan diseases. Our vision is to assemble the most successful CEOs in America to lead individual centers focused on these diseases, with each center receiving $36 billion in funding. By combining resources, leadership, focus, and a sense of urgency, we believe we can create a new era in disease prevention and cures. This effort has the potential to be the most significant legacy issue of our lifetimes, impacting not only American families but also the global community. We humbly request Corporate America’s public endorsement and the social support of the American People to provide hope to millions and promote a business-like model of accountability that is currently lacking. Furthermore, we encourage you to urge every member of Congress and the White House to expedite their support for this initiative. We are not merely asking for their backing; we are insisting on it. This mission is for you, your children, and future generations. It is likely that you and your loved ones have been personally affected by a disease that should no longer exist. By embracing this mantle of leadership today, we can make a lasting impact on the lives of countless individuals. Former Secretary of Health Tom Price has stated that the American Center for Cures could rival the greatest achievements in American history. My partner, Dr. Rick Boxer, was recently appointed to the National Cancer Advisory Board by President Biden. We need your voice and skills now more than ever. We commend the extraordinary work of researchers around the world and their commitment to delivering cures. However, a systemic issue exists within the medical use authorization and approval process, and it delays getting cures into the hands of the people who need them now. We’re on the cusp of curing pancreatic, breast, and brain cancer, as well as preventing heart attacks but the current model, because of economic- and process -related obstacles, does not accommodate success. The American Center for Cures is offering a solution to this problem by providing a mission, funding, responsibility, accountability, and leadership, will fundamentally restructure and speed the process of working with the FDA and all relevant parties for authorized cures. Just like the speed of getting the COVID vaccine approved and authorized for use, American Center for Cures is committed to bringing new cures and treatments to patients as quickly and efficiently as possible. We believe that now is the time to harness our global technological advances to establish a process and urgency that will bring these pieces together for the betterment of humanity. By acting today, we can create a lasting legacy in the fight against disease. We are Unity Strong! Best regards, Lou Weisbach Co-founder, The American Center for Cures About American Center for Cures The American Center for Cures (ACC) initiative is a fully funded mission to prevent, treat or cure diseases that plague every American family. The initiative will be funded by the sale of $750B bonds by the Federal Reserve, providing the capital needed to accelerate the current trajectory of medicine. Annual interest will be paid through the licensing of new compounds and drugs to pharmaceutical companies. The principal will be repaid by savings provided to the United States Government through successes in the areas of prevention and cures. The ACC business model will cost the government and taxpayers nothing, making this the single most impactful investment on behalf of the American people in the nation’s history. For more information, please visit https://theamericancenterforcures.org. Contact Details Rainier Communications Jenna Beaucage +1 508-340-6851 jbeaucage@rainierco.com Company Website https://theamericancenterforcures.org

April 19, 2023 01:33 PM Eastern Daylight Time

Lexion Raises $20M Series B, Expands AI-Powered Contract Management Solution to Broader User Base

Lexion

Lexion, the AI-powered contract management and operations workflow platform, today announced a $20 million Series B funding round led by Point72 Ventures, with participation from Citi Ventures, and existing investors Khosla Ventures, Madrona Venture Group, and Wilson Sonsini. This latest investment brings the total amount raised to more than $35 million, allowing the company to further enhance Lexion's core platform and AI capabilities to help every department close deals faster. Originally developed at the Paul Allen Institute for Artificial Intelligence as a contract management system for lawyers, Lexion’s artificial intelligence and automation capabilities have accelerated legal work and streamlined processes across multiple disciplines, including sales, procurement, finance, and technology. Gaurav Oberoi, CEO of Lexion, explains how the new funding will be used to accelerate Lexion's AI landscape: "Lexion is all about helping every team do more business, faster. We’ve proven how award-winning AI and no-code automation can accelerate legal tasks, but we've also seen other divisions adopting the software. Now we're accelerating sales cycles, vendor agreements, security reviews, RFPs, and even employment offers for departments where legal is not directly involved." In 2022, Lexion experienced dramatic growth, tripling its revenue for the third year in a row and expanding its customer base to include hundreds of corporate clients from various industries, such as B2B technology, healthcare, consumer goods, manufacturing, and gaming. Lexion's easy implementation and intuitive interface take the stress out of adopting new software. “Our legal customers often comment how their sales teams don't even notice they're using a new technology because it integrates so well with their systems,” adds Oberoi. Sri Chandrasekar, Managing Partner at Point72 Ventures, will be joining Lexion's board. Chandrasekar supports Lexion’s vision to expand into a horizontal operations workflow solution: “Lexion’s investment in AI, paired with the team’s technical, product, and operations expertise, positions the company well for broader adoption and cross-departmental expansion. We're excited to support the team as they continue to innovate in the operations space.” Matt Carbonara, Managing Director at Citi Ventures, celebrates how easy the Lexion platform is for larger organizations to adopt: "During our investment process, Citi reviewed Lexion’s solution and was impressed with its capabilities, ease of use, and seamless integration,” he says. With this latest round of funding, Lexion is poised to transform not only the legal department, but the entire operational landscape for companies of all sizes and industries. “At Khosla Ventures, we invest early into bold ideas that could be impactful,” said Kanu Gulati, partner at Khosla Ventures. “Lexion’s team has made tremendous progress and is well positioned to take advantage of newer AI generative capabilities to bring greater automation across businesses.” About Lexion Lexion is a powerfully simple operations workflow platform that helps every team do more faster, by streamlining and centralizing the contracting process in a system that works the way you do. We built Lexion at Paul Allen’s artificial intelligence research institute, with an experienced team from Microsoft, Facebook, Google, and Amazon. Top AI investors (including A16Z, Sequoia, and Goldman Sachs) voted Lexion as one of the top 40 Intelligent Applications to watch in 2022. Most importantly, fantastic brands trust Lexion to help them close deals faster, such as Outreach, OfferUp, Blue Nile, and many more. Visit https://lexion.ai for more information. Contact Details Forrest Carman +1 206-859-3118 forrestc@owenmedia.com Company Website https://lexion.ai/

April 19, 2023 08:00 AM Pacific Daylight Time

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Shareholders Ask Goldman Sachs Board to Rein in Chairman/CEO

National Legal & Policy Center

Please visit http://www.nlpc.org Goldman Sachs will host its annual meeting in Dallas next Wednesday, April 26, and National Legal and Policy Center will ask its fellow shareholders to vote on a proposal to implement a policy to require the Chairman and CEO positions, currently occupied by David Solomon, to be held by two different executives. The leader of the iconic Wall Street bank has retained both roles since he was elevated to Chairman in January 2019, only three months after he was named CEO. The company has had several stumbles and unforced errors under Solomon’s watch, and NLPC will argue at the shareholder meeting that a separate counterpart as chairman, creating more accountability for the CEO, represents a stronger corporate leadership structure. “David Solomon is yet another ‘woke’ big bank CEO who immerses Goldman Sachs needlessly in political virtue-signaling that later brings disrepute on the company,” said Paul Chesser, director of the Corporate Integrity Project for NLPC. “There are countless examples, but perhaps the biggest sin of this New York City financial icon was to back anti-police Black Lives Matter initiatives, and now ‘Gotham’ has predictably become crime-ridden and less populated. We may see Snake Plissken roaming the streets before long.” In a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission in support of its proposal, NLPC highlighted several examples of Solomon’s leadership stumbles, including: placing Goldman Sachs as a member of the Net Zero Banking Alliance and participating in the federal government’s voluntary Task Force on Climate-Related Financial Disclosures. Net Zero targets are unrealistic, unnecessary and violate fundamental tenets of the scientific method, and related policies have contributed significantly to high energy prices; leading the Company in a joint effort with several other corporations and labor unions to pressure the Trump administration to keep the United States in the non-binding Paris Climate Agreement, which was never ratified by the U.S. Senate, and does not require compliance to similar standards by China and India; signing a statement “opposing ‘any discriminatory legislation’ that makes it harder for people to vote,” in opposition to the Georgia Election Integrity Act, which is now a law that saw no diminished voter turnout in 2022; forcing diversity requirements on its client companies, while internally at the bank African-Americans and women make up 3 percent and 29 percent of senior management roles, respectively; allegedly using his relationships with Goldman Sachs clients to promote his EDM DJ career; reportedly using the company’s private jets for personal travel, despite a policy to limit such use -- going as far as to book seven trips over seven consecutive weekends, according to the New York Post; demonstrating personal conduct that reportedly led to Goldman Sachs reaching a $12-million settlement over its “sexist culture,” with Mr. Solomon allegedly boasting “about his sexual prowess;” forays into retail banking and lending enterprises Marcus and Greensky, which were jettisoned after barely getting started. “Goldman Sachs works its junior bankers an average of 98 hours a week, while Mr. Solomon prioritizes useless Net Zero gambits and promotes his side hustle,” Chesser said. “Really we are going easy on him by asking the board to just make him either Chairman or CEO, but not both.” NLPC has also filed a report with the SEC in support of a shareholder proposal sponsored by the National Center for Public Policy Research, which seeks a congruency report about Goldman Sachs’s China-focused ETFs to assess whether they are aligned with the company’s commitments to support human rights. NLPC also opposes three shareholder proposals that seek adherence to Net Zero priorities and an end to the company’s funding of fossil fuel development. Founded in 1991, NLPC promotes ethics in public life and government accountability through research, investigation, education, and legal action. ### For more information or to schedule an interview with Paul Chesser, contact Dan Rene at 202-329-8357 or drene@nlpc.org. Contact Details National Legal and Policy Center Dan Rene +1 202-329-8357 drene@nlpc.org Company Website http://www.nlpc.org

April 19, 2023 09:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

We’ve Got Thousands of Jobs and We Want YOU!

Fairfax County Economic Development Authority

Career growth for transitioning service members, veterans and military spouses is a priority in Northern Virginia. To support veterans, cleared talent and military spouses in their careers, Fairfax County Economic Development Authority (FCEDA) is hosting a free, two-day career fair May 10-11, 2023, with Virginia Chamber of Commerce’s Hire Vets Now Foundation in partnership with Fort Belvoir, Virginia Department of Veteran Services, and Virginia Employment Commission. “Hundreds of companies in Northern Virginia honor those who have served our nation and are looking to hire from our military and veteran community. These employers want to fill thousands of mission-driven, high-paying jobs right now, and we want to help our transitioning service members, veterans and military spouses connect with these incredible opportunities,” said Victor Hoskins, president and CEO of FCEDA. “Industries across finance, healthcare, renewable energy and more will benefit from the unique and valuable skillset our military communities offer,” he continued. “These Northern Virginia-based employers also recognize that service can take you around the country, and the world, and they are committed to supporting our military community and cleared talent in these transitions.” During the two-day event, candidates will have the opportunity to network with dozens of hiring organizations from Fortune 500s to government agencies and rising start-ups. Top national employers including the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), BAE Systems, CACI, GDIT and Inova Health System are actively hiring for 10,000+ positions across government, IT, finance, defense, renewable energy, and healthcare sectors. All backgrounds and experience levels are welcome, and attendees do not need to live in Northern Virginia to meet with participating companies. To view the full list of companies participating and to register, visit https://workinnorthernvirginia.com/career-fairs/. In-person Career Fair and Resource Expo – Wednesday, May 10, 10:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m. EST, National Museum of the United States Army, 1775 Liberty Drive Virginia, Fort Belvoir 22060. For transit and parking information, visit this link. Free headshots, resume guidance and access to upskilling resources will be available to set you up for success! Virtual Career Fair and Resource Expo – Thursday, May 11, 1:00-4:00 p.m. EST, via online meeting portal, Premier Virtual. To register, visit this link. Northern Virginia is home to leading international companies, including 38 in the defense and aerospace sector alone. With its proximity to major federal agencies – including the Department of Defense, the Pentagon and NASA – educational institutions and Fortune 500 headquarters, Fairfax County is a top location for fostering professional growth for cleared talent. To support the growing need for talent in Northern Virginia, FCEDA and its partners have been organizing in-person and virtual career fairs since 2020 to attract, retain and nurture talent by connecting job seekers to military-friendly companies in the region. To-date, FCEDA-hosted career fairs have attracted nearly 10,000 jobseekers, resulting in thousands of conversations between attending candidates and hiring companies. To find out more, visit www.workinnorthernvirginia.com. ### About the Fairfax County Economic Development Authority The Fairfax County Economic Development Authority promotes Fairfax County as a business and technology center. The FCEDA offers site location and business development assistance, and connections with county and state government agencies, to help companies locate and expand in Fairfax County. In addition to its headquarters in Tysons, Fairfax County’s largest business district, the FCEDA maintains business investment offices in six important global business centers: Bangalore/Mumbai, Berlin, London, Los Angeles, Seoul, and Tel Aviv. Follow the FCEDA on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter and YouTube. Contact Details Fairfax County Economic Development Authority Anna Nissinen +1 571-446-9940 anissinen@fceda.org

April 18, 2023 11:29 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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FEC Complaint Calls Out AOC’s Credit Card Spending Spree

Coolidge Reagan Foundation

[Washington, DC] [April 18, 2023] – Government Ethics watchdog, the Coolidge Reagan Foundation, announced it has filed a formal Federal Election Commission (FEC) complaint against New York Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (AOC). The Complaint, filed by Dan Backer on behalf of the Foundation, details repeated, blatant violations of federal campaign finance law by AOC and her campaign in concealed how it spent thousands of dollars of campaign funds. Backer and the Coolidge Reagan Foundation have a long history of winning FEC battles, including a $15,000 fine levied against Bernie Sanders’ campaign and an historic 6-figure fine against Hillary for America and the Democratic National Committee for lying about their funding of the Russia hoax. The Complaint filed on Monday states in part, “…On numerous occasions throughout 2022, AOC for Congress reported tens of thousands of dollars of disbursements for card payments and card payment reimbursements to Congresswoman Ocasio-Cortez herself; American Express; and an entity called “Veyond!,” which appears to have provided virtual reality services and apparently no longer operates under that name. In each case, the reports do not fully disclose the purposes of each payment for which the charge card was used…” The Complaint describes how campaigns are permitted to use charge cards (or reimburse candidates for use of their personal charge cards) for otherwise permissible campaign-related expenses, however, disclosure reports must accurately identify both the recipient of those funds, as well as each of the campaign-related goods and services purchased. “Without disclosing her credit card spending spree, it is impossible to determine if AOC is illegally using campaign funds to pay personal expenses,” explained Dan Backer. “Not only is the public entitled to that information, but without such disclosure, who knows what AOC and her campaign are hiding?” “For someone who harangues former President Trump on what amounts to trumped-up campaign finance allegations, it seems AOC should look in the mirror,” Backer continued. ### Please visit: https://www.coolidgereagan.org/. For more information or to schedule an interview with a CFR spokesperson, contact Dan Rene at 202-329-8357 or danrenejr@gmail.com. Contact Details Coolidge Reagan Foundation Dan Rene +1 202-329-8357 danrenejr@gmail.com Company Website https://www.coolidgereagan.org/

April 18, 2023 11:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

NCMA Welcomes New Board Members to Advance the Contract Management Profession

National Contract Management Association

The National Contract Management Association (NCMA), a professional association and standards setter for contract management professionals, announced the addition of six new members to its Board of Directors. Karla Smith Jackson, Wes Bennett, Timothy Applegate, Steve Woo, David Cade, and Iris Cooper have joined the board to provide their unique expertise and insights in NCMA's strategic efforts. "We are pleased to welcome Karla, Wes, Timothy, Steve, and David to the NCMA Board of Directors," said NCMA Program Year 2024 President, Denyce Carter. “I’m also happy to report that Iris is serving a second term on the Board. As we continue to advance the contract management profession and its connection with other acquisition related communities through advocacy, standards, and professional development, each of these individuals brings a wealth of experience, knowledge, and leadership to the organization. We are excited to have them on board to help us further our mission." With over 30 years of experience in federal contracting, Karla Smith Jackson, the Senior Procurement Executive, Deputy Chief Acquisition Officer and Assistant Administrator for Procurement at NASA, brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to the board. Her impressive background in program management, acquisition, and contract planning, as well as her senior leadership roles in various government agencies, make her a valuable asset to the board. Wes Bennett is the Senior Director - Strategic Azure Gov't Cloud Contracts at Microsoft, where he provides executive-level advice on business strategy for Department of Defense and intelligence community specific opportunities for Azure Government Cloud products and solutions. With his expertise in both the defense industry and federal government, including his former role as DARPA’s Senior Procurement Executive, Mr. Bennett will be a valuable addition to the board. As a Senior Executive Service member and Director of the Acquisition Management and Integration Center, Timothy Applegate, CPCM, has experience in cradle-to-grave acquisition, program management, and operations of weapon systems in support of various multi-functional programs. With over 35 years of acquisition and contracting expertise and a Defense Acquisition Workforce Improvement Act Level III certification in Contracting, Mr. Applegate brings a wealth of knowledge to the board, particularly in the areas of strategic planning and program management. Steve Woo, CPCM, CFCM Fellow, currently leads a buying group at Jet Propulsion Laboratory managing $1.2B in subcontracts supporting NASA’s Deep Space Network facilities worldwide. Prior to his current position, he managed the Non-Flight Research & Develop group whose team established contracts with Sandia National Laboratories and other Federally Funded Research and Development Centers (FFRDC). Mr. Woo’s leadership in the NCMA and his expertise in managing large-scale contracts make him a valuable addition to the board. David Cade is currently Vice President of U.S. Government Services Business Transformation for The Boeing Company. He is responsible for creating a framework for engagement and future contracts with government customers while meeting current business commitments. Mr. Cade brings experience in contracts, compliance, and business transformation to the board. He has a background in law and has served in various leadership roles at The Boeing Company. He is also dedicated to serving a broad spectrum of organizations, including the Boeing focal for Howard University, where he is responsible for development and implementation of a multi-year university strategy aligned with Boeing’s enterprise objectives. Iris Cooper, CPCM, Fellow, former Assistant Secretary for Procurement, Contracts, and Grants at the NC Department of Health and Human Services has been reappointed to the board. With experience in procurement and contracting, she brings a wealth of knowledge in managing contracts and grants across the NCDHHS mission. Her commitment to integrity, transparency, and efficient procurement strategies will be valuable to the board. Ms. Cooper's passion for acquisition transformation and leadership skills will help drive the success of the organization. "NCMA is honored to welcome these new and returning Directors," said NCMA CEO, Kraig Conrad. "Their invaluable experience and perspectives will play a crucial role in our collaboration to explore new avenues for growth.” The NCMA Board of Directors is responsible for setting the strategic direction of the organization, ensuring its financial stability, and overseeing the development and delivery of member services and educational programs. Beginning July 2023, the newly appointed Board will officially assume their duties and convene at NCMA's World Congress event in Nashville, TN. The National Contract Management Association (NCMA), a nonprofit organization founded in 1959 and is the world’s leading association in the field of contract management. With nearly 20,000 members, NCMA is dedicated to promoting excellence in the contract management profession through education, certification, and professional networking opportunities. NCMA strives to serve and inform the profession and industry it represents and to offer opportunities for the open exchange of ideas in neutral forums. To find out more, please visit www.ncmahq.org. Contact Details NCMA Holly DeHesa +1 281-865-3296 holly.dehesa@ncmahq.org Company Website https://www.ncmahq.org/

April 18, 2023 10:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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Executive VP & Director of Training Michael Jutt Talks Minuteman As We Celebrate 50 Years of Minuteman Press

Minuteman Press International Inc

As Minuteman Press International celebrates 50 years in business, we are continuing the celebration of our history. Michael Jutt first started with Minuteman Press as a press operator in the original Farmingdale shop in October of 1974, which was the second location that opened after Plainview. At just 19 years-old, Mike was hired by Roy Titus, and the rest is history. When Minuteman Press decided to become a franchise, Mike was promoted to Director of Training; he created the first Minuteman Press training program and became an integral part of the company’s expansion into franchising. Mike remains a huge part of our success today as Minuteman Press International’s Executive VP & Director of Training. How did you first get started with Minuteman Press and the Titus family? Mike Jutt: “I was hired in October of 1974 by Roy Titus. George Holzmacher worked for Roy already and he said I should meet with Roy about a job in Farmingdale. At the time, I was working two jobs, one being in printing, and I wanted to be an attorney. I wasn’t sure I wanted to commute to Farmingdale since I lived and worked in Merrick and was attending Nassau Community College. I went to the Farmingdale shop to meet with Roy. When he arrived, we went outside of the shop, behind the building. Roy and I spoke about what he wanted for the Farmingdale shop, as he was looking to make some changes. He asked me how much I was making. At the time, I was making $110/week at the printing job. Roy offered to match, but I explained the extra gas money and time I’d be spending on the commute. He smiled and then offered me $120/week to get started, and I accepted the offer. That’s how my time with Minuteman Press started, working in the Farmingdale shop that Bob Titus was managing. We worked very hard to get the business up and running, it was fun.” What was it like working in the Farmingdale shop when you first started? Mike Jutt: “I had worked in one other neighborhood quick print shop before Minuteman Press, and I was very impressed my first day of employment when I saw Bob Titus come back to the shop with a marketing assistant. The fact that they were out knocking on doors and direct marketing our printing service was to me very different and unheard of at the time for printers. I asked the other press operator who that was that just walked in, and he said that was Roy’s son Bob. The differences between Minuteman Press and other print shops were a few things. First, I saw that they were actively marketing to build the business. We had a ton of work. Second, the type of equipment that we had – Multi-Graphics equipment – had better capabilities than what other quick printers were using. Third, we also had a huge focus on customer service, shop appearance, and quality work. Another game-changer is when Roy came in one day and handed me a brochure for a new piece of equipment made by 3M, which was a superior plate system to enable multicolor printing. This was the missing piece of what we needed to bring Minuteman Press to the next level. We had the press, we just needed a better plate system that could handle color inks as well as it did black ink. We thoroughly tested the plate system with the press and evaluated the cost. The result was that we now had the perfect package to achieve multicolor printing when other quick printers did mostly single-color or just black. The 3M plate was the ticket.” When Minuteman Press started franchising, what was it like for you creating the first training program? Mike Jutt: “The next major thing that happened was Roy discussing expanding the business and moving into franchising. He promoted the business opportunity and brought interested parties into the Farmingdale location to see what we were doing. The interest was really high from the people that Roy brought in, and years later, Roy told me it was during this time where he really noticed and recognized my abilities as a hardworking young man. At age 20, Roy made me Director of Training, and it was my responsibility to teach the new franchise owners everything about our business.” What do you think are the key reasons for the success of Minuteman Press as the franchise kept growing? Mike Jutt: “I credit the success of Minuteman Press as a franchise to leadership, hard work (long days and long weeks), treating the owners as true partners, caring and supporting our owners, and helping them achieve their success. Roy Titus said you need to treat people like you want to be treated. Roy not only preached it, but he also practiced it, and that was one of the biggest keys of our success as we grew and expanded the company.” What are some of the key aspects of the original training program that remain as core principles today? Mike Jutt: “From the launch of the training department, we have focused and communicated the importance of owners becoming experts in 5 major areas: Customer service Marketing their business Delivering quality products Keeping an incredible top appearance of their business and anything that represents their business Management with an emphasis on financial management Within each of these areas, there is extensive training today covering every detail of what these items actually encompass.” What are some of the key ways that the training program and Minuteman Press have evolved over the years? Mike Jutt: “The biggest areas that we’ve always been at the forefront of are research, development, and technology. Printing technology and enhancements with 3M products in the early days got better and better. With that said, one of the big first big efficiencies was added when our first pricing program was developed. In 1977, a new franchise owner from Dallas, Texas named Cal Baker came to the training program. Cal previously worked for EDS (Electronic Data Systems). He noticed that all of our formulas were mathematically logical and that they could be automated to save hours and hours when pricing jobs. I was intrigued by Mr. Baker’s knowledge and what he was going to do, and after he wrote the software, I told Roy I had to go to Dallas to look at what he created. Roy told me, “Whatever you have to spend to research anything that helps our owners and our company, spend it. If it’s going to help our owners, it’s going to help all of us. So, I went to Dallas and saw that the computer was made by Radio Shack. The original model was called a TRS 80 and it had 16K of memory. The program was stored on a regular cassette and at the time, this was a real game changer. After the trip to Dallas, myself and Dave Scadin enrolled in a programming course offered by Radio Shack and we learned basic programming to enhance and modify what we had. We would never ask our owners to buy equipment such as a computer until we tested it. I contacted the Tandy Corporation in Fort Worth, Texas and convinced them to give us 10 computers as a trial, which we distributed to owners to test at 10 locations. We let the owners test it for 60 days and then they had to either give it back or buy the computer. 100% of the owners purchased the computer and none of us have ever looked back. From that point forward, we continued to invest in software development uniquely written to our policies and production. This protected us from software companies going out of business and gave us long-term advantages that we still benefit from to this day.” Mike continues: “Another key milestone for us was the advent of digital printing. The first Apple Mac computer that came with a printer was released in 1984. Digital printing technology emerged with desktop publishing thanks to companies like Apple, IBM, and HP. For our industry, this was great because we could create various different styles and designs on very economical equipment. It also replaced photo typesetting, which took a lot longer and was a very big investment. We quickly recognized that digital printing would evolve. In the beginning, we also recognized that the two technologies could coexist. Today, approximately 40 years later, that is absolutely what happened. The ability, production, and ease of use of the digital equipment has only made Minuteman Press an even better company. And partnering with our key suppliers Xerox, Konica-Minolta, and Hewlett-Packard has brought us improved productivity and profits.” Is there anything else you’d like to share? Mike Jutt: “Minuteman Press today has evolved to be so much more than what it was when we first started. We have developed and refined systems, policies, procedures, and a company that has a long-standing culture of caring for our owners in 5 countries. And from a personal perspective, with the diversity of products and the need for those products, the opportunity for entrepreneurs is incredible. I personally feel honored to be able to experience the emergence of such a fantastic company, Minuteman Press International.” For more information on Minuteman Press products and services, visit https://minuteman.com. Learn more about #1 rated Minuteman Press franchise opportunities and read Minuteman Press franchise reviews at https://minutemanpressfranchise.com. Contact Details Minuteman Press International Chris Biscuiti +1 631-249-1370 cbiscuiti@mpihq.com Company Website https://minutemanpressfranchise.com

April 18, 2023 10:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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Professional Services

The Joint Foreign Chambers of Commerce (JFCCT) works closely with the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) to continued support its anti-corruption efforts

Freelance Creative Jobs Thrive Despite AI Surge

Dear America, Mission Possible: Prevention and Cures Starts Now

Lexion Raises $20M Series B, Expands AI-Powered Contract Management Solution to Broader User Base

Shareholders Ask Goldman Sachs Board to Rein in Chairman/CEO

We’ve Got Thousands of Jobs and We Want YOU!

FEC Complaint Calls Out AOC’s Credit Card Spending Spree

NCMA Welcomes New Board Members to Advance the Contract Management Profession

Executive VP & Director of Training Michael Jutt Talks Minuteman As We Celebrate 50 Years of Minuteman Press