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Free Employee Engagement Tool Designed for Remote Teams

Engagement Multiplier

Engagement Multiplier ( www.engagementmultiplier.com ) a leading SaaS provider of employee engagement surveys and tools for small-to-medium enterprises, is offering business leaders free access to a survey designed to assess the engagement of their remote teams. Titled “Working From Home & Winning,” the survey assesses how remote teams stand, captures their feedback and helps leaders understand what’s working - and where adjustments may be needed. “Working from home is new to many companies, and it presents different challenges for leaders who have had to quickly adjust to managing their teams remotely.” says Stefan Wissenbach, founder and CEO of Engagement Multiplier. “At the onset of the COVID-19 crisis, we created the Working From Home & Winning survey to arm leaders with the information they needed to help them navigate the sea change we all experienced. As the pandemic wears on, maintaining the engagement of remote teams is important, and this survey is designed to give leaders the insights they need to keep their teams connected and productive.” The free offer also includes the accompanying success guide offering a variety of tips and tools for improving the engagement of remote teams, in addition to guidance on interpreting and responding to survey results. Companies that utilize the Working From Home & Winning survey are also provided access to Engagement Multiplier’s comprehensive Benchmark Assessment survey, to gauge employee engagement as they prepare for the new normal. For additional details or to take advantage of the free offer, please visit https://signup.engagementmultiplier.com/workfromhome . About Engagement Multiplier Engagement Multiplier helps businesses achieve greater profitability, productivity and success by enabling leaders to quickly assess, understand and improve employee engagement and harnessing the power of the company’s Engaged Purpose (™). Using the intuitive Engagement Multiplier dashboard, business leaders can easily survey employees using a Benchmark Assessment, or gather feedback from defined teams with a customized On-Demand Survey. The company’s mission is to transform businesses and help 100 million employees become measurably more engaged. Founded in 2014, Engagement Multiplier today serves businesses and partners around the world. Contact Details Sarah Skerik +1 872-240-1918 sarah@engagementmultiplier.com Company Website http://www.engagementmultiplier.com

July 16, 2020 11:05 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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Cloud Conventions Unveils Connected Event Networks for Virtual Conferences & Trade Shows

Convey Services

Cloud Conventions today unveiled new event management technology that connects multiple virtual conferences or trade shows from a centralized hub allowing events with unique identities to share a common set of exhibitors, sessions or content. This Industry-first solution allows trade associations, companies and large event operators to produce several related events from a single administrative portal that maintains and updates content or session catalogs and exhibitor booths and selectively updates portals in the network. Cloud Conventions is a full featured virtual event SaaS technology from Convey Services . “Convey’s proprietary Hub & Spoke technology has powered industry networks in telecommunications and insurance for years, connecting multiple suppliers and vendors with an indirect salesforce,” said Carolyn Bradfield , founder of Convey. “Using Hub & Spoke, multiple virtual event portals can receive content and marketing assets from a centralized hub site. The event operator can deliver more value to exhibitors and sponsors and it makes it easier for exhibitors to manage their booths when they participate in more than one event. It is designed for groups planning multiple virtual events or having regional events, pop-up shows, or conferences throughout the year.” An event hub site is set up to allow exhibitors to access, setup and manage their virtual booths, changing out content and sessions easily for each networked show. The reporting engine consolidates activity reports from all the event portals for one consolidated view. “Hub & Spoke event networks create efficiency and reduce the cost of putting on monthly, quarterly or regional events,” added Bradfield. “This will be a huge help to associations that hold conferences that share the same sponsors or exhibitors. A small staff can use Hub & Spoke to manage a dozen events and maximize ROI for exhibitors and sponsors.” Cloud Conventions portals come complete with templates to set up the homepage, deliver email messaging, create attendee dashboards, set up virtual booths, customize CRM systems and databases to track attendees and exhibitors and access a full set of analytics and reporting. About Cloud Conventions Cloud Conventions is a Virtual Trade Show and Conference Platform from Convey Services that brings new capabilities to a marketplace looking for solutions to replace the thousands of live trade shows, annual conferences and association meetings cancelled in the wake of COVID-19. Originally launched as ConveyLive, Cloud Conventions automates exhibitors and virtual booths, attendee registration, speaker sessions and reminders, invitations and email communication, while at the same time producing detailed analytics on attendee, session and exhibitor activity. Trade Associations and event managers can explore all of the Cloud Conventions solutions by visiting cloudconventions.com or contacting info@cloudconventions.com or call 888-975-1382. Contact Details Bruce Ahern +1 770-580-0810 bahern@conveyservices.com Company Website https://cloudconventions.com

July 15, 2020 02:55 PM Eastern Daylight Time

End Boring Meetings Forever

Engagement Multiplier

Are your remote teams still slogging through hours of conference calls each day? Does the appearance of yet another video meeting on the calendar cause a near revolt? “The way we work has changed forever. So should the way we meet,” says Stefan Wissenbach, founder and CEO of Engagement Multiplier ( www.engagementmultiplier.com ) a leading SaaS provider of employee engagement surveys and tools for small-to-medium enterprises. “Teams that attempt to replicate the meeting structure they used in the office, are finding they’re losing productivity and sapping their peoples’ energy.” The connections that exist between people on a team, and between teams and the company, are vital components of employee engagement. Leaders who aren’t changing up their meeting routines could be unwittingly wasting time and diminishing performance. Wissenbach’s advice: put energy and connection front and center in team meetings, and watch how things improve. “When the pandemic drove our teams home, we quickly started to change how we do meetings,” WIssenbach says.”We developed a new routine that we’ve turned into a framework we call the EPIC Meeting (™). Our team loves it - meetings are focused and efficient, but we still have time for fun and building connections between people. We have a tighter culture and more agile team as a result.” EPIC Meetings are easy to run, if you just follow this simple outline: Energy: Start each meeting by asking everyone to share something they’re feeling great about at that moment – whether or not it’s work-related. This simple act takes just a few minutes, gets everyone talking. Purpose: Insist on a clear agenda for each meeting, but take it a step further: in addition to the purpose and objectives, challenge your team to also add what needs to be true at the end of the meeting to the agenda. This focuses the group clearly on getting to that solution. Insight: A good exchange can unleash a torrent of ideas and information. Near the end of the meeting, ask each person to highlight a unique insight or learning they gained from the meeting. This enables you to capture – in the moment – thoughts as they’re crystallizing, and opens everyone to different points of view. Connection: Start running EPIC Meetings, and you’ll see connections build: between your people to each other, and to the business purpose. The result: business captures more value and builds a stronger, more agile culture. For a downloadable EPIC Meeting Guide and additional ideas for improving your meetings, please visit: https://www.engagementmultiplier.com/blog/epic-meetings-new-best-practices-for-virtual-teams/ . About Engagement Multiplier Engagement Multiplier helps businesses achieve greater profitability, productivity and success by enabling leaders to quickly assess, understand and improve employee engagement and harnessing the power of the company’s Engaged Purpose (™). Using the intuitive Engagement Multiplier dashboard, business leaders can easily survey employees using a Benchmark Assessment, or gather feedback from defined teams with a customized On-Demand Survey. The company’s mission is to transform businesses and help 100 million employees become measurably more engaged. Founded in 2014, Engagement Multiplier today serves businesses and partners around the world. Contact Details Sarah Skerik +1 872-240-1918 sarah@engagementmultiplier.com Company Website http://www.engagementmultiplier.com

July 15, 2020 09:55 AM Eastern Daylight Time

Cloud Conventions Launches 365 Program for Virtual Conferences, Trade Shows and Events

Convey Services

Cloud Conventions today announced Cloud Conventions 365 a new service for virtual conferences, trade shows and events that allows show and event sponsors access to an event portal year-round to manage virtual or hybrid events. Trade show operators, companies and associations that use a Cloud Conventions platform can now keep their portal live and accessible using Cloud Conventions 365 for up to one year. Cloud Conventions is a full featured virtual event SaaS technology solution from Convey Services . “A virtual event is no longer limited by the 2-3 days a physical trade show normally operates; it can be open and evolving all year with Cloud Conventions 365,” said Carolyn Bradfield , founder of Convey. “Once traditional trade shows moved to a virtual format as a result of cancellations in 2020, they realized the benefits from keeping their audience engaged and connected longer. When the pandemic is behind us, we expect all shows will incorporate a virtual solution to accompany a live conference, tradeshow or event in 2021 and beyond. Despite initial pushback, people have realized that virtual events expand their attendee audience, rather than reduce it, give exhibitors a stronger ROI from increased and extended online market presence and offer reduced cost from delivering a virtual event experience.” Once a live Cloud Conventions virtual event has closed, the portal can retain its structure and easily be repurposed for subsequent events throughout the year. Cloud Conventions is designed for the non-technical user and does not require special coding or development to manage it. Virtual booth can remain or be refreshed for the next event or can accommodate new exhibitors, sponsors or speaker sessions. Attendees from prior events can remain in the database as ‘pre-registered’ for new pop-up events or the registration process can begin over. “The Cloud Conventions 365 option is incredibly cost efficient and saves time for the trade show operator that wants to stage virtual or hybrid events all year,” added Bradfield. “The portal can be available for a period of time after their first Cloud Conventions event or the organization can simply enter into a six or twelve month subscription agreement for the use of the technology.” About Cloud Conventions Cloud Conventions is a Virtual Trade Show and Conference Platform from Convey Services that brings new capabilities to a marketplace looking for solutions to replace the thousands of live trade shows, annual conferences and association meetings cancelled in the wake of COVID-19. Originally launched as ConveyLive, Cloud Conventions automates exhibitors and virtual booths, attendee registration, speaker sessions and reminders, invitations and email communication, while at the same time producing detailed analytics on attendee, session and exhibitor activity. Trade Associations and event managers can explore all of the Cloud Conventions solutions by visiting https://cloudconventions.com or contacting info@cloudconventions.com or call 888-975-1382. Contact Details Bruce Ahern +1 770-580-0810 bahern@conveyservices.com Company Website https://cloudconventions.com

July 14, 2020 03:12 PM Eastern Daylight Time

Minuteman Press Franchise Free COVID-19 Resource Bounce Back USA Gains National and Local Media Attention Supporting Thousands of Local Businesses in Their Communities

Minuteman Press International

Since the launch of Bounce Back USA in April 2020, Minuteman Press International has seen an overwhelming response from businesses and communities. To date, over 12,000 businesses have joined the movement in their communities by submitting free local listings at https://BounceBackUSA.com and Bounce Back websites in Canada , the United Kingdom , Australia , and South Africa . The free Bounce Back USA initiative was created by Minuteman Press to give back to communities during COVID-19 and support local businesses. Businesses submit their logo and text, and their ad is posted for free on BounceBackUSA.com. They also receive a free COVID-19 safety and awareness poster. What is Bounce Back USA? --Bounce Back USA ( https://BounceBackUSA.com ) is a free initiative that provides free business listings & COVID-19 awareness and prevention posters to support local business . --Bounce Back USA was created my Minuteman Press International, the #1 rated marketing and printing franchise by Entrepreneur, to give back to local businesses and help provide a free boost to bounce back from the COVID-19 pandemic. --Bounce Back USA has been featured by FORBES , Entrepreneur Magazine (July 2020 issue), the International Franchise Association , Modern Restaurant Management , and many local publications in communities across America. --There are already over 12,000 participating businesses and the free Bounce Back initiative is now available in 5 countries: Bounce Back USA , Bounce Back Canada , Bounce Back UK , Bounce Back Australia , and Bounce Back South Africa . Why Support Local Businesses? “Supporting local business is more important than ever before, and what we are doing with Bounce Back USA is creating a movement that community members can rally around because people are looking for every reason to shop local,” says Nick Titus, President, Minuteman Press International. People are looking to support local businesses. This is backed by a recent Groupon infographic , which cited the following statistics: --67% of people are more hopeful now than when the pandemic began and 75% plan to support small businesses as much as possible once restrictions on non-essential businesses are lifted in their areas. --The average consumer plans to spend nearly $100 per week at local businesses post-COVID-19, up 16% vs. before the pandemic — in the hopes of boosting their local economy. --86% have supported a locally owned business during quarantine. Join the Movement for Free Join the movement to support local business for free today! Visit BounceBackUSA.com to submit your free listing and receive your free COVID-19 awareness and prevention poster. Learn more about #1 rated Minuteman Press franchise opportunities and read Minuteman Press franchise reviews at https://minutemanpressfranchise.com . Contact Details Chris Biscuiti +1 631-249-1370 cbiscuiti@mpihq.com Company Website https://minutemanpressfranchise.com

July 14, 2020 02:08 PM Eastern Daylight Time

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COVID: Patents Being Abandoned At Triple The Normal Rate According to BlueIron Study

BlueIron, LLC

An updated analysis by BlueIron shows that the COVID crisis has dramatically affected business's IP strategy. This lack of confidence in the future has never been seen before and has severe implications. "Patents represent a company's confidence in the future and their ability to innovate. Companies get patents because they believe in their innovations and that they will be successful in the market," says Russ Krajec , CEO of BlueIron, which finances patent portfolios for innovative companies. "COVID has been shaken this confidence in ways we have never seen before." The abandonment rate has shot up since COVID started, especially for Small Entities, which are companies of less than 500 people. As reported in March , the abandonment rate nearly doubled, but in July, the trend has continued with abandonments nearly tripling. For Small Entities, the abandonment rate has gone from 11.7% to 31%. For Large Entities, the abandonment rate has doubled from about 6.5% to 13%. Abandonments are pending patent applications where the applicant has decided to quit prosecution. These data are from when the USPTO examiner has issued a rejection and the applicant has refused to respond, letting the patent go abandoned rather than invest more money in it. The average number of rejections for US patents is about 4.2 per patent. "Patents are 20 year assets and are typically are not affected by short term market swings. A similar study during the 2008 recession showed patent abandonment rate being very steady," says Krajec . "However, the COVID crisis has changed things in ways we have never seen before." "Certainly, companies are taking a very hard look at expenses and IP costs are one way to conserve cash during lean times. But cutting off the future value of your company by abandoning patents shows a completely different type of thinking than we have seen before." About BlueIron: BlueIron provides IP-related financing for companies from startups to publicly traded companies. BlueIron finances the cost of getting a patent and building patent portfolios, provides insurance for enforcement and defense of those patents, and can provide $2-5M loans using patents as collateral. You can read the BlueIron blog here. About Russ Krajec: Russ Krajec is a registered patent attorney who has been practicing for over 20 years, as well as a podcaster, blogger, and author. His book “Investing In Patents” describes the business criteria used to identify good inventions and good patents. Krajec is the host of the Patent Myths podcast, which looks at IP from a business standpoint. Contact Details Russ Krajec +1 970-776-4355 russ.krajec@blueironip.com Company Website https://blueironip.com

July 13, 2020 01:00 PM Mountain Daylight Time

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Mike Tague Rejoins Interfirst Mortgage to Lead Western Division Wholesale Production Channel

Interfirst Mortgage Company

Interfirst Mortgage Company (Interfirst and/or Company), a private equity-backed mortgage originator, announced today that Mike Tague has rejoined the Company as Vice President, Western Division Production for the wholesale channel. In his new role, Mr. Tague will focus on growing Interfirst’s wholesale channel throughout the West by adding top-performing and relationship-driven Account Executives as the Company builds its presence across the U.S. Mr. Tague brings with him 30 years of mortgage industry experience and has spent 25 years building sales teams, expanding branch operations and growing existing markets in the wholesale channel. During his career, Mr. Tague has held the position of Vice President of Wholesale at numerous lenders including The Money Source, Peoples Home Equity, Ethos Lending LLC and Finance of America Mortgage LLC. Mr. Tague first joined Interfirst in 2011, where he was instrumental in growing wholesale production to more than $1 billion per month. “We are thrilled to have Mike back at Interfirst as a key leader in our wholesale business,” said Mark Freedle, Executive Vice President, Production. “Mike has a dynamic, relationship-driven leadership approach and an unmatched track record for building a strong wholesale production team that will help Interfirst expand quickly across the Western region of the U.S.” Mr. Freedle added, “Interfirst fully supports the mortgage brokerage community with a broker-centric approach, and the technology, competitive products/pricing and service to help mortgage brokers build and grow a successful and sustainable business. We have the ability to deliver a cost-efficient process driven by our proprietary technology platform that allows mortgage brokers to better serve customers and close more quality loans quickly at the most competitive price.” “My first experience at Interfirst was one of the best in my career and I am excited to be back working with Dmitry Godin, Mark and the rest of the leadership team,” commented Mr. Tague. “The new Interfirst is focused on transforming the way consumers obtain residential mortgages – and reenters the wholesale channel without any legacy challenges. Our objective is to enable our mortgage broker partners to operate efficiently and friction free through a technology-driven model based on service, speed, competitive offerings and sustainability – and empower them to exceed their own expectations and help their clients.” Seven top-producing Account Executives, most of whom generated more than $30 million in mortgage originations per month in 2019, and previously worked at Interfirst, have already joined Mr. Tague’s team. These Account Executives, who all have over 20 years of mortgage industry experience, include Sarah Daniels in Colorado, Thomas Corvo in Hawaii, Chip Mamiya in California, Conrad Tan and Donna Browne in Northern California, Dee Morelli in Illinois, and Chris Jenkins in Utah. Interfirst is working diligently to expand its loan offering to all 50 states by the end of 2020, which will be an important milestone in the business strategy the Company initiated in January. To learn more, Mr. Tague can be reached at mtague@interfirst.com . About Interfirst Interfirst Mortgage Company is a private equity-backed mortgage originator that is transforming the way consumers obtain residential mortgages. Founded in 2001, and relaunched in 2020, Interfirst is built on a new proprietary loan origination technology platform and an expanded business model featuring a newly integrated retail and wholesale offering. With innovation at its core, Interfirst enables mortgage broker partners and loan originators the ability to operate efficiently and friction free through a technology-driven model based on service, speed, competitive products/pricing and sustainability. Interfirst is currently licensed in 13 states including Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Illinois, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Ohio, Texas, Utah, West Virginia and Wisconsin, with plans in place to be licensed in all 50 states. Visit Interfirst.com or contact 800.520.7087 to learn more. Contact Details Cate Cronin +1 202-738-7302 ccronin@levick.com Company Website https://www.interfirst.com/

July 13, 2020 08:01 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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National Bar Association - Commercial Law Section Launches Inaugural ‘Black Lawyers Matter’ Virtual Internship Program

National Bar Association - Commercial Law Section

The National Bar Association - Commercial Law Section (NBA-CLS) recently announced the launch of its NBA-CLS Black Lawyers Matter (BLM) Internship Program, designed to positively impact diversity in the legal profession. The BLM Program will be a virtual program that provides training, exposure, and opportunities to diverse students facing the challenge of securing quality employment, by partnering with corporate legal departments and law firms that are dedicated to taking more meaningful steps towards promoting diversity, equality, and inclusion. This year further highlighted unprecedented challenges to the Black community including, but not limited to, quality job opportunities being delayed, revoked, or completely eliminated—and the legal industry is not exempt. Recent events in the United States towards members in the Black community have encouraged NBA-CLS to strengthen the steps taken to further our mission of increasing the diversity of outside counsel ranks and expanding the pipeline of African Americans entering the legal profession. “As NBA-CLS focuses on closing gaps caused by the systematic racism that permeates the legal profession and our society as a whole, one immediate action that we are taking is to launch an internship program specifically for diverse students that have been disproportionately impacted by having limited access to job opportunities,” said LaTanya Langley, Chair of the NBA-CLS BLM Action Committee. The BLM Program will match law students with corporate legal departments or law firms in practice areas, including, but not limited to Commercial, Corporate, Intellectual Property, Litigation, Employment, Regulatory, Compliance, and Governance. NBA-CLS will provide $10,000 in salary per student (and a total of $40,000) to cover a full-time assignment for 8-10 weeks. The BLM Program will begin in late July 2020 with rolling start dates and will end in September 2020 (or as otherwise agreed with the host corporation or firm). According to the National Association for Law Placement (NALP), racial minorities remain underrepresented in the leadership ranks of legal services organizations. People of color made up about 25% of associates but accounted for less than 8% of equity partners among all firms who participated in a 2019 NALP survey . Black attorneys accounted for less than 2% of partners among the firms surveyed by NALP, while black women accounted for less than 1%. “The first step is recognizing that the gap between the demographic makeup of the industry and that of our community reflects the presence of barriers to entry into the profession,” said Andrew Nunes, incoming NBA-CLS Chair. “To remain complacent and idle with this state of affairs, especially in light of recent events, is not only a disservice to diverse lawyers but our industry and society as a whole. As a result, we are eager to launch our BLM Internship Program to increase opportunities for racialized law students and to help cultivate an industry that is more demographically representative of the population.” If your firm or corporation is interested in partnering with NBA-CLS by providing or sponsoring an opportunity for a student in the BLM Program, please contact LaTanya Langley at info@nbacls.com for more information. If you are a law student and you are interested in the BLM Program, please submit your resume and cover letter no later than July 17, 2020, to info@nbacls.com . About National Bar Association - Commercial Law Section The mission of the NBA Commercial Law Section is to bring its outside counsel members together with in-house counsel who seek to increase the diversity of their outside counsel ranks and to provide networking and education forums to address the interests of NBA members practicing in the area of commercial law. The NBA Commercial Law Section is also committed to serving the community and expanding the pipeline of African Americans entering the legal profession. For more information visit www.nbacls.com. Contact Details Andrew Nunes +1 416-865-4510 anunes@fasken.com Company Website https://nbacls.com/

July 10, 2020 10:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

Center for the Study of Capitalism at Wake Forest University Hosts Diversity & Inclusion Webinar

LEVICK

Wake Forest University’s Center for the Study of Capitalism will host a July 15 webinar titled, “Doing the Right Thing: How Companies Lead in the New Age of Diversity & Inclusion.” The event will focus on potential diversity and inclusion initiatives for businesses currently rethinking their policies and communications tactics. The panel’s evolution was prompted by the recent focus on the Black Lives Matter protests that have generated far more conversation than all other social issues – abortion, immigration, gun control, #MeToo – combined . The panel will be hosted by the Center for the Study of Capitalism at Wake Forest University, a research and teaching center and a trusted source of information about well-functioning democratic capitalism. The panel will be hosted by Richard Levick, Chairman and CEO of LEVICK and Executive Affiliate of the Center for the Study of Capitalism. Webinar panelists include: Neil Foote, Foote Communications Kurt Bardella, LEVICK William Ide, Akerman Chris Jackson, Ipsos Derede McAlpin, LEVICK “Since the murder of George Floyd and the Battle of Lafayette Square, diversity and inclusion have dominated our society’s debate in ways they haven’t since the great Civil Rights movement of the 1960s,” Levick said. “All the CEOs, general counsels and board members we have spoken with recognize this historic nature of this moment and tell us ‘We want to do the right thing, but we don’t fully know what or how.’ This webinar is designed to provide the pathway.” While some companies have made significant changes to their policies policy to respond to the Black Lives Matter movement and the public’s outcry for corporate action, many are still asking how and what to do while others are unnecessarily immobilized by past actions or inactions. The webinar will include communications and legal experts who will examine the internal and external changes that companies need to adopt given societal upheaval. For more information on the webinar, visit https://capitalism.wfu.edu/events/doing-the-right-thing-how-companies-lead-in-the-new-age-of-diversity-inclusion/ About the Center for the Study of Capitalism The Center for the Study of Capitalism at Wake Forest University is a research and teaching center and a trusted source of information about well-functioning democratic capitalism. Contact Details Maria Stagliano +1 404-245-0899 mstagliano@levick.com Company Website https://www.levick.com

July 10, 2020 09:30 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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