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Travel Technology Association Files Comments with DoT Supporting Transparency & Consumer Protections

Travel Tech

The Travel Technology Association (Travel Tech), the voice of the travel technology industry and consistent advocate for public policy that supports a competitive and transparent marketplace, filed comments today in response to the Department of Transportation’s (DOT) Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) on “ Enhancing Transparency of Airline Ancillary Service Fees ” (DOT-OST-2022-0109). “Travel Tech has long supported the U.S. Department of Transportation’s efforts to ensure consumers have access to critical ancillary fee information. We did so in 2014 and are doing so again in 2023,” stated Laura Chadwick, President & CEO of the Travel Technology Association. “For too long, consumers have lacked the consistent ability to know the true cost of different flight options.” In its comments, Travel Tech addresses how ancillary fee information should be provided to ticket agents. In its proposed rule, the DOT seeks to omit global distribution systems from receiving mandatory ancillary fee data from airlines. “Travel Tech strongly recommends that ancillary fee data be shared with all channels that distribute fare and schedule information,” Chadwick continued. “It is the most simple and direct way to solve the issue of ancillary fee transparency for consumers.” Travel Tech also filed a petition today requesting a hearing on DOT’s proposed requirement to display the critical ancillary fee information on the first page of online search results. Travel Tech addresses this matter in its comments. “Our members are the leading innovators in creating consumer-friendly online travel information sites. We are deeply concerned about the DOT’s first-page search results requirements included in the proposed regulation. These rules, if adopted as written, will clutter and confuse the online air travel shopping experience for consumers. This is especially true for travel comparison sites that display multiple airlines’ schedules and fares,” said Chadwick. “In our comments and hearing petition, we argue that the Department should not displace ticket agents’ well-established expertise with a government-regulated website design mandate. Ticket agents should have the flexibility to design appropriate displays of ancillary fees and develop innovative new methods for consumers as well,” Chadwick continued. ### About Travel Tech The Travel Technology Association (Travel Tech) is the voice of the travel technology industry, advocating for public policy that promotes transparency and competition in the marketplace to encourage innovation and preserve consumer choice. Travel Tech represents the leading innovators in travel technology, including global distribution systems, online travel agencies and metasearch companies, travel management companies, and short-term rental platforms. To schedule an interview with a Travel Tech spokesperson, contact Dan Rene of kglobal at 202-329-8357 or daniel.rene@kglobal.com. Contact Details Travel Technology Association Dan Rene +1 202-329-8357 daniel.rene@kglobal.com Company Website https://www.traveltech.org.

January 24, 2023 10:00 AM Eastern Standard Time

‘Ready for Ron’ launches $3.3 Million National Independent Expenditure Campaign

Ready for Ron

Ready for Ron, the only credible independent group working to draft Florida Governor Ron DeSantis to run for President, launched a $3.3 million Independent Expenditure campaign to build the grassroots “ground game” to support a DeSantis Presidential candidacy. As detailed in a recent FEC report the campaign includes $2.3 million in national television advertising – at a rate of $100,000 per week – and $1 million for phone, mail, and digital outreach efforts. “This is a critical investment to engage the public with our message that Joe Biden and the Democrats are the problem, and electing Ron DeSantis is the solution. We must build up the national volunteer network it will take to win,” stated Dan Backer Counsel to Ready for Ron. “Following 3 straight election losses, it is clear, blowing big money on consultants for flashy ads that just talk at voters fails – but we see time and time again that our unique strategy of direct engagement creates real results around which we can build a winning ground game. We are pursuing a volunteer driven strategy that cuts out high-priced consultants and puts every penny into building the infrastructure to support a DeSantis candidacy.” In an interview with the Financial Times, Backer explained that “the purpose of the ad spending was to create ‘the backbone of a real ground game’ for DeSantis and ‘convince DeSantis that he has the grassroots support to run and win in a general election’. He added that Ready for Ron wanted to ‘bring in a whole host of people who aren’t part of the current universe’, including those who are not part of Trump’s base of conservative voters, which has dominated Republican campaigns in recent years. Fox News reported that In November Ready for Ron had already announced its petition has received more than 100,000 signatures. The petition is also the focus of a lawsuit Ready for Ron brought in the U.S. District Court for D.C. against the Federal Election Commission (FEC) challenging an FEC Advisory Opinion preventing Ready for Ron from sharing with Governor DeSantis the names of those who signed a petition encouraging him to challenge Joe Biden. Comments from Dan Backer featured in a Newsmax story focused on how the Ready for Ron “…spending should help ‘offset any competitive advantage that any other campaigns may or may not have”….between now and a hoped-for eventual announcement of a DeSantis candidacy. Politico also reported the news in its popular Playbook and Influence newsletters. In interviews with The Daily Caller and The Washington Examiner, Backer stated, “Ready for Ron is investing heavily in drafting Ron DeSantis to run for president in 2024, knowing that he is the Republican Party’s best chance to win back the White House. DeSantis’ pro-freedom platform has made Florida the best state to live in America — I know, I moved here — and we won’t stop until that platform goes national for all Americans to enjoy.” Since its launch in late May, Ready for Ron has enlisted more than one hundred twenty thousand supporters to build on-the-ground grassroots support, generated significant media attention, and produced and placed advertising to convince Ron DeSantis to run for President. Ready for Ron has emerged as the most successful and credible independent organization in support of a Ron DeSantis candidacy. Following nearly nine months of work by Ready for Ron, Governor DeSantis has a growing lead in polls in key states. The advertising efforts, phone calls, petition, and grassroots campaigns are helping generate significant leads in early primary and key battleground states and in the hearts and minds of the American people. Ready for Ron continues its TV and online advertising efforts to engage Americans to sign the petition at ReadyForRon.com to Draft Ron DeSantis to run in 2024. ### For more information or to schedule an interview with a ‘Ready for Ron’ spokesperson, please contact Dan Rene at 202-329-8357 or dan@readyforron.com. Contact Details Dan Rene +1 202-329-8357 dan@readyforron.com Company Website https://www.readyforron.com/

January 23, 2023 02:15 PM Eastern Standard Time

Minuteman Press Franchise in Denver Acquires 31-Year Business A Great American Print Shop

Minuteman Press International Inc

Abel Corral, owner of Minuteman Press in Denver located at 4725 Paris Street, Suite 200, has acquired independent printing business A Great American Print Shop from retiring owner Frank Hibberd. A Great American Print Shop operated in Denver for 31 years. When Frank received a mailer from Minuteman Press, he reached out to Regional VP Jack Panzer. Jack says, “Frank wanted to retire and I told him about our unique ability to help independent print shops sell their business. I connected him with Abel, who had expressed interest growing and expanding his business through an acquisition. I am glad they were able to work out a deal, and I wish Frank all the best in retirement.” On the acquisition, Abel Corral says, “The acquisition came about on the heels of our three year anniversary; this is also our second acquisition in two years. I was looking for a way to grow my business and so I let it be known to Jack Panzer that I’d be interested in acquiring another print shop.” Abel continues, “A Great American Print Shop was strategically located within an area that I already reach and market to and so this acquisition just seemed like a good fit. I really liked that this was an established business with growth potential that I feel my team could capitalize on. The potential upside, close proximity, and perfect timing all came into play.” He adds, “The acquisition included an established client base, paper inventory, some equipment including cutters, and access to Frank during the transition. I expect this acquisition to help increase revenue by 20-25%. Also, this acquisition benefits AGAP’s customers in three key ways: First, we have received all of the previous artwork for AGAP clients to ensure a seamless transition as we serve their print, design, and mailing needs. Second, we will be able to offer promotional products and apparel to AGAP clients, which were not previously available. Third, we will be providing value-added local customer service and client support. Our Minuteman Press location is near Peoria & Interstate 70: 4725 Paris St. #200, Denver, CO 80239, inside the Pinecreek Office Center. We are also offering free delivery to AGAP customers.” Abel concludes, “I’m very grateful that my Regional VP Jack Panzer helped me by presenting this opportunity and helping me through the process. I expect this could be a game-changer for our business.” Abel Corral’s Minuteman Press franchise in Denver is located at 4725 Paris Street, Suite 200, Denver, CO 80239. For more information, call or visit their website: https://minuteman.com/us/locations/co/denver20/ Learn more about #1 rated Minuteman Press franchise opportunities and see 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

January 23, 2023 12:00 PM Eastern Standard Time

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NLPC Calls Upon Special Counsel to Search Biden’s Senate Records Stored at University of Delaware for Additional Classified Documents

National Legal & Policy Center

The National Legal and Policy Center (NLPC) has called upon the Special Counsel to conduct a search of Biden’s Senate records stored at the University of Delaware. The request follows revelations that additional classified documents were discovered Friday at President Biden’s home in Wilmington, Delaware, during a 13-hour search by the FBI. The documents reportedly include at least one document from the time that Biden served in the Senate. In 2011, Biden donated a treasure trove of documents from his 36-year career in the U.S. Senate (January 1973-January 2009) that fills 1,875 boxes and also includes 415 gigabytes of electronic records. During his Senate career, Biden was Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee or its ranking member and had access to many classified documents. “The FBI needs to search the entire 14,000 square foot Penn Biden Center where classified documents were found by his private attorneys searching only Biden’s private office on November 2 nd. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who served as managing director also had an office there. The FBI also needs to search Biden’s Senate records stored at the University of Delaware as well as his beach home,” said NLPC Counsel, Paul Kamenar. “This scavenger hunt for classified documents has been a total farce and insult to the American people,” said Peter Flaherty, Chairman of NLPC. “The House Oversight Committee, Special Counsel, and NLPC’s FOIA investigation need to get to the bottom of Biden’s mishandling classified information.” NLPC has also criticized the handling of this matter by Biden’s private attorneys who are not cleared to review classified information and who may have tainted evidence of a crime with their fingerprints and mishandling. A major question remains unanswered: why did Biden decide two years after he occupied the White House to move his office at the Biden Center and why hire expensive private attorneys to do so instead of Biden Center staff? Other locations that Biden occupied since leaving office in January 2017 should also be searched. He first had a temporary transition office set up by GSA near the White House. Then a temporary Penn Biden Center facility was opened mid-town in Washington, D.C., before the office was opened in February 2018 near the Capitol. Biden also rented a 12,000 square-foot mansion in McLean, Virginia at $20,000 a month after he left the White House, about twice the size of his home in Wilmington, Delaware. NLPC has been investigating the Biden Center since early 2020 and its funding by Chinese donations, much of it anonymous. NLPC filed a complaint with the Department of Education in May 2020 and with the Department of Justice that both Hunter Biden and the Biden Center should be registered as a foreign agents with China under the Foreign Agents Registration Act. ### Please visit http://www.nlpc.org. For more information or to schedule an interview with a NLPC spokesperson, please contact Dan Rene at drene@nlpc.org or call 202-329-8357. Founded in 1991, NLPC promotes ethics in public life and government accountability through research, investigation, education, and legal action. Contact Details Dan Rene +1 202-329-8357 danrenejr@gmail.com Company Website http://www.nlpc.org

January 23, 2023 10:00 AM Eastern Standard Time

How FatBrain AI Is Helping Protect Small Businesses From Ransomware Attacks

FatBrAin

By Faith Ashmore, Benzinga Small-to-medium-sized enterprises, also known as SMEs, make up over 90% of businesses around the world and approximately half of global employment. In the U.S., SMEs account for 44% of all U.S. economic activity and produce the bulk of GDP output. These SMEs are heavily reliant on, and often at the mercy of, programs like QuickBooks and Salesforce. 64% of QuickBooks users come from SMEs, and of that percentage. Salesforce has over 150,000 subscribers. While these programs are fantastic tools for SMEs, they are also vulnerable to ransomware attacks. SMEs do not have the same technical expertise, staffing, and secure infrastructure that companies like Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT), IBM (NYSE: IBM), and Nvidia (NASDAQ: NVDA) do. Artificial Intelligence (AI) can help bridge the technological divide. FatBrain AI (LZG International, Inc.) (OTCQB: LZGI) is on the front lines of this battle. FatBrain markets itself as “AI for Everyone” and caters specifically to SMEs. The company is focused on simplifying decision-making for SMEs and giving them the power to harness big data and AI to grow, protect and expand their businesses. How Is FatBrain Protecting SMEs From Ransomware Attacks More than 50% of SMEs are expected to experience a ransomware attack, and when this happens, all the data stored on QuickBooks and Salesforce could be lost or at the very least inaccessible for an extended period. For small businesses, this would be devastating and costly. FatBrain has created RansomProof - AI software that can have a real impact on securing a small business’ systems and data and ensure small businesses will be safe. RansomProof is free forever to SMEs because the company believes in leveling the playing field between big businesses and SMEs. RansomProof is simple to use - SMEs simply need to register their QuickBooks and Salesforce accounts with FatBrain’s RansomProof and their data will be backed up daily, 365 days a year; no expensive consultants or advanced technical knowledge required. All data between FatBrain’s servers and the company is encrypted with the highest industry standards (128-bit TLS). Data is kept secure with multiple servers housed in secure data centers that have strict access controls. By ensuring that data is constantly backed up, SMEs can rest assured that even if a ransomware attack comes their way, they are protected and their data is safe. FatBrain is bringing AI to small businesses in a digestible, simple way. To learn more about RansomProof, click here. This article was originally published on Benzinga here. FatBrain AI (LZG International, Inc.; OTC: LZGI) is the first and leading provider of powerful and easy-to-use AI solutions to millions of businesses of tomorrow driving the majority of the global economy, empowering them to grow, innovate faster and savemoney. FatBrain’s innovative solutions transform continuous learning, narrative reasoning, cloud, blockchain and Web3 technologies into auditable, explainable and easy to integrate products. FatBrain’ssubscription model allows all companies to deploy its advanced AI solutions quickly and easily, securely utilizing them on premises behind their firewalls or via cloud. The AI 2.0 pioneered by our teams is like WAZE for business growth, using advanced peerdynamics technology to automatically learn patterns from individual and peer behavior. This allows us to deliver coached, personalized AI solutions at hyperscale. FatBrain unifies insights from SaaS applications, turbo-charged by peer and market dynamics: 1) Realize attainable goals from explainable peer performance. 2)Turbo-charge human expertise with superhuman AI insights. 3) Accelerate growth through the contributory network effects. 4) Simplify harnessing data across common apps and market signals. This post contains sponsored advertising content. This content is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be investing advice. Contact Details Shawn Carey ir@fatbrain.ai Company Website https://fatbrain.ai/

January 23, 2023 08:00 AM Eastern Standard Time

AmeriLife Announces Key Organizational Changes on Heels of Strong Growth & Expansion

AmeriLife

Following three years of record-breaking growth and expansion, AmeriLife Group, LLC (“AmeriLife”) today announced a strategic, organizational restructuring with the creation of two new, distinct distribution groups – Wealth and Health – an evolved structure designed to deliver more focused growth along with the resources needed to continue to grow AmeriLife’s industry-leading partners. Wealth will be led by AmeriLife’s Chief Distribution Officer Mike Vietri, reporting to AmeriLife Chairman and CEO Scott R. Perry. Health will be led by newly appointed Chief Distribution Officer and former president of AmeriLife’s Life & Health Brokerage Distribution Scotty Elliott, reporting to AmeriLife’s Chief Operating Officer Tim Calvert. “This reorganization represents a natural evolution of our strategy. Five years ago, AmeriLife embarked on a journey to build the capabilities that we would need to deliver on our mission of offering a full suite of insurance and retirement solutions to provide people peace of mind, enabling them to live longer, healthier lives,” said Perry. “Through execution of our organic and inorganic growth plans, we are now at a stage where we’ve assembled comprehensive capabilities across the spectrum of Health and Wealth to deliver a platform of products and technology that agents and advisors can utilize to effectively deliver holistic solutions to the market, engaging with consumers through their channels of choice. “We are fortunate to have a talented and experienced group of senior leaders at the helm of this new structure to optimize this platform. Additionally, the new structure provides a laser focus on our two core areas of business, affording even greater growth and profitability opportunities within Wealth and Health.” Wealth Distribution Over the past seven years, Vietri has grown AmeriLife’s distribution organization to over $9 billion in overall premium, $7.2 billion in assets under management, and more than 120 affiliates and agencies nationwide. Given his depth of knowledge and experience in the wealth management and financial services industries, and considering the growing demands of the organization, Vietri’s focus, going forward, will be on AmeriLife’s annuities, underwritten life, and wealth and retirement advisory verticals. Saybrus, TruChoice Financial Group, ICON and Brookstone will remain key to AmeriLife’s overall Wealth strategy. Vietri will continue to report to Perry, while AmeriLife Benefits and AmeriLife’s Career Agency will continue to report to Vietri under their current leadership. Additionally, AmeriLife’s Distribution Centers of Excellence, including Distribution Analytics, Distribution Operations, and its Business Revenue Group (BRG), will continue to report to Vietri and maintain their enterprise focus. AmeriLife’s Wealth-focused affiliates will continue to report to Denny Southern. “Over the last few years, AmeriLife’s efforts to add to its wealth-focused services and solutions has set us up for continued growth in the space at exactly the right time,” said Vietri. “I’m incredibly excited for the realignment of our organization. In particular, I’m thrilled to lead AmeriLife’s Wealth Distribution at time when our offerings align perfectly with consumers’ needs and our holistic approach to wealth management and retirement planning ensures customers never outgrow our advisors.” Health Distribution Elliott joined AmeriLife in 2019 with a focus on distribution business development, and was elevated soon thereafter to lead AmeriLife’s Life & Health Brokerage Distribution, overseeing field distribution initiatives, carrier partnerships, and IMO and FMO relationships. Reporting to Calvert, Elliott will take on AmeriLife largest and fastest-growing business. Their stewardship of Health will allow AmeriLife to deliver even greater strategic efficiencies – at scale – to ensure sustainable growth for its partners. In his new role, Elliott will continue lead AmeriLife’s Medicare and Simplified Issue Life verticals, as well as assume accountability of AmeriLife’s Direct-to-Consumer distribution arm, which will continue to be led by Jim Palmer. “I’m humbled by the opportunity to lead AmeriLife’s Health Distribution,” said Elliott. “I’m forever indebted to Scott and Mike for their support and leadership, and hope to make them proud with this new venture. I also want to commend the talented group of affiliates that comprise AmeriLife. They are the reason we are experiencing so much success, and I’m eager to serve them for years to come.” Since 2020, AmeriLife has added 65 affiliates serving more than 350,000 agents and advisors nationwide. While its Life & Health business has more than doubled in size during the same time period, the company remains equally focused on growth opportunities and synergies within its wealth-focused lines of businesses, strengthened by the recent addition of TruChoice Financial Group, its joint venture ICON with AIMCOR Group, and evidenced by more than $8 billion in annuities premiums and more than $7 billion in assets under management as of the end of 2022. Added Perry: “I couldn’t be happier for Mike and Scotty as they assume their new leadership roles and pursue more ways to serve and support our trusted and talented affiliate partners, which will allow them to achieve new levels of growth and success.” ### About AmeriLife AmeriLife’s strength is its mission: to provide insurance and retirement solutions to help people live longer, healthier lives. In doing so, AmeriLife has become recognized as the leader in developing, marketing, and distributing life and health insurance, annuities and retirement planning solutions to enhance the lives of pre-retirees and retirees across the United States. For more than 50 years, AmeriLife has partnered with top insurance carriers to provide value and quality to customers served through a distribution network of over 350,000 insurance agents and advisors and more than 100 marketing organizations and insurance agency locations nationwide. For more information, visit AmeriLife.com, and follow AmeriLife on Facebook and LinkedIn. Contact Details Media Jeff Maldonado +1 321-297-1112 jmaldonado@amerilife.com Partnership Inquiries Patrick Nichols +1 727-726-0726 pnichols@amerilife.com Company Website https://amerilife.com/

January 18, 2023 02:50 PM Eastern Standard Time

KAFL Insurance Resources Becomes Newest ICON Affiliate

AmeriLife

AIMCOR Consolidated LLC (“ICON”), a joint venture between AIMCOR Group, LLC (“AIMCOR”) and AmeriLife Group, LLC (“AmeriLife”), announced today that it has acquired KAFL Insurance Resources (“KAFL”), one of the largest brokerage general agencies (BGAs) in the northeast. Per the agreement, terms of the deal were not disclosed. “As the dynamics of insurance brokerage evolve, today’s value proposition needs to include more services and resonate with the non-traditional insurance advisor,” said Peter Skelton, corporate advisor of KAFL Insurance Resources. “As we looked to find the right strategic partner to enhance technology and expand distribution access, ICON stood out as the ideal partner, aligned with our core values of Innovation, Collaboration, Integrity and Respect. Simply put, ICON has a different message and different value than what we found in the market and KAFL is proud to become an ICON affiliate.” Founded in 1991 in Rochester, N.Y., KAFL’s national sales and service teams specialize in partnering with financial professionals, agents and affiliates to provide agency, business consulting, marketing and new business support services for a variety of products, including underwritten life, disability, long term care, annuities, employee benefits and other senior market products. As part of ICON, KAFL will continue to be a leading AIMCOR member and become ICON’s primary hub for central solutions and services, helping to support the growth of its fellow ICON affiliates and expand access to underwritten life products across AmeriLife’s distribution channels. With the closing of this deal, Peter Skelton and Lorrie Gibbons will become principals in ICON and part of its corporate senior leadership team while continuing to oversee KAFL’s affiliated locations. “We are so excited to share the news of our partnership with ICON. Our talented team has worked hard over the years to create strong operational processes that we look forward to building upon together by offering an expanded product suite and access to more resources that will make it easier for our producers to write business,” said Lorrie Gibbons, president and CEO of KAFL. “As our business and industry continue changing, ICON gives us the confidence of knowing that we can continue our successes and growth into the future!” “With the addition of KAFL’s breadth of expertise, talent and operational capabilities to ICON, we’re positioned to accelerate our efforts of building the necessary infrastructure to better support our AIMCOR and AmeriLife partners, grow the adoption of individual protection solutions, and expand product access across our collective distribution networks,” said Marc Verbos, president of ICON. “Our partnership with KAFL marks a significant milestone in our journey of building an industry-leading distribution company, and is a testament to our ability to deliver meaningful value to our affiliates.” “We’re creating a truly unique and attractive value proposition for the BGA that is looking to affiliate with a national marketing organization that offers an expanded choice in ownership structure, operating model, product and distribution access,” commented AIMCOR president & CEO John Ziambras. “ICON’s continued growth further validates our journey to evolve AIMCOR into a best-in-industry NMO that continues to deliver unparalleled value to our members.” “KAFL has a strong portfolio and applies just the kind of comprehensive, holistic approach that AmeriLife strives to add to its best-in-class distribution network,” added Mike Vietri, AmeriLife’s Chief Distribution Officer. “We’re excited to welcome the KAFL team to ICON and are excited to support their continued expansion and growth ambitions.” ### About KAFL Insurance Resources KAFL Insurance Resources is passionate about their role in creating long-lasting partnerships within a nationally-focused, multi-line general agency built on values of integrity, respect, accountability, innovation and collaboration. They offer a well-rounded portfolio to create a holistic approach to supporting their producers and creating peace of mind with all partners by providing access to innovative tools and resources to make doing business easier, while remaining dedicated to providing a customized team approach that ensures personalized service to help producers, agents, and financial professionals grow their business. For more information, visit KAFL.com. About ICON ICON (“AIMCOR Consolidated LLC”) is a joint venture between AIMCOR Group, LLC and AmeriLife Group, LLC. By combining the power of a premier national marketing organization (“NMO”) with capital resources, innovative technology, a multi-product platform and a robust suite of centralized shared services, ICON offers brokerage general agencies (BGAs) a different way to stay competitive and evolve their business. ICON helps its partners focus on long-term sustainability by helping reduce risk, gain access to capital, and empower their ability to deliver a comprehensive portfolio of products and services, all while supporting their producers so that they can better scale their business, protect their legacy, and enhance their service offerings. Contact Details AmeriLife Media Relations Jeff Maldonado +1 321-297-1112 jmaldonado@amerilife.com ICON Media Relations Mike English +1 866-428-0180 mike.english@aimcorgroup.com Partnership Inquiries Patrick Nichols +1 727-726-0726 pnichols@amerilife.com Company Website https://amerilife.com/

January 18, 2023 09:00 AM Eastern Standard Time

PDG Announces New Vision on Sales Transformation Solutions  for Life Sciences

PDG

Performance Development Group (PDG), a leader in providing business performance solutions, announces that it is “Bringing Success to Life” with an expanded sales performance solution set specifically for commercial organizations within life sciences. The new solution includes leadership development (coaching and accountability excellence), field force optimization, and business execution (leading and lagging metrics for success). Sales performance is a critical capability and one of the highest priorities for pharmaceutical, biotech, and medical device organizations. The dynamics and unpredictability of these industries are very high, and the margin for error is thinner than ever before. The evolving marketplace is highly regulated and complex, competition is fierce, and sales teams are constantly expected to adapt with limited information. As a result, the industry needs a dedicated performance solutions partner who understands these challenges across therapeutic areas and can clear a path to help them compete. “The sales organization within life sciences requires a focus like no other. We have seen complexity over the years and feel that this new business focus will allow us to deliver unique insights into the skills necessary to succeed like nobody else can,” said Sean Frontz, Global Practice Leader, Sales Performance, PDG. PDG has a long tradition of delivering business performance solutions to life science organizations. With this new business focus, PDG brings a team of experienced industry experts who understand how to shape solutions that are specific to each organization’s business goals. “With PDG’s increased focus and expertise on improving sales performance for life sciences organizations, we now have a unique ability and perspective to help our life sciences clients navigate ever-changing market dynamics and enable commercial teams to achieve and exceed their goals,” said Dave Manning, Founder and Managing Partner, of PDG. About PDG Since 2002, PDG has been helping the world’s leading life science organizations reach new heights in sales performance. PDG is laser-focused on driving measurable business results for business execution, sales transformation, leadership development, onboarding, employee engagement, and change management. To learn more, visit www.performdev.com Contact Details Performance Development Group Mercy Ehrler +1 610-854-4400 mehrler@performdev.com

January 18, 2023 09:00 AM Eastern Standard Time

Ahead of International Holocaust Remembrance Day, Combat Antisemitism Movement Encouraged by More Than 1,000 Governing Bodies and Organizations Adopting IHRA Working Definition of Antisemitism

Combat Hate Foundation

As of the end of December 2022, a total of 1,116 global entities have adopted and endorsed the IHRA Working Definition of Antisemitism. In 2022 alone, 91 new adoptions and endorsements were reported. And in the United States, 18 new states adopted it via legislation or executive actions in 2022, bringing the total number of states adopting this definition of antisemitism to 30. With that, 7 out of 10 Canadian provinces have now adopted the definition as well. U.S. cities such as Los Angeles, Washington, D.C., El Paso, and Wichita have all signed on too. Since the Working Definition of Antisemitism was adopted by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) in 2016, it has become the most widely-recognized barometer in the collective effort against Jew-hatred, serving as an essential tool to identify and delineate all contemporary manifestations of this age-old bigotry. A diverse array of international institutions and organizations, national and local governments, NGOs, universities, athletic clubs, and corporations are now using it as a framework for recognizing modern-day iterations of antisemitism, training and educational programs, and policymaking initiatives. Notably, with antisemitism on the rise and increasingly becoming mainstream in the U.S., many more U.S. cities and states have adopted the IHRA definition at a critical turning point, and as a first step in taking serious action against Jew-hatred. “Support for the IHRA Working Definition of Antisemitism transcends the political and ideological spectrum, and unites entities and individuals of a broad swathe of religious, national, and cultural backgrounds,” said Sacha Roytman Dratwa, CEO of the Combat Antisemitism Movement (CAM). “The surpassing of the 1,000 milestone from a previous report compiled by the Combat Antisemitism Movement is a telling indicator of the far-reaching impact and influence of the definition and its accompanying 11 explanatory examples of prejudiced and discriminatory behavior against Jews. While the rise in antisemitic incidents has been alarming, the tidal wave of global support for the Jewish people is undeniable and greatly encouraging.” "This significant adoption phenomenon, which has gained momentum in recent years, pinpoints the Working Definition of Antisemitism as a major tool in the contemporary struggle against antisemitism,” added Professor Dina Porat, a CAM Advisory Board member and the Alfred P. Slaner Chair for the Study of Contemporary Antisemitism and Racism at Tel Aviv University. “Its adoption by a host of varied entities reflects a wish to stand up against an old evil and newer ones, as part of a global effort to improve the international arena." In December, CAM assembled a “Mayors Summit Against Antisemitism” in Athens, Greece, where they fostered a conversation on the most effective ways to deal with antisemitic bigotry and violence among more than 50 municipal leaders from around the world, including New York City Mayor Eric Adams. In a year that began with the hostage situation at a synagogue in Colleyville, Texas, and then concluded with the Kanye West controversy, major North American cities are following in the footsteps of European capitals such as London, Paris, Berlin, and Vienna in adopting the IHRA Working Definition of Antisemitism. The largest category for new adoptions and endorsements in 2022 were non-federal government entities, including municipalities, counties, state and provincial governments, with 58 in total, including 32, or 55%, in the U.S. “Local authorities and law enforcement agencies under their jurisdiction have a crucial role to play in confronting antisemitism where it is most directly felt – on the streets of the communities where Jews live their day-to-day lives,” Roytman Dratwa noted. The business sector, though, is an important area with “room for growth” in utilizing the IHRA Working Definition of Antisemitism, Roytman Dratwa went on to say. “The fallout from scandals involving celebrities such as Kanye West and Kyrie Irving underscored why companies must have the means to properly identify and react to expressions of antisemitism,” said Roytman Dratwa. “Both West and Irving lost lucrative endorsement deals with the likes of Adidas and Nike over their antisemitic rhetoric and behavior. Meanwhile, the ongoing explosion of online antisemitism, particularly on social media, highlights the need for major platforms to enact stricter policies for the detection, monitoring, and removal of hateful content, as well as the banning of purveyors of bigotry, like West.” Included in the growing list of IHRA Working Definition of Antisemitism adoptions are nations, cities, universities, NGOs, and corporations such as: The Philippines Colombia Bosnia and Herzegovina Vancouver, British Columbia Tuscany, Italy City University of New York University of Pittsburgh The Florida Democratic Party Lufthansa Airlines Taking an additional step, U.S. President Joe Biden’s administration – which has said it “enthusiastically embraces” the IHRA Working Definition of Antisemitism – announced in December the creation of an inter-agency task force to develop a “national strategy to counter antisemitism.” All entities that adopt the IHRA Working Definition of Antisemitism are invited to report the adoptions to the Combat Antisemitism Movement via email – info@combatantisemitism.org – so they can be included in future data. The full 2022 IHRA Working Definition of Antisemitism Adoptions and Endorsements Report is available here. The Combat Antisemitism Movement (CAM) is a global coalition engaging more than 600 partner organizations and nearly two million people from a diverse array of religious, political, and cultural backgrounds in the common mission of fighting the world’s oldest hatred. CAM acts collaboratively to build a better future, free of bigotry, for Jews and all humanity. Contact Details Ashley Perry info@combatantisemitism.org Company Website https://combatantisemitism.org/

January 18, 2023 08:34 AM Eastern Standard Time