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Heather Dallara Elected as President of the National Contract Management Association

National Contract Management Association

The National Contract Management Association (NCMA), the leading association for the contract management community, has appointed Heather Dallara as its President for Program Year 2025. Ms. Dallara is a skilled expert in government contracts and merger and acquisitions integration with nearly two decades of experience in the defense, intelligence, and national security sectors. She brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise, making her an excellent fit for the new role. Ms. Dallara is currently the Senior Vice President of Business Operations at Integral Federal, where she is responsible for driving growth, transformation, and strategic M&A initiatives. Prior to joining Integral, she held executive positions at Amentum, General Dynamics Information Technology, L-3 Communications (now CACI), and Harris Corporation (now Peraton). A member of NCMA since 2005, joining the Board of Directors in 2017, Ms. Dallara is also a graduate of the NCMA Contract Management Leadership Development Program (CMLDP) and was recognized as one of NCMA's Advancing Professionals in 2014. In 2015, she was awarded the prestigious NCMA Fellow distinction. "I am honored to be elected as the new President of the National Contract Management Association," said Ms. Dallara. "I look forward to working with the NCMA's dedicated members and partners to advance the field of contract management and support our nation's defense and national security missions." Kraig Conrad, CEO of NCMA, added, "We are excited to welcome Heather as our new President. Her extensive experience in the contracting community and dedication to advancing the profession make her an ideal leader for our association. We look forward to working with her to build on NCMA's legacy of excellence and innovation." Ms. Dallara's election as NCMA President reflects her reputation as a trusted leader in the contracting space with deep expertise in strategic contract, procurement, pricing, and risk management lifecycle. Her vision for NCMA includes increasing the depth and breadth of its current offerings, broadening the functional areas it covers and reaching into the intersections of contract management with other professions. ### The National Contract Management Association (NCMA), which was founded in 1959 and is the world’s leading association in the field of contract management. The organization, which has over 18,000 members, is dedicated to the professional growth and educational advancement of procurement and acquisition personnel worldwide. 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 04, 2023 08:15 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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Trust & Will’s Annual Millennial Study Examines Impact of Economic Uncertainty on Estate Planning

Trust & Will

Trust & Will, the leading digital estate planning platform in the U.S., releases the findings of its third annual millennial estate planning study, providing insight from more than 20,000 millennials on end-of-life planning preferences. Amidst rising mortgage rates and inflation, millennials are concerned about their ability to build and pass on wealth to future generations. Key findings from the 2023 Annual Study, " Millennials and Estate Planning During a Time of Economic Uncertainty," include: 45% of millennials said the housing crisis would impact their ability to pass on their wealth 78% percent of millennials said that building multigenerational wealth is essential to them 74% of Millennials appointed a digital executor in their estate plans to handle their online affairs and social media accounts Millennials are 29% more likely than older cohorts to want their emails, direct messages, and texts kept private from their family 71% of the pet owners in our cohort assigned a guardian for their animal in their estate plan Planned Parenthood was the most popular charity for bequests, followed by St Jude Children’s Research Hospital and The Trevor Project The recent economic turmoil has had a significant impact on millennials’ ability to build and transfer wealth. Nearly half (44%) of those surveyed said that the housing crisis and rising mortgage rates had prevented them from buying property, and 45% said it would impact their ability to pass on their wealth. The majority of millennials consider multi-generational wealth building as important (78%), whereas less than half of older generations (45%) consider it important. Meanwhile, 56% of millennials expect to receive an inheritance in their lifetime, but very few (11.5%) said they rely on an inheritance as part of their financial planning. “The past year has been tumultuous for many, and we’re seeing the effects on millennial mindsets when it comes to estate planning,” said Cody Barbo, Founder, and CEO of Trust & Will. "However, we also are seeing a shift in this generation’s ability to overcome financial obstacles and stay true to the things that mean the most to them, like giving to charity or reducing carbon through eco-friendly burials. Even in times of great uncertainty and fear, millennials are taking control of their financial futures by creating estate plans at a higher rate than any other generation.” A growing number of millennials are opting for ‘alternative burials’, which can include human composting, and tree pods. Cremation remains the most popular choice (51%), followed by traditional burial (22%), but a rising number of millennials prefer to donate their body to science (13%). This aligns closely with the majority of millennials opting to be organ donors (81%). Millennials are more likely to donate to charity, even if their net worth is relatively low. In fact, there is a direct correlation between the two, with 67% of millennials with net worths of $50,000 or less opting to donate, compared to 25% of millennials with higher net worths of $50,000-$125,000. The average bequest is $22,257. Consistent with previous years, the primary motivator to create an estate plan is having a child (31%), followed by buying a home (10%), instructions from a financial advisor (9%), or a death in the family (8%). For the full findings and to download a copy of the report, visit trustandwill.com/millennials. Methodology Trust & Will analyzed proprietary data from 23,979 individuals, 7,832 of whom were aged 25-44, to explore specific insights and behaviors of the millennial generation regarding estate planning. Trust & Will revisits this data each year to see how trends and behaviors among millennials continue to change over time. ABOUT TRUST & WILL Trust & Will is simplifying estate planning and settlement with attorney-approved, legally valid documents and processes designed to adhere to individual state guidelines. Since 2017, we’ve helped hundreds of thousands of Trust & Will members leave their legacy with an affordable way to create an estate plan or settle the estate of a loved one. Our platform uses bank-level encryption that protects customer data and complies with the highest security standards, including SOC 2 and HIPAA. Trust & Will is the official estate planning benefit provider for AARP members, along with several leading financial institutions, who all believe in our mission of helping every family leave their legacy. To learn more, visit trustandwill.com. Contact Details Trust & Will Danielle Nuzzo danielle@trustandwill.com Company Website https://trustandwill.com

April 04, 2023 07:05 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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SFAA and NASBP Host Successful Legislative “Fly-In”

SFAA

April 3, 2023 (WASHINGTON, DC) – The Surety & Fidelity Association of America (SFAA) and the National Association of Surety Bond Producers (NASBP) hosted a Legislative Fly-In on March 30, 2023. The Fly-In enabled surety professionals from across the country to educate members of Congress and staff about the value of construction surety bonds and advocate for their legislative priorities. Their meetings focused on gaining support for H.R. 1740, which would strengthen Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA) funded water infrastructure projects. In addition, they discussed adding common-sense bonding requirements to Rural Utilities Services (RUS) and other funding programs for broadband expansion infrastructure projects. The meetings allowed SFAA and NASBP members to show their strong support for H.R. 1740, clarifying the bonding requirements under WIFIA, including Public-Private Partnership (P3) projects. “This legislation would maintain parity with the Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (TIFIA) amendment, which passed the Senate with a unanimous 97-0 vote in 2021,” said Lee Covington, SFAA President & CEO. Mark McCallum, NASBP CEO, stated, “As one of the key financing vehicles for water infrastructure projects, WIFIA should make certain that performance and payment bonds are in place to protect the federal investment of loans and grants provided to states and localities and to provide payment security to those supplying labor and materials on such projects.” For states, localities, and private entities receiving federal grants through RUS and other funding programs for rural broadband expansion projects, industry representatives advocated for the requirement of performance and payment bonds on any construction portion of such projects to protect the financial interest of the federal government as well as to provide payment security for subcontractors and suppliers. The Fly-In connected congressional offices with subject matter experts on surety to help them make critical policy decisions as they formulate legislative solutions to address the need for water, broadband, and other types of federally-financed projects. In nearly 100 meetings, construction bonding experts met with policymakers and their staff to educate them on surety bonds' significant role in advancing and protecting public infrastructure projects. These vital safeguards on construction projects for public entities include protecting taxpayers’ dollars, ensuring project completion, protecting local small business contractors and workers, preserving construction jobs, and promoting economic growth. A recent study by Ernst & Young (EY), The Economic Benefits of Surety Bonds, quantifies these vital protections and concludes bonded projects outperform unbonded projects because of lower default rates, cost and time savings, and other risk mitigation benefits. SFAA Contact: Peter Roth, Vice President – Communications, Marketing & Research Phone: (703) 401-0676 | E-mail: proth@surety.org NASBP Contact: Kathy Hoffman, Director of Communications Phone: (240) 200-1278 | E-mail: khoffman@nasbp.org The Surety & Fidelity Association of America (SFAA) is a nonprofit, nonpartisan trade association representing all segments of the surety and fidelity industry. Based in Washington, D.C., SFAA works to promote the value of surety and fidelity bonding by proactively advocating on behalf of its members and stakeholders. The association’s more than 425 member companies write 98 percent of surety and fidelity bonds in the U.S. For more information visit www.surety.org. Founded in 1942, the National Association of Surety Bond Producers (NASBP ) is the association of and resource for surety bond producers and allied professionals. NASBP members specialize in providing surety bonds for construction contracts and other purposes to companies and individuals needing the assurance offered by surety bonds. www.nasbp.org Contact Details Peter Roth +1 703-401-0676 proth@surety.org Company Website https://surety.org/

April 03, 2023 11:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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The Anti-Bribery Advisory Service (ABAS) Center set up to provide guidelines to the private sector about giving bribes to government officials

National Anti-Corruption Commission

BANGKOK THAILAND - Media OutReach - 31 March 2023 - Thailand has set up an anti-bribery service centre to provide knowledge and guidelines to the private sector concerning the laws on offering bribes to government officials. The establishment of Anti-Bribery Advisory Service (ABAS) Center, which falls under the supervision of the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC), is part of Thailand’s attempts to level up its Corruption Perception Index (CPI), Niwatchai Kasemmongkol, NACC’s secretary general said in a recent exclusive interview. Thailand ranks 101 of 180 countries and scored 42 out of 100 on the CPI in 2022. The ABAS Center was established to provide academic advice, knowledge, and guidelines to the private sector about offering bribes to government officials. Using the guidelines, the private sector could put appropriate and effective anti-bribery measures in place, he said. Thailand has ratified and become a member of the UN Convention against Corruption (UNCAC), and OECD’s Convention on Combating Foreign Bribery in International Business Transactions. NACC also has rules for prosecuting private sector firms involved in bribing government officials and those working in international agencies. The rules have been issued to make private sector firms aware that they could be prosecuted if they are involved in corruption. Our rules and regulations as well as ABAS are set up in line with and as required by the UNCAC and OECD, he said. Thailand will soon hold a general election and have a new government in the near future and Niwatchai said he hoped they would be serious about suppression corruption. If the new government and policy makers are serious, the country’s CPI will certainly go up. He cited as an example Vietnam, whose CPI was 77 in 2022, saying its CPI is higher than that of Thailand’s as its leaders are serious about prosecuting those involved in corruption. He added educational institutes should play an important role in instilling and teaching people about honesty. The situation concerning corrupt practices by those in the political circle, government agencies, and the private sector are still worrisome, he adds. With corruption rampant in the country, the NACC needs the participation of the public and government officials who witness corruption. We would not know about corruption if they do not inform us by filing complaints with us, he said. In the past, junior government officials who acted as whistleblowers on malfeasance in their units might not feel safe and could be persecuted by their superiors. Today we have an organic law on prevention and suppression on misconduct. The Act, B.E 2561 (2018), stipulates several measures to protect such whistleblowers. In a case where a junior official is involved in the corruption but decides to report the wrongdoings, he or she would not face either criminal or disciplinary charges and would be treated as a witness. A whistleblower can also be rewarded, Niwatchai said. If necessary, NACC’s protection programme is ready to give protection to the official and his/her family. Such protection would include allowances, name change, and relocation. The protection measures are aimed to create confidence and bravery in a whistleblower who reports graft. However, he/she could be prosecuted if he/she fails to meet the conditions or changes his/her testimony. Niwatchai cited the manipulation of the district chief examinations in 2009 as an example of the NACC’s investigation and provision of protection for whistleblowers. In 2009, the investigation and collection of evidence showed that violations were happening in the selection process. At first, no official dared to testify against any senior government official but eventually ten examinees agreed to do so. Their testimonies led to the jailing of the then director general of the Provincial Administration Department and senior officials. However the bureaucratic system had frozen the careers of the ten examinees, their levels were not raised, their salaries were put on hold and they were not allowed to take the district chief exam again. NACC then reported this to the prime minister which resulted in the Office of Civil Service Commission resolving to promote them to the position of district chief, Niwatchai said. Responding to a statement that only small fish are arrested in corruption cases, Niwatchai pointed out that small fish are easily caught but catching the big fish needs time and good bait as well as participation from all sides. He revealed there was a case where the NACC found two politicians committing ethical misconduct as political position holders and the cases went to court, which ruled against them. They were then removed from their positions. He also talked about NACC’s investigation into the alleged massive corruption in the National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation Department, saying the arrest of the most senior official was the result of cooperation between many agencies. The laws today are severe and we have caught not only small but also big fish. However, NACC do not hold a press conference to announce the arrests and in the future, NACC is planning to reveal the progress of its investigation to the public. This will allow the complainant, the public, and other parties to jointly examine the NACC’s work. He also mentioned the criticism that the National Parks department that is under the NACC’s probe had obtained a high score of 85 marks and Grade A in NACC’s Integrity and Transparency Assessment (ITA). ITA is just a preliminary framework assessment of three aspects of work conducted by both insiders and outsiders who use the service and disclose information on issues such as procurement. ------------------------ The National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) is a constitutional independent organization and supervised by nine commissioners selected from various professions. It is authorised to undertake work on the prevention and suppression of malfeasance, particularly in government agencies, on assets investigations, as well as on the monitoring of ethics and virtues of political position holders. It has the authority to file charges in court as well as support and build up awareness of the penalties for committing corruption. The NACC is supervised by the NACC Board and has the Office of the NACC as its administrative agency. Since 1997, Thai Courts have ruled against and punished politicians, former ministers, high-ranking government officials as well as executives of the private sector in the thousands of cases submitted by the NACC. Website: https://www.nacc.go.th/english Contact Details Media Contact Parith Iamponpaiboon integrityway.nacf@gmail.com

March 31, 2023 09:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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House Budget Chairman Introduces a Constitutional Path for Voters to Approve a State-drafted and Inflation-fighting Fiscal Responsibility Amendment

Federal Fiscal Sustainability Foundation

The Federal Fiscal Sustainability Foundation (FFSF), a coalition of nonpartisan advocates concerned about the impacts of inflation and out-of-control national debt, applaud House Budget Committee Chairman Jody Arrington’s introduction of House Concurrent Resolution 24. This legislation calls for an Article V Convention for proposing a Fiscal Responsibility Amendment to the United States Constitution and stipulates ratification by a vote of We the People.” On Wednesday, March 29 th, former Comptroller General and FFSF Co-Founder David Walker will testify before the House Budget Committee at a Hearing entitled, “ Fiscal State of the Union.” Walker will discuss the “ Fiscal Way Forward ” ( 10:00 AM Eastern in 210 Cannon House Office Building) which includes adopting a federal fiscal responsibility constitutional amendment designed to constrain debt/GDP to a reasonable and sustainable level. HCR 24 calls on Congress to set the time and place for an Article V “Convention for proposing Amendments” and requires amendment ratification by a vote of the people in “ three fourths (38) of the States via State Ratifying Conventions. The resolution also designates the House Clerk as responsible for confirming from congressional records whether, at any time, at least two-thirds (34) of the states “ had unrescinded continuing Applications on any national issues (plenary) plus the single issue of fiscal responsibility. ” Chairman Arrington originally introduced this legislation as HCR 101 in July of 2022 requiring Congress to perform its ministerial duty under Article V of the U.S. Constitution which states: ‘The Congress,...on the Application of the Legislatures of two-thirds of the several States, shall call a Convention for proposing Amendments…to the United States Constitution… The Concurrent Resolution states in part: “beginning in 1979, when Congress appears to have failed in its constitutional duty to count Applications and call a ‘‘Convention for proposing Amendments,’’ the Nation’s debt has increased to more than $31 trillion from $860 billion, while the value of the dollar has declined by over 75 percent.” Hon. David M. Walker, former Comptroller General of the United States, stated, “I commend Rep. Jodey Arrington for his leadership in introducing a resolution designed to restore federal fiscal sanity and uphold the Article V rights of the states to propose and the people to ratify an Inflation-fighting Fiscal Responsibility Amendment. The time has come to end the dereliction of duty by Congress and defuse our ticking debt bomb.” Ken Cuccinelli, former Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security, and former Attorney General of Virginia said, “We must use the Constitution to restore the boundaries of power in Washington. The process this resolution calls for is state driven from beginning to end, requiring a vote of the people to ensure its safety. If Congress fails to approve the resolution as Article V appears to mandate, a mandamus action will likely be pursued in Federal Court.” Admiral William Owens, United States Navy (ret.) and former Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff stated, “Our country seriously needs a strong reminder of both the states’ equal right with Congress to propose Amendments and the seriousness of acting fiscally in the best interests of our country and our national security.” Dr. Barry Poulson, Emeritus Professor of Economics at the University of Colorado stated, “The United States is out of step as more than 90 countries are using fiscal rules today. The “Swiss Debt Brake,” for example, was approved in 2001 by an 85% vote of the people. It slowed total annual spending growth, excluding social security, resulting in Switzerland being ranked as having the highest GDP per capita and the lowest borrowing cost of any AAA rated Country. It is time for citizens to decide how much government they want and are willing to pay for.” “On behalf of my granddaughters, I want to thank U.S. Representative Jodey Arrington for taking this important step to correct Congress’ constitutional failure in 1979 to call the Convention for proposing Amendments. Most importantly, the Resolution would prohibit any proposed Amendments from being added to our Constitution without a majority vote of the people for yes-pledged delegates in three-quarters of the State Conventions,” stated David Biddulph, Co-Founder of the Federal Fiscal Sustainability Foundation. The Concurrent Resolution is a significant victory in the fiscal responsibility coalition’s “ StopInflating.US ” campaign for a state-drafted, voter-approved, inflation-fighting Fiscal Responsibility Amendment to the United States Constitution as soon as November 5, 2024. ### Please visit: StopInflating.US To learn more about the calls for an Article V Convention for proposing Amendments or to schedule an interview with a Federal Fiscal Sustainability Foundation spokesperson, contact Mae James at 386-423-4744. Contact Details Dan Rene +1 202-329-8357 daniel.rene@kglobal.com Company Website https://letusvoteforfra.org/

March 28, 2023 09:30 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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Orange Tree Employment Screening Accelerates Momentum with Expansion of Senior Leadership Team

Orange Tree Employment Screening

Orange Tree Employment Screening, a technology-driven services company in the background screening industry, today announced that it has expanded its leadership team to include three new senior roles. Justin Jovle will serve as the new Chief Operating Officer (COO), while Bridget George will be the new Vice President of Client Services, and Brooke Boeser will help guide company expansion as the new Vice President of Marketing. The new hires will help the company continue to accelerate its strong growth while delivering unparalleled client service. “Over the past 18 months, Orange Tree has grown significantly, both organically and through acquisition. To continue this growth, it is important to strategically expand our leadership team,” said Renee Ernste, CEO of Orange Tree. “We are not stopping here. We have expansion plans which require expertise to enable the successful integration of the companies we’ve purchased and to support future acquisitions.” In addition to growing via acquisition and new sales, Orange Tree recently released an innovative online buying experience which provides buyers new levels of choice and pricing transparency. Available to all businesses, the online platform is targeted to the midmarket and small business customer who wants help in choosing the best solution with full visibility to pricing previously reserved for only enterprise businesses. “The buyers’ preferences have changed, and we are delivering what today’s customer expects and deserves,” said Jeff Ernste, Chief Sales and Marketing Officer. “Customers want to buy solutions tailored to their needs, in a way and at a time that is convenient for them, and with full transparency to the pricing and terms of their program. We are delivering a solution which aligns precisely with their needs. “The strategic decision to bring in tested leadership and launch a game-changing online buying platform means that Orange Tree’s growth momentum is just beginning,” concluded Ernste. About Orange Tree Employment Screening For more than 30 years, Orange Tree has provided technology-enabled background screening, drug testing, and occupational health services that are fast, easy to use, and can be tailored to the unique needs of each employer. Orange Tree streamlines hiring decisions, integrates with HCM and ATS platforms, and empowers employers in Healthcare, Manufacturing, Hospitality, Retail, Staffing, and other major industries to quickly fill open positions while delivering an engaging candidate experience. Learn more at www.orangetreescreening.com. Contact Details Razor Sharp PR Ray Young +1 512-694-6097 ray@razorsharppr.com Company Website https://www.orangetreescreening.com/

March 28, 2023 08:30 AM Central Daylight Time

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NAVEX 2023 Global Incident Management Benchmark Study Reveals Shifts in Workplace Culture and Reporting Trends

NAVEX Global

NAVEX, the leader in integrated risk and compliance management software, has released its 2023 Hotline & Incident Management Benchmark Report. The bellwether annual benchmark report provides valuable insight into the workplace culture of 52 million employees across 3,430 organizations, examining the trends of 1.52 million reports from across the globe. "We use NAVEX's annual benchmark report to help inform our risk management strategy," says FedEx Chief Compliance Officer Justin Ross. "As an industry leader, we do our best to stay ahead of the curve when it comes to the latest incident reporting and risk management trends. The insight this report provides helps us do just that." “NAVEX has long been the gold standard for risk and compliance data analytics in the industry. This annual benchmark study is derived from the world’s largest incident reporting database by far,” says Carrie Penman, NAVEX chief risk and compliance officer. “Our expanded analytics in 2023 allowed for a deeper examination of the issues and behaviors that are most impactful to today’s workplaces. Chief among them is workplace civility, which is likely driven by increased societal tension generally.” This year’s analysis of the data revealed four key themes and several notable findings: Reporting at an all-time high, but reporters proceeded with more caution. This year’s analysis revealed the highest median level of Reports per 100 Employees (1.47) in the history of this report. Further, 21% of organizations received five or more Reports per 100 Employees, a positive finding. However, data also showed a return to higher levels of anonymous reporting (56%), indicating more reporter concern about providing their name. HR-related reports are still the majority, but more granular analysis reveals workplace stresses. The median organization had nearly 54% of its reports in the HR, Diversity & Workplace Respect category, up from 50% in 2021. Reviewing the reporting frequency across deeper issue types offers more insight into organizational stresses and behaviors – particularly an increase in workplace civility concerns involving abusive or disrespectful behavior. The data also shows the frequency of harassment, discrimination, retaliation, and substance abuse reports in 2022 all increased. These metrics are important to watch as a measure of cultural health and potentially a measure of mental health risks. People want to talk live, but a written web-based report is more likely to be substantiated. While general communications modes move more to texting and instant messaging, this year's data shows an increase in telephonic helpline reports, from 31% in 2021 to 34% in 2022. Hybrid work models have made it easier for employees to make a telephone report from home and more challenging to report in person. However, more thoughtful written reports, submitted via the web, are more likely to be substantiated than phone reports. In 2022, the median Substantiation Rate for web reports was 39% compared to 33% for phone. Size matters – smaller organizations have higher reporting rates; mid-size companies are experiencing some challenges. The 2022 analysis reveals that smaller organizations with fewer than 2,500 employees registered the highest Reports per 100 Employees at 2.99. In contrast, the largest organizations, with over 100,000 employees, had a much lower rate of only 1.20 Reports per 100 Employees. Mid-sized companies with 2,500-49,999 employees had the lowest rate of all, with fewer than 1.0 Reports per 100 Employees. Organizations with 2,500 to 5,999 employees recorded the highest rate of anonymous reporting at 60%. "Data is at the heart of making smart decisions about risk management and spotting potential problems throughout the organization. This is particularly important for issues affecting workplace culture. NAVEX's integrated data platform provides industry-leading insights and a unique window into the performance of their risk and compliance program, which in turn helps them achieve the business outcomes that matter most," says A.G. Lambert, NAVEX chief product officer. Additional notable findings include: The frequency of bribery and corruption reports increased in 2022, as did product quality and safety reports. Conflicts of interest reporting dropped significantly but is still in the top five. Data privacy and protection also made the top five. While overall Substantiation Rates remained steady at 41%, the five issue types with the highest frequency of substantiation were: global trade (76%), imminent threat to a person or property (75%), environment (71%), Data privacy and protection (68%), misuse or misappropriation of assets (67%) and health and safety (65%). More than half of organizations have a median Case Closure Time under 30 days. The largest organizations had the shortest Case Closure Time. Notable, and perhaps concerning, is a median of 18% of cases were closed on the same day they were received. This finding indicates instances that may have been forwarded to a different department and resolved prior to complete resolution, implying that a case classified as "closed" for compliance does not necessarily denote closure for the organization. For more insights on the 2023 Incident Management Benchmark Report, join Justin Ross, FedEx chief compliance officer, Carrie Penman, NAVEX chief risk & compliance officer, and Anders Olsen, NAVEX senior data scientist, for an informative webinar where they will discuss the results of this year’s analysis in detail. Register here or, read our blog, Don’t Miss Out – World’s Leading Hotline Webinar & Report Released March 28. NAVEX is trusted by thousands of customers worldwide to help them achieve the business outcomes that matter most. As the global leader in integrated risk and compliance management software and services, we deliver solutions through the NAVEX One platform, the industry’s most comprehensive governance, risk and compliance (GRC) information system. For more information, visit NAVEX.com and our blog. Follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn. Contact Details NAVEX Scott Levesque +1 617-388-5773 scott.levesque@navex.com Company Website https://www.navex.com

March 28, 2023 08:30 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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CleverTap Gaming Unveiled at GDC 2023

CleverTap

CleverTap, the all-in-one customer engagement platform, today at Game Developers Conference 2023 unveiled CleverTap Gaming – soon to go live in the summer of 2023. Through full player management, the latest offering will help boost revenue from LiveOps, Lifecycle Marketing, and Remote Configuration by 3x with personalization across the entire player journey. The platform is powered by TesseractDB™, CleverTap's proprietary data engine, which is built for real time triggering & segmentation with high performance, low latency, and massive economies of scale. CleverTap Gaming brings holistic and sophisticated multi-channel campaigns inside and outside the in-game experience. With a simplified UI, it reduces the dependence on technical teams and increases operational efficiency. By leveraging CleverTap’s proprietary TesseractDB™, it offers rich granularity with unlimited data points and no restrictions on lookback period. Previously, the lack of these features could have been a limiting factor for game studios trying to maximize retention and lifetime value, but CleverTap Gaming unlocks these use cases enabling game studios to scale their personalization efforts to new heights. Also, given its versatility, CleverTap Gaming offers a vast array of benefits within various functions in typical game studios: LiveOps: With over 2000 unique player attributes (10x more than the industry average), LiveOps Managers can improve the relevance of their offers with much more granular insights into user behavior and preferences. Marketing: Consumers have vastly different preferences and a single journey does not fit each and every one of them. As such, conditional logic, advanced branching, and unified composition flow across all channels can help marketers plan campaigns with contingencies in mind. The advanced segmentation feature can also help marketers create better-targeted campaigns from the outset. Development: The ability to integrate with existing backend solutions lowers the barrier to transition for gaming studios with other solutions. Native Unity SDK means the platform can enhance developer productivity and shorten release cycles considerably. “Modern gaming is evolving. They are no longer static endpoints – and with features like LiveOps and Remote Configuration, developers are empowered to make changes in real-time without the constraints of approvals and a relaunch.” said Lawrence Hsieh, Principal Product Manager at MobilityWare. “CleverTap Gaming gives us an all-in-one cost-effective solution that ensures consistency and efficiency while not only developing but also promoting an update.” “With over 2.6 billion mobile game players globally, it is only a matter of time before the growth trajectory flattens out and retention becomes a bigger area of focus. We hope that CleverTap Gaming can accompany those studios looking to stay ahead of the curve by maximizing their pre-existing user base via personalized and relevant messaging,” said Sunil Thomas, Co-founder and Executive Chairman at CleverTap. “When we acquired Leanplum last year, we looked to strengthen our footprint within various verticals and geographies. CleverTap Gaming is another step in this direction, and we are confident that it will further accelerate our growth journey.” About CleverTap Gaming, powered by Leanplum CleverTap Gaming is powered by Leanplum and helps gaming studios achieve engagement and revenue goals by providing the tools and expertise to deliver more personalized player experiences at scale. Learn more about what CleverTap can do for your brand at clevertap.com. For a platform demo, visit clevertap.com/live-product-demo/ About CleverTap CleverTap is the all-in-one customer engagement platform that helps brands personalize and optimize all consumer touch points to improve user engagement, retention, and lifetime value. It's the only solution built to address the needs of retention and growth teams, with audience analytics, deep-segmentation, multi-channel engagement, product recommendations, and automation in one unified product. The platform is powered by TesseractDB™ – the world’s first purpose-built database for customer engagement, offering both speed and economies of scale. CleverTap is trusted by 2000 customers, including Electronic Arts, TiltingPoint, Gamebasics, Big Fish, MobilityWare, TED, English Premier League, TD Bank, Carousell, AirAsia, Papa Johns, and Tesco. Backed by leading investors such as Sequoia India, Tiger Global, Accel, and CDPQ the company is headquartered in Mountain View, California, with presence in San Francisco, New York, São Paulo, Bogota, London, Amsterdam, Sofia, Dubai, Mumbai, Singapore, and Jakarta. For more information, visit clevertap.com or follow on LinkedIn and Twitter. Forward-Looking Statements Some of the statements in this press release may represent CleverTap's belief in connection with future events and may be forward-looking statements, or statements of future expectations based on currently available information. CleverTap cautions that such statements are naturally subject to risks and uncertainties that could result in the actual outcome being absolutely different from the results anticipated by the statements mentioned in the press release. Factors such as the development of general economic conditions affecting our business, future market conditions, our ability to maintain cost advantages, uncertainty with respect to earnings, corporate actions, client concentration, reduced demand, liability or damages in our service contracts, unusual catastrophic loss events, war, political instability, changes in government policies or laws, legal restrictions impacting our business, impact of pandemic, epidemic, any natural calamity and other factors that are naturally beyond our control, changes in the capital markets and other circumstances may cause the actual events or results to be materially different, from those anticipated by such statements. CleverTap does not make any representation or warranty, express or implied, as to the accuracy, completeness or updated or revised status of such statements. Therefore, in no case whatsoever will CleverTap and its affiliate companies be liable to anyone for any decision made or action taken in conjunction. Contact Details Sony Shetty sony@clevertap.com Company Website https://clevertap.com/

March 23, 2023 04:45 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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NuggMD Launches Its Leading Marijuana Telemedicine Service in Louisiana

NuggMD

NuggMD, the nation's leading medical marijuana telemedicine platform, today announced it has launched its service in Louisiana. For $179, Louisiana residents can now use NuggMD’s platform to speak with a medical professional and access cannabis to treat qualifying medical conditions. As in some other states, medical cannabis is legal in Louisiana, but the implementation of the law has been slow, which has created uncertainty and inconsistencies for both businesses and consumers. Louisiana legislators passed H.B.697 last summer, which allows physicians to recommend cannabis via telemedicine for both follow-up and initial evaluations. However, the state’s medical board refused to change regulations to fully enact the new legislation, citing sections of existing law that it claimed conflicted with the legislative intent of the Act. Legislators spent months in tense debate with the medical board, attempting to convince it to allow physicians to use telemedicine for cannabis recommendations, as the law stipulates. Upon reaching an impasse, State Rep. Joseph Marino (I) sent a request to Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry objecting to the board's stance and requesting an opinion. Landry's response was that the law is clear and that a physician may see a patient via telemedicine if they deem it medically appropriate and follow all other guidance. In his opinion, Landry responded by pointing out that: The distinction between a recommendation and a prescription is valid and was affirmed by case law. Therefore, the prohibition against prescribing certain controlled substances via telemedicine does not apply to the recommendation of marijuana. The legislature clearly intended to make this distinction when it changed the state's medical marijuana laws to remove the references to "prescribing" cannabis and replace them with "recommending" cannabis. "Stated succinctly," he wrote, "neither Louisiana's statutory law nor the regulations promulgated by LSBME currently require physicians to conduct an in-person visit prior to recommending therapeutic marijuana to a patient through telemedicine." Alex Milligan, co-founder and CMO of NuggMD, commented, "Attorney General Landry's clarification is commendable because it finally allows physicians to deliver care to patients in a safe way that eliminates risk from unnecessary exposure to illness and difficult travel." “It's not uncommon to see regulators push back on bold new legislation, especially in an area as contentious as cannabis. When a regulatory environment is constantly in flux, businesses have to make difficult decisions about how and where to operate in light of these constantly changing directives. This holds true for most any industry, not just cannabis," said Milligan. NuggMD co-founder and CEO Kim Babazade added, "We chose to wait to offer our platform to physicians in Louisiana until we had complete clarity on this issue. Our physicians and patients are the most important consideration for us, so we strongly focus on compliance for everyone's protection." NuggMD's platform is available from 8 am until 10 pm local time, seven days a week. No appointment is needed, and patients who are deemed not to qualify for Louisiana’s medical cannabis program won't be charged for their evaluation. Since its founding in 2015, NuggMD has helped more than 1,000,000 patients access medical marijuana in nearly half of the nation's states. About NuggMD NuggMD is the nation's leading medical marijuana technology platform, serving patients in California, Connecticut, Georgia, Illinois, Iowa, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, and West Virginia. They've connected over 1,000,000 patients face-to-face with their new medical marijuana doctors via their state-of-the-art telemedicine platform. They believe every human being has the right to explore the benefits of medical cannabis and are fully committed to helping each patient explore every option in their journey to wellness. For further information, visit NuggMD.com. Contact Details Andrew Graham andrew.g@getnugg.com Company Website http://www.nuggmd.com

March 20, 2023 12:09 PM Eastern Daylight Time

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