News Hub | News Direct

Professional Services

Architecture CRM/Customer Service Consulting Government & Policy Human Resources Intellectual Property/Trademark/Patent Law Legal
Article thumbnail News Release

Inspiring Exchanges Between Leaders in the Arts: Qatar America Introduces an American Delegation to Qatar’s Cultural Landscape

Qatar America Institute for Culture

From 10-15 January, 2022, the Qatar America Institute for Culture (QAIC) hosted museum and cultural leaders from institutions across the United States as part of an immersive cultural delegation to Qatar. Over the course of five days, the delegates had the opportunity to visit various art, historical and culturally significant sites across Doha, meet with several high-level cultural leaders, and experience first-hand the rich heritage and traditions of the region, all in an effort to encourage future cross-cultural exchanges between the United States and Qatar. The delegation was comprised of a diverse group of individuals whose unique interests in Qatar allowed for a more in-depth exploration of the nation’s artistic and cultural offerings. Many of these executives have participated in QAIC’s 2021 Museum Series program or are planning to join in this year’s program. The members included: Lina Ali, Deputy Executive Director of the International Museum of Muslim Cultures (IMMC); Dr. Orianna Cacchione, Curator of Global Contemporary Art at the Smart Museum of Art at the University of Chicago; Dr. Mohannad Ghawanmeh, Executive Director of Al-Bustan Seeds of Change; Kate Haw, Executive Officer for Collections, Exhibitions, and Programs at the National Gallery of Art; Michelle Yun Mapplethorpe, Vice President for Global Artistic Programs at Asia Society and Director of Asia Society Museum; Tibor Waldner, Director of Collections and Exhibitions at the National Portrait Gallery; and Dr. Manuela Well-Off-Man, Chief Curator at the IAIA Museum of Contemporary Native Arts. In addition to various site visits, the delegates met with H.E. Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad Al-Thani, the Chairperson of Qatar Museums and member of QAIC’s Honorary Board of Trustees as well as Natalie A. Baker, the Deputy Chief of Mission and acting-Ambassador at the U.S. Embassy in Doha. Variety of topics were discussed such as the recently concluded Qatar-USA 2021 Year of Culture, an initiative of Qatar Museums, and upcoming opportunities for cultural exchange in celebration of the 50 th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the U.S. and Qatar. The delegation received tours in various museums and institutions such as the National Museum of Qatar, Msheireb Museums’ Bin Jelmood House and Radwani House, the Christian Dior exhibition at M7, Jeff Koons’ “Lost in America” exhibition, the soon-to-open 321 Olympic & Sports Museum, and Virgil Abloh’s final exhibition, “Figures of Speech,” at Fire Station. Furthermore, the delegates visited Qatar Foundation headquarters located at Education City complex and its many organizations, including the Al Shaqab equestrian center, Qatar National Library, and the Minaretein building which houses both the highly modern Education City Mosque and the Qatar Faculty for Islamic Studies as part of the Hamad-Bin-Khalifa University. The group also visited the Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art, the newly opened M.F. Husain exhibition “Seeroo fi al ardh,” and lastly, the headquarters of the Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy, the organization responsible for the execution of the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar later this year. At the Katara Cultural Village, the group visited many cultural engagements available on the grounds, including the falconry center, planetarium, and its open-air amphitheater. The delegation concluded the week at the 31 st Doha International Book Fair to peruse the assortment of books from around the world (including the U.S.) and to witness QAIC Executive Director, Fatima Al-Dosari, speak on a panel titled “Qatari-U.S. Relations: Cultural Exchange for Building a Strategic Alliance.” QAIC’s own 2021 A2Q Digest made a special appearance at this year’s book fair thanks to the U.S. Embassy in Qatar. In addition to the numerous visits to the art and cultural institutions scattered throughout Doha, the delegates were able to embrace the more quotidian aspects of Qatari life, whether browsing the many merchant stalls at Doha’s Souq Waqif or sampling some of the deliciously decadent regional cuisines. With each delegate hailing from their own unique background and perspective, all were able to find aspects of the trip that were intriguing and inspiring to them on both a professional and personal level. “I think the whole group has been very surprised at the sophistication of everything we have seen at the museums and cultural centers in Doha,” commented delegate Lina Ali. “The programming is incredibly immersive and very focused on […] accessibility and inclusion of everybody in the society.” For delegate Dr. Mohannad Ghawanmeh who had last visited Doha ten years prior, “based on my own experience of Gulf societies, I was exceedingly impressed with the number of women … that are in positions of […] authority and cultural influence. It’s obvious to me … that women have taken lead roles in this society to chart cultural life in Qatar’s present and in its future.” According to delegate Tibor Waldner, “one of the most intriguing parts of the trip for me personally was the architecture […] and experiencing just how passionate and proud the people of Qatar are featuring new technologies, developing their city, putting emphasis on cultural development, and providing access and education.” Some of the delegates, like Dr. Manuela Well-Off-Man, were excited to apply some of the newly acquired observations from the trip to some of their future pursuits. “The Institute of American Indian Arts is about to develop a new research center,” commented Dr. Well-Off-Man, “and I will definitely share some of the ideas I saw at the Qatar National Library, for example, the innovation stations that really foster collaboration and engagement and creativity.” “I am really excited that during our visit [to Mathaf] we learned that the museum has an online encyclopedia of modern and contemporary Arab artists so that I can continue my research when I am back in the States,” said delegate Dr. Orianna Cacchione. Some of the delegates were very interested in how continued cultural exchange with Qatar will further impact and influence the arts. “What I think most excited me about possible collaborations with other institutions here in Qatar is having the ability to show the rich history and innovation of Qatar’s arts and contemporary artists to the greater world,” remarked delegate Michelle Yun Mapplethorpe. Following the conclusion of this delegation, QAIC’s focus is now turned to extending the momentum generated by these visits. In providing both the delegates and the visited institutions with the necessary connections and resources, QAIC hopes that these leaders will pursue their newfound interest and understanding of Qatar’s cultural and arts landscape to cultivate the next series of collaborations between the United States and Qatar. The Qatar America Institute for Culture (QAIC) is a Washington, DC-based independent 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that creates, curates, and executes programs and research that amplify the prominence of all forms of art and culture from the United States, Qatar, and the larger Arab and Islamic worlds. Contact Details For more information, please contact Cedric Craig cedric.craig@qataramerica.org

February 17, 2022 11:30 AM Eastern Standard Time

Image
Article thumbnail News Release

Velocity Global integrates Contractor Payments to its Global Work Platform

Velocity Global

Increased demand for a simple hiring solution as number of independent workers wanting to work from anywhere is on the rise Velocity Global makes hiring and managing independent contractors easy with consolidated invoicing, automated, seamless payments, and locally compliant contracts Manage all talent in one place, including contractors and employees Velocity Global, the leading provider of global talent solutions, today announced the integration of its Contractor Payments solution into its Global Work Platform ™ as the latest solution for businesses and talent to work with anyone, anywhere, anyhow. “Contractor management and payments are traditionally a cluttered time suck for both businesses and talent, but now the Velocity Global platform removes this friction,” said Eric Schroeder, Velocity Global chief operating officer. “In today’s virtual workplace, companies want to engage the best talent in any country, which adds more complexity. Our platform simplifies the process from onboarding to payments for contractors around the world. This now creates one single location for managers and talent to connect, contractors and employees alike, freeing them to focus on the task at hand - delivering results.” Businesses are increasingly turning to independent workers, a rising classification of knowledge workers. The number of full-time, part-time and occasional independent workers in the U.S. increased by 34% over just two years to 51.1 million in 2021, according to the State of Independence in America survey, and spending by businesses on contingent talent rose by 23%. “We are in a new era of work in which talent takes more control over their time, location, and how they choose to engage with their employers,” said Schroeder. “With this shift in talent comes a shift in investment from businesses to meet talent where it is. The world of work is changing quickly and we offer all of the tools for businesses and talent to engage with each other in a single, accessible platform.” Currently, most contractors face archaic onboarding processes and payment confusion, while companies face the administrative complexity of managing a distributed workforce. Velocity Global’s new Contractor Payments solution provides locally compliant contracts, consolidated invoicing, automated and seamless payments, and mobile access to solve these issues for both sides. Velocity Global’s Contractor Payments solution is now available in the company's Global Work Platform. Learn more at https://velocityglobal.com/platform/contractor-payments/ About Velocity Global Velocity Global accelerates the future of work for anyone, anywhere, anyhow. Its Global Work Platform™ simplifies the employer and talent experience through its proprietary cloud-based talent management technology, backed by personalized expertise and unmatched global scale. With talent solutions in more than 185 countries and all 50 United States, the platform combines global Employer of Record and Contractor Management to onboard, manage, and pay talent worldwide. More than 1,000 brands rely on Velocity Global to build global teams without the cost or complexity of setting up foreign legal entities or state registrations. Velocity Global was named a “Leader” in Global Employer of Record services by prominent analyst firm NelsonHall. Founded in 2014, the company has hundreds of employees across six continents. For more information visit velocityglobal.com. Contact Details Velocity Global John Hall +1 720-650-4348 news@velocityglobal.com Company Website https://velocityglobal.com/

February 17, 2022 07:01 AM Mountain Standard Time

Video Image
Article thumbnail News Release

Brand South Africa to host a special debate on the sidelines of the EU-AU Summit

Brand South Africa

JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA – African Media Agency - 16 February 2022 - The debate titled “The South Africa perspective: Can the EU & Africa reboot their relationship” will be hosted in partnership with Euronews, Europe's leading international news media, and its sister channel Africanews. The live debate will take place on the first day of the Summit, 17 February 2022, at 16:00 CAT and will be live-streamed on euronews.com and africanews.com, and across their social platforms. The internationally acclaimed former Euro News anchor, Chris Burns will host the session. The debate will focus on main issues shaping South Africa-EU relations, including vaccine production, sustainable development, security, energy, education and economic integration and recovery. “Africa has come a long way since the first summit held in Cairo in 2001. The upcoming sixth summit presents an opportunity to achieve the vision of the 2001 summit, something that has been elusive for two decades. This sixth installment is taking place at a time governments are implementing recovery plans to rebuild their economies dented by the pandemic, the worst to hit the world in more than 100 years,” says Sithembile Ntombela, Acting CEO of Brand South Africa. Chris will be joined by Colin Coleman, former CEO of Goldman Sachs and former senior fellow at Yale University; Domenico Rosa, Head of the Task Force on Post Cotonou at the European Commission; Bajabulile Tshabalala, Senior Vice-President at the African Development Bank Group; Ronak Gopaldas, Director at Signal Risk; Dr Carlos Lopes, economist and honorary professor at the Nelson Mandela School of Governance at the University of Cape Town (UCT); and Luisa Santos, Head of International Relations at BusinessEurope. “No emerging market has the sophisticated capital markets, strong business sector, independent judiciary, central bank and free press that South Africa has; yet the triple challenges of poverty, unemployment and inequality threaten its’ stability. Come discover if and how the nation can thread this needle.” Colin Coleman “As South Africa, we would like to play a key role in leading the discussions on how EU can partner with African countries to rebuild their covid-19 ravaged economies, thereby contributing to solutions to mitigate the impact of the pandemic. There are opportunities for the two continents to co-operate in the manufacturing of covid-19 vaccines,and increased efforts in reducing vaccine hesitancy.. All nations, rich and poor, have an obligation to work together to end the pandemic,” adds Ntombela The debate will be live streamed on: https://www.euronews.com/2022/02/04/euronews-debates-can-the-eu-africa-reboot-their-relationship1, viewers can also follow the conversations under the hash tag, #EUSouthAfricaFocus and #BrandSouthAfrica. The audience is invited to send their questions to the experts via social media. About Brand South Africa Brand South Africa is the official marketing agency of South Africa, with a mandate to build the country's brand reputation, to improve its global competitiveness. Its aim is also to build pride and patriotism among South Africans, to contribute to social cohesion and nation brand ambassadorship. This electronic communication and the attached file(s) are subject to a disclaimer which can be viewed at http://www.brandsouthafrica.com/terms-and-conditions. If you are unable to view the disclaimer, please email info@brandsouthafrica.com for a copy. Contact Details Phindile Maduna Phindilem@brandsouthafrica.com

February 16, 2022 09:59 AM Eastern Standard Time

Article thumbnail News Release

Volatus Aerospace Forecasts Revenues of $38 million in 2022, a 138% Growth from 2021, with an expected gross margin of 31%

Volatus Aerospace Corp.

Volatus Aerospace Corp. (TSXV:VOL) ("Volatus" or the "Company") is pleased to pre-announce its unaudited Pro-forma revenue for FY2021 of approximately $16.5 million of sales and expects to release its audited 2021 financial statements in April of 2022. Additionally, Volatus is providing revenue guidance of $38 million for FY2022 with a blended gross margin of 31%. The forecast includes twelve months of all operating subsidiaries and ten months of MVT Geo-Solutions, an acquisition scheduled to close on or around February 28th, 2022. All amounts are in Canadian dollars unless otherwise noted. The Company will host a webcast on February 28, 2022, at 3 pm EST to discuss recent operational highlights and forward-looking guidance in connection with 2022 forecast revenues. “Volatus is recognized as a leader in the drone industry. Our ability to scale has allowed the Company to accelerate growth, consolidate earnings, and access greater revenue-generating opportunities,” said Glen Lynch, President and CEO of Volatus. “We have a mature aerospace team with a demonstrated ability to execute and a growing opportunity fuelled by the rapid adoption of drones across industry, government, and defense sectors.” "Volatus grew revenues from less than $1 million in 2020 to more than $16 million in 2021. At the same time, we completed a reverse take-over and were approved for listing on the TSX Venture by year-end," said Abhinav Singhvi, Chief Financial Officer. "Volatus is built on the foundation of scaling businesses on a sustainable basis – we are blitzscaling, but responsibly, with our eyes on the bottom line. While the global drone industry is a US$58.4 billion market, growing at a CAGR of 16.4% ( as per the Markets and Markets 2021 report ); we intend to capture as much market as possible through our growth strategy." Business Highlights for 2022 Emerging, growth segments of the business include public safety, defense, unmanned commercial cargo and military re-supply, forestry, and autonomous solutions with integrated remote flight operations software Scaling existing customers with national service offerings Leveraging the Company's premier Canadian position in the services and equipment sales into growth in the US and Latin American markets Commencement of assembly and testing of long-range, high endurance drones at the Lake Simcoe facility in Ontario Business Outlook and Webcast Details Glen Lynch, President and CEO of Volatus, Abhinav Singhvi, Chief Financial Officer, and Rob Walker, Chief Operating Officer, will host a conference call and webcast on February 28, 2022, at 3 pm EST to discuss details of the company's performance and certain forward-looking information. The session may be accessed here. The webcast will be available for replay on March 1, 2022. About Volatus Aerospace: Volatus Aerospace Corp. is a leading provider of integrated drone solutions throughout Canada, the United States, and Latin America. Operating a vast pilot network, Volatus serves commercial and defense markets with imaging and inspection, security and surveillance, equipment sales and support, training, and design, manufacturing, and R&D. Through its subsidiary Volatus Aviation, Volatus carries on the business of aircraft management, charter sales, and cargo services using piloted, remotely piloted, and autonomous aircraft. This news release contains statements that constitute “forward-looking information” within the meaning of applicable securities laws, including statements regarding the plans, intentions, beliefs and current expectations of the Corporation with respect to future business activities and operating performance. Often, but not always, forward-looking information can be identified by the use of words such as “plans”, “expects”, “is expected”, “budget”, “scheduled”, “estimates”, “forecasts”, “intends”, “anticipates”, or “believes” or variations (including negative variations) of such words and phrases, or statements formed in the future tense or indicating that certain actions, events or results “may”, “could”, “would”, “might” or “will” (or other variations of the foregoing) be taken, occur, be achieved, or come to pass. Forward-looking information includes information regarding (i) the business plans and expectations of the Corporation; and (ii) expectations for other economic, business, and/or competitive factors. Forward-looking information is based on currently available competitive, financial and economic data and operating plans, strategies or beliefs as of the date of this news release, but involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other factors that may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Corporation to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking information. Such factors may be based on information currently available to the Corporation, including information obtained from third-party industry analysts and other third-party sources, and are based on management’s current expectations or beliefs. Any and all forward-looking information contained in this news release is expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. Investors are cautioned that forward-looking information is not based on historical facts but instead reflects expectations, estimates or projections concerning future results or events based on the opinions, assumptions and estimates of management considered reasonable at the date the statements are made. Forward-looking information reflects the Corporation’s current beliefs and is based on information currently available to it and on assumptions it believes to be not unreasonable in light of all of the circumstances. In some instances, material factors or assumptions are discussed in this news release in connection with statements containing forward-looking information. Such material factors and assumptions include, but are not limited to: the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the Corporation; meeting the continued listing requirements of the TSXV; and anticipated and unanticipated costs and other factors referenced in this news release and the Circular, including, but not limited to, those set forth in the Circular under the caption “Risk Factors”. Although the Corporation has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results to differ from those anticipated, estimated or intended. The forward-looking information contained herein is made as of the date of this news release and, other than as required by law, the Corporation disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or results or otherwise. There can be no assurance that forward-looking information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Source: Volatus Aerospace Corp. TSXV: VOL Contact Details Volatus Aerospace Corp. Rob Walker +1 514-447-7986 rob.walker@volatusaerospace.com Company Website https://volatusaerospace.com

February 16, 2022 08:30 AM Eastern Standard Time

Article thumbnail News Release

Avi Kumar Converts Independent Print Shop to Minuteman Press Franchise in Longmont, CO

Minuteman Press International Inc

A vi Kumar has been part of the Minuteman Press franchise family since May 2016 as the owner of Minuteman Press in Greeley, CO. In February 2021, Avi had the opportunity to buy Ron’s Printing Center located in Longmont, CO, which was in business for 40 years. Avi converted Ron’s Printing Center into his second Minuteman Press location in February 2021 and is now celebrating one year in business at the new center. Minuteman Press in Longmont is located at 420 Main Street, Longmont, CO 80501. Avi says, “Our Regional Vice President Jack Panzer told us about this established business for sale in Longmont, which is 40 minutes from us. The main advantage was to extend profitability and expand our business in Northern Colorado.” He continues, “Another advantage was that we did not have to spend a lot of extra effort in marketing this as a new business because Ron’s Printing Center had been established for a long time. The employees were all very hands-on and diligent and we were able to retain them all. Within the second month, we added mailings, promotional products, and apparel to their product lines. In fact, we just wrapped up a 30K mailer for a local non-profit organization and secured a large apparel order as well.” Prior to franchising in 2016, Avi worked in retail as a convenience store manager of several locations. “I used to manage some stores in Illinois for a big outfit out of Wisconsin. I finally got tired of answering to my boss and decided I wanted to own my own business. I moved on to better pastures and we decided as a family that Colorado was our calling.” Avi is thankful for being able to work with Minuteman Press and Jack Panzer over the past five-plus years in Greeley and on the conversion in Longmont in 2021. He says, “Working with Jack is amazing as he is very thorough and helpful. Since I started my business in Greeley in 2016, he has been a huge resource for us and very supportive. As we continue to build in Longmont, we are also expanding in Greeley to a new 5,000 sq. ft. facility – remodeling is under way as we speak. We started small and grew the business, and now we are building on that success at the right, consistent pace.” For more information on Minuteman Press in Longmont, CO, visit https://minuteman.com/us/locations/co/longmont. Learn more about #1 rated Minuteman Press franchise opportunities at https://minutemanpressfranchise.com. To learn how to sell your printing business through the Minuteman Press Conversion Program, visit https://bit.ly/minutemanpressconversions. Contact Details Minuteman Press International Chris Biscuiti +1 631-249-1370 cbiscuiti@mpihq.com Company Website https://minutemanpressfranchise.com

February 15, 2022 11:00 AM Eastern Standard Time

Image
Article thumbnail News Release

AmeriLife Now Offers SimpliNow℠ Legacy from AIG

AmeriLife

AmeriLife Group, LLC (“AmeriLife”), a national leader in developing, marketing, and distributing annuity, life and health insurance solutions, today announced that its agencies and affiliates are now offering SimpliNow Legacy SM from AIG (issued by American General Life Insurance Company), a simplified issue whole life insurance product specifically designed for middle-market American seniors. SimpliNow Legacy was designed to help policyholders lessen the burden of final expenses--including unpaid debt, medical bills or other household costs--on their loved ones. The product offers a unique limited-pay feature and death benefit coverage ranging from $5,000-$35,000. SimpliNow Legacy was created with middle-market Americans (ages 50 to 80 with a household income of $75,000 or less) in mind, including seniors, to help provide this growing demographic an additional layer of financial protection. For agents, SimpliNow Legacy was built for speed. This product features an instant-decision underwriting process, no post-sale paperwork, and the ability to draft credit card payments in real-time to instantly issue policies. This process includes: Electronic applications that tell agents early-on the type of coverage their clients can receive Instant underwriting decisions 100% of the time and early in the application process, with no additional underwriting, ever Instant issue capabilities for IGO and current dated apps paid with credit cards SimpliNow Quoter allows agents to easily quote their clients’ premiums before or during the application process “In the U.S., the median cost of a funeral is around $9,000*, and many older Americans are doing what they can to avoid passing those expenses onto their loved ones,” said Pat Fleming, Executive Vice President of Product Innovation and Corporate Actuary for AmeriLife. “We’re proud to be one of AIG’s exclusive partners in offering a groundbreaking product that provides consumers with the confidence that their final expenses will be addressed. The speed of the process at the point-of-sale is something that will help our agents work quickly and efficiently to help their clients secure coverage that will aid in preserving their legacies.” For more information on SimpliNow Legacy, visit www.amerilife.com to get in touch with an AmeriLife agency or affiliate. ### About AmeriLife AmeriLife’s strength is its mission: to provide financial 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 national distribution network of over 300,000 agents and advisors, more than 40 marketing organizations, and 50 agency locations. For more information, visit AmeriLife.com, and follow AmeriLife on Facebook and LinkedIn. *Source: National Funeral Directors Association. Policies issued by American General Life Insurance Company (AGL), Houston, TX. Policy Forms: ICC21-21445, 21445, 21445-5, 21445-10, 21445-35, 21445-42, ICC21-21447, 21447, 21447-5, 21447-10, 21447-35 and 21447-42. Rider Numbers: ICC21-21468, 21468, 21468-5, 21468-10, ICC21-21469, 21469, 21469-5, 21469-10, ICC21-21470, 21470, 21470-5, 21470-35 and 21470-42. Issuing company AGL is responsible for financial obligations of insurance products and is a member of American International Group, Inc. (AIG). Guarantees are backed by the claims-paying ability of the issuing insurance company. AGL does not solicit, issue, or deliver policies or contracts in the state of New York. Products may not be available in all states and product features may vary by state. Please refer to the policy. This is not a preneed insurance contract or agreement. Benefits are payable to the beneficiary or beneficiaries as directed by the owner of policy. Premiums paid may exceed amount of coverage. For an estimate of the year the premiums may exceed the amount of coverage, divide the face amount by the annual premium. SimpliNow Legacy offers a limited death benefit in the first two years of the policy. Should death occur in the first two years, a death benefit will be equal to 110% of the premiums paid. In the event of suicide, the death benefit is limited to a refund of premiums paid less any outstanding loan amount. THIS POLICY DOES NOT GUARANTEE THAT ITS PROCEEDS WILL BE SUFFICIENT TO PAY FOR ANY PARTICULAR SERVICES OR MERCHANDISE AT TIME OF NEED OR THAT SERVICES OR MERCHANDISE SHALL BE PROVIDED BY ANY PARTICULAR PROVIDER. American General Life Insurance Company 2929 Allen Parkway, Houston, TX 77019, United States © 2022 American General Life Insurance. All Rights Reserved. AGLC201559 Contact Details AmeriLife Jeff Maldonado +1 321-297-1112 jmaldonado@amerilife.com Company Website https://amerilife.com/

February 15, 2022 10:00 AM Eastern Standard Time

Article thumbnail News Release

COMCAST’S SMALL BUSINESS SUPPORT PROGRAM EXPANDS ELIGIBILITY TO ALL WOMEN BUSINESS OWNERS HIT HARDEST BY THE PANDEMIC

Comcast Houston

Comcast RISE, a small business support program that’s helped more than 500 Houston-area businesses with grants and no-cost marketing services and technology makeovers, is now expanding eligibility to all women business owners who have been impacted by the pandemic. All women business owners — regardless of race or ethnicity— can now apply through June 17, 2022 at www.ComcastRise.com. Comcast RISE, which stands for Representation, Investment, Strength and Empowerment, is a multi-year commitment to support small businesses owned by people of color through advancing digital equity — a concept that recognizes everyone’s life circumstances are different and underrepresented small businesses should have access to the digital and marketing tools necessary to be successful in a digital world. The expansion of eligibility comes after Comcast RISE celebrated its one-year anniversary. Nationally, the program provided more than $60 million in grants, no-cost marketing and technology services to more than 6,700 small businesses owned by people of color, including Black, Indigenous, Hispanic, and Asian Americans, among others. Of the 6,700 Comcast RISE recipients to date, nearly 70% are businesses owned by women of color, which spurred Comcast to take a deeper look into the unique challenges faced by women entrepreneurs. According to a study by the National Association of Women Business Owners, 42% of businesses in the U.S. are owned by women, with more than 1,800 new businesses being started every day. That’s nearly five times the national average. However, according to the same study, women-owned businesses are growing at only half the rate of those run by men, namely because women struggle to access capital and other resources to help them succeed. In 2021, Houston-area woman-owned small businesses like All Real Radio, LAMIK Beauty, and Connect The Dots PR, were awarded either grants and/or digital tools needed to thrive and support their respective communities. The business owners serve as ambassadors to the program. Over the next 10 years, Comcast is committing $1 billion to programs, like Comcast RISE, and partnerships to reach an estimated 50 million people with the skills, opportunities, and resources they need to succeed in an increasingly digital world. In addition to women-owned businesses, all businesses owned by people of color are encouraged to apply for the chance to receive no-cost consulting, media and creative production services from Effectv, the advertising sales division of Comcast Cable, or technology upgrades from Comcast Business. About Comcast Corporation Comcast Corporation (Nasdaq: CMCSA) is a global media and technology company that connects people to moments that matter. We are principally focused on broadband, aggregation, and streaming with 57 million customer relationships across the United States and Europe. We deliver broadband, wireless, and video through our Xfinity, Comcast Business, and Sky brands; create, distribute, and stream leading entertainment, sports, and news through Universal Filmed Entertainment Group, Universal Studio Group, Sky Studios, the NBC and Telemundo broadcast networks, multiple cable networks, Peacock, NBCUniversal News Group, NBC Sports, Sky News, and Sky Sports; and provide memorable experiences at Universal Parks and Resorts in the United States and Asia. Visit www.comcastcorporation.com for more information. About Comcast Business Comcast Business offers a suite of Connectivity, Communications, Networking, Cybersecurity, Wireless, and Managed Solutions to help organizations of different sizes prepare for what’s next. Powered by the nation’s largest Gig-speed broadband network, and backed by 24/7 customer support, Comcast Business is the nation’s largest cable provider to small and mid-size businesses and one of the leading service providers to the Enterprise market. Comcast Business has been consistently recognized by industry analysts and associations as a leader and innovator, and one of the fastest growing providers of Ethernet services. For more information, call 866-429-3085. Follow on Twitter @ComcastBusiness and on other social media networks at http://business.comcast.com/social. About Effectv Effectv, the advertising sales division of Comcast Cable, helps local, regional, and national advertisers use the best of digital with the power of TV to grow their business. It provides multi-screen marketing solutions to make advertising campaigns more effective and easier to execute. Headquartered in New York with offices throughout the country, Effectv has a presence in 66 markets with nearly 35 million owned and represented subscribers. For more information, visit www.effectv.com. Contact Details Foti Kallergis +1 832-986-0196 Foti_Kallergis@comcast.com Company Website https://houston.comcast.com/

February 15, 2022 07:02 AM Central Standard Time

Video
Article thumbnail News Release

QX Global Group Acquires Management Consulting & Advisory Services Firm Chazey Partners

QX Global Group

Together QX Global Group and Chazey Partners will provide end-to-end Business Transformation, Digital Services & Intelligent Automation, and Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) for Fortune 1000 companies and public sector organizations, including higher education, across the globe. QX Global Group, a Top 100 Business Process Outsourcing company, announced the acquisition of an 80% stake in Austin, Texas-based Chazey Partners, a world-class management consulting and advisory firm specializing in business and digital transformation. The Chazey Partners team brings decades of experience in implementing and operating world-class business support and shared services organizations around the globe, with expertise in Robotic Process Automation (RPA) and Artificial Intelligence (AI). Together, QX and Chazey Partners will work to deliver innovative solutions that cover transformative consulting, digital services, and business process outsourcing, customized to meet each client’s specific needs. “At QX, we have always focused on enabling transformation of our client’s businesses using our unique 3P approach of people, process, and platform, and we are thrilled that the addition of Chazey will allow us to help organizations solve their most significant barrier to growth – digital adoption and business transformation at scale, said Frank Robinson, Group CEO of QX Global Group. “Adding Chazey furthers our vision to provide integrated, end-to-end solutions to help our customers take advantage of the latest operating models and emerging technologies. I am also delighted to officially welcome Phil Searle onto QX Global Group’s Board as Chief Transformation Officer.” Chazey brings to the QX Global Group management consulting and advisory services with a global reach. Founded in 2006, Chazey Partners has demonstrated consistent and significant growth, with global representation in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Costa Rica, Colombia, Ireland, Turkey, and India. Chazey’s consultants provide advice, support, and implementation expertise, covering strategy setting, business case production, program management, process optimization, technology enablement, training, and change management. “ Since founding the company, we have significantly expanded and evolved Chazey’s solutions to help numerous businesses and public sector organizations achieve operational excellence by transforming their business operations,’’ said Phil Searle, CEO and Founder of Chazey Partners. ‘’With QX, we have found a shared passion for empowering our clients to achieve world-class performance. By joining forces with QX, we will augment our near-shoring and offshoring capabilities by opening new Centers of Excellence (COEs) in India and Latin America. This is an exciting new chapter for Chazey Partners, our employees, and our customers.” The partnership of both trusted brands comes at a time when enterprises across the globe are adjusting to the post-pandemic world. In this environment, Chazey Partners is at the forefront of offering needed transformation solutions, helping enterprises optimize business operations and adopt the latest technologies for sustained growth. The QX-Chazey partnership will enable all clients to achieve a faster return on investment and add more value to their customers and employees. Barbara Hodge, Global Digital Editor at the Shared Services & Outsourcing Network (SSON), said, “This marks an exciting and timely development in the shared services and outsourcing space. SSON has collaborated with Chazey Partners for many years, and I am pleased to see such a highly respected group in the field of business transformation push forwards in extending its services to provide enterprise customers with the more holistic solutions they need right now. Adding Chazey Partners’ transformation capabilities to QX Global Groups’ BPO services, drives an end-to-end solution that connects consulting, digital and business process outsourcing. This aligns perfectly with the move to integrated business services, digitalization – driven by intelligent automation – and data analytics, that we are seeing across the shared services landscape. It’s also consistent with service providers moving to a ‘one-stop-shop’ solution for business transformation and digital needs. I am delighted at this news and look forward to engaging with the new partnership.” For QX Global Group: Corbett Keeling, London, and J. Sloan & Co, Dallas, Texas, provided corporate finance and transaction advice for QX Global Group; BDO LLP provided Due Diligence support across all entity geographies; legal support was provided by Munsch Hardt Kopf & Harr, P.C. For Chazey Partners: Sett & Lucas acted as transaction advisor, and Jackson Walker LLP provided legal support. About QX Global Group QX Global Group is a leading provider of business process management services. With over 17 years of accounting and recruitment process outsourcing experience, we help our clients unlock business value by improving process efficiencies and automation in the accounting and recruitment functions to enable business transformation. We have offices in the UK, USA, Canada, Australia, and India. About Chazey Partners Chazey Partners is a practitioner-led, global management consulting and advisory services firm. We bring real-life, practical, hands-on experience, empowering clients to strive for world-class performance, through Business Transformation, Shared Services, and Intelligent Automation. We help businesses and public sector organizations achieve operational excellence in the provision of mission-critical business services, including Finance, Human Resources, IT, Procurement, Contact Centers, Marketing, and Facilities Management. For over sixteen years, Chazey Partners has helped clients implement successful service delivery solutions; in the US & Canada, Latin America, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Oceania, and Asia. Contact Details QX Global Group Vishal Kurani +44 20 8146 0808 vishal.kurani@qxglobalgroup.com Chazey Partners Leigh Knowles +1 855-692-6229 LeighKnowles@chazeypartners.com Company Website https://qxglobalgroup.com/

February 14, 2022 09:55 AM Eastern Standard Time

Article thumbnail News Release

Introducing the Talent Empowerment Podcast for People Leaders

Talent Empowerment Podcast

Talent Empowerment is an innovative new podcast designed to lift up people leaders so they can lift up their organizations! Each week, host Tom Finn, co-founder and CEO of LeggUP, sits down with people leaders, talent development savants, founders, and executives from every industry to learn how they’re driving people innovation, transforming HR into People Ops, and securing organizational buy-in to disrupt the status quo. “The people development space hasn't evolved for decades. Now is the time to support HR and people leaders with modern tools to create a human-centric impact beyond compliance and module-based training,” Finn said. “Our podcast serves to replace legacy thinking with widespread innovation that truly lifts up and empowers employees.” The first episodes are now available wherever you listen to podcasts or on the Talent Empowerment YouTube channel. Listen now to hear from Nasdaq’s SVP of People Experience and Diversity, Rich Taylor, and Webflow’s Head of DEI, Mariah Driver. Rich shares his unique insights into why companies need to view employees as customers, how to create career maps for everyone in the organization, and why the terms “talent management” and “human capital” should be replaced. Mariah dives into how she fights off imposter syndrome, gained organizational trust to start numerous new DEI initiatives, and how she got scrappy to build her own tools when she found nothing satisfactory already in the marketplace. “Employees are demanding change and there are great leaders out there, like Mariah and Rich, who are not only listening, but taking action. We want this podcast to shine a spotlight on innovative people leaders and spread their ideas like wildfire,” Finn continued. New episodes will be released every week and available on every major podcast platform and YouTube. To learn more about the show, their guests, or to apply to be a guest yourself, visit www.talentempowerment.com. The first sponsor of the Talent Empowerment podcast is LeggUP, an inclusive people development platform designed to help people leaders empower their organizations through 1:1 professional coaching. LeggUP’s groundbreaking product Talent Insurance guarantees improved employee productivity, wellbeing, and retention. In fact, they insure it! Your people stay, or they pay! Boilerplate The Talent Empowerment podcast is a weekly podcast for people leaders, talent development savants or anyone with an interest in empowering their teams and organization. To learn more or to apply to become a guest, visit www.talentempowerment.com. Subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts so you never miss a chance to empower your people. New episodes are released every week. Contact Details Jenna Murrell Director of Partnerships & Programming jenna@talentempowerment.com

February 10, 2022 09:00 AM Eastern Standard Time

Video Image
1 ... 8081828384 ... 132