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First United States Open Registry to be Launched in Washington, DC

COPE

A landmark Revitalization Plan for US Maritime Trade, Commerce and Strategic Competition to support and assist in resolving America’s supply chain crisis, ensure maritime sovereignty and security, and revitalize maritime commerce will be launched at the National Press Club in Washington, DC on February 1, 2022, at 1:30PM with remarks by Ambassador John D. Negroponte, the first U.S. Director of National Intelligence and former Deputy Secretary of State; the Governor of the U.S. Virgin Islands, the Honorable Albert Bryan, Jr.; and President Eric R. Dawicki of the Northeast Maritime Institute. Highlights of the Plan include the formation of the first U.S. open registry, and other maritime initiatives designed to make the United States more competitive and propel it into a stronger leadership position as a maritime nation. Governor Bryan and President Dawicki will participate in the signing of a historic agreement between the U.S. Virgin Islands and Northeast Maritime Institute which features the collaboration on the development of the first open U.S. registry. Following initial remarks outlining the Revitalization Plan, there will be a panel discussion moderated by Jeremy Greenwood, a Federal Executive Fellow at the Brookings Institution’s Strobe Talbott Center on Security, Strategy, and Technology. Panel participants include Stephen Flynn, PhD, Founding Director of the Center for Global Resilience at Northeastern University, leading Homeland Security advisor under the Bush and Obama administrations, and global expert on supply chain resilience; Admiral James Watson, Northeast Maritime Institute Trustee and former Director of Prevention Policy for Marine Safety, Security and Stewardship at the United States Coast Guard and the first Director of the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement at the US Department of Interior; Captain Anuj Chopra, Co-Founder & CEO of FNI ESGPlus; Carleen Lyden Walker, Co-Founder and Executive Director of the North American Marine Environment Protection Association, and Captain John Konrad, Founder and CEO of gCaptain. Additional commentary will be provided by Nishan Degnarain, former Chairman of the World Economic Forum – Global Agenda Council on Oceans; Jonathan Kempe, Verifai Australia; and Dr. Sal Mercogliano, PhD, Campbell University. Remarks from all are expected to cover topics such as decarbonization of shipping, capital investment in new technologies, supply chain security, transparency in shipping, economic growth opportunities, the status of the U.S. maritime industry, U.S. national security interests, and more. The event will outline how implementation of the Revitalization Plan for US Maritime Trade, Commerce and Strategic Competition will provide economic stability and environmental protection, as well as revitalize the position of the United States as a major competitor in international maritime trade and commerce while enhancing national security, both domestically and internationally. A Revitalization Plan for US Maritime Trade, Commerce and Strategic Competition was developed by a team of Distinguished Fellows at the Northeast Maritime Institute – Center for Ocean Policy and Economics (COPE) and advised by an array of leading thinkers in the maritime industry. Key elements of the plan include: Formation of the U.S. Virgin Islands’ open international ship registry—the first, and only, international U.S. open ship registry. Development of a short sea transshipment hub in the Caribbean to alleviate supply chain congestion by moving a portion of east coast distribution from land to sea and increasing the number of ports importing ever-increasing quantities of goods from overseas. Build public/private/international partnerships to address strategic maritime issues, increase transparency and enforce legal and ethical standards. Establish and implement a green shipping strategy, including decarbonization of the U.S.-flagged fleet. Establishing a Maritime Venture Capital Fund to finance commercially advanced technologies that solve maritime and ocean industry problems with a focus on environmental vulnerabilities. Modernization of the maritime workforce by deploying state of the art education and training tools in the US and abroad. Additional information can be found at COPE Advanced registration to attend this event will be required for access to the live stream. About Northeast Maritime Institute Northeast Maritime Institute (also called NMI) is a private, coeducational, maritime college offering an Associate in Applied Science in Nautical Science degree. Established in 1981, Northeast Maritime Institute is the only private maritime college in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The college was originally established to provide an alternative to traditional education and training, with an emphasis on preparing mariners for employment. Graduates receive an Associate degree and are eligible to receive a United States Coast Guard Masters license upon graduation. The college operates a training ship, the M/V Navigator, as well as the brigantine tall ship S/V Fritha. About COPE The Center for Ocean Policy and Economics (COPE) is hosted by the Northeast Maritime Institute – College of Maritime Science: Created to tackle some of the ocean’s “wicked problems.” A culmination of years of extensive research and conversations with leading experts in the maritime and ocean related fields, COPE is a facilitator for cogent maritime and ocean policy and economic development project initiatives linking academic, corporate, non-governmental, and governmental partners to create impactful solutions. Contact Details COPE Carleen Walker +1 203-260-0480

January 25, 2022 07:51 PM Eastern Standard Time

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NCMA Selects New Chief Learning Officer

National Contract Management Association

The National Contract Management Association (NCMA) has named Michelle Currier Chief Learning Officer to lead education, training, and innovative practices for the association. Currier has been a member of NCMA since 1980 and was President of the Board from 2001-2002. Prior to joining NCMA, she served as Professor of Contract Management at the Defense Acquisition University (DAU). She brings a wealth of real-world experience from her 42-year career, having served with distinction as a Contracting Officer, Division Chief, Deputy Director Small Business and Director of Contracts at the Naval Research Laboratory, Military Sealift Command, Small Business Administration, Naval Sea Systems Command, and the Army Contracting Command. She is an NCMA Fellow who has received numerous awards and recognitions and has earned both the Certified Professional Contracts Manager (CPCM) and Certified Federal Contracts Manager (CFCM) designations. “We’re excited to have Michelle lead our efforts to inspire and prepare the workforce,” says Kraig Conrad, CEO of NCMA. “There is no better leader in contract management who is more aligned with our mission and as passionate about our members’ careers.” “One of the biggest challenges in the years ahead revolves around the increasing pace of change in the contract management profession,” Currier said. “Professional development must be ready with innovative programs and resources that ensure skills and knowledge are transferred to our next generation of leaders.” Michelle will officially join NCMA on February 1, 2022. 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 Jennifer Knowlton +1 571-382-1127 jennifer.knowlton@ncmahq.org Company Website https://www.ncmahq.org/

January 25, 2022 10:00 AM Eastern Standard Time

Rotunda Capital Partners Announces New Operating Partner

Rotunda Capital Partners LLC

Rotunda Capital Partners ("Rotunda"), an operationally focused, private equity firm that collaborates with family-founder owned businesses, is pleased to announce that Ellen Kim has joined the firm as an operating partner. Ellen will be valuable to accelerating the firm’s value-creation process (“Rotunda Performance System”) by working closely with portfolio companies to implement key strategic and operational initiatives established through Rotunda’s strategy mapping process. She will also lead Rotunda’s growing strategy execution officer program and the deployment of other cross-portfolio operational best practices. “We are thrilled to welcome Ellen to our growing team," said John Fruehwirth, managing partner of Rotunda. “Her years of experience driving operational change will be invaluable as we look to scale improvements across the portfolio.” “Rotunda has a long track record of partnering with management teams to build great companies. They continue to enhance and augment their systematic approach to creating organizations capable of significantly scaling in a sustainable manner,” said Ellen. “I am excited to join Rotunda and look forward to further supporting many new initiatives designed to drive our portfolio companies' growth and deliver long-term value.” Prior to joining Rotunda, Ellen served as the chief financial officer for Roti Modern Mediterranean. Her previous work experience has spanned both the public and private sectors including operational experience at AlixPartners, as an appointee with the US Small Business Administration, and at Citigroup. She currently serves on the board of the nonprofit Millennial Action Project. About Rotunda Capital Partners Rotunda Capital Partners is an operationally oriented private equity firm focused on transforming family-founder owned companies into dynamic, data-driven platforms able to achieve and manage significant growth. Since its founding in 2009, Rotunda has partnered with management teams to build great businesses within three primary sectors: value-added distribution, asset-light logistics and industrial & business services. Rotunda strives to achieve replicable results by implementing its Rotunda Performance System to create strategic alignment, develop lean processes and create robust, data-driven infrastructures. For more information, visit www.rotundacapital.com. Contact Details Jill Lafferty +1 847-280-1295 jill@rotundacapital.com Company Website https://www.rotundacapital.com

January 25, 2022 07:43 AM Eastern Standard Time

SullivanCotter Welcomes New Principal Aimee Greeter to the Physician Workforce Practice

SullivanCotter

SullivanCotter, the nation’s leading independent consulting firm in the assessment and development of total rewards programs, workforce solutions, and technology and data products for the health care industry and not-for-profit sector, is pleased to announce the addition of Aimee Greeter, Principal, to the firm’s growing Physician Workforce Practice. For nearly 15 years, Aimee has served as a trusted advisor to a variety of health care provider organizations nationwide. As the industry continues to undergo significant change, Aimee works with physician groups and health systems of all sizes to develop competitive compensation and rewards strategies focused on supporting pay equity and enhancing physician engagement. “In the wake of a COVID-19 resurgence, recent changes to the Physician Fee Schedule, and a looming provider shortage, hospitals and health systems are dealing with a myriad of challenging present-day obstacles,” said Mark Ryberg, Physician Workforce Practice Leader, SullivanCotter. “Aimee’s deep-seated industry knowledge and strategic insight reinforces our ability to provide clients with the guidance needed to develop innovative solutions to complex issues as they plan for 2022 and beyond.” Aimee specializes in helping organizations assess, develop and implement pay and career equity initiatives and consults with employers on ways to improve fairness, transparency and advancement for all people regardless of their gender identity, race and ethnic background. She also works closely with clients to optimize physician and advanced practice provider alignment and affiliation activities to support quality care outcomes, cost efficiencies, integrated care team delivery and patient-centered operations. Aimee has additional experience in conducting clinical service line reviews, providing advisory support on mergers and acquisitions, and facilitating boards and executive leaders in strategic planning and growth initiatives related to market sustainability, care delivery transformation and business model evolution. Before joining SullivanCotter, Aimee held senior leadership roles at a boutique health care consulting group. Aimee is the author of the recently published book Effective Crisis Leadership in Healthcare: Lessons Learned from a Pandemic and is a popular national speaker on topics of crisis leadership, health care transactions and provider engagement. She is also a Fellow in the American College of Healthcare Executives and holds a Lean Six Sigma Yellow Belt. About SullivanCotter SullivanCotter partners with health care and other not-for-profit organizations to understand what drives performance and improve outcomes through the development and implementation of integrated workforce strategies. Using our time-tested methodologies and industry-leading research and information, we provide data-driven insights, expertise, technology and data products to help organizations align business strategy and performance objectives – enabling our clients to deliver on their mission, vision and values. Contact Details Becky Lorentz +1 314-414-3719 beckylorentz@sullivancotter.com Company Website https://sullivancotter.com

January 25, 2022 06:00 AM Central Standard Time

Jason Carris Buys Independent Print Shop and Converts Business to Minuteman Press Franchise in Red Bank, NJ

Minuteman Press International Inc

Jason Carris is the new owner of Minuteman Press in Red Bank, NJ, which is part of the Middletown Township. Utilizing the Minuteman Press Franchise Conversion Program, Jason purchased independent print shop All American Print & Copy Center, which was in business for 40 years, and took over the location in September 2021. Jason says, “ The biggest advantage of buying this business was having an established clientele. We did our research and made sure the owners were respected by their clients. There was also 40 years of history and track record as well.” What is it like for Jason to be a new local business owner in Red Bank? He says, “Once you make that leap, it’s a very exciting experience to own your own business. We have a vibrant community here and I see the long-term growth potential. I am looking forward to making Minuteman Press a real pillar and trusted business partner in Red Bank / Middletown Township.” Jason further explains, “I think we have a tremendous opportunity to expand our wide format printing business with banners, posters, and signage remaining in high demand for our clients. I am also looking forward to bolstering our in-house mailing and direct mail services to help other local businesses reach their target audiences.” Prior to franchising, Jason worked in medical publishing and digital marketing. He also ran a number of small consulting businesses in his career. He says, “A combination of things – including the pandemic and economic forces – made me decide to go fully into business ownership. My wife Renee has an entrepreneurial spirt as well.” He adds, “ Minuteman Press International and our Regional Vice President Jim Galasso guided us through the purchase of the business step by step. Jim made the process easier to manage and I couldn’t have done this on my own without the help from the team at Minuteman Press.” Why Minuteman Press? Jason answers, “We did a lot of research and Minuteman Press jumped out to us on a number of levels. They were on a lot of top franchise lists, they appealed to people who hadn’t owned a business, and the business seemed easy to learn. In addition to being a highly respected franchise, Minuteman Press had a reasonable cost of entry and I appreciate their cap on royalties.” He continues, “The support has been wonderful. Because there is a 40-year history of the independent print shop we purchased, we have been transitioning the business. It’s great to have the training and support especially since I had not run a business of this scope before.” When asked about the keys to making that leap and becoming a business owner, Jason shares, “I think the two biggest keys to owning a business are to really make sure you feel 100% comfortable with the business model, and to believe in your products and services. Also, it is important to be proactive but also have patience after buying the business. Think about growth potential, and understand there is a learning curve. That’s normal for everyone.” Minuteman Press in Red Bank is located at 518 Route 35, Red Bank, NJ 07701. For more information, call 732-758-6200 or visit their website: https://minuteman.com/us/locations/nj/red-bank. Learn more about #1 rated Minuteman Press franchise opportunities at https://minutemanpressfranchise.com. For more information on the Minuteman Press Franchise 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

January 24, 2022 10:00 AM Eastern Standard Time

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Chicago Heights Glass Sues Reflection Window & Wall for Patent Infringement of Talon Wall® System

Chicago Heights Glass

Chicago Heights Glass, Inc., a longstanding leader in commercial high-rise façade construction in the Chicago metropolitan area, and related entities recently filed a multi-count, federal patent infringement lawsuit against former employee Joel J. Phelps and Reflection Window & Wall, LLC (RWW), and others. The plaintiffs, including Chicago Heights Glass, Inc., Talon Wall Holdings, LLC, and Entekk Group Ltd., patented a revolutionary exterior aluminum and glass wall construction system for commercial buildings, known as Talon Wall®, which greatly reduces the labor, material, and installation costs for curtain wall systems on high-rise buildings. They are marketing and installing it nationwide. The Talon Wall system is stronger, less expensive, and easier to install than traditional façade systems. According to the lawsuit, Phelps and RWW have created and have installed a knock-off building façade called “Uwall or “U-8000” that incorporates the patented Talon Wall system. The lawsuit further alleges that the defendants knowingly violated the Talon Wall patents. Contracts to construct exterior façade walls for commercial medium and high-rise structures are frequently worth $5-50 million. The lawsuit seeks damages and asks the court to enjoin the defendants from using the patented Talon Wall System. According to the lawsuit, additional contracts to use the knock-off system have been proposed by the defendants for planned high-rise buildings in Chicago and elsewhere. For many years, high-rise buildings have been enclosed in aluminum and glass facades using systems developed decades ago. Chicago Heights Glass Inc. President Kurt LeVan invented the Talon Wall system, which differs significantly from traditional methods by attaching prefabricated glass and aluminum panels to the building floor slabs in a unique fashion. Installing prefabricated aluminum and glass panels this way makes them stronger, easier to fabricate, and easier to install by much smaller work crews. The Talon Wall system is therefore superior to and dramatically less expensive than traditional methods, and the Talon Wall system has become the preferred standard for many high-rise construction projects. The lawsuit alleges that former Chicago Heights employee Phelps left the company abruptly in June of 2020. According to the lawsuit, he had substantial knowledge regarding the technical details, advantages, and market opportunities for the Talon Wall system. The lawsuit also states that Phelps was obligated to return certain materials to Chicago Heights but failed to do so. The lawsuit adds that armed with the confidential information about the Talon Wall system, Phelps was promptly hired by RWW, a direct competitor. The lawsuit further alleges that: “With full awareness that the Talon Wall System was a patented and superior product to anything being offered by RWW, Phelps both individually and in his capacity as an executive officer of RWW, along with RWW, created knock-off systems.” The lawsuit also names as defendants several construction companies and building owners, including: Pepper Construction Co., Provident Group UIC Surgery Center, LLC, LendLease (US) Construction Inc., 1400 Land Holdings, LLC, and others. According to the complaint, the UI Outpatient Surgery Center located at 1009 South Wood Street in Chicago was built with the knock-off system, and a new building at 1400 South Wabash is under contract to use the patent-infringing system. LeVan devised and developed the Talon Wall System over a period of years and went through the rigorous U.S. patent process. The company will continue to vigorously defend its intellectual property against such violations, including against contractors and building owners that use it. Chicago Heights Glass, Inc. is a privately owned specialty manufacturer and subcontracting firm located in the southern Chicago suburbs that specializes in commercial construction projects. More information on the company is available at www.chicagoheightsglass.com. The lawsuit can be downloaded here and at www.LawsuitPressRelease.com. Contact Details LawsuitPressRelease.com John P. David +1 888-859-6637 john@lawsuitpressrelease.com

January 24, 2022 08:01 AM Central Standard Time

NICOLAS JIMENEZ NAMED DIRECTOR OF GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS FOR COMCAST HOUSTON

Comcast Houston

Nicolas Jimenez has been named director of Government Affairs for Comcast’s Houston Region. In this role, Jimenez will be responsible for overseeing regulatory, franchising, and public policy matters across the entire region. “I’m so excited to join the terrific Comcast team in our Houston region and continue to build on the excellent relationships we have with our government and community partners,” Jimenez said. “My family and I are thrilled to now be part of America’s most diverse city and to a region known for growth, hospitality, and innovation.” Before joining the Houston team, Jimenez led Comcast’s government affairs efforts in South Metro Denver and Southern Colorado. He also worked at Comcast’s Philadelphia headquarters, where he served as national partnerships lead for Internet Essentials, Comcast’s signature community impact initiative aimed at helping income-constrained households get online. Jimenez is a passionate lifelong learner and community-oriented leader, who has a long history of development and paying it forward. “We are excited to have Nicolas join our Comcast Houston team,” said Toni Beck, vice president of External Affairs, Comcast Houston. “His expertise and background in government affairs, passion for digital equity and meaningful stakeholder engagement will be an invaluable asset as we deepen our connection with communities and customers, remain laser-focused on closing the digital divide and grow Comcast’s business in the Houston area.” Jimenez replaces Melinda Little who was promoted to a government affairs role in the Company’s central division. Jimenez is a graduate of Temple University, Fox School of Business. He is a native of San Juan, Puerto Rico, who enjoys volunteering and spending time with his wife and kids. 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. Contact Details Foti Kallergis +1 832-986-0196 Foti_Kallergis@comcast.com Company Website https://houston.comcast.com/

January 24, 2022 05:00 AM Central Standard Time

NYPA and SIGA Explore Using Level-0 Monitoring Technology To Overcome Cybersecurity Gaps in the Energy Sector

SIGA OT Solutions

The New York Power Authority (NYPA), America's largest state power organization and SIGA OT Solutions, a leading OT cybersecurity company, formed a collaboration in 2019 as part of a New York State economic development partnership, and have published a white paper based on their findings, called Overcoming Cybersecurity Gaps in the Energy Sector: How to Address Stuxnet-Type Scenarios Using Level-0 Monitoring. NYPA identified cyberattacks as a major threat to its operations in the coming years. NYPA’s cyber division—together with the AGILe team—aimed to reduce the risk of cyber-attacks on its facilities. The main objective of the collaboration is to reveal otherwise undetectable cyber threats—such as unique Stuxnet-type scenarios—using SigaGuard, an advanced electrical signal conditioning and analysis solution. SigaGuard is the leading process-oriented detection (POD) solution based on Level 0 information which cannot be tampered with or masked. Cybersecurity gaps in OT environments need to be addressed taking a multi-level approach, with ongoing threat analysis to minimize the attack surface of potential hackers. When considering adversary tactics and threat models, there is an apparent gap in the field level of the process and sensors, Level 0. This gap was exploited in several cases in recent years and can cause dangerous situations—which can impact the OT process and endanger lives. The recently published white paper describes how NYPA and SIGA collaborated in a simulated attack environment to test these scenarios. The sequence of attacks was carefully designed and executed by NYPA’s AGILe lab team and cyber experts, focusing on the main cyber scenarios which affect the real operation of a sub-station with either false or no reporting to the control level. The test outcome validates the significance of Level 0 monitoring as a holistic approach towards OT cybersecurity, clearly demonstrating the unique advantages of combining POD and Level 0 data. Focusing on electric signals—before they are converted into data packets and filtered by the PLC—is probably the most effective technique for accurately identifying an operation anomaly, regardless of the cause. It can bring the highest possible level of visibility into process equipment and sensor functioning, closing an intractable gap against determined adversaries. Link to white paper: https://sigasec.com/resources/overcoming-cybersecurity-gaps-in-the-energy-sector-how-to-address-stuxnet-type-scenarios-using-level-0-monitoring/ Alan Ettlinger, Sr. Director, Research, Technology Development and Innovation at New York Power Authority, noted: “NYPA places a priority on preventing any downtime, failure or malfunctions of its mission-critical infrastructure, and we invest a great deal of effort and resources to ensure resilience and security. SigaGuard’s monitoring system that detects anomalous behavior and provides real-time validation of process data was demonstrated in a substation environment, which is one of our critical assets, and conforms with NYPA’s innovative deployment plan in the areas of process resilience and security.” Amir Samoiloff, co-founder and CEO of SIGA, added: “SIGA’s cooperation with NYPA has demonstrated a strong and strategic bond with a major utility in the U.S., with the highest professional conduct. This collaboration became possible due to the excellent expertise and motivation of the NYPA team. SIGA is looking forward to deepening its partnership with NYPA’s elite cyber protection team by further integrating SIGA’s cyber security solution, SigaGuard, into additional NYPA critical infrastructure centers.” About NYPA NYPA is the largest state public power organization in the US, operating 16 generating facilities and more than 1,400 circuit-miles of transmission lines. More than 80 percent of the electricity NYPA produces is clean renewable hydropower. NYPA uses no tax money or state credit. It finances its operations through the sale of bonds and revenues earned in large part through sales of electricity. For more information visit www.nypa.gov SIGA OT Solutions Developer of SigaGuard, a technology platform that providesincipient failure detection for infrastructure operators to improve the reliability, safety, and cybersecurity of their assets. SIGA’s technology is US patented and ISO / IEC 27001 certified providing OT monitoring, anomaly detection and cybersecurity solutions for commercial, industrial, critical infrastructure, ICS and SCADA systems. SIGA Data Security and SIGA OT Solutions Inc., a Delaware corporation, boasts satisfied customers in the United States, Europe, Singapore, Japan, and Israel, and were named a Gartner "Cool Vendor" for Industrial IoT and OT Security, and is a recipient of the EU Research and Innovation program - Horizon 2020. For more information visit www.sigasec.com Contact Details SIGA OT Solutions Ilan Sosnovitch +972 50-327-3092 ilan.s@sigasec.com Company Website https://sigasec.com/

January 20, 2022 09:03 AM Eastern Standard Time

FROM THE STOCK ROOM TO THE BOARD ROOM: HIGHER PAY ON THE WAY

Total Compensation Solutions

As a result of projected inflation, increasing interest rates, and a COVID-19 Pandemic economy, compensation shifts are happening up and down the corporate ladder as well as in The Board Room. And, the insurance and energy industries are leading the way. According to the 2022 Total Compensation Solutions (TCS)' Board of Directors Compensation Report, payment methods are also shifting towards a combination of both stock and annual retainers, with Board Chair and Lead Director, among other Board positions, seeing dramatic increases. The 16 th annual edition of the TCS Board of Directors Compensation Report, provides in-depth analytics on compensation, incorporating proxy data from 2,283 public companies across 12 industry sectors, representing revenue groups from $50 million to over $1 Billion. The report also provides industry breakdowns (i.e., insurance, energy, health care, media, telecommunications, banking, etc.) and geographical breakdowns to reflect regional economies. Board of Directors’ pay elements include annual retainer, meeting fees, stock awards, stock options, committee retainers and meeting fees. Findings reveal: Most companies (74%) in this report pay some form of stock compensation to their Board members. Seventeen percent (17%) of the companies in this report give initial stock grants to new Board members. Seventy-seven percent (77%) use annual retainers to compensate Board members. Only three percent (3%) of companies in the report use per meeting fees exclusively. Fifty-six percent (56%) of companies reported having stock ownership guidelines for Board members. Chairman, Lead Director Regular Board Member Positions Highest Paid Sectors: Insurance, Energy and Tech Overall, compensation for Regular Board Members increased by 8.1% over the last three years. The Insurance Industry has the highest total cash compensation and equity pay for Board Chair with an increase of 18.1% over the last three years. The Insurance industry has the highest average annual retainer for Regular Board members with an increase of 10.1% over the last three years. The Energy industry has the highest average retainer for Lead Directors with compensation increasing 47.7% over the last three years. The Technology industry has the highest average total cash compensation and equity for Regular Board Members with an increase of 19.0% over the past three years. The members of the Audit Committee have the highest total cash compensation of any committee. With Projected Growth, Comes Projected Scrutiny” – Proxy Advisory Firms Play Larger Role “Our data validates what we expected to see given the inflationary environment and economic variables resulting from a Pandemic economy. What surprised us was the major shifts in the three leading sectors, insurance, energy, and tech.” says Paul Gavejian, Managing Director of TCS. “We’ve been tracking Board data for over 20 years now, and the years of flat payments seem to be over”. Tom Bailey, Principal Consultant on Board advisory matters point out. “With these increases come the need for caution. When those in the Board Room get paid more, there should be an expectation of increased scrutiny.” Governance surrounding Board compensation will become even more critical in the future and, he notes ”proxy advisory firms started to address excessive compensation paid to non-employee directors in 2020. One of these watchdogs instituted a policy to identify boards that pay members at the top 2% of their index and sector and identified these payers as outliers and potentially problematic.” The 2022 Board of Directors Compensation Report, a leading source of Board compensation trends, and it also reveals data on other Board room issues, including board governance and function, sustainability and societal shifts (ESG), and Diversity Equity and Inclusion (DEI), among over 2,200 public companies in diverse industry sectors, geographical regions, and revenue size groups. For more information on these trends, or to purchase a copy of the study please contact Tom Bailey at tbailey@total-comp.com. For more information on TCS visit the web site at www.total-comp.com. Total Compensation Solutions is a compensation consulting firm specializing in Executive Compensation and Board of Directors Compensation. Contact Details Total Compensation Solutions Tom Bailey +1 914-255-8725 Tbailey@total-comp.com Company Website http://www.total-comp.com/

January 18, 2022 02:00 PM Eastern Standard Time

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