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Minuteman Press Franchise in Gastonia, NC Has Grand Opening for New Father-Son Team Tony & David Marder

Minuteman Press International Inc

Tony and David Marder are the new owners of the Minuteman Press franchise in Gastonia, NC. In January of 2023, Tony and David purchased Minuteman Press in Gastonia from retiring owners Pam and Bill Joles, who owned the business for nearly 32 years since July of 1991. On Thursday, May 25, 2023, Tony and David held their official Grand Opening at their shop located at 495 East Long Avenue in Gastonia. The event was sponsored by the Gaston Business Association and had a fiesta theme that included margaritas, festive appetizers, a food truck, and a mariachi band. There were also plenty of raffles as well as a ribbon-cutting ceremony that served as a celebration of Tony and David’s new venture while Pam and Bill were also in attendance to help pass the torch. In the below interview, Tony shares how he and David originally came into contact with Pam and Bill, and how that relationship grew to the point of purchasing the business. Tony also shares how he’s been building his business since the purchase and why print is so vital today. You purchased the business after working in the shop for a couple of years. What were your roles/experiences as employees and what drove you to buy the business? Tony Marder: “Interestingly, even before working in the shop, Pam and Bill Joles were previous coaching clients. We met via our local BNI and Chamber memberships. At the time, I focused my business coaching with family-owned businesses and Pam and Bill engaged me to assist. I noticed how they were avid readers and spent focused time on goal-setting and systemization. Just before and during the pandemic closures, I asked if they needed someone very part time for deliveries or light finishing work to fill some of my open schedule. At some point in early 2021, I asked Bill ‘how he intended to land this thing’ and he said, “Why? You want to buy a business?” My answer was, “Absolutely not!” But an hour later I mentioned that I felt this may be a good fit for me and my son David, whom I know to be very adept and resourceful with machines and computers and technology in general. David joined the team as print production specialist in May of 2021 specifically to learn the finishing work. Having a bit of a graphics background didn’t hurt either and he quickly added pre-print typesetting and other aspects of pre-print work to his overview. Knowing this was a good fit and having almost two years of on-the-Job experience with Pam and Bill made it a much easier decision for us to move forward.” What has the support from Minuteman Press International been like for you? Tony Marder: “Having experience with franchise teams, I expected the support system to be there. I was especially impressed with the FLEX software and the strength of the training and process protocols. The local team made the transition easy and the Home Office training team is concise and thorough. Every call or need is quickly handled and everyone jumps in to help with urgency as needed.” How do you describe your business and capabilities to potential clients? Tony Marder: “We can produce anything that can be printed or find someone in our organization that can; we will produce and deliver quickly high quality work that helps them run or grow their business or organization.” What are the high-demand products and key growth areas? Tony Marder: “Our most requested items are business cards, forms, labels, stickers, letterhead and envelopes, booklets, manuals, newsletters and mailings. We would like to feature more mailings, interior signage, posters, decals and graphic design.” What are some of the key ways you’ve grown your business since taking over in January of 2023? Tony Marder: “Relationship marketing via phone and face to face direct marketing to existing and past clients, as well as SEO/SEM Marketing, active membership in the local chamber and Rotary. Planning now for future postcard mailings featuring postcard mailing as well as special promotions.” How would you best describe your community? Tony Marder: “We have a small but dedicated and loyal community. We are a volunteer and philanthropic community of diverse folks raising families and enjoying our corner of the world. We have a lot of natural resources that draws a wide range of individuals to the area spanning entrepreneurs, professionals, service-related businesses and manufacturers. We enjoy the closeness of the Charlotte, NC Metro area without the cumbersome things that make larger cities less attractive. Around here we say that ‘we don’t tell anybody about it, but if they find it on their own then it’s perfectly okay with us.’” Why do you think printing remains so vital to businesses today? Tony Marder: “Print is everywhere. I can’t go anywhere without seeing print in action. Every business or organization uses print at some level; either to run or grow their business. I feel email and social media marketing has its place but lacks a personal touch or relationship that could be developed. Print solidifies other marketing sources and cements brand recognition. People read, so giving them something to read is the best way to keep them engaged.” What are the biggest rewards of owning your business? Tony Marder: “This is a cashflow business with a lot of upside potential. Cash is certainly king when it comes to owning your business and this one is no different. Personally, I’m in it to help my son secure a future and continue to provide inspiration for the team. I’d like to see us increase what we can give back to our community and find more ways to engage the public.” What advice would you give to other business owners right now? Tony Marder: “Attract and hire people smarter than you, then get out of their way and give them room to shine. Find a mentor who has documented experience with the legal, financial and accounting arenas and do not resist being pushed closer to the fire. Get in there and get it done.” For more information about Minuteman Press in Gastonia, NC, visit https://minuteman.com/us/locations/nc/gastonia/ Learn more about #1 rated Minuteman Press franchise opportunities at https://minutemanpressfranchise.com Contact Details Minuteman Press International Chris Biscuiti +1 631-249-1370 cbiscuiti@mpihq.com Company Website https://minutemanpressfranchise.com

June 02, 2023 10:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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Morey Creative Studios Rebrands as Hypha Development, Unveils Expanded HubSpot Services

Hypha Development

In response to evolving industry trends and societal shifts, Morey Creative Studios, a leading HubSpot Partner Agency, is thrilled to announce its strategic rebranding to Hypha Development. Today’s transformation includes the addition of three innovative service offerings aimed at reshaping the company’s trajectory for the coming decade and beyond. “Over the past couple of years, we’ve seen three distinct trends begin to reshape the landscape around us: the increasing importance of alignment across a company’s tech stack, greater awareness around non-financial metrics as a measure of corporate success, and the rise and improved utility of artificial intelligence (AI),” said Jed Morey, Founder and CEO of Morey Creative Studios, now known as Hypha Development. “As a company guided by its ‘Grow For Good™’ motto, the changes we are announcing today—including three key new offerings—reflect our view that these trends are going to reshape the business world as we know it over the next decade and beyond,” he added. “They also position us to play a fundamental role in helping our clients to survive and thrive in this emerging environment.” Integrations & Implementations Stemming from its close partnership with HubSpot, Hypha Development is capitalizing on the platform‘s move toward the enterprise sector, creating the opportunity for the agency to increase its responsibility, handling everything from client services to implementations and integrations. Having developed an in-house integrations and implementation service, Hypha is now able to manage most HubSpot-related projects independently. “For the past couple of years, we’ve seen more and more companies struggle to extract maximum value from their tech stacks,” explained Jon Sasala, President of Hypha Development. “With an ever-expanding suite of services available both across the HubSpot ecosystem and beyond, we’re delighted to be able to offer the ability to seamlessly connect existing disparate systems, alongside the expertise to offer recommendations on current and future setups for our clients.” Social Impact Reporting Hypha Development recognizes the rising demand for ESG metrics, impact investing, and conscious capitalism, both from businesses and consumers. With deep-rooted expertise in content and narrative crafting, Hypha is launching a social impact reporting service to help clients tell their impact stories, a strategy it sees as the next evolution in content marketing. To support that effort, this week the company released its inaugural social impact report, which examines ways in which it is trying to make a difference in the world, better support its team members, and help other mission-driven organizations succeed. AI & The Future of Marketing The emergence of generative AI tools has reshaped user interaction with technology. Hypha is leaning into this trend by developing a product offering centered around AI for a seamless website experience. Hypha’s vision is to harness closed-loop AI systems that can answer user questions based on specialized, client-specific information produced by its in-house content experts. “We’re building toward a world where consumers expect to interact as fluidly with a website as they would with a customer service or sales rep,” continued Sasala. “While the shifts in human interaction with technology will redefine much of our industry, the need to feed those AI models with informative, expert content represents a massive opportunity for us to leverage our established content marketing expertise in an entirely new way.” Rebranding Announcement Rebranding as Hypha Development represents a natural transition for the organization, which previously changed its name to Morey Creative Studios in 2018. The new corporate identity, combined with its mission to effectuate positive change, will enable the company to help clients succeed in an ever-evolving digital landscape and strategically embrace new technologies. This includes a refreshed brand name, site, and messaging—all unveiled today. The Hypha Development team is looking forward to entering this exciting new chapter, continuing to push boundaries and exceed client expectations. Hypha Development is a purpose-driven, New York-based HubSpot Partner Agency specializing in engineering custom solutions to help B2B organizations big and small generate more leads, increase revenue, and achieve sustainable growth. Contact Details Hypha Development Phil Stott pstott@hyphadev.io Company Website https://www.hyphadev.io/

June 01, 2023 03:50 PM Eastern Daylight Time

Don’t Get Scammed: Tips for Avoiding Fraud After a Natural Disaster

YourUpdateTV

Click to view video accompanying this release: https://youtu.be/YCGvYBaBZes With hurricane and wildfire seasons on the horizon in many parts of the country, damage and loss to homes from these natural disasters can be unavoidable. The National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) is warning those living in areas that could suffer from a natural catastrophe to not only be prepared for the disaster, but to be on guard for fraudulent contractors and vendors who take advantage of victims in the aftermath. Oftentimes, dishonest contractors target neighborhoods affected by disasters and make unsolicited stops at residential properties. They will take homeowners’ money, often overcharge them, and do shoddy or no work at all, promising that the insurance company will pay for it all. Insurance fraud related to natural disasters costs billions of dollars every year, which results in higher premiums for policyholders. In some cases, individual homeowners are on the hook for up to tens of thousands of dollars they may not be able to recover. On Tuesday, May 23rd, NICB President & CEO David J. Glawe conducted a nationwide media tour with TV stations across the country to discuss how to avoid home repair fraud after a natural disaster and many other consumer-friendly topics, as part of the organization’s third annual Contractor Fraud Awareness Week. During the media tour interviews, Glawe discussed: The steps homeowners can and should take prior to a natural disaster and how preparation can help reduce chances of becoming a victim of fraud; The kind of fraud that takes place following disasters while victims are trying to put their homes and lives back together; The best practices for disaster victims when hiring contractors or vendors and tips for avoiding dishonest contractors; The most common methods fraudulent contractors try to scam disaster victims; and The resources available to help homeowners and other disaster victims dishonest contractors or report fraud when they encounter it. Contact Details YourUpdateTV +1 212-736-2727 yourupdatetv@gmail.com

June 01, 2023 03:00 PM Eastern Daylight Time

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Calling All Adventure Seekers: Looking for a heart-pumping adventure in the great outdoors?

YourUpdateTV

From mountain biking to rock climbing to white-water rafting, it might surprise you to learn that Arkansas offers something for every level of adventure seeker. Recently, Travis Napper from Arkansas Tourism and Suzanne Grobmyer from Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage and Tourism conducted a satellite media tour to talk about the hidden gems of Arkansas. A video accompanying this announcement is available at: https://youtu.be/Dsd_giujvvk Outside Magazine recently named Arkansas’ Monument Trails as the best mountain biking destination in the country. Arkansas is a state of visionaries when it comes to outdoor recreation. The State has been blessed with beautiful mountain ranges – from the Ozark Mountains in the north to Pinnacle Mountain in central Arkansas. The Monument Trails are a series of shared-use trails located in various Arkansas state parks. Through a partnership with the Walton Family Foundation, professional trail builders designed and developed the trails with designs that are innovative and sustainable, and that help highlight Arkansas’ beauty. There are trails for beginners and trails for those who are experienced. Arkansas has a collection of world-class, mountain biking routes within four Arkansas State Parks — Mount Nebo State Park, Hobbs State Park, Pinnacle Mountain State Park, and Devil’s Den State Park. The shared-use trails, which were professionally crafted by the world’s best trail builders, showcase Arkansas’s natural beauty and are woven into the beautiful landscape. If you would rather find your adventure on the water, there is plenty of adrenaline-pumping white water rafting in Arkansas. Try Cossatot River State Park and the Class IV rapids of Cossatot Falls. If a leisurely float down the river is more your speed, then you can do that at Cossatot, too. There are few activities more serene and calming than a hike along the 300 miles of trails in Arkansas State Parks. There is no better way to see The Natural State. Petit Jean Mountain State Park offers trails that are rather easy and others that are strenuous. Most everyone can navigate the Cedar Falls Trail, and it is definitely worth the effort because the trail’s end is the stunning 95-foot Cedar Falls Waterfall, which begins behind the breezeway at the park’s historic Mather Lodge. Arkansas is also home to two world-class fine arts museums – Crystal Bridges and Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts. Another reason Arkansas is called The Natural State is the abundance of outstanding lakes and rivers. Arkansas, for instance, is known as one of the premier locations for trout fishing. Record trout are caught at the Little Red River and the White River. The State also has some of the world’s best bass fishing locations. The Buffalo National River is an ideal place for a quiet float. Ready to ride? Arkansas.com is a one-stop resource for all things Arkansas. Travis Napper Bio Travis Napper is the Director of Tourism within the Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage, and Tourism. He is responsible for leading the sales and marketing efforts of the state and oversees the state’s welcome centers. Napper serves on the Board of Mississippi River Country USA(MRC) and Travel South USA. Prior to joining the Arkansas Department of Tourism in 2020, he served as the executive of the Ruston, Louisiana Convention and Visitors Bureau. Napper attended Louisiana Tech University, earning his bachelor’s degree in marketing in 2006 and received his CDME (Certified Destination Management Executive) designation in 2016. Contact Details YourUpdateTV +1 212-736-2727 yourupdatetv@gmail.com

June 01, 2023 02:54 PM Eastern Daylight Time

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Leidos Becomes First Major Prime Contractor to Adopt NCMA Contract Management Standard

National Contract Management Association

Leidos (NYSE: LDOS), a FORTUNE® 500 science and technology leader, today announced its intent to adopt the National Contract Management Association’s (NCMA) Contract Management Standard ™ (CMS™). By adopting this standard, Leidos will align its workforce competency with the standard recently adopted by the federal government and institutions of higher education. With this adoption, Leidos builds on its long-standing commitment to strong customer relationships through standards of professional conduct and common understanding. The company is committed to developing the contract management profession as a meaningful and rewarding career path. This will support practitioners across industry and government who serve the federal mission. “Leidos Contracting is excited to lead the industry in the adoption of the CMS™,” said Kim Denver, Leidos Senior Vice President and Chief Corporate Contracts Executive. “Contract management professionals are paramount to mission success. Through the CMS framework, our tradecraft will be incorporated under one common standard, elevating both federal and industry contract management professionals who are critical to our nation’s success.” “NCMA is pleased to have Leidos join the growing community of CMS™ adopters dedicated to building a stronger bridge between industry and government,” said NCMA Chief Executive Officer Kraig Conrad. “This adoption reinforces Leidos' commitment to the profession; their contract management teams and the missions we serve together.” The U.S. Office of Federal Procurement Policy (OFPP) announced the new classification in a January 19 memo, stating that the CMS™ will become the foundation of a new contracting training system for all civilian agencies effective February 1, 2023. The new Federal Acquisition Certification in Contracting (FAC-C) (Professional) will now align with the Department of Defense framework (DAWIA), which is also based on the CMS™. The American National Standards Institute (ANSI)-approved third edition of the NCMA CMS™ is recognized globally as the preeminent standard in the profession. It serves as the basis for hiring and training frameworks as well as the NCMA’s ANSI National Accreditation Board (ANAB)-accredited Certified Contract Management Associate (CCMA) certification. 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. About Leidos Leidos is a Fortune 500® technology, engineering, and science solutions and services leader working to solve the world’s toughest challenges in the defense, intelligence, civil, and health markets. The company’s 45,000 employees support vital missions for government and commercial customers. Headquartered in Reston, Virginia, Leidos reported annual revenues of approximately $14.4 billion for the fiscal year ended December 30, 2022. For more information, visit www.Leidos.com. ### Certain statements in this announcement constitute “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the rules and regulations of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). These statements are based on management’s current beliefs and expectations and are subject to significant risks and uncertainties. These statements are not guarantees of future results or occurrences. A number of factors could cause our actual results, performance, achievements, or industry results to be different from the results, performance, or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. These factors include, but are not limited to, the “Risk Factors” set forth in Leidos’ Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 30, 2022, and other such filings that Leidos makes with the SEC from time to time. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof. Leidos does not undertake to update forward-looking statements to reflect the impact of circumstances or events that arise after the date the forward-looking statements were made. Contact Details NCMA Holly DeHesa +1 281-865-3296 holly.dehesa@ncmahq.org Company Website https://www.ncmahq.org/

June 01, 2023 07:55 AM Eastern Daylight Time

NAVEX Announces AI-Powered Compliance Assistant

NAVEX Global

NAVEX, the leader in integrated risk and compliance management software, today announced NAVEX Compliance Assistant. The initial release of this new AI-powered functionality will offer instant answers to employee questions regarding company policies and procedures delivered in natural language. This functionality makes an organization’s compliance program more accessible and personal for all employees. As part of the NAVEX One GRC Information System, employees interact with NAVEX Compliance Assistant by asking it questions in their own words. The AI-powered Compliance Assistant then searches through a company’s policies and procedures to present a comprehensive answer to the employee’s inquiry. Compliance Assistant applies Large Language Model (LLM) technology to customer-controlled document sets for maximum relevance and accuracy. NAVEX’s secure cloud infrastructure protects document and data privacy. Rich NAVEX Integration Ensures Ease of Use and Data Security The AI-powered NAVEX Compliance Assistant is seamlessly integrated into NAVEX One People Hub, a unified, simplified way for employees to engage with the compliance program. Through People Hub, employees can conveniently report incidents, confirm policy adherence, complete training and disclose information within a user-friendly interface accessible on mobile devices. With the addition of Compliance Assistant, employees, and other authorized parties, can quickly clarify how to follow specific procedures and policies that apply to them. NAVEX Compliance Assistant offers a range of features tailored to meet the needs of organizations of all sizes, including: Intuitive chat interface: Employees can query the system with natural language questions about a policy or procedure of interest and receive prompt, accurate responses. Multilingual access: Users can ask questions and receive answers in 70 languages. Find relevant policies: Employees can easily search for and access relevant, verified policies and procedures, eliminating time-consuming manual searches or the need to reach out across departments to source an answer. Responsive access anywhere: NAVEX Compliance Assistant is accessible via the web and mobile devices, helping employees access critical compliance information from anywhere. Uncompromising privacy and security: NAVEX is committed to safeguarding all data within the systems it manages, including policy and procedure information and employee queries through Compliance Assistant. “Successful organizations turn governance, risk and compliance management into a competitive advantage. It helps prevent mistakes, motivate employees, and promotes confident decision-making,” said Sean Thompson, Chief Executive Officer at NAVEX. “In my years of experience with natural language user interface technology, incorporating it into a GRC program is one of the most exciting applications. Our new AI-enabled Compliance Assistant makes engaging with the compliance program simpler and more intuitive, which in turn makes employees more confident users of the system.” Expert point of view The adoption of AI-powered technologies to facilitate access to compliance-related information can bring great benefits. “Giving employees the ability to quickly and accurately access company policies and procedures fosters a culture of trust and safety with regards to risk mitigation. It also makes the whole process more efficient," said Darren Bradshaw, Chief Audit and Compliance Officer of Stellantis, a multinational automotive company on a journey of transformation into a sustainable mobility tech organization. Stellantis, as a customer of some NAVEX applications, plans to partner with the company to test the usability of this new application. To learn more about the AI-powered NAVEX Compliance Assistant, visit https://www.navex.com/en-us/products/navex-ethics-compliance/ai-employee-compliance-assistant/. Or, read our blog, “ Artificial Intelligence – The Next Frontier of GRC Management ” on Risk & Compliance Matters. 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 Scott Levesque +1 617-388-5773 scott.levesque@navex.com Company Website https://www.navex.com

May 30, 2023 08:30 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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The National Anti-Corruption Commission Thailand (NACC) collaborates with Bangkok to combat and reduce corruption in 50 Bangkok’s districts through a strong community project

Integrity Way

BANGKOK, THAILAND - Media OutReach - 29 May 2023 - On May 22, 2023, Mr. Niwatchai Kasemmongkol, Secretary General of The National Anti-Corruption Commission Thailand (NACC), and Mr. Chadchat Sitthiphan, Governor of Bangkok, are jointly co-chair over the activities of a seminar to promote the anti-corruption approach and reduce corruption through the STRONG: Together against Corruption (TaC) or "Strong Community Project for Self-Development in accordance with the Sufficiency Economy Philosophy 2023", fiscal year 2023, a project that the NACC has assisted the Bangkok in managing project transparently Along with making a 403 million baht budget worthwhile. "Strong Community Project for Self-Development in accordance with the Sufficiency Economy Philosophy 2023" is a part of Bangkok's developing city policy. Bangkok has a policy to develop the community to be a livable city by using new management principles. It is the principle of public participation, people can think and solve problems by themselves with the support of the government and private sector, which makes it possible to solve problems in the way that people in the community need. It supports the development of quality of life and community to be strong and self-sufficient. The goal of this seminar is to develop an understanding of the fundamentals for preventing possibility fraud risk as well as collaboration between the NACC and Bangkok Anti-Corruption Operation Center to promote corruption prevention in the Bangkok area, with the goal of upgrading Bangkok to be a capital city that transparent, without bribery and all forms of corruption. There is a target group around 600 people, participating events at the Bangkok Room, Irawat Pattana Building, Bangkok Metropolitan Administration, including executives, NACC officials, Bangkok authorities and the board for creating community development plans at the district level 50 districts, each with ten people, who assisted in the process of giving the funds to communities in the Bangkok, 200,00 baht per community. The activities were attended by 2,014 community representatives from the Bangkok area via an electronic meeting (Zoom Webinar). Following the opening ceremony, there was a discussion about "Preventing the Risk of Corruption in the Implementation of the Strong Community Project for Self-Development in accordance with the Sufficiency Economy Philosophy 2023" by "Mr. Teerat Bangpetch, Director of the NACC's Bureau of Promotion and Integration about Anti-Participating in Corruption", "Mr. Sanyakorn Ounmeesri, Director of the Social Development Office", "Mrs. Chonlathorn Duangsawat, Director of Community Development and Economic Promotion Section", "Mr. Paradorn Na Songkhla, Head of Promotion and Development Community 3" and "Mrs. Amphawan Pukdam, Professional Lawyer, Comptroller General's Department, Ministry of Finance" to discuss the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration's process of operation, criteria and regulations for project implementation. Including the procurement regulations under the Public Procurement and Supplies Administration Act. B.E. 2560 (2017). And lead to responses to questions from stakeholders such as community leaders, Bangkok officials and STRONG-mindedness community network about the risk of fraud in some stages of the project or failure to operate in compliance with the legislation. The speakers collaborating to answer questions and provide best advice to participants both in the meeting room and via the electronic conferencing system. NACC's the Bureau of Promotion and Integration of Anti-Participation Promotion Corruption will summarize the results of this seminar and gathering questions and answers from speakers in order to report to the NACC Secretary-General and the Governor of Bangkok, for sharing and using them as a guideline operating for project operator, communities in Bangkok and the STRONG-mindedness community network to utilize as a framework for operating "Strong Community Project for Self-Development in accordance with the Sufficiency Economy Philosophy 2023",of the fiscal year 2023. The National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) The National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) is a constitutional independent organization and supervised by nine commissioners selected from various professions. It is authorized 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. 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. Contact Details The National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) +66 2 528 4800 webmaster@nacc.go.th

May 29, 2023 11:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

Laos Government to Promote Digital Transformation with Blockchain Technology

MetaBank

The Laotian government and blockchain experts held the first Ministerial Conference on Blockchain 4.0 Digital Transformation on May 26, 2023, at the National Convention Center in Vientiane, the capital of Laos. The conference, chaired by Laotian Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone, was attended by leaders from the main economic departments. The meeting primarily discussed how to advance the digital transformation of Laos using digital technology, and for the first time, presented the theory of Blockchain 4.0 to the world, advocating for open collaboration and global co-construction, and boosting Laos' potential to be a builder and beneficiary of the global digital world order through national digital operations. Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone stated that in order to achieve the ninth five-year plan for national economic and social development, Laos must vigorously develop and utilize blockchain technology to digitize various government tasks and apply it extensively to administrative management and public services. The Laotian Minister of Technology, Boveingkham Vongdara, said that Laos faces opportunities and challenges brought about by Industry 4.0 and needs to use blockchain technology to transform production and service methods. To promote the digital transformation of Laos, the Ministry of Technology has signed a cooperation agreement with Singapore's MetaBank, planning to establish a blockchain technology research and development center and develop talents. The conference set goals for Laos's digital economy development, including utilizing digital technology to create new fiscal revenue, increase foreign exchange reserves, reduce inflation, achieve sustainable economic growth, improve living standards, and enhance international competitiveness in the short term. The meeting also proposed the establishment of a Blockchain Technology Transformation Committee, responsible for the legal compliance and legislation related to the digital economy. Experts attending the meeting stated that blockchain technology could help developing countries achieve "leapfrog development". Building a digital nation is divided into four stages: deploying digital infrastructure, deploying cybersecurity infrastructure, supporting the digitalization of various industries, and building a "digital brain". Developing countries should focus on open collaboration, use borderless blockchain technology to attract talents, and create "netizen citizens". Professor Bill Roscoe shared his perspective, asserting that blockchain technology serves as the driving force propelling us towards a digital civilization. How can ordinary people accept or understand the digital world? It needs to be promoted through the introduction of products and services. Specifically, a controllable platform is needed to ensure that citizens, enterprises, and the government abide by laws and regulations. Blockchain can establish a very effective platform and achieve the best balance and integration between different applications and jurisdictions through the integration of new languages and technologies. "Digital civilization is the inevitable path for the future development of society, and blockchain will become the 'cornerstone' of building digital civilization." MetaBank's founder and chairman, Frank Sui, believes that blockchain technology can help developing countries "overtake on a bend". MetaBank's mission is to serve as the leading solution partner for developing countries using blockchain technology, accelerating the transformation of developing countries towards digital civilization, improving the GDP and living standards of developing countries, and building a digital civilization on the three main pillars of digital financial infrastructure, digital asset tokenization platform, and digital society. Blockchain expert Zhu Jiawei believes that the construction of a digital nation has entered the fourth stage. Developing countries should focus on open collaboration, use universal borderless technology, attract technical talents, and create "netizen citizens". When Zhu Jiawei attended the Blockchain 4.0 Conference, he discussed the construction path of a digital nation, which is divided into four levels: (1) deploying digital science and technology infrastructure, (2) deploying physical and cybersecurity facilities to safeguard the development of the digital economy, (3) supporting the digitalization of various industries to keep up with the pace of the times, (4) building a digital brain through artificial intelligence technology to realize intelligent management from cities to national level. D11 Labs co-founder Lily Zhang believes the world is in the midst of the fourth open revolution, with openness, co-construction, sharing, prosperity, and new order as keywords. Laos can use blockchain technology to gain a development advantage and achieve leapfrog development. Laos should become the first country in the world to fully transform digitally, redefine its role in the global order, gain order-setting advantages, and help improve the lives of the Laotian people. The Lao government is determined to transform through blockchain technology, demonstrating the importance of the digital economy. This conference reflects the foresight and determination of the Lao government in the development of the digital economy. The government will play a key leadership role, establish a national digital transformation committee, and promote and supervise the implementation of related policies. Laos welcomes all sectors to participate in the development of the digital economy. In the future, Laos will become a model of blockchain technology application, leading the development of the new digital society. Contact Details Jasmine +65 8302 6504 jasmine@dethings.com Company Website https://www.metabank.com.sg/

May 29, 2023 06:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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Charge Against Berkshire Hathaway Shareholder Dropped

National Legal & Policy Center

Today, Peter Flaherty, Chairman of the National Legal and Policy Center issued the following statement: "The trespassing charge has been dropped, but I never should have been arrested. Nor should I have been handcuffed, fingerprinted, brought to jail, and detained for three hours. Berkshire Hathaway’s silencing of me is an ominous precedent for the rights of shareholders in public companies that cannot be allowed to stand. I did not just wander into the Berkshire shareholders meeting, nor did the incident occur during a question-and-answer session. I was a scheduled speaker, whose name appeared on the agenda, to speak in support of Proposal #8 for an independent chair. The proposal appeared in the proxy and for weeks shareholders had been voting on it. It was the subject of a detailed proxy memo we filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on April 21. As far as I know, the arrest of a shareholder during a proposal presentation has never before occurred at the annual meeting of a public company in the United States. Shareholder activists of the past such as Wilma Soss (the basis for the Carol Burnett “cleaning lady” character) and Evelyn Y. Davis often challenged and certainly annoyed CEOs, but their microphones were never cut and they were certainly never arrested. I have spoken at the annual meetings of dozens of public companies over the past 19 years. My demeanor at the Berkshire meeting was no different from any other. There was no reason to throw me out except that I came too close to the truth. Additional revelations about Bill Gates and Jeffrey Epstein since the meeting confirm the importance of the issue I sought to raise, namely the reputational risk to Berkshire Hathaway by having one individual hold both the Chairman and CEO positions, especially if that person is so closely identified with particular causes and personalities. The whole point of the shareholder proposal process is to allow shareholders critical of management an avenue to change corporate policy. To simply silence and arrest a shareholder who disagrees with management stands the whole concept of having public shareholders on its head. If Warren Buffett thinks that since he owns 15% of Berkshire shares, that he can act with impunity, he is mistaken. Shareholders have rights, and I intend to enforce mine." Founded in 1991, NLPC promotes ethics in public life and government accountability through research, investigation, education, and legal action. Contact Details National Legal and Policy Center Dan Rene +1 202-329-8357 drene@nlpc.org Company Website http://www.nlpc.org

May 24, 2023 10:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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