Tag Archives: Executive Director

White House Press Office

Readout of the President's Meeting with Members of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus

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By The White House

This morning, President Obama met with members of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC) at the White House to discuss a range of important issues facing the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities. The President thanked CAPAC for their work to expand the middle class within AAPI communities and among all Americans, and said that he looks forward to continuing to work with them.

The President stressed that the Administration continues to urge the House to take action to pass commonsense immigration reform that would secure our borders, crack down on illegal employment, offer a path to earned citizenship for undocumented persons, and modernize our legal immigration system so that it once again addresses our needs and reflects our values as a nation. He thanked CAPAC for their ongoing efforts on this important issue and both sides agreed on the need to pass immigration reform now to help grow the economy, create jobs and reduce the deficit. The President urged CAPAC to continue to reach out to their colleagues in the House to find consensus and complete work on this important issue at the earliest possible opportunity. In the coming weeks, members of the Cabinet and Senior Administration officials will stress the economic need for commonsense immigration reform, including highlighting the economic benefits of reform and the high costs of inaction.

The President also said that he was proud of his efforts to make the Executive Branch and the federal judiciary more diverse. CAPAC thanked the President for more than doubling the number of AAPI federal judges currently serving. The President reiterated his commitment to ensuring that his Administration is composed of highly qualified public servants who reflect the diversity of America. CAPAC also thanked the President for the ongoing work of the White House Initiative on AAPIs to better connect AAPI communities to the federal government.

The President also thanked CAPAC for their strong support in passing the Affordable Care Act and discussed the robust ongoing efforts to successfully implement the law. Starting in 2014 nearly 2 million uninsured AAPIs will have new opportunities for coverage through the Health Insurance Marketplace. And, increased funding to community health centers is enabling more AAPIs to receive culturally and linguistically appropriate and accessible care. The President and CAPAC pledged to work together to ensure that all qualified individuals are able to sign up for the Health Insurance Marketplace.

The President was joined at the meeting by Office of Legislative Affairs Director Miguel Rodriguez, Director of Presidential Personnel Jonathan McBride, and Executive Director of the White House Initiative on AAPIs Kiran Ahuja.

A photo of the meeting is available here.

…read more

Source: White House Press Office

News, Politics, Government

3 Lessons Food Companies Can Learn From Social Entrepreneurs

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By Ashoka, Contributor

One panel discussion at Ashoka’s recent Globalizer Summit in Frankfurt, Germany, “Fighting the ‘Hidden Hunger,” brought together stakeholders from various sectors, including funding agencies, agri-businesses, think tanks, nutrition organizations, and social entrepreneurs who were interested in growing a global nutrient economy. Reflecting these diverse backgrounds, the panel included Prof. Dr. Konrad Biesalski, author of the book “The Hidden Hunger;” Bill Carter, Director of Ashoka’s Nutrients for All Initiative; Marc van Ameringen, Executive Director, Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition; Sylvia Banda, Ashoka Fellow and Founder of Sylva Food Solutions, Zambia; as well as Andreas Blüthner, BASF’s Director, Food Fortification & Partnerships. …read more

Source: FULL ARTICLE at Forbes Latest

News, Politics, Government

California Again Leads The Way, This Time With Forest Carbon Offsets

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By Skoll World Forum, Contributor

Editor’s Note: David Rothschild (left) serves as a Principal of the Portfolio Team at the Skoll Foundation and manages a variety of key relationships with funded social entrepreneurs, domain experts, policy makers, corporate partners and co-funders.  Karin Burns (right) serves as Executive Director of Code REDD and advocates for corporate leaders to address climate change by catalyzing the market for REDD verified emissions reductions through both voluntary and compliance carbon markets.  …read more

Source: FULL ARTICLE at Forbes Latest

News, Politics, Government

The Decade of the CIO is Here – The Beyond CIO Series

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By Peter High, Contributor

Tan Chee Hong has the ideal background for the IT executive who would rise to a larger role.  He has an MBA, he was educated on multiple continents, and he has worked on multiple continents, both as a consultant and as a CIO multiple times over.  He was CIO of Jardine Cycle & Carriage when he was plucked by Hong Kong Air Cargo Terminals Limited (Hactl), one of the largest and most sophisticated air cargo terminals in the world, which operates as a gateway for air cargo to and from China. He joined Hactl as Executive Director of Information Services (CIO equivalent) & Operation Development.  He was hired as a CIO-plus at the outset of his timie with the company, which is a rare feat.  No one had ever had that role simultaneously, but in Tan, Hactl had found a rare leader who could connect the dots between creative use of technology to stabilize the operation, and to delight an intricate web of customers and partners.

From: http://www.forbes.com/sites/peterhigh/2013/04/22/the-decade-of-the-cio-is-here-the-beyond-cio-series/

Computers

EU digital rights groups demand net neutrality protection

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More than 80 European digital rights organizations on Wednesday called on the European Commission to do more to protect net neutrality.

The groups, represented by The European Consumer Organization (BEUC) and European Digital Rights (EDRi), are demanding an end to “dangerous experimentation with the functioning of the Internet in Europe.”

The group said in an open letter to the Commission that operators across Europe are violating Internet neutrality particularly in the mobile sector, where they say there is evidence that companies including ISPs are “using technical measures for their own commercial interests and tampering with citizens’ ability to access the Internet.”

“The experimentation by certain European access providers with blocking, filtering and throttling of services creates borders in an online world whose key value is the absence of borders,” said Joe McNamee, Executive Director of EDRi, in a statement demanding that the European Commission put a stop to it.

To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

From: http://www.pcworld.com/article/2035438/eu-digital-rights-groups-demand-net-neutrality-protection.html#tk.rss_all

Articles of Interest

California’s Attack On Boy Scouts Continue

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By Breaking News

Could This Be the Mars Soviet 3 Lander?

SACRAMENTO, Calif., April 11, 2013 /Christian Newswire/ — Senate Bill 323 came one step closer to becoming California law as the bill easily passed out of the California Senate Governance and Finance Committee on a party-line vote. Should SB 323 become law, it would break new ground in using the tax system to punish those who are disliked by LGBT activists.

SB 323 would remove certain State tax exemptions for public charity youth organizations that discriminate on the basis of gender identity, race, sexual orientation, nationality, religion, or religious affiliation.

While the target of this bill is the Boy Scouts (the Committee’s official analysis says “it is clearly aimed at them”), its effects are much wider than that.

According to Karen England, Executive Director of the Capitol Resource Institute, “SB 323 requires that youth sports leagues allow children of any gender to participate on any team. But the State intends to reach beyond the playing field and into locker rooms, showers and bathrooms also. This bill’s prohibition on gender identity discrimination means that a boy claiming gender confusion is permitted to share those facilities with girls. Any attempt at segregation risks a fine in the form of taxes.”

At the Committee hearing, proponents of the new law seemed genuinely angry that California’s various pronouncements about sexuality are not being observed by certain youth organizations. “They seem to believe that the Legislature’s labeling of so many things as discrimination should settle the issue,” said England. “Of course they are wrong on the law and they have misjudged public opinion.”

In the landmark case of Boy Scouts of America, et al. v. Dale, the United States Supreme Court determined that the First Amendment right of “expressive association” trumped the laws of a state dealing with this same type of discrimination. The Boy Scouts were allowed to deny an openly homosexual man a leadership position in a local Scout troop, even though the laws of the State declared such a denial to be impermissible discrimination.

According to England, “The public seems to agree with the Supreme Court. If a mother says she wants to choose the role models for her 12 year-old when sending him to a voluntary club, most of us do not equate her with the racist bent on bringing back segregation. We get it that tolerance is a two way street. And we are a little unnerved by the idea that those who currently hold political power in our State might now use that power to bankrupt any organization that does not agree with them.”

“It is ironic that so many of those who are demanding that individuals be able to marry the one they choose would at the same time deny the right of the individual to simply choose his Scout leader,” said England.

Christian Newswire

Contact: Karen England,
Capitol Resource Institute,
916-212-5607,
Kengland@capitolresource.org

Photo Credit: Hoffman Estates, IL

Related posts:

  1. New Bill Pushes Youth Organizations To Accept LGBT, “Gender Identity” Sacramento, CA—A

    From: http://www.westernjournalism.com/californias-attack-on-boy-scouts-continue/

News, Politics, Government

Dr. Jill Biden Announces Sheila Nix as Chief of Staff

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By The White House

Washington, D.C.—The Office of the Vice President today announced that Sheila Nix, who most recently served as Chief of Staff for Vice President Biden at Obama for America, will serve as Dr. Jill Biden’s new Chief of Staff.

Dr. Biden said: “I am thrilled to have Sheila take on this new role. She’s a terrific leader and I know that her wide-ranging experience, strategic vision, and passion will continue to move us forward.”

Sheila Nix comes to the White House from a broad range of leadership positions, including serving as ONE’s U.S. Executive Director, where she was responsible for ONE’s advocacy, communications, and campaign activities in the United States. Before joining ONE, she was a senior vice president for the Strategy Group, focusing on direct mail strategy and production for presidential, Congressional, and state races.

Nix brings a wealth of experience having worked in federal and state government and politics for more than 20 years. Her public service career includes serving as the first Chief of Staff to Senator Bill Nelson of Florida and serving as Chief of Staff and Legislative Director to Senator Bob Kerrey. She also served as the Budget Director at the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee.

She earned her BSBA in Accounting from Creighton University and her JD from the University of Chicago Law School.

Source: FULL ARTICLE at The White House Press Office

Business, Finance, Occupation & Industry

Dogwood Alliance and International Paper Find Common Ground

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By Business Wirevia The Motley Fool

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Dogwood Alliance and International Paper Find Common Ground


Work to Focus on Forest Conservation in Southeastern United States

MEMPHIS, Tenn.–(BUSINESS WIRE)– International Paper, the world’s largest paper company and Dogwood Alliance, one of the Southern United States leading forest conservation organizations, announced an agreement today that will help advance science based forestry improvements in the world’s largest paper producing region. The former foes will map forests around International Paper‘s southeastern operations to identify whether any endangered forests or high conservation value areas exist. This mapping will help ensure that IP is not sourcing from any endangered forests as per its long-standing company policy and will also identify mutually-agreed upon areas where conservation can be focused. In addition, IP and Dogwood Alliance will work together to discourage the conversion of natural hardwood forests to pine plantations.

This collaboration builds on initiatives recently announced by International Paper. The first is IP‘s membership in the World Wildlife Fund’s Global Forest & Trade Network in North America. Additionally, IP announced a $7.5 million five-year project with the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation to restore and conserve forests in the Coastal Carolinas, Cumberland Plateau and Texas/Arkansas Piney Woods regions. Finally, IP announced an increase in its sourcing of Forest Stewardship Council certified fiber by more than 1.2 million tons during the past five years, and expects to triple that increase by the end of 2014. The company continues to support multiple certification standards as part of its public goal of increasing certified fiber.

“IP has a clear, built in need to maintain healthy forests; our business creates the economic basis for millions of acres of land to remain as forests over long periods of time,” said Teri Shanahan, International Paper‘s vice president of Sustainability. “Engaging with our critics is an important part of our process of continuous improvement. We look forward to working with Dogwood, because it’s clear that, although we approach it from markedly different perspectives, they are as passionate about the forests as we are.”

“IP‘s leadership on FSC certification and its recently-announced commitment to fund conservation in regions that have long been a priority for us opened the door for transitioning our formerly adversarial relationship to one of collaboration,” said Danna Smith, Executive Director of Dogwood Alliance. “We are pleased to work with IP on these initiatives, that, when combined with our collaborative effort, set a

Source: FULL ARTICLE at DailyFinance

Business, Finance, Occupation & Industry

Dow AgroSciences, the Victorian Department of Primary Industries Develop Unique Technology Platform

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By Business Wirevia The Motley Fool

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Dow AgroSciences, the Victorian Department of Primary Industries Develop Unique Technology Platform for the Improvement of Canola and Wheat Varieties

INDIANAPOLIS & MELBOURNE, Australia–(BUSINESS WIRE)– Dow AgroSciences, a wholly owned subsidiary of The Dow Chemical Company (NYS: DOW) , the Department of Primary Industries (DPI) of the State of Victoria, and Sangamo BioSciences, Inc. (NAS: SGMO) , announced today the achievement of a unique state-of-the-art platform for the improvement of canola and wheat varieties.

Researchers from Dow AgroSciences, DPI‘s Biosciences Research Division, and Sangamo BioSciences have completed the development of the EXZACT™ Precision Technology platform for both canola and wheat. Through this collaborative effort, EXZACT™, which Dow AgroSciences has developed under an exclusive license for the use in plants through an agreement with Sangamo BioSciences, has integrated new delivery and analytical technologies into a platform for the efficient and precise development of traits in crops.

“This opens the doors to rapidly improving desired traits by the direct enhancement of the genetics of current commercial varieties and then the breeding of these important crops to make improved varieties,” said Daniel R. Kittle, Ph.D., Vice President, Research and Development of Dow AgroSciences. “The EXZACT™ Precision Technology platform may also facilitate the development of new varieties by the introduction and/or removal of genetic information at very precise and pre-chosen locations in the plant genome for specific trait development. The quality and speed of the development of the EXZACT™ platforms for canola and wheat was only possible because of the dedication and creativity enabled by the close working relationship between our organizations, and we look forward to these efforts being deployed toward the common goal of developing new and improved solutions for these crops.”

The EXZACT™ platform that has been developed will allow crop scientists and plant breeders to make precise improvements to the genetics of canola and wheat that will benefit growers around the world.

“Dow AgroSciences is a global leader in agricultural biotechnology and its commitment to research and development of technology solutions for agriculture makes it an ideal collaboration partner for our DPI scientists,” said Professor German Spangenberg, Executive Director of Biosciences Research in DPI. “The development of this unique technology platform for precision trait improvement in canola and wheat represents a wonderful outcome of these collaborative efforts and combined innovation capacity. Its deployment will lead to enhanced genetics in these major crops of great importance for Australian grain growers.”

Financial details of this transaction were not disclosed.

…read more

Source: FULL ARTICLE at DailyFinance

Business, Finance, Occupation & Industry

Nebraska State Electrical Division Accepts Apprentice Registrations Online

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By Business Wirevia The Motley Fool

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Nebraska State Electrical Division Accepts Apprentice Registrations Online

Electricians in training can now apply for a Nebraska State Apprentice Registration Online!

LINCOLN, Neb.–(BUSINESS WIRE)– The Nebraska State Electrical Division (NSED) announced a new online registration service today for Nebraskans who wish to study as an electrician apprentice.

“With this new online process, individuals are able to submit the application and make payment with a credit card online and receive their confirmation and registration number immediately. They will then receive the registration card in the mail in the amount of time it takes the post office to deliver it. Employees and employers will benefit greatly by this faster process by being able to prove registration and get to work sooner,” said Randy Anderson, Executive Director of NSED.

Previously, in order to study or practice as an electrician, individuals would need to register with NSED by mail or in person. This online process cuts the wait time of receiving your registration number from 1 week to minutes once you submit online.

One motivation to launch this service online is to direct people online as opposed to the NSED office as they will be moving to a new location in downtown Lincoln. The division recognizes that it may take more time to find parking and a stop to the office to handle registration, license, renewal and permit requests could become more difficult. “We are working hard to get as many services online as possible. Our partnership with Nebraska.gov is making this possible and we have received very positive feedback from individuals that use our online services,” adds Randy.

This new service is offered on the NSED website; http://nebraska.gov/license_application/index.cgi and is available 24 hours a day.

NSED provides many other online services including:

Users can find out more about online …read more

Source: FULL ARTICLE at DailyFinance

Articles of Interest

Phipps New Center For Sustainable Landscapes Is One Of World’s Greenest Conservatories (VIDEO)

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By The Huffington Post News Editors

HuffPost Live’s Mike Sacks spoke recently with Richard V. Piacentini, Executive Director of the Phipps New Center For Sustainable Landscapes.

They explore the sustainability model that is the first building in the world to meet three of the highest green standards: the Living Building Challenge, LEED Platinum and Sustainable Sites Initiative SITES certification for landscapes.

Read More…
More on Video

…read more

Source: FULL ARTICLE at Huffington Post

Business, Finance, Occupation & Industry

US Pension Fund Fitness Tracker: Funded Status of Plans Improves in First Quarter of 2013

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By Business Wirevia The Motley Fool

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US Pension Fund Fitness Tracker: Funded Status of Plans Improves in First Quarter of 2013

CHICAGO–(BUSINESS WIRE)– The UBS Global Asset Management US Pension Fund Fitness Tracker found that the typical US pension plan’s funding ratio increased by nearly five percentage points during the first quarter of 2013, rising to 82%.

“Similar to the first quarters of the past two years, the first quarter of 2013 has been quite favorable for US pension plans,” said Jodan Ledford, an Executive Director within UBS’s Retirement and Advisory Solutions group. “Sponsors that have already adopted pension risk management frameworks were able to lock in funding ratio improvements over the quarter. Many sponsors that have not adopted a risk management program may want to consider derisking a portion of their plans to preserve the improvement in funding ratio experienced over the first quarter.”

The increase in funding ratio for the quarter was primarily driven by two factors:

• Equity markets were strongly positive over the quarter. The fiscal sequestration in the US and political uncertainty in Italy were not enough to derail the strong upward move in equity markets. Fixed income assets were mostly down, with slight decreases across credit bonds outperforming declines in both the US government bond markets and international government bonds. Cumulatively, aggregate performance of the capital markets led to an increase of nearly 4.7% on a typical US pension plan’s assets.

• Underperforming asset returns, liability values fell 1.6% over the quarter. US Treasury yields increased, while credit spreads widened only 1 basis point (bps); the net result led to discount rates increasing over the quarter, which, in turn, led to declines in liabilities. For the quarter, pension discount rates are estimated to have increased by approximately 10 to 15 bps.

For the quarter, a typical plan’s asset pool returned approximately 4.7%, based on the average corporate plan’s reported asset allocation weightings from the UBS Global Asset Management Pension 500 Database and publicly available benchmark information.

In the first quarter, global markets were mainly driven by activities emanating from the US and Europe. Absent any overarching story, emerging markets have been slightly more fragmented and directionless. Risky asset classes, including lower-quality assets, have experienced an impressive rally based on positive global sentiment and a sharp repricing of risk premia. US stocks reached levels last seen in 2007, as the Chicago Board Options Exchange Market Volatility Index (VIX) index also returned to 2007 levels. In a string of positive news, US home sales expanded at their strongest pace …read more

Source: FULL ARTICLE at DailyFinance

Business, Finance, Occupation & Industry

Columbus McKinnon Appoints Lawrence Gavin as Executive Director and Chief Procurement Officer

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By Business Wirevia The Motley Fool

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Columbus McKinnon Appoints Lawrence Gavin as Executive Director and Chief Procurement Officer

AMHERST, N.Y.–(BUSINESS WIRE)– Columbus McKinnon Corporation (NAS: CMCO) , (the “Company”), a leading designer, manufacturer and marketer of material handling products, announced today the appointment of Lawrence Gavin, CPSM, C.P.M. as Executive Director and Chief Procurement Officer. In his role, Mr. Gavin will be responsible for oversight of the Company’s global purchasing program and will work closely with stakeholders around the world to drive Columbus McKinnon Procurement and Global Sourcing performance.

Mr. Gavin, a member of the Company’s Executive Committee, recently joined Columbus McKinnon after serving as Procurement Director for Navistar International. Mr. Gavin has led procurement transformations in Europe, Asia and North America for Navistar, Delphi and General Motors, where he played a key role in the successful implementation of Global Category Teams, numerous product launches and the operation of Business Unit Procurement Teams.

Mr. Gavin, a Six Sigma green belt recipient, has a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology and an MBA in Finance from Kent State University.

About Columbus McKinnon

Columbus McKinnon is a leading worldwide designer, manufacturer and marketer of material handling products, systems and services, which efficiently and ergonomically move, lift, position and secure materials. Key products include hoists, cranes, actuators and rigging tools. The Company is focused on commercial and industrial applications that require the safety and quality provided by its superior design and engineering know-how. Comprehensive information on Columbus McKinnon is available on its website at http://www.cmworks.com.

Gary Krypel
Marketing Communications Manager
Columbus McKinnon Corporation
716-689-5563
gary.krypel@cmworks.com
or
Investor Relations:
Deborah K. Pawlowski
Kei Advisors LLC
716-843-3908
dpawlowski@keiadvisors.com

KEYWORDS:   United States  North America  New York

INDUSTRY KEYWORDS:

The article Columbus McKinnon Appoints Lawrence Gavin as Executive Director and Chief Procurement Officer originally appeared on Fool.com.

Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us …read more
Source: FULL ARTICLE at DailyFinance

Business, Finance, Occupation & Industry

SapientNitro's David Thorpe Joins UK Government Digital Service as Deputy Director of Digital Policy

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By Business Wirevia The Motley Fool

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SapientNitro’s David Thorpe Joins UK Government Digital Service as Deputy Director of Digital Policy

BOSTON & LONDON–(BUSINESS WIRE)– SapientNitro, part of Sapient (NAS: SAPE) , today announced that David Thorpe has been named to the United Kingdom’s Cabinet Office as Deputy Director of Digital Policy in the Government Digital Service (GDS) team. Thorpe will maintain his affiliation with SapientNitro as Vice President, Strategy and Analysis, while serving his native government during this prestigious term.

The one-year secondment is part of the UK government‘s Commercial Interchange Program, designed to facilitate the exchange of skills and knowledge with the private sector. Thorpe’s work will support the Government Digital Strategy of transforming its services to become “digital by default” and will contribute to its Civil Service Reform Plan.

He reports to Mike Bracken, Executive Director of GDS.

“We are delighted to welcome David to the team, as he brings deep expertise in innovative business strategy and shares our mission to drive ‘digital by default’ standards across government,” said Bracken. “David was a natural choice based on his tremendous experience in helping public and private sector organizations to understand and adapt to complex changes in their business environments. That’s the kind of strategic expertise and drive we need to affect meaningful reform of the UK civil service.”

GDS, part of the UK Cabinet Office, is dedicated to creating digital government services that are so good that citizens prefer to use them. Thorpe joins a team recently described by Tim O’Reilly, founder of O’Reilly Media, as “the best team working in digital in government in the world.”

Added Thorpe: “It’s a privilege to work every day with a team that is breaking new ground in the design of world-class digital services. Governments everywhere need to be asking, ‘how can we empower and serve citizens better?’ The work at GDS is fundamentally rewriting the social contract between government and citizens by focusing on the evolving needs of the always-on user.”

Thorpe joined SapientNitro from the Institute of State Effectiveness, where he focused on models of governance, security, and market building. His prior agency experience includes tenures as partner and global lead at Ogilvy & Mather and Young & Rubicam. Thorpe also has held senior positions at The New Yorker andRandom House. He serves on the advisory board of the Rockefeller Foundation’s NYC Cultural Innovation Fund and is a senior fellow at the Aspen Institute.

“It is thinkers, …read more
Source: FULL ARTICLE at DailyFinance

Business, Finance, Occupation & Industry

Terra Tech Corp. Taps Former Executive Director of the FDA for Advisory Board

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By Business Wirevia The Motley Fool

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Terra Tech Corp. Taps Former Executive Director of the FDA for Advisory Board

IRVINE, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)– Terra Tech Corp. (OTCBB:TRTC), a leader in sustainable agricultural products, is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Ronald Hart to the company’s Advisory Board.

Dr. Hart is an internationally recognized scientist, scholar and expert in business acceleration strategies for emerging growth companies. He is the former Chief Scientist and Executive Director of the FDA‘s National Center for Toxicology Research and was the first person in the history of the FDA to be named distinguished scientist in residence. In addition, he was an author of the Federal Technology Transfer Act of 1986.

“Dr. Hart’s broad and accomplished background is a significant asset for Terra Tech,” explains Derek A. Peterson, CEO of Terra Tech. “It’s rare you find someone who is both an academic and an operator, we are humbled to have his experienced guidance to help steer our company.”

Dr. Hart has received over two dozen national and international awards and recognition for his scientific contributions, including the Karl August Forester Preis from the German Academy of Science and Literature, the Bose Medal from the Bose Institute of India, and appointments as Distinguished Professor at a number of institutes, including Cairo University and Guangzhou University.

“Companies like Terra Tech are helping find sustainable solutions to feeding our expanding global population,” said Dr. Hart. “It is crucial our global society invest in these types of technologies in an effort to mitigate what could become a global food shortage in the coming decades.”

Terra Tech a pioneer in indoor controlled agriculture equipment is integrating the best of the natural world with technology to create sustainable solutions for food production, indoor cultivation, as well as agricultural research and development. Terra Tech is moving into the production of hydroponically grown produce in an effort to capture market share of what they see as the upcoming urban agricultural movement.

Dr. Hart has served on the boards and advisory committees of the National Academy of Science, including as Chairman of the Committee on Indoor Air. In addition, he has served on the editorial boards of more than a dozen professional journals, has authored or co-authored over 600 scientific publications, and has served as editor for six scientific volumes. Dr. Hart serves either as a director or as a strategic advisor to public and private companies, including: Guided Therapeutics, St. Renatus, Global Technology Deployment Fund, Ice Energy, and SNTech. Dr. Hart received his Ph.D. in physiology and biophysics from the …read more
Source: FULL ARTICLE at DailyFinance

White House Press Office

Executive Order — Establishment of the Presidential Commission of Election Administration

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By The White House

EXECUTIVE ORDER

– – – – – – –

ESTABLISHMENT OF THE PRESIDENTIAL COMMISSION
ON ELECTION ADMINISTRATION

By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, and in order to promote the efficient administration of Federal elections and to improve the experience of all voters, it is hereby ordered as follows:

Section 1. Establishment. There is established the Presidential Commission on Election Administration (Commission).

Sec. 2. Membership. (a) The Commission shall be composed of not more than nine members appointed by the President. The members shall be drawn from among distinguished individuals with knowledge about or experience in the administration of State or local elections, as well as representatives of successful customer service-oriented businesses, and any other individuals with knowledge or experience determined by the President to be of value to the Commission.

(b) The President shall designate two members of the Commission to serve as Co-Chairs.

Sec. 3. Mission. (a) The Commission shall identify best practices and otherwise make recommendations to promote the efficient administration of elections in order to ensure that all eligible voters have the opportunity to cast their ballots without undue delay, and to improve the experience of voters facing other obstacles in casting their ballots, such as members of the military, overseas voters, voters with disabilities, and voters with limited English proficiency.

In doing so, the Commission shall consider as appropriate:

(i) the number, location, management, operation, and design of polling places;

(ii) the training, recruitment, and number of poll workers;

(iii) voting accessibility for uniformed and overseas voters;

(iv) the efficient management of voter rolls and poll books;

(v) voting machine capacity and technology;

(vi) ballot simplicity and voter education;

(vii) voting accessibility for individuals with disabilities, limited English proficiency, and other special needs;

(viii) management of issuing and processing provisional ballots in the polling place on Election Day;

(ix) the issues presented by the administration of absentee ballot programs;

(x) the adequacy of contingency plans for natural disasters and other emergencies that may disrupt elections; and

(xi) other issues related to the efficient administration of elections that the Co-Chairs agree are necessary and appropriate to the Commission's work.

(b) The Commission shall be advisory in nature and shall submit a final report to the President within 6 months of the date of the Commission's first public meeting.

Sec. 4. Administration. (a) The Commission shall hold public meetings and engage with Federal, State, and local officials, technical advisors, and nongovernmental organizations, as necessary to carry out its mission.

(b) In carrying out its mission, the Commission shall be informed by, and shall strive to avoid duplicating, the efforts of other governmental entities.

(c) The Commission shall have a staff, headed by an Executive Director, which shall provide support for the functions of the Commission.

Sec. 5. Termination. The Commission shall terminate 30 days after it presents its final report to the President.

Sec. 6. General Provisions. (a) To the extent permitted by law, and subject to the availability of appropriations, the General Services Administration shall provide the Commission with such administrative services, funds, facilities, staff, …read more
Source: White House Press Office

Business, Finance, Occupation & Industry

Washington Community and Technical College System Picks Ciber to Deploy and Manage Oracle ERP Soluti

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By Business Wirevia The Motley Fool

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Washington Community and Technical College System Picks Ciber to Deploy and Manage Oracle ERP Solution at 34 Colleges

GREENWOOD VILLAGE, Colo.–(BUSINESS WIRE)– Ciber has been chosen to implement and maintain Oracle Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) applications that will modernize computing and processes at all 34 campuses of the Washington State Board of Community & Technical Colleges (SBCTC) system. In a competitive bid, Ciber worked with the Oracle license sales team and will deploy Oracle’s PeopleSoft Campus Solutions, PeopleSoft Human Capital Management, PeopleSoft Financial Management, Oracle Business Intelligence Enterprise Edition and Oracle Hyperion Enterprise Performance Management applications at SBCTC. Ciber will provide its expert application hosting and managed services for the duration of the project.

Called ctcLink, the system project replaces a 30-year-old legacy solution and unites all campuses under a common computing platform, which facilitates standardization. Automation will enable replacement of labor-intensive manual processes, providing for significant leaps in efficiency.

Convenience will improve, as well. Students, faculty and staff associated with multiple campuses will have a single online ID and common set of processes to navigate.

The five-year contract is one of Ciber’s largest engagements to date. Instrumental in Ciber’s selection as the SBCTC implementation and managed services partner was the consulting company’s extensive experience in the higher education market and Oracle expertise. Ciber is a Platinum-level member of Oracle PartnerNetwork (OPN), and the company has completed more than 2,000 separate engagements helping some 1,000 clients leverage Oracle applications. Many of those engagements were within the higher education realm, as Ciber has implemented applications at more than 200 institutions in the United States and Canada.

“This opportunity leverages some of Ciber’s greatest strengths: higher education background, Oracle expertise and managed services delivery,” said Mike Dillon, Ciber’s higher education vice president and Oracle practice leader. “We’re gratified to have earned this contract despite competition from heavy hitters in the industry.”


About SBCTC

The State Board for Community and Technical Colleges (SBCTC) is led by a nine-member Governor-appointed board responsible for administering the Community and Technical College Act and providing leadership and coordination for Washington’s system of 34 public community and technical colleges. The SBCTC is headquartered in Olympia with offices in Spokane (eLearning) and Bellevue (IT division). Under the direction of the Executive Director, the SBCTC deploys its services to the colleges and other stakeholders …read more
Source: FULL ARTICLE at DailyFinance

Business, Finance, Occupation & Industry

Time Warner Cable Business Class Opens Data Center in Manhattan to Help Businesses Protect Their Inf

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By Business Wirevia The Motley Fool

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Time Warner Cable Business Class Opens Data Center in Manhattan to Help Businesses Protect Their Information Technology Assets


Data Center Enables Businesses to Locate Their IT Assets in Secure High-Tech Facility

NEW YORK–(BUSINESS WIRE)– Time Warner Cable Business Class, a premier provider of business communications solutions, today officially opened a data center in New York City to provide businesses with a secure facility for their information technology assets. The 17,000 square-foot facility is located at 395 Hudson Street in Lower Manhattan and offers flexible space options to serve the needs of businesses of all sizes.

“Information technology is the lifeblood of any business and protecting these assets in a secure data center is a high priority in today’s business world,” said Ken Fitzpatrick, President of Time Warner Cable Business Class, East Region. “We are pleased to offer the business community this data facility to serve all their colocation needs. Our data facility gives IT managers the peace of mind that their assets are safe, accessible and available to ensure their businesses operate optimally.”

The data center is designed to meet the needs of enterprise, small-and medium-sized businesses, as well as governmental and educational entities, seeking to manage their IT infrastructure with efficiency, security and redundancy. Doing so ensures that critical data operations perform uninterrupted and at the highest level of performance.

New York State Senator Brad Hoylman said, “As the State Senator representing the heart of New York City’s rapidly-expanding tech sector, I’m proud to welcome this Time Warner Cable Business Class data center to my district. Access to secure data centers is increasingly important for large and small businesses, and I think Time Warner Cable‘s center will help serve as a catalyst for continued growth in the IT industry, which is key to our city’s economic future.”

“It’s exciting that Time Warner Cable Business Class recognizes the need for more secure data center space in New York City and has built this impressive colocation facility,” said Erik Grimmelmann, Executive Director of the New York Technology Council (NYTECH), a non-profit industry association dedicated to the furtherance of the technology industry in New York. “Not only is technology an important and rapidly growing sector in New York‘s economy, but it is also an essential component of the businesses in all sectors.”

Highlights and features of …read more
Source: FULL ARTICLE at DailyFinance

Articles of Interest

FCC Could Crackdown On Phone Companies ‘Price Gouging’ Inmates For Calls

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By The Huffington Post News Editors

The Federal Communications Commission is weighing whether to cap the amount phone companies can charge prison inmates for calls to their friends and families.

This week, the civil rights group Color Of Change delivered more than 25,000 public comments to the FCC urging the commission to stop what it calls “price gouging” inmates and their loved ones. The FCC is considering a proposal that would keep prison calls in line with what the general public pays.

“Indefensible price gouging for basic communication is a fact of life for millions of American families with loved ones who are currently incarcerated,” Rashad Robinson, Executive Director of ColorOfChange.org, said in a news release. “They’re a captive audience for the phone service providers awarded monopoly contracts by prison operators, and are accordingly charged 15 times — or more — than regular phone rates.”

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Source: FULL ARTICLE at Huffington Post