All posts by imreal

Business: Executives

Dynam.AI Appoints AI Innovation Leader Dr. Michael Zeller as CEO

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SAN DIEGO (PRWEB)

Dynam.AI, a leading provider of end-to-end artificial intelligence (AI) solutions for organizations across sectors, announced today the appointment of Dr. Michael Zeller as CEO, effective September 1. Dr. Zeller comes to Dynam.AI with over 15 years of experience leading artificial intelligence and machine learning organizations to business expansion and technical success.

“We are excited to welcome Michael Zeller to the Dynam.AI team and feel that his leadership will be an added accelerant to business growth,” stated Andreas Roell, Dynam.AI chairman. “Dynam.AI has proven itself the go-to organization when prediction accuracy is of utmost importance, and Dr. Zeller is the ideal person to take that technical foundation and drive growth.”

Before joining Dynam.AI, Dr. Zeller led innovation in artificial intelligence for global software leader Software AG, where his vision was to help organizations deepen and accelerate insights from big data through the power of machine learning. Previously, he was CEO and co-founder of Zementis, a leading provider of software solutions for predictive analytics acquired by Software AG. Dr. Zeller is a member of the Executive Committee of ACM SIGKDD, the premier international organization for data science and also serves on the Board of Directors of Tech San Diego. He is an advisory board member at Analytics Ventures, Dynam.AI’s founding venture studio.

“As AI takes center stage as a competitive differentiator across virtually all industries, even sophisticated organizations struggle to develop and deploy complex machine learning solutions,” said Dr. Zeller. “I am excited to join the Dynam.AI team because it is uniquely positioned to support clients end-to-end. Our vision is to serve as a trusted partner, from initial data science exploration through the development of advanced deep learning algorithms and, ultimately, leading to rapid operational deployment and enterprise integration. Only then will AI live up to its full potential and deliver true business value.”

For those interested in learning more about Dynam.AI, they will be exhibiting at the O’Reilly, AI Conference at the San Jose Convention Center, September 11-12 in Booth K1.

About Dynam.AI

Dynam.AI provides businesses across the globe with platform-enabled AI solutions built to up-level any organization in any industry. Dynam.AI’s detection, forecasting, and optimization solutions have emerged from years of intensive research and development by a team of world-leading AI scientists, physicists, and engineers. Empowered by their suite of proprietary algorithms and open-source AI-enabled solutions, Dynam.AI is uniquely able to tackle specific business needs, all while setting the industry standard in precision and accuracy. Dynam.AI is a portfolio company of Analytics Ventures, a fund dedicated to creating and building transformative venture companies that harness the power of artificial intelligence to deliver global impact. Visit http://dynam.ai/ to learn more.

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Science: Biology

Using Precision Engineering to Streamline Manufacturing of Next-Generation Cellular Therapies

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https://www.prweb.com/

Draper’s new cell therapy manufacturing system can help bio-manufacturers expand patient access and drive down the costs for CAR T-cell therapies.

“Current methods for modifying genes for cellular therapies are expensive, time consuming to use, difficult to scale and limited in the kinds of genetic material that can be delivered. We believe scientists can do better.” Jenna Balestrini, Head of Precision Medicine & Cell Bioprocessing, Draper.


CAMBRIDGE, Mass. (PRWEB)

A promising new treatment for cancer patients has received approval from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, paving the way for more patients to get the treatment known as CAR T-cell therapy. While this decision will likely expand access, particularly for some lymphoma and leukemia patients, treatment remains prohibitively expensive, prompting some patients to opt for experimental rather than proven therapies.

Why the high cost? “We call it a bioprocessing bottleneck, and it threatens to hinder both patient access to these life-saving therapies and slow advancement of many other therapies,” said Jenna Balestrini, Ph.D., Head of Precision Medicine and Cell Bioprocessing at Draper.

Balestrini works in Draper’s Biomedical Solutions group, which develops technologies to enable automated cellular therapy manufacturing, like those for CAR T-cell therapy. “Current methods for modifying genes for cellular therapies are expensive, time consuming to use, difficult to scale and limited in the kinds of genetic material that can be delivered,” she said. “We believe we as scientists can do better.”

Draper’s Vishal Tandon, Ph.D., agrees. Tandon is leading development of new devices for gene modification that use electroporation instead of viral vectors to deliver genes to a patient’s cells. “Our team has designed a microfluidic electroporation platform that enables precise, controlled gene delivery in T-cells and is capable of processing billions and potentially trillions of cells in about an hour.”

Draper recently tested the system and published the results in the journal Lab on a Chip.

The paper describes a proof-of-concept microfluidic system that combines two unit operations used in cell-therapy manufacturing in an automatic, continuous-processing format. The first unit exchanges cells from growth media into electroporation media using acoustophoresis induced by ultrasonic excitation, a process normally requiring centrifugation. The second unit delivers genes via continuous-flow electrotransfection.

Draper tested the system on human T cells (the type of cell used for CAR T-cell therapy) by automatically moving them from growth media to electroporation media, and then transfecting them with genetic material in the form of mRNA. The authors achieved a continuous media exchange, while maintaining high transfection efficiency with almost no negative impact on cell viability. In recent applications, Draper’s electroporation modules have delivered more than 90% mRNA transfection efficiency without reducing viability and demonstrated delivery of other payloads, including RNPs, pDNA and proteins in both resting and activated T cells.

The systems are fabricated from hard plastic substrates, supporting a path toward large-scale manufacturing of disposable units for clinical use.

The paper’s authors, all from Draper, are Peter Hsi, Rebecca J. Christianson, Ryan A. Dubay, Charles A. Lissandrello, Balestrini and Tandon.

The system is part of an integrated portfolio of resources at Draper intended to help produce next-generation cell therapies and increase patient access to these solutions. The portfolio includes Draper’s Acoustic Enrichment Module, a microfluidic system that offers precision control of flow to optimize purity of lymphocytes collected; Draper’s Microfluidic Electroporation Module, a system that improves transfection efficiency and control without compromising cell viability or throughput; and Draper’s Microfluidic Transduction Module, which can effectively transduce higher numbers of cells by colocalizing cells with vector.

Draper

At Draper, we believe exciting things happen when new capabilities are imagined and created. Whether formulating a concept and developing each component to achieve a field-ready prototype or combining existing technologies in new ways, Draper engineers apply multidisciplinary approaches that deliver new capabilities to customers. As a not-for-profit engineering innovation company, Draper focuses on the design, development and deployment of advanced technological solutions for the world’s most challenging and important problems. We provide engineering solutions directly to government, industry and academia; work on teams as prime contractor or subcontractor; and participate as a collaborator in consortia. We provide unbiased assessments of technology or systems designed or recommended by other organizations—custom designed, as well as commercial-off-the-shelf.

http://www.draper.com

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Society: Christianity

See How Everyone Can Find Their Purpose in The Legend of Theodore E. Bear

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“They always remembered … the night they made the teddy bear. So hold on to your bear when you need that big hug. You can cry into his fur, hold him tightly when scared, drag him through the mud or drop him in the dust and, just like Teddy, his smile never wavers and his love never dims.”


DALLAS (PRWEB)

The Legend of Theodore E. Bear, a heartwarming fiction book written by Annette L. Parkhurst, tells of the creation of the very first teddy bear and the inspiration for this iconic children’s toy. While the story is a riveting bedtime tale, its subtext conveys a deeper meaning regarding one’s God-given purpose. Regardless of our different origins and personalities, the Lord has a great plan for everyone, and it is up to us if and when we answer His call. Theodore fulfilled his God-given purpose to the best of his ability and obeyed God’s commands throughout his life. God expresses His pleasure in Teddy’s dedication and entrusts him with one more task. The story demonstrates how God provides the wisdom and the skills necessary to fulfill His purposes for those who follow the Lord. By God’s grace & wisdom, His children can participate in God’s plan and delight in His presence each day. Annette’s story was originally inspired by Proverbs 8:30-31 and paints a picture of the mutual delight between God and his creation.

“I am going to fashion a bear stuffed with huggable fluff,” God shares His plans with the protagonist after watching him fulfill his role as a protector and playmate of children, generation after generation. “I want him to have wise eyes to watch over babies and children, ears to listen to little ones’ secrets, and just enough ferociousness to growl away thunder and monsters in the middle of the night.”

Similar to how God created and entrusted the teddy bear with caring for His children and being their companion, each of us was given a purpose long before we were born. We may not know what it is we are meant to do at first, and while some actively avoid seeking God’s plan, or are hindered from His plan, others do keep seeking, ultimately finding what God has for them. As in the case of Theodore E. Bear, who cared for and protected the children of the forest all his life, we all have what it takes to be God’s instrument in spreading the Good News of His unconditional love.

The author wrote about God and Theodore E. Bear working together to create the first stuffed bear because the latter was too old to continue playing with children and needed to rest. “They always remembered with special joy the night they made the teddy bear. So hold on to your bear when you need that big hug. You can cry into his fur, hold him tightly when scared, drag him through the mud or drop him in the dust and, just like Teddy, his smile never wavers and his love never dims.”

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Technology: Computer

Liberty IT Solutions Awarded $2MM Real Time Location System (RTLS) Enterprise Systems Engineering (ESE) Sustainment Task Order

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HERNDON, Va. (PRWEB)

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has awarded Liberty IT Solutions, LLC with the Real Time Location System (RTLS) Enterprise Systems Engineering (ESE) Sustainment task order. RTLS ESE is a 36-month, $2 million task order in which Liberty will deliver software maintenance lifecycle support patches that address RTLS ESE corrective, preventative, adaptive, and perfective maintenance requirements. Liberty has partnered with Perspecta on this task order.

Bill Greene, CEO of Liberty, says of the win: “The sustainment of the RTLS ESE interfaces is an important task that Liberty is looking forward to working on alongside VA and Perspecta. We are excited to sustain this key initiative that aligns with our goal to maintain a higher standard of Health IT for Veterans.”

RTLS works by integrating independent systems together. These systems collectively enable RTLS to serve as a means for tracking equipment, supplies, and patients inside VA medical facilities. The RTLS ESE interfaces transfer and transpose data between RTLS and Veterans Information Systems and Technology Architecture (VistA) for assets, patients, and employees. These interfaces support hospital business functions including: searching employee and patient data, inventory supply synchronization, and equipment synchronization. Liberty will maintain and support these interfaces with the help and expertise of Perspecta, the contractor responsible for designing, developing, and deploying the original RTLS ESE interfaces.

About Liberty IT Solutions

Liberty IT Solutions provides transformative services and support to multiple government agencies across a diverse portfolio of Health IT projects. Our team believes that lines of code can change lives and is driven to enable that to happen more often, more securely and more efficiently.

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Technology: Electronics

Christie Proudly Sponsors Toronto International Film Festival for 19th year

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“Christie is dedicated to creating the world’s best shared experiences and our TIFF sponsorship is truly emblematic of this vision.”


TORONTO (PRWEB)

Christie® is proudly supporting the Toronto International Film Festival® as the Official Digital Projection Partner for the 19th consecutive year. The event runs September 5-15 and, for the first time, all major Festival sites – including The Visa Screening Room at the Princess of Wales Theatre, Elgin Theatre, Roy Thomson Hall, Ryerson Theatre, and the Winter Garden Theatre will be equipped with Christie 4K projection.

Christie’s ongoing sponsorship has seen the evolution in projection technology from film projection to digital, and now the step up to 4K throughout major Festival venues. Films will be screened using Christie Solaria 2K and 4K projectors, part of an award-winning line-up of digital cinema projection solutions.

“Throughout TIFF’s long-standing partnership with Christie, they have remained committed to high levels of technical service combined with outstanding technological achievement,” said Diane Cappelletto, Director, Technical Production Services, Toronto International Film Festival. “These values and priorities align with TIFF and we are delighted to work together to bring a unique viewing experience to our audiences.”

“Christie is dedicated to creating the world’s best shared experiences and our TIFF sponsorship is truly emblematic of this vision. We want to bring the best movie-going experience to Festival audiences,” says Arlonna Seymour, senior director, Corporate Marketing, Christie. “Throughout Christie’s 90-year history, our success has been our strong relationships with our partners and customers. TIFF’s confidence in Christie to deliver an unparalleled experience for nearly two decades is much valued.”

The 2019 Official Selection features 20 Gala Presentations and 55 Special Presentations. World premieres include “A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood” starring Tom Hanks as the beloved Mr. Rogers and “The Goldfinch,” based on the 2014 Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by Donna Tartt and starring Nicole Kidman and Luke Wilson. “Once Were Brothers: Robbie Robertson and The Band” opens the Festival in a Gala Presentation at Roy Thomson Hall.

Christie’s long-standing commitment to the film industry has resulted in more than 60,000 cinema installations with over 10 million screenings globally, and it is credited with introducing digital projection technologies that set the stage for the modern movie theatre. Its suite of cinema solutions includes RGB pure laser projection and immersive audio solutions.

Christie is a proud sponsor of film festivals around the world including Cannes and Shanghai International Film Festival.

About Christie®

Christie Digital Systems USA, Inc. is a global visual and audio technologies company and is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Ushio, Inc., Japan, (JP:6925). Consistently setting the standards by being the first to market some of the world’s most advanced projectors and complete system displays, Christie is recognized as one of the most innovative visual technology companies in the world. From retail displays to Hollywood, mission critical command centers to classrooms and training simulators, Christie display solutions and projectors capture the attention of audiences around the world with dynamic and stunning images. Visit http://www.christiedigital.com.

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Society: Social Services

Make a Difference on World Senior Citizen’s Day

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OMAHA, Neb. (PRWEB)

Today we celebrate World Senior Citizen’s Day, a holiday that should inspire us to do something for an older adult in our life and remind us to make seniors a priority not only today, but every day.

“If not for our older loved ones, we would not have the opportunities we have today,” said Lakelyn Hogan, gerontologist and caregiver advocate for Home Instead. “They have paved the way for us and we need to show our seniors how much we appreciate, respect and admire them.”

There are countless ways to show your appreciation and respect for older loved ones or other seniors in your area. Whether spending time with an aging family member or offering to help a neighbor with household chores, even a small act can make a meaningful impact. Be as creative as you want in finding something that will have meaning to that person.

To make a difference in your community, Home Instead recommends making a personal commitment to at least one of the following activities:


  • Reconnect with a long-distance loved one. Staying in touch when living apart can be difficult. Make a phone call, send a text, write a thoughtful letter or video chat with them today. This simple gesture is sure to put a smile on their face.

  • Volunteer to help older adults in your community. Supporting local seniors doesn’t have to be strictly financial. You can also volunteer by joining a local service group or offering to help individuals in your neighborhood. A small portion of your time can make a big difference in another person’s life. Some easy ways to get started could include walking a neighbor’s dog, bringing them their mail or helping keep their yard clear of leaves. Visit ImReadyToCare.com for ideas.

  • Donate to a senior cause. There are hundreds of deserving causes across the country providing critical resources and support to older adults in need. To raise awareness and kickstart more contributions to senior causes, Home Instead, Inc. founders Paul and Lori Hogan recently launched a $2.5 million fundraising campaign, with the commitment to match contributions, dollar-for-dollar, up to an additional $1 million for senior-related organizations. Find out how you can contribute to a local organization at Give65.org/25years.

  • Join a community group that aims to bridge age gaps. Explore opportunities in your area to socialize with a mix of older and younger generations. Engaging with diverse age groups can provide a variety of mutual benefits in mentoring and skills-building.

  • Start a family history project. Spend time with your older relatives to learn more about their lives and your family history. You can record them telling stories, go through old pictures or create a family tree together.

To learn more about how you make the world a better place for seniors and inspire others to do the same, visit Imreadytocare.com, or contact your local Home Instead Senior Care office.

ABOUT HOME INSTEAD SENIOR CARE

Founded in 1994 in Omaha, Nebraska, the Home Instead Senior Care® franchise network provides personalized care, support and education to enhance the lives of aging adults and their families. Today, the network is the world’s leading provider of in-home care services for seniors, with more than 1,200 independently owned and operated franchises that provide more than 80 million hours of care annually throughout the United States and 11 other countries. Local Home Instead Senior Care offices employ approximately 90,000 CAREGiversSM worldwide who provide basic support services that enable seniors to live safely and comfortably in their own homes for as long as possible. Home Instead Senior Care franchise owners partner with clients and their family members to help meet varied individual needs. Services span the care continuum – from providing personal care to specialized Alzheimer’s care and hospice support. Also available are family caregiver education and support resources.

Visit HomeInstead.com. Connect with us on Facebook and Twitter.

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Society: Disabled Issues / Disabilities

CareGiving.com and SeniorGuards Partner to Create Innovative Caregiving Benefit to Serve Working Family Caregivers

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According to research from CareGiving.com, individuals who care for a family member with a disease, disability or chronic illness (family caregivers) rate their stress as 4.14 on a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being the most stressed.


PARK RIDGE, Ill. (PRWEB)

Managing the care of a family member and the responsibilities of a career call for meaningful solutions and support. According to research from CareGiving.com, individuals who care for a family member with a disease, disability or chronic illness (family caregivers) rate their stress as 4.14 on a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being the most stressed. In addition, 62% of working family caregivers worry about whether to quit their job because of their caregiving responsibilities.

To help family caregivers manage their responsibilities and keep their jobs, CareGiving.com and SeniorGuards have partnered to create a caregiving solution called SupportGuards. The SupportGuards benefit surrounds the family caregiver with a team of professionals, including consultants and lawyers, and with technology solutions to help ease the stress of the caregiving experience.

SupportGuards, a voluntary employee benefit and a direct-to-consumer solution includes the following free services:


  • Free sessions with Certified Caregiving Consultants, professionals who have enhanced their personal caregiving experiences with specialized training offered through CareGiving.com.


Free virtual support group meetings called Care and Share. During these meetings, working family caregivers will gain strategies to ease worries, create plans and manage stress.

  • Care Angel, an AI-driven caregiving assistant designed to be a check-in service. Through daily calls, the app gathers information about a caree’s appetite, sleep quality, blood pressure, glucose readings and other health-related questions. Care Angel won AARP Foundation’s 2016 Aging in Place Challenge.

Benefit participants can upgrade to an premium solution that includes:

  • LegalZoom Lifeplan, which provides support from LegalZoom’s 16,000+ attorneys located throughout all 50 states. Premium members receive unlimited 30-minute consultants with elder law attorneys, two free wills or living trusts, and document review.

  • An online, secure storage vault with unlimited data for documents and personal memories.

  • Care Angel “PRO,” which provides check-in calls for as many as three carees and text alerts/status reports to as many as three family members.

  • SeniorProvidersNetwork, which simplifies the caregiving decision-making process with an online platform that connects members to a virtual gerontologist and a vetted, national network of caregiving professionals.

For family caregivers who may not be able to enroll in the benefit through an employer, SupportGuards benefit program will be available through CareGiving.com’s Co-op beginning September 9, 2019.

Certified Caregiving Consultants

The Provider Network of Certified Caregiving Consultants available through SupportGuards features consultants who have an expertise in caring for a family member with dementia, managing the challenges of caring for a family member while raising children, and caring for family members from a distance. The growing network of 25 initial consultants includes:

  • Jessica Dugan, who cares for her parents from a distance. Jessica completed her CCC training in 2018 after working 14 years in the educational system and four years in the health care system. Jessica specializes in helping family caregivers build healthy habits and improve self-care skills, particularly family caregivers at-risk of diabetes or other chronic diseases. Jessica launched her business, Bright Impact, LLC, in 2017.

  • Dannelle LeBlanc, who merges personal experience as a family caregiver for her father-in-law with Parkinson’s disease with her 20-plus years experience in health care, patient support services, and corporate training. Dannelle specializes in community education for family caregivers, with a focus on care planning and connecting caregivers to practical, purposeful support resources. She also helps those in a culturally diverse caregiving situation. Dannelle launched her business, Caregiver Transitions, in 2018.

  • Jeff Peterson, who works with family caregivers to develop a customized plan to cope with the stresses, fears and realities associated with a family member’s chronic illnesses. Jeff also works with teenagers and young adults impacted by a family’s caregiving situation. He was the primary caregiver for his wife Cherie for 10 years and is the father of two adult daughters. Jeff launched his business, One Love Coaching and Consulting LLC, in 2018.

  • Kristen Roden, who works with those caring for their spouses, a family member with ALS, or a family member while also raising a young family. She focuses on developing a positive mindset and practices of gratitude, as she firmly believes these methods can empower family caregivers through unlocking their own inner strength. Kristen cares for her husband, Adam, who was diagnosed with ALS in 2015. She and Adam also are raising their two young boys. Kristen launched The Thriving Caregiver this summer.

  • Louisa Stringer, who supports family members of cancer patients. In November of 2010, Louisa’s youngest daughter, Sephine, who was 4 at the time, was diagnosed with a rare form of stage 3 cancer called Rhabdomyosarcoma. Because of the hardships and the pain interwoven in her life, Louisa learned how to find joy and strength not only in her journey as a family caregiver but in her life beyond the role. Louisa launched her business, Your Caregiver Journey, in 2018, and supports family members of cancer patients at Cape Wellness Collaborative.

“I’m thrilled and honored that our Certified Caregiving Consultants will be offering their insights and support to family caregivers,” said Denise M. Brown, founder of CareGiving.com and the Certified Caregiving Consultant training program. “Each CCC has transformed their own personal caregiving experience to make a difference in helping others while also running their own small business.”

“The addition of Denise Brown and CareGiving.com to our family is a privilege and beyond exciting. Her expertise, energy and sincere focus on caring for others is unparalleled. This along with her team of Certified Caregiving Consultants completes our diverse solution platform and defines us as ‘Technology Powered by People,” said Chris Carpino, founder of SeniorGuards.

Additional Programs and Services

In the fall of 2019, a premium benefit will be added that helps family caregivers put a back-up plan in place. According to CareGiving.com’s research, about half of family caregivers do not have a back-up plan. Certified Caregiving Consultants will provide annual 60-minute consults to help the family caregiver talk out what to do when an urgent situation arises like a caree’s hospitalization or a last-minute business trip. Employees also will access to additional training throughout the year to keep their back-up plans current. “We know that a caregiving experience brings with it unexpected situations that impact the workplace. We want to help the employee manage those ‘What if’ scenarios with effective back-up plans,” Brown said

In 2020, a Leadership benefit will be added that supports an organization’s top talent and their caregiving responsibilities.

To learn more about adding SupportGuards to your employee benefits package, please contact Chris Carpino via email at ccarpino(at)seniorguards.com or via phone at 609-413-1000. For more information about the Certified Caregiving Consultant training program or to be connected with our Certified Caregiving Consultants, contact Denise via email at denise(at)caregiving.com or via phone at 773-343-6341.

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Lifestyle: Self Help

Beauty retailer b-glowing shares exclusive interview with celebrity hair stylist and Iles Formula Founder Wendy Iles.

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The Conditioner is my jewel…It repairs every strand instantly. It’s the reason Iles Formula was born.


Portland, OR (PRWEB)

Celebrity hair stylist Wendy Iles needed a product that would instantly repair her clients’ overworked hair. Her solution? Iles Formula. More than a decade in the making, Wendy created this revolutionary hair care system and it quickly gained notoriety. Now available to the masses, Iles Formula has become a go-to for those looking to restore hair to a healthy, beautiful state of being. b-glowing got the inside scoop from Wendy Iles herself on her vision behind the brand, her advice to young entrepreneurs, and the one product she swears by in this exclusive interview.

b-glowing’s EXCLUSIVE Q+A with Iles Formula Founder, Wendy Iles

https://www.b-glowing.com/iles-formula/

https://www.b-glowing.com/blog/qa-with-iles-formula-founder-wendy-iles/

About b-glowing.com: Curating Beauty Since 2004. Now in its 15th year, b-glowing.com features more than 150 brands and has been recognized industry wide for its extraordinary collection of hard-to-find niche beauty products alongside some of the world’s most coveted beauty brands. The company’s success is due in part to Lisa King’s discriminating buying taste and ability to discover progressive brands for her loyal customers. The b-glowing.com shopping experience includes large product images, easy search and navigation, a knowledgeable Beauty Concierge, personalized recommendations by skin type, brand exclusives, worldwide shipping, free domestic shipping on orders $75+, hassle-free returns, and three free luxury samples with each order.

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health and fitness

2020 Water Ski & Wake Sports Hall of Fame Award of Distinction Recipients Announced

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“Each of these outstanding individuals has established themselves among the absolute best in our sport,” said Tracy Mattes, USA-WWF Executive Director, “and, we look forward to immortalizing their incredible accomplishments on May 2nd.”


POLK CITY, Fla. (PRWEB)

The legacies and contributions of Award of Distinction honorees April Coble-Eller, Gene Davis (posthumously), Nikki Lee, Don Mixon Jr., and Eddie Roberts will now live forever as they join our sport’s greatest in the Hall of Fame.

The five recipients will be honored along with 2020 Hall of Fame inductees Shaun Murray, Mandy Nightingale and Joe Ray during the 38th Annual Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony on Saturday, May 2 at Walt Disney’s newly-designed Coronado Springs Resort in Orlando, Fla.

“Each of these outstanding individuals has established themselves among the absolute best in our sport,” said Tracy Mattes, USA-WWF Executive Director, “and, we look forward to immortalizing their incredible accomplishments on May 2nd.”

April Coble-Eller

The many career highlights for Coble-Eller, who won 30 national water ski titles, included winning the 1990 Junior Worlds (slalom and overall), 1992 Collegiate Nationals (slalom and overall), 1996 Moomba Masters (overall), 1997 Masters (overall), 2010 Malibu Open (slalom) and 2014 35+ Worlds (slalom). She was selected USA Water Ski & Wake Sports’ Female Athlete of the Year in 1990, 1997 and 2008, and USA Water Ski & Wake Sports’ National Coach of the Year in 2004.

Gene Davis

Davis, who passed way after a brief illness in January 2019, was a jumper in local, regional and national competitions. He was a senior judge and was a very sought-after technical controller for record tournaments, including the Masters, Water Ski National Championships and Water Ski World Championships. He was chairman of the American Water Ski Association’s Technical Committee for many years, a past AWSA president, the executive vice president of AWSA’s Southern Region from 1997-2002, and was instrumental in bringing the technical standards up to their current standards and has taught many the tricks of the trade.

Nikki Lee

Lee is a longtime AWSA tournament official and board member. She has served as chief judge at numerous international events over the past 30 years, including the 2003 Pan American Games, 2004 World University Games, 2009 World Games, 2011 Water Ski World Championships and 2017 Under 21 Water Ski World Championships, in addition to the Masters, U.S. Open and IWWF Water Ski World Cup. She was a member of the AWSA and USA Water Ski & Wake Sports board of directors from 1990-2005 and served on the AWSA International Activities, Rules and Awards committees. She was a recipient of USA Water Ski & Wake Sports’ Award of Merit, the organization’s highest honor for volunteerism, in 2010.

Don Mixon, Jr.

Mixon Jr. won the 1981 Junior Boys national barefoot slalom and overall titles and his scores were high enough to put him into the Open Men Division at the tender age of 13. As an Open Men competitor, he competed in every Barefoot Nationals until 1996, with the exception of the 1995 national championships due to injury. He was a member of every U.S. Barefoot Team from 1984 to 1996. He contributed points in every world championships he competed in and his contributions helped the U.S team win gold at every world championships in which he was a team member. As an individual competitor, he captured the silver medal in slalom at the 1985 and 1994 Barefoot Worlds. A slalom specialist, he set the world slalom record four times. He also was the first barefooter to do a front-to-back positional turn before his back slalom pass and the first barefooter to do a wake 360 turn (unwrapped) in a tournament. He won the Open Men national slalom title in 1985 and 1994, and the Open Men national jumping title in 1996.

Eddie Roberts

Roberts’ involvement in the industry dates back to the 1960s. He helped establish O’Brien, H.O. Sports and Radar Skis to world preeminence. He was responsible for many notable innovations in water ski and wakeboard equipment. He also volunteered immeasurable hours at tournaments, clinics, clubs and trade shows promoting the sport. A well-known personality in the Pacific Northwest and Northern California water ski communities, his encouraging and jovial demeaner has been an inspiration to water sports enthusiasts of all ages.

Visit our website http://www.usa-wwf.org for more.

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Industry: Healthcare

Illinois-Based Marketing Firm Helps Shape the Future of Social Media

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One of the biggest changes to Facebook and other platforms over the last two years is the heavy restrictions they have placed on what can and cannot be in paid ads.


AURORA, Ill. (PRWEB)

Effective digital marketing is a must in today’s marketplace, and Aurora-Illinois based Strategic & Creative Marketing Inc. (S/C) is at the forefront of the movement. With noticeable expertise in creating paid social marketing campaigns, top online leaders have from Facebook and LinkedIn reached out to S/C’s Director of Social and Digital Marketing, Tami Wloch, requesting her input on their national advisory panels. As a result, Wloch’s contributions and feedback are shaping the direction of social media, while simultaneously providing a strategic advantage to all of her clients.

Currently, Wloch serves on advisory panels for some of the biggest names in social media, including Facebook and LinkedIn. Within this advisory role, she offers customer feedback, product evaluations, and consumer input. This uniquely positions her to gain insight into today’s best social media practices. In turn, Wloch applies this insider knowledge to S/C clients, giving them a leg up in the world of digital marketing.

“One of the biggest changes to Facebook and other platforms over the last two years is the heavy restrictions they have placed on what can and cannot be in paid ads,” Wloch said. “My team and I get updates often from my Facebook contacts about what isn’t allowed. Because of this, about 90% of the time, when we create a post or graphic for a client, it passes the ‘test’ and starts running. Most of the time when clients try to create their own graphics, they do not know the ‘rules’ and their post is rejected with no explanation. If we do get an odd rejection, I can reach out to my Facebook reps and they can approve the post almost immediately, so it starts running.”

Due to their unique insider knowledge, the S/C team crafts dynamic content that achieves better business recognition and product consumption for their clients. This expertise has earned them numerous successful placements in top online platforms, including, CNN, BuzzFeed, Daily Wire, USA Today, BBC News, Huffington Post, Chicago Tribune, RetailMeNot, and Oprah.com.

With demonstrated results, S/C continues to achieve extremely successful audience engagement for both business-to-business and business-to-consumer marketing.

For a 100-year-old law firm client, with zero prior digital marketing experience, S/C generated nearly 25,000 digital impressions in its first month of social media advertising. Today, this same firm regularly receives a 6-7% engagement rate, which has ultimately increased their company’s brand recognition and community engagement.

S/C accomplished similar results in their business-to-consumer marketing approach, where they aided a home inspection company owner in increasing his online visibility by 7,000 views in just a few weeks. Today, his company regularly achieves 8-15% audience engagement.

“The average engagement rate on social media is .05% so our numbers are huge in comparison,” Wloch said.

“It’s absolutely important for every company to maintain a social media presence,” Wloch emphasized. “And now with recent changes on the platforms and increased restrictions, organic posts are not reaching audiences as they did in the past. So, businesses must implement ad buys to reach targeted audiences on social media. We are experts in using the AI (Artificial Intelligence) software to reach the exact individuals that clients want to speak to! We pride ourselves in crafting the right message and reaching the right audience to increase awareness and sales for our clients.”

For more information, visit scmarketinginc.com.

About Strategic & Creative Marketing Inc.:

Aurora, Illinois-based Strategic & Creative Marketing Inc, is a full-service marketing firm established in 2001, and experienced at working with small, medium and Fortune 500 companies. The firm holds a Women’s Business Enterprise (WBE) Certification and a Women Owned Small Business Certification (WOSB) issued by Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC). The firm’s team has created and implemented national, regional and local marketing and recruitment marketing campaigns. Creative tactics are based on carefully-crafted marketing plans and strategies first, and include print and on-air ads, social media paid ads and organic campaigns, trade shows, emails, video, public relations and promotions. Owner and President Susan MacNicol leverages 25 years of corporate marketing experience in the U.S. and globally to ensure that campaigns are integrated, backed by data and have the most compelling message reaching the right target market through the most effective tactics. MacNicol and Director of Social and Digital Marketing Tami Wloch speak and train locally and globally on all aspects of Marketing, including Social Media, Employment Branding and more. For more information, visit https://www.scmarketinginc.com. ###

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