Serving as a senior capstone project for FHU theatre major Jack Joiner, “Shipwrecked!” is a family-friendly story, with a colorful cast of characters, that is sure to provide audiences with a night of spectacle and adventure.
The title character, Louis de Rougemont, is a 19th century adventurer/explorer who is marooned on a tropical island, along with the intrepid Captain Jensen, after embarking on a fantastical journey across the sea. On the island he encounters many dangers, but he also makes some friends, like Bruno the dog and an aboriginal woman named Yamba. Rougemont claims that every word from his record is true – but what is the audience to believe?
As director, Joiner is excited to bring this story to life with his fellow theatre students. “The play is a whole lot of family fun, with all the spectacle I could work into it,” Joiner said. “Like all good stories worth telling, it holds at its heart a compelling moral question: How important is the truth to a good story?”
The character of Rougemont is being played by Seth Wilson, an FHU alumnus and graduate of the theatre program. “Jack has amazing ideas, and with the prop team’s ability to execute those ideas… it’s just a perfect mix,” Wilson said. “We all work together to elevate one another and improve each other’s work.”
Other cast members for the show include Grace Sykes, Luke Noles, Collett Heenan and Trenton Sweeney, and Sarah Bowen serves as the show’s stage manager.
“I’m really grateful for Dr. Cliff Thompson, Brandyn Graves and the FHU theatre program,” Joiner said. “A lot of universities do not offer the experience of directing a full length show, and I’m proud that this show is the culmination of my time at FHU as a theatre student. I’m incredibly proud of my cast and crew who decided to embark on this five-week adventure with me. I couldn’t have hoped for a better group of people to help me bring this story to life.”
The mission of Freed-Hardeman University is to help students develop their God-given talents for His glory by empowering them with an education that integrates Christian faith, scholarship and service. With locations in Henderson and Memphis, FHU offers associate, bachelor’s, master’s, specialist and doctoral degrees. More information is available at fhu.edu.
Media Contact Dawn Bramblett, Freed-Hardeman University, 731-608-7650, [email protected], fhu.edu
“I’m honored to step into the role of President and to help build on the progress we’ve made in delivering world-class omnichannel solutions,” said Mike Hennessy. “I see great potential for the future, and I’m excited for the opportunity to continue to shape Doxim’s legacy of providing CCM solutions in highly regulated markets.” Hennessy will embark his role of President under the continued leadership of Jeff Clarke (Interim CEO).
Prior to joining Doxim, Hennessy led as the North American GM for ScribbleLive. Before that, he served as the VP of North American Sales for [24]7-Inc., a California-based company providing customer experience software to the Fortune 500. Mike holds an MBA from Queen’s University and a Bachelor’s Degree from Mount Allison University.
“Mike’s remarkable leadership skills, strategic insights, and deep industry knowledge make him the ideal choice to advance Doxim,” said Jeff Clarke, Interim CEO of Doxim. “With exceptional understanding of both our client’s needs and our competitive landscape, Mike is now in a position, as President, to apply that understanding and guide the company towards even greater achievement.”
About Doxim Doxim is the customer communications management and engagement technology leader serving highly regulated markets, including financial services, utilities, and healthcare. Doxim provides omnichannel communications and payment solutions that maximize customer engagement and revenue, while reducing costs. Its software and technology-enabled managed services address key digitization, operational efficiency, and customer experience challenges through a suite of plug-and-play, integrated, SaaS software and technology solutions. Learn more at‥http://www.doxim.com.
The Gartner guide recognizes 25 loyalty program vendors of different categories, placing ebbo in the loyalty management service provides group — which Gartner describes as being the best choice for brands that need a turnkey solution.
Gartner listed several components that loyalty management platforms are typically comprised of, including management and analysis of data, the engine that manages rewards accrual and redemption and professional services beyond the platform, like campaign development, creative services and analytics.
ebbo offers all the services needed to build and manage successful loyalty programs, including strategy, creative, reporting, analytics and program marketing, along with program enhancement, technology and support through a dedicated client services team.
To help marketers better plan strategically, the guide also assumes that within the next few years, loyalty programs offering both transactional and experiential benefits will outperform programs that are solely based on points.
Gartner also recommends that marketers tasked with choosing loyalty marketing solutions to acquire more customers and grow their customer bases should focus on connecting their brands and customers rather than on customers and rewards across the entire customer journey.
Like recent ebbo loyalty program data, Gartner found that while consumers belong to many loyalty programs, there is room for brands to improve engagement in those programs. And brands that prioritize the top customer segments by differentiating their program benefits from that of the competition will come out on top.
“We’re proud to be recognized in Gartner’s Market Guide for Loyalty Program Vendors because it not only highlights the turnkey platform we offer, but highlights, in our opinion, the support services that loyalty marketers need for ongoing success,” said Tyler Haskins, EVP Marketing at ebbo.
About ebbo
ebbo is an all-in-one loyalty company that has helped leading brands build unforgettable customer experiences for over two decades. In addition to its suite of uniquely configurable loyalty solutions, ebbo’s data-driven, full-service approach helps brands build customer engagement on repeat. ebbo is based in Rocky Hill, CT with offices in Michigan and team members all over the U.S. For more information, visit www.ebbo.com.
Executives from Texas Health and Human Services, McCoy’s Building Supply, Texas Capital Bank, Mitratech, & City of Austin Recognized for their Achievements
AUSTIN, Texas , Sept. 29, 2023 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ — CentralTexasCIO announced the winners of its 2023 ORBIE® Awards. CentralTexasCIO recognized technology executives in five key categories – Leadership, Large Enterprise, Enterprise, Large Corporate, & Corporate. The Awards were presented at the Central Texas ORBIE Awards at the JW Marriott Austin.
“Member-led, non-commercial programs like the ORBIE Awards, build meaningful professional relationships with colleagues facing similar challenges, solving problems and avoiding pitfalls,” said Steve Mills, CentralTexasCIO Chair. “Successful leaders understand the ‘superpower’ of trusted relationships. In any gathering of technology leaders, the answer is in the room.”
The 2023 Central Texas ORBIE Award winners are:
Stephen Elkins, CIO, City of Austin (fmr) received the Leadership ORBIE.
Ricardo Blanco, CIO & Deputy Executive Commissioner for IT, Texas Health and Human Services received the Large Enterprise ORBIE for organizations over $10 billion annual revenue.
Joanne Corum, SVP & CIO, McCoy’s Building Supply received the Enterprise ORBIE for organizations over $1.5 billion annual revenue.
Arvind Rao, EVP CIO – Consumer Banking, Texas Capital Bank received the Large Corporate ORBIE for organizations over $400 million annual revenue.
Ian Huynh, CTO, Mitratech received the Corporate ORBIE for organizations up to $400 million annual revenue.
The ORBIE Awards is the premier technology executive recognition program in the United States. Since inception in 1998, over 700 technology leaders have received the prestigious ORBIE Award. The ORBIE honors chief information officers who have demonstrated excellence in technology leadership. Finalists and winners are selected by an independent peer review process, led by prior ORBIE recipients, based upon:
Leadership and management effectiveness
Business value created by technology innovation
Engagement in industry and community endeavors
The Central Texas ORBIE Awards keynote was delivered by Stephen Elkins, CIO, City of Austin (fmr), who was interviewed by Lou Senko, Chief Availability Officer, Q2. Over 300 guests attended, representing leading Central Texas organizations and their technology partners.
The 2023 Central Texas ORBIE Awards was made possible by the following sponsors:
Underwriters: BlueSky IT Partners, Concord, Google Cloud & SBase Technologies
CentralTexasCIO is the preeminent peer leadership network of Central Texas chief information officers. CentralTexasCIO is one of 30 chapters of the Inspire Leadership Network, a national membership organization comprised exclusively of CIOs from public and private businesses, government, education, healthcare and nonprofit institutions.
CentralTexasCIO is led by a CIO Advisory Board, supported by an executive director and staff. Underwriter executives ensure programs remain non-commercial and exclusive to qualified CIOs and members.
Unlike traditional models that treat social media customer care as an afterthought or just another customer service channel, VXI’s Legendary Social Media CX solution positions social care as a powerful, two-way conversational platform to increase customer lifetime value. It combines strategy and design thinking with talent and technology to humanize care at scale with witty, relatable content, lightning-fast response times, and in-channel resolutions.
Through social media consulting, customer and community engagement, social analytics, and platform optimization, VXI’s product offering empowers brands to “do social” the right way.
“Today, providing fast, effective, and personalized support is no longer an option – it’s a necessity. Customer preferences for social media customer care have skyrocketed in recent years, and brands need help building, scaling, and maintaining memorable and mind-blowing support experiences,” said Lauren Kindzierski, VXI’s VP of CX Advisory services. “Our solution stands out because it makes it easy for marketing and customer care teams to collaborate and deliver a differentiated experience that is always on time and on brand.”
Through the right blend of human ingenuity, automation, and omnichannel enablement, VXI’s Legendary Social Media CX product delivers tangible outcomes, including higher response rates, amplified positive brand sentiment, cost optimization, enhanced issue resolution, and greater coverage across earned and owned content.
“Congratulations to VXI for receiving a 2023 Customer Experience Innovation Award. VXI’s Legendary Social Media CX offering has been selected for setting the standard in delivering world-class customer experiences,” said Rich Tehrani, CEO, of TMC. “We’re pleased to recognize this achievement and know we will continue to see great innovation from VXI in 2023 and beyond.”
About VXI As a leading global provider of outsourced customer engagement solutions, VXI offers our clients a winning combination of talent, technology, and purpose to elevate experiences, boost brand value, and uplift our shared communities. VXI is an NMSDC-certified and minority-owned business process outsourcer with over 40,000 employees across 7 countries and 40+ service delivery locations. Our integrated service offering supports next-generation operating models through comprehensive customer care solutions, experience design, digital strategy, and enablement, IT outsourcing, software development, and strategic automation.
Backed by Bain Capital Private Equity, VXI is one of the fastest growing, privately held business services organizations in the United States and the Philippines, and one of the few U.S.-based customer care organizations in China.‥
About CUSTOMER Since 1982, CUSTOMER magazine (formerly Customer Interaction Solutions) has been the voice of the customer experience, call/contact center, CRM and teleservices industries. CUSTOMER has helped the industry germinate, grow, mature and prosper, and has served as the leading publication in helping these industries that have had such a positive impact on the world economy to continue to thrive. Through a combination of outstanding and cutting-edge original editorial, industry voices, in-depth lab reviews and the recognition of the innovative leaders in management and technology through our highly valued awards, CUSTOMER strives to continue to be the publication that holds the quality bar high for the industry.
About TMC Through our news and solutions-focused editorial platforms, live events, webinars, and online advertising, TMC provides global buyers with valuable insights for making informed technology purchase decisions and successfully navigating markets. In turn, leading technology vendors rely on TMC, TMCnet and our family of sites and events for exceptional branding, thought leadership, and lead generation opportunities. Our live events, including the ITEXPO #TECHSUPERSHOW, offer unparalleled visibility and sales prospects for all participants. With our customized lead generation programs, including a turnkey webinar program, we consistently deliver a steady stream of leads that translate into sales opportunities and database growth. In addition, display advertising on respected news sites and newsletters generates millions of impressions, bolstering brand reputations. TMC offers a comprehensive 360-degree marketing solution, with services such as event and road show management, as well as expertly crafted content creation including blogs, press releases, articles, and marketing collateral. These efforts contribute to SEO, branding, and overall marketing success.
To discover more about how TMC can assist you in achieving your marketing goals through our events and online advertising. Stay connected with us on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter by following @tmcnet.
“2023 is about realizing a new perspective on life and business,” said Gary Bredow, host and writer of START UP. “People are deciding what’s important to them and operating their companies in a way that brings a greater quality of life to both the founders and employees.”
This season highlights heartfelt and human-centered stories of businesses on a mission to do good in their communities, in addition to the practical and actionable advice for entrepreneurs that viewers expect from START UP.
“From East African refugees in search of the American dream to a BBQ food truck that started on a folding table and is now doing seven figure annual sales, to an established wildlife management company that had to start over from scratch, season eleven is about people overcoming extraordinary challenges to see their dreams come to fruition,” continued Bredow. “These folks turned incredible challenges into opportunities.”
START UP is executive produced by Bredow and Jenny Feterovich, both serial entrepreneurs themselves. Season 11 sponsors include Thryv, Spectrum Business, GoDaddy, Amazon, Florida State University, Michigan Economic Development Corporation and Jaguar Land Rover.
Season 11 sponsor Thryv, a leading provider of software and services for small businesses, is showing its support for the small business community. “We are proud to serve many thousands of small businesses across the country and around the world, helping them to achieve their dreams,” said Tami Cannizzaro, CMO, Thryv. “We are excited to support START UP and look forward to this season’s compelling small business profiles.”
Season 11 marks the third season in a row that Spectrum Business, the brand of business internet, phone, mobile and video services operated by Charter Communications, Inc., has sponsored START UP. “As a company we are dedicated to supporting small and medium-sized businesses with resources and connectivity solutions designed to help them start, grow, and thrive,” said Matt Bury, Vice President of SMB Marketing for Charter. “We also share START UP’s passion for spotlighting the stories and challenges faced by aspiring entrepreneurs and look forward to watching this season’s featured businesses turn their dreams into reality.”
Over the past 11 years, START UP has provided a resource for budding entrepreneurs looking to learn from fellow small businesses across the country. Now ushering in its ninth season, the show is diving deeper into personal entrepreneur journeys, emphasizing that business success can take many forms.
“When we started this series, we were very focused on the businesses themselves; and while that element is still very present, it’s the human story that’s truly fascinating,” said Jenny Feterovich, producer and casting director. “There’s a new entrepreneurial movement happening in places like Cincinnati, Orlando and Grand Rapids and we look forward to putting a national spotlight on more amazing business owners like these.”
Join host Gary Bredow as he travels across America interviewing small business owners to hear their personal stories and find out what it really takes to start a successful business from the ground up. Energetic, inspirational, and educational, START UP is a fast-paced series that captures the heart and imagination of anyone who has ever dreamed of starting their own business. For additional information, visit www.startup-usa.com.
Aquitas Solutions and IBM Maximo teams worked together to implement new efficiency-enabling tech stack
ROSWELL, Ga., Sept. 29, 2023 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ — Aquitas Solutions and IBM teams have joined forces to successfully implement IBM’s Maximo Manage at a popular streaming company. Through this strategic collaboration, the company will drastically improve its operational efficiency and reliability, positioning itself at the forefront of the industry.
Aquitas Solutions, a prominent technology solutions provider, partnered with the streaming company to support the internal team and ensure a successful training and implementation process. Leveraging the power of the Maximo Application Suite, known for its advanced features and capabilities, the company has streamlined its asset management practices to a degree never experienced before.
The seamless integration of the Maximo Application Suite into [the company’s] diverse operations has elevated the reliability of its services, reinforcing its reputation as a go-to destination for movies and TV shows. With access to a comprehensive view of their assets, the [Video Entertainment Company] can now monitor operations in real-time, facilitating better decision-making across all departments. The suite’s advanced maintenance scheduling and predictive analytics proactively address potential issues, significantly reducing downtime and minimizing maintenance costs.
“Aquitas Solutions is honored to have played a pivotal role in [Video Entertainment Company]’s journey towards operational excellence,” said Jeff Brown, CEO of Aquitas Solutions. “Our team remains dedicated to delivering top-notch solutions, and the capabilities of IBM’s Maximo Application Suite align perfectly with their needs, contributing to their unparalleled success.” This cross-company collaboration is a testament to the industry’s standard practice of leveraging specialized service providers, each excelling in their unique domains. The joint effort has culminated in a more secure infrastructure, ensuring the systems supporting our favorite shows remain safeguarded.
About Aquitas Solutions: Aquitas Solutions is a renowned technology solutions provider that specializes in delivering cutting-edge asset management solutions. With a track record of successful implementations across diverse industries, Aquitas Solutions continues to drive innovation and help companies achieve operational excellence.
About IBM Maximo: IBM Maximo is a leading enterprise asset management solution known for its comprehensive capabilities and advanced features. Trusted by organizations worldwide, Maximo empowers businesses to achieve better asset performance, streamline operations, and enhance overall productivity.
With Trax, Consumer Goods Cloud customers can now benefit from a complete suite of tools to enhance execution, gather valuable data, and boost sales
SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 29, 2023 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ — Trax today announced it has launched Trax Connector on Salesforce AppExchange empowering companies using Salesforce Consumer Goods Cloud to embrace computer vision technology to assess retail execution, drive positive shopper experiences, and unlock revenue opportunities at all points of sale.
Trax Connector Salesforce Consumer Goods Cloud customers that utilize the Trax Connector for computer vision technology benefit from:
Trusted and real time data so that sales professionals can pinpoint exactly what is happening in-store by eliminating subjective self-reported data, with the most trusted, granular and accurate retail shelf data sets
Precision execution with rich data and AI that targets the highest value opportunities to drive ROI for commercial teams
Unparalleled insights to enrich performance management processes and advanced analytic models to drive growth access to high quality granular retail execution data
Seamless user experience combined with data integration that drives efficiency and simplification in the commercial processes
Turnkey integration made simple through the AppExchange downloadable package allowing customers using Trax and Salesforce to quickly and easily connect the two solutions
Consumer Goods Cloud is part of the Salesforce Customer 360 Platform for all types of fast moving consumer goods companies—including food and beverage, personal care, health and beauty, and more—helping them to unlock the value chain with a unified platform. With Salesforce, consumer goods companies across the globe can digitally transform their entire business, including driving stronger customer engagement in both B2B and B2C commerce. In addition, CRM Analytics for Consumer Goods delivers an intelligent experience for consumer goods companies by giving reps out-of-the-box KPIs, such as inventory stock outs or percent orders increase per store visit, as well as AI-powered insights and recommendations specifically tailored for their customers.
Comments on the News
“Having Trax’s computer vision technology available within the Salesforce Consumer Goods Cloud is a win for CPG companies and sales reps,” said David Gottlieb, chief revenue officer, Trax. “Not only does the technology transform shelf data into revenue opportunities for brands, but it allows CPG sales reps to focus on execution rather than data collection which is a more efficient use of their time.”
“CPG and retail companies must seek greater insights to drive growth in an increasingly disrupted and competitive environment,” commented Kishan Chetan, SVP of retail consumer goods at Salesforce. “Trax’s ability to digitize the retail shelf and provide trusted insights on current in-store conditions directly to sales teams through the Salesforce platform enables companies to make highly informed decisions about their retail strategies.”
About Salesforce AppExchange Salesforce AppExchange, the world’s leading enterprise cloud marketplace, empowers companies, developers and entrepreneurs to build, market and grow in entirely new ways. With more than 7,000 listings, 11 million customer installs and 117,000 peer reviews, AppExchange connects customers of all sizes and across industries to ready-to-install or customizable apps and Salesforce-certified consultants to solve any business challenge.
Additional Resources
Salesforce, AppExchange, Consumer Goods Cloud, Einstein Analytics and others are among the trademarks of salesforce.com, inc.
About Trax Trax’s mission is to enable brands and retailers to harness the power of digital technologies to produce the best shopping experiences imaginable. Trax’s retail platform allows customers to understand and improve what is happening on the shelf, in every store, all the time so they can focus on what they do best – delighting shoppers.
Many of the world’s top CPG companies, emerging brands, and retail leaders use Trax’s shelf monitoring, analytics, merchandising, activation, and shopper engagement solutions at scale to drive positive shopper experiences and unlock revenue opportunities at all points of sale.
As pioneers in computer vision, Trax continues to lead the industry in innovation and excellence through development of artificial intelligence-powered solutions, autonomous data collection methods, and on-demand merchandising capabilities. Trax is a global company with hubs in the United States, Singapore, Budapest and Israel. To learn more about Trax visit http://www.traxretail.com.
Amid drastic technological innovation induced by AI and changes in consumer behavior and habits in recent years, matching supply with demand, building a brand mindset, and upgrading digital business all at the same time has become a huge challenge for brands. As an e-commerce service provider, transcosmos has been pushing forward initiatives towards digitalization and intelligent business. Through developing and operating digital-powered tools for clients, transcosmos will offer business opportunities and help clients grow their businesses.
transcosmos will continue to develop creative digital services and innovative solutions focusing on Users, Ecology and Brands, while further deepening the collaboration with Taobao & TMALL DIGITAL Ecological Laboratory. Ultimately, transcosmos will help clients achieve sustainable business growth.
Taobao & TMALL DIGITAL Ecological Laboratory The Taobao & TMALL DIGITAL Ecological Laboratory (Digital Innovative Global Initiatives & Talents Alliance Lab) is an open innovation platform for thousands of ecological laboratories that offer services to Taobao & TMALL brands. Through the Lab, Taobao & TMALL aims to foster innovative and superior business practices and develop digital talents amid global digitalization. The Lab assists Taobao & TMALL eco-partners in developing highly professional digital talents and co-creating innovative best practices by leveraging Taobao & TMALL’s abundant digital resources and technological capabilities.
transcosmos history in China transcosmos entered the Chinese market and launched its offshore services business in 1995. In 2006, the company opened its first call center in Shanghai and started to provide call center services for the Chinese market. Today, transcosmos has its bases and subsidiaries across 22 cities in China including Shanghai, Beijing, Tianjin, Hefei, Xi’an, Changsha, Wuhan, Neijiang, Kunshan, Suzhou, Taipei and more. The company offers extensive services such as business process outsourcing (BPO) including contact centers, e-commerce one-stop, customer experience, digital marketing and system development for both Chinese and global brands. transcosmos China was founded in Shanghai as a digital transformation partner for businesses in 2006 and launched its e-commerce business in 2009. Now, in partnership with platforms such as TMALL, JD, PDD, WeChat, and Douyin, transcosmos China offers a variety of services that include e-commerce store/website development & operations, sales channel development, online and offline data integration, system development, live streaming, virtual human creation, consumer operations, and digitized/intelligent integrated marketing services in the new retail industry (including cross-border e-commerce) to clients in diverse industries including the 3C Industry (Computer, Communications, and Consumer Electronics), cosmetics, apparel, baby care, toy, sports, beverage, musical instruments, homewares, home theater/audio equipment, and more.
transcosmos is a trademark or registered trademark of transcosmos inc. in Japan and other countries.
Other company names and product or service names used here are trademarks or registered trademarks of respective companies.
About transcosmos inc. transcosmos launched its operations in 1966. Since then, we have combined superior “people” with up-to-date “technology” to enhance the competitive strength of our clients by providing them with superior and valuable services. transcosmos currently offers services that support clients’ business processes focusing on both sales expansion and cost optimization through our 172 bases across 28 countries/regions with a focus on Asia, while continuously pursuing Operational Excellence. Furthermore, following the expansion of e-commerce market on the global scale, transcosmos provides a comprehensive One-Stop Global E-Commerce Services to deliver our clients’ excellent products and services to consumers in 46 countries/regions around the globe. transcosmos aims to be the “Global Digital Transformation Partner” of our clients, supporting the clients’ transformation by leveraging digital technology, responding to the ever-changing business environment. Visit us here https://www.trans-cosmos.co.jp/english/
We are a Google Cloud, AWS, HashiCorp, Databricks, Snowflake, Grafana, Finastra, Fenergo and Gresham Implementation partner. We have teams & offices in USA, UK, Switzerland, Ireland, India, Singapore, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Canada, Poland and Colombia.
The Inc. 5000 class of 2023 represents companies that have driven rapid revenue growth while navigating inflationary pressure, the rising costs of capital, and seemingly intractable hiring challenges. Among this year’s top 500 companies, the average median three-year revenue growth rate ticked up to an astonishing 2,238 percent. In all, this year’s Inc. 5000 companies have added 1,187,266 jobs to the economy over the past three years.
For complete results of the Inc. 5000, including company profiles and an interactive database that can be sorted by industry, location, and other criteria, go to www.inc.com/inc5000.
