DALLAS, SAN ANTONIO, and FORT WORTH, Texas and PHOENIX (PRWEB)
August 03, 2020

The Great Hearts America Board of Directors has appointed founding Chairman Jay Heiler as Chief Executive Officer of the organization.

Heiler and President of the Great Hearts Foundation Dan Scoggin, along with now-Chairman of the Great Hearts Arizona Network School Governing Board Bob Mulhern, led the creation of Great Hearts nearly 20 years ago with 130 students in a leased church building. They have since labored with numerous dedicated colleagues to build the highly-regarded non-profit network of classical liberal arts academies to more than 22,000 students and 2,500 teachers in Arizona and Texas.    

As CEO, Heiler will oversee the continued success and growth of the charter management organization and its high-performing academies. He will report to the Great Hearts America Board of Directors, where longtime board member Kurt Davis has been appointed by the board to replace him as chairman. Heiler has also passed the gavel as Chairman of the Board of Great Hearts Texas, to founding board member Shannon Sedgwick Davis. (No relation to Kurt Davis.)

Currently a member of Phoenix law firm BeusGibertMcGroder, Heiler will transition to Great Hearts beginning August 3. He is working now in transition with outgoing CEO Dr. Wade Dyke, recently appointed President of on-line higher education provider American Public University. Dr. Dyke will continue to support the transition and the advance of the organization as a consultant to Heiler and the Board.

Heiler is former Chairman of the Arizona Board of Regents, governing body for Arizona’s three state universities, to which he was appointed an eight-year term in 2012 by then-Governor Jan Brewer. In 2013 he was named by the Arizona Chamber of Commerce as the state’s Innovative Leader of the Year. He has long championed polices in Arizona for the advance of public education, beginning with his service from 1992 to 1997 as Director of Policy and Chief of Staff for Governor Fife Symington. He served for nearly 12 years as Chairman of the Arizona Charter Schools Association, working across that time to advance and support quality in Arizona’s charter sector, which now educates more than 180,000 students and performs at nationally high levels as measured by recent norm-referenced testing across the country.

He holds undergraduate and jurisdoctorate degrees from the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Telecommunications and the Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law, both at Arizona State University. After law school he served as Arizona Assistant Attorney General in the Organized Crime and Racketeering Division of that office. He is a member of the State Bars of both Arizona and Virginia, and former assistant editor of the editorial pages of Virginia’s newspaper of record, the Richmond Times Dispatch. As an attorney and consultant, he has counseled the senior leaders dozens of companies and sectors in Arizona and other states across 23 years, while simultaneously working to design and advance Great Hearts.

“Jay led the design and growth of Great Hearts since its inception,” said fellow co-founder Daniel Scoggin. “His strong leadership, attention to detail, knowledge of organizations and belief in our core purpose to cultivate the minds and hearts of students through the pursuit of truth, goodness and beauty makes him the ideal choice to be our next CEO.”

Ten years after starting work on Great Hearts in 2001, Heiler and Scoggin executed its expansion to San Antonio, Texas in 2011. Today, Great Hearts provides a high-quality public education to 16,000 students across 23 schools in the greater Phoenix metropolitan area; and currently operates 10 schools with 6,500 students enrolled for the 2020-21 school year in the San Antonio and Dallas-Ft. Worth areas in Texas.

Jackie Moczygemba, of the Ewing Halsell Foundation, met Heiler back in 2011 and was one of many supporters of Great Hearts’ expansion to Texas. She, too, is a proud Great Hearts parent and after hearing the news, responded saying, “Jay is a wonderful choice to lead the organization in its next successful chapter. Who better to lead the network than a Great Hearts parent who also happens to be the organization’s co-founder and greatest advocate? This is good news.”    

Dyke said, “The network is in excellent hands. Jay brings experience, understanding, vision, sound judgment to the role, and a bonus of a sharp legal mind.”    

Heiler’s colleagues from Arizona’s state university system applauded the appointment by the Great Hearts America board.

“Jay Heiler brings a deep commitment to educational excellence and egalitarian access to the Great Hearts system,” said Michael Crow, President of Arizona State University. “Matched with his commitment to high quality schools and cost-effective operations, under Jay’s leadership this model for education can deliver for families a foundational educational experience that anyone from any circumstance can avail themselves of and do so at scale.”

President Rita Cheng of Northern Arizona University agreed. “Jay’s own personal path is an example of the Great Hearts philosophy of educating the whole the person. As a journalist, lawyer, consultant and leader in both the private and public sector, Jay’s unwavering commitment to education is focused on developing future leaders with both sharp minds and great hearts. I have no doubt that the organization and the children and families served by his leadership will benefit from his service.”

Lisa Campos, former Vice President for Athletics at NAU and now in the same leadership position at the University of Texas – San Antonio, said, “Jay is a highly respected and visionary leader who leads with incredible experience. He engages in meaningful relationships with those he serves. His in-depth knowledge of Great Hearts combined with his commitment to education will serve the organization well.”

Heiler grew up on a farm in rural Ohio and has dropped deep roots in Arizona since arriving for college in 1978. He and wife Carol, an Arizona native, raised their five children in the Phoenix area. All studied and competed at the Great Hearts schools and attended ASU, and the eldest is a fourth-year medical student at the University of Arizona in Tucson.

“Through the loving efforts of 20 years from countless dedicated teachers, headmasters, parents, executives, donors and board members, Great Hearts has come from very small beginnings to its present responsibilities,” Heiler said. “We are only just getting started, and our vision for world-class education accessible to all is more urgent than ever. We will strive to continue the work with the same wonder, determination and joy of learning that we have always sought to instill in our students. I am inspired to continue that work now every day with the talented leadership team at Great Hearts Academies. We seek great-hearted excellence in everything we undertake, in dedication to the students, families and communities we were created to serve.”

About Great Hearts Academies

Great Hearts is a nonprofit network of tuition-free public charter schools dedicated to improving education nationwide through classical preparatory K-12 academies. As the largest provider of liberal arts classical education campuses in the country, Great Hearts Academies serve more than 22,000 students at 33 tuition-free public schools in greater Phoenix, Ariz., San Antonio, Irving, and Ft. Worth, TX, with waitlists that typically exceed enrollment. Great Hearts students experience a rich, interdisciplinary curriculum in the liberal arts, incorporating the Great Books with advanced math and science, a focus on the arts and language, and a range of competitive athletics and extra-curricular activities. Learn more at http://www.greatheartsamerica.org.

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ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. (PRWEB)
August 03, 2020

Indeflex, an entrepreneur-centric FinTech, is thrilled to announce the addition of Don Canale to the Advisory Board. Mr. Canale brings 20+ years of progressive financial planning and analysis experience, having worked for industry giant First Data Corporation (FISERV) since 1996. Mr. Canale served as the Vice President of Finance for a $725MM business unit within the Global Business Solutions segment. In his role as a Division CFO, he became a trusted strategic business partner providing broad decision support and insight to maximize opportunities for growth and profitability.

Indeflex’s Advisory Board consists of top industry veterans with a variety of hands-on experience, and Indeflex is excited to welcome Mr. Canale to this stellar team. Mr. Canale says, “I want to help provide financial planning and analysis support by designing and implementing management reporting tools to improve business decisions. It’s a great time to be in the payments space, and I think Indeflex, with its client focus and flexible payment options, will be able to achieve success. I look forward to helping the team achieve rapid growth “

Mr. Canale’s tenure includes a background in financial planning and analysis using a data-driven approach to providing financial support for large businesses. He is a respected industry thought leader and change agent who enacts a strategic vision for financial integrity and sustainable revenue growth. Mr. Canale is “Excited to be part of the atmosphere that Indeflex is creating. It’s very family-oriented, and they are lean, progressive, and move quickly on ideas.”

Indeflex Managing Partner, Phil Krivacek, says “We’re very fortunate to have Don join our Advisory Board. His depth of experience and expertise within the payments space will bring great value to Indeflex and our partners, and will only add depth to an Advisory Board that many already are calling an All-Star team!”

About Indeflex

Indeflex is an entrepreneur-centric platform focused on offering flexible options for merchants and a great career opportunity for independent sales partners nationwide. Indeflex is built for entrepreneurs. With unique options for merchants to save on processing fees, such as the Flat Cash program, and a ready-made business model for partners to grow their portfolio using a suite of cutting-edge technologies, Indeflex has everything businesses need to excel. Learn more at https://www.indeflex.com/.

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Left: Shigeki Ishida, CPO (Chief Product Officer, a joint developer);
Right: Keigo Aoki, VPoE (Vice President of Engineering)

TOKYO (PRWEB)
August 02, 2020

Fun Group Inc. that oversees an entertainment business that specializes in local sightseeing tours, “Fun” (HQ: Shibuya-ku Tokyo, Japan; CEO: Kenji Miki) hereby announces that Mr. Shigeki Ishida has joined as CPO (Chief Product Officer, a joint developer) and Mr. Keigo Aoki as VPoE (Vice President of Engineering).

Mr. Shigeki Ishida is President of Mikasa Manufacturing Engineering Design Co. Ltd., who has developed an “auto-pilot UBER-type unmanned police station” in a joint project with Dubai Police with track records on world-class manufacturing of hardware. Mr. Keigo Aoki has led development and operation of software and technical staff in Aoi Co. that manages a smartphone prep school, “Aoi Seminar” as its CTO.

Fun Group will further enhance its teams to develop hardware and software and actively invest in both existing and new businesses for their growth.

Profile

Shigeki Ishida / Siggy

President of Mikasa Manufacturing Engineering Design Co. Ltd., which engages in businesses in Europe, U.S and Middle East with development, designing and manufacturing of control panels as its main domain. It has developed and is operating the “auto-pilot UBER-type unmanned police station” in a joint project with the United Arab Emirates and Dubai Police, automatic-delivery robot “Hakobot” in cooperation with Mr. Takafumi Horie, and manned mega-robot businesses. He also works as the representative of “KYANOS SC”, an e-sport NPO.

Keigo Aoki / Aokky

Entered KDDI Corporation in 2007. Engaged in solution marketing for corporate customers and acquiring members for its settlement businesses, etc. Participated in Aoi Co. that manages a smartphone prep school, “Aoi Seminar” to lead development and operation of its services; assumed the role of its CTO in 2016; left it as it was acquired by Z-kai Group in 2019. Will join Fun Group as VPoE in August 2020.

Current management structure

CEO and President: Kenji Miki / Micky

COO, Director: Shu Konno / Shu

CFO, Director: Tomoaki Soma / Tebow

VP of Strategy: Kohei Chikamori / Tebow

VP of Business Development: Itaru Sando / Santos

VP of Marketing: Ryota Fujitani / Fuji

Regional CFO for APAC and Americas: Yasushi Izumi / Issac

VP of Engineering: Keigo Aoki / Aokky (newly appointed)

CPO, joint developer: Shigeki Ishida / Siggy (newly appointed)

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PHOENIX (PRWEB)
July 31, 2020

Motivational author and speaker Jody Urquhart will deliver a keynote address at the Association of Energy Services Professionals’ (AESP) first virtual conference on September 1-3, 2020.

One of three daily keynote speakers, Urquhart will kick off the third day’s program with an inspiring talk on “Climbing Outside of Stress. How To Stay Hopeful in Uncertain Times.”

Recent events have tapped into the energy workforce’s (not-unlimited) reservoir of energy and optimism – important qualities needed to navigate and succeed through difficult times. Through stand-up comedy, audience engagement, and analogy, Urquhart intends to help attendees discover how to reinvigorate, build renewed purpose in their work, and stay resilient. By sharing techniques to empower oneself to face stress, get a grip on change, and buoyantly navigate the future, Urquhart will show attendees how to self-renew in uncertainty and stay motivated as the world adapts.

Urquhart is the author of All Work & No Say, a bestselling book that shattered assumptions that work can’t be rewarding and fun. A successful entrepreneur for over 25 years, owning and managing over 15 properties, her real estate ventures have taught her many life lessons about influencing others. A motivational speaker for over 23 years and a former stand-up comedian, she speaks at over 120 organizations and associations every year.

AESP is a non-profit association with members from public and private utilities, consultants and manufacturers in the industry, who are dedicated to creating and implementing programs that reduce demand and pressure on the power grid. This virtual conference is expected to attract over 200 of the energy industry’s top experts in demand-side management, marketing, implementation, evaluation, policy and research.

“We believe that Ms. Urquhart’s message of resilience is just what the EE industry needs now to reenergize and stay optimistic in order to better respond to current changes in the industry. We are pleased to support AESP in bringing this excellent speaker in front of the attendees of AESP’s virtual conference,” said John Bailes, Group President of AM Conservation who is sponsoring the closing keynote.

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The Association of Energy Services Professionals (http://www.aesp.org) provides professional development programs, a network of energy practitioners, and promotes the transfer of knowledge and experience. Our members work in the energy services industry and represent electric and natural gas utilities, public benefits associations, regulatory and non-profit entities, vendors, manufacturers and consulting firms. Founded in 1989, AESP is a member-based association dedicated to improving the delivery and implementation of energy efficiency, energy management and distributed renewable resources. AESP provides professional development programs, a network of energy practitioners, and promotes the transfer of knowledge and experience.

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CHICAGO (PRWEB)
August 02, 2020

Linda Mack, President, and Founder of Mack International was invited to moderate a panel for the Opal Group’s Family Office Planning and Structured Forum held virtually on July 1, 2020. Linda was joined by panelists Carol Schleif, Deputy Chief Investment Officer, Abbot Downing (MFO); Trish Botoff, Principal Consultant, Botoff Consulting, LLC; and Michael Rosenblatt, President, The Quest Organization. The topic explored was “Talent Management and Continuity during the Pandemic Crisis and Beyond.”

The session opened with a discussion on the level of preparedness family offices felt when faced with circumstances surrounding the pandemic. Contingency planning and business continuity were thrust into the spotlight. “The panel reported many family offices found it challenging to respond to the unanticipated need to work remotely,” said Linda. “Plans were not in place in many cases.” There were, however, examples of some family offices who had experienced unforeseen circumstances like 9/11 in New York City. “Family Offices who were “battle tested” by prior were able to quickly pivot and set up alternative office infrastructures and shift their staff to work remotely. Their transitions were much smoother.”

The pandemic’s impact on hiring was particularly profound. The ‘shelter in place’ edicts affected the entire process, as in-person interviews were necessarily replaced with video conferencing. Both the family and a prospective candidate were compelled to reach a comfort level with virtual meetings. Linda’s observation was most did so quickly and remarkably well. “Competition for talent continues to be intense. Thanks to technology, most people are accustomed to video conferencing, however the question becomes, are you comfortable enough to hire someone you have never formally met? The market is active regardless of the pandemic. So, if you find that ‘needle in a haystack’ you have to be prepared to make a decision, or someone else will capture that candidate.” The panel discussed families they knew who were hiring at more junior levels or inviting professionals to join them on an interim basis until they were confident in making offers for a permanent position.            

Onboarding and mentoring new executives on a virtual or remote basis presents a distinct challenge when the office is essentially “closed.” The panel agreed communication was paramount—whether the situation called for 1:1 or collaborative teams. Some examples of best practices included assigning a “buddy” versus a “boss” to mentor and assimilate the new person into the family culture. At the executive level, we also heard examples of family principals or board members helping a new leader with other key executives and staff members. Stories were shared on how families engaged and motivated staff, showing gratitude and building morale. “Some Family Office leaders seeing their staffs working diligently despite remote conditions are planning to recognize and reward that hard work in order to retain key employees,” said Linda. “Of course, for some, it is too soon to tell how much their respective budgets might be constrained or adversely affected. But the desire to show appreciation is there.”        

Plans going forward are not entirely clear. Linda continues to help families dealing with the continued uncertainty. “No one could have anticipated the scale of this disruption and the consequences to individual family offices. Most would agree getting back to the office will be difficult before the fourth quarter. Comradery, collaboration and brainstorming in person creates a more powerful connection not easily simulated virtually. People are anxious to be together again. The good news is we have proven we can successfully make working remotely a positive and productive experience. In the future, when we do have the choice, to what extent will remote working replace onsite presence? Only time will tell.”        

About Mack International LLC

Mack International is the premier, a boutique retained executive search and strategic management/human capital consulting firm serving national and international clients in the family office, family business enterprise, and the wealth management industries on a national and international basis. Founded in 2002, the firm has achieved an exceptional track record of success as evidenced by its unmatched industry expertise, in-depth market knowledge, and unparalleled track record of success. Founder and President, Linda C. Mack has established proprietary methodologies such as the Mack 360© and is credited for having coined the term “expert generalist” in the industry.

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HOUSTON (PRWEB)
July 31, 2020

HoustonCIO announced the winners of its 2020 CIO of the Year® ORBIE® Awards. HoustonCIO recognized chief information officers in seven key categories – Leadership, Super Global, Global, Large Enterprise, Enterprise, Corporate and Nonprofit. The Houston CIO of the Year Awards were presented virtually.

“The HoustonCIO ORBIE winners demonstrate the value great leadership creates. Especially in these uncertain times, CIOs are leading in unprecedented ways and enabling the largest work-from-home experiment in history,” according to Monique Cook, Executive Director of HoustonCIO. “The ORBIE Awards are meaningful because they are judged by peers – CIOs who understand how difficult this job is and why great leadership matters.”

The 2020 Houston CIO of the Year ORBIE Award winners are:

• 
  Wayne Shurts, EVP & CTO, Sysco Corporation (fmr), received the Leadership CIO of the Year ORBIE.
• Jennifer Hartsock, CIO, Baker Hughes, received the Super Global ORBIE for organizations over $4 billion annual revenue & multi-national operations.
• Ishmael Cooper, VP & CIO, LivaNova, received the Global ORBIE for organizations over $1 billion annual revenue & multi-national operations.
• Jonathan Sider, CIO, Mattress Firm, received the Large Enterprise ORBIE for organizations over $2 billion annual revenue.
• Todd Renaud, CIO, Conn’s HomePlus, received the Enterprise ORBIE for organizations over $500 million annual revenue.
• George Crawford, CIO, Catapult Energy Services, received the Corporate ORBIE for organizations up to $500 million annual revenue.
• Charles Thompson, CIO, Port of Houston Authority, received the Nonprofit ORBIE for government, education & not-for-profit organizations.

The CIO of the Year ORBIE Awards is the premier technology executive recognition program in the United States. Since inception in 1998, over 1,000 CIOs have been honored as finalists and over 225 CIO of the Year winners 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 CIO Awards ceremony was keynoted by Becky Blalock, Former SVP & CIO of Southern Company. Over 300 guests attended, representing leading Houston organizations and their technology partners.

The 2020 Houston CIO of the Year Awards was made possible by the following sponsors:

• Underwriters: Pariveda, CenturyLink, Blue Sky IT Partners & Athenian Consulting
• Gold sponsors: Utegration & Presidio
• Silver sponsors: Splunk, NetSync, Workday, Deloitte, Credera, SHI & Mphasis
• Bronze sponsors: KPMG, Blackberry Cylance, Sendero Consulting, ReCode Solutions, Caliber Solutions, Dell Technologies, Layer 3 Communications, ServiceNow, Microsoft, Infosys, Capgemini, Visionet & Between Pixels
• Media partner: The Houston Business Journal
• About HoustonCIO

HoustonCIO is the preeminent peer leadership network of Houston chief information officers. HoustonCIO is one of 17 chapters of the InspireCIO Leadership Network, a national membership organization comprised exclusively of CIOs from public and private businesses, government, education, healthcare and nonprofit institutions.

HoustonCIO 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.

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