Category Archives: Business

Press Releases from the Business World. Announcements, Product releases, Appointments.

eSAT Global Names Australian Rick Somerton as its CEO


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eSAT Global, Inc. a developer of low cost, real-time satellite IoT connectivity solutions, announces the appointment of Rick Somerton as its new Chief Executive Officer. The development of eSAT’s technology and its ecosystem of customers and partners is rapidly growing and Rick is responsible for much of this success.

Michael Parr, who has had the dual responsibility of both CTO and CEO for the past year, will remain focused on the technology, as he continues to drive the development and implementation of eSAT’s disruptive technology. David Lyon will continue in his role as Executive Chairman.

Rick joined eSAT as Regional Director ANZ in the third quarter of last year and has had a meaningful impact on customer and partner engagement. Before joining eSAT Rick was CEO and founder of IoT OZ, the Asian licensee for Ingenu’s terrestrial based LPWAN business. During that time, Rick built an extensive network of ecosystem partners across a range of Asian territories and partnered with Chinese investors in the establishment of the first independent LPWAN project in China utilizing Ingenu’s RPMA technology.

Reflecting on his appointment Rick said, “I am honoured and excited to have been selected to lead a business with so much runway. I have been working closely with our partners for the last nine months and have been blown away by their level of engagement and their keenness to incorporate eSAT’s modules into their IoT solutions as soon as they are available. This is a credit to Michael Parr and David Lyon who together have listened to client’s needs and have developed a solution which hits the mark.”

“I am especially excited to be directing the early implementation of our products in Australia. We will be giving many Australian IoT solution businesses the opportunity to deliver out of the box solutions to international markets.”

Executive Chairman of eSAT, David Lyon, said of Mr. Somerton’s appointment: “eSAT has benefitted greatly over the past year from Rick’s initiatives and creativity. He has forged many consequential relationships with flagship customers and industry bodies who fully appreciate the unique value eSAT brings and who support our mission. By taking on the leadership of the company Rick will be exploiting the momentum he has already helped to create in the marketplace. We all look forward to working with him in building a great enterprise.”

Prior to becoming an entrepreneur Rick had a successful career in investment banking, including as Head of the Power, Energy and Utility business at Salomon Brothers, Australia. He earned BCom and MCom degrees from the University of New South Wales (UNSW).

About eSAT Global

eSAT Global’s mission is to bring disruptive direct-to-satellite connectivity to low cost IoT devices. The direct-to-satellite connectivity solution is built around eSAT’s patented architecture using existing and highly reliable GEO MSS satellite platforms. Designed from the ground up for Internet of Things (IoT) applications, the eSAT solution requires no terrestrial infrastructure or back-haul, while providing global coverage. IoT devices equipped with eSAT communications modules directly communicate with GEO MSS satellites at a transmit power level comparable to that of a car key fob, enabling years of operation on a single battery. The eSAT system’s unique combination of low cost, low latency, and global coverage is not matched by any other existing or proposed IoT connectivity solution, including the many proposed Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite systems.

For more information, visit http://www.esatglobal.com

For further information contact:

Rick Somerton

Rick.somerton@esatglobal.com

+61411758973

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National Merchants Association (NMA) Acquires New CFO, Jeff Socha


Jeff Socha joins the NMA leadership team as Chief Financial Officer

Jeff Socha joins the NMA leadership team as Chief Financial Officer

National Merchants Association (NMA) is proud to announce its appointment of Jeff Socha as Chief Financial Officer. As one of the founding partners of Ark Financial Group, Jeff brings extensive experience in developing financial solutions for business owners in real estate, construction, software, and other industries.

Jeff’s technical expertise and extensive education make him a strong addition to carry forward National Merchants Association’s mission. He earned his Bachelor’s degree in Engineering and Finance from Texas A&M. In 2019, Jeff attended Harvard Business School’s action-oriented and collaborative General Management Program where he learned skills to become an outstanding business leader.

Even before his studies, Jeff spent his early years working in the family business founded by his grandfather in 1950; hiring his first financial advisor at 15 years old. Jeff’s upbringing of working in the family business influenced his decision to specialize in financial consulting.

In addition to his extensive knowledge of financial consulting, Jeff’s dedication to business owners’ rights motivated him to become involved in two political action committees where he lobbied the U.S. Congress on finance and tax regulations. His understanding of lobbying for business owners will begin to shape NMA’s plans for credit card processing regulations.

After leaving Capitol Hill, Jeff went on to found Ark Financial Group, a fractional family office that specializes in holistic financial planning and consulting for business and community leaders. Jeff’s solutions for lowering the risk of business ownership and increasing his clients’ profitability have been nationally recognized. This can be attributed to creating personalized plans and recommendations for each business. This fits well with NMA’s goal of Payments Made Personal™.

Volunteer service in the community keeps Jeff’s financial and leadership skills sharp. Jeff serves as a board member of the Entrepreneur’s Organization. He has also served as Chairman of the Board for the Young Catholic Professionals 2016-2017, and as a Board Member for Holy Family Catholic School 2016-2019.

Jeff Socha will make an excellent addition to the National Merchants Association as the new Chief Financial Officer. His experience and expertise will allow NMA to better serve their clients with expert financial advice.

About National Merchants Association (NMA)

National Merchants Association is a global leader in credit card processing and merchant services. They are a merchant advocacy group that specializes in high risk credit card processing. Their mission is to provide a merchant account that Works for You®. NMA lobbies to reduce the unnecessary and unreasonable fees associated with accepting electronic transactions. They also help businesses grow by generating sales opportunities and providing solutions to maximize profits. For three years in a row, NMA has been ranked among the Inc. 5000 fastest-growing private companies.

Visit http://www.NationalMerchants.com or call (866) 509-7199 for more information.

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Suppliers Have Embraced Electronic Invoicing & Payments During COVID-19


Suppliers serving real estate companies have forgone paper invoices and checks, and substantially increased their adoption of electronic delivery methods during this pandemic, according to a new study by Nexus, the leading AP automation company for real estate.

During the months of March, April, and May 2020, suppliers increased their usage of NexusConnect, an online portal to submit invoices to buyers by 15 percent, even while purchasing shrank precipitously.

They also increased their acceptance of electronic payment methods – Nexus virtual cards in particular – by an average of 42% a month for each of the three months, compared to the same months in 2019.

“We are seeing a real transformation in supplier behavior,” said Jennifer Coolidge, Nexus president and head of the supplier program.

She noted several factors are at work:

  • Working from Home: Suppliers, like buyers, are working from home, and they don’t want to – or can’t – go into the office to send invoices/receive checks.
  • Cash Flow Concerns: Many buyers are not able to cut checks every week, but they are able to submit electronic payments every week (or even more frequently if need be). So suppliers have opted for electronic methods, like virtual cards, in order to get paid. In fact, many have become “network acceptors” to receive virtual cards for all their payments.
  • Greater Visibility: Electronic delivery offers real-time visibility/transparency that paper methods simply can’t provide because of mail float.


This uptick in digital invoices and payments came at the time the country’s economy contracted significantly and purchasing was down overall.

Real estate has been no exception. For example, electronic purchase orders issued through the Nexus platform were down 77% for make-ready purchases (paint, carpet, and other purchases to make units ready for the next tenant) for the period of March-May 2020, compared to the prior year.

Coolidge said a lot of suppliers shifted their invoice submissions to NexusConnect because the portal provides guaranteed invoice delivery – which they don’t enjoy with the U.S. mail service. It also provides suppliers with real time status about whether invoices have been received, approved, paid, or rejected.

“Online visibility is exceptionally important in times like these, since there’s often no one in the office to take a call,” she said.

In addition, suppliers opted for electronic virtual cards, over receiving paper checks, as part of the NexusPayments program, wherein Nexus pays suppliers on behalf of its clients.

Nexus data shows that monthly acceptance rates of virtual cards went up 56% in March, 38% in April, and 45% in May, compared to the prior year.

While the terms of Nexus virtual cards didn’t change, more suppliers opted into them because they wanted guaranteed funds, greater security, and faster payment, said Director of Supplier Solutions Lisa Hills.

The Nexus AP automation platform is designed specifically for real estate companies, which need to process high volumes of invoices every month from a broad range of suppliers, from the one-person landscaping company to the multi-billion-dollar retail store.

With just a few clicks, Nexus customers can upload invoices, compare them to budget, route them to approvers, and then submit them for payment. They can also authorize Nexus to pay their suppliers with virtual card, ACH, or check.

Suppliers, meanwhile, can use Nexus to connect to their buyers and transact with them securely, all with unparalleled visibility into their transactions.

One in five of the world’s largest real estate companies use the Nexus AP automation platform to automate accounts payable and control their spend.

About Nexus

With Nexus Procure-to-Pay software, real estate companies can manage every aspect of the accounts payable process – from purchase through payments – with just a few clicks. The web-based platform automates manual AP tasks and provides complete visibility into suppliers, budgets, and spend. No more paper, wasted time, nor guesswork. Nexus makes it easy to maintain and expand the supplier relationships at the heart of the real estate business. Visit http://www.Nexussystems.com.

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Nancy B. G. Lassen Elected as Fellow of the College of Labor & Employment Lawyers


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Pennsylvania labor, employment and workers’ compensation law firm Willig, Williams & Davidson is pleased to announce that partner Nancy B. G. Lassen has been elected as a Fellow to the College of Labor & Employment Lawyers. Election as a Fellow is the highest recognition by one’s colleagues of sustained outstanding performance in the profession, exemplifying integrity, dedication and excellence.

After more than 30 years of practice as a union-side labor law attorney, Lassen has a reputation as a tireless and tenacious advocate for labor organizations and workers in every sector of the workforce. Her extensive experience includes representing clients in collective bargaining, state and federal trial and appellate litigation, state and federal administrative agency proceedings, grievance and interest arbitrations, internal union proceedings and occupational health and safety disputes.

Lassen also is a sought-after speaker, educating union leaders and law students, workers and attorneys in matters such as employment discrimination, family and medical leave, occupational safety and health, effective advocacy and representation skills, fair labor standards and the rights and responsibilities of labor unions and union members. In addition to practicing law, Lassen also served as an adjunct professor of labor law at the Thomas R. Kline School of Law at Drexel University.

The College of Labor & Employment Lawyers is a nonprofit professional association honoring the leading lawyers nationwide in the practice of Labor and Employment Law. Fellows are recognized as distinguished members of the labor and employment community who promote achievement, advancement and excellence in the practice by setting high standards of professionalism and civility, by sharing their experience and knowledge and by acting as a resource for academia, the government, the judiciary and the community at large. With the current installation, the College is represented by nearly 1,600 members in 46 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and eight Canadian Provinces.

About Willig, Williams & Davidson – Willig, Williams & Davidson (http://www.wwdlaw.com) is one of the largest and most respected union-side labor law firms in the United States. The firm has offices in Philadelphia, Harrisburg, and Jenkintown Pa., as well as Haddonfield, N.J., and Chicago, Ill. Founded in 1979, Willig, Williams & Davidson focuses on representing labor unions, employee benefit funds and individual working people and their families on a variety of legal fronts, including national, regional and local contract negotiations; election and campaign finance; dispute resolution through mediation, arbitration and litigation; family law matters; benefits law design and compliance issues; discrimination, overtime and unpaid wages, and other employment matters; prepaid legal services for union members; social security disability; and workers’ compensation matters in Philadelphia and beyond. Workers inspire us.

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IT Outsourcing in Life & Annuities Insurance Industry is Readying for Cost Transformation by Systems Simplification and Rationalization—Everest Group


Everest Group

Above all, L&A insurers need to double down on user experience and efficiency, and that’s why adopting a modern platform-first operating model is crucial to the future success of the L&A insurer.

The Life & Annuities (L&A) insurance segment experienced a growth in premiums of 2.0% to 2.5% in 2019, but this is expected to drop to -3.5% to -1.5% through 2020 as a result of the COVID-19 crisis, according to Everest Group. However, long-term industry growth fundamentals remain robust amidst the COVID-19 turmoil, albeit with concerns on investment income shock, demand shock, and claims shock leading to near-term financial distress. As the coronavirus crisis abates, the L&A industry segment will invest in IT to drive cost efficiency and improve user experiences, contributing to a modest 0.9% compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of L&A IT outsourcing through 2022.

Everest Group projects that IT spending hotspots for L&A insurers in the future will include omnichannel digital solutions for customers, digital tools for agent enablement, shifting legacy applications to modern platforms, automation, analytics, Robotic Process Automation (RPA), and Application Programming Interface (API) solutions to integrate third-party services.

Everest Group advises L&A insurers to focus on the following IT priorities to ensure future success:

  • Investing both in platforms to drive long-term cost transformation and in technology solutions such as automation, analytics, and cloud for improved process efficiency and compliance.
  • Capturing the digital channels opportunity:
  • – Improving the online research and shopping experience.
  • – Balancing human and digital touchpoints in the sales journey.
  • – Enabling agents/brokers with digital tools.
  • Modernizing legacy platforms and IT infrastructure.
  • Investing in analytics solutions for effective risk assessment to improve product pricing.
  • Attracting enough young talent to build skills of the future and build domain understanding to replace an aging workforce.

“Above all, L&A insurers need to double down on user experience and efficiency, and that’s why adopting a modern platform-first operating model is crucial to the future success of the L&A insurer,” said Ronak Doshi, vice president at Everest Group. “Digital capability platforms support ecosystem interaction via microservices and APIs, enabling customized business processes, analytics solutions, and cross-selling and up-selling across multiple customer segments. L&A insurers can also reduce costs by carving out non-core operations in a Business-Processes-as-a-Service model. L&A insurers who explore these operating models now with an end-goal of becoming more agile, efficient and customer-centric will be best positioned to succeed in a post-COVID-19 world.”

These recommendations are discussed in more detail in Everest Group’s new report, “Life & Annuities (L&A) Insurance State of the Market 2020: Platform-first Model to Simplify and Rationalize Systems for Rapid Cost Take-out.

In this report Everest Group offers a detailed analysis of the L&A insurance industry, analyzing the forces shaping the industry’s future, especially in the light of the COVID-19 pandemic. The report also highlights the implications for key insurance functions and recommends strategies for L&A insurers to thrive in the next normal.

***Visit Everest Group’s COVID-19 page for a Global Service Delivery tracker, recent reports, webinars, and more.***

Selected Highlights of L&A Insurance IT Outsourcing Market:

  • Insurance IT services spend grew at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 2.4% from 2017-2019, reaching a total of US$115.8 billion. The Global Business Services (GBS) portion was $66.8 billion, and the outsourcing IT services portion was $49 billion.
  • The outsourcing IT services spend of $49 billion comprises $4.1 billion for the reinsurance segment, $24.2 billion for Property & Casualty insurance, and $20.7 billion for L&A insurance.
  • Geographically, North America accounted for the largest portion of the IT services spend at $28.4 billion, followed by the United Kingdom with $6.4 billion, and Rest of Europe at $7.9 billion. Asia Pacific (APAC) is the region projected to experience the fastest growth in the future.

***Download the complimentary report abstract.***

About Everest Group

Everest Group is a consulting and research firm focused on strategic IT, business services, engineering services, and sourcing. Our clients include leading global enterprises, service providers, and investors. Through our research-informed insights and deep experience, we guide clients in their journeys to achieve heightened operational and financial performance, accelerated value delivery, and high-impact business outcomes. Details and in-depth content are available at http://www.everestgrp.com/.

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Sundae Secures $16.55 Million in Series A Round, Led by QED Investors


…Many property investors are known for predatory tactics that hurt sellers when they need help the most. We started Sundae to right this wrong, to be the advocate for this segment of home sellers by ensuring they get a fair price for their home and peace of mind for themselves and their families.

Sundae, a residential real estate marketplace focused on helping sellers of distressed property get the best price for their home through a reliable and worry-free process, has raised $16.55 million in Series A funding. The round was led by QED Investors, with additional participation from Founders Fund, Susa Ventures, and a number of high profile real estate and FinTech

investors and entrepreneurs.

Sellers of dated or damaged properties are often vulnerable and exploited in the process of selling a home that requires investment in renovations and repairs before a new family can move in. Sundae offers sellers a reliable and trusted way to sell effortlessly and without doing any work on the property. Instead of talking to multiple small mom and pop property investors to find the right buyer, Sundae does the hard work for them by ensuring the property is exposed to thousands of qualified buyers to secure the maximum amount investors are willing to pay.

“For far too long, home sellers without the time or resources to get a house market-ready have been taken advantage of,” said Josh Stech, Sundae Co-Founder and CEO. “Many property investors are known for predatory tactics that hurt sellers when they need help the most. We started Sundae to right this wrong, to be the advocate for this segment of home sellers by ensuring they get a fair price for their home and peace of mind for themselves and their families.”

With Sundae there are no closing costs or agent fees, and homeowners can skip the hassle of home repairs, cleanings, and showings. Sundae also provides a $10,000 cash advance before closing to help homeowners with moving costs or other expenses. Homeowners can close in as quickly as 10 days and can choose to remain in the home for weeks after the sale.

Since launching in January 2019 Sundae has grown to become the second largest homebuyer in the markets it serves across Southern California and has helped hundreds of sellers get a better outcome. With this new funding, Sundae plans to expand to new markets across the U.S. to help more homeowners in need.

“The distressed residential real estate market is ripe for innovation, especially now,” said Frank Rotman, founding partner at QED Investors. “There is a huge unmet need for solutions that make the selling process more efficient and transparent. As a team of ex-operators, QED is excited to work with the Sundae team to build out their footprint, support their rapid growth and deliver a sorely-needed customer-centric approach to the market.”

In addition to providing a marketplace to connect sellers of distressed property to the best buyer, Sundae also operates as a property investor and will purchase, renovate, and resell properties through its resale brokerage Sundae Homes.

About Sundae

Sundae’s mission is to help homeowners get the best outcome when it’s time to sell a house that needs some love. Many sellers don’t have the time or resources to invest in repairs and cleaning to get the home market-ready. We started Sundae to help sellers in this situation by offering a worry-free alternative to the traditional real estate agent sales process.

Founded in August 2018 by veteran real estate and marketplace executives Josh Stech and Andrew Swain, Sundae’s team brings a combined 250+ years of local real-estate experience. Sundae is headquartered in San Francisco, CA and has regional headquarters in Manhattan Beach, CA and Atlanta, GA. To learn more visit sundae.com.

About QED Investors

QED Investors is a leading boutique venture capital firm based in Alexandria, VA. QED Investors is focused on investing in early-stage, disruptive financial services companies in North America, South America, and the United Kingdom. QED is dedicated to building great businesses and uses a unique, hands-on approach that leverages its partners’ decades of entrepreneurial and operational experience, helping companies achieve breakthrough growth. Notable investments include Credit Karma, ClearScore, Nubank, SoFi, Avant, Remitly, Flywire, GreenSky, Klarna, QuintoAndar, Konfio, Creditas, and Mission Lane.

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Perceptyx Welcomes Technology Veterans Cheryl Kim (CFO) & Sham Telang (CTO) As Company Embarks on Next Stage of Growth


Cheryl Kim

The Perceptyx vision of integrating human sentiment data with business operations data into a single platform is extremely compelling, and an area I am particularly excited to work on; I have no doubt it will help current and future clients significantly. – Sham Telang

Perceptyx, the leading employee survey and people analytics platform helping companies see the way forward, announced today two new strategic hires; Cheryl Kim has joined the company as Chief Financial Officer, and Sham Telang as Chief Technology Officer.

Both will play pivotal roles in broadening Perceptyx product offerings and capitalizing on the company’s growth momentum and expansion. Revenue climbed more than 50 percent year-over-year in 2019, and Perceptyx now counts close to 20 percent of the Fortune 1000 and over 30 percent of Fortune 100 organizations as enterprise clients.

As CFO, Kim brings to Perceptyx a decade of C-suite experience in finance, reporting, operations and corporate development, gained in high-impact leadership roles at fast-growing companies both public and private. Kim previously served for five years as CFO of Healthline Media, where revenue nearly tripled during her tenure. During her time at the organization, she industrialized the finance function, completed multiple acquisitions, and led the company’s successful sale to Red Ventures in 2019.

“Cheryl is a builder and a visionary, combining the right mix of strategic and tactical financial expertise to help people and organizations achieve their full potential,” said John Borland, Perceptyx CEO and co-founder. “She knows what it takes to strengthen foundations, scale infrastructure, and develop talent for high-growth technology organizations.”

“Perceptyx is growing at scale, with 7 million employees surveyed in 2019 across large enterprises, and ongoing momentum,” Kim noted. “I’m excited to leverage my financial, strategic, and operating experience to help John and the entire team expand our opportunities internationally, continue to enhance our products, and work with our investors to take Perceptyx to the next level.”

Telang brings over 20 years of multinational leadership and software technology experience to his role as CTO of Perceptyx, leading large-scale digital and product transformation initiatives, most recently as the COO/CTO of LegalZoom and prior to that as Global CTO for Experian Consumer Services.

“Sham’s strong leadership experience in business operations along with his product and technology management expertise will have an immediate effect on our ability to drive innovation and execute new product offerings,” continued Borland. “As Perceptyx continues to scale and bring new innovative technologies to market, Sham’s proven insight and guidance will be imperative.”

“The Perceptyx vision of integrating human sentiment data with business operations data into a single platform is extremely compelling, and an area I am particularly excited to work on; I have no doubt it will help current and future clients significantly,” said Telang. “My focus will be to accelerate product innovation towards our mission to radically shift the way enterprises leverage their people data to drive business performance.”

To learn more, visit http://www.perceptyx.com

About Perceptyx

Since its founding in 2003, Perceptyx has been redefining the employee survey and people analytics industry, delivering enterprise-level employee surveys and people analytics to more than 30% of the Fortune 100 today. With an unrivaled technology platform and a tailor-made, flexible approach, the Perceptyx technology makes it easy for managers, HR, or business leaders to discover insights deep within large and complex organizations, driving meaningful action to improve business outcomes. Driven by a deep intellectual curiosity and a culture of innovation, Perceptyx is challenging the status quo — to help people and organizations See The Way Forward.

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Grinnell Mutual hosts 112th Annual Meeting and elections


MaryJo Robison

Mary Jo Robison, secretary-treasurer/manager at LaPrairie Mutual Insurance Company (Henry, Ill.), was elected to serve the remaining term of the seat left vacant by the departure of Amy Goughnour. The term expires in June 2022.

At Grinnell Mutual Bartelt Conference and Education Center, with social distancing guidelines in place, Grinnell Mutual’s 112th annual business meeting convened on June 24 in Grinnell, Iowa.

The secretary of the board of directors presented the financial statements and elections were held.

Elections

Mary Jo Robison, secretary-treasurer/manager at LaPrairie Mutual Insurance Company (Henry, Ill.), was elected to serve the remaining term of the seat left vacant by the departure of Amy Goughnour. The term expires in June 2022.

Robison has been at LaPrairie Mutual for 21 years, the last 10 as secretary-treasurer/manager. She is a member of the NAMIC Merit Society, served on NAMIC’s Farm Mutual Conference Board, and chaired its Development Planning Committee. Robison also served as chair for the Illinois Association of Mutual Insurance Companies (IAMIC). She holds the PFMM and FMDC designations.

Larry Cook, of Frontier-Mt. Carroll Mutual (Lincoln, Ill.), Mark Knouse of White Pigeon Mutual (Wilton, Iowa), Bill Lampe, first vice-chair, of Heritage Mutual (Preston, Iowa), and Steve Underwood of United Mutual (Washington, Mo.) were re-elected for three-year terms ending in June 2023.

About Grinnell Mutual

Grinnell Mutual, in business since 1909, is the 111th-largest property casualty insurance company in the United States and the largest primary reinsurer of farm mutual companies in North America. Its products are available in 19 states.

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Chicago Minority Supplier Development Council Announces New President and Chief Executive Officer


Mr. Vincent Williams (Profile Photo)

Mr. Vincent Williams

“I am honored to accept the appointment and humbled by the enormous support from the ChicagoMSDC community. Together we will vigorously pursue opportunities that protect, grow and sustain minority-owned businesses and minority communities throughout the Chicagoland region,” said Vincent Williams.

Today, the Chicago Minority Supplier Development Council (ChicagoMSDC) officially announced the appointment of J. Vincent Williams as the new President and Chief Executive Officer. Effective July 1, 2020, Mr. Williams becomes the fifth President in more than 50 years of the Council’s history.

Founded in 1968, ChicagoMSDC is one of 23 affiliates of the National Minority Supplier Development Council (NMSDC) advancing business opportunities for certified Asian, Black, Hispanic and Native American enterprises and connecting them to ally firms, corporations and government buying agencies.

ChicagoMSDC’s network includes over 250 private-and public-sector buying organizations and nearly 1,000 minority businesses. Buying organizations within the network report over $3 billion in annual purchases from minority firms across the nation. Minority business enterprises in the Chicagoland area report retention of more than 20,000 employees each year.

“We are excited to announce Mr. Williams as the new President and CEO of the Council. Our Board is confident that he will bring fresh, new ideas and execute those ideas to support the entire supplier diversity ecosystem,” said Mark Hands, ChicagoMSDC Board Chairman.

Prior to accepting the appointment at the ChicagoMSDC, Mr. Williams led economic development initiatives by consulting directly with small businesses and entrepreneurs interested in starting, growing, or scaling their business as the Vice President of Economic Empowerment and the Director of the Illinois Small Business Development Center at the YWCA Metropolitan Chicago.

“I am honored to accept the appointment and humbled by the enormous support from the ChicagoMSDC community. Together we will vigorously pursue opportunities that protect, grow and sustain minority-owned businesses and minority communities throughout the Chicagoland region,” said Williams.

Over the last 25 years, Williams’ career evolved through progressive business development roles and experienced executive level leadership in corporate America and large non-profit organizations. He is a native of Chicago’s South Side and comes from a family of entrepreneurs.

J. Vincent Williams was named to Diversity MBA Magazine’s 2018 Elite List of Top 100 Emerging Executive Leaders under the age of 50. He earned a dual MBA in Finance and Management at The Morris Graduate School of Management (Chicago). He also holds a Non-Profit Executive Leadership Certification from Northwestern University Kellogg School of Management.

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About Chicago Minority Supplier Development Council

Founded in 1968, ChicagoMSDC is a nonprofit corporate membership organization that advances business opportunities for certified Asian, Black, Hispanic and Native American enterprises and connecting minority businesses to ally firms, corporations and government buying agencies. ChicagoMSDC is one of 23 affiliates of the National Minority Supplier Development Council (NMSDC).

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Edward Minn Added as Portfolio Manager for Weatherbie Specialized Growth Strategy


Photo of Ed Minn

Ed Minn

“Ed has shown a high investment acumen and a relentless work ethic since joining Weatherbie Capital. The performance of the Alger Weatherbie Select 15 strategy is a testament to his skill.”

Fred Alger Management, LLC (“Alger”), a $30 billion growth equity investment manager, is pleased to announce that Edward M. B. Minn, CFA, will be added to the portfolio management team of the Weatherbie Specialized Growth strategy effective July 1, 2020.

Mr. Minn joined Weatherbie Capital, LLC, an Alger affiliate, in 2013 and has 15 years of investing experience. He is the portfolio manager on the Alger Weatherbie Select 15 SMA Composite, a focused portfolio of smaller capitalization growth stocks with a five-star overall rating from Morningstar (among 248 Small Growth separate accounts, based on risk-adjusted returns, as of 3/31/20). Mr. Minn also has research responsibilities in the consumer, media & communications, diversified business, information services, and technology areas.

“Ed has shown a high investment acumen and a relentless work ethic since joining Weatherbie Capital. The performance of the Alger Weatherbie Select 15 strategy is a testament to his skill,” said Matt Weatherbie, CFA, chief executive officer and co-chief investment officer of Weatherbie Capital. “He has been a meaningful contributor to the long-term performance of our flagship Specialized Growth strategy. I am excited to have him join me, George Dai and Josh Bennett on this strategy.”

The Weatherbie Specialized Growth Composite has outperformed the Russell 2000 Growth Index over the past 1, 3, 5, and 10 years through 3/31/20, net of fees. The average annual total returns (%) as of 3/31/20 are: Gross of Fees: -11.7, 14.0, 12.1, 14.0, and 11.0; Net of Fees: -12.4, 13.2, 11.2, 13.0, and 10.0; Russell 2000 Growth Index: -18.6, 0.1, 1.7, 8.9, and 5.5 for the 1-, 3-, 5-, 10-years and since inception (7/1/1996) periods, respectively. The composite outperformed the index by 619, 1,310, 954, 413, and 445 basis points annualized, net of fees, for the 1-, 3-, 5-, 10-years and since inception periods, respectively (through 3/31/20). Note that only periods greater than 12 months are annualized.

The strategy has top decile rankings for the 3-, 5-, and 10-year periods and a top quartile ranking since inception. Its eVestment Percentile Rankings (in the U.S. Small Cap Growth Equity universe) are 25, 5, 4, 6, and 19 for the 1-, 3-, 5-, 10-years and since inception (7/1/1996) periods, respectively. The U.S. Small Cap Growth Equity category consisted of 66, 75, 78, 82, 99 managers for the 1-, 3-, 5-, 10-years and since inception time periods.

About Alger

Founded in 1964, Alger is widely recognized as a pioneer of growth-style investment management. Headquartered in New York City with affiliate offices in Boston and London, Alger provides U.S. and non-U.S. institutional investors and financial advisors access to a suite of growth equity separate accounts, mutual funds, and privately offered investment vehicles. The firm’s investment philosophy, discovering companies undergoing Positive Dynamic Change, has been in place for over 50 years. Weatherbie Capital, LLC, a Boston-based investment adviser specializing in small and mid-cap growth equity investing is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Alger. For more information, please visit http://www.alger.com.

The Weatherbie Specialized Growth Composite is composed of institutional accounts which primarily invest in equity securities of smaller capitalization growth companies that have attractive growth and quality characteristics. The strategy will have approximately 50 holdings. All returns assume reinvestment of dividends and are gross of withholding taxes where applicable. Performance for periods of less than one year are not annualized. The Composite is calculated in U.S. dollars. Gross of fees performance is shown prior to the deduction of management fees and after the deduction of trading expenses. Net of fees performance reflects the deduction of realized management fees and trading expenses. Prior to 2017, net of management fee performance was calculated by applying the model management fee of 0.25% per quarter that reduces the composites’ gross quarterly return, based off of the standard fee schedule of 1% on the first $20 million, 0.85% on the next $40 million, 0.75% on the next $40 million and 0.60% on assets over $100 million. Effective January 1, 2017, net of management fee performance is calculated based on actual management fees charged per each client’s negotiated fee schedule. Some accounts in the composite may have an incentive fee in addition to the standard management fee. Any incentive fees are crystalized and paid at the end of the period. Additional information regarding the policies for valuing portfolios and calculating performance are available upon request. Past performance is not an indication or guarantee of future results. A complete list and description of Fred Alger Management, LLC composites and performance results is available upon request: 800.223.3810 or http://www.alger.com.

Risk Disclosures: Investing in the stock market involves risks, including the potential loss of principal. Growth stocks may be more volatile than other stocks as their prices tend to be higher in relation to their companies’ earnings and may be more sensitive to market, political, and economic developments. A significant portion of assets will be invested in technology and healthcare companies, which may be significantly affected by competition, innovation, regulation, and product obsolescence, and may be more volatile than the securities of other companies. Investing in companies of small and medium capitalizations involve the risk that such issuers may have limited product lines or financial resources, lack management depth, or have limited liquidity. Assets may be focused in a small number of holdings, making them susceptible to risks associated with a single economic, political or regulatory event than a more diversified portfolio. Foreign securities and Emerging Markets involve special risks including currency fluctuations, inefficient trading, political and economic instability, and increased volatility.

©2020 Morningstar, Inc. All rights reserved. The information contained herein: (1) is proprietary to Morningstar and/or its content providers; (2) may not be copied or distributed; and (3) is not warranted to be accurate, complete, or timely. Neither Morningstar nor its content providers are responsible for any damages or losses arising from any use of this information. Past performance is no guarantee of future results.

The Morningstar Rating™ for funds, or “star rating”, is calculated for separate accounts with at least a three-year history. It is calculated based on a Morningstar Risk-Adjusted Return measure that accounts for variation in a managed product’s monthly excess performance, placing more emphasis on downward variations and rewarding consistent performance. The Morningstar Rating does not include any adjustment for sales loads. The top 10% of products in each product category receive 5 stars, the next 22.5% receive 4 stars, the next 35% receive 3 stars, the next 22.5% receive 2 stars, and the bottom 10% receive 1 star. The Overall Morningstar Rating for a managed product is derived from a weighted average of the performance figures associated with its three-, five-, and 10-year (if applicable) Morningstar Rating metrics. The weights are: 100% three-year rating for 36-59 months of total returns, 60% five-year rating/40% three-year rating for 60-119 months of total returns, and 50% 10-year rating/30% five-year rating/20% three-year rating for 120 or more months of total returns. While the 10-year overall star rating formula seems to give the most weight to the 10-year period, the most recent three-year period actually has the greatest impact because it is included in all three rating periods. Alger Weatherbie Select 15 SMA was rated 5 Stars for the 3-year period among 248 Small Growth separate accounts as of 3/31/20.

Rankings and ratings may be based in part on the performance of a predecessor fund or share class and are calculated by Morningstar using a performance calculation methodology that differs from that used by Fred Alger Management, LLC’s. Differences in the methodologies may lead to variances in calculating total performance returns, in some cases this variance may be significant, thereby potentially affecting the rating/ranking of the Fund(s). When an expense waiver is in effect, it may have a material effect on the total return or yield, and therefore the rating/ranking for the period.

eVestment and its affiliated entities’ (collectively, “eVestment”) rankings reflect a comparison of an investment manager’s results to other managers in an eVestment peer group who use the same investment strategy. Note that eVestment’s rankings may use a performance calculation methodology that differs from Fred Alger Management, LLC’s.The U.S. Small Cap Growth Equity category consisted of 66, 75, 78, 82, 99 managers for the one-, three-, five-, ten-, and since inception time periods. Differences in the methodologies may lead to variances in calculating total performance returns, which might affect the ranking of Alger’s strategies. eVestment collects information directly from investment management firms and other sources believed to be reliable; however, eVestment does not guarantee or warrant the accuracy, timeliness, or completeness of the information provided and is not responsible for any errors or omissions. Please note that for any reporting period, some investment management firms in a particular eVestment category might not have provided their results, which might affect the rankings or comparison of Alger performance to eVestment data. The rankings are displayed for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon when making investment decisions. Data is from a composite and is gross of fees.

The Russell 2000® Growth Index measures the performance of the small-cap growth segment of the U.S. equity universe. It includes those Russell 2000 companies with higher growth earning potential as defined by Russell’s leading style methodology. The Russell 2000 Growth Index is constructed to provide a comprehensive and unbiased barometer for the small-cap growth segment. Investors cannot invest directly in any index. Index performance does not reflect deductions for fees, expenses or taxes. Note that comparing the performance to a different index might have materially different results than those shown. Any views and opinions expressed herein are not meant to provide investment advice and there is no guarantee that they will come to pass.

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