Category Archives: Business

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

Imbue Creative Announces Erin Klebaur as Next President


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Imbue Creative announced today Erin Klebaur will succeed the agency’s founder, Michael Piperno, as its new president effective May 15.

Having most recently served as Imbue’s director of client success where she focused on advancing the long-term marketing and strategic goals of the agency’s multi-disciplinary clients, Klebaur brings 16 years of marketing expertise to her new leadership role.

“I’ve been extremely fortunate to work with a great team at Imbue, and I am looking forward to this next opportunity to build on a remarkably solid foundation,” said Klebaur. “In the months ahead, the team and I will look to expand our breadth of services and continue to add to the success stories and client victories Imbue Creative has become so well known for.”

Outgoing Founder and President Michael Piperno, who started the agency in 2004, said Klebaur has proved to be an outstanding asset to the agency, a team player and someone in whom he has the utmost confidence to lead the agency successfully into the future.

“For nearly two decades, I have had the privilege of leading this group of talented and passionate people who do amazing work while taking great care of the clients they help,” said Piperno. “I am confident Erin will take Imbue to new heights, boosting the firm’s reputation for creativity and excellence.”

According to Piperno, the agency’s diverse roster of long-time clients, as well as its employees, have expressed excitement and confidence in Klebaur for the work she has already done, and the leadership she has demonstrated in guiding the agency’s strategic marketing efforts.

Klebaur formerly served as the director of client services for a full-service marketing agency based in Princeton for 14 years. She is active in a number of organizations, including The New Jersey Communications, Advertising and Marketing Association (NJCAMA), where she serves as board liaison, Princeton Mercer Regional Chamber of Commerce, where she is on the membership committee, and Business Women Networking Involving Charity & Education (BWNICE), as the Mercer County Chapter’s Vice President.

Throughout her career, she has received several notable accolades, including recognition as one of SNJ Business People’s Top 40 Under 40, the New Jersey Advertising Club’s Jersey’s Best MARCOM Professionals Under 40, and SNJ’s Top Women in Business.

A resident of Raritan Township, NJ, Klebaur and her husband, Pete are the proud parents of twin sons. She graduated from Rider University with a bachelor’s degree in communications, with a concentration in business and professional speech and a minor in marketing and advertising.

About Imbue Creative

Imbue Creative is an award-winning branding, marketing and creative services agency. The company’s team of designers, writers, strategists, and marketers help organizations connect with new audiences and build loyalty in existing relationships through programs using strong, targeted messaging and breakthrough design concepts. The company was founded in 2004 in Bucks County, Pennsylvania and now makes its home in a renovated landmark building in historic Lambertville, New Jersey.

For additional information, visit http://imbuecreative.com, email info@imbuecreative.com or call 609.963.4004

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Stoneside Blinds & Shades Hires New Vice President of Sales


David Behrens

David Behrens

I joined Stoneside because I wanted to evangelize more than amazing solutions, I wanted to work with equally amazing people

Stoneside Blinds & Shades, the fastest-growing custom window coverings company in the United States, is pleased to announce that David Behrens has been named the new Vice President of Sales.

Behrens joined Stoneside in February 2020. Previously, he was at DISH® Network, where he was the National Sales Manager for DISH® Fiber. During his 30-plus years in sales and real estate development, Behrens has focused on helping families transform their homes by creating warm and inviting spaces, and enhancing connectivity and smart home technology. He plans to continue that mission at Stoneside, where the company’s goal is to transform 1 million homes.

“I love that we think big at Stoneside,” Behrens says. “Each Monday, we start our team meeting by reflecting on this very goal. We are big on visualizing success here, and we believe we can manifest our mid- and long-term goals by visualizing them today and every day.”

He adds that Stoneside’s employees were one of the main reasons he took the job. “I joined Stoneside because I wanted to evangelize more than amazing solutions, I wanted to work with equally amazing people,” he says. “I wanted to find a group of inspired and talented people who share similar values, visions, dreams, and, frankly, work ethic. I joined more than a company; I joined a family that happens to reside at the intersection where transformational solutions, inspirational leaders, and leading technologies collide.”

For more information on Stoneside, visit stoneside.com.

About Stoneside:

Stoneside Blinds & Shades is the #1-rated full-service window covering company in America based on customer reviews. The Denver-based company’s mission is to deliver a five-star, full-circle experience to its teammates, clients, and partners. Stoneside specializes in offering a wide selection of durable, high-quality window coverings that are all manufactured in America. With 86 locations in 10 states and the District of Columbia, Stoneside is the fastest-growing custom window covering company in America serving residential and commercial customers.

For more information, call 877-340-0158 or visit stoneside.com.

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South Carolina Homeowners Gain Access to Wright National Flood Insurance Services’ Customizable Private Flood Insurance Program


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South Carolina has experienced heightened demands for new flood insurance options as the threat of sea-level rise, coastal and inland flooding intensifies throughout the state. Responding to the need for coverage, Wright National Flood Insurance Services, LLC (WNFIS) is launching a Residential Private Flood Insurance Program throughout South Carolina on May 12. This first-of-its-kind, stand-alone product was launched in Florida and New Jersey last year, with plans for expansion into additional states.

Wright’s Residential Private Flood Insurance offering was created to address the flood insurance protection gap, which has become more urgent with the increased frequency and severity of major weather events. South Carolina is anticipated to face more than $2.9 billion in property damages due to flooding over the next 13 years – nearly double what is predicted for neighboring coastal states.¹ When looking at the US as a whole, over the past 23 years a startling 99 percent of counties throughout the nation have been impacted by flooding events.²

Similar to customization options available in standard personal lines coverages, this is the first flood coverage that allows property owners to tailor their flood insurance policy to their specific needs.

“We are offering flood coverage that is not one size fits all,” said James R. Watje, Senior Vice President of Private Flood at Wright National Flood Insurance Services. “Each home we cover is as unique as the people living in it. That’s why we created a product that will not only help protect your home but also has the flexibility to customize that protection.”

Wright’s Residential Private Flood Insurance Program will be sold exclusively by Wright’s partner agents, and it is currently backed by an insurance provider with an A+ rating from AM Best.

Key features of the coverage include:


  • No waiting period
  • No Elevation Certificate required
  • Higher dwelling limits
  • Single deductible
  • Automatic replacement cost on both dwelling and personal property
  • Loss of Use, Other Structures, and Building Ordinance coverages
  • Optional Resiliency coverage (rebuilding with flood-resistive materials)


South Carolina is ranked seventh among all states in coastal flooding vulnerability, even though the state ranks 23rd in total population. An estimated 400,000 South Carolina residents are at risk of being impacted by inland and coastal flooding.³ Through Wright’s Residential Private Flood Program with automatic replacement cost coverage and optional Resiliency coverage, property owners can rebuild with flood-resistive materials, decreasing the impact of future floods.

“Following the successful launch of our Residential Private Flood Insurance Program in Florida and New Jersey, we are pleased to now be expanding the program to South Carolina and look forward to making customizable flood insurance a nationwide standard as we roll out the program across the country,” added Watje.

If property owners have questions about their policy or if those interested in purchasing flood coverage want to learn more about Wright’s Residential Private Flood Insurance Program, they can contact their local Wright agent today.

To find a Wright agent, or if you are an agent who wants to become a Wright partner, please visit: http://www.wrightflood.com.

About Wright National Flood Insurance Services, LLC

Wright National Flood Insurance Services, LLC (WNFIS) provides private flood insurance products in 11 states with plans to continue building out the flood insurance marketplace. WNFIS offers Wright’s Excess Flood coverage in 42 states and is a Coverholder at Lloyd’s, offering several excess and surplus lines products with AM Best A- or better rated carriers. Contact Wright National Flood Insurance Services, LLC at 1-866-373-5663 for more information

Questions? Agents in South Carolina please contact Cara Calafiore at Cara.Calafiore@weareflood.com or 727-568-7607.

Non-resident South Carolina agents please contact your Wright Flood Regional Sales Manager or call Flood Marketing at (866) 373-5663

¹ https://www.businessinsider.com/us-states-climate-change-flooding-risk-2018-7

² https://www.fema.gov/data-visualization-floods-data-visualization

³ https://governor.sc.gov/sites/default/files/Documents/Floodwater%20Commission/SCFWC%20Report.pdf

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Nomis Solutions Secures Funding from Symphony Technology Group in the Form of Majority Equity Stake


Nomis Solutions is a fintech innovator focused on ensuring on-going value creation for the world’s smartest financial institutions.

With STG, we’re teaming up with an investor whose focus on the intersection of software, data, and analytics presents the perfect partnership opportunity for Nomis.

Nomis Solutions, a leading provider of SaaS-based pricing and profitability management solutions for the global retail banking market, has reached an agreement with Symphony Technology Group (STG) in which STG has acquired a majority equity interest in Nomis.

Nomis joins STG with a deep history of market leadership and tremendous market opportunity ahead. As retail banks and mortgage lenders look to deepen relationships with their end consumers and tailor product offerings accordingly, pricing technology and profitability management solutions will play an integral role in a dynamic market landscape. Nomis serves many of the large retail banks in North America and globally.

“I am excited to partner with STG in driving the next phase of growth for Nomis,” said Frank Rohde, CEO of Nomis. “Over the past year, we’ve made significant investments in our core platform as well as the launch of our new nSight solution for mortgage and deposit pricing. These investments have led to 60 percent customer growth over the last six months alone. The additional capital invested by STG will allow us to accelerate market-driven innovation and continue to build out the banking industry’s leading pricing platform.

“As banks and lenders look to navigate the current recession and changing consumer behavior, investment in digital sales and service capabilities, customer-centric analytics, and improved profitability management will be critical to preserve and protect margins. Nomis will continue to be the partner to provide the most advanced pricing technology and expertise to our customers,” continued Rohde. “With STG, we’re teaming up with an investor whose focus on the intersection of software, data, and analytics presents the perfect partnership opportunity for Nomis.”

“Global banks seek best-in-class technology partners like Nomis to provide pricing and profitability management solutions,” said Marc Bala, managing director at STG. “Nomis has developed the industry-leading product suite and has a reputation for delivering outstanding support to its blue-chip customer base. STG is thrilled to partner with Frank Rohde and the Nomis team to build on its record of innovation and continue delivering world-class digital banking solutions to customers for years to come.”

“Nomis’ market expertise and deep commitment to its customers has positioned it as a trusted advisor to retail banks around the world,” said Quinlan Fang, principal at STG. “We are excited to welcome Nomis into the STG family and look forward to working with the leadership team to further enhance the value the company creates for its customers.”

Financial Technology Partners (FTP) served as exclusive strategic and financial advisor to Nomis in this transaction.

About Symphony Technology Group

STG is the private equity partner to market leading companies in data, software, and analytics. The firm brings expertise, flexibility, and resources to build strategic value and unlock the potential of innovative companies. Partnering to build customer-centric, market winning portfolio companies, STG creates sustainable foundations for growth that bring value to all existing and future stakeholders. The firm is dedicated to transforming and building outstanding technology companies in partnership with world class management teams. STG’s expansive portfolio has consisted of more than 30 global companies. For more information, please visit stgpartners.com.

About Nomis Solutions

Nomis is a fast-growing fintech and price optimization pioneer that is enabling the world’s smartest financial institutions to drive sustained, profitable growth through end-to-end customer-centric pricing capabilities. We do so through our market-leading, cloud-native Nomis Platform™ and team of experts, bringing together cutting-edge big data, machine learning, AI and mission-critical software with deep expertise in consumer behavior, pricing and the financial services industry. The Nomis Platform manages over $2.5 trillion in transaction volume, quotes a price every 60 milliseconds, empowers 14,000+ bankers, and generates nearly $800 million in value annually. To learn more, visit nomissolutions.com.

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What Drivers Need To Know About Car Insurance Broker-Agents


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“Car insurance broker-agents can help their customers to get low prices on a variety of insurance products from one or more insurance companies.”, said Russell Rabichev, Marketing Director of Internet Marketing Company.

Compare-autoinsurance.org has launched a new blog post that presents the most important information drivers need to know about car insurance-broker agents.

For more info and free car insurance quotes, visit https://compare-autoinsurance.org/what-is-a-car-insurance-broker-agent/

Insurance-broker agents are insurance professionals who play the role of both an insurance broker and an insurance agent. They can work for either a single insurance company or a group of insurers. Their role is to explain insurance products to potential customers of a specific insurance company, then recommend the best insurance products for the needs of that customer. As a broker, the broker-agent can shop around on behalf of clients, recommending other insurance products based on the client’s needs.

To better understand the role of an insurance-broker agent, consider the following:


  • The difference between insurance agents and insurance brokers. Insurance brokers are professionals who recommend products from multiple insurance companies. The broker analyzes the customer’s needs and options and then recommends the best policy options from different companies. The broker gets a commission when the customers purchase insurance. On the other hand, insurance agents are employees of a specific insurance company and they can recommend and sell products only from their insurance companies. Besides getting sales bonuses and commissions, insurance agents also get a salary. Insurance-broker agents play both of these roles. They can recommend products from a specific insurance provider, while also having the freedom to recommend products from other insurers. Some insurance-brokers are salaried employees of an insurance company, while others are contractors for a group of insurers. Some of them are even self-employed.
  • The duties of an insurance-broker agent. Their duties vary among insurance companies. While some insurers call their agents “broker-agent” to get more customers, other companies hire broker-agents on a contractual basis to drive customers to their business. There are many broker-agents who are free of any contractual obligations and work more like a broker. These ones can recommend their customers products from different insurers without having a bias towards any specific provider. Other broker-agents work specifically with large companies to solve their insurance needs. Usually, these broker-agents specialize in a specific aspect of the insurance industry and they can recommend companies the best insurance products for their different insurance needs such as insuring a fleet of vehicles or covering hundreds or thousands of employees.


For additional info, money-saving tips and free car insurance quotes, visit https://compare-autoinsurance.org/

Compare-autoinsurance.org is an online provider of life, home, health, and auto insurance quotes. This website is unique because it does not simply stick to one kind of insurance provider, but brings the clients the best deals from many different online insurance carriers. In this way, clients have access to offers from multiple carriers all in one place: this website. On this site, customers have access to quotes for insurance plans from various agencies, such as local or nationwide agencies, brand names insurance companies, etc.

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OSG Announces Executive Leadership and Board Member Transitions


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With a strong leadership team and diversified technology, we will continue to imagine more for our customers and develop innovative solutions for both digital and traditional communication channels.

Output Services Group (OSG), a leading provider of omnichannel communications and payments solutions, is today announcing several strategic organizational and leadership changes. Anish Rajparia, who previously served as OSG’s President, has transitioned to the role of Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and joined OSG’s Board of Directors; Davinder Athwal has joined OSG as the company’s Chief Financial Officer (CFO); and Amanda Blanc and Bob Guillocheau, former CEOs of Zurich EMEA and Ascensus, respectively, have both joined OSG’s Board of Directors.

“OSG has outstanding people, innovative technology, and tremendous potential,” stated Rajparia. “I am honored to have the opportunity to lead this dynamic company, especially during such challenging times. Navigating the COVID-19 crisis as an essential company has reinforced our core value—being an exceptional partner to our clients, no matter the outside forces at play. It has also offered us a moment to imagine the future of OSG, one that’s defined by a spirit of transformation and growth. With a strong leadership team and diversified technology, we will continue to imagine more for our customers and develop innovative solutions for both digital and traditional communication channels. It’s only with the continued support of every OSG team member that we will realize our full potential as a client-focused innovator.”

Rajparia succeeds Scott W. Bernstein, who served as President and CEO of OSG since April 2010. The transition of key leadership roles will directly support ongoing initiatives for both OSG and its majority owner, Aquiline Capital Partners, a New York and London-based private equity firm investing in businesses globally across financial services and technology.

Executive Biographies

Anish Rajparia – CEO

Anish Rajparia is a proven leader with a strong track record of success both within and outside OSG. Rajparia has served as President of OSG since April 2019, and has been running the day-to-day business, while simultaneously integrating OSG’s operations, technology, and product teams. Aligning with company-wide integration efforts following a period of rapid company expansion through acquisition and organic development, Rajparia has been a vital asset in transitioning OSG to better serve customers with a seamlessly integrated product suite encompassing transactional, payment, and marketing solutions.

Utilizing over two decades of leadership experience at ADP, Parlo, McKinsey & Company, and Xerox, Rajparia brings an extensive knowledge and business acumen to OSG that will aid in further expansion across markets. As CEO, Rajparia will continue to serve as a driver of growth and innovation, harnessing the talent of OSG’s diverse team.

Davinder Athwal – CFO

Davinder Athwal brings more than 25 years of experience in global financial leadership to OSG and has proven experience in a full range of financial functions as well as building and leading finance teams at high-growth, global companies. Athwal will lead OSG’s finance, legal and human resource activities. His role is complimented by his expertise in strategic planning and execution, business performance delivery, mergers and acquisitions, treasury, tax, and risk management. Having served as both CFO and Vice President across numerous top-tier organizations, Athwal is distinctly qualified to take on the role of CFO for a company with the size and complexity of OSG.

Prior to joining OSG, Athwal served as CFO at Blucora, a provider of financial technology solutions, where he was responsible for finance and IT infrastructure. Previously, he was CFO at UGI International. He began his career at PwC in Silicon Valley and then held progressively senior financial roles at IBM and Nortel.

Amanda Blanc – UK Board Member

Amanda Blanc joins the OSG Board of Directors and will place a special emphasis on the OSG UK Board, where she will act as a guiding force behind OSG’s global expansion. Serving in key leadership roles for several high-profile insurance organizations throughout her career, including Zurich, AXA, and Towersgate, Blanc brings with her the critical knowledge needed to help OSG and Aquiline in the future.

Bob Guillocheau – Board Member

Bob Guillocheau joins the OSG Board of Directors as a strategic leader in the financial industry. With an extensive career in executive positions at Ascensus and First Data, Guillocheau has continuously provided these organizations with the key leadership skills that drive growth and success. His appointment to the OSG board will serve the forward momentum in growth and expansion across multiple channels.

About OSG

For close to three decades, OSG has been a leading outsourced provider of omnichannel billing and payment solutions, offering a full suite of integrated customer communications and engagement solutions that transform the way its clients reach their customers. From transactional documents to strategic marketing initiatives, OSG employs cutting-edge digital technology to expertly craft communications that enhance the customer experience. OSG’s reputation for excellence is based upon award-winning communications solutions and long-term investment in clients’ success.

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Aiven adds two executive hires to fuel global expansion


“We’re excited to have Emma and Jani join the Aiven executive team,” said Oskari Saarenmaa, CEO of Aiven. “Both have tremendous expertise, and we look forward to them bringing their years of knowledge and experience to help propel Aiven’s growth initiatives.”

Aiven, a startup that combines the best open source technologies with cloud infrastructure, announced today that Emma Paajanen and Jani Asikanius joined the company as the new VP of marketing and VP of sales, EMEA, respectively. Both executives bring a wealth of experience to the team and will look to continue the company’s growth initiatives.

The strategic additions come shortly after Aiven’s recent $40M Series B. Following the round, Aiven put an emphasis on several new growth initiatives to expand sales teams and heighten global recognition of Aiven’s product offering.

“We’re excited to have Emma and Jani join the Aiven executive team,” said Oskari Saarenmaa, CEO of Aiven. “Both have tremendous expertise, and we look forward to them bringing their years of knowledge and experience to help propel Aiven’s growth initiatives.”

Paajanen has more than 10 years of communications and marketing experience. Prior to joining Aiven, she served as director of marketing at F-Secure, a global cyber security company, as well as a communications consultant for Nokia Technologies.

“Aiven is entering an exciting growth phase, and I look forward to being part of a team that gets to help foster the brand and generate product demand through direct digital customer acquisition,” Paajanen said. “There’s a rising importance and recognition around open source software, and I’m looking forward to creating opportunities for Aiven to be a part of those continued conversations.”

Asikanius brings more than 20 years of sales and leadership experience with him to Aiven. Before joining the company, he held the position of VP of sales for EMEA and APAC at Idomoo, a personalized video as a service (PVaaS) platform. His experience also includes leadership and sales roles at technology leaders like NetCracker and Amdocs.

“Following the recent funding round and major expansion of the sales team in the Americas, I’m thrilled to lead the sales team’s growth initiatives in EMEA,” Asikanius said. “Aiven has grown at a tremendous rate, and I’m looking forward to continuing that by extending our business with the existing customer base and bringing Aiven’s cutting edge solution to new customers.”

To learn more about Aiven’s leadership team, visit https://aiven.io/about.

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About Aiven

Headquartered in Helsinki with offices in Berlin, Sydney and Boston, Aiven is an SOC 2 and ISO 27001 certified cloud data platform provider, operating managed open source database, event streaming, cache, search, and graphing solutions for over 500 customers worldwide.

You can visit https://aiven.io for more information or follow Aiven on Twitter: @aiven_io.

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CRN Honors IRONSCALES Neha Verma as One of Its 2020 Women of the Channel


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Neha exemplifies what IRONSCALES stands for: hard work, collaboration, creativity and, of course, commitment to our channel partners.

IRONSCALES, the pioneer of self-learning email security, today announced that CRN, a brand of The Channel Company, has named the company’s director of channel marketing, Neha Verma, to its prestigious 2020 Women in the Channel list.

Each year, CRN publishes its Women of the Channel project, recognizing female executives for their accomplishments over the past year and the far-reaching impact they are having on the technology industry going forward. The leaders on this list are from all areas of the IT channel ecosystem, representing technology suppliers, distributors, solution providers and other IT organizations. Each honoree is recognized for her contributions to channel advocacy, channel growth and visionary leadership.

“Neha exemplifies what IRONSCALES stands for: hard work, collaboration, creativity and, of course, commitment to our channel partners,” said Eyal Benishti, founder and CEO, IRONSCALES. “Our partners’ success is our success and we’re dedicated to continually improving and innovating our channel operations to provide a competitive advantage to businesses of all sizes as they seek to protect their emails from all types of advanced phishing attacks.”

Verma is a results-driven, B2B technology marketing executive with a track record of success bringing software solutions to global stakeholders and the channel market. Prior to IRONSCALES, Verma led the marketing team at Core Security and further kick-started the channel and vertical marketing programs at SecureAuth. Verma earned her MBA from Clemson University and majored in economics at Victoria University of Wellington in New Zealand.

“CRN’s 2020 Women of the Channel list recognizes an accomplished group of influential women leaders whose strategic vision and unique achievements accelerate channel growth through cultivated partnerships, innovative thought leadership, and unwavering dedication to the IT channel,” said Bob Skelley, CEO of The Channel Company. “We are proud to honor them for their accomplishments and contributions to driving channel success.”

The 2020 Women of the Channel list will be featured in CRN® Magazine on June 8 and online at http://www.CRN.com/WOTC.

The IRONSCALES partner program advantage

IRONSCALES’ partner program empowers resellers, distributors, MSPs and MSSPs with competitive sales margins, pre-qualified leads, product sales trainings, jump-start margins and special spiffs, among other benefits. For both its partners and their customers, IRONSCALES provides a comprehensive, integrated email security platform that automates and streamlines phishing attack discovery, investigation, incident response and remediation.

Additionally, IRONSCALES gives end-users and security professionals the right training, tools, and intelligence – with one-click resolution from a single platform – to hunt, log, alert, analyze and remediate phishing attacks. To do so, IRONSCALES learns how both users and attackers behave over time to provide constant innovation, giving everyone real-time visibility and real-time control to detect and stop phishing attacks of all types. This decentralized approach makes anti-phishing effortless and seamless, providing security professionals and end users with full protection against all types of phishing threats.

For more information about IRONSCALES, visit http://www.ironscales.com or follow @ironscales on Twitter and LinkedIn.

About IRONSCALES

IRONSCALES is the future of phishing protection, incubated inside the world’s top venture program for cybersecurity and founded by alumni of the Israeli Defense Forces’ elite Intelligence Technology unit. We offer security professionals and end users an AI-driven, self-learning email security platform that provides a comprehensive solution to stop tomorrow’s phishing attacks today. Using the world’s most decentralized threat protection network, our platform accelerates the prevention, detection and remediation of phishing attacks already inside your email with threat removal times in seconds, not minutes or hours. We give organizations of all sizes complete anti-phishing protection against any type of phishing attack, right now. Visit http://www.ironscales.com to learn more about The Power of Now.

About The Channel Company

The Channel Company enables breakthrough IT channel performance with our dominant media, engaging events, expert consulting and education, and innovative marketing services and platforms. As the channel catalyst, we connect and empower technology suppliers, solution providers, and end users. Backed by more than 30 years of unequalled channel experience, we draw from our deep knowledge to envision innovative new solutions for ever-evolving challenges in the technology marketplace. http://www.thechannelcompany.com

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Experiential Marketing Heavyweights Join Chicago-Based AKA


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There is no substitute for the real-life experience these two bring to the table – making this partnership a key differentiator for AKA going forward.

Jason Vargas and Scott Moller have joined Chicago-based strategic communications company, AKA. As CMO, Vargas will continue to expand the company’s capabilities to solve marketing communications challenges for clients with brand awareness and brand experience campaigns. Moller will act as Principal, providing senior-level counsel for the company’s roster of blue-chip clients.

“This is both a challenging and exciting time for our clients as they navigate contemporary communications challenges for their brands, their products, their employees and their stakeholders,” said Andrew Krause, Founder and CEO of AKA.

The addition of Scott and Jason allows AKA to offer more impactful solutions to its clients. For example, the agency can now engage customers with memorable experiences, capture those moments on video, create and edit the activity into a compelling story, and deliver it via paid and earned media to achieve results for clients.

Krause acknowledges, “There is no substitute for the real-life experience these two bring to the table – making this partnership a key differentiator for AKA going forward.”

AKA’s tailored approach to projects and scopes works to uncover the root cause of specific challenges. The agency begins by falling in love with the problem in order to identify the correct solution. Effective campaigns must be designed to solve the issue, not merely consist of clever tactics.

“We learned at Marketing Werks that most businesses experience some type of communications challenge,” said Moller. “The solution to those challenges usually involves getting the attention of the ‘right’ people and persuading those people to do the ‘right’ thing. How you do that effectively is where experience matters.”

As co-founder and co-CEO of Marketing Werks, Moller grew the company to become the largest privately-owned experiential marketing agency in the US. His dynamic leadership inspired top talent and attracted well-known brands including PlayStation, Walgreens, Char-Broil, Chase, UnitedHealth Group, IndyCar, Bridgestone and Sony. With over $100 million in annual revenue, Marketing Werks was sold to Dallas-based Crossmark in 2013.

Vargas helped pioneer experiential marketing tied to brand-driven experiences at Marketing Werks, leading award-winning teams for clients including Verizon, Discover and LEGO. Prior to joining Marketing Werks, Vargas worked for GMR Marketing and later served for eight years as Adjunct Professor of Experiential Marketing at The University of Chicago.

Krause founded AKA in 1998 producing and distributing earned media campaigns with celebrities, athletes and CEOs. He’s assembled teams of creatives, content producers, social and media relations experts and digital campaign managers recognized for results-driven, best-in-class service across brand and corporate communications. The boutique shop executes end-to-end project work for companies and brands including Mondelēz, PepsiCo/Gatorade, Kraft/Oscar Mayer, Kraft/Planters, Ace Hardware and McDonald’s.

About AKA

AKA is an award-winning strategic communications company recognized worldwide for solving marketing and communications challenges across brand and corporate communications and agency support categories. Learn more at http://www.akapartners.co.

Follow AKA on LinkedIn at http://www.linkedin.com/company/AKApartnersllc and on all other social handles at @AKApartnersllc.

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Poms & Associates Offers a Free Webinar for Employers about Reopening Workplaces and Reducing COVID-19 Exposure Risk to Employees


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“This webinar highlights many proactive steps employers can take, especially after a suspected or confirmed COVID-19 case, for ensuring the health and safety of their employees when returning to work.” – David Poms, founder and president of Poms & Associates

Poms & Associates, an independent, full-service insurance brokerage and risk management firm, today announced the availability of a free educational webinar about how employers can protect employees and properties during the COVID-19 pandemic. Part of Poms & Associates’ series of webinars about insurance and risk management topics related to COVID-19, the 50 minute webinar is presented by Amy Dolson, Larry Vigil and James Vautier, members of the Poms & Associates Risk Control Services team.

In the webinar, titled “Safety and Security: Protecting Your Employees and Properties During Quarantine,” Dolson, Vigil and Vautier highlight how to properly clean and disinfect non-healthcare workplaces and implement other measures to reduce employees’ risk of COVID-19 exposure. They also outline best practices for protecting facilities and securing physical assets during off hours.

“With the U.S. Centers for Disease Control’s (CDC) recent release of its reopening guidance, many employers are concerned about the cleanliness and safety of their facilities as employees prepare to return to the workplace,” said David Poms, founder and president of Poms & Associates. “Reducing the risk to exposure of COVID-19 by cleaning and disinfecting is an important part of reopening public spaces that will require careful planning. This webinar highlights many proactive steps employers can take, especially after a suspected or confirmed COVID-19 case, for ensuring the health and safety of their employees when returning to work.”

To view the webinar, go to https://pomsassoc.com/covid19/webinars/. For more information about Poms & Associates, visit https://pomsassoc.com/.

About Poms & Associates

Poms & Associates is a leading independent, full-service insurance brokerage and risk management firm with a proven track record of providing innovative and customized solutions to businesses in high-risk industries. Founded in 1991, the company was built on the premise that knowledge is the best insurance – that is, the best way to help businesses and organizations is to serve not only as an insurance broker but also as an educator about best practices in how to reduce risk and prevent loss before an incident occurs. Poms & Associates today offers a wide range of products and services, including property and casualty insurance for commercial organizations and public entities, risk control, human resources and employee benefits and private services for high net-worth individuals. Among the top 50 independent brokerage firms in the U.S., Poms & Associates is headquartered in Woodland Hills, Calf. It maintains branch offices in Los Angeles, Sacramento, Calif., the San Francisco Bay Area, Albuquerque, N.M. and Dayton, Ohio. For more information, visit https://pomsassoc.com/.

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