28, Jun 2024
Vistra Joins Texas Nuclear Alliance
Austin, TX, June 28, 2024 –The Texas Nuclear Alliance announced today that Vistra, which has the second largest competitive nuclear fleet in the country, has joined the Texas Nuclear Alliance as a Founding Member. The company owns and operates nearly half of the nuclear generation capacity in Texas.
“Vistra is a Texas giant – and a nuclear giant,” said Texas Nuclear Alliance President Reed Clay. “Vistra has been powering Texas homes with electricity from Comanche Peak Nuclear Power Plant for decades – safely and reliably. We are excited about Vistra’s decision to join our movement, and we know that Vistra will be a major player in bringing more needed nuclear to Texas.”
“Nuclear power is unique in that it provides reliable, emission-free baseload power,” said Ken Peters, chief nuclear officer at Vistra. “Texas is attractive to businesses and individuals alike – and we need more electricity to meet the needs of this growth. As this thirst for power grows in Texas and across the country along with a desire for responsibly paced decarbonization, nuclear will be a big part of the solution. Vistra firmly believes in the benefits of nuclear and looks forward to working with the Texas Nuclear Alliance to educate, promote, and advance nuclear power generation in the Lone Star State.”
Texas-based Vistra is the largest competitive generator in the country and a leader in nuclear power generation in both Texas and the nation. Vistra operates more than 6,400 MW of nuclear power generation, including two reactors at Comanche Peak Nuclear Power Plant near Glen Rose, Texas. Comanche Peak’s two-unit nuclear plant has a capacity of 2,400 MW – enough to power about 1.2 million Texas homes in normal conditions. Since it began operating in 1990, Comanche Peak has generated more than 582 million megawatt-hours of reliable, emission-free electricity. Vistra is currently seeking a 20-year extension for operation of Comanche Peak Units 1 & 2, until 2050 and 2053 respectively. Vistra also recently completed its acquisition of Energy Harbor, adding three additional nuclear plants to its fleet – two in Ohio and one in Pennsylvania – amounting to an additional 4,000 MW of 24/7, carbon-free nuclear generation.
The Texas Nuclear Alliance is the only industry association in Texas dedicated to the advancement of nuclear technology in the state. The Alliance was formed with a singular mission: to make Texas the Nuclear Capital of the World. Formed in 2022 in the aftermath of Winter Storm Uri, the Alliance is based on the fundamental premise that if Texas and the world want low-carbon, reliable energy, it can no longer turn its back on nuclear energy. Nuclear is clean, safe, reliable, and secure.
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- By Rabindra
28, Jun 2024
Carol Henning-Franczyk MSW, MBA Named Woman of the Month for June 2024 by P.O.W.E.R.
Philadelphia, PA, June 28, 2024 — Carol Henning-Franczyk of Philadelphia, Philadelphia has been named a Woman of the Month for June 2024 by P.O.W.E.R. (Professional Organization of Women of Excellence Recognized) for her outstanding achievements and contributions in the nonprofit field.
About Carol Henning-Franczyk
Carol Henning-Franczyk is the vice president of the Broken Wings Literacy Center. Located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the nonprofit organization serves the needs of children living in poverty-stricken environments and strives to enhance every child’s opportunity to receive educational support services and mental health services.
Since the 80’s Henning-Franczyk’s whole career has been dedicated to improving the lives of children and families. She served at the Philadelphia Department of Human Services (DHS) as a supervisor of the city’s Family Preservation Program where she led the effort to secure the systemic resources needed to keep vulnerable families together. She also served as vice president of Northeast Family Preservation, in a pivotal role to promote family preservation in Pennsylvania, New York, and DC policy arenas. She continues to be a vigilant advocate for strong standards to ensure the quality of the social work field and is particularly dedicated to strengthening and honoring the contributions of clinical social workers nationwide.
In addition to advancing the family preservation movement, Henning-Franczyk’s helped to create the Domestic Violence Program at DHS. She also served as a group counselor for Rehab After Work and as a rape counselor and trainer for Women Organized Against Rape at Episcopal. She also worked as a psychotherapist at Dr. Robin Lowey & Associates, providing therapy to individuals, couples, and families.
Henning-Franczyk has served on the boards of several non-profits and has valued the opportunity to advance the field through her volunteer work. She served on the Pennsylvania Society for Clinical Social Work (PSCSW) Board from 2015-2020 where she was legislative chair, on the board from 2015 – 2017, and board member at large from 2017-2020. As legislative chair, she was tenacious in advocating for the passage of HB1415 and SB 1078 – bills targeted to strengthen policies for professional social workers. Henning-Franczyk’s was also PSCSW’s co-film discussion coordinator. Her goal was to present and discuss a film once a month. Henning-Franczyk is affiliated with other organizations such as the Philadelphia Theater Company; Quintessence Theater; NASW-PA-Southeast Division; and the American Diabetic Association.
Also active in Toastmasters, she is currently president of We the Speakers, and vice president of membership for Positively Charged. Henning-Franczyk was also area director for several corporate clubs and two community clubs and is currently district recognition chair for (2024-2025) She is also committee person of her ward/division (21-43).
Henning-Franczyk’s received an MSW from the University of Pennsylvania, School of Social Research and Policy and studied under Dr. Harry Aponte and the Family Institute and remained active after graduating, serving on the steering committee for the Career Transitions Program and played a vital role in leading the University of Penn Alumni for several years in recruiting volunteers for the Penn Relays. She earned the title of Ambassador at the University of Penn School of Policy and Research for her work in mentoring students. She obtained an MBA from the University of Phoenix where she is vice president of alumni, received a Life Achievement Award, and was featured on the cover of The University of Phoenix Alumni magazine for April 2024.
In her spare time, Carol enjoys playing piano, traveling, and spending time with family and friends.
28, Jun 2024
5th Annual Toronto Arab Film Festival This June 20-30
Toronto, Canada, June 28, 2024 — This June, the Toronto Arab Film Festival (TAF) returns for its 5th annual festival, including films from Palestine, Lebanon, Egypt, Syria, Sudan, Saudi, Oman, Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia, Libya, and Jordan in addition to Canada, USA, Germany, Belgium, France and others.
This year the Festival will take place both virtually and in-person at Innis Town Hall, from June 20-30, 2024 with a selection of 41 films including 15 features and 26 short films.
Among this year’s highlights are films ranging from historical epics, like The Last Queen, inspired by the legendary Princess Zaphira’s fight against the infamous pirate, Barbarossa, to dark comedies, like Mandoob, a thrilling portrayal of Saudi Arabia’s gig economy and its dark consequences.
Also at the festival is Goodbye Julia, Mohamed Kordofani’s impressive debut feature film, which is the first Sudanese film to screen at Cannes’ Un Certain Regard, executive produced by Lupita Nyong’o. Race, religion and politics collide in the aftermath of the murder of a South Sudanese man and the unlikely friendship that forms between the witness of the murder and the deceased widow.
This year, the festival will feature films from non-Arab voices, such as, legendary British filmmaker Ken Loach’s, The Old Oak. Set in a previously thriving mining town as a group of Syrian refugees arrive, the film astutely and humanely observes the lives of the two communities intensely intertwining.
Additionally, this year, in partnership with the Director’s Guild of Canada, the festival will host Producer Accelerator, which will be held on June 23 at Centre for Social Innovation and will feature a series of panels intended to accelerate emerging producers’ and filmmakers’ entry into the industry through knowledge transfer and to connect emerging and mid-career producers and directors. Speakers include Christina Piovesan, Shonna Foster, Shant Joshi and Coral Aiken among other notable industry professionals.
Four awards will be presented this year – the Juthour Jury Award for Most Promising Filmmaker, the Qayqub Award for Best Canadian Short Film, the Yamama Audience Choice Award for best short film and the Nakheel Jury Award for best Feature Film.
The Festival will kick off with an opening social on June 21 at Pamenar — where filmmakers and artists will come together to meet and connect and will close on June 30 at the Royal Lounge to celebrate another milestone in the Festival’s young but significant history.
Tickets and additional details can be found on www.arabfilm.ca.
The Festival this year is made possible by the generous support of; Funding from Telefilm Canada and the Inspirit Foundation; in partnership with the Director’s Guild of Canada; and venue partners, The Cinema Studies Institute and The Centre for Social Innovation.
28, Jun 2024
The largest student entrepreneurship summit in India, hosted in Hyderabad concluded
Hyderabad, June 28th, 2024…..The biggest student entrepreneurial conference of its kind in India, TiE’s TYE Global Conference 2024: Empowering Young Entrepreneurs, held at IIIT-Hyderabad, concluded in Hyderabad. The three-day Young Entrepreneurs (TYE) Global Conference 2024 was hosted by The Indus Entrepreneurs (TiE) from June 19 to 21st. Over 300 Students Across India Participated in the TYE Global Conference 2024.
Disclosing this in a press note issued in the city today, TiE Hyderabad said, the conference was especially notable as it coincided with the 25th anniversary of TiE Hyderabad. The conference also marked the first-ever dual semi-finals held in both Hyderabad and Silicon Valley, underscoring TYE’s global commitment to youth entrepreneurship.
The Conference was aimed to inspire and instill the spirit of entrepreneurship among students in an era where entrepreneurship is becoming increasingly prominent. With over 582 million entrepreneurs globally and rapid growth expected in the coming years, this initiative is more relevant than ever.
The conference provided students from classes 9 to 12 with unparalleled opportunities to network with accomplished business leaders and aspiring young entrepreneurs from across India.
The event featured a rich array of activities, including keynotes from renowned entrepreneurs, masterclasses, competition tracks, a Maker Faire, startup showcases, industry tours, and more. Over 25 teams from around the world competed in the global competition, who were winners earlier in the competitions held in their respective regions, demonstrating their innovative ideas and entrepreneurial spirit
Accomplished business leaders from across the globe, such as Phanindra Sama, Founder of redBus, Murali Bukkapatnam, Global Vice Chairman of TiE Global Board of Trustees, Sri Charan Lakkaraju, Founder/CEO of StudentTribe, attended the event to provide insightful keynotes relating to entrepreneurship.
A notable achievement was by a team from India called V Sign, which developed gloves that translate sign language into speech and won the runner-up position in the competition.
About TiE
The Indus Entrepreneurs (TiE) is a global non-profit organization dedicated to fostering entrepreneurship through mentoring, networking, and education. TiE Hyderabad, a chapter of TiE, has been instrumental in nurturing entrepreneurial talent and fostering innovation in the region for the past 25 years.
TiE Hyderabad’s dedication to fostering innovation and entrepreneurship has set a new standard for student conferences, providing invaluable experiences and inspiration for the next generation of entrepreneurs.
27, Jun 2024
Announcing 2024 Counter Insider Threat Symposium
Washington, DC, June 27, 2024 — Defense Strategies Institute is pleased to announce the 9th Annual Counter Insider Threat Symposium, taking place at the Sunset Room in Washington, D.C. on September 4-5, 2024. The Symposium will bring together leaders and experts across government and industry to discuss the current insider threat environment, as well as the technologies and policies necessary to disrupt and dismantle those threats and safeguard sensitive information vital to maintaining national security.
As organizations continue to face data breaches and unauthorized disclosures because of insider threats, it has become increasingly important to ensure sufficient investments are being made in advanced counter insider threat programs. Organizations must look at behavioral, financial, and cultural indicators in addition to implementing adequate data security measures. Attendees will hear from leaders and experts about the need for the development and implementation of a robust counter insider threat strategy across the public and private sectors.
The Symposium will feature high-level speakers including:
· Michael C. Casey- Director, NCSC
· Don Carlos James Blasingame- Director, National Insider Threat Task Force
· Richard D. McComb, SES- Chief Security Officer, DHS
· David Helfen- Sr. Director, Insider Threat & Cyber Investigations, Visa
· Jacqueline Atiles- Director, Insider Threat Program, Department of State
· Dr. Deanna D. Caputo- Chief Scientist & Senior Principal Behavioral Psychologist, MITRE
· Randy Trzeciak- Technical Manager/Director MSISPM Program, Carnegie Mellon University
· J.T. Mendoza- Executive Director, US Insider Risk Management COE
· Victor Munro- Executive Director, Canadian Insider Risk Management Centre of Excellence
Topics to be covered at the 2024 Symposium:
· Advancing Counterintelligence & Enterprise Capabilities through Strategic Partnerships
· Preventing Insider Risk at State Department through Deterrence, Detection, and Mitigation
· Leveraging Behavioral Sciences to Mitigate and Manage Insider Risk
· Delivering Enterprise-Wide Security Solutions for DHS to Protect Against Evolving Threats
· Leveraging Data Analytics to Enhance Insider Risk Management
DSI is now welcoming Sponsors and Exhibitors for the forum. Reserve your spot to showcase your organization’s cutting-edge technologies to attendees from DoD, Military Services, and Industry. To learn more please contact Dudley Duverne at dduverne@dsigroup.org, 201-987-1803.
27, Jun 2024
New Arthur D. Little Blue Shift Institute Report Outlines 5 Scenarios for Future of Climate Change Adaptation
Whatever the success of climate change mitigation measures, companies and society will need to adapt to a changing world. To aid business climate change adaptation strategies, Arthur D. Little (ADL)’s Blue Shift Institute today published We’re doomed, now what?, an in-depth report that sets out five potential scenarios for adaptation and highlights relevant technologies to focus on.
Arthur D. Little Blue Shift Institute Report Outlines 5 Scenarios for Future of Climate Change Adaptation (Graphic: Business Wire)
Arthur D. Little Blue Shift Institute Report Outlines 5 Scenarios for Future of Climate Change Adaptation (Graphic: Business Wire)
The report is based on extensive analysis, interviews with over 40 international experts, surveys of business leaders, and was created in close collaboration with the United Nation’s (UN’s) World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO).
It works on a “+3°C by 2100” outcome for climate change, based on projections by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and uses this to underpin five potential, non-exclusive scenarios for the future of climate change adaptation:
Green Communities: A resource-scarce world in which grassroots initiatives flourish, for lack of more ambitious projects; there is a pull towards greater decentralization, circularity, and frugality
Lonely at the top: Highly concentrated and competitive industries in which market leaders spearhead adaptation to build competitive advantage and keep satisfying consumers, while operating under increasing constraints
Wild Green West: A creative chaos in which private adaptation initiatives sprout everywhere, fueled by private capital and hype, with no overarching strategy or consistency
Don’t Look Up: A bleak future in which neither customers nor finance institutions have adjusted to the new climate reality, leaving nothing but quick fixes and crisis management
Adaptation Surge: A world in which adaptation is the norm and the new currency, resetting expectations, creating new markets and new needs for differentiation, and possibly overengineering
For each of these futures the report outlines the functional expectations and relevant technologies to drive adaptation. Alongside this, it includes “no regret” solutions, enabling technologies, and capabilities that will be vital, whatever the future brings, and that companies should invest in now.
Dr. Albert Meige, Global Director of Blue Shift at Arthur D. Little, comments: “When faced with prospective technology choices, executives often need to address three challenges: complexity, speed and cognition. Adaptation to climate change is no different. It is complex because climate impacts are local, multifactorial and highly variable; and also because there is a myriad of adaptation technologies available. By modeling potential scenarios we aim to cut through this complexity, providing CEOs with a clear guide to the potential technologies that their adaptation will require.”
Dr. Peter Oksen, Senior Program Officer at the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) GREEN, comments: “This report offers a refreshing new angle to climate action, namely that of businesses and their priorities for adapting to a challenging future. It provides the scenario-based context for the technologies outlined by WIPO GREEN, underscoring the essential role of innovation in forging a sustainable future. By detailing the functional expectations and key technologies necessary for adaptation, it highlights the need to integrate technological advancements within our business, economic and policy frameworks to effectively combat climate change.”
27, Jun 2024
Emily Kidwell Ramey Chosen as a Woman of the Month for June 2024 by P.O.W.E.R.
Longview, TX, June 27, 2024 — Emily Kidwell Ramey of Longview, Texas has been chosen as a Woman of the Month for June 2024 by P.O.W.E.R. (Professional Organization of Women of Excellence Recognized) for her outstanding contributions and achievements in the field of insurance.
About Emily Kidwell Ramey
Emily Kidwell Ramey is the owner of Sig/Ramey Insurance. Founded in 2021, the company specializes in auto, home, motorcycle, boats, life, and commercial policies.
With 20 years in the insurance industry, Kidwell Ramey is an expert in helping customers understand their insurance options, empowering them to make the best choice for themselves and their families. “I’m not just here to make a commission check. I am here to help my customers. Opening SIG/Ramey was the best decision I have ever made,” said Kidwell Ramey.
Sig/Ramey Insurance was the Longview News Journal’s Winner of East Texas’ Best Insurance Agency Winner for 2021, 2022, & 2023 and was the top in life insurance sales in the state of Texas for the past 2 years.
Emily received her B.A. in elementary education from the University of Texas at Tyler.
26, Jun 2024
Superhero Support and Montgomery County Comic & Cosplay Club – RisuCon2024 Team Up for Prune Belly Syndrome Research
Rockville, MD, June 26, 2024 –– Superhero Support, a non-profit organization bringing the power of costumed heroes to good causes, and the Montgomery County Comic & Cosplay Club, a fellow non-profit group celebrating comics, anime, and cosplay, are thrilled to announce a unique partnership at RisuCon 2024.
This exciting collaboration between these two non-profit organizations aims to raise critical funds for Prune Belly Syndrome (PBS) research. From today until September 1st, 2024, all donations made to Superhero Support will be directed towards supporting vital PBS research efforts.
Prune Belly Syndrome is a rare congenital disorder primarily affecting the abdominal muscles. This partnership between Superhero Support and Montgomery County Comic & Cosplay Club signifies a powerful union between fantasy and reality, with superheroes lending their strength to support those living with PBS.
“We at Superhero Support are incredibly proud to partner with Montgomery County Comic & Cosplay Club at RisuCon2024 for such a worthy cause,” said Johanna Flores, spokesperson for Superhero Support. “PBS is a serious condition, and by joining forces, we can significantly impact funding vital research. Together, we can be the heroes that the PBS community needs.”
26, Jun 2024
Competitive Strategy Consultant and Author Arjan Singh writes an Amazon Bestseller in the US & India, that helps Businesses Plan Strategy Through War Games
June 2024 – Delhi, India: Indian-American Competitive Strategy Consultant and College Professor Arjan Singh ensures that businesses stay ahead of the curve by creating war game scenarios and analytical exercises that enable them to develop creative solutions.
In his book Competitive Success: Building Winning Strategies with Corporate War Games, published by Forbes which is already an Amazon bestseller in the US and India since its release in April, 2024; he outlines topics such as “Identifying Your War Game Objectives,” “Assessing the Field of Battle,” and “Assessing Troop Strength, Morale, and Resources”. As an army troop sets itself up for victory in a war zone; Singh likens and designs these scenarios to enable companies and businesses to always come out on top as winners, no matter what the economic outlook is.
As Singh explains: “War games aren’t just dress rehearsals or strategy plans, but are simulations of your competitive market in a controlled, safe, internal environment where you can explore many different dimensions.”
In a fast-changing global marketplace, uncertainties are both multiple and radical. The future of the market structure and nature of competition are unpredictable as well. In such an unsettling scenario war games can come to the rescue of industry captains and entrepreneurs alike. They help in risk identification, revenue generation, and cost avoidance.
He continues, “In war gaming the whole point is to simulate failure. In a safe war-gaming simulation, you can use failure as a springboard to succeed. It’s much less painful and cheaper to fail in a workshop than to deploy millions of dollars to find out afterward it’s not going to work”
Singh has been running corporate war games for the past 20 years and has worked with more than 200 organizations worldwide. Throughout the book, he draws on not only case studies from the corporate world but also from the war games he conducts with business students at Southern Methodist University (SMU) Cox School of Business, where he is an adjunct professor of Marketing and Global Consulting.
The book is particularly relevant to our times. Technology is as much a disruptor in the global business environment as it is in other spheres of society. In Competitive Success, Singh illustrates through case studies how it needs to be taken into account in a war gaming preparation. For instance, Zoom turned out to be an unlikely competitor of American Airlines as a result of COVID-19. During the pandemic people realised that if the end goal is to have an effective business meeting, they might not need to get an airplane to be face-to-face if they can jump on a Zoom call.
“War gaming is an ongoing, lifelong process,” Singh says. “For it to be successful, it can’t just be a one-off. Integrate it into your company as part of your culture, with an open, humble, and curious mind, and you will build winning strategies that lead to competitive success.”
In India, Singh has trained and conducted war games with the Tata group of companies; and in the US he works with several pharma and chemical conglomerates.
Singh is based in Scottsdale Arizona, USA where he lives with his wife and two children.
To buy the book, click on: https://tinyurl.com/yrvrmmpv
About Arjan Singh
Arjan Singh (www.corporatewargames.com), author of Competitive Success: Building Strategies with Corporate War Games, is an expert in helping companies develop data-driven strategies through war games, strategic and competitive analysis, scenario planning and building business early warning systems that deliver significant impact. He has advised 68 of the top 100 companies in the Fortune Global 500 list in building winning strategies. Singh is an Adjunct Professor of Marketing and Global Consulting at Southern Methodist University (SMU) COX School of Business.
About Forbes Books
Forbes Books (www.books.forbes.com) is the exclusive book publisher of Forbes. Forbes Books identifies and selects authors who are game changers and thought leaders in their fields. They are people who recognize how publishing a book can elevate their message and inspire audiences to better themselves and the world around them. Since its launch in 2016, Forbes Books has grown into the premier independent business book publisher.
26, Jun 2024
Telarus Announced as ChannelVision Visionary Spotlight Award Recipient
Sandy, UT, June 26, 2024 –Telarus is proud to announce that it has been awarded a 2024 ChannelVision Magazine Visionary Spotlight Award (VSA) for Telarus SolutionVueTM AI Quick Solution Assessment (QSA) in the Best Emerging Technology Breakthroughs 2024 category.
An annual competition, the VSAs highlight channel and service provider innovation in communications, honoring products, services, deployments, and channel contributions across numerous categories. Editors from Beka Business Media, as well as a panel of judges from independent industry resources, fielded hundreds of applications. Criteria included overall innovation, future industry impact, creativity, feature set differentiation, ease of use, and interoperability.
Telarus SolutionVue is an intelligent assessment platform that quickly matches a business’s short- and long-term priorities with technologies from a knowledge base of certified Telarus suppliers, removing the guesswork from initial sales conversations, and extending the value of available solutions delivered for the end-user. The SolutionVue AI QSA provides Telarus channel partners with self-guided discovery for existing and prospective customers in all the following AI areas:
· Customer self-service chatbots
· Real-time agent assist and knowledge suggestions for contact center agents
· Agent coaching and quality management for contact center managers
· Accent matching and auto-redaction
· Contact center performance insights and analytics
· Outbound communication management and automation
· Generative AI and intelligent business intelligence popular GTP engines (OpenAI, Gemini, Copilot, & Bedrock)
ChannelVision Magazine editors found Telarus SolutionVue AI QSA exemplifies rapid innovation within the communications industry, demonstrating a cornucopia of opportunities for channel partners to boost their roles as trusted partners for business success.
“Congratulations to all of our winners,” said Beka Business Media founder and ChannelVision Magazine publisher, Berge Kaprelian. “For a year that saw a record number of nominations, I can proudly say that all VSA recipients – spanning Overall Excellence, Business Technology and Service Provider Technology – have made outstanding strides that warrant distinction.”
“Telarus is excited to receive the ChannelVision VSA for SolutionVue,” said Jennifer Pockell Dimas, Chief Marketing and Experience Office for Telarus. “The AI QSA enables our technology advisors to have informed AI discovery conversations with their customers, resulting in near real-time technology and best-fit supplier recommendations. Our advisors use the tool to help them identify the right solutions for their customers and expand their deal sizes.”
