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SIGMA America Announces Results of its 4th Annual “Focused On The Fight” Charitable Giving Campaign Supporting Local Community Education

SIGMA CORPORATION OF AMERICA

SIGMA Corporation of America, a leading camera and lens manufacturer for both photography and cinema applications, announced today the results of its 4th Annual “Focused on the Fight” Charitable Giving Campaign. The initiative kicked off the new academic school year with a $50,000 contribution to schools selected by participating SIGMA dealers through DonorsChoose, a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting teachers and students by funding educational projects that go beyond traditional school budgets. While this year’s charitable giving program is expected to cover 90% of U.S. states once fully funded later this month, SIGMA America’s long-term goal is to fund school projects in every state. To date, SIGMA dealers have donated to 68 schools and funded 70 school projects and will continue to grow as more projects are funded. Participating dealers are: Bedford Camera & Video, numerous locations in AK, OK, MO F32 Photo, Knoxville, TN Garland Camera Repair & Photo Imaging, Garland, TX Glazer’s, Seattle, WA Hot Rod Cameras, Burbank, CA Houston Camera Exchange, Houston, TX Nuzira, Scottsdale, AZ Pixel Connection, Avon, OH and Nashville, TN PROCAM, Detroit, MI; Chicago, IL; and Cincinnati, OH SIGMA America is grateful for and dedicated to the Long Island community which has supported its headquarters for nearly 40 years, and to the Los Angeles community that welcomed its Burbank office and showroom in 2018. As part of this charitable giving campaign, SIGMA served a total of 44 schools and funded a total of 46 projects, including the following in the Long Island and Los Angeles communities: East Islip High School, Islip, NY, “Strobe Lighting for Photography Students” project Martin Luther King Junior Elementary, Wyandanch, NY, “Strike a Pose It’s Camera Time” project Sotomayar Arts and Science Magnet School, Los Angeles, CA, “Empowering Student Filmmakers” project Logan Academy of Global Ecology, Los Angeles, CA, “Make a Statement without Saying a Word” project "We strongly believe that Sigma’s ‘picture’ – or actions – must match our words," says Mark Amir-Hamzeh, president of SIGMA America. "Photography, by its creative nature, promotes awareness, compassion, and empathy; it is the heart of all we do as photographers. Nurturing and cultivating the next generation of creatives starts in the school, and it’s often the creative programs that are the first to fall victim to underfunding. We look forward to the impact this initiative will have on our communities now, and in the years to come." For the full list of funded projects and participating partners, please visit: https://www.sigmaphoto.com/focused-on-the-fight-23 SIGMA’s “Focused On the Fight” Charitable Giving Campaign was started in 2020 to assist in alleviating and eradicating Covid-19 after-effects, and in 2022 turned its focused to supporting humanitarian efforts in Ukraine. Since its inception, a generous $343,000 has been donated to charities in the United States and Ukraine, including local charities selected by 53 SIGMA participating dealers. About SIGMA Corporation of America SIGMA Corporation of America, founded in 1984, is the US subsidiary of SIGMA Corporation, a family-owned manufacturer of lenses, cameras and photo accessories. Headquartered in Ronkonkoma, NY, SIGMA America expanded its US operations in 2018 with the opening of SIGMA Burbank, a multifunctional showroom, event space and repairs/distribution facility located in the heart of the Los Angeles entertainment industry. Craftsmanship. Precision. Dedication. Since 1961, SIGMA has been devoted to the pursuit of advancing photographic technology. Unique to the industry, the family-owned business produces its high-quality, award-winning still photo and cinema camera lenses, DSLR and mirrorless cameras, flashes, filters and accessories from its state-of-the-art manufacturing facility located in Aizu, Japan. In 2012, the company introduced SIGMA Global Vision with three distinct lens lines: Art, Contemporary and Sports. Designed for industry camera mount systems including Canon, Leica, Nikon, Panasonic, Sony and SIGMA, each lens is handcrafted and tested in Japan to ensure a high-performance, premium product that is purpose-built to last. In 2016, the SIGMA Cine lens lineup was launched, further cementing SIGMA as an innovator in imaging engineering. Embodying the core optical DNA that has defined the SIGMA benchmark of excellence, SIGMA Cine lenses meet the needs of advanced 6k and 8k cinema production. Forming the landmark L-Mount alliance alongside Leica and Panasonic in 2018, SIGMA continues its storied tradition of imaging excellence through groundbreaking innovations such as the native L-mount SIGMA fp and fp L full-frame mirrorless digital cameras, announced in July 2019 and March 2021 respectively. These products, along with over 35 award-winning SIGMA Global Vision lenses available in native L-Mount format, demonstrate SIGMA's continued commitment to the creative community through expanded product offerings. With the fp, fp L and these lenses, even more users can now leverage SIGMA's renowned optical formula to achieve their creative vision with ease. ### For information about SIGMA America, please visit sigmaphoto.com and SIGMA Blog for helpful information about our products. Follow SIGMA America on social media! SIGMA Photo: Facebook, Twitter and Instagram SIGMA Cine: Facebook, Twitter and Instagram Contact Details SIGMA +1 631-207-7381 SIGMA.PR@sigmaphoto.com Company Website https://www.sigma-global.com/en/

October 12, 2023 12:00 PM Eastern Daylight Time

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Demand for Online Writing and Content Creation Jobs Intensifies, finds Freelancer.com

FREELANCER.COM

Freelancer.com (ASX: FLN) (OTCQX: FLNCF), the world’s largest freelancing and crowdsourcing marketplace by number of users and jobs posted, today released its quarterly report revealing the most in-demand online jobs on the platform for Q3 2023. The Fast 50 Q3 2023 report, a quarterly dataset ranking the fastest growing and falling jobs on the platform, analyzed over 277,000 jobs posted by employers to Freelancer.com between July and September 2023. According to the data, the fastest growing freelance jobs by percentage growth in Q3 2023 were mostly writing, content creation and marketing related. As AI continues to advance, the need for human creativity remains strong. Employers are once again seeking freelancers to support with Creative Writing and Content Writing projects, which are up 22.4% and 19.4% respectively. A surge in demand for writing skills across the platform means there were more than 10,000 additional writing projects available in Q3 2023, which were already a trending skill evident in the previous quarter. The Q3 2023 data also indicates a consistent trend in businesses seeking freelance marketing support, with Search Engine Marketing (up 24.1%), Videography (up 17.4%) and Telemarketing (up 16.5%) seeing notable growth across the quarter. This aligns with the previous quarter's emphasis on business marketing activities. “Our Freelancer Fast 50 Report is a forward leading indicator of the skills and expertise businesses need today. Artificial Intelligence is powering a boom in content creation, particularly focusing on writing, marketing and video production skills” said Matt Barrie, Chief Executive at Freelancer. “Generative AI is superskilling freelancers and their ability to produce extremely high quality content and faster than ever before. Tools like ChatGPT and Bard have changed the game when it comes to producing and refining written content, while advances in video AI such as Runway Gen-2, HeyGen and Pika Labs means that video production and editing can be done with a click of a button.” Growth in skills like User Interface / IA (up 17.4% from 3,071 to 3,607) and UX / User Experience (up 13.9% from 1,193 to 1,359) highlight the importance of user-centric design in today's digital landscape. Data Mining (up 14.9% from 2,374 to 2,728) and Data Processing (up 10% from 11,013 to 12,115) were also amongst the top growing jobs. These skills are often associated with Sales functions and Lead Generation, which are also growing in the quarter, up 13.3% and 11.4% respectively. By leveraging freelancers to research leads, businesses can operate more efficiently and focus more on relationship building in the sales process. Design, Marketing and Video Creation Jobs Lead Year-on-Year Growth Several skills have surged in demand when comparing Q3 2022 and Q3 2023. Jobs for User Interface (UI) Design have doubled, growing by 101.9% to 3,607 from 1,786 in the same period last year. Search Engine Marketing jobs grew 80.4% (from 1,597 to 2,881) and Videography jumped by 77.1% (from 2,716 to 4,809). Fastest Falling Jobs of Q3 2023 The recent data highlights a shift in the demand for specific technical skills, which saw a significant increase last year as many tech companies laid off technical staff. There's a noticeable decline in jobs for certain established programming languages and frameworks. For instance, Matlab and Mathematica saw a 25.1% decrease (from 1,349 to 1,011 jobs). Similarly, projects requiring skills in AngularJS jobs dropped by 23.5% (from 1,722 to 1,318), while those requiring Django experts experienced a decline of 23.4% (from 1,216 to 932). C Programming, C++ Programming, and Python, which were all in-demand skills in Q3 2022, also all decreased on the platform in Q3 2023. While algorithms remain integral to many processes, there's been a reduction in specialized roles in this domain. This trend is evident in the decrease in demand for Algorithm skills, which saw a decrease of 22.5% (from 1,438 to 1,114 jobs). This might be a consequence of the advent of more intuitive tools and platforms that simplify algorithmic tasks. __________________________________________________________________________________________________ Fast 50 Q1 2023 - Data Analysis Writing Jobs Show No Sign Of Slowing Down The introduction of highly sophisticated and powerful generative AI tools have led many experts and commentators to predict that skills such as writing will be replaced by AI. However, the latest Fast 50 Q3 data demonstrates that writing jobs are here to stay, as content writing, creative writing, copy typing and ghostwriting jobs increase by more than 20% over the last quarter. These skills continue to flourish after reporting growth in the previous quarter on Freelancer.com, with Creative Writing ranked as the fastest growing skills in Q2 2023 (up 58%, from 1,868 to 2,961). An Increase in writing skills for two quarters in a row suggest that businesses are placing more emphasis on content creation by hiring freelancers to write articles and produce creative content. Copy Typing, the fastest growing skill for Q3’23 (up 28.7% from 6,381 to 8,213) encompasses all types of jobs from data entry to helping write e-books to transcription and typist projects. While technical projects do require degrees and past experience, most copy typing jobs can be performed by freelancers with no prior knowledge, making it a lucrative side hustle for freelancers globally. AI’s Impact on Whitecollar Jobs While writing jobs continue to flourish over the past 6 months, there is a need to understand how generative AI will impact jobs and various freelancing skills. In a longform essay titled ‘ AI know what you did last summer ’, Freelancer.com CEO Matt Barrie discusses the bleeding edge of AI technology and how he predicts these will go on the shape white-collar jobs. Barrie suggests that to be competitive in a world of AI, workers will need to adapt or move up the stack: “Those in white collar jobs will need to move ‘up the stack’. Illustrators become cinematographers. Writers become editors. Software developers become product managers. Grad students now run a research group.” Barrie also highlights that there is a major opportunity for freelancers, arguing that AI-powered freelancers will ultimately be the winners as they have the ability to compete against middle class workforces all around the world. AI’s impact on work productivity is evident in a recent AI study conducted by Freelancer.com which found that in a survey of over 1,300 US workers, a majority of those US workers (75%) are using generative AI tools in their work. One in three (33%) workers are using AI tools all the time in their work, while one quarter of US workers (25%) are using these tools sometimes and one sixth (16%) admit to never using AI at work. Marketing & Video Production Sustain Growth, Growing Every Quarter in 2023 Marketing and Video Production skills are one of the most in-demand skill categories on the platform, with data showing they’ve now grown every quarter since the beginning of the year. Search Engine Marketing (up 24.1%, from 2,321 to 2,881) ranked as the third fastest growing skill on the platform. Telemarketing (up 16.5%, from 1,054 to 1,228) has grown in Q3 as businesses turn towards more traditional marketing tactics. Sustained growth in different types of marketing skills means there are many opportunities for skilled freelancers to find unique projects on the platform. As for video production, not only is the skill up quarter-on-quarter, but both Video Production and Videography have almost doubled when compared to the same time last year, up 58.1% and 77.1% respectively. The surge in freelancer video production jobs can be attributed to the booming demand for online content, especially on platforms like YouTube (up 10.3%, from 1,174 to 1,295 jobs in Q3) and TikTok. As content is a staple in many marketing strategies, businesses are turning to freelancers to help them produce content, boosting this as a potential category for workers. Businesses Delegating Sales Functions to Freelancers As found in the Freelancer.com World’s Most Boring Job research, businesses often delegate research heavy tasks to on-demand freelancers. In turn, this allows businesses the ability to operate more efficiently and focus on more impact-based tasks. A unique trend uncovered in the Fast 50 Q3 2023 shows that businesses are leaning on freelancers to help with the research portion of the sales function. Sales and Lead Generation ranked as some of the fastest growing jobs in the quarter, up 13.3% and 11.4% respectively. Interestingly, Sales and Lead Generation both featured in the top 25 fastest growing jobs in Q2 2023. Growth in sales and lead generation is an example of how businesses are employing freelancers to help them streamline the sales process. ###### Freelancer Fast 50 The Freelancer Fast 50 report is the world’s largest forward indicator of trends in online jobs related to industries, technologies, products, and companies. The data is based on 277,000 jobs posted to the Freelancer.com platform between July 1 to September 30 2023. Fast 50 Q3 2022 vs Q3 2023 Fast 50 Q2 2023 vs Q3 2023 Data About Freelancer Twelve-time Webby award-winning Freelancer.com is the world’s largest freelancing and crowdsourcing marketplace by total number of users and projects posted. More than 69 million registered users have posted over 23.1 million projects and contests to date in over 2,000 areas as diverse as website development, logo design, marketing, copywriting, astrophysics, aerospace engineering and manufacturing. Freelancer owns Escrow.com, the leading provider of secure online payments and online transaction management for consumers and businesses on the Internet with over US$5 billion in transactions secured. Freelancer also owns Freightlancer & Loadshift, enterprise freight marketplaces with over 550 million kilometers of freight posted since inception. Freelancer Limited is listed on the Australian Securities Exchange under the ticker ASX:FLN and is quoted on OTCQX Best Market under the ticker FLNCF. Forward-looking statements This document contains certain "forward-looking statements". The words "anticipate", "believe", "expect", "project", "forecast", "estimate", “outlook”, “upside”, "likely", "intend", "should", "could", "may", "target", "plan" and other similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Indications of, and guidance on, future earnings and financial position and performance, including Freelancer’s FY23 outlook, are also forward-looking statements, as are statements regarding Freelancer’s plans and strategies and the development of the market. Such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, many of which are beyond the control of Freelancer, which may cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in such statements. Freelancer cannot give any assurance or guarantee that the assumptions upon which management based its forward-looking statements will prove to be correct or exhaustive beyond the date of its making, or that Freelancer's business and operations will not be affected by other factors not currently foreseeable by management or beyond its control. Such forward-looking statements only speak as at the date of this announcement and Freelancer assumes no obligation to update such information. The release, publication or distribution of this document in jurisdictions outside Australia may be restricted by law. Any failure to comply with such restrictions may constitute a violation of applicable securities laws. Contact Details Freelancer.com Marko Zitko +61 404 574 830 mzitko@freelancer.com

October 12, 2023 07:09 AM Pacific Daylight Time

Niche Media Events Hosts Largest Leadership Summit in Chicago

Niche Media Events

Over 90 niche media publishers, CEOs, revenue heads, and suppliers gathered in Chicago for the 11th annual Niche Media Leadership Summit. The 2023 media conference is the largest event in the history of the annual publishing leadership gathering and was held September 20-22, 2023. The 2023 event hosted over 90 attendees and 16 sponsoring vendors at the Royal Sonesta Riverfront, making it the largest leadership retreat of its kind in the media industry. The Niche Media Leadership Summit focuses on discussion groups and keynotes specifically to educate, inspire and connect magazine and media owners and leaders. Topics include digital and print publishing strategy, new media technologies, company hiring and culture, audience expansion, and revenue ideas for publishers. “We are excited and honored to welcome so many niche media owners and leaders to this year’s Summit. The record attendance is a testament to the importance of the niche audience media industry, as well as the need for leaders to share best practices and discuss industry challenges ahead of 2024 budgeting and strategy.”, said Ryan Dohrn, owner of Niche Media Events. Featured keynotes included Jonathan Reitz, CEO of Fluxify, who spoke to hiring and retaining media sales staff; Steven Iwersen, founder of Aurora Pointe, who presented on leading media companies in uncertain times; and Andrew Davis, marketing industry icon, who led discussion on AI influence, opportunities and cautions for media. Attendees also met throughout the event in discussion groups for B2B, Consumer and Sales Leadership. 80% of attendees' time was devoted to discussion groups, networking parties and dinners with colleagues. Sponsoring industry vendors included: 032 Outsourcing, Audativ, Media OS (formerly Ad Sales Genius), Publication Printers, AdCellerant, AdOrbit (formerly MagHub), Baxter Research Center, January Spring, KODI Collective, Omeda, Quad, Sheridan and The Magazine Manager. Additionally, new sponsors joined for the first time: AdMall/SalesFuel, Fox Associates and WoodWing. “The Niche Leadership Summit offers a unique opportunity to meet face-to-face with peers in your market (B2B or Consumer) or in specific roles (Sales Leadership) to share solutions, create connections for post-event conversations and resources, and access cutting edge leadership, culture, and industry developments to drive success for each attendee’s media company and employees”, continued Dohrn. The next Niche Media publishing conference will be their annual, multi-track, full staff training Niche Media Conference, April 17-19, 2024, also in downtown Chicago at the Radisson Blu Aqua. To learn more about Niche Media Events, visit NicheMediaEvents.com. About Niche Media Events Niche Media Events helps publishers generate growth in ALL their revenue channels: print, digital, sales, audience and events. We’ve got it all… incredible learning and peer-to-peer connections at our live conferences, awesome online educational content, and expert resources from the best minds in media. Whether you’re a B2B, B2C/Consumer, Digital-Only, City & Regional, or Association publisher, Niche Media is your “go-to” resource for practical, actionable education & training (plus a healthy dose of F-U-N) to help you maximize revenue. Together, we’re connecting the entire Niche Nation! Contact Details Niche Media Ryan Dohrn ryan@nichemediaevents.com Company Website https://www.www.nichemediaevents.com

October 10, 2023 11:55 AM Eastern Daylight Time

Minuteman Press Franchise Comes to Poundbury and Dorchester, Moves to Brand New Premises

Minuteman Press International Inc

Sprint Digital, Dorchester's leading small business printers, have successfully completed the transition into a Minuteman Press franchise. Owners David and Juanita Prince have relocated from their town centre premises, shared with the Dorchester Post Office, into their own stand alone premises in Poundbury at 13 & 14 Jubilee Court, Paceycombe Way. David Prince said, “With easy access and free parking, the offices just down from the Buttermarket are well placed for access for our clients. We will also continue to deliver to our existing business customers in Dorchester should they need to ensure a seamless transition for our clients.” Operating for over 50 years to serve local business communities, Minuteman Press International has almost 1000 independently owned and operated franchise locations worldwide. The transition from Sprint Digital to Minuteman Press will give small businesses in Dorchester, Poundbury and its surrounds more access to an extremely wide range of print solutions, from business cards and fliers to small signage, branded promotional items and much more. In response to the rebranding, David and Juanita stated, "The move to Minuteman Press will allow our print business to grow offering the businesses of Dorchester, Poundbury and its surrounds a quality affordable print solution. We are also inviting businesses to shop locally knowing that the product is as environmentally sourced as possible and supported by the expertise of world's leading print franchise.” Mark Jones, Regional VP of Minuteman Press International added, "We are excited to be working with David and Juanita, helping them to grow their franchise whilst supporting the local community with all their print requirements." As part of the conversion David Prince has reaffirmed that MMP Dorchester will take over Sprint Digital's sponsorship of the Dorchester Ladies football team into the 2023/24 season and they will continue to support the developers of Dorchesters Bike Park by providing a range of print solutions for their promotional needs. For more information on Minuteman Press in Dorchester and Poundbury, call 01305 264171 or visit their website: https://minuteman.com/uk/locations/england/dorchester/ Minuteman Press provides digital print, design, promotional products and services to businesses. Today they are much more than just print. They can provide anything you can put a name, image or logo on! Minuteman Press International was once again rated the #1 Printing & Marketing Services Franchise in the printing industry by Entrepreneur Magazine in 2023. This is the 32nd time overall and 20th straight year that they have achieved this stellar rating. Learn more about Minuteman Press franchise opportunities and read Minuteman Press franchise reviews at http://minutemanpressfranchise.co.uk Contact Details Minuteman Press International Chris Biscuiti +1 631-249-1370 cbiscuiti@mpihq.com Company Website https://minutemanpressfranchise.com

October 05, 2023 09:38 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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Venture Capital and Technology-Focused Equity Investments Will Define 2023 Fiscal Year Ivy League Endowment Results, According to MPI

Markov Processes Inc.

Ivy League university endowments rebounded from their losses in FY2022, but their significant exposure to venture capital meant that every major endowment likely underperformed traditional 60/40 and 70/30 global equity/bond portfolios, according to projections from Markov Processes International, Inc. (“MPI”), a leading independent FinTech provider of software and services for analyzing investment performance and risk. The projections come from MPI’s Transparency Lab, which tracks the performance of opaque pensions and endowments. For fiscal year 2023, MPI projects that the Ivy League endowments tracked by the Transparency Lab had an average return of 7.13%, a reversal from the negative return of -2.39% for the group in fiscal year 2022. But that performance is expected to lag both traditional portfolios of global stocks and bonds: 9.36% for the 60-40, and 12.9% for the 70-30 over the same 12-month period ending June 2023. Endowments with the highest exposure to global equities (19.4% S&P 500 Index and 19.6% MSCI EAFE returns for the period) are expected to outperform, especially the ones that are known to make technology-focused investments – both in public equity and alternatives, as the S&P 500 Information Technology index returned 40% for the period. However, endowments with significant venture capital (VC) investments are expected to lag, with a -10% return for the period based on second-quarter preliminary results from Cambridge Associates. VC is the only major asset class with significant negative impact on FY2023 results. MPI Transparency Lab estimates that the University of Pennsylvania, Dartmouth University, Brown University and Columbia University endowments will have higher-than-average returns. Meanwhile, Harvard University and Princeton University are projected to be at the lower end of the Ivies. “Large university endowments are notoriously opaque, providing little indication of what results to expect until they officially release their results, making it a regular autumn spectacle,” said Michael Markov, MPI’s co-founder and CEO. “But even then, after the annual returns are published, there’s little indication of both sources of returns and the risks that were taken to achieve them. We apply our most advanced techniques to publicly sourced data to shed light on this important segment.” MPI utilizes proprietary technology and public data sources to peek, quantitatively, behind the curtain of a wide range of investments, providing information that is often impossible to obtain otherwise. With the Transparency Lab, all that data and analysis is contained in one place and publicly available, allowing investors, beneficiaries, regulators, researchers, journalists, and other stakeholders to garner unique insight into some of the largest and most opaque investors. With the MPI Transparency Lab, registered users can view analytics and download “MPI-360” reports that help them uncover trends in asset exposures, explain drivers of both recent and historical results, obtain estimates of risks, drawdowns and efficiency, perform historical stress tests, and evaluate various hypothetical scenarios. MPI uses its proprietary Dynamic Style Analysis (DSA) and public annual returns to reverse-engineer asset exposure dynamics of large investor portfolios. When endowments report only annual performance figures, a decade’s worth of performance is represented by only 10 data points. Traditional static and rolling-window methods of regression analysis struggle to find credible insights from such infrequent data. MPI’s DSA, however, is uniquely adapted to work with such limited data. For additional information on MPI’s proprietary data, visit the Transparency Lab. For further information, contact MPI at +1 (908) 608-1558 or info@markovprocesses.com. About MPI Markov Processes International Inc. (MPI) is a leading provider of solutions for investment research, analysis and reporting to the global wealth and investment management industry. MPI works with more than 200 client organizations, including pensions and endowments, sovereign wealth funds, global wealth management firms, institutional consultants, regulators, investment advisors and asset managers. Rooted in the principles of transparency, objectivity, and efficiency, MPI takes an innovative approach to problem solving in the areas of fund analysis, risk management, asset allocation, and reporting to ensure that its clients have the tools to succeed in ever-more-crowded markets. Follow us on Twitter @MarkovMPI and connect with us on LinkedIn. Contact Details For MPI info@markovprocesses.com Company Website https://www.markovprocesses.com/

October 03, 2023 01:30 PM Eastern Daylight Time

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Unwiring.org Takes Bold Steps to Reform Social Media For a Healthier, More Connected Future

Unwiring

Unwiring officially launches to empower individuals in the fight against social media's negative impacts and unethical practices. The organization is led by Saahil Mishra and a diverse team of passionate teens who’ve developed several initiatives to catalyze positive change within social media. “I worry about the impact of social media on my generation. A surge in social isolation, mental health issues, disinformation, and political polarization has challenged our connection on both an interpersonal and societal level,” said Saahil Mishra, founder and social media activist. Mishra also serves as a research assistant at Stanford Social Media Lab and writer for the Poynter Institute’s Media Wise. Earlier this year, Mishra participated in his first TEDx Talk event in San Francisco. Unwiring is educating and empowering young people to drive real, representative change within social media. The team curates timely educational resources including a series of self-produced online videos, curriculum on social media’s inner workings and impacts, and editorial pieces centered around the youth perspective on social media’s harms and possible solutions. Unwiring also is hosting a ReDesign challenge for youth to pose ideas for social media reformation this fall and a youth summit in 2024. United States Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy issued a call for urgent action by policymakers, technology companies, researchers, families, and young people alike to gain a better understanding of the full impact of social media use. Recent research shows that adolescents who spent more than three hours daily on social media faced double the risk of experiencing poor mental health outcomes, such as symptoms of depression and anxiety. “When we advocate for internal platform changes, business model regulations, major culture and paradigm shifts, we can together build a healthier more connected future,” adds Mishra. “We invite teens to join us in this important movement by sharing their stories with us.” Visit unwiring.org and engage on Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, X formerly known as Twitter: @unwiring_org. Contact Details Unwiring Anne Shanahan, Community Relations Liaison +1 562-810-3016 ashanahan@unwiring.org

October 03, 2023 08:05 AM Pacific Daylight Time

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Bidscale Becomes the First Software Adopter of the NCMA Contract Management Standard™

National Contract Management Association

Bidscale, a software solution for modernizing and accelerating government contracting, has become the first software company to adopt the National Contract Management Association’s (NCMA) Contract Management Standard™ (CMS). Bidscale's dedication to addressing the pressing needs of government contracting with digital solutions aligns with the profession's shift towards more efficient and transparent contract management practices, solidifying their position as a software leader. As the global language for contract management professionals, the NCMA CMS offers companies a cohesive and standardized framework. By seamlessly integrating the CMS into its core processes, including pre-award, award, and post-award, users can anticipate heightened operational efficiency and clarity. This strategic integration also reinforces Bidscale’s dedication to excellence in contract management practices. Tony Kwag, Chief Executive Officer of Bidscale, states, "We are proud to lead the way in modernizing government contracting with our adoption of the National Contract Management Association's CMS. This milestone reinforces Bidscale's commitment to revolutionizing contract management, aligning with industry trends towards greater efficiency and transparency. We can't wait to showcase this as GCMS 2023." Kraig Conrad, Chief Executive Officer of NCMA, commends Bidscale for their forward-thinking approach to the contract management profession, stating, "It's impressive to see Bidscale incorporating the Contract Management Standard™ (CMS) into their software. This proactive step demonstrates their commitment to setting global standards and their foresight in enhancing their services for professionals and organizations within the contract management field." The U.S. Office of Federal Procurement Policy (OFPP) has officially recognized the CMS as the foundation of a new contracting training system for all government agencies, effective February 1, 2023, ensuring that CMS adoption is in harmony with government practices. For more information about Bidscale and its commitment to contract management excellence, please visit https://www.bidscale.com/. For more information on NCMA's Common Language Adoption, please visit: www.ncmahq.org/adopters The National Contract Management Association (NCMA), which was founded in 1959 and is the world’s leading association in the field of contract management. The organization, which has over 18,000 members, is dedicated to the professional growth and educational advancement of procurement and acquisition personnel worldwide. NCMA strives to serve and inform the profession and industry it represents and to offer opportunities for the open exchange of ideas in neutral forums. To find out more, please visit www.ncmahq.org. Born out of an OT contract, Bidscale is a software-as-a-service platform that provides AI-powered contracting across the full federal contracting lifecycle, from requirements to award and beyond. Bidscale’s mission is to revolutionize how government and industry streamline decision-making and consolidate knowledge. Request a demo today at https://www.bidscale.com/demo. Contact Details National Contract Management Association Holly Dehesa +1 281-865-3296 holly.dehesa@ncmahq.org Company Website https://www.ncmahq.org/

October 03, 2023 06:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

Learning Technologies Group "much more comfortable about the second half"

Learning Technologies Group PLC

Learning Technologies Group PLC (AIM:LTG, OTC:LTTHF) chief executive Jonathan Satchell speaks to Thomas Warner from Proactive after the workplace talent development company released its interim results for the six months to 31 June 2023 Satchel provides an overview of the company's performance over the period as well as its future outlook. The firm reported £285 million in revenue for the first half, a 2.5% increase from the previous year. However, challenges arose from integrating their LEO business into the GP Strategies content business, which Satchell suggests may ultimately have cost an estimated $80 million of EBIT. Despite these challenges, Satchell expresses confidence in the company's resilience. He says the company's performance during the second half was always going to hinge on the GPLX turnaround, adding that August's figures show a strong recovery and he feels "much more comfortable about the second half." While facing softness in markets like China and Japan, the company remains optimistic about meeting analyst expectations for the full year. He also says that as they approach their 10th anniversary, the firm is being selective about acquisitions and has announced a voluntary debt repayment of $25 million. Satchell also highlighted their focus on integrating AI thoughtfully, ensuring they don't merely follow trends but leverage technology effectively. Contact Details Proactive UK Ltd +44 20 7989 0813 uk@proactiveinvestors.com

September 29, 2023 03:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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Federal Publications Seminars (FPS) Embraces Industry Standardization with Adoption of CMS™ and CMBOK®

National Contract Management Association

Federal Publications Seminars (FPS), a leading government contract training provider, has announced a significant milestone in its commitment to advancing the contract management profession. FPS proudly embraces the National Contract Management Association's (NCMA) ANSI Approved Contract Management Standard™ (CMS™) and the Contract Management Body of Knowledge (CMBOK®) as the cornerstone for hiring, career development, and training of contract management professionals. The CMS™, recognized as the standard global language of government contracting, and the comprehensive CMBOK® collectively offer a unified framework to define, discuss, and advance contract management phases, domains, competencies, and skills. “Our adoption of these standards reaffirms FPS’s support of NCMA and dedication to cultivating excellence and promoting a common language within the contract management community,” said Andy King, President of FPS. Mr. King stated, "By aligning our training courses with the adoption of CMS™ and CMBOK®, we are poised to provide even greater support to our thriving FPS education community. Our partnership and collaboration with the National Contract Management Association (NCMA) reinforces our commitment to cultivating a more robust, knowledgeable, and ethical federal government contracting industry." “Through this collaboration, FPS aims to empower its clients to not only meet compliance requirements but also gain a competitive edge by harnessing their newfound expertise. The synergy between FPS and NCMA promises a brighter future for professionals in the federal contracting arena,” Mr. King concluded. "We appreciate Federal Publications Seminar's commitment to advancing the contract management profession through the adoption of the CMS™ and CMBOK®. they join leading organizations on our journey toward common language to foster global excellence," stated Kraig Conrad, Chief Executive Officer of NCMA. This move aligns FPS with the Department of Defense, civilian agencies of the U.S. government, industry leaders, and higher education institutions that have also embraced the CMS™ for their hiring, training, and educational programs. FPS's commitment to these standards is not only a testament to its leadership in the profession, but also an expression of support for NCMA's pivotal role in advancing the profession. For more information on NCMA's Common Language Adoption, please visit: www.ncmahq.org/adopters The National Contract Management Association (NCMA), which was founded in 1959 and is the world’s leading association in the field of contract management. The organization, which has over 18,000 members, is dedicated to the professional growth and educational advancement of procurement and acquisition personnel worldwide. NCMA strives to serve and inform the profession and industry it represents and to offer opportunities for the open exchange of ideas in neutral forums. To find out more, please visit www.ncmahq.org. About Federal Publication Seminars: Federal Publications Seminars (FPS) has been the leading provider of government contracts training and education for more than 60 years. FPS offers hundreds of in-person and online courses designed to provide in-house counsel, procurement officers, contract administrators, and accounting professionals and firms with solid, comprehensive opportunities to stay current on critical issues throughout the government contracting market. FPS instructors are nationally recognized leaders in the government contracting industry. For more information or to subscribe, visit fedpubseminars.com or call 888.494.3696. Follow FPS on social channels for the latest updates, class notifications and promotions @fedpubseminars. Contact Details National Contract Management Association Holly Dehesa +1 281-865-3296 holly.dehesa@ncmahq.org Company Website https://www.ncmahq.org/

September 28, 2023 06:55 AM Eastern Daylight Time