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Ethnic cultures as newsmakers

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AM Best affirms Credit Ratings of Starr International Company, Inc.’s insurance subsidiaries

OLDWICK, N.J. — (BUSINESS WIRE) — #insurance — AM Best has affirmed the Financial Strength Rating (FSR) of A (Excellent) and the Long-Term Issuer Credit Ratings (Long-Term ICR) of “a+” (Excellent) of the insurance subsidiaries of Starr International Company, Inc. (SICO) (Switzerland), a private investment holding company. The outlook of these Credit Ratings (ratings) is stable. These rating actions apply to the members of Starr International Group (SIG) and Starr Insurance & Reinsurance Limited (SIRL) (Bermuda).

 

The ratings of the members of SIG reflect their balance sheet strength, which AM Best assesses as strongest, as well as their adequate operating performance, favorable business profile and appropriate enterprise risk management (ERM). Members of SIG include Starr Indemnity & Liability Company, Starr Surplus Lines Insurance Company and Starr Specialty Insurance Company. These companies are all domiciled in Dallas, TX.

 

The ratings of SIRL and its members reflect their balance sheet strength, which AM Best assesses as strongest, as well as their adequate operating performance, favorable business profile and appropriate ERM. Members of SIRL include Starr Property & Casualty Insurance (China) Company, Limited; Starr International Insurance (Asia) Limited (Hong Kong); Starr International Insurance (Singapore) Pte. Ltd; Starr International (Europe) Limited (United Kingdom); Starr International Insurance (Switzerland) AG (Switzerland) and Starr Europe Insurance Limited (Malta).

 

The operations of SIG and SIRL support a business profile that is well-diversified internationally and by product exposures. The groups continue to report strong growth trends in their key markets. Overall underwriting results are in line with the commercial casualty composite five-year average combined ratio. The groups have sustained the strongest levels of risk-adjusted capitalization on a consolidated and per-entity basis, as measured by Best’s Capital Adequacy Ratio (BCAR), which is further supported by favorable liquidity metrics. AM Best also notes that each group maintains above-average allocations to alternative asset classes, relative to composite peers, including private equity and debt funds, real estate funds and hedge funds, which are managed by affiliated investment management companies using external asset managers.

 

This press release relates to Credit Ratings that have been published on AM Best’s website. For all rating information relating to the release and pertinent disclosures, including details of the office responsible for issuing each of the individual ratings referenced in this release, please see AM Best’s Recent Rating Activity web page. For additional information regarding the use and limitations of Credit Rating opinions, please view Guide to Best’s Credit Ratings. For information on the proper use of Best’s Credit Ratings, Best’s Performance Assessments, Best’s Preliminary Credit Assessments and AM Best press releases, please view Guide to Proper Use of Best’s Ratings & Assessments.

 

AM Best is a global credit rating agency, news publisher and data analytics provider specializing in the insurance industry. Headquartered in the United States, the company does business in over 100 countries with regional offices in London, Amsterdam, Dubai, Hong Kong, Singapore and Mexico City. For more information, visit www.ambest.com.

 

Copyright © 2023 by A.M. Best Rating Services, Inc. and/or its affiliates. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Contacts

Michael Venezia
Senior Financial Analyst

+1 908 882 2414
michael.venezia@ambest.com

Christopher Sharkey
Associate Director, Public Relations

+1 908 882 2310
christopher.sharkey@ambest.com

Erik Miller
Director
+1 908 882 2120
erik.miller@ambest.com

Al Slavin
Senior Public Relations Specialist
+1 908 882 2318
al.slavin@ambest.com

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Mastering the art of C-suite communication human-centric skills for successful business outcomes

By Dr. Te Wu and Gail Yosh

 

— Successful professionals know how to balance both hard and soft skills to deliver results for the organizations they support.

 

In recent years, the importance of soft skills has garnered much attention. If a manager can’t motivate, lead, and resolve conflicts, difficult tasks and projects become even more challenging to implement.

 

However, today’s ambitious professionals must expand their soft skills beyond the basics of creativity, collaboration, and conflict resolution, to name a few. They must cultivate the human-centric skillset needed to engage C-suite executives, bridging the gap between what needs to be communicated and how executives need to hear it.

 

There is a nuanced language one needs to speak when communicating with top-tier executives. Learning that language can elevate projects, foster stronger relationships, and drive implementation success. This article explores three human-centric communication skills for engaging C-level executives that drive successful business outcomes.

 

Repackaging your message – the importance of language and context

Have you ever had to translate a message into another language? First, you have to know what you want to communicate. Then you need to translate those words into the other language. Often this process is not a literal word-to-word exchange, but rather the transfer of the essence of the original message, so it resonates with the same intensity and clarity in the new language as it does in the original language. This requires you to consider your message goals and then repackage the message into the language your recipient will understand.

 

For today’s professionals, repackaging a message for the C-level audience means tailoring your words to fit the strategic and operational context in which the executives operate. You may be inclined to use technical terms and performance metrics. But our minds think in pictures. Words are merely the symbols we use to create the picture.

 

Instead of leaning too hard on your metrics, leaving your audience to create their own picture, offer a visual story. Use the words that create the most compelling picture for your executive audience. Consider a project manager who needs to communicate a complex portfolio dashboard to the governance board. The information that needs to be communicated entails project performance using Green, Yellow, and Red traffic light indicators.

 

Original Message: The portfolio dashboard shows the current status of 50 different projects in the portfolio. Overall, the portfolio is performing well, with 40 projects in Green, seven in Yellow, and three in Red. The message goes on to supply details of the projects in Red and Yellow.

 

Repackaged Message: The portfolio dashboard shows the current status of 50 projects in the portfolio. Overall, the portfolio is largely on track to meet the agreed portfolio goals, despite some pockets of concern. Based on the current portfolio performance, we should be able to achieve 100% of Strategic Goal 1, 95% of Goal 2, and 80% of Goal 3. We are seeking your help with three of the projects in Red, and with proper resolution, we should be able to fully achieve Goals 2 and 3.

 

By choosing less technical terms and relating project performance to business metrics, you will offer a more compelling story for your C-level executives, allowing them to visualize your message, understand the impact, and provide guidance more readily.

 

Optimizing your message

After repackaging your message, optimizing it for the audience’s unique communication style is crucial. Message optimization is akin to customer relationship management. Like CRM requires a customer-centric business culture, communicating with top executives requires an audience-centric approach. Optimizing a message involves knowing how your audience hears it, i.e. how they filter your words based on what motivates them. According to Dr. Elias Porter’s Relationship Awareness Theory, three primary motives guide how individuals interpret messages transmitted by others. Some individuals are guided by the drive to protect others and help them grow, while some are led by the desire to organize resources, such as time, people, and money, to achieve results. Others are driven to ensure organizational functions are carefully thought through and the right processes are followed to accomplish strategic goals. To achieve optimal communication, professionals should first be aware of the motives that guide their own choice of words. They can then adapt their message wherever necessary to suit their audience’s motives. Optimizing your messages is like using a translator to transform your words into those that deliver the greatest impact to your audience.

 

How do you determine the best words for your executive audience? This requires active listening and learning the hot button topics of the executive. Do you notice a pattern of words or a consistent communication style in your interactions with key executives? Executives motivated by the desire to optimize resources frequently use nouns such as achievements, results, and goals; and modifiers such as definitely and quickly. While you may feel comfortable using nouns such as processes, standards, schedules, technical jargon, and modifiers like accurate and efficient, your executive audience may not hear your message in a way that resonates. The details of your message don’t need to change, but the words and modifiers you use to package your message should adapt to the cognitive space where your audience thrives. For example, on a project in which budget is a concern, instead of, “We are managing the budget efficiently, achieving a CPI (cost performance index) of 1.1,” consider rephrasing it as, “We are managing the budget well, and we are currently under spending by about 10%.” In your interactions with key executives, notice how often they use certain nouns, verbs, and modifiers. How are they choosing to deliver their messages? Understanding their preferred language suggests words you might choose to optimize your messages each time you interact.

 

Enhancing your delivery

The final step in human-centric communication is enhancing your delivery to foster relationships and build credibility. As Steven Covey said, “Most people do not listen with the intent to understand; they listen with the intent to reply.” Active listening requires you to make a conscious effort to understand the information being relayed to you and learn from the person speaking. When we listen with a learner mindset, we’re not waiting to speak, but rather, we’re listening for information that tells us about the speaker’s outlook, concerns, and priorities. By actively listening, we gain audience-specific information we can use in future interactions to repackage and optimize our messages. Active listening techniques include clarifying to ensure you understood what you have heard and summarizing to restate the big issues involved. As you clarify and summarize, you are in a better position to respond with more precision. This feedback-and-adapt process builds rapport as both parties leave the encounter feeling heard and understood.

 

Mastering communication with C-suite executives is an art that requires a nuanced approach. These human-centric communication skills are not just tools. They are essential elements in building strong, effective relationships with top-tier executives. As you refine these skills, you can become a key facilitator of strategic communication and collaboration within the highest levels of your organization.

 

Dr. Te Wu is CEO and CPO of PMO Advisory, an associate professor at Montclair State University, and the co-chair of Project Management Institute’s (PMI) Development Team on the portfolio management standard. He also has these project management certifications: PMP, PgMP, PfMP, PMI-RMP.

 

Gail Yosh is a teaching professor of business communications at Montclair State University and the founder of Quanta Communications, a communications consulting company. Gail has an MBA in international business and will obtain her doctorate in Marketing from Pace University in 2024.

 

Allison Kugel
Full Scale Media
akugel@fullscalemedia.com

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DaleBoot partners with Aetrex to offer custom ski boots based on 3D foot scans

Partnership marks the first use of 3D foot scanning technology in custom ski gear

 

TEANECK, N.J. — (BUSINESS WIRE) — Aetrex, Inc., a global market leader in foot scanning technology and data-driven orthotics and comfort footwear, on Tuesday announced its partnership with custom ski boot manufacturer DaleBoot.

 

Leveraging Aetrex’s Albert 2 Pro foot scanning technology, DaleBoot will transition from manually measuring customer’s feet to using automated 3D foot scan data to design custom ski boots, improving fit accuracy and customer satisfaction and reducing refitting rates during a compact winter retail season.


After years of testing several foot scanning technologies, DaleBoot selected Aetrex technology for its accuracy and ease of use. Aetrex’s scanners use a pure computer vision model to create the most accurate 3D reconstruction of the foot available on the market. DaleBoot customers will complete a 20 second foot scan on the Albert 2 Pro and answer questions on ski experience, previous discomfort with ski boots and preferred snow conditions. DaleBoot will then use the 3D foot scan data and customer-reported information to develop a pair of custom ski boots with a personalized-fit shell, a fully custom liner and in-boot and on-ski stance balance and alignment, in under a week.

 

“Most skiiers consider wearing uncomfortable ski boots an unavoidable experience when hitting the slopes. But any footwear, including ski boots, designed to fit your feet should never be painful. Our partnership with DaleBoot aims to make that a reality by bringing detailed, accurate 3D measurements and data-driven insights to the ski boot development process,” said Larry Schwartz, CEO of Aetrex.

 

As of August 2023, Aetrex scanners are currently in use at 8 DaleBoot stores, including Salt Lake City, UT, and Kitzbuehel, Austria locations. The company plans to bring Aetrex foot scanners to all 60 points of distribution in ski shops around the world.

 

“Our commitment to continuous innovation has made DaleBoot the custom boot manufacturer of choice for the industry since 1969. Our customers know they can always count on us for the latest and greatest in ski boot technology,” said Rob Graham, CEO of DaleBoot. “Partnering with Aetrex during this next phase of our evolution makes our boots more personalized and data-driven than ever before.”

 

To learn more, visit www.aetrex.com/technology or contact Aetrex National Accounts Manager Justin Dyszelski at jdyszelski@aetrex.com to discuss leveraging Aetrex technology for developing snow sports gear.

 

About Aetrex

Aetrex, Inc. is widely recognized as a global leader in foot scanning technology and data-driven orthotics and comfort footwear. Aetrex has developed state-of-the-art foot scanning devices, including Albert, Albert 2 Pro and Albert 3DFit (2022 and 2023 CES Innovation Award Honorees), Albert Pressure and iStep, designed to accurately measure feet and determine foot type and pressure points. Since 2002, Aetrex has placed over 12,000 scanners worldwide that have performed more than 50 million unique customer foot scans, currently averaging more than 2.5 million scans a year.

 

The company is renowned for its over-the-counter orthotics – the worlds #1 premium foot orthotic. With fashion, function and quality at the forefront, Aetrex also designs and manufactures stylish, performance footwear. Based in New Jersey, Aetrex is consistently named one of New Jersey’s Top 100 Privately Held Companies and was also included in NJBIZ’s Top 30 Manufacturing Companies. It has remained privately owned by the Schwartz family for three generations. For additional information, visit www.aetrex.com.

 

About DaleBoot

Since its inception in 1969, DaleBoot has been highly focused on designing and manufacturing fully custom, high performance ski boots. With its factory and North American Headquarters based in Salt Lake City, and their European HQ located in the heart of the Alps in Kitzbuehel, Austria, DaleBoot provides worldwide coverage through its exclusive retail partner network. With 14 patents issued in its name, the company has chartered a course to address real customer issues, facing 85% of the skiing population, who experience problems, from large to small, with their ski boots. The DaleBoot process includes a complete athletic and bio-mechanic assessment, a series of 3D measurements, shell and liner customization, in-boot stance balance and alignment, and true on-ski cant correction. The result is a high performance ski boot that fits comfortably and is exciting to ski.

 

Founded by Mel Dalebout, an alternate for the 1952 U.S. Olympic Ski Team, and Intermountain Ski Hall of Fame inductee, the company was purchased by Rob Graham, a former U.S. freestyler, in 2007. Graham’s passion for the sport and deep business and orthopaedic acumen has propelled the company forward in terms of ski boot design and development, while establishing a new line of business dedicated to the design and manufacturing of devices used for orthopaedic surgeries. The company remains independently owned and operated. For more information on DaleBoot, please visit www.daleboot.com.

Contacts

Simone Migliori

Matter Communications

aetrex@matternow.com

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Best’s Review looks ahead to 2024 key issues

OLDWICK, N.J. — (BUSINESS WIRE) — In a new article, Best’s Review speaks to experts about what they see as the insurance industry’s top issues in the coming year.

 

Hot topics include natural catastrophes and climate risk, generative artificial intelligence, cyber risk, litigation and nuclear verdicts, as well as the U.S. presidential election.

 

The insurance workforce is also in the spotlight as layoff announcements have accelerated. Read the full story in “Insurers Look Ahead to 2024 and Key Issues: Catastrophes, Inflation, Layoffs, AI and More.”

 

Best’s Review is AM Best’s monthly insurance magazine, covering emerging issues and trends and evaluating their impact on the marketplace. The complete content of Best’s Review is available here.

 

AM Best is a global credit rating agency, news publisher and data analytics provider specializing in the insurance industry. Headquartered in the United States, the company does business in over 100 countries with regional offices in London, Amsterdam, Dubai, Hong Kong, Singapore and Mexico City. For more information, visit www.ambest.com.

 

Copyright © 2023 by A.M. Best Company, Inc. and/or its affiliates. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Contacts

Patricia Vowinkel
Executive Editor, Best’s Review®
+1 908 882 1771
patricia.vowinkel@ambest.com

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The Piyush Mishra Project Ballimaaraan to tour USA with Para Share Entertainments

ATLANTA — (BUSINESS WIRE) — #Bollywood–Start of 2024 is going to be nothing short of an adventure as The Piyush Mishra Project – Ballimaaraan, a live concert is all set to tour the United States for the very first time via Para Share Entertainments (PSE).

 

PSE is delighted to work with Tamboo and Trinity to make this project see its success in the United States. This band’s popularity among youth stems from its seamless fusion of retro and contemporary music, creating a rebellious vibe with free-flowing Hindi lyrics that evoke engaging conversations. Book tickets here.

 

For an ever growing Indian American diaspora who represent one of the largest (5 million+) immigrant groups in the US, PSE shows make a positive impact. Second generation desis and students of Indian origin make the current audience diverse as it gets. The Piyush Mishra Project – Ballimaaraan has had a busy 2023 in India. With 10 shows across several cities, the concerts are scheduled to be held at state of art performing art centers and are designed to give the audience a memorable experience.

 

The US tour 2024

Houston, Washington DC, Detroit, Chicago, Atlanta, Seattle, Bay Area (San Jose), Dallas, Connecticut, New York / New Jersey

 

About PSE

Para Share Entertainments (PSE) is a digitally-powered US-based startup that produces LIVE shows around the world. Headquartered in Atlanta, GA, PSE is a market leader with a growing audience.

 

Until now, PSE has catered to 250,000+ patrons in the last 5 years. They aspire to impact 1 billion people in the next 3 years. PSE aims to uplift global mental health amidst chaos and uncertain times.

 

Founded in 2017 by Harshad Parashare, PSE has produced 300+ in-person shows. PSE carefully curates creative and engaging experiences for our audiences without compromising on their quality. The team at PSE is now gearing up for an action-packed 2024. PSE wants to engage with the community and expand its horizons to redefine entertainment by breaking paradigms. Their vision is to revolutionize the way live events are organized without hampering the quality of the experience. With 100% success rate when it comes to working with United States Citizenship & Immigration Services, PSE collaborates with partners and artists from all parts of the world.

Contacts

Harshad Parashare

Founder, CEO

harshad@parashare.com
470 253 4822

Shilpa Mehta

Product Manager, Partnerships & Associations

shilpa@parashare.com

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MATTER opens applications for accelerator focused on reducing maternal mortality in the US

Health Care Service Corporation, Laerdal Million Lives Fund, BayCare, Parkview Health, University of Chicago Medicine, Organon and Stryker to support cohort of women’s health startups; including $125,000 of investment for each selected company

CHICAGO — (BUSINESS WIRE) — MATTER, the premier healthcare incubator and innovation hub, has opened applications for the second 51 Labs, an accelerator focused on women’s health.

 

This year’s program focuses on preventing maternal mortality in the U.S. before, during and after birth and receives support from Health Care Service Corporation, Laerdal Million Lives Fund, BayCare, Parkview Health, University of Chicago Medicine, Organon and Stryker.

 

Earlier this year, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention published a report showing that the maternal mortality rate in the U.S. worsened by 40 percent from 2020 to 2021.1 The maternal mortality rate is now the highest in the U.S. since 1965 and is far worse than other industrialized nations.

 

While all ages and races saw an increase in maternal mortality in 2021, many inequities still exist due to a variety of factors, including but not limited to access to quality care, socioeconomic status, race and education level. For example, Black women are three times as likely to die from pregnancy or pregnancy-related causes as white women in the U.S.2

 

“51 Labs is designed to address gaps in investment and innovation in women’s health,” said Steven Collens, CEO of MATTER. “We are pleased to partner with seven key industry stakeholders to help a cohort of startups advance solutions to help address the maternal mortality crisis in the U.S.”

 

The Laerdal Million Lives Fund, a global venture capital fund dedicated to transformative technologies that can help save lives, will serve as a capital partner for this cohort of 51 Labs companies. “Many maternal deaths are preventable. By investing in enabling technologies and digital solutions that can drive early interventions with high life saving potential and quality improvement initiatives, we can help scale companies working in this critical area,” said Becca Shmukler, principal of Laerdal Million Lives Fund.

 

The second cohort of the 51 Labs accelerator will address the question:

 

How can we prevent maternal mortality in the U.S. before, during and after birth?

The program will have three tracks: 1) supporting access to regular prenatal care to identify and mitigate potential risk factors earlier; 2) lowering the incidence of maternal health complications; and 3) supporting mothers during the 12 months after giving birth.

 

“It’s critically important to support innovative solutions to help moms and babies thrive,” said Dr. Monica Berner, chief clinical officer for Health Care Service Corporation. “Earlier this year, HCSC launched an expanded maternal and infant health initiative to improve health outcomes by increasing access to care, reducing care gaps, and educating and engaging residents on a community level. This 51 Labs program is another way we can help support other innovators who are seeking to tackle this critical issue.”

 

Applications for the 12-week accelerator are now open. Participating startups will benefit from one-on-one mentoring with industry experts, workshops, interactive roundtable discussions, forums and more. Additionally, each of the selected companies will receive an investment of $125,000, including $100,000 cash from the Laerdal Million Lives Fund and $25,000 of services from MATTER.

 

The program will culminate with a final showcase in May 2024.

 

For more information, email 51labs@matter.health.

 

About MATTER

At MATTER, we believe collaboration is the best way to improve healthcare. The MATTER collaborative includes more than 800 current and alumni startups from around the world, working together with dozens of hospitals and health systems, universities and industry-leading companies to build the future of healthcare. Together we are accelerating innovation, advancing care and improving lives. For more information, visit matter.health and follow @MATTERhealth.

 

About HCSC

Health Care Service Corporation is the country’s largest customer-owned health insurer, serving more than 18.6 million members in its health plans in Illinois, Montana, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas. A Mutual Legal Reserve Company, HCSC is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association.

 

About Laerdal Million Lives Fund

The Million Lives Fund invests in entrepreneurs who are developing and deploying new, emerging technologies capable of saving lives and enhancing healthcare quality and outcomes regardless of demographics or geography. The $100 million fund targets digital health and technology companies whose solutions can improve mortality rates and help reach its goal of helping to save 1 million lives annually by 2030. Investments span across medical education innovations to early interventions, therapeutics and tech-enabled care models. For more information, visit www.laerdalmillionlives.com.

 

About BayCare

BayCare is a leading not-for-profit healthcare system that connects individuals and families to a wide range of services at 16 hospitals and hundreds of other convenient locations throughout the Tampa Bay and central Florida regions. The system is West Central Florida’s largest provider of behavioral health and pediatric services and its provider group, BayCare Medical Group, is one of the largest in the region. BayCare’s diverse network of ambulatory services includes laboratories, imaging, surgical centers, BayCare Urgent Care locations, wellness centers and one of Florida’s largest home care agencies, BayCare HomeCare. Its Medicare Advantage insurance, BayCarePlus, is among the region’s few 5-star-rated plans and the system is ranked in the top 20 percent of large health systems in the country by FORUTNE/Merative™. BayCare’s mission is to improve the health of all it serves through community-owned, health care services that set the standard for high-quality, compassionate care.

 

About Parkview Health

Parkview Health is a not-for-profit, community-based health system serving a northeast Indiana and northwest Ohio population of more than 1.3 million. Parkview Health’s mission is to improve health and inspire well-being in the communities it serves. With more than 16,000 co-workers, it is the region’s largest employer. Parkview Health includes 13 hospitals and an extensive network of primary care and specialty care physicians. The flagship Parkview Regional Medical Center campus includes services such as the Parkview Packnett Family Cancer Institute, Parkview Heart Institute, Samaritan flight and ground transport program, Parkview Ortho Hospital, a certified stroke center, verified adult and pediatric trauma centers, Women’s & Children’s Hospital and an outpatient services center. Parkview has been named one of America’s Best-In-State Employers by Forbes and made Newsweek’s list of Top 100 Most Loved Workplaces.

 

About University of Chicago Medicine

The University of Chicago Medicine, with a history dating back to 1927, is one of the nation’s leading academic medical institutions. UChicago Medicine comprises the University of Chicago Medical Center, which offers a full range of primary and specialty care for adults and children through more than 40 institutes and centers; Ingalls Memorial, a community-based hospital and outpatient facility; a micro-hospital in northwest Indiana, a network of outpatient clinics and physician practices throughout Chicagoland and Northwest Indiana; the Pritzker School of Medicine, one of the top medical schools in the nation; and the University of Chicago Biological Sciences Division, with an affiliated 12 Nobel Prize winners in physiology or medicine.

 

About Organon

Organon is a global healthcare company formed to focus on improving the health of women throughout their lives. Organon offers more than 60 medicines and products in women’s health in addition to a growing biosimilars business and a large franchise of established medicines across a range of therapeutic areas. Organon’s existing products produce strong cash flows that support investments in innovation and future growth opportunities in women’s health and biosimilars. In addition, Organon is pursuing opportunities to collaborate with biopharmaceutical innovators looking to commercialize their products by leveraging its scale and presence in fast growing international markets.

 

Organon has a global footprint with significant scale and geographic reach, world-class commercial capabilities, and approximately 10,000 employees with headquarters located in Jersey City, New Jersey.

 

For more information, visit http://www.organon.com and connect with us on LinkedIn, Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.

 

About Stryker

Stryker is one of the world’s leading medical technology companies and, together with its customers, is driven to make healthcare better. The company offers innovative products and services in Medical and Surgical, Neurotechnology, Orthopaedics and Spine that help improve patient and healthcare outcomes. Alongside its customers around the world, Stryker impacts more than 130 million patients annually. More information is available at www.stryker.com.

_____________

1 “Maternal Mortality Rates in the United States, 2021,” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2023.

2 “U.S. Maternal Mortality Hits Highest Level Since 1965,” The Wall Street Journal, 2023.

Contacts

Julia Cremin

jcremin@pcipr.com
331-333-2928

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Nicole D. Baptiste, IOM named Forty Under 40 Honoree 2023

Alexandria, VA.  — Nicole Baptiste, IOM has been named to the Association of Chamber of Commerce Execs. (ACCE) 2023 Forty Under 40 list of emerging leaders shaping the chamber of commerce industry.

 

This annual recognition program showcases 40 of the industry’s top emerging leaders who have demonstrated success in their careers and made significant contributions to the communities they serve. The list includes CEOs and staff professionals from a wide variety of roles and chamber sizes. Honored for their creativity, dedication and commitment to identifying innovative solutions that will help shape the future of the chamber profession.

 

“I am inspired by these talented professionals who are making a difference in their organizations and the communities they serve,” said ACCE President & CEO Sheree Anne Kelly.

 

“Their passion and dedication not only foster positive change in their regions but also shape a promising future for those they impact.”

 

ACCE has over 1,600 chambers of commerce and related business and economic development organizations as members, representing more than 9,000 professionals in the industry.

 

Eligible chamber professionals must be nominated by their chamber’s president/CEO, direct supervisor or board chair. Candidates must demonstrate meaningful involvement in the advancement of their community and proven professional success within their chamber.

 

Nicole Baptiste joined the African American Chamber of Commerce of New Jersey (AACCNJ) as an Administrative Executive Assistant in 2018. Prior to her employment, she volunteered at the chamber as Adjunct Staff beginning in 2011. She entered into her previous role as Membership Relations and Special Programs Manager in January 2019. Nicole’s areas of responsibility include but are not limited to: special program management, monthly accounts payables and receivables reporting, management of member tracking systems, weekly meetings with members, membership communications and outreach, website management, event website management, webinar platform management/guest coordination and preparation, scheduling of radio show guests for weekly radio show.

 

As Vice President of Membership Acquisition & Financial Administration, Nicole continues to execute the aforementioned responsibilities along with an increased involvement in activities that afford a greater impact towards the growth and sustainability of the AACCNJ.

 

Nicole Baptiste received her IOM designation after completing a four-year Chamber Executive Management Program, at The University of Arizona Tucson, in January 2023. Institute for Organization Management is a professional development program of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Graduates receive over 96 hours of course instruction in nonprofit management.

 

“Thank you to the ACCE for recognizing me as an emerging leader in our industry! This achievement is a testament to my hard work and dedication to the AACCNJ. Being acknowledged in this way inspires me to continue working towards achieving my goals and making a positive impact in our community,” says Nicole Baptiste.

 

The full 2023 Forty Under 40 list was announced publicly in the Fall 2023 edition of Chamber Executive, ACCE’s digital magazine. View all the honorees online at https://magazine.acce.org/

 

About the Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives (ACCE)

ACCE is the professional society supporting the people who lead local, regional, statewide and international chambers of commerce and related business and economic development organizations. Our membership includes more than 1,600 business/civic organizations worldwide. We provide our members with information resources, thought leadership, education programs, original research, benchmarking, retirement security, and access to a network of peers. Learn more about us by visiting www.ACCE.org

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CBS, entertainers reveal Golden Globe 2024 nominations

The 2024 awards season is starting up, and the Golden Globes nominations are ready to be unveiled.

 

The film and TV nominees announced on Monday, Dec. 11, by Wilmer Valderrama and Cedric the Entertainer, initially are revealed on CBSNews.com/GoldenGlobes.

 

Ten categories will be announced exclusively on air on “CBS Mornings” half an hour later. The Golden Globes’ social media accounts will simultaneously announce the nominees as well.

 

In addition to airing live on CBS, the 2024 Golden Globes will be available to stream on Paramount+. They will take place on Jan. 7, airing at 8 p.m ET/5 p.m. PT on CBS after an NFL doubleheader. It will mark the first time in over 40 years that CBS has aired the ceremony. This is the second year the Golden Globes will return to television following a private ceremony held in 2022.

 

There will be two new awards featured at January’s event: Cinematic and Box Office Achievement in Motion Pictures and Best Performance in Stand-Up Comedy on Television.

 

The awards celebrate achievements in both television and film, with some of this year’s buzzy titles including “Oppenheimer,” “Killers of the Flower Moon,” “Barbie,” “Poor Things,” “Succession,” “The Last of Us,” “The Bear” and “Ted Lasso.” Notably, the Golden Globes differentiate between dramas and musical/comedy films.

 

Penske Media Corporation’s Dick Clark Productions plans, produces and hosts the Golden Globes. Glenn Weiss and Ricky Kirshner are this year’s showrunners for the ceremony, with Weiss also serving as director.

 

 

— Variety

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Lupita Nyong’o named Berlin Film Festival jury president

Lupita Nyong’o, the Oscar-winning Kenyan-Mexican actor and filmmaker, will preside over the international jury of the upcoming Berlin Film Festival.

 

She will be the second consecutive female jury president at the Berlinale, following fellow actor Kristen Stewart.

 

“Lupita Nyong’o embodies what we like in cinema: versatility in embracing different projects, addressing different audiences, and consistency to one idea that is quite recognisable in her characters, as diverse as they may look,” said Berlinale directors Mariëtte Rissenbeek and Carlo Chatrian.

 

Lupita Nyong’o, who broke through in “12 Years a Slave,” said she was “deeply honored to serve as the President of the International Jury of the Berlin International Film Festival.”

 

“I look forward to celebrating and recognising the outstanding work of filmmakers from around the world,” Nyong’o continued.

 

On top of winning a best supporting Oscar for her performance in “12 Years a Slave,” she has received the Screen Actors Guild Award, the Critics’ Choice Award, the Independent Spirit Award and the NAACP Image Award. She went on to garner further acclaim with her role as the warrior Nakia in “Black Panther” and its sequel “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.” Her other credits include “Us,” “Little Monsters,” “Queen of Katwe,” “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” and “The 355.” Her upcoming projects include the horror franchise spin-off series “A Quiet Place: Day One.”

 

Nyong’o is also involved behind the camera. She recently executive produced the Sudanese film “Goodbye Julia,” directed by Mohamed Kordofani. The movie was selected by the Sudanese National Committee operating in exile to compete in the international feature film race at the Oscars.

 

An outspoken activist, Nyong’o is currently preparing a podcast focussing on non-fictional storytelling from the African diaspora. One of her projects is a series based on Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s “Americanah.” Nyong is also an author, having penned the New York Times bestselling children’s book “Sulwe” in 2020.

 

This 74th Berlin Film Festival will mark the last under the current leadership. Both Rissenbeek and Chatrian will step down after this edition as their respective mandate ends. The festival’s future director will be announced tomorrow during a press conference in Berlin.

 

 

— Variety

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‘Inside The Yellow Cocoon Shell’ wins Asian Feature Film Competition at SGIFF

Pham Thien An’s “Inside The Yellow Cocoon Shell,” which previously won the Golden Camera at Cannes, has won the Asian Feature Film Competition at the 34th Singapore International Film Festival.

 

Yoon Eun-Kyung won best director for “The Tenants,” which also won the FIPRESCI award. “Dreaming & Dying,” by Singaporean director Nelson Yeo earned a special mention. Yu Yi-Hsun won best screenplay for “A Journey in Spring” and the film also won best performance for Yang Kuei-Mei.

 

The Audience Choice Award went to “Goodbye Julia” by Mohamed Kordofani.

 

In the Southeast Asian Short Film Competition, the best Southeast Asian short film was awarded to “The River That Never Ends” by J.T. Trinidad, which also scored a special mention for actor Emerald Romero. “I Look Into the Mirror and Repeat to Myself” by Giselle Lin won best Singapore short film. Best director went to Sam Manacsa for “Cross My Heart and Hope to Die” and best performance went to Fredy Sreudeman Wowor from “Other Tomorrows Never Known.” Lin Htet Aung won best screenplay for “Once Upon a Time There Was a Mom.”

 

At the Southeast Asian Film Lab, “Terbakar” by Shelby Kho was recognized as the most promising project. “Making a Sea” by Lin Htet Aung won the fellowship prize. Special mentions were given to Caloy Limjap Soliongco for “Day Tripper” and Seth Cheong for “Blue Buildings.”

 

This year, the Tan Ean Kiam Foundation–SGIFF Southeast Asian Documentary grant extends its support to three production projects, each recipient receiving S$30,000 ($22,350) in cash, alongside one post-production project receiving S$20,000 ($14,900). The SGIFF Southeast Asian Short Film grant backs three shorts. Each recipient is awarded S$5,000 ($3,725) in cash by Winn Slavin and receives additional post-production support valued at S$5,000 from White Light Post.

 

The festival concluded its 11-day run with the highest ticket sales, more than 12,500, since 2014, with an increase of 64% from 2022.

 

 

 

— Variety