Patients Choice Laboratories (PCL), a leading provider of comprehensive laboratory testing at the forefront of molecular technology, announced today that it has been awarded accreditation from the College of American Pathologists (CAP) based on results of a recent on-site inspection as part of the CAP's Accreditation Programs. The CAP Laboratory Accreditation Program is widely recognized as the gold standard in clinical laboratory accreditation.
"Each time we are inspected it reminds me of how talented and exceptional our team of laboratorians are at Patients Choice Laboratories," said Brad Moss, President of PCL. "The staff understands the significance of the CAP Accreditation as it sets the global standard for laboratory accreditations. While spending months preparing for CAP, the staff maintained constant attention to details to ensure industry-leading accuracy and turnaround times for our patients and providers each day. It is a true pleasure for me to associate with such an outstanding team."
The CAP Accreditation is awarded to laboratories that meet stringent requirements and maintain the highest standards of laboratory quality, accuracy, and consistency. The U.S. federal government recognizes the CAP Laboratory Accreditation Program as being equal to or more stringent than the government's own inspection program.
PCL's Laboratory Director, Safedin S. Beqaj, PhD, HCLD, was advised of this national recognition and congratulated for the excellence of the services being provided. "We are extremely proud of our team in receiving this accreditation," said Dr. Safedin Sajo Beqaj, Laboratory Director. "This shows our commitment in providing the highest quality clinical laboratory services to our providers and patients.
During the CAP accreditation process, designed to ensure the highest standard of care for all laboratory patients, inspectors examine the laboratory's records and quality control of procedures for the preceding two years. CAP inspectors also examine laboratory staff qualifications, equipment, facilities, safety program and record, and overall management.
About Patients Choice Laboratories
Patients Choice Laboratories (PCL), is a leading provider of comprehensive laboratory testing throughout the United States. Since 2013, PCL has served patients and providers with a focus on providing fast, accurate, and reliable results. Specializing in industry-leading molecular and toxicology diagnostics, PCL provides precise and specific results allowing for quick diagnoses and can provide treatment recommendations based on antibiotic-resistant genes to improve antimicrobial stewardship and patient outcomes.
PCL is at the forefront of medical diagnostics to ensure the health of our communities now and into the future. Learn more about how we are pioneering new ways to provide patient care on our website: pclabsdx.com.
About the College of American Pathologists
As the world's largest organization of board-certified pathologists and leading provider of laboratory accreditation and proficiency testing programs, the College of American Pathologists (CAP) serves patients, pathologists, and the public by fostering and advocating excellence in the practice of pathology and laboratory medicine worldwide. For more information, READ THE CAP ANNUAL REPORT at cap.org.
CyberLandr's included StarLink Internet means you (and your cell phone) can work almost anywhere on the planet
AUSTIN, Texas - September 6, 2022 - (Newswire.com)
Stream It, Inc., creator of CyberLandr, the disappearing RV for Tesla's Cybertruck, is bringing flexibility and newfound luxury to those seeking a digital nomad lifestyle. CyberLandr transforms Cybertruck into the ultimate lifestyle vehicle, creating a remote base station that allows digital nomads to remain connected to their work from nearly anywhere and use their cell phones even where there isn't cellular service.
A PwC survey of 1,007 employees found that 41% of workers said they never want to return to the office. With StarLink Internet connectivity from anywhere on Earth, solar panels, and a structure that disappears into Cybertruck's bed, CyberLandr allows you to take your office (and home) everywhere you go. Its aerodynamic design prioritizes energy efficiency, helping nomads to go farther and stay off the grid longer, allowing them to travel wherever their adventures take them.
"Work as we knew it was disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic," said Lance King, CEO and Founder of Stream It, Inc. "One of the biggest changes has been the shift out of the office, as more people enjoy a healthier work-life balance. CyberLandr allows those who want to enjoy the nomadic lifestyle to stay productive, without sacrificing the comforts and luxuries we expect at home."
Workers are showing that a flexible lifestyle is critical to their well-being. The Great Resignation demonstrated that employees want a more fulfilling, purpose-driven lifestyle, with a record 4.5 million people resigning in March 2022. Unemployment also hit 3.6% in May 2022 for the third month in a row despite the high demand for employees, illustrating a job seeker's job market.
Employees are also reevaluating how detrimental commuting is to their lives, with 60% of workers preferring a hybrid model. Many employers have responded in kind, allowing employees to work from home for two to three days a week, according to WFH Research.
Remote workers are seizing this new age of work flexibility and ditching the normal 9-to-5 desk jobs that restrict them to a single city or location. Also known as "boondocking" or "driveway surfing," the trending #vanlife movement has sparked interest among Millennial and Gen Z workers — roughly 42% of the workforce — who are sick of skyrocketing rents and a lack of freedom. Instead, many are purchasing used passenger vans, box trucks, and even school buses, and renovating them into miniature homes. Unlike these traditional RVs that aren't fun to drive and are more limited in where they can go, CyberLandr converts the fun-to-drive Cybertruck into an RV.
Companies are embracing this new phenomenon, and CyberLandr is setting a new standard with its fully equipped turnkey solution.
CyberLandr™ is a product of Stream It®, the developer of the first mobile-capable, real-time analytics platform that turns video and sensor data into business intelligence. To learn more or reserve your own CyberLandr, visit www.cyberlandr.com.
New state-of-the-art facility will be the first in the nation to fully integrate Violet Defense's UV technology with building automation system via BACnet standards.
The AdventHealth Training Center will be the practice and training home for the Magic and a sports medicine hub for all of Central Florida, the Magic and AdventHealth announced. On August 31, the ribbon was cut on the $70 million, 130,000-square-foot facility in the heart of Orlando.
Violet Defense is the developer of patented Pulsed Xenon UV disinfection technology, proven in independent lab testing to kill pathogens including E. coli, Salmonella, S. aureus, C. diff, MRSA, norovirus, coronavirusand SARS-CoV-2.
The Magic's facility will be the first in the country to fully integrate Violet Defense's UV technology with a building automation system via the international BACnet standard. This will provide the team with enhanced control over their system, including scheduling functionality and reporting and metrics on system usage.
"We're extremely proud to partner with the Orlando Magic and protect the health of the athletes at all levels - from the NBA to youth sports - who use this facility," said Bruce Mosley, President of Violet Defense. "With the advanced control features of this deployment, we are making it incredibly easy to disinfect spaces throughout their facility automatically."
Violet Defense's UV technology utilizes powerful, broad-spectrum light, including germicidal UV-C, UV-B, UV-A, and violet-blue that enhances their germ-killing efficiency. By combining those wavelengths, Violet Defense's UV advantage optimizes the efficacy of the UV light it delivers. The company strives to provide products that will lead to a brighter, healthier, more sustainable future for everyone.
The AdventHealth Training Center will provide the Magic with two state-of-the-art basketball courts for practice; expanded strength and conditioning, training and recovery facilities; aquatic spaces, including for physical therapy and hydrotherapy; sports science and nutrition facilities; and cutting-edge audio-video and imaging technology, the team said.
"Through our collaboration with Violet Defense over the last several of years, we have been able to easily incorporate their technology throughout all of our spaces as part of our ongoing efforts to keep our facilities safe and healthy for our team," said Magic President of Basketball Operations Jeff Weltman. "When we started planning the state-of-the-art AdventHealth Training Center, we knew right away that Violet Defense needed to be an integral part of our plans. We are thrilled to have them join us in our continuing commitment to health and wellness."
AdventHealth is a multi-state health care system, and the Magic's partner for three decades, and brings to the facility a 33,300-square-foot medical hub designed for elite athletes, youth athletes and recreational athletes with a focus on whole-person health and sports science.
Violet Defense's industrial UV sanitizer system will be installed throughout the facility, covering areas including:
Violet Defense is dedicated to UV disinfection solutions for a brighter, healthier, more sustainable future. Violet Defense provides trusted and efficient UV disinfection solutions that are sustainable, cost-effective, and protect the places you live, learn, work, and play. We are committed to your well-being and strive to give you confidence and peace of mind wherever you go. To learn more about Violet Defense and its initiatives, visit www.violetdefense.com.
By weaving digital inclusion practices into their strategic initiatives, partners can help achieve equity in education and employment while building communities and civic engagement.
Digitunity, a national nonprofit organization that connects low-income people with the computer donations they need, today announced that Onepak has signed The Corporate Pledge to End the Digital Divide as a Cornerstone Partner in the quest to improve digital equity throughout the country.
Since the mid-1980s, Digitunity, its predecessor organization, and community partners have placed hundreds of thousands of computers with people in need. Providing that technology is essential for helping people to succeed in school, participate in the economy, and improve their communities.
"We're thrilled to have an organization like Onepak, with its foresight, social consciousness, and reach, join us in our mission to close the digital divide," said Scot Henley, Executive Director of Digitunity. "With Onepak as a partner, we'll be able to elevate the issue, accelerate our efforts, and help more community-based organizations obtain the technology they need for their constituents."
Onepak is a logistics technology company whose software platform and services facilitate the return, reuse, and recycling of IT and other hardware assets. As organizations of all sizes focus increasingly on sustainability, Onepak can track and report the impact of ESG efforts and help facilitate Digitunity's mission at the same time. Onepak is uniquely positioned to redirect the flow of used IT assets toward organizations that address digital equity in the U.S.
"As a company committed to bending the supply chain into a circle with sustainability at the core of our mission, partnering with Digitunity not only makes sense as a business but aligns with our values entirely," said Steve Andon, CEO and Co-founder of Onepak. "We're eager to turn this pledge into genuine action to close the digital divide in our society to the betterment of everyone involved."
An estimated 36 million people in the U.S. don't have a computer at home, and tens of millions of households lack access to basic technology most people take for granted, including reliable internet access, a computer, and the skills to use digitally-connected devices. The problem disproportionately affects communities of color, but persists across all boundaries.
This disparity between resourced and under-resourced communities is known as the "digital divide." It permeates into every aspect of life, creating educational, economic, and career disenfranchisement. Children are unable to complete homework. Parents cannot search for and apply for jobs. Families are cut off from access to community services.
Through the Corporate Pledge to End the Digital Divide, Digitunity hopes to align the support and collective voice of influential, resourceful organizations in business, government, education, philanthropy, and community organizations with the passion and dedication of their Digital Opportunity Network, which includes nearly 1,500 frontline, community-level groups.
"The solution to expanding device ownership cannot be to simply buy new devices. Instead, a sustainable, long-term solution is to shift the way corporate IT assets are handled at end of life," according to Susan Krautbauer, Senior Director of Strategy and Development at Digitunity. "This decommissioned technology, repurposed for community support, can make owning a computer more attainable for more people. Technology reuse is a practical, environmentally friendly solution for expanding device ownership."
This national-scale gap in opportunity is multi-faceted and pervasive. It results from a number of interwoven, systemic issues. Solving it will require building and expanding collaborations on a similar scale. It is the reason Digitunity launched the Corporate Pledge to End the Digital Divide.
"Because of the nature of this issue, we believe fostering collaboration and relationships between entities throughout the community, businesses, service providers, community leaders, volunteers, government representatives, academics, and the media is critical for creating an inclusive future," said Krautbauer. "No one organization can do this alone. But together, we can ensure underrepresented, marginalized people have access to the technology they need to thrive in the modern economy."
The four pillars of Digitunity's pledge are:
Access to Technology - People must have access to secure, reliable, and connected large-screen devices to work, learn, and develop the skills they need.
Digital Skills & Education - Digital literacy is fundamental to education, finance, employment, telehealth, communication, security, community, and efficiency.
Community Engagement & Impact - Those in need benefit most from engaged people and organizations in their communities. Those systems need to enable and sustain impact.
Achieving Change - There is a direct line from racial inequity to poverty, and poverty to the digital divide. The corporate sector is a critical partner in developing innovative solutions that can benefit marginalized communities while having broad societal benefits.
Each organization that commits to the Corporate Pledge to End the Digital Divide is:
Provided ongoing opportunities for active participation and engagement to bolster desired outcomes.
Receiving access to a variety of tools, resources, research, and thought-leadership opportunities.
Recognized by name and organization on the Corporate Pledge webpage on the Digitunity website.
Included in a quarterly press release announcing new organizations that join.
Featured in promotional and media campaigns to promote overall participation and adoption.
"We're thrilled with the commitments we've received so far. We welcome everyone who wants to join in the coming months," adds Krautbauer. "Together, we can move beyond incremental change to create a future where everyone can thrive in education, employment, and connectedness."
Digitunity is in discussion with a number of leading businesses and other organizations and will be announcing new partners in the weeks to come. Please visit Digitunity.org to learn more about Digitunity and the Corporate Pledge to End the Digital Divide. Sign the pledge today at Digitunity.org/sign-the-pledge.
About Digitunity Since the 1980s, Digitunity has advanced digital inclusion by connecting donors of technology with organizations serving people in need. Our mission is to ensure everyone who needs a computer has one, along with robust internet connectivity and digital literacy skills. To learn more about our mission, visit Digitunity.org.
About Onepak Onepak bends the traditional linear supply chain into a sustainable circle. ReturnCenter, the company's online carbon-neutral logistics platform, connects shippers, receivers, carriers, and their enterprise management tools on one scalable system. The platform delivers complete visibility into the chain of custody, access to a flexible network of over 400 trained logistics partners covering every U.S. zip code, and numerous tracking and reporting capabilities.
As a demonstration of Onepak's focus on being an authentic ESG-driven company, the company has sustainably executed more than two billion pounds of product returns for a global customer base that features leading organizations like Dell, IBM, United Technologies, Carrier, Diebold, General Motors, Toyota, US Bank and DLL Group. For more information, please visit Onepak.com.
For manufacturers to take the first step from paper to digital
JERSEY CITY, N.J. - September 6, 2022 - (Newswire.com)
Today, Apprentice, unveiled the Augmented Work Instructions (AWI) package, new capabilities within their Tempo Manufacturing Cloud. AWI is designed for life sciences companies taking the first step to move their processes from paper to a digital system. As part of the Tempo Cloud, customers can start with AWI and grow into Tempo's fully featured manufacturing execution system as their digital journey progresses.
The unique offering:
Converts paper-based procedures to digital workflow with a point-and-click designer
Includes mobile tablet and wearable headsets for on-the-go authoring and execution
Captures technique media instructions - photo, video, and augmented reality overlays - to clarify complex workflows
Meets Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) standards out-of-the-box with vendor provided Installation Qualification and Operational Qualification - saving 10 to 12 weeks of customer effort
Provides an onboarding team, a customer success manager, and technical support to ensure customers' success
Offers a full suite of manufacturing execution system (MES), laboratory execution system (LES), and remote collaboration capabilities for manufacturing teams to grow into as operations expand
Apprentice's pharma customers in pre-clinical, clinical and commercial manufacturing environments are using AWI for electronic batch records, electronic log books, procedure management, line clearance and operator training.
"Going digital is no longer optional," said Angelo Stracquatanio, CEO & Co-founder of Apprentice. "Not only are paper-based processes a resource drain, they leave too much room for insufficient quality control. Our Augmented Work Instructions package makes shifting to digital fast and simple with purpose-built features to convert paper documents to digital workflow. We also ensure customers have the services needed to successfully manage the change."
About Apprentice:
Apprentice helps life science manufacturers get treatments to patients faster by providing one platform to turn molecules into medicine. Our Tempo Manufacturing Cloud lets you scale up and out with unprecedented speed and accuracy. From preclinical benchtop to large-scale commercial manufacturing, Tempo keeps your global teams connected, empowered, and in sync. Learn how leading companies like Catalent, Synthego, and Bristol Myers Squibb are using Tempo to scale from drug discovery to patient delivery faster at www.apprentice.io.
Gb Sciences is focusing considerable resources on bringing its lead Parkinson's disease formulations to the clinic with promising results; plus, new data validating the efficacy of their novel anxiety formulations and demonstrating the improved stability of their oral nanoparticle-encapsulated chronic pain formulations add value to their drug development pipeline.
"Gb Sciences is focusing considerable resources on bringing our lead Parkinson's disease formulations to the clinic with promising results already obtained during the formulation of Oral Dissolving Tablets containing our active ingredients for use in human clinical trials," said Dr. Andrea Small-Howard, President, Chief Science Officer, and Director of Gb Sciences. "We have new data validating the efficacy of our novel anxiety formulations in an animal model, as well as new data demonstrating the improved stability of our oral nanoparticle-encapsulated chronic pain formulations based on newly-adopted manufacturing control processes."
The full article entitled "Unlocking the Therapeutic Potential of Plant-Inspired Minimum Essential Mixtures" also provides some context for their recent drug development successes by discussing Gb Sciences' evolution from a cannabis company to a plant-inspired biopharmaceutical company and what makes their drug development approach truly unique. With conventional drug discovery efforts failing to deliver on some critical medical needs, such as non-opioid treatments for chronic pain, there may be value in exploring plants associated with traditional medicines to discover new drug molecules and simplified mixtures. Gb Sciences is connecting plant-based medicine with modern in silico drug discovery tools, leveraging a unique AI-enabled platform to mine plant species and compounds to uncover minimum essential mixtures of molecules with therapeutic benefits and reduced side effect profiles.
Gb Sciences, Inc. is a plant-inspired, biopharmaceutical research and development company creating patented, disease-targeted formulations of cannabis- and other plant-inspired therapeutic mixtures for the prescription drug market through its Canadian subsidiary, GbS Global Biopharma, Inc. The 'plant-inspired' active ingredients in its therapeutic mixtures are synthetic homologues identical to the original plant compounds but produced under current Good Manufacturing Practices. Gb Sciences' intellectual property portfolio contains six issued U.S. and three issued foreign patents, as well as 17 U.S. and 51 foreign patent-pending applications. In its drug development pipeline, Gb Sciences has five preclinical phase product development programs. Gb Sciences' lead program for Parkinson's disease is being prepared for a first-in-human clinical trial. Gb Sciences' formulations for chronic pain, anxiety, and depression are currently in preclinical animal studies with researchers at the National Research Council Canada. The company also received positive preclinical proof-of-concept data supporting its complex mixtures for the treatment of Cytokine Release Syndrome related to COVID-19, and its lead candidates will be optimized based on late-stage preclinical studies at Michigan State University. Gb Sciences' productive research and development network includes distinguished universities, hospitals, and Contract Research Organizations. To learn more, visit www.gbsciences.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release may contain statements relating to future results or events, which are forward-looking statements. Words such as "expects", "intends", "plans", "may", "could", "should", "anticipates", "likely", "believes" and words of similar import may identify forward-looking statements. These statements are not historical facts, but instead represent only the Company's belief regarding future events, many of which, by their nature, are inherently uncertain and outside of the Company's control. It is possible that the Company's actual results and financial condition may differ, possibly materially, from the anticipated results and financial condition indicated in these forward-looking statements. Further, information concerning the Company and its business, including factors that potentially could materially affect the Company's business and financial and other results, are contained in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, available at www.sec.gov. All forward-looking statements included in this press release are made only as of the date of this press release, and we do not undertake any obligation to publicly update or correct any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances that subsequently occur or of which we hereafter become aware.
Association Recognizes Best in the Business for Safety, Education and Greatness
Top Haunts 2022 Top Haunted Attractions in the U.S.
AUSTIN, Texas - September 6, 2022 - (Newswire.com)
Soon the leaves will be falling, the temperatures dropping and the screams of excitement rising as Haunted House Season and Halloween are upon us. Each year the Haunted Attraction Association (HAA), the only official association in the haunt industry, names the "Top Haunted Attractions" across the country. To be designated, attractions must be recognized as a member of HAA while also satisfying a list of 10 criteria related to the mission of HAA - to protect customers, promote haunted attractions, and educate industry experts.
"The most important aspect of our jobs is prioritizing visitor safety," said HAA President Spencer Terry. "The Top Haunts certification rewards those attractions that have been in operation for at least 10 years and are not only leaders in delivering some of the best attractions in the business, but also in setting the bar high for best practices in safety."
We encourage people to attend this group of awesome attractions, and for the media to promote their safety and recognition. Look for a haunt near year at the below link or directly in the following list of Top Haunts.
Here is the list of the official 2022 "HAA Top Haunted Attractions," which can also be found here.
The Haunted Attraction Association, the only official association in the haunt industry, serves as the voice of the haunted attraction industry. Our mission is to promote our worldwide network of haunted attractions including Haunted Houses, Haunted Hayrides, Scream Parks, Mega-Haunts, Halloween Festivals, Haunted Outdoor Trails, Corn Mazes, and Amusement Park Halloween Events. Our goal is to protect our customers through education and networking of our members. Visit www.hauntedattractionassociation.com or call 616-439-4220.
SAN FRANCISCO - September 6, 2022 - (Newswire.com)
KlimaDAO, the leading solution for carbon credits on the blockchain, has commissioned an analysis into the Base Carbon Tonne (BCT) pool by AlliedOffsets, an expert provider of data and market intelligence for the Voluntary Carbon Market.
The Base Carbon Tonne, developed by the Toucan Protocol, and utilized by the KlimaDAO ecosystem has been the single biggest source of identifiable demand for voluntary carbon credits from the Verra registry in the past 12 months. It represents a pool of live, commoditized carbon credits. The credits within the pool can be used to claim an environmental benefit by "retiring" them using KlimaDAO's on-chain retirement aggregator tool.
The Base Carbon Tonne pool sits alongside four other pools of tokenized carbon credits on the Polygon blockchain, including nature-specific pools from C3's Nature Base Offset, Moss' MCO2, and Toucan's Nature Carbon Tonne, as well as C3's renewable energy focussed pool Universal Base Offset.
The carbon credits are hosted on the public Polygon blockchain, which means all transactions of these tokenized carbon credits can be transparently tracked once they have been bridged using infrastructure provided by Toucan or C3. This process has therefore exposed carbon credits within the voluntary carbon market to unprecedented levels of transparency - stimulating debate and analysis of credits contained within the pool.
The report finds that over 9 million tonnes of carbon credits contained within the BCT pool are currently being traded for $5 or more off the blockchain, within the legacy market. Whereas on the blockchain where prices and transaction fees are transparent, these carbon credits are trading for $1.55, representing a 70% discount for on-chain carbon retirements.
The full write-up of the report by KlimaDAO can be viewed here.
BCT carbon credit projects are widely used by corporates.
In addition to the 19.6 million carbon credits that have been bridged for Base Carbon Tonne, the 309 carbon projects contained within the BCT pool have to date also provided 90.9 million carbon credits for environmental benefit claims (i.e. offsets) for off-chain entities and individuals. Of these, according to the analysis, roughly 44.3 million have been retired from a variety of corporate organizations such as Delta Airlines, Telstra, and Brisbane City Council. 46.6 million have been retired with 'no data', meaning it is not possible to say for whom the credits were retired, and for what reason.
Base Carbon Tonne primarily supports renewable energy projects across the globe.
The Base Carbon Tonne pool contains carbon credits from 309 Verra projects from 19 developing nations across the globe; it has a total supply of 19.6 million tokenized carbon credits. The Base Carbon Tonne pool primarily contains renewable energy carbon projects with vintages from 2008 to 2015. The credits included within the pool disproportionately support carbon projects in Bolivia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Pakistan, Turkey, and Vietnam, when comparing the data with average carbon credit retirements.
Sy Zygy of KlimaDAO said, "This report gives clear insights into the composition of the Base Carbon Tonne pool. It shows that the carbon credits contained within the pool are an important part of the voluntary carbon market, particularly for corporations looking to manage their carbon strategies. With the price of on-chain carbon being lower than that of off-chain prices, there is a strong opportunity for existing carbon credit purchasers to source their demand on-chain, transparently and in just a few easy clicks."
Lars Kroijer of AlliedOffsets said, "Working with KlimaDAO on this project has helped bring much-needed transparency to this segment of the market. In the future, we hope to increase the amount of data available for all carbon credit transactions to enable the market to function more efficiently and transparently."
About KlimaDAO
KlimaDAO is an on-chain scaling solution for the Voluntary Carbon Market. By combining tokenized carbon credits with a blockchain-enabled techstack, KlimaDAO aims to open up the market to greater transparency and efficiency.
If you are a business looking to offset your carbon footprint, get started here.
About AlliedOffsets
AlliedOffsets' Premium Dashboard allows researchers, individuals, and businesses to access information on projects across various registries, in order to make the market more transparent and available to all.
STATE COLLEGE, Pa. - September 6, 2022 - (Newswire.com)
Former Penn State football and retired NFL players have partnered with Blueprint Sports to unveil the Lions Legacy Club - the first name, image, and likeness (NIL) collective to specifically support student-athletes in the Penn State Football program. While other NIL collectives have been formed surrounding Penn State athletics, the Lions Legacy Club is the first one dedicated exclusively to football.
The Lions Legacy Club is spearheaded by former Lions quarterback, Chris Ganter, who will serve as general manager alongside former Penn State football and retired NFL players including Ki-Jana Carter and Michael Mauti.
"I am honored to lead the Lions Legacy Club and give back to the football program that has given me so much throughout my life," said Ganter. "Knowing how competitive the college football landscape can be, our goal is to create top notch opportunities for these student-athletes and make a significant impact to ensure a sustainable future for the program."
Through the Lions Legacy Cub, local and national businesses can align their brands with Penn State football players by creating custom marketing campaigns, securing speaking engagements and autograph sessions, and more. Tax-deductible contributions can also be made through the BPS Foundation, a 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to educating, encouraging and assisting student-athletes in their efforts to engage with the local community through charitable causes. The BPS Foundation is one of the first NIL organizations in the country to earn a federal tax exemption.
"We are confident this collective is off to a great start, especially under Chris Ganter's leadership," said Michael Mauti, retired NFL player. "The heart of Penn State football lives strong in all of us and we hope to share this passion with the fans, families, and alumni that we will engage with, to grow the organization."
Chris Ganter's roots in Penn State football go back decades, as his father also coached at Penn State for nearly 30 years. Ganter has worked in sports and entertainment management for over a decade, with organizations including the Pittsburgh Pirates and The Jonas Brothers Change for the Children Foundation.
"There hasn't been a more exciting time to be a student-athlete, than right now," said Ki-Jana Carter, retired NFL player. "The Lions Legacy Club is truly a special group with the expertise and passion to take Penn State football to new heights and help student athletes earn the compensation they deserve for working hard on and off the field."
Through the Lions Legacy Club, all participating student-athletes will receive guidance on the fundamentals of financial and tax management to ensure all transactions are compliant with current guidelines.
Founded in Las Vegas in 2020 and backed by Andre Agassi, eight-time Grand Slam tennis champion, Blueprint Sports (BPS) powers the industry's leading name, image, and likeness (NIL) collectives for alumni, supporters, and businesses, connecting them with student-athletes at their favorite university. BPS' national portfolio of collectives support student-athletes in communities across the country, including Friends of Spike, around Gonzaga University, Friends of Wilbur & Wilma, around the University of Arizona, Friends of Basevols, around the University of Tennessee, Friends of UNILV, around the University of Nevada Las Vegas, Friends of the Pack, around the University of Nevada Reno, Friends of Rocky, around The University of Toledo and more. The Blueprint Sports management team possesses over 50 years of college and professional sports experience, spanning the Pac-12 Conference, IMG, Learfield, and Nevada Athletics Commission. For more information visit blueprintsports.com, @PoweredByBPS on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
About Name, Image, Likeness (NIL)
On June 30, 2021, the Division 1 Board of Directors approved an interim name, image, and likeness policy. This new policy allows all NCAA D1, D2, and D3 student-athletes to be compensated for their NIL as of July 1, 2021. Student-athletes can now engage in paid community appearances, autograph sessions, youth coaching engagements, and sports marketing campaigns.
Libby Rodney and John Gerzema of The Harris Poll discuss the TikTok meme that became a mainstream trend in a recent episode of the podcast 'America This Week'
The Quiet Quitting movement is both "business leaders' biggest fear" and a challenge that they alone can solve, according to Libby Rodney, chief strategy officer at The Harris Poll Thought Leadership Practice. Rodney shared her thoughts on the trend in an August episode of the new podcast "America This Week," co-hosted by Rodney and John Gerzema, CEO of The Harris Poll.
During their conversation, Rodney and Gerzema explore the origins of the Quiet Quitting movement, which leaped from TikTok to international headlines in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal and The Guardian. They explore who's disengaging, and why, and delve into the rise of free agent employees who want more money from corporations at a time when those corporations are more likely to instigate hiring freezes and layoffs.
Despite its name, Quiet Quitting doesn't actually involve quitting, per se. "You're not outright quitting your job, but you're quitting the idea of going above and beyond," said TikTok user Zaiad Khan. As described by BBC News, Quiet Quitting means "doing only what your job demands and nothing more. Quitting doing anything extra. You still show up for work, but stay strictly within the boundaries of your job requirements. So no more helping out with additional tasks or checking emails outside work hours."
A new survey that Harris Poll conducted for Bloomberg News examines the factors that contribute to Quiet Quitting. The poll revealed that in general, the younger the worker, the more disillusioned they are with their jobs and the more likely they are to quit if employers implement return-to-office (RTO) policies and reduce hybrid or work-from-home (WFH) environments.
Among the findings:
Employers Hold the Reins: More than three-quarters (76%) of Gen Z employees believe employers have more leverage in the job market than employees, compared to 56% of all employees.
Young People Are Free Agents: Among working adults, 42% of Gen Z and 37% of Millennials have recently quit or switched jobs in the past two years; 48% of Gen Z and 49% of Millennials say they are likely to quit their job in the next year.
Fearing the Worst: Among working adults, 57% of Gen Z and 42% of Millennials are worried that they are going to lose their job soon.
Fight vs. Flight: Almost two-thirds (66%) of Millennials say they have stayed in their jobs because of economic fluctuations (e.g., rising inflation, decreasing stock market) compared to barely half (51%) of Gen Z.
Bracing for RTO: Among remote/hybrid working adults, 57% of Millennials say they would quit if they were forced to work five days a week in the office.
Ready to Jump: Seven in 10 (71%) of Gen Z and more than two-thirds (68%) of Millennials say they are likely to try securing other job offers in order to get raises at their current jobs.
Those signs of career unhappiness are behind the Quiet Quitting movement and are why employers are concerned about productivity.
"One thing to recognize is that this is most business leaders' biggest fear," Rodney said during the podcast. "This is exactly what they're worried about and why they're telling people to return to the office.
"The second [thing], and the most important one, is the context of this. Before the pandemic, the employee engagement rates were really low. There was a massive burnout in workplace culture, and even the World Health Organization deemed it a critical thing that corporate workplaces had to solve. The pandemic just put fuel on that, and we all had to run and sprint through this time, and maybe now we're in more of a marathon. It's up to companies to get people excited to be working."
Rodney and Gerzema dig much deeper into the topic, offering more insight as well as statistics during their discussion of Quiet Quitting, which can be heard at
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