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Lockheed Martin Sets Industry Benchmark as Early Adopter of NCMA Contract Management Standard and Contract Management Body of Knowledge

National Contract Management Association

Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT), Lockheed Martin, a leading global aerospace and defense company, is one of the first prime contractors to adopt the cutting-edge National Contract Management Association (NCMA) Contract Management Standard™ (CMS ™) and Contract Management Body of Knowledge ® ( CMBOK ®). With this adoption, Lockheed Martin reiterates its unwavering commitment to excellence in contract management, ensuring that its workforce possesses the necessary competencies that align seamlessly with both the federal government and institutions of higher education, which have also embraced the CMS. The NCMA Contract Management Standard™ equips organizations with a structured approach to contract management, facilitating improved communication, streamlined processes, and enhanced risk management. As Lockheed Martin integrates this CMS into its operations, the company further strengthens its ability to deliver unparalleled value to customers and stakeholders. By proactively adopting this groundbreaking standard, Lockheed Martin sets a new industry benchmark, showcasing its dedication to fostering enhanced communication, transparency, and efficiency within its contract management processes. "At Lockheed Martin, we continuously strive to be at the forefront of innovation and industry-leading practices. Our decision to be an early adopter of the NCMA CMS™ and the CMBOK is a testament to our commitment to delivering exceptional results for our customers," said Debra Scheider, Vice President of Corporate Contracts for Lockheed Martin. "By implementing this standard, we enhance our ability to drive collaborative and successful partnerships, while maintaining the highest standards of integrity and compliance.” Kraig Conrad, CEO of NCMA, expressed his gratitude for Lockheed Martin's adoption of the NCMA CMS™ and CMBOK®, stating, "Lockheed Martin as one of the early adopters demonstrates commitment to their workforce and customers. This moves our profession forward on a shared vision of fostering a robust connection between industry and government through a common language.” The U.S. Office of Federal Procurement Policy (OFPP) announced the new classification in a January 19 memo, stating that the CMS™ will become the foundation of a new contracting training system for all government agencies effective February 1, 2023. The new Federal Acquisition Certification in Contracting (FAC-C) (Professional) will now align with the Department of Defense framework (DAWIA), which is also based on the CMS™. The American National Standards Institute (ANSI)-approved third edition of the NCMA CMS™ is recognized globally as the preeminent standard in the profession. It serves as the basis for hiring and training frameworks as well as the NCMA’s ANSI National Accreditation Board (ANAB)-accredited Certified Contract Management Associate (CCMA) certification. The CMBOK® is based on the CMS™ and serves as the basis for NCMA’s ANAB-accredited Certified Professional Contracts Manager™ (CPCM™) certification. 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 Lockheed Martin Headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland, Lockheed Martin Corporation is a global security and aerospace company that employs approximately 116,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products and services. Please follow @LMNews on Twitter for the latest announcements and news across the corporation. Contact Details National Contract Management Association Holly Dehesa +1 281-865-3296 holly.dehesa@ncmahq.org Company Website https://www.ncmahq.org/

July 06, 2023 08:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

Fun learning platform Kidovo raises $1.2M funding round to provide personalised interactive learning to every child

Kidovo

The next generation of children are growing up with digital devices all around them. As a result, they’re spending increasing amounts of time on these devices in passive consumption of content which is leading to a range of development issues. In addressing this pressing concern, fun learning platform Kidovo is today launching with a $1.2 million seed funding round to provide every child (2-8 years old) with personalised interactive learning. The funding round saw participation from Venture Highway, Amplify PCC, Good Capital, & prominent angels including Ashish Singhal from Coinswitch among others. Using interactivity, Kidovo is aiming to turn passive consumption into active participation from kids, which helps avoid many of the problems prevalent today with kids’ screen time. Kidovo was founded by Sameer Goyal, ex Amazon & AWS engineer, and Rahul Bhatnagar, ex Uber, Cubical Labs, Amazon. They met while beginning their careers at Amazon over a decade ago. Together, they have a combined experience of over 20 years in the tech industry. “When Rahul reached out to me, about building an interactive learning platform for kids, I was sure something like this must exist. But I was surprised to see very few options for such content. Further, we both realised the massive size of this problem. This affects most of the kids on the entire planet. We started researching the space and found that there is a massive opportunity to build better learning experiences for kids using the latest technology.” said Sameer Goyal, co-founder of Kidovo. “We’ve been testing the early versions of the product with a small group of about 60 families as part of our co-builder program since December 2022. While we have been constantly improving the product based on feedback from that program, the platform has already grown to serve 4000 registered families. Further, as a testament to our team’s commitment to improving kids’ learning experience and safety, we have already received kidSAFE COPPA+ certification as well as a 5 star certification from educational app store in just 6 months since our platform accepted its first external user. We are now confident in serving more users on our platform and have begun rolling out our paid subscription plans.” Recent studies have suggested that kids spend about an hour everyday on Youtube. With shortage of workers in the childcare industry, increasingly these devices are the child’s nanny ( Source ). Further, since generation alpha is the first generation to grow up around digital devices, parents are increasingly finding it difficult to limit screen time without access to other sources of more meaningful & productive entertainment for children. The American academy of Pediatrics recommends for children 2 to 5 years of age to limit use to 1 hour per day of high-quality programming, while parents co-view & help children understand the content and help them apply what they learn ( Source ). Kidovo is designed to provide children with a digital playmate, who would fulfil the above responsibilities when a parent is unavailable to do so. “We found that existing interactive solutions were too focussed on academic outcomes & hence were unable to engage the child over a long period of time. Further, they lacked the variety of content that would support children as they explore different areas of interest. Therefore, we decided to work together with the best kids content creators and empower them with interactive tools to make more engaging content.” said Rahul Bhatnagar, co-founder of Kidovo. Since children are spending increasing amounts of time on digital devices, the time they spend practising speaking has gone down leading to speech delay problems. The team has devised an innovative approach to get kids to speak while learning on their platform. One of the forms of interactivity on the platform is where kids are asked questions from the content and they need to speak to answer and get real time feedback almost as if there’s a real life tutor with them. The owl mascot, Ovo, also involves kids in casual conversation to help them build confidence to express themselves. Kidovo not only helps children with healthier screen time options, but also helps parents participate in their children’s learning journeys. The platform offers parents key moments they might have missed from their kids’ activity on the platform, they can hear their kids speak, see what they drew. Further, parents are offered tips on activities & discussions that they can engage in with their kids based on their activity on the platform. Kidovo plans to use this investment to move closer to their vision of empowering every child worldwide to reach their full potential through personalised, immersive, and engaging experiences that make learning fun and accessible. About Kidovo Kidovo is a fun learning app providing personalised, interactive learning for kids between 2-8 years of age. Kidovo curates content from the best kids' content creators like SciShow Kids, Kiboomers, Learning Mole and many more and adds fun educational activities where children tap on the screen, respond with their voice, and even colour on the screen. Kidovo's mascot, Ovo, the owl will be kids’ digital buddy, and engage and talk with them. Kidovo shows parents what their kids are learning using their child's audio, coloring sheets and much more. Contact Details Kidovo Bilal Mahmood +44 7714 007257 b.mahmood@stockwoodstrategy.com Company Website https://www.kidovo.com/

June 29, 2023 09:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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Introducing Borderless: The New Way to Build and Share VR Experiences

Borderless

Today, Borderless announces that its free, no-code, virtual reality (VR) experience creation platform will soon be available to the public. Previously for enterprise use only, the platform will now make VR more accessible, scalable, and adaptable for organizations, brands and creators worldwide. It is currently compatible with leading VR headsets like Meta Quest and Pico Neo, with plans to include the Apple Vision Pro. “VR is a powerful technological asset, and Borderless aims to make it approachable and powerful, to the technical and non-technical alike,” says Matt Robison, founder and CEO of Borderless. “We’re knocking down barriers to entry and aim to become the platform for creating and sharing immersive experiences; ones that have the potential for lasting positive impact.” Borderless is already trusted by enterprise clients including a major consumer electronics brand, a top retail training provider, and educational nonprofit, Act One. It simplifies the creation and delivery of VR experiences for a wide range of use. With the platform open and available to anyone, organizations can design and update learning and development programs to train employees, brand marketers can build and share immersive activations, educators can transport students to new places, and artists can bring their work to audiences in new ways. Borderless allows individuals and organizations to build immersive experiences in minutes with no headset required. Users can upload 180° or 360° video and images, and create interactive quizzes or surveys all in a simple, web-based tool, previewing their work as they go. A Unity uploader will also allow 3D creators to bring their work, including games, into the platform. Customizable environments tie a complete experience together. Once an experience is created, users can deploy to their compatible devices, from headsets to tablets, simultaneously. Borderless makes it easy for users to keep up with managing their content—from creating and deploying to collecting analytics. “With the Borderless platform, we’ve been able to transport thousands of students in Arizona to places they would never get to see,” said Rachel Yanof, Executive Director, Act One. “Our first VR field trip featured Chicago-based artist Sentrock, a Mexican-American muralist originally from Arizona. We wanted to create inspiring trips grounded in relatable stories that showed students a broader world where people just like them went on to express themselves through art. While there are similar learning opportunities between a traditional arts field trip and VR, we could go even deeper into storytelling with the virtual experience content we created using Borderless.” Starting today, you can check out the official sizzle reel here and sign up at borderlessvr.com to be the first notified about its official debut in the fall with your first look at the no-code platform demo here. ABOUT BORDERLESS Borderless is a company founded on the belief that extended reality experiences have the ability to change the world. Its product is designed to increase accessibility to VR experience creation, and simplify the delivery of content from corporate training to brand experiences to school field trips and beyond. The company's no-code platform is a powerful tool in bringing experiences and products to life for some of the biggest brands in the world today. For more information, visit borderlessvr.com. Contact Details Kite Hill PR for Borderless Geanna Diaz geanna@kitehillpr.com Company Website https://borderlessvr.com/

June 27, 2023 09:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

New Convention Wins and Strong Line-up Reaffirms Hong Kong’s Leading Edges Across Multiple Sectors

Hong Kong Tourism Board

HONG KONG SAR - Media OutReach - 26 June 2023 - The Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) has applauded the city's convention business following a raft of new convention wins in 2023. I&T, medical, financial services, and education planning professionals have all chosen Hong Kong, solidifying the city's position as a preferred destination for academic exchanges and industry advancement. Mr Kenneth Wong, General Manager, MICE & Cruise of HKTB, said, "The growing demand is providing a welcome stimulus for Hong Kong's economy. Thanks to Hong Kong's leading status across various industries and tremendous opportunities brought by the Greater Bay Area (GBA), we are delighted that Hong Kong further strengthens its status as the World's Meeting Place and remains a top choice among convention organisers." Convention wins reinforce Hong Kong as I&T hub One of this year's major wins is the EDGE Global AI & Web3 Investment Summit 2023 under the I&T sector. The inaugural edition of this event will be hosted in September 2023 in Hong Kong, and is expected to bring in 10,000 visitors. This major win followed the city's recent hosting of a number of Web3 events, including FOMO Asia Genesis Conference and WOW Summit 2023, which marked its entry to Asia Pacific. Mr Ander Tsui, organiser of EDGE Global AI & Web3 Investment Summit 2023, Co-Chairman of Hong Kong Blockchain Association, Chairman of EDGE Summit Committee and Founder of VertexLabs said, "Hong Kong is simply a world-class stage for Web3 and artificial intelligence events and beyond. Not only does it draw global venture capitals, investment institutions, and enthusiasts from across the globe, but it also serves as the perfect gateway to the dynamic GBA. We look forward to seeing our high-octane event debut in Hong Kong." Another major win – the Insurtech Insights Asia 2023 Conference, which will take place in December 2023 with an expected attendance of 3,000 – highlights the city's strong fundamentals, international business connections, as well as government support in the insurance, insurtech and I&T sectors. Mr Kristoffer Lundberg, CEO Insurtech Insights and Mr Hung W. Wong, President Asia, Insurtech Insights said, "We are thrilled to be building the largest pan-Asia insurance and insurtech conference in Hong Kong to gather insurance executives, entrepreneurs, and investors by providing knowledge, inspiration and network. We are extremely grateful for the tremendous support from the Hong Kong governmental organisations." Strong convention line-up in 2023 This year, the city is already recording an exciting calendar of conventions, in which the medical sector has taken the lion's share, including the 44th Asia Pacific Dental Congress 2023 in June and t he 16th Asia Pacific Heart Rhythm Society Scientific Session, in conjunction with CardioRhythm, in September 2023. Dr Nelson Wong, Hong Kong Convention Ambassador, President of the Asia Pacific Dental Federation and President of the Hong Kong Dental Association said, "The 44th Asia Pacific Dental Congress 2023 was a great success with the dedicated support from the HKTB. We are proud to play a part and strive for excellence in making Hong Kong a premier destination for international dental congresses." The 44th Asia Pacific Dental Congress 2023 successfully attracted over 5,000 dentists and dental industry related participants from local and around the world. Hong Kong Convention Ambassador programme expands to Mainland China Leveraging the extensive network and influential power of the business leaders in Hong Kong, the HKTB introduced the Hong Kong Convention Ambassador (HKCA) programme back in 2020. Since then, industry leaders have led some 40 events to Hong Kong. This year the HKTB appointed 140 industry leaders from Hong Kong and Mainland China, which marks the HKCA programme expansion to Mainland China for the very first time. Mr Kenneth Wong said "The formulation of the ambassador programme gives Hong Kong an edge in securing world-class conventions. We are very grateful for the support from local leaders, as well as our mainland counterparts. With close collaboration, we can showcase Hong Kong's unique role as a super-connector and a MICE hub of the GBA to capture boundless opportunities for business events." With HKTB's continuous strategic bidding efforts and the well-developed and growing alliance of HKCA, Hong Kong is set to attract more world-class conventions, making it the first choice as the place to meet. Contact Details Ms Ivy Chung +852 2807 6255 ivy.chung@hktb.com Ms Candice Leung +852 2807 6578 candice.leung@hktb.com

June 26, 2023 09:38 PM Eastern Daylight Time

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City University of Seattle Celebrates 50th Anniversary, Seattle Mayor and Alumnus Bruce Harrell is Commencement Speaker

CityU

This weekend, City University of Seattle marked its 50th anniversary with a commencement speech from Seattle Mayor and school alumnus Bruce Harrell, who earned a Master of Arts degree in Organizational Leadership in 1994. The commencement theme – expanding college access to a wider base of students – was based on the university’s mission to give non-traditional students a pathway to college. "The Northwest has millions of people with some training or college credit and no degree," said Randy C. Frisch, CityU President. "CityU helps students complete a degree or acquire new training certificates, with innovative and flexible programs, tailored to provide our students with direct pathways into cutting-edge, lucrative careers." CityU partners with employers like Amazon and Boeing to help employees complete degrees and get accreditations to help them advance in their careers. CityU students can pursue training and degrees, with career pathways into many local, national and international partner companies. “For 50 years, CityU has helped working adults and non-traditional college students reach their full potential and take advantage of the many exciting professional opportunities Seattle has to offer,” said Mayor Bruce Harrell, City of Seattle. “With their flexible, career-relevant programs, global partnerships, and passionate faculty, CityU prepared me to be a bold leader with the knowledge, skills, and attitude to positively impact the Seattle community. I’m excited to celebrate the accomplishments of the CityU Class of 2023 and see how they flourish in their future careers.” The university has made a lasting impact on Seattle and beyond. Graduates include Mayor Bruce Harrell; Connie Thompson, KOMO TV; Monique Jeanne Morrow, World Economic Forum (former); John Batiste, Chief of the Washington State Patrol; Tonita Webb, president and CEO of Verity Credit Union; and many others. “You already know a CityU graduate but may not realize it,” said Frisch. “At our 50th commencement we are celebrating the CityU graduates who have earned their degrees and are working to achieve incredible accomplishments in their work, in their community, and in their lives.” About City University of Seattle: City University of Seattle has been relentlessly reimagining higher education in the Pacific Northwest and around the world since 1973. CityU is a private, nonprofit university dedicated to serving working adults and transfer students. The university is recognized as a Top 10 educator of adults nationwide and is ranked as a Best Online Bachelor’s Program 2022 and as a Best Online Bachelor’s Program for Veterans 2022 by U.S. News & World Report. Accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities through the doctoral level, CityU offers more than 65 online, onsite and performance-based programs. CityU is headquartered in downtown Seattle, Washington, and has multiple sites throughout Western Washington, Canada and abroad. For more information, visit https://www.CityU.edu. Contact Details Forrest Carman +1 206-859-3118 forrestc@owenmedia.com Company Website https://www.cityu.edu/50th/

June 26, 2023 10:58 AM Pacific Daylight Time

Minuteman Press Franchise in Huntersville, NC Has Grand Opening for Brand New Location

Minuteman Press International Inc

Neha Katrodia is the owner of the brand new Minuteman Press design, marketing, and printing franchise located at 9606 Sherrill Estates Rd., Suite A, Huntersville, NC 28078. After opening their doors in March of 2023, Minuteman Press in Huntersville held their official grand opening and ribbon-cutting ceremony on Friday, June 2, 2023. The event was hosted by the Lake Norman Chamber of Commerce and was attended by Huntersville Commissioner Dan Boone. Neha shares, “The Huntersville community has been very welcoming and interested in learning more about our business. I'm so thankful to everyone who came to support us during the grand opening and showed interest in growing together.” She continues, “Owning my own business means taking on my father's path to becoming an entrepreneur. Most importantly, I feel a sense of personal fulfillment and I look forward to seeing this new venture grow and succeed while helping other local businesses with all of their printing and promotional needs.” Joining Neha in the business are two key staff members: Denis Vargas, graphic designer/production; as well as Neha’s husband Mehul Katrodia, marketing agent. While Denis provides clients with custom creative designs and a sharp eye for details, Mehul manages the marketing side including Google and social media accounts. Neha, meanwhile, has already jumped into several networking groups to become active in the community, including the Lake Norman Chamber of Commerce as well as the Huntersville BNI group. She says, “I feel it’s important to get out there and engage with clients in person and also market our business online. Once clients come to us, we enjoy working with them to bring their visions to life and delivery high quality products and service. Our staff is ready and willing to welcome clients to Minuteman Press in Huntersville with open arms.” Prior to buying the business, Neha always had wanted to follow in her father’s footsteps and become her own boss. She explains, “I have a healthcare and medical billing background; however, I grew up in the business environment. My father has been a businessman from my early childhood years and has owned various businesses from then to now. I also helped him run some of them due to the language barrier he had at times.” Neha further shares why she chose to own a Minuteman Press franchise, stating: “The continuous local support that Minuteman Press offers is amazing; The B2B hours of operation allow me to balance my business and personal lives; Minuteman Press allows me to follow my passion for creating something so unique with every project or job.” She adds, “The training program was extremely informative and allowed me to feel confident in front of clients. Now, the local support to lean on here in my region has been so helpful with advice and guidance on unique projects. We also use the Minuteman Press FLEX software made available to us as a key marketing tool for growth.” Following the successful grand opening, Neha is excited for the future of her new business. She concludes, “At Minuteman Press, we love working with other local businesses and organizations. I look forward to supporting them with our personalized products and services as we are all in this together.” Minuteman Press in Huntersville is located at 9606 Sherrill Estates Rd., Suite A, Huntersville, NC 28078. For more information, call 704-594-8699 or visit their website: https://minuteman.com/us/locations/nc/huntersville/ Learn more about #1 rated Minuteman Press franchise opportunities and read Minuteman Press franchise reviews at https://minutemanpressfranchise.com Contact Details Minuteman Press International Chris Biscuiti +1 631-249-1370 cbiscuiti@mpihq.com Company Website https://minutemanpressfranchise.com

June 20, 2023 10:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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HKBU hosts IACMR Conference to explore the future of business education

Hong Kong Baptist University

HONG KONG SAR - Media OutReach - 16 June 2023 - The 10th Biennial International Association for Chinese Management Research (IACMR) Conference hosted by Hong Kong Baptist University (HKBU) is being held from 14 to 18 June on the University's campus. Professor Alexander Wai, President and Vice-Chancellor of HKBU said that the Conference offers an ideal platform to discuss higher education’s models and practices in the fields of business and management. IACMR is an academic organisation that serves scholars, students, managers and consultants who are interested in advancing their knowledge about organisational management in the Chinese context. The Association has over 14,000 registered members from almost 100 countries, and has been recognised as an authoritative, world-class academic research organisation in the area of Chinese management. Themed "Globalisation in Flux: China and the World", this year's IACMR Conference gathers nearly 2,000 scholars and experts from around the world to share the latest research and exchange views on Chinese management and organisations under continuous change in globalisation. The Conference's welcome reception was held on 14 June. Professor Zhang Zhixue, President of IACMR, and Professor Alexander Wai, President and Vice-Chancellor of HKBU delivered welcome remarks at the reception. In his remarks, Professor Wai said that rapid technological developments have taken the world by storm, with the most recent example being the rise of generative AI tools like ChatGPT. Ongoing global challenges and geopolitical dynamics will continue to create uncertainties on the outlook of globalisation in future. "As educators at HKBU, one of our key concerns in addressing the challenge of globalisation is to educate the next generation with an innovative and transdisciplinary approach, so that they will be equipped with the skills, knowledge and visionary mindset to help them seize the opportunities that technology brings," he said. He said that the Conference offers an ideal platform to discuss higher education's models and practices in the fields of business and management. One of the highlights of the Conference will be the Dean's Forum to be held tomorrow (17 June). Seven renowned scholars and heads of business schools from Arizona State University, Fudan University, The Education University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Baptist University, Tsinghua University and The University of Hong Kong will discuss on the theme "The Future of Business Education". Professor Ed Snape, Dean of the School of Business at HKBU, will discuss at the Forum how business schools should nurture students to meet employers' demands and develop stronger ties with the industries. Other issues to be explored at the Forum include the challenges of artificial intelligence (AI) and Chatbot posed to business education, the future of online and hybrid learning, and the development of business schools in the post-COVID era, etc. The Conference also features almost 100 keynote panels, symposiums, paper presentations and roundtables on diversified topics for intellectual exchanges of scholars, research students, and practitioners in Asia and beyond. They will explore new concepts, theories and examine empirical findings in rigorous and creative ways. Scholars and research students from HKBU have also participated actively in the Conference, and used this opportunity to share with their counterparts their education and research excellence. Contact Details Communication and Public Relations Office, HKBU Kevin Lau +852 3411 7964 kevinkflau@hkbu.edu.hk

June 16, 2023 07:55 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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Former DHS Chief Procurement Officer, Soraya Correa, Joins as Executive Director of NCMA Contract Management Institute

National Contract Management Association

National Contract Management Association (NCMA) today announced the reinstatement of the Contract Management Institute (CMI) with the appointment of Contract Management veteran, Soraya Correa as the new Executive Director. Ms. Correa, former Chief Procurement Officer and Senior Procurement Executive of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), brings a wealth of experience and expertise to lead the CMI into a new era of excellence and innovation in contract management. The reinstatement of the Contract Management Institute marks a significant milestone for the industry, as professionals and organizations can once again benefit from a dedicated hub of knowledge, resources, and collaboration opportunities. As the field of contract management continues to evolve and become increasingly critical in today's complex business environment, the reinvigorated CMI will serve as a vital platform for professionals to stay at the forefront of profession trends and best practices. Soraya Correa's appointment as the Executive Director of CMI is a testament to her outstanding leadership and remarkable achievements in procurement and contract management. During her tenure at DHS, Ms. Correa spearheaded numerous initiatives – including the Procurement Innovation Lab (PIL), Reverse Industry Days, and the Education, Development, Growth, and Excellence (EDGE) mentoring program – that revolutionized procurement practices and enhanced the efficiency and effectiveness of contract management within the agency. Her strategic vision, combined with her deep understanding of the complexities and challenges of the field, made her the ideal choice to steer the CMI toward new heights. "I am honored to lead the Contract Management Institute as its Executive Director," said Soraya Correa. "Contract management is pivotal to mission delivery and successful business outcomes. I am committed to providing today and tomorrow’s contracting professionals with the knowledge and tools they need to excel in their roles. I look forward to collaborating with federal state and local government, industry leaders, academia, and others to drive innovation, promote excellence, and elevate the contract management profession." Kraig Conrad, CEO of the National Contract Management Association, expressed his support stating, "We are thrilled to see the Contract Management Institute restored. With Soraya Correa at the helm, we are confident that CMI will provide valuable resources for positive impact on our profession." The Contract Management Institute aims to be the premier resource for contract management professionals, offering a wide range of programs and research initiatives. Stay tuned for updates on the official launch of the Contract Management Institute's website and social media pages. About the Contract Management Institute (CMI): The Contract Management Institute (CMI) is a leading professional organization dedicated to advancing the field of contract management. With a mission to drive innovation, promote excellence, and enhance the role of the contracting professional, CMI provides valuable resources including networking opportunities for individuals and organizations involved in contract management across government, industry, and academia. The Institute serves as a catalyst for knowledge exchange, collaboration, and professional development, enabling contract management professionals to navigate the complexities of the profession successfully. The CMI mission and vision are aligned with its Parent, NCMA. CMI is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization. For inquiries, paper submissions, and donations, please contact Soraya Correa at soraya.correa@ncmahq.org. 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. Contact Details NCMA Holly Dehesa +1 281-865-3296 holly.dehesa@ncmahq.org Company Website https://www.ncmahq.org/

June 14, 2023 09:07 AM Eastern Daylight Time

Minuteman Press in Nashville, TN Completes Exterior Full-Wrap Rebranding of the Iconic Grand Ole Opry House Music Venue

Minuteman Press International Inc

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The Grand Ole Opry House, owned by Ryman Hospitality Partners, is one of the most legendary music venues in the USA. Thanks to Minuteman Press franchise owner John Taylor and his team at Minuteman Press in Nashville, the face of the Grand Ole Opry House now looks as good on the outside as the music sounds on the inside. What started out as a sales call and business cards order ten years ago has evolved into a trusted branding partnership between Minuteman Press in Nashville and Ryman Hospitality, and the result of that partnership includes incredible projects like this one – the full-wrap exterior rebranding of the Grand Ole Opry House. Minuteman Press in Nashville is located at 415 Spence Lane, Nashville, TN 37210. John Taylor has owned the business since January of 2014 and is a member of the President’s Club for top performers across the Minuteman Press franchise system. John shares key details on working to complete this huge project on such an iconic venue. How did the project with the Grand Ole Opry come about? John Taylor: “We acquired them as a client about ten years ago. It originated with a sales call at the original The Ryman Auditorium, in downtown Nashville. The first order was a few sets of business cards. Their parent company is Ryman Hospitality. Working inward through the marketing department at Ryman Hospitality, a relationship developed. They have a lot of printers, but we stayed in touch, cross-selling where possible. Ultimately, we set them up on an online portal ordering system for their printed collateral and admin items for their various brands. We make it a habit to deliver all prospects our "Portfolio Thumb-drive". It is branded Minuteman Press and goes to them pre-loaded with our most impressive projects in categorized folders. That led to us becoming one of their trusted branding partners, I would like to say their preferred branding partner. We've done projects from Nashville to New York City for them as they open new venues.” What specifically did you do for this project? John Taylor: “We have done multiple projects at the Grand Ole Opry House. Regarding this project: It is an extraordinary surface, in that it is stamped concrete. It is made to look like a ‘rough-cut cedar’ wooden surface, with deep woodgrain and over a half-inch depth difference between the faux planks. There are two installation processes in this type of project. One is to install and register the panels together (58" wide panels). The second process is to heat and press the vinyl into the grain and contours with a heat gun/torch and foam hand roller, roughly 4" at a time. We measured, scaled and templated the whole project. We printed the vinyl on an HP 360 Latex printer, then laminated the vinyl on a GBC roll laminator (3M IJ-480 Vinyl with 3M 8520 Matte Overlaminate). We used our 55' boom truck and a rented 45' boom lift to install. The first team and truck would hang and register the vinyl. The second lift would have a heat gun, a torch, and roller to get into the grain, and a single installer with very tired arms. We blocked off an area to work every morning so tours could still safely operate every 30-60 minutes. We installed in close coordination with the security team every day and evening to avoid periodic live shows in the evenings altogether." What was the timetable / what did it take to complete the project? John Taylor: “The exterior, as all large branding projects do, began with an intense set of measurements and a write-up of all inclusions and challenges with the surface(s). We then created an Illustrator template for their art department, advising best practices and highlighting any areas to which they should pay special attention during design. The timetable was roughly 7 weeks, synopsized below: We surveyed the first week and provided them a template for artwork technicals and construction. It took them 2-3 weeks to develop art, get the individual artists' approvals, and the necessary internal management approvals. We removed the old banners and aluminum hardware, as well as prepped/cleaned the building during that period. I asked for 7-10 days to produce the vinyl. It took about a week to print, laminate and cut. We should have been able to install it in roughly one week with a crew of three. It ended up taking two weeks since the Grand Ole Opry has shows every couple of days, which limited our time (we had to be packed up and out of the way by 3 pm). The weather was also a factor." TIME LAPSE VIDEO: Full-wrap rebranding of the face of the Grand Ole Opry House – Spring 2023 – Minuteman Press, Nashville: How happy are you with the completed project? What has been the feedback you’ve received? John Taylor: “I'm extremely happy with it. I really am humbled and honored to be given the opportunity. Now, for the less-than-humble perspective; it was an intense scope of work... and we got the job done! We've had only positive feedback about this installation and people are loving the new face of the Grand Ole Opry House. My favorite reaction was from a security guard that said, ‘I haven't seen this many people stop and have their pictures taken in front of the building in years and years!’. He's been there over 15 years, so that was so gratifying to hear him say that.” John concludes, “To have our hard work appreciated, especially on such a large-scale project, it’s just a great feeling of accomplishment.” For Minuteman Press products and services and to find your local Minuteman Press, visit https://minuteman.com. Learn more about #1 rated Minuteman Press franchise opportunities at https://minutemanpressfranchise.com. Contact Details Minuteman Press International Chris Biscuiti +1 631-249-1370 cbiscuiti@mpihq.com Company Website https://minutemanpressfranchise.com

June 12, 2023 10:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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