Youngme Moon, the Donald K. David Professor of Business Administration at Harvard Business School, says mediocrity in competition is rampant, but it’s adventurousness that spells success. Just ask Google or Apple.
Back in the dinosaur days before PCs, mainframe computers resided in air-conditioned, glass enclosures with attendants in lab coats. Such a facility — often called a “glass house” by the organizations big enough to afford them — gave IT a sacred aura that lived on long after mainframes gave way to racks of servers in data centers. But in recent years, a perfect storm of digital, workforce and IT transformations has risen to shatter the glass-house aura for good. And Dell EMC is helping customers catch the big wave that this perfect storm is creating.Digital Transformation: Faster, Better, Cheaper While many may argue about size being a competitive advantage in today’s business world, speed and agility can run circles around that. For enterprises that are in the middle of their digital transformations or are just beginning, it may be time to consider upgrading any IT infrastructure older than five years to get the speed and agility that applications and users need.Why now? Technology has simply advanced so much since then, especially recently. Blazing speeds of new multi-core CPUs, 40GB networking and all-flash storage are all enabling faster outputs, whether CAD renderings, data analysis, or augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) applications.And price-performance has never been better. Lower-cost components such as flash storage, coupled with more space-efficient, hyper-converged system designs, help lower TCO while boosting ROI. The result of these advancements is that organizations of all sizes can and should take advantage of technology to drive their digital transformations — or risk getting left behind.Workforce Transformation: More Productive, More Collaborative, More CapableSpeed and agility are nothing if a company’s employees are stuck in neutral. But today’s workforce is undergoing a transformation not seen since the advent of the PC 30 years ago. Workers are no longer bound to offices, much less desks. Mobile devices, whether powerful laptop workstations or richly featured tablets, let them work anywhere. Even high-performance computing via the cloud is accessible from a local café.Advanced technology also increases collaboration not only inside organizations but also with outside partners — another big benefit of workforce transformation. People can work as virtual teams in flatter, less hierarchal organizations that are supported by cloud-based tools to enhance teamwork and group outputs. Role-based access privileges can help individuals be part of many virtual teams, dynamically scaling expertise as needed.Workers can become more capable, too, with their physical and intellectual limits extended by technology innovations. AR and VR technologies, for example, are no longer curiosities or for gamers only. They are quickly finding their way into industrial CAD/CAE applications as well as healthcare. Even chemical engineers can use headsets to see simulations of molecular interactions.Advanced analytics and machine learning can also be transformative, especially when done with real-time data. They can help workers gain deeper insights into operations data, so they can make better informed decisions much faster. This kind of responsiveness, across an entire organization, translates to a much more agile enterprise that can proactively capitalize on opportunities sooner.Of course, increased individual and team productivity is one big outcome of workforce transformation. Another is that they can also be more creative in their approaches to addressing business problems and opportunities. That’s because they can try innovative solutions via simulations that help reduce risks of failure and, if that occurs, quickly rebound and apply the lessons learned.IT Transformation: More Flexible, More Efficient, More Strategic IT has never had more options in its business models. Cloud-based models can reduce or eliminate capital investments, and consumption-based, pay-as-you go pricing models provide greater flexibility in aligning costs with usage. Here are four options:Dell EMC PC as a Service, offering a predictable price per seat per monthDell EMC VxRail hyper-converged infrastructure, with Cloud Flex for HCIDell EMCVDI Complete Solutions, for centrally managed virtual desktop infrastructuresDell EMC Cloud for Microsoft Azure Stack solution, which offers a hybrid cloud platform for delivering both infrastructure as a service and platform as a service with a consistent Azure experience on-premises or in the public cloud.Also driving IT’s transformation are new, more efficient management tools that help ease admin burdens and enable greater productivity. For example, the new Dell EMC PowerEdge 14th generation servers offer one-click BIOS tuning. This makes for quick-and-easy deployment of many processing-intensive workloads, so admins can tailor storage configurations to their application needs — especially critical in software-defined storage (SDS) environments.The biggest benefit of an enterprise IT transformation? Today’s IT staffs can focus on more strategic projects. After all, does anyone really want to spend their working years on a help desk doing password resets? By becoming more strategic, IT professionals aren’t just supporting the business, they’re helping drive it. And that’s a good place to be.To find out what other forward-looking IT professionals are thinking, check out the 16-page Dell EMC-sponsored study, “The State of IT Transformation.”Additional ResourcesWeb page with summary:https://www.emc.com/en-us/microsites/it-transformation-analysis.htmPDF document: https://www.emc.com/collateral/analyst-reports/h14736-state-of-it-transformation-english.pdf?domainUrlForCanonical=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.emc.com
Even thought the fall semester is barely underway, chemistry professor Dr. Toni Barstis and senior Diana Vega Pantoja have made major progress in the development of the paper analytical device (PAD) project. The device is an inexpensive paper-based tool used to screen for counterfeit pain relievers, Barstis said. “As part of our research, we are trying to help the people of the world to see just how big the counterfeit drug problem is,” she said. “By putting the PAD into the hands of pharmacists, they will be able to use and determine where the bad drugs are coming from.” In collaboration with researchers at Notre Dame, Barstis, Pantoja and other student researchers from Saint Mary’s have moved ahead with the project and found great results. “We spent the summer working on it which has helped us move forward with receiving the patent we have applied for,” Pantoja said. “Through our countless hours of field testing, we had over 560 field tests completed between the Saint Mary’s campus as well as Trinity College and the University of Notre Dame. All of this field testing has pushed us along in receiving the patent.” The researchers did not just look to college campuses for field-testing, but also to alumnae of Saint Mary’s and donors supporting the College, Barstis said. “We were looking to see if the test was done differently depending on age or gender,” she said. “The field tests were used on men and women between the ages of 11 and over 80 years old. There was no difference in the results of the tests, but working with different age groups was definitely interesting to see the abilities of testing and learning each individual had.” Barstis, Pantoja and recent graduate Elizabeth Bajema were invited to present their research results at the 244th National Meeting and Exposition of the American Chemical Society (ACS). “Being invited to this conference was definitely an experience,” Pantoja said. “Undergraduates usually do not speak at ACS, so it was thrilling to be an undergrad who presented my research with Dr. Barstis and Elizabeth.” Barstis said being asked to present at the meeting was an amazing feat for the women to accomplish. “Audience members were very engaged by our research and the fact that here were three women, one being an undergraduate, presented research done from a college, not a university with a graduate program,” Barstis said. After presenting at the ACS, Barstis and Pantoja learned other scientists had become increasingly interested in their research. They decided to submit their findings to be published. “By proving that our PAD is sufficiently reliable based off our research, publishing our research is just another accomplishment for us to be excited about,” Pantoja said. “People are actually interested in our research and that is such an amazing thing.” Next on the list for the PADs project is to take the field-testing overseas to countries facing an increased amount of counterfeit drugs, like Kenya, Barstis said. “The media has helped us to create awareness for this problem and has launched our project into the minds of people across the globe,” she said. “This opportunity to help people from all over the world is a phenomenal accomplishment. Working with the student researchers from Saint Mary’s and Notre Dame, as well as the participants, has provided us with great information that we hope will take off into something great.” Contact Jill Barwick at jbarwi01@nd.edu
Burlington, VT – FreshTracks Capital II, L.P. (“FreshTracks”), a Middlebury-based venture capital fund with primary interest in Vermont investments, announced that it has invested $400,000 in ISIS of Burlington. This is the first investment in FreshTracks’ second fund. ISIS designs, produces and markets outdoor apparel which is made by women and made exclusively for women, with its product being carried by top national retailers including REI, Title IX, and Orvis. The transaction was structured to accelerate the sales and marketing efforts of ISIS, as the company executes the next phase of its growth strategy, and considers raising additional expansion capital.”FreshTracks is very pleased to be able to accelerate ISIS’ continued growth,” said Cairn Cross, managing director of FreshTracks. “We have known and admired ISIS’ management team and its investors including Maine based CEI Ventures and CEI Community Ventures for some time now, and had hoped that we would have the opportunity to invest in the business at a key inflexion point.”ISIS was first conceived in 1998 when the company’s founders, Carolyn Cooke and Poppy Gall, rode up a chairlift together and discussed a line of technical outdoor apparel designed specifically for women. Cooke and Gall’s shared vision was to make a difference in the lives of women by providing performance clothing that enhances the outdoor experience for women, while allowing them to look and feel great, whatever they do and wherever they go.Cross noted, “Cooke and Gall already had 40 years of industry knowledge between them before founding ISIS. When I coached these two women for their presentation to the Vermont Investors Forum in 1999, I was impressed by the experiences each co-founder brought to the table, and I was enthusiastic about their prospects when they raised enough capital to get the business off the ground.” Cooke’s former experience includes time as a VP of Sales at Merrell/Karhu, while Gall had previously launched “Mountain Ladies and Ewe”, a women’s outdoor hat company that was successfully sold to Turtle Fur in the late 1990s. Cross continued, “The progress that ISIS has seen over the past 9 years has been impressive. The growth of their distribution network is tremendous, and the ISIS brand name often precedes the team throughout the industry. FreshTracks felt that ISIS’ current status presented a timely investment opportunity as the company continues to expand its reach throughout the outdoor apparel market.”Carolyn Cooke, co-founder and CEO of ISIS said, “We appreciate the local funding and strategic support to expand our business provided by FreshTracks. It’s nice to have access to local funds for growth and we look forward to working with FreshTracks.”ISIS is the first investment from FreshTracks II, the firm’s second fund. FreshTracks has provided a broad spectrum of equity financing to growth companies across both of its funds, including:·seed-stage financing provided to re-launch EatingWell, a food and nutrition media company located in Charlotte, VT·early-stage financing for mophie, an open-source, consumer-driven product design company based in Burlington, VT·later-stage financing for the going-private transaction of Vermont Teddy Bear, the direct-to-consumer business based in Shelburne, VT.”FreshTracks is a primary source of equity financing for a number of Vermont growth companies,” said Cross, “and our firm is enthusiastic about the prospects we are seeing in the market today. Many Vermont companies are looking to put equity capital to work to rapidly expand their businesses. Our second fund provides us with a timely opportunity to capitalize on many of these financings in 2007 and beyond.”About FreshTracks Capital II, L.P.FreshTracks Capital II L.P. (www.freshtrackscap.com(link is external)) is the second fund raised by FreshTracks Capital and is part of the Village Ventures nationwide network of venture capital funds. Since inception, FreshTracks Capital I invested in 14 portfolio companies, and ISIS represents FreshTracks II’s first investment for the new portfolio. FreshTracks focuses its investment in private growth-oriented companies, primarily companies in close geographic proximity to Vermont.About ISISISIS designs, markets, produces and distributes a high quality product line of attractive, innovative and performance-oriented Outdoor apparel complemented by a line of fashionable casual wear. ISIS was founded in 1998 by Poppy Gall and Carolyn Cooke who rode a chairlift together and shaped a shared vision to create a line of technical outdoor apparel exclusively designed for women. Today, ISIS’ product is sold in a number of high profile retail channels including REI, Title IX, and Orvis.Carolyn Cooke and Poppy Gall, the co-founders of ISIS, have deep expertise in Outdoor apparel, with 40 years combined experience in the industry prior to founding ISIS. CEI Ventures and CEI Community Ventures have backed the company financially since 2001, and attracted new outside investors FreshTracks Capital in 2007 to continue the expansion of the company as it looks to capitalize on future growth opportunities. The company’s capital structure is further supported by a line of credit from the Chittenden Bank, which carries a guarantee from the Vermont Economic Development Authority (VEDA).
Earlier this month, I was traveling to the Bank Social conference in Miami. I’d known before I even left my house that morning to head to the airport that the weather was potentially going to be an issue. I had no idea how much.Without getting into all the details (diverted flights, 10+ hours of delays), let me just say it wasn’t my best travel day. I tried to keep my calm because it was weather related but the day was long and I never really knew what was going on as flights were rescheduled and gates were changed.I started speaking to two other weary travelers who were at my gate. One was coming from Paris and the other from New York City. The three of us had all been traveling for over 12 hours. One of us had crossed an ocean, one of us (raising my hand here) was less than 200 miles from home. The thing that all of us agreed on? None of the issues would have been as frustrating if someone just communicated with us. We all had the airline app and access to the website on our devices. But even with all that technology, none of it was as useful or reassuring to us as a real, live person giving us an update. As we sat at our new gate, one of my long-suffering travel mates said “Just pick up the microphone and tell us what’s going on. All we’re asking for is a little communication.” continue reading » ShareShareSharePrintMailGooglePinterestDiggRedditStumbleuponDeliciousBufferTumblr
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Will Sarri guide Chelsea to victory? (Picture: Getty Images)While Chelsea have already qualified for the Champions League through the Premier League, Arsenal’s summer transfer plans are heavily dependent on the outcome of the final.Emery is set to work with a transfer budget of around £40m this summer but can expect to double that if he guides his team to the promised land of the Champions League.The Spaniard has set up a behind-closed-doors friendly with Austrian outfit LASK Linz in order to prepare for the contest. Will Unai Emery drive Arsenal to victory? (Picture: Getty Images)On Arsenal’s preparations for the final, he said: ‘We prepare like when it’s an international break.‘We will have two days off and for the first week we will not be thinking about the final. We will train three days in London and then next weekend we will have it off and then we will start on Tuesday in London with three days training preparing with all our focus on the final.‘We will go to Baku three or four days before the final, Saturday I think, and prepare for the match over the last three training sessions.’Who will win the Europa League?Arsenal0%Chelsea0%Share your resultsShare your resultsTweet your results The bonus Arsenal players will be paid to beat Chelsea in Europa League final Will Arsenal win the Europa League? (Picture:Getty Images)While Arsenal players will surely only be interested in the ultimate prize of glory in the Europa League final, Unai Emery’s men have an added incentive to secure victory against bitter rivals Chelsea a week on Wednesday.The Gunners will share a cool £10million bonus between them if they lift the title in Baku, with each player earning between £100,000 and £500,000.Arsenal haven’t won a European title since lifting the now defunct European Cup Winners Cup back in 1994 and a win over Maurizio Sarri’s Chelsea will secure a return to the Champions League for the first time since the 2016/17 season.AdvertisementAdvertisementTheir opposite numbers will also be entitled to six-figure sums should they win the title, according to the Daily Mail, and both will no doubt be delighted to get their hands on the trophy in Baku on May 29.ADVERTISEMENT Metro Sport ReporterTuesday 21 May 2019 11:40 amShare this article via facebookShare this article via twitterShare this article via messengerShare this with Share this article via emailShare this article via flipboardCopy link883Shares
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Human Services, Medical Marijuana, Public Health, Round-Up, The Blog On Thursday, February 15, medical marijuana became available for patients at approved dispensaries across the commonwealth. To date, 10 dispensaries and 10 grower/processors have been approved to operate, 17,000 patients have registered to participate, over 700 physicians have registered to become certified practitioners, and almost 400 of those physicians have completed training.The Medical Marijuana Program was signed into law by Governor Tom Wolf on April 17, 2016.“We reached this historic day through a lot of hard work by many dedicated people at the Pennsylvania Department of Health and its Office of Medical Marijuana, and through the support of advocacy groups, the General assembly, and especially Pennsylvanians – the parents, doctors, and patients – whose tireless efforts helped make today a reality,” said Governor Wolf.“My thanks to staff and supporters, and to the more than 700 physicians who have either completed or are in the process of completing the necessary steps to certify patients. The nearly 3,000 patients with medical marijuana ID cards (with more than 17,000 registered to participate in the program) are now able to find some relief from their serious medical conditions and, for that, I am most grateful.”Take a look at the coverage below: Like Governor Tom Wolf on Facebook: Facebook.com/GovernorWolf SHARE TWEET By: Governor’s Office of Communications Trib Live: In ‘historic day,’ Western Pennsylvanians buy medical marijuana for first timePennsylvania’s first cannabis dispensaries opened their doors to patients and caregivers Thursday. More will open throughout the weekend. Cresco Yeltrah officials said more than 100 patient consultations have been scheduled for their first week. About 15 people waited outside when its doors opened in Butler. The dispensary carries more than 100 medical marijuana products, including capsules, oils, waxes, concentrates and tinctures.Penn Live: Happy tears and hope: 1st medical marijuana dispensary opens in Pa.Almost two years after medical marijuana was legalized in Pennsylvania, the state’s first dispensary opened to patients today. “There are a lot of happy tears around the facility and around the state today,” said Charlie Bachtell, co-founder of Cresco Yeltrah and CEO of Cresco Labs. The company also holds a grower/processor permit and will supply products to other dispensaries, including all of the locations opening this week.York Daily Record: Pennsylvania’s first legal medical marijuana purchases are made as dispensary opensDemocratic Gov. Tom Wolf, who pushed for the law and has overseen its implementation, called the start of sales a historic day. Wolf said Thursday that nearly 3,000 patients have obtained medical marijuana cards, more than 17,000 have registered to participate, and some 700 doctors have been qualified or are getting qualified to treat patients.Times-Leader: First Pa. medical-pot dispensary starts selling to customersThis stage of the implementation process is taking place ahead of schedule, less than two years after Gov. Tom Wolf signed Act 16 into law. “Seriously ill Pennsylvanians will be able to get relief earlier than expected thanks to the diligent efforts of regulators and operators,” said Becky Dansky, legislative counsel for the Marijuana Policy Project who helped lead the medical marijuana effort in the state Legislature. “There is still a lot of work to be done before implementation is complete. We are hopeful that the medical marijuana program will continue to be refined and improved to ensure patients have safe, reliable, and affordable access to their medicine.”Wolf said Pennsylvania reached this historic day through a lot of hard work by many dedicated people at the state Department of Health and its Office of Medical Marijuana, and through the support of advocacy groups and parents, doctors, and patients whose tireless efforts helped make it a reality.Medical marijuana will be available at the following locations:February 15, 2018Cresco Yeltrah-Butler, 201 Pillow St. Butler, PA, 724-712-0705Solevo-Squirrel Hill, 5600 Forward Ave., Pittsburgh, PA 15217, 412-422-0420February 16, 2018Keystone Canna Remedies, 1309 Stefko Blvd., Bethlehem, PA, 484-408-6122Organic Remedies-Enola, 4425 Valley Road, Enola, PA 17025, 717-562-7758Keystone Shops-Devon, 420 West Lancaster Ave., Devon, PA, 484-581-7189February 17, 2018Terra Vida Holistic Center-Sellersville, 64 N. Main St., Sellersville, PA 18960, 215-257-3243
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1/5 Cherub St, Tugun is a new duplex on the market for $699,000. The potential view from a block of land for sale at 34 O’Connor St, Tugun. The block is listed for $1.98 million.Compared to the same time last year, Tugun moved up 22 spots, recorded 1741 visits per property, and had a median house price of $600,000, up from $500,000 in 2016. “The planes are just not an issue for residents anymore,” said Ray White Tugun agent Shane Seghers.“I haven’t had anyone had a problem with it for at least the last 18 months.” 18 Monash St, Tugun is on the high side of the street. It’s just a few streets back from the beach.“Tugun is probably one of the most affordable locations on the Gold Coast where you can walk to the beach,” Mr Seghers said.“It’s still got plenty of growth in it, it’s just starting to kick off. It’s really only been running hot for 12 months.” Tugun Village is a mecca of cafes, bakeries and surf culture. Picture Mike Batterham“We have lots of cool cafes in the strip now, it seems to be moving fast,” he said.“It’s like the activity in Palm Beach for the last three years is creeping down the coast.” 3/5 Hillcrest Ave, Tugun is a tri-level coastal home. The house, listed for $569,000, features glimpes of the ocean.Mr Seghers said units in the $400,000 — $450,000 price range have sold predominantly in the last six months, with an average 25 — 30 days on the market. He said the majority of buyers were owner-occupiers, and locals moving in a five to 10km radius. More from news02:37Purchasers snap up every residence in the $40 million Siarn Palm Beach Northless than 1 hour ago02:37International architect Desmond Brooks selling luxury beach villa21 hours agoTugun is in the flight path of the Gold Coast Airport. Picture Mike BatterhamIn comparison, Surfers Paradise ranked 269th most popular, down 89 places from 2016, while Broadbeach came in at 173.The south surged, with Bilinga coming in second for the Gold Coast at number 29, followed by Palm Beach at number 45.The data is based on the number of visits per property in suburbs that listed an average of four properties for sale per month over 11 months to November 30. special BCM beach special Tugun Beach on the Gold Coast. 18/9/04 – PicKevinBullCOASTAL, chilled and central — welcome to Tugun, where more people wanted to move to this year than anywhere else on the Gold Coast. And being in the direct flight path of the Gold Coast Airport hasn’t grounded the Tugun property market. The beachside locale was the ninth most popular Queensland suburb in 2017, out of 1176 suburbs, in data compiled by realestate.com.au. It could be yours for $575,000.
Many other Pensionskassen, still digesting the news, declined to comment on the SNB’s surprise decision, but Towers Watson, using a sample taken from the member list of Swiss pension fund association ASIP, warned of an even graver deterioration in schemes’ funding base.Peter Zanella, managing director at the consultancy in Switzerland, said: “The SNB’s decision had the negative effect of wiping out CHF30bn (€26.6bn) in pension fund assets.”He said, on average, Swiss Pensionskassen suffered 4% losses yesterday based on a median portfolio from the ASIP sample, with an average unhedged FX-currency exposure of 25% extrapolated to the total number of assets in Swiss Pensionskassen, amounting to CHF750bn.Immediate market reactions to the news were a depreciation of the euro to the Swiss Franc by 13%, and of the dollar to the Swiss Franc by 12%.Swiss equities lost around 9% of their value, according to Towers Watson.If the fallout continues, Zanella warned, some Pensionskassen might have to review their pensions agreements with members.He also noted that funding levels were set to deteriorate even further in the wake of the SNB’s decision, as it encompasses a further cut in the base rate to -0.75%.He estimates liabilities will increase by 3-4% as yields on high-grade bonds are reduced by another 11 basis points.Heinz Rothacher, chief executive at Swiss consultancy Complementa, also thinks Pensionskasse could have lost between 2% and 6% of their assets following the announcement. But he added that such market turbulence also offered chances to buy into undervalued titles.Many have warned pension funds against making rash decisions and changes to their portfolios.Hanspeter Konrad, director at ASIP, said a “meaningful assessment of the situation” would only be possible in a few days’ time, once the markets had calmed down again.Willi Thurnherr, head of retirement at Mercer Switzerland, said some Pensionskassen had hoped the SNB would “take on currency hedging for them” and would now be very disappointed.He said Pensionskassen should also review their investment strategies and their implementation based on negative rates and a free-floating Swiss Franc without making “overly hasty” decisions.At ppcmetrics, analysts were more optimistic, however, saying the SNB’s decision had to happen sooner or later, if the bank wished to regain its monetary autonomy.Alfred Bühler and Andreas Reichlin, partners at ppcmetrics, said by taking this step the SNB had “strengthened its credibility in the market”.They called on investors to review the foreign currency risk in a more holistic portfolio context, as the most recent development had shown how currency shifts can affect equities as well.Legg Mason said asset managers were also “caught off guard” by the SNB’s decision, which AXA Investment Managers called a “bold move”.At Legg Mason, analysts said this could be the first of several steps by the SNB, particularly as the ECB is “likely to engage in QE”.Clear Treasury lamented that there was “no warning whatsoever from the SNB” but added that “markets are now looking towards the ECB QE announcement next week as a certainty”.Many analysts are now curious to see whether the SNB will intervene again “if parity gets broken once more”, according Bill Street, head of investments for EMEA at State Street Global Advisors. Switzerland’s finance industry has been left in shock after the country’s central bank (SNB) announced its decision to cut the peg between the Swiss franc and the euro.Not surprisingly, the second-pillar pension system is already counting its losses.PKE, the Pensionskasse for the energy sector, put out a statement explaining to members that the SNB’s sudden decision had triggered a 2% drop in its funding level.But the pension fund also stressed that short-term losses were covered by buffers and that the long-term investment strategy would remain unaltered.