SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. 9, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Socialbakers, the world's most cited source and fastest growing social media analytics company, today announced the launch of its U.S. headquarters in San Francisco. The company also announced its new U.S. leadership team based in San Francisco, which includes veteran technology executive Martin Huml as President and Chief Operating Officer, and Katrina Wong as Vice President of Marketing. Socialbakers' global expansion follows rapid demand from many of America's most recognized brands.
Socialbakers social analytics platform measures the effectiveness of social marketing campaigns across all major social networks, including Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, LinkedIn and Google+.
With more than 750 customers and 275,000 registered marketing users, Socialbakers is the leading source for Facebook and social analytics throughout Europe. More than 60 U.S. brands are already using the technology, with an accelerated U.S. demand from brands, consumers and even politicians.
"Companies can no longer expect or assume that online users will engage with their Facebook or Twitter content. Our clients increase social media relevance and build their social community faster because we show what is working, what doesn't work and how they compare against competitors. Companies can build tremendous communities by using our technology to understand which content is most and least engaging and viral," said Jan Rezab, Socialbakers CEO.
Technology veteran and investor Martin Huml has joined as Socialbakers' President and COO, and will lead U.S. operations from San Francisco. Huml, who has been serving as company Chairman, is an accomplished entrepreneur, executive, and investor. Huml built and sold his first company in the mid nineties – an exclusive distributor for Apple Computer in Central and Eastern Europe, including Russia and several other former Eastern Blok countries. He also worked for several years in private equity at Credit Suisse First Boston in London and New York. Most recently, he ran his own San Francisco-based investment consulting firm, Runway Capital. He has chaired and served on several boards, and has also served as interim CEO and COO for various technology firms.
"Socialbakers is an exciting company on the brink of becoming the global leader in this fast growing social analytics space," said Huml. "Jan is a brilliant entrepreneur, visionary, and business leader. The team is exceptional and Socialbakers is positioned as one of the top analytics companies in the world. The U.S. is home to many of the world's most savvy companies, and it's time we expanded in order to provide them a technology that will change the way they run their entire social marketing programs."
Katrina Wong has been hired as vice president of marketing to lead the company's global go-to-market strategy, with focus on the U.S., UK, France and Germany. Prior to Socialbakers, Wong led corporate marketing for subscription billing company, Zuora. Wong developed marketing strategies for SAP's entry into the SaaS market, and worked at Salesforce.com deploying CRM solutions for global Fortune 500 companies.
"We have the most aggressive go-to-market strategy in the industry, and have big plans for 2012 – while the U.S. has a fragmented analytics market, Socialbakers is positioned to become the standard for social media intelligence," said Wong.
Socialbakers, a European technology company, launched in 2008 and is now the social analytics provider of choice for customers in more than 75 countries.
About Socialbakers
Socialbakers is a social media analytics company, and the most cited source for global Facebook data with over 10 million Facebook pages and places indexed. Launched in 2008, Socialbakers tools include its easy-to-use Engagement Analytics and Engagement Builder. The company is the only solution that allows brands such as Lufthansa, L'Oreal, Danone, Vodafone, Samsung, GE Money, Ogilvy, Kraft and Peugeot to measure, compare and contrast the success of their social media campaigns with competitive intelligence. Socialbakers is the recipient of the Red Herring 100 Europe 2011 Award. For more information, visit www.socialbakers.com.
SOURCE Socialbakers
ATLANTA, Feb. 9, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Atlanta-based Precision Aviation Group (PAG), a leading provider of products and value-added services to the Worldwide Aerospace and Defense industries, announces the launch of the Rotorcraft Services Division at its subsidiary Gardner Aviation Services (GAS). This Division will provide Helicopter-specific Avionics Upgrades/Installs, Airframe Maintenance, and MRO services at GAS' 35,000 square foot facilities located at the Atlanta Regional Airport (KFFC), in Peachtree City, Georgia.
(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120209/CL50678)(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110921/CL72507LOGO)
David Mast, PAG President and CEO said: "We are excited about the launch of the Rotorcraft Services Division. GAS has been performing Avionics upgrades/installs, retrofits, and airframe maintenance on Helicopters for over 18 years. However, similar to our other business units, we wanted to differentiate the Rotary Wing from the Fixed Wing business. Helicopter customers' requirements are typically different from those of their Fixed Wing counterparts. When GAS was acquired in March of 2011, Management knew that it wanted to expand the number of Helicopters that GAS serviced. A void in our geographic market, as well as having a complementary MRO services business in the Rotary Wing space - Precision Heliparts (PHP) - makes this a natural fit."
Karl Gardner, President of GAS said: "To run the Division, we have hired two Helicopter Industry Veterans – Mark Tyler (formerly of Omniflight) as our Director of Maintenance, and – Richard (Andy) Rucker (formerly of Air Methods) as our QC Manager. This gives us a solid Rotorcraft Team that has already produced outstanding results in a few short months. We have made substantial investments in Helicopter specific tooling and Factory Training for our Technicians on the aircraft they will be servicing. We are excited about the way this business has already grown, and look forward to the future."
About Precision Aviation Group: PAG is a leading provider of products and value-added services to the Worldwide Aerospace and Defense industry. With 150,000 square feet of sales/service facilities in the United States and Canada, PAG uses its distinct business units and customer focused business model to serve aviation customers through two business functions – Aviation Supply Chain and its trademarked Inventory Supported Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul – ISMRO®.
PAG provides MRO and Supply Chain services for Fixed and Rotary-wing aircraft through Precision Heliparts - PHP (www.heliparts.com), Gardner Aviation Services - GAS (www.gardneraviation.com), Precision Accessories & Instruments - PAI (www.precisionaccessories.com), Precision Heliparts Canada – PHP-C (www.heliparts.ca), Precision Accessories & Instruments Canada – PAI-C (www.precisionaccessories.ca), and Aero Technology – ATI (www.aerotechnology.org). PAG has MRO capabilities on over 10,000 products, including Accessories, Avionics, Hydraulics, Instruments, NDT, Starter/Generators, and Wheels/Brakes – (www.precisionaviationgroup.com).
SOURCE Precision Aviation Group
New Online Professional Community Dedicated to Building Better Boards
BRAINTREE, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- BoardProspects, the online professional community dedicated to building better boards, today announced that it has secured $650,000 in seed funding from several angel investors. BoardProspects will apply the capital to accelerate development of its platform that connects individuals and organizations—prospects and boards—while providing educational resources and tools to improve boardroom service. The first 1,000 people to pre-register for the service at www.BoardProspects.com before it is live will receive a free lifetime premium membership. The platform will formally launch in Q2 of 2012.
The Aging Boardroom and Seat Vacancy Dilemma:
There are more than 60,000 publicly traded companies in the United States that are required by law to have a board of directors. In the Fortune 1,000 alone, there are more than 1,100 directors currently serving that are over 70 years old, according to GMI Research, the leading independent provider of global corporate governance, ESG and accounting risk ratings and research. The number of vacancies for the nearly 1.6 million non-profit organizations in the United States is exponentially larger, with more than 1.8 million of these seats turning over each year. These dramatic numbers do not include the hundreds of thousands of private companies that could benefit from building a board of directors or an advisory board, recruiting valuable members, or applying best practices to improve board performance.
“As more business conversations take place online, social networks are still void of opportunities for boards and prospects to interact,” said Mike Verrochi, managing partner at Blue Rock Ventures LLC. “BoardProspects changes all of that and circumvents the conventional notion that board positions are filled solely through ‘who do you know’ conversations by empowering prospects and boards with the tools to connect and recruit. My personal participation in their seed funding supports my belief that BoardProspects is solving a huge problem plaguing not only corporate America, but also non-profit organizations, both of which continue to apply centuries old practices when building and running their boards. Technology is transforming this important area and leveling the playing field for women, minorities, and younger professionals who can add real value, fresh perspectives, and who have clear interest in these opportunities – BoardProspects provides the professional community to finally make this happen.”
BoardProspects will transform the way that boards and prospects connect, communicate, and serve. The site unites individuals seeking board positions with non-profits, private, and public companies seeking to fill board and advisory-level positions. BoardProspects will also provide educational resources and tools enhancing communication between boards and prospects to improve boardroom transparency, diversity, and service.
“BoardProspects will help solve the challenges of building, joining and running effective boards by providing an online community for boards and prospects to make connections, and by providing an unmatched level of expert content, best practices, and educational resources for both individuals and organizations,” said Mark Rogers, BoardProspects Founder and CEO. “It is our intention to develop BoardProspects into the premier destination for boards and prospects to publicly and privately exchange their expertise, skills, and qualifications. With this round of funding, we now have the resources to accelerate product development and enhance the site’s functionality to make this vision a reality.”
Non-profit organizations, private and public companies interested in learning more should contact BoardProspects at betterboards@boardprospects.com.
About BoardProspects
Headquartered in Braintree, Mass., BoardProspects is the online professional community dedicated to building better boards. The Company connects individuals and organizations while providing educational resources and tools to improve boardroom service. For additional information please visit www.boardprospects.com and pre-register today.
For BoardProspectsJeff Benanto, 617-986-5020jbenanto@famapr.com
Source: BoardProspects
INDIANAPOLIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- WellPoint, Inc, (NYSE: WLP) today was named one of the Top 50 Companies for Executive Women by the National Association for Female Executives (NAFE). The NAFE Top Companies lead corporate America in recruiting, retaining and advancing women.
A newly released report conducted by the Working Mother Research Institute revealed that women hold nearly one in four positions at the Top Companies (23%), overseeing divisions with more than $1 billion in revenue. The report also finds that women hold 23% of all board of director seats at the Top Companies compared with 16% across the Fortune 500. In addition, 22% of executive officers at the NAFE Top Companies are women compared with 3.6% at the Fortune 500.
According to Carol Evans, president of Working Mother Media and CEO, NAFE, “The NAFE Top 50 Companies are major employers that are committed to hiring, retaining and promoting executive women. They represent a cross-section of companies that go way beyond lip service in helping succeed. Almost seven out of 10 companies require their managers to receive training on how to hire, advance or manage women. Manager accountability is the main ingredient for success.”
WellPoint has achieved a reputation as an organization where professional women can lead successful careers and reach the highest levels of management. Lori Beer, executive vice president of WellPoint’s Enterprise Business Services, sees mentoring as a key factor in advancing women’s careers. “I’m a firm believer in sharing your experiences and knowledge with others,” said Ms. Beer. “We strive to maintain a work environment and a corporate culture that promote work-life balance and flexibility ― an essential component to fostering women’s advancement and success in our organization.”
In fact, almost half of the WellPoint’s senior managers are women, and one third of its corporate executives are women. The company’s initiatives to promote gender equality in the workplace include a robust succession planning program and an Executive Excellence accelerated executive leadership development program, of which approximately one third of participants are women. In addition, the Women of WellPoint (WOW) associate resource group focuses on identifying and removing barriers for the advancement of women within WellPoint. WOW has grown in membership dramatically in the past year, doubling in size to almost 600 women.
Linda Jimenez, Chief Diversity Officer & VP ― Diversity and Inclusion for WellPoint, affirms the company’s commitment helping women achieve success. “Through the efforts of programs such as WOW, WellPoint helps women succeed ― and thrive ― in today's corporate culture.”
Betty Spence, PhD, president of NAFE, reports, “The key concern of talent executives at major companies today is women’s advancement to the highest ranks. NAFE emphasized the importance of ensuring that women enter the leadership pipeline early and then have the training, exposure, and sponsorship they need to succeed.” The report is published in the February/March issue of Working Mother magazine; for details and a complete list of the NAFE Top Companies for Female Executives, visit workingmother.com.
NAFE is a division of Working Mother Media, owned by the Bonnier Corporation.
Methodology: The 2012 NAFE Top 50 Companies application includes more than 250 questions on topics including female representation, hiring, attrition and promotion rates, access and usage of key retention and advancement programs. The application draws particular attention to the number of women at the highest ranks and those with profit-and-loss responsibility. To be considered, companies must have a minimum of two women on their board of directors as well as at least 500 employees in the U.S.
About NAFE
The National Association for Female Executives (NAFE), founded in 1972, serves 20,000 members nationwide with networking, tools and solutions to strengthen and grow their careers and businesses. Working Mother magazine publishes the annual Top Companies and the Women of Excellence lists. NAFE.com provides up-to-date information, community for women in business and access to member benefits. NAFE is a division of Working Mother Media, owned by the Bonnier Corporation. 2012 marks the 40th anniversary of NAFE.
About WellPoint, Inc.
WellPoint works to simplify the connection between Health, Care and Value. We help to improve the health of our members and our communities, and provide greater value to our customers and shareholders. WellPoint is one of the nation’s largest health benefits companies, with 34 million members in its affiliated health plans, and a total of more than 65 million individuals served through its subsidiaries. As an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association, WellPoint serves members as the Blue Cross licensee for California; the Blue Cross and Blue Shield licensee for Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Maine, Missouri (excluding 30 counties in the Kansas City area), Nevada, New Hampshire, New York (as the Blue Cross Blue Shield licensee in 10 New York City metropolitan and surrounding counties and as the Blue Cross or Blue Cross Blue Shield licensee in selected upstate counties only), Ohio, Virginia (excluding the Northern Virginia suburbs of Washington, D.C.), and Wisconsin. In a majority of these service areas, WellPoint’s plans do business as Anthem Blue Cross, Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Georgia, Empire Blue Cross Blue Shield, or Empire Blue Cross (in the New York service areas). WellPoint also serves customers throughout the country as UniCare and in certain California, Arizona and Nevada markets through our recently acquired CareMore Health Group, Inc. subsidiary. Additional information about WellPoint is available at www.wellpoint.com.
Media Contacts:WellPointRebecca Green404-682-9371rebecca.green@wellpoint.comNAFEAndrea Kaplan917-836-2741andrea@andreakaplanpr.com
Source: WellPoint, Inc.
NEW YORK, NY -- (MARKET WIRE) -- 02/09/12 -- Big Idea Brands, LLC announced today that on February 3, 2012, the Company purchased the Flow Society Lacrosse Brand from Passport Brands, Inc. The Flow Society concept will be guided by Anthony Ottimo, the founder and creator of the brand, who was appointed President of Big Idea Brands.
Flow Society is a lifestyle brand for lacrosse participants and spectators. The brand mission is to deliver innovative, authentic lacrosse inspired clothing and accessories that provide value to the consumer and profitability to the company.
Flow Society represents the flow of the game and the flow of energy from a growing culture. It encompasses a community of players who come together to participate in a way of life that is different from all other sports. We are an apparel company that is dedicated to the growth of the sport through the world of fashion, while providing the players with the essential clothing they need to participate in the style game. Our unique designs are unmatched in the world of lacrosse and can only be found with Flow Society. With this new product line the lacrosse community can finally have a way to stay part of the game long after the final whistle blows.
Flow Society, in the two years since inception, has expanded rapidly across the US and Canada. Flow Society is carried in Dick's Sporting Goods stores, Sports Authority, Modell's Sporting Goods, MC Sports, Olympia Sports, Dunham's Sports as well as launching in Bloomingdales, in addition to its expansion to camp stores including Lester's, Denny's Childrenswear and lacrosse specialty stores.
With an expanded selection of shorts, socks, pinnies, tee shirts, fleece and now introducing shafts, bags, backpacks and footwear, Flow Society is an exciting lifestyle brand. In addition, the Company will also be launching Flow Golf this spring designed for the fashion forward golfer who loves being noticed at the club.
The Company also announced today its alliance with Samsung C&T America (Samsung) to include the newly acquired Flow Society brand of apparel and accessories. Under the terms of this relationship, Samsung will handle logistics and warehousing and provide working capital financing for the Company's brand.
"We are pleased with our acquisition of Flow Society and partnership with Samsung. Flow has become the number one player in lacrosse apparel, crossing over and being sought after by fine department stores due to appeal in the marketplace in addition to the current retailers," stated Mark Elenowitz, CEO of Big Idea Brands.
"We have something big here and now with our strategic partners in Big Idea Brands, which include TriPoint Capital Advisors and Samsung, we can reach greater limits and grow into other segments such as golf, women's, basketball, soccer and yoga apparel or any other arena that our retail partners want us to enter to fill the niche Flow Society has introduced to the customer base. We look forward to introducing much more exciting product and prints as expected by our loyal consumers," stated Anthony Ottimo, Founder and President of Big Idea Brands.
About Big Idea Brands:
Big Idea Brands, LLC is a creator, designer and marketing of lifestyle brands with a mission to deliver innovative, authentic lifestyle inspired clothing and accessories that provide value to the consumer and profitability to the company. http://www.flowsocietylacrosse.com/home. Big Idea Brands is headed by principals of TriPoint Capital and garment center veterans.
About TriPoint Capital:
TriPoint Capital Advisors maintains specialized practices in corporate consulting, mergers and acquisitions, corporate development, corporate governance and compliance services. Their clients include both private and public companies, in what is known as the "middle market" (companies that typically have revenues ranging from $5 million to $200 million), and are not limited to any particular market sector. TriPoint is uniquely positioned to assist new and growing companies in today's business environment. Their principals have successfully worked with over 100 public and private companies from a wide range of industries. Each of the firm's principals has developed, managed, operated, and worked with new businesses and rapidly growing and evolving organizations. This experience includes concept formation, business plan development, operations, mergers and acquisitions, and private/public financing. Collectively, these backgrounds allow them to bring a wealth of expertise and an extensive network of industry experts to every client.
About Samsung C & T America:
Samsung C&T America, Inc. (SCTA), is a global trading and investment company that functions as an independent American subsidiary of the Korean conglomerate Samsung C&T Corporation, one of the Samsung Group companies. SCTA is divided into several divisions: Industrial Materials trading, Fashion, Textile, and Strategic Business. In trade, SCTA specializes in a variety of commodities such as chemicals and steel. SCTA's strength lies in its expertise in dealing with foreign markets. Sharing Samsung C&T Corp.'s international network spanning 82 offices in 55 countries, SCTA is able to operate both as a major trading intermediary and as a conduit for an immense volume of information.
In addition, SCTA's Fashion & Textile Division markets and distributes a wide array of textile, apparel and footwear products. With SCTA's clout in the worldwide market, SCTA shares with its customers its purchasing and distribution savings, along with its knowledge of products and brand building.
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Contact: Rachel Ray Marketing Big Idea Brands, LLC (212) 938-0270 Email Contact http://www.flowsocietylacrosse.com/home
Source: Big Idea Brands, LLC
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