Corp America May 2016

CORP

May 2016

AMERICA Eva Longoria Partners with Turner Impact Capital to Invest in Urban Communities 10

WISCONSIN ALUMINUM FOUNDRY

$50 Oil Means Stability to American Producers, Says Canary CEO 30

THE BUSINESS ELITE: CFO OF THE YEAR - WISCONSIN

Shaquille O’Neal Comes on Board as the First Brand Ambassador for the General®

We spoke to Kory Brockman to find out more about the firm and how he, as CFO, has helped steer it to success.

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CONTENTS

EDITOR’S NOTE/CONTENTS

Welcome to this month’s edition of Corporate America Magazine.

This month, we turn the spotlight on the Business Elite: some of the finest C-level executives in the corporate landscape, including Kory Brockman, CEO of the Wisconsin Aluminum Foundry.

In addition, we explore our Finest in Finance for 2016 and talk to Field Insurance Agency of Surfside, a full service insurance agency located in Myrtle Beach and Surfside Beach, South Carolina, and find out about the services they offer.

Alongside this we bring you the roundup of all the latest news and insight into the business world, from the best business advisory services to the latest deals, ensuring that you have the full inside story.

I hope you enjoy this issue and if you have any questions feel free to get in touch.

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Best for Employment Visa Advice - Colorado Rodriguez Law Firm

Field Insurance Agency of Surfside, Inc.

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Eva Longoria Partners with Turner Impact Capital to invest in urban communities

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The Business Elite: CFO of the Year - Wisconsin

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$50 Oil Means Stability to American Producers, Says Canary CEO

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The Business Elite: COO of the Year - California

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Inclusion Initiative Companies Spend More than $1 Billion on Minority- and WomenOwned Law Firms

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The Business Elite: COO of the Year - Virginia

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Ryan & Maniskas, LLP Announces Class Action Lawsuit Against Ability Inc.

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Ones to Watch for 2016: The Best Boutique Law Firms - Barton LLP

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Pfizer to Acquire Anacor

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Best for Employment Visa Advice - Colorado Rodriguez Law Firm

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TIAA Names Kathie Andrade as CEO of Retail Financial Services

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Corp News

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Finest in Finance 2016

Wisconsin Aluminum Foundry

KTimeHR - Sheila Kepler SPHR-CA, SHRM-SCP Arthritis & Sports

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CORP NEWS

SHAQUILLE O’NEAL COMES ON BOARD AS THE FIRST BRAND AMBASSADOR FOR THE GENERAL® Towering NBA all-star and pint-sized company mascot team up in new ad campaign.

The General®, an expanding auto insurance company known for its diminutive cartoon mascot and spokesperson, has signed its first real-life brand ambassador, and it’s a big one: NBA Hall-of-Fame center, Shaquille O’Neal.

“We are thrilled to have Shaq and his larger-than-life personality as part of The General team,” said John Hollar, chief operating officer and president of The General.

“Shaq’s authentic, friendly and welcoming nature aligns with our company and resonates with the customers we serve.

While Shaq and The General have some obvious physical differences, their personalities make for a dynamic duo to represent our company.”

O’Neal said personal experience with The General motivated him to become its first official spokesperson.

“I was a customer of The General in my college days at LSU,” said O’Neal. “Like most kids starting out on their own, I didn’t know much about insurance but The General helped me out, and I’m still a customer today.”

O’Neal was recently nominated to the NBA Hall of Fame after an All-Star career that included three consecutive championships with the Los Angeles Lakers, two league MVP awards, three Finals MVP awards and 14 All-NBA Team selections.

In his brand ambassador role, the 7-foot, 1-inch O’Neal will represent the company in TV commercials and across digital media channels, and will share the stage with the 4-foot, 9-inch General and his signature red convertible. The campaign will launch this summer.

The General, based in Nashville, Tenn., is a non-standard auto insurance company serving customers with various needs, specializing in those who may have difficulty obtaining insurance from other insurers at a reasonable rate. The General, part of the American Family Insurance group of companies, is active in 44 states and expects to be national by 2017.

The General primarily sells its products online and through call centers, independent agents, partners and American Family Insurance agents.

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Off the court, O’Neal’s accomplishments include his current role as a TV analyst on TNT’s Inside the NBA, in addition to success in acting, music, television and gaming.

He is also a national spokesperson for the Boys & Girls Clubs of America, featured in its campaigns for more than a decade.

“When you’re working with Shaq, you can bet the results will be both interesting and entertaining,” said Drew Martin, vice president of marketing for The General. “As for details on the commercials, all I can tell you is The General will be driving.”

CORP NEWS

HSSK WELCOMES ROBERT LING AS HOUSTON SENIOR MANAGING DIRECTOR New Hire Brings Nearly 30 Years of Experience to Position.

HSSK is pleased to announce Robert Ling has joined the firm as a senior managing director in the firm’s Houston office. In his new role, Ling provides valuation consulting assistance for a range of specialties, including financial and tax reporting, transactions and dispute advisory.

A Dallas native with close to 30 years in the industry, Ling brings a depth of knowledge to HSSK. Past experience consists of time as regional leader for Deloitte’s Eastern European valuation practice, and an extensive background in financial, accounting and valuation work.

Most recently, the University of North Texas graduate retired after a 12-year career with KPMG. There, he served as the partner-incharge of the Houston valuation practice and the national leader for valuation services to the energy sector.

Mike Hill Jr., who leads the firm’s valuation practice, said he looks forward to the extensive breadth and depth of Ling’s practices.

“At HSSK we pride ourselves on experience, and that is exactly what Robert brings to the table,” Hill explained. “His knowledge goes beyond textbooks. He’s been out there and experienced these things first-hand. He can provide real-world input, and that brings great value to our clients. We’re excited to have him on board.”

Ling’s reach extends far and wide. His career includes more than 1,000 valuation engagements, and spans areas such as the Middle East, Europe, Russia, South America, Africa and Iceland. He is a chartered financial analyst charterholder and certified public accountant, and holds the Accredited Senior Appraiser in Business Valuation designation from the American Society of Appraisers. Ling is also accredited in business valuation by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants.

He described his transition to HSSK as a positive one.

“I’m still getting settled, but we’re off to a great start,” Ling said. “HSSK is a great group of people, and I think it’s going to be a good fit.”

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CORP NEWS

FAF TRUSTEES APPOINT JEFFREY J.PREVIDI TO GOVERNMENTAL ACCOUNTING STANDARDS BOARD

The Board of Trustees of the Financial Accounting Foundation (FAF) today announced the appointment of credit analyst Jeffrey J. Previdi to the Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB). Most recently, Mr. Previdi served as a managing director at Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services.

Mr. Previdi’s term commences July 1, 2016, and will extend through June 30, 2021. He will be eligible for reappointment to an additional term of five years at that time. Mr. Previdi replaces GASB member William W. Fish, whose service on the Board concludes June 30.

& Poor’s Ratings Services, now known as S&P Global Ratings. Most recently he served as managing director and project leader in the agency’s risk program. In that role, he led a global team of individuals who analyzed and implemented rules stemming from the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act. Prior to that role, Mr. Previdi was a municipal credit analyst for 20 years.

Starting as a tax-exempt housing bond analyst, he progressed to leading S&P’s

“The Board of Trustees is pleased to welcome Jeff to the GASB,” said FAF Chairman Charles H. Noski. “As a longtime credit analyst and risk manager with in-depth knowledge of both, municipal securities and government finance, his experience and perspective will add substantial value to the GASB as it addresses a broad spectrum of issues going forward.”

David A. Vaudt, GASB chair, added, “Jeff’s expertise and insight will serve the GASB well on the important issues we’re currently addressing, including developing an initial document for public comment on the reexamination of the financial reporting model for governments.”

Mr. Previdi served in a variety of roles for more than two decades at Standard

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team covering municipal structured finance ratings, then to co-leading the group responsible for all tax-backed ratings in the U.S. He also served on the U.S. Public Finance Criteria Committee for many years.

Mr. Previdi holds a bachelor’s degree in economics from Connecticut College and a master of public policy degree from the College of William & Mary. He is a member of the National Federation of Municipal Analysts.

CORP NEWS

AICPA ANNOUNCES AT PUBLIC FORUM WHAT IS IMPORTANT TO TAXPAYERS AND TAX PREPARERS Timely and Meaningful Access to the IRS Is Most Important to Taxpayers and Tax Practitioners, AICPA Tax Chair Tells National Taxpayer Advocate at Public Forum

Timely and meaningful access to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is what’s most important to taxpayers and tax preparers, Troy K. Lewis, CPA, CGMA, chair of the American Institute of CPAs’ (AICPA) Tax Executive Committee, testified today at the public forum on “What Taxpayers Want or Need from the IRS to Comply with the Tax Laws,” which was hosted by National Taxpayer Advocate Nina E. Olson.

To achieve that goal, Lewis said, the IRS needs to focus on three areas: utilizing modern and secure technology, hiring and training knowledgeable employees and regularly seeking and utilizing stakeholder engagement.

A critical component of ensuring meaningful access to the IRS, is regularly providing a systematic, reliable and economical source of training to their employees, Lewis stated.

“In order to answer basic questions and to keep up with changing tax laws, IRS representatives need consistent, quality training, comparable to that offered to a tax practitioner. This lack of training often results in poor customer service,” he said.

Finally, Lewis testified, “It is critical that the IRS actively pursues stakeholder (taxpayer, tax preparer and other IRS

Among the specific technology suggestions Lewis made were multiple options for contacting the IRS, such as calling, emailing or access through a secure online portal, as well as video chat. “When you must rely on old-fashioned letters, interacting with the IRS is a slow process,” he said.

In addition, Lewis said, the IRS should provide a fully-integrated electronic system, such as online accounts similar to what some states use (for example, California’s MyFTB). And, in the interest of efficiency, he said, the IRS should focus on developing and improving practitioner tools, such as online account resolutions and options to submit a Power of Attorney.

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customers) engagement, particularly on major organizational changes such as the IRS Future State. Stakeholders such as CPAs, who are on the ‘frontline,’ can provide sound recommendations to ensure the needs of taxpayers, tax practitioners and the government are met.” Lewis explained that the AICPA received an initial briefing of the IRS future state initiative and said that “while we are encouraged with the overview that was shared with us, we strongly believe continued stakeholder involvement during the decision making process is essential.

We all have a vested interest in the success of the IRS.”

CORP NEWS

AMULET ANNOUNCES ACQUISITION OF SYNTERACTHCR Acquisition of leading contract research organization (CRO) is the first for Amulet

Amulet Capital Partners, LP (“Amulet”), a middle-market private equity investment firm based in Greenwich, CT focused exclusively on the healthcare sector, has announced that is has acquired SynteractHCR Holdings Corporation (“SynteractHCR”), a leading contract research organization (CRO) focused on Phase I‐IV clinical trials for emerging to mid-sized biopharma clients in the U.S., Europe and Asia. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

Headquartered outside San Diego, California, SynteractHCR was founded in 1995 and is now a top 20 global full‐ service CRO. The company has over 800 staff members across 21 countries.

SynteractHCR has a reputation for clinical excellence in complex trials in a broad range of therapeutic areas, contributing to more than 230 product approvals since its founding. The company has run over 3,500 projects including more than 700,000 patients in 60+ countries.

to support global trials, and increase our ability to help our clients successfully navigate the complex drug development process.”

Ramsey Frank, Partner and Co-founder of Amulet said, “The importance of CROs to the pharmaceutical and biotech industries has grown significantly in the last decade, and the current market dynamic is very favorable for middle market CROs, particularly those focused on small and mid-sized biopharma clients.

SynteractHCR is a leading CRO with global scale and solid earnings momentum, well positioned to take advantage of the strong long-term growth prospects in the sector.

We are excited to partner with Wendel Barr and his experienced management team to continue to expand SynteractHCR’s business.”

Frank added, “As a firm, Amulet is differentiated through our ability to bring extensive financial resources and

This is the first acquisition by Amulet, founded in 2015 by Ramsey Frank and Jay Rose. The partners and principals of Amulet’s investment team have approximately 40 years of private equity experience and bring together a unique blend of leveraged buyout, growth capital, and restructuring skills, supplemented by significant expertise across a wide range of healthcare verticals, including the CRO sector.

SynteractHCR CEO Wendel Barr said, “We welcome this new relationship with Amulet Capital Partners as they understand our positioning and the opportunities available to us. New funding will allow us to enhance our full service capabilities, hire even more international clinical development experts

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healthcare experience, especially in the CRO sector. We will work closely with management to build on SynteractHCR’s leading market position and enhance the long-term prospects for the company.

SynteractHCR will serve as a platform in the industry as we seek to invest in or acquire complementary businesses that will expand the company’s geographic footprint and areas of therapeutic expertise.”

SynteractHCR’s prior owner, Gryphon Investors, a middle-market private equity firm based in San Francisco, CA, acquired a majority interest in SynteractHCR in 2008 and supported the company’s growth into a global business.

Capital One, N.A. and certain private debt funds managed by THL Credit Advisors LLC provided debt financing for the transaction. Wells Fargo Securities acted as exclusive financial advisor to SynteractHCR.

CORP NEWS

BRAEMAR INVESTS IN RENEW FINANCIAL

Braemar Energy Ventures, a leading venture capital investor in energy technology companies, has announced that it has made an investment in Renew Financial, a rapidly growing company that specializes in affordable financing for renewable energy and energy efficiency projects. Specific terms were not disclosed.

Renew Financial announced in early February of this year that it had raised $70 million to expand its clean energy and energy efficiency finance products across the U.S. Apollo Capital Management, Angeleno Group, Claremont Creek Ventures, LL Funds, Inc., NGEN Partners and Prelude Ventures all took part in the new growth capital round. Renew Financial secured additional capital from Braemar immediately following its new growth capital round.

Renew Financial was founded in 2008 by Cisco DeVries, who brought together a multidisciplinary team of experts in finance, technology, operations and government policy to innovate the Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) financing model. The company specializes in affordable financing for renewable energy, energy efficiency and water conservation projects and is developing an array of financing products that will help move America toward a clean energy model.

Braemar Energy Ventures is a venture capital fund making early- to mid-stage investments in the energy technology sector. The firm’s principals have invested in more than 60 companies in the sector and have more than 100 years of combined technical, operational and financial experience in energy and energyrelated industries. Braemar partners with exceptional companies and management teams, in both alternative and traditional energy markets, that can contribute to a more profitable and efficient energy landscape through innovation and marketplace expertise.

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CORP NEWS

ORBIMED LAUNCHES $307MN VENTURE CAPITAL FUND OrbiMed, a leading investment firm focused on the healthcare sector, has announced the closing of its second Israel-focused venture capital fund, OrbiMed Israel Partners II, LP, with approximately $307 million in capital commitments. Investors in the Fund include several of the world’s largest healthcare companies, in addition to dozens of institutional investors and family offices.

Consistent with its predecessor fund, OrbiMed Israel Partners II will target all stages and sectors of the healthcare industry, with a focus on biopharmaceuticals, digital health, medical devices, and diagnostics companies in Israel. The fund is targeting to invest in approximately 20 portfolio companies. Where appropriate, Israel Partners II may co-invest with OrbiMed’s global private equity team, leveraging the full financial and strategic resources of OrbiMed’s 100+ team members and $15 billion global investment platform.

“Israel is a compelling locus of life sciences innovation, on par with top regions in the U.S. and Europe,” commented Jonathan Silverstein, co-head of OrbiMed’s global private equity effort.

“With this fund we will further accelerate our investment pace in Israel and help nurture local innovations into leading healthcare companies.”

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“Our new fund builds on OrbiMed’s strong 16-year track record of investing in Israel,” said Dr. Nissim Darvish, a Senior Managing Director of OrbiMed. “With a fund of this size, OrbiMed is wellpositioned to be a significant partner to entrepreneurs, research institutions, and life sciences companies here in Israel.”

CORP NEWS

FOREIGN BANKS LOSE OUT AS REFORM LOOMS

Foreign banks are losing a source of dollar funding as U.S. prime money funds convert to government funds, according to a new report from Fitch Ratings.

U.S. money fund managers are revamping their product line-ups in response to reforms enacted by the SEC in 2014 and many prime money funds are converting to government funds. As funds convert, they invest in government securities instead of corporate and bank short-term debt, reducing available funding for banks.

“Foreign banks that rely most on U.S. prime money funds to support their clients’ U.S.dollar-based activities will be most affected by prime to government fund conversions, and may incur higher costs to replace relatively cheap dollar funding from U.S. prime money funds,” said Greg Fayvilevich, senior director, Fitch Ratings. Many foreign banks use money fund financing only opportunistically, and have access to other sources of dollar funding, such as central bank swap facilities.

U.S. prime money funds provide funding to foreign banks that do not have a natural retail deposit base in U.S. dollars. As the funds convert to government funds, some banks have lost a significant portion of their total funding from U.S. money funds.

Thirteen foreign banks lost more than $4 billion each in funding from the converting money funds between May 2015 and March 2016, in portfolios of 34 converting funds tracked by Crane Data LLC, with $259 billion in total assets. For example, Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Bank lost $6.2 billion in financing from converting prime money funds since May 2015, accounting for 31% of its total financing from all money funds.

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Some foreign banks are adjusting their funding profile to rely more on secured government funding. While Bank of TokyoMitsubishi UFJ lost $7.6 billion in prime-type financing from the converting prime funds, it increased its government repo borrowing by $1.9 billion from the same funds, reducing the net impact of reform-related asset shifts. Fitch expects that additional foreign banks will follow a similar strategy.

“Foreign banks’ ability to shift their funding profile to rely more on secured financing from government funds depends on their capacity to provide repo collateral and may be constrained by regulatory capital requirements,” added Fayvilevich.

We all have a vested interest in the success of the IRS.”

CORP NEWS

W. R. BERKLEY CORPORATION APPOINTS EXECUTIVES W. R. Berkley Corporation has announced the appointments of two senior executives.

Richard M. Baio has been named senior vice president and chief financial officer and Andrea C. Kanefsky has been named vice president – corporate controller. Ms. Kanefsky succeeds Clement P. Patafio, who oversees the Company’s financial shared services team and related data management. The appointments are effective immediately.

Mr. Baio most recently served as the Company’s vice president and treasurer.

He succeeds Eugene G. Ballard, executive vice president, who will continue to have oversight responsibility of the finance, actuarial and data management departments. Mr. Baio will be responsible for the financial and treasury functions of the Company and report to Mr. Ballard.

He has over 25 years of experience in the insurance and financial services industry, having served prior to joining the Company as a director in Merrill Lynch & Co.’s financial institutions investment banking group and as a partner in Ernst & Young’s insurance practice. Mr. Baio earned a B.S. in accounting from Clarkson University and an M.S. in taxation from University of Hartford.

Ms. Kanefsky joined the Company’s operating unit, Clermont Specialty Managers, as senior vice president and chief financial officer in 2013, having previously served as the chief financial officer of a specialty property casualty insurance company. In her new role as

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the Company’s corporate controller, she is responsible for financial reporting and related accounting activities and reports to Mr. Baio. She has over 30 years of experience in the property casualty insurance industry and graduated with a Bachelor of Science in accounting and business management from Bucknell University.

Founded in 1967, W. R. Berkley Corporation is an insurance holding company that is among the largest commercial lines writers in the United States and operates worldwide in two segments of the property casualty insurance business: Insurance and Reinsurance.

CORP NEWS

DENVER RANKED BEST CITY FOR TECH PROFESSIONALS City comes top of 2016 Homes.com New Tech City Index Denver (CO) has been named the best city to live in for tech professionals according to a new ranking of emerging US tech hubs.

The city ranked 1st out of over 365 cities analyzed as part of the Homes.com New Tech City Index. Cities were ranked using factors including average wage in the sector, industry employment in the city and the average house price for those looking to move there.

“Many areas exist outside of the Bay Area and the Pacific Northwest where tech folks can find both their dream job and the home of their dreams,” says Grant Simmons, VP at Homes.com, “Cities like

A combination of a high average wage across the industry ($91,861), steady industry employment levels (3.8/1000 jobs in the tech sector) and a booming housing market which has seen house prices rocket in the past 5 years (+41.29% over 5 years), helped Denver beat off stiff competition from across the country.

The Massachusetts town of Framingham, with a population of under 70,000, came in a surprising second, perhaps in part due to tech giants like Bose setting up bases in the town. In third, proximity to more traditional tech hubs like San Jose and San Francisco, inevitably make California’s Oakland (CA) a tempting prospect for many tech professionals.

The index also ranked: •

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Columbus (OH) as the most affordable place to live if working in technology with an average house price of just $107,367 Oakland (CA) as seeing the biggest growth in house prices amongst emerging tech hub areas, +47.61% in the past 5 years Framingham (MA) as having the highest average wage across the industry in our top 20 ($106,850).

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Denver not only offer tech-focused career opportunities, but also more bang for their housing buck, great schools, and lifestyle options that suit both small-town and big-city appetites.”

Special FEATURE

1604JL05

FINEST IN FINANCE 2016

FIELD INSURANCE AGENCY OF SURFSIDE, INC.

Company name: Field Insurance Agency of Surfside, Inc. Contact: Brian Payne Address: South Carolina Telephone: 855-238-2411 Website: www.fieldinsuranceagency.com

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SPECIAL FEATURE

Field Insurance Agency is a full service insurance agency located in Myrtle Beach and Surfside Beach, South Carolina. We spoke to Brian Payne, CEO of the company, to find out more about their company and how they consistently remain at the forefront of their industry.

At our firm, we are a privately owned property and casualty insurance agency specializing in personal and commercial insurance products in coastal South Carolina and beyond. As for my role, I manage a team of producers while at the same time producing personal and commercial sales.

Furthermore, I am also involved daily with in house operations, marketing, management, and carrier relationships.

In terms of my background, I did my BA at Coastal Carolina University in Conway, South Carolina. I started my career as an intern for the group while attending university and prior to graduation agreed to further my capacity and role as President of the operation as the industry and technology were shifting quickly.

Since starting my career, my staff has grown from 2 to 18 employees. Further, I have also worked alongside companies to develop and

write programs. A testament to our success is that we have received various awards for our performance, as well as recognition from a variety of companies for writing large and profitable books of business.

As a company working in a highly competitive industry, we are consistently adapting to any emerging trends or developments.

The industry and market always shifts fast, competition is fierce and you must react quickly. This is part of the reason behind our success, as technology and the ability to engage with clients is an asset to our firm.

We try to stay above the curve, therefore setting some of those trends which produce solid growth. In the industry, you must stay attuned to what is going on within the marketplace, and this is something that is at the heart of everything we do.

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Another differentiating factor of ours is our reach. We have many direct appointments and also work with brokers nationwide.

Moreover, we work direct with many leading insurers and have managed great relationships with these partners. When dealing with clients, we sell to our customers on why we are the best, and let the results speak for themselves. To put it simply: our customers put their trust in us and we deliver.

Looking towards the latter half of 2016 and beyond, we are very optimistic that we will continue to grow and prosper. Personally, I will continue to work alongside my team of producers and further our relationships with our company carriers and partners. With a great team on our side, coupled with our relationships with some of the largest groups in the insurance industry, we are highly confident that we can meet any challenges that come along the way.

SPECIAL FEATURE

1604JL09

THE BUSINESS ELITE: CFO OF THE YEAR - WISCONSIN

WISCONSIN ALUMINUM FOUNDRY

Company: Wisconsin Aluminum Foundry Name: Kory Brockman Website: http://www.wafco.com/

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SPECIAL FEATURE

Established in 1909, Wisconsin Aluminum Foundry has consistently provided the finest quality aluminum and copper based alloy castings for a wide variety of industries. We spoke to Kory Brockman to find out more about the firm and how he, as CFO, has helped steer it to success.

Wisconsin Aluminum Foundry (WAF) was formed 107 years ago and has been privatelyowned its entire history. WAF is primarily a jobbing foundry pouring aluminum, brass, and bronze alloys. The firm also has a consumer products division which manufactures and sells high quality cookware, pressure cookers, sterilizers, and metal canners under the Chef’s Design and All-American trademarked brands.

WAF specializes in permanent, semipermanent, low pressure, green sand, and dry sand molding processes. We are known for excellent casting design services and for taking our customers from prototype samples to production castings in a time frame that meets or exceeds their needs. WAF takes great pride in its Quality, Engineering, Manufacturing and Customer Service with the goal of leading the industry and staying ahead of our competition.

As a jobbing foundry, it is critical that our processes are innovative in order to be a leader in this industry. Manufacturing is without a doubt the most competitive business endeavour one can undertake, as competitors are world-wide, and not just in your city, state, or country. Anytime we improve throughput, reduce scrap and rework, or take a different approach to making a casting with less resources, we improve our value in the markets we serve. Customer-driven quality specifications continue to become more stringent, which adds to the daily challenges.

Meeting these challenges and overcoming them is key in order to thrive and not just survive.

Additionally, a key means of ensuring consistently strong sales revenue is to make sure all the pieces are in place to support a sales function that strives to be world class. By this I mean the company is perpetually working at reducing the cost of its products, at reducing its lead times, at delivering its products on-time every time, and at developing innovative solutions to producing its products. In our industry, new sales revenue is as much about the sales force finding new casting sales, as it is end users of castings finding us unsolicited. In either scenario, you have to be the best value proposition available to the customer - day

in and day out. Economies rise and fall, so you ensure better sales revenue by having a business platform that takes advantage of markets regardless of the direction they are trending.

I have been CFO at WAF since 2009, prior to which I worked for 10 years in the roles of Vice President of Finance and Controller. I have always aspired to grow and learn and take on more responsibility and perform at a high level. WAF presented a great opportunity to develop its accounting systems back in 1999.

My educational background and prior work experience gave me the confidence to accept this challenge, and the journey has been both professionally and personally rewarding in many ways.

In my role as Chief Financial Officer at WAF, I am responsible for the accounting and finance operations of the company, as well as oversight of our insurance coverages related to risk management. Through working with our senior executive team, I provide the financial and accounting expertise in support of our company strategies and the metrics that measure and support the strategies once deployed. These responsibilities require me to work closely with my accounting personnel to insure our systems accurately record the data that supports our decision-making processes.

Financing and cash management are key to any successful business, and I communicate regularly with our bank to report performance, discuss forward-looking strategies, and insure adequate credit to support the business both now and into the future. I also accomplish these activities in a fun and positive manner, as employee morale is critical to our goals and aspirations as a business. In addition, I am also heavily involved in tax matters, employee benefits, union contract negotiations, budgeting and forecasting, capital expenditures, and portfolio investing.

My approach to staff management is very collaborative, and I work hard to encourage a friendly, relaxed atmosphere in our office and aim to be courteous, polite and fun.

This approach extends beyond my staff and through to my clients, and I aim to

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be as approachable as possible. I feel very proud that I have overcome the ‘bean counter’ stereotype that pervades through the corporate landscape with regards to CFOs. Some people want to box you in to this skill-set, and view those in accounting roles as nothing more than a score keeper. I got some strange looks earlier in my career when I brought attention to opportunities for productivity gains in operations or tactics to grow sales. This has impacted my view on running a business and I strive to always listen to what is being communicated.

A collaborative approach is also key to keeping up to date with the latest industry information. I value discussions I have with suppliers, OEMs, customers, and sales personnel about what is happening in the industry. The American Foundry Society and the Non-Ferrous Founders Society are valuable sources of industry trend data as well as the internet, which has made it remarkably easy to research relevant information quickly.

Ultimately I feel that the secret to my personal success is that I truly love what I do, and therefore it never really feels like work. A lot of people rely on WAF for their livelihoods, so running the business well means better job security for our employees and their families, and this is a big responsibility which I take very seriously.

With regards to the future, the company is well positioned in a mature industry. Innovation and diversification are key to its continued growth and success, and as such our future direction will be driven by strategies and activities that add value for our customers.

The US-based foundry industry has contracted over the last 30 years, and it is my personal opinion that there will be struggles ahead with regards to the industry’s ability to remain autonomous, and the transfer of trade knowledge from this generation to our next generation.

With regards to my own personal future, I believe this is firmly focused on growing WAF, making it stronger, making it more innovative than our competition, and having fun while doing so.

SPECIAL FEATURE

1604JL01

THE BUSINESS ELITE: COO OF THE YEAR - CALIFORNIA

KTIMEHR - SHEILA KEPLER SPHR-CA, SHRM-SCP

Company: Sheila Kepler, SPHR-CA, SHRM-SCP Email: info@KTimeHR.com Phone: (800) 601-4800

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SPECIAL FEATURE

KTimeHR is a privately held, hundred-million dollar human resource consulting and employee administrative Service Company based in Irvine, California. Celebrating over 20 years of providing solutions for employers, its president, Sheila Kepler, shared her strategies for leading this successful and innovative organization.

We provide our clients with essential business services and employee administration best practices for human resources, employee benefits, payroll, and workers’ compensation insurance.

By partnering with KTimeHR, clients gain peace of mind with increasingly complex employment law regulations and Affordable Care Act (ACA) compliance, enabling them focus on their core business function and increase their ROI. Our fully automated, comprehensive workforce management technology enables clients to easily manage their employees’ life-cycle. Client managers and executives appreciate paperless new hire processing, time and attendance tracking, payroll processing, online employee-benefit enrollment and performance management in one place. With the mobile app and selfservice web portal, employees can access pay statements, request time off, view benefit summaries, enjoy fun discounts, and more.

We have been very successful in attracting and retaining clients with exemplary customer service and continued technological advances. As the leader of our exceptional team, it is my responsibility to oversee cutting-edge system enhancements, ensure client compliance with complex employment law and governmental regulations, while remaining focused on exceptional customer service and providing peace of mind to our clients.

One of the keys to our success is the full engagement of our team members. Our team, each an expert in his or her field, collaborate to provide the best solutions for our clients. Our core values include success through teamwork, the initiative to take on big challenges, commitment to financial health, giving back to our community, doing the right things and doing things right, and having FUN! We strongly promote ongoing training and development, employee recognition, and celebrating successes. Our monthly book club is a fun way to motivate the team as it helps keep everyone focused on the being best we can be individually and as a team as well as promotes better worklife balance.

It is increasingly difficult to be an employer in California. As a trusted advisor and partner, it is our mission to be current and to adapt to constant change. For instance, the Department of Labor (DOL) recently released revised regulations governing overtime exemptions under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). Our clients count on us to not only communicate and notify them of these types of changes but also to provide guidance and resources for implementation.

As an employer, constant change is everpresent and keeping up with these changes is a challenge. It is our job to provide best practices guidance for everything from Health Care Reform updates, to wage and hour compliance, ERISA laws, COBRA administration, and much more.

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Looking towards the future, we are confident that we will continue to meet the ever-increasing and constantly changing demands placed on employers while providing our clients the best service and most efficient solutions for employee administration.

Ms. Kepler has a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Management. She holds the esteemed designations of Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHRCA) from the Human Resources Certification Institute (HRCI), and Senior Certified Professional (SCP) from the Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM). She maintains multiple broker/agent insurance licenses, including Property, Casualty, Life, Health and Accident with the State of California Department of Insurance. With a background in finance and computer science, she specializes in employment law compliance and HRIS system development and management. Ms. Kepler has been a featured-speaker and corporate trainer for private and publicly-held organizations and is also an expert in all matters encompassed in the term employment “best practices.”

SPECIAL FEATURE

1604JL02

THE BUSINESS ELITE: COO OF THE YEAR - VIRGINIA

ARTHRITIS & SPORTS

Company name: Arthritis & Sports Contact: Somu Awatramani Email: somu.awatramani@arthritisandsports.com

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SPECIAL FEATURE

As the name suggests, Arthritis & Sports specialize in orthopaedics and sports care hospital.

We spoke to Somu Awatramani, COO of the group, to find out more about his company, and how his leadership philosophy has allowed them to go from strength to strength.

At our company, we operate in Northern Virginia, but through our highly dedicated work have drawn patients from Virginia, DC, Maryland, West Virginia and different parts of the world.

As for my role as COO, my main responsibility is managing the day-today operations from start to finish. Being senior executive is something that I always wanted to do, and my current role gives me the excitement and challenges that I really enjoy.

In terms of my background, I started working in the shipping industry after my undergraduate in Personal Management and Industrial Relations. Throughout my career, I have worked in different industries, including shipping, media/ entertainment, pharmaceuticals, advertising, healthcare to name a few.

Similarly, I have worked in a number of different roles in sales, marketing, retail, IT, consulting, training and business development , again naming just a few!

start to finish, and we do this because we hire the best of the best team of surgeons/staff and we do not give up on quality come what may. Every service and product is branded with our quality signature, and this is something we have consistently maintained since our inception.

Our company has consistently grown throughout the years, and has been driven primarily through our reputation rather than any marketing or publicity.

We draw patients because we build relationships and our biggest referral

As a business leader, my approach is quite simple, and this is to lead by example. I’m a very optimistic person, and I like to follow the three ‘l’s: listen, learn and lead. In my 20 plus year career I have faced many challenges, but I have followed my dad’s teaching: “Never give up and work with full passion”. I find that the best way to follow my father’s advice is to always compete with myself, and always strive to succeed.

As such, ‘conviction’ and ‘persistence’ are the two key words that I live by. Nothing is impossible so proper planning is good, but taking action is extremely important to deliver results. As such, I am a very action oriented leader, and believe that this fundamental to any successful endeavor.

These values are at the heart of everything we do, and is the reason why we have been so successful over the years. We take care of our clients from

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source is our patients. Our founder and chairman Dr Randall Peyton’s vision is to take care of the patients and rest everything will take care of itself. We truly believe and follow this saying in every decision.

Ultimately, we are a world class orthopaedics and sports treatment center, and our goal is to continue our work by giving the best care by the very best surgeons and support staff. As such, we are planning to open two more locations in the next two to five years.

Watch this space!

FEATURE

ONES TO WATCH IN BUSINESS ADVISORY: 2016’S TOP 50 CONSULTANTS Omnex is an international consulting, training and software development organization specializing in management system solutions that elevate the performance of client organizations. Chad Kymal provides us with a fascinating insight into the business and its unique approach to providing business advice.

Company: Omnex Website: www.omnex.com Email: info@omnex.com

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FEATURE

Founded in 1986, Omnex is headquartered in Ann Arbor, Michigan with branch offices throughout the world. We are strategically placed globally to better serve the expanding multinational marketplace and are a world leader in consulting and training.

Therefore for over 30 years Omnex have been helping many leading fortune 500 companies dramatically improve their business operations, reach certification and revitalize their global operations. Our client base includes companies from all walks of life, from automotive to engineering, to aerospace, railways, garments, shoes, pharmaceutical, oil/NG and hospitals and hotels.

The consulting, software, and training divisions represent three interconnected business segments. Our customer base, initially from the US, has since been expanded to Canada, Argentina, Brazil, India, China, Thailand and Eastern & Western Europe. Our top clients include seven of the top 10 automakers, top aerospace companies, largest electronics/ semi-conductor companies, large retail, banking and service companies, major engineering companies, 70% of the top 100 auto component makers in the world, and top alternative energy companies.

During this time we have participated in writing some of the key management system standards that have shaped worldwide quality and we have served as a key instrument for supplier rollouts to large multinational companies.

Our unique integrated methodology is designed to continuously improve business management systems and impact the bottom line.

Our approach revolves around putting an emphasis on producing cost savings in business process improvements while meeting or exceeding customer expectations.

This enables our clients to maintain and expand their existing business in the face of a more competitive world market.

Through this approach we have trained more than 100,000 individuals in over 30 countries. We have a workforce of over 400 professionals, speaking over a dozen languages. We have helped transform and improve global OEMs and Supply Chains in the Automotive, Semiconductor/ Electronics, Service, and Aerospace Industry. We are also on the AIAG writing committees for Problem Solving, FMEA, SPC, and MSA. Alongside this approach we are also a pioneer in the project-based approach to integrated Lean/Six Sigma. Companies disillusioned with the traditional (and sometimes costly) training based approaches now focus on the development and implementation of systemic, projectbased approaches to achieving sustained, state-of-the art operations excellence.

This approach has two major advantages: the investment in training is captured when the project is completed, and the participants learn how to successfully manage a project while linking events and activities. This results in substantial saving while people are still in training.

We offer three important and innovative approaches to Lean and Six Sigma.

Breakaway Lean®, Excellerated Six Sigma®, and Unified Lean/Six Sigma Omnex Breakaway Lean is Omnex’s trademark approach to implementing Lean in a company. Using this innovative technique, the company can expect results in less than six months. With Breakaway Lean, we trach the company the Lean techniques, and then we roll up our sleeves and work alongside the company to implement them right away. Our goal is to make ourselves redundant and the company self-sufficient in Lean.

For Excellerated Six Sigma®, Omnex will work with the management team to aid in planning, organizing and launching Six Sigma for the organization. We can help the company select and develop Six Sigma Champions, Black Belts and Green Belts. We can also provide an onsite Black Belt to help get the companies Six Sigma program off the ground. Our Master Black Belts will train, develop and organize the company’s Six Sigma improvement projects during the initial launch phase (first Consolas months) of their Six Sigma journey.

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Unified Lean/Six Sigma is the Omnex approach to Lean/Six Sigma that adopts the organizational structure of Six Sigma with the planning and deployment process of value stream mapping – a new technique for the Manger’s toolbox. All improvement projects are aligned to the common goals and objectives of the company through the development of a set of linked and balanced scorecards. All Lean and Six Sigma improvement projects are planned and organized through the development of a future state value stream map.

Omnex Breakaway Lean® is Omnex’s trademarked approach to implementing Lean in a company. Using this innovative technique, you can expect results in just six months. With Breakaway Lean®, we teach you the Lean techniques, and then we roll up our sleeves and work alongside you to implement them right away. Our goal is to make ourselves redundant and you selfsufficient.

In order to offer a superior service which exactly meets their needs we like to develop long term relationships with our customers, this is where our service ability and value added to the customer thrives.

These long term relationships will allow us to invest in our customer’s organizations and fully understand how we can improve their operations. We are happy to have many opportunities to work in mutually beneficial long term relationships with some of the largest automotive suppliers and semiconductor organizations in the world. Our work with Hendrickson, a truck supplier, is just one of many strong testimonials to our ability to cultivate and succeed in long term relationships with diverse organizations. Improving customer organizations is our number one goal and by developing a long term relationship with them, we can fully maximize our benefit to the relationship.

Ultimately people are the most important aspect of Omnex, from the top down. We pride ourselves in employing industry’s top professionals in all aspects of Omnex.

Our trainers and consultants are training and consulting with the world’s leading companies to help them improve so in order to effectively help these companies, we need to employ industry leading experts in all management disciplines.

FEATURE

BARTON LLP ONES TO WATCH FOR 2016: THE BEST BOUTIQUE LAW FIRMS

Company: Barton LLP Name: Roger E. Barton Email: rbarton@bartonesq.com Web: www.bartonesq.com Address: Graybar Building, 420 Lexington Avenue, 18th floor, New York, NY 10170 Telephone: 212.687.6262

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FEATURE

Barton LLP is a business law firm, advising clients in their transactions and investments, general counsel services and disputes. We spoke to Roger E. Barton, Managing Partner of Barton LLP, to find out more about this law firm and what makes it unique.

Our firm is the ‘go-to’ law firm for sophisticated consumers of legal services who demand high quality, responsive attorneys who they can rely upon and trust to represent their interests in an efficient, effective and business-like manner. We distinguish ourselves from other firms primarily because we are comprised of an elite team of former partners of “BigLaw” who have joined together to create a progressive law firm. As such, we sum ourselves up in one powerful phrase: “Barton means businesses.”

Our mission is to provide our clients with the highest quality legal services delivered in an effective and efficient manner.

We accomplish this not by following the traditional multi-layered and leveraged law firm model, but by providing our clients a better product, value and client experience with highly skilled senior attorneys working directly on their matters with appropriate support from a robust, but lean team of associate attorneys and staff.

Our culture requires that first and foremost, we judge ourselves from the perspective of the client. This means that we must acknowledge that the manner in which other firms provide legal services can be frustrating and often does not deliver value. We are a firm that is not burdened with a legacy of an ineffective and costly structure. As a result, we are able to put our clients’ interests first and strive for excellence. We are able to develop ways to be innovative while adding value. So, we have been able to recruit and retain outstanding lawyers whose desire is to practice law at the highest levels of sophistication, in an environment where

they can focus on direct client service and obtain the best business results for their clients and add value.

We have built our reputation and our client base through a combination of communication, experience and skill. The successful handling of our firm’s diverse range of client matters requires lawyers who combine legal expertise with a keen commitment to understanding our clients’ business objectives. Each and every matter we handle is characterised by continual collaboration and communication.

Furthermore, we aim to form a partnership with our clients to ensure that our legal services are in sync with our clients’ business goals.

Importantly, we also offer more than just our legal skills. Our clients are able to rely on Barton as a partner who knows the marketplace and is willing to share our valuable connections in the banking, accounting, financial advisory, public relations and other services that are critical to their success.

In the context of litigation matters, early case assessments and risk avoidance measures play a critical role in achieving an effective litigation outcome. We work with our clients and their technical experts at the earliest stages of a dispute to carefully evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of every case and to establish the business objective. We also act proactively with our clients to advise them to avoid or mitigate the risk of litigation through training, contract management and instituting best practices whenever possible.

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One of our recent representations demonstrates the service we provide, and how we achieve remarkable results. This involved representing the joint venture between a multi-billion dollar private equity infrastructure fund and a utility operator. The engagement required the renegotiation of several parallel 36-year-old agreements for the output of our client’s power plant exclusively supplying the utility requirements of six separate medical facilities on 200-acres in the Northeast United States. With a limited window for renegotiation and varying objectives from all parties involved, Barton took on the role as lead negotiator and applied a deliberate strategy to build trust among the parties while confronting the various challenges of the transaction. After over a year of issue-by-issue negotiation, the final points of the agreement were reached by helping the parties to develop trust and accept reasonable expectations, which were far from their positions at the outset.

Looking back upon our success, we firmly believe that the principles that underpin the firm were instrumental in achieving those results. From our perspective, legal services are business services and our attorneys are business people serving business clients to advance their business goals. As such, ‘Barton Means Business’ is a deep-rooted and consistent theme. Many of our attorneys have been in business as owners or senior executives. We believe that it’s simply not enough to just be a good lawyer. Rather, we believe that our clients want a practical business person who provides value-added legal services.

That is exactly what we aim to do.

FEATURE

BEST FOR EMPLOYMENT VISA ADVICE - COLORADO

Company: Rodriguez Law Firm Name: Maria Lourdes Rodriguez, Esq. Email: lourdes@rodlawfirm.com Web: www.rodlawfirm.com Address: Investment & Immigration Counseling, 6990 W 38th Ave., Suite 104, Wheat Ridge, CO 80033 Telephone: 001 303 477 2422

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FEATURE

Maria Lourdes Rodriguez, Esq. started Rodriguez Law Firm in 2005 after she realised the lack of trustworthy immigration lawyer advice in the Colorado region. Maria Rodriguez set effective standards to help the underprivileged and unprotected immigrant community who look to the United States for an opportunity of the American Dream. “For many of our clients, the United States means survival for oneself and for their family” Maria Lourdes Rodriguez comments.

Rodriguez Law Firm was founded in 2005 to serve and protect the rights of immigrants and help professionals abroad make new homes in the United States. Throughout the years they have represented corporations and individuals alike in their immigration needs with a high rate of success. We spoke to them to get their insight and views on the highly complicated world of immigration law.

We are dynamic, we are force for good, and we are assertive, creative and adaptive in meeting our client’s needs. We relish achieving success when other immigration practitioners have dismissed cases as being impossible.

Our unparalleled success rate – demonstrated in the complicated and highly technical legal specialty that is immigration law – manifests our skill and experience in employment-based immigrant visas, as well as in obtaining waivers of inadmissibility in extremely difficult cases.

We also obtain unequalled results in family-based petitions, removal defense, employment based immigrant visas, by finding the best immigration alternatives for each and every case. Humanitarian and asylum practice are special areas of success, we are able to handle any other immigration matter, regardless if its complexity.

Immigration law is greatly influenced by politics, and that is why we take an activist approach. The greatest challenge is that immigration policy is antiquated, and not in pace with the United States; a land of immigrants, and the most ethnically diverse country in the world. In addition, changes in immigration law are almost non-existent in a highly hierarchical and bureaucratic government, uninterested in structural procedures and standards.

Because of stricter and ever changing immigration case law and policy, we continually train our staff and attorneys, and educate them through conferences and seminars, assisting them to find the best strategies, and the most efficient methods so that our services are also affordable.

It is essential for us to follow trends in immigration demographics that would

enable us to shape our services to meet client’s needs.

We believe that global immigration is essential to the growth and prosperity of every country – including the United States: This is the bedrock of our professional philosophy. The electoral year of 2016, as we predicted, will stimulate controversy and needed discussion of immigration policy.

Immigration issues will play a critical part in deciding who will become President of the United States in 2017. We are optimistic and believe that the United States Supreme Court will affirm the 2014 Executive Action of President Obama, thereby removing the impasse to immigration reform.

We are a force in building momentum for change in immigration law and policy that would create a more humane society, and recognize the inherent human rights of immigrants. Additionally, our unique ability of having been exposed to different business cultures, here and abroad afford us the ability to extend and fortify those bridges for the full benefit of our corporate clients in accessing the best and brightest human talent to fit their business needs.

We strive to create diversity within our community. We take on the challenges of real life issues and develop strategies that work. We strongly believe that our expertise, dedication, and discipline, is what has made us leaders within our immigration community. Our goal is not simply to defend through litigation, it’s to educate our people, our neighbors, and our society in the social movement that is immigration.

Capability is our hallmark. As immigrants ourselves, we value the trust placed on us by our clients, and the critical importance of the ethical practice of law, as well as the importance of following case status and deadlines in tracking the progress of a case through successful resolution. We provide both private and corporate clients with upto-date information on changes in the law that could affect them negatively; or, in the alternative, provide unexpected advantages to our clients. The quality of service we provide is only possible because of our depth of experience and comprehensive knowledge of substantive immigration law and international law.

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Investment and immigration law are two very different fields and although they may not seem to coexist, they do. Immigration is an investment into quality of life, and people are the most important investment of any Corporation. Our expertise is of paramount importance in the area of employment-based immigration where the dangers of non-compliance can be catastrophic. Our employment-based clients value the advice and assistance we provide for them to ensure positive results, and be in compliance with Federal immigration laws.

We are very optimistic about the future of our firm, and welcome challenges as they present us with opportunities for growth and success. We presently are expanding our services to include professional visas for nurses and medical personnel, including professionals in the oil and gas industry at all levels. Of particular mention, we are very excited to develop a sophisticated one-of-a-kind match-making program that will revolutionize the fiancée visa program forever. At the core of everything that we have planned is community outreach through education and supporting social movements. We strongly believe that investing in education is investing in a better future for our new citizens.

Excellence is our goal. We ensure that our clients obtain the best outcome and receive real value for their investments of time, money and trust. Excellence is achieved every day. We never rest. Professionalism is what we stand for. Professionals is who we are.

FEATURE

EVA LONGORIA PARTNERS WITH TURNER IMPACT CAPITAL TO INVEST IN URBAN COMMUNITIES AND ADDRESS THE NATION’S CRITICAL SHORTAGE OF WORKFORCE HOUSING

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FEATURE

Turner Impact Capital, one of the nation’s largest and fastest-growing investment firms dedicated to social impact investing, is joining forces with Eva Longoria to acquire, enrich and preserve critically needed workforce housing for families who earn less than 80% of the area median income and live in densely populated, ethnically diverse urban communities throughout the U.S. The famed actress, businesswoman and philanthropist will become a partner in and an ambassador for the firm’s Turner Multifamily Impact Fund, which is well-positioned to acquire and manage up to $1 billion in apartment communities in urban markets throughout the U.S. Since its launch in 2015, the fund has purchased nearly 2,500 units in Maryland, Florida, Texas and Nevada, with many more acquisitions planned. In these roles, Longoria will help raise awareness about the critical shortage of workforce housing and highlight the potential for innovative, market-driven solutions to tackle some of the most daunting challenges we face as a country.

The demand for quality, affordable workforce rental housing in the most populated areas of the country is expanding, due in part to the prohibitively high cost of land and construction. As a result, rents are reaching historic highs. Nearly half of all renters spend more than 30% of their income on rent and one quarter of all renters spend more than 50% of their income on rent. The growing disparity in workers’ income and their rent is untenable.

Dedicated to generating “profits with a purpose,” Turner Impact Capital is an acknowledged leader and innovator in the growing field of social impact investing – an investment approach that takes into account two goals: generating positive, risk-adjusted financial returns and creating purposeful, measurable, and positive social or environmental impact through those investments. Founded in 2014, the firm is on course to surpass $2.5 billion in investment potential to address challenges facing urban neighborhoods while delivering superior riskadjusted returns for its investors.

“While best known as an actress and producer, Eva Longoria’s most important roles are those of a devoted philanthropist, entrepreneur and advocate for women and Latino community issues,” said Bobby Turner, Principal and CEO of Turner Impact Capital.

“Her ambition and dedication to providing and fostering opportunities for minority

communities, coupled with her unique insight and personal story, fit seamlessly with our social impact strategies and make her a perfect partner for our mission.”

Longoria is a longstanding supporter of a variety of philanthropic causes, and created the Eva Longoria Foundation to help Latinas build better futures for themselves and their families through education and entrepreneurship. Longoria is also an accomplished businesswoman.

Her production company, UnbeliEVAble Entertainment, has produced hit shows for several television networks, and she has served as spokesperson for a variety of top businesses, including L’Oréal Paris.

“Communities, the environment, worker productivity and household well-being all suffer when affordable housing is not in close proximity to jobs. In addition, the fact that 1 in 4 renter households spend over 50% of their income on rent is not sustainable,” Longoria said. “I am thrilled to partner with the Turner Impact Capital team to highlight the great promise of urban investment in underserved communities, an issue close to my heart. Turner is pioneering a financially sustainable and scalable approach to building a stronger future and a more prosperous, inclusive country.”

The Turner Multifamily Impact Fund seeks to address the housing affordability crisis by preserving the workforce-housing status of the properties it acquires and by implementing an innovative and novel business model that drives both shareholder and stakeholder value.

“Through the design and implementation of resident-serving programs centered around education, healthcare, and security, and the implementation of environmentally sustainable programs and practices,” Turner explains, “we can create a ‘pride in rentership’ that will in turn drive operating efficiencies and profitability for ownership without having to increase rents on a group of tenants who earn too much to qualify for subsidized housing, but not enough to afford higher-

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cost apartments or home ownership in the communities proximate to where they work.”

Investors in the Turner Multifamily Impact Fund managed by Turner Impact Capital include Citi Community Capital, the University of Michigan endowment, the Rockefeller Brothers Foundation, and other organizations seeking a social return, as well as a financial return, on their capital.

In addition to its multifamily strategy, Turner Impact Capital currently has two additional investment strategies to help address some of the country’s most pervasive social issues through real estate and infrastructurerelated solutions. The firm’s targeted education strategy – the Turner-Agassi Charter School Facilities Fund, a partnership with tennis legend Andre Agassi – seeks to meet the growing demand for quality charter school facilities, improving the educational achievement and life outcomes for underserved students. The firm is also developing a health care strategy in order to address the significant demand for quality health facilities that deliver affordable and proximate patient-centered medical services to underserved communities.

“Turner Impact Capital’s investment strategies directly benefit a broad cross-section of urban residents, including Latinos, the youngest and one of the fastest-growing demographic groups in the United States,” Longoria said. “Despite their potential, Latinos disproportionately lack housing opportunities and face overwhelming economic challenges. The work of Turner Impact Capital supports the most effective interventions in breaking the cycle of poverty: promoting excellence in our schools and bringing new investment to our cities.”

Bobby Turner said he believes Longoria’s role as an investor and ambassador will enable the firm and its partners to touch even more lives in America’s most economically challenged cities while demonstrating the effectiveness of market-driven solutions.

FEATURE

$50 OIL MEANS STABILITY TO AMERICAN PRODUCERS, SAYS CANARY CEO

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FEATURE

The history of the oil industry is a tale of boom and bust cycles. But when oil climbed to $50 per barrel for the first time since last fall, it may have signaled the end of one of most protracted slumps American producers have seen, says Dan K. Eberhart, CEO, Canary, LLC. During the historic price collapse of the 1980s, oil fell to about $25 per barrel in 2016 dollars, while this time, oil bottomed out at $26.21 per barrel in February.

The rise to $50-per-barrel oil means a return to stability, particularly for domestic shale producers, according to Eberhart. At this level, companies that saw the value of their product drop more than 75 percent in less than two years might have the confidence to resume drilling activities – and the resources to begin repairing ailing balance sheets.

ITG Investment Research concluded that in a few areas in the Eagle Ford shale and Permian Basin in Texas, drilling was possible even if crude prices dropped to $25 per barrel. However, a period of sub$50 prices squeezed operating costs and idled rigs, although efficiency gains allowed production to increase even as the rig count continued to fall.

Eberhart says the supply glut that drove prices down since mid-2014 has been tempered by supply drawdowns related to the wildfires in Canada and the criminal activities of rebels in Nigeria. As a result, worldwide production in May is down nearly 4 million barrels per day.

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Higher prices have already had on effect on Energy Information Administration (EIA) projections, Eberhart says. The agency originally said that U.S. crude output would fall to 8.2 million barrels per day by 2017. Since then it has revised its forecast, reducing the projected drop by 100,000 barrels per day.

“I think we’re moving into a period of greater stability for American producers,” Eberhart says. “With oil prices at $50 or better, shale producers in particular will have the ability to restart operations.”

FEATURE

INCLUSION INITIATIVE COMPANIES SPEND MORE THAN $1 BILLION ON MINORITY - AND WOMEN-OWNED LAW FIRMS

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FEATURE

The Inclusion Initiative, a collaborative program among law departments at major corporations across the country, announced today that member companies have spent more than $1 Billion over the past six years with minority- and women-owned (MWBE) law firms.

“When the Inclusion Initiative was launched in 2010, we hoped we would have a significant positive impact on MWBE law firms across the country,” said Rick Meade, Vice President and Chief Legal Officer for International Businesses at Prudential Financial, Inc. and Chairperson of the Inclusion Initiative. “To have reached such a substantial spend level in just six years testifies to the collective dedication and commitment of the participating companies to diversity and inclusion in the legal profession; as well as to the quality of the service being provided by the many MWBE law firms that are doing our work.

We are extremely proud to reach this important milestone and look forward to doing even more.”

Six years ago, the law departments at 11 large corporations spanning various industries launched the Inclusion Initiative to help increase diversity in the legal profession. At the heart of the Initiative is the belief that MWBE firms play a vital role in providing opportunity to diverse attorneys, and excellent, cost effective legal services that meet the needs of Corporate America. Inclusion Initiative members believe that MWBE firms provide a reliable pathway into the legal profession for law students and young lawyers of diverse backgrounds and an alternative career path for experienced diverse attorneys who seek an alternative to majority owned law firms.

recently, the Inclusion Initiative welcomed NBCUniversal to its ranks in 2016.

In the initial year of the Inclusion Initiative, members together spent $42 million with MWBE law firms. Since then, the total amount of money participating law departments have spent on MWBE firms has grown significantly and exceeded $200 million in 2015 for the third year in a row as illustrated in the chart below.

“At Accenture, inclusion and diversity are fundamental to our culture and embedded in our core values,” said Chad Jerdee, General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer at Accenture. “We have long been committed to providing opportunities to diverse businesses. Together with the Inclusion Initiative member companies, we are proud to have reached this significant milestone of spending $1 billion with minority- and women-owned law firms.”

Participation in the Inclusion Initiative has nearly tripled to 31 members since its founding in 2010. The current roster of participating companies includes: 3M, Accenture, Aetna, Allstate, American Airlines, AT&T, Bank of America, The Coca-Cola Company, Comcast, Exelon, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, General Mills, GlaxoSmithKline, Google, JPMorgan Chase, McDonald’s Corporation, Macy’s, Merck, Microsoft, Morgan Stanley, Nationwide, Pacific Gas and Electric Company, Prudential Financial Inc., Sempra Energy, Shell Oil Company, UPS, Verizon, Walmart, Wells Fargo, and Xerox. Most

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The Inclusion Initiative is administered by the National Association of Minority and Women Owned Law firms (NAMWOLF), which comprises 155 certified MWBE law firms in 34 states. “We could not be more thrilled with the continuing success of the Inclusion Initiative. Breaking the $1 Billion threshold in just six years is something we all can be proud of,” said Carla Fields Johnson, Inclusion Initiative Task Force Co-Chair for NAMWOLF. “Each year participating corporate law departments have set and achieved aggressive goals for utilizing minority- and women-owned law firms. NAMWOLF is excited about the future of the Inclusion Initiative and its ability to shape a more inclusive legal environment through encouraging collaboration with minority and women owned law firms.”

FEATURE

RYAN & MANISKAS, LLP ANNOUNCES CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT AGAINST ABILITY INC.

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FEATURE

Ryan & Maniskas, LLP is a national shareholder litigation firm. Ryan & Maniskas, LLP is devoted to protecting the interests of individual and institutional investors in shareholder actions in state and federal courts nationwide.

Ryan & Maniskas, LLP announces that a class action lawsuit has been filed in United States District Court for the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York on behalf of purchasers of Ability Inc. (“Ability” or the “Company”) (NASDAQ: ABIL) common stock during the period between September 8, 2015 and April 29, 2016, inclusive (the “Class Period”).

Ability shareholders may, no later than July 25, 2016, move the Court for appointment as a lead plaintiff of the Class. If you purchased shares of Ability and would like to learn more about these claims or if you wish to discuss these matters and have any questions concerning this announcement or your rights, contact Richard A. Maniskas, Esquire toll-free at (877) 316-3218 or to sign up online, visit: www.rmclasslaw.com/ cases/abil.

The complaint charges Ability and certain of its officers and directors with violations of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Ability provides tactical communications intelligence solutions for government agencies, military forces, and law enforcement and homeland security agencies worldwide.

On September 8, 2015, Ability issued a joint press release with Cambridge Capital Acquisition Corporation (“Cambridge”) announcing the execution of a definitive agreement under which Ability would merge with Cambridge. On December 23, 2015, Ability announced that the merger with Cambridge had closed. As a result of the merger, Cambridge changed its name to Ability Inc. and the Company’s ordinary shares and warrants began trading on the NASDAQ. On May 2, 2016, Ability announced its financial results for the fourth quarter and full-year 2015. The Company also announced that it would be restating its consolidated financial statements as of December 31, 2014 and for the two years in the period then ended. In reaction to these announcements, on May 2, 2016, the price of Ability common stock fell $2.42 per share, or 33%, to close at $4.90 per share, on heavy trading volume.

The complaint alleges that, during the Class Period, defendants materially misstated the Company’s business metrics and financial prospects, including, but not limited to, failing to disclose that: (a) the Company had materially overstated its income by failing to account for commissions; (b) the Company had materially overstated its operating results by improperly recognizing revenue on multiple element sales transactions; (c) the Company had a material weakness in its internal controls over financial reporting and disclosure controls and that such controls were ineffective; and (d) as a result of the foregoing, the Company’s financial statements for the years ending December 31, 2013 and 2014 were materially false and misleading and not prepared in accordance with U.S. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles.

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If you are a member of the class, you may, no later than July 25, 2016, request that the Court appoint you as lead plaintiff of the class. A lead plaintiff is a representative party that acts on behalf of other class members in directing the litigation. In order to be appointed lead plaintiff, the Court must determine that the class member’s claim is typical of the claims of other class members, and that the class member will adequately represent the class. Under certain circumstances, one or more class members may together serve as “lead plaintiff.” Your ability to share in any recovery is not, however, affected by the decision whether or not to serve as a lead plaintiff. You may retain Ryan & Maniskas, LLP or other counsel of your choice, to serve as your counsel in this action.

FEATURE

PFIZER TO ACQUIRE ANACOR

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FEATURE

Anacor’s flagship asset, crisaborole, has a New Drug Application under review by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), is a differentiated non-steroidal topical PDE4 inhibitor with compelling clinical data, and if approved, has the potential to be an important first-line treatment option for patients with atopic dermatitis.

Pfizer Inc. and Anacor Pharmaceuticals, Inc. have announced that they have entered into a definitive merger agreement under which Pfizer will acquire Anacor for $99.25 per Anacor share, in cash, for a total transaction value, net of cash, of approximately $5.2 billion, which assumes the conversion of Anacor’s outstanding convertible notes. The Boards of Directors of both companies have unanimously approved the transaction. Anacor’s flagship asset, crisaborole, a differentiated nonsteroidal topical PDE4 inhibitor with antiinflammatory properties, is currently under review by the U.S. FDA for the treatment of mild-to-moderate atopic dermatitis, commonly referred to as eczema.

“We believe the acquisition of Anacor represents an attractive opportunity to address a significant unmet medical need for a large patient population with mild-tomoderate atopic dermatitis, which currently has few safe topical treatments available,” said Albert Bourla, Group President of Pfizer’s Global Innovative Pharma and Global Vaccines, Oncology and Consumer Healthcare Businesses. “Crisaborole is a differentiated asset with compelling clinical data that, if approved, has the potential to be an important first-line treatment option for these patients and the physicians who treat them.”

“Anacor will be a strong fit with Pfizer’s innovative business, further supporting our strategic focus on Inflammation and Immunology, and is expected to enhance near-term revenue growth for the innovative business. Our dedicated Inflammation and Immunology group has strong existing inmarket franchises with Enbrel and Xeljanz, as well as a robust mid-stage pipeline, and this acquisition has the potential to add a near-term U.S. product launch. We believe we are well positioned to maximize crisaborole’s commercial potential through our strong relationships with pediatricians and primary care physicians,” continued Bourla.

In both of its Phase 3 pivotal studies, crisaborole achieved statistically significant results on all primary and secondary endpoints and in March 2016, the FDA accepted for review Anacor’s New Drug Application seeking approval of crisaborole for the potential treatment of mild-tomoderate atopic dermatitis in children and adults. The Prescription Drug User Fee Act (PDUFA) goal date for the completion of the FDA’s review is January 7, 2017. If approved, Pfizer believes peak year sales for crisaborole have the potential to reach or exceed $2.0 billion.

Atopic dermatitis is a common, relapsing, chronic, inflammatory skin disorder, with patients displaying a chronic rash characterized by inflammation and itching, often occurring in folds of the skin with symptoms lasting up to 14 days or more.

Approximately 18 to 25 million people in the United States suffer from this condition, including between 8 and 18% of infants and children. Atopic dermatitis has been considerably underdiagnosed due to the lack of approved effective systemic agents, and limitations of current topical agents.

There have been no new molecular entities for atopic dermatitis in the last 15 years.

Anacor also holds the rights to Kerydin, a topical treatment for onychomycosis (toenail fungus) that is distributed and commercialized by Sandoz Inc. in the U.S.

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Pfizer anticipates financing the transaction through existing cash. Pfizer does not expect the transaction to impact its current 2016 financial guidance. Pfizer expects the transaction to be slightly dilutive to Adjusted Diluted Earnings Per Share (EPS) (1) in 2017 with accretion to Adjusted Diluted EPS(1) beginning in 2018 and increasing thereafter.

Under the terms of the merger agreement, a subsidiary of Pfizer will commence a cash tender offer to purchase all of the outstanding shares of Anacor common stock for $99.25 per share in cash. The closing of the tender offer is subject to customary closing conditions, including U.S. antitrust clearance and the tender of a majority of the outstanding shares of Anacor common stock. The merger agreement contemplates that Pfizer will acquire any shares of Anacor that are not tendered into the offer through a secondstep merger, which will be completed promptly following the closing of the tender offer. Pfizer expects to complete the acquisition in the third-quarter 2016.

Pfizer’s financial advisors for the transaction were Centerview Partners and Guggenheim Securities, and Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz acted as its legal advisor. Citi served as Anacor’s financial advisor, and Davis Polk & Wardwell, LLP served as its legal advisor.

FEATURE

TIAA NAMES KATHIE ANDRADE AS CEO OF RETAIL FINANCIAL SERVICES

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FEATURE

Promotion reflects Andrade’s experience and commitment to building the financial well-being of those who serve others TIAA, a leading financial services provider, today announced the promotion of Kathie Andrade to CEO of Retail Financial Services. She will report directly to TIAA President and CEO Roger W. Ferguson, Jr. and will continue to serve as a member of the executive management team.

In her new role, Andrade will lead the business unit dedicated to individual customers, helping them manage their finances and achieve a lifetime of financial well-being. Her organization offers customized financial advice and a broad set of savings and investment solutions, including education savings, life insurance and banking services. Andrade was previously president of TIAA’s Individual Advisory Services.

“Kathie’s promotion recognizes the excellent work she has done to build Individual Advisory Services and speaks to TIAA’s continuing journey to better serve our clients,” said Ferguson. “We’re thankful for Kathie’s leadership and dedicated commitment to customers as she takes the helm of our Retail Financial Services business.”

As part of her new position, Andrade will be one of five executive leaders collectively responsible for setting the long-term vision for the company.

organization, Ed helped us better serve the nonprofit community and deliver the outcomes our clients seek throughout their lives in order to live comfortably through retirement.”

“I am proud of the work we have done on behalf of customers to help them prepare for the future they want to live,” said Van Dolsen. “Over the last several months, I have been working closely with Kathie on this transition. She is unmatched in her commitment to our clients, looking out for their future so they can focus on the world around us.”

Andrade, who joined TIAA in 2008, brings more than 30 years of financial services experience to her new role. She has helped clients build financial well-being while delivering strong results across Individual Advisory Services. In order to meet the evolving and diverse needs of customers across the country, Kathie grew and recruited top talent, expanding the firm’s advisory services business and doubling the number of offices nationwide.

Christopher Weyrauch, a 24-year veteran of TIAA, succeeds Andrade as the head of TIAA’s Individual Advisory Services. He was previously a senior managing director within Individual Advisory Services, where he oversaw the financial advisor team.

“The world changes constantly, and the needs of our customers continue to evolve,” said Andrade. “We speak to people every day who are just starting their careers, celebrating a milestone like a wedding or a new baby, or enjoying retirement. We use the insights from our deep history with people in the nonprofit world to make sure that TIAA has the products and services that can help them achieve financial success at all stages of their lives. I am thrilled to take on this new role and to lead a talented team dedicated to our mission to serve customers.”

Andrade succeeds Ed Van Dolsen upon his retirement after three decades of service to TIAA. “I also want to thank Ed Van Dolsen for dedicating his career to TIAA and to our customers,” Ferguson said. “In a variety of leadership positions within our

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Before TIAA, Andrade worked for Bank of America and its predecessor organizations for more than 20 years. She held various leadership positions throughout her tenure, including transition leadership roles during Bank of America’s acquisitions of Fleet, Merrill Lynch and U.S. Trust.

Throughout her career, Andrade has been a strong advocate for the building and training of diverse organizations, including championing the unique needs of women across their careers and life stages. She was named one of the 25 Most Powerful Women in Finance in 2015 by American Banker.

Kathie also is passionate about education and young people and, as such, she serves on the board of directors for the Providence, Rhode Island, chapter of City Year – a national, nonprofit organization that partners with public schools to provide full-time, targeted intervention for students who are most at risk of dropping out. In addition, Kathie values spending time with her husband, three children and extended family and is a champion for career-life balance in the workplace.

Andrade received a Bachelor of Science degree in accounting and finance from Providence College.

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