ProfNet Experts Available on Auto Insurance, Trade Secrets, Discrimination, More

NEW YORK, Jan. 25, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Below are experts from the ProfNet network that are available to discuss timely issues in your coverage area.

You can also submit a query to the hundreds of thousands of experts in our network – it's easy and free! Just fill out the query form to get started: http://prn.to/alertswire.

EXPERT ALERTS

• Mobile Technology in the Auto Insurance Industry
• Keep Trade Secrets Secret
• Is Perception Reality in Discrimination?
• The Future of Retail and Experiential Marketing

MEDIA JOBS

Digital Producer – Birmingham Business Journal (AL)

• Web Producer – The Desert Sun (CA)
• News Reporter and Feature Writer – The Jewish Star (NY)

OTHER NEWS & RESOURCES

• The Rules of Engagement: Broadcast Journalists on Social Media
• 5 New Journalism Trends to Expect in 2016
• 5 Tips to Shoot a High-Quality Video Using Your Mobile Device

EXPERT ALERTS:

Mobile Technology in the Auto Insurance Industry
Tim Schneider
President
OnSource
"The photo method of inspection, where estimates are written by staff appraisers based on policyholder mobile self-inspections, can reduce cycle times and increase customer satisfaction, thereby reducing customer churn."
Based in Boston, Schneider founded OnSource, a platform for a suite of mobile apps for photo inspection for insurance companies. He has been developing branded enterprise mobile apps for insurance companies for a number of years. He is available to discuss the following topics and more: 1) how to use mobile technologies to reduce customer churn through better customer experience; 2) why streaming media isn't ready for primetime in the U.S., and how companies can use mobile Web technologies to connect with customers for HD video and photo in the field; 3) enterprise mobile technologies; 4) the changing economics of business when using networks, or sharing economy services.
Website: http://www.onsourceonline.com
Contact: John Cass, [email protected]

Keep Trade Secrets Secret
Joe Ahmad
Trade Secret Expert
Ahmad, Zavitsanos, Anaipakos, Alavi & Mensing P.C., Houston
The recent guilty plea of former St. Louis Cardinals scouting director Chris Correa for his unauthorized access of a protected computer owned by the Houston Astros serves as a strong reminder for businesses that their biggest cyber-weakness actually may result from a very human condition: lousy password hygiene. Correa was able to access a proprietary Astros database because he knew the password of a former Cardinals employee who had since joined the Astros. His knowledge of the password may undercut the Astros' ability to hold the Cardinals accountable for damages. Says Ahmad: "If I'm defending the Cardinals, I would definitely point out that had the Astros taken some simple steps to protect their proprietary information, there would have been no way Correa could have accessed it. Companies need to treat their trade secrets like secrets and ensure that everybody with access to them varies not only their passwords but also their password naming conventions. If the only thing you change in your password is the month, it won't take a criminal mastermind to figure it out."
Contact: Amy Hunt, [email protected]

Is Perception Reality in Discrimination?
Elisaveta Dolghih
Labor and Employment Lawyer
GODWIN PC, Dallas
The question at the heart of the recent U.S. Supreme Court oral arguments in Heffernan v. City of Paterson is whether a city government can legally discriminate or retaliate against an employee based on a mistaken perception. In Paterson, N.J., the mayor, who was running for re-election, demoted a police detective who had obtained a yard sign supporting the mayor's political rival. The demotion for "overt" political involvement came despite the detective's explanation that it was his mother who wanted the yard sign supporting the other candidate. The court's ruling later this year could have widespread repercussions. For example, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has taken the position that discrimination based on a perception of pregnancy still constitutes sex discrimination. Also, the Americans with Disabilities Act expressly affords full protections to employees mistakenly regarded as having a disability. Says Dolghih: "If the court finds that retaliation based on the perception of political activity is prohibited by the First Amendment, then we may see the EEOC's and ADA's position on perceived discrimination expanded to other types of discrimination claims, such as religion, race and color."
Contact: Rhonda Reddick, [email protected]

The Future of Retail and Experiential Marketing
Niani Tolbert
Founder and Pop-up Shop Producer
Creative CNTRL
"As consumers process ever-increasing options of what to buy and where to buy it, it is important to offer a shopping experience that is quick, convenient, and entertaining through innovative, experiential concepts. On the shopper's side, technology in 2016 will offer a customized shopping experience and nearly instant satisfaction. On the retailer side, this same technology will empower merchants with robust data and clearer insight into the habits and opinions of shoppers."
Based in New York, Tolbert is the author of the "12 Days of Pop Ups" e-book, "An Insider's Guide to Popping-Up for the Holidays," and contributing writer to TheStorefront.com.
Website: www.Creative-CNTRL.com
Contact: [email protected]

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MEDIA JOBS:

Following are links to job listings for staff and freelance writers, editors and producers. You can view these and more job listings on our Job Board: https://prnmedia.prnewswire.com/community/jobs/

• Digital Producer – Birmingham Business Journal (AL)
• Web Producer – The Desert Sun (CA)
• News Reporter and Feature Writer – The Jewish Star (NY)

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OTHER NEWS & RESOURCES:

Following are links to other news and resources we think you might find useful. If you have an item you think other reporters would be interested in and would like us to include in a future alert, please drop us a line.

• THE RULES OF ENGAGEMENT: BROADCAST JOURNALISTS IN SOCIAL MEDIA. Are you a journalist struggling to navigate the social media landscape? If so, you won't want to miss ProfNet's next Twitter Q&A, scheduled for Tuesday, Jan. 26. We'll be talking to one of the most interactive journalists in the country, Emmy-winning anchor Michelle Li of WISC-TV, the CBS-affiliate in Madison, Wisc. Li will discuss how she engages with more than a half million followers on social media channels. Details here: http://prn.to/1nccvIt
• 5 NEW JOURNALISM TRENDS TO EXPECT IN 2016. We rely on journalists to explain how and why the world around us is evolving, so it's only natural that the practice of journalism evolve with it. New technology and consumer behavior drive the biggest impact as shuttering broadcast and print mediums make way for digital competitors. Advancements in technology show no signs of slowing down and neither will its direct effect on journalism. Here is a roundup of insightful think pieces on what changes we can expect in 2016: http://prn.to/1ODUolN
• 5 TIPS TO SHOOT A HIGH-QUALITY VIDEO USING YOUR MOBILE DEVICE: These days, most of us walk around with HD video cameras in our pockets, so shooting a high-quality video might seem as simple as whipping out your smartphone, pointing it in a direction, and shooting. Don't press that record button so fast. Here are a handful of tips you may want to consider to make something a little more polished: http://prn.to/1OL8Icb

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