ProfNet Experts Available on Financial Planning, Small Businesses, More

NEW YORK, April 28, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Below are experts from the ProfNet network that are available to discuss timely issues in your coverage area. If you are interested in interviewing any of the experts, please contact them via the contact information at the end of the listing. To receive these updates by email, send a note to [email protected] with the industries you cover, and we'll add you to the appropriate edition. 

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EXPERT ALERTS

• Going Green to Save Green
• Financial Planning Challenges for Modern Seniors
• Small Businesses Relying More on PSA Software
• Integrated Marketing Solutions for Client Relationship Management (CRM)
• Optimizing Technology To Expand Business Performance

MEDIA JOBS

• Social Media Editor - The Wall Street Journal (NY)
• Senior Writer - The Fiscal Times (DC)
• Freelance Correspondent - Bloomberg BNA (CA)

OTHER NEWS & RESOURCES

• The Editor-Freelancer Relationship: 5 Tips for Making it Work
• Grammar Hammer: For All Intents and Purposes
• Journalist Spotlight: Los Angeles Times' Catharine Hamm

EXPERT ALERTS:

Going Green to Save Green
Sarah Bohan
Vice President Corporate Relations
Michigan State University Federal Credit Union (MSUFCU)
"Often, the decision to go green comes down to cost. When trying to go green, we have to adjust our mindsets to look long term, and reasonably assess what will be right for us right now and down the road. Done right, going green can make sense financially. Here are some tips on how you can start the process of making your home or workspace green. Look at your budget and make a plan. Know what is important to you. While the initial expense of green materials may be a little higher, the overall energy efficiency of your decisions can pay off in the long run."
Bohan oversees the internal and corporate communications department at MSUFCU and works with her team to establish new employee and corporate communications at the credit union. She is also responsible for MSUFCU's media relations, Michigan State University campus and community involvement, and working with credit union partners to coordinate member benefits as a result from donations. MSUFCU is based in East Lansing, MI.
Media Contact: Kristine Richmond, [email protected]

Financial Planning Challenges for Modern Seniors
Terence O'Malley
Attorney
GlynnDevins Senior Living Marketing in Overland Park, KS
"As approximately 10,000 U.S. baby boomers turn 65 every day for the next 19 years, senior financial planning is at the top of mind for many Americans. There are three major areas of concern for seniors: senior living, financial matters and estate planning. With so many details to consider including how to choose a retirement community, Medicaid, Medicare, social security, tax planning, IRAs, long-term care insurance, living trusts, wills and asset protection, aging in America is a convoluted topic. Today's seniors need guidance on navigating the many options available to them, and deciding what works best for their financial and lifestyle situations."
O'Malley is a knowledgeable and credible advocate for senior living and a trusted source for seniors, adult children, and even financial planners or other influencers. He is an experienced trial attorney, licensed investment advisor, certified aging services professional, and member of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys and American Academy of Estate Planning Attorneys.
Media Contact: GlynnDevins, [email protected]

Small Businesses Relying More on PSA Software
Mike Salem
Co-Founder and CEO
Vorex
"As we recognize Small Business Week (May 12-16), it's important to note that small to midsize businesses are crucial to the U.S. economy. The small-business sector alone represents roughly half the private-sector economy, while midsize businesses represent approximately one-third. A recent survey on FoxBusiness.com revealed small-business owners collectively waste four billion hours of company time each year by spending too much time on back-end support functions and administrative tasks. This keeps owners from focusing on what's important – their core business processes. The same survey said owners would like to spend three additional hours weekly on things that will help their business grow. This tells me that when entrepreneurs are constrained by focusing on the back-end of their business, they feel they have zero options to recapture that wasted time. Add to this dilemma the everyday business pressures of shrinking budgets, tighter controls and overall attempts to grow (let alone, sustaining) their business and it makes sense why eight out of ten small businesses fail within the first 18 months, according to Forbes. This conundrum, however, does lead to an opportunity for one particular industry – professional services automation (PSA) software. Ongoing pressure to compete and survive in the marketplace is driving small- (as well as midsize) business owners to adopt comprehensive and integrated PSA solutions to help them better manage their pipeline, reduce costs, increase employee productivity and revenue. Today, PSA software can't just simply manage resourcing and scheduling. It must be more sophisticated in what it can deliver, from revenue recognition, sophisticated billing (including intra-company billing) and supply chain functionality to customer relationship management (CRM)."
Salem is the CEO of Vorex, which was founded in 2007, and is one of the company's original founders. His career as a visionary business innovator spans more than 20 years. He has extensive experience in cloud computing, professional services automation (PSA), project management, small business IT solutions, and risk management. He has directed the company's growth, while developing and implementing Vorex's vision and business strategy. Prior to founding Vorex, he was an assistant vice president for Bank of America, managing the development and maintenance of several critical areas such as financial transfer systems, credit bureau and credit card production. He was also responsible for managing a workforce, located across multiple states and countries. He also held positions at Sprint, as well as ExxonMobil Corporation.
Website: http://www.vorex.com
Media Contact: Chris Navalta, [email protected]

Integrated Marketing Solutions for Client Relationship Management (CRM)
Chris Guido
Senior Business Software Consultant
Miles Technologies
"Project management and strategic business analysis are critical components in the success or failure of any integrated marketing solution. Helping an enterprise empower its online marketing, manage marketing campaigns and generate quality leads is a critical component in delivering effective CRM."
Guido provides consultation and recommendations to clients across a wide variety of industries for improving business processes, company analytics and reporting, and software and technology optimization. Highly respected for his expertise, he performs advanced analysis of client business operations, identifying areas of need and implementing technology solutions. An Advanced QuickBooks Pro Advisor and SalesForce Partner Administrator, he works with clients to identify and implement packaged software solutions for improving the overall efficiency of business operations.  He is a true project champion, working with clients to oversee data migration, system configuration, workflow improvements, enhanced reporting and training.  Focusing on his CRM expertise, he provides project management and strategic business analysis to clients of Miles Technologies. Deploying a host of successful projects and programs, he stays cutting edge on the latest CRM technologies while engaging project stakeholders in a truly collaborative experience.
Website: http://www.milestechnologies.com
Media Contact: Marie Alonso, [email protected]

Optimizing Technology To Expand Business Performance
Ryan Armstrong
Director of IT Support
Miles Technologies
"Businesses will optimize technology today if they have strong leadership for network configurations, design and support for hosted solutions and project champions to facilitate technology adoptions. Today's businesses can achieve more by optimizing technology, particularly creating an infrastructure that supports the growing demand for mobile workforce flexibility and cloud computing."
Armstrong leads the company's Mission Control hub, solving issues and creating new technology opportunities for diverse clients. He holds enterprise-level certifications from Citrix (CCEA) and Microsoft (MCIPT). His range of tasks include everything from troubleshooting, providing leadership for network configurations, design and support for hosted solutions and expert leadership in cloud-based offerings. Ryan has exceptional experience in hosted solutions, managing servers for web-based applications, hosted email solutions and server-based application delivery technologies. He has led projects on Citrix XenAPP and Microsoft Terminal Services. In addition to leading five highly experienced IT teams, he is also responsible for spam filtering measures; ensuring clients of Miles Technologies are receiving the most distinguished levels of care for their emails.
Website: http://www.milestechnologies.com
Media Contact: Marie Alonso, [email protected]

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/

• Social Media Editor - The Wall Street Journal (NY)
• Senior Writer - The Fiscal Times (DC)
• Freelance Correspondent - Bloomberg BNA (CA)

See more listings here.

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 at [email protected]

• THE EDITOR-FREELANCER RELATIONSHIP: 5 TIPS FOR MAKING IT WORK. At a recent Press Club of Cleveland event, a panel discussed how they find freelancers and shared valuable advice on working with editors: http://prn.to/1jvx2yK
• GRAMMAR HAMMER: FOR ALL INTENTS AND PURPOSES. Have you been saying the phrase, "for all intensive purposes" all these years? You're not alone. Linguistically, "for all intensive purposes" is called an "eggcorn." That's when a phrase has a meaning that is different from the original intended phrase, but plausible in the same context. Read more as Cathy Spicer, aka Grammar Hammer breaks it down: http://prn.to/1tLCSEg
• JOURNALIST SPOTLIGHT: LOS ANGELES TIMES' CATHARINE HAMM. In this edition of SPOTLIGHT, we caught up with Catharine Hamm, travel editor at the Los Angeles Times. Read on the hear about her exciting career, as well as her advice to people pitching stories: http://prn.to/1lOCjsb

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