ProfNet Experts Available on Tax Deferrals, Open-Source Business, More
Also in This Edition: Jobs for Writers and Media Industry Blog Posts
NEW YORK, July 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
- Unlearning Your Tax-Deferral Reflex
- Mobile Programs That Can Improve Your Mood
- Protecting Your Online Accounts From Data Breaches
- Benefits of the Open-Source Business Model
- Learning from Business Missteps
- Mexico's Energy Overhaul Moving Forward
- So Long Paper Driving Log, Hello Smartphone
- Tackling Tax-Avoiding 'Inversions' Not So Easy
- Non-Competes Pose Issues for Relocating Execs
- Leveraged Lending Under Scrutiny
MEDIA JOBS
- Sports Reporter - The Daily Journal (NJ)
- Reporter/Editor - The Lake Gazette (MO)
- Assistant Managing Editor - Reminder Publications (MA)
OTHER NEWS & RESOURCES
- Media 411: Buzzfeed's Best Media Lists
- ProfNet Success Story: Crystal Cooper, Porter Novelli
- Grammar Hammer: Validated by "Weird Al'
EXPERT ALERTS:
Unlearning Your Tax-Deferral Reflex
Bijan Golkar, CFP
Vice President/Senior Advisor
FPC Investment Advisory, Inc.
For decades, we investors have been encouraged to defer the taxes we pay -- by investment companies, by our employers, by financial advisors, and even by the government that's supposed to be collecting those taxes. But when it comes to taxes, every rule has exceptions. The higher your age and the greater the assets in your tax-deferred retirement account (or accounts), the greater the risk that your deferral reflex will backfire, leaving you to fight an uphill tax battle in your golden years. Says Golkar: "Tax-deferred saving usually serves us well when we're younger. But as retirement age approaches, the need for more careful tax planning becomes critical. And that can require you to unlearn the deferral reflex."
Golkar has been quoted in The Wall Street Journal, U.S. News & World Report, Yahoo Finance, The Fiscal Times, Bankrate and DepositAccounts.com. He is located in San Francisco.
ProfNet Profile: http://www.profnetconnect.com/bijangolkar
Website: http://www.FPCWealth.com
Media Contact: Steve Garmhausen, [email protected]
Mobile Programs That Can Improve Your Mood
Dr. Dave Sharar
Managing Director
Chestnut Global Health
"Preclinical and clinical depression taken together represent a costly and significant problem in the workplace. At least 19 million Americans suffer depression each year, while many more experience seemingly unprovoked mood changes that negatively affect well-being, cloud judgment and impair performance. While corporate wellness programs have been incorporating mobile biometric apps to promote and track physical activity, i.e., FitBit, there's been scant attention given to apps or approaches that address mental health -- most likely because the ones available lack scientific validation."
Dr. Sharer brings a behavioral health perspective in discussing the emergence and efficacy of mobile mood management tools, and can convey what employers ought to look for in evaluating such tools, i.e., MoodHacker, a scientifically validated mobile intervention program. He would discuss how employers can optimize the efficacy of tools such as MoodHacker by incorporating it into a broader program of anxiety and depression counseling.
Dr. Sharer is managing director of Chestnut Global Partners (CGP), a provider of international employee assistance/well-being, expatriate support, and crisis intervention abroad in over 120 countries. He is also a research scientist with Chestnut's Division of Commercial Science, where he deploys scientific methodologies to help EAP firms and other workplace-based health programs evaluate their effectiveness. He has published more than 70 articles in peer reviewed journals and trade magazines on topics related to EAP effectiveness, outcomes, pricing, ethics, quality, purchaser education, delivery models, and reform in the field. He is on the editorial review board of the Journal of Workplace Behavioral Health, and the board of directors of the Employee Assistance Research Foundation. He also co-chairs the "EAP Group" for the National Behavioral Consortium, serves on the review committee for EAPA's Journal of Employee Assistance, and is a long-standing member of EASNA's Knowledge-Research-Transfer Committee. In 2011, he received the received the "EAPA Member of the Year Award."
ProfNet Profile: http://www.profnetconnect.com/chestnutglobal/
Website: http://www.chestnutglobalpartners.org
Media Contact: Charles Epstein, [email protected]
Protecting Your Online Accounts From Data Breaches
Alex Pezold
CEO
TokenEx
"Users of any online/e-commerce solution should monitor all of their accounts very carefully, especially when they're storing their payment card data with that entity. While there is a tremendous convenience in having your payment card data on file, that convenience comes at a risk – particularly in protecting your own account information from phishing attacks and other nefarious activities."
Pezold is available to discuss data breaches, tokenization, cloud computing, cloud storage, cc vaulting and data vaulting. He is currently a CISSP, holds CNSS Certifications, and obtained his masters of science in computer science with emphasis in information security from the University of Tulsa in Tulsa, OK.
Website: http://www.tokenex.com
Media Contact: Genevieve Malandra, [email protected]
Benefits of the Open-Source Business Model
Todd Ross Nienkerk
Managing Partner
Four Kitchens
"Working in an open-source business, I'm frequently asked about the benefits of open source. The way I explain it to most people is like this: The open-source business model is service-driven, and the closed-source model is product-driven. Those who don't understand the open-source business model often wonder, 'Why would I pay someone to do something I can figure out myself?' The answer is, simply enough, because most people don't have the time or inclination to do so. Plumbing, for example, isn't particularly difficult, but very few people handle it personally. How many of us fix our own leaky toilets or dripping faucets? We don't want to and we can pay someone else to do it for us. The same goes for open-source software: The service we provided is one most people are not willing or able to do on their own." Nienkerk has been involved in the Web design and publishing industry since the early days of the Web in 1996. In 2006, he co-founded Four Kitchens, a Web design and development consultancy firm that builds big websites with open-source software and agile methodologies. He often serves as a mentor for other companies within the Web industry, especially within the world of open source, where he is an active member of several open-source communities. In the last five years alone he has spoken at 35 conferences. The business leadership and progressive management philosophy he and his company demonstrate have garnered both local and national attention. Four Kitchens was recently featured in Forbes and named one of Austin's best places to work.
Website: http://www.fourkitchens.com
Media Contact: Leslie Silver, [email protected]
Learning from Business Missteps
Kenneth Jennings
CEO and Founder
Mr. Rekey
"Mistakes made in the course of running a business are sometimes minor, yet costly. When making these errors there are two typical ways that individuals handle them; those who have a fixed mindset and think they'll never be good at what they're doing, then try to throw out the mistake altogether. And those who have a progressive attitude and view an misstep as more of a wake-up call, identifying what went wrong and then adjusting accordingly. If a business is run with learning from early mistakes as a key principle, it will have the advantage over competitors who throw in the towel or unnecessarily let go of employees. CEOs and entrepreneurs must recognize that failures and mistakes are all part of starting and growing a business, and learn to move past them in a positive and enlightened way."
Jennings, a lifelong serial entrepreneur, has founded more than 40 businesses in the last 35 years. He can speak to entrepreneurs who move forward on every great idea, and more importantly, learn to never take no as an answer. He is the founder of America's largest residential locksmith, Mr. Rekey, a company dedicated to providing the highest quality and most professional commercial and residential locksmith services. Founded by a single father nearly 18 years ago, Mr. Rekey is today considered one of the fastest growing franchises in America. Jennings has been featured on FOX Business as well as CNN Money.
Website: http://www.rekey.com
Media Contact: Leslie Silver, [email protected]
Mexico's Energy Overhaul Moving Forward
Gabriel Ruiz
Attorney
Thompson & Knight in Monterrey
"Mexico's Senate recently approved most of the rules and regulations designed to open its energy markets and diminish the monopoly held by Petroleos Mexicanos (Pemex) since 1938. The action is the latest victory for President Enrique Pena Nieto, who has made energy industry reform a cornerstone of his economic agenda. The enacting legislation is extremely important because it continues to detail the framework for oil and gas contracts with non-domestic investors, and defines the authority and scope of action of the regulatory agencies that will supervise and sanction the markets. The legislation gives Pemex flexibility to partner with private companies and will gradually require both Pemex and the national utility CFE to operate as competitive firms."
Media Contact: Barry Pound, [email protected]
So Long Paper Driving Log, Hello Smartphone
Bill Chamblee
Trucking Defense Lawyer
Chamblee, Ryan, Kershaw & Anderson, P.C. in Dallas
"Smartphones and tablets likely will play a key role in helping trucking companies and truckers track their miles in the near future. Realizing that more than 60 percent of the U.S. population uses smartphones already, the Federal Motor Carrier Administration has decided the time is now for drivers to use that technology to help them comply with Hours of Service Regulations and other rules. The new rules, if enacted, will create a new means of logging miles for drivers and carriers in hopes of reducing driver fatigue while lowering costs and increasing safety."
Media Contact: Dave Moore, [email protected]
Tackling Tax-Avoiding 'Inversions' Not So Easy
Tim Devetski
Federal Tax and International Business Transaction Attorney
Sidley Austin LLP in Houston
The biggest takeover deal so far this year – pharmaceutical giant AbbVie's $54 billion acquisition of Shire – once again involves an "inversion" structure that uses reincorporation and other strategies to dramatically reduce a company's U.S. taxes. AbbVie, headquartered near Chicago, says it will reincorporate in Shire's home base of Britain. Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew and several members of Congress have called for legislation to stop inversions. Says Devetski: "But it's not as simple as closing a loophole in the tax code. It could require a new definition of 'residency' for companies, which raises a host of questions. And that's only the starting point. Many believe fundamental tax reform is the best way to address inversions, but it seems unlikely Congress will tackle that anytime soon. So it seems probable that we will continue to see more of these in the future."
Devetski, a partner in the Houston office of Sidley Austin, specializes in federal tax law and international business transactions.
Bio: http://www.sidley.com/timothy-devetski/
Website: http://www.sidley.com
Media Contact: Kit Frieden, [email protected]
Non-Competes Pose Issues for Relocating Execs
Joe Ahmad
Executive Employment Lawyer
Ahmad, Zavitsanos, Anaipakos, Alavi & Mensing, or AZA, in Houston
"The recent influx of California companies to Texas means that executives who are relocating to the Lone Star State may be asked to enter into a covenant not to compete. Such agreements are generally unenforceable in California, but that's not the case in Texas. Some people think because Texas is a 'right to work' state that they have the right to work, but that's not really what it means. Executives relocating from California to Texas will want to take a magnifying glass to any non-compete they're asked to sign. The courts will often enforce it if the terms are considered 'reasonable' in scope, geography and time. The time to negotiate those terms is on the front end, before you sign it. You don't want your personal 'right to work' to be infringed more than is absolutely necessary."
Media Contact: Amy Hunt, [email protected]
Leveraged Lending Under Scrutiny
Angela Fontana
Corporate Finance Lawyer
Sidley Austin LLP in Dallas
"Lending for highly leveraged buyouts is under increasing scrutiny from financial regulators, raising questions about whether the pace of lending and acquisitions will continue in the second half of 2014 and beyond. U.S. regulators are using stronger language in compliance with the Leveraged Lending Guidance unveiled in 2013. Over the past six months, we have seen more regulatory focus on the guidance. During that time, enforcement has become increasingly stringent, despite lingering questions about the scope and application of the guidance. Moreover, enforcement has been somewhat inconsistent between regulators and among examiners, leaving the industry with mixed messages. We are starting to see banks lending more conservatively in the highly leveraged lending space and, in some circumstances, walking away from deals. The natural consequence is that financial institutions and debt funds that are not under the same regulatory oversight are poised, and already have begun, to step into the breach."
Media Contact: Robert Tharp, [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/
- Sports Reporter - The Daily Journal (NJ)
- Reporter/Editor - The Lake Gazette (MO)
- Assistant Managing Editor - Reminder Publications (MA)
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]
- MEDIA 411: BUZZFEED'S BEST MEDIA LISTS. Buzzfeed lists are everywhere, bringing fits of laughter to all who read them and admire their wit and cleverness. The ones most humorous are the ones to which we can relate so Here's a roundup of Buzzfeed's most hilarious lists associated with media and journalism. You're almost sure to find yourself in at least one of these. http://prn.to/1l1twxE
- PROFNET SUCCESS STORY: CRYSTAL COOPER, PORTER NOVELLI. We recently caught up with ProfNet member, Crystal Cooper, a senior account executive at public relations firm, Porter Novelli. She shared how she continues to gain media exposure for her clients using ProfNet, and also provided some tips for those responding to queries. Check out her story: http://prn.to/1rDInpr
- GRAMMAR HAMMER: VALIDATED BY 'WEIRD AL.' We counted ten grammar topics in "Word Crimes" that have already been covered by Grammar Hammer. Thank you, Weird Al Yankovic, for showing us that you can be stunningly creative and still employ good grammar to get your point across. Are you a stickler for grammar? Check out Grammar Hammer's take, as well as a link to an interview with Yankovic himself: http://prn.to/1pzKbea
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