ProfNet Experts Available on Workforce Conflict, Estate Planning, Vaccinating Workers, More

NEW YORK, Feb. 9, 2015 /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.

If you are in need of additional experts, you can also submit a query to the hundreds of thousands of experts in our network. You can filter your request by institution type and geographic location to get the most targeted responses. The best part? It's free! Just fill out the query form to get started: http://bit.ly/findexperts?tc=expertalerts.

If you have any questions or need assistance with any aspect of ProfNet, please drop us a note at [email protected].

EDITOR'S NOTE

• How Do You Use Mobile in Your Reporting?

EXPERT ALERTS

• Importance of Knowing Difference Between 'Creative Tension' and Workforce Conflict
• How Best to Enhance Information, Data, and Technology Adoption
• Don't Overlook Trade Secret Theft at Home
• No Estate Planning Detail Too Small
• Stable Oil Prices = Good Buys, More Mergers
• Booming Houston Real Estate Hits Pause Button
• Can Workers Be Required to Vaccinate?

MEDIA JOBS

• Culture Editor – Boston.com (MA)
• Staff Reporter – Chalkbeat Tennessee (TN)
• Freelance Writer – The Advocate (LA)

OTHER NEWS & RESOURCES

• Jill Abramson's Reinvention: The Art of Coming out on Top
• 5 Tips for Journalists Transitioning to PR
• PR Newswire's Media Moves: Feb. 9 Edition

EDITOR'S NOTE:

To better understand how members of the media use mobile devices (phones or tablets) to produce stories, PR Newswire for Journalists is asking users to participate in a quick, eight-question survey. The survey will remain open until Feb. 15: http://bit.ly/prnjmobile

EXPERT ALERTS:

Importance of Knowing Difference Between 'Creative Tension' and Workforce Conflict
Dani Kimlinger
HR/OD Leader
MINES & Associates
There's a fine line between creative tension and genuine conflict, and not all organizations have the capability to discern the difference. Serious personality differences, even legitimate professional differences, can place an organization under tremendous strain, draining critical resources and energy. If not handled in a timely, discrete and professional fashion, tensions can escalate, affecting not just the parties directly involved, but the entire workforce, creating a charged, divisive environment as battle lines are drawn. Says Kimlinger: "If not 'caught' early, conflict can spread and turn the workplace toxic. Outside mediation, when brought in at the right time, can lower the stress, move all parties toward more harmonious ground, and limit "collateral damage" -- from an unfocused workforce to the loss of top leadership talent."
ProfNet Profile: http://www.profnetconnect.com/danikimlinger  
Website: http://www.minesandassociates.com
Media Contact: Charles Epstein, [email protected]

How Best to Enhance Information, Data, and Technology Adoption
Will Jan
VP and Lead Analyst
Outsell, Inc.
In regards to S&P paying $1.37 billion for the crisis-era lawsuit settlement: "This is a long-time brewing, and Wall Street treated the initial U.S. Department of Justice suit with a yawn. Recently, MHFI reached a settlement with the US SEC ($58 million to the SEC, and $19 million each to New York and Massachusetts), which is hardly a 'slap on the wrist,' given what happened during the mortgage crisis/market meltdown. So this $1 billion may be the wakeup call the CRAs need."
Jan is available to discuss primary and secondary research and analysis, financial management governance, risk and compliance management, enterprise performance management, information lifecycle management, business intelligence, analytics disruptive innovation, ROI assessment, the business process and technology consulting industry, benchmarking company valuation and assessment, and demand generation sales enablement.
Media Contact: Derek Beckwith, [email protected]

Don't Overlook Trade Secret Theft at Home
Joe Ahmad
Executive Employment Lawyer
Ahmad, Zavitsanos, Anaipakos, Alavi & Mensing P.C., or AZA in Houston
Recent high-profile security breaches have made major headlines and caused other businesses to fear losing their trade secrets to a nefarious underworld of hackers. And while such attacks target far more than company trade secrets (in particular, customer credit card numbers and other tools for ID theft), too many companies ignore the potential trade secret thieves hiding in plain sight. Says Ahmad: "When it comes to trade secrets, the biggest threat isn't North Korea, but employees who have access to companies' confidential information. All an employee has to do is hold on to a confidential document or download it to her computer. She doesn't need to hack into your system to steal your trade secrets. That's why companies need to pay just as much attention to who has access to what information as they do to ensuring their cybersecurity is up to snuff."
Media Contact: Amy Hunt, [email protected]

No Estate Planning Detail Too Small
Robert McGuire
Estate Planning Attorney
Godwin Lewis PC in Dallas
Entertainment icon Robin Williams tried hard to anticipate everyone's needs in his estate plan, which included a trust with his three children as the beneficiaries, and a separate trust leaving his current wife with their home and financial support. However, despite his best intentions, the document was not detailed enough to avoid a battle between his loved ones. Says McGuire: "When a high-net-worth individual dies, financial disputes are almost expected. But it appears Williams had tried to avoid that, going so far as to specify that his children receive assets including 'jewelry' and 'memorabilia.' But what does 'memorabilia' actually mean, especially when the items are at the house left to his widow? On the face of it, it was a good plan, but the devil is in the details when dealing with sentiment because it doesn't really matter if a watch is worth $50,000 or $5 when it is the one that Dad wore every day. The last, best gift you can give your family is to provide specifics explaining what you want each person to receive."
Media Contact: Rhonda Reddick, [email protected]

Stable Oil Prices = Good Buys, More Mergers
Hunter White
Oil, Gas and Energy Transactions Attorney
Thompson & Knight LLP in Houston
Believe it or not, Houston, there are winners when oil prices fall. Among them are the companies and investors able to pick up good deals. Industry experts project an increase in mergers and acquisitions once oil prices settle -- possibly as early as March or the second quarter. Says White: "When crude prices are very volatile, as they were last quarter, it's not uncommon to see M&A activity shelved because it's hard for buyers and sellers to place a value on assets. However, once prices stabilize, we would expect to see M&A activity pick back up in a significant way. There is still a lot of money on the sidelines, ready to invest in oil and gas, and those with cash should see a solid buyer's market. There also will be some sellers who may have over-extended themselves on large shale acquisitions and now may be forced to cut some of their losses and sell. Whether prices go up or come down, there will always be buyers and sellers, and there will be opportunities."
Media Contact: Kit Frieden, [email protected]

Booming Houston Real Estate Hits Pause Button
Alfred M. Meyerson
Real Estate Attorney
Thompson & Knight LLP in Houston
The oil-fueled building boom in Houston is cooling down fast. Some already-announced luxury apartments and office towers are now being delayed, and ground that should have been broken now sits undisturbed. Many in real estate, development and construction are starting to wonder how long this respite will last. Says Meyerson: "A number of deals and buildings have been put on hold. Some of the more active lenders have pulled back. But mostly what's going on right now is that everyone has simply hit the pause button. It's still too soon to know exactly how much of a slowdown is ahead. At the same time, real estate development work is moving full-speed ahead with Houston's health care providers, retailers in general, and the industrial sector anywhere near the Port of Houston." Meyerson has 30 years of experience in the Houston real estate market.
Media Contact: Kit Frieden, [email protected]

Can Workers Be Required to Vaccinate?
Audrey Mross
Employment Lawyer
Munck Wilson Mandala in Dallas
As measles cases spread across the U.S., concerned employers face a patchwork of federal and state laws that can put them at legal risk if they require workers to be vaccinated. Lacking clear guidance from regulators, employers are wise to tread lightly, even if only asking workers whether they or their family members have been vaccinated. Says Mross: "Even in health care or food service jobs, workers cannot be forced to have vaccinations in every instance. Without clarity in the legal landscape, a better course of action is to advise workers that they should stay home if they know they have been exposed to or are currently infected with a contagious disease. Employers also should revisit paid time-off policies so that ill workers do not feel compelled to work for economic reasons."
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/

• Culture Editor – Boston.com (MA)
• Staff Reporter – Chalkbeat Tennessee (TN)
• Freelance Writer – The Advocate (LA)

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.

• JILL ABRAMSON'S REINVENTION: THE ART OF COMING OUT ON TOP. New York Women in Communications hosted a one-on-one interview last week with Jill Abramson and NBC News' Erica Hill. The interview covered Abramson's departure from the New York Times, how she reinvented herself after her very-public dismissal, her journalism startup with Steven Brill, and her advice for women on how to get what they deserve: http://prn.to/1Dtod3s
• TIPS FOR JOURNALISTS TRANSITIONING TO PR: A journalism background can be a huge asset when starting a PR career – but, like any job change, PR has a learning curve. Here are five tips for journalists planning to make the move in 2015: http://prn.to/1CvccxH
• PR NEWSWIRE'S MEDIA MOVES: FEB. 9 EDITION. PR Newswire's weekly audience research newsletter, PR Newswire's Media Moves, is chock-full of media news and job changes. In this week's issue, you'll read updates on Money, Silicon Valley Business Journal, NPR, Star Tribune, Bon Appetit, People, Washington Post, New York Times and more: http://prn.to/1BPvitl

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