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Russian 4G MVNO Yota, which provides services over the network infrastructure of its parent company MegaFon, has revealed that its user base has passed the one million mark. Company spokeswoman Lina Udovenko told ComNews that this figure refers to SIM cards only, and excludes USB modems and routers that are connected to the network. Further, around 50% of the SIM cards are registered in Moscow and Saint Petersburg she said, with the remainder spread across Yota’s 52-city footprint. Following its August 2014 re-launch as an MVNO, Yota’s management team declared that the company is targeting ten million customers within five years.
Elsewhere in Russia, Aiva Mobile, owned by Russian long-distance operator Multiregional Transit Telecom (MTT), has reportedly initiated 3G connectivity in Moscow and the surrounding region. According to ComNews, the development represents a new facet of the MVNO’s existing wholesale deal with Mobile TeleSystems (MTS). In April this year Aiva Mobile, which operates in both Russia and Tajikistan, revealed that it had suspended its expansion plans, with SIM cards restricted to Moscow and Saint Petersburg. Planned commercial launches in 13 additional cities were postponed until 2016. Going forward, the company expects to reach its original 100,000 subscriber target by end-2015. The brand, which is aimed at ethnic communities of the former Soviet Union, primarily in Central Asia, could yet be expanded to Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan, as previously planned. Meanwhile, an additional Aiva-branded MVNO has also been envisioned for Finland, albeit using a different business model.
Meanwhile, over in the US, Voyager Mobile has announced that it will stop providing services on 9 September. In confirming the shutdown of its MVNO business, the company has noted that it was unable to keep up with the increasing price competition in the market. Voyager started marketing its low-cost plans in May 2012, using the Sprint Corp network.
On a more positive note, Sprint MVNO TextNow is expanding its distribution by partnering with Fry’s Electronics and accepting cash payments for its service at more than 10,000 locations nationwide. According to Fierce Wireless, TextNow, which operates a Wi-Fi-first service, hopes to make it easier for credit-challenged customers to pay their monthly bills by accepting cash payments across the country. Further, TextNow is also ‘deemphasising’ the Touch Mobile pre-paid brand, which it launched in September 2014, according to the report.
Finally, ASPIDER-NGI has announced that it has secured mezzanine funding from Dutch insurance firm Delta Lloyd to support continued growth and acquisitions. ASPIDER-NGI said that it is initially leveraging the funding to complete its previously announced acquisition of Solavei, a self-styled ‘social commerce network’ offering MVNO services in the US.
We welcome your feedback about MVNO Monday. If you have any questions, topic suggestions, or corrections, please email firstname.lastname@example.org
TeleGeography’s GlobalComms Database is now home to the telecoms industry’s fastest-growing collection of MVNO data, covering more than 50 countries and 100 virtual operators. If you would like to find out more, please email email@example.com


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J. Michael Pearson is a Canadian American pharmaceutical company executive, who was the chairman and CEO of the publicly traded Laval-based Valeant Pharmaceuticals International, until he was replaced in April 2016 by Joseph C. Papa. On April 27, 2016 Pearson, Bill Ackman and Howard Schiller appeared before the United States Senate Special Committee on Aging to answer concerns about the repercussions for patients and the health care system faced with Valeant's business model.
Valeant Pharmaceuticals International:
Before taking over as Valeant CEO in 2008, Pearson worked for them as outside consultant in 2007. In 2008, Pearson began implementing his strategy by selling off portions of Valeant's European business to Meda AB, In 2010, Valeant and the Canadian-headquartered company Biovail agreed to merge, with the resulting company being called Valeant and being headquartered in Ontario Pearson was named CEO of the new company and then, in March 2011, he was appointed chairman of the board. The Biovail merger, by headquartering the company in Canada, allowed the company to reduce its tax rate to approximately 5% Later, Valeant would be called upon to testify before Congress, along with Burger King, about how its tax inversion potentially gave it a competitive advantage over American companies. A New York Times article credits Pearson's "tough tactics" for the financial success of the "fast-growing" Valeant Pharmaceuticals International. The article also highlights the criticism that Valeant Pharmaceuticals controversial strategy has attracted from patients finding themselves unable to afford drugs after price hikes by Valeant. This pricing controversy was originally raised when Senator Bernie Sanders and Representative Elijah Cummings sent a letter to Valeant seeking justification for huge price increases it took on two life-saving drugs, Nitropress and Isuprel. The company had raised the price of Isuprel by almost six times and the price of Nitropress by over three times. Shortly after, Democratic members of Congress attempted to subpoena Valeant for this information. As CEO, Pearson's business strategy was to eliminate "risky and inefficient" Research and Development to the equivalent of "only 3 percent of its sales" whereas "traditional big drug companies spend 15 to 20 percent of sales on research and development". Instead he acquired dozens of companies with existing drugs and saved money by laying off their employees. This model worked and Valeant's stock price rose by over 1000%. By 2013, under Pearson's tenure, Valeant was the largest pharmaceutical company in Canada. By 2015 Pearson had "nearly $3USD billion in stock and options" in Valeant, with "the potential to own hundreds of millions of dollars more." Since Pearson became CEO Valeant shares "have returned more than 2,300 per cent" making Valeant the "most valuable" and the best performer on the Toronto Stock Exchange. By July 2015 Valeant's market capitalization was $CDN 113-billion which is about $4-billion more than the Royal Bank of Canada. However, by October of that same year, following negative press about its pricing tactics and a particularly negative analyst report from Citron Research, Valeant's stock dropped to approximately $CDN 78-billion.
In a conference call with Valeant investors on October 19, Pearson announced changes in Valeant's business strategy. They will spend "more on research and development and less on acquisitions of smaller drug makers" and there will be "minimal price increases on its products" in 2016.
Pearson was hospitalized on December 25 and was treated for severe pneumonia. Valeant's board created an office of the Chief Executive Officer to immediately take over his duties and a supporting committee to oversee the office of the CEO. The committee includes Robert Ingram, president of ValueAct Capital Mason Morfit and former Valeant CFO Howard Schiller. According to Reuters, following the announcement Valeant shares fell "10.5 percent to $102.14" on the New York Stock Exchange after its stock had already fallen more than 60 percent since August. Industry critics claim that since Valeant has suffered from credibility issues over the pricing controversy and is still not on solid ground, the company needs strong decisive leadership not a "cumbersome" committee.
On February 29, 2016, Pearson returned to the now controversial company. On March 15, shares in the company collapsed by 50 percent following a disastrous earnings call fronted by Pearson. On March 21, 2016 Valeant reported that CEO Pearson would be leaving the company, a decision reported by CNBC that "was not mutual". The company also reported that former Chief Financial Officer Howard Schiller was to blame for "improper conduct" and requested he resign from the board of directors, which Mr. Schiller declined to do. "Circular Firing Squad Emerges" was how Piper Jaffray & Co analysts led by David Amsellem put it.
On April 13, 2016 it was announced that Pearson would be deposed from his position as CEO of Valeant on April 18, 2016. The removal was ordered by the Senate Special Committee on Aging who have been probing the soaring price of prescription drugs. Pearson initially fought the decision though Valeant's board directed him to comply.
Valeant's conversion to a Canadian company via the Valeant/Biovail merger in 2010 allowed the company to reduce its corporate tax rate to approximately 5%. Congress used Burger King and Valeant as examples of companies with tax advantages in a July 2015 investigation of corporate taxation. The investigation primarily focused on the advantage that foreign companies have in acquiring American companies due to their low tax rates and members of Congress suggested that many of the deals by foreign companies, including Valeant, relied upon tax advantages to be completed. During the testimony, Valeant CFO Howard Schiller stated that "Valeant does not take into account tax synergies in either identifying or pricing potential acquisition targets", but articles suggested this was in contrast to previous comments made by Pearson, including a comment made during Valeant's pursuit of Allergan in a hostile takeover attempt when he was quoted as saying "no other potential acquirer of Allergan has the...tax synergies we have".
When pharmaceutical pricing tactics became a topic for the press and politicians in 2015, Valeant's price increase history became a major focus, with investigations revealing that the company had taken substantial price increases on many products from 2013 through 2015, including two products that it acquired and then raised the price on substantially. In response to inquiries about these price increases, Valeant's company spokesperson said "Our duty is to our shareholders and to maximize value". This sentiment was later echoed by Pearson, who said "My primary responsibility is to Valeant shareholders. We can do anything we want to do".
Pearson agreed to appear before a Senate committee investigating the matter in April 2016.
Many have accused Pearson's strategy at Valeant of being a roll-up dependent on acquisitions and aggressive accounting tactics while others claim it is not. As Valeant's debt reached roughly $30 billion by 2016 concerns continued to be raised about accounting practices. Notable critics of Valeant and its accounting practices include Jim Chanos, who predicted the fall of Enron, Herb Greenberg, John Hempton, Charlie Munger, Jim Grant, AZ Value Investing and Citron Research. Notable defenders of Valeant against these allegations include activist investors Bill Ackman and Jeffrey Ubben. Valeant defended itself against these allegations in an SEC filing in October 2015.
Pearson was the highest paid CEO in Canada in 2015, receiving US$182.9 million during a period when Valeant's share price fell by 30%.
Born : 15 November 1955 (age 60)
Nationality : Indian
Ethnicity : Malayali
Occupatio : Founder & MD of Lulu Hypermarket
Net worth : Increase US$5 billion (2016)
Religion : Islam
Spouse(s) : Shabira Yusuff Ali
Awards : Padma Shri (2008)
Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award (2005)
Commander of the Syriac Orthodox Church
Yusuff Ali M.A. is an Indian businessman from Nattika in Thrissur district of Kerala. He is the Managing Director of Abu Dhabi-headquartered EMKE LuLu Group of companies that owns the Lulu Hypermarket chain in Middle East. With an annual turnover of US $5.5 billion globally, LuLu Group International employs the largest number of Indians outside India. According to the recent Forbes Listing, Yusuff Ali is currently the 24th wealthiest Indian and the 737th richest in the world, with a personal wealth of $4.3 billion. He had acquired 4.99 per cent shares of the 93-year-old Thrissur-based Catholic Syrian Bank (CSB) and has increased his stake in the Kerala-based Federal Bank to 4.47 per cent. He was in the news recently for the purchase of Scotland Yard Building.
EMKE Group (LuLu Group International):
The EMKE Group alias LuLu Group International commenced its operations as a family business venture. After joining the business, Yusuff Ali diversified the business to include import and distribution of frozen products from Europe and the US. The products were available not only in Abu Dhabi but also in the interiors of the Emirates too. The business was soon expanded to include both food & non-food categories. The group also started cold storages, meat and food processing plants, large-scale import and distribution to hotel groups, catering companies, and shipping services. By the 1980s, the group had a sizeable share of the wholesale and retail food market in the UAE.
The Group headquartered in Abu Dhabi has grown into an international group with operations spread over three continents. EMKE Group’s flagship retail chain of LuLu Hypermarkets and Supermarkets is currently rated as one of the major players in the Middle East retail sector with more than 100 stores in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Arab states. Apart from the hypermarkets, supermarkets and department stores, the group also owns several shopping malls, namely, Khalidiyah Mall, Al Raha Mall, Al Wahda Mall, Mushriff Mall, Madinat Zayed Mall, Mazyad Mall, Ramli Mall, RAK Mall, Al Foah Mall, and Al Khor Mall, spread across the GCC states. LuLu Shopping Mall in Kochi, Kerala was opened on 10 March 2013. It is the group’s first retail venture in India. Another ambitious project in progress is the Riyadh Avenue Mall in Saudi Arabia. The Group has a vast organizational structure of over 35,600 employees, representing 37 different nationalities, out of which more than 28,900 are Indians. Retail business is the mainstay of the Group with operations in major Middle East and African countries like UAE, Oman, Qatar, Kuwait, Yemen, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Egypt and Kenya having Retail Sourcing and manufacturing bases located in Far East, India, Africa and Guangzhou in China. Indian operations mainly include Food Processing, Export of Food & Non food products and convention center with bases in Delhi, Lucknow, Mumbai, Chennai, Cochin and Trichur.
Deloitte has ranked the Group as one of the ten fastest growing retailers in the world. Planet Retail UK has also ranked the Group as the No.1 Hypermarket chain in the region
Lagadapati Madhusudhan Rao is an Indian businessman and the Executive Chairman of Lanco Infratech, and the brother of Lagadapati Rajagopal. Forbes listed him as the 29th richest Indian with a net worth of $2.3 billion
Born in Guntur in Andhra Pradesh in 1966, Madhusudhan Rao completed a BE from V.R Siddhartha Engineering College, Vijayawada, and an ME in design engineering from PSG College of Technology, Coimbatore. He went on to earn another MS degree in industrial engineering from Wayne State University, Detroit, USA.
Subsequently, He also had a brief stint in various aspects of Quality Management at Waggner Corporation in the United States.On his return, Madhusudhan Rao joined the team in building up Lanco Industries Limited near Tirupati, in Andhra Pradesh. He became the Managing Director of the company in 1992. He became the Executive Chairman of Lanco Infratech Limited in 2002. Under his leadership, Lanco Infratech has emerged as one of India's fastest growing business conglomerates. According to Forbes magazine, he stands at No. 29 among the richest persons in India.
Marillyn A. Hewson (born c. 1954) is Chairwoman, President and Chief Executive Officer of Lockheed Martin. In 2015, Hewson was named the 20th most powerful woman in the world by Forbes.
Hewson was born in Junction City, Kansas. She earned her Bachelor of Science degree in business administration and her Master of Arts degree in economics from the University of Alabama. She also attended the Columbia Business School and Harvard Business School executive development programs.
Hewson joined Lockheed Martin in 1983. She has held a variety of increasingly responsible executive positions with the company, including President and Chief Operating Officer, and Executive Vice President of Lockheed Martin’s Electronic Systems business area. On November 9, 2012 she was elected to Lockheed Martin’s Board of Directors. She has been the CEO since January 2013. She also serves on the Board of directors for Sandia National Laboratories since 2010 and DuPont since 2007. Since becoming CEO in 2013, Lockheed's market cap has doubled.
In July 2015, Hewson announced the purchase of Sikorsky Aircraft, the producers of Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters, giving Lockheed its own helicopter building capability. Hewson has also shifted more company efforts towards building military hardware.
In 2010, 2011, 2012, and 2015 she was named by Fortune magazine as one of the "50 Most Powerful Women in Business". In the September 15, 2015 issue of Fortune magazine, Hewson was ranked 4th. She was named the 21st most powerful woman in the world by Forbes in 2014. She rose one spot to the 20th most powerful woman in the world in Forbes' 2015 ranking.
Full Name : Marissa Ann Mayer
Born : 30th- May - 1975
Zodiac Sign : Gemini
Height : 173 CMS (5 Feet 8 Inches)
Birth Place : Wausau, Wisconsin
Country : USA
Education : Wausau West High School Wisconsin, Stanford University California
Occupation : CEO
Industry : Business
Net worth : $300 Million
Marissa Mayer was born on May 30, 1975 at Wausau, Wisconsin. Her father was an environmental engineer and her mother was an art teacher. Her dream was to study at the Stanford University. She fulfilled her dream by graduating from Stanford University with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Symbolic Systems and a Masters in Science in Computer Science. She was an extremely intelligent student and specialized in artificial intelligence at her university. She graduated from Wausau West High School in 1993, where she was outstanding at both math and science.
At school she was selected to attend the National Youth Science Camp, and that too recommended by the Governor of Wisconsin itself. As she had graduated out of a prestigious university like Stanford and was an honor student, she received more than 20 high paying job offers.
Early Career :
But she ignored these high profiles and chose to join a start-up company called Google in 1999. She was only the 20th employee at the company, and was paid far lesser than her credentials as it was just a start-up company. She worked for 13 years at the company. Her contributions have made Google to go from being a small start-up company to become a global super power and the No.1 internet company in the world today.
At Google she worked in the roles of designer, product manager, engineer and executive. She was involved in bringing out the most important products that Google had to offer. She has been involved in almost all the major projects of Google including Google Search, Google Images, Google News, iGoogle, Gmail, Google Maps, etc. In 2009, just 10 years after joining the company, she was made Vice-President of Search Products and User Experience. She has played an important role in taking a start-up like Google and to make it a $30 billion company in 2010.
But she touched the greatest point in her career, when she joined rival company Yahoo as their CEO and President. The company was losing its search users day by day and it was in a situation where it would have to close out in another year or so. The share price was stagnant at $20 per share. The company was facing huge competition from Google and many companies like Microsoft were trying to buy it out.
As a CEO of Yahoo :
Yahoo was facing its worst period, but Mayer had the perfect plan to get it back to the top. She started creating interest in the employees, changed the whole management and made Yahoo focus on the single goal of creating new products. Within a month, the results were visible.
Career Highlights :
By the end of 2013, the share price of Yahoo has reached a record $40 per share, which no one financial expert could have expected a few months back. As of 2013, Yahoo is the company with the highest profit percentage among the Fortune 500 companies at nearly 75%. It has total revenues of $5 billion, out of which $4 billion are profits. Marissa Mayer has been paid $120 million for her five year term at Yahoo.
As of today, her net worth is in excess of $320 million. She has made it to the list of America’s 50 Most Powerful Women in the World for six years in a row from 2008-2013. She has been named in the Time 100 in 2013, and is considered as one of the most powerful women in the world right now.
2011 - Whitney American Art, Centennial Teaching, Forsyth
2009 - Glamour Women of the Year for the Visionary
Mark Fields (born January 24, 1961) is an American businessman and has been the President and Chief Executive Officer of Ford Motor Company since July 1, 2014. Fields served as chief executive officer of Mazda from 1999 to 2002 during the period when Ford controlled Mazda, and was the chief operating officer for Ford Motor Company. Prior to that, as Ford's President of the Americas, Fields developed "The Way Forward" plan. He succeeded Alan Mulally as the company's President and CEO. Fields is the first Jewish CEO of a Detroit Three automobile manufacturer.
Early life, education, and family:
Fields was born in Brooklyn, New York to Gerald S. Fields, a purchasing manager, and Elinor Fields. Fields is of Romanian Jewish and Russian Jewish descent, and the Fields family original name was Finkelman. Fields grew up in Paramus, New Jersey, where he attended Paramus High School, graduating in 1979. Fields holds a Bachelor's degree in Economics from Rutgers University and a Masters in Business Administration from Harvard; he worked for IBM prior to earning his MBA. He is married to Jane Fields and has two sons, Max and Zach Fields. During his tenure at Mazda, Fields was the first Jewish CEO of a major automobile manufacturer outside of France.
Career in business:
Fields was recruited by Ford in 1989 and moved up the ranks. He ran Ford's Argentina operations at the age of 36. He became the youngest person (at 38) ever to run a major Japanese company when Ford placed him in charge of Mazda Motor Corporation in 1998. In 2002, Fields became chairman of the Premier Automotive Group, Ford's luxury unit which at the time included Lincoln, Aston Martin, Jaguar, Land Rover and Volvo Cars. He returned to the United States to head the Americas division of the company in October 2005. In a December 14, 2006, announcement made by Alan Mulally (Chief Executive of Ford Motor Company), Mark Fields, at 45, was named business unit chief of Ford Motor Company's Americas operations. This is an attempt to make the company leaner and more centrally driven in areas such as product development, purchasing and engineering.
On November 1, 2012, Ford announced the appointment of Fields as its new chief operating officer. He was named the President and CEO of Ford effective July 1, 2014, succeeding Alan Mulally.
Mark Parker (born 21 October 1955 in Poughkeepsie, New York) is the Chief Executive Officer of Nike, Inc., he was named the third CEO of the company in 2006.
Mark Parker was born in Poughkeepsie, New York to Bruce Parker and Elizabeth Parker. He earned his bachelor's degree in Political Science at Penn State University in 1977. He is married to Kathy Parker and has three children, Jennifer, Megan, and Matthew. He ran on the Penn State track and cross country teams.
Career at Nike:
Parker joined Nike in 1979 as a footwear designer based in its R&D facility in Exeter, New Hampshire. He became Division Vice President in charge of development in 1987, Corporate Vice President in 1989, General Manager in 1993, and Vice President of Global Footwear in 1998. Prior to becoming vice president of Nike, he served as co-president (with Charlie Denson) of the Nike brand beginning in March 2001. He still participates in shoe design, most notably on the Nike HTM project, creating limited edition footwear alongside Nike designer Tinker Hatfield and creative consultant Hiroshi Fujiwara. He has committed to ensuring that Nike remain environmentally conscious. After 10 years of work, Parker and his team launched the first "Green Shoe" that adheres to the principles of sustainability. He is also responsible for other brands in Nike's portfolio, including Converse Inc. and Hurley International.
While CEO of Nike in 2012, Mark G. Parker earned a total compensation of $15,425,608, which included a base salary of $1,609,615, a cash bonus of $594,190, stocks granted of $3,500,087, options granted of $4,199,250, and non-equity incentive plan compensation listed at $5,522,466. When he receives his promotion his salary will increase by 25%.
In 2015, Mark Parker was named Fortune's Businessperson of the year.
It was announced in June 2015 that Mark Parker is replacing Phil Knight as company chairman of Nike in 2016. Trevor Edwards (president of the Nike brand) will be filling in as CEO.
Limitation on football boots in team China:
Under Parker's leadership, Nike started to limit the brands of football boots in team China. In May 2015, based on the contract with Nike, CFA stipulated that all the players of team China must wear the football boots of the sponsor (Nike). The corporation which wants their spokesmen to wear other brand must pay 10 million RMB to CFA. Thus making China the unique team in which the players can not choose football boots freely in the world. For example, Yang Xu is the spokesman of 361°, but he must wear Nike in national team.
Parker is an avid arts supporter with an extensive ongoing collection of modern, low brow and underground contemporary art, along with many other one-of-a-kind collectibles. In June 7, 2012 pop culture website So Bad So Good showcased "The Unreal Artwork Inside the Office of Nike CEO Mark Parker".Notable artists from Parker's collection include Andy Warhol, Adonna Khare, Mark Ryden, Todd Schorr, Tim Biskup, Eric White, Sebastian Kruger, Charles Krafft, Glennray Tutor, Robert Crumb, and Michael Leavitt. Other notable items include rare movie ephemera such as original props and models from Mars Attacks! (1996), The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951), Back to the Future (1989), and Batman (1989).
Full Name : Mark Jonathan Pincus
Born : 13th- Feb - 1966
Birth Place : Chicago, Illinois
Country : USA
Occupation : CEO, Chairman
Industry : Internet
Mark Pincus is an American entrepreneur in the Internet media and is popularly known as the co-founder of the popular online game-creators Zynga. He is also the founder of Support.com, Tribe Networks and Freeloader, Inc. Pincus retired as CEO from Zynga in July 2013.
Zynga is considered to be one of the topmost online game-creators in the world and is expected to reach sales figures of around $5.5b by 2016.
Born as Mark Jonathan Pincus on February 13, 1966 in Chicago, he was raised in the city’s Lincoln Park neighborhood. His father, Theodore Pincus was a public relations adviser to various CEOs and politicians as well as being a business columnist while his mother, Donna was an architect.
Mark attended the Francis W. Parker School from kindergarten to 12th grade and graduated from there in 1984. He earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Economics from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and went on to get an MBA degree from Harvard Business School where he was the co-founder of the Communications Club.
Before foraying into entrepreneurship, Mark worked in the venture capital and financial services for nearly 6 years and spent another 2 years as a financial analyst for Lazard Freres & Co. after having graduated from Wharton School of Business. He later moved to Hong Kong and served as the VP for Asian Capital Partners for a period of 2 years.
Returning to the United Stated, Mark attended Harvard Business School and graduated in 1993. He used to serve as a summer associate for Bain & Co., in 1992. After graduating from Harvard, Mark took a job as manager of corporate development at AT&T Cable. In 1994, he joined Columbia Capital as a VP where he was responsible for handling investments in the new media and software startups in Washington, D.C for one year.
Mark launched his first startup, Freeloader, Inc., in 1995 which was a web-based push technology and was acquired within the first 7 months for around $38m.
In 1997, Mark launched Supprt.com as Chairman and CEO and swiftly built it into one of the leading service provider for automation software. In 2002, the company was renamed as SupportSoft, Inc.
Tribe.net, an early version social networking site was launched by Mark in 2003 and was supported by various known media outlets. Cisco Systems acquired Tribe.net in 2007.
Mark co-founded Zynga, Inc., in 2007 and served as its CEO till 2013. Zynga was launched as a developer of social games played on the various social networking sites such as Facebook. Zynga currently has over 123 million active users worldwide and is the largest social game network of the world.
Mark has various commendable achievements under his belt, from being the founder of Freeloader, Inc., SupportSoft.com and Tribe.net to having co-founded Zynga and helping it become the largest social game network in the world. Within 4 years from its launch, Mark helped grow the company from a small startup to an enormous $1 billion network of social gaming network.
Mark has lived in various cities across the country such as Philadelphia, Washington, D.C., Denver and Boston as well as living in Hong Kong.
He currently lives in San Francisco with his wife, Ali Pincus and their three children. Ali Pincus is also the co-founder of the furniture and home accessories website, One Kings Lane.
Mark Pincus has been recognized as one of the most successful and innovative entrepreneurs in the IT industry.
He has been named as the ‘CEO of the Year’ in the 2009 The Crunchies technology awards.
In 2010, he was named ‘Founder of the Year’ at The Crunchies technology awards.
He owns Facebook, the most popular social media platform in the world today. He is considered as one of the most influential people of the Information Age. He was also responsible for the Synapse Media Player, a music player that uses artificial intelligence to learn a user’s listening habits.
Mårten Gustaf Mickos (born November 6, 1962 in Espoo, Finland) is the current CEO of HackerOne, the makers of a security vulnerabilities tracking software, and is the former senior vice president and general manager of the Cloud business for Hewlett-Packard, and former CEO of Eucalyptus Systems. He was also a member of the board of directors of Nokia.
Mickos is a frequent speaker and blogger on topics of leadership, open source business models and cloud computing.
In March 2010, Mårten was appointed CEO of Eucalyptus Systems, the company behind the Eucalyptus software for cloud computing on computer clusters.
From 2009 to 2010 Mickos was the Entrepreneur In Residence of venture capital firm Benchmark Capital and Index Ventures.
Mickos was chief executive officer (CEO) of MySQL AB from January 2001 to February 2008, when Sun Microsystems bought MySQL Inc and MySQL AB. He served as senior vice president of the database group at Sun Microsystems until March 2009.
He has previously been a member of the board of Electrosonic (2009-2012), Mozilla Messaging (2008-2011) and RightScale (2009-2010).
In 2009, Marten participated as an expert witness for the European Commission when they were looking at the Oracle-MySQL merger through antitrust perspectives.
Mårten was a co-founder and CEO of MatchON Sports Ltd. Previously, he was CEO of Sonera subsidiary Intellitel Communications Inc, and has held sales and marketing positions at Solid Information Technology Ltd and other software companies.
Marten Mickos is also an angel investor in Enterprise 2.0 start-up Tradeshift.
Mickos has a master's degree in Engineering from Helsinki University of Technology in Finland.

domain: news


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Emma Watson, the beloved 20-year-old Harry Potter actress, has changed from her signature “Hermione Granger” locks to a new short cut.
Emma Watson, who has dreamed of adopting a new hairstyle since the age of 16, finally got to experience it after filming Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, the last movie of the Harry Potter series.
One would think that the English actress would miss her hair—the hair that made her the heroine of Harry Potter, but she is enjoying her new haircut too much to think back.
“Oh my God, it was the most liberating thing! The stylist just grabbed the back of my hair and took a whole ponytail of hair out. It felt amazing. I love it,” Watson told EW.com.
Watson, who has recently modeled for Burberry’s spring/summer fashion line, is living in New York when she is on break from school at Brown University.


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The Vietnam business of Japanese automaker Toyota on Wednesday launched a recall of over 8,000 Corolla compact sedans due to an airbag malfunction that could leave passengers injured upon its deployment.
According to the company’s announcement, 8,036 Toyota Corollas manufactured in Vietnam between July 24, 2008 and December 31, 2009 are being recalled to allow for the inspection and replacement of inflators for the passenger-side airbags.
The defective airbags, supplied by Japan-based automotive parts manufacturer Takata Corporation, were found to propel metal fragments at vehicle occupants upon deployment.
The company found that faulty production left the airbags’ inflators vulnerable to moisture penetration over long periods of time, making them prone to rupture upon deployment.
According to a report last month by Reuters, Takata’s air bag inflators have been linked to at least 18 deaths and 180 injuries around the world. The situation has led to the largest auto recall in history.
A report issued in November by an independent monitor of the Takata recalls said more than ten million U.S. vehicles and 18.5 million faulty Takata air bag inflators remained unrepaired.
Automakers have recalled or expect to recall about 125 million vehicles worldwide by 2019 in order to replace defective inflators, including more than 60 million cars in the U.S.
In Vietnam, Toyota’s recall began on Wednesday, with Corolla owners encouraged to bring their vehicles in for inspection at any Toyota garage nationwide.
The inflator replacement lasts between one and three hours, the announcement reads.
Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!


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Nominations are now open for the 2022 Star Women in Convenience Awards
Do you know an industry star? We want to hear about her! Nominate colleagues, clients, vendor partners and more.
The deadline is March 31, 2022.
From retailers to distributors, manufacturers, association leaders and consultants, the 2022 Star Women in Convenience Awards will honour women demonstrating commitment, innovation and leadership throughout the convenience industry.
New this year! To ensure the Awards include outstanding individuals across all areas of the convenience channel—from c-store to c-suite in retail, consumer packaged goods companies and associations—2022 winners will be selected in three categories:
Senior-level Stars (vice-presidents or higher)
Shining Stars (candidates who are not a vice-president or higher)
Store-level Stars (owners/operators or managers)
Winners will be announced online, featured in the July/August 2022 issue of Convenience Store News Canada magazine.
Plus, we are looking forward to bringing the industry together to celebrate the winners in person at Star Women in Convenience Awards Event at the International Centre October 12, 2022.


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Supply chain software company Kewill has received a last-minute bid from Symphony, a US private equity firm, beating off rival bidder Francisco Partners.
Symphony, a San Francisco-based company that was founded in 2002, wooed Kewill board members with a £99.6m bid for the company, putting Francisco's £89.5m offer firm in the shade.
Kewill shareholders will earn 106p for each of their shares in the loss-making company, whose clients include FedEx and Unilever.
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In the past 12 months the company has issued two profit warnings and currently expects full year adjusted operating profits to be £9.3m.
Chief Executive Paul Nichols is planning to step down from the board once a successor has been appointed.
Kewill's share price rose 10.99% to 106p by 09:07.
Who is the richest person in the world?
The top five richest people in the world have a combined net worth of $825 billion. Who takes the crown for the richest person in the world?
By Vaishali Varu Published
Top 10 stocks with highest growth over past decade - from Nvidia, Microsoft to Netflix, which companies made you the most money?
We reveal the 10 global companies with the biggest returns since 2013. One firm has posted an astonishing 9,870% return, meaning a £1,000 investment would now be worth almost £82,000.
By Ruth Emery Published


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Bangalore, Aug 1 (IANS) Leading IT solutions provider NIIT Technologies bagged a Rs.35-crore deal to set up a electronic auction (e-auction) platform for the state-run India Tobacco Board in Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh.
"The e-auction platform based on pay-per-use model will help us manage the automation expense and make transactions transparent, faster and convenient for all," Tobacco Board Chairman G.K. Varhana Rao said in a statement here.
Being set up as part of the e-governance initiatives in commodity marketing, the platform will enable bidders to use hand-held devices for conducting auction on real-time basis.
"The process will ensure inventory reduction and transparency through real-time collaboration between buyers and suppliers," Rao said.
About 1,000 bales will be auctioned at each location each day. The platform will ensure fair pricing for farmers as the market intermediaries will be excluded in the process.
"Our experience in mobility has allowed us to enable real-time transactions by integrating hand-held devices to the auction platform and back-end system," NIIT President Arvind Mehrotra said in the statement.
The company will provide infrastructure support for all enterprise applications.
The project support team, including field support, data centre support and help desk will be made available for six years.


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Lawsuit claims monkey's copyright over selfie
In 2011, a macaque monkey named Naruto approached a camera that a wildlife photographer positioned and took its own selfie with it. This simple act turned into a major debate within the photographic and animalistic communities over who own the rights over the photograph.
We might have reached a breaking point on the issue that has been dragged for years since it first surfaced, with a new lawsuit that wants to make the monkey the owner of the rights. The lawsuit was filed by PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals), which explained the importance of taking such position:
The photographer who set up the camera shared his frustration in an interview with Time by arguing that he is the intellect behind the photograph, since he positioned the device and the monkey just pushed a button. On the other hand, PETA lawyer Jerry Kerr argued that the Copyright Office Act grants copyright to authors of original work, with no limit of species, claiming that the person who owns the right is not the one who owns the camera but the one who takes the photographs.
If this lawsuit succeeds, it will be the first time that a nonhuman animal is declared the owner of property (the copyright of the "monkey selfie"), rather than being declared a piece of property himself or herself. It will also be the first time that a right is extended to a nonhuman animal beyond just the mere basic necessities of food, shelter, water, and veterinary care.
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In the late s, his son Edward ed the business.
InBarry and Eliot Tatelman took over the business from their father, Edward. They stopped advertising on the back of the Waltham paper and started on radio.
Inthey opened the Avon, Massachusetts location, creating the largest traffic jam ever recorded on Route Barry and Eliot had to go on the radio to beg people not to come. Customers stood in line for hours waiting sekeing their turn to go into the showroom. In Octoberthe Tatelman brothers sold the company to conglomerate Berkshire Hathaway.
To celebrate, each employee received a financial gift of 50 cents for every hour ever worked at Jordan's. Operationally, nothing changed. This new venue offered a new level of "shoppertainment" in Jordan's Furniture history.
The Waltham store closed inthe day the new Reading, Massachusetts store opened, which was the largest of Jordan's locations. The store features It!
Barry Tatelman left Jordan's Furniture in December Besides Broadway, Barry Tatelman will dabble in Hollywood. He is a Sluth of a new film company called "Filmshop" and is working on a TV series, according to a Jordan's press release.
After Barry left for Hollywood, Eliot Tatelman remained the public face of the company. Recently, Tatelman has aligned himself as a sponsor of the Boston Red Sox and Boston Bruins radio and television broadcasts. For the past several baseball seasons, Tatelman's spiel has been to offer shoppers free furniture if the Red Sox perform improbable feats, such as sweeping the World Series in four games, or if a Sox batter hits a ball that strikes a dinner plate-sized baseball next to the Jordan's logo on the center field fence.
The origin of the company's name is uncertain; the brothers once speculated that their grandfather chose the name out of a hat.
The program provides homeless and low-income children with backpacks full of a week's worth of supplies for the upcoming school year, including clothing and other critical items. As ofthe partnership has helped 12, children.
Opened in December ofthis show has thousands of nozzles shooting water up to the ceiling mixed with colorful laser lights to create an unforgettable experience for shoppers at the mall. The shows last 15 minutes long. Lookn for weekday Portlajd.
Interview for your love hahaha corny hahaha. Mature woman that loves to give fellatio.
La paz of hot real horny moms studs. Married latino missing something.
Commissioner marched at the head of a group of NYPD officers, right behind the official band.


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At least $2 billion worth of major shopping centres around Australia have been offered for sale in the past two months as owners recognise the renewed willingness from buyers to compete even harder for income producing assets.
Several sub-regionals – including the Fitch family’s Golden Grove Shopping centre in Adelaide which was quickly snapped up for $129 million, along with the $100 million Deepwater Plaza on the NSW central coast and a string of others – have tested the investor appetite, many for which are being sold on an off-market basis.
Simon Rooney, JLL’s head of retail investments, said there had been high levels of trading activity in sub-regional centres in late 2013 and now “a second wave" was occurring.
“Greater competition for sub-regional assets between unlisted and listed groups is driving yield compression for quality assets," Mr Rooney said. “We expect further compression over the next 18 months as strong capital flows continue."
JLL Research shows median yields for sub-regional centres nationally tightened by approximately 10 basis points in Q1/2014 to 7.57 per cent.
CBRE director for retail investments Peter Rossi said a number of private players were adding to the competition.
“We have had enquiries from number of high net worth individuals seeking intergenerational assets and as such the focus on initial yield was not as important to them," Mr Rossi said.
“Should a number of these type of lower yielding transaction occur then this evidence will be used by values to support further yield compression.
CBRE’s director of retail investments Craig O’Donnell said the demand for income producing assets with some development plays further down the track was growing.
“Income is king and people are more and more aware that such retail investments provides that annuity."
The Australian Financial Review


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MADISON — As people ring in the New Year and plan to make positive changes in their lives in 2018, the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection suggests a resolution that won’t cost a penny: take time to learn more about scams and prevention steps to avoid getting ripped off.
Sheila Harsdorf, DATCP secretary, says avoidance starts with learning how con artists operate: how they target victims, what ploys they use to get a person’s attention, and what they are seeking.
Harsdorf says the DATCP offers a wealth of free consumer protection resources:
— Its website, datcp.wi.gov, is full of consumer tips and information. The site’s online complaint form can be the best and quickest way to file a consumer complaint with the agency. DATCP fact sheets and guides are also free to download from the site.
In addition, keep an eye on the Bureau of Consumer Protection Facebook and Twitter accounts for additional information.
— DATCP’s Consumer Protection Hotline, 800-422-7128 or [email protected], is available Monday through Friday, 7:45 a.m.-4:30 p.m., to help with questions and concerns, to report a possible scam or to request a fact sheet or consumer complaint form by mail.
— DATCP produces three consumer protection bookmarks with tips to help protect individuals from general scams, identity theft and imposter scams. Persons can request these bookmarks by calling the Consumer Protection Hotline or by picking up a copy at an event where Bureau of Consumer Protection representatives are participating.
Reading about all the various scams can seem overwhelming, says Harsdorf. She says to remember one simple tip: many fraud attempts are the same at their cores; it’s only the story being pitched that is different.
Many consumers recognize these scam calls as problematic and report them to the DATCP. But others may not know how to react when they receive an unsolicited sales call or email — especially a pushy one — or an unexpected request for money or financial information.
Harsdorf encourages the public to start their “scam-free 2018” by doing their research, learning to spot the common elements in scam attempts, and sharing what they’ve learned with family and friends.
“Your best protection against these crooks is awareness and knowledge of the best steps to take,” said Harsdorf.


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Study: Retail industry sales growth to hit 3% annually through 2021
The retail industry sales outlook is pretty healthy, with a 3 percent annual growth rate through the next three years, according to a Zebra Technologies-IHL Group Study.
The growth reflects an increasing investment in technology by retailers to improve operations and enhance the shopping experience. The study also noted there were more retail store openings than closures and predicted openings will outpace closures through 2021. The study also expects ecommerce to hit higher than $1.5 trillion in the same time frame.
Companies: Zebra Technologies


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Apple has released new products this October, just in time for the holiday season. They include the new iPad Pro which now comes with a powerful M2 chip, iPad 10th generation and a new Apple TV 4K that adds HDR10+ support.
iPad Pro with M2 chip
The new iPad Pro features a next-level Apple Pencil hover experience, ProRes video capture, superfast Wi-Fi 6E, and powerful features in iPadOS 16.
Prices of the new iPad Pro start from S$1,249 for the 11-inch display and from S$1,699 for the 12.9-inch display.
They are available for pre-order from Apple Store Singapore and will start shipping from 26 October onwards.
iPad 10th Generation
Featuring a large 10.9-inch Liquid Retina display, the powerful A14 Bionic chip, advanced cameras, fast wireless connectivity, USB-C, support for the new Magic Keyboard Folio, and more.
Available in four vibrant colours – blue, pink, yellow and silver, the new iPad is now available for pre-order from S$679 for the Wi-Fi model and from S$909 for the Wi-Fi + Cellular model.
Similarly, it will start shipping from 26 October onwards.
Apple TV 4K (Oct 2022)
The strongest Apple TV yet features the A15 Bionic chip, adds HDR10+, and brings the best of Apple to the biggest screen in the home — all at a new starting price.
The new Apple TV 4K will be priced at S$199 for the Wi-Fi model with 64GB storage and at $239 for the Wi-Fi + Ethernet model with 128GB storage.
Availability will be announced at a later date.Learn more from Apple


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Samsung and Apple have waged their intellectual property dispute over patents related to design and smartphone accesories in 10 countries and more than 20 different court cases for much of this year. As a response to one of these legal battles, Samsung has stated that it will release new version of several smartphones to be sold in the Netherlands, according to Reuters.
The news source reports that Apple sought a ban on the sale of Samsung Galaxy S, S II and Ace smartphones in the country, claiming that the devices violated an Apple photo browsing technology patent. The company got the injunction it was looking for against the Korean manufacturer.
The current ban is temporary, but it will becoming binding on October 14 if Samsung does not make changes. James Chung, a spokesperson for Samsung, stated that the electronics company planned to adhere to by the terms of the court order.
"We've fixed the technological problem and upgraded products to address the issue," he told the news source. "They will shortly be available for sale."
The Associated Foreign Press reported that on October 13, a ruling would be delivered on another Apple lawsuit against Samsung, this one aiming to block sales of its Galaxy Tab 10.1 tablet computer in Australia.


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Diebold has entered into an automated teller machine (ATM) manufacturing agreement with India's Tata Infotech Limited.
Under the agreement, Tata Infotech will manufacture Diebold automated teller machines (ATMs) in India for distribution in India and south/southeast Asia.
The ATMs will be built according to Diebold's global design and quality specifications at Tata Infotech's manufacturing facility in Goa. As the products are localised, various components and raw materials are expected to be sourced from suppliers throughout India.
Gavin Cushman, chairman, Diebold HMA Private Limited (Diebold's existing joint venture for sales and service to financial institutions in India) and director of sales and marketing, Diebold Asia Pacific, says: "The Indian ATM market continues to flourish rapidly, and this initiative will help us to be more responsive to local market needs and reduce lead-times for our customers."


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Motorola Edge 30 Fusion is expected to launch soon in some global markets and eventually in India as well The device will be the successor to the Motorola Edge 20 Fusion from 2021, which was one of the best sub Rs 25,000 phones in India. Motorola launched the Edge 30 Pro flagship phone earlier this year in India and the Motorola Edge 30 was launched in India back in May as a new mid-range phone.
The Edge 30 Fusion was previously spotted on multiple certifications like TDRA, Wi-Fi Alliance, and 3C certification revealing details the like phone’s name, OS version, Wi-Fi details, charging speed, and more. Now, the device has been listed on the FCC database in the US revealing more details of the phone like fast charging speed, battery capacity, and connectivity details.
Motorola Edge 30 Fusion Battery and Fast Charging Details Listed on FCC
The upcoming Edge 30 Fusion with XT2243-1 model number has been spotted on the FCC website. The listing reveals the phone to feature a max charging speed of 68.2W fast charging. The listing also confirms a 4,400mAh battery capacity. Further, the FCC database confirms this will be a 5G device with support for 5G multiple bands. In terms of connectivity features, the device will come with dual SIM support, dual-band Wi-Fi connection, NFC, and Bluetooth.
Moto Edge 30 Fusion Leaked Specifications
The Edge 30 Fusion is tipped to a 6.55-inch Full HD+ display panel. Since last year’s Edge 20 Fusion offered a 90Hz AMOLED display, we can expect the upcoming Edge series device to have an AMOLED display. The device is expected to come in 8GB + 128GB configuration. It is said to come pre-loaded with Android 12. The Moto Edge 30 Fusion was spotted with 68.2W fast charging support on the 3C certification recently as well, which is an improvement from the 30W on the Edge 20 Fusion.
To those unaware, the Moto Edge 20 Fusion was powered by a MediaTek Dimensity 800U and up to 8GB of RAM. The Edge 20 Fusion offered a 108MP camera setup with an 8MP ultra-wide-angle camera. It is backed by a 5,000mAh battery unit.


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Rite Aid joining growing CBD drugstore chain trend and will pilot products in two states
Rite Aid will pilot the sale of CBD creams, lotions and lip balms at stores in Oregon and Washington, store officials announced Thursday.
"We've heard from many customers about their interest in purchasing CBD products," Chief Operating Officer Bryan Everett said during a call with analysts Thursday to discuss the company's fourth-quarter earnings.
CBD, a hemp-derived cannabidiol, is a nonpsychoactive ingredient in cannabis that is becoming increasingly mainstream.
Everett noted the pilot would "better meet the needs and preferences of our customers in those communities."
Cannabis-based products got a major boost in December when President Donald Trump signed off on an $867 billion Farm Bill that gave a green light for hemp to be cultivated on a large scale.
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Unlike marijuana, another cannabis species, hemp has almost none of the psychoactive compounds that cause a user to get high. Now that it's no longer labeled a controlled substance, more businesses have the opportunity to create hemp-based products, from tinctures to lotions.
"At this point in time, we're only offering the topical solutions of creams, lip balms, lotions and we won't be carrying any of the injectables at any of stores as part of the pilot," Everett said.
Rite Aid is the latest drugstore chain to join the growing CBD trend.
In March, CVS introduced CBD-containing topicals, including creams and salves, to stores in seven states.
The following week, Walgreens announced it also would begin selling CBD creams, patches and sprays in nearly 1,500 stores in select states.
Follow USA TODAY reporter Kelly Tyko on Twitter: @KellyTyko


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Still looking for a PS5? Sony is trying its best to get enough devices here. In the UK they even charter planes for it.
Fixing a PS5 for Christmas? That is not as easy as it sounds. Sony is still struggling with long delays in its production due to a shortage of semiconductors. This makes it difficult for Sony to increase production of game consoles. This is surprising news, because in ten days Sony will celebrate the first anniversary of the PlayStation 5. A year later, the company still cannot keep up with the huge demand.
Hire Boeing 747s
Although Sony does its best to manufacture and ship enough units. The British newspaper writes Sun for the company to hire jumbo jets to ship cargo to the UK. A first flight, Korean Air Cargo flight KE9503, flew between Seoul and London on November 1. A total of three Boeing 747s would fly between the UK and Asia before mid-November.
Typically, Sony ships its game console with large container ships from its production locations in Asia to Europe. Now that they are hiring planes, they can’t seem to get enough container capacity to send enough units to the UK or they want to move the units faster. That makes sense, because traditionally the holidays are the heyday for game console makers. Especially now that the PS5 has been released for almost a year, gamers’ patience is gradually wearing thin.
It is not yet known whether Sony will also ship devices to continental Europe by plane, although it seems likely. It will allow Sony to ship units from Asia to Europe more quickly. Earlier this year he did Sony CFO Hiroki totoki announced that enough chips had been purchased to produce 14.8 million PS5 game consoles by 2021. Sony will probably want to put most of them on the shelves before Christmas. In that case, hiring cargo planes can help reduce transport time. For example, a plane can bridge the distance in half a day, while a ship takes about thirty days.
At the moment, deliveries are still made on container ships, which means that new deliveries are only made to Belgian and Dutch retailers every few weeks. For example, in October PS5 (paid) were raffled off on Coolblue. Although many times you are forced to buy games and accessories.
Do you own the Sony web store?
However, there is another ray of hope. Earlier this year, Sony planned to open a European ‘PlayStation Direct’ store. The Japanese manufacturer wants to sell its own game consoles, games, controllers and headphones through the web store. They are already doing it in the United States.
Earlier we wrote that Sony was looking for a (British) person responsible for the European PlayStation Direct store. They seem to have found it, because in a Company Profile From the CEO of PlayStation, Jim Ryan, it can be read that the PlayStation Direct store will arrive in Europe in 2021.
In addition to opening a PlayStation Direct store in the UK, the web store would also reach the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany, France and Ireland.
Check the stocks with our partners.
“Introvert. Travel expert. Extreme problem solver. Web buff.”


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Smartphone production in mainland China continued to decline in the first eight months of this year, although analysts expect Huawei Technologies’ release of new 5G handsets in spite of US sanctions to help reinvigorate the industry’s biggest market.
The country manufactured 679 million smartphones from January to August this year, down 7.5 per cent from the same period in 2022, according to data published by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology earlier this week.
Smartphone sales on the mainland have also slowed down. Total unit volume fell 4 per cent year on year in the first eight months of 2023, according to data from market research firm Counterpoint.
In the quarter to June, China’s smartphone consumption recorded its lowest second-quarter sales figure since 2014, as macroeconomic headwinds took a toll on consumer sentiment, Counterpoint said in a report published in July. It indicated a “relatively weak performance” for handset sales during China’s 618 shopping festival last June.
The sluggish performance of the world’s largest smartphone market reflects low consumer sentiment amid the country’s bumpy post-pandemic economy recovery, which has been weighed down by the property crisis, record high youth unemployment and weak confidence in the private sector.
The market’s outlook for the rest of 2023, however, could improve on the back of the new smartphones released by Huawei and Apple, as well as the coming winter sales season, according to Ivan Lam, senior research analyst at Counterpoint.
Shenzhen-based Huawei’s Mate 60 Pro series 5G handsets have “brought great confidence” to China’s smartphone market, Lam said. Counterpoint has estimated sales of Huawei’s latest 5G smartphones to reach between five to six million units by the end of this year.
That optimistic forecast, according to Lam, comes on the back of Huawei’s large domestic base of HarmonyOS users, referring to the US-blacklisted company’s mobile operating system alternative to Android. Lam added that Huawei’s new 5G devices are expected to not only attract new customers, but draw back former users who had switched to other smartphone brands the past few years.
“Huawei has successfully recovered from a strained supply chain, and has returned to its normal rhythm for product launches,” he said.
In late August, Huawei surprised the smartphone industry when it launched a low-key presales campaign for its new Mate 60 Pro 5G handset. That was followed around a week later by another quietly executed online presales process for its top-of-the-line Mate 60 Pro+ smartphone.
Huawei’s new 5G handsets, including the newly launched Mate X5 foldable model, are powered by the same advanced, made-in-China processor – the Kirin 9000s – details of which have been kept under wraps by the privately-held company.
Recent third-party teardowns of the Mate 60 Pro have indicated that another US-sanctioned firm, mainland China’s top contract chip maker Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp, was behind the “breakthrough” chip.
Meanwhile, Apple’s new iPhone 15 series has drawn long queues at stores in China, clearing doubts on whether the US tech giant could maintain its momentum in the country in the face of Huawei’s return and the partial ban on use of iPhones in government agencies. South China Morning Post


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NORTH HOLLYWOOD, Calif. — Doc Johnson’s Chad Braverman offers insights on current trends and predictions for the future of the pleasure products industry in a Women’s Health article that takes a close look at the imagination and mechanics of the 40-year-old sex toy and novelty company.
The North Hollywood, Calif.-based company was featured in a Women's Health piece titled “Sex (Toys) Sells.” The magazine hit newsstands this week.
The article takes Women’s Health senior editor Faye Brennan on a tour “inside the country’s biggest sex toy factory (the Willy Wonka of big willies!),” where she describes the Doc Johnson campus as a “215,000-square-foot behemoth of an operation where, everyday, 15,000 toys roll down the production line, ready to supply millions of orgasms.”
Doc Johnson’s Braverman, who hold company titles as COO/CCO, said, “It’s exciting to receive coverage from a publication as visible and influential as Women’s Health.”
“As a company that has kept most manufacturing in the U.S. since 1976 — unlike a lot of others that only began exploring better practices a few years ago, when labor outsourcing became a hot-button issue — we are also very proud of the fact that Women’s Health chose Doc Johnson to represent the face of American pleasure products manufacturing,” Braverman said.
“It’s a constant goal of ours to introduce our brand to the mainstream masses, and gaining this level of media exposure, in a publication that attracts millions of readers, is a home run for us.”
Doc Johnson’s feature in Women’s Health is the latest in a string of recent mainstream coverage for the company, which includes a full-length feature video on BuzzFeed, “How Sex Toys Are Made”; an interview in Forbes; and a product spotlight in Cosmopolitan naming Doc Johnson’s Tryst as “Sex Toy of the Month.”
Scott Watkins, Doc Johnson’s vice president and of sales and marketing, noted that the “top-tier media coverage Doc Johnson has been receiving in the past several months has exponentially increased our website traffic.”
“[R]etailers should prepare for increased demand of Doc Johnson products featured in the Women’s Health article — including our OptiMALE Rechargeable Vibrating C-Ring, and Doc Johnson’s selection of anal trainer kits — as this issue hits newsstands across the country,” Watkins remarked.
Check out the Women’s Health article here.
Visit Doc Johnson's online B2B Resource Center here for more information on Doc Johnson products or for catalogs and supplements, marketing materials including posters, signage and plan-o-grams.
For sales inquiries, email firstname.lastname@example.org.


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Consumers are ‘drinking less but drinking better,’ Technomic reports
December 2, 2013
Premium adult beverages are providing momentum to the on-premise channel, according to Chicago-based Technomic Inc.’s 2013 BarTAB Report. Although the channel is slowing overall as consumers control their spending, higher-priced spirits and beers are growing in restaurants and bars, Technomic reports. In 2012, the on-premise channel grew in 0.7 percent in total volume to reach 1.9 billion gallons, and sales rose 3.5 percent to $97.3 billion, it reports. However, Technomic projects there will be slight declines in volume but continued dollar growth in 2013 and 2014.
Vodka brand creates themed cocktails for San Francisco event
October 9, 2013
Skyy Vodka, a brand of San Francisco-based Campari America, announced its official partnership with the Treasure Island Music Festival in San Francisco, which will take place Oct. 19-20. The vodka brand will serve as the official vodka during the seventh annual progressive music event, which will host dance music and indie-rock groups including Atoms for Peace, Beck, Major Lazer and Animal Collective.


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Like many in Chicagoland, I was disappointed when Macy’s re-branded all of the Marshall Fields stores. In some ways, it was meaningless. Marshall Fields no longer had any special Chicago feel to it and was just a generic department store. However, it was hard to be excited about Macy’s explicitly blending the chain into its bland fold. With that in mind, I found a recent story about how Macy’s is dealing with apparel suppliers quite interesting (Macy’s Buying Clout Drives Supplier Consolidation, Mar 23, Wall Street Journal).
Macy’s is now clearly one of the 800 pound gorillas in American retailing and its suppliers have been trying to reposition themselves to better serve the firm. Case in point, Phillips-Van Heusen Corp. (PVH) which recently bought Tommy Hilfiger Corp. Hilfinger has an exclusive distribution deal with Macy’s and PVH went out their way to tell Macy’s that wouldn’t change. Indeed, according to the article, dealing with Macy’s was one of the primary motivations for the deal:
The deal underscores how Macy’s is refashioning the U.S. apparel industry. By leveraging its size to obtain exclusive deals with vendors from Hilfiger to Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, and consolidating its regional buying offices, Macy’s has been able to distinguish its offerings from its competitors. The strategy favors vendors with the scale to supply the chain and the inventory-management technology to keep up with its whims. That has forced apparel vendors to consolidate.
“Macy’s may not be a monarch, but they are an oligarch,” said Michael O’Hara, founder of Consensus Advisors, a boutique investment bank that focuses on retail. “If you are doing business with them, you better be big and nimble.”
The Hilfiger acquisition will catapult PVH from its spot as the seventh-biggest U.S. apparel maker to third-biggest behind VF Corp. and Polo Ralph Lauren Corp., with a projected $4.8 billion in fiscal 2010 revenues. The combined company will be the largest vendor in Macy’s menswear category and is rapidly expanding its women’s wear business.
So what’s in it for Macy’s? Should they be happy their big vendors getting bigger. The answer isn’t immediately clear. Presumably a really big vendor is in a better negotiating position and would be harder to replace if they pulled their wares on short notice. On the other hand, bigger might also mean more capable:
For retailers such as Macy’s, there are significant advantages to dealing with larger players. Bigger vendors tend to have more sophisticated distribution and inventory-management systems, which have become increasingly important to Macy’s merchandise localization, which varies store assortments according to local tastes.
Macy’s Mr. Lundgren says that being big, in and of itself, “is not the answer.” The key, he insists, is being big and responsive to Macy’s needs. “If they are big and not performing, then they will become smaller,” he said. PVH recently bumped two rival dress shirt brands off Macy’s floor by spending less than $2 million to buy out the inventory. In exchange, PVH will get increased floor space, which it will occupy starting in the second quarter of this year.
So I see two interesting things here. First, at the tactical level, it is interesting that PVH can buy its way to more floor space by take ownership of a competitor’s items. I wonder where these items go. Presumably other brands are sensitive to having their shirts end up on the shelves of some discounter. PVH can buy out the inventory but they get to dispose of it as they see fit? If so, it makes you wonder how fairly Macy’s deals with suppliers.
The second item is more strategic. For all my bad mouthing Macy’s blandness, they have a strategy premised on tailoring stores to local tastes. At first glance, that would seem to open up possibilities for smaller firms. A smaller brand could just serve Macy’s in the Midwest but that is not how this is playing out. Instead, Macy’s wants firms with broad offerings so that they can customize stores across regions while dealing with a limited number of firms. That clearly benefits the PVH’s of the world. One wonders, however, if it is in their long run interest. Yes, Macy’s delivers a lot of volume but at what point do you become effectively a Macy’s private label with your fate tied to whatever decisions the chain makes?


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Startup studio 1888EC and the Mastercard Foundation have announced a partnership for the launch of a new digital platform aimed at supplementing Ethiopia’s struggling tourism sector. The pilot project of the platform is going to be called “Land of Origins” and is going to provide tourists the opportunity to explore Ethiopia’s wide array of tourism locations free of hassle.
The prototype of the platform is going to be developed within the next few months and is going to be a modern, user-friendly interface that allows users to book everything from virtual and live tours to accommodations to tour guides and other relevant resources.
1888EC also affirms that given the security issues that have become prevalent throughout the country, the platform is going to give visitors peace of mind by incorporating a good portion of the tour experience in a single, easily trackable platform. It’s features and services will include access to verified tour guides, accommodation bookings, a best local attraction locator, local experience offerings, and many more options for travelers.
According to Mastercard Country Director Alemayehu Konde Koira, the platform will especially focus on boosting MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions). The partnership also expects the platform to facilitate job creation within the tourism sector especially for youth that live around the popular tourist attractions.
Founded by tech and entertainment personality Solomon Kassa, 1888EC is a startup with the stated goal of disrupting existent systems and facilitating the entry of youth into Ethiopia’s various sectors. It aims to do this by cultivating an environment that fosters the easy access and extensive use of digital technology to fuel entrepreneurship, job creation, and innovation.


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BMW is recalling about 1.4 million vehicles in North America for two separate safety problems involving fire hazards. BMW is asking owners to keep the vehicles outside.
Fires may occur in parked vehicles, which is reminiscent of the “mystery BMW fires” that were the subject of an investigation earlier this year. In the last 5 years, more than 40 BMW owners said their parked cars spontaneously burst into flames.
One recall involves 670,000 of the 2006 to 2011 model-year 3-Series BMW vehicles to fix a wiring problem in the heating and air conditioning systems that may overheat and cause a fire.
The recall involves 2006-2011 323i, 325i, 325xi, 328i, 328xi, 330i, 330xi, 335i, 335xi and M3, 2007-2011 328i xDrive, 335i xDrive and 335is, and the 2009-2011 335d vehicles.
BMW got a report in 2008 involving heat damage to a 2006 3-Series sedan. BMW received additional incidents over the next few years.
No injuries were reported from 2007 through 2014, but in 2015, BMW received 3 injury reports. In September 2017, BMW received another report involving a 2011 BMW 3-Series vehicle. BMW dealerships will be offering owners a free replacement wiring harness, if necessary.
The second recall involves 740,000 of the 2007 to 2011 model-year BMWs with a valve heater that could rust and lead to a fire.
The recall covers 2008-2011 of the 128i BMWs, as well as 2007-2011 328i, 328xi, 328i xDrive, 525i, 525xi, 528i, 528xi, 530i, 530xi, X3 3.0si, X3 xDrive30i, X5 xDrive30i, Z4 3.0i, Z4 3.0si and Z4 sDrive30i BMWs.
The overheated wiring can cause electrical connectors to melt, which can result in a fire “even when the vehicle is unattended,” BMW said.
In 2009, BMW received a report of heat-related damage to the engine compartment on a 2007 BMW X5. They received other reports and continued to review the issue and inspect returned parts.
There are no reports of injuries or crashes related to the valve heater. BMW dealerships will replace the valve heater on recalled vehicles.


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Verizon Wireless to Kill Unlimited LTE Data, Even for Grandfathered Users
May 16, 2012 4:25 PM
comment(s) - last by
Verizon won't make any new friends with its latest attack on unlimited data
It appears that the unlimited wireless data "gravy train" is fast coming to an end. No matter which wireless network you use in the United States, they all are looking for ways to cripple "unlimited" data either by cutting off the plans altogether or
throttling data after a certain gigabyte threshold is crossed
Verizon Wireless is the latest U.S. carrier to punch customers right between the eyes when it comes to unlimited data. The company is ending the practice of allowing customers on grandfathered, unlimited 3G plans to move to an unlimited 4G data plan when upgrading to a new LTE phone. Instead, those long-time Verizon Wireless customers will have to sign up for a new plan with data caps according to
Verizon Communications CFO Fran Shammo explained the move at the 40th J.P. Morgan Technology, Media and Telecom conference, stating, "LTE is our anchor point for data share, so as you come through an upgrade cycle and you upgrade in the future, you will have to go onto the data share plan, moving away from the unlimited world."
Shammo is hoping that customers won't mind being kicked off unlimited data plans once Verizon Wireless' family shared data plans launch this summer.
"Everyone will be on data share," Shammo added.
Unfortunately, the company has yet to announce pricing for the shared data plans. However, we have the feeling that customers will be getting a lot less for their money with a family shared data plan than they do with the current grandfathered, unlimited 3G/4G plans.
This article is over a month old, voting and posting comments is disabled
so, uh, if i'm reading this correctly...
5/18/2012 8:28:47 AM
So, to keep an unlimited data plan with Verizon, just don't use their "elgible for an upgrade" plan to upgrade your phone. I mean, if you use that much data(most people don't) and want to keep the dataplan you have , just let your contract go month to month. If you need a new phone, just buy one at retail price and use the retailers' extended warranty plan in case your phone isn't made out of adamantium as , so i am told, the nokia lumia 900 is. ( i don't own one, just want to make that perfectly clear).
I guess what it boils down to is, how much would the data you use, on average, cost you per month, and can you leverage that perceived cost to purchase a phone at retail price. also, sorry if something of this nature has been reported, i didn't have time to read all the comments.
"Let's face it, we're not changing the world. We're building a product that helps people buy more crap - and watch porn." -- Seagate CEO Bill Watkins
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Following in the footsteps of the hugely successful chocolate festival, Zagreb ChocoFest, Zagreb CoffeArt, the first coffee festival in the Croatian capital is set to take place from 18-21 October on the cities main Ban Jelacic square.
The festival is sure to prove popular with Croats, who lead the way in coffee consumption in Europe. According to statistics, Croats on average drink 5kg of coffee a year. In 2009, 22,500 tons of coffee was drunk in Croatia, equating to 2.25 million hours drinking time(half an hour per person per day).
The festival will also be a promotional event for a number of local and foreign coffee producers and importers. Together with Croatian and international coffee producers, professional barista’s, coffee-making equipment, coffee shop owners and coffee flavoured cakes, cigars, liqueurs and cocktails will be on display throughout the 4-day festival.


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While it would be easy to compare the companies' earnings per share growth or revenue models all night, it wouldn't be very helpful. Investors can do that on their own and it takes all of five minutes to figure out.
In this case, there's one glaring obstacle that makes comparing the two companies all the more difficult: General Motors' recent bankruptcy.
GM's 2009 Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing marked the low point for the U.S. auto industry. Unlike GM and Chrysler, Ford was able to stave off bankruptcy under CEO Alan Mulally's effective leadership -- but only barely, as the stock price traded down to roughly $1 per share.
Shares of Ford have been incredibly strong this year, and admittedly, I've been quite bullish. But what about its Detroit brethren?
When you consider that General Motors sold 9.29 million vehicles in 2012, second only to Toyota Motors' (TM) 9.75 million, it seems odd that Ford is generally heralded over GM. For what it's worth, GM took home the crown for top seller in the year prior, in 2011.
Part of what likely helped GM gain so many auto sales in the past -- it was the reigning top auto seller for eight decades until 2008 -- was the amount of brands it used to own, like SAAB, Hummer, and Pontiac (the list goes on for a while).
Presently, it's been pulling home a large piece of the U.S. domestic sales pie. Year-to-date, General Motors holds 18% of U.S. auto sales, besting Ford by 2%. Its 2.34 million auto sales also trump Ford's 2.08 million units.
Brand to Brand
For the record, though, as far as individual brands go (rather than by company), Ford is the top-selling name in the states for 2013, as well as in 2012. It also boasts the top-selling vehicle, the F-Series truck. Of course, it only makes sense that the Chevy Silverado is in second.
There's another important consideration when it comes to brand: Luxury.
Each company has its own luxury line. General Motors has Cadillac and Ford has Lincoln. To be frank, the latter is getting its ass kicked by the former, plain and simple.
Year-to-date, Cadillac has sold 148,200 units, more than double Lincoln's 66,980. Mulally is making a point to fix Lincoln's luxury image, but so far, the sentiment hasn't shifted much.
Although Lincoln's sales for the month of October increased 38% year-over-year, the brand is still lagging its total sales in 2012 of 82,150 vehicles. Even if it does best those numbers by year-end, annual sales growth will only be flat, or near flat, for 2013.
Compare this to Cadillac, which grew October sales 9.5% from last year, and is within 1,000 units of matching 2012's total figures (after only 10 months this year). Buick, another General Motors brand, has also done fairly well, selling just north of 175,000 units this year.
Cadillac is flat out owning Lincoln, and that's hard to argue with.
It's also hard to argue with the Chinese auto market, where General Motors holds 15.5% of the market share. The Chinese auto market is huge, and is only likely to expand in the coming years, where it's estimated that 30 million vehicles will be sold in 2020.
To read a more detailed breakdown of the nation's auto picture, read Domestic and International Fire Lights Ford's Ignition.
Side by Side
Here is where one can make an argument for both Ford and General Motors. In one aspect, the market leader, GM, has a large exposure to a rapidly increasing market, which should bode well for a company that has 45% of its stock value tied to the country.
On the other hand, Ford is rapidly taking market share in China and quickly building out its infrastructure. Management hopes to have a 5% market share by the end of 2013, up from 2.5% in 2011, along with doubling its vehicle production to 1.7 million units by 2015.
To me, it seems like Ford has more to gain and General Motors has more to lose, at least in the long-term. This is especially true if the global economy takes a hit.
Europe has continued to be a struggle for each of the automakers, with both striving to be at break-even operation by mid-decade.
The companies both seem so similar at times: Close in total U.S. sales, revenues ($115 billion for GM and $102.9 billion for F, year-to-date, respectively), and the fact that they both recently reported record profits (2011 for GM and 2012 for F).
One thing that's surely held back shares of General Motors was the once-large position held by the U.S. government. General Motors Round II details the re-launch of the automaker and the government's role within the company.
But 2013 has seen much of the position liquidated. Reportedly, the U.S. government could hold as little as a 4% stake in the automaker, down from 7% on Sept. 26. That 4% would be roughly equivalent to 70 million shares. While this might seem like a lot, consider that the government started off with 912 million shares, or 61% of the company.
After the IPO in November 2010, the government dropped its ownership down to 500 million shares, or 26% of the company. It would appear as though the selling is nearly complete, although the image may still bother prospective shareholders.
Perception goes a long way in the investment landscape. When GM imploded, filed for bankruptcy, and re-emerged one year later, the public never saw it as brightly as Ford, which fought off bankruptcy and emerged stronger than ever -- although its management could potentially change soon.
Although Mulally did vow to stay through 2014, if he left to become the next CEO of Microsoft (MSFT), it would be a great loss to the Ford team. Perhaps, though, Ford would continue to do well. Losses in Europe are shrinking, U.S. sales are accelerating and market share in China is growing. The company also pays out a ~2.5% dividend yield -- another reason shareholders might prefer Ford over GM.
GM's larger China market share should drive growth for the next several years, its luxury brands will boost U.S. profitability and the government has nearly unwound its position -- although the continued, systematic selling could hinder the stock price slightly.
However, it doesn't seem as if it has so far. It's basically a wash as for which has fared better this year. Ford is up 32% while General Motors is up 33%. Arguments can be made both ways and I've tried to see evenly through each side.
GM does have likable attributes, undoubtedly. But personally, I prefer Ford for a few reasons. I like the company's stability and the non-role of the U.S. government. I also like Ford's solid dividend and potential for increases down the road or perhaps a share buyback program. Ford is growing faster, rather than trying to maintain a behemoth-like grip on the world's auto market, like GM.
Ultimately, GM's losses could be Ford's gains.
-- Written by Bret Kenwell in Petoskey, Mich.
At the time of publication, the author was long F, V and MA, although positions may change at any time.
This article is commentary by an independent contributor, separate from TheStreet's regular news coverage.


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Mazda was named 'Best Car Manufacturer' at the prestigious 2014 Which? awards ceremony held at Kings Place in London. The awards are allocated to those companies that consistently get it right for consumers. Launched in 2007, the annual Which? awards aim to celebrate the very best businesses in the UK. This year, Mazda was one of 11 winners, each recognised as the leader in their respective field.
Mazda had been shortlisted along with Audi, BMW, Skoda and Honda in this category and I was delighted to hear Mazda being announced the winner and also delighted to step on stage to collect the award from co-hosts Peter Vicary-Smith and Natasha Kaplinsky.
Which? is the largest consumer group in Europe and works tirelessly to stand up for and make recommendations to consumers in just about every aspect of their everyday lives. The annual awards celebrate and reward the very best businesses – those who stand out from their competitors for their customer service and quality products. This year there were 43 companies shortlisted across the 12 award categories.
What is really special about this award is that it is the consumer who dictates who is shortlisted and then a judging panel makes the final decision, based around owner feedback and product innovation. There are no self or industry nominations. Mazda was awarded the top spot as a result of Mazda's innovative technologies and through customers feedback that consistently suggested our cars are reliable, good looking and efficient. Customer service from Mazda dealer network was also mentioned as a strength.
Which? writes: "Mazda is a worthy winner with more than two thirds of its cars rated as best buys and scored well with owners for reliability and satisfaction.
"The Mazda3 offers a winning combination of fuel economy, style and driving enjoyment. The Mazda6, launched in 2013, continues to impress us with a premium car feel at a non-premium price."


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• From the Dallas Morning News:
"In the midst of a truck driver shortage last year, Walmart decided its own ranks of 1.6 million employees might want to learn how to drive a big rig for Walmart.
"Walmart dangled first-year truck driver salaries of up to $110,000 and a 12-week training program for its Walmart and Sam’s Club store and warehouse workers. The first class with former retail employees graduated Friday from a training center in Walmart’s Sanger distribution center in Denton County … More than 70 Walmart employees are graduating this week from seven training centers set up across the U.S."
According to the story, "there’s a truck driver shortage of nearly 78,000 drivers even though the worst of the pandemic and supply chain issues are history. Some say the industry has a high turnover rate that contributes to shortages. The driver shortages are worse in the longer-haul, for-hire truckload market and made worse by drivers who can’t pass a drug test, according to the association, which estimated that the shortage could surpass 160,000 in 2031."


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Apple Is Expanding To A Bigger Campus In Sunnyvale, California
Apple is expected to move almost 1,500 employees to an updated campus in Sunnyvale, California.
| May 22
Apple's Iconic Rainbow Logo Campus Signs Are Being Auctioned Off For $10,000
Apple's rainbow-style Cupertino campus logo signs are due to be auctioned off next month.
| May 19
Updated: Apple’s ‘Spaceship Campus’ Gets Closer To Landing
Apple's Campus 2 is expected to open in 2016.
Bryan M. Wolfe
| October 16
Apple Hires 'Spaceship' Firm To Design Future Retail Stores
Foster + Partners will design future Apple retail stores.
Bryan M. Wolfe
| April 10
Apple's Futuristic 'Campus 2' Could Open As Late As Mid-2016
Apple's futuristic "Campus 2" (which looks more like a spaceship than a company HQ) probably won't open until mid-2016.
| November 21
Apple Publishes Photo From Celebration Of Steve Jobs' Life
Apple has decided to share a photo they took during their celebration of Steve Jobs' life.
| October 20
All Things D: Apple To Hold October 4 Event On Apple Campus
Earlier this week, All Things Digital claimed that Apple is planning on announcing the fifth generation iPhone handset on October 4. Now, in a follow-up piece to his previous report, John Paczkowski notes that the event will not be held at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in San Francisco, but will instead take place on the Apple Campus in Cupertino.
| September 25
Apple's New Campus Might Be The Home Of The iPhone ... 9?
Apple is preparing for a reboot! The Cupertino company known for putting time into the aesthetic nature of their products is planning a massive design for their new Silicon Valley campus. Bigger than the U.S. Pentagon massive! Steve Jobs sent the design renderings to the Cupertino City Council back in June and they were approved. Apple is preparing for construction and we are now getting a glimpse into their soon to come mother ship.
| August 19


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The recently released J.D. Power 2019 U.S. Pharmacy StudySM ranked Wegmans Pharmacy “Highest in Customer Satisfaction among Supermarket Pharmacies,” for the second year in a row with a score of 915 (based on a 1,000-point scale).
The study, now in its eleventh year, measures customer satisfaction among all categories of ‘brick and mortar’ pharmacies, including chain drug stores, mass merchants, and supermarkets, as well as mail-order pharmacies.
“These are remarkable results that demonstrate the importance of the trusted relationships our dedicated and caring pharmacy employees have built with our customers,” said John Carlo, senior vice president of pharmacy. “I am proud and very grateful for all they do to make a difference.”
The 2019 study is based on responses from 12,059 pharmacy customers who filled a prescription during the three months prior to the survey period of May-June 2019. Of the different pharmacy segments – chain drug stores, mass merchandiser pharmacies, supermarket pharmacies, and mail order – supermarkets have the highest levels of overall satisfaction at 871.
Customers and employees will celebrate the honor on Saturday, September 7, at 11 a.m. when cake will be served at every Wegmans store.
Wegmans Food Markets, Inc. is a 99-store supermarket chain with stores in New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Virginia, Maryland, and Massachusetts. The family company, recognized as an industry leader and innovator, celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2016. Wegmans has been named one of the ‘100 Best Companies to Work For’ by FORTUNE magazine for 22 consecutive years, ranking #3 in 2019.
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According to Amitabh Kant, chief executive officer (CEO), NITI Aayog, the digital revolution in India has infused new energy into the startup ecosystem and initial public offerings (IPOs) will propel that revolution.
Speaking at an event organised by Innovation Venturing and Entrepreneurship in India Network (iVEIN), Kant said India has emerged as the second-fastest economy in digitisation among 17 economies.
Kant noted that in a large and diverse country like India, the ability to scale up and implement programs to reach 1.3 billion citizens in vernacular languages is crucial. Further, he argued that e-commerce creates business opportunities when it intersects with the internet.
Kant also noted that failure is a necessary part of the startup movement, and every parent and investor in India must be aware of it.
In his view, nowhere in the world could startups get the size and scale of data they get in India.


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Look at the firefighter Toyota Land CruiserAugust 10, 2020
Unusual special equipment developed in Japan
Japanese exporter of used cars Pacific Coast Auto has unveiled an unusual lot – a fire truck based on a 1996 Toyota Land Cruiser pickup. Special vehicles are designed to work in small towns.
The unusual special equipment was based on the Japanese pickup 75 series Toyota Land Cruiser 1996, which was painted red. The vehicle was equipped with the necessary equipment, including a fire hose, pumps, a folding ladder and fire extinguishers. Special vehicles were also equipped with an additional bumper and off-road wheels.
Due to the fact that most Japanese roads are rather narrow, the new compact special equipment allows emergency services to easily reach the site of a fire. According to the creators of the car, such vehicles, in contrast to bulky fire trucks, are ideal for work in small cities. The average service life of such special equipment is about 20 years.
The firefighter Toyota Land Cruiser is equipped with a 4.2-liter V6 with 129 horsepower. The unit works in tandem with a five-speed manual transmission. Based on the odometer, a four-wheel drive vehicle has traveled 15,000 kilometers. The copy is currently being auctioned to a Texas buyer. The cost of the model was not disclosed.
At the end of June, the Lorinser Classic company, which specializes in the restoration of classic models, put up for sale a Gelandewagen fire engine built on the basis of a 1983 Mercedes-Benz 280 GE. Special equipment, which has served in the German fire service for 37 years, was estimated at 55,000 euros
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