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Vivier Chief Executive, Luigi Wewege Announces New Book: The Digital Banking Revolution

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AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND and COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA and MADRID, SPAIN, 2016-Dec-21 — /EPR Network/ — Luigi Wewege’s latest book, The Digital Banking Revolution, shares his inside perspective on how financial technology companies are rapidly transforming the traditional retail banking industry through disruptive innovation.

In The Digital Banking Revolution, Wewege provides a look at how over the past decade financial service innovations have contributed to a completely new way in which customers are able to bank, threatening the status quo of traditional retail banks, and redefining a banking model which has been in place for generations.

Luigi’s book presents the ways these new technological advancements have facilitated the rapid emergence of digital banking firms and FinTech companies, leading to established banks being forced to swiftly increase their pace of digital adoption to stay relevant, and stop mass client attrition to these agile financial start-ups.

“These threats come at an inopportune time for banks due to mature markets currently experiencing stagnant growth. This coupled with decreasing profit margins due to the competitive pricing of new entrants, and financial customer loyalty becoming ever increasingly more tenuous,” said Wewege.

Supported by numerous illustrations, the book spans a diverse range of topics from big data analytics and mobile payments to the evolving behaviors of financial consumers. The Digital Banking Revolution concludes with Luigi providing his predictions in the book’s final chapter, which is titled The Future of Banking. In this chapter, he outlines how he believes financial services are likely to evolve, and be conducted going forward.

The book is currently available for purchase online at Amazon.com in Kindle and paperback versions, as well as being offered via a number of other major online booksellers. To learn more about the author – Luigi Wewege and his new book, The Digital Banking Revolution, please visit: www.digitalbankingrevolution.com.

ABOUT LUIGI WEWEGE
Luigi is the President and CEO of Vivier Group, a multinational financial group of companies, providing its services worldwide through representation in jurisdictions across Africa, Asia, Oceania, Europe and South America. Outside of Vivier he serves as the Non-executive Chairman of Nikau Global an international trade and development firm, as Partner/Director of Palmetto Global Ventures a bespoke financial management consultancy firm, and is an invited member of Boston, Massachusetts based non-profit the Young Entrepreneur Council. For more information, about Luigi please visit: http://www.luigiwewege.com or alternatively reach him via Twitter @luigiwewege.

 

Media contact:
Brandon Hopkins
Email: info@digitalbankingrevolution.com
Phone: 803-404-4851
Web: www.digitalbankingrevolution.com

Media

PB Millionaire Jim Lawlor Victim of Fake News

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Lawlor Says: “Fame Comes With A Huge Price”.

San Diego, CA, USA — There was a time, not long ago, when people would read the newspaper or watch a reliable TV Network to get their news. Not anymore. New York Times Reporter, Michael Lynch, wrote an article called: “Fake News and the Internet Shell Game” in which he outlined how the internet has created a platform to deceive readers into believing “fake news” for the purpose of swaying public opinion. Lynch reported: “It was…the year of ‘fake news’ in which pure fiction masquerading as truth (like posts that claimed Hillary Clinton used a body double and Pope Francis had endorsed Trump) may have spread wide enough to influence the outcome of the election.”

But this deception game is not only used for political purposes, it is also widely used as means to sway public opinion about a public figure. Famous people today are plagued with so-called “haters” who in their twisted thinking become obsessed with someone famous and try destroy that person’s character. Often times they have never even met the person that they try to defame, yet they paint an unbecoming picture of the person whom they “hate” to get the public to believe their point of view, and in doing so they use “pure fiction” as well.

Jim Lawlor – also known as the “PB Millionaire”, has been a victim of these fake news stories. One example is a so-called news story on the internet that claims that the PB Castle – Lawlor’s home, was in foreclose in 2008 and that he was going to lose his house. Someone even said: “Foreclosure is imminent.” The truth is that Lawlor was suing his mortgage company because he was told his mortgage was a fixed rate but, in fact, it was a variable rate and his mortgage was going to double that year. Lawlor’s lawyer advised him not to pay his mortgage as a means of leverage against the mortgage company. It worked. Lawlor won the case which settled out of court and he got the rate he wanted as well as a fixed rate. He made well over a million dollars that year and had plenty of money to pay the mortgage but choose to take his lawyer’s advice and was thereby very successful in getting the kind of mortgage he wanted. The mortgage loan was in default at the time but the house was never in foreclose. However, if one were to read this fake news story, one would think he had no money and was going to lose his house. And that’s what the writer of this fake news story wanted you to think.

There are more than a dozen false news stories like that one on the internet about Lawlor with the intent to defame him. If you did a background check on the “PB Millionaire” you would find nothing. So why is there such a disparity of the truth herein an article on Oprah.com written by: Helen Fisher, PhD, called “Jealousy – the Monster,” Fischer wrote: “Why do we feel jealousy? Therapists often regard the demon as a scar of childhood trauma or a symptom of a psychological problem. And it’s true that people who feel inadequate, insecure, or overly dependent tend to be more jealous than others. And if you can’t stop spying or obsessing (and many of us can’t), it’s time to consult a mental health professional.” Unfortunately, those mentally ill people have computers and unleash their rage on unsuspecting celebrities.

The PB Millionaire is a true rags to riches, success story here in San Diego. After graduating from St. Ambrose University in Davenport, Iowa, with a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, he found himself in the midst of a recession and painted houses as a way to get by. It is then he envisioned his invention for a new type of safety goggle for spray painters. After getting a patent, he started his goggle business in 1991 and within a few years, annual sales were over one million dollars. His company continues to grow each year. Lawlor says: “I was naive to think that one day if I became successful, people would look up to me and would want to know how I became successful so they too could be successful. I didn’t realize how many angry people are out there in the world. Fame comes with a huge price because once you are famous you become a target for all the crazies out there.”

But Lawlor doesn’t feel inclined to hate back. “I only have compassion for those who suffer. I experience bliss because of my daily meditations. Those who have hate in their hearts are experiencing suffering. We should never feel anything but compassion for those who suffer – it’s just inappropriate.” And when I asked Lawlor how it affects him when he reads these hateful remarks, he said: “I don’t even read the stuff. If within the first sentence I see that it is hateful, I just delete it off my screen. I’m a very happy person but I feel sad for those people who choose to waste their lives hating others. If they put the same amount of time and effort into a business or working for a good cause, they would probably be happy too.”

Lawlor created “The PB Reality Show” about six years ago which depicts his nouveau riche lifestyle as a millionaire living in a castle here in Pacific Beach – a beach community within San Diego. It is then when all the Perez Hilton wannabe’s began their cyber attacks on his character. But there are way more fans than haters. The PB Reality Show Facebook page has over 80,000 followers (http://www.facebook.com/thepbrealityshow) who have nothing but praise for Lawlor. Debby Prater, a Facebook fan said: “You truly are a very special man. To give so much to so many others, and not merely materialistic things. But straight from the heart. Thank you, from the bottom of mine, for making this world a better place.” Rachel Andrei Buntyn said: “I have been a fan for over 4 years and continue to look up to you because you are a one of a kind person. You are a man of God and do God’s work by giving to the less fortunate all the time. I would love to meet you one day, I have always bragged about you on my timeline. You are such a beautiful human being. May God continue to bless you, Jim.”

Before he became wealthy, Lawlor was very involved in a world peace project that helped end the Cold War between the then USSR and the USA and was on the Today Show, CNN, and the major network news stations. (See http://www.pbmillionaire.bio). Now that he has money, he finds he can do a lot more to help people in need. Most of his employees and even former employees speak highly of him using adjectives like: “thoughtful,” “caring,” “easy-going,” “funny,” “knowledgeable.” Lawlor is multi-lingual and is a scholar of history. He has read many books on American History and is often quoting one of our Founding Fathers. He now devotes much of his time giving back to the community through his charities with a special emphasis on helping the homeless here in San Diego. He likes to make what he calls “Homeless Survival Bags” filled with foodstuff, water, juices, socks, and sweaters. He then personally drives around San Diego handing them out with his staff.

“I’m not going to apologize for being successful. Thomas Jefferson once said: ‘I’m a great believer in luck, and I find the harder I work, the more I have of it.’ – I agree.”

Media Contact:
Robert Whitley
PB Reality Show
858-822-8693
pbreality@gmail.com
http://www.pbmillionaire.com

Human Resources, Media

USRoadWarriors.com Recognized at GATS Great American Trucking Show for Support of Guard and Reserve

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USRW LLC announced today it received a Document of Support from the ESGR Program (Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve) signed by Secretary of Defense Ash Carter.

Round Rock, TX, USA — USRW LLC, parent company of USRoadWarriors.com and VeteranDriver.com, announced today it received a Document of Support from the ESGR Program (Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve) signed by Secretary of Defense Ash Carter. The program, a forty-year initiative, held an event at the Great American Trucking Show in Dallas Texas on Friday August 26th with about 300 people in attendance including, Major General Lester Simpson, Commanding officer of the Texas Army National Guard, who presented the recognition to 93 companies.

The ESGR Vision is to foster a culture in which all employers support and value the employment and military services of members of the National Guard and Reserve in the United States.

“In it’s (ESGR) forty-year history this is the largest group of companies anytime and anywhere to sign the Document of Support,” said retired Army Col. JP Hogan leader for ESGR in Texas. The Colonel himself sported a Calvary Stetson from the early 1900’s.

USRW Publisher and Co-Founder Carl Braun was on hand to receive the document. “I have two sons that served in Afghanistan and Iraq respectively, one of them is a wounded warrior. I served in the USAF Security Police and my father was a Korean War Vet. My brother, is a retired Marine. We’re a military family and I’m proud to support the ESGR efforts,” he said.

Braun and his company have owned numerous job boards over the last 20 years serving veterans and recently launched VeteranDriver.com, a lifestyle, careers and news site for Military Veterans, Returning Military and their families interested in or are employed by the transportation industry.

Media Contact:
Carl Braun
USRW LLC
1000 Heritage Center Circle
Round Rock, Texas 78664
512-368-7213
cb@usroadwarriors.com
http://www.usroadwarriors.com

Media, Non-Profit

Dr. Michael K. Obeng will Perform a Miraculous Surgery on Sarjo Trawally, a 4-year-old Girl from Gambia with a Life threatening Facial Cystic Hygroma

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From the anointed mind to the gifted hands of Dr. Michael K. Obeng, miracles have come true for many that cannot afford surgeries in third-world countries with poverty beyond understanding.

Beverly Hills, CA, USA — After careful, strategically planned trips to four countries this summer, Dr. Obeng was touched and moved by 4-year-old Sarjo with her disfigured face. Dr. Obeng has arranged for Sarjo to come to United States where he will do what may seem by millions as impossible. Sarjo arrives in Los Angeles on Thursday, August 11, 2016, which is when her transformation will begin. Dr. Obeng was born with the gift himself, to touch and change lives, faces, bodies etc. of many, with no means whatsoever to handle the cost for these surgeries. Dr. Obeng, through his charity, R.E.S.T.O.R.E., Restoring Emotional Stability Through Outstanding Reconstructive Efforts, and donations from the kindhearted, has been able to donate 100% of all services free for all surgeries that he and his select staff performs either on tour or case by case here in Beverly Hills, CA.

Dr. Obeng came to Midwestern State University (MSU) from Ghana. He saw a flyer about the university in a friend’s dorm room and knew it was in Texas, but that was all. While an MSU student, Dr. Obeng laid carpet, worked for Golden Corral, and drove a school bus for the Wichita Falls Independent School District. His bed was one he rescued from someone else’s trash, and he and his roommate alternated sleeping on it and the floor. After his first semester at MSU, he got a job at the Moffett Library and eventually landed a job as a residence assistant that paid his room and board, a big relief for a struggling student.

Dr. Obeng earned his Bachelor of Science from MSU in 1997, graduating cum laude with a major in Chemistry and a double minor in Mathematics & Biology. He received his medical degree from the University of Texas Medical Branch and completed post-graduate work in plastic and reconstructive surgery at the University of Texas Medical Branch John Sealy Hospitals and The Shriner’s Hospital for Children before accepting a fellowship at Harvard Medical School.

Dr. Obeng is currently the Director of his own private practice, MiKO Plastic Surgery and MiKO Surgery Center in Beverly Hills, California while also serving on staff at Cedars-Sinai Hospital in Los Angeles, California. Dr. Obeng is a noted author and lecturer on healthcare disparities around the globe. He has received numerous honors, awards and recognition for his professional achievements including a research grant from the National Institute of Health and the Herman A. Barnett Memorial Award for Excellence in Surgery and Anesthesia. His professional society memberships include the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, the American Society for Surgery of the Hand, and the American Society of Reconstructive Microsurgery.

Dr. Obeng recently launched a consulting firm, Global Health Solution, which is aimed to bridge the gap between morbidity and healthy living in developing countries. He believes a “Healthy country is a wealthy country.”

In Ghana, Dr. Obeng saw the pain caused by physical deformities, and the helplessness of those afflicted as they lived with their situation with no money, and too few qualified physicians to have the problem corrected. To resolve this issue, he then formed R.E.S.T.O.R.E. Worldwide, Inc. in 2008 (Restoring Emotional Stability Through Outstanding Reconstructive Efforts) to help those people and others in need. Since its inception in 2008 R.E.S.T.O.R.E.’s volunteer teams have traveled to 7 countries, including Gabon, Ghana, Guatemala, Mexico and Nigeria performing over 200 reconstructive surgeries worth over $ 5,000,000 USD and all on a pro-bono basis. Dr. Obeng credits the giving spirit of teachers, advisers, and fellow students during his time at Midwestern State University, The University of Texas and Harvard for instilling in him the need to help others. “I won’t forget where it all started,” he said.

About R.E.S.T.O.R.E.: R.E.S.T.O.R.E. is a 501 (c)(3) non-profit medical service organization that provides free reconstructive surgery and related medical services to children and adults with disfiguring deformities from birth, accidents and diseases. Many developing countries shun those afflicted with disfiguring deformities and look upon them as outcasts or “freaks”. Often their own families hide them from the general public to spare them from either being ridiculed or physically harmed because of their disfigured appearance.

Although there is an overwhelming need for plastic surgery in developing countries, these types of surgeries are not available because there are no personnel trained to provide the necessary surgeries. As part of the organizations mission they seek to educate and train local physicians in the techniques necessary to perpetuate their initial work to continually benefit more people for years to come.

“ONE FACE, ONE BREAST, ONE BODY AT A TIME”.

For more information or to help make a difference in Sarjo’s life with your donation
http://www.restoreworldwide.org
http://www.mikoplasticsurgery.com

Media Contact:
Lawrence Phillips (LP)
LP PR Events Entertainment
(310) 619-8048
(310) 275-2701
lppreventsentertainment13@gmail.com

Media

Time for the Media to Stop Calling Donald Trump a Billionaire, says Edgar Perez, The Speed Traders

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Edgar Perez, author of Knightmare on Wall Street and The Speed Traders, calls on the mainstream media to stop referring Donald Trump as a billionaire until he releases his tax returns and agrees to an independent audit.

New York City, NY, USA — Part of the allure of Donald Trump, the Republican nominee in the upcoming U.S. elections, comes from his being wealthy, very wealthy. Books tell us about his incredible endurance and resilience after business bankruptcies brought his net worth down to minus $900 million, as he admitted to former wife Marla Maples when they were strolling along New York’s Fifth Avenue in the early 90s. Furthermore, the media doesn’t get tired of calling Donald J. Trump a billionaire, again and again.

A simple Google search for Donald Trump and the word billionaire brings up 38 million results; the same search with the word millionaire instead brings up just a bit more than 1 million results. The media could be forgiven of pushing this billionaire narrative if we consider that three prestigious publications have canonized Donald Trump as billionaire: Bloomberg, Fortune and Forbes.

How do they know Trump is a billionaire? Forbes gave once an overview of its methodology, “We keep track of their moves: the deals they negotiate, the land they’re selling, the paintings they’re buying, the causes they give to. Securities & Exchange Commission documents, court records, probate records, tax records, federal financial disclosures and Web and print stories-we dig through them all. In calculating wealth, we put a price on all assets, including stakes in public and privately held companies, real estate, art, yachts and planes.” Did I read tax records? In Trump’s case, this small detail might have been missing for decades, as he has proclaimed his taxes are none of the American public’s business.

Trump himself has discounted Forbes’s calculations for a different reason. “I think that they are very good people. I like the people at Forbes. They don’t know a lot of the things I own. I don’t think they give me any value for brand and my brand is very valuable. I do deals – I’m doing deals right now. In fact, when I leave you, I’m signing a branding deal that’s a phenomenal, tremendous hundreds of millions of dollars in value, all because of my brand,” said Trump to CNBC’s John Harwood.

What type of assumptions is Forbes doing to estimate Trump’s wealth when they don’t have access to his tax returns? Are they only relying on statements prepared by Trump himself or his advisors? What about if the estimates are way too high? In 1976, The New York Times published a fawning profile of Trump in which he was quoted as saying he was worth $200 million; that figure was utterly false, according to examination of Trump’s finances in 1981 by the Casino Control Commission.

Journalist Timothy O’Brien is among the few who saw Trump’s tax returns yet he is legally prevented from talking about them in detail; he has implied that Trump’s income is much lower than he often suggests; as expected from Trump, O’Brien was sued for libel after he claimed in a 2005 book that Trump’s real net worth was as low as $150 million-$250 million. For a man that has attempted to persuade America of his $10 billion net worth, the lower range falls into the plausible.

It is time to stop this part of the Trump’s mythology once and for all. What about if the media stops calling Trump a billionaire until he releases his tax returns and proves he deserves that label? What about if Trumps agrees to an audit from an independent body that can obtain access to all relevant information? The onus is on Trump.

Edgar Perez (http://www.MrEdgarPerez.com), author of The Speed Traders and Knightmare on Wall Street, is a recognized keynote speaker and director of programs targeted at board members, chief executive officers and senior executives looking for new ways to gain and maintain a competitive business advantage. He can be reached through Twitter and Weibo.

ABOUT KNIGHTMARE ON WALL STREET
Knightmare on Wall Street, The Rise and Fall of Knight Capital and the Biggest Risk for Financial Markets, provides a fascinating account of what it took to elevate the firm to the cusp of the retail investing revolution of the late 1990s, to struggle through booms and busts, and to bring the firm down, to end up ultimately being ignominiously bought up by a competitor.

Knight Capital announced a staggering loss of $440 million. What followed after this shocking announcement were several rounds of desperate conversations with a number of vulture players who had smelled opportunity and were readying themselves to pick up bargain-priced pieces. On August 6, 2012, Joyce confirmed that Knight Capital had struck a deal with Jefferies, TD Ameritrade, Blackstone, GETCO, Stephens, and Stifel Financial, staving off collapse days after the trading mishap.

Knightmare on Wall Street, is a thrilling minute-by-minute account of the terrifying hours following Knight Capital’s August 1, 2012 trading debacle, with news-breaking research regarding the firm’s 17 years of tumultuous existence as an independent company. Knightmare on Wall Street is the definitive behind-the-scenes story of Knight Capital.

ABOUT THE SPEED TRADERS
High-frequency traders have been called many things-from masters of the universe and market pioneers to exploiters, computer geeks, and even predators. Everyone in the business of investing has an opinion of speed traders, but how many really understand how they operate? The shadow people of the investing world, today’s high-frequency traders have decidedly kept a low profile-until now. In this new title, The Speed Traders, Mr. Perez opens the door to the secretive world of high-frequency trading (HFT). Inside, prominent figures of HFT drop their guard and speak with unprecedented candidness about their trade.

Mr. Perez begins with an overview of computerized trading, which formally began on February 8, 1971, when NASDAQ launched the world’s first electronic market with 2,500 over-the-counter stocks and which has evolved into the present-day practice of making multiple trades in a matter of microseconds. He then picks the brains of today’s top players. John Netto (M3 Capital), Manoj Narang (Tradeworx), and Aaron Lebovitz (Infinium Capital Management) are just a few of the luminaries who decided to break their silence and speak openly to Mr. Perez. Virtually all of the expertise available from the world of speed trading is packed into these pages.

The Speed Traders, published by McGraw-Hill, is the most comprehensive, revealing work available on the most important development in trading in generations. High-frequency trading will no doubt play an ever larger role as computer technology advances and the global exchanges embrace fast electronic access. The Speed Traders explains everything there is to know about how today’s high-frequency traders make millions-one cent at a time.

ABOUT EDGAR PEREZ
Mr. Edgar Perez is an educator, published author, business consultant for billion-dollar private equity and hedge funds and Council Member at the Gerson Lehrman Group, Guidepoint Global Advisors, Research International and Internal Consulting Group, with subject matter expertise in cyber security, investing, trading, financial regulation (Dodd-Frank Act) and market structure.

He is author of Knightmare on Wall Street, The Rise and Fall of Knight Capital and the Biggest Risk for Financial Markets (2013), and The Speed Traders, An Insider’s Look at the New High-Frequency Trading Phenomenon That is Transforming the Investing World, published in English by McGraw-Hill Inc. (2011), Published in Mandarin by China Financial Publishing House (2012), and Investasi Super Kilat, published in Bahasa Indonesia by Kompas Gramedia (2012).

Mr. Perez is course director of Cybersecurity Boardroom Workshop, How Boards of Directors and CXOs Can Build the Proper Foundation to Address Today’s Information Security Challenges, and The Speed Traders Workshop, How High Frequency Traders Leverage Profitable Strategies to Find Alpha in Equities, Options, Futures and FX; he has presented his workshops in Singapore, Hong Kong, Sao Paulo, Seoul, Kuala Lumpur, Warsaw, Kiev, New York, Singapore, Beijing, Shanghai. He contributes to The New York Times and China’s International Finance News and Sina Finance.

Mr. Perez has presented to the Council on Foreign Relations, Vadym Hetman Kyiv National Economic University (Kiev), Quant Investment & HFT Summit APAC (Shanghai), U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (Washington DC), CFA Singapore, Hong Kong Securities Institute, Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences at New York University, University of International Business and Economics (Beijing), Hult International Business School (Shanghai) and Pace University (New York), among other public and private institutions. In addition, Mr. Perez has spoken at a number of global conferences, including Cyber Security World Conference (New York), Inside Market Data (Chicago), Emerging Markets Investments Summit (Warsaw), CME Group’s Global Financial Leadership Conference (Naples Beach, FL), Harvard Business School’s Venture Capital & Private Equity Conference (Boston), High-Frequency Trading Leaders Forum (New York, Chicago), MIT Sloan Investment Management Conference (Cambridge), Institutional Investor’s Global Growth Markets Forum (London), Technical Analysis Society (Singapore), TradeTech Asia (Singapore), FIXGlobal Face2Face (Seoul) and Private Equity Convention Russia, CIS & Eurasia (London).

Mr. Perez has been interviewed on CNN’s Quest Means Business, CNBC’s Squawk on the Street, Worldwide Exchange, Cash Flow and Squawk Box, FOX BUSINESS’s Countdown to the Closing Bell and After the Bell, Bloomberg TV’s Market Makers, CNN en Español’s Dinero, Petersburg – Channel 5, Sina Finance, BNN’s Business Day, CCTV China, Bankier.pl, TheStreet.com, Leaderonomics, GPW Media, Channel NewsAsia’s Business Tonight and Cents & Sensibilities. In addition, Mr. Perez has been featured on Sohu, News.Sina.com, Yicai, eastmoney, Caijing, ETF88.com, 360doc, AH Radio, CNFOL.com, CITICS Futures, Tongxin Securities, ZhiCheng.com, CBNweek.com, Caixin, Futures Daily, Xinhua, CBN Newswire, Chinese Financial News, ifeng.com, International Finance News, Finance.QQ.com, hexun.com, Finance.Sina.com, The Korea Times, The Korea Herald, The Star, The Malaysian Insider, BMF 89.9, iMoney Hong Kong, CNBC, Bloomberg Hedge Fund Brief, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Dallas Morning News, Valor Econômico, FIXGlobal Trading, TODAY Online, Oriental Daily News and Business Times.

Mr. Perez was a vice president at Citigroup, a senior consultant at IBM, and a strategy consultant at McKinsey & Co. in New York City. Previously, he managed Operations and Technology for Peruval Finance. Mr. Perez has an undergraduate degree in Systems Engineering from Universidad Nacional de Ingeniería, Lima, Peru (1994), a Master of Administration from Universidad ESAN, Lima, Peru (1997) and a Master of Business Administration from Columbia Business School, New York, with a dual major in Finance and Management (2002). He belongs to the Beta Gamma Sigma honor society. Mr. Perez is an accomplished salsa and hustle dancer and resides in the New York City area with wife Olga, son Edgar Felipe and daughter Svetlana Sofia.

Media Contact:
Julia Petrova
Media Relations Coordinator
The Speed Traders
+1-414-FORUMS0
jpetrova@thespeedtraders.com

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The Mission Society Highlights Plight of Refugees – And the Struggles to Practice Compassion of Christ

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New Issue of “Unfinished” Magazine Describes On-the-Ground Outreach.

Norcross, GA, USA — As the refugee crisis continues to grow, The Mission Society is taking an in-depth look at the situation’s complexities, examining the issues facing Christians who feel called to help but have misgivings about the process.

In the summer edition of The Mission Society’s magazine, Unfinished, “Rediscovering hospitality: Getting serious about welcoming the stranger,” the outreach ministry looks at how Christians are responding, while noting that “God is the God Who Helps.”

“As we look to help, many of us are afraid, afraid that we will all be pulled under by the tremendous need,” said Max Wilkins, president and CEO of The Mission Society. “While God doesn’t expect any of us to help everyone in need, I know God has blessed us to be a blessing.

“I know God wants us to care for those who have been – or will be – placed on our doorsteps,” he said, adding that Amnesty International found that 80 percent of the polled people in 27 countries would welcome refugees.

In the magazine, Charlie and Miki Chastain, missionaries in Europe with The Mission Society, describe their efforts to assist the refugees. “A night spent volunteering in a refugee camp breaks through apathy and emotional barriers we put up,” wrote Charlie Chastain. “When you look into the eyes of these individuals and hear their stories, it becomes abundantly clear that these men, women and children are not that different from us.”

But for others, the slow pace of resettlement is a source of frustration. In Spain, few refugees have been allowed in by the national government, despite urging from local officials and nonprofit groups. “I’m sure that God’s heart is sad,” said missionary Laurie Drum in Spain. “People whom He loves are standing at the door, and we cannot open it. With our hands tied, we wait and pray for solutions.”

Jim Ramsay, Vice President for Mission Ministries, also reflected on the appropriate Christian approach. “As Christians, we are to seek the heart of God in the midst of this unfolding story,” he wrote. “How God’s people respond matters not only to the physical and emotional needs of the refugee, but our response also matters in how faithfully we are living into our identity as His people.”

The summer issue of Unfinished also features ethicist and author Christine Pohl, Ph.D., whose article “The Perils of Hospitality,” outlines seven risks to opening our lives to others, particularly to those not like us. It’s an important practice. “A life of hospitality,” she writes, “is basic to what it means to be Jesus’ disciples.” The magazine also tells the experiences of Christians in North America who helped guide refugees through the complexities of Western society and provides practical advice on how to become engaged in assisting refugees through prayer, donation and personal involvement.

The latest issue of Unfinished is available for free at http://www.themissionsociety.org/unfinished-magazine.

Founded in 1984 in the Wesleyan tradition, The Mission Society (http://www.themissionsociety.org) exists to mobilize and deploy the body of Christ globally to join Jesus in His mission, especially among the least-reached peoples. The Mission Society recruits, trains and sends Christian missionaries to minister around the world. Its church ministry department provides seminars, workshops and mentoring for congregations in the United States and abroad, helping equip churches for outreach in their communities and worldwide. The Mission Society has 180 missionaries serving in 35 countries.

To schedule an interview with a leader with The Mission Society, contact Ty Mays @ 770-256-8710 or tmays@inchristcommunications.com.

Media Contact:
Ty Mays
InChrist Communications
770-256-8710
tmays@inchristcommunications.com
http://www.inchristcommunications.com

Media

Minneapolis Roofing Company Joins Class Action Lawsuit Against HomeAdvisor

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Storm Group Roofing is joining a class action lawsuit against HomeAdvisor alleging fraudulent practices and demanding a refund on $2,000 of fees accrued after initially canceling their account with the company.

Minneapolis, MN, USA — Storm Group Roofing, a Minneapolis roofing company headquartered in Brooklyn Park, MN, has joined a class action lawsuit against HomeAdvisor claiming fraudulent practices in their lead generation services. Storm Group is claiming that over the course of four months, HomeAdvisor wrongly charged them over $1,700 for dead leads including customers that were out of state, did not respond, or weren’t interested in roofing services. Representatives of the roofing company documented its communications with HomeAdvisor in a YouTube video, however were demanded to take it down before any refunds would be made.

Over the course of four months, representatives of the roofing company attempted to cancel its HomeAdvisor account only to continue being billed for unwanted services. On February 19, 2016, Storm Group Roofing initially contacted HomeAdvisor to cancel its account after spending $1,000 and receiving three quality leads. In the mid-June, the Minneapolis roofing company was charged an additional $700 by HomeAdvisor though they had previously requested their account be canceled. This unrequested restart in services generated no quality leads for the company. Storm Group Roofing is demanding a full refund of all charges accrued after February as well as the $347 sign up fee.

The roofing company documented its communications with HomeAdvisor in a YouTube video. The 15-minute video captures the multiple phone conversations that took place between Storm Group Roofing employees and HomeAdvisor’s customer service team between June 13th and 20th in which requests to cancel the account and receive a refund were made. The roofing company posted the video to its YouTube channel on June 20th and within a week it has garnered over 1,700 views. Upon viewing this video, representatives from HomeAdvisor agreed to refund $1,045 (Fees for leads accrued after February and the sign up fee) on the condition that the video is taken down.

“There is no way to prove that HomeAdvisor is not sending the same leads to multiple companies and charging each one separately regardless if they get the job or not,” said Dmitry Lipinski, owner of Storm Group Roofing. “To that point, there is no way to prove that the phone numbers of the leads we received belong to real people as they are four-digit extensions created by HomeAdvisor.”

Storm Group Roofing has refused to remove the video from their YouTube account and is demanding a full refund of the fees they were charged after the first request to cancel their account was made. The Minneapolis roofing company is joining a class action lawsuit against HomeAdvisor alleging fraudulent practices.

About Storm Group Roofing
Storm Group Roofing provides superior roofing services for the entire Twin Cities metro area. The Minneapolis roofing contractor also offers premium gutter installation, vinyl siding installation, and ice dam removal services for residential and commercial properties.

Media Contact:
Dmitry Lipinskiy
Storm Group Roofing, L.L.C.
7308 Aspen Lane, N. Ste. 118,
Brooklyn Park, Minnesota 55428
(612) 559-2449
info@stormgrouproofing.com
http://www.stormgrouproofing.com

Media, Non-Profit

Rhode Island Becomes 4th State To Pass AutoErase Legislation

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Pawtucket’s Representative Carlos Tobon’s bill is part of a nationwide effort to reduce the burden placed on innocent individuals wrongfully arrested due to mistaken identity.

Providence, RI, USA — Rhode Island becomes the fourth state to pass #AutoErase legislation which requires that arrest records are automatically erased of innocent individuals wrongfully arrested due to mistaken identity. The bills, HB 7094, and it’s companion bill, SB2421 – “Requires the sealing and destruction of arrest records of persons wrongfully arrested,” were introduced and championed by Rep. Carlos Tobon (D-Pawtucket) and Senator Juan Pichardo (D-Providence), respectively. Rhode Island joins North Carolina, Illinois and Colorado in passing a piece of criminal justice reform legislation that was born out of the wrongful arrest of Hollywood independent producer and entertainment industry executive, Charles Belk in August of 2014. #AutoErase legislation has been signed into law in North Carolina, Illinois and Colorado, and is currently pending legislation Michigan and Pennsylvania.

Innocent people in Rhode Island, as well as throughout the country, are wrongfully charged each year with a felony or misdemeanor crime because the charges were issued as the result of mistaken identity (i.e., misidentification by a witness or law enforcement, confusion on the part of a witness or law enforcement as to the identity of the person who committed the crime, misinformation provided to law enforcement as to the identity of the person who committed the crime, or some other mistake on the part of a witness or law enforcement as to the identity of the person who committed the crime), or because someone else used their information. Because the responsibility to remove a wrongful arrest record falls on the charged individual, he or she is burden with the expenses and time required to handle such a task. If a person does not have the erroneous arrest record removed, it can greatly affect his or her ability in the future to get a job, a loan or certain licenses. The Rhode Island legislation requires that any law enforcement agency, subsequent to the arrest of any person, that determines such person was wrongfully or incorrectly arrested as a result of mistaken identity or any other reason or wrongfully fingerprinted, photographed or otherwise has generated any record of arrest for investigatory purposes and as a result of such wrongful arrest, no charges have been filed in any court of the state, seal all such arrest records and destroy all identifying information and indices of arrest. Notwithstanding a veto by the Governor, the new law will take affect on July 1, 2016.

“If someone is wrongful arrested because law enforcement is doing their job, it’s only fair that their record is cleaned up,” Representative Tobon said. “Getting a faulty arrest record erased currently is a long and costly process and many people are being harmed by simple background checks.”

On August 22, 2014, Charles Belk was mistakenly identified as an armed bank robber because he fit the description of a tall, bald, Black male. He was handcuffed, detained, taken to the police station, booked, denied a phone call, denied being told his charges, denied immediate access to an attorney, jailed for six hours for Armed Bank Robbery and Accessory to Armed Robbery and held under a $100,000 bail. Although he was released later that night and given a Certificate of Detention, which indicated he was only detained and not arrested, an arrest record appeared on the Sheriff’s website and a state legal process had to be followed to get the arrest record sealed and destroyed. Since his arrest, Belk launched a nationwide effort, through the non-profit he founded (fittingthedescription.org) and his #AutoErase Initiative, to educate and inform those about the perils of wrongful arrest records, and engage legislation to alleviate the burden and costs incurred by the innocent to remove those arrest records.

“Since the wrongful arrest incident, I have seen the #AutoErase legislation introduced in 14 states, and Rhode Island was one of those state that I had the opportunity to visit on several different occasion, meeting and talking with community leaders and officials, including Providence NAACP President Jim Vincent, Providence Public Safety Commissioner Steven Pare, and Pawtucket Police Chief Paul King, among many others,” said Charles Belk. “This is an incredible piece of legislation for the good people of the great state of Rhode Island, and I’m truly grateful for the support from the community and the state legislators.”

Fitting The Description, a 501.c.3, tax exempt, non-profit organization, was established to help build awareness of wrongful detentions and arrests that occur each day because an individual “fit the description.” The organization helps educate and inform others about the perils of wrongful arrests records, and advocates for alleviating the burden and costs incurred by the innocent to remove those arrest records.

Media Contact:
Mark Williams
Fitting The Description Inc.
PO Box 93181
Los Angeles, CA 90093
213-632-6390
mwilliams@fittingthedescription.org
http://www.fittingthedescription.org

Media

Colorado Becomes 3rd State to Pass AutoErase Legislation

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Wrongful arrest of Hollywood entertainment industry exec, Charles Belk, is inspiring automatic expungement legislation across the nation. Colorado becomes the third state to pass #AutoErase legislation which requires that arrest records are automatically erased of innocent individuals wrongfully arrested due to mistaken identity. The bill, HB16-1265 – “Expungement of Arrest Records Based On Mistaken Identity,” was introduced and championed by Rep. Jovan Melton and Rep. Daneya Esgar.

Denver, CO, USA — Colorado becomes the third state to pass #AutoErase legislation which requires that arrest records are automatically erased of innocent individuals wrongfully arrested due to mistaken identity. The bill, HB16-1265 – “Expungement of Arrest Records Based On Mistaken Identity,” was introduced and championed by Rep. Jovan Melton (D-Aurora) and Rep. Daneya Esgar (D-Pueblo) and co-sponsored by Sen. Michael Johnston (D-Denver) and Sen. John Cooke (R-Greeley). Colorado joins North Carolina and Illinois in passing a piece of criminal justice reform legislation that was born out of the wrongful arrest of Hollywood independent producer and entertainment industry executive, Charles Belk.

On August 22, 2014, Charles Belk was mistakenly identified as an armed bank robber because he fit the description of a tall, bald, Black male. He was handcuffed, detained, taken to the police station, booked, denied a phone call, denied being told his charges, denied immediate access to an attorney, jailed for six hours for Armed Bank Robbery and Accessory to Armed Robbery and held under a $100,000 bail. Although he was released later that night and given a Certificate of Detention, which indicated he was only detained and not arrested, an arrest record appeared on the Sheriff’s website and a state legal process had to be followed to get the arrest record sealed and destroyed. Since his arrest, Belk launched a nationwide effort, through the non-profit he founded, fittingthedescription.org, and his #AutoErase Initiative, to educate and inform those about the perils of wrongful arrest records, and engage legislation to alleviate the burden and costs incurred by the innocent to remove those arrest records.

#AutoErase legislation has been signed into law in both North Carolina and Illinois, and is currently pending legislation in 11 other states (Rhode Island, Connecticut, Michigan, Tennessee, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Missouri, Kansas, Arizona, South Carolina, and Nebraska).

Innocent people in Colorado, as well as throughout the country, are wrongfully charged each day with a felony or misdemeanor crime because the charges were issued as the result of mistaken identity (i.e., misidentification by a witness or law enforcement, confusion on the part of a witness or law enforcement as to the identity of the person who committed the crime, misinformation provided to law enforcement as to the identity of the person who committed the crime, or some other mistake on the part of a witness or law enforcement as to the identity of the person who committed the crime), or because someone else used their information. Because the responsibility to remove a wrongful arrest record falls on the charged individual, he or she is burden with the expenses and time required to handle such a task. If a person does not have the erroneous arrest record removed, it can greatly affect his or her ability in the future to get a job, a loan or certain licenses. This bill requires that a court shall expunge the arrest and criminal records information of a person who was arrested as a result of mistaken identity and who did not have charges filed against him or her.

“This is an incredible piece of legislation, and so many Coloradoans probably do not fully understand or are unaware of the perils of having a wrongful arrest record,” Charles Belk said. “But even more incredible, as I travel from state to state, is to see the true advantage of bipartisanship and how a body of elected officials can be so effective when they work together across party lines, as was the case with this bill and members of the Colorado General Assembly.”

Four bills were introduced in 2016 in the Colorado General Assembly aimed at “rebuilding trust” between police and the community, and have received bipartisan support, in an effort organized by Rep. Angela Williams (D-Denver). The other three bills are – HB16-1264, prohibiting the use of a chokehold unless self-defense; HB16-1263, expanding the definition of profiling; and HB16-1262, addressing officers hiding a serious offense, resigning and applying for a job with a different police force. ” All four bills have passed both chambers, and the #AutoErase Bill was the first to do so.

Fitting The Description, a 501.c.3, tax exempt, non-profit organization, was established to help build awareness of wrongful detentions and arrests that occur each day because an individual “fit the description.” The organization helps educate and inform others about the perils of wrongful arrests records, and advocates for alleviating the burden and costs incurred by the innocent to remove those arrest records.

Charles Belk was born and raised in Durham, NC, and is a producer at and president of I Will Make You a Star Productions, a Los Angeles-based, social/digital marketing and production company. He is also the founder and executive director of Fitting The Description Inc. Charles Belk is a graduate of Durham Hillside High School and received a BS in Electrical Engineering from the University of Southern California, an MBA from Indiana University, and an Executive Leadership Certificate from Harvard Business School.

Media Contact:
Mark Williams
Fitting The Description Inc.
PO Box 93181
Los Angeles, CA 90093
213-632-6390
mwilliams@fittingthedescription.org
http://www.fittingthedescription.org

Art, Media

All Women Competition

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womenart

For the month of February, Contemporary Art Gallery Online received competition entries for the following categories: paintings, mixed media & three dimension works as well as photography and digital art.  Results were announced, March 14, 2016.  The distinguishing entries were of single stipulation, that being, solely from the feminine perspective!

http://www.cagonline.gallery/FEBRUARY-2016-ALL-WOMEN

Within the Paintings category, Mariana Peirano achieved Best in Show for a somber representation entitled, “Loss”. Lydia Pepin reflected the simple beauty of portraiture and a barren neckline in, “Portrait of Mylene”.  Judges Choice was awarded to Sheryl Hughes her remarkable detail and likeness expressed in, “Owliver 2”.  The Second Place award went to, Tanya Reeves for the visceral femme fatal entitled, “Frenchie”; while Third and Fourth Places were awarded to, Alegra Norris for “Aura” and to, Janet Hamilton for “Morocco 12”.  Based on depth of perspective, emotional quality and execution, artists Dimitrina Kutriansky & Ann Tygette Jones tied in Fifth Place for their renderings, “Passing Gale” and “Tri-Mod”.

Within the Mixed Media & Three Dimensional works category, Joy Malone received Best in Show for, “Weekend World”. Ginny Baughman received First Place for the patriotic and indulgent symbolism called, “America the Beautiful”.  Maria Saracino won Second Place for “The Gamers”, while Third and Fourth Places were awarded to, Kellie Moeller for a typographical exponent called, “Phenomenal Woman” and to, Yelena Lezhen for a palpable testament entitled, “The Garden of Delight”.  Finally Fifth Place was awarded to, Laura Little for the primal and instinctual collage named, “Ebony Love”.

Within the Photography and Digital Art category, Durga Garcia received the Best in Show award for a tribal tribute called, “Kinkajou”. Artist Allyson Marie was recognized for her prodigy with two awards including; Judges Choice for the alluring image, “Draped by Nature” and First Place for the crude daguerreotype within, “No Bull”.  Second Place award went to, Sarah Johnstone for “Bubblegum Dreams” and Third Place & Fourth Places were awarded to, Monica Schneider for “Selfie Stick in Havana” and to, Genea Barnes for “Detroit 5”.  Both Brigitt Wiss & Eva Habdas tied for Fifth Place representing romanticism and introspection with “The Rose” & “Variations of My Soul” photographs.

Honorable Recognitions awarded to the following artists for paintings and for photography: Priscilla Bennett Nippinonni for, “Moonlight Dance”; Mia Bellavia for, “Self in Tub”; Birgit Kalkofen for, “Masai Women I”; and Holly Harrah for “Manhattan with Johnny”.

To view this exhibition, and others, please visit us at: www.cagonline.gallery

Contemporary Art Gallery Online hosts artists of varying life and artistic experiences.

Visit Contemporary Art Gallery Online’s Gallery Exhibition to celebrate your love for art and to drink in the visual display. Also, tune into sound bites of in-depth artists interviews from the “Artists Speaks” series.

Contemporary Art Gallery is Always Showcasing Tomorrow’s Art Giants, Today!

http://www.contemporaryartgalleryonline.com