HERNDON, Va. – Feb. 27, 2024 – PRLog — ASA is pleased to announce an upcoming webinar, titled “BV543 Introduction to International Valuation Standards Council-Financial Instruments Standards,” scheduled for Thursday, April 18, 2024, from 1:00 pm to 2:30 pm Eastern Standard Time.
A vital learning opportunity for professionals in the valuation field, tax directors, tax planning professionals, CFOs, and controllers, this webinar will introduce IVS 500, a key element in the International Valuation Standards Council’s (IVSC) Standards, effective January 2025. Delivered by renowned experts, Lawrence Levine, Managing Director at Lincoln International LLC, Lucas Weiss, Director at Lincoln International LLC, and Douglas Summa, Vice Chairman at IVSC Financial Instruments Board, participants will be guided through essential aspects, including governance, data and inputs, methods and models, and quality control about the valuation of level 1, 2, and 3 securities on a global scale.
Upon completion of this course, participants will be equipped to:
Summarize the objectives of IVS 500.
Explain the valuation concepts and principles underlying IVS 500.
Explain why IVS 500 is important and fills a void in the valuation profession.
Define a global set of valuation standards for financial instruments.
To register or for more information please visit https://bit.ly/48jEGf4 or contact us at (800) 272-8258.
ABOUT ASA ASA is a world-renowned and respected international organization devoted to the appraisal profession. As the oldest and only major appraisal organization representing all appraisal specialists, ASA is dedicated to providing the highest possible standards in all areas of ethics, professionalism, education, and designation criteria. For more information about ASA, the ASA designation program for appraisers, or the Society’s free “Find an Appraiser” Referral System, visit www.appraisers.org or call (800) 272-8258.
Author recently shared his insights on the show Spotlight with Logan Crawford
St Simons Island, Georgia, USA – WEBWIRE – Saturday, December 9, 2023
Author recently shared his insights on the show Spotlight with Logan Crawford
In his captivating new book, The Next Medo-Persian Empire, author W. Richard Viall takes readers on a compelling journey through prophecy, faith, and the future. Mr. Viall challenges traditional beliefs about the end of times and offers a fresh perspective on the intersection of prophecy and our contemporary world.
Faith has always been intricately linked with prophecy; a connection explored by Mr. Viall in his thought-provoking analysis. The book delves into biblical prophecies, unraveling their significance and exploring their role in shaping our world. From the birth and suffering of Jesus Christ to predictions of the return of the Messiah, The Next Medo-Persian Empire provides a comprehensive examination of these prophecies.
In his thought-provoking interpretation, Mr. Viall encourages readers to reconsider long-held beliefs about the time of great tribulation. A central focus of his is placed on the rise of the next Medo-Persian Empire as a crucial sign in the unfolding of these prophecies.
Mr. Viall was recently featured on the show Spotlight with Logan Crawford where he discussed the implications of the re-forming of the modern day Medo-Persian Empire. He also shared his insights on the rapture, the prophecies, and delved briefly into the controversial topic of the antichrist. The full interview can be viewed here: https://youtu.be/l3VQGEcrgY8?si=IhCROtKm6WTQBci4
W. Richard Viall, with 39 years in Law Enforcement and 27 years as a law enforcement instructor, brings a unique perspective to the exploration of prophecy. His diverse spiritual journey, from a small country Baptist church in upstate Pennsylvania to embracing Catholicism, coupled with his passion for religion, forms the foundation for his insightful analysis in The Next Medo-Persian Empire.
The Next Medo-Persian Empire
W. Richard Viall
Paperback: $13.95
E-book: $2.99
The book is available for purchase at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and other online bookstores.
The 25th Hong Kong International Lighting Fair (Autumn Edition), organised by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), runs until tomorrow (30 October) at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre. Rapid technological advancements have made smart lighting easily accessible, including artificial intelligence-powered sensing systems, creating immense opportunities. Recognising this, the exhibition hosted two Connected Lighting Forums, themed Unlocking New Realms in Connected Lighting (27 October) and Smart Lighting for Healthy Living (28 October). Several lighting brand representatives and industry leaders discussed technological developments, the newest opportunities in lighting, human-centric healthy lighting and its sustainable development.
The HKTDC featured two Connected Lighting Forums on 27 and 28 October during the fair.
Cross-platform smart home connectivity protocol revolutionises smart lighting
The forum held on 27 Oct invited such authorities as Mona Xiong, Board Member & Marketing Committee Member, Connectivity Standards Alliance; Head of Ecosystem Partnership, Tuya Smart, and Finn Chen, Vice Team Leader, Connectivity Standards Alliance Member Group China (CMGC); CEO, Longan Link Tech Co., LTD. to discuss smart home trends and innovations.
On the first day of the exhibition, a forum titled Towards Sustainability for Luminaires was held. Four guests were invited to share insights on the sustainable development of lighting
Ms Xiong introduced the Connectivity Standards Alliance’s cross-platform smart home device standard and connectivity protocol Matter. The standard brought a new landscape to the smart home and lighting industry as it supported the operation of smart home devices on Wi-Fi, Thread, and Ethernet networks and was compatible with existing products and ecosystems. Matter had received support throughout the value chain, from chip vendors to service providers, providing interoperable devices and platforms for various suppliers. Before the Matter rollout users would typically need to download different applications to control various devices but the new standard had brought innovative changes and completely solved this problem. With “Matter”, users may control their home using a single or multiple applications of their own choice. Matter-based smart lighting and smart home development was a prevailing trend.
Matter had benefited from the contributions of more than 300 member companies, who had shared their mature technologies, best practices, business models and ongoing support. Matter has collaborated with multinational companies such as Google, Amazon, Apple, LG, Samsung, and Tuya Smart. And since October last year Matter had recorded over 23,660 downloads and certified more than 1,850 products or software components, reflecting the rapid development of interconnected smart technology and demonstrating unlimited business opportunities.
During the forum Finn Chen also pointed out that Matter ensured interoperability across major ecosystems in the global market, benefiting both users and retailers. The standard had a unified data model and shared user interface. Matter also permitted external control without relying on the cloud or accounts. He emphasised that Matter let people finally “truly own their own smart homes”. Matter was applied mainly in smart home development, he said, hoping that its potential would not be confined to smart home lighting. He envisioned Matter being widely used in different locations and outdoor settings as well.
Potential and opportunities from integrating smart lighting with artificial intelligence
The forum held on 28 Oct delved into environmental lighting and AIoT (Artificial Intelligence of Things) innovations, while exploring the potential of DALI (Digital Addressable Lighting Interface) in the IoT era and application of SILA-PLC (Shanghai Pudong Intelligent Lighting Association-Power Line Communication) smart lighting to illuminate a healthier future.
Dr Qiao Yuan, Director, SILA Intelligent Lighting Designer Committee; Vice President, Fudan Planning and Architectural Design Institute, said the design and development of intelligent and smart lighting were becoming increasingly diverse and inspiring. The field embodied the trend of balancing aesthetics and sustainable development, linked by artificial intelligence and aligned with smart city development. The field presented numerous opportunities and the lighting industry needed to keep up with increasingly diverse smart technology developments. Giving one example, he said that should vehicle driving technology become completely autonomous, road lighting technology would undergo ground-breaking changes. He also believed the advancement of artificial intelligence and LED technology would bring about significant changes as the two technologies complemented each other, leading to endless opportunities and driving forces.
Dr Feng Huang, Chair, DALI Alliance China Focus Group; Chief Expert, Standard and Regulation, Signify (China), said application of DALI wired intelligent lighting control system was simple and stable. However, as it evolved, DALI technology that was initially developed only for dimming had expanded to incorporate new technologies equipped with rich IoT (Intelligence of Things) data. DALI would also advance to different technical levels, including connecting with the IoT connectivity protocol of Matter, enabling seamless connectivity between different devices. DALI would also combine with Thread to achieve more efficient, flexible and intelligent lighting control.
Angelica Hsu, Deputy Secretary, SILA; CEO, Liteputer Technology, also said SILA-PLC technology represented a leap forward in the industry and smart lighting would expand its connections and integration between wired and wireless. Zhijun Li, Chairman, Shanghai Pudong Intelligent Lighting Association, predicted that integrating lighting and health lighting with artificial intelligence presented boundless potential. He hoped the perceptual capabilities in lighting systems and vertical applications of AIGC (Artificial Intelligence Generated Content) could be fully implemented. He emphasised the importance of understanding big data analysis in the lighting industry and pushing applications to new horizons.
Lighting industry moves towards sustainable development to illuminate a green future
At the forum Towards Sustainability for Luminaires (27 Oct), four guests shared insights on sustainable development of lighting. Jean-Marie Croué, Délégué Général of Syndicat du Luminaire-GIL, explained the concepts and applications of life cycle assessment (LCA), environmental product declarations (EPD), and the repairability index. Frankie Tsang and Eric Shiu, Associate Directors, TinoKwan Lighting Consultants Ltd, gave perspectives on balancing aesthetics and sustainability in lighting design and showed how aesthetics and environmental considerations could go hand in hand in lighting design. Franklin Yu, Director, Hong Kong Green Building Council; Founder & Director, Singular Studio Limited, discussed key points in lighting design for green cities, emphasising the need for balanced considerations of economics, environment and socio-cultural aspects in every lighting design to achieve genuine sustainability.
The Autumn Lighting Fair debuted the Connected Lighting Zone this year, highlighting smart and IoT-enabled lighting solutions from more than 20 renowned international companies and brands, including Leedarson, Midea, Snappy, Quectel, as well as members of DALI Alliance and Shanghai Pudong Intelligent Lighting Association
Photo Download: https://bit.ly/46JHF0i
Media enquiries The HKTDC’s Communications and Public Affairs Department: Snowy Chan, Tel: (852) 2584 4525, Email: snowy.sn.chan@hktdc.org
The HKTDC’s Media Room: http://mediaroom.hktdc.com/en
About HKTDC
The Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) is a statutory body established in 1966 to promote, assist and develop Hong Kong’s trade. With 50 offices globally, including 13 in Mainland China, the HKTDC promotes Hong Kong as a two-way global investment and business hub. The HKTDC organises international exhibitions, conferences and business missions to create business opportunities for companies, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), in the mainland and international markets. The HKTDC also provides up-to-date market insights and product information via research reports and digital news channels. For more information, please visit: www.hktdc.com/aboutus. Follow us on Twitter @hktdc and LinkedIn
PT Pertamina (Persero) and its sub-holdings have initiated several potential strategic collaborations with several energy companies in Africa, including in the upstream oil and gas sector, infrastructure development, processing refineries, potential downstream product distribution collaborations, and the development of new and renewable geothermal energy. In Kenya, Pertamina, through PT Pertamina Geothermal Energy (PGE) Tbk, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Africa Geothermal International Limited (AGIL) on Sunday, August 20, 2023, for technology development and resource utilization in geothermal. With this collaboration, PGE will have the opportunity to study infrastructure development, implement geothermal technology in Indonesia, and expand geothermal development in Kenya.
“Several collaborations that will be launched by the Pertamina Group in Africa, along with the visit of the President of the Republic of Indonesia, Joko Widodo, on August 20 – 24, 2023, will become one of the mainstays in the energy sector for the country. This collaboration can strengthen cooperation between African countries and globally,” President Director of Pertamina Nicke Widyawati said during her visit to Kenya, Africa, on Monday (21/8).
In the upstream business, the upstream sub-holding subsidiary, PT Pertamina Internasional EP (PIEP), is exploring the potential for cooperation with the National Oil Corporation of Kenya (NOCK). This exploration is the first step for Pertamina’s upstream footprint abroad, strengthening national energy security.
“Spirit brings the barrel home; Pertamina’s footprint in the upstream sector is to increase production so that it can be processed at Pertamina’s domestic refineries,” Nicke said.
Nicke revealed that Pertamina also has opportunities to expand in various energy fields with the government-to-government (G-to-G) collaboration between the Government of Indonesia and the Government of Kenya. This bilateral cooperation also opens investment opportunities and collaboration for Pertamina in the African region.
“We appreciate the role of the government, including the Coordinating Ministry for Maritime Affairs and Investment, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources, in supporting Pertamina’s expansion efforts on the global stage,” she explained.
Before the visit, Pertamina had a Memorandum of Understanding with GUMA, an African energy company, regarding strategic alliances for potential upstream, midstream, and downstream business projects.
The collaboration includes the exploration and production of oil and gas fields, the development of oil and gas pipelines, and the development of oil and petrochemical refineries. Apart from that, Pertamina also trades petroleum products in Kenya. According to Nicke, cooperation beneficial to the Indonesian state will be prioritized in every collaboration carried out by the Pertamina Group.
“We bring the government’s spirit, the spirit of the 1955 Asian-African Conference. We are now working together on economic development. Pertamina opens opportunities for cooperation in the upstream and downstream sectors, including geothermal in Kenya,” Nicke said.
Meanwhile, Vice President of Pertamina, Fadjar Djoko Santoso, added that Pertamina had brought several sub-holdings to explore the potential for cooperation in Africa. These collaborations will further strengthen national energy security and realize the company’s role as a global energy company. “We are open to all business cooperation opportunities that positively impact Pertamina and the country,” Fadjar said.
Pertamina, as a leader in the field of energy transition, is committed to supporting the Net Zero Emissions 2060 target by continuing to encourage programs that have a direct impact on the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). These efforts align with implementing environmental, social, and governance (ESG) in Pertamina’s business lines and operations.
In the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, cities are having to redefine themselves. The pandemic’s impact led to a shift in urban dynamics with people preferring to dine and shop in residential neighborhoods allowing them to stay close to home. Unfortunately, these changing habits have persisted and as a result, downtown area businesses are suffering nationwide. The primary consequence is the loss of numerous small businesses and cherished “mom and pop” shops, which have served as enduring symbols of main street. However, there is a collective effort underway to safeguard these businesses, led by private citizens, tech entrepreneurs, and organizations dedicated to supporting small enterprises.
On July 12, the planned closing of the Anchor Brewing Company located in San Francisco, CA, since 1896 was announced. Mike Walsh, a Venture Capitalist with Structure Capital, showed his support and commitment to preserve this local treasure by announcing his plan to rescue the iconic brewery. Walsh recognizes the importance of the brewery to the city, and he is committed to presenting a compelling offer to keep it open. He is currently looking at several options for raising the funds to complete the purchase. “It is an iconic brew, and the brand represents innovation and grit,” said Walsh. His goal is to keep the brewery where it is and with its current employees. He has “a large investor group with hundreds more interested in investing through a crowdfunding option. I’m happy to collaborate to save this San Francisco, Bay Area, and national treasure,” he added.
In parallel with the efforts to preserve Anchor Brewing Company, another remarkable initiative aims to bolster small businesses nationwide. Mario L. Castellanos, Founder & CEO, of the app “Mystery on Main Street” also shared his mission to revitalize local economies. “We’re a start-up seeking funding, but our mission is to bring business back to the locals by using mystery-themed storytelling and gamification with some augmented reality and AI thrown into the mix,” said Castellanos. He believes that small businesses are hurting nationwide and to counter this, his company plans on providing no-cost, month-long gameplays in cities and towns nationwide to launch their app with the goal of getting thousands of shoppers and players to visit small businesses.
In other efforts, organizations like Chambers of Commerce across the nation have introduced programs to assist small business remain open and to be successful. Rita McDonald, Chief Growth Officer of the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce, emphasized the importance of empowering small businesses within local communities. “By offering a diverse range of programs and resources, we create an ecosystem where small businesses thrive, bringing innovation and job opportunities to the region,” McDonald said. She went on to say that “Our members love the integrated approach that fosters collaboration across all sizes of enterprises, creating a connected business community that drives the Middle Tennessee economy forward.”
Other Chambers around the county are also introducing programs to assist these businesses. The Seattle Metro Chamber introduced the Community Business Connector (CBC) in 2022. This program works to ensure equitable economic recovery across business by working with “connectors” that help to provide business resources to sustain and grow local enterprises. The program facilitates the establishment of relationships with businesses encountering difficulties caused by linguistic, cultural, and geographic barriers, including economic repercussions resulting from COVID-19.
Collectively, these nationwide efforts are giving struggling business owners some hope. These initiatives have the power to be impactful and showcase the unwavering resilience of owners. They serve as crucial reminders to consumers of the importance of supporting local businesses to ensure their survival. Keeping money within the community positively impacts everyone, fostering a strong and thriving economy.
Media Contact: Jim Burkhart, Executive Director of Business Operations at FutureCommPR. Headquartered in San Francisco and New York, FutureCommPR provides PR services with a focus on small businesses and startups.
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