febrero 2021 – Página 263

The Evolved Traveler Fuels Passion for Responsible Tourism and Conservation with a New Line-up of Live Virtual «Evolved Engagements»

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif., Feb. 6, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — Today, The Evolved Traveler, curator of worldwide luxury travel experiences designed to promote a sense of global community and responsible tourism, has launched a new a new line-up of live, multi-media, virtual events titled, «Evolved Engagements,» which enable Guests to share in their passion for responsible tourism and conservation with myriad specialists and authorities in the fields.

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«Our ‘Evolved Engagements’ are a natural extension of the ‘Evolved Experiences’ we offer our Guests on their journeys with us and is one of the things that we believe genuinely sets us apart. With travel being limited during the pandemic, ‘Evolved Engagements’ not only allow Guests opportunities to participate in our global community, but contribute to it as well,» said The Evolved Traveler President, Justin Smith.

Immersive Experiences and Positive Impact

Launching with three consecutive, expert-led, live programs based in Africa, these new «Evolved Engagements» include: Rhino Conservation Up-Close exploring the trials faced and triumphs achieved in conservation efforts of white and black rhinos; Blue Conservation: Hope Spots allowing a «deep-dive» into ocean conservation with a member of the Mission Blue Global Alliance; and The Art of Wildlife Monitoring educating engaged participants of the necessary steps to protecting threatened species such as lions, elephants, cheetahs, and rhinos.»

Beginning this month, the sessions will take place at 1pm ET/10 PT on three consecutive Sundays in February and March: Rhino Conservation – Feb 21; Blue Conservation – February 28; and The Art of Wildlife Monitoring – Mar 7. The cost for the series of three sessions is $50 per guest (or, $20 per guest per session) while 20% of proceeds from each session will be donated to the respective organizations.

«During these uncertain times, we’re very pleased to not only be able to offer our Guests live experiences on the other side of the word, but to have them know they are making a difference in conservation efforts at the same time,» said Smith.

For more information, or to join in one or all the «Evolved Engagements,» please visit www.evolvedtraveler.com/evolvedengagements, or call 323.505.4415 today.

For product information, visit:
www.evolvedtraveler.com

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SOURCE The Evolved Traveler

Noted Cities in the Tennessee River Valley that Have Shaped America

KNOXVILLE, Tenn., Feb. 6, 2021 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ — The Tennessee River Valley is a region steeped in history and at the centerpiece of it all is the Tennessee River. Flowing 652 miles through seven states, Virginia, Georgia, North Carolina, Alabama, Kentucky, Mississippi and Tennessee, the Tennessee River derives its name from the Cherokee town of Tanasi. Cities and towns along the waterway have played an important role in forming the region’s identity and heritage. Today, travelers can experience a bit of the diverse heritage and learn about each town’s role in shaping the region into a geotourism hotspot through historical structures, natural areas and other attractions.

Located about a mile from the I-65 and I-565 junction in north Alabama is the oldest incorporated town in the state. The entire town of Mooresville is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, with 14 structures dating from the 1820 to the 1850s.

Visitors to the Shoals area in northwest Alabama can expect a day (or several days) of inspirational exploration. The area offers a compelling story from celebrated leaders such as Helen Keller and W.C. Handy, father of the Blues. FAME Studios and Muscle Shoals Sound along with other recording studios made Muscle Shoals, Alabama, the Hit Recording Capital of the World in the 1960s and beyond.

In southeast Tennessee and north Georgia, copper mining was a major industry for many years. Copper was first discovered in the basin in 1843, and by the 1850s large mining operations were taking place, but careless industry practices over the years resulted in a massive environmental disaster. With the formation of TVA in 1933, one of their top priorities was to remedy the damage done to the area. Today, the area is still known as the Copper Basin and is a popular area for visitors due to the fact the geological region features two rivers, two bridges, two towns and two states.

Established 17 years before Tennessee was granted statehood, Jonesborough is a unique town nestled in the Appalachian Mountains. Its well-preserved Main Street takes visitors on a beautiful journey through the past. Walk where Daniel Boone, Andrew Jackson, David Crockett, John Sevier and so many others have been.

Founded in 1827 by William Clark of Lewis & Clark fame, Paducah’s origins and prosperity can be attributed to its strategic location at the confluence of the Ohio and Tennessee rivers. Paducah thrived due to its port facilities along the waterways that were used by steamboats.

Located in the heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains of Southwest Virginia, Abingdon is one of Virginia’s most historically-significant towns. The site of present-day Abingdon is located on a well-traveled wilderness route called the Great Road, which many pioneers traveled through the Blue Ridge Mountains on the way to settle the new American frontier. Some of the architecture in the Historic District dates back to the late 1700s.

Nestled along the shores of beautiful Watts Bar Lake, Kingston was once a major steam boat hub on the Tennessee River, and the most southwestern point in the United States. Two years prior to the founding of Kingston, Fort Southwest Point was established in 1797 as a federal frontier outpost. It was chosen for its location for access to the Avery Trace, a popular wagon path of the time.

For more information on each of these historic cities, click here.

Due to social distancing rules and regulations, locations may be temporarily closed or have modified hours. Please call to confirm hours of operation before traveling.

Media Contact

Julie Graham, Tennessee River Valley Stewardship Council, 865-585-0811, tennesseerivervalleymapguide@gmail.com

Twitter, Facebook

SOURCE Tennessee River Valley Stewardship Council

CPS Energy Launches Community Dialogue About Its Flexible Path Resource Plan, Including A Focus On Coal

SAN ANTONIO, Feb. 5, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — CPS Energy, the largest municipally owned electric and natural gas company in the United States, is launching a community-wide dialogue about future paths it could pursue to power San Antonio, Texas, the nation’s 7^th largest city.

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In 2021, the utility will launch a community-wide dialogue by publicly releasing its Flexible Path^SM Resource Plan, which is now accessible on their website. The Flexible Path Resource Plan directly addresses the retirement of several aging gas steam units that will reach their end of life during this decade.

Aligned with the company’s broad Flexible Path strategy, CPS Energy developed the new and innovative FlexPOWER Bundle^SM Request for Proposal (RFP). This important global RFP was issued in 10 languages in late 2020. The RFP submission process closed on February 1, 2021. The company started its evaluation process and hopes to begin announcing selected projects by early spring or late summer.

The FlexPOWER Bundle will help CPS Energy vet the most effective energy solutions to replace its previously mentioned older gas steam units that will reach their end of life (approximately 55 years) before 2030. The following shows the components of the bundle:

Up to 900 MW of solar resources that will support the Environmental Responsibility Pillar.
Up to 50 MW of energy storage that will support the Resilience and Environmental Responsibility Pillars.
Up to 500 MW of all-source firming capacity, defined as any technologies that can be called upon when renewables are not available, supporting the Pillar of Reliability.

NOTE: A Megawatt (MW) is the unit representation for power. For example, 1 MW of solar can power 200 homes on an average summer day.

In 2018, CPS Energy shut down two older coal units, J. T. Deely 1 and 2, 15 years earlier than planned. The company thoughtfully replaced that power generating capacity through the purchase of a newer natural gas plant. The new Flexible Path Resource Plan also includes a view of possible alternative options for their two remaining and newer coal units, Spruce 1 and 2.

To expand customer engagement, CPS Energy is opening the topic about coal up to its community. Part of that conversation will involve further explaining how the company aspires to come up with a balanced, thoughtful, and effective pathway forward. To facilitate the discussions, CPS Energy will explain how it uses its balanced Guiding Pillars & Foundation, as shown below, to vet all major strategies and initiatives, including the Flexible Path, as well as any specific incremental power generating solutions.

The primary objective of this community-wide dialogue is to broadly engage customers while soliciting their questions, insights, and feedback. Included in this process will be a series of virtual town halls and meetings where customers will hear from leaders and have opportunities to ask questions and seek collaboration. Information about how to participate will be shared this month.

As a basis of the upcoming conversations, the Flexible Path Resource Plan’s available reference materials will include key assumptions and scenarios, including estimated residential customer bill impacts and company financial metric projections. Importantly, the document also addresses potential impact to their workforce. Relative to the new Resource Plan’s look at potential options for its two remaining coal units, two distinct scenarios have been developed.

BASE CASE:

• Spruce 1 – Replace with an Additional FlexPOWER Bundle^SMoffering in 2029

• Spruce 2 – Continue to Operate as a Coal Plant

REPLACE SPRUCE 1 & 2 COAL UNITS:

• With Renewables & Batteries

REPLACE & CONVERT:

• Spruce 1 – Replace with an Additional FlexPOWER Bundle^SM

• Spruce 2 – Convert to Natural Gas

«When I took the helm of CPS Energy in 2015, I asked our employees to embrace a People First approach, through which we look at our customers as our beacon and inspiration to provide excellent service and we continue to take caring actions to support our entire community. I am proud to say that our employees anchor to these beliefs every day, as they diligently serve Greater San Antonio. Our team looks forward to a robust dialogue with all our customers about our new Flexible Path Resource Plan,» said Paula Gold-Williams, President & CEO of CPS Energy. «Extensive, broad, open, constructive, respectful, and frequent conversations, based upon facts, figures, and finance are the best way for San Antonio to determine how to move prudently to a decarbonized future by, and perhaps before, 2050.»

It is important to clarify that no specific decision has yet been made to close either remaining coal unit early. Such an assumption is only factored in the current modeling assessments to support the upcoming community-wide discussions.

Along with the Flexible Path Resource Plan document and supporting attachments, also included is an Executive Summary and Overview written by the President & CEO to provide helpful context. That broad document provides highlights and takeaways from the Resource Plan and can be accessed here.

While the utility focuses on actively engaging through this dialogue, it is important to note that the CPS Energy Board of Trustees must approve all major power generation decisions. At the appropriate time, after extensive and frequent conversations with our community and thoughtfully considering their suggestions, the Board will authorize management to proceed with a viable set of Resource Plan solutions.

Continue to check the CPS Energy website, www.cpsenergy.com, for other informational materials such as our latest Sustainability Report, Annual Reports, and helpful customer programs.

About CPS Energy
Established in 1860, CPS Energy is the nation’s largest public power, natural gas, and electric company, providing safe, reliable, and competitively-priced service to 860,934 electric and 358,495 natural gas customers in San Antonio and portions of seven adjoining counties. Our customers’ combined energy bills rank among the lowest of the nation’s 20 largest cities – while generating $8 billion in revenue for the City of San Antonio for more than seven decades. As a trusted and strong community partner, we continuously focus on job creation, economic development, and educational investment. True to our People First philosophy, we are powered by our skilled workforce, whose commitment to the community is demonstrated through our employees’ volunteerism in giving back to our city and programs aimed at bringing value to our customers. CPS Energy is among the top public power wind energy buyers in the nation and number one in Texas for solar generation.

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SOURCE CPS Energy

Port Aransas Conservancy Wins Contested Case Hearing

PORT ARANSAS, Texas, Feb. 5, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — On both environmental and economic grounds the Port Aransas Conservancy (PAC) has been contesting the industrialization of Harbor Island, within the city limits of Port Aransas. After receiving hundreds of complaints about the Port of Corpus Christi Authority’s (PCCA) plans for a desalination plant there, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) referred the matter to the State Office of Administrative Hearings (SOAH) for a contested case hearing before two administrative law judges (ALJ). The judges recommended to TCEQ that they deny PCCA’s discharge permit application.

Among other favorable rulings, the ALJ concluded, «After considering the evidence and argument the Port Authority has not met its burden to prove that the proposed discharge will not adversely impact the marine environment, aquatic life, and wildlife, including spawning eggs and larval migration.»

PAC President James King was understandably upbeat. «The contested case ruling today by two administrative law judges recommending the denial of the TCEQ Discharge Permit is a huge victory for the city of Port Aransas, our coastal ecosystem, and the folks who love this part of Texas. This victory was made possible by our excellent team of attorneys and by the overwhelming support of many donors, citizens, and our strong local science community. The Port Aransas Conservancy is pushing back on the Port of Corpus Christi on its plan to industrialize our backyard and PAC is fully engaged in opposing that folly.»

About the Port Aransas Conservancy

The Port Aransas Conservancy is a 501(c)(4) environmental advocacy non-profit whose goal is to foster a balance of conservation and economically sustainable uses for Port Aransas and its surrounding neighborhood and waterways while recognizing that our community and economy is dependent on tourism and fisheries within a healthy barrier island coastal ecosystem.

Media Contact:
John Donovan
512-673-9585
290957@email4pr.com

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SOURCE Port Aransas Conservancy

Vladimir Potanin: We Learned Our Lesson and Remain Committed to Industrial and Environmental Safety

MOSCOW, Feb. 5, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — Today’s Arbitrazh Court of the Krasnoyarsk region decision to collect 146.2 billion rubles ($1.9bln) from Norilsk Nickel in damages for the fuel spill at TPP-3 in Norilsk is a lesson not only for our company, but also a signal for the entire business community, said Vladimir Potanin, the head of the mining giant Norilsk Nickel appearing live on a national TV newscast on Friday. «We learned this lesson…

Potanin added that today’s decision indicates the seriousness with which the state treats environmental issues. «We will be treating the issues of ecology and industrial safety with even greater seriousness from now on.» – Mr. Potanin asserted. In his address he also announced a $4.6bln commitment to strengthening industrial safety and environmental programs at Nornickel – the largest financial allocation of this kind. It exceeds the damages fine of $1.9bln over two times, a figure questioned by independent experts and the Company itself. Nornickel launched a wide-scale environmental rescue effort from the first hours after the accident and created a financial allocation to cover the official damages bill announced earlier.

The Arbitrazh Court of the Krasnoyarsk region has concluded its proceedings in consideration of the claim by the Russian Federal Service for Supervision of Natural Resources («Rosprirodnadzor») for 148 billion rubles ($1.9bln) against NTEK, Nornickel subsidiary, seeking compensation of damages caused to the environment as a result of the diesel fuel spill accident on 29 May 2020. In its final hearing today, the Court decided to award the damages claimed by Rosprirodnadzor in the amount of RUB 146.2bln (USD 1.9bln). The cause of the spill was one of the fuel tanks rupture and collapse due to subsidence of the storage supports.

About

MMC Norilsk Nickel is a diversified mining and metallurgic company, the world‘s largest producer of palladium, high-grade nickel and a major producer of platinum and copper; it also produces cobalt, rhodium, silver, gold, iridium, ruthenium, selenium, tellurium, sulphur and other products.

MMC Norilsk Nickel shares are listed on the Moscow and on the Saint Petersburg Stock Exchanges; ADRs are traded over the counter in the U.S. and on the London, Berlin and Frankfurt Stock Exchanges.

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SOURCE MMC Norilsk Nickel

AANA, Rural Health Action Alliance Call on Congressional Leaders to Take Action to Improve Healthcare Access in Rural America

PARK RIDGE, Ill., Feb. 5, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — (AANA) — As rural America continues to struggle with the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists (AANA) joined 15 other healthcare organizations urging Congress to bring equitable access to care in rural America and bridge the rural divide.

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Members of the Rural Health Action Alliance (RHAA), a coalition of healthcare providers and facilities who provide high-quality, evidence-based care to millions of Americans, recently sent a letter to House Speaker Rep. Nancy Pelosi, Minority Leader Rep. Kevin McCarthy, and Senate Leaders Sen. Mitch McConnell and Sen. Chuck Schumer outlining policies that would improve rural health outcomes during the pandemic and beyond.

Members of the RHAA noted that even with declines in new cases of COVID-19 during the past few weeks, the death rate in rural America continues at record levels. It has also become clear that rural America faces an uphill battle on vaccine deployment compared to urban areas. To help curb the devastation caused by COVID-19 and help deploy the vaccine to all corners of the United States, members of RHAA are calling on Congress to build upon the December appropriations and COVID-19 relief package to pass more needed relief for rural providers.

«Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs) are the primary providers of anesthesia care in rural settings and have been instrumental in delivering care during this public health crisis,» said AANA President Steven M. Sertich, CRNA, MAE, JD, Esquire. «The pandemic has illustrated the disparities that exist in our healthcare system, and it is vital that relief packages and healthcare delivery policies address the unique challenges facing rural healthcare providers, both in the delivery of care and in provider reimbursement.»

In the past decade, 120 rural health facilities have closed. With nearly 1 out of 5 Americans living in rural communities, access to healthcare can be a daily struggle that impacts preventative and emergency care. For healthcare to remain a viable industry in rural areas, RHAA is asking Congress to permanently remove unnecessary regulations that were waived during the pandemic, including physician supervision requirements for CRNAs, and keep in place flexibilities to telehealth.

«Providing quality care to patients where they live, without long car rides, helps keep communities healthy. CRNAs can play an important role in providing this life-saving care management,» said President Sertich.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, nurse anesthetists across the country have been essential in addressing the deadliest part of the disease in addition to providing top-of-the-line anesthesia care. They have served as experts in airway management, hemodynamic monitoring, management of patients on ventilators, and overall management of critically ill patients.

RHAA is committed to continuing to collaborate to support rural health and healthcare. The AANA joined the National Rural Health Association, American Podiatric Medical Association, American Nurses Association, American Psychological Association, National Association of Rural Health Clinics, American Optometric Association, National Organization of State Offices of Rural Health, National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners, National League for Nursing, American College of Nurse-Midwives, American Association of Nurse Practitioners, and American Physical Therapy Association.

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SOURCE American Association of Nurse Anesthetists

Destination DC and Events DC Issue RFP for Recovery Advertising Campaign

WASHINGTON, Feb. 5, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — Destination DC (DDC), the official destination marketing organization for Washington, DC, and Events DC, the District’s official convention and sports authority, have issued an RFP for creative services to create a multi-channel advertising recovery campaign aimed at driving visitation to Washington, DC and resuscitating the city’s strained hospitality industry in the midst and wake of COVID-19.

Top agencies from the District and around the country are invited to submit their proposal for creative that drives awareness of Washington, DC’s unique offerings as a leisure destination, ultimately increasing travel. The RFP is for creative services only, and the selected, on implementing a robust marketing campaign.

«We are thrilled to collaborate with our partners at Destination DC to identify top ad agencies across the country who want to continue to ensure that Washington, DC remains a top domestic and international travel destination for years to come. We are looking for innovative and fresh creative ideas to market our city and know that the industry is poised to show what we can do together,» said Max Brown, chairman, Events DC Board of Directors.

Washington, DC enjoyed 10 years of record tourism growth before the pandemic started. In 2019, DC welcomed a record 24.6 million visitors, who spent $8.2 billion, generated $896 million in District tax revenue and were responsible for 78,266 jobs in DC.

The pandemic reversed this trajectory as it did for cities around the globe. Tourism Economics estimated that visitation would fall by 57% in 2020. From mid-March to December last year, visitor spending was down 71%, or $4.9 billion, and DC lost $375 million in tax revenue. According to STR, hotel revenue for that same time period was down 87%, or $1.6 billion.

«The pandemic has forced us to experience what happens when tourism falls precipitously. DC’s hospitality businesses are suffering, residents are unemployed and city tax revenue from visitor spending has dropped,» said Elliott L. Ferguson, II, president and CEO, DDC. «When the pandemic subsides, and more people are traveling, there’s going to be a lot of competition to win consumers back. We are grateful for our partners at Events DC who recognize that a strong recovery campaign is crucial to make sure DC captures our fair share of visitors.»

«We are focused on distinguishing our nation’s capital as a premier global travel destination. This is a pivotal time for our industry, and the pent-up demand for travel means potential guests will face more decisions than ever for where to visit. We, and Destination DC, are looking forward to identifying an agency partner with global perspectives and sharing our creative and collaborative vision for positioning our amazing city as a leading destination,» said Greg O’Dell, president and CEO, Events DC.

Research will inform the recovery campaign as data shows desire to travel, safety and finances all play a role in consumer decisions. According to a national study by travel research company Destination Analysts, 57 percent of regular travelers are now open to receiving travel information, though nearly half of those surveyed said they would wait to travel «until vaccines are widely available.»

Agencies will tap into what sets DC apart for consumers, including vast outdoor space, 100 free things to do, diverse neighborhoods, new hotels, incredible arts and culture, Michelin-rated dining scene, living history and unique ability to host peaceful First Amendment demonstrations. This year, DC looks forward to celebrating the 175^th anniversary of the Smithsonian Institution, 100^th anniversary of the Phillips Collection and 50^th anniversary of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. In early 2021, Destination DC relaunched its powerful consumer website, washington.org, in advance of the recovery campaign rollout.

About Destination DC
Destination DC, the official destination marketing organization for the nation’s capital, is a private, non-profit membership organization of 1,000 businesses committed to marketing the area as a premier global convention, tourism and special events destination with a special emphasis on the arts, cultural and historic communities. By developing and executing centralized and cohesive sales and marketing strategies, Destination DC generates economic development for the city through tourism and meetings.

About Events DC
Events DC generates economic and community benefits for the residents and businesses of the District of Columbia by creating a premier event experience in the nation’s capital, and through the promotion of Washington, DC as a world-class destination. As the official convention and sports authority for the District of Columbia, Events DC owns and manages some of the most visited venues across the nation’s capital including the Walter E. Washington Convention Center, Nationals Park, Entertainment and Sports Area and DC Armory.

Contact:
Chinyere Hubbard
Vice President, Communications and Marketing, Events DC
202-249-3217; chubbard@eventsdc.com

Danielle Davis
Director of Communications, Destination DC
202-789-7046; danielle@washington.org

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SOURCE Events DC

PriceSmart Announces Election of New Directors; Voting Results from 2021 Annual Meeting of Stockholders and Declaration of Semi-Annual Dividend

SAN DIEGO, Feb. 5, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — PriceSmart, Inc. (NASDAQ: PSMT) today announced the election of two new members to the Board of Directors and other results from the Company’s 2021 annual meeting of stockholders held on February 4, 2021.

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Joining PriceSmart’s Board of Directors are the following individuals:

Patricia Márquez has served as Dean of the Joan B. Kroc School of Peace Studies at the University of San Diego since 2014, and in July 2020 she started her dual role as Associate Provost for Academic Planning and Innovation and Dean of the Joan B. Kroc School of Peace Studies. Her research has focused on the intersection of business and social value creation, with an emphasis on poverty alleviation through market mechanisms. Prior to joining USD, Dr. Márquez was a professor and dean at IESA, a School of Business in Caracas, Venezuela from 2003 to 2005.

David Snyder has served as a senior counsel at Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman, LLP since 2018 and previously served as a partner from 1993 until 2017 in the firm’s Corporate and Securities practice. During 25 years as a partner, Mr. Snyder also served as Pillsbury’s executive vice-chair for two years and on the firm’s managing board for 15 years. Mr. Snyder has been a practicing attorney for over 40 years, focusing on corporate finance and has significant experience representing and advising public companies and their boards.

«We are pleased to welcome two new directors who have experience that will especially strengthen our board in the area of environmental and social responsibility and on governance matters,» said PriceSmart CEO Sherry Bahrambeygui. «We look forward to Dr. Márquez’s participation as a recognized expert in environmental and social responsibility matters. She will serve as the Chair of the new Environmental and Social Responsibility Committee of our Board of Directors. Dr. Márquez has dedicated her career to driving innovation for achieving prosperity, peace, justice, and social change. We also welcome Mr. Snyder, who has over 40 years of legal experience representing and advising public companies and their boards on governance and compliance matters in addition to broad experience in executive management.»

At yesterday’s annual meeting of stockholders, ten nominees were elected to the PriceSmart, Inc. Board of Directors, including Dr. Márquez and Mr. Snyder. Each director elected will continue to hold office until the next annual meeting of stockholders of PriceSmart, or until the director resigns or a successor is elected or appointed. In addition to Dr. Marquez and Mr. Snyder, the following directors were elected yesterday: Sherry S. Bahrambeygui, Jeffrey Fisher, Gordon H. Hanson, Beatriz V. Infante, Leon C. Janks, Mitchell G. Lynn, Robert E. Price and Edgar Zurcher.

Stockholders also approved, on an advisory basis, the compensation of the Company’s executive officers for fiscal year 2020, approved an amendment to the Company’s 2013 Equity Incentive Award Plan and ratified the selection of Ernst & Young LLP as the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm for the fiscal year ending August 31, 2021. A final report on voting results will be filed with U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission within four business days following the date of the annual meeting of stockholders.

On February 4, 2021, the Company’s Board of Directors declared an annual cash dividend in the total amount of $0.70 per share, with $0.35 per share payable on February 26, 2021 to stockholders of record as of February 15, 2021 and $0.35 per share payable on August 31, 2021 to stockholders of record as of August 15, 2021. Future dividends and the establishment of record and payment dates is subject to determination by the Board of Directors in its discretion, after its review of the Company’s financial performance and anticipated capital requirements, taking into account the uncertainty surrounding the ongoing effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on our results of operations and cash flows.

About PriceSmart

PriceSmart, headquartered in San Diego, owns and operates U.S.-style membership shopping warehouse clubs in Latin America and the Caribbean, selling high quality merchandise and services at low prices to PriceSmart Members. PriceSmart operates 47 warehouse clubs in 12 countries and one U.S. territory (eight in Costa Rica and Colombia; seven in Panama; five in the Dominican Republic, four in Trinidad and Guatemala; three in Honduras; two each in El Salvador and Nicaragua; and one each in Aruba, Barbados, Jamaica and the United States Virgin Islands). The Company also plans to open new warehouse clubs in Guatemala City, Guatemala and Bucaramanga, Colombia in the fall of 2021, and in Portmore, Jamaica in the spring of 2022. Once these three new clubs are open, the Company will operate 50 warehouse clubs.

This press release may contain forward-looking statements concerning the Company’s anticipated future revenues and earnings, adequacy of future cash flows, omni-channel initiatives, proposed warehouse club openings, the Company’s performance relative to competitors, the outcome of tax proceedings and related matters. These forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements containing the words «expect,» «believe,» «will,» «may,» «should,» «project,» «estimate,» «anticipated,» «scheduled,» and like expressions, and the negative thereof. These statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially including, but not limited to: adverse changes in economic conditions in the Company’s markets, natural disasters, compliance risks, volatility in currency exchange rates, competition, consumer and small business spending patterns, political instability, increased costs associated with the integration of online commerce with our traditional business, whether the Company can successfully execute strategic initiatives, cybersecurity breaches that could cause disruptions in our systems or jeopardize the security of member or business information, cost increases from product and service providers, interruption of supply chains, COVID-19 related factors and challenges, including among others, the duration of the pandemic, the unknown long-term economic impact, the impact of government policies and restrictions that have limited access for our Members, and shifts in demand away from discretionary or higher priced products to lower priced products, exposure to product liability claims and product recalls, recoverability of moneys owed to PriceSmart from governments, and other important factors discussed in the Risk Factors section of the Company’s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, and other factors discussed from time to time in other filings with the SEC, which are accessible on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov, including Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and Current Reports on Form 8-K. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date that they are made, and the Company does not undertake to update them, except as required by law.

For further information, please contact Michael L. McCleary, EVP, Chief Financial Officer and Principal Accounting Officer (858) 404-8826 or send an email to ir@pricesmart.com.

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SOURCE PriceSmart, Inc.

COVID Accelerates Digital Disruption and Innovative Business Models in the Insurance Sector

LOS ANGELES, Feb. 5, 2021 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ — Changing risk landscapes and worsening loss ratios are shifting the role of insurance companies from risk mitigation to risk prevention. Additionally, the pandemic has put new pressures on business models. Newer risks, evolving customer expectations, and increased competition combined with business continuity challenges have made digital transformation a top priority for insurance carriers. Insurance companies are significantly investing in building…

These emerging trends are covered in Avasant’s new Insurance Digital Services 2021-2022 RadarView™ report. The report is a comprehensive study of digital service providers in the insurance space, including top trends, analysis, recommendations, and a close look at the leaders, innovators, disruptors, and challengers in this market.

Avasant evaluated 29 providers using three dimensions: practice maturity, investments and innovation, and partner ecosystem. Of those 29 providers, we identified 21 that brought the most value to the market during the past 12 months.

The report recognizes service providers in four categories:

Leaders: Accenture, Capgemini, Cognizant, IBM, TCS, and Wipro
Innovators: DXC, HCL, Infosys, NTT DATA, and Tech Mahindra
Disruptors: Atos, Coforge, EXL, Genpact, and LTI
Challengers: CGI, Mindtree, Mphasis, Virtusa, and WNS

Anupam Govil, a partner and the head of insurance practice with Avasant, congratulated the winners noting, «The pandemic has exacerbated vulnerabilities in traditional insurance business models. Customers expect more personalized solutions that align with their lifestyle and budget. Carriers need to leverage behavioral economics and collaborative ecosystems to compete in the post-COVID economy.»

Some of the findings from the full report include the following:

Property and casualty (P&C) insurance companies should:

1. Leverage behavioral economics, IoT, and telematics to develop personalized insurance plans and proactively mitigate risks.

Use behavior incentivization through telematics and real-time monitoring technologies to offer more flexible and usage-based insurance (UBI) products, especially for auto coverage.
Create offerings that enable early warning alerts and preventive maintenance due to the industry seeing a gradual shift from risk management to risk prevention. With the expansion of smart home technology and digital touchpoints, insurers need to develop more customized offerings tailored to a customer’s lifestyle and habits.

2. Modernize existing channels, and explore alternate channels for distribution and engagement.

Acquire new digital capabilities to enable direct customer engagement for P&C insurers heavily dependent on intermediaries. Enable, simultaneously, a more personalized interface with agents and brokers to retain loyalty and maintain a balanced strategy. Redesign distribution methods to enable effective digital sales driven by a personalized agent-customer virtual interaction. Build highly-engaged communities that unite people around shared interests and purpose and foster higher brand loyalty.

Life and annuity (L&A) companies should:

1. Leverage wearables and analytics to manage policyholders’ health, and provide personalized value-added services.

Monitor policyholders’ health and lifestyle by using IoT devices, such as wearables, sensors, and connected medical equipment. Incentivize healthy habits through premium discounts and rewards.
Prevent or mitigate adverse incidents by predicting risk for disease, mortality, and health status of customers through predictive analytics.

2. Reimagine business by accessing and integrating insurtech capabilities and harnessing the power of big data.

Increase the pace of innovation and strengthen existing capabilities by investing in insurtechs focused on three key domains: health monitoring, customer experience, and behavioral/social media analytics.
Harness the potential of big data from sources such as internet search histories, social media, criminal records and GPS-enabled devices for personalized advertising and promotions, cross-/up-selling, lapsation/attrition control, and fraud prevention.

Reinsurance companies should:

1. Accelerate transition from human-led to AI-led risk modelling and premiums determination.

Scale-up AI adoption for determining optimal pricing policies by performing real-time risk assessments and improving predictions of client damages.
Develop AI-powered risk modeling techniques in-house or partner with specialized companies like Risk Management Solutions (RMS) or AIR Worldwide (AIR) to ascertain optimal risk premiums.

2. Expand reinsurance offerings in emerging risk areas to gain early mover advantage and address nontraditional competition

Develop and enhance reinsurance product offerings to cover emerging risk areas like cybersecurity, autonomous vehicles, and smart manufacturing (using 3D printing).
Invest in or partner with start-ups to leverage niche domain expertise in priority areas such as developing cyber-risk models and integrating risk management solutions for auto manufacturers.

«One of the biggest challenges for insurers today is leveraging technology to build and improve their businesses while enhancing the customer experience,» said Avasant’s Lead Analyst, Amrita Keswani. «It has become important for insurance companies to have a reliable partner.»

The full report also features detailed RadarView profiles of the 21 service providers, along with their solutions, offerings, and experience in assisting insurance carriers in digital transformation.

This Research Byte is a brief overview of the Insurance Digital Services 2020-2021 RadarView™ report

Media Contact

Swapnil Bhatnagar, Avasant, +1 310 643 3030, contactus@avasant.com

SOURCE Avasant

Estudio ofrece una revisión de la salud del pueblo chino en 2020

HANGZHOU, China, 5 de febrero de 2021 /PRNewswire/ — Un estudio identificó que más del 60 por ciento de los encuestados tienen una actitud positiva hacia las perspectivas del sistema de salud de China y el potencial que tienen las tecnologías.

El viernes pasado, la app China Daily y DX Doctor (DXY), una plataforma de intercambio de información de salud, publicaron el estudio de salud.

Por medio de una encuesta en línea contestada por 56.196 residentes chinos y del análisis de…

El viernes pasado, la app China Daily y DX Doctor (DXY), una plataforma de intercambio de información de salud, publicaron el estudio de salud.

Por medio de una encuesta en línea contestada por 56.196 residentes chinos y del análisis de datos de sus plataformas, la app China Daily y DX Doctor buscan elaborar un retrato de la salud general de los chinos en un año plagado por el nuevo coronavirus.

Durante la lucha contra la pandemia de la COVID-19, el sistema de salud de China sobrellevó el gran desafío. Se emitieron al público varias versiones de guías para prevenir y controlar la propagación del nuevo coronavirus; la capacidad de realizar pruebas de ácido nucleico ha aumentado a 15 millones en un día; se utilizó ampliamente la asesoría médica en línea; las vacunas locales han sido aprobadas y administradas en el país y en el extranjero.

Según el estudio, la pandemia afectó la vida cotidiana de los chinos, desde el trabajo hasta el desplazamiento y los viajes, pero también llevó a cambios positivos en el estilo de vida y las relaciones familiares.

El 29 por ciento de los encuestados dijo que la pandemia tuvo un impacto negativo en su estilo de vida, mientras que el 42 por ciento informó una influencia positiva. El 12 por ciento de los encuestados dijo que la pandemia afectó negativamente las relaciones familiares, mientras que el 29 por ciento observó una influencia positiva.

La encuesta encontró que la salud física sigue siendo una prioridad en la vida, las personas tienen altas expectativas de salud, de 8,8 sobre 10.

La salud mental cada vez recibe más atención. Por dos años consecutivos, la salud mental ocupó el primer lugar entre las preocupaciones de salud de las personas, especialmente entre los jóvenes.

La mayoría de los entrevistados consideró que los factores personales, como el estilo de vida, el trabajo y la situación económica, tienen el mayor impacto en su situación de salud.

El 98 por ciento de los encuestados admitió estar preocupado por problemas de salud. Al igual que durante el año pasado, los tres principales problemas fueron los problemas emocionales, las malas condiciones de la piel y la insatisfacción con la imagen corporal.

Al mismo tiempo, las personas piensan que no han hecho lo suficiente para mantenerse saludables, adjudicándose una calificación de solo 5,5 por sus esfuerzos.

Los hombres hacen más esfuerzos que las mujeres para mantenerse en forma, y las personas de edad suelen ser más activas que sus contrapartes más jóvenes en lo referente a vivir de manera saludable.

Con base en datos de la encuesta a clientes de Decathlon, correr y caminar son los ejercicios más comunes, seguidos del baile y juegos de pelota.

El asesoramiento en línea registró un aumento significativo de la demanda pública durante la pandemia. La mayoría de los encuestados dijo que eligieron el asesoramiento en línea por su conveniencia y rápida respuesta. Las personas de las ciudades de tercer y cuarto nivel también recurrieron al asesoramiento en línea.

La app China Daily es un medio chino de contenidos de noticias en inglés de alta calidad que incluye noticias de última hora, transmisiones en vivo, videos, comentarios e informes exhaustivos.

DX Doctor fue fundada en 2014 con el objetivo de cerrar la brecha de desinformación entre profesionales médicos y el público en general. Ha publicado su estudio de salud por tres años consecutivos.

FUENTE DXY