Categoría: Influencers

The fund will create a permanent umbrella to develop initiatives to support researchers of color and increase diversity in cancer research and patient care 

ATLANTA, Feb. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — The American Cancer Society today announced the Diversity in Cancer Research program, a permanent umbrella that will support the American Cancer Society’s effort to foster a more diverse scientific workforce community. This has been made possible through a generous endowment contribution from Elizabeth and Phill Gross and their family.

The initial investment will be made to launch Diversity in Cancer Research internships, which will offer biomedical cancer research internships for undergraduate students from racial and ethnic backgrounds that are underrepresented in the scientific community.   

«The American Cancer Society’s goal is to decrease the U.S. cancer death rate by an additional 40% by 2035,» said American Cancer Society Chief Executive Officer Gary Reedy. «To accomplish this ambitious plan, we must tackle the racial health disparities that exist in cancer. This includes addressing the critical need for diversity and inclusion in the scientific workforce by increasing the proportion of researchers and clinicians of color. We are so grateful to Elizabeth and Phill Gross for their generous funding of this game-changing initiative.»   

According to data from the National Institute of Health, the number of grant applications from Black and Latino scientists are very low, just 2 percent and 4 percent, respectively. This inevitably translates to fewer people of color entering career stages in cancer research. The Diversity in Cancer Research program will build on the American Cancer Society’s existing research career development grant programs by promoting the training of undergraduate students underrepresented in biomedical cancer research and encouraging the pursuit of careers that will increase diversity in cancer research.  A more diverse scientific workforce is critical to invigorating problem-solving, driving innovation, and ultimately better equipping the scientific community to address inequities that exist in cancer prevention, treatment, and care.  

«In the fight against cancer, advancements in research provide the best hope for saving millions more lives,» said Elizabeth Gross. «Phill and I believe that creating opportunities for a more diverse community of cancer researchers will not only spur innovation and ingenuity, but it will help eradicate health disparities, build trust across these various communities and advance cancer care for everyone. It is our joy to assist in this important work alongside the American Cancer Society.»

To begin, 40 internships per year for 10 years will be granted under the «American Cancer Society/Gross Family Diversity in Research Internship» name.  

In addition, an advisory committee has been formed to focus on the implementation of the internship program and lead the development of new programs under the umbrella. New programs will  include additional targeted initiatives for underrepresented students, faculty and clinicians – all aimed at increasing the diversity of the workforce in cancer research and patient care.   

Anticipated concepts that could qualify for funding under the Diversity in Cancer Research Program umbrella include specialized institutional research grants for HBCU’s and other minority-serving institutions; physician scientist clinician grants made available to people whose racial or ethnic backgrounds are underrepresented in the scientific community; and career development assistance after completion of Diversity in Research internships.  

About the American Cancer Society 
The American Cancer Society is a global grassroots force of 1.5 million volunteers dedicated to saving lives, celebrating lives, and leading the fight for a world without cancer. From breakthrough research, to free lodging near treatment, a 24/7/365 live helpline, free rides to treatment, and convening powerful activists to create awareness and impact, the Society is attacking cancer from every angle. For more information go to www.cancer.org 

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SOURCE American Cancer Society

IRVINE, Calif., Feb. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — Netwrix, a cybersecurity vendor that makes data security easy, today announced government industry findings from its global 2021 Netwrix Cloud Data Security Report which found that detecting and resolving data leakage is a top security challenge for public sector organizations.

The survey found that in 2020, the most common incidents that government agencies experienced in the cloud were phishing (reported by 39% of organizations), accidental data leakage (24%) and targeted attacks on the infrastructure (22%). Data leakage was the hardest of the three to detect; 27% of organizations required days to flag it, while phishing and targeted attacks were spotted in hours or less by almost 100% of organizations. Resolving data leakage also took longer than other incidents, requiring days (32%), weeks (11%) or months (23%).

The top consequences of cloud breaches in the public sector were unplanned expenses to fix security gaps (28%), customer churn and/or loss of credibility (13%) and change in senior leadership (11%).

Most government agencies attribute their cloud security challenges to lack of IT/security staff (65%), employee negligence (59%) and lack of budget (53%). Indeed, only 24% of public organizations received extra budget for cybersecurity even though in our 2019 survey, 45% expected their budget to grow in 2020. On average, public sector organizations allocate only 14% of their cybersecurity budget to cloud security, which is the lowest result for any sector.

Other survey findings include:

• Despite government initiatives encouraging cloud adoption and the recent increase in remote work, half of public sector organizations do not store any data in the cloud.
• In response to the pandemic, 47% had to change their IT priorities but stick to their existing budget.
• The top security measures government agencies are taking in response to cloud security challenges are auditing of user activity (65%), data classification (56%) and privilege attestation (53%).

«Cloud technologies may raise security concerns that make the public sector wary of leveraging the cloud to improve the services they provide. To adopt cloud technologies more confidently and with fewer risks, government agencies need solutions that deliver visibility into data, activity and risks across the cloud or hybrid environment. That way, these organizations will be able to quickly detect, prioritize and respond to threats across the IT estate,» said Ilia Sotnikov, VP of Product Management at Netwrix.

The 2021 Netwrix Cloud Data Security Report is based on feedback from 937 IT professionals worldwide who use private and public cloud services to store their data. To get the complete findings, please visit www.netwrix.com/2021_cloud_data_security_report.html.

About Netwrix

Netwrix makes data security easy, thereby simplifying how professionals can control sensitive, regulated and business-critical data, regardless of where it resides. More than 10,000 organizations worldwide rely on Netwrix solutions to secure sensitive data, realize the full business value of enterprise content, pass compliance audits with less effort and expense, and increase the productivity of IT teams and knowledge workers.

Founded in 2006, Netwrix has earned more than 150 industry awards and been named to both the Inc. 5000 and Deloitte Technology Fast 500 lists of the fastest growing companies in the U.S.

For more information, visit www.netwrix.com.

CONTACT:

Erin Jones
Avista PR for Netwrix
P: 704.664.2170
E: pr@netwrix.com

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SOURCE Netwrix

BETHESDA, Md., Feb. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — Marriott International, Inc. (NASDAQ: MAR) today announced a significant planned expansion of its all-inclusive portfolio through a long-term agreement with Sunwing Travel Group’s hotel division, Blue Diamond Resorts, which has an extensive portfolio of resort properties throughout the Caribbean, Central America and Mexico. The agreement is expected to propel Marriott into the list of top 10 global all-inclusive players by adding 19 franchised resorts totaling nearly 7,000 rooms across six destinations and more than doubling the company’s presence in the all-inclusive segment to 33 properties by 2025. The majority of the properties are expected to be converted into Marriott’s Autograph Collection by mid 2021.

«We are thrilled to work with Sunwing Travel Group and expand into two new leisure destinations – St. Lucia and Antigua,» said Tony Capuano, Group President, Global Development, Design and Operations Services, Marriott International. «Blue Diamond’s expertise in the all-inclusive segment and high-quality resorts will help ensure that these properties serve as excellent additions to the Marriott portfolio. Today’s signing is a testament to Marriott International’s scale and loyalty platform, and we look forward to providing travelers seeking an all-inclusive experience with more choices in the Caribbean and Latin America.»

Marriott International launched its multi-brand all-inclusive portfolio platform in August 2019 and has 9 open hotels across Costa Rica, Barbados and Mexico with an additional 5 hotels in the pipeline in Mexico, Curacao, Dominican Republic, Jamaica and Brazil. With today’s agreement, another 19 are expected to join the portfolio. The platform will provide the company’s 145 million Marriott Bonvoy members the option to earn and redeem points for the convenient, pay-one-price concept.

«We are excited to enter into this agreement with Marriott International, and introduce Blue Diamond Resorts’ portfolio of hotels to their Autograph Collection brand,» said Stephen Hunter, CEO, Sunwing Travel Group. «Our luxurious, award-winning hotels will benefit from Marriott’s world-renowned reputation and esteemed travel program, all while bolstering our mission to bring unparalleled vacation experiences to customers.»

The following resorts are anticipated to convert to the Autograph Collection:

Mexico

• 840-room Royalton Riviera Cancun Resort & Spa
• 343-room Hideaway at Royalton Riviera Cancun
• 566-room Planet Hollywood Beach Resort Cancun
• 332-room Planet Hollywood Adults Scene Cancun
• 457-room Royalton CHIC Suites Cancun Resort & Spa

Dominican Republic

• 730-room Royalton Bavaro Resort & Spa
• 320-room Royalton CHIC Punta Cana Resort & Spa
• 525-room Royalton Splash Punta Cana Resort & Spa
• 317-room Royalton Punta Cana Resort & Casino
• 168-room Hideaway at Royalton Punta Cana

Jamaica

• 352-room Royalton White Sands Montego Bay
• 228-room Royalton Blue Waters Montego Bay
• 140-room Hideaway at Royalton Negril
• 407-room Royalton Negril Resort & Spa

St. Lucia

• 290-room Royalton Saint Lucia Resort & Spa
• 166-room Hideaway at Royalton Saint Lucia

Antigua 

• 294-room Royalton Antigua Resort & Spa

Costa Rica

• 294-room Planet Hollywood Beach Resort Costa Rica

Multi-Brand All-Inclusive Portfolio
Given growing demand for premium and luxury all-inclusive stays, Marriott International previously announced it would leverage eight of its 30 global iconic brands in the all-inclusive category: The Ritz-Carlton, The Luxury Collection, Marriott Hotels, Westin Hotels, W Hotels, Autograph Collection, Tribute Portfolio and Delta Hotels by Marriott. Today’s agreement reflects the addition of 19 resorts into Marriott International’s Autograph Collection, a curated collection of remarkably independent hotels hand-selected for their inherent craft and distinct perspectives on design and hospitality. Guests will revel in an elevated all-inclusive leisure vacation experience with a unique design aesthetic, enriching programs and redesigned dynamic dining options, along with enhanced spa and wellness offerings.

Marriott Commitment to Clean Protocols
Hotels in the Marriott portfolio are following Marriott International’s Commitment to Clean protocols created together with leading experts in food and water safety, hygiene and infection prevention and hotel operations. These protocols include mandated mask-wearing for all associates within the hotel, and the use of electrostatic sprayers and disinfectants recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and World Health Organization to sanitize surfaces in the hotels. In addition, the company has modified its food and beverage operational practices creating a newly designed approach to buffets and in-room dining. Measures include but are not limited to contactless and low-touch service, digital menus, pre-plated mini buffet options and a hybrid buffet with elements of self-guided service around individually plated or packaged selections. 

Note on forward-looking statements: This press release contains «forward-looking statements» within the meaning of U.S. federal securities laws, including expected additions to Marriott’s system, hotel renovations and brand conversions, our growth pipeline, demand trends for certain product types and in certain markets, and similar statements concerning possible future events or expectations that are not historical facts. We caution you that these statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to numerous evolving risks and uncertainties that we may not be able to accurately predict or assess, including those we identify below and other risk factors that we identify in our U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission filings, including our most recent Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q. Risks that could affect forward-looking statements in this press release include the duration and scope of COVID-19, including the location and extent of resurgences of the virus and the availability of effective treatments or vaccines; its short and longer-term impact on the demand for travel, transient and group business, and levels of consumer confidence; actions governments, businesses and individuals have taken or may take in response to the pandemic, including limiting or banning travel and/or in-person gatherings or imposing occupancy or other restrictions on lodging or other facilities; the impact of the pandemic and actions taken in response to the pandemic on global and regional economies, travel, and economic activity, including the duration and magnitude of COVID-19’s impact on unemployment rates and consumer discretionary spending; the ability of our owners and franchisees to successfully navigate the impacts of COVID-19; the pace of recovery when the pandemic subsides or effective treatments or vaccines become available; general economic uncertainty in key global markets and a worsening of global economic conditions or low levels of economic growth; the effects of steps we and our property owners and franchisees take to reduce operating costs and/or enhance certain health and cleanliness protocols at our hotels; competitive conditions in the lodging industry; relationships with clients and property owners; and the availability of capital to finance growth and refurbishment. Any of these factors could cause actual results to differ materially from the expectations we express or imply in this press release. We make these forward-looking statements as of the date of this press release and undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

IRPR#1

About Marriott International
Marriott International, Inc. (NASDAQ: MAR) is based in Bethesda, Maryland, USA, and encompasses a portfolio of more than 7,500 properties under 30 leading brands spanning 132 countries and territories. Marriott operates and franchises hotels and licenses vacation ownership resorts all around the world. The company offers Marriott Bonvoy™, its highly-awarded travel program. For more information, please visit our website at www.marriott.com, and for the latest company news, visit www.marriottnewscenter.com. In addition, connect with us on Facebook and @MarriottIntl on Twitter and Instagram.

About Sunwing Travel Group
The largest integrated travel company in North America, Sunwing Travel Group is comprised of Sunwing Vacations and Vacation Express, two of the leading leisure tour operators in North America; Sunwing Airlines, Canada’s premier leisure airline; SunwingJets, a luxury private jet charter service; SellOffVacations.com and Luxe Destination Weddings, two leading travel retail businesses; NexusTours, a full-service destination management company; and Blue Diamond Resorts, the Group’s hotel management company, an innovative organization that operates popular resort brands across the Caribbean and Mexico. Since its inception in 2011, Blue Diamond Resorts has curated an impressive portfolio encompassing 45 properties, exceeding 15,000 rooms in ten countries, including the award-winning All-In Luxury® Royalton Luxury Resorts, adults-only brands Hideaway at Royalton and Royalton CHIC, Planet Hollywood Hotels and Resorts, and Mystique by Royalton. For more information on Sunwing Travel Group, please visit www.sunwingtravelgroup.com.

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SOURCE Marriott International, Inc.

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico, Feb. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — According to national statistics collected in January of the present year, twenty-nine million families have reported that they have not had enough food to eat within the last seven days (Household Pulse Survey). The figure represents almost five times the reported food instability percentage reported by the U.S. Department of Agriculture prior to the pandemic. Adults in households with children were many times more likely to report lack of sufficient food. Per population, Mississippi is the most affected state in the United States. With the exception of the District of Columbia, Mississippi suffers the highest rate of nourishment insecure children…by far.

On the 26^th of January, Surety One, Inc. delivered a monetary gift to the Mississippi Food Network to combat hunger and food insecurity affecting Mississippi families. Pursuant to Surety One, Inc.’s agreement with the Poindexter Surety charitable alliance, chief executive officer Constantin Poindexter doubled the corporate donation with his personal funds. In effort to draw attention to the current suffering of local families, Poindexter contacted the chief executives of Mississippi’s ten largest privately held businesses and urged them to consider doing the same.

Said Poindexter, «It’s unbelievable that in the most prosperous nation in the world that we have hungry kids. Nearly 75% of Mississippi children are eligible for free or reduced cost lunches which many can’t obtain as a result of COVID-related school closures. Other than terminal illnesses it’s hard to imagine many things more heartbreaking that kids going to bed hungry. It really is disgraceful. This food insecurity thing is going to be a pet project of our charitable work going forward.»

Operating since 1984, the Mississippi Food Network distributes over 1.5. million pounds of food per month. It is one of the most efficient charitable delivery vehicles of its kind, boasting a delivery of ninety-five cents of each dollar donated, to food programs.

As a member of the communities that it serves, Surety One, Inc. contributes to the relief of the sick, disabled, and less fortunate members of society. Surety One, Inc. is a supporter of the No Kid Hungry Foundation and the Feeding America initiative, and urges everyone to consider a donation to the cause of defeating food insecurity.

Surety One, Inc. is an international insurance intermediary specializing in surety bonds, domiciled in Puerto Rico and doing business in all fifty states, U.S. Virgin Islands, Canada and the Dominican Republic.  For more information call (800) 373-2804 or email 291121@email4pr.com.

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SOURCE Surety One, Inc.