Tammy Marshall, Executive Director, Brightview Senior Living, has an exceptional quality of identifying talent and having the opportunity to coach, mentor, and promote the right individuals in the right manner with proper skills. “Many of my former employees have moved on to larger roles, and some are still with me and in the process of advancing their career. My current Business Office Director started working for me at the age of 16 as a Dining Room Server. She is now in school for accounting and oversees the financial piece for Brightview Port Jefferson.” Tammy is more than an inspiration; she is rather empowering her team members into becoming great leaders of tomorrow. “I have always lived with the personal policy of never asking my staff to do anything I wouldn’t do. I have held Book Clubs based on popular leadership topics, facilitated leadership groups and discussions with my staff and offer many opportunities for professional development.”

We are a neuroscience company forging a new direction to reduce the enormous burden of diseases that impact the nervous system. At our core, we unite biological insights with clinically meaningful solutions to build and catalyze a diversified portfolio of transformative medicines. Harnessing our rigorous scientific approach to identify the most promising therapies, we leverage our flexible transaction model to advance assets with validated mechanisms and efficiently move them through development to commercialization.

Throughout her career, Tammy has been involved in areas susceptible to women. From spearheading Fundraising efforts for Breast Cancer and over 7 years, raising over 100K for the cause, to become a Rape Crisis Counselor and her career in Senior Living. She also starred in the Vagina Monologues on Long Island.

Success was always in sync with Tammy and her journey. Being a Nurse in the ICU for 14 years, her clinical, critical care experience was an excellent foundation for her future. She learned about teamwork, leadership, critical thinking, problem-solving, and more. She strongly advises everyone to be patient and look for the right growth opportunities. “Seek out mentors or women you admire and spend time with them. No questions are too menial,” she says. “Being a leader has taught me a lot. I still feel like we have a long way to go before we reach equality. I have learned that clear and compelling messages are not optional. It is important to remain nonjudgmental and to always offer your support in the workplace.” Armed with such unique ideology, tammy has taken the institute to new heights.

Tammy oversees all operational aspects of BrightView’s newest community in Port Jefferson, NY. The building is anticipated to open in the Autumn of 2022. The building will hold 170 residents and be a mix of Independent Living, Assisted Living, and Dementia Care.

Brightview Senior Living was founded in 1999, built on the idea that a great place to work is a great place to live. Today, Brightview builds, owns, and operates 45 senior living communities with over 4,500 associates. They deliver award-winning rental senior living communities in eight states along the East Coast: Connecticut, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Virginia. Their rental senior living communities offer resident apartment homes with no large entrance fee for active senior Independent Living, premium Assisted Living, Enhanced Care, and Wellspring Village®, a specialized neighborhood for people living with Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia.

Each of their Brightview Senior Living communities focuses on five elements of wellness which they call SPICE—Spiritual, Physical, Intellectual, Cultural, and Emotional. Their amenities and programs encourage active senior living communities and development in these areas, keeping residents active and healthy.

Creating vibrant senior living communities by providing excellent service is Brightview’s mission. Residents live in an environment of possibilities, independence, and choice where they can receive the support they need to make the most of each day.

Although Tammy is fairly new to Brightview, preparing a new community for the opening day continues to be a tremendous achievement for her. “Building a strong team of directors and staff is an ongoing process and going extremely well. We are bringing a new lifestyle to the Seniors in this neighborhood,” she explains. “We are the only true, independent living, rental option in this area. Seeing them light up as we explain the array of amenities and services that we provide has been a source of joy for myself and for my team.”

Tammy wants to see Brightview grow throughout Long Island and become an even stronger presence for the seniors in this area for the day to come. “We offer such an amazing lifestyle for them and being able to bring our services to new neighborhoods will bring smiles to many Long Islanders.” WL

Pet Paradise is a unique and progressive company that is changing the way we think about comprehensive care for pets, and Dr. Jaime Pickett is leading the charge. With executive oversight of veterinary medical operations, she instills core values of innovation, community, and passion as foundational elements in the company’s fabric. Dr. Pickett cultivates a work environment within which doctors enjoy practicing quality medicine by supporting and enhancing a sense of teamwork. She understands and appreciates how to foster efficient and effective teams, and maximizes group functioning by way of maximizing technology solutions and emphasizing the delivery of high quality medicine. She inspires and guides the actions of her teams. Her passion for quality medical care and ensuring both professional and personal development of the doctors is palpable.

Dr. Pickett remains grounded in what motivates her – education, leadership development, philanthropy, and spearheading industry change. She believes education cultivates a life long spirit of learning. Volunteering in your community and nonprofits is not only a way to give back but can also provide great networking opportunities and potential for serving on organizations’ boards to gain leadership experience. Dr. Pickett takes care of her colleagues and teams while ensuring their work remains collaborative. She believes everyone can add value and make an impact when given direction and support. Enabling change is not an unfamiliar concept but one many people feel is out of their reach. Walk through the open door and embrace the opportunity around the corner, especially when you cannot always visualize it or predict the outcome.

According to Dr. Pickett, supporting other female leaders significantly impacts women’s entrepreneurial success. “I bring women into my network with similar career paths, and with whom I can identify with their struggles. I motivate them from a personal perspective and deliver timely advice,” she says. “It is important to support other female entrepreneurs not only to help boost growth but create pathways for change. I celebrate other women’s successes whenever possible, that connection is invaluable.” She adds one-on-one time is also very impactful. For example, Dr. Pickett mentors women veterinary students as well as women just starting businesses of their own, empowering the female entrepreneur community. “Simply caring, giving advice to my mentees, and introducing them to new opportunities makes a difference. I do not underestimate a massive shift a powerful introduction can make. It can be life changing. I encourage all women to network.”

She shares business experiences with other women by getting involved in associations that empower women in her industry. “If I can support another woman on her journey and help her reach her goals, whether through important introductions or with words of advice, there is a high chance of her willingness to emulate these behaviors to support others.” Dr. Pickett also believes it is vital to share wisdom gained through both successes and failures. “Some of my most valuable lessons were from my mistakes or overlooked opportunities. Sharing information and experiences makes a positive impact.”

Dr. Pickett adds one of the most influential undertakings female entrepreneurs can do to support other women in business is to ask them what they need, and then commit to providing it. Whether it’s a resource, an introduction, or a strategy, providing the solution for them not only fast tracks their success and creates goodwill but it teaches them the invaluable skill of being a resource provider. If every female entrepreneur routinely and intentionally provided other women in business with two to three solutions per week and asked them to pay it forward, it would create a transformational ripple for women leaders.

Dr. Pickett’s basic advice to women who want to start a business: Begin with a simple business plan, and grow it as needed. Develop this essential document to steer future work and hold yourself accountable. Focus on something you are passionate about and find an existing need. Understand your target customers and existing markets. Allow your passion to drive you.

Armed with such a unique ideology, Dr. Pickett takes Pet Paradise to new heights. There is no other business model like theirs, as they stay ahead of industry trends and remain innovative and engaged. Dr. Pickett ensures the veterinarians and team members are supported, and the pets receive the highest quality of care within Pet Paradise’s comprehensive pet care model – NewDay Veterinary Care, resort-style day camp, overnight boarding, and professional grooming. WL

As Boston Digital’s Chief Operating Officer, Catherine Parrinello helps set the agency’s vision, and she is ultimately responsible for delivering strategic solutions that meet clients’ business goals. Catherine leads the client delivery functions such as Account Service, Digital Marketing, UX, Creative Services, and she oversees Boston Digital’s HR function. She is known for being approachable, collaborative, communicative, and passionately committed to supporting her team. She gracefully balances the art of holding her team accountable and making work fun.

For the steadfast leader, a significant barrier for female leaders is the lack of representation. “Seeing someone who looks like you and has a similar background in a role you aspire to hold is of critical importance,” she says. “I have been incredibly fortunate to work with amazing female leaders, but I believe there is room for greater diversity in our industry and more leadership opportunities for women, particularly at the highest levels of the organization.”

Édith Piaf, a French singer-songwriter and actress, is credited with saying, “When you reach the top, you should remember to send the elevator back down for the others.” This is a rule that Catherine lives by. She is an avid networker and enjoys providing guidance and connections to those interested in starting a career in the industry, moving into their first management role, or aspiring to join an executive team. “I also actively seek out opportunities to partner with female- and BIPOC-owned businesses like We Are Rosie and Eubio. As I mentioned, I believe representation is essential, so I want to do my part in supporting women in whatever way I can to help them get to where they deserve to be.”

Catherine leverages rigorous analytical methods and can generate key insights from individuals across diverse functions, levels, and geographies by listening closely and embracing unique perspectives. She is collaborative and knows how to build trust and alignment with empathetic and frequent communication. Qualities such as these help those around her to feel valued. Seeing her ability to lead with confidence and kindness inspires those around her to reach their full potential. “I don’t believe success is a moment or a point of arrival, but instead lots of little moments in our professional and personal lives. It’s important to take time to acknowledge and appreciate each win as it happens.”

According to her, one critical skill for a leader – female, male, non-binary – is to be self-aware and to know when to take the lead, when to delegate, and when to ask for help. Women often feel the pressure that they have to do it all themselves, “I made that mistake a few times early on in my career because I took on too much, tried to exert too much control. But I quickly learned the leaders who are the most successful are those who are mindful and engage others in their areas of expertise.” Armed with this ideology, Catherine took Boston Digital to new heights.

The company is a group of digital trailblazers composed of tech and marketing fanatics helping brands to find the beauty in the details. They are driven by untapped insights, high-tech experiences, and outcome-driven design to crush the marketing goals. Their commitment to understanding the intricacies of human behavior drives sustained growth and lasting competitive advantage for their partners. A client’s digital experience is indistinguishable from your brand identity, and it lives at the foundation of their digital ecosystem, which is why it’s the center of the company’s attention. Digital excellence starts with a world-class website and catches fire with brilliant digital marketing. “We’ve been in the trenches of digital for over two decades, pursuing a vision of technology grounded in human behavior, paving a path forward for businesses through rigorous behavioral analysis and an unbending dedication to the quality of our execution,” says Catherine.

Boston Digital is well-positioned to deliver growth for marketers; by combining data, human intelligence, and strategic insight, they guide businesses through the most pressing digital marketing challenges they face. “We have an amazing team at the agency and are continuing to grow our capabilities and services to deliver measurable competitive advantage for our clients.” WL

Yvonne Chow is Lead Visionary & Co-founder at Envisione Studio Ltd. Working with her colleagues to create a pleasant, healthy, and productive working environment is her daily routine. She hopes her vision will enable Envisione studio become one of Hong Kong’s greatest design studio.

She pays close attention to even the tiniest details in order to develop designs that are timeless, future-proof, and easy to use. Yvonne & her partner, Eric Chak, invest a lot of time grow Envisione’s team and cultivating a unique culture that values creativity empathy, collaboration, caring, learning, improving, risk-taking, work-life balance, and having fun.’

As a lead visionary, she feels learning to be a great leader is more challenging than designing. It involves spending lots of time interacting with people, understanding their concerns. videos & books by Simon Sinek, Daniel Pink, John Maxwell, Brene Brown, and others, on help her to improve her leadership skills. Through Constant practicing and learning from her failures she hopes her team can be the best in Hong Kong one day.

The mission of Envisione is to create a work environment that values people. Yvonne is a firm believer that everyone, regardless of company size, position, or money, deserves a joyful, healthy, and productive working environment.

“We DISCOVER and care about people; business’ needs, We CREATE happy, healthy; productive workplaces. We DELIVER world-class forward-thinking solutions for a changing future”

Envisione’s design begins with empathy. She pays close attention to people concerns and expresses genuine understanding. Address their problems and requirements in their design.

As a lead visionary, every day she is supported by an exceptional team. They share same values and always learning and improving. The Envisione’s distinct culture, sets it apart from its competition. Many Envisione’s projects partner with local artists that integrate art into the workplace and create a be spoken setting that reflects the client’s value culture.

Envisione’s team has designed over 2.1 million square feet of workspace since starting its studio four years ago, most of which are in Hong Kong, but also in Tokyo, Osaka, and Manila. Microsoft, Manulife, Morgan Stanley, Natixis, HSBC, WPP, Adidas, 3M, Covestro, China Merchant Bank, and other Fortune 500 businesses are among theirs clients.

Yvonne Chow says, 4 years ago, Eric Chak, my business partner, convinced me to open a design studio together. We started with 4 persons and now we have almost 30 people. We didn’t expect the company to grow so quickly as our priority is to deliver good quality design & provide a great experience to our clients. Stay hungry, Stay foolish as Steve Jobs encouraged. My father always said to me, be humble. My mother gave me a middle name that means perseverance. All of these factors have contributed to who I am today and will continue to be in the future. IEWL

Robin Toft has always been the type of person who believes “ if you set your mind to it, you can do it!” As a cancer survivor fifteen years ago, she resigned from her executive role with a vision for “changing the future of medicine, one relationship at a time.” she realized that women were an under-utilized resource, so she bet her company on them! Today, she knows that next-gen women are the answer to the industry and nationwide talent crisis in Life Sciences and Technology. After interviewing thousands of executives, Robin Toft has discovered that a person’s career is rarely a straight path. She stated that her career had three chapters and that she is currently in the fourth. Robin Toft spent the first ten years of her career in a clinical laboratory fundamental job, and the next ten years excelling in sales while improving her relationship-building talents. Then, at the age of 45, she was diagnosed with colon cancer in the ER, a career-defining event. She recognized the internalized stress of her current role as a contributor right away, therefore she resigned from her executive position at the time.

Robin Toft immediately aimed to develop Toft Group Executive Search in order to have a positive impact on how cancer is handled in her life by identifying the greatest women – and men – for the jobs. Toft Group developed quickly from $0 to $10 million in sales before being acquired by ZRG Partners, the world’s fastest-growing search agency, in November 2019. The next ten years for Robin Toft will be focused on promoting women in their careers so that the Toft Group can address the talent shortage, bring life-saving products to market faster, and enhance healthcare.

Robin Toft says, Creating a powerful, well-differentiated, beautiful brand with significant consumer value was one of my personal challenges. Unlike the competitive executive search businesses, which were predominantly slow and managed by middle-aged white men, I solely bet on two things: “quick and female.” I told my clients that we will supply top female Life Science and Technology employees more quickly than other companies. I hired a mostly female team and instructed them to meet executive women first, which was unheard of at the time. Our common goal was to get referrals by delivering exceptional service with high integrity, two qualities that have been our key sales advantage to this day.

“There’s a struggle for talent in the life sciences. To find and keep the best, you must look in the right places for those who are both a technical and cultural fit, and be diligent about providing career progression. We follow the same rules for our own company.”

Executive Search by Toft Group was a game-changer. Rather than “filling tickets,” as is common in the industry, they took the long view and developed long-term connections with top female talent. While others focused on “those who are looking,” Toft Group went after “those who aren’t”: experts in their professions who had no desire to change careers.

Robin also says, There is nothing but opportunity for young women in the Life Sciences and Technology industry today, even if you’re graduating college as a “generalist” today. WE CAN, The Executive Woman’s Guide to Career Advancement is a powerful platform for change. A book that advises where others fear to tread women’s indecision and doubt; the need for discipline, for a plan, for a map of one’s progression; to practice one’s confidence; to create opportunities; to practice self-care. “Building the plane while flying it” if you will. I was the main person running operations, responsible for the top-line revenues to the bottom-line profit, and in parallel trying to find and attract talent and develop them into exceptional search professionals. “Be positive and accept challenges as opportunities. After 20 years in biotech and 10 years with my own search company, I’ve learned to set goals, achieve them, and – most importantly – be happy. Teaching that to executives both women and men is my mission for the rest of my career.” IEWL

Toft Group Executive Search

Management

Robin Toft
Chairman & Founder of Toft Group Executive Search

Description

Toft Group Executive Search is a global retained executive search firm that is 100% dedicated to life sciences and healthcare industries, including biotech, pharmaceutical, medical device, diagnostic companies, and digital health.With offices in San Francisco, San Diego and Boston, our client list spans a wide range of local, national and international companies – from venture-backed start-ups to Fortune 500 corporations.

Megan R. Nichols,
Freelance Technical Writer

It’s not a secret any longer that infrastructure far and wide needs a lot of attention. Even beyond public works, the future looks ripe with opportunity for construction companies that are ready to capitalize on it.

In many cases, however, chasing down valuable bids comes with a critical choice: Do I lease the construction equipment I need to get this job done, or do I bite the bullet, make the investment, and take on the burden and opportunity of ownership?

Here’s a breakdown of some of the most common situations in which companies just like yours have had to make this all-important decision.

In Which Situations Should I Lease Construction Equipment?

There’s one case where companies are almost certainly better off pursuing a construction equipment lease: if they are, as the saying goes, “cash poor.” A lease is defined by a period of usage rather than a period of ownership. Taking on an equipment leaserequires no cash up front requires no cash up front in a majority of cases, making it a clear winner for businesses just starting out, emerging from a slow season or whose assets aren’t as “liquid” as they’d like. But what are the other considerations, beyond the day-one expenses?

Equipment redesigns and technological leaps forward are two major reasons that some companies will always favor leasing. After your lease is up, you’ll generally have the option to return the equipment or commit to purchasing it yourself.

The appeal of this arrangement is that you get to see how the machine’s usefulness and onboard technologies stack up to a newer model. Need something cutting-edge with built-in electronic systems or GPS? Return what you’ve got. This arrangement is sometimes called a flex lease. If not, you can hang on to your current machine, having already paid a good portion of the purchase price.

There are just two other notes for businesses considering leasing. First, do some research on the potential tax credit of leasing equipment in your industry. Lease payments constitute a business expense in a majority of cases. Second, remember that as the lessee of a piece of equipment, you’re not responsible for the cost of maintaining that equipment. If something goes wrong with it, the equipment company that leased it to you will likely provide either field service or a replacement machine.

Are There Downsides to Leasing?

Remember that leases aren’t really “a la carte” affairs. You’ll be locked into, on average, a 24- to 36-month period. It’s also good to remember that leasing a piece of equipment may result in a higher price overall than buying it outright.

Lessees are also responsible for early termination fees if their needs change — including not needing the equipment any longer, a change in their regular business or even an economic downturn.

In Which Situations Should I Buy Construction Equipment?

Construction can be a variable industry. Part of the appeal of leasing involves maintaining some flexibility in your inventory as the market and your docket of jobs change with time. Owning equipment is a different beast than leasing, but it’s definitely appealing for more mature, better-established companies whose heavy equipment needs aren’t likely to change much.

As far as taxes go, companies like these are also in a better position to absorb the sales tax lump sum, which would otherwise be divided between lease payments. On the other hand, companies can deduct for depreciation, thereby lowering their taxable income. Interest is deductible too in the event that you decide to pursue financing, which is fairly likely.

Realistically, the decision to own often comes down to how often you anticipate needing access to the equipment in question. In the construction industry, one rule of thumb is to consider whether you’ll use the equipment in question during more than 60 or 70 percent of the time you put in.

You can also base your decision on what your workload might look like a month or six weeks from now. Nobody knows better than you do. The point is, the nature and volume of your work need to dictate the ownership decision above most other concerns.

Are There Downsides to Owning?

In many cases, with a lease, you get to see which machines work best for different types of projects. When you’ve taken on ownership yourself, there may be times when you have to compromise by using a tool that’s only 85 percent correct for a task instead of 100 percent.

On the other hand, if you have a well-established niche in the broader construction world, and you’ve got proven workflows that you’ve been carrying out to wide acclaim for seven generations, maybe flexibility isn’t a top-of-mind concern for you.

Transportation and logistics are more challenges awaiting you when you choose equipment ownership. Some construction companies are less tied to a specific region than others — and when jobs take them elsewhere, they rent or lease in the new location. That way, they don’t have to transport the equipment themselves or hire another party to do it for them. Fleet managers and contractors sometimes overlook the logistics associated with moving heavy assets around the countryside.

When you enter into this decision with a clear head, armed with these reminders about the pros and cons, you should be able to arrive at a decision that suits you and keeps your company well-equipped for the foreseeable future.

Joanne Moretti, SVP and CMO, Jabil

The term “business as usual” is obsolete. In today’s digital economy, there is nothing usual about business. Change is happening at an unprecedented rate and on multiple levels. Our customers, large and small, new and old, tell us that in the face of such change, they need to innovate at lightning speed. They no longer fear failure; today, they will fear irrelevance. In a 2016 PwC global survey of more than 1,000 CEOs from all sectors, 61% said that they were concerned about the speed of technological change in their industry. In a similar study in 2015, 45% of tech company CEOs said that their company had entered a new industry within the last three years, and an additional 23% said they had considered doing so.The digital age comes with a perfect storm of disruption that has several megatrends behind it. Accelerating technological change often disrupts established industries and creates entirely new business models, and there is no end in sight. According to a survey by McKinsey & Company, 60% of companies believe that by 2020 half of their income will come from technology-enabled innovation. Now, every company in every sector needs to think like a technology company.Consumer expectations are sky high, and the barriers for new entrants into markets have never been lower, creating disruption as well as opportunities for startups and competitors at every turn. Geo-political shifts such as Brexit, tax reform, treaties, trade imbalances, currency fluctuations, debt rates, resource scarcities, climate change and other political and policy swings are causing uncertainty for brands around the globe. Analysts, supply chain managers and economists are busy around the clock calculating “what-if” scenarios and preparing for change.And to make matters even more interesting, huge demographic shifts are occurring where a growing and aging population, coupled with rapid urbanization, puts enormous pressure on infrastructure, talent pools, and healthcare and energy resources. What’s more, the skills gap is widening in the science, technology, engineering and mathematical fields (STEM) just when more engineers, scientists and data analysts are needed to help transform our industry.We believe this seismic shift in consumer expectations, coupled with the opportunities created by technologies such as AI (Artificial Intelligence), AR and VR (Augmented and Virtual Reality), AM (Additive Manufacturing) and the Smart Factory require a new kind of manufacturing partner with an agile, fast and economic skill set, as well as global scale and outlook.Accelerated innovation is one of the key starting points in this new world, where fast is the new slow, and slow is simply too late. Compressing the process from innovation to market is essential to ensure the benefits of being first to market combined with bringing the best product. The use of VR and AI in design, as well as rapid prototyping using 3D printing, will shorten the time and cost of taking an idea to prototype radically. Combine that with parallel manufacturing and supply chain development, and it’s easy to see how quickly ideas can reach the consumer.Those consumers are, of course, all around the world and demand fluctuation is common, so manufacturing agility becomes the second part of the puzzle. This flexibility in manufacturing geography can also serve to protect against some of those geopolitical shifts as well as potential supply chain disruption. Real manufacturing agility requires an operational excellence at the highest level, using all that is available from new technology, from smart factory, Internet of Things (IoT) and Industry 4.0 ideals. New technologies such as AM, AI and VR are finding their way into manufacturing, and the companies that can take them and apply the engineering rigor to establish them at volume will be able to offer their customers the greatest agility and speed, producing the world class, life-changing products we expect.

So many moving parts, right? Absolutely! That’s why great supply chain orchestration is essential to help manage and mitigate risk from your supply chain, uncover opportunities and ultimately deliver superior financial performance and customer experience. The world is changing and changing fast; those that wish to serve the brands that empower the world need to be ahead of the game and ready for anything. In short, they need to adapt fast and adapt first.

Avani Desai – EVP, Schellman & Company
and Adam Losey – Partner, Losey PLLC

You’ll probably have heard about a recent high profile crash during the testing of the Tesla Model S autonomous car. During the crash, which occurred in July 2016, the car allegedly was unable to distinguish between a high-back white truck and the sky. As a result, it purportedly drove full speed under the carriage of the truck, killing the test driver. (It should also be noted that, at the time, the test driver was allegedly watching a movie on an in-car screen.)

A tragic situation like this serves as a case in point about the amount of trust we are already placed in self-driving cars. Yes, the development of these cars is exciting, and is a natural next step in car evolution—but what is the price we are paying for this autonomy?

Self-Driving Cars – What’s All the Fuss About?

Often called a self-driving car, an autonomous car works without human interaction to drive its passengers from A to B. You can get fully autonomous and partially autonomous cars—the fully autonomous being entirely self-driving. These cars use a toolbox of different sensor types and cameras to build up the necessary data to make driving decisions.

Self-driving cars are something that human beings have toyed with, even if just as a sci-fi type idea, since cars were invented, and so, the fact that functioning autonomous cars are emerging as viable options is not that surprising–in reality, cars have been evolving to include autonomous features for years. The benefits of such vehicles are well-documented, and now, after a series of increasingly complex ‘upgrades’, the fully autonomous car has added features such as parking alarms and anti-brake technology. The current market size for autonomous cars has been predicted to pick up pace over the next decade, with Boston Consulting expects that 12 million autonomous cars will be sold per year by 2035.

Autonomous vehicles aren’t just a science fiction fantasy come to life. For example, self-driving trucks are expected to cut fuel consumption by 10% and will also provide additional safety benefits for everyone on the road. Statistics indicate that 94% of road accidents are attributed to human error; remove the human and the argument implies that such a change is bound to improve safety. Recent test experience also supports that autonomous cars are safer for everyone–Google’s autonomous car fleet has driven over 700,000 miles with just four minor accidents so far. If we can improve passenger safety, reduce fuel consumption, and make the driving experience less stressful, what’s not to like about self-driving cars? But, as they say, there’s two sides to every story.

Who to Kill?

Ethical and legal issues also arise in autonomous driving revolving around making programming decisions in life-and-death situations. When driving, human beings are forced to take incredibly complex high-speed visual, auditory and tactile sensory inputs, and to then make the life-and-death complex mathematical calculations and decisions in a split-second basis. Many argue that computer systems are better at these kinds of tasks than humans. However, computer systems lack independent thought and must be programmed in advance to deal with these life-and-death decisions—the “who to kill” analysis must be hardwired into the car itself. Here’s an example: if a self-driving car cannot stop in time and must either collide with an obstacle and potentially kill the passenger, or swerve into (and potentially kill) a pedestrian, what decision should the programmers make? And should the purchaser of an autonomous automobile has the ability to make choices regarding life-and-death decisions they may encounter? Generally, these questions are addressed by teams of ethicists, programmers, and lawyers working in tandem, but they will certainly be second-guessed by courts and victims of accidents in the future.

Autonomous Cars – What Are the Driving Issues of the Day?

Not only are autonomous cars generating big picture discourse on multiple ethical and legal levels, but they also are creating new personal issues for individual drivers. By design, these vehicles are Internet-enabled; they are part of the Internet of Things (IoT). And though this sounds great, because interconnectivity and data sharing can have some positive merit, it is this shared personal data that opens areas of concern, especially around privacy and security. Autonomous cars are being built with a full spectrum of IoT enablement, from in-vehicle operating systems to on-board Wi-Fi communication devices, various sensors, voice activation, geo-location tracking, and analytics. A self-driving car, even the partially autonomous version, is the Internet on wheels. With one of those, all the information about the use of the vehicle–where you are at any given time, who you are communicating with, even what you are watching while that car is in motion—is collected and analyzed. Where we once had the feeling of privacy within our own vehicle, where we could close the door, and close out the world, now, that vehicle can shout our every movement to the world.

Privacy vs. Safety – What Will Win?

All our autonomous cars-based data is collected and sent to cloud servers for drive information and use by related services, but it is the connectivity between the data that is of the greatest interest. For example, insurance companies will offer incentives to share this data – better driving will reap better insurance premiums. But what if your data shows information that is private to you, such as visits to certain establishments? Because everything is monitored by these innovative vehicles, there are no exceptions. All your data will be collated and analyzed – in effect, your life will be mapped out in an at least semi-public arena.

Car hacking is also possible, and highlighted by several white hat hackers attempting to bring focus into this area of cybersecurity. There have been a number of high profile hacks of IoT cars, including the Department of Defense’s demonstration of how easy it is to hack an autonomous car because of the lack of basic security built into the vehicle.

The privacy and security of autonomous vehicles are part of the new era of IoT privacy issues. Our safety and vehicle optimization is important, and we shouldn’t hold back progress, but it doesn’t have to come at the cost of information security. To address this, there are movements to try and set standards and laws to regulate this area.

Privacy concerns are now being taken seriously by the automotive trade. In a letter to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) a number of automotive bodies wrote concerning, “Consumer Privacy suggesting that the industry adopt a framework of seven principles that would effectively protect consumer privacy from the advancement of vehicle technologies. Current U.S. legislation around autonomous cars is patchy and has little or no reference to security or privacy. However, Senators Markey and Blumenthal are calling for the protection of drivers privacy and prevention of car hacking through their bill, the SPY Car Act which calls for anti-hacking measures to be applied to all consumer vehicles manufactured within 2 years of the bill being agreed. The bill also covers data collected from the vehicle, which should be secured, and sets penalties for noncompliance.

As technology continues to advance, and cars continue to grow increasingly sophisticated, with all the benefits of such vehicles also comes new debates regarding security of data. Though the tech remains ahead of the legislation now, with legal weight being added by Markey and Blumenthal and the backing of the automotive industry, we can have some hope that privacy matters will be taken seriously as a driving force for the good of individual drivers.

Philippine de T’Serclaes

The convergence of the Internet of Things (IoT), software, big data, analytics, and the growth of renewables, is revolutionizing today’s energy system. A new energy world is emerging, in which digitally enabled services allow opportunities for increased savings and greater efficiencies.

Disruption of our energy system

Two major technology innovations are disrupting our energy system:As cost curves of renewables are coming down, renewable technologies are spreading. Global power capacity is expected to double by 2040, 2/3rd of which from renewables. In 2018, solar is already as cheap as coal in Germany, Australia, the U.S., Spain and Italy. Its capacity growth in 2016 was larger than any other form of generation. Over next 15 years, solar cost is expected to drop by another 60%, and the cost of wind by 50%.

The adoption of digital technologies in the energy sector is accelerating and changing the way energy is produced, distributed and consumed. Global investment in digital electricity infrastructure and software has grown by more than 20%/ yr since 2014, reaching USD 47 bn in 2016. The digitization of the electricity sector, could unlock USD 1.3 trillion of social, economic and environment value for the sector for both industry and society, through energy services and digital demand.

Energy Efficiency disrupted to the next level: the rise of digital demand

The rise of digital demand is unleashing opportunities for increased efficiency at all levels, allowing customers to enjoy the same level of energy services with less primary energy use.The digitization of the energy sector is providing access to data and real-time information, allowing consumers’ immediate and flexible responses to the systems’ signal. This higher adaptability allows 185 GW of system flexibility globally in buildings/industry & transport combined; allowing customers at an individual and company level to move from reactive to proactive energy management models.In the building sector, holding 80% of untapped energy efficiency potential, the deployment of building automation and controls for instance, could enable 30%-50% of currently untapped energy savings, with ROI between 2 and 5 years. In infrastructures, digitally enabled microgrids are leading to the emergence of distributed energy resource, storage, and load controls on the demand side of the meter. Such technologies enable sites, such as campuses, office buildings, and even remote islands and villages to run independently from the grid, drawing power from onsite generation.

The 2015 Paris agreement asserted 175 countries’ commitment to tackle climate change. Yet, two years on, 15,000 scientists from 184 countries issued a letter of Warning To Humanity underlining that we are lagging behind. As confirmed by President Macron, during the One Planet Summit, “We are not moving fast enough”. Business as usual is leading us to a 3 or 3.5 °C temperature increase; with 2017 marking the harshest Atlantic hurricane season with economic damage estimated at between USD 200 bn-290bn.

The finance gap

Investments are shifting towards a more decarbonized and sustainable energy future. Globally, new clean energy investment has climbed to an average of USD 300 bn per year since 2010; 5X greater than in 2004, increasing global capacity installations by 8X (BNEF).Still, we are not progressing fast enough. The world is currently spending 50% of the required investment level for a 2-degree scenario/ sustainable energy transition. An annual investment of USD 1 trillion is needed in renewable energy and energy efficiency by 2030; $560 billion/yr in energy efficiency investments in the next 15 years–a 50% gap. Traditional bankers and investors are discouraged by the intangible and comparatively small nature of energy efficiency assets and projects. Risk –real and perceived—associated with these projects contribute to the remaining gap in energy efficiency financing.

We need to step up and policy to accelerate the transition

Curbing current CO2 emissions of 36 Gt/yr to 20 Gt by 2040 is technically and economically feasible. It offers some key competitive and economic benefits, and could create up to 1mln jobs in France alone. Innovative financing and new business models are needed to accelerate the change and achieve faster progress. · New energy financing instruments based on different risk mitigation and blended finance approaches need to emerge to scale up private financing mobilization. Energy Performance Contracting (EPC) for instance, are an effective (alternative) financing option for large energy savings projects, that require no up-front capital costs; the burden of performance and results being placed on highly specialized Energy Services Companies. “Pay as you go” solar energy business models and digital financing present another useful mechanism that can allow low income families to access and pay for better energy services without high upfront costs, (thereby serving the 1.2 billion people still living without electricity.)· Regulation and policies need to be aligned to accelerate the transition, prevent any halting in emergence of higher flexibility. In Europe, “Clean Energy for All Europeans” is driving a new Market Design for prosumer development and greater role to distribution system operators (DSOs), enabling them to participate in network codes, and a framework for DSOs on the use of flexibility. In China, regulators recently announced plans to pilot ‘electricity prosumer’ model in Feb 2018.

In Annette Cusworth’s short time at Spartronics as Senior Vice President & Chief Financial Officer, she has aligned her experience in financial responsibilities and objectives alongside her passion for helping drive the organization’s focused growth goals. Ensuring the organization is productive and profitable, her influence and collaborative work ethic have driven organic growth and strategic acquisitions while creating a long-lasting positive impact on financial leadership and organization discipline. Annette’s broad business perspective and industry experience have helped Spartronics create value for its investors, customers, and employees.

One of Annette’s passions is to support women in her professional network. Annette challenges and coaches women to empower themselves and never underestimate the value that they bring. Teaching women to recognize their strength and encourage other women to support each other is key.

Throughout Annette’s career, she has taken the time to mentor and develop young women, allowing them to position themselves for future growth. From hiring women into senior positions, challenging others to continue education, encouraging women to pursue opportunities or to step into new roles outside of their comfort zones. Annette has been an advocate in removing the stereotype of the working mother and setting the example that women can have a family, career and be successful in all aspects of life.

Annette also believes in supporting young women to enter non-traditional career paths. For example, Annette’s 20-year-old daughter has completed two years of education and apprenticeship towards her Red Seal Welding Certificate. She was the only female in her college program and currently is the only woman on an all-male organizational team. Annette is extremely proud that her daughter has challenged herself and not let stereotypes stop her from achieving her goals.

Annette has been a role model for so many women because she has been strongly influenced by her grandmothers, mother, and mother-in-law, all of which overcame challenges in their lifetimes while showing great strength. From surviving war impacted countries, moving to another country with small children and foreign language, fighting cancer, these women have inspired Annette with the courage and inner strength to overcome, achieve one’s goals and dreams, even when life throws obstacles in the way. With the influence and strengths Annette holds, her goal at Spartronics is to help drive success yet help position others to do so professionally and personally.

Spartronics comes from a rich history of talented engineers and contract manufacturing specialists that help partners (original equipment manufacturers) create mission-critical and life-sustaining technologies. Born from an acquisition that took a 100-year-old company private in 2019, Spartronics grew and competes with Top Tier competitors in the Commercial Aerospace, Defense, Instrumentation and Controls, Medical Device, and Space markets.

Spartronics takes pride in the superior value of its customer relationships. The relationship differentiator is a reputation that they have built for themselves in the contract manufacturing industry. “Our competitors know it and our partners appreciate it. We strive for responsiveness, reliability and creating lasting relationships. We communicate in a timely way and place focus on bringing our customers’ products to market quickly and efficiently,” she says.

Spartronics is continuously making improvements to the organization, from the manufacturing process to how they do business. “Our customers already have a trusted partner, and this is our differentiator. We hold our relationships to a high standard, allowing transparency, communication, and trust,” adds Annette. “With this, our organization is currently working on enabling customer dedicated teams which will allow an even stronger organizational support for our customers. These customer focused teams will create a culture and offering that provides customers advocacy, strengthen our relationships, and put our customers best interest at the forefront.”

Spartronics recently announced that the company broke ground on a new facility in Binh Duong City, Vietnam. The location will expand the company’s capacity for state-of-the-art electronics manufacturing services. Located outside Ho Chi Minh City, this new facility is scheduled to open in March 2022. Spartronics’ Vietnam location manufactures complex electronic and electromechanical products for commercial aerospace, medical devices, instrumentation, and control applications for high-cost-of-failure industrial environments. IEWL