Month: July 2023

Industry Insights Season 2 | Episode 4 features Tiffany Smith-Anoa’i, EVP Entertainment Diversity & Inclusion, West Coast, Paramount Global 

For season 2 of Industry Insights, Fresh Films teamed up with Paramount Company through their Content For Change Initiative to bring you conversations between future storytellers and industry professionals that pull back the curtain on the entertainment industry.

Tiffany Smith-Anoa’i is the Executive Vice President of Entertainment Diversity & Inclusion, West Coast for Paramount Global who thought her entertainment career was going to be in front of the camera but instead, she found her home behind the lens. In an industry full of “NOs”, Tiffany gets to say “YES” to actors, writers, directors and producers every day. Tiffany gives creators the opportunity to tell their stories, adding to the tapestry of voices and perspectives that reflect authenticity and change in entertainment and media production. 
 

Not only does every episode educate and entertain, it also provides the opportunity for educators to receive $300 grants for their classrooms! Learn more and enter to win at https://freshfilms.org/educators/

Created by teens for teens, Industry Insights, is dedicated to empowering and educating future storytellers and creators on the different career paths that the film and tv entertainment industry has to offer. In each episode, different industry professionals talk about their careers, how they got to where they are today plus inspiration and advice for aspiring media professionals.

Originally published on bloomberg.com

A turbulent year hasn’t thrown off the long-term prospects for the carbon offset market, which could be valued at half a trillion dollars annually by 2050. Demand will rise into the billions of tons of carbon dioxide equivalent within the next decade as companies work toward net-zero goals. Supply could increase nearly 60-fold depending on how carbon removal and nature-based solutions scale. If all offset types are allowed, the market will be oversupplied and prices will average just $18/ton out to 2050. Conversely, a removal-only market would increase this average to a massive $127/ton. A third scenario could see the market splitting in two, keeping prices reasonable but failing to direct investment to technology-based removal and the most impactful avoidance projects.

Long-term carbon offsets outlook 2023

Access the report

Offset demand dropped in 2022: Corporations purchased and retired just 155 million carbon offsets in 2022, down from 161 million the previous year. The biggest driver was growing criticism of carbon offsets by investors and the media, tempering enthusiasm from buyers. Crypto companies, who bought over 18 million offsets on the Verra registry in 2021, were also forcibly removed from the market midway through the year for fears of catalyzing investment into low-quality projects, cutting out a big chunk of demand.Offset supply rose slightly in 2022: Projects in 77 countries issued 255 million carbon offsets, up just 2% from 251 million in 2021. Avoided deforestation (REDD+) supply dropped 32%; major projects in Peru, Indonesia and Kenya received heaps of criticism and issued no offsets in 2022, as customers were wary of the reputational risk that could come from buying such credits. Reforestation and agriculture supply both rose in 2022 but it wasn’t enough to counterbalance the drops seen elsewhere.Companies will still need billions of offsets long term: Today’s fluctuating demand is mostly classified as behavioral, meaning companies buy offset to differentiate products or satisfy customers. It’s more responsive to prices and criticism, and BloombergNEF expects behavioral demand to drop from 181MtCO2e in 2023 to zero in 2050. It will be replaced by fundamental demand as companies work toward net-zero goals, increasing to 1.1GtCO2e in 2030 and 5.4GtCO2e in 2050. This demand is less price elastic and takes over long term.Carbon offset supply will likely grow significantly: In a market that allows all offsets like those seen today, regardless of their sector and geography, supply will exceed 8GtCO2e by 2050. Over three quarters of this supply will come from nature-based avoided deforestation, reforestation and agriculture. Conversely, a market focused on removal would catalyze massive investment into technology like direct air capture (DAC) and bioenergy carbon capture and storage (BECCS) in later years, pushing supply to 9.8GtCO2e in 2050.This report forecasts carbon offset prices under three scenarios: The voluntary market scenario assumes nothing fundamentally changes about the offset market, with companies buying all types of offsets. The removal scenario assumes companies can only buy removal offsets to achieve net-zero goals. The bifurcation scenario has the market splitting in two, with a smaller market for expensive high-quality credits and a larger market for everything else.Prices would be criminally low in the voluntary market scenario: Supply would be almost four times greater than demand in 2030. Offsets will cost just $13/ton at that point, valuing the market at a mere $15 billion. Prices rise to $35/ton in 2050, which is less than our previous outlook of $47/ton. This would be a disastrous outcome for the market – companies would continue to invest in cheap, low-quality offsets while sectors like DAC would fail to get needed investment. Issues thought to be largely tangential to the offset market today, such as the Russia-Ukraine War, the Brazil elections and compliance offset demand, could tighten the supply-demand balance and lead to much-needed rises in offset prices in this scenario.A bifurcation scenario lives and dies by the definition of quality: Once stakeholders create such a definition, it’s likely that the market diverges into a less liquid, more expensive market for high-quality offsets and a larger, cheaper market for everything else. BNEF estimates that such a market denoted by quality peaks at $38/ton in 2038, but would still be too cheap to incentivize investment into technology-based removal like DAC. A low-quality market would exacerbate many of the issues already seen in today’s market and prices would peak at just $22/ton in 2050. Just how fundamentally different these markets would be is based on how inclusive the definition of ‘high-quality’ is. This makes the work of the Integrity Council on Voluntary Carbon Markets and registries like Verra very important.A removal scenario would send offset prices to new highs, but the rise is gradual and gives buyers time to brace: An alternate outcome from the two scenarios above is a market that focuses entirely on carbon removals, which have inaccurately developed a reputation as always driving more impact than avoidance. This dichotomy is further obscured by groups like the Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTI), who will only allow members to achieve net-zero by using removal offsets such as reforestation, agriculture, DAC and BECCS. A removal-only market keeps the supply-demand balance skintight out to 2050, with the market briefly undersupplied from 2037 to 2044. Prices would rise to a manageable $42/ton in 2030, before shooting up to $105/ton in 2032 and $254/ton in 2037 – set by expensive forestry projects in Malaysia and valuing the market at $953 billion annually. Companies will have trouble stomaching such prices, but they come late enough that affordable alternatives may be available to still drive needed decarbonization. It’s also possible that a removal-only market could alienate buyers and lead to the creation of a separate pure avoidance market. In this avoidance market, offsets like REDD+, clean energy and clean cookstoves would be cheaper early on, but prices eventually reach $32/ton in 2050, valuing the market at $100 billion.

BloombergNEF (BNEF), Bloomberg’s primary research service, covers clean energy, advanced transport, digital industry, innovative materials and commodities. BNEF helps corporate strategy, finance and policy professionals navigate change and generate opportunities. Explore more content on the BNEF blog. 

Celebrating those in the Olympic Movement who are taking tangible steps to tackle the climate crisis, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has announced the shortlisted athletes, International Federations (IFs) and National Olympic Committees (NOCs) for the inaugural IOC Climate Action Awards. More than 70 applications were received from across the Olympic Movement for three award categories: sustainable travel, innovation and athlete advocacy.

The IOC Climate Action Awards are supported by Worldwide Olympic and Paralympic Partners (TOPs) Airbnb, Deloitte and P&G. They aim to recognise innovative and effective efforts from across the Olympic Movement to limit sport’s impact on climate, while inspiring others to follow suit. The initiative was launched in November 2022 as part of the IOC’s commitment to sustainability.

Shortlisted candidates

The Climate Action x Sustainable Travel Award, supported by Airbnb, recognises innovative action and advocacy to travel more sustainably within the sports calendar. Athletes, IFs and NOCs have showcased remarkable efforts in this field, exploring sustainable travel options and raising awareness about the importance of reducing carbon emissions.

The shortlisted candidates are:

In the athlete category:

Marton Kekesi, Alpine Skiing, Hungary – for recognising the impact of his travel schedule and taking steps to reduce his carbon footprint, including by car sharing, travelling by electric vehicle and choosing accommodation as close as possible to his event venue.Marcus Mepstead, Fencing, Great Britain – for advocating climate action through an Environmental Sustainability Athlete Group and for his work as an Ambassador for the Trees for the Future charity.Katie Tannenbaum, Skeleton, US Virgin Islands – for strategically planning her competition schedule to minimise travel emissions and ensuring fewer people travel from race to raceMarion Thénault, Freestyle Skiing, Canada – for working to calculate, reduce and compensate her carbon emissions, and for raising awareness through her work with the non-profit Protect Our Winters Canada.

In the IF category:

Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) – for developing the UCI Bike City label, which supports and rewards cities and regions for hosting major UCI cycling events and investing in infrastructure and programmes to promote cycling amongst their wider population.World Rugby – for implementing a number of initiatives to reduce travel impacts and support its climate action objectives, including by combining previously separate men’s and women’s events at the Sevens World Series.World Sailing – for identifying travel and transport as one of its main focus areas for carbon emissions reduction, with priorities including reduced organisational travel and new policies for promoting the use of public transport by staff.

In the NOC category:

Spanish Olympic Committee – for promoting sustainable mobility by using electric and hybrid vehicles from Worldwide Olympic Partner Toyota, and prioritising the use of trains for domestic staff travel.Swiss Olympic – for promoting sustainable travel during the 2023 European Youth Olympic Festival by ensuring the Swiss delegation travelled together by coach and minibus rather than flying.

The Climate Action x Innovation Award, supported by Deloitte, recognises how innovation and education drives climate action. The creative and innovative solutions demonstrated by athletes, IFs and NOCs are inspiring and help us to collectively create a more sustainable future.

The shortlisted candidates are:

In the athlete category:

Benjamin Blankenship, Athletics, USA – for establishing the Endless Mileage Project, which plants trees for every American miler who breaks 4 minutes (men) and 4:30 min (women) in the event, and which redistributes used sports clothing and equipment to local schools.Paloma Schmidt Gutierrez, Sailing, Peru – for her work with the organising committee of the International Laser Class Association (ILCA) European Championships in Andora, Italy, to introduce a range of measures to reduce waste.Marie-Claude Molnar, Para Cycling, Canada – for encouraging elite and grassroots athletes to consider the environmental impact of their sporting equipment and urging equipment manufacturers and suppliers to measure the environmental impacts of their product lines.Lina Taylor, Beach Volleyball, Bulgaria – for launching a non-profit organisation called Climate Executive Coaching, which supports climate and sustainability leaders through science-based training and solution-focused professional coaching.

In the IF category:

International Biathlon Union (IBU) – for helping local organising committees of IBU events measure and manage their carbon emissions, including by developing a tailor-made event CO2 footprint calculation tool.Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) – for launching the UCI Climate Action Charter, which unites cycling stakeholders to reduce the sport’s emissions, advance the UN Sustainable Development Goals, and advocate more everyday cycling.World Rugby – for implementing in partnership with the South African Rugby Union and CRDC “The Bag that Builds” – an innovative initiative involving the collection of waste generated by fans, athletes and operations staff during the Rugby World Cup Sevens 2022 for conversion into an eco-aggregate used for the construction of social housing in the event’s host nation, South Africa.World Sailing – for leading the establishment of the Carbon Fibre Circular Alliance (CFCA) to promote the use of recycled carbon fibre in equipment for sailing and other sports.

In the NOC category:

Brazilian Olympic Committee – for moving to more energy-efficient headquarters, introducing remote working for employees, and modifying its training centre to reduce energy consumption.Colombian Olympic Committee – for launching a pilot initiative to reduce carbon emissions at the National Sea and Beach Games held in Tolú (Coveñas) in 2021, which is being rolled out at other sporting events in the country.Spanish Olympic Committee – for working to develop a climate mitigation programme using seagrass and marine reforestation, following the successful launch of the Spanish Olympic Forest.Swiss Olympic – for launching the Swiss Olympic Climate Fund – an innovative carbon mitigation scheme for the Swiss sporting system.

The Climate Action x Athlete Advocacy Award, supported by P&G, highlights the endeavours of athletes who actively engage people and communities in the fight against climate change. Shortlisted athletes are recognised for leveraging their platforms to serve as advocates, inspiring others and promoting sustainable practices that contribute to a greener world.

The shortlisted candidates are:

Benjamin Blankenship, Athletics, USA – for promoting sustainability through the establishment of the Endless Mileage Project, which plants trees for every American miler who breaks 4 minutes (men) and 4:30 min (women) in the event and redistributes used sports clothing and equipment to local schools.James Farndale, Rugby Sevens, Great Britain – for his work with Athletes of the World – a non-profit that inspires athletes to become climate leaders. As a spokesperson for the cause, he has engaged in panels, participated in podcasts and used his platform to educate others.Marcus Mepstead, Fencing, Great Britain – for driving the development of fencing equipment made from recycled ocean plastic to help raise awareness of sustainable practices, and for advocating climate action through his role as an ambassador for Trees for the Future and as a member of an Environmental Sustainability Athlete Group.Oliver Scholfield, Field Hockey, Canada – for his work with Racing to Zero, which aims to equip grassroots sports events and organisations with the tools and knowledge they need to adopt sustainable practices.

“The IOC Climate Action Awards celebrate the efforts of athletes, International Federations and National Olympic Committees that are leading the way in addressing the climate crisis,” said Marie Sallois, the IOC’s Director for Sustainability. “We are extremely grateful for the support and collaboration of our Worldwide Olympic and Paralympic Partners, Airbnb, Deloitte and P&G. We hope that these awards will serve as an inspiration for others to follow suit and use the power of sport to contribute to the global fight against climate change.”

The winners of the IOC Climate Action Awards will be announced prior to the International Athletes’ Forum taking place in Lausanne, Switzerland, on 1 and 2 October 2023.

For more information about the IOC Climate Action Awards, click here.

Find out more about the Worldwide Olympic Partners Airbnb, Deloitte and P&G, which are supporting these awards.

To find out more about the IOC’s work on climate, click here.

Juan Gonzalez, KeyBank’s Central Indiana Market President and Business Banking Sales Leader, has been named to the second annual Indiana 250 list. The list represents the state’s most influential and impactful business and community leaders, representing public and private companies, law firms, universities, not-for-profits, government and community organizations.

The list is compiled by the executives, editors and newsroom staffs at IBJ Media’s three news brands after a months-long process that included reviewing nominations, researching Indiana organizations and talking with community leaders across the state.

In his role, Gonzalez is responsible for making sure KeyBank is growing its market share, partnering with local non-profit organizations and encouraging employees to engage in the community. Gonzalez joined KeyBank in 2010 and is deeply involved in the community through local events and board memberships.

“I am honored and grateful to be included on this year’s Indiana 250 list,” said Gonzalez. “I take great pride in representing KeyBank and our commitment to the communities we serve. I am proud of my team and the impact we’re making across all of Indiana.”

The Indiana 250 will be celebrated at an exclusive reception on July 20.

Learn more about KeyBank’s commitment to helping clients and communities thrive

SAN DIEGO, July 31, 2023 /3BL/ — Illumina Inc. (NASDAQ: ILMN), a global leader in DNA sequencing and array-based technologies, and Pillar Biosciences Inc., the pioneers of Decision Medicine™, announced a strategic partnership to make Pillar’s suite of oncology assays commercially available globally as part of the Illumina portfolio of oncology products. The agreement will result in an unprecedented offering of complementary next-generation sequencing solutions that will enhance the efficiency, accuracy, and cost-effectiveness of oncology testing through advanced sequencing techniques, improving patient access to personalized cancer treatment options.

“We are proud to partner with Pillar to provide products that will improve care for patients with advanced and high-risk cancer,” said Phil Febbo, chief medical officer of Illumina. “By leveraging Pillar’s targeted sequencing technology alongside Illumina’s state-of-the-art sequencing and bioinformatics solutions, we will enable rapid and focused genomic profiling of tumors, which is essential to facilitate personalized therapy in healthcare systems across the globe.”

Pillar’s targeted assays help oncologists and researchers identify mutations that drive tumor growth. This knowledge is pivotal in making informed decisions about cancer treatment. By gaining an understanding of the genomic landscape of the tumor, clinicians can tailor treatment options such as targeted therapies and immunotherapies to suit each patient’s needs. This personalized approach has the potential to result in more effective and precise interventions.

“Pillar Biosciences is committed to enabling global access to our high-value genomic profiling assays to empower better-informed precision patient treatment,” said Randy Pritchard, CEO of Pillar Biosciences. “This agreement will facilitate seamless integration between Pillar Biosciences assays and Illumina sequencers, delivering a streamlined workflow and complementary product offerings and leading to faster turnaround times for patients.”

Pillar’s suite of oncology assays can be used on any of Illumina’s sequencers. Assay offering will depend on the region. Commercial availability of Pillar’s assays through Illumina is set to begin this month.

Use of forward-looking statements 
This release may contain forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. Among the important factors to which Illumina’s business is subject that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in any forward-looking statements are challenges inherent in developing, manufacturing, and launching new products and services, and Illumina’s ability to successfully partner with other companies and organizations to develop new products, expand markets, and grow its business, together with other factors detailed in Illumina’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including its most recent filings on Forms 10-K and 10-Q, or in information disclosed in public conference calls, the date and time of which are released beforehand. Illumina undertakes no obligation, and does not intend, to update these forward-looking statements, to review or confirm analysts’ expectations, or to provide interim reports or updates.

About Pillar Biosciences 
Pillar Biosciences is the leader in Decision Medicine™, which is the utilization of highly accurate and sensitive next-generation sequencing (NGS) testing technology to generate data that optimizes the selection of precision therapies for cancer patients, from tumor profiling to therapy selection and recurrence monitoring. Pillar’s NGS testing solutions, including the FDA-approved oncoReveal™ CDx pan-cancer solid tumor IVD, are powered by its proprietary SLIMamp® and PiVAT® technologies, and decentralize the testing process, reducing diagnostic costs and improving access and efficiency of complex NGS testing for clinicians, prescribers, and patients globally. The company has more than 20 NGS testing kits available in IVD or RUO formats, and several others in various stages of development, including a comprehensive liquid biopsy assay and tumor-informed MRD assay. Pillar Biosciences has operations in Natick, MA and Shanghai, China. For more information visit pillarbiosci.com and connect with us on LinkedIn.

About Illumina 
Illumina is improving human health by unlocking the power of the genome. In 2023 we celebrate 25 years of innovation, which has established us as a global leader in DNA sequencing and array-based technologies, serving customers in the research, clinical, and applied markets. Our products are used for applications in the life sciences, oncology, reproductive health, agriculture, and other emerging segments. To learn more, visit illumina.com and connect with us on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube.

Contacts 

Investors: 
Salli Schwartz 
858-291-6421 
IR@illumina.com

Media: 
David McAlpine 
347-327-1336 
PR@illumina.com

SOURCE Illumina, Inc.

Sappi North America’s forest management programs in both Maine and the Upper Midwest offer a wide range of services to landowners to help them manage their forests sustainably. The Sappi Maine Forestry Program and the Sappi Lake States Private Forestry Program provide a team of experienced and licensed forest professionals to help landowners achieve their woodlot ownership objectives.

Private individuals and organizations own about 80% of the forestland in New England and 58% of the timberland in the Upper Midwest. Most of these private landowners have relatively small tracts of land, ranging from tens to hundreds of acres, that collectively form the extensive temperate northern forests that support abundant wildlife, sequester forest carbon, provide thousands of jobs and economic opportunity, and are popular for recreational activities, including hunting, fishing, hiking and snowmobiling.

“Our goal is to really establish a good rapport with them and understand what their wants and needs are for their property. Do they use it for recreation? Are they absentee landowners? What are their goals as far as end results after the timber harvest or timber sale? Do they want more aspen trees? Do they want more birch or oak or maple? We have to assess what trees are there already and how we can meld the landowner’s wants, goals and needs with what we can do on the ground as far as actual timber management to achieve those goals,” says Chris Martland, Senior Wood Procurement Forester for Wisconsin and Michigan at Sappi.

Most forest landowners care about the long-term health and aesthetics of their forest, and the benefits that a healthy forest brings to wildlife and water quality. They want any improvements done on their land today to result in a healthier forest in 10, 20 or 40 years. They recognize that responsible, active forest management is critical for maintaining a healthy balance of economic, social and ecological attributes from their forests to meet the needs of present and future generations. Sappi shares these goals.

“Forestry is an art and a science,” says Chris. “The science portion I learned in school is where I learned about the different trees and how they react to different management techniques. The art portion is where I actually get to deploy those techniques on the ground to really impact how the timber stand is going to grow into the future.”

The Sappi forest management programs give small landowners the resources they need to manage their lands and ensure that harvests are sustainable, meet best-management practices and provide the highest return on their timber sales.

“The sustainable forestry that we’ve done throughout the past 40 years has really allowed opportunities for some of our loggers to go back and cut the same piece that they cut with their dad when they were a kid,” says Chris. “The forest comes back healthier, stronger and more resilient than what it was when it was harvested. We really want to keep that stand healthy. And the only way to do that is through active management.”

The Sappi Maine Forestry Program and the Sappi Lake States Private Forestry Programs assist landowners with developing forest management plans, harvest plans and timber-stand improvement project plans with appropriate silvicultural techniques that ensure prompt regeneration after harvest. Sappi offers many forestry services at no charge to landowners. For example, Sappi will update or develop a Maine tree growth management plan free of charge for anyone who works with that program.

SNA stumpage foresters conduct inspections on all jobs to ensure compliance with laws, policies and best-management practices to conserve soil and water quantity/quality along with other values, such as biodiversity conservation, aesthetics management and cultural resource protection. Sappi procurement foresters ensure that program participants receive a fair price and timely payment for any wood harvested from their woodlot, and that someone keeps accurate track of all wood sent to a mill.

“A lot of people ask us if we plant trees after we harvest. And we tell them, no, because we don’t have to,” says Jeremy Stultz, Senior Procurement Forester with Sappi in Skowhegan, Maine. “We’re very blessed in the Northeast to have this natural regeneration that’s always filling in after us. If we manage at the right time on the right acres in the right way, then we can control what kind of trees are going to come back into a certain forest at a certain time.

Landowners trust us to develop a woodlot plan that meets their expectations. They know that Sappi is here for the long term, and appreciate the program’s reputation for fairness, honesty and trust.

“Certification is very important to Sappi, and it provides assurances to our customers and the people buying their products that the fiber we use comes from a forest that is thoughtfully managed,” says Jeremy. “Sappi is certified under three different global certification systems: the Sustainable Forestry Initiative® (SFI®), the Programme for Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC) and the Forest Stewardship Council® (FSC®). These certification systems give us a set of principles to work from and a set of requirements that we have to meet in order to ensure responsibly managed forests.

“Guidelines include measures to protect and conserve water and soil quality/quantity, promote and maintain high-quality wildlife habitat, and ensure the use of adequately trained foresters and loggers. These guidelines encourage investments in research and specific emphasis on management techniques to conserve biodiversity and protect ecologically sensitive values.

“Sappi’s commitment to forest certification allows us to pass those assurances on to our customers. They know that the products they’re buying from Sappi come from responsibly managed forests and that the fiber is going to be there now and it’s going to be there for future generations.”

Lucky for Principal ®, Amy Keiser lasted just 90 days in her first job in 1999. “It was in sales for another financial institution, and I quickly realized it was not the right role for me,” Keiser says.

Fortune had other plans for Keiser: She connected with a friend working at Principal®, which led to a position in the retirement division. “I consider that my first real job,” laughs Keiser, who is now vice president, retirement product management.

Graduation followed by two jobs in rapid succession might be disconcerting for many, but not Keiser. If anything has defined her nearly three-decade-long career, it’s been an embrace of change. “If you’re willing to learn, you can do a lot of different things,” she says.

From the basketball court to corporate life

A fourth-generation farm kid from South Dakota, Keiser was a math-loving, standout basketball star in a high school class of just 28. College recruiters came calling, and Keiser was determined to find a place that would cover tuition and enable her to do something she loved (basketball) while earning a degree she would use (business). “My parents didn’t go to college, and I wanted to start off life without debt,” she says.

At the University of South Dakota, the basketball team was a four-year immersion in building good habits and managing deadlines. “I learned quickly to say no to things that weren’t critical to the mission—to get work done without letting distractions get in the way,” Keiser says. “My teammates became my family, and those are still my lifelong friends. I got a great education—I got my ROI.”

Post-graduation and living in Des Moines, Keiser’s first Principal job turned into 17 years of tenure, as she willingly took on one challenge after another. “A lot of times, there weren’t instruction manuals—we had to figure out problems or integrate opportunities into the company,” Keiser says. “I discovered that I enjoyed learning new things, and that helped me navigate my career. It’s fun and rewarding to learn from the ground up.”

Leaving, and coming back to, Principal

Then one day, a recruiter came calling; there was a position open with a firm in Denver. Was Keiser interested?

With three kids not yet in high school, she knew if she and her husband were going to move her family, she’d have to take the leap. “I’m energized by change,” Keiser says. “I wanted to see if I could learn a new company and bring value to a different organization.”

She could and she did … which made her open to a call from Principal five years later. “I grew so much in that time, but I also had a great experience from my 17 years at Principal,” Keiser says. “The position at Principal offered a unique opportunity to own something. I could add something to the team I couldn’t before.”

So back to Principal she came, but this time, remotely. “My husband has been following me for 20 years, and he had the opportunity to take over his family farm,” Keiser says. They relocated not to Des Moines, but South Dakota. That’s given Keiser a chance to put a post-pandemic hybrid work model to the test: She’s in the Des Moines office twice a month. “I do my best thinking when driving,” Keiser says with a smile.

Love what you do

On the basketball court, Keiser learned some fundamental lessons that have continued to guide her: Everyone brings something different to the effort. The best teams learn how to work together. When things are not going well or as planned, you have to get back up and get back to work.

“At Principal, every day we’re working with people from all parts of the world and from all walks of life,” she says. “We all benefit when we learn how to support each other’s strengths.”

The culture at Principal helps, Keiser believes. “We invest in our people, and that’s even more important coming out of the pandemic,” she says. “I have the connections I built those first 17 years, and new connections I’m building, too.”

She’s also building connections—some still in basketball—in her family’s new community. Keiser volunteers with the local girls’ team, and, of course, helps on her family’s farm when time allows. “I have such joy in what I do—I work for a Fortune 200 company but get to hang out with my family on the farm,” she says. “I’ve never been afraid to roll up my sleeves and get the job done.”

Passion—for basketball—drove Keiser along her path for a little while, but passion of a different sort drives her now. “I’ve realized you could chase a job title or something that sounds big and important,” she says. “But you don’t have to do that if you love what you do.”

Find a career that fits your skills and passions at principal.com/careers.

 

Disclosures and compliance number

Insurance products and plan administrative services provided through Principal Life Insurance Company®, a member of the Principal Financial Group®, Des Moines, IA 50392.

© 2023 Principal Financial Services, Inc.​​​ 
Principal®, Principal Financial Group®, and Principal and the logomark design are registered trademarks of Principal Financial Services, Inc., a Principal Financial Group company, in the United States and are trademarks and service marks of Principal Financial Services, Inc., in various countries around the world.

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