Author: sHq_LoGiNz

Las Vegas Sands

After participating in the Hiring Our Heroes program at corporate headquarters this past year, Sands hired its first program fellow in early 2025.

Chase Jackson recently completed his service in the U.S. Air Force as a Technical Sergeant, Tactical Air Control Party (TACP) journeyman/Joint Terminal Attack Controller instructor and was matched with Sands as an HOH fellow last fall. He joined the company as a cybersecurity analyst at the culmination of his fellowship in January.

It’s no coincidence that Sands’ first HOH hire was in cybersecurity. The company was introduced to the program by Doug Medley, director of Cybersecurity, who also participated in HOH.

“HOH was one of many Department of Defense SkillBridge opportunities presented to me during my Transition Assistance Program briefings,” Medley said. “As an HOH alum, I felt it was important to add a pathway for separating service members to work in positions not associated with the government. Since I saw first-hand the win-win situation the program offers, it only made sense to bring it to Sands.”

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation’s HOH program is offered to military service members, veterans, and military spouses. Launched in 2011, Hiring Our Heroes connects the military community with American businesses to spur economic opportunity and a strong, diversified workforce. The program aims to create meaningful employment opportunities through hiring events, digital programs, upskilling opportunities and fellowships.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation connects participating host employers to its rich pipeline of military talent for a 12-week fellowship. Candidates are carefully matched with participating companies based on their specific skills and company needs. Once fellows are assigned to a host company, they undergo exclusive on-the-job training and are able to gain work experience in the private sector. This real-world training is augmented by weekly educational sessions held for the HOH cohort working in various company assignments.

“The host company gets access to a large group of professionals with a wide variety of skillsets and experience levels to grow and sustain their team,” Medley said. “They also get to know a candidate and determine suitability for a role without all the costs associated with hiring a team member or paid intern. Service members get to learn about a company while still receiving their military pay and benefits. This allows them more flexibility and opportunities to find a job that is the right fit for them.”

Jackson found Sands and the cybersecurity team to be a great fit for his desired professional environment.

“The individuals who work here respect people who are willing to work hard,” he said. “Co-workers go above and beyond to help those that want to learn. Management goes above and beyond to accommodate personal life events such as appointments, emergencies, etc. This means a lot to me because added flexibility provides more control in personal “life” situations.”

With his positive experience, Jackson encourages other members of the military community to consider the opportunities that Hiring Our Heroes can offer.

“I think the benefits of the program are awesome for people who know the company they want to work for as well as those that have no idea what company they want to work for,” he said.
“From personal experience, we usually have no idea what we want to do after leaving the military. HOH gives transitioning service members the chance to market their skills for roles outside the military, honing in on what fields best suit their learned skillsets. I honestly could not have had a better experience.”

Sands’ participation in Hiring Our Heroes is part of the company’s ambition to contribute $200 million globally to workforce programs from 2021-2025. As of the end of 2023, Sands had contributed $181 million to programs in this area and will update on its 2024 progress in its next ESG report to be published this spring. To learn more about the company’s priority on workforce development, read the most recent ESG report: https://www.sands.com/resources/reports/

Nasdaq

This comprehensive analysis by Nasdaq IR Intelligence delves into influential activist campaigns globally, sharing insights about the impact on management teams and S&P 1500 companies. The report highlights:

• Top activist campaigns of 2024, detailing key board changes and activist focuses
• High-impact proxy fights for U.S. companies, noting an increase from 2023 to 2024
• Key activist investors, including a mix of old and new firms

Plus, discover other findings and insights, as well as key takeaways for companies to monitor their shareholder base, engage with investors, and have a thoughtful IR strategy in place.

Download the report to discover key trends from the activist landscape in 2024.

Saint-Gobain North America announced today that its team members have been named finalists by the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) in three 2025 Manufacturing Leadership Awards categories. Saint-Gobain North America’s Circular Economy Solutions team was recognized in the Sustainability and Circular Economy category for enhancing the company’s transition from a linear to a circular production model. CertainTeed One Precision Assemblies was also named a finalist in the category of Business Model Transformation for its efforts to dramatically accelerate the construction of more resilient homes while enabling profitable growth for homebuilders. Finally, CisLee Trost, Project Engineer for CertainTeed and part of Saint-Gobain’s Essentials of Manufacturing engineering training program, was honored as a finalist for Next-Generation Leader.

NAM is the largest manufacturing association in the United States, representing small and large manufacturers in every industrial sector and in all 50 states. Established in 2005, the Manufacturing Leadership Awards by NAM’s workforce development and education affiliate, The Manufacturing Institute, recognize operational and leadership excellence and the companies and leaders that are shaping the future of global manufacturing.

“Our Saint-Gobain teams make our success possible, and I continue to be inspired, but not surprised, by the innovative thinking creating sustainable and efficient solutions for our customers and the industry,” said Mark Rayfield, CEO of Saint-Gobain North America. “Congratulations to CisLee, our Circular Economy Solutions and CertainTeed One Precision Assemblies teams for leading great projects and making significant advancements in the manufacturing field.”

Sustainability and Circular Economy Award – Saint-Gobain North America
Saint-Gobain North America is being recognized for its effort to enhance the company’s circularity model through its venture business Circular Economy Solutions (CES), which launched two years ago. The team is organized along competencies – Strategy & Business Development, Policy & Advocacy, and Innovation – and works across all SGNA businesses to support existing circularity initiatives and unearth new growth opportunities centered on circularity. CES focuses on circularity problems that are high impact, reimagines existing business models to develop new waste-to-value pathways, collaborates with third parties to pool competencies, lower risk, and execute pilots for problem-solution fit, and scales successful pilots.

Business Model Transformation – One Precision Assemblies by CertainTeed
First launched in June of 2023 and further scaled in 2024, ONE Precision Assemblies (OPA) by CertainTeed is one of Saint-Gobain’s newest solutions, addressing some of the largest challenges faced by homebuilders: labor shortages, schedule delays, energy performance, and the increased need for housing resilience. By offering built-to-spec floor, wall, and roof panels manufactured using industry-leading automation in a controlled, factory setting, Saint-Gobain is working to introduce a new model where fully assembled solutions are ready for use quickly rather than individual materials delivered to a job site. The business represents a milestone in the building and construction industries in the United States.

Next-Generation Leadership Award – CisLee Trost, CertainTeed 
As a project engineer taking part in Saint-Gobain’s innovative Essentials of Manufacturing program for recent engineering graduates, CisLee Trost is recognized for leading a multi-million-dollar project focused on implementing a groundbreaking waste recycling process that will divert thousands of tons of landfill-bound waste from our plant in Little Rock, Arkansas each year. This project not only embodies innovation but represents a significant shift in both industry practice and environmental stewardship within our manufacturing operations. Hired full-time following the conclusion of her Essentials of Manufacturing program, CisLee is now a Reliability Engineer for CertainTeed’s Commercial Building and Infrastructure division.

This recognition is the latest Saint-Gobain North America has received in recent months for its commitment to the development of a dynamic workplace.

• In January, Saint-Gobain announced that it had received a strong 90 out of 100 score in the Human Rights Campaign’s Foundation’s 2024-2025 Corporate Equality Index for its commitment to workforce protections and non-discrimination policies, inclusive benefits, and long-running Live Open Employee Resource Group;
• Earlier in January, Saint-Gobain was one of only 17 companies worldwide to be recognized as a global Top Employer by the Top Employer Institute, a honor it has received for the tenth consecutive year.

With over 160 manufacturing locations in the United States and Canada, every current and future member of the company’s team plays a vital role in achieving its sustainability goals. A current list of job openings at all Saint-Gobain locations can be found on the company’s career website.

About Saint-Gobain

Worldwide leader in light and sustainable construction, Saint-Gobain designs, manufactures and distributes materials and services for the construction and industrial markets. Its integrated solutions for the renovation of public and private buildings, light construction and the decarbonization of construction and industry are developed through a continuous innovation process and provide sustainability and performance. The Group, celebrating its 360th anniversary in 2025, remains more committed than ever to its purpose “MAKING THE WORLD A BETTER HOME”.

€46.6 billion in sales in 2024
161,000 employees, locations in 80 countries
Committed to achieving Carbon Neutrality by 2050

For more information about Saint-Gobain, visit www.saint-gobain.com and follow us on Twitter @saintgobain

MEDIA CONTACTS

Peter Clark
(+1) 603 513 8513
 

Cummins

Adun Fashogbon, a Technical Controls Specialist at Cummins’ Power Integration Center in Minnesota, shares her excitement for the future and the importance of gratitude:

Q: If you had a twin, what important advice could you give them?

Adun Fashogbon: First, try everything once, right? You never know what’s out there, and you won’t know whether you like something or not until you explore it. Keep an open mind.

I’d also tell them to make sure they do something every day that sparks joy — because that’s what life is about. It’s about living joyfully and finding those moments that light you up.

And finally, practice gratitude. It might seem like the smallest virtue, but it’s one of the most powerful. It’s simple, but it can make all the difference.

Q: How is your team shaping the future of our industry?

Adun Fashogbon: I work for the Power Integration Center, a microgrid testing facility located in Fridley, Minnesota. Cummins has built a strong reputation over the past hundred years manufacturing engines and power-generating systems.

With the industry move towards cleaner sources of power and energy, it becomes imperative for us to best understand how all of these new assets and technologies work together. It’s not just something that we, as a company, want to understand — it’s something the entire industry is looking to better comprehend.

That’s where the Power Integration Center comes in. It’s a place where you can easily test the mix of all these new assets — solar panels, hydrogen fuel cells, electrolyzers and battery energy storage systems — and see how they seamlessly work together as one system, because that’s the future.
Q: What sets a great team apart?

Adun Fashogbon: I’m fortunate to be part of a great team, and the first thing that comes to mind is strong leadership. A team is only as good as the captain steering the ship, right? The clarity and vision that leadership provides give the team the strength and motivation to keep moving forward. Another key factor is collaboration.

Q: What makes you most excited about the future?

Adun Fashogbon: What excites me most about the future is the unknown — the possibilities we haven’t even imagined yet.

When I think back a few generations, I’m sure my great-grandmother would have been amazed by the technological advances of her time. But just imagine how blown away she would be by the world we live in today. I know the future will be even better than it is now. That’s what excites me.

I hope I’m here 50 years from now to see how the world has evolved. Working at Cummins and contributing to the work we do here makes me proud to be part of shaping that future.

Opened in 2022, the Cummins Power Integration Center (PIC) is a 20,000 sq ft microgrid lab in Minnesota, where technicians and engineers collaborate to design, configure, test and validate advanced microgrid power systems. Click here for a virtual tour or find out more about the four main components of the PIC. 

Cascale has officially opened nominations for its 2025 Board of Directors Election. The Board plays a critical role in charting the organization’s strategic direction and ensuring its financial integrity through rigorous oversight and fair representation. Committed to inclusivity and balanced representation, the nine-member Board is structured to include three directors each from Cascale’s brand & retailer (including holding groups), manufacturer, and affiliate caucus groups.

The nomination window is a three-week period from April 21 through May 9, 2025. Senior leaders with a proven record as executives or board members and strong financial acumen are invited to submit their candidacies during this time. Candidates should also be committed to Cascale’s strategic pillars—combating climate change and supporting decent work for all.

Key Dates for the 2025 Board Election Process:

• Nominations Period: April 21 – May 9, 2025
• Proxy Voting Opens: May 27, 2025
• Proxy Voting Closes: June 26, 2025
• Election Results Announcement: Early July 2025
• Seating of Newly-Elected Directors: Q3 2025 at the Cascale Annual Meeting in Hong Kong, China

The election process is overseen by the 2025 Governance and Nominations Committee (GNC), chaired by Harsh Saini, a global supply chain and sustainability/ESG expert. The committee also includes Dr. Delman Lee, vice chair of TAL Apparel and board director for the manufacturer caucus, and Fiona Sadler, global head of responsible sourcing at Marks & Spencer and board director for the brand & retailer caucus. Together, they ensure strict adherence to Cascale’s bylaws and maintain the highest standards of transparency and accountability.

Eligible candidates—both members and non-members—are encouraged to take advantage of this opportunity to shape Cascale’s future. Interested parties should review the nomination requirements and submit their application via the 2025 Board of Directors Nominations Form.

For further details on the nomination process or additional inquiries, please contact elections@cascale.org.

Learn about the collaboration between Qualcomm Wireless Reach, Cephable, and the Amputee Coalition aimed at enhancing workforce readiness, digital independence, and productivity. The project included 40 participants with limb loss and limb differences who tested AI-powered PCs equipped with Snapdragon X Elite utilizing Cephable’s technology.

Qualcomm’s Angela Baker, Chief Sustainability Officer and Julia Franklin, Chief Learning Officer at Cephable, discuss the impact of making computing more intuitive and accessible for everyone. The project found that 79% of participants indicated they would continue using Cephable in their daily workflows, and 65% reported faster task completion.​

Qualcomm Wireless Reach has accelerated human progress and social good in more than 50 countries and impacted over 27 million people since 2006. 

Learn more: https://www.qualcomm.com/company/corporate-responsibility/empowering-digital-transformation/wireless-reach

For the third year in a row, Whirlpool Corporation has been named one of “America’s Most Innovative Companies 2025” by Fortune, recognizing its continued leadership in pioneering home appliance solutions that improve life at home. The prestigious list honors companies demonstrating outstanding innovation across product development, business processes, and corporate culture.

“It is an incredible honor to once again be recognized as one of Fortune’s Most Innovative Companies,” said Roberto Campos, executive vice president of Whirlpool Corporation’s Global Product Organization and Strategic Sourcing. “For more than a century, Whirlpool Corporation has been at the forefront of innovation in home appliances, finding new ways to improve life at home by making it simpler and more enjoyable to cook, clean and care for the people who matter most.”

Whirlpool Corp.’s dedication to innovation is reflected in its groundbreaking product advancements. This includes the introduction of JennAir Induction Downdraft Cooktop technology to the North American market. This cooktop allows you to remove kitchen air cooking vapors and odors with powerful extraction that works 5x faster than steam can rise, helping to maintain a pleasant kitchen environment. The cooktop’s slim profile liberates any space from bulky hoods and cabinet constraints, making even floating islands a reality.

The Maytag PetPro Front Load Laundry System is specifically designed to conquer pet hair, and is now available in front load and top load configurations. In the washer, the Pet Pro Option, which can be used on any wash cycle, unleashes additional water, a dedicated filter and a deep rinse to lift and remove pet hair. The Maytag Pet Pro dryer traps and removes loads of pet hair from clothes in the lint trap with the Pet Pro option.

Other recent innovations include KitchenAid Smart Double Wall Oven with Assisted Cook Cycles, InSinkErator MultiGrind Technology, Spin&Load Dishwasher Rack and many more.

The ranking is based on a unique methodology that combines employee and expert surveys with patent data and a review by Fortune’s expert advisory board. A survey of 40,000 US employees and 2,500 experts was conducted to gather feedback in three main areas: product innovation, process innovation, and innovation culture. Fortune then used a Patent Asset Index and further analysis to finalize the list. This ranking recognizes only the top 300 companies out of the thousands that are analyzed.

About Whirlpool Corporation

Whirlpool Corporation (NYSE: WHR) is a leading home appliance company, in constant pursuit of improving life at home. As the last-remaining major U.S.-based manufacturer of kitchen and laundry appliances, the company is driving meaningful innovation to meet the evolving needs of consumers through its iconic brand portfolio, including Whirlpool, KitchenAid, JennAir, Maytag, Amana, Brastemp, Consul, and InSinkErator. In 2024, the company reported approximately $17 billion in annual sales – close to 90% of which were in the Americas – 44,000 employees, and 40 manufacturing and technology research centers.  Additional information about the company can be found at WhirlpoolCorp.com.

View original content here.

International Olympic Committee news

IOC Members meeting at the 144^th Session in Greece, celebrated the achievements of Olympic Agenda. In a series of presentations, the highlights of the Olympic Agenda reforms and their impacts on the IOC and the wider Olympic Movement were outlined. They included a 30-minute film showcasing the achievements of the reforms with powerful testimonials from individuals, personalities and organisations, all of whom have been positively impacted.

The wide-ranging reforms of Olympic Agenda (Olympic Agenda 2020 and Olympic Agenda 2020+5) have changed the International Olympic Committee (IOC), the Olympic Games and the Olympic Movement profoundly. Launched under the motto “Change or be changed” and based on the widest-ever consultation process, the reform programme initiated by IOC President Thomas Bach was unanimously approved by the 127^th IOC Session in Monaco in December 2014.

These reforms followed a year of discussion and consultation with all stakeholders of the Olympic Movement, together with external experts and the general public. More than 40,000 submissions were received from the public during the process, generating some 1,200 ideas.

Fourteen Working Groups synthesised the discussions and debates throughout the whole Olympic Movement and wider society before they were finalised by the Executive Board ahead of the 127^th Session.

Work on implementation began immediately after the reforms were adopted. Among other things, work began on the Olympic Channel. The new Invitation Phase was launched for the Olympic Games in 2024, allowing cities to present an Olympic project that best matched their long-term sports, economic, social and environmental plans. Some of the reforms were also included in the 2022 process, in close cooperation with the Games candidates.

Olympic Agenda 2020+5 succeeded Olympic Agenda 2020 and set the direction of travel for the IOC and the Olympic Movement to 2025. It consists of a set of 15 recommendations that were motivated by five influential contemporary trends, all of which were identified as areas where sport and the values of Olympism had a key role to play.

Introducing the reforms of Olympic Agenda to the Session, IOC President, Thomas Bach, explained: “In Paris, we have seen our Olympic Agenda come to life. In many ways, the Olympic Games Paris 2024 represent the culmination of our long journey together. This journey began over a decade ago, when we unanimously adopted the Olympic Agenda 2020 reforms.” He continued, “We set in motion the most far-reaching reform programme of our Olympic Movement at least in recent history. What is more, we embarked on a journey of change. It was a journey of collaboration, modernisation and determination. Olympic Agenda was a reform programme not only for the IOC but for the entire Olympic Movement. This is why Olympic Agenda always was and will continue to be a journey of unity in diversity – a journey of change and togetherness.” He concluded, “Let us look now at the results of Olympic Agenda through this lens of change and togetherness. Let us take pride in the shared success of our Olympic Agenda. We did it for the athletes. We did it for our beloved Olympic Movement. And, my dear friends and colleagues, we did it together.”

The highlights of the Olympic Agenda reforms summarised in 10 topics, including details, facts and figures can also be viewed by clicking on the links below.

1. The Olympic Games – Games of a New Era
Olympic Agenda has revolutionised how the Olympic Games are awarded, organised and presented to a global audience that is bigger than ever.

2. Athletes front and centre
The IOC has empowered athletes within the decision-making processes of the IOC and put them at the heart of the Olympic Movement.

3. Solidarity
Solidarity has been greatly reinforced by the Olympic Agenda.

4. Refugee Olympic Team and Olympic Refuge Foundation
In 2015, the IOC created the first-ever Refugee Olympic Team (EOR) to give athletes who had been forced to leave their homes the chance to compete on the world’s largest sporting stage alongside their peers from the 206 National Olympic Committees. This was followed in 2017 by the launch of the Olympic Refuge Foundation (ORF), to ensure that young people affected by displacement thrive through safe sport on a daily basis.

5. Gender Equality
The IOC has made huge strides in gender equality both on and off the field of play – from the training ground to the boardroom and beyond.

6. Sustainable development
The IOC has embraced the role of sport as an important enabler for the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

7. Relevance
The Olympic Games and the IOC are more relevant than ever in today’s divided world. They unite the entire world in peaceful competition.

8. Digitalisation
The IOC has been a pioneer of digitalisation in sport.

9. Credibility and good governance
Through the Olympic Agenda, the IOC has completely overhauled its governance processes and has strengthened the protection of clean athletes.

10. Economic and Financial Resilience
The IOC is a non-governmental, not-for-profit association. It is entirely privately funded and distributes 90 per cent of its revenue to sport worldwide.

Documents

• Key achievements of Olympic Agenda
• Introduction of the Olympic Agenda final report by IOC President, Thomas Bach
• Olympic Agenda: introduction to the Paris 2024 presentation by IOC President, Thomas Bach