Tag: 3BL

A year since first interviewing small business owner Carlos Castro about how T‑Mobile’s 5G business internet and phone plans helped him innovate and evolve during the most difficult times of the pandemic, we asked his take on the current state of Hispanic small businesses and why he thinks celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month is more important than ever.

It’s been one year since we last spoke to Carlos Castro about his business, Todos Neighborhood Market, and his excitement over recently opening a second location in his home of Northern Virginia. Carlos had come out the worst of the pandemic with his beloved business not only intact, but thriving, something that he says was not easy to achieve and was made possible thanks to his understanding of the evolving technologic landscape that could facilitate his growth with T-Mobile’s Business Group’s help.

“I’m excited to speak about the state of things in our community, especially during Hispanic Heritage Month, because I think it’s as important as ever to celebrate a time that recognizes that we exist,” says Carlos. “It recognizes that we have something to contribute, and I know we have a lot that we can offer to both our community and the economy of our country. So this year, to me, it’s even more important than ever before because people hear so many negative things, and we need to put out the positive.”

Always a businessman at heart, Carlos had focused his entrepreneurial efforts on opening a supermarket that specialized in niche foods for members of the diverse residents where he resides in Northern Virginia. Knowing how food brings people together, he says he always envisioned the market as being a hub for networking and support for the community.

After overcoming the most trying economic times during the pandemic, his story was an important testament to the resilience of Hispanic small business owners in the face of adversity. It was also an example of the positive outlook that the United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce has reported from the business community at a time when the nearly 5 million Hispanic-owned businesses in the United States contributed more than $800 billion annually, and made up nearly one in four businesses in the county.

Carlos fled to the United States from El Salvador in the 1980s during the country’s civil war. He opened the first Todos Supermarket in 1990 to cater to Northern Virginia’s growing Hispanic population with roots in Latin America. For Todos Neighborhood Market, the pandemic magnified the importance of clear and timely communication among store managers, employees and other team members. As founder and CEO of the supermarket, Carlos has about 180 employees in its two locations, and he says T-Mobile’s 5G business internet and phone plans proved vital to communicating business priorities, working with vendors and running an efficient operation.

Despite new challenges affecting small businesses, Carlos’ positivity about the future remains bright, and we caught up with him again at the start of this year’s Hispanic Heritage Month — Sept. 15 – Oct. 15 — to get his personal perspective on how things have changed and to hear why he thinks it’s more important than ever to support Hispanic owned businesses.

How has business been since we last spoke? How are you and your employees doing a year later?

Business continues to grow and we continue to see opportunities. I think Covid helped us realize how important it is to love our neighbors and to make sure during hardship we are proud of who we were. My team did so much to protect the community and protect me even as someone in his late 60s. Actually, I just gave them a bonus. We call it the Covid bonus! We had our first company gala in four years, and then I announced to them that they all were getting a bonus for surviving the pandemic by working together to try to protect each other and protect our community. I think we’re a better society for having gone through it and I still see opportunities. We’re still fighting to make sure that tomorrow is a little better than today. It’s a battle, but it’s a battle we enjoy.

What do you see as the biggest challenge today as a small business?

I think living a normal life today is more difficult for reasons other than the pandemic now because inflation is so high. We have kept raising salaries and at times it doesn’t seem to ever be enough.

In the economic environment that we are living now, as much as I hate to talk about the negative, I’ve seen shoplifting increase dramatically. A lot of companies have lost money from it. It’s why when you go to a store and notice things that were kept out in the open are now under their lock because people feel desperate and risk taking what they need.

Even the cost of doing minor repairs has changed. Inflation is really something that has us all worried, businesses and residents, because you go to the supermarket to try to get food, and now you’re spending two or three hundred dollars on something that not long ago cost sixty to seventy five dollars.

What would you want to say to small Hispanic businesses owners starting out today?

We have a call to action to help each other and to make sure that we are supporting each other in our own environments, such as in a company, to treat each other like family. It’s even more important today. With all the challenges I mentioned of inflation and the political climate, I’m constantly keeping an eye on things to make sure that we’re adjusting the salaries where we need to adjust them, sometimes two and three times in three months, to make sure that we all can live in an honorable way.

Of course, I hope things improve soon, but either way we cannot afford to give up. Many of us come from poor countries, we know what it is to struggle. I saw the pandemic close a lot of small businesses, but more are surviving and trying to evolve. What’s difficult is that some businesses that were viable before the pandemic are unable to remain successful in the same ways. With all the changes in the economy and what’s going on in the market that is evolving so rapidly, it’s made it more difficult for small businesses to use the old models for success.

But the thing that I need to emphasize is don’t give up. If the business is failing, find ways to innovate because you’re already an entrepreneur. You just need to reinvent yourself and find a solution to what you have in your hands. We opened the second supermarket location last year and because of the increased cost of labor and maintenance due to inflation, the numbers that we were working with no longer work today. So, we’re trying to figure out how we’re going to make sure that from now on we can make them work and we are doing more marketing and trying the best we can to reshape our future. And that’s for any industry. The world is changing as we speak but you can evolve too.

Giving up is not an option. We have to keep in mind that we owe it to ourselves and to our community — now more than ever, our community needs our support. Being such a large minority group, we have a lot of power in our hands if we actively participate in our community, and I cannot ask our business community enough for that support because it’s so much needed at this time. My experience has been that the more you give, the better the results you get.

As published in Qualcomm’s 2022 Corporate Responsibility Report

Wireless Reach, our technology for good initiative, brings advanced wireless technologies to people and communities who need it most. The initiative focuses on pioneering uses of mobile innovations to demonstrate how leading-edge technologies, coupled with flexible connectivity solutions, including 4G LTE and 5G, can accelerate sustainable and inclusive development.

Through Wireless Reach, we provide grant funding to support programs that use Qualcomm-enabled technologies to improve people’s lives. To be eligible, programs must address a widespread community need in a strategic market for our Company; be aligned with government information and communication technology (ICT) goals in education, healthcare, environmental and/or other relevant policy objective(s); include strategic stakeholders; and have measurable outcomes and a viable plan to reach scalability and sustainability. Wireless Reach focuses on the following areas of need:

Education: Support high-quality education for all communities, regardless of income status or location, and the potential of “always on, always connected” mobile devices to dramatically improve teaching and learning.Healthcare: Leverage mobile broadband to enable point-of-care devices to provide access to information, reduce costs, increase efficiencies, facilitate remote care in even the most resource-scarce settings and better connect people to their healthcare providers.Entrepreneurship: Enable financial inclusion and reduce inequalities by empowering entrepreneurs to sell products across geographic areas, reach new consumers and access market information and mobile payment systems.Public Safety: Aid access to critical information and communication between mobile users and law enforcement, decreasing crime rates, decreasing emergency response times and supporting disaster preparedness and response.Environmental Sustainability: Address various factors exacerbating climate change, from informing individual-level actions regarding resource management to using data to transform industry practices and policies.

Our 2025 goals serve as milestones to our long-term success, and Wireless Reach is a key part of these efforts. Through Wireless Reach, we aim to enrich the lives of 27 million people by continuing to bring technology to underserved communities around the world.

Learn more in Qualcomm’s 2022 Corporate Responsibility Report

As originally published by GoDaddy’s Venture Forward research initiative

Snapshot of the State of Microbusinesses

A deep dive into the latest numbers and trends of online microbusinesses, their outsized impact, and hotspots of growth by city.

Venture Forward quantifies the presence and impact of over 21 million online microbusinesses on their local economies, providing a unique view into the attitudes, demographics, and needs of the entrepreneurs who create and operate them.

GoDaddy knows that to truly advocate and empower entrepreneurs, you first have to really understand them. So in 2018, we began studying closely and analyzing millions of microbusinesses, defined as an entity with a discrete domain name with an active website, and the majority of whom have fewer than 10 employees. We measured their effect on incomes and unemployment, together with renowned academics at the University of Iowa and University of Arizona, and established they had an outsized impact on these and other economic health indicators.

In 2019, we began surveying the entrepreneurs who own these ventures, nationally and across cities, at least once a year. These surveys help us better understand their mindsets and circumstances.

In 2020, we built a proprietary Microbusiness Activity Index with economists at UCLA Anderson Forecast and created a data hub to update and share our data publicly so those advocating for and studying entrepreneurs could access more information, including measurements of microbusiness density by geography, down to the ZIP code. We update this data on a quarterly basis.

In 2021, we expanded our research to the United Kingdom, and are working now to broaden our coverage elsewhere around the world.

For more details on our research methodology and other findings, please read About us on the Venture Forward website or see our answer to Frequently Asked Questions.

“Tiny Digital Businesses Play Key Role in Local Economies” 
— New York Times April 2020, covering Venture Forward

U.S. Microbusiness Concentration

Microbusinesses Have Major Impact

$489: Each additional microbusiness per 100 people in a county increases household median income by almost $500/year. 
 ~7: About seven new jobs are created by each microbusiness entrepreneur on a county-level.

Recent Snapshot: Microbusiness Density by City (Q2 2023)

Small Cities (Micropolitans with pop. < 250k)Microbusinesses per 100 people (Q2 2023): 4.2% All Cities: 79%Midsized Cities (Metropolitans with pop. 250k – 2m)Microbusinesses per 100 people (Q2 2023): 6.3% All Cities: 17%Large Cities (Metropolitans with pop. 2m+)Microbusinesses per 100 people (Q2 2023): 10.2% All Cities: 4%

Three-Year Growth: Change in Microbusiness Density by (Q2 2020 – Q2 2023) County

Rural (< 100 ppl./square mile)Change in Microbusinesses Density (Q2 2020 – Q2 2023): +14%% All Counties: 60%Suburban (100 – 500 ppl./square mile)Change in Microbusinesses Density (Q2 2020 – Q2 2023): +6%% All Counties: 28%Urban (>500 ppl./square mile)Change in Microbusinesses Density (Q2 2020 – Q2 2023): +6%% All Counties: 12%

Which U.S. Cities Rank Highest in Microbusinesses? 
Cities* Ranked by Microbusiness Counts and Concentration June 2023

Top 10 Cities (by Count) 
Microbusiness Count

New York, NY: 469,294Las Vegas, NV: 323,390Miami, FL: 319,595Los Angeles, CA: 297,083Chicago, IL: 289,701Houston, TX: 239,359Brooklyn, NY: 201,388San Diego, CA: 195,264Austin, TX: 191,029Fort Lauderdale, FL: 163,085 

Top 10 Cities (by Density) 
Density Count

Scottsdale, AZ: 38Irvine, CA: 38 
Tulsa, OK: 37New York, NY: 35Las Vegas, NV: 27Fort Lauderdale, FL: 25Pittsburgh, PA: 25Miami, FL: 22Austin, TX: 22Irving, TX: 20
*Cities with populations over 250K

GoDaddy Venture Forward Report | Summer 2023 | U.S. Edition

This report is powered by the latest data from Venture Forward, a GoDaddy research initiative to quantify the presence and impact of over 21 million online microbusinesses on their local economies, while shining a light on the entrepreneurs behind them. Our goal is to empower anyone who advocates for entrepreneurs with robust data and insights that can’t be found elsewhere.

By Nestor Mato | September 1, 2023

Regions Bank announced a series of financial services to help people and businesses impacted by Hurricane Idalia. The services cover a wide range of communities1 throughout affected areas in Florida, Georgia and South Carolina.

“Our branches are back up and running, and our teams are ready to welcome customers, listen to their needs, and identify ways we can help,” said Steve Nivet, Regions’ Consumer Banking regional executive serving Florida and additional states. “While most of the communities where we operate escaped the worst of Idalia’s impacts, flooding and high winds were widespread, so we’re offering these services to help make the cleanup and recovery easier.”

Special Bank Services:

Disaster-recovery financial services that are now in effect for a limited time in the impacted areas1 include:

Regions Mortgage Disaster Relief Purchase and Renovation loan programsRegions fees will be waived when customers use other banks’ ATMs in the impacted areas for at least seven days. (Note: Fees charged by other banks or ATM owners may still apply.)No check-cashing fee for FEMA-issued checks when cashed in a Regions branch2Personal and business loan payment assistance3Payment deferrals for current credit card holders3Business loan payment deferrals of up to 90 days3One penalty-free CD withdrawal upon request (unless within seven days of issuance or renewal)An interest rate discount of 0.50% on new personal unsecured loans when customers apply in a branch or by phone4An interest rate discount of up to 0.50% on auto loans when customers apply in-branch or by phone5

“Our teams not only work but live in communities that are affected. With the support and resources of the entire Regions Bank organization, we will do everything we can to quickly recover,” said Sharon Hightower, Regions’ Consumer Banking regional executive serving Georgia, South Carolina and additional states. “As large as the affected areas are, so is the outpouring of support. We hope to help ease any financial burdens due to the storm.”

In addition to Regions’ branch network, banking services remain available around the clock through Regions.com, the Regions Mobile App and 1-800-REGIONS.

Here for You:

In addition to the above disaster-recovery financial services, Regions Bank teams can be contacted at the following numbers for customized guidance on a range of lending products, including:

Mortgages, home equity loans and lines: 1-800-748-9498Other consumer loans: 1-866-298-1113Any other banking needs: 1-800-411-9393

About Regions Financial Corporation
Regions Financial Corporation (NYSE:RF), with $156 billion in assets, is a member of the S&P 500 Index and is one of the nation’s largest full-service providers of consumer and commercial banking, wealth management, and mortgage products and services. Regions serves customers across the South, Midwest and Texas, and through its subsidiary, Regions Bank, operates more than 1,250 banking offices and more than 2,000 ATMs. Regions Bank is an Equal Housing Lender and Member FDIC. Additional information about Regions and its full line of products and services can be found at www.regions.com.

1Offers are available for a limited time to individuals and businesses affected by Hurricane Idalia and remnants of the storm in the following ZIP codes; the current list of 525 ZIP codes may be expanded as additional impacts from the remnants of Idalia are experienced and further damage assessments are concluded. Offers may be subject to other exclusions and restrictions and are subject to change or termination without notice. All loans and lines, deferrals, extensions or forbearances are subject to required documentation and credit approval. Residency restrictions may apply. Special interest rates determined by applicant’s credit profile may not extend to products offered by third parties, such as Avant. Initially, impacted ZIP codes in Regions’ retail banking footprint include the following list, which is subject to expansion: 29438, 29446, 29901, 29902, 29903, 29904, 29905, 29906, 29907, 29909, 29910, 29914, 29915, 29920, 29925, 29926, 29927, 29928, 29931, 29935, 29936, 29938, 29940, 29941, 30427, 31302, 31307, 31308, 31312, 31318, 31321, 31322, 31326, 31328, 31401, 31402, 31403, 31404, 31405, 31406, 31407, 31408, 31409, 31410, 31412, 31414, 31415, 31416, 31418, 31420, 31421, 31510, 31513, 31518, 31545, 31551, 31552, 31555, 31556, 31560, 31563, 31564, 31598, 31599, 31601, 31602, 31603, 31604, 31605, 31620, 31623, 31624, 31625, 31626, 31627, 31629, 31632, 31635, 31638, 31639, 31641, 31642, 31643, 31645, 31649, 31698, 31699, 31720, 31722, 31757, 31778, 31788, 31792, 32134, 32182, 32192, 32301, 32302, 32303, 32304, 32305, 32306, 32307, 32308, 32309, 32310, 32311, 32312, 32313, 32314, 32315, 32316, 32317, 32318, 32322, 32323, 32326, 32327, 32328, 32333, 32337, 32343, 32344, 32345, 32346, 32358, 32361, 32362, 32399, 32617, 33538, 34420, 34421, 34470, 34471, 34472, 34478, 34479, 34480, 34483, 34484, 34488, 34489, 34491, 31301, 31304, 31305, 31309, 31310, 31313, 31314, 31315, 31316, 31319, 31320, 31323, 31324, 31327, 31331, 31333, 31411, 31419, 31501, 31502, 31503, 31516, 31520, 31521, 31522, 31523, 31524, 31525, 31527, 31537, 31542, 31543, 31546, 31547, 31548, 31550, 31553, 31557, 31558, 31561, 31562, 31565, 31566, 31568, 31569, 31606, 31630, 31631, 31634, 31636, 31648, 32008, 32009, 32011, 32013, 32024, 32025, 32030, 32034, 32035, 32038, 32040, 32041, 32042, 32044, 32046, 32050, 32052, 32053, 32054, 32055, 32056, 32058, 32059, 32060, 32061, 32062, 32063, 32064, 32065, 32066, 32068, 32071, 32083, 32087, 32091, 32094, 32096, 32097, 32113, 32138, 32140, 32148, 32149, 32160, 32185, 32219, 32220, 32221, 32222, 32234, 32331, 32336, 32340, 32341, 32347, 32348, 32350, 32355, 32356, 32357, 32359, 32601, 32602, 32603, 32604, 32605, 32606, 32607, 32608, 32609, 32610, 32611, 32612, 32614, 32615, 32616, 32618, 32619, 32621, 32622, 32625, 32626, 32627, 32628, 32631, 32633, 32634, 32635, 32639, 32640, 32641, 32643, 32644, 32648, 32653, 32654, 32655, 32656, 32658, 32662, 32663, 32664, 32666, 32667, 32668, 32669, 32680, 32681, 32683, 32686, 32692, 32693, 32694, 32696, 32697, 33544, 33548, 33549, 33556, 33558, 33559, 33601, 33602, 33603, 33604, 33605, 33606, 33607, 33609, 33610, 33611, 33612, 33613, 33614, 33615, 33616, 33617, 33618, 33620, 33622, 33623, 33624, 33625, 33626, 33629, 33630, 33631, 33633, 33634, 33635, 33646, 33647, 33650, 33655, 33664, 33672, 33673, 33674, 33675, 33677, 33679, 33680, 33681, 33682, 33684, 33685, 33686, 33688, 33694, 33701, 33702, 33703, 33704, 33705, 33707, 33708, 33709, 33710, 33711, 33712, 33713, 33714, 33716, 33729, 33730, 33731, 33732, 33733, 33734, 33742, 33743, 33744, 33755, 33756, 33757, 33758, 33759, 33760, 33761, 33762, 33763, 33764, 33765, 33766, 33767, 33769, 33770, 33771, 33772, 33773, 33774, 33775, 33776, 33777, 33778, 33779, 33780, 33781, 33782, 33784, 33785, 33786, 34423, 34428, 34429, 34430, 34431, 34432, 34433, 34434, 34436, 34441, 34442, 34445, 34446, 34447, 34448, 34449, 34450, 34451, 34452, 34453, 34460, 34461, 34464, 34465, 34473, 34474, 34475, 34476, 34477, 34481, 34482, 34487, 34498, 34601, 34602, 34603, 34604, 34605, 34606, 34607, 34608, 34609, 34610, 34611, 34613, 34614, 34636, 34637, 34638, 34639, 34652, 34653, 34654, 34655, 34656, 34660, 34661, 34667, 34668, 34669, 34673, 34674, 34677, 34679, 34680, 34681, 34682, 34683, 34684, 34685, 34688, 34689, 34690, 34691, 34692, 34695, 34697, 34698, 29438, 29446, 29901, 29902, 29903, 29904, 29905, 29906, 29907, 29909, 29910, 29914, 29915, 29920, 29925, 29926, 29927, 29928, 29931, 29935, 29936, 29938, 29940, 29941, 30427, 31302, 31307, 31308, 31312, 31318, 31321, 31322, 31326, 31328, 31401, 31402, 31403, 31404, 31405, 31406, 31407, 31408, 31409, 31410, 31412, 31414, 31415, 31416, 31418, 31420, 31421, 31510, 31513, 31518, 31545, 31551, 31552, 31555, 31556, 31560, 31563, 31564, 31598, 31599, 31601, 31602, 31603, 31604, 31605, 31620, 31623, 31624, 31625, 31626, 31627, 31629, 31632, 31635, 31638, 31639, 31641, 31642, 31643, 31645, 31649, 31698, 31699, 31720, 31722, 31757, 31778, 31788, 31792, 32134, 32182, 32192, 32301, 32302, 32303, 32304, 32305, 32306, 32307, 32308, 32309, 32310, 32311, 32312, 32313, 32314, 32315, 32316, 32317, 32318, 32322, 32323, 32326, 32327, 32328, 32333, 32337, 32343, 32344, 32345, 32346, 32358, 32361, 32362, 32399, 32617, 33538, 34420, 34421, 34470, 34471, 34472, 34478, 34479, 34480, 34483, 34484, 34488, 34489, 34491, 31301, 31304, 31305, 31309, 31310, 31313, 31314, 31315, 31316, 31319, 31320, 31323, 31324, 31327, 31331, 31333, 31411, 31419, 31501, 31502, 31503, 31516, 31520, 31521, 31522, 31523, 31524, 31525, 31527, 31537, 31542, 31543, 31546, 31547, 31548, 31550, 31553, 31557, 31558, 31561, 31562, 31565, 31566, 31568, 31569, 31606, 31630, 31631, 31634, 31636, 31648, 32008, 32009, 32011, 32013, 32024, 32025, 32030, 32034, 32035, 32038, 32040, 32041, 32042, 32044, 32046, 32050, 32052, 32053, 32054, 32055, 32056, 32058, 32059, 32060, 32061, 32062, 32063, 32064, 32065, 32066, 32068, 32071, 32083, 32087, 32091, 32094, 32096, 32097, 32113, 32138, 32140, 32148, 32149, 32160, 32185, 32219, 32220, 32221, 32222, 32234, 32331, 32336, 32340, 32341, 32347, 32348, 32350, 32355, 32356, 32357, 32359, 32601, 32602, 32603, 32604, 32605, 32606, 32607, 32608, 32609, 32610, 32611, 32612, 32614, 32615, 32616, 32618, 32619, 32621, 32622, 32625, 32626, 32627, 32628, 32631, 32633, 32634, 32635, 32639, 32640, 32641, 32643, 32644, 32648, 32653, 32654, 32655, 32656, 32658, 32662, 32663, 32664, 32666, 32667, 32668, 32669, 32680, 32681, 32683, 32686, 32692, 32693, 32694, 32696, 32697, 33544, 33548, 33549, 33556, 33558, 33559, 33601, 33602, 33603, 33604, 33605, 33606, 33607, 33609, 33610, 33611, 33612, 33613, 33614, 33615, 33616, 33617, 33618, 33620, 33622, 33623, 33624, 33625, 33626, 33629, 33630, 33631, 33633, 33634, 33635, 33646, 33647, 33650, 33655, 33664, 33672, 33673, 33674, 33675, 33677, 33679, 33680, 33681, 33682, 33684, 33685, 33686, 33688, 33694, 33701, 33702, 33703, 33704, 33705, 33707, 33708, 33709, 33710, 33711, 33712, 33713, 33714, 33716, 33729, 33730, 33731, 33732, 33733, 33734, 33742, 33743, 33744, 33755, 33756, 33757, 33758, 33759, 33760, 33761, 33762, 33763, 33764, 33765, 33766, 33767, 33769, 33770, 33771, 33772, 33773, 33774, 33775, 33776, 33777, 33778, 33779, 33780, 33781, 33782, 33784, 33785, 33786, 34423, 34428, 34429, 34430, 34431, 34432, 34433, 34434, 34436, 34441, 34442, 34445, 34446, 34447, 34448, 34449, 34450, 34451, 34452, 34453, 34460, 34461, 34464, 34465, 34473, 34474, 34475, 34476, 34477, 34481, 34482, 34487, 34498, 34601, 34602, 34603, 34604, 34605, 34606, 34607, 34608, 34609, 34610, 34611, 34613, 34614, 34636, 34637, 34638, 34639, 34652, 34653, 34654, 34655, 34656, 34660, 34661, 34667, 34668, 34669, 34673, 34674, 34677, 34679, 34680, 34681, 34682, 34683, 34684, 34685, 34688, 34689, 34690, 34691, 34692, 34695, 34697, 34698.

2The FEMA check no-check-cashing-fee offer is available only to Regions customers; if you are not a Regions customer, you must enroll in Regions Now Banking. No checking account is required to enroll in Now Banking. Regions reserves the right to refuse to cash any check.

3May be subject to credit approval. Interest will continue to accrue during the period that the payment is skipped or deferred. For installment loans, deferring or skipping payment may extend the maturity of your loan but will not automatically extend any optional insurance. Forbearances, skipped payments and deferrals (a) may vary by customer, (b) postpone – rather than forgive – certain payment obligations and (c) may require payment in full of the postponed payments at the end of the forbearance or deferral period, in addition to any other amounts that come due, unless you make other arrangements with Regions to resolve the delinquency.

4New personal unsecured loan rate discounts may not be combined with other special offers or discounts.

5Auto loan rate discount of up to 0.50% includes 0.25% disaster relief rate discount with an additional 0.25% rate discount when you enroll in auto debit payments from an existing Regions checking account. Auto loan rate discounts cannot be combined with other special offers or discounts. | Regions and the Regions logo are registered trademarks of Regions Bank. The LifeGreen color is a trademark of Regions Bank.

Originally published on September 7, 2023

HOUSTON and LONDON, September 18, 2023 /3BL/ – LyondellBasell announced it has been named as one of the Best Companies to Work For in the U.S. News & World Report 2023-2024 rankings. LyondellBasell was compared to 200 companies and was evaluated based on how well the company met expectations important to job seekers in finding a workplace that aligns with their needs.

“We believe empowered employees contribute significantly, setting us apart, and this recognition by U.S. News and World Report reflects the progress we’ve made in creating a culture where everyone thrives,” said LyondellBasell Executive Vice President, People and Culture, Trisha Conley. “This reaffirms that investing in our people is not only the right thing to do but also strategically propels us forward, and it is an honor to be named as one of the best companies to work for. We continue to prioritize employee growth and well-being, while maintaining an innovative, collaborative and excellent workplace.”

The inaugural list evaluated companies based on how well they meet workers’ expectations, with measures including quality of pay and benefits, work-life balance and flexibility, job and company stability, physical and psychological comfort, belongingness and esteem, and career opportunities and professional development.

“Choosing a company to work for is a big decision and there are many factors to consider during the job seeker’s decision-making process,” said U.S. News Senior Editor, Consumer Advice, Antonio Barbera. “The 2023-2024 list includes companies that score highest on a variety of metrics that contribute to a positive work environment and day-to-day employee experience.”

U.S. News only considered companies that were a part of the Russell 1000 index as of June 2022 and had more than 75 Glassdoor reviews written in 2022 when evaluating the U.S. News Best Companies to Work for list. The methodology, developed with the support of a panel of six experts, also factors in data, including employee sentiment, gathered from U.S. News partners Revelio Labs and ESG Book.

About LyondellBasell

We are LyondellBasell (NYSE: LYB) – a leader in the global chemical industry creating solutions for everyday sustainable living. Through advanced technology and focused investments, we are enabling a circular and low carbon economy. Across all we do, we aim to unlock value for our customers, investors and society. As one of the world’s largest producers of polymers and a leader in polyolefin technologies, we develop, manufacture and market high-quality and innovative products for applications ranging from sustainable transportation and food safety to clean water and quality healthcare. For more information, please visit https://www.lyondellbasell.com/ or follow @LyondellBasell on LinkedIn.

About U.S. News & World Report

U.S. News & World Report is the global leader in quality rankings that empower consumers, business leaders and policy officials to make better, more informed decisions about important issues affecting their lives and communities. A multifaceted digital media company with Education, Health, Money, Travel, Cars, News, Real Estate, Careers and 360 Reviews platforms, U.S. News provides rankings, independent reporting, data journalism, consumer advice and U.S. News Live events. More than 40 million people visit USNews.com each month for research and guidance. Founded in 1933, U.S. News is headquartered in Washington, D.C.

Originally published by Alicia Benson on Small Business Currents

The COVID-19 pandemic provided every business leader with a crash course in crisis communications and emergency management. While we cannot anticipate a once-in-a-century public health emergency, we must remember that emergencies and the need for quick, clear communication with team members happens more than we realize.

From natural disasters and extreme weather to civil unrest and – yes – pandemics, it is no longer a question of if an emergency will surface but when. Business leaders must take the lessons from the pandemic and continue to apply them where needed.

As we move away from the worst of the pandemic, we must look back at our actions from those hurried first few weeks. Were we clear and upfront with employees? Did we keep a regular communication schedule? Did we give appropriate updates promptly? Could employees reach someone if they were in need?

The pandemic caught many unprepared. This is no longer an excuse. Let’s look at some of the best practices for crisis communications we learned and how to apply them.

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Originally published on U.S. Bank company blog

U.S. Bank recently partnered together with Freedom Alliance and True Homes to honor one of our nation’s military heroes with the gift of a mortgage-free home. U.S. Army Private Second Class Roy Garcia and his family received the keys to their new home in Monroe, North Carolina, in a ceremony last week. Garcia enlisted in the Army as an infantryman in 2008, and two years later he and his unit were deployed to Kunar Province – which was among the most dangerous locations in Afghanistan at the time.

“Roy Garcia fought in battle and sacrificed for our nation,” said Tom Kilgannon, president of Freedom Alliance, a nonprofit that provides help and support to wounded troops and military families. “Like so many combat veterans, he now struggles with the physical and emotional wounds of war, but this home will help him provide for his family and focus on his rehabilitation.”

Since 2013, U.S. Bank and Freedom Alliance have donated a total of 25 homes overall with a total of $5.75 million.

For more about the home donation to the Garcia family, watch the video linked above.

Originally published on Illumina News Center

Illumina recently hosted 16 San Diego students for an intensive two-week paid summer program, thanks to a partnership with local nonprofit SD2, which gives underrepresented students unique access to STEM education and mentorships.

The students, who ranged from high school juniors to college freshmen, came to Illumina’s San Diego headquarters to acquire lab skills, network with Illumina employees, and learn about their many STEM career options.

“It is crucial for Illumina to have a diverse workforce to support genomics and other STEM fields,” says Sharon Vidal, the company’s global head of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). “By investing in community programs that support equitable access to STEM education early in their education, we can help students see themselves being key contributors as they pursue careers in the life sciences.”

Seeing themselves in STEM
The program was designed to inspire students from diverse backgrounds and to give Illumina employees a great opportunity to support their community. Illumina and SD2 took a holistic approach to the “boot camp”: Many of the participants face food insecurity or lack transportation, so the organizers worked to provide rides and meals. Throughout the two weeks, the intensive curriculum offered students a snapshot of what a career in STEM might look like.

“We wanted the students to leave with a stronger sense of belonging in STEM,” says Karmin Noar, vice president of Strategic Growth at SD2. “Most are low-income, first-generation students who come from underrepresented backgrounds, so it was really important for this to be a paid experience and provide opportunities for them to gain soft and technical skills.”

During the laboratory sections, the students learned about safety, basic pipetting, library preparation, and the different ways genomics can be applied. They were also given career and personal development support to help them better understand their strengths and tell their stories. Each student created an elevator pitch, wrote a résumé, built a LinkedIn profile, and developed a personal brand.

“There was a massive shift in the way the interns carried themselves from the beginning of the program to the end,” says Vanessa Light, Illumina’s senior manager of CSR. “By midweek, you could see the confidence in the way they walked the halls and engaged with employees. They knew they had a place at Illumina and were confident in the journey that had brought them here.”

The program was an eye-opener for many participants. One community college student assumed every Illumina employee had gone straight from high school to a four-year university. By the end of the experience, he had met scientists and other professionals who, like him, were first-generation; they had transferred from community college to a four-year university before landing a job at Illumina. These interactions inspired him to pursue a similar path.

“This experience changed the trajectory for many of our students,” says H. Puentes, SD2 co-founder, president, and CEO. “They left this experience inspired, knowledgeable, and confident to pursue careers in STEM.”

WASHINGTON, September 18, 2023 /3BL/ – The Wells Fargo Foundation has awarded $1.4 million in grants to Rebuilding Together, the leading national nonprofit organization repairing the homes of people in need and revitalizing communities nationwide. Through the 2023 Wells Fargo Builds program, this effort will support essential home repairs and safety modifications for up to 90 homes in 49 communities across the U.S. for veterans, older adults and other neighbors in need.

“Today, one in six Americans lives in an economically-distressed zip code. At Rebuilding Together, our work goes beyond the completion of home repairs – we are dedicated to transforming the lives of homeowners and their families,” said Caroline Blakey, President and CEO of Rebuilding Together. “The impact is profound and enduring, touching every aspect of their daily lives. By providing safe and accessible homes, we empower individuals, restore hope and foster a sense of belonging within their communities.”

The nationwide effort kicked off in Charlotte, North Carolina when approximately 80 volunteers from Wells Fargo, Rebuilding Together and the community came out to repair four homes in the beloved Hidden Valley community. Rebuilding Together of Greater Charlotte received a $50,000 grant to provide transformative repairs such as installing handrails and grab bars, full roof replacements, remodeling floors and more to ensure safe, secure and accessible homes.

“Homeownership provides family stability and an opportunity to build generational wealth, yet far too many people are living in homes that are in disrepair or are not equipped to meet their changing mobility needs around the home,” said Stacy Spann, head of Housing Access and Affordability Philanthropy at Wells Fargo. “Through our long‑standing collaboration with Rebuilding Together, we’re helping to restore and renovate distressed properties so families, veterans and older adults can remain in their homes and communities they love.”

Since 2010, Wells Fargo has donated more than $18 million to Rebuilding Together and its affiliates to support rebuilding efforts across the country, including providing essential home repairs, revitalizing communities, and helping veterans, older adults, people with disabilities, families with children and victims of disaster remain in their homes.

Photos and B-roll from the September 13 Charlotte kick-off event can be found here.

Rebuilding Together
Rebuilding Together is the leading national nonprofit organization repairing the homes of people in need and revitalizing our communities. Through its national network of affiliates, Rebuilding Together works proactively and collaboratively with community leaders, long-term residents, funders and volunteers to foster dialogue and create safe, healthy communities across the country. Learn more and get involved at rebuildingtogether.org.

In recognition of their contributions to sustainable business practices, two leaders from MilliporeSigma, the U.S. and Canada Life Science business of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, were selected as recipients in the Business Intelligence Group (BIG™) 2023 Sustainability Awards program. The Sustainability Awards honor those people, teams and organizations who have made sustainability an integral part of their business practice or overall mission. 

Jeffrey Whitford, Vice President of Sustainability and Social Business Innovation, was named Sustainability Hero of the Year. Jeffrey and his team are responsible for developing and implementing strategic programs in green chemistry and product sustainability, product recycling, environmental sustainability and social responsibility. This award recognizes his commitment to continually strive to reduce MilliporeSigma’s environmental impact and support customers in making more sustainable choices. 

Chris Famolare, Head of Sustainable Operations, was recognized as Sustainability Champion of the Year. Working with a global team, he develops the strategy, systems and processes for driving improvements to greenhouse gas (GHG), energy, water and waste management at Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany’s 66 manufacturing sites and 130 distribution facilities globally. Of the many programs he leads, EDISON addresses the company’s energy consumption and water efficiency, intending to reduce MilliporeSigma’s GHG emissions by 50% by 2030, compared to 2020 levels. 

“We are proud to reward and recognize Jeffrey and Chris for their sustainability efforts,” said Maria Jimenez, chief nominations officer, Business Intelligence Group. “It was clear to our judges that their vision and strategy will continue to deliver results toward a cleaner, more sustainable world. Congratulations!”

To learn more about the company’s sustainability initiatives, please visit the company’s Sustainability & Social Business Innovation webpage.