Q&A with Tom O'Regan, CEO at Madison Logic

MEDIA 7 | November 21, 2019

Amy Barzdukas, EVP and Chief Marketing Officer at Poly is a marketing and communications leader with extensive experience in setting strategy, shifting perceptions, advising customers, digital marketing, revenue marketing, integrated marketing communications, and public relations in highly competitive product arenas. Amy is known for her ability to create and execute winning turnarounds on a global scale. MEDIA 7: What inspired you to get into marketing? AMY BARZDUKAS: I was always destined for marketing, even if I didn’t know it. As a child, I collected promotional brochures. I was fascinated by how the words and pictures were used to drive action. My first job was as an advertising copywriter, and I’ve never looked back. M7: How is Poly redefining the video conferencing experience for modern businesses? AB: We’re in an unprecedented time of change in our industry. Voice and video services are moving to the cloud, and companies are changing how they approach their communications needs. Poly is the largest provider of the devices – video conferencing, audio conferencing, headphones and desk phones – you use to connect to these services so you can collaborate with your colleagues. That uniquely positions us to shape the video conferencing experience, and we’re doing so in four ways. First, Poly has made both the Zoom Rooms and the Microsoft Teams video conferencing experience better than ever with our radically simple Poly Studio X video bars that deliver these experiences with no PC or Mac required. We’ve got decades of experience in understanding what makes meetings more human – for everyone in the room and those dialing in from other locations – and we’ve packed all of that into easy-to-install, easy-to-manage, and easy-to-use all-in-one powerhouses. Second, we are bringing the world of AV and video conferencing into the modern app economy. Our Studio X series and Poly G7500 video conferencing devices run a common platform that can be updated and enhanced through a series of regular software updates. This Poly platform, built on Android, can run applications like a smartphone does today. Third, Poly has introduced innovation that makes any video conference better. Our new Poly MeetingAI features use AI and machine learning to address the distractions that hit your senses in a meeting. We make it easier to hear what’s being said by blocking out the annoying noises that people make while talking, and we make it easier to see what’s going on in the room with the most advanced speaker tracking and framing, and our built-in production rules. Finally, we are pricing our solutions in a way that completely resets the calculations on what it costs to outfit a room. The Studio X30, for huddle room and smaller spaces, costs just about $2,100, including the Poly TC8 touch controller. All you add is the cloud service and a monitor, and you have a room up and running for under $2,500. That’s easily under the cost of other solutions and with better audio and video quality.

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MEDIA 7 | January 9, 2020

Sangram Vajre, Co-Founder & Chief Evangelist at Terminus is also an author and host of the podcast FlipmyFunnel. He is one of the leading minds in B2B marketing. MEDIA 7: What are you passionate about? SANGRAM VAJRE: Three things: Lead professionally. Grow personally. Love family. M7: Terminus has been recognized as one of Georgia’s 40 fastest-growing companies by ACG Atlanta. What factors contribute to this pace? SV: One of our core values is #OneTeam – which means we think and act as one team and know that if we treat our team right, they will treat our customers amazing. There are no great companies, only great people that make those companies.

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MEDIA 7 | December 5, 2019

Andrea Lechner-Becker, Chief Marketing Officer at LeadMD is an experienced Marketing and Sales Executive with a demonstrated history of working in the marketing and advertising industry. Skilled in Business Process, Marketo, Sales, Customer Relationship Management (CRM), and IT Service Management, Andrea is also a strong business development professional and a storyteller. MEDIA 7: What inspired you to get into marketing? ANDREA LECHNER: Frankly, not having better options. I originally attended the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse thinking I’d major in Archaeology. I wanted to be Indiana Jones! But, after visiting the archaeology building – i.e. the cold, dark basement of the science building – where a girl sat to piece together pieces of an old Native American vase, I knew archaeology was not going to be the right path for me. And so, without being good at science and a major in art or art history was unlikely to pay my bills, I decided to go into “business”. I originally registered as a management major, but took my first marketing class and thought it was more interesting and switched my sophomore year. That was pretty much it. I’d never been involved in business classes or DECA in high school – I didn’t really know what to do or what jobs in marketing were even possible. I dumb lucked myself into it really. M7: As a storyteller, do you relate the brand to a story or story to the brand? AL: Both? Neither? I think there are stories in every brand, because there are people working on the brand and people engaging with the brand and people using what the brand creates. People, most often a single person, are at the heart of great stories. You can start with the “point” of the story you’re trying to tell. Say you have a software that help accountants better create reports for board meetings. It’s likely you’ll want to tell a success story about an accountant getting promoted to CFO in part because your software helped better communicate their work product to the board. You could have the idea for that and go looking for that story in your customers. OR, you could hear that story, and say, “That’s amazing!” and share it with customers, partners and internal people. Stories are all around us – the most important thing is to keep your ears and eyes open for finding them.

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CORPORATE LEARNING SYSTEMS

Globenewswire | June 06, 2023

nextSource announces TalentCalling™ – an advanced approach to talent sourcing for the Higher Education market.TalentCalling delivers a shared talent community, enabled by an online centralized system, where participating institutions can draw from the community to access qualified professionals with select skills. It enables colleges and universities to fill high-volume, recurring roles when needed, returning the resource at assignment end for future redeployment or for engagement by another university. The community is populated with admissions personnel, administrative assistants, exam proctors, instructional designers, research assistants, teaching assistants, application readers, general managers, and student success specialists. It also offers IT implementation managers, software developers, project managers, and other non-academic personnel. Each participating college or university is assigned a program specialist who coordinates the institution’s use of TalentCalling, continuously soliciting new talent community members, reinforcing the value of engagements with participating academic institutions, and identifying best fit talent for each open position. If a position is filled by a resource in the talent community, nextSource takes responsibility for payrolling the worker and all other assignment-related administrative duties while the individual is on assignment. nextSource has established our first TalentCalling direct sourcing center to support colleges and universities in the Metro Washington DC area. This unique approach gives each participating academic institution ready access to great talent when needed. And peer best practice sharing accelerates innovation and saves time and money. “nextSource is continually at the forefront of innovation in the temporary talent market,” commented Tim McAward, nextSource Vice President of Higher Education Client Services. “Academic institutions have a long history of joining together to leverage their combined buying power and share academic and extracurricular resources. Our TalentCalling direct sourcing solution applies that concept to talent acquisition. We deliver a highly effective additional way to access temporary, project-based, or full-time high-volume or recurring roles and skill sets. By delivering an exceptional talent sourcing system with extensive support for both the academic institutions and the candidates within the TalentCalling system we can offer our clients a strong competitive advantage in this tight labor market.” About nextSource: nextSource advances the way the world connects with talent. As a privately held, woman-owned business with 25 years’ experience, nextSource provides a personalized, intelligent approach to workforce solutions driven by high impact, strong results, and continuous growth. We offer innovative workforce solutions that deliver extraordinary service, efficiency, analytical insight, risk mitigation and improved access to talent that enhances a unified workforce. Solutions offerings include Managed Services Program, Direct Sourcing solutions, Employer of Record services, Independent Contractor Compliance Management, Agent of Record Services, Statement of Work based Project Services Management and Workforce Consulting and Advisory services.

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EDUCATION TECHNOLOGY

PRnewswire | May 31, 2023

Virginia Technical Academy, a leading institution for skilled trades education, proudly announces its integration of Interplay Learning's training courses and simulations into its current curriculum. By adopting this innovative technology, the institution aims to enhance hands-on learning experiences for its students to prepare them for careers in the skilled trades. Virginia Technical Academy, which opened its doors during the onset of the pandemic, recognized the need to adapt and evolve to meet the changing demands of students and the skilled trades industry. The integration of Interplay Learning's robust training solution demonstrates their commitment to bridging the gap between theory and practical application. "With the adoption of Interplay Learning's online courses and virtual reality simulations, we are taking a giant leap forward in transforming skilled trades education," said David Gillespie, president of Virginia Technical Academy. "Our students will now have access to a realistic and immersive learning environment that will enhance their technical skills and overall confidence. By adding innovative solutions like these in addition to classroom and lab work, we are equipping our students with the tools they need to succeed in their chosen fields." Interplay Learning's training provides students with interactive and lifelike scenarios to practice hands-on work, such as electrical wiring, HVAC systems troubleshooting, plumbing installations, and more. This cutting-edge technology allows students to gain practical experience and develop critical problem-solving skills in a risk-free environment. The integration of Interplay's expert-led courses and 3D simulations into the existing curriculum will enable students to refine their abilities, boost their efficiency, and accelerate their learning curve. "We are proud to partner with Virginia Technical Academy as they integrate our online training and simulations into their curriculum," said Doug Donovan, CEO of Interplay Learning."By embracing this technology, the institution is taking significant leaps in advancing skilled trades education. We are excited to be part of their journey, empowering students to experience immersive and realistic hands-on learning." In support of this groundbreaking initiative, Interplay Learning will provide Quest 2 VR headsets to Virginia Technical Academy as part of a generous donation made possible through Interplay's partnership with Meta. These state-of-the-art devices will empower students to fully immerse themselves in virtual reality simulations, heightening their engagement and maximizing the benefits of this transformative learning experience. Virginia Technical Academy is committed to delivering the highest quality education to its students, equipping them with the knowledge and skills necessary to excel in the skilled trades industry. By incorporating Interplay Learning's virtual reality simulations and leveraging the power of Meta Quest headsets, the institution continues to set a new standard for hands-on training in Newport News and beyond. About Interplay Learning: Austin-based Interplay Learning offers scalable and effective training for the essential skilled trades that helps business leaders, educators and their teams build better companies, better careers and better lives. Interplay Learning's immersive online and VR training platform for HVAC, plumbing, electrical, solar, hospitality, multifamily maintenance and facilities maintenance workforces includes expert-led video courses, hands-on 3D simulations, knowledge checks and custom learning paths to upskill advanced technicians and help new technicians be job-ready in weeks, not years. About Virginia Technical Academy: Virginia Technical Academy was founded on the principle that every community needs a skilled and well-educated workforce. Its goal is to provide an environment that will exceed the educational requirements and needs of both future tradespeople and their employers. Virginia Technical Academy is dedicated to keeping our trades strong through education, validation, and professional networking.

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CORPORATE LEARNING SYSTEMS

Cheetah | May 30, 2023

Cheetah Learning, a leader in Accelerated Exam Prep for the Project Management Professional (PMP)®, has introduced a new certification course in Agile project management. The online Cheetah Agile certification course teaches the fundamentals of Agile project management, skills that can be applied in numerous industries. Those who complete the course are Cheetah Agile Certified and qualified to lead as Agile project managers. "Agile is the future of project management," said Michelle LaBrosse, PMP, CCL, CAC, PMI-ACP, RYT, founder and CEO of Cheetah Learning. "Since its beginning in software development, it has evolved to demonstrate its usefulness in a variety of applications. Project managers who learn the Agile method are well-positioned to succeed for themselves and for their employers." Because the emphasis is on achieving significant goals in two weeks, becoming Cheetah Agile Certified aids in project completion. The fundamental goal of the two-week deadline is to remediate one of the main causes of project delays, namely procrastination brought on by digital distraction. People can put procrastination in the past by making it a habit to focus and complete a substantial endeavor in two weeks. Even LaBrosse utilized this method to finish her book, The Cheetah Agile Project, in just two weeks. One student had this to say about the course: "Being part of the beta group for the Cheetah Agile Certified program gave me a hunch that improving my project-completion speed would benefit my career. But I was surprised to find out that it was also an immense help in my private life. As part of the class demonstration project, I took on a personally meaningful task – preparing an estate sale – something I had been putting off. Thanks to my diligence during the course, we discovered an additional $450,000 worth of assets in the estate!" Becoming Cheetah Agile Certified helps managers achieve their goals faster in the following ways: 1. Delivering value quickly and continuously 2. Fostering collaboration and feedback 3. Continuously improving processes 4. Building a network of like-minded professionals 5. Picking the right opportunities to stand out Cheetah Agile Certified managers improve their own prospects while also succeeding for their employers. Applying what they've learned in the course enable managers to: 1. Stand out in a job market where Agile-trained managers are in demand 2. Expand career opportunities, including higher salaries and more responsibilities 3. Increase credibility and trust Agile training also leads to increased self-confidence, the ability to accomplish more with fewer resources, and more interesting and challenging work assignments.Learning Agile techniques supercharges the skills and careers of project managers," said LaBrosse. "It's an investment that pays off immediately for managers and their employers and continues to provide benefits long-term." About Cheetah Learning Cheetah Learning is the two decades-long industry leader in Accelerated Exam Prep for the Project Management Professional (PMP)® exam. Cheetah students culminate their four-day intensive accelerated learning program by taking and passing the Project Management Institute's PMP® exam. Cheetah students are guaranteed to pass the PMP® exam by following Cheetah's program. Worldwide, there are nearly 80,000 Cheetah Alumni. PMP® is a registered trademark of the Project Management Institute.

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