Monday, March 13, 2017

Russell Simmons' All Def Digital to Create THE DEFINITIVE HISTORY OF HIP HOP; Partners with Emmy Award Winning

Russell Simmons' All Def Digital to Create THE DEFINITIVE HISTORY OF HIP HOP; Partners with Emmy Award Winning Producers Stephen David Entertainment and GroupM Entertainment to Bring to Life the Untold Stories Old and New Behind the Artists, the Music and the Movement That Changed American & Global Culture Forever
LOS ANGELES, March 13, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Russell Simmons' All Def Digital, the fastest growing platform in hip hop and urban youth culture and Emmy award winning producers Stephen David Entertainment announced today a partnership with GroupM Entertainment, a global content investment and rights management company, to develop and produce THE DEFINITIVE HISTORY OF HIP HOP, a sweeping documentary series that tells the exhaustive story of hip hop, from its seminal, underground roots to its now most iconic, global artists. Stephen David will Executive Produce the series, along with GME's Richard Foster and Simmons himself. The project is in development and slated to begin production this year.
THE DEFINITIVE HISTORY OF HIP HOP begins in the early 1970s, chronicling the rise of the first DJs and emcees in New York City.  But what started as a way for marginalized youth in New York City to escape or explain the stark realities of the inner city, rapidly spread from the East to West Coast as it evolved into a global phenomenon.  Today, it is a multi-billion dollar industry and cultural force that shapes music, art, fashion, language, and all forms of entertainment from films to television and digital programming to social media.
"Hip hop began in the Bronx and Queens, and was fueled by pioneering new artists with an incredible hunger to express themselves in unimaginably bold new ways," said Simmons. "The Definitive History of Hip Hop is the untold story of the birth of this art form – the series gets behind the scenes of what drove the beats, the rhymes, the ideas -- and the people -- that so powerfully hit a chord with all of youth culture in America and around the world.  It starts with the OGs of this disruptive force in entertainment, spotlights some of the lesser known artists who've fallen out of history or favor, and of course looks at the icons who are now household names whether you're in LA or London, Toledo or Tokyo.  The music is just as important, classic and timeless today as it was 40 years ago.  We've partnered with amazing filmmakers in Stephen David Entertainment and with GroupM, the largest media investment firm in the world, because we believe this will be a long-running, global franchise," Simmons said.  "We are going long, and deep, and plan to follow the characters and story lines, the drama, the dreams, the deaths, the disruptions, that have made our narrative one of the most compelling American stories of the last three decades.  And its future is still being written today, so the story is both timeless and endless."
Using SDE's award-winning cinematic and storytelling style of weaving filmed scenes and classic documentary treatments, together with groundbreaking visual effects, archival footage and celebrity interviews, THE DEFINITIVE HISTORY OF HIP HOP tells the incredible personal stories of the pioneers of hip hop and rap, set against the larger historical context of a country in turmoil.  From DJ Hollywood and Run DMC, to Dr. Dre and Jay Z, this authoritative and expansive series captures the mystique and magnetism of the personalities and music that helped transform the American mindset and, in the process, set off a global movement premised on speaking truth to power.
"The birth of hip-hop and its ascent into the American mainstream is a fascinating story, one that has tremendous historical and social importance and relevance in our society," said Stephen David. "We really could not imagine a greater partner for this project than the founder of the movement, Russell Simmons, and the team at All Def Digital.  We are privileged to be working with the man who took a musical art form and created multiple industries and a global movement in youth culture."  
As the company behind the EMMY award-winning series, THE MEN WHO BUILT AMERICA, the EMMY-nominated THE WORLD WARS and THE MAKING OF THE MOB: NEW YORK, SDE has established itself as the leading producer of hybrid-genre programs that combine traditional documentary techniques with scripted storytelling elements.  "We create documentaries as if they were scripted series - we thrive on characters and story arcs."  SDE has projects at Netflix, Amazon, History Channel, and NatGeo among others.
"We at GroupM Entertainment have a track record of partnering with creative voices and producers around the world to deliver premium content to the world's biggest networks and platforms," said Richard Foster, CEO of GroupM Entertainment.  "The dominance of hip hop in global culture is clear in so many international markets.  Investing into the project and partnering with All Def and SDE is a fantastic opportunity to bring this story to a global audience.  GroupM Entertainment is one of the largest financiers and co-producers of original programming in the UK and is active in over 20 global markets including the US.  The company is part of WPP, the world's largest advertising and marketing services group.
"With the break-out success of entertainment properties like Straight Outta Compton and Moonlight in film, Empire and Atlanta in television, even Hamilton on Broadwaythere could not be a better time to tell this story about the embryonic days of hip hop," said Sanjay Sharma, All Def's Chief Executive Officer.  "Hip Hop is the most listened to category of music in the US and its universal appeal is, in part, due to the fact that it has always been about speaking truth to power - nothing could be more timely than this.  Aside from dominating pop culture, this thread dominates the global social and political climate as well.  We want to create an immersive experience that will engage today's youth, as well as old-school fans, with the origins of the movement through premium content, live, social and interactive, experiences, and more."
In addition to DEFINITIVE HISTORY OF HIP HOP, All Def recently released a standup comedy special on HBO, a sketch comedy series on MTV2, the All Def Roast of Snoop Dogg and the All Def Movie Awards on Fusion, and soon will release global, premium digital series with YouTube Red and Spotify.

About All Def DigitalAll Def Digital (ADD) is the leading media company for youth culture rooted in hip hop. ADD produces and distributes original content through its own media properties, social channels, traditional and premium television, theatrical motion-pictures, live events, and brand partnerships through its in-house agency ADHD.  ADD also manages a curated network of emerging and established talent including social video stars, stand-up comics, writers, actors, poets and hip hop recording artists.  ADD is the fastest growing media brand in urban youth programming, touching over 100 million fans monthly across YouTube, Facebook and Snapchat, with category-leading engagement metrics. The company is headquartered in Los Angeles, California, with offices in New York.  Its investors include Nu Horizons, Greycroft Partners, Third Wave Digital Partners, e.ventures, Advancit Capital, Andreessen Horowitz, and WPP.

About Stephen David EntertainmentStephen David Entertainment (SDE) – a Banijay Group Company – is an Emmy® Award-winning, New York-based production company with its own in-house post-facility. SDE counts The Men Who Built AmericaThe World Wars and The Making of the Mob: New York among its popular, hybrid documentary series. In the five years since its inception, SDE has developed numerous docudrama mini-series and select scripted projects, utilizing high-end production techniques and cutting-edge VFX. In 2014 and 2015, SDE was named to Realscreen's Global 100 list of top production companies.

About GroupM Entertainment: GroupM Entertainment is a global content investment and rights management company, which creates, finances, produces, distributes and commercializes content via innovative, strategic commercial models and partnerships. In partnership with some of the world's leading production and distribution talent, GroupM Entertainment's global business interests extend across all media platforms and a broad range of genres. GME is part of GroupM, the world's leading full-service media investment management operation, a WPP company.


Contact:
Steve Elzer
Elzer & Associates
213-607-3591
steve@elzerassociates.com






E! NEWS EXCLUSIVE: Flip or Flop's Christina El Moussa

"in a Very Good Place" With Ex-Husband Tarek

 E! NEWS  http://www.eonline.com/news/835612/flip-or-flop-s-christina-el-moussa-in-a-very-good-place-with-ex-husband-tarek

Christina El Moussa and Tarek El Moussa make co-parenting look easy. Over the weekend, E! News' Carissa Culiner caught up with Christina during the All-Star Chef Classic at L.A. Live, where the Flip or Flop star opened up about her new life as a single mom. "The kids are great. My son is literally like the happiest kid on the planet. He brings so much joy to our lives," she said. "Taylor is amazing. She's feisty and funny. She's a very sweet, loving girl." Christina, 33, attended the event with daughter Taylor El Moussa, 1, while son Brayden El Moussa, 1, stayed home. The El Moussas announced their separation in December, after quietly breaking up in the spring of 2016. Last month, Tarek filed for divorce from his co-star. It's been a year of big and little transitions for the El Moussas. Tarek left the family's home Yorba Linda, Calif., last summer and bought a bachelor pad in Newport Beach. While it's an adjustment, co-parenting is "going great," his ex-wife said. "Tarek and I are in a very good place right now. We're doing a really good job. We share the kids 50/50 and our communication is great. Like I said, the kids are happy, so everyone's doing really well.” Prior to their breakup, the El Moussas lived a relatively "normal" life. But once news of a prior domestic incident made headlines, interest in their split ushered in a new normal. "I don't even think about it until sometimes I step out of my car and there's paparazzi taking pictures of me," Christina said. "Honestly, it hasn't really changed my life that much. Honestly—this may sound weird—I don't even think about it at all. There are so many false stories, so I just let it slide." Amid the media frenzy surrounding their breakup, the El Moussas have continued to shoot episodes of their hit TV show. "Filming is amazing. We've had the same crew for a couple years on Flip or Flop, and we're all best friends. We all have the best time together filming," Christina said. "And it's just a really happy environment and we look forward to continuing more shows." "It's all guys and me, so it's a lot of testosterone," she added. "But aside from that, it's all good." Christina's comments came days after the network announced Flip or Flop will be expanding with other stars. "We were approached about a year ago that they were going to explore doing Flip or Flop in some other states, and we gave it our blessing," she said. "Honestly, it's just cool that the show did so well that now they're franchising it out. We couldn't be happier for HGTV."


 For more from Christina, watch E! News tonight at 7 and 11, only on E!










Thursday, March 9, 2017

SXSW as the First Free Mobile Childcare






For immediate Release
Contact: Blair FitzGibbon, 202-503-6141


Moms-in-Film to Launch at SXSW as the First Free Mobile Childcare Service for Film Industry 
 

Austin, TX - Moms-in-Film, an organization founded to energize the careers of mothers in film and television by providing community, funding and advocacy, is poised to alleviate the childcare issue for filmmaker-parents on the ground at SXSW 2017. The Bi-coastal organization is partnering with Collab&Play, LA’s first coworking space with on-site childcare, to provide professional, free childcare using the funds received from a SXSW community grant. 

This pilot of the Wee Wagon, a mobile childcare unit which will provide childcare to the film community on set as well as at festivals, will launch the service which will be available from Moms-in-Film later this year. In addition to providing free childcare in the Wee Wagon from March 13 to 17, Moms-in-Film is presenting a panel on Parenthood and Filmmaking, to address the challenges facing parents of both sexes working in various fields within film. 

The Wee Wagon is an advocacy initiative as well as a practical service, in an “industry which is not currently structured to support parents; a reality that disproportionately affects women and accounts for much of the industry’s gender imbalance,” says Mathilde Dratwa, founder of Moms-in-Film. “The lack of provisions for childcare keeps women off set as well as away from festivals, where they miss out on networking opportunities and meetings that could lead to funding, distribution, collaboration, and future projects.” 

To efficiently support the parent filmmakers presenting at SXSW, Moms-in-Film is constructing a temporary “Wee Wagon” in a film trailer from Austin-based Film Fleet.  Much like the plans for the future Wee Wagon, the unit will be decorated and furnished to meet the needs and wants of young children, and using it to showcase the potential of a mobile unit for childcare. For use on set, the Wee Wagon offers unique benefits including proximity to your children when working long and often inflexible hours, especially for parents who travel out-of-state. Dratwa says, “It’s so exciting to think of a bespoke, imaginative, play-based space created for the children themselves.”

The SXSW “Wee Wagon” will be stationed outside the ZACH theatre and will always be staffed by two early childhood professionals from Collab&Play. The Wee Wagon can accommodate up to 5 children at a time (between the ages of 3 months and 4 years). Chirsty Lamb, director of Strategy & Development for Moms-in-Film, says “We are thrilled to be collaborating with Collab&Play for this initiative. As a new mom living in Los Angeles, I use Collab&Play all the time: it’s a fantastic solution for creative professionals with young children. We are thrilled to bring their concept to SXSW and adapt it for the film industry.” 





E! NEWS EXCLUSIVE: David Arquette and Wife Christina Arquette











E! NEWS EXCLUSIVE: David Arquette and Wife Christina Arquette Welcome a Baby Boy Named Augustus Alexis Arquette

Congratulations to David Arquette and his wife Christina Arquette!
E! News can exclusively reveal that the couple has welcomed their second child together, a baby boy named Augustus Alexis Arquette. Augustus, who they plan on calling Gus, was born March 8, 2017. Gus' middle name serves as a tribute to David's late sister, Alexis Arquette, who passed away at age 47 in September 2016. David and Christina are already parents to a 2-year-old boy named Charlie Arquette. Both sons also have a half-sister, Coco, whom David shares with ex-wife Courteney Cox.
E! News also has an exclusive look at their newborn, who couldn't be any cuter. Wearing his hospital beanie, little Gus has the most cherubic face! But he probably just wants to take a nap.
David took to Instagram in October to announce that he and Christina were expecting their second bundle of joy together. The Scream actor shared a precious video of their 2-year-old son, Charlie, and revealed a second boy was on the way. 
"So incredibly blessed and honored that my wife @christinaarquette is pregnant with a baby boy!" he captioned the video. "Thank you Christina and humbled gratitude to G-D for this tremendous gift!"
David continued, "Charlie and Coco are so excited and I am over the moon!!!"
In the video, Charlie is seen holding up a sonogram and hugging it closely to his face, giving it the littlest kisses. He then looks at his mom and asks, "A baby?"
Christina responded, "Yeah! It's a baby in my belly! Say, 'Hi, brother!'" The 2-year-old responded adorably, "Hi baby! Hi brother!" before giving the photo a big kiss.



 


37 Problems is a series









LOS ANGELES - From director, creator and star Lisa Ebersole, 37 Problems (an official selection of the Austin Film Festival),  is a new series about fertility, growth, and finally getting your s**t together. The series also features Pej Vahdat (Sneaky Pete, Shameless), Stephanie Sanditz (Snuggle Bunny w/Zosia Mamet, It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia), Joseph Reitman (Townies on ABC, The Drew Carey Show), Catherine Carlen (How To Get Away with Murder), James Morrison (Six Feet Under, Brooklyn Nine-Nine), and many other notables.
Amanda (Ebersole) is a struggling 37 year-old screenwriter who's all about her career, finds out she has one egg left. Suddenly she has to get a guy to fertilize the egg, freeze the egg, or do nothing and live a different life than she imagined. (It's a comedy, we promise.)
37 Problems is a series about fertility, ambivalence around motherhood, career, and what it’s like to be a single woman in a world where biology still has its clock on you when you desperately wish it didn’t. It’s also a series about what it takes to be happy. Viewers watch as Amanda looks for happiness in work, friends, love, relationships, and the idea of a baby. She’s searching for completion and the series challenges her to find it.



Below episodes 1 & 2  full series on  https://www.37problems.com/classes/

SFW - 37 PROBLEMS / #1 / "Reality Check" from Lisa Ebersole on Vimeo.




37 PROBLEMS / #2 / "Shame" from Lisa Ebersole on Vimeo.


An award-winning playwright and filmmaker, Lisa's plays have been produced Off-Broadway and regionally. They include: BABY (Best of The Fringe Festival) MOTHER (starring Buck Henry and Holland Taylor) BROTHER (published by Samuel French) PEOPLE DIE THAT WAY (Editor’s Choice Time Out New York & Backstage.) Her films include the feature adaptation of BROTHER (Tribeca Cinemas) the short film PUDDIN’ (Palm Springs Film Festival) and the web series 37 PROBLEMS (Austin Film Festival, Brooklyn Web Fest, Hollyweb Festival.)


Fourth Annual Southwest Maker Fest




For information contact:
Cindy Ornstein 480-644-6601


Fourth Annual Southwest Maker Fest invades Downtown Mesa on March 11!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEThe fourth annual Southwest Maker Fest (SWMF) will bring over 100 exhibitors, presentations and workshops to downtown Mesa on March 11!  The FREE festival engages visitors in exploring all kinds of hands-on creation and ideas, from art and technology to food and DIY projects.  On March 11, 2017, noon to 7pm, exhibits, demonstrations, community art projects, opportunities to meet makers and to try your hand at new things, and fun learning experiences will fill the festival, which is located on Macdonald and Pepper Streets just north of Main Street in downtown Mesa. The i.d.e.a. Museum is open free to the public throughout the festival. Details and opportunities to volunteer can be found at SouthwestMakerFest.com.

This collaborative one-day festival and community of makers is seeking to achieve the vision of a connected community, empowered by creativity. SWMF’s mission is to celebrate, engage, and inspire the maker in each of us. The fourth annual festival is easily reachable from the Center Street or Country Club stops on Valley Metro Light Rail, and there is plenty of free parking nearby.

This year, SWMF is adding an exciting new feature area specifically designed to support Arizona’s educational community and inform education advocates. N-Compass Village is intended to showcase how integrating creative experiences into the school curriculum can increase engagement, enhance active, student-centered discovery and deepen learning.  N-Compass Village is a place where all can experience hands-on making, integrated with  a variety of subject areas taught in our local educational systems. Located in the Atrium at i.d.e.a. Museum, it offers exhibits and presentations of interest to the entire community.

Southwest Maker Fest celebrates the uniquely human power of creativity and invention, and the entrepreneurial spirit.  Visit SWMF to experience, learn, play and shop.  Exhibitors in 2017 include 3D Printing, Rocketry, Storytelling, Bicycle Repairing, Sound Sculptures, LEGO Activities and much more. Special festival “zones” are devoted to Arts & Sustainability, the Tech & Industry Village and N-Compass Village. A Makers Marketplace features makers selling their handmade creations, and a Food Court offers both food trucks and food exhibitors.

The all-volunteer organization has engendered tremendous energy and excitement about building an inclusive and highly creative regional event, with exhibitors from across the Valley. Last year’s event welcomed 5,500 visitors. SWMF has actively recruited exhibitors who offer demonstrations and hands-on learning, and presenters willing to share exciting stories, artistry, inventions or extraordinary journeys. SWMF 2017 is designed to stimulate curiosity and inspire the maker inside each visitor!

The “maker” movement is booming in the U.S., with very large events held annually in New York, the Bay Area, and numerous other major metropolitan areas. Southwest Maker Fest celebrates makers, innovation and creativity, and builds upon the growing Do-It-Yourself movement and a thirst for active experiences. Organizers have developed SWMF to build on our state’s strength as a fertilelocation for new ideas and entrepreneurial spirit.

Southwest Maker Fest is once again a signature event of the Arizona SciTech Festival. The event is being held under the auspices of Ultimate Imagination Inc., the 501(c)3 non-profit arm of the Downtown Mesa Association.  Event sponsors include Intel, Stax 3D, Mesa Recycles, K’é—A Place to Grow Small Business, The Collaboratory, i.d.e.a. Museum, Mesa Arts Center and Downtown Mesa Association.

Event details and volunteer sign-up is available at the event website at SouthwestMakerFest.com.







Natalya Berdzeni Named to Supply & Demand Chain

Natalya Berdzeni Named to Supply & Demand Chain Executive Magazine's 2017 'Pros to Know' List


NEW YORK, March 9, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Chase Cost Management Executive Vice President Natalya Berdzeni has been named to Supply & Demand Chain Executive magazine's 2017 "Pros to Know" annual listing for her work in developing tools and processes that bring a competitive advantage to her clients' spend-management practices. Among Berdzeni's endeavors in the past year was co-authoring the book, "99 Questions to Stop Spending More Than Your Competitors," with her colleague Len Levy, founder of Chase Cost Management, a business unit of LAC Group.
Purchasing and supply chain managers have praised the book for being a "great guide to best practices and successful approaches for any organization." For Fortune 500 companies and large law firms, Berdzeni designs and puts in place expense management services and cost-reduction strategies. She believes a key challenge for executives and their procurement process is uncovering savings on indirect spending without disrupting business. With the extra money she and her colleagues find for clients, employers are able to fund priorities or investments.
According to S&DCE's publisher, individuals named to this year's list of "Pros to Know" received the honor because each has "helped their supply chain clients, or the supply chain community at large, prepare to meet the significant challenges in the year ahead."
"I'm honored to be counted among a list of very accomplished and qualified people," says Berdzeni. "I'd like to think I made the list because I put my clients first."
"Nat brings procurement pros a holistic view of procurement and clever ways to find data in dozens of spend categories," says Rob Corrao, president and chief operating officer for LAC Group. "Her clients know her as 'an excellent partner,' and now that's been recognized formally by adding her to the 'Pros to Know' list."
Berdzeni is fluent in Russian and, earlier in her career, she lived and worked in Russia handling new business development, operations and marketing for her employers. Berdzeni received her master's degree in business administration from Cornell University and a bachelor's degree from The City University of New York.
About Chase Cost ManagementChase Cost Management (CCM) was founded in 1998 in New York City, operating as a division of LAC Group since 2011. CCM provides strategic spend management advice and programs that enable large enterprises to contain costs and reduce expenses for optimal financial performance. Proven results are based on in-market experience, contract negotiation expertise, benchmarking knowledge and access to extensive data on costs, expenditures, vendors and SKUs. CCM serves major law firms and Fortune 500 corporations. Visit: https://ccmchase.com
Chase Cost Management (CCM) is not affiliated with JPMorgan Chase & Co. or its "Chase" branded financial services.




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149710@email4pr.com
+ 1 (614) 975-7538
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Plus Relocation Announces Key Hires as Part of Strategic Growth

Plus Relocation Announces Key Hires as Part of Strategic Growth


MINNEAPOLIS, March 9, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Plus Relocation welcomes four new employees to the Plus leadership team. These hires are part of Plus's strategic growth plan and are aligned with the company's mission — to be the world's best relocation company.
  • Ron Labin, CRP, SGMS-T joins Plus as director, global business development. A 20-year veteran of the mobility industry, Labin serves as a valuable resource in building new relationships and helping corporate teams manage global mobility more effectively. Labin is based in the metro-New York City area. 

    "I've admired Plus's research and approach of putting the client and employee experience at the center of everything they do.  It's a super-innovative culture and clients love the new approaches they're taking with everything from service technology to long-standing industry issues," Labin states. "I'm really excited to help clients build and sustain world-class, mobility programs with Plus." 
  • Tim Trepkowski joins Plus as senior vice president, global finance. With more than 40 years of progressive experience in accounting and finance, Trepkowski brings a wealth of financial expertise to Plus. He also has more than 15 years of mobility industry experience, having previously served in senior leadership positions within the industry. 

    "Throughout my career, I've helped relocation companies with their global expansion," Trepkowski said. "In my new role, I'll be able to apply my financial expertise as Plus continues to grow globally and assist our clients with their mobility programs. I feel fortunate to be able to contribute to the organization during this exciting time!"
  • Tracey Gatlin joins Plus as vice president, global supply chain. In her role, Gatlin manages all aspects of Plus's worldwide supply chain, ensuring that supplier partners provide the best possible service to clients and relocating employees. She comes to Plus with more than 15 years of relocation industry experience and is a certified Six Sigma Green Belt.

    "I am excited to have joined this experienced Plus global supply chain team during a time of incredible growth," Gatlin said. "I look forward to the continual expansion of our global offices, working with existing partners and identifying new supplier partners to provide the best possible service to clients across the world." 
  • Andrew Kubitschek joins Plus as vice president, technology. As technology continues to play a bigger and bigger role in the mobility world, Kubitschek's 20 years of progressive IT experience, as well as his leadership overseeing data security, integration, application development, infrastructure services, and project and program management make him a great fit in Plus's innovative culture.

    "I am thrilled to be working for a growing, global organization that is already committed to innovative technology," Kubitschek said. "All organizations have an obligation to keep their clients' data safe and secure. I feel honored to be able to proactively manage the security of the data our clients entrust to Plus Relocation."
Plus CEO Susan Schneider said of the hires, "All of these leaders bring great value to the Plus team. With their input and expertise, we can continue to be the world's best relocation company as we grow globally."
About Plus RelocationPlus Relocation designs and implements completely customized mobility solutions with flawless execution for mid-sized companies to some of the largest, most-recognized brands on the planet. Our clients come from a wide array of industries, and they feature some of the most dynamic mobility programs in the world. We've been in business since 1968, and our innovative, game-changing approach has propelled us to a full-service, global mobility powerhouse with offices located around the world. Our tri-regional model allows us to deliver seamless mobility services in more than 150 countries. To learn more, please visit www.plusrelocation.com.

LaaSer Critical Communications Named a TAG

LaaSer Critical Communications Named a TAG Top 10 Innovative Technology Company


Technology Association of Georgia Honors the State's "Best of the Best" for Innovation and Contributions to Georgia's Technology Community


ATLANTA, March 9, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The Technology Association of Georgia (TAG), the state's leading association dedicated to the promotion and economic advancement of Georgia's technology industry, today announced LaaSer Critical Communications as one of its Top 10 Innovative Technology Companies in Georgia. TAG will recognize this prestigious group at the 2017 Georgia Technology Summit (GTS) on March 23, 2017, at the Cobb Galleria Centre.
The "Top 10" most innovative technology companies are chosen from among TAG's "Top 40" 2017 list and were chosen based on a number of criteria, including: degree of innovation; scope and financial impact of innovation; likelihood of success; and promotion of Georgia's innovative efforts nationally and internationally. 
"The Top 10 awards are given to an elite group of companies whose products and solutions are not only changing their respective industries, they are also putting Georgia on the map as a state where technology innovation can thrive," said Larry Williams, president & CEO of TAG. "We applaud each of these companies for standing out as leaders in Georgia's technology community and look forward to showcasing them at our annual Georgia Technology Summit."
LaaSer's patented technology solves the increasingly common problem that when you call 911 from your mobile phone, operators can't always locate you accurately. The current system doesn't access any of the rich location data that is available to the wide variety of connected devices in the market today. With LaaSer it is possible for people to call for help from not just their smartphone but from a wide variety of connected devices. And LaaSer makes this happen without the need for 911 call centers to install new hardware and software systems.
"We started LaaSer with a singular mission – to make 911 work the way you think it already does," said Fred White, cofounder and CEO of LaaSer. "Along the way our scope has grown as we apply these concepts to other ways to connect people with first responders. This award validates just how big this problem is and how far we've come in solving it."
For more information about TAG and the Georgia Technology Summit and to register for the event, visit http://www.tagonline.org/events/georgia-technology-summit. Follow the conversation on Twitter through #TAGGTS & #GTS17
About The Technology Association of Georgia (TAG)
TAG is the leading technology industry association in the state, serving more than 33,000 members through regional chapters in Metro Atlanta, Athens, Augusta, Columbus, Macon/Middle Georgia, and Savannah. TAG's mission is to educate, promote, and unite Georgia's technology community to foster an innovative and connected marketplace that stimulates and enhances a tech-based economy.
The association provides networking and educational programs; celebrates Georgia's technology leaders and companies; and advocates for legislative action that enhances the state's economic climate for technology. TAG hosts over 200 events each year and serves as an umbrella organization for 33 professional societies. Additionally, the TAG Education Collaborative (TAG's charitable arm) focuses on helping science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education initiatives thrive.
For more information visit the TAG website at www.tagonline.org or TAG's community website at www.hubga.com
About LaaSer Critical Communications, LLC
LaaSer Critical Communications, a Techstars company, is dedicated to solving the problems associated with calling 911 from mobile devices.  LaaSer has created patented technology that pinpoints a 911 caller's location, using any mobile device, efficiently routes them to the appropriate 911 call center, and provides the 911 operator with precise location information.  LaaSer's technology requires no upgrades on the part of 911 call centers or network operators.


DUCK DYNASTY’S JEP & JESSICA ROBERTSON ARE GROWING THEIR DYNASTY



FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

DUCK DYNASTY’S JEP & JESSICA ROBERTSON ARE GROWING THEIR DYNASTY WITH A NEW PODCAST ON PODCASTONE, ANNOUNCES CHAIRMAN NORMAN PATTIZ

LOS ANGELES (March 8, 2017) –  A&E’s Duck Dynasty and Growing the Dynasty stars Jep and Jessica Robertson are launching a new show on PodcastOne, the nation’s largest advertiser-supported podcast network, announced today by PodcastOne Founder and Executive Chairman Norman Pattiz. The couple will now connect with fans weekly, year-round, and unedited through the new show, which will feature candid conversation about marriage, family and faith, along with some fan-favorite family members and friends. The recurring cast of characters, including Miss Kay and Phil Robertson, along with celebrity guests, will touch everything from hunting and food to pop-culture and fashion. Fans can call or tweet in their questions for Jep and Jess each week. Catch an exclusive clip of the podcast from Entertainment Tonight here: http://et.tv/2mCZLxF. New episodes will be available every Wednesday on PodcastOne.com, the PodcastOne app and iTunes.

The Jep and Jess Show is all the things you don’t know about us….behind the cameras!” shares the young Robertson couple, “We’re so excited for our fans to be able to take a look – or listen – to find out what life is like behind-the-scenes in the Robertson family. We share our passions, our realities, and our intimate stories about faith, food, and family.”

“Jep and Jess have found a real fan base in reality TV, which is exactly what we look for when launching a new podcast,” said PodcastOne Founder and Executive Chairman Norman Pattiz. “Their fan base, their family and their social media will add up to deliver big numbers for this podcast.”

To listen to the show, visit: http://www.podcastone.com/the-jep-and-jess-show.

For more information, please visit www.PodcastOne.com. To advertise, please contact PodcastOne at info@podcastone.com

About PodcastOne
PodcastOne, (www.PodcastOne.com) the nation’s leading advertiser-supported podcast network, was founded by Norm Pattiz, founder of radio-giant Westwood One. The network currently hosts more than 200 of today’s most popular podcasts, including Adam Carolla, Shaquille O’Neal, Steve Austin, Heather and Terry Dubrow, Dan Patrick, Barstool Sports, Laila Ali, Dr. Drew, Neil Strauss, Gabrielle Reece, Penn Jillette, Eddie Trunk, Ross Mathews, Rich Eisen, Chris Jericho, Jay Mohr, TheCHIVE, Jordan Harbinger’s The Art of Charm, Laura Ingraham, the Forbes on PodcastOne Network and more.

About Jep and Jessica
Jep Robertson, the youngest son of Duck Commander Phil Robertson, and his wife, Jessica, have never been afraid of taking on a new project. On top of recently adopting a new baby boy and starting a new A&E reality series surrounding their life and family, Jep and Jessica Robertson of A&E’s Jep & Jessica: Growing the Dynasty and Duck Dynasty are navigating life together with their five children, Lily, Merritt, Priscilla, River, and recently adopted baby Jules Augustus Robertson – nicknamed “Gus”  - who joined the family in the fall of 2015. In a string of several successful business ventures, Jep and Jessica have launched a clothing line as well as Calvary Jewelry and lifestyle blog RobertsonRoots.com. The couple released their autobiographical story of redemption in 2015 titled: The Good, The Bad, and the Grace of God. The second season of Jep and Jessica: Growing The Dynasty premiered on February 22 on A&E and you can catch their weekly podcast, “The Jep and Jess Show,” every Wednesday on PodcastOne