Overture Center announces preservation plans

Madison, Wis. — The COVID-19 pandemic has had a worldwide impact on businesses and individuals. The arts industry thrives on bringing people together through the arts. Closures were necessary to protect public health, and while state economies are reopening, the entertainment and hospitality sectors are expected to be the last to recover.

The pandemic has seriously impacted Overture Center financially. The financial impact of the pandemic for our fiscal year ending June 30, 2020 will be in the millions.

The Executive Leadership Team has evaluated several options aimed at financial preservation. As we created this framework for the future, it was critical to support all the people involved, from our employees to our patrons. We also considered how to best address the needs of our building and our resident arts companies while recognizing their independence. The framework for our plan to move forward was approved by Overture’s Board of Directors.

Overture Center Board Chair, Betty Harris Custer, said, “The uncertainty of this pandemic means that we need to consider several short- and long-term scenarios as we make our plans. We need to be nimble, yet we must be positioned for success. We are doing everything we can to secure a positive future for Overture and our employees.”

Read more here

Boys & Girls Clubs of Dane County: Summer 2020 Digital Experience

In order to bridge the gap between youth and the dwindling paid opportunities available, the Boys & Girls Clubs of Dane County will host a completely virtual alternative “internship experience” program. Boys & Girls Clubs staff will guide a cohort of 50 students through career exploration, skill building and networking, through a collaborative project-based learning model. 

Local career partners will submit sample projects that teams of students will work on throughout the duration of the summer. Projects will mirror the work assignments an intern might take on during a conventional summer internship program. This experience will be crafted with the needs of our youth and our employer partners in mind, while incorporating the essential internship best practices we believe in. 

This is where you can support us! We need employers to support our youth this summer in four important ways:

1. Sponsor a student stipend!
2. Submit a micro internship project 
3. Volunteer your time and host a youth professional development session
4. Join in our informational interview/networking events to help interns build connections

Our organization has cancelled our summer internship programs, or is on a hiring freeze and cannot hire summer interns. Are we able to support?

This program is NOT a typical internship commitment. We are looking for organizations who can support by providing us with some of the tools that fuel a summer internship, without the expectation that you are hosting an intern, or putting them on your payroll. 

Additionally, you can choose to sponsor the wages of our summer interns this summer. A donation of $3,000 can ensure 5 interns are paid this summer!

What is a micro internship project? 

Typically, micro internships are short term, paid assignments that are similar to those given to new hires or interns. Once employers submit their micro internship projects to us, we’ll be assigning these to working groups of interns who will spend 5 weeks collaborating to complete this project for your organization! 

These projects don’t have to be current. They can be mock projects, past projects already completed that have learning value, or simulations of the type of work your organization does. Just know that if you are submitting a real time need, we can’t guarantee the final product as these are simulated experiences.

Did you have an idea of a project in mind for interns this summer, that is no longer feasible? Do you have additional needs with the impact of COVID19? Are there projects that have been pushed from your to do list, but that a group of paid interns could support? These all make great micro internship projects! 

What does it mean to volunteer for a professional development session? 

We want our youth to learn and grow this summer, just as they would in a typical summer internship! We’re looking for professionals who could connect with our interns through a 1 hour lecture, discussion, or panel to teach our interns something new! 

Think back to when you started your career. What do you wish you would have known? Is there a specific skill or area you’re particularly passionate about? Whether it’s those basic career topics such as negotiating wages or time management, or more specific skills that apply to your type of work, we want our interns to learn from you! 

How do we get involved? 

Review our other resources, including our sample micro internship templates in this folder! If you’re feeling ready to commit, fill out our application here!

For more information, you can reach Taylor at tjackson@bgcdc.org or (410) 897-2705.

Please also consider sponsoring our talent this summer by donating to our Move4BGC fundraiser today! 

Property Owner, Urban Land Interests, Invests in Cutting-Edge Air Quality System

Test results demonstrate a 99.4% kill rate against SARS-COV-2 (COVID19) using a Needlepoint Bipolar Ionization (NPBI) system

DOWNTOWN MADISON, WI – To make people feel safe and more comfortable returning to work in Downtown Madison, Urban Land Interests, has invested in a Global Plasma Solutions (GPS) powered Needlepoint Bipolar Ionization (NPBI) system for its downtown Class-A office buildings. This technology will dramatically improve the indoor air quality in ULI’s portfolio. Testing results released by Innovative Bioanalysis on June 2, 2020 demonstrate a 99.4% kill rate of SARS-COV-2 (COVID19) when using Needlepoint Bipolar Ionization technology. 

Around the globe, there is a renewed focus on indoor air quality because of the COVID-19 pandemic. ULI carefully considered a number of alternatives including HEPA filtration, UV lights, and general air purification systems to improve the quality of indoor air in our office buildings  

Urban Land Interests chose to invest in needlepoint bi-polar ionization technology, which has been developed and brought to market by Global Plasma Solutions a leader in the indoor air quality solutions market.  Needlepoint bipolar ionization (NBPI) is revolutionizing the clean air industry, and ULI feels the technology is the best in the market to deliver an unprecedented level of air quality in its Class-A office buildings.  The equipment produces electrically charged molecules creating an ionization field within the air stream that migrates throughout occupied spaces to kill viruses, bacteria, allergens and mold spores.  The ionization field also causes dust particles to agglomerate into larger particles which can then be filtered out of the air stream by existing filtration systems. UW Hospital and clinics have also recently installed NBPI technology to kill virus and other pathogens.

As a market leader in Downtown Madison commercial real estate, ULI is investing in this innovative technology with the goal of delivering the highest-level indoor air quality as its Tenants and their guests return to work.  ULI is collaborating with restaurant tenants within its portfolio with the same goal.  Initial restaurant partners include; L’Etoile, Graze, Lucille, Tavernakaya, and Capital Take-out.  ULI is also investigating how to install this innovative technology in its residential properties.

About Urban Land Interests

Urban Land Interests (ULI) develops, manages, operates and invests in real estate with the perspective of long-term owners committed to improving the value of every building. We build long-term relationships with our tenants by providing services that anticipate and meet their needs and exceed their expectations. Urban Land Interests has developed and currently manages over 1,360,000 rentable square feet of office and retail space in downtown Madison, primarily located on the Capitol Square.  Of this total, approximately 250,000 square feet is retail, restaurant, bank and service space.

ULI owned properties with installed GPS Needlepoint Bipolar Ionization (NPBI) systems

US Bank Plaza
33 East Main, at Block89
10 East Doty, at Block89
One East Main, at Block89
Tenney Plaza
44 East Mifflin
25 West Main
Pressman Apartments
Fire Station No.2

Initial Participating Restaurants
Graze
L’Etoile
Lucille
Tavernakaya
Capital Take Out

Installation Partner
1901 Inc. Brady Farrell – 1901 Inc. is a world-class HVAC, Plumbing, and Mechanical contractor serving customers all across Wisconsin and the Midwest

Resources

GPS WEBSITE: https://globalplasmasolutions.com/

GPS TECH OVERVIEW: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6oHHN5drXmU

GPS PARTICULATE REDUCTION: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kcEYG5qy1h4

Media Contact:

Press Inquiries-
Emily Mehl
Urban Land Interests
t: (608) 692-3525
emehl@ULI.com

Technical Inquires –
David Perretz
Urban Land Interests
t: (608) 441-7563
dperretz@ULI.com

New logo and brand revealed at National Guardian Life Insurance Company

National Guardian Life Insurance Company (NGL) has always been a creator of connection and promoter of people.

“For more than a century NGL has been a leader in the insurance industry. We believe in providing insurance solutions that link people to the right products and partners for life’s journey. Our purpose is to help people face life’s financial challenges with confidence, dignity and grace,” said Jessica Grann, NGL Chief of Staff and Vice President of Brand and Corporate Communications.

Greater focus and new purpose

NGL has utilized the “tree of life” logo since 1965 when it was originally created. It has been a strong logo, however with NGL’s renewed purpose and focus, a modern brand that resonated with partners and policyholders was created.

Several logos were developed and tested using Implicit Association Testing to determine which logos appeared to be more reliable, inviting, authentic, experienced and innovative. After additional testing by agents and policyholders, NGL’s new logo was selected.

“Testing several logos and selecting one that represents NGL’s values has been a valuable process. We chose a logo and messaging that promotes the ideas and values of NGL as a reliable, trustworthy leader who will be there for partners, policyholders and employees when they need it most,” said Jessica Grann, NGL Chief of Staff and Vice President of Brand and Corporate Communications.

Throughout the upcoming year NGL will update its digital platforms, marketing materials, applications and building signage.

NGL’s branding and messaging may be changing but that doesn’t mean the company is abandoning its heritage. NGL is writing the next chapter in its story – a chapter that builds on the company’s promises, strengths and innovation.

About NGL

Established in 1909 National Guardian Life Insurance Company (NGL) is an insurance company headquartered in Madison, Wis. Licensed to do business in 49 states and the District of Columbia, NGL markets preneed and individual life and annuities, as well as group markets products. Information about NGL can be found at www.nglic.com; Facebook: Facebook.com/NGLIC and LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/national-guardian-life-insurance-company.

National Guardian Life Insurance Company is not affiliated with The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America a/k/a The Guardian or Guardian Life.

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WPS launches MedEncentive digital health pilot; first trial to be sponsored by commercial health insurer

For WPS Health Solutions

DeAnne Boegli
DeAnne.Boegli@wpsic.com
Phone: 608-977-7343

For MedEncentive

Jim Dempster
jdempster@medencentive.com
Phone: 405-319-8454

WPS launches MedEncentive digital health pilot; first trial to be sponsored by commercial health insurer

Madison, Wis. and Oklahoma City – June 4, 2020 – In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, WPS Health Solutions, a leading not-for-profit health insurer in Wisconsin, and MedEncentive, developer of a breakthrough digital health service, announced a partnership today, to conduct a pilot of the MedEncentive Mutual Accountability and Information e-Therapy (e-MAIT) Program. The purpose of the pilot is to demonstrate the program’s health-improvement and cost-containment capabilities to health insurers, researchers, policymakers, and the general public.

Starting immediately, a subset of WPS’s employee health plan will be covered by the e-MAIT Program. Health and cost outcomes from this covered group will be compared to the balance of the WPS employee health plan, in a multiyear controlled trial.

“The COVID-19 pandemic is transforming how healthcare and health insurance will be delivered,” said WPS Chief Strategy Officer John Stephens. “Part of this transformation is the acceleration of digital health. MedEncentive has developed a promising digital health solution that we believe will improve health and lower costs. WPS is committed to being a health insurance leader in the post-COVID-19 era, and it is for this reason that we are proud to be sponsoring this important demonstration with MedEncentive.”

In a five-year study, recently published in the peer-reviewed Journal of Medical Internet Research and certified by the Validation Institute, the e-MAIT Program was found to be associated with significant reductions in hospitalizations, emergency room visits, and per-capita expenditures, which produced a large return on investment for the health plan sponsor.

“As the first controlled trial sponsored by a commercial health insurer, this pilot is an important step toward our goal of widespread and universal adoption of our program,” said MedEncentive CEO Jeff Greene. “WPS is to be commended for its leadership and commitment to excellence.”

About WPS Health Solutions

WPS Health Solutions is a nationally regarded government contractor and a leading Wisconsin not-for-profit health insurer. The WPS Health Insurance division offers affordable health plans and benefits administration. The WPS Government Health Administrators division administers Part A and B Medicare benefits for millions of seniors in multiple states, and the WPS Military and Veterans Health division serves millions more members who are active in the U.S. military, veterans, and their families. Wisconsin Physicians Service Insurance Corporation (WPS Health Solutions) has been based in Madison, Wis., for more than 70 years. For more information, please visit wpshealthsolutions.com.

About MedEncentive LLC

MedEncentive offers a health-improvement, cost-containment service to employers, insurers and governments, based on the Company’s web-based and mobile-enabled incentive system.  This patented system, called the Mutual Accountability and Information Therapy (MAIT) Program, has been proven to improve health and health care, and lower costs, an objective often referred to as the “Triple-Quadruple-Quintuple Aim.” What makes the MAIT Program unique is how it offers financial incentives to both patients and doctors for holding each other accountable for assimilating “information therapy.” To learn more, visit www.medencentive.com.

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