Seattle Newspaper for the People by the People

Author

Admin - page 11

Admin has 356 articles published.

Craig Sweeny Keeps CBS at Top of the Charts

Craig Sweeny

CBS has been providing TV entertainment since 1927. This platform continues to provide content that fans love, from reality TV and fast-paced dramas to out-of-this-world science fiction. CBS relies on its writers and producers to provide content that fans will love. One producer that the network has relied on for almost two decades is Craig Sweeny, an American screenwriter and television producer. The bulk of his career has been dedicated to CBS studios. He started as a staff writer and has become an executive producer for many of the network’s high-ranking productions.

His Career

Craig Sweeny started his career as a staff writer for the television drama “The 4400.” This science fiction television series ran for four seasons from July 12, 2004, to September 16, 2007. This show followed a group of 4,400 individuals who appear in the Cascade Range foothills in a ball of light. These individuals had previously disappeared in a beam of light dating back to 1946. Regardless of disappearance time, none of them age. They also can’t remember what happened to them. It is soon discovered they possess different paranormal abilities, making them a focus of government attention.

Following his time on “The 4400,” he moved to another hit TV show. Craig Sweeny worked on the show “Medium” as an executive producer for six years. During the last three years on the show, he worked as a co-head writer. “Medium” is a supernatural drama television series. It aired on NBC for five seasons from January 2005 to June 2009. This show focused on the character Allison DuBois, a medium working for a law firm. She uses her abilities to help solve crimes.

Craig Sweeny also worked as an executive producer for the drama “Common Law.” This show ran for one season and was a comedy-drama featuring two dysfunctional detective partners ordered to take couple’s therapy. Sweeny moved from this project to “Elementary.” This show focused on the early casework of the famous Sherlock Holmes, and the first episode aired in 2010. It has long been praised for its creativity and quality storytelling. Sweeny spent over five years working on this British mystery-crime drama.

Sweeny is best known for his work on “Limitless.” Craig Sweeny took part in both the creation and production of this show. “Limitless” aired in 2015 as a TV adaptation of a popular movie by the same name starring Bradley Cooper. The TV series focused on the character Brian Finch. Finch discovers a drug that can increase his brainpower to almost 100%. This led him to work with the FBI to help solve complex cases.

Sweeny enjoyed the ability to be experimental with the show, pushing boundaries and adding to the procedural elements and expanding upon them. Though this show only lasted for one season, it is still enjoyed today on platforms such as Paramount Plus.

Sweeny also created and produced the show “The Code.” This was a military legal drama that premiered in 2019, but it was dropped after its first season. Sweeny has also worked as a consulting producer for the hit sci-fi show “Star Trek: Discovery.” The star trek universe is rich in exploring different people, places, and technology. This series has a devout following, and fans continued to be impressed by the latest installment. “Star Trek: Discovery” premiered in 2017 and is still going strong. It is the seventh series but begins a decade before the timeline of the original series.

Craig Sweeny has recently signed a new three-year deal with CBS Studios. He continues to prove himself as a vital creator and executive producer. He is on track to continue to develop new projects as well as work on existing series. He is currently developing a high-profile science fiction series for Paramount Plus as well as a crime series called “Know-It-All.” As a well-established producer for CBS, fans can’t wait to see what he comes out with next.

Work as a Mentor

Craig Sweeny loves to support other writers make their way into Hollywood. Since 2018, Sweeny has served as a volunteer mentor for the Veterans Writing Project through the Writers Guild Foundation. This project aims to identify individuals with a military background who have a passion for writing. This project provides tools and insight from professionals to help writers expand their skills and navigate the entertainment industry. Over a year, mentors will guide participants in developing a feature or pilot script. Mentors provide feedback, advice, and experienced guidance.

Family and Fun

Craig Sweeny dedicates much of his life to being a dad. As a ballet dad, he is always busy getting his daughters to rehearsals and performances. In his free time, he enjoys reviewing heavy metal music for angrymetalguy.com under a pseudonym. He also trains in martial arts and currently holds a purple belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.

Official Website: https://www.craigsweeny.com

IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1153843/

Craig Sweeny Interview NYCC 2015 with Jake McDorman

Black Creek Group Mexico – Corporate Profile

Black Creek Group Mexico - Corporate Profile

The Black Creek Group is an investment firm specializing in property management for individuals seeking informed advice for their real estate investment portfolios. The company is headquartered in Denver, Colorado, with satellite locations in Atlanta, Georgia, Newport Beach, California, Dallas, Texas, Rutherford, New Jersey, West Hartford, Connecticut, and Oakbrook Terrace, Illinois, which is a suburb of Chicago.  In total they have 9 offices across North America (2 in Mexico).

The Black Creek Group utilizes the experience of veteran analysts and traders, all of whom bring a unique perspective when it comes to analyzing market fundamentals and commercial real estate trends to formulate their investment options. They are entrepreneurial and hands-on, which means they can act quickly in assembling high-quality portfolios for their investors.

The Black Creek Group is among the premier real estate investment managers operating within the United States, with an average of $67 Million $/SF across 29 markets and over $22 Billion properties bought or built. The firm is diverse in its investments, with a keen knowledge of regional dynamics that better leverage an investor’s ability to enter top-tier markets in the following real estate investment sectors:

Industrial – Investments in quality bulk and last-mile distribution warehouses in both high-barrier entry and secondary markets that have long-term growth potential. They firmly established relationships in their markets, which offers unique opportunities to carry out transactions at a swift pace for their investors. They primarily invest in both Class A and Class B industrial real estate.

Multifamily – Investments in suburban garden and mid-rise communities with an average of 200-600 units and located in high-growth markets that have limited new construction in the immediate area. They are dedicated to expanding their presence in supply-constrained areas with solid demographic and strong fundamentals.

Office – Investments in Class A and Class B multi-tenant buildings in highly populated suburban locations offering convenient access to amenities, public transit, and a highly-skilled workforce. They provide best in class service for tenants in supply-constrained central business districts and suburban-central areas with diversified tenants.

Retail – Investments in well-placed neighborhoods and community shopping centers focused on grocery and needs-based retail. The goal is to acquire retail investments where in-person shopping is still strongly desired by consumers and located in densely populated areas that consumer traffic still thrives and continues to grow.

INVESTMENT SOLUTIONS

The Black Creek Group has six investment solutions to choose from and ranges from diversification to an exclusive solution that was previously offered only to large institutions but can now be provided to individual investors.

Black Creek Diversified Property Fund

This fund is a perpetual-life real estate solution that offers investors access to the industrial, multifamily, office, and retail property sectors in one portfolio with a monthly income.

Black Creek Exchange

This solution is allowed under IRC Section 1031 and 721, whereby an owner of appreciated real estate may exchange an investment property for the acquisition of high-value commercial real estate property.

Black Creek Industrial REIT IV

This is a finite-life real estate investment solution where investors can access private real estate, mainly in high-value distribution warehouses.

Black Creek Industrial Fund

This is a perpetual-life, core-plus private investment solution managed on behalf of certain industrial investors and focused on investing in mass distribution and light industrial properties in key distribution markets throughout the United States.

Build-To-Core Industrial Partnerships

In this solution, investors can choose to join ventures with institutional partners seeking advantageous risk-adjusted returns through developing and/or repositioning industrial properties located in key distribution markets throughout the United States.

PREDEX

PREDEX invests in institutional U.S. private core real estate funds and employs a low-cost, passive strategy that now provides private investors access to this option.  Previously, only pension funds, insurance companies, endowments, and foundations were able to achieve stability and diversification-of-portfolio benefits that are challenging to find anywhere else except through the convenience of an interval fund, which is how the PREDEX solution works. An interval fund is an investment company that periodically offers to buy back a stated portion of its shares from shareholders based on a net asset value and continually offer those shares at a price based on the fund’s net asset value.

BLACK CREEK MEXICO SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY PHILOSOPHY

Since its founding in 1993, they have strived to do the right thing for the communities they are involved in and work closely with. They have a deep commitment to minimizing their environmental footprint and creating a positive impact on the communities they operate in. They have a history of sustainability, which includes a continuous evaluation of their environmental impact and the establishment of strategies that benefit social efforts in the community. They operate their business in a conscientious and environmentally aware manner by being energy efficient, finding ways to conserve water, protecting local wildlife habitats, and prevention and reduction of material waste when building properties.

Fostering mutually beneficial relationships within the communities within which they live and work is a simple ambition. The Black Creek Group furthers this aim by creating jobs in the markets they have offices and where they own and manage properties. This is another example of the civic-minded philosophies that drive the Black Creek Group to create a more positive impact in the day-to-day operation of their business transactions. They have cultivated a work culture that promotes employee health and well-being and even pays their employees for taking time off for community activities and volunteering at local charities and events.

Additionally, the Black Creek Group has proven its commitment to corporate social responsibility by placing great emphasis on the importance of ethics and proper business conduct by maintaining a global anti-corruption policy and through their corporate governance initiatives.

Follow on Twitter: https://twitter.com/BlackCreekGroup

Joe Biden Wins! Victory Celebration Photos – Capitol Hill Seattle

Joe Biden President-Elect

We have a new president-elect and his name is Joe Biden. It was an emotional night for many to say the least. During Joe Biden’s victory speech, you could feel the inspiration in the air and a united front that could be felt among his supporters. On a night that will go down in history, many stood tall and proud. As the flag of our nation waved in all of it’s glory, you could hear the honking of horns, dancing, and the yells of victory in the streets. Families hugging in rejoice while others stood quietly with tears running down their faces excited about what is next for our great country.

For many, it was 4 years of heartbreak, wrong decisions, and a lot division. President Trump did have his supporters, however, who felt he took chances and was different from the established politicians that came before him and much more. With that being said, it was not surprising to hear that on Election Day, voters came out in volumes that have never been seen before to cast their vote with emotion and certainty for their wanted candidate. No other election in our nations history experienced such a popular and dramatic turnout. While there is controversy, 145 million people voted between the two candidates. One thing is certain, however, our next 46th President will be Joe Biden. His inauguration will be in January 2021.

When Joe Biden was officially named the president-elect and winner, Seattle residents came to the streets to rejoice.

Jack Lambert captured some amazing photos of the celebrations on Capitol Hill. Mr. Lambert really captured the energy and feeling of the people in the streets. As you can tell, it was an amazing moment in history. If you’d like to reach Jack Lambert or see more of his work visit: https://www.lambertlens.xyz/

Photos by: Jack Lambert/lambertlens.xyz

Jeffrey Schottenstein Biography

Jeffrey Schottenstein

Jeffrey Schottenstein was born and raised in Columbus, Ohio, to Jay and Jeanie Schottenstein, a family with generations of experience in the apparel industry. His father, Jay Schottenstein, served as Chairman and CEO of Schottenstein Stores Corporation, American Eagle Outfitters, and American Signature. His grandfather, Jerome Schottenstein, helped to establish the Schottenstein Stores Corporation, along with other family members. Due to their success, the Schottensteins have been able to secure a future for their family and improve the lives of many in their community. Jeffrey grew up learning all he could from his father concerning retail and business. His grandfather was another important role model and the inspiration behind many of Jeffrey Schottenstein’s philanthropic endeavors.

Throughout his life, Jeffrey not only mastered the business world of retail but also learned the importance of giving back to his community, as his family has long supported different charitable organizations. Jeffrey has continued this mission by supporting groups with values close to his family’s hearts, as well as other groups working to better the lives of those less fortunate. His parents established the Jay and Jeanie Schottenstein Foundation, a foundation that supports Jewish causes through private grantmaking. Giving back to the Jewish community has always been an important family focus, and this foundation gives almost exclusively to Jewish culture and religious organizations.

Carving His Own Path

Coming from a well-established family such as the Schottensteins, Jeffrey Schottenstein knew he wanted to keep his family’s legacy alive, especially through philanthropic work. While he stayed close to his roots by continuing to work in the retail industry, he also started to branch out to support efforts that mattered to him. It was important to Jeffrey that he continues to carry out the passions of his family, but it was also important to stay true to himself.

Jeffrey Schottenstein was raised to not only be a smart businessman but also to share his success by giving back to the community whenever possible. In high school, he volunteered much of his time at Chabad’s Friendship Circle Program and helped to double their number of volunteers through his dedication to the cause. He found a passion early on for helping children that require special support services and people of all ages experiencing mental health issues.

In 2011, Jeffrey Schottenstein founded TACKMA, a clothing apparel line designed to bring greater awareness to mental health issues and give back to communities in need. Much of Jeffrey Schottenstein’s work is centered around his community of Columbus, OH, which is where this storefront is located. He developed TACKMA so people of all shapes, sizes, and backgrounds could feel comfortable in their skin and show off their unique personalities through high-quality products. The mission of this brand is to foster self-expression and empower people with the confidence to do things their way.

TACKMA is an acronym created by Schottenstein that stands for “They All Can Kiss My Ass,” a cheeky statement that emphasizes finding happiness in yourself without worrying about what other people have to say. Even before the brand was completely realized, Schottenstein had this acronym custom engraved into a pair of Nikes as a reminder to stay true to himself. This brand was created for the underdogs or those that society may be quick to overlook or judge. Encouraging self-love among these people has been one of the driving philosophies in his life.

Jeffrey Schottenstein is a long-time contributor to LifeTown Columbus, a one-of-a-kind facility run by Lori Schottenstein Chabad Center in New Albany. Designed to imitate a small city, Life Town provides children with special needs the opportunity to learn about real-world scenarios in fun and engaging ways. It offers a safe, nurturing environment in which specially trained volunteers help children acquire the skills they need to thrive, from socialization to fiscal responsibility. When COVID-19 impacted the work that LifeTown was able to provide, the facility adapted by creating LifeTown on the Go to serve Central Ohio students virtually. Jeffrey Schottenstein donated $100,000 to this new program and was honored for his advocacy and contributions to helping children at the 2021 Annual Lifetown Legends Luncheon.

Recently, Jeffrey Schottenstein and his family have pledged $10.15 million for the endowment of a new chair at the Ohio State University College of Medicine in Columbus. The goal of this contribution is to create a new comprehensive mental health wellness program, the Jeffrey Schottenstein Program for Resilience. Jeffrey remembers his struggles as a college student at Ohio State, dealing with anxiety, depression, and OCD. He felt alone, not realizing that many of his peers were experiencing the same issues. This stigma attached to mental health issues creates a sense of isolation that is common among students and creates a serious barrier to seeking help.

Jeffrey created the Program for Resilience to ensure students have access to a reliable, 24/7 support system. This program will help students address their mental health issues, overcome their obstacles, and build the foundation for a happy, successful future. It will teach them valuable coping skills that build cognitive and emotional resilience, so they feel confident to handle any challenges they face throughout their education and later after they graduate. The program will be led by Dr. Luan Phan, a well-known leader in psychiatry who has made cutting-edge neuroscience discoveries associated with resilience and mental health. It should be formally approved in November.

Jeffrey Schottenstein At TACKMA displaying apparel. CREDIT: TACKMA via Instagram

Jeffrey Schottenstein continues to integrate his passion for apparel with his love of helping his community. His line, TACKMA, has gained increased attention due to celebrity endorsements. LeBron James has been spotted wearing the TACKMA brand and supports the overall message and goals of the company. Jeffrey Schottenstein is excited to see the growth and adaptation of the Jeffrey Schottenstein Program for Resilience at Ohio State University. As an alumnus, he looks forward to helping his alma mater better cater to the needs of a diverse student body. He strongly believes that through this program, many more students can achieve academic success that will translate to future success in their adult lives.

Follow Jeffrey Schottenstein on LinkedIn

South Seattle Digital Equity Program Building Our Bridge Adapts its Program During COVID-19

South Seattle Digital Equity Program Building Our Bridge. Programming now includes teleconferencing and Zoom.

South Seattle Digital Equity Program Building Our Bridge Adapts its Program During COVID-19 Seattle Housing Authority resident-led digital equity initiative Building Our Bridge is well into its second year of administering in-language basic technology skills training and informational sessions in Vietnamese, Oromo, and Somali to residents of SHA’s Rainier Vista community. We have recently launched our Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/BuildingOurBridgeProject/.

Building Our Bridge works in partnership with the community we serve by consulting with immigrant and refugee tenants in shaping the services we provide. As a digital equity initiative developed and managed by SHA residents, we are uniquely equipped to serve the community we are a part of. Building Our Bridge is a recipient of two City of Seattle Technology Matching Fund grants, and during our pilot year we offered basic computer skills classes at Rainier Vista through a mobile computer lab loaned to us by Full Life Care and a curriculum shared by the Seattle Public Library. We pivoted during COVID-19 to offer 1:1 technology training over the telephone.

Our programming includes teleconferencing and Zoom, to support participants in communicating safely with family, friends, and neighbors during social distancing, and to equip them to join virtual, in-language informational sessions on health & wellness, employment, and civic engagement. Students learn online Census and voter registration as practical applications of the email and internet skills we teach, and next year we will include Schoology to support parents whose children are learning remotely. Schoology is an on-line technology resource which helps teachers communicate with families and students about day-to-day coursework.

Next year we will introduce social media to our curriculum and equip residents to participate on our newly created Facebook page. In 2020 we partnered with professionals and organizations to offer Vietnamese, Oromo, Somali, and English informational sessions on COVID-19, Census & voting, employment & training, Seattle labor standards, and unemployment insurance. These sessions are open to the public and are publicized through the Community Services Division of the Seattle Housing Authority and our network of organizations serving East Africans and Southeast Asians. Recordings of our informational sessions can be found on our Facebook page. In addition to partnering with the Seattle Housing Authority and fiscal sponsor Seattle Neighborhood Group in 2018, we partnered with Seattle Jobs Initiative and the Seattle Public Library in 2020. Seattle Jobs Initiative provides us with presenters on employment issues, and we provide Vietnamese, Oromo, and Somali In-Language Navigators for the Library’s Your Next Job service. Your Next Job is for job seekers with basic skills, and Navigators help patrons who have limited English proficiency to navigate online resources.

The Your Next Job service is also available in Amharic, Arabic, Korean, Tigrinya, Spanish, Russian, and Chinese, and interested patrons can fill out an intake form at http://www.spl.org/yournextjob or call the Library at 206-386-4636. We welcome community members to participate on our project team to help shape and vision the project.

For more information, please contact Elizabeth Kennedy at ekbuildingourbridge@gmail.com. We would like to thank the following individuals for partnering with us in 2020 to offer virtual, in-language informational sessions:

COVID-19 Vietnamese – Dr. Tuyet-Hanh Hoang

D.O. Oromo – Robera Aleye

ARNP Family Medicine English – Rachel Wang Martínez, MHA, BSN, RN-BC

Director of Nursing Neighborcare Census & Voting Staff Training – Linh Thai, City Impact Manager

The Mission Continues Vietnamese – Linh Thai, City Impact Manager

The Mission Continue Oromo, Somali & English – Maya Manus, Advocacy & Civic Engagement Coordinator

Urban League of Greater Seattle Seattle Labor Standards Oromo – Ahmed Abdi, Engagement Specialist

Seattle Office of Labor Standards Employment & Training Somali – Abdirahman Hashi

Workforce Professional and Community Relations Consultant Unemployment Vietnamese – Linh Tran, Employment & Training Specialist

Asian Counseling & Referral Services English – Linda Helenberg,

Seattle Jobs Initiative Coordination – Kevin Osborne, Interim Director of Operations, Seattle Jobs Initiative

Will Floersheimer

Will Floersheimer

Will Floersheimer was a JP Morgan associate supporting an impressive and diverse $70 billion multi-asset portfolio. This is a brief biography of the young financier who served at one of the US’ most prominent banks, including his background, education, and interests.

Early Life

Will Floersheimer was born in New York City but spent most of his childhood in Greenwich, Connecticut – a quintessential and idyllic suburban upbringing with his two siblings, being the middle child between an older sister and younger brother. He attended the prestigious preparatory academy for boys, Brunswick School, from preschool through graduating high school. At the varsity level, Will was very involved in the school’s well-established sports programs, including soccer, lacrosse, and paddle tennis. Will Floersheimer is one of the grandchildren of Dr. Stephen Floersheimer who created the Floersheimer Institute.

Will also developed a passion for philanthropy, languages, and the humanities during high school, which he has carried on through his life and career. He is fluent in Spanish and Italian and received humanitarian awards for his achievements in the languages during high school. In the realm of charitable efforts, Will and several high school friends started the Blue Blazer Fund – a registered 501c3 that sold gently-used blazers with proceeds going to youth in Netanya, Israel. Through sales, fundraising, and grants, the young men were able to raise around a quarter of a million dollars for Israeli youth. Will often donates his time to The Lord’s Place in South Florida. They have been operating for over 40 years focusing on helping to combat homelessness.

College

After Brunswick School, Will Floersheimer was accepted to the well-regarded Marshall School of Business at the University of Southern California, where he majored in business. Additionally, he played lacrosse and was actively involved in a fraternity. He served in multiple leadership roles at his fraternity, including those related to philanthropic efforts. In his free time, he avidly followed USC football. On summers off from college, Will diligently applied for and completed finance internships back in NYC and the northeast with plans to move home, including interning for Van Eck Global, a mutual fund/ETF firm specializing in commodities, and GoldenTree Asset Management, a distressed credit-focused hedge fund. In his junior year of college, though, he interned on the west coast at JP Morgan Asset Management’s San Francisco office. Following graduation, Will was hired full-time at JP Morgan’s New York office, fulfilling both the desire to work at a major bank and to return to NYC, where he was born.

Career in Finance

Will’s first two years at JP Morgan were spent as an analyst managing multi-asset portfolios on behalf of public and corporate pension funds. He was subsequently promoted to Associate and supported a $70B portfolio. Will was tasked with portfolio construction and asset allocation across public and private markets, fundraising new assets, as well as meeting with clients to deliver updates on their investments and commentary on the markets. He put his experience in high school and college to use in the realm of directly communicating with clients about market trends and in fundraising and philanthropic efforts for both the company and clients. As he is fluent in Spanish and Italian, he is an important asset for current and future endeavors with international client portfolios.

On his personal time, Will enjoys returning to the west coast for visits, spending time with his family, and continuing to follow college football, particularly his alma mater, the University of Southern California. He spends time with old friends for the holidays like (New Years’ & Halloween). His family is really important to him as well as giving back.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wfloersheimer/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/will-floersheimer-695a34203/

Personal Website: https://www.willfloersheimer.com

Photograph: Will Floersheimer in New York. Professional finance at JP Morgan.

Biography: The Life and Career of Woody Johnson

Woody Johnson Biography

Over the past several decades, businessman Woody Johnson has built a highly successful career. Not only has he seen immense success in the world of business, but as his career matured, he has extended his attentions to both philanthropy and diplomacy. Johnson has accomplished much over the course of his lengthy career and gives much of the credit to his life experiences and the support of his family.

Early Life and Education

From birth, Woody Johnson had strong ties to the world of business due to the family he hails from. Woody Johnson is the great-grandson of Robert Wood Johnson I, co-founder of the now-multinational corporation Johnson & Johnson. This has led many to deem Johnson the heir to Johnson & Johnson’s pharmaceutical, medical device, and consumer goods fortune.

Johnson was born on April 12, 1947 in New Brunswick, New Jersey. His parents were prominent philanthropist Betty Wold Johnson and Robert Wood Johnson III, former president of Johnson & Johnson.

While growing up alongside his four siblings in northern New Jersey, Johnson had the opportunity to attend the esteemed Millbrook school, a preparatory academy located in Dutchess County, New York. Later, he would go on to attend the University of Arizona, where he earned his degree. Throughout his teen and young adult years, Johnson spent his summers working at Johnson & Johnson.

NFL Ownership

After graduating from college, Woody Johnson swiftly went on to build a successful and well-rounded career.

Perhaps most notably, Johnson is widely known as the benefactor who purchased the New York Jets in 2000. Johnson purchased the Jets for $635 million, and the team would later go on to be appraised for $3.2 billion as of 2019. Johnson served as the acting owner and CEO of the Jets until 2017, when a career in international politics beckoned.

Currently, Woody Johnson co-owns the Jets with his brother Christopher Johnson. Although he eventually passed the CEO role onto his brother Christopher, Johnson is still involved with the team. According to Christopher, Jets insiders expect Woody Johnson to soon return to his role as CEO of the team. Once this occurs, Christopher will become the football team’s vice-president.

Political Career

Although Johnson had been involved in political fundraising for a number of years, it wasn’t until 2017 that he took on an international diplomatic position. Impressively, before Johnson took on this role, he had no diplomatic experience under his belt. Nevertheless, despite a lack of first-hand experience, Johnson has always had a strong passion for supporting US-UK ties, which he believes to be important to ensuring the long-term well-being of the United States. Johnson also has a strong interest in military history, and it is his understanding of the post-war partnership formed between the United States and the United Kingdom that reinforced his diplomatic beliefs.

His passion and interests placed Johnson at the forefront of those considered for a diplomatic role that would serve both the United States and the United Kingdom. In 2017, former President Donald Trump selected Johnson for the role of United States Ambassador to the United Kingdom. He served admirably in this role for four years, until his departure in January 2021 with the election of a new administration.

Philanthropic Efforts

Truly, it is not surprising that Johnson has invested so much of his own personal time and funds into philanthropic causes. Woody Johnson’s mother was Betty Wold Johnson, a renowned philanthropist who had a charitable career spanning many decades. In fact, Betty’s philanthropic work continued up until her death in 2020, at the age of 99. Certainly, Johnson has made an effort to follow in his mother’s footsteps. However, while Betty Wold Johnson focused her philanthropic efforts on the arts, a large portion of Woody Johnson’s charitable donations have funded critical medical research.

Notably, Woody Johnson raised money and lobbied in an effort to increase federal funding for diabetes and lupus research. In his efforts to support diabetes research, Woody Johnson served as the chairman of the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation. Currently, Woody Johnson is serving as the Alliance for Lupus Research (ALR)’s founding chairman. He founded the organization in 1999, after his daughter was diagnosed with Lupus. Since then, Johnson has worked to fund further research regarding the disease.

Johnson works prominently with the Robert Wood Johnson Jr. Charitable Trust and serves as a trustee. In fact, among current members of the Johnson family, he is the sole individual to be invited to serve on the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation board.

The Personal Life and Family of Woody Johnson

Woody Johnson has always been highly invested in his family life and is considered a true family man. 

Johnson first married in 1977 to Nancy Johnson, a former fashion model. The couple went on to have three children. However, they would eventually divorce in 2001, and Johnson did not remarry until a number of years later. In 2009, Woody Johnson married Suzanne Johnson, who is his current wife. Suzanne currently serves as the equities managing director at Sandler, O’Neill & Partners. With Suzanne, Woody Johnson has had two more children and now resides in Palm Beach, Florida.

Marc Kasowitz: Biography

Marc Kasowitz

If you’re seeking one of the strongest trial lawyers in the United States, it won’t be long before you come across the name Marc Kasowitz. However, aside from legal professionals, many may not know him. Who is this attorney with such a lengthy and hard-hitting career? Today, we’d like to give you a brief overview of the life and career of Marc Kasowitz, a partner at Kasowitz Benson Torres in New York City.

Upbringing and Education

Marc Elliot Kasowitz was born on June 28, 1952, to Robert and Felice Kasowitz. He has always had a close-knit family, including his fraternal twin brother, Stephan, as well as Susan, Marc’s younger sister.

His father saw success running a scrap metal business. Marc’s grandparents put this business into motion after they immigrated to the United States from their native Poland. Eventually, Robert would inherit this business after a lifetime of learning the ins and outs of the venture. This strong work ethic, passed from generation to generation, certainly had an impact on Marc Kasowitz himself.

Marc Kasowitz attended New Haven’s Hopkins School, where he was fortunate to receive a high-quality education from a young age. He went to Yale University, thanks to his dedication to his coursework and his strong desire to continue focusing on his education. From Yale, he earned his bachelor’s degree in American history.

However, earning his undergraduate degree wasn’t the end of Marc’s education—far from it. With a clear vision of where he saw his career heading, he went on to earn his JD from Cornell Law School. This eventually developed into Marc’s lifelong career, beginning his journey as an esteemed legal professional.

Marc Kasowitz Interview with Think Tech Hawaii

Career and Professional Accomplishments

Since entering the field of law, Marc Kasowitz has had a strong track record as a formidable trial attorney, more than capable of winning just about any case he puts his mind to. As such, this has led him to accumulate a long list of professional accomplishments.

Early in his legal career, Marc worked at Mayer Brown law firm. This is where he stayed until 1993, when he decided to help establish Kasowitz Benson Torres. Kasowitz Benson Torres is a highly successful law firm with a team of 19 accomplished lawyers. Two of Mayer Brown’s clients also left the firm to begin their partnership with Kasowitz Benson Torres. These partnerships would, of course, prove to be fruitful. Kasowitz Benson Torres quickly established itself as a strong firm with an impressive record of wins across the many cases they’ve participated in.

According to Benchmark Litigation, Marc has become one of the top 100 trial lawyers in the United States. This is far from the only recognition he’s received over the years. For instance, the National Law Journal also honored Marc Kasowitz as a Litigation Trailblazer due to his game-changing approach to his legal work.

Much of Marc’s experience lies in the realm of complex commercial litigation, where he has proven to be an invaluable adversary for every party he represents. His cases have fallen under a wide variety of categories, including banking, antitrust, corporate governance, and breach of contract. Marc has shown himself to be a versatile trial attorney, rather than one who restricts himself to cases in just one narrow area. Instead, he has dedicated his career to developing the broadest possible legal knowledge he can achieve—and he’s continuing to learn and grow to this day.

Marc Kasowitz has also directed a wide array of internal investigations on behalf of management, special committees, and boards of directors throughout his career. He has performed these investigations during instances of alleged conflicts of interest, corporate misfeasance, insider trading, challenges to board authority, market timing, accounting fraud, market manipulation, and even obstruction of justice.

So, what are some of Marc’s most impressive accomplishments as a trial attorney? There are more than a few of them, without a doubt.

One famous case that Marc has become known for involves Woodstock 50, a festival intended to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the original 1969 event. The legal battle was fought against a former financing partner of the large-scale event, Dentsu. Dentsu is a marketing and advertising company from Japan, which attempted to abruptly withdraw its financing of Woodstock 50. However, thanks to the strong evidence and points made by Marc, the New York Supreme Court ruled that Dentsu lacked the right to unilaterally cancel the festival, based upon the contract it had previously signed.

Another example of Marc’s courtroom prowess can be seen when he represented MBIA against Credit Suisse. In this case, MBIA was determined to recover for breaches of warranties and representations, all related to RMBS and insured by MBIA. Marc participated in a two-week-long bench trial after the case found itself in the New York Supreme Court. In the end, Marc proved that Credit Suisse breached representations and warranties. Consequently, Credit Suisse was found liable for more than $600 million worth of damages.

Finally, the third instance of Marc’s legal success occurred when he represented ACA Financial Guaranty in court. ACA Financial Guaranty is a large bond insurer, positioning itself against Goldman Sachs and Paulson & Co., a well-known hedge fund. This $120 million fraud suit occurred after Goldman Sachs and Paulson & Co. fraudulently induced ACA Financial Guaranty to provide a financial guaranty for Goldman Sachs’ own ABACUS CDO. This occurred when ACA was deceived about Paulson & Co.’s financial interest and role in this transaction.

Thanks to Marc’s argument (which he presented to the New York Court of Appeals) a fresh precedent was set on the standards for reliance in instances of fraud in New York state.

Marc Kasowitz has had a long and impressive career as one of the leading trial lawyers in the country. But, of course, several decades into his career, Marc has yet to slow down—he continues to thrive as a tough-as-nails legal professional, giving the parties he represents the most robust possible legal defense. So, who’s to say what he’ll accomplish next? It’ll be something big, that’s for sure.

Follow on Twitter: https://twitter.com/marckasowitz

Getting the health care you need during COVID-19

King County residents have been turning to medical virtual visits, also known as telemedicine, more than ever during the coronavirus pandemic.  While telemedicine companies have been around for years, the pandemic has led to a dramatic increase in virtual visits as primary care doctors, specialists and hospitals began offering the service as a way to help keep patients safe. 

Now that medical offices and hospitals are accepting patients again for in-person visits and elective procedures, you may be wondering if you should return to your doctor’s office or stick to a virtual visit.  Rest assured, your health care providers can help you decide what’s best as they work to ensure safe care for patients and staff. This includes changing the ways they deliver care like screening patients ahead of time to help determine if it’s best to go to a medical office or stay at home.    

In-person Visits

If it’s determined that an in-person visit is best for you, you’ll find that to reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission, many facilities are taking the following steps: 

·Screening arriving patients for COVID-19 symptoms and providing a mask and hand hygiene supplies before entering the center.

·Screening every employee for COVID-19 every shift and requiring them to wear masks at all times and appropriate personal protective equipment.

·Treating suspected and symptomatic COVID-19 patients in designated areas only.

·Promoting physical distancing with new clinic layouts.

·Cleaning and disinfecting exam rooms between each patient visit, and regularly disinfecting high-traffic and high-touch areas.

Virtual Visits

If you don’t require in-person attention, a virtual visit is still a good option. Many people are choosing virtual visits in non-emergency situations for routine follow-ups and non-life-threatening conditions. This option allows you to consult your doctor or other health care providers in your network via a secure video or phone appointment, all in the comfort of your home. Before your telehealth visits:

·Make a list of all the medications – prescription and over-the-counter – that you take and include the name, address and phone number of your pharmacy.

·Write down details about your symptoms, concerns, pain and feelings.

·Take digital photos of any injury, rash or other visible concern.

·Have your insurance ID card available.

·Use a phone, tablet or computer that’s connected to the internet. If you’ve never video-chatted before, consider a practice run with a friend or family member to work out the process and check the microphone and speakers. Headphones or ear buds provide better sound quality and more privacy.

·Have your home thermometer, bathroom scale, glucometer or blood-pressure monitor nearby. 

Many area medical offices offer both virtual and in-person visits with extra precautions in place.  In the Greater Seattle Area, patients and their caregivers who visit a physician who is part of the Seattle Medical Group (SMG) will have their temperatures taken while they wait in their cars, and then they are brought directly to the examination room.

Whether you choose a virtual or in-person visit, check with your health insurance provider to see if they’ve taken steps to help ease the burden during the health crisis. For example, Humana is waiving cost sharing (including copays, coinsurance and deductibles) for in-network primary care, outpatient behavioral health and virtual visits for our Medicare Advantage members for the remainder of the calendar year.

Getting the care you need is always important. Consider these options to stay safe and healthy. And remember, for life-threatening emergencies, such as chest pain, difficulty breathing, or suicidal thoughts, always call 9-1-1 or go to the nearest emergency room. Bottom line, don’t delay care because you are worried about contracting COVID-19.

By Richard Smith, MD, Intermountain Regional Vice President of Health Services Humana

James Gunn Biography

Screenwriter and Director James Gunn

James Francis Gunn Jr. (James Gunn) was raised in Manchester, MO and St. Louis, MO, after being born in St. Louis on August 5th, 1966. His father, James F. Gunn, was an attorney. He and his wife, Leota, raised six children together. The family raised their children in a Roman Catholic home, and James Jr. has stated that prayer plays an important part in his life. In terms of his feelings on religion, Gunn has said, “My personal take is that there is a role for spirituality in some people’s lives, and I think that a belief in God can be a good thing for a great amount of people…I believe faith and spiritual belief is a very, very personal thing, and if I started applying what I believe to everybody else it would be unfair to everybody’s individuality and I really hate that.”

After graduating from the Jesuit St. Louis University High School in 1984, James Gunn attended Saint Louis University and film school at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles, earning a bachelor’s degree from the former. Later, James completed his master’s degree at Columbia University in New York City, with a Master of Fine Arts in prose writing.

James’ career has included various work in music and screenwriting for film and television. He was the founder and lead singer of a band called The Icons in St. Louis in 1989. The band attained some success with two songs, “Walking Naked” and “Sunday”, which were featured in the film Tromeo and Juliet, but stopped working together in the mid-1990s. Other work he has done in music includes compositions for the films Movie 43, Scooby-Doo, and Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed.

In addition to composing music, Gunn first found success in the film industry with his screenplay for Scooby-Doo in 2002. With this hit under his belt, he went on to write the sequel Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed and the remake of Dawn of the Dead in 2004. In 2006, James tried his hand at directing, with the horror-comedy Slither. This film can be found on Rotten Tomatoes’ 50 Best Ever Reviewed Horror Movies.

After his short films, Humanzee! and Sparky and Mikaela in 2008, James did a short-form web series, James Gunn’s PG Porn, for Spike.com. That same year, there was a reality show on VH1 called Scream Queens, for which Gunn was a judge. On this show, ten aspiring actresses were competing for a role in the movie Saw VI. In 2010, he went on to release the dark comedy superhero satire Super, which starred Ellen Page and Rainn Wilson.

The year 2014 was a big one for James Gunn, with Guardians of the Galaxy, which he co-wrote and directed for Marvel Studios. After Jack Black and Dan Gilroy criticized the rise of superhero movies, James struck back with a well-versed Facebook post, in which he said, “…if you think people who make superhero movies are dumb, come out and say we’re dumb. But if you…think you put more love into your characters than…I do…you are simply mistaken”.

After finding this success in 2014, James went on to write and direct Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 in 2017 and then directed Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 in 2019. He was also hired to write and direct The Suicide Squad that same year.

James Gunn met his former wife, Jenna Fischer, through his brother Sean in St. Louis. Sean knew Fischer through plays he acted in with her in high school. James and Jenna were married on October 7th, 2000, in a ceremony where screen actor, writer, producer, and director Lloyd Kauffman gave a speech. Their marriage lasted for seven years, but, unfortunately, they announced that they were separating on September 5th, 2007, and divorced in 2008. The two still have a cordial relationship, and Jenna actually made the suggestion that Gunn hire her friend and co-star on The Office, Rainn Wilson, for his film, Super. Although he is not currently married, James Gunn has been in a relationship with Jennifer Holland for the past five years. He continues to work in the film industry and looks forward to his upcoming sequel to Suicide Squad, known as The Suicide Squad, which is slated for release in August of 2021. James Gunn Reveals Full Character List, Offers First Look At Action-Packed Pic – DC FanDome.

Social Channels:

https://www.instagram.com/jamesgunn/?hl=en

https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/james_gunn – Most popular movies by James Gunn.

James Gunn to Celebrate 55th Birthday with The Suicide Squad Release

James Gunn will celebrate his 55th birthday a day before his newest, much-anticipated project, The Suicide Squad, to be released August 6, 2021.

Though he hasn’t yet announced how he plans to spend the 24 hours leading up to The Suicide Squad’s summer 2021 movie theater debut, Gunn did comment on his experience writing and directing the film in a recent sneak peek trailer shown during DC’s virtual FanDome event. Regarding The Suicide Squad, or Suicide Squad 2, as it has been unofficially dubbed, Gunn stated, “This has been truly the greatest, most exciting journey of my life making this film.”

What a way for Gunn to celebrate this remarkable journey as a day after his 55th birthday, he will finally get to experience the crowds’ reactions to his work. David Ayer’s 2016 rendition, Suicide Squad, did fall short of critics’ expectations but still quickly became a fan favorite, particularly for those familiar with DC Extended Universe. Ayer’s interpretation raked in nearly three-quarters of a billion dollars. Though no clear predictions as to the success of Suicide Squad 2 have been made, fans of DC are anxiously awaiting its arrival to theaters.

The final cut of The Suicide Squad is described as a “gritty 1970s war movie” by producer Peter Safran. James Gunn’s take on the Suicide Squad crew is expected to take a darker, bloodier turn when compared with the Ayer’s version. It also features many new faces. Returning cast members include Margot Robbie as Harley Quinn and Viola Davis as Amanda Waller. Other familiar characters found in The Suicide Squad are Joel Kinnaman as Rick Flag and Jai Courtney as Captain Boomerang.

New to Gunn’s on-screen vision are familiar names playing unfamiliar faces, including John Cena as Peacemaker, Alice Braga (of Queen of the South fame) as Sol Soria, and Idris Elba as Bloodsport. Elba was featured in the FanDome sneak peek, shedding light on his own opinion of the film when he stated, “You kind of sit there and go, ‘How did they do that?’” Elba’s character, Bloodsport, is being introduced in The Suicide Squad as a member of Task Force X who attempted (and failed) to assassinate Superman with a kryptonite bullet.

Other DC Extended Universe characters to make an appearance in James Gunn’s Suicide Squad 2 include The Thinker played by Peter Capaldi, Michael Rooker as Savant, and Sean Gunn, James’ brother, as Weasel. Crafted to be a standalone sequel that does not require the viewer to have seen 2016’s Suicide Squad, The Suicide Squad contains characters hand-selected by James Gunn without interference or refusal from DC. A native of Missouri, James Gunn is a lifelong fan of horror and began making scripted films at the age of 12. Now 54 years of age, James is building upon his reputation for directing otherworldly films (such as 2006’s Slither and both Guardians of the Galaxy) with The Suicide Squad. Gunn is currently working on the third installment of Guardians of the Galaxy, which is rumored for a late 2021 or 2022 release.

James Gunn gets engaged to actress Jennifer Holland

Together since 2015, the director of “The Suicide Squad” James Gunn, and actress Jennifer Holland are officially engaged.

The happy couple made the announcement Instagram official during what appears to be a picturesque getaway in the mountains. James Gunn shared a photo of his new fiancé rocking a beautiful engagement ring on her left hand to his social media page, while Jennifer Holland followed suit, posting a photo of the pair to her account shortly after.

Thousands of people showed their support and offered their well-wishes and congratulations for this exciting announcement. Messages of love and joy poured in from their colleagues into their comment sections. Celebrities like Viola Davis, who worked with the couple in Suicide Squad and the HBO Max spin-off series Peacemaker, showed support. Additional happy sentiments came from other Peacemaker cast members Steve Agee, Star Trek actor Wil Wheaton, and Guardians of the Galaxy star Karen Gillan.

Though he took to Twitter instead of Instagram, John Cena (also a Suicide Squad and actor of the titular character in Peacemaker) went a step ahead of the rest. Not only did he offer his congratulations to the couple but may or may not have offered to preside over the wedding as Peacemaker himself!

Gunn and Holland were reportedly first introduced by a mutual friend, Michael Rosenbaum, who played Lex Luther on the popular series Smallville, which was a coming-of-age story of a young Clark Kent. Holland recalls the beginning of their relationship saying, “I just told him my whole life story.” On their first date, “we spent like seven hours together and that’s it. That’s how it started.”

Since the couple first started dating in 2015, they have not only been romantically involved, but professionally, too. James Gunn is famously known for writing and directing The Suicide Squad, Peacemaker, and the trilogy Guardians of the Galaxy. Jennifer Holland plays a national security agent, Emilia Harcourt in both The Suicide Squad and Peacemaker.

In season one of Peacemaker, Harcourt’s main objective was working on the black ops team to help fight against a butterfly-like parasitic alien species that has taken on human form. The mission was called “Project Butterfly” and required Holland to put her competitive gymnast skills to the test with stunts and fight choreography. Holland is also known for her roles in American Pie Presents: The Book of Love and her appearance in season two of American Horror Story.

The first time Holland and Gunn’s work paths crossed was when Holland acted and Gunn produced the superhero horror film Brightburn, which was released in 2019. The two were already a couple and even though they didn’t work directly together on this project, their professional careers together officially started here. It wouldn’t be until 2021, working on the blockbuster hit The Suicide Squad when the couple would finally work together as actor and director.

Originally, Holland’s character was only expected to be a one-and-done supporting role, but Gunn had a spark of inspiration during the pandemic. A creative surge led him to create the spin-off action series, Peacemaker. Here Holland would get to play Emilia Harcourt again and evolve the character even more than the couple ever dreamed before. Peacemaker, starring John Cena, continues the story of The Suicide Squad and has become one of the most popular streamed series of 2022.

Holland and Gunn have certainly stood the test of time. Some couples, especially in the entertainment industry, find it difficult to work together, but Holland says it’s only brought the two closer together. On working on the spin-off series, Holland said, “It was great. We had an absolutely amazing time. At the end of it, our personal relationship was closer for the experience. We got really lucky that we work really well together and it just works for us. Now they’ll have plenty to keep them busy with not only a wedding to plan, but their film and tv careers showing no signs of slowing down. Peacemaker was renewed for a second season and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is in progress. Holland is anticipated to be returning to season two of Peacemaker in her role as Emilia Harcourt.

This is Jennifer Holland’s first engagement, while James Gunn was formerly married to The Office star Jenna Fischer. Gunn and Fischer ended their eight-year marriage in 2008.

Recent News:

James Gunn Gets Engaged To Actress Jennifer Holland

James Gunn Not Pleased With ‘The Suicide Squad’ HBO Max Release

The Suicide Squad director James Gunn confirms the final cut of the DC movie is complete, eight months before its theatrical and HBO Max release.

1 9 10 11 12 13 36
Go to Top