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Sorenson will transition into the role of executive vice president, managing director and CEO, Associated Trust Company on February 1, 2025 GREEN BAY, Wisc . , Dec. 11, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Associated Banc-Corp (NYSE: ASB ) ("Associated") announced today the appointment of Heath Sorenson , MBA, CFP®, CFIRSTM, CTOP, to executive vice president, managing director, Associated Trust Company. Effective February 1, 2025 , Sorenson will become executive vice president, managing director and chief executive officer, Associated Trust Company and John Thayer , current chief executive officer and executive vice president of Associated Trust Company, will transition into the role of executive vice president and senior leadership advisor, Associated Trust Company. Sorenson joined Associated Private Wealth on December 9 , reporting to Jayne Hladio , executive vice president, and Associated Private Wealth president. He will assume responsibility for leading and managing the Associated Trust Company's delivery of comprehensive wealth management solutions. This includes strategy, revenue growth, technology, risk, operations, and compliance of Associated Trust Company. Sorenson will lead Personal, Corporate and Institutional Trust Services, Investment Management, Retirement Plan Solutions, and Trust Administration/Operations. "Heath's deep wealth management experience and talents strengthen our ability to grow through enhanced client experience, sales, operational efficiency, and high-performance teambuilding," said Hladio. "His fiduciary and suitability knowledge of trust and investment advisory boards, committees, governance, and regulatory agencies complements our people-first, 'One Associated' approach to advocating for our clients and communities." Sorenson possesses broad and deep wealth management knowledge with more than 25 years of experience, most recently with Midland States Bank as chief operating officer of Midland Wealth Management, Midland Wealth Advisors, LLC, and president of Midland Trust Company. He has led acquisition efforts in expansion markets and wealth verticals. Prior experience includes senior vice president of Investments and Capital Market Operations at AMCORE/BMO, registered principal/branch manager at Raymond James, and vice president/manager of Loan Servicing. "I am excited to join Associated Bank Private Wealth and Associated Trust Company to build on the incredible growth momentum Jayne Hladio and the team have underway," said Sorenson. "My wife, Tiggi, and I look forward to meeting clients and engaging with the community given our familiarity with the Midwest as life-long residents." Thayer joined Associated Bank in 2000, as chief investment officer, and became head of Private Wealth in 2021. In his nearly 25-year tenure with the bank, Thayer unified previously separate businesses into one wealth management entity. Leading a team of more than 300 professionals, he crafted the business' inaugural financial, operational, and growth strategies that drove nearly $150M in revenue within three years. Thayer guided the business through multiple crises and regulatory shifts while developing and recruiting excellent talent and establishing a new leadership team. "John's exceptional leadership contributions have helped Associated Trust Company grow into a regional powerhouse by deepening relationships, elevating our offerings, and creating value for our clients," said Hladio. "We value John's leadership in building this team and creating a Private Wealth culture dedicated to delivering excellence in our fast-changing industry. His advocacy continues as we proceed. We deeply appreciate John's years of service and look forward to his future contributions." Sorenson has a bachelor's degree in accountancy from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign , and an MBA from Northern Illinois University . Sorenson completed Northwestern University's financial planning curriculum and earned the Certified Financial PlannerTM (CFP®) practitioner designation. In addition, Sorenson is a Certified Fiduciary & Investment Risk SpecialistTM (CFIRSTM) and a Certified Trust Operations Professional (CTOP). Sorenson's primary offices will be in Wisconsin and Illinois . ABOUT ASSOCIATED BANC-CORP Associated Banc-Corp (NYSE: ASB ) has total assets of $42 billion and is the largest bank holding company based in Wisconsin . Headquartered in Green Bay, Wisconsin , Associated is a leading Midwest banking franchise, offering a full range of financial products and services from nearly 200 banking locations serving more than 100 communities throughout Wisconsin , Illinois and Minnesota . The company also operates loan production offices in Indiana , Michigan , Missouri , New York , Ohio and Texas . Associated Bank, N.A. is an Equal Housing Lender, Equal Opportunity Lender and Member FDIC. More information about Associated Banc-Corp is available at www.associatedbank.com . Media Contact: Andrea Kozek VP/Senior Manager, Public Relations 920-491-7518 SOURCE Associated Banc-CorpA new piece of technology for North Island College (NIC) seaweed researchers will help their work to support a burgeoning industry. NIC’s Centre for Applied Research, Technology and Innovation (CARTI) has received its new seaweed bioreactor. It provides a stable environment for producing kelp cultures and gives users more time to collect and nurture samples. Typically, opportunities to collect “sori,” or spore patches for kelp are limited to certain times of the year. Usually, it is about a two- or three-month window. “It’s very seasonal,” said Logan Zeinert, CARTI senior research technician. “That kind of limits your ability to try to grow kelp in a different season.” The bioreactors are easy to maintain, providing consistency and control over factors like pH levels, light or carbon dioxide, and they provide an environment with an extremely minimal risk for contamination. The modular design allows users to scale their operations. The investment was funded by the BC Knowledge Development Fund (BCKDF) as well as the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI), with BCKDF and CFI each contributing $200,000. CARTI obtained one of the large, 16-compartment units. The equipment provides the CARTI team with more control and certainty when it comes to having a reliable seed supply. Bioreactors are designed to support chemical or biological reactions. “For seaweed, in particular, you need a stable supply of seeds,” said Robert Roulston, founder and CEO of Industrial Plankton (IP), which produces the bioreactor. Based in Victoria, the company saw an opportunity and a need for aquaculture technology in the face of a changing environment. It started research and development in 2010, and it now supports clients in 35 countries, including over half of the North American-based shellfish hatcheries. “Over the past decade, I’ve seen the Western world’s interest in seaweed go from niche research projects to multiple companies scaling for commercial production,” Roulston said. “In my opinion, it’s the aquaculture sector with the most growth potential and also the biggest potential to impact climate change.” In 2022, the company adapted its technology to start producing bioreactors for newer players in an industry that produces both economic and environmental benefits. “We’ve already shipped seaweed bioreactors to five countries and are receiving inquiries from seaweed producers around the world. This industry is just about to hit its stride,” said Roulston. Seaweed is a growing part of this emerging “blue” economy, with the World Bank estimating seaweed aquaculture could directly and indirectly employ 150 million within 40 years. Already, IP expects to produce even bigger bioreactors for the seaweed industry. While most of the units go to commercial clients, they can be a valuable tool for researchers like CARTI. Zeinert expects the bioreactor could be used for future CARTI projects, such as focusing on popular kelp species in the province to come up with best practices for the industry. Another project could be to set up a biobank of historic kelp populations. “It provides us an opportunity to innovate and provide access to that equipment,” he said, which will mean benefits for the classroom. “It’s been a great training opportunity for us and our students.” Among its seaweed projects, CARTI has established a Seaweed Innovation Hub to investigate questions about seaweed seed production, optimize nursery parameters and innovate new methods of seed production for the seaweed sector in B.C.Braves urged to sign $152 million slugger if Juan Soto lands in the NL East | Sporting News
From Aidoghie Paulinus, Kyiv Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has warned Nigeria and other African countries against partnering with Russia, saying it doesn’t matter when Russian missiles will begin to land in the different countries. Speaking with journalists from African countries on the sidelines of the ‘Summit on Food Security – Grain from Ukraine,’ Zelenskyy said that when the time comes, it will not matter what kind of partnership the affected country has with Russia. He particularly said African countries will have a lot of problems with Wagner and Russia’s influence. “I think that they will have a lot of, to my mind, I am sorry, I don’t wish you, God bless you, it will never be. But I think that you will have a lot of problems with Wagner and with Russian influential politics in your country. It is about security and, as we know very well, it is a pity, but we know it very well. “When you are very dependent on Russia, they will come to you. And when they will come, it doesn’t matter what economic issues you will have, what benefits you have – energy benefits, chemical benefits, grain, etc., from Russia. “It doesn’t matter when missiles come to your houses, when your country begins to be destroyed backwards, when your children just, you know, die. It doesn’t matter what you have, what price you can reach. At this moment, it doesn’t matter what the price of petrol is in your country. Trust us,” Zelenskyy said. The Ukrainian President further said it is so important before the world, and that it is nothing that people are in the world except to protect human life. Earlier, Zelenskyy said the programme, Grain from Ukraine, is working really successfully and will continue to expand. “I want to thank everyone who makes this possible. “Today, important figures, important volumes are being announced here, which represent the most important thing – the real lives of people: children, families in different parts of the world. And it’s not just Europe, of course, which is very important for us. But Africa and Asia – the entire world. These are the countries that we have really helped: Ethiopia, Somalia, Sudan, Yemen. “Now there was a very sensitive video. It was Nigeria and Gaza and so on. Many parts of the world. And I am very pleased, and I want to express my gratitude. And I would like us to applaud the whole team, all the countries that provide all this – such support for people. They bring life to people. Thank you very much!” the Ukrainian President also said. He disclosed that overall, during the operation of the Grain from Ukraine programme, Ukraine managed to save 20 million people from hunger. “And this is solely due to one of our humanitarian programmes. “In total, Ukraine’s food exports feed 400 million people in 100 countries of the world. “Ukraine is one of the world’s largest contributors to food security. And we maintain this status despite everything. Despite this colonial challenge from the Russian Federation. This war is a war against the lives of Ukrainians, against our people, our families,” Zelenskyy further said. He added that the full-scale Russian invasion began, among other things, with the Russian fleet blockading Ukrainian ports. According to Zelenskyy, “This was the starting point. And Russia was well aware of the consequences of this. They wanted those consequences, of course, the terrible outcome for the whole world – not just for Ukraine. “They wanted global food prices to rise. And this was not just a desire for more money, more profits. This certainly is the case, and it was the case in Russia. But then it was primarily about power. If they can create a food catastrophe, it means they can subjugate a nation that is dependent on food imports – any food. This is an extremely sensitive issue for most African nations, for a significant number of people in Asia. And in Europe or in America, the question of prices is always a question of stability in this or that region. And stability is important for people’s lives.” The Ukrainian President also explained why the world needed to come together to defend food security. “That is why it is so important that we continue to stand together in defending food security, the security of food supply routes and other critical export goods. “Solely during the operation of the food export corridor in our Black Sea – from July of last year to this month – 321 infrastructure facilities in our ports have been damaged by Russian missiles and Iranian drone strikes. More than 20 vessels – ordinary civilian vessels – were also damaged in the strikes. And we are talking about other countries’ vessels. It is not about Ukrainian vessels. More than 60 targeted strikes were aimed specifically at food infrastructure. “Through this war against Ukraine, Russia has shown that there are no truly distant countries in the world. Everything in the world is now strongly interconnected. There is no distance. There is none. “Food prices in Egypt, Libya, Nigeria, and other countries of Africa and the African continent depend directly on the ability of farmers and agribusinesses in Ukraine to function properly. The speed with which we can clear our fields of Russian mines determines how quickly the food market can return to its normal stability. And here, of course, I would like to thank our people, our farmers – we have very little time for this gratitude during the war. First of all, we mention our priority – our army, and this is only fair. But I want to tell you: because of this war, because of the heavy mining of our lands, the large amount of land – we are talking about hundreds of thousands of hectares – a significant number of people were injured, but the farmers continued to work, continued to do all this, despite the technical lack of equipment in Ukraine to demine such volumes. I want to thank all the farmers, all the people in the world who have been fighting against hunger around the world. Thank you very much! “And for Ukraine, it is important to remind everyone of this on these very days, now, when we commemorate all the victims of the large-scale and artificial famine in Ukraine, the Holodomors of different times. Primarily the Holodomor of 1932-1933, which was orchestrated against our people by the then-Moscow authorities. More than 90 years have passed, but the memory of this in Ukrainian families has not and will not fade because millions of people died. We should certainly value every person, tens, thousands, hundreds of thousands. But when it comes to the Holodomor, it is a real genocide because millions of people died. “We have not forgotten that it all happened. And we must do everything to prevent Russia, again because of its colonial ambitions, or anyone else from creating similar catastrophes that happened in Ukraine – similar catastrophes around the world,” Zelenskyy concluded.Takeaways from Biden's Africa trip: Pardon of son Hunter overshadows official business
Unnecessary expenditure should be slashed: Chief Minister KarkiThe GCC Sustainability Innovation Hub, an initiative formed by leading GCC telecommunications operators, including Ooredoo, e&, Beyon, Du, STC, Zain, and Omantel, has announced the release of its first white paper, in collaboration with GSMA. Titled ‘Green Shoots: A New Model for Renewables from the GCC’, the document outlines the collective strategy and challenges telecom operators face on their journey toward net-zero carbon emissions. It provides a comprehensive overview of the operational, technological, and regulatory challenges that telecom operators encounter in achieving decarbonisation. The white paper also delivers actionable strategies to drive sustainable energy adoption within the telecom industry, positioning the GCC as a leader in telecom sustainability and innovation. Fatima Sultan al-Kuwari, Group Chief HR and Sustainability Officer, Ooredoo, said: “The release of this white paper marks a significant step forward for the GCC telecom sector and highlights the power of collaboration in tackling environmental challenges. Through the GCC Sustainability Innovation Hub, we are uniting as an industry to pioneer sustainable solutions, share best practices, and create a greener future for our region. “This is just the beginning, and we are committed to pushing forward with innovative projects that support our journey toward net zero and demonstrate the leadership role the GCC can play in global sustainability efforts.” The white paper highlights the urgent need to address high energy consumption in telecom operations, identifying that renewables currently account for just 20% of the sector’s energy. It also outlines the significant role telecom operators can play in enabling emissions reductions across industries, such as oil & gas, agriculture, and transportation through IoT and 5G connectivity. By tackling energy costs, which represent up to 20% of operating expenses, and deploying energy-efficient technologies, the telecom industry stands to improve profitability while supporting broader regional decarbonisation goals. The GCC Sustainability Innovation Hub, established as a collaborative platform as part of the region’s post-COP28 commitment to sustainability, is the first initiative of its kind in the region’s telecom sector. The hub serves as a centralised platform for developing and testing sustainable solutions tailored for telecom operators, encouraging innovation and partnership across industries. By pooling resources and knowledge, the initiative aims to create an ecosystem that fosters collaboration and accelerates the adoption of renewable energy sources. The operators involved in the GCC Sustainability Innovation Hub plan to build on this momentum with further projects and partnerships. By advancing renewable energy adoption and exploring innovative technologies, the initiative seeks to set a benchmark for sustainability practices in the telecom industry and inspire solution providers worldwide to join this critical mission. The full white paper is now available for download on the GSMA website.
“We’re aware of the civil allegations and Jay-Z’s really strong response to that,” NFL (National Football League) commissioner Roger Goodell said on Wednesday after the conclusion of the league’s winter meetings. “We know the litigation is happening now. From our standpoint, our relationship is not changing with them, including our preparations for the next Super Bowl.” A woman who previously sued musician Sean “Diddy” Combs, alleging she was raped at an awards show after-party in 2000 when she was 13 years old, amended the lawsuit on Sunday to include a new allegation that Jay-Z was also at the party and participated in the sexual assault. Jay-Z, real name Shawn Carter, said the rape allegation made against him is part of an extortion attempt. The 24-time Grammy Award winner called the allegations “idiotic” and “heinous in nature” in a statement released by Roc Nation. The NFL teamed up with Jay-Z’s Roc Nation in 2019 for events and social activism. The league and the entertainment company extended their partnership a few months ago. Kendrick Lamar will perform the Super Bowl halftime show at The Caesars Superdome in New Orleans on February 9. Roc Nation and Emmy-winning producer Jesse Collins will serve as co-executive producers of the halftime show. Beyonce, who is married to Jay-Z, will perform at halftime of the Baltimore Ravens-Houston Texans game at Christmas. “I think they’re getting incredibly comfortable not just with the Super Bowl but other events they’ve advised us on and helped us with,” Mr Goodell said. “They’ve been a big help in the social justice area to us on many occasions. They’ve been great partners.”
Vikings withstand Bears' furious rally, win on field goal in OT
Chelsea Manning and others arrested outside Speaker Johnson’s office in protest for transgender rightsWASHINGTON — The nomination of Pete Hegseth , President-elect Donald Trump's choice to lead the Pentagon , is under pressure as senators who would need to confirm him weigh a series of allegations that have surfaced against him. Hegseth's mother appeared on Fox News on Wednesday to defend her son, who faces multiple allegations that have emerged in the media about alcohol intoxication at work events, sexual misconduct and potential financial mismanagement. The Trump transition team was growing concerned about Hegseth's path to confirmation and was actively looking at potential replacements, a person familiar with the matter said. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis , who competed against Trump for the Republican presidential nomination in 2024, is being discussed as a possible replacement if Hegseth’s nomination does not move forward, according to three other people familiar with the matter. They were not authorized to publicly discuss internal deliberations and spoke on condition of anonymity. Trump and DeSantis appeared together on Tuesday at a ceremony in West Palm Beach to honor three fallen sheriff’s deputies. The Trump transition team didn’t immediately comment. Hegseth’s mother, Penelope Hegseth joined the “Fox & Friends” to discuss her son and a 2018 email she wrote him that was obtained by The New York Times, in which she confronted him about mistreating women after he impregnated his current wife while he was married to his second wife. That letter followed multiple allegations, reported by the New Yorker this week, of questionable conduct around female staffers. Hegseth also was accused of sexual assault in 2017, which Hegseth told California police at the time was consensual encounter and has denied any wrongdoing. Hegseth is a former Fox News host and a former Army National Guard major and combat veteran who deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan. If confirmed by the Senate, he would lead a 2 million member strong military — more than 17% of whom are female. The revelations have concerned some members of Congress. “I would do anything for my son,” Penelope Hegseth said in the TV interview. She spoke directly to Trump in the segment, saying her son "is not that man he was seven years ago.” She said she wrote the email because Hegseth and his then-wife were going through a very difficult divorce and “it was a very emotional time.” She said she retracted the email and apologized to her son about two hours after sending the emai.