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HR and Organizational Leaders Must Collaborate to Build an AI Strategy That Enables Success and Mitigates Risk, Says Global HR Advisory Firm McLean & Company

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2 years ago

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New research from global HR research and advisory firm McLean & Company suggests that as artificial intelligence (AI) solutions become increasingly commercially feasible and available for organizations, HR and organizational leaders must work together to determine the potential benefits, risks, and applications for their unique needs or risk a low return on investment.

TORONTO, June 17, 2024 /PRNewswire/ – The surge of artificial intelligence (AI) advancement has left many organizations scrambling to adopt the technology to take advantage of the opportunities it promises before considering the necessary safeguards, skills, and capacities required for AI implementation. According to new research from global HR research and advisory firm McLean & Company, the HR division of Info-Tech Research Group, the success of leveraging AI hinges on the organization’s ability to develop a comprehensive strategy aligned with their AI maturity level, organizational value drivers, and strategic objectives to maximize value while mitigating risk. To support HR and organizational leaders in their efforts to take a holistic approach to crafting an AI strategy that prepares the organization for the future, McLean & Company has published its new blueprint Build a Strategic AI Roadmap.

“The AI strategy is the central point from which both technical and people-related AI activities originate,” says Lisa Highfield, Principal Director, Human Resources Technology and Artificial Intelligence at McLean & Company. “It provides the direction, guideposts, and priorities that inform the organization’s activities and enables a smooth execution to transform AI from an idea into reality. However, introducing AI technologies can create tension within an organization, considering there are often differing views, competing priorities, and large volumes of change. When HR and organizational leaders come together to build an aligned AI strategy, it significantly aids in the implementation and management of AI technology by ensuring that it aligns with broader organizational goals.”

The firm’s resource includes a breakdown of the risks an organization may face when adopting AI without a strategy, such as inviting unintentional bias, creating technological dependence, and increasing risk to data security, privacy, and confidentiality. When leadership collaborates to develop an AI strategy, several benefits to the organization are unlocked. These benefits include an aligned vision and mission to support initiatives, proper governance, higher digital transformation success rates, better value realization, and a path forward to mature the organization for digital enablement.

As many organizations struggle to know where to start when building an AI strategy, McLean & Company has created a four-step process HR and organizational leaders can follow to build a strategic AI roadmap and navigate AI adoption. The firm’s comprehensive process is available in the full resource, with a high-level breakdown included below:

Establish AI strategy scope. Establish a cross-functional AI strategy steering committee, understand the organizational value drivers, develop the AI vision, mission, and values statements, determine responsible AI guiding principles, and explore broader AI governance considerations.Assess AI maturity and identify maturity initiatives. Assess current and target AI maturity, explore AI dimensions and their relation to AI maturity, and identify maturity initiative opportunities for the organization.Identify AI use cases. Brainstorm ideas for AI use cases, record use cases related to each value driver with identified challenges and opportunities, and map the use cases by connecting them to organizational value drivers and initiatives.Prioritize initiatives and create an AI strategy roadmap. Build the AI strategy roadmap to visualize the prioritized maturity and AI initiatives and communicate across employee groups. Then, determine next steps and prepare to evaluate, maintain, and update the AI strategy as required.

Whether an organization buys AI-enabled applications, partners with an integrator, or builds a model from scratch, McLean & Company advises HR and organizational leaders that they cannot outsource accountability. Effective AI governance is necessary to use the technology responsibly, ethically, and within the organization’s best interests, which requires organizational leadership to work collaboratively.

To access the full resource, please visit Build a Strategic AI Roadmap.

To attend upcoming free webinars on a variety of topics or explore the publicly available archive of recorded sessions, please visit McLean & Company’s webinars page. 

McLean Signature 2024 

To register for McLean Signature, the premier industry conference for future-focused HR leaders hosted by McLean & Company from October 27 to 29 at the Red Rock Casino Resort & Spa in Las Vegas, Nevada, please visit the official Signature event page.

Media interested in connecting with McLean & Company analysts for exclusive, research-backed insights and commentary on generative AI in HR, HR trends in 2024, the future of work, and more can contact pr@mcleanco.com.

About McLean & Company

McLean & Company pairs evidence-based research and immediately applicable tools with deep HR expertise to position organizations to meet today’s needs and prepare for the future. The global HR research and advisory firm’s member organizations enjoy comprehensive resources, full-service diagnostics, workshops, action plans, and advisory services for all levels of HR professionals, from executive leadership to HR leaders to HR team members, that help shape workplaces where everyone thrives.

McLean & Company is a division of Info-Tech Research Group.

Media professionals can register for unrestricted access to research across IT, HR, and software and hundreds of industry analysts through the firm’s Media Insiders program. To gain access, contact pr@infotech.com.

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SOURCE McLean & Company

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XLCS Partners advises Concurrent Utility Services on sale to UniTek Global Services

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38 minutes ago

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July 23, 2026

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NASHVILLE, Tenn., July 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — XLCS Partners, Inc., a leading middle market investment bank, is pleased to announce that it served as exclusive M&A advisor to Concurrent Utility Services LLC on its acquisition by UniTek Global Services, Inc., a portfolio company of New Mountain Finance Corporation (Nasdaq: NMFC) and its affiliates, and BTG Pactual Strategic Capital.

Headquartered in Miami, Florida, Concurrent is a licensed general and electrical contractor providing infrastructure development and maintenance services to electric utilities, telecom providers, and land developers throughout the Southeast United States. The company’s capabilities span overhead and underground utility construction, professional telecom services, emergency service restoration, in-building networks, environmental services, and data center development. Backed by a safety-first culture and an experienced workforce, Concurrent has built a strong regional platform and a reputation for quality across the markets it serves.

UniTek is a leading digital infrastructure services provider supporting the expansion of fiber and data center connectivity across the U.S. and Canada. With over 600 employees and 60 locations, UniTek delivers a full suite of infrastructure services. The acquisition of Concurrent accelerates UniTek’s Power Services Division, which launched in July 2025 to broaden the company’s maintenance, repair, upgrade, and new infrastructure development services for the power sector. Concurrent’s established Southeast footprint and power capabilities directly complement UniTek’s existing broadband and data center infrastructure platform, positioning the combined company to capitalize on growing demand for resilient, modernized power infrastructure. Concurrent will continue to operate under its established brand, maintaining uninterrupted service for its customers.

“Selling Concurrent was one of the biggest decisions of my career, and Anthony, Jay, and the XLCS team guided us through every step with professionalism and genuine care for our people,” said Steve Sarno, CEO of Concurrent. “They stayed fully engaged throughout, gave us honest and thoughtful advice, kept our best interests front and center, and delivered an outcome that exceeded our expectations. I would recommend them without hesitation to any owner considering a transaction.”

XLCS acted as the exclusive M&A advisor to Concurrent, and the transaction was led by Anthony Contaldo, Partner, and Jay Cremer, Vice President. The transaction was completed on July 1, 2026.

About XLCS Partners, Inc.

XLCS Partners is a leading global investment banking firm providing M&A advisory services. Visit www.xlcspartners.com for more information.

Media Contact: 
Kendra Span 
kspan@xlcspartners.com
615-379-7783

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/xlcs-partners-advises-concurrent-utility-services-on-sale-to-unitek-global-services-302833542.html

SOURCE XLCS Partners, Inc.

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XLCS Partners advises Concurrent Utility Services on sale to UniTek Global Services

Published

38 minutes ago

on

July 23, 2026

By

NASHVILLE, Tenn., July 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — XLCS Partners, Inc., a leading middle market investment bank, is pleased to announce that it served as exclusive M&A advisor to Concurrent Utility Services LLC on its acquisition by UniTek Global Services, Inc., a portfolio company of New Mountain Finance Corporation (Nasdaq: NMFC) and its affiliates, and BTG Pactual Strategic Capital.

Headquartered in Miami, Florida, Concurrent is a licensed general and electrical contractor providing infrastructure development and maintenance services to electric utilities, telecom providers, and land developers throughout the Southeast United States. The company’s capabilities span overhead and underground utility construction, professional telecom services, emergency service restoration, in-building networks, environmental services, and data center development. Backed by a safety-first culture and an experienced workforce, Concurrent has built a strong regional platform and a reputation for quality across the markets it serves.

UniTek is a leading digital infrastructure services provider supporting the expansion of fiber and data center connectivity across the U.S. and Canada. With over 600 employees and 60 locations, UniTek delivers a full suite of infrastructure services. The acquisition of Concurrent accelerates UniTek’s Power Services Division, which launched in July 2025 to broaden the company’s maintenance, repair, upgrade, and new infrastructure development services for the power sector. Concurrent’s established Southeast footprint and power capabilities directly complement UniTek’s existing broadband and data center infrastructure platform, positioning the combined company to capitalize on growing demand for resilient, modernized power infrastructure. Concurrent will continue to operate under its established brand, maintaining uninterrupted service for its customers.

“Selling Concurrent was one of the biggest decisions of my career, and Anthony, Jay, and the XLCS team guided us through every step with professionalism and genuine care for our people,” said Steve Sarno, CEO of Concurrent. “They stayed fully engaged throughout, gave us honest and thoughtful advice, kept our best interests front and center, and delivered an outcome that exceeded our expectations. I would recommend them without hesitation to any owner considering a transaction.”

XLCS acted as the exclusive M&A advisor to Concurrent, and the transaction was led by Anthony Contaldo, Partner, and Jay Cremer, Vice President. The transaction was completed on July 1, 2026.

About XLCS Partners, Inc.

XLCS Partners is a leading global investment banking firm providing M&A advisory services. Visit www.xlcspartners.com for more information.

Media Contact: 
Kendra Span 
kspan@xlcspartners.com
615-379-7783

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/xlcs-partners-advises-concurrent-utility-services-on-sale-to-unitek-global-services-302833542.html

SOURCE XLCS Partners, Inc.

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Fathom Applauds Introduction of the FRONTIER Act, the First Federal Blueprint for Independent AI Verification

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38 minutes ago

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July 23, 2026

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Reps. Lori Trahan (D-MA-03) and Jay Obernolte (R-CA-23) introduce a bill to build a competitive marketplace of independent verifiers for frontier AI models.

WASHINGTON, July 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Fathom welcomes the introduction of the FRONTIER Act, the most complete federal framework yet for independent, third-party verification of frontier AI. The legislation is built to earn public trust as AI technology continues to accelerate. As frontier systems begin to take autonomous action in the world, the gap between what these models can do and our ability to keep them in check is widening. FRONTIER is the starting point to close that gap.

“AI governance keeps running into the same wall. The technology is hard to measure and it moves faster than any law can keep up with,” said Andrew Freedman, Co-Founder and CEO of Fathom. “Trying to write the perfect rules and freezing them in place won’t work. What will work is a competitive market of independent verifiers who are accountable for real-world outcomes and who the government can actually count on. The FRONTIER Act shows we can move fast and still get this right.”

The bill gets the fundamentals correct. It sets one public standard – the adequate mitigation of catastrophic risk – and holds both the AI companies and their independent verifiers accountable to it. FRONTIER does not freeze a single testing method into statute. Instead, it licenses competing verification organizations, allows them to sharpen their methods, and gives the government the power to revoke a license when a verifier’s work does not hold up in the field. That is how you build a system that keeps pace with the science instead of falling behind it.

Fathom thanks Reps. Trahan and Obernolte for their leadership, and for their courage in releasing a discussion draft, inviting scrutiny, and incorporating substantive improvements from across the field. One priority improvement as the bill advances: giving the government a fuller range of tools to act upstream – for pushing companies to close identified gaps in risk mitigation early, rather than only once a catastrophe is imminent. We are committed to working with these sponsors, committees of jurisdiction, and Congressional leadership to continue refining the bill in the weeks and months ahead.

About Fathom
Fathom is an independent nonprofit whose mission is to build a governance architecture that helps society navigate the transition to a world with AI by fostering trust, safety, and innovation. Fathom has developed and championed the independent verification model for AI and works with policymakers across the country to put it into practice. Learn more at http://fathom.org.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/fathom-applauds-introduction-of-the-frontier-act-the-first-federal-blueprint-for-independent-ai-verification-302833546.html

SOURCE Fathom AI Inc.

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