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Invest in Others Expands Board of Directors with Industry Veterans to Enhance Charitable Impact, Unveils 2025-2027 Strategic Plan

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BOSTON, July 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — The Invest in Others Charitable Foundation (“Invest in Others”), a nonprofit organization helping financial professionals support charitable causes in their communities, announced today that five industry leaders have joined its Board of Directors.

Joining the Invest in Others (IiO) Board are:

Amy Fritz, Executive Vice President, Head of Independent Channel, Strategic Account, PIMCO.David Michaud, CFA, Managing Director, Co-Head of North America Intermediary Sales, Eaton Vance Distributors, part of Morgan Stanley Investment Management (MSIM)Christopher O’Dea, Managing Director & National Sales Manager, Morgan Stanley Wealth ManagementTom Walrond, Senior Vice President, Divisional Director of the Eastern Division, Raymond JamesDan Zitting, CEO, Nitrogen

During its recent meeting, the Invest in Others Board of Directors also unanimously approved a 2025-2027 Strategic Plan, aimed at solidifying its position as the leading charitable foundation in the financial services industry. The plan seeks to amplify its impact on supported charities and enhance the financial services profession’s influence on causes they support. The plan comprises four strategic priorities: increasing impact, fostering community and industry engagement, achieving financial growth and aligning governance and operations.

“We are delighted to welcome these esteemed leaders to the Invest in Others Board of Directors,” said R. Barkley Payne, Executive Director of the Invest in Others Charitable Foundation. “We are confident that Amy, David, Chris, Tom and Dan will offer invaluable insights and guidance to help us achieve the objectives set forth in our new strategic plan. Together, we will continue to empower financial professionals to make a meaningful difference in the communities they serve.”

Amy Fritz leads a team of investment professionals at PIMCO focused on managing the firm’s relationships with independent and regional financial intermediaries in the wealth management sector across various product offerings. With tenure dating back to 2006, she previously served as a lead account manager in the wirehouse channel and has held roles within PIMCO’s sales and marketing divisions. Ms. Fritz is actively involved as a lead of the PIMCO Families employee resource group and holds a position on the board of The New York Common Pantry. She brings more than 15 years of investment experience to her role and is a graduate of New York University Stern School of Business, where she earned her MBA, following an undergraduate degree from Fairfield University.

David Michaud, CFA, brings over three decades of experience in the investment management industry and currently serves as a managing director at Eaton Vance Distributors, Inc., part of Morgan Stanley Investment Management (MSIM). He co-heads U.S. intermediary sales, overseeing both internal and external wholesaling across the firm’s wirehouse, independent, and RIA channels. He focuses on enhancing sales strategy, expanding key relationships and developing the distribution team while promoting client-centric solutions across various intermediaries. Mr. Michaud earned his Bachelor of Science degree from Syracuse University’s Whitman School of Management and an MBA from Babson College’s F.W. Olin Graduate School of Business. He is a CFA charterholder and holds Series 6, 7, 24, and 63 FINRA licenses.

Christopher O’Dea leads the regional sales teams, including the business development managers, at Morgan Stanley Wealth Management, overseeing the distribution of product categories such as alternative investments, consulting group, annuities and insurance. Before assuming his current role, Mr. O’Dea headed the capital markets sales and content teams across equity and fixed income. He joined the firm in 1998 as an institutional fixed income salesperson on the dealer sales desk in New York and holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Government from Connecticut College.

Tom Walrond supports complexes and branches in the East Coast at Raymond James & Associates. Previously, he served as Chief Operating Officer at the firm. Mr. Walrond began his career with Raymond James in 1998 as a branch manager in Philadelphia, attracted by the firm’s client-centered philosophy and culture of independence. He attended the Securities Industry Institute at Wharton from 1999 to 2001 and completed Harvard University’s Authentic Leadership Development Program in 2011. That same year, Mr. Walrond was honored as Raymond James & Associates Complex Manager of the Year. He earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration (BSBA) from Drexel University.

Dan Zitting, CEO of Nitrogen, is a seasoned SaaS entrepreneur and operator, with a passion for software that enables a bold vision, especially one as bold as empowering the world to invest fearlessly. Before leading Nitrogen, Mr. Zitting spent 13 years specializing in enterprise SaaS for governance, risk management, and compliance (GRC). In 2009, he founded Workpapers.com, an innovative cloud software for audit & compliance management, which was later acquired by Galvanize (then ACL) in late 2011. At Galvanize, Mr. Zitting led the company’s growth to become a globally recognized leader in GRC, acknowledged by analysts, investors, and customers worldwide. Galvanize’s acquisition by Diligent in a landmark $1 billion transaction created the largest GRC software company globally, a $650 million+ revenue SaaS enterprise serving 25,000 customers across 130+ countries. Mr. Zitting’s insights have been featured in top-tier publications such as Forbes, The Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg, Reuters, The Street and CNBC. Mr. Zitting earned his Bachelor of Science in Business Administration (BSBA) in Information Systems and Finance from Colorado State University and a Master of Accountancy from the University of Notre Dame.

About the Invest in Others Charitable Foundation
The Invest in Others 501(c)(3) Charitable Foundation aims to amplify, celebrate, and inspire the charitable work of the financial services community. Invest in Others is a catalyst to channel philanthropy and volunteerism to where it is needed most.

For more information, visit investinothers.org or follow Invest in Others on FacebookInstagramLinkedIn, and X.

Media Contact:
Sabrina Scarpa
JConnelly for Invest in Others
sscarpa@jconnelly.com | 973.309.0051

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SOURCE Invest in Others Charitable Foundation

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Achieve named to Az Business Magazine’s ’10 Best Places for Women to Work in Arizona’ for 2026

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Recognition highlights the company’s commitment to creating opportunities for women to grow and lead

SAN MATEO, Calif., July 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Achieve, the leader in digital personal finance, has been named among the 2026 10 Best Places for Women to Work in Arizona by Az Business Magazine. The annual recognition highlights organizations that create supportive environments where women can thrive professionally, advance into leadership roles and build meaningful careers.

The honor reflects Achieve’s ongoing investment in workplace programs that support employee growth, flexibility, leadership development and career advancement. Women serve in leadership roles across the organization and play a critical role in shaping the company’s culture, products and long-term success.

“Creating an environment where women can grow, lead and build rewarding careers is central to who we are as a company,” said Achieve Senior Vice President of Human Resources Heather Marcom. “We’re honored to be recognized among Arizona’s top workplaces for women and remain committed to fostering a culture where employees feel supported, valued and empowered to do their best work.”

Achieve maintains a major corporate presence in the Phoenix area, where hundreds of employees contribute to the company’s mission of helping people move from struggling to thriving financially. The company supports employees through leadership development opportunities, employee resource groups, mentorship and learning programs designed to help team members reach their professional goals.

The recognition adds to a growing list of workplace honors for Achieve. Earlier this year, the company was named among the Top 3 Best Workplaces for LGBTQ+ Employees by BestCompaniesAZ and was also recognized by AZ Big Media as one of Arizona’s Most Admired Companies.

“Strong organizations are built by diverse perspectives and inclusive leadership,” said Marcom. “We’re proud of the talented women across Achieve who help drive our business forward every day and grateful for the impact they make on our employees, customers and communities.”

The 10 Best Places for Women to Work in Arizona list is determined through a public voting process conducted by AZ Big Media and published in Az Business magazine.

About Achieve

Achieve, THE digital personal finance company, helps everyday people get on, and stay on, the path to a better financial future. Achieve pairs proprietary data and analytics with personalized support to offer personal loanshome equity loans, debt relief and debt consolidation, along with financial tips and education and free mobile apps: Achieve MoLO® (Money Left Over) and Achieve GOOD™ (Get Out Of Debt). Achieve is frequently recognized for providing top-rated customer experience and satisfaction by both consumers and leading personal finance review platforms and has 2,200 dedicated teammates across the country, with hubs in Arizona, California, Florida and Texas.

Achieve refers to the global organization and may denote one or more affiliates of Achieve Company, including Achieve.com, Equal Housing Opportunity (NMLS ID #138464); Achieve Home Loans, Equal Housing Opportunity (NMLS ID #1810501); Achieve Personal Loans (NMLS ID #227977); Freedom Debt Relief (NMLS ID # 1248929); and Freedom Financial Asset Management (CRD #170229).

Contacts

Austin Kilgore
akilgore@achieve.com
214-908-5097

Elina Tarkazikis
etarkazikis@achieve.com

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/achieve-named-to-az-business-magazines-10-best-places-for-women-to-work-in-arizona-for-2026-302833720.html

SOURCE Achieve

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National Press Club Statement on the withdrawal of subpoenas targeting New York Times journalists

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WASHINGTON, July 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — National Press Club President Mark Schoeff Jr. released the following statement:

“The Justice Department’s decision to withdraw subpoenas targeting journalists at The New York Times is a welcome and necessary step to protect the public’s constitutional right to an independent press.

These subpoenas should never have been issued in the first place. Compelling journalists to reveal confidential sources sends a chilling message to those who seek to inform the public and threatens the very foundation of press freedom.

Every American should understand what is at stake when the government turns its investigative powers on journalists. It is not routine. It is an extraordinary intrusion that strikes at the heart of the First Amendment and your right to information about your government.

The greatest danger was not the subpoenas themselves, but the message they sent: That sources could be exposed, that whistleblowers should remain silent, and that the American people might know less about the actions of their own government.

A strong democracy depends on a press that can report freely, hold power to account, and inform the public without intimidation.

We urge continued vigilance to ensure that journalists can do their jobs without interference and that protections for source confidentiality are upheld consistently.”

About the National Press Club

Founded in 1908, the National Press Club is the world’s leading professional organization for journalists and a leading voice for press freedom in the U.S. and worldwide.

Contact: Beth Francesco, Executive Director of the National Press Club Journalism Institute, media@press.org

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/national-press-club-statement-on-the-withdrawal-of-subpoenas-targeting-new-york-times-journalists-302833722.html

SOURCE National Press Club

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NCC Launches NCC Connect™ to Put Credit, Fraud, and Compliance Inside the CRM Dealers Already Use

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A powerful new solution that embeds credit access, fraud detection, and compliance directly into the dealership’s existing CRM — removing the system-switching that slows deals and exposes dealers to risk.

AUSTIN, Texas, July 23, 2026 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ — NCC, a leading provider of credit and compliance solutions for automotive dealerships, today announced the launch of NCC Connect™, a powerful platform that runs credit, fraud, and compliance from inside the CRM a dealership already uses — without friction or duplicate entry.

“Dealers don’t need another system to log into,” said Brian Skutta, President and CEO of NCC. “They need the tools they already have to work better together. NCC Connect puts credit, fraud detection, and compliance right where the team already works — inside the CRM they use every day.”

“Dealers don’t need another system to log into,” said Brian Skutta, President and CEO of NCC. “They need the tools they already have to work better together. NCC Connect puts credit, fraud detection, and compliance right where the team already works — inside the CRM they use every day.”

As deals grow more complex and fraud more sophisticated, dealers are juggling more disconnected systems than ever — the CRM, the credit system, the compliance tools — switching between them on every transaction. Each switch breaks momentum, invites a skipped step, and slows the path to funding. NCC Connect meets this moment with a single, seamless solution that keeps the full credit, fraud, and compliance engine right where the team already works.

Why NCC Connect Matters Right Now

Dealers lose time and margin switching between the CRM, credit, and compliance systems on every dealAuto lending fraud continues to climb, with industry fraud exposure reaching a record $10.4 billion in 2025, according to Point Predictive’s 2026 Auto Lending Fraud Trends ReportState compliance is tightening, with laws like California’s SB 766 (CARS Act) taking effect October 1, 2026Every disconnected step is another chance for an error, a delay, or a deal that stalls before funding

These pressures are forcing dealers to consolidate, and NCC Connect delivers the edge.

Product Highlights:

Inside the CRM — Soft-pull and hard credit access from all three major bureaus — Experian, TransUnion, and Equifax — without leaving the workflowFraud & Identity Built In — Identity verification and synthetic fraud detection delivered within the credit pull, flagging Red Flag conditions before the deal moves to fundingCompliance on Autopilot — FCRA and FTC controls with automatic, audit-ready documentation stored in the deal record99.99% Uptime — The industry’s highest, so the platform is there when a deal is on the desk

NCC Connect runs soft-pull pre-qualifications and hard credit pulls from any bureau or score model without leaving the CRM, while customer data stays inside the existing CRM structure. Every credit, fraud, and compliance result is captured on the deal record — giving dealers a single, audit-ready source of truth and a faster, cleaner path to funding.

NCC Connect extends the same powerful, credit-first engine behind NCC’s Complete Credit™ platform into the CRM where dealers already work. For dealers, that means more approvals, stronger fraud protection, and faster funding, without changing how the team works.

Learn more about NCC Connect at https://nccdirect.com/ncc-connect/

About NCC:

With offices in Austin, TX, Bettendorf, IA, and Las Vegas, NV, NCC has been a trusted partner in credit-driven retailing for automotive dealerships for nearly three decades. We combine a powerful credit and compliance engine with a fully integrated Desking platform to drive maximum profitability. Our focus on innovation, user-friendly products, and dependable systems — supported by a dedicated account management team — has solidified our reputation as a leader in the industry. www.nccdirect.com

Media Contact

Holly Smith, NCC, 1 8285732722, hsmith@nccdirect.com, https://nccdirect.com/

View original content:https://www.prweb.com/releases/ncc-launches-ncc-connect-to-put-credit-fraud-and-compliance-inside-the-crm-dealers-already-use-302832007.html

SOURCE NCC

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