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Personify Announces Rich Vallaster, CEM, as CEIR Research Council Chair for 2025

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Industry Expert from A2Z Events set to Guide the Next Era of Exhibition Industry Intelligence

AUSTIN, Texas, Feb. 5, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Personify and A2Z Events are proud to announce the appointment of Rich Vallaster, CEM, DES, as the 2025 Chair of the Center for Exhibition Industry Research (CEIR) Research Council. Vallaster, Senior Director of Industry Relations and Community Engagement at Personify, is a highly respected leader in the exhibition and events industry, bringing extensive experience and deep industry insight to this influential role.

Shaping the Future of Exhibition Industry Research

With an impressive background in event management, marketing, and research, Vallaster has earned the prestigious Certified in Exhibition Management (CEM) designation, underscoring his expertise and dedication to excellence in the field. As the newly appointed CEIR Research Council Chair, Vallaster will guide efforts to enhance research initiatives, foster collaboration among industry professionals, and emphasize the pivotal role exhibitions play in economic growth.

“We are incredibly proud of Rich’s appointment as the CEIR Research Council Chair for 2025,” said Scott Collison, President and CEO of Personify. “His leadership, strategic vision, and wealth of experience will undoubtedly elevate the Council’s efforts and strengthen the future of exhibition industry research.”

A Bold New Chapter for CEIR and IAEE

The International Association of Exhibitions and Events (IAEE) continues to expand its research division, and Vallaster’s leadership arrives at a critical time. Marsha Flanagan, M.Ed., CEM, President and CEO of IAEE, expressed enthusiasm for his appointment:

“We are thrilled to welcome Rich Vallaster as the 2025 CEIR Research Council Chairperson. Rich has been an exemplary volunteer leader, a sought-after speaker, and a dedicated CEM faculty member. His deep understanding of our industry will be invaluable as we transition CEIR into IAEE as a dedicated research division. CEIR has long been a leader in exhibitions and events data and analysis, and through this integration, we will expand our consulting services, deepen our industry insights, and enhance the resources available to our members globally.”

Vallaster’s Vision for CEIR’s Future

Accepting the role, Vallaster shared his enthusiasm for the future of CEIR:

“I am honored to be named Chair of the CEIR Research Council. I look forward to collaborating with my industry peers to further CEIR’s mission of providing valuable insights that will shape the future of exhibitions. The Council is composed of exceptionally talented professionals, and together, we will continue to elevate the importance and impact of research in our industry.”

Vallaster succeeds Jennifer Hough of Taffy Event Strategies and Trifecta Events, who made significant contributions to CEIR during her tenure. Her leadership set a high standard for the role, and she will continue to support CEIR as a valued member of the council.

About Personify & A2Z Events

Personify partners with associations, chambers of commerce, nonprofits, event professionals, YMCAs, JCCs and other organizations to help them bring people and ideas together. Our technology platform, combined with our professional service and support, empowers organizations of all sizes at every step of their journey. Personify’s integrated solutions enable clients to build reliable revenue streams and achieve greater success, and our partnership means they never do it alone.

Part of the Personify portfolio of brands, A2Z Events is a leading provider of event management solutions, dedicated to delivering exceptional experiences for clients and attendees. With a focus on innovation, efficiency, and excellence, A2Z Events continues to set the industry standard.

About CEIR

The Center for Exhibition Industry Research (CEIR) is a non-profit organization committed to providing high-quality, objective research on the exhibition industry. CEIR’s insights help professionals make informed decisions, drive growth, and maximize the impact of exhibitions worldwide.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/personify-announces-rich-vallaster-cem-as-ceir-research-council-chair-for-2025-302369348.html

SOURCE Personify Corp

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Lexar Launches the Professional SILVER GO microSDXC™ UHS-I Card

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V30 rating provides seamless 4K 60fps recording

SAN JOSE, Calif., Oct. 22, 2026 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ — Lexar, a global leader in memory and storage, today announced the new Lexar® Professional SILVER GO microSDXC™ UHS-I Card, a versatile storage solution designed for videographers, gamers and creators who need reliable, high-performance storage across their favorite portable devices with microSD slots. Combining fast data transfers, support for high-quality video capture and durable construction, the new card helps users spend less time managing storage and more time creating and capturing their next adventure.

“Gamers and creators are pushing their hardware harder than ever, from massive game libraries to hours of 4K footage. We designed the Lexar SILVER GO so their storage is never the thing holding them back.”

“Gamers and creators are pushing their hardware harder than ever, from massive game libraries to hours of 4K footage. We designed the Lexar SILVER GO so their storage is never the thing holding them back,” said Lizette Lynch, Director of Brand Marketing at Lexar North America. “With a combination of fast transfers, reliable performance and rugged durability, the SILVER GO gives users the speed and storage they need to capture, create and play with confidence.”

The Lexar SILVER GO microSD Card offers top-notch performance of max read speeds of 250MB/s and max write speeds of 180MB/s1. Users can reach max transfer speeds when pairing the cards with the Lexar microSD/SD Reader. With a V30 Video Speed Class rating, the Lexar SILVER GO microSD Card delivers smooth, uninterrupted 4K 60fps Ultra HD recording and keeps pace with rapid-fire burst shooting. The Lexar SILVER GO microSD Card is optimized for action cameras, drones and handheld consoles including DJI, Insta360, GoPro, Nintendo Switch, and Steam Deck2, to name a few.

Available in capacities 64GB-512GB, the SILVER GO microSDXC is built for durability, with features such as IPX7 waterproof, wearproof, drop-proof, temperature-proof, X-ray-proof, shockproof, magnetic-proof, and vibration resistance. The free Lexar Recovery Tool gives users peace of mind, helping users attempt to recover accidentally deleted files. Separately, Lexar products are backed by a limited lifetime warranty, subject to applicable terms and conditions.

The Lexar SILVER GO microSDXC is available through Amazon, with the 512GB available at an MSRP of $144.99, 256GB available at an MSRP of $84.99, 128GB available at an MSRP of $54.99, and 64GB available at an MSRP of $34.99. For more information, visit americas.lexar.com.

Lexar Professional SILVER GO microSDXC™ UHS-I Card Availability:

LINK: https://americas.lexar.com/product/lexar-professional-silver-go-microsdxc-uhs-i-card/

1 Speeds based on internal testing. Actual performance may vary.

2 All product and company names, and brands mentioned are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners. Their use is for identification purposes only and does not imply endorsement, sponsorship or affiliation with Lexar.

About Lexar

Founded in California in 1996, Lexar has dedicated 30 years advancing reliable, high-performance memory solutions and now operates more than 100,000 sales channels across six continents, serving over 100 million users in more than 70 countries. Its award-winning portfolio, from memory cards and SSDs to DRAM and mobile storage, continues to empower creators, professionals, and everyday users worldwide. For more information, please visit americas.lexar.com.

Media Contact

Media Team, Lexar, 1 6263720725, lexar@boltpr.com, https://americas.lexar.com/

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prweb.com/releases/lexar-launches-the-professional-silver-go-microsdxc-uhs-i-card-302916816.html

SOURCE Lexar

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Lexar Launches the Professional SILVER GO microSDXC™ UHS-I Card

Published

on

By

V30 rating provides seamless 4K 60fps recording

SAN JOSE, Calif., Oct. 22, 2026 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ — Lexar, a global leader in memory and storage, today announced the new Lexar® Professional SILVER GO microSDXC™ UHS-I Card, a versatile storage solution designed for videographers, gamers and creators who need reliable, high-performance storage across their favorite portable devices with microSD slots. Combining fast data transfers, support for high-quality video capture and durable construction, the new card helps users spend less time managing storage and more time creating and capturing their next adventure.

“Gamers and creators are pushing their hardware harder than ever, from massive game libraries to hours of 4K footage. We designed the Lexar SILVER GO so their storage is never the thing holding them back.”

“Gamers and creators are pushing their hardware harder than ever, from massive game libraries to hours of 4K footage. We designed the Lexar SILVER GO so their storage is never the thing holding them back,” said Lizette Lynch, Director of Brand Marketing at Lexar North America. “With a combination of fast transfers, reliable performance and rugged durability, the SILVER GO gives users the speed and storage they need to capture, create and play with confidence.”

The Lexar SILVER GO microSD Card offers top-notch performance of max read speeds of 250MB/s and max write speeds of 180MB/s1. Users can reach max transfer speeds when pairing the cards with the Lexar microSD/SD Reader. With a V30 Video Speed Class rating, the Lexar SILVER GO microSD Card delivers smooth, uninterrupted 4K 60fps Ultra HD recording and keeps pace with rapid-fire burst shooting. The Lexar SILVER GO microSD Card is optimized for action cameras, drones and handheld consoles including DJI, Insta360, GoPro, Nintendo Switch, and Steam Deck2, to name a few.

Available in capacities 64GB-512GB, the SILVER GO microSDXC is built for durability, with features such as IPX7 waterproof, wearproof, drop-proof, temperature-proof, X-ray-proof, shockproof, magnetic-proof, and vibration resistance. The free Lexar Recovery Tool gives users peace of mind, helping users attempt to recover accidentally deleted files. Separately, Lexar products are backed by a limited lifetime warranty, subject to applicable terms and conditions.

The Lexar SILVER GO microSDXC is available through Amazon, with the 512GB available at an MSRP of $144.99, 256GB available at an MSRP of $84.99, 128GB available at an MSRP of $54.99, and 64GB available at an MSRP of $34.99. For more information, visit americas.lexar.com.

Lexar Professional SILVER GO microSDXC™ UHS-I Card Availability:

LINK: https://americas.lexar.com/product/lexar-professional-silver-go-microsdxc-uhs-i-card/

1 Speeds based on internal testing. Actual performance may vary.

2 All product and company names, and brands mentioned are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners. Their use is for identification purposes only and does not imply endorsement, sponsorship or affiliation with Lexar.

About Lexar

Founded in California in 1996, Lexar has dedicated 30 years advancing reliable, high-performance memory solutions and now operates more than 100,000 sales channels across six continents, serving over 100 million users in more than 70 countries. Its award-winning portfolio, from memory cards and SSDs to DRAM and mobile storage, continues to empower creators, professionals, and everyday users worldwide. For more information, please visit americas.lexar.com.

Media Contact

Media Team, Lexar, 1 6263720725, lexar@boltpr.com, https://americas.lexar.com/

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prweb.com/releases/lexar-launches-the-professional-silver-go-microsdxc-uhs-i-card-302916816.html

SOURCE Lexar

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Racquel Oden to Receive The ELC’s 2026 Achievement Award for Leadership in Financial Services and Expanding Opportunity

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HSBC executive recognized for a career building businesses, developing talent, and widening access to wealth and financial prosperity

WASHINGTON, Oct. 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — The Executive Leadership Council (ELC) will honor Racquel Oden, HSBC’s U.S. Head of International Wealth and Premier Banking and Private Banking, with the 2026 ELC Achievement Award at The ELC Recognition Gala on October 30, 2026, at the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center in National Harbor, Maryland.

With more than 25 years of financial services experience, Oden has built a career at the intersection of business growth, client leadership, and talent development. At HSBC, she leads businesses serving affluent and globally connected clients in the United States, bringing a client-first approach to one of the world’s largest financial services organizations.

“Racquel brings a rare combination of commercial discipline and genuine investment in people,” said Michael C. Hyter, President and CEO of The Executive Leadership Council. “She understands that leadership is measured in business results, certainly, but also in the people you prepare for greater responsibility and the doors you make easier for others to open. Her career reflects the kind of enterprise leadership The ELC has championed for 40 years.”

Oden’s career spans some of the world’s most prominent financial institutions. Prior to HSBC, she served as a Managing Director at JPMorgan Chase, where she led Network Expansion and held leadership roles across national sales, Consumer Banking and Wealth Management. She previously spent eight years at Merrill Lynch in several Managing Director roles and more than a decade at UBS in senior leadership positions. She began her Wall Street career in equity trading at Morgan Stanley.

Throughout that journey, Oden has described her leadership philosophy as one rooted in service and in helping people become the strongest versions of themselves. That philosophy also informs her work to expand access to wealth, opportunity, and financial fluency.

Her leadership extends across corporate and civic institutions. Oden serves on the corporate board of National Life Group and chairs the Board of Directors of the Thurgood Marshall College Fund. She also serves on the boards of the Apollo Theater and the New York City Police Foundation.

Her honors include the National Urban League’s 2026 Women of Power award and recognition among Barron’s Most Influential Women in Finance, American Banker’s Most Powerful Women in Finance and Forbes’ 50 Over 50.

Oden holds a Bachelor of Arts from James Madison University and an MBA from Hampton University.

The ELC Achievement Award recognizes corporate executives whose careers reflect exceptional professional accomplishment, leadership and impact. Oden joins a distinguished group of past ELC honorees whose influence has reached across companies, industries and communities.

The ELC Marks 40 Years of Developing Leaders
Oden will receive the Achievement Award during a milestone year for The Executive Leadership Council. Founded in 1986, The ELC is celebrating its 40th anniversary in 2026, marking four decades of developing leaders who perform at the highest levels of business and strengthening the leadership pipeline that sustains that excellence.

The 2026 ELC Recognition Gala will take place Friday, October 30, at the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center in National Harbor, Maryland. Hosted by Emmy Award-winning television journalist and Entertainment Tonight co-host Kevin Frazier, the black-tie celebration will feature a special musical performance by 10-time GRAMMY Award winner Chaka Khan.

The Gala is the signature fundraising event of The ELC’s 2026 Gala Week, October 28–31, which will bring together more than 3,000 members, students, senior executives and business leaders as The ELC celebrates its 40th anniversary.

Gala Week is designed to span the leadership journey. The Honors Symposium connects ELC Scholars with senior executives and hiring managers as they prepare to enter the workplace. The Mid-Level Managers’ Symposium develops high-performing professionals preparing for greater leadership responsibility. Corporate Board Navigator helps ELC members prepare for corporate board service.

ABOUT THE ELC

The Executive Leadership Council is an independent nonprofit founded in 1986 that opens channels of opportunity for the development of global executives to positively impact business and our communities. Learn more at elcinfo.com.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/racquel-oden-to-receive-the-elcs-2026-achievement-award-for-leadership-in-financial-services-and-expanding-opportunity-302917161.html

SOURCE The Executive Leadership Council

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