This new training will be kicked off with a live-online series beginning September 2026 equipping project leaders with practical facilitation skills for cross-functional teams.

BOSTON, July 21, 2026 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ — Interaction Associates (IA), a leading provider of training and consulting services for building a collaborative leadership culture, today announced the launch of Essential Facilitation™ for Project Managers, a new, immersive training program series equipping project managers to lead meetings, make decisions, and keep teams working together even when things are moving quickly.

While this training is available to bring in-house, IA is holding a live-online training beginning September 1, 2026, that will equip project and program professionals with the practical facilitation skills required to drive team alignment, navigate complex group dynamics, and execute projects successfully.

Project managers routinely face a unique leadership challenge. They are responsible for delivering critical outcomes across cross-functional teams, but they often lack formal authority over the senior stakeholders assigned to their projects. From projects in the life sciences that guide complex research and clinical trials to technology project managers overseeing IT and software initiatives from inception to delivery – managers across all fields must keep their projects on track. Facilitation skills are required to ensure organizational projects with critical bottom line impact succeed, but it’s a crucial skill that most project management training doesn’t yet cover.

“Project managers are often tasked with leading teams to deliver high-stakes results while managing stakeholders who outrank them,” said Barry Rosen, CEO of Interaction Associates. “Facilitation is a powerful tool for working within this dynamic. This program is designed to help professionals lead well regardless of assigned authority so they can keep discussions focused and projects moving forward.”

Essential Facilitation™ for Project Managers is a comprehensive, multi-part program series designed to help today’s leaders perform their best. The upcoming live-online training will be delivered live via Zoom over four weeks, featuring eight two-hour sessions. Sessions alternate between “Knowledge Acquisition” instruction and interactive “Practice Labs,” where attendees apply and refine their skills in real time.

Participants will learn how to design dynamic agendas, facilitate collaborative decision-making, and build agreement among competing perspectives. Graduates who are members of the Project Management Institute (PMI) are eligible to report 24 Professional Development Units (PDUs) upon completion.

Understanding that project managers need actionable tools they can use immediately, Interaction Associates has also released a complimentary Project Manager Survival Guide with practical resources for overcoming common facilitation challenges.

The survival guide includes a fillable stakeholder analysis template, a guide for overcoming problem behaviors, a meeting agenda template, and 17 essential facilitator phrases to bring off-track discussions back into focus.

Registration for the fall cohort of Essential Facilitation™ for Project Managers, running Tuesdays and Thursdays from September 1 through October 1, is now open. To register or learn more, click here.

About Interaction Associates

Interaction Associates (IA) is a leading provider of training and consulting services aimed at building collaborative leadership capacity and organizational culture. For over 50 years, IA has provided thousands of leaders and teams with practical programs, tools, and techniques for leading, meeting, and working better together across functions, viewpoints, and geographies. Learn more by visiting https://www.interactionassociates.com/.

Media Contact

Kathy Berardi, Interaction Associates, 1 6786444122, kathy@berardipr.com, https://www.interactionassociates.com/

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SOURCE Interaction Associates

BEAVER, Pa., July 21, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Right Traffic, a leading provider of traffic control solutions through cutting-edge technology and highly trained personnel, is excited to announce the acquisition of Expert Traffic Control (ETC), a trusted traffic management company serving the Pacific Northwest. The acquisition marks Right Traffic’s first presence in Oregon, strengthening its growing North American footprint while expanding its ability to deliver safe, reliable traffic control solutions across the region.

Founded in 2022, ETC has quickly established itself as one of the Pacific Northwest’s premier independent traffic management companies. Serving utility, telecommunications, transportation, and infrastructure customers, ETC has built a reputation for exceptional safety, operational excellence, and responsive customer service.

“We’re excited to welcome Expert Traffic Control to the Right Traffic family,” said Trevor Romkey, CEO of Right Traffic. “Pete, Nick, and the entire ETC team have built an outstanding company with a strong reputation, talented people, and a culture that closely aligns with our own. Together, we’re well-positioned to continue raising the standard for traffic control while creating new opportunities for our employees and customers.”

“Joining Right Traffic is an exciting next chapter for ETC,” said Pete Nelson, President and Co-owner of ETC “We were looking for a partner that shared our commitment to safety, our people, and the relationships we’ve built with our customers. Right Traffic brings the resources, technology, and long-term vision to help us continue growing while staying true to who we are.”

As part of the integration, ETC will gain access to Right Traffic’s industry-leading technologies, including the Guardian SmartFlagger Automated Flagger Assistance Device, along with expanded operational resources and support.

About Right Traffic
Right Traffic is a leading provider of traffic management and roadway safety services across North America. Through its network of regional operating companies, Right Traffic delivers comprehensive traffic control solutions while delivering on its mission of “Empowering people to drive meaningful change in traffic control by harnessing technology to protect the public, professionalize the industry, and create safe, fulfilling careers.”

About Expert Traffic Control
Expert Traffic Control is a leading provider of traffic management and roadway safety services throughout the Pacific Northwest. ETC specializes in providing top-tier safety services for motorists and your workers by effectively diverting traffic on our roadways.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/right-traffic-expands-into-the-pacific-northwest-with-acquisition-of-expert-traffic-control-302830629.html

SOURCE Right Traffic

New summer campaign turns “we should go” into “we’re booked” with billboard-sized reminders and AI tools that help group trips finally take off, so travelers can see more and spend less together

NORWALK, Conn., July 21, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — This summer, KAYAK is on a mission to get group trips out of the chat and into the calendar. New KAYAK research reveals that 84% of travelers have had a group trip get stuck in the chat, with plans spending an average of one to three months in group chat limbo. The culprit? 90% of travelers say it comes down to one friend who just won’t commit.

To help those group trips finally take off, KAYAK is launching a series of BookBoards, billboard-sized reminders across New York, Chicago and Los Angeles that give that one friend a nudge they can’t ignore. The fleet of digital billboards will feature personalized callouts for nominated friends, popping up in Times Square, near their offices and neighborhoods that gently encourage them to commit while inspiring all travelers to make their group trips happen. Nominations are now open at kayak.com/bookboards.

Friends Who Travel Together, Save Together

The campaign comes as travelers look for smarter ways to stretch their vacation budgets. With domestic airfare up 23% year over year and hotel rates up 3%, group travel offers one of the easiest ways to make a trip more affordable. Splitting accommodations and experiences amongst a group means seeing more and likely spending significantly less. From upgrading to a larger hotel room to booking a standout vacation rental together, KAYAK helps groups compare those options side by side, making it easier to find the right trip at the right price.

“Group trips don’t fail because people don’t want to go, they fail because planning gets complicated,” said Carolina Montenegro, SVP of Global Brand Marketing at KAYAK. “BookBoards are a playful way to remind us that we’ve all been that friend at one point. Sometimes, all we need is a little push to get the trip over the finish line.”

Group Travel Takes Center Stage

At the center of the summer travel campaign is a 90-second hero film starring actress, comedian and content creator Grace Reiter and her real-life friend and American High co-star Julia Dicesare, who sends an increasingly unhinged series of BookBoards to Grace to get her to finally book their group trip.

To nominate your group chat for a BookBoard, visit kayak.com/bookboards from July 21 through August 4. Throughout August, KAYAK will select submissions to appear on digital billboards across New York, Chicago and Los Angeles.

Because this year, the group trip isn’t staying in the chat. It’s finally getting booked.

KAYAK Names Top Destinations for 2026 Group Trips

To jumpstart group travel planning, these are the KAYAK’s top destinations (based on popularity and affordability) for groups based on 5+ travelers.

For more inspiration, KAYAK is also introducing a new “Group Trip” feature built within KAYAK Explore. Travelers can easily filter for the most popular and affordable group getaway destinations with average round-trip airfare and nightly hotel rates each under $500.

AI-Powered Planning for Group Trips

While BookBoards inspire groups to finally commit to a trip, KAYAK’s AI-powered planning tools can help turn trip ideas into bookable travel plans. With Ask AI on KAYAK, travelers can chat naturally about their group’s preferences, priorities and dealbreakers while real-time travel options appear alongside the conversation, making it easy to search and compare as plans take shape.

Below are a few of KAYAK’s best group travel prompts to try with Ask AI:

Help us plan a trip that fits different budgets and vibesWhich group trip destination gives us the most value for a long weekend in September?What is the best hotel in Miami for a big group?Compare destinations in the US for a group with different interests – some want to try good food, others want to relax by the waterFind us a hotel in a city known for live music that sleeps six without blowing the budget

About KAYAK
KAYAK, part of Booking Holdings (NASDAQ: BKNG), is a leading travel search engine. With billions of queries across our platforms, we help people find their perfect flight, stay, rental car and vacation package. Trusted by millions of travelers, the KAYAK app makes travel planning seamless on iOS and Android and we also support business travelers with our corporate travel solution.

Methodology 
Group chat survey: Based on a poll of 2,000 U.S. adults (ages 18-45) who have booked travel online in the past year.

Summer Travel prices: Based on flight and hotel searches between Mar. 1, 2026 and Jun. 29, 2026 for travel between May 21, 2026 and Sept. 8, 2026. They were compared to searches between Mar. 1, 2025 and Jun. 29, 2025 for travel between May 22, 2025 and Sept. 9, 2025. Changes in searches are approximate.

Group Travel destinations: Based on flight and hotel searches between Jan. 1, 2026 and Jun. 11, 2026 for travel between May 1, 2026 and Dec. 31, 2026 for 5+ travelers. Flight prices are based on round-trip, economy tickets; hotel rates are based on standard, double occupancy rooms. Prices are on average and are subject to change.

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SOURCE KAYAK