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GROUNDBREAKERS 2024: Prologis CEO, FedEx Chairman discuss Artificial Intelligence, company culture and tariffs

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Event also featured Former Prime Minister Sir Tony Blair and Survival Expert Bear Grylls

LONDON, Oct. 2, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Prologis, Inc. (NYSE: PLD), the global leader in logistics real estate, today hosted its fourth annual GROUNDBREAKERS thought leadership forum in London. GROUNDBREAKERS 2024 featured trailblazers including FedEx Chairman Fred Smith, former UK Prime Minister Sir Tony Blair and Survival Expert Bear Grylls.  

Prologis Co-founder, Chairman and CEO Hamid R. Moghadam was joined by FedEx Founder and Executive Chairman Fred Smith for the event’s opening keynote. The two founders discussed technology’s influence on geo-economic trends and how their companies are integrating artificial intelligence (AI).

“Manufacturing of basic items is not going to be re-introduced into the West unless robotics is introduced and changes the game,” Smith said.

Moghadam said the success of AI is dependent on digitizing massive amounts of data: “The most important thing is digitizing data. If you do not have data, no amount of AI can help you in any way. Most people skip that first step.”

Both leaders agreed fostering a culture of innovation is key to attracting the right talent and delivering on customer expectation.

“Culture is the only form of sustainable competitive advantage,” said Moghadam. “If you explain the why to people, not only will they sign on, but they will figure out a better way to get there.”

Smith added, “Most companies try to catch people doing something wrong – our culture, we try to catch people doing something right.”

Panel Highlights: 

The Next Normal: The Future of Delivery
Prologis President Dan Letter engaged Dr. Stephen Peters, member of the Board of Management at Rhenus Group, Patrick Hertzke, partner at McKinsey Automotive Practice, and Alex Coates, president at Airspace, in a conversation about how consumer expectations and new technologies are changing the world of delivery.

“It’s honestly exciting when you think about what AI and data analytics can do to improve or optimize the infrastructure that we have around delivery,” said Coates. “Can we squeeze more efficiency out of today’s infrastructure to get that right product to that right person at the right time?”

Fashion Forward: Everyone is Unique
Vogue Business Editor Kirsty McGregor sat down with Paolo Zannoni, executive deputy chairman at Prada, and Andy Ruben, founder and executive chairman at Trove, to explore trends and innovations disrupting the fashion industry.

Zannoni said consumers’ expectations are changing – and creating complexity for his company and the industry: “We are facing the change from the way traditional customers shopped for luxury, even in the luxury group business. What is making our job more complex is that we have different cohorts – different cohorts are looking for different experiences.”

Better Health Through Innovation and Design
Healthcare experts came together to examine how innovation in the supply chain is impacting patient health and outcomes. Naomi Grimley, senior communications lead at Oxford’s Ellison Institute of Technology moderated a panel with Dr. Josh Makower, the Byers Family director and co-founder of the Stanford Mussallem Center for Biodesign, Dr. Kristin-Anne Rutter, executive director at Cambridge University Health Partners, and Peter Skillman, global head of design at Philips.

On the topic of automation, Rutter said: “There needs to be a lot coming in the automation space because of the healthcare industries coming onto this are so inefficient on how they manage process and manage patients through the systems. If we want to have sustainable healthcare systems, we’re going to have to automate both the AI and robotics that we heard about.”

Energy Forward: Partnerships, Democratization and Digitization
Prologis Chief Energy and Sustainability Officer Susan Uthayakumar connected with Jean-Pascal Tricoire, chairman at Schneider Electric, Toby Ferenczi, founder and CEO at Granular Energy, and Amund Vik, senior advisor at Eurasia Group. The energy experts focused on driving electrification, decarbonization and profitable business outcomes.

“At the core of energy, there are two contradictory but essential challenges: progress and sustainability,” said Tricoire. “In the next 25 years, we have to provide energy to five billion more people on the planet. At the same time, we must reduce emissions by a factor of two.”

Ferenczi commented: “With deployment of clean energy, the price of electricity at certain times of the day is negative. That means businesses can be paid to consume energy, and we need a total rethink of what we mean by energy efficiency. It’s not only about reducing consumption but how we participate as a system of connected energy networks.”

Additional panels explored racing, endurance and adaptability, and AI.

Watch the GROUNDBREAKERS 2024 Replay
Hundreds gathered in-person, and thousands virtually, for the forum, which included additional LinkedIn Live half-time and post-show commentary. All sessions from GROUNDBREAKERS 2024 are available to stream on-demand here.

GROUNDBREAKERS 2025 will be held on Oct. 2, 2025, in Los Angeles.

ABOUT PROLOGIS
Prologis, Inc. is the global leader in logistics real estate with a focus on high-barrier, high-growth markets. At June 30, 2024, the company owned or had investments in, on a wholly owned basis or through co-investment ventures, properties and development projects expected to total approximately 1.2 billion square feet (115 million square meters) in 19 countries. Prologis leases modern logistics facilities to a diverse base of approximately 6,700 customers principally across two major categories: business-to-business and retail/online fulfillment.

 

 

 

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SOURCE Prologis, Inc.

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The Inner Circle acknowledges Colleen Reilly as a Pinnacle Professional Member Inner Circle of Excellence

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PORT ST. JOE, Fla., April 24, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Prominently featured in The Inner Circle, Colleen Reilly is honored as a Pinnacle Professional Member Inner Circle of Excellence for her contributions to Transforming Catering and Event Services in Northwest Florida.

Since 2015, Colleen Reilly has served as founder and CEO of Catering Connections, a company that has redefined catering in Northwest Florida’s beach communities through innovation, collaboration, and community focus. Guided by her motto “Just one call feeds them all,” Ms. Reilly established a unique model by partnering with local restaurants to showcase their specialties, fostering unity among businesses while providing clients with one-of-a-kind event experiences.

With over 15 years of industry expertise, Ms. Reilly specializes in coordinating weddings, family reunions, and corporate events, managing every detail from client consultation to menu planning and flawless execution. Her dedication to service has earned Catering Connections multiple recognitions, including the Couples Choice Award from WeddingWire from 2021 to 2025, the Best of Florida Award from 2022 to 2024, and the Lux Life Hospitality and Catering Award in 2023 and 2024.

Ms. Reilly’s career foundation includes an associate degree in paralegal studies, magna cum laude, from Volunteer State College, a reflection of her meticulous approach to detail and commitment to excellence. Beyond her business, she serves her community as a board member of the Historic St. Andrews Waterfront Partnership and as president of Friends of the Governor Stone Inc., a nonprofit dedicated to preserving maritime heritage in Panama City. Her previous civic contributions include serving five years as a guardian ad litem, advocating for children within the legal system, and volunteering as a school chaperone for international student trips.

A leader who blends innovation with service, Ms. Reilly continues to grow Catering Connections while deepening her commitment to the local community. Looking ahead, she remains dedicated to expanding her company’s impact, bringing people together, and creating meaningful experiences through food and fellowship.

Contact: Katherine Green, 516-825-5634, editorialteam@continentalwhoswho.com

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SOURCE The Inner Circle

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Media Contributor Kianga Moore to Host Executive Media Roundtable On AI’s Transformational Impact in Retail

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Leaders from AdFury.ai, Vendormint, and New Nexus Group to Explore Real-Time Decision-Making, Resilience, and Growth in a Volatile Market

NEW YORK, April 24, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — As retailers navigate ongoing economic uncertainty, supply chain volatility, and rapidly shifting consumer expectations, the upcoming convening of a high-level roundtable discussion will examine how artificial intelligence is reshaping the retail landscape in real time.

Moderated by Media Contributor Kianga Moore, to be held on Wednesday, April 29 at 11h00am (EST), the roundtable will bring together senior leaders from AdFury.ai, Vendormint and New Nexus Group to discuss how modern enterprise platforms are leveraging AI to drive agility, efficiency, and long-term resilience across the retail ecosystem.

The discussion will additionally focus on how AI is enabling retailers to respond dynamically to changing demand signals, optimize marketing investments, and strengthen interoperability across increasingly complex vendor and marketplace networks.

“Retailers today are operating in a constant state of disruption”, stated Kianga Moore. “This roundtable will explore how AI is not just a tool for efficiency, but a strategic asset for anticipating change and building more resilient, adaptive American enterprise.”

Key discussion topics will include remarks on how, for example, enterprise AI platforms are helping retailers respond instantly to fluctuations in consumer demand, pricing pressures, and external supply chain disruptions and the role of AI in enhancing interoperability across vendors, partners, and marketplaces to create more agile and resilient retail infrastructures in 2026.

Rob Gonda, Chief Technical Officer at Vendormint, stated that, “Interoperability is the backbone of modern retail. AI enables seamless communication between platforms, vendors, and marketplaces—turning fragmented systems into cohesive, responsive ecosystems that can adapt under pressure.”

Discussion topics will also include machine learning’s ability to optimize ad spend, improving personalization, and delivering measurable ROI while maintaining brand trust and regulatory compliance.

Eric Howerton, Co-Founder and Chief Growth Officer of AdFury.ai, added that,”AI is fundamentally changing how brands approach customer acquisition. By leveraging machine learning through fine-tuned, retail-specific agentic flows, we can not only optimize ad spend in real time, but we can also ensure messaging is personalized, compliant, and aligned with evolving consumer expectations.”

And indeed the roundtable will include discussions on how AI-powered predictive analytics can help businesses anticipate economic, technological, and geopolitical disruptions ahead—and plan accordingly.

Cheryl Yarbrough, Vice President of Partnerships at New Nexus Group added that, “Resilience in retail is no longer built in quarterly planning cycles-it’s built in real time. AI gives organizations the ability to identify disruptions before they cascade, pivot strategies before momentum is lost, and maintain continuity when the market moves faster than any human team can react alone.”

The roundtable will be held via Zoom TeleConference, with questions from the press and key stakeholders to follow opening remarks and a 30-minute Q&A between the moderator and the panelists.

For all media inquiries and to register to attend, please contact: Sam Amsterdam, Amsterdam Group Public Relations Inc. – Sam@AmsterdamGroup.net / +1 (202) 910-8349

Vendormint (https://vendormint.com)New Nexus Group (https://www.newnexusgroup.com)AdFury.ai (https://www.adfury.ai)

Samuel Amsterdam
Communications Counsel
Vendormint
samuelamsterdam@gmail.com

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SOURCE Vendormint

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Fairway Home Mortgage Earns Prestigious USA TODAY Top Workplaces Award For 6th Consecutive Year

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Fairway CEO Steve Jacobson Named #1 Leadership Award Winner of Companies With 2500+ Employees

MADISON, Wis., April 24, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Fairway Home Mortgage announced that it has earned the prestigious 2026 USA TODAY Top Workplaces award. This is the sixth year in a row Fairway achieved this honor.

The award honors organizations with 150 or more employees that have created exceptional, people-first cultures. This year, more than 40,500 organizations were invited to participate. The winners are recognized for their commitment to fostering a workplace environment that values employee listening and engagement. USA TODAY showcased the winners at the National Awards Summit in Nashville. Watch the video of the event here.

“Being recognized with this award reflects Fairway’s commitment to bringing our people together face-to-face,” said Fairway’s CEO and Founder Steve Jacobson. “Companies are better when their people are around each other. People need each other and they learn from each other, and we’re very intentional about creating opportunities for in-person collaboration at Fairway.”

Jacobson demonstrated that in-person collaboration when he traveled to Knoxville this week with Fairway Senior Vice President Dan Richards to spend time with one of Fairway’s branches and their local real estate partners. “We engaged in real conversations about the market, discussed what people are seeing on the ground, and talked about how Fairway keeps showing up for clients,” said Richards. “It’s a reflection of the same hands-on approach that has defined Fairway’s culture for more than two decades.”

“To be named a Top Workplace for six consecutive years speaks to Fairway’s leadership, our mindset, and the empowerment of our staff,” said Fairway’s Chief People and Engagement Officer Julie Fry. “Our strength isn’t just what we offer employees. What sets a top workplace apart is the daily commitment to people—prioritizing connection, valuing contributions, and creating an environment where employees feel energized to serve because they feel valued first.”

The winners are determined by authentic employee feedback captured through a confidential survey conducted by Energage, the HR research and technology company behind the Top Workplaces program since 2006. The results are calculated based on employee responses to statements about Workplace Experience Themes, which are proven indicators of high performance.

“Earning a USA TODAY Top Workplaces award is a testament to an organization’s credibility and commitment to a people-first culture,” said Eric Rubino, CEO of Energage. “This award, driven by real employee feedback, is more than just a recognition — it’s proof that your employees believe in the organization and its leadership. Job seekers and customers look for this trusted badge of credibility and excellence. It signals a company that values its people, and that kind of culture resonates in today’s competitive market”

About Fairway Home Mortgage
Madison, WI- and Carrollton, TX-based Fairway Independent Mortgage Corporation (NMLS #2289) is a full-service mortgage lender licensed in all 50 states. Fairway is the #2 overall retail lender in the U.S.

About Energage
Making the world a better place to work together.™
Energage is a purpose-driven company that helps organizations turn employee feedback into useful business intelligence and credible employer recognition through Top Workplaces. Built on 20 years of culture research and the results from 30 million employees surveyed across more than 80,000 organizations, Energage delivers the most accurate competitive benchmark available. With access to a unique combination of patented analytic tools and expert guidance, Energage customers lead the competition with an engaged workforce and an opportunity to gain recognition for their people-first approach to culture. For more information or to nominate your organization, visit energage.com or topworkplaces.com.

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SOURCE Fairway Home Mortgage

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