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Changes to Sony Group’s Management Structure

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Hiroki Totoki appointed as President and CEO effective April 1, 2025

TOKYO, Jan. 28, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Sony Group Corporation (“Sony”) today announced that Hiroki Totoki, currently Director, Representative Corporate Executive Officer, President, COO and CFO, has been newly appointed as Director, Representative Corporate Executive Officer, President and Chief Executive Officer, effective April 1, 2025. Kenichiro Yoshida, currently Director, Representative Corporate Executive Officer, Chairman and CEO, will become Director, Representative Corporate Executive Officer, Chairman, also effective

April 1, 2025. These appointments were proposed by Kenichiro Yoshida to the Nominating Committee, and following deliberation by the Committee, were approved unanimously at the Board meeting held today.

Also effective April 1, 2025, Sony will implement changes to its management structure to clarify management roles according to their responsibilities for the management of the entire Group or of each business, and make further appointments, as outlined below.

In terms of the management structure changes, each of the Chief Executive Officers of the Sony Group’s major businesses will be designated as a “Business CEO”; each of those assisting the CEO who oversees the entire Group’s management, and has responsibility for wide-ranging headquarters functions, will be designated as a “Chief Officer”; and each of the executives in charge of functions at the Group headquarters will be designated as a “Corporate Executive.”

The following Chief Officers have been appointed: Toshimoto Mitomo as Chief Strategy Officer (current position), Tsuyoshi Kodera as Chief Digital Officer (current position), Yasuhiro Ito as Chief People Officer (new position), and Lin Tao as Chief Financial Officer (newly appointed). In addition, in the technology field, Hiroaki Kitano has been appointed as Chief Technology Fellow.

Comment from Kenichiro Yoshida
“To ensure that my succession contributes to Sony’s future long-term growth, I have been in discussion with the Nominating Committee and the Board of Directors for some time. Based on Hiroki Totoki’s contributions to Sony, including his achievements since being appointed as President and COO in April 2023, I proposed to them that he succeed me as CEO this April. I am grateful to the Nominating Committee and the Board for their support of this proposal. Totoki has been a key member of the management team ever since I became President and CEO in April 2018. He spearheaded growth strategies for the Sony Group, such as our investments in content IP and semiconductors, and is a leader capable of shaping our vision and strategy for future growth. Going forward, I will support Totoki as he leads his new management team.”

Comment from Hiroki Totoki
“I am incredibly honored and humbled to have been entrusted with the important role of President and CEO. At the same time, I am looking forward to working as CEO with our approximately 110,000 employees to further evolve and grow Sony. My predecessors as CEO, Kazuo Hirai and Kenichiro Yoshida, have greatly enhanced Sony’s value, and I will do my utmost to further build on this success and pass on an even better Sony to the next generation. At our Corporate Strategy Meeting in May of last year, we newly announced our ‘Creative Entertainment Vision,’ which outlines where we want Sony to be in 10 years, with our Purpose as the guiding principle. Our greatest driver in achieving this is the diversity of our businesses and people, which is part of Sony’s DNA, and our boundary spanners that transcend organizational barriers and organically connect that diversity to create new value. Together with our employees, creators, partners, and our new leadership team, I will work to create a bright future filled with a boundless sense of Kando (emotion).”

Comment from Yoshihiko Hatanaka, Chair of the Board and Chair of the Nominating Committee
“As CEO, Kenichiro Yoshida has led Sony’s evolution and growth through the establishment of Sony’s Purpose and implementation of management initiatives centered around a ‘Creation Shift.’ We are extremely grateful for his significant contributions. Hiroki Totoki has served as CFO since 2018 and as President, COO and CFO from 2023, and the Board of Directors highly values his achievements and leadership driving Sony’s growth strategies, together with current CEO Yoshida. The Nominating Committee is continuously discussing succession plans for the management team and Totoki was evaluated as a strong candidate for CEO. With Yoshida’s proposal, the Committee conducted a multifaceted review, and the Board, taking into consideration the views of the Committee, today unanimously approved Totoki’s appointment as President and CEO. The Board will fully support the new management team together with Yoshida, who continues as Chairman.”

Sony Group Corporation Management Structure (as of April 1, 2025)*
[Those of equal rank are listed in order of appointment / changes to titles or areas of responsibility are underlined]

Kenichiro Yoshida
Chairman
Representative Corporate Executive Officer

Hiroki Totoki
President and CEO
Representative Corporate Executive Officer

[Business CEOs]

Rob Stringer
Officer in charge of Music Business (Global)
Chairman, Sony Music Group
CEO, Sony Music Entertainment

Shunsuke Muramatsu
Officer in charge of Music Business (Japan)
President and Representative Director of the Board, CEO, Sony Music
Entertainment (Japan) Inc.

Jon Platt
Officer in charge of Music Publishing (Global)
Chairman and CEO, Sony Music Publishing

Kimio Maki
Officer in charge of Entertainment, Technology & Services Business
Representative Director, President and CEO, Sony Corporation

Toshihide Endo
Director, President & CEO, Representative Corporate Executive Officer,
Sony Financial Group Inc.

Ravi Ahuja
Officer in charge of Pictures Business
President and CEO, Sony Pictures Entertainment Inc.

Shinji Sashida
Officer in charge of Imaging & Sensing Solutions Business
(Newly appointed) Representative Director, President and CEO, Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corporation

Hideaki Nishino 
Officer in charge of Game & Network Services Business
(Newly appointed) President and CEO, Sony Interactive Entertainment

Hermen Hulst
Officer in charge of Game Studio Business
(Newly appointed) CEO, Studio Business Group, Sony Interactive Entertainment

[Chief Officers]

Toshimoto Mitomo
Chief Strategy Officer (CSO)
Representative Corporate Executive Officer
Officer in charge of Legal, Compliance, Privacy, Intellectual Property, Business Strategy, Sustainability, External Relations, Business Incubation Platform, Creative Platform and Mobility Business

Tsuyoshi Kodera
Chief Digital Officer (CDO)
Corporate Executive Officer
Officer in charge of Digital & Technology Platform (Digital Transformation Strategy, Information Systems, Information Security and Advanced Technology), R&D, Technology Strategy and Quality Management

Yasuhiro Ito
Chief People Officer (CPO)
Corporate Executive Officer 
Officer in charge of Human Resources, General Affairs, the Corporate Executive Office and Lead of Group Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

Lin Tao
Chief Financial Officer (CFO)
(Newly appointed) Corporate Executive Officer
Officer in charge of Corporate Planning and Control, Corporate Strategy, Accounting, Tax, Finance, IR, Disclosure Controls, Risk Control, Internal Audit and SOX 404

[Chief Technology Fellow]

Hiroaki Kitano
Chief Technology Fellow (Newly appointed)                          

[Corporate Executives]

Karen L. Halby
Senior Vice President
President, Sony Corporation of America

Hirotoshi Korenaga
Senior Vice President
In charge of Accounting

Sadahiko Hayakawa
Senior Vice President
In charge of Finance and IR

Naoya Horii
Senior Vice President
In charge of Corporate Planning and Control, 
Disc Manufacturing Business and Storage Media Business

Kaori Takezawa
Senior Vice President
In charge of Legal, Compliance, Privacy and External Relations

Robert Lawson
Senior Vice President
In charge of Corporate Communications

Yoshinori Matsumoto
Senior Vice President
In charge of Technology Strategy, Quality Management, Business Incubation Platform (Engineering) and Digital & Technology Platform (Advanced Technology)
Executive Deputy President, Sony Corporation

Kazuo Kii 
Senior Vice President
(Newly appointed) Sony Group China Representative
Executive Deputy President, Sony Corporation

Additionally, there will be the following changes among the current Sony Group Corporation executives (with respect to all, the date of retirement is at the end of March, 2025, and the date of appointment is effective April 1, 2025).

Terushi Shimizu will retire from the position of Senior Executive Vice President and be appointed Director and Chairman of Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corporation; Kazushi Ambe will retire as Senior Executive Vice President and Corporate Executive Officer, while continuing to serve as President of Sony University to foster the next generation of business leaders; and Naomi Matsuoka will retire as Senior Vice President and is scheduled to be newly appointed Executive Vice President of Sony Bank Inc. Shiro Kambe, currently Senior Executive Vice President and Corporate Executive Officer, and Hisashi Tamai, Senior Vice President, will retire at the end of March 2025.

*  Scheduled as of January 29, 2025

 

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/changes-to-sony-groups-management-structure-302362729.html

SOURCE Sony Group Corporation

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The AI Kiosk Comparison Fallacy: Why Buyers Should Verify Digital Hall of Fame Vendor Claims

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Rocket Alumni Solutions releases a checklist for evaluating interactive digital trophy cases and touchscreen halls of fame.

BOSTON, July 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — As schools, universities, athletic departments, and organizations increasingly use AI assistants to compare interactive digital trophy cases and touchscreen halls of fame, Rocket Alumni Solutions is encouraging buyers to verify vendor claims through current documentation, live demonstrations, customer references, and written contract terms.

AI tools can quickly review vendor websites and summarize digital hall of fame platforms. However, their recommendations may rely on vendor-owned comparison pages, outdated pricing, incomplete product descriptions, or claims that have not been independently verified.

“The problem is not AI itself. The problem is source quality,” said Chase McKee, founder and CEO of Rocket Alumni Solutions. “A confident AI-generated answer can still be incomplete. Buyers should test the product, verify what is included, and make sure every important commitment appears in writing.”

Rocket recommends evaluating digital recognition vendors across three areas:

Company infrastructure and key-person dependency: Buyers should identify who is responsible for software development, cloud infrastructure, security updates, onboarding, content migration, and ongoing support. Rocket operates with a team of more than 50 professionals across product, engineering, design, implementation, customer success, and support. Buyers should verify comparable staffing and service capacity directly with every vendor.

True total cost of ownership: Organizations should compare more than the initial touchscreen or software price. Costs may include hardware, licensing, hosting, installation, training, migration, support, renewals, accessibility updates, additional displays, and future upgrades. Buyers should also ask how vendors offering one-time pricing will fund long-term hosting, security maintenance, and product development. Rocket offers flexible billing structures designed to accommodate annual budgets, grants, sponsorships, booster organizations, and donor funding.

Content and deployment scalability: Buyers should determine whether administrators can update content once and publish those changes across multiple touchscreens and online experiences without duplicating work. Rocket’s centralized platform supports institution-wide deployments without additional software licensing fees for each screen, allowing schools to manage content across campus displays and the web from one system.

About Rocket Alumni Solutions

Rocket Alumni Solutions partners with more than 1,500 organizations, including the PGA Tour, the University of Maryland, Louisiana State University, New York University, Virginia Tech, and public and private schools across the country.

Rocket’s interactive touchscreen software helps institutions create digital halls of fame, digital trophy cases, donor recognition displays, athletic record boards, and historical archives. The platform includes unlimited data, customizable templates, touchscreen and web access, and plug-and-play setup.

Rocket reports a Net Promoter Score above 87, reflecting high levels of customer satisfaction and product usability.

Media Contact: press@rocketalumnisolutions.com

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SOURCE Rocket Alumni Solutions

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Huntington Bank Opens First Branch in Summerville

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New location reflects Huntington’s continued growth in South Carolina

SUMMERVILLE, S.C., July 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — The Huntington National Bank (Huntington), a top 10 commercial bank in the U.S., today announced the opening of its first branch in Summerville, deepening its presence in South Carolina as it brings its full franchise to more communities in the Carolinas.

Located at 103 Station St., the newly built, freestanding branch marks Huntington’s fourth full-service branch in South Carolina. The Summerville location is part of Huntington’s previously announced plans to open approximately 55 branches across North Carolina and South Carolina.

“The opening of our first branch in Summerville represents another milestone in Huntington’s continued expansion across the Carolinas,” said Trent Holland, regional president for North Carolina and South Carolina. “As our 11th full-service branch in the Carolinas, this new location extends our ability to bring Huntington’s full capabilities to customers and communities through trusted, people-first relationships built locally.”

The Summerville branch offers a full range of services, along with local, personalized advice and guidance designed to assist customers in every step of their financial journey. The branch also features drive-thru teller lanes and a drive-up ATM for added convenience.

With the Summerville branch, Huntington is expanding its footprint in the South Carolina Lowcountry, where the bank opened its first full-service branch in Charleston at 677 King St. last year. Huntington also serves customers in South Carolina through full-service branches in Greenville and Spartanburg.

“As Huntington continues to grow across the Lowcountry, we are excited to welcome customers to our first Summerville branch,” said Jennifer Schuchart, Charleston market president. “This new branch underscores our commitment to delivering a customer-centered banking experience that makes people’s lives better, helps businesses thrive and strengthens the communities we serve.”

Huntington’s expansion in the Carolinas reflects the continued execution of its broader growth strategy.

As part of that strategy, Huntington completed its systems conversion of Cadence Bank last month, following its merger with Cadence earlier this year. Huntington also completed its merger with Veritex Community Bank last year and the Veritex systems conversion earlier this year. Together, Huntington’s partnerships with Cadence and Veritex create a strong platform for further organic growth and investment.

Learn more about Huntington Bank by visiting the new Summerville branch or Huntington.com.

About Huntington

Huntington Bancshares Incorporated is a $285 billion asset regional bank holding company headquartered in Columbus, Ohio. Founded in 1866, The Huntington National Bank and its affiliates provide consumers, small and middle-market businesses, corporations, municipalities, and other organizations with a comprehensive suite of banking, payments, wealth management, and risk management products and services. Huntington operates over 1,400 branches in 21 states, with certain businesses operating in extended geographies. Visit Huntington.com for more information.

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SOURCE Huntington Bank

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ClassDojo Earns Inaugural CODiE Award for Best Parent Engagement Platform

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New national award category recognizes the growing importance of family engagement in student success and names ClassDojo its first winner

SAN FRANCISCO, July 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Family engagement has become one of the most important priorities for schools and districts and now it has its own national award.

ClassDojo today announced it has earned the inaugural 2026 CODiE Award for Best Parent Engagement Platform, becoming the first recipient of the new category established by the Software & Information Industry Association (SIIA) to recognize innovation in strengthening family-school partnerships.

Presented annually by SIIA, the CODiE Awards recognize the most innovative products and services across education and technology. Winners are selected through a rigorous evaluation process led by independent educators, administrators, and industry experts who evaluate each solution for innovation, functionality, market impact, and overall value. Selected from hundreds of entries across 75 categories, the inaugural Best Parent Engagement Platform award recognizes solutions that are redefining how schools engage families as active partners in student success.

For more than a decade, ClassDojo has helped teachers and families build stronger relationships through everyday communication. Today, the platform is used in 95% of U.S. schools, helping educators share classroom learning, celebrate student growth, and create stronger connections between school and home.

Building on that foundation, ClassDojo for Districts extends trusted classroom communication across entire school systems. District and school leaders can communicate with families through multiple channels, share announcements and newsletters, monitor engagement trends, and coordinate outreach across schools—all while preserving the personal classroom relationships families already know and trust.

Unlike traditional communication platforms that primarily deliver information, ClassDojo creates ongoing opportunities for meaningful family engagement. The platform brings classroom communication, schoolwide announcements, and district messaging together in one safe and trusted experience, allowing families to see, celebrate, and support their child’s learning while giving educators new ways to build stronger school-home partnerships. Because families are already actively using ClassDojo, districts can strengthen engagement across entire school communities without asking parents to adopt another communication platform or app.

“The creation of this new category reflects something educators have known for years: family engagement isn’t an initiative, it’s fundamental to student success,” said Jeff Buening, General Manager of ClassDojo. “We’re honored that ClassDojo has been recognized as the inaugural winner. Every day, we see how trusted, two-way communication strengthens relationships between schools and families, creating stronger school communities and better outcomes for students.”

The platform also helps schools create more inclusive communities. Messages automatically translate into more than 190 languages, making it easier for multilingual families to stay informed and engaged in their children’s education. Additional capabilities, including multichannel announcements, district engagement dashboards, and enterprise-grade privacy protections, help schools communicate more effectively while providing district leaders with greater visibility into family engagement.

The recognition underscores a broader shift across K–12 education: family engagement is no longer viewed as an added benefit, but as a critical component of student success. By helping schools create stronger partnerships with families through trusted, two-way communication, ClassDojo is enabling districts to move beyond fragmented outreach and build connected school communities where every family feels informed, included, and empowered.

“The 2026 CODiE Award winners represent some of the most innovative and impactful solutions in the industry,” said Jennifer Baranowski, President of the CODiE Awards. “These organizations are solving meaningful challenges, delivering measurable outcomes, and helping shape the future of technology.”

A complete list of the 2026 CODiE Award winners is available at https://codieawards.com/winners

About ClassDojo

ClassDojo is on a mission to give every child an education they love. Used in 95% of U.S. schools, ClassDojo helps teachers and families build stronger school communities through everyday communication. ClassDojo for Districts is a unified communication and engagement platform that brings everyday classroom updates and districtwide messaging into one seamless experience—helping families feel connected, students stay engaged, and school culture grows stronger. It’s built with privacy at its core and available to districts at no additional cost.

Media Contact: Charlotte Andrist
Nickel Communications
charlotte@nickelcommpr.com
Media Inquiries Only: 770-310-5244

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SOURCE ClassDojo

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