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Embry-Riddle and Former NTSB Chairman Robert Sumwalt Launch ‘Safer Skies’ Video Podcast to Explore Innovations Behind Aviation and Aerospace Safety

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DAYTONA BEACH, Fla., July 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — A new video podcast from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, hosted by world-renowned safety expert Robert L. Sumwalt, is inviting listeners behind the scenes for candid conversations about the world of aviation and aerospace safety.

Sumwalt, who currently serves as executive director of Embry-Riddle’s Boeing Center for Aviation and Aerospace Safety (BCAAS), was National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) chairman from 2017-2021 and served on the NTSB Board for 15 years. During that period, he was involved in the investigation of over 200 accidents in all modes of transportation. 

He was also recently named the recipient of the National Aeronautic Association’s 2026 Wright Brothers Memorial Trophy for his enduring contributions to aviation safety and the industry, joining the ranks of Charles Lindbergh, Jimmy Doolittle, Igor Sikorsky, Barry Goldwater, Neil Armstrong and John Glenn, among many other aviation trailblazers. 

A career pilot for 32 years before joining NTSB, Mr. Sumwalt is passionate about responsible innovation. “We live in an era marked by the rapid advancement of flight on Earth and in space,” said Sumwalt. “The Safer Skies production discusses these developments in the context of safety, highlighting the innovative people and technologies that have contributed to the industry’s rigorous safety standards and advanced safety across the globe.”

Produced by BCAAS, each consumable, 30-minute episode offers rare insight into the experiences of industry experts, the practices that ensure the safety of all who fly, and the ideas that are shaping the future of flight. 

In Safer Skies’ inaugural episode, Sumwalt sits down with Dr. Janet Kavandi, a three-time Space Shuttle veteran and industry leader. Kavandi, who completed a 25-year career with NASA before joining Sierra Space as president, shares an intimate look at her remarkable career as an astronaut and scientist. 

“It was a great honor to be the first guest on ‘Safer Skies,’ with my good friend, Robert Sumwalt,” said Kavandi, who also serves as an Embry-Riddle Trustee. “It is my hope that this and future podcasts will help broaden our individual perspectives and improve the safety of our collective experiences in the air and in space.” 

Upcoming first-season guests include: 

Major General Jeannie Leavitt, U.S. Air Force (USAF) veteran, the first U.S. woman to serve as a fighter pilot and commander of a USAF combat fighter wing; and dean of Embry-Riddle Prescott’s College of Aviation.

Captain Tammie Jo Shults, former U.S. Navy aviator and airline pilot who successfully landed Southwest Airlines Flight 1380.

Dr. John K. Lauber, retired senior vice president of Product Safety and chief product safety officer for Airbus and former NTSB board member.

Patty Wagstaff, U.S. national aerobatic champion.

“Safer Skies shares real industry stories and invaluable safety insights,” said Embry-Riddle President P. Barry Butler, Ph.D. “This new initiative furthers Embry-Riddle’s and BCAAS’ shared commitment to advancing safety science and education, ensuring safer skies for all.” 

Watch the first episode of the Safer Skies video podcast here.

Media Contact
Seth Robbins; executive director of news and media communications; robbins1@erau.edu; 386-241-6060

About Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
Reporters worldwide contact Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University for content experts in all aspects of aviation, aviation business, aerospace, engineering and STEM-related fields. Our faculty experts specialize in uncrewed and autonomous systems, security and intelligence, air traffic and airport management, astronomy, human factors psychology, meteorology, spaceflight operations, urban air mobility and much more. Visit the Embry-Riddle Newsroom for story ideas.

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SOURCE Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University

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Gravity Game Unite (GGU) Successfully Concludes European User Meetup for PC MMORPG ‘Ragnarok Zero: Global’!

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KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia, July 21, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Gravity Game Unite (GGU), the Malaysian subsidiary of global gaming company Gravity, successfully concluded the “Ragnarok Zero: Global European User Meetup” held in Germany.

Gravity Game Unite (GGU) hosted its first offline event for European users in Frankfurt, Germany, on July 18. The event was organized to demonstrate the company’s commitment to directly serving the European market and to build long-term relationships with the local community.

The event was attended by key Gravity Game Unite (GGU) executives, including CEO Yoshinori Kitamura, as well as members of the Ragnarok Zero: Global development team. Local users, influencers, and media representatives were also present, reflecting strong anticipation for the game. Europe was one of the regions where Ragnarok Zero: Global received particularly positive feedback during its OBT. CEO Yoshinori Kitamura’s attendance underscored the importance of the event and Gravity Game Unite (GGU)’s commitment to providing dedicated service to the European community.

The event began with welcoming remarks from the CEO of Gravity Game Unite (GGU), followed by an introduction to the title from the development team, a presentation on the service direction and roadmap for Europe, a developer talk featuring behind-the-scenes insights, a user Q&A session, and networking among users, developers, media representatives, and influencers. Attendees also received exclusive merchandise and enjoyed a variety of activities designed to create lasting memories.

Gravity Game Unite (GGU) stated that it plans to strengthen communication with users through the direct service of Ragnarok Zero: Global. During the event, the development team listened to user feedback and exchanged a wide range of views, while reaffirming its commitment to the game’s post-launch service direction and the growth of its community in Europe.

Harry Choi, President of Gravity Game Unite (GGU), said, “This event marked a significant milestone and laid a strong foundation for Gravity Game Unite (GGU)’s entry into the European market. We are making thorough preparations to repay the tremendous support and enthusiasm users showed during the OBT. We will continue to create opportunities to engage and communicate with our local community.”

Stay Connected

Players can follow the official Ragnarok Zero: Global channels for the latest news and updates.

Join OBT: https://roz.mygnjoy.com/en/event/obt
Pre-Register: https://roz.mygnjoy.com/event/prereservation?media=pr9
Discord: https://discord.gg/bFg77WjcHT
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ragnarokzeroglobal/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ragnarokzeroglobal/
YouTube: www.youtube.com/@RagnarokZeroGlobal
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@ragnarokzeroglobal

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/apac/news-releases/gravity-game-unite-ggu-successfully-concludes-european-user-meetup-for-pc-mmorpg-ragnarok-zero-global-302830963.html

SOURCE Gravity Game Unite SDN. BHD.

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The 18th Annual Globee® Awards for Innovation Invite Local, Regional, and Global Workplace and Business Achievement Nominations Worldwide

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Recognizing achievements across innovation, leadership, organizational advancement, products, services, and workplace excellence with worldwide participation

SAN FRANCISCO, July 21, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — The Globee® Awards, organizers of merit-based, data-driven business awards programs with worldwide participation that recognize achievements across industries, announced that entries are currently being accepted for the 18th Annual Globee® Awards for Innovation (Golden Bridge Awards®), inviting organizations, professionals, business owners, teams, and departments worldwide to nominate their local, regional, and global workplace and business achievements for consideration.

Apply now: https://globeeawards.com/innovation/

Originally established as the Golden Bridge Awards®, the program is now in its 18th year and continues its tradition of recognizing achievements across innovation, leadership, business transformation, organizational advancement, products, services, and measurable impact across industries and markets worldwide.

The awards recognize achievements that improve how organizations operate, serve customers, develop products and services, strengthen workplaces, advance technologies, enhance communications, and create measurable value for businesses, communities, and industries.

The program welcomes nominations representing achievements in innovation, operational excellence, customer experience, digital transformation, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, healthcare, financial services, manufacturing, sustainability, workforce initiatives, brand, communications, creative, and other business and workplace environments.

Organizations of all sizes are invited to participate, including startups, small and medium businesses, large enterprises, public and private companies, government entities, educational institutions, research organizations, and non-profit organizations worldwide.

The Globee® Awards for Innovation recognize achievements across category groups including products and services, company and organization, individual and team, and brand, communication and creative. These recognitions are part of 10 awards programs that collectively reflect achievements across business and technology domains.

Nominations are welcomed for local, regional, and global achievements, recognizing that meaningful innovation and organizational progress can originate at every level and in every workplace.

Entries are evaluated through a merit-based, data-driven process involving participation from experienced professionals across multiple industries worldwide. Evaluations are conducted through a structured, consistent, and transparent framework based on defined scoring criteria.

Entries are open to organizations and professionals worldwide.

About the Globee® Awards

The Globee® Awards are organizers of merit-based, data-driven business awards programs with worldwide participation. Through 10 awards programs, the Globee® Awards recognize achievements across multiple industries and sectors. The programs use a structured evaluation approach involving participation from professionals across various industries.

Follow: @globeeawards

Hashtags: #GlobeeAwards #InnovationAwards #GoldenBridgeAwards #WorkplaceAchievements #BusinessAchievements #Innovation #Leadership #BusinessTransformation #GlobalRecognition #OrganizationalImpact

All trademarks belong to their respective owners.

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SOURCE Globee Awards

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Finatical Software: The Next Decade of Finance Will Be Built on a Structured Financial Data Layer

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As AI transforms finance, trusted and structured financial data—not better prompts—will determine which organizations realize its full value.

DURHAM, N.C., July 21, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Finatical Software, creator of Flash Reports for QuickBooks Online, today announced its vision for what it believes will become the next essential layer of the modern finance technology stack: the Structured Financial Data Layer.

For decades, finance technology has evolved in response to changing business needs.

1995–2015

Finance needed better reporting.

2015–2025

Finance needed real-time reporting, dashboards, and automated KPIs.

2025–2035

Finance needs trusted data for AI-powered decisions.

While organizations are investing heavily in artificial intelligence, many finance teams are discovering that AI is only as effective as the financial data and business logic it receives. Without a single source of truth built on reconciled, complete, and accurate financial information, AI can produce inconsistent analyses, conflicting recommendations, and outputs that are difficult to validate or trust.

“Much of the conversation around AI has focused on choosing the right model or writing better prompts,” said Shaun Pendrigh, Chief Technical Officer of Finatical Software. “We believe the real competitive advantage will come from building trusted, structured financial workflows that AI can consistently understand. Before finance teams can trust AI’s recommendations, they first need confidence in the data, calculations, and business logic behind them.”

Finatical believes finance organizations need more than access to AI—they need a governed foundation that organizes financial information into consistent, reusable, and auditable structures before AI enters the workflow.

That foundation is what Finatical describes as the Structured Financial Data Layer.

Unlike disconnected spreadsheets or opaque AI workflows, the Structured Financial Data Layer creates a trusted financial foundation where data, calculations, reporting logic, and business rules are transparent, reusable, and reviewable. Finance professionals can trace recommendations back to their source, understand how conclusions were reached, and maintain confidence in the decisions supported by AI.

Rather than replacing finance professionals, the Structured Financial Data Layer enables them to work more effectively with AI by combining trusted financial data with human judgment. AI can accelerate analysis, identify patterns, and generate recommendations, while finance professionals retain the ability to review assumptions, validate results, and understand the reasoning behind important business decisions.

“Finance professionals should remain in control of financial judgment,” Pendrigh added. “AI should amplify that expertise—not replace it. But that only happens when AI operates within a trusted financial workflow where both the data and the underlying logic can be reviewed.”

Finatical’s Flash Reports platform is designed around this philosophy by connecting live QuickBooks Online data with Microsoft Excel to create governed, refreshable financial models that become a trusted source of truth for reporting, forecasting, analysis, and AI-assisted decision support. By preserving financial logic within structured Excel workflows, finance teams gain the flexibility of Excel while maintaining the governance and transparency required for trustworthy AI.

“Finance has always required trust,” Pendrigh said. “AI doesn’t change that—it raises the standard. Organizations won’t gain a competitive advantage simply by adopting AI. They’ll gain it by building financial data foundations that make AI trustworthy, explainable, and repeatable.”

“Reporting was the last generation of finance technology,” Pendrigh concluded. “Decision support will define the next. The organizations that build a trusted Structured Financial Data Layer today will be best positioned to unlock the full potential of AI tomorrow.”

About Finatical Software

Finatical Software helps finance professionals transform live QuickBooks Online data into structured, trusted financial information and workflows for reporting, analysis, and AI-assisted decision support. Its flagship solution, Flash Reports, connects Microsoft Excel directly to QuickBooks Online, enabling finance teams to build refreshable, governed financial models while preserving the flexibility of Excel. Finatical’s vision is to become the trusted Structured Financial Data Layer for finance professionals working in Excel with QuickBooks Online.

Media Contact:

melissa.neal@finaticalsoftware.com

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/finatical-software-the-next-decade-of-finance-will-be-built-on-a-structured-financial-data-layer-302830512.html

SOURCE Finatical Software

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