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Women’s Leadership Center Celebrates Launch Toward ‘A Future That’s Better Because More Women Helped Shape It’

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Ribbon-cutting ceremony affirms that “tomorrow starts here” at new campus built for innovation in Williams Bay, WI.

WILLIAMS BAY, Wis., Aug. 5, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — The Women’s Leadership Center at Williams Bay launched its mission of creating a brighter future for everyone by including more women leaders in defining and building that future with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on July 31, 2026, that officially dedicated the Center’s new campus at 333 W. Constance Blvd. in Williams Bay, WI.

“This Center grew out of my life experience, but it’s not about me. It’s about something bigger,” said Center founder Ann M. Drake in addressing a crowd of more than 180 supporters, community leaders, public officials, friends, and project partners. “After you work on a project like this, you realize you’re doing it not for yourself but for the ones who come next. And I intend for it to be about a future that’s better for everyone because we had the wisdom to invest in women’s leadership today.”

The celebration, which took place on the Center’s newly completed campus occupying 8.6 acres of woodland overlooking Geneva Lake, marked the culmination of a five-year effort by Drake to create a destination where accomplished women can convene to generate fresh thinking on complex issues as part of an overarching goal of advancing women’s leadership.

The ribbon-cutting celebration audience also heard remarks by MacArthur Fellow and award-winning architect Jeanne Gang, who designed the Center with her team at architecture and urban design practice Studio Gang; Susan Franzen, a trustee of the Village of Williams Bay; Dr. Chevy Humphrey, President and CEO of the Griffin Museum of Science and Industry; and Dr. Cady Coleman, former NASA astronaut and retired Colonel in the U.S. Air Force. Both Humphrey and Coleman are members of the Center’s Advisory Board.

The Women’s Leadership Center reflects Drake’s longstanding belief that when accomplished women come together in an environment specially designed to encourage collaboration and creative thinking, they can generate transformative solutions to pressing issues. The Center welcomes convenings for organizations led by women particularly in key areas of impact, which include public and private enterprise, engineering and technology, global supply chain, infrastructure and design, and space and astrophysics.

“From the first time we visited this site, we knew it was a very special place,” said Gang in her remarks at the celebration. “We made sure this design gives everyone who comes here the state-of-the-art tools and high-quality spaces needed to spark bold, world-changing ideas.”

“Years from now,” added Village Trustee Franzen, “no one will remember every meeting or every permit. They’ll remember the ideas that were born here, the women leaders who found their voice here, and the lives that were changed because this place exists.”

The Center is comprised of three buildings designed for meetings, large- and small-group discussions, research, reflection, social interaction, and restorative time in nature. Cutting edge technology connects all parts of the campus to each other and to the rest of the world for productive dialogue. The campus is noteworthy for prioritizing sustainability in its design, construction, and operation, which has included an emphasis on using locally sourced materials. All Women’s Leadership Center buildings are targeting LEED Gold certification.

In addition to its architectural significance, the Center is home to an extensive collection of art glass created primarily by, for, and about women. When complete, the quality and quantity of commissioned works will make its collection among the most significant of its kind anywhere.

Chicago-based Pepper Construction led the Center’s building process through two-and-a-half-years of construction, while OLIN Studio of Philadelphia served as landscape architect. OLIN’s landscape plan honors the geologic history and features of the site and is gradually restoring the property to healthy, high-quality woodlands reflective of southeast Wisconsin.

Founded in 1835 by Captain Israel Williams, the village of Williams Bay has a history for nurturing advances in thought leadership as well as science and the arts. In 1897, the University of Chicago selected Williams Bay as the site for Yerkes Observatory, which became known as the birthplace of modern astrophysics. The area is also renowned as the former home of George Williams College, named for the founder of the YMCA.

“With all my heart, I want the Women’s Leadership Center at Williams Bay to be a wonderful addition to Williams Bay,” said Drake. “Because this place is special. We’ve gone on this journey together—we will write the future together.”

The Center is open to the public for tours: womensleadershipcenter.org/tours/

About the Women’s Leadership Center at Williams Bay
The Women’s Leadership Center at Williams Bay convenes accomplished women leaders in an inspiring environment designed to foster creativity, collaboration, and meaningful contribution. Here, women will find a setting conducive to developing fresh thinking and innovative approaches to complex global challenges, so that they can work together to shape a better future for everyone. For more information, visit womensleadershipcenter.org.

Media Contact:
Jennifer Nix
Marketing Communications and Strategy
Women’s Leadership Center at Williams Bay
jen@womensleadershipcenter.org

 

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SOURCE Women’s Leadership Center at Williams Bay NFP

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Visual Shop and Bluestreak Join Forces with Steelhead Technologies

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Together, the three industry leaders bring decades of metal finishing and heat treating expertise to one platform built for margin and growth.

CALUMET, Mich., Aug. 5, 2026 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ — Steelhead Technologies announced today the acquisitions of Visual Shop and Bluestreak, two longstanding providers of job shop management and QMS software. Customers of all three companies now have access to next-generation technology to help them get ahead: an all-in-one system built on a digital production floor, with automation and AI built in to power margin and growth.

“ThermTech is excited to announce our partnership with Steelhead Technologies as we implement their AI-powered heat treating platform.” – Mary Springer, Executive Vice President, ThermTech.

For years, Steelhead, Visual Shop, and Bluestreak have earned the trust of metal finishers and heat treaters across North America by delivering systems designed with the specific complexities job shops face in mind. Now these systems are joining forces. Customers are getting the best of each: the digital production floor, the industry knowledge, and the people who understand their business.

“Metal finishing job shops have been under decades of competitive pressure from offshoring, workforce challenges, and volatility in costs. With demographic changes and AI completely changing the operational landscape, the challenges remain as tall as ever. At the same time, top government officials and contractors are urgently bringing back work by reshoring and scaling production. Job shops must leverage technology to rapidly increase capacity and capability while not adding head count to solve every challenge. Steelhead is excited to be their technology partner providing purpose-built technology tailored for metal finishing, supercharged with AI and white-glove service from a knowledgeable team with decades of experience.”

— Jeff Halonen, CEO/Co-Founder, Steelhead Technologies

Continued Investment in Metal Finishing

Steelhead is accelerating its investment in metal finishing to position job shops for the next generation of manufacturing. The team is continuing to invest heavily in the industry, including its investment in FedRAMP to meet the security and documentation standards CMMC compliance requires, and dedicating engineering, support, and product resources specifically to fine-tune workflows. Customers will benefit from access to the people who know metal finishing and heat treating best, drawing on the long-standing experience at Visual Shop and Bluestreak.

“Visual Shop customers have always loved our vast array of features and our friendly and responsive support team that knows their business. To stay competitive in the long term, we would need to build a new product on a modern platform. Steelhead has a great product and shares our philosophy of providing outstanding customer service. As one company with Steelhead and Bluestreak, it’s a big win for customers because we can work together to bring the absolute best software experience to the metal finishing and heat treating industries.”

— Kevin Pluedeman, President of Cornerstone Systems (Visual Shop)

“For over 20 years, Bluestreak has powered heat treating and metal finishing job shops with software built to help them scale without compromising on quality. Looking ahead, we believe partnering with Steelhead positions us to deliver on that promise at an entirely new scale. By joining forces with Steelhead, we are bringing the institutional knowledge and specialized features of Bluestreak together with Steelhead’s modern infrastructure. Our focus remains entirely on supporting customers seamlessly today while building the ultimate, next-generation platform for the next 20 years.”

— Todd Wenzel, President and Founder of Bluestreak

“ThermTech is excited to announce our partnership with Steelhead Technologies as we implement their AI-powered heat treating platform. For decades, ThermTech has grown by investing in the things that matter most to our customers: our people, our equipment, our processes, and the quality systems that stand behind every part we treat. Over the last 23 years, we’ve leveraged and co-developed the Bluestreak QMS, and that investment in capability has been central to how we serve our customers. Moving to Steelhead is the next chapter of that same philosophy, a platform that unites MES, QMS, ERP, financials, and customer service in a single system. Our engineering team will work closely with Steelhead to shape highly specialized heat treating capabilities so we can continue raising the bar on quality, responsiveness, and the service our customers count on.”

— Mary Springer, Executive Vice President, ThermTech

Customer Perspective

At Exactatherm, a heat treater in Mississauga, ON, taking their shop floor digital has simplified training, tightened quality control, and enabled faster turnaround times.

“With Steelhead, if we need a job pulled for review in a Nadcap audit, we can look it up and have all the data right there. We don’t have to train someone with a background in metallurgy or heat treat to enter a job anymore; anyone can do it. That efficiency shows up everywhere: our lead times used to run a couple of weeks, now we’re down to ten days, and parts we used to store for ten to twelve days now move through in five to seven.”

— Vraj Shah, Quality Manager, Exactatherm

At Eastern Plating, a plating shop rebuilding and growing after a major flood, taking the shop floor digital has given the team real-time visibility into every stage of production.

“Before Steelhead we couldn’t see where our parts were at any given time. It was received, a traveler was put on it, and we didn’t know where it was again until it shipped. Now we know where our parts are any time once they’re in Steelhead, and probably 95% of the phone calls have been eliminated. As we’ve continued rebuilding from the flood, we’ve been able to increase our revenue by about 25 to 30%, and we were able to schedule all of that additional revenue with our existing head count.”

— Wayne Wheeler, Eastern Plating

Media Contact

Kelsey Halonen, Steelhead Technologies, 1 7346576859, kelsey@gosteelhead.com, gosteelhead.com

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prweb.com/releases/visual-shop-and-bluestreak-join-forces-with-steelhead-technologies-302843382.html

SOURCE Steelhead Technologies

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Jack Henry & Associates to Provide Webcast of Fourth Quarter and Full-Year Fiscal 2026 Earnings Call

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MONETT, Mo., Aug. 5, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Jack Henry & Associates, Inc.® (Nasdaq: JKHY) announced today that it will host a live webcast of its fourth quarter and full-year fiscal 2026 earnings conference call on August 19, 2026. The press release announcing fourth quarter and year-end fiscal 2026 earnings will be issued after market close on August 18, 2026.

The live webcast, which will begin at 7:45 a.m. Central (8:45 a.m. Eastern), can be accessed on the Jack Henry Web site at jackhenry.com. Please log on 10 minutes prior to the beginning of the call. The earnings call US dial-in number is (833) 630-0605, while international participants dial +1 412-317-1830. Participants will request to join the Jack Henry & Associates call. An archived replay of the quarterly earnings call will be available on jackhenry.com approximately one hour after the live call, or you can dial (855) 669-9658 and use replay access code “8041677” to listen to the replay.

In addition, the company will release quarterly deconversion revenue results prior to the release of the quarterly earnings results. The press release announcing deconversion revenue will be issued after market close on Tuesday, August 11, 2026.

About Jack Henry & Associates, Inc.®
Jack Henry™ (Nasdaq: JKHY) is a well-rounded financial technology company that strengthens connections between financial institutions and the people and businesses they serve. We are an S&P 500 company that prioritizes openness, collaboration, and user centricity – offering banks and credit unions a vibrant ecosystem of internally developed modern capabilities as well as the ability to integrate with leading fintechs. For 50 years, Jack Henry has provided technology solutions to enable clients to innovate faster, strategically differentiate, and successfully compete while serving the evolving needs of their accountholders. We empower approximately 7,400 clients with people-inspired innovation, personal service, and insight-driven solutions that help reduce the barriers to financial health. Additional information is available at jackhenry.com.

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SOURCE Jack Henry & Associates, Inc.

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RTB House Highlights How E-Commerce Brands Can Boost Sales with Retargeting Tools

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NEW YORK, Aug. 5, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — As the digital marketplace becomes increasingly competitive, maximizing conversion rates remains a top priority for global brands. The integration of advanced deep-learning algorithms into daily advertising strategies is fundamentally changing how businesses interact with potential buyers, enabling them to scale revenue and build lasting customer relationships. For modern e-commerce platforms, the challenge is no longer just acquiring traffic but converting that traffic efficiently without alienating the consumer. Traditional digital marketing methods are proving insufficient in a landscape where consumer attention is fragmented and privacy regulations are tightening. To bridge this gap, leading digital retailers are turning to next-generation advertising technologies that leverage massive computing power to identify complex paths to purchase, fundamentally altering the economics of online customer acquisition.

The Evolution of Personalized Marketing

Traditional advertising models are rapidly giving way to hyper-personalized, AI-driven campaigns. In the past, retargeting often meant showing users repetitive ads for products they had already purchased or ignored—a strategy that frequently resulted in ad fatigue and diminished brand perception. Early retargeting relied heavily on simplistic, rule-based engines that could only react to obvious behavioral triggers. Today, by analyzing vast amounts of consumer data—including browsing habits, dwell time, and previous interactions—modern e-businesses can predict purchasing intent with unprecedented accuracy.

This evolution allows digital marketers to deliver highly relevant content at the exact moment a consumer is ready to buy, minimizing ad fatigue and maximizing engagement. The shift represents a move away from the outdated metric of maximizing sheer click volume. Instead, the focus has pivoted toward “Quality Traffic,” where campaigns are optimized for tag-validated, meaningful on-site engagement. By combining hyper-relevant ad placements with sophisticated LLM-powered audiences, brands can ensure their advertising budgets are spent on consumers demonstrating genuine interest, rather than accidental traffic. Furthermore, the modern era of personalized marketing leverages deep learning to capture what older systems miss. By identifying non-obvious converters and understanding nuanced purchasing behaviors, AI-driven platforms can recommend products that a consumer has never even viewed, creating additive revenue streams that previously went untapped.

Boosting Sales with RTB House Retargeting Tools and Services

To directly address the need to boost sales and accelerate conversion cycles, RTB House provides a robust ecosystem of marketing services powered entirely by proprietary deep-learning algorithms. The company’s comprehensive suite of services includes highly targeted dynamic display campaigns that adapt in real-time to user preferences, personalized video ads that capture attention across various devices, and full-funnel in-app advertising solutions tailored for mobile-first consumers. By seamlessly integrating these advanced retargeting tools, e-commerce platforms can efficiently recapture abandoned carts, increase long-term user retention, and drive measurable revenue growth across all digital touchpoints.

The technological edge provided by these deep-learning-powered campaigns translates into concrete financial performance. Industry data reveals that advanced retargeting deployments can deliver up to a 57% increase in scale at a set return on ad spend (ROAS). Even more significantly, intelligent product recommendation engines have demonstrated that up to 61% of purchased products driven by these systems were not previously viewed by the consumer, proving the AI’s ability to actively generate new demand rather than simply fulfill existing intent.

The suite of services also includes on-brand shoppable creative, which displays personalized product recommendations based entirely on first-party signals. Delivered across the entire purchase journey, this visually engaging approach accelerates performance while strengthening overarching brand equity. Trusted by major global brands across various sectors—including retail giants like Steve Madden, travel platforms like Secret Escapes, and automotive marketplaces like Autotrader—the deep-learning infrastructure has proven its capacity to handle vast amounts of industry data. By identifying hidden patterns within this data, the technology convinces high-intent prospects to take definitive action, fueling a continuous, virtuous cycle of conversion, new customer acquisition, and sustained demand generation.

Future-Proofing Sales Strategies

Digital retailers must adapt to these technological advancements to remain competitive. Implementing state-of-the-art marketing frameworks ensures that brands remain agile, especially as the industry shifts toward a privacy-first, cookie-limited environment. The industry’s broader shift toward a privacy-first environment has forced a critical reevaluation of how advertising data is sourced and deployed.

In response, modern retargeting solutions emphasize the activation of first-party signals. By identifying the behaviors of a brand’s most valuable customers, deep learning algorithms can find new, similar audiences without relying on outdated tracking methods. Crucially, this approach operates without the pooling or selling of a brand’s proprietary data, allowing companies to build an exclusive and secure competitive edge. By prioritizing deep-learning retargeting, companies not only see an immediate lift in their return on ad spend (ROAS) but also secure long-term growth and sustainable customer loyalty in an unpredictable digital economy. As e-commerce continues to evolve, the brands that integrate privacy-compliant, AI-driven technologies into their core marketing stacks will be the ones best positioned to dominate their respective markets for years to come.

Media Contact:

Company: RTB House
Email: digital.global@rtbhouse.com
Website: https://www.rtbhouse.com/

High-Res Image Download (Google Drive): https://drive.google.com/file/d/1c8cgxoV4GVDMva4fIv46dJF6hjSze9X0/view?usp=sharing

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