On September 12th, Steven Harper Chairman and CEO announced that Randy Johnston will become Chairman of NMGI and Doug Elliott will be President and COO effective immediately.
As part of the legacy planning at NMGI it’s important to realign the corporate responsibilities and prepare for succession planning as Mr. Harper prepares for retirement in a few years. Mr. Johnston one of the original founders of NMGI over 25 years ago has recently had his youngest son David join the business and establish the logical future of continued business that NMGI will remain locally owned.
Doug Elliott joined NMGI seven years ago to help spin off the software division and was promoted to General Manager once that task was complete. Managing a staff of 27 associates the President / COO title will allow Mr. Elliott the opportunity to direct all aspects of the NMGI nationwide operations as a C-Level executive. In addition Mr. Johnston can focus on NMGI’s involvement with K2 Enterprises and providing keynote speaking platforms for industry trade associations. Mr. Harper as CEO will continue to drive the strategic and financial focus of the operations.
NMGI’s seasoned management team is comprised of three additional executives with over 65 years combined industry experience. Soni McClelland serves as NMGI Controller; Sean Williams serves as VP of Services, and Ken McClelland as VP of Sales.
I was just listening to Jon Stewart interview NY Times writer Michael Moss about his new book Salt Sugar Fat and he said something that struck a chord with me. He was talking about the science of creating food and something called the “Bliss factor.” That perfect balance that will ensure that the products are a smash hit with consumers. That’s where I want to go with BYOD policy. I’ve been searching for that perfect mix of hardware, software and education that will protect my IP—yet give my consumers that rush they get when eating a Twinkie. OK, I know it’s a bit of flight-o-fancy to think that a BYOD policy can compare to a Twinkie (they are coming back!), but why not, why not venture out on that quest, at least for a little bit.
Heading out of town to visit relatives during the Holidays is as traditional as turkey dinners, electronic gifts, mistletoe, and snowmen. But what many people do not look forward to is the hustle, bustle, and time-consuming activity of actually heading into, through, and out of airports. This year, more than ever, millions of travelers will be using the public Wi-Fi systems available at municipal and International airports around the world. You may be one of them. With your handheld device, your laptop, or your tablet computer, you’ll be checking on your flights, sending out email, or maybe even working on that report that you promised your boss by January 3rd. But how safe is the airport’s wireless security? How do you protect yourself – and your private information – from identity theft, fraud, and other cybercrimes?
In the arms race between network administrators and hackers, battles are fought over the security holes in enterprise software. Your best defence is the patches that vendors release to plug those holes.