text:
I T F
Visit the Festival
Festival HubsFestival HighlightsCore ProgrammeCollectionsStudio LatesFull Programme
Become a SponsorCurrent Sponsors
Architecture Masters PodcastBuilding Sounds Audio Guide
About usFestival HistoryCall for EntriesContact
You are viewing the 2019 Festival Website View 2020 site
The London Festival of Architecture has always proved to be a platform for vigorous debate – both about our theme and about wider issues affecting London. On our Views Pages we give space to a range of contributors including industry leaders, curators, academics, politicians and other less-heard voices to express their views and ideas. These are their opinions and not necessarily those of the Festival. We hope you find them in equal parts inspiring and challenging.
BLOG POST | 08 / 19 / 19 | Views Editor - London Festival of Architecture
Jamie Sherman on LFA 2019
Kingston Smith is a firm of Chartered Accountants and leading business advisors to entrepreneurial businesses, not-for-profit organisations and private clients as well as being one of our fantastic benefactors. In this piece, partner Jamie Sherman reflects on the variety of events he attended as part of LFA 2019.
London Festival of Architecture: it really did have it all!
I have to say hats off to the London Festival of Architecture team for yet another excellent demonstration of architecture in London. The festival highlighted the key challenges facing the industry in the short term, something a large number of practices have experienced. Many firms will need to be agile and willing to innovate in their approach to design and management in the future. Conversations during events we attended were largely centred around a few key themes; competition, innovation and diversity.
The theme of boundaries provided a great backdrop to the month of June, with the differing interpretations providing a diverse range of events, from talks about geographical boundaries of certain developments to panel discussions about diversity in the profession. It really did have it all!
The opening party at The Minister Building set the scene of events tackling the key issues in the sector. The first event we attended was a penal discussion hosted by David Morley Architects where David presented his passion for The Triangle Site at Kings Cross. With photographic evidence of the miraculous change on the brownfield site near the crossing railway lines, David told the story and recalled some of the many interesting quirks of working with two separate boroughs (the building covers the two boroughs of Islington and Camden). The panel went on to discuss the many challenges that they overcame with the geographical boundary and the compromises made. The prize for the best question came from the audience member who asked who was responsible for collecting the bins! It really was a great example of how architects are challenging boundaries and working together to achieve a common goal.
The Jestico+Whiles Virtual Reality experience gave a great perspective using the latest technology for the immersive viewing experience. It highlighted the need to embrace technology, an aspect many practices are struggling to accept given the capex required. Such financial boundaries may result in a competitive advantage, although the cost is reducing each year. From our experience, this will be essential in the short term as clients' expectations shift and pricing becomes crucial when tendering for new projects.
The crossing boundaries pitch event hosted by Archiboo and HOK was definitely worth attending. It had a host of innovative architecture ideas on show. From flat-pack box-building solutions courtesy of Studio Bark to architecture in Africa, the pitches demonstrated some creative building methods, really challenging the status quo of conventional design and build.
The team at Kingston Smith attended a number of other events, including debates, Negroni talks and lectures, all of which were hugely insightful. A special mention goes to practices Fraser Brown Mackenna, Make Architects, Fletcher Priest, Glenn Howells, and Allies and Morrison for the excellent exhibitions of their work.
More than ever before practices must articulate their value proposition and why clients should use them. Achieving this will not only improve conversion rates when tendering for new projects, but also improve office morale while improving employee's engagement. This will result in a stable workforce, reduced overheads and time spent on recruitment in a highly competitive market.
For all architects, the design remains the key focus but, in an increasingly regulated market (not to mention Professional Indemnity insurance becoming very expensive), to succeed they must have one eye on the firm's performance and strategy moving forward. Succession remains a key issue. Firms must have a strategy to deal with this, perhaps by breaking down the employee ownership barrier or moving away from an LLP to take advantage of the increasing R&D tax credits.
The Places Between
Fliss Childs is the Head of Communications at Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios. In this piece Fliss with the FCBStudios team explore the theme of boundaries in relation to their exhibition The Places Between, which ran as part of the LFA 2019.
'More important than buildings are the public spaces in between them'
Amanda Burden noted this when she was director of the New York City Department of City Planning. Indeed, much of civil society is created in 'The Places Between' – where the boundaries of entry are removed and we can interact with all communities.
FCBStudios' latest exhibition, part of the LFA 2019, looked at how we can design these spaces within our environment to help to establish communities in new neighbourhoods and become the places where people, young and old and from all walks of life shape communities, make connections, define character, enjoy comfort, share commodities and take part in celebration.
Recognising these places, both internal and external as an essential part of social infrastructure can help us to address challenges of isolation, education, crime, social inequality and polarisation. Investment in spaces such as libraries, parks and public space can benefit everyone, as a forum for increased interaction with friends, family, colleagues and neighbours.
We have identified six key traits of the places between and the measured benefits and intangible qualities which illustrate their many positive attributes.
Community is at the heart of all cities. Social, interactive, supportive society thrives through social equity, street life and community groups. Successful communities become attractive to outsiders and drive growth. The Britannia Project expands a thriving London community with the facilities and amenities it will need to accommodate and support Hackney's expanding population. Our masterplan puts a park and car-free public realm at the centre of the expanded community, providing a meeting space for organised and impromptu activities.
Connection: Walkable, accessible neighbourhoods are easy and convenient to get around, have lower air pollution, better street life and more successful shops and businesses. Masterplans, like Battersea Exchange, make the most of existing and new transport hubs – train stations, major bus routes, the underground or tram stops – to create an active economic and social hub for an area. These are places that people use, at first out of the necessity of travel, but soon develop a life and personality of their own.
The character of an area is often determined by its history, heritage, beauty and inhabitants. By working within existing communities and contexts, new developments can enhance or adapt the character of the places around them. Cultural regeneration can be a powerful tool, using existing buildings that have fallen out of use to reignite an area. The regeneration of the East Wing of Alexandra Palace – the 'people's palace' – has breathed new life into a much-loved cultural icon, integrating a new technical infrastructure while retaining the unique character of its historic spaces and inviting a new generation to experience the building and its broad programme of events.
Safe, clean, inclusive neighbourhoods are a comfort and give residents and visitors confidence in their environment. Through good design of public space and thoroughfares, including lighting and microclimates neighbourhoods can be designed to be pleasant and welcoming. The South Kilburn Estate Regeneration project has put an urban park and improved public realm at the heart of the new community, creating a green network of places that extend beyond the site boundary of people to come together to relax, play and socialise in a comfortable green and peaceful living environment.
Commodity: The economy of a successful neighbourhood thrives. Gradually property values, local ownership, community groups and land use patterns reflect growing civic pride. As part of the initial placemaking phase of Great Eastern Quays, Bow Arts are curating the entire commercial estate on behalf of Notting Hill Genesis to include a diverse range of interesting commercial uses, form artists studios, workspaces, retail, cafe and restaurant space to line the dockside and create a focal point for the community.
Celebration: A thriving community often expresses itself through seasonal, intergenerational or neighbourly celebration. Meanwhile uses, exhibitions and street parties are signs of successful, unified environments. Our masterplan and subsequent refurbishment of the Southbank Centre's Hayward Gallery and Queen Elizabeth Hall buildings celebrate the existing buildings and social optimism of their Brutalist designers. The renewal of the buildings, which was completed last year enhances the experiences of visitors, performers and passers-by and celebrates the unique role of Southbank Centre in the capitals cultural life.
The places between are the pieces of a city that provide a flexible framework, and the space for people to connect, interact and make communities. Successful spaces create pride, creativity, and nurturing places for all to live, work and grow.
All photographs by Richard Battye for FCBStudios.
Regeneration Divide
For our Views Section, LFA Patron Ft'work presents a series of three, hard-hitting short films, produced in collaboration with Sarah Wigglesworth Architects and community-based organisations. These videos each explore this year's LFA theme of boundaries. Each film explores boundaries from the point of view of a particular social group, whose experience reveals where social and physical boundaries collide.
In this third film, we follow a route, chosen by a group of five close friends, round the partly redeveloped estate where they have grown up – Woodberry Down at Manor House, one of Europe's largest single site regeneration projects. The young men, all members of the local football team, give a brutally honest first-hand account of gentrification and its destructive impact on the pre-existing community.
The film has been facilitated by Manor House Development Trust, which works in support of community development, and with the help of Redmond Community Centre, and The Edge, and in collaboration with Redmond Rovers.
Making public art work: how do artists and architects collaborate?
To celebrate the London Festival of Architecture 2019 and this year's theme of 'boundaries', architectural practice BPTW, artist Chris Tipping and public art consultantsFrancisKnight are delving deeper into the creative and working processes involved in artists and architects' practice, exploring how successful partnerships can transcend these disciplinary boundaries.
Their joint work on Rochester Riverside, a major regeneration scheme in Kent for Countryside Properties and The Hyde Group, is a perfect example of this. The interview with Chris Tipping and Peter Sofoluke, Associate Architect at BPTW, takes a look at how developing a creative collaboration between artists and architects from the outset can result in fully integrated and embedded public art.
Rochester Riverside with Artist Draft designs reviewing scale and impact on the ground. Ink on paper. © Chris Tipping
How does detailed contextual research underpin your design process?
Chris: It is critically important for me to engage directly with the site. At Rochester Riverside, physical interaction by walking and exploring the site and the surrounding environment was balanced with local or regionally focused archive research. Disparate references, such as salt marsh plants, become mixed-up with an iron foundry, ormedieval illuminated manuscripts with the gasworks. Anecdotal evidence and overheard stories become mixed with fact. This can appear eclectic, disconnected and random, but isn't this the nature of all places? My creative process, often intuitive in itself, is backed by long experience and enables me to weave rich and subtle stories about people and places, but also hopefully assist in the creation and interpretation of new spaces, which look forward to the future.
Have you worked with architects before on public art projects?
Chris: Many times. Being brought in early by creative exchange leads to a more satisfactory collaborative outcome for both parties, but this is by no means always an easy path to take. Success isn't always measured in outcomes. Process is where true collaboration can be measured. Outcome is affected by many things not always in the control of the artist or the architect, but a creative and honest engagement with the process is where I am happy. I think I work even more creatively in response to working in multi-disciplinary design teams and can be inspired as much by the work of others as with my own process. I can sometimes respond defensively to critical comment, but this can lead to reappraisal, revision and a better creative outcome. Creativity can be hard-earned.
Rochester Riverside, view overlooking landscape and new development © BPTW
Have you worked with artists before on public art projects?
BPTW: Yes, we have worked with artists on a number of regeneration projects. Sometimes within our industry the value of public art elements can be overlooked, but we feel it has the potential to add so much to the character of a place, whether through interventions that enhance a user's experience of public space, art strategies that assist with wayfinding, or installations that help reinforce the identity of an area. It's great that we are working with clients like Countryside and Hyde who value this and throughFrancisKnight we have been involved in the selection and appointment of artists too. We enjoy the creative process when working with artists and it is always interesting to see how their interpretations of key themes relating to a place develop into something tangible.
How does the collaborative process work on a practical level? Are you able to elaborate on this in relation to the Rochester Riverside development?
Chris: On a practical level, FrancisKnight and BPTW have been excellent at supporting my process. Marrying the client's various needs and requirements while building in their own vision and practice aesthetic and concept, cannot be easy for an architect. As an experienced artist working in the public realm, I know this is a challenge, but I often don't know where or when to stop. BPTW have been critical – as have FrancisKnight – in focusing my creative impulse to overproduce and discussions and continual review clearly framed these parameters by making clear where their vision met and mingledwith mine. This has freed me to focus on the detail and delivery of the work, as well as its function and place, and has hopefully produced a beautifully crafted suite of interpretive, rich artwork for the site.
BPTW: Over the course of the design process, we engaged with FrancisKnight and Chris in several workshop sessions. We were able to communicate key elements of the masterplan proposal which identified opportunity areas for public art. Chris' subsequent research into the site revealed many forgotten crafts, trades and historical layers which could be subtly reimagined in the form of interventions to brick boundary walls, public realm paving and other elements of the scheme. Throughout the process, there was a continual exchange of ideas between ourselves and Chris to develop and refine the design into a proposal that really reflected Rochester Riverside as a place.
Our design of the scheme's homes and buildings has been greatly influenced by an understanding of the history of the site and surroundings, and it was great to develop this sense of place further across the scheme with Chris. We look forward to seeing it all realised.
BRICKIES STACKIES STUMPIES, colloquial names for working barges of the Medway and Thames, transporting bricks, hay or mud. Unit size: 1200mm x 400mm x 75mm Cast Iron with low relief detailing. © Chris Tipping
MARSH COWS grazing, in medieval times Cattle and Sheep grazed the Marshes or Rochester Riverside. They continue to do so elsewhere on the Medway Estuary and Marshes and Hoo Peninsula. Unit size: 1200mm x 400mm x 75mm Flamed Granite with water jet cut inset and sandblasted detail. © Chris Tipping
PERENNIAL GLASSWORT, the Medway Estuary in one of the best places in Britain to study Glassworts, salt tolerant plants the ashes of which were formerly used in glassmaking. Unit size: 1200mm x 400mm x 75mm Flamed Granite with water jet cut inset and sandblasted detail. © Chris Tipping
Thames Connections: past, present and future
Matthew Morgan is a consultant for Lifschutz Davidson Sandilands and has been crafting stories in magazine journalism, book publishing, branding and communications for over 20 years, primarily for architects and designers. Matthew attended the Thames Connection debate hosted by Lifschutz Davidson Sandilands at Body & Soul in Clerkenwell on 19 June, and in this piece he explores the boundaries of the Thames River explored during this debate.
Nothing unites and divides London like the Thames and, with London's population ever-growing, there is a clear need for further connections with the river as well as crossings over it. In our second annual London Festival of Architecture debate, we celebrated, investigated and analysed our connections to the Thames and its crossings – past, present and future, unlocking London's potential and celebrating the river. The discussion brought together experts and enthusiasts from the worlds of local government and public art, transport planning and marine engineering, all of whom we have collaborated with on projects as diverse as the residential-led Barking Riverside masterplan and the huge public art project, Illuminated River.
A new/old centre of London?
Councillor Darren Rodwell, Leader of Barking and Dagenham Council, is a passionate community champion whose message was clear: "Barking and Dagenham is the centre of London – you just don't know it yet."
Darren has a vision to create a "Barcelona on the Thames" at Barking Riverside, a huge regeneration project on London's largest brownfield site for which we are masterplanners. But while his priorities are local ("it's the local people who make the place") his ambitions are global. "Let's make sure the East of London is well-connected, because if not, we're losing our connection with the rest of the world."
The need to increase connections within and beyond the borough was developed by Chris Naylor, Barking and Dagenham's Chief Executive, who offered further insight into the inequalities that have arisen from longstanding failures in both housing provision and transport infrastructure. He explored the benefits of burying the A13 to create better connections, reduce pollution and unlock land for redevelopment, and of encouraging growth through the Council's 'Be First' social enterprise, which is bringing together planning and developing expertise for Barking Riverside.
However, both Darren and Chris were clear that Barking and Dagenham's original expansion in the 1920s depended on infrastructure investment by the UK government, which Ford motor cars consolidated and built upon. What is missing now is any long-term thinking or financial support from the UK national government, which has led to a burgeoning relationship with representatives of China's belt and road initiative, who see Barking and Dagenham as a key gateway to London.
Lighting up the city at night
Sarah Gaventa, Director of the Illuminated River Foundation, gave a very different perspective on the potential the Thames has for London's pre-eminence as a world city.
While acknowledging the need for more connections for the East End, her focus is on an ambitious scheme to light 15 central London bridges at night, brought together by our studio in collaboration with the artist Leo Villareal. But Sarah demonstrated how Illuminated River is much more than simply a huge public art project.
It is estimated the project will be seen by over 200,000 people per year, with the potential to increase wellbeing in the capital as they delight in Villareal's beautiful artwork. One in ten London children has never seen the river Thames, and she sees the project as an opportunity to reconnect communities who live near the Thames but don't have access to it. The project is also an opportunity to reduce light pollution for the wildlife that lives in and around the river. "There are 135 species of fish in the Thames, none of whom like to have sex with the lights on."
Sarah talked of the challenges of creating such a project, which has involved 30 planning applications and 18 listed buildings in separate conversations with numerous, disconnected London boroughs. But she was also persuasive about the economic benefits to the capital, offering London an opportunity to gain pre-eminence over other major cities such as Paris, and the simple joy and calm to be had at an otherwise troubled time. "What else are we going to have to celebrate for the next few months?"
Macro and micro ideas for better transport
Three speakers then gave an insight into transport planning at both a macro and micro level.
Julie Bowerman, a Director at Steer, has experience in transport planning in the private and public sector, and has led numerous projects across London. But what started for her as a review of the impact of CAVs in how they may help us better connect our city and encourage pedestrians and cyclists expanded into a broader look at how transport priorities in the capital are changing. Population growth, lack of housing provision and a transport system under strain increase the need and demand for initiatives such as shared transport and increased cycle routes.
But while crossing the river is part of the journey, it cannot be divorced from the routes that lie either side. "Technology won't change the way we use bridges, but they will change the way we think about the journeys we need to take."
Crossing the river was of specific interest to Tim Beckett, Founding Director of Marine Consultancy Beckett Rankine, who has been responsible for the design of more than 200 projects on the tidal Thames.
His innovative scheme for state-of-the-art electric ferries – already a reality in Sweden and Finland – could revolutionise our approach to the water. The creation of new ferry crossings offer a nimble, relatively low-cost solution to increase connections at key locations in the east of London such as Canary Wharf, where there is neither the money nor the vision for the creation of a bridge. Perhaps where public funding is not forthcoming, private sector investment could plug some of the gaps as we move deeper into the coming century.
Alex Lifschutz, Founding Director of Lifschutz Davidson Sandilands, rounded up the discussion with a description of the Thames Barrier Bridge, an idea for a new, low-level pedestrian and cycle bridge to connect the Royal Borough of Greenwich with the Royal Docks. The 530-metre long bridge is a multi-span bascule bridge that would be situated immediately upstream of the Thames Barrier, so impact on the flow of the river would be lessened. Most boats would be able to pass underneath, but when larger boats do wish to pass through, the multiple piers, each with their own bascules, create a series of small, moveable bridges with their own opening spans. This provides certainty that at least one section of the bridge will open when it is needed.
It's an idea that is so simple, one wonders why it hasn't happened already, but it does come with a caveat: "we have approached TfL but the door is closed because they don't have a penny to spend," Alex explained.
Towards a conclusion
Apart from the enthusiasm from each speaker for the new and exciting projects that could shape life along the Thames in the years ahead, the other major theme was the scarcity of funds for these new projects to become a reality. "So what," Alex asked, "is the mechanism for celebrating and rewarding all these varied ideas?"
Everyone was united in agreement that London needs more bridges, tunnels and ferries, but how do we ensure the city's continued success by getting such projects built?
The danger of failing to provide sufficient connections is stark. "Lack of infrastructure is the prime cause of social inequality in the East End," said Chris Naylor. But there was consensus that the political vision and leadership required to deliver such connections through infrastructure is just not there at present.
Sarah Gaventa was positive about the potential for philanthropy to contribute to more projects (Illuminated River is being funded by the Arcadia Fund and the Rothschild Foundation), but the kind of funding necessary for a venture such as burying the A13 (approximately £9billion) is only going to come from central government – if not ours then someone else's.
Manifestos: Architecture for a New Generation No. 10
In an exciting collaboration with the Design Museum, 'Manifestos: Architecture for a New Generation' highlights the work by 10 emerging voices in architecture, who have each been nominated by established names in the profession, for their impact on shaping a new future for London. Responding to the defining challenges facing young people in London today, this new generation of architecture voices pushing the boundaries of what architecture can be, who London is for and what its future holds.
In a series of visionary manifestos, the chosen 10 share alternative visions for the capital's urban landscape, prioritising collaboration, dialogue, learning and action in response to the real material and social conditions of a city in flux. Check back every Wednesday and Saturday for more.
Part W (nominated by Peter Barber)
The Part W collective is impatient for equality. We call out gender discrimination in an industry that routinely excludes and are driven by a desire to see places designed and delivered in a manner that is open, tolerant and beneficial to all. We want to see change happening now – so that current and future generations benefit from intersectional thinking in architecture, engineering, policy, planning and education. Our manifesto calls for change in the conversation around what leadership and notions of success look like. We want to lay a pathway that enables future generations to benefit from built projects being instigated, planned and delivered by both women and men equally and fairly. Our current campaigns have been established by a London-based group, but we share aspirations with UK and European sister groups. Outwards looking and collaborative, we are working together to achieve a gender-equal future.
Postcode.
In this second film, the single, unedited 'take' follows a postcode boundary that runs past the Rockingham Estate to Elephant and Castle. Innocuous to you and me, it represents a constant threat to many local young people. In an emotive and sometimes chilling conversation, three 15 yr-old boys with personal experience of gang violence and the ongoing Street War between Kennington and Peckham discuss: its causes and effects, the fear it instils, the impact on their mental health, the restriction it has on their personal freedom, their relationship with the police
This film was produced in collaboration with Oasis Waterloo.
Manifestos: Architecture for a New Generation No. 9
Patricia de Souza Leao Muller of Holy Fool Studio (nominated by Manijeh Verghese)
As the architectural profession in London becomes a mere tool for developers, it underestimates the profound wisdom of the foolish play. Like the idiot at the feast, if architecture would be used to not find solutions to problems, we could tear open the gaps within dominant structures with play and humour. Responding to conversations about queer spaces, I investigate ways to catalyse long-term change through foolishness and irreverence, disrupting norms and complacency through collective making.
Success is measured by how much a profession by experts, for experts, is made accessible through designs that are cheap, non-standard, participatory, expressive, handmade, and with easy instructions. Through collective engagements, institutional diplomacy, and scripted spectacles, big questions about the inclusion of vulnerable identities, and bottom up self-expression, can be answered with the architecture of what simply exists: loos, flowers and joy.
Neba Sere of Black Females in Architecture (nominated by Torange Khonsari)
Architecture needs to represent the communities that it seeks to serve. That starts with engaging young people in going into built environment professions, however, if they do not see people like themselves represented then they do not believe they can achieve this. Black Females in Architecture (BFA) is actively challenging that notion to make sure that the profession improves its diversity for future generations.BFA is a network of over 185 women with black heritage who either study, work or are interested in the professions surrounding the built environment. It was founded last year by myself and three other women as a response to the frustration of not seeing any black women at industry events and in leadership positions in practice or academia.We organise regular socials, events such as workshops with focus on plastic waste and small-scale projects.
RESOLVE Collective (nominated by David Ogunmuyiwa)
Architecture's capacity to change London's extreme inequity is often articulated in the same language as its complicity; where productivity, labour, and disciplinary vogue existing synonymously with creativity, passion, and thoughtful design. Our manifesto builds on a re-thinking of architecture as an unbridled means to produce novelty in our city and looks instead toward a practice that reveals, questions, and deconstructs existing forms, spaces, and ideas. To build by deconstructionnecessitates an interdisciplinary approach that investigates common spatial motifs at a human scale, such as shelter, movement, division, in order to equip us with the appropriate tools to address citywide and global demands for alternative value systems, degrowth and decolonialisation. It asks: what if walls did not separate us, but instead brought us together? How distinct are our built environments – houses, neighbourhoods, and cities – from our emotional ones? Can we use design not to change spaces, but systems, perspectives, and narratives?
Displaying 10 of 63 Blog Posts
1 2 … 6 7 Next Page >
#LFA2019
© 2019 London Festival Of Architecture unless otherwise stated | Privacy Policy | Site: ATGS
Enter a search term or filter events by category
All Event Types Conferences (14) Exhibitions (114) Family Events (66) Workshops (64) Film Screening (17) Installations (97) Studio Lates (44) Other (48) Talks & Debates (147) Walks & Tours (225)
All Event Areas Heart of London (24) City of London (68) London Bridge (73) Royal Docks (45)
All Event Programmes Festival Highlights (146) Core (132) Fringe (466)


text:
Mace Announces Timing for 2019 Investor Day
Mark E. Barrus
Senior Vice President, Chief Financial Officer, and Secretary
Mbarrus@mace.com
CLEVELAND, June 27, 2019 /ACCESSWIRE/ – Mace Security International, Inc. (OTCQX: MACE), a globally recognized leader in personal safety products, today announced details for its annual Investor Day to be hosted Thursday, July 18, 2019 at the company's Cleveland headquarters. Presentations are scheduled to start following the annual shareholders meeting at approximately 10:30 am EDT and conclude at approximately 12:00 pm EDT. A live question and answer session will be included in the session.
Mace's Investor Day 2019 will feature an overview of the company, a discussion of business performance and strategy, and a showcase of current products, branding, and previously announced licensing initiatives.
Gary Medved, President and Chief Executive Officer
Mark Barrus, Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
Julie Koenig, Vice President of Sales
About Mace Security International, Inc.:
Mace Security International, Inc. (MSI) is a globally recognized leader in personal safety and security. Based in Cleveland, Ohio, the company has spent more than 40 years designing and manufacturing consumer and tactical products for personal defense and security under its world-renowned Mace® Brand – the original trusted brand of defense spray products. The company also offers aerosol defense sprays and tactical products for law enforcement and security professionals worldwide through its MTS ® Brand, Vigilant® Brand alarms which are the world-wide leader and number one recognized brand in personal alarms, and Tornado ® Brand pepper spray. MSI distributes and supports Mace® Brand products and services through mass market retailers, wholesale distributors, independent dealers, e-commerce channels, and other distributors. For more information, visit www.mace.com.
This presentation contains certain forward-looking information within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The words "may," "will," "expect," "intend," "estimate," "anticipate," "aspiration," "objective," "project," "believe," "continue," "on track" or "target" or the negative thereof and similar expressions, among others, identify forward-looking statements. All forward looking statements are based on information currently available to management. Such forward-looking statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause events and the Company's actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied. Please see the disclosure regarding forward-looking statements on the Company's Annual Report on the OTCQX website or on www.mace.com. The company assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements.
http://www.mace.com
Notice of 2019 Annual Meeting of Stockholders
Date: Thursday July 18, 2019
Time: 10 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time
Mace Security International, Inc.
4400 Carnegie Avenue
To Mace Security International, Inc. Stockholders:
We invite you to attend the 2019 Annual Meeting of Stockholders of Mace Security International, Inc. ("Mace" or the "Company"). At this meeting, you will be able to vote on the following proposals, together with any other business that may properly come before the meeting.
1. Election of seven directors to the Board of Directors for one-year terms. The Board has nominated for election Denis J. Amato, Bradley J. Dickerson, George C. Gehrisch, Cheryl B. McMillan, Daniel Perella, Hussien Shousher, and Sanjay Singh. Biographical information for each nominee and the Board of Directors' recommendation is attached hereto.
2. Ratification of the appointment of Skoda Minotti & Co. as Mace's independent public accounting firm for fiscal year 2019. Information about the Board of Directors' recommendation is attached hereto.
You may vote on these proposals in person by attending the Annual Meeting or by proxy. If you cannot attend the 2019 Annual Meeting, we urge you to complete and return promptly the enclosed proxy card in the enclosed self-addressed postage paid envelope so that your shares will be represented and voted at the Annual Meeting in accordance with your instructions. Any stockholder may revoke their proxy before it is exercised by giving a later dated proxy, or by giving notice of revocation to the Company in writing before or at the 2019 Annual Meeting. However, the mere presence at the 2019 Annual Meeting of the stockholder granting a proxy will not revoke the proxy. Unless revoked by notice, shares represented by valid proxies will be voted on all matters to be acted upon at the 2019 Annual Meeting. On any matter or matters with respect to which the proxy contains instructions for voting, such shares will be voted in accordance with such instructions. Abstentions and broker non-votes will be deemed to be present for the purpose of determining a quorum for the 2019 Annual Meeting. An abstention or a broker non-vote will have no effect with respect to Proposal 1, but will be counted as "votes against" with respect to proposal 2. Brokers who have not received voting instructions from beneficial owners generally may vote in their discretion with respect to ratification of the selection of the independent certified public accounting firm, but will not be able to vote with respect to Proposal 1. Broker non-votes will not affect the outcome of any new proposals brought before the 2019 Annual Meeting.
Only stockholders of record at the close of business on June 14, 2019 can vote at the Annual Meeting and any adjournment or postponement of the Annual Meeting. As of the record date, there were approximately 63,249,834 shares of common stock outstanding.
By Order of the Board of Directors,
Senior Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Secretary
IMPORTANT NOTICE REGARDING THE AVAILABILITY OF FINANCIAL INFORMATION FOR THE 2019 ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS TO BE HELD ON July 18, 2019:
Mace Security International, Inc.'s audited consolidated financial statements for the year ended
December 31, 2018 are available on the OTCQX Market web site via the Internet at http://www.otcmarkets.com/stock/MACE/financials
THE PROPOSALS
Proposal 1 – Election of Directors
Election of seven directors to the Board of Directors for a one-year term and until their respective successor is duly elected and qualified.
Denis J. Amato Bradley J. Dickerson
George C. Gehrisch Cheryl B. McMillan
Daniel Perella Hussien Shousher
Four director nominees currently serve on the Board of Directors and all seven were nominated by the Company's Nominating Committee and approved by the Board of Directors. All nominees have agreed to be nominated to stand for election at the 2019 Annual Meeting. Directors are elected by a plurality vote of shares present in person or represented by proxy at the Annual Meeting. Shares represented by proxies that withhold authority to vote in the election of directors will not be counted in the election of directors in favor of any nominee and will have no effect on the director election.
Biographical information for each nominee appears below.
Denis J. Amato C.F.A., age 74, is a private investor. Mr. Amato retired from Ancora Advisors, where he was Director of Microcap Equities. His investment experience spanned five decades, including serving as Chief Investment Officer for a major Cleveland bank trust department as well as with Ancora Advisors. He has both a BBA in Economics and an MBA in Finance from Case Western Reserve University and is a Chartered Financial Analyst.
Bradley J. Dickerson, age 54, most recently was at Blue Apron from February 2016 until April 2019. Blue Apron is a direct-to-consumer ingredient-and-recipe meal kit service, operating throughout the United States. At Blue Apron, he served as CEO from December 2017 until April 2019 and CFO from February 2016 until December 2017. Prior to Blue Apron, Mr. Dickerson was at Under Armour, Inc in Baltimore, MD from 2004 until 2016. While at Under Armour he held various executive positions, including CFO/COO in 2015-2016 and CFO from 2008 through 2014. Mr. Dickerson brings 32 years of financial, operational, and executive experience, the last 15 years with brands going through substantial growth and involving product, channel, and geographic expansion.
George C. Gehrisch, Jr., age 57, was appointed to the Company's Board of Directors on March 9, 2018 and is the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of RKI, Inc., d/b/a Roll-Kraft, headquartered in Mentor, OH. Roll-Kraft is an innovative supplier of tube and pipe tooling and roll forming tooling used by manufacturers around the world to produce thousands of products. Prior to being appointed to his current position, Mr. Gehrisch led Roll-Kraft as its President for more than 20 years. Mr. Gehrisch has led Roll-Kraft to actively focus on the goal of providing customers with 100% on-time deliveries and first-time performance. Through his leadership the company has become known around the world as an industry leader and for its superior service and reliable quality tooling.
Cheryl B. McMillan, age 60, has been a Vistage Chair for 14 years. As a Vistage Chair, she leads two groups of non-competing business executives: one group of CEOs, Presidents and Business Owners, and one group of Senior Executives who report directly to them. Prior to joining Vistage, she had over 25 years of broad business experience, including being a President, CFO (CPA, Retired) and board member of a strategic alliance for a group of 18 non-related owners. She has assisted in the formation of new companies as well as the integration of acquisitions. She is an active member of Friends of the Summit Board of Directors and is a former Treasurer of a non-profit board and founding chair of its foundation.
Daniel V. Perella, age 49, is a Co-Founder, President and Chief Operating Officer of IdeaStream Consumer Products, in Cleveland, Ohio. The Company was founded in 2002 and is focused on designing and developing creative and innovative product solutions that drive incremental sales and profits for its retail customers. Mr. Perella brings nearly 27 years of experience in the retail marketplace to Mace. Prior to the founding of IdeaStream Consumer Products, Mr. Perella worked for 10 years at Manco, Inc (now known as Shurtech). During his time there he had numerous roles, including Vice President of Wal-Mart Sales. Additionally, prior to his entrepreneurial journey, he was Manco's Executive Vice President of Sales.
Hussien Shousher, age 60, was the recent CEO of GEM Inc. and GEM Energy and was with the Rudolph Libbe Group of companies for 25 years. During Mr. Shousher's tenure, GEM expanded to multiple locations throughout three states with over 1,000 employees. GEM Inc., headquartered in Walbridge, OH, is a leading single-source specialty contractor with multiple self-performance trades as well as consulting and energy management services. GEM Inc. is annually ranked among the top 100 on the Engineering News-Record top 600 Specialty Contractors. GEM Energy optimizes the efficiency of facilities for reduced operating costs through energy management and procurement, building controls, HVAC and facility management services. Mr. Shousher is currently focused on executive mentoring, coaching, and advising business leaders and established professionals.
Sanjay Singh, age 52, was appointed to the Company's Board of Directors on March 9, 2018 and is the President of RKI, Inc., d/b/a Roll-Kraft, headquartered in Mentor, OH. Roll-Kraft is an innovative supplier of tube and pipe tooling and roll forming tooling used by manufacturers around the world to produce thousands of products. At Roll-Kraft, Mr. Singh directs and leads the company's efforts to excel in operational efficiencies and market penetration. He has most recently sharpened the company's continuous improvement focus to meet the company's goals of 100% on-time delivery and first-time performance. Mr. Singh also leads the company's private investment initiatives in lower middle market companies located in northeast Ohio. Mr. Singh has held various financial executive leadership roles in Fortune 1000, privately held and private equity backed portfolio companies across various industries, including consumer products, manufacturing and service. Mr. Singh currently serves as an advisor to the Boards of two non-profit organizations and a technology startup.
The Board of Directors recommends that you vote FOR the election of Denis J. Amato, Bradley J. Dickerson, George C. Gehrisch, Jr., Cheryl B. McMillan, Daniel V. Perella, Hussien Shousher and Sanjay Singh to Mace's Board.
Proposal 2 – Ratification of Independent Public Accounting Firm
Ratification of the Audit Committee's appointment of Skoda Minotti & Co. as Mace's independent public accounting firm for fiscal year 2019.
The Audit Committee has approved engaging Skoda Minotti & Co. as Mace's independent public accounting firm for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2019. Skoda Minotti & Co. served as Maces' independent public accounting firm since the fiscal years ended December 31, 2014. Approval of Proposal 2 will require the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the Common Shares represented in person or by proxy and entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting. Approval of Proposal 2 will not preclude the Board or Audit Committee from selecting a different independent public accounting firm at any time during the fiscal year if it determines such a change would be in the best interests of the Company and its stockholders.
The Board of Directors recommends that you vote FOR the ratification of the appointment of Skoda Minotti & Co. as Mace's independent public accounting firm for fiscal year 2019.
Muse Named Agency of Record for Mace® Brand
This strategic partnership propels the personal safety company into its next chapter of growth
CLEVELAND, Ohio, May 16, 2019 (OTCQX: MACE) – Muse, a brand strategy and content marketing firm, has been named agency of record for Mace® Brand, the consumer arm of Mace Security International, Inc. and a global leader in personal safety products. The collaboration marks an exciting new chapter as the company reinvigorates its brand and marketing strategies.
"We went through an extensive RFP process to find the right agency partner," said Gary Medved, CEO of Mace Security International. "Muse came to the table with a strong understanding of our category and audience perceptions. They led with solid business insight and brand strategy to drive the development of creative ideas."
Mace® Brand invented pepper spray in 1965 and holds a special place in the marketplace as the preferred choice for effective, yet less-lethal, self-defense solutions. Building off of the company's legacy, Muse will create a brand strategy and awareness campaign that educates the public about the power of being prepared, safe and confident.
"As we take Mace® Brand into the next phase with Muse, we're keenly aware of the looming threats that people hear about and fear," adds Medved. "We'll build on our legacy of innovation to tailor self-protection products for specific lifestyles so our customers can walk through the world with confidence."
As a female-led marketing firm, Muse offers special insight into the challenges that many women face in feeling safe, particularly in unfamiliar or scary situations. Nevertheless, the firm recognizes that Mace® Brand is right for all people in many different scenarios.
"Mace® Brand is committed to not only manufacturing the highest-quality products but to spark a broader movement of personal protection," said Jackie Bebenroth, principal and founder of Muse. "We're excited to work with Mace leadership to create inspiring and educational content that empowers people to lead safer, more confident lives. Especially with the help of less-lethal self-defense products that carry fewer risks than alternatives."
Gary Medved, CEO of Mace Security International
Jackie Bebenroth, Principal & Brand Advisor at Muse Content Group
About Mace® Security International, Inc.
Mace® Security International, Inc. (MSI) is a globally recognized leader in personal safety and security. Based in Cleveland, Ohio, the company has spent more than 40 years designing and manufacturing consumer and tactical products for personal defense, security and surveillance under its world-renowned Mace® Brand – the original trusted brand of defense spray products. The company also offers aerosol defense sprays and tactical products for law enforcement and security professionals worldwide through its Mace® Take Down® brand. MSI distributes and supports Mace® Brand products and services through mass market retailers, wholesale distributors, independent dealers, e-commerce marketers and installation service providers. For more information, visit www.mace.com.
About Muse
Muse is a marketing firm headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio offering brand strategy, content marketing and content amplification services to clients across the country. The firm's proprietary message-first methodology helps brands better connect with audiences and communicate with clarity, intrigue and confidence. Learn more at www.MuseHeadquarters.com
Mace Reports First Quarter 2019 Financial Results
Net sales increased to $2,712,000 or 14.7% over same period in 2018
Net loss of ($856,000) for the quarter, which includes severance charges of $277,000 as well as non-cash stock compensation expense totaling $236,000
Adjusted EBITDA of ($223,000) for the quarter
CLEVELAND, Ohio – Mace Security International Inc. (OTCQX: MACE) today released unaudited financial results for the quarter ended March 31, 2019.
The Company is pleased to announce another quarter of double-digit revenue growth of 14.7% over the same period in 2018. The Company grew its top line sales through organic growth as well as benefitting from prior year strategic acquisitions. The Company's net loss in the quarter includes non-cash charges relating to stock compensation of $236,000. This amount was higher than the same period in the prior year primarily due to an acceleration of the vesting of certain prior stock awards as well as the issuance of new executive stock awards. The net loss also reflected a charge for severance payments of $277,000.
President and CEO Gary Medved commented: "We are pleased that the Company has seen another quarterly increase in net sales versus the prior year. While we continue to work on resetting the company for profitable future growth, we are pleased that these efforts are beginning to bear fruit. For example, we executed two significant marketing and branding agreements with globally known organizations to extend and expand the Mace ® Brand. We expect these agreements to lead to incremental sales beginning in the third quarter."
First Quarter 2019 Financial Highlights
Gross profit increased $83,000 compared to the same quarter in 2018
Gross margin for the quarter was 39.5%, compared to 41.8% in the same quarter of 2018.
SG&A expenses increased over the same period last year primarily due to severance, legal and professional, and non-cash stock compensation increases.
First Quarter 2019 Operational Highlights
Agreements were signed with two globally known brands, giving the Company the ability to utilize these brands to gain access to thousands of potential new customers, new sales channels, as well as existing customers of the brand. These Agreements were structured with minimal fixed contractual cost to Mace, and are expected to begin adding to revenue by third quarter 2019
The Company successfully integrated its previously announces Tornado ® acquisition, including transfer of all inventory, intangible assets, and customer relationships
Mace® will conduct a conference call on Tuesday May 14, 2019 at 1 PM EDT, 10 AM PDT to discuss its financial and operational performance for the quarter.
Participant Toll-Free Dial-In Number: (877) 719-8065; Conference ID 6966839
A full set of the consolidated financial statements are available on www.Mace.com. A digital recording of the conference call will be available for replay two hours after the call's completion. The date ranges the recording will be available are listed below. To access the recording, use the dial-in number listed below and the conference ID 6966839.
Encore dial-in number: (855) 859-2056 or (404) 537-3406
Encore dates: 05/14/2019 16:00 Eastern Time – 05/16/2019 23:59 Eastern Time
To access the recording, guests will be required to enter the Encore security code: 31833
Mace Security International Inc. is a globally recognized leader in personal safety products. Based in Cleveland, Ohio, the Company has spent more than 30 years designing and manufacturing consumer and tactical products for personal defense and, security under its world-renowned Mace® Brand – the original trusted brand of pepper spray products. The Companies other leading brands include Tornado® Brand stun guns and pepper spray, and Vigilant® Brand alarms. The Company also offers aerosol defense sprays and tactical products for law enforcement and security professionals worldwide through its Take Down® Brand.
Mace Security International distributes and supports its products and services through mass-market retailers, wholesale distributors, independent dealers, e-commerce channels and through its website, www.Mace.com. For more information, please visit www.mace.com.
In this press release, the Company's financial results and financial guidance are provided in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States (GAAP) and using certain non-GAAP financial measures. Management believes that presentation of operating results using non-GAAP financial measures provides useful supplemental information to investors and facilitates the analysis of the Company's core operating results and comparison of operating results across reporting periods. Management also uses non-GAAP financial measures to establish budgets and to manage the Company's business. A reconciliation of the GAAP financial results to non-GAAP financial results is included in the attached schedules.
Gary Medved
gmedved@mace.com
Mark Barrus
SVP and Chief Financial Officer
Announcement of First Quarter 2019 Earnings Call
Mace® will conduct a conference call on Tuesday, May 14, 2019, at 1 PM EDT, 10 AM PDT to discuss its financial and operational performance for the quarter ended March 31, 2019.
A digital recording of the conference call will be available for replay two hours after the call's completion. The date ranges the recording will be available are listed below. To access the recording, use the dial-in number listed below and the conference ID 6966839.
Mace Security International, Inc. Hires New Vice President of Sales
Julie Koenig Appointed to Lead Sales Strategy
CLEVELAND, Ohio –April 1, 2019 – Mace Security International, Inc. (OTCQX: MACE), a globally-recognized leader in personal safety and security, is proud to announce the addition of Julie Koenig as Vice President of Sales, effective March 25, 2019. In her new role, she will be responsible for developing and implementing sales strategies that drive growth and customer loyalty.
With almost 20 years of sales, account management and marketing experience from companies such as Party Animal Inc. and US Cotton, LLC, Koenig brings a strong background in brand and channel development, as well as product innovation. In her most recent role as Vice President of Sales and Marketing at Party Animal Inc., Koenig oversaw sales strategy and channel distribution for licensed products in the toy, flag and wall décor categories. As the Vice President of Sales and Marketing at US Cotton, LLC, she helped the company achieve and maintain 85 percent market share of the retail cotton industry through new product and sales strategies.
"Julie's big box retail experience and superior skillset will help our company streamline efficiency, improve interactions with channel partners and ensure greater customer satisfaction," said Gary Medved, President and CEO of Mace Security International, Inc. "She's a strategic thinker with demonstrated leadership expertise. We believe she will position the company for continued growth and success."
Mace® Security International, Inc. is a globally recognized leader in personal safety and security. Based in Cleveland, Ohio, the company has spent more than 40 years designing and manufacturing consumer and tactical products for personal defense, security and surveillance under its world-renowned Mace® Brand – the original trusted brand of defense spray products. The company also offers aerosol defense sprays and tactical products for law enforcement and security professionals worldwide through its Mace® Take Down® brand. MSI distributes and supports Mace® Brand products and services through mass market retailers, wholesale distributors, independent dealers, e-commerce marketers and installation service providers. For more information, visit www.mace.com.
press@mace.com
Mace Reports Fourth Quarter and Full-Year 2018 Financial Results
Net sales increased 15.1% to $11,489,000 for 2018
Net loss of ($1,946,000) for 2018, which includes non-cash charges totaling $1,514,000 for Note Receivable write-downs, inventory write-downs, and other non-cash charges.
Adjusted EBITDA of $172,000 for the year
CLEVELAND, Ohio – Mace Security International Inc. (OTCQX: MACE) today released audited financial results for the year ended December 31, 2018.
The Company is pleased to announce another year of double-digit growth in 2018. The Company has grown its top line sales through organic growth as well as benefiting from prior year strategic acquisitions. The Company's net loss in 2018 included non-cash charges of $1,514,000.
New President and CEO Gary Medved commented: "We are pleased that the Company has seen its fourth straight year of increase in net sales. While we are not satisfied with the overall financial results, we see 2018 and early 2019 as a period of resetting the company for profitable future growth."
Since Mace established a new senior management team in early 2019, the Company has focused on
Replenishing leadership in the operational and sales areas
Explored several significant partnering opportunities which it expects to announce in Q2 of 2019
Continued investments in advertising and content marketing to promote, protect and grow the Company's brands
Fourth Quarter/ Full-Year 2018 Financial Highlights – Compared to 2017
Net sales relatively comparable to prior year for Fourth quarter; up 15.1% year-to-date
Gross profit decreased ($769,000) or (25.4) margin points compared to the same quarter in 2017 including non-cash inventory write downs of $358,000 in the fourth quarter of 2018; Gross margin for the full year 2018 was 37.9%, including the (3.5%) margin impact for the non-cash inventory charges, compared to 44.1% in 2017.
EBITDA of ($1,523,000) for 2018, and adjusted EBIDTA of $172,000 compared to $248,000 and $377,000, respectively, for the 2017 year
Fourth Quarter / Full Year 2018 Operational Highlights
The Company, with the full year of benefit from the 2017 acquisitions of Washington Laboratories and Vigilant, as well as continued growth in its ecommerce channel was able to grow revenues by 15.1% despite flat sales in its largest channels, traditional consumer and sporting goods. SG&A expenses also held steady as a percent of net sales at approximately 41%. Financial performance was challenged by noncash charges totaling $1,514,000 for the year.
Mace® will conduct a conference call on Tuesday April 2, 2019 at 10:00 AM EDT, 7:00 AM PDT to discuss its financial and operational performance for the quarter and full-year ended December 31, 2018. The participant conference call number is (877) 719-8065 conference ID: 8172817. A full set of the consolidated financial statements are available on www.Mace.com. A digital recording of the conference call will be available for replay two hours after the call's completion. To access the recording, use the dial-in number listed below and the conference ID number 8172817 :
***In addition to the toll-free number listed above, you can also dial (800) 585-8367 to access your recording.***
Mace Security International Inc. is a globally recognized leader in personal safety products. Based in Cleveland, Ohio, the Company has spent more than 40 years designing and manufacturing consumer and tactical products for personal defense and, security under its world-renowned Mace® Brand – the original trusted brand of pepper spray products. The Company also offers aerosol defense sprays and tactical products for law enforcement and security professionals worldwide through its Take Down® brands, and Vigilant® Brand alarms which is the world-wide leader and number one recognized brand in personal alarms.
Mace Security International distributes and supports Mace® Brand products and services through mass-market retailers, wholesale distributors, independent dealers, e-commerce channels and through its website, Mace.com. For more information, please visit www.mace.com.
gmedved at mace.com
mbarrus at mace.com
Mace Security International Inc. Hires New Director of Human Resources
Angela Anderson Appointed to Lead HR Strategy and Personnel Development
CLEVELAND, Ohio –March 14, 2019– Mace Security International, Inc. (OTCQX: MACE), a globally-recognized leader in personal safety and security, is proud to announce the addition of Angela Anderson as Director of Human Resources, effective March 11, 2019. In her new role, Anderson will ensure that the company's human resources programs and initiatives are aligned with overall business objectives and performance goals.
With more than 20 years of human resources experience from companies such as Home Depot and AT&T Wireless, Anderson brings a strong background in process improvement, recruiting, training, and development. In her most recent role as Chief Human Resources Officer of The HELP Foundation, she oversaw talent acquisition and retention, employee relations, rewards and recognition, and performance management programs.
"We're thrilled to welcome Angela to our team," said Gary Medved, President and CEO of MSI. "Her HR leadership and expertise will add significant value as we position the company for continued growth and success. Our employees are our most critical asset, and I look forward to working with her to attract, develop and engage strong talent today and in the future."
Mace Security International, Inc. Acquires Tornado Security Products
Acquisition Strengthens Mace® Brand Market Position and Growth Potential
CLEVELAND –February 6, 2019 – Mace Security International, Inc. (MSI) (OTCQX: MACE), a globally-recognized leader in personal safety and security, announced today the acquisition of the assets of Tornado Security Products, a personal self-defense company based in Ferndale, Washington. The acquisition was effective January 18, 2019.
"This transaction reinforces the Mace® Brand as the leader in the less-lethal, personal self-defense product category, and gives both brands access to new retail channels and partnerships," said Gary Medved, President and CEO of MSI. "Most importantly, it empowers us to deliver even more best-in-class personal protection and security products to our valued customers."
The Tornado brand and its associated product lines, including pepper sprays, stun guns and bear sprays for individuals and law enforcement, will be integrated into the Mace® Brand family. The acquisition is expected to have a positive financial impact within the first year of the transaction.
Gary Medved, 440-424-5322
Mace Security International, Inc. Appoints New Senior Leaders to Executive Team
CLEVELAND –January 22, 2019 – Mace Security International, Inc. (MSI) (OTCQX: MACE) has further strengthened its senior leadership team by naming Gary Medved as President and Chief Executive Officer, and Mark Barrus as Senior VP and Chief Financial Officer, effective immediately. These executive appointments position the company for its next era of growth and innovation.
Medved brings a wealth of relevant experience to his new role. Throughout his career, he has held senior leadership roles with Goodyear, Stride Tool, and Roto-Die, Inc. At Stride Tool, he increased revenue by 75 percent through organic growth while driving manufacturing efficiencies and the rollout of new, patented products and retail sales channels.
"I am thrilled to welcome Gary to our senior leadership team," said Sanjay Singh, Vice-Chairman of the board of directors of MSI. "As we continue to pursue ambitious EBIDTA growth targets and expand into new markets, his proven leadership and technical expertise will help us achieve the next level of excellence for our company, partners and, most importantly, our customers."
Medved holds an MBA from John Carroll University and a BSME from Penn State University. He resides with his family in Lyndhurst, OH.
"The Mace Brand has a rich history of innovation, customer service and industry-leading products," said Medved. "I'm excited to join this amazing team and develop strategies that reinforce our position as the market leader in the consumer, law enforcement, and tactical markets."
As the new CFO, Barrus brings a strong financial and leadership background to MSI. He has held leadership roles at Covia Holdings Corp., a publicly traded company (CVIA, formerly FMSA), NACCO Industries (NC), and KPMG LLP. He will oversee MSI's finance, accounting, investor relations, HR, and IT departments.
"Mark will help us sustain and grow our profitability and cash flow," said Singh. "Additionally, he will be developing an efficient and effective capital allocation strategy as well as cost improvements while maintaining effective lender and shareholder relationships."
Mark, an active CPA, holds a MAcc and BS degrees from Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland Ohio, and is a graduate of the Global Executive Leadership program at the Yale School of Management. Mark is a resident of Westlake Ohio and has served in various civic roles in greater Cleveland including Case Western Reserve University Accounting Advisory Board, the Cleveland Council on World Affairs, and the HELP Foundation.
While the addition of Gary and Mark has strengthened the management team, we are sorry to report Paul Hughes, former Executive V.P. at MSI, has had to resign from his position due to recent health concerns.
Mace® Security International, Inc. is a globally recognized leader in personal safety and security. Based in Cleveland, Ohio, the company has spent more than 40 years designing and manufacturing consumer and tactical products for personal defense, security and surveillance under its world-renowned Mace® Brand – the original trusted brand of defense spray products. The company also offers aerosol defense sprays and tactical products for law enforcement and security professionals worldwide through its Mace® Take Down® brand. MIS distributes and supports Mace® Brand products and services through mass-market retailers, wholesale distributors, independent dealers, e-commerce marketers and installation service providers. For more information, visit www.mace.com.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


An opportunity to purchase a tenanted investment property on Queensland's Sunshine Coast.
Located under the Shearwater Resort at Kings Beach, home to the Sunshine Coast's ultimate coastal lifestyle.
Currently leased to Frocals and is a source for fresh and local produce, juices, smoothies, ice cream and an expresso bar.
- A highly desirable location with the current owners committed to sell.
Affordable, Vacant Shop o.. Price: Sale | Offers over $240,0..


text:
drug/beauty
Vertex Awards
Christopher Durham
Press Releases or Tips
My Private Brand
President's Choice Kicks off Holiday Weekend With $1 Beer
Loblaw's iconic private brand President's Choice launched its original low-cost beer in 1992 and this month the retailer is celebrated the long weekend with buck-a-beer in Ontario.
More than 25 years after its initial launch, President's Choice (PC) is celebrating the return of buck-a-beer in Ontario. For a limited time, select PC brand beer bottles will retail for $1 (plus $0.10 deposit), giving Ontarians the ability to celebrate the last long weekend of summer with great tasting beer at a great price.
"When we launched the original buck-a-beer back in 1992, customers were so excited about a quality product at an affordable price we couldn't keep it on shelves," said Ian Gordon, Senior Vice President, President's Choice. "It's been a decade since the end of buck-a-beer in Ontario, but our brand has continued to deliver great taste at exceptional value in other provinces. With the change in pricing rules here, we were excited to help our customers in Ontario celebrate this long weekend."
Beginning August 27, 2018 at The Beer Store, select PC Beer bottled varieties will be on sale for a limited time. The following products will be priced at $13.20 for 12 bottles or $26.40 for 24 bottles:
PC 2.5
PC Cerveza
PC Dry
PC Light
PC Genuine
PC Honey
Previous articleDelhaize Pushes the Envelop With Junk Fruit
Next articlePB Careers: Academy Sports – Senior Brand Manager
http://www.mypbrand.com
Christopher Durham is the president of My Private Brand and the co-founder of The Vertex Awards. He is a strategist, author, consultant and retailer who built brands at Delhaize-owned Food Lion, and lead strategy and brand development for Lowe's Home Improvement. He has consulted with retailers around the world on their private brand portfolios including: Family Dollar, Petco, Staples, Office Depot, Best Buy, Metro (Canada), TLW (Taiwan) and Hola (Taiwan). Durham has published five definitive books on private brands, including his first book, Fifty2: The My Private Brand Project. In 2017, he will debut his newest book, Vanguard: Vintage Originals, a visual tour of innovation and disruption in private brand going back to the mid-1800's. Dynamic in his presentation while down to earth and frank in his opinions, he has presented at numerous conferences, including FUSE, The Dieline Conference, Packaging that Sells, Omnishopper and PLMA'a annual trade show in Chicago. Durham lives in Charlotte, NC with his wife, Laraine, and two daughters, Olivia and Sarah.
no name Festive Song For Tik Tok
No Name brand Takes Over Toronto's Union Station
No Name – "This Video Will Now Go Viral"
No Name Jumps into Twitter: i am a brand. follow me
Loblaws & Presidents Choice to Test Loop
President's Choice Grows Vegan
From Christopher
Store Brands Now Lead in Package Design – PLMALive!
http://cdn.plmalive.com/2019/2019_12_Durham.mp4 My latest piece for the Private Label Manufacturers Association's online video magazine PLMALive. Store Brands Now Lead in Package Design What are the trends that made...
Christopher Durham to Keynote the International Bulk Wine & Spirits Show
Let's connect at PLMA in Amsterdam
Amazon Private Label (Click Bait Headline Here)
Amazon: Voice, Algorithms & Alchemy
My Private Brand is a news site. It is unaffiliated with any retailer or private brand.
My Private Brand was launched by Christopher Durham in late 2008 the site is the most widely read daily publication on Private Brands in the world. My Private Brand is designed to foster innovation, encourage debate and write the next chapter of brand management – Private Brand Management.
© © 2019 Folio28 LLC


text:
Q: Error retrieving using date query in mongodb from Grails gmongo I have a string as:
'"startDate" : {"\\$gte" : new Date() }'

I actually want to query my mongodb database collection for all the collections with dates after the present date.Here is a sample document:
{
  "_id" : ObjectId("51e2a857adc0c2fb535f6904"),
  "dateInfo" : {
    "dates" : {
      "startDate" : ISODate("2013-07-13T04:00:00Z"),
      "endDate" : ISODate("2013-07-19T20:00:00Z")
    },
    "named" : "name1",
    "fieldX" : "field1",
    "contact" : {
      "numbs" : ["+44 121 127 127", "+44 568 789 256", "+44 687 5788 9875"]
    }
  },
  "Locality" : "locality1",
  "type" : "ewhet"
}

from mongo shell, I am able to query it as follows:
db.collectionName.find({"dateInfo.dates.startDate" : {"$gte" : new Date()}})

Now I want to do it from groovy. I am trying to do it as(using mongoDB java api):
DBCursor cursor = db.collectionName.find(new JsonSlurper().parseText('{"startDate" : {"\$gte" : new Date() }}'))

Above code gives error as:
Lexing failed on line: 1, column: 48, while reading 'new ', was trying to match the constant 'null'

Now the problem with JsonSlurper is that it requires double quotes in both key and value names.But in case I put a double quote in new Date(), it wont be evaluated by mongodb.
So what can be done here?

A: Have you tried:
db.collectionName.find( [ 'dateInfo.dates.startDate' : ['$gte' : new Date() ] ] )

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


It's been a few days since Art Basel Miami Beach shut down for another year, but we're still spinning. It could also be that this year's party schedule was so packed we barely cracked the surface (I personally didn't even hit any of the parties featured in this post!). It could be that this year's disastrous forecast (it was all rain, all the time) gave us little to work with. It could also be that after a week of immersing ourselves in boundless inspiration, there's no looking back. But if look back we must, photographer Hannah Sider has some excellent evidence of the week that was.
Here, she takes us on a stylish ride through the festival's party circuit, featuring appearances by rapper Vic Mensa, Off White designer Virgil Abloh and model Barbie Ferreira. Flip through for a peek at 1/10th of how it's done.
Should We Break Up Because She's Older and Wants a Baby?


Best Java trainers and training courses in London?
I'll start with a shameless plug, we recently received a bit of good publicity from a link on Who are the best technology recruitment consultants in London. It inspired me to do a similar thing about London based Java trainers.
There is often a lot said about the skills gap in London, at RecWorks everything we do is linked to technical talent or plugging the gap We source the best talent that is on the market, we hear about the candidates that do and don't get the jobs they want, and often get to hear the reasons why, we organise communities, events and initiatives to try and help people learn and develop themselves and we encourage people all the way from students to CTOs to blog, start speaking and getting more involved in the technical community to help them develop their careers.
One thing technical training courses can do is help you perform much better in interviews. It's not just about getting the job, but one thing we see constantly as Recruiters is that some candidates are offered 10-20% more than others, based purely on the strength of their technical interview. The right course can really make the difference here, and help you achieve a much greater salary than you thought possible.
I wanted to throw this out to you guys. Please add comments/links on the post referencing people or courses that you have taken and would recommend to others, I'd be especially interested to hear of how the courses have really helped you.
I second that comment Barry, thanks for the post! Every little bit the LJC and its members share and give to its members helps! I'm a living, walking, talking proof of it – anyone can check my track-record of you don't believe!
I have been to the Advanced Java Course and the JVM Internals course run by JClarity (Ben Evans both times), and would recomend it to every java developer of various levels. The course is packed with material from the topics and also related topics, i remember a discussion on ANTLR during the JVM course. And writting JUnit test runner during the Adv. Java course.
Ben ensures that the attendees understand the subject before moving further into the course, bring your questions and they get answered (as long as they are not off-topic). If I get a sponsor I would love to do the Well Grounded Developer and the Performance Tuning course next!
I was on jClarity's JVM Internals course last year. It was incredibly invaluable in understanding why compilation and optimisation may not be as simple as you expect, why benchmarking is hard, and how to read bytecode (yes, they also explain why on earth you'd *want* to read bytecode). I highly recommend it.
I recognise that quote from somewhere :).
Just to re-enforce the position, I really did find both the advanced Java and JVM courses invaluable. The JClarity guys are really well versed in the details of the Java platform and the course is well laid out.
I also highly recommend the courses.


text:
What to expect at LVIA for the holiday travel season following a busy summer
Published: Oct. 08, 2022, 7:30 a.m.
Sarah Cassi | For lehighvalleylive.com
A very busy summer travel season was even better than expected for Lehigh Valley International Airport (LVIA), and the usual pause in the fall is allowing staff to prepare for upcoming holiday travel.
There are variables, new and old, to consider. COVID-19 is still a pandemic, pilot and airline staff shortages still persist, and they are coupled with the question of are we or are we not in a recession?
"From my perspective, we're still going to see that holiday travel this year," said Tom Stoudt, executive director of the Lehigh-Northampton Airport Authority, which owns and operates LVIA. "I don't see that people have given that up … What next year brings could be a whole other story."
International travel specifically could see more of a boost. Brian Kelly, founder of The Points Guy, told Huffington Post he thinks there will be more travelers heading to international destinations for the holidays, especially since some borders have recently re-opened.
The new bivalent vaccine helps with COVID concerns, but increasing travel costs and pilot and staff shortages are still worrisome factors travelers are considering.
A recent Bankrate survey found that 43% of U.S. adults planned to travel this holiday season, but 79% are changing their plans because of inflation and high costs.
After air travel started to rebound in 2021 at LVIA and then surged this past summer, talk has once again turned toward new destinations at the region's airport.
Stoudt said he frequently gets asked about it, but it's up to the airlines, which are looking at their route networks almost on a month-by-month basis and still need to adjust to pandemic changes.
The direct service to Dulles International Airport in Virginia is a prime example. There was so much passenger traffic headed south that United added the route in December 2020, Stoudt said.
Destinations are what residents are interested in, but LVIA staff is also looking at cargo, which continues to grow and do well at the airport.
"We provide excellent service here, but we also need the right facilities to handle the volume," Stoudt said. "We need to make sure we have the facilities to meet the demand that's here. That's our charge, that's what I'm here to do."
The holidays are a busy time for cargo carriers like Amazon and FedEx; FedEx saw a 20% increase in its cargo this past August compared to a year ago, Stoudt said.
The airport's cargo apron has been extended to the max, and the focus for next year will be making sure there are facilities to meet demand.
"One of the things we don't have today is an air cargo building," Stoudt said.
Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to lehighvalleylive.com.
Sarah Cassi may be reached at scassi@lehighvalleylive.com.


Home > Hair Products > Hair Masks > Are hair masks the recipe to better winter hair?
Are hair masks the recipe to better winter hair?
Because your hair deserves to know the truth!
Everyone always raves on about the benefits of using hair masks during the colder months, especially when you'll be fighting winter's double hair wrath: dryness and frizz.
But what many of you really want to know is, are hair masks really the recipe for better hair? In short, yes! They're packed with hair-loving ingredients that can provide your tresses with an intensive moisture boost, all while tackling frizz and damage.
Luckily for you, we got the lowdown on hair masks from Aaron Carlo, the TRESemmé UK Hair Ambassador and talented hair stylist to Little Mix. So, read on to discover why you need to add this hair treatment to your bathroom #shelfie, now!
Picking out the right hair mask for your hair type will make all the difference.
Not all hair masks are the same!
Think hair masks are just for damaged hair? Think again. Hair masks may be an obvious choice for dry and damaged tresses, but in reality, no matter your hair type, hair masks are great for all. So, make sure to find one that's perfect for you!
Recommended: Find the best deep conditioner for your hair type.
Editor's tip: If you're looking for a great all-rounder, you can't go wrong with the TRESemmé Biotin+ Repair 7 Intensive Recovery Mask.
Formulated with Biotin, this mask will help visibly repair 7 types of damage (be it heat or colour damage). The result? Stronger, moisturised and healthier-looking strands.
As you probably know, the correct application of any hair product is the key to its success. We tend to apply hair masks mostly to our roots, rather than their mid lengths and ends, which is actually where you need it the most.
Once your hair is nice and clean, divide your damp tresses down the centre, to create 2 equal sections.
Apply your hair mask just below your ears. This way, you're sure to get the product on your mid-lengths and ends, which is where it's needed most.
Leave it on for the allotted time, rinse and your hair mask treatment is complete!
Self-care Sundays are about to get a lot more hair-focused!
Whether you enjoy trying the latest hair colour trends, using heat to style your mane, or are just prone to dryness and damage, giving your hair some TLC with a hair mask will definitely benefit you.
And, if you're still be wondering if a hair mask the recipe for better hair? We're not saying they can turn back the clocks on damage, but they can make styling your hair a dream, as well as look and feel better – after all, isn't that what we all want?
Editor's tip: Take your strands to the Amazon and back with the Love Beauty And Planet Strength and Shine 2 Minute Magic Masque. Infused with ethically sourced rose absolute and Amazonian Muru Muru Butter, this Vegan-friendly product works to nourish, soften and add shine to your strands.


text:
De Kernenergiecentrale Wit-Rusland is de enige kernenergiecentrale in aanbouw in Wit-Rusland. In 2013 begon de bouw ervan op een locatie niet ver van de grens met Litouwen. De centrale krijgt twee reactoren van elk 1200 megawatt (MW) die geleverd worden door het Russische staatsbedrijf Atomstrojeksport. Volgens de planning komt de centrale rond 2020 in bedrijf.

Achtergrond
Wit-Rusland is voor de elektriciteitsvoorziening sterk afhankelijk van gasgestookte centrales. Het aardgas wordt bijna uitsluitend geleverd door Rusland. Na het Wit-Russisch-Russisch gasconflict 2004 besloot de Wit-Russische regering de afhankelijkheid van Russisch aardgas terug te dringen door de bouw van een steenkoolgestookte centrale en een kernenergiecentrale. Verder werden kleinere projecten opgestart op basis van windenergie en waterkrachtcentrales. Als deze plannen volledig ten uitvoer zijn gebracht, neemt de afhankelijkheid van het Russische aardgas af.

Bouw
In 2006 werden de eerste plannen bekendgemaakt en diverse partijen uitgenodigd een offerte voor de bouw in te dienen. Het Russische Atomstrojeksport kwam met een aanbod van twee 1000 MW kernreactoren als beste naar voren. In november 2007 werd de plaats voor de bouw bepaald. De centrale komt op 23 kilometer van de grens met Litouwen te liggen bij de plaats Ostrovets.

In oktober 2011 werd een voorlopig bouwcontract getekend met Atomstrojeksport waarbij werd uitgegaan van een centrale met een totaal vermogen van 2400 MW, verdeeld over twee VVER-reactoren van het type V-491. In juli 2012 werd het contract definitief en een jaar later begon de bouw. In november 2021 kwam de eerste reactor in bedrijf en als alles volgens plan verloopt volgt medio 2022 de tweede.

Voor het miljardenproject is Wit-Rusland sterk afhankelijk van de financiering door Russische staatsbedrijven. In het contract is verder bepaald dat alle brandstof voor de reactoren door Russische bedrijven zal worden geleverd.

Externe link
 Power Technology Belarusian Nuclear Power Plant, Ostrovets

Wit-Russisch bedrijf
Kerncentrale

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


At Bison, we design, manufacture and export qualified electric power generation from 5kw 220v small diesel generators to 2000kw 380v industrial generators for sale. We produce open frame diesel generator and super silent quiet generator for house, hospital, hotel, camping, construction, field operation and rescuing as emergency power.
Bison diesel generator with CE, GE, GS etc certificate, Bison silent diesel generator with wholesale prices and sales portable electric generator over 50 countries and areas in the world, Bison warmly welcome friends work together with us hand in hand to create a better future.