Q&A with Sangram Vajre, Co-founder & Chief Evangelist at Terminus

MEDIA 7 | November 28, 2019

Ed Breault, Chief Marketing Officer at Aprimo is a marketer with over 18 years of industry experience. At Aprimo, Ed is responsible for the global brand and growth which includes all Paid/Owned/Earned media, Brand Experience, Product Marketing, Industry Marketing, Influencer Marketing, Strategic Communications, Content Marketing, Analyst Relations, Alliance Marketing, Public Relations, Events, Demand Generation and Account-Based Marketing. MEDIA 7: What’s your superpower? ED BREAULT: I would say it’s applying the full spectrum of art and science that is required in marketing today. Not just left or right brained, but whole-brained strategy. Being human yet data-driven and really understanding numbers and (the right) metrics to make connections to business drivers. Add storytelling to that, so I can effectively communicate to my team, the CEO and CFO as well as my Board of Directors on those metrics, and connecting all that we are doing in marketing to the mission of the business. Then quickly shifting gears to the art and creative aspects of marketing that are required to engage an audience and tell great commercial stories that take complex concepts and craft them in a way that is interesting for people to pay attention to. I have to be the ultimate point of truth for the brand. M7: At Aprimo, how have marketing leadership roles and responsibilities evolved over the past few years? EB: There are so many dimensions needed by marketing leaders today. There are several elements driving this evolution, it’s the new experience battlefront that is emerging and also marketers themselves driving changes. From a market perspective, there is a clear appetite for disruption and consumers are wanting more experiential elements to their buying experience and interactions with brands. Take a few direct to consumer disruptions like trialing products in-home, purchasing directly from a brand or even wanting to ensure that the producer’s trade practices are in line with the buyer’s or even a regulator’s for that matter. Then we want to try before we buy, and we emotionally care about the supply chain of products. Do we TRUST this brand to do business with them? Behind all of this is a story that needs to be told, and it is those marketers who know their audience well and make connections that will win the commercial game. Back to the marketer, there are so many diverse backgrounds that marketers bring now and I’m really intrigued by those who have unconventional backgrounds because they contribute something uniquely new to the field. I love hearing about the marketer’s journey.

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MEDIA 7 | November 21, 2019

Amy Barzdukas, EVP and Chief Marketing Officer at Poly is a marketing and communications leader with extensive experience in setting strategy, shifting perceptions, advising customers, digital marketing, revenue marketing, integrated marketing communications, and public relations in highly competitive product arenas. Amy is known for her ability to create and execute winning turnarounds on a global scale. MEDIA 7: What inspired you to get into marketing? AMY BARZDUKAS: I was always destined for marketing, even if I didn’t know it. As a child, I collected promotional brochures. I was fascinated by how the words and pictures were used to drive action. My first job was as an advertising copywriter, and I’ve never looked back. M7: How is Poly redefining the video conferencing experience for modern businesses? AB: We’re in an unprecedented time of change in our industry. Voice and video services are moving to the cloud, and companies are changing how they approach their communications needs. Poly is the largest provider of the devices – video conferencing, audio conferencing, headphones and desk phones – you use to connect to these services so you can collaborate with your colleagues. That uniquely positions us to shape the video conferencing experience, and we’re doing so in four ways. First, Poly has made both the Zoom Rooms and the Microsoft Teams video conferencing experience better than ever with our radically simple Poly Studio X video bars that deliver these experiences with no PC or Mac required. We’ve got decades of experience in understanding what makes meetings more human – for everyone in the room and those dialing in from other locations – and we’ve packed all of that into easy-to-install, easy-to-manage, and easy-to-use all-in-one powerhouses. Second, we are bringing the world of AV and video conferencing into the modern app economy. Our Studio X series and Poly G7500 video conferencing devices run a common platform that can be updated and enhanced through a series of regular software updates. This Poly platform, built on Android, can run applications like a smartphone does today. Third, Poly has introduced innovation that makes any video conference better. Our new Poly MeetingAI features use AI and machine learning to address the distractions that hit your senses in a meeting. We make it easier to hear what’s being said by blocking out the annoying noises that people make while talking, and we make it easier to see what’s going on in the room with the most advanced speaker tracking and framing, and our built-in production rules. Finally, we are pricing our solutions in a way that completely resets the calculations on what it costs to outfit a room. The Studio X30, for huddle room and smaller spaces, costs just about $2,100, including the Poly TC8 touch controller. All you add is the cloud service and a monitor, and you have a room up and running for under $2,500. That’s easily under the cost of other solutions and with better audio and video quality.

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MEDIA 7 | December 5, 2019

Andrea Lechner-Becker, Chief Marketing Officer at LeadMD is an experienced Marketing and Sales Executive with a demonstrated history of working in the marketing and advertising industry. Skilled in Business Process, Marketo, Sales, Customer Relationship Management (CRM), and IT Service Management, Andrea is also a strong business development professional and a storyteller. MEDIA 7: What inspired you to get into marketing? ANDREA LECHNER: Frankly, not having better options. I originally attended the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse thinking I’d major in Archaeology. I wanted to be Indiana Jones! But, after visiting the archaeology building – i.e. the cold, dark basement of the science building – where a girl sat to piece together pieces of an old Native American vase, I knew archaeology was not going to be the right path for me. And so, without being good at science and a major in art or art history was unlikely to pay my bills, I decided to go into “business”. I originally registered as a management major, but took my first marketing class and thought it was more interesting and switched my sophomore year. That was pretty much it. I’d never been involved in business classes or DECA in high school – I didn’t really know what to do or what jobs in marketing were even possible. I dumb lucked myself into it really. M7: As a storyteller, do you relate the brand to a story or story to the brand? AL: Both? Neither? I think there are stories in every brand, because there are people working on the brand and people engaging with the brand and people using what the brand creates. People, most often a single person, are at the heart of great stories. You can start with the “point” of the story you’re trying to tell. Say you have a software that help accountants better create reports for board meetings. It’s likely you’ll want to tell a success story about an accountant getting promoted to CFO in part because your software helped better communicate their work product to the board. You could have the idea for that and go looking for that story in your customers. OR, you could hear that story, and say, “That’s amazing!” and share it with customers, partners and internal people. Stories are all around us – the most important thing is to keep your ears and eyes open for finding them.

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Real Estate Technology

Peachtree Group | September 21, 2023

Peachtree Group, an investment firm with a diverse portfolio of commercial real estate assets, announced a refreshed corporate brand position to showcase better the company's fully integrated investment and service platforms. Accompanying the new brand position is a powerful new tagline, ‘Guided by Intuition, Grounded by Expertise.’ This succinct expression captures the essence of Peachtree Group's approach to investment strategies. The firm combines its intuitive understanding of commercial real estate with the wisdom of years of experience to make informed decisions that drive growth and deliver exceptional results. "Our dedication to branding has empowered us to maintain a competitive advantage in attracting top-tier talent, ensuring we consistently have the finest minds and skills to navigate a rapidly evolving business landscape," said Greg Friedman, Peachtree Group's CEO and managing principal. "Furthermore, our strategic branding approach, focused on unifying our extensive range of businesses, is positioned to unlock even more of the untapped potential within our investment platform. This platform, which has already demonstrated its value in the hospitality sector, has been instrumental in our successful expansion and diversification into other real estate sectors and ventures." The company has consolidated all affiliated brands under the Peachtree Group umbrella. This change unifies the Company's diverse portfolio of brands, including Stonehill and Peachtree Hospitality Management, into Peachtree Group Credit and Peachtree Group Hospitality Management, respectively. "By bringing the company's brands together, we aim to leverage our collective strengths, streamline our operations and provide an enhanced experience for our valued partners," Friedman said. Alongside the rebranding, Peachtree Group has unveiled a new logo that combines the simplified representation of a tree with the capital letter P letterform. It succinctly champions the company's roots and remarkable growth it achieved since its inception in 2007, driven by deep expertise and strategic foresight. "The introduction of our refreshed brand position and logo marks an exciting new chapter in Peachtree Group's journey," said Jatin Desai, Peachtree Group's CFO and managing principal. "The consolidation of our affiliated companies under one unified name reflects our commitment to delivering a seamless and cohesive experience to all our stakeholders. Our new tagline embodies the balance of our innovative vision and the profound expertise that underpins our success." About Peachtree Group Peachtree Group is an investment firm driving growth with a diverse portfolio of commercial real estate assets and other ventures. The company has executed hundreds of investments since its inception, focusing on real estate acquisition, development and lending valued at $9.0 billion in total market capitalization. Today, Peachtree manages over $2.5 billion in equity, augmented by services designed to protect, support and grow its investments.

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Real Estate Investment

Kimco Realty Corporation | August 25, 2023

Kimco Realty® North America’s largest publicly traded owner and operator of open-air, grocery-anchored shopping centers and a growing portfolio of mixed-use assets, today announced the acquisition of Stonebridge at Potomac Town Center, a 96%-occupied, 504,000-square-foot, grocery-anchored lifestyle center in Woodbridge, Virginia, for $172.5 million. The center, which has an estimated population of over 230,000 people and an average household income of $125,000 within a five-mile radius, is anchored by a 138,500 square foot Wegmans, one of the state's top-ranking grocers with a trade area of 40 miles, and the only Apple store in the greater trade area. The center's diverse tenant mix features a complementary blend of leading national brands, including REI, Ulta Beauty, Starbucks, Cava, Firebirds Wood Fired Grill, as well as a variety of local shops which include boutique fitness, personal services, restaurants and medical uses. "We’re excited to add Stonebridge at Potomac Town Center, a premiere grocery-anchored center situated in a high barrier-to-entry location with strong demographics, to our dynamic portfolio,” said Ross Cooper, Kimco’s President and Chief Investment Officer. “This center boasts a robust growth profile that will complement and solidify Kimco’s position as the leading retail player in the suburban Washington D.C. market.” This acquisition presents a variety of growth prospects, including the potential to develop three outparcel retail buildings, increase density through mixed-use development, and enhance the existing merchandising mix through the recapture of below market leases. Strategically located at the intersections of I-95, Dale Boulevard, Route 1, and Opitz Boulevard, the center benefits from 5.5 million annual visits, ranking in the 97th percentile nationally. Construction of a municipal park and ride garage adjacent to the center demonstrates continued government investment in the area and is expected to drive additional traffic upon its completion in mid-2024. About Kimco Realty Kimco Realty is a real estate investment trust (REIT) headquartered in Jericho, N.Y. that is North America’s largest publicly traded owner and operator of open-air, grocery-anchored shopping centers and a growing portfolio of mixed-use assets. The company’s portfolio is primarily concentrated in the first-ring suburbs of the top major metropolitan markets, including those in high-barrier-to-entry coastal markets and rapidly expanding Sun Belt cities, with a tenant mix focused on essential, necessity-based goods and services that drive multiple shopping trips per week. Kimco Realty is also committed to leadership in environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues and is a recognized industry leader in these areas. Publicly traded on the NYSE since 1991, and included in the S&P 500 Index, the company has specialized in shopping center ownership, management, acquisitions, and value enhancing redevelopment activities for more than 60 years. As of June 30, 2023, the company owned interests in 528 U.S. shopping centers and mixed-use assets comprising 90 million square feet of gross leasable space.

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Real Estate Technology

prnewswire | September 14, 2023

GID, a real estate owner and fiduciary that invests in multiple asset classes, has announced that its industrial team, GID Industrial, has been named a 2023 Influencer in Industrial by GlobeSt. Real Estate Forum. This award recognizes distinguished individuals, teams, and companies for notable achievements within the industrial real estate sector. "GID Industrial is honored to receive this prestigious recognition," says Rene Circ, co-head of GID Industrial. "In the three years since we formed our team, we have built an impressive portfolio that has sustained occupancy and offers potential for continued rent growth. We aim to continue our portfolio expansion, targeting opportunities that offer strong potential for long-term growth." GID has been active in the industrial sector since 1986 and officially launched its industrial platform in 2020. In the three years after the platform's launch, the team has accomplished significant growth within the sector, executing stabilized, value-add, and development transactions. This diverse mix allows the team to provide its partners with investment opportunities tailored to their unique risk and return preferences. The platform currently operates more than 25M square feet of industrial space in top markets across the country. "GID Industrial's key differentiator is the expertise and passion of our team," says Michael Wenaas, co-head of GID Industrial. "With 30 individuals boasting an average of 21 years of experience in the sector, our team is well equipped to provide unique value to our partners by offering a practiced, holistic perspective on the state of the industry. Our achievements over the last three years are a credit to the powerhouse team that we have assembled." GlobeSt. Real Estate Forum Influencers in Industrial are selected by its editors based on nominations that outline the nominee's accomplishments and impact on the sector. About GID GID is a leading real estate investment and management firm that operates a diverse portfolio of multifamily, industrial, and mixed-use developments across the United States. With over 60 years of experience across multiple asset classes, GID is an established real estate private equity investor and fiduciary supported by an integrated operating platform with approximately 54,000 multifamily units and over 25M square feet of industrial and commercial space of assets under management. The company also operates a credit platform that aims to provide commercial real estate debt solutions for institutional borrowers.  With corporate offices in Atlanta, Boston, Dallas, New York City, and San Francisco, GID employs over 1,200 real estate professionals and operates an expansive portfolio of existing and under-development properties valued at over $30.1 billion1 as of June 2023.    1 Assets Under Management is calculated in compliance with the definition for Assets Under Management ("AUM") prescribed in INREV's Global Definitions Database.

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