Gradient scientist Barbara D. Beck was awarded the Smith and Hook Distinguished Service Award for long-term dedication to promoting women toxicologists at the 61st Annual Society of Toxicology Meeting.
[April 12, 2022, Boston, MA] – Gradient is pleased to announce that Barbara D. Beck has been named the winner of the Smith and Hook Distinguished Service Award by Society of Toxicology (SOT) Women in Toxicology (WIT) Special Interest Group.
The Smith and Hook Distinguished Service Award “honors an individual for their long-term dedication to promote career development opportunities and recognition of the accomplishments of women toxicologists, and for their service and longstanding support to the SOT and/or WIT Special Interest Group.” The award was presented March 30 at a reception as part of the 61st SOT Annual Meeting and ToxExpo held in San Diego, California.
This mentorship award was founded in recognition of Dr. Jaqueline Smith and the late Dr. Jerry Hook, who share a history of supporting women in toxicology and whose generosity has been instrumental in honoring the accomplishments of women toxicologists. Read more about Women in Toxicology Special Interest Group Awards.
Dr. Beck is a toxicologist and human health risk assessment scientist. Her broad experience in risk assessment includes toxicological evaluations of many different types of chemicals, along with the development of evaluation methodologies. Dr. Beck is the author of over 100 book chapters and journal articles. Dr. Beck’s participation in advisory committees and expert panels, such as the National Research Council, the International Life Sciences Institute has spanned over 30 years.
Please join us in congratulating Dr. Beck on receiving this award!
Gradient is an environmental and risk sciences consulting firm renowned for scientific excellence. We provide cutting edge risk sciences consulting services to design and strategize responsive and protective solutions to environmental and human health challenges.
Contact Information
Name: Bethany Vasecka
Email: bvasecka@gradientcorp.com
Job Title: Marketing Director
AMERICANS EMBRACE SUSTAINABLE ACTIONS THAT CUT WASTE, SAVE MONEY BUT MAINTAIN CONVENIENCE
New CR Research Reveals Responsibility of Individuals, Businesses and Government in Protecting the Planet
YONKERS, N.Y. – As consumers across the country continue to face the danger posed by climate change and the impact on their wallets, Americans say their individual actions can make a difference, according to a nationally representative survey from Consumer Reports (CR), the nonprofit consumer research, testing, and advocacy organization.
The survey of 2,174 adults, which was fielded in January, found six out of ten (61 percent) Americans agree or strongly agree that their actions have a “meaningful impact on the environment.” In addition, seven out of ten (72 percent) people agree or strongly agree that their actions can help protect the environment.
When presented with a list of specific activities that could reduce impact on the environment, including recycling, avoiding products because the product is harmful to the environment, composting food waste, and using alternative means of transportation, recycling was the clear winner. Seven out of ten Americans (70 percent) say they often or always recycle used cans, bottles, or paper. That’s almost double the number (37 percent) who say they often or always avoid purchasing products because the product is harmful to the environment, and 29 percent who say they often or always buy products because their labels or advertising claim they are environmentally safe.
“Americans are embracing some sustainable behaviors, but convenience is important, too,” said Kristen Purcell, Chief Research Officer at Consumer Reports. “People are making changes that fit with their lifestyles, especially in their homes. They want low-hassle products and experiences, which our research has also shown can save time and money.”
87 percent of Americans say they have installed LED lightbulbs either in the last year or prior to the past year. 66 percent say they have at some point purchased a reusable version of a traditionally disposable item such as reusable plastic bags, straws, food wrap, or coffee filters, and 65 percent have installed appliances designed to use less water or electricity, such as an energy-efficient dishwasher or low-flow showerhead.
Looking ahead, of those who said they had never done these sustainable activities, when asked if they would consider doing so in the coming year, the most common was, again, installing LED lightbulbs (37 percent), followed by starting a food or herb garden (29 percent) and purchasing a reusable version of a traditionally disposable item (27 percent).
“There is interest among consumers to do something,” said Purcell. “However, more believe governments and businesses should bear most responsibility for protecting the planet as opposed to individual consumers.”
While most Americans do believe individuals’ actions affect the environment, more people see most responsibility lying with governments (71 percent) or with private businesses (62 percent) than with individuals (56 percent).
Contact Information
Name: Barrie Rosen
Email: barrie.rosen@consumer.org
Job Title: Director, Communications
Max Crowdfund raises over €21 million and keeps breaking records
ROTTERDAM, the 7th of April 2022 – International real estate crowdfunding platform Max Crowdfund, launched in 2020, successfully raised more than €21 million for real estate developers and has over 7,000 registered users. The platform also raised €4.25 million in an equity round during 2021 and is putting this money to good use, as they have already increased its transaction volume by tenfold within one year. With this enormous growth, Max Crowdfund continues to break its records, and the platform had a fantastic start of 2022.
On the 10th of January 2022, the platform raised €786,500 within one day. Shortly after that, two new records were set within one loan, as a total of €1.24 million was raised by 421 investors in 22 days for one real estate project. This was the largest loan to date and was subscribed by the highest number of investors. On the 6th of April 2022, three loans went live on the platform. The first loan was published at 9.00 am and was fully funded within one hour by 160 investors. The second loan, published at noon, was funded within 7 minutes by 107 investors. Last but not least, the third loan of that day went live at 2.00 pm and was funded by 99 investors within just 2 minutes! Again, this demonstrates new records are being broken.
The Dutch and New Zealand financial authorities currently authorised the Max Crowdfund platform to market real estate backed loans in the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, New Zealand and the United Kingdom. The future target of the ambitious founders is to publish bigger loans in as many countries as possible. To achieve this, Max Crowdfund will submit their EU Crowdfunding license application. Max Crowdfund can expand into all EU countries and offer investment opportunities to all EU citizens with this license. Both retail and sophisticated investors can invest in all the real estate investment opportunities on the platform.
The successfully closed equity round was for this exact expansion program, and Max Crowdfund works with local partners in each interesting country. ¨With our joint venture model, we eventually want to launch Max Crowdfund in every country where it is possible¨, says CEO Felix Berkhout. Investors can start investing from as little as €100 on the platform, which truly makes real estate investing accessible to everyone. In addition, Max Crowdfund is the first international real estate crowdfunding platform that uses blockchain technology, and it is their goal to place every fundraiser on the blockchain for transparency purposes.
For more information visit their website and their social channels:
Contact Information
Name: Sharon Beumers
Email: pr@maxcrowdfund.com
Job Title: Content & PR Manager
Survey Finds Pay Inequities Are Driven in Part by Senior Leadership
New York City (April 7, 2022) – When it comes to perpetuating pay inequities in the workplace, one contributing factor may be the very function responsible for leading DEI efforts in most organizations: senior management. That’s according to human resources professionals at 322 US employers who responded to XpertHR’s 2022 Survey on Pay Equity.
The survey underscored the complex nature of the business world’s pay inequity problem, identifying several potential causes that contribute to its persistence. Of the companies surveyed that self-reported pay inequities within their organizations:
- 53% said senior leadership and individual pay decisions have a high impact on driving pay disparities within their workforce
- 42% attributed pay inequities to talent management; and
- 40% cited individuals’ salary histories or organizational structure.
“The survey results show that senior executives still have great responsibility to lead the change in pay equity in the workplace,” said Zara Nanu, CEO of Gapsquare, an XpertHR company. “Now is the time for company leaders to hold themselves accountable and engage in bold strategies that create real change.”
XpertHR’s survey also investigated effective solutions for ensuring pay equity, asking respondents to identify “somewhat effective” or “very effective” methods. These efforts are broadly categorized as:
- Data-centered: This includes pay equity audits, using analytics to make pay decisions, benchmarking pay equity trends, and conducting employee surveys.
- Training-focused: This includes training managers and others who may be in a position to influence employee pay, as well as providing employees with development opportunities to move into higher-paying roles.
- Transparency- and communication-driven: This includes providing pay ranges in job positing and informing employees of the pay range for their position.
Results also indicated an opportunity to address policies and procedures that could achieve pay equity. Short-term actions such as one-time pay adjustments (90%) and annual incentive program revisions (87%) were cited as effective means for ensuring pay equity. Hiring manager training (82%) and development opportunities for employees (79%) were identified as longer-term strategies for eliminating barriers to equal pay.
However, although many measures were highly rated for their perceived effectiveness, the use of these methods varied widely between responding organizations. For instance, while 93% of respondents endorsed using analytics for making pay decisions, just 38% actually did so.
“Data is a powerful resource that employers can use to hold themselves accountable and uncover the truth of what they are doing to address pay equity,” Nanu continued. “When paired with other key measures related to internal and industry-wide policy changes, elevated accountability and flexibility, businesses can enact genuine, meaningful change and work toward achieving transformational pay equity.”
XpertHR’s Survey on Pay Equity 2022 was conducted from Jan. 25-Feb. 11, 2022. The survey includes the responses from 322 US employers from various industries and workforce sizes. The total number of employees of responding organizations is 829,374. The survey addressed several topics including drivers of pay inequity, measures used to ensure pay equity and their effectiveness, what function leads pay equity efforts, and more.
About XpertHR:
XpertHR has been providing HR solutions since 2002, empowering organizations across the globe to build successful workforces and create a purposeful workplace for all. The platform delivers expert insight, trusted resources, data analysis and practical tools to help achieve greater efficiency, reduce risk, and increase employee engagement. XpertHR is developing smarter data analysis tools and cutting-edge technology to support future demands on HR in an increasingly digital world. To learn more visit xperthr.com.
About Gapsquare:
Gapsquare is at the forefront of pay equity and wage analytics. Its innovative software Gapsquare™ Pro provides businesses with instant insights into wage gaps across various demographics, such as gender, race/ethnicity, disability and sexual orientation. Gapsquare’s mission is to create a fairer world of work: one where work is inclusive, where pay meets value and diverse talent thrives. To learn more visit Gapsquare.com.
Contact Information
Name: Lauren Doyle
Email: ldoyle@wordsworthweb.com
Job Title: Communication Specialist
Psyched Services Launches Learning Management System for School Psychologists
Online courses support continuing education, professional development
SAN FRANCISCO, April 5, 2022 – Psyched Services, an agency that provides psychological and behavioral assessment and consultation services to families and schools, today announced the launch of its learning management system (LMS), entitled Learn.Do by Psyched Services, for school psychologists across the United States.
“Learn.Do provides cost-effective, accredited opportunities for school psychologists to obtain continuing education credits as required by state licensures,” said Kristyn Corley, co-owner of Psyched Services. “Courses are available on-demand and feature dynamic instructor teams and content. Learning is self-paced and easy to fit into your own schedule, because we understand the fast-paced and ever-changing nature of this industry.”
While requirements for practicing school psychologists vary, continuing education courses are considered best practice in the industry and are necessary to maintain licensure in some states. Current Learn.Do courses focus on professional development topics, including assessments and time management, with more scheduled to be added later in the year. Each class is active for one year from the purchase date, allowing school psychologists to complete courses at their leisure.
Since its founding in 2017, Psyched Services has offered a variety of virtual services to families and schools across the state of California. Through video conferencing, Psyched Services provides Pocket Coaching, enabling parents and educational teams to receive a targeted, easy-to-follow approach to tackle learning or social and behavioral barriers to a student’s educational success. The agency also provides virtual consultation and training, specially designed to meet the needs of parents or school teams. Now, the Learn.Do LMS supports training for school psychologists nationwide.
“This launch is the result of months of hard work by the entire Psyched team, including my business partner and Psyched Services co-owner Marlene Schwaighofer. We are incredibly grateful to industry peer Jack Naglieri, along with our team members Louise Sawyer, Rachael Payne, Jerry Turner, and Mary Smith for serving as expert instructors and sharing their experience and insight,” said Corley.
Learn.Do by Psyched Services can be accessed at www.psychedlearndo.com.
About Psyched Services
Psyched Services was founded in 2017 to provide the support families and schools need to help kids reach their full potential and get the most out of their education, through the use of comprehensive psychoeducational and behavioral assessments, as well as solution-oriented telecoaching services. We see the heart, soul, and long hours you put into helping others. We know it’s because you truly care, and you love what you do. At Psyched Services, we care too. We believe everyone deserves the joy that comes from seeing children thrive and the satisfaction that comes with knowing you helped make it happen. For more information, visit www.psychedservices.com.
Contact Information
Name: Beth Wilson
Email: beth@wilsonpublicrelations.com
Job Title: Chief PR Officer
LexisNexis Fellowship Program Announces New Cohort and Dramatically Increases Funding and Participation in Its Second Year
Fellowship program announces 2022 cohort of 18 exceptional candidates and will now award $180,000 to Historically Black College or University Law School Consortium students
NEW YORK – LexisNexis Legal & Professional, a leading global provider of information and analytics, today announced the second cohort for its LexisNexis Fellowship Program, which has grown to 18 candidates – 50% more than the program’s inaugural year. To make this expansion possible, the company’s leadership has committed $180,000 – 50% more than what was originally pledged in 2021. The increase in financial support and participation is a direct result of the program’s overwhelming success in its first year.
The LexisNexis Fellowship Program was launched in 2021 by the African Ancestry Network (AAN) and LexisNexis Rule of Law Foundation as a part of LexisNexis’ commitment to eliminate systemic racism in legal systems and build a culture of inclusion and diversity at the company. The program was created in partnership with the Historically Black Colleges and Universities Law School Consortium (HBCULSC), and this year’s fellows were selected from a large and competitive applicant pool representing all six law schools. The 2022 cohort includes:
- Florida A&M University College of Law: Nicolle Londono and Amari Roberts
- Howard University School of Law: Oyinade Adebayo, Aquilla Gardner, Joanne Louis and Talia Thomas
- North Carolina Central University School of Law: Dominique Douglas and Zuri Ward
- Southern University Law Center: Marian Anderson, Antavis L. J. Chavis, Brianna Joaseus, Lauren Skarupsky and Edrius Stagg
- Thurgood Marshall School of Law: Mikel Brown and Kristina Hall
- University of the District of Columbia David A. Clarke School of Law: Nija Bastfield, Alexus McNeal and Songo Wawa
“Our fellows come from diverse backgrounds and have already achieved many significant accomplishments. The Fellowship is a convergence of their talent and passion to advance the rule of law with the power of LexisNexis products and technology to study and solve complex challenges. Their efforts will make an immediate impact and inspire many for generations to come,” said Ronda Moore, Chief Inclusion and Diversity Officer at LexisNexis Legal & Professional.
Each fellow will be awarded $10,000 and spend nine months engaging in a unique experience that will accelerate their career, develop their leadership skills, and create opportunities to make a real difference. As with last year, LexisNexis employees will work with fellows on projects with the shared goal of implementing solutions to eliminate systemic racism in our legal system while advancing the four key elements of the rule of law – equality under the law, transparency of law, an independent judiciary, and accessible legal remedy.
“Advancement of the rule of law favorably impacts societies—including their most vulnerable members,” said Ian McDougall, President of LexisNexis Rule of Law Foundation. “Any system becomes fairer and more equitable when the four key elements are enhanced.”
The cohort will participate in a Fellowship Innovation Retreat in Raleigh this May, where they will partner with the LexisNexis product team to uncover how technology can accelerate equity by utilizing LexisNexis products to bolster their projects. Additionally, the fellows will provide reciprocal consultative feedback to the product team on ways to further innovate for equity.
Virtual programming that showcases the fellows’ work will be shared with all LexisNexis employees, the HBCU schools and other key partners. At the culmination of the fellowship, fellows will present the results of their individual projects to LexisNexis CEO Mike Walsh, the executive team, and the HBCULSC deans.
Those interested in reading the findings from the 2021 fellowship cohort can download the report or watch video testimonials from fellows and mentors about the program.
Editor’s Note: Photos of the 2022 Fellowship cohort available upon request.
About LexisNexis Legal & Professional
LexisNexis Legal & Professional®provides legal, regulatory, and business information and analytics that help customers increase their productivity, improve decision-making, achieve better outcomes, and advance the rule of law around the world. As a digital pioneer, the company was the first to bring legal and business information online with its Lexis®and Nexis®services. LexisNexis Legal & Professional, which serves customers in more than 150 countries with 10,500 employees worldwide, is part of RELX, a global provider of information-based analytics and decision tools for professional and business customers.
The African Ancestry Network (AAN) is organized as an official network for employees of African descent at RELX. AAN embraces RELX corporate diversity initiatives aimed at improving the company’s competitiveness by increasing the representation, development, promotion, and retention of black employees.
About LexisNexis Rule of Law Foundation
LexisNexis Rule of Law Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization which has the mission to advance the rule of law around the world. The foundation efforts focus on the four key elements of the rule of law: transparency of the law, accessible legal remedy, equal treatment under the law, and independent judiciaries.
Media Contacts
Dana Greenstein
Director, Corporate Communications
LexisNexis Legal & Professional
212-448-2163
dana.greenstein@lexisnexis.com
Eric Sokolsky
Plat4orm PR
908-288-7201
eric@plat4orm.com
Contact Information
Name: Dana Greenstein
Email: dana.greenstein@lexisnexis.com
Job Title: Director, Corporate Communications
DeBlair Book Launch
Health and Wellness Coach and Former Celebrity Fitness Trainer DeBlair Tate Announces the Pre-Launch of New Book Resilient as F*CK: How to Fight for What You Deserve
New Book will take readers on a journey of finding potential and learning to fight for what you deserve
Atlanta, GA – After changing the lives of so many around her, Health and Wellness Coach and former celebrity Fitness Trainer DeBlair Tate is on a mission to take back the life that found her giving so much of herself and not getting the same in return. Tate strips bare and shares untold stories of her life never shared before in her new book Resilient as F*CK: How to Fight for What You Deserve to help others redefine success, recommit to themselves and reactivate their personal goals.
Growing up in a small town in rural Mississippi, outside of the city limits of a city that wouldn’t see its first forced mixed-race prom until April 2008, Tate had no concept of racism or segregation, just everyday life. It wouldn’t be until she managed to leave the normalcy of her city that she began to realize that the life she recognized as ordinary life for all people was, in actuality, very different.
Seeing the world through different lenses, first as a college student and then military training instructor in the Air Force, Tate began to reflect on her life growing up in Winona, MS, and how it could have cost her everything.
With a new appreciation and understanding of what being resilient meant for her at the time, Tate would go on to hold a variety of titles, including certified Health, Wellness, and Fitness Coach, former professional figure competitor, and successful owner of the 8Figured Brand before finally discovering her why, and her purpose in this life – something that is a question usually reserved for the clients she trained.
Growing up in a small town, especially in Mississippi – you’re often overlooked. You have to work harder and be more competent to break those barriers and claim the success you deserve. This is why my book, Resilient As F*ck, means so much to me. We all have our internal fights- whether our health or just our day-to-day battles- we still have to stay strong and remember our purpose for doing what we do. There is substance in what I believe- and my story is why I will always value life.
Diagnosed with an auto-immune disease in 2009, Tate’s appearance on the popular news platform NowThis would catalyze reclaiming her identity, finding her why, and pouring the words of her life into her most personal title to date, author.
Resilient as F*CK: How to Fight for What You Deserve will be available for pre-order on April 6, 2022. To stay up to date with launch news and pre-order information, text ResilientAF to 770-685-6709 or follow her on Instagram. To interview DeBlair or book her as a speaker at upcoming conferences or events, please email adrienne@theipyagency.com.
ABOUT DEBLAIR TATE
DeBlair Tate is a certified Fitness & Life Coach, Master Resilience Trainer, former Professional Figure Competitor, Military Training Instructor, and the owner of the 8Figured Brand. With a primary focus on health, wellness, and making people confident, DeBlair’s goal is to help those she encounters to redefine success, recommit to themselves, and reactivate self-discipline to achieve their personal goals. Her passion centers on helping others to break through barriers and fully realize their ability to live happy, healthy, and prosperous lives.
Contact Information
Name: Adrienne Alexander
Email: adrienne@theipyagency.com
Job Title: Owner
Brook-Hollow Announces New Leadership
The undisputed leader in legal fee tax deferral, Brook-Hollow promotes from within to guide
the next chapter of its innovation in the mass tort, class action, and personal injury markets.
(Pensacola, FL – April 5, 2022) Brook-Hollow Capital and Brook-Hollow Financial today announced the promotion of Tate Johnson to President, effective immediately. Tate recently served as Chief Operating Officer of both companies. Chief Financial Strategist, Joseph Pupel, along with Chief Business Development Officer, Adrienne Carter, will continue to work closely with Tate as Brook-Hollow leads the industry with innovative, safe, and secure legal fee tax deferral solutions.
“As Brook-Hollow continues to evolve, our clients have embraced our tax-deferral solutions and continue to ask for enhanced features and benefits to meet the unique needs of contingent fee attorneys,” said Tate Johnson, Brook-Hollow’s President and Chief Operating Officer. “In addition to the solutions we currently provide, our clients demand and deserve high-level, personalized service. A big part of our focus moving forward will be to develop more client touch points, better access to information, and new ways to bring unique solutions to the plaintiff attorney market. Every enhancement we’ve ever made has come directly from client suggestions and feedback.”
In announcing the new leadership, Brook-Hollow also recognizes the passing of colleague and friend Brian Michaels who succumbed to cancer last month. Brian was a smart, kind, and innovative attorney who was key to the development of Brook-Hollow’s pioneering solutions. Brian will be missed tremendously by all who knew him.
Brook-Hollow also acknowledges the departure of B.J. Etscheid who has stepped away to develop a new business. A visionary founder and leader, B.J. Etscheid stepped back from day-to-day operations with Brook-Hollow over the past year to pursue a new venture after relocating to Puerto Rico. Etscheid’s new business, Elevate Family Office, will focus on developing solutions that cater to the unique needs of high net-worth attorneys and other professionals in Puerto Rico and elsewhere. Partnering with Douglas Gerrard, a financial planning and insurance professional, Etscheid and Gerrard will provide a full array of personal financial service offerings ranging from asset management, estate planning, accounting, insurance, and other services designed to provide client-centric managed financial services. “I am so very proud of how far Brook-Hollow has come over the past 14 years, and I know Brook-Hollow’s clients are in great hands with Tate, Joe, and Adrienne at the helm,” Etscheid said.
“B.J.’s strengths align perfectly with this new venture. There’s nobody better at developing innovative financial solutions and delivering those solutions through deep, personal connections with clients,” Johnson said. “B.J.’s insight and experience say that contingent fee attorneys, particularly, are looking for a full scope financial team who understands the complex and unique nature of their business. I’m confident Etscheid and Gerrard will deliver just that.”
In keeping with regulatory requirements, all inquiries regarding Brook-Hollow’s legal fee tax deferral solutions should be directed to Tate Johnson (tate@brook-hollow.com) or Adrienne Carter (acarter@brook-hollow.com). B.J. Etscheid may be contacted at (bj@elevatefamilyoffice.com) or 312.933.6465.
About Brook-Hollow Capital and Brook-Hollow Financial:
Founded in 2007, Brook-Hollow Capital and Brook-Hollow Financial are pioneers and leaders in the legal fee tax deferral market catering to mass tort, class action, and personal injury lawyers. Brook-Hollow Financial serves as the U.S.-based sales and marketing agent for Kenmare Assignment Company Ltd., based in Dublin, Ireland. Kenmare is a single purpose, independent assignment company that accepts assignment of contingent legal fees for market investment to fund future payments to attorney beneficiaries. Kenmare is unaffected by the leadership changes at Brook-Hollow and will continue to deliver world class service to its attorney beneficiaries. Brook-Hollow Capital is a separate entity providing loans to contingent fee attorneys to help them manage the ebb and flow of contingent fee practice.
Contact Information
Name: Tate Johnson
Email: tate@brook-hollow.com
Job Title: President and Chief Operating Officer
Chicago’s New MICHELIN Stars 2022 Revealed
- Inspectors honor four new One MICHELIN Star restaurants in Chicago
- 23 restaurants achieve MICHELIN Star distinctions
- Seven new Bib Gourmand restaurants unveiled
CHICAGO, April 5, 2022 — The MICHELIN Guide has added four One MICHELIN Star restaurants to Chicago’s roster of Starred eateries, as well as seven new Bib Gourmand recipients, highlighted for their particularly interesting value.
Altogether, 23 restaurants made the list, including Alinea, led by chefs Grant Achatz and Douglas Alley, which has earned Three MICHELIN Stars and maintained its exceptional level of quality since the first edition of the MICHELIN Guide Chicago in 2011.
“MICHELIN Guide inspectors found that Chicago chefs and restaurant teams still maintain a high level of quality and creativity in fine dining experiences, even as pursuing their activity has been an unprecedented challenge during the past year,” said Gwendal Poullennec, International Director of the MICHELIN Guides. “We are pleased to welcome four new One MICHELIN Star restaurants and seven new Bib Gourmand restaurants and celebrate all 23 MICHELIN Starred establishments in this 2022 selection.”
Here are the new One MICHELIN Star restaurants, with inspector notes on each:
Claudia (Bucktown/Wicker Park; contemporary cuisine)
After years of searching for a brick-and-mortar home, Chef Trevor Teich landed upon this welcoming Bucktown location. Named after his mother, Claudia is über cool and contemporary. In this special place, you can enjoy an intensely creative prix-fixe. The bento box — featuring the likes of a scallop cracker with preserved egg yolk, squid ink madeleines, yellowfin tuna nigiri stuffed with foie gras, and a caviar-topped potato beignet — sets the stage for an exquisite and memorable meal.
Esmé (Lincoln Park; contemporary cuisine)
Together with his wife and co-owner, Katrina Bravo, Chef Jenner Tomaska lays bare lofty ambitions at this airy atelier. The minimalist, well-lit space evokes an art gallery, complete with a high-concept tasting that’s aimed at blurring the boundaries between art and dining: The multi-course meal features a variety of creative and unexpected dishes, each offered on custom pieces made by local artists.
Galit (Lincoln Park; Middle Eastern cuisine)
Chef Zach Engel brings his experience to bear on this personal brand of modern Middle Eastern cuisine. His prix-fixe allows diners to make their own selections from a range of options, but sharing is key to cover the most ground. Kick things off with salatim (spreads and pickles) accompanied by flame-kissed pita. Even familiar dishes offer surprising depth, like creamy hummus or crackling-crisp falafel with mango labneh.
Kasama (Bucktown; Filipino cuisine)
Chefs Tim Flores and Genie Kwon, both former members of the Oriole kitchen, have branched out on their own with this restaurant, which opened at the height of the pandemic in 2020. It has evolved to represent the true vision of what the couple had in mind for Kasama, with a dinner tasting menu that emphatically displays this talented team’s training, experience and heritage for an experience that is ambitious, clever and distinct, mixing Filipino traditions with contemporary notes.
Seven New Bib Gourmand
This year, the MICHELIN Guide’s inspectors have discovered seven new spots offering a particularly interesting value: Apolonia, Bloom Plant Based Kitchen, Dear Margaret, Lardon, Sochi, Superkhana International, Tortello Pastificio.
Two Special MICHELIN Awards revealed this year
In addition to the highly anticipated Bib Gourmand and Star awards, the Guide announced two special awards. Sommelier of the Year, presented by Wine Access, was awarded to Bonhomme Group wine director Colin Hofer, for his work at Porto. The Exceptional Cocktails Award was awarded to Julia Momosé, mixologist at Kumiko.
The MICHELIN Guide Chicago 2022 selection at a glance:
The MICHELIN Guide Star Revelation event is presented with the support of Capital One.
The selections will be available on the MICHELIN Guide iOS and Android app. Through integrations with our official booking partners – including OpenTable, Resy and SevenRooms – app users can make reservations directly within the app.
Download the app to explore all the Michelin-selected restaurants across the globe and book the world’s most unique and exciting hotels. App users can also create and share their own restaurant and hotel wish lists.
Chicago’s 2022 Starred Establishments
Chicago’s 2022 Bib Gourmand selection
About Michelin North America, Inc.
Michelin, the leading mobility company, is working with tires, around tires and beyond tires to enable Motion for Life. Dedicated to enhancing its clients’ mobility and sustainability, Michelin designs and distributes the most suitable tires, services and solutions for its customers’ needs. Michelin provides digital services, maps and guides to help enrich trips and travels and make them unique experiences. Bringing its expertise to new markets, the company is investing in high-technology materials, 3D printing and hydrogen, to serve a wide a variety of industries—from aerospace to biotech. Headquartered in Greenville, South Carolina, Michelin North America has approximately 22,500 employees and operates 34 production facilities in the United States and Canada. (michelinman.com)
About Capital One
At Capital One we’re on a mission for our customers – bringing them best-in-class products, rewards, service, and experiences. Capital One is a diversified bank that offers products and services to individuals, small businesses and commercial clients. We use technology, innovation, and interaction to provide consumers with products and services to meet their needs. Through Capital One Dining and Capital One Entertainment, we provide our rewards cardholders with access to unforgettable experiences in the areas they’re passionate about, including dining, music and sports.
Learn more at capitalone.com/dining and capitalone.com/entertainment.
For more information, contact:
Andrew Festa
Michelin North America
andrew.festa@michelin.com
Devon Gunn
Capital One
devon.gunn@capitalone.com
571-308-476
Contact Information
Name: Andrew Festa
Email: andrew.festa@michelin.com
Job Title: Press Officer
BEEAH Group Officially Opens Ground-breaking New Headquarters, Unveiling the ‘Office of the Future’
Designed by the renowned Zaha Hadid and integrated with next generation technologies, the building is set to realise net-zero emissions and achieve a new standard for employee convenience and collaboration
The BEEAH Headquarters officially opened on Wednesday, March 30, in a formal ceremony led by His Highness Dr. Sheikh Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, revealing one of the most sustainable and smartest buildings in the world and setting a new benchmark for future workplaces as the “Office of the Future”. During the opening and subsequent tour of the Headquarters, His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah was accompanied by His Highness Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammed bin Sultan Al Qasimi, Crown Prince, Deputy Ruler of Sharjah and Chairman of the Sharjah Executive Council, His Highness Sheikh Abdullah bin Salim bin Sultan Al Qasimi, Deputy Ruler of Sharjah and His Highness Sheikh Sultan bin Ahmed bin Sultan Al Qasimi, Deputy Ruler of Sharjah, as well as leadership of Sharjah government entities.
The BEEAH Headquarters is designed by the renowned Zaha Hadid, powered by solar, integrated with next-generation technologies and built to realise net-zero emissions. As BEEAH pursues its ambitions to accelerate sustainable impact globally, the iconic Headquarters serves as the organisation’s blueprint to shape tomorrow’s smart, sustainable cities.
Following the formal inauguration of the building, His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah, His Highness the Crown Prince of Sharjah and leaders of government entities toured the BEEAH Headquarters, were briefed on all technological aspects of the building and were introduced to its different spaces, including the courtyards, the immersive visitor’s centre, the state-of-the-art auditorium and smart meeting rooms.
HE Salim bin Mohammed Al Owais, Chairman of the Board of Directors at BEEAH, said: “It is truly a historic moment with His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah inaugurating the BEEAH Headquarters in the presence of His Highness the Crown Prince of Sharjah and the esteemed leadership of Sharjah government entities. The building is a landmark to the future-forward vision of His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah, reaffirming the emirate as sustainability capital of the Middle East, a goal that we are driven to achieve as an organisation.”
Built with sustainability at its core and integrated with future technologies, the BEEAH’s Headquarters is the most AI enabled office in the Middle East. It is equipped to operate at LEED Platinum standards, the highest standards for energy efficiency in the world, and realise net-zero emissions. The building design is among the last works of Dame Zaha Hadid, one of the most influential architects of her time. The distinct curvilinear features of the headquarters mimic the intersection of sand dunes, drawing from the desert landscape of Al Sajaa in Sharjah, where the building is located.
In addition to being a global architectural icon in Sharjah, the Headquarters is a major milestone for BEEAH, signalling its growth from a company founded to proactively tackle environmental issues within the emirate and across the UAE, to an international holding group with businesses in industries that are critical to realising a sustainable future.
Speaking about the new headquarters, Khaled Al Huraimel, Group CEO of BEEAH Group, said: “The building is a manifestation of our twin-pillared strategy of sustainability and digitalisation. This strategy has led to diversification and growth of the Group’s businesses, not only across industries but also across geographies. The new headquarters will be our base of operations as we continue to pursue ways our businesses can make global impact.”
Earlier this year, prior to the opening of the headquarters, BEEAH had announced its transformation into a holding group with a new visual identity. Under this new structure, BEEAH has continued to grow its businesses in waste management, recycling, energy, environmental consulting, technology, education, as well as green mobility. For all BEEAH Group’s businesses, the headquarters will serve as a centre for management and administration.
Highlighting the building as the office of the future, Khaled Al Huraimel added: “The building is not only sustainable and digitally enabled, but it also achieves an unparalleled environment for employee comfort and productivity. It demonstrates that by adopting future-ready systems, we can achieve environmental targets and improve quality of life at the same time.”
The employee experience of the headquarters includes contactless pathways with secure facial recognition check-in, a virtual concierge, smart meeting rooms and a companion app to automate day-to-day tasks.
Light and temperature in the smart meeting rooms are managed automatically depending on occupancy and time of day. The rooms are also equipped for remote and hybrid work scenarios, with powerful collaboration tools.
In addition to the technological integrations, the structure and finishing of the headquarters is sustainable by design, facilitating minimal energy consumption. The curved façade of the building is inspired by the surrounding sand dunes and is orientated to account for the prevailing Shamal winds. Expanding outwards, the Headquarters creates a sense of harmony with the natural desert environment. The exteriors are made up of glass-reinforced concrete, reflecting the sun’s rays for a natural cooling effect. Inside, slab and glass cooling help naturally regulate the building with ambient temperatures. The building is also powered by a solar farm with energy stored in Tesla battery packs.
The completion of the BEEAH Headquarters was made possible through the design and architecture of Zaha Hadid Architects, sustainability engineering and consulting by Buro Happold and Atelier Ten, property development by Matthews Southwest, construction by Al Futtaim Construction, MEP by Al Futtaim Engineering, and technologies by Microsoft and Johnson Controls. EVOTEQ, a BEEAH Digital venture, facilitated technology integrations into the Headquarters.
For more information, photos and videos on the headquarters, please visit the BEEAH Media Centre or email communication@beeahgroup.com
Contact Information
Name: Mohamed Salim Allawi
Email: mallawy@beeahgroup.com
Job Title: Media Relations Specialist