Monthly Archives: September 2021

The Colorado Independent Redistricting Commission has released their first staff maps of both the Congressional and Legislative districts. Colorado Farm Bureau submitted comments to the commissions and included their own maps for discussion and guidance as they advocate for the states agriculture industry and rural communities.

The Congressional map will determine the districts represented by U.S. House Representatives, and the Legislative map will determine the districts represented by state legislators. With the passage of amendments Y and Z, which were supported by CFB, the new redistricting body was created, and the passage required maps to be drawn to align communities of interest and to increase competitiveness.

In the groups submitted comments, president Carlyle Currier told the commissions it is important to recognize that rural Colorado is distinct and it is different from urban and suburban areas for the way it uses land, its sparse population, its transportation and infrastructure needs, and its agricultural and natural resource-based economy.

One of the new criteria for amendments Y and Z is competition. According to CFB vice president of advocacy Shawn Martini, is competition between districts so power could potentially be shifted between parties. It also requires that communities of interest be grouped together.

For rural Colorado, that could be agriculture, as rural economy is a distinct community of interest, Martini said. That was one thing we appreciated in the preliminary draft of the Congressional map specifically was two rural-dominated districts that werent encompassing of Front Range communities that dont share that agriculture and rural economy base that would water down that representation.

That watered down representation is currently seen in the 4th district which included Douglas County, an area that doesnt share a particular nexus with the remainder of the district. Martini said that leaves representatives like, for example, Ken Buck, attempting to be servants to two masters.

To aid the commission, CFB submitted their own versions of the maps as part of the public comment period. Those maps, Martini said, stay true to the spirit of the amendments but also recognize agriculture and rural Colorado as specific communities of interest. The maps also took into account the early stages of public comment submitted to the commission, making the maps responsive to those concerns as well. He said one of the main concerns was the splitting of counties making one county represented by two different districts.

When you begin to draw the maps, thats a hard thing to do to make them balance with all the other considerations, he said. I think we were pretty successful with only three counties in the two legislative maps that are split and most of the counties that have multiple districts warranted by population dont have districts that extend beyond the county boundary.

In the letter CFB sent to the commission, Currier pointed out the broad disconnect between the wider population and the people that make up the industry that feeds it.

This separation from the farm and ranch means that 99 percent of the population does not understand how agriculture can be impacted by monetary policy, employment regulations, federal nutrition programs, environmental laws, international trade, land-use policies, wildlife management, public lands administration, banking regulations, transportation infrastructure, tax policy, public and higher education, accounting standards, wireless and broadband construction, national monument designations, the Endangered Species Act, oil and natural gas production, and even congressional and legislative redistricting, just to name a few, Currier wrote, This is just a short list of a much larger panoply of policy areas that impact agriculture. These stark differences often require specialist legislators who understand this and can help mitigate it.

Former state Sen. Greg Brophy said the proposed Congressional map is a good start, in that it treats rural Colorado as well as he said possible.

I like the concept of having a seat that all of eastern Colorado is in, that doesnt have any part of suburban or exurban parts of the metro area attached, he said.

Brophy said the draft also keeps western Colorado together for a rural district as well. The Legislative maps, he said, were rougher. The committee is forced to make one of two decisions with regard to the state legislative map. The map can either give one large single Senate seat that covers all of eastern Colorado that excludes any exurban areas along the Front Range, or two can be drawn as was done on the staff drawn map that splits eastern Colorado but goes to I-25. This option would likely result in both seats going to legislators along the Front Range.

The same goes for the state House, he said. Do you go for three rural Colorado-influenced seats or two fully eastern Colorado seats?

The district maps are redrawn every 10 years. Brophy said for the past 20 years, the state legislative maps have been gerrymandered to fit Democrats and have been recognized as some of the most heavily gerrymandered maps in the nation.

There have been multiple times since 2001 where Republican candidates for the state House have garnered well over 50% of the total votes statewide but did not achieve 50% plus one of the seats in the legislature, he said. Thats how you know the map is terribly gerrymandered.

For example, under the new commission and amendments, a county like Douglas should not be grouped with eastern Colorado counties, as it doesnt share the economic interests of oil and gas or agriculture.

The Commissions final rounds of virtual public hearings begin Sept. 7-10 for the Congressional Commission and Sept. 17-18 for the Legislative Commission. More information is available at redistricting.colorado.gov.

Read the rest here:

Redrawing the lines: CFB submits maps with ag and amendments top of mind - Fence Post

Ive come up with a set of rules that describe our reactions to technologies:1. Anything that is in the world when youre born is normal and ordinary and is just a natural part of the way the world works.2. Anything thats invented between when youre 15 and 35 is new and exciting and revolutionary and you can probably get a career in it.3. Anything invented after youre 35 is against the natural order of things.Douglas Adams

For Jill Tipping, that observation by late science fiction author Adams gets at the urgent need to shift our thinking about the B.C. economy and its future.

Tipping is president and CEO of the BC Tech Association, which recently published A New Economic Narrative for British Columbia. The reports thesis: Our economy isnt what we tell ourselves it is. We still cling to the 20th-century image of B.C. as mostly an exporter of natural resources. But in fact, over the past three decades, weve become a knowledge and service-driven economy.

How I would describe the call to action in this report is that its no longer enough to describe that were experiencing economic growth, Tipping says. We actually need to understand the why so that we can understand if its sustainable or not.

The report presents B.C. as a small, open economy at an inflection point in a rapidly changing world. If physical assets drove economic growth, resilience and competitiveness during the previous century, the service economy of the 21st century hinges on intangible assets such as data and intellectual property.

Just look at B.C., where services now account for 75 percent of gross domestic product, 80 percent of jobs and 50 percent of exports. To plan for the future, we have to understand where we came from, but weve got to get our feet grounded in where we are today, Tipping says. I think the conversation continues to be dominated by things that were true 30 years ago but actually arent true today and definitely wont be true tomorrow.

Despite growing affluence in North America, COVID has been a reality check for the world, Tipping notes. So have the chaotic U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan and the 2016 election of Donald Trump, which could signal the end of the expansionist, globalist era, she says.

I think today, were sort of at a place of, oh, I dont know, maybe theres more tension in the world than I thought there was, and perhaps the climate crisis is more serious than I thought, and the transition off oil and gas is sooner than I thought, Tipping says.

Economic growth is a good thing, but economic growth that doesnt drive increased shared prosperity is going to be a challenging thing, she adds. And economic growth thats based on industries that might be grandfathering or not growing as fast as they once did isnt as good as economic growth thats driven by industries that are globally growing and going to be sustainable sources of economic growth for the next 30 to 50 years.

On that note, Tipping sees opportunity for B.C., whose technology industry keeps spilling over into other sectors. Adjacent industries are becoming tech industries, and every industry is becoming tech, she says. As a consequence of that, its going to be a growing share of jobs.

The provincial government projects that from 2019 through 2029, professional, scientific and technical services will see 2.5-percent annual job growth. But based on recent member surveys, BC Tech expects that category to expand by 10 to 15 percent annually during the same periodgenerating 88,000 more jobs than the government forecast of 98,800.

Thats good news, but when it comes to measuring the economic impact of the tech sector, were still using 20th-century methods, the report maintains. For example, the current North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) doesnt separate technology and digital businesses from professional, scientific and technical services. At the same, time theres little provincial and federal data on B.C. services exports.

Talking to civil servants at both levels of government, Tipping has found them interested in gathering better data. Its a challenge to find the time and the money and the teams to invest in the new, she says. But I do think theres a shared understanding of the challenge and the need to adjust to this question.

To help shape the new economic narrative, BC Tech lays out three steps. First and foremost is to really embrace data, Tipping says. Lets understand todays economy, because we dont have enough information is what is driving 80 percent of our economy.

With that in mind, Tipping would like to see the provincial government make use of her organizations report as it develops a new economic plan due this fall. Were hoping to be influential as part of that on the kinds of questions that need to be asked and answered, and specifically with a focus on the data capture piece.

But her bigger ambition is to change the conversation, so that hopefully, three years from now, it isnt the case that 80 percent of the jobs get 5 percent of the conversation, she says. Thats something thats a longer-term play, but even the way the report has been received so far and the conversations weve had so far, I am pleasantly surprised by the interest that were getting within government as well as in wider society.

Step 2: Face reality. Lets just understand that technology innovation isnt a choice, it isnt an option anymore. Its a fact, and its been a fact for 20 years, and its what is driving prosperity and growth globally, she says. Sometimes I think in B.C., its seen as icing on the cakeor, If we have time for that, we will. Its the cake, OK? Its become the cake.

And Step 3? There are three priorities in this new economic narrative, and they are talent, talent and talent, Tipping says. We must stop seeing people as a cost or an afterthought. Theyre the fundamental unit and driver of wealth, of prosperity, of growth. And if we invest in people, whether thats through education or infrastructure or their ideas or their entrepreneurship or their innovation about new ways to create value for old industries, whether its in B.C. or elsewhere, its the easiest money you could possibly make.

Having previously spent several years with energy multinational Schneider Electric as VP operations and CFO of its solar business, Tipping knows about making money the hard way. It is a really tough business, she says. Its constantly focused on taking costs out. You will win in the energy business if you have the lowest-cost, most consistently efficient supplier.

The drivers of the talent economy are completely different, Tipping notes. You will win in the talent economy if you enable creativity and innovation and fast business cycles, and constant nourishment and enrichment and bringing in new ideas and products.

Working in that new economy is more enjoyable, too, she says. Its more fun to earn your living in something thats sustainably profitable and constantly interested in new ideas.

The BC Tech report also highlights the changing nature of economic competitiveness, which sees taxes play a smaller role than intangible assets, innovation and investment in people.

I would say weve moved from a time when capital was constrained to a time when talent is constrained, Tipping says. In other words, human labour and talent have become the scarce resource. If you optimize for that resource, you will be a winner and a success in todays economy and the future.

Given its strong education and health-care systems, and the fact that generally speaking, its a safe and welcoming society, B.C. should be far ahead in that department, Tipping reckons. Its a bit hokey to say it, but if we can get as good as mining whats in peoples minds as we were at mining whats in the ground, thats the source of value for the future.

For Tipping, it comes back to what she calls the infrastructure of the people economyeducation and re-skilling, but also affordable housing and good public transit.

Its important to have a stable and predictable environment, she says. But maybe thats not the most important thing anymore. The most important thingand this is certainly what I believeis to be a great place for human talent to thrive. And if you are optimized for that, then industry and post-secondaries and governments and all players in the economy will find themselves with the wind at their backs.

Originally posted here:

The B.C. economy has fundamentally changed. Are we ready for tomorrow? - BCBusiness

Investing In Our Greatest Resource

By Governor Pete Ricketts

August 31, 2021

Governors official photohere.

Over the past year, Nebraskas economy has been booming, creating more and more great opportunities here in the Good Life. We currently have the lowest unemployment rate in the nation at 2.3%. That equals our states lowest rate ever and is less than half of the national unemployment rate of 5.4%. According to Local Area Unemployment Statistics from the Nebraska Department of Labor, 92 of our 93 counties have an unemployment rate at or below 2.7%. Statewide, our manufacturing employment is above pre-pandemic levels and has reached its highest point since the Great Recession (October 2008).

Job opportunities abound. The States job site (NEworks.nebraska.gov) listed over 49,000 open positions on August 29th. WalletHub recently ranked Nebraska as the #2 state in the U.S. to find a job, and it named Lincoln and Omaha as the top two cities in the nation bouncing back the strongest from coronavirus. While this strong growth has led to plenty of opportunities, it also presents a challenge for businesses that are looking to grow. Companies are having difficulty hiring people to fill all of the jobs theyre creating.

To address this, were taking steps to help Nebraskans get the skills and education needed to take the great-paying jobs being created in our state. Were approaching this in a strategic way by building a talent pipeline to help prepare students for high-wage, high-demand careers here in Nebraska. Our pipeline starts in middle school with the Developing Youth Talent Initiative (DYTI), which familiarizes kids with jobs in fields like engineering or manufacturing. This summer, we awarded our latest round of DYTI grants to Behlen Manufacturing Company in Columbus and Great Plains Health in North Platte.

After participating in DYTI, students can take part in a career academy at the high school level. These academies provide hands-on learning experiences, job shadowing, and mentoring to further prepare students for professional life. High school graduates can then apply for Nebraska Career Scholarships. These scholarships help offset tuition for college students in fields of study, such as engineering and IT, where theres a big need for skilled professionals. Earlier this year, I worked with the Legislature to expand the Career Scholarship program to private colleges and universities. This brings the total number of career scholarships to at least 2,110 by 2023.

In addition to these programs, were partnering with local companies to offer a variety of apprenticeships to studentsboth in high school and college. Since January 2020, the number of Registered Apprenticeships has grown by 14 percent with 1,511 new apprentices enrolled. These apprenticeships give students the opportunity to gain on-the-job skills, while simultaneously earning income and coursework credits. Earlier this month, I joined CLAAS for the grand opening of their innovative new training academy, which offers German-style apprenticeships in west Omaha. Its part of the Industry Consortium for Advanced Technical Training (ICATT) program created by the German American Chamber of Commerce of the Midwest. Based on the German dual-education philosophy, ICATT apprentices gain valuable workplace knowledge while studying for industry certifications and an associate degree in their chosen field.

Some companies are blending a variety of strategies to recruit the next generation of Nebraskans to work for them. Reinke Manufacturing in Deshler is a great example of a Nebraska business that has proactively invested locally to build its workforce. A two-time DYTI award recipient, Reinke has used the grants to educate students on coding and robotics. Before working with DYTI, Reinke launched a welding program at Deshler High School and donated the equipment used to train students over a decade ago. The manufacturer has also funded scholarships at the Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture (NTCA) and contributed a GPS-equipped center pivot for use in NTCAs field laboratory. This long-term engagement with area schools is exactly whats needed for companies to meet their demand for talent.

As we work to recruit and retain the talent businesses need to grow, we are also pursuing strategies beyond the classroom. Military service members have valuable skills they learned while on active duty, and they add immense value to our businesses and nonprofits as they pursue a new career in civilian life. In recent years, weve taken a number of steps to make Nebraska a more attractive home for them and for their families. This year, I successfully worked with the Legislature to pass LB 387, which provides a 100% tax exemption on military retirement benefits. In April, we announced the Veterans SkillBridge. Overseen by the Nebraska Department of Economic Development, the program creates connections between Nebraska employers and military members during their final 180 days of service, giving participants a chance to explore the best fit for their specific talents and interests after transitioning out of military service. This spring, we also launched the Military Spouse Transition Program to help military spouses moving to Nebraska identify job opportunities in state government. Additionally, I signed legislation this year to make it quicker and easier for military spouses licensed in another state to obtain a teaching permit after moving to Nebraska. These are just a few of the steps we have taken.

To keep our growth going, we will find innovative ways to develop our people so they can take some of the thousands of great-paying jobs right here in Nebraska. If you have questions about the States workforce initiatives, or any other matter, please email pete.ricketts@nebraska.gov or call 402-471-2244. The Good Life is powered by the hard work of our people, and well continue to provide the tools and training Nebraskans need to achieve their dreams.

###

More here:

Investing In Our Greatest Resource | Office of Governor Pete Ricketts - Governor Pete Ricketts

Atlanta, GA Today Governor Brian P. Kemp announced 20 appointments to the Georgia Tourism Foundation. Governor Kemp highlighted the important role of the Georgia Tourism Foundation Board of Directors during his remarks Wednesday at the 2021 Georgia Governors Tourism Conference presented by Explore Georgia, the tourism division of the Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD).

Im excited to announce these leaders from various segments of Georgias tourism industry who will be focused on directing the development of innovative and entrepreneurial strategies designed to improve Georgias position as a destination for travel,said Governor Kemp. Under the leadership of Deputy Commissioner for Tourism Mark Jaronski, this Board of Directors will work as a team with the Georgia Department of Economic Development and our Explore Georgia state tourism office to increase Georgias competitiveness and grow the tourism industry back stronger than ever.

Joseph Akersserves as RaceTrac's Chief Legal Officer and Secretary, overseeing the company's Legal, Risk Management, Environmental, Internal Audit, and Compliance functions. Akers joined RaceTrac in 2005, and before becoming General Counsel in 2012, spent seven years working to protect the company when litigated. He earned a bachelor's degree in political economy from Tulane University in New Orleans in 1994 and a J.D. from the University of Georgia in 1997. Before joining RaceTrac, he was an associate at the Miami-based firm of Greenberg Traurig. In addition to his work at RaceTrac, Akers is active in several civic and legal organizations. He has been married to his wife Nancy since 2002, and they have two children.

Jake Carteris the Owner and Operator of Southern Belle Farms. Carter graduated from the University of Georgia in 2003 with a degree in business management. After graduation, he returned to the family farm in McDonough and began transforming the dairy operation into the 330-acre agritourism destination that it is today. Carter also serves on the Board of Directors at Snapping Shoals EMC. In 2019, Governor Brian Kemp appointed Carter to serve as the Tenth Congressional District representative on the Board of Economic Development. He and his wife, Jennifer, are Henry County natives and have three children. They are members of Bethany Baptist Church and reside in McDonough.

Paul Crameris president & CEO of The Classic Center, a 350,000 square-foot meeting and convention facility, with a 2,000+-seat performing arts theatre, 2,000-seat arena, and 22,000 square foot outdoor covered pavilion, with a removable ice rink located in Athens, Georgia. He has served in this role for over 26 years. Cramer began his career in Rochester, New York, working his way from banquet and concessions manager in 1986 to the assistant executive director by 1992. Cramer runs a successful workforce development program, which aids those seeking a career in hospitality, including the non-profit organization Bread for Life. He also serves on the Athens Technical College Foundation Board, the Athens Community Career Academy Board, and the Clarke County School District CTAE Board. During his tenure at The Classic Center, Cramer has developed and oversees The Classic Center Cultural Foundation, which provides scholarships for the performing, visual, and culinary arts, as well as for entertainment, hospitality, sports, and event management education programs, while supporting these initiatives in the Athens community. In 2018, he initiated the partnership between Piedmont College, The Classic Center, and The Classic Center Cultural Foundation to create and launch the Hospitality & Tourism Management degree program within the Harry W. Walker School of Business at Piedmont College. In 2015, Facilities and Destinations Magazine recognized Cramer as an Elite Convention Center Executive. Under his leadership, The Center has remained an award-winning facility. The most recent awards include 10x ConventionSouth Readers' Choice Award, the 2020 Stella Award, and the 2021 GBAC STAR Facility Certification. He and his wife Stacey reside in Athens and have two adult children.

Liz Crisafiis the Global Vice President of Campaign Marketing at IHG Hotels and Resorts, one of the world's leading hotel companies. She is responsible for marketing their 17 global brands and delivering commercial, loyalty, and partnership campaigns to ensure IHG supports the ever-changing needs of their guests and owners and provides a world-class experience across their 5,900+ hotels worldwide. Crisafi has more than 20 years of in-depth global marketing experience and previously held several senior marketing positions at Kimberly-Clark, Ogilvy & Mather, Discovery Communications, and Eastman Kodak. Crisafi is on the Advisory Board of Brand Innovators and was most recently recognized in 2017, 2018 & 2019 in the "Top 100 Women to Watch in Brand Marketing". She was also recently featured by Dress for Success Atlanta for their "2021 Women of Power." Liz holds a Bachelor of Science in Communications and Broadcasting from Georgia Southern University.

Brian Davisis Georgia Aquarium's president and CEO. Davis has more than 25 years of experience in senior leadership roles within zoological and educational institutions. Davis first joined the Georgia Aquarium team before its founding in 2003 as the Director of Education, later served as the Aquarium's Vice President of Education and then most recently as Executive Vice President of Operations. Prior to his tenure at Georgia Aquarium, he served as president and CEO of the Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk, where he oversaw the enhancement of the Aquarium's footprint. Davis has also served in teaching and administrative roles in Cobb County's school system and developed education programs at New York Aquarium and Zoo Atlanta. He has served as an Adjunct Professor for Schools of Education at Georgia State University and Mercer University. He has served on the Boards of Directors for Centennial Place Elementary School, Norwalk Chamber of Commerce, Open Door Shelter, and NorwalkACTS. He currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA). He is a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity and the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. Davis graduated from Rutgers University in 1992 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Environmental Science, later earning both a master's in education and his Ph.D. in Secondary Science Education at Georgia State University.

Cynde Dickeyis the chief financial officer for Dickey Farms, Inc, a 3,000+ acre peach and timberland farm family-owned since 1897. Since 2016, she has served as a board member on the Georgia Agribusiness Council. Dickey is the Grants Committee chairman for the Community Foundation of Central Georgia, the treasurer for Keep Roberta/Crawford Beautiful, and the treasurer of the Roberta/Crawford County Chamber of Commerce. In addition to her civic engagement, Dickey is a member of the 1990 Class of Leadership Georgia and a member of the Crawford County Farm Bureau. She graduated from the University of Georgia with a bachelor's in accounting in 1977. She and her husband Robert Dickey, a State Representative, have two adult children and are active members of Musella Baptist Church.

David Friederichis the president of North Georgia's award-winning Barnsley Resort. Friederich oversees all operations of the 3,000-acre estate, including meetings, weddings, outdoor activities, events, restaurants and catering, 150 guest rooms and suites at the cottages and new Inn, and overall guest satisfaction. A seasoned leader and innovator in the hospitality field, Friederich previously serves as Managing Director of The Whitley in Buckhead, formerly The Ritz-Carlton. Before that, Friederich served as the Corporate Vice President of Operations and Regional Manager of The Kessler Collection and General Manager of Grand Bohemian Hotel Orlando - named among Cond Nast Traveler's 'Top Hotels in Florida.' Friederich has over 30 years of management experience in the hospitality industry, including six years as general manager of The Cloister Hotel at Sea Island and various senior leadership roles with Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts.

Steve Hallowellis the chief marketing officer at Herschend Family Entertainment, including properties such as Callaway Gardens and Resort, Stone Mountain Park, and Wild Adventures. Prior to joining Herschend, Hallowell was a marketing and sales executive for Eastman Kodak Co. for more than 25 years. He graduated from Rutgers University, where he received a bachelor's degree in agricultural economics and marketing. In 2016, Governor Nathan Deal first appointed Hallowell to serve as a member of the Georgia Tourism Foundation.

Jay Markwalterserves as Executive Director of the Georgia Association of Convention and Visitors Bureaus (GACVB), the unified voice, education, and leadership development resource for our state's destination marketing organizations. Prior to becoming the statewide organization's director in 2018, Markwalter served as Director of Marketing Communications and Director of Sales with the Augusta CVB. From 2004 to 2014, he led the tourism-based economic development efforts in Atlanta-metro and the north Georgia mountains as the tourism director for Lawrenceville and Dahlonega-Lumpkin County. Markwalter has served on the 13-state Southeast Tourism Society Board of Directors and represents Georgia as a member of Destinations International and the U.S. Travel Association. He is a graduate of the Leadership Georgia Class of 2013 and was appointed to the Georgia Tourism Foundation by Governor Nathan Deal. A native of Savannah, Markwalter received his BBA in Marketing from the University of Georgia and has his Travel Marketing Professional (TMP) designation from the Southeast Tourism Society. Markwalter lives in Augusta with his wife, Sumner, and their two sons, Joe and Hart.

Mark O'Brienis president and CEO of LakePoint Sports, the nation's premier youth travel sports destination. The sprawling 1,300-acre campus features eight Major League-sized baseball fields, three multi-use fields for soccer, lacrosse, and football, a 170,000-square-foot Indoor Pavilion with 12 basketball courts that convert to 24 volleyball courts. He has more than two decades of executive leadership for some of the most globally recognizable brands, including Mizuno USA and Mizuno Canada, Boys & Girls Clubs of America, The Original Honey Baked Ham Company, Johnsonville Sausage, and Miller Brewing Company (now MillerCoors).After graduating from St. Norbert College, where he played on the baseball team, he went on to earn his master's in sports management from Georgia Southern University. O'Brien boasts a diverse array of experience in the sports industry, including several years in minor league baseball that culminated in a role as general manager. He also worked in sports marketing and branding for the NBA's Houston Rockets, assisting with the franchise's brand partnerships. During his time with GMR Marketing, his work focused on customer engagement and experiential marketing for one of the top global sports entertainment and experiential marketing agencies.

Atul Patelis the asset manager at Asha Management and has served in this role since 1999. Patel has also served as General Contractor for the Real Estate Development Group, building his first new construction project in Locust Grove, Ga., in 2001. During his tenure with Asha Management, Patel has overseen numerous multi-million dollar new construction and renovation projects, including the NexGen Red Roof Inn and LaQuinta Inn & Suites in Locust Grove. He served on the Franchise Advisory Council for Red Roof from 2005 thru 2010 and was elected to serve on the AAHOA Board of Directors as the North Georgia Regional Director in 2010. Patel holds a Certified Hotel Operator (CHO) designation from AAHOA and is a Lifetime Member. In 2013 he was appointed by Governor Nathan Deal to serve as a member of the Georgia Tourism Foundation, and in April 2014, he was appointed to serve a three-year term on the La Quinta Brand Council.

Kal Patelis president and CEO of Image Hotels, Inc., which owns and operates multiple hotels throughout the Southeast and is a Starwood, Hilton, IHG, and Marriott brands licensee. Patel began his career at Merril Lynch, learning finance and investments, which he was later able to apply this knowledge to the lodging business. Patel's family immigrated to the United States in 1979. He graduated from Savannah State University in 2001 with a bachelor's degree in business administration.Patel is heavily involved in AH&LA, AAHOA, Savannah Chamber of Commerce, Georgia Hospitality and Travel Association, and participation in national events and conferences. He was the Young Professional Hotelier serving as a Board of Directors for AAHOA. Patel has previously served as Board of Director for the Savannah CVB and the Tourism and Leadership Council. He has received several awards and recognitions for lodging accomplishments from industry leaders, franchisors, and municipalities.

William Pateserves as president of Atlanta Convention & Visitors Bureau (ACVB), where he oversees maintaining tourism as one of the city's top economic drivers. Before joining ACVB, Pate served as Career Sports & Entertainment president, a national sports marketing and representation firm. He is the former chief marketing officer of BellSouth, one of the world's largest communications companies. Prior to joining BellSouth, Pate supervised domestic and international advertising and communications at MCI during the telecom ad wars of the 1990s. In 2020, American Marketing Association's (AMA) Atlanta chapter awarded him its lifetime achievement award. Atlanta Business League named him its 2019 Herman J. Russell CEO of the Year; Atlanta Magazine recognized him as one of the most influential leaders in Atlanta. Georgia Trend magazine included him on its list of 2019 Notable Georgians. Atlanta Business Chronicle honored Pate multiple times as one of Atlanta's 50 most admired CEOs and named him to its 100 most influential Atlantans list every year since 2009. AMA's Atlanta chapter also selected him as the corporate marketer of the year in 2010. A prominent leader in the nation's hospitality industry, Pate serves on the U.S. Travel Association and Destinations International board of directors. Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International honored him as one of the top 25 most extraordinary minds in sales and marketing. He received the International Gay and Lesbian Travel Association award of appreciation for his commitment to diversity and inclusion within the travel industry. Pate's involvement in Atlanta's sports industry includes serving on the boards of the Atlanta Sports Council, Celebration Bowl, Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl, and Chick-fil-A College Football Hall of Fame. He served as vice president of the Atlanta Football Host Committee, was a board member for the Atlanta Super Bowl Host Committee for Super Bowl LIII in 2019, and vice-chairman of the Atlanta Basketball Host Committee. Atlanta Business Chronicle named him one of Georgia's 30 most influential sports business figures of 2020. Pate is very active in the Atlanta community, serving on the board of directors for Central Atlanta Progress, Children's Museum of Atlanta, First Tee Atlanta, Jack and Jill Late Stage Cancer Foundation, Metro Atlanta Chamber, and Woodruff Arts Center. He is also on the Board of Councilors of The Carter Center and the industry advisory board for Georgia State University's Cecil B. Day School of Hospitality Administration.

Marisa Simpsonis the Director of Legislative and Governmental Affairs at Atlanta Gas Light (Southern Company Gas). Simpson was previously the Director of Community Relations and Economic Development for AGL Resources Southern Operations. Simpson is a former staffer for U.S. Senator Saxby Chambliss. He serves as a board member for Camp Sunshine and is an active volunteer with the American Diabetes Association. Simpson has previously served as a trustee for the Leadership Georgia Foundation, a board member for the Atlanta Touchdown Club, and Georgia Allies. In 2016, Governor Nathan Deal appointed him to the Board of Economic Development and, in 2017, to the Georgia Tourism Foundation, where he serves as chairman. Simpson earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Georgia, where he played football.

Dave Snyderowns and operates Halyards Catering, Hook & Knife Charters, and Halyards Restaurant Group, comprised of Tramici, Halyards Restaurant, and La Plancha. His restaurants perennially ranked the island and region's most popular, Halyards and Tramici were named 2014 Businesses of the Year by the Brunswick and Golden Isles Chamber of Commerce. In 2014, Dave was selected to serve on the Board of Directors for the Georgia Restaurant Association. Synder offers monthly cooking classes where he is able to draw on his relationships with local fishermen and farmers; he demonstrates to eager guests that the best ingredients make a tremendous difference in food quality, the sustainability of the environment, and the financial strength of the local economy. He serves on the Advisory Panel for Snapper/Grouper Species for the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council. He has worked with the South Atlantic Fishermen's Association to improve the sustainability and health of the South Atlantic, the availability of local fish, and the financial future and heritage of the fishing industry. Deeply devoted to community service, Snyder serves on the Board of Directors for the Chamber of Commerce, Coastal Symphony of Georgia, The Boys and Girls Club of Southeast Georgia, and Hospice of the Golden Isles. Snyder is a founding board member of the St. Simons Food & Spirits Festival, benefiting Hospice of the Golden Isles. He also serves on the Culinary Board for the College of Coastal Georgia.

Ron Stephensrepresents Georgias 164th District in the Georgia House of Representatives. Stephens is the Chairman of the House Economic Development and Tourism Committee.

Mathews Swiftreceived his bachelor's degree in economics from the University of Georgia in 1969 and his J.D. from Walter F. George School of Law in 1972. He practiced real estate law before becoming president & COO of the W.C. Bradley Co. Real Estate Division in 1986. During his 32 years as president of the Real Estate Division, Swift developed multiple projects ranging from a 600-acre upscale golf course community; a 500-acre suburban mixed-use development, a 200-acre suburban office park; a 100-acre industrial park, and numerous residential subdivisions, etc. Over the past 20 years, he has primarily focused on the redevelopment of downtown Columbus. Swift's marquee project was the Eagle & Phenix Mill a mixed-use development of converting a 1,000,000 square foot 1800's textile mill into riverfront high rise condominiums, apartments, retail, restaurants, office, and specialty uses. As part of this riverfront development, Swift was an integral part of the Columbus Whitewater initiative a 30-million-dollar project involving the removal of two hydroelectric dams and the restoration of 2.5 miles of Chattahoochee River into what has been labeled as the world's longest urban whitewater experience. In 2019, Governor Brian Kemp appointed Swift to serve on the Board of Economic Development.

Bruce Thompsonrepresents Georgias 14th District in the Georgia State Senate. Thompson is the Chairman of the Senate Economic Development and Tourism Committee.

Scott Tigchelaaris the President of Senoia Enterprises, Inc, the company responsible for the redevelopment of historic Senoia, and President of Nic & Norman's Inc, a restaurant located in Senoia. Tigchelaar is the former President of Riverwood Studios Inc, operating as Raleigh Studios- Atlanta, which has now been acquired by AMC Studios, where AMC's hit series "The Walking Dead" was filmed. He serves on the Board of Directors for Explore Newnan-Coweta and is passionate about expanding the tourism industry in Coweta County. He is currently working with Explore Newnan-Coweta, Inc to develop a trolley system that would connect Newnan, Senoia, Trilith Studios in Fayetteville, and the Bouckaert Farm on the Chattahoochee River in South Fulton. Tigchelaar has created significant economic opportunities for Georgia at the intersection of film and tourism. In 2014, Governor Nathan Deal appointed Tigchelaar to serve as a member of the Georgia Tourism Foundation.

Allan Vellais president and CEO of the Fox Theatre in Atlanta, Georgia, a position he has held since June 2006. A graduate of the University of Iowa, he holds a bachelor's in liberal arts and arts management. Vella has worked professionally in the Facility Management field since 1986, managing theatres, arenas, amphitheaters, and exhibition facilities. His experience spans a wide range of events, including NCAA Tournaments, MLB, NHL, Ballet, Corporate Events, Concerts, Broadway, and Presidential visits, to name just a few. Under Vella's direction, the Fox Theatre has been consistently ranked in the top three non-residency theatres in North America for gross ticket sales by industry trade magazines, Pollstar, Billboard, and Venues Today. In addition, the Fox Theatre was declared a Top Stop of the Decade by Venues Today and the #1 non-residency venue worldwide for the decade by Billboard Magazine. The historic Fox Theatre has managed to remain cutting edge as well. It holds numerous titles for Social Media presence for 2000-5000 seat venues in North America as calculated in Venues Today's Social Media Power 100. Before joining the Fox Theatre, Vella worked for SMG, the world's largest facility management company. Vella is a member of the International Association of Venue Managers and Rotary International, a graduate of IAVM's Venue Management School, and a board member of the Atlanta Convention and Visitors Bureau as well as Variety of Georgia, a children's charity. He and his wife Nicole have three children and reside in Decatur, Georgia.

Read the rest here:

Governor Appoints 20 to the Georgia Tourism Foundation | Governor Brian P. Kemp Office of the Governor - Gov.Georgia.gov.

The BMW Group is increasing the pace of its efforts to combat climate change. Looking ahead to the introduction of the Neue Klasse, the company is further strengthening its self-defined objectives, announced in summer last year, to significantlyreduce CO2 emissions, whilst also committing itself to a clear course that supports the1.5 degree targetfor the limitation of global warming. The Neue Klasse will also see the BMW Group hugely increase its use ofsecondary materialswith a firm focus on the principles of thecircular economy, whilst also promoting better framework conditions for establishing a market for secondary materials.

To achieve a furtherreduction in CO2 emissions, the focus is on theutilisation phaseof vehicles, which account for 70% of the BMW Groups CO2 footprint.By 2030, the CO2 emissions per vehicle and kilometre driven will beat least halvedfrom 2019 levels. The commitment of all manufacturers when it comes to combatting climate change can best be compared when looking at theentire life cycleof a vehicle, including production and upstream supply chain. Here, the BMW Group is planning areduction of CO2 emission per vehicle of at least 40%.

How companies are dealing with CO2 emissions has become a major factor when it comes to judging corporate action. The decisive factor in the fight against global warming is how strongly we can improve the carbon footprint of vehicles over their entire life span. This is why we are setting ourselves transparent and ambitious goals for the substantial reduction of CO2 emissions; these are validated by the Science Based Targets Initiative and will deliver an effective and measurable contribution, saidOliverZipse, Chairman of the Board of Management of BMW AG, in Munich on Thursday. With the Neue Klasse we are significantly sharpening our commitment and also committing ourselves to a clear course for achieving the 1.5 degree target.

The BMW Group is the first German carmaker to join theBusiness Ambition for 1.5Cof theScience Based Targets Initiativeand is committed to the goal of full climate neutrality over the entire value-added chain by 2050 at the latest. This means that the company is also part of theinternational Race to Zero Initiative. The company is convinced that this can be achieved using innovation, rather than any overall ban on individual technologies.

The most powerful driver on this path to climate neutrality is electric mobility, with the BMWGroups Neue Klasse set to provide significant further momentum to the market. During the next ten years or so, the company will be putting aroundten million all-electric vehicles on the road. As early as2030, at least halfof global BMWGroup sales will beall-electric vehicles, with theMINIbrand offeringexclusively all-electric vehiclesfrom 2030.

The BMW Group continues to comply with thestringent criteriaof the Science Based Targets Initiative, when it comes to measuring the reduction of worldwide CO2 emissions of the companys vehicles whilst they are being driven on the roads. For example, emissions from the production of fuel or electricity are included in the calculation and consumption is based on the WLTP cycle plus ten percent. With its current product and electrification strategy, the company is on track to meet the EU fleet target for 2030.

BMW Group is clear that simply increasing the number of electric vehicles on the road does not automatically lead to climate-friendly mobility. The company understands that it is also crucial to reduce the use of primary material and the related environmentally harmfulexploitation of resourcesand their often CO2-intensive processing especially when it comes to car manufacturing, one of the most resource-intensive industries.

2017 was the first time the worlds population consumed more than 100 billion tons of resources within a single year a trend which we in the automotive industry must also counteract,Zipsedemanded. This is a strategic issue, concerning not only ecological but also economic sustainability; the current development of commodity prices demonstrates the impact an industry that is dependent on limited resources must expect.

With the number of battery-powered vehicles growing, there isincreasing demand for many commodities such as cobalt, nickel and aluminium, which are required for the vehicles high-voltage batteries. However there is great potential for the reuse of materials in the sense of a circular economy and together with specialist partners, the BMW Group has already demonstrated that its technological feasible to achieve a recycling efficiency of over 90 percent.

The amount ofsecondary nickelused for the high-voltage battery in theBMW iXis already as high as 50 percent, with the battery housing containing up to 30 percentsecondary aluminium.The BMW Group aims to improve these figures even further for future product generations.

In addition to the increasingly scare availability of primary materials and resulting commodity price increases, there are manysustainability reasonsto use more secondary materials and move towards a circular economy.

Thesupplyof secondary materials is considerablylessCO2-intensivethan is the case with primary materials and can significantly improve the CO2 footprint, especially within the supply chain. In the case of secondary aluminium, the CO2 saving compared with primary material constitutes a factor of approximately 4 to 6, whilst steel and thermoplastics lie between around 2 and 5.

The extraction of resources for primary materials particularly through mining has a significant impact on the basicregenerative capacity of ecosystems. This impact can be greatly reduced by increasing the use of secondary materials.

The mining and trading ofconflict materialscarries the possible risk of associated infringements of environmental and social standards. The BMW Group has established numerous measures to counteract this risk, including membership of the Responsible Minerals Initiative. However, the most efficient strategy for avoiding risks is tominimise the mining of such primary materials.

As part of its holistic approach to sustainability, the BMW Group aims to increase significantly the percentage of secondary materials in its vehicles. On average, current vehicles are manufactured using almost30 percentrecycled and reusable materials. With theSecondary Firstapproach, BMW Group plans to successivelyraise this figure to 50 percent.

Of course its crucial that the quality, safety and reliability of the materials comply with the same high standards as those existing for primary materials and so its essential that the market availability of such high-quality materials increases considerably. In order to achieve this, cross-industry approaches and political initiatives are necessary.

Based on the four principlesRe:think, Re:duce, Re:use, Re:cycle,the BMWGroup is boosting its activities in the field of circular economy, an area where its carrying out pioneering work. For instance, vehicle production now involves the increased separation and recycling of crucial material groups, so these can be reused by the industry within the framework of closed loops.

Within the supply chain and depending on market availability, secondary materials are increasingly being used in BMW Group vehicles. Moreover, together with its partners, the company is providing important impetus when it comes to developing secondary materials. One example is the companys pilot project withBASFand theALBA Groupfor the increased recycling of plastics used in cars.

The aim of the project is to reduce the use of primary plastics by means of a comprehensiverecycling system. To this end, the ALBA Group analyses end-of-life BMW Group vehicles to establish whether a car-to-car reuse of the plastic is possible. In a second step, BASF assesses whetherchemical recyclingof the pre-sorted waste can be used in order to obtain pyrolysis oil. This can be then used as a basis for new products made of plastic. In the future, a new door trim or other components could be manufactured from a used instrument panel, for example.

In order to achievehigher recycling ratesand whilst also guaranteeing thehigh quality of secondary materials, the materials must be extracted in their purest form as early as possibly during therecycling process. For example, the onboard wiring systems must be easy to remove, in order to avoid mixing steel with copper from the cable harnesses in the vehicles. If this mixing does take place, the secondary steel loses its essential material properties and therefore no longer meets thehigh safety requirementsof the automotive industry. To support this early and easy extraction of materials, the interior of a car must increasingly be made ofmonomaterials, so that at the end of the cars lifecycle, as much as possible can be transferred back into the usable material cycle. Basically, reducing the number of materials can help to improve the quality of recycled materials. Currently, vehicles consist of about 8,000 to 10,000 different materials.

To achieve this, the BMW Group is now focusing on aCircular Designconcept, which is designed to guarantee theeconomical dismantling capacityof vehicles. It is essential that disassembly of the vehicle and its individual components is fast and cost-efficient to ensure that prices ofsecondary materialsare competitive. It all starts with theconstruction of the vehicle, which must be done in such a way that allows materials to be removed at the end of the vehicles service life without different types of material being mixed with each other.

The BMW Group is putting circular economy at the centre of its presence at the IAAMobility 2021 in Munich, where the company will offer a visionary outlook on the potentials of a circular economy and sustainable mobility. TheBMW i Vision Circularembodies the companys ambitious claim to be the most sustainable manufacturer for individual premium mobility.

This visionary vehicle, designed according to the four principles of the circular economy Re:think, Re:duce, Re:use, Re:cycle, shows how individual, sustainable and luxurious urban mobility could look in 2040. The BMW i Vision Circular is manufactured from 100 percent secondary materials or renewable raw materials, and is 100 percent recyclable.

This car demonstrates that climate protection and individual mobility do not necessarily contradict each other. On the contrary, it shows that using new technologies and innovation, the BMW Group can fulfill the planets requirements for greater sustainability without customers having to forgo individual mobility.

SOURCE: BMW Group

See the original post:

BMW Group accelerates CO2 reduction and focuses consistently on a circular economy with the Neue Klasse - Automotive World

Though roads exist to many ore deposit areas, Afghanistan lacks good-quality roadways, railways and electricity

Seattle: The official ending of the US-led war in Afghanistan leaves a number of long-term questions, including how the country can build a functioning economy. Now that US assistance has evaporated and international aid is largely shut off, what options does Afghanistan have?

One possibility resides in natural resources. Afghanistan possesses a wealth of nonfuel minerals whose value has been estimated at more than $1 trillion.

For millennia the country was renowned for its gemstones rubies, emeralds, tourmalines and lapis lazuli. These minerals continue to be locally extracted, both legally and illegally, in mostly small, artisanal mines. Far more value, however, lies with the country's endowments of iron, copper, lithium, rare earth elements, cobalt, bauxite, mercury, uranium and chromium.

While the total abundance of minerals is certainly vast, scientific understanding of these resources is still at an exploratory stage. Even with a better understanding of how rewarding their extraction might be, the presence of these resources will not provide a jump-start to a new economy. As a geologist who has studied the extent of their resources, I estimate a minimum of seven to 10 years will be needed for large-scale mining to become a major new source of revenue.

USGS follows the Soviets

British and German geologists conducted the earliest modern surveys of Afghanistan's minerals in the 19th and early 20th centuries. But it was the Soviets in the 1960s and 1970s who performed the most systematic exploratory work throughout the country, producing a large body of detailed information that stood as the backbone to more recent studies.

From 2004 to 2011, the US Geological Survey conducted a detailed review of available data, adding new information from its own aerial survey, limited field checking and from the Afghanistan Geological Survey. This work better identified mineral sites, richness and abundance.

No one who examines this work, as I have, can ignore the large-scale exploratory effort by Soviet scientists. Detailed field mapping and massive sampling, including tens of thousands of meters of borehole drilling, and lab analyses were performed. Given the time and money invested, it would appear high-level plans were in play to develop Afghanistan's minerals once the country was under Soviet influence.

Based largely on this information, the USGS delineated 24 areas in the country and estimated their mineral abundance. Data packages were prepared on all 24 areas for companies to use as a basis for making bids to exploit any resources.

Chinese and Indian companies expressed strong interest, and actual concessions were granted. Arguments over contract terms and concerns about security, however, have stalled activity since the late 2010s.

Mineral abundance

How much mineral abundance does Afghanistan actually have? I'll try to answer this with a brief summary of USGS estimates for metals of special interest: copper, iron, lithium and rare earth metals. Geoscientists who were part of the USGS effort have noted that their figures are conservative but also preliminary.

Regardless, it's safe to say the resources in total are huge. Total copper resources for all known deposits sum to about 57.7 million metric tons. At current prices, the resource value is $516 billion. These are undiscovered resources identified but not fully explored and assessed. If further study were to judge them recoverable at a profit, they would rank Afghanistan among the top five nations for copper reserves in the world.

The largest copper deposit, which also contains significant amounts of cobalt, is the Aynak ore body, located about 18 miles (30 kilometers) southeast of Kabul. After the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan in 1979, the Soviets began development of the mine but it was suspended in 1989 following Soviet withdrawal from the country. The high-grade portion of the total Aynak deposit is estimated at 11.3 million metric tons of copper, worth $102 billion at current market prices.

Afghanistan also has world-class iron ore resources, concentrated in the Haji Gak deposit of Bamiyan Province. Haji Gak has an estimated 2,100 million metric tons of high-grade ore that is 61%-69% iron by weight. At current price levels, this represents a value of $336.8 billion, placing Afghanistan among the top 10 nations worldwide in extractable iron.

Lithium resources in Nuristan Province, which occur as veins, impressed Soviet geoscientists with the amount of hard rock ore (lithium is also mined from brine).

Based on USGS estimates, it is a significant but modest resource in today's terms, as exploration for such deposits has increased around the world in the past decade.

Finally, rare earth elements exist in southern Helmand Province. These deposits mainly contain cerium, with smaller amounts of more valuable lanthanum, praseodymium and neodymium, totaling perhaps 1.4 million metric tons. Two of these, praseodymium and neodymium, are at high price levels more than $45,000 per metric ton and make exceptional magnets used in motors for hybrid and electric cars, but the abundance of these elements is not large relative to how much other countries have.

Above-ground factors and geopolitics

Mining wisdom holds that what's in the ground is less important than what's above ground. Market realities, security, contract terms, infrastructure and environmental concerns matter more than sheer abundance to whether resources can be developed.

Among these factors, perhaps the most relevant at present is strong global demand for the metals, particularly copper, lithium and rare earth elements, which are essential to the growing markets in renewable energy and electric vehicles.

Whether or not Afghanistan can begin mining these elements will depend on what the new Taliban government does. Under the former Ministry of Mines, a $2.9 billion contract for a portion of the Aynak copper deposit was granted to two state-owned Chinese companies.

The 30-year contract signed in 2007 had a high royalty rate by global standards and required that ore smelting and processing be done locally. Other conditions included building a 400-megawatt coal power plant and a railway to the Pakistan border. Also stipulated was that 85%-100% of employees, from skilled labor to managerial personnel, be Afghan nationals within eight years of the date work begins. Though originally agreed to, these terms were later declared onerous by the companies, halting development.

Though roads exist to many ore deposit areas, Afghanistan lacks good-quality roadways, railways and electricity. Mining companies are no stranger to such challenges, yet the situation is heightened in this case by rugged terrain and the landlocked nature of the country. Railways, in particular, would be essential for transporting ore, raw or refined, to foreign markets.

There are also environmental and cultural concerns. Mining can result in major impacts to land and air quality, as well as watersheds a particular concern in water-poor Afghanistan if not regulated to best practices. No less, enforcement of such standards is required and has been a problem in many lower-income countries.

Close to the Aynak copper deposit is a large site of Buddhist relics, statues, temples and stupas. There are also Bronze Age mining sites that constitute important archaeological resources. Here, too, no clarity yet exists about how Taliban leaders, who ordered the destruction of the great Buddhist statues at Bamiyan in 2001, might view these sites.

For Afghanistan, its resources could mean a source of long-term foreign investment, skill-building and infrastructure expansion, all essential for a sustainable economy. But a major question is which companies would be involved. Afghanistan is also at the center of geopolitical struggles, involving both India and Pakistan, as well as China, Iran and the U.S. That the Taliban are now in control does not make the country's minerals any less invested with large significance.

Read this article:

Afghanistan posessess $1 trillion mineral wealth, but war-ravaged economy has challenges to overcome - Firstpost

News and research before you hear about it on CNBC and others. Claim your 1-week free trial to StreetInsider Premium here.

HALIFAX, NS / ACCESSWIRE / September 2, 2021 / Silver Tiger Metals Inc. (TSXV:SLVR and OTCQX:SLVTF) ("Silver Tiger" or the "Corporation") today announces its ambition to become a global leader in the transition to a clean economy in the junior mining sector. Committed to creating long-term value for all its stakeholders, Silver Tiger grows its plans to embed Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) principles and standards into its business strategy, operations, and management systems from the outset, aiming to move beyond compliance toward sustainable operational excellence.

Opportunities in the Clean Economy

Investing in sustainability during the early stages of a mining project can significantly improve socio-economic and environmental outcomes and can reduce the lifecycle impacts and costs of a project. As Silver Tiger's activities are currently pre-operational, there will not be a need to modify, retrofit or replace existing mining infrastructure in order to improve environmental and social outcomes.

Silver Tiger's CEO, Glenn Jessome, stated, "As silver becomes increasingly critical in the transition to a clean economy, Silver Tiger is well-positioned to be at the forefront of this growth opportunity." Glenn Jessome continued, "Silver offers tremendous investment opportunities in terms of its intrinsic and stable value. It is also an important strategic and industrial metal that serves a vital role in the development and growth of many lower-carbon technologies, including those supporting solar energy and the electric automotive industry."

Developing a Comprehensive ESG Strategy

Silver Tiger has established a board-level Safety, Environmental and Social Sustainability (SESS) committee that will oversee the development of a comprehensive ESG strategy over the next 12 months. The SESS Committee is responsible for ensuring that the company's business is conducted in ways that are principled, transparent and accountable to all stakeholders, including shareholders, employees, local communities, governments and the environment.

To progress its ambition to become a leader in ESG in the junior mining sector Silver Tiger plans to:

Aligning with Global Mining Standards

In addition to compliance with Mexico's environmental laws and regulations, Silver Tiger aims to implement best practices in international mining standards that are most relevant to its operations as a junior miner. The World Gold Council Responsible Gold Mining Principles, the protocols and indicators Toward Sustainable Mining (TSM) and the International Council on Mining and Metals (ICMM) will be considered to refine and strengthen Silver Tiger's approach to sustainable operational excellence and future ESG disclosures.

Silver Tiger aims to align with the TSM, specifically the TSM protocols and indicators for Water Stewardship, Energy and GHG Emissions Management, Tailings Management and Indigenous and Community Relationships. Considering the historic mining practices at El Tigre, Silver Tiger aims to achieve transparency and accountability around waste management informed by the Global Industry Standard on Tailings Management by the International Council on Mining and Metals.

Next Steps

In September 2021, Silver Tiger will release a comprehensive ESG Strategy Roadmap. This roadmap will outline the steps Silver Tiger will take to develop its ESG strategy over the next 12 months. In 2022 Silver Tiger will release a robust ESG strategy in line with its ambition to be a leader in the clean economy transition in the junior mining sector globally. This will include Silver Tiger's approach to sustainability reporting and ESG disclosures which will allow stakeholders to track Silver Tiger's progress towards achieving this ambition. Silver Tiger will explore leading global reporting frameworks, including the Sustainable Accounting Standards Board (SASB), the Task Force on Climate-Related Financial Disclosures (TCFD) and the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) to develop its approach for disclosures based on its environmental, social and economic impact and best practice.

Exploration Update

Silver Tiger has continued to drill throughout the rainy season at El Tigre. There are currently 4 drill rigs operating with a 5th drill rig in process of being added. Drilling is being conducted on the Sooy Vein, the Benjamin Vein and the Seitz Kelly Vein. Extensive mapping and sampling is also being conducted on the northern and southern ends of the property.

About the El Tigre Historic Mine District

Silver Tiger Metals Inc. is a Canadian company whose management has more than 25 years' experience discovering, financing and building large hydrothermal silver projects in Mexico. Silver Tiger's 100% owned 28,414 hectare Historic El Tigre Mining District is located in Sonora, Mexico. Principled environmental, social and governance practices are core priorities at Silver Tiger.

The El Tigre historic mine district is located in Sonora, Mexico and lies at the northern end of the Sierra Madre silver and gold belt which hosts many epithermal silver and gold deposits, including Dolores, Santa Elena and Las Chispas at the northern end. In 1896, gold was first discovered on the property in the Gold Hill area and mining started with the Brown Shaft in 1903. The focus soon changed to mining high-grade silver veins in the area with production coming from 3 parallel veins the El Tigre Vein, the Seitz Kelley Vein and the Sooy Vein. Underground mining on the middle El Tigre vein extended 1,450 meters along strike and was mined on 14 levels to a depth of approximately 450 meters. The Seitz Kelley Vein was mined along strike for 1 kilometer to a depth of approximately 200 meters. The Sooy Vein was only mined along strike for 250 meters to a depth of approximately 150 meters. Mining abruptly stopped on all 3 of these veins when the price of silver collapsed to less than 20 per ounce with the onset of the Great Depression. By the time the mine closed in 1930, it is reported to have produced a total of 353,000 ounces of gold and 67.4 million ounces of silver from 1.87 million tons (Craig, 2012). The average grade mined during this period was over 2 kilograms silver equivalent per ton.

The El Tigre silver and gold deposit is related to a series of high-grade epithermal veins controlled by a north-south trending structure cutting across the andesitic and rhyolitic tuffs of the Sierra Madre Volcanic Complex within a broad silver and gold mineralized prophylitic alteration zone developed in the El Tigre Formation that can be up to 150 meters wide. The veins dip steeply to the west and are typically 0.5 meter wide but locally can be up to 5 meters in width. The veins, structures and mineralized zones outcrop on surface and have been traced for 5.3 kilometers along strike in our brownfield exploration area. Historical mining and exploration activities focused on a 1.6 kilometer portion of the southern end of the deposits, principally on the El Tigre, Seitz Kelly and Sooy veins. The under explored Caleigh, Benjamin, Protectora and the Fundadora exposed veins continue north for more than 3 kilometers. Silver Tiger has delivered its maiden 43-101 compliant resource estimate and is currently drilling to update its resource estimate and publish a PEA.

VRIFY Slide Deck and 3D Presentation - Silver Tiger's El Tigre Project

VRIFY is a platform being used by companies to communicate with investors using 360 virtual tours of remote mining assets, 3D models and interactive presentations. VRIFY can be accessed by website and with the VRIFY iOS and Android apps.

Access the Silver Tiger Metals Inc. Company Profile on VRIFY at: https://vrify.com

The VRIFY Slide Deck and 3D Presentation for Silver Tiger Metals Inc. can be viewed at: https://vrify.com/explore/decks/492 and on the Corporation's website at: http://www.silvertigermetals.com.

For further information, please contact:

Glenn JessomePresident and CEO902 492 0298jessome@silvertigermetals.com

CAUTIONARY STATEMENT:

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

This News Release includes certain "forward-looking statements". All statements other than statements of historical fact included in this release, including, without limitation, statements regarding potential mineralization, resources and reserves, the ability to convert inferred resources to indicated resources, the ability to complete future drilling programs and infill sampling, the ability to extend resource blocks, the similarity of mineralization at El Tigre to Delores, Santa Elena and Chispas, exploration results, and future plans and objectives of Silver Tiger, are forward-looking statements that involve various risks and uncertainties. Forward-looking statements are frequently characterized by words such as "may", "is expected to", "anticipates", "estimates", "intends", "plans", "projection", "could", "vision", "goals", "objective" and "outlook" and other similar words. Although Silver Tiger believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, there can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from Silver Tiger's expectations include risks and uncertainties related to exploration, development, operations, commodity prices and global financial volatility, risk and uncertainties of operating in a foreign jurisdiction as well as additional risks described from time to time in the filings made by Silver Tiger with securities regulators.

SOURCE: Silver Tiger Metals Inc.

View source version on accesswire.com: https://www.accesswire.com/662538/Silver-Tiger-Sets-Ambition-to-be-a-Leader-in-the-Junior-Mining-Sector-in-the-Transition-to-a-Clean-Economy

Read more:

Silver Tiger Sets Ambition to be a Leader in the Junior Mining Sector in the Transition to a Clean Economy - StreetInsider.com

Thursday, 16 September 2021, Malaysia Day

8.30pm to 10.30pm

Facebook live: Facebook.com/AliranKesedaranNegara

Panel members:

Our five speakers, all of them Aliran executive committee or ordinary members, explore what might be the political, social and economic situation in Malaysia in the medium-term, say in five years time.

Will the new Umno-led government, headed by the ninth Prime Minister, Ismail Sabri, be able to usher in a more democratic, inclusive and prosperous Malaysia for all?

Our distinguished speakers will situate current problems in the context of several bigger questions.

Assuming the next general election will be held as scheduled in two years time, will a new multi-ethnic coalition have consolidated itself to restore stability to Malaysian politics? Or should we anticipate the consolidation of a Malay-Muslim dominant coalition like now? Might the latter not lead towards more polarised inter-ethnic relations and continued instability?

Will the coalition that offers Sabah and Sarawak greater autonomy a bigger share of the development budget have the edge?

Or will multi-ethnic multi-religious cooperation spearheaded by a reformist coalition government emerge? But where might this fresh energy come from?

To what extent can the current Malaysian economic model, so dependent on foreign direct investments and cheap foreign labour (currently an estimated four to five million), continue to steer Malaysia towards economic growth and employment creation and allow it to compete with its Asean neighbours?

Have we made progress in human resource development so we can seize opportunities in the knowledge-based and IT-driven global and regional economies?

Where are our lead national companies, whether among the government-linked companies or in the private sector? Or will our government-linked companies continue their core business of rent-seeking?

There is no doubt that Malaysian civil society has awakened since Reformasi. We have witnessed the re-emergence of mass-based politics in the streets, epitomised by Bersih, Himpunan Hijau, Hindraf and most recently, the #Lawan youth.

No doubt, ethnic-based and crony-driven Old Politics is still around, not least in the ruling coalition itself! But many new groups in civil society have emerged. These are non-ethnic-based, and, like Aliran, go out of their way to build bridges and cross boundaries.

We also note the emergence of a host of new and young netizens, men and women, from all corners, including from Sabah and Sarawak, who have used social media to reach out to the rakyat.

So, what will be the cumulative contribution of NGOs and civil society organisations towards democratisation and inter-ethnic cooperation? How does this energetic, creative and exciting sector of politics link up to electoral politics and contribute to a better Malaysia?

Come and join us for an exciting and important webinar!

Our voluntary writers work hard to keep these articles free for all to read. But we do need funds to support our struggle for Justice, Freedom and Solidarity. To maintain our editorial independence, we do not carry any advertisements; nor do we accept funding from dubious sources. If everyone reading this was to make a donation, our fundraising target for the year would be achieved within a week. So please consider making a donation to Persatuan Aliran Kesedaran Negara, CIMB Bank account number 8004240948.

Link:

Aliran webinar: State, society and economy in transition Whither Malaysia? - Aliran