Professional & Business Services

Nashville -- Asurion has appointed Baris Oran as Chief Financial Officer, effective October 15, 2026, tapping a 25-year finance veteran to lead capital strategy at the global technology protection and support company.

Oran joins Asurion's Executive Committee reporting directly to CEO Guru Gowrappan

Oran most recently served as CFO of Amrize and spent nearly five years as CFO of GXO Logistics, where he built the finance organization following its spin-off from XPO Logistics. He previously held CFO roles at Sabancı Group and Kordsa, with experience spanning capital allocation, M&A and capital markets across technology, logistics and manufacturing sectors.

Nashville, Tenn. – – October 05, 2026 -- HavenLock, Inc. has appointed Jason Lutz as Senior Vice President of Sales and Channel, tasking the 30-year security-industry veteran with building out the dealer network ahead of the national rollout of its Haven Gen4 access-control platform.

Lutz will direct channel strategy as Haven shifts from launch to national distribution

Lutz will work directly with distributors, dealers, and systems integrators to build channel programs and partner support, reporting to Chief Commercial Officer John Heller. The hire follows a series of leadership additions Haven has made in 2026 to strengthen its channel infrastructure before the Gen4 national rollout, with further build-out details expected in coming weeks.

Washington – October 04, 2026 -- Shanghai Media Group staged a cultural and investment outreach event on the National Mall on October 3, 2026, drawing nearly 100 political, business, technology and cultural figures from China and the United States to promote the city as an international economic and trade hub.

Event doubles as investment pitch under China International Import Expo banner

Dubbed "Future Resonance — ShanghaiEye Night," the gathering formed part of the "Shanghai Let's Meet" city promotion campaign and a wider China-U.S. people-to-people exchange series. Shanghai Media Group President Song Jiongming and Maryland Secretary of State Susan Lee delivered remarks, with Chinese Ambassador to the United States Xie Feng also in attendance.

Chicago – October 01, 2026 -- Relativity named the winners of its 2026 Innovation Awards at RelFest Chicago, honoring law firms, corporations and legal technology providers for custom AI-driven eDiscovery solutions built on its legal data intelligence platform.

Ten winners split across Best Innovation and Best Innovator categories

The awards spanned two tracks, each with five categories. Best Innovation winners included Complete Discovery Source for its AI Empowered Forensic Triage tool, Bayer for its Bluefin workflow, Troutman Pepper Locke for its eMerge SearchCraft discovery tool, JND eDiscovery for an AI-assisted redaction tool built on Relativity aiR, and ModeOne for its workflow solution.

Phoenix – October 01, 2026 -- Companies rolling out AI tools risk failed adoption if leaders ignore the informal trust networks that determine whether employees actually change how they work, according to organizational psychologist Dr. Deborah Peck.

Gallup data shows manager support drives 78% AI usage rate

A 2026 Gallup survey found that among employees at organizations implementing AI, 78% of those who strongly agreed their manager supports its use reported using the technology frequently. Peck said this gap shows that communicating the purpose of AI tools is as critical as deploying them, since employees who feel competitive about AI may withhold knowledge from colleagues, straining team trust and risking deadline or budget impacts.

Menlo Park, Calif. – October 01, 2026 -- Robert Half (NYSE: RHI) reported that 92% of its employees called the company a great place to work, versus 57% at a typical U.S. company, as the talent solutions and business consulting firm earned a spot on Fortune's Best Workplaces in Consulting & Professional Services for 2026.

Robert Half and subsidiary Protiviti both secure Fortune recognition

Protiviti, Robert Half's global consulting subsidiary, was also named to the list, reflecting workplace culture across both entities. The rankings were compiled by Fortune in partnership with Great Place to Work®, drawing on survey responses from more than 125,000 employees at Great Place to Work Certified organizations in the consulting and professional services sector.

West Des Moines, Iowa – October 01, 2026 -- YPO Iowa will award $20,000 in prize funding through its inaugural Innovation Challenge, a statewide pitch competition set for January 27, 2027, at Holmes Murphy's headquarters in West Des Moines.

Eight finalists will compete across two tracks for cash prizes

The one-day event, running from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at 7000 Vista Drive, will select eight finalists split between Collegiate Entrepreneurs and Iowa Startup Founders tracks. In the Startup Founders track, first place receives $9,000 and second place $4,000. In the Collegiate Entrepreneurs track, first place receives $5,000 and second place $2,000.

Collegeville, Pa. – October 01, 2026 -- The Inner Circle has named Dawn Delise Pelon a Pinnacle Professional of The Year, citing her contributions to brand development and strategic marketing.

Pelon built a career advising both legacy and emerging brands on go-to-market strategy

Pelon has worked across B2B and B2C sectors, developing cohesive brand identities, launching national advertising campaigns, and implementing data-driven marketing initiatives. Her client work has included large-scale brand transformations and dealer and channel enablement programs designed to produce measurable commercial results.

She integrates AI tools into marketing operations to streamline client campaigns

Beyond traditional brand strategy, Pelon applies emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence, to support go-to-market planning, content creation, social media management, web development, and video production for client organizations.

New York – – October 01, 2026 -- NYC Banners printed and installed the official "Shield of the Americas" backdrop for a United States Department of State event held during United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) week in New York City. The high-tension fabric display served as the primary backdrop for official remarks by international delegates, including U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

NYC Banners fabricated two stretch displays under tight security and time constraints

The printer produced two heavy-duty polyester stretch banners -- one measuring 20x10 ft and another at 10x8 ft -- for the indoor setting. A glare-free material was selected to maintain visual clarity under high-definition flash photography expected from international press coverage.

Detroit Lakes – October 01, 2026 -- Nexa has launched a creator marketplace that lets UGC creators and influencers keep 100% of their self-set rates, generating revenue instead through a brand-side platform fee.

Nexa connects brands and creators without subscription fees

Businesses can join Nexa for free, browse creator profiles with rates listed upfront, and secure promotional content deals directly without needing a subscription to access the marketplace.

Platform targets startups and e-commerce brands seeking faster UGC deals

Nexa is built for startups, e-commerce companies and established brands seeking UGC, social media promotions and creator-led campaigns without lengthy agency processes or fragmented outreach across social platforms.