NHL Players Will Not Play in 2018 Olympics

 

2018 Olympics
Image: nhl.com

Leveraging over 30 years in billboard advertising, James “Jim” Neumann is president of Chicago’s OOS Investments. Beyond helping clients with static and LED-screen billboards, James Neumann enjoys watching a variety of sports, including professional hockey.

The National Hockey League (NHL) implemented a break in its season for the past five Olympic Games to allow its players to represent their countries, but that won’t be the case for the 2018 PyeongChang Olympics. NHL commissioner Gary Bettman has repeatedly stated the league’s owners were adamantly against Olympic participation and that decision was made final on April 3, 2017. A poll conducted by the NHL among American fans showed that 73 percent of respondents were not in favor of the league taking a mid-season break to accommodate the Olympics.

Dick Pound, a senior member of the International Olympic Committee, recently scrutinized the NHL’s choice to skip the Olympic Games in an op-ed for the Montreal Gazette. In it, Pound attributed the NHL’s decision to its supposed lack of interest in growing its presence in Korea and stated “one would not have to be a prophet” to expect the league to do whatever it takes to make sure its players participate in the 2022 Games in Beijing, China. Since NHL players have been allowed to compete at the Olympic Games, Canada has won three gold medals, while the Czech Republic and Sweden won one each.

Top-Rated Golf Courses in Illinois

 

Butler National Golf Club
Image: butlernational.org

A business-educated resident of Chicago, Illinois, James “Jim” Neumann serves as president of OOS Investments, an advertising company specializing in billboards. When he isn’t assisting clients throughout the United States with high-tech billboards, James Neumann enjoys playing golf.

Each year, Golf Digest ranks the top 100 courses in the United States as well as the best in each state. Below are the best-ranked courses in Illinois for the 2017-18 season.

1. Chicago Golf Club – Located in Wheaton, this 6,846-yard, par-70 course was No. 14 on Golf Digest’s America’s 100 Greatest Course rankings. It is debated among golf historians whether it is the first ever 18-hole course in the country.

2. Butler National Golf Club – Ranked No. 45 on the publication’s America’s 100 Greatest Course rankings, Butler National Golf Club was created in 1974 by George and Tom Fazio and redesigned in 1988, 2005, and 2008.

3. Medinah Country Club – First designed by Tom Bendelow in 1928, the No. 3-ranked course at Medinah Country Club has hosted a number of major PGA tournaments since 1949. In 2012, the course hosted the Ryder Cup, for which architect Rees Jones constructed a new par-4, 15th hole. It has been listed among America’s 100 Greatest Course rankings since 1966.

St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital’s Memphis Marathon Weekend

 

Memphis Marathon Weekend
Image: stjude.org

An executive in the billboards industry, James (Jim) Neumann serves as president of OOS Investments in Chicago. In this role, he owns dozens of billboards throughout the country. Also active in charitable giving, James Neumann contributes to the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, which will hold its annual Memphis Marathon Weekend on November 30-December 2, 2017.

The St. Jude Memphis Marathon Weekend begins with an Expo and packet pick-up at the Memphis Cook Convention Center on Friday from 12:00 to 7:00 p.m. and on Saturday from 12:00 to 9:00 p.m. The marathon will take place on Saturday and will take participants through a number of landmarks in the city of Memphis.

One of the highlights of the race lies near mile five, where participants will pass through the St. Jude campus to the cheers of patients and their families. Participants will also cross Overton Park, Overton Square, and multiple historic areas before reaching the finish line at AutoZone Park. The course will feature 24 hydration stations and a number of spirit stations to encourage racers along with Memphis music and other forms of entertainment.

Runners must be at least 16 years old and must complete the course within six hours. All runners will receive a clear gear bag, a long-sleeved tech T-shirt, a race number with a timing tag, and a finisher medal. Those interested in contributing to the cause without running a full marathon can sign up for the half marathon, 5K, or 10K.

Gene Therapy Research at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital

 

Gene Therapy Research
Image: stjude.org

A Chicago-based advertising executive specializing in billboards, James “Jim” Neumann serves as president of OOS Investments. Outside of his work, James Neumann supports the efforts of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

Currently the largest pediatric medical research organization in the United States, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital sponsors a wide variety of research in the field of gene therapy. Until recently, children with inherited genetic diseases had few treatment options, most of which focused on controlling symptoms rather than addressing the underlying cause. Gene therapy provides a way to introduce new genetic material into a patient’s cells, potentially alleviating symptoms of the disorder or reversing the disease course altogether.

In recent years, St. Jude has led gene therapy research efforts for X-linked severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID), a devastating immune disorder requiring isolation from otherwise normal situations. In 2016, researchers at St. Jude announced that patients with X-linked SCID who had undergone gene therapy demonstrated a high level of immune function two years later, with an additional three patients showing positive changes after six to nine months. Although more research must be done, researchers at St. Jude are optimistic about the potential of gene therapy to treat genetic disorders.

Golf Tip – Better Posture Yields a Stronger Swing

Better Posture
Image: golftipsmag.com

James Neumann began working with billboards as an installer at the age of 19. Now the chair and CEO of Optic Outdoor Signs, a leading outdoor media group, James Neumann oversees a portfolio of more than 300 billboards across North America.

To achieve a strong golf swing, the golfer must create enough rotation in the torso so that the unwinding motion puts power behind the ball. This rotation requires a straight back and a forward bend, hinged at the hips.

This bend at the hips is an essential component of the golfer’s posture. Too many golfers bend forward from the waist. Doing so rounds the back and curves the spine, which then cannot serve as a strong central column.

Golfers who are unfamiliar with the feeling of bending at the hips can practice in front of a mirror. While curving the fingertips into the joints at the front of the pelvis, the golfer gently sends the hips and rear backward and leans slightly forward with the back kept flat.

A golfer may also choose to practice this motion with a club. The club should extend forward from the navel, and the shoulders should be held back. Tilting from the hip joint, the golfer keeps the back steady as he or she lowers the club to the ground. The stance is correct when the knees are slightly flexed but not dramatically bent.

Why Explore New England?

Freedom Trail
Image: thefreedomtrail.org

The president of OOS Investments in Chicago, Illinois, James Neumann oversees the operation of numerous billboards throughout the United States. Beyond his work with billboards, James Neumann enjoys traveling across the nation.

Both foreign and domestic travelers in the United States may wish to explore New England, which offers plentiful opportunity from a natural and historic standpoint. Many people choose to start in Boston with its 2.5-mile Freedom Trail and historic waterfront along the harbor where the Boston Tea Party took place.

If you want to explore farther off the beaten path, Vermont offers some beautiful natural sights. For instance, Mad River Valley, home of Warren Falls, also encompasses about 2.5 miles of Lincoln Brook, which passes meadows and forests and comes to a deep chasm covered with ferns and spectacular rock formations.

Connecticut boasts a castle that belonged to a stage actor known for playing Sherlock Holmes. Now known as Gillette Castle State Park, the castle and grounds provide extensive hiking trails, a steam train, and ferry boat.

If the charm of a waterfront bed and breakfast sounds appealing, you can visit Newport, Rhode Island, with its mansions from the Gilded Age. You also can tour the mansions, which served as the summer homes for families such as the Vanderbilts, Rockefellers, and Astors.

Determining When to Grow a Business

 

Grow a Business
Image: entrepreneur.com

Since 2015, James Neumann has served as the president of Shout Outdoor Media, a company that produces billboards and other forms of outdoor media. The billboard company is based in Chicago, Illinois, and relies on James Neumann’s prior successes in business to provide it the leadership it needs.

Part of leading a company requires figuring out when to grow it. In many situations, a need for growth is made clear by a business’ steadily growing customer base. While gaining new customers is extremely important to a company’s success, it can prevent businesses from effectively meeting the increased demand for their product or service. When customers are waiting several months for a particular service, it may be time for a business to grow.

Some business leaders prefer growing on their own terms and may feel their company is ready based on its past performance. Consistent profits throughout changes in the economy demonstrate that an entity is capable of handling challenges within the market and prove that a business has established a loyal customer base. Given these signs of success, leaders may decide that it is the right time to grow.

Further, companies that have clear growth goals and a solid management team may be ready to expand. With these aspects in place, leaders are capable of monitoring success during a period of business growth and delegating important tasks to skilled individuals. However, leaders must take the time to complete thorough research regarding everything from government regulations and minimum wage variations to market predictions and size before starting the process.

Billboard Advertising In the Digital Age

Billboard Advertising
Image: forbes.com

James Neumann, chairman and CEO of Optic Outdoor Signs, has earned recognition in the field of billboard marketing for a career filled with innovation, being noted among the “50 Pioneers and Visionaries of Advertising” by Advertising Age, and the “Five Original Thinkers of the ‘90s” by Chicago Magazine. At his current position, James Neumann now operates the largest privately held outlet of billboards in the US, taking in 45 million viewers on a monthly basis through displays of over 300 billboards across three countries.

Odd as it might seem for a forward thinker to be associated with such a traditional form of advertising, the truth of the matter is that it is still very effective, according to recent research. One study in 2011 noted that more than two-thirds of drivers frequently take note of billboards, and over one-third have reported a regular habit of checking them at almost every occasion, while a majority credit billboards with informing them on upcoming events, or suggesting restaurants they later visit.

This is not to suggest there’s no room for evolution in the medium, however. While plenty of paper billboards are still strewn throughout the United States, digital billboards are rapidly replacing them. They may be more costly to produce and maintain, but they can also be much more effective by offering engaging animated visuals, and use their space more efficiently by allowing a series of advertisements to rotate through their displays, effectively allowing advertisers to share the board. It’s worth noting that in a time when some are feeling overwhelmed by advertising, digital billboards are actually regarded with some favor – nearly three-quarters of viewers consider digital billboards to be not only a good medium for advertisement, but more effective than online ads.

Kars4Kids Benefits Children with Its Famously Unpopular Radio Jingle

Kars4Kids
Image: kars4kidsprograms.org

As chairman and CEO of Optic Outdoor Signs, James Neumann of Chicago manages an advertising system of over 300 billboards, reaching more than 45 million potential customers monthly. As an active philanthropist, he routinely makes contributions to charitable organizations, offering funds to nationwide groups and his own time to local food kitchens. A charity such as Kars4Kids is well-supported by those like James Neumann, benefiting both from his direct donations and from the media exposure of a well-run advertising campaign.

Kars4Kids, based out of New Jersey, began in 1995 by offering to haul away a donor’s automobile – regardless of its condition – either repairing and reselling the vehicle or dismantling and salvaging it. The charity benefits from the sales of restored vehicles and spare parts, while donors can write off their gifts as deductions from their taxes, as well as receive vouchers for free hotel stays in most states. For the children it serves, Kars4Kids offers mentorships, summer camps, and after-school centers, as well as tuition assistance and GED funding for older students. In recent years, Kars4Kids has also partnered with other charities and local governments to distribute backpacks and coats for children.

Aside from its work, Kars4Kids is certainly best known for its somewhat infamous radio jingle. Though the group has long advertised in print and on billboards, its radio advertisements have stood out for their infectious tune, a source of pride for Kars4Kids despite whatever critics and detractors it draws. If anything, such recognition just proves how memorable it is, and soon after it came to television in 2014, Kars4Kids saw its contributions increase by nearly 50 percent. Kars4Kids keeps the full origins of its signature song a secret to this day, revealing the writer of the melody, but not the lyric, other than sharing the fact that he was a volunteer.

Two Start-Up Companies That Aim to Change the World

Global Giving
Image: globalgiving.org

 

James Neumann studied business in Chicago, Illinois and currently serves as president of Optic Outdoor Signs. In this role, James “Jim” Neumann owns and operates multiple billboards nationwide; with over 300 displays, his billboards reach over 45 million people each month. Outside of his own business, he maintains an interest in start-ups that seek to help the world.

From the innumerable start-ups around the United States and in other countries, Forbes has selected several with particukar potential. Among these are Global Giving and Better Place.

Global Giving is a network that aims to transform the way individuals are investing in the developing world. While raising more than $65 million dollars, Global Giving has supported over 5K projects by connecting donors to grassroots initiatives around the world.

Better Place is another start-up that is striving to encourage forward-thinking practices for electronic vehicles and builds transportation infrastructure for them. This company believes that investing in the infrastructure of tomorrow to facilitate more efficient and greener technology for automobiles. Better Place educates individuals and companies in developing products and targeting future markets that lead to a viable, sustainable business model.