GOVERNMENT BUSINESS
US Department of Energy (DOE) | August 18, 2022
To commemorate the fifth anniversary of Hurricane Harvey, the Houston energy community, brought together by ALLY Energy, is convening with the US Department of Energy (DOE) to explore the progress Houston has made since 2017 on climate resiliency and on ensuring a just energy transition. Hurricane Harvey was a significant recent reminder of the critical need for climate resilience and for the transition to net-zero economies to be inclusive and just – so no one is left behind.
“A just and inclusive energy transition doesn’t happen without a strong partnership between the private and public sector. We are proud to host DOE and honor the mayor for creating and adopting a city-wide Climate Action Plan and representing Houston on a national level as the Chair of the Climate Mayors.”
-Katie Mehnert, CEO of ALLY Energy.
Following a series of informative meetings around Houston, the DOE visit will culminate in a luncheon on Friday, August 26 during which Mayor Turner, the DOE, and Houston energy leaders will discuss the lessons learned over the last five years and what a just energy transition means for our community. ALLY Energy will also present Mayor Houston with its first Lifetime Achievement GRIT Award for his work on climate resiliency.
I am honored and humbled to accept the first ALLY Energy Lifetime Achievement GRIT Award, said Mayor Sylvester Turner. Houston has faced seven federally declared disasters in seven years. Yet, our city proves time again that we are strong and resilient as we build toward the future. We are the energy capital of the world while leading on energy transition. We know we can effectively mitigate climate change, implement resilient strategies, and address the needs of our most under-resourced communities - without leaving anyone behind.
We applaud Mayor Sylvester Turner and our fellow energy leaders for the important work our city is doing to ensure Houston is leading the charge in accelerating a just energy transition, said William J. (John) Berger, Chief Executive Officer of Sunnova Energy International. If the current global energy crisis has taught us anything, it’s that our country, and our home state of Texas, must come together to support a resilient energy transition by ensuring we address energy affordability, safeguard energy security, and mitigate climate change in the face of growing economic hardship and extreme weather events.
Also at the lunch, the audience will get to experience a film premier from the Rational Middle, a documentary that highlights experts in environmental justice and aims to clarify how we can take advantage of the opportunities of a just transition.
“We believe for the U.S. to make progress and to achieve its net zero goals, everybody has to feel they are part of the energy transformation, As we all build a cleaner energy future together, Shell USA will continue to focus on how we create economic, social, and environmental value in our communities and nationwide. We are very proud to partner with Shell USA’s hometown, Houston, on its path toward climate resiliency.”
-Gretchen Watkins, President Shell USA, Inc.
INFORMATION ON THE LUNCHEON
Houston has long been known as the oil and gas capital of the world. As it transitions itself to the energy capital of the world, how can it ensure a just transition? Attend the limited-seating event by registering here. We are grateful to our sponsors, Shell USA, Inc. and Sunnova Energy, for helping to make this important event a reality.
ABOUT ALLY ENERGY & THE GRIT AWARDS:
ALLY Energy is the leading energy workforce platform that builds culture, careers, and skills for an equitable transition. ALLY connects the energy industry and public to resources and best practices and serves as a neutral platform for dialogue and actions to address the energy transition. The community includes professionals and startups in 120 countries in nearly 1,000 companies across energy in oil and natural gas, utilities, renewables, and climate technology. The annual GRIT Awards℠ & Best Energy Workplaces℠ were created to honor industry leaders, professionals, academia, students, and public servants for their achievements in driving a just, equitable, diverse, and inclusive energy transition.
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EMERGING TECHNOLOGY,GOVERNMENT BUSINESS
Government Brands, LLC | September 01, 2022
Government Brands, LLC, the trusted technology partner for thousands of US and Canadian government entities, has launched a rebrand as Catalis TM. Catalis is one of North America's leading government Software as a Service (SaaS) and integrated payments providers, powering municipal, county, state, and federal governments.
Government Brands was launched in late 2017 and in less than five years strategically acquired and combined more than 30 GovTech companies across the US and Canada. This rapid growth necessitates a new way to organize and brand their broad portfolio of software and payments solutions. The rebrand, which is not a corporate restructuring, is part of the company's natural progression as it continues to grow and offer clients innovative technology and a more comprehensive suite of solutions.
A recapitalization in 2021, with leading investors PSG and TPG, elevated Government Brands to "unicorn" status, with a valuation exceeding $1 billion. Rebranding is the next step of evolution toward further expansion and positioning Catalis as North America's premier software and digital payments provider to government.
"This an exciting time – not only for our company but also for our customers and stakeholders, This rebrand reflects the evolution of our company and provides an opportunity to better communicate the wide range of best-in-class solutions we provide. We look forward to uniting our existing brands under one comprehensive citizen-first brand focused on serving government, The inherent complexity of government can hinder change, and no one feels this more than the people who work there: the public servants who work tirelessly to meet the needs of their citizens, Catalis understands those challenges and provides the technology, expertise, and agility to successfully deploy modern, transformative solutions, Our existing customers will continue to experience the same customer-centric service they have grown to know and rely on, and we're excited to develop new partnerships at all levels of government,The rebrand to Catalis is just the next step in our progression to providing the technology and innovation to meet – and exceed – the expectations of a modern digital government."
-John Kristel, CEO of Catalis.
"Catalis" is inspired by the word "catalyst," which describes the company's mission: to serve as a catalyst for creating a modern digital government. Their deep expertise, proven track record, and purpose-built digital solutions empower public officials to advance government and engage citizens through technology. The company offers a wide range of technology solutions across government with a portfolio of leading SaaS solutions for Citizen Engagement, Courts, Land Records, Public Works, Tax, Regulatory & Compliance, and CAMA, and integrated systems for Payments.
While the brand name has changed, Kristel assures customers that Catalis will continue to provide an unparalleled customer service experience, including an expanded range of resources and solutions to help them modernize government and engage citizens.
About Catalis:
Catalis is the transformational SaaS and integrated payments partner powering all levels and sizes of government – municipal, county, state, and federal. With deep expertise, a proven track record, and innovative digital solutions, Catalis has empowered public servants across the US and Canada to modernize government and engage citizens.
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CYBERSECURITY
Carahsoft | August 05, 2022
CornerstoneAI, Provider of Ethical and Responsible AI Services and Solutions, and Carahsoft Technology Corp., The Trusted Government IT Solutions Provider®, today announced a partnership. Under this agreement, Carahsoft will serve as CornerstoneAI’s Master Government Aggregator®, making their artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) solutions available to the Public Sector through Carahsoft’s reseller partners and NASA Solutions for Enterprise-Wide Procurement (SEWP) V, OMNIA Partners and National Cooperative Purchasing Alliance (NCPA) contracts.
CornerstoneAI’s mission is to ensure the development and ongoing maintenance of responsible AI usage by agencies within the Federal and State Government space. AI plays a critical role in nearly every aspect of business and accelerates the creation of high-impact digital and automated solutions. CornerstoneAI provides AI audit, remediation and development services, including cybersecurity to maximize these benefits while maintaining necessary boundaries and implementing precautions against misuse.
“Partnering with a company as reputable as Carahsoft, provides a clear path to further our mission to eliminate data bias in AI/ML and bring responsible AI techniques to the top of AI development agendas, I am confident that our partnership with Carahsoft and its resellers will provide Government agencies a competitive edge and advantage in the continuous modernization effort.”
-Eric Barberio, Executive Advisor and COO of CornerstoneAI.
Preserving ethical operations is crucial to any technology field and CornerstoneAI makes this task simple. Through CornerstoneAI’s efficient auditing and detailed reports, agencies can improve their data ecosystems and build trust by identifying challenge areas and implementing effective solutions to eliminate machine learning bias and AI discrimination.
“With the addition of CornerstoneAI to Carahsoft’s AI solutions portfolio, Government agencies have access to solutions that can ensure their AI systems function at maximum quality and accuracy, We look forward to working with CornerstoneAI and our resellers to help agencies take ownership of their AI diversity and create an equal opportunity, inclusive society.”
-Michael Adams, Director of AI Solutions at Carahsoft.
About Carahsoft:
Carahsoft Technology Corp. is The Trusted Government IT Solutions Provider®, supporting Public Sector organizations across Federal, State and Local Government agencies and Education and Healthcare markets. As the Master Government Aggregator® for our vendor partners, we deliver solutions for Artificial Intelligence, Cybersecurity, MultiCloud, DevSecOps, Big Data, Open Source, Customer Experience and more. Working with resellers, systems integrators and consultants, our sales and marketing teams provide industry leading IT products, services and training through hundreds of contract vehicles.
About CornerstoneAI Inc:
CornerstoneAI Audits, Inc is the creator of the BiasFinder AI technology designed to assess bias within machine learning AI systems of any size and provides data-engineering and social ethics consulting assessments of AI eco-systems having established an audit program to attest to Fairness, Accuracy, Transparency and ensure AI systems are Explainable to all stakeholders.
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