Latest news with #NWN
Forbes
5 days ago
- Business
- Forbes
Bringing Tech To Game Day At The New England Patriots' Stadium
In April, the Kraft Group—which owns the New England Patriots, MLS' New England Revolution and Gillette Stadium—signed a five-year agreement with tech infrastructure provider NWN to transform the tech framework for the Kraft Group's facilities, including Gillette Stadium and a new training facility for the Patriots. I talked to Kraft Group CIO Michael Israel and NWN CEO Jim Sullivan in April about the challenges of bringing the latest technology infrastructure to a place like Gillette Stadium, and how big facilities with a multitude of uses can plan for the future. This conversation has been edited for length, clarity and continuity. It was excerpted in the Forbes CIO newsletter. Why is it important to partner with NWN to bring upgrades to Gillette Stadium and the Kraft Group's other event facilities? Israel: With NWN as a partner, everything we do within the Kraft organization from an IT perspective is on a life cycle: When we buy something, this is how long we expect to use it. It's become a necessary component within IT because you want to have a predictive budget. It's no longer 'set it and forget it.' You have to know that I'm going to keep this Wi-Fi system for five years. That way, you can at least let management know that while we're spending this amount of money now, it's going to come back up four or five years later. Creating that expectation, long-term budget and continued investment in it avoids the surprise. That being said, we have been looking at what the next five years brings to the Kraft organization, and in partnership with NWN, we have a whole bunch of things that are lining up together. That, plus new facilities, really made us sit back and say, 'We need to be looking at this beyond the typical 18 to 24 months of what we do for budgeting.' We have a new football practice facility that's being built as we speak, which comes live in April of '26, which brings about its own components for networking. We then have the FIFA World Cup coming in June and July of '26. Coming out of that, we have new network and Wi-Fi refreshes. We'll have to make determinations of [the best Wi-Fi speed and capacity]. By the time we're done with all that, we have another firewall refresh that comes forward. And then in the midst of all that, if that's not enough, we're potentially building another stadium north of Boston, in Everett, Massachusetts, for our soccer team. Kraft Group CIO Michael Israel and NWN CEO Jim Sullivan All of this together from a core infrastructure perspective, we sat with Jim [Sullivan] and [CMO] Andrew [Gilman] and their team and said: This is everything we have on our docket for five years. I need an organization that can help us strategically plan, make decisions based on what's the right choice for all of this. We're making a commitment now that's going to go five to seven years into the future, and I need that platform in place because what we're doing functionally is rapidly changing at the same time. There's base items that are happening, like as we build our football practice facility and you go into a room, I can control the light, or the temperature or the ambient settings in conference rooms from our Cisco platforms. But if I enter the room, what's going to happen on our IP TV systems? How are we [working with] the endpoints that are hanging off of the network, to create a better experience for the players that are coming in? As you bring AI into the mix, you're talking about things that are entirely different and looking and saying, 'How can I take data that's historically sitting there and use it to my advantage?' We're looking at the stadium itself. If you're a ticket holder and you're walking up to the gate, what's the last thing you want to do? Wait in line for 20 minutes to get into the stadium, wait in line for 20 minutes to get a cheeseburger. One of the projects we're currently investigating is building a digital wallet system, where I walk up and, similar to a Clear lane at an airport, we can do opt-in facial recognition tied to your digital wallet, hook into Ticketmaster, shred your ticket. You don't have to take anything out. Walk up to a concession line. Fast pass line, sees your face, hits your credit card, checks your ID for age verification, logs into the loyalty system and says, 'You just bought two cheeseburgers,' and you're in and out. Those are the types of things that will change a stakeholder's perception of, 'Gee, that was a pleasurable experience. The folks who choose to wait in line are waiting 20 minutes for a cheeseburger. I just did it in a minute.' That will differentiate us. People will say, 'Maybe I don't want to sit home and watch a 75-inch TV. Maybe I do want to come to the stadium and experience it.' Those are the challenges that we are faced with. It's how can I use the network and put solutions on top of it to speed transactions, to get more things done and to make us more efficient. How do you come up with what you want to accomplish, and how do you figure out what kind of infrastructure is needed to make it happen? Israel: We have our Monster Jam [this weekend] at the stadium. On Saturday, I'll be walking around the stadium engaging. Gillette is one of the few stadiums in the country in which we own and self-operate our stadium. It's our security staff, our concession staff. I am walking around watching how our fans engage with us. How are our systems being used? Where are they inefficient? Where are they doing their job? How can we improve that experience? Guests will come up to me and say, 'How do I get to the gate?' 'How do I get to my suite?' 'Where's the nearest bathroom?' When they're asking me these things, that's registering in my mind: They don't have that information today. When you have these types of events, they're new users. You want them to have a positive experience because that's your lead in to a potential soccer season ticket holder or future Patriots season ticket holder. But even when you get to the Patriot season ticket holders, what can we do to enhance that experience? It's seeing how our guests experience things, what we're doing right, what we're doing wrong, and not sitting back and saying, 'I'm good. I'm going to go watch the game.' I've been here six years. I think I've seen 15 minutes of one football game. On a football day, I'll generally do about 30,000 steps walking the stadium, watching what's going on. The other side of the coin is what do we do from a technology perspective, looking at what do I need to do to ensure that I have connectivity, and what devices are now connecting to the networks that hadn't in the past? The system that waters the field is an IoT system that's attached to our network. If it's not connecting, it's not watering the field, and we don't know what's going on. We have to allow for connectivity, secure that connectivity, and make sure that that connectivity is reliable. We constantly do surveys after a winter to say, what got impacted by the winter? Do I have Wi-Fi access points that may be misaligned that need to be looked at? I have FIFA coming in next year. That's like having seven Super Bowls over six weeks here at the stadium. They're going to use my parking lots on the east and west side as fan activation zones. I don't have connectivity there. Working with the NWN team, we have to determine what does FIFA need? How do we light up those areas that when the fans are there, they have connectivity. Their booths can operate, their systems can operate, the fans can get connectivity, and we'll have maybe 50,000 or 60,000 fans in the bowl, but we could have an additional 50,000 people on the campus, and that's not a crowd that we're used to having. What are some of the infrastructure upgrades that you need to make some of these things happen? You're talking about wider connectivity, AI, faster speeds and more reliable facial recognition. Israel: Looking at expanding where that connectivity takes place [starts with] something as simple as evaluating the state of our infrastructure all underneath: the state of our cabling infrastructure, our fiber backbones, all of that is one piece. We look at the bandwidth right now at the stadium for Wi-Fi. We have four 10Gb pipes supplied by Verizon. Is that going to be sufficient? As we look to perform upgrades, we have to turn around and say, what do we predict that rate of growth to be over the next five years? Because what is working today is probably not suited for what's going to happen in two or three years, as we start adding more and more onto the network itself. With NWN, we'll evaluate the vendors. Which technology do we want to put in? Is it a Wi-Fi 6E decision? Is it a Wi-Fi 7 decision? Is it something else? In some cases, we're having to make sure networks aren't stepping on top of each other. Ultimately, it's assessing our current state versus what we expect the future state to be. And at the same time plan for building another stadium. How am I going to support all of that? The relationship with NWN affords us the opportunity to say, 'I can't do this all myself.' My staff is here. I need a vendor who's got the breadth of product knowledge to be able to sit with me and say, 'These are your choices,' and also be a group of folks who have a deep bench that can handle multiple projects with us at the same time. On the NWN side, how do you determine what to do in large facilities like these and how to support current and future needs? Sullivan: NWN, over the past five years, has grown from $250 million to over $1 billion dollars this year, and really expanded this full end-to-end IT infrastructure. The market is changing really fast with AI adding in. For us, it's working with organizations to start with the end state: What's the vision of what we have to have here, what we're trying to drive? And then, what's the required capabilities? Most of these environments, from the application, to the AI, to the infrastructure, to the unified communications, to security all have to be assessed as one holistic solution. Then we put in the right required capabilities from the technology, the services, the overall management, and co-management with Mike's team. We've reached the breadth and scale where we're dealing with organizations where there's hundreds of thousands of people, or states with 50,000 deployments of people and requirements. We can cover end-to-end, but also have the scale to handle a large project that goes across multiple technology domains and supports a smaller event, and all of a sudden it surges to hundreds of thousands of people. Everyone is getting used to [the fact] that customer experience needs to be world-class; there's expectations there. Ultimately, the Wi-Fi is going to be fast, strong and secure. And then going into these new technologies to a real beneficial evolution, where it's creating new user experience, new knowledge, but is also driving a backend that's going to create a lot more capacity demands on the networks, on the infrastructure. You've got to be able to tie it all together. We've got 5,000 enterprise customers across the country: both state and federal, and then large enterprises like the Kraft Group. You're talking about lots of upgrades, but what will fans, players, vendors and employees actually notice? Israel: The fans are going to notice these little things like the changes in applications. We'll have more autonomous concession locations where you can just go in, check into the location, pick your product, walk out. It's frictionless engagement. In other areas, our club and suite locations, we'll see changes in how people can engage the absorption of IP TV: more dynamic programming, potentially changing what an individual suite holder can see or control in those scenarios. We have a stadium that's 20 years old. When you look at some modern stadiums coming in— whether it's SoFi in California or Allegiant in Vegas—[we're looking at] things that they're doing there and saying we need to up our game. Our stadium is used as a convention center year-round. We have events going on almost every day and [we are] making sure that we're in that competitive landscape. When you look at us versus the Massachusetts State Convention Center in Boston, we want to make sure that we're on par. The Kraft family is always looking to invest in the stadium, keep it up to date, modernizing. But at the same time, [Kraft Group President] Jonathan [Kraft] and [CEO] Robert [Kraft] are very entrepreneurial in terms of what do we need to do that's different. Getting that support from ownership is key. I'm walking in with an idea, and maybe sometimes the ideas don't come to fruition, but I'm given the chance to bring things forward and saying, how can we take that step? Players are coming out of colleges and walking into an NFL environment expecting more. That's what our player facility is going to be. How do I take information coming out of the weight rooms and bring that and put that in the coach's hands to say, 'Did Jim do all of his pushups today? How much is he lifting? What are we seeing?' Those types of pieces. Where can AI enhance the teams, whether it's soccer or football? I don't have those answers today. I need to sit with the coaches and say: What would you like to see from that side? How can we brainstorm together? I don't know what a football coach is looking for. Did someone line up incorrectly at the line of scrimmage? Are they doing things a certain way? How can I help them with systems to mentor, train and teach the players? That requires us collaborating. Something as simple as a coach telling me, 'I don't like to sit at the front of the room and just teach. I need to be able to walk around the room. I need to have a tablet in my hand, and as I'm marking on my iPad, I want that to project up on the screen.' These are easy wins, but if I don't hear that, I can't supply that solution. One of the first things you said was that you like to be able to have a predictable plan. So how do you plan and get everything in place for not only the capabilities of today that you want, but the capabilities of tomorrow that no one has even thought about yet? Israel: You're making sure that you have room for growth in the systems that you have and that you have management and measurement systems in place. We have a very well established network operation control system and a security operations control system, in which we can monitor at all times what's the utilization on these systems, what's going on, what's the bandwidth, how are they operating? Then we can predict, 'Maybe I bought this thinking it was going to be a five-year investment, but do I need to do something in the midst of that life cycle?' And that will also happen when all of a sudden, in the middle of a process, we're going to build out a new north end zone and the traffic is going to wind up changing with 30% more than last year. What do I need to do to adjust the network for that? Life changes quickly. Those are the types of things that we adjust accordingly, but as long as my core network is there and it can support this, that's ultimately what we're looking to supply. Sullivan: In technology today, we talk about the application enhancement piece or the user experience piece: if you have the right backbone and infrastructure and support the capacity. This is very different than 15 years ago, when you had to put in some major software program with some of the AI technologies and features. Today, it's learning, and then a new feature could come on that you could just add into the user experience. It's pretty incremental once you have this base plan, and that can be added in on the fly, versus having to do some major infrastructure. It does provide a lot more flexibility, a lot more agility for applications or innovations that didn't exist today, but six months from now they do exist and you can put them in place. What advice do you have for CIOs looking to bring more technology to their facilities, thinking about not only what to do today, but what to do in the future? Israel: Ultimately, it's not just if you build it, they will come. If you're building it, you need to be brainstorming how you're going to use it, and you need to have relationships with all of your stakeholders to understand what's holding them back, what would they like to see? In some cases, they don't know what they don't know, and we have to take these technology discussions, take the technology out of it, and think about how are we going to provide solutions. Sullivan: We did 5,000 distinct deployments last year. The really successful ones are driven with a positive outcome you're trying to get to. Collaboration and a partnership between the two as a seamless team really drives the most success to drive those outcomes.
Business Wire
02-06-2025
- Business
- Business Wire
NWN Acquires InterVision Systems, Accelerating AI-Powered Services across North America
BOSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- NWN Corporation ('NWN' or 'the Company'), a leading provider of AI-powered technology solutions in North America, today announced it has closed the acquisition of InterVision Systems ('InterVision'), a premier managed services provider and leader in innovative IT solutions, from MidOcean Partners, a New York-based alternative asset manager. The financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed. The transaction represents NWN's second acquisition since September 2024 under American Securities ownership, led by CEO Jim Sullivan and SVP of Corporate Development Matt Curran, and seeks to expand the Company's integrated offerings across North America, marking a significant milestone in the Company's growth trajectory. Jim Sullivan, President & CEO at NWN commented: 'We are thrilled to partner with the InterVision team and build on our momentum together in this next chapter. Integrating their innovative solutions into our AI-powered offerings platform will significantly accelerate our clients' digital transformation journeys, expand our footprint in the Midwest, and strengthen our presence in the Mid-Atlantic and Public Sector markets nationwide.' Supported by InterVision's capabilities in cloud implementation services and application modernization, NWN's future expansion will be driven by the AI consulting market which is projected to grow at a CAGR of 34% through 2028 as organizations continue modernizing their tech stacks with cloud-native infrastructure. NWN delivers speed to market and deep technology expertise to accelerate successful AI and digital transformation. The acquisition also marks a pivotal step in delivering exceptional value and adopting new capabilities to the Company's growing customer base, including: Cloud Contact Center (CX) Platforms: Amazon Web Services (AWS) Contact Center and Cloud CX Expertise that extends NWN's capabilities to leverage Amazon Connect for scalable and secure customer engagement. Cloud Services: Adding AWS and Azure practices complement NWN's existing cloud communication and infrastructure offerings, accelerating our ability to deliver secure, scalable, and tailored cloud solutions to enterprise and public sector customers. This strategic alignment expands our service portfolio and strengthens our position as a leading provider of end-to-end cloud lifecycle services across hybrid and multi-cloud environments. Intelligent Infrastructure Capabilities Expansion: Bringing the new Cisco AI-Ready Infrastructure Specialization and expanding capabilities in strategic geographies. Advanced Cybersecurity Solutions: Gaining strategic software and services capabilities required to secure the modern workplace including threat intelligence integration, endpoint protection, and enhanced incident detection and response. Jonathan Lerner, President & CEO at InterVision commented: 'NWN's commitment to innovation, clients, and employees align with our core values and culture, making them the ideal partner to guide organizations through every stage of cloud and AI adoption in today's dynamic technology landscape. I extend my gratitude and thanks to InterVision employees, Jim Sullivan, our investors at MidOcean Partners, and American Securities.' Based in Chesterfield, MO, InterVision stands at the forefront of delivering comprehensive IT managed services with advanced expertise in intelligent infrastructure, cloud, AI and security for over 1000 mid-to-enterprise and public sector organizations throughout the US. They ranked #94 on CRN's Solution Provider 500 List in 2024 and are recognized as a top IT provider for their cloud, security, and innovation expertise. They hold additional offices in Richmond, Roanoke, Sacramento, Seattle, San Jose, Kosovo, and India. About NWN NWN is the leading AI-powered technology solutions provider for North America's most innovative public and private organizations. For more than 30 years, NWN has helped over 5,000 CIOs deliver technology modernization programs with its Intelligent Workplace, Customer Experience (CX), Managed Devices, Cybersecurity and Public Safety, Connectivity, and Intelligent Cloud solutions. The company's proprietary Experience Management Platform ensures seamless service delivery, real-time observability and improved efficiency for its clients' most demanding technology needs. NWN is a high-performance, high-integrity team of 1,000+ experts committed to a customer-obsessed culture, earning a 79 Customer Net Promoter Score. The company has been recognized with hundreds of industry awards and is proud to be a 'Best Place to Work' with an 82 Employee Net Promoter Score. For more information, visit: About InterVision Systems InterVision is a leading IT managed services provider, delivering and supporting cloud, security and innovation for mid-to-enterprise and public sector organizations throughout the US. With 30 years of experience and one of the most comprehensive solution portfolios, InterVision drives business outcomes with an unparalleled focus on the customer and employee experience to help organizations be more competitive, compliant, and secure. The company has headquarters in Chesterfield, MO with locations in Richmond, Roanoke, Sacramento, Seattle, San Jose, Kosovo and India. About American Securities Based in New York with an office in Shanghai, American Securities is a leading U.S. private equity firm that invests in market-leading North American companies with annual revenues generally ranging from $200 million to $2 billion. American Securities and its affiliates have more than $23 billion under management. For more information, visit
Yahoo
06-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Northwest Natural: Q1 Earnings Snapshot
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Northwest Natural Holding Company (NWN) on Tuesday reported earnings of $87.9 million in its first quarter. On a per-share basis, the Portland, Oregon-based company said it had profit of $2.18. Earnings, adjusted for one-time gains and costs, came to $2.28 per share. The natural gas distributor posted revenue of $494.3 million in the period. Northwest Natural expects full-year earnings in the range of $2.75 to $2.95 per share. _____ This story was generated by Automated Insights ( using data from Zacks Investment Research. Access a Zacks stock report on NWN at
Business Wire
24-04-2025
- Business
- Business Wire
NWN, AI OWL, Khan Academy and Intel Partner to Transform AI Learning Opportunities for Students Across Ohio
BOSTON & OHIO--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- NWN, the leading provider of AI-powered technology solutions, together with AI OWL, Khan Academy and Intel, today unveiled the launch of Ohio's AI Education Network. The program aims to enhance AI education in Ohio by establishing technology labs in K-12 and higher education institutions, providing students with hands-on opportunities to develop essential AI skills. "Ohio stands at the forefront of AI education," said Trace Johnson, Co-Founder of AI OWL. "With the launch of the AI Education Network, we're not just preparing students for the future, we're shaping it. By building a dynamic ecosystem of education, training, and industry collaboration, we're equipping the next generation with the skills and opportunities to drive innovation and make a lasting impact in their communities." The launch comes on the heels of the introduction of Ohio's AI in Education Coalition. Launched and previously led by Sen. Jon Husted (R-Ohio) during his tenure as Ohio's lieutenant governor, the program is developing a comprehensive strategy to ensure the state's education system is prepared for and can help lead the AI revolution. The first AI-powered education labs from the network are live at Tipp City Schools, a K-12 public school district supporting roughly 2,400 students, and Hocking College, a public community college in Nelsonville, Ohio. At each lab, students receive an advanced AI curriculum through Intel's Digital Readiness program which AI OWL customizes for schools. The labs also leverage Khanmigo, an AI-powered personal tutor for students and teaching assistant for educators, from nonprofit Khan Academy. NWN provides each institution with AI solutions to power the labs, including Intel-based AI PCs, cybersecurity tools, intelligent network connectivity and cloud services. The network is on track to establish a vast array of labs across Ohio by 2028, engaging a significant portion of the state's educational institutions and setting an ambitious new benchmark for tech-driven education. Additionally, AI OWL will continue actively hiring program graduates as developers who will mentor and support the schools where they graduated. "The AI Education Network addresses the pressing need to prepare and train the next generation for an AI-driven future," said Jim Sullivan, President and CEO, NWN. "With Ohio's innovative policies and our collaborations with industry leaders, NWN is poised to bridge the gap between potential and practical application, offering students hands-on experience with AI technology." To learn more about the AI Lab Ecosystem, visit About NWN Corporation NWN is the leading AI-powered technology solutions provider for North America's most innovative public and private organizations. For more than 30 years, NWN has helped over 5,000 CIOs deliver technology modernization programs with its Intelligent Workplace, Customer Experience (CX), Managed Devices, Cybersecurity and Public Safety, Connectivity, and Intelligent Cloud solutions. The company's proprietary Experience Management Platform ensures seamless service delivery, real-time observability and improved efficiency for its clients' most demanding technology needs. NWN is a high-performance, high-integrity team of 1,000+ experts committed to a customer-obsessed culture, earning a 75 Customer Net Promoter Score. The company has been recognized with hundreds of industry awards and is proud to be a 'Best Place to Work' with an 86 Employee Net Promoter Score. For more information, visit:
Boston Globe
18-04-2025
- Business
- Boston Globe
Kraft Group inks big IT contract to use AI at Gillette Stadium and across its businesses
The work started earlier this year, with a replacement of the Krafts' phone systems. But with NWN's artificial intelligence expertise, the potential for this deal goes well beyond making phone calls. Among other things, Kraft Group chief information officer Mike Israel sees efficiency savings at a Rand Whitney factory in Montville, by tracking how long trucks sit in loading docks, and a more fun experience at Gillette, by giving fans the opportunity to use facial recognition to access their digital wallets and 'unlock' their game tickets or buy concessions. The AI tech can also be used to spot when someone climbs a fence, or when a stadium bathroom needs to be restocked. 'What it means for us ... is taking decisions that may be sitting in a report or a dashboard, and bringing them to life,' Israel said. Advertisement He said Robert Kraft and son Jonathan Kraft, the company's top two executives, are pushing the Kraft Group to be more creative and entrepreneurial. NWN's contract will help with that, he said. 'There's that drive to move fast and be adaptive,' Israel added. 'That comes right now from the top. That pushes us forward at lightning speed in terms of innovation.' Advertisement The new contract comes as the Kraft Group is building a new football practice facility in Foxborough and is preparing to put up a soccer stadium in Everett. The company is also preparing to host seven World Cup games in Foxborough next year — the equivalent, per Israel, to hosting seven Super Bowl games within a matter of six weeks. The Kraft Group represents a high-profile customer for NWN, which cleared about $1 billion in sales last year. The Kraft Group, NWN chief executive noted, is one of the largest private companies in the country. 'It's a great fit,' Sullivan said. 'We're incredibly appreciative of the opportunity.' This is an installment of our weekly Bold Types column about the movers and shakers on Boston's business scene. Jon Chesto can be reached at
