Latest news with #TomMcNamara
Business Wire
01-07-2025
- Business
- Business Wire
SpeakUp Launches AI Phone Agent and an AI-Powered Disclosure & Approval Management Platform, Evolving into a Unified Ethics & Compliance Suite
NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- SpeakUp, the ethics and compliance platform trusted by some of the world's largest brands including BMW, Nestlé, and Swarovski, today announced a major expansion of its offering with the launch of two new solutions: its AI-powered disclosure and approval management solution, SpeakUp Paths, and its AI Voice Agent. This marks a pivotal moment in the company's evolution, from offering speak up channels with case management into a comprehensive ethics and compliance suite, designed as a one-stop shop for compliance teams and employees, from intake to insight. As part of its broader growth strategy and the acceleration of SpeakUp's footprint in the US market, SpeakUp has also appointed compliance industry veteran Tom McNamara to its Board of Directors. 'This launch reflects what compliance teams have been asking for – tools that go beyond intake to deliver clarity, speed, and real impact,' said Tim Morss, CEO of SpeakUp. 'With strong momentum globally and a strategic acceleration of our operations in the US, including the appointment of Tom McNamara to our Board, we're entering a transformative new phase for SpeakUp and our customers.' A breakthrough in voice-based intake SpeakUp's new AI Voice Agent delivers a guided, conversational experience that captures key details and generates structured, actionable reports for compliance teams. Unlike traditional hotlines where callers may face long wait times or language barriers, SpeakUp's AI Voice Agent ensures instant response, consistent documentation, and privacy, all without relying on third-party operators. This innovation transforms phone reporting, making it more accessible, reliable, and effective than ever before. This AI voice agent is part of SpeakUp Report, the company's whistleblower solution. Proactive insight into evolving compliance risks SpeakUp Paths empowers employees to securely disclose a wide range of potential risks – from gifts, bribery, and entertainment to personal relationships, and more – enabling compliance teams to monitor issues in real time. The platform offers a centralized workflow that allows compliance teams to capture submissions such as gifting or conflict of interest in one system. Through a secure dashboard, employees receive instant, clear input and can track the status of their submissions, reinforcing transparency and accountability at every level. Sienna AI, SpeakUp's proprietary AI intelligence layer, underpins the company's entire suite of offerings, including SpeakUp Report, SpeakUp Paths, and SpeakUp's AI Voice Agent. It equips compliance teams with speed, clarity, and actionable insight at scale, enhancing how information is captured, processed, and surfaced across every part of the compliance journey. Key capabilities of SpeakUp Paths Surface potential risk: Enabling faster decisions and minimizing exposure. Real-time visibility: A centralized dashboard allows compliance teams to monitor submissions as they come in across teams and regions. Instant employee feedback: Employees receive immediate, clear guidance after submitting disclosures, reinforcing transparency and trust. Tailored for organizational processes: A system built to reflect each organization's unique processes and ways of working. Offering intuitive access, customizable workflows, and seamless operational alignment. Scalable and multilingual intake: Designed to support complex organizations, SpeakUp operates in more than 80 languages and scales across business units. Accelerating leadership in the US market Regulatory scrutiny of AI use in the private sector is intensifying. Several state Attorneys General are now applying consumer protection, privacy, and anti-discrimination laws to examine how businesses use AI, including in internal decision-making. This increases risk for companies across industries, making it more important than ever to ensure that AI-driven processes such as employee disclosures, conflict-of-interest approvals, and policy adherence are transparent, auditable, and defensible. Organizations need solutions that can stand up to legal and ethical scrutiny while maintaining trust and compliance. Purpose-built to meet this growing demand, SpeakUp is strengthening its position as the modern compliance product suite of choice for US enterprises and mid-market, building on strong global adoption and a surge in domestic interest for agile, AI-powered solutions. The company is accelerating its US expansion in the second half of 2025 through a strategic growth plan that includes key regional hires and increased investment in go-to-market capabilities. As part of this strategy, SpeakUp has appointed compliance industry veteran Tom McNamara to its Board of Directors. Currently CEO of Plixer, Tom brings over 15 years of global leadership experience, including senior roles at Navex, Avetta, and Viewpoint. He will work closely with SpeakUp CEO Tim Morss to guide SpeakUp's next phase of growth. His strategic perspective and deep understanding of the compliance landscape will be instrumental as SpeakUp continues to scale its presence across the US market. Registration for the digital launch event is now open here: About SpeakUp SpeakUp is a leading provider of ethics and compliance technology, designed to simplify the way organizations manage risk and foster transparent workplace cultures. The platform enables employees to easily understand, report, and disclose ethics and compliance matters, while offering compliance officers a centralized system to manage daily workflows and act on critical issues efficiently. More than 600 companies – including BMW, Nestle, and Randstad – and over 10 million individuals worldwide rely on SpeakUp to support ethical behavior and regulatory compliance. Trusted by compliance managers, HR leaders, and legal consultants, the AI-powered platform helps organizations stay ahead of evolving regulations and effectively mitigate risk.
Yahoo
03-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Federal budget cuts threaten essential programs in Rockford, mayor says
ROCKFORD, Ill. (WTVO) — Rockford Mayor Tom McNamara emphasized concerns regarding how federal budget cuts will affect the city at Monday's 'State of the City' address. The annual address was given in City Council chambers, where McNamara said, 'Federal funding pauses, shifts in priorities, and changes in grant programs will not only impact our local government, but it will impact our nonprofits, our businesses, and many, many residents who rely on those funds.' 'So let me be clear. If the federal government does cut programs such as Headstart, LIHEAP and housing programs, the city simply cannot cover. The costs in our community will suffer. our residents, Rockfordians will suffer,' he added. McNamara said the city continues to see growth in several areas, including population, housing, and property values. 'Property values have grown by more than 50%, and they are at our city's highest point in our history. And at the same time, property values are up. Our property tax rate is the lowest it's been since 1984. We are actually we are the only major taxing body in Winnebago County that has actually reduced its property tax levy over the last ten years. Heck, even the is taking note of our work,' said McNamara. Violent crime is , he said. 'Violent crime is down. And, 're making tremendous progress in our juvenile crime. In just the last two years, we've reduced the number of juveniles being arrested by 21%,' McNamara said. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Rockford Mayor Tom McNamara's little-known authority: Officiating weddings
ROCKFORD, Ill. (WTVO) — Most Rockford residents know Mayor Tom McNamara as the city's top elected official who oversees how things operate at City Hall and on City Council. They may not be aware of his lesser-known authority to officiate weddings, a power granted under the Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of Marriage Act. 'I've had people joke like, 'Oh, I bet you wish you could marry people,'' McNamara said with a laugh. 'I'm like, 'Actually, I can.'' The mayor has officiated ceremonies for two local couples during his eight-year tenure. He says it's a rewarding break from his usual responsibilities. 'It's really neat,' he said. 'You get to meet with individuals and hear their story about how they connected, how they met, how their relationship matured.' Both couples McNamara married are still going strong, he added. 'One just had a baby,' he said. 'So, it's very exciting.' McNamara's authority to perform weddings extends beyond Rockford, allowing him to officiate ceremonies anywhere in Illinois. One of the weddings he officiated took place in the couple's Rockford backyard. The other was at the Tebala Event Center in Cherry Valley. Many residents are surprised to learn of the mayor's matrimonial powers. 'You see him as the mayor, in city government,' said Francis Downey, of Rockford. 'But apparently everyone's got a lot of secret skills. And that's one that he's got. He can perform marriages. Pretty cool.' Elaine Simon, who has been dating her boyfriend for 1 1/2 years, said she's intrigued to know that the mayor is not just a mayor. She said if her relationship progresses toward the alter, a Tom McNamara-led ceremony could be a possibility. 'I would definitely be interested in learning more, maybe go to a wedding where he performs it and see how it goes,' Simon said. Isaac Rukin, 19, isn't married yet either but is equally enthusiastic. 'I think that's a great idea,' he said. I never thought about having a mayor officiate my wedding. But now that it's a possibility, I am considering it.' For McNamara, the opportunity to unite couples in marriage is a privilege. 'It's really an honor,' he said. There is no fee for Mayor McNamara to officiate a wedding. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Rockford proclaims ‘Summit on Racism Day,' advocates meet to find common ground
ROCKFORD, Ill. (WTVO) — Rockford Mayor Tom McNamara issued a proclamation declaring Thursday, May 8th, as a 'Summit on Racism, Embracing Difference for a Change Day.' Leaders and community advocates gathered for the 2025 Summit on Racism at the UW Sports Factory, at 305 S. Madison Street. Organizers said the goal of the summit was to get the opinion of residents about how the city can become'a more inclusive and equitable community.' Rock Valley College president Dr. Howard Spearman talked about a new RVC campus coming to the West side, and the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) spoke about fighting food insecurity, including plans for a mobile grocery store. 'Just by uniting together for the cause, and coming together just to answer questions and see what we can do to make this world a better place for you and I,' said George Scott, the president of the Rockford Branch of the NAACP. 'We just want everybody to be treated equal. Concentration is obviously on the West side, because they don't have a lot of things that the East side has. But today's topics are about the whole city of Rockford and making improvements.' Leaders said that by the end of the summit, they expect to have both short- and long-term goals on how to unite the city. 'We see there's a lot going on in the world right now. We see there's a lot of divisive thought, and we're trying to really combat that. Make sure people know here in town that they are welcome. That this is a place where you belong. Where you can contribute. Where you can work together,' said Shelton Kay, executive director of the Rockford Regional Health Council. 'So much of Rockford is West Side versus East Side, when it should just be one community. We should see that there's a value to living anywhere in this town, because there really is,' he continued. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
28-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Rockford United Labor honors Workers' Memorial Day, urges safer workplaces
ROCKFORD, Ill. (WTVO) — Union members and advocates gathered in Rockford for Workers' Memorial Day to remember those who died on the job over the past year. The event was organized by Rockford United Labor, who represent over 25,000 workers in the area. Mayor Tom McNamara, Rep. Maurice West (D), and Sen. Steve Stadelman (D) also spoke at the event. Advocates expressed the need for more training and apprenticeships for workers, while others shared concerns about federal budget cuts and layoffs. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has not been cut, but advocates say it could experience ripple effects from the closure of other agencies. Paul Nolley, the executive director of Project First Rate, said, 'Protections for workers on the job, whether it's construction or other industries, need to continue to be strengthened. And what we see, unfortunately, at this point in time, is they're actually trying to roll back those protections. So we're kind of working backwards instead of making progress on the issue.' Workers' Memorial Day is held on April 28th every year to commemorate the 1917 founding of OSHA. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
