Updates from Organizations - Government agencies - Advertise Various Artists

ADVISORY: Secretary Perdue to Swear-in New USDA Administrators TOMORROW

(Washington, D.C., May 22, 2018) – U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue will hold a swearing-in ceremony for newly appointed administrators TOMORROW, Wednesday, May 23rd at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) headquarters in Washington, D.C. The Secretary will swear-in Richard Fordyce as Farm Service Agency (FSA) Administrator, Carmen Rottenberg as Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) Administrator, and Bruce Summers as Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) Administrator.

Secretary Perdue to Swear-in New USDA Administrators

WHAT: Secretary Perdue will swear-in newly appointed administrators for FSA, FSIS, and AMS. 

WHEN: TOMORROW, Wednesday, May 23rd at 4:00 p.m. ET

WHERE: Room 107A of the Jamie L. Whitten Building, 1400 Jefferson Dr SW, Washington, DC 20

=========================

5 Ways Annuities Can Protect You

From The Uncertainty Of Stocks

The recent volatility of the stock market, combined with the financial uncertainty facing many people in or near retirement age, could mean a bumpy ride for them down the  road.

According to a study by the Employee Benefit Research Institute, only 21 percent of Americans say they’re “very confident” they’ll have enough money to live comfortably through retirement. Issues driving that lack of confidence include long-term care expenses, the unpredictability of stocks, the reduction in pension programs, and reports that many people are behind in retirement savings.

Add the fact that retirees are living longer, and having the dependability of long-term income streams becomes an even bigger factor. In that context, annuities are gaining interest as an option. In a recent study by Greenwald & Associates and CANNEX, 70 percent surveyed said they considered an annuity an important supplement to Social Security.

“While annuities are frequently misunderstood and not appropriate for everyone, they can have substantial benefits when used in the right situation,” says Ryan Eaglin, founder and chief advisor of America’s Annuity (www.americasannuity.com). “That stream of guaranteed income gives you some financial consistency and predictability, which alleviate stress and concern. With plenty of concern about where stocks are headed, that can be a comfort for a lot of people.”

Eaglin lists five ways that an annuity can work as a hedge against against market volatility:

•  Gives income guarantees. Because Social Security and a pension are typically not enough to cover basic expenses in retirement, many retirees must use their portfolio as an income source in retirement. “If all your money is invested in the market and your portfolio starts to go down, you may get nervous about whether your income source is going to last the rest of your life,” Eaglin says. “An annuity can fix this problem by providing income guarantees. A portion of your portfolio can be used to buy these guarantees.”
• Prevents A Panic Sell. Having an annuity as a portion of your portfolio also helps you to not sell in a panic. “Since a fixed annuity gives more stability to an overall portfolio, your portfolio will typically be less volatile,” Eaglin says. “When the markets correct, your portfolio should not decline as much. If the annuity is providing you a guaranteed income, then you can ride out the dips knowing that your income from the annuity is enough to cover your retirement spending needs.”
• Makes you think more long-term. Declining times for a portfolio don’t necessarily mean it’s time to bail out. “With an annuity, it’s easier to commit long-term to a stable portfolio as opposed to a highly volatile one,” Eaglin says.
• Avoids Market Losses. Equities, bonds, commodities – anything you invest in can go down in price. But a fixed annuity does not. “Even a fixed-index annuity will not decline if the market goes down,” Eaglin says. “The portion of your portfolio that is allocated to a fixed annuity can completely avoid market losses.”
• Brings more predictability. “Investment markets are not predictable, and we live in a world of uncertainty,” Eaglin says. “But with an annuity that can guarantee you a specific interest rate, you can know exactly what it will grow to over time.”

“Annuities have some benefits that can help retirees,” Eaglin says. “Stocks can be a great source of income, or a source of great stress, so more people are looking for streams they can count on.”

About Ryan Eaglin

Ryan Eaglin is the founder and chief advisor at America’s Annuity (www.americasannuity.com). He has 14 years’ experience in the retirement and lifestyle planning field. A life insurance, annuity and estate-planning professional, he has earned his name at the top of the list of the top 1 percent of advisors nationally. Eaglin has been a featured retirement planner on FOX, FOX Business, ABC, CBS, CNBC, NBC and AZCentral.

 ============================

Four Factors To Motivate

Your Employees Daily

While a healthy paycheck contributes to employee satisfaction, money won’t keep the best employees if other more important aspects of their employment are not met, according to one of the nation’s principal authorities on leadership science. 

“If the workplace environment doesn’t fit with the conditions where the brain can thrive, they probably won’t hold on to their best employees for long,” says Don Rheem, author of Thrive By Design: The Neuroscience that Drives High-Performance Cultures and CEO of E3 Solutions (www.e3solutions.com).  “Money satisfies, but it has very little impact on daily behavior. Far more impactful are things that money can’t buy; things a responsive employer should be providing every day.”

Rheem says neuroscience has mapped the ideal conditions that, when addressed, allow the brain to thrive and operate much closer to its full capacity. These conditions can make employees more productive, healthier, and happier in the workplace. 

Rheem says companies that follow his science-based approach show a 30% increase in engagement in just one year and a 75% increase in high-performing staff in just 4 years. He suggests four places where employers and leaders in a company should focus their efforts: 

• Encourage Trusted Relationships  – Employees thrive in a work culture that promotes trust and caring for each other, just as early humans learned that survival in a dangerous world was far more likely in clan or tribe than it was in isolation. “Since today most people spend a majority of their waking hours at work, employers that promote a pro-social workplace can reap hardwired metabolic benefits,” Rheem says. “This will outpace pay for performance and other monetary rewards in the long run.”
   
• Help Employees Find Meaning & Purpose – In the past, the security of a job was enough to make employees show up for work every day. But today, it is not unusual for an employee to change jobs many times during a career. If an employer wants to maintain higher retention  levels, they should strive to provide a deeper connection for employees to their work, their coworkers, or to the mission and vision of the organization.

• Create Challenging Work – High performers – those upon whom great companies are built – thrive in a workplace ecosystem that includes positive challenge. “Leaders need to realize the benefit isn’t simply from the challenge – it is in the recognition and celebration that comes with successfully crossing the finish line,” Rheem says.  “The key point is for leaders to set goals that are within reach, and to recognize the victory before rushing into the next challenge.”
   
• Give Employees Authority to Innovate & Take Risks – A hierarchical workplace predicated on fear and distrust stifles innovation and focuses employees on daily job survival rather than on performance excellence. A workplace grounded in trust and employee empowerment, however, sets the stage for individuals to take risks and make mistakes without the fear of a punitive response. Innovation and risk-taking may not motivate every employee, but the sense that management respects and has confidence in employees supports a healthier culture where high performers love to stretch and challenge themselves.

“Employers who support these workplace conditions will give employees more reasons to feel wanted, trusted, and supported,” Rheem says. “This, in turn, will positively impact employee engagement, retention, and company morale.”

About Don Rheem

Don Rheem, author of Thrive By Design: The Neuroscience that Drives High-Performance Cultures, is CEO of E3 Solutions (www.e3solutions.com), a provider of employee workplace metrics and manager training that allow organizations to build engaged, high-performance cultures. Rheem, one of the nation’s principle authorities on leadership science, uses empirically validated research to consult with leaders at all levels within an organization. He is a former science advisor to Congress and the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.