BCN News

Last year (2023) a conversation about creativity and innovation around art started about a great artist.

The Picasso Celebration 1973-2023: 50th anniversary of the death of Pablo Picasso.  This celebration triggered the desire to bring the amazing art of Picasso over to the United States to stimulate interaction with businesses and education and encourage creativity.

Karl talks to Andy Martinez, the President of the TECC (Texas European Chamber of Commerce) and their plans to bring over to Texas some wonderful pieces of art by Picasso.

LEARN MORE: The Business of the Art - Creativity and Innovation Inspiration - BCN News 

Pablo Picasso from Malaga (10/25/1881 - 04/08/1973), as loved in Spain as in France, and internationally.

Pablo Picasso was a multiple creator, he equally dominated the classical painting of his early years, as well as engraving, lithographic printing and other pictorial techniques. He painted from ceramics to an allegorical mural to peace, such as his 'Guernica'. And he was not alien to sculptural creation. His work is that of a complete creator. His inspiration always found him working on a new work. He placed the cubist avant-garde ahead of his contemporary fellow artists. He was a tireless worker. He played all the styles and had time to dance, go to the bullfights and surround himself in very Spanish parties with his best friends. He was also a skillful negotiator of his art.  

Karl spoke to Matt Frankenbery, CEO of Pitsco Education and Eric Simmons, Director of Sales of Pitsco Education in our continuing series of segments with STEM in Schools and Eduardo Galindo.

Learn More: https://www.bcn.news/stem-in-schools/

Pitsco Education: Inspiring Innovation in Education

Pitsco Education is a leading provider of innovative educational resources and solutions that aim to engage students in hands-on learning experiences. Founded in 1971 by a former teacher, Pitsco has grown from a small company into a significant player in the field of educational products, particularly in the realms of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) education.

Mission and Vision

Pitsco Education's mission is to help educators inspire students to learn by providing engaging, hands-on experiences that develop critical thinking, problem-solving skills, and creativity. Their vision is to create a world where all students can achieve their potential through innovative learning experiences that are both meaningful and enjoyable.

Product Offerings

Pitsco offers a wide range of products and solutions designed to enhance educational experiences for students of all ages. These include:

1. **STEM Kits and Curriculum**: Pitsco's STEM kits are designed for various grade levels and cover a range of topics, from robotics and engineering to environmental science. These kits provide educators with the tools to facilitate hands-on learning and help students apply their knowledge in real-world situations.

2. **Maker and Tinkering Supplies**: Recognizing the importance of creativity in learning, Pitsco provides a variety of maker supplies that encourage students to build, invent, and explore. These resources support the maker movement in education, allowing students to engage in design thinking and iterative problem-solving.

3. **Robotics and Coding**: With the increasing importance of technology in education, Pitsco offers a variety of robotics and coding products. These resources help students develop essential skills in programming, engineering, and teamwork.

4. **Professional Development**: Pitsco Education is committed to supporting educators through professional development opportunities. They offer training and workshops designed to equip teachers with the skills and knowledge to effectively implement hands-on learning in their classrooms.

Educational Philosophy

At the heart of Pitsco Education’s approach is the belief that students learn best when they are actively engaged in the learning process. Their educational philosophy emphasizes experiential learning, where students are encouraged to explore, experiment, and collaborate. By fostering a learning environment that prioritizes inquiry and hands-on activities, Pitsco helps students develop a deeper understanding of complex concepts and prepare for future challenges.

Impact on Education

Pitsco Education has made a significant impact on education by transforming traditional teaching methods and promoting a more interactive and engaging approach to learning. Their products have been implemented in schools across the United States and beyond, enabling educators to create dynamic learning environments that inspire curiosity and innovation.

Through partnerships with schools, educators, and community organizations, Pitsco continues to champion the importance of STEM education. Their commitment to making learning accessible and enjoyable has helped to spark interest in STEM fields among students, encouraging them to pursue careers in these vital areas.

Conclusion

Pitsco Education stands at the forefront of the movement to enhance educational experiences through innovative, hands-on learning solutions. By providing educators with the tools they need to inspire and engag

We are proud to be a partner with STEM in Schools and Summa Caussa to help educate you on the ULTIMATE Ecosystem that is available to organizations and corporations to participate in.

We have spoken to hundreds of corporate executives and they told us of the challenges they face trying to understand what STEM and educational programs are best for them, and that meet their objectives.

STEM in Schools has developed a network of amazing partners that complement each other and deliver results.

BCN News has partnered with STEM in Schools and in our first in our series of conversations Karl speaks with STEM in Schools president Eduardo Galindo, Dee Memon, from Kids Robotics Academy and Max Ringleheim of Infento, North America.  They talk about their partnership together and how they are developing programs that are going to help shape the students of the future.

Karl is always talking to subject matter experts about how they can help companies grow. 

Karl had a great conversation with Jim Buffington, a leading expert in future-ready tax software and innovative accounting technology with Intuit, and gave some amazing insights on how ProConnect Tax,  is the ONLY professional tax software with built in-tax advisory and insights, that empowers the industry with digital tax strategies and compliance solutions for new laws.

Tax firms are currently encountering significant challenges, including ongoing staffing shortages and the complexities of preparing for 2025 tax policy changes. These combined pressures not only affect tax professionals' sense of accomplishment but also negatively impact their job satisfaction and career opportunities.

Tax professionals and CPAs are working long hours to manage tax reform and compensate for workforce shortages. A solution that not only enables them to offer clients significant savings with customized tax plans but also leverages automation to fill resource gaps and offers cloud-based flexibility to work from anywhere at any time is crucial—these advantages help busy tax professionals streamline tax workflows and adapt to tax law changes. Despite these hurdles, optimism prevails as Intuit’s ProConnect Tax software pioneers new paths in tax compliance and strategic tax planning for 2025.

Here are some great resource links to learn more:

QBOA for Accountants: https://quickbooks.intuit.com/accountants/products-solutions/accounting/online/

ProConnect Tax: https://accountants.intuit.com/tax-software/tax-online/

Education Center: https://accountants.intuit.com/training/

With inflation coming in hot in the last PCE report, the outlook for Fed cuts in the second half of 2024 is getting more bleak by the minute.

Rather than selling, homeowners are rethinking their money-making strategies and are entering the Short Term Rental market heading into the Summer. Homeowners need to know how to maximize profits and exactly what they need to do to comply with local regulations. 

Pam Knudsen, senior director of compliance at Avalara MyLodgeTax  discusses how owners can to set themselves up for success using AirBnB and other Short Term Rental market platforms with an actionable list of best practices.

About Pam Knudsen
Pam Knudsen is Senior Director of Compliance at Avalara MyLodgeTax, leading the Lodging tax team and Returns Experience/Reconciliation team for Sales & Use. She serves as a leading voice in vacation rental tax compliance and regulation, in addition to bringing in-depth experience across software/SaaS technology as well as ERP systems. Pam joined Avalara in 2012. 

Whimstay is dedicated to offering the best deals on last-minute vacation rentals.
We offer the biggest discounts on bookings made within 30 days of check-in, but we also ensure great deals year-round compared to other major booking sites.
We do this by partnering with professional property managers to offer exclusive discounts on properties that might otherwise remain unrented. On average,  guests save nearly 25%, and over $200 per booking.
Featuring an extensive selection of vacation rental homes, condos, cabins, villas, and resorts, Whimstay is becoming the go-to choice for savvy travelers.

Whimstay recently emerged as the industry leading travel site for booking last-minute vacation rentals at fantastic rates.

If of interest I can look into getting a media rate discount if you (or someone else from your team) if you want to try Whimstay to book a getaway yourself.

US based start-up Whimstay announced last month that bookings are up 400% last year compared with 2022 and that it attracted 1.2 million unique users to its site in 2023.

The improved growth is attributed to new features, functionality, doubling its number of listings and forming several strategic partnerships.

Whimstay has significantly outperformed other online travel agencies and booking sites, emerging as the marketplace leader for bookings made within 30 days of check-in.

Creating fun and accessible chemistry stories has been a labor of love for Colleen as a retired University of Arizona chemistry professor and author of a series of kid’s chemistry comic books. In 2023, the PBS short documentary, “Comic Book Chemistry” was awarded an Emmy. This documentary centered around Colleen’s vision, chemistry comic book series and her success with teaching college-level chemistry concepts to kids. During Colleen’s 30 years of teaching chemistry, she became aware that her students were struggling with basic concepts, including fluency with the symbols for the elements themselves. These comic books, videos, and activities are Colleen’s gift to all future scientists – one that will help them succeed in college chemistry.

Colleen holds a Ph.D. in chemistry from Penn State University, was awarded a Chateaubriand Fellowship to conduct research at the Universite Pasteur in Strasbourg, France under the direction of Nobel Prize Winner, Jean-Marie Lehn. Colleen was a tenured faculty member with research expertise in environmental toxicology, medicinal chemistry, and chemistry education. She has published four chemistry textbooks, over 30 peer-reviewed articles, and has presented her work globally.