[caption id="attachment_175" align="alignleft" width="150"] How strategic PR helps private equity firms raise money[/caption]

 What private equity firms need to tell their story While the private equity market remains robust, it’s no longer a given that firms will make the kind of money they did just a few years back. In the fourth quarter of 2012, U.S. private equity activity hit a lofty high—with 1,070 deals closed to the tune of $190 billion, according to PitchBook. Fast forward to mid-2016, though, and it’s slower going. The 719 second-quarter deals, worth $135 billion, marked a one-third drop in volume. Yet in the quest to survive and thrive, the value of media attention often goes overlooked. That’s understandable, given that the phrases “private equity” and “public relations” imply diametrically opposite spheres.Since public listing or trading never enters the picture, does it really make sense for private equity firms to seek attention? The answer, it turns out, is ...”

 Lately there’s been much hand wringing over the Department of Labor’s new fiduciary rule, which went into effect this month. Enacted by President Obama and initially challenged by the Trump administration, the new rule asks brokers to avoid conflicts of interest when giving retirement advice. The rule is non-compromising regarding the legal and ethical role wealth managers must fill in looking out for the best interests of their clients. As wealth managers ready themselves to adopt and adjust, this is where quality management software comes into play as a timely and powerful ally.

But what exactly is QMS? What does it do? And how will it help wealth managers rise to the compliance challenges posed by the new rule? Answering the Qs of QMS...

In Banking Strategies, published by the Bank Administration Institute, Breakthrough Technology Group CEO, Jeff Kaplan, details the business case for small and mid-size banks to move to managed private cloud environments. Managed private clouds offer dedicated and isolated environments for each customer, even as they provide complete visibility and remote control over the environment. They deliver the benefits of the public cloud with the security and flexibility of a private data center. For example: If a bank has a customized security requirement, such as a dedicated virtual firewall, a private cloud provider can accommodate this request. Compare that to a public cloud environment, where customized services and accommodations are limited because the provider must keep in mind the other tenants on its platform.

What’s more, banks face increased scrutiny and auditing requirements and must ensure they can be met in a cloud environment, too. With a private cloud, specific reports and visibility can be built in to satisfy compliance requirements—which may not be the case in a public cloud environment. In addition...