McFarland Johnson’s Post

One of my favorite things is connecting with others and sharing my passion for nature and adventure experiences, and the inherent therapeutic benefits of getting outside. I am also excited to reconnect with Trey, he is an inspiring force doing incredible work. #NatureTherapy #AdventureHealing #OutdoorBenefits #ConnectWithNature #HealthThroughNature #TherapeuticAdventure #GetOutside #NatureLovers #OutdoorHealing #AdventureTherapy

Three fascinating industry trends Team Gather learnt at the TransCityRail South conference yesterday. The third one is critical for any projects or firms aiming for sustained, rapid scaling up 🌱 💡A Miraculous Turnaround Andy Lord spoke about the impressive financial success that Transport for London has delivered. The organisation serving over 8 million residents and many more visitors is now profitable, just seven months after announcing budgetary issues last year. 🤝Equity in Every Sense Southern Renewals Enterprise is in the process of changing its commercial model to make projects more equitable for all partners. As our company mission is to make the construction industry more sustainable for both the environment and those who work in it, this chat has left us with much food for thought 💭 🤔MVP or Setting Up for Success It's a classic conundrum - choosing between what meets your needs now and what you can grow into. Fellow exhibitors like COOMBES Group and OnSite Central Limited have previously favoured in-house solutions for digitalisation. Their recent successes have caused them to outgrow these entry-level tools quickly. As a decisionmaker, what's your philosophy on this timeless challenge? Just right, or scalability? Needless to say, TCR has smashed this conference again👏👏 We are over the moon seeing our logos at the iconic Twickenham Rugby Stadium 🏉

To answer the question posed, there is light at the end of the development tunnel 🔦. Sven Hoffmann and I are both looking forward to some robust discussion on this topic, especially how degraded (or contaminated) land fits into the mix. If you're going we would love to say hi. Or, if you need help developing contaminated land, then reach out to either of us! #eesigroup #environmentalearthscienes #contaminationresolved

Day 3 of 2024 ICSC Whistler and the industry crowd thinning out; although it’s always worth it to keep stationed at our booth until the closing bell rings as one never knows who will pass by on the trade show’s final day. Pictured here is Ward McAllister (right), President & CEO of Ledingham McAllister, and friend from UBC Commerce days; along with Macdonald Commercial brokers James Lee (left) and Sam Emam (middle). Ledingham McAllister is commonly thought of in a residential development context, however, their towers around the region frequently have a retail component at street level rounding out the development. And one of the key trends for ICSC Whistler is that investors and developers are now much more diversified in terms of asset class participation making the conference very worthwhile for connecting with participants in all asset classes. We shall see who else passes by as the conference wraps up this afternoon… #CRE #ICSC

Settled in NJ and we’re getting ready for the start of the PMRC tomorrow! What has today looked like? ✅ 6:00am GMT- arrived at London Heathrow ✅ 9:00am GMT - boarded flight to New Jersey ✅ 10:00am GMT- watched Cruella on the flight ✅ 12:00pm EST landed at Newark Airport ✅ 13:00pm EST checked into hotel ✅ 13:30-17:00 EST spoke with some brilliant candidates The rest of the evening… ✅18:00 EST time to eat 🍔😄 ✅20:00- get some good rest for tomorrow! #pmrc #marketresearch #pharmamarketresearch

The CBCE 2024 - Cremation & Burial Communication & Education event kicked off at Winter Gardens in Blackpool, UK 🇬🇧. One of the most important events for the cremation industry. The event runs until Wednesday, June 26, 2024. 🪦⚱️ The burial and cremation sector faces a time of considerable structural and operational change. With the work of the Law Commission looking at the law surrounding the disposal of the dead, the review of the Process Guidance notes for crematoria, the ongoing monitoring of the funeral sector by the CMA, a significant increase in direct cremations, the ongoing development of new means of disposal and the ever increasing to address environmental issues. These issues alone mean that the sector needs to be prepared to deal with new and demanding challenges. 🪦⚱️CBCE 2024 brings together experts and keynote speakers to discuss some of the significant developments that the sector will have to tackle. This key annual event provides a unique opportunity to acquire the most up-to-date information, as well as provide you with the opportunity to meet with exhibitors to discuss their latest services and products. #CBCE2024 #CremationIndustry #FuneralSector #EnvironmentalConcerns #NewTechnologies #UK #expo #fair #funeralfair #funeralexpo #cremation #fiatifta #funeralindustry #funeralcompanies #fiatiftafuneral #funeralorganization #experience #knowledge #innovations #opportunities #funeralbusiness #funeralinnovations #networking #education

This is one that I am looking forward to, I would be lying if I said I wasn't a little nervous as well. Speaking to a specialist audience on key areas like trade credit ratings and the impact that they can and do have on a restructuring/turnaround situation is both exciting and nerve-wracking in equal measures. I hope that my relevant experience in these areas will be of some use to the audience and that some of the case studies we will walk through will demonstrate how understanding, improving, and monitoring trade credit rating during a structured turnaround is vital and can indeed be a real catalyst for material changes in cash and working capital.

Aberdeenshire Council’s Housing & Building Standards Service has been shortlisted in three categories of the 2024 TIS Scotland National Excellence Awards! Aberdeenshire Council’s Tenant Participation Team - finalist in the category of Excellence in Digital Engagement - demonstrating a strong commitment to working collaboratively with tenants, residents and communities to broaden the reach of engagement – particularly during challenging times such as the Covid pandemic, the cost of living crisis and their aftermath. An increase in tenant participation in the governance process through use of increased digital engagement has created a clear line of accessibility between tenants, the Housing Service, and elected members – giving a clear voice from tenants to decision makers. Tenants are now represented in Member-Officer Working Groups and Committee, and tenants have expressed they have a greater understanding of the decision-making process and where their views can be put forward in the most effective way.  Meanwhile, our Sheltered Housing Service – in partnership with the Sheltered Housing Tenant Forum – has been shortlisted as a finalist in the category of Excellence in Scrutiny. The Forum has been instrumental in Sheltered Housing Service provision review, and has shown what true empowerment through scrutiny can do. Aberdeenshire Council’s Housing Tenancy Services Manager, Andrew Mackie, has been shortlisted as a finalist in the category of Outstanding Contribution to Tenant Participation. Andrew was nominated by our tenants, along with the support of the ACTG (RTO). Tenants who have worked alongside Andrew said that he ‘Goes above and beyond to help tenants…..’ ‘Is always very knowledgeable and makes discussions interesting….’ ‘He has time for everyone…..’ ‘He cares about us……’ ‘He always thanks us for any work that we’ve done…’ It’s clear to see that Andrew’s efforts to support Tenant Participation within the Housing Service has been recognised by tenants themselves – the 2024 Tenant Satisfaction Survey showed a majority of tenants are very or fairly satisfied with the opportunities given to them to participate in the Housing Service’s decision-making processes (77%, up from 73% in 2021). Cllr Anne Stirling, Chair of the council’s Communities Committee, said: “I am absolutely delighted to see our Housing Service being shortlisted no less than three times at this year’s Tenants Information Service National Excellence Awards. It is testament to the exceptional quality of service which you all deliver – and, indeed continue to improve upon – on a daily basis to support our tenants, our residents and our communities. We know how dedicated you all are to your roles and it is only right that you will be spotlighted on such an important stage. I wish all our shortlisted teams – and of course our very own Andrew Mackie – the very best of luck on November 7th.”

"80% OF SUCCESS IS SHOWING UP" - Woody Allen Thanks to Experience Oxfordshire for organising this important roundtable discussion in #EnglishTourismWeek, and to Anneliese Dodds for showing up and fielding an hour of wide-ranging questions in an informed and authentic way. Such a shame the other local MPs didn't manage to make it! Thanks especially to Hayley Beer-Gamage FTS for representing the local visitor economy (£2.7bn and 10% of the workforce!!) so well, and for enabling me to make my points concerning: (1) Digital exclusion - the race to automation that risks marginalising the most valuable segment of our audiences; (2) The need to develop people and careers in the visitor economy - time for government to incentivise businesses to invest in so-called "soft skills" (which are HARD!) more than ever before; (3) The importance of supporting businesses to use digital technologies in the best way for their customers. Sobering also to learn that the UK now languishes at 116/117 nations for price competitiveness, and that the continued absence of a VAT refund scheme is causing Value Retail to de-prioritise investment in Bicester Village. Some genuinely challenging topics, aired in a very constructive and useful way. #ExperienceOxfordshire #LVEP #localvisitoreconomypartnership #Oxford #Oxfordshire #DMO #VisitorEconomy #DestinationManagement #TourismSector #EnglishTourismWeek24 VisitEngland

good to see sustainable transport here