EPB gets new head of customer relations and other business news

Thomas heads EPB customers relations

EPB on Friday promoted Karen Thomas to vice president of customer relations, filling the emptiness produced with the retirement previously this 12 months of Kathy Burns just after 49 many years with the metropolis-owned utility.

Like her predecessor, Thomas has spent her whole job with EPB due to the fact she joined the utility at age 18 soon after she graduated from McKenzie School with an affiliate of accounting degree. Thomas served with the launch of EPB Fiber Optics a lot more than a ten years in the past and assisted restructure the EPB buyer relations workforce to an close to-the-clock organization.

“In her new job, Karen will lead several important endeavours as we try to be continuously a lot more responsive to our shoppers,” EPB President David Wade explained after EPB directors verified her appointment. “Furnishing excellent shopper activities matters more than ever as our marketplace undergoes rapid adjust.”

American Airways to close 1st course cabins on 777 jets

American Airlines has announced it will no more time have initially-class cabins on worldwide flights.

As a substitute, the airline stated it will change its 1st-class seats with additional business-class seats.

American Airways CEO reported the move is to preserve up with what the consumers “most want or are most keen to fork out for.”

Vasua Raja, chief industrial officer for American Airlines, said travellers are keeping away from 1st class and buying significantly less highly-priced business enterprise-class seats.

“Initially class will not exist on the 777, or for that matter at American Airlines, for the very simple rationale that our customers are not buying it,” Raja said in an announcement of the firm’s third quarter success.

GM white-collar workers return to the office in 2023

Basic Motors Co. has knowledgeable its white-collar workforce they have to return a few times a 7 days to the office starting at the end of January.

Distinct information of how they return will be worked out in between leaders and their teams.

The transfer arrives soon after backlash from employees when an abrupt warn was despatched out very last month telling employees they would be essential to go back to the office later this year just after a lot more than two yrs of distant operate all through the COVID-19 pandemic. The staff response led GM to force again the return until up coming year, devoid of specifying a day.

Staff afflicted by the improve were upset mainly because the move went against a beforehand introduced “Function Correctly” product that gave teams the flexibility to function from property, a lab, an business or anywhere they can do their very best do the job. GM pointed out the product was not a “coverage” when it was applied.

“Just after engaging with teams and listening to comments, GM leaders are in the approach of sharing the up coming actions of our Operate Appropriately evolution with personnel as we produce a adaptable product with a a lot more frequent in-particular person cadence across the business,” GM spokesperson Maria Raynal reported in a assertion Friday.

The Detroit automaker and other corporations have used the overall flexibility of distant operate to hire outdoors of Michigan and permit employees to perform in which they are living. The staff that GM hired or specified remote will stay remote, the firm previously claimed.

Atlanta to buy 41-tale workplace

The city of Atlanta will invest $39 million to invest in a 41-tale downtown business office tower from Georgia’s state government, saying the metropolis will redevelop the getting older constructing to incorporate combined-income housing and other uses.

The condition has owned the 2 Peachtree Street making for about 30 many years. It was the tallest constructing in Atlanta when it was created in 1968 for the To start with Nationwide Lender of Atlanta, which at some point became component of Wells Fargo & Co.

The condition has been emptying the tower of govt tenants, going some into vacant offices all-around the condition Capitol. Some state organizations downsized immediately after concluding during the coronavirus pandemic that distant do the job intended they necessary significantly less workplace room.

The condition budgeted $45 million earlier this 12 months to transfer out of 2 Peachtree. Property Appropriations Committee Chairman Terry England claimed then that it would price much more to renovate the developing than it was truly worth. Georgia spent far more than $100 million on an previously spherical of renovations.

Dickens claimed the website is key for inexpensive housing simply because it is really upcoming to the the Metropolitan Atlanta Quick Transit Authority’s 5 Details rail station.