Our guest is Norman McCombs, he is a Fellow of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, which honored him with the EDISON Medal, their highest patent award. Norman is also an author and discusses his
latest book, A Reason to Be a semi-autobiographical book. Also, the original screenplay by Norman McCombs, based on his historical novel A Reason to Be, was picked for the Best Sci-Fi Screenplay Award from the Los Angeles Film Awards. This autobiographical novel creates parallel stories as the protagonist, suffering deeply from the loss of his lifelong sweetheart, starts a redemptive journey through family history reaching back centuries from North America to the Scottish Highlands. McCombs’ connections to the famed Highland Clans form the foundation of a journey through history which, in no small way, saved his life. Representing one of those great Scottish/American success stories, he has over two hundred patents worldwide, primarily for air separation technology used for a myriad of oxygen applications around the world. In 2011, as McCombs stood outside the East Wing of the White House before receiving the National Medal of Technology from President Obama, he asked himself a simple question: How did I come from the circumstances of my birth to the steps of the White House? That moment prompted McCombs to search for deeper connections to his ancestry! Norman has over two hundred patents worldwide, primarily for air separation technology used for a myriad of oxygen applications around the world. He is also an Officier Commandeur of the Chaîne des Rôtisseurs, as well as a sculptor, classical guitarist, and avid fan of opera and the fine arts. You can find more information on Norman McCombs at NormanMcCombs.com. A five-minute audiobook sample, including a bit of Scottish brogue, can be heard at Amazon.
Our second guest today is Amber McMillan, Vice President of Digital Training & Life Time Weight Loss. She will discuss how to help get your fitness goals back on track this year. Amber started as a Certified Personal Trainer in Michigan in 2000. Discovering her passion for nutrition & product development, at the same time Life Time discovered our need, she was hired as the Brand Manager to launch the first Life Time Nutritional Products line. Relocating to the corporate office in 2002, she began leading the overall retail business for Life Café as well. She left in 2007 to run retail for a chain of 420 fitness clubs but returned in 2014 to lead the Life Time Weight Loss division, then redesign & rebrand GTX, Alpha, and UltraFit. She’s excited to be at Life Time when, and where, our members need us most and knows with the launch of our digital platform we can take the amazing experiences to the next level and for the first time, well beyond our four walls. For more information, visit the lifetime website. www.lifetime.life
Our next guest is Kathleen Belmonte Chief Nursing Officer for Fresenius Kidney Care. She discusses why now is the time to keep the shortage of nurses from getting worse, provide relief to those who are ready to quit and inspire future nurses to enter the profession. Some Important Facts: An August 2021 survey from the American Nurses Foundation finds 34% of nurses say they are not emotionally healthy. According to the same survey, 42% of nurses have experienced trauma as a result of COVID-19 The same survey finds 50% of nurses consider leaving their position. Kathleen Belmonte brings 20 years of healthcare experience to her role in leading clinical services for FMCNA’s kidney care division. She is the former chief operating officer for Immediate Care, LLC and served in senior executive roles in the diabetes medical supply and pharmaceutical space. A certified family nurse practitioner and diabetes educator, she holds a master of business administration from Babson College. For more information visit Fresenius Kidney Care’s website
Our last guest is Dr. Katherine Roe, Chief of Science Advancement and Outreach Division, PETA Laboratory Investigations Department will discuss the importance of NIH leadership and how we can save both humans and animals by modernizing research. PETA is urging President Biden to appoint a new NIH leader with the knowledge and vision to implement the strategy contained in PETA’s Research Modernization Deal—a science roadmap to modernizing research—and redirect funds from failed animal experiments into studies using organs-on-a-chip, high-speed computer analysis, 3-dimensional tissue models, and other high-tech methods. Listeners can visit PETA.org to learn more.