KN Promotes 19, Recognizing Standout Performers in All BUs
KN has announced promotions for 19 employees, representing every SBU and almost every office. "We are very pleased to acknowledge these top performers, who have contributed so much to KN's success," said Lynne Armstrong, SVP of Talent. "In a company filled with dedicated employees, this group stands out, and we applaud them."
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Elisa Chan
Associate Vice President, Statistics
 Elisa has consistently proved herself to be invaluable to KN. She now manages not just the Stats staff in Menlo Park, but also guides and manages the Ugam staff regarding all KN weighting tasks assigned to them by her. She is certainly recognized by the wider company as expert in her tasks and is the key person for kick-off meetings/consultation for most sampling and weighting issues. A 10-year KN employee, she has demonstrated excellent management skills, technical expertise and superb judgment. Kim Ficarra
Vice President, Business Insight (Media)
 Over the past few years, and particularly in the past year, Kim has demonstrated growth in sales, business development, job skills, management responsibilities, and confidence to perform at a higher level. She has become an integral revenue generator and leader in the Media group, managing well over $1 million of work in 2010. She added several new Media clients last year, including StubHub and TracFone Wireless; she has also been the main project interface for other new accounts (such as Turner, MediaVest, and NPR), and took key responsibility for other projects in a time of transition within the group.
Kim also continues to be one of Media's most devoted mentors – knowledgeable and generous with her time; in the past year, she has assisted Maureen and Albina on the Media team, and also others in KN when they are working on Media projects. She has an excellent understanding of the panel survey process, as well as weighting and sample issues related to KnowledgePanel. She provides clients with insightful evaluation of results, keeping in mind their expressed needs and working within the parameters of the project (e.g. schedule and budget). Jessica Germaine
Director, Business Insight (Pharma/Health Care)
 Over the past year, Jessica has taken on a much larger role in the NJ Pharma team and has been a role model for others on the team. Jessica has refined her analytical and client management skills, while managing our work with the oncology team at sanofi-aventis. She has demonstrated her commitment to the team and has developed strong client contact with the sanofi-aventis team.
Jessica has been focusing on our MD-diary (patient chart study) work with our oncology clients and has become an expert in the methodology. In fact, over the past year Jessica has refined our MD-diary studies and has made significant improvements and value-adds for our clients. Jessica has also developed her presentation skills – she received applause from our clients at sanofi-aventis after presenting results of an MD-diary study to the aflibercept team. Heather Hudson
Senior Research Analyst, Behavioral Insight
 Heather has demonstrated her willingness to take on additional responsibilities such as client contact and report writing. She has shown growth in understanding the techniques and methodology used in projects and is able to translate them into a story clients can easily understand. Heather worked on all aspects of "Project Love" from start to finish – developing the questionnaire, managing the field, and staying in contact with the client daily (including store visits). Despite unfavorable results, she was able to deliver a quality report after handling much of the heavy lifting on the assignment.
Over the past year, Heather has also developed a strong client contact with PromoWorks and is transitioning to the main contact. Not only is she putting results into the report, but she is also writing the reports (including the executive summary). Since the first PromoWorks project, she has created a timeline specific to PromoWorks that improved the workflow and streamlined the process of getting a quality report out the door. Kristine Janus
Director
 The Panel Management team is extremely excited to have such a talented individual such as Kristine join the team. In her new role, Kristine will partner with Erlina in managing KnowledgePanel. She will be responsible for and/or assist with all aspects of the panel, from recruitment, profiling, member experience to budgeting.
As a Project Director at the Business Insight unit, Kristine is well-known for her ability to make complex projects such as NeedScope, Safeway trackers, very much doable. She has a keen eye for red flags and is very good at providing possible solutions to problems. Kristine has not only been managing projects on her own with little supervision (e.g., S&H concept tests, Starbucks tracker), but in the past couple of years has taken ownership of certain accounts (e.g., Netflix). Her clients trust her and value her input – the head of research at Safeway contacts Kristine for data-specific questions. In fact, a lot of the success we've had with Safeway can be attributed to Kristine's management of their projects. Not only that, Kristine is also a very strong team player and a great mentor to junior and new staff. Nicole Korluka
Director, Business Insight (CPG/Retail)
 Nicole demonstrated that she could not only handle a large, analytically demanding study with Gerber White Space, but that she was able to guide a forceful client through the analysis independently, while deepening the relationship with her in the process. The Gerber client literally gushed about Nicole, commenting that she was "more important to her than her family was right then." With this one study, she proved her analytic chops and her ability to skillfully manage a client to end in a very satisfied place. Nicole has also come a very long way in building her client presence and presentation skills, with significant growth in her confidence. She has also made important corporate contributions, helping to launch the Peapod Select product by focusing on training the Cincinnati team on how to leverage resources they were less familiar with going into the process. She is a real asset to the company in her knowledge of KN's business and systems and is very willing to share that insight with others. Nicole is proactive and hungry in doing her job – exactly the kind of performer KN needs and values. Ed Madan
Project Director, Field
 Ed began his career at Knowledge Networks as a call center interviewer in April 2007, quickly became a supervisor, and moved to the Field Department in April 2008. Ed learned quickly and became an extremely valuable member of the department, as evidenced by his promotion to Senior Field Analyst in April 2010. Ed's responsibilities increased significantly in November 2010, when Joe Arcaroli moved out of the day-to-day Field operations. Ed has continued to complete all tasks efficiently, with many people observing that "the Field Department didn't miss a beat." He treats each of his many internal "clients" the same way he would treat an external client, and has done a superb job maintaining positive relationships with KN's off-panel field suppliers. Ed's positive demeanor and dedication to his work are greatly appreciated across the Business Insight and Survey Science practices. Maria Meduri
Purchasing and Collections Specialist, Finance
 Maria has picked up AR collections as part of her daily tasks, and she has successfully managed to decrease aged AR. Maria has demonstrated an ability to quickly pick up new areas and manage the process with limited supervision. Maria has also increased her exposure to financial analysis in addition to purchasing and collections. With her promotion, Maria will likely become more involved in AR collections to improve collection Elissa Morales
Senior Research Analyst, Business Insight Project Management
 Elissa joined KN in August 2009. She has mastered all elements of the KN workflow, and made particularly strong contributions to several projects that included Spanish-language surveys. Elissa's attention to detail on these projects led to the addition of an important QC step in the Translation workflow. Elissa puts in long hours and always steps up to tackle whatever task is placed in front of her. KN's Operations Departments are particularly appreciative of the way that Elissa works with them to manage difficult schedules, and her Client Service colleagues appreciate the manner in which she always keeps the overall project schedule in mind while working through any bumps that arise during the course of the engagement. Diana Orrico
Project Director, Business Insight (Pharma/Health Care)
 For the past year, Diana has been focusing more time on our full-service work – report setup, some analysis, and overall independent project management and client service – and is now dedicated to our full-service team. Diana is very eager to learn and take on additional responsibilities; she has taken the lead on integrating some of our operational processes, while co-staffing on a sanofi-aventis project with the NY Pharma team. Diana has demonstrated her strong client service skills and has already had clients request her on their projects.
Diana recently completed her first MD-diary (patient chart study) and played a key role from beginning to end, including participating in our presentation to the New Products Team at sanofi-aventis. Kyle Papanikolas
Director, Business Insight (CPG/Retail)
 Kyle never waivers in his focus on clients' needs and business issues, which are always at the forefront of his day-to-day work and in his well-thought-out deliverables. His client communication skills are exemplary in terms of presenting a solid front to the client for KN and in his ability to present, particularly over the phone. Kyle's creativity in displaying data/packaging information for clients is very impressive. His analytic and writing skills are key strengths, as well, particularly in regards to segmentation. Kyle allows the AVP to do their job – the AVP gets to review his work, not do or redo it. He is very proactive and is definitely one of the best PDs at KN. Luke Phillips
Senior Programmer, Operations
 In 2010 Luke took on progressively more complex work, most notably Princeton Brand Econometrics projects that require advanced Perl scripting to manage their designs' dynamic profiles. Luke is recognized by his fellow programmers and Client Service staff as the expert on patient chart studies, both for questionnaire programming and data processing; he helps CS staff understand the complexities of the tabulations and data files. Additionally, he has taken on responsibility in Panel maintenance, managing samples through the Panel database and doing client list matches.
He took ownership of implementing the Quale video feedback capability into CFMC, working with the QualVu vendor and senior programming staff in Menlo Park. As part of the acquisition process, Luke also assisted the KN IT department with merging the legacy CMR systems. With the team's other Senior Programmer, Liju, Luke is taking on the challenge of learning the Dimensions survey environment in preparation for the coming migration off CFMC. Joe Richardson
Project Director, Business Insight (Media)
 Joe joined KN in February 2009 and quickly demonstrated strong performance in all areas of KN work. He has developed deep experience across an extraordinarily wide variety of project methodologies, spanning the CPG/Retail, Pharma, and Media practices, and now manages projects very independently, including insightful analysis and report writing. Joe has an uncanny ability to find additional time to pitch in on projects at a moment's notice, even when his own project load is extremely heavy. He maintains a preternatural calm in every situation, and helps his colleagues find the lighter side and a laugh that lightens the load whenever the pressure rises. Joe's colleagues and clients know that they can count on him to do whatever is needed to support their needs. Gene Ridgley
Associate Vice President, Operations (Panel Relations)
 Gene's 11 years of panel experience provide a solid foundation and unique perspective that he continually draws upon to ensure we meet our objectives, maintain KN standards, and protect KN's important panel asset. He has excellent interpersonal skills that help him develop strong working relationships with team members, internal clients and other KN teams. He is respected by colleagues for his guidance and actionable advice on Panel Relations issues; his positive attitude motivates others to follow his lead.
Among his many recent achievements, Gene played a pivotal role in planning and implementing the successful transition of Call Center Support to Ugam. He was closely involved in the strategic planning and successful implementation of WebTV retirement. He stays current on Privacy Policies and monitors our compliance, an area of increasing importance in our business. Currently, Gene is spearheading several strategic projects aimed at improving panel member experience and retention. Jeffrey Shand-Lubbers
Senior Research Analyst, Survey Science
 In 2010, Jeff has excelled his performance on several fronts. His skills in questionnaire design and QC, data production and review, and project and client management have gained the respect and confidence of his teammates. In addition to his regular duties as an RA, Jeff accepted a central role in managing Quale-related tasks for the Survey Science group. He took on the responsibility of recruiting participants for a number of online and telephone chat sessions for our key clients, as well as assisting these clients in conducting the chat sessions; all were extremely happy with Jeff's performance. Jeff also played an instrumental role in developing a document assisting S-2 staff in selling Quale products to their clients. ;Everyone at Survey Science is very pleased with Jeff's progress and is looking forward to working with him on future projects. Katie Solovieva
Director, Business Insight (CPG/Retail)
 Katie has quickly and effectively adapted to the role of Project Director, and has mastered this skill with ease, even for new techniques whose processes are still to be defined. Katie has played an increased role in interacting with clients, and she has developed a deserved sense of confidence in her capabilities, which shines through in her communications with both co-workers and clients. Those in leadership want her to work on their projects because she consistently does a top-notch job. Katie is also viewed by those she works with as a person they can learn from, and she consistently steps up as team leader, training those who are less experienced in a way that does not involve hand holding.
Katie also has a very professional attitude, maintaining a solid focus on her work that permits her to get things done efficiently. She has been one of our most conscientious PDs, with high standards for her work and her team's; she fully lives up to the KN expectation that work we deliver be accurate and high quality. She's also very open to helping out in a bind; if Katie says she's going to do something, you can count on it. Joana Valencia
Project Director, Field
 Joana began her career at KN working in the call center in 2002. Currently, she successfully supports all aspects of telephone research in the Field Department, including bid requests and overseeing all aspects of field management. Joana also oversees the quality control of KnowledgePanel Latino SM recruiting; she is heavily involved in interviewing training, oversees the call center that executes the Latino panel recruitment, and interfaces with Fulfillment to ensure that all new recruits receive their first contact from KN in a timely fashion. Joana also plays a critically important role on the Translation Team. She oversees the translation workflow, including scheduling with translation vendors, proofing vendor translations, preparing Spanish-language text for insertion into surveys, and QC of all Spanish language surveys and support materials.& In addition, Joana oversees all communications sent to members of KnowledgePanel Latino SM. Joana's strong work ethic, self-motivation, and dedication to maintaining KN quality standards are highly valued by the wide range of KN staff with whom she works. Rebecca Weisbart
Senior Research Analyst, Business Insight Project Management
 Rebecca joined KN in February 2010. She has developed a powerful mastery of all aspects of the KN workflow, as evidenced by her ability to drop into any project at a moment's notice, and help a project team out of a jam. Rebecca is always among the first to volunteer to pitch in when help is needed in another city. She has taken ownership of the task of developing tabbing machinery for KN's Profile Surveys and Profile Packages, working collaboratively with the Profile Group while effectively training and leveraging support from the Ugam Project Management team. Rebecca's colleagues and clients deeply appreciate her enthusiasm for tackling any problem on any project. Xiaulou Yan
Senior Statistical Analyst, Statistics
 Xiaolu has worked as part of the Statistics group for over 3.5 years. With excellent academic training in statistics and an advanced degree in mathematics, she has demonstrated mastery of the complex weighting required for our client projects to achieve a senior-level title at KN. She has also been a valuable member of the Profile group and has provided expert guidance to our Ugam team members in India with regard to their work on profile requests and the critical updating of the PVR data used by many of our Client Service team. Xiaolu is always cheerful, most willing to help and goes the extra mile to provide timely products contributing to the consistent success of the Statistics team.
KN Dimestore Draws Large Chicago Crowd for Digital Media Roundtable
KN Dimestore panel participants: Josh Dreller (Fuor), Michele Madansky (moderator; Michele Madansky Consulting), Aaron Letscher (Evidon), Dave Reed (MediaMath), and Matt Rosenberg (SAY Media) Click here or image to enlarge
Creating a Midwest foothold for its growing business, KN Dimestore staged a highly successful panel discussion on digital media and marketing – drawing close to 100 attendees to Chicago's Hotel 71. Participants included Dimestore colleagues and clients from Evidon, Fuor Digital, MediaMath, and SAY Media; and Helen Katz of Starcom MediaVest kicked off the breakfast session with an excellent presentation on the state of digital media. The breakfast gave Karla Ahern – a relatively recent addition to the KN Dimestore team – a chance to connect with Chicago clients and prospects.
We now have an elegant transcript of the session that will be distributed to attendees and be available on the KN site; contact Erica Demme – who did an expert job of organizing the event – if you'd like a copy.
News Notes: PM Meeting in Hoboken, Kyle & Nicole Go to Baking Univ., KN Recycles
Front desk at The W
The W Hotel in Hoboken, NJ – just across the Hudson from Manhattan – will host our annual Project Management get-together on May 11-13th. Members of the PM and PDs from every office will hear presentations from leaders in the company, learn new skills – and have some time to socialize.
Eric Plummer won the recent Plum Benefits raffle for tickets to Fuerza Bruta; since he could not attend, he passed them along to Rachel Harriet. Nice going, Eric!
As part of their project work for a CPG client, Kyle Papanikolas and Nicole Korluka took part in a two-day Baking University training conducted by the client's corporate chefs. They report, "Each day started with a presentation (we covered Flour 101, Baking 101, Corn 101, Milk 101 and Baking Mixes 101); then, in the afternoon, we baked a variety of different recipes using the ingredients we learned about."
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Sue McDonald reports that, during a telephone conversation with a panel member, the respondent expressed gratitude to KN, saying we put out "incredible surveys, well-worded," and that this person is "constantly impressed with the thought clearly put into the questions and responses offered, as well as the grammar and spelling."
Green Team: KN Recycles Toner – and You Can Help!
The Roseland and Palo Alto offices are participating in landlord Mack Cali's recycling program for toner cartridges; U.S. Renewable handles the recycling, providing boxes and pre-paid UPS shipping labels. Other offices can participate – just contact Lil. In addition, Erica Demme reports that the Green Team is working with the manager of each office to clearly mark the paper-efficient, two-sided (duplex) printers in each office.
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NJ Offices Consolidate in Roseland; Menlo Park Team Moves to Palo Alto
Since the beginning of the year, KN has opened two beautiful new offices, giving comfortable new spaces to more than 50% of the company. These state-of-the-art facilities – in New Jersey and California – feature open floor plans that allow plenty of light and open dialogue, as well as graphics and paintings by the firm that provided artwork for the New York office and our Website.
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In January, the Mt. Arlington and Cranford offices became one, taking over spacious new digs on the third floor of 103 Eisenhower Parkway in Roseland, NJ. (Click here to view map.) Roseland is now the second largest in the company – bringing together members of Pharma, Media, Panel Relations, Panel Recruitment, Field, Project Management, Operations, and Marketing. The building features a peaceful atrium and patio, plus access to a cafeteria, gym, travel agency, and other services in the "101" building next door. Carla Cruz is the manager of the new office.
And this Friday, KN is moving out of Menlo Park, CA, and returning to it's original 1998-99 neighborhood in Palo Alto. (Click here to view map.) The new office is located about 3 blocks away from the original interSurvey headquarters. The facility features an open floor plan, bright colors, artwork, and beautiful landscaping including an outdoor atrium, a pond and terrace seating. The 50 employees there represent Survey Science, Business Insight, Project Management, Statistics, Finance, Tools, and Operations.
Congratulations to Jean, Max, Chris, Ramesh, Lil, Toni, Carla, Maria and all others who played key roles in making these moves smooth and the spaces so agreeable!
KN Welcomes Eight New Team Members, Representing Many SBUs, Offices
Since our last issue, we have added eight talented new employees to the KN team, bringing valuable experience and enthusiasm to key areas of the company. They have studied everything from economics to philosophy; hail from the Ukraine, Turkey, and Plainfield, NJ; and have worked at a variety of MR companies – from Ipsos to Milward Brown. We welcome them and wish them the best of success at KN!
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Asli Aydin
Research Analyst, New York
 Before moving to the U.S. a year ago, Asli served as an Operations Analyst at the Turkish Red Crescent Society, Red Cross, with the International Disaster Relief and Response Department. Earlier, she worked for IT companies specializing in web technologies as a Jr. Marketing Analyst. She has a BSc in Statistics and an MS in International Relations from her native Turkey; she also attended the University of Hamburg, as an exchange student of European Studies and New York University's Marketing Department for Data Analytics. In her spare time, Asli likes to play tennis and write articles on her blog, which strives to introduce the American lifestyle to a Turkish audience. Andy Boerum
Director, New York
 Andy's 10+ years in the research business began at the NPD Group, where he held entry level through project management positions within the syndicated POS business. Following his time at the NPD Group, Andy joined Moskowitz Jacobs Design Lab in White Plains, NY, as a client service representative – where he focused primarily on advanced product optimization and early stage message optimization. Clientele and experience at MJI was roughly split between CPG, Cadbury Schweppes, SCA, Campbells, Dunkin' Donuts, Dairy Management Association, and Dreyers and OTC, Wyeth, Boehringer Ingelheim and Schering Plough. A highlight of Andy's career was his involvement in the recipe reformulation of 7UP, which helped lift the ailing brand back into relevancy.
Andy left MJI in 2007 to become an Account Manager with Ipsos Marketing in Westbury NY. Working at Ipsos gave Andy a wide array of research experience, including concept testing, package testing, eye-tracking, A&Us, claims testing, pricing and line optimization, and industry trackers. Andy worked primarily with The Coca-Cola Company, with initiatives spanning over 20 of their brands. Other clients included Mead Johnson, Bayer, Hartz Mountain Group, Ferrero Rocher and The Craft and Hobby Association.
Andy commutes in from New Hyde Park, NY, where he lives with his wife Tracy, son Nicholas, 3, and daughter Julia, 1. Kelly Farrelly
Research Analyst, Roseland
 Kelly graduated from Franklin & Marshall College in May 2010, where she majored in Economics and Applied Mathematics. Previously, Kelly worked for an economic consulting company. Outside of work, she enjoys running and staying active.
Maya Grosul
Research Analyst, Menlo Park
 Originally from Odessa, Ukraine, Maya has been living in the U.S. for more than 10 years. She completed her Bachelor of Education degree at Odessa State University and her MA in Experimental Psychology at San Jose State University. In her free time, Maya enjoys hiking, biking, and traveling to different wine regions around the world. Paul Platzman
Research Analyst, Roseland
 Before joining KN, Paul completed his BA at Rutgers University, where he majored in Psychology and minored in Mathematics and Philosophy. Paul has a passion for and experience in primary research; he worked as a Research Assistant at Rutgers University's Social Psychology Labs and as a Crew Leader for the U.S. Census Bureau. When not working, Paul likes to travel, exercise, and is an avid fan of the Yankees, Knicks, and Giants. Eric Plummer
Research Analyst, New York
 Raised in Plainfield, NJ, Eric is a recent graduate of Princeton University, with a degree in Economics. During college, he won the junior national track and field championship in shot put, and was honored as Princeton's citizen-athlete of the year. Recently, Eric completed a 2-month training program for the NFL Combine in Bradenton, FL. In his spare time, Eric enjoys playing and watching sports, basketball, track and field, traveling, and spending time with his family. Alina Sindler
Field & Panel Management Assistant, Roseland
 Alina worked in the nonprofit industry for three years before returning to school full-time to earn her MBA degree in Marketing at Rutgers University, graduating in May of 2010. She holds a BA from McGill University. Alina is excited about her new role and looks forward to working with the Knowledge Networks team.
Philip So
Research Analyst, New York
 Philip has marketing and survey research experience from Millward Brown; World Bank survey-based policy evaluation; and a consulting project for an Assistant Commissioner in New York City government. He received his BA in Economics from Columbia University and is pursuing his Master's degree part-time at Fordham University. He also volunteers at a New York-based educational nonprofit that serves youth and adults, and is the co-founder of a project that provides educational resources to blind and visually impaired children. Philip enjoys traveling and playing music, and he plans to take dance lessons.
Charleston Leadership Team Sessions Provide Momentum, Learnings for 2011
The KN Leadership Team started off the year with an intensive two-day gathering in historic Charleston, South Carolina. Many of the KN teams offered overviews of their plans for the year, and numerous breakout sessions provided room for interaction and brainstorming. In the evenings, the group enjoyed taking in the sights – with a spooky ghost tour and a carriage ride with narration – and sampling local cuisine at the restored courthouse and elsewhere.
Click here or image to view slideshow
For many, however, the biggest adventure was getting home! A massive ice storm blanketed the Midwest and Northeast, stranding some for two days and leaving others to catch the train north. All in all, it was a remarkably productive and friendly trip – thanks largely to the excellent planning of Lil, Lynne and others.
Maura Clancey EQS: A Look Back at Our Winners
Click here or image to view slideshow
Initiated last year, the Maura Clancey EQS Award has already celebrated a remarkably diverse – and deserving – group of KN team members. Let's take a look back at our winners so far – including the latest cape-keeper, Rupa Patel!
Giving Back: KN'ers Tutor, Serve Meals ... and Give Away Cars
Fulfilling the incentive for a recent client survey of businesses, Knowledge Networks recently donated $2,000 to Habitat for Humanity NYC. Each respondent received a copy of an appreciation letter from Habitat.
Karla Ahern works twice a month in Chicago's Cabrini Green Tutoring Program, which helps economically disadvantaged students succeed in elementary school and beyond. The program pairs students with volunteer adult tutors and provides educational and life skill resources.
Jeff Banks attended a "Moustachio Bashio" fundraiser for Community Servings, a local nonprofit that assists families living with critical illness.
John Dowd recently donated a car to the MSPCA – a noble cause, indeed!
We learned that Karen Goldstein has been actively involved for seven years with Inspiration Corporation, which assists more than 3,000 individuals and families in Chicago affected by homelessness and poverty each year and serves as a catalyst for self-reliance. The group's goal is to help men and women overcome the causes of their homelessness and find stability by securing income and affordable housing. In addition to being a member of the Executive Committee of the Board of Directors, Karen serves (and on occasion, cooks) meals at Inspiration Café on the North Side.
Simon recently alerted us that the next Walk to End Alzheimer's will take place on October 23rd in Manhattan's Riverside Park. You can find more information on the walk's Facebook page, www.fb.com/alznyc, or at www.alz.org/nyc.
In May, Allison Rodgers will be doing the Cystic Fibrosis Walk with Kacie Rice, and she will also take part in Relay for Life (a cancer fundraiser) with the Cancer Blasters team.
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