News Briefs: Executive Appointments, New Services, Webinars and More
Appreciation at Work holds webinar on culture and webinar.... Paul Haynes joins MotivForce to head sales....Xceleration launches AI-powered incentive advisor...Creative Group hires new executive and elevates another...Seiko and Monte & Coe collaborate on event gifting.
Appreciation at Work Webinar, Tue. Oct. 28, 11 am to 1 pm: Using the 5 Languages of Appreciation to Improve Workplace Retention, Recruitment, and Remote Engagement
Paul Haynes Joins MotivForce as New Global Commercial Director
Incentive Company Launches AI Incentive Advisor
Creative Group Announces Management Changes
Seiko and Monte & Coe Collaborate on Gifting Experience
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Appreciation at Work Webinar, Tue. Oct. 28, 11 am to 1 pm: Using the 5 Languages of Appreciation to Improve Workplace .jpeg)
Retention, Recruitment, and Remote Engagement
Dr. Paul White, co-author with Dr. Gary Chapman of The 5 Languages of Appreciation in the Workplace, has announced a live virtual event focusing on the power of intentional appreciation in today’s evolving workplace. The webinar is designed to equip HR professionals with actionable strategies to build stronger teams through transformational leadership development. During the webinar, the company will announce a new service for businesses and organizations to become Appreciation at Work Certified Workplaces. Click here to register for the show.
Paul Haynes Joins MotivForce as New Global Commercial Director 
Paul Haynes has joined MotivForce, a UK-based international specialist in business to business-to-business loyalty and related channel engagement programs. Founded by David Cox, a Ph.D. and staffed with a half-dozen other Ph.Ds, the company focuses on its scientific approach to loyalty program design.
Most recently Senior Vice President at Xoxoday, an India-based technology company, Haynes has a lengthy career in sales leadership in the IRR field. In his Linkedin post announcement, he writes, “My passion has always been designing loyalty, channel, engagement, and incentive strategies. These aren’t just about rewarding participation—they’re about creating programs that deliver measurable business results and foster long-term partnerships. Over the years, I’ve had the privilege of leading global sales operations, forging alliances, and cultivating partnerships with mid-market and enterprise companies across diverse markets. These experiences have given me a broad perspective on what drives success in both B2B and B2C engagement. This new chapter with Motivforce feels like the perfect convergence of that experience and my drive to help organizations achieve more.”
Lincoln Smith recently joined MotivForce as CEO. Before that, Smith was Chief Strategy Officer of HMI Performance Services before it was sold to 360Insights.
Incentive Company Launches AI Incentive Advisor
Charlotte-based Xcerelation, an incentive company, has launched Maslow Insights, an AI-powered incentive and recognition advisor trained, it says, on its 25 years of recognition expertise. It runs on OpenAI’s GPT-4.1 and draws from Xceleration’s research, benchmarks, and proven best practices to help users explore what truly motivates people. It answers questions about program design, reward selection, industry trends, and more.
Creative Group Announces Management Changes 
Hillary Smith Stone, CMP, CSEP has joined Creative Group, Schaumburg, IL, as Global Head of Creative and Marketing, leading the agency’s creative practice and marketing team. Before that, she ran her own advisory firm after a five-year stint at PRA Business Events. In her new role, the company says she will embed a creative mindset across the organization, champion design excellence, and elevate experiences for clients and attendees worldwide. Stone’s new role underscores Creative Group’s commitment to advancing creativity and data-driven design as core tenants across all touchpoints, processes, and teams.
Melissa Van Dyke will now serve as Senior Vice President, Technology and Data for Creative Group. In this enterprise leadership capacity, Van Dyke oversees “technology strategy and innovation, harnessing personalized predictive data, automation, and AI to unlock new opportunities and accelerate growth. Her leadership in this new role reinforces Creative Group’s vision to use data as a design tool that personalizes experiences and drives measurable impact.”
In the announcement, Creative Group, Inc. says “These changes reflect the company’s continued investment in cutting-edge creative and technology to deliver transformative experiences that unite people and brands.”
Seiko and Monte & Coe Collaborate on Gifting Experience
The Seiko and Monte & Coe Gifting Experience “brings together timeless craftsmanship and modern luxury. Guests choose a Seiko timepiece and pair it with a handcrafted Monte & Coe accessory, then personalize the gift live onsite. This one-of-a-kind collaboration delivers a gifting moment that is elevated, memorable, and built to last.” Click here for more information.
Enterprise Engagement Alliance Services
Celebrating our 15th year, the Enterprise Engagement Alliance helps organizations enhance performance through:
1. Information and marketing opportunities on stakeholder management and total rewards:
ESM Weekly on stakeholder management since 2009; click here for a media kit.
RRN Weekly on total rewards since 1996; click here for a EEA YouTube channel on enterprise engagement, human capital, and total rewards insights and how-to information since 2020.
2. Learning: Purpose Leadership and Stakeholder
Management Academy to enhance future equity value and performance for your organization.3. Books on implementation: Enterprise Engagement for CEOs and Enterprise Engagement: The Roadmap.
4. Advisory services and research: Strategic guidance, learning and certification on stakeholder management, measurement, metrics, and corporate sustainability reporting.
5. Permission-based targeted business development to identify and build relationships with the people most likely to buy.
6. Public speaking and meeting facilitation on stakeholder management. The world’s leading speakers on all aspects of stakeholder management across the enterprise.
