Novanta has been under contract to acquire ATI Industrial Automation for $172 million in cash. And it turns out the deal is a win-win for most ATI employees, not just the co-founders and higher-ups. In 2012, ATI established an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP). An ESOP is a federally-qualified ERISA benefit plan that makes employees owners in the company. Founded in 1989 in North Carolina, ATI has become a global company with over 350-plus employees worldwide.

In today's era of information-based competition, banking executives are increasingly looking towards big data to maintain their competitive edge. In the retail banking area, there has been weak recovery following the 2008 financial crisis. General market growth has been modest, while the low interest-rate environment and new online market entrants have further compressed margins. It was always important to retain and expand existing customer relationships. But now it is critical.