We have a lot to be thankful for here at AST.  The past year has brought us some of the most exciting challenges and triumphs, and our fantastic team continues to grow!

Each year we gather together as a team to enjoy our own Thanksgiving dinner as a family and express what we’re most thankful for.  This year’s gratitude ranged from the opportunities we’re given as part of Team AST, to the delicious meal we were able to enjoy together, to growing families, both at AST and at home.

All of us at AST’s offices wish you and your family a happy and peaceful Thanksgiving, and that you may find gratitude in every situation.

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Certified_Check-2BMarkTeam AST has earned over 125 new Oracle certifications since our last announcement!  Our teams are breaking records left and right within our organization, and proving that AST is packed full of qualified Oracle experts!

Our largest practice, Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP), has set the bar with 102 new certifications this month!  Additionally, our Sales & Marketing added 10 new certifications to the count, our Enterprise Performance Management (EPM) practice has earned 8 new certifications, and our Managed Services practice has added 3 new certifications!  We’re not done, yet!  Our Middleware practice and Project Management Office (PMO) each brought 2 new certifications to the table, and our Business Intelligence (BI) practice rounded out the count with 1 more!

Also, special recognition goes out to four new Certified Professionals this month:

  • Oracle Talent Management Cloud 2016 Certified Implementation Specialist: Patti K.
  • Oracle Unified Method 5 Certified Implementation Specialist: Doug N.
  • Oracle Enterprise Manager Application Quality Management 11g: Nidhin P.
  • Oracle Certified Supply Chain Professional: Mathew A.

We continue to be impressed by the accomplishments of our team members, and this month they have really exceeded our expectations!  Congratulations to all of our newly certified Oracle professionals!

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O_SpecPlat-CloudPremier_NAS_clr_rgbOracle PartnerNetwork (OPN) has named AST Corporation on a short list of Top-Tier OPN Cloud Partners.  This list includes such industry giants as Deloitte, Accenture, IBM, and now, AST!

AST is an Oracle Cloud Premier Partner, one of highest Cloud designations available.  Earning the title of Cloud Premier Partner requires proven success with Oracle Cloud and a specific focus on driving Oracle Cloud solutions with successful and repeatable use cases.  As a Cloud Premier Partner, AST is highly invested in Oracle Cloud solutions, and has a high number of Cloud specializations.  Our elite team consists of Certified Oracle Cloud Specialists, multiple customer references, and dedicated Oracle Cloud teams.

As organizations look for the right partner to deliver cloud solutions to help streamline and grow their business, they can look to AST for differentiated success, expertise, skills, and proven investment in Oracle Cloud.

To read more about this prestigious designation, and what Senior VP of Oracle Cloud, Shawn Price, has to say about the program, click here.

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EoM MaleCongratulations to David G. for earning recognition as AST’s Employee of the Month for November 2016!

David is being recognized for his excellent customer service, functional knowledge, and hardworking attitude.  Since joining Team AST, he has earned the utmost respect of his AST team mates and any client he has worked with.  David has outstanding accounting skills that have translated into his broad and deep command of the entire Oracle E-Business Financial Suite.

David maintains the highest standards in all of his work, and his work ethic is exemplary; David’s team mates have expressed that they would work with him anytime, anywhere!  He is truly a great example to all of Team AST.

Thank you, and keep up the fantastic work, David!

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AST has earned recognition for the third year in a row as one of Chicago Tribune’s Top Workplaces in the Chicagoland area! This year’s distinction ranks AST 25 among the top small business employers, representing an increase from number 33, where we were ranked in 2015.

The Top Workplaces lists are based solely on the results of an employee feedback survey administered by WorkplaceDynamics, LLC, a leading research firm that specializes in organizational health and workplace improvement. Several aspects of workplace culture are measured, including Alignment, Execution, and Connection.

“The Top Workplaces award is not a popularity contest. And oftentimes, people assume it’s all about fancy perks and benefits,” says Doug Claffey, CEO of WorkplaceDynamics. “But to be a Top Workplace, organizations must meet our strict standards for organizational health. And who better to ask about work life than the people who live the culture every day—the employees. Time and time again, our research has proven that what’s most important to them is a strong belief in where the organization is headed, how it’s going to get there, and the feeling that everyone is in it together.” Claffey adds, “Without this sense of connection, an organization doesn’t have a shot at being named a Top Workplace.”

“Our dedicated employees go above and beyond to deliver the highest levels of service on a daily basis, and they do it with incredible professionalism and teamwork. This recognition undeniably belongs to them,” said Pravin Kumar, President and CEO of AST. “Reaching this milestone for three years in a row has made all of us proud of the work we do and the accomplishments we have reached as a team. Acknowledgements such as this drive us to work even harder for our clients, and each other, every day.”

Thank you, Team AST!

Read the full press release, here.

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shutterstock_280349987What started as an at-home business with one man over 21 years ago has grown into a successful multi-national enterprise with over 500 loyal employees, a long list of dedicated clients, and prime business real estate in its foundational city, Naperville, IL.  Pravin Kumar, President and CEO of AST Corporation, has taken his small, out-of-the-home business and launched it into a booming Oracle Systems Integrator, well-recognized in the industry.

Elisha Neubauer’s article in Illinois Home highlights this growth and success, demonstrating how at-home businesses can thrive with the right amount of perseverance and drive.

Read more about what makes AST stand out in the Oracle space, in the community, and among its employees and clients, here:  http://www.illinoishomes.com/articles/ast-corporation-takes-systems-integration-to-the-next-level

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Sneak Peek - AST and Oracle CJIS Enterprise Solutions - Pre-Webinar ThumbnailDoes your criminal justice organization find challenges in maintaining order, protecting civil liberties, and efficiently managing the criminal justice process?  Organizations that rely on justice information systems to harvest and share large amounts of data from disparate applications, across departments, and between partners require a simplified, cost-effective approach.  Faced with both an influx of sensitive data and a rise in global tensions, the need for standardized CJIS systems that can manage mission-critical data is rising.

Join AST for a brief sneak peek on Thursday, November 17, 2016 at 1:00 PM CST!  This 30-minute glimpse of the AST and Oracle CJIS solutions will acknowledge the difficulties in the justice and public safety mission – complexities, cost, and compliance – and provide a high-level overview of the enterprise solutions that AST and Oracle offer to address these complexities.  We will preview AST’s Enterprise Approach to eliminating the problems of higher costs, slower response times, inaccurate and incomplete criminal history data, and silos of unused information for agencies of all sizes.

Let AST help you address the critical questions within your justice organization:  How do you define success?  How much will it cost?  How do you get there?  Join us on Thursday, November 17, 2016 for this free sneak peek of our comprehensive CJIS solutions and how they can help you simplify integration and lower cost.

Stay tuned for more details around a full, free webinar coming in early 2017 that will provide deeper insights into these valuable solutions, including an exciting special guest!

Get a glimpse into how your justice organization can operate efficiently and more effectively with AST and Oracle CJIS Enterprise Solutions.  Register for the Sneak Peek here!

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We celebrated Diwali today in our Naperville home office!  Thanks to contributions from many of our team members, our office was transformed into a festival of sights, sounds, arts, and flavors for the Hindu celebration of lights!

From AST’s offices around the globe, Happy Diwali to all of you!

Diwali 2016

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