Today, Wingspan Technology, Inc. announces that it has achieved U.S.-EU Safe Harbor certification status. This U.S. Department of Commerce designation recognizes that Wingspan meets or exceeds the European Union’s directives for data privacy and protection practices.

The European Commission’s Directive on Data Protection, established in 1998, prohibits the transfer of personal data to nations that do not meet the EU’s “adequacy” standard for privacy protection.  In consultation with the Commission, the U.S. Department of Commerce crafted the Safe Harbor framework to let U.S.-based companies verify that they meet the EU standards.

Wingspan clients receive the benefit that prior approval of data transfers will be either waived or automatically granted by all 27 Member States of the European Union and Switzerland. Certification also ensures that any claims brought by European citizens against U.S. companies will be heard in the U.S., reducing the burden of legal expenses.

“I am proud of Wingspan’s Safe Harbor certification because it clears the way for our European clients to engage us with the added confidence of knowing that we fully comply with the EU standards for privacy,” said Troy Deck, Wingspan Principal.

Click here for more about Wingspan’s Privacy Policy.

Wingspan Technology fully embraced the fall season with its First Annual Chili Cook-Off Extravaganza! The event was held on Thursday, November 15^th, and showcased the culinary talents of the Wingspan team.  Eight competitors entered their self-proclaimed award winning chili (ranging from chocolate infused chili to Cincinnati style to just plain spicy) in competition in hopes of winning the highly coveted prize of office bragging rights. Three judges deliberated over the entries, and though a winner was eventually announced (Ted O’Connor), it is safe to say that everyone felt like a champion after pigging out on not only all the chilies, but on the home cooked sides other Wingspan members contributed to the fest, such as corn bread, chocolate chip cookies, and even homemade ice cream. In true Wingspan fashion, all participants and observers were encouraged to bring  nonperishable donations for a local soup kitchen (Manna on Main), and over two boxes of donations were collected and delivered! The event was truly a success, and it is safe to say that a new Wingspan tradition has been born.

Performance Enhancement
Posted on April 16, 2012
A friend of mine recently brought to my attention the use of performance enhancing drugs (PEDs) in the workplace, especially in Silicon Valley. I suspect this is not limited to the software field and probably either has or soon will bleed over into other “knowledge worker” fields. Caffeine is now a gateway drug.

The sports world has something to teach us here. Back in the 70′s, bodybuilders and power lifters started experimenting with steroids and 40 years later it’s hard to imagine a sport that hasn’t had a PED scandal. It’s not hard to see why athletes were (and continue to be) so easily tempted:

1. Their careers are relatively short.
2. Their earning potential after their athletic career is often limited, so they want to maximize their earnings while they can.
3. Their short career can be cut even shorter at any time by injuries, which can be either prevented, ignored, or recovered from faster through the use of PEDs.
4. At the highest levels, incremental increases in performance are rewarded with exponential increases in compensation.

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In February, Wingspan attended the Villanova Spring Career Fair and Drexel’s Engineering Week Career Fair.  At each fair, Wingspan representatives greeted students interested in software development careers.  As a Villanova alumna, I felt at home in the Villanova room, and I casually chatted with students sharing what I liked about Wingspan and its culture.  At Drexel, Ian Au, an alumnus could share his experiences of completing co-ops, and the benefits of working for a smaller company.  It seemed helpful for the students to be able to talk to Wingspan employees who were recently in the same position: searching for jobs while facing impending graduation.

Both events were very successful.  We received many resumes and applications and have even scheduled a few interviews.  We’re continuing to build relationships with local universities and our brand recognition is growing on college campuses.  We’re becoming known as the local place to learn about the industry through an internship, and as the company to apply to if you want to make a real contribution, even as a newbie.

If you’re a student looking for internships or full time opportunities, check out our careers page or send Meghan an email: mmckeown@wingspan.com.

Historically, TMFs were organized with a folder hierarchy structure. Study owners could not tell what was missing without spending hours cross-referencing the documents to a stack of spreadsheets. Finding specific documents took too much time clicking through folders and the spreadsheets were often incomplete.

The creators of Wingspan TMF recognized this problem and remedied it by building the system with folderless navigation (the same technology used in DocWay UI). Now, study owners can find specific documents in just one or two clicks, saving time and aggravation.

DIA members have recently recognized this need, formed a SIAC, and set out to create the TMF Reference Model, a manifest of the most common and widely used documents in a Trial Master File. Introduced in February 2011, the Reference Model aims to “provide a single, unified interpretation of the regulations via a document listing which is accepted across the industry.” (Rammell, Eldin, “Rationale for the Model.” Retrieved September 9, 2011 from tmfrefmodel.blogspot.com). While the TMF Reference Model provides organizations with a solid starting point, actual TMF document lists must be modified to fit the individual company’s needs to insure completeness.

Wingspan Technology recently developed a software solution to address the needs of the TMF; moreover, its unique features offer a completely new approach to the Trial Master File. Stay tuned to this blog for more details and information on how Wingspan’s eTMF can make your Trial Master File complete, consistent, and compliant.

We’ll be using this space in a variety of ways: to share our thoughts on industry trends, to explain a bit about our products, and to give you an inside look about what’s going on in our offices. Be sure to check the blog for a first look at the details of Wingspan eTMF, for information and opinions about the pharmaceutical and life sciences industry, and for the transition into the cloud.

In 2011, Wingspan adopted three young families. Our staff members and their families gathered gifts including clothing, gift cards, baby and toddler toys, a pack-and-play, and other essentials to give at Christmas.

For more information about The Center Foundation, visit http://www.thecenterfoundation.org/