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As the pandemic surged across the United States, the world’s attention quickly turned to the city that never sleeps as it transformed into a coronavirus hotspot. Like many New Yorkers, Australia native and longtime New York resident David A. Collard found himself in a surreal series of events. The difference was that the circumstances surrounding the pandemic compelled him to build a global enterprise from his Manhattan apartment.
Inspired by his observations of despair, loss and devastation that New York City residents, businesses and government officials endured during the pandemic, Collard founded re-open.com, a platform of accessible, data-driven, evidence-based solutions that helps workplaces and facilities re-open safely.
“I sat in my apartment for the first week as reality set in, looking out at empty streets and hearing nothing but the deafening silence that stalked the avenues that, just weeks earlier, were filled with people going about their daily lives,” said Collard, who, pre-pandemic, was winding down a 15-year career climbing the corporate ladder, and closing his chapter as the youngest partner admitted in the New York office of PricewaterhouseCoopers. “I was devastated for my city, I thought, how can we bounce back?”
With the help of his extensive network across an array of industries, Collard knew he could combine his ability to navigate regulations and financial markets to help the city in its time of need.
“I had the choice to return to Australia, but I decided to help both the U.S. and my home country from New York. I’m not a doctor or a scientist, but I’m the son of two teachers who understands business and regulations – I knew I could put my mind to use and make a positive impact.”
Founder & CEO, David A. Collard
Through the re-open.com platform, Collard has made it his mission to re-open the world and usher in a new normal. The following suite of innovative solutions was developed to be utilized by various industries, as well as the education system.
Smart Analytical Model (SAM)
Re-open.com’s web-based predictive procurement tool, Smart Analytical Model (SAM), helps companies and education systems save time and money, and reduce risk through the compliant procurement of high-quality health and safety products.
SAM navigates complex federal and state regulations with just a few clicks, ensuring that public- and private-sector workplaces, schools and nonprofits can procure vetted and compliant products. SAM’s functionality also simplifies the federal funding compliance process, where users in the education system can easily generate a certificate of compliance.
“Many teachers, parents, union officials and other education stakeholders don’t realize how much federal funding has been allocated to education systems to safely re-open. A large portion of it has not been used. It’s this last fact that drove our team to build a quick tool for anyone to check what federal funding has been allocated to each New York school,” Collard says.
Vital Monitoring System (VMS)
Preventing the need for industry shutdowns and expediting a safe return to workplaces and schools is something that can be achieved with re-open.com’s newest product, the Vital Monitoring System (VMS). VMS is a screening tool that can determine, from your mobile device, the risk of COVID-19 and other respiratory illnesses, such as influenza, the common cold and pneumonia. Employees can use the VMS app to answer a few short questions, and input vital metrics like temperature, heart rate and blood oxygen levels.
VMS is designed to be used daily via a scheduled SMS to your phone, to ensure healthy workplace practices and prevent transmission of contagious diseases in private and public spaces.
Like schools, private employers in New York must now comply with the NY HERO Act too, including its health screening requirements. VMS helps reduce workplace transmission as employees can assess their risk before even leaving for work, both now and in the future.
Pandemic Economic Model (PEM)
The Pandemic Economic Model (PEM), an interactive economic modeling solution, provides industry re-opening strategies based on the analysis of official economic data at the federal and state levels.
“Our team made a collective decision to make PEM a free resource for anyone to trial. PEM provides a snapshot into the U.S. and New York economies as well as key industries operating in those markets. People should have all the data available to make more informed decisions. It is also a unique interactive tool for economics or history teachers to use to complement their lessons,” Collard says about PEM.
“This pandemic has been traumatic – there’s no denying it. What matters is that you give what you can and do what you can to restore strength and bring this city back to life,” Collard says.
Join re-open.com as it re-opens New York — and help re-open the world. For more information on how your company or school can benefit from these innovative solutions and compliantly procure health and safety products, please visit re-open.com/nysam.