The Standard hires Taylor Chipp as associate retirement plan consultant. September 29, 2026 PORTLAND, Ore. - Standard Insurance Company (The Standard) welcomes Taylor Chipp as an associate retirement plan consultant for Retirement Plans. In this role, Chipp will work with advisors, employers and third-party administrators in Orange County and San Diego, California. Chipp has 15 years of experience in financial services and the retirement industry. Her background includes partnering with retirement plan advisors on finalist presentations, online demonstrations and the positioning of product, consulting and education capabilities throughout the sales process. Before joining The Standard, Chipp served as senior vice president of client services at World Investment Advisors. She earned an MBA in finance and a bachelor's degree in accounting from Pepperdine Graziadio Business School. Chipp holds FINRA Series 6 and 63 licenses and earned the Certified Plan Fiduciary Advisor(R) and Accredited Investment Fiduciary(R) designations. "I'm excited to welcome Taylor to The Standard," said Brody Geist, divisional vice president of Retirement Plans Sales. "Having her in this role represents an important investment in our growth and ability to keep pace with demand across the western region. Taylor has strong technical expertise along with thoughtful, candid and collaborative qualities that make her a great fit for our team." About The Standard. Established in 1906, The Standard is a family of companies dedicated to helping customers achieve financial well-being and peace of mind. Standard is a leading provider of financial protection products and services for employers and individual customers. Its products include group and individual disability insurance, group life and accidental death and dismemberment insurance, group dental and group vision insurance, absence management and paid family leave services, retirement plans products and services and annuities for employers and individual customers. For more information about The Standard, visit standard.com and follow Standard on LinkedIn and Instagram. The Standard is the marketing name for StanCorp Financial Group, Inc., and its subsidiaries. StanCorp Equities, Inc., member FINRA, wholesales a group annuity contract issued by Standard Insurance Company and a mutual fund trust platform for retirement plans. Standard Retirement Services, Inc., provides financial recordkeeping and plan administration services. Investment advisory services are provided by StanCorp Investment Advisers, Inc., a registered investment advisor. StanCorp Equities, Inc., Standard Insurance Company, Standard Retirement Services, Inc., and StanCorp Investment Advisers, Inc., are subsidiaries of StanCorp Financial Group, Inc., and all are Oregon corporations. Contact. The Standard Melissa Wilmot 971.403.6984 Send a message Media. Taylor Chipp

Impact Unlimited partners with Independent Media ahead of Impact Unlimited Summit. The Independent and The Standard named official media partners for 30 September summit at Rich Mix, London. Impact Unlimited has announced a new partnership with Independent Media's leading news brands, The Independent and The Standard, ahead of the Impact Unlimited Summit on 30 September. The Impact Unlimited Summit brings together businesses, charities, campaigners, creatives and changemakers to explore how organisations can turn purpose into meaningful impact. As part of the partnership, The Standard will deliver the closing Sporting Chance conversation, featuring David Cohen alongside Greenhouse Sports, exploring the role sport can play in creating opportunity and driving positive social change. Impact Unlimited and Independent Media will also explore how media can help purpose-led organisations build awareness, tell their stories and reach new audiences. Julian Blake, Founder of Impact Unlimited, said: "Independent Advertising is pleased and very excited to partner with Independent Media. The Independent and The Standard have enormous reach, while Impact Unlimited has connections to many of the specialist people and organisations driving positive change. Together, Independent Advertising has huge opportunities to amplify this important agenda through thought leadership, opinion, impact marketing and storytelling, and stories from its Impact Challenge initiative. "We're also delighted to bring Independent Media initiatives into the summit. The Standard's Sporting Chance campaign will feature in a discussion led by David Cohen with leading coach and mentor Jason Sugrue, while The Independent's connection to Missing People has resulted in the charity bringing a real challenge for our community to tackle." Dan Locke, Commercial Strategy Director of Independent Media, said: "Independent Media helps to create a space where organisations can come together to share ideas, build meaningful connections and explore practical ways to increase their positive impact. Doing good is in our DNA at Independent Media, and we passionately believe that we can - and should - all do our bit to make change happen." The partnership will culminate at the Impact Unlimited Summit at Rich Mix in London on 30 September, where The Independent and The Standard branding will feature across the event and online materials. Alongside the Sporting Chance session, the Summit programme will feature a live problem solving challenge for Missing People - a charity which partnered with The Independent for its Christmas campaign last year - as well as sessions bringing together organisations and individuals working across business, culture, sport and the charity sector. Find out more about the summit and register to attend at https://impactunlimited.co.uk/impact-unlimited-summit/

A proud milestone for MiCode: AXA Startup Angel 2026 runner-up. Published 14 Sep 2026 MiCode Updated 14 Sep 2026 MiCode is proud to share that it has been named a runner-up in the AXA Startup Angel Awards 2026, run nationally by AXA in partnership with The Standard. Out of hundreds of businesses and entrepreneurs from across the country, making it through the rigorous selection process to finish as one of the national runners-up is a significant milestone. National recognition and momentum. Reaching this stage provides real validation for MiCode and the core mission: ensuring people can carry their vital medical information and emergency contacts wherever they go. Standing alongside such an impressive group of finalists highlighted the strength of this year's cohort. It was fantastic to meet the other entrepreneurs during the final stages, and the event speakers offered genuinely interesting insights. In particular, former Liverpool goalkeeper Bruce Grobbelar shared a motivating story about persistence and resilience, tying directly into the competition theme of knowing you can keep trying. Read the announcement. The Standard has published full coverage of the winners and runners-up, detailing the journey and the prize packages, which can be read here. Looking forward. This recognition builds valuable momentum for MiCode, but the focus remains firmly ahead. The team is excited to translate this validation into practical steps that help more people access essential medical support when it matters most. Get your MiCode today and keep your vital emergency information accessible wherever you go.