The Kazakhstan Petroleum Association Advocates for Local Industry

Home-automation and -security professional Amzy Hibler is responsible for handling finance, accounting, and treasury and risk management as the chief financial officer for Technology Guru in Texas. Prior to this position, Amzy Hibler worked in the oil and gas industry and held leadership roles at Chevron Corporation. He also formerly served as the chairman of the finance committee for the Kazakhstan Petroleum Association’s (KPA) Finance & Tax subcommittee, which he helped establish. 

The KPA represents 37 foreign and Kazakhstani oil and gas companies and conducts regular meetings to keep its members informed on industry events and developments. It particularly focuses on fostering exploration and production activity, while facilitating the exchange of non-proprietary information between the government and enterprise member. The organization’s efforts also promote collaboration towards solutions for current problems and the fulfillment of objective among its subcommittees. 

These subcommittees address areas of common interest and provide the KPA with advice on approaching government bodies regarding factors impacting the oil and gas industry. They also work on projects to offer connections to government sectors. The Human Resources and Finances & Tax subcommittees hold bi-annual conferences that allow KPA members to discuss current issues, news, and present or upcoming legislation. The conferences also feature guest speakers from a variety of corporations.

Global Home Automation Market Continues Growing

An experienced leader in the oil and gas industry, Amzy Hibler has spent much of his career working for the Chevron Corporation in positions that include CFO and director of finance. After leaving the energy sector, Amzy Hibler accepted the position of CFO at Technology Guru, a smart home automation company.

The global home automation market has been growing rapidly. The North American and European markets have prompted the growth of related industries, including construction, real estate, and consumer electronics.

Experts believe this growth will continue through 2020 and reach a value of just under $80 billion. The Asia-Pacific region is expected to have the fastest growth, with India becoming one of the world’s top regions in terms of smart city projects. So far, most smart city projects have been limited to the North American and European markets.

Smartphone-based control applications are the primary fuel for the future growth of the home automation market. The ability to monitor and control home appliances from anywhere has drawn the interest of many consumers around the world. Automatic applications are increasingly in demand, particularly among professionals who work away from the home.

The Differences between Common Stock and Preferred Stock

Amzy Hibler, a finance professional with more than 20 years of experience in the oil and gas industry, serves on the executive team of Technology Guru, a home automation and security company based in Texas. In his free time, Amzy Hibler maintains a passion for investing in the stock market.

Two specific types of stock are common stock and preferred stock. Both are worthwhile investments since they grant investors partial ownership of a business and opportunities to profit from the company’s future success.

Common stock grants stockholders the right to vote on corporate issues, including the election of board leaders. In some cases, investors in common stock receive dividend payments for their shares. However, the company’s board of directors can decide how large these dividends are and if they get paid to investors at all.

Conversely, preferred stock is associated with a predetermined dividend. Since these dividends are not affected by the company’s success, preferred stock investors do not vote on corporate matters. 

However, owners of preferred stock get paid before owners of common stock if the company declares bankruptcy. This gives preferred stockholders a better chance of getting some, if not all, of their money back. Because of these features, preferred stock is less volatile than common stock.

Differences Between Short and Long Term Stock Trading

Amzy Hibler, CFO of Technology Guru and former executive and manager with Chevron Corporation, enjoys investing in the stock market in his spare time. Investors like Amzy Hibler often use a mix of both short-term and long-term stock trading. 

In the stock market, any trade in which the investor holds the stock for less than a year is a short-term trade. Short-term traders seek to take advantage of small fluctuations in the market. This form of investing comes with relatively high risk, due to the possibility of a downward short-term fluctuation.

Long-term trading involves holding a stock for more than a year. In long-term trades, the goal is to see the stock's value rise gradually, generally at a pace comparable to the overall market. A general upward trend is more important than individual small-scale fluctuations for long-term traders.

Short-term and long-term trades serve as more than just descriptors of time. These designations carry legal weight and are taxed differently. Long-term stocks, however, enjoy a reduced tax rate under the capital gains tax, short-term stock trading is taxed as regular income. This encourages investors to spend at least some of their money on long-term, economy-stabilizing investments.