Cookie Policy
Effective Date: July 11, 2022
Last Updated: September 3, 2024
The site, www.hamilton-ryker.com (“Site”) is owned and operated by Hamilton-Ryker Group, Inc. (“Company,” “we,” “us,” or “our”). This Website Cookie Policy is intended to tell users (“user(s),” “you,” or “your”) about our Site’s collection, use, and dissemination practices regarding information that users provide to us through our Site or the services offered therein (collectively, the “Services”). This Website Cookie Policy is incorporated into the Privacy Policy by reference.
1. Cookies, Anonymous Identifiers, Web Beacons, and Other Internet Tracking Technology
We utilize Cookies, Anonymous Identifiers, and other Internet tracking technology to collect information from a user’s computer, mobile, or other device.
- A “Cookie” is a data file that is created and stored on your computer’s hard drive when you visit our Services. An “Anonymous Identifier” is a random string of characters that is used for similar reasons as Cookies.
- We use Cookies and Anonymous Identifiers to become more familiar with users through the study of analytics. Some portions of the Services require the use of Cookies for proper function. Anonymous Identifiers can be used where Cookie technology is not available. You may refuse to accept Cookies by activating the appropriate setting on your web browser. If you select this setting, you may be unable to access certain parts of our Services. Unless you have adjusted your browser setting so that it will refuse Cookies, we will issue Cookies when you direct your browser to our Services.
- A “Web Beacon” is an object embedded into a web page or an e-mail that collects various data. A Web Beacon is known by several common terms, such as a web bug, tag, page tag, tracking bug, tracking pixel, pixel tag, web pixel, targeting pixel, re-targeting pixel, and clear gif. Web Beacons are tiny graphics with a unique identifier that may be included on our Services for several purposes, including to deliver or communicate with Cookies, to track and measure the performance of our Services, and to monitor how many visitors view our Services. Unlike Cookies, which are stored on the device, Web Beacons are typically embedded invisibly on web pages or in e-mails. When used within e-mail, for example, a web beacon can track whether a user opens a message, clicks on a link within the e-mail, and similar actions. We also use other, similar Internet tracking technology to monitor a user’s actions coming to our Services, moving through our Services, and after leaving our Services.
2. How We Use Cookies
We use Cookies to track how our users access and use our Services, to learn when and how users visit the Services, to make personalized features and other services available to users, to learn which terms are used, to learn which websites direct users to our Services, to compile and analyze aggregate statistics and trends, and to otherwise help administer and improve the Services. We also use Cookies to help display certain information on the Services and to improve your enjoyment and convenience when using or visiting our Services; for example, by remembering your contact and other information when you access or use the Services. We also use Cookies to facilitate login and access actions to enter a user account. For more information on how we use the information we gather from our users’ activity on the Services, please see our Privacy Policy.
- Specifically, we use strictly necessary Cookies, which allow users to access and use our Services, and which allow us to deliver our Services to users. For example, when a user uses our Services and logs in to his or her user account, we use Session ID Cookies and JavaScript to check Cookies.
- We use performance Cookies that allow us to track usage. This allows us to learn more about how users use the Services so that we make changes and improvements, as necessary.
- We use targeting Cookies that measure the effectiveness of our advertising campaigns and to track sites users have visited so that we can measure the effectiveness of our advertising campaigns.
Please be aware that this Website Cookie Policy does not govern the use of third-party websites or services or providers of third-party services.
3. We Use an Array of Dynamic Cookies on our Website We use an array of dynamic cookies on our website, which we change with certain regularity. We collect non-personal information through our Internet log files, which record data such as browser types, domain names, and other anonymous statistical data involving the use of our Services and products. This information may be used to analyze trends, to administer our Services and products, to monitor the use of our products and Services, and to gather general demographic information. We may link this information to personal information for these and other purposes such as personalizing a user’s experience on our Services and evaluating our Services and products in general.
Privacy Policy
Effective Date: July 11, 2022
Last Updated: September 3, 2024
Introduction
Hamilton-Ryker Group, Inc. and its affiliated and subsidiary entities (collectively “Hamilton-Ryker,” “we,” “us,” or “our”) oversees this website, www.hamilton-ryker.com (the “Site”) and related services (collectively, our “Services”). We have developed this Privacy Policy to inform our users (“user(s),” “you,” or “your”) about how we collect information in the course of providing our Services and conducting our business, how we use the collected information, and your rights with respect to any information we collect. For clarity, this Privacy Policy is only applicable to our Site and Services, and not to any other website that you may be able to access therefrom, each of which may have different data collection and use practices. Please consult the policies of those websites to understand your data privacy rights on those websites.
We ask that you read this Privacy Policy carefully. If you do not agree to be bound by this Privacy Policy, then do not access or use the Site. By accessing and/or using the Services, you accept and agree to be bound by this Privacy Policy. Your use of our Services and any Personal Information you provide through the Services are subject to this Privacy Policy at all times.
If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy, please contact us at support@hamilton-ryker.com.
When you use the Services, we collect the following types of Information:
Non-Personal Information
“Non-Personal Information” means information that does not directly, personally identify you, but provides insights regarding your use of the Site. For example, we collect information about your use of the Site, including but not limited to your IP address, online behavior, Internet connections, mobile, or other device computer equipment, sites or other destinations visited before and after using or accessing the Services, date/time stamps, the time of your visits, content viewed, ads viewed, and other similar information about traffic and usage, as you navigate to, through, and away from our Site, including other clickstream data.
Personal Information
“Personal Information” means information that may identify, relate to, describe, or that could be linked or associated with, you or your household. Personal Information that we collect through the Services may include, but is not limited to, your full name, full physical address, telephone number(s), and email address.
In some jurisdictions, such as certain states within the United States, an IP address may be considered Non-Personal Information. In other jurisdictions, such as in the European Economic Area (the “EEA”), an IP address is considered Personal Information under applicable data protection laws. If this is the case, we process IP addresses for the same purposes as Personal Information under this Privacy Policy.
Personal Information and Non-Personal Information are collectively referenced as “Information.”
Third-Party Social Networking Service(s).
If you choose to access, visit, and/or use any third-party social networking service(s) that may be integrated with our Services, we may receive your Personal Information and other information about you and your computer, mobile, or other device that you have made available to those social networking services, including information about your contacts through those services. Your decision to use a social networking service in connection with our Services is voluntary. However, you should make sure you are comfortable with the information your third-party social networking services may make available by reviewing privacy policies of those providers and/or modifying your privacy settings directly with those networking sites/services.
Where/How We Collect Information
We collect Personal Information and Non-Personal Information about you from a number of sources, as described in greater detail below.
From You
When you register to use our Services, complete online forms or surveys, request to receive information or support, or communicate with us or our representatives, whether through standard mail, email, or telephone, you may provide your information to us.
From Third-Parties
We may obtain Information, including Personal Information, from third parties and sources other than the Services, such as our advertisers, data partners, and service providers. If we combine or associate information from other sources with Personal Information that we collect through the Services, we will treat the combined information as Personal Information in accordance with this Privacy Policy.
Cookies and Other Technology
We also use “cookies” to enhance your use of our Services. A cookie is information either temporarily or permanently stored in a file on your computer. You can set your browser to reject cookies, but that may limit your use of some convenient features of our Service(s). For more information on cookies and how our Services use cookies, please see our Cookie Policy.
How We Use Information
We use Non-Personal Information collected by cookies, web beacons, and other Internet tracking technology to store your preferences, improve website navigation, make personalized features and other services available to you, to generate statistical information, monitor and analyze user traffic and usage patterns, monitor and prevent fraud, investigate complaints and potential violations of our policies, to improve the our content and the products, services, materials, and other content that we describe or make available through the Services, and otherwise help administer and improve the Services.
We may identify you from your Personal Information and merge or co-mingle Personal Information and Non-Personal Information. Except as otherwise stated, we may use Information we collect from you for the legitimate business purpose of providing our Services to you, including, but not limited to the following:
- To fulfill or meet the reason you provided the Personal Information. For example, if you share your name and contact information to ask a question about our Services, we will use that Personal Information to respond to your inquiry.
- To establish and secure accounts to use the Services, check on your account status, and to validate your username, e-mail, password, and/or other login credentials.
- To provide, support, personalize, and develop our Services, including without limitation, to conduct aggregate or research analysis and develop business intelligence that helps us to enhance, improve, evaluate, operate, protect, make informed decisions about, and report on the performance of our Services.
- To communicate information and promotional materials to you, where you have not expressed a preference otherwise, and to send you information and updates about the Services and any changes to relevant agreements, policies, or other terms, and to enforce such terms.
- To work with our service providers, who perform certain business functions or services on our behalf and who are bound by contractual obligations consistent with this Privacy Policy.
- To prevent or investigate fraud, or for risk management purposes, and to help maintain the safety, security, and integrity of our Services, databases and other technology assets, and business.
- To comply with legal obligations, court orders, or in order to exercise any legal claim or to defend against any legal claim.
- To evaluate or conduct a merger, divestiture, restructuring, reorganization, dissolution, or other sale or transfer of some or all of our assets, whether as a going concern or as part of bankruptcy, liquidation, or similar proceeding, in which Personal Information held by us about our consumers is among the assets transferred.
- As otherwise described to you when collecting your Personal Information.
In addition, we may use third‐party e‐mail providers to deliver communications to you. If you no longer want to receive these e-mail communications, you may opt-out of receiving e-mail communications through the “unsubscribe” link or by contacting us at support@hamilton-ryker.com.
We may, from time to time, invite you to participate in online surveys. The information requested in these surveys may include, but is not limited to, your opinions, beliefs, insights, ideas, activities, experience, purchase history, and purchase intent regarding products, events, and Services. The information collected by these surveys is used to research market trends, company growth, community needs, etc. Your input will help us to improve customer experience and shape development of our products and Services.
We may share Non-Personal Information, such as impressions and click data, with business partners and service providers. We do not share your Personal Information with such parties, although we may share traffic and transaction Information with them on an aggregated and anonymized basis. We do not sell or rent Personal Information to marketers or other unaffiliated third parties.
We may share your Personal Information with the following parties:
- Corporate affiliates, including corporate parents, subsidiaries, other affiliated entities, and associated entities, which are required to treat the information in accordance with this Privacy Policy and to use the information only for the purposes described in this Privacy Policy;
- Service providers that help us administer and provide the Services (for example, a web hosting company whose services we use to host our platform). These third-party services providers have access to your Personal Information only for the purpose of performing services on our behalf. We have entered into contractual relationships with these service providers and require them to comply with all applicable information privacy laws and regulations and to use the Information only for the purposes for which it was disclosed. We require that any third-party service providers limit their use of your Information solely to providing services to us and that they maintain the confidentiality, security, and integrity of your Information and not make unauthorized use or disclosure of the Information. A current list of these third parties is available upon request but includes Google Analytics, reCAPTCHA, Google Places, FreshDesk, Facebook, and Instagram;
- Authorized third parties, who are parties directly authorized by you to receive the applicable Information, such as when you authorize a third-party application provider to access your account. The use of your Information by an authorized third party is subject to the third party’s privacy policy, and we are not responsible for any misuse by them of your Information;
- Third parties in the event of any reorganization, merger, sale, joint venture, assignment, transfer or other disposition of all or any portion of our business, assets or stock (including in connection with any bankruptcy or similar proceedings), in which case we will require the recipient to use such information in accordance with this Privacy Policy;
- As we believe necessary: (i) under applicable law; (ii) to enforce applicable terms and conditions; (iii) to protect our rights, privacy, safety or property, and/or that of our affiliates, you, or others; (iv) to detect, prevent, or otherwise address fraud, security or technical issues; (v) to respond to claims that contact information (e.g. name, e-mail address, etc.) of a third-party has been posted or transmitted without their consent or as a form of harassment; and (vi) to respond to requests from courts, law enforcement agencies, regulatory agencies, and other public and government authorities, which may include authorities outside your country of residence; and
- Pursuant to your express consent.
Information Security
We take reasonable steps online and offline to safeguard the Personal Information that you provide to us. We will ensure our corporate IT and infrastructure assets are protected from cyber-attacks to ensure continuance of operation, decrease the risk of sustaining a data breach, and keep corporate and personal information private and secure, including:
- Train Employees in Basic Security Principles. We communicate requirements and guidance for building strong passwords and establish internet use guidelines that detail penalties for violating corporate cyber security policies.
- Install Antivirus Software. We will ensure corporate antivirus software is up to date and set to scan the device after each update.
- Enable or Install Firewall. We will ensure that every digital device used by employees has a firewall installed to prevent outsiders from accessing data on the corporate network.
- Create Security Requirements for Mobile Devices. We will require employees to password-protect their devices, encrypt their data, and install approved security apps.
- Control Physical Access to IT Devices.
- Employee laptops should be locked and password protected when not in use.
- Assign each employee their own user account.
- Ensure only trusted IT staff and key personnel should have administrative privileges.
- Secure WiFi Network. We ensure our corporate Wi-Fi networks are secure, encrypted, and hidden. We will password protect access to the corporate Wi-Fi router and change the password as needed.
While we endeavor to protect your Information, it is common knowledge that transmission of information via the internet is not wholly secure, and we cannot guarantee the security of your Personal Information, or any other information, transmitted to or through our Site or Services. Any transmission of Personal Information, or other information, is at your own risk. By using our Site and/or Service, you acknowledge and accept these risks.
If you have any questions about security on our Services, or if you become aware of any unauthorized use of an account, loss of your account credentials, or suspect a security breach, notify us immediately via email at support@hamilton-ryker.com. If our security system is breached, we will notify you of the breach to the extent required under applicable law.
We retain the Personal Information we receive as described in this Privacy Policy for as long as you use our Services or as necessary to fulfill the purpose(s) for which it was collected, provide our products and services, resolve disputes, establish legal defenses, conduct audits, pursue legitimate business purposes, enforce our agreements, and comply with applicable laws.
Additional Information for California Residents
California Civil Code Section 1798.83 permits California residents to request and obtain a list of what Personal Information (if any) we disclosed to third parties for direct marketing purposes in the preceding calendar year and the names and addresses of those third parties. Requests may be made only once a year and are free of charge. Under Section 1798.83, California residents are entitled to request and obtain such information, by e-mailing a request to support@hamilton-ryker.com. For more information regarding these rights, please see our Privacy Notice for California Residents.
Additional Information for EEA Residents
EEA residents whose Personal Information we have collected (“Data Subjects”) may have additional rights respecting their Personal Information, including rights to specific disclosures and rights to control their Personal Information. Please see below for more information.
- Legal Bases for Processing Your Information
We process your Personal Information for the purposes set forth in Section 4, above, on the bases further described below.
- For Legitimate Interests. We may use your Personal Information for the legitimate business purpose of providing our Services to you. For example, we use your Personal Information to administer the Services, help diagnose problems with our Services and provide support, to communicate information to you, to improve our Services and customize our Services to your preferences, to work with our service providers, to show you content and sponsored messaging, to prevent or investigate fraud or to comply with legal obligations, and for other purposes identified to you and as requested by you.
- Performance of a Contract. If you have agreed to our terms of use, or other terms of service, and you have created an account, signed up for a subscription, or entered into a contest or sweepstakes, we may also use your information to establish your account to use the Services, validate your account credentials, respond to your requests, provide you with merchandise or services you have requested, notify you of contest or sweepstakes results, and to notify you of any changes to relevant agreements or policies.
- Consent. If we have obtained your consent, we may also share your information with our corporate parents, subsidiaries, other affiliated entities, and associated entities for the purposes described in this Privacy Policy or use and use your Personal Information to process any request or transaction you make, send email and postal mail to provide you with updates and news, and to otherwise process your Personal Information and Non-Personal Information as described throughout this Privacy Policy and as consented to by you.
- Your Choices, Access, and Rights to Your Personal Information
Data Subjects may have the following rights and options with regard to accessing, reviewing, correcting, and updating their Personal Information:
- Right to Access. We respect your right to access and control your information, and we will respond to requests for information and, where applicable, will correct, amend, or delete your Personal Information.
- How to Access Your Personally Identifiable Information. You may choose to access or update Personal Information, by logging into the account you have created with our Service(s), if applicable.
- Access to Personal Information. You may choose to access your Personal Information by contacting us and requesting access, a process which shall include our identity verification procedures. Before providing data to you, we will ask for proof of identity and sufficient information about your interaction with us so that we can locate any relevant data. We may also charge you a fee for providing you with a copy of your data (except where this is not permissible under local law).
- Updating Communications Preferences (Opt-Out) and Unsubscribing. You may choose to receive promotional offers, newsletters, and similar communications from us regarding our products and services and the products and services of our affiliated organizations. You may opt out of receiving such communications from us by communicating your preferences to us at support@hamilton-ryker.com, or in the case of e-mails, by following the unsubscribe instructions contained in the applicable e-mail.
- Right to Rectify — Correction and Deletion. Citizens of some jurisdictions, including the EEA, have the right to correct or amend their Personal Information if it is inaccurate or requires updating. You may also have the right to request deletion of your Personal Information; however, this is not always possible due to legal requirements and other obligations and factors. Remember that you can update your account information by contacting us at support@hamilton-ryker.com.
- Right to Erasure / Be Forgotten. Data Subjects may have the right to request that we delete your Personal Information in certain circumstances, such as if holding the Personal Information is no longer necessary or if part of your Right to Object (below). Please note that if you request erasure of your account, we, in complying with your request, shall also delete any and all research data that has been submitted to us through our Services. It is your responsibility at all times to ensure that you are in compliance with all applicable rules, policies, and regulations at the institutional, administrative, and federal levels regarding retention of research data, including, but not limited to, United States regulations governing retention and disposal of research records.
- Right to Object. Data Subjects may have the right to object to the use of Personal Information for direct marketing uses, scientific uses, or historical research. If you do not wish to have your Personal Information shared with third parties, contact our Data Protection Officer as described at the end of this document. If you do not wish to receive future commercial messages from us, simply follow the unsubscribe instructions contained within the message you receive. (But note that you may continue to receive certain communications from us, such as transactional or relationship messages, and/or messages about your account/profile).
- Right to Restrict Processing. Citizens of some jurisdictions, including the EEA, have the right to request that we stop processing their Personal Information.
- Right to Data Portability. A Data Subject has the right to request that we provide your Personal Information for the purpose of sharing it with another service provider (through a secure process).
- Filing a Complaint. A Data Subject who is not satisfied with how we manage your Personal Information has the right to make a complaint to a data protection regulator. A list of National Data Protection Authorities can be found here: http://ec.europa.eu/justice/data-protection/bodies/authorities/index_en.htm.
- Geographic Information Transfers
If you are located outside of the United States, please be aware that your Information will be transferred to, processed, and stored in the United States, where it will be treated in accordance with this Privacy Policy and applicable privacy laws in the United States and the EU. These laws may be different from the privacy laws in your country and with regard to which an adequacy decision by the European Commission does not exist.
However, this does not change our commitments to safeguarding your privacy, and we will comply with all applicable laws relating to cross-border data disclosure of your Personal Information. Where required, we implement Standard Contractual Clauses with our third parties pursuant to the requirements of the General Data Protection Regulation (EU) 2016/679 (the “GDPR”), and you may request a copy of the Standard Contractual Clauses by emailing us at support@hamilton-ryker.com. Where we receive requests for information from law enforcement or regulators, we carefully validate these requests before disclosing any Personal Information.
- Data Protection Officer
Please see below for information regarding our appointed Data Protection Officer.
If you have an inquiry regarding your Personal Information, pursuant to the rights listed in the preceding section (above), please send your message to the following:
Angela Friedli-Smith
Director of Operations
Attention: Website Inquiry
E-mail: support@hamilton-ryker.com
The Site may contain links to other sites that are not operated by us. If you click on a third-party link, you will be directed to that third party’s site. Such links do not constitute an endorsement by us of those other websites, their content or services, or the persons or entities associated with those websites. This Privacy Policy does not apply to third-party websites. We have no control over, and assume no responsibility for, the content, privacy policies, or practices of any third-party sites or services. We encourage you to review the privacy policies and terms of all third-party websites or services that you may visit.
We do not sell products or services for purchase by anyone under the age of thirteen (13). In accordance with the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (“COPPA”), we will never knowingly request or solicit Personal Information from anyone under the age of thirteen (13) without verifiable parental consent. In the event that we receive actual knowledge that we have collected such Personal Information without the requisite and verifiable parental consent, we will delete that information from our database as quickly as is practical. We reserve the right to request proof of age at any stage so that we can verify that minors are not using the Service(s).
We reserve the right to modify and update this Privacy Policy at any time by posting an amended version of the statement on our Site. Please refer to this Privacy Policy regularly. If at any time we decide to use Personal Information in a manner different from that stated at the time it was collected, we will notify you either on the panel home page of our Site or via e-mail.
Because protecting your privacy is important to us, you may always submit concerns regarding our Privacy Policy on the contact us page. We will attempt to respond to all reasonable concerns and inquiries expeditiously.
If you have any questions or comments about our Privacy Policy, please contact us at:
By e-mail: support@hamilton-ryker.com
By telephone: (615) 291-2000
By regular mail: Hamilton-Ryker Group, Inc.
Attn: Director of Operations
325 Bridge Street Franklin, TN 37064