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Enjoy deals and discounts with the Company that has celebrated mothers and strong, passionate women since 1955
LAKEWOOD, Colo., May 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Moms have a special place at Natural Grocers®. After all, the leading family-operated organic and natural grocery retailer in the U.S. was co-founded by Margaret Isely – a nurturing, passionate, progressive mother, mother-in-law, grandmother and great grandmother. Natural Grocers will be thanking all the moms out there with Mother's Day deals, gifts, recipes and more, throughout May.
NATURAL GROCERS' ORIGINAL MOTHER: MARGARET ISELY
With the current nationwide store count of 162 locations, it might surprise some to know that Natural Grocers started sixty-seven years ago with one woman's quest for health empowerment. In 1955, shortly after the birth of Margaret and Philip Isely's second child, Margaret became ill. When conventional approaches did not provide adequate relief, she turned to the Nutrition Education mavericks of the time. With the implementation of eating nutrient-dense, natural foods and taking dietary supplements, she saw remarkable benefits. This became the foundation for a dream: that everyone should have access to nutrition education and live in a healthy, regenerating environment.
Borrowing $200 to help feed the family and put gas in the car, Margaret and Philip went door-to-door in Golden, Colorado, lending out books on nutrition and giving out samples of whole grain bread. They would return a week or so later, discuss nutrition and take orders for supplements, bread, and other natural nourishing whole foods. Margaret's passion spread throughout the community and the original store, (still operating) opened circa 1958, on the now iconic, West Colfax Avenue.
Margaret's zeal continues as Natural Grocers seeks to empower healthier communities through knowledge, access and world-class customer-service all over the United States. Additionally, women continue to have a strong leadership presence within Natural Grocers.[i]
- 48% of store managers and 50% of assistant store managers are women.
- 51% of director-level managers and above are women.
MOTHER'S DAY DEALS, GIFTS AND RECIPES FROM NATURAL GROCERS
With an origin story like this, it stands to reason that Natural Grocers customers are invited to celebrate and pamper moms in a cost-effective fashion this May.
- May 6 – 8: Customers will have the opportunity to save on special Mother's Day deals and gifts over the weekend.[ii] With savings up to 43% off, these Always Affordablesm gifts are even more economical.
- April 29 – May 21: Shoppers can get additional savings on groceries, supplements and gifts.[iii]
{N}POWER FAMILY PERKS
Members of {N}power®, Natural Grocers' free loyalty program, will have access to additional Mother's Day promotions on groceries and gifts throughout the store, including:
- May 6 – 8: {N}power members will receive a FREE 3-ounce Theo® Chocolate Bar. Limit 1 per {N}power account, while supplies last.[iv]
- Through May 21: {N}power members can enjoy discounts on quality ingredients for an affordable brunch with a Natural Grocers good4u® Meal Deal. Feed a family of six for under $15 with Sausage Egg Bites vegetarian options under $16).[v]
GIFT OF NUTRITIONAL COACHING + $5 COUPON
For those looking for one more gift idea for mom, (or themselves) Natural Grocers invites its customers to book a FREE, one-hour in-person, phone or video nutritional health coaching session and earn a $5 Natural Grocers coupon.[vi]
- Book a session with a Nutritional Health Coach.
- Sign up to join {N}power here: https://www.naturalgrocers.com/join
- Follow Natural Grocers on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for recipes, tips, local events and discount reminders.
- For media requests and/or press inquiries, please contact media@naturalgrocers.com.
ABOUT NATURAL GROCERS BY VITAMIN COTTAGE
Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage, Inc. (NYSE: NGVC) is an expanding specialty retailer of natural and organic groceries, body care products, and dietary supplements. The products sold by Natural Grocers must meet strict quality guidelines and may not contain artificial colors, flavors, preservatives or sweeteners, or partially hydrogenated or hydrogenated oils. The Company sells only USDA-certified organic produce and exclusively pasture-raised, non-confinement dairy products, and free-range eggs. Natural Grocers' flexible smaller-store format allows it to offer affordable prices in a shopper-friendly, clean, and convenient retail environment. The Company also provides extensive free science-based Nutrition Education programs to help customers make informed health and nutrition choices. The Company, founded in 1955, has 162 stores in 20 states. Visit www.NaturalGrocers.com for more information and store locations.
[i] As reported in the Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage, Inc. 2021 Environmental, Social and Governance Report. Natural Grocers reports and other filings with the SEC are available, free of charge at http://investors.naturalgrocers.com
[ii] Offers are available for in store purchases at participating Natural Grocers stores. Quantity limited to stock on hand; no rainchecks. Natural Grocers reserves the right to correct errors. Void where prohibited by law.
[iii] Unless otherwise noted, offers are available only from 4/29/22 to 5/21/22 and are redeemable only for in-store customer purchases at participating stores. Quantity limited to stock on hand, no rainchecks. Unless otherwise noted, all discounts are on regular prices, cannot be redeemed for store credit or cash, or combined with other offers. Pricing excludes taxes and is subject to change without notice. Natural Grocers reserves the right to correct errors. Void where prohibited by law.
[iv] Offers are available for in store purchases at participating Natural Grocers stores. Limit 1 per {N}power account. Quantity limited to stock on hand; no rainchecks.
[v] {N}power® offers are available only to registered members and are subject to program terms and conditions available at www.naturalgrocers.com/npower. Natural Grocers' loyalty program is free to join and offers exclusive discounts, digital coupons, rewards benefits, and other members-only features. To join {N}power, visit www.naturalgrocers.com/join or text 'organic' to 72345.
[vi] No purchase necessary. Coupon is redeemable only for in-store purchases at participating Natural Grocers stores. Promotion subject to change without notice. Natural Grocers reserves the right to correct errors. Void where prohibited by law. Minimum $5 purchase required.
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SOURCE Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage, Inc. | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/05/04/happy-mothers-day-natural-grocers/ | 2022-05-04T19:59:11Z |
The Company announced their acquisition of KOZ Water on June 14, 2022 and has exceeded all expectations on streamlining their acquisition to production process.
WESTON, Fla., June 21, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Golden Grail Technology (OTC: GOGY) www.GoldenGrailBeverages.com is a fast-growing company with a strategic mission to innovate, build and streamline the growth of its beverage portfolio through fiscally responsible investing is pleased to announce record time from KOZ Water acquisition to KOZ Water new production run. The Company announced their acquisition of KOZ Water on June 14, 2022 and has exceeded all expectations on streamlining their acquisition to production process.
Golden Grail Beverages is experiencing phenomenal growth. This growth has been driven by the success of its management team executing on their mission of building their beverage portfolio through fiscally responsible investing. To date the company has six brands, and has entered into new production runs for Spider Energy, Tickle Water Sketch Can, Cause Water and KOZ Water, ramping up for sales.
The Company plans to partner with strategic distributors, sell directly to influential retailers and anticipates a big increase in revenue as distributors place orders to support the rollout.
"I am excited to report to our shareholders that the Company has improved our already streamlined operational process of acquisition, assessment, production and sales. With our most recent acquisition of KOZ Water we broke our record with the fastest turnaround time from acquisition to production and what that means is faster timelines to sales. We are thrilled with our past year's progress and maintaining this level of execution is a huge testament to the success of our team who have an ongoing commitment to increase shareholder value," Steven Hoffman, CEO, Golden Grail Tech Beverages.
Golden Grail Technology (OTC: GOGY) www.GoldenGrailBeverages.com is a fast-growing company with a strategic mission to innovate, build and streamline the growth of its beverage portfolio through fiscally responsible investing. The company targets brands that have a proven sales history, loyal consumer following, retail presence and strong value proposition who need assistance to get to the next few levels. Golden Grail has been actively acquiring brands within emerging and growing beverage categories. Our robust product offerings include Spider Energy Drink, Trevi Fruit Essence Water, Tickle Water for kids, Sketch Can for Tweens, Cause Water & KOZ Water helping reduce global plastic pollution and Scorpion Energy Hemp/CBD.
After an acquisition, the company utilizes a series of operational technologies to apply its business expertise, fiscal techniques and various manufacturing processes know-how to improve the economics and performance of each brand while advancing marketing and distribution for its beverage brands. The company's focus on sophisticated management and development of beverage brands, coupled with its rapidly growing and recognizable portfolio of healthy, functional beverages sets Golden Grail apart as a leader in acquiring and advancing existing beverage brands.
For more information on Golden Grail Technology Beverages (OTC: GOGY) visit
www.GoldenGrailBeverages.com https://www.facebook.com/GoldenGrailTechBeverages https://twitter.com/golden_grail
KOZ Water is a premium purified and pH balanced water packaged in completely plastic-free 12oz and 16oz cans. KOZ Water has had much success on Amazon and on the West Coast.
For more information visit: https://kozwater.com/
https://www.facebook.com/kozwater
https://www.instagram.com/kozwater/
Cause Water is Pristine Mountain Spring Water with a Cause
Cause Water has three key initiatives be a vessel for change, do your part and encouraging consumers to join the cause, by drinking Cause Water. A fully recyclable aluminum bottle and cap supports its core mission of plastic reduction and ocean preservation. Cause Water can be found in high-end, influential natural food stores along the West Coast.
For more information visit:
https://www.facebook.com/CauseWaterBeverage
https://www.instagram.com/cause_water/
https://twitter.com/_CauseWater
Tickle Water is a premium sparkling water company dedicated to providing honest and clean hydration. Tickle Water is the first sparkling water in the market created specifically for children, yet enjoyed by all ages, complete with delicious flavors and a recyclable can, making it the perfect beverage for any occasion. Every can of Tickle Water is simply made with premium sparkling water and natural flavors without artificial ingredients, sugar, sodium, or preservatives.
For more information visit http://www.drinkticklewater.com
https://www.facebook.com/drinkticklewater
'Sketch Can' - The first and only 'sketch can' features a personalization space and a social media hash tag to invite Tickle fans to interact with the brand by drawing on the can and then sharing their custom can on Tik Tok. 'Sketch Can' provides kids with a brand they can call their own. It is a healthy premium sparkling water and natural flavors without artificial ingredients, sugar, sodium, or preservatives. 'Sketch Can' comes in a fully recyclable package, in two delicious flavors Watermelon and Sour Green Apple. Kids won't be able to resist the urge to sip and sketch.
Trevi Essence Water is a true clean-label beverage with a superior flavor that stays true to the fruit. Trevi has zero sugar, zero calories, no preservatives, no artificial ingredients, gluten free, vegan, kosher and diet friendly. Trevi comes in four delicious flavors Mango Orange, Coconut Lime, Peach and Grapefruit.
For more information visit www.DrinkTrevi.com
https://www.facebook.com/DrinkTrevi
Spider Energy Drink is packed with serious energy. This formula is the perfect balance of energy boosting B-vitamins, Taurine, Guarana, Ginseng, Key Levels of Amino Acids and herbal extracts. Made with 100% real sugar, Spider Energy is known as one of the best tasting with a fresh-citrus, smooth and refreshing flavor, without the medicinal aftertaste associated with most energy drinks.
For more information visit https://spiderenergydrink.com/
https://www.facebook.com/SpiderEnergyDrink
https://www.instagram.com/spiderenergydrink/
Forward-Looking Statements:
This press release includes forward-looking statements concerning the future performance of our business, its operations and its financial performance and condition, and also includes selected operating results presented without the context of accompanying financial results. These forward-looking statements include, among others, statements with respect to our objectives and strategies to achieve those objectives, as well as statements with respect to our beliefs, plans, expectations, anticipations, estimates or intentions. These forward-looking statements are based on our current expectations. We caution that all forward-looking information is inherently uncertain and actual results may differ materially from the assumptions, estimates or expectations reflected or contained in the forward-looking information, and that actual future performance will be affected by a number of factors, including economic conditions, technological change, regulatory change and competitive factors, many of which are beyond our control. Therefore, future events and results may vary significantly from what we currently foresee. We are under no obligation (and we expressly disclaim any such obligation) to update or alter the forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
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SOURCE Golden Grail Technology Corp | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/06/21/golden-grail-tech-declares-record-time-acquisition-production/ | 2022-06-21T12:07:28Z |
Airfare scams are cashing in on canceled flights, BBB says
(Gray News) - Scammers are taking advantage of the increase in flight cancelations with new cons, according to the Better Business Bureau.
In one scheme, scammers are creating fake websites for cheap flights with a major airline, the BBB explained.
Consumers book the flight either online or by calling a customer support number, but shortly after making the payment, the company calls, saying there’s been a sudden price increase or an extra charge needed to finalize the booking.
The BBB said this is something a legitimate company would never do.
In a similar con, the original flight was real, but the cancellation notice is fake, according to the BBB.
The consumer gets an email or text claiming an upcoming flight was canceled and providing a phone number to rebook and get a new ticket – for a fee.
When following up with real airline support, however, consumers discover nothing was wrong with the original flight.
“I thought that I bought airline tickets with United Airlines through a company that sells at discounted prices. They called me shortly after I bought my tickets and said that the flight had been canceled. They wanted permission to put me on another flight with Southwest and said it would be $80 extra,” a victim told BBB Scam Tracker.
“It turned out that United Airlines never canceled a flight. I tried to call this company and leave a message, and I tried to email them to no avail. It turns out that the airlines were unaware of this ticket purchase.”
The BBB offered the following tips to avoid travel scams:
- Do your research.
- Double check flight details before calling support.
- Confirm the URL before entering personal and payment information.
- Be wary of third-party websites. Some websites appear to offer a legitimate service but are only fronts for a scam.
- Make online purchases with your credit card since they can usually be disputed.
If you’ve been a victim of an airline ticket or other travel scam, please report your experience at BBB.org/ScamTracker.
Copyright 2022 Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. | https://www.kxii.com/2022/08/01/airfare-scams-are-cashing-canceled-flights-bbb-says/ | 2022-08-01T17:25:59Z |
BEIRUT (AP) — Lebanon’s central bank lifted its remaining subsidies on fuel on Monday, gas station owners said, ending a year-long process of scaling back on the expensive program.
The Central Bank over a year ago announced it would gradually lift fuel subsidies, to slow down the draining of its foreign exchange reserves. Fuel subsidies once cost the cash-strapped country some $3 billion annually. Last week, it subsidized just 20% of the cost of fuel imports.
Lebanon is in the throes of a crippling economic crisis that has plunged three-quarters of its population into poverty and decimated the value of the Lebanese pound against the dollar by around 90 percent. The World Bank has described the collapse as one of the worst in the world in the last 150 years.
Now, gas station owners will price fuel at the country’s “parallel market rate” — also known as the black market rate, Gas Station Owners’ Syndicate spokesperson George Brax told The Associated Press.
The local currency is still officially pegged at 1,500 Lebanese pounds to the U.S. dollar, but now trades at about 35,250 pounds at the black market rate.
A liter of 95 octane gasoline currently cost just less than a dollar, but topping up the average car costs almost the monthly minimum wage. The black market rate heavily fluctuates with little transparency, possibly risking arbitrary price hikes regardless of global fuel prices.
Under the subsidies program, the Central Bank would allow importers to exchange Lebanese pounds for US dollars to fund imports and keep prices stable. However, with Lebanon’s currency devaluation and skyrocketing inflation, gas station owners claimed the stable pricing was not sustainable, while security agencies struggled to crack down on fuel hoarding in warehouses and gas stations.
Lebanese authorities for years have also been working to replace subsidies on fuel, medicine, and wheat with a targeted cash-assistance program which would cost a small fraction annually. However, it has scrambled to properly implement the program since receiving a World Bank loan to fund it a year ago, targeting hundreds of thousands of families in need and ultimately leaving them without any safety net to soften the blow of price hikes.
Lebanon is scrambling to reform its wasteful and unproductive economy to reach a deal with the International Monetary Fund for a bailout program, and unlock billions of dollars in loans and aid from the international community. But a tug-of-war between the government, Central Bank, commercial banks, and private businesses has held the country down from making substantial progress with the IMF since negotiations began over two years ago.
The tiny Mediterranean country’s economic crisis over the past three years is the result of decades of corruption, wasteful spending, and nefarious financial planning at the hands of its ruling political parties and partners in the private sector. | https://cw33.com/news/international/ap-international/ap-lebanon-central-bank-lifts-all-expensive-fuel-subsidies/ | 2022-09-12T23:52:25Z |
The countdown to Pride Month will be celebrated nationwide through a digital telethon program simulcast across Instagram, TikTok, Youtube, and on Inviz.tv.
LOS ANGELES, May 31, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Inviz.tv, an Invisible Narratives company, today announces the first-ever "Pride Eve" celebration, an annual holiday to celebrate and countdown to Pride Month.
To launch the first-ever Pride Eve, Inviz.tv has partnered with over 100 creators, influencers, and artists, reaching an audience of millions, to establish one day for members of the LGBTQ+ community and allies to come together - no matter where they are located - to celebrate Pride as one.
Inviz.tv is partnering with Jake Webb, President and Founder of Slash Studios and Range Media Partners to produce a simulcast "digital telethon" to reach the LGBTQ+ community and allies nationwide. Inviz.tv will be joined in the simulcast by over a dozen of the creators, influencers, and artists who have participated in the campaign to launch Pride Eve - many of whom will be streaming the broadcast at the same time directly to their fans through their social media channels.
Viewers can tune in tonight at 5 PM PST / 8 PM EST on Inviz.tv, their Youtube, Instagram, and TikTok accounts, or through the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation ("GLAAD") Instagram.
This year, Inviz.tv and its partners are asking: Who will you #RaiseYourFlag for? In addition to the Pride Eve celebration, creators, influencers, and artists are powering the digital telethon to support organizations fighting for the LGBTQ+ community. Over 20 different Pride flags representing the LGBTQ+ community are available for purchase at Inviz.tv. The #RaiseYourFlag campaign will continue throughout the month of June, with all donations and proceeds supporting GLAAD, The Trevor Project, and Project Contrast.
"Our goal at Invisible Narratives, and that of our partners, is for May 31st this year, and every year going forward, to become a nationwide celebration of love and acceptance," said Catherine McEvoy, Co-President of Invisible Narratives. "When this concept was in its early stages, we could never have imagined the talent that has shown up and continues to show up - not only to support this initiative but to take a stand against hate. Not to mention the reach they'd have. It is because of this momentum we are confident Pride Eve will become an annual holiday where we support the LGBTQ+ community as a nation."
Invisible Narratives will also be hosting an in-person VIP event to celebrate Pride Eve, with the creators, influencers, and artists who are championing the cause. DJ Alex Chapman will perform live at this first-ever celebration tonight at Poppy Nightclub in West Hollywood where the stars will countdown to Pride Month together.
To learn more about Pride Eve and to #RaiseYourFlag visit Inviz.tv.
Founded by former DreamWorks and Paramount Pictures Executive, Adam Goodman, Invisible Narratives is a next-generation shopping and entertainment company. Sitting at the intersection of the creator economy, the crypto economy, and the entertainment business, Invisible Narratives is designed for today's audience, one that does not want to pay for content but to invest in people, culture, and drops.
Media Contact
Caroline Beckmann
cbeckmann@tridentdmg.com
202-440-1783
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SOURCE Invisible Narratives | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/05/31/inviztv-establishes-may-31st-first-annual-pride-eve-celebration/ | 2022-05-31T19:58:14Z |
The company's patient activation technology, combined with PatientBond's proven psychographic segmentation, will create a single enterprise solution to tackle healthcare's "one size fits all" approach with personalized patient communication
CHICAGO and SALT LAKE CITY, Aug. 18, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Patient engagement and access platform Upfront announced today the acquisition of PatientBond, the leader in consumer science for healthcare, creating a single enterprise technology solution to drive patient acquisition and loyalty.
Upfront's pioneering technology ensures every patient completes necessary care. Since 2016, the company has supported millions of patients through its market-leading digital platform, now serving more than 4,000 locations. With many health systems focused on capturing the 'digital front door,' Upfront now extends well beyond that position by engaging, guiding, and activating patients from their first interaction across the entire continuum of care.
PatientBond has a substantial presence in urgent care, payer, and life sciences networks, a benefit that pushes Upfront to the forefront of patient navigation innovation across the entire healthcare industry.
This powerful strategic union is a result of Upfront's commitment to tackling healthcare's mounting challenges around technology fragmentation, a complex friction point for health systems as providers are overburdened and patients fall between the cracks due to siloed communication.
Currently, 72 percent of consumers indicated that technology is important for managing their health, yet patient engagement levels remain staggeringly low.
Driven by consumers' desire for personalized healthcare journeys, patients increasingly expect providers to deliver the same digital touchpoints and user-friendly navigation they experience in other industries. In turn, provider organizations are scrambling to find cohesive digital health solutions to attract and retain patients, supporting their ongoing healthcare journeys.
Upfront's acquisition of PatientBond includes the company's exhaustively proven healthcare-centric psychographic segmentation model, built through more than 100 million data points collected from proprietary market research, enabling Upfront to accelerate patient activation capabilities through proactive and personalized communications.
Psychographics incorporate people's attitudes, personalities, and lifestyles to determine their motivations and communications preferences. The method was first developed as a tool of market research and driven by CPG brands.
The acquisition accelerates Upfront's delivery of their next-generation personalization platform. Combined with Upfront's omnichannel communications capabilities, PatientBond's robust consumer insights build and expand loyal patient-provider relationships to influence positive behavioral changes, resulting in improved patient acquisition, retention, and experience.
"We are two like-minded companies relentlessly committed to enabling all patients to get the care that they need," said Ben Albert, CEO and co-founder of Upfront. "The provider landscape is changing and access is getting more difficult and confusing for patients. Together we will not only strengthen our clients' abilities to attract new patients but also simplify access by proactively engaging and guiding all patients to ultimately improve long-term loyalty."
By understanding how a patient prefers to communicate, healthcare organizations can determine the best route to meet the needs of patients and influence consumer behaviors, said PatientBond CEO Justin Dearborn, who will continue in a leadership role on Upfront's board of directors.
"Healthcare providers can no longer utilize a 'one size fits all' approach to consumer health," Dearborn added. "Personalized engagement requires a deep understanding of patients' motivations and preferred communication channels. We're not only enhancing member and patient experiences but ultimately empowering patient success. We couldn't be more thrilled to join Upfront in their mission to change our industry."
With its strong growth and financial position, the continued expansion of Upfront's leadership and operations teams is central to its growth strategy. Today, more than 200 Upfront employees are committed to advancing the company's mission to drive patient success and maximize health outcomes.
Joshua Klein of Neal Gerber Eisenberg, LLP acted as legal counsel to Upfront.
Upfront is a mission-driven healthcare company, delivering tangible outcomes to leading healthcare systems and provider groups. Our patient communication and engagement platform makes each patient feel seen, guiding their care experience through personalized digital outreach. The backbone of the Upfront experience is our data engine, which analyzes clinical, sociodemographic, and patient-reported data. These insights allow us to individually activate patients to complete necessary care, show up for visits, and close any gaps in care. We are rooted in partnership, leveraging best-in-class healthcare expertise to maximize the impact of our technology and deliver a next-generation patient experience. To learn more, visit www.upfronthealthcare.com.
PatientBond was founded by leaders in digital health and consumer engagement, and consumer product executives from P&G who realized that the rise of consumerism in healthcare means that providers and other healthcare stakeholders must take a "digital first" approach to building loyal patient relationships. PatientBond's mission is to leverage Healthcare Consumer Insights and Innovative Technology Solutions to help its clients build a tighter bond with their patients and members to improve health outcomes, increase revenue and reduce costs. PatientBond is growing rapidly, as recognized by Inc. 5000 and Financial Times. To learn more about PatientBond, visit www.patientbond.com.
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SOURCE Upfront Healthcare | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/08/18/upfront-acquires-patientbond-expands-capabilities-market-leading-personalized-patient-access-engagement-platform/ | 2022-08-18T18:44:01Z |
Utility NFT to Offer Real World Perks, Including Entry to Circa's Summer Bash, the First Vegas Party Exclusive to NFT Holders
LAS VEGAS , June 15, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Downtown Las Vegas' Circa Resort & Casino is rolling out the neon carpet for future holders of its Vegas Vickie NFT. The minting of this utility NFT will take place soon and launch with four original collections by prolific artist Jason "Borbay" Borbet of the iconic kicking cowgirl neon sign, Vegas Vickie. In addition to owning these distinctive digital collectibles, benefits include access to fun-filled VIP experiences at Circa including an invitation to Vegas' first event exclusively for NFT holders, the Vegas Vickie NFT Summer Bash, August 1-3.
Featuring four unique collections, each tier of the Vegas Vickie NFT will showcase the 26-ft. tall blonde cowgirl in various styles. This will range from the 1/1 sole digital copy of Borbay's original painting plus a glass print of the work; 54 iterations of Vegas Vickie that resemble a full deck of cards (jokers are always wild!); 250 versions inspired by slot machine icons; and 2,500 works designed to emulate a poker chip.
Not only will the holders of the Vegas Vickie NFT possess a piece of timeless history, they also will be able to participate in a variety of perks at Circa and become eligible for ongoing gamification. Every level of NFT holder will be invited to party it up at the Vegas Vickie NFT Summer Bash celebration. This three-day getaway will be filled with surprises and activations, including a party at Circa's rooftop aquatheater, Stadium Swim, and an exclusive welcome bag.
"When Borbay approached us about turning Vegas Vickie into an NFT, we knew we wanted it to go beyond the digital space and have real-world benefits," said Jeff Victor, Vice President of Operations at Circa Resort & Casino. "We're excited to host the first major Vegas event exclusively for the NFT community. Our first Summer Bash is an opportunity for us to bring Vegas Vickie NFT owners together for the time of their lives and create a space where they can network and learn more about downtown Las Vegas."
Borbay said, "This Vegas Vickie NFT has been years in the making, and it's exciting to finally have a mint date secured. The Circa team has been incredibly supportive every step of the way, and to provide this level of utility in the NFT space is unparalleled. As a lifelong fan of downtown Las Vegas, I'm thrilled to be a part of this historic moment for both the NFT space and the city."
The following are the four collections of the Vegas Vickie NFT, as well as the utilities that will accompany each:
- Collection One: The One and Only – A 1/1 collector's item, The One and Only is the sole digital version of the original 30" x 40" painting Borbay created over an eight-day period, which currently resides in Circa's rooftop lounge, Legacy Club. Borbay live painted this stunning work in front of Vegas Vickie herself in Circa's lobby. The winning bidder will receive the following for the Summer Bash:
- Collection Two – Dealer's Choice: This show-stopping collection will feature 54 iterations of Vegas Vickie to resemble a full deck of cards, jokers included. More details on this exclusive series are to come. Holders of this collection can look forward to:
- Collection Three: Neon Idol – Offered as 250 individual variations that feature slot machine symbols of Vegas Vickie, the owners of these cards will receive:
- Collection Four: Off the Rack – The owners of one of these 2,500 chips will receive:
Originally designed by Charles F. Bernard, Vegas Vickie took her place on the world-famous Fremont Street Experience in 1980, welcoming visitors from the rooftop of Bob Stupak's Glitter Gulch Casino. Derek gingerly brought her down in 2016 and sent her to Las Vegas-based sign company YESCO for a multi-year refurbishment. Through research including Mr. Bernard's original drawings, great care was given to put her back to her original paint and neon color scheme. The sign now lives as a signature art piece in Circa's lobby.
Additional details on the works and other utility features will be shared in the coming weeks.
Circa Resort & Casino is an all-new integrated resort concept in the heart of downtown Las Vegas. The city's first adults-only casino-resort, the AAA Four Diamond Circa pays homage to Vegas' Golden Era through vintage design, old-school hospitality and nods to the city's history while introducing high-tech advancements and innovative amenities. The resort features upscale rooms and suites; the world's largest sportsbook; Stadium Swim, a year-round pool aqua theater; a two-story casino; Garage Mahal, a high-tech transportation hub; the luxe Legacy Club rooftop lounge; an expansive local art collection and more. Guests can indulge at original restaurant concepts including premium steaks and seafood at Barry's Downtown Prime from Chef Barry S. Dakake and Make It Happen Hospitality; Pan-Asian fare at 8 East from Chef Dan Coughlin; deli classics at Saginaw's Delicatessen from restaurateur Paul Saginaw; authentic Carolina barbecue at Project BBQ; and all-star menus at Victory Burger & Wings Co. from the founding family of American Coney Island. Visit circalasvegas.com or follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram at @circalasvegas to stay up to date.
Borbay's work is collected globally, and has been featured in Forbes, BBC World, Wall Street Journal Japan, Los Angeles Magazine and the New York Post. From Time Out New York Magazine naming him their Most Creative New Yorker, to having original works in the permanent Universal Hip Hop Museum collection, to his 20-year Guggenheim Series – Borbay has been circumventing the art world since 2009.
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SOURCE Circa Resort & Casino | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/06/15/circa-resort-amp-casino-reveals-vegas-vickie-nft-collections/ | 2022-06-15T18:19:59Z |
Mom creates subscription service for school supplies to help teachers
By Michelle Bandur
Click here for updates on this story
OMAHA, Nebraska (KETV) — Karen Borchet said she’s not good at baking cupcakes for bake sales, so she came up with a new recipe of support for her children’s teachers.
“I wish there was a way I could subscribe, just as easy as a way to subscribe to Netflix that we could get things to teachers every month that they really need and really want,” Borchet said.
Borchet is renting space in Millwork Commons filled with school supplies and packing materials.
“A lot of our stuff is picked by and for teachers,” she said.
The mom and tech-savvy entrepreneur created alpaca, a website where subscribers pay for school supplies.
She started at her kids’ school, Washington Elementary, four months ago and today there are 120 subscribers for six schools.
“Today we are packing up for 170 teachers,” Borchet said.
“It’s just really nice to have something every day that reminds teachers that their work is appreciated and valued,” said parent Denise Powell.
Omaha Public School parents Powell and Emily Moody signed up and now volunteer to pack the school supplies.
“I don’t think we do that enough for teachers in this community and we’re seeing the results of that now as people are leaving,” Powell said.
“Yes, I’m concerned that a lot of teachers are leaving but I also have understanding for that,” Moody said. “It’s been a really difficult few years for everyone.”
The women don’t expect the monthly bags of goodies will help stop teachers from leaving the classroom for good. They just want to let the teachers know parents give them an A-plus.
“When parents feel connected to teachers and teachers feel really supported and that parents have their back, that’s what makes them stay, ” Borchet said.
Every care package also contains a hand-written thank you note.
Subscribe here for $5, 10 or 20 monthly donation. You can also sign up a school.
Please note: This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform. | https://localnews8.com/news/2022/05/13/mom-creates-subscription-service-for-school-supplies-to-help-teachers/ | 2022-05-13T20:12:45Z |
CRG's school mapping technology will be integrated into ZeroEyes' A.I. gun detection platform to help first responders navigate unfamiliar locations
PHILADELPHIA, Aug. 2, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- ZeroEyes, creators of the only A.I.-based video analytics platform that holds the US Department of Homeland Security SAFETY Act Designation, today announced a partnership with Critical Response Group, Inc. (CRG), a provider of best-in-class indoor and tactical mapping solutions for public safety. CRG's enhanced school building and grounds mapping technology will be integrated into ZeroEyes' platform to deliver critical intelligence to first responders in an active shooter crisis.
CRG's Collaborative Response Graphics® combines a gridded overlay with critical incident mapping data such as high-resolution imagery, floor plans, and building access points, along with exterior parking areas, athletic fields, surrounding roads, and neighboring properties together into one map. These graphics help prepare first responders for more effective command and control between diverse agencies and disciplines when responding to unfamiliar buildings and campuses. First responders use these detailed building and grounds maps to coordinate emergency response within and around a school, labeling hallways, rooms, external door/stairwell numbers, inner and outer security perimeters, ambulance staging areas, and command posts in the event of a crisis.
ZeroEyes' A.I. gun detection technology integrates with a school's existing security cameras to detect visibly brandished guns as soon as a weapon is in the frame. The company's 24/7/365 monitoring center verifies the accuracy of every detection and alerts first responders within 3-5 seconds after a threat is verified. ZeroEyes' monitoring personnel gives the exact location of the threat outside or inside the school via real-time alerts and images based on the geolocation of the latest detection.
ZeroEyes' and CRG's solutions combine to provide accurate, real-time intelligence to first responders on the location of an active shooter threat to aid in response planning and execution.
"Critical Response Group offers a highly respected, best-in-class mapping solution for schools across the country," said Dustin Kisling, SVP of Strategy at ZeroEyes. "By coupling it with ZeroEyes' industry-leading A.I. gun detection solution, we are creating a very powerful solution to help protect schools during active shooter crises."
"CRG's partnership with ZeroEyes means that schools will be safer places for our children, teachers, and communities," says Mike Rogers, CEO of CRG. "What's more, both of our companies share a common lineage — we were both founded by former special operations veterans with a goal of making America safer."
ZeroEyes' A.I. gun detection software is currently used in schools, businesses, and government facilities across 26 states. CRG's mapping capabilities are relied upon by thousands of building owners and public safety agencies across the country.
ZeroEyes delivers a proactive, human-verified A.I. gun detection software solution that integrates into existing security cameras and mitigates mass shootings and gun-related violence by reducing response times, providing actionable intelligence with images and delivering clarity among chaos – ultimately saving lives. ZeroEyes has been recognized by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) as a promising anti-terrorism technology and is the first video analytics technology to receive SAFETY Act DT&E Designation.
Founded by Navy SEALs and Special Operations military veterans, ZeroEyes delivers accurate and real-time actionable intelligence about the brandishing of a gun near or in an occupied area or building, to local staff and law enforcement with an image of the shooter(s) and location of the threat, within 3 to 5 seconds from the moment the gun is detected. The ZeroEyes team also provides tech consulting, installation assistance and practice drills for active shooter events to enhance safety at schools, corporate and government facilities. Headquartered in the Greater Philadelphia area, the company's affordable and effective gun detection solution has been adopted by the US Department of Defense, leading public K-12 school districts, colleges/universities, commercial property groups, manufacturing plants, Fortune 500 corporate campuses, shopping malls, big-box retail stores and more. Learn more about ZeroEyes at ZeroEyes.com.
Critical Response Group, Inc. creates common operating pictures to enhance command and control efforts during an emergency through our core product, Collaborative Response Graphics® (CRG®). Our company's origins are grounded in thousands of real-life direct-action raids conducted by the United States Special Operations Forces (USSOF) over the past two decades. Our management team's mix of USSOF officers and senior law enforcement executives possess a unique perspective for domestic first responders, with a focus on CRGs being used when a crisis occurs. To learn more, visit www.crgplans.com/ or https://youtu.be/10aghbY3AKI.
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SOURCE ZeroEyes | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/08/02/zeroeyes-partners-with-critical-response-group-crg-enhanced-coordinated-emergency-response-schools/ | 2022-08-02T13:28:43Z |
Fork in the Road: Jong’s Thai Kitchen brings family environment, cuisine to Topeka
TOPEKA, Kan. (WIBW) - Pad Thai, Khao Man Gai and much more, Jong’s Thai Kitchen is bringing a full menu to Central Topeka. 13′s Bryan Grabauskas and Photojournalist Doug Brown headed to 12th and Western for this week’s Fork in the Road.
Call it what you may, a business or a challenge, but the crew at Jong’s Thai Kitchen really work for the community... and each other.
“We’ve been through a lot together we love what we do now,” Co-owner Banjong Jongthep said. “We try to love the community and support each other. That’s what we like to do.”
“You can’t hang out here for more than an hour or two without tripping over a family member, there’s an another one,” Co-owner Derek Ragsdale assured us. “It’s very much a part of the restaurant, it’s the core of it.”
That family hospitality extends to the customers as well.
“It’s the total package,” said Tammy Edington, a Jong’s Thai Kitchen regular. “The food is fabulous, the atmosphere is wonderful, D and Nimm and Jong are just as sweet as can be. They’ll do anything to make you feel all the hospitality they can.”
“That’s why today we’re here,” Co-owner Nimm Ragsdale said,” because the community supports us.”
There’s plenty on the menu for everyone to try. Edington listed her favorite dishes.
“The orange chicken is fabulous their Pad Thai, Pad See Ew, Crab Rangoon, sticky rice, just about everything.”
“You want steak you want rib eye, you want seafood, just let us know ahead and you go it, you’re own kitchen. Make your own magic,” Jongthep emphasized.
Whatever you order, you can bet it’ll hit the spot.
“I think I’ve been through everything on the menu,” Edington confirmed. “I have my favorites, but everything they make is made with love, and you feel that you taste that when you have their food.”
“Everything on the menu, we work from our heart,” Nimm explained. “When you come here, you have good food, good experience.”
As a small family restaurant, space is limited. If you’re planning on making a trip to the kitchen, you may want to call ahead.
“You’re really lucky if you walk in and find a table,” Jongthep laughed. “We call you ‘Chokh Di,’ it means you’re lucky, you have a table.”
If you want to make a reservation; you can reach Jong’s Thai Kitchen at 785-329-6465, on their Facebook page, or at JongsThaiKitchen.com.
Copyright 2022 WIBW. All rights reserved. | https://www.wibw.com/2022/08/30/fork-road-jongs-thai-kitchen-brings-family-environment-cuisine-topeka/ | 2022-08-30T23:31:41Z |
Nearly Two-Thirds of U.S. Unicorn Companies Were Founded or Cofounded By An Immigrant or the Child of an Immigrant
ARLINGTON, Va., July 26, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Immigrants have started more than half (319 of 582, or 55%) of America's startup companies valued at $1 billion or more, according to a new study from the National Foundation for American Policy (NFAP), a nonpartisan research organization. Moreover, nearly two-thirds (64%) of U.S. billion-dollar companies (unicorns) were founded or cofounded by immigrants or the children of immigrants. Almost 80% of America's unicorn companies (privately-held, billion-dollar companies) have an immigrant founder or an immigrant in a key leadership role, such as CEO or vice president of engineering.
"The research shows the importance of immigrants in cutting-edge companies and the U.S. economy at a time when U.S. immigration policies have pushed talent to other countries for talent," said Stuart Anderson, the author of the study and NFAP's executive director. "The story of immigrant entrepreneurs and billion-dollar companies is not only about impressive numbers but about immigrants coming to this country, working hard and achieving the American Dream."
The research involved interviews and gathering information on over 580 U.S. startup companies valued at over $1 billion (as of May 2022) that have yet to become publicly traded on the U.S. stock market and are tracked by the firm CB Insights. These "unicorn" companies are all privately held, valued at $1 billion or more and have received venture capital financing.
The collective value of the over 300 immigrant-founded U.S. companies is $1.2 trillion, more than the value of all the companies listed on the main stock markets of many countries, including Argentina, Colombia and Mexico.
The research finds that the privately held U.S. billion-dollar startup companies with immigrant founders have created an average of 859 jobs per company.
At least 10 immigrants have founded multiple billion-dollar companies, including Al Goldstein (born in Uzbekistan, Avant and Amount), Noubar Afeyan (Lebanon, Moderna and Indigo Ag) and Elon Musk (South Africa, SpaceX, OpenAI and The Boring Company).
Rihanna, an immigrant from Barbados, founded Savage X Fenty, valued at $1 billion.
One-quarter (143 of 582, or 25%) of billion-dollar startup companies in the U.S. have a founder who first came to America as an international student.
The report, "Immigrant Entrepreneurs and U.S. Billion-Dollar Companies," can be found at https://nfap.com/.
Contact: Stuart Anderson, 703-351-5042, press@nfap.com
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SOURCE National Foundation for American Policy | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/07/26/new-research-immigrants-have-started-more-than-half-americas-billion-dollar-startup-companies/ | 2022-07-26T16:46:45Z |
- Revising 2022 GAAP basis earnings guidance from $2.50 to $2.65 to $2.60 to $2.75 per diluted share; initiating non-GAAP basis adjusted full-year 2022 earnings guidance of $2.74 to $2.89 which reflects the exclusion of previously disclosed deferral reductions related to 2020
- Continued strong energy delivery and customer growth, coupled with favorable power cost conditions
- Filed for amortization of 2021 Power Cost Adjustment Mechanism, 2020 Labor Day Wildfire and February 2021 Ice Storm deferrals
PORTLAND, Ore., July 28, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Portland General Electric Company (NYSE: POR) today reported net income based on generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) of $64 million, or $0.72 per diluted share, for the second quarter of 2022. This compares with GAAP net income of $32 million, or $0.36 per diluted share, for the second quarter of 2021.
"The region's growth, driven by the semiconductor and digital technology sectors, relies upon safe, reliable, clean, affordable energy," said Maria Pope, PGE president and CEO. "Our progress this quarter demonstrates our ongoing commitment to advancing Oregon's clean energy goals and mitigating risk across our system to keep our customers safe, particularly during wildfire season and high heat. With the operational and financial progress we are making, PGE is positioned for long-term growth."
Total revenues were driven by higher retail energy deliveries, due to continued growth in industrial demand, including high-tech and digital customers, offset by a reduction in the average price of deliveries due to a varying customer mix. Purchased power and fuel expense decreased due to strong hydro and power market conditions in 2022, and quarter over quarter tailwinds due to challenging market conditions in the second quarter of 2021. Operating and administrative expenses increased, driven by wildfire mitigation, grid resiliency and maintenance, enhancements to customer digital technology and higher professional services and insurance costs. Other income decreased due to declines in the value of the non-qualified benefit plan trust assets.
In July, PGE submitted amortization request filings to the OPUC for the 2021 Power Cost Adjustment Mechanism, 2020 Labor Day Wildfire, and February 2021 Ice Storm, representing $132 million of outstanding major deferrals. PGE anticipates resolution of these filings by the end of 2022 and plans to file an amortization request for the COVID-19 deferral, which has a $34 million balance as of June 30, 2022, in late 2022 or early 2023.
The OPUC acknowledged PGE's submitted shortlist of bids in the pending Renewable Request for Proposals (RFP) on July 15, 2022. The RFP is intended to procure at least 375 to 500 MW of qualifying renewable energy resources, approximately 375 MW of non-emitting dispatchable capacity resources, and up to 100 MW of renewable energy resources in support of the Green Future Impact program's PGE supply option. PGE has since commenced negotiations with shortlist bidders and plans to finalize negotiations prior to the end of 2022 to allow sufficient time to capture expiring federal production tax credits for the benefit of customers.
The proposals for renewable energy resources provide various combinations of wind, solar, and battery storage options that include power purchase agreements (PPA) along with Company-owned resources. The proposals for non-emitting dispatchable capacity resources provide battery storage options and a pumped storage option that include PPAs along with Company-owned resources. The ultimate outcome of the RFP process may involve the selection of multiple projects for both renewable energy and non-emitting dispatchable capacity resources.
In late April, the OPUC approved PGE's 2022 Wildfire Mitigation Plan, the foundational document that implements the Company's Wildfire Mitigation Program for assessing and addressing wildfire risks in PGE's region. Core components of the plan include PGE's risk assessment and modeling processes, system inspection, design and construction work, wildfire-related capital and technology investment plans, vegetation management plans and practices and proactive efforts employed during high-risk events. Customer and community safety is PGE's highest priority, and this plan specifies efforts to address wildfire risks and remain in compliance with all relevant wildfire-related requirements.
As previously announced, on July 22, 2022, the board of directors of Portland General Electric Company approved a quarterly common stock dividend of $0.4525 per share. The quarterly dividend is payable on or before October 17, 2022, to shareholders of record at the close of business on September 26, 2022.
PGE is revising its estimate for full-year 2022 GAAP earnings guidance from $2.50 to $2.65 to $2.60 to $2.75 per diluted share; initiating non-GAAP basis adjusted full-year 2022 earnings guidance of $2.74 to $2.89 which reflects the exclusion of previously disclosed $17 million deferral reductions related to the year ended 2020. These are based on the following assumptions:
- An increase in energy deliveries between 2% and 2.5%, weather adjusted;
- Normal temperatures in its utility service territory;
- Average hydro conditions;
- Wind generation based on five years of historical levels or forecast studies when historical data is not available;
- Normal thermal plant operations;
- Operating and maintenance expense from between $620 million to $640 million, which includes the $17 million impact of released deferrals related to 2020;
- Depreciation and amortization expense between $420 million and $440 million;
- Effective tax rate of 15% to 20%;
- Cash from operations of $600 million to $650 million;
- Capital expenditures of $755 million; and
- Average construction work in progress balance of $270 million.
PGE will host a conference call with financial analysts and investors on Thursday, July 28, 2022, at 11 a.m. ET. The conference call will be webcast live on the PGE website at investors.portlandgeneral.com. A webcast replay will also be available on PGE's investor website "Events & Presentations" page beginning at 2 p.m. ET on July 28, 2022.
Maria Pope, President and CEO; Jim Ajello, Senior Vice President of Finance, CFO, Treasurer and CCO; and Jardon Jaramillo, Senior Director, Finance, Investor Relations, and Risk Management, will participate in the call. Management will respond to questions following formal comments.
The attached unaudited condensed consolidated statements of income and comprehensive income, condensed consolidated balance sheets and condensed consolidated statements of cash flows, as well as the supplemental operating statistics, are an integral part of this earnings release.
This press release contains certain non-GAAP measures, such as adjusted earnings, adjusted EPS and adjusted earnings guidance. These non-GAAP financial measures exclude significant items that are generally not related to our ongoing business activities, are infrequent in nature, or both. PGE believes that excluding the effects of these items provides a meaningful representation of the Company's comparative earnings per share and enables investors to evaluate the Company's ongoing operating financial performance. Management utilizes non-GAAP measures to assess the Company's current and forecasted performance, and for communications with shareholders, analysts and investors. Non-GAAP financial measures are supplementary information that should be considered in addition to, but not as a substitute for, the information prepared in accordance with GAAP.
Items in the periods presented, which PGE believes impact the comparability of comparative earnings and do not represent ongoing operating financial performance, include the following:
- Non-cash Wildfire and COVID deferral reversal charge associated with the year ended 2020, resulting from the OPUC's 2022 GRC Final Order earnings test.
PGE's reconciliation of non-GAAP earnings guidance is below.
Portland General Electric (NYSE: POR) is a fully integrated energy company based in Portland, Oregon. The company serves approximately 900,000 customers with a service area population of 2 million Oregonians in 51 cities. PGE owns 16 generation plants across Oregon and other Northwestern states and maintains and operates 14 public parks and recreation areas. For more than 130 years, PGE has powered the advancement of society, delivering safe, affordable, and reliable energy to Oregonians. PGE and its approximately 3,000 employees are working with customers to build a clean energy future. Together with its customers, PGE has the No. 1 voluntary renewable energy program in the U.S. PGE is committed to achieving at least an 80% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from power served to customers by 2030 and 100% reduction by 2040. In 2021, PGE became the first U.S. utility to join The Climate Pledge. For the eighth year in a row PGE achieved a perfect score on the 2021 Human Rights Campaign Foundation's Corporate Equality Index, a national benchmarking survey and report on corporate policies and practices related to LGBTQ workplace equality. In 2021, PGE, employees, retirees, and the PGE Foundation donated $4.8 million and volunteered 15,760 hours with more than 300 nonprofits across Oregon. For more information visit www.PortlandGeneral.com/news.
Statements in this press release that relate to future plans, objectives, expectations, performance, events and the like may constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. These forward-looking statements represent our estimates and assumptions as of the date of this report. The Company assumes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement as a result of new information, future events or other factors.
Forward-looking statements include statements regarding the Company's full-year earnings guidance (including expectations regarding annual retail deliveries, average hydro conditions, wind generation, normal thermal plant operations, operating and maintenance expense and depreciation and amortization expense) as well as other statements containing words such as "anticipates," "based on," "believes," "conditioned upon," "considers," "estimates," "expects," "forecast," "goals," "intends," "needs," "plans," "promises," "seeks," "should," "subject to," "targets," and similar expressions.
Investors are cautioned that any such forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties, including, without limitation: the outcome of various legal and regulatory actions; demand for electricity; the sale of excess energy during periods of low demand or low wholesale market prices; operational risks relating to the Company's generation and battery storage facilities, including hydro conditions, wind conditions, disruption of transmission and distribution, disruption of fuel supply, and unscheduled plant outages, which may result in unanticipated operating, maintenance and repair costs, as well as replacement power costs; delays in the supply chain and increased supply costs (including application of tariffs impacting solar module imports), failure to complete capital projects on schedule or within budget, failure of counterparties to perform under agreement, or the abandonment of capital projects, which could result in the Company's inability to recover project costs, or impact our competitive position, market share, revenues and project margins in materials ways; default or nonperformance of counterparties from whom PGE purchases capacity or energy, which require the purchase of replacement power and renewable attributes at increased costs; complications arising from PGE's jointly-owned plant, including ownership changes, regulatory outcomes or operational failures; the costs of compliance with environmental laws and regulations, including those that govern emissions from thermal power plants; changes in weather, hydroelectric and energy market conditions, which could affect the availability and cost of purchased power and fuel; the development of alternative technologies; changes in capital and credit market conditions, including volatility of equity markets, reductions in demand for investment-grade commercial paper or interest rates, which could affect the access to and availability or cost of capital and result in delay or cancellation of capital projects or execution of the Company's strategic plan as currently envisioned; general economic and financial market conditions, including inflation; severe weather conditions, wildfires, and other natural phenomena and natural disasters that could result in operational disruptions, unanticipated restoration costs, or third party liability; cyber security breaches of the Company's customer information system or operating systems, data security breaches, or acts of terrorism, which could disrupt operations, require significant expenditures, or result in claims against the Company; employee workforce factors, including potential strikes, work stoppages, transitions in senior management, and the ability to recruit and retain key employees and other talent and turnover due to macroeconomic trends; PGE business activities are concentrated in one region and future performance may be affected by events and factors unique to Oregon; and widespread health emergencies or outbreaks of infectious diseases such as COVID-19, which may affect our financial position, results of operations and cash flows. As a result, actual results may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements.
Risks and uncertainties to which the Company are subject are further discussed in the reports that the Company has filed with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). These reports are available through the EDGAR system free-of-charge on the SEC's website, www.sec.gov and on the Company's website, investors.portlandgeneral.com. Investors should not rely unduly on any forward-looking statements.
POR
Source: Portland General Company
The following table indicates the number of heating degree-days for the three months ended June 30, 2022 and 2021, along with 15-year averages based on weather data provided by the National Weather Service, as measured at Portland International Airport:
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SOURCE Portland General Company | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/07/28/portland-general-electric-announces-second-quarter-2022-results/ | 2022-07-28T09:57:33Z |
MIDVALE, Utah (KTVX) – Police have released body cam footage from an incident at a Utah McDonald’s where a 4-year-old shot at officers back in February.
The 12-minute video shows the moments leading up to the arrest of 27-year-old Sadaat Johnson as well as what took place after one of his children shot at police at the drive-thru.
Unified Police Department initially responded to the McDonald’s on Feb. 21 around 1:30 p.m. when employees reported that a man brandished a gun in the drive-thru after his order was incorrect.
Employees asked Johnson to pull to the front of the restaurant after reporting the incident to the police.
Johnson had two children in the car at the time, a 4-year-old and a 3-year-old.
Officers ordered Johnson to get out of the car several times, but he refused, the video shows. Police then opened Johnson’s front driver’s door, pulling him out.
The videos below are courtesy of the Unified Police Department:
As officers were trying to take Johnson into custody, an officer who turned around saw a gun pointing out of the back window and screamed “gun,” moments before a shot rings out.
The officer used his hand to sweep the gun away as the gun went off, hitting the upper part of the McDonald’s building. The officer then yelled at the person inside of the car to drop the gun, and after looking inside the car, realized that it was a small child.
The children can be heard crying after the incident as officers ushered them out of the car and away from the scene.
Johnson was later charged in early March with child abuse, aggravated assault, and interference with an arresting officer.
The 4-year-old told police that he picked up the gun because “he wanted his daddy back,” charging records show. The child also told police that Johnson said, “the police officer cannot open the door,” during the altercation.
After being arrested, Johnson told police that he “blacked out” for 30 seconds after he and the McDonald’s employee were arguing over his order. Johnson also denied brandishing the gun in front of the worker, despite surveillance video showing him doing so, court records state.
Johnson also told police that this wasn’t the first time his 4-year-old child had gotten his hands on a gun. | https://cw33.com/news/bodycam-footage-of-4-year-old-who-shot-at-police-at-mcdonalds-released/ | 2022-07-20T19:27:11Z |
The Habit Burger Grill Opens in Chico on September 7th
IRVINE, Calif., Sept. 1, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The Habit Burger Grill, the California-based restaurant company renowned for its award-winning Charburgers grilled over an open flame, signature sandwiches, fresh salads and more announces the grand opening of a new location in Chico. Located at 2422 Cohasset Rd., the fast-casual restaurant will serve up its 'Habit Hospitality' beginning September 7th.
In honor of the exciting grand opening, The Habit Burger Grill will host exclusive pre-opening VIP events for The Habit's CharClub members. Guests can receive an invite to this exclusive sneak peek by signing up for the CharClub at www.habitburger.com/chico.
- Free Charburger Day (Saturday, September 3rd): The first 200 guests at 11:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. will receive a free freshly-made Charburger, fries and drink. Must be a CharClub member and present VIP invitation.
- Free Charburger Day (Monday, September 5th): The first 200 guests at 11:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. will receive a free freshly-made Charburger, fries and drink. Must be a CharClub member and present VIP invitation.
- Free Habit Day (Tuesday, September 6th): The first 200 guests at 11:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. will receive a free chargrilled meal from one of our pre-set menus. Must be a CharClub member and present VIP invitation.
The restaurant will offer dine-in, takeout and drive-thru ordering. Curbside pick-up and delivery will be available via The Habit Mobile App and online at order.habitburger.com. Guests also have additional convenient ordering options including state-of-the-art indoor self-serve kiosks and delivery through DoorDash, Postmates and Uber Eats.
"We are thrilled to be opening our first location in Butte County. California has been our home since 1969, so being able to reach new residents and turn them into fans of The Habit is a great joy," said Iwona Alter, Chief Brand Officer at The Habit Burger Grill.
The Habit Burger Grill was named in Thrillist's list of "Underrated Burger Chains that Need to be in Every State!" With its cooked-to-order mantra, The Habit Burger Grill's open flame sears a distinctive smoky flavor into their famous Charburgers, fresh marinated chicken, sushi-grade ahi tuna and tenderloin steak. Guests at The Habit Burger Grill can always count on freshly-made, handcrafted quality served up with genuine hospitality.
This Habit Burger Grill's dining room will be open Monday - Sunday from 10:30am - 10:00pm, with the drive-thru open Monday - Sunday from 10:30am - 11:00pm.
Connect with The Habit Burger Grill on social media at facebook.com/habitburgergrill, instagram.com/habitburgergrill, twitter.com/habitburger, tiktok.com/@habitburgergrill, and youtube.com/habittube.
About The Habit Restaurants, Inc.
Born in Santa Barbara, California in 1969, The Habit Burger Grill is a burger-centric, fast-casual restaurant concept that specializes in preparing fresh, cooked-to-order chargrilled burgers and handcrafted sandwiches featuring grilled tenderloin steak, grilled chicken and sushi-grade ahi tuna cooked over an open flame. In addition, it features fresh handcrafted salads and an appealing selection of sides and shakes. The Habit Burger Grill was named the "best tasting burger in America" in July 2014 in a comprehensive survey conducted by one of America's leading consumer magazines, named in Thrillist's list of "Underrated Burger Chains that Need to be in Every State!" and featured in Newsweek's "America's Favorite Restaurant Chains 2022." The Habit Burger Grill has since grown to over 335 restaurants in 14 states throughout Arizona, California, Florida, Idaho, Maryland, Massachusetts, Nevada, New Jersey, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Utah, Virginia and Washington as well as 13 international locations, seven in China and six in Cambodia. More information is available at www.habitburger.com.
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SOURCE The Habit Burger Grill | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/09/01/habit-burger-grill-is-bringing-their-signature-flavor-butte-county-with-new-drive-thru-restaurant/ | 2022-09-01T17:09:33Z |
Free hygiene bags, haircuts, immunizations available at Back to School Bash
TOPEKA, Kan. (WIBW) - The Salvation Army’s Back to School Bash will be held on Tuesday, Aug. 2, with free hygiene bags, haircuts and immunizations available.
For the sixth year in a row, The Salvation Army of Topeka says it will ensure students receive a personal hygiene bag for the upcoming 2022-23 school year. Through a generous donation from BNSF Railway, students will get a set of personal hygiene items.
According to the Salvation Army, the items will help ensure students get the new year started off on the right foot. In addition to personal hygiene bags, it said students can also receive haircuts, immunizations and other school supplies items at its Back to School Bash.
The Salvation Army indicated that the Back to School Bash will be held on Tuesday, Aug. 2, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Salvation Army, 1320 SE 6th St. Students will have the chance to get a personal hygiene bag - including socks, underwear, shampoo, conditioner, body wash, toothpaste and toothbrushes, and deodorant. It said Silverbacks will be on site for those in need of sports bras.
“We want every student to head back to school this fall with a clean bill of health and to be ready to learn,” Captain Cristian Lopez said, “This is our sixth year for the Back-to-School Bash and we see it continuing to make a positive impact going forward.”
The Salvation Army said other partners on site will provide immunizations, haircuts, pizza and watermelon for free.
Copyright 2022 WIBW. All rights reserved. | https://www.wibw.com/2022/07/23/free-hygiene-bags-haircuts-immunizations-available-back-school-bash/ | 2022-07-23T21:13:43Z |
Millennium Health's Emerging Threat Intelligence™ Report Finds Jackson and Umatilla Counties Experiencing the Most Significant Increases Statewide
SAN DIEGO, May 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- A dramatic increase in drug overdose deaths, primarily due to illicit fentanyl, is being reported across the U.S.1 Contributing to these deaths is the proliferation of counterfeit pills often containing fentanyl that are nearly impossible to distinguish from authentic medications.2
According to our real-time analysis of urine drug tests, Oregon has experienced an increase in fentanyl positivity of 58% in the first quarter of 2022 compared to all of 2021, demonstrating an urgent need for education and awareness to protect Oregonians from unintended exposure to fentanyl. The report found:
- Oregon was 1 of only 4 states with a significant illicit fentanyl increase in March 2022
- Since 2020, Oregon's illicit fentanyl positivity has increased 163%
- Illicit fentanyl detection in those positive for methamphetamine has increased 140% since 2020
- Four counties have shown dramatic increases in fentanyl positivity for the 12 months ending March 2022, including:
"These increases in fentanyl positivity are especially frightening, as a dose of fentanyl as small as a few grains of salt can result in death," said Kelly Olson, PhD, Director of Clinical Affairs at Millennium Health. "According to the CDC, last year, Oregon overdose deaths increased 36% compared to a 16% increase nationwide1. Our current Oregon data suggests overdoses may continue to rise in 2022. We have already seen too many Oregon families lose loved ones to fentanyl."
Additional information regarding real-time illicit drug use trends here.
About Millennium Health
Millennium Health is an accredited specialty laboratory providing medication monitoring via definitive urine and oral fluid drug tests to support improved clinical decision-making as part of treatment for millions of Americans with chronic pain, mental illness, substance use disorders, and other health conditions. Drug testing is used to obtain objective information about patients' recent use of prescription medications and/or illicit drugs and helps monitor the effectiveness of treatment plans. We also conduct real-time tracking of emerging drug use trends to help researchers, public health officials, and policymakers address the significant increase in drug overdose deaths.
References
- Provisional Drug Overdose Death Counts. National Center for Health Statistics. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Web site. https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nvss/vsrr/drug-overdose-data.htm. Accessed April 2022.
- US Drug Enforcement Administration. One Pill Can Kill. DEA reveals criminal drug networks are flooding the U.S with deadly fentanyl. https://www.dea.gov/onepill. Accessed April 2022.
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SOURCE Millennium Health, LLC | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/05/04/oregon-experiencing-substantial-increase-fentanyl-use-2022/ | 2022-05-04T17:13:19Z |
The Property is the Brand's Seventh Location Globally
SAN FRANCISCO, June 2, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- 1 Hotels, the luxury lifestyle hotel brand inspired by nature, today announced the opening of 1 Hotel San Francisco, the mission-driven luxury hospitality brand's second California property and the City by the Bay's newest, most thoughtfully designed eco-friendly urban refuge. Integrating the best of sustainable design and architecture with extraordinary comfort and an unrivaled level of service, the property's 186 guest rooms and 14 suites capture panoramic views of the Bay Area's rolling hills, sweeping fog, inspiring architecture, and stunning natural beauty.
Centrally located on the Embarcadero, directly across the street from the luminous San Francisco Bay, 1 Hotel San Francisco was developed in partnership with Pebblebrook Hotel Trust. The property provides easy access to all the best downtown offers—from dining to shopping to arts and culture. It neighbors the vibrant SoMa district, Chinatown, North Beach, Oracle Park, Chase Center, Coit Tower and the iconic Ferry Building.
"1 Hotel San Francisco is an inspiring example of what our brand stands for," said 1 Hotels Founder and CEO & Chairman of Starwood Capital Group Barry Sternlicht. "It is a tangible extension of our vision and purpose: to place holistic wellness at the forefront of our operations for our guests, local communities, and the planet. This vibrant and eclectic city has long been at the forefront of driving sustainable change in architecture and design. Inspired by that rich history, our goal is to infuse an urban oasis with the natural beauty of the Northern California landscape and the sensibility of this dynamic community."
"We are very excited to be partnering with the 1 Hotels team to bring a new level of service and luxury hospitality experience to San Francisco," said Jon E. Bortz, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of Pebblebrook Hotel Trust. "Pebblebrook is committed to ensuring our hotels are operated in an environmentally sustainable manner, and that the sociocultural fabric of the communities in which our properties reside is celebrated. As a leader in luxury sustainability, 1 Hotel San Francisco will also set a new standard of excellence for its commitment to sustainable initiatives and the greater San Francisco community."
The hotel pays homage to the regional environment throughout the urban oasis with an earth tone color palette, raw materials, and layered textures. The reclaimed wood lobby floor is fashioned from lumber salvaged from historic barns and industrial buildings. Sustainably sourced redwood salvaged from the original San Francisco Bay Bridge adorns elevator landings and corridors. Native greenery, exposed brick, warm terracotta accents, and rustic stones introduce elements of the natural world while referencing the city's unique urban ecology. All hand-loomed rugs and carpets are created from natural plant fibers and recyclable wool. Other features, including the bar, latticework, and bar façade, are created from concrete, responsibly crafted by a local family-run business amid salvaged driftwood artwork.
Terrene, the indoor-outdoor café & lounge offering shareable plates, echoes the refinement and natural simplicity of the 1 Hotels brand. Drawing inspiration from the region's renowned legacy of culinary innovation, its menu is rooted in an abundance of local, fresh, organic, and sustainably-sourced natural ingredients. Fresh ingredients for curated dishes and craft cocktails grow on the rooftop chef's garden while beehives facilitate on-site honey production. Terrene, which will open to the public later this summer, will showcase a comprehensive selection of organic tequilas and mezcals, alongside an assortment of biodynamic wines from the Sonoma and Napa Valley regions and local craft beer and microbrews.
The property offers guests the opportunity to relax and recharge in a unique urban sanctuary. 1 Hotel's holistic wellness philosophy aligns naturally with the brand's core values—true wellbeing is achieved when the mind, body, and spirit are fully connected to one's surrounding environment. On-site facilities include a full-service Bamford wellness spa rooted in 1 Hotels' core mission of fostering a closer relationship with the natural world. The Field House is open 24/7, featuring state-of-the-art weight training and cardio equipment, including Peloton bikes for personalized experiences. Guests can enjoy the Audi Electric Vehicle Experience by taking advantage of the house car or test driving the Audi e-tron, the Official Electric Vehicle of 1 Hotel San Francisco, during their stay.
1 Hotel San Francisco provides versatile settings for all types of events, meetings, and celebrations with 5,074 sq. ft. of one-of-a-kind indoor and outdoor meeting and event spaces. These include a 1,750 sq. ft. ballroom, boardroom, and outdoor terraces perched on the hotel's upper floors, offering panoramic views of the San Francisco Bay. Private events may also be held in Terrene, with a lounge and a large patio overlooking the historic Embarcadero.
SH Hotels & Resorts, an affiliate of global private investment firm Starwood Capital Group, is a sustainable hotel brand management company that operates 1 Hotels, a nature-inspired lifestyle brand that launched in 2015 with properties in South Beach and Manhattan and now includes Brooklyn Bridge, West Hollywood, Sanya (China), Toronto and the recently opened San Francisco with projects in development in Nashville, Hanalei Bay, Cabo San Lucas, Paris, London, Mission Bay, Elounda Hills and Melbourne; Baccarat Hotels & Resorts, a luxury brand that made its debut in March 2015 with the opening of its flagship property in New York, with projects under development in Brickell (Miami), Florence, Macau and Bordeaux; and Treehouse Hotels, which premiered in London in 2019 and with projects under development in Manchester and Brickell (Miami). Leveraging its marketing, design, operational and technological expertise, SH Hotels & Resorts is the force behind some of the most groundbreaking and dynamic hotel brands in the world.
As a luxury lifestyle hotel brand inspired by nature, 1 Hotels cultivates the best of sustainable design and architecture, together with extraordinary comfort and an unrivaled level of service. 1 Hotels, which launched in 2015 with the opening of exclusive properties in Miami's South beach and Manhattan's Central Park, followed by Brooklyn, located on the East River, in February 2017, West Hollywood, on Sunset Boulevard, in June 2019, Sanya (China) in 2020, Toronto in 2021 and most recently San Francisco, is inspired by a simple idea: those that travel the world should also care about it, it is, after all, 1 world. 1 Hotels upholds this vision by channeling nature through design and culinary partnerships while connecting with the local community and taking sustainable steps to make a big difference. All 1 Hotel properties are among the first hotels in the world to become Sharecare Health Security VERIFIED® with Forbes Travel Guide. The comprehensive facility verification helps ensure that guests and travel planners can book with confidence at properties that have appropriate health safety procedures in place. Additionally, the properties have earned the WELL Health-Safety Rating through the International WELL Building Institute, which focuses on operational policies, maintenance protocols, stakeholder engagement and emergency plans to prioritize the health and safety of our team members and guests. The brand is expanding with properties under development in Nashville, Hanalei Bay, Austin, Cabo San Lucas, Paris, London, Copenhagen, Elounda Hills and Melbourne. Additional information can be found at 1hotels.com.
Pebblebrook Hotel Trust (NYSE: PEB) is a publicly traded real estate investment trust ("REIT") and the largest owner of urban and resort lifestyle hotels and resorts in the United States. The Company owns 54 hotels and resorts, totaling approximately 13,400 guest rooms across 15 urban and resort markets. For more information, visit www.pebblebrookhotels.com and follow us at @PebblebrookPEB.
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SOURCE SH Hotels & Resorts | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/06/02/1-hotel-san-francisco-is-now-open/ | 2022-06-02T16:20:37Z |
The medical marijuana card provider is breaking down the financial barriers to access by halving the cost for patients
KANSAS CITY, Mo., June 28, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Elevate Holistics, a multistate solution provider in the medical marijuana industry, is bringing affordable recommendations - the order the physician faxes to a pharmacy - to Louisiana, with an average cost of $75-$100 per appointment compared to $199 from other providers.
"One of the greatest issues facing our health system is how cost-prohibitive it can be, which leads people to avoid getting treatments or pursuing therapies that would vastly improve their quality of life," said Stephen Stearman, CEO of Elevate Holistics. "By making appointments for medical marijuana cards affordable, Elevate is eliminating issues of accessibility for patients across Louisiana and giving them what they need at a price they can afford."
Elevate Holistics is a multi-state operator (MOS) serving patients and medical professionals with alternative advanced healthcare options, encrypted SSL safe-site security, turn-key business solutions for clinics, online cannabis healthcare clinics, and compassionate follow-up care. Encrypted online telehealth options, including medical cannabis evaluations, renewals, and online "Ask Me Anything" videos, help patients navigate state laws with confidence.
For more information about Elevate Holistics, to partner with the company, or to request a medical marijuana card, visit https://elevate-holistics.com/
Elevate Holistics, a Craft Health company, is a telehealth platform focusing on getting people their medical marijuana cards and physician's medical cannabis certifications/recommendations as simply and easily as possible. The vision was two-fold: increase accessibility to those in need and provide an easy to use platform for people who want the privacy of their own home. Today, Elevate Holistics operates in multiple states, has served thousands of HAPPY PATIENTS, and is innovating to provide doctors & patients a better medical marijuana evaluation experience. For more information, visit https://elevate-holistics.com/
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SOURCE Elevate Holistics | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/06/28/elevate-holistics-brings-affordable-recommendations-pelican-state/ | 2022-06-28T14:26:55Z |
254-unit complex will offer high-end amenities, convenient live-work-play location and vista of the Flatrions mountain range
BROOMFIELD, Colo., June 13, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Titan Development ("Titan") and Pivot Development ("Pivot"), leading real estate development and investment firms, today hosted a groundbreaking event on The Lock at Flatirons, a new $80 million, 254-unit luxury multifamily development in the Interlocken Technology Park within the MidCities District of Broomfield, Colorado, a suburb of Denver. The project, which was announced in July 2021 and began construction in December 2021, is planned for completion in the second quarter of 2024. Dwell Design is the project architect, Shaw Construction is the general contractor and FPI Management will be the operator.
The 3.3-acre complex at 460 Flatiron Blvd. is directly off the Interlocken Loop and near the Denver Boulder turnpike, an important area thoroughfare, and Broomfield's location at the midpoint between Denver and Boulder will offer residents easy access to both cities and nearby employers including Ball Corporation, Oracle, Salesforce, Uber, CenturyLink and Vail Resorts. As part of the Interlocken area, the development is within walking distance of many retail, dining and entertainment venues, and nearby are golf courses, hotels and the FlatIron Crossing shopping center. The property is located in the Boulder Valley School District, which consistently ranks among the top three of Colorado's large Front Range school districts.
The Lock at Flatirons will feature upscale fixtures, finishes and appliances in all units, a sky lounge with Flatirons view, fitness center, resort style pool and spa, bike storage and stations, a dog park and dog spa, secure access parking, technology packages throughout the property and co-working space. Smart home technology will be installed for increased resident safety. Floor plans include studio, one- two- and three-bedroom apartments. Residents will experience the amenities of urban living combined with the convenience and comfort of suburban living.
"We're excited to bring The Lock at Flatirons to Broomfield residents in conjunction with our partners at Pivot," said Josh Rogers, Senior Vice President at Titan. "The Denver area is one of the nation's fastest-growing regions for high-income renters, which when combined with the national housing shortage presents a tremendous opportunity for us to bring best-in-class apartment living to the young professionals working in the area, as well as attract residents from the greater Broomfield community."
"With the combined multifamily experience between Pivot and Titan, we know this will be a top quality Class A multifamily development," said L. Matthew Hare, President and Chief Investment Officer at Pivot Development. "The anticipation is well worth the wait for Pivot's first multifamily project in Broomfield – the market is in need of housing, and Pivot Development wants to be part of meeting that need in our Colorado communities."
The Lock at Flatirons is the first Colorado project for Pivot Development, which was founded in 2018 and focuses on the urban and suburban multifamily sector; the company has offices in Carmel, Indiana, and Greenwood Village in Colorado. Titan Development, which has offices in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and Austin, Texas, has strong track records of multifamily, industrial and self-storage projects across the Southwest.
"The City of Broomfield is happy to welcome well-respected developers such as Titan and Pivot to our community," said Guyleen Castriotta, Broomfield Mayor. "The Lock at Flatirons supports one of the City's initiatives to secure a range of housing choices for current and future residents."
About Titan Development
Titan Development is a leading Southwest full-service development and real estate investment firm with proven returns, via diversified asset classes across varied geographic markets. Titan has completed more than $2.5 billion in project cost since the firm was formed in 1999. Titan Development has a wealth of real estate development experience in many asset classes including private equity fund investment and management, and has offices in Austin, TX, and Albuquerque, NM.
Titan Development recently closed its third fund, Titan Development Real Estate Fund III (TDREF III) at $122 million in May 2022, continuing its successful strategy of focusing on multifamily and industrial investing in secondary and tertiary markets. The Lock at Flatirons was funded by Titan's previous fund, TDREF II, which raised $95 million, commenced in November of 2020 and has committed 100% of the fund to 13 projects. Titan's inaugrural fund, TDREF I raised $112 million and invested in a variety of real estate asset classes.
To learn more, please visit www.titan-development.com.
Media Contacts:
Amy Calderon
Director of Marketing & Communications, Titan Development
acalderon@titan-development.com
505.998.0163
Lisa Baker
Managing Director, Lambert
lbaker@lambert.com
603.868.1967
About Pivot Development
Pivot Development is a vertically integrated real estate development and investment firm started in 2018 that focuses on urban / suburban multifamily development projects. The partners of Pivot have been involved in real estate development for a combined 60 years and Pivot has offices in Carmel, IN and Greenwood Village, CO.
The Lock at Flatirons will be Pivot Development's first Multifamily project in Colorado as the firm continues to grow their platform throughout its targeted markets.
To learn more, please visit www.pivotdevco.com.
Media Contact:
L. Matthew Hare
President and CIO, Pivot Development Company
matt.hare@pivotdevco.com
317.410.9935
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SOURCE Titan Development | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/06/13/titan-development-pivot-development-joint-venture-host-groundbreaking-event-the-lock-flatirons-luxury-multifamily-project-broomfield-colorado/ | 2022-06-13T12:33:24Z |
Original Peanut Butter Whiskey Expands Product Line to Meet Consumer Demand for Convenience and Portability with Refreshing, Straight Up 100ml Offering
SAN DIEGO, June 28, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Skrewball Whiskey, the original peanut butter whiskey, announced today the introduction of an innovative 100ml can to its product lineup, which includes 750ml, 375ml, 200ml, 50ml and 1L glass bottles. Unlike RTD canned cocktails, this convenient and fun option offers two servings of the sweet and savory flavored whiskey with no mixers, perfect for sipping straight.
The canned spirits category has seen a boom in the last year – showcasing 123% growth – as consumers seek convenient and portable products to integrate into their lifestyles. In tandem with this growth, the flavored whiskey category continues to grow at four times the rate of unflavored whiskey. As a category creator and industry innovator, Skrewball Whiskey sought to merge these two areas of consumer demand with the introduction of their new 100ml can, the novel straight flavored whiskey offering in this format.
"Skrewball Whiskey was the first-to-market with peanut butter flavored whiskey and galvanized the recent growth of the flavored whiskey category, so we knew the next step was to offer a unique product that breaks the mold of what's on the market already," said Carl Carlson, President of Skrewball Whiskey. "Industry trends continue to indicate that consumers are gravitating towards portable canned options, and we want to offer Skrewball Whiskey's premium taste and versatility to our community in an offering that meets their needs and consumption occasions."
Debuting just in time for the summer, Skrewball Whiskey's 100ml size boasts the same smooth and nutty flavor consumers love from the brand in a refreshing and convenient format that can be sipped by the pool, at a backyard barbecue, on the beach or anywhere in between. Sold by the can, the new offering is best consumed chilled.
"As the 100ml can presents new lifestyle options, we're excited to welcome more members to our Skrewball family," said Brittany Merrill Yeng, Co-founder of Skrewball Whiskey. "This new addition to our lineup is another step in the development of not only our company, but our community."
Launched in San Diego in 2018 by husband-and-wife duo Steven Yeng and Brittany Merrill Yeng, Skrewball Whiskey saw instant success locally. The brand partnered with Infinium Spirits in 2019 to grow on a national scale and was available in all 50 states by the end of the year, earning its recognition as one of the fastest growing brands. In 2021, the brand began international distribution to meet increasing consumer demand, with new availability in Canada and the Caribbean. The brand has also received several awards, most recently receiving a Double Gold in the 2021 SIP Awards, in addition to being named a 2020 Impact "Hot Brand" Award winner and "Best New Product" at the 2020 Market Watch Leader Awards.
"We started as a mom-and-pop business in a beach town in San Diego, and this canned format pays homage to our original community of beachgoers looking for a fun way to imbibe," said Steven Yeng, Co-founder of Skrewball Whiskey. "Our brand embraces and encourages the 'misfit' in each of us, so we're looking forward to disrupting the industry again with another 'skrewball' product that consumers haven't seen before."
Skrewball Whiskey's 100ml can is 70 proof (35% ABV). The canned spirit will be available in select markets across California, Colorado, New Mexico, Texas, Delaware, Illinois, Massachusetts, New York, Florida, Georgia, New Jersey, Wisconsin and Tennessee, with additional nationwide availability rolling out throughout the coming summer months.
For more information about Skrewball Peanut Butter Whiskey, visit www.skrewballwhiskey.com and follow on Facebook and Instagram (@skrewballwhiskey).
Skrewball Whiskey is the original peanut butter flavored whiskey. Bottled in California, it can be enjoyed as a shot, on the rocks or in a variety of delicious, premium craft cocktails. Recently expanding internationally into both Canada and the Caribbean, consumers can now indulge in this boozy peanut butter deliciousness in the U.S. and beyond. It was developed by a husband-and-wife duo, perfecting the peanut butter flavor, which is unmatched in the spirits industry. Skrewball Peanut Butter Whiskey has already won several awards, including the Best Flavored Whiskey award at the New York World Wine and Spirits Competition. The product is 70 proof and made with premium ingredients. For more information, visit www.skrewballwhiskey.com.
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SOURCE Skrewball Whiskey | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/06/28/skrewball-whiskey-introduces-innovative-100ml-can-size/ | 2022-06-28T13:44:42Z |
Ashley Biden tests positive for COVID-19, sources say
(Gray News) - First daughter Ashley Biden has tested positive for COVID-19 and will no longer be traveling with the first lady to Central and South America, media sources say.
She was scheduled to depart for Ecuador Wednesday.
The first daughter is not considered a close contact to the president and first lady, the first lady’s press secretary, Michael LaRosa, told CNN.
Ashley Biden was supposed to have gone with first lady Dr. Jill Biden on an earlier trip to Europe, but she had to cancel when she was exposed to COVID-19 by a close contact.
The first daughter is the latest person in President Joe Biden’s circle to test positive. Both Vice President Kamala Harris and her husband, second gentleman Doug Emhoff, tested positive and have since recovered.
Copyright 2022 Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. | https://www.wibw.com/2022/05/18/ashley-biden-tests-positive-covid-19-sources-say/ | 2022-05-18T17:46:25Z |
New Orders and Employment Expanding; Production and Backlogs Growing; Supplier Deliveries Slowing at a Slower Rate; Raw Materials Inventories Growing; Customers' Inventories Too Low; Prices Increasing at a Slower Rate; Exports Contracting; Imports Growing
TEMPE, Ariz., Sept. 1, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Economic activity in the manufacturing sector grew in August, with the overall economy achieving a 27th consecutive month of growth, say the nation's supply executives in the latest Manufacturing ISM® Report On Business®.
The report was issued today by Timothy R. Fiore, CPSM, C.P.M., Chair of the Institute for Supply Management® (ISM®) Manufacturing Business Survey Committee:
"The August Manufacturing PMI® registered 52.8 percent, the same reading as recorded in July. This figure indicates expansion in the overall economy for the 27th month in a row after contraction in April and May 2020. For a second straight month, the Manufacturing PMI® figure is the lowest since June 2020, when it registered 52.4 percent. The New Orders Index registered 51.3 percent, 3.3 percentage points higher than the 48 percent recorded in July. The Production Index reading of 50.4 percent is a 3.1-percentage point decrease compared to July's figure of 53.5 percent. The Prices Index registered 52.5 percent, down 7.5 percentage points compared to the July figure of 60 percent; this is the index's lowest reading since June 2020 (51.3 percent). The Backlog of Orders Index registered 53 percent, 1.7 percentage points above the July reading of 51.3 percent. After three straight months of contraction, the Employment Index expanded at 54.2 percent, 4.3 percentage points higher than the 49.9 percent recorded in July. The Supplier Deliveries Index reading of 55.1 percent is 0.1 percentage point lower than the July figure of 55.2 percent. The Inventories Index registered 53.1 percent, 4.2 percentage points lower than the July reading of 57.3 percent. The New Export Orders Index contracted at 49.4 percent, down 3.2 percentage points compared to July's figure of 52.6 percent. The Imports Index remained in expansion territory at 52.5 percent, but 1.9 percentage points below the July reading of 54.4 percent."
Fiore continues, "The U.S. manufacturing sector continues expanding at rates similar to the prior two months. New order rates returned to expansion levels, supplier deliveries remain at appropriate tension levels and prices softened again, reflecting movement toward supply/demand balance. According to Business Survey Committee respondents' comments, companies continued to hire at strong rates in August, with few indications of layoffs, hiring freezes or head-count reductions through attrition. Panelists reported lower rates of quits, a positive trend. Prices expansion eased dramatically in August, which — when coupled with lead times easing — should bring buyers back into the market, improving new order levels. Sentiment remained optimistic regarding demand, with five positive growth comments for every cautious comment. Panelists continue to express unease about a softening economy, with 18 percent of comments noting concern about order book contraction. Twelve percent of panelists' comments reflect growing worries about total supply chain inventory. Demand increased, with the (1) New Orders Index returning to expansion, (2) Customers' Inventories Index remaining at a low level, retreating slightly compared to July and (3) Backlog of Orders Index increasing its rate of growth. Consumption (measured by the Production and Employment indexes) improved during the period, with a combined positive 1.2-percentage point impact on the Manufacturing PMI® calculation. The Employment Index returned to expansion after three months of contraction, and the Production Index lost ground but remained in growth territory. With the gains in hiring and fewer supplier delivery issues, production expansion should improve in September. Inputs — expressed as supplier deliveries, inventories and imports — continued to constrain production expansion, but to a lesser extent compared to July. The Supplier Deliveries Index indicated deliveries slowed at a slower rate in August, while the Inventories Index grew at a slower rate as well. The Imports Index expanded in August for the third consecutive month, but at a slower rate compared to July. The Prices Index increased for the 27th consecutive month, at a much slower rate compared to July.
"Of the six biggest manufacturing industries, five — Petroleum & Coal Products; Transportation Equipment; Computer & Electronic Products; Machinery; and Food, Beverage & Tobacco Products — registered moderate-to-strong growth in August.
"Manufacturing performed well for the 27th straight month. With (1) supplier delivery performance recording its fourth straight month of improvement, (2) price increase growth slowing significantly for the second consecutive month, (3) hiring and total employment both positive and expanding and (4) lead times easing across all three categories of purchasing activity, the sector is at or approaching supply/demand equilibrium," says Fiore.
Ten manufacturing industries reported growth in August, in the following order: Nonmetallic Mineral Products; Petroleum & Coal Products; Transportation Equipment; Computer & Electronic Products; Printing & Related Support Activities; Plastics & Rubber Products; Primary Metals; Machinery; Miscellaneous Manufacturing; and Food, Beverage & Tobacco Products. The seven industries reporting contraction in August compared to July, in the following order are: Wood Products; Apparel, Leather & Allied Products; Furniture & Related Products; Paper Products; Chemical Products; Fabricated Metal Products; and Electrical Equipment, Appliances & Components.
WHAT RESPONDENTS ARE SAYING
- "Demand from customers is still strong, but much of that is because there is still fear of not getting product due to constraints. They are stocking up. There will be a reckoning in the market when the music stops, and everyone's inventories are bloated." [Computer & Electronic Products]
- "Sales in target business softening month-over-month, down 12 percent by revenue. Inventory days are increasing." [Chemical Products]
- "Strong sales continue. The impact of the chip shortage is slowing, and the decreasing COVID-19 resurgence in Asia is now affecting production more than chips." [Transportation Equipment]
- "Supply in most groups is slowly increasing, but demand appears to be outpacing — causing pricing to either stabilize or increase." [Petroleum & Coal Products]
- "Inventories are far too high, and we are on pins and needles to see how quickly and at what magnitude our busy season begins. We will start seeing that in the next few weeks." [Food, Beverage & Tobacco Products]
- "Continue to struggle with electronic component shortages. Several smaller machine shops are (manufacturing) the pacing item for our production due to lack of direct labor machinists." [Machinery]
- "Overall, I have seen much improvement in the availability of raw materials. However, trucking issues continued, and production capacity within some industries remains tight. I have growing concerns that as cement and mineral companies run 'all out' to meet demand, we will see more downtime due to maintenance (issues)." [Nonmetallic Mineral Products]
- "Demand is softening; however, we are continuing to produce to replenish inventory." [Primary Metals]
- "Orders are still strong through the end of the year, but there is a feeling that customers may start pulling back on orders, either cancelling them or pushing them into 2023." [Plastics & Rubber Products]
- "Business conditions are good, and demand is strong. Securing enough raw material supply to keep up is still a challenge." [Miscellaneous Manufacturing]
Manufacturing ISM® Report On Business® data is seasonally adjusted for the New Orders, Production, Employment and Inventories indexes.
*Number of months moving in current direction.
COMMODITIES REPORTED UP/DOWN IN PRICE AND IN SHORT SUPPLY
Commodities Up in Price
Caustic Soda (6); Corrugate (7); Electrical Components (21); Electronic Components (21); Freight (22); Hydraulic Components; Natural Gas (14); Paper; Plastic Resins* (8); Rubber Based Products (13); Steel Products* (24); and Styrene Based Plastics.
Commodities Down in Price
Aluminum (4); Copper (2); Corn Products; Crude Oil; Freight; Gasoline; Plastic Resins* (3); Polypropylene; Steel (4); Steel — Carbon (2); Steel — Hot Rolled (4); Steel — Scrap; Steel — Stainless; and Steel Products* (2).
Commodities in Short Supply
Adhesives and Paints (2); Electrical Components (23); Electronic Components (21); Hydraulic Components (4); Plastic Resins (4); Rubber Based Products (3); Semiconductors (21); and Wire Harnesses.
Note: The number of consecutive months the commodity is listed is indicated after each item.
*Indicates both up and down in price.
AUGUST 2022 MANUFACTURING INDEX SUMMARIES
Manufacturing PMI®
The U.S. manufacturing sector grew in August, as the Manufacturing PMI® registered 52.8 percent, the same reading recorded in July. "The Manufacturing PMI® continued to indicate sector expansion and U.S. economic growth in August. All five subindexes that directly factor into the Manufacturing PMI® (New Orders, Production, Employment, Supplier Deliveries and Inventories) were in growth territory. Of the six biggest manufacturing industries, five — Petroleum & Coal Products; Transportation Equipment; Computer & Electronic Products; Machinery; and Food, Beverage & Tobacco Products — registered moderate-to-strong growth in August. The Production Index decreased 3.1 percentage points but remained in expansion territory. The Supplier Deliveries Index slowed at a slightly slower rate while the Inventories Index grew at a slower rate, indicating at least a slight easing of supply chain congestion. Nine of the 10 subindexes were positive for the period; a reading of 'too low' for the Customers' Inventories Index is considered a positive for future production," says Fiore. A reading above 50 percent indicates that the manufacturing economy is generally expanding; below 50 percent indicates that it is generally contracting.
A Manufacturing PMI® above 48.7 percent, over a period of time, generally indicates an expansion of the overall economy. Therefore, the August Manufacturing PMI® indicates the overall economy grew in August for the 27th consecutive month following contraction in April and May 2020. "The past relationship between the Manufacturing PMI® and the overall economy indicates that the Manufacturing PMI® for August (52.8 percent) corresponds to a 1.4-percent increase in real gross domestic product (GDP) on an annualized basis," says Fiore.
THE LAST 12 MONTHS
New Orders
ISM®'s New Orders Index increased in August by 3.3 percentage points to 51.3 percent compared to 48 percent reported in July. This indicates that new order volumes returned to expansion after two months of contraction. "Of the six largest manufacturing sectors, only two — Computer & Electronic Products and Transportation Equipment — increased new orders at a moderate level. Lead times remained elevated but August saw a decrease across capital expenditures, raw materials and maintenance, repair and operating (MRO) supplies. With prices easing, more buyers should resume order placements as we close the third quarter," says Fiore. A New Orders Index above 52.9 percent, over time, is generally consistent with an increase in the Census Bureau's series on manufacturing orders (in constant 2000 dollars).
Of the 18 manufacturing industries, six reported growth in new orders in August, in the following order: Textile Mills; Computer & Electronic Products; Nonmetallic Mineral Products; Transportation Equipment; Primary Metals; and Plastics & Rubber Products. Eight industries reported a decline in new orders in August, in the following order: Wood Products; Furniture & Related Products; Electrical Equipment, Appliances & Components; Chemical Products; Fabricated Metal Products; Food, Beverage & Tobacco Products; Machinery; and Miscellaneous Manufacturing.
Production
The Production Index registered 50.4 percent in August, 3.1 percentage points lower than the July reading of 53.5 percent, indicating growth for the 27th consecutive month. "Of the top six industries, three — Petroleum & Coal Products; Transportation Equipment; and Machinery — expanded in August. Materials availability and the labor pool continue to recover; with quits easing and supplier deliveries improving, production should expand at a faster rate in September," says Fiore. An index above 52.4 percent, over time, is generally consistent with an increase in the Federal Reserve Board's Industrial Production figures.
The six industries reporting growth in production during the month of August — listed in order — are: Nonmetallic Mineral Products; Electrical Equipment, Appliances & Components; Petroleum & Coal Products; Transportation Equipment; Machinery; and Plastics & Rubber Products. The nine industries reporting a decrease in production in August — in the following order — are: Apparel, Leather & Allied Products; Textile Mills; Wood Products; Paper Products; Primary Metals; Chemical Products; Food, Beverage & Tobacco Products; Miscellaneous Manufacturing; and Fabricated Metal Products.
Employment
ISM®'s Employment Index registered 54.2 percent in August, 4.3 percentage points above the July reading of 49.9 percent. "The index returned to expansion territory after three months of contraction. Of the six big manufacturing sectors, three (Petroleum & Coal Products; Transportation Equipment; and Machinery) expanded. Labor management activity improved in August: A larger share of comments (11 percent in August, up from 7 percent in July) noted greater hiring ease, and among respondents whose companies are hiring, 18 percent expressed difficulty in filling positions, down from 35 percent in July. Turnover rates eased, with 33 percent of comments citing backfill and retirement issues, a decrease from 39 percent in July. Employment gains in August should translate into stronger expansion in production growth in September," says Fiore. An Employment Index above 50.5 percent, over time, is generally consistent with an increase in the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) data on manufacturing employment.
Of 18 manufacturing industries, nine reported employment growth in August, in the following order: Printing & Related Support Activities; Nonmetallic Mineral Products; Petroleum & Coal Products; Transportation Equipment; Furniture & Related Products; Electrical Equipment, Appliances & Components; Plastics & Rubber Products; Machinery; and Fabricated Metal Products. The six industries reporting a decrease in employment in August — in the following order — are: Wood Products; Paper Products; Computer & Electronic Products; Chemical Products; Food, Beverage & Tobacco Products; and Miscellaneous Manufacturing.
Supplier Deliveries†
The delivery performance of suppliers to manufacturing organizations was slower in August, as the Supplier Deliveries Index registered 55.1 percent, 0.1 percentage point lower than the 55.2 percent reported in July. Of the top six manufacturing industries, four (Computer & Electronic Products; Food, Beverage & Tobacco Products; Chemical Products; and Transportation Equipment) reported slower deliveries. "This indicates the best supplier deliveries performance since January 2020, prior to the full onset of the coronavirus pandemic, when the index registered 53 percent. Deliveries slowed at a slightly slower rate compared to the previous month — 19.6 percent of panelists reported slower deliveries in August, compared to 21.4 percent in July. Panelists' comments again indicate that suppliers, despite their labor problems, performed better in August compared to previous months," says Fiore. A reading below 50 percent indicates faster deliveries, while a reading above 50 percent indicates slower deliveries.
Nine manufacturing industries reported slower supplier deliveries in August, in the following order: Nonmetallic Mineral Products; Primary Metals; Computer & Electronic Products; Miscellaneous Manufacturing; Paper Products; Food, Beverage & Tobacco Products; Chemical Products; Transportation Equipment; and Fabricated Metal Products. Four industries reported faster supplier deliveries in August as compared to July: Wood Products; Furniture & Related Products; Electrical Equipment, Appliances & Components; and Plastics & Rubber Products.
Inventories
The Inventories Index registered 53.1 percent in August, 4.2 percentage points lower than the 57.3 percent reported for July. "Manufacturing inventories expanded at a slower rate compared to July. Of the six big manufacturing industries, five (Petroleum & Coal Products; Machinery; Food, Beverage & Tobacco Products; Computer & Electronic Products; and Chemical Products) grew manufacturing raw material inventories in August. Twelve percent of general comments indicate that panelists are acting aggressively to manage current and future manufacturing inventories spread across the supply chain. This is due to slowing rates of new orders — outside of normal lead times — and many suppliers insisting on 'no cancel, no defer' order acceptance in the last 18 months, which are greater supply management concerns," says Fiore. An Inventories Index greater than 44.4 percent, over time, is generally consistent with expansion in the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) figures on overall manufacturing inventories (in chained 2000 dollars).
Of 18 manufacturing industries, the eight reporting higher inventories in August — in the following order — are: Petroleum & Coal Products; Miscellaneous Manufacturing; Machinery; Plastics & Rubber Products; Food, Beverage & Tobacco Products; Computer & Electronic Products; Electrical Equipment, Appliances & Components; and Chemical Products. The only industry reporting contracting inventories in August is Paper Products. Nine industries reported no change in inventories in August as compared to July.
Customers' Inventories†
ISM®'s Customers' Inventories Index registered 38.9 percent in August, 0.6 percentage point lower than the 39.5 percent reported for July, indicating that customers' inventory levels were considered too low. "Customers' inventories are too low for the 71st month in a row, a positive for future production growth. The index registered below 40 percent for the 25th consecutive month," says Fiore.
Three industries (Apparel, Leather & Allied Products; Furniture & Related Products; and Wood Products) reported customers' inventories as too high in August. The 11 industries reporting customers' inventories as too low— listed in order — are: Textile Mills; Fabricated Metal Products; Primary Metals; Transportation Equipment; Petroleum & Coal Products; Nonmetallic Mineral Products; Machinery; Food, Beverage & Tobacco Products; Computer & Electronic Products; Miscellaneous Manufacturing; and Chemical Products.
Prices†
The ISM® Prices Index registered 52.5 percent in August, 7.5 percentage points lower compared to the July reading of 60 percent, indicating raw materials prices increased for the 27th consecutive month, at a much slower rate. This is the first Prices Index reading below 60 percent since August 2020 (59.5 percent). Over the past five months, the index has decreased 34.6 percentage points, including a combined 26-percentage point plunge in July and August. "The slowing in price increases is being driven by (1) relaxation in the energy markets, (2) softening in the copper, steel, aluminum and corrugate markets and (3) continuing sluggishness in chemical demand. Notably, 26.7 percent of respondents reported paying lower prices in August, compared to 21.5 percent in July," says Fiore. A Prices Index above 52.6 percent, over time, is generally consistent with an increase in the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Producer Price Index for Intermediate Materials.
In August, eight of 18 industries reported paying increased prices for raw materials, in the following order: Printing & Related Support Activities; Computer & Electronic Products; Miscellaneous Manufacturing; Furniture & Related Products; Paper Products; Machinery; Chemical Products; and Electrical Equipment, Appliances & Components. The seven industries reporting paying decreased prices for raw materials in August — in the following order — are: Apparel, Leather & Allied Products; Wood Products; Fabricated Metal Products; Plastics & Rubber Products; Primary Metals; Food, Beverage & Tobacco Products; and Transportation Equipment.
Backlog of Orders†
ISM®'s Backlog of Orders Index registered 53 percent in August, a 1.7-percentage point increase compared to the 51.3 percent reported in July, indicating order backlogs expanded for the 26th straight month. Of the six largest manufacturing sectors, three — Transportation Equipment; Machinery; and Computer & Electronic Products — expanded their order backlogs. "Backlogs expanded in August at a faster rate as new order levels recovered, and production expanded minimally in the period. A slowing in price increases is a positive for future new orders growth and backlogs expansion," says Fiore.
Seven industries reported growth in order backlogs in August, in the following order: Nonmetallic Mineral Products; Printing & Related Support Activities; Transportation Equipment; Plastics & Rubber Products; Machinery; Computer & Electronic Products; and Miscellaneous Manufacturing. The four industries reporting lower backlogs in August are: Wood Products; Furniture & Related Products; Chemical Products; and Electrical Equipment, Appliances & Components. Six industries reported no change in backlogs of orders in August as compared to July.
New Export Orders†
ISM®'s New Export Orders Index registered 49.4 percent in August, 3.2 percentage points below the July reading of 52.6 percent. "The New Export Orders Index contracted in August after being in expansionary territory for 25 consecutive months. Weakness in European economies and China still catching up after COVID-19 lockdowns continue to constrain new export orders and impact the index number. Of the six big industry sectors, two — Computer & Electronic Products; and Food, Beverage & Tobacco Products — expanded," says Fiore.
Three industries reported growth in new export orders in August: Plastics & Rubber Products; Computer & Electronic Products; and Food, Beverage & Tobacco Products. The six industries reporting a decrease in new export orders in August — in the following order — are: Wood Products; Furniture & Related Products; Primary Metals; Fabricated Metal Products; Chemical Products; and Machinery. Eight industries reported no change in exports in August as compared to July.
Imports†
ISM®'s Imports Index registered 52.5 percent in August, a decrease of 1.9 percentage points compared to July's figure of 54.4 percent. "Imports grew in August despite port congestion on the East Coast and containers not moving in the most efficient manner," says Fiore.
The eight industries reporting growth in imports in August — in the following order — are: Textile Mills; Electrical Equipment, Appliances & Components; Food, Beverage & Tobacco Products; Transportation Equipment; Chemical Products; Machinery; Plastics & Rubber Products; and Miscellaneous Manufacturing. Five industries reported lower volumes of imports in August: Wood Products; Primary Metals; Paper Products; Fabricated Metal Products; and Computer & Electronic Products.
†The Supplier Deliveries, Customers' Inventories, Prices, Backlog of Orders, New Export Orders, and Imports indexes do not meet the accepted criteria for seasonal adjustments.
Buying Policy
The average commitment lead time for Capital Expenditures in August was 180 days, a decrease of three days compared to July. Average lead time in August for Production Materials was 96 days, a decrease of four days. Average lead time for Maintenance, Repair and Operating (MRO) Supplies decreased by five days, to 46 days.
About This Report
DO NOT CONFUSE THIS NATIONAL REPORT with the various regional purchasing reports released across the country. The national report's information reflects the entire U.S., while the regional reports contain primarily regional data from their local vicinities. Also, the information in the regional reports is not used in calculating the results of the national report. The information compiled in this report is for the month of August 2022.
The data presented herein is obtained from a survey of manufacturing supply executives based on information they have collected within their respective organizations. ISM® makes no representation, other than that stated within this release, regarding the individual company data collection procedures. The data should be compared to all other economic data sources when used in decision-making.
Data and Method of Presentation
The Manufacturing ISM® Report On Business® is based on data compiled from purchasing and supply executives nationwide. The composition of the Manufacturing Business Survey Committee is stratified according to the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) and each of the following NAICS-based industry's contribution to gross domestic product (GDP): Food, Beverage & Tobacco Products; Textile Mills; Apparel, Leather & Allied Products; Wood Products; Paper Products; Printing & Related Support Activities; Petroleum & Coal Products; Chemical Products; Plastics & Rubber Products; Nonmetallic Mineral Products; Primary Metals; Fabricated Metal Products; Machinery; Computer & Electronic Products; Electrical Equipment, Appliances & Components; Transportation Equipment; Furniture & Related Products; and Miscellaneous Manufacturing (products such as medical equipment and supplies, jewelry, sporting goods, toys and office supplies). The data are weighted based on each industry's contribution to GDP. According to the BEA estimates for 2020 GDP (released December 22, 2021), the six largest manufacturing subsectors are: Computer & Electronic Products; Chemical Products; Transportation Equipment; Petroleum & Coal Products; Food, Beverage & Tobacco Products; and Machinery. Beginning in February 2018 with January 2018 data, computation of the indexes is accomplished utilizing unrounded numbers.
Survey responses reflect the change, if any, in the current month compared to the previous month. For each of the indicators measured (New Orders, Backlog of Orders, New Export Orders, Imports, Production, Supplier Deliveries, Inventories, Customers' Inventories, Employment and Prices), this report shows the percentage reporting each response, the net difference between the number of responses in the positive economic direction (higher, better and slower for Supplier Deliveries) and the negative economic direction (lower, worse and faster for Supplier Deliveries), and the diffusion index. Responses are raw data and are never changed. The diffusion index includes the percent of positive responses plus one-half of those responding the same (considered positive).
The resulting single index number for those meeting the criteria for seasonal adjustments (Manufacturing PMI®, New Orders, Production, Employment and Inventories) is then seasonally adjusted to allow for the effects of repetitive intra-year variations resulting primarily from normal differences in weather conditions, various institutional arrangements, and differences attributable to non-moveable holidays. All seasonal adjustment factors are subject annually to relatively minor changes when conditions warrant them. The Manufacturing PMI® is a composite index based on the diffusion indexes of five of the indexes with equal weights: New Orders (seasonally adjusted), Production (seasonally adjusted), Employment (seasonally adjusted), Supplier Deliveries, and Inventories (seasonally adjusted).
Diffusion indexes have the properties of leading indicators and are convenient summary measures showing the prevailing direction of change and the scope of change. A Manufacturing PMI® reading above 50 percent indicates that the manufacturing economy is generally expanding; below 50 percent indicates that it is generally declining. A Manufacturing PMI® above 48.7 percent, over a period of time, indicates that the overall economy, or gross domestic product (GDP), is generally expanding; below 48.7 percent, it is generally declining. The distance from 50 percent or 48.7 percent is indicative of the extent of the expansion or decline. With some of the indicators within this report, ISM® has indicated the departure point between expansion and decline of comparable government series, as determined by regression analysis. The Manufacturing ISM® Report On Business® survey is sent out to Manufacturing Business Survey Committee respondents the first part of each month. Respondents are asked to report on information for the current month for U.S. operations only. ISM® receives survey responses throughout most of any given month, with the majority of respondents generally waiting until late in the month to submit responses to give the most accurate picture of current business activity. ISM® then compiles the report for release on the first business day of the following month.
The industries reporting growth, as indicated in the Manufacturing ISM® Report On Business® monthly report, are listed in the order of most growth to least growth. For the industries reporting contraction or decreases, those are listed in the order of the highest level of contraction/decrease to the least level of contraction/decrease.
Responses to Buying Policy reflect the percent reporting the current month's lead time, the approximate weighted number of days ahead for which commitments are made for Capital Expenditures; Production Materials; and Maintenance, Repair and Operating (MRO) Supplies, expressed as hand-to-mouth (five days), 30 days, 60 days, 90 days, six months (180 days), a year or more (360 days), and the weighted average number of days. These responses are raw data, never revised, and not seasonally adjusted.
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About Institute for Supply Management®
Institute for Supply Management® (ISM®) serves supply management professionals in more than 90 countries. Its 50,000 members around the world manage about US$1 trillion in corporate and government supply chain procurement annually. Founded in 1915 as the first supply management institute in the world, ISM is committed to advancing the practice of supply management to drive value and competitive advantage for its members, contributing to a prosperous and sustainable world. ISM leads the profession through the ISM® Report On Business®, its highly regarded certification programs and the ISM® Advance™ Digital Platform. This report has been issued by the association since 1931, except for a four-year interruption during World War II.
The full text version of the Manufacturing ISM® Report On Business® is posted on ISM®'s website at www.ismrob.org on the first business day* of every month after 10:00 a.m. ET.
The next Manufacturing ISM® Report On Business® featuring September 2022 data will be released at 10:00 a.m. ET on Monday, October 3, 2022.
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SOURCE Institute for Supply Management | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/09/01/manufacturing-pmi-528-august-2022-manufacturing-ism-report-business/ | 2022-09-01T15:40:32Z |
Golfer continues to hit the links at 100 years old with longtime friend
FARGO, N.D. (WDAY) - A 100-year-old golfer and his 92-year-old longtime cart partner rarely miss a morning round of golf.
The two longtime friends keep up their golf games and are fixtures at a golf course in North Dakota.
They both shoot well below their age, which is not bad when you consider one of them is 100 years old.
Max Olson, 92, and Wendell Johnson, 100, said they get up before the birds do to play their round.
You can find them on the course by 8 a.m., twice a week, and they both hit the ball well.
“We’ve had quite the experiences over the years,” Olson said.
Olson was a barber in the Fargo area for 40 years, and Johnson worked at the post office for 30 years.
Both men have served in the armed forces: Olson in the Korean War and Johnson is a Purple Heart recipient from his time in World War II.
The two have stories and continue to be there for one another.
Johnson said he had to help Olson when his golf cart got stuck in the mud over the summer.
“It was 100-year-old Wendell to the rescue. I had to help him get out of there,” Johnson said.
The two golfers finished their morning round of golf and said they were looking forward to their next game.
“That’s what it’s all about. To have fun, get out in the fresh air, and move around,” Olson said.
Copyright 2022 WDAY via CNN Newsource. All rights reserved. | https://www.kxii.com/2022/08/31/golfer-continues-hit-links-100-years-old-with-longtime-friend/ | 2022-09-01T00:21:27Z |
Biden heads to Mideast jittery about Iranian nuclear program
WASHINGTON (AP) — Joe Biden starts the first visit to the Middle East of his presidency with a monumental task: assuring uneasy Israeli and Saudi Arabian officials that he is committed to preventing Iran from becoming a nuclear power.
Biden begins the visit Wednesday with a three-day stop in Israel, where officials say Iran’s quickly evolving nuclear program is at the top of their agenda for talks with the U.S. president. Biden made reviving the Iran nuclear deal, brokered by Barack Obama in 2015 and abandoned by Donald Trump in 2018, a key priority as he entered office.
But indirect talks for the U.S. to reenter the deal have stalled as Iran has made rapid gains in developing its nuclear program. That’s left the Biden administration increasingly pessimistic about resurrecting the deal, which placed significant restrictions on Iran’s nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief.
Shortly after his arrival in Israel on Wednesday, Biden is expected to get a briefing on the country’s new “Iron Beam” missile defense system and visit the Yad Vashem, a memorial to Holocaust victims. Besides meetings with Israeli and Palestinian officials, he’s slated to receive Israel’s Presidential Medal of Honor and visit with U.S. athletes taking part in the Maccabiah Games, which involve thousands of Jewish and Israeli athletes from around the globe.
Biden, in a Washington Post op-ed published Saturday, laced into Trump for quitting the nuclear deal that Britain, France, Germany, Russia, China and the European Union also signed onto. But Biden also suggested that he’s still holding onto at least a sliver of hope that the Iranians will come back into compliance.
“My administration will continue to increase diplomatic and economic pressure until Iran is ready to return to compliance with the 2015 nuclear deal, as I remain prepared to do,” he wrote.
Israeli officials, who briefed reporters ahead of Biden’s departure from Washington on Tuesday, said the U.S. and Israel would issue a broad-ranging “Jerusalem Declaration” that will take a tough stance on Iran’s nuclear program.
The declaration commits both countries to use “all elements of their national power against the Iranian nuclear threat,” according to an Israeli official who spoke on the condition of anonymity to preview the statement.
The official said the Israelis would stress to Biden their view that Iran has calculated “time is on their side” and is loath to give any concessions. The Biden administration’s last round of indirect negotiations with Iran in Doha, Qatar, late last month ended without success.
Separately, Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid issued a joint statement on Wednesday announcing the two nations were launching a new strategic high-level dialogue on technology. The partnership is to focus on the use of emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence and other tech-based solutions, to take on global challenges such as pandemic preparedness and climate change.
The White House has also been frustrated with repeated Iran-sponsored attacks on U.S. troops based in Iraq, though the administration says the frequency of such attacks has dropped precipitously over the last two years. Tehran also sponsored the rebel Houthis in a bloody war with the Saudis in Yemen. A U.N.-brokered cease-fire has been in place for more than four months, a fragile peace in a war that began in 2015.
Separately, White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan on Monday said the administration believes Russia is turning to Iran to provide it with hundreds of unmanned aerial vehicles, including weapons-capable drones, for use in its ongoing war in Ukraine.
The Saudis, like the Israelis, have been frustrated that the White House has not abandoned efforts to revive the nuclear deal with Tehran. Biden heads to the Saudi port city of Jeddah on Friday to meet with King Salman and the Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who is widely known by his initials MBS, and to attend a gathering of the Gulf Cooperation Council, where Iran’s nuclear program is on the agenda.
Also looming over the Saudi visit is the president’s strained relationship with the crown prince.
As a White House candidate, Biden, a Democrat, said he would look to make the kingdom a “pariah” nation over its human rights abuses. The relationship was further strained when Biden last year approved the release of a U.S. intelligence report that determined that MBS likely approved the 2018 killing of U.S.-based journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
The president will arrive in Saudi Arabia, among the world’s biggest oil producers, at a moment of skyrocketing gas and food prices around the globe — driven, in part, by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. White House officials and energy analysts say there are low expectations that the Saudis or fellow members of OPEC+ will deliver relief.
Another factor in seeking a détente in the Saudi relationship is growing concern in the administration that the Saudis could move closer to China and Russia amid strains with the United States.
Aaron David Miller, a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and former U.S. State Department official, said Biden is looking forward to visiting Saudi Arabia “like I would look forward to a root canal operation.”
“You’ve got a president who is terribly conflicted about this meeting,” Miller said. “He can’t even acknowledge, in all of his public remarks, that he’s even going to meet with Mohammed bin Salman.”
But Israeli officials are cautiously optimistic that the Biden visit could be a breakthrough moment on a slow path toward normalizing relations between Israel and Saudi Arabia. Biden will be the first U.S. president to travel directly from Israel to Saudi Arabia, and the two nations’ shared enmity for Iran has led to subtle cooperation.
Earlier this week, opposition leader Benjamin Netanyahu praised the crown prince’s “contribution” to the Abraham Accords, declarations of diplomatic and economic normalization signed by Bahrain, Israel, the United Arab Emirates and the United States while Netanyahu was prime minister.
Israel is expected to hold new elections in the fall after the fragile coalition government led by Naftali Bennett crumbled last month.
___
Federman and Madhani reported from Jerusalem. Associated Press writer Chris Megerian in Washington contributed to this report.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.wibw.com/2022/07/13/biden-heads-mideast-jittery-about-iranian-nuclear-program/ | 2022-07-13T10:59:14Z |
Sarasota Police Department Officers Union talks contract negotiation struggles
SARASOTA, Fla. (WWSB) - Sarasota Police Department Officers IUPA Local 6045 union held a press conference Monday addressing struggles they’ve had with the City of Sarasota for the 2022-2025 contract agreement. The union has spent the past six months negotiating with the City of Sarasota trying to come to an agreement about the new contract.
The current contract is up in October and the union is pushing for three different aspects of the new agreement. Competitive wages to hire and keep the best officers, anti-discrimination protection to make sure no officer is faced with discrimination based on race, gender, or sexual orientation and good faith in the negotiation process.
Five officers have left the department and have not been replaced within the month of June alone. Officers are concerned about the staff shortage and said it could be putting community safety at risk.
The union’s press conference addressed the lack of communication between the union and the city on all these concerns.
“We understand that not all of our asks are going to be able to be accommodated,” said Eric Urbain IUPA Local 6045. “We just want to set out what our goals are and work together to reach something that’s acceptable for both sides attracting the best top-tier officers we can find.”
The City of Sarasota released the following statement to ABC 7:
“We have been active participants, responded to numerous proposals and listened to the IUPA members during the negotiations. We will continue to do so, as we do not see this as a win or lose proposal but an opportunity for both sides to present information and come to acceptable agreements.”
The City of Sarasota additionally stated that public safety is their highest priority and have approved new officer positions to the city’s budget.
“The City Commission approved the unprecedented addition of ten new police officer positions to the city’s budget, an investment of approximately $1.2 million.” said the City of Sarasota in their statement.
The City stated officers, sergeants and criminalists received pay increases in the past three negotiations that were agreed on by the IUPA Union. The statement also stated that The City of Sarasota does not discriminate and they honor and respect all employees.
“The City of Sarasota does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, national origin, age, disability or marital status,” said the city in their statement.
Copyright 2022 WWSB. All rights reserved. | https://www.mysuncoast.com/2022/06/27/sarasota-police-department-officers-union-talks-contract-negotiation-struggles/ | 2022-06-27T23:41:17Z |
Survey respondents report backlogs larger than 100,000 vulnerabilities that contain critical risks
but are too time-consuming to address properly.
BE'ER SHEVA, Israel, Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Rezilion, an automated vulnerability management platform accelerating software security, and Ponemon Institute announced today the release of "The State of Vulnerability Management in DevSecOps," which reveals that organizations are losing thousands of hours in time and productivity dealing with a massive backlog of vulnerabilities that they have neither the time or resources to tackle effectively.
The report highlights 47% of security leaders report that they have a backlog of applications that have been identified as vulnerable. More than half (66%) say their backlog consists of more than 100,000 vulnerabilities and the average number of vulnerabilities in backlogs overall is a mind-boggling 1.1 million, according to the data. Even more concerning, 54% say they were able to patch less than 50% of the vulnerabilities in the backlog. Most respondents (78%) say high-risk vulnerabilities in their environment take longer than 3 weeks to patch, with the largest percentage (29%) noting it takes them longer than 5 weeks to patch.
"We believe the research shines the light on the challenges organizations face in managing their growing backlog of vulnerabilities," said Dr. Larry Ponemon, chairman and founder of Ponemon Institute. "On average, 1.1 million individual vulnerabilities were in this backlog in the past 12 months and less than half were remediated. Automation, according to the IT security professionals participating in our study, can make a significant difference in the time it takes to remediate vulnerabilities."
Among the factors that keep teams from remediating are an inability to prioritize what needs to be fixed (47%), a lack of effective tools (43%), a lack of resources (38%), and not enough information about risks that would exploit vulnerabilities (45%). More than a quarter (28%) also said remediation is too time-consuming.
Expensive and time-consuming hours are lost trying to wrangle massive backlogs on both the production and development side of software applications. The survey finds 77% of respondents say it takes longer than 21 minutes to detect, prioritize, and remediate just one vulnerability in production. This represents more than an hour of time spent on one vulnerability on the production side.
On the development side, more than 80% of organizations spend longer than 16 minutes to detect one vulnerability in development. Prioritization and remediation times are also long as 82% of respondents say it takes longer than 21 minutes to remediate one vulnerability in development and 85% say it takes longer than 16 minutes to prioritize one vulnerability in development.
"This is a significant loss of time and dollars spent just trying to get through the massive vulnerability backlogs that organizations' possess," said Liran Tancman, CEO of Rezilion, which sponsored the research. "If you have more than 100,000 vulnerabilities in a backlog, and consider the number of minutes that are spent manually detecting, prioritizing, and remediating these vulnerabilities, that represents thousands of hours spent on vulnerability backlog management each year. These numbers make it clear that it is impossible to effectively manage a backlog without the proper tools to automate detection, prioritization, and remediation."
Overall, a majority of respondents say it is either very difficult (36%) or difficult (25%) to remediate vulnerabilities in applications. There are some tools and strategies that businesses are relying on with success to move the needle on backlog management. For example, a majority (56%) said they use automation for vulnerability remediation and, of those who do, most say it has yielded significant benefits. When asked how automation has impacted the time it takes to remediate vulnerabilities, 43% said there was a significantly shorter time to respond.
"We now have the data to track how much time vulnerabilities are stealing from teams across the Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC) and we know that it is a process that is not working effectively," said Tancman. "Backlogs cannot continue to be closed in this manner because it extends the attack window for threat actors to exploit unpatched, exploitable vulnerabilities. Security teams and developers clearly need prioritization and automation to make their patching efforts more timely and efficient."
Methodology:
A sampling frame of 16,510 IT and IT security practitioners who are knowledgeable about their organizations' attack surface and effectiveness in managing vulnerabilities were selected as participants to this survey. Ponemon Institute surveyed 634 IT and IT security practitioners who are knowledgeable about their organizations' attack surface and effectiveness in managing vulnerabilities. All organizations have adopted DevSecOps or are in the process of adopting a DevSecOps approach.
To download the full report please visit: https://www.rezilion.com/lp/its-about-time-ponemon-survey/.
About Rezilion:
Rezilion's platform quickly and seamlessly tackles your vulnerability backlog with automation. The platform's continuous runtime analysis detects vulnerable software components on any layer of the software stack and determines their exploitability, filtering out up to 95% of identified vulnerabilities. Rezilion then automatically mitigates exploitable vulnerabilities across the SDLC, reducing vulnerability backlogs and remediation timelines from months to hours, while giving DevOps teams time back to build.
Learn more about Rezilion's software attack surface management platform at www.rezilion.com to get a 30-day free trial.
Media Contact:
Danielle Ostrovsky
Hi-Touch PR
410-302-9459
ostrovksy@hi-touchpr.com
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SOURCE Rezilion | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/09/14/rezilion-ponemon-release-new-report-finds-thousands-hours-lost-vulnerability-backlog-management-due-lack-prioritization-automation/ | 2022-09-14T11:32:22Z |
Documentaries amplify the voices, history, and legacy of women of color
SEATTLE, June 2, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (NATAS) Northwest announced the nominees for the Regional Emmy® Awards, including three nominations for acclaimed documentaries produced by KD Hall, KD Hall Communications and the KD Hall Foundation.
All three short films feature and celebrate women of color who are using their lived experience, talents, and art to triumph over health inequalities, gender discrimination, and racial injustice to educate and inspire others.
This foundational theme is a cornerstone of projects championed by KD Hall Communications and KD Hall Foundation. Inspired by her own experience and the birth of her two daughters, KD Hall committed her expertise to advocate for the inherent power of women by sharing their stories and developing programs for women to use, leverage, and grow their leadership skills.
"It has been difficult for me to articulate my love for storytelling and comprehend the young people we were able to uplift through our documentaries," said KD Hall, CEO. "As I reflect on the last 18-years and my journey to realize my destiny and achieve my most precious dreams, I am also reminded of the importance of mentorship and self-belief. I am so grateful."
One of the documentaries, A time for vigilance: Sickle Cell & Racial Justice in a Pandemic, features the personal story of Seattle resident Denise Bazemore, diagnosed with sickle cell anemia in her teens, who experienced a lonely existence with limited treatment options. Following diagnosis of COVID-19, she faced severe health symptoms in addition to managing the challenges of her sickle cell disease. Bazemore's story resonated deeply with producers KD and David Hall, whose own daughter was diagnosed with sickle cell disease shortly after birth.
Visit https://www.natasnw.org/ for more information.
A TIME FOR VIGILANCE: SICKLE CELL & RACIAL JUSTICE IN A PANDEMIC
Public Affairs Program
A Time for Vigilance: Sickle Cell & Racial Justice in a Pandemic - YouTube
I'M EVERY WOMXN: OPPORTUNITY WASHINGTON BENEFIT CONCERT
Diversity/Equity/Inclusion - Long Form Content
https://vimeo.com/709305615/f2c07b2dc2
WASHINGTON STATE'S BLACK WOMEN IN ARTS
Children/Youth/Teens
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Azxn8O0XqM
Founded in 2015, the KD Hall Foundation serves women and girls of all backgrounds and produces educational workshops to develop skills and build self-confidence, mentorship, and experiential learning opportunities for future leaders.
Media Contact:
Suzanne Lavender
425.229.4816
suzanne@kdhall.com
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SOURCE KD Hall Communications LLC | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/06/02/kd-hall-communications-kd-hall-foundation-receive-three-emmy-nominations/ | 2022-06-02T21:00:01Z |
CAMBRIDGE, Mass., June 30, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Myeloid Therapeutics, Inc. ("Myeloid"), a clinical stage mRNA-immunotherapy company harnessing the power of myeloid and innate biology to engineer novel therapies that elicit a broad immune response for cancer and autoimmune diseases, today announced that it has expanded its Board of Directors with the appointments of industry leaders Stanley Frankel, M.D., FACP and Brett Kaplan, M.D.
"We are privileged to welcome Stan and Brett to the Myeloid Board of Directors. Stan is a highly accomplished drug developer, executive and board member who led the development and commercialization of several key cell-therapies that form the basis for the field today. Brett is an experienced financial and operational leader, with an impressive deal sheet of more than $1 billion in transactions across Initial Public Offerings, strategic alliances and collaborations," said Daniel Getts, Ph.D., CEO of Myeloid. "Stan and Brett's proven track records strengthens our Board, and we look forward to their contributions as we progress Myeloid's deep pipeline of clinical and discovery stage assets."
Stanley Frankel, M.D., FACP - Dr. Frankel joins the Myeloid Board of Directors as a hematologist-oncologist with over 20 years of industry experience, including the research, clinical development, and commercialization of immuno-oncology and cellular therapies. He served as Corporate Vice-President Immuno-Oncology at Celgene where he oversaw the clinical development collaborations for the Medimmune/AstraZeneca alliance for durvalumab, and Celgene's alliances with BeiGene for tislelizumab and with Juno Therapeutics for development of cell-based therapies. He served as Senior Vice-President, Global Drug Development for Cell Therapy at BMS following the acquisition of Celgene to oversee the filing and development of Breyanzi® (lisocabtagene maraleucel) and Abecma® (idecabtagene vicleucel). Previously, he oversaw T-cell engager bispecific antibody development as Vice President, Clinical Development at Micromet, including development of Blincyto® (blinatumomab). He is Chief Medical Officer at Cytovia Therapeutics and a Non-Executive Director at Precision Biosciences. He serves on the Scientific Advisory Board at Sutro Biopharma, Immunai, and Minerva Biotechnologies. Dr. Frankel is also an Adjunct Associate Professor of Medicine at the Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons at Columbia University, New York. Dr. Frankel is a graduate of Harvard College and Northwestern University Medical School.
"I am pleased to join the Board of Directors of Myeloid to help guide the company as they advance their portfolio of next generation immunotherapies," said Dr. Frankel. "The myeloid targeting, RNA-based technologies have now advanced to the clinic and the in vivo cell programming technologies that continue to be explored offer great therapeutic potential."
Brett Kaplan, M.D. – Dr. Kaplan currently serves as the Chief Financial and Corporate Development Officer of Chroma Medicine Inc. He most recently served as Audit Committee Chair and Board member of Compass Therapeutics. Prior to joining Chroma, Dr. Kaplan was the Chief Financial Officer of Prevail Therapeutics, which was acquired by Eli Lilly in January 2021 for up to $1.04 billion. While at Prevail Therapeutics, Dr. Kaplan guided the company through cross-over and IPO financings, raising $175 million. Previously, Dr. Kaplan was Managing Director at Evercore where he spent eight years focused on biopharma M&A and equity financings. Prior to Evercore, he was an Equity Research Analyst at Cowen, where he covered large cap pharmaceuticals. Earlier in his career, Dr. Kaplan held senior positions at Cubist and Lilly focused on corporate and business development. He holds an MBBCh and an MBA from the University of Witwatersrand in South Africa.
"I'm very pleased to become a director of Myeloid, whose promising science and differentiated corporate strategy offer a compelling opportunity to improve the lives of patients with cancer and autoimmune disorders," said Dr. Kaplan. "Myeloid is at an exciting stage with a clinical pipeline and multiple platform technologies that I believe can deliver high impact for patients with cancer, and significant value for partners and investors. I look forward to working with the Board and the leadership team to build Myeloid for the future."
About Myeloid Therapeutics
Myeloid Therapeutics is a clinical stage mRNA-immunotherapy company harnessing the power of myeloid cell biology to engineer new therapeutic alternatives for patients with cancer and autoimmune diseases. Integrating the fields of RNA biology, immunology, and medicine, the Company's proprietary platform provides clinical solutions that match therapeutic modalities to disease conditions, including use of autologous cell therapies, in vivo cell programming using mRNA, RNA-based gene-editing using RetroT™ and multi-targeted biologics. Myeloid is advancing a broad portfolio of clinical and preclinical candidates designed to enable full immune system responses. Myeloid has entered into strategic partnerships with Prime Medicine and Acuitas and is supported by well-known biotechnology investors. Myeloid is headquartered in Boston, MA. For more information, visit https://www.myeloidtx.com/.
Investor and Media Contact
Amy Conrad
Juniper Point
Amy@juniper-point.com
858-914-1962
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SOURCE Myeloid Therapeutics | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/06/30/myeloid-therapeutics-strengthens-its-board-directors-with-appointments-stanley-frankel-md-facp-brett-kaplan-md/ | 2022-06-30T12:34:34Z |
Exercise boosts women’s brain speed, study says
Published: Jul. 21, 2022 at 8:10 AM CDT|Updated: 1 hour ago
(CNN) - A new study focuses on the important of exercise for women’s brain health.
Researchers found the processing speed of female brains benefit from even short spurts of exercise, even more so than for a man.
The study revealed that even just 15 minutes a week of brisk walking or biking can help you think quicker and combat the delay in processing speed that comes with aging.
It also found that cognitive activities such as playing card games and reading are also helpful for processing speed for both men and women.
It was published by the American Academy of Neurology.
Copyright 2022 CNN Newsource. All rights reserved. | https://www.wibw.com/2022/07/21/exercise-boosts-womens-brain-speed-study-says/ | 2022-07-21T14:29:20Z |
Monday night forecast: Very hot and mostly sunny Tuesday
Extreme heat continues for several days
TOPEKA, Kan. (WIBW) - After a hot day today, temperatures will fall through the 80s this evening, and lows should be in the upper 60s to low 70s overnight under a clear sky. Tuesday is shaping up to be dangerously hot with highs near or above 100° across the entire state of Kansas. With elevated humidity, the air will feel like 102-109° during the afternoon.
A weak cold front is on track to move through the area Tuesday night, but no rain is expected. Temperatures may be ever-so-slightly cooler for the middle of the week with highs in the mid to upper 90s on Wednesday.
Triple-digit numbers will be quick to return. Multiple consecutive days with high temperatures at or above the century mark are expected from Thursday through the weekend. Morning lows could be near 80° for Saturday and Sunday. Rain appears unlikely over the next 8 days, but a few isolated storm chances may eventually be added to the forecast for late this week or early next week.
Stay hydrated over the next several days to beat this extreme heat, and if possible, take frequent breaks inside with air conditioning.
Tonight: Clear. Low 69. Winds SE/S at 5 to 10 mph.
Tuesday: Mostly sunny; very hot. High 100. Winds S at 5 to 15 mph.
Wednesday: Mainly sunny. High 96F. Winds N at 5 to 15 mph.
Thursday: Mostly sunny; very hot. High 100F. Winds SW at 5 to 15 mph.
Copyright 2022 WIBW. All rights reserved. | https://www.wibw.com/2022/07/18/monday-night-forecast-very-hot-mostly-sunny-tuesday/ | 2022-07-18T20:50:43Z |
Leader in printing and shipping solutions recognized for excellence in franchising
DENVER, June 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- PostNet, a global leader in high-quality printing and shipping solutions, was named one of the top global franchises by Entrepreneur after being ranked 92nd on the Top Global Franchise list. The list was comprised of the top 200 franchises that have an expanded presence internationally.
"Being able to sustain growth year-after-year is one of the main goals of the PostNet brand, and we've been able to do that despite the business environment over the past two years," said Bill McPherson, vice president of franchise development. "We have found ways to evolve, pivot and take advantage of all market changes that have been presented to our franchises. Thanks to a collaborative effort between franchisees and headquarters, we will continue to grow and hope to remain a regular name on the top global franchises list."
Entrepreneur determines its global rankings based on a formula similar to the one used for the Franchise 500®. However, in the global ranking, international size and growth are weighted more heavily. Other evaluation criteria include costs and fees, franchisee support, brand strength and financial strength and stability.
Earlier this year, PostNet was also named to the Franchise 500 list by Entrepreneur, where the franchise ranked No. 374.
"Awards are always a team accomplishment because it takes a joint effort to have success in the franchising industry," McPherson said. "The entirety of our system is predicated on the franchisees and leadership team having a mutually beneficial relationship. Being able to make both the Franchise 500 and Top Global Franchise lists is a testament to the synergy between headquarters and our franchise owners."
For more information, visit https://www.postnet.com/.
About PostNet
PostNet opened its doors in 1993. With nearly 700 locations in North America, Central America, South America and Africa, PostNet is a global leader in printing and shipping solutions. In 2017, PostNet joined the MBE Worldwide family. Combined, MBE has nearly 2,600 locations in 44 countries. For more information about PostNet services, visit www.postnet.com. To learn about franchise opportunities, visit www.postnetfranchise.com.
MBE Worldwide S.p.A. ("MBE"), a privately-owned company with its headquarters in Italy, is a Global Commerce enabler for SMBs and consumers thanks to its platform providing e-commerce, fulfillment, shipping, marketing and print solutions via multi-brand operations: PrestaShop, Mail Boxes Etc. (except the US and Canada), PostNet, PACK & SEND, Spedingo.com, AlphaGraphics, Multicopy and Print Speak. The combination of our retail platform - that currently counts 2,900+ Service Centers in 53 Countries with more than 12.000 associates - with our PrestaShop ecommerce platform served almost one million business customers in FY 2021 generating €1.01 billion (US $1.2 billion) of System Wide Sales and €24 billion (US $28.5 billion) of e-commerce Gross Merchandise Value.
For additional information please visit MBE Worldwide Group websites at www.mbecorporate.com - www.prestashop.com/en - www.mbeglobal.com - www.postnet.com - www.packsend.com.au - www.spedingo.com/en - www.alphagraphics.com - www.multicopy.nl - www.printspeak.com - www.mbe.it - www.mbe.es - www.mbe.de - www.mbefrance.fr - www.mbe.pl - www.mbeportugal.pt - www.mbe.co.uk
MEDIA CONTACT:
Heather Ripley
Ripley PR
865-977-1973
hripley@ripleypr.com
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SOURCE PostNet | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/06/29/postnet-named-top-global-franchise-by-entrepreneur/ | 2022-06-29T12:04:22Z |
NEW YORK, July 9, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The Family Federation for World Peace and Unification (commonly known as the "Unification Church") would like to express our shock and grief over the assassination of the former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family in the wake of this tragedy.
Prime Minister Abe was a globally respected statesman of Japan and active in building peace in Asia, a subject close to the heart of our organization. Mr. Abe often spoke of the need to value freedom and democracy and believe in the hope that such values will bring. We pray that his work to build peace in the Indo-Pacific region will endure.
As an organization, Family Federation stresses the value of family in building a peaceful society. We condemn this act of violence. Guns have no place in our religious beliefs or practices.
May we each take this moment to let our loved ones know that we care, and continue to pray for Mr. Abe's family and the people of Japan at this time.
Family Fed USA
Nancy Jubb
212-997-0057
press@familyfed.org
Irving Street Rep
Ron Lucas
973-643-6262
rlucas@irvingstreetrep.com
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SOURCE Family Federation for World Peace and Unification | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/07/10/unification-church-statement-assassination-former-japanese-prime-minister-shinzo-abe/ | 2022-07-10T02:47:27Z |
Justice Dept. asks appeals court to lift order barring prosecutors from reviewing Mar-a-Lago documents
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Justice Department asked a federal appeals court Friday to lift a judge’s order that temporarily barred it from reviewing a batch of classified documents seized during an FBI search of former President Donald Trump’s Florida home last month.
The department told the 11th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals in Atlanta that the judge’s hold was impeding the “government’s efforts to protect the nation’s security” and interfering with its investigation into the presence of top-secret information at Mar-a-Lago. It said the hold needed to be lifted immediately so work could resume.
“The government and the public would suffer irreparable harm absent a stay,” department lawyers wrote in their brief to the appeals court.
The judge’s appointment of a “special master” to review the documents, and the resulting legal tussle, appear certain to further slow the department’s criminal investigation. It remains unclear whether Trump, who has been laying the groundwork for another potential presidential run, or anyone else might be charged.
U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon earlier this month directed the department to halt its use of the records until further court order, or until the completion of a report of an independent arbiter who is to do his own inspection of the documents and weed out any covered by claims of legal privilege.
On Thursday night, she assigned Raymond Dearie, the former chief judge of the federal court based in Brooklyn, to serve as the arbiter — also known as a special master. She also declined to lift an order that prevented the department from using for its investigation about 100 seized documents marked as classified, citing ongoing disputes about the nature of the documents that she said merited a neutral review.
“The Court does not find it appropriate to accept the Government’s conclusions on these important and disputed issues without further review by a neutral third party in an expedited and orderly fashion,” she wrote.
The Justice Department last week asked Cannon to put her own order on hold by Thursday, and said that if she did not, it would ask the appeals court to step in.
The FBI says it took about 11,000 documents, including roughly 100 with classification markings found in a storage room and an office, while serving a court-authorized search warrant at the home. Weeks after the search, Trump lawyers asked a judge to appoint a special master to do an independent review of the records.
In her Sept. 5 order, Cannon agreed to name a special master to sift through the records and filter out any that may be potentially covered by claims of executive privilege or attorney-client privilege.
In appointing Dearie on Thursday, she granted him access to the entire tranche of documents, including classified records. She directed him to complete his review by Nov. 30 and to prioritize the review of classified documents, and directed the Justice Department to permit the Trump legal team to inspect classified records with “controlled access conditions.”
The Justice Department disagreed with the judge that the special master should be empowered to inspect the classified records. It said the classified records that were seized do not contain communication between Trump and his lawyers that could be covered by attorney-client privilege, and said the former president could not credibly invoke executive privilege to shield government documents that do not belong to him from the investigation.
Though the department had argued that its work was being unduly impeded by the judge’s order, Cannon disagreed, noting in her order Thursday that officials could proceed with other aspects of their investigation, such as interviewing witnesses.
_____
Follow Eric Tucker on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/etuckerAP
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.mysuncoast.com/2022/09/17/justice-dept-asks-appeals-court-lift-order-barring-prosecutors-reviewing-mar-a-lago-documents/ | 2022-09-17T01:36:22Z |
Longtime Company Executive to Oversee Finance across Global Operations
NEW YORK, April 19, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- IMAX Corporation (NYSE: IMAX) today announced it is promoting Natasha Fernandes to the role of Chief Financial Officer (CFO), effective May 1. A 15-year veteran of the Company's Finance team, Fernandes most recently served as Deputy Chief Financial Officer for IMAX. She succeeds Joseph Sparacio, who served as the Company's CFO from 2007 to 2016, and rejoined IMAX last year as the Company's interim Chief Financial Officer. Fernandes will report directly to Rich Gelfond, CEO of IMAX Corporation.
"Natasha is a phenomenal homegrown talent who has risen through the ranks at IMAX thanks to her strategic thinking, financial acumen, and determination — most recently on display with her successful management as Treasurer of our strong balance sheet throughout the pandemic," said Gelfond. "As IMAX grows its business around the world and expands into new experiences and technologies, Natasha's leadership will be crucial in building on the Company's strong financial position."
Fernandes' promotion to Chief Financial Officer of IMAX is the culmination of a 15-year career with the Company, during which she has held numerous leadership roles in Finance. Prior to assuming the role of Deputy Financial Officer in 2021, Fernandes served as Corporate Treasurer since 2018. Most recently, she led the Company's successful $200 million convertible debt offering in 2021 and new credit agreement earlier this year. Earlier, she held other financial positions including Assistant Controller, as well as Director, Financial Reporting for IMAX.
Prior to joining IMAX, Fernandes was an Audit Manager of Manufacturing & Service Industries at Deloitte. She is a member of Chartered Professional Accountants Canada and holds a Bachelor of Business Administration with Honours from Wilfrid Laurier University.
"I am very excited to step into this role and work alongside Rich and the team to foster a new era of growth at IMAX — a company that has expanded and evolved dramatically in my time here," said Fernandes. "As we take the IMAX Experience in new, promising directions across experiences and platforms, I look forward to supporting the company's growth and maximizing its value around the world."
"I would also like to thank Joe for his service to IMAX, and for offering strategic leadership during this transition," added Gelfond.
About IMAX Corporation
IMAX, an innovator in entertainment technology, combines proprietary software, architecture and equipment to create experiences that take you beyond the edge of your seat to a world you've never imagined. Top filmmakers and studios are utilizing IMAX theaters to connect with audiences in extraordinary ways, and, as such, IMAX's network is among the most important and successful theatrical distribution platforms for major event films around the globe.
IMAX is headquartered in New York, Toronto, and Los Angeles, with additional offices in London, Dublin, Tokyo, and Shanghai. As of December 31, 2021, there were 1,683 IMAX theater systems (1,599 commercial multiplexes, 12 commercial destinations, 72 institutional) operating in 87 countries and territories. Shares of IMAX China Holding, Inc., a subsidiary of IMAX Corporation, trade on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange under the stock code "1970."
IMAX®, IMAX® Dome, IMAX® 3D, IMAX® 3D Dome, Experience It In IMAX®, The IMAX Experience®, An IMAX Experience®, An IMAX 3D Experience®, IMAX DMR®, DMR®, IMAX nXos® and Films to the Fullest®, are trademarks and trade names of the Company or its subsidiaries that are registered or otherwise protected under laws of various jurisdictions. More information about the Company can be found at www.imax.com. You may also connect with IMAX on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/imax), Facebook (www.facebook.com/imax), Twitter (www.twitter.com/imax) and YouTube (www.youtube.com/imaxmovies).
For additional information please contact:
Investors:
Heather Anthony
hanthony@imax.xom
212.821.0121
Media:
Mark Jafar
mjafar@imax.com
212.821.0102
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SOURCE IMAX Corporation | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/04/19/imax-promotes-natasha-fernandes-chief-financial-officer/ | 2022-04-19T16:51:56Z |
NEW YORK, July 20, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Brett Friedman rejoined Ropes & Gray's health care practice as partner in New York today.
Brett returns to the firm after serving as Deputy Commissioner at New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) and the State Medicaid Director. In this capacity, Brett led New York's expansive Medicaid program with an annual budget of over $90 billion and that offers comprehensive health coverage to more than 7.4 million New Yorkers as part of an integrated health insurance marketplace.
Brett first joined NYSDOH in November 2019 as the Director of Strategic Initiatives and Special Medicaid Counsel and was named Deputy Commissioner and State Medicaid Director in June 2021. During his time at NYSDOH, Brett was responsible for a wide range of legal, regulatory and policy issues impacting New York's Medicaid program, including the development and the negotiation of Medicaid 1115 demonstration and 1915 home and community based services waivers, Medicaid innovation initiatives, duals-integration strategies, managed care plan oversight and regulatory approvals, an overhaul of the program's value-based payment roadmap, and New York Medicaid's extraordinary response to the COVID-19 pandemic, among other critical issues.
Prior to his arrival at NYSDOH, Brett was a partner in Ropes & Gray's health care group and co-head of the firm's digital health practice. From the beginning of his career at Ropes & Gray, Brett developed significant experience in advising not-for-profit institutions as well as private and emerging companies on a variety of complex transactional, enforcement and regulatory matters within the health care industry.
"Brett returns to the firm with exceptional knowledge of how complex government health care programs operate, and how to navigate them. His return is a win for our clients and the firm," said Julie Jones, chair.
"Brett's deep understanding of health care regulatory law makes him unique in New York and the nation," said David Djaha, managing partner. "We could not be happier about Brett's return to our New York health care team, broadening our bench and increasing our Medicare and Medicaid offering to clients."
Brett's clients have included not-for-profit providers, hospitals, managed care plans and Medicaid-funded behavioral health providers, as well as pharmaceutical and device manufacturers, e-health and other digital health businesses, investor-owned physician practice management firms and other investor-owned companies.
Brett also advises clients in government investigations, audits, and self-disclosures concerning potential violations of Medicare and Medicaid regulatory authorities and health care fraud and abuse laws. In addition, Brett's transactional experience includes advising private equity, for-profit and tax-exempt clients regarding health care due diligence, regulatory and reimbursement issues.
"Brett's return to Ropes & Gray strengthens our ability to work with payer, provider and health care investor clients on the full spectrum of transactional, regulatory, enforcement and policy matters, with a particular focus on government-sponsored programs like Medicaid and Medicare, accountable care and value-based payment initiatives," said Timothy McCrystal, partner and co-chair of Ropes & Gray health care practice.
"I am excited to return home to Ropes & Gray, where my career began. The firm's award-winning health care practice offers a tremendous opportunity to advise leading health care institutions on navigating strategic and innovative solutions," said Brett.
The health care industry in the 21st century faces tremendous change driven by growing demand, new technologies, shifting business models and intense government scrutiny. Clients benefit from Ropes & Gray's deep experience in health care law, and our intimate knowledge of our clients' industries, which position the firm to preempt and resolve legal issues across the full range of relevant practices.
In 2021, the firm received every major health care award for its work. This includes:
The American Lawyer's "Corporate Legal Department of the Year, Health Care"
The Deal's "Health Care, Pharma & Biotech Law Firm of the Year"
Law360's "Health Care Practice Group of the Year" – the third year in a row
Financial Times' award for the best law firm in "Enabling Business Response to COVID-19"
U.S. News–Best Lawyers "Best Law Firms", "Law Firm of the Year, Health Care"
Chambers USA recognized the firm as 2021 "Health Care Firm of the Year"
Ropes & Gray is a preeminent global law firm with approximately 1,400 lawyers and legal professionals serving clients in major centers of business, finance, technology and government. The firm has offices in New York, Boston, Washington, D.C., Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Silicon Valley, London, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Tokyo and Seoul, and has consistently been recognized for its leading practices in many areas, including private equity, M&A, finance, asset management, real estate, tax, antitrust, life sciences, health care, intellectual property, litigation & enforcement, privacy & cybersecurity, and business restructuring.
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Media Contact:
Eric Goldman
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Cell: +1-917-224-9861
Eric.Goldman@ropesgray.com
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SOURCE Ropes & Gray | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/07/20/health-care-partner-brett-friedman-rejoins-ropes-amp-gray/ | 2022-07-20T17:04:55Z |
Twenty years after she denied to a grand jury that R. Kelly had sex with her as a girl and recorded some of their encounters, the now-grown woman took the stand Thursday to reverse her testimony.
Speaking in federal court in Chicago under the pseudonym Jane, the 37-year-old only looked at Kelly once during her testimony -- when asked to identify him. Kelly kept his gaze lowered to the defense table throughout her time on the stand.
Prosecutors showed recordings that Jane testified showed Kelly engaging in sex acts with her. At times, Jane began to cry during her time on the stand.
"How old were you when the sexual acts depicted in those recordings occurred?" asked Assistant US Attorney Jeannice Appenteng.
"14," testified Jane, who is expected to retake the stand Friday.
She testified Kelly began engaging in sex acts with her when she was 14 and had sexual intercourse with her starting when she was 15 "hundreds" of times before she turned 18.
Jane is one of five minors who prosecutors allege Kelly sexually abused in the late 1990s, making explicit videos with four of them. Kelly faces charges including producing and receiving child pornography, enticing minors to engage in criminal sexual activity and obstruction charges. He has pleaded not guilty.
His codefendants include Derrel McDavid, a former business manager and accountant for the singer, who faces child pornography and obstruction charges. Milton "June" Brown, Kelly's former assistant, faces one count of conspiracy to receive child pornography. McDavid and Brown have pleaded not guilty.
An attorney for Kelly asked jurors during opening statements Wednesday to scrutinize why Jane is coming forward now and changing her testimony from two decades ago.
"For the last 22 years, she has adamantly denied that it was her in that video. Before there was any criminal investigation, she denied it. She denied it repeatedly to prosecutors, she denied it to social workers to police officers. She denied it under oath to a grand jury," Jennifer Bonjean said Wednesday.
On the witness stand Thursday, Jane said she is testifying under immunity because she lied under oath to a 2002 grand jury about her sexual relationship with Kelly and whether she appears in the explicit video recordings with him.
"If I correct my mistakes by telling the truth, I won't be prosecuted," Jane said.
"Why were you untruthful?" Appenteng asked Jane at another point.
"Because I was afraid to expose Robert. Because I was afraid of what might happen to my parents," she said. "I also did not want that person to be me."
A family connection
As a young teen, Jane traveled the world with a Christian hip-hop group whose members were cousins of hers. Prosecutors asked her not to name the group in order to protect her identity.
"I was living my dream," Jane testified.
Her aunt, known professionally as Sparkle, worked with R. Kelly and had a romantic relationship with him. It was Sparkle who introduced Jane to Kelly when Jane was 12 or 13 years old at a gospel concert for her church, she testified. Weeks later, Kelly came to one of her group's concerts.
"He was telling me how great of a job I did," Jane testified. "I felt successful. I felt happy."
Shortly after they met, Jane said she began spending more time with Kelly and Sparkle. She would watch Kelly and Sparkle record music and talk about basketball and music with Kelly. Jane testified she was 13 when Sparkle suggested Jane should ask Kelly to play a bigger role in her life.
"She told me that I should ask him to be my godfather." Sparkle is expected to testify later in the trial.
Jane said Kelly "chuckled" and agreed to be her godfather, and within weeks, their relationship became sexual. Kelly would talk to her on the phone and ask, "What color panties are you wearing?" and "about my breasts growing" and that "I need to be wearing bras," Jane testified.
When Kelly became her godfather, Jane testified that her parents felt comfortable letting her stay the night or even the weekend at his home, without her parents or aunt present.
"They would pretty much drop me off and then leave," Jane testified.
Recordings of sex acts
Jane testified that she was 14 years old when Kelly's sexualized comments became actions. She said Kelly began touching her breasts and vaginal area while touching himself one night when they were at his recording studio. The touching, she testified, quickly turned into oral sex and other sex acts, and she lost her virginity to him when she was 15.
Jane spoke softly as Appenteng asked her to describe one act shown in a video.
"On what part of your body did he urinate?" Appenteng asked.
"My vagina," Jane said, quietly.
Bonjean and an attorney for McDavid have repeatedly objected to prosecutors admitting the recordings as evidence. They contested the authenticity of the videos and the chain of custody the videos have been transferred through in the 20 years since they surfaced. Retired Chicago Police Detective Daniel Everett, who investigated one of the tapes in 2002, testified Thursday he did not know where the original VHS tape featuring multiple recordings is.
"I do not know where it is today," Everett testified.
Jane testified that after recordings were made, they were sometimes kept in a gym bag or a wood-paneled room in Kelly's former home that she called the "log cabin" area. She sometimes saw Brown carrying the bag filled with recordings, she testified.
Prosecutors did not play the recordings in court Thursday but warned jurors during opening statements that they will play during the trial portions of the videos that are "difficult to watch."
Lying to authorities
When the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services began investigating an allegation Kelly was having a sexual relationship with Jane in April 2000 when she was 15, Jane testified she denied the relationship. She also testified she later denied to Chicago Police investigators she and Kelly had a sexual relationship.
Jane testified Thursday she denied having a sexual relationship with Kelly to her parents, but after reports began surfacing in 2002 about the existence of a tape showing the pair engaged in sex acts, she said Kelly, Jane and her parents had a meeting where Kelly admitted to them he was having a sexual relationship with their daughter.
Jane and her father received subpoenas to testify before a grand jury in 2002. Jane testified that prior to appearing before the grand jury, she had a conversation with Kelly about "loyalty" and "denying our relationship and the sex tape."
Jane testified she lied to a grand jury in 2002 when she denied having a sexual relationship and appearing in sex videos with the singer.
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WASHINGTON (AP) — Steve Bannon, a longtime ally of former President Donald Trump, was convicted on Friday of contempt charges for defying a congressional subpoena from the House committee investigating the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol.
Bannon, 68, was convicted after a four-day trial in federal court on two counts: one for refusing to appear for a deposition and the other for refusing to provide documents in response to the committee’s subpoena. The jury of 8 men and 4 women deliberated just under three hours.
He faces up to two years in federal prison when he’s sentenced on Oct. 21. Each count carries a minimum sentence of 30 days in jail.
David Schoen, one of Bannon’s lawyers said outside the courthouse the verdict would not stand. “This is round one,” Schoen said. “You will see this case reversed on appeal.”
Likewise, Bannon himself said, “We may have lost the battle here today; we’re not going to lose this war.”
He thanked the jurors for their service and said he had only one disappointment — “and that is the gutless members of that show trial committee, the J-6 committee didn’t have the guts to come down here and testify.”
Prosecutors were just as firm on the other side of the verdict.
“The subpoena to Stephen Bannon was not an invitation that could be rejected or ignored,” Matthew Graves, the U.S. attorney in Washington, said in a statement. “Mr. Bannon had an obligation to appear before the House Select Committee to give testimony and provide documents. His refusal to do so was deliberate, and now a jury has found that he must pay the consequences.”
The committee sought Bannon’s testimony over his involvement in Trump’s efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election. Bannon had initially argued that his testimony was protected by Trump’s claim of executive privilege. But the House panel and the Justice Department contend such a claim is dubious because Trump had fired Bannon from the White House in 2017 and Bannon was thus a private citizen when he was consulting with the then-president in the run-up to the riot on Jan. 6, 2021.
Bannon’s lawyers tried to argue during the trial that he didn’t refuse to cooperate and that the dates “were in flux.” They pointed to the fact that Bannon had reversed course shortly before the trial kicked off — after Trump waived his objection — and had offered to testify before the committee.
In closing arguments Friday morning, both sides re-emphasized their primary positions from the trial. The prosecution maintained that Bannon willfully ignored clear and explicit deadlines, and the defense claimed Bannon believed those deadlines were flexible and subject to negotiation.
Bannon was served with a subpoena on Sept. 23 last year ordering him to provide requested documents to the committee by Oct. 7 and appear in person by Oct. 14. Bannon was indicted in November on two counts of criminal contempt of Congress, a month after the Justice Department received the House panel’s referral.
Bannon’s attorney Evan Corcoran told jurors Friday in his closing arguments that those deadlines were mere “placeholders” while lawyers on each side negotiated terms.
Corcoran said the committee “rushed to judgment” because it “wanted to make an example of Steve Bannon.”
Corcoran also hinted that the government’s main witness, Jan. 6 committee chief counsel Kristin Amerling, was personally biased. Amerling admitted on the stand that she is a lifelong Democrat and has been friends with one of the prosecutors for years. Corcoran also vaguely hinted that the signature of Jan. 6 committee chairman Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-Miss) looked different on the subpoena than on other letters but dropped that topic when the prosecution objected.
Prosecutors focused on the series of letters exchanged between the Jan. 6 committee and Bannon’s lawyers. The correspondence shows Thompson immediately dismissing Bannon’s claim that he was exempted by Trump’s claim of executive privilege and explicitly threatening Bannon with criminal prosecution.
“The defense wants to make this hard, difficult and confusing,” said Assistant U.S. Attorney Amanda Vaughn in her closing statement. “This is not difficult. This is not hard. There were only two witnesses because it’s as simple as it seems.”
The defense Thursday motioned for an acquittal, saying the prosecution had not proved it’s case. In making his motion for acquittal before U.S. District Judge Carl Nichols, Bannon attorney Corcoran said that “no reasonable juror could conclude that Mr. Bannon refused to comply.”
Once the motion was made the defense rested its case without putting on any witnesses, telling Nichols that Bannon saw no point in testifying since the judge’s previous rulings had gutted his planned avenues of defense. Among other things, Bannon’s team was barred from calling as witnesses House Speaker Nancy Pelosi or members of the House panel.
____
Associated Press reporters Michael Balsamo and Gary Fields contributed to this report.
Follow AP’s coverage of the Jan. 6 committee hearings at https://apnews.com/hub/capitol-siege | https://cw33.com/news/politics/ap-politics/bannons-trial-set-for-closing-arguments-jury-deliberations/ | 2022-07-22T21:22:07Z |
Watch: Bradenton license plate thieves caught in the act
SARASOTA, Fla. (WWSB) - The Bradenton Police Department are warning drivers to be mindful of their license plates.
This past weekend two men were caught on camera stealing a license plate from a Tesla in the Wheat + Water parking lot. The owner of the car, Carol Burdelik, said she was out to dinner with some friends when two men in a Dodge SUV. pulled up alongside the Tesla and went to work.
By using a power tool, the thieves were able to quickly remove the screws and take the license plate. Little did they know, the Tesla has eight exterior cameras which caught them in the act.
According to Det. Todd Freed, stealing license plates is actually a pretty common crime.
“Stealing license plates, it happens more than people actually know,” he said. “If they’re out there committing crimes and somebody does get a license plate number off of the vehicle, it may not come back to that vehicle and it may not come back the individuals in the car. So, it throws law enforcement a curve ball.”
That’s why he explains it’s extremely important to report your license plate being stolen as soon as you notice. By making them aware of the situation, they’re able to use technology to help find the platenappers.
“There’s cameras where people don’t even know. They alert law enforcement when a license plate has been flagged, has been stolen so they can hopefully apprehend those individuals.”
The two men are still at large. You’re encouraged to contact the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office if you recognize the men or have any further information.
Copyright 2022 WWSB. All rights reserved. | https://www.mysuncoast.com/2022/09/15/watch-bradenton-license-plate-thieves-caught-act/ | 2022-09-15T11:07:46Z |
US consumers less confident as anxiety over future grows
WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. consumers were less confident again in June as persistent inflation and rising interest rates have Americans as pessimistic as they’ve been about the future in almost a decade.
The Conference Board said Tuesday that its consumer confidence index slipped to 98.7 in June from 103.2 in May, the second straight monthly decline.
The business research group’s expectations index, based on consumers’ six-month outlook for income, business and labor market conditions, tumbled in June to 66.4 — its lowest level since 2013 — from 73.7 in May. It has been a consistently weak spot in the survey recently.
“Consumers’ grimmer outlook was driven by increasing concerns about inflation, in particular rising gas and food prices,” said Lynn Franco, the Conference Board’s senior director of economic indicators. “Expectations have now fallen well below a reading of 80, suggesting weaker growth in the second half of 2022 as well as growing risk of recession by year end.”
The present situation index, which measures consumers’ assessment of current business and labor conditions, ticked down less than a full point in June to 147.1.
Inflation has soared over the past year at its fastest pace in more than 40 years, with rising costs for nearly everything negating Americans’ pay raises.
Consumer prices surged 8.6% in May from a year earlier, faster than April’s year-over-year increase of 8.3%, the Labor Department reported earlier this month. The new inflation figure was the highest since 1981 and came after the Federal Reserve raised its main borrowing rate by a half point in early May in its effort to tamp down rising inflation.
The Labor Department’s producer price index — which measures inflation before it reaches consumers — also surged 10.8% in May from a year earlier, putting pressure on the Federal Reserve to become even more aggressive in its fight against historic inflation.
The Fed responded a couple of weeks ago by raising its main borrowing rate by three-quarters of a point, its biggest increase since 1994. More rate hikes are expected this year.
The Conference Board’s survey showed that consumers grew more pessimistic about short-term business conditions, the job market and their own short-term financial prospects.
Purchasing intentions for big-ticket items -- cars, homes and major appliances -- remained relatively stable, but rising costs for travel have forced Americans to dial back some vacation plans.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.wibw.com/2022/06/28/us-consumers-less-confident-anxiety-over-future-grows/ | 2022-06-28T14:50:13Z |
A destination for wedding essentials, Kendra Scott's expansion into engagement rings allows the brand to be part of a couple's complete wedding journey
AUSTIN, Texas, May 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Kendra Scott enters a new category with the introduction of The Engagement Collection by Kendra Scott. Building on a successful fine jewelry business in Kendra Scott's repertoire, entry into engagement was a natural next step for the brand. This launch comes as the company celebrates its 20th anniversary and marks the second new category expansion this year, following the successful introduction of Watches and Watch Bands in April.
As a brand that places an emphasis on innovation, Kendra Scott made the decision to work with lab grown diamonds. The debut eleven-piece Engagement Collection by Kendra Scott features lab grown diamonds that are F in color (colorless), VS2 in clarity range, and available in carat weight from 0.5 to 2 carats. All rings are custom, made to order, and delivered in approximately three weeks.
Inspired by Kendra Scott's signature icon pieces, each engagement silhouette bears custom details unique to the brand's design DNA. Available in Solitaire, Halo, and Signature silhouettes, the rings feature a traditional center stone, including Round, Oval, and Emerald. Customers have the option to customize the ring with their choice of 14k White Gold, Rose Gold, or Yellow Gold. Representing joy, optimism, and the promise of a bright future, a singular Yellow Sapphire was thoughtfully placed at the bridge of each Solitaire setting, or burnished at the base of Iconic Halo rings.
Designed to be as beautiful and unique as each love story, Kendra Scott offers a bespoke customer experience complete with a dedicated in-house Diamond Expert, who will guide the couple through their custom ring journey. The customer will select every facet of their ring, from carat weight to pavé additions to metal selections and personalized engraving. The Engagement Collection by Kendra Scott will launch at twelve retail locations across the country as well as online via virtual appointments.
"For twenty years, our customers have invited us to be a part of their wedding journeys. The launch of the Engagement Collection by Kendra Scott will allow us to be the wedding destination from proposal to happily ever after," said Kendra Scott, Founder, Designer & Executive Chairwoman of the brand. "When creating this collection, we challenged ourselves to consider every detail. Fundamental to our design process, each ring can be customized and curated to match every couple's unique love story."
The engagement experience will launch in select Kendra Scott retail stores, including Tampa Hyde Park, Pittsburgh Walnut Street, Savannah Broughton Street, Charleston King Street, Dedham Legacy Place, Nashville Hill Center, Lexington Summit, SoHo New York, South Congress Flagship in Austin, Dallas Preston Center, Las Vegas Summerlin and Houston Heights Mercantile, and online at kendrascott.com/engagement-rings.html. Price points will range between $1,350–$8,150.
Kendra Scott is a leading fashion accessories brand inspired by the personal experiences, travel, and sense of community of its founder and designer, Kendra Scott. With over 2,000 employees, Kendra Scott has over 100 standalone stores across the US and is sold in premiere retailers including Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom, Bloomingdale's and 600 specialty boutiques worldwide and boasts a thriving web business. Kendra Scott is known for its kaleidoscope of beautiful accessories as well as the innovative and customizable Color Bar® experience. As the brand continues to grow, the company remains true to its founding philosophy of "Family, Fashion, Philanthropy" and since 2010, has given back well over $50 million to local, national, and international causes.
For Press Inquiries, please contact:
The Right Now
KendraScott@therightnow.co
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SOURCE Kendra Scott | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/05/23/kendra-scott-unveils-first-ever-engagement-ring-collection/ | 2022-05-23T15:30:08Z |
DALLAS (KDAF) — Flowy, colorful and fun, spring dresses are the perfect way to take advantage of the warmer weather while adding some fun to your day.
They are great for brunch dates with your friends, casual days by the pool or even a date night!
Galleria Dallas has the latest looks when it comes to your spring dresses. For more of the latest trends, visit galleriadallas.com. | https://cw33.com/lifestyle/inside-dfw/spring-dress-trends-with-galleria-dallas/ | 2022-05-17T15:54:56Z |
Report: FBI searched for classified documents on nuclear weapons at Trump residence
WASHINGTON (CNN) - The FBI was looking for classified documents related to nuclear weapons when it searched Mar-a-Lago on Monday, according to the Washington Post.
The Post reports experts in top secret information were concerned the documents, which were not well secured, could potentially fall into the wrong hands.
Documents about nuclear weapons capabilities are especially sensitive and usually highly restricted to a small number of government officials.
Details about nuclear weapons could provide foreign intelligence agencies with a road map to build ways to counter those systems.
The Post reporting does not indicate whether the FBI was able to successfully retrieve the classified documents in their search of the Palm Beach resort.
Attorney General Merrick Garland said Thursday that he “personally approved” the decision to seek a warrant for the search of Trump’s Florida home.
The Justice Department filed a request to have the search warrant of the property unsealed.
The DOJ will discuss that request with Trump Friday to determine if he opposes the release.
Copyright 2022 CNN Newsource. All rights reserved. | https://www.mysuncoast.com/2022/08/12/report-fbi-searched-classified-documents-nuclear-weapons-trump-residence/ | 2022-08-12T02:25:58Z |
NEW YORK , May 31, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Halper Sadeh LLP, an investor rights law firm, is investigating the following companies for potential violations of the federal securities laws and/or breaches of fiduciary duties to shareholders relating to:
CatchMark Timber Trust, Inc. (NYSE: CTT)'s sale to PotlatchDeltic Corporation for 0.23 common shares of PotlatchDeltic stock for each common share of CatchMark. If you are a CatchMark shareholder, click here to learn more about your rights and options.
TherapeuticsMD, Inc. (NASDAQ: TXMD)'s sale to an affiliate of EW Healthcare Partners for $10.00 per share. If you are a TherapeuticsMD shareholder, click here to learn more about your rights and options.
Mana Capital Acquisition Corp. (NASDAQ: MAAQ)'s merger with Cardio Diagnostics, Inc. If you are a Mana Capital shareholder, click here to learn more about your rights and options.
Gesher I Acquisition Corp. (NASDAQ: GIAC)'s merger with Freightos Limited. If you are a Gesher I shareholder, click here to learn more about your rights and options.
Halper Sadeh LLP may seek increased consideration for shareholders, additional disclosures and information concerning the proposed transaction, or other relief and benefits on behalf of shareholders.
Shareholders are encouraged to contact the firm free of charge to discuss their legal rights and options. Please call Daniel Sadeh or Zachary Halper at (212) 763-0060 or email sadeh@halpersadeh.com or zhalper@halpersadeh.com.
Halper Sadeh LLP represents investors all over the world who have fallen victim to securities fraud and corporate misconduct. Our attorneys have been instrumental in implementing corporate reforms and recovering millions of dollars on behalf of defrauded investors.
Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.
Contact Information:
Halper Sadeh LLP
Daniel Sadeh, Esq.
Zachary Halper, Esq.
(212) 763-0060
sadeh@halpersadeh.com
zhalper@halpersadeh.com
https://www.halpersadeh.com
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SOURCE Halper Sadeh LLP | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/06/01/shareholder-update-halper-sadeh-llp-investigates-ctt-txmd-maaq-giac/ | 2022-06-01T03:36:14Z |
New mortgage brokerage franchise provides homebuyers and refinancers competitive rates and access to local professionals that understand the Alaska market
WASILLA, Alaska, June 16, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Motto Mortgage, the first-and-only national mortgage brokerage franchise in the United States focused on transparency and compliance, is now available to consumers in Alaska with the opening of Motto Mortgage Aurora, a new office in Wasilla, AK serving all markets throughout the Last Frontier.
Motto Mortgage Aurora is a customer-first, full-service mortgage brokerage established by Lucas Adams. Having several years' experience in the finance and real estate industries under his belt has prepared him to provide the outstanding service clients expect when making one of the biggest purchases of their lives. His focus is on growing a community-centered brokerage with an emphasis on educating home buyers and providing clear value in today's marketplace.
"Motto Mortgage Aurora offers an advantageous alternative to the traditional mortgage bankers currently operating in Wasilla," said Lucas Adams. "We provide the scope, scale and support of a large retail lender, while offering the flexibility, autonomy and exceptional service of a local mortgage broker that knows how to navigate the intricacies of the home buying process in your market."
Lucas Adams will also serve as the mortgage loan originator for the office. Adams was born and raised in the Valley, only living elsewhere to fulfill training requirements for the Alaska Air National Guard. Whether he is in the office, or on the river fishing, you can always call him to get any information you need. Dedicated to his community through participation in various non-profits starting in high school, he has become a well-known face of generosity and a knowledge bank for the community.
Loan originators in the Motto Mortgage network have access to competitive loans from various wholesale lenders and work hard to give homebuyers choices – because no loan is one-size-fits-all. A loan originator with Motto Mortgage Aurora can be reached at 907-982-8002. A digital mortgage experience is available for borrowers who would prefer to conduct business remotely.
Each Motto Mortgage franchise is independently owned, operated and licensed.
Motto Mortgage Aurora (OFFICE NMLS # 2348053) is a locally owned and operated full-service mortgage brokerage serving all of Alaska located at 892 E USA Cir Suite 107 Wasilla, AK 99654. To learn more, please visit mottomortgageaurora.com or call 9079828002.
Lucas Adams NMLS: 2107661
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SOURCE Motto Mortgage | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/06/16/motto-mortgage-aurora-now-open-alaska/ | 2022-06-16T15:08:01Z |
ATLANTA, July 1, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Propel Center, in commemoration of Black Music Month, joined with five of Propel's institutional partners to successfully launch the first of the three-part C3 Series, an executive music industry pipeline program to promote music entrepreneurship in tech.
The accelerator series, the acronym of which stands for Create, Collaborate and Connect, will work to increase the leadership pipeline in today's music industry for HBCU students and young people of color with the aim of fulfilling these three ambitions by providing participants with an all-access pass to learn directly from some of the music industry's greatest minds, executives and tastemakers.
The limited C3 Series will run through March 2023, with the program mission to ensure that the pipeline of diverse leadership reaches and includes HBCU talent, while fast-tracking the next generation of executive leaders in music marketing, music public relations, tech and production. The inaugural participants, which included more than 60 students convened in master classes hosted at Clark Atlanta University, hailed from Bethune-Cookman University, Jackson State University, Clark Atlanta University, Edward Waters University and Bishop State Community College.
As part of C3's project-based, learning focused curriculum, each of the students were tasked with presenting a potential new artist to the consumer market by curating the needed music assets, and then working to implement a tailored marking and communications campaign. The program, funded by the Industry Impact Grants made available to eligible Propel Center HBCU member institutions, is co-facilitated by respected executives, Steve Higgs, COO, Preach Records/Ingrooves and head of A&R, and Cortez Bryant, co-CEO of the management firm Blueprint Group and adjunct professor at his alma mater, Jackson State University.
Guest speakers for the Black Music Month master class roll-out included Bryant and Higgs, Shawn Gee, partner/president at Live Nation Urban, Gee Roberson, co-CEO at Blueprint Group, Tuo Clark, SVP of A&R at Def Jam, Josh Raiford of Pandora/Sirius XM, Grammy Award-Winning producer Drummaboy, Dominique Simpson, CEO of CMPR, Inc. and music-producer Fresh Ayr.
"The new C3 Series program is just another example of the innovative, empowering work that's happening at Propel," said Dr. Charles J. Gibbs, president, Propel Center HBCU Consortium. "As we look to continue to provide our students with a pathway to help shape the future of the music industry, it's imperative that we expose them to the limitless executive opportunities beyond artist careers," he added.
"There are countless more possibilities—and a greater likelihood of achieving success—in the many roles that exist to display talent behind the scenes making things happen in music, and through this accelerator platform we're training our students to be the best prepared and ready to step into those roles."
"The Bethune-Cookman University Music Mogul project created at C3 with the Propel grant is proving to be a successful experiential learning program for our students who are participating in this unique pilot project," stated professor Sylvester Polk of BCU. "Our students are enjoying their experience and the wealth of knowledge that is being provided to them," he continued. "They had a rare chance to experience real-world industry operations, were in recording studios and attended master classes with seasoned industry professionals. This has been a necessary and vital complement to what we are doing in the classroom."
"There is a real need for developmental programs within the music business. I'm so thankful that Propel stepped up to the plate to lend the resources to attack that problem," emphasized industry partner Cortez Bryant. Concluded fellow industry partner Steve Higgs: "This program is the solution to equity and inclusion in executives' spaces within the music industry. HBCU students deserve innovative programs such as this, to ensure career readiness."
About Ed Farm
Ed Farm was launched in February 2020 in Birmingham, Alabama to create programs designed to engage students, educators and adult learners in innovative digital skills experiences that better prepare them for the 21st-century workforce. Moving forward, Ed Farm is expanding its programming and its footprint across the country, building upon the existing programming and work taking place in Birmingham.
About Propel Center
The Propel Center is a first-of-its-kind innovation and learning hub for the entire HBCU community of colleges serving as a catalytic epicenter of learning, providing students with the knowledge, skills, tools and resources necessary to transform the nation's talent pipeline and workforce. Through a robust virtual platform, on-campus activities at partner institutions and a physical campus to be located near the Atlanta University Center, Propel will bring innovative curricula and unprecedented leadership opportunities to produce the next generation of Black leaders. To learn more, visit propelcenter.org.
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SOURCE PropelCenter.org | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/07/01/propel-center-launches-three-part-junior-music-executive-accelerator-series-inspire-hbcu-students-become-future-music-industry-executives/ | 2022-07-01T22:30:42Z |
ATLANTA, April 22, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Cox Automotive today announced the transition of the FleetMaster brand to the global Cox Automotive Mobility brand, strengthening its commitment to offering the global fleet software of choice for the mobility age and enabling the transportation ecosystem well into the future.
"We recognize our responsibility to lead the future of global transportation and the fleet future," said Joe George, President of Cox Automotive Mobility. "We will continue to move the world forward with people, tools, and technology to optimize fleets of all types."
Cox Automotive acquired FleetMaster in July 2021, expanding the company's reach to serve both domestic and international markets across all mobility use cases, including rental, loaner, flexible access/subscription and lease. With the transition, Cox Automotive Mobility's evolved portfolio will now include Fleetmaster, a customizable, enterprise solution, as well as Fleetmaster Go, an out-of-the-box solution.
As one of the solutions within the Cox Automotive Mobility portfolio, the Fleetmaster product suite plays an integral role in delivering future-focused global advancements that drive fleet innovation and power new forms of mobility. By operating under one unified brand, this will also accelerate product and technology development working across Cox Automotive Mobility's four lines of business – Emerging Ventures, Fleet Services, Fleet Operations, EV Battery Solutions – to better serve its customers.
Global Fleet Solutions for the Mobility Age
There is rising demand for flexibility and agility, with rental and leasing companies, dealerships and auto manufacturers looking for ways to further optimize their fleets. The Cox Automotive Mobility Fleetmaster product suite offers a cloud-native software platform providing global, scalable, technology-leading solutions that enable fleet and mobility operators of all sizes to deliver sustainable operations in the evolving mobility landscape.
- Flexible – Highly configurable, user-friendly modules enable rental and leasing companies, dealerships, automotive manufacturers, and emerging mobility service providers to sustainably optimize operations.
- Future Proof – Cloud-based workflow software is innovative, scalable, and future-proof, supporting customers in the evolving mobility landscape.
- Scalable – Underpins customer growth plans by enabling them to deploy a globally consistent, locally compliant, multi-lingual solution.
Global Brand Debut at Industry Events Worldwide
The enhanced Cox Automotive Mobility brand and offerings will be showcased at some of the industry's most prominent events around the globe, including the International Car Rental Show (ICRS) in Las Vegas, FT Future of the Car in London and Global Fleet Conference 2022 in Lisbon. Please visit the Cox Automotive Mobility website at www.coxautoinc.com/mobility/icrs to schedule a meeting or demo with Cox Automotive Mobility at ICRS (Booth #601).
For more information about Cox Automotive Mobility or the company's other business solution areas, please visit www.coxautomotivemobility.com.
About Cox Automotive
Cox Automotive Inc. makes buying, selling, owning and using vehicles easier for everyone. The global company's more than 27,000 team members and family of brands, including Autotrader®, Dealer.com®, Dealertrack®, Kelley Blue Book®, Manheim®, NextGear Capital®, VinSolutions®, vAuto® and Xtime®, are passionate about helping millions of car shoppers, 40,000 auto dealer clients across five continents and many others throughout the automotive industry thrive for generations to come. Cox Automotive is a subsidiary of Cox Enterprises Inc., a privately-owned, Atlanta-based company with annual revenues of nearly $20 billion. www.coxautoinc.com
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SOURCE Cox Automotive Mobility | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/04/22/cox-automotive-transitions-fleetmaster-global-cox-automotive-mobility-brand/ | 2022-04-22T13:16:17Z |
Public investment expected to outpace private
CLEVELAND, Aug. 31, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- US engineering service revenues are forecast to advance 4.5% per year in nominal terms through 2026, according to Engineering Services: United States, a report recently released by Freedonia Focus Reports. Advances will be driven by:
- expected gains in manufacturer investment in facilities, supported by growth in manufacturing output
- increased government investment in transportation infrastructure, particularly at the federal level following the 2021 passage of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act
- recovery in nonresidential building activity
- the development and construction of new power generating units, as well as the modification and upgrade of existing plants
Public investment saw more rapid growth over the historical period (8.7%) than private investment and is expected to see 9.6% growth through 2026.
In 2022, revenues are expected to expand 5.1% as government and business investment returns to normal following the COVID-19 pandemic.
These and other key insights are featured in Engineering Services: United States. This report forecasts to 2022 and 2026 US engineering services revenues in nominal US dollars. Total revenues are segmented by market in terms of:
- industrial and manufacturing
- commercial, public, and institutional
- transportation infrastructure
- power generation and distribution
- other engineering projects such as municipal utilities, hazardous and industrial waste systems, and telecommunications and broadcasting systems
- other revenue sources, such as construction services, engineering advisory and drafting services, and surveying and mapping services
Total revenues are also segmented by sector as follows:
- private
- public
To illustrate historical trends, total revenue and the various segments are provided in annual series from 2011 to 2021.
US engineering services providers' revenues include income from all domestic locations primarily engaged in providing engineering services. Thus, receipts from other activities performed by these locations are included in total revenues. Receipts from establishments that may provide such services but are primarily engaged in a different activity are excluded from this report. Domestic locations that perform services for foreign customers are also included in industry revenues.
More information about the report is available at:
https://www.freedoniafocusreports.com/Engineering-Services-United-States-FF95035/?progid=91541
Each month, The Freedonia Group – a division of MarketResearch.com – publishes over 20 new or updated Freedonia Focus Reports, providing fresh, unbiased analysis on a wide variety of markets and industries. Published in 20-30 pages, Focus Report coverage ranges from raw materials to finished manufactured goods and related services such as freight and construction. Additional Services & Industries reports can be purchased at Freedonia Focus Reports or MarketResearch.com.
Analysis is intended to guide the busy reader through pertinent topics in rapid succession, including:
- total historical market size and industry output
- segmentation by products and markets
- identification of market drivers, constraints, and key indicators
- segment-by-segment outlook in five-year forecasts
- a survey of the supply base
- suggested resources for further study
Press Contact:
Corinne Gangloff
+1 440.842.2400
cgangloff@freedoniagroup.com
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SOURCE The Freedonia Group | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/08/31/rising-construction-activity-boost-us-engineering-service-revenues/ | 2022-08-31T16:47:33Z |
Seasoned Financial Services Executive Brings Award-Winning Digital Workplace Expertise to Growing Workforce
WILMINGTON, Del., June 16, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Marlette Holdings, Inc., a leading financial technology company operating the Best Egg financial platform, announces that Graham Kennedy has joined the team as Managing Director, Head of People and Workplaces, a new role the company created this year. He is responsible for overseeing the company's human resources organization and people strategy, focusing on all aspects of HR, including talent strategies, employee experience, performance management, leadership development, and workforce digital and physical environments.
"This new leadership role highlights, among other things, the investments our company is making to scale and grow our multi-product business while embracing the remote/hybrid, flexible workplace," said Frank Borchert, Chief Administrative and Chief Legal Officer for Best Egg. "I look forward to building on Graham's expertise to grow our people in line with our business goals while maintaining the personality of our company that continues to make us a sought-after place to work."
Since its launch in 2014, Best Egg has focused on helping people feel more confident about their finances by offering fast, simple, and convenient ways for them to pay for things beyond their everyday needs, especially when they have limited savings to absorb unplanned expenses. Best Egg's personal loan products have seen tremendous growth in the past two years, accelerating to $19B of loans with solid credit performance. The company has also diversified its offering, introducing the Best Egg Visa® Credit Card and the free Best Egg Financial Health tool in 2021 and announcing $225 million in equity funding in March 2022.
"I am thrilled to join the Best Egg team at this important time to help shape the people and culture strategy," said Graham Kennedy, Managing Director, Head of People and Workplaces for Best Egg. "I look forward to entering the fintech space and partnering with such a fantastic leadership team. Together, we aim to build a great brand and workplace that will attract and engage the best talent in the U.S."
Kennedy joins with two decades of experience in financial services with Fidelity Investments. His broad range of knowledge as an executive in technology, operations, and strategy gives him a unique perspective to lead the growth of a modern HR and Facilities organization. He is passionate about developing the workplace of the future, shaping employer brand perceptions, and building a culture of innovation and inclusion. He was named a Digital Workplace Leader of the Year by Digital Workplace Group in 2020 and 2021.
Best Egg continues growing and adding hundreds of new members to its team. Learn more about open positions on the Best Egg careers page.
About Marlette Holdings, Inc.
Marlette Holdings, Inc. is a leading financial technology provider whose subsidiaries develop and operate Best Egg, a financial health platform that provides lending products and resources focused on helping people feel more confident as they manage their everyday finances. Since March 2014, Best Egg has delivered over $19 billion in consumer personal loans with strong credit performance, welcomed 227,000 members to the recently launched Best Egg Financial Health platform, and empowered over 68,000 cardmembers who carry the new Best Egg Credit Card in their wallet. For more information, visit bestegg.com.
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SOURCE Best Egg | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/06/16/graham-kennedy-joins-best-egg-team-head-people-workplaces/ | 2022-06-16T15:53:11Z |
New Market Name Reflects Discipline Expansion and Design Transformation
NASHVILLE, Tenn., Sept. 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ --Gresham Smith is excited to announce that the firm's Corporate + Urban Design market has been renamed Life and Work Places. This new name reflects how the firm's practice has expanded as a result of fundamental changes to how people live, work and interact with each other in a post-pandemic world.
"Life and Work Places reflects an expansion of, and not a replacement of, our core practice and capabilities," said Randy Gibson, Chief Strategy Officer at Gresham Smith. "While the name has changed to better reflect where the market is today, it represents our firm's ability to adapt to today's fast-changing world while retaining focus on the success of our legacy clients."
The Life and Work Places market is comprised of over 100 individuals working out of primary studio locations in Atlanta, Charlotte, Denver, Nashville and Tampa. The market has approximately 200 active projects across the country and earned approximately $23 million in gross revenue in 2021. Focused on creative placemaking at multiple scales, the group is delivering increasingly diverse and complex projects designing spaces where life, commerce and community come together.
"Our new Life and Work Places name communicates our focus and commitment to clients going forward," said Life and Work Places Executive Vice President Don Reynolds, AIA, LEED AP BD+C, who spearheaded the name change. "Every individual and business entity is searching for their unique solution, and our designers are, essentially, walking this journey with our clients and helping them understand their real estate needs and opportunities."
The market's work in creating dynamic mixed-use, residential and workplace environments that connect communities and bring places to life is now complemented by a discipline dedicated to designing memorable spaces for student life. The full breadth of the Life and Work Places expertise now reflects the following dedicated disciplines and practice leaders:
- Mixed-Use: Led by Rugel Chiriboga, AIA, NCARB, LEED BD+C, the studio is creating dynamic buildings and environments with projects including Fifth + Broadway for Brookfield Properties, 222 Second Avenue for Hines, and Nashville Yards for Southwest Value Partners and AEG.
- Residential: Led by Brandon Bell, AIA, the studio is focused on urban multifamily projects across the country for clients that include GBT Realty, Lincoln Property Company and Mill Creek Residential Trust.
- Workplace: Led by Jack Weber, IIDA, MCR, LEED AP, the studio is delivering end-user environments through workplace design and strategy across a national portfolio of clients including Deloitte, Universal Music Group, Schneider Electric and Baker McKenzie.
- Education and Research: Led by Alyson Mandeville, our newest practice area is growing out of successful project engagements with the University of South Florida and Virginia Commonwealth University, among others.
To learn more about Gresham Smith's Life and Work Places market, read our 1-on-1 conversation with EVP Don Reynolds.
Gresham Smith is a top-ranked architecture, engineering and design firm with more than $230 million in annual gross revenue and 25 offices across the United States. The firm provides full-service solutions for the built environment with a focus on the aviation, building engineering, healthcare, industrial, land planning, life and work places, transportation, and water and environment market sectors. Our team of diligent designers, creative problem-solvers, insightful planners and seasoned collaborators work closely with our clients to improve the cities and towns we call home. Consistently ranked as a "best place to work," we are committed to creating a culture that fosters diversity of experience combined with a common goal of genuine care for each other, our partners and the outcome of our work. Learn more at GreshamSmith.com.
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SOURCE Gresham Smith | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/09/07/gresham-smiths-corporate-urban-design-market-renamed-life-work-places/ | 2022-09-07T16:43:57Z |
All figures in USD unless stated otherwise
TORONTO, Aug. 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ - Halo Collective Inc. ("Halo" or the "Company") (NEO: HALO) (OTCQX: HCANF) (Germany: A9KN) today announced a series of initiatives intended to enhance shareholder value. These initiatives include:
- Implementing cost reduction measures over the past two months, which, in aggregate, are expected to provide annualized cash savings of approximately $7.5 million
- Revamping the Company's sales organization and commission structure in Oregon to align with an aggressive sales goal to regain market share while emphasizing collections and account management.
- Pausing costly capital projects or payback periods that are not near-term.
- Completed the real property sale of Ukiah Ventures Inc., located at 4260 N Street, on June 30, for $2.35 million, with a portion of the proceeds used to reduce short-term debt by $1.5 million and the balance for general working capital.
The Company continues to identify other areas to reduce spending and become more efficient in its operations.
"Bringing a fresh perspective on how we run the business, we are focused on achieving more with less, with a near-term goal to make the operations cash neutral," said CEO and Director Katie Field. "We are taking many actions to benefit our P&L and balance sheet, such as reducing expenses, turning inventory into cash faster, liquidating unneeded equipment, and re-evaluating planned capital expenditures. We are also operating smarter, whether it be in how we incentivize our sales force or relying more heavily on local expertise to rebuild market share with Hush in California and Hush and Winberry in Oregon. Our goal is to leverage our existing assets with a focus on near-term payback."
Added Ms. Field, "The sale of the real property owned by Ukiah Ventures, which consisted of planned cannabis processing and distribution facilities, California, is a perfect example of moving on from something that did not meet our criteria for near-term payback. Given the saturation of the flower market in California and the lengthy time it would have required to build out the asset, we decided to sell the building to a third party and focus our resources on our other priorities."
Concluded Ms. Field, "I am highly confident that the initiatives Halo is undertaking will strengthen the Company and ultimately enhance shareholder value. Halo continues to be strategically well-positioned with a vertically integrated business model and a strong presence in key markets. With a leaner cost structure with and anticipating minimal impact upon revenues, cashflow breakeven is at a lower and we believe achievable threshold level. Additionally, we have an investment position in Akanda Corp. (Nasdaq: AKAN) which is worth well over US$10 million based on current market price and not reflected in Halo's current market cap."
Halo is focused on the United States West Coast, where it has vertically integrated operations covering the entire value chain from seed to sale. Halo cultivates, extracts, manufactures, and distributes quality cannabis flower, pre-rolls, vape carts, edibles, and concentrates. Halo sells these products under a portfolio of brands, including Hush™, Winberry Farms™, Williams Wonder Farms, its retail brand Budega™, and license agreements with Papa's Herb®, DNA Genetics, and FlowerShop*. In addition, Halo has opened two dispensaries in Los Angeles under the Budega™ brand in North Hollywood and Hollywood, with plans to open one more in Hollywood in the third quarter of 2022.
In the non-THC sector, Halo is expanding into health and wellness categories, including CBD and functional supplements such as nootropic nutraceuticals and non-psychotropic mushrooms. Halo, through a series of acquisitions, has product offerings in the form of beverages (H2C Beverages), dissolvable strips (Dissolve Medical), capsules (Hushrooms™), and topical supplements (Hatshe) with proposed national distribution via a strategic agreement with SWAY Energy Corporation.
Halo has successfully acquired and integrated a variety of companies which were subsequently reorganized to create Akanda Corp. (NASDAQ: AKAN), an international medical cannabis and wellness company, of which Halo currently owns 12,674,957 common shares worth approximately US$11.9 million as of August 8, 2022. Halo has also acquired a range of software development assets, including CannPOS, Cannalift, CannaFeels, and a discrete sublingual dosing technology, Accudab. Halo intends to reorganize these entities (including their intellectual property and patent applications) into a subsidiary called Halo Tek Inc. and to complete the distribution of the shares of Halo Tek Inc. to shareholders on record at a date to be determined.
For further information regarding Halo, see Halo's disclosure documents on SEDAR at www.sedar.com.
Connect with Halo Collective: Email | Website | LinkedIn | Twitter | Instagram
This press release contains certain "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation and may also contain statements that may constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking information and forward-looking statements are not representative of historical facts or information or current condition, but instead represent only Halo's beliefs regarding future events, plans or objectives, many of which, by their nature, are inherently uncertain and outside of Halo's control. Generally, such forward-looking information or forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "plans", "expects" or "does not expect", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", or "believes", or variations of such words and phrases or may contain statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will be taken", "will continue", "will occur" or "will be achieved". Forward-looking information may relate to anticipated events or results including, but not limited to the management's plans regarding its initiatives to enhance shareholder value and the impact thereof and intentions with respect to its portfolio of cannabis businesses.
By identifying such information and statements in this manner, Halo is alerting the reader that such information and statements are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such information and statements. In addition, in connection with the forward-looking information and forward-looking statements contained in this press release, Halo has made certain assumptions. Although Halo believes that the assumptions and factors used in preparing, and the expectations contained in, the forward-looking information and statements are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on such information and statements, and no assurance or guarantee can be given that such forward-looking information and statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such information and statements. Among others, the key factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking information and statements are the following: inability of management to successfully integrate the operations of acquired businesses, changes in the consumer market for cannabis products, changes in the expected outcomes of the proposed changes to Halo's operations, delays in obtaining required licenses or approvals necessary for the build-out of the Company's cannabis operations, dispensaries or Canadian operations, the proposed spin-out with Halo Tek Inc., delays or unforeseen costs incurred in connection with construction, the ability of competitors to scale operations in Northern California, delays or unforeseen difficulties in connection with the cultivation and harvest of Halo's raw material, changes in general economic, business and political conditions, including changes in the financial markets; and the other risks disclosed in the Company's annual information form dated March 31, 2022 and other disclosure documents available on the Company's profile at www.sedar.com. Should one or more of these risks, uncertainties or other factors materialize, or should assumptions underlying the forward-looking information or statements prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described herein as intended, planned, anticipated, believed, estimated or expected.
The forward-looking information and forward-looking statements contained in this press release are made as of the date of this press release, and Halo does not undertake to update any forward-looking information and/or forward-looking statements that are contained or referenced herein, except in accordance with applicable securities laws. All subsequent written and oral forward-looking information and statements attributable to Halo or persons acting on its behalf is expressly qualified in its entirety by this notice.
This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any of the securities described herein, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or jurisdiction.
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SOURCE Halo Collective Inc. | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/08/08/halo-collective-announces-initiatives-enhance-shareholder-value/ | 2022-08-08T21:29:18Z |
NASHVILLE, Tenn., June 15, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The Country Music Hall of Fame® and Museum will highlight the musical contributions of Chris Stapleton in its newest exhibition, Chris Stapleton: Since 1978, presented by Ram Trucks. The exhibit, which opens July 1 and runs through May 14, 2023, will chronicle the course of Stapleton's multi-faceted musical career, from his Kentucky roots and success as a Nashville songwriter to his rise to stardom as one of country music's most powerful and unique voices.
A dynamic singer, songwriter and musician, Stapleton has collaborated with artists ranging from Country Music Hall of Fame member Bobby Bare and Carlos Santana to pop stars Justin Timberlake and P!nk. Before his breakout success in 2015 with his quadruple-platinum album Traveller, he proved his musical mettle for more than a decade as an in-demand songwriter in Nashville. In addition to Stapleton's own hit recordings, more than 170 of his songs have been recorded by a diverse roster of artists, including Luke Bryan, Kenny Chesney, Alison Krauss and Union Station, George Strait, Sheryl Crow, Thomas Rhett, Lee Ann Womack and many more.
"Chris Stapleton is a powerful and emotive singer, a prolific and poetic songwriter and a skilled and expressive guitar player," said Kyle Young, chief executive officer for the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. "His rise as a successful artist may have seemed instantaneous to many, but he has been a force in country music for more than 20 years – whether writing hit songs for other country artists or contributing to studio recordings. Throughout it all, he has maintained his own unique perspective by staying true to his authentic self and artistic vision, and he continues to open the door to country music for new fans across generations and genres."
Stapleton was born April 15, 1978, and raised in rural, mountainous Johnson County, in eastern Kentucky. He began writing songs and playing guitar in his teens, teaching himself to play the instrument after taking one formal lesson. Stapleton found inspiration in a diverse range of artists and musical styles, from fellow Kentuckians Ricky Skaggs, the Judds and Dwight Yoakam to soul singer Otis Redding, blues artist Freddie King and rock artists Aerosmith and Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers.
The summer after his high school graduation, in 1996, Stapleton moved to Nashville to attend Vanderbilt University and study biomedical engineering. Lacking passion for his studies, he returned to Kentucky after his first year and eventually dropped out of college completely. He sold cars, drove an ice truck, and worked at a pizzeria while writing songs and playing in bars.
It wasn't until Stapleton met and collaborated with Nashville songwriter Steve Leslie that he realized it was possible to pursue a career in songwriting. With encouragement from Leslie and Sea Gayle Music publishing executive Liz O'Sullivan, he moved back to Music City in 2001 and signed with the publishing company, becoming a full-time songwriter without aspirations of a career as a performing artist.
Gary Allan ("Drinkin' Dark Whiskey") and Patty Loveless ("Higher Than the Wall") were among the first to release songs written by Stapleton, in 2003, and he scored his first Billboard #1 hit as a songwriter with Josh Turner's "Your Man" in 2006. As a songwriter, Stapleton has also earned Billboard #1 songs with Kenny Chesney ("Never Wanted Nothing More," 2007), Darius Rucker ("Come Back Song," 2010), Luke Bryan ("Drink a Beer," 2014) and Thomas Rhett ("Crash and Burn," 2015), as well as three of his own recordings.
Also in 2006, Stapleton joined the bluegrass band the SteelDrivers as lead singer, guitarist and songwriter, contributing to a live album and two studio albums before leaving the group in early 2010. Later that year, his blues-influenced rock band, the Jompson Brothers, released their first and only album. Stapleton's voice was also sought-after in the recording studio, and he sang background vocals on songs he co-wrote for several well-known country artists, including Luke Bryan, Jake Owen and Thomas Rhett.
Stapleton's first solo success came in 2015 with his debut album, Traveller, which was inspired by an 11-day road trip he took after the death of his father. He wrote the album's title track during the cross-country journey after picking up a 1979 Jeep Cherokee that his wife, Morgane, had purchased for him in Arizona. The trip—and the subsequent recording of the album at historic RCA Studio A with co-producer Dave Cobb—marked a turning point in which Stapleton embraced his own distinct, blues-influenced style and pursued artistic freedom.
Stapleton catapulted to stardom after a rousing performance with pop star Justin Timberlake at the 2015 Country Music Association Awards. He also took home all three CMA awards for which he was nominated that year: Male Vocalist of the Year, Album of the Year and New Artist of the Year. Following the show, Traveller rose to #1 on both the country album chart and the all-genre Billboard 200 album chart, and his recording of "Tennessee Whiskey" shot to #1 on Billboard's Hot Country Songs chart.
Stapleton soon began headlining arenas and followed Traveller with two more successful albums, From A Room: Volume 1 and Volume 2, in 2017. In February 2018, Traveller and both volumes of From A Room occupied the first three slots on Billboard's Top Country Albums chart, a feat previously only accomplished by Country Music Hall of Fame member Garth Brooks and Charlie Rich. Stapleton continued this momentum with his 2020 album Starting Over, which debuted at #1 on Billboard's country album chart and earned two more Billboard #1 singles, "Starting Over" (2021) and "You Should Probably Leave" (2022).
Stapleton remains a top-selling recording artist and touring act with his band, the Honchos, and has accumulated armloads of awards, including 9 Academy of Country Music awards, 14 Country Music Association awards and 8 Grammys. His wife, Morgane, an accomplished singer and songwriter herself, is a key member of his band and plays a large role in Stapleton's career, including helping select songs for his albums.
Items featured in Chris Stapleton: Since 1978 include clothing, guitars, awards and other personal artifacts from Stapleton. Some artifact highlights include:
- Stapleton's 1966 Gibson Trini Lopez Standard electric guitar, used during the recording of his song "Traveller."
- Stapleton's first guitar amplifier, a 1960s Gibson GA-8 Discoverer, which he used extensively, including at performances in the early 2000s.
- The Pendleton flannel jacket, Dee Cee denim western shirt and Manuel leather vest worn by Stapleton on the album cover of Traveller.
- Waffle House Golden Waffle award, or "Tunie," which recognizes Stapleton as the most-played artist on the restaurant chain's jukeboxes in 2019.
- A LEGO model of Stapleton and his band onstage, elements of which were animated for the LEGO-themed music video for "Second One to Know" (2019).
More information about this exhibition can be found at www.CountryMusicHallofFame.org
The Country Music Hall of Fame® and Museum collects, preserves and interprets country music and its history for the education and entertainment of diverse audiences. In exhibitions, publications, digital media and educational programs, the museum explores the cultural importance and enduring beauty of the art form. The museum is operated by the Country Music Foundation, a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) educational organization chartered by the state of Tennessee in 1964. The museum is accredited by the American Alliance of Museums, and is among the most-visited history museums in the U.S. The Country Music Foundation operates Historic RCA Studio B®, Hatch Show Print® poster shop, CMF Records, the Frist Library and Archive and CMF Press. Museum programs are supported in part by Metropolitan Nashville Arts Commission and Tennessee Arts Commission.
More information about the Country Music Hall of Fame® and Museum is available at www.countrymusichalloffame.org or by calling (615) 416-2001.
The Ram Truck brand has been proud to collaborate with Chris Stapleton since the debut of the Traveller album in 2015, working on various campaigns including a special Ram Nation concert for students at his old high school in his hometown of Paintsville, Ky., all the way through to the current multi-year campaign anchored by Stapleton's custom rendition of "I'm a Ram." The Ram Truck brand is dedicated to celebrating and supporting hard-working musicians who represent the values of courage, integrity and hard work, with a full lineup of trucks from the Ram 1500 to the 2500/3500 Heavy Duty and Ram ProMaster that get the hard work done and music fans where they need to go.
More information about the Ram Truck brand is available at www.ramtrucks.com.
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SOURCE Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/06/15/country-music-hall-fame-museum-open-new-exhibition-chris-stapleton-since-1978-presented-by-ram-trucks/ | 2022-06-15T16:13:37Z |
NEW YORK, Aug. 3, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Tandym Group ("Tandym"), a leading national recruitment, contract staffing, consulting, and workforce solutions company, has acquired Longford & Company ("Longford"), a Boston-based technology consulting and executive search company. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Tandym is backed by Mill Rock Capital, a growth and operations-oriented private investment firm that invests in well-positioned industrial businesses in North America.
Longford provides technology consulting and executive search services, primarily to clients in the Life Sciences, Pharmaceutical, and other industries. The acquisition further enhances the scale and scope of Tandym Tech, Tandym's technology vertical, and comes shortly after Tandym's acquisition of Metro Systems. As a result of this partnership with Tandym, Longford's clients will be able to access a broader range of services and expanded capabilities. It also strengthens Tandym's position as a trusted technology partner to its clients.
"Longford has a sterling reputation in Life Sciences," said Larry Dolinko, CEO of Tandym. "In addition to having an outstanding industry track record, Longford shares our commitment to delivering exceptional client service through a high-touch, highly personalized approach."
"We're incredibility excited to join forces with Tandym," added Sean McCourt, Founder and Managing Director of Longford. "Tandym is aligned with our commitment to service excellence, honesty, and creating value for our clients or candidates. With Tandym's infrastructure and broad service offerings, we'll be able to provide tailored solutions for our partners on a greater scale and at a national level."
Charles Heskett, Executive Chairman of Tandym and Senior Partner at Mill Rock Capital, added, "Longford's deep-rooted relationships in the Life Sciences industry in Boston and New England will foster commercial collaboration with Tandym's Life Sciences vertical. We are very excited about the expanded scope of services the combined platform can offer to the Life Sciences industry at large."
About Tandym Group
Tandym Group (formerly The Execu|Search Group) is a leading national recruitment, contract staffing, consulting, and workforce solutions company with offices throughout the U.S. The company serves clients across a broad range of verticals, including Healthcare, Technology, Life Sciences, and Professional Services (which includes Accounting, Financial Services, HR/People & Operations, and Legal). For more information, please visit: tandymgroup.com
About Longford & Company
Longford & Company is a strategic consulting and executive search firm committed to helping their clients solve technology and business problems. Longford focuses on providing highly specialized consultants on a wide range of technology and business-related projects and performing executive level search services for various industries.
About Mill Rock Capital
Great Mill Rock LLC dba Mill Rock Capital is a growth and operations oriented private investment firm that invests in well-positioned middle market industrial businesses in North America. Founded by Christopher Whalen and Adi Pekmezovic, Mill Rock Capital is purpose-built to invest in family-owned businesses, owner-operators and founder-led companies across six industry verticals. Focus sectors include chemicals, materials and packaging; industrial distribution; services; metals and engineered materials; transportation and logistics; and specialty manufacturing and industrial technology. This strategy leverages the deep expertise of the firm's principals, a majority of whom have direct operating experience in these same industries. Mill Rock Capital supports business transformation through a dual-sourcing strategy encompassing majority equity and Activ Capital® – debt, senior equity or hybrid investments which provide business owners value-added financial partnership without relinquishing a controlling stake. For more information, please visit millrock-cap.com.
Media Contacts:
Stephanie Klemperer, Tandym Group
212-871-0607
stephanie.klemperer@tandymgroup.com
Joanne Lessner, Lambert
212-222-7436
jlessner@lambert.com
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SOURCE Tandym Group | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/08/03/tandym-group-announces-acquisition-longford-amp-company/ | 2022-08-03T13:17:34Z |
AKRON, Ohio, June 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company (NASDAQ: GT) today released its report on corporate responsibility performance for 2021. The report summarizes the progress the company made toward achieving its short- and long-term sustainability goals while further demonstrating its commitment to ethical and sustainable processes, materials and programs.
"While our 2021 report affords us the opportunity to reflect on the progress we have made along our sustainability journey, it is also an opportunity for us to look ahead," said Chairman, CEO and President Richard J. Kramer. "Sustainability is a cornerstone of our business strategy and an integral part of our culture. Our engaged team of more than 70,000 Goodyear associates around the world will continue to deliver high-quality products and advanced mobility solutions enabled by responsibly managed materials in an efficient, responsible manner. We are committed to helping our customers reach their sustainability goals and to building a better future to keep the world moving today and tomorrow."
Goodyear's 2021 report is organized around the four pillars of the company's corporate responsibility framework, Goodyear Better Future: Sustainable Sourcing, Responsible Operations, Advanced Mobility and Inspiring Culture. Some of the report's highlights are described below.
Sustainable Sourcing: In 2021, Goodyear scientists and engineers developed a demonstration tire made of 70% sustainable materials. This is significant progress toward the company's goal of creating a tire made 100% from sustainable materials by 2030. The demonstration tire has 13 featured ingredients, including three different carbon blacks produced from methane, carbon dioxide and plant-based oil; soybean oil; rice husk ash silica; and polyester recycled from plastic bottles and other plastic waste.
Responsible Operations: In addition to announcing its long-term climate ambition of net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, Goodyear continued its work to reduce its environmental impact. In 2021, the company achieved a 24% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions intensity and an 18% reduction in energy intensity compared to a 2010 baseline. Goodyear also reduced global water consumption by 17% compared to a 2020 baseline.
Advanced Mobility: In 2021, Goodyear continued its focus on improving fuel efficiency by achieving a 32% reduction in rolling resistance and an 8.8% reduction in tire weight in its global consumer tire portfolio, from a 2005 baseline.
Inspiring Culture: In 2021, associate membership in Goodyear's Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) continued to grow, and one additional ERG was added bringing the total number of Goodyear ERGs to eight. More than 3,300 associates worldwide are members of Goodyear ERGs.
"The accomplishments of 2021 are many, and I'm excited about the progress we are making along our journey," added Ellis A. Jones, vice president and chief sustainability officer. "This is a team effort, involving all of our associates across the globe. We have a strong foundation in place, which will allow us to continue to identify opportunities and overcome challenges."
Goodyear's 2021 report was prepared in accordance with the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) Standards: Core option.
The 2021 Goodyear Corporate Responsibility Report can be found on the Goodyear Corporate Responsibility website.
About The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
Goodyear is one of the world's largest tire companies. It employs about 72,000 people and manufactures its products in 57 facilities in 23 countries around the world. Its two Innovation Centers in Akron, Ohio, and Colmar-Berg, Luxembourg, strive to develop state-of-the-art products and services that set the technology and performance standard for the industry. For more information about Goodyear and its products, go to www.goodyear.com/corporate.
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SOURCE The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/06/23/goodyear-further-demonstrates-its-commitment-corporate-responsibility-2021-report/ | 2022-06-23T14:32:20Z |
NEW YORK, June 1, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The Gross Law Firm issues the following notice to shareholders of Pegasystems Inc..
Shareholders who purchased shares of PEGA during the class period listed are encouraged to contact the firm regarding possible lead plaintiff appointment. Appointment as lead plaintiff is not required to partake in any recovery.
CONTACT US HERE:
CLASS PERIOD: This lawsuit is on behalf of all persons and entities that purchased PEGA common stock between May 29, 2020 and May 9, 2022, inclusive.
ALLEGATIONS: The complaint alleges that during the class period, Defendants issued materially false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (1) PEGA had engaged in corporate espionage and misappropriation of trade secrets to better compete against Appian, a principal competitor; (2) defendants' product development and associated success was, in significant part, not the result of its own research and product testing but rather the result of such corporate espionage and trade secret theft; (3) defendants had engaged in a scheme to steal Appian trade secrets, which was not only known to, but carried out through, the personal involvement of the Company's CEO; (4) the Company's CEO and other officers and employees did not comply with the Company's written Code of Conduct, including its express prohibition on "stealing" confidential information from a competitor and "misrepresenting your identity in hopes of obtaining confidential information"; (5) the Company was "unable to reasonably estimate damages" in the lawsuit filed by Appian as a result of the foregoing misconduct (the "Appian Litigation"); and (6) as a result of the foregoing, defendants' statements about PEGA's business, operations, prospects, legal compliance, and potential damages exposure in the Appian Litigation were materially false and/or misleading and/or lacked a reasonable basis when made.
DEADLINE: July 18, 2022 Shareholders should not delay in registering for this class action. Register your information here: https://securitiesclasslaw.com/securities/pegasystems-inc-loss-submission-form/?id=27914&from=4
NEXT STEPS FOR SHAREHOLDERS: Once you register as a shareholder who purchased shares of PEGA during the timeframe listed above, you will be enrolled in a portfolio monitoring software to provide you with status updates throughout the lifecycle of the case. The deadline to seek to be a lead plaintiff is July 18, 2022. There is no cost or obligation to you to participate in this case.
WHY GROSS LAW FIRM? The Gross Law Firm is nationally recognized class action law firm, and our mission is to protect the rights of all investors who have suffered as a result of deceit, fraud, and illegal business practices. The Gross Law Firm is committed to ensuring that companies adhere to responsible business practices and engage in good corporate citizenship. The firm seeks recovery on behalf of investors who incurred losses when false and/or misleading statements or the omission of material information by a company lead to artificial inflation of the company's stock. Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes.
CONTACT:
The Gross Law Firm
15 West 38th Street, 12th floor
New York, NY, 10018
Email: dg@securitiesclasslaw.com
Phone: (646) 453-8903
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SOURCE The Gross Law Firm | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/06/01/shareholder-alert-gross-law-firm-notifies-shareholders-pegasystems-inc-class-action-lawsuit-lead-plaintiff-deadline-july-18-2022-nasdaq-pega/ | 2022-06-01T10:58:31Z |
SINGAPORE, Aug. 10, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- China Yuchai International Limited (NYSE: CYD) ("China Yuchai" or the "Company"), a leading manufacturer and distributor of engines for on- and off-road applications in China through its main operating subsidiary, Guangxi Yuchai Machinery Company Limited ("GYMCL"), announced today its unaudited consolidated financial results for the 2022 first half-year ended June 30 ("1H"), 2022. The financial information presented herein for 1H 2022 and 1H 2021 is reported using International Financial Reporting Standards ("IFRS") as issued by the International Accounting Standards Board.
Financial Highlights for 1H 2022
- Revenue decreased by 32.2% to RMB 8.6 billion (US$ 1.3 billion) compared with RMB 12.6 billion in the same period last year;
- Gross profit was RMB 1.4 billion (US$ 202.7 million), an increase in gross margin to 15.9%, compared with RMB 1.6 billion and a gross margin of 12.9% in the same period last year;
- Operating profit was RMB 288.0 million (US$ 42.9 million) compared with RMB 499.8 million in the same period last year;
- Basic and diluted earnings per share were RMB 2.29 (US$ 0.34) compared with RMB 6.21 in the same period last year;
- Total number of engines sold decreased by 36.6% to 180,911 units compared with 285,342 units in the same period last year;
- Subsequent to the 1H 2022 period, cash dividends of US$0.40 per ordinary share were paid in July 2022.
Revenue was RMB 8.6 billion (US$ 1.3 billion) compared with RMB 12.6 billion in the same period last year.
According to data reported by the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers, total industry unit sales of commercial vehicles (excluding gasoline-powered and electric-powered vehicles) declined by 49.7% year-over-year with truck and bus unit sales down by 50.9% and 35.1%, respectively, in 1H 2022. The industry sales decline was primarily due to lower demand from a high base in 1H 2021, and pandemic-related lockdowns in various parts of the country which caused weaker commercial vehicle demand due to less logistical activities and infrastructure and construction projects.
Reflecting the above industry conditions, the total number of engines sold by GYMCL in 1H 2022 was 180,911 units, a 36.6% decrease compared with 285,342 units in same period last year. GYMCL reported a 56.8% decline in truck and bus engine sales and a 12.7% decline in off-road engines sales in 1H 2022.
Gross profit was RMB 1.4 billion (US$ 202.7 million), compared with RMB 1.6 billion in the same period last year. Gross margin increased to 15.9% as compared with 12.9% in the same period last year. The increase in gross margin was mainly attributable to improved margin in National VI engine sales and also to the increase in sales mix in the off-road segment in 1H 2022.
Other operating income was RMB 85.5 million (US$ 12.7 million) compared with RMB 111.7 million in 1H 2021. The decline was primarily due to lower interest income and higher foreign exchange losses compared with the same period last year.
Research and development ("R&D") expenses increased by 29.4% to RMB 408.5 million (US$ 60.9 million) compared with RMB 315.7 million in the same period last year. Higher R&D expenses in 1H 2022 were mainly due to an increase in experimental costs primarily for the engines used for marine and power generation applications. GYMCL continued to improve the performance and qualities of its engines in compliance with China's National VI and Tier-4 emission standards, and develop products for new energy vehicles. The total R&D expenditure including capitalized costs, was RMB 476.9 million (US$ 71.1 million) in 1H 2022 as compared to RMB 450.2 million in the same period last year, representing 5.6% of revenue compared with 3.6% in the same period last year.
Selling, general and administrative ("SG&A") expenses represented 8.7% of revenue for 1H 2022 compared with 7.3% in the same period last year. SG&A expenses decreased by 18.5% to RMB 749.6 million (US$ 111.7 million) from RMB 920.1 million in the same period last year. The decrease was mainly due to lower warranty and freight expenses, and reduced personnel costs compared with the same period last year.
Operating profit decreased by 42.4% to RMB 288.0 million (US$ 42.9 million) from RMB 499.8 million in the same period last year. The operating margin was 3.4% for 1H 2022 compared with 4.0% in the same period last year.
Finance costs decreased by 19.3% to RMB 55.2 million (US$ 8.2 million) from RMB 68.4 million due to lower bank loans and lower bills discounting rates compared with the same period last year.
The share of financial results of the joint ventures was a loss of RMB 30.9 million (US$ 4.6 million) for 1H 2022 compared with a profit of RMB 12.5 million in the same period last year. The loss was largely due to the loss in our joint venture with the heavy-duty truck producer, C&C Trucks.
Net profit attributable to equity holders of the Company was RMB 93.7 million (US$ 14.0 million) compared with RMB 253.7 million in the same period last year.
Basic and diluted earnings per share were RMB 2.29 (US$ 0.34) compared with RMB 6.21 in the same period last year.
Basic and diluted earnings per share for 1H 2022 and 1H 2021 were based on a weighted average of 40,858,290 shares.
Balance Sheet Highlights as at June 30, 2022
- Cash and bank balances were RMB 5.3 billion (US$ 783.5 million) compared with RMB 5.3 billion at the end of 2021;
- Trade and bills receivables were RMB 6.6 billion (US$ 982.6 million) compared with RMB 7.0 billion at the end of 2021;
- Inventories were RMB 4.0 billion (US$ 601.8 million) compared with RMB 5.2 billion at the end of 2021;
- Trade and bills payables were RMB 6.1 billion (US$ 904.9 million) compared with RMB 7.4 billion at the end of 2021;
- Short-term and long-term bank borrowings were RMB 2.0 billion (US$ 296.0 million) compared with RMB 2.2 billion at the end of 2021.
Mr. Weng Ming Hoh, President of China Yuchai, commented, "Our sales in the first half of 2022 reflected China's weak economic growth of 2.5% for the first half and 0.4% in the second quarter of 2022, respectively. We are working in a difficult environment with lower economic growth, COVID-19 related travel restrictions and weak commercial vehicle demand.
"Despite the slowdown, we remained profitable with an improved gross margin. Our continuing financial strength enabled us to distribute a cash dividend of US$0.40 per common share paid in July of 2022.
"We are getting ready with a portfolio of Tier-4 engines for their national implementation for off-road markets in late 2022."
Exchange Rate Information
The Company's functional currency is the U.S. dollar and its reporting currency is Renminbi. The translation of amounts from Renminbi to U.S. dollars is solely for the convenience of the reader. Translation of amounts from Renminbi to U.S. dollars has been made at the rate of RMB 6.7114 = US$1.00, the rate quoted by the People's Bank of China at the close of business on June 30, 2022. No representation is made that the Renminbi amounts could have been, or could be, converted into U.S. dollars at that rate or at any other certain rate on June 30, 2022 or at any other date.
Unaudited 2022 First Half-Year Conference Call
A conference call and audio webcast for the investment community has been scheduled for 8:00 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time on August 10, 2022. The call will be hosted by the President and Chief Financial Officer of China Yuchai, Mr. Weng Ming Hoh and Mr. Choon Sen Loo, respectively, who will present and discuss the financial results and business outlook of the Company followed with a Q&A session.
Analysts and institutional investors may participate in the conference call by registering at: https://register.vevent.com/register/BI7e8fd96be075437a82ae4672ba6b0a40 at least one hour before the call. A return email will be sent with instructions and numbers to join the call.
For all other interested parties, a simultaneous webcast can be accessed at the investor relations section of the Company's website located at http://www.cyilimited.com. Participants are requested to log into the webcast at least 10 minutes prior to the scheduled start time. The recorded webcast will be available on the website shortly after the earnings call.
About China Yuchai International
China Yuchai International Limited, through its subsidiary, Guangxi Yuchai Machinery Company Limited ("GYMCL"), engages in the manufacture, assembly, and sale of a wide variety of light-, medium- and heavy-duty engines for trucks, buses, passenger vehicles, construction equipment, marine and agriculture applications in China. GYMCL also produces diesel power generators. The engines produced by GYMCL range from diesel to natural gas and hybrid engines. Through its regional sales offices and authorized customer service centers, GYMCL distributes its engines directly to auto OEMs and retailers and provides maintenance and retrofitting services throughout China. Founded in 1951, GYMCL has established a reputable brand name, strong research and development team and significant market share in China with high-quality products and reliable after-sales support. In 2021, GYMCL sold 456,791 engines and is recognized as a leading manufacturer and distributor of engines in China. For more information, please visit http://www.cyilimited.com.
Safe Harbor Statement:
This news release may contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The words "believe", "expect", "anticipate", "project", "targets", "optimistic", "confident that", "continue to", "predict", "intend", "aim", "will" or similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. All statements other than statements of historical fact are statements that may be deemed forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements including, but not limited to, statements concerning China Yuchai's and the joint venture's operations, financial performance and condition are based on current expectations, beliefs and assumptions which are subject to change at any time. China Yuchai cautions that these statements by their nature involve risks and uncertainties, and actual results may differ materially depending on a variety of important factors such as government and stock exchange regulations, competition, political, economic and social conditions around the world and in China including those discussed in China Yuchai's Form 20-Fs under the headings "Risk Factors", "Results of Operations" and "Business Overview" and other reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission from time to time. Among others, if the COVID-19 pandemic is not effectively and timely controlled, our business operations and financial condition may be materially and adversely affected due to a deteriorating market for automotive sales, an economic slowdown in China and abroad, a potential weakening of the financial condition of our customers, or other factors that we cannot foresee. All forward-looking statements are applicable only as of the date it is made and China Yuchai specifically disclaims any obligation to maintain or update the forward-looking information, whether of the nature contained in this release or otherwise, in the future.
For more information:
Investor Relations
Kevin Theiss
Tel: +1-212-521-4050
Email: cyd@bluefocus.com
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SOURCE China Yuchai International Limited | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/08/10/china-yuchai-international-announces-unaudited-2022-first-half-year-financial-results/ | 2022-08-10T11:49:15Z |
Open-source database company to focus on Enterprise expansion and continue improving database development experience.
PLEASANTON, Calif., May 10, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Supabase (the "Company"), the open-source Database-as-a-Service (DBaaS) company, today announced that it has raised $80 million in Series B funding led by Felicis, with participation from existing investors Coatue and Lightspeed. This latest round follows Supabase's $30 million Series A round announced in September 2021, and brings the Company's total capital raised to $116 million.
Supabase's platform enables developers to rapidly develop products without worrying about scaling limitations, with an open source approach to remove vendor lock-in. In recent months the Supabase community surpassed 80,000 developers, with many signups from cloud-native, enterprise and Fortune 500 companies. Hosted databases have grown 1900% in 12 months, with over 100,000 databases created. This organic growth has been driven by focused feature releases during Supabase Launch Weeks, Hackathons, and improving the developer database experience.
With this Series B round, Supabase plans to continue its relentless focus on innovation to support more enterprises. The Company also plans to double the size of its team – 20% of which is currently comprised of former founders – over the next year, with a focus on senior leaders that can help further scale a fully-remote culture driven by engineering, creativity, and autonomy.
"Supabase believes that the database market is completely underserved. As a critical component of every successful application, database development should be as easy as application development at every stage of a business lifecycle," said Paul Copplestone, CEO and co-founder of Supabase. "This latest round allows us to grow our enterprise support for PostgreSQL hosting, while continuing to support our open source community."
"As we started hitting scale, Supabase has been crucial to supporting our drops. When Snoop Dogg debuted on Sound, Supabase helped us to provision our data store to handle the load," Vignesh Hirudayakanth, CTO of sound.xyz, said. "Supabase takes out the mental effort from our back-end infrastructure so we can focus on our customers' needs."
"We are super excited to be investing in Supabase and partner with the team on their next phase of growth," said Aydin Senkut, Founder and Managing Partner of Felicis. "Supabase's team is made up of 20% former founders and therefore deeply understands the need and pain points for developers to rapidly develop products. Supabase truly enables developers to build their applications without repeating the same tedious tasks and manage their application's database, authentication, storage, and edge functions. "
"Ever since we first met Supabase we had high conviction in the vision and the platform," said Caryn Marooney," Supabase Board Director and Coatue General Partner. "It's been incredible to see the team's relentless execution over the last two years. Seeing the team's strong organic traction, we are excited to triple down with Supabase once again. The vision continues to expand as Supabase takes on the biggest and most entrenched databases while heeding its North Star - the developer community."
Supabase is the standout company from YC's Summer 2020 class, one of the fastest growing open-source projects on GitHub with over 30,000 stars and one of fewer than 350 projects to reach this milestone.
About Supabase
Supabase is building an open-source Database-as-a-Service platform to help developers build their applications without repeating the same tedious tasks. Developers use Supabase to manage their application's database, authentication, storage, and edge functions. Supabase's growth is completely organic, driven by their commitment to developing new features to upgrade the database development experience.
Paul Copplestone and Ant Wilson founded Supabase, and they work with a globally remote team to deliver a secure, stable, and scalable system. Both are 3-time founders.
About Felicis
Founded in 2006, Felicis is a venture capital firm investing in companies reinventing core markets, as well as those creating frontier technologies. Felicis focuses on early stage investments and currently manages over $2.1B in capital across 8 funds. The firm is an early backer of more than 41 companies valued at $1B+. More than 91 of its portfolio companies have been acquired or gone public, including Adyen (IPO), Credit Karma (acq by Intuit), Cruise (acq by General Motors), Fitbit (IPO), Guardant Health (IPO), Meraki (acq by Cisco), Ring (acq by Amazon), and Shopify (IPO). The firm is based in Menlo Park, CA. Learn more at www.felicis.com.
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SOURCE Supabase | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/05/10/supabase-announces-80-million-series-b-led-by-felicis/ | 2022-05-11T05:34:40Z |
South Carolina death row inmate chooses to be executed by firing squad over the electric chair
By Elizabeth Wolfe and Andy Rose, CNN
A man sentenced to death in South Carolina has chosen to be executed by firing squad rather than the electric chair, which would make him the first death row inmate to die by firing squad in the state.
Richard Bernard Moore, 57, would also be the first person executed in South Carolina in more than a decade, as the state has struggled to procure the drugs required to perform lethal injection.
Moore, who was sentenced to death for the 1999 murder of a convenience store clerk, is set to be executed on April 29.
In a court filing Friday, Moore chose to die by firing squad but added in a statement he will not lose hope in two pending court challenges to the constitutionality of the state’s death penalty methods.
“I believe this election is forcing me to choose between two unconstitutional methods of execution, and I do not intend to waive any challenges to electrocution or firing squad by making an election,” he said in the statement.
He did not have the option of choosing lethal injection, as South Carolina does not have the necessary drugs, according to the filing. The department previously told CNN the state has not been in possession of a usable dose of lethal injection drugs since 2013.
Lindsey Vann, one of Moore’s attorneys, told CNN Friday they have asked the state Supreme Court to put the execution on hold in order to give them time to appeal his conviction to the US Supreme Court.
Last year, the South Carolina legislature passed a law which made electrocution the state’s primary execution method, though death row prisoners have the option to choose a firing squad or lethal injection instead if the options are available.
On April 6, the South Carolina Supreme Court denied an appeal by Moore which argued his death sentence was disproportionate to penalties imposed in similar cases.
Moore’s attorneys previously filed for a stay of his execution in 2020, arguing the state was trying to carry out his execution under a “veil of secrecy midst a global pandemic” and pointing to other states who have delayed executions due to the coronavirus pandemic. It was denied.
South Carolina is one of four states, including Oklahoma, Mississippi and Utah, allowing executions by firing squad.
State prepares for new execution method
Executions in South Carolina were halted last June until the state could create a protocol for how it would carry out firing squad executions.
Last month, the South Carolina Department of Corrections (SCDC) announced it can now perform executions by firing squad after it “renovated” its capital punishment facility, allowing execution in the state to resume.
The SCDC detailed its new protocols in a news release, noting the facility had installed a metal chair for the person being executed and bullet-resistant glass in the witness room.
During the execution, three firing squad members will stand in an opening in the death chamber’s wall, facing the person being executed, the corrections department explained in the release.
Once escorted into the chamber, the inmate will have the opportunity to make a final statement before being strapped to the chair and having a hood placed over their head, according to the protocol.
After a small “aim point” is placed over the person’s heart, the firing squad — which will not be visible to witnesses — will fire.
SCDC says the firing squad members will be volunteer SCDC employees who “must meet certain qualifications.”
The-CNN-Wire
™ & © 2022 Cable News Network, Inc., a WarnerMedia Company. All rights reserved.
CNN’s Travis Caldwell, Mallika Kallingal and Jamiel Lynch contributed to this report. | https://localnews8.com/news/national-world/cnn-national/2022/04/15/south-carolina-death-row-inmate-chooses-to-be-executed-by-firing-squad-over-the-electric-chair/ | 2022-04-16T02:52:14Z |
DALLAS (KDAF) — It will be a warm and humid Friday in North Texas with some possible isolated storms along the northern part of the region according to the National Weather Service center in Fort Worth.
NWS Fort Worth says morning clouds will soon scatter as the afternoon sets in. There will be a low chance for a thunderstorm along the Red River through late Friday. Highs will be in the mid to high 80s with winds from the south ranging from 15-25 mph. Rain chances are at 10% or less.
“Cloudy skies this morning will become partly sunny by afternoon with temperatures in the mid 80s and increasing humidity. There is a low chance for storms mainly along the Red River late this afternoon into late evening. Any storms that develop could be severe.” | https://cw33.com/news/local/a-look-at-fridays-forecast-in-north-texas/ | 2022-04-29T16:30:22Z |
Top 500 ENR Firm to Further Waterloo's Downtown Development Renaissance
WATERLOO, Iowa, Sept. 13, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Building off of development momentum within the City of Waterloo, ISG is now the primary tenant of Art Bloc, a new mixed-use residential building overlooking the Cedar River in downtown Waterloo. ISG—a nationally recognized architecture, engineering, environmental, and planning firm—reimagined the second level interior, designing a state-of-the-art office build-out to facilitate collaboration and communication and improve operational efficiencies.
One of ISG's 11 locations, the new Waterloo office features an elevated plaza and outdoor patio adjacent to the River Loop Amphitheatre, a hotspot for live music and events. Just steps away, employees can easily access Waterloo's extensive trail network, a popular riverfront amenity.
"We are excited to be situated along Waterloo's vibrant waterfront and be a part of the area's revitalization. ISG has been involved in several major downtown renovation projects, including the Waterloo Convention Center and Best Western Hotel, and is excited to add to the positive story of Waterloo's regional resurgence," says Cody Vanasse, ISG Architectural Group Leader.
Since 2018, ISG has continued to invest in Waterloo and the Cedar Valley by not only recruiting staff to the area but supporting local communities. From staff count and community initiatives to the design of transformative local projects, ISG continues to grow its presence in Waterloo. For five consecutive years, Zweig Group has named ISG among the 100 fastest growing firms, best places to work, and market excellence leader in the United States. In 2021, the firm jumped 56 spots to 250 on the Engineering News Record magazine Top 500 Design Firms list.
"We strongly believe that growth, whether within our firm or community, requires leadership, culture, and great places to perform work. ISG is looking to add top talent to our Waterloo office and feel that is best accomplished in the downtown Art Bloc location with dedicated, local leadership," states Derek Johnson, PE, ISG Executive Vice President.
ISG prides itself on giving back to the community with its time, talent, and resources. Several members of the Waterloo office team hold leadership positions on boards and committees for Main Street Waterloo, Grow Cedar Valley, and Partners in Education. Additionally, a spacious conference room in the new office is available as a resource for community groups to meet.
In 2023, ISG will celebrate 50 years of making a difference for its clients, communities, and its team. Starting as a small office and growing to over 450 employees across four states, ISG is dedicated to forging a legacy of sustainable growth and looks forward to positively impacting the Waterloo community and surrounding region.
About ISG
ISG, a 100 percent ESOP firm, has a rich history, which extends over 49 years of building trusting relationships with clients, stakeholders, and the community. As a full-service architecture, engineering, environmental, and planning firm with 450+ professionals in offices throughout Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and South Dakota, ISG provides exceptional services, strategies, and guidance to a wide range of markets nationwide. To learn more about ISG, visit ISGInc.com.
Media Contact
Abby Gram, Director of Marketing
Abby.Gram@ISGInc.com
952.426.0699
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SOURCE ISG | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/09/13/isg-moves-across-river-support-growth-enhance-client-services/ | 2022-09-13T17:13:47Z |
Did you lose money on investments in Wells Fargo & Company? If so, please visit Wells Fargo & Company Shareholder Class Action Lawsuit or contact Peter Allocco at (212) 951-2030 or pallocco@bernlieb.com to discuss your rights.
NEW YORK, June 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Bernstein Liebhard LLP announces that a securities class action lawsuit has been filed on behalf of investors who purchased or acquired the common stock of Wells Fargo & Company ("Wells Fargo" or the "Company") (NYSE: WFC) between February 24, 2021 and June 9, 2022, inclusive (the "Class Period"). The lawsuit was filed in the United States District Court for the Northern District of California and alleges violations of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.
Wells Fargo is a diversified financial services company that provides banking, investment, mortgage, and consumer and commercial finance products and services.
On May 19, 2022, the New York Times published an article entitled "At Wells Fargo, a Quest to Increase Diversity Leads to Fake Job Interviews". Citing discussions with "seven current and former Wells Fargo employees", including Joe Bruno, a former executive in the Company's wealth management division, the article reported, in relevant part, that "[f]or many open positions, employees would interview a 'diverse' candidate", but "that often, the so-called diverse candidate would be interviewed for a job that had already been promised to someone else." The article further reported that Mr. Bruno was fired after "complain[ing] to his bosses" about the practice. On this news, Wells Fargo's common stock price fell $0.44 per share, or 1.04%, over two trading sessions, closing at $41.67 per share on May 20, 2022.
Then, on June 6, 2022, Reuters published an article entitled, "Wells Fargo pauses diverse slate hiring policy after reports of fake job interviews." The article reported that "Wells Fargo . . . is pausing a hiring policy that requires recruiters to interview a diverse pool of candidates, after the New York Times reported such interviews were often fake and conducted even though the job had already been promised to someone else."
Finally, on June 9, 2022, the New York Times published an article entitled "Federal Prosecutors Open Criminal Inquiry of Wells Fargo's Hiring Practices." The article reported that federal prosecutors are investigating whether Wells Fargo violated federal laws by conducting fake job interviews to meet the Company's Diverse Search Requirement. The article also revealed that, since the New York Times' May 19, 2022 article focusing on the bank's wealth management business, "another 10 current and former employees have shared stories about how they were subject to fake interviews, or conducted them, or saw paperwork documenting the practice", and that "sham interviews occurred across multiple business lines, including its mortgage servicing, home lending and retail banking operations."
That same day, Wells Fargo issued a press release stating that "[e]arlier this week, the [C]ompany temporarily paused the use of its diverse slate guidelines" and that "[d]uring this pause, the [C]ompany is conducting a review so that hiring managers, senior leaders and recruiters fully understand how the guidelines should be implemented…"
Following these disclosures, Wells Fargo's common stock price fell $3.68 per share, or 8.62%, over the following two trading sessions, closing at $38.99 per share on June 13, 2022.
Plaintiff alleges that Defendants made materially false and misleading statements throughout the Class Period. Specifically, Plaintiff alleges that Defendants failed to disclose that: (i) Wells Fargo had misrepresented its commitment to diversity in the Company's workplace; (ii) Wells Fargo conducted fake job interviews in order to meet its Diverse Search Requirement; (iii) the foregoing conduct subjected Wells Fargo to an increased risk of regulatory and/or governmental scrutiny and enforcement action, including criminal charges; and (iv) all of the foregoing, once revealed, was likely to negatively impact Wells Fargo's reputation.
If you wish to serve as lead plaintiff, you must move the Court no later than August 29, 2022. A lead plaintiff is a representative party acting on behalf of other class members in directing the litigation. Your ability to share in any recovery doesn't require that you serve as lead plaintiff. If you choose to take no action, you may remain an absent class member.
If you purchased WFC common stock, and/or would like to discuss your legal rights and options please visit Wells Fargo & Company Shareholder Class Action Lawsuit or contact Peter Allocco at (212) 951-2030 or pallocco@bernlieb.com.
Since 1993, Bernstein Liebhard LLP has recovered over $3.5 billion for its clients. In addition to representing individual investors, the Firm has been retained by some of the largest public and private pension funds in the country to monitor their assets and pursue litigation on their behalf. As a result of its success litigating hundreds of lawsuits and class actions, the Firm has been named to The National Law Journal's "Plaintiffs' Hot List" thirteen times and listed in The Legal 500 for ten consecutive years.
ATTORNEY ADVERTISING. © 2022 Bernstein Liebhard LLP. The law firm responsible for this advertisement is Bernstein Liebhard LLP, 10 East 40th Street, New York, New York 10016, (212) 779-1414. Prior results do not guarantee or predict a similar outcome with respect to any future matter.
Contact Information:
Peter Allocco
Bernstein Liebhard LLP
https://www.bernlieb.com
(212) 951-2030
pallocco@bernlieb.com
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SOURCE Bernstein Liebhard LLP | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/06/29/wells-fargo-amp-company-nyse-wfc-shareholder-class-action-alert-bernstein-liebhard-llp-announces-that-securities-class-action-lawsuit-has-been-filed-against-wells-fargo-amp-company-nyse-wfc/ | 2022-06-29T22:47:29Z |
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (AP) — A Missouri man says in a class-action lawsuit against Bass Pro that the outdoor outfitter is refusing to honor its lifetime warranty on socks.
Kent Slaughter of Springfield said that after years of exchanging his “Redhead Lifetime Guarantee All-Purpose Wool Socks” every time they wore out, the Springfield-based company changed its policy in 2021 before he tried to return four pairs of socks. Instead of getting another pair with a lifetime warranty, Slaughter said he was given socks that only carried a 60-day warranty, according to the Springfield News-Leader.
A Bass Pro representative said the company won’t comment on pending litigation.
The lawsuit said Bass Pro is misrepresenting the socks in its ads because it says they are “The last sock you’ll ever need to buy” because of the lifetime warranty.
Slaughter said in the lawsuit that the warranty was a major factor in his decision to buy the socks. | https://cw33.com/strange-news/ap-strange-news/lawsuit-says-bass-pro-wont-honor-lifetime-warranty-on-socks/ | 2022-07-17T18:28:18Z |
New leader expected to be announced in the coming weeks
DELRAY BEACH, Fla., April 12, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- UpHealth, Inc. (NYSE: UPH) today announced that the company is conducting a search for a new CEO. Dr. Ramesh Balakrishnan will continue in his role and work with the Board of Directors to ensure a smooth transition until the new CEO takes over.
Dr. Avi Katz, co-chairman of the board of directors of UpHealth, said, "The time is right for a new leader at UpHealth. Since UpHealth's IPO last June, we've worked to integrate the six companies that merged to form UpHealth. That work is, essentially, complete, and we're ready to move to our next phase of growth to deliver against our mission to impact healthcare globally."
The search for a new CEO for the company is well underway and a short list of qualified healthcare executives has emerged, Dr. Katz said. The company expects to announce a new CEO in the coming weeks. "The response to our search has been excellent. We're confident that the result will be an exceptional leader with public and private market experience, deep expertise in healthcare, services and technology institutions and with demonstrated operational excellence experience," said Dr. Katz.
"In the interim and through the transition, Dr. Balakrishnan will report to the Transformation Committee appointed by the Board of Directors, to continue to work effectively across all functions and deliver against the transformation agenda," Dr. Katz said.
After the new CEO starts, Dr. Balakrishnan will remain with the company in a senior leadership role to be announced in the coming weeks.
Dr. Katz said, "Ramesh was instrumental in the transition to a public company, and the Board and I are grateful for his leadership. He's a passionate advocate for healthcare equity and access and has deep expertise in integrated, digital healthcare solutions that have helped propel the company forward. We look forward to his continuous service as a senior executive in the company."
About UpHealth
UpHealth is a global digital health company that delivers digital-first technology, infrastructure, and services to dramatically improve how healthcare is delivered and managed. UpHealth's solutions holistically enable clients to deliver on their affordability, access, quality, outcomes, and patient experience goals. UpHealth's technology platform helps its clients improve access, coordinate care teams, and achieve better patient outcomes at lower cost, with care management solutions, analytics, and telehealth tools that serve patients wherever they are, in their native language. Additionally, UpHealth's technology-enabled virtual care infrastructure and services improves access to quality primary and acute care, behavioral health, and pharmacy services. UpHealth's clients include health plans, global governments, healthcare providers and community-based organizations.
For more information, please visit https://uphealthinc.com and follow us at @UpHealthInc on Twitter and UpHealth Inc on LinkedIn.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of U.S. federal securities laws. Such forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, the expected timeframe for conclusion of the search for a new CEO. Any statements contained herein that are not statements of historical fact may be deemed to be forward-looking statements. In addition, any statements that refer to projections, forecasts, or other characterizations of future events or circumstances, including any underlying assumptions, are forward-looking statements. The words "anticipate," "believe," "continue," "could," "estimate," "expect," "intends," "may," "might," "plan," "possible," "potential," "predict," "project," "should," "would" and similar expressions may identify forward-looking statements, but the absence of these words does not mean that a statement is not forward-looking. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release are based on certain assumptions and analyses made by the Board of Directors of UpHealth in light of their respective experience and perception of historical trends, current conditions, and expected future developments and their potential effects on UpHealth as well as other factors they believe are appropriate in the circumstances. There can be no assurance that future developments affecting UpHealth will be those anticipated. These forward-looking statements involve a number of risks, uncertainties (some of which are beyond the control of the parties), or other assumptions that may cause actual results or performance to be materially different from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements, including whether a candidate selected by the Board for the CEO role accepts an offer. We undertake no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise, except as may be required under applicable securities laws.
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SOURCE UpHealth, Inc. | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/04/12/uphealth-transition-ceo/ | 2022-04-12T13:17:28Z |
HUB's latest technology platform delivers choice, efficiency, price transparency, and trusted brokerage advice to clients of RESAAS agents
CHICAGO, Aug. 2, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Hub International Limited (HUB), a leading global insurance brokerage and financial services firm, today announced its partnership with RESAAS Services Inc. (TSX-V: RSS, OTCQB: RSASF), a technology platform for the real estate industry, for clients of RESAAS agents to access VIU by HUB, a digital brokerage platform for transactional personal insurance created for customers who want a digital-first experience with human interaction and advice.
HUB launched VIU by HUB in June 2022 and is quickly gaining interest and adoption by partners like RESAAS, which reflects a growing number of relationships in the real estate industry, financial services, and auto dealer sector.
"VIU by HUB is a game changer, and our exclusive partnership with RESAAS and its network of 500,000 real estate agents is the type of relationship we had in mind when we first launched our innovative digital-first brokerage platform," said Bryan Davis, EVP, Head of VIU. "VIU by HUB allows RESAAS agents across the U.S. to tap into the expertise and insurance relationships HUB has cultivated and offer their clients a streamlined digital experience to purchasing insurance -- adding value to RESAAS's already stellar real estate services."
With the ever-changing consumer landscape demanding choice, VIU by HUB meets customers where they are and gives them the freedom to secure insurance how they want.
Tom Rossiter, CEO of RESAAS added, "RESAAS continues to expand our offering beyond the real estate transaction to deliver value for our real estate professionals before, during and after a home purchase. When reviewing the insurance landscape, VIU by HUB's personalized approach offers the right experience for the 500,000 RESAAS agents and their clients. RESAAS is proud to partner with VIU by HUB as our exclusive insurance partner within the global RESAAS platform."
Under the terms of the agreement, HUB has joined RESAAS's Ancillary Services division that enables RESAAS agents to generate additional, non-transactional recurring revenue by introducing their clients to select, nationwide and best-in-class partnerships endorsed by RESAAS. HUB and RESAAS will share in the commissions generated by sales from this partnership.
About Hub International
Headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, Hub International Limited is a leading full-service global insurance broker and financial services firm providing risk management, insurance, employee benefits, retirement and wealth management products and services. With more than 14,000 employees in offices located throughout North America, HUB's vast network of specialists brings clarity to a changing world with tailored solutions and unrelenting advocacy, so clients are ready for tomorrow. For more information, please visit www.hubinternational.com.
About RESAAS Services Inc.
Headquartered in Vancouver, Canada, RESAAS (TSX-V: RSS, OTCQB: RSASF) is an award-winning global technology platform for the real estate industry. With over 500,000 real estate agents utilizing RESAAS in 160 countries, RESAAS enables real-time industry communication, delivers new business opportunities and captures unique real estate data. Some of real estate's biggest brands leverage RESAAS to provide business intelligence to real estate brokerages, franchises and associations. For more information, please visit https://www.resaas.com.
CONTACTS:
Media: Marni Gordon
Phone: 312-279-4601
marni.gordon@hubinternational.com
Media: Jessica Wiltse
Phone: 312-596-7573
jessica.wiltse@hubinternational.com
Media: Don Mosher
Phone: 604-617-5448
don.mosher@resaas.com
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SOURCE Hub International Limited | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/08/02/hub-international-partners-with-resaas-simplify-home-insurance-process/ | 2022-08-02T12:20:18Z |
TORONTO (AP) — Elton John paid tribute to Queen Elizabeth II at his final concert in Toronto on Thursday night, saying he was inspired by her and is sad she is gone.
“She led the country through some of our greatest and darkest moments with grace and decency and genuine caring,” John said.
“I’m 75 and she’s been with with me all my life and I feel very sad that that she won’t be with me anymore, but I’m glad she’s at peace,” he said. “I’m glad she’s at rest and she deserves it. She worked bloody hard.”
The singer-songwriter then performed his 1974 track “Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me.”
The queen died Thursday at her summer residence in Scotland at age 96.
John was knighted by the queen in 1998, a year after the death of his friend Princess Diana. Prince Charles also anointed the musician and charity patron as a member of the Order of the Companions of Honor last year.
John’s concert was the second of two nights at Toronto’s Rogers Centre and part of his Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour, billed as his final tour. | https://cw33.com/news/nexstar-media-wire/elton-john-pays-tribute-to-queen-at-his-final-toronto-show/ | 2022-09-09T12:30:03Z |
Kaiser Permanente finds the Pfizer COVID-19 third dose vaccine protection against hospitalization from omicron wanes after 3 months
PASADENA, Calif., April 22, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- A study released April 22 in The Lancet Respiratory Medicine shows that a booster dose of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine provides strong protection, roughly 80% to 90%, in the first few months against hospital admissions and emergency department visits caused by the delta and omicron variants. However, against omicron, this protection wanes over time — even after a third dose.
"Pfizer BioNTech COVID-19 booster doses significantly improve protection against omicron, although that protection seems to wane after 3 months against emergency room visits, and even for hospitalization," said the study's lead author, Sara Y. Tartof, PhD, an epidemiologist with the Kaiser Permanente Southern California Department of Research & Evaluation and a faculty member of the Kaiser Permanente Bernard J. Tyson School of Medicine, both in Pasadena. "Trends in waning against delta-related outcomes were generally similar to omicron, but with higher effectiveness at each time point than those seen for omicron."
For this study, the researchers analyzed 11,123 hospital admissions and emergency department visits that did not result in hospital admission for acute respiratory infection. The study focused on Kaiser Permanente patient records in Southern California from December 1, 2021, through February 6, 2022, when both the delta and omicron variants were circulating.
- After 2 doses of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine effectiveness against omicron was 41% against hospital admission and 31% against emergency department visits at 9 months.
- After 3 doses, effectiveness against omicron-related hospitalization was 85% at less than 3 months but fell to 55% at 3 months or longer.
- Against emergency department visits that did not result in hospitalization, vaccine effectiveness of 3 doses against omicron was 77% at less than 3 months but fell to 53% at 3 months or longer.
"Although the Pfizer COVID-19 protection levels against omicron after 3 doses are substantially higher than those seen after 2 doses, they are less than those observed for delta or other COVID-19 strains," Tartof said. "Additional doses of current, adapted, or novel COVID-19 vaccines may be needed to maintain high levels of protection against subsequent waves of COVID-19 caused by omicron or future variants with similar potential to escape protection."
Kaiser Permanente is committed to helping shape the future of health care. We are recognized as one of America's leading health care providers and not-for-profit health plans. Founded in 1945, Kaiser Permanente has a mission to provide high-quality, affordable health care services and to improve the health of our members and the communities we serve. We currently serve 12.5 million members in 8 states and the District of Columbia. Care for members and patients is focused on their total health and guided by their personal Permanente Medical Group physicians, specialists, and team of caregivers. Our expert and caring medical teams are empowered and supported by industry-leading technology advances and tools for health promotion, disease prevention, state-of-the-art care delivery, and world-class chronic disease management. Kaiser Permanente is dedicated to care innovations clinical research, health education, and the support of community health.
For more information, contact:
Elizabeth Schainbaum, Elizabeth.A.Schainbaum@kp.org, 510-406-1828
Terry Kanakri, Terry.Kanakri@kp.org, 626-405-2652
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SOURCE Kaiser Permanente | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/04/22/covid-19-vaccine-protection-against-hospitalization-wanes/ | 2022-04-22T17:10:13Z |
- Alabama-built Honda Passport, Ridgeline, Odyssey, Pilot in top 10
- Ohio-built Acura MDX, RDX and TLX in top 20
- More than two-thirds of Honda automobiles sold in the U.S. are made in America
MARYSVILLE, Ohio, June 22, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Honda's commitment to building* products in America was on display in the Cars.com 2022 American-Made Index® — with four Honda models in the top 10 and seven Honda and Acura models ranking among the top 20.
Honda vehicles in the top 10 are the Alabama-made Honda Passport SUV, Ridgeline pickup, Odyssey minivan and Pilot SUV. Three Ohio-made Acura models — the Acura flagship, fourth generation MDX SUV, RDX premium sport crossover and TLX premium sport sedan — placed 14th, 15th and 16th respectively.
All four of the Honda models in the top 10 —Passport, Ridgeline, Odyssey and Pilot — also were designed and developed by Honda engineers in the U.S. and are produced exclusively in Lincoln, Alabama. Moreover, the engines that power these vehicles also are built at Honda's Alabama Auto Plant, with the transmissions produced nearby at Honda's transmission plant in Tallapoosa, Georgia.
"Honda began auto production in Ohio 40 years ago based on our commitment to build products close to our U.S. customers," said Rick Schostek, executive vice president of American Honda Motor Co., Inc. "We're proud of the team of nearly 30,000 Honda associates in the U.S., particularly those who produce quality Honda and Acura vehicles at our five auto manufacturing plants in America, including our development and purchasing associates who work together to realize our high level of local production."
More than two-thirds of the Honda vehicles sold in the U.S. in 2021 were made in America at Honda plants in Ohio, Indiana and Alabama, the second-highest percentage of any full-line automaker for the share of vehicles that were built and sold in America. Honda operates five automobile plants in the U.S. – more than any other international automaker.
All Acura models sold in the U.S. are built in Ohio. The Acura MDX, RDX and TLX built in Ohio, also were designed and developed by Honda engineers in the U.S.
Honda has produced more than 29 million cars and light trucks in the U.S. over the last 40 years and has purchased $470 billion in parts and materials from U.S. mass production suppliers during that same time period.
Cars.com assesses several factors for the American-Made Index: location of final assembly; percentage of U.S. and Canadian parts; country of origin for available engines; country of origin for available transmissions; U.S. manufacturing employees relative to the automaker's footprint. More information about the "Cars.com 2022 American-Made Index" can be found at www.cars.com/american-made-index.
Top Ranked Honda Vehicles
2022 Honda Passport (Lincoln, Ala.) — 4th place
2022 Honda Ridgeline (Lincoln, Ala.) — 8th place
2022 Honda Odyssey (Lincoln, Ala.) — 9th place
2022 Honda Pilot (Lincoln, Ala.) — 10th place
Top Ranked Acura Vehicles
2022 Acura MDX (East Liberty, Ohio) – 14th place
2022 Acura RDX (East Liberty, Ohio) — 15th place
2022 Acura TLX (Marysville, Ohio) — 16th place
Honda has been producing automobiles in America for 40 years, beginning in November 1982 with the start of automobile production at the Marysville Auto Plant.
In 2021, two-thirds of all Honda and Acura automobiles sold in the U.S. were made in America, using domestic and globally sourced parts. Honda's cumulative auto production in America now exceeds 29 million vehicles.
Honda established manufacturing operations in America in 1979 with the start of motorcycle production in Marysville, Ohio, and today has one of the largest and most diverse U.S. manufacturing footprints of any international company. The company's 12 plants employ more than 22,000 associates in America, supporting operations that have an annual capacity of more than 1.27 million automobiles, 1.52 million engines, 500,000 power equipment products and 300,000 powersports products, as well as the HondaJet advanced light jet and GE Honda HF120 turbofan engines.
Cumulatively, Honda has invested $19 billion in its U.S. manufacturing operations, including more than $3.2 billion over the past five years alone. The company also works with over 600 U.S. original equipment suppliers, with U.S.-sourced parts purchases of $23.1 billion in 2021 and approximately $470 billion since 1979.
Learn more at https://hondainamerica.com/.
More information about Honda is available in the Digital Fact Book.
* Using domestic and globally sourced parts
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SOURCE Honda | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/06/22/honda-ties-leading-automaker-carscom-2022-american-made-index-with-four-models-top-10/ | 2022-06-22T12:47:01Z |
Marijuana violations have taken over 10,000 truck drivers off the road this year, adding more supply chain disruptions
(Stacker) - Delayed packages, bare grocery store shelves, and inflated prices have become the norm for American consumers over the past two years. While the COVID-19 pandemic has been the catalyst, there are other challenges causing supply chain issues, including a lack of truck drivers to transport goods from one place to another. In late 2021, the American Trucking Associations reported that the driver shortage had risen to an all-time high of 80,000, partly due to the aging population and shrinking wages.
In response, the Biden administration vowed in December to get more truck drivers on the road by boosting recruitment efforts and expediting the issuing of commercial licenses. However, that won’t have an effect on another hurdle: disparate marijuana laws across the U.S. that are contributing to an increase in violations. In 2022, a growing number of truckers are being taken off the job, which could soon worsen the already suffering supply chain.
As more states legalize recreational marijuana—four of which did so in the past year and three more are expected to by the end of 2022—more truck drivers have tested positive for the substance. As of April 1, 2022, 10,276 commercial vehicle drivers have tested positive for marijuana use. By the same time in 2021, there had been 7,750 violations. That’s a 32.6% increase year over year.
Truck drivers who travel cross-country face inconsistent state regulations as 19 states have legalized recreational marijuana and 37 states permit it for medicinal purposes. But even if a driver used marijuana or hemp-based products like CBD while off duty in a state where those substances are legal, they could still be faced with a violation due to the Department of Transportation’s (DOT) zero-tolerance policy at the federal level.
“While states may allow medical use of marijuana, federal laws and policy do not recognize any legitimate medical use of marijuana,” a DOT handbook for commercial vehicle drivers reads. “Even if a state allows the use of marijuana, DOT regulations treat its use as the same as the use of any other illicit drug.”
Stacker looked at what’s causing thousands of truckers to be removed from their jobs, and the looming domino effect of the continued supply chain disruptions.
Truck drivers are being tested more and the consequences for drug-related violations have increased
Under regulations set forth by the DOT, truck drivers are tested for drug use—including marijuana—prior to starting a new job. They can also be tested at random, as well as after accidents. In January 2020, the DOT’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration also upped the random drug testing rate from 25% of the average number of driver positions to 50%. Truck drivers are mainly screened for drug use via urinalysis, but there are now new saliva tests being proposed as well.
At worst, if a driver fails just one drug test, that can be grounds for termination under DOT regulations. At best, they are temporarily taken off the road and required to complete an evaluation with a substance misuse professional who determines their rehabilitation process, which can sometimes take months.
As of January 2020, employers are also required to list commercial drivers who fail a drug test in the FMCSA’s Drug & Alcohol Clearinghouse. These violations remain searchable for five years. Potential employers are also required to check the Clearinghouse to see if a commercial driver had any previous violations, which would prevent them from being hired.
Differing marijuana laws by state are causing confusion among truck drivers
In recent years, more states have legalized both recreational and medical marijuana, making it more widely available and used. However, marijuana use is still prohibited for commercial truck drivers, state laws and medical prescriptions aside. According to the FMCSA, “a driver may not use marijuana even if [it] is recommended by a licensed medical practitioner.” The DOT has maintained its zero-tolerance stance for marijuana use even as it’s become legalized, saying, “Legalization of marijuana use by States and other jurisdictions also has not modified the application of U.S. Department of Transportation drug testing regulations.”
A commercial driver could use marijuana while off-duty, not driving, and in a state where marijuana is legal, but still test positive for the substance for up to a month later and be taken off the road. The American Addiction Centers says for infrequent marijuana users—meaning those who use the substance less than two times a week—it can show up in their urine for up to three days. Someone who uses marijuana several times a week can test positive for up to three weeks, and those who use marijuana even more frequently can “test positive for a month or longer.”
Truck drivers with violations tend to not return, adding to the shortage and supply chain woes
Shortages, factory closures, and goods waiting to be unloaded at ports are just some of the current issues affecting the supply chain across America. Trucking transports 72% of products within the U.S., according to a report from the White House, but a growing number of commercial drivers are sidelined for marijuana use.
The return-to-duty process that commercial vehicle drivers must undergo once faced with a marijuana violation can keep them from returning to work at all. According to the FMCSA’s monthly report, 89,650 commercial drivers are currently in prohibited status as of April 1, 2022, but 67,368 of them have not begun the RTD process.
If violations continue at the current rate, the truck driver shortage will further disrupt the supply chain, which means higher prices not just for commodities but the cost of living at large.
Copyright 2022 Stacker via Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. | https://www.mysuncoast.com/2022/05/19/marijuana-violations-have-taken-over-10000-truck-drivers-off-road-this-year-adding-more-supply-chain-disruptions/ | 2022-05-19T15:42:46Z |
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va., July 28, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Blue Ridge Bankshares, Inc. (the "Company") (NYSE American: BRBS), the holding company of Blue Ridge Bank, National Association ("Blue Ridge Bank") and BRB Financial Group, Inc. ("BRB Financial Group"), announced today financial results for the quarter and year-to-date periods ended June 30, 2022. For the second quarter of 2022, the Company reported net income from continuing operations of $1.1 million, or $0.06 earnings per diluted common share, compared to $17.4 million, or $0.93 earnings per diluted common share, for the first quarter of 2022, and $28.7 million, or $1.54 earnings per diluted common share, for the second quarter of 2021. For the six months ended June 30, 2022, the Company reported net income from continuing operations of $18.5 million, or $0.99 earnings per diluted common share, compared to $32.9 million, or $1.95 earnings per diluted common share, for the same period of 2021. Net income in the second quarter of 2021 included an after-tax gain of $19.2 million resulting from the sale of Paycheck Protection Program ("PPP") loans.
Net income from continuing operations before income taxes and provision for loan losses was $9.0 million for the second quarter of 2022 compared to $25.1 million for the first quarter of 2022. The decrease in these amounts for the consecutive quarter periods was primarily due to $9.4 million of fair value adjustments related to the Company's equity investments in certain fintech companies recorded in the first quarter of 2022 and the decline in income from the Company's mortgage division, which was $3.6 million less in the second quarter period.
The Company reported total assets of $2.80 billion as of June 30, 2022, an increase from $2.67 billion as of December 31, 2021, while reported loans held for investment, excluding PPP loans, grew $271.2 million in the first half of 2022, an annualized growth rate of 30.5%. Of this loan growth, $205.0 million occurred in the second quarter.
In the first quarter of 2022, the Company sold its majority interest in MoneyWise Payroll Solutions, Inc. ("MoneyWise") to the holder of the minority interest in MoneyWise. Asset and liability balances and income statement amounts related to MoneyWise are reported as discontinued operations for all periods presented.
The Company completed the merger of Bay Banks of Virginia, Inc. ("Bay Banks"), the holding company of Virginia Commonwealth Bank, into the Company on January 31, 2021. Immediately following the completion of the merger, Virginia Commonwealth Bank was merged into Blue Ridge Bank. Earnings for the first quarter and year-to-date periods ended June 30, 2021, included the earnings of Bay Banks from the effective date of the merger.
"The Company continues to experience strong loan demand, as evidenced by the year-to-date growth in the held-for-investment loan portfolio of 15%", said Brian K. Plum, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Company. "Over half of 2022 second quarter loan growth occurred in the last two weeks in the quarter, so the Company recorded additional provision funding without experiencing the full related interest income lift in the quarter. This impact, combined with expenses associated with building our middle market team and adding to our fintech operational, risk, and compliance teams, had a negative impact on this quarter's earnings."
"We remain mindful of macroeconomic headwinds and the impacts of a potential slowdown," Plum continued. "Our team is working hard to generate quality relationships with loan and deposit pricing that incorporates rate increases and the current yield curve environment."
Fintech Business
The Company's fintech partnerships include Unit, Flexible Finance, Increase, Upgrade, Kashable, Jaris, Grow Credit, MentorWorks, Aeldra, and Marlette. Deposits related to fintech relationships were approximately $395 million as of June 30, 2022, up from approximately $189 million as of December 31, 2021. Loans held for sale and loans held for investment related to fintech relationships totaled $25.6 million and $24.1 million as of June 30, 2022 and December 31, 2021, respectively. Interest and fee income related to fintech partnerships represented approximately $1.8 million and $1.3 million of revenue for the Company for the second and first quarters of 2022, respectively. The Company's fintech relationships also generated assets under management of $55.9 million in BRB Financial Group's Trust Division as of June 30, 2022. The Company continues to grow its infrastructure to support the expansion of its fintech partners.
Mortgage Division
The Company's mortgage division, which consists of a retail division operating as Monarch Mortgage and a wholesale division operating as LenderSelect Mortgage Group, reported net income of $406 thousand and $2.3 million for the second and first quarters of 2022, respectively. Income attributable to mortgage servicing rights was $1.6 million for the second quarter of 2022 compared to $6.7 million for the first quarter of 2022. Higher income from mortgage servicing rights in the first quarter of 2022 was primarily due to the impact of greater longer-term interest rate increases in this period. Mortgage servicing rights income in the second and first quarters of 2022 was attributable to fair value adjustments of $(229) thousand and $3.8 million, respectively, and new servicing rights retained of $1.8 million and $2.9 million, respectively. Residential mortgage banking income increased by $1.6 million in the second quarter of 2022 when compared to the first quarter of 2022, primarily due to the impact of hedging activities as production slowed in the first quarter of 2022. Quarterly mortgage volumes declined to $117.8 million for the second quarter of 2022 compared to $151.4 million for the first quarter of 2022, primarily attributable to declining demand in the increasing interest rate environment. Noninterest expenses reported for the Company's mortgage division were $5.7 million and $6.9 million for the second and first quarters of 2022, respectively. The Company reduced mortgage personnel beginning in the fourth quarter of 2021 and throughout the first half of 2022, resulting in total annualized noninterest expense savings of approximately $2.0 million, the full benefit of which is expected to begin in the second half of 2022.
Income Statement
Net Interest Income
Net interest income was $24.1 million for the second quarter of 2022 compared to $23.7 million for the first quarter of 2021 and $30.5 million for the second quarter of 2021, while accretion of acquired loan discounts included in interest income was $1.3 million, $2.7 million, and $865 thousand for the same respective periods. Amortization of purchase accounting adjustments on assumed time deposits and borrowings, which reduced interest expense, was $499 thousand, $502 thousand, and $1.0 million for the same respective periods. Interest income in the second quarter of 2022, excluding accretion, benefited from higher yields on loans held for investment, while deposit costs decreased slightly compared to the first quarter of 2022.
Included in interest income for the second and first quarters of 2022 and the second quarter of 2021 were $64 thousand, $393 thousand, and $11.7 million, respectively, of PPP loan interest income and fees, net of costs. PPP loans were partially funded through the PPP Liquidity Facility ("PPPLF"), offered by the Federal Reserve Banks to fund PPP loans, and interest expense incurred for the PPPLF was $100 thousand, $14 thousand, and $382 thousand for the second and first quarters of 2022 and the second quarter of 2021, respectively. Cost of funds was 0.36% for both the second and first quarters of 2022 and 0.43% for the second quarter of 2021, while cost of deposits was 0.26%, 0.27%, and 0.29% for the same respective periods.
Net interest margin for the second and first quarters of 2022 was 3.89% and 3.88%, respectively, compared to 3.82% for second quarter of 2021. Accretion and amortization of purchase accounting adjustments had a 29, 53, and 22 basis point positive effect on net interest margin for the same respective periods. In addition, interest and fee income from PPP loans, including the corresponding funding, had a 4, 2, and 55 basis point positive effect on net interest margin for the second and first quarters of 2022 and the second quarter of 2021, respectively.
Net interest income was $47.8 million and $50.5 million for the first halves of 2022 and 2021, respectively, while net interest margin was 3.88% and 3.66% for the same respective periods. Accretion and amortization of purchase accounting adjustments and the contributions from PPP loans, including the corresponding funding, had a cumulative 40 and 56 basis point positive effect on net interest margin for the six months ended June 30, 2022 and 2021, respectively.
Provision for Loan Losses
The Company recorded a provision for loan losses of $7.5 million in the second quarter of 2022 compared to $2.5 million first quarter of 2022 and no provision in the second quarter of 2021. Provision for loan losses for the first halves of 2022 and 2021 was $10.0 million and $0, respectively. Provision for loan losses in the 2022 periods was primarily attributable to reserves for significant loan growth, greater qualitative factor adjustments due to changes in economic conditions, and higher specific reserves for impaired loans.
Noninterest Income
Noninterest income for the second and first quarters of 2022 was $10.2 million and $24.1 million, respectively, compared to $36.2 million for the second quarter of 2021. Noninterest income for the first quarter of 2022 included $9.4 million of fair value adjustments for the Company's equity investments, primarily in certain fintech companies, while noninterest income in the second quarter of 2021 included a $24.3 million net gain on the sale of PPP loans. Mortgage banking income, including mortgage servicing rights, contributed $6.0 million, $9.6 million, and $9.0 million of noninterest income in the second and first quarters of 2022 and the second quarter of 2021, respectively.
Noninterest income for the first halves of 2022 and 2021 was $34.3 million and $51.8 million, respectively. Excluding the fair value adjustments for the Company's equity investments in the first half of 2022 and the net gain on the sale of the PPP loans in the first half of 2021, noninterest income for the respective periods was $25.0 million and $27.4 million, a decline of $2.4 million. This decline was primarily attributable to lower mortgage banking income, including mortgage servicing rights, of $6.1 million, partially offset by a higher gain on sales of government guaranteed loans, higher fee income related to the Company's fintech partnerships, and a net gain on the sale of a former branch location in the first quarter of 2022.
Noninterest Expense
Noninterest expense for the second and first quarters of 2022 was $25.3 million and $22.7 million, respectively, compared to $30.3 million for the second quarter of 2021. Salaries and employee benefit expenses increased $1.8 million in the second quarter of 2022 from the first quarter of 2022, primarily due to the addition of commercial lenders and personnel to support the fintech business, partially offset by lower expenses attributable to the mortgage division. Noninterest expenses in the second quarter of 2021 included greater incentive expense attributable to the PPP loan program and merger-related expenses of $1.2 million compared to $0 and $50 thousand for the second and first quarters of 2022, respectively.
Noninterest expense for the first halves of 2022 and 2021 was $48.0 million and $60.6 million, respectively. Excluding merger-related expenses, noninterest expense was $48.0 million and $50.3 million for the same respective periods.
Balance Sheet
Loans held for investment, excluding PPP loans, increased $271.2 million to $2.05 billion at June 30, 2022, from $1.78 billion at December 31, 2021, an annualized growth rate of 30.5%. Of this first half 2022 growth, $205.0 million occurred in the second quarter. The Company's middle market and specialized lending teams, which began building in the first quarter of 2022, contributed to this second quarter loan growth.
Loans held for sale, which was comprised primarily of residential mortgages, decreased $89.2 million to $32.8 million at June 30, 2022, from $121.9 million at December 31, 2021, primarily attributable to lower mortgage activity, due to the reasons noted previously.
Total deposits at June 30, 2022, were $2.34 billion, an increase of $37.9 million from December 31, 2021. Noninterest-bearing demand deposit growth was $80.0 million in the first half of 2022, primarily due to the Company's fintech partnerships. Noninterest-bearing demand deposit accounts represented 33.6% and 30.7% of total deposits as of June 30, 2022 and December 31, 2021, respectively.
Asset Quality
Nonperforming loans, which include nonaccrual loans and loans 90 days or more past due and accruing interest1, totaled $12.2 million at June 30, 2022 and $16.1 million at December 31, 2021. The ratio of nonperforming loans to total assets was 0.44% and 0.60% at June 30, 2022, and December 31, 2021, respectively. The Company's allowance for loan losses was $17.2 million at June 30, 2022, or 0.84% as a percentage of gross loans held for investment, excluding PPP loans2, compared to 0.68% at December 31, 2021, and 0.76% at June 30, 2021. The increase in this ratio from December 31, 2021 to June 30, 2022, was primarily attributable to additional allowance for loan growth in the first half of 2022 and greater qualitative factor adjustments, as noted previously. Remaining acquired loan discounts related to loans acquired in the Company's completed mergers were $12.2 million as of June 30, 2022, and $16.2 million as of December 31, 2021.
1 Excludes purchased credit-impaired loans.
2 The Company holds no allowance for loan losses on PPP loans as they are fully guaranteed by the U.S. government.
Capital
The Company previously announced that on July 7, 2022, its board of directors declared a $0.1225 per common share quarterly dividend, payable July 29, 2022, to shareholders of record as of July 18, 2022. Tangible book value per share, a non-GAAP (defined below) measure, was $12.21 and $13.01 as of June 30, 2022 and December 31, 2021, respectively, while book value per share was $13.95 and $14.76 as of the same respective periods.
Primarily as a result of an increase in market interest rates in the first half of 2022, the fair value of the Company's portfolio of securities available for sale declined approximately $42.8 million, resulting in an after-tax decline in stockholders' equity of $33.8 million for the six months ended June 30, 2022. The accumulated other comprehensive loss ("AOCL") attributable to this securities portfolio as of June 30, 2022, was $37.5 million, or $2.00 in book value per share, compared to a $3.6 million AOCL, or $0.19 in book value per share, as of December 31, 2021.
Non-GAAP Financial Measures
The accounting and reporting policies of the Company conform to U.S. generally accepted accounting principles ("GAAP") and prevailing practices in the banking industry. However, management uses certain non-GAAP measures to supplement the evaluation of the Company's performance. Management believes presentations of these non-GAAP financial measures provide useful supplemental information that is essential to a proper understanding of the operating results of the Company's core businesses. These non-GAAP disclosures should not be viewed as a substitute for operating results determined in accordance with GAAP, nor are they necessarily comparable to non-GAAP performance measures that may be presented by other companies. Reconciliations of GAAP to non-GAAP measures are included at the end of this release.
Forward-Looking Statements
This release of the Company contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements represent plans, estimates, objectives, goals, guidelines, expectations, intentions, projections, and statements of the Company's beliefs concerning future events, business plans, objectives, expected operating results and the assumptions upon which those statements are based. Forward-looking statements include, without limitation, any statement that may predict, forecast, indicate, or imply future results, performance or achievements, and are typically identified with words such as "may," "could," "should," "will," "would," "believe," "anticipate," "estimate," "expect," "aim," "intend," "plan," or words or phases of similar meaning. The Company cautions that the forward-looking statements are based largely on its expectations and are subject to a number of known and unknown risks and uncertainties that are subject to change based on factors which are, in many instances, beyond the Company's control. Actual results, performance or achievements could differ materially from those contemplated, expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements.
The following factors, among others, could cause the Company's financial performance to differ materially from that expressed in such forward-looking statements: (i) the strength of the United States economy in general and the strength of the local economies in which the Company conducts operations; (ii) geopolitical conditions, including acts or threats of terrorism and/or military conflicts, or actions taken by the United States or other governments in response to acts or threats of terrorism and/or military conflicts, which could impact business and economic conditions in the United States and abroad; (iii) the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, including the adverse impact on the Company's business and operations and on the Company's customers which may result, among other things, in increased delinquencies, defaults, foreclosures and losses on loans; (iv) the occurrence of significant natural disasters, including severe weather conditions, floods, health related issues, and other catastrophic events; (v) the Company's management of risks inherent in its real estate loan portfolio, and the risk of a prolonged downturn in the real estate market, which could impair the value of the Company's collateral and its ability to sell collateral upon any foreclosure; (vi) changes in consumer spending and savings habits; (vii) technological and social media changes; (viii) the effects of, and changes in, trade, monetary and fiscal policies and laws, including interest rate policies of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, inflation, interest rate, market and monetary fluctuations; (ix) changing bank regulatory conditions, policies or programs, whether arising as new legislation or regulatory initiatives, that could lead to restrictions on activities of banks generally, or the Company's subsidiary bank in particular, more restrictive regulatory capital requirements, increased costs, including deposit insurance premiums, regulation or prohibition of certain income producing activities or changes in the secondary market for loans and other products; (x) the impact of changes in financial services policies, laws and regulations, including laws, regulations and policies concerning taxes, banking, securities and insurance, and the application thereof by regulatory bodies; (xi) the impact of changes in laws, regulations and policies affecting the real estate industry; (xii) the effect of changes in accounting policies and practices, as may be adopted from time to time by bank regulatory agencies, the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"), the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board, the Financial Accounting Standards Board or other accounting standards setting bodies; (xiii) the timely development of competitive new products and services and the acceptance of these products and services by new and existing customers; (xiv) the willingness of users to substitute competitors' products and services for the Company's products and services; (xv) the outcome of any legal proceedings that may be instituted against the Company; (xvi) reputational risk and potential adverse reactions of the Company's customers, suppliers, employees or other business partners; (xvii) the effects of acquisitions the Company may make, including, without limitation, the failure to achieve the expected revenue growth and/or expense savings from such transactions; (xviii) changes in the level of the Company's nonperforming assets and charge-offs; (xix) the Company's involvement, from time to time, in legal proceedings and examination and remedial actions by regulators; (xx) potential exposure to fraud, negligence, computer theft and cyber-crime; (xxi) the Company's ability to pay dividends; (xxii) the Company's involvement as a participating lender in the PPP as administered through the U.S. Small Business Administration; and (xiii) other risks and factors identified in the "Risk Factors" sections and elsewhere in documents the Company files from time to time with the SEC.
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SOURCE Blue Ridge Bankshares, Inc. | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/07/28/blue-ridge-bankshares-inc-announces-second-quarter-first-half-2022-results/ | 2022-07-28T21:47:06Z |
French bulldog gives rare birth to 13 puppies
MORNING VIEW, Ky. (WXIX/Gray News) – A French bulldog in Northern Kentucky achieved something incredibly rare – giving birth to 13 puppies.
According to the website French Bulldog Owner, the average French bulldog will have around three puppies in a litter. Having seven puppies is rare, the website claims.
The dog’s owner, Jamie Walker, was expecting her dog to go into labor and noticed she was larger than most pregnant dogs.
“We went to the vet, and he said, ‘She might have six or seven [puppies],’ and he came back out with a basket behind me full of 13 puppies,” Walker told WXIX. “And that’s just unheard of.”
Walker is now wondering if his French bulldog is a record-setter.
Regardless, the mother and her puppies are healthy. The pups will be adopted to new homes when they are ready.
Copyright 2022 WXIX via Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. | https://www.wibw.com/2022/09/15/french-bulldog-gives-rare-birth-13-puppies/ | 2022-09-15T18:19:44Z |
Lawsuit over Idaho transgender athlete ban likely to proceed
By REBECCA BOONE
Associated Press
BOISE, Idaho (AP) — A lawsuit challenging Idaho’s ban on transgender athletes in women’s sports will likely move forward after both sides agreed the woman who sued is again enrolled at Boise State University. Idaho in 2020 became the first state in the nation to ban transgender women and girls from playing on women’s sports teams in public schools. Several states have followed suit, and the lawsuit from Lindsay Hecox could set precedent for whether such policies violate federal anti-discrimination rules. Last year the case stalled after Hecox withdrew from Boise State University. On Wednesday attorneys on both sides agreed she had re-enrolled, was playing soccer and hopes to make the cross-country team. | https://localnews8.com/sports/ap-national-sports/2022/04/14/lawsuit-over-idaho-transgender-athlete-ban-likely-to-proceed-3/ | 2022-04-14T22:46:38Z |
SAN DIEGO, April 5, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Asian Egg Bank is changing the conversation in donor recruitment and offering free fertility testing and free egg freezing options for qualifying candidates. Donate Love Donate Eggs' approach to educating young women about their fertility health has been in the works at Asian Egg Bank.
"The industry has become oversaturated with using a monetization approach when it comes to egg donor recruitment," says Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Peter Fuzesi. "We wanted to change the conversation and give back to the egg donors with free fertility education and egg freezing options."
The San Diego-based frozen egg bank is dedicated to recruiting egg donors of Asian ancestry and are changing how they recruit their egg donors. This year, the company started focusing on the importance of fertility preservation and investing a lot of time and effort into educating each potential donor about their fertility health. Egg quality begins to decrease at 32 and declines quickly after 37. "What women learned in high school wasn't enough," says Marketing Manager Shelby Leichman. "A lot of young women have zero awareness about their reproductive health. We are taught how to prevent unwanted pregnancies, but many women start to build their families in their late thirties and don't realize their fertility health has already started to decline."
The egg freezing cycle can cost anywhere between $6,000 to $20,000 and is generally not covered by insurance. The Donate Love Donate Eggs campaign can offer candidates a solution to freeze their eggs for free after successfully donating to Asian Egg Bank once.
Through a simple blood and saliva test, candidates can learn about their egg quality and fertility. There will be no obligation for candidates to move forward with egg donation or egg freezing, but these women can still walk away with a depth of knowledge about their fertility for free.
Not only was the Donate Love Donate Eggs campaign designed for fertility education, but it's paving the way for a donor recruitment movement. "It's time for us to talk about fertility health openly and honestly," says Shelby. "That's why we feel obligated to educate young women about their fertility so they can avoid costly fertility treatments down the road."
Asian Egg Bank was established to satisfy the ever-rising demand for Asian egg donors. Thanks to rigorous quality and screening standards, they can offer the highest quality eggs and surrogacy services to improve the chances of a successful pregnancy. At their San Diego egg donation center, they strive to offer an unmatched level of expertise and compassionate support to help create families around the world. Their staff members are multi-lingual and aim to meet your highest level of expectations.
Contact: Peter Fuzesi, peterf@asianeggbank.com
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SOURCE Asian Egg Bank | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/04/05/free-fertility-testing-egg-freezing-by-asian-egg-bank-combat-infertility/ | 2022-04-05T15:34:53Z |
Winners CarParts.com, italki, LendingTree, Malwarebytes, Slickdeals, Sweetwater, Udacity, Zumper, and 14 West recognized for success in customer-centric, AI-powered campaigns across marketing channels
SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 1, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Blueshift, the leading Smart Hub platform for intelligent customer engagement, today announced the winners of its Omnies awards celebrating the innovative ways marketers are hyper-personalizing connections at scale. The 2022 Omnies award winners were announced at the company's annual Engage conference, held Aug. 31 in San Francisco.
"The Blueshift Omnies recognize impactful initiatives that create moments of wow for customers across every touchpoint using connected cross-channel campaigns, AI-powered personalization, rich customer data, and more," said Vijay Chittoor, CEO and co-founder of Blueshift. "The Omnies winners are marketing innovators, trailblazers, leaders, rising stars, and mentors. We are proud to celebrate their inspirational approaches to supercharge marketing."
The following organizations have driven change and value for their business by leveraging the power of intelligent customer engagement across channels and have been recognized as the 2022 Omnies award winners in their categories:
- Orchestration Category Winner: Zumper
Zumper's mission is to modernize the rental experience for renters and property owners by making renting an apartment as easy as booking a hotel. Zumper uses AI-powered recommendations to connect renters with the right listings. Even with millions of listings, Zumper caters to the unique preferences of each individual renter, orchestrating robust customer journeys across email, SMS, and push notifications. - Marketing with AI Category Winner: CarParts.com
Using the latest technologies and design principles, CarParts.com makes it easy for drivers to shop for the parts they need and get their vehicles back on the road. The company uses AI-powered recommendations to surface the right auto parts for each customer from over 800,000 SKUs. CarParts.com provides personalized product and content recommendations to each user based on their vehicle year, make, and model, as well as real-time website behaviors. - New Rising Star Category Winner: Sweetwater
Sweetwater is the #1 online retailer of pro audio and music instruments in the United States, serving over eight million music makers. As a new Blueshift customer, Sweetwater has set out to build a data-driven marketing strategy. Focused on engaging interactions across multiple touchpoints throughout the customer lifecycle (email, web, in-app, social), Sweetwater aims to provide personalized recommendations for each user. - New Rising Star Category Winner: Malwarebytes
Malwarebytes brings cyber-protection to everyone, helping to keep its customers free from online threats. Malwarebytes' strategy focuses on creating a unified experience for customers, resulting in improved engagement, retention, and adoption. Since onboarding with Blueshift, Malwarebytes has been able to increase its email-able customer base, email open rates, and engagement, as well enhance existing marketing campaigns and launch new campaigns. - Innovative Campaign Category Winner: italki
italki provides a comprehensive language experience for anyone who wants to learn a new language in a personalized and authentic way. One of italki's innovative marketing campaigns focuses on recommending compelling content to students based on their learning language and unique learning journey. By making improvements to the campaign's target audience, template, and recommendation scheme, the campaign resulted in a significant increase in revenue. - Engagement Category Winner: Slickdeals
Slickdeals is where 12 million savvy shoppers discover and share great deals. Slickdeals kicked off a marketing program to incentivize current and new users to engage with the community. Using segmentation, Slickdeals has been able to target power users and new users based on common behaviors and interest signals to create lookalike audiences. This program increased engagement and transactions by over 65%. - Engagement Category Winner: Udacity
Udacity is on a mission to upskill the world's workforce through the power of knowledge. By creating 1:1 personalized interactions and triggering real-time messages, Udacity has continued to increase student engagement. - Strategic First-Party Data Category Winner: 14 West
14 West is a business services firm with a global mindset. 14 West Tech & Media Solutions offers a range of products and services for publishing in the digital age. 14 West works with affiliate publishers to acquire first-party data across many brands. With this rich data, 14 West has gained a better understanding of their customers to personalize omnichannel journeys for increased engagement. - Strategic First-Party Data Category Winner: LendingTree
LendingTree is an online loan marketplace for various financial borrowing needs including auto loans, home loans, small business loans, personal loans, student loans, credit cards, and more. The company also empowers customers with expert guidance and financial health hints and tips. LendingTree uses first-party data to power a true omnichannel environment, leveraging orchestrated triggers across all touchpoints, including email, mobile, SMS, direct mail, and paid media audience syndications.
Each category had many impressive submissions. In addition to the winners, these chosen honorees demonstrated marketing excellence in their categories:
- Orchestration: ClearScore, Chatbooks, Stitch Fix
- Marketing with AI: discovery+, Tradera, Skillshare, vouchercloud
- New Rising Star: PRADCO, Zark
- Innovative Campaign: WayUp
- Engagement: James Allen
- Strategic First-Party Data: BIGGBY COFFEE
San Francisco-based Blueshift helps brands deliver relevant, connected experiences across every customer interaction. The Blueshift cross-channel marketing platform uses patented AI technology to unify, inform, and activate the fullness of customer data across all channels and applications. Through unified data, cross-channel orchestration, intelligent decisioning, and unmatched scale, Blueshift gives brands all the tools they need to seamlessly deliver 1:1 experiences in real-time across the entire customer journey. Blueshift has been recognized in the 2021 Deloitte Technology Fast 500™ list as one of the fastest growing technology companies in North America.
For more information visit blueshift.com.
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SOURCE Blueshift | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/09/01/blueshift-announces-2022-omnies-award-winners-honorees-marketing-excellence-innovation/ | 2022-09-01T18:39:36Z |
Global business leaders across Finance, Treasury, Procurement, Supply Chain, Sustainability, Technology uniting to solve industries' biggest challenges
BERLIN, May 16, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- At its annual customer community conference for Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (EMEA), Coupa Software (NASDAQ: COUP), a worldwide leader in Business Spend Management (BSM), will welcome a record-setting audience of companies and business leaders from across the region – reflective of the growing imperative facing companies to maximize the value of every dollar they spend to navigate dynamic global market pressures.
Business leaders across key segments – supply chain, procurement, finance, and IT – will come together in Berlin for Coupa Inspire to collaborate on removing major obstacles to growth and success, including areas like supply chain, sustainability and climate change, and resilience. Uniting these voices helps businesses break down silos and demonstrates the mentality that 'none of us is as smart as all of us.'
Participants will gain insights in innovation, leadership, and strategy directly from executives from top global brands, including AstraZeneca, BMW, B/S/H, Deutsche Post DHL Group, IKEA, Maersk, Nestle, Puma, Swiss Re, and Zurich Insurance.
In total, Coupa has managed more than $3.3 trillion USD in cumulative global business spend for more than 2,500 customers. The company's long been considered a trailblazer in Business Spend Management, with the most recent recognition as a leader coming from independent analyst group Forrester Research.
Forrester in March placed Coupa as a leader in The Forrester Wave™: Supplier Value Management Platforms, Q1 2022, noting Coupa's continuing innovation and customer obsession. The report states: "We expect [Coupa] to continue delivering more domain-specific innovation than its rivals do."
"Business spend management is moving from a back-office conversation to the front of CEO and CFO digital transformation plans. These companies trust Coupa to help them break old bonds and become more profitable and purposeful through their business spend," explained Rob Bernshteyn, Coupa's chairman and CEO.
"In every key area – from sustainability to supply chain, procurement to risk management – Coupa delivers the intelligence, innovation, and expertise these companies rely on to succeed," Bernshteyn added.
The partnership with Coupa will be highlighted by companies speaking at Inspire, including B/S/H.
Coupa and B/S/H
B/S/H, the largest manufacturer of home appliances in Europe and digital services leader headquartered in Germany, selected Coupa to increase speed, transparency, and efficiency in its procurement processes and thus, to build more synergies across its business, as well as create successful, lasting, and resilient relationships with suppliers.
"The value from Coupa goes beyond just savings. Coupa provides the transparency on spend globally we need but also allows us to broaden our strategic view and focus on more complex challenges like sustainability, a foundational pillar for our company that's critical for our success," said Katrin Bogel, senior vice president, head of purchasing indirect categories at B/S/H.
To learn more about Inspire, visit emea.coupainspire.com. Media images are available here.
To learn more about Coupa, visit coupa.com.
Photo (JPG / PNG): Coupa Chairman and CEO Rob Bernshteyn speaks at Inspire, the company's annual community event in Las Vegas on April 5, 2022. The company opens Inspire EMEA in Berlin on Tuesday, May 17, 2022.
Coupa is the cloud-based Business Spend Management (BSM) platform that unifies processes across supply chain, procurement, and finance functions. Coupa empowers organizations around the world to maximize value and operationalize purpose through their business spend. Learn more at coupa.com and follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.
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SOURCE Coupa Software | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/05/16/coupa-ready-open-record-setting-inspire/ | 2022-05-16T08:35:39Z |
DAKAR, Senegal, June 27, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Black Rock Senegal announced today the 2022-2023 participants for the third year of its Artist-in-Residence program. Founded by renowned artist Kehinde Wiley in 2019, Black Rock Senegal seeks to support new artistic creation through collaborative exchange and to incite change in the global discourse about Africa. The third year of the program will run between July 2022 and March 2023 and will welcome sixteen artists from around the world.
The selected artists for Black Rock 2022-2023 are: 'Pemi Aguda (Nigeria, Writer), Gouled Ahmed (Ethiopia, Textile), Sophia Nahli Allison (USA, Film), Adrian L. Burrell (USA, Film), Panmela Castro (Brazil, Painter), Chinwe Chigbu (Nigeria, Photographer), Ayan Farah (Sweden, Mixed Media), Enam Gbewonyo (United Kingdom, Textile), Stephen Leo Hayes Jr. (USA, Sculptor), Amina Kadous (Egypt, Photographer), Mae-ling Lokko (Ghana, Mixed Media), Nasheeka Nedsreal (Germany, Performance Based), Nengi Omuku (Nigeria, Painter), Léonard Pongo (Belgium, Visual Artist), Khalif Tahir Thompson (USA, Painter), and Paul Verdell (USA, Painter).
This year's residents have been selected by an esteemed committee of creative professionals: Jeffrey Deitch, Curator and Gallerist; Aissa Dione, Textile Designer; Reni Folawiyo, Entrepreneur; Cathia Lawson, Art Collector; Glenn Ligon, Artist; and Katherina Olschbaur, Artist and former Black Rock Senegal Resident.
For general inquiries, please visit www.blackrocksenegal.org or refer to the link to our Frequently Asked Questions.
For general press inquiries, please contact: Kerry.Smalls@bcw-global.com/ info@blackrocksenegal.org or refer to the link to our Press Kit.
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SOURCE Black Rock Senegal | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/06/27/black-rock-senegal-announces-next-selection-artists/ | 2022-06-27T15:27:31Z |
TULSA, Okla. (AP) — Not long ago, it seemed a foregone conclusion that Jordan Spieth would one day capture golf’s career Grand Slam.
Even more recently, it seemed as if he might never contend again.
After scorching a Tiger-esque path through his first five years as a pro, including triumphs at the Masters and U.S. Open in 2015 and the British Open in ’17, things suddenly went sideways for Spieth. That crisp ball-striking that was once the envy of so many abandoned him, his driver went a bit haywire and his short game let him down.
The former No. 1 went nearly four years without a win, plummeting to 92nd in the world ranking.
Armed with a retooled swing thousands of shots in the making, though, and brimming with confidence after winning at Hilton Head and finishing second at last week’s Byron Nelson, the popular 28-year-old Texan arrived this week at the PGA Championship once again among the favorites to raise the Wanamaker Trophy on Sunday.
And at long last, join that most exclusive club.
“Certainly at this point, having won the other three, it’s an elephant in the room for me,” Spieth acknowledged before heading out for Wednesday’s practice round. “If you just told me I was going to win one tournament the rest of my life, I’d say I want to win this one, given where things are at.”
History is not necessarily on his side.
Of the five players to have won the Grand Slam, none waited more than three years for the final leg. Gene Sarazen in 1935, Ben Hogan in ‘53 and Tiger Woods in 2000 did it in their very first try; Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player weren’t far behind.
Some of the game’s greatest players never do it, either.
Arnold Palmer’s victory in the 1961 British Open left him, much like Spieth, needing only the PGA to finish it off, yet he’d play the tournament 34 times without winning. Phil Mickelson’s vexing second-place history at the U.S. Open is well-documented. The same tournament is also missing from three-time PGA champion Sam Snead’s resume. Byron Nelson and Raymond Floyd never won the British Open while Lee Trevino won every major (twice) except the Masters.
“Long-term,” Spieth said, “it would be really cool to say that you captured the four biggest tournaments in the world, that are played in different parts of the world, and different styles, too. You feel like you kind of accomplished golf.”
It’s a feeling that Rory McIlory, who will play with Spieth and Tiger Woods for the first two rounds at Southern Hills, knows too well. The two-time PGA champion has taken eight swings at winning the Masters since it became the lone major missing from his own ledger, and has been in the top 5 four times, with a second-place finish earlier this year.
“I think the most consistent way to get yourself to be able to have chances to win these major championships is to sort of adopt a conservative strategy,” McIlroy said. “Tiger did it most of his career, and OK, he had a couple of huge wins in there, but a lot of times being conservative with his strategy, letting other guys make the mistakes — pars are pretty good in major championships, and that’s sort of the philosophy that I believe in going forward.”
Another word for conservative could be deliberate, and that’s a good way to describe Spieth these days.
When mired in mediocrity, he tore down his swing and began to rebuild it. Spieth implemented a curious pre-shot rehearsal — almost mechanical in nature — designed to get into the proper position at the right tempo. The deliberate routine isn’t just for the driving range or practice rounds, either. Spieth takes it right onto the course with him.
“I get to my ball quickly, I play faster than I used to, I’m not slowing anybody down, and I make better, more committed swings with it,” he explained. “At this point, that’s where I’m at, and that’s what I’ll keep doing. It’s just trying to — like I’ve mentioned before — going back to go forward, going back to my DNA on how I’ve swung the club growing up.”
Like he was swinging it in 2015, when Spieth won the year’s first two majors and people began to whisper of the Grand Slam. Or a couple of years later, when he added the Claret Jug to his trophy case, leaving only the PGA still missing.
“You want to win any major,” said Justin Thomas, “and this one is just always going to be put on a little bit more of a pedestal than the other ones for him. I know he’s going to be fine. And I’m not just saying it because he’s one of my best friends. I mean, I’ve just seen him get it around when he’s not playing well. I’ve seen him play well when he is playing well. All of us go through little spurts. It’s just for him, this has just been a tough one. I mean, he’s going to be fine.”
___
More AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | https://cw33.com/sports/ap-sports/spieth-among-pga-favorites-in-quest-for-career-grand-slam/ | 2022-05-19T08:55:19Z |
Discovery-based pharmaceutical company in Japan leverages Cloudera for greater speed to insights across its research, development, and post-market value chain.
SINGAPORE, April 5, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Cloudera, the hybrid data cloud company, today announced that Japanese pharmaceutical company, Shionogi & Co., Ltd., has selected Cloudera to boost its data analytics capabilities for increased business performance and realize its vision of achieving data-driven innovation. Through this partnership, Shionogi hopes to democratize access to its vast amounts of data and promote data literacy to accelerate research and product releases.
As a discovery-based pharmaceutical company, Shionogi is focused on researching and developing more effective medications and pharmaceuticals to protect the health and well-being of patients. The extensive amounts of data that Shionogi generates and relies on reside in silos on varying platforms spread across various locations. To realize its vision of true data-driven innovation, Shionogi required a comprehensive data platform that could quickly aggregate and analyze this data in a secure and governed manner. Democratized accessibility to this data while maintaining data security and data governance was key.
Cloudera worked with Shionogi to upgrade its existing data platform to the Cloudera Data Platform (CDP), a secure, organized platform that is easily integrated into the various other systems used by Shionogi. The company has integrated all of its data silos, with CDP functioning as a consolidated database. The single source of truth provides easy access to data, which has increased the productivity of its data engineers and scientists by facilitating the sharing of information across the organization, improving the data literacy within Shionogi. CDP seamlessly connects to business intelligence (BI) tools and analysis systems while ensuring security and governance, allowing Shionogi to accelerate the hypothesis and test cycles of drug discovery and development.
Dr. Yoshitake Kitanishi, Vice President, Data Science Department, Shionogi & Co. Ltd., said, "Shionogi believes that we will need to maximize the use of our collective data and knowledge to achieve true data-driven innovation. The Cloudera Data Platform is what we need - a secure, organized and integrated database. Its ability to aggregate and analyze a wide variety of internal and external data, structured or unstructured, lets it rapidly process large volumes of data. We can derive business insights quickly as it seamlessly connects to BI tools and analysis systems while complying with privacy protection and other compliance requirements."
"We are delighted to support Shionogi on using data to transform its business. The company is currently working on COVID-19 medications and we are proud to be able to be part of this process. Cloudera's scalable hybrid data cloud will help Shionogi achieve its goal of being a data-driven business," said Takeshi Osawa, Managing Director, Japan, Cloudera.
Additional Resources
- For more information on Cloudera Data Platform, please visit https://www.cloudera.com/products/cloudera-data-platform.html
About Cloudera
At Cloudera, we believe data can make what is impossible today, possible tomorrow. Cloudera taught the world the value of big data, creating an industry and ecosystem powered by the relentless innovation of the open source community. We empower our customers, leaders in their industries, to transform complex data into clear and actionable insights. Through our hybrid data cloud platform, organizations are able to build their data-driven future by getting data - no matter where it resides - into the hands of those that need it. Learn more at Cloudera.com.
Cloudera and associated marks are trademarks or registered trademarks of Cloudera, Inc. All other company and product names are trademarks of their respective owners.
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SOURCE Cloudera, Inc. | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/04/06/shionogi-partners-with-cloudera-accelerate-rampd-achieve-data-driven-innovation-pharmaceuticals/ | 2022-04-06T06:06:22Z |
National awards program recognizes outstanding efforts to honor veterans and their families
COLUMBIA FALLS, Maine, Aug. 10, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The mission of Wreaths Across America (WAA) is to Remember the fallen, Honor those that serve and their families, and Teach the next generation the value of freedom. Although the organization is best known for laying veterans' wreaths on headstones of our fallen each December on Wreaths Across America Day (December 17th this year), the WAA mission is year-round and supported by the efforts of thousands of dedicated local volunteers throughout the country.
Each year, WAA recognizes some truly outstanding individuals with its national Remember, Honor, Teach and Learn awards. Each award recipient is chosen from recommendations by our volunteer base and staff, culminating in an extensive review process by the WAA Executive Leadership Team. Other awards include the Jim Prout Spirit of Giving Award which is chosen by the WAA Logistics Team based on recommendations from professional truck drivers, volunteers and staff, and the Founder's Award which is an honor bestowed by the organization's Founder, Morrill Worcester, for appreciation of outstanding contributions in the effort to honor our nation's veterans. These two additional awards will be presented later this year.
On Saturday, August 6th, as part of its annual Stem to Stone event, WAA recognized this year's Remember, Honor, Teach and Learn Award recipients.
And the winners are:
REMEMBER Award: Given to an individual or group who REMEMBERS the fallen and their sacrifice in a way that goes above and beyond. This year's recipient is Richard "Richie" Poirier of Maine.
Corporal (ret) Poirier of Bravo Company 2nd 34th Mechanical Infantry Division of the United States Army served his country between 1983 and 1985. Following the events of 9/11, Poirier moved into a role of community service, helping to raise funds for people in need, coordinating blood drives, and served as a local Fire chief in Maine. In 2015, his most satisfying community project was building a display case for a piece of steel that originally came from the twin towers in New York for the Wreaths Across America Museum. Recently, Poirier helped complete renovation work on the newly completed Gold Star Family History and Hospitality House located next door to Wreaths Across America's headquarters. This 1800's home features period rooms that honor many eras of American service, bravery, and sacrifice.
HONOR Award: Given annually to an individual or group who HONORS those who serve and their families in a way that supports the Wreaths Across America mission. This year's recipient is Cyndi Valencia of Illinois.
As a proud descendent of Revolutionary War patriots, Cyndi has made it her personal mission to Honor our present and past veterans. For over two decades, she has been volunteering for numerous causes including Operation Care package, the Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery Memorial Squad and support committee, Grateful Nation Remembers, Daughters of the American Revolution, Illinois Children of the American Revolution, Honor Flight Chicago, and many others through the years.
TEACH Award: Given annually to an individual or group who has made a large contribution in TEACHING the next generation to Remember and Honor those who serve in our nation's military. This year's recipient is Cindy Tatum of Tennessee.
Cindy Tatum became a Gold Star Mother on December 24, 2007, when her son, Cpl. Daniel Lee Tatum, USMC, who had served two deployments in Iraq, was killed outside of Camp Pendleton in an automobile/train collision. Approximately two years later, Cindy knew she had to "do" something to help keep the memory of her son's service alive. In 2009, Cindy joined American Gold Star Mothers in her home state of TN. Cindy served on the National Executive Board of AGSM from 2013-2021 and served as the 2020-21 National President. She retired as an educator in May 2020, after spending 26 years as a Government and Economics teacher at Milan High School.
Cindy was delighted when she was approached by Wreaths Across America and asked to help develop a curriculum for the Teach component of the Mission. The programs she developed for teachers in their classrooms, from Kindergarten through Senior year of high school, can be found at www.wreathsacrossamerica.org/teach. Cindy lives in Milan, TN, with her husband of 39 years Andy, and her service dog Linus. They have two adult children and four wonderful grandchildren.
LEARN Award: Given semi-annually to a young individual who has LEARNED, and understands, the Wreaths Across America mission and incorporates it into their young life. This year's recipient is 11-year-old Trevor Geer of Maryland.
Despite the challenges associated with concerns over a pandemic, for the past few years Trevor Geer found a way to overcome these obstacles and still manage to honor over 500 fallen service members buried in four cities along the Chesapeake Bay. He attended his first wreath-laying ceremony at the Eastern Shore Veterans Cemetery at the age of six, Trevor remembers being upset that some headstone did not have a veteran's wreath to honor the interred. He said, "The people who fought for us is what made the country what it is today, and they deserve a wreath."
This year, National Wreaths Across America Day will be held on Saturday, Dec. 17, 2022. It is a free event, open to all people. Click here to find a local participating cemetery near you to support go to and type in your town and/or state. For more information or to find a participating cemetery near you, please visit www.wreathsacrossamerica.org.
About Wreaths Across America
Wreaths Across America is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded to continue and expand the annual wreath-laying ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery begun by Maine businessman Morrill Worcester in 1992. The organization's mission – Remember, Honor, Teach – is carried out in part each year by coordinating wreath-laying ceremonies in December at Arlington, as well as thousands of veterans' cemeteries and other locations in all 50 states and beyond.
For more information or to sponsor a wreath please visit www.wreathsacrossamerica.org.
Press Contacts:
Amber Caron
(207) 513-6457
acaron@wreathsacrossamerica.org
Sean Sullivan
(207) 230-4599
ssullivan@wreathsacrossamerica.org
NOTE TO MEDIA AND PRESS MATERIALS:
Photo of all award recipients can be downloaded here. Please credit WAA Staff for all images.
WAA Media Resource Page
https://learn.wreathsacrossamerica.org/mediaresources
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SOURCE Wreaths Across America | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/08/10/wreaths-across-america-proudly-announces-2022-remember-honor-teach-learn-award-recipients/ | 2022-08-10T13:24:36Z |
Hurricane threat as Tropical Storm Fiona aims at Puerto Rico
HAVANA (AP) - Puerto Ricans braced for severe wind and extreme rain as Tropical Storm Fiona bore down amid expectations it would grow into a hurricane before striking the U.S. territory’s southern coast Sunday afternoon.
Forecasters said “historic” levels of rain were expected to produce landslides and heavy flooding, with up to 20 inches forecast in isolated areas.
“It’s time to take action and be concerned,” said Nino Correa, Puerto Rico’s emergency management commissioner.
Fiona was centered 150 miles (240 kilometers) southeast of Ponce, Puerto Rico, late Saturday. It had maximum sustained winds of 60 mph (95 kph) and was moving west-northwest at 8 mph (13 kph).
The storm was forecast to pummel cities and towns along Puerto Rico’s southern coast that are still recovering from a string of strong earthquakes that hit the region starting in late 2019, with several schools still shuttered and debris to be removed.
More than 100 people had sought shelter across the island by Saturday night, the majority of them in the southern coastal city of Guayanilla.
With Fiona due just two days before the anniversary of Hurricane Maria, a deadly Category 4 storm that hit on Sept. 20, 2017, anxiety levels ran high across the island. People boarded up windows and stocked up on food and water.
“I think all of us Puerto Ricans who lived through Maria have that post-traumatic stress of, ‘What is going to happen, how long is it going to last and what needs might we face?’” said Danny Hernández, who works in the capital of San Juan but planned to weather the storm with his parents and family in the western town of Mayaguez.
He said the atmosphere was gloomy at the supermarket as he and others made sure they were well-stocked before the storm hit.
“After Maria, we all experienced scarcity to some extent,” he said.
Many Puerto Ricans also were concerned about blackouts, with Luma, the company that operates power transmission and distribution, warning of “widespread service interruptions.”
Puerto Rico’s power grid was razed by Hurricane Maria and remains frail, with reconstruction starting only recently. Outages are a daily occurrence, and fires at power plants have occurred in recent months.
Puerto Rico’s governor, Pedro Pierluisi, said he was ready to declare a state of emergency if needed and activated the National Guard as the Atlantic hurricane season’s sixth named storm approached.
“What worries me most is the rain,” said forecaster Ernesto Morales with the National Weather Service in San Juan.
Fiona was predicted to drop 5 to 10 inches (13 to 25 centimeters) of rain over eastern and southern Puerto Rico, with as much as 20 inches (51 centimeters) in isolated spots.
It was forecast to swipe past the Dominican Republic on Monday and then northern Haiti and the Turks and Caicos Islands with the threat of heavy rain. It could threaten the far southern end of the Bahamas on Tuesday.
A hurricane warning was posted for the Dominican Republic’s eastern coast from Cabo Caucedo to Cabo Frances Viejo.
Fiona previously battered the eastern Caribbean, killing one man in the French territory of Guadeloupe when floods washed his home away, officials said. The storm also damaged roads, uprooted trees and destroyed at least one bridge.
In the eastern Pacific, Tropical Storm Lester dissipated Saturday afternoon after making landfall to the south of Acapulco on Mexico’s southwestern coast.
Tropical Storm Madeline formed farther out in the Pacific, but forecasters predicted it would not pose any threat to land as it moved away from Mexico.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.mysuncoast.com/2022/09/18/hurricane-threat-tropical-storm-fiona-aims-puerto-rico/ | 2022-09-18T10:16:08Z |
- Bolsters leadership of new Cross-Custodian Net Settlement Working Group
SAN FRANCISCO and LONDON, June 16, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Bosonic, a decentralized Financial Market Infrastructure (dFMI) business, has today announced the appointment of Yvo van Amerongen into the role of Client Solutions Director.
Yvo will help to lead the recently announced Bosonic Cross-Custodian Net Settlement Working Group partnering with digital asset custodians globally. He will also support collaboration between the custodians and the institutional clients such as Hedge Funds, Family Offices, Private Banks, Brokers and Banks on the Bosonic Network™.
Yvo brings over 20 years of post-trade and custody experience to Bosonic, having previously held roles at BNP Paribas, Euroclear, Deutsche Bank, Clearstream and more recently worked at UBS on post-trade and custody strategy.
Jason Nabi, Bosonic's Chief Revenue Officer, said, "We are delighted to welcome Yvo to our growing team as we continue to bring a mix of TradFi and crypto talent together to form a world-class team. Working with the best institutional custodians, from across the world, is a key strategic focus for Bosonic and the recent launch of the Cross-Custodian Net Settlement Working Group is a market-defining initiative to establish a unique global post-trade solution for crypto and digital assets for institutional clients that eliminates counterparty credit and settlement risk. We are very pleased to have Yvo help lead this work bringing in his experience and understanding of the industry as we scale our business."
Yvo van Amerongen added: "This is a really exciting time to join Bosonic. I've been really impressed by their achievements and value proposition. The industry needs access to core infrastructure for crypto and digital assets that specifically aligns to institutional requirements. The Bosonic Network™ and the company's wider work with digital asset custodians is an industry-leading proposition and I am looking forward to helping drive the growth of the business."
The Bosonic Network™ is a best-in-class and unique infrastructure for institutional clients, that is both liquidity and custodian agnostic. Bosonic connects clients to exchanges and market makers, and enables a payment versus payment atomic swap for instantaneous settlement on a layer-2 blockchain operated by digital asset custodians.
Media Contact:
The Realization Group on behalf of Bosonic Digital
Tel +44 7974937970
About Bosonic
Founded in 2016, Bosonic is a leading decentralized financial market infrastructure "dFMI" company with offices in San Francisco, New York and London providing best-in-class infrastructure that eliminates counterparty credit and settlement risk in Digital Asset markets. The Bosonic Network™ provides institutional clients with a patented solution that is liquidity and custodian agnostic, enables tokenization of assets and collateral, provides liquidity aggregation and DMA to the best Exchanges and Market-Makers, and at the core, runs real-time payment vs payment (PvP) atomic execution and settlement, with cross-margining, cross-custodian net settlement and payments. Bosonic Enterprise Solutions is a full front-to-back white-label SaaS deployment of the same technology for use in other regulated FMI, Bank or Broker digital asset platforms. The Bosonic Network™ and Bosonic Enterprise Solutions delivers best-in-class blockchain infrastructure that's shaping the future of Digital Asset markets by eliminating risk and maximizing capital efficiency.
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SOURCE Bosonic | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/06/16/bosonic-continues-grow-senior-team-appoints-industry-expert-client-solutions-director/ | 2022-06-16T12:46:06Z |
MEXICO CITY (AP) — Mexico’s top diplomat began the open jostling to win the 2024 nomination of President Andrés Manuel López Obrador’s Morena party on Monday.
Foreign Relations Secretary Marcelo Ebrard offered his WhatsApp number for comments from the public Monday, and on Sunday he said he would start touring the country to build support.
His bid, however, is likely to get off to a slow start. On Monday, Ebrard announced he had tested positive for COVID-19.
López Obrador can’t run for a second term, but given that the Morena party was built around him, whoever the president supports would get the party’s nomination.
There are several contenders, but there won’t be any primary vote: the party will hold an internal survey to name the nominee. In the past, contenders have raised doubts about the accuracy and impartiality of the party’s surveys.
Also in the running are Mexico City Mayor Claudia Sheinbaum and Interior Secretary Adán López. Sheinbaum also tested positive for COVID last week and has been working from home.
Ebrard’s political career has been dented by problems with a subway line built when he was the mayor of Mexico City.
A section of the currently closed elevated subway line collapsed in 2021, killing 26 people. Investigations showed that construction defects played a key role in the collapse. | https://cw33.com/news/international/ap-international/mexican-diplomat-starts-jostling-for-2024-nomination/ | 2022-06-21T02:54:57Z |
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Following reports of sexual assault of migrant women at a Georgia ICE detention center, U.S. Senators the Rev. Raphael Warnock, D-Ga., and Jon Ossoff, D-Ga., pushed Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas for answers concerning the status of the investigation into these disturbing reports.
According to the Atlanta Journal Constitution, four women have come forward stating that they were sexually assaulted by a nurse at the Stewart Detention Center.
“I write to express my concerns regarding allegations of sexual assault against migrant women at the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Stewart Detention Center in Lumpkin,” the senators wrote. “If true, these allegations would demonstrate an inhumane lack of care for these women and other detained persons at the facility. … I ask that you immediately investigate these allegations and provide a briefing on your findings.”
The letter from the Georgia Senators said:
“Dear Secretary Mayorkas,
“I write to express my concerns regarding allegations of sexual assault against migrant women at the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Stewart Detention Center in Lumpkin.
“In a letter sent on July 12 to the Department of Homeland Security Office of Civil Rights and Liberties leadership, four women share details of alleged sexual assault by a male nurse at the detention facility. If true, these allegations would demonstrate an inhumane lack of care for these women and other detained persons at the facility. As the letter notes, this is not the first time concerns have been raised at Stewart Detention Center about its ability to protect individuals from sexual assault.
“I ask that you immediately investigation these allegations and provide me directly with responses to the following questions:
♦ What is the state of the investigation into the allegations of sexual assault made by four women on July 12, 2022?
♦ What are you doing to ensure all individuals are protected at ICE facilities from sexual assault and abuse?
♦ What are you doing to ensure there are language appropriate resources as you are conducting interviews and outreach during the investigation?
♦ Are you making efforts to determine if there are any other victims?
♦ What are you doing to ensure any individual at an ICE facility who comes forward with an allegation of abuse does not face retaliation or threats of retaliation?
“The letter suggests that the nurse who is alleged to have committed the assaults had already been the subject of an investigation and was briefly relocated to a different part of the facility and is now again treating patients. Could you please clarify and provide an account of how such a series of transfers could occur?
“Georgia’s ICE facilities have already faced deeply concerning allegations of human rights violations, namely the abuse of women at the now-close Irwin County Detention Center. Many of the detained individuals who were at the Irwin Detention Center have, since its closure, been transferred to Stewart Detention Center.
“I ask that you immediately investigate these allegations and provide a briefing on your findings no later than Aug. 19, 2022.”
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NORTHBROOK, Ill., May 31, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Hilco Real Estate, LLC announces August 1, 2022 as the deadline for persons interested in acquiring the 5,200± square foot penthouse unit at the top of Lake Point Tower, to submit a bid in the bankruptcy court- approved sale for the property. Lake Point Tower is a famed, architecturally-significant skyscraper that stands alone as the only high-rise building located east of Lake Shore Drive. The 70th floor circular space sits atop the famous tower and offers 360-degree, unobstructed panoramas of the city skyline and Lake Michigan through its floor-to-ceiling windows. The sale also includes four commercial spaces located on the building's second floor, totaling approximately 2,650 square feet.
Once the tallest apartment building in the world, the asymmetrical "Y"-shaped building is well known for its elegant curves and silky glass appearance. Completed in 1968, the building's undulating design, absence of corners, together with bronze-tinted windows framed by gold-anodized aluminum, creates a stunning image as it reflects the sunlight off Lake Michigan and appears golden. The building, designed by architects John Heinrich and George Schipporeit (students of the famed architect Mies van der Rohe), has been praised as "a singular achievement," and served as the inspiration for the Burj Khalifa tower in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, currently the tallest structure in the world.
Hilco also expects meaningful interest in converting the 70th floor space into a residential unit, with the lower-level suites likely to be utilized for personal storage. Adding to the allure of this spectacular residential penthouse, possible options exist to utilize existing risers/roof areas to create the ultimate outdoor living space/personal sky deck.
The 70th floor space currently operates as Cité, a 142-seat world-class restaurant, voted one of The World's Best 17 Restaurants & Bars with Amazing Views by Delish Digital Magazine. It also received the OpenTable Diners Choice Award for Best Scenic View, Romantic, & Best Ambiance. Exclusive access to the space is provided by a private elevator from the 68th floor. The restaurant, which features a full commercial-grade kitchen, is supported by four suites located on the building's second floor (207, 209, 209-A & 224). The spaces include private offices, kitchen prep areas, a laundry room, walk-in freezers and coolers and various storage areas.
At the base of the tower, in perfect juxtaposition under the shadow of the modern obelisk, sits an unassuming Alfred Caldwell-designed, 2.5-acre private park. A spring-fed lagoon hewn of layered Wisconsin limestone offers visitors a welcomed reprieve from the surrounding urbanization of the city. Babbling waterfalls are underscored by a collection of native trees and natural prairie vegetation. This oasis rests atop the building's parking structure three stores above street level. Subject to HOA approval, the building also provides the new owner with access to a playground, outdoor pool, a completely updated health club including an indoor pool, racquetball/handball court, a resident lounge/business center, and a host of other features.
Just beyond Lake Point Tower's grounds sits historic Navy Pier, Chicago's premier tourist attraction, drawing nearly nine million visitors annually. Spanning 3,300 linear feet and encompassing over 50 acres, Navy Pier keeps an impressive calendar of events, offering a host of free public programs, attractions, live music, theater and dance performances, a world-class children's museum, art exhibits, diverse cultural celebrations, lake cruises, an array of dining and shopping options, and free firework displays throughout the summer.
The property's surrounding Streeterville neighborhood is located along beautiful Lake Michigan and just north of the Chicago River. This historic neighborhood has a homey, residential feel as it sits east of the popular Magnificent Mile on Michigan Avenue. With views of the legendary Centennial Ferris Wheel, the structure's Streeterville area contains a combination of hotels, restaurants, residential high rises, Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine, Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, Prentice Women's Hospital at Northwestern Medicine, and cultural venues making it one of the most exciting Chicago neighborhoods around town.
Steve Madura, senior vice president at Hilco Real Estate, stated, "I can, without exaggeration, say there is truly no other space in the entire City of Chicago that compares to the 70th floor of Lake Point Tower. From the penthouse, it feels like the building is in the center of Lake Michigan. While it may continue operating as a restaurant offering guests a spectacular dining experience, I believe there will be significant interest in converting the space into a one-of-a-kind personal residence…a veritable castle in the sky."
Madura continued, "Due to the high-profile nature and desirability of the space, we expect interest from buyers both nationally and internationally."
Robert Handler, bankruptcy trustee for Cité, said, "The bankruptcy process clears the way for the property to free itself from some of its past financial problems and ensures a direct path to new ownership."
The bankruptcy court in Chicago has approved procedures for interested persons to view the space and submit a bid to acquire the property on or before the August 1, 2022 bid deadline. Additional information on this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, including open house times and dates, due diligence information, and bid procedures can be obtained mailto:by contacting Chet Evans at (847) 418-2702 or cevans@hilcoglobal.com or Steve Madura at (847) 504-2478 or smadura@hilcoglobal.com.
For further information on the property, an explanation of the bid process or to obtain access to property due diligence documents, please visit HilcoRealEstate.com or call (855) 755-2300.
About Hilco Real Estate
Hilco Real Estate ("HRE"), a Hilco Global company (HilcoGlobal.com), is headquartered in Northbrook, Illinois (USA). HRE is a national provider of strategic real estate disposition services. Acting as an agent or principal, HRE uses its experience to advise and execute strategies to assist clients in deriving the maximum value from their real estate assets. By leveraging multi-faceted sales strategies & techniques, aggressive repositioning and restructuring experience, a vast and motivated network of buyers and sellers, and substantial access to capital, HRE exceeds expectations even in the most complex transactions.
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SOURCE Hilco Real Estate | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/05/31/hilco-real-estate-announces-bankruptcy-sale-penthouse-unit-chicagos-famous-lake-point-tower/ | 2022-05-31T13:56:25Z |
IRVINE, Calif., Aug. 16, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Lotus Bio-Technology Development Corp. (OTC: LBTD) announced today that Zoltan Nagy has resigned as a board member of the Board of Directors effective August 3rd, 2022.
Additionally, Zoltan Nagy has surrendered to Treasury his legal right, title, and interest in the 150,000,000 Common Shares that he owned.
The company looks forward to announcing additional board members in the near future.
Boomerang employs a similar business model to EverlyWell (currently valued at $2.9 Billion) and Hims & Hers, Inc. (currently valued at $1.2 Billion). Boomerang delivers test kits directly to users that include self-collection sample devices. The user then ships their sample back to one of Boomerang's labs via a return-label for testing and receives their results digitally as well as a custom wellness plan based on the results. Boomerang currently offers testing supporting Men's Health, Women's Health, Sexual Health and COVID-19.
Boomerang is hyper-focused on enhancing the life of its users by rewarding them with unique access to products and experiences for taking control of their physical and mental health. Through state of the art at-home diagnostic testing, customizable wellness plans, and strategic partnerships, Boomerang provides unparalleled access to healthcare and improves quality of life for its users.
More information about the company can be found at: boomerangkit.com
Safe Harbor Statement: This press release contains "forward-looking statements." Although the forward-looking statements in this release reflect the good faith judgment of management, forward- looking statements are inherently subject to known and unknown risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to be materially different from those discussed in these forward-looking statements.
Readers are urged to carefully review and consider the various disclosures made by LBTD in our reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the risk factors that attempt to advise interested parties of the risks that may affect our business, financial condition, results of operation and cash flows. If one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or if the underlying assumptions prove incorrect, our actual results may vary materially from those expected or projected. Readers are urged not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this release. We assume no obligation to update any forward-looking statements in order to reflect any event or circumstance that may arise after the date of this release.
Contact:
David Ottestad, Creative Director
Email: ir@boomerandgkit.com
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SOURCE Boomerang Corporation | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/08/16/lotus-bio-technology-development-corp-inc-announces-resignation-director-surrendering-150000000-common-shares-treasury/ | 2022-08-16T22:32:47Z |
Agreement will see CGI help IGM accelerate its digital transformation
TORONTO and WINNIPEG, MB, July 27, 2022 /PRNewswire/ - CGI (TSX: GIB.A) (NYSE: GIB) and IGM Financial Inc. (IGM) (TSX: IGM) have signed a strategic agreement to deliver the next generation of mutual fund transfer agency (TA) platforms in Canada.
The IGM and CGI partnership will focus on integrating two leading mutual fund record keeping solutions into a single, modern platform. It will include CGI taking responsibility for the overall modernization of the platforms as part of the company's portfolio of intellectual property solutions as well as supporting IGM with ongoing operations and delivery of the new platform through a software-as-a-service (SaaS). This initiative furthers IGM's five-year digital transformation, which it began implementing in 2018 and has included working with global tech leaders such as Google Cloud and Salesforce.
"This is another important step in our ambitious, ongoing digital transformation, which has allowed us to elevate the client experience by leveraging strategic partnerships with world-class organizations such as CGI," said Mike Dibden, Chief Operating Officer, IGM Financial. "We're pleased to be working with CGI, whose scale and depth of expertise will help provide a seamless transition of technology services and capabilities and enable us to focus on our core mission: bettering the lives of Canadians by helping them better plan and manage their money."
CGI will support IGM's ongoing transformation by delivering new TA application management services and intelligent automation, including technology development and testing. With broad digital transformation and application services experience in banking and other industries across Canada, CGI will future-proof the platform through ongoing operational efficiencies and end-to-end management, while modernizing the platform over time—in line with CGI's proven intellectual property continuous evolution practices.
"We are delighted to expand on our successful partnership with IGM and are proud to support its ongoing digitization and growth in Canada," said Jamie Holland, Senior Vice-President of CGI's Canada Industry Solutions business. "Our long-term collaboration with leading Canadian financial services firms such as IGM gives us an in-depth understanding of the industry's challenges and goals. This, combined with our team's wealth technology platform and business process services expertise, enables us to provide the holistic solution and support required to help our clients thrive."
Founded in 1976, CGI is among the largest independent IT and business consulting services firms in the world. With 88,500 consultants and professionals across the globe, CGI delivers an end-to-end portfolio of capabilities, from strategic IT and business consulting to systems integration, managed IT and business process services and intellectual property solutions. CGI works with clients through a local relationship model complemented by a global delivery network that helps clients digitally transform their organizations and accelerate results. CGI Fiscal 2021 reported revenue is $12.13 billion and CGI shares are listed on the TSX (GIB.A) and the NYSE (GIB). Learn more at cgi.com.
IGM Financial Inc. is one of Canada's leading diversified wealth and asset management companies with approximately $242 billion in total assets under management and advisement at June 30, 2022. The company provides a broad range of financial planning and investment management services to help more than two million Canadians meet their financial goals. Its activities are carried out principally through IG Wealth Management, Mackenzie Investments and Investment Planning Counsel. IGM Financial is a member of the Power Corporation group of companies. Learn more at igmfinancial.com.
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SOURCE CGI Inc. | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/07/27/igm-financial-selects-cgi-operate-modernize-its-transfer-agency-platform/ | 2022-07-27T12:18:16Z |
VERNON HILLS, Ill., Sept. 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Consolidated Hospitality Supplies (CHS) recently appointed Tom Lynch as Chief Executive Officer. The announcement culminates the company's search for a CEO with the distinct breadth of business experience and leadership skills necessary to successfully guide CHS into the future.
"Tom is the perfect executive fit, as he brings more than 30 years of leadership experience across distribution and service businesses and within both public companies and the private equity environment," said Bob Hund, Operating Partner at HCI Equity Partners (HCI), business partner to CHS. "He's a true tactician in terms of sales strategies and results-oriented focus, and yet he's also a natural team-builder with the creative vision to drive long-term growth."
Mr. Lynch's business career has included influential roles at high-achieving companies in consumer goods, food and beverage, waste disposal, and air cargo handling. Most recently he was Senior Vice President at Worldwide Flight Services, where he helped drive $1.3B in sales as the leader of its cargo and ground handling business. Prior to that Mr. Lynch was at Republic Services, where he was responsible for delivering $10.5B in sales. He also served as Executive Vice President at US Foods and was Vice President of Strategic Alignment with The Coca-Cola Company.
"I couldn't be more excited to join CHS and its celebrated brands in the hospitality industry, American Hotel Register and Amtex," said Mr. Lynch. "This is such a vital company, with a very talented team. Together, we'll work to enhance our operational efficiencies and improve our outcomes while strengthening every aspect of our service to customers and business partners. At CHS, we're poised for continued great progress ahead."
Consolidated Hospitality Supplies (CHS) is both a distribution company and a leading provider of operational supplies and equipment to the hospitality industry. Through its brands – American Hotel Register and Amtex – CHS serves hospitality customers in every market segment as well as customers in related verticals. Its consolidated approach works to lower cost-to-serve performance across the supply chain, which brings better results for every business partner. To learn more, visit www.ch-supplies.com or call 1-800-323-5686.
CHS Contact: Dave Whitaker at dwhitaker@ch-supplies.com or 224-786-1331.
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SOURCE Consolidated Hospitality Supplies | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/09/07/chs-announces-tom-lynch-new-ceo/ | 2022-09-07T13:24:13Z |
New App Lets Creators Sell Video Courses in Their Link in Bio
SAN DIEGO, Sept. 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Koji, the world's most powerful Link in Bio platform and the leading app store for social media, today announced the launch of Sell Video Courses, a new app that allows creators to sell video courses to their audience directly through their link in bio.
The Sell Video Courses app offers a singular location where creators can provide courses on various subjects for their fans and followers to purchase. With Sell Video Courses, creators can upload multiple videos for each course and track the progress as fans progress. Creators also have the option of including optional course materials like instructor's guides or interactive assignments. Fans can unlock each course by providing the payment method chosen by the creator, which could include standard payment, email, a password, quiz, NFT, or watching a video.
The new app is free to use and available today on the Koji App Store.
Koji is the world's most powerful Link in Bio platform. With hundreds of free apps created by Koji and its community of independent developers, the Koji Link in Bio gives leading Creators on TikTok, Instagram, Twitch, and other social media platforms new ways to engage audiences, connect with supporters, and monetize. Koji launched in March 2021 and has raised $36 million in venture capital.
PRESS CONTACT
Sean Thielen
sean@withkoji.com
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
Sell Video Courses on the Koji App Store
Introducing Sell Video Courses: Interactive Courses for Your Audience
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SOURCE Koji | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/09/08/creator-economy-platform-koji-announces-sell-video-courses-app/ | 2022-09-08T22:50:51Z |
SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 17, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- De University of Ethereum (UETH), a decentralized global educational platform initiated by the Ethereum community, today has announced the initial speakers attending its "Ethereum a New Era." The top minds in Ethereum will take center court at Chase Center in San Francisco on August 28.
The all-star lineup includes Vitalik Buterin, Co-Founder of Ethereum; Justin Drake, Core Researcher of Ethereum Foundation; Aya Miyaguchi, Executive Director of Ethereum Foundation; Aditya Asgaonkar, Core Researcher of Ethereum Foundation; Dankrad Feist of Ethereum Foundation; Danny Ryan, Core Researcher of Ethereum Foundation; Cy Li, Director of UETH; Keith Chen, Co-Founder of SNZ as well as many other blockchain projects heads and research leaders. The full, updated list can be found at go.ueth.org
This event is open to blockchain enthusiasts as well as industry experts. The attendees will have unparalleled access to inspiring keynote speeches, panel discussions, Q&A sessions and networking opportunities.
Keynotes and panels at the event are set to address some of the most important questions from the community — from the process of PoS to consensus safety, layer 2 decentralization, blockchain regulation, and Ethereum's road to mass adoption.
"The Ethereum network could be made more secure, transactions sped up and costs lowered after the merge," said Vitalik Buterin, the founder of Ethereum. "It also opens Ethereum up to more upgrades and a green future for blockchain." Vitalik Buterin and core Ethereum developers will attend Ethereum a New Era on August 28 at Chase Center to speak on the upcoming Merge and what the future of blockchain entails.
Please find a link below to sign up and redeem your ticket for Ethereum: a New Era
go.ueth.org
This event is sponsored by SNZ, a crypto-native and community-oriented incubator and venture capital firm. SNZ and the team have been active for community building, incubation and investment, as one of the earliest backers of Ethereum. SNZ will continue to be a long term investor and supporter for the Ethereum ecosystem.
About UETH
De University of Ethereum (UETH) is a decentralized non profit community educational organization. UETH carries the mission for mass adoption of the Ethereum network. The goal for UETH is to establish a systematic and intuitive learning process for students of Ethereum at all levels.
For more details visit: https://ueth.org/
Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/deUETH
Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/deUETH
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SOURCE De University of Ethereum | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/08/17/vitalik-buterin-discuss-ethereums-upcoming-merge-san-francisco/ | 2022-08-17T16:49:34Z |
NEW YORK, July 28, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Levi & Korsinsky, LLP notifies investors in IonQ, Inc. ("IonQ" or the "Company") (NYSE: IONQ) of a class action securities lawsuit.
CLASS DEFINITION: The lawsuit seeks to recover losses on behalf of IonQ investors who were adversely affected by alleged securities fraud between March 30, 2021 and May 2, 2022. Follow the link below to get more information and be contacted by a member of our team:
IONQ investors may also contact Joseph E. Levi, Esq. via email at jlevi@levikorsinsky.com or by telephone at (212) 363-7500.
CASE DETAILS: The filed complaint alleges that defendants made false statements and/or concealed that: (1) IonQ had not yet developed a 32-qubit quantum computer; (2) the Company's 11-qubit quantum computer suffered from significant error rates, rendering it useless; (3) IonQ's quantum the computer is not sufficiently reliable, so it is not accessible despite being available through major cloud providers; (4) a significant portion of IonQ's revenue was derived from improper roundtripping transactions with related parties; and (5) as a result of the foregoing, defendants' positive statements about the Company's business, operations, and prospects were the materially misleading and/or lacked a reasonable basis.
WHAT'S NEXT? If you suffered a loss in IonQ during the relevant time frame, you have until August 1, 2022 to request that the Court appoint you as lead plaintiff. Your ability to share in any recovery doesn't require that you serve as a lead plaintiff.
NO COST TO YOU: If you are a class member, you may be entitled to compensation without payment of any out-of-pocket costs or fees. There is no cost or obligation to participate.
WHY LEVI & KORSINSKY: Over the past 20 years, the team at Levi & Korsinsky has secured hundreds of millions of dollars for aggrieved shareholders and built a track record of winning high-stakes cases. Our firm has extensive expertise representing investors in complex securities litigation and a team of over 70 employees to serve our clients. For seven years in a row, Levi & Korsinsky has ranked in ISS Securities Class Action Services' Top 50 Report as one of the top securities litigation firms in the United States.
CONTACT:
Levi & Korsinsky, LLP
Joseph E. Levi, Esq.
Ed Korsinsky, Esq.
55 Broadway, 10th Floor
New York, NY 10006
jlevi@levikorsinsky.com
Tel: (212) 363-7500
Fax: (212) 363-7171
www.zlk.com
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SOURCE Levi & Korsinsky, LLP | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/07/28/ionq-lawsuit-alert-levi-amp-korsinsky-notifies-ionq-inc-investors-class-action-lawsuit-upcoming-deadline/ | 2022-07-28T09:57:00Z |
Evolved company positioning and identity reflect agency's 20-year heritage of marketing expertise and supporting the B2B industry
IRVING, Texas, Aug. 18, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Multiview, the leader in digital publishing and marketing solutions for associations and industry suppliers, today announced a brand evolution campaign that reinforces its longtime support of the B2B industry. The new effort aims to elevate awareness of the 400-employee Stagwell (NASDAQ: STGW) company and its pivotal role within America's vital association community. It also comes with a new company tagline: "Your Aspiration is Our Inspiration."
The tagline and related positioning work will extend across the company's website, sales collateral, an internal and external video, as well as print and social assets. The omnichannel communications program reinforces Multiview's foundational values around client transparency, professional growth, empowerment, and an employee-first culture. It also emphasizes the value the company delivers to partners as the number one digital publisher for associations and provider of world-class B2B digital advertising opportunities, all grounded in a collaborative and transparent relationship approach that is motivated by partner success.
"We are problem solvers, and we push ourselves to be better on behalf of our partners, employees and community," said Multiview CEO, Andy Keith. "This campaign showcases the strength of our network through Multiview's B2B marketplace and our unmatched ability to connect industry buyers and sellers with their exact audience."
Creating one of the first 'buy one give one' business models, Multiview helps associations fund critical programs with the sale of advertisements. By accessing specialized audience segments and high-quality digital media on association websites and industry publications, B2B advertisers and agencies support their respective industry. As a result, Multiview provides nearly a million dollars each month in supplemental revenue streams to associations.
"The non-dues revenue contributes substantially to our budget, making up at least one-third of our advertising sales each year," said Karen Garrett, CAE, Chief of Communications, Marketing and Membership of ASPA.
Today, Multiview partners with over 1,200 associations to deliver digital marketing services and communications that help them engage and grow their membership. The company is also a preeminent B2B marketing partner for small businesses, agencies and publishers trying to reach highly specific audience segments across more than 30 industries.
Multiview partnered with sister Stagwell company MMI Agency to develop the strategy for the campaign, as well as creative concepting, brand identity and web design, copywriting and communications and social engagement counsel.
About Multiview
Multiview connects brands to their target audiences through digital media. As a leading digital publisher and marketing company for more than 20 years, Multiview helps over 1,200 associations and 14,000 companies find and connect with millions of professionals every day. By leveraging our first party data on over 10 million B2B professionals across 30 industries, we deliver targeted advertisements to unique market segments thereby helping brands to maximize their advertising budgets and achieve their growth goals. For more information on Multiview, its association partnerships or our products please visit www.multiview.com.
About Stagwell
Stagwell is the challenger network built to transform marketing. We deliver scaled creative performance for the world's most ambitious brands, connecting culture-moving creativity with leading-edge technology to harmonize the art and science of marketing. Led by entrepreneurs, our 13,000+ specialists in 34+ countries are unified under a single purpose: to drive effectiveness and improve business results for their clients. Join us at www.stagwellglobal.com.
Contact: Sarah Arvizo, pr@stagwellglobal.com
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SOURCE Stagwell Inc. | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/08/18/stagwells-stgw-multiview-bolsters-commitment-associations-with-your-aspiration-is-our-inspiration-brand-refresh/ | 2022-08-18T18:46:19Z |
NEW YORK, July 6, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The Gross Law Firm issues the following notice to shareholders of Inotiv, Inc..
Shareholders who purchased shares of NOTV during the class period listed are encouraged to contact the firm regarding possible lead plaintiff appointment. Appointment as lead plaintiff is not required to partake in any recovery.
CONTACT US HERE:
CLASS PERIOD: September 21, 2021 to June 13, 2022
ALLEGATIONS: The complaint alleges that during the class period, Defendants issued materially false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (1) Inotiv's acquisition, Envigo RMS, LL ("Envigo"), and Inotiv's Cumberland, Virginia facility (the "Cumberland Facility") engaged in widespread and flagrant violations of the Animal Welfare Act ("AWA"); (2) Envigo and Inotiv's Cumberland Facility continuously violated the AWA; (3) Envigo and Inotiv did not properly remedy issues with regards to animal welfare at the Cumberland Facility; (4) as a result, Inotiv was likely to face increased scrutiny and governmental action; (5) Inotiv would imminently shut down two facilities, including the Cumberland Facility; (6) Inotiv did not engage in proper due diligence; and (7) as a result, defendants' statements about its business, operations, and prospects, were materially false and misleading and/or lacked a reasonable basis at all relevant times.
DEADLINE: August 22, 2022 Shareholders should not delay in registering for this class action. Register your information here: https://securitiesclasslaw.com/securities/inotiv-loss-submission-form/?id=29530&from=4
NEXT STEPS FOR SHAREHOLDERS: Once you register as a shareholder who purchased shares of NOTV during the timeframe listed above, you will be enrolled in a portfolio monitoring software to provide you with status updates throughout the lifecycle of the case. The deadline to seek to be a lead plaintiff is August 22, 2022. There is no cost or obligation to you to participate in this case.
WHY GROSS LAW FIRM? The Gross Law Firm is nationally recognized class action law firm, and our mission is to protect the rights of all investors who have suffered as a result of deceit, fraud, and illegal business practices. The Gross Law Firm is committed to ensuring that companies adhere to responsible business practices and engage in good corporate citizenship. The firm seeks recovery on behalf of investors who incurred losses when false and/or misleading statements or the omission of material information by a company lead to artificial inflation of the company's stock. Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes.
CONTACT:
The Gross Law Firm
15 West 38th Street, 12th floor
New York, NY, 10018
Email: dg@securitiesclasslaw.com
Phone: (646) 453-8903
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SOURCE The Gross Law Firm | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/07/06/shareholder-alert-gross-law-firm-notifies-shareholders-inotiv-inc-class-action-lawsuit-lead-plaintiff-deadline-august-22-2022-nasdaq-notv/ | 2022-07-06T10:32:44Z |
SAN FRANCISCO, July 28, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- SmartNews Inc., a global leader in news discovery, announced today the launch of its new feature "What to Watch," a hub in the Entertainment Channel that allows users to browse articles, trailers, and rankings to decide which movies and shows they should choose next.
By aggregating news and analysis about all the shows and movies available on both prominent streaming networks and in theaters, SmartNews is a one-stop shop users can trust to choose their next movie or show. Users can also use the hub to watch and track shows across multiple major platforms, such as Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime, and Disney +.
"We're striking the perfect balance between comprehensiveness and personalization," said Chuck Lee, Director of product at SmartNews. "Users can feel confident that they're browsing every movie and show out there, but in an experience that will surface recommendations for what they, specifically, will likely want to watch next."
One test user, Emily H., commented, "I use SmartNews because it gave me all the news I needed to know. Now, it has even more comprehensive and personalized content so I can decide what movies and shows I should watch."
Download the SmartNews app on the App Store or Google Play Store today!
Founded in 2012, SmartNews is a leading global information and news discovery company, dedicated to delivering quality information to the people who need it. SmartNews provides news that matters to millions of users thanks to its unique machine learning technology and relationships with over 3,000 global publisher partners.
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SOURCE SmartNews, Inc. | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/07/28/smartnews-launches-new-feature-movie-show-recommendations/ | 2022-07-28T19:08:51Z |
SHVO and Rosewood Hotels & Resorts announce the restoration of Miami Beach's most storied property, The Raleigh, by renowned architect Peter Marino.
NEW YORK, May 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- SHVO, the New York-based, culture-defining real estate development and investment firm, and Rosewood Hotels & Resorts®, the ultra-luxury global hospitality brand, are pleased to announce the next chapter of the iconic Miami Beach property, The Raleigh, with a highly anticipated revival and restoration. Located at 1775 Collins Avenue, the re-imagined, three-acre retreat with 220 feet of ocean frontage in the heart of Miami's vibrant Art Deco district will feature three distinct components designed by famed architect Peter Marino:
- A 60 room and suite hotel managed by Rosewood, entirely restored and elegantly modernized with ultra-luxury service and amenities.
- Rosewood Residences Miami Beach, a newly constructed 17-story oceanfront tower featuring 44 residences and timeless architecture.
- A private member's club offering beachfront dining and leisure.
"As the steward of Miami's most iconic property, The Raleigh, I am thrilled to partner with preeminent luxury hotel brand, Rosewood Hotels & Resorts, and world-renowned architect Peter Marino to reimagine and secure the rich legacy of The Raleigh, creating a new, unparalleled hospitality experience in Miami Beach," says Michael Shvo, Chairman and CEO of SHVO. "We are excited to introduce the hotel as well as the residences at The Raleigh, which offer the unique opportunity, for the first time ever, to live on property."
Acclaimed American architect and frequent SHVO collaborator Peter Marino is helming the design and restoration of the property in collaboration with Miami-based Kobi Karp Architects, engaging celebrated artists and craftsmen to imagine an elegant and authentic contemporary design. Keeping The Raleigh's distinct Miami history in mind, The Raleigh's famed gathering places, the Martini Bar and Tiger Room, will be restored and reborn with an eye for both Miami's historic Art Deco elegance and its modern roots.
"At Rosewood, we are committed to preserving historical gems that truly embody their destinations, while also breathing new life into the properties," says Sonia Cheng, Chief Executive Officer of Rosewood Hotel Group. "Our commitment to the local community is to ensure that The Raleigh honors its legacy for locals and visitors to once again relish this long-cherished property."
Originally constructed in the 1940s by Miami architect Lawrence Murray Dixon, The Raleigh will be complemented with the addition of its two historic neighbors, the Richmond and South Seas Hotels, with each buildings' historic Art Deco facade restored and integrated within the ultra-luxury hotel, in line with Rosewood's guiding A Sense of Place® philosophy. SHVO is developing The Raleigh, South Seas, and Richmond Hotels together with Deutsche Finance America.
Working closely with the Miami Beach Historic Preservation Board, SHVO's comprehensive and meticulous restoration plans are now underway and include Miami's most iconic swimming pool known for its curvaceous design and tropical foliage, designated the most beautiful pool in America by Time Magazine.
"This fresh, historic restoration and renovation of The Raleigh joins a private beach club with a Latin beat and elegant residences of demure black, white and ivory. This mixture is the best Miami cocktail that I can imagine," says Peter Marino.
The contemporary new tower adjacent to the historic Raleigh hotel will house Rosewood Residences Miami Beach featuring 44 private homes with unobstructed ocean views and prime ocean proximity. The tower's façade features white columns and black mullions that create rhythm and movement while prioritizing large windows for maximum light, air, and ocean views. In the interiors, a calm material palette featuring artisan plasters, hand-painted millwork, and noble stones with impeccable detailing create a serene and elegant place for living. The residences are accessible via private porte-cochere and two dedicated residential lobbies featuring art and furnishings curated by Peter Marino.
For more info, visit www.TheRaleigh.com. High-resolution images linked here.
About SHVO
SHVO is a real-estate development and investment firm built on the vision of founder and CEO, Michael Shvo, to create culture-defining experiences in iconic properties. Headquartered in New York City with offices in Miami, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Chicago, SHVO owns and operates a national portfolio with more than $8 billion in assets under management with more than 4.5 million square feet across industry sectors, including commercial office and retail, hospitality, and luxury residential assets. The firm's selective portfolio of architecturally significant properties, from innovative ground up new developments to revitalized landmarks that define skylines in the world's leading cities, includes the Transamerica Pyramid in San Francisco, The Raleigh Hotel in Miami Beach, 333 South Wabash Avenue also known as, "The Big Red," in Chicago, Mandarin Oriental Residences at 9200 Wilshire Boulevard in Beverly Hills, Mandarin Oriental Residences Fifth Avenue in New York City and the AMAN New York, hotel and residences at the Crown building. With a proven track record of acquiring, developing, and managing super-prime assets, SHVO stands for iconic properties in cherished locations, distinctive design aesthetics, and unmatched quality. By emphasizing the unique experience and individual nature of each property, SHVO's record of increasing demand while achieving exceptional premiums has secured investments from the world's most selective institutional investors. Renowned and trusted for its expertise, SHVO is fully integrated with highly diversified industry experience in every aspect of acquisitions, finance, development, design, sales, leasing, property management, hospitality, and sustainability.
For more information visit www.shvo.com
About Peter Marino
Peter Marino, AIA, is the principal of Peter Marino Architect, a 160-person, New York–based architecture practice founded in 1978. Working globally across a broad range of project types and scales, Marino is widely credited for redefining modern luxury through equal emphasis on architecture and interior design. The practice is recognized for its award-winning residential, retail, cultural, and hospitality projects worldwide. Well known for integrating art within architectural designs, Peter Marino has commissioned more than 300 site-specific works of art. PMA projects currently in design or recently completed include a Cheval Blanc hotel in the historic 'La Samaritaine' in Paris; the Cheval Blanc Beverly Hills Hotel; a flagship for Bulgari in Place Vendome, Paris; a flagship for Dior on Avenue Montaigne in Paris; new buildings for Chanel in Miami and Beverly Hills; a complex of buildings in Greece; a Louis Vuitton flagship in Ginza, Tokyo; an art foundation in Southampton, New York; condominiums in Miami; numerous private residences worldwide. Peter Marino purchased and restored the former Rogers Memorial Library at 11 Jobs Lane in Southampton, New York, and opened Peter Marino Art Foundation in the summer of 2021. Peter Marino's distinguished honors include 22 citations from the AIA for architectural design excellence. He is Chairman of Venetian Heritage Foundation and on the board of directors for International Committee of L'Union Centrale des Arts Décoratifs. He holds an architecture degree from Cornell University and began his career at Skidmore Owings & Merrill, George Nelson and I.M. Pei/Cossutta & Ponte.
For more information: www.petermarinoarchitect.com
About Rosewood Hotels & Resorts
Rosewood Hotels & Resorts® manages 29 one-of-a-kind luxury hotels, resorts and residences in 17 countries, with 24 new properties under development. Each Rosewood property embraces the brand's A Sense of Place® philosophy to reflect the individual location's history, culture and sensibilities. The Rosewood collection includes some of the world's most legendary hotels and resorts, including The Carlyle, A Rosewood Hotel in New York, Rosewood Mansion on Turtle Creek in Dallas and Hôtel de Crillon, A Rosewood Hotel in Paris, as well as new classics such as Rosewood Hong Kong and Rosewood São Paulo. For those who wish to stay a little longer, Rosewood Residences offer a distinct opportunity for the ownership or rental of properties co-located with a Rosewood hotel or resort and of standalone for-sale residences. Rosewood Residences are defined by the brand's commitment to Enriched Living through thoughtful details and experiences that enhance the quality of life while evoking a sense of discovery and inspiration. For more information: www.rosewoodhotels.com
Media Contacts
SHVO:
Elise Merghart
BeccaPR
Telephone: + 1 203 216 1023
Email: elise@beccapr.com
Rosewood:
North America
Kendall Trainer
Nike Communications
Telephone: +1 646 654 3438
Email : ktrainer@nikecomm.com
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SOURCE SHVO | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/05/04/raleigh-returns/ | 2022-05-04T16:48:41Z |
Once Tina Sloan Green took over the lacrosse program at Temple University in the years after the passage of Title IX, the landmark gender-equity law, she never stopped thinking about the girls who weren’t playing.
At practices during the 1970s, Sloan Green, the first Black woman to coach a college lacrosse team, noticed neighborhood kids peering through the fences at her players as guards kept them out. And when high school athletes were welcomed on the university’s fields for training camps, most were white and from predominantly white suburban schools.
“That was very, very disturbing to me to see that,” she said. “And that was — that was the reality that I had to face … Title IX was a complete help for women in sports but in my mind, there were still disparities.”
For girls of color, some women’s college sports, such as lacrosse, equestrian, rowing or even softball, are ones they are unlikely to be exposed to in grade school. The reasons vary, though availability and costs can be major challenges for youth programs.
Thursday is the 50th anniversary of Title IX and in the years since the landmark law was passed, profound strides have been made in women and girls’ participation in sports. Women now make up 44% of all NCAA athletes, compared to just 15% in 1971, according to the Women’s Sports Foundation. Nearly 3.5 million high school girls play sports, compared to less than 300,000 in 1972.
For Black women and other women of color in sports, those gains have not been equally shared, reflecting the limitations of a policy that only addresses equity on the basis of sex and gender.
“We say very often that sport is a microcosm of society,” said Karen Issokson-Silver, vice president of research and education at the Women’s Sports Foundation. “Whenever systemic racism occurs in the broader society, in addition to gender discrimination, it’s reflected in the sport ecosystem.”
An early barrier to pursuing athletic opportunities in college and beyond is as simple as exposure to the sport.
Natasha Watley, a Black woman who is a two-time Olympic medalist in softball, started playing when she was 5. She did not have a Black teammate until she was a teenager and said there were so few girls of color who played with her and went on to college teams that she could count them on one hand.
After the UCLA graduate returned from the 2008 Olympics, Watley recalled speaking to young girls about her experience.
“This one young girl I’ll never forget — a young little African American girl, she raises her hand and she’s like, ‘Ms. Natasha, your story sounds amazing, but what is softball?’” Watley said. “She had no idea what softball was.”
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, median household income in 2020 for white, non-Hispanic families was $74,912 compared to $55,321 for Hispanic families and $45,870 for Black families. Factors like income contribute to a racial clustering phenomenon where women of color are overrepresented in sports like track and field that have a lower entry cost, said Courtney L. Flowers, associate professor of sport management at Texas Southern University.
“Even middle class families aren’t sending their kids to schools that have access to an equestrian team,” she said. “We typically are pushing African American women to women’s basketball and track and field because of those reasons.”
The inequities carry over into leadership roles. While 34% of head coaches for women’s teams are white women, just 7% are women of color. Among athletic directors, just 4% are women of color compared to 20% for white women.
Candice Storey Lee, the first Black woman to be athletic director at Vanderbilt University, said that a single policy like Title IX, without subsequent action, could not be expected to bring equity to the field.
“We know a law alone does not change behavior,” she said. “You have to have people who are committed at every level to get the outcome you want. And so I wouldn’t blame Title IX for that, but I would say we still have work to do in our own communities to ensure that there is access for everyone.”
Those disparities in leadership and college athletic opportunities begin early in life, said Neena Chaudhry, general counsel and senior advisor for education at the National Women’s Law Center. A study published by the center found that 40% of the country’s public high schools are highly segregated, serving either 90% students of color or 90% white students.
At schools that predominantly serve students of color, there are far fewer opportunities to play sports, and disparities between boys and girls are more stark — 40% of high schools that predominantly serve students of color have large opportunity gaps for girls in sports, compared with 16 % of heavily white schools. The opportunity gap is the difference between the percentage of spots on teams allocated to girls and the percentage of students who are girls, with differences of more than 10 points considered a large opportunity gap.
Research shows that in addition to physical health, girls who play sports are more likely to have higher levels of self-esteem, stronger collaborative skills, and greater academic achievement. But disparate access to athletics, through both community centers and the rising cost of youth sports, makes schools a key place to engage young girls of color in athletics, Chaudhry said.
“All students are required to go to school, and that’s really a place to provide opportunities that some students wouldn’t otherwise get,” she said. “Not everybody can afford to pay for sports outside of school … It’s really important to provide those opportunities through school equally. It’s both important and it’s the law.”
Sloan Green, who in 1992 co-founded the Black Women in Sport Foundation, said that expanding access to young girls of color, especially between pre-kindergarten and eighth grade, is crucial. At Temple, she expanded her camps and recruiting to communities that had been overlooked, including the children in the neighborhood. Having role models that reflect girls of color and widely sharing their successes is also critical to getting girls onto the playing field, Sloan Green said.
In Southern California, Watley started the Natasha Watley Foundation to introduce girls in marginalized communities to softball, which serves about 1,000 girls each year. Beyond the cost, the main concern she hears from parents is that they aren’t sure the sport would welcome their daughters. Watley said she wanted young girls to know that the sport could be a place for them to thrive, in college and beyond.
“More than anything, I wanted to make sure that girls were getting introduced to the game, that they understood that the game was for them, that it was a place for them,” she said. “There are opportunities far beyond their imagination that this game can take them.”
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For more on Title IX’s impact, see AP’s full package: https://apnews.com/hub/title-ix Video timeline: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NdgNI6BZpw0
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Ma, based in Charlotte, North Carolina, writes about education and equity for AP’s Race and Ethnicity team. Brunt reported from Oklahoma City. AP Sportswriter Teresa M. Walker in Nashville, Tennessee, contributed to this report. Follow Ma on Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/anniema15. Follow Cliff Brunt on Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/CliffBruntAP
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The Associated Press’ reporting around issues of race and ethnicity is supported in part by the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education. The AP is solely responsible for all content. | https://cw33.com/sports/ap-sports/title-ix-strides-for-women-of-color-in-sports-lag-under-law/ | 2022-06-23T00:19:25Z |
DALLAS (KDAF) — In the mood for a pint, or two or three? Maybe a gin & tonic? How about just a nice old glass of whiskey? Now add some of your best friends to the mix and what do you get? A fun night out at the dive bar that’s what.
Why are we bringing up a good dive bar experience? Well, Thursday, July 7 is National Dive Bar Day! NationalToday says, “Alcohol company Seagram’s, now owned by Diageo, founded this day to honor dive bars. They say they chose the seventh day of the seventh month for the special dive bar drink, the 7&7, which is made with Seagram’s Seven Crown and 7-Up.”
Here are the best dive bars around Dallas, according to Yelp:
- Single Wide – Lower Greenville
- Ships Lounge – Lower Greenville
- Drink’s Bar
- The Cottage
- Hideaway on Henderson
- The Grapevine Bar – Oak Lawn
- Cowboy Saloon
- Inwood Tavern
- The Goat – Lakewood
- The Forum – North Dallas | https://cw33.com/lifestyle/food-and-drink/these-are-the-top-dive-bars-to-drink-at-in-dallas-according-to-yelp/ | 2022-07-07T17:13:06Z |
As a flood of foreigners poured into the United States, a critic called them “generally the most stupid sort of their own nation,” and warned darkly, “They will soon outnumber us, (and we) will not, in my opinion, be able to preserve our language, and even our government will become precarious.”
That quote is not from Donald Trump, nor from his co-conspirator in fomenting nativist discord and divisiveness, Tucker Carlson. Nor was it written by Payton Gendron, the teenage white racist accused of murdering 10 shoppers at a supermarket in a largely black neighborhood of Buffalo, N.Y.
No, it was written by Benjamin Franklin in 1753, decrying the influx of German immigrants into Pennsylvania.
Much attention has focused on Gendron’s embrace of the “great replacement theory,” also espoused by Trump, Carlson and many other stalwarts of the Outrage Industry. As The New York Times described it: “Replacement theory — the notion that Western elites, sometimes manipulated by Jews, want to ‘replace’ and disempower white Americans — has become an engine of racist terror, helping inspire a wave of mass shootings in recent years and fueling the 2017 right-wing rally in Charlottesville, Va., that erupted in violence.”
But as that Franklin quote graphically illustrates, fear of foreigners is deeply rooted in our national DNA. The Statue of Liberty hasn’t offered everyone an open hand of welcome; some have received a closed fist of rejection, and that remains true today. A recent Associated Press poll found that about 1 in 3 Americans agreed that “there is a group of people in this country who are trying to replace native-born Americans with immigrants who agree with their political views.”
As journalist Wesley Lowery warned on CNN, “We could wake up tomorrow and Fox News could be shut down and all the message boards could be shut down and these ideas would not disappear.”
If the ideas are not new, however, the ways they are disseminated certainly are. Start with people like Gendron who are ensnared by social media and then connected through the internet to like-minded acolytes in tribes of terror.
“They are isolated and online,” writes The Los Angeles Times, “radicalized on Internet memes and misinformation, apparently inspired by livestreams to find fame through bloodshed, much of it propelled by convoluted ideas that the white race is under threat from everything from interracial marriage to immigration.”
Few of these radicals actually take up arms, but their ideas alone are demented and dangerous. And they are greatly encouraged by media figures like Carlson. As Nicole Hemmer, a historian at Columbia University, told The New York Times: “Someone like Carlson can introduce viewers to ideas that they then explore more fully online, searches that lead them into far-right spaces that either reinforce their existing views or radicalize them. ... Carlson is also important because he legitimates those ideas, making them seem less radical when viewers see them.”
Technology aggravates the danger in another way: by enabling shooters like Gendron to livestream their violence, becoming the heroes in their own movies — or perhaps more precisely, video games. “I think that livestreaming this attack gives me some motivation in the way that I know that some people will be cheering for me,” Gendron wrote.
Social media platforms tried, but largely failed, to control the spread of Gendron’s video, which has been viewed millions of times worldwide. Removing violent content is “like trying to plug your fingers into leaks in a dam,” Evelyn Douek, an Internet researcher, told the Times. “It’s going to be fundamentally really difficult to find stuff, especially at the speed that this stuff spreads now.”
All true, but here’s a consoling thought. In time, those Germans denounced by Franklin became fully loyal Americans who contributed greatly to the vigor and vitality of the new nation. And that story has been repeated constantly for the last 269 years.
Each wave of newcomers that was reviled in their day has made that same journey from alien to American: the Irish Catholics who were denounced as drunken papists in the mid-19th century; the Chinese who were banned entirely from emigrating to the U.S. in 1882; the Japanese who were interned as potential subversives during World War II; the Jews who were demonized as both Communists and tools of international bankers after the war; the Muslims who were branded as terrorists after 9/11.
So not only was Franklin wrong, every hater since then has been wrong as well. The nightmare of nativism still lives. But the dream of opportunity and equality is even more powerful, and always will be. | https://www.albanyherald.com/opinion/steve-roberts-in-america-dreams-outweigh-nightmares/article_c54781b8-dab3-11ec-ba80-03f818d5b21d.html | 2022-05-23T22:50:01Z |
ORANGE, Calif. and ROCKLIN, Calif., Sept. 1, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Luna, the leading in-home physical therapy (PT) platform, today announces the launch of a value-based savings program for orthopaedic practices to reduce post-acute care costs by 55-70%.
Top orthopaedic groups are turning to Luna to reduce costs and deliver this innovative, in-person form of care, including Hoag (Orange County), Resurgens Orthopaedics (Atlanta), and dozens of others.
While hospital-at-home continues to shake up healthcare, the latest rapid-growth sector is outpatient PT-at-home - a more cost effective approach over traditional home health, which consists of the same high quality PT services that patients typically receive at a clinic - delivered in the comfort of their own home.
A recent study showed that Luna's outpatient in-home PT saves an average of $3,000 per case for post-surgical rehab for bundled care cases, equating to Medicare savings of 55%-70% per case.
"These significant savings demonstrate why Luna is the future of healthcare," said Mike West, former CEO of Rothman Orthopaedic Institute. "For orthopaedic surgeons, the rehabilitation experience should act as an extension of your practice, but that kind of compliance isn't always easy to come by. With Luna, surgeons and orthopedic groups can ensure that patients receive the highest quality care and make meaningful progress."
"Orthopaedic surgeons are turning to Luna for a cost effective post-surgical PT-at-home experience for their patients, without compromising quality," said Palak Shah, Luna co-founder and head of clinical operations. "We are committed to an innovative, tech-enabled approach to rehabilitation. Our superior data, algorithms, and technology, together with our team of exceptional therapists, deliver a high quality, precision experience for post-surgical care with faster recoveries - and is 55-70% less than the average cost of home health."
Luna works with orthopaedic surgeons and their teams to identify and set protocols, care pathways, and escalation triggers. Depending on the surgeon and the type of surgery performed, Luna technology automatically assigns specific protocols or care pathways to patients. Physical therapists have a seamless way to access this information and track progress in real-time with phase-specific escalation questions via the Luna app. All of this is shared with the surgeon's team to ensure the highest standards of care.
Luna operates in 43 U.S. markets and 24 states. To date, Luna has partnered with innovative health systems, including Emory Health, SCL Health, UCLA Health, and Scripps Health, to activate outpatient in-home physical therapy for their patient communities.
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SOURCE Luna | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/09/01/luna-unveils-program-orthopaedic-practices-reduce-post-acute-care-costs-by-55-70/ | 2022-09-01T13:23:09Z |
BEIJING, Aug. 19, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- On March 30 and 31, Camel Group Co., Ltd. ( "Camel Group" or "the Company") was audited by an international expert team ("Expert Team")entrusted by a third party, consisting of environmental safety experts from Washington, D.C. and sociologists from Thailand. The purpose of the audit was to examine Camel Group's environmental, social and governance issues with respect to its operations in China.The comprehensive and robust investigation into Camel's ESG practices includes interviews with employees at the facilities, which were selected by the auditors.
As a result of its audit,The Expert Team recognized the Camel Group's performance in environmental protection and corporate social responsibility. The Company was praised by its employees, customers, the community, suppliers, investors, and others for its ESG practices, including implementing the national "Double Carbon" strategy, adopting and executing an effective ESG compliance system, improving corporate governance, advocating green and low-carbon practices, facilitating energy savings and emission reduction. Also noted in expert team's findings was that Camel Group implemented employee-friendly policies and took an active part in social and charitable undertakings, and deeply participated in community construction initiatives. Camel Group is committed to continuing its efforts to execute meaningful standards, and actively fulfill its security, environmental protection, and social responsibilities.
A Guardian of Safe and Green Production
Safe and green production is the cornerstone of corporate development. Camel Group highly values the management of production safety and environmental protection, and has established a safety, environmental, and occupational health management system. Every year, the factories of the Company receive internal audits for EHS certification and external audits for CQC certification. Continuous audits and improvements ensure the sound operation of the systems.
In terms of environmental monitoring, online monitoring systems have been installed for the sewage discharge of the battery factory and for the exhaust gas emission of the reclaimed lead factory, and the data is directly uploaded to the national monitoring platform. Every factory receives third-party inspections for pollution discharge and environmental quality every quarter (some indicators are monthly). Weekly self-inspections are organized in terms of safety, environmental protection, fire protection, and occupational health. Inspection results are regularly announced on the official website of the Company and the national pollutant discharge permit information platform.
The company also focuses on the information-based practices of safety and environmental protection. The "Micro-safety Platform" effectively classifies and controls sources of danger, identifies hidden danger, tracks the corrections, and sends relevant environment protection data through Camel Group's safety and environmental protection data platform.
Camel Group has always been an advocate and practitioner of green and low-carbon actions. In 2021, the Company invested RMB 90 million in safety, environmental protection, and energy saving projects. Camel Group's factories regularly promoted multiple energy-savings, water-savings and waste reduction projects, with 9 million kWh of electricity, 23000 m3 of water, and 110 tons of solid waste saved. As the Company's energy-saving and efficiency promotion efforts produce more positive outcomes, Camel Group has intensified its confidence and determination in green and sustainable development, and requires every employee to participate in the Company's philosophy of green production and green living. Together we will build a more eco-friendly and sustainable battery manufacturing and recycling industry.
A Bearer of Corporate Social Responsibilities
Performing social responsibilities is the soul of development for Camel Group. The Company actively performs its social responsibility to empower the sustainability construction of a great community. In the past two years, the Company has donated more than RMB 10 million to charitable and poverty-stricken destinations. The Company focuses on repaying the society, actively boosts rural revitalization, participates in voluntary activities, carries out emergency rescues, and contributes to a healthier and happier life for the communities in which it does business.
While performing its social responsibilities, Camel Group cares about employees and fully protects their legitimate rights and interests. Camel Group cherishes the safety and health of every employee, and has been committed to creating a sound working and living environment for them and improving their experiences in terms of working environments, health and safety, meals and living accommodations provided by the Company. In recent years, the Company has invested nearly ten million in anti-epidemic efforts. It has established and implemented anti-epidemic measures in its factories and living areas, vaccinates employees, facilitates nucleic acid testing to the maximum extent, delivers free masks, medical supplies, and other anti-epidemic supplies, thereby effectively containing the spread of the virus.
In terms of employment, Camel Group applies a consistent recruitment procedure that is impartial, voluntary, and based on the same remuneration system as other employers. The Company has erected a smooth development platform and promotion channel to help employees grow with the Company and further enhance their cohesion, solidarity, and happiness.
It is the right moment for Camel Group to continue its growth. The Company receives RBA audits by OEMs and third-party agencies at home and abroad every year, and always insists on the concept of sustainable development. In the past ten years, Camel Group has upheld its mission, provided green power, and developed the circular economy to make unremitting contributions to creating beautiful lives for all of humankind.
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SOURCE Camel Group | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/08/19/camel-groups-practice-esg-concept-receives-high-commendation-international-expert-team/ | 2022-08-19T11:31:02Z |
ST. PAUL, Minn., Aug. 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- 3M Company ("3M") (NYSE: MMM) announced today the commencement of an exchange offer to effect the separation of its food safety business (the "Food Safety Business"), in furtherance of the previously announced Reverse Morris Trust transaction with Neogen Corporation ("Neogen") (NASDAQ: NEOG) through the merger of Garden SpinCo Corporation ("SpinCo"), currently a wholly-owned subsidiary of 3M formed to hold the Food Safety Business, with a subsidiary of Neogen (the "Merger").
Key elements of the exchange offer include:
- 3M stockholders have the option to exchange some, all or none of their shares of 3M common stock for shares of common stock of SpinCo, subject to proration as described below. Shares of SpinCo common stock will convert automatically into the right to receive shares of Neogen common stock at the closing of the Merger, which is expected to occur promptly after completion of the exchange offer.
- Tendering 3M stockholders are expected to receive approximately $107.53 of Neogen common stock for every $100.00 of shares of 3M common stock tendered and accepted in the exchange offer, subject to the upper limit described below.
- 3M will determine the prices at which shares of 3M common stock and shares of SpinCo common stock (and ultimately shares of Neogen common stock) will be exchanged by reference to the simple arithmetic average of the daily volume-weighted average prices of shares of 3M common stock on the New York Stock Exchange and shares of Neogen common stock on the Nasdaq Global Select Market on each of the last three full trading days ending on and including the second full trading day prior to the expiration date of the exchange offer (which are currently expected to be August 25, August 26 and August 29, 2022).
- 3M currently expects that approximately 108.3 million shares of SpinCo common stock will be available in the exchange offer, with the final number dependent on the number of outstanding shares of Neogen common stock outstanding immediately prior to the closing of the Merger. The number of shares of 3M common stock that will be accepted in the exchange offer will depend on the final exchange ratio, the number of shares of SpinCo common stock offered and the number of shares of 3M common stock tendered. Based on recent trading prices of shares of 3M common stock and Neogen common stock, and assuming the issuance of 108.3 million shares of SpinCo common stock, if the exchange offer were fully subscribed, approximately 15.7 million shares of 3M common stock would be accepted for exchange in the exchange offer.
- The exchange offer and withdrawal rights are scheduled to expire at 11:59 p.m., New York City time, on August 31, 2022, unless the exchange offer is extended or terminated.
The exchange offer is designed to permit 3M stockholders to exchange all or a portion of their shares of 3M common stock for shares of SpinCo common stock (which will convert into shares of Neogen common stock) at a discount of 7% to the per-share value of Neogen common stock, subject to an upper limit of 7.3515 shares of SpinCo common stock per share of 3M common stock.
Shares of SpinCo common stock will not be transferred to participants in the exchange offer. Promptly following the consummation of the exchange offer, a subsidiary of Neogen will be merged with and into SpinCo and SpinCo will become a wholly-owned subsidiary of Neogen. As a result of the Merger, each share of SpinCo common stock (except for certain excluded shares) will be converted into one share of Neogen common stock. No separate trading market currently exists or will exist for shares of SpinCo common stock.
The aggregate number of shares of Neogen common stock to be issued in the proposed transaction by Neogen will result in holders of shares of SpinCo common stock prior to the consummation of the proposed transaction collectively owning approximately 50.1% of the outstanding shares of Neogen common stock and holders of Neogen common stock prior to the consummation of the proposed transaction owning approximately 49.9% of the outstanding shares.
3M will announce the final exchange ratio used to determine the number of shares of SpinCo common stock that 3M stockholders participating in the exchange offer will receive for each share of 3M common stock accepted for exchange, as well as whether the upper limit will be in effect, through www.3mneogenexchange.com and by press release, no later than 11:59 p.m., New York City time, on the second full trading day prior to the expiration date of the exchange offer (currently expected to be August 29, 2022, unless the exchange offer is terminated or extended).
The exchange offer will expire at 11:59 p.m., New York City time, on August 31, 2022, unless terminated or extended, and the closing of the merger of the Neogen subsidiary with and into SpinCo is expected to occur promptly following the consummation of the exchange offer. The transactions are subject to customary closing conditions, including Neogen shareholder approval. Neogen has scheduled a special meeting of shareholders to be held on August 17, 2022 to approve the issuance of shares of Neogen common stock in the proposed transaction and certain other transaction-related proposals. The number of outstanding shares of 3M common stock will be reduced as a result of the exchange offer if the exchange offer is consummated.
The exchange offer will be subject to proration if the exchange offer is oversubscribed, and the number of shares of 3M common stock accepted in the exchange offer may be fewer than the number of shares of 3M common stock tendered.
If the exchange offer is consummated but is not fully subscribed, 3M will distribute the remaining shares of SpinCo Common Stock owned by 3M on a pro rata basis to 3M stockholders whose shares of 3M Common Stock remain outstanding after completion of the exchange offer, with a record date expected to be the close of business on August 31, 2022.
If the exchange offer is terminated by 3M without the exchange of shares (but the conditions to consummation of the proposed transaction have otherwise been satisfied), 3M intends to distribute all shares of SpinCo common stock owned by 3M on a pro rata basis to holders of shares of 3M common stock, with a record date to be announced by 3M.
For more information about the exchange offer, please contact the information agent, Georgeson LLC, at 1290 Avenue of the Americas, 9th Floor, New York, NY 10104 or at the telephone number 888-607-6511 (toll-free in the United States).
About 3M
3M (NYSE: MMM) believes science helps create a brighter world for everyone. By unlocking the power of people, ideas and science to reimagine what's possible, our global team uniquely addresses the opportunities and challenges of our customers, communities, and planet. Learn how we're working to improve lives and make what's next at 3M.com/news or on Twitter at @3M or @3MNews.
3M Media Contact:
Tim Post
tpost3@mmm.com
3M Investor Contact:
Bruce Jermeland
(651) 733-1807
Diane Farrow
(612) 202-2449
Cautionary Notes on Forward-Looking Statements
This release includes "forward-looking statements" as that term is defined in Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including statements regarding the proposed transaction between Neogen, 3M and SpinCo. These forward-looking statements generally are identified by the words "believe," "project," "expect," "anticipate," "estimate," "forecast," "outlook," "target," "endeavor," "seek," "predict," "intend," "strategy," "plan," "may," "could," "should," "will," "would," "will be," "will continue," "will likely result," or the negative thereof or variations thereon or similar terminology generally intended to identify forward-looking statements. All statements, other than historical facts, including, but not limited to, statements regarding the expected timing and structure of the proposed transaction, the ability of the parties to complete the proposed transaction, the expected benefits of the proposed transaction, including future financial and operating results and strategic benefits, the tax consequences of the proposed transaction, and the combined Neogen-SpinCo company's plans, objectives, expectations and intentions, legal, economic and regulatory conditions, and any assumptions underlying any of the foregoing, are forward-looking statements.
These forward-looking statements are based on Neogen and 3M's current expectations and are subject to risks and uncertainties, which may cause actual results to differ materially from Neogen and 3M's current expectations. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those indicated or anticipated by such forward-looking statements. The inclusion of such statements should not be regarded as a representation that such plans, estimates or expectations will be achieved. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from such plans, estimates or expectations include, among others, (1) that one or more closing conditions to the proposed transaction may not be satisfied or waived, on a timely basis or otherwise, including that the required approval by the shareholders of Neogen may not be obtained; (2) the risk that the proposed transaction may not be completed on the terms or in the timeframe expected by Neogen, 3M and SpinCo, or at all; (3) unexpected costs, charges or expenses resulting from the proposed transaction; (4) uncertainty of the expected financial performance of the combined company following completion of the proposed transaction; (5) failure to realize the anticipated benefits of the proposed transaction, including as a result of delay in completing the proposed transaction or integrating the businesses of Neogen and the Food Safety Business, on the expected timeframe or at all; (6) the ability of the combined company to implement its business strategy; (7) difficulties and delays in the combined company achieving revenue and cost synergies; (8) inability of the combined company to retain and hire key personnel; (9) the occurrence of any event that could give rise to termination of the proposed transaction; (10) the risk that stockholder litigation in connection with the proposed transaction or other litigation, settlements or investigations may affect the timing or occurrence of the proposed transaction or result in significant costs of defense, indemnification and liability; (11) evolving legal, regulatory and tax regimes; (12) changes in general economic and/or industry specific conditions; (13) actions by third parties, including government agencies; (14) the risks that the anticipated tax treatment of the proposed transaction is not obtained; (15) the risk of greater than expected difficulty in separating the Food Safety Business from the other businesses of 3M; (16) risks related to the disruption of management time from ongoing business operations due to the pendency of the proposed transaction, or other effects of the pendency of the proposed transaction on the relationship of any of the parties to the proposed transaction with their employees, customers, suppliers, or other counterparties; and (17) risk factors detailed from time to time in Neogen's and 3M's reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"), including Neogen's and 3M's annual reports on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, current reports on Form 8-K and other documents filed with the SEC, including Neogen's registration statement on Form S-4 (Reg. No. 333-263667) that includes a prospectus relating to the shares of Neogen common stock to be issued in the proposed transaction, as amended and supplemented (the "Neogen Registration Statement"), which was declared effective by the SEC on August 4, 2022, Neogen's definitive proxy statement on Schedule 14A with respect to the special meeting of Neogen shareholders in connection with the proposed transaction, as amended and supplemented (the "Proxy Statement"), filed with the SEC on July 18, 2022 and SpinCo's registration statement on Form S-4 and Form S-1 (Reg. No. 333-263669) in connection with its separation from 3M that contains a prospectus relating to the shares of SpinCo common stock to be issued in the proposed transaction, as amended and supplemented (the "SpinCo Registration Statement"), which was declared effective by the SEC on August 4, 2022 , in each case, filed with the SEC in connection with the proposed transaction. The foregoing list of important factors is not exclusive.
Any forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this communication. None of Neogen, 3M or SpinCo undertakes, and each party expressly disclaims, any obligation to update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information or development, future events or otherwise, except as required by law. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on any of these forward-looking statements.
Important Information About the Transaction and Where to Find It
In connection with the proposed transaction, SpinCo filed the SpinCo Registration Statement and Neogen filed the Neogen Registration Statement and the Proxy Statement. 3M expects to file with the SEC a Schedule TO in connection with the proposed transaction. INVESTORS AND SECURITY HOLDERS ARE URGED TO READ THE SPINCO REGISTRATION STATEMENT, NEOGEN REGISTRATION STATEMENT, PROXY STATEMENT, 3M'S SCHEDULE TO AND ANY OTHER RELEVANT DOCUMENTS THAT ARE MADE AVAILABLE BECAUSE THEY CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT NEOGEN, 3M, SPINCO AND THE PROPOSED TRANSACTION. The SpinCo Registration Statement, Neogen Registration Statement, Proxy Statement, 3M's Schedule TO and other documents relating to the proposed transaction (as they become available) can also be obtained free of charge from the SEC's website at www.sec.gov. The SpinCo Registration Statement, Neogen Registration Statement, Proxy Statement, 3M's Schedule TO and other documents (as they become available) can also be obtained free of charge from 3M upon written request to 3M Investor Relations Department, Bldg. 224-1 W-02, St. Paul, MN 55144, or by e-mailing investorrelations@3M.com or upon written request to Neogen's Investor Relations, 620 Lesher Place, Lansing, Michigan 48912 or by e-mailing ir@neogen.com.
Participants in the Solicitation
This release is not a solicitation of a proxy from any investor or security holder. However, Neogen, 3M and certain of their respective directors, executive officers and other members of management and employees may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies from shareholders of Neogen in connection with the proposed transaction under the rules of the SEC. Information regarding the persons who are, under the rules of the SEC, participants in the solicitation of the shareholders of Neogen in connection with the proposed transaction, including a description of their direct or indirect interests, by security holdings or otherwise, are set forth in SpinCo Registration Statement, Neogen Registration Statement and Proxy Statement referenced above that were filed with the SEC. Information about the directors and executive officers of Neogen may also be found in Neogen's Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC on July 27, 2022, and its definitive proxy statement relating to its 2021 Annual Meeting of Shareholders filed with the SEC on August 31, 2021. Information about the directors and executive officers of 3M may be found in its Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC on February 9, 2022, and its definitive proxy statement relating to its 2022 Annual Meeting of Stockholders filed with the SEC on March 23, 2022. These documents can be obtained free of charge from the sources indicated above. Other information regarding the participants in the proxy solicitation and a description of their direct and indirect interests, by security holdings or otherwise, are contained in the SpinCo Registration Statement, Neogen Registration Statement and Proxy Statement filed with the SEC.
No Offer or Solicitation
This release is not intended to and shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities or a solicitation of any vote of approval, nor shall there be any sale of securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such jurisdiction.
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SOURCE 3M | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/08/04/3m-commences-split-off-exchange-offer-food-safety-business/ | 2022-08-04T17:47:29Z |
NEW YORK, July 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Levi & Korsinsky, LLP notifies investors in Yext, Inc. ("Yext" or the "Company") (NYSE: YEXT) of a class action securities lawsuit.
CLASS DEFINITION: The lawsuit seeks to recover losses on behalf of Yext investors who were adversely affected by alleged securities fraud between March 4, 2021 and March 8, 2022. Follow the link below to get more information and be contacted by a member of our team:
YEXT investors may also contact Joseph E. Levi, Esq. via email at jlevi@levikorsinsky.com or by telephone at (212) 363-7500.
CASE DETAILS: The filed complaint alleges that defendants made false statements and/or concealed that: (i) Yext's revenue and earnings were significantly deteriorating because of, among other things, poor sales execution and performance, as well as COVID-19 related disruptions; (ii) accordingly, Yext was unlikely to meet consensus estimates for its full year fiscal 2022 financial results and fiscal 2023 outlook; and (iii) as a result, the Company's public statements were materially false and misleading at all relevant times.
WHAT'S NEXT? If you suffered a loss in Yext during the relevant time frame, you have until August 16, 2022 to request that the Court appoint you as lead plaintiff. Your ability to share in any recovery doesn't require that you serve as a lead plaintiff.
NO COST TO YOU: If you are a class member, you may be entitled to compensation without payment of any out-of-pocket costs or fees. There is no cost or obligation to participate.
WHY LEVI & KORSINSKY: Over the past 20 years, the team at Levi & Korsinsky has secured hundreds of millions of dollars for aggrieved shareholders and built a track record of winning high-stakes cases. Our firm has extensive expertise representing investors in complex securities litigation and a team of over 70 employees to serve our clients. For seven years in a row, Levi & Korsinsky has ranked in ISS Securities Class Action Services' Top 50 Report as one of the top securities litigation firms in the United States.
CONTACT:
Levi & Korsinsky, LLP
Joseph E. Levi, Esq.
Ed Korsinsky, Esq.
55 Broadway, 10th Floor
New York, NY 10006
jlevi@levikorsinsky.com
Tel: (212) 363-7500
Fax: (212) 363-7171
www.zlk.com
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SOURCE Levi & Korsinsky, LLP | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/07/07/yext-lawsuit-alert-levi-amp-korsinsky-notifies-yext-inc-investors-class-action-lawsuit-upcoming-deadline/ | 2022-07-07T10:51:47Z |
Powering SDLC for ISVs and enterprises with a modern software engineering framework
SUNNYVALE, Calif., Aug. 9, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Xoriant,a global product engineering, software development, and technology services company headquartered in Silicon Valley, has been granted a US patent for its iBASE framework (Innovative Bot Assisted Software Engineering) by the United States Patent and Trademark Office.
The innovative patent is granted to Xoriant in the area of 'Modern Software Engineering Framework'. The Xoriant iBASE framework addresses agile software engineering challenges such as technical debt, lack of engineering metrics tracking, and unproductive, error-prone manual tasks such as code reviews and multi-environment validations.
The patented framework is an integrated collection of bots that span the entire software development lifecycle, enabling continuous code inspection, testing, and deployment. The key features of iBASE include Project Health, SDLC Automation and Developer Assistant for quantitative project management, automation of SDLC activities, and a virtual developer assistant for reporting on code health and engineering metrics, respectively. iBASE Predictive Analytics can also help managers proactively control technical debt, identify and plan skill upgrades, and mitigate risks.
Commenting on the iBASE patent, Girish Gaitonde, Founder and CEO of Xoriant said, "This is a huge milestone for us and our global IP portfolio. Our customers look to Xoriant to help drive innovation in their organizations, and we are committed to embracing this opportunity at every turn. I am sure this achievement and our culture of innovation will inspire our extremely talented colleagues to continue inventing, ideating, and submitting innovative solutions for patent recognition."
"The adoption of iBASE by many of our ISV and enterprise customer engagements has resulted in increased productivity and quality from software engineering teams. This SDLC BOT factory meets the customer demand of supporting modern digital technology stacks and delivers improved efficiency by making off-business hours productive. This innovative framework is the result of relentless efforts by our engineering team to take the idea to fruition," said Bhavesh Ved, EVP of Delivery - Engineering, Xoriant.
Using Xoriant iBASE in software engineering processes increases productivity, automates SDLC activities, ensures quality improvements, enhances developer skills, enables software project governance, and reduces the cost of software development.
To learn more about Xoriant's iBASE, please visit https://www.xoriant.com/digital-product-engineering/frameworks
About Xoriant
Xoriant is a Silicon Valley headquartered product engineering, software development, and technology services firm with offices in the U.S., Europe, and Asia. For both technology companies and enterprises, from startups to the Fortune 100, we leverage our expertise in emerging technologies and our high-performing teams to deliver innovative solutions that accelerate time to market and keep our clients competitive.
Across all our technology focus areas – Product Engineering, DevOps, Cloud, Infrastructure & Security, Big Data & Analytics, Data Management & Governance, Digital, and IoT – every solution we develop benefits from our product engineering pedigree. For 30 years and counting, we have taken great pride in the long-lasting, deep relationships we have with our clients. Learn more at www.xoriant.com
Media Contact:
Ritu Rungta
ritu.rungta@xoriant.com
Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/449859/PRNE_Xoriant_Logo.jpg
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SOURCE Xoriant | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/08/09/xoriant-awarded-us-patent-bot-assisted-automated-software-engineering/ | 2022-08-09T14:38:42Z |
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