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Flash Appoints Chris Donus as President
Flash, the leading end-to-end parking technology platform, today announced that Chris Donus, the current CFO, has been appointed president of the organization. In the newly established role, Donus will expand his focus on day-to-day operations, working closely with the leadership team to execute transformative strategies that include the expansion of Flash’s burgeoning digital demand network, EV charging and parking platform scale, and driving the company’s regionalized branch organization to deliver unmatched partner experiences. Dan Sharplin will continue in his role as Chairman and CEO, focusing on international growth, strategic transactions, and ecosystem partnerships.
“This promotion reflects Chris’s exceptional leadership and expertise at this time of tremendous momentum for Flash as we rapidly scale our industry-leading parking and EV charging digital ecosystem,” said Flash CEO Dan Sharplin. “In the next 24 months, we anticipate more transformation in the parking industry than we’ve seen in several decades prior. Chris has the relevant experience to ensure we execute on our priorities that allow us to drive this industry transformation.”
“We are building a parking and EV charging ecosystem where a seamless driver experience benefits everyone,” said Donus. “There is an incredible amount of innovation and hard work being done across Flash to build the platform and partnerships that further our position as the leader in parking and EV Charging technology. I look forward to ensuring the value we create is incomparable in my role as President of Flash.”
Before Flash, Donus served as COO and CFO at Wheel Health, a venture-backed telehealth platform developer designed to connect companies and clinicians to deliver virtual care. He also served in senior leadership roles at Lyft as VP and Business Unit leader of Express Drive, the customer-facing fleet line of business, generating over $400 million in rental revenue and over $2 billion in Lyft rides. Prior to that, he was president of Silvercar from 2015 to 2018 alongside roles as COO, from 2017 to 2018, and CFO from 2012 to 2015. He has also served in leadership roles at Freescale Semiconductor, Hertz Global Holding, and Lucent Technologies.
About Flash
Flash is a pioneering technology company bringing seamless parking and EV charging experiences to drivers through a first-of-its-kind digital ecosystem. Flash’s platform connects reservable parking and charging in the apps drivers use every day with garage, surface lot, event, and valet parking locations—connected and controlled via a cloud-based operating system with unrivaled intelligence. Customer-obsessed brands partner with Flash to deliver digital, easy-to-use, reliable, and increasingly frictionless experiences to drivers eager to pay for a solution that eliminates wasted time, excess emissions, and stress. The solution has arrived.
Media Contact
Ray Young
+1 512-694-6097
Media Contact
Ray Young
ray@razorsharppr.com
Rack Room Shoes Announces Dr. Heinz-Horst Deichmann Scholarship Program Winners
Rack Room Shoes recently held its annual Dr. Heinz-Horst Deichmann Scholarship Program in partnership with Scholarship America. This program is exclusively for Rack Room Shoes associates, selecting five students who receive a $2,000 renewable scholarship to support their educational goals.
The scholarship recipients for the 2024-2025 academic year are:
- Marwan Abdelgawad – Sr. Sales Associate – Store #618, Morrisville, N.C.
- Bessie Brown – Sales Associate – Store #376, Ashland, Ky.
- Diego Martinez – Assistant Store Manager 2nd – Store #3069, Murfreesboro, Tenn.
- Kayla Rickman – Assistant Store Manager Lead – Store #499, Concord, N.C.
- Tara Shivji – Sr. Sales Associate – Store #73, Knoxville, Tenn.
The exceptional individuals have demonstrated their dedication, commitment and leadership in both their academic studies and their communities. By investing in these young scholars' education, Rack Room Shoes aims to empower and support their valued associates’ personal and professional development.
"Investing in the next generation of talent is essential," said Mark Lardie, president and chief executive officer of Rack Room Shoes. "Congratulations to our scholarship winners and their commitment to furthering their education, we're excited to see what the future holds for these bright minds.”
Additionally, scholarship winners from the previous year were renewed for another year of scholarship support, bringing the total to 10 scholarship recipients awarded for the 2024-2025 school year.
Through initiatives like the Dr. Heinz-Horst Deichmann Scholarship Program, Rack Room Shoes remains committed to fostering a positive work environment and providing opportunities for the growth and success of its associates.
About Rack Room Shoes
Headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., Rack Room Shoes is known as an innovator in the shoe industry for over 100 years. Rack Room Shoes operates more than 520 locations nationwide under the Rack Room Shoes and Off Broadway Shoe Warehouse brands. Both brands offer a great variety of on-trend styles for women, men and children in athletic, comfort and dress categories, while providing a delightful and trusted shopping experience for our valued customers. Through Rack Room Shoes Gives, our ongoing philanthropic program, we provide ways in which customers and employees can seek support for charitable organizations, instilling trust and inspiration in the communities we serve.
Media Contact
Dejah Gilliam
+1 704-501-4567
Brenda Christmon
+1 704-491-1850
Media Contact
Dejah Gilliam
dejah.gilliam@rackroom.com
heywell Levels Up Lemonade with New Lemon Fizz Flavor Supporting Energy and Hydration
Only 10 calories and 1 gram of sugar, heywell’s newest flavor is made with a deep stack of plant-based ingredients including 75 mg of organic caffeine (like a small cup of coffee), l-theanine (an amino acid that helps ensure your energy boost doesn't come with jitters), schisandra (an antioxidant berry that supports stress), pink Himalayan sea salt, potassium and magnesium (to help support hydration). It's delicious, tart yet sweet and a great companion to summer adventures.
Lemon fizz was originally created as a follow-up to heywell’s successful 2023 energy + lift cherry limeade collaboration with retailer Foxtrot Market. However, if you follow CPG pop culture, you can probably guess where this is heading … Foxtrot sadly closed their doors this spring. Like many other suppliers, this abrupt closing put a squeeze on heywell’s summer plans. BUT when life gives you lemons, you make lemonade, or better yet Lemon Fizz. Plans for launching heywell energy + hydrate lemon fizz have pivoted but no less fun or impactful.
- heywell has now launched Lemon Fizz with Amazon just in time for Prime Day, and the new flavor can also be found on the brand's website, livingheywell.com.
- The new flavor is also part of an exciting new variety pack offering on Amazon. heywell’s energy variety pack is made exclusively of heywell's best selling energy SKUs: energy + focus sparkling strawberry lemon, energy + lift sparkling cherry limeade along with the newly launched energy + hydrate lemon fizz.
- The first batches of Lemon Fizz x Foxtrot labels had already been sent to production before the heywell team received the news about the closing, so heywell seeded those cans among the new Lemon Fizz 12-pack cases on Amazon for a fun Willy Wonka Golden Ticket-style giveaway.
- Consumers are encouraged to post about their surprise cans with hashtag #makinglemonsoutoflemonade in social, and they'll receive a special gift and discount on their next purchase from the heywell team.
heywell is sold on Amazon and in notable retailers like Wegmans, Mariano’s, Fresh Thyme, Erewhon, Central Market and Lifetime Fitness, and retails for $3.49 per 12 oz can.
energy + hydrate lemon fizz joins heywell’s other much loved functional sparkling waters: calm + hydrate sparkling lime, calm + restore sparkling blackberry ginger, energy + focus sparkling strawberry lemon, energy + immunity sparkling grapefruit, energy + lift sparkling cherry limeade, and energy + lift sparkling orange mango.
About heywell
Ashley Selman and Britt Dougherty met during their time working together at MillerCoors and became fast friends—supporting each other through the busyness of corporate life. They founded heywell on a mission to make wellness more simple and accessible for everyone every day. They found wellness solutions often prioritized function over flavor and wanted to make something that was good for them, delicious, and that helped people meet the demands of modern life. Their line of functional beverages are made with adaptogens, antioxidants, herbs and organic caffeine to help when people want a little extra support for energy, immunity, focus, hydration or help managing stress. Low in calories and sugar, their functional waters are refreshing, tart, and sweet. As part of heywell's mission, they donate 1% of sales to nonprofits advocating inclusion. Follow them at @livingheywell and www.livingheywell.com.
Media Contact
+1 609-432-2237
taylor@theindustrycollective.org
Ashley Selman
+1 303-589-3196
ashley@livingheywell.com
Media Contact
Gillian Muessig
sybilla@masters.vc
Redemption Defined by Biblical Women: An Art Exhibit and Workshop
Wright’s project, grounded in Christianity, also holds relevance for all Abrahamic religions—Christianity, Judaism, and Islam—as well as other cultural and religious traditions. Drawing from the Women of Faith Study Bible and the Christian-based GriefShare program, her art and booklet demonstrate that true redemption is achieved through spiritual support and sowing seeds of life renewal: faith, confidence, courage, memories, love and hope.
About The Wright Scoop – Sylvia Hoehns Wright
Media Contact
Media Contact
Sylvia Wright
syhwright@gmail.com
Main Street Summit Announces Exciting Venture & Startup Track Event in Columbia, MO
Media Contact
Laurie Oberweather
laurie@mainstreetsummit.com
Superlab Suisse Opens State-of-the-Art Facility in Basel, Fostering New Spaces for Scientific Breakthroughs
For life sciences and biotech companies, access to affordable dedicated lab spaces is hard to come by. Labs are prohibitively expensive to build and operate, posing significant financial barriers to innovation and research.
A cutting-edge new alternative is being offered by Superlab Suisse, a leading provider of innovative laboratory and research spaces that today announces the grand opening of its newest facility in Basel. With this new facility, Superlab Suisse becomes the largest private lab space in Switzerland.
Opening in July 2024, following the success of the Lausanne location supported by Biopôle Lausanne and InnoVaud, the expansion marks a significant milestone in Superlab Suisse's mission to provide research infrastructure to Switzerland's dynamic life sciences sector.
Forging ahead with its successful partnership with Swiss Prime Site, Superlab Suisse is set to open the door for huge commercial opportunities in the ideally suited location of Basel, a booming biotechnology hub and home to over 700 companies including pharmaceutical giants like Novartis and Roche.
The new facility, nestled within the bustling Stücki Park with neighbours like Tech Park Basel, Lonza, Medartis, NBE, and Boehringer Ingelheim, offers ready-to-use laboratory spaces equipped with the latest technology and essential operational support services, allowing teams to channel their resources into scientific research rather than lab operations. Spanning over 4,770 square meters, it promises to be a nucleus of scientific collaboration and breakthrough, redefining laboratory services in Basel.
"We are thrilled to bring Superlab Suisse's innovative platform to Basel, the city of pharma," says Xi Zhang, CEO of Superlab Suisse. “Our holistic solution frees scientists from operations headaches, so they can save time and focus on science. We service, you discover.”
Life sciences and biotech companies have until now lacked the widely accepted lab solutions that have benefitted industries such as tech and finance. Universities have typically been the only viable option, with lab construction and operation requiring significant upfront investments—costs which redirect attention away from research and delay progress in getting products to market.
Superlab Suisse's serviced BSL1 and BSL2 labs provide a new industry standard of lab solution. Users in one location such as Basel also gain access to facilities in Lausanne and other locations. By delivering ready to move in lab solutions for life science companies of all sizes, including startups, scale-ups, and corporates, Superlab Suisse eliminates the hurdles of lab construction and operation. One of the first companies to secure their space at the opening is Skyhawk Therapeutics, which has recently announced a research collaboration with Ipsen focusing on RNA targeting in rare neurological diseases.
In addition to the Basel location, Superlab Suisse continues its commitment to innovation with plans for a third site in Zurich Schlieren. This new facility, scheduled to open in March 2025, will cater to the diverse needs of start-ups, spin-offs, and established companies in the life sciences sector, further solidifying Superlab Suisse's position as a leader in laboratory-as-a-service solutions.
This one-stop solution not only solves the true problems of life science companies but also attracts like-minded innovators to meet and collaborate. Superlab is expanding this year to more cities in Europe, the U.S., and Asia, embodying a borderless lab concept because life science benefits humanity as a whole.
Dr. Rajwinder Lehal, CEO of biotech business Cellestia commented: “Superlab is exactly the place which the scientific community needs, where we can concentrate on our work without being distracted by construction or operation. Superlab provided us with state-of-the-art infrastructure and equipment that we needed to hit the ground running from Day 1.”
Emmanuel Savioz, CEO and chairman, Tigen Pharma commented: “Superlab is a great place to work in a vibrant scientific community. Our team at Tigen can focus on growth, supported by state-of-the-art facilities, latest equipment and a competent and fun Superlab team to support on-site”.
About Superlab Suisse AG
Superlab Suisse AG offers innovative laboratory solutions through its "Lab as a Service" business concept. With state-of-the-art facilities, professional services, and financing support, Superlab Suisse empowers companies in the biotech, pharma, and medtech sectors to focus on research and innovation.
About Swiss Prime Site AG
Swiss Prime Site is the largest real estate company in Switzerland and one of the leading commercial property companies in Europe. The real estate portfolio spanning across densely populated areas is valued at approximately CHF 26 billion and includes owned properties—with about CHF 13 billion in commercial properties and development projects—as well as ones managed on behalf of third parties with about CHF 13 billion invested in residential and commercial buildings.
Media Contact
Bilal Mahmood
+44 7714 007257
b.mahmood@stockwoodstrategy.com
Media Contact
Bilal Mahmood
b.mahmood@stockwoodstrategy.com
Activate Announces $37M Debt Financing from RBC Royal Bank and Export Development Canada to accelerate U.S. Corporate Expansion
Activate Games Inc. (“Activate”), the pioneering force behind the world’s first active gaming experience announced today their accelerating global expansion plans, with 40 net new openings planned by the end of 2025.
Activate, and their global development partners, have been working with international, national and regional landlords to secure attractive real estate locations for expansion. Activate plans both corporate and development partner openings across North America, including entering California, New York, Florida, Michigan, Ohio, Minnesota, and Colorado markets in the United States, as well as British Columbia, Quebec, and Saskatchewan in the Canadian market. These North American openings are in addition to the planned international expansions in the Middle East and UK markets with development partners Majid Al Futtaim and We Do Play, as recently announced. “Our vision for Activate has always been to take Activate well beyond the Canadian border, beginning with our US expansion with our development partner, Breakout Games in 2019. We are excited to now open our first corporate site in the US this summer, and over the next 18 months bring our adrenaline-pumping adventures to millions of fans in their communities, providing an unforgettable entertainment experience for players of all ages,” said Adam Schmidt, Founder and CEO of Activate.
Activate is also pleased to welcome Dan Haroun, CPA, CA as Global CFO, after 15 years of broad executive experience in finance, real estate, strategy and analytics across global consumer businesses, including Restaurant Brands International, Walmart Canada, and Freshii. “Dan has been working with us as an Executive Advisor over the past year, and we are excited to have him join us as our CFO. Dan’s background in both Corporate and Licensed / Franchised environments, along with his success in scaling large businesses and partnering with leadership teams focused on execution makes him a great fit for Activate” said Adam Schmidt, Founder and CEO of Activate. “I am excited to be a part of the team at Activate. Activate’s platform is exactly what customers are looking for today. This business model is well positioned to scale, and I see incredible opportunities for Activate’s growth. I look forward to partnering with Adam and the team to bring Activate to communities around the world, creating value for our shareholders and our development partners” said Dan Haroun, CFO of Activate.
As part of the planned expansion, Activate is also pleased to announce a completed debt financing from RBC and EDC providing $37M in financing to fuel Activate’s US corporate expansion. The all-debt financing will be used to fund the capital requirements for new corporate sites. “RBC and EDC understood our needs and structured these facilities to effectively enable our growth and expansion. We appreciate their partnership and are excited to be opening new locations this summer as a result,” said Dan Haroun.
“EDC is pleased to support Activate Games as they expand their international footprint and bring Canadian innovation to the United States", says Guillermo Freire, EDC's Senior Vice-President, Mid-Market Group. “Canadian medium-sized businesses like Activate Games are the engine of our national trade growth, and we stand ready to support them so they can thrive in global markets.”
For investor relations, please contact investor@playactivate.com.
For information about Activate’s global development opportunities, please contact franchising@playactivate.com.
For real estate inquiries please contact riley.court@playactivate.com.
About Activate
Activate is the world’s first active gaming experience where players #EnterTheGame. Activate offers a unique blend of physical activity and gaming that promotes a healthy lifestyle. Each Activate location provides fun and interactive rooms for players to compete, earn stars and track achievements. With the global headquarters located in Winnipeg, Canada, Activate has grown to 30 locations across Canada, the U.S. and now the world! To join the active gaming movement, visit playactivate.com.
Follow Activate on social media:
Facebook: Activate
Instagram: @activategames
TikTok: @activategames
Media Contact
Jalila Singerff
+1 613-614-6777
Media Contact
Jalila Singerff
jalila@jiveprdigital.com
Award-Winning Author Pamela Samuels Young Featured at “OASC at the Bilbrew” Inaugural Event on Saturday, June 29
Event Details
When: June 29, 2024 from 1 to 5 p.m. PT
Where: A.C. Bilbrew Library at 150 E El Segundo Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90061
Who: Everyone is invited and admission is free
How: RSVP preferred at www.tinyurl.com/BilbrewJune
Event Schedule
1 p.m.: Reception, library tour, OASC marketplace, and book sales
2 p.m.: Welcome new members and membership meeting
3 p.m.: Author talk and discussion / Book signing
4 p.m.: Networking
5 p.m.: Program ends
About Author Pamela Samuels Young
Pamela Samuels Young is an attorney and author of more than a dozen legal thrillers. Her novel "Anybody’s Daughter" won the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Fiction. A former television news writer, Pamela is a native of Compton, California, and a graduate of USC, Northwestern University and UC Berkeley School of Law. Her most recent legal thriller is "The Law of Karma." "Sounds Like a Plan," co-written with Dwayne Alexander Smith goes on sale July 9, 2024. You can visit her website at www.pamelasamuelsyoung.com.
This initiative, co-sponsored by the Los Angeles County's Second District, is crucial as it provides an amplified opportunity for discovery of the resources of the A.C. Bilbrew Library, the important repository of Black history information and memorabilia available to all for research held by the Black Resource Center and promotes African American voices that need to be heard and celebrated. By showcasing talented authors like Pamela Samuels Young, OASC is increasing the awareness and in-person interactions with Black American writers, while ensuring that their stories are not overlooked, and the genre continues as an important source of inspiration and exploration.
The release of this announcement is significant as it aligns with OASC's mission to promote Black history and culture. By hosting events like "OASC at the Bilbrew," the club is fulfilling its goal of igniting conversations while creating opportunities for everyone to engage with African American experiences. This effort continues to promote the national theme for Black History Month 2024: African Americans and the Arts in a way that is both tangible and inspirational.
According to Lura Daniels Ball, President of Our Authors Study Club, "We are thrilled to launch the 'OASC at the Bilbrew' event series and provide a space for Black voices to be heard, to welcome our new members, support the Black Resource Center, and to revive the knowledge of who A.C. Bilbrew was. A.C. Bilbrew was extremely important to the early development of the Black community, serving as a poet, musician, suffragette, community leader, and role model. Among her many firsts, she was the host of LA's first African-American radio music program, 'The Gold Hour,' in the early 1940s and an announcer on 'The Bronze Hour,' which she produced with icon Gilbert Lindsay. This initiative is a testament to our commitment to honoring the contributions of Black Americans and ensuring that their stories are recognized while being relevant today."
Our Authors Study Club plans to expand the "OASC at the Bilbrew" event series to include more authors, teen programs, medial literacy and a youth debate program. The next "OASC at the Bilbrew" event is scheduled for Saturday, August 10, 2024, and features author Dr. Donna J. Nicol, Associate Dean for Personnel and Curriculum in the College of Liberal Arts at California State University Long Beach (CSULB) and author of the new title "Black Woman on Board: Claudia Hampton, the California State University, and the Fight to Save Affirmative Action," a look into the leadership strategies that Black women educators have employed as influential power brokers in predominantly white colleges and universities in the United States. OASC also aims to collaborate with other organizations to further promote Black history and culture.
To join our mailing list and get more information about Our Authors Study Club membership, programs, scholarships and the "OASC at the Bilbrew" event series, visit https://oascla.org or email vassie@oascla.org. Parking is free on a first-come basis.
About Our Authors Study Club
OASC is committed to preserving our heritage and legacy, which has often been underrepresented in mainstream history, literature, and media. We strive to ensure that libraries, museums, schools, and media that participate in institutionalized bias do not ignore Black lives. We believe that Black history is not just a part of American history, but it is American history. We take pride in recognizing, amplifying, and honoring the contributions of Black Americans.
For more information, visit https://oascla.org. Follow us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/OurAuthorsStudyClub.
Media Contact
Lura Ball
Media Contact
Lura Ball
vassie@oascla.org
Copper Property CTL Pass Through Trust Releases Q1-2024 Penney Intermediate Holdings LLC Financial Statements and Master Lease Store Performance Disclosures
Copper Property CTL Pass Through Trust (“the Trust”) has filed a Form 8-K containing the Q1-2024 consolidated financial statements of Penney Intermediate Holdings LLC for the three months ended May 4, 2024 and April 29, 2023, respectively, and related Master Lease store performance disclosures.
Additional information, including the Trust’s Monthly and Quarterly Reports, as well as other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) can be accessed via the Trust’s website at www.ctltrust.net.
About Copper Property CTL Pass Through Trust
Copper Property CTL Pass Through Trust (the “Trust”) was established to acquire 160 retail properties and 6 warehouse distribution centers (the “Properties”) from J.C. Penney as part of its Chapter 11 plan of reorganization. The Trust’s operations consist solely of owning, leasing and selling the Properties. The Trust’s objective is to sell the Properties to third-party purchasers as promptly as practicable. The Trustee of the trust is GLAS Trust Company LLC. The Trust is externally managed by an affiliate of Hilco Real Estate LLC. The Trust is intended to be treated, for tax purposes, as a liquidating trust within the meaning of United States Treasury Regulation Section 301.7701-4(d). For more information, please visit https://www.ctltrust.net/.
Forward Looking Statement
This news release contains certain “forward-looking statements”. All statements other than statements of historical fact are “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements may be identified by the use of forward looking terminology such as “anticipate,” “believe,” “continue,” “could,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “may,” “might,” “our vision,” “plan,” “potential,” “preliminary,” “predict,” “should,” “will,” or “would” or the negative thereof or other variations thereof or comparable terminology and include, but are not limited to, the Trust’s expectations or beliefs concerning future events and stock price performance. The Trust has based these forward-looking statements on its current expectations, assumptions, estimates and projections. While the Trust believes these expectations, assumptions, estimates and projections are reasonable, such forward-looking statements are only predictions and involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond its control. These factors, including those discussed in the Trust’s Registration Statement on Form 10 filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), may cause its actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. For a further list and description of such risks and uncertainties, please refer to the Trust’s filings with the SEC that are available at www.sec.gov. The Trust cautions you that the list of important factors included in the Trust’s SEC filings may not contain all of the material factors that are important to you. In addition, in light of these risks and uncertainties, the matters referred to in the forward-looking statements contained in this news release may not in fact occur. The Trust undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as otherwise required by law.
Media Contact
Jessica Cummins, Investor Relations
+1 847-313-4755
Media Contact
Jessica Cummins
jcummins@hilcoglobal.com
SGGH and Levy Konigsberg LLP File Civil Lawsuit Against the Archdiocese of Chicago
For decades, the Archdiocese misled the public, parishioners, and its own teachers and lay staff regarding the serious dangers children faced at Archdiocesan parochial schools and parishes by predatory priests. For example, in late 1992, Cardinal Joseph Bernardin and the Archdiocese’s Director of Legal Services informed media outlets, including the editorial board of the Chicago Tribune and the Catholic Reporter, that no priest who has ever engaged in sexual misconduct with a minor will ever return to parish ministry or any type of ministry that includes access to minors. At the time they made these statements to the public, they knew they were not true.
Plaintiff, now an adult, filed this case as John Doe 4 to protect his identity. He is the fourth former St. Ann student to file a lawsuit against the Archdiocese related to abuse perpetrated by Fr. Keehan at St. Ann’s. Plaintiff is the 8th known victim of abuse by Fr. Keehan. The Archdiocese failed to promptly report any allegations of abuse perpetrated by Fr. Keehan to the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS), law enforcement, or the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office. Currently, despite the number of victims who have come forward, Fr. Keehan is still a priest.
A history of Fr. Keehan’s assignment history within the Archdiocese is below, with notes in red regarding locations where there have been allegations of sexual abuse misconduct with minors.
- 1967: Year Fr. Keehan was Ordained by the Archdiocese
- 1967–1974: St. Basil, Chicago, IL (CHI) *allegations Fr. Keehan sexually abused several minors, male and female
- 1974–1979: Our Lady of Good Counsel, Chicago, IL (CHI) *at least one former student
- 1979–1980: St. Benedict, Blue Island, IL (CHI)
- 1980–1983: St. Thomas of Canterbury, Chicago, IL (CHI)
- 1981–1983: Truman College, Chicago, IL (CHI)
- 1983–1985: Our Lady of Lourdes, Chicago, IL (CHI)
- 1985–1990: Queen of Angels, Chicago, IL (CHI)
- 1990–1991: Holy Innocents, Chicago, IL (CHI)
- 1991–2004: St. Ann, Chicago, IL (CHI) *at least four former students
- 2004: On leave
- 2005–2010: Other Assignments (CHI); Cardinal Stritch Retreat House, Mundelein, IL (CHI)
- Fr. Keehan is still alive and believed to be residing at the Bishop Lyne Residence, a retirement home for priests located in Palos Park, IL
Plaintiff is represented by Stinar Gould Grieco & Hensley, PLLC Founding Partners Martin D. Gould, Mike R. Grieco, Bryce T. Hensley, and Attorney Valerie A. Letko; and Levy Konigsberg, LLP Partners Jerome H. Block and Audrey P. Raphael.
"Sexual abuse has a devastating lifelong impact on victims continuing from childhood through adulthood destroying lives and families. Our clients trusted the Archdiocese to protect them and the Archdiocese failed. We are immensely proud of the courage our clients demonstrate in coming forward and speaking out against their abusers, including the clergy," said LK Partner Audrey P. Raphael.
For media inquiries, please contact Lynn Smith at lynn@lynnsmithtv.com.
About Stinar Gould Grieco & Hensley, PLLC
Media Contact
Lynn Smith
lynn@lynnsmithtv.com
Meet Wendell Varner: The 23-Year-Old CEO Behind Charleston’s Own Sensitive Skincare Line, Bellori Couture
Building Bellori Couture
Wendell Varner, the dynamic CEO of Bellori Couture, has always been passionate about skincare. Growing up in Charleston, South Carolina, Wendell noticed a gap in the market for high-quality, sensitive skincare products. Drawing on his background in graphic and fashion design, Wendell embarked on a mission to create a brand that prioritizes the health and well-being of its customers.
Designed in Charleston
Bellori Couture is proudly designed in Charleston, a city known for its rich history and vibrant culture. Despite the challenges of operating in a smaller city compared to major metropolises, Wendell's innovative approach and dedication have propelled Bellori Couture to new heights. The brand's unique formulations and commitment to sensitive skincare have resonated with customers, establishing a loyal following.
Overcoming Obstacles
Building a niche business in a smaller city comes with its own set of challenges. Wendell Varner has faced these obstacles head-on, leveraging Charleston's tight-knit community to foster strong relationships and support. His determination and resilience have been key factors in Bellori Couture's rapid growth and success.
Health and Giving Back
At the heart of Bellori Couture is a commitment to putting the health of people first. The brand's products are meticulously crafted to cater to sensitive skin, using only the finest ingredients. Wendell Varner's vision extends beyond skincare; he believes in making a positive impact on society. Bellori Couture donates to one random charity at a time, demonstrating its support for modern-day concerns and contributing to meaningful causes.
About Bellori Couture
Bellori Couture is a sensitive skincare brand dedicated to providing high-quality products designed for those with delicate skin. Founded by Wendell Varner, the brand combines innovative formulations with a commitment to health and well-being. Bellori Couture is headquartered in Charleston, South Carolina, and continues to make waves in the beauty industry. For more information, visit https://www.belloricouture.com.
Media Contact
Leigh Dennis
Media Contact
Wendell Varner
wendell@belloricouture.com
Classiq Collaborates with BMW Group and NVIDIA to Drive Quantum Computing Applicability in Electrical Systems Engineering
Classiq today announced a collaboration with NVIDIA and the BMW Group to optimize mechatronic systems, marking a significant advance in the sophistication of quantum computing implementation in the automotive sector.
The initiative is focused on solving a complex computational challenge to find the optimal architecture of electrical and mechanical systems. This problem involves defining the optimal combination of components, from electrical engines and batteries to coolers, and how these should be connected. The goal of this project is to enhance efficiency and reduce energy waste, which can result—among other things—in the increased efficiency of electric vehicles.
Classiq’s sophisticated approach demonstrated how cutting-edge quantum algorithms may be used to address the problem, including the Quantum Approximate Optimization Algorithm (QAOA) and the Harrow-Hassidim-Lloyd (HHL) algorithm. The latter of these approaches leverages amplitude and digital encoding to efficiently solve and convert complex linear equations, utilizing a novel Quantum Analog to Digital Conversion (QADC) process.
The project resulted in the BMW Group’s quantum experts creating a highly sophisticated quantum program, with many quantum sub-routines, among the most complex quantum programs implemented to date. The implementation was enabled by the advanced modeling and compilation capabilities of the Classiq platform. The large and complex quantum circuit implementation was simulated using NVIDIA GPUs and the powerful NVIDIA CUDA-Q platform.
“Our collaboration with Classiq and NVIDIA has enabled an innovative quantum implementation that pushes the boundaries of what is possible in the application to automotive technologies,” said Lukas Mueller, Lead Future Compute at BMW Group IT. “NVIDIA’s quantum stack has been instrumental in simulating this complex algorithm, facilitating its detailed testing and refinement.”
“This project exemplifies the power of collaboration in the quantum computing sphere. By bringing together the best of quantum hardware, software and automotive domain expertise, we have achieved groundbreaking advancements in a remarkably short time,” said Nir Minerbi, CEO of Classiq Technologies.
“Quantum computing, which has the potential to transform society, will require accelerated computing with extreme performance for users to take full advantage of its value,” said Tim Costa, director of HPC and quantum computing at NVIDIA. “NVIDIA’s collaboration with innovators such as the BMW Group and Classiq is pushing the boundaries of quantum simulation and helping to usher in an era of useful quantum computing.”
Quantum computing is still a nascent technology, and further effort is required to bring the developed solution to industrial applicability. Classiq and its collaborators continue to develop the interface between automotive technology and quantum computing by expanding the boundaries of quantum design, implementation, and computation.
About Classiq
Classiq Technologies, the leading quantum software company, provides an all-encompassing platform (IDE, compiler and OS) with a single point of entry into quantum computing, taking you from algorithm design to execution. The high-level descriptive quantum software development environment, tailored to all levels of developer proficiency, automates quantum programming. This ensures that a broad range of talents, including those with backgrounds in AI, ML and linear algebra, can harness quantum computing without requiring deep, specialized knowledge of quantum physics. Classiq democratizes access to quantum computing and equips its users to take full advantage of the quantum computing revolution, including access to a broad range of quantum hardware.
Classiq’s core technology, algorithmic quantum circuit compilation, is engineered to power the quantum ecosystem of today and the future. Classiq works closely with quantum cloud providers and advanced computation hardware developers providing software for use with quantum computers, HPC and quantum simulators.
Backed by investors such as HPE, HSBC, Samsung, Intesa Sanpaolo and NTT, Classiq’s world-class team of scientists and engineers has distilled decades of quantum expertise into its groundbreaking quantum engine. Follow Classiq on LinkedIn, X (formerly Twitter) or YouTube, and visit the Slack community and https://www.classiq.io to learn more.
Media Contact
Michelle McMahon
Media Contact
Michelle Allard McMahon
classiqpr@rainierco.com
Kava Coalition Voices Support for Forthcoming Study on Kava Consumption
The press release concludes by encouraging stakeholders to stay tuned for the release of Dr. Gellar's study and to engage with the Kava Coalition's educational initiatives.”
Dr. Simon Gellar teaches criminology at the University of Kent in the UK, where he has worked since 2021.
Kava Coalition (KC) is an alliance of kava consumers, experts, and industry leaders committed to advancing kava education, advocacy, and choice. Through educational initiatives and community engagement, KC promotes awareness and appreciation for kava’s traditional practices and cultural significance. Simultaneously, KC advocates for modern regulation that reflects current scientific knowledge, ensuring consumer safety and product integrity.
Media Contact
Byron Johnson
bjohnson@kavacoalition.org
+1 202-680-8129
Media Contact
Patrick George
amullen@ka-pow.com
Saison Technology Invests in DNX Ventures Fund IV U.S. Fund
Saison Technology, a global leader in data management and integration, announced investing $10 million in DNX Ventures Fund IV US.
Founded in 2011, DNX Ventures (DNX) is a venture capital firm investing in B2B startups from seed to late stage, primarily in North America and Japan. It has over 190 portfolio companies with 23 exits and over $630 million under management.
Saison Technology has been expanding its data management and integration business since its 2023 launch of HULFT Square, the company’s cloud-based iPaaS solution that is gaining significant adoption in Japan, Europe, and the United States. Through this investment in DNX, Saison Technology will collaborate with DNX’s portfolio of AI, SaaS, and other startups in North America and Europe, providing transformational products, services and support to them and collaborative solutions for their clients.
“We are very pleased to have Saison Technology as a limited partner in Fund IV,” said Mitch Kitamura, Managing Partner/COO at DNX Ventures. “Beyond providing venture capital, we aid our portfolio companies with value-added resources through collaboration with our limited partners. Saison Technology is a market leader with many decades of experience helping companies of all sizes with digital initiatives. Through its commitment to Fund IV, Saison Technology will help guide our portfolio companies in expanding their businesses.”
“As companies continue to purchase and implement cutting-edge cloud and AI technologies, having a proven platform to integrate them with existing enterprise applications and legacy data systems is essential,” said Makoto Hayama, President and CEO of Saison Technology Co. LTD. “Our company is one of the only providers that offers data management and integration solutions in the cloud, on-premise and as a managed service. We will provide these options to the DNX portfolio and their customers so that they have ultimate flexibility as they navigate more complex IT architectures.”
About DNX Ventures
DNX Ventures is a venture capital firm based in Silicon Valley and Tokyo that has been investing in B2B startups since 2011, primarily in the US and Japan. To date, in addition to the four main funds, we have managed a total of 11 funds including Annex and Seed, with a total of approximately $630 million USD (¥99 billion JPY), invested in 190 startup companies mainly in the US and Japan, and led 23 companies to exit. Among B2B startups, our main investment areas are AI, Enterprise SaaS, Deeptech, Climate Tech, Retail Tech, and Fintech, all of which we invest in at the early stage.
Additionally, DNX Silicon Valley Team actively supports large corporations’ Open Innovation activities by leveraging Silicon Valley’s ecosystem. Running over 70 programs annually to foster talent development to support Open Innovation and has helped create collaborations between over 200 companies and overseas startups. By leveraging this experience, network, and knowledge, we aim to further collaborate between Japanese corporations and overseas startups and create new businesses. For more information, visit https://www.dnx.vc/jpfund-en/top.
About Saison Technology
Saison Technology (TYO: 9640) has helped more than 10,000 global enterprises move critical information, streamline data flows, and automate processes to instantly put knowledge where it is needed. Knowledge empowers people, inspires strategy, and transforms businesses and markets. In the right hands, in the right place, it is much more than a set of facts. Knowledge is a force that can inspire innovation, drive profits, and affect positive change. For more information, please visit https://saison-technology-intl.com.
Media Contact
Kurt Foeller
+1 415-588-6390
kfoeller@saison-technology-intl.com
Media Contact
Kurt Foeller
kfoeller@saison-technology-intl.com
Botanic Tonics, Maker of feel free, Proudly Supports American Herbal Products Association as an Annual Fund Donor
About Botanic Tonics
Botanic Tonics is a plant-based herbal supplement company headquartered in Broken Arrow, OK. Established in 2020, it produces kava-forward tonics under its feel free brand. Its signature product, feel free CLASSIC, is crafted with ancient functional plants to provide mood lift, energy, and focus. Botanic Tonics’ products are manufactured in an FDA-registered, cGMP-certified facility and actively supports consumer safety regulations through transparent labeling and educational resources. Learn more at https://botanictonics.com.
Media Contact
Botanic Tonics
media@botanictonics.com
Prosperr.io Secures Funding to Launch AI Tax Management Solution for U.S. Individuals
Prosperr.io, a leading fintech platform solving tax for individuals, has secured a $1.55 million pre-seed funding round. The round was led by Gokul Rajaram, a board member at Pinterest and Coinbase and prominent investor, known for backing exceptional companies like Faire, Figma, and Airtable. The round also saw participation from notable angel investors, including Vinodh Bhat (co-founder of JioSaavn), Ramakant Sharma (Founder of Livspace), Kunal Shah (QED Ventures), Saurabh Jain (CEO of Livspace), among several others.
Founded in March 2022, Prosperr.io offers a subscription-based product designed to manage income tax comprehensively for individuals, ensuring maximum eligible tax savings and compliance. By using deep-tech products powered by AI, the company aims to create a digitally intelligent solution, benefiting millions worldwide. The capital raised will be used primarily to launch the product in the US market.
"With the growing population of high tax-payers and the ever-changing complexity of income tax regulations, there's a need for user-friendly, technology-driven solutions. Our mission is to address this challenge by developing AI-powered solutions that redefine tax management and help our customers save money while achieving their financial goals. We've already seen significant traction in India market with employees of 1,500 companies using Prosperr.io," said Manas Gond, CEO and co-founder of Prosperr.io.
They have launched the “Super Saver” product for the India market. It's an AI powered tax management product. The “Super Saver” product tracks subscribers’ income and spending in order to provide a continually-updated snapshot of what they owe in tax, and to recommend strategies for reducing the liability while remaining compliant. An AI-driven engine sitting behind, scans tax codes and curates personalized recommendations for each user according to the reliefs their financial affairs may qualify them for.
They are planning to launch the Super saver for people in the U.S. market by 2024. They are raising more funds to evolve their AI solution to work across geography and laws. The Super Saver product has gained very good traction with 7,000 taxpayers signed up so far. Prosperr’s founders expect to secure annual recurring revenues of $1 million within the next month or so.
"I'm excited to support the Prosperr team on their mission to build the best tax optimisation platform for consumers not just for India but for the world. The world of taxes is complicated and confusing, and Prosperr's AI platform helps individuals and employees stay compliant while maximizing tax savings," said Rajaram.
International expansion is an important part of the strategy for achieving that goal, with Prosperr now planning a launch into the U.S. market, another country where income tax compliance is different. They are developing a smart AI engine to work on any tax-codes and jurisdictions, which supports their vision to go global in the coming future.
On the funding, Dev Kumar, CPTO and co-founder of Prosperr.io added, “We are building a constitutional AI agent to solve tax globally. Our product philosophy has always been to build products personalized for the users. We understand user’s financial data in depth to generate capability to develop AI solutions to simplify personal finance in future for the users across the globe. Our next step is launching in the U.S. market to amplify.”
About Prosperr.io
Prosperr.io, a new-generation fintech company, is an AI-driven platform that simplifies tax management for individuals. It was founded in March 2022 by Manas Gond and Dev Kumar with a vision to streamline personal finance and help customers achieve their financial goals. The company offers two core products: the Super Saver product, which helps individuals plan and save their taxes efficiently, and the Flexi Benefits product, which enables employers to provide non-taxable allowances. This helps people increase their take-home salary through their easy-to-use service for claiming non-taxable allowances. For more information, visit https://www.prosperr.io.
Media Contact
Bilal Mahmood
+44 7714 007257
b.mahmood@stockwoodstrategy.com
Media Contact
Bilal Mahmood
b.mahmood@stockwoodstrategy.com
AI Evaluation Startup Maxim AI Raises $3M From Elevation Capital To Help Enterprises Test and Rapidly Ship AI Products
Maxim AI, an enterprise-grade evaluation and observability platform for AI applications, announced a $3M funding round led by Elevation Capital. The round also saw participation from marquee angel investors including founders of Postman, Chargebee, Groww, Razorpay, Media.net, among others. With the infusion of capital, Maxim announced the General Availability (GA) launch of their platform, marking a significant milestone in their journey.
With the recent explosion of large language models, the race to build & deploy AI applications has intensified. Traditionally, software was built in a deterministic paradigm with standardised best practices for predictably testing performance and systematically improving products, tightly integrated into the development lifecycle. Generative AI products, however, are getting built in a non-deterministic paradigm with unpredictable variability in quality and performance depending on factors including models, parameters, data or context, or simply the framing of the question. Moreover, challenges around hallucinations, inaccuracies, safety, and output structure lead to compromised user experiences and reputational risks for organisations. Organisations are resorting to non-scalable techniques, high-paid manual effort, and tediously slow iteration cycles as they test and ship their AI into production.
Founded in 2023 by Google-Postman duo Vaibhavi Gangwar and Akshay Deo who collectively bring over a decade of experience in building AI and developer-focused tools, Maxim aims to bring the best practices of traditional software development to streamline AI development workflows.
Maxim’s infrastructure, which sits between the foundational model and application layers of the AI stack, is deeply focused on AI developers who comprise the traditional AI/ML engineers as well as the emerging class of backend engineers now leading AI development across organizations. The Maxim stack provides end-to-end AI evaluation across the development lifecycle: right from prompt engineering, pre-release and post-release testing for quality and functionality, to data management and fine-tuning. While the automated evaluation platform by itself helps teams ship products >5x faster, the platform also offers the critical last-mile for evaluation including support for human evaluation as well as custom datasets and models.
“Even though we are seeing tremendous value creation in the AI hardware and foundational model stack, for the benefits to be realized meaningfully up the value chain, we need the products built on top of the generative AI stack to be trustworthy and reliable. This makes evaluation a very critical piece of AI infrastructure. However, today there is no standardization in the generative AI testing space unlike traditional software development. That’s where Maxim comes in: with our users, we have become this very core piece of infrastructure that is powering high quality AI development, streamlining team collaboration, and saving development teams hundreds of hours per month,” said founders Gangwar and Deo.
Talking about the investment, Akarsh Shrivastava, Principal at Elevation Capital said, “Maxim AI is addressing a crucial need in the evolving AI landscape. Their focus on creating a standardized, scalable evaluation infrastructure addresses a deep pain point for AI developers. As the complexity and diversity of AI use cases continue to rise, Maxim's platform will play a critical role in ensuring trustworthy and reliable AI systems. We are super excited to partner with Vaibhavi and Akshay as they build Maxim into a critical piece of this AI catalyzed paradigm shift we are going to see.”
So far, in private beta, the company has attracted multiple global customers who are at the forefront of the AI revolution. Looking ahead, Maxim is committed to expanding its platform capabilities including proprietary domain-specific evaluations for quality and security as well as its data engine to accelerate reliable and scalable deployment of AI products. The company plans to use the funds to expand its world-class team and scale its operations to partner with more leading enterprises building AI products.
About Maxim AI
Founded by Vaibhavi Gangwar and Akshay Deo, professionals with over a decade in AI and developer tools at top technology firms (including Google, Postman, and Slack), Maxim AI is the generative AI evaluation and observability platform for modern AI teams. It streamlines the entire AI development lifecycle from design to production, enabling faster, reliable, and high quality deployment of AI across organizations.
About Elevation Capital
Elevation Capital is a leading venture capital firm that provides seed and early-stage capital for emerging companies in India. Having invested in India since 2002, Elevation has deployed over $2.6 Bn of capital in 190+ companies. The firm announced its eighth pool of capital of $670 million in April 2022. Co-led by Managing Partners Ravi Adusumalli and Mukul Arora, along with Partners Mridul Arora and Mayank Khanduja, the firm has invested across Consumer Internet, SaaS, Fintech, Consumer Brands, Edtech, Healthtech and Deeptech. Elevation Capital has offices in Bengaluru and Gurgaon.
Media Contact
Bilal Mahmood
+44 7714 007257
b.mahmood@stockwoodstrategy.com
Media Contact
Bilal Mahmood
b.mahmood@stockwoodstrategy.com
Augie Studio Launches to Meet Demand for Social Video and Creative Ad Production
- Dynamic asset library: Squeeze more value from your asset library: Keep your assets organized, accessible, and usable. With Augie Magic Search, you can scan hours of B-roll footage in seconds to uncover new ways to repurpose your content. Plus Premium users can enjoy unlimited access to Getty Images‘ vast library of commercially licensed content.
- Automatic content creation: Create anything you’re missing: Need a storyboard by lunch? On the hunt for media to match your script? Can’t find a clip of a unicorn riding a unicycle anywhere? Pop your ideas into Augie and let it assemble your video from start to finish.
- Intuitive professional-grade editing: Breeze through your editing process: Try out different editing views, transitions, captions, music, effects, and file formats with a click of a button. Get professional-grade functionality—without needing one YouTube tutorial!
- Free access for basic and personal use
- Premium version starting at $39 per month
- Enterprise package starting at $249 per month
Augie is an all-in-one video studio designed to make video-first marketing attainable for any business. With easy-to-use features that cover the entire video creation and editing workflow, anyone can confidently jump in and create engaging social video content in minutes—no matter their experience or skill set.
Media Contact
Gabi Rubino
gabi@augxlabs.com
Theresa McClure Joins HNTB as a National Practice Consultant
Media Contact
Molly Hall
mohall@hntb.com
Media Contact
Daniel Brock
dbrock@hntb.com
Sandra Evers-Manly International Cultural and Human Rights Advocate To Receive the Coveted 2024 The Links, Incorporated’s Co-Founders Award for the Arts
Evers-Manly has generated overwhelming support from more than thirty years behind initiatives that support filmmakers from underrepresented communities to ensure that their stories are told. Past Co-Founders Award recipients include novelist, Alice Walker, The Color Purple; award-winning actress, Cicely Tyson, Roots; author Pulitzer Prize-winning Poet, Gwendolyn Brooks, Annie Allen; Dancer/Choreographer Judith Jamison, Alvin Ailey American Dance Company; Emmy Award-winning actress Lynn Whitfield, The Josephine Baker Story and author Poet, Playwriter, Activist, Sonia Sanchez, Homecoming (1969)—all of whom, like Ms. Evers-Manly, are creative giants of public service and personal sacrifice who are an inspiration to others.
Sandra J. Evers-Manly, is president and founder of the Black Hollywood Education and Resource Center (BHERC), former president of the Beverly Hills/Hollywood NAACP, a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS). She is an Emmy-winning executive producer for the Best Science and Technology Documentary, Into the Unknown, executive producer of the film currently in IMAX theaters, Deep Sky, and the author of a children’s book Raised Up By Mrs. Manly & Her L’s. A few of the past organization that have honored Evers-Manly for her service include The Memorial Foundation, Brotherhood Crusade, Los Angeles Sentinel, City of Los Angeles, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., and Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. Evers is a champion for social and civil rights and uses every opportunity to advance these causes through film and philanthropy. Since 1996, BHERC has been a vital advocate, nurturing Black representation in film and TV through education, research, and events. Her "Films With A Purpose" initiative empowers emerging filmmakers to shed light on pressing societal issues.
Website: www.bherc.org | www.BHERC.TV
Media Contact
Stephene Johnson
Media Contact
Stephene Johnson
media@bherc.org
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