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June 23, 2022 7:37 AM
EDT
Dallas, TX

Sealy & Company Expands Footprint Into Two New Markets in Back-to-Back Transactions – Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania & Des Moines, Iowa

Sealy & Company, a fully-integrated commercial real estate investment and operating company and recognized leader in the industrial real estate market, announces two back-to-back transactions totaling 369,812 square feet of Class A Industrial property located in two new markets of Pittsburgh, PA, and Des Moines, IA. The transactions were made for an undisclosed amount.

The Imperial Light Industrial Portfolio, located in Pittsburgh, consists of two recently constructed Class A industrial properties totaling 148,172 square feet. The buildings feature flexible and efficient floor plates that can meet a wide array of tenant needs, including office, distribution, and lab capabilities, and were thoughtfully designed to include LED lighting, ESFR sprinkler systems, one loading door per 8,232 SF, in addition to significant tenant fit-outs. The Portfolio can accommodate a range of tenant requirements starting at 6,240 square feet, a unique offering within the industrial market, making these highly functional industrial properties extremely costly to replicate. The Imperial Light Industrial Portfolio is situated in Chapman Westport, a newly developed master-planned industrial park within one of Pittsburgh's most dynamic, sought-after locations. The park provides premier access to Pittsburgh's population centers and transportation arteries. Major tenants in this industrial pocket include Amazon, General Electric, Gordon Foods, Max Finkelstein, and Niagra Bottling.

Crosswinds II consists of a modern, Class-A, 221,520 square foot distribution center located in fast-growing Ankeny, Iowa, a northwest suburb of Iowa's capital city, Des Moines. Construction was completed in 2022 and provides tenants with state-of-the-art amenities such as 32' clear height, 136' truck court with dual access, ESFR sprinkler systems, heavy power, 30 dock high doors, ample car and trailer parking, and highly visible tenant signage. The building is ideally located with exceptional access to Interstates 80/35, offering coast-to-coast and Canada-to-Mexico interstate transportation. As Iowa's largest city, Des Moines benefits from a high concentration of well-paying jobs that have helped attract and retain a highly educated workforce. According to CoStar, the metro has grown at a brisk pace in recent years, increasing nearly 17% between 2010 and 2020. This makes Des Moines one of the fastest-growing metropolitan areas in the Midwest and across the country.

"Our Investment Services Team has been firing on all cylinders this quarter. We are pleased with the deals, both on and off-market, that we have been able to underwrite and pursue so far in 2022. We will continue to pursue our portfolio by design strategy, expand our footprint, and remain one of the most active private buyers of industrial real estate," says Davis Gibbs, Sealy & Company's Director— Investment Services. ­­

Jason Gandy, Managing Director – Investment Services, and Mr. Gibbs led the transactions for Sealy & Company. John Plower of JLL represented the seller of the Imperial Light Industrial Portfolio. John Hassler of Newmark Zimmer represented the seller of Crosswinds II.

For more news and information regarding Sealy & Company, please visit the company's website at www.Sealynet.com.

June 23, 2022 7:00 AM
EDT
CHARLOTTE, NC

Ally pledges equality in media spend, issues bold call to action to further drive parity in women's sports

Fifty years ago, Title IX opened the door for women athletes, many of whom developed into strong leaders on and off the field. Research shows a strong correlation between sports and women's success as business leaders: 94% of women executives have a background in sports, with over half having played at university levels, according to reports by EY and espnW. Decades later, despite record-breaking viewership domestically and internationally, women's sports are still woefully underrepresented in media.

"We know investing in women's sports offers outsized returns for our business when it comes to growing brand affinity and love, and the push for equity and parity in sports elevates all of us," said Andrea Brimmer, chief marketing and public relations officer for Ally. "We believe these world-class athletes deserve platforms to showcase their talents, and we are making this commitment to increase representation and inspire the next generation of business leaders."

"Watch the Game, Change the Game" will support the drive for equity with a new TV spot and marketing campaign featuring real female athletes at the top of their game, rally scarves for fans to show their support, and takeovers of field signage at National Women's Soccer League and Women's International Champions Cup games.

This initiative is intended to act as a call to action because Ally believes that more representation in media will help create long-term sustainability for women's sports and drive fandom, followership, and deepened engagement with core audiences for the brands that invest.

"We want to create change, and our pledge is an example of putting actions over words, and we hope other brands follow," added Brimmer.

For more information on "Watch the Game, Change the Game," visit watchtochange.com.

June 23, 2022 5:11 AM
EDT
Atlanta, GA

Over Half of Restaurants Say Business Has Reached Pre-COVID Levels or Better, But They Can't Meet Demand, According to Popmenu Study

After a turbulent two years, business has returned to "normal-ish" for most restaurants, but the ongoing hospitality labor shortage is keeping many from operating at full capacity…and keeping eager consumers from getting a table at preferred eateries. Popmenu's new nationwide surveys of 374 restaurant owners and operators (May 18 - June 10) and 1,002 consumers (May 20-21) shed light on the industry's recovery, the impact of pent-up demand and warmer weather, and what this means for in-person dining options – or lack thereof – this summer.

The Road to Recovery – The vast majority of restaurant owners and operators report that market demand and sales at their locations have bounced back or will soon. However, a significant percentage voiced concern that another COVID wave this summer could shutter their business for good.  

Key Findings

  • 30% of restaurant owners and operators say their business has returned to pre-COVID levels while 25% say business has surpassed pre-COVID levels.
  • 29% expect business to return to pre-COVID levels in the second half of 2022 while others anticipate it will take longer to recover.
  • 42% say their business wouldn't likely survive another COVID surge this summer.

Impact of the Labor Shortage on Summer Dining – While restaurants readily welcome the influx of in-person diners this summer, they've had to turn some business away because they don't have enough workers to keep pace with guest volume. More are relying on tech to help bridge labor gaps.

Key Findings

  • 51% of restaurants don't have the staff needed to handle on-premise demand this summer.
  • 33% are not operating at full capacity because they can't find enough staff.
  • 76% of restaurants have adopted new tech or increased tech usage to manage through the labor shortage, ranging from online ordering and contactless dining to digital waitlisting and AI phone answering.

Competition for Reservations – Consumers are having a hard time reserving tables at preferred eateries as restaurants advise to book well in advance.

Key Findings

  • 52% of restaurant owners and operators say consumers are not likely to get a reservation with them on the same day.
  • 45% of consumers are currently having trouble getting a reservation at a preferred restaurant.
  • 59% of consumers are ordering online more often because of long wait times or no available seating.

"While more than half of restaurant owners and operators say their business has reached or surpassed pre-pandemic sales, they can't take full advantage of the demand for on-premise dining because they're short-staffed," said Brendan Sweeney, CEO and Co-founder of Popmenu. "This can be incredibly frustrating for restaurateurs — and their customers — which is why more are relying on guest-facing technology to make operations more efficient and capture revenue opportunities that would have otherwise been missed. For consumers, a little patience, planning ahead and staying connected with the restaurant will help ensure you're next on the guest list."

Popmenu recommends the following tips to help consumers increase their chances of booking a table this summer:

  1. Book early: A week in advance will typically suffice to guarantee a seat, but keep in mind that some restaurants are booking three weeks out or even longer.
  2. Become a follower: Most restaurants will provide an opportunity for you to join a loyalty program or mailing list. VIP members often receive perks like priority seating, advance invites to events and exclusive discounts and promotions. Also make sure to follow your favorite restaurants on social media for insider info so you can plan ahead.
  3. Set up alerts: Different reservation apps will instantly notify you if a reservation time you wanted for a restaurant becomes available. Move quickly to snatch up the time before someone else does.
  4. Avoid peak hours. From early birds to night owls, booking outside of popular times such as 12pm to 2pm or 6pm to 8pm increases your chances of securing a table.
  5. Order to go: If all else fails, an impromptu picnic with your favorite restaurant food is always fun.

Data from Popmenu's nationwide survey of  321 U.S. restaurant owners and operators in Q1 2022.

June 23, 2022 12:11 AM
EDT
Dallas, TX

Trive Capital | Real Estate Completes Acquisition of Madison on the Lake

Trive Capital Real Estate is excited to announce its acquisition of Madison on the Lake, a 392-unit multifamily property located in Southeast Houston. This acquisition was completed in partnership with Sentinel Peak Capital Partners ("Sentinel Peak"), an established multifamily operator with ownership experience in the property's immediate submarket.


Located minutes from Hobby Airport, Madison on the Lake offers lakefront access and several acres of green space in an urban setting with easy access to the area's employment hubs. The property's highly desirable community amenities include two large swimming pools, one of which overlooks the lake, an updated fitness center and clubhouse.

"The acquisition of Madison on the Lake is an exciting opportunity that is well-positioned for long-term value creation through unit and common area improvements. The community offers residents a unique living experience at an attainable price point and should perform well through economic cycles. We are thrilled to partner with Sentinel Peak on such a compelling project," said Troy Daniel, Founding Partner of Trive Capital Real Estate.

"Trive's real estate team is focused on opportunities characterized by off-the-run sourcing, value-add potential, and strong investment fundamentals. Madison on the Lake checks all of these boxes and is a great fit for our strategy," added Conner Searcy, Managing Partner of Trive Capital.

Trive Capital Real Estate focuses on investing in stabilized acquisition, value-add repositioning, and ground-up development opportunities through both joint venture relationships and on a direct basis. Trive's philosophy is centered around creating value at the asset level through a hands-on, collaborative approach.  

June 23, 2022 12:00 AM
EDT
Dallas, TX

Topgolf Sets Sights on Des Moines for First Iowa Venue

Topgolf Entertainment Group, a global sports and entertainment company, plans to bring its technology-enabled golf entertainment experience to Des Moines, Iowa, in what will be the state's first Topgolf venue.

"We are thrilled to be joining the Des Moines community and look forward to welcoming our new Players to Topgolf in the near future," said Topgolf Chief Development Officer Chris Callaway. "Our focus is on creating more ways for people to play the game of golf in a fun and unique way, and the Des Moines area is the perfect place to kick off our growth within the state."

Players at the new Topgolf venue will soon be invited to enjoy the brand's signature experience where they can play in point-scoring golf games in an energetic and fun environment. Located on the corner of Jordan Creek Parkway and Mills Civic Parkway within the West Des Moines city limits, the multilevel venue will sit within The Parkways development by Hurd Real Estate and will feature 72 climate-controlled outdoor hitting bays, chef-driven menu items, top-shelf drinks, big screen TVs, music and year-round programming.

Beyond entertainment, Topgolf would create approximately 300 full- and part-time jobs upon opening this new venue, with an opportunity for future Topgolf Associates to grow their careers, work in a unique culture-first environment and be part of a company that welcomes everyone as they are.

Follow @Topgolf on social media for updates on Topgolf's progress in Des Moines.

June 22, 2022 4:30 PM
EDT
Dallas, TX

NexPoint Real Estate Finance, Inc. Announces Preferred Stock Dividend

NexPoint Real Estate Finance, Inc. (NYSE: NREF) ("NREF") announced today that its board of directors has declared a dividend of $0.53125 per share of NREF's 8.50% Series A Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock, payable on July 25, 2022 to stockholders of record on July 14, 2022.

June 22, 2022 4:30 PM
EDT
Dallas, TX

Invitation Homes Announces New $725 Million Sustainability-Linked Seven-Year Term Loan

Invitation Homes Inc. (NYSE: INVH) (“Invitation Homes” or the “Company”) announced today that it has entered into a new $725 million seven-year unsecured term loan maturing in June 2029.

The sustainability-linked term loan bears interest at rates based on the Company’s senior unsecured credit rating, which equated to an interest rate of Adjusted Term SOFR plus 125 basis points at the time of closing based on the Company’s current credit ratings. Pricing of the term loan can further improve if the Company meets certain ESG performance targets as determined via an independent third-party evaluation, similar to its existing five-year unsecured credit facility.

The new seven-year delayed draw term loan allows the Company to elect to receive a portion of the proceeds at closing, with the opportunity to receive the remaining proceeds in up to three additional draws over a six month period. The Company received proceeds of $150 million in its initial draw at closing, and used these initial proceeds, along with cash on hand, as part of a series of transactions to fully repay its IH 2018-2 securitization. The repayment of IH 2018-2 increased the Company’s unencumbered pool to approximately 78 percent of its wholly-owned properties.

“We’re pleased to have received such a strong commitment from established and new banking partners at attractive rates,” said Ernie Freedman, the Company’s Chief Financial Officer. “We believe the new term loan further strengthens our capital structure and offers us additional flexibility to effectively extend our debt maturities and fund other corporate needs on favorable terms.”

The loan was funded through a group of banks led by Capital One, National Association, as Administrative Agent. Capital One, National Association, The Huntington National Bank, KeyBanc Capital Markets, Inc., M&T Bank, PNC Capital Markets LLC, Regions Capital Markets, and U.S. Bank National Association acted as Joint Lead Arrangers and Joint Bookrunners. BMO Capital Markets Corp. and Raymond James Bank acted as Passive Joint Lead Arrangers.

June 22, 2022 4:02 PM
EDT
Atlanta, GA

Dr. Susan Schayes honored among "Top 50 Women Leaders of Georgia for 2022"

Women We Admire, which recognizes and celebrates the accomplishments of today's women leaders across business, government, non-profits, entertainment, sports and other fields of work and interest, includes just one physician in the "Top 50 Women Leaders of Georgia for 2022" list just published. Susan Schayes, M.D., MPH, FAAFP, Chief Transformation Officer for ChenMed, a national leader in primary care, is honored for her expert clinical and business contributions helping the hyper-growth company transform care of the neediest populations through nearly 100 centers in 12 states.

Always recruiting outstanding doctors and care team members, ChenMed presently is expediting the self-funded construction of new centers in current markets, while also expanding into North Carolina (Burlington, Charlotte, Fayetteville, Greensboro, High Point, and Winston-Salem), South Carolina (Columbia) and rural Georgia (Savannah, Macon and Augusta).

"We acknowledge these women for their tenacity, strength and resilience year after year," reports Women We Admire, adding that, "This year's awardees are some of the contributors for the state's success."

Women We Admire and its affiliates focus on inspiring greatness in diverse settings by sharing educational content directly with 32,000 individuals and businesses.

"Dr. Schayes is a tireless champion for the highly personalized primary care that's absolutely vital for underserved seniors living with major and multiple chronic diseases," says Jessica Chen, M.D., ChenMed Chief Clinical Officer. "A humble healer, with an uncanny ability to inspire both patients and other physicians delivering VIP care, Dr. Schayes constantly helps ChenMed innovate. Her keen eye for improving the patient experience is reinforced by effective coaching to generations of physician leaders – all energized by her resolute focus on 'doing whatever it takes to transform care, one patient at a time'."

This week, Dr. Schayes launched the nation's first Fellowship in Transformative Care (FIT), that's specifically designed to train ChenMed physician leaders of the future. "We now are actively recruiting board certified physicians in Internal Medicine, Family Medicine, or Geriatrics to fill the first wave of up to 10 ChenMed Fellowships in Transformative care," explains Dr. Schayes.  "Mission-focused doctors are encouraged to apply for the full-time FIT positions that are 50 to 75 percent clinical care; that require full-time travel assignments in three to four geographies per year for two years; that are a short cut to career development with accelerated leadership and income opportunities for successful candidates."

When asked about being among the "Top 50 Women Leaders of Georgia for 2022," Dr. Schayes describes the tremendous joy she still finds every day after decades of serving others as a doctor.  "This award is not really about me, or the other distinguished honorees, flattered as we are to be included," underscores Dr. Schayes.  "My hope is to inspire even more pride in primary care among the next generation of clinicians – all to keep the focus on transforming care for the people we are blessed to serve."

"More than 64 percent of ChenMed partners are female clinicians," adds Dr. Schayes, "and every ChenMed doctor knows the sky is the limit for top performers in our physician-led company."

June 22, 2022 3:15 PM
EDT
Charleston, SC

Crunchy Bridge Now Available in Azure Marketplace

Crunchy Data, the leading provider of trusted open source PostgreSQL, is proud to announce the availability of Crunchy Bridge on Microsoft's Azure Marketplace, an online storefront that contains services and applications built by industry leading technology companies.

Azure Marketplace offers thousands of apps and services from Microsoft and partners, certified and optimized to run on Azure. The availability of Crunchy Bridge on Azure Marketplace now provides users with a fully managed Postgres service from the Postgres experts at Crunchy Data, including:

  • Built-in backups and disaster recovery
  • Encryption at rest and in transit
  • Multi-AZ high availability
  • Rich set of extensions including PL/Python with data science libraries
  • Pause/Resume
  • Postgres Container Apps
  • Full super user access

"Crunchy Bridge is the leading fully managed Postgres service for developers at organizations of all sizes," said SVP of Product Craig Kerstiens. "The Azure Marketplace enables us to partner with Microsoft to bring Crunchy Bridge's market leading Postgres experience natively to Azure users."

Crunchy Bridge sits alongside Crunchy Data's trusted Postgres technology including: Crunchy PostgreSQL for Kubernetes, a cloud-native Postgres solution built with PGO; the Crunchy Postgres Operator, that enables on-demand and production ready Postgres on Kubernetes; and Crunchy HA PostgreSQL, a powerful "always on" clustered Postgres solution for VM-based environments featuring advanced automation for deployment and maintenance. With Crunchy Data, enterprises now have the ultimate choice in Postgres management and the ability to modernize their data infrastructure for modern applications.

You can get started with Crunchy Bridge through Microsoft Azure Marketplace today by visiting the Apps page.

June 22, 2022 12:03 PM
EDT
TALLAHASSEE, FL

ADVON Corporation Wins SBA's 2022 Southeast Region Small Business Federal Contractor of the Year Award

ADVON Corporation, a Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB), was recently honored with the U.S. Small Business Administration's (SBA) 2022 Southeast Region Small Business Federal Contractor of the Year award. This prestigious award recognizes exemplary small businesses that have achieved significant success in the federal contracting arena.

ADVON is a top-level construction team based in Tallahassee, Florida, that is deployed first to coordinate efforts in the field. They specialize in industrial, institutional, and commercial projects. Their customers include the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the Veterans Administration (VA), the Department of Defense (DOD), and other public and private institutions.

"As a contractor who is fortunate to have worked with governmental institutions such as NASA and the VA, being recognized for our diligent work by the SBA is a great honor. It speaks to the culture at ADVON and the hard-working people who make up our team," said Bill Graham, President and Founder of ADVON Corporation.

Each year during National Small Business Week, the U.S. Small Business Administration shines a spotlight on the outstanding achievements of small businesses and entrepreneurs from across the country. This year's event focused on celebrating the accomplishments of those who have helped to grow small businesses, create jobs, drive innovation, and increase America's global competitiveness. In addition, given the changing demographics of our nation, the SBA's National Small Business Week awards also recognized individuals and businesses that reflect the diverse faces of America. The US Small Business Administration believes that by honoring the achievements of all those who contribute to the success of small businesses, they can continue to create an environment that supports entrepreneurship and spurs economic growth.

Bibi Hidalco, Associate Administrator of the Office of Government Contracts, who issued the award letter to ADVON, said, "Your hard work, innovative ideas, and dedication to your community embody the spirit of excellence that has always defined our nation's small businesses, and because of these outstanding entrepreneurial achievements, the SBA is pleased to recognize your role in driving our country and economy forward."

ADVON has a team of experts with the knowledge and experience to complete any project on time and within budget while exceeding client expectations. "We understand that every project is unique, so we work closely with clients to ensure that all needs are met," said Vice President Scott Brooks.

ADVON offers services including general contracting and design-build capabilities. Their commitment to safety and service are unmatched in the industry.

June 22, 2022 11:00 AM
EDT
Dallas, TX

Sonrava Health Completes Acquisition of Mid-Atlantic Dental Partners

Sonrava Health today announced that it has completed the acquisition of Mid-Atlantic Dental Partners (MADP). Sonrava Health is a national family of health and wellness companies, including differentiated dental office brands, dental and vision benefit plans, provider networks, and consumer products and services – all focused on quality, value and innovation and built on a platform of unique and efficient technology.

The acquisition of MADP builds on Sonrava Health’s national footprint, bringing to the organization 215 offices in 17 states operating under regional and local brands, including: DentalWorks, Perfect Teeth and Mid-Atlantic Dental Partners. With Sonrava Health’s existing DSO brands – Western Dental & Orthodontics, Brident Dental & Orthodontics and Vital Smiles – the combination is a coast-to-coast, border-to-border organization with 572 offices in attractive markets in 20 states from California to Delaware and from Michigan to Texas.

“To patients, doctors, hygienists and other team members of MADP, we extend a warm welcome to our dental home,” said Daniel D. Crowley, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Sonrava Health. “Patients can expect to continue receiving high-quality dentistry and great service from their favorite care teams. We look forward to supporting the MADP offices and their patients with an expanding menu of technology-enabled treatment options focused on wellness and prevention and whole person health. We pride ourselves on being a dental home focused on high quality general dentistry, comprehensive treatment planning and convenient multi-specialty offerings for patients, excellent continuing education programs for doctors and hygienists, and exciting career ladders for team members throughout the organization.”

“Bringing MADP’s offices onto Sonrava Health’s proven platform, while maintaining unique qualities that have contributed to their success and adopting the best practices of each organization, will create greater access to high quality general and specialty dental care for patients from all backgrounds,” Crowley added.

June 22, 2022 10:45 AM
EDT
Charleston, SC

Blackbaud Names Chris Singh Chief Customer Officer

Blackbaud (NASDAQ: BLKB), the world's leading cloud software company powering social good, today appointed Chris Singh as Chief Customer Officer. Singh is the first leader to hold the newly created position at Blackbaud, representing a significant next step in the company's commitment to customers and their end-to-end experience.  

"I'm thrilled to announce Chris's promotion to Chief Customer Officer," said Mike Gianoni, president and CEO, Blackbaud. "We're dedicated to delivering a best-in-class experience for our customers, and this central position focused on their success will help us provide better support as a trusted partner and enable our customers to drive even more impact for social good."

Singh first joined Blackbaud in May 2021 as senior vice president of Customer Success and has already demonstrated impact in his first year with the company by:

  • Conducting more than 300 customer enablement sessions with over 53,000 attendees to help customers get the most out of their Blackbaud solutions through strategic insight
  • Creating a critical response center to identify and manage high priority customer issues with diligence and speed
  • Working cross-functionally to programmatically mature customer product usage and utilize data strategy to deliver value to customers
  • Increasing proactive customer engagements with a focus on outcome and strategy

In his new role, Singh will oversee strategy and execution of the customer experience across Blackbaud under a shared vision to deliver at every stage of the customer life cycle.  

"The addition of the Chief Customer Officer role solidifies Blackbaud's stake in putting customers first," said Singh. "This role will ensure that throughout the customer life cycle, we are delivering on outcomes and great experiences in a seamless and consistent way. It will ensure that investments are made to scale and continuously transform our end-to-end customer experience as technology and businesses evolve. It means Customer Success will have board visibility and be fully accountable to deliver on the promise of great customer experience and value realization."

Prior to joining Blackbaud, Singh served as senior vice president of Customer Engagement and Experience at SAP, where he created the SAP brand of SAP Preferred Success—a best-in-class Customer Success Management program that helped thousands of customers in 53 countries meet their business and strategic goals in the cloud. He has held key senior leadership roles in product and software development, innovation, engineering and customer success. He has demonstrated success in achieving significant gains in customer satisfaction, references, renewals and incremental cloud subscription revenues.

In addition, Singh serves on several boards as an advisor and is a social media influencer and thought leader on customer success, innovation and value-based technology trends. He is deeply passionate about people and making communities stronger, and he supports many social good causes.

June 22, 2022 10:40 AM
EDT
San Diego, CA

Fuse Conducts Live-Flight Demonstration of Tactical Edge Networking Capability During Joint Marine Corps/Navy Exercise

Fuse Integration, an innovative federal defense communications, networking and computing solutions provider, today announced it conducted a successful live-flight demonstration of its Tactical Edge Networking capability in support of the U.S. Marine Corps' I Marine Expeditionary Force and the U.S. Navy's Third Fleet. The joint multi-domain exercise enabled the interconnecting of multiple distributed nodes and command posts replicating expeditionary advanced base operations.

Throughout the day-long exercise at Camp Pendleton in California, Fuse provided networked text, voice communications and live video across the distributed network to the I MEF and Third Fleet. The company demonstrated resilient, multi-domain networking in a notional, SATCOM-denied environment; low probability of intercept/low probability of detection discovery for Bandwidth Efficient Common Data Link over out-of-band control planes; directional mesh networking; and multi-link crossbanding.

In support of the exercise, Fuse utilized three of its key products: Tactical Technologies Toolset, a remote network monitoring and management solution for multi-domain operations; CORE®, a flexible and small, weight and power networking solution that connects aircraft, ground vehicles and ships with ground operations across secure and unclassified networks; and the DARE Airborne Networking Gateway, which extends network connectivity for airborne and ground-based warfighters in a wing-mounted pod airframe.

"Our nation's warfighters require reliable, secured communications across multiple domains to outpace the adversary's decision-making," said Sumner Lee, CEO of Fuse. "Our team has developed the capability to enhance shared awareness between distributed, expeditionary nodes and accelerate the sensor-shooter cycle. We're grateful for the opportunity to support our Navy-Marine Corps team and look forward to supporting future joint exercises with our proven technologies."

The Fuse TEN architecture is designed to enable joint all-domain command and control, facilitating rapid prototyping with joint networks and "speed to fleet" deployment across multi-domain – air, ground, maritime – platforms.

June 22, 2022 10:02 AM
EDT
Atlanta, GA

Primrose Schools Wins Gold and Bronze Stevie® Awards in 2022 American Business Awards®

Primrose Schools was named the winner of two StevieAwards - the Gold Stevie Award for Company of the Year in the Consumer services - Large category and the Bronze Stevie Award for Marketing Campaign of the Year in the Education and Training category - in the 20th Annual American Business Awards.

Primrose Schools received top recognition as Company of the Year for its rapid growth and consistent leadership in early education and care throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Amid the high demand for childcare, in 2021 the company awarded 27 franchise agreements, opened 22 schools and experienced a 340% increase in potential franchise owner inquiries compared to 2020. In 2021, Primrose schools donated a combined $350,000, 35,000 books and 150,000 canned food items to nonprofits across the country.

"The pandemic brought the childcare crisis in our country in sharp focus," said Jo Kirchner, CEO of Primrose Schools. "This recognition is a testament to the dedication of our Support Center team and the franchise owners and staff in nearly 475 schools across the country that are working to serve more children and provide increased accessibility to high-quality education and care for all families."

Primrose Schools won the Bronze Marketing Campaign of the Year for its high-achieving Recruitment Marketing campaign designed to encourage passionate educators to return to early care and education positions and bring relief from talent shortages and long waitlists across the country. The campaign generated a 192% increase in school hiring.

"This marketing campaign helped us achieve our vision to deliver the best and most trusted early education and care for children and families across America during an extremely challenging time in the industry," said Tim Roush, Chief Marketing Officer of Primrose Schools. "We're honored to be recognized for our efforts to help open the door for more children to experience high-quality early education."

More than 230 professionals worldwide participated in the judging process to select this year's Stevie Award winners. The American Business Awards are the U.S.A.'s premier business awards program. All organizations operating in the U.S.A. are eligible to submit nominations – public and private, for-profit and nonprofit, large and small.

More than 3,700 nominations from organizations of all sizes and in virtually every industry were submitted this year for consideration in a wide range of categories, including Startup of the Year, Executive of the Year, Best New Product or Service of the Year, Marketing Campaign of the Year, Thought Leader of the Year, and App of the Year, among others.

Leaders from Primrose Schools accepted the awards at the Marriott Marquis Hotel on Monday, June 13, in New York City. Details about The American Business Awards and the list of 2022 Stevie winners are available at www.StevieAwards.com/ABA.

June 22, 2022 10:00 AM
EDT
Charlotte, NC

Brightspeed Announces Initial Fiber Build Markets for Alabama

Brightspeed today outlined its planned fiber network build for the state of Alabama. By the end of 2023, Brightspeed will finish the first phase of construction and deliver over 60,000 new fiber passings across several counties in the state. In subsequent years of its network initiative, the company plans to add another 60,000 fiber passings for a total of up to 120,000 new fiber-enabled locations in its Alabama footprint.

Alabama is one of the 20 states forming Brightspeed's operating territory, covering mainly rural and suburban regions of the country. The company will initially be comprised of the incumbent local exchange carrier (ILEC) assets and associated operations of Lumen Technologies (NYSE: LUMN), which are the subject of a pending acquisition by Apollo-managed funds (NYSE: APO). The parties expect to obtain regulatory approvals in the third quarter of this year, and to close the transaction in early fourth quarter.

Brightspeed will invest at least $2 billion in its fiber optics transformation, which is expected to reach up to 3 million homes and businesses over the next five years, including in many locations where fiber and advanced technology have not historically been deployed.

"We are thrilled to announce our fiber network plans for Alabama," said Sherry Hessenthaler, Operations Strategy Lead for Brightspeed. "At a time when high-quality internet access has never been more important to today's families and businesses, we will be ready to hit the ground running with our deployment. It is a privilege to be able to share in Alabama's growth and development by doing our part to help bridge the digital divide."

Brightspeed plans to bring faster, more reliable Internet and Wi-Fi initially to over 60,000 residential and commercial locations over the next 18 months in markets within Baldwin, Covington, Dale, Elmore, Fayette, Geneva, Henry, Pickens, and Tallapoosa counties. These new locations will augment the more than 10,000 existing fiber passings Brightspeed will assume upon the close of the transaction between the Apollo funds and Lumen.

"In addition to our own network investment in Alabama, we are equally inspired by the opportunity to partner with the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs (ADECA) to pursue a possible extension of the build and bring fiber-based internet to even more customers in the state," Hessenthaler added.

"Ensuring Alabamians in every community – big and small – have the ability to have high-speed connectivity is simply a necessity these days. Over the past few years, we have made increasing our broadband infrastructure across the state a priority, and we are making great progress thanks to partners like Brightspeed," said Alabama Governor Kay Ivey. "In this first phase of constructing its planned fiber network, Brightspeed will make connectivity a whole lot better and a whole lot quicker for over 60,000 Alabamians. This is another tremendous step in the right direction."

Brightspeed previously announced that it is working with a select team of technology innovators and partners to deploy an FTTP architecture engineered for faster deployment and market availability. The company's XGSPON-based network will enable downstream and upstream internet speeds that exceed 1Gbps.

Information regarding Brightspeed's other state-specific network build plans will be forthcoming.

For more information about Brightspeed, visit the company's website, www.brightspeed.com.

June 22, 2022 9:40 AM
EDT
Dallas, TX

DartPoints Grows Partner Program & Sales Leadership with New Channel Chief, Jackie Steinberg

DartPoints, the leading edge digital infrastructure provider, announces the appointment of Jackie Steinberg as Channel Chief, a new role for the company. Steinberg will lead DartPoints' expanding channel program, develop and nurture relationships with the channel community, and ultimately scale and streamline DartPoints' channel sales function. Formerly Regional Partner Development Manager for AT&T, Steinberg was responsible for expanding AT&T Business and ACC Business Services through Technology Services Distributors and their partners.

"Jackie brings a unique blend of leadership, passion, and industry experience to the team, and we look forward to seeing how our channel partner program will flourish with her at the helm," said Monty Blight, VP of Sales for DartPoints. "Whether delivering our hybrid cloud and colocation services or next generation edge services, the channel will greatly benefit from Jackie's expertise and sales prowess."

Steinberg has 13 years of experience in the telecommunications industry, building and sustaining high-performance sales teams, and establishing and maintaining relationships with key clients and strategic partners. Steinberg was responsible for the re-launch of AT&T's Colocation Ecosystem across all TSDs and their Partners, as well as launching and successfully making the first ever sale within the ACC Business portfolio. As Regional Channel Director of Nitel, prior to her role at AT&T, she consecutively ranked as the company's Top Channel Manager and President's Club Winner for multiple years. Steinberg has a Bachelor's degree in Arts and Sciences, majoring in Spanish Language Arts, from Illinois State University.

"Given my background in growing industry channel programs, with a particular passion for solving customers' technology issues, DartPoints is an exciting next step," Steinberg said. "I'm thrilled to show the incredible value of DartPoints' infrastructure and cloud solutions to the channel community that I'm so passionate about."

June 22, 2022 9:30 AM
EDT
Atlanta, GA

Nidhi Verma Promoted to Chief People & ESG Officer

Crawford & Company® (NYSE: CRD-A and CRD-B), the world’s largest publicly listed independent provider of claims management and outsourcing solutions to carriers, brokers and corporations, announces the appointment of Nidhi Verma to chief people and environmental, social and governance (ESG) officer. In her new role, effective July 1, 2022, Verma will work with company leaders to direct meaningful changes to the organization’s people agenda and employee experience, including culture transformation, employee value proposition, talent management, leadership development and total rewards. She will also be responsible for spearheading Crawford’s ESG initiatives, including the organization’s focus and commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion.

Over the course of her eight-year tenure at Crawford, Verma has developed a proven track record of success in a wide spectrum of people and organizational effectiveness areas including people strategy, executive coaching, mentoring, high-performance workforce, employee engagement and culture revitalization. Moreover, her extensive experience in the talent space, coupled with a passion for creating inclusive work cultures, has enabled her to design and deploy global talent programs with an intentional DEI focus. She has worked in multiple geographies globally such as the United States, United Kingdom and Asia which has strengthened her cross-cultural astuteness.

Crawford Chief Executive Officer, Rohit Verma commented, “Nidhi’s deep expertise in talent, culture, people strategy and DEI makes her the right choice for Crawford as we reimagine the Crawford experience. Her ability to drive global change, along with her passion for creating meaningful and inclusive employee experiences, will be an asset in our journey to push cultural transformation efforts.”

Nidhi Verma added, “It’s a privilege to take on this role as we enter a new phase of growth at Crawford. With disruption in the industry and volatility in the job market, my focus and energy will be in partnering with our leaders, employees, the human resources team and clients to create extraordinary employee experiences and foster an inclusive, safe, well-being-centric culture.”

Verma has published several articles in leading business/HR/talent journals and co-edited a book, "Workforce Wake-up Call: Your Workforce is Changing, Are You?”. Her recent recognitions include the “2020 Elite Women in Insurance,” as well as the “Hot 100 2021,” both by Insurance Business America. Prior to joining Crawford, Nidhi worked both as a consultant for Fortune 500 companies, as well as an internal talent practitioner with organizations like Arthur Andersen, Hewitt Associates (now Aon Hewitt) and LexisNexis. Nidhi has two master’s degrees: a Master of Human Resource Management from the Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai and a Master of Adult Learning & Leadership from Columbia University, New York.

June 22, 2022 9:00 AM
EDT
ATLANTA, GA

Xplor Technologies Introduces TrueCoach Partner Perks to Enable Coaches to Personalize Fitness Experiences and Save on Costs

Xplor Technologies, a global platform integrating software, payments, and Commerce Accelerating Technologies for "everyday life" businesses, today announces the launch of TrueCoach Partner Perks. The new program from Xplor's market-leading coaching software, TrueCoach, offers exclusive access to discounted certifications, products, tools and services – enabling monthly and annual subscribers in the U.S. to deliver more tailored support to clients, and reduce their operating costs.

For coaches, the "glue-it-together" approach of sorting through spreadsheets, emails, videos and text messages to deliver tailored fitness programming is now in the past. TrueCoach eliminates the time-intensive tasks that pull coaches and trainers away from their clients, opening the door for fitness professionals to provide more personalized coaching experiences while growing their business at scale.

Whether an individual coaches remotely, in person, or a hybrid of the two, the new TrueCoach Partner Perks program guarantees a coaching kit is always nearby. TrueCoach Partner Perks is designed to provide cost effective access to business tools, from the best partners in the industry – whether new strength bands, dumbbells, or a refresher nutrition course.

"For trainers, TrueCoach is an integral part of running a successful business. Our new Partner Perks is another way we're helping our customers save money while they deliver quality programming and real-time engagement," said Michelle Furniss, General Manager, TrueCoach, Fitness & Wellbeing at Xplor Technologies. "We strive to give our coaches the most value possible so they can run their business efficiently and focus on passion over paperwork."

TrueCoach Partner Perks launches with six trusted fitness brands: Precision Nutrition, Airrosti, InsideTracker, TRX® Training, ISSA (International Sports Sciences Association), and TruGrit Fitness. As more partners are added the program will cater for everything a fitness professional needs to run their business. Through Partner Perks, discounts are offered on training certifications, physical products, supplements, healthcare, insurance, continuing education and more – designed to help coaches reduce operating costs, while meeting the nuanced needs of their clients.

"Since 2009, InsideTracker has been a trusted partner to some of the world's most successful coaches and trainers, helping optimize client results with science-backed nutrition and training recommendations based on blood, DNA and fitness tracker data," said Royi Metser, director of business development, InsideTracker. "We're excited to join TrueCoach Partner Perks, to offer trainers preferred access to our precision platform, and help them grow new revenue streams."

With this launch, Xplor Technologies offers another means for fitness and wellbeing professionals to expand their business at scale, in addition to the holistic operating software and embedded payment processing services already available.

"ISSA is extremely excited to be the first fitness certification partner to be included in TrueCoach's Partner Perks program. We are looking forward to helping TrueCoach's 20,000+ coaches strengthen their community through ISSA's specialized education," said Andrew Wyant, president and CEO of ISSA.

TrueCoach Partner Perks are available now to all monthly and annual U.S. subscribers.

June 22, 2022 9:00 AM
EDT
Dallas, TX

SUSAN G. KOMEN® INVESTS $21.7 MILLION IN RESEARCH FOCUSED ON IMPROVING OUTCOMES FOR BREAST CANCER PATIENTS

Susan G. Komen®, the world's leading breast cancer organization, is awarding $21.7 million to fund 48 new research projects at 26 distinguished academic medical institutions in the U.S. that are focused on improving patient outcomes – particularly for people with the most aggressive breast cancers, or who have experienced a recurrence or metastasis. With this investment, Komen is now supporting more than 152 active research projects representing more than $115 million in funding.

"The investment we are announcing today in a broad portfolio of cutting-edge research will help advance breast cancer care and improve outcomes for all people diagnosed with breast cancer, including underserved populations and those with few treatment options," said Victoria Wolodzko Smart, SVP of Mission at Susan G. Komen. "With this investment, we're supporting some of the top breast cancer researchers who share our mission and giving everyone impacted by breast cancer hope, as we move closer to the cures for breast cancers."

Of the total $21.7 million awarded today:

  • 79 percent supports research focused on the most aggressive breast cancers, metastasis and recurrence;
  • 33 percent supports clinical trials;
  • 20 percent supports research focused on eliminating breast cancer disparities;

"We still have much to learn about aggressive breast cancers and breast cancers that recur and metastasize. This critical research investment from Susan G. Komen will help us unravel the biology of breast cancers to better understand how to prevent breast cancer recurrence and metastasis, and develop more treatment options, including new treatments for people living with metastatic breast cancer," said Jennifer Pietenpol, Ph.D., Susan G. Komen Chief Scientific Advisor.

Pietenpol also serves as the Benjamin F. Byrd, Jr. Professor of Oncology, Chief Scientific and Strategy Officer and Executive Vice President for Research at Vanderbilt University Medical Center.

Komen research grants are being awarded to the following study investigators at 26 preeminent U.S. institutions:

Julie Palmer, Sc.D., M.P.H., Boston University

Jennifer Ligibel, M.D., FASCO, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute

Nancy Lin, M.D., Dana-Farber Cancer Institute

Kornelia Polyak, M.D., Ph.D., Dana-Farber Cancer Institute

Sara Tolaney, M.D., M.P.H., Dana-Farber Cancer Institute

Nikhil Wagle, M.D., Dana-Farber Cancer Institute

Sunil Badve, M.D., FRCPath, Emory University School of Medicine

Maria Sosa, Ph.D., Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai

Tarah Ballinger, M.D., Indiana University

Pedram Razavi, M.D., Ph.D., Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center

Jorge Reis-Filho, M.D., Ph.D., FRCPath, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center

Sohrab Shah, Ph.D., Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center

Lisa Coussens, Ph.D., Oregon Health & Science University

Yibin Kang, Ph.D., Princeton University

Hai Wang, Ph.D., Roswell Park Cancer Institute

Christina Curtis, Ph.D., M.S., Stanford University School of Medicine

Melinda Telli, M.D., Stanford University School of Medicine

Allison Kurian, M.D., M.Sc., Stanford University School of Medicine

Haruka Itakura, M.D., Ph.D., Stanford University School of Medicine

Daniel Hollern, Ph.D., The Salk Institute for Biological Studies

Reshma Jagsi, M.D., D.Phil., University of Michigan

Melissa Troester, Ph.D., University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Angela DeMichele, M.D., M.S.C.E., University of Pennsylvania

Adrian Lee, Ph.D., University of Pittsburgh

Steffi Oesterreich, Ph.D., University of Pittsburgh

Alana Welm, Ph.D., University of Utah Huntsman Cancer Institute

Amelie Ramirez, Dr.P.H., M.P.H., UT Health San Antonio

Mariana Chavez MacGregor, M.D., M.Sc., FASCO, UT M.D. Anderson Cancer Center

Sharon Giordano, M.D., M.P.H., FASCO, UT M.D. Anderson Cancer Center

Srinivas Malladi, Ph.D., UT Southwestern Medical Center

Tuya Pal, M.D., Vanderbilt University Medical Center

Ben Ho Park, M.D., Ph.D., Vanderbilt University Medical Center

Jennifer Pietenpol, Ph.D., Vanderbilt University Medical Center

Sonya Reid, M.D., Ph.D., Vanderbilt University Medical Center

Cynthia Ma, M.D., Ph.D., Washington University

Rulla Tamini, Sc.D., Weill Cornell College of Cornell University

Mariya Rozenblit, M.D., Yale University

Lajos Pusztai, M.D., D.Phil., Yale University

Komen has invested more than $1 billion in breast cancer research in the 40 years since its founding, more than any other non-profit, and second only to the U.S. government.

June 22, 2022 9:00 AM
EDT
Dallas, TX

Leading E-Commerce Corporation Positec Promotes DimeTyd to Amazon Vendors

DimeTyd, the advanced logic-based online engine that offers seamless recuperation of profit leakage based on accounting errors, is being promoted by Positec to its clients and vendors as a tool to recoup lost revenue and resolve missed deductions and overbillings. Positec is a leading e-commerce global company offering research and development, manufacturing, and marketing for power tools with offices in the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, Germany, France, Benelux, and Brazil, with headquarters in Suzhou, China

"Positec has a global reach in around 50 countries and regions; we implement a multi-level, multi-brand strategy, all conducted through e-commerce and online business. In 2021 Positec recorded almost $100 million in sales on the Amazon Marketplace," said Christine Vaccarino, PositecUSA Director of Operations. "DimeTyd helped us streamline operations with Amazon; an analysis found lost profits and missed deductions we were able to recoup and add to our bottom line. We strongly recommend that any business with an e-commerce presence visit DimeTyd and benefit from their unique understanding of the Amazon marketplace to help save money, time, and recoup lost profits."

DimeTyd's platform conducts an audit of lost revenues dating back to five years and processes millions of data points to recoup funds seamlessly. Once audited and reconciled, DimeTyd makes course corrections on recurring issues, enabling vendors to maximize future profitability in the marketplace.

"The DimeTyd solution empowers vendors to take control of their e-commerce business, unlocking hidden profitability and automating Amazon's complex vendor accounting platform," said Rohan Thambrahalli, DimeTyd founder and CEO. "We are excited a company such as Positec recommends our platform to its clients and vendors."

Founded by e-commerce veterans, DimeTyd's technology is the first automated solution designed for Amazon vendors to accurately process volumes of complex data produced within ongoing transactions and resolve costly overbilling and deductions. Headquartered in Dallas, Texas, DimeTyd's vision is to empower fair, accountable, and transparent accounting for the e-commerce world.

For more information, visit www.DimeTyd.com.

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