Author: Michelle Dryden

Categories
Business

Cenntro Electric Group Limited receives Nasdaq notice regarding minimum bid price requirements

FREEHOLD, N.J. — (BUSINESS WIRE) — Cenntro Electric Group Limited (NASDAQ: CENN) “(Cenntro” or “the Company),” a leading EV technology company with advanced, market- validated electric commercial vehicles “(ECVs),” today announced that on December 22, 2022, it received a notification (the “Notification)” from The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC “(Nasdaq)” that the Company no longer satisfies Nasdaq Listing Rule 5550(a)(2) because the closing bid price of the Company’s ordinary shares (the “Shares)” was below $1.00 per Share for 30 consecutive business days preceding the date of the Notification.

The Notification has no immediate effect on the listing of the Shares, and the Shares continue to trade on the Nasdaq Capital Market under the symbol “CENN.”

 

Pursuant to Nasdaq Listing Rule 5810(c)(3)(A), the Company is provided with a grace period of 180 days, or until June 20, 2023, to meet the minimum bid price requirement under the Nasdaq Listing Rules. If at any time during the 180-day grace period, the closing bid price of the Shares is $1.00 per Share or higher for at least ten consecutive business days, Nasdaq will provide the Company written confirmation of compliance and the matter will be closed. In the event the Company does not regain compliance within the 180-day grace period, the Company may be eligible for an additional 180-day grace period if it meets the continued listing requirement for the market value of its publicly held shares and all other initial listing standards for the Nasdaq Capital Market, with the exception of the minimum bid price requirement, and would need to provide written notice of its intention to cure the bid price deficiency during the second compliance period, including by effecting a reverse stock split, if necessary. If the Nasdaq staff determines that the Company will not be able to cure the deficiency, or if the Company is otherwise not eligible for such additional compliance period, Nasdaq will provide notice that the Shares will be subject to delisting. The Company would have the right to appeal a determination to delist the Shares, and the Shares would remain listed on the Nasdaq Capital Market until the completion of the appeal process

 

The Company intends to monitor the closing bid price of its Shares during the grace period and will consider its options in order to regain compliance with Nasdaq’s minimum bid price requirement.

 

About Cenntro Electric Group Limited

Cenntro Electric Group Limited (or “Cenntro)” (NASDAQ: CENN) is a leading designer and manufacturer of electric light and medium-duty commercial vehicles. Cenntro’s purpose-built ECVs are designed to serve a variety of organizations in support of city services, last-mile delivery, and other commercial applications. Cenntro plans to lead the transformation in the automotive industry through scalable, decentralized production, and smart driving solutions empowered by the Cenntro iChassis. As of December 31, 2021, Cenntro has sold or put into service more than 3,700 vehicles in over 25 countries across North America, Europe, and Asia. For more information, please visit Cenntro’s website at: www.cenntroauto.com.

 

Forward-Looking Statements

This communication contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements include all statements that are not historical facts. Such statements may be, but need not be, identified by words such as “may,” “believe,” “anticipate,” “could,” “should,” “intend,” “plan,” “will,” “aim(s),” “can,” “would,” “expect(s),” “estimate(s),” “project(s),” “forecast(s),” “positioned,” “approximately,” “potential,” “goal,” “strategy,” “outlook” and similar expressions. Examples of forward-looking statements include, among other things, statements regarding assembly and distribution capabilities, decentralized production, and fully digitalized autonomous driving solutions. All such forward-looking statements are based on management’s current beliefs, expectations, and assumptions, and are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the results expressed or implied in this communication. For additional risks and uncertainties that could impact Cenntro’s forward-looking statements, please see disclosures contained in Cenntro’s public filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC),” including the “Risk Factors” in Cenntro’s Annual Report on Form 20-F filed with the SEC on April 25, 2022 and which may be viewed at www.sec.gov.

 

For Cenntro’s financial statements, please refer to the Company’s current report on Form 6-K filed with the SEC on September 13, 2022.

Contacts

Investor Relations Contact

Yujia Zhai

The Blueshirt Group

Yujia@blueshirtgroup.com
860-214-0809

Company Contact

PR@cenntroauto.com
IR@cenntroauto.com

Categories
Art & Life Business Culture Lifestyle

American Girl’s 2023 Girl of the Year™— Kavi Sharma™— steps into the spotlight!

Kavi joins American Girl’s line of popular character dolls that inspire kids with courage, confidence, and strength of character

To support Kavi’s love of performing, company partners with Camp Broadway®—an award-winning theater arts program that helps children develop their characters on and off the stage

 

MIDDLETON, Wis. — (BUSINESS WIRE) —  American Girl, a cornerstone in the Mattel (NASDAQ: MAT) portfolio of purposeful brands, on Saturday unveils its 2023 Girl of the Year, Kavi Sharma.

 

Kavi joins the company’s long line of contemporary characters, introduced more than 20 years ago, that represent a wide range of backgrounds to reflect what it means to be an American girl today.

 

Whether it’s singing show tunes or learning new dance moves, Kavi loves performing. And, growing up with her close-knit Indian American family in New Jersey, she’s only a short train ride from her two favorite places in the world: New York City and Broadway! While Kavi shines onstage, keeping up with her offstage priorities like schoolwork, friendships, and family responsibilities can be a challenge—just like it is for so many kids today. Through Kavi, young readers will learn the importance of finding a healthy rhythm in life and feel inspired to pursue their own unique talents and reach for their dreams.


“As we ring in a new year, we’re excited to have Kavi Sharma take center stage in our popular Girl of the Year lineup,” says Jamie Cygielman, General Manager of American Girl. “Just like all our beloved characters, Kavi’s culturally relevant and aspirational stories help inspire kids to shine bright in their own way and be proud of who they are.”

 

To create Kavi’s story, American Girl worked with New York Times bestselling author Varsha Bajaj (Thirst and Count Me In). Kavi’s story is shared in both an illustrated paperback journal that comes with the doll and a hardcover novel, It’s Showtime, Kavi, debuting later in 2023. According to Bajaj, “Kavi’s story is important to all the young readers who will see parts of their lives represented. I took immense delight in showcasing slivers of Indian culture, including dance, yoga traditions, food, clothing, and magical festivals like Diwali and Holi.” In addition to Bajaj, a team of advisers also helped with Kavi’s development, providing real-world insights and weighing in on key product and story themes to ensure authenticity and accuracy.

 

Kavi’s character comes to life in a beautiful 18-inch Kavi™ doll, featuring brown eyes, medium skin tone, and layered dark-brown hair styled in a half ponytail. Kavi’s product collection is filled with fun, showstopping outfits and accessories that reflect her passion for performing, including her signature outfit complete with a multicolored cropped mesh top, silver joggers, and pink tennis shoes, plus an accessory set that includes a faux-fur bucket hat, quilted purse, charm, and journal. Other items include: Kavi’s Songwriting Accessories, featuring a mini keyboard that plays six different tones; Backstage Set with folding stage, rolling wardrobe, and a vanity with working lights that plays five songs; Kavi’s vibrant Bollywood Dance Costume; and, a plush of her lovable dog, Scamper.

 

To support young performers like Kavi, American Girl is partnering with the Broadway Education Alliance’s Camp Broadway, a cultural enrichment program that makes theater arts accessible and relevant for kids, helping them discover their unique talents and boost their confidence. American Girl is donating $25,000 to fund full and partial scholarships for kids participating in the camp’s 2023 summer program in New York City. To learn more about Camp Broadway and how to apply for a scholarship, visit American Girl’s blog.

 

To further celebrate Kavi’s debut, fans can participate in the following activities:

  • Visit American Girl retail stores between 12/29/22 – 1/1/23 to explore Kavi’s world, enter to win Kavi product and receive a free giveaway (while supplies last), plus enjoy Kavi-inspired activities and experiences throughout the month of January and beyond.
  • Tune in to Kavi-inspired videos on both American Girl’s popular YouTube and YouTube Kids Channel, including a six-episode Kavi animated series, plus a music video, and other Kavi-inspired digital and social content throughout the year.
  • Tour Kavi’s room, play games, and learn more about each American Girl character via the brand’s free Virtual Museum experience.
  • Read about Why Kavi Matters, including a Q&A with author Varsha Bajaj.

 

The Kavi product collection is available December 29, 2022, at americangirl.com and at all American Girl retail locations nationwide and, starting January 1, 2023, at American Girl specialty boutiques at select Indigo™ and Chapters™ locations in Canada and online at Indigo.ca. The hardcover book, It’s Showtime, Kavi, will be available at American Girl and other retail and online booksellers later in 2023.

 

ABOUT AMERICAN GIRL

American Girl is a premium brand for girls and a wholly-owned subsidiary of Mattel, Inc. (NASDAQ:MAT, www.mattel.com), a leading global toy company and owner of one of the strongest catalogs of children’s and family entertainment franchises in the world. Headquartered in Middleton, WI, American Girl offers an inspiring world of dolls, content, and experiences that nourish a girl’s spirit and help develop her strength of character. Best-selling lines include Truly Me™, Girl of the Year™, Bitty Baby®, WellieWishers™, Create Your Own™, and American Girl’s classic historical characters. The company sells products through its award-winning catalogue, on americangirl.com, in its proprietary U.S. experiential retail stores, as well as at specialty retailers nationwide. By inspiring girls to be their best, American Girl has earned the loyalty of millions and the praise and trust of parents and educators. Connect with American Girl on:

Facebook: @americangirl
Twitter: @American_Girl
Instagram: @americangirlbrand
Pinterest: agofficial

MAT-AG

Contacts

Susan Jevens, American Girl: susan.jevens@americangirl.com
Julie Parks, American Girl: julie.parks@americangirl.com
Hannah Jones, Weber Shandwick: hjones@webershandwick.com

Categories
Business Culture Lifestyle

Cross River Bank spreads holiday cheer and warmth to children in need

Company’s compassion shines bright with continued commitment to giving back to the local community

Employees spearhead initiatives to pay it forward with organizations like Hindi’s Libraries and students at Chancellor Avenue School

 

FORT LEE, N.J. — (BUSINESS WIRE) — Cross River Bank “(Cross River),” a technology infrastructure provider that offers embedded financial solutions, spent the month of December spreading holiday cheer—specifically to children in need—through employee-driven volunteer opportunities and impactful philanthropy. The New Jersey-based technology company continues to focus on investing deeply in initiatives that help communities drive positive change for a better future.

 

Since inception, Cross River’s focus has been on giving back, and throughout the pandemic the Company has been at the forefront of helping businesses survive and saving jobs. Through the team’s herculean efforts, Cross River was able to save more than 1.4 million jobs through the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). This holiday season, Cross River is helping the New Jersey community through a series of donations and drives that will make the season a bit brighter for families still recovering from the financial impacts of recent years.

 

“The winter holiday season is, understandably, a tough time for many—especially those experiencing financial hardships,” said Phil Goldfeder, SVP Global Public Affairs at Cross River. “At Cross River, we have always, and will always, be committed to our community and doing whatever good we can to bring some joy and basic necessities to those in need. We’re proud of our employee culture, which is filled with like-minded individuals who gave both sweat equity and equity to help others.”

 

Year-round, Cross River provides financial literacy trainings through community partners, so this holiday season, the Company decided to help to spread a love of general literacy by providing increased reading options for local communities through a book drive. Cross River employees also packed and donated the children’s and young adult books to Hindi’s Libraries, an organization which collects and donates new and gently used children’s books to families in need across the globe through their network of over 750 nonprofit partners. The books from Cross River’s drive went to Bergen HEARTS, an organization that provides services for Bergen County families facing homelessness.

 

The team wrapped up the Company’s community giving efforts with the 4th annual “Sharing the Warmth”, an initiative spearheaded by Cross River employees, focused on providing winter essentials for students at the Chancellor Avenue Elementary School in Newark, NJ. Employees from teams across Cross River packaged and delivered over 1,500 gloves, hats and scarves with smiles to the students on December 19th.

 

“Chancellor Avenue School and its Falcons are eternally grateful for Cross River’s generosity and philanthropy,” enthused Kashon Lopes, Principal at Chancellor Avenue School. “This year is particularly special because the hats, scarves, and gloves will keep our students warm this holiday season. Thank you for paying it forward to our Falcon family! We appreciate you all.”

 

A leading financial technology company reshaping global finance and financial inclusion, Cross River has been committed to social responsibility since inception. The Company’s impact spans philanthropic giving and social responsibility initiatives. Cross River is especially proud of its significant employee engagement, which includes charitable giving and stepping up in times of need—whether through impactful philanthropy or rising to support small businesses during times of crisis.

 

About Cross River

Cross River provides technology infrastructure powering the future of financial services. Leveraging its proprietary real-time banking core, Cross River delivers innovative and scalable embedded payments, cards, lending and crypto solutions to millions of consumers and businesses. Cross River is backed by leading investors and serves the world’s most essential fintech and technology companies. Together with its partners, Cross River is reshaping global finance and financial inclusion. Member FDIC. Find out more at www.crossriver.com.

Contacts

Mackenzie DeLuca

Mdeluca@crossriver.com
(201) 808-7000 x 778

Categories
Art & Life Culture Lifestyle Travel & Leisure

Celebrating 20 years of Rose Parade participation, the 2023 Donate Life Rose Parade® float, ‘Lifting Each Other Up’ will honor 59 organ, eye and tissue donors and recipients

The float will be featured on the 2023 Rose Parade® on New Year’s Day

 

LOS ANGELES — (BUSINESS WIRE) — The Donate Life community is celebrating 20 years of participation in the traditional Rose Parade in Pasadena. The 2023 Donate Life Rose Parade® float, “Lifting Each Other Up,” will feature 59 honorees representing 24 states in the United States. With ages ranging from 17 to 78 years old for riders and walkers, and from 3 1/2 months old to 68 years old for floragraph honorees, these participants and their families will travel to Pasadena to be part of America’s Donate Life celebration on New Year’s Day’s traditional Rose Parade®.


The 2023 Donate Life Float will feature:

  • 4 walkers, including living donors, as well as organ recipients
  • 16 riders who are organ and tissue recipients
  • 39 floragraphs (floral portraits) representing organ, eye and tissue donors who gave the gift of life to others

 

Float Walkers
Four honorees whose lives were connected to organ donation will walk alongside the 2023 Donate Life float. The 2023 Donate Life float walkers include Keith Gooch, a 63-year-old living kidney donor from Fresno, Calif. who helped start a kidney chain that saved nine lives, including the life of his late brother.

 

Additional walkers include:

  • Thomas Dougall, a 67-year-old living kidney donor from Columbia, SC, who will be accompanied by his wife and his neighbor and kidney recipient, Jo Byrd
  • Wendy Dougall from Columbia, SC, a 63-year-old tissue recipient who is an advocate for donation, and who will walk next to her husband, Thomas, who is a living donor
  • Yadira Ortega, a 37-year-old from Anaheim, Calif., who donated one of her kidneys, as well as stem cells to her brother Ricardo, as part of a groundbreaking medical study conducted by UCLA and funded by OneLegacy that will hopefully eliminate the need for anti-rejection medications on organ transplant patients in the future.

 

Bios to all four 2023 Donate Life float walkers are available here:

https://donatelifefloat.org/si/participants/2023/walkers.html

 

Float Riders

The 2023 Donate Life float will feature 16 riders including Dr. Martha Gonzalez de Vidal, a 67-year-old Mexican American obstetrician from Hermosa Beach, Calif. who, after the COVID-19 virus destroyed her lungs, received a lifesaving double lung transplant in 2022.

 

Additional float riders include:

  • Bree Majsiak, a 28-year-old nerve allograft tissue recipient from Los Angeles, Calif.
  • Caitlin Pendzinski, a 24-year-old kidney recipient from Monroe City, MO
  • David Wheelis, a 36-year-old liver recipient from Oklahoma City, OK
  • Goldie Williams, a 38-year-old liver recipient from Oakland, Calif.
  • Harleen (Leena) Sandhu, a 51-year-old kidney recipient from East Windsor, NJ
  • Hayden Schiller, a 20-year-old bone tissue recipient from Vancouver, WA
  • Jo Byrd, a 78-year-old kidney recipient from Columbia, SC, whose living donor will also be honored on the float
  • Dr. Larry Yokoyama, a 68-year-old kidney recipient from Bakersfield, Calif. whose kidney donor will also be honored with a floragraph on the float
  • Lavender McKillip, a 17-year-old liver recipient from Sparks, NV
  • Marcus Roberts, a 43-year-old heart and kidney recipient from Long Beach, Calif.
  • Mary Louis, a 50-year-old skin tissue recipient from Baytown, TX
  • Megan Mehta, a 19-year-old heart recipient from Pleasanton, Calif.
  • Olga Gomez, a 59-year-old liver and kidney recipient who is currently waiting for a kidney transplant from Ontario, Calif.
  • Ricardo Ortega, a 33-year-old kidney recipient from Bellflower, Calif., whose sister and kidney donor will also be honored on the float
  • Xavier McLeod, an 18-year-old kidney recipient from Lemon Grove, Calif.

 

Bios to the 2023 Donate Life float riders are available here:

https://donatelifefloat.org/si/participants/2023/riders.html

 

Floragraph Honorees

39 deceased donors will be memorialized with floral portraits or floragraphs placed on the body of the legendary Asian dragon which serves as the centerpiece of the 2023 Donate Life float. These donors gave the ultimate gift of life to save and heal others through the power of organ, eye and tissue donation. The floragraphs were made using organic materials like rice, farina, coffee, yellow millet, and cinnamon.

 

Among the 2023 floragraph honorees is James Parsons, a 57-year-old avid handyman from New Market, AL, who was part of a groundbreaking study. Upon his being declared brain dead, and while on a respirator, he was the first human selected to successfully receive a genetically modified pig kidney. The kidneys produced urine throughout the 77-hour study, now called “The Parsons Model.” Doctors will conduct more testing with hopes of implanting pig kidneys into living humans.

 

The 2023 Donate Life float floragraph honorees include:

  • Tammy McKeown, a 47-year-old travel enthusiast from Bakersfield who saved three lives as an organ donor, and whose kidney recipient will also be honored on the float
  • Amanda Wilken, a 23-year-old gifted student from Norwalk, IA, who wanted to become a pharmacist and help veterans
  • Anthony Galvan, a 23-year-old outdoors enthusiast and tissue donor from Ontario, Calif.
  • Asante Contreras, a 20-year-old EMT and tissue and cornea donor from Del Rio, TX
  • Barbara Schmit, a 65-year-old outgoing woman from Tustin, Calif. who became an organ, eye and tissue donor in 2021
  • Brittany Hoover, a 32-year-old hard working woman and organ, eye and tissue donor from Virginia Beach, VA
  • Dalton Rashad Criss, an 18-year-old musician, athlete and prolific student from Peru, NY who became an organ, eye and tissue donor
  • Ivan Sandoval, a 5-year-old superhero enthusiast from Anaheim, Calif. who became an organ and tissue donor
  • Joseph Peter Keenan, a 48-year-old hairstylist from Pawtucket, RI who saved 3 lives as an organ donor
  • Kaylea Curry, a quirky and creative 10-year-old girl who donated her organs, corneas and tissue

 

Bios to all 39 floragraph honorees for the 2022 Donate Life float are available here:

https://donatelifefloat.org/si/participants/2023/floragraphs.html

The Donate Life Rose Parade float is produced by OneLegacy, designed by Charles Meier, built by Fiesta Parade Floats and made possible thanks to more than 50 sponsors, including: American Association of Tissue Banks, Artivion, AxoGen Corporation, Bridge to Life, Cedars-Sinai, We Are Sharing Hope SC, Center For Donation and Transplant, Community Tissue Services, David’s Final Flight, Ryan’s Legacy, Dignity Memorial Providers of Las Vegas, New Jersey and Seattle, Donate Life California, Donate Life Indiana, Donate Life South Carolina, Donor Alliance, Donor Network West, Global Transplant Solutions, Indiana Donor Network, Iowa Donor Network, JJ’s Legacy, Kamden’s Group Hug, Inc., Legacy Donor Services Foundation, Legacy of Hope, UAB Medicine, LifeCenter Northwest, LifeLink Foundation, LifeNet Health, LifeShare of OK, Lifesharing, Louisiana Organ Procurement Agency, Midwest Transplant Network, MTF Biologics, Nevada Donor Network, New England Donor Services, OneLegacy, RTI Donor Services, Sharing Network Foundation, Student Organ Donation Advocates, Thermo Fisher Scientific, UAB Medicine, Union County Community Foundation, We are Sharing Hope, SC, Xtant Medical, Mark Wesley Pinckard – Renaissance Scholarship Fund, CPMC, Stanford Children’s Hospital, UCSF Health, CompuMed, First Republic Bank and Specialist Direct.

 

As the world’s most visible campaign to inspire organ, eye and tissue donation, the Donate Life Rose Parade® float inspires viewers to help the more than one million people in need of organ, eye or tissue transplants each year. Register today to become an organ, eye or tissue donor by visiting http://registerme.org/campaign/float.

 

About Donate Life America

Donate Life America is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit alliance of national organizations and state teams across the United States committed to increasing organ, eye and tissue donation. Donate Life America manages and promotes the national brand for donation, Donate Life, and assists Donate Life State Teams and national partners in facilitating high-performing donor registries; developing and executing effective multi-media donor education programs; and motivating the American public to register now as organ, eye and tissue donors.

Contacts

Tania Llavaneras

213/229-5654

Tllavaneras@onelegacy.org

Ross Goldberg

818/597-8453

ross@kevinross.net

Categories
Business Lifestyle

AM Best assigns Issue Credit Rating to Knighthead Annuity & Life Assurance Company’s newly issued surplus notes

OLDWICK, N.J. — (BUSINESS WIRE) — #insurance — AM Best has assigned a Long-Term Issue Credit Rating of “bbb” (Good) to the newly issued $50 million 9.375% surplus notes due 2042 issued by Knighthead Annuity & Life Assurance Company (Knighthead Annuity) (Cayman Islands). The outlook assigned to the Credit Rating (rating) is stable.

The proceeds from this debt issuance are expected to be used for general corporate purposes, including assumption of additional reinsurance and merger & acquisition activity. AM Best notes that Knighthead Annuity’s financial leverage will increase modestly, remaining well within AM Best’s guidelines for its current rating. AM Best views Knighthead Annuity’s debt-servicing capabilities favorably, with sufficient liquidity to service its debt and access to additional capital through its holding company.

 

AM Best notes that these surplus notes are to be issued by a Cayman-domiciled life insurance company. The notes have similar characteristics as traditional notes issued in the United States and repayment of interest, principal and any redemption related to the notes may be made only with the prior approval from the Cayman Islands Monetary Authority. The notes are subordinate to the claims of the policyholders, claimants and beneficiaries, as well as all other Knighthead Annuity creditors. The company has the option to redeem all or a portion of the note after 10 years, in 2032.

 

This press release relates to Credit Ratings that have been published on AM Best’s website. For all rating information relating to the release and pertinent disclosures, including details of the office responsible for issuing each of the individual ratings referenced in this release, please see AM Best’s Recent Rating Activity web page. For additional information regarding the use and limitations of Credit Rating opinions, please view Guide to Best’s Credit Ratings. For information on the proper use of Best’s Credit Ratings, Best’s Performance Assessments, Best’s Preliminary Credit Assessments and AM Best press releases, please view Guide to Proper Use of Best’s Ratings & Assessments.

 

AM Best is a global credit rating agency, news publisher and data analytics provider specializing in the insurance industry. Headquartered in the United States, the company does business in over 100 countries with regional offices in London, Amsterdam, Dubai, Hong Kong, Singapore and Mexico City. For more information, visit www.ambest.com.

 

Copyright © 2022 by A.M. Best Rating Services, Inc. and/or its affiliates. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Contacts

Brian Keleher

Financial Analyst

+1 908 439 2200, ext. 5586

brian.keleher@ambest.com

Michael Adams

Associate Director

+1 908 439 2200, ext. 5133

michael.adams@ambest.com

Christopher Sharkey

Manager, Public Relations

+1 908 439 2200, ext. 5159

christopher.sharkey@ambest.com

Al Slavin

Senior Public Relations Specialist

+1 908 439 2200, ext. 5098

al.slavin@ambest.com

Categories
Art & Life Culture Lifestyle

Power Home Remodeling hosts 10th Annual Quest Music Festival featuring Bruno Mars, Wiz Khalifa, Quinn XCII, & more

The top workplace’s annual holiday party provides private music festival, wellness retreat, and immersive art experience all in one as an end-of-year thank you to employees

 

CHESTER, Pa. — (BUSINESS WIRE) — Power Home Remodeling “(Power),” a Fortune 100 Best Company to Work For, hosted their annual ‘Quest’ music festival and retreat in Cancun, Mexico December 14th – 16th featuring a collection of internationally-recognized, Grammy-award winning musical acts that haven’t been seen together anywhere else.


The unprecedented roster brought together a mix of world-renowned artists like 15-time Grammy award-winning singer/songwriter, Bruno Mars; and multi-platinum selling, Grammy and Golden Globe nominated recording artist Wiz Khalifa; alongside a host of additional artists who have graced major stages around the world.

 

These global stars were also joined by a diverse mix of emerging talents like multi-platinum selling artist Quinn XCII, who’s accumulated over 3.5 billion global streams and has sold out iconic venues like Radio City Music Hall and The Greek Theatre; and contemporary electronic dance pop trio, A R I Z O N A, who’s generated over one billion streams worldwide and earned praise by Forbes. The 2022 Quest lineup featured (in alphabetical order):

  • A R I Z O N A
  • Bruno Mars
  • Bryce Vine
  • Quinn XCII
  • Wiz Khalifa
  • And more. To get an inside look at the event, check out #QuestByPower on Instagram.

 

To envision Quest, think Coachella meets a wellness retreat meets a beach vacation — except instead of bumping elbows with 100,000 spectators, it’s an exclusive viewing party for you, your closest friends and loved ones on the beaches of Mexico. Your ticket in? Being a Power employee. Room, board, food, swag, and admission to one of the hottest music festivals of the year are all included in this unique workplace perk. As an added bonus, Power employees are also able to bring their significant other.

 

Since 2012, Power has hosted the three-day retreat and exclusive music festival to celebrate the hard work and accomplishments of their employees from the last 365 days. Past musical performances have included more multiplatinum artists who’ve sold out major music venues around the world and dominated the Billboard Top 100 — and this year’s event was aimed to top them all.

 

“We strongly believe that there’s a direct correlation between the quality of someone’s experiences and the quality of their life, and we want to provide our people with an experience they couldn’t dream of – or get – anywhere else,” said Power co-CEO, Asher Raphael. “Our Quest music festival is an investment in our people, and investing in our people has always been, and will always be, the best investment we could make.”

 

Quest is created for Power employees, by Power employees. The company’s internal Brand and People Experience departments intentionally create every element of the event, from interactive art installations, to curating the music lineup, to designing Quest merchandise for attendees to remember their unique experience. In fact, the home remodeling company dedicates approximately 2% of top-line revenue every year on more than 250 unique internal events and experiences to foster both personal and professional development, and Quest is one of the most anticipated. This year’s signup period sold out in just seven minutes.

 

Those looking to score a spot to next year’s exclusive Quest music festival can visit apply.workatpower.com/job for open career opportunities across Power’s 18 territories nationwide.

 

Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | LinkedIn | Instagram

 

About Power Home Remodeling

Power Home Remodeling is a dream realization company — believing its purpose is to create positive change in everything the company touches — from customers’ homes to employees’ lives to the communities they live and work in. Power realizes this purpose by being people-first. Its employees and customers come before profit and their well-being factors into every business decision. Established in 1992, Power is the nation’s largest, full-service, exterior home remodeler with more than 3,000 employees, over one million lifetime customers, and $1 billion in annual revenue. Headquartered in the Philadelphia region, Power’s primary product line includes windows, siding, roofing, doors, solar roofing panels, and attic insulation, providing energy-saving solutions to residents across its operating territories, including Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Washington D.C., and Wisconsin.

Contacts

Andrea Recine

Public Relations Manager

andrea.recine@powerhrg.com
609-477-9217

Categories
Business Healthcare Lifestyle Science

PeptiDream announces collaboration and license agreement with MSD for the discovery and development of novel peptide drug conjugates

KANAGAWA, Japan — (BUSINESS WIRE) — #MSD — PeptiDream Inc., a public Kanagawa, Japan-based biopharmaceutical company (President: Patrick C. Reid, hereinafter “PeptiDream”) (Tokyo: 4587)  announced on Tuesday a new multi-target collaboration and license Agreement with U.S.-based Merck & Co, Inc., Rahway, N.J., U.S.A., known as “MSD” outside the U.S. and Canada, through a subsidiary, focused on the discovery and development of novel peptide drug conjugates (“PDCs”).

 

Under the agreement, PeptiDream will provide peptide candidates identified from PeptiDream’s proprietary Peptide Discovery Platform System (“PDPS”) technology for use as PDCs against targets of interest to MSD. MSD will have exclusive rights to the peptide candidates for conjugation to cytotoxic payloads and will be responsible for all development aspects of any PDC products arising from the collaboration.

 

The new collaboration and license agreement builds upon the long collaborative relationship between the companies, which started with a multi-target discovery and optimization collaboration in April 2015.

 

Under the terms of the agreement, PeptiDream will receive an upfront payment from MSD and be eligible for payments based on the achievement of specified development, regulatory, and commercial milestones potentially totaling up to $2.1 billion (¥275billion (1USD = 131JPY)). In addition, PeptiDream is eligible to receive royalties on net sales of any such products.

 

“I am excited to announce this collaboration with MSD for the discovery and development of peptide drug conjugates, to further expand on our pipeline of innovative PDC therapeutics. We look forward to continuing to work with the excellent team at MSD as we build on years of collaboration.” said Patrick C. Reid PhD, President & CEO of PeptiDream.

 

About PeptiDream Inc.

PeptiDream Inc. (Tokyo Stock Exchange Prime Market 4587) is leading the translation of macrocyclic peptides into a whole new class of innovative medicines to address unmet medical needs and improve the quality of life of patients worldwide. Founded in 2006, PeptiDream employs its proprietary Peptide Discovery Platform System (PDPS) technology, a state-of-the-art highly versatile discovery platform which enables the production of highly diverse (trillions) non-standard peptide libraries with high efficiency, for the identification of highly potent and selective macrocyclic peptide candidates, which then can be developed into peptide-based, small molecule-based, or peptide-drug conjugate (PDC)-based therapeutics and diagnostics. PeptiDream has an extensive global network of discovery and development partners driving the development and commercialization of a broad and diversified pipeline of investigational therapeutics. PeptiDream also markets and sells a number of radiopharmaceutical and radiodiagnostic products in Japan, through its wholly owned subsidiary, PDRadiopharma. PeptiDream is headquartered in Kawasaki, Japan. For more information about our company, science and pipeline, please visit www.peptidream.com.

Contacts

Inquiries:
PeptiDream Inc.
Contact: Yuko Okimoto, IR & Public Affairs

Email: y-okimoto@peptidream.com

Categories
Culture Lifestyle Technology

NICE Enlighten AI receives 2022 CUSTOMER Magazine Innovation Award for setting the standard in customer experience

Enlighten AI for CSAT is honored for improving customer service technology through all channels

 

HOBOKEN, N.J. — (BUSINESS WIRE) — #NICE—NICE (Nasdaq: NICE) today announced that TMC, a global, integrated media company, and CUSTOMER Magazine has named NICE Enlighten AI for Customer Satisfaction as a 2022 award winner for Customer Experience Innovation. The 2022 Customer Experience Innovation Award recognizes best-in-class companies setting the standard in delivering exceptional customer experiences through all channels.

 

Enlighten AI for Customer Satisfaction (CSAT) is NICE’s industry leading Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence (AI) ‘out-of-the-box’ solution that drives exceptional customer experiences by consistently and objectively scoring the agent behaviors that positively impact customer satisfaction, in real-time.

 

Traditional, manual interaction assessments of agent performance are time consuming, subjective and rely on a small random sample size that isn’t representative of an agent’s overall performance. Enlighten AI for CSAT removes the burden and subjectivity of manual evaluations by automatically analyzing every moment of every interaction, whether they happen across digital or voice channels. Measuring and improving upon agent soft-skills behaviors – such as showing empathy, demonstrating ownership, acknowledging loyalty – have been proven to directly influence customer satisfaction.

 

By automating scoring of agent soft skills on 100% of interactions and empowering agents with performance dashboards and the opportunity to self-correct, Enlighten AI offers a more objective standard to process. Supervisor dashboards allow supervisors to monitor team performance; see who is struggling and provide targeted coaching in minutes. Furthermore, Enlighten AI captures the customer data from each interaction and then operationalizes these customer insights, accelerating action, and turning customer service into a real competitive differentiator.

 

“NICE is laser-focused on innovating new AI-driven technologies to enhance contact center performance and help businesses deliver exceptional CX,” said Barry Cooper, President, CX Division, NICE. “Enlighten AI for Customer Satisfaction is the proud result of years of R&D and access to the world’s largest interaction dataset across industries. This solution provides our customers with AI-driven insights and analysis of the behaviors that create improved experiences for their own customers, and therefore provides a competitive advantage.”

 

“Congratulations to NICE for receiving a 2022 Customer Experience Innovation Award. NICE was selected for setting the standard in delivering world-class customer experiences across all channels,” said Rich Tehrani, CEO, TMC. “We’re pleased to recognize this achievement and look to continued innovation from NICE in 2023 and beyond.”

 

To learn how organizations are delivering exceptional CX by improving agent behaviors, please visit our website for videos, demos, and expert articles: www.nice.com/enlighten-ai.

 

About CUSTOMER

Since 1982, CUSTOMER magazine (formerly Customer Interaction Solutions) has been the voice of the customer experience, call/contact center, CRM and teleservices industries. CUSTOMER has helped the industry germinate, grow, mature and prosper, and has served as the leading publication in helping these industries that have had such a positive impact on the world economy to continue to thrive. Through a combination of outstanding and cutting-edge original editorial, industry voices, in-depth lab reviews and the recognition of the innovative leaders in management and technology through our highly valued awards, CUSTOMER strives to continue to be the publication that holds the quality bar high for the industry. Please visit http://www.customer.tmcnet.com.

 

About NICE

With NICE (Nasdaq: NICE), it’s never been easier for organizations of all sizes around the globe to create extraordinary customer experiences while meeting key business metrics. Featuring the world’s #1 cloud native customer experience platform, CXone, NICE is a worldwide leader in AI-powered self-service and agent-assisted CX software for the contact center – and beyond. Over 25,000 organizations in more than 150 countries, including over 85 of the Fortune 100 companies, partner with NICE to transform – and elevate – every customer interaction. www.nice.com

 

Trademark Note: NICE and the NICE logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of NICE Ltd. All other marks are trademarks of their respective owners. For a full list of NICE’s marks, please see: www.nice.com/nice-trademarks.

 

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements as that term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking statements, including the statements by Mr. Cooper, are based on the current beliefs, expectations and assumptions of the management of NICE Ltd. (the “Company”). In some cases, such forward-looking statements can be identified by terms such as “believe,” “expect,” “seek,” “may,” “will,” “intend,” “should,” “project,” “anticipate,” “plan,” “estimate,” or similar words. Forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause the actual results or performance of the Company to differ materially from those described herein, including but not limited to the impact of changes in economic and business conditions, including as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic; competition; successful execution of the Company’s growth strategy; success and growth of the Company’s cloud Software-as-a-Service business; changes in technology and market requirements; decline in demand for the Company’s products; inability to timely develop and introduce new technologies, products and applications; difficulties or delays in absorbing and integrating acquired operations, products, technologies and personnel; loss of market share; an inability to maintain certain marketing and distribution arrangements; the Company’s dependency on third-party cloud computing platform providers, hosting facilities and service partners;, cyber security attacks or other security breaches against the Company; the effect of newly enacted or modified laws, regulation or standards on the Company and our products and various other factors and uncertainties discussed in our filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”). For a more detailed description of the risk factors and uncertainties affecting the company, refer to the Company’s reports filed from time to time with the SEC, including the Company’s Annual Report on Form 20-F. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release are made as of the date of this press release, and the Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise them, except as required by law.

Contacts

Corporate Media Contact
Cindy Morgan-Olson, +1 646 408 5896, ET, cindy.morgan-olson@niceactimize.com

Investors
Marty Cohen, +1 551 256 5354, ET, ir@nice.com
Omri Arens, +972 3 763 0127, CET, ir@nice.com

Categories
Business Special/Sponsored Content

New Jersey Resources announces executive promotions

WALL, N.J. — (BUSINESS WIRE) — New Jersey Resources (NYSE: NJR) announced the following executive promotions that position the company to execute on its growth strategy and information technology (IT) priorities.

 

Jacqueline K. Shea has been promoted to Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer. Ms. Shea joined NJR in 2016 as Vice President and Chief Information Officer after serving more than three decades in the IT industry. In this senior leadership role, she leads the digital transformation strategy and is responsible for overseeing the enterprise-wide modernization of NJR’s digital business applications and IT infrastructure in alignment with its core business strategies. Ms. Shea also leads the investment, planning and management of the company’s IT portfolio, including cyber security, information infrastructure, internet and business applications, technology innovation and overall end-user support.

 

Stephen Skrocki, Corporate Controller, was named Principal Accounting Officer and a member of NJR’s leadership team. Mr. Skrocki joined the company in 2017 as Assistant Corporate Controller and was promoted to Corporate Controller in 2021 with responsibility for NJR’s accounting functions. Previously, Mr. Skrocki served in a variety of roles of increasing responsibility, most recently as Audit Director at BDO USA, a leading provider of assurance, tax and advisory services.

 

“Jackie and Stephen are valued members of our team and continue to distinguish themselves with sound leadership, proven expertise and a commitment to excellence,” said Steve Westhoven, President and CEO of New Jersey Resources. “I am confident they will continue to excel in their leadership roles and support the continued growth and performance of our company.”

 

These changes will be effective January 1, 2023.

 

About New Jersey Resources

New Jersey Resources (NYSE: NJR) is a Fortune 1000 company that, through its subsidiaries, provides safe and reliable natural gas and clean energy services, including transportation, distribution, asset management and home services. NJR is composed of five primary businesses:

  • New Jersey Natural Gas, NJR’s principal subsidiary, operates and maintains over 7,700 miles of natural gas transportation and distribution infrastructure to serve over 569,000 customers in New Jersey’s Monmouth, Ocean and parts of Morris, Middlesex and Burlington counties.
  • NJR Clean Energy Ventures invests in, owns and operates solar projects with a total capacity of more than 380 megawatts, providing residential and commercial customers with low-carbon solutions.
  • NJR Energy Services manages a diversified portfolio of natural gas transportation and storage assets and provides physical natural gas services and customized energy solutions to its customers across North America.
  • Storage & Transportation serves customers from local distributors and producers to electric generators and wholesale marketers through its ownership of Leaf River and the Adelphia Gateway Pipeline Project, as well as our 50% equity ownership in the Steckman Ridge natural gas storage facility.
  • NJR Home Services provides service contracts as well as heating, central air conditioning, water heaters, standby generators, solar and other indoor and outdoor comfort products to residential homes throughout New Jersey.

 

NJR and its nearly 1,300 employees are committed to helping customers save energy and money by promoting conservation and encouraging efficiency through Conserve to Preserve® and initiatives such as The SAVEGREEN Project® and The Sunlight Advantage®.

 

Follow us on Twitter @NJNaturalGas.
“Like” us on facebook.com/NewJerseyNaturalGas.

Contacts

Media:
Mike Kinney

732-938-1031

mkinney@njresources.com

Investor:
Adam Prior

732-938-1145

aprior@njresources.com

Categories
Environment Lifestyle Technology

Luminia processes over $2.5 billion in solar financing requests in 2022 to fuel 600+ MW project pipeline

Company increases active development with nearly 100 partners, including community solar projects across five major U.S. markets

 

SAN DIEGO — (BUSINESS WIRE) — Luminia accelerated commercial solar and storage adoption in a breakout year for the company by processing over $2.5 billion in financing requests across the U.S. for solar-plus-storage projects averaging over 1 MW, resulting in Development Agreements for almost 200 MWs of commercial solar projects, with an active development pipeline of an additional 600 MWs. This includes engaging with dozens of real estate portfolio owners, such as Gables Residential, representing nearly 900 million square feet of commercial, industrial, multifamily and hospitality properties.


In addition to expansions for its advanced technology platform for on-the-spot pricing proposals, instant property prequalification and portfolio analysis, Luminia also expanded its reach in community solar with key partners like New Hampshire Solar Garden.

 

“Our extensive background in renewable energy, commercial real estate and capital markets has given us a key advantage in delivering solutions that are uniquely suited to complex commercial markets,” said David Field, CEO and co-founder of Luminia. “By eliminating the financing barriers that once hindered commercial solar progress, we are experiencing explosive demand from our top rated solar partners, especially in the burgeoning community solar space.”

 

According to the Solar Energy Industry Association (SEIA), 41 states have deployed at least one community solar project, with an anticipated 5 GW of capacity to be added in the next five years. Luminia, which closed on 15 MW of community solar in Maine earlier this year, provides unique access to intermediate and long-term financing, driving down the cost of development for community solar and rooftop portfolio projects. With over 600 MW in the pipeline, the company is also developing community solar projects in five key markets, including Massachusetts, New York, Maine, New Hampshire and New Jersey. Projects vary in size and scope to meet individual state and municipal requirements with the pipeline of projects having an average system size of 9.5 MW.

 

In 2022, Luminia’s first-of-its-kind financing solutions catered to commercial property owners across 36 states with diverse needs. Luminia solutions scale from multifamily and industrial REIT portfolios to private education institutions to agricultural farms. Luminia allows property owners to gain access to a range of sustainability and asset value improvements, such as electric vehicle charging infrastructure, or water conservation improvements, without any out-of-pocket money down, or corporate or personal guarantees, like for this Sacramento farm.

 

Luminia continues to expand its suite of financial offerings catered specifically to large commercial portfolio owners. “Our team brings decades of experience as owners and lessors of tenant-occupied commercial real estate. Our REIT-friendly financing structures allow landlords to efficiently share the benefits of solar with their tenants, enabling both landlords and tenants to profitably accelerate solar adoption and meet their ESG objectives,” said Jim Kelly, co-founder of Luminia. “In addition, our strategic focus on community solar provides yet another option for our portfolio clients to monetize their rooftops.”

 

Luminia’s solution was also recently launched on Energy Toolbase’s ETB Developer platform, which now allows renewable energy developers to quickly access Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) quotes and additional financing options that match their customers’ needs directly within the ETB platform.

 

To learn how solar developers are utilizing Luminia financing to procure more business and how commercial property owners are achieving environmental, social, and governance (ESG) goals while increasing net operating income, visit luminia.io.

 

About Luminia

Founded in 2019, California-based Luminia provides unique financing and technology platform solutions that enable the deployment of commercial property sustainability improvements and community solar projects at scale. Through novel financing options and artificial intelligence-driven commercial real estate portfolio analysis, Luminia empowers commercial and industrial property owners to implement holistic clean energy and energy efficiency upgrades without barriers. Luminia partners with property owners, solar developers and portfolio managers to provide purpose-built solutions that offer the greatest potential economic benefit and advance a property’s ability to meet ESG requirements. For more information, visit luminia.io.

Contacts

Christine Bennett for Luminia

christine@cleantechcommunication.com | +1 925.330.4783