Category: Business

Categories
Business International & World Lifestyle Technology

Align voted Best Cloud Services Provider by both Hedgeweek and Private Equity Wire

NEW YORK — (BUSINESS WIRE) — #alternativeinvestment — Align, the premier global provider of technology infrastructure solutions and Managed IT Services, announces today that it has been awarded Best Cloud Services Provider in the 2023 Hedgeweek’s Hedge Fund Emerging Manager US Awards and the Private Equity Wire’s 2023 Emerging Manager Awards.

 

Both awards are earned from online voting in which financial services professionals are invited to nominate the “best in class” providers in a variety of categories.


As a managed service provider, offering top-of-the-line cloud services is imperative – especially today, when businesses rely so heavily on cloud-based applications. The Align IT Suite, Align’s complete Managed Services platform, is built on the foundation of the Microsoft public cloud, offering flexible, secure, compliant managed services for clients, particularly those in the alternative investment industry.

 

“We are honored to be recognized by both Hedgeweek and Private Equity Wire,” says Vinod Paul, Chief Operating Officer of Align Managed Services.

 

“The past several years has put an emphasis on service providers as we’ve all had to rise to the challenge of adjusting to meet the new set of needs and security risks introduced by the major shift in the workforce. We were proactive in this adjustment; and built our cornerstone managed IT offering, the Align IT Suite, in the Microsoft public cloud to provide clients with scalable, flexible IT solutions. It is always appreciated to be recognized for our commitment to providing the best-in-class solutions to our clients, even more so to be recognized for our outstanding performance as a cloud provider in two separate awards within the same year. We are very proud of this achievement.”

 

This double recognition only further cements Align’s reputation in the industry. Align was the first Managed Services Provider to offer a fully Public Cloud based platform focused on the Alternative Financial Services industry. As a Tier 1 Microsoft Azure cloud services provider focused entirely on the alternative investment industry, Align enhanced this offering by also delivering cybersecurity solutions designed for the Registered Investment Advisors and ALT’s community. Align spearheaded the adoption of public cloud computing as the optimal foundation from which a modern fund manager’s IT environment should be designed. Leading firms around the world trust Align with their managed IT.

 

Align’s clients are primarily within the financial services industry, and the largest technological challenges they face surround the regulatory requirements and the changing cybersecurity threat landscape. These changes both in the financial sector and throughout businesses have created an entirely new set of consideration for clients; from annual proposed SEC changes in regulations to the shift in the workforce from largely in-person to more hybrid or remote work.

 

“Our award-winning solution makes managing IT and meeting the demands of security and compliance easy,” says Vinod Paul, Chief Operating Officer of Align. “Our services offer firms the assurance, dependability, and resiliency that is required to thrive in today’s changing IT landscape. With Align Managed Services, clients can leverage solutions designed to reduce operational costs, accelerate workflows, mitigate risk, and strengthen and streamline the numerous controls designed to meet both the current and ever-evolving regulatory compliance requirements and the prevailing due diligence expectations.”

 

Align’s unwavering commitment to improving our Managed IT Solutions directly impacts the success of its clients – because once a firm can meet certain regulations with ease, its business begins to thrive.

 

“Alongside our double recognition in cloud computing, we have taken strides to enhance our longstanding Managed Detection and Response (MDR) platform, Align Guardian, powered by Adlumin, within the last year. We have also begun to leverage AI support services and launched an “out of the box” onboarding experience through automation and AI that allows our clients to fully deploy its solution in 30 minutes,” says Chris Zadrima, Managing Director, Align Managed Services.

 

“From fundamental support functions to Cybersecurity, we have incorporated automated SOAR (Security Orchestration, automation, and response) functionality. We are extremely proud of the accomplishments our teams have made—this award demonstrates our commitment to continuously striving to enhance our offering.”

 

To learn more about Align, go to www.align.com and follow Align on LinkedIn and at @AlignITAdvisor on Twitter.

 

About Align

Align is a premier global provider of technology infrastructure solutions. For over 35 years, leading firms worldwide have relied on Align to guide them through IT challenges, delivering complete, secure solutions for business change and growth. Align is headquartered in Dallas, Texas and has offices in New York City, London, Chicago, San Francisco, Arizona, New Jersey, and Virginia. Learn more at www.align.com.

Contacts

Ashley Holbrook

marketing@align.com
212-546-6159

Categories
Art & Life Business Foodies/Tastylicious Lifestyle Perks

HEINZ® to launch six, limited-time sauces at restaurants nationwide

Viral sensations Rebecca Black, Kyle Craven & William Hung embrace ‘drop culture’ to bring unique, never-before-seen HEINZ sauces to fans across the country

 

PITTSBURGH & CHICAGO — (BUSINESS WIRE) — HEINZ® – the condiment category icon and leader – today announced the debut of six new, limited-time Sauce Drops.

 

With the help of viral sensations who know a little something about 15 minutes in the spotlight – Rebecca Black, Kyle Craven (AKA “Bad Luck Brian)” and singing competition sensation William Hung – HEINZ will “drop” one sauce per month at select restaurants across the U.S., giving each exotic and mouthwatering creation its 15 minutes of flavor.


Seventy percent of consumers consider themselves adventurous eaters and seek a greater variety of flavors from their favorite restaurants and brands.1 Inspired by these fan desires, the HEINZ Sauce Drops are designed to deliver on people’s hunger for uniqueness, as each provides an elevated flavor dipping experience unlike anything HEINZ has ever created.

 

The HEINZ Limited-Time Sauce flavors include:

  • HEINZ Yuzu Wasabi: Creamy with bright citrus notes and a surprising bite
  • HEINZ Black Garlic Ranch: A unique and intense experience, combining the mellow, deep flavor of black garlic with the smoothness of ranch
  • HEINZ Creamy Chimichurri: A traditional combination of herbs (parsley, oregano, cilantro) in a thick dipping sauce with a slight tang and bright herby punch
  • HEINZ Brewery Mustard: Pub-style grainy mustard sauce with an ale aroma and hoppy background
  • HEINZ Hatch Chili Ranch: A spicy smoky sauce enhanced with Southwest chilies
  • HEINZ Harissa Aioli: A smoky roasted red pepper blend with flavorful heat and a North African/Middle Eastern flair

 

“As a consumer obsessed brand at the forefront of food culture, we want to hijack fans’ behavior as they seek out new and unique flavors at their favorite restaurants,” said Diane Mays Doty, Associate Brand Manager, HEINZ Away from Home.

 

“Taking a page from the popular ‘drop culture,’ these Sauce Drops allow us to push portfolio boundaries with explorative flavors, while also allowing us to receive real-time fan feedback to inform what we bring to shelves nationwide.”

 

Each limited-time sauce is crafted for a variety of dipping occasions, pairing especially well with the crispy, savory taste of fried chicken. Kicking off today with the “Rebecca Black Garlic Ranch” drop, the sauces will be available at famous American chicken joints, including Parson’s Chicken & Fish locations in Chicago, Sticky’s Finger Joint locations in New York and New Jersey, and Abner’s Famous Chicken locations in Tennessee and Mississippi. Every month, HEINZ and one of the stars will take to social media to announce which of the six sauces will be dropping next.

 

The launch of the HEINZ Limited-Time Sauces Drops comes on the heels of HEINZ Remix, the first customizable digital sauce dispenser, and the brand’s new global creative platform “It Has to be Heinz.” As Kraft Heinz’s larger transformation reinvigorates HEINZ with new ambition and purpose, the new platform is rooted in the irrational love it inspires – from real fans’ personal love affairs with the brand, to the undeniable love and care its products are made with.

 

To learn more about the HEINZ limited-time Sauce Drops and track availability, fans can follow @HEINZ on Instagram and @HEINZ_us on TikTok. Fans can also visit www.heinz.com/15minutesofflavor to be the first to know about future sauce drops, full list of restaurant location and to play the new ‘15 Minutes of Flavor’ memory game.

 

1FMCG Experimenting With Flavors, September 2021

 

About the Kraft Heinz Company

We are driving transformation at The Kraft Heinz Company (Nasdaq: KHC), inspired by our Purpose, Let’s Make Life Delicious. Consumers are at the center of everything we do. With 2022 net sales of approximately $26 billion, we are committed to growing our iconic and emerging food and beverage brands on a global scale. We leverage our scale and agility to unleash the full power of Kraft Heinz across a portfolio of six consumer-driven product platforms. As global citizens, we’re dedicated to making a sustainable, ethical impact while helping feed the world in healthy, responsible ways. Learn more about our journey by visiting www.kraftheinzcompany.com or following us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Contacts

Bethany Stokoski

Zeno Group for HEINZ

Bethany.Stokoski@zenogroup.com

Alexandra Lieberman

The Kraft Heinz Company

Alexandra.Lieberman@KraftHeinz.com

Categories
Business Healthcare Lifestyle Science Technology

Catalent, Inc. announces third quarter fiscal year 2023 earnings via conference webcast

SOMERSET, N.J. — (BUSINESS WIRE) — Catalent, Inc. (NYSE: CTLT), the leader in enabling the development and supply of better treatments for patients worldwide, today announced that it will release financial results for the third quarter of fiscal year 2023 ended March 31, 2023, before the market open on Monday, June 12, 2023. The Company’s management will host a webcast to discuss the results at 8:15 a.m. ET on the same day.

 

Catalent invites all interested parties to listen to the webcast and view a supplemental slide presentation, both of which will be accessible through Catalent’s website at https://investor.catalent.com. The webcast replay, along with the supplemental slides, will be available for 90 days at https://investor.catalent.com.

 

About Catalent

Catalent, Inc., is the global leader in enabling pharma, biotech, and consumer health partners to optimize product development, launch, and full life-cycle supply for patients around the world. With broad and deep scale and expertise in development sciences, delivery technologies, and multi-modality manufacturing, Catalent is a preferred industry partner for personalized medicines, consumer health brand extensions, and blockbuster drugs. Catalent helps accelerate over 1,000 partner programs and launch over 150 new products every year. Its flexible manufacturing platforms at over 50 global sites supply around 80 billion doses of nearly 8,000 products annually. Catalent’s expert workforce of approximately 18,000 includes more than 3,000 scientists and technicians. Headquartered in Somerset, New Jersey, the company generated nearly $5 billion in revenue in its 2022 fiscal year. For more information www.catalent.com.

Contacts

Investor Contact:

Paul Surdez, Catalent, Inc.

(732) 537-6325

investors@catalent.com

Categories
Art & Life Business Culture Foodies/Tastylicious International & World Lifestyle Travel & Leisure

Vilnius invites foodies to Pink Soup Fest amid its gastro ecosystem’s significant ranking in La Liste

The gastro scene in Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania, is peaking—two of its fine dining restaurants, Džiaugsmas and Nineteen18, have been named among the top restaurants in the world in 2023 by the prestigious La Liste guide. The selected restaurants are the first ones in Lithuania and two of five restaurants in the Baltic countries to make the list.

 

La Liste ranking lists the world’s best restaurants based on trusted reviews of the restaurants in local guidebooks and publications and customer ratings. The best-voted Vilnius’ restaurants reflect Lithuanian chefs’ respect for seasonal ingredients and passion for reimagining old recipes to delight modern tastes.

 

Nineteen18 and Džiaugsmas that have made the list blend haute cuisine with traditional recipes stemming from the country’s farmland roots. Besides the fine dining, Vilnius is also all over celebrating the national gastro heritage, which is why the capital is hosting Pink Soup Fest, a festival for the iconic cold beetroot soup, on June 10th.

 

Džiaugsmas, set up in the heart of the city, offers flavor-bursting treats from fresh, organic, and locally grown produce. Martynas Praškevičius, one of the country’s top-ranking chefs, is committed to adapting the menu to best highlight seasonal Lithuanian delicacies.

 

Nineteen18, an intimate restaurant nestled in the historical food court Senators’ Passage, celebrates local gastro heritage with an innovative tasting menu. The ingredients that come from farms nearby into the hands of a seasoned chef Andrius Kubilius are put in the spotlight through preservation techniques like fermentation and pickling—one of the key food trends this year.

 

The two fine dining restaurants in Vilnius that have been included in the prestigious La Liste ranking, lists the top 1000 restaurants around the world. This recognition further establishes Vilnius as the foodies’ hub that hides unique gastro experiences.

 

Celebrating national gastro pride

Just recently, Vilnius’ thriving gastro ecosystem that fuses multicultural flavors with beloved Lithuanian tastes has been given an honorary gift for all of its achievements—three real stars in the constellation Fornax. At the same time, Vilnius offers its residents and visitors the chance to explore historical cuisine recreated specifically for its 700th anniversary year. Several of the capital’s restaurants invite the foodies on a journey to Vilnius’ past, enticing them with dishes like bread soup or Jerusalem kugel and the stories surrounding them.

 

On June 10th when Vilnius celebrates one of its most iconic dishes of Lithuanian cuisine—cold beetroot soup,  Pink Soup Fest will tease the festivalgoers with multiple variations of the brightly-colored dish.  They will urge everyone to partake in an activity as wild as the dish itself—dress up like soup’s ingredients and slide down the Bastion hill straight into an artificial bowl.

 

There are many variations of the recipe—with yogurt, quail eggs, or sparkling mineral water. However, the one that packs a punch follows a fail-safe classic recipe: marinated beetroots, grated cucumbers, hard-boiled eggs, diced dills and spring onions, kefir, and a dash of salt are combined together in a bowl. Best served cold with a side of hot potatoes.

Categories
Business Foodies/Tastylicious Government Healthcare Lifestyle Local News

Nature’s Energy issues allergy alert on undeclared milk in Children’s Chewable Colostrum products

Nature’s Energy of Pleasant Grove, Utah, has voluntarily recalled Children’s Chewable Colostrum because it may contain undeclared milk allergen.

 

People who have an allergy or severe sensitivity to milk run the risk of serious or life-threatening allergic reaction if they consume these products.

 

Nature’s Energy Children’s Chewable Colostrum products sold online at www.naturesenergy.comExternal Link Disclaimer and www.amazon.comExternal Link Disclaimer

 

The following products are being recalled Childrens Chewable Colostrum Berry, Chocolate and Orange Creamsicle flavors. 180 count.

  • Berry Chewables, 180 count, UPC 804879183945 GTIN 860008676979, LOT # 660, Best By 02/24 and LOT # 694, Best By 12/24.
  • Chocolate Chewables, 180 count, UPC 804879183952 GTIN 860008676986, LOT # 661, Best By 02/24 and LOT # 695, Best By 12/24.
  • Orange Creamsicle Chewables, 180 count, UPC 804879183969 GTIN 860008676993, LOT # 634, Best By 08/23, and LOT # 693, Best By 12/24.

 

No illnesses or deaths have been reported to date in connection with these products.

 

The recall was initiated after it was discovered that the Colostrum containing product was distributed in packaging that did not indicate the presence of milk proteins.

 

Customers with a milk allergy or sensitivity who have purchased the affected product are urged not to consume the product and dispose of it or return it to their place of purchase for a full refund.

 

Consumers with questions may contact the company at 801-785-2304 or send email to admin@naturesenergy.us from 8am-4pm MT, Monday-Thursday.

 

This recall is being made with the knowledge of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Categories
Business Economics Lifestyle Local News

CoreLogic: Home price growth continues annual single-digit slowdown in April

  • April’s 2% year-over-year home price growth was the lowest recorded since March 2012
  • CoreLogic’s forecast suggests that all states will again show positive annual home price gains by April 2024

 

IRVINE, Calif. — (BUSINESS WIRE) — #HPI — CoreLogic®, a leading global property information, analytics and data-enabled solutions provider, on Tuesday released the CoreLogic Home Price Index (HPI™) and HPI Forecast™ for April 2023.


Nationwide, single-family home price growth rose by 2% year over year in April. This marked the 135th consecutive month of annual growth but the sixth straight month of single-digit gains, which have slowed from an all-time high of nearly 20% annual appreciation in the spring of 2022.

 

Numerous economic concerns are contributing to buyer reluctance, including mortgage rate volatility and the related uncertainty surrounding the recent debt-ceiling debate. That said, a continued shortage of homes for sale could keep pressure on housing prices over the next 12 months. CoreLogic projects that home price growth will slow a bit more in 2023 before regaining steam to about 5% annual appreciation by April 2024.

 

“While mortgage rate volatility continues to cause buyer hesitation, the lack of for-sale homes is putting firm pressure on prices this spring, leading to above-average seasonal monthly gains and a rebound in home prices in most markets,” said CoreLogic Chief Economist Selma Hepp.

 

“Nevertheless, the recent surge in mortgage rates and continued inflation issues suggest that rates may remain elevated, leading home price appreciation to possibly relax this summer and return to average seasonal gains later in 2023.”

 

“Still, while slim inventory is pushing prices up once again and constraining affordability,” Hepp continued, “recent trends suggest that home price growth in 2023 will fall in line with the historical 4% annual average.“

 

Top Takeaways:

  • U.S. home prices (including distressed sales) increased by 2% year over year in April 2023 compared with April 2022. On a month-over-month basis, home prices increased by 1.2% compared with March 2023.
  • In April, the annual appreciation of attached properties (3.6%) was 2.1 percentage points higher than that of detached properties (1.5%).
  • CoreLogic forecasts show annual U.S. home price gains increasing to 4.6% by April 2024.
  • Miami posted the highest year-over-year home price increase of the country’s 20 tracked metro areas in April, at 13.2%, while Atlanta ranked second at 4.8%.
  • Among states, Indiana and New Jersey recorded the highest annual home price gains, 7.3% and 7.1%, respectively. Missouri, South Carolina and Vermont posted the third-highest growth rates, with all showing a 6.9% year-over-year increase. Ten states recorded annual losses: Washington (-7.7%), Idaho (-5.9%), Utah (-4.9%), Nevada (-4.5%), California (-3.6%), Arizona (-2.6%), Oregon (-2.6%), Colorado (-2.1%), Montana (-1.1%) and New York (-1.1%).

 

The next CoreLogic HPI press release, featuring May 2023 data, will be issued on July 11, 2023, at 8 a.m. EST.

 

Methodology

The CoreLogic HPI™ is built on industry-leading public record, servicing and securities real-estate databases and incorporates more than 45 years of repeat-sales transactions for analyzing home price trends. Generally released on the first Tuesday of each month with an average five-week lag, the CoreLogic HPI is designed to provide an early indication of home price trends by market segment and for the Single-Family Combined tier, representing the most comprehensive set of properties, including all sales for single-family attached and single-family detached properties. The indices are fully revised with each release and employ techniques to signal turning points sooner. The CoreLogic HPI provides measures for multiple market segments, referred to as tiers, based on property type, price, time between sales, loan type (conforming vs. non-conforming) and distressed sales. Broad national coverage is available from the national level down to ZIP Code, including non-disclosure states.

 

CoreLogic HPI Forecasts™ are based on a two-stage, error-correction econometric model that combines the equilibrium home price—as a function of real disposable income per capita—with short-run fluctuations caused by market momentum, mean-reversion, and exogenous economic shocks like changes in the unemployment rate. With a 30-year forecast horizon, CoreLogic HPI Forecasts project CoreLogic HPI levels for two tiers — Single-Family Combined (both attached and detached) and Single-Family Combined Excluding Distressed Sales. As a companion to the CoreLogic HPI Forecasts, Stress-Testing Scenarios align with Comprehensive Capital Analysis and Review (CCAR) national scenarios to project five years of home prices under baseline, adverse and severely adverse scenarios at state, metropolitan areas and ZIP Code levels. The forecast accuracy represents a 95% statistical confidence interval with a +/- 2% margin of error for the index.

 

About Market Risk Indicators

Market Risk Indicators are a subscription-based analytics solution that provide monthly updates on the overall health of housing markets across the country. CoreLogic data scientists combine world-class analytics with detailed economic and housing data to help determine the likelihood of a housing bubble burst in 392 major metros and all 50 states. Market Risk Indicators is a multi-phase regression model that provides a probability score (from 1 to 100) on the likelihood of two scenarios per metro: a >10% price reduction and a ≤ 10% price reduction. The higher the score, the higher the risk of a price reduction.

 

About the Market Condition Indicators

As part of the CoreLogic HPI and HPI Forecasts offerings, Market Condition Indicators are available for all metropolitan areas and identify individual markets as overvalued, at value or undervalued. These indicators are derived from the long-term fundamental values, which are a function of real disposable income per capita. Markets are labeled as overvalued if the current home price indexes exceed their long-term values by greater than 10% and undervalued where the long-term values exceed the index levels by greater than 10%.

 

Source: CoreLogic

The data provided are for use only by the primary recipient or the primary recipient’s publication or broadcast. This data may not be resold, republished or licensed to any other source, including publications and sources owned by the primary recipient’s parent company without prior written permission from CoreLogic. Any CoreLogic data used for publication or broadcast, in whole or in part, must be sourced as coming from CoreLogic, a data and analytics company. For use with broadcast or web content, the citation must directly accompany first reference of the data. If the data are illustrated with maps, charts, graphs or other visual elements, the CoreLogic logo must be included on screen or website. For questions, analysis or interpretation of the data, contact Robin Wachner at newsmedia@corelogic.com. For sales inquiries, visit https://www.corelogic.com/support/sales-contact/. Data provided may not be modified without the prior written permission of CoreLogic. Do not use the data in any unlawful manner. The data are compiled from public records, contributory databases and proprietary analytics, and its accuracy is dependent upon these sources.

 

About CoreLogic

CoreLogic is a leading global property information, analytics and data-enabled solutions provider. The company’s combined data from public, contributory and proprietary sources includes over 4.5 billion records spanning more than 50 years, providing detailed coverage of property, mortgages and other encumbrances, consumer credit, tenancy, location, hazard risk and related performance information. The markets CoreLogic serves include real estate and mortgage finance, insurance, capital markets, and the public sector. CoreLogic delivers value to clients through unique data, analytics, workflow technology, advisory and managed services. Clients rely on CoreLogic to help identify and manage growth opportunities, improve performance and mitigate risk. Headquartered in Irvine, Calif., CoreLogic operates in North America, Western Europe and Asia Pacific. For more information, please visit www.corelogic.com.

 

CORELOGIC, the CoreLogic logo, CoreLogic HPI and CoreLogic HPI Forecast are trademarks of CoreLogic, Inc. and/or its subsidiaries. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

Contacts

Media Contact:
Robin Wachner

newsmedia@corelogic.com

Sales Contact:
https://www.corelogic.com/support/sales-contact/

Categories
Business International & World Regulations & Security Technology

Frustrating and potentially dangerous spam calls continue to plague consumers around the world as businesses and regulators work to address the problem

Internet Day 2023 session with iconectiv’s Alberto Apablaza addressed ways to fight spammers and boost consumer trust in the communications ecosystem

 

BRIDGEWATER, N.J. — (BUSINESS WIRE) — iconectiv:

 

What:

Phone spam continues to plague consumers around the world, eroding their trust in the communications ecosystem. In fact, consumers globally were inundated with more than 655 million spam calls in the last few months of 2022 alone, many of those calls coming from fraudsters. The problem is so prevalent that 95% of people only answer a call when they recognize the number.

The issue is worse in Argentina, where 52% of calls from unknown numbers are spam and 22% of calls are fraudulent. This also makes it difficult for businesses and call centers to get their legitimate calls through to consumers.

During an Internet Day 2023 panel discussion, iconectiv’s Alberto Apablaza discussed ways the trusted communications ecosystem can address spam calls and other issues, including:

  • The state of fixed and mobile number porting
  • Streamlining processes around emergency numbers
  • Network security

Who:

 Industry leaders for this panel session included:

  • Alberto Apablaza, Account Director, LATAM at iconectiv
  • Nacho Ribeiro, IP Telephone Commission Coordinator
  • Jeff Pulver, founder of Vonage and pioneer in the field of Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP)

Where:

You can watch a replay of the Internet Day 2023 session here.

 

About iconectiv

Your business and your customers need to access and exchange information simply, seamlessly and securely. iconectiv’s extensive experience in information services and its unmatched numbering intelligence helps you do just that. In fact, more than 2 billion people count on our platforms each day to keep their networks, devices and applications connected. Our cloud-based Software as a Service (SaaS) solutions span network and operations management, numbering, trusted communications and fraud prevention. For more information, visit www.iconectiv.com. Follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn.

Contacts

Media Contacts:
Sharon Oddy

iconectiv

+1-732-699-5130/908-809-2268

soddy@iconectiv.com

Casey Bush

Global Results Communications
+1-949-689-9550

iconectiv@globalresultspr.com

Categories
Business Lifestyle Technology

Kinective formed through strategic combination of CFM, NXTsoft, and IMM

Kinective is the force multiplier financial institutions need to scale transformation efforts faster by integrating fintechs and banking cores

 

PHOENIX — (BUSINESS WIRE) — Kinective, a leading provider of connectivity, workflow, and analytics software for the banking sector,  announced on Tuesday, its formation through the combination of CFM, NXTsoft, and IMM.

 

Kinective delivers the most comprehensive, open, and connected technology ecosystem in banking. Across offices in Phoenix, Orlando, and New Jersey, its 300 team members serve more than 2,500 customers, representing one out of every four U.S. financial institutions. Kinective is backed by OceanSound Partners, a growth-oriented private equity firm.


The name ‘Kinective’ is derived from connective, the capacity to merge disparate systems into a unified experience. It also reflects the power to drive innovation and generate kinetic energy. Kinective’s mission is to help its customers connect to banking’s future. The new corporate identity follows the recent appointment of Stephen Baker as CEO and signifies the next phase of the company’s growth.

 

“We are thrilled to offer our customers a cohesive experience by launching Kinective, which leverages the combined solutions, resources, and seven decades of experience of our three complementary businesses,” said Baker. “Our brand connects our employees and customers under a shared vision and reflects our mastery in building connected digital experiences for financial institutions.

 

“Digital transformation in banking has been impaired by unavailable, incomplete, or vulnerable integrations between cores and fintechs. Kinective is a force multiplier in banking, enabling immediate access to innovation via integrations to cores used by 99% of U.S. financial institutions. Kinective’s software help banks and credit unions unlock new services, modernize operations, and enhance their competitive edge.”

 

Kinective’s family of solutions draws from existing CFM, NXTsoft, and IMM products, which will remain available and supported under their existing brands:

  • API Connectivity: turn-key solutions that securely connect over 80 fintech applications to over 40 core banking systems by compiling pre-built API integrations, empowering purchasing choice and a best-of-breed IT strategy;
  • Teller Workflow:API integrations between core banking systems and branch hardware that enables real-time transaction processing and improved teller productivity by automating labor-intensive tasks;
  • Document Automation: software that allows financial institutions to manage and enhance each stage of process workflow, including generation, execution, authentication, approval, and archiving;
  • Data Analytics: solutions that allow financial institutions to gain visibility into their branch operations, manage credit risk, and comply with reporting requirements; and
  • Data Connectivity: migration and archiving solutions that provide data integrity and access, especially around M&A, core conversion, and legacy data migration.

 

Kinective’s solutions are united by a mutual value proposition of driving IT modernization, operating efficiency, and elevated client experiences for financial institutions. Kinective’s solutions create compelling value for all stakeholders in the banking ecosystem, including financial institutions, fintechs, and cores:

  • Financial institutions: Kinective enables banks and credit unions to design a bespoke fintech strategy, tailored to their specific needs and compatible with their existing core, so they can transform at their own pace. Kinective’s workflow products create better employee experiences by automating previously manual or error-prone processes;
  • Fintechs: Kinective provides fintechs with one, unified connection to more than 40 cores, unlocking access to the entire banking ecosystem and a scaled customer base. With Kinective’s technology, developers can focus on product differentiation, not core integrations; and
  • Cores: Kinective equips cores with seamless integrations to modern fintech solutions, allowing them to meet increasing customer expectations without impeding existing developmental priorities. Kinective helps cores increase stickiness and extend the lifespan as they develop future platforms.

 

“We are excited to build upon the strength and capabilities of the three constituent companies and establish Kinective,” said Ted Coons, Partner at OceanSound. “Kinective has developed the industry’s most connected platform that allows banks and credit unions to scale innovation faster, deliver better client experiences, and realize cost savings. We expect to make additional investments to support Kinective’s mission of helping financial institutions connect to banking’s future.”

 

About Kinective

Kinective is a leading provider of connectivity, workflow, and analytics software to more than 2,500 banks and credit unions in North America. Kinective was created in June 2023 as the new brand uniting CFM, NXTsoft, and IMM, three complementary financial technology companies that together have over 70 years of experience in banking. Kinective provides financial institutions with access to innovation, helping them unlock new possibilities and connect to the future. For more information, please visit www.kinective.io.

 

About OceanSound Partners

OceanSound Partners is a New York-based private equity firm that pursues control investments in technology and technology-enabled services companies serving government and enterprise end-markets. OceanSound employs a partnership approach, working closely with founders, entrepreneurs, and executives of middle market businesses to drive transformational growth. For more information, please visit www.oceansoundpartners.com.

Contacts

Emily Sweillam

Kinective

(602) 614-6864

esweillam@cfms4.com

Categories
Business Environment Lifestyle Science Technology

NJR Clean Energy Ventures and New Jersey American Water highlight innovative solutions with North America’s largest floating solar array

SHORT HILLS, N.J. — (BUSINESS WIRE) — From air conditioning to vacuum cleaners, New Jersey has long been known for its innovations, and now it is home to the largest floating solar array in North America. Consisting of 16,510 solar panels, the 8.9-megawatt (MW) solar array covers 17 acres of the Canoe Brook reservoir in Short Hills, New Jersey. The clean power generated is enough to power 1,400 homes annually and will provide approximately 95% of the power needs for New Jersey American Water’s Canoe Brook Water Treatment Plant.


Owned and operated by NJR Clean Energy Ventures (CEV), the renewable energy subsidiary of New Jersey Resources (NYSE: NJR), the array uses an innovative racking system that enables the panels to float on water. Projects like this offer a novel approach to developing solar and a practical solution to the challenge of finding suitable locations to accommodate large scale commercial solar installations. Built mostly on man-made lakes or reservoirs, where tides and saltwater will not impact the panels, floating solar projects turn beneficial use space into clean energy. Innovative approaches to clean energy, like Canoe Brook, are increasingly important in densely populated areas, such as New Jersey.

 

“Floating solar technology creates new opportunities for underutilized bodies of water, allowing space that would otherwise sit vacant to enable large-scale renewable energy generation, which helps to bring the benefits of clean energy to even more customers,” said Robert Pohlman, Vice President of NJR Clean Energy Ventures. “As a leader in New Jersey’s solar marketplace, we look forward to working with New Jersey American Water to support its power needs and advance the state’s clean energy and climate goals.”

 

“As the state’s largest water and wastewater utility company, it is essential for us to be good stewards of the environment by operating efficiently and in a manner that helps protect our natural resources,” said Mark McDonough, president of New Jersey American Water. “This initiative provides a meaningful reduction of traditional energy use that benefits the environment, as well as our customers through limited capital expense and reduced power costs.”

 

“Sound and consistent investment in renewable energy is critical to reducing climate pollution and the resulting flooding, wildfire, and extreme heat repeatedly harming New Jersey’s communities and economy,” said Commissioner of Environmental Protection Shawn M. LaTourette. “The Canoe Brook Floating Solar Facility project is an example of innovative leadership by critical partners in business and industry working hard to ensure the Garden State reduces its climate risk. My Department of Environmental Protection colleagues and I congratulate NJR Clean Energy Ventures and New Jersey American Water for their work on this project.”

 

“We are proud to see the largest floating solar facility in North America be built in New Jersey, It truly underscores the efforts that the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities puts towards a diverse, clean, energy future,” said Commissioner Mary-Anna Holden of the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities.

 

The Canoe Brook solar facility was placed into full commercial operation in January 2023. In addition to providing sustainable, clean energy, the array provides other benefits. The solar power produced is equal to removing 8,121 metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions from the atmosphere compared to traditional power sources. Floating solar panels can also help reduce evaporation, which protects the water source and benefits the environment.

 

Since 2009, CEV has invested over $1 billion in commercial and residential solar projects. As one of the largest solar owner/operators in that state, today it maintains 65 commercial solar assets across four states and a portfolio of more than 440 MW of installed capacity.

 

Canoe Brook is the second floating solar project in CEV’s portfolio. The first, a 4.4 MW array located in Sayreville, New Jersey, was placed into commercial operation in 2020.

 

For video footage of the Canoe Brook floating solar array, click the following link: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1wRKUlBz82zzp7985DvX_OnkoHUGi3VOx/view?usp=sharing

 

About New Jersey American Water

New Jersey American Water, a subsidiary of American Water (NYSE: AWK), is the largest investor-owned water utility in the state, providing high-quality and reliable water and/or wastewater services to approximately 2.8 million people. For more information, visit www.newjerseyamwater.com and follow New Jersey American Water on Twitter and Facebook.

 

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 570,000 customers in New Jersey’s Monmouth, Ocean and parts of Morris, Middlesex, Sussex and Burlington counties.
  • Clean Energy Ventures invests in, owns and operates solar projects with a total capacity of approximately 440 megawatts, providing residential and commercial customers with low-carbon solutions.
  • 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 and 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, as well as our 50% equity ownership in the Steckman Ridge natural gas storage facility.
  • 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 over 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®.

 

For more information about NJR:

www.njresources.com.

Follow us on Twitter @NJNaturalGas.

“Like” us on facebook.com/NewJerseyNaturalGas.

Contacts

New Jersey American Water

Media: Denise Venuti Free

Mobile: 856-449-7357

Email: denise.free@amwater.com

New Jersey Resources

Media: Michael Kinney

Mobile: 732-684-3234

Email: mkinney@njresoruces.com

Investors: Adam Prior

Mobile: 732-938-1145

Email: aprior@njresources.com

Categories
Business Culture Lifestyle Regulations & Security Science Technology

Navigating the jeopardy of board governance with cutting-edge AI solutions

Only 18% of board members find their organization’s disaster response and contingency planning to be highly effective.

 

95% of CEOs expect cybersecurity threats to affect their organization’s growth in the coming years, with the average cybersecurity breach in the U.S. already costing more than $9 million.

 

With economic uncertainty and cybersecurity risk on the rise, boards are under more scrutiny than ever. Companies need to shift their focus to prioritize internal corporate governance and ensure effective business processes.

 

“The sustainability of board governance is in jeopardy. The solution is to incorporate AI-driven board portal software into corporate board processes,” says Marion Lewis, Co-Founder and CEO of Govenda, an innovative board management SaaS developer, who has launched their Artificial Board Intelligence Innovation called ‘Gabii’, to address digital transformation and keep organizations sustainable.

 

Lewis believes digital communication between board members and committees worked in the past, with boards finding the landscape more unsettled than at any time in the last 50 years. Rapid and constant digital transformation raises fears that they will not be able to pivot in response to needed change, putting the boards—and their organizations—at risk.

 

AI-based ‘Gabii’ will facilitate decision-making through a fast presentation of real-time data and ensure compliance from anywhere in the world, using customers’ data without compromising security:

  • Blockchain technology provides an additional layer of security for board materials.
  • Administrative tasks like creating meetings, managing committee members, and tracking RSVPs will help in reducing the need to perform tedious, repetitive tasks.
  • With faster access to relevant information, board professionals and directors can make more informed decisions.
  • ‘Gabii’ supports voice accessibility, by answering questions to help complete tasks.

 

Lewis notes that U.S. board members face challenges without AI, including limited real-time information access and the inability to spot patterns in large data sets or automate decision-making, emphasizing that companies that invest in AI technologies could increase profitability by an average of 38% by 2035.

 

Marion Lewis, Co-Founder and CEO of Govenda can speak on the following:

  • Why must organizations leverage the use of AI in the advancement of digital transformation?
  • How can AI integration in corporate governance ensure that disaster response and contingency planning are effective in the face of digital disruption?
  • Why has AI integration been missing in corporate governance systems till today?
  • What role can AI-driven board portal software play in improving corporate governance practices, decision-making, and managing risks associated with digital transformation?

 

About Govenda

Marion Lewis and Jeanette Thomas, two results-driven entrepreneurs, investors, philanthropists, and business community leaders co-founded Govenda. Govenda is reimagining how board of directors convene to provide intentional, strategic governance ─ by being the bridge between the boardroom and a company’s strategic goals. The board management software accelerates stakeholder governance as a force for good in the world and empowers organizations to create sustainable value by equipping stakeholders with innovative tools that transform practices. It was designed to magnify security and compliance as board tools to handle sensitive and confidential information crucial to compliance and control of proprietary data. Portability of access with enhanced collaboration is no longer a plus – it is essential. GABII, the Govenda product integrating its AI-driven portal tools with Microsoft 365 and enterprise resource planning (ERP) software streamlines workflows and improves efficiency. For more information on the most innovative platform in board governance visit www.Govenda.com