Tag: New Jersey

Categories
Business Healthcare Lifestyle Local News Science

Zicam®, the #1 cold-shortening brand†, adds daily immune support products to its lineup

The brand’s first-ever immune support daily gummy supplements, Zicam Daily Immune Support* and Zicam Sleep + Immune Support* with Melatonin, are set to be released in July 2022 in select retailers nationwide and online

 

EWING, N.J. — (BUSINESS WIRE) — Zicam®, the #1 cold-shortening brand†, announces the launch of two new immune support gummy supplements – Zicam Daily Immune Support* and Zicam Sleep + Immune Support* with Melatonin – developed to provide immune support year-round, day and night.*


Zicam Daily Immune Support* provides immune support while Zicam Sleep + Immune Support* with Melatonin provides the same immune support plus melatonin to support sleep.*

 

Featuring its signature zinc formulas, the new gummy supplements offer 100% daily value of three immune-supporting ingredients: Zinc, Vitamin C, and Vitamin D per serving, with the addition of 3mg of melatonin per serving in Zicam Sleep + Immune Support* with Melatonin.

 

“For over 20 years, Zicam has led the way in helping consumers shorten their colds, and we’re constantly looking at new and innovative ways to aid consumers who care about their immune health,” said Michael Vercelletto, marketing director of Zicam. “Our expansion into the immune support space, with Zicam Daily Immune Support* and Zicam Sleep + Immune Support* with Melatonin, is focused on giving consumers the boost of support that they can rely on in an easy to take delicious gummy supplement — day and night.”

 

Zicam Daily Immune Support* is available in a Citrus Strawberry flavor and Zicam Sleep + Immune Support* with Melatonin is available in a Blackberry Lavender flavor. The daily supplements can be found online and select retailers nationwide, in July 2022, with an MSRP of $16.49.

 

To learn more about Zicam’s products, visit www.zicam.com.

 

About Zicam®

Zicam® is America’s #1 cold-shortening brand† and offers a range of over-the-counter products to shorten colds when taken at the first sign. Zicam delivers a portfolio of homeopathic zinc-based and nasal non-zinc based cold shortening formulas as well as products ranging across multiple categories including nasal health, congestion/sinus relief, immune support, and allergy relief products. With a variety of forms, Zicam is easy to take on the go – allowing consumers to feel equipped to take on any common cold that might come their way.

 

About Church & Dwight Co., Inc.

With a rich heritage of commitment to people and the planet for over 150 years, Church & Dwight is committed to conducting our operations in a sustainable and environmentally responsible manner using recycled materials in our cartons. We are continually assessing the impacts of our operations on the environment while developing, manufacturing, and marketing a broad range of consumer household, personal care and specialty products with sustainability efforts incorporated into our new product innovation including Arm & Hammer™, Xtra™, Trojan™, Oxiclean™, Waterpik™, Orajel™, Kaboom™, Nair™, Viviscal™, Flawless™, Toppik™, Zicam™, Batiste™, Replens™, RepHresh™ and First Response™.

 

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

† Based on unit sales data, IRI Total US Multi-Outlet, latest 52 weeks-ending 5/29/22.

Contacts

Cristina DiCocco

646.964.4446

cristina@gcomworks.com

Categories
Business Education Healthcare

TrueFort expands advisory board with healthcare, financial, and intelligence community executives

Emerging Leader in Real-Time Workload Protection Adds Security Leaders from Humana, Markel, and NSA

 

WEEHAWKEN, N.J. — (BUSINESS WIRE) — #Applicationprotection—TrueFort, the real-time workload protection company, today announced that Parthasarathi Chakraborty, Head of Enterprise Security Architecture, Engineering and Innovation at Humana, Debora Plunkett, former National Security Agency executive and Patricia Titus, Chief Privacy and Information Security Officer at Markel Corporation have joined the TrueFort Advisory Board and will provide guidance on corporate, customer, and product strategies.

“Parthasarathi, Deborah, and Patricia bring decades of cyber security expertise from the healthcare, financial services, and intelligence community sectors to our advisory board,” said Sameer Malhotra, CEO of TrueFort. “Their background as both practitioners and industry leaders in their respective fields will help us grow our business and continue to innovate the TrueFort platform.”

 

Parthasarathi Chakraborty is Head of Enterprise Security Architecture, Engineering, and Innovation at Fortune 500 healthcare insurance provider Humana. He has held senior executive security roles at BMO Financial Group, Guardian Life, JPMorgan Chase, Bank of America, and Merrill Lynch.

 

Debora Plunkett is a former National Security Agency executive, Principal of cyber security consulting firm Plunkett Associates LLC, Senior Fellow at Harvard’s Belfer Center, and Board Member for several publicly traded companies.

 

Patricia Titus is Chief Privacy and Information Security Officer at Markel Corporation. She has served as CISO for Freddie Mac, Symantec, Unisys, and TSA. Patricia is also a Board Member for Black Kite and Girl Scouts of Virginia, and an advisor for the Executive Women’s Forum and YL Ventures.

 

They join current TrueFort Advisors:

Dr. Edward G. Amoroso, CEO of TAG Cyber

Marios Damianides, CISA, CISM, CPA, retired partner in the advisory practice of EY

Motti Finkelstein, Advisor at Capri Ventures and CTO-Capital Markets at BMO Financial Group

Steve Katz, Founder and President of Security Risk Solutions, LLC, Executive Advisor, Deloitte, and widely known as the first CISO

Izak Mutlu, former VP Information Security (CISO) at Salesforce

Adam Schwartz, Founder and CEO of Articulate

Scott Seese, Managing Director and Chief Information Officer for LPL Financial

Robert Strickland, Founder and CEO of M37 Ventures

Bob Williams, Advisor and Venture Partner, Canaan

 

About TrueFort

TrueFort is the leader in delivering zero trust protection for critical applications. Leveraging unique real-time, adaptive trust, and cloud-to-ground capabilities, TrueFort’s Fortress platform detects and contains security threats before they become business risks. Founded by former IT executives from Bank of America and Goldman Sachs, leading global enterprises trust TrueFort to deliver unprecedented application visibility and security. For more information visit https://truefort.com and follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Contacts

Media:
Marc Gendron

Marc Gendron PR for TrueFort

617.877.7480

marc@mgpr.net

Categories
Business Culture

Bennett Dorrance to retire from Campbell Board of Directors

Campbell Board elects Bennett Dorrance Jr. as a director

 

CAMDEN, N.J. — (BUSINESS WIRE) — Campbell Soup Company (NYSE:CPB) announced today that Bennett Dorrance has decided to retire from the company’s Board of Directors.


Dorrance is the longest-serving member of Campbell’s Board of Directors with 33 years of service. He was elected to the Board in 1989, was Vice-Chairman from 1993-1996 and has served with distinction on all the Board’s standing committees. Most recently, Dorrance was a member of the Board’s Compensation and Organization, and Governance committees.

 

“Since joining the Board, Bennett has helped to grow and protect Campbell’s legacy and guide management through many chapters,” said Keith R. McLoughlin, Chair of the Board. “On behalf of Campbell and my fellow board members, we thank him for his many contributions to the company and wish him and his family the very best in his retirement.”

 

Bennett Dorrance is the grandson of Dr. John T. Dorrance, the inventor of condensed soup and President of the company from 1914-1930, and the son of John T. Dorrance Jr., a former Chair of the company from 1962-1984. As a major shareholder, Dorrance has provided extensive knowledge of Campbell’s history, organization and culture to his work on the Board. As the managing director and co-founder of the real estate development firm DMB Associates, Dorrance also provided business, entrepreneurial and operational expertise.

 

Mark Clouse, Campbell’s President and Chief Executive Officer added, “Bennett’s commitment to Campbell’s heritage, to our purpose and values, and to our iconic brands has been extraordinary. As a long-term shareholder, Bennett has been dedicated to the success of the business and continuing the legacy of his grandfather and father as a steward of Campbell’s long-term interests. His positive impact on the company will last far beyond his tenure on the Board. We wish him and his family a healthy and happy retirement.”

 

Dorrance Jr. Elected to Campbell Board

The Board announced that it elected Bennett Dorrance Jr., 51, an entrepreneur who has invested in a variety of successful for-profit and non-profit enterprises focused on sustainability, land management, and health and wellness.

 

Dorrance Jr. is a managing director for the DFE Trust Company and vice president of the Dorrance Family Foundation, which supports education, natural resource conservation and programs that improve quality of life in Arizona, California and Hawaii. He is the cofounder and a board member of Kohala Institute in North Kohala, Hawaii, which supports local farmers, local schools, alternative energy initiatives, and land and historic preservation. Dorrance Jr. is also a member of the Board of Directors of the Julie Ann Wrigley Global Institute of Sustainability at Arizona State University.

 

McLoughlin said, “We are excited to welcome Bennett to the Campbell Board. Like his father, Bennett has a deep appreciation of Campbell’s history and passion for the business. His expertise in sustainability and entrepreneurship will be an asset to the Board.”

 

Dorrance Jr. earned his B.S. in art history from Princeton University and a master’s degree in sustainable leadership from Arizona State University.

 

About Campbell Soup Company

For more than 150 years, Campbell (NYSE: CPB) has been connecting people through food they love. Generations of consumers have trusted Campbell to provide delicious and affordable food and beverages. Headquartered in Camden, N.J. since 1869, Campbell generated fiscal 2021 net sales of nearly $8.5 billion. Our portfolio includes iconic brands such as Campbell’s, Cape Cod, Goldfish, Kettle Brand, Lance, Late July, Milano, Pace, Pacific Foods, Pepperidge Farm, Prego, Snyder’s of Hanover, Swanson and V8. Campbell has a heritage of giving back and acting as a good steward of the environment. The company is a member of the Standard & Poor’s 500 as well as the FTSE4Good and Bloomberg Gender-Equality Indices. For more information, visit www.campbellsoupcompany.com or follow company news on Twitter via @CampbellSoupCo.

Contacts

Investors:
Rebecca Gardy

(856) 342-6081

Rebecca_Gardy@campbells.com

Media:
James Regan

(856) 219-6409

James_Regan@campbells.com

Categories
Business Culture

AM Best affirms credit ratings of Assured Guaranty Re Overseas Ltd.

OLDWICK, N.J. — (BUSINESS WIRE) — AM Best has affirmed the Financial Strength Rating of A+ (Superior) and the Long-Term Issuer Credit Rating of “aa” (Superior) of Assured Guaranty Re Overseas Ltd. (AGRO) (Bermuda). The outlook of these Credit Ratings (ratings) is stable.

The ratings reflect AGRO’s balance sheet strength, which AM Best assesses as strongest, as well as its adequate operating performance, neutral business profile and appropriate enterprise risk management (ERM).

 

AGRO’s risk-adjusted capital, as measured by Best’s Capital Adequacy Ratio (BCAR), is currently and projected by AM Best to be at the strongest level over the next year. Shareholders’ equity of AGRO has been stable in the past few years, and is forecast to grow steadily in the forecast years. The company’s strong liquidity position, conservative investment portfolio and well-positioned financial flexibility due to its affiliation with Assured Guaranty Re Ltd., the indirect parent, and Assured Guaranty Ltd. (AGL), the ultimate parent, as well as AGRO’s active capital management, provide support for the balance sheet assessment of strongest.

 

AM Best assesses AGRO’s operating performance as adequate based on its operating results, which have been driven primarily by investment income. Recent two-year loss ratios have increased to a great extent, compared with the prior few years’ low loss ratios, mainly as a result of the increased losses and decreased earned premiums from the aircraft residual value insurance (RVI) business, which has been impacted heavily by the low activity in the aviation industry affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. AGRO’s expense ratios in 2020 and 2021 have been hampered by the increase in expenses and decrease in earned premiums. The high combined ratio has affected AGRO’s current overall operating performance. AGRO has low net returns on equity due to its underutilization of capital, and the opportunistic deployment of capital to new non-financial guaranty business.

 

AM Best assesses AGRO’s business profile as neutral. The company’s life financial reinsurance program continues to exhibit risk profiles with very low loss probability. AGRO’s aircraft RVI program was suspended since 2020 due to COVID-19 pandemic, and AM Best does not expect it to resume until the international travel is opened fully. AGRO has limited competition with minimal number of players in these lines of business segments. AGRO actively seeks for opportunistic growth in non-financial guaranty business, not to chase premium growth.

 

AGRO’s overall ERM assessment is appropriate, as the company employs a robust ERM framework and infrastructure embedded across the AGL group of companies, of which AGRO is a member. AM Best considers AGRO’s risk assessment capabilities to be aligned appropriately with its risk profile.

 

The ratings also take into consideration the benefits and support AGRO receives from the AGL group of companies — a broader, successful franchise — and its importance to AGL’s overall business strategy and profile.

 

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

Yuhmei Chen
Senior Financial Analyst
+1 908 439 2200, ext. 5236
yuhmei.chen@ambest.com

Christopher Sharkey
Manager, Public Relations
+1 908 439 2200, ext. 5159
christopher.sharkey@ambest.com

Wai Tang
Senior Director
+1 908 439 2200, ext. 5633
wai.tang@ambest.com

Jeff Mango
Managing Director,
Strategy & Communications
+1 908 439 2200, ext. 5204
jeffrey.mango@ambest.com

Categories
Business Culture Lifestyle

Unilever Food Solutions U.S. recalls Knorr Professional Soup du Jour Red Thai Style Curry Chicken with Rice Soup Mix due to undeclared milk allergen

ENGLEWOOD CLIFFS, N.J. — (BUSINESS WIRE) — Unilever Food Solutions in the United States is recalling approximately 553 cases of Knorr Professional Soup du Jour Red Thai Style Curry Chicken with Rice Soup Mix because the product contains milk, which is not listed as an ingredient on the label. Persons who have an allergy or severe sensitivity to milk run the risk of a serious or life-threatening allergic reaction if they consume this product.

The following products are subject to recall:

Brand

Product

Lot Code

Size

GTIN/UPC

Case UPC

Knorr

Knorr Professional Soup du Jour Red Thai Style Curry Chicken with Rice Soup Mix

JAN1924PX8

20.6 oz

10048001253428

48001253421

 

The products bear establishment number “P-44055” inside the USDA mark of inspection.

 

The products were produced on January 19, 2022 and distributed nationally to professional food service distributors and operators between March 15, 2022 and July 12, 2022. A limited quantity of products were sold directly to consumers.

 

No other Unilever or Knorr products are affected by this recall. To date, the company has not received any reports of consumer complaints or allergic reactions associated with this product. Anyone concerned about an allergic reaction should contact a healthcare provider.

 

Consumers who have purchased the recalled product should not consume it and should visit www.knorrfoodsolutionsrecall.com. Refunds will be provided with proof of purchase.

 

Contacts

Unilever U.S. Media Relations Contact:
MediaRelations.USA@unilever.com
201-500-9100

Categories
Business Culture Lifestyle

Q2 Yelp Economic Average finds consumers are experiencing inflation at record rates and reporting new experiences of ‘shrinkflation’

Amid inflation and rising gas prices, in Q2 consumers seek fewer higher-priced businesses and turn to electric vehicles

In the first half of 2022, consumers are booking reservations further in advance than ever before

 

SAN FRANCISCO — (BUSINESS WIRE) — Yelp Inc. (NYSE: YELP), the company that connects people with great local businesses, today released second quarter 2022 data for the Yelp Economic Average (YEA) report, a benchmark of local economic strength in the U.S. The Q2 2022 YEA report reveals consumers are experiencing inflation at record rates, with review mentions of inflationary language up by 28% compared to Q2 2021, and up by 33% compared to the same time period in 2020.


For the first time, Yelp found that consumers are reporting experiences of shrinkflation in reviews published in Q2 2022. In response to rising gas prices, Yelp data in the second quarter also points to a nearly two-fold increase in searches for electric vehicles compared to Q2 2021. While fewer consumers sought out higher-priced businesses than earlier in 2022, according to Yelp data, people are still looking for more expensive businesses compared to pre-pandemic. In the first half of 2022, they’re also waiting longer than ever to get a reservation at restaurants.

 

“Despite rising inflation, activity on Yelp suggests that consumer spending remains strong as people search for higher-priced businesses more frequently than prior to the pandemic,” said Pria Mudan, data science leader at Yelp. “However, that doesn’t mean consumers and businesses aren’t feeling the pinch of inflation. We saw reviewers use inflation-related language at record levels, particularly in the dining, arts and entertainment and travel categories. And for the first time, reviewers are describing shrinkflation-related experiences where the size or quantity of goods are noticeably smaller, which is most referenced at restaurants serving more affordable fare.”

 

Consumers Report Inflationary Experiences at Record Rates

While inflation has been rapidly increasing since 2021, consumers have especially experienced inflation at an increasing rate in 2022, as mentions of inflationary language in Yelp reviews are up 7% in Q2 compared to Q1 of this year. When compared to Q2 2021, consumers are experiencing inflation most at more casual restaurants (up 38%) and food businesses (up 36%), followed by arts and entertainment (up 33%), nightlife businesses (up 30%), event services (up 22%), and hotel and travel businesses (up 20%).

 

However, inflation has not been felt equally across the U.S. In Q2 2022, 47 states (including Washington D.C.) saw an overall increase of inflation mentions in Yelp reviews compared to Q2 2021 – with 35 states seeing more than a 25% increase of inflation mentions. Six of the top 10 states with the highest inflation experiences are in the Northeast, including Massachusetts, New York, Maine, Washington D.C., New Jersey and New Hampshire.

 

Consumer Searches for Higher Priced Businesses Fell, Yet Remain Above Pre-pandemic Levels

In Q2 2022, the share of all searches on Yelp using the inexpensive “$” filter increased by 7% compared to Q1 2022, while the share of the highest “$$$$” filter had decreased by 12%. While quarter-over-quarter consumers are generally searching for lower-priced businesses, when compared to pre-pandemic levels (Q2 2019), consumers still searched for higher-priced businesses more frequently in the second quarter of this year. Searches on Yelp using the highest “$$$$” filter increased up by 55% in Q2 2022 compared to Q2 2019, whereas the use of the inexpensive “$” filter decreased by 24%. While restaurants, food, and travel and hotel searches reflect a similar trend, auto services searches oppose the trend.

 

Consumers are Booking Reservations Further in Advance Than Ever Before

In Q2, the average time elapsed between booking a reservation on Yelp and the reservation date was 3.3 days – a 14% increase in time compared to Q2 2021 and 40% more than pre-pandemic (Q2 2019). Up-and-coming and growing cities saw the largest increase in the average time between booking a restaurant reservation and the date of the reservation in Q2 compared to pre-pandemic: Birmingham, AL; Jacksonville, FL; Grand Rapids, MI; Lancaster, PA; High Point, NC; Austin, TX and Nashville, TN.

 

The median wait time for Yelp Waitlist restaurants has also been longer this year. The median wait time for a table in Q2 2022 was 35 minutes; whereas the median wait time in the same period in 2021 and 2020, was 22 and 16 minutes, respectively.

 

Consumers Turn to Electric Vehicles in Response to Raising Gas Prices

Consumer searches for “electric vehicles” (EV) were up 97% in Q2 2022 from the year before, and up 175% compared to pre-pandemic Q2 2019. Additionally, searches for specific EV models were up 63% in Q2 2022 compared to Q2 2021, and up 118% from Q2 2019. EV Charging stations also experienced a 23% increase in consumer interest in Q2 2022 compared to Q2 2021.

 

Read the full Q2 2022 YEA report, as well as previous YEA reports, at yelpeconomicaverage.com. Assets and images from the report can be found here. For more information and Yelp’s latest company metrics, visit: https://www.yelp-press.com/company/fast-facts/default.aspx

 

Methodology

Review Text Mentions of Inflation

We analyzed review text from 2020 through Q2 2022 to observe how Yelp consumers are referencing inflation in reviews. These inflation references can include phrases mentioning inflation itself or higher or rising prices at businesses. The volume of review text phrases are normalized by the number of times per every million words the phrases appeared in reviews, and is calculated for each Yelp category and on a national and state basis. Changes in mentions are on a year-over-year basis unless otherwise specified. A minimum threshold of review mentions was implemented in nearly all states to uncover the most noteworthy inflation experiences.

 

Price Range Filter Usage

There are currently four pricing tiers ($, $$, $$$ and $$$$) on Yelp and the pricing tier of a business is voted on by Yelp consumer users (business users cannot alter this information). Consumers can use the price range filter when searching for businesses on Yelp. The share of different pricing tiers used by consumers in Yelp search results signals their general willingness to spend in various price ranges.

 

Reservation Booking Days in Advance and Wait Times

We used information from Yelp Guest Manager’s reservations and waitlist services to analyze how far in advance consumers are booking reservations and for how long they are waiting before being seated. Reservation booking days in advance are given as monthly averages, and wait times are given as monthly medians.

 

Electric Vehicle Search Text Mentions

For the data regarding electric vehicle mentions in searches, we measured the share of every million Yelp searches that contained phrases related to electric vehicles or specific models from electric vehicle manufacturers. For “electric vehicle” related searches, we excluded searches that were related to charging stations to better observe interest in the vehicles themselves.

 

Consumer Interest

We measure consumer interest by looking at select actions users take in connection with businesses on Yelp: such as viewing business pages, or posting photos or reviews.

 

Changes in consumer interest for each category were measured by comparing year-over-year data from Q2 2019-2022, focusing on each category’s share of all consumer actions in its root category.

 

About Yelp Inc.

Yelp Inc. (www.yelp.com) connects people with great local businesses. With unmatched local business information, photos and review content, Yelp provides a one-stop local platform for consumers to discover, connect and transact with local businesses of all sizes by making it easy to request a quote, join a waitlist, and make a reservation, appointment or purchase. Yelp was founded in San Francisco in July 2004.

 

Contacts

Yelp Inc.

Julianne Rowe

press@yelp.com

Categories
Business Environment

American Water recognized with top score on Disability Equality Index for fourth consecutive year

CAMDEN, N.J. — (BUSINESS WIRE) — American Water (NYSE: AWK), the largest publicly traded U.S. water and wastewater utility company, today announced that it has been recognized as a top-scoring company, for the fourth consecutive year, on the Disability Equality Index (DEI)®, the most comprehensive disability inclusion assessment tool designed and embraced by both business leaders and disability advocates.

“American Water values and promotes diversity in its workforce,” said Susan Hardwick, president and chief executive officer. “In 2021 we launched our American Water Abled employee resource group, which advocates for employees with all types of disabilities -visible and invisible – and for caregivers and their allies to lead and excel both personally and professionally. We are proud to again be recognized for our continued commitment to inclusion, diversity, equity and as an ally to those with different abilities.”

 

This year, 415 businesses participated in the DEI, and American Water’s top score of 100 percent earned the recognition of “Best Places to Work for Disability Inclusion.” The 2022 DEI measured culture and leadership, enterprise-wide access, employment practices, community engagement, and supplier diversity.

 

Inclusion, diversity, and equity are key focus areas in American Water’s journey to be an industry leader across environmental, social and governance (ESG) factors. American Water recently published its 2021 Inclusion, Diversity & Equity report. The report and other information about the company’s comprehensive ID&E strategy can be found on a new, interactive website, DiversityatAW.com, that communicates the company’s efforts to build an inclusive workplace. The new website will be updated quarterly to reflect current workforce and leadership diversity data.

 

The DEI was created by the DEI Advisory Committee, a diverse group of business leaders, policy experts and disability advocates. Now in its eighth year, the DEI exists to help businesses make a positive impact on the unemployment/underemployment of people with disabilities.

 

“Disability inclusion is a rapidly expanding aspect of corporate culture, and it’s gratifying to partner with 415 companies on the 2022 Disability Equality Index,” said Jill Houghton, President and CEO of Disability:IN. “These top-scoring companies not only excel in disability inclusion, many are also adopting emerging trends and pioneering measures that can move the disability agenda from accommodation to inclusion and ultimately, genuine belonging.”

 

About American Water

With a history dating back to 1886, American Water (NYSE: AWK) is the largest and most geographically diverse U.S. publicly traded water and wastewater utility company. The company employs approximately 6,400 dedicated professionals who provide regulated and regulated-like drinking water and wastewater services to an estimated 14 million people in 24 states. American Water provides safe, clean, affordable, and reliable water services to our customers to help keep their lives flowing. For more information, visit amwater.com and diversityataw.com. Follow American Water on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.

 

About the Disability Equality Index®

The Disability Equality Index (DEI) is a comprehensive benchmarking tool that helps companies build a roadmap of measurable, tangible actions that they can take to achieve disability inclusion and equality. Each company receives a score, on a scale of zero (0) to 100, with those earning 80 and above recognized as a “Best Place to Work for Disability Inclusion.”

 

The DEI is a joint initiative of the American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD), the nation’s largest disability rights organization, and Disability:IN, the global business disability inclusion network, to collectively advance the inclusion of people with disabilities. The organizations are complementary and bring unique strengths that make the project relevant and credible to corporations and the disability community. The DEI Advisory Committee, a diverse group of business leaders, policy experts, and disability advocates, developed the Disability Equality Index. Learn more at: www.DisabilityEqualityIndex.org.

 

About the American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD)

AAPD is a convener, connector, and catalyst for change, increasing the political and economic power for people with disabilities. As a national cross-disability rights organization AAPD advocates for full civil rights for the 60+ million Americans with disabilities. Learn more at: www.aapd.com.

 

About Disability:IN®

Disability:IN is a global organization driving disability inclusion and equality in business. More than 400 corporations partner with Disability:IN to create long-term business and social impact through the world’s most comprehensive disability inclusion benchmarking and reporting tool, the Disability Equality Index (DEI); best-in-class conferences and programs; expert counsel and engagement; and public policy leadership. Join us at disabilityin.org/AreYouIN #AreYouIN.

Contacts

Media Contact:
Joseph Szafran

External Affairs Manager

856-955-4304

joseph.szafran@amwater.com

Categories
Business Healthcare Science

Rite Aid and Quest Diagnostics expand access to COVID-19 PCR testing nationwide

Testing available at no out-of-pocket cost for qualified insured individuals at Rite Aid drive-thru locations with appointment; at all other Rite Aid locations customers can schedule to pick up at-home specimen collection kits for PCR testing

 

PHILADELPHIA & SECAUCUS, N.J. — (BUSINESS WIRE) — Rite Aid (NYSE: RAD) today announced it is collaborating with Quest Diagnostics (NYSE: DGX) to provide access to quality, COVID-19 molecular testing (polymerase chain reaction or similar nucleic acid amplification test) to help Rite Aid customers detect and prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Quest is the world’s leading provider of diagnostic information services and a national leader in COVID-19 testing. The company has performed more than 69 million COVID-19 molecular tests since March 2020.

 

Through the collaboration, Rite Aid and Bartell Drugs’ more than 2,350 stores, now offer access to Quest PCR testing, either through their drive-thru locations or the addition of at home specimen testing kits from stores without drive-thrus, doubling the access to PCR testing for adults and children over 2 years old. Both options require an appointment be made through the Quest website. Quest Diagnostics will provide results electronically to individuals through the MyQuest online portal and app.

 

Customers can schedule to pick up a COVID-19 PCR testing kit with at-home specimen collection or schedule observed drive-thru collection at https://www.riteaid.com/pharmacy/services/covid-19-testing where they will be directed to request a test through Quest’s consumer-initiated test platform QuestDirect™. Bartell Drugs customers may visit bartelldrugs.com/covid19-testing. Quest’s kits come with a prepaid FedEx envelope for overnight shipping to a Quest laboratory. Currently, the average time for Quest Diagnostics to provide a test result is one to two days. Result turnaround times can fluctuate with demand levels and vary by region and other factors.

 

“As new variants spread throughout our communities, testing remains a critical tool as we continue to support our communities in the fight against COVID-19,” said Karen Staniforth, Chief Pharmacy Officer at Rite Aid. “Identifying COVID-19 infection helps individuals obtain the treatment they need while helping to prevent further spread of the disease. We are proud to collaborate with Quest to make testing easily accessible for our customers by expanding to all of our stores.”

 

“As people continue to navigate the COVID-19 pandemic, individuals and families need access to convenient, affordable and quality diagnostic testing in order to engage in activities more safely and responsibly,” adds Cathy Doherty, Senior Vice President, Regional Businesses, Quest Diagnostics. “PCR and other molecular diagnostic tests are the gold-standard for reliable COVID-19 testing. Our relationship with Rite Aid will extend our delivery of COVID-19 testing to more communities in the United States.”

 

PCR and other nucleic acid amplification tests are molecular diagnostic testing technologies. Unlike at-home antigen tests, they are performed in a laboratory. According to the CDC, NAAT is the gold standard for detection of SARS-CoV-2, and they may be useful in some cases in confirming an antigen test result. Customers should discuss their test results with their doctor.

 

In addition to the molecular tests, Rite Aid locations continue to provide rapid, over-the-counter at-home antigen COVID-19 test kits for customers. For more information on Rite Aid’s COVID-19 test options, visit riteaid.com. Rite Aid also continues to provide COVID-19 vaccines and boosters to eligible customers. Customers can schedule a COVID-19 vaccine by visiting: https://www.riteaid.com/pharmacy/scheduler.

All Rite Aid locations are able to dispense the oral medications, Paxlovid, and Lagevrio (molnupiravir), for treatment of COVID-19.

 

For the latest information on Quest’s COVID-19 testing efforts, visit Quest Diagnostics Newsroom – News Releases.

 

About Rite Aid Corporation

Rite Aid is a full-service pharmacy that improves health outcomes. Rite Aid is defining the modern pharmacy by meeting customer needs with a wide range of vehicles that offer convenience, including retail and delivery pharmacy, as well as services offered through our wholly owned subsidiaries, Elixir, Bartell Drugs and Health Dialog. Elixir, Rite Aid’s pharmacy benefits and services company, consists of accredited mail and specialty pharmacies, prescription discount programs and an industry leading adjudication platform to offer superior member experience and cost savings. Health Dialog provides healthcare coaching and disease management services via live online and phone health services. Regional chain Bartell Drugs has supported the health and wellness needs in the Seattle area for more than 130 years. Rite Aid employs more than 6,300 pharmacists and operates more than 2,350 retail pharmacy locations across 17 states. For more information, visit www.riteaid.com.

 

About Quest Diagnostics

Quest Diagnostics empowers people to take action to improve health outcomes. Derived from the world’s largest database of clinical lab results, Quest’s diagnostic insights reveal new avenues to identify and treat disease, inspire healthy behaviors, and improve health care management. Quest Diagnostics annually serves one in three adult Americans and half the physicians and hospitals in the United States, and our nearly 50,000 employees understand that, in the right hands and with the right context, our diagnostic insights can inspire actions that transform lives. www.QuestDiagnostics.com

Contacts

MEDIA:
Terri Hickey

717-975-5718

press@riteaid.com

Kim Gorode

mediacontact@questdiagnostics.com

Categories
Business Technology

ZEBEDEE raises $35 million Series B from Kingsway Capital, The Raine Group, Square Enix and existing investors to scale payments platform for virtual worlds

The innovative, Bitcoin-powered fintech for gaming will utilize the investment to accelerate product development and integrations for a growing industry partner list

 

HOBOKEN, N.J. — (BUSINESS WIRE) — #PlayToEarn—ZEBEDEE, the leading fintech and next-generation payment processor for the gaming industry, today announced it has closed a $35M funding round led by Kingsway Capital and joined by leading global merchant bank The Raine Group as well as video-game giant Square Enix. Existing investors including Lakestar and Initial Capital also participated in the round. This Series B funding round will help ZEBEDEE scale company-wide to meet the needs of the biggest names in the games industry.

ZEBEDEE has created a platform that allows any game developer to easily add programmable money into their games. Anything that happens in a game can trigger a payment, which is sent instantly and at nearly zero cost. When a player shoots someone in a competitive CS:GO match, they can take a small amount of money (e.g. a fraction of a cent) from them in real-time inside the match itself. When a character in a platform game jumps and picks up a coin—as in Super Mario—that coin can be worth real money, which the player receives instantly and can also spend instantly. To make this work, ZEBEDEE offers both API-based tools for developers as well as an app for gamers, which enables them to discover the growing range of ZEBEDEE-powered games and acts as the wallet for sending and receiving funds between games and players.

 

To make this work from a technical standpoint, ZEBEDEE uses the Bitcoin Lightning Network as a key piece of its payments infrastructure. While blockchain gaming has become a persistent buzzword over the past two years, ZEBEDEE steadily maintains its differentiation as a FinTech and payment services provider focused on gaming: Bitcoin is simply the payment rail that enables the flexible, programmable transfers of any amount between any game, app or user. For ZEBEDEE users, it is not about Bitcoin, nor should it be. It is about a more rewarding experience in games, packaged into intuitive and simple UX that does not require any knowledge of crypto.

 

This approach clearly resonates with both gamers and game makers and has led ZEBEDEE to have an outstanding year, with their user count increasing by over 10x since the startup announced their series A round in September 2021. The growth has partly been driven by ZEBEDEE’s fast pace of innovation and ability to deliver exciting products to market, as well as a growing number of partnerships both with game studios building on the platform and integrations with notable finance industry players.

 

“We are pleased to be in a position where we can confidently scale our team and grow our business even as the macroeconomic backdrop becomes increasingly uncertain,” said Simon Cowell, CEO of ZEBEDEE. “This funding round gives us the ability to meet our highly ambitious roadmap both in terms of building out our infrastructure to support the hundreds of millions of users that play our partners’ games, as well as hire the top-level talent needed to ensure every partner has the best possible experience working with ZEBEDEE.”

 

ZEBEDEE’s new funding round puts the startup in a strong position to expand its best-in-class infrastructure, tools and services tailored specifically for games developers, many of whom are already working with ZEBEDEE.

 

“We are excited to lead ZEBEDEE’s latest funding round and support their continuing mission to become the Bitcoin enabler of choice for their partners,” said Afonso Campos, Managing Partner at Kingsway Capital. “Partnering with ZEBEDEE will allow its entire ecosystem to benefit from higher user retention, lower transaction costs and generally a superior payments experience. Importantly, it will also help bring Bitcoin to millions around the globe.”

 

“In ZEBEDEE, we see a world-class team that has created a truly powerful use case for cryptocurrency in games,” said Kenny Lee, Vice President at Raine Group. “We have seen new monetization methods disrupt the gaming industry in the past, and we believe the integration of Bitcoin directly into games is a new way to expand the connection with players and engage them in ways that were never possible before. The wide range of use cases for ZEBEDEE’s platform provides flexibility for the game designer and allows ZEBEDEE to partner with any developer, from AAA console and PC to hyper-casual mobile.”

 

Key Company Info:

Amount of funds ZEBEDEE has raised to date: Approximately $50M

Current team size: 50+ employees spread out across the world on a fully remote team

The company was founded: October 2019

Size of average transaction (nanopayment): $0.08

Size of smallest transaction currently supported: $0.0002 with potential to decrease by 1000x if market demand arises.

 

About ZEBEDEE:

ZEBEDEE is the leading fintech and next-generation payment processor for the gaming industry. Its sophisticated tools enable developers to create real economies in video games for developers, players and communities. ZEBEDEE erases the boundaries between real and virtual worlds by powering instant global payments of any size for any game or application through the Bitcoin Lightning Network. Learn more about ZEBEDEE and the benefits it brings to developers and gamers alike at zebedee.io.

 

About The Raine Group:

The Raine Group is a global merchant bank focused exclusively on technology, media, and telecommunications. The Firm has offices in New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Hong Kong, London, Mumbai, Paris and Shanghai. With a global reach, Raine focuses on investment and advisory opportunities where its deep industry experience and unique network of strategic relationships can create value for portfolio companies and clients. For more information, visit www.raine.com.

 

About Square Enix Holdings Co., Ltd.

Square Enix Holdings Co., Ltd. with headquarters in Tokyo, Japan, is the holding company leading the group of Square Enix companies (the “Square Enix Group”) with a diverse range of content and service businesses. The Square Enix Group publishes, distributes and licenses entertainment content around the world under its internationally renowned brands including SQUARE ENIX®, EIDOS® and TAITO®. The Square Enix Group includes a global network of leading development studios located in North America, Europe and Japan. The Square Enix Group also boasts a valuable portfolio of intellectual property including: FINAL FANTASY®, which has sold over 168 million units worldwide; DRAGON QUEST®, which has sold over 84 million units worldwide; TOMB RAIDER®, which has sold over 88 million units worldwide; and the legendary SPACE INVADERS®. More information on Square Enix Holdings Co., Ltd. can be found at http://www.hd.square-enix.com/eng/.

 

Contacts

Press:

ZEBEDEE: Mark Mulvey, (908) 718-1688, 324185@email4pr.com

Categories
Business Healthcare Science

Q2 update by PQE Group: Two acquisitions’ announcements with United Pharma Technologies Inc. & Quintian Pharma, and new two offices

FLORENCE, Italy — (BUSINESS WIRE) — #GPTWcertified–The first half of 2022 has closed highly positively for PQE Group, the global women-owned quality consulting company for Lifesciences. The Italian parent Group, after having concluded 2021 with + 20% increase in revenues, confirms its development plan with the announcement of two acquisitions and a new legal entity in Melbourne (Australia) and a new office in Buenos Aires (Argentina).


As stated at the beginning of 2022, most of the global staff development plan has been implemented with almost 400 new hires around the world, 200 of which are located in Italy or the US, followed by the PQE Group Mexican Affiliate.

 

With a strong focus on the United States and Latin America, the company managed by Gilda D’Incerti has started the acquisition process of two firms, announcing the affiliation of United Pharma Technologies Inc., a service company based in New Jersey, and Quintian Pharma, based in Malta.

 

The M&A model of the company embraces the concept of a Federation rather than a classic acquisition, which aims to exchange shares with different entities in local markets all over the world to create close knit alliances, allowing to scale up projects’ staff and capabilities faster and more efficiently.

 

“In our unique and different approach to M&A activities, we aim to engage with entrepreneurs and not just companies, bringing business development ideas to the table and acting as a whole organization by sharing the same vision, mission and network.” – Danilo Neri, Vice President Executive and Board Equity Partner at PQE Group.

 

Quintian Pharma, administered by Claude Vella Bonanno, is committed to providing services and support to the pharmaceutical industry, following all EU directives on new products. PQE Group will join the Board as main shareholder (51%) and support the strategic growth of the consulting agency specialized in applying EU Pharmacovigilance standards to clients in the Middle East.

 

United Pharma Technologies Inc., a service agency based in New Jersey – USA, was founded in 2014 and is currently managed by Vasantha Madasu, who will join PQE Group as a local partner in the US and Mexican affiliates and has been named Chief Talent Officer for the Americas.

 

Contacts

PQE Group – Press Office

+39 3491512075 | pressoffice@pqegroup.com