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Texas Car Accident Data Reflects Worrisome Trend

Justinian & Associates

Vehicle accidents and fatalities in Texas have continued on a worrisome trend upward in 2022 according to recent data compiled by Justinian & Associates, an Austin personal injury lawyer firm. The trend is not only reflecting an increase in the number of overall accidents and deaths, it’s contributing to a growing economic loss for the state, up significantly from the $43-billion loss from vehicle accidents alone reported just over a year ago. “The worrisome trend of increased Texas car accidents and fatalities, particularly here in the general Austin area and surrounding communities of Round Rock and Pflugerville, is something that can’t be ignored,” said Dustin Fox, lead attorney for Justinian & Associates. “While not all car accidents result in fatalities,” said Fox, “they can result in catastrophic injuries and huge losses for those involved who don’t know what to do after a car accident occurs. This knowledge gap is one of the reasons why we’ve prepared a list of top things to do immediately after an accident occurs, to help Austin area residents limit potential losses and medical bills.” Fox has six primary tips for drivers who have been in an Austin car accident. “First, know that you have the right to know the other driver's information. Other parties involved are required to share specific information with you, and it's important that you get that information as soon as possible after the accident. Second, be cautious about what you say or share with the other driver or passengers involved. Any comments can be used against you later in court. For this reason, it’s best not to discuss the accident with the other driver at the scene.” The third tip has to do with paying medical bills, a topic many accident victims worry about. “Some personal injury lawyers will work with medical providers under a Letter of Protection after the accident,” says Fox. “If you've been injured in a car accident in Austin, this will delay the need for you to pay medical bills you might incur until after a settlement. A good personal injury lawyer will negotiate with medical providers on a client’s behalf.” Texas Department of Transportation data shows that 2021 was the deadliest year on record for Austin’s roads, with more than 106 deaths reported by year-end. This number reflects the danger of driving in Texas statewide, where, on average, more than 11 people died each day in traffic-related accidents in 2021. The record deaths-from-accidents data led one state official to lament the worrisome trend: “We have a real crisis in our state,” said Bob Kaufman, chief communications officer with the Texas Department of Transportation. The three most common causes of vehicle accident deaths in Texas shed some light on where Austin area drivers need to exercise more caution and restraint: Driving while intoxicated, not wearing a seatbelt, and speeding. “Oftentimes, the cases we see and try are situations that could have been avoided if drivers exercised more caution before getting on the road,” said Fox “That’s the general message we want to convey — be careful on the road because, while an Austin personal injury lawyer is there to help you navigate the challenges of the legal system, the best approach is to avoid having to deal with the hassles and potentially catastrophic consequences of a car accident in the first place.” Listen to a podcast interview with Dustin Fox on Six Things To Do after a car accident. Justinian & Associates is an Austin personal injury law firm with offices in Round Rock and San Antonio, Texas. www.justinian.com -###- Contact Details Threlkeld Communications, Inc. Bill Threlkeld bill@threlkeldcomm.com Company Website https://www.justinian.com

April 28, 2022 08:42 AM Pacific Daylight Time

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Robots & Pencils Announces Partnership with LunaYou to Improve Maternal Health for BIPOC Women

Robots & Pencils

Robots & Pencils, a digital innovation and solutions firm focused on transforming businesses with mobile, web, and frontier technologies, announced today its ongoing partnership with LunaYou, a women-centered maternal wellbeing program created to address the maternity crisis. Through this partnership, Robots & Pencils will continue to expand and modernize LunaYou’s digital program to better provide its members with solutions for their pregnancy-related needs. LunaYou’s personalized web-based platform supports BIPOC mothers throughout their pregnancy and three months postpartum by helping them analyze, track and improve the seven elements that go into maternal well-being. Through the platform, members are able to track elements of their health such as blood pressure, sleep, and physical activity. Members can also access a complete journal to record notes and doctors appointments, and access a forum where they can connect with LunaYou’s community of other mothers. Additionally, LunaYou connects members with a live well-being coach who will stay with users every step of the way. LunaYou began as a concept that Robots & Pencils brought to life on the Salesforce Experience Cloud. Since its inception, LunaYou has enrolled more than 250 BIPOC women in their wellbeing program and has just recently celebrated their 105th birth with a customer utilizing the program. With an average of more than 30 new enrollments each month, the platform is growing at a rapid pace. “Being a part of something such as LunaYou has been an amazing experience,” said Tracey Zimmerman, President and CEO of Robots & Pencils. “We want to use technology for good and as a tool to solve societal issues and working with the great, caring team at LunaYou has given us this opportunity. We are excited to continue to help provide the moms using the platform with more agency as they manage their pregnancies by making the user experience for the women using LunaYou as seamless as possible.” In early March, the CDC released the United States’ maternal mortality statistics for 2020, and the results were alarming. In 2020, the U.S. maternal mortality rate was 23.8 deaths per 100,000 live births, with 861 known deaths due to maternal causes. Black women are three times more likely to die in childbirth than white women, and Hispanic women saw the largest increase in mortality rate (44%) over a one year period. Additionally, LunaYou has found: Maternal mortality rates, or the rate of maternal deaths per 100,000 live births, are higher in the United States than any other high income nation. Today, U.S. women are 50% more likely to die or experience a serious complication in childbirth than their mothers. Women on Medicaid are 82% more likely to develop life threatening complications than women who are privately insured. 38% of women of color suffer from postpartum depression compared to 16% of white women. “We can’t thank Robots & Pencils enough for the work their team has done so far for LunaYou,” said Saul Kaplan, Founder and CEO of LunaYou. “The recent stats we’ve compiled around the maternity crisis is reason enough for LunaYou to provide BIPOC women with the tools and support they need to improve their pregnancy journey and wellbeing. As the platform’s solutions are catered specifically to the needs of the user, we look forward to creating a continuous safe and seamless user experience on the LunaYou platform.” LunaYou is currently raising funds for their enrollment process, with a goal of $200,000. To learn more and to donate, please visit https://www.lunayou.com/donate/. About LunaYou LunaYou is a woman-centered maternal wellbeing program, offering women the ability to manage risk factors, track their health and wellbeing goals, and access a dedicated Wellbeing Coach to help them throughout their pregnancy, and in the first three months after their baby is born. LunaYou encourages women to share their journey with their personal support network and their Wellbeing Coach, who together, enable rapid and seamless connection to medical and social service care, when needed. Each woman is unique, and deserves personalized support that is both respectful, and culturally sensitive to her individual needs. For more information, please visit https://www.lunayou.com/. About Robots & Pencils Established in 2009, Robots & Pencils is a digital innovation firm founded on the then-contrarian view that mobile would be more transformative than the Internet. Today, in an age of unprecedented technology acceleration, Robots & Pencils helps companies maintain a competitive advantage by developing new digital strategies and products focused on education, financial services, and retail & consumer goods. For more information, please visit robotsandpencils.com. Contact Details North 6th Agency for Robots & Pencils Paige Blair robotsandpencils@n6a.com

April 28, 2022 09:05 AM Eastern Daylight Time

Ripken Baseball Celebrates National Beef Month with Tommy’s Jerky

Ripken Baseball

In celebration of National Beef Month in May, Ripken Baseball announces its first multi-year partnership in the meats and smokies category with Tommy’s Jerky. As the official jerky of Ripken Baseball, Tommy’s Jerky will provide its award-winning products at The Ripken Experience™ in Aberdeen, MD, Myrtle Beach, SC, and Pigeon Forge, TN. To kick off the new partnership, Ripken Baseball will host multiple “Jerky and Jersey” social media contests where fans can win a supply of Tommy’s Jerky products along with a Cal Ripken, Jr. autographed jersey. “We continue to identify and align with partners that elevate the players’ experience,” said Amanda Shank, Vice President of Business Development for Ripken Baseball. “Tommy’s Jerky is the ultimate easy to go snack and perfect option for all of our players, coaches, umpires, and families inside and outside our facilities.” As part of the retail program, Tommy’s Jerky award-winning jerky and meat smokies will be made available to enhance performance and refuel the umpires during competition. In addition, youth travel baseball teams seeking a delicious and easy way to raise funds to support their program have an opportunity to earn a profit by selling Tommy’s Jerky variety of products. Teams are encouraged to reach out directly to Amy Bulick at abulick@tommysjerky.com if interested in receiving more information about Tommy’s Jerky fundraiser program. “We are so pleased and honored to be the Official Jerky and Smokies of Ripken Baseball,” said Amy Bulick, President and CEO of Tommy’s Jerky and Smokies. “Our high-quality production process and unique flavors set us apart from other jerky and smokie brands. Like Ripken Baseball, we are a first-class experience, and we take great pride in what we do.” Tommy’s Jerky and Smokies looks forward to supplying players, families, and fans with amazing products to tempt their tastes for many seasons to come. About Tommy’s Jerky: Tommy’s Jerky and Smokies is built on tradition and pride of a job well done. With a state-of-the-art facility and USDA approval, the delicious jerky and smokies are made for a high protein, low fat snack to enjoy on the go or any time. Made from the highest quality meats, there is a flavor to please everyone that offers a healthy energy filled boost of flavor that fills cravings and boosts performance. About Ripken Baseball Ripken Baseball brings teammates, coaches, and families together through its Big-League Experiences, while teaching the values of the game, and how to play it the right way – the Ripken Way. Recently expanding the best experience in youth sports to satellite locations through Ripken Select Tournaments, Ripken Baseball continues to innovate the game through tournaments, camps, clinics, and spring training at their state-of-the-art baseball and softball facilities – The Ripken Experience™ Aberdeen (Maryland), The Ripken Experience™ Myrtle Beach (South Carolina), and The Ripken Experience™ Pigeon Forge (Tennessee). Contact Details Eric Nemeth +1 602-502-2793 nemeth@ericpr.com Company Website https://www.ripkenbaseball.com/

April 28, 2022 09:03 AM Eastern Daylight Time

New Strategic Partnership Between Cardinal Sports Capital & HPL Digital Sport Creates Accelerator Program

HPL Digital Sport

Cardinal Sports Capital (CSC), a Toronto-based advisory and investment firm focused on the sports gaming and media/tech/data convergence space and HPL Digital Sport (HPLDS), a specialty group within New York-based Hot Paper Lantern, helping sports betting, fantasy sports and sports technology companies create greater brand relevance, announced the creation of a strategic partnership to form an Accelerator Program. CSC is planning to invest between $75-100 million through the Accelerator Program. The Accelerator Program unites the strengths and capabilities of both CSC and HPLDS to help companies in the sports betting, igaming, sports technology and fantasy sports categories navigate through a host of challenges to see their business models grow quicker and become more successful. The Accelerator Program will tap dozens of key investors within the firms’ networks to fund target companies at various emerging growth stage levels. Other specific services include: Helping to shape and create business strategies for marketplace success Relationship building and introductions to targeted customers, vendors, partners, advisors, counsel and others to make key inroads A guiding hand and a focus on capital raises through a large collective investor network Advertising, partnership development, positioning, marketing, public relations, influencer engagement, investor relations and other brand building and customer acquisition solutions The vision behind the Accelerator Program is to help streamline a company’s access to essential tools needed for entrepreneurs to obtain capital, network in the right channels, effectively articulate their value proposition and get their products and services into the hands of the right audiences. WagerWire, a proprietary sports betting futures marketplace, is the first company to participate in the Accelerator Program. “We are excited to leverage the combined skills of CSC and HPLDS to help jumpstart our company. The synergies between the two organizations align extremely well and, as a client, has made combined strategy calls, investor conversations, brand positioning initiatives, public relations goals, as well as overall workflow a seamless experience. These two groups work hand-in-hand, which minimizes the complexity of having a few disconnected agencies help control different parts of our business,” said Zach Doctor, co-founder and CEO at WagerWire. “While the attention surrounding the North American sports gaming market is high, market conditions have clearly become more challenging. We see that it’s harder for even the best companies to navigate the complexities of the capital markets, investment needs, all while positioning themselves the right way with investors, potential strategic partners and customers,” said Scott Secord, partner at Cardinal Sports Capital. “We’ve partnered with HPLDS before on a number of mutual clients and feel our end-to-end services, now offered through the Accelerator Program. really complement what these early growth stage companies need.” CSC also has a strategic partnership with Canaccord Genuity, a global investment banking and financial services company. CSC’s portfolio companies include low6, Quarter4, ThriveFantasy and WagerWire. HPLDS and CSC have previously collaborated on advisory and marketing communications efforts with Quarter4 and ThriveFantasy, as well as other clients. “Many passionate and driven entrepreneurs come to us wanting to market their offerings to build mindshare and new users. But, a lack of investment dollars and a misunderstanding of what the investment community cares about, often creates real challenges to conducting business as they had hoped,” said Ed Moed, CEO of HPL Digital Sport. “This partnership with CSC will allow us to tap our wide-scale network of investors to allow these worthy companies the opportunity to close on their early rounds of investments, and leverage our experience and guidance as advisors to build, market, sell and conduct business as they had planned to.” A number of HPL Digital Sport current and former clients include Sportradar, Monkey Knife Fight, BettorEdge, SharpLink Gaming, Champion Gaming, NBC Sports Edge and Rush Street Interactive. For more information on the Accelerator Program please email: Ed Moed at emoed@hotpaperlantern.com and John Libro at jlibro@cardinalsportscapital.com. About Cardinal Sports Capital: Founded in 2021, Cardinal Sports Capital focuses on market sectors that include sports gaming, and the media/tech/data convergence space. The firm aims to bring a different dynamic to the commercial sports and gaming marketplace through a combination of financial investment, marketing services, and industry connectivity. About HPL Digital Sport: Hot Paper Lantern Digital Sport is a specialty group within Hot Paper Lantern (HPL) that works with sports betting, fantasy and sports technology brands to build greater brand relevance and acquire new audiences. The group’s unique value proposition is how it leverages years of deep expertise in this category with the way it integrates specific services such as: strategic branding, customer research/analytics, performance marketing, public relations and social media strategy, experiential and high level creative design to generate results. Contact Details Michael Adorno +1 212-931-6143 madorno@hotpaperlantern.com Company Website https://www.hpldigitalsport.com/

April 28, 2022 09:01 AM Eastern Daylight Time

XPOINT CONTINUES EXPANSION WITH ADDITIONAL KEY HIRES IN COMPLIANCE, MARKETING, PRODUCT AND SALES

Xpoint Technology

Edward Bedrosian Jr. Announced as Chief Regulatory & Compliance Officer; Tom Webb joins Xpoint as Chief Marketing Officer; Lana Lagow and Raul Bouchot Appointed Sr. Business Development Managers; Alli Rubin Moves from FanDuel To Join Xpoint as Product Manager Xpoint, the leading geolocation and compliance technology company specializing in U.S. sports betting and iGaming markets, has announced five new key hires to senior roles in compliance, marketing, product and sales, strengthening the company’s presence globally, and in particular in the USA where all five new additions are based. Edward Bedrosian Jr. becomes Xpoint’s Chief Regulatory & Compliance Officer, bringing experience which includes four years as Executive Director for the Massachusetts Gaming Commission, and as a Partner at Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP. Tom Webb joins Bedrosian Jr. on Xpoint’s executive leadership team as Chief Marketing Officer (CMO), bringing over 25 years of experience in global marketing and communications from the sports betting and iGaming industry, as well as Formula 1, the Olympic Games, Major League Soccer and Red Bull. Lana Lagow and Raul Bouchot add significant expertise, contacts and North American industry knowledge to Xpoint as Sr. Business Development Managers, reporting to Xpoint Chief Revenue Officer, Matt Robarts. Alli Rubin joins Xpoint as Product Manager, a role she previously held with FanDuel since 2019. “I’m delighted to welcome Ed, Tom, Lana, Raul and Alli to Xpoint and am excited to see the positive impact they are all going to make to our already accelerated growth trajectory,” commented Marvin Sanderson, Xpoint Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder. “Ed’s experience speaks for itself. A former Executive Director for the Massachusetts Gaming Commission and a seasoned attorney, he will lead our compliance and regulation team. Tom is a key hire for us, taking on the opportunity to build the Xpoint brand and bringing decades of experience working with some of the most famous brands worldwide. Lana and Raul are also vital additions to our team, strengthening our base in the USA and bringing over 50 years of combined sales and business development skills to Xpoint. Finally, we’re proud that Alli took up the opportunity to join Xpoint from FanDuel. Her experience and knowledge of how one of the world’s biggest operators works is going to add real value to our team.” Edward Bedrosian Jr. has served as both the head of a gaming regulatory practice at an AM Law 50 law firm, and as Executive Director for the Massachusetts Gaming Commission. He has been intimately involved in the expansion of online gaming, advising clients, and working with regulators on issues including rule making, licensing and compliance. As a trusted gaming advisor, Ed has counseled clients including major sports leagues and online gaming operators as they navigated the introduction of online sports wagering in many new U.S. states. Tom Webb is based in Austin, Texas, from where he will lead Xpoint’s global marketing and communications activities. Originally from the UK, Tom has lived and worked in the USA since 2014, and has most recently led marketing and communications activities for a range of sports betting, iGaming, gambling and sports clients with Red Knot, the boutique marketing and communications agency. Prior to Red Knot, Tom has enjoyed roles with Austin FC (Major League Soccer), in Formula 1 (working with teams, sponsors, race promoters and F1 drivers), with Red Bull, Emirates Airline and the Olympic Games. Lana Lagow is a Business Development veteran with over 30 years of experience supporting businesses in a variety of different industries. A native to Grand Prairie, Texas, she attended Grand Prairie High School and also attended Texas State University. Out of college she spent time in banking then switched to employee benefits and life insurance, growing her firm into a multi-million-dollar agent channel while maintaining a 98% client retention rate over 23 years. After selling her firm, she shifted her focus to high-risk payments, which has allowed her to become well-rounded in both acquisition and Automated Clearing House (ACH) payment systems. In addition, Lana’s involvement in the high-risk payments industry has yielded many relationships with operators and consultants in the sports betting, Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS), iGaming, and tribal gaming industry. Raul Bouchot joins Lana Lagow as Xpoint Sr. Business Development Manager. A bilingual graduate of the University of Nevada, Reno, Raul has worked in business development in the sports betting, iGaming and gambling industry in the USA for nearly 30 years. His career began in 1993 with Shuffle Master where he reached the role of VP of International Sales by the time he moved to TCSJOHNHUXLEY Americas in 2001, initially as EVP, then as CEO. Since then, his resumé has included senior leadership roles with IGT, Poker Tec, Nuvei, and now Xpoint. Alli Rubin is Xpoint’s new Product Manager, based in New York. Alli was previously with FanDuel, most recently as Product Manager, Optimization, managing casino and sportsbook product experimentation and optimization. A graduate of Lehigh University, Alli’s post-university career began as a Systems Analyst at Vitech Systems Group, before moving to FanDuel in 2019 as a Business Analyst in FanDuel’s Operational Readiness team. ABOUT XPOINT Xpoint provides essential geolocation security solutions and intelligent marketing insights to the global sports betting and iGaming industries. The innovative platform ensures partners meet their regulatory geo-compliance obligations, and delivers enhanced value to its partners through the generation of data that can drive marketing programs. Founded in 2019, with U.S. offices in Miami, Florida, and led by the company's CEO and Co-Founder Marvin Sanderson - a global sports betting and iGaming industry leader - Xpoint is changing the global geolocation market, bringing innovation to an industry that has, to date, viewed geo-compliance as utility, not a new business opportunity. For more information, visit xpoint.tech and follow LinkedIn and Twitter for regular updates. Contact Details Tom Webb +1 512-952-9369 tom.webb@xpoint.tech Company Website https://xpoint.tech/

April 27, 2022 08:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

IMPROVING EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR SCHOOL CHILDREN

Maple

Maple, a provider of reliable, remote online access for students, announced the availability of its fully portable and pocket-sized connectivity solutions for closing the digital divide in rural and low-income communities. School leaders throughout the United States can partner with Maple to take advantage of the Federal Communications Commission's (FCC) Emergency Connectivity Fund (ECF) to give students a safe and reliable home internet connection that promotes online learning and unlocks opportunities. Remote and hybrid learning is here to stay, making technology and at-home internet access essential for students to access academic resources. These basic tools that millions of students need are often unavailable to children in underserved and low-income communities, creating gaps in learning, reducing opportunities to advance, and threatening future goals. According to the Federal Communication Commission, nearly 17 million students lack at-home internet access —many of whom are from minority, low-income, and rural communities. "Education is a human right," stated Michael Kadisha, Chief Executive of Maple. "Equal access to education is, in my view, the defining civil rights issue of our time. Regardless of location or economic status, all students today must have equal access to the internet to succeed.” Maple and its leadership team have a proven history of creating solutions for education and serving students. At the outset of the pandemic, Maple provided Chromebooks and other technologies to support remote learning. They quickly realized that a computer or tablet is of little use without reliable internet access. To solve this, Maple partnered with StratusX to build the Maple Hotspot, a cellular, cloud-managed personal WiFi solution that connects students and educators to their digital classrooms from anywhere. Maple hotspots eliminate the frustration associated with slow or 'spotty' service. When students in areas with limited mobile service utilize the Maple hotspot, they can reliably access the internet whenever and wherever they want. "We are proud to partner with StratusX in this critical endeavor," Kadisha said. “Their unique patented technology prevents service disruptions as devices switch seamlessly between mobile carrier networks to capture the optimal signal at all times. This benefit is critical as it gives high-speed connectivity while avoiding downtime for students from any carrier facing weather disruptions, technical issues, or even poor reception in the students' location." "With Maple's insights, experience, and guidance in the education sector, our team designed many specific features, including cloud-managed CIPA compliance to ensure safe access to content authorized by schools," explained Raviv Laor, StratusX's CEO. "With Maple, connecting online is always available, safe, and compliant." While several other hotspot providers exist, Maple's school-centric solution uniquely addresses the needs of educators, students, and school leadership. "This turnkey connectivity solution meets the specific demands of the education sector: schools have customized features to implement certain web surfing restrictions and verification options that ensure students have safe experiences online. Most importantly, the device's proprietary SIM management technology allows schools to connect, manage, configure and operate their fleets 100% remotely," said Laor. "It is a win-win situation. Schools save time and students learn with the technology they need," Kadisha continued. "We are proud of our role in eliminating these easily addressable inequities that arise from a lack of online access and improving learning outcomes for all students." Schools may use the funds they secure through the ECF program to procure Maple hotspots. A new application window opens on April 28 and runs through May 13, where schools may request 100% funding for student connectivity needs. Maple also provides schools with white-glove service, with end-to-end assistance from government funding applications to hardware setup and device deployment. “We know that the Homework Gap is a financial and emotional burden for students," Kadisha said. "We can and will do better." About Maple Maple provides trusted technology solutions for schools, students, and libraries that bridge the digital divide by delivering high-quality internet access that unlocks valuable educational experiences for students. Please visit https://www.mapleconnect.co/. ### For more information or to schedule an interview with a Maple spokesperson, please contact Dan Rene of kglobal at daniel.rene@kglobal.com or 202-329-8357 Contact Details Dan Rene +1 202-329-8357 daniel.rene@kglobal.com Company Website https://www.mapleconnect.co/

April 26, 2022 12:15 PM Eastern Daylight Time

Au Bon Pain Celebrates First-Ever “Sandwich Madness” Contest

Au Bon Pain

How do you fill the innovation pipeline in a supply chain-challenged world? Engage your employees and create a contest where each location is invited to create new recipes utilizing only existing ingredients. To combat supply chain issues and rising food costs, Au Bon Pain launched a “Sandwich Madness” contest, which enlisted its 3,000-plus sandwich makers, bakers and cafe employees across the nation to submit a sandwich recipe and menu description. Tapping into the talent and creativity within their cafes, contestants competed in three heated brackets, with two winners emerging in the Championship round. Today the chain announced the winners — The Ranchero Wrap and The Cleveland Fireside Egg Sandwich. Both will be featured as upcoming LTOs in late 2022. “Inflation and supply chain issues challenge all restaurants,” said Au Bon Pain Corporate Chef Anne Riley. “By tapping into our employees and their creativity with ingredients, we can offer new, craveable sandwiches without straining resources.” A panel of expert judges, including Riley, named the winning sandwiches from 45 contest entries. The Ranchero Wrap is a hot wrap featuring BBQ marinated chicken, a three-cheese blend, red bell peppers, tomatoes, red onions, arugula, ranch dressing and chipotle mayo on a whole wheat tortilla. It was co-created by Genisis Santos and Laura Lopez from Au Bon Pain’s bakery café at Bellevue Hospital, 462 First Ave. in New York City. The Cleveland Fireside Egg Sandwich is a breakfast sandwich featuring eggs, hardwood smoked bacon, swiss cheese, tomatoes, sliced jalapenos, spinach and chipotle mayo on ciabatta. Michael Thomas and Michellica Burson from Au Bon Pain’s bakery cafe at 600 Superior Avenue in Cleveland created this masterpiece. In addition to having their sandwiches featured as an upcoming LTO, each winner received a cash prize and a special trophy featuring their recipes. Genisis Santos and Michael Thomas represented their recipes at the Boston championship round. Employees from many of the brand’s 119 U.S.-based franchise- and corporate-owned locations submitted a recipe, and Riley sees team building as an added benefit of the contest. “Our teams responded with such excitement and creativity. We received so many delicious recipes,” said Riley. “Seeing both corporate-owned and franchise cafes enthusiastically collaborate made for a fun competition that will bring even more mouth-watering recipes to our guests.” Au Bon Pain (translated “from good bread”) offers gourmet convenience to travelers, students, commuters and friends. It serves quality products made from simple ingredients in locations including transportation hubs, airports, urban office buildings, universities and hospitals. See the full menu of fresh and flavorful sandwiches, breads, pastries, salads, soups and coffee or order online at aubonpain.com. Founded in Boston in 1978, Dallas-based Ampex Brands purchased the bakery cafe in 2021, catapulting the franchisee into a franchisor role and expanding its footprint internationally. Contact Details Center Reach Communication Ashley Clontz +1 210-286-0105 ashley@centerreachcommunication.com Company Website https://www.aubonpain.com/

April 26, 2022 10:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

Rally Embraces Dalmore Group for Fractionalized Investment Expertise

Dalmore Group

The Dalmore Group is the go-to Broker-Dealer for Fractional Share issuers under Regulation A+ financing in the collectibles space. That’s where companies offer investors the opportunity to own a portion of a rare, valuable asset. One such issuer is Dalmore client, Rally, which operates a leading platform for the purchase and sale of equity shares in unique, often one-of-a-kind assets, with historical and cultural significance. According to Etan Butler, Chairman of Dalmore Group, the relationship with Rally runs deep: “Rally was Dalmore’s first fractional share platform client. They are the leader of Regulation A+ series issuers and many of our other fractional share clients have been inspired by Rally’s success. I am impressed by Rally’s trailblazing creativity and how they have cultivated and built their investor community. We are proud to be their partner in this exciting enterprise.” According to Fitz Tepper, VP of Operations at Rally, “Dalmore has been a great partner as we've continued to grow our business and expand into other asset classes. Dalmore understands the market and understands the unique challenges and opportunities faced by fast-growing startups like Rally. Dalmore approaches each challenge with creativity and sensitivity to the needs of client entrepreneurs. We are excited to help lead the way in our industry’s growth along with the talent and experience of the Dalmore Group and its leadership.” It is hard to ignore the allure of collectibles like high value art, sports memorabilia, rare watches, and classic cars. But investors need to be careful to find the right balance between their passion for or curiosity about a particularly attractive collectible and a good investment opportunity. And that’s where the need for a credible issuer like Rally and an experienced broker dealer like Dalmore comes into play. Regulation A+ Series Issuers in the collectibles fractional share ownership space don’t sell shares of their business. Instead, they use the opportunity to allow investors to purchase equity directly in things like rare collectables, sports memorabilia, films – and even dinosaur bones. These issuers, like Rally, use cutting edge apps which maximize user experience to create communities of investors who can build their own portfolios of things they’ve always dreamed about – but could never imagine owning themselves. “The beauty of the collectibles category is that now people can own the things they could previously only dream of – or at least they can own a piece of the asset,” says Butler. “This means that while someone might not have $100,000 to buy a Michael Jordan rookie card, he can still get an ownership stake with a modest $10 investment. Think about it: You can buy a share in an iconic Jordan rookie card, vintage car or bluechip NFT with just a few taps. And with that purchase, you own a piece of your dream. That’s the world of fractionalized ownership which has been unlocked by Regulation A+ investing. Average investors now have the opportunity to own a piece of a prize that previously was only available to the super rich.” Rally has seen a post-pandemic uptick in the collectibles market: “Coming out of the pandemic we saw people with a desire to re-engage with hobbies like collecting. Rally is the perfect platform for those activities, as we give our members access to items they may have a deep nostalgia for but otherwise wouldn't be able to afford.” said Tepper. Rally has opened access to blue-chip NFTs like Bored Ape Yacht Club and CryptoPunks, with each NFT offering being a Regulation A+ offering just like any other asset class on the platform. According to Tepper, “after just a few months of NFT offerings, we're proud that in many cases there are more investors on Rally that own a share of these NFTs than there are owners outside of Rally. This is the core mission of our platform - giving access to assets that people otherwise wouldn't be able to afford.” Butler and Dalmore are excited about the growth and potential of the collectibles market. And they see collectibles as a part of the investment market: Look to build a portfolio of collectables that you enjoy owning. And if you plan to invest, look at historical valuations and trends, and make sure to diversify. Having onboarded more than 200 Regulation A+ clients since 2019, Dalmore is the broker dealer of choice for issuers looking to raise capital through Regulation A+ and otherwise. Learn more about Dalmore Group’s history, experience, Regulation A+ services and flexible fee arrangements at Dalmorefg.com. ABOUT DALMORE Dalmore Group specializes in helping companies raise capital online at scale through Regulations A+, CF and D, and has onboarded over 200 Regulation A+ issuers since 2019. Learn more about how Dalmore Group is leading the way for primary issuance and secondary market trading of private securities at www.dalmorefg.com and keep up to date on the latest company news and information directly via Dalmore Group’s LinkedIn page. ABOUT RALLY Rally is a platform for buying & selling fractional equity in unique, often one-of-a-kind assets with historical and cultural significance. Every week Rally runs Initial Offerings, allowing investors to purchase shares of assets similar to the way they would buy a share of a stock, with no minimums and no commission. It also facilitates a secondary market for those assets through registered broker dealers within the app, allowing investors to access liquidity daily during Market Hours (Monday through Friday, excluding standard stock market holidays, from 10:30am(ET) – 4:30pm(ET). Rally started with classic cars in 2017 and since then it has moved into 19 total investment categories including watches, wine, high end sports memorabilia, blue chip NFTs, dinosaur fossils, and more – asset brackets and collectibles with sizable enthusiast communities, but limited access to the best-in-class examples for everyday investors. The ultimate goal is to give everyone access to ownership and liquidity in the things they really care about, instead of just investing in a ticker symbol. Disclaimer This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell, the solicitation of an offer to buy, or a solicitation of interest in any contemplated offering of, securities, nor shall there be any offer or sale of securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or jurisdiction. Any offering of securities will be made only by means of a duly qualified offering circular, which can be obtained by qualified investors through our platform. Information about our offerings must be read in conjunction with such offering circular in order to understand fully all of the implications and risks of the offering of securities to which it relates. Contact Details Trisha Larocchia +1 516-225-5932 tlarocchia@n6a.com Company Website https://dalmorefg.com/

April 26, 2022 08:32 AM Eastern Daylight Time

Shareholder Proposal Highlights Coca-Cola CEO’s Hypocrisy

National Legal & Policy Center

This morning National Legal and Policy Center will present a resolution at The Coca-Cola Company ’s annual shareholder meeting that would require the board to implement a policy to require the chair of the board of directors to be an independent member. Currently James Quincey holds the roles of both Chairman and CEO. Speaking as sponsor of the resolution was Paul Chesser, director of NLPC’s Corporate Integrity Project. His remarks as delivered follow; Extended remarks can be accessed at NLPC.org: I am Paul Chesser, director of the Corporate Integrity Project for National Legal and Policy Center. Because the company is allowing only three minutes for the presentation of proposals, my extended remarks can be found on our website, NLPC.org. On March 31, 2021, Coca-Cola Chairman and CEO James Quincey caved to progressive political activists and said about Georgia’s election integrity law, “I want to be crystal clear. The Coca-Cola Company does not support this legislation, as it makes it harder for people to vote, not easier.” However, as voter ID legislation has moved through the Parliament the last few months in Mr. Quincey’s home country, the United Kingdom, we have not heard a peep from him. Why not? Why does Mr. Quincey apply more stringent voting standards against the United States, where he receives his sizable paychecks? That’s not the only example of Mr. Quincey’s lack of awareness. Last year it was discovered also, under Mr. Quincey’s leadership, that Coca-Cola had imposed diversity training for its employees. The sessions included a course called “Confronting Racism,” which alleges that U.S. whites are socialized to believe they are “inherently superior” and suggests they “try to be less white” by being “less oppressive” and “break with white solidarity.” And during the height of the rioting across the nation during the summer of 2020, Mr. Quincey poured gasoline on the fire by embracing the violent, Marxist “Black Lives Matter” cause that destroyed many of our cities’ downtowns, including Atlanta’s. Mr. Quincey’s virtue-signaling has also addressed the topic of gender as well, with Coca-Cola boasting of its initiatives to help women, and highlighting its Equal Opportunity Policy that prohibits harassment, intimidation, retaliation, and threats against women. Those policies ring hollow, however, as Mr. Quincey totally ignored our request for him to call a special meeting of the Board to remove director Bobby Kotick, whose management of Activision Blizzard led to many credible charges of sexual harassment and assault at his company. Characterized as a “frat boy culture” by the California Dept. of Fair Employment and Housing, Mr. Kotick’s company lost several top executives, and hundreds of employees signed a petition calling for his ouster. While Mr. Quincey has bashed Americans and their alleged default racism, he has led our company in solidarity and submission to Communist China, even sponsoring the Genocide Olympics, and maintaining a factory in a province where millions of Muslim-minority Uyghurs are forced into slave labor and concentration camps. This is who moralist James Quincey believes Coca-Cola should partner with – genocidal communists, while hypocritically bashing Americans and their freedoms back home. His leadership has earned the company the mocking nickname, “Woke-a-Cola.” If any corporate resolution to separate the roles of Chairman and CEO is justified, it’s this one. END DELIVERED REMARKS The full text of NLPC’s shareholder resolution for The Coca-Cola Company can be viewed here. The text of Chesser’s extended remarks in support of the resolution can be viewed here. NLPC this week will also present shareholder resolutions on various issues at the annual shareholder meetings held by Bank of America, Wells Fargo, Goldman-Sachs, Johnson & Johnson, Boeing and Berkshire-Hathaway. Founded in 1991, NLPC promotes ethics in public life and government accountability through research, investigation, education, and legal action. Contact Details National Legal and Policy Center Paul Chesser +1 703-327-1970 pchesser@nlpc.org Company Website http://www.nlpc.org

April 26, 2022 08:15 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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