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Ripken Baseball Expands Programming in Pigeon Forge

Ripken Baseball

Ripken Baseball, the leader in youth sports events, announced they are gaining access to four additional fields in the City of Pigeon Forge. As one of the most sought-after youth sports complexes in the country, Ripken Experience™ Pigeon Forge will be able to host teams from around the country on 10 total fields, including access to the newly renovated fields at Pigeon Forge’s Wear Farm City Park. The park’s four fields will be completely upgraded and reimagined prior to the start of the 2023 season. Similar to the original six fields at Ripken Experience™ Pigeon Forge which opened in 2016, each field at Wear Farm City Park will become a youth replica of famous Major League Baseball parks of the past and present. Residents of Pigeon Forge will benefit from the renovations as Wear Farm City Park will continue to host tournaments throughout the year on state-of-the-art artificial turf that closely replicates real grass. “Every year, our teams and their families take home countless fond memories of the Pigeon Forge area when they participate in The Ripken Experience™,” said Cal Ripken, Jr., who co-founded Ripken Baseball with his brother Bill Ripken. “The views are unbelievable and the feeling you have when you experience our complex is special. The demand to play here is through the roof. This is an exciting opportunity to expand and welcome even more baseball families to Pigeon Forge.” Wear Farm City Park’s four fields will be transformed into youth replicas of the following big league stadiums: St. Louis’ Busch Stadium, Pittsburgh’s Three Rivers Stadium, Philadelphia’s Veterans Stadium, and Cincinnati’s Riverfront Stadium. The $3 million renovation project will begin this summer. “Pigeon Forge’s partnership with Ripken Baseball is a successful one, as demonstrated by the annual increase in demand for the ball fields and the direct impact on our city’s tourism industry due to the many families who visit,” said Pigeon Forge City Manager Earlene Teaster. “The upgrades to Wear Farm City Park are a win-win for The Ripken Experience™ and our Pigeon Forge residents as these fields bring vast improvements for everyone to enjoy.” Pigeon Forge residents and local youth teams will enjoy the renovations immediately following completion. The Ripken Experience™ Pigeon Forge’s access to Wear Farm City Park applies primarily to daytime hours during the summer season, allowing the four baseball fields to remain available for Pigeon Forge residents during evenings, weekends, and most Fridays. The addition of artificial turf provides longer days during the winter months (November through early March), earlier year-round start times, and quicker turnaround during the event of rain. Wear Farm City Park is open daily from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. The park, which also has soccer and youth football facilities, will continue to host youth baseball leagues. The Ripken Experience™ Pigeon Forge hosts more than 1,000 teams annually from over 30 states, traveling from as far away as California, Alaska, and overseas. Players’ families, many of whom are first-time visitors to Pigeon Forge, have a significant impact on the Pigeon Forge economy. A 2018 economic impact study attributed $33.8 million in visitor spending to The Ripken Experience™ Pigeon Forge during the facility’s nine-month season that year. The appeal of Pigeon Forge as a family vacation destination was a major reason the city built the $22.5 million complex and contracted with Ripken Baseball to operate it. During seven seasons of operations, the facility has solidified Pigeon Forge as a major sports tourism destination. In addition, research indicates that 99 percent of those who visit the facility reside outside of Sevier County. Tournament participants, coaches, and their families contribute to the local economy through overnight lodging stays ticket purchases to area attractions, restaurant dining, and other purchases. Pigeon Forge is located in Sevier County just six miles from the entrance to Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Since opening its doors in March 2016, more than 5,000 youth baseball teams and 250 high school softball teams have taken to the six fields at The Ripken Experience Pigeon Forge. In total, more than 75,000 players and coaches have traveled to play ball on fields that offer unobstructed views of the Great Smoky Mountains, with an additional 1,000 teams expected to travel to the complex for competition in 2022. The Ripken Experience™ Pigeon Forge is located on a ridge above Pigeon Forge. Each field borrows its design inspiration from current and former ballparks highlighting the professional player progression from the Minor to Major Leagues, including Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Baltimore. The others are Calfee Park in Pulaski, Va., the oldest park in the Appalachian League; Fluor Field in Greenville, S.C., known as “Little Fenway”; Engel Stadium in Chattanooga, Tenn., a filming location for the “42” movie about Jackie Robinson; BB&T Ballpark in Winston-Salem, N.C.; and Isotopes Park in Albuquerque, N.M. The Ripken Experience™ Pigeon Forge hosts tournaments nine months out of the year and offers year-round branded events in its 14,000-square-foot clubhouse. Tournaments are free to spectators, and parking is free at the complex. Visitor information about Pigeon Forge is available online at MyPigeonForge.com and toll-free at 800-251-9100. To learn more about Ripken Baseball and for The Ripken Experience™ Pigeon Forge, visit RipkenBaseball.com. Cal Ripken, Jr. headshot and The Ripken Experience Pigeon Forge facility images are available here. Photo credit: The Ripken Experience Pigeon Forge 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/

May 25, 2022 09:03 AM Eastern Daylight Time

Revolutionize Remote Working with New Automated Lecture Capture Solution – CaptureCast™

NewTek

NewTek, the leader in IP-based video technology and part of the Vizrt Group, announces today the latest in its innovative portfolio, CaptureCast; a ground-breaking multi-input recording and live streaming technology to drive active participation, engagement, and experience for remote working, training, onboarding, and more. The IP-based lecture capture and micro broadcasting system will connect colleagues from boardroom to boardroom, home office to home office, and corporate headquarters to employees all throughout the globe. Easy to implement and fully autonomous, CaptureCast doesn’t require a dedicated operator leaving users more time, effort, and energy to focus on collaborative communication. Connect, globally. CaptureCast is the first solution on the market to harness the power of NDI ® by connecting camera apps on mobile, software screen capture, and thousands of compatible devices like PTZ cameras. Using NDI, CaptureCast also incorporates direct connection with video communication applications including Microsoft ® Teams, Zoom, among others. The innovative automation inside CaptureCast records any live devices such as cameras, mics, tablets, document cameras, and nearly any digital device offering HD video out, enabling remote participants to interact with video content more dynamically. With CaptureCast, workplaces can also deliver high quality, impactful videos to streamline onboarding new employees, increase quality of training for current employees and more as the technology automatically records live video and files for on-demand access. Pre-recorded content can be reviewed on replay, or content can be accessed in real-time offering more flexibility to recording sessions and reaching global audiences more easily. Stream, seamlessly. Furthermore, CaptureCast takes any live capture and instantaneously replicates it across any streaming platforms to empower remote participants to switch between viewpoints, cameras, or screens to completely personalize, and take control of their video viewing experience. CaptureCast automates the entire record-stream-enrichment process. It moves between different set-ups for any given class, to a pre-programmed schedule or timetable, and intelligently maps the captured content to common learning or content management systems – all without any input from HR or IT staff. Each set-up can be customized to any style of lecture, speaker, or for totally exceptional and out-of-the-box hybrid working experiences. “Video is embedded in every area of society and in today’s world anyone can get on camera and connect to an audience. Micro-broadcasting has become a need for corporations to meet the growing need of servicing distance workers, and outfitting rooms for flex/hybrid instructions to deliver an enhanced experience to drive engagement and productivity for the workplace of the future,” states Barbara Spicek, President, and GM, NewTek. For more information on NewTek’s CaptureCast, visit: www.newtek.com About NewTek: NewTek is the leader in IP video technology that gives every storyteller a voice through video. Working exclusively with selected Channel Partners around the world to bring its innovative solutions to market, NewTek empowers customers to grow their audiences, brands, and businesses faster than ever before. NewTek products are natively IP-centric via NDI ®. Clients include: The Supreme Court of the United Kingdom, New York Giants, NBA Development League, NHL, Nickelodeon, CBS Radio, ESPN Radio, Fox Sports, MTV, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), Pinsent Masons LLP, and more than 80% of the U.S. Fortune 100. NewTek is part of the Vizrt Group alongside its sister brands, Vizrt and NDI. NewTek follows the single purpose of this Group; more stories, better told. www.newtek.com NDI, TriCaster, TalkShow, 3Play, LightWave 3D, and Broadcast Minds are registered trademarks of NewTek, Inc. MediaDS, LightWave, ProTek, LivePanel, LiveGraphics, and ProServ are trademarks and/or service marks of NewTek, Inc. All other products or brand names mentioned are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders. About NDI® NDI® (Network Device Interface technology), is a royalty-free standard enabling IP video workflows across standard Ethernet networks, which advances our customer’s software-drive IP workflows. It allows video and audio sources to be shared bi-directionally across a network, eliminating the need for costly direct connections, expensive cable runs, and infrastructure upgrades while turning every source into a destination instantly available anywhere on the network - enabling our mission of “moving video, moving the world”. NDI® is in the hands of millions of customers using applications and devices that are NDI®-enabled and has been adopted by more media organizations than any other IP standard, therefore creating the industry’s largest IP ecosystem of products and the rapidly expanding number of companies enabling IP-based customer workflows. www.ndi.tv About the Vizrt Group: Vizrt Group® runs under the passionately held single, simple purpose of “more stories, better told,” supplying media content creators around the world with software-defined visual storytelling tools to help them to build a better-informed world. The Group contains three of the strongest names in the broadcast technology industry; NewTek, NDI® and Vizrt. All three being creative businesses, built on innovation and grown by our people, with the goal of becoming the most recommended solution provider in the markets we serve. We combine our strategic pillars of Content-Centricity, Software-Defined, IP First, and Innovation to increase our customers’ success in delivering engaging and immersive content to their audiences. Vizrt Group is a global and diverse organization with over 600 employees from 58 different nationalities, with offices in 16 countries worldwide. It is privately-owned by Nordic Capital Fund VIII. www.vizrtgroup.com Contact Details Vizrt Group Cath Webb cwebb@vizrt.com Company Website https://www.newtek.com/

May 25, 2022 03:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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Kivvit Wins Five Awards At The American Association Of Political Consultants’ Pollie Awards

Kivvit

Kivvit won five awards at the American Association of Political Consultants’ Pollie Awards for its impactful work with the State of New Jersey Department of Health (NJDOH) in creating a COVID-19 public awareness campaign, and its work for the ELM Action Fund Independent Expenditure on an environmental and climate advocacy platform for Boston Mayor Michelle Wu’s mayoral race. The awards come on the heels of Kivvit winning four of the most prestigious awards in North America at PRovoke’s SABRE 2022 award ceremony earlier this month, including Best in Show. Campaigns & Elections also named Kivvit Public Affairs Firm of the Year for the third consecutive year at its Reed Awards, as well as 11 other awards across TV (English and Spanish language), online video, use of AR, and more. There were over 1,100 entries and over 200 firms competing for Pollie Awards this year, with only 11% of entries earning Gold. Kivvit’s work won the following Pollie Awards across categories: "Bold Plan" for ELM Action Fund Independent Expenditure & Mayor Michelle Wu Gold Award for AAPC North Best Digital Independent Expenditure for Local/Municipal/Mayoral COVID-19 Public Awareness Campaign for NJ Department of Health Gold Award for Best Television Campaign, Public Affairs/Issue Advocacy Division Silver Award for Best in Show, Public Affairs/Issue Advocacy Division Silver Award for Best Radio Campaign, Public Affairs/Issue Advocacy Division Bronze Award for Best Data Analytics Solution Click here to view the full list of the 2022 AAPC Pollie winners. Kivvit’s Chief Brand Strategist, Stephan Miller, was also honored as one of the 40 best and brightest professionals under 40 years old. Candidates were evaluated on their role as a strategic consultant in the industry, along with leadership and professional accomplishments in political consulting. “AAPC is pleased to recognize Stephan Miller as a member of our 2022 class of 40 Under 40 for their outstanding achievements,” said AAPC President Becki Donatelli. “Each year, this award recognizes 40 rising stars in American political consulting who have made a real difference in campaigns.” Click here to view the full list of the 2022 “40 Under 40” winners. Hosted by the only bipartisan, nonprofit organization for political professionals, the Pollie Awards set the standard for excellence in the political communications and public affairs industries. Over 250 judges evaluate entries based on creativity, production value, and effectiveness. About Kivvit Kivvit is one of the largest and fastest-growing independent strategic communications and public affairs firms in the United States, with over 130 professionals across six offices in Boston, Chicago, Miami, New York, New Jersey, and Washington, D.C. Kivvit has earned over 60 awards and recognitions in the past 5 years, including Public Affairs of the Year (Reed Awards), Digital Agency of the Year (PRovoke SABRE North America), Most Innovative Agency (Bulldog Stars of PR Awards), and a Best Agency to Work For (PRovoke). Kivvit also leads O'Dwyer's national rankings of independent communications firms across multiple categories, including #1 for Real Estate Finance & Development, #2 for Energy and Non-Profit, #4 for Purpose and Corporate Social Responsibility. To learn more and see what we do, visit www.Kivvit.com and follow us @TeamKivvit. Contact Details Zach Silber +1 212-929-0669 zsilber@kivvit.com Company Website https://www.kivvit.com/

May 24, 2022 10:10 AM Eastern Daylight Time

Grassroots Leaders ‘Ready for Ron’ Launch Draft DeSantis for President Committee

Ready for Ron

Today, grassroots leaders and political activists launched an official committee to encourage Florida Governor Ron DeSantis to run for President of the United States. ‘Ready for Ron’, led by senior strategist Ed Rollins – Reagan ’84 Campaign Chairman and Chairman of the leading pro-trump group in 2016, and appellate attorney and conservative activist Lilian Rodríguez-Baz, started a petition for DeSantis supporters to sign demonstrating the growing support for his candidacy nationwide. The online petition located at: ReadyForRon.com provides information about the Committee and encourages supporters to get involved with the movement to draft DeSantis for President. “Under President Donald Trump’s leadership, the United States enjoyed record unemployment, economic stability, and safety. Many are yearning for a return to these policies and the prosperity good leadership can bring,” stated Ed Rollins. “The era of President Trump was wonderful, but now, since he isn’t currently running, we must get ready for a new leader, we must be Ready for Ron. “We are undertaking a comprehensive campaign to draft Governor DeSantis to run for President of the United States,” explained Rodríguez-Baz. “We need his proven leadership to bring safety and prosperity back. With the current political and economic, crises, the American values that provided the courage for my mother and four-year-old me to get on a boat that we didn’t even know was seaworthy, are eroding. We risked everything to make it to the United States and refuse to see our country fail.” In addition to the draft petition, the ‘Ready for Ron’ campaign announced a significant advertising effort to attract more supporters to encourage Governor DeSantis to announce his candidacy. “We are hoping to build one of the biggest grassroots movements ever, Rodríguez-Baz continued. “The radical left is risking our future. We must change course immediately. While with the economy, inflation, crime, and erosion parental rights and the American way of life, we need confident, dependable, and proven leadership like only Ron DeSantis can deliver.” ‘Ready for Ron” has registered with the Federal Election Commission (FEC), whose regulations provide that “…a draft committee is a political committee that is established solely to draft an individual or to encourage him or her to become a candidate for federal office…” While ‘Ready for Ron’ is completely unaffiliated with the DeSantis campaign per federal regulations, it has taken the novel step of submitting a formal Advisory Opinion Request to the FEC seeking to share its supporter list with Governor DeSantis if the Draft succeeds and he announces his candidacy. “We hope the FEC will not stand in the way of political speech and freedom of association. Millions of Americans want Ron DeSantis to run. Signing their names to this draft petition is the ultimate act of political speech, and we should be able to give those names to the Governor if – and when – he heeds their call and runs.” Rodríguez-Baz said. “In the meantime, we remain completely unconnected entity dedicated to encouraging his candidacy. American needs his leadership now more than ever." ### Contact Details Ready for Ron Dan Rene +1 202-329-8357 dan@readyforron.com Company Website https://www.readyforron.com/

May 24, 2022 10:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

Metaverse UGC platform BUD raises $36.8M Series B

BUD

BUD, a metaverse user-generated platform, announces its $36.8M Series B round led by Sequoia Capital India with participation from ClearVue Partners, NetEase and Northern Light Venture Capital. Existing investors GGV Capital, Qiming Venture Partners and Source Code Capital also participated in the round. Founded in 2019 by former Snap engineers, Risa Feng and Shawn Lin, Singapore-headquartered BUD is a leading global metaverse UGC platform encouraging users to create and share 3D interactive experiences with its easy-to-use creation tools. To date, over 15 million 3D experiences and assets have been created on the platform and user-generated 3D assets have been traded more than 150 million times. Since its global launch in November 2021, BUD skyrocketed to the list of top 10 social apps in more than 38 countries around the world including North America, Southeast Asia and South America. With the right mix of technology and art, BUD greatly fulfills Gen Z's desire for entertainment, creation and sharing. It is becoming a preferred platform for Gen-Z and Gen-Alpha to socialize in 3D immersive worlds. In addition to customizing unique avatars, users can also create and explore millions of experiences ranging from hangout places to battle royale games. The mobile-native creation tools require no prior coding knowledge. Without providing any preset 3D templates, BUD allows creators to build 3D experiences from scratch by using geometric modules and interactive props. Apart from adding texts, pictures, music and videos to enrich experiences, lighting and sky-box can be adjusted as well to create an immersive environment. Many aesthetic scenes and interactive experiences in BUD can look like they are created using professional PC software by professionals but they are actually all created by users on their mobile devices.. BUD’s users are young and digital natives, most of whom are teenage girls who likely do not have any coding experience but are creative and love self-expression. BUD is a virtual platform for them to showcase this creativity and get to know others with similar interests. The company intends to use the fresh funding to further develop its creation tools, grow its global user base and roll out web3 products for its metaverse ecosystem. The company has revealed clear plans to launch its own NFT marketplace. "The media of the next era will not be limited to familiar forms like text, pictures or videos, but will turn to more immersive and interactive formats. BUD is such a user-generated platform for the 3D world where everyone, not just hard-core gamers or professionals, has the chance to create and share whatever they want," shared Risa, CEO and co-founder at BUD. Graduated from Cornell with a degree in Computer Science, Risa joined Snapchat’s AR Division in 2017 and worked on frontier Lens experiences prior to founding BUD. "While BUD makes 3D content creation possible for mainstream gen-z consumers, we will continue to bring blockchain to mainstream consumers and allow our creators to truly own and monetize their creations," said Shawn, co-founder at BUD. Prior to founding BUD, Shawn spent three years at Snap, working on its performance optimization, developer framework and user growth. “BUD is establishing itself as a social destination for GenZ while uniquely enabling ownership of content in the metaverse. Millions of users are creating content on BUD and sharing their creations on social media, aiding the inherent virality of the BUD platform. We are impressed by the passion with which the founders have built BUD, and are excited about their future plans for localisation and growth.” Aakash Kapoor, VP, Sequoia India. “The immersive and interactive experience created by BUD users brings happiness to GenZ around the world. We’re excited for the progress BUD has made and look forward to the launch of its new web3 products.” said Jenny Lee, managing partner at GGV Capital. “With the immersive 3D experience of the product and explosive growth among GenZ users around the world, BUD is rapidly growing as a leading UGC platform in the emerging metaverse,” said William Chen, Founding Managing Partner of ClearVue Partners. "We are excited to work with this innovative team and to bring together our resources and experience in the global consumer, media, and entertainment industries.” About BUD BUD is a leading global metaverse UGC platform encouraging users to create and share 3D interactive experiences with its easy-to-use creation tools. Former Snap engineers Risa Feng and Shawn Lin founded BUD in 2019, and have grown the firm into a team of more than 100 people strong. It is expected to reach 200 employees by the end of this year. Headquartered in Singapore, BUD will have localization teams across the world. To date, over 15 million 3D experiences and assets have been created on the platform and user-generated 3D assets have been traded more than 150 million times. Since its global launch in November 2021, BUD skyrocketed to the list of top 10 social apps in more than 38 countries around the world including North America, Southeast Asia and South America. BUD has become a digital social hub where millions of people come to create, play and hangout. Contact Details BUD Bilal Mahmood +44 7714 007257 b.mahmoood@stockwoodstrategy.com Company Website https://www.joinbudapp.com/

May 23, 2022 02:09 PM Pacific Daylight Time

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Second-Generation Minuteman Press Franchisees in Cupey and San Juan, Puerto Rico Continue Family Legacies for 27 Years and Counting

Minuteman Press International Inc

For Frances Torruellas and Tere Quiñones, owning a business runs in the family. Frances is the co-owner of her Minuteman Press franchise in Cupey, working alongside her father Juan A. Torruellas. Tere is the owner of Minuteman Press located in Hato Rey, San Juan. Both family-run franchises opened in 1995, and both Frances and Tere are proud to carry on their family legacies for 27 years and counting. Father & Daughter Team Juan Arturo & Frances Torruellas Make a Dynamic Team for Minuteman Press in Cupey Minuteman Press in Cupey, Puerto Rico, first opened in July of 1995. Juan A. Torruellas originally began looking to own a business in 1994, and he found the right fit with Minuteman Press. Juan reflects, “I was very determined to have my own business but had not defined what it would be. The year 1994 was the beginning of my journey seeking what type of business I would like to operate; I was sure that it would not be a food business but I did want a service-based business. For the past twenty years prior, I held managerial positions in finance and administration which helped me in that process. I was convinced after my participation in a franchise show in Miami, Florida, that my business would be Minuteman Press.” After several meetings with Minuteman Press representatives in Puerto Rico, Juan officially signed his agreement and entered training. Juan says, “On July 1, 1995, our presses started running. Like all beginnings, we went out day by day to present our innovative services in the printing business. By following the training and advice from Minuteman Press, we raised a bank of loyal customers, many of whom continue with us after 27 years.” In order to sustain their success and longevity, Juan talks about the need to adapt. He says, “We have recognized the need to evolve according to the needs of our customers, which is why in recent years the ‘printing on demand’ concept has been a priority in our operation, as well as offering a range of promotional products that meet the market needs.” He proudly adds, “Over the years, we have been recognized by Minuteman Press International for reaching monthly sales volumes of $250,000, as well as receiving their Customer Service Award, Top Quality Award and Top Appearance Award.” “Our philosophy has always been to treat the client honestly, to offer guidance on the best alternatives in terms of cost without affecting the quality of the product, and to have integrated services available to improve the image of each client.” -Juan A. Torruellas, owner, Minuteman Press, Cupey, Puerto Rico Second Generation in Sight Frances Torruellas first joined the team of Minuteman Press in Cupey in 2005, worked her way up from customer service to manager, and then became owner in 2018. Juan shares, “My daughter Frances Ivette joined the Minuteman Press team in the customer service area in the year 2005, a year after she attended the training in Farmingdale, where she was able to gain a broader perspective about our business. In a short time, Frances dominated the operation and became our manager. As her interest for the business kept growing, she became owner in 2018.” He adds, “I am so proud of the job she has done, and this truly is a family business.” When asked for his final reflections on operating his business, Juan says, “We must give an important and warm mention to now-retired RVP Jeff Robey, who supported us for many years. Jeff is truly special and was instrumental to our growth.” Juan concludes, “We are proud to represent a franchise in Minuteman Press International that has maintained its relevance and prestigious name throughout all of our years in this exciting and ever-changing industry.” Tere Quiñones Shares Insights on Running the Family Business and Carrying On Her Father’s Legacy as Owner of Minuteman Press in Hato Rey, San Juan Minuteman Press in Hato Rey, San Juan, Puerto Rico first opened in April of 1995. At that time, Tere Quiñones was in college and her father ran the family business. Tere says, “After I graduated from college and began to work on my Master’s degree, I helped my father out at the shop. Little by little, I learned every aspect of the business and fell in love with it. Never did I think that I would continue his legacy, and in some ways, I believe that Minuteman Press chose me.” As Tere reflects on her family’s 27 years in business, she shares the following three keys to the success and longevity of Minuteman Press in San Juan: “ 1. It’s very important to maintain an excellent group of employees, where we all feel like family. A comfortable working environment is important. If there is a good and happy staff, the daily workload feels easier. 2. Honesty. Always be honest to clients about the job request, whether it’s possible or not to meet their deadlines. That way they will always know that what you are telling them about any specifics of the job will be the truth. 3. Quality. Maintain the same printing quality, go that extra mile and make sure that even with changes in technology/machinery the quality remains the same. If there is a slight change in the quality, always contact the client beforehand let them know. Avoid surprises to your clients.” When asked about the various ways Minuteman Press in San Juan has grown, Tere shares, “Three ways we have grown over the years are by adding promotional products, doing email marketing campaigns targeting specific industries, and direct referrals from happy clients.” She continues, “Our key growth areas right now are wide format printing, hotel collaterals, and parking signage for companies. We also do a lot of Every Door Direct Mail as well as printing for schools. There is always going to be a need for printing; you just have to find what your customers are looking for.” “Our community is mixed between small businesses, schools, and seniors. We have a potpourri of walk-ins that makes every day different. Our clients have different needs and degrees of knowledge. Being able to assist them all and provide products and solutions is very satisfying.” - Tere Quiñones, Minuteman Press, San Juan, Puerto Rico Speaking of community, Minuteman Press in San Juan also stands out by making their center a place of learning. Tere says, “We have a copy center that is open to teachers and students, with special prices and offerings. It’s a nice resource for them and a great way to educate them about what we do.” Tere also appreciates the support she has received over the years. She says, “Minuteman Press International has always been present in assisting in all situations. Having a group of people that are always willing to advise us and help is definitely an advantage.” As she reflects further on the rewards of owning a business, Tere says, “The biggest reward of owning a business is having the ability to do something that you love. I also appreciate the flexibility because it’s much easier to be there for family activities and events than if you were working for someone else.” She concludes, “If you love what you do and work hard, the rest just seems to fall into place.” Minuteman Press in Cupey is located at Winston Churchill Avenue #138, Crown Hill, Cupey, PR 00926. For more information, visit their website: https://minuteman.com/us/locations/pr/cupey/ Minuteman Press in San Juan is located at Ave. Americo Miranda #1503, San Juan, PR 00921. For more information, visit their website: https://minuteman.com/us/locations/pr/san-juan20/ Learn more about #1 rated Minuteman Press franchise opportunities at https://minutemanpressfranchise.com Contact Details Minuteman Press International Chris Biscuiti +1 631-249-1370 cbiscuiti@mpihq.com Company Website https://minutemanpressfranchise.com

May 23, 2022 10:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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Schools Procure Maple Hotspots to Bridge the Homework Gap

Maple

Maple, a provider of reliable, remote online access for students, announced its fully portable and pocket-sized Internet connectivity solutions, powered by StratusX, are being deployed to thousands of students to narrow the Homework Gap in the United States. Many school systems continue to work with Maple to procure CIPA compliant mobile internet hotspots using funding from the Federal Communications Commission’s Emergency Connectivity Fund (ECF). Maple leaders are encouraging schools to utilize an extension of the ECF application process (with a waiver request) to secure the funding necessary to provide students with the safe and reliable online access they need. Leading education organizations continue to work collaboratively with the public sector and private enterprise to solve these [connectivity] issues and get technology into the hands of students. The National School Boards Association has prioritized promoting digital equity and closing the Homework Gap. One of the organization’s core policy objectives is “…eliminating broadband infrastructure gaps and investing in students and families without adequate high-speed broadband and/or Internet devices...” “Without equal access to education and online resources, students in underserved, minority, lower-income, and rural communities are adversely affected,” stated Michael Kadisha, Chief Executive of Maple. “Teachers assign homework requiring access to the Internet, and students need it to learn. This is a necessity, not a luxury. It is a profound issue of fundamental fairness facing our society today and determines access to opportunities down the road.” “Access to a good education is one of the most important issues of our time, and the most pressing within it is closing the Homework Gap,” Kadisha continued. “While we are encouraged by the thousands of students, educators, families, and communities that will benefit from our technology, there is still much to do. We are looking to partner with more schools to utilize the ECF program to request 100% funding for student connectivity needs.” Maple leaders are currently working with schools that missed the May 13 deadline to utilize the Emergency Connectivity Fund extension. Waivers are available, but schools must act quickly. There is a 30-day window remaining to submit funding applications. “Working together, we will eliminate inequities and close the Homework Gap as we reliably connect students and educators from anywhere,” Kadisha continued. Many schools have already worked with Maple to procure hotspots for thousands of students utilizing the ECF application process. Education leaders chose to work with Maple based on superior technology and the company’s commitment to bridging solutions for education. Maple and its leadership have a proven history of philanthropy, advocating for education, and serving students. Maple’s parent company developed Treedom, a leading service-based scholarship platform. Through these initiatives, Maple recognized that while students wanted to access their educational resources, they had no or poor connectivity at home. “The stories of entire families relying on one caregiver’s cell phone or public WiFi to complete assignments is troubling. While the loss of learning and economic opportunity is measurable, the inequity for students who only want a fair shot to learn is not. We remain committed to addressing this injustice,” Kadisha said. Maple hotspots eliminate the frustration associated with slow or ‘spotty’ service. Students in areas that struggle with broadband access, when utilizing Maple technology, can reliably access the Internet securely whenever and wherever they want. Devices switch between mobile carrier networks to provide the best possible signal. This benefit prevents disruptions that may arise with any carrier resulting from weather or technical issues. With Maple connections, the Internet is always available for students. About Maple Maple provides trusted technology solutions for schools, libraries, students, and educators that close the digital divide by delivering high-quality internet access and valuable educational experiences to students. Please visit https://www.mapleconnect.co/. ### For more information or to schedule an interview with a Maple spokesperson, 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/

May 20, 2022 10:30 AM Eastern Daylight Time

CSG Systems International Approves Quarterly Dividend

CSG

DENVER, May 20, 2022 – CSG ® (NASDAQ: CSGS) today announced that its Board of Directors approved the Company’s quarterly cash dividend payment of $0.265 per share of common stock to be paid on June 29, 2022 for shareholders of record as of the close of business on June 16, 2022. About CSG CSG is a leader in innovative customer engagement, revenue management and payments solutions that make ordinary customer experiences extraordinary. Our cloud-first architecture and customer-obsessed mindset help companies around the world launch new digital services, expand into new markets, and create dynamic experiences that capture new customers and build brand loyalty. For 40 years, CSG’s technologies and people have helped some of the world’s most recognizable brands solve their toughest business challenges and evolve to meet the demands of today’s digital economy with future-ready solutions that drive exceptional customer experiences. With 5,000 employees in over 20 countries, CSG is the trusted technology provider for leading global brands in telecommunications, retail, financial services, and healthcare. Our solutions deliver real world outcomes to more than 900 customers in over 120 countries. To learn more, visit us at csgi.com and connect with us on LinkedIn and Twitter. Copyright © 2022 CSG Systems International, Inc. and/or its affiliates (“CSG”). All rights reserved. CSG® is a registered trademark of CSG Systems International, Inc. All third-party trademarks, service marks, and/or product names which are referenced in this document are the property of their respective owners, and all rights therein are reserved. Contacts: John Rea Investor Relations +1 (210) 687-4409 john.rea@csgi.com Contact Details Tammy Hovey +1 917-520-2751 tammy.hovey@csgi.com Company Website https://www.csgi.com

May 20, 2022 06:30 AM Mountain Daylight Time

Mirriad Deepens Partnership With Lexus Bringing In-Content Advertising to Biggie’s Celebrity-Filled 50th Birthday Party Livestream

Mirriad

Mirriad, the leading in-content advertising company powered by Academy Award Winning AI technology, today announced its partnership with Lexus surrounding the 2nd Annual B.I.G. Dinner Gala in honor of Biggies’ 50th birthday celebration on Friday, May 20. Hosted by Lil’ Kim, the black-tie gala and concert will bring together some of the biggest names in Hip Hop to honor the beloved rapper with a pre-filmed celebrity procession of Lexus LX SUVs across Manhattan and Brooklyn. Additionally, by leveraging Mirriad’s post-production technology, virtual billboards featuring Lexus branding will be placed in the procession video. In near real time, Mirriad will identify key moments along the route where the brand will have a minimum of 5 seconds of audience exposure during the airing prior to the live streamed event. The procession video, live event capture and live stream will be managed and filmed by Culture Creative, the black-owned Emmy Award Winning agency established to connect brands with emerging cultural marketing places through new and innovative ways of authentic storytelling. The team will be leveraging state of the art and cutting edge camera systems for an enticing viewer experience. Fans can tune into the live stream at 10:30pm EST on Biggies’ ( @notoriousbig ) and Lil’ Kim’s ( @lilkimthequeenbee ) official Instagram pages. After the event, the video footage will live infinitely on YouTube. “Our partnership with Lexus has enabled both teams to explore and activate in-content advertising strategies in ways we wouldn’t have considered five years ago, and develop a campaign that combines traditional activation elements with Mirriad’s AI technology, creating an elevated experience for brands, event attendees, as well as fans watching from home,” said Maria Teresa Hernandez, VP of Sales and Brand Partnerships at Mirriad. “To reach a global audience through a highly anticipated and mainstream event opens the doors for Lexus to take their advertising strategy to the next level and reach new, key audiences with substantial exposure.” The star-studded event will host over 200 industry titans and family members of the late rapper and will culminate at a dinner gala and live concert hosted by Lil’ Kim, Lil’ Cease, Junior M.A.F.I.A., CJ Wallace, T’yanna Wallace, among many others. The live streamed concert will feature covers of Biggie’s hit songs from artists including: Fabolous, Fat Joe, Lil' Cease Junior M.A.F.I.A, CJ Wallace, Dave East, Jada Kiss, Faith Evans, 112, Bone Thugs, French Montana, Beanie Siegel, Freeway, Busta, The Lox, Havoc and more. To learn more about Mirriad and the advertising opportunities offered visit www.mirriad.com. About Mirriad Mirriad's award-winning solution unleashes new revenue for content producers and distributors by creating new advertising inventory in content. Our patented, AI and computer vision technology dynamically inserts products and innovative signage formats after content is produced. Mirriad's market-first solution seamlessly integrates with existing subscription and advertising models, and dramatically improves the viewer experience by limiting commercial interruptions. Mirriad currently operates in the US, Europe and China. Contact Details Kite Hill PR for Mirriad +1 308-440-9067 mirriad@kitehillpr.com Company Website https://www.mirriad.com/

May 19, 2022 02:45 PM Eastern Daylight Time

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