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Comcast Business Works with LifeMoves to Implement Solutions that Address Homelessness in Silicon Valley

Comcast California

Comcast Business today announced it is supplying LifeMoves with critical technology to better serve people experiencing homelessness across the Silicon Valley region. The upgraded Internet and integrated network will support employees as they continue to serve the community and those in need, even while working remotely, in addition to addressing clients’ technology needs. LifeMoves is dedicated to finding solutions to homelessness in Silicon Valley. Its programs are designed to support the growing needs of people experiencing homelessness by providing a temporary place to call home and intensive, customized case management through interim supportive housing programs and community outreach. LifeMoves currently operates 26 interim housing and service sites, in addition to multiple COVID-19 emergency sites as the pandemic continues to impact both the existing homeless population and those at risk of homelessness. LifeMoves replaced its existing dial-up Internet with Comcast Business’ high-speed Business Internet, Ethernet Dedicated Internet and advanced SD-WAN solution on the ActiveCore℠ SDN Platform across 17 of its sites in January 2020. This provided LifeMoves with the necessary technology to quickly expand capacity and continue providing support to clients once the pandemic hit. As a result, LifeMoves’ clients can continue to work with their Case Managers and participate in programs virtually and use the LifeMoves-provided tablets to access online job applications, schooling and telehealth. Furthermore, Comcast Business’ VoiceEdge solution paired with its reliable connectivity services provides LifeMoves employees with the support they need to conduct virtual meetings with staff and clients, and continue community outreach, fundraising and other programs across multiple regions in Silicon Valley. “Collaboratively engaging a wide range of key stakeholders is an essential part of our program and an important aspect in empowering and improving the lives of the individuals we serve. Comcast Business’ innovative solutions serve as the catalyst that enables our programing” said Paul Simpson, Chief Financial Officer, LifeMoves. “While the road ahead is long, we are dedicated to serving our community and those experiencing homelessness in the area. There is a light at the end of the tunnel. Human centered care plans supported by technology thought leaders like Comcast are essential in maintaining our commitment to our clients and ensuring they can return to stable housing successfully.” LifeMoves has recently opened two new interim housing sites to better serve hundreds of unhoused individuals and families in Half Moon Bay and Mountain View in response to the pandemic-related surge in homelessness. Comcast Business will provide Internet and SD-WAN service to these new sites. “LifeMoves is extremely effective in finding solutions to homelessness and helping people return to stable homes, even as the number of people experiencing homelessness in the Silicon Valley area continues to rise. As such, shelters and community programs like LifeMoves require fast, flexible and reliable network connectivity to successfully support the needs of their clients and employees,” said Kristeen Cominiello, Vice President of Comcast Business in California. “Comcast Business is proud of the work we’re doing with LifeMoves and we look forward to continuing to support the team in helping to improve the lives of thousands of people across the region.” For more information, please visit https://business.comcast.com/local/california About Comcast Business Comcast Business offers Ethernet, Internet, Wi-Fi, Voice, TV and Managed Enterprise Solutions to help organizations of all sizes transform their business. Powered by an advanced network, and backed by 24/7 customer support, Comcast Business is one of the largest contributors to the growth of Comcast Cable. Comcast Business is the nation’s largest cable provider to small and mid-size businesses and has emerged as a force in the Enterprise market; recognized over the last two years by leading industry associations as one of the fastest growing providers of Ethernet services. For more information, call 866-429-3085. Follow on Twitter @ComcastBusiness and on other social media networks at http://business.comcast.com/social. About LifeMoves LifeMoves is the largest provider of interim supportive housing and services to people experiencing homelessness in Silicon Valley. With 26 shelter and service sites from Daly City to San José, we give our neighbors experiencing homelessness a temporary place to call home while helping more than 2,000 people each year return to long-term stable housing. The LifeMoves program provides intensive, customized case management through both shelter programs and community outreach where we shelter, feed, clothe, and offer therapeutic support services to more than 1,200 families and individuals every day. For more information about LifeMoves, visit https://www.lifemoves.org and follow us on Twitter @lifemovesorg and Instagram @lifemoves_org. To contribute to our pandemic recovery efforts, visit https://www.lifemoves.org/pandemic_recovery_fund Contact Details Comcast Adriana Arvizo Adriana_Arvizo@comcast.com FINN Partners Chloe Huard Chloe.Huard@finnpartners.com

May 10, 2021 10:00 AM Pacific Daylight Time

On-Premises Software Demand is Equal to Cloud and Rising

Replicated, Inc.

Despite the rise in cloud-based applications, on-premises software continues to show significant growth and demand from enterprise software customers. According to a new report from Dimensional Research and sponsored by Replicated, the current customer demand for on-premises software is equal to that of public cloud, and more than 90 percent of companies surveyed said their on-premises sales continue to rise. In addition, across the more than 400 software vendor engineers, CTOs, CIOs, and other decision-makers surveyed, more than 70 percent who don’t currently offer an on-premises option are already planning to in the near future. Bottom line: customer demand for on-prem software delivery isn’t slowing down anytime soon. “In the past few years we’ve experienced a steady increase in interest from leading global companies who see that modern on-prem software delivery through containers and Kubernetes can make data protection and security much easier,” said Grant Miller, co-founder and CEO of Replicated. “Coupled with growing customer demand, it's a win-win scenario for any industry.” While the majority of companies cited privacy compliance as the top reason for using on-premises software delivery, others noted that the ability to integrate with established solutions, reliability, and customization options topped their list of why they added the option to their lineup. So why isn’t every company already offering on-premises solutions? Survey respondents noted complexity, time commitments, and the cost of engineering resources to get it done. While many companies were created to be fluent in cloud, building and maintaining new on-premises software deployments can be challenging and slow in comparison. While most said they already use container-based applications and Kubernetes in their production environments, 85 percent of companies reported their customers still need help with the container-based installs. Adding to this, only 16 percent can complete a customer install in less than one week. “The ability to deliver and manage Kubernetes apps anywhere, without it being a complicated, time-consuming slog is key,” Miller shared. For a full run-down of survey results, please visit this link. About Replicated Replicated is the modern way to ship on-prem software. Replicated gives software vendors a container-based platform for easily deploying cloud-native applications inside customers' environments to provide greater security and control. Learn more at Replicated.com. About Dimensional Research Dimensional Research® provides practical market research for technology companies. We partner with our clients to deliver actionable information that reduces risks, increases customer satisfaction, and grows the business. Our researchers are experts in the applications, devices, and infrastructure used by modern businesses and their customers. For more information, visit www.dimensionalresearch.com. Contact Details Forrest Carman +1 206-859-3118 forrestc@owenmedia.com Company Website https://www.replicated.com/

May 10, 2021 09:00 AM Pacific Daylight Time

HOUSTON AREA URBAN LEAGUE TO EXPAND TECH TRAINING PROGRAM THROUGH PARTNERSHIP WITH COMCAST

Comcast Houston

Unemployed and underemployed Houstonians will have the chance to train for family-sustaining jobs under a major expansion of the Houston Area Urban League Tech Jobs Program, funded by longtime partner Comcast. “The Urban Tech Jobs Program 2.0 provides an opportunity for our participants to receive in-demand IT training at the collegiate level without student debt. In this current environment where we have seen a huge demand for technical skills due to COVID-19 pandemic, our program will help bridge the digital divide in our communities.” “With the support of Comcast, I foresee HAUL becoming one of Houston’s leading agencies in providing quality technical training and ensuring underserved clients in BIPOC communities have access to technology”, stated Judson W. Robinson III, Houston Area Urban League President & CEO. Tech-related job openings are surging, both nationally and in Houston. According to the 2021 Greater Houston Partnership Houston Tech Report, Houston has the 12th largest tech workforce in the U.S. The Greater Houston area ranks as one of the hot spots in the country for an in-demand area of tech expertise. In fact, the top 10 in-demand roles listed by a World Economic Forum Future of Jobs Report are all tech-related — but four in 10 American employers report that they struggle to fill tech vacancies, according to a survey. When tech companies do hire, few of the jobs are going to workers of color. The National Urban League’s 2018 State of Black America® found that of the 40,000 employees of four major Silicon Valley technology firms, only 1,000 were Black. To address the racial opportunity gaps in the digital economy and broadband availability, the National Urban League has developed the Lewis Latimer Plan for Digital Equity and Inclusion. “It is imperative we create new opportunities for underserved communities to participate in the growth of the digital economy,” said Ralph Martinez, regional senior vice Comcast Houston Region. “We are excited to continue our partnership with the Houston Area Urban League and help expand their Urban Tech Jobs Program to ensure more adults have the opportunity to gain the necessary technical skills to compete in today’s workforce.” The Urban Tech Jobs Program is an accelerated training program that recruits unemployed and underemployed adults and provides them with workshops to build solid job readiness and personal resiliency/adaptability skills while offering nationally recognized certification coursework and paid work experience. “The AWS class itself was fine. Jose is an EXCELLENT instructor. Incredibly knowledgeable and great at getting across the information. I am launching a portfolio project on AWS to display some of my knowledge and staying active in the AWS scene in hopes of remaining current. As a freelancer, I have gigs now that utilize the AWS service. As a rule, I am the techie my less techie managers come to, to help them understand an issue. I'm now equipped to have some of those conversations about AWS” “I do hope HAUL continues the program. I keep talking about it to friends who would benefit as a wonderful opportunity to get solid training”. Chere Westmoreland, UTJP 2.0/Amazon Web Service Program Participant. More than 800 workers and jobseekers have taken advantage of the program nationally since 2016, leading to jobs in technology such as network administrator, office manager, installation technician, helpdesk specialist, systems analyst, programmers, and developer. Comcast’s $3 million commitment will enable a total of 240 individuals to be trained through an expansion of the program at six Urban League affiliates: Urban League of Philadelphia (Andrea L. Custis, President & CEO) Chicago Urban League (Karen Freeman-Wilson, President & CEO) Houston Area Urban League (Judson Robinson III, President & CEO) Urban League of Broward County (Germaine Smith-Baugh, President & CEO) Urban League of Greater Atlanta (Nancy Flake Johnson, President & CEO) Urban League of Greater Pittsb urgh (Esther L. Bush, President & CEO) Individuals who are interested in applying for Urban Tech should send their resumes to rwilliams@haul.org. Regular updates regarding future Houston Area Urban League and National Urban League initiatives can be found at www.haul.org and www.NUL.org. Comcast Corporation (Nasdaq: CMCSA) is a global media and technology company that connects people to moments that matter. We are principally focused on broadband, aggregation, and streaming with over 56 million customer relationships across the United States and Europe. We deliver broadband, wireless, and video through our Xfinity, Comcast Business, and Sky brands; create, distribute, and stream leading entertainment, sports, and news through Universal Filmed Entertainment Group, Universal Studio Group, Sky Studios, the NBC and Telemundo broadcast networks, multiple cable networks, Peacock, NBCUniversal News Group, NBC Sports, Sky News, and Sky Sports; and provide memorable experiences at Universal Parks and Resorts in the United States and Asia. Visit www.comcastcorporation.com for more information. Contact Details Comcast Michael Bybee +1 281-605-9658 Michael_Bybee@cable.comcast.com Houston Area Urban League Eric M. Goode +17133938700 ericg@haul.org Company Website https://houston.comcast.com/

May 10, 2021 09:00 AM Central Daylight Time

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Goodway Group Forms Strategic Digital Partnership with Online Grocery Delivery Platform Good Eggs

Goodway Group

Goodway Group, the digital partner advertisers trust to deliver campaign performance and media efficiency, has formed a strategic partnership with online grocery delivery platform, Good Eggs. Within this new partnership, Goodway Group is focused on driving Good Eggs’ customer acquisition by building the brand’s performance and direct marketing capabilities. Since the onset of the partnership, Goodway Group has helped achieve Good Eggs’ aggressive new customer goal, delivering more new customers in March 2021 than ever previously recorded as being delivered by paid media. As a growing DTC startup, Good Eggs is committed to providing the best quality groceries directly to customers' doors in the San Francisco Bay area, while supporting local, ethically sourced food. Additionally, the company is the only solution in the market that provides groceries and meal kits without a required subscription. Marketing has always been a key initiative at Good Eggs, and the company found that Goodway Group’s unique approach was unlike any other option it had seen in the market. In order to further highlight the Good Eggs brand, Goodway Group is focused on creating a customer service function that uses site and predictive analytics to drive marketing investment decisions, while prioritizing custom solutions tailored to the platform. Goodway Group is acting as Good Eggs’ direct response agency and is the only provider of digital execution, running all forms of the DTC brand’s media, social, SEM and display, audio, native, video, and CTV. “Everything we do at Good Eggs is centered around our customer. We’ve always looked for the best quality products to offer and local farmers and producers are core to this. Our brand is dependent on a top-of-the-line customer experience, which means that our customer acquisition engine must always be top of mind,” Vineet Mehra, Chief Growth and CX Officer at Good Eggs. “From our website to social media, all touchpoints must be prioritized to offer the best possible experience for our customers. We are excited to be working with Goodway Group as they help us to achieve our business goals.” Through this partnership, Goodway Group is taking site-side data from all major platforms and using that to identify how to best utilize it in the customer acquisition engine, while pulling from data on a daily, weekly, monthly, and annual scale to drive top of the line predictive outcomes. Good Eggs has also hired a dedicated team of engineers to make real-time changes, such as tagging, tracking, event UX and website changes or enhancements, based on the needs of the business – ultimately to aid in getting changes to market in a faster, more efficient way. “We are thrilled to partner with Good Eggs as they continue to provide an exceptional experience for their customers,” said Jay Friedman, President at Goodway Group. “Through a focus on performance marketing and unique digital solutions, we’ve been able to act as an extension of the Good Eggs in-house team and form a successful partnership that has already seen valuable results.” About Goodway Group: Goodway Group is the digital partner advertisers trust to drive campaign performance and media efficiency. Proud to be completely independently owned and operated, Goodway provides trustworthy expertise that meets its clients' needs – and no one else's. Using predictive intelligence, Goodway helps advertisers get the most value out of every impression across all paid digital media. Through the combination of employing the smartest technology and the most experienced people in the industry, Goodway delivers authentic results. Find Goodway Group online at goodwaygroup.com. Goodway Group. Honestly Smart Digital. Contact Details Kite Hill PR for Goodway Group Rachel Wyncoop +1 631-338-7248 rwyncoop@kitehillpr.com Company Website https://www.goodwaygroup.com/

May 06, 2021 01:35 PM Eastern Daylight Time

Tribevest Introduces Multi-Member LLC & FDIC-Banking Account Creation in 48 hours for Investor Groups

Tribevest

Tribevest, the first collaborative, group investment platform, today announced the launch of its latest, enhanced banking tool enabling investor groups to set up business bank accounts and fund their newly formed business ventures in less than 48 hours. Tribevest partnered with Unit, a banking-as-a-service platform, to enable rapid access to business banking for group investors. “Before Tribevest, family and friends looking to invest together spent over $3,000 and 100 hours to set up their legal business entity and business bank account,” said Travis Smith, founder and CEO of Tribevest. “Our enhanced banking tool leverages Unit’s technology to help investor groups start transacting 85% faster. We're proud that Tribevest empowers friends, family, and financially aligned groups to invest together — without a country club network.” The partnership with Unit enables Tribevest’s investor groups to easily make individual capital contributions to an FDIC-insured business checking account and withdraw funds for investments. Unit’s technology helps tech companies launch and embed financial features into their products. “At Unit, our mission is to make it easy for tech companies to build financial features into their products,” said Itai Damti, CEO of Unit. “Tribevest has already become a game-changer for investor groups over the last couple of years. We believe our partnership takes Tribevest to the next level.” Based on your investor group size, Tribevest’s annual pricing starts as low as $3 per member and monthly at $5 per member. The core features of Tribevest include: Tribe Operations & Dashboard. Collaborative, transparent space for members to share, record, and vote in real-time Business Creation & Banking. Create multi-member LLC in all 50 states and FDIC Banking Account in one combined single step Capital Contributions. Members can link their personal accounts and set up recurring capital contributions Portfolio & Member Management. Tools to manage the company cap table, track transactions, and manage LLC In the midst of the pandemic, Tribevest saw significant growth with a 400% increase in investor group creation from October 2020 to April 2021. To date, 60% of tribes invest in real estate, 15% put their money in investment syndicates or funds, and 10% target business ventures, collectibles, cryptocurrency, and the stock market. For further information, visit www.tribevest.com About Tribevest Founded in 2018, Tribevest is a collaborative, group investing platform that enables friends and family to organize as an investor group, pool money, and manage joint investments. Based in Columbus, Ohio, Tribevest was founded by entrepreneur Travis Smith. Tribevest believes that forming and funding small to mid-sized investment groups will allow the general U.S. population to uncover a wealth of viable investment pathways to achieving personal financial freedom. Learn more about Tribevest at Tribevest.com or follow the company on LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. Tribevest is not a bank. Banking services are provided by Tribevest and Unit’s bank partner, Blue Ridge Bank N.A.; Member FDIC. About Blue Ridge Bank: Blue Ridge Bank, N.A., is the wholly-owned banking subsidiary of Blue Ridge Bankshares, Inc. Through its subsidiaries and affiliates, Blue Ridge Bank provides a wide range of financial services including retail and commercial banking, payroll, insurance, card payments, wholesale and retail mortgage lending, and government-guaranteed lending. The bank provides commercial banking services to customers located throughout Virginia and North Carolina. Visit mybrb.com to learn more. Forward-Looking Statements: Certain information contained in this release may contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements represent plans, estimates, objectives, goals, guidelines, expectations, intentions, projections and statements of Blue Ridge Bank's beliefs concerning future events, business plans, objectives, expected operating results and the assumptions upon which those statements are based. Forward-looking statements include without limitation, any statement that may predict, forecast, indicate or imply future results, performance or achievements, and are typically identified with words such as "may," "could," "should," "will," "would," "believe," "anticipate," "estimate," "expect," "aim," "intend," "plan," or words or phases of similar meaning. Blue Ridge Bank cautions that the forward-looking statements are based largely on its expectations and are subject to a number of known and unknown risks and uncertainties that are subject to change based on factors which are, in many instances, beyond the Blue Ridge Bank's control, including those risk factors included in Blue Ridge Bankshares, Inc.'s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019, and other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Actual results, performance or achievements could differ materially from those contemplated, expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Contact Details Eric Nemeth nemeth@ericpr.com Company Website https://www.tribevest.com/

May 06, 2021 09:07 AM Eastern Daylight Time

Osmo’s Math Wizard Debuts Two Additions That Let Students Embrace Math, Just As Studies Suggest Larger Learning Loss in Math Due to Pandemic

Osmo

With research suggesting a greater learning loss in mathematics, over reading, among K-8 students during the pandemic, and many school districts have yet to reopen full-time, in-person learning, parents are looking for affordable, supplemental at-home learning to help kids with math, and avoid a gap in learning. They are also looking for products to help a child struggling with math or needing a confidence boost to learn it. To meet this growing demand, Osmo launched, for the first time ever, a learning series-- Math Wizard, which now offers two additions. The curriculum-inspired series’ active learning approach allows kids to learn math through tactile play and use of creativity and imagination, so much that they are eager, if not thrilled, to learn more. “What’s amazing is that 20,000 kids played Math Wizard and solved more than 3.5 million math problems since Oct. 1, 2020,” says Pramod Sharma, CEO of award-winning STEAM brand Osmo. “Parents who witnessed their kids using the product were thrilled with their child’s engagement and really liked the healthy screen time.” Self-Paced Games Build Math Confidence, Decrease Anxiety The eight-part Math Wizard series allows kids to experience math through hands-on, narrative- and adventure-driven games, where kids use manipulatives to experiment, exercise their imagination and creativity. The self-paced games drive enthusiasm and help build math confidence, decreasing math anxiety commonly-felt by students and parents, and inspire kids to solve problems on their own--a hallmark of all Osmo games. For struggling learners, targeted hints are built into the games to nudge them along so they find a correct answer, and remain engaged. The series is intended for kids 6-8 years (grades 1-2), and perfect for learning at home. The first two titles of the series cover the foundations of addition and subtraction, and introduce students to measurement standards, while the third and fourth titles focus on laying foundations for multiplication and division, adding more than two numbers, understanding how equations are formed, and addition and subtraction fluency. Families can start a child’s education by purchasing any title within the series. Newest Additions to Math Wizard The third title in the series is Math Wizard and the Amazing Airships (available for iPad and Fire; retail $59.99 at playosmo.com and Amazon.com ), which focuses on mathematical thinking, where kids join Rupert the robot mouse in building and designing airships for the many islands of Spellbarrow Port. Using math and Rupert’s magical wrench, kids deliver packages, balance objects so they can fly, and navigate challenges like thunderstorms and high winds. Amazing Airships features two games and the box contains: 1 Magical Board; 16 Ship Pieces; 16 Cargo Pieces; 12 Balloon Pieces. The two games contained within are: Airships - players build airships on their mat and test them in the skies, learning how to balance lift (balloons) and weight (packages, wood blocks) so they can fly. Clockwork - in this all-digital game, players use their fingers and counting skills to wind up a team of quirky clockwork robots, to the right amount, so they can move around the port Kids will learn: Building and balancing equations Practicing addition and subtraction Solving for an unknown value Introduction to algebraic thinking The fourth title is Math Wizard and the Enchanted World Games (available for iPad and Fire; retail $59.99 at playosmo.com and Amazon.com ), which sets the foundations of multiplication and inspires critical thinking. Here, kids create power smoothies and meals for athletes across various competitions! Using math skills, they give their team the right mix of magic ingredients needed to win the gold. The box features 2 games and contains: 1 Lunchbox Mat; 27 Fruit & Veggie Pieces; 1 Juice Mat; 12 Fruit Strips; 1 Magical Token. The two games contained within are: Bento Box - players choose from five different sports and help athletes by packing them a magic lunchbox requiring the best combination of fruits Juice Team - elite athletes across four different sports count upon players to blend the right number of fruits to create a magic juice, so they can win trophies Kids will learn: Repeated addition as a foundation of multiplication Advanced addition and subtraction Number decomposition Analytical skills Osmo also offers a 4-box set featuring 4 Math Wizard titles ( Magical Workshop, Secrets of the Dragons, Amazing Airships and Enchanted World Games ) and includes a base for iPad or Fire ( retail $236 at playosmo.com and Amazon.com). The fifth title in the Math Wizard series will debut in Fall 2021. Praised By Parents & Teachers; Math is a Critical Life Skill “ Math Wizard couldn’t have come at a better time! Since we are distance learning, the kids could use the extra hands on help with math. The creative story lines and fun physical items made teaching math concepts fun! The layout was similar to how they teach common core in school so that was extremely helpful.” Jenielle Chaney, parent, Orange County, California “ Math Wizard is helping my students to subitize basic addition problems. They love to get their turns making potions and that makes them love addition and subtraction. The visual of using tens and ones is also reinforcing place value. Both basic addition and understanding place value are key foundations to success in learning mathematics in the future. To have a successful life, you have to have basic math skills. Math is used in just about every aspect of life.” Zandra Clay, first grade teacher, Lockhart, Texas “In my opinion, math is definitely a critical life skill. Through math, students are able to analyze options, make decisions, and find new ways of thinking and problem-solving. These skills are needed for day-to-day activities....” Alexa Brown, elementary school teacher, Alma, Alabama Additional teacher feedback here. About Osmo Osmo is an award-winning STEAM brand whose products are used in over 30,000 classrooms and 2.5 million homes. It is building a universe of hands-on play experiences that nourish the minds of children by unleashing the power of imagination. The company brings physical tools into the digital world through augmented reality and its proprietary reflective artificial intelligence. Founded in 2013 by ex-Google engineers Pramod Sharma and Jerome Scholler, the Osmo Play System fuses digital gameplay and physical interaction to create fun and nutritious play experiences designed for all kids. Osmo is headquartered in Palo Alto, California. Learn more at playosmo.com. iPad & Fire Compatibility for Math Wizard Contact Details Karen O'Dell +1 310-251-0550 karen@playosmo.com Company Website http://www.playosmo.com

May 06, 2021 04:00 AM Pacific Daylight Time

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Graphic novel tackles disinformation around COVID-19 Vaccine and critical 5G infrastructure

Stockwood Strategy

Sophisticated social media campaigns sponsored by bad state actors are responsible for creating and spreading disinformation around the critical Covid-19 Vaccine and emerging infrastructure such as 5G technology for communications. Erly Stage Studios has today published Bug Bytes, the digital graphic novel, which sheds a light on the disruptive forces at work. This book is the second installment of the graphic novels that are a part of the Resilience Series commissioned by the US Cyber Infrastructure and Security Agency (CISA). Bug Bytes will inform and educate people on the dangers and risks associated with dis- and mis- information through fictional stories inspired by real-world events. In Bug Bytes, readers will meet the protagonist Ava Williams, a journalist and academic, patriot and member of Symous - a group fighting disinformation and foreign interference in elections as polling day approaches. Ava’s life gets tangled up in a web of lies as her father, a 5G technician gets hurt and she works to understand what a seemingly innocent poll online related to 5G technology has to do with the 5G Vaccine? Ava is surprised by the reaction of the anti-vaccination community at what is proven to be engineered data and has the unenviable task of making the case to the public at large for how they can be weary on data online with unproven provenance. Farid Haque, founder and CEO of Erly Stage Studios commented: “We’re delighted to have been commissioned by CISA to create a practical and engaging communication tool that highlights the existential threat of disinformation in the context of bad state actors. While the story is fictional many of the approaches shown are very much grounded in the reality of the technology we live with and are exposed to almost daily.” Bug Bytes provides a unique education for the reader about the world of social media and how digital resources can be hijacked to serve a more nefarious agenda. The ability for foreign bad state actors to weld this kind of influence on another nation is unprecedented as is their ability to twist and manipulate a narrative to use domestic groups to do their bidding. The work helps the reader understand the need to exercise care when it comes to consuming news and information via social media platforms and online sources of information. In the story, Ava Williams and a team of patriots are racing against the clock to shine a spotlight on the source of disinformation engineered to hurt critical communication infrastructure and damage the Vaccine roll-out efforts. Ava’s investigative journalism leads her through the metaverse to find allies and discovers through hard graft that foreign actors are tinkering with public data to maliciously mislead and influence perceptions of 5G as a communications technology and its fabricated link to vaccine effectiveness. “Bug Bytes is the culmination of the wealth of experience that Clint Watts brings in cyber warfare and disinformation and our studio’s creative direction and storytelling style. We spent months researching the real life incidents and then wrapped them into a fictional story” added Farid Haque. The graphic novel is being made available by CISA to the general public online as a free resource as the Covid19 vaccine roll out continues to have an impact across the United States and the world at large. The work is available for free for the public and media to read at the following URL: https://www.cisa.gov/cfi-resilience-series-graphic-novels. A first title in the series was released a few months earlier last year ahead of the US elections titled Real Fakes. Watch this space and log back into https://publishing.erlystagestudios.com/ to learn more. Contributing artists to Bug Bytes include: Jose Niño Galenzoga, Patricia Beja, Mona Shan and Joel Santiago. Lettering and layouts by Komal N. and Haroon M. Story by Clint Watts and Farid Haque, supported by the script writing team which includes Michael Gianfrancesco and Kabir Sabharwal. Edited by Tolly M. and Laila Khan. Special thanks to Randall Heather and Max Brooks. Erly Stage Studios is an indie publisher, headquartered out of London, United Kingdom, capturing iconic stories in serious graphic novels. We are an expert team of educators, storytellers, and artists working to create awareness about important topics using the graphic novel medium. The team loves shining a spotlight on stories that are yet to see the light of graphic novels. As an expert team of teachers, researchers and designers the team works with innovative organisations and policymakers around the world to deliver soft power through engaging and creative projects. Contact Details Erly Stage Studios Bilal Mahmood +44 7714 007257 b.mahmood@stockwoodstrategy.com Company Website https://publishing.erlystagestudios.com/

May 06, 2021 05:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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NEST joins executives from Ross Stores, Ascena Retail Group, Boot Barn, and Lush to discuss “What’s Next” in Retail Operations on May 11-12

NEST

NEST, the leading integrated facilities management company, will host a two-day webinar series with national retail executives on Tuesday, May 11 and Wednesday, May 12. The three 1-hour segments will dive into the future of retail operations following the pandemic. Select attendees will be chosen to nominate charities that will receive monetary donations from NEST Nurtures. Attendees can sign up for the “What’s Next” webinar via NEST’s website. Schedule to include: Session 1 on Tuesday, May 11 at 2 p.m. ET – “How is Post Pandemic Operations Really Different from Business-as-Usual?” Featured speakers: Russell Arbuthnot, Retail Maintenance Coordinator, Lush Josh Witte, Director, Store Operations, Brand Maintenance and Repair, Ross Stores Moderated by Kara Cutino, Vice President, Store Development, Facilities Services, Asset Protection & Store Purchasing, Ascena Retail Group, Inc. Session 2 on Wednesday, May 12 at 11 a.m. ET – “You Heard It from the Experts.” Featured speakers: Stacy Brown, Vice President of Customer Success, SiteCompli CJ Jernigan, Chief Revenue Officer, BFC Solutions Rob Almond, CEO, NEST Moderated by Alana F. Dunoff, ProFM, FMP, IFMA Fellow, Consultant/Instructor, AFD Professional Services, LLC Adjunct Professor, Temple University Session 3 on Wednesday, May 12 at 1 p.m. ET – “Operational Success Goes to New Heights” Randy Rokosz, Boot Barn’s Director of Procurement Rob Almond, CEO, NEST Since the pandemic hit the U.S. and Canada, NEST has played an important role to keep retailers’ doors open and maintain consumer confidence. From implementing new janitorial procedures to decreasing facility management expenses through an integrated approach, NEST is developing industry-leading facility management strategies for more than 40 retail clients. NEST manages approximately 60,000 individual retail locations in North America. NEST is the pioneer of the Integrated Facilities Management (IFM) industry in the United States and Canada since 1994. NEST’s Integrated Facilities Management solution pairs financial acumen and business analytics with a strategic consultative approach. Real-time data, reporting, and analytics technology empower business leaders and facility management teams with the informed insights that enable them to make smarter decisions. To learn more about NEST, visit enterNEST.com or follow NEST on LinkedIn. Contact Details Eric PR & Marketing, LLC Eric Nemeth +1 602-502-2793 nemeth@ericpr.com Company Website https://www.enternest.com/

May 05, 2021 11:31 AM Eastern Daylight Time

Cincinnati Bell IT Services Division Selects CSG to Power Digital Transformation

CSG

Denver, May 5, 2021 – CSG ® (NASDAQ: CSGS) today announced it is working with IT services provider CBTS to enable its digital transformation as the company moves into a new era of growth. CBTS selected CSG’s Ascendon cloud-first SaaS solution to rapidly bring new digital services to market and leverage the solution’s product catalogue, rating and charging capabilities. “CBTS continuously evolves to better serve the changing needs and demands of our customers in today’s digital age,” said Shannon Mullen, SVP of Administrative Services for CBTS. “To meet and exceed these expectations, we are investing in tools, processes and technology to deliver exceptional experiences to our customers. Choosing CSG Ascendon provides the foundation for achieving this goal. Not only does the solution give us the flexibility, convenience and efficiencies we need to scale our operations and meet our growth goals, but CSG’s customer-centric culture and strong reputation made it the clear choice for our business.” CBTS, a division of Cincinnati Bell, is focused on providing communications, cloud, infrastructure, and IT consulting solutions to clients of all sizes. With the move to Ascendon’s SaaS-based platform, CBTS will now benefit from a lower total cost of ownership that delivers the flexibility and scalability it needs to bring new products and services to market faster. CBTS will also use CSG’s Managed Services to outsource its billing infrastructure and operations. Additionally, CSG Output Solutions will provide the flexibility that CBTS requires to quickly tailor invoice design to its customer needs, while leveraging CSG’s industry leading print and mail capabilities. “Today’s consumers and business owners increasingly want a one-stop shop for communication and related technology solutions from their service providers. These heightened expectations place tremendous pressure on our customers to be agile and innovative,” said Ken Kennedy, COO and head of Revenue Management and Digital Monetization at CSG. “CSG deploys solutions that deliver immediate impact to our customers. With the Ascendon SaaS solution, they benefit from the continuous investment we make in the platform. CBTS continues to innovate to better support its customers, and CSG is committed to the company’s long-term success.” CSG is a leader in the Gartner Magic Quadrant for its Revenue and Customer Management solutions, which help companies around the world digitally transform their business to monetize and digitally enable exceptional customer experiences. Through this transformation process, CSG empowers customers to focus on core business functions, reduce capital and operating expenditures, and increase the reliability, scalability, security, and overall performance of their business and network operations. For more information on CSG Ascendon visit, https://www.csgi.com/portfolio/ascendon/. # # # About CBTS CBTS serves enterprise and midmarket clients in all industries across the United States and Canada. From Unified Communications to Cloud Services and beyond, CBTS combines deep technical expertise with a full suite of flexible technology solutions that drive business outcomes, improve operational efficiency, mitigate risk, and reduce costs for its clients. For more information, please visit www.cbts.com. About CSG For more than 35 years, CSG has simplified the complexity of business, delivering innovative customer engagement solutions that help companies acquire, monetize, engage, and retain customers. Operating across more than 120 countries worldwide, CSG manages billions of critical customer interactions annually, and its award-winning suite of software and services allow companies across dozens of industries to tackle their biggest business challenges and thrive in an ever-changing marketplace. CSG is the trusted provider for driving digital innovation for hundreds of leading global brands, including Airtel Africa, América Móvil, AT&T, Charter Communications, Comcast, DISH, Formula 1, Hutchison 3 Indonesia, Inmarsat, Mastercard, Maximus, Microsoft, Mobily, MTN, New Leaf Service Contracts, State of California DMV, TalkTalk and Telstra. To learn more, visit our website at csgi.com and connect with us on LinkedIn and Twitter. Copyright © 2021 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: Tammy Hovey Global / North America / Asia-Pacific Public Relations +1 (917) 520-2751 tammy.hovey@csgi.com Kristine Østergaard Europe / Middle East / Africa Public Relations +44 (0)79 2047 7204 kristine.ostergaard@csgi.com John Rea Investor Relations +1 (210) 687-4409 john.rea@csgi.com About CSG For more than 35 years, CSG has simplified the complexity of business, delivering innovative customer engagement solutions that help companies acquire, monetize, engage and retain customers. Operating across more than 120 countries worldwide, CSG manages billions of critical customer interactions annually, and its award-winning suite of software and services allow companies across dozens of industries to tackle their biggest business challenges and thrive in an ever-changing marketplace. CSG is the trusted provider for driving digital innovation for hundreds of leading global brands, including Airtel Africa, América Móvil, AT&T, Charter Communications, Comcast, DISH, Formula 1, Hutchison 3 Indonesia, Inmarsat, Mastercard, Maximus, Mediacom, Microsoft, Mobily, MTN, New Leaf Service Contracts, State of California, TalkTalk and Telstra. To learn more, visit our website at csgi.com and connect with us on LinkedIn and Twitter. Copyright © 2021 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 that are referenced in this document are the property of their respective owners, and all rights therein are reserved. Contact Details Tammy Hovey +1 917-520-2751 tammy.hovey@csgi.com Company Website https://www.csgi.com

May 05, 2021 08:03 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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