Transportation

Airlines Automotive Electric Vehicles Logistics Maritime
News Release Digital Asset Direct

CMMC Center of Excellence Announces Engagement Agreement with Ordr

Interoperability Clearinghouse

The Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification Center of Excellence (CMMC COE), hosted by the Information Technology Acquisition Advisory Council (IT-AAC), a public-private partnership serving the public and private sectors for more than 15 years, is excited to announce a partnership with Ordr, an industry leader in continuous discovery, device asset inventory visibility and security of all connected devices, including unmanaged IoT, IoMT, and OT devices. This unique partnership will extend efforts by providing complete device asset inventory discovery for compliance within the CMMC COE Marketplace to improve cybersecurity protection and resilience for the global defense industrial base network of contractors, vendors, and suppliers. “We are excited to embark on this journey with Ordr”, said John Weiler, Chairman of the Board at CMMC Center of Excellence, “The foundation of CMMC starts with visibility into devices in the network and the risks they bring. This new partnership will further help advance the goals and objectives for improving the supply chain security and resilience for the US Department of Defense (DoD)”. Ord provides a purpose-built platform for asset inventory and security. It discovers and secures all connected devices -- from traditional servers, workstations and PCs to IoT, IoMT and OT devices. Using agentless and passive methods of data collection, connected devices can be automatically discovered and classified. Devices with vulnerabilities, weak ciphers/certificates or are subject to recall are identified. Ordr’s machine learning engine also maps and baselines device communication patterns to establish “Flow Genomes”. Ordr can then alert on anomalous behavior and dynamically generate micro-segmentation policies to allow devices only appropriate access. “The Ordr team is thrilled to be joining the pioneering organizations and innovators that make up the CMMC COE,” said Greg Murphy, Chief Executive Officer at Ordr. “We are working with DIB contractors, vendors, and the supplier community to enable them to meet CMMC regulations quickly and efficiently. Being a part of the CMMC COE accelerates that effort.” The executed Engagement Agreement establishes a collaborative engagement between Ordr and the CMMC COE to partner in the furthering of their respective and complementary missions and objectives regarding the adoption, use, and expansion of CMMC based cybersecurity practices, risk management, and compliance for the DIB contractor, vendor, and supplier community of providers creating a broader CMMC ecosystem globally to improve security and resilience. Specific actions will include: The co-development of CMMC advisory services, cyber training and education programs to accelerate CMMC certification, increase cyber adoption and improve cyber protection & resilience. Co-sponsor symposiums, training programs and podcasts leveraging their combined cyber and IT expertise. Host regular working groups, with other partners, to enable collaboration and communications. Establish an independent Industry Cyber Security Advisory Council with peer organizations to advise and educate leaders across government and industry on the continued evolution and effectiveness of CMMC. The CMMC-COE ( http://cmmc-coe.org ) and Ordr partnership will focus on bringing together the many disparate cyber and national security communities of interest to reduce complexity, improve awareness, and accelerate industry effort to become more cyber resilient against the growing threats from nation states and criminal enterprises. The CMMC-COE establishes both a Market Place and Knowledge Clearinghouse that will include resources that support the overall effort, including white papers; tutorials; recorded webcasts; presentations; and more that will help reduce the cost and burden on small and medium size contractors already struggling from the impact of COVID. For more information on the CMMC COE, please visit http://cmmc-coe.org, email info@cmmc-coe.org or call 703-863-3766. For more information on Ordr, please visit https://ordr.net/solutions/cmmc/, email info@ordr.net or call 833.673.7999 #### Contact Details John Weiler Executive Director, IT-AAC Chairman, CMMC COE john.weiler@it-aac.org 703-863-3766 Monica Wallace for Ordr Monica.Wallace@ruderfinn.com 650-346-8994 About Us ---------- CMMC-COE.ORG is a unique non-profit public-private partnership, with a vision to accelerate Cybersecurity Maturity Model (CMM) adoption, and reduce time & cost for security compliance for our partners by leveraging commercial best practices, CMMC standards, and innovative solutions for a measurable success. Our mission, focused on DOD mission objectives, cost containment and expeditious CMMC compliance, is to help the DIB improve cyber posture and resilience, and simplify its acquisition. The CMMC-COE is hosted by the Information Technology Acquisition Advisory Council (IT-AAC), a public/private partnership (P3) chartered in 2007 as an honest broker to reach outside the confines of the Federal IT advisories that lack dynamic reach into the Global IT Market, and dedicated to the adoption of commercial IT management standards of practice and innovations emanating from the Global IT market. Team IT-AAC has already demonstrated the value of its decade long investment, and provides a unique value to agencies seeking to achieve accelerate the transformation of legacy processes and systems. Our Just-in-Time SMEs apply an innovative suite of Technology Business Management and Agile Acquisition Processes needed to assure the business value of commercial IT. The Interoperability Clearinghouse (ICH), is the managing partner that make up the 24 NGO/SDO organizations that make up the IT-AAC. ICH provides the contract vehicles, clearances, and critical resources proven to guide sustainable, measurable and repeatable processes needed to drive better investment decisions as the speed of mission need, while aligning existing processes, methods and workforce with IT reform mandates contained in Clinger Cohen Act, FITARA, IT MGT Act, EO13838. About Ordr ------------ Digital transformation has led to the inevitable explosive increase of connected devices. The scale and diversity of these devices, and the capacity for network connectivity introduces risks. Every single device is a potential attack vector and must be secured. Ordr delivers visibility and security of all connected devices -- from traditional servers, workstations and PCs to IoT, IoMT and OT devices. Ordr discovers what devices are in the network, profiles device behavior and risks, and then automates appropriate action. Contact Details CMMC Center of Excellence Bob Dix +1 703-975-6633 bob.dix@it-aac.org Company Website https://cmmc-coe.org

March 30, 2021 08:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

Minuteman Press Franchise in Lutz, FL Focuses on Relationships and High-Demand Products to Spark Record Monthly Sales During COVID-19 Pandemic

Minuteman Press International Inc

Ed Casagrande and his family moved to the US from Brazil in 2017 to pursue the American Dream of owning a business. He has not let the COVID-19 pandemic slow him down and Ed shares his insights on growing his Minuteman Press franchise in Lutz, FL. For four years, Minuteman Press franchise owner Ed Casagrande has been building relationships and helping local businesses with their printing and marketing needs. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Minuteman Press in Lutz, FL was designated as an essential business. Ed and his team have continued to reach out to their clients and community with one simple yet powerful message: “We are all in this together.” The results of Ed’s genuine outreach efforts are a satisfied client base and increased sales. He says, “We are posting record monthly sales in March 2021, and I am thankful for that. Our sales for the month are more than the annual revenue of the previous owner of the business in 2016. To do this during the pandemic makes me even more excited for the future as we continue to work hard on behalf of our community and our customers.” Supporting Local Businesses Ed elaborates, “Since the beginning, we have focused on developing strong relationships with many businesses and organizations within our local community. The pandemic has, in many ways, brought us closer together with our customers. There has been an overwhelming sense that we are all in this together, and by helping to support each other through the struggle, we have been able to keep growing.” Just by reaching out to local businesses, Ed has found a renewed sense of camaraderie with his fellow business owners. “The response from the community has been overwhelmingly positive. If there has been one thing that has been highlighted during this difficult time, it would be the resilience of the community. Many of our customers print with us on a regular basis, and we have gotten the opportunity to know them and their businesses. When they come into our shop, they share their stories of struggle and success, and we are there to support them through all of it.” He adds, “We know the challenges of trying to grow a business even without the added stress of a worldwide pandemic, and we want to offer solutions that can help businesses take that growth to another level. With that in mind, we take the approach of thinking like the general consumer, and finding print solutions that will help reach the desired audience.” Print Is Essential The best businesses are the ones who quickly identify the needs of their clients and do everything they can to meet those demands. That is exactly what Minuteman Press has done over the past year. Ed recalls, “Early on during the pandemic, we identified the businesses that most needed our services and made the effort to help with their printing needs. The food industry saw a massive increase in demand so we targeted that market – printing labels for food distributors, to-go menus for restaurants, and yard signs and banners promoting social distancing. The need for marketing materials promoting social distancing applied to other industries as well, and we were able to meet those needs with signs, banners, window clings, and floor stickers.” Another challenge for local businesses came in the form of adapting their marketing methods. With trade shows and other events cancelled or postponed, businesses turned to Minuteman Press for help in adapting and diversifying their marketing strategies. Ed explains, “We focused our efforts on areas of the business with the widest margin of return. We had to get creative in finding ways to best serve the needs of our customers, many of whom have also had to completely transform their approach to marketing in a world without trade shows and other traditional marketing methods. This has allowed us the opportunity to continue to grow, despite the challenges facing our local economy. At the core of this growth is the relationships we have built with our customers. The importance of developing strong relationships with local businesses and taking care to provide a quality customer experience with every interaction cannot be stressed enough. It is the key to our success.” By strengthening those relationships, Ed is now poised to help his clients with the anticipated local economic recovery. “We have already begun to see an increase in sales which indicates that the local economy is starting to fire back up. We have taken great care to listen to the needs of our customers and provide options for them that will best help them recover from the pandemic. We have also begun the process of restructuring our team to identify and capitalize on the strengths of each individual team member. We are investing in new equipment so that we can increase our production and profit margins, offer better and faster print solutions to our customers, and stay competitive in the marketplace.” He continues, “We are in the process of expanding to a new larger location which will allow us to grow even more. We have also implemented a marketing outreach project to touch base with customers who haven’t been printing as much since the pandemic started, in an effort to see if we can be of any help to them. This effort has translated into an increase of sales and is helping us get back on track to our pre-pandemic rate of growth.” “For years, the printing industry has been the backbone of marketing for organizations across the world. As technology has advanced and as the world has moved online, the ways that businesses and organizations have been able to reach out and market to their customers has evolved. But the foundation of marketing has always been in print media. In many ways, the pandemic brought things back-to-the-basics for many of our customers. We have seen many of our customers go back to the tried-and-true methods of marketing, including postcard printing for direct mail and EDDM mailing campaigns, flyer/brochure printing, and yard and car sign/banner printing. From what we have seen, the market trends indicate that the printing industry will continue to thrive and we are looking forward to continuing our growth as the economy recovers from the pandemic.” -Ed Casagrande, owner, Minuteman Press franchise, Lutz, FL From Being Laid Off in Brazil to US Business Ownership in Lutz, FL One of the reasons Ed has been able to adapt and grow his business during this unprecedented time is because of his ability to adapt and refocus. In fact, he has pivoted before. “I was born in Brazil and my professional background is in Engineering. Before moving to the US, I was involved in a large organization and was responsible for the entire South American region, with a team of 3,000 employees under my supervision. In 2015, the economy in Brazil went through a dramatic downturn, and I was laid off. My wife and I made the decision to move to the United States with our two children, and we began looking to purchase a business.” Ed continues, “At first, we looked at many options – from gas stations to dry cleaners and everything in between. I found an opportunity to purchase an existing franchise of Minuteman Press, and although I had no previous experience in the printing industry, I was drawn to the Business-to-Business concept that Minuteman Press offered. I am passionate about business and through my experience, I have a deep understanding of the inner workings of growing a business. Minuteman Press allowed me to turn that passion into an opportunity to help other businesses grow through various marketing concepts that we are able to help them achieve, which in turn has helped me grow my own business as well.” Ed credits the ongoing support of Minuteman Press both before and during the pandemic for helping him build his business. He says, “Minuteman Press International has always been a huge support to us, and they took great care to help provide the support we needed during the pandemic. We are so appreciative of the efforts they have made to ensure that the safety of our employees and customers is a top priority, and for providing us with the resources necessary to remain successful despite the challenges facing us.” “Ed Casagrande has done a tremendous job putting in the work to build his Minuteman Press franchise in Lutz. I am proud of the way he has reached out to others, promoted his relevant products and services, and provided an uplifting message as well as a positive customer experience for his clients at this critical time. I look forward to supporting Ed as he continues to build his business.” -Larry Trimble, Minuteman Press International Regional Vice President, Florida Rewards & Advice for Others As a business owner, Ed sees many rewards to being his own boss. He says, “The biggest benefit to owning my own business is that there is virtually no limit to the amount of success that I can achieve, except if I limit myself. When I worked for someone else, there was always a limit to the compensation I received or to the growth that I was able to experience, regardless of the effort I put into it. Owning my own business removes that glass ceiling and allows me to pursue limitless success.” When asked what advice he would give to other local business owners right now, Ed answers, “The best advice that I can give other local businesses is that networking and customer care is vital to the success of a business. A large part of the effort that I have made since becoming a franchise owner of Minuteman Press is through networking with other small business owners in the local community. Through these efforts, I have developed some incredible working relationships with members of the community and I have learned so much along the way.” Ed concludes, “We have all heard it said that there is strength in numbers. The pandemic has demonstrated this to be true, because we have all relied on each other to get through it.” For more information on Ed Casagrande’s Minuteman Press franchise in Lutz, FL, visit https://www.lutz-fl.minutemanpress.com. 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

March 29, 2021 10:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

Image

Consumer lender Fintern appoints Chief Risk Officer

Stockwood Strategy

Prior to joining Fintern, Mark was a Partner at EY, where he specialised in Credit Analytics and led EY's Quantitative Advisory Services team of 200 quantitative analysts. Since joining EY in 2005, Mark has served virtually every major UK bank on the topic of credit modelling and the use of advanced analytics. At Fintern, Mark will leverage his market-leading experience to develop Fintern's next-generation credit technology and improve access to affordable credit. Mark holds a PhD in mathematics and has been a leading advocate for the use of alternative data in fairer credit decisioning. Gerald Chappell, Fintern CEO, said "I am excited about Mark's vision for Fintern, as well as his passion for using data and analytics to fix the failings of the credit score system and improve access to affordable credit. Given his career track record, he will bring world-class analytics, artificial intelligence and strategic expertise to build on the strengths of the existing management team." On his appointment, Mark London commented: "I am delighted to be joining Fintern at this important time. Fintern's mission to transform consumer credit markets, bypassing a broken credit scoring system that unfairly excludes millions of people from affordable loans, is more relevant now than ever with the economic disruption caused by Covid-19. Using Open Banking and other alternative data we can improve financial lives by bringing affordable and responsible loans to many more people." Mark added "I am excited about Fintern's commitment to interactive lending. As CRO, I will ensure we share our insights with customers, that we will help them to make decisions that are in their best interest, and that we will provide full transparency on all our lending decisions." Michelle He, Fintern COO and CFO, said "Mark will find an amazing home here at Fintern, and a deep commitment from the entire Fintern team to challenging the traditional lending approach and helping consumers recover as we emerge from Covid-19." About Fintern Fintern is a digital consumer lender on a mission to expand access to low-cost personal finance and transform financial well-being. Fintern's next-generation credit technology takes a holistic look at each applicant’s financial situation rather than making a decision solely based on a credit score. Fintern builds relationships with customers helping them to understand their repayment capacity and credit appetite. Fintern integrates its AI platform with Open Banking to smartly connect the dots in consumers' banking data enabling Fintern to obtain the most accurate view of borrowers' affordability and spending behaviour using up to the minute transaction information. Fintern was founded in 2020 with a team from McKinsey, EY, Bank of America Merrill Lynch, HSBC and XiaoMi. Fintern is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority, firm reference number 929244, a member of Cifas (the UK's leading anti-fraud association) and registered with the UK Information Commissioner's Office in compliance with the Data Protection Regulations 2018. Contact Details Fintern Sam Power +44 7400 122813 press@fintern.ai Company Website https://fintern.ai/

March 29, 2021 04:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

Image

Agora Data Issues Lender Challenge To Compare Buy Here Pay Here Dealers’ Credit Lines

Agora

Agora Data, Inc. has issued a challenge to commercial lenders providing credit lines to Buy Here Pay Here (BHPH) dealers. The challenge consists of a checklist for BHPH dealers and smaller finance companies to compare their current line of credit to AgoraCapital. If a dealer can get its lender to match all the terms of AgoraCapital, Agora will offer its congratulations and send the dealer a check for $1,000. Dealers can find the Agora Lender Challenge details and checklist at www.agoralenderchallenge.com. Specifics for the Agora Lender Challenge include lowering current interest rates, eliminating monthly borrowing base true-ups, removing burdensome financial restrictions, and obtaining a wealth of services (free of charge) to help support and plan for growth. After taking the Agora Lender Challenge, dealers are encouraged to contact Agora Data and explore all financing options that best align with their business and personal goals. Dealers in good standing with their current lender are automatically eligible to refinance their line of credit with AgoraCapital at a reduced interest rate and receive a commitment to triple their borrowing capacity. New dealers wanting to accelerate their portfolio can get started with various robust and low-cost financing options. “Agora Data is changing the dynamic between dealers and lenders and issuing a challenge that gives dealers the power to identify the best financing options that support business goals and needs,” said Steve Burke, CEO of Agora Data. “The market has known for some time that financing innovation for BHPH dealers is long overdue, and with our AgoraCapital program, we have successfully removed the obstacles that previously hampered growth and profitability. Agora Data is addressing barriers by providing BHPH dealers access to capital markets to help fuel their growth.” Burke went on to encourage “dealers to stop working for your lenders and start working for yourself”. The Agora Lender Challenge follows Agora Data’s successful execution of the auto industry’s first-ever crowdsourced auto loan securitization on December 29, 2020. This groundbreaking development in the world of structured finance provides BHPH auto dealers and small to mid-sized finance companies access to affordable capital markets funding. In addition, Agora Data recently announced its latest product offering – AgoraCredit. AgoraCredit is designed to transition dealers from their current senior lender into interim credit lines that work in harmony with the AgoraCapital securitization program. AgoraCredit was created with the specific goal of not locking dealers into expensive and risky lines of credit but instead initiating the freedom of providing a smooth glide path into the world of crowdsourced securitizations. In addition to access to AgoraCredit and AgoraCapital, Agora Data members connected to the platform receive free of charge additional insights and analytics to better understand their portfolio's performance enabling dealers to make more informed business decisions as well as numerous other tools and services to help ensure success. About Agora Data, Inc: Agora is re-inventing auto finance for Buy Here Pay Here dealers and finance companies with a crowdsourcing platform that bridges access to the capital market. Easy to use and analytically robust business tools empower the untapped and diverse portfolios of the BHPH auto market, connecting dealers, sub-prime finance companies, and capital market lenders with results-driven resources to enhance financial growth. Founded in 2017 by a best-in-class team of top professionals in auto finance and leading data scientists, the company has successfully combined billions in historical loan performance data to develop its AI-Infused predictive loan technology and machine learning models. agoradata.com. For more information, please contact Agora at (877) 592-4672 or contactus@agoradata.com. Contact Details Shelly Vandeven +1 682-282-4130 media@agoradata.com Company Website https://agoradata.com/

March 25, 2021 11:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

EagleTEQ Advisors Joins as Consulting Partner for Cloud Conventions 2021

Convey Services

The Cloud Conventions 2021 virtual trade expo is teaming up with EagleTEQ Advisors, a consulting group of senior channel executives, to help direct event strategy and program design for the largest and most innovative virtual event in the telecom/cloud channel, running virtually May 12-14. In its second year, Cloud Conventions 2021 connects channel partners and professionals in the telecommunications, cloud and IT services industries to information, strategies, and insights to navigate the “New Normal” as business emerges from the pandemic. EagleTEQ joins media partner, TR Publications and event management firm MCI Group in supporting this one-of-a-kind channel expo. “There are no more highly-qualified industry strategists than the partners at EagleTEQ Advisors,” said Carolyn Bradfield, CEO of Convey Services, the platform provider for Cloud Conventions 2021. “In a time of accelerated changes that dramatically impact both channel sellers and providers, EagleTEQ’s real-world experience in addressing industry business challenges will be key in ensuring Cloud Conventions 2021 delivers the right message, at the right time, to our attendees.” “Virtual events in this industry have often missed the mark in providing attendees and sponsors with an engaging, connected and information-rich experience,” said Curt Allen, partner in EagleTEQ Advisors. “The ‘New Normal’ dictates a business environment where digital transformation and channel engagement is even more critical. Our team is excited to provide resources and guidance to strengthen the mission and ensure that every participant walks away with strategies to grow their business in a scalable and sustainable way.” Cloud Conventions 2021 is co-sponsored by TR Publications and managed by the MCI Group. MCI is committed to growing the Cloud Conventions 2021 event and returning in the spring of 2022 with a live, plus hybrid industry-focused experience. Attendance at Cloud Conventions 2021 is free to qualified industry professionals. Exhibitors and attendees can sign up at the Cloud Conventions 2021 site. The Cloud Conventions 2021 expo is hosted and managed on the industry-leading Cloud Conventions™ virtual event platform, powered by Convey Services. XXX About EagleTEQ Advisors EagleTEQ Advisors is focused on enabling technology solution providers and distributors to grow revenue, expand distribution channels, and transform market position. The EagleTEQ Advisors team has over 150 years of combined real-world experience and expertise in addressing virtually every business opportunity and challenge. With proven leadership in sales, marketing, product, channel, and go-to-market planning and execution, we help businesses with profitable revenue growth strategies supported with executable, repeatable tactics. EagleTEQ founding partners include Curt Allen, Ken Bisnoff, Steve Braverman, Mike Cromwell and Cardi Prinzi. www.eagleteq.com About Cloud Conventions Cloud Conventions is a Virtual Trade Show and Conference Platform from Convey Services that brings new capabilities to a marketplace looking for solutions to replace the thousands of live trade shows, annual conferences and association meetings cancelled in the wake of COVID-19. Originally launched as ConveyLive, Cloud Conventions automates exhibitors and virtual booths, attendee registration, speaker sessions and reminders, invitations and email communication, while at the same time producing detailed analytics on attendee, session and exhibitor activity. Trade Associations and event managers can explore all of the Cloud Conventions solutions by visiting https://cloudconventions.com or contacting info@cloudconventions.com or call 888-975-1382. Cloud Conventions™, Community™, Cloud Kickoffs™, Conduct™, One-Touch Email Share™, Hub & Spoke™, 360° Virtual Exhibit Hall & Lobby Experience™ and ListLock™ are trademarks of Convey Services LLC Contact Details Bruce Ahern +1 770-580-0810 bahern@conveyservices.com Company Website https://cloudconventions.com

March 24, 2021 12:30 PM Eastern Daylight Time

Vinfast open for sale the first electric car, priced around VND 690 million

Media Outreach

HANOI, VIETNAM - Media OutReach - 24 March 2021 - On March 24th, 2021, VinFast Trading and Production LLC officially to open for placing orders for the first electric car model - VF e34 for around VND 690 million. In particular, pioneering customers with successful orders from now to June 30th, 2021 will be offered many attractive incentives and have the opportunity to own a car for just over VND 500 million. VinFast officially open for placing orders for VF e34 car model via website: https://shop.vinfastauto.com/vn/car-vfe34.html and at all showrooms and dealers in Vietnam with a deposit fee of only VND10 million VND per unit. Pioneering customers with successful orders from now to June 30th, 2021 will be offered a preferential price of VND 590 million with 01 year of free battery subscription. This is a stunningly attractive price for an electric car in segment C, creating favorable conditions for more customers to easily own smart and environment-friendly electric cars. In addition to attractive incentives and supporting policies, VinFast also introduces a breakthrough battery rental service instead of selling batteries with cars as usual. Besides reducing product costs, this solution provides maximum peace of mind for customers as VinFast will bear all risks of battery quality and life expectancy during use. Accordingly, customer can exchange for new batteries when the batteries are able to receive the charger below 70%. In terms of costs, customers only have to pay the monthly battery rental equal to the cost of buying gasoline. Specifically, VF e34 users pay monthly battery subscription fee of VND 1,450,000/month for a maximum travel distance of 1,400km (this is the average monthly minimum travel distance of a normal car). If traveling more than 1,400 km/month as the standard traveling distance, customers will pay an additional fee of VND 998/km. Adding charging cost of about VND 484/ km, the total cost of battery rental and charging will be VND 1,482/ km, equal to the cost of gasoline per km traveled. “In essence, although VF e34 is a smart electric vehicle, we manufactured it as a product enabling customers to directly compare with gasoline cars. In particular, customers do not have to pay for batteries and operating costs (including costs of battery rental and charging) which are exactly equal to the cost of gasoline consumption, while the price and features are superior to gasoline cars”, Ms. Thai Thi Thanh Hai – CEO of VinFast. Users can charge their batteries at home for proactive energy sources or charge them at VinFast charging stations. If fast charging mode is used, the car can travel a distance of 180km with just 15 minutes of charging. VinFast is urgently implementing construction of a charging station system across Vietnam. The Company aims to build about 40,000 electric car charging ports covering 63 provinces and cities by the end of 2021. VinFast VF e34, announced in January 2021 as VF31, is a smart electric car in segment C. It has a wheelbase of 2,611mm, dimensions (length x width x height) of 4,300 x 1,793 x 1,613 (mm), ground clearance of 180mm and unladen weight of 1,490kg. VF e34 is equipped with an electric motor for a maximum capacity of 110 kW, maximum torque of 242 Nm with front-wheel drive, MacPherson front suspension and torsion bar rear suspension. Additionally, it uses a 42kWh capacity battery for a traveling distance of 300km in a single full charge. To demonstrate product class and quality and for peace of mind of customers, VinFast pioneered in applying 10-year warranty policy for VF e34 model. Moreover, as a smart electric car, VinFast VF e34 is equipped with a wide range of driver-assistance and use-centric features for easier and more enjoyable operation. These include remote software update, automatic diagnosis and warning of vehicle problems, remote customer care support, cruise planning, calling emergency rescue services, locating and finding charging stations and dealers, tracking battery charge status, vehicle operation history, anti-theft warning, learning and remembering user’s usage habits, and voice control, etc. More specially, the car is fully equipped with the most advanced safety features. The first VinFast VF e34 cars are expected to be handed over to customers in November 2021. By the time of the next payment to receive the car, if the customers change their mind, the deposit fee will be refunded by VinFast without any fine. On this occasion, Vingroup also announced the establishment of the Green Future Fund, which aims to encourage and support initiatives to improve the living environment, towards a sustainable future. The Green Future Fund will immediately donate VND 30 million to customers who change from fossil fuel-based vehicles (gasoline, oil) to electric cars, thereby contributing to reducing environmental pollution through the Smart Solution's “Car Exchange Offer” service. (*) Basis for calculating battery subscription fees of VinFast VF e34 electric cars: - Estimated cost of gasoline (1): VND 1,482/ km (the current gasoline price is VND 19,000/ liter and average gasoline consumption of 7.8 liters/100km) - Estimated cost of electricity (2): VND 484/ km (the current price of electricity at level 5 is VND 3,117/ kW and the average energy consumption is 15.52 kW/100km). Customers pay this fee when charging the batteries at home or at the charging station. - Cost of battery rental payable by customers to VinFast: (3) = (1) – (2) = VND 998 Contact Details Vingroup +1 843-974-9999 v.chidqd@vingroup.net

March 24, 2021 09:10 AM Eastern Daylight Time

Image

Minuteman Press Franchise Owners Lynne and John Regas Show Print is Essential in Frankfort, Illinois

Minuteman Press International Inc

Minuteman Press Frankfort Has Remained Open As an Essential Business During Covid-19; Owners Lynne and John Regas Share Their Insights on Adapting During the Pandemic and Helping Local Businesses “Bounce Back” CHICAGO & FRANKFORT, Ill. – As Lynne and John Regas approach five years in business, no year has been more defining for their Minuteman Press printing franchise than this one. “We both feel very fortunate that we were considered essential and were able to remain open during the COVID-19 pandemic, not only to be there for other local businesses and organizations, but to help us stay sane and keep working,” says Lynne. Print is Essential Since the beginning of the pandemic, Minuteman Press Frankfort has continued to provide high-demand products and services that have been critical in helping local businesses reach out to customers while promoting community solidarity. “Early on in the pandemic, we saw high demand for yard signs. We were able to supply local schools with graduation signs, and now those same school districts are coming back to us since it was so popular. Banners and flags have been in high demand from businesses who simply want to let customers know, ‘We’re Open.’ Restaurants have also come to us for takeout menus as they update their specials, menu items, and safe pickup and delivery options.” Lynne continues, “We are also helping a number of businesses reach out to the community via direct mail postcards and flyers. We’ve already reached out to several business categories about the power of mailing campaigns. For example, we have recently helped a local chiropractic office, a local physical therapist, and a local small gym owner increase their visibility (and therefore their customer base) by designing and mailing flyers using both direct mail and Every Door Direct Mail (EDDM). These are businesses that can really benefit from letting people know they are there and following every safety protocol to make sure they can provide their services and still keep you healthy.” “This pandemic really forced a lot of local businesses to rethink their paths forward, and we are here to help them do that and provide them with the design, print, marketing, and mailing services they need to do so. We are a local business ourselves, we support local businesses, and we are all in this together.” -Lynne Regas, Minuteman Press franchise owner, Frankfort, Illinois Helping Local Businesses Bounce Back When the pandemic first hit, Lynne and John launched Bounce Back Frankfort (part of Bounce Back USA by Minuteman Press International), a free community website that provides free local listings to businesses as well as free COVID-19 awareness and prevention posters. To date, 44 local businesses have signed up to reach out to community members with special offers. “The idea is simple,” says Lynne. “Let’s support local businesses, and let’s bounce back together as a community.” Lynne continues, “ We spent those first few weeks doing what we could to focus on a path forward and to give back to other businesses. Bounce Back Frankfort is special because it provides an uplifting message as well as a free way for people to advertise at a time where they could use that extra boost. It not only lifts our spirits, it also reminds everyone that it’s so important to communicate, connect, and engage with our community, especially right now.” “Our message to other local businesses is to hang in there. It’s important to remain calm and focused on the future while we navigate through these times. Knowing that everyone is in this together has caused a renewed sense of unity in the small business community we are a part of here in Frankfort. We’ve made sure that everyone knows we are here to support them – both now and in the future.” -Lynne Regas Adapting the Business and Receiving Ongoing Support Minuteman Press Frankfort is locally owned and operated but being part of the Minuteman Press franchise family has really helped Lynne and John learn and grow as business owners over the past five years and throughout the pandemic. Lynne says, “We have always been grateful for the support we’ve received from Minuteman Press, but 2020 and 2021 have really showed us that we made the right decision when we joined this family. The ongoing support during the pandemic has been above and beyond what we expected. From the Bounce Back program to the daily emails of suggestions and encouragement from Nick Titus (President of Minuteman Press International), we absorbed everything and did what we needed to do to adapt and pivot. It is so helpful to know what is happening with other franchises, both local and across the country, to know that we aren’t alone and to be reminded that there will be an end to this pandemic.” Lynne explains how she has learned and grown from this experience and is better positioned for the future. “We’ve started using social media much more to communicate and promote our business. We’ve had many businesses reach out to us as they start to reopen. For example, we ran a promotion for menus and restaurants responded.” She continues, “We have learned to incorporate marketing strategies and new ways of communicating so that we can reach and interact with clients safely. Whether it’s a promotion on Instagram or targeted local marketing, we are here to engage with customers across all touch-points.” “Lynne and John Regas have done a tremendous job supporting local businesses in their community and finding new ways to pivot and connect with their clients. They’ve followed the Minuteman Press franchise system closely and have built a solid foundation for their business over the past five years. They are great people and caring business owners, and I am proud to support them.” -Steve Szymanski, Minuteman Press International Regional Vice President, Midwest Reflections on Owning the Business and Advice for Others Prior to becoming business owners, Lynne and John worked in corporate sales. “ We were both involved in purchasing roles with different corporations. John had worked for the same company for almost 30 years and was laid off. I had worked for several different companies but was really just going through the motions. After John was laid off and began seriously thinking about opening his own business and being his own boss, I was supportive – but I’d be lying if I didn’t also say I was a little apprehensive. Looking back now, we certainly made the right decision.” She adds, “It’s so surreal that we’ve been doing this for almost five years because the time has gone by so quickly. We’re no longer in that ‘rut’ we were in when working our previous jobs, and every day is truly a new adventure. We are becoming the people we wanted to be – entrepreneurs who are doing what it takes to make their business successful, no matter what comes our way. The biggest reward, definitely, is no longer feeling like we are working hard for someone else. We’re working harder than we ever have but it’s for us and our business – and that makes it all worth it!” When asked what advice she would give to others, Lynne answers, “If you’re being honest with yourself, there is a lot of risk when you open your own business. Being a part of a company like Minuteman Press that really invests in its franchise owners helps mitigate that risk and should put any potential owners’ minds at ease.” She concludes, “We have potential new owners visit our center and we share our experiences as franchisees. We tell them how impressed we’ve been with the level of support we’ve received from day one. Ultimately, Minuteman Press International has always cared about us and their support during this pandemic has clearly demonstrated just how much they truly care.” For more information on Minuteman Press Frankfort, visit https://www.frankfort-il.minutemanpress.com. Learn more about #1 rated Minuteman Press franchise opportunities and read Minuteman Press franchise reviews at https://minutemanpressfranchise.com. Contact Details Minuteman Press International Chris Biscuiti +1 631-249-1370 cbiscuiti@mpihq.com Company Website https://minutemanpressfranchise.com

March 22, 2021 10:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

Image

CMMC Center of Excellence Announces Engagement Agreement with TechnoGen & TechnoGen Cybersecurity

Interoperability Clearinghouse

The Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification Center of Excellence ( CMMC COE ), hosted by the Information Technology Acquisition Advisory Council (IT-AAC), a public-private partnership serving the public and private sectors for more than 15 years, is excited to announce a partnership with TechnoGen, Inc., an ISO 9001:2015, ISO 20000-1:2011, ISO 27001:2013 and CMMI Level 3 Global IT Services and Consulting Company headquartered in Chantilly, Virginia and Offshore Development Center in Hyderabad, India. This unique partnership will extend efforts to identify and include proven capabilities within the CMMC COE Marketplace to improve cybersecurity protection and resilience for the global defense industrial base network of contractors, vendors, and suppliers. In addition, the partnership with TechnoGen and TechnoGen Cybersecurity establishes a presence for the CMMC COE in India with a future plan for a Center of Excellence- India in collaboration with the CMMC COE APAC. With over 16 years of experience providing end to end IT Services and Solutions to the Public and Private sectors, TGI provides highly skilled and certiﬁed professionals committed to helping clients solve complex problems and achieve their goals, on time and under budget. “This is exciting opportunity for us”, said Mr. John Weiler, Chairman of the Board at CMMC Center of Excellence, “This new partnership will further help advance the goals and objectives for improving the supply chain security and resilience of the US Department of Defense (DoD)”. Mr. Lax Chepuri, CEO of TechnoGen, Inc. expressed confidence and delight in the newly formed relationship with the CMMC COE saying, “Both TechnoGen, Inc. and TechnoGen Cybersecurity and will bring enthusiastic support for the goals and standards of the CMMC COE in both the U.S. and India Defense sectors.” The executed Engagement Agreement establishes a collaborative engagement between TechnoGen and the CMMC COE to partner in the furthering of their respective and complementary missions and objectives regarding the adoption, use, and expansion of CMMC based cybersecurity practices, risk management, and compliance for the DIB contractor, vendor, and supplier community of providers creating a broader CMMC ecosystem globally to improve security and resilience. Specific actions will include: The co-development of CMMC advisory services, cyber training and education programs to accelerate CMMC certification, increase cyber adoption and improve cyber protection & resilience. Co-sponsor symposiums, training programs and podcasts leveraging their combined cyber and IT expertise. Host regular working groups, with other partners, to enable collaboration and communications. Establish an independent Industry Cyber Security Advisory Council with peer organizations to advise and educate leaders across government and industry on the continued evolution and effectiveness of CMMC. The CMMC-COE ( http://cmmc-coe.org ) and TechnoGen partnership will focus on bringing together the many disparate cyber and national security communities of interest to reduce complexity, improve awareness, and accelerate industry effort to become more cyber resilient against the growing threats from nation states and criminal enterprises. The CMMC-COE establishes both a Market Place and Knowledge Clearinghouse that will include resources that support the overall effort, including white papers; tutorials; recorded webcasts; presentations; and more that will help reduce the cost and burden on small and medium size contractors already struggling from the impact of COVID. For more information on the CMMC COE, please visit http://cmmc-coe.org, email info@cmmc-coe.org or call 703-863-3766 For more information on TechnoGen, please visit https://www.technogeninc.com/ About Us ---------- CMMC-COE.ORG is a unique non-profit public-private partnership, with a vision to accelerate Cybersecurity Maturity Model (CMM) adoption, and reduce time & cost for security compliance for our partners by leveraging commercial best practices, CMMC standards, and innovative solutions for a measurable success. Our mission, focused on DOD mission objectives, cost containment and expeditious CMMC compliance, is to help the DIB improve cyber posture and resilience, and simplify its acquisition. The CMMC-COE is hosted by the Information Technology Acquisition Advisory Council (IT-AAC), a public/private partnership (P3) chartered in 2007 as an honest broker to reach outside the confines of the Federal IT advisories that lack dynamic reach into the Global IT Market, and dedicated to the adoption of commercial IT management standards of practice and innovations emanating from the Global IT market. Team IT-AAC has already demonstrated the value of its decade long investment, and provides a unique value to agencies seeking to achieve accelerate the transformation of legacy processes and systems. Our Just-in-Time SMEs apply an innovative suite of Technology Business Management and Agile Acquisition Processes needed to assure the business value of commercial IT. The Interoperability Clearinghouse (ICH), is the managing partner that make up the 24 NGO/SDO organizations that make up the IT-AAC. ICH provides the contract vehicles, clearances, and critical resources proven to guide sustainable, measurable and repeatable processes needed to drive better investment decisions as the speed of mission need, while aligning existing processes, methods and workforce with IT reform mandates contained in Clinger Cohen Act, FITARA, IT MGT Act, EO13838. Contact Details Bob Dix +1 703-975-6633 bob.dix@it-aac.org Company Website https://cmmc-coe.org

March 22, 2021 08:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

Clearbanc and Pencil partner to help ecommerce businesses grow using creative AI

Stockwood Strategy

Creative AI company Pencil has partnered with the world’s largest e-commerce investor Clearbanc to provide their customers with the latest innovation in online video advertising, Machine Generated Creative (MGC). These ads can be created in minutes and consistently double return on ad spend for brands. It is anticipated that companies using the Pencil platform will be able to unlock new audiences on Facebook and Instagram and grow revenue faster. MGC online video ads are generated by artificial intelligence (AI), while learning what resonates with audiences, in order to systematically deliver better results for brands. Using historic ad performance data, Pencil is able to understand what in the ad is resonating with customers. It can then generate new batches of ad ideas which are new and distinct, but which share winning characteristics with past winners. In this way Pencil learns what works while continuously exploring new ideas that could resonate with audiences. Pencil analysed over 100 campaigns that used MGC video ads and found the best MGC ads delivered an average return on ad spend (ROAS) 2x that of other ads the brands were running. One brand’s MGC campaign delivered 7x higher ROAS. Will Hanschell, CEO and co-founder of Pencil commented: “This partnership with Clearbanc underlines the success we’ve had with our Machine Generated Creative ads for brands around the world. These ads are helping ecommerce brands and agencies grow, and I am confident we can help them scale further.” This partnership announcement comes hot o n the heels of Pencil joining as a creative partner in Facebook Marketing Partners, a program that connects businesses to an ecosystem of specialists. More than 200 million businesses worldwide use Facebook’s apps to connect with customers and grow, and over 10 million of them run advertising campaigns each month. Pencil customer James Harding, Head of Growth at Lyka Pet Food commented: "Pencil gives us the ability to generate ads quickly and more importantly, come up with ideas we might not have otherwise. It's been a massive win for us essentially." Pencil leverages proprietary technology to generate ad video, derive insights and make predictions, as well as integrating the OpenAI API to generate ad copy. The OpenAI API provides access to GPT-3, one of the world’s most powerful language models. Pencil is among the first companies approved to use it commercially. This approval requires strict criteria in AI safety and ethics. Daniel Rodic, Head of Market Development commented: “Clearbanc was created to help Founders grow their businesses by using our non-dilutive capital to invest in predictable and repeatable expenses like marketing spend. Pencil’s technology offers a simple solution for brands in our portfolio to improve their return on ad spend and ultimately maximize the effectiveness of the capital they deploy.” Clearbanc has deployed over US$1.6b to more than 4,000 ecommerce and SaaS businesses. EndS Notes to the editor About Pencil Pencil is a Creative AI company on a mission to generate unexpected ideas that get results. Pencil generates ads that learn to perform, delivering the return on ad spend that helps brands scale their businesses. Pencil invented Machine Generated Creative (MGC), a new way of making ads that algorithmically optimises for creative novelty, brand relevance and return on advertising spend. It always starts from a human brief and it always involves total human editorial control. Pencil’s MGC platform generates ads in minutes and has been shown to generate ads that double returns for brands. Pencil was founded in 2018 with a team from Google, Facebook and Uber and is backed by Sequoia Capital India, Wavemaker Partners, Singapore Innovate and Entrepreneur First. About Clearbanc Founded in 2015 by Michele Romanow (Canada’s Shark Tank), Andrew D’Souza, Ivan Gritsiniak, Charlie Feng, and Tanay Delima, Clearbanc is changing the way companies raise money by providing fast, affordable capital to online brands and B2B SaaS companies. Clearbanc’s data-driven algorithm has invested in 4,000+ companies across 50 states and backed 8x more female-founders than traditional VC. Clearbanc customers span small businesses across the United States, Canada, and the UK to some of the fastest-growing consumer brands today, like Le Tote, Leesa Sleep, Farmgirl Flowers, and Public Goods. For more information visit Clearbanc.com Contact Details Bilal Mahmood +44 7714 007257 press@trypencil.com Company Website https://www.trypencil.com/

March 17, 2021 12:00 PM Eastern Daylight Time

Image

1 ... 119 120 121 122 123 ... 135

Back