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AI-Powered Congressional Transcripts From FiscalNote (NYSE: NOTE) So You Never Miss Another Floor Speech

Benzinga

By Jad Malaeb, Benzinga Artificial intelligence (AI) made huge strides in 2022. The release of OpenAI’s ChatGPT exemplified AI’s evolution. The chatbot broke news headlines in November 2022 when its user count crossed 1 million in the first week of its launch. The mind-boggling user growth inspired comparisons to the growth rates of its larger corporate counterparts, and the results were outstanding. ChatGPT achieved 1 million users faster than Netflix, Facebook, Spotify and Instagram by a significant margin. It took Netflix, for example, nearly three and a half years to achieve 1 million users. The outstanding growth rates reflect ChatGPT’s incredible capabilities. The chatbot has been used to write content, conceive business plans, design new recipes, dictate code for a stock market strategy, create novels, solve math problems and provide professional advice. ChatGPT’s usefulness has prompted the rise of AI in a number of industries, including, perhaps surprisingly, politics. How AI Has Played A Role In Politics As a tech-based agency specialized in collecting data on the regulatory processes in the U.S. and abroad, FiscalNote (NYSE: NOTE) has had extensive experience integrating AI into their data intelligence solutions. FiscalNote leverages AI’s computing and locating abilities to transform a bulk of unstructured data into actionable insights. FiscalNote’s clients, for example, receive a timeline of key events relating to millions of companies, and the timeline is augmented with AI-generated scores for quick assessment. FiscalNote’s AI solutions also provide industry coverage based on billions of data points extracted from over 100 million documents, and these are updated daily with millions of data points. The breadth and timeliness of this data makes FiscalNote a unique source for actionable political and financial information. The company has also provided AI solutions better suited for specific tasks. FiscalNote’s AI capabilities, for example, extend onto Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) reporting, Earnings Call Transcripts, Market Sentiment, News Pulse and SEC filings, all of which allow clients to remain ahead of the competition. FiscalNote Leverages AI-Powered Transcription For Congressional Speeches On Nov. 29, 2022, FiscalNote announced that Fireside – its constituent relationship management (CRM) software for Federal, State and Local governments – will be upgraded with the integration of AI-powered transcripts and videos of elected officials’ floor speeches, debates and committee hearings. Fireside’s AI integration will empower communication between legislators and the general public by providing a streamlined path to important political speeches. FiscalNote’s proprietary CRM will enable direct access to these speeches, transcribing them and transporting them to the Fireside platform within an hour after the delivery of the remarks. <iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/hw4iZUte6qM" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe> This is a game-changer for press secretaries, communication directors, chiefs of staff, speechwriters and district office staff who rely on fast and secure communications to stay ahead of traditional media coverage. At the same time, this service offers some of the quickest paths to the generation of reliable, swift and actionable content for press releases, newsletters and other constituent-facing communications. “Fireside has always been the essential go-to toolkit on Capitol Hill for the management of constituent communications and engagement, and with this integration of Congressional speeches and remarks, Fireside is set to deliver even more value for our customers at a time when electoral change and redistricting has made communications and transparency even more of a critical priority for lawmakers and their staff,” said Josh Resnik, President & Chief Operating Officer, FiscalNote. This article was originally published on Benzinga here. This post contains sponsored advertising content. This content is for informational purposes only and not intended to be investing advice. Contact Details Benzinga +1 877-440-9464 info@benzinga.com Company Website http://www.benzinga.com

February 03, 2023 09:25 AM Eastern Standard Time

Comcast Hosts Community Event and Makes a $50,000 Contribution to Santa Cruz Non-Profit Organizations for Storm Relief and Recovery

Comcast California

As Santa Cruz County works to recover and rebuild from the recent historic rainstorms that caused massive flooding, downed trees, landslides and other devastation, Comcast yesterday hosted a free event to support the community and made a $50,000 donation to the United Way of Santa Cruz and Community Bridges of Santa Cruz. “The Santa Cruz area has suffered so much from the recent storms – the devastation has been heart wrenching to experience and witness,” said Ray Cancino, CEO, Community Bridges. “This partnership and financial support from Comcast is coming at the ideal time and will provide important, valuable resources as the community strives to get back on its feet.” “We appreciate Comcast hosting yesterday’s event. It was so nice to enable this hard-hit community to take a break, come together and support each other, while having some fun.” said Keisha Browden, CEO, United Way of Santa Cruz County. “Comcast’s financial contribution to our community will help us not only expand our recovery efforts but also help us rebuild from this catastrophic disaster.” A unique feature at the Scotts Valley community event was the Xfinity Experience trailer, which features a 12 foot by 18-foot LED screen on which the movies Sing 2 and Minions: Rise of Gru were screened. The trailer also enabled free WiFi access and power so attendees could get online and charge their devices. Attendees can enjoy free food and beverages from local restaurants and there will be raffles with a variety of door prizes and special giveaways. Throughout the series of dangerous and severe storms, Comcast provided a range of services to evacuation and community support centers in Northern and Central California. Comcast’s network and engineering technicians monitored the storms’ impacts and worked diligently to restore Xfinity and Comcast Business services that were impacted as quickly and safely as possible so customers could stay connected. Comcast also made available for free use by anyone its 147,000 public Xfinity WiFi hotspots throughout Northern and Central California. This helped residents and emergency personnel stay connected during the rainstorms. # # # About Comcast Corporation Comcast Corporation (Nasdaq: CMCSA) is a global media and technology company that connects people to moments that matter. We are principally focused on connectivity, aggregation, and streaming with 57 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 Adriana Arvizo +1 925-200-1919 Adriana_Arvizo@comcast.com

February 02, 2023 02:01 PM Pacific Standard Time

Power Digital Acquires Digital Marketing Agency Sproutward

Power Digital

Power Digital, the leading tech-enabled growth marketing firm—today announces the acquisition of the marketing agency Sproutward, headquartered in Boston and Columbus. It is the fifth acquisition since 2019, bringing in 30 new team members to grow the organization's headcount to 580 strategic, consultative marketers, creatives, data scientists and technologists. The leadership team at Sproutward has a wealth of experience working in marketing organizations. Prior to founding Sproutward, Kevin Biondi served as VP of Digital Marketing at Staples, while Anabela Perozek was the CMO of Shoes.com and the Head of Marketing for Staples.com. Third partner, Scott Zakrajsek, previously led digital analytics and optimization departments at adidas, Reebok and Shoes.com. “Sproutward’s growth mindset and culture are incredibly well-aligned with our core values,” said Grayson Lafrenz, CEO of Power Digital. “Having worked on the brand-side, the leadership team deeply understands the mindset, challenges and needs of today’s sharp business and marketing leaders.” Sproutward is a marketing consultancy that focuses on clients who are in the midst of a digital transformation, blending creativity with robust analytics. Their work is backed by a proprietary platform integrating data across systems to create a single customer-facing view of revenue, marketing spend and business. Sproutward’s platform will be integrated into Power Digital’s technology, nova, to realize a data science offering designed to guide marketing investments for revenue growth. “Being data-driven and technology-enabled is in the DNA of both of our companies. By joining forces, we will expand offerings to better serve our brand clients across the board,” said Kevin Biondi, Co-Founder at Sproutward. Through this acquisition, Sproutward’s advertiser clients will gain access to a range of new marketing services offered by Power Digital, including TikTok, creative, content, influencer, performance PR and more. Power Digital continues to grow rapidly and was recently ranked in Inc. 5000’s list for companies winning in a challenging and unpredictable global landscape––seeing 95% team retention and a 91% client retention rate. Power Digital was also named one of Adweek’s Fastest Growing Companies in 2022, as well Ad Age Best Places to Work in 2023. Potomac Business Capital acted as financial advisor to Sproutward in the acquisition. About Power Digital: Power Digital is a tech-enabled growth firm––at the intersection of marketing, consulting & data intelligence––igniting revenue and brand recognition for leading and emerging companies around the world. At the heart is proprietary technology, nova, which analyzes businesses through first-party data, simplifying investment planning for marketing and diligence in M&A––putting marketers in a strategic seat at the table––and providing value in unparalleled ways. Managing billions in media, Power Digital’s dynamic team––of consultative marketers, creatives, analysts and technologists––challenges traditional ways of planning and measurement through meticulous testing and data science across each milestone of the customer journey. Discover more at PowerDigital.com. Contact Details N6A Kevin Pryor +1 347-781-3074 powerdigital@n6a.com Company Website https://powerdigitalmarketing.com/

February 02, 2023 10:29 AM Eastern Standard Time

How Yoshitsu Co (NASDAQ: TKLF) Drove Growth Amid A Turbulent Beauty Market – 2022 In Review

Benzinga

By David Willey, Benzinga It has been a year of milestones for the Japanese beauty company Yoshitsu Co Ltd (NASDAQ: TKLF). Yoshitsu is a retailer and wholesaler of beauty and health products that saw a year of growth despite difficulties in the market. The beauty industry is growing, worth over $90 billion in China and $131 billion in Europe. Meanwhile, North America continues as its largest market at $364.8 billion. Traditional stores, especially pharmacies, still represent the largest segment of beauty and health product sales, though there is an increasing shift towards e-commerce that was partially motivated by the lockdowns of the past few years. Companies in the beauty and health space have looked to seek new solutions in 2022 to meet the changing market needs. One company that struggled was New York personal care icon Revlon (OTCMKTS: REVRQ). The company had a tough year, first filing for bankruptcy before being suspended and delisted by the New York Stock Exchange in October, 2022. Parisian personal care company L’Oreal SA (OTCPK: LRLCY) started a research and development (R&D) collaboration with Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ: GOOGL) subsidiary Verily to better understand skin health and aging processes. American company Ulta Beauty Inc. (NASDAQ: ULTA) saw a net increase of income of 17% in the first half of 2022, and also launched its Beauty& campaign to revolutionize the beauty industry and change perspectives on how to understand beauty and health wellbeing. Tokyo-based Yoshitsu Co. saw its product portfolio of cosmetics, skincare, fragrances, and cosmetic applicators expand to sauces, condiments, and various food products. Despite market challenges resulting from strict Japanese and Chinese lockdowns, Yoshitsu expanded in the past year, opened more physical locations, and saw record company growth. A Series of Successes? Opened Brick-and-mortar Locations. While some companies permanently closed their brick-and-mortar stores, Yoshitsu has been expanding. In November 2022 it opened a warehouse in London, UK, to respond to strong European demand for its products. It also added an additional store in Hong Kong, with significant interest coming from China, which reportedly made up 75% of Yoshitsu's revenue in 2021. Tourist Locations. COVID was tough for companies as Japan was closed to tourists for two years following the pandemic. But when Japan opened up its borders, Yoshitsu was there. It opened various pickup locations, offering duty-free cosmetics to entice tourists, with sites at its Urawa and KoshigayaRyutsudanchi stores in Saitama, as well as in Nagano. Wholesale Success. The company has also handled market challenges by capitalizing on its robust network of 200+ wholesale partners. 95% of its revenue came from online stores, franchised stores and wholesale operations in 2021. Credit Agreement. In November the company entered into a revolving credit facility agreement with a syndicate of national banks. The agreement - for JPY 8.15 billion (about $55.82 million) - expands the opportunity to reinvest in the company and to fulfill a balanced capital allocation. Food Products. Successes made possible by steps like the credit agreement include Yoshitsu’s addition of sauces, dressings, and condiments products to its portfolio, entering a market worth over $21 billion. It diversified this plan by later adding a host of food products, including frozen and refrigerated items, processed food, and confectionery. Record Growth. Perhaps unsurprisingly after a strong year, Yoshitsu saw record revenue growth. Reflecting on the successes, Principal Executive Officer of Yoshitsu Mei Kanayama said: “Although the global economy has been filled with uncertainties, we are satisfied with the accomplishments achieved in our key strategic initiatives, including the completion of our initial public offering in January 2022 and the expansion of our market coverage with new stores and wholesale customers.” To learn more about Yoshitsu, visit its website. This article was originally published on Benzinga here. This post contains sponsored advertising content. This content is for informational purposes only and not intended to be investing advice. Contact Details Benzinga +1 877-440-9464 info@benzinga.com Company Website http://www.benzinga.com

February 02, 2023 09:25 AM Eastern Standard Time

Who Needs VC? How One SaaS Startup Bucked the Trend and Beat the Odds

NetReputation.com

By Caroline Hunter, Content Writer (at NetReputation) In the world of tech startups, venture capital (VC) often acts as a gatekeeper, providing the keys to market entry and the pathway to eventual success. The initial investments from VC groups can come at a high price for many entrepreneurs, typically with significant ownership stakes. Despite the costs, most startups do not have the necessary experience and financial backing to build and operate their company, leaving them vulnerable to VC interests. Although it’s mutually beneficial, venture capitalists do have the upper hand in the relationship with green founders. VCs understand the anxiety that comes from bringing new ideas to market and VCs can exploit the situation for ownership. The percentage of startups partnering with VC groups in early growth stages is, in reality, considerably low. According to Marc Andreessen of VC giant Andreesseen Horowitz, of the 4,000 startups seeking funding from major VCs each year, only about 200, or 5%. Despite the low percentage of startups who qualify for and receive outside funding, it's a common misconception that in order to succeed in the tech sector VC endorsement is necessary. The VC stamp of approval can open more doors and provide the fuel to accelerated growth, but brute growth isn’t always the better path. Despite the familiar pattern of VC and startup relationships, occasionally, a business comes along that balks at convention. Invoice Home is an innovative company with two experienced co-founders funding the operation out of pocket. It is not often you see two individuals opt for a bootstrapping approach in competitive sectors like the tech industry. VC vs. Bootstrapping and the Invoice Home Choice Despite notable exceptions like GoPro, VC is the traditional financing method among tech startups. The approach is less risky and provides greater opportunities for success, but it is not all rainbows and unicorns. Venture capital arrangements usually stipulate new founders to give up some control in their company in exchange for funding and mentorship. In some of the worst deals, product creators lose most, if not all, controlling interests in their company. That said, VC is not all bad, and it definitely has many benefits over the bootstrapping approach, including fewer risks. The Invoice Home founders chose to bootstrap after their own experience dealing with big investors and corporate institutions in their previous companies. The owners reviewed their financing options, concluding that the deemed more difficult and longer road was best for them and their business model as they wanted full control in shaping the product from its inception. Venture Capital Venture capital is financing, a form of private equity, that can fund companies at any stage, but investments in tech startups or small businesses have been on the rise in recent years. Capital investments usually come from wealthy investors, financial institutions or other investment banks. That said, VC is not always monetary. Sometimes, capital comes in less tangible forms, such as talent, knowledge, and experience. Regardless of the capital form, investing in a startup is risky, even if it has potential. Founders also face considerable risks with how potential partners justify ownership asks. Many VC deals include limited partnerships, which a VC firm defines. Venture capital agreements have pros and cons. The pros include: Early-stage financing for bootstrap operations No proof of cash flow or assets needed to secure funding Mentoring and network often part of the arrangements Despite the benefits, VC agreements can lead to a few cons. Some of the possible negatives include: The demand for company equity Loss of creative control of product Pressure to exit the investment ahead of growth Bootstrapping The founders of Invoice Home, Jiri Hradil and Petr Marek, weighed the pros and cons of VC and decided the traditional route of other tech startups was not for them or their idea. These two entrepreneurs chose a more challenging road to success, bootstrapping. Bootstrapping is usually a more gradual road to success and presents greater risks earlier on for startup owners. A person bootstraps when they attempt to build and grow their business using only personal finances or operational revenue. Both Hradil and Marek have extensive professional experience in the tech industry, specifically with building niche financial software in the FinTech space. Their expertise, independent finances, and knowledge in the current market likely played a role in the decision to step away from VC. Invoice Home Throws Norms Out the Window To Hradil and Marek, relinquishing any control of their business, especially during the beginning phase of product development, was premature. The partners knew what they wanted from their program and service — a simple way to create, organize, and send invoices to customers. The pair knew that partnering with VC firms would cut into their controlling interests. The last thing they wanted was to create a platform that didn't conform to their initial thought for the startup. Because each of them had several years in leadership roles at their own successful businesses previously, they knew the risks involved with starting a company without private equity financiers. However, because of their experience, they understood they could mitigate some risks. The primary issue was patience. The co-founders knew that without VC, the business could take time to mature and reach its potential. After proving the concept and fully committing to operations in 2013, Invoice Home now has over 7 million global users, retaining and growing its user base through the pandemic. Not giving up the control on the product proved to be the right decision, as the simplified invoicing tool found a perfect product market fit with freelancers and micro-businesses. VC Is the Norm, But It Doesn't Have To Be Venture capital is the traditional way of making it in the tech industry, but it doesn't have to be. Invoice Home is only one example of startup owners making the right decision for their product and bootstrapping their way to success. True, not every startup or tech creator can afford to take on the personal financial risks associated with starting a business. Also, many startups do not have the leadership experience to bring a product to market or identify lucrative channels. There is a place for VC in the tech industry, but it shouldn't be the automatic approach and sole path to launching a tech business. For young startups or creators, there is a lot to overcome when starting a new company. First-time founders often rush into VC partnerships in the beginning, particularly if they have the opportunity. But the faster road to success doesn't always mean it's the better option long term. Other financing and operational pathways may seem out of reach, depending on the founders and their circumstances. Before committing down a set path, try market testing a product on a smaller scale. Put the operational revenue back into the company to see if the product concept works in the current market. Creating a tech product and building a company without VC funding will be slower, but steady, consistent growth can prove to have a better long term outcome. This article was originally published on Benzinga here. NetReputation.com is an industry-leading online reputation management solutions provider focused on helping businesses and individuals repair, improve, and maintain positive brands on the web. Headquartered in Sarasota, Florida, NetReputation.com utilizes the latest in digital processes and technology to restore online reputations and empower long-term success online. NetReputation was established by online services innovator Adam Petrilli in 2015. This post contains sponsored advertising content. This content is for informational purposes only and not intended to be investing advice. Contact Details Caroline Hunter Caroline@netreputation.com Company Website https://www.netreputation.com/

February 02, 2023 09:25 AM Eastern Standard Time

FatBrain Is Providing Real-Time Strategic Cash Management For SMEs

FatBrAin

By Faith Ashmore, Benzinga For small-to-medium-sized enterprises, also known as SMEs, protecting, predicting, and increasing cash flow is the lifeboat that will allow a business to succeed and flourish. However, data collection and analysis is essential to understanding cash management, and not every SME has the resources to predict accurately. SMEs actually make up over 90% of businesses around the world and approximately half of employment. In the U.S., SMEs account for 44% of all US economic activity and produce the bulk of GDP output. SMEs are a huge part of the economy but are fundamentally lacking the tools to compete with larger companies that use AI and outsource accounting concerns to entire teams of specialists. FatBrain AI (LZG International, Inc.) (OTCQB: LZGI) (“FatBrain”) is looking to change this reality and use AI to give SMEs an edge to succeed in cash management. FatBrain is known for widening AI options for SMEs. The company has created a RansomProof AI software that ensures small businesses will be safe from cyberattacks; the free program is leveling the playing field between big businesses and SMEs. FatBrain has also launched an FX Transaction product that allows SMEs to optimize their foreign transactions and save money. Recently, FatBrain acquired FinTech Alliance company, Predictive Black. Predictive Black supports SMEs in the UK with real-time cash management and financial insights, which helps promote overall business wellness. The SaaS platform uses AI to forecast revenue, costs, and cash for SMEs. Why Is Predicting Revenue, Costs, And Cash Important For SMEs SMEs oftentimes do not have the same emergency infrastructure as larger corporations and as such, they are more vulnerable to fluctuating economic changes. Whereas large companies like Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT), IBM (NYSE: IBM), and Nvidia (NASDAQ: NVDA) may have entire teams dedicated to making sense of economic data and planning accordingly, SMEs may not have the manpower or expertise to excel at predictive treasury management. This is where FatBrain’s Predictive Black comes in. Predictive Black uses the latest AI to compile relevant industry and market data based on a company’s sector, peers, clients, and suppliers. The AI then creates a baseline and users have access to a “Scenario Planning” function that allows for “what-if” scenarios to be calculated and accounted for. For example, you can calculate if a supplier increases their prices or if you lose a few clients and how that impacts your revenue. Each function is designed to improve speed, reduce risk and analyze real-time cash data. These tools can provide ease of mind for SMEs and give them the analysis needed to make safe and sound business decisions. This article was originally published on Benzinga here. FatBrain AI (LZG International, Inc.; OTC: LZGI) is the first and leading provider of powerful and easy-to-use AI solutions to millions of businesses of tomorrow driving the majority of the global economy, empowering them to grow, innovate faster and savemoney. FatBrain’s innovative solutions transform continuous learning, narrative reasoning, cloud, blockchain and Web3 technologies into auditable, explainable and easy to integrate products. FatBrain’ssubscription model allows all companies to deploy its advanced AI solutions quickly and easily, securely utilizing them on premises behind their firewalls or via cloud. The AI 2.0 pioneered by our teams is like WAZE for business growth, using advanced peerdynamics technology to automatically learn patterns from individual and peer behavior. This allows us to deliver coached, personalized AI solutions at hyperscale. FatBrain unifies insights from SaaS applications, turbo-charged by peer and market dynamics: 1) Realize attainable goals from explainable peer performance. 2)Turbo-charge human expertise with superhuman AI insights. 3) Accelerate growth through the contributory network effects. 4) Simplify harnessing data across common apps and market signals. This post contains sponsored advertising content. This content is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be investing advice. Contact Details Shawn Carey ir@fatbrain.ai Company Website https://fatbrain.ai/

February 02, 2023 09:25 AM Eastern Standard Time

Drylab Media Tech takes "first step" into the Metaverse

Drylab Media Tech Group PLC

Drylab Media Tech Group PLC chief executive John Mahtani visited Proactive's London studio to talk to Thomas Warner about what he describes as the group's "first step" into the Metaverse. Drylab has signed an MOU to enter into a collaboration with Media Industry Licencing Content (MILC) that Mahtani sees as part of his wider strategy to continue forming "strong alliances". Contact Details Proactive UK Ltd +44 20 7989 0813 uk@proactiveinvestors.com

February 02, 2023 09:01 AM Eastern Standard Time

Video

Roberts & Ryan welcomes our latest new hires to our growing Equity Trading Team

Roberts & Ryan Investments, Inc.

Roberts & Ryan welcomes our latest new hires to our growing Equity Trading Team: Brian Scala, Mario Lagana and Andrew Darcy. BRIAN SCALA Mr. Brian Scala brings more than 25 years of experience to Roberts & Ryan, focusing primarily on Equity and Options trading and compliance. Prior to joining Roberts & Ryan, Mr. Scala was a Senior Vice President & Head of Equity Trading at Drexel Hamilton, LLC, a Veteran-owned investment bank. Prior to that, Mr. Scala was Executive Director of Institutional Sales Trading at O’Neil Securities, Inc., where he was an Equity trader for institutional clients, Chief Options Compliance Officer and Head of the Equity Technology Department. Mr. Scala was also the CEO and Chief Equity and Options Compliance Officer for the Equity Trading Division of Clancy Financial Services. Prior to Clancy Financial Services, Mr. Scala was a NYSE Floor Broker for Troy Securities, the Head NASDAQ Sales Trader at KV Execution and a NYSE Floor Clerk for PSK Securities. Mr. Scala holds SIE and FINRA Series 4, 7, 24, 25, 55 & 63 licenses. MARIO LAGANA Mr. Mario Lagana brings over 30 years of Wall Street and management experience to Roberts & Ryan. He has traded all forms of Equities, trading investments and risk management. Mr. Lagana will oversee new business development and day to day operations. "As Senior Director at Roberts & Ryan, my ultimate goal is to offer Roberts & Ryan’s clients the best service available on Wall Street,” says Mr. Lagana. Having built trading desks at firms such as Drexel Hamilton, William O’ Neil and Robbins & Henderson, Mr. Lagana understands the commitment it takes to deliver added value. Modeled as an extension of a buy-side desk, Roberts & Ryan presents a trading desk dedicated to best execution. At the inception of his career at William O’Neil, Mr. Lagana gained technical expertise working with some of the best trading technicians in the industry. Closely mentored by William O’ Neil himself, Mr. Lagana learned fundamental and technical analysis by continuously reviewing markets, industry groups and stocks. His critical insights specialize in market direction and stock trends. Mr. Lagana holds SIE and FINRA Series 7, 55, 57, & 63 licenses. ANDREW DARCY Mr. Andrew Darcy joins Roberts & Ryan following over 25 years of Wall Street experience, focused primarily on Equity trading. Prior to joining Roberts & Ryan, Mr. Darcy was Managing Director & Head of Equity Trading at Drexel Hamilton, LLC, a Veteran-owned investment bank, where he led the secondary Equity trading department in all facets of the business, including trading, corporate buybacks, TCA, client relationships, technology, operations, compliance and business development. Prior to that, Mr. Darcy served as a Managing Director of Equity Sales Trading at BTIG and Executive Director at Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC. Prior to Morgan Stanley, Mr. Darcy was Director of Institutional Equity Sales Trading at Citigroup Global Markets, Credit Suisse AG, and Merril Lynch & Co. Mr. Darcy was a Commissioned Officer in the United States Navy, serving as a member of SEAL Team Eight and SEAL Team Four. He participated in Operation Desert Storm in the Red Sea and Operation Provide Comfort in Northern Iraq. Mr. Darcy holds FINRA Series 7, 24, 55 & 63 licenses. Mr. Scala, Mr. Lagana and Mr. Darcy are all committed to our nation’s military and, in particular, Roberts & Ryan’s service to numerous world-class Veteran causes. Roberts & Ryan’s Head of Equities, James McDevitt comments, “I’m very excited to be adding this team of equity professionals. The combined teams represent Roberts & Ryan’s commitment to equity trading and providing best in class service and execution.” About Roberts and Ryan Investments, Inc. Roberts & Ryan Investments, Inc. is a Service-Disabled Veteran Owned (SDVO) broker-dealer with execution capabilities in the capital markets, equities and fixed-income trading. The firm was founded in 1987 by a United States Marine Corps Vietnam combat veteran and Purple Heart recipient. With over one and a half million dollars in committed donations, Roberts & Ryan is active in donating to charitable foundations that make significant positive impacts in the lives of Veterans and their families, primarily focusing on general wellness, mental health and career transition. Contact Details Joe Pecoraro +1 917-658-8945 jpecoraro@roberts-ryan.com Company Website https://www.roberts-ryan.com

February 02, 2023 09:00 AM Eastern Standard Time

Bridgepoint's Expertise in Display, Signage and Print Instrumental in Media One's Sale to American Pacific Group

Bridgepoint Investment Banking

Bridgepoint Investment Banking’s (“ Bridgepoint ”) industry-leading Display, Signage and Print team (“DS&P”) acted as the exclusive financial advisor to Media One Digital Imaging Solutions (the “Company” or “Media One”) on their sale to American Pacific Group (“APG”). Media One will become APG’s second platform investment in the display, signage and print space and will continue to offer unique and customized solutions for the digital textile printing and large format digital printing markets in the U.S. and Canada. Jason Bartusick, CEO, and Ed Prieto, COO, will remain with Media One and continue to drive the day-to-day operations. “We are very excited to partner with American Pacific Group—they know the industry and together we have a fantastic plan to grow Media One and expand our services and the capabilities we provide to customers,” commented Jason Bartusick, CEO. “Ultimately, this deal does not get done without the team at Bridgepoint—they were true advisors throughout the process and guided us from start to finish. Bridgepoint’s expertise in the display, signage and print market is real and that expertise was instrumental to our success—they understood what buyers were looking for and how to communicate our value add to the marketplace,” added Bartusick. This marks the second transaction Bridgepoint has worked on with APG. The first was completed in 2021 when APG acquired Fellers, Inc.—one of the largest distributors of vinyl vehicle wraps and vinyl signage materials in the world. Bridgepoint Managing Director Bryan Wallace added, “We are very excited for Jason and Ed as they embark on this next stage of growth with APG. We very much enjoy adding and creating value for our founder and family-owned clients and were thrilled to leverage our expertise in the display, signage, and print vertical to create the optimal outcome for Media One.” About Bridgepoint Investment Banking Bridgepoint Investment Banking, a division of Bridgepoint Holdings NE, LLC, is a market-leading boutique investment bank. The Bridgepoint team, through their broker dealer relationship with M&A Securities Group, Inc., an unaffiliated entity, serves clients over their corporate lifecycles by providing capital raising and M&A advisory solutions. Bridgepoint serves clients globally across a range of focus sectors including transportation, industrials, healthcare, business and IT services, technology and consumer and retail. Learn more about Bridgepoint at bridgepointib.com. About Media One Media One has five warehouse locations across the county and is a full-service technology integration company focused on textile printing with solutions for every aspect of large format printing, from paper, fabric, to workflow, color management, digital printing equipment, sewing, precision laser cutting and finishing. Media One has a full-range of printable fabrics that form a matched-component system integrating software, equipment, ink, and profiles for optimal performance. Learn more at http://www.mediaoneusa.com. Contact Details Dee Collins Director of Marketing +1 402-817-7900 dcollins@bridgepointib.com Company Website https://bridgepointib.com/

February 02, 2023 07:24 AM Eastern Standard Time

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