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SIGMA America Announces 60th Anniversary Scholarship Contest Winners

SIGMA CORPORATION OF AMERICA

SIGMA Corporation of America, the US subsidiary of SIGMA Corporation (CEO: Kazuto Yamaki. Headquarters: Asao-ku, Kawasaki-shi, Kanagawa, Japan) is pleased to announce the eight winners of the 60th Anniversary Student Scholarship Contest, each of whom will be awarded a $7,500 scholarship. The $60,000 in scholarship money has been awarded to student photographers and filmmakers in each of four categories, each aligned with the core principles of the company. The four core principles upon which the contestants were asked to draw their creative inspiration are: Authenticity, Precision, Inspiration, and Honor. The winners are as follows: Authenticity Shelby Brewer - John Brown University (Still Photo) Max Hurley - San Francisco State University (Film) Precision Juliette Poirier - UCLA (Still Photo) Justin Steele - Savannah College of Art and Design (Film) Inspiration Eric Skadson - University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee (Still Photo) Joseph Kitchens - Brigham Young University-Idaho (Film) Honor Mallory Grossman - American Film Institute (Still Photo) Sofia Ayerdi - California State University Northridge (Film) "Witnessing the creativity, passion, and prescient interpretations of the core principles of SIGMA by the collegiate entrants of the 60th Anniversary Scholarship highlights the bright future for creative expression and our industry." reports Mark Amir-Hamzeh, President of SIGMA Corporation of America. "The body of work showcased in the winners' gallery is a fitting tribute to SIGMA's founder and chairman, Michihiro Yamaki and all that he stood for, and the principles upon which the company was founded, and the principals we adhere to today and into the future under the guidance of Kazuto Yamaki, the current CEO and Founder's son. Congratulations to all the finalists." To view the winning entries and honorable mentions, please visit SIGMA60th.com. SIGMA America has awarded $60,000 in prize money to the eight winners of the 60th Anniversary Scholarship Contest About SIGMA Corporation Craftsmanship. Precision. Dedication. Since 1961, SIGMA has been devoted to the pursuit of advancing photographic technology. Unique to the industry, the family-owned business produces its high-quality, award-winning still photo and cinema camera lenses, DSLR and mirrorless cameras, flashes, filters and accessories from its state-of-the-art manufacturing facility located in Aizu, Japan. In 2012, the company introduced SIGMA Global Vision with three distinct lens lines: Art, Contemporary and Sports. Designed for industry camera mount systems including Canon, Leica, Nikon, Olympus, Panasonic, Sony and SIGMA, each lens is handcrafted and tested in Japan to ensure a high-performance, premium product that is purpose-built to last. In 2016, the SIGMA Cine lens lineup was launched, further cementing SIGMA as an innovator in imaging engineering. Embodying the core optical DNA that has defined the SIGMA benchmark of excellence, SIGMA Cine lenses meet the needs of advanced 6k and 8k cinema production. Forming the landmark L-Mount alliance alongside Leica and Panasonic in 2018, SIGMA continues its storied tradition of imaging excellence through groundbreaking innovations such as the native L-mount SIGMA fp and fp L full-frame mirrorless digital cameras, announced in July 2019 and March 2021 respectively. These products, along with nearly 30 award-winning SIGMA Global Vision lenses available in native L-Mount format, demonstrate SIGMA's continued commitment to the creative community through expanded product offerings. With the fp, fp L and these lenses, even more shooters can now leverage SIGMA's renowned optical formula to achieve their creative vision with ease. As SIGMA reaches its 60th anniversary, the company continues to work diligently to innovate and grow in an ever-changing industry, while adhering to the principles set by its founder, Michihiro Yamaki, and carried on by current CEO Kazuto Yamaki, now and into the future. ### For information about SIGMA America, please visit sigmaphoto.com and SIGMA Blog for helpful information about our products. Follow SIGMA America on social media: SIGMA Photo: Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. SIGMA Cine: Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Contact Details SIGMA +1 631-585-1144 SIGMA.PR@Sigmaphoto.com

February 02, 2022 11:00 AM Eastern Standard Time

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SURGING DAILY FANTASY SPORTS PLATFORM STATHERO’S NEWEST INNOVATIVE GAME PLAYS DRIVES PLAYER GROWTH WITH EASY AND LUCRATIVE NEW CONTESTS.

StatHero

StatHero, the next gen Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS) platform with unprecedented winning percentages and an emphasis on skill over luck, is announcing the easiest, fastest way to get in on sports betting action with their ‘ PICK’EM’ games. StatHero is also offering players odds multipliers in select ‘ HEAD TO HEAD ’ house lineups. StatHero’s platform continues to breathe fresh new life into the DFS space with an 884% growth in annual revenue while still having their players clocking over a 50% winning percentage. The startup who has seemingly cracked the code between high player winning percentage and company profitability is launching another innovative new gameplay with the intent of solving the biggest issue for the daily fantasy player, their lack of time. StatHero’s PICK’EM game play is the fastest way to play the most familiar fantasy format against the house. Each contest simply pits two pre-selected and pre-posted fantasy teams against each other and players simply select which side they think will score more points. It’s been an immediate hit, especially in states where sports gaming has yet to be legalized. StatHero remains the ONLY independent fantasy sports company playable in 34 states (with more on the horizon) and with their PICK’EM gameplay players in those states no longer need to sift through hundreds of players to create a lineup. One click to pick a winner. It’s fantasy gameplay that fans love without the hours of analysis or tough decisions on who to start. Jason Jaramillo, CEO of StatHero: “We take a lot of pride in keeping things simple, fun and easy. And while the convergence of fantasy sports and sports gambling can be difficult, we think this new offering truly removes the intimidation and stigma surrounding daily fantasy sports and sports gaming altogether.” The breakthrough DFS platform has also upped the ante with their flagship ‘HEAD TO HEAD’ (H2H) contests, by offering up to 10x odds on select H2H contests to test players’ skills with bigger payouts. StatHero has launched a new challenge that gives players higher payouts on their plays if they can beat posted lineups with a lineup of a lesser salary. Putting players in control has been a hallmark of StatHero’s innovation and this new option is no different, giving players the ability to select the odds they want to play for. StatHero now offers 4 unique ways to play DFS against the house that appeal to players of all skill levels and risk profiles: PICK’EM, HEAD TO HEAD, PARLAYS and SURVIVOR POOLS. All games allow DFS players to go up against house lineups instead of long odds contests against unknown users or bogus prop plays. StatHero recently passed their $4 million Series A round of funding and is focusing on their Series B round of funding that is on the horizon for this year. For media/press inquiries on, please contact: Dianne Quirante, dianne@emcbowery.com About STATHERO Combining the best of fantasy sports and sports gaming, StatHero is a first of its kind daily fantasy sports platform. The company has exploded in growth since founded in 2019 in large part due it’s simple gameplay, low commitment and instant gratification. Stathero uses the familiar fantasy sports based format to allow players to compete against posted lineups across a variety of professional sports and game types including Survivor Pools, Head-to-Head and Fantasy Parlays. Their patent pending gameplay gives players an advantage unlike any other in fantasy sports. It’s truly daily fantasy the way it was meant to be played - one-on-one. For more information, visit: www.stathero.com and follow us on Twitter @StatHeroHq. Contact Details Dianne Quirante +1 323-654-0001 dianne@emcbowery.com Company Website https://stathero.com/

February 02, 2022 09:00 AM Eastern Standard Time

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Eco-friendly Brands That Put the Planet First

YourUpdateTV

A video accompanying this announcement is available at: https://youtu.be/5r2Klr0EZi4 There’s never been a more important time to collectively become more aware of how we—as individuals, corporations, and businesses—are affecting the planet. What we buy, where we shop, how those items are made. After years of working and traveling internationally, International sustainable brand consultant and fashion stylist, Cassandra Dittmer has witnessed the increase of negative impacts that the fashion industry has on both the environment and its labor force that make everything possible. Cassandra immersed herself in eco-conscious living practices, products, brands that challenge the way sustainability is currently defined. One brand that Cassandra has identified as meeting the eco-friendly challenge is Citizen. Invented over 45 years ago, Citizen’s proprietary Eco-Drive is the light-powered, eco-mindful technology that eliminates the need for watch battery replacement and at the heart of almost all of Citizen’s timepieces In 1970, in response to an environmental crisis, Citizen pioneered the world’s first light-powered watch: Eco-Drive. Eco-Drive enables Citizen watches to be powered by any light source, continuously and sustainably, eliminating the need to replace watch batteries. A standard in renewable energy for timepieces, Eco-Drive simultaneously respects and preserves the environment by preventing millions of watch batteries from entering landfills each year. Citizen has pledged to donate 1% of its website sales in the US to support a host of nonprofit organizations focused on the environment. Citizen partners with 1% of the Planet – who represents an alliance of businesses and individuals who are committed to enacting change to protect and restore the Earth. For more information, visit citizenwatch.com Contact Details YourUpdateTV +1 212-736-2727 yourupdatetv@gmail.com

February 02, 2022 09:00 AM Eastern Standard Time

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Oregon Winery Panther Creek Cellars and Third Leaf Wines Announce National Sales and Marketing Partnership

Panther Creek Cellars

Panther Creek Cellars, an iconic Willamette Valley Oregon Pinot Noir producer, and Third Leaf Wines, a San Francisco-based sales and marketing company focused on wine and spirits, hospitality and luxury brands, have announced a partnership. “Since legendary winemaker Ken Wright founded Panther Creek in 1986, we’ve been recognized for our distinctive age-worthy artisanal wines and have developed a devoted following and reputation,” commented Sarah Pearson, Panther Creek Cellars’ CEO. “The brand is poised for national growth. The team at Third Leaf is the perfect fit to support our marketing goals as well as our aim to build our national distribution and sales. “We are so excited to partner with Panther Creek. As our focus is on great brands, especially those that have pioneered fine wine over the years, adding such a distinctive and iconic brand from Oregon is a great addition to our portfolio” commented Bob Guinn, Vice President of Sales of Third Leaf Wines. Sam Bronfman, Managing Partner of Bacchus Capital, Panther Creek’s parent company, added, “Third Leaf understands the quality and prestige of the brand and the work required to build a solid national distribution network. We’re looking forward to our collaboration.” Photo Credit: William Muñoz Photo Credit: William Muñoz Photo Credit: Richard Duval About Third Leaf Wines Third Leaf Wines is an owner, importer and sales and marketing company for a diverse portfolio of boutique wines and sake. Third Leaf Wines focuses on partners and growers that are passionate about wine and the products they produce. The portfolio is spread out geographically to concentrate on up-and-coming varietals and wine regions that deliver high-quality product at an affordable price. Specializing in route to market execution and to the needs of our partners, distributors, retailers, restauranteurs and the sommelier community alike the portfolio will strive to be dynamic, exciting and relevant to market and to the wants and needs of our customers and consumers. Third Leaf Wines is located at 155 Sansome Street, Suite 610, San Francisco, CA 94104 415.830.3870 or info@thirdleafwines.com About Panther Creek Cellars Panther Creek Cellars is an Oregon winery that sources grapes from vineyards in the heart of the Willamette Valley and operates a tasting room in Woodinville, WA. Panther Creek has been producing signature Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris and Chardonnay wines since 1986. Founded by the renowned winemaker Ken Wright, Panther Creek has been recognized for its signature blends as well as single vineyard designate wines. The winery has been credited by Robert Parker as “producing some of Oregon’s most concentrated and age worthy wines.” From 2013 onward, the Panther Creek wines have been made by the acclaimed Tony Rynders. Panther’s management team consists of CEO, Sarah Pearson; COO, Kari Mahe and Director of Sales, Michelle Bolliger. Panther Creek is a portfolio company of Bacchus Capital Management, an investment firm providing strategic capital and making equity investments in United States wineries and wine businesses. For more information, visit www.panthercreekcellars.com Contact Details Third Leaf Bob Guinn +1 909-996-1846 bguinn@thirdleafwines.com PANTHER CREEK CELLARS Leslie Glassman +1 212-767-9800 leslie@panthercreekcellars.com

February 01, 2022 08:05 AM Pacific Standard Time

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EBY - the Authority in Seamless Underwear - Welcomes Rosario Dawson As Latest Investor

EBY

Women’s empowerment & tech apparel company EBY welcomes actress & entrepreneur Rosario Dawson as the brand’s latest investor. In September, EBY announced that they raised $6M in Series A funding, led by Dallas based investment firm Colt Ventures. The brand is pleased to complete their Series A financing with Dawson, joining past investors like venture capitalist firm Azure Capital (which boasts a portfolio that comprises of Native Deodorants, Bouqs and Sleep 8), Robert DiRomualdo (Chairman of Ulta Beauty), Ken Goldman (former CFO of Yahoo), Duncan Neiderauer (former CEO of the New York Stock Exchange) and Venus Williams. An entrepreneur herself, Rosario Dawson’s commitment to EBY is not her first venture into the lifestyle space - she is also the Co-Founder of female-artisan-produced, CFDA + Lexus Fashion* Initiative-winning fashion brand Studio189. EBY Co-Founder Renata M. Black and Dawson have been friends for years, establishing a resilient bond over their life-long unwavering dedication to the empowerment of women, and being fellow co-owners of Latinx founded businesses. EBY and Studio 189 have also partnered in the past in a product capacity - collaborating on a limited-edition release of special Studio 189 prints on EBY’s signature seamless undies. "I’ve long admired Renata’s strength as an innovative leader and very much believe in her mission of empowering women through microfinance. I’m excited to now be a part of this brand’s incredible growth and help Renata’s vision come to life.”- Rosario Dawson. EBY is utilizing the funding to introduce innovative products and adding real value at every touch point of the customer journey - continuing to honor the brand’s foundational mission of the empowerment of women through microfinance, small loans that enable an underprivileged woman to start or grow her own business. In turn, the woman becomes self-sufficient, breaking the cycle of poverty for herself and her children. By the end of 2022, EBY will have empowered 40,000 women and children out of poverty and into impact with close to 2 million dollars in microfinance funding. EBY repositions underwear as a tool for empowerment rather than one of seduction - as represented in their latest marketing campaign, ‘Feels Like This.’ The ‘Feels Like This’ Campaign is a post-pandemic social movement to ‘stop the scroll’ with a breath of emotion. ‘Feels Like This’ presents the sentiment people are scrolling for - encouraging them to embrace their ‘naked’emotions, enabling themselves to be ‘intimate’ again. The campaign features EBY’s innovative new Invisible Cotton 2.0 Collection - the first ever truly seamless cotton underwear that’s unlike any underwear on the market. The collection features cotton panties & bralettes that utilize EBY’s uniquely applied, no-slip-grip flocking technology. An upgraded fabric category for the brand, EBY spent the last year finding, testing and developing the best cotton blend fabric that they could apply their signature flocking to, in order to re-launch truly Invisible Cotton - an almost impossible feat for the fabric. EBY cotton seamless undies have a clean finish edge with no elastic, allowing for a seamless finish with no digging and no panty lines. The unique cotton-blend stretches with the wearer and never loses its shape. In addition to the Seamless Cotton Collection, EBY is launching additional premium collections, a period underwear, and a mesh collection throughout the rest of next year. “Throughout the years, Rosario and I have been in lock-step with our relentless and unapologetic pursuit of leaving this world better because we were here. What is so special about now, is that our paths have crossed - making us that much stronger and that much more unstoppable. I have had the fortune of calling her a friend, and have witnessed first-hand that she is a ride or die kind of lady. From the roles she plays, to the epic mother and entrepreneur she has become, everything she does has a transformative impact. With EBY it is no different. I am beyond thrilled to have her on side.” - Renata M. Black, Co-Founder Prices for the Seamless Cotton Collection range from $15-$45 For more information on EBY, please visit https://shop.join-eby.com. Co-founded by entrepreneur Renata M. Black in 2018, EBY is the ‘authority in seamless underwear’ - utilizing uniquely applied, no-slip-grip flocking technology to their seamless panties and bralettes. Body-inclusive EBY offers seamless underwear in sizes XS-4XL, servicing over 100 million plus-size customers who cannot shop at some of the largest retail stores in the U.S. EBY’s membership program also offers consumers an underwear subscription box with exclusive product and members-only pricing. The direct-to-consumer company’s core mission is female empowerment - not only through their offerings to their loyal subscribers and shoppers, but also by supporting women in poverty through the power of microfinance. 10% of proceeds from EBY underwear sales go to the Seven Bar Foundation to empower women through microfinance: small business loans to women in poverty that lead to incredible outcomes. By the end 2021, EBY will have impacted over 15,000 women and children out of poverty into business. Contact Details OGAKI Amber Cardullo acardullo@ogakidigital.com Company Website https://shop.join-eby.com

February 01, 2022 10:20 AM Eastern Standard Time

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iTradeNetwork Introduces Next-Gen Freight Solution for a Smarter, Faster, Fresher Supply Chain

iTradeNetwork

iTradeNetwork, the industry’s largest perishables network with over 8,000 food and beverage trading partners, proudly announces its next-generation transportation solution Freight —a streamlined way to combat the chaos of the present landscape, improve delivery performance, and maximize margins on every order moving through the supply chain. The pandemic radically altered consumer food spending habits, with an extraordinary rise in e-commerce sales and omni-channel experiences. This demand shock, combined with labor and equipment shocks in the logistics sector, has left fresh suppliers, buyers, and carriers reeling from unprecedented capacity and rate pressures when moving food across the supply chain. For consumers, this has resulted in empty shelves and substitutions. With 33 percent more consumers cooking more at home, pressure on buyers to prevent out-of-stock situations will only grow and companies that plan procurement and freight together have an advantage over those looking at them separately. Meeting demand and maintaining customer loyalty starts with building smarter supply chains and solutions that help businesses make smarter decisions, like iTradeNetwork’s new Freight solution. Freight is designed to help growers, shippers and buyers make the best margin-saving decisions in a chaotic environment by providing complete route planning, cost visibility, load building and load optimization prior to sending a purchase order so logistics can be a part of the overall purchasing decision. Its intuitive look and feel powers a simplified experience that makes decision-making easier, faster and smarter. With Freight: Build more profitable loads: combine purchase orders to optimize loads with automatic recommendations and safeguards to prevent costly product loss, using a best-in-class, intuitive look and feel. Build loads faster: smarter optimization–predictive loads, automatic recommendations for the best carriers, and real-time updates. Maintain constant visibility: leverage Freight’s bird’s eye view of every aspect of a product’s journey. “In today’s environment, Wayne Gretzky’s advice comes to mind: ‘Skate to where the puck is going, not where it has been.’ We believe a lesson companies in the food supply chain can take from the pandemic is that logistics needs to be as proactive and strategic as possible instead of reactive. Our Freight solution moves it in that direction. Built on our industry-leading procurement platform, it simplifies combining purchase orders into loads, recommends optimal loads, and helps procurement and freight planners make the best decisions possible to secure the maximum margin on every purchase order,” said Nathan Romney, chief product officer for iTradeNetwork. To learn more about Freight, visit itradenetwork.com/itradefreight/ or contact sales@itradnetwork.com. ABOUT ITRADENETWORK iTradeNetwork, Inc. (ITN) is the leading global provider of supply chain management solutions for the food and beverage industry. Built upon deep industry expertise, a rich data foundation and the industry’s most extensive trading partner network, iTradeNetwork’s collaborative solutions allow distributors, manufacturers, operators, retailers, suppliers, and wholesalers of all sizes to reduce cost, grow revenue and strengthen trading partner relationships. Today, iTradeNetwork’s growing customer list includes thousands of global companies. For more information, visit: www.itradenetwork.com. Contact Details Landis Communications Inc. Robin Carr +1 415-971-3991 itn@landispr.com Company Website https://www.itradenetwork.com/

February 01, 2022 06:02 AM Pacific Standard Time

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NO DOGS LEFT BEHIND ASSISTS IN THE HISTORIC EVACUATION OF OVER 300 ANIMALS LEFT BEHIND FOLLOWING THE WITHDRAWAL OF AMERICAN TROOPS FROM AFGHANISTAN

No Dogs Left Behind

No Dogs Left Behind (NDLB) Founder, Jeffrey Beri, heeded the call for help from an international coalition of rescues working tirelessly over the past five months to arrange for the safe passage of 171 dogs and 146 cats from Kabul, Afghanistan to Canada. These animals were left behind when U.S. forces withdrew from Afghanistan back in August. Despite numerous attempts to secure a cargo plane to take the dogs to safety prior to the August 31st deadline for the withdrawal of foreign troops, no plane ever arrived. But that has all changed and these dogs and cats, who have been in the care of Kabul Small Animal Rescue, are now in a private cargo plane heading to Canada where they will begin their lives of freedom. Beri’s expertise in emergency response made him a clear choice to assist in this perilous mission. “This mission was a departure from No Dogs Left Behind’s work in East Asia to end the dog meat trade and it was extremely dangerous,” said NDLB Board Member, Jacqueline Finnegan. “But Jeff did not think twice about going when asked.” Beri packed up his bags and headed to Afghanistan to help in this historic transport. “No Dog Left Behind’s mission extends beyond borders. We fight on the front lines in emergency response to help animals in need regardless of where they are. That’s what we do,” notes Beri. Over the past two weeks, Beri has been on the ground in Afghanistan working with Derick Stone and the team from Kabul Small Animal Rescue to assess and prepare the dogs and cats for travel and ensure the requisite paperwork for the transport was in order. The team then loaded the dogs and cats into the private cargo plane for the three-day journey to Vancouver, Canada and Beri and Stone are traveling with them to ensure their comfort and safety during the transport. "We are so grateful for the support No Dogs Left Behind’s Founder, Jeffrey Beri, has given us by traveling to Afghanistan to accompany these dogs and cats on this historic flight,” said Lori Kalef, Director of Programs at SPCA International. "After doing everything in our power to make this evacuation a reality, we're excited to finally welcome these animals to the shelter we've eagerly prepared alongside Marley’s Mutts, RainCoast Dog Rescue Society and Thank DOG I Am Out." Once the animals land safely in Canada, they will be available for adoption through these rescue groups. No Dogs Left Behind will be taking 19 of the Kabul dogs into its care and bringing them back to the NDLB Safe House in Toronto. After health checks and allowing the dogs time to decompress from their long journey, NDLB will begin accepting applications to find them loving, forever homes. For more information, please visit NDLB’s website. If you would like to donate toward NDLB’s care of these 19 dogs, please click here. “Our work doesn’t end here,” Beri said. “We will keep fighting the good fight on the front lines until every animal is safe from harm.” About No Dogs Left Behind: No Dogs Left Behind (NDLB) operates boots on the ground in East Asia, fighting on the frontlines to rescue dogs from the illegal dogmeat trade. NDLB works hands-on with local activists through emergency response, pulling dogs directly from slaughterhouses, dogmeat trucks, wet markets and traffickers. NDLB’s mission extends beyond borders, advocating for the creation and enforcement of animal welfare laws, and raising awareness for a cruelty-free, sustainable world in which no animal is violated, exploited, tortured or slaughtered for commercial goods or profit. With nearly 500 survivors in its care, No Dogs Left Behind operates sanctuaries in Dayi and Gongyi in East Asia and Toronto, Canada. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Twitter, and TikTok. Contact Details No Dogs Left Behind Sherry Sung +1 855-665-0888 sherry@nodogsleftbehind.com Company Website http://www.nodogsleftbehind.com

January 31, 2022 07:30 PM Eastern Standard Time

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Minuteman Press Franchise in Winter Park, FL Celebrates 25 Years and Shares Secrets to Longevity and Growth

Minuteman Press International Inc

In 1996, Linda Sang decided to leave the corporate world and join the Minuteman Press franchise family, and she is now celebrating 25 years in business. Linda’s daughter Darcy has been along for the ride, saying in a recent newsletter, “It was a world that none of us knew anything about, but would quickly learn as every available hand was recruited to answer phones, hand collate and staple jobs and market the business for our intrepid leader. And we have been doing it ever since.” Being in business for over 25 years, Linda shares her biggest keys to longevity and growth. She says, “We keep pushing to get new customers in various methods. The pandemic initially cut down on the door-to-door marketing that has always been successful in the past for us. We currently do more social media, thanks to my daughter, Darcy, and some direct mail campaigns targeting local businesses and new businesses.” Linda continues, “We are also very attentive to our customers, keeping them informed and helping them find solutions/options for their needs. We respond to emails almost instantly and turn quotes around as quickly as possible, generally the same day if there isn’t a lot of research involved. When we make deliveries, each customer gets a ‘goody bag’ with notepads and other branded items. Many customers get excited about our deliveries, sometimes even more so for our giveaways rather than their finished jobs.” Over the past two years, Linda and her team have utilized various digital and print marketing tools available to them. She says, “We have gotten more into social media than in the past and have worked on getting high Google ratings, as customers do look at reviews. We do find that we are getting a lot of requests from Google and the Minuteman Press Internet Marketing program. We also test out the suggested methods from Minuteman Press corporate (such as the lumpy mailer and direct mail campaigns) and see what works best for us and our customer base. Otherwise, we are simply doing what we have always done through the years… provide solid customer relations.” What’s next for Minuteman Press in Winter Park? Linda says, “We hope to grow this year by reaching out to new prospective customers and generate more referrals.” Lastly, Linda reflects on the family business and says, “In our case, Darcy and I work together well and have the same goals and work ethic. My husband, Kelly, is semi-retired and helps out when we need him. When you have this situation, you don’t have to worry about someone showing up to work or leaving for other opportunities. There is always loyalty. We also find it key to treat our employees as if they are family as well. Not only does it create a pleasant working environment, but loyalty builds as well. We work lean and mean, which makes for some long days, but when you trust your employees and family, it is truly a joy.” For more information on Minuteman Press in Winter Park, FL, visit https://minuteman.com/us/locations/fl/winter-park. For Minuteman Press products and services, visit https://minuteman.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

January 31, 2022 10:00 AM Eastern Standard Time

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2021 In Numbers: Mass. Cannabis Industry Testing Statistics

MCR Labs

Following another year of unpredictability, change, and challenges for the Massachusetts cannabis industry, MCR Labs is releasing data that may provide insight into the industry’s continued development. Here are MCR Labs’ most notable stats from Jan. 1, 2021 to Jan. 2, 2022: The Lab saw a 19% increase in samples submitted for testing, in comparison to 2020’s 38% increase. While flower sample submissions decreased by 8%, concentrate and vape submissions grew by 22%. The decrease in flower samples can be reasonably attributed to a regulatory change in batch size enacted in March. Solventless extract sample submission increased by 85%, and can most likely be attributed to the rising popularity of Hash Rosin. Hash Rosin submissions increased by 700%. Samples submitted to MCR in 2021 had a 92.3% pass rate for safety screens, up from 91.2% in 2020. For concentrate and vape samples, the pass rate decreased from 93.5% in 2020 to 91.8% in 2021, which can be attributed mostly to an increase in residual solvent failures. “As more and more facilities come online and employ hydrocarbon extraction techniques, we expect failures to remain the same or increase due to the extremely low regulatory limits,” said Jonathan Wani, Vice President of Business Development at MCR Labs. MCR Labs is licensed as an independent testing laboratory in both the Medical and Adult Use Marijuana programs, both overseen by the Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission (CCC). The statistics provided here account for product samples submitted for compliance testing by cultivators and product manufacturers from the medical and adult-use programs, as well as home growers, patients, researchers, or curious consumers. About MCR Labs: MCR Labs is one of the longest operational cannabis testing laboratories on the East coast with facilities operating in several legal cannabis markets. We are ISO/IEC 17025:2017 accredited providers of analytical cannabis product testing and R&D services committed to assisting licensed marijuana establishments, patients, researchers, entrepreneurs, and advocates. Our team of chemists and pharmaceutical scientists are dedicated to advancing public health and safety through leading-edge chemical analysis of cannabis products and offering unparalleled guidance and support for partners, regulators, and the communities we serve. For more information visit http://mcrlabs.com. Contact Details MCR Labs Alexandra Gomes +1 508-782-9772 alexandra@mcrlabs.com Company Website http://mcrlabs.com

January 27, 2022 09:00 AM Eastern Standard Time

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