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RV Sales of Broward, Owner Gigi Stetler To Appeal Catastrophic Fire Case Against 595 Annex

RV Sales of Broward

RV Sales of Broward, one of the leading recreational vehicle sellers in Florida, operating under the trade name Planet RV, is continuing a legal battle of paramount importance to win again at the appellate level. While the jury in the original case awarded $2,637,000 to RV Sales of Broward after hearing all the evidence, the judge nullified the jury’s award, reducing it to $557,000. The judgment came after a jury had ruled in favor of the RV company in its case against the landlord, 595 Annex, LLC, following a devastating fire that razed Planet RV in March 2021. Stetler will ask the appeals court to reverse the judge’s decision that stripped away her multi-million-dollar damage award, decided by a Broward County jury after a two-week trial. The plaintiffs had initiated legal proceedings against their landlord, 595 Annex, LLC, to seek damages and remedies for the tragic incident. The company previously occupied a commercial property at 3030 Burris Rd, Davie, Florida, owned by the same landlord who also operates the 595 Truck Stop in Davie, Florida. In 2018, RV Sales of Broward raised concerns about faulty wiring that had caused damage to numerous RVs and equipment over several years. The landlord dismissed the concerns. Unfortunately, on March 22, 2021, a catastrophic five-alarm fire erupted, resulting in a complete loss of Stetler's building, business, and its contents. Stetler, who believed she was protected by her lease, expected insurance proceeds to be used for rebuilding or restoring the property in the event of such a casualty. However, this did not happen. It was later discovered that the landlord had received insurance proceeds exceeding $1,000,000 for rebuilding and also received lost rent revenue totaling $210,000. Surprisingly, the landlord sued Stetler for rent and eviction. In response, Stetler filed a seven-count complaint in the summer of 2021. After 27 months, only three counts remained, with one of them being a breach of contract negligence claim, which eventually went to a jury trial. Just before concluding the trial, there was a dispute regarding the verdict form. Stetler's counsel argued that the defendant's form was confusing and inconsistent, but the court favored the defendant's version. The jury, however, faced difficulties in understanding the form and sought clarification from the judge, who could only refer to the jury instructions. After extensive deliberations, the jury reached a verdict. They awarded Stetler's company $557,000 for breach of contract negligence due to the faulty wiring issue. Additionally, they granted $210,000 for unjust enrichment, as the landlord had charged rent while also collecting insurance. Furthermore, Stetler's company received $1,870,000 for constructive eviction because the landlord's failure to rebuild forced Stetler to relocate her company at a much higher rental rate. Following the jury's decision, the defendants raised concerns about the verdict's inconsistency. In response to these concerns, the judge ordered all parties to return the next morning. After hearing arguments from both sides, the judge retained only the breach of contract claim. The judge told Stetler that she had her day in court and she would be left with the breach of contract claim for $557,000. All post-trial motions have been considered and denied, and appeals have been filed. However, Stetler finds herself in a legal limbo. Although she has a final judgment of $557,000 against the defendants, the judge has not determined the rent owed after set-offs and proper abatement. The judge has refused to rule on this matter until the appeal process is complete, even though it technically should not occur until a proper final judgment is in place. RV Sales of Broward and Stetler remain committed to protecting their rights as they believe it was clear after a long, drawn-out trial that the jury had intended to award Stetler and her company fair compensation for the losses that were suffered. Stetler is grappling with the challenge of rebuilding her company amid escalating legal expenses and an uncertain timeline to resolve this ordeal. Compounding her difficulties, 595 Annex currently holds all the funds and has transformed Stetler's previously thriving RV dealership into an extension of their truck stop. More information about RV Sales of Broward is available at www.rvsalesofbroward.com. Download a copy of the legal filings here and at LawsuitPressRelease.com. Contact Details Tom Alexander +1 954-801-0586

October 23, 2023 08:44 AM Eastern Daylight Time

NLPC Files Ethics Complaint Against Senator Robert Menendez Seeking His Expulsion

NLPC

The National Legal and Policy Center (NLPC) filed an ethics complaint with the Senate Ethics Committee against Senator Robert Menendez. The complaint requests that the Committee investigate his criminal conduct and recommend that the Senate vote to expel him from office. NLPC’s complaint cites the recent superseding indictment against Senator Menendez, his wife, and three New Jersey businessmen, who “willfully and knowingly combined, conspired, confederated, and agreed together and with each other” to have Senator Menendez act as an agent of the Government of Egypt and Egyptian officials. In return for this and other favors to the businessmen, he and his wife received bribes and other illegal gratuities of over $480,000 in cash — much of it stuffed into envelopes and hidden in clothing and closets in his home — along with gold bars, a luxury Mercedes Benz, and personal items. “Menendez’s excuse for having $480,000 in cash stuffed in his clothes and closet because he was saving it from his paycheck for a rainy day is laughable and insults the intelligence of his constituents, especially when his co-defendant’s fingerprints were found on some of the envelopes,” said Paul Kamenar, NLPC’s counsel who filed the complaint. “We checked his financial disclosure forms and if anything, his Senate bank account increased by a sizable amount,” Kamenar added. The complaint notes that the Ethics Committee is mandated under its rules to open a preliminary inquiry and cannot nor should not wait until the criminal case is resolved as the Committee previously indicated that it would do. “The Ethics Committee should do its job and not wait until the criminal case is completed,” said Kamenar. “The Ethics Committee should do the Senate a favor and recommend that Senator Menendez be expelled from the Senate as his colleagues are calling on him to resign,’ Kamenar added. NLPC’s complaint notes that Senator Menendez was previously tried for bribery in 2018 for receiving gifts and luxury travel from his benefactor Dr. Salomon Melgen. NLPC was instrumental in that case of uncovering Senator Menendez’s lobbying efforts to fund a multi-million-dollar port security project in the Dominican Republic in which Dr. Melgen had a financial interest. “While his case ended in a hung jury, Menendez did not learn his lesson and continued to abuse his office and act corruptly,” said Peter Flaherty, NLPC Chairman. “Senator Menendez is not only a career politician but a career criminal,” Flaherty added. ### Founded in 1991, NLPC promotes ethics in public life and government accountability through research, investigation, education and legal action. Please visit http://www.nlpc.org Contact Details National Legal and Policy Center Dan Rene +1 202-329-8357 drene@nlpc.org Company Website http://www.nlpc.org

October 20, 2023 12:00 PM Eastern Daylight Time

Media and FCC Veterans Join the Media and Democracy Project in FCC Meeting Calling for a Hearing on Petition to Deny Fox Affiliate Broadcast License

Media and Democracy Project

The Media and Democracy Project (MAD) announced it met with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Media Bureau staff about its petition challenging the broadcast license renewal application for FOX Corp-owned television station FOX 29 Philadelphia (WTXF). The meeting focused on the basis for MAD's Petition to Deny and urged the FCC to grant a motion to compel FOX to turn over key relevant documents that have already been produced to plaintiffs in numerous lawsuits, including the settled Dominion case. This action is aimed at ensuring that the Commission has access to all the necessary facts as they evaluate the specific character and conduct issues relevant to Fox 29's renewal. MAD’s Executive Director Milo Vassallo was joined at the FCC by former FCC Chairman Alfred Sikes, former FOX lobbyist Preston Padden, former FOX and News Corp. outside legal counsel Bill Reyner and former Weekly Standard Editor William Kristol. They discussed how the lies about the 2020 election that aired on Fox News, authorized at the highest levels of FOX’s corporate structure to retain FOX’s viewer base and reverse failing ratings, represent egregious misconduct that shocks the conscience and severely violates the FCC policy on licensee character qualifications. The group also underscored the need for the Commission to designate WTXF’s broadcast license renewal for a hearing. "Never in the history of the Commission has the agency been confronted with a license renewal applicant whose parent company was found by a court of law to have repeatedly presented false news," said Preston Padden. “We were proud to bring a highly esteemed group before the Media Bureau to make our case and we hope that the Commission recognizes that all of these Petitioners/Commenters are unpaid volunteers acting out of principle and commitment.” A copy of MAD’s Ex Parte filing summarizing the meeting can be found here. A high resolution copy of the photo is available here. Photo Caption: Left to Right - David Goodfriend, Counsel/Advisor; William Kristol, Longtime Editor of Conservative Murdoch Magazine The Weekly Standard; Art Belendiuk; Counsel To Media And Democracy Project; Milo Vassallo, M.D./Ph.D. Executive Director of the non-partisan Media and Democracy Project; Preston Padden, Former Fox Executive and Murdoch Lead Lobbyist; Bill Reyner, Longtime Lead Regulatory and Commercial Outside Counsel To Murdoch/Fox; Al Sikes, Former Republican Chairman Of The FCC and Former Owner Of Radio Station Group The Media and Democracy Project: MAD is a non-partisan, all-volunteer, grassroots organization focused on strengthening a free and independent media in the public interest. MAD aims to improve our national discourse so that American voters can engage in informed decision-making. As part of that goal, MAD has an interest in the responsibility of journalists and media to report fully, accurately, and fairly on the electoral process and the outcome of elections. Additional information is available at www.MediaAndDemocracyProject.Org. Contact Details Raynor Ave. Aaron Alberico +1 202-744-0786 aalberico@raynoravenue.com Company Website https://www.mediaanddemocracyproject.org/

October 20, 2023 09:30 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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Siegel Egg Co. names Ted Lentz to Board of Directors

Siegel Egg Co.

Siegel Egg Co. (“Siegel” or “the Company”), a Rotunda Capital Partners portfolio company, has named Ted Lentz to the Board of Directors. Lentz comes to Siegel with decades of experience in the bakery ingredients and supplies industry. As president, Lentz ran Lentz Milling for over 13 years, until its sale to JM Swank. Lentz Milling, based in Reading, Pennsylvania, provides food ingredient distribution services to food manufacturers, commercial bakeries, retail bakeries, and other customers throughout 10 states in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast regions. After the sale, Lentz continued as chief financial officer at JM Swank until its sale to Brenntag in 2021. Under Brenntag’s ownership, Lentz continued as chief analytics officer and was a member of the integration management office until leaving the position at the end of 2021. Matt Whitney, chief executive officer at Siegel, said, "I am thrilled to welcome Ted to our board. Ted’s intimate knowledge of the bakery ingredients space will be invaluable to our management team as we continue to provide the highest quality products and exceptional service to our customers. Siegel is in growth-mode, and we’re undertaking several strategic initiatives to further expand our offerings and enhance service levels. Ted’s experience will be instrumental as we execute our growth plan.” Lentz added, "Siegel’s reputation in the bakery ingredients space is as good as it gets. For almost 100 years, they have been the Northeast’s leading bakery ingredient supplier. The management team has invested heavily in technology and personnel to exceed customer expectations and I’m excited to be part of this next phase of growth." About Siegel Egg Co. Founded in 1924, Siegel is one of New England’s leading distributors of egg, dairy and bakery ingredients primarily serving commercial bakeries and food service institutions. The Company operates out of a single facility in Billerica, Mass., to distribute over 2,300 SKUs to customers in New England, Connecticut and New York. For more information, visit www.siegelegg.com. About Rotunda Capital Partners Rotunda Capital Partners is an operationally oriented private equity firm focused on transforming family-founder owned companies into dynamic, data-driven platforms able to achieve and manage significant growth. Since its founding in 2009, Rotunda has partnered with management teams to build great businesses within three primary sectors: value-added distribution, asset-light logistics and industrial, business and residential services. Rotunda strives to achieve replicable results by implementing its Rotunda Performance System to create strategic alignment, develop lean processes and create robust, data-driven infrastructures. For more information, visit www.rotundacapital.com. Contact Details Siegel Egg Co. Mike Mistrot +1 978-528-2000 mikem@siegelegg.com Company Website https://siegelegg.com/

October 20, 2023 09:26 AM Eastern Daylight Time

GLOBAL ENGINEER GIRLS ACHIEVES MILESTONE IN KOSOVO TOWARDS GENDER EQUALITY IN STEM

Limak

GLOBAL ENGINEER GIRLS ACHIEVES MILESTONE IN KOSOVO TOWARDS GENDER EQUALITY IN STEM Prishtine, October 18, 2023 - Global Engineer Girls (GEG), the international philanthropic initiative aiming to improve women’s representation in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM), proudly announces the graduation of 20 young women from its flagship program in Kosovo. Implemented by Limak Group in partnership with the UNDP in Kosovo, GEG Kosovo empowers young women and girls enrolled in STEM education and provides them with opportunities to gain crucial experience in a male-dominated industry. The project aims to inspire the next generation of female engineers, and highlight the strides made towards gender equality in STEM education. The graduation ceremony marked the successful completion of a year-long journey of scholarships, training, mentorship, and internships, all provided by GEG Kosovo. The ceremony also highlighted the projects undertaken by the girls during their participation in the program, including digital communication, effective team management, personal brand-building, communication, and interpersonal skills. These projects serve as compelling evidence that extending opportunities to girls is a vital way to prepare them for successful futures in the STEM world. President of Kosovo, Vjosa Osmani, in her speech, mentioned, "We must ensure that all our bright minds have equal opportunities to pursue the education of their choice. We need these equal minds in order to address the critical issues of our time, such as climate change and AI. We cannot afford to exclude half of our population from the most pressing challenges of our era. It is imperative to collaborate and work together to achieve equality more swiftly. These young girls serve as clear examples of the potential within our youth. It is our duty to ensure that young women and girls feel empowered to pursue their dreams, regardless of the path they choose. They must harbour no fear or hesitation in stating, 'I want it, and I will make it.' Every girl holds a guaranteed place in our future. I encourage each girl to carry forward the legacy of GEG.” Chair of Limak Holding and Limak Foundation, Ebru Özdemir, said: “It's truly an important milestone for GEG and our vision at Limak. I’m thrilled to see the progress of the GEG Kosovo participants over the past year, and I am certain they all have a bright future ahead of them. Engineering isn’t a man’s world anymore, so it is our responsibility to continue to create opportunities for young women to succeed in STEM by supporting them in their studies and careers.” GEG Kosovo extends its gratitude to its supporters, mentors, parents, and volunteers, who have enabled the success of this program. Their collective efforts have empowered young girls to overcome challenges, build confidence, and unlock their full potential. Moving forward, GEG Kosovo remains committed to expanding and enhancing its programs to reach even more young girls, empowering them to break down barriers and become leaders in STEM fields. About Global Engineer Girls Global Engineer Girls (GEG) is an international philanthropic initiative that aims to inspire the next generation of female engineers. The inception of GEG was driven by Limak Group of Companies' culture and its Chairperson's, Ebru Özdemir's, deep personal commitment to improving women's representation in STEM. GEG provides girls and women with education, mentorship and career opportunities in Turkey, North Macedonia, Kosovo, Kuwait and beyond. GEG's predecessor, the Engineer Girls of Turkey (EGT), was launched in Turkey in 2015. Since its inception in 2015, the GEG university programme has benefited 710 young women by providing support for female students enrolled in chemical, civil, computer, electrical- electronic, environmental, industrial, and mechanical engineering departments in Turkish universities. This support has included funded scholarships and mentoring by hundreds of professional volunteers, as well as online training programs, soft skills and English language courses, internships, and employment opportunities at Limak's companies and partner companies. About Global Engineer Girls Kosovo Global Engineer Girls (GEG) Kosovo was established in 2022, in partnership with Limak Kosovo and United Nations Development Programme in Kosovo. GEG Kosovo currently operates in three public universities, covering bachelor and master's programs in engineering. UNIVERSITY OF PRISHTINA "HASAN PRISHTINA", UNIVERSITY OF APPLIED SCIENCES IN FERIZAJ, UNIVERSITY OF MITROVICA "ISA BOLETINI" Note to editors: High-resolution images from the graduation ceremony are available in the attachment. Contact Details Highgate Advisory Ltd. Iulia Trandafir +44 7516 787557 iulia@highgate.ltd

October 19, 2023 09:59 AM Central Daylight Time

The Surety & Fidelity Association of America Foundation Awards 19 Students With $75,000 in Scholarships

SFAA

The Surety & Fidelity Association of America Foundation (SFAA Foundation) announced today the 19 students selected as recipients of a $2,500 scholarship as part of the Surety and Fidelity Intern and Scholarship Program for 2023. Started in 2003, the program helps increase diversity within the surety and fidelity industry by attracting underrepresented students into the field. “I am impressed by our scholarship recipients’ level of professionalism as interns and their academic accomplishments,” said Larry Taylor, president of The Surety & Fidelity Association of America Foundation and president at Merchants Bonding Company. “The Foundation’s Board of Trustees is thrilled to award each student a $2,500 scholarship, and we look forward to seeing these talented individuals pursue surety and fidelity careers upon graduation.” “These 19 students represent the future of the surety and fidelity industry, and on behalf of the SFAA Foundation, I would like to congratulate them,” said Peter Roth, SFAA’s VP Marketing, Communications and Research. “We are grateful to our member companies, industry partners, and individuals whose donations to the SFAA Foundation make this program a success.” The 2023 Surety and Fidelity Intern and Scholarship Program scholarship recipients are as follows: Kane Perez, Clayton State University – The Hartford Sebastian Romero Lalama, Occidental College – The Hartford Ashley Oswald, West Chester University of Pennsylvania – IAT Insurance Group Thomas Hunt, University of North Texas – IAT Insurance Group Thompson Cole, San Francisco State University – IAT Insurance Group Carolina de Barros Antonucci, University of Washington, Bothell – Liberty Mutual Group Erica Johnson, Iowa State University – Merchants Bonding Company Aubree Altman, Iowa State University – Merchants Bonding Company Kaleb Shah, Grinnell College – Merchants Bonding Company Isabella Wade, Gettysburg College – Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company Davis Telleen, St. John's University – Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company Grace Long, Catholic University of America – Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company Serra Vithlani, University of California, Los Angeles – Sompo International Allison Musser, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities – Travelers Bond and Specialty Insurance Evan Punches, University of Arizona – Travelers Bond and Specialty Insurance Megan Flaherty, University of the Pacific – Travelers Bond and Specialty Insurance Rainerio Reyes, Wesleyan University – Travelers Bond and Specialty Insurance Samantah Paz, University of the Pacific – Travelers Bond and Specialty Insurance Amanda Noonan, Bryant University – Westfield Group For information on the Surety and Fidelity Intern and Scholarship Program or to make a donation, please visit www.surety.org The Surety & Fidelity Association of America (SFAA) is a nonprofit, nonpartisan trade association representing all segments of the surety and fidelity industry. Based in Washington, D.C., SFAA works to promote the value of surety and fidelity bonding by proactively advocating on behalf of its members and stakeholders. The association’s more than 425 member companies write 98 percent of surety and fidelity bonds in the U.S. For more information visit www.surety.org. Contact Details Peter Roth +1 703-401-0676 proth@surety.org Company Website https://surety.org/

October 18, 2023 10:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

Contract Management Associations Join Forces to Globally Elevate Profession

National Contract Management Association

Reston, VA and Ridgefield, CT – October 17, 2023 – Today, the National Contract Management Association (NCMA) and World Commerce and Contracting (WorldCC), the world's foremost authorities in the field of contract management, proudly announce a groundbreaking joint venture. This partnership is set to revolutionize the profession around the world. Contract management is the bedrock of successful business and social outcomes, underpinning transactions that drive economies and society forward. Recognizing the paramount importance of this profession, WorldCC and NCMA are uniting to advance a common and worldwide understanding of both public and commercial contracting practices. One of the core pillars of this joint venture is the commitment to consensus-based updates. At its heart, this collaboration aims to continually refine and expand the application of the Contract Management Standard™ (CMS™). By harnessing their collective expertise, they intend to adapt the CMS™ to accurately reflect the ever-evolving landscape of contract management in today's intricate global context and drive the growing adoption of the CMS™ for academic recognition of contract management. In addition to CMS™, this partnership will provide a wealth of guidance resources that are invaluable to professionals in the field. These resources will focus on the utilization of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies within the realm of contract management. This initiative is poised to empower practitioners by unlocking the full potential of AI, leading to enhanced efficiency, precision, and innovative practices. Sally Guyer, WorldCC's Chief Executive Officer, emphasized the collaborative spirit of the venture. "Our shared vision is to elevate the profession of contract management and ensure that it remains at the forefront of industry practices. By unifying our efforts, we can deliver cutting-edge guidance and resources that will empower professionals worldwide." NCMA's Chief Executive Officer, Kraig Conrad, expressed his enthusiasm for this milestone partnership, stating, "This joint venture marks a new era for contract management professionals. Together, we'll elevate CMS™ globally, setting a new standard for excellence and creating a common contracting language." The announcement was made at WorldCC's Americas Summit in Dallas TX. Further details will be discussed at NCMA's Government Contract Management Symposium November 6th and 7th in Bethesda, MD. The National Contract Management Association (NCMA), a nonprofit professional society founded in 1959, is an important resource for contract management and its nexus with related acquisition communities. With nearly 20,000 members, NCMA is dedicated to promoting excellence in the practice and profession through education, certification, and networking opportunities. NCMA serves through an open exchange of ideas in neutral forums of buyers and sellers. Visit ncmahq.org to learn more. About WorldCC World Commerce & Contracting is a not-for-profit association dedicated to helping its global members achieve high-performing and trusted trading relationships. With 75,000 members from over 20,000 organizations across 180 countries, the association welcomes everyone with an interest in better contracting: business leaders, practitioners, experts, and newcomers. It is independent, provocative, and disciplined existing for its members, the contracting community and society at large. Visit worldcc.com to learn more. Contact Details National Contract Management Association Holly DeHesa +1 281-865-3296 holly.dehesa@ncmahq.org WorldCC Kate Hodgins media@worldcc.com Company Website https://www.ncmahq.org/

October 18, 2023 04:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

Contract Management Associations Join Forces to Globally Elevate Profession

National Contract Management Association

Today, the National Contract Management Association (NCMA) and World Commerce and Contracting (WorldCC), the world's foremost authorities in the field of contract management, proudly announce a groundbreaking joint venture. This partnership is set to revolutionize the profession around the world. Contract management is the bedrock of successful business and social outcomes, underpinning transactions that drive economies and society forward. Recognizing the paramount importance of this profession, WorldCC and NCMA are uniting to advance a common and worldwide understanding of both public and commercial contracting practices. One of the core pillars of this joint venture is the commitment to consensus-based updates. At its heart, this collaboration aims to continually refine and expand the application of the Contract Management Standard™ (CMS™). By harnessing their collective expertise, they intend to adapt the CMS™ to accurately reflect the ever-evolving landscape of contract management in today's intricate global context and drive the growing adoption of the CMS™ for academic recognition of contract management. In addition to CMS™, this partnership will provide a wealth of guidance resources that are invaluable to professionals in the field. These resources will focus on the utilization of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies within the realm of contract management. This initiative is poised to empower practitioners by unlocking the full potential of AI, leading to enhanced efficiency, precision, and innovative practices. Sally Guyer, WorldCC's Chief Executive Officer, emphasized the collaborative spirit of the venture. "Our shared vision is to elevate the profession of contract management and ensure that it remains at the forefront of industry practices. By unifying our efforts, we can deliver cutting-edge guidance and resources that will empower professionals worldwide." NCMA's Chief Executive Officer, Kraig Conrad, expressed his enthusiasm for this milestone partnership, stating, "This joint venture marks a new era for contract management professionals. Together, we'll elevate CMS™ globally, setting a new standard for excellence and creating a common contracting language." The announcement was made at WorldCC's Americas Summit in Dallas TX. Further details will be discussed at NCMA's Government Contract Management Symposium November 6th and 7th in Bethesda, MD. For media inquiries, please contact: Holly DeHesa, NCMA Director of Marketing and Communications holly.dehesa@ncmahq.org Kate Hodgins, WorldCC Head of Marketing media@worldcc.com The National Contract Management Association (NCMA), a nonprofit professional society founded in 1959, is an important resource in the field of contract management. With nearly 20,000 members, NCMA is dedicated to promoting excellence in the practice and profession through education, certification, and networking opportunities. NCMA serves through an open exchange of ideas in neutral forums of buyers and sellers. Visit www.ncmahq.org to learn more. About WorldCC World Commerce & Contracting is a not-for-profit association dedicated to helping its global members achieve high-performing and trusted trading relationships. With 75,000 members from over 20,000 organizations across 180 countries, the association welcomes everyone with an interest in better contracting: business leaders, practitioners, experts, and newcomers. It is independent, provocative, and disciplined existing for its members, the contracting community and society at large. Visit worldcc.com to learn more. Contact Details NCMA Holly DeHesa +1 281-865-3296 holly.dehesa@ncmahq.org Company Website https://www.ncmahq.org/

October 17, 2023 10:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

Demand for Online Writing and Content Creation Jobs Intensifies, finds Freelancer.com

FREELANCER.COM

Freelancer.com (ASX: FLN) (OTCQX: FLNCF), the world’s largest freelancing and crowdsourcing marketplace by number of users and jobs posted, today released its quarterly report revealing the most in-demand online jobs on the platform for Q3 2023. The Fast 50 Q3 2023 report, a quarterly dataset ranking the fastest growing and falling jobs on the platform, analyzed over 277,000 jobs posted by employers to Freelancer.com between July and September 2023. According to the data, the fastest growing freelance jobs by percentage growth in Q3 2023 were mostly writing, content creation and marketing related. As AI continues to advance, the need for human creativity remains strong. Employers are once again seeking freelancers to support with Creative Writing and Content Writing projects, which are up 22.4% and 19.4% respectively. A surge in demand for writing skills across the platform means there were more than 10,000 additional writing projects available in Q3 2023, which were already a trending skill evident in the previous quarter. The Q3 2023 data also indicates a consistent trend in businesses seeking freelance marketing support, with Search Engine Marketing (up 24.1%), Videography (up 17.4%) and Telemarketing (up 16.5%) seeing notable growth across the quarter. This aligns with the previous quarter's emphasis on business marketing activities. “Our Freelancer Fast 50 Report is a forward leading indicator of the skills and expertise businesses need today. Artificial Intelligence is powering a boom in content creation, particularly focusing on writing, marketing and video production skills” said Matt Barrie, Chief Executive at Freelancer. “Generative AI is superskilling freelancers and their ability to produce extremely high quality content and faster than ever before. Tools like ChatGPT and Bard have changed the game when it comes to producing and refining written content, while advances in video AI such as Runway Gen-2, HeyGen and Pika Labs means that video production and editing can be done with a click of a button.” Growth in skills like User Interface / IA (up 17.4% from 3,071 to 3,607) and UX / User Experience (up 13.9% from 1,193 to 1,359) highlight the importance of user-centric design in today's digital landscape. Data Mining (up 14.9% from 2,374 to 2,728) and Data Processing (up 10% from 11,013 to 12,115) were also amongst the top growing jobs. These skills are often associated with Sales functions and Lead Generation, which are also growing in the quarter, up 13.3% and 11.4% respectively. By leveraging freelancers to research leads, businesses can operate more efficiently and focus more on relationship building in the sales process. Design, Marketing and Video Creation Jobs Lead Year-on-Year Growth Several skills have surged in demand when comparing Q3 2022 and Q3 2023. Jobs for User Interface (UI) Design have doubled, growing by 101.9% to 3,607 from 1,786 in the same period last year. Search Engine Marketing jobs grew 80.4% (from 1,597 to 2,881) and Videography jumped by 77.1% (from 2,716 to 4,809). Fastest Falling Jobs of Q3 2023 The recent data highlights a shift in the demand for specific technical skills, which saw a significant increase last year as many tech companies laid off technical staff. There's a noticeable decline in jobs for certain established programming languages and frameworks. For instance, Matlab and Mathematica saw a 25.1% decrease (from 1,349 to 1,011 jobs). Similarly, projects requiring skills in AngularJS jobs dropped by 23.5% (from 1,722 to 1,318), while those requiring Django experts experienced a decline of 23.4% (from 1,216 to 932). C Programming, C++ Programming, and Python, which were all in-demand skills in Q3 2022, also all decreased on the platform in Q3 2023. While algorithms remain integral to many processes, there's been a reduction in specialized roles in this domain. This trend is evident in the decrease in demand for Algorithm skills, which saw a decrease of 22.5% (from 1,438 to 1,114 jobs). This might be a consequence of the advent of more intuitive tools and platforms that simplify algorithmic tasks. __________________________________________________________________________________________________ Fast 50 Q1 2023 - Data Analysis Writing Jobs Show No Sign Of Slowing Down The introduction of highly sophisticated and powerful generative AI tools have led many experts and commentators to predict that skills such as writing will be replaced by AI. However, the latest Fast 50 Q3 data demonstrates that writing jobs are here to stay, as content writing, creative writing, copy typing and ghostwriting jobs increase by more than 20% over the last quarter. These skills continue to flourish after reporting growth in the previous quarter on Freelancer.com, with Creative Writing ranked as the fastest growing skills in Q2 2023 (up 58%, from 1,868 to 2,961). An Increase in writing skills for two quarters in a row suggest that businesses are placing more emphasis on content creation by hiring freelancers to write articles and produce creative content. Copy Typing, the fastest growing skill for Q3’23 (up 28.7% from 6,381 to 8,213) encompasses all types of jobs from data entry to helping write e-books to transcription and typist projects. While technical projects do require degrees and past experience, most copy typing jobs can be performed by freelancers with no prior knowledge, making it a lucrative side hustle for freelancers globally. AI’s Impact on Whitecollar Jobs While writing jobs continue to flourish over the past 6 months, there is a need to understand how generative AI will impact jobs and various freelancing skills. In a longform essay titled ‘ AI know what you did last summer ’, Freelancer.com CEO Matt Barrie discusses the bleeding edge of AI technology and how he predicts these will go on the shape white-collar jobs. Barrie suggests that to be competitive in a world of AI, workers will need to adapt or move up the stack: “Those in white collar jobs will need to move ‘up the stack’. Illustrators become cinematographers. Writers become editors. Software developers become product managers. Grad students now run a research group.” Barrie also highlights that there is a major opportunity for freelancers, arguing that AI-powered freelancers will ultimately be the winners as they have the ability to compete against middle class workforces all around the world. AI’s impact on work productivity is evident in a recent AI study conducted by Freelancer.com which found that in a survey of over 1,300 US workers, a majority of those US workers (75%) are using generative AI tools in their work. One in three (33%) workers are using AI tools all the time in their work, while one quarter of US workers (25%) are using these tools sometimes and one sixth (16%) admit to never using AI at work. Marketing & Video Production Sustain Growth, Growing Every Quarter in 2023 Marketing and Video Production skills are one of the most in-demand skill categories on the platform, with data showing they’ve now grown every quarter since the beginning of the year. Search Engine Marketing (up 24.1%, from 2,321 to 2,881) ranked as the third fastest growing skill on the platform. Telemarketing (up 16.5%, from 1,054 to 1,228) has grown in Q3 as businesses turn towards more traditional marketing tactics. Sustained growth in different types of marketing skills means there are many opportunities for skilled freelancers to find unique projects on the platform. As for video production, not only is the skill up quarter-on-quarter, but both Video Production and Videography have almost doubled when compared to the same time last year, up 58.1% and 77.1% respectively. The surge in freelancer video production jobs can be attributed to the booming demand for online content, especially on platforms like YouTube (up 10.3%, from 1,174 to 1,295 jobs in Q3) and TikTok. As content is a staple in many marketing strategies, businesses are turning to freelancers to help them produce content, boosting this as a potential category for workers. Businesses Delegating Sales Functions to Freelancers As found in the Freelancer.com World’s Most Boring Job research, businesses often delegate research heavy tasks to on-demand freelancers. In turn, this allows businesses the ability to operate more efficiently and focus on more impact-based tasks. A unique trend uncovered in the Fast 50 Q3 2023 shows that businesses are leaning on freelancers to help with the research portion of the sales function. Sales and Lead Generation ranked as some of the fastest growing jobs in the quarter, up 13.3% and 11.4% respectively. Interestingly, Sales and Lead Generation both featured in the top 25 fastest growing jobs in Q2 2023. Growth in sales and lead generation is an example of how businesses are employing freelancers to help them streamline the sales process. ###### Freelancer Fast 50 The Freelancer Fast 50 report is the world’s largest forward indicator of trends in online jobs related to industries, technologies, products, and companies. The data is based on 277,000 jobs posted to the Freelancer.com platform between July 1 to September 30 2023. Fast 50 Q3 2022 vs Q3 2023 Fast 50 Q2 2023 vs Q3 2023 Data About Freelancer Twelve-time Webby award-winning Freelancer.com is the world’s largest freelancing and crowdsourcing marketplace by total number of users and projects posted. More than 69 million registered users have posted over 23.1 million projects and contests to date in over 2,000 areas as diverse as website development, logo design, marketing, copywriting, astrophysics, aerospace engineering and manufacturing. Freelancer owns Escrow.com, the leading provider of secure online payments and online transaction management for consumers and businesses on the Internet with over US$5 billion in transactions secured. Freelancer also owns Freightlancer & Loadshift, enterprise freight marketplaces with over 550 million kilometers of freight posted since inception. Freelancer Limited is listed on the Australian Securities Exchange under the ticker ASX:FLN and is quoted on OTCQX Best Market under the ticker FLNCF. Forward-looking statements This document contains certain "forward-looking statements". The words "anticipate", "believe", "expect", "project", "forecast", "estimate", “outlook”, “upside”, "likely", "intend", "should", "could", "may", "target", "plan" and other similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Indications of, and guidance on, future earnings and financial position and performance, including Freelancer’s FY23 outlook, are also forward-looking statements, as are statements regarding Freelancer’s plans and strategies and the development of the market. Such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, many of which are beyond the control of Freelancer, which may cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in such statements. Freelancer cannot give any assurance or guarantee that the assumptions upon which management based its forward-looking statements will prove to be correct or exhaustive beyond the date of its making, or that Freelancer's business and operations will not be affected by other factors not currently foreseeable by management or beyond its control. Such forward-looking statements only speak as at the date of this announcement and Freelancer assumes no obligation to update such information. The release, publication or distribution of this document in jurisdictions outside Australia may be restricted by law. Any failure to comply with such restrictions may constitute a violation of applicable securities laws. Contact Details Freelancer.com Marko Zitko +61 404 574 830 mzitko@freelancer.com

October 12, 2023 07:09 AM Pacific Daylight Time

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