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Minuteman Press Franchise Free COVID-19 Resource Bounce Back USA Gains National and Local Media Attention Supporting Thousands of Local Businesses in Their Communities

Minuteman Press International

Since the launch of Bounce Back USA in April 2020, Minuteman Press International has seen an overwhelming response from businesses and communities. To date, over 12,000 businesses have joined the movement in their communities by submitting free local listings at https://BounceBackUSA.com and Bounce Back websites in Canada , the United Kingdom , Australia , and South Africa . The free Bounce Back USA initiative was created by Minuteman Press to give back to communities during COVID-19 and support local businesses. Businesses submit their logo and text, and their ad is posted for free on BounceBackUSA.com. They also receive a free COVID-19 safety and awareness poster. What is Bounce Back USA? --Bounce Back USA ( https://BounceBackUSA.com ) is a free initiative that provides free business listings & COVID-19 awareness and prevention posters to support local business . --Bounce Back USA was created my Minuteman Press International, the #1 rated marketing and printing franchise by Entrepreneur, to give back to local businesses and help provide a free boost to bounce back from the COVID-19 pandemic. --Bounce Back USA has been featured by FORBES , Entrepreneur Magazine (July 2020 issue), the International Franchise Association , Modern Restaurant Management , and many local publications in communities across America. --There are already over 12,000 participating businesses and the free Bounce Back initiative is now available in 5 countries: Bounce Back USA , Bounce Back Canada , Bounce Back UK , Bounce Back Australia , and Bounce Back South Africa . Why Support Local Businesses? “Supporting local business is more important than ever before, and what we are doing with Bounce Back USA is creating a movement that community members can rally around because people are looking for every reason to shop local,” says Nick Titus, President, Minuteman Press International. People are looking to support local businesses. This is backed by a recent Groupon infographic , which cited the following statistics: --67% of people are more hopeful now than when the pandemic began and 75% plan to support small businesses as much as possible once restrictions on non-essential businesses are lifted in their areas. --The average consumer plans to spend nearly $100 per week at local businesses post-COVID-19, up 16% vs. before the pandemic — in the hopes of boosting their local economy. --86% have supported a locally owned business during quarantine. Join the Movement for Free Join the movement to support local business for free today! Visit BounceBackUSA.com to submit your free listing and receive your free COVID-19 awareness and prevention poster. Learn more about #1 rated Minuteman Press franchise opportunities and read Minuteman Press franchise reviews at https://minutemanpressfranchise.com . Contact Details Chris Biscuiti +1 631-249-1370 cbiscuiti@mpihq.com Company Website https://minutemanpressfranchise.com

July 14, 2020 02:08 PM Eastern Daylight Time

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Mike Tague Rejoins Interfirst Mortgage to Lead Western Division Wholesale Production Channel

Interfirst Mortgage Company

Interfirst Mortgage Company (Interfirst and/or Company), a private equity-backed mortgage originator, announced today that Mike Tague has rejoined the Company as Vice President, Western Division Production for the wholesale channel. In his new role, Mr. Tague will focus on growing Interfirst’s wholesale channel throughout the West by adding top-performing and relationship-driven Account Executives as the Company builds its presence across the U.S. Mr. Tague brings with him 30 years of mortgage industry experience and has spent 25 years building sales teams, expanding branch operations and growing existing markets in the wholesale channel. During his career, Mr. Tague has held the position of Vice President of Wholesale at numerous lenders including The Money Source, Peoples Home Equity, Ethos Lending LLC and Finance of America Mortgage LLC. Mr. Tague first joined Interfirst in 2011, where he was instrumental in growing wholesale production to more than $1 billion per month. “We are thrilled to have Mike back at Interfirst as a key leader in our wholesale business,” said Mark Freedle, Executive Vice President, Production. “Mike has a dynamic, relationship-driven leadership approach and an unmatched track record for building a strong wholesale production team that will help Interfirst expand quickly across the Western region of the U.S.” Mr. Freedle added, “Interfirst fully supports the mortgage brokerage community with a broker-centric approach, and the technology, competitive products/pricing and service to help mortgage brokers build and grow a successful and sustainable business. We have the ability to deliver a cost-efficient process driven by our proprietary technology platform that allows mortgage brokers to better serve customers and close more quality loans quickly at the most competitive price.” “My first experience at Interfirst was one of the best in my career and I am excited to be back working with Dmitry Godin, Mark and the rest of the leadership team,” commented Mr. Tague. “The new Interfirst is focused on transforming the way consumers obtain residential mortgages – and reenters the wholesale channel without any legacy challenges. Our objective is to enable our mortgage broker partners to operate efficiently and friction free through a technology-driven model based on service, speed, competitive offerings and sustainability – and empower them to exceed their own expectations and help their clients.” Seven top-producing Account Executives, most of whom generated more than $30 million in mortgage originations per month in 2019, and previously worked at Interfirst, have already joined Mr. Tague’s team. These Account Executives, who all have over 20 years of mortgage industry experience, include Sarah Daniels in Colorado, Thomas Corvo in Hawaii, Chip Mamiya in California, Conrad Tan and Donna Browne in Northern California, Dee Morelli in Illinois, and Chris Jenkins in Utah. Interfirst is working diligently to expand its loan offering to all 50 states by the end of 2020, which will be an important milestone in the business strategy the Company initiated in January. To learn more, Mr. Tague can be reached at mtague@interfirst.com . About Interfirst Interfirst Mortgage Company is a private equity-backed mortgage originator that is transforming the way consumers obtain residential mortgages. Founded in 2001, and relaunched in 2020, Interfirst is built on a new proprietary loan origination technology platform and an expanded business model featuring a newly integrated retail and wholesale offering. With innovation at its core, Interfirst enables mortgage broker partners and loan originators the ability to operate efficiently and friction free through a technology-driven model based on service, speed, competitive products/pricing and sustainability. Interfirst is currently licensed in 13 states including Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Illinois, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Ohio, Texas, Utah, West Virginia and Wisconsin, with plans in place to be licensed in all 50 states. Visit Interfirst.com or contact 800.520.7087 to learn more. Contact Details Cate Cronin +1 202-738-7302 ccronin@levick.com Company Website https://www.interfirst.com/

July 13, 2020 08:01 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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Center for the Study of Capitalism at Wake Forest University Hosts Diversity & Inclusion Webinar

LEVICK

Wake Forest University’s Center for the Study of Capitalism will host a July 15 webinar titled, “Doing the Right Thing: How Companies Lead in the New Age of Diversity & Inclusion.” The event will focus on potential diversity and inclusion initiatives for businesses currently rethinking their policies and communications tactics. The panel’s evolution was prompted by the recent focus on the Black Lives Matter protests that have generated far more conversation than all other social issues – abortion, immigration, gun control, #MeToo – combined . The panel will be hosted by the Center for the Study of Capitalism at Wake Forest University, a research and teaching center and a trusted source of information about well-functioning democratic capitalism. The panel will be hosted by Richard Levick, Chairman and CEO of LEVICK and Executive Affiliate of the Center for the Study of Capitalism. Webinar panelists include: Neil Foote, Foote Communications Kurt Bardella, LEVICK William Ide, Akerman Chris Jackson, Ipsos Derede McAlpin, LEVICK “Since the murder of George Floyd and the Battle of Lafayette Square, diversity and inclusion have dominated our society’s debate in ways they haven’t since the great Civil Rights movement of the 1960s,” Levick said. “All the CEOs, general counsels and board members we have spoken with recognize this historic nature of this moment and tell us ‘We want to do the right thing, but we don’t fully know what or how.’ This webinar is designed to provide the pathway.” While some companies have made significant changes to their policies policy to respond to the Black Lives Matter movement and the public’s outcry for corporate action, many are still asking how and what to do while others are unnecessarily immobilized by past actions or inactions. The webinar will include communications and legal experts who will examine the internal and external changes that companies need to adopt given societal upheaval. For more information on the webinar, visit https://capitalism.wfu.edu/events/doing-the-right-thing-how-companies-lead-in-the-new-age-of-diversity-inclusion/ About the Center for the Study of Capitalism The Center for the Study of Capitalism at Wake Forest University is a research and teaching center and a trusted source of information about well-functioning democratic capitalism. Contact Details Maria Stagliano +1 404-245-0899 mstagliano@levick.com Company Website https://www.levick.com

July 10, 2020 09:30 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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Law Firm Major, Lindsey & Africa Shares Diversity & Inclusion Insights on LEVICK Podcast "In House Warrior"

LEVICK

In LEVICK's new podcast for general counsels, In House Warrior , Major Lindsey & Africa Transform Advisory Services, one of the world’s leading consultants to law firms and legal departments, provides insights into diversity, inclusion and leadership during a period of civil unrest, greater awareness and a thirst by hundreds of law firms and legal departments to provide leadership. Listen here About In House Warrior In partnership with the Corporate Counsel Business Journal , LEVICK distributes its daily five-minute podcast In House Warrior to CCBJ’s readership of 40,000 in-house legal professionals. On each episode, host Richard Levick, Chairman & CEO of the global crisis and litigation communications firm LEVICK, explores some of the challenges facing professionals in the office of General Counsel. House Warrior is carried on all major podcast channels, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts and Stitcher. In addition to daily distribution via the Corporate Counsel Business Journal, In House Warrior is hosted on www.levick.com , and is distributed via Today , LEVICK’s weekly e-newsletter with a circulation of over 30,000 corporate, legal and insurance executives. Subscribe here Contact Details Maria Stagliano +1 404-245-0899 mstagliano@levick.com Company Website https://www.levick.com

July 07, 2020 02:00 PM Eastern Daylight Time

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National Family Support Finds Help with BlueIron

Family Support of South Carolina, Inc

National Family Support, Inc announced today that it has filed its first patent, filed through BlueIron . National Family Support is rolling out a suite of services for managing child support payments. National Family Support's program separates a non-custodial parent's responsibility of child support payments with the custodial parent's need for reliability and consistency. A parent who is required to pay child support can apply for a loan for delinquent payments, which is immediately paid to the custodial parent. Going forward, the custodial parent's payments are guaranteed. "With billions of dollars of delinquent child support payments nationally, we will arrange loans to parents who are behind and will guarantee all future payments. This means money goes right to the children it needs to help," says Dee Benedict, President of Family Support of South Carolina, Inc., that is implementing the first in the nation program in South Carolina. "Our IP portfolio lets us grow nationwide to address the child support crisis," says Frank Kristan, President of National Family Support, Inc., "It is all about the children - and BlueIron makes this possible." "Financial technology or 'fintech' is a difficult field to get valuable patents," says Russ Krajec, CEO of BlueIron. "Our investment came after a lot of due diligence and study of the marketplace and existing IP. National Family Support's innovation solves a huge problem in a very creative and protectable way." About Family Support: Family Support of South Carolina, Inc., is a private service company organized to assist in the financing of child support payments. National Family Support, Inc. is its parent company. Information is at http://www.familysupportofsc.com and e-mail: info@familysupportofsc.com. About BlueIron: BlueIron provides patent-related financing for companies ranging from startups to publicly traded companies. BlueIron finances the cost to create IP portfolios, insures those portfolios for enforcement and defense, and can provide $2-5M loans using IP as collateral. Information is at https://blueironip.com and email: russ.krajec@blueironip.com. FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS: This press release may contain "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Statements other than statements of historical facts included in this press release may constitute forward-looking statements and are not guarantees of future performance or results and involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Contact Details Frank Kristan +1 843-801-6384 info@familysupportofsc.com Company Website https://familysupportofsc.com

July 07, 2020 11:55 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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Center for the Study of Capitalism at Wake Forest University to Host Best Selling Author and Brand Expert Martin Lindstrom and Crisis Communications Expert Richard Levick

LEVICK

Wake Forest University’s Center for the Study of Capitalism will host a July 9 webinar titled, “The End of Brand Neutrality: How to Be Good Corporate Citizens in an Age of Civil Unrest.” Bestselling author and one of the world’s leading experts on brand and culture transformation, Martin Lindstrom, and crisis communication expert Richard Levick, will participate in a conversation with the Center for the Study of Capitalism’s Executive Director Christina Elson. They will explore how companies standing at a pivotal crossroads can reevaluate their brands and cultures to secure transformative outcomes. Martin Lindstrom is one of the world's foremost business and culture transformation experts. He is a New York Times best-selling author and speaker, as well as a consultant to numerous brand-leading companies. TIME Magazine has recognized him as among the Top 100 Most Influential People in the World. His book Brand Sense was hailed by The Wall Street Journal as “one of the five best marketing books ever published,” Small Data was praised as “revolutionary” and TIME Magazine wrote this about Buyology : “a breakthrough in branding.” Richard S. Levick, Esq. Chairman and CEO of LEVICK , an award-winning global communications firm, recently joined the Center for the Study of Capitalism as an Executive Affiliate. Levick is a pioneer of litigation communications, as well as an author, noted television news contributor on crisis and public affairs and regular columnist for multiple publications. He is a sought-after global keynote speaker and is a professor at both the Fordham and Wake Forest Schools of Law. “Companies today can no longer be neutral,” Levick said. “Nor can they handle the issue of unrest and cultural non-inclusion exclusively through advertising, social media, nascent recruiting, and corporate social responsibility. This historic moment requires new approaches to leadership.” This webcast is part of the series, “The Future of Capitalism,” hosted by the Center for the Study of Capitalism. “The goal of this effort is to confront the high-speed impact of unprecedented current events on society and the economy,” Elson said. The event is free and can be viewed live at bit.ly/CSCwebcast-corporatecitizens at 1:00 PM EDT on Thursday, July 9, 2020. For additional information on this event and the panelists, visit the website at capitalism.wfu.edu/upcoming-events . About the Center for the Study of Capitalism The Center for the Study of Capitalism at Wake Forest University is a research and teaching center and a trusted source of information about well-functioning democratic capitalism. Contact Details Maria Stagliano +1 404-245-0899 mstagliano@levick.com Company Website https://www.levick.com

July 06, 2020 12:47 PM Eastern Daylight Time

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Toxic Ooze and Dam Failures: Michigan Government Spokesperson Shares Crisis Management Lessons on Edward Segal’s “Crisis Ahead” Podcast

Edward Segal Communications

Jill Greenberg, the spokesperson and public information officer of the Michigan Department of the Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy is the guest on this week’s episode of Edward Segal’s “Crisis Ahead” podcast. The agency has been in the forefront of several crisis situations including the recent failure of two dams, a toxic green ooze that leaked onto a major Detroit freeway, and the lingering impact of the Flint water crisis. The episode, “Toxic Ooze and Dam Failures: Crisis Management Lessons from Michigan” can be seen on YouTube and heard at this link . It is also available on the Apple, Google, Stitcher,and Listennotes podcast sites. “Crisis Ahead” is produced by Heartcastmedia.com. About Jill Greenberg Greenberg serves as spokesperson for the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy. At EGLE, she primarily handles communication issues involving contamination, remediation, redevelopment, recycling and solid waste. She also serves as FEMA spokesperson for the State of Michigan in the event of nuclear and radiological incidents. Greenberg is a professional communicator with more than 30 years experience in mainstream press, in addition to higher ed and governmental public relations. About the Podcast Each weekly episode of Segal’s “Crisis Ahead” podcast examines how organizations and individuals in the news are dealing with crisis situations and the lessons to be learned from their successes and failures. The podcast is based on Segal’s new book on crisis management — “Crisis Ahead: 101 Ways to Prepare for and Bounce Back from Disasters, Scandals, and Other Emergencies” (Nicholas Brealey). About the Book The book features dozens of anecdotes, stories, and lessons about how companies, organizations, and individuals — ranging from Amazon, Apple, and the European Union, to Disney, Starbucks, and entrepreneur Elon Musk— have prepared for, created, managed, and communicated about crisis situations. It features a discussion about the early crisis management lessons that can be learned from the pandemic and includes a template for a crisis management and communication plan that can be customized for the needs of any company or organization. The American Library Association’s book review website said, “This book’s practical advice for advanced planning makes it a valuable addition to the shelves of any business collection.” See the review here . "Crisis Ahead" can be ordered on Amazon at this link . About Edward Segal Segal has more than 30 years' experience as a crisis management expert. He managed crisis situations as the CEO of two trade associations; advised and helped organizations survive disasters, scandals, and emergencies including the arrest and firing of corporate officers, hate crimes, and sexual harassment; and conducted crisis management and communication training for hundreds of executives and their staffs. Contact Details Edward Segal +1 415-218-8600 edwardsegalcommunications@gmail.com Company Website http://www.edwardsegal.com

July 02, 2020 03:25 PM Eastern Daylight Time

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LEVICK Announces Partnership with Jipyong

LEVICK

Global crisis management firm LEVICK has teamed up with Korea’s leading law firm Jipyong to provide unprecedented cross-border crisis management services to multinational corporations and global organizations. Their partnership coinciding with the global pandemic crisis is expected to yield a much-needed synergy between legal and public relations professionals and a fresh perspective on how companies should approach crisis management in the post COVID-19 era. As the business environment changes rapidly and increases in complexity, companies are facing risks and crises which they have not confronted before – from natural disasters to political risks involving regulatory constraints, labor issues, consumer rights and privacy concerns. Unlike in the past when risk exposure could be contained through controlled public relations management, advancements in information technology and social medial have rendered corporations powerless before instantaneous and geographically limitless spread of information. Risk of exposure has become far more devastating and critical to corporate survival. Today’s corporations must detect and manage exponentially increased risk factors to maintain their corporate image and reputation. As a result, establishing a crisis management system has become an essential part of risk prevention. Building and maintaining an effective crisis management system requires the knowledge and experience of multi-disciplinary experts who can filter and process mountains of information with speed and accuracy and make timely recommendations for every possible contingency. Jipyong’s CM team and LEVICK have combined forces to provide premium crisis management services such as global crisis monitoring, real-time crisis response, crisis recovery plan, and post-crisis evaluation. With the partnership between Jipyong and LEVICK, companies benefit from the best of both worlds – across boundaries and industry sectors, encompassing all risk points including legal, accounting, public relations and human resources. Richard Levick, founder of LEVICK and pioneer in crisis management communications with a background in law, has consulted countless companies in responding to crises of a global scale. LEVICK’s prestigious team of professionals spearheads many of the world’s highest-profile campaigns – including Guantanamo Bay; the Catholic Church; the Wall Street crisis; the Gulf oil spill, and some of the most important public affairs matters globally. They currently represent a number of Chinese companies facing unique challenges in the U.S. LEVICK’s clients include most of the top 100 US law firms and more than a third of the top 100 global law firms. Jipyong is known as the most global-minded law firm in Korea, having more branches than any other Korean law firm in countries such as China, Russia, Vietnam, and Indonesia. Jipyong’s CM team is led by its Managing Partner Sung Taek Lim who has extensive experience in litigation, crisis management, and working with civil organizations. Other partners in the team include former Constitutional Court Justice and Managing Partner Kong Hyun Lee, former judges Gyeong Woon Kang and Soo Saeng Moon, former prosecutor Sehoon Choi. Field experts include Seung Soo Choi (information and Communications), Bernard Ham (pharmaceutical and biomedical), Gee Hong Kim (fair trade and competition), Hye Jung Ryu (energy & environment), Kwang Sun LEE (labor), Jeong Kyu Choe (IP), Seongcheol Park (construction and real estate), Poom JANG (fair trade and competition), Jin Kwon Kim (legislative & public policy) and Jinhee Kim (global dispute resolution). Contact Details Maria Stagliano +1 404-245-0899 mstagliano@levick.com Company Website https://www.levick.com

July 01, 2020 04:00 PM Eastern Daylight Time

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