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Freelance Creative Jobs Thrive Despite AI Surge

FREELANCER.COM

New data released today by Freelancer.com (ASX: FLN) (OTCQX: FLNCF), the world’s largest freelancing marketplace by number of users and jobs posted, shows an incoming startup boom amongst an unprecedented surge in freelance creative design and AI job growth. The Fast 50 Q1 2023 Index, the world’s largest forward indicator of freelance job trends, analyzes over 304,000 jobs posted to Freelancer.com between January and March 2023. The index finds that jobs for T-Shirt Design (up 33.1%, from 1,403 to 1,868), Covers & Packaging Design (up 27.3%, from 1,128 to 1,436), and Corporate Identity Design (up 24.2%, from 2,474 to 3,073) were the three fastest growing job types by total percentage growth when compared to Q4 2022. These were followed by Product Design (up 22.9%, 1,214 to 1,493) and 3D Design (up 22%, from 5,027 to 6,135) jobs. Design skills with the largest job counts on the platform also grew significantly this quarter. There were a whopping 7,495 extra Graphic Design jobs in Q1 (up 12.1%, from 61,709 to 69,204), followed by an additional 6,731 Logo Design jobs (up 20.4%, from 32,963 to 39,694) and 5,902 extra jobs requiring skills in Photoshop (up 15.4%, from 38,224 to 44,126). Design is both the most in-demand and the highest paying skill on Freelancer.com, as found in the Freelancing in 2022 Report. These types of jobs, particularly logo design, packaging design and t-shirt creation, are typically the starting point for many founders launching a new business. The sudden influx of design, eCommerce and marketing jobs are a key indicator of a boom in startups. Simultaneously, jobs requiring skills in Artificial Intelligence were the seventh fastest growing skill on Freelancer.com (up 20.62% in Q1 2023 from 1,038 to 1,252). Jobs demanding Generative AI skills, such as ChatGPT, Dall-E, Midjourney and Chatbots, grew by more than 325% from 286 in Q4 2022 to 1,216 in Q1 2023. “While many speculate whether AI will take design jobs, our latest data shows that this is certainly not the case. Design jobs are the most popular job type on the platform and continue to grow despite advances in hyper-realistic generative AI tools,” said Matt Barrie, Chief Executive at Freelancer.com. “What’s more interesting in this data is zooming out and looking at the main trend: the startup boom. The most in-demand jobs on the platform for this quarter are all related to the launch of new businesses. New logo, website and branding jobs. In fact, there were 75 extra logo design jobs posted each day last quarter, which could suggest the launch of 75 new businesses.” The data also shows an increase in Digital Marketing (up 12.8%, from 1,524 to 1,720) and Videography (up 14.2%, from 2,716 to 3,102) jobs which also suggests businesses are focusing more on their online marketing and content creation strategies to amplify their brands. Fastest Falling Jobs of Q1 2023 While design jobs dominated the fastest growing, the jobs that were in less demand in this quarter are related to tech, development and writing. Software Development, which was ranked as the fastest growing job in Q2 2022, began to decline this quarter and was down by 34.4% (from 2,001 to 1,311). Similarly, programming related jobs which were one of the fastest growing skills in Q4 2022 also declined this quarter by 20.9% (from 5,899 to 4,665). Demand for these types of jobs surged last year as many tech employees were laid off globally. However, the new data suggests demand is beginning to stabilize and return to pre-mass layoffs levels. Seasonality also plays into employers moving away from specific types of jobs quarter-to-quarter. Report Writing, Technical Writing, Research Writing and Business Plans were ranked as the fastest growing jobs in Q4 2022 as many employers traditionally turn to freelance support to help prepare end of year reports and 2023 plans. These types of jobs naturally reduce in the first quarter of the year. Fast 50 Q1 2023 - Data Analysis Startup Boom Fuels Creative Design Job Growth Historically, more businesses are started during a recession. Economic downturns have led to the creation of some of the world’s most well known brands, such as Microsoft, Uber and Burger King, just to name a few. Only a few years ago, the world witnessed this trend playing out as COVID sparked a startup boom, which saw a 24 percent increase in new business applications in the United States alone. According to the latest US Census Business Formation Statistics, the number of new business applications is beginning to grow in 2023 by an increase of 451,752, an increase of 4.5 percent compared to February 2023. Data from the latest Freelancer Fast 50 Index suggests there’s a sudden increase in the number of new businesses and startups being launched globally. The fastest growing skills, such as T-Shirt, Covers & Packaging, and Corporate Identity Design, as well as the growth of major jobs such as Logo Design, are all usually posted by founders at the starting point for a new business or venture. T-Shirt Design jobs, as an example, are growing as people hire freelancers to create t-shirts with their business logo as a way of promoting a brand or creating business uniforms. An uptick in Covers and Packaging Design jobs are the result of businesses turning to freelancers for new product labels and marketing brochures. Growth in website building jobs, such as Shopify (up 20.5%, from 2,302 to 2,775), Shopify Templates (up 16.1%, from 1,392 to 1,617) and eCommerce (up 15.5%, from 4,212 to 4,866), also support the rise of new businesses last quarter. Almost three quarters of the fastest growing jobs (72%) posted on Freelancer.com in the last quarter required skills in creative design or marketing. Serial entrepreneur Davuud Ghani, who recently founded Pivitt, a creative and branding support agency based in the United Kingdom, is just one example of how founders are turning to freelancers to support the growth of their business in 2023. “As a start-up, agility is our advantage over mature businesses with similar service offerings. It’s becoming easier for businesses to locate and leverage global talent, with platforms such as Freelancer.com. We are able to really finetune the skills needed on a project basis to drive excellence through our service offering to our partners, keeping us competitive in the market. That’s what our model is built from and has allowed us to secure partnerships with the likes of BMW & MINI,” said Davuud Ghani, founder of Pivitt. Generative AI Jobs Triple In Last Quarter Advancements in artificial intelligent and generative AI are impacting almost every faucet of business and creativity. Powerful AI tools, such as ChatGPT, Dall-E and Midjourney, are becoming smarter and more sophisticated by month, resulting in rapid leaps in capabilities and applications. In the first quarter of 2023, Open AI released GPT-4, introducing a more powerful and intelligent version of the application which could exhibit human level performance on several benchmarks. In the AI image generation space, research lab Midjourney also released the alpha iteration of its 5th version which allowed users to create photorealistic generations. Growing interest for AI is represented clearly in the Fast 50 Q1 2023 data which ranks jobs for Artificial Intelligence as the seventh fastest growing job on the platform, growing by 20.6% up to 1,252 jobs in total. Many projects posted in the first quarter aim to harness AI text generators or automate mass image generation, while some look for freelance experts who can help create their own AI models and applications. Generative AI skills (ChatGPT, Dall-E, Midjourney, Chatbots) grew the fastest over the quarter, recording a total percentage increase of 325% from 286 last quarter to 1,216 in Q1 2023. In total, there were 5,262 jobs requiring skills in AI, Machine Learning, Deep Learning, TensorFlow, ChatGPT and Dall-E. Digital Marketing & Content Creation Popularity of content marketing is growing amongst businesses. Major success stories, such as Netflix’s Drive to Survive series or Spotify’s Wrapped, are pushing businesses and marketers towards incorporating content marketing within their strategies. It’s a trend that was identified in the Fast 50 Q3 2022 Index and is continuing in Q1 2023. Videography (up 14.21%, from to 3,102), Digital Marketing (up 12.86% to 1,720), YouTube (up 11.30% to 1,576), and Video Production (up 10.25% to 5,401) were all in-demand skills last quarter. This finding suggests that businesses are increasingly focusing on online marketing and content creation strategies to reach their target audiences. While YouTube remains as the main platform people are turning to freelancers for support, employer interest in TikTok video creation is also growing, increasing by 25% in Q1 2023, from 405 projects in Q4 2022 to 507 total jobs Q1 2023. Product Design Jobs Apart from design projects specific to branding and new business ventures, the number of 3D Design, Product Design and general Design collectively grew over Q1 2023. ##### Freelancer Fast 50 The Freelancer Fast 50 index is the world’s largest forward indicator of trends in online jobs related to industries, technologies, products, and companies. The data is based on 304,000 jobs posted to the Freelancer platform between January 1 to March 31 2023. Fast 50 Quarterly Index – Q1 2023 About Freelancer Freelancer.com is the world's largest freelancing and crowdsourcing marketplace by total number of users and projects posted. More than 64 million registered users have posted over 22.3 million projects and contests to date in over 2,000 areas as diverse as website development, logo design, marketing, copywriting, aerospace engineering and manufacturing. Freelancer also owns Escrow.com and Loadshift. 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. Contact Details freelancer.com Marko Zitko +61 404 574 830 mzitko@freelancer.com

April 21, 2023 08:15 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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Dear America, Mission Possible: Prevention and Cures Starts Now

The American Center for Cures

I hope this letter finds you and your family in good health. The exceptional leadership and resilience of this nation has been an inspiration to Dr. Rick Boxer and me, prompting us to embark on a vital mission that resonates with every American, regardless of wealth, race, or political affiliation: combating disease. Despite our nation's efforts, we have not achieved the level of prevention and cures necessary to alleviate the suffering and burden of diseases that affect us all. It is time for a paradigm shift, and we believe that every American is in a unique position to help drive this transformation. The American Center for Cures, which we co-founded, aims to establish a fully funded private-sector mission dedicated to preventing and curing the most devastating diseases, such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, various forms of cancer, heart disease, diabetes, and all other diseases including orphan diseases. Our vision is to assemble the most successful CEOs in America to lead individual centers focused on these diseases, with each center receiving $36 billion in funding. By combining resources, leadership, focus, and a sense of urgency, we believe we can create a new era in disease prevention and cures. This effort has the potential to be the most significant legacy issue of our lifetimes, impacting not only American families but also the global community. We humbly request Corporate America’s public endorsement and the social support of the American People to provide hope to millions and promote a business-like model of accountability that is currently lacking. Furthermore, we encourage you to urge every member of Congress and the White House to expedite their support for this initiative. We are not merely asking for their backing; we are insisting on it. This mission is for you, your children, and future generations. It is likely that you and your loved ones have been personally affected by a disease that should no longer exist. By embracing this mantle of leadership today, we can make a lasting impact on the lives of countless individuals. Former Secretary of Health Tom Price has stated that the American Center for Cures could rival the greatest achievements in American history. My partner, Dr. Rick Boxer, was recently appointed to the National Cancer Advisory Board by President Biden. We need your voice and skills now more than ever. We commend the extraordinary work of researchers around the world and their commitment to delivering cures. However, a systemic issue exists within the medical use authorization and approval process, and it delays getting cures into the hands of the people who need them now. We’re on the cusp of curing pancreatic, breast, and brain cancer, as well as preventing heart attacks but the current model, because of economic- and process -related obstacles, does not accommodate success. The American Center for Cures is offering a solution to this problem by providing a mission, funding, responsibility, accountability, and leadership, will fundamentally restructure and speed the process of working with the FDA and all relevant parties for authorized cures. Just like the speed of getting the COVID vaccine approved and authorized for use, American Center for Cures is committed to bringing new cures and treatments to patients as quickly and efficiently as possible. We believe that now is the time to harness our global technological advances to establish a process and urgency that will bring these pieces together for the betterment of humanity. By acting today, we can create a lasting legacy in the fight against disease. We are Unity Strong! Best regards, Lou Weisbach Co-founder, The American Center for Cures About American Center for Cures The American Center for Cures (ACC) initiative is a fully funded mission to prevent, treat or cure diseases that plague every American family. The initiative will be funded by the sale of $750B bonds by the Federal Reserve, providing the capital needed to accelerate the current trajectory of medicine. Annual interest will be paid through the licensing of new compounds and drugs to pharmaceutical companies. The principal will be repaid by savings provided to the United States Government through successes in the areas of prevention and cures. The ACC business model will cost the government and taxpayers nothing, making this the single most impactful investment on behalf of the American people in the nation’s history. For more information, please visit https://theamericancenterforcures.org. Contact Details Rainier Communications Jenna Beaucage +1 508-340-6851 jbeaucage@rainierco.com Company Website https://theamericancenterforcures.org

April 19, 2023 01:33 PM Eastern Daylight Time

Lexion Raises $20M Series B, Expands AI-Powered Contract Management Solution to Broader User Base

Lexion

Lexion, the AI-powered contract management and operations workflow platform, today announced a $20 million Series B funding round led by Point72 Ventures, with participation from Citi Ventures, and existing investors Khosla Ventures, Madrona Venture Group, and Wilson Sonsini. This latest investment brings the total amount raised to more than $35 million, allowing the company to further enhance Lexion's core platform and AI capabilities to help every department close deals faster. Originally developed at the Paul Allen Institute for Artificial Intelligence as a contract management system for lawyers, Lexion’s artificial intelligence and automation capabilities have accelerated legal work and streamlined processes across multiple disciplines, including sales, procurement, finance, and technology. Gaurav Oberoi, CEO of Lexion, explains how the new funding will be used to accelerate Lexion's AI landscape: "Lexion is all about helping every team do more business, faster. We’ve proven how award-winning AI and no-code automation can accelerate legal tasks, but we've also seen other divisions adopting the software. Now we're accelerating sales cycles, vendor agreements, security reviews, RFPs, and even employment offers for departments where legal is not directly involved." In 2022, Lexion experienced dramatic growth, tripling its revenue for the third year in a row and expanding its customer base to include hundreds of corporate clients from various industries, such as B2B technology, healthcare, consumer goods, manufacturing, and gaming. Lexion's easy implementation and intuitive interface take the stress out of adopting new software. “Our legal customers often comment how their sales teams don't even notice they're using a new technology because it integrates so well with their systems,” adds Oberoi. Sri Chandrasekar, Managing Partner at Point72 Ventures, will be joining Lexion's board. Chandrasekar supports Lexion’s vision to expand into a horizontal operations workflow solution: “Lexion’s investment in AI, paired with the team’s technical, product, and operations expertise, positions the company well for broader adoption and cross-departmental expansion. We're excited to support the team as they continue to innovate in the operations space.” Matt Carbonara, Managing Director at Citi Ventures, celebrates how easy the Lexion platform is for larger organizations to adopt: "During our investment process, Citi reviewed Lexion’s solution and was impressed with its capabilities, ease of use, and seamless integration,” he says. With this latest round of funding, Lexion is poised to transform not only the legal department, but the entire operational landscape for companies of all sizes and industries. “At Khosla Ventures, we invest early into bold ideas that could be impactful,” said Kanu Gulati, partner at Khosla Ventures. “Lexion’s team has made tremendous progress and is well positioned to take advantage of newer AI generative capabilities to bring greater automation across businesses.” About Lexion Lexion is a powerfully simple operations workflow platform that helps every team do more faster, by streamlining and centralizing the contracting process in a system that works the way you do. We built Lexion at Paul Allen’s artificial intelligence research institute, with an experienced team from Microsoft, Facebook, Google, and Amazon. Top AI investors (including A16Z, Sequoia, and Goldman Sachs) voted Lexion as one of the top 40 Intelligent Applications to watch in 2022. Most importantly, fantastic brands trust Lexion to help them close deals faster, such as Outreach, OfferUp, Blue Nile, and many more. Visit https://lexion.ai for more information. Contact Details Forrest Carman +1 206-859-3118 forrestc@owenmedia.com Company Website https://lexion.ai/

April 19, 2023 08:00 AM Pacific Daylight Time

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Shareholders Ask Goldman Sachs Board to Rein in Chairman/CEO

National Legal & Policy Center

Please visit http://www.nlpc.org Goldman Sachs will host its annual meeting in Dallas next Wednesday, April 26, and National Legal and Policy Center will ask its fellow shareholders to vote on a proposal to implement a policy to require the Chairman and CEO positions, currently occupied by David Solomon, to be held by two different executives. The leader of the iconic Wall Street bank has retained both roles since he was elevated to Chairman in January 2019, only three months after he was named CEO. The company has had several stumbles and unforced errors under Solomon’s watch, and NLPC will argue at the shareholder meeting that a separate counterpart as chairman, creating more accountability for the CEO, represents a stronger corporate leadership structure. “David Solomon is yet another ‘woke’ big bank CEO who immerses Goldman Sachs needlessly in political virtue-signaling that later brings disrepute on the company,” said Paul Chesser, director of the Corporate Integrity Project for NLPC. “There are countless examples, but perhaps the biggest sin of this New York City financial icon was to back anti-police Black Lives Matter initiatives, and now ‘Gotham’ has predictably become crime-ridden and less populated. We may see Snake Plissken roaming the streets before long.” In a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission in support of its proposal, NLPC highlighted several examples of Solomon’s leadership stumbles, including: placing Goldman Sachs as a member of the Net Zero Banking Alliance and participating in the federal government’s voluntary Task Force on Climate-Related Financial Disclosures. Net Zero targets are unrealistic, unnecessary and violate fundamental tenets of the scientific method, and related policies have contributed significantly to high energy prices; leading the Company in a joint effort with several other corporations and labor unions to pressure the Trump administration to keep the United States in the non-binding Paris Climate Agreement, which was never ratified by the U.S. Senate, and does not require compliance to similar standards by China and India; signing a statement “opposing ‘any discriminatory legislation’ that makes it harder for people to vote,” in opposition to the Georgia Election Integrity Act, which is now a law that saw no diminished voter turnout in 2022; forcing diversity requirements on its client companies, while internally at the bank African-Americans and women make up 3 percent and 29 percent of senior management roles, respectively; allegedly using his relationships with Goldman Sachs clients to promote his EDM DJ career; reportedly using the company’s private jets for personal travel, despite a policy to limit such use -- going as far as to book seven trips over seven consecutive weekends, according to the New York Post; demonstrating personal conduct that reportedly led to Goldman Sachs reaching a $12-million settlement over its “sexist culture,” with Mr. Solomon allegedly boasting “about his sexual prowess;” forays into retail banking and lending enterprises Marcus and Greensky, which were jettisoned after barely getting started. “Goldman Sachs works its junior bankers an average of 98 hours a week, while Mr. Solomon prioritizes useless Net Zero gambits and promotes his side hustle,” Chesser said. “Really we are going easy on him by asking the board to just make him either Chairman or CEO, but not both.” NLPC has also filed a report with the SEC in support of a shareholder proposal sponsored by the National Center for Public Policy Research, which seeks a congruency report about Goldman Sachs’s China-focused ETFs to assess whether they are aligned with the company’s commitments to support human rights. NLPC also opposes three shareholder proposals that seek adherence to Net Zero priorities and an end to the company’s funding of fossil fuel development. Founded in 1991, NLPC promotes ethics in public life and government accountability through research, investigation, education, and legal action. ### For more information or to schedule an interview with Paul Chesser, contact Dan Rene at 202-329-8357 or drene@nlpc.org. Contact Details National Legal and Policy Center Dan Rene +1 202-329-8357 drene@nlpc.org Company Website http://www.nlpc.org

April 19, 2023 09:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

SPACE10 Launches Global AI Design Competition

SPACE10

Research and design lab SPACE10 launches a global design competition to reimagine home — using AI. Over the past year, generative AI tools have enhanced imaginative and creative capabilities, allowing millions of people to visualise worlds beyond those we ever thought possible. In a first of its kind competition, SPACE10 challenges participants to apply new AI tools to future homes and cities. Regenerative Futures is part competition, part open-source research, and open to everyone. The competition encourages play and imagination to create visual concepts of future homes, communities, and cities that help address some of the biggest challenges facing everyday life. 'As global populations are changing as a result of climate impacts, migration, and resource scarcity, we must not only think differently about our future homes, not only in terms of design and function, but how they can replenish and restore the world around us. Innovation cannot exist in the absence of difference, so we’re calling on thinkers, dreamers, and trouble-makers from diverse backgrounds to share their visions of the future.’ — Ryan Sherman, Creative & Strategy, SPACE10 The Brief: Participants will be asked to respond to one of the following three scenarios: Resilient Futures: Design in the scale of a single dwelling As we look to the future, how can we design homes as spaces of refuge and resilience? How will they flex to sudden climatic changes, while being conscious of the land and ecology around them? As climate events get more frequent and severe, people are forced to adapt — and live — with more extreme environments. The resilient home is one that can take inspiration from regenerative practices, Indigenous or traditional technologies, and can use local materials. Consider how it relates to its surrounding environment and location on the planet. Symbiotic Futures: Design in the scale of a small community How will future communities co-exist with non-human species? And how might the design of our homes and communities nurture surrounding ecosystems? As we approach the biggest ecological collapse in 65 million years, we must explore how our future home and communities can support local biodiversity to thrive. Materials, location, and nature’s own creativity are design considerations. Imagine a future where non-human entities become allies in co-designing our homes and neighbourhoods. Collective Futures: Design in the scale of a city What would a self-sustaining city look like? How can we adapt and evolve existing structures and streets to better support collective living? As city populations accelerate, there will be higher demand for resources like energy, food, and water. How can we enhance today’s city, its buildings, and infrastructure to provide these daily essentials? Consider the challenge of comfortably housing more people in global cities, and ways to do this without the environmental impact of constructing new dwellings. In this future, the city is more aware — and abundant — to meet residents’ needs. ‘We are only at the very beginning in understanding the potential of AI tools. This is an exciting competition that explores the reach of the global community’s collective imagination when given the chance to play with these tools, to test the limitations and opportunities that lay before us.’ — Linus Karlsson, Chief Creative Officer, IKEA of Sweden AB Criteria: Concepts will be judged by a panel of international judges. Finalists will see their AI-generated vision of the regenerative home transformed into a travelling exhibition, and will be eligible for prizes selected by the judges. ‘In this competition, I would like to see distinctly new ideas, not merely an average of existing ideas. A creative solution that isn’t yet associated with our notion of a sustainable home. I'd like to see visual artistry.’ — Tim Fu, Architectural Designer at Zaha Hadid Jury Panel: The jury panel consists of globally renowned architects, media, and AI artists. They include Tim Fu, Designer at Zaha Hadid Architects; Helen Job, Head of Research at SPACE10, David Basulto, CEO & Founder of ArchDaily; Nick Jeffries, Senior Expert at Ellen MacArthur Foundation; Javier Torner, Global Solutions Division at UN Habitat; Mawuena Tendar, Co-Founder of Standard Deviation; Dragon Li, Editor-in-Chief of Design Boom; Asuka Kawanabe, Freelance Journalist for Wired, Forbes, and others; Dominique Petit-Frère, Co-Founder and Creative Director of Limbo Accra, and Linus Karlsson, Chief Creative Officer, IKEA of Sweden AB. Apply Here: Participants can apply to the competition at https://regenerativefutures.space10.com/ starting 6 April 2023, with a deadline to submit by 4 May. Press package with images can be found here. For further information, please contact Sofia Clarke at sofia@space10.com. Other SPACE10 Projects SPACE10 recently released a short film, Creativity in the Age of AI, in collaboration with Joss Fong and Áron Filkey, using AI models. The video travels back through history to understand how the adoption and adaptation of tech innovations have improved everyday life. It also explores AI’s growing role in the creative process, and what the history of creative tools can teach us about the future. View the film here. ### ABOUT SPACE10 SPACE10 is a research and design lab on a mission to create a better everyday life for people and the planet. SPACE10 is proudly supported by and entirely dedicated to the IKEA Brand. SPACE10 operates independently to bring an outside-in perspective to the IKEA Brand. The role of SPACE10 is to qualify new opportunities, inform strategies, build new partnerships, and design new solutions to create a better everyday life for both people and the planet. ABOUT IKEA IKEA offers well-designed, functional and affordable, high-quality home furnishing, produced with care for people and the environment. Today, 12 different groups of companies own and operate IKEA sales channels in more than 60 markets across the world, under franchise agreements with Inter IKEA Systems B.V. There are several companies with different owners, working under the IKEA brand, all sharing the same vision: To create a better everyday life for the many people. IKEA was founded by Ingvar Kamprad in Älmhult, Sweden, in 1943. Contact Details Sofia Clarke sofia@space10.com

April 18, 2023 01:00 PM Eastern Daylight Time

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FEC Complaint Calls Out AOC’s Credit Card Spending Spree

Coolidge Reagan Foundation

[Washington, DC] [April 18, 2023] – Government Ethics watchdog, the Coolidge Reagan Foundation, announced it has filed a formal Federal Election Commission (FEC) complaint against New York Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (AOC). The Complaint, filed by Dan Backer on behalf of the Foundation, details repeated, blatant violations of federal campaign finance law by AOC and her campaign in concealed how it spent thousands of dollars of campaign funds. Backer and the Coolidge Reagan Foundation have a long history of winning FEC battles, including a $15,000 fine levied against Bernie Sanders’ campaign and an historic 6-figure fine against Hillary for America and the Democratic National Committee for lying about their funding of the Russia hoax. The Complaint filed on Monday states in part, “…On numerous occasions throughout 2022, AOC for Congress reported tens of thousands of dollars of disbursements for card payments and card payment reimbursements to Congresswoman Ocasio-Cortez herself; American Express; and an entity called “Veyond!,” which appears to have provided virtual reality services and apparently no longer operates under that name. In each case, the reports do not fully disclose the purposes of each payment for which the charge card was used…” The Complaint describes how campaigns are permitted to use charge cards (or reimburse candidates for use of their personal charge cards) for otherwise permissible campaign-related expenses, however, disclosure reports must accurately identify both the recipient of those funds, as well as each of the campaign-related goods and services purchased. “Without disclosing her credit card spending spree, it is impossible to determine if AOC is illegally using campaign funds to pay personal expenses,” explained Dan Backer. “Not only is the public entitled to that information, but without such disclosure, who knows what AOC and her campaign are hiding?” “For someone who harangues former President Trump on what amounts to trumped-up campaign finance allegations, it seems AOC should look in the mirror,” Backer continued. ### Please visit: https://www.coolidgereagan.org/. For more information or to schedule an interview with a CFR spokesperson, contact Dan Rene at 202-329-8357 or danrenejr@gmail.com. Contact Details Coolidge Reagan Foundation Dan Rene +1 202-329-8357 danrenejr@gmail.com Company Website https://www.coolidgereagan.org/

April 18, 2023 11:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

NCMA Welcomes New Board Members to Advance the Contract Management Profession

National Contract Management Association

The National Contract Management Association (NCMA), a professional association and standards setter for contract management professionals, announced the addition of six new members to its Board of Directors. Karla Smith Jackson, Wes Bennett, Timothy Applegate, Steve Woo, David Cade, and Iris Cooper have joined the board to provide their unique expertise and insights in NCMA's strategic efforts. "We are pleased to welcome Karla, Wes, Timothy, Steve, and David to the NCMA Board of Directors," said NCMA Program Year 2024 President, Denyce Carter. “I’m also happy to report that Iris is serving a second term on the Board. As we continue to advance the contract management profession and its connection with other acquisition related communities through advocacy, standards, and professional development, each of these individuals brings a wealth of experience, knowledge, and leadership to the organization. We are excited to have them on board to help us further our mission." With over 30 years of experience in federal contracting, Karla Smith Jackson, the Senior Procurement Executive, Deputy Chief Acquisition Officer and Assistant Administrator for Procurement at NASA, brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to the board. Her impressive background in program management, acquisition, and contract planning, as well as her senior leadership roles in various government agencies, make her a valuable asset to the board. Wes Bennett is the Senior Director - Strategic Azure Gov't Cloud Contracts at Microsoft, where he provides executive-level advice on business strategy for Department of Defense and intelligence community specific opportunities for Azure Government Cloud products and solutions. With his expertise in both the defense industry and federal government, including his former role as DARPA’s Senior Procurement Executive, Mr. Bennett will be a valuable addition to the board. As a Senior Executive Service member and Director of the Acquisition Management and Integration Center, Timothy Applegate, CPCM, has experience in cradle-to-grave acquisition, program management, and operations of weapon systems in support of various multi-functional programs. With over 35 years of acquisition and contracting expertise and a Defense Acquisition Workforce Improvement Act Level III certification in Contracting, Mr. Applegate brings a wealth of knowledge to the board, particularly in the areas of strategic planning and program management. Steve Woo, CPCM, CFCM Fellow, currently leads a buying group at Jet Propulsion Laboratory managing $1.2B in subcontracts supporting NASA’s Deep Space Network facilities worldwide. Prior to his current position, he managed the Non-Flight Research & Develop group whose team established contracts with Sandia National Laboratories and other Federally Funded Research and Development Centers (FFRDC). Mr. Woo’s leadership in the NCMA and his expertise in managing large-scale contracts make him a valuable addition to the board. David Cade is currently Vice President of U.S. Government Services Business Transformation for The Boeing Company. He is responsible for creating a framework for engagement and future contracts with government customers while meeting current business commitments. Mr. Cade brings experience in contracts, compliance, and business transformation to the board. He has a background in law and has served in various leadership roles at The Boeing Company. He is also dedicated to serving a broad spectrum of organizations, including the Boeing focal for Howard University, where he is responsible for development and implementation of a multi-year university strategy aligned with Boeing’s enterprise objectives. Iris Cooper, CPCM, Fellow, former Assistant Secretary for Procurement, Contracts, and Grants at the NC Department of Health and Human Services has been reappointed to the board. With experience in procurement and contracting, she brings a wealth of knowledge in managing contracts and grants across the NCDHHS mission. Her commitment to integrity, transparency, and efficient procurement strategies will be valuable to the board. Ms. Cooper's passion for acquisition transformation and leadership skills will help drive the success of the organization. "NCMA is honored to welcome these new and returning Directors," said NCMA CEO, Kraig Conrad. "Their invaluable experience and perspectives will play a crucial role in our collaboration to explore new avenues for growth.” The NCMA Board of Directors is responsible for setting the strategic direction of the organization, ensuring its financial stability, and overseeing the development and delivery of member services and educational programs. Beginning July 2023, the newly appointed Board will officially assume their duties and convene at NCMA's World Congress event in Nashville, TN. The National Contract Management Association (NCMA), a nonprofit organization founded in 1959 and is the world’s leading association in the field of contract management. With nearly 20,000 members, NCMA is dedicated to promoting excellence in the contract management profession through education, certification, and professional networking opportunities. NCMA strives to serve and inform the profession and industry it represents and to offer opportunities for the open exchange of ideas in neutral forums. To find out more, please visit www.ncmahq.org. Contact Details NCMA Holly DeHesa +1 281-865-3296 holly.dehesa@ncmahq.org Company Website https://www.ncmahq.org/

April 18, 2023 10:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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DISTRICT HIRES DOUG BENNETT AS NEW WATER CONSERVATION MANAGER

Washington County Water Conservancy District

The Washington County Water Conservancy District (district) has hired Doug Bennett to serve as Water Conservation Manager. Bennett will oversee the development and implementation of the district's conservation policies and programs. Bennett has more than 28 years' experience in successful water conservation at two western water agencies and broad experience in landscape management in desert climates. Prior to joining the district, he served as the water conservation manager for the Southern Nevada Water Authority in Las Vegas, NV. During his tenure, the Las Vegas region achieved a 48% reduction in per capita water demand. Bennett developed and managed the nation’s largest landscape conversion program, transforming more than 215 million square feet of grass, and the world’s largest professional conference for urban water efficiency, Water Smart Innovations. “Doug is a proven, nationally recognized leader in water conservation,” said Zach Renstrom, district general manager. “His extensive experience and vision will elevate our water conservation efforts to the next level. We’re thrilled he’s joined our team.” Bennett has received more than a dozen conservation awards, including the Water Star Lifetime Achievement Award from the Alliance for Water Efficiency. He has worked on projects for the Water Reuse Foundation, the Water Research Foundation, the US EPA WaterSense Program, the US Green Building Council and the American Water Works Association. He has a bachelor's degree in agriculture and a master’s degree in business management from New Mexico State University. About Washington County Water Conservancy District The Washington County Water Conservancy District is a not-for-profit public agency that oversees water resources in Washington County, UT. The county has already reduced its per capita water use more than 30% since 2000 – the greatest reduction in water use in Utah – and has passed Utah’s most restrictive water ordinances for new development to achieve additional savings. Visit wcwcd.org for more information. Contact Details Washington County Water Conservancy District Karry Rathje, Communications & Govt Affairs Manager +1 435-673-3617 karry@wcwcd.org Company Website https://www.wcwcd.org/

April 18, 2023 07:55 AM Mountain Daylight Time

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Shareholders Asked to Vote for Reduced Power for Chairman/CEO of ‘Woke-A-Cola’

National Legal & Policy Center

The annual meeting for The Coca-Cola Company is next Tuesday, April 25, and shareholders will be asked to vote on a proposal that would increase accountability for the company’s Chairman and CEO, James Quincey. National Legal and Policy Center is sponsoring Proposal No. 8 on the company’s proxy statement, which requests the Board of Directors to require the two powerful roles now occupied by Quincey to be split between two individuals. NLPC argues that Quincey has inappropriately engaged the company in multiple divisive political issues that are not in the fiduciary interest of Coca-Cola or its shareholders. As an investor in the company, NLPC has filed a report to the Securities and Exchange Commission that explains its rationale for appointing an equally authoritative counterpart to keep Quincey’s left-leaning political excursions in check. “James Quincey, invoking the name of ‘Coca-Cola,’ has repeatedly weighed in on issues like opposing the Georgia election integrity law and in support of Black Lives Matter, pointing out the alleged racial sins of America,” said Paul Chesser, director of the Corporate Integrity Project for NLPC. “His careless rhetoric only harmed the company’s reputation, since 2022 voter turnout in the Peach State elections was extremely high. Meanwhile, Quincey has highlighted Coca-Cola’s hypocrisy by doing extensive business in China, while saying nothing about the communist government’s genocide and enslavement practices.” In its report to the SEC, NLPC points out several examples of Quincey’s leadership failures, including: entering Coca-Cola in a multi-company effort as co-signer of a letter that opposed plans by the Department of Health and Human Services in 2018 to restore definitions of “sex” to remove the term “identity,” for the purposes of Title IX enforcement of gender discrimination in civil rights law; signing the Company’s name to a 2019 letter in support of the so-called “Equality Act,” which would have added “sexual orientation” and “gender identity” to “race, color, religion, sex, or national origin” discrimination protections in the Civil Rights Act of 1964 – which would have squashed almost all other rights and freedoms Americans possess, including speech, association, privacy, and property rights; held mandatory “anti-racist” training in 2021 that instructed employees to try to “be less white,” which included recommendations to “be less oppressive, be less arrogant, be less certain, be less defensive, be less ignorant, be more humble, listen, believe, break with apathy, (and) break with white solidarity;” providing $2.5 million in grants for left-leaning organizations that included $500,000 to the Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation, a deeply racist, anti-law enforcement organization that spent millions of dollars in corporate donations to enrich its leaders and their family members, and purchased several multi-million dollar mansions for personal use; engaged Coca-Cola in a multi-company letter-writing campaign to urge a “permanent legislative solution to enable (illegal immigration) ‘Dreamers’ who are currently living, working, and contributing to our communities to continue doing so” – a policy many Americans characterize as “amnesty;” opposed the “Heartbeat Bill” when it passed the Georgia Senate in 2019, signing a letter of objection with other businesses. The bill prohibited abortions once a fetal heartbeat is detected, with exceptions for cases that involve rape, incest, and saving the life of the mother. NLPC’s report to the SEC also notes that since Quincey immersed Coca-Cola in controversial political issues, the company’s stock performance has lagged behind its chief competitors (like PepsiCo), when he should have been focused on his fiduciary priorities. “Coca-Cola, like almost every company that combines the power of chairman and CEO in one person, claims they do so to maximize returns for shareholders,” Chesser said. “But the opposite is usually the case. The board needs a stronger counterpart to put the kibosh on Mr. Quincey’s political activities.” Founded in 1991, NLPC promotes ethics in public life and government accountability through research, investigation, education, and legal action. ### For more information or to schedule an interview with Paul Chesser, contact Dan Rene at 202-329-8357 or drene@nlpc.org. 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

April 18, 2023 09:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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DISTRICT HIRES DOUG BENNETT AS NEW WATER CONSERVATION MANAGER

Shareholders Asked to Vote for Reduced Power for Chairman/CEO of ‘Woke-A-Cola’