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Apple Named in Federal Antitrust Lawsuit Filed by Entertainment Company

Primary Productions, LLC

Primary Productions LLC recently charged Apple with antitrust violations of the Sherman Act, alleging restraint of trade for how the technology giant inhibits developer access to Apple’s App Store and userbase. The suit seeks class-action status on behalf of millions of software developers that are blocked from the App Store in favor of apps developed by Apple and its cronies. The complaint states it is first-to-file such a case protecting developers of free apps. In 2018, the group developed an app designed to educate the public about blockchain wallets by distributing hundreds of millions of dollars of free digital blockchain encryption currency, aka cryptocurrency. Apple killed the app before release because it allegedly threatened Apple’s low-price gaming Apple Arcade. Anticompetitive exclusion from a marketplace, such as that of smartphone enhanced internet commerce, is prohibited by civil and criminal code formalized as the Sherman Act of 1890. The lawsuit states that “Apple has so far distanced the independent developer from direct access to his or her audience, that critical commerce is restrained in violation of the Sherman Act.” The lawsuit further states that “in 2021 alone, as of filing, Apple has already rejected one million apps, representing millions of person-hours of lost work, all to appease the Apple giant.” “Apple is a monopsony retail buyer of apps, and hence underpays developers, even those of free apps, when it disallows them or suppresses their ranking on the App Store,” said attorney Keith Mathews. “Broader than existing Apple antitrust litigation, this case finally protects independent developers of free apps.” As for solutions beyond monetary damages, which could exceed $100 billion, the lawsuit demands an injunction requiring Apple to permit due process before denying an app, via an “App Court” to act independently and thereby avoid the problem of favoritism and cronyism. Attorney Mathews’ firm, Associated Attorneys of New England, seeks to join the New Hampshire-based Coronavirus Reporter app lawsuit to create a multi-district national litigation effort. That app, despite being designed by Dr. Robert Roberts, who consulted for NASA, developed the quantitative test that has been used to diagnose heart attacks, and chaired the prestigious Fields Medal committee, was blocked by Apple from being the first COVID-19 app in February 2020. Download a copy of the complaint here and at www.LawsuitPressRelease.com. Contact Details LawsuitPressRelease.com John P. David +1 888-859-6637 john@lawsuitpressrelease.com

May 20, 2021 03:00 PM Eastern Daylight Time

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Cyvatar Wins Two Coveted Global InfoSec Awards at RSA 2021

Cyvatar

Cyvatar today announced two more prestigious industry award wins, this time as 2021 Global InfoSec award winners for the Cutting-Edge in Cybersecurity-as-a-Service (CSaaS) and the Most Innovative SecOps-as-a-Service, by Cyber Defense Magazine--the industry’s leading electronic information security magazine. This year marks Cyber Defense Magazine’s ninth year of honoring global InfoSec innovators. Its submission requirements are for any startup, early-stage, later stage, or public companies in the information security space who have a unique and compelling value proposition for their product or service. “We’re thrilled to receive one of the most prestigious and coveted cybersecurity awards in the world from Cyber Defense Magazine,” said Cyvatar Co-Founder and Chief Executive Corey White. “We knew the competition would be tough, and with top judges who are leading infosec experts from around the globe, we couldn’t be more pleased.”. Award judges are CISSP, FMDHS, CEH, certified security professionals who voted based on their independent review of the company submitted materials on the website of each submission including but not limited to data sheets, white papers, product literature, and other market variables. “We scoured the globe looking for cybersecurity innovators that could make a huge difference and potentially help turn the tide against the exponential growth in cybercrime, said Gary S. Miliefsky, Publisher of Cyber Defense Magazine. “Cyvatar is absolutely worthy of these coveted awards and consideration for deployment in your environment.” CDM has a flexible philosophy to find more innovative players with new and unique technologies, than the one with the most customers or money in the bank. CDM is always asking “What’s Next?” so we are looking for Next Generation InfoSec Solutions. Whether you’re a small business starting from scratch or need to amplify your existing security investments, Cyvatar is here for you. Get started for free or reach out to Cyvatar at CYVATAR.AI. About Cyber Defense Magazine With over 5 Million monthly readers and growing, and thousands of pages of searchable online infosec content, Cyber Defense Magazine is the premier source of IT Security information for B2B and B2G with our sister magazine Cyber Security Magazine for B2C. We are managed and published by and for ethical, honest, passionate information security professionals. Our mission is to share cutting-edge knowledge, real-world stories and awards on the best ideas, products and services in the information technology industry. We deliver electronic magazines every month online for free, and special editions exclusively for the RSA Conferences. CDM is a proud member of the Cyber Defense Media Group. Learn more about us at https://www.cyberdefensemagazine.com and visit https://www.cyberdefensetv.com and https://www.cyberdefenseradio.com to see and hear some of the most informative interviews of many of these winning company executives. Join a webinar at https://www.cyberdefensewebinars.com and realize that infosec knowledge is power. About Cyvatar Cyvatar is committed to cybersecurity for everyone. As the industry’s first subscription-based, cybersecurity-as-a-service (CSaaS) company, it’s our mission to transform the way the security industry builds, sells, and supports cyber solutions. We empower our members to achieve successful outcomes by providing expert advisors, proven technologies, and a strategic process roadmap to guarantee results that map to their business drivers. Our approach is rooted in proprietary ICARM (installation, configuration, assessment, remediation, maintenance) methodology that delivers smarter, measurable security solutions for superior compliance and cyber-attack protection faster and more efficiently, all at a fixed monthly price. And because we’re a subscription, members can cancel anytime. Cyvatar is headquartered in Irvine, California with locations around the world. Begin your journey to security confidence at CYVATAR.AI and follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter. Contact Details Cyvatar KC Higgins +1 303-434-8163 kc@cyvatar.ai Company Website https://cyvatar.ai/

May 19, 2021 12:15 PM Eastern Daylight Time

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COVID-19 crisis will lead to a new period of rapid, transformative growth and prosperity: Studio 44 reveal 10 key insights for business leaders

Stockwood Strategy

As we recover from the COVID pandemic, environmental, social and technological trends are converging, leading to rapid, disruptive and transformative change, the likes of which we have not experienced for more than a generation, argues Simon Sear, CEO and founder of Studio 44. Leaders need to ensure that they and their organisation are ready to innovate and transform. Sear said: “The COVID crisis will lead to a new period of rapid, transformative growth and prosperity just like the First World War led to the roaring twenties, the Second World War to the golden age of capitalism and the recession of the late 1970s to the expansive growth of the 1980s. Spring always follows winter.” Combining with this natural economic cycle are major tailwinds, such as society’s demand for more progress on racial and gender equality, social mobility and mental wellbeing, Studio 44 argues. Governments and wider society have reached a tipping point on progress with environmental sustainability, while technologies including artificial intelligence (AI), hyper-automation and the Internet of Things (IoT) are supercharging change. These converging trends will result in rapid, disruptive and transformative change, the likes of which we have not experienced for more than a generation. Sear added: “Economists are predicting record growth and leaders need to ensure that their organisations are bold, more agile and quicker to change than at any time in history in order to deliver competitive performance in terms of cost efficiency, revenues and return on capital” Studio 44 has identified ten key insights by working with leaders during the challenging times of COVID, ranging from experimentation to mindset, technology to organisational culture. Sear concluded: “The crisis has highlighted many insights into how leaders can prepare for this next phase of growth and the journey ahead. They are at a once in a generation inflection point, opportunity is coming, and they need to ensure that they and their organisation are ready to innovate and transform.” Here is a summary of Studio 44’s top ten insights: Create a common mission: Often, in non-crisis times, organisations pay lip service to their mission. It’s written down, but no one really buys it. If the crisis did one thing very well, it was to provide a focus. The need for speed: The pace of change had been increasing, but the crisis supercharged this. Leaders need to focus their organisation on being able to respond quicker and with more agility than ever before. Change the corporate mindset: Many companies have long-held beliefs that limited their ability to respond and transform assumptions that need to be put in the bin. Make bold investments: The successful businesses of the last 12 months were the ones that had historically invested in new ways of working and bold new propositions. Experiment: In a decade that will be defined by rapid change and transformation, inexpensive, fast experimentation needs to be in the DNA of an organisation. Allocate your best people to your best opportunities: The pace of change is becoming ever faster and the war for talent continues to heat up. Leaders need to balance the need for transparency and fairness with quickly getting the right people in the right roles to optimise the chances of an organisation’s success. Teach more than new digital skills: In building on the successes of working from home and a period of change and disruption, it's crucial to teach employees new cognitive strategies and behaviours to enable them to adapt. Break the silos: During the COVID crisis innovative leaders gathered a multi-skilled team, incentivised them all for success in the same way and gave them the space to make it happen. Many leaders are now thinking about how they can maintain this kind of operating model and not return to older ways of working and the inefficiencies they create. Keep communicating: The pace of disruption and uncertainty in the next decade means that people will often feel unsettled and will seek reassurance. These are the same needs team members faced during the COVID crisis. Practice stakeholder capitalism: Leaders need to take a cooperative model into the next period of transformation. They need to take a long-term view, to have a strategy that not only ensures financial performance in the short term, but invests, and is seen to invest, in longer-term positive outcomes for all stakeholders. About Studio 44 Studio 44 is creating the future. It is a next generation consultancy that helps senior business leaders create step-out growth, disrupt markets and transform their culture and ways of working. It brings together smart people from tech, the arts, business and science with a common mission to create growth for clients with a focus on people and the planet. By bringing diverse thinking and the spirit and energy of a start-up to corporate clients Studio 44 radically shifts the operating model of a traditional consultancy. Contact Details Studio 44 Bilal Mahmood +44 7714 007257 b.mahmood@stockwoodstrategy.com Company Website https://studio44.io/

May 19, 2021 05:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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Digital transformation evades businesses that mismanage data

Stockwood Strategy

Data is poorly understood, inadequately valued and badly managed by global businesses costing them and their investors billions of dollars every year, according to a report published today by Anmut, the data valuation specialists. This is a big problem because it means most businesses are running on data that isn’t fit for purpose. The Anmut Data Leadership Report compiled data and anecdotal evidence from almost 100 Chief Data Officers from organisations headquartered on five continents whose collective annual revenues total over $1 trillion. The report finds that 91% of business leaders believe data is critical to the success of their businesses. However, only one in three (34%) of their companies manage their businesses’ data assets with the same disciplines as other business assets. These companies spend their allocated data management budget on creating value from their data that in turn helps them scale their businesses and develop their strategies. The remaining two thirds (66%) are using half of their data budgets to fix problems and errors identified within the data itself. According to the report, the average global business spends between 4% and 7% of annual operating expenses on managing its data. For a global financial services brand, that amounts to as much as $1.5-3 billion annually. “Time and again we’re seeing international businesses and household name brands coming under fire for reasons that seem preventable with hindsight,” says Herman Heyns, CEO of Anmut. "Those that succeed do so because they really understand the value of their data, and therefore prioritise and manage it well." Three quarters of respondents (76%) say their businesses are investing in large-scale data and digital transformation strategies. And, 63% say data is more critical than technology to achieve business transformation. Yet, Anmut's report also finds that technology investment regularly overshadows data investment. Technology gets three times the attention (73%) and five and a half times (88%) the budget as data. This is in spite of the fact that technology is dependent on reliable data to run well. Heyns adds: “The preference to invest in technology over data throws up a fascinating question about what digital transformation really means for businesses all over the world. Digital transformation is a term that’s used everywhere, in every annual report and corporate strategy document. Digital transformation is what companies do to become data-driven. The advances many companies make might be digital in name, but to create the transformation they're aiming for, they cannot lose sight of the data.” Chief Data Officers (CDOs) interviewed for the report regularly cite the challenge to make data something that everyone in their businesses understands, values and knows how to manage. The report finds that one third of company boards (33%) don’t consider data a ‘material asset’. 9 in 10 CDOs (87%) say putting a monetary value on data would enable people within the business to manage that data better. Heyns adds: “A critical issue for businesses’ data leaders is winning senior buy-in. When the board doesn’t appreciate the value of data to a company’s future performance, it’ll lack investment further down the business. That’s where data valuation comes into play. When the value of data assets are set out in pounds and pence, data can be thought of as a business asset. Then it climbs up the food chain, gets taken more seriously, impacts C-suite decision-making more readily, and receives greater investment. When data is treated like any other asset by assigning a monetary value to it, businesses can make better strategic decisions.” Anmut, whose clients include Smith & Nephew and Highways England, advises international companies across all sectors on how to manage, measure and value the data within their businesses. Intangible assets make up 90% of the total market value of the world’s largest companies. Anmut’s most conservative estimates put data at 20% to 30% of that. With only a third of companies managing that value well, it’s not a surprise that companies who do manage data well - the FANGS - have become the most valuable companies in history in the shortest time. In March, the UK’s Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport (DCMS) published its report: Increasing Data Access across the UK Economy in which they commit to creating a framework within which the government may have the ability to make interventions into private and third sector organisations to unlock the full value of their data. DCMS follows governments in several leading economies including the US and Germany that are taking the lead to enforce better data management in business. About Anmut Consulting Anmut is the only data asset management company that makes the value of data unignorable, comparable and manageable for businesses investing in digital transformation. Anmut believes in the power of data-driven decisions to make people’s lives better, be they customers, employees, suppliers, shareholders, local communities or future generations. Contact Details Anmut Bilal Mahmood +44 7714 007257 b.mahmood@stockwoodstrategy.com Company Website https://www.anmut.co.uk/

May 19, 2021 04:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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ThreatModeler Software, Inc Wins Two Categories by Global Infosec Awards for 2021

ThreatModeler Software, Inc.

ThreatModeler Software, Inc is proud to announce that it has won the following two categories from Cyber Defense Magazine, the industry's leading electronic information security magazine exclusively for RSA Conferences: Most Innovative in Cloud Security Most Innovative in Threat Modeling The 9th annual Global InfoSec Awards were announced during the opening of the RSA Conference on May 17, 2021. We have been selected by CISSP, FMDHS, CEH, certified security professionals based on their independent reviews of the products/services. Innovation is the driving force here at Threatmodeler and believe this is what sets us apart to be the leader in our industry category. “We are very excited to see continuing recognition for our automated threat modeling platform and the innovation we bring to cyber security”, said Archie Agarwal, Founder and CEO of ThreatModeler Software, Inc. “We’re honored to be selected by a panel of expert judges around the globe from over 3,000 companies”. “These winners are the most innovative, forward thinking and proactive cyber security companies and service providers on the planet who are working to bring tomorrow’s cybersecurity solutions to market, today,” said Gary S. Miliefsky, Publisher of Cyber Defense Magazine. About Cyber Defense Magazine Infosec Awards This is Cyber Defense Magazine's ninth year of delivering and honoring the most innovative and valuable innovator for any startup, early-stage, later-stage, or public companies in the information security space who have a unique and compelling value proposition for their product or service. Learn more at https://cyberdefenseawards.com/ About ThreatModeler Software, Inc. ThreatModeler is an automated platform that provides a sustainable, self-service threat modeling practice for applications and infrastructure that evolves as your infrastructure grows. ThreatModeler encourages collaboration through its simple process flow diagram-based functionality that's easy to use in the creation of threat models that identify, prioritize and mitigate threats, while communicating them broadly. ThreatModeler integrates with JIRA, Jenkins, and Azure Boards and Pipelines, with bidirectional web services API also unifying stakeholders in collaboration. Teams are empowered to code fearlessly and deliver new products with security built-in as early as the design phase, which is based on global security and compliance standards. Click here to schedule a live demo with a threat modeling expert. Contact Details ThreatModeler Software, Inc Sarah Chan +1 201-266-0510 marketing@threatmodeler.com Company Website https://threatmodeler.com/

May 18, 2021 11:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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TRUST SCIENCE PLEDGE CALLS FOR PUBLIC TO ENGAGE IN SCIENTIFIC LITERACY

International Day of Light Steering Committee

After a year in which scientific breakthroughs are helping countries return to a sense of normality, a new pledge offers the general public a path to draw attention to the importance of scientific literacy. The Trust Science pledge, a worldwide campaign to promote support for the scientific process and acknowledge the many benefits of science for society is a first step to recognizing the vital role science plays in improving quality of life and combatting scientific misinformation. Scientific literacy, or the understanding of science, its methodology, observations and theories, starts with appreciating the wonder and advancements of science. One current example is the progress made with vaccines, but the past year has seen many other scientific developments, specifically in light science. These include advances in high-speed communications enabling families to stay connected through videoconferencing, faster access to online media content and breakthroughs in astronomy and planetary exploration such as NASA’s Perseverance Rover landing on Mars in February. With the rise of disinformation, declaring support for the scientific process provides a concrete way to stand up for science and the benefits it brings to society. The pledge, launched in celebration of the UNESCO International Day of Light on 16 May, aims to promote support for the scientific process and to acknowledge the many benefits of science for society. Nobel and Breakthrough laureates, scientific leaders, CEOs and everyday citizens worldwide have signed the pledge, taking a significant step in building scientific literacy and trust in the scientific method. “We all share responsibility for seeking out trustworthy scientific information,” said Dr. Jess Wade, a physicist working in the Department of Materials at Imperial College London. “Before sharing information about a scientific claim, we can check the source of claims, research the credibility of the author and double-check the facts with fact-checking organizations.” The pledge complements other strategies for identifying fact from fiction. A first step in achieving scientific literacy is the careful questioning of any statement that is positioned as a scientific fact. Below are three ways the general public can check the validity of something they may have read, heard or seen online as a fact: 1. Embrace initial skepticism and check the source of the claims. 2. Watch out for rhetoric. A credible author will cite facts and sources and the results of scientific research rather than “science” itself. 3. Double-check the facts with fact-checking organizations. The Trust Science campaign is organized by the IEEE Photonics Society, SPIE, the international society for optics and photonics, and The Optical Society (OSA), together with the International Day of Light Steering Committee. To sign the pledge and to learn more, please go to https://www.trust-science.org Contacts For questions about how you can engage with the campaign, please contact: info@trust-science.org For media inquiries, please contact: pr@trust-science.org Social media: please share using #TrustScience and #LightDay2021 Social media links: Facebook; Instagram; Twitter About the International Day of Light The International Day of Light (IDL) is a worldwide initiative that provides an annual focal point for the continued appreciation of light and the role it plays in science, culture and art, education and sustainable development, and in fields as diverse as medicine, communications and energy. The International Day of Light is administered from the International Basic Science Programme (IBSP) of UNESCO by a Steering Committee that includes representatives from a broad range of international partners: the American Institute of Physics (AIP), the American Physical Society (APS), Bosca, the China International Optoelectronic Exhibition (CIOE), Chinese Optical Society (COS), the European Centres for Outreach in Photonics (ECOP), the European Photonics Industry Consortium (EPIC), the European Physical Society (EPS), the Illuminating Engineering Society (IES), the International Centre for Theoretical Physics (ICTP), the IEEE Photonics Society (IPS), the International Commission on Illumination (CIE), lightsources.org - the international network of accelerator based light sources, Light: Science and Applications, The Optical Society (OSA), Tampere University, SPIE, the International Society for Optics and Photonics, SESAME, Signify, Tampere University, Thorlabs, Transitions, the Université de Franche-Comté and Velux. For information about the International Day of Light, please visit www.lightday.org Contacts for IDL: John Dudley and Joseph Niemela 2021 Steering Committee Chairs Email: contact@lightday.org Bethany Downer 2021 Communications Coordinator Email: contact@lightday.org Media Contact for Trust Science: pr@trust-science.org About IEEE Photonics Society The IEEE Photonics Society is the professional home for a global network of scientists, engineers and allied professionals who advance laser, optoelectronics, and photonics technology. As a technical society representing the IEEE, it is a vital part of the world’s largest technical professional organization of more than 400,000 members dedicated to advancing technology for the benefit of humanity. Through its highly cited publications, conferences, technology standards, educational activities, and humanitarian initiatives, the IEEE Photonics Society provides its members in more than 160 countries the opportunity to grow professionally and stay on the forefront of transformational breakthroughs in photonics. PhotonicsSociety.org About SPIE SPIE, the international society for optics and photonics, was founded in 1955 to advance light-based technologies. Serving more than 255,000 constituents from 183 countries, the not-for-profit society advances emerging technologies through interdisciplinary information exchange, continuing education, publications, patent precedent, and career and professional growth. SPIE annually organizes and sponsors approximately 25 major technical forums, exhibitions, and education programs in North America, Europe, Asia, and the South Pacific. In 2020, SPIE provided more than $5 million in support of education and outreach programs. www.spie.org About The Optical Society Founded in 1916, The Optical Society (OSA) is the leading professional organization for scientists, engineers, students and business leaders in light science and technology. The society serves over 432,000 customers and 22,000 members from more than 100 countries who fuel discoveries, shape real-life applications and accelerate achievements in the field. OSA provides quality research, inspired interactions and dedicated resources for its extensive global network of optics and photonics experts through world-renowned publications. For more information, visit osa.org. Contact Details pr@trust-science.org +1 703-907-0010 pr@trust-science.org Company Website https://www.trust-science.org

May 18, 2021 09:03 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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M Moser Associates Launches New Office in Denver, CO

M Moser Associates

M Moser Associates, a global architecture, design and engineering firm, today announced the opening of its Denver, CO office. This move is inspired by the region’s economic growth and surging client demand for business-centric architecture and design solutions. M Moser has created holistic, human-centric spaces for many of the world’s most successful companies globally over the past 40 years. “Denver is an attractive regional hub given its central location in the U.S., the access it provides to a deep pool of talent, and its rich history in modern office design” said John Sellery, Group Managing Director at M Moser and proud Denver resident. “The market has become a magnet for many of M Moser’s high-growth clients and industries — from technology and science, healthcare, oil and gas, aerospace and more — that require a new approach to architecture and design — one that seamlessly integrates the physical, digital, and social needs of their employees.” The Denver office will be run by Eric Lind (Director), a self-proclaimed Denver “transplant native” living in the city for more than 30 years. He is partnering with Laura Walsh (Senior Associate, Client Services), a third generation Coloradan who has lived in Denver her entire life. Together, they bring a wide variety of expertise in architecture and design along with a deep understanding of the region’s culture and business environment, and a true appreciation for the lifestyle that Denver provides. In 2019, Forbes ranked Denver the fourth best city in the country for business and careers, and the region consistently ranks as a top place to live. M Moser’s move also comes at a time when workplaces are broaching a return-to-the-office following a year of major changes in how, when and where people work. The region’s steadfast commitment to work-life balance and employee wellbeing makes it a fertile ground for designing world-class environments and strategies for dynamic, fast-growing companies. “People who live in and around Denver place a premium on the connection to the outdoors and the natural beauty of their physical surroundings — both of which heavily influence how we design to attract the best and brightest talent in the area,” noted Lind. “Whether gazing at the Rocky Mountains from your office window or venturing out for a hike, our relationship with nature and how it defines workplace cultures throughout the city is what makes our job so special and rewarding.” The entrepreneurial and experimental mindset that drives success in the Mile High City aligns with M Moser’s approach to design explorations and helping organizations and their employees realize their growth potential. With a local team of long-time residents supported by the collective creativity of the global organization, M Moser Denver is positioned to make an indelible impact on the direction of architecture, design, and client service in the market. M Moser’s Denver offices are located at 1001 Bannock Street, Suite 231, Denver, CO. For more information on the firm and career opportunities, visit https://www.mmoser.com. M Moser Associates is a global architecture, design, strategy and delivery firm with more than 1,000 professionals networked across Asia, India, Europe, and the Americas. Since 1981, we have helped transform organizations large and small as they’ve expanded locally and globally, providing solutions that meet the unique needs of their business and their people. Today, work happens everywhere, and the purpose of the office and the role it serves for employees is evolving. We believe that now, more than ever, a company’s physical workplace is a critical resource for creation, socialization and culture building. At M Moser, we work as one integrated team to align the physical, social and digital elements of your workplace and create healthy, agile and resilient virtual and physical spaces where people can connect, collaborate and do their best work – wherever they may be. To learn more about our team and how we work with clients and industry partners to create dynamic, resilient and human-centric environments please visit mmoser.com. Contact Details M Moser Associates, North America Mica Guitron +1 415-279-7305 micag@mmoser.com Company Website https://www.mmoser.com/en/

May 18, 2021 09:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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The Digital Museum of the History of Japanese in New York

NY Consulate of Japan

The Japan History Council of New York Honors Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month with its Launch of ‘The Digital Museum of the History of Japanese in New York’ The Japan History Council of New York announced today plans to launch the Digital Museum of the History of the Japanese in New York on Tuesday May 18—making it the first East Coast digital archive to represent local historical figures of Japanese descent. The Digital Museum launch comes at a significant point of time, as May marks Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month, bringing to the forefront the identity and experiences of Asian Americans throughout history. The Japan History Council of New York was established on December 12, 2020 to collect, preserve, and share items (documents, photographs, movie, letters, and new reports) of historical and cultural significance to tell the story of the Japanese experience and community in New York and surrounding areas, and to pass it along to future generations. Materials collected span the fields of politics, diplomacy, business, science, culture, sports, education, community, and media, among others. The ultimate goal of the Council is to establish a physical Japanese History Museum in New York in the future. Woven into the strong tie between Japan and the U.S. today are the untold stories of countless Japanese, Japanese Americans, and Americans in New York and its surrounding areas. While some are well-known for their great contributions to history, others may be lesser-known, or have passed away without being recognized. The Digital Museum of the History of Japanese in New York aims to spotlight these significant people and to remember and honor them, including individuals like: · Toshiko Akiyoshi: Accomplished jazz pianist, composer, arranger, and band leader who has received fourteen Grammy Award nominations. In 1999, she became the first Japanese musician to be inducted into the International Jazz Hall of Fame. · Wataru “Wat” Misaka: College and professional basketball player, who in 1947, became the first player of Asian descent in the Basketball Association of America (now the NBA). He won the 1944 NCAA National Championship as a point guard for the University of Utah. · Jokichi Takamine: The founder of New York City’s Nippon Club, and a pioneering biochemist. In 1900, he discovered how to isolate the hormone adrenaline in an almost pure form. · And many others. The opening ceremony of the Digital Museum of the History of the Japanese in New York will be held virtually on Tuesday May 18, 2021, from 3:30pm-to-4:15pm Eastern Standard Time. Join the ceremony at this Zoom link. https://us02web.zoom.us/j/8475255008?pwd=Mm9Ta044QWNaMG9ZaHZNRnNhY3Rvdz09 Meeting ID: 847 525 5008 Passcode: 707351 One tap mobile +19292056099,,8475255008# US (New York) +13017158592,,8475255008# US (Washington DC) Please visit the website of the digital museum and to view the collections: www.historyofjapaneseinny.org Contact Details Consulate General of Japan in New York Japan Information Center +1 212-371-8222 pr@ny.mofa.go.jp Company Website https://www.ny.us.emb-japan.go.jp

May 17, 2021 12:32 PM Eastern Daylight Time

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Minuteman Press Franchise in Richmond, Kentucky Adapts and Grows During Pandemic as Essential Local Business

Minuteman Press International Inc

Pete Cummings and Chuck Bentley have owned their Minuteman Press printing and marketing franchise in Richmond since May 2014. While the COVID-19 pandemic was certainly the biggest challenge for people and local businesses everywhere, Pete and Chuck managed to remain open as an essential business, adapt their products and services to what local businesses needed during the pandemic, and position themselves for sales growth both during and after the pandemic as a result of their hard work. Pete says, “At the outset of the pandemic we were as alarmed as anyone else over not only what this could do to our business but our community and even the country as a whole. The prospect of slogging through months of economic slowdowns did cause us some anxiety in the beginning. However, we remained optimistic and determined to take advantage of any unique opportunities that the pandemic presented to those of us in the print world.” He continues, “It quickly became apparent that those businesses allowed to remain open would need COVID-related printing and signs in order to both safely assist customers as well as stay in compliance with state and local ordinances. We discovered that some organizations had been allotted grant money from the Federal Government to help with pandemic-related safety requirements. We honed in on those agencies to let them know we were open as essential business and local to them. They responded well to our outreach efforts and we ended up doing a considerable volume of business printing floor decals, signs, logo-imprinted face masks, and other safety-related products. Almost every business that chose to remain open had similar pandemic-related printing needs and we wanted to do everything possible, especially for our local small businesses, to provide them everything we could to help them navigate these unchartered waters.” “We primarily grew our business in 2020 through the expanded offering of signage, floor decals, posters, direct mail, and other essential printed items. We are anticipating that 2021 will see continued growth as more and more local businesses reopen and come back online.” -Pete Cummings, co-owner, Minuteman Press franchise, Richmond, Kentucky Supporting Local Businesses During and After the Pandemic Over the past year, Minuteman Press in Richmond has continued to reach out to local businesses as they reopen. Pete says, “We’ve seen a positive response from local business owners. Many of them seem as glad to see that we are still operating and succeeding as we are trying to help them achieve their own successes through these challenging times. I think in some ways we have had a galvanizing effect for local businesses as we are all in this together. It’s that ‘can-do spirit’ that can really lift others up and we are thankful to be a part of it.” As more restrictions continue to be lifted and other local businesses reopen and recover, Pete and Chuck are ready to help them with custom printing products and marketing services. Pete says, “Because we have stayed open the entire time, Minuteman Press has the experience of helping all different types of businesses at all different phases of the pandemic. We have proven to be a valuable partner and we are excited to provide our business community with as many resources as possible to enhance their marketing and sales efforts.” Pete continues, “Now that the tide is turning on the pandemic, we are encouraging clients to resume their direct marketing efforts. As conferences and events resume, we are promoting all of our capabilities including imprinted table throws, retractable banners, trade show displays, conference-related signage, and promotional products.” Direct mail was another key area of growth that Minuteman Press in Richmond experienced during the pandemic. Pete is excited about the future prospects of direct mail as well. He says, “Surviving and flourishing during the past year has required some adaptation. Last year, direct marketing became very challenging with social distancing becoming the norm. To continue growing we looked to direct mailings as an additional revenue stream. Based on the success we saw from these efforts, we have decided to fully embrace direct mail. We would certainly encourage other businesses to utilize direct mailings as a way to ‘connect’ with potential customers as they ramp up and reopen.” “ Contrary to what some would have one believe, printing is not dead. The increased demand for direct mailings can partly be explained by the ‘contact-free’ environment of the pandemic era. With that said, I believe it also underscores how printed advertising campaigns, when utilized effectively, can yield significant results for our customers. We have also diversified our offerings with signs, promotional items, and apparel. This provides our customers with the convenience of getting everything done under one roof through someone they trust will give them the level of service and quality they expect. So, the printing industry has evolved but those who evolve with the industry will see continued success.” -Pete Cummings Meet the People Behind the Business As Pete and Chuck celebrate seven years in business this month, they reflect on their journey as well as their experiences as Minuteman Press franchise owners. One interesting thing to note is that Pete and Chuck come from two very different backgrounds and did not have any printing experience until joining the Minuteman Press family. Pete explains, “I worked at a bank for roughly ten years after graduating from college and then owned/operated an outpatient pediatric rehabilitation center, offering Speech Therapy and Occupational Therapy to children. We were out of our home state of Kentucky at this time and once we had children we decided to return home. The same opportunities did not exist to operate a rehab center but I had small business ownership in my blood at that point and was actively looking for a good opportunity.” He continues, “Chuck was a school teacher for ten years and he was growing restless. He began looking for a business opportunity that would allow for more financial freedom for his family. He mentioned this to his uncle, Garry Conley, who just so happened to own a Minuteman Press franchise in London, Kentucky along with Chuck’s Aunt, Amy Conley. We sat down with Garry and he did a pretty good job explaining the benefits. It was evident he was running a profitable operation so we listened intently and after meeting with our Regional Vice President Gary Nowak, we decided to take the plunge.” “We opened in 2014 with zero customers and have seen steady growth every year since. Our rate of jobs quoted to jobs earned is very strong. We built the business, especially in the early years, heavily using direct marketing along with the Minuteman Press Internet Marketing program. Sometimes asking people for the opportunity to earn their business is all it takes to open the door to that first job. And once we get that first opportunity, we will almost always turn that person into a repeat customer either in the near future or somewhere down the road. Providing a quality product along with good, friendly service goes a long way.” -Pete Cummings As Pete reflects on the past seven years and especially 2020 when the pandemic first hit, he is thankful to be part of the Minuteman Press franchise family. He says, “We are very grateful for the efforts Minuteman Press International made fairly early on in the pandemic to help keep franchisees flourishing. There’s no question that things could have turned out differently. From continued guidance on how to operate as an essential business to initiating the free Bounce Back program to support local businesses, it was all instrumental in helping us navigate this unprecedented time.” When asked about the rewards of owning a business, Pete answers, “Financial freedom and the feeling that we can control our own destinies for us are the biggest rewards to business ownership. We can’t be the victim of a company downsize or see our jobs shipped overseas. We certainly work hard to achieve success but those efforts are going towards building something that directly benefits our families.” As for what advice he would give to local businesses right now, Pete sums it up best by saying, “Don’t lose heart. I know it has been a tough year but as more and more sectors of the economy ramp things up again, economic opportunities will return.” Pete Cummings and Chuck Bentley’s Minuteman Press franchise is located at 202 Wayne Dr., Ste. A; Richmond, KY 40475. For more information, call 859-314-1172 or visit their website: https://www.richmondky.minutemanpress.com. Learn more about #1 rated Minuteman Press franchise opportunities and read Minuteman Press franchise reviews at https://minutemanpressfranchise.com. Contact Details Minuteman Press International Chris Biscuiti +1 631-249-1370 cbiscuiti@mpihq.com Company Website https://minutemanpressfranchise.com

May 17, 2021 10:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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