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Chicago Heights Glass Sues Reflection Window & Wall for Patent Infringement of Talon Wall® System

Chicago Heights Glass

Chicago Heights Glass, Inc., a longstanding leader in commercial high-rise façade construction in the Chicago metropolitan area, and related entities recently filed a multi-count, federal patent infringement lawsuit against former employee Joel J. Phelps and Reflection Window & Wall, LLC (RWW), and others. The plaintiffs, including Chicago Heights Glass, Inc., Talon Wall Holdings, LLC, and Entekk Group Ltd., patented a revolutionary exterior aluminum and glass wall construction system for commercial buildings, known as Talon Wall®, which greatly reduces the labor, material, and installation costs for curtain wall systems on high-rise buildings. They are marketing and installing it nationwide. The Talon Wall system is stronger, less expensive, and easier to install than traditional façade systems. According to the lawsuit, Phelps and RWW have created and have installed a knock-off building façade called “Uwall or “U-8000” that incorporates the patented Talon Wall system. The lawsuit further alleges that the defendants knowingly violated the Talon Wall patents. Contracts to construct exterior façade walls for commercial medium and high-rise structures are frequently worth $5-50 million. The lawsuit seeks damages and asks the court to enjoin the defendants from using the patented Talon Wall System. According to the lawsuit, additional contracts to use the knock-off system have been proposed by the defendants for planned high-rise buildings in Chicago and elsewhere. For many years, high-rise buildings have been enclosed in aluminum and glass facades using systems developed decades ago. Chicago Heights Glass Inc. President Kurt LeVan invented the Talon Wall system, which differs significantly from traditional methods by attaching prefabricated glass and aluminum panels to the building floor slabs in a unique fashion. Installing prefabricated aluminum and glass panels this way makes them stronger, easier to fabricate, and easier to install by much smaller work crews. The Talon Wall system is therefore superior to and dramatically less expensive than traditional methods, and the Talon Wall system has become the preferred standard for many high-rise construction projects. The lawsuit alleges that former Chicago Heights employee Phelps left the company abruptly in June of 2020. According to the lawsuit, he had substantial knowledge regarding the technical details, advantages, and market opportunities for the Talon Wall system. The lawsuit also states that Phelps was obligated to return certain materials to Chicago Heights but failed to do so. The lawsuit adds that armed with the confidential information about the Talon Wall system, Phelps was promptly hired by RWW, a direct competitor. The lawsuit further alleges that: “With full awareness that the Talon Wall System was a patented and superior product to anything being offered by RWW, Phelps both individually and in his capacity as an executive officer of RWW, along with RWW, created knock-off systems.” The lawsuit also names as defendants several construction companies and building owners, including: Pepper Construction Co., Provident Group UIC Surgery Center, LLC, LendLease (US) Construction Inc., 1400 Land Holdings, LLC, and others. According to the complaint, the UI Outpatient Surgery Center located at 1009 South Wood Street in Chicago was built with the knock-off system, and a new building at 1400 South Wabash is under contract to use the patent-infringing system. LeVan devised and developed the Talon Wall System over a period of years and went through the rigorous U.S. patent process. The company will continue to vigorously defend its intellectual property against such violations, including against contractors and building owners that use it. Chicago Heights Glass, Inc. is a privately owned specialty manufacturer and subcontracting firm located in the southern Chicago suburbs that specializes in commercial construction projects. More information on the company is available at www.chicagoheightsglass.com. The lawsuit can be downloaded here and at www.LawsuitPressRelease.com. Contact Details LawsuitPressRelease.com John P. David +1 888-859-6637 john@lawsuitpressrelease.com

January 24, 2022 08:01 AM Central Standard Time

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NICOLAS JIMENEZ NAMED DIRECTOR OF GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS FOR COMCAST HOUSTON

Comcast Houston

Nicolas Jimenez has been named director of Government Affairs for Comcast’s Houston Region. In this role, Jimenez will be responsible for overseeing regulatory, franchising, and public policy matters across the entire region. “I’m so excited to join the terrific Comcast team in our Houston region and continue to build on the excellent relationships we have with our government and community partners,” Jimenez said. “My family and I are thrilled to now be part of America’s most diverse city and to a region known for growth, hospitality, and innovation.” Before joining the Houston team, Jimenez led Comcast’s government affairs efforts in South Metro Denver and Southern Colorado. He also worked at Comcast’s Philadelphia headquarters, where he served as national partnerships lead for Internet Essentials, Comcast’s signature community impact initiative aimed at helping income-constrained households get online. Jimenez is a passionate lifelong learner and community-oriented leader, who has a long history of development and paying it forward. “We are excited to have Nicolas join our Comcast Houston team,” said Toni Beck, vice president of External Affairs, Comcast Houston. “His expertise and background in government affairs, passion for digital equity and meaningful stakeholder engagement will be an invaluable asset as we deepen our connection with communities and customers, remain laser-focused on closing the digital divide and grow Comcast’s business in the Houston area.” Jimenez replaces Melinda Little who was promoted to a government affairs role in the Company’s central division. Jimenez is a graduate of Temple University, Fox School of Business. He is a native of San Juan, Puerto Rico, who enjoys volunteering and spending time with his wife and kids. Comcast Corporation (Nasdaq: CMCSA) is a global media and technology company that connects people to moments that matter. We are principally focused on broadband, aggregation, and streaming with 57 million customer relationships across the United States and Europe. We deliver broadband, wireless, and video through our Xfinity, Comcast Business, and Sky brands; create, distribute, and stream leading entertainment, sports, and news through Universal Filmed Entertainment Group, Universal Studio Group, Sky Studios, the NBC and Telemundo broadcast networks, multiple cable networks, Peacock, NBCUniversal News Group, NBC Sports, Sky News, and Sky Sports; and provide memorable experiences at Universal Parks and Resorts in the United States and Asia. Visit www.comcastcorporation.com for more information. Contact Details Foti Kallergis +1 832-986-0196 Foti_Kallergis@comcast.com Company Website https://houston.comcast.com/

January 24, 2022 05:00 AM Central Standard Time

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NYPA and SIGA Explore Using Level-0 Monitoring Technology To Overcome Cybersecurity Gaps in the Energy Sector

SIGA OT Solutions

The New York Power Authority (NYPA), America's largest state power organization and SIGA OT Solutions, a leading OT cybersecurity company, formed a collaboration in 2019 as part of a New York State economic development partnership, and have published a white paper based on their findings, called Overcoming Cybersecurity Gaps in the Energy Sector: How to Address Stuxnet-Type Scenarios Using Level-0 Monitoring. NYPA identified cyberattacks as a major threat to its operations in the coming years. NYPA’s cyber division—together with the AGILe team—aimed to reduce the risk of cyber-attacks on its facilities. The main objective of the collaboration is to reveal otherwise undetectable cyber threats—such as unique Stuxnet-type scenarios—using SigaGuard, an advanced electrical signal conditioning and analysis solution. SigaGuard is the leading process-oriented detection (POD) solution based on Level 0 information which cannot be tampered with or masked. Cybersecurity gaps in OT environments need to be addressed taking a multi-level approach, with ongoing threat analysis to minimize the attack surface of potential hackers. When considering adversary tactics and threat models, there is an apparent gap in the field level of the process and sensors, Level 0. This gap was exploited in several cases in recent years and can cause dangerous situations—which can impact the OT process and endanger lives. The recently published white paper describes how NYPA and SIGA collaborated in a simulated attack environment to test these scenarios. The sequence of attacks was carefully designed and executed by NYPA’s AGILe lab team and cyber experts, focusing on the main cyber scenarios which affect the real operation of a sub-station with either false or no reporting to the control level. The test outcome validates the significance of Level 0 monitoring as a holistic approach towards OT cybersecurity, clearly demonstrating the unique advantages of combining POD and Level 0 data. Focusing on electric signals—before they are converted into data packets and filtered by the PLC—is probably the most effective technique for accurately identifying an operation anomaly, regardless of the cause. It can bring the highest possible level of visibility into process equipment and sensor functioning, closing an intractable gap against determined adversaries. Link to white paper: https://sigasec.com/resources/overcoming-cybersecurity-gaps-in-the-energy-sector-how-to-address-stuxnet-type-scenarios-using-level-0-monitoring/ Alan Ettlinger, Sr. Director, Research, Technology Development and Innovation at New York Power Authority, noted: “NYPA places a priority on preventing any downtime, failure or malfunctions of its mission-critical infrastructure, and we invest a great deal of effort and resources to ensure resilience and security. SigaGuard’s monitoring system that detects anomalous behavior and provides real-time validation of process data was demonstrated in a substation environment, which is one of our critical assets, and conforms with NYPA’s innovative deployment plan in the areas of process resilience and security.” Amir Samoiloff, co-founder and CEO of SIGA, added: “SIGA’s cooperation with NYPA has demonstrated a strong and strategic bond with a major utility in the U.S., with the highest professional conduct. This collaboration became possible due to the excellent expertise and motivation of the NYPA team. SIGA is looking forward to deepening its partnership with NYPA’s elite cyber protection team by further integrating SIGA’s cyber security solution, SigaGuard, into additional NYPA critical infrastructure centers.” About NYPA NYPA is the largest state public power organization in the US, operating 16 generating facilities and more than 1,400 circuit-miles of transmission lines. More than 80 percent of the electricity NYPA produces is clean renewable hydropower. NYPA uses no tax money or state credit. It finances its operations through the sale of bonds and revenues earned in large part through sales of electricity. For more information visit www.nypa.gov SIGA OT Solutions Developer of SigaGuard, a technology platform that providesincipient failure detection for infrastructure operators to improve the reliability, safety, and cybersecurity of their assets. SIGA’s technology is US patented and ISO / IEC 27001 certified providing OT monitoring, anomaly detection and cybersecurity solutions for commercial, industrial, critical infrastructure, ICS and SCADA systems. SIGA Data Security and SIGA OT Solutions Inc., a Delaware corporation, boasts satisfied customers in the United States, Europe, Singapore, Japan, and Israel, and were named a Gartner "Cool Vendor" for Industrial IoT and OT Security, and is a recipient of the EU Research and Innovation program - Horizon 2020. For more information visit www.sigasec.com Contact Details SIGA OT Solutions Ilan Sosnovitch +972 50-327-3092 ilan.s@sigasec.com Company Website https://sigasec.com/

January 20, 2022 09:03 AM Eastern Standard Time

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Velocity Global Named Official Global Work Platform of the LPGA and LET

Velocity Global

The LPGA announced today that Velocity Global, the leading provider of global expansion solutions, has been named the Official Global Work Platform of the LPGA and Ladies European Tour (LET) in a multi-year agreement. Velocity Global will work with the LPGA Tour and LET to highlight the global impact of their players, representing more than 60 countries, through enhanced storytelling opportunities and player recognition. “This partnership highlights that global talent pushes greater competition,” said Rob Wellner, Velocity Global Chief Revenue Officer. “Golf is truly a global sport and to achieve success, you must perform against anyone, anywhere. We’re proud to partner with the LPGA and LET to support the game’s global players just as our Global Work Platform supports talent and businesses around the world.” The partnership introduces the Velocity Global Impact Award, celebrating players who have helped to grow the sport of golf and inspire the next generation of athletes through their actions. More details on the Velocity Global Impact Award, including the structure of the 2022 nominations, will be shared in the coming months. “We’re excited to welcome Velocity Global to the LPGA Partner family and create this Impact Award to showcase our players outside the ropes,” said the LPGA’s Chief Sales Officer Kelly Hyne. “As a like-minded global business, Velocity Global will help illustrate the impact our players make in the game of golf and in their home countries. We look forward to many years of collaboration.” The LET will utilize the Global Work Platform from Velocity Global to simplify compliance, benefits and payroll for their talent to deliver tour events in 25 countries across multiple continents this year. “We are delighted to partner with Velocity Global to utilize their world-class expansion and talent solutions to help accelerate the growth of our business and international footprint,” said LET CEO Alexandra Armas. “We fully embrace this opportunity to best service our players and continue growing the game globally.” Additionally, as an Official Partner of the LPGA’s Women’s Network, Velocity Global will utilize the LPGA platform to highlight those initiatives internally focused around women’s leadership, diversity, equity, and inclusion through additional programming. Velocity Global furthered its support of the women’s game with the recent announcement that LPGA Tour players Lexi Thompson and Albane Valenzuela joined six-time PGA TOUR champion Billy Horschel and four-time APGA Tour champion Kevin Hall as its global golf brand ambassadors. About Velocity Global Velocity Global accelerates the future of work beyond borders. Its global work platform simplifies the employer and employee experience to employ any talent anywhere with just a click through its proprietary cloud-based workforce management technology, backed by personalized expertise and unmatched global scale. As the largest global Employer of Record (also known as International PEO) in 185 countries and all 50 United States, more than 1,000 brands rely on Velocity Global to build global teams without the cost or complexity of setting up foreign legal entities or state registrations. The company offers additional services including Independent Contractor Compliance to assess a workforce, and Agent of Record (AoR) to streamline payments to contractors. Velocity Global was named a “Leader” in Global Employer of Record services by prominent analyst firm NelsonHall. Founded in 2014, the company has hundreds of employees across six continents. For more information visit velocityglobal.com. About the LPGA The LPGA is the world’s leading professional golf organization for women, with a goal to change the face of golf by making the sport more accessible and inclusive. Created in 1950 by 13 Founders, the Association celebrates a diverse and storied history. The LPGA Tour competes across the globe, reaching television audiences in more than 220 countries. The Symetra Tour, the LPGA’s official qualifying tour, consistently produces a pipeline of talent ready for the world stage. The LPGA also holds a joint-venture collaboration with the Ladies European Tour (LET), increasing playing opportunities for female golfers in Europe. Across the three Tours, the LPGA represents players in more than 60 countries. Additionally, the LPGA Foundation has empowered and supported girls and women since 1991, most notably through LPGA*USGA Girls Golf, the only national program of its kind, which annually engages with nearly 100,000 girls. The LPGA Amateur Golf Association and LPGA Women’s Network provide virtual and in-person connections to female golfers around the world, while LPGA Professionals are educators, business leaders and gamechangers dedicated to growing the game of golf for everyone. Follow the LPGA on its U.S. television home, Golf Channel, online at www.LPGA.com and on its mobile apps. Join the social conversation on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube. About the LET The LET inspires women and girls to pursue their passion and realise their potential through the game of golf. At our core, we aim to build and deliver an extensive competitive schedule of events to enable our strong, energetic, proud, and confident players to compete at the highest level, pursue their dreams and lead by example. Our diverse and multicultural membership of 316 professional golfers represents as many as 36 countries. We are a global tour with roots in Europe. We aim to entertain and excite, but also to enhance health and quality of life, as a responsible, committed and respectful partner. Inspiring – our players are inspiring role models to follow and encourage others to pursue their own dreams. Passionate – we are driven by a passion to perform to our full potential and get better every day. It’s not just about the money or the glory, but a true love for the game. Committed – we are fiercely committed to continuous improvement and recognise the grit that it takes to achieve long-term goals. 2022 marks the 44th season of golf tournaments since the professional tour was founded in 1978 and the third edition of the Race to Costa Del Sol. This year’s schedule includes 31 events in 21 different countries and a record-breaking prize fund of €24.5 million. The LET Access Series is the official development tour of the LET, formed to give players an opportunity to compete and progress onto the LET and achieve their dreams in professional golf. Ladieseuropeantour.com #RaiseOurGame Contact Details Velocity Global John Hall +1 720-650-4348 news@velocityglobal.com LPGA Christina Lance christina.lance@lpga.com LET Bethan Jones bethan.jones@ladieseuropeantour.com Company Website https://velocityglobal.com/

January 18, 2022 07:01 AM Mountain Standard Time

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FeganScott Announces Investigation into Equity LifeStyle Properties for Widespread, Chronic Neglect of Mobile Home Properties across U.S.

FeganScott

Today consumer-rights law firm FeganScott announced it is broadening its investigation of Equity LifeStyle Properties (ELS) (NYSE:ELS) to include other mobile home properties owned and operated by ELS across 33 states. FeganScott filed a class-action lawsuit earlier this month in the Southern District of Florida, alleging that ELS and the operator of the Heritage Plantation mobile home park in Vero Beach, a subsidiary of ELS, have failed to maintain the park’s stormwater drainage system, leaving residents to deal with frequent flooding, mud, slip and fall injuries, and damaged mobile homes and cars, in dereliction of their duties as mobile home park operators and owners. “Since we filed our complaint on behalf of the residents in Vero Beach, we’ve learned that this might not be an issue limited to this one property but could be a systemic issue with ELS properties across the state of Florida and in other states as well,” said Elizabeth Fegan, founding partner and managing member of FeganScott and lead attorney representing the residents. In the Florida lawsuit, homeowners claim they have had to pay to replace flooring that is persistently damaged by the three-feet high floodwaters that occur after normal rainfall. In addition to the stress of frequent household damages, residents risk injuries caused by muddy accumulations and face health risks caused by mold growth caused by the flood waters. “Heritage Plantation, like many of ELS’ properties, is an age-qualified community, meaning its residents are over the age of 55. Many of those residents are on a fixed incomes and because mobile homes cannot easily be moved, cannot relocate to another mobile home park and so are trapped by ELS’s neglect,” Fegan added. “As we noted in our complaint, we contend that ELS has made the decision to forego necessary infrastructure investments in efforts to increase profits at the expense of residents’ safety and wellbeing and believe this extends to other ELS properties.” FeganScott urges residents and homeowners who live in properties managed by ELS to learn more about their rights by contacting the firm at heritage@feganscott.com. ### About FeganScott FeganScott is a national class action law firm dedicated to helping victims of consumer fraud, sexual abuse, and discrimination. The firm is championed by acclaimed veteran, class action attorneys who have successfully recovered $1 billion for victims nationwide. FeganScott is committed to pursuing successful outcomes with integrity and excellence while holding the responsible parties accountable. Media Only: Mark Firmani feganscottpr@firmani.com 206.466.2700 Case: 8:20-cv-01584 About FeganScott FeganScott is a national class action law firm dedicated to helping victims of civil rights violations, sexual abuse, sexual harassment, and consumer fraud. The firm is championed by acclaimed veteran, class action attorneys who have successfully recovered $1 billion for victims nationwide. FeganScott is committed to pursuing successful outcomes with integrity and excellence while holding the responsible parties accountable. Contact Details Mark Firmani +1 206-466-2700 feganscottpr@firmani.com Company Website https://feganscott.com

January 17, 2022 09:35 AM Pacific Standard Time

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FeganScott Announces Investigation into Prenatal Testing Options Revealing Flawed Genetic Results

FeganScott

Today consumer-rights law firm FeganScott announced it has launched a broad-ranging investigation into whether certain national medical laboratories, including Natera (NASDAQ:NTRA), Sequenom (now owned byLabcorp, NYSE: LH), and Quest (NYSE: DGX), provided expectant mothers with lab test results the organizations knew – or should have known – returned unacceptably high percentages of flawed results. In some instances, the flawed results led expectant mothers to believe the children they were carrying had serious genetic abnormalities, according to media reports. “Since we’ve begun our investigation into mothers who were offered prenatal testing and received flawed results, it’s evident this issue is widespread,” said Beth Fegan, founder of FeganScott. “We are examining whether the labs acted appropriately in how they disclosed information regarding the accuracy of the testing, and whether those disclosures were done in a way that allowed parents to make informed decisions regarding the test and test results.” According to media reports, many prenatal tests including Panorama, Prequel, Maternit21 and others are expected to be wrong over half the time and yet they continue to be offered as possible solutions for parents who may be worried about genetic abnormalities. “There a have been other instances in which labs and laboratory testing organizations have delivered flawed results to parents causing great emotional and financial distress. We need to be sure this isn’t happening again,” Fegan added. Individuals who are interested in learning more about this investigation are urged to send their contact information to prenataltesting@feganscott.com. ### About FeganScott FeganScott is a national class action law firm dedicated to helping victims of consumer fraud, sexual abuse, and discrimination. The firm is championed by acclaimed veteran, class action attorneys who have successfully recovered $1 billion for victims nationwide. FeganScott is committed to pursuing successful outcomes with integrity and excellence while holding the responsible parties accountable. Media Only: Mark Firmani feganscottpr@firmani.com 206.466.2700 About FeganScott FeganScott is a national class action law firm dedicated to helping victims of civil rights violations, sexual abuse, sexual harassment, and consumer fraud. The firm is championed by acclaimed veteran, class action attorneys who have successfully recovered $1 billion for victims nationwide. FeganScott is committed to pursuing successful outcomes with integrity and excellence while holding the responsible parties accountable. Contact Details Mark Firmani +1 206-466-2700 feganscottpr@firmani.com Company Website https://feganscott.com

January 17, 2022 09:07 AM Pacific Standard Time

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ACCOUNT HOLDERS AT DONORSTRUST SET ASIDE MORE THAN $1 BILLION FOR CHARITY IN 2021

Donors Trust

The team at DonorsTrust, a donor-advised fund (DAF) provider committed to encouraging philanthropic giving and protecting donor intent, today announced that accountholder contributions made in 2021 more than doubled from 2020 to exceed $1 billion dollars. This significant milestone demonstrates the continued generosity of existing accountholders and new philanthropists choosing to open or transfer accounts to DonorsTrust. Most importantly, by contributing such funds to a donor-advised fund, it ensures these individual funds can only be used for philanthropic purposes that benefit an operating charity. “The philanthropic spirit is alive and well as donors increase giving, give more strategically and more frequently,” stated Lawson Bader CEO of DonorsTrust. “Donor-advised funds remain the fastest growing charitable vehicle in the country to centralize and simplify giving. We are excited to provide these critical services to philanthropists at a time when charitable organizations need it most.” In addition to the more than $1 billion in contributions flowing into DonorsTrust accounts during 2021, grant recommendations from accountholders (essentially, a donation made from a DAF to a charity) are also on a record-breaking pace. On Giving Tuesday (November 30), DonorsTrust announced it was on track to exceed 2020 grants to nonprofit organizations – both in amount and total grants. In 2019, DonorsTrust accountholders recommended $163 million in grants to 751 charities in nearly every U.S. state, representing an increase of 12% in grant recommendations compared to2018. In 2020, DonorsTrust paid out more than $186 million to charitable causes. With the expected surge in additional giving around the holidays and year-end, the amount in 2021 would break records again. December 2021 was the busiest month on record for grant-making in DonorsTrust’s twenty-plus year history with 2,905 total grants. Grants were up nearly 20% in 2021 over the previous year. In a recent Giving Ventures Podcast interview Bader stated that, “…We push donor-advised funds in general because they really are for anybody. They’re not just for trillionaire, millionaire, billionaires. It’s for anybody, and I’m encouraged by the growth of donor-advised funds across the entire industry these last many years…” “While we are pleased with so many new accounts and an influx of contributions into those accounts, we are even more excited that our payout rates are among the highest in the industry,” Bader said. “Our account holders are focused on addressing issues now and are active givers to organizations that need it most in these critical times.” “In previous years, DonorsTrust account holders requested more money to be dispersed from their DAFs than they contributed into the account,” Bader explains “New accounts are generating more money going into DonorsTrust for future donations, which will surely be utilized quickly. It is a great way to start the New Year, especially considering our account holders are active, not idle.” ### To learn more DAFs and DonorsTrust, please visit http://www.donorstrust.org and listen to the Giving Ventures Podcast here: https://www.donorstrust.org/podcast/. Established in 1999 as a 501(c)(3) public charity, DonorsTrust is a community of donors devoted to creating a better future. Our donors support charities they believe protect our Nation’s constitutional liberties and strengthen civil society through private institutions rather than with government programs. Our boutique size lets us offer our donors personal attention and advice that helps them achieve their philanthropic goals. We ensure that our donors’ intentions are protected and offer them a simple, effective and tax-advantaged way to give. Since inception, DonorsTrust has granted out over $1.6 billion to over 4,000 charities that protect our constitutional liberties and strengthen civil society without government funding. Contact Details kglobal Dan Rene +1 202-329-8357 daniel.rene@kglobal.com Company Website https://www.donorstrust.org/

January 13, 2022 01:56 PM Eastern Standard Time

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Surety Industry Launches Contractor Bonding Education & Mentoring Program

SFAA

The Surety & Fidelity Association of America (SFAA) and the National Association of Surety Bond Producers (NASBP) are pleased to announce they have jointly developed and launched the surety industry’s new Contractor Bonding Education & Mentoring Program. This free program helps small, new, emerging, minority-owned and other disadvantaged contractors learn how to qualify for construction surety bonds, thereby expanding their business opportunities and providing the services and benefits of these bonds. The Contractor Bonding Education & Mentoring Program includes two components: a set of eLearning modules available online 24/7, which can be taken on demand at the learner’s pace, and an optional mentor program with industry professionals who can provide practical advice and recommendations for the mentee to follow in their efforts to achieve bonding. “The surety industry has a longstanding commitment to providing resources and programs to new and emerging minority contractors. The Contractor Bonding Education & Mentoring Program was specifically designed by industry experts to provide the education needed to understand the bond qualification process,” said Lee Covington, president and CEO of SFAA. “By combining the modernized eLearning platform with a mentoring component, minority, and other contractors now have the opportunity to learn firsthand from professionals inside the industry, gaining valuable insight into the bonding qualification process to expand their business opportunities.” “Many small construction businesses simply are unaware of the value that surety relationships can bring to their business,” related Mark McCallum, CEO of NASBP. “This state-of-the-art educational program conveys those advantages and empowers them with knowledge.” SFAA and NASBP have been joined by several leading construction trade associations to spread awareness of the new educational opportunity including the Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC), the Associated General Contractors of America (AGC), and the National Association of Minority Contractors (NAMC). “We look forward to making this program available to our AGC members, specifically underserved or disadvantaged contractors,” said Stephen E. Sandherr, chief executive officer of the Associated General Contractors of America. “It provides a great foundation on the bonding application and qualification process and will help these contractors expand into new markets.” “The new Contractor Bonding Education & Mentoring Program is a valuable resource for underrepresented contractors,” said Michael Bellaman, president and CEO of Associated Building and Contractors. “The mentoring component is a critical piece, as these contractors can utilize the experience and expertise of professionals in the surety industry to gain practical knowledge about qualifying for a bond.” For more information about the Contractor Bonding Education & Mentoring Program, or to register, visit www.contractorbondinged.org. ### The Surety & Fidelity Association of America (SFAA) is a nonprofit, nonpartisan trade association representing all segments of the surety and fidelity industry. Based in Washington, D.C., SFAA works to promote the value of surety and fidelity bonding by proactively advocating on behalf of its members and stakeholders. The association’s more than 425 member companies write 98 percent of surety and fidelity bonds in the U.S. For more information visit www.surety.org. Founded in 1942, the National Association of Surety Bond Producers (NASBP) is the association of and resource for surety bond producers and allied professionals. NASBP members specialize in providing surety bonds for construction contracts and other purposes to companies and individuals needing the assurance offered by surety bonds. https://www.nasbp.org Contact Details SFAA Peter Roth - Vice President – Strategic Communications, Marketing & Research +1 703-401-0676 proth@surety.org Company Website https://surety.org/

January 13, 2022 09:55 AM Eastern Standard Time

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Velocity Global and Icelantic’s Winter on the Rocks gives respite and relief to Marshall Fire victims

Velocity Global

$30,000 donation to relief fund VIP tickets to Red Rocks for those affected by the fire Velocity Global has partnered with Icelantic’s Winter on the Rocks to donate $30,0000 to the Boulder County Wildfire Fund to assist with recovery from the Marshall Fire, as well as a special VIP Red Rocks experience for those affected by the worst wildfire in Colorado history. “Our hearts go out to our neighbors who lost all of their possessions and precious life in the blink of an eye,” said Ben Wright, Velocity Global founder and CEO. “Money helps in times like this, but so does a brief escape from the realities of recovery. We chatted with our partners at Icelantic’s Winter on the Rocks to find a way to provide that getaway, even for just a night at Red Rocks.” Denver-based Velocity Global, the leading platform for global talent solutions, is a presenting sponsor of Icelantic’s Winter on the Rocks, a partnership between Icelantic Skis, The Pinecone Project, and AEG Presents Rocky Mountain. The group is donating VIP tickets to those affected by the Marshall Fire. “Music and community can help heal and we’re thrilled to be in a position to offer both to those impacted by this tragedy,” said Sam Warren, director and founder of Winter on the Rocks. “We’re asking anyone who knows someone affected to let us know and we’ll give them a night at Red Rocks.” The only winter concert at Red Rocks is celebrating its 10-year anniversary this year with Diplo, Sofi Tukker, Talib Kweli, DJ Matt Cassidy, and JACOBY on January 28th. Velocity Global will distribute tickets to those affected through its social media accounts on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram starting today. About Velocity Global Velocity Global accelerates the future of work beyond borders. Its global work platform simplifies the employer and employee experience to employ any talent anywhere with just a click through its proprietary cloud-based workforce management technology, backed by personalized expertise and unmatched global scale. As the largest global Employer of Record (also known as International PEO) in 185 countries and all 50 United States, more than 1,000 brands rely on Velocity Global to build global teams without the cost or complexity of setting up foreign legal entities or state registrations. The company offers additional services including Independent Contractor Compliance to assess a workforce, and Agent of Record (AoR) to streamline payments to contractors. Velocity Global was named a “Leader” in Global Employer of Record services by prominent analyst firm NelsonHall. Founded in 2014, the company has hundreds of employees across six continents. For more information visit velocityglobal.com. Contact Details Velocity Global John Hall +1 720-650-4348 news@velocityglobal.com Company Website https://velocityglobal.com/

January 13, 2022 07:01 AM Mountain Standard Time

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