Real Estate

Commercial Home Building Property Management REIT Real Estate Residential
News Release Digital Asset Direct

U.S. Waterproofing Expands Geographic Footprint to Southeast U.S. Via Acquisition of Crawl Space Brothers

Rotunda Capital Partners LLC

U.S. Waterproofing, a Rotunda Capital Partners portfolio company, has acquired Crawl Space Brothers, one of the Southeast’s premier providers of residential crawl space encapsulation, repair, and basement waterproofing services. The acquisition of Crawl Space Brothers marks the first acquisition completed by U.S. Waterproofing since partnering with Rotunda in November 2022. Headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, Crawl Space Brothers will expand U.S. Waterproofing’s geographic footprint to the Southeastern U.S. Through years of successful greenfield expansion, Crawl Space Brothers has grown its service area throughout six markets and multiple locations, including North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Maryland, Virginia, and Washington D.C. Crawl Space Brothers will continue to pursue new market growth in partnership with U.S. Waterproofing. The acquisition by U.S. Waterproofing will also enable Crawl Space Brothers to expand its residential waterproofing and foundation repair offerings to more comprehensively serve its customers. U.S. Waterproofing’s best-in-class marketing, sales training and installation expertise will further strengthen Crawl Space Brothers’ value-proposition and service capabilities. Collectively, U.S. Waterproofing and Crawl Space Brothers will pursue additional complementary acquisitions throughout the U.S. Crawl Space Brothers is led by David Dygowski, Aaron Caddel, and Jacob Broussard who will each continue in their existing roles post-transaction. “We are excited to partner with David, Aaron, Jacob and the entire Crawl Space Brothers team,” said U.S. Waterproofing CEO Matt Stock. “With this acquisition, U.S. Waterproofing expands beyond its core Chicagoland market. We are prepared to leverage U.S. Waterproofing’s substantial infrastructure and marketing expertise to expand upon the customer-centric culture that has made Crawl Space Brothers so successful. The acquisition of Crawl Space Brothers is just the beginning of growing our geographic footprint and solution capabilities through complementary acquisitions nationally.” “We are thrilled to join the U.S. Waterproofing team and have been impressed with their 50+ year legacy of success, growth trajectory and our shared core values centered around our collective employees and providing exceptional solutions for our customers,” said David Dygowski of Crawl Space Brothers. “The entire Crawl Space Brothers team looks forward to collaborating with U.S. Waterproofing to build one of the largest residential services platforms in the U.S.” About U.S. Waterproofing Founded in 1957, U.S. Waterproofing is a leading provider of basement waterproofing and foundation repair services, improving the value, health, and longevity of homes. The Company has helped more than 500,000 customers throughout Chicagoland, Northwest Indiana and Southeast Wisconsin enjoy a dry basement and stable foundation. Fueled by their market leading reputation, U.S. Waterproofing’s services include crawl space encapsulation, concrete raising, sump pump installation, window well solutions, gutter cleaning and humidity control. U.S. Waterproofing is A+ rated by the Better Business Bureau. For more information, visit www.uswaterproofing.com. U.S. Waterproofing is seeking to acquire other basement waterproofing and foundation repair service providers and is interested in acquisition opportunities presented by business owners, management, or M&A intermediaries. Please contact Margaux Georgiadis, Head of Business Development at Rotunda Capital Partners for more information. About Crawl Space Brothers Headquartered in Charlotte, with operations throughout North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Maryland, Virginia, and Washington D.C, Crawl Space Brothers is a leading residential crawl space encapsulation and waterproofing services company. Crawl Space Brothers wins on high-quality customer service and a comprehensive service offering. For more information, visit www.crawlspacebrothers.com. About Rotunda Capital Partners Rotunda Capital Partners is an operationally oriented private equity firm focused on transforming family-founder owned companies into dynamic, data-driven platforms able to achieve and manage significant growth. Since its founding in 2009, Rotunda has partnered with management teams to build great businesses within three primary sectors: value-added distribution, asset-light logistics and industrial & business services. Rotunda strives to achieve replicable results by implementing its Rotunda Performance System to create strategic alignment, develop lean processes and create robust, data-driven infrastructures. For more information, visit www.rotundacapital.com. Contact Details Rotunda Capital Partners Jill Lafferty +1 847-280-1295 jill@rotundacapital.com Company Website https://www.rotundacapital.com

April 25, 2023 07:49 AM Eastern Daylight Time

Harvest Thermal Wins Prestigious 2023 Edison Award™ Prize

Harvest Thermal

Harvest Thermal Inc, the leader in ground-breaking thermal battery HVAC solutions, won the Silver prize for Sustainable Design in the Consumer Solutions Category at the 2023 Edison Awards ceremony. It was the second prize Harvest Thermal executives walked away with in as many days. CEO Dr. Jane Melia picked up the Most Innovative Companies 2023 award for Small Businesses at the Fast Company Innovation Festival at the Hall Des Lumieres in New York City. “We’re delivering on Edison Award’s promise of a better world through innovation,” said Michel Maeso, Chief Revenue Office of Harvest Thermal who received the Edison Award at the Caloosa Sound Convention Center in Fort Meyers. “Each one of our systems removes 50 tons of carbon over its lifetime, giving homeowners an affordable way to dramatically lower their carbon footprint. We’re honored to share the Sustainable Design category with Essency and Rheem, each breaking new ground in all-electric HVAC appliances” “I’m proud and honored to be named one of Fast Company’s “World’s Most Innovative Companies of 2023,” said Dr. Melia. It’s especially gratifying on the eve of Earth Day when we double down on our commitment to protect the planet. We wouldn’t be here today without our team of engineers, marketers, advisors, supporters, partners, and especially the homeowners who have made this possible.” Harvest Thermal makes available thermal battery technology for heating and hot water to the mass consumer market. For the first time, homeowners get the benefits of affordability, sustainability, and flexible grid services that until now have only been available to commercial HVAC users. The Harvest Pod limits the operation of a single heat pump mostly to midday while distributing heat and hot water to the home whenever needed. The result is a 90% reduction in carbon emissions compared to gas systems and a 32% drop in monthly heating bills. ABOUT HARVEST THERMAL Harvest Thermal Inc. is a developer and manufacturer of an AI-driven, thermal battery heating, cooling and hot water system for the residential market. Its award-winning, cloud-enabled Harvest Pod controller leverages the power of advanced analytics and machine learning to dramatically reduce carbon emissions, save on monthly heating bills and support a more resilient grid. Founded in 2019, Harvest Thermal has received support from the National Science Foundation, the California Energy Commission, Peninsula Clean Energy, and private investors. ABOUT THE EDISON AWARDS: Established in 1987, the Edison Awards is a program conducted by Edison Universe, a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to fostering future innovators. The annual competition honors excellence in new product and service development, marketing, design and innovation. Past award recipients include Steve Jobs, Elon Musk, and leaders of global corporations such as Coca-Cola, Genentech, General Electric, General Motors, IBM and Campbell Soup Co. In 2022, the Edison Awards introduced the inaugural Lewis Latimer Fellowship program designed to celebrate, connect and bring together a community of innovative Black thought leaders. For more information, visit www.edisonawards.com. Contact Details Harvest Thermal David Tuft david@harvest-thermal.com Company Website https://www.harvest-thermal.com/

April 22, 2023 08:00 AM Pacific Daylight Time

Image

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

Image

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

Image

Elevating San Antonio’s Global Profile

Port San Antonio

Port San Antonio, the region's largest technology center, has taken another important step to accelerate the growth of key industries and the career, educational and entrepreneurial opportunities they are creating for thousands of area families. The Port’s Board of Directors approved an agreement with Trammell Crow Company (TCC), a global real estate development firm, to conduct pre-development work for a state-of-the-art office tower at the main entrance to the 1,900-acre technology campus—the intersection of Billy Mitchell Blvd. and General Hudnell Dr. In the months ahead, the Port and TCC, along with design architect firm Pelli Clarke & Partners, will work toward refining demand and design concepts for the ambitious project. The planned tower will be a marquee centerpiece for the region's growing profile in advanced technologies. The building's ultimate size and expected construction cost will be determined as pre-development work is completed in the coming months. As it moves forward, the effort will also create opportunities for an array of local businesses. As one of the region's largest and fastest-growing economic engines, representative participation across the community in development projects is a key priority for the organization's Board of Directors and leadership. The new project comes at a time when the Port has attracted substantial demand for space as its customer base grows at an accelerated pace. Since 2017, over 7,000 new jobs have been added on the campus — known as Tech Port — bringing the current employment base to 17,000. People who work at the Port are employed by global industry names in aerospace, robotics, cybersecurity, advanced manufacturing, education, space exploration and defense. Over 80 tenant customers include Boeing, StandardAero, CNF Technologies, Plus One Robotics, the U.S. Air Force, Northrop Grumman, IPSecure, DeLorean Motors, Knight Aerospace, Accenture Federal Services, Chromalloy and Technica, among several others. The Port has also built and leased over 700,000 square feet of new facilities and transacted more than 6 million square feet of renewed and expanded spaces over the last six years. Buildings across the campus include some of the world's largest aviation and aerospace facilities, advanced research laboratories and institutes, secured space, offices and educational facilities. "Because of our sharp focus on creating a community where people from all walks of life can connect with life-changing opportunities, this campus has seen exciting growth by our customers, and much more is expected in the months and years ahead," said Port Board Chair Margaret Wilson-Anaglia. "Our customers' success, from global names to home-grown tech entrepreneurs, has fueled our expansion, and we are ready for our next phase as one of the most vibrant places in our community." "We're excited to bring world-class partners to our team as we plan our region's future as leaders in technological innovation," said Port President and CEO Jim Perschbach. "Our new building is more than just a place to work — it's a symbol of our bright future and a recognition that we stand on the shoulders of the generations who came before us building one of the world's most important centers for world-changing innovations." "Trammell Crow Company has a deep passion for creating innovative and market leading office environments, and we are incredibly proud to partner with Port San Antonio on this transformational project," said TCC Managing Director Brad Maples. "Port San Antonio has an impressive track record of fostering innovation and creating opportunity, and we look forward to assisting the Port as it expands its legacy and prepares for the next phase of growth." Among its recently completed projects, the Port opened the Boeing Center at Tech Port, a dynamic multi-purpose facility, in 2022. The Boeing Center supports the growth of Port customers and is a transformative educational, cultural and entrepreneurial asset for the region. It features a 3,500-seat arena; a technology lab/startup accelerator operated by Capital Factory; Tech Port Gaming — a state-of-the-art LAN gaming center; and Area 21 — a technology showcase presented by the San Antonio Museum of Science and Technology (SAMSAT). Profits from the Boeing Center are dedicated to the Kelly Heritage Foundation, which honors the community's history by funding educational programs for young people from around our region. The planned office tower building is one of three major projects the Port announced in 2022 as part of its upcoming growth. The other projects underway include a highly specialized airport facility that will served traditional fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters and the next generation of passenger aviation; electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) vehicles. Another planned project is an advanced and applied research complex with a particular focus on aerospace and critical infrastructure technologies. ABOUT PORT SAN ANTONIO The Port is a vast 1,900-acre technology innovation campus. It is home to a growing array of employers—including globally renowned industry names and a growing number of locally headquartered startups—focused in advancing new technologies in aerospace, cybersecurity, defense, space exploration, robotics and other advanced technologies. Organizations at the Port directly employ 17,000 people from across the region, yielding a regional economic impact of over $5.6 billion annually. In 2022, the Port became a member of the Association of University Research Parks (AURP). About Trammell Crow Company Trammell Crow Company (TCC) is a leading global commercial real estate developer and a wholly owned subsidiary of CBRE Group, Inc. (NYSE: CBRE), a Fortune 500 and S&P 500 company headquartered in Dallas. Founded in 1948, TCC has developed or acquired nearly 2,900 buildings valued at $75 billion and over 655 million square feet. As of December 31, 2022, TCC had $16.9 billion of projects in process and $12.9 billion in its pipeline. It employs 700 professionals in 27 major cities throughout the United States and Europe. The company serves users of and investors in office, industrial/logistics, healthcare, life sciences and mixed-use projects, as well as multi-family residential through its operating subsidiary High Street Residential. For more information visit www.TrammellCrow.com. Contact Details Port San Antonio Paco Felici, Chief of Staff | Chief Communications Officer Paco.Felici@PORTSANANTONIO.US

April 17, 2023 08:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

Image

News Release

Metropoly Makes Global Real Estate Investment Feasible, Starting at $100

Finance News

As the population grows at intimidating rates, so does the allure of global real estate. But not all of us can afford to buy a real-estate property merely as a long-term investment or source of passive income. Most of us work all our lives to pay for a roof over our heads. While the current real estate market is incapable of being inclusive, blockchain technology can radically change the situation, shows Metropoly. Add real estate to your portfolio in two minutes Metropoly is currently hosting a presale of its native crypto METRO. The event has been seeing unprecedented support from people who are new to Web3.0. The rapid community growth of Metropoly hints at its large growth potential. In fact, METRO is widely cited as the next big crypto of 2023. The hype, despite sounding overboard, justifies the underlying project, which puts forward some strong value propositions with real-world relevance. Metropoly is building the world’s first NFT marketplace backed by real-estate properties. No, not NFT real estate aka metaverse real estate. But NFTs backed by REAL real estate assets. The Metropoly team handpicks high-yield real-estate properties from around the world and lists them on the marketplace as NFTs. All data related to their features, transaction history, and value are recorded on the blockchain. Since most real estate assets cost millions, the NFT is then divided into affordable pieces. You can buy these fractional NFTs for prices starting from $100. As a result, anyone – regardless of their financial background and credit score – can invest in a high-yield property with their monthly savings. And if you are wondering, Metropoly earns you rental income, like a traditional real-estate property. They will also accrue long-term value, based on the market value of the underlying property. But that’s not all. There are more reasons why Metropoly real estate NFTs are a better investment than their traditional counterparts. Metropoly vs traditional real estate 1. High liquidity If it takes you months to buy a real estate property in the traditional market, Metropoly cuts down the duration to just a few minutes. That is, if you know what you’re buying from the list of properties listed on the platform. This includes beach villas, luxury apartments, and penthouses to name a few, hand-picked by Metropoly’s multidisciplinary team, based on their profitability. All info related to the property is also available here. Once you have picked one (or more), you can go ahead and buy it in a few clicks. Selling these NFTs is also equally simple. 2. Low initial capital Metropoly investment comes at low prices, as the properties added to the blockchain are made available as fractional NFTs. As a result, people with small initial capital can make their way into the market. To give you more perspective, a $1M property can be purchased by 10,000 people for $100 each, with the system. 3. Trouble-free investment All hassles that come with real estate investments like legal work, documentation, and bank dealings are professionally taken care of by the Metropoly team. They will also make arrangements for property maintenance, find tenants, and collect rent. The rental proceeds are then automatically distributed to NFT holders by the blockchain smart contract. As you can see, Metropoly turns real estate into a passive investment, realizing its goal to open an easy gateway to income-generating properties for the masses. Metropoly digital assets are a great hedge against market volatility The world’s wealthiest people have a large slice of their portfolio in real estate markets. That makes sense since real estate is safe, lucrative, and reliable. Yet, buying a real estate property for long-term returns and regular cash flow is beyond the wildest dreams of most people. Their portfolio is filled with stocks or mutual funds that come with little yield and high risks. Metropoly changes the scenario by empowering people to take their dive into the real estate market. It doesn’t just lower the barrier to the real estate market, but also allows for better portfolio diversification. Since you can invest in a wide range of properties from around the world, your risks are mitigated to a great extent. To say that Metropoly will eventually become the evergreen investment of the crypto market is not an exaggeration. The project’s tangible use cases, deep-rooted in the real world, make it a great hedge against crypto market turbulence. METRO presale is now live Metropoly is now hosting the tenth stage of its token presale for $0.0714 per piece. METRO, the native crypto, serves a wide range of utilities in the ecosystem, including facilitating its payment and reward system. With a comparatively low total token supply of 1B an exchange listing price of $0.1, METRO has the potential to go 10X by the end of the year. The high market relevance of the project can expand the project to a $1B market cap if the roadmap unfolds as planned. The Metropoly beta dashboard has been in development for around a year and is now live. The release of the product before the token launch instills faith in Metropoly’s road ahead. With multiple development milestones coming, METRO is looking at a bright year. If you’re investing in METRO, grab them before the next price increase to book the best returns. Presale participation also makes you eligible for the ongoing Metropoly giveaway, with a Burj Khalifa apartment worth $1M up for grabs. DISCLAIMER: This is not to be taken as investment advice. Crypto is a volatile asset, do your own research before investing and only invest money you can afford to lose. We may receive commission for clicking links in this article. Contact Details Finance News Alex Brown alex@financenews.com

April 14, 2023 12:28 PM Eastern Daylight Time

Roberts & Ryan Inc., America's first Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned broker-dealer, is honored as a 2023 VETS Indexes 5 Star Employer

Roberts & Ryan Investments, Inc.

Roberts & Ryan, Inc. has earned the VETS Indexes 5 Star Employer designation in the 2023 VETS Indexes Employer Awards. The award recognizes the organization’s commitment to recruiting, hiring, retaining, developing, and supporting veterans and the military-connected community. “Roberts & Ryan Investments, Inc. stands out from the pack as one of the best employers nationwide for veterans, members of the National Guard and Reserves, and military spouses,” said George Altman, managing director of VETS Indexes. “As more and more employers recognize the cutting-edge technical skills and soft skills veterans bring to the workplace, the race to attract military-connected talent gets increasingly competitive. The number of organizations participating in the 2023 VETS Indexes Employer Awards more than doubled since last year – but even in this highly competitive environment, Roberts & Ryan Investments, Inc. distinguished itself as a leader among veteran employers and should be commended,” Altman said. “We are honored to have been selected for the VETS Index’s 5 Star Employer Rating. Our Nation’s Veterans have tremendous skills acquired while they served to protect our freedoms. When given the opportunity to reframe their skills from military to civilian service great things happen. The combination of these skills and their mission first perspective is an asset to any organization in any field. We challenge all corporations to look beyond a Veterans’ DD-214s and embrace how they can become valued employees to any company,” said Brian Rathjen, President of Roberts & Ryan. This year, a record number of 239 organizations participated in the VETS Indexes Employer Awards, more than double the 118 participants in 2022. Of those, VETS Indexes recognized 200 organizations across the following award levels: 5 Star Employer, 4 Star Employer, 3 Star Employer, and Recognized Employer. Not every responding organization made the cut – only those that demonstrated a strong commitment to veterans, members of the National Guard and Reserves, and military spouses. Participating organizations included companies large and small, government agencies and departments, nonprofit groups, colleges, and universities. As the most objective and comprehensive evaluation of veteran employers, the VETS Indexes Employer Awards program has set a new standard in veteran employment data. Their award results have been featured on CNBC, as well as military-specific outlets, including Military.com. Click this link to see the full slate of awardees: https://vetsindexes.com/award-results-2023 About Roberts and Ryan, Inc. Roberts & Ryan, Inc. is a Service-Disabled Veteran Owned (SDVO) broker-dealer with execution capabilities in the capital markets, equities, and fixed-income trading. The firm was founded in 1987 by a United States Marine Corps Vietnam combat veteran and Purple Heart recipient. With over one million dollars in committed donations, Roberts & Ryan is active in donating to charitable foundations that make significant positive impacts in the lives of Veterans and their families, primarily focusing on general wellness, mental health, and career transition. Contact Details Roberts & Ryan, Inc. Michael C. Del Priore +1 646-859-4061 mdelpriore@roberts-ryan.com Company Website https://www.roberts-ryan.com

April 14, 2023 09:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

Silver Star Properties Announces Approval of Pivot to Self-Storage and the Acquisition of Southern Star Self-Storage Investment Company

Silver Star Properties REIT, Inc.

Silver Star Properties REIT, Inc. (“Silver Star Properties”), formerly known as Hartman Short Term Income Properties XX, Inc., announces that its Executive Committee has approved the repositioning plan to pivot the company’s assets into the self-storage asset class. As an additional part of this plan, the board of directors also approved the acquisition of Southern Star Self-Storage Investment Company (“Southern Star Self-Storage”), and it has reached a long-term employment agreement with Mark Torok, Chief Executive Officer (“CEO”), as it solidifies its pivot away from office, retail, and light industrial assets into self-storage. Southern Star Self-Storage is a privately held real estate company that specializes in the sponsorship and management of DST investments in self-storage properties. Established in 2019, the company currently operates a portfolio of 9 properties, which together comprise 321,291 net rentable square feet (NRSF) spread across 2,526 units. Additionally, the company has two facilities, totaling 208,220 NRSF and 703 units, under contract that are expected to close by June 1, 2023. Most of the facilities also have parking for boats, RV’s and autos. The facilities generally contain both climate and non-climate-controlled units and are located predominantly in secondary and tertiary markets in Texas, Florida, North Carolina, and Colorado. Gerald Haddock, Lead Director of Silver Star Properties, emphasized the significance of the acquisition and stated, “The acquisition of Southern Star Self-Storage underscores our commitment to repositioning the Company’s assets into the self-storage asset class to maximize shareholder value. The firm inherits experienced self-storage operating capabilities and investment prowess through its Southern Star Self-Storage's management team. Southern Star Self-Storage will use its expertise in developing assets with DSTs and operate as a "Sister" company alongside a subsidiary of current Silver Star Properties’ operations. Silver Star Properties intends to deploy its capital into the larger and more development-oriented assets in order to take advantage of the acquisition skillsets of the current Silver Star Properties Management Team. This is an exciting milestone for the company, as it begins this part of the business with Mark’s team.” In conjunction with the acquisition, Mark Torok signed a three-year employment agreement with the company, with the goal of creating liquidity for existing shareholders through listing the company on a public exchange. “I am honored to be leading, with the guidance of the Executive Committee, the repositioning pivot that we have been developing for several months with the primary goal to maximize shareholder value and improve liquidity for our investors. With it, we will shift our predominantly out of favor office assets into a stable, recession-resilient, and growing subset of investment real estate. I am thrilled to take the company to new heights and deliver value to our shareholders through a public listing.” To align the interests of our leadership with our investors in carrying out the repositioning plan, Mark Torok and the members of the Executive Committee have been awarded participation units in a long-term incentive plan. Silver Star Properties has extensive experience acquiring, owning, managing, and leasing commercial office, retail, light industrial, self-storage, and warehouse properties located in Texas. Forward-Looking Statements: This press release contains certain statements which may be forward-looking statements. Because such statements include risks, uncertainties, and contingencies, actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements, and you should not place undue reliance on any such statements. Several important factors could cause actual results to differ materially from the forward-looking statements contained in this material. Such factors include those described in the Risk Factors sections of the annual report on Form 10-K for Silver Star Properties REIT, Inc. and other reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Forward-looking statements in this press release speak only as of the date on which such statements were made, and the company undertakes no obligation to update any such statements that may become untrue because of subsequent events. Such forward-looking statements are subject to the safe harbor protection for forward-looking statements contained in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Contact Details Silver Star Properties REIT, Inc. Anthony Trollope +1 800-880-2212 press@hi-reit.com Company Website https://www.hi-reit.com

April 06, 2023 02:01 PM Central Daylight Time

Part 6 of Legal & General’s U.S. Gig Economy Study finds 77% of gig workers would rely on personal savings to fund retirement

Legal & General

67% say not having access to retirement plans & other benefits is a key drawback to gig work 53% say gig work has a negative impact on their access to retirement and savings plans 45% of gig workers don’t expect to retire before 65; 30% never expect to retire 29% feel gig work has negatively affected their ability to save in case of an emergency A sixth segment of a broad new study sponsored by Legal & General Group ( LGEN, LGNNY ), U.S. Gig Economy, Part 6: Gig Workers come up short on their future financial and retirement planning, was released today. It follows a Special Report for International Women’s Day, U.S. Gig Economy Special Report: Tasked With Both Childcare and Earning, Women Fall Behind Their Male Counterparts, which looked into the gender pay gap, lowered retirement expectations, and other inequities experienced by female gig workers. This latest report looks into the financial challenges people working in the U.S. Gig Economy face as they contemplate a post-retirement life. This sixth report in the data-rich study explores the challenges many gig workers face, from being unable to cover an unexpected $1,000 expense to lacking the ability to plan for retirement. The study found that more than half (53 percent) of the freelancers surveyed thought that gig work negatively impacted their access to savings and retirement plans, while 29 percent felt that choosing to work this way negatively affected their ability to save. Though they have higher levels of financial literacy than the average American, independent workers find that retirement planning poses a particularly difficult challenge, according to Legal & General’s U.S. Gig Economy research. While the survey elicited a complex array of responses to a question about which financial security benefits they hold, more than three-quarters (77 percent) of those surveyed said their own personal savings will provide the largest contribution to their retirement income—while 30 percent of gig workers never expect to retire at all. “As a company concerned with the financial as well as physical health of millions of our own customers, while putting in place initiatives that improve the lives of a broader swath of the population, the situation with American freelance workers is a call to action for the financial services industry. By harnessing financial technology, we should be able to do a better job of delivering a user-friendly suite of products and services that make it easy for gig workers to put a retirement plan in place. The tools and intelligence are there—this is more a problem of communication than innovation.” Sir Nigel Wilson, Chief Executive, Legal & General Group Gig workers have to double as their own CFO Legal & General’s study looks at the multifaceted societal factors leading to gig workers’ long-term financial insecurity, including the added stress of managing their own long-term financial matters far more conscientiously than traditionally employed W2 workers do. “Our research points to some key differences between gig workers in the U.S. and those in the UK, notably the different mindset the two groups have toward saving. Parsing the issue for U.S. freelancers has allowed a view into some potential solutions to freelancers’ financial anxiety, particularly around unmet insurance and retirement needs. We hope some of the ideas presented in this report will lead to innovation that can create better financial habits and, in the end, improved long-term financial security for gig workers.” John Godfrey, Director of Levelling-Up, Legal & General Group Future segments of this research will look in depth at the pandemic fallout for gig workers; and what it would take to get gig workers to go back to the traditional workplace. To receive a pdf of any of these reports, please email Meir Kahtan/MKPR at mkahtan@rcn.com. Notes to Editors The information contained in this press release is intended solely for journalists and should not be relied upon by private investors or any other persons to make financial decisions About the Study Legal & General undertook proprietary research into the attitudes and changes U.S. gig workers are experiencing in relation to their work situations and financial outlook. The U.S. Gig Economy research was compiled using original survey data from 1044 U.S.-based workers aged 18 to 60 who are neither students nor retired, and who earn at least 60% of their income from gig work. The data was collected via online survey fielded to individuals sample sourced from YouGov’s US panel. The Legal & General-designed survey was scripted and hosted on Gryphon, YouGov’s proprietary survey scripting platform, and the field work took place between August 19 and 31, 2022. Key demographics such as age, gender and region were allowed to fall out naturally. 20 questions were designed to understand facts about earnings, drivers of and barriers to gig working, financial product ownership & financial capacity when coming across adverse situations, and future expectations of being involved in the gig economy. Verbatim comments were captured by Legal & General in research carried out in June 2022. About Legal & General Group Established in 1836, Legal & General is one of the UK's leading financial services groups and a major global investor, with over £1.2 trillion ($1.4 trillion) in total assets under management* of which a third is international. We also provide powerful asset origination capabilities. Together, these underpin our leading retirement and protection solutions: we are a leading international player in pension risk transfer, in UK and US life insurance, and in UK workplace pensions and retirement income. Through inclusive capitalism, we aim to build a better society by investing in long-term assets that benefit everyone. *as of December 31, 2021 The information contained in this press release is intended solely for journalists and should not be relied upon by private investors or any other persons to make financial decisions. Contact Details Meir Kahtan +1 917-864-0800 mkahtan@rcn.com Company Website https://www.legalandgeneralgroup.com/

April 05, 2023 10:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

1 ... 13 14 15 16 17 ... 50