Category Archives: Scoop

New York Jets Sign We Are G.A.M.E. Alum DJ Reed with a 3-Year, $33 Million Contract

TORRANCE, Calif. /ScoopCloud/ -- When DJ Reed connected with We Are G.A.M.E. (Getting Athletes Mentoring and Education) during his junior year of high school, he had big plans to play Division I football in college. He needed scholarships to do so, though, and scholarships didn't come. Fast forward nearly a decade, and Reed just inked a three-year, $33 million contract with the New York Jets.

How does a kid from Bakersfield become one of the hottest cornerbacks available in the offseason? More importantly, how does he go from community college football to a standout NFL career?

Part of Reed's success stems from his hard work, determination, and unwavering faith. Another portion of it, though, can be attributed to We Are G.A.M.E., a nonprofit that helps student-athletes learn the skills they need to not just navigate the world of college athletics, but the world at large.

When Reed connected with We Are G.A.M.E. in high school, his mentors placed a heavy emphasis on education. They encouraged him to apply to a variety of colleges as a backup plan if football didn't provide the path he wanted. As it turned out, the scholarship offers Reed needed to play higher-level college football didn't materialize. Fortunately, he had applied and was accepted - with a small academic scholarship - to Fresno State.

There, Reed started his collegiate academic and football careers. At Fresno State, he didn't get much playing time, but he moved to Cerritos College and had an explosive season there - so much so that he caught the eye of then-Kansas State defensive coordinator Tom Hayes.

During his first year playing for Kansas State, Reed ranked fifth nationally in passes defended, was voted First-Team All-Conference, and was named Big 12 Defensive Newcomer of the Year. His second season was equally successful, if not more so.

It was enough to get drafted into the NFL in the fifth round with the San Francisco 49ers, but his 5-foot 9-inch height held him back at first. His playtime was limited and he was pigeonholed because the coaching staff felt he was too small to play on the outside (they now admit that was a mistake).

Fortunately, the Seattle Seahawks picked him up and Reed had a stellar start, picking off an interception against his former quarterback in his Seahawks debut. Initially put in as a replacement for the injured right cornerback, Reed performed so well he kept the spot once the other player was deemed healthy.

In his last year with the Seahawks, Reed started 14 games, defended 10 passes, had two interceptions, and posted 78 tackles.

Now, as Reed begins his tenure with the Jets, a recent Bleacher Report article says, "Cornerback D.J. Reed has elite potential and headlines a list of quality starters."

As Jets fans and We Are G.A.M.E. team members alike anticipate Reed's first season in New York, one thing is certain: his involvement with We Are G.A.M.E. helped Reed navigate the more unpredictable steps of his path to get to this point.

About We Are G.A.M.E.:

We are G.A.M.E., Inc. is made up of a T.E.A.M. (Those Empowering Athletes by Mentoring) of community members strongly committed to empowering student-athletes with the tools and skills needed to successfully tackle the world of college athletics. The T.E.A.M. serves a population of students in need of support, advice, and, most of all, life guidance.

By identifying student-athletes in the ninth grade or earlier, the nonprofit aims to positively influence their lives. The mentors at We Are G.A.M.E. want to see young athletes develop to their fullest athletic potential but ensure that the students also focus on education. The mentors work with students and their parents to create a game plan to pursue academic excellence as well as athletic success.

Learn more at https://www.wearegame.org/

YouTube https://www.youtube.com/c/WeAreGAMEinc

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/SAGamePlan

MULTIMEDIA:

VIDEO (YouTube): https://youtu.be/5RvtWPsr-kA

When DJ Reed connected with We Are G.A.M.E. (Getting Athletes Mentoring and Education) during his junior year of high school, he had big plans to play Division I football in college. He needed scholarships to do so, though, and scholarships didn't come. Fast forward nearly a decade, and Reed just inked a three-year, $33 million contract with the New York Jets.

Related link: https://www.wearegame.org/

Critical Defect Rate Drops 18% in Q3 2021, Per ACES Quality Management Mortgage QC Industry Trends Report

DENVER, Colo. /ScoopCloud/ -- ACES Quality Management® (ACES), the leading provider of enterprise quality management and control software for the financial services industry, announced the release of its quarterly ACES Mortgage QC Trends Report covering the third quarter (Q3) of 2021. The latest report provides an analysis of post-closing quality control data derived from ACES Quality Management & Control® software.

Notable findings from the Q3 2021 report include:

* Mortgage lenders managed mortgage origination quality extremely well in Q3 2021, leading to an 18% improvement in the overall credit defect rate.

* Manufacturing-related loan defects decreased as volumes declined.

* Q3 marked the official shift from refinances to a purchase-driven market, with purchase defects increasing as a result.

* Defect performance on conventional loans stabilized while FHA defects rose.

* The Early Payment Defaults trend line indicates that reviews peaked and are now below pre-pandemic levels, shifting the focus to the remaining loans in forbearance status and exit plans for those borrowers.

"The critical defect rate for Q3 2021 dropped 18% to 1.86%, a welcomed improvement from the previous quarter. Lenders also experienced a slight decrease in origination volume, down 8% from Q2 of 2021," said ACES Executive Vice President Nick Volpe. "Metrics are beginning to trend back to their historic normal levels as volume moderates. With the amount of volatility in macroeconomic factors and rising rates, the decline in the overall critical defect rate is a testament to lenders taking quality management and control seriously."

Findings for the Q3 2021 ACES Mortgage QC Industry Trends Report are based on post-closing quality control data derived from the ACES Quality Management and Control® benchmarking system and incorporate data from prior quarters and/or calendar years, where applicable. All reviews and defect data evaluated for the report were based on loan audits selected by lenders for full file reviews.

"An improvement in the critical defect rate is always a positive sign. The worst of early payment default volume seems to be behind us, but we're not out of the woods yet. Lenders' focus should continue to be on helping remaining loans in forbearance status and building exit plans for those borrowers," said ACES CEO, Trevor Gauthier. "Lenders and banks need to be cognizant of the economic and geopolitical environments in the coming months and possibly years. As the Federal Reserve works to calm inflation, these actions oftentimes have a ripple effect, which can certainly impact loan quality."

Mortgage QC Industry Trends Reports are available for download, free of charge, at https://www.acesquality.com/resources/reports.

About ACES Quality Management:

ACES Quality Management is the leading provider of enterprise quality management and control software for the financial services industry. The nation's most prominent lenders, servicers and financial institutions rely on ACES Quality Management & Control® software to improve audit throughput and quality while controlling costs, including:

* 3 of the top 5 and more than 50% of the top 50 independent mortgage lenders;

* 7 of the top 10 loan servicers;

* 11 of the top 30 banks; and

* 1 of the top 3 credit unions in the USA.

Unlike other quality control platforms, only ACES delivers Flexible Audit Technology, which gives independent mortgage lenders and financial institutions the ability to easily manage and customize ACES to meet their business needs without having to rely on IT or other outside resources. Using a customer-centric approach, ACES clients get responsive support and access to our experts to maximize their investment. For more information, visit www.acesquality.com or call 1-800-858-1598.

ACES Quality Management® (ACES), the leading provider of enterprise quality management and control software for the financial services industry, announced the release of its quarterly ACES Mortgage QC Trends Report covering the third quarter (Q3) of 2021. The latest report provides an analysis of post-closing quality control data derived from ACES Quality Management & Control® software.

Related link: https://www.acesquality.com/

Jeremy Berlin Named Editorial Director at Hidden Compass

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. /ScoopCloud/ -- Hidden Compass, a women-founded media company uniting audiences with the humans, causes, and possibilities behind award-winning stories of exploration, has added another seasoned editor to its staff. The California-based startup recently announced Jeremy Berlin as its editorial director.

As a former writer and editor for publications such as National Geographic magazine, The Atlantic, and Atlas Obscura, Berlin brings more than 20 years of journalism experience to Hidden Compass. He has reported on topics from Atlantic walruses to Sicilian mummies to Chinese mathematics. His hire demonstrates the company's continued commitment to the editorial excellence that has catapulted its award-winning digital magazine onto the national stage. In 2021, Newsweek named Hidden Compass a finalist in its Future of Travel Awards.

"I'm honored and excited to join this crack squad," says Berlin. "Roughly half the stories we run win awards or are anthologized, so I'm clearly inheriting a small-but-mighty title. My aim is to both uphold that excellence and help Hidden Compass take it to the next level - to grow the brand editorially, publish diverse new voices, and tell new stories that delight and inform our dedicated, discerning readership."

"The old publishing model, beset by shrinking budgets and attention spans, is dying," says Berlin. "But Hidden Compass's approach, which privileges immersive exploration and intellectual curiosity over clickbait and algorithms, is what can allow it to thrive and flourish."

Hidden Compass continues to pave the way for the future of exploration journalism. The startup now boasts a podcast, virtual events, and The Alliance - a modern exploration society.

"We built The Alliance to address the existential FOMO of our Allies and give them access to something bigger than themselves: a like-minded community, a vote and a say in the expeditions we fund, opportunities to meet explorers, and an invitation to explore the frontiers of human knowledge," says co-founder Sivani Babu.

The co-founders are thrilled about the growth of both The Alliance and their flagship publication. "With an experienced, award-winning journalist and editor like Jeremy at the editorial helm, we're confident that Hidden Compass will lead a new generation of publications that are profitable - not in spite of championing journalism and hope, but because of it," says co-founder Sabine K. Bergmann.

More information:
https://www.hiddencompass.net

About Hidden Compass:

Hidden Compass is an independent journalism outlet and modern exploration society transforming the way audiences participate in journalism and exploration. Co-founders Sivani Babu and Sabine K. Bergmann, who have 25 years of experience in journalism and publishing, launched Hidden Compass in 2017 as an alternative to unhealthy, clickbait-laden content - what they call "junk food media." In 2020, the company pioneered a unique business model, leveraging fundraising campaigns to increase journalists' pay and audience participation. The following year, readership grew by more than 40 percent, and Newsweek named Hidden Compass a finalist in its Future of Travel Awards. Learn more at https://hiddencompass.net/

MULTIMEDIA:

VIDEO (YouTube): https://youtu.be/p6unjdazv-w

Hidden Compass, a women-founded media company uniting audiences with the humans, causes, and possibilities behind award-winning stories of exploration, has added another seasoned editor to its staff. The California-based startup recently announced Jeremy Berlin as its editorial director.

Related link: https://hiddencompass.net

GPRS Creates a Novel Geospatial Solution: SiteMap

TOLEDO, Ohio /ScoopCloud/ -- Ground Penetrating Radar Systems, LLC (GPRS) is releasing a new software and service named SiteMap. GPRS is a private concrete scanning, utility locating, and leak detection company that provides critical subsurface mapping to construction contractors and facility managers. This new service offering will be the first of its kind in the private subsurface locating industry.

GPRS has been in collaborative efforts with the University of Toledo to test the new software to ensure that it delivers the functionality that its clients will require.

Jamie Althauser, Field Support Director of GPRS, said this about the company's new service offering, "The problem that GPRS is trying to solve is that the university is currently maintaining their records through multiple fragmented, unreliable platforms that are difficult to manage. We're providing an end-to-end solution for utility management and location data through a cloud-based solution that will allow greater efficiency, collaboration, and sharing."

GPRS has completed hundreds of thousands of subsurface scanning projects and keeps detailed documentation of its services. This documentation has been used to compile a comprehensive cloud service for future excavation, renovation, and construction projects.

Brian Skelding, GPRS's Director of Digital Transformation, said, "We believe SiteMap will empower our clients, providing critical information to their teams and project partners, both in the field and in the office. Not only will it help make the industry safer but it will create efficiencies and prevent costly utility hits."

GPRS plans on launching SiteMap by summer 2022. More information will be available soon on their new service offerings and specifications.

About GPRS:

GPRS, headquartered in Toledo, Ohio, provides private utility locating and concrete scanning services to utilities, contractors, engineering firms, and environmental consultants in every major market in the United States. To learn more, visit http://www.gprsinc.com/.

MULTIMEDIA:

VIDEO (YouTube): https://youtu.be/GBkZlrgdJhY

Ground Penetrating Radar Systems, LLC (GPRS) is releasing a new software and service named SiteMap. GPRS is a private concrete scanning, utility locating, and leak detection company that provides critical subsurface mapping to construction contractors and facility managers. This new service offering will be the first of its kind in the private subsurface locating industry.

Related link: https://www.gp-radar.com/

Introducing the Jellifish: A Universal Crash Barrel Lifting Tool from Ellis Equipment, Inc.

SIGNAL HILL, Calif. /ScoopCloud/ -- Ellis Equipment, Inc. is pleased to introduce the Jellifish, an efficient universal crash barrel lift created by construction industry veteran John Ellis. Perfected over years of careful development and subsequent refinement, this patented tool is presently the only device available on the market with the express purpose of handling most kinds of sand-filled barrels used today. The Jellifish is a dependable, high performance tool that is easy for workers to use and can help improve job site safety.

The Jellifish is intended to address the long-standing issue of barrel and barrel lift compatibility. Currently, many manufacturers offer lift attachments that are only designed to hoist their own barrels. Unfortunately, what this means is that attempting to use one brand's lift on another brand's barrel just won't work. Efforts to attach the lift to the barrel may fail completely, or otherwise lead to mid-lift detachment that can cause injury and/or a deluge of sand depending on the particular situation.

With the Jellifish, however, workers now have a safe and secure means of lifting sand-filled traffic barrels no matter which manufacturer (or manufacturers) produced them. Despite weighing in at only 60 lbs, this tool is rated to accommodate weight up to 2,500 lbs. To ensure top product quality and performance, each Jellifish is rigorously evaluated by a 3rd party facility at a weight of 3,125 lbs. Units only receive approval tags for public use once they successfully pass these tests.

In designing the Jellifish, John Ellis was committed to crafting a barrel lifting tool that remedied the compatibility problem while also being incredibly straightforward for workers to use over the course of their day-to-day operations. Each unit comes with a durable storage bag that makes it a breeze to transport and connect to the forklift. Once the Jellifish is attached to the lift and the bag is removed, machine operators can position it over the sand barrel.

A crewmember on the ground then finishes the barrel/barrel lift connection process by linking the grab hook to the chain's tail. As soon as it is no longer required for the day's work, the Jellifish is lowered back into the storage bag and released from the machine. From start to finish, the process could not be simpler.

The growing success of the Jellifish traffic barrel tool is the direct result of John Ellis' in-depth knowledge and extensive experience in the traffic safety and construction equipment fields. The device not only assists in bolstering overall jobsite safety, but also enables workers to raise and transport sand barrels in a far easier manner than before. Don't delay in contacting Ellis Equipment, Inc. to secure yours today.

Ellis Equipment, Inc. is located at 1015 E. Burnett St. in Signal Hill, and can be reached at (562) 424-9991.

Learn more: https://www.ellisrents.com/traffic-barrel-tool-los-angeles-ca/

For more information about the company, please visit https://www.ellisrents.com/

Contact info: https://www.ellisrents.com/about

VSBE & WMBE Certification: #39053 | License: #1043179

MULTIMEDIA:

VIDEO (YouTube): https://youtu.be/UgrLMppCTTc

Ellis Equipment, Inc. is pleased to introduce the Jellifish, an efficient universal crash barrel lift created by construction industry veteran John Ellis. Perfected over years of careful development and subsequent refinement, this patented tool is presently the only device available on the market with the express purpose of handling most kinds of sand-filled barrels used today.

Related link: https://www.ellisrents.com/

Flyvito announces publishing partnership through Sony Music

ORLANDO, Fla. /ScoopCloud/ -- Flyvito®, a music producer based in New Orleans, has announced a publishing and distribution partnership through Sony Music and Beatstars. This partnership will allow monetization and copyrighting efforts on the behalf of Flyvito LLC to flow seamlessly, as well as ensure a credible platform for artists to use his music.

"The decision to use Sony was offered by Beatstars not long after I started using their platform," says the artist, Flyvito. "Hopefully it helps everyone involved and clears up business that has been unresolved in the past. As always, if anyone has any questions, they can reach out to me directly."

More information: https://flyvito.com/

About Flyvito:

Based in New Orleans, Flyvito's unique sound and beat patterns derive from inspiration of Mannie Fresh, Just Blaze, Mouse on the Track and Zaytoven to name a few.

Enjoy Flyvito's catalog on Flyvito.com and at teamflyness.com. He can be found on Instagram and Twitter @Fliiizle and YouTube @Flyvito respectively.

Flyvito is a U.S. registered trademark.

Flyvito®, a music producer based in New Orleans, has announced a publishing and distribution partnership through Sony Music and Beatstars. This partnership will allow monetization and copyrighting efforts on the behalf of Flyvito LLC to flow seamlessly, as well as ensure a credible platform for artists to use his music.

Related link: https://flyvito.com/

New Tenorshare iCareFone for LINE – Easily Transfer LINE from Android to iPhone

NEW YORK, N.Y. /ScoopCloud/ -- Tenorshare, a leading software company, has released a software called Tenorshare iCareFone for LINE. The software is used to transfer LINE between Android and iPhone, backup and restore LINE chat history on iPhone.

With Tenorshare iCareFone for LINE, everyone can easily and quickly transfer LINE from Android to iPhone using Google Drive.

"It is known that LINE still doesn't provide users with a solution to transfer LINE chats from Android to iPhone directly. If you have switched to an iPhone and have no idea how to transfer your LINE chat history from Android to iPhone. You should give iCareFone for LINE a shot. You will transfer LINE chats from Android to iPhone without any hassle. And it also offers an effective way to back up and restore LINE chat history on iPhone" said Tenorshare's CEO, while introducing the new software.

Major Features Of Tenorshare iCareFone for LINE:

1 - Transfer LINE from Android to iPhone and vice versa

2 - Back up LINE to a computer for free

3 - Preview and selectively export LINE backup to the computer

4 - Quickly restore LINE backup to iOS devices without losing any data

Price and Availability:

Tenorshare iCareFone for LINE is available for macOS 12 Monterey. It supports all iPhones with the latest iOS versions. For Windows users, the price is $19.95 for a 1-month license now. Click here to see the detailed information.

Information:

https://www.tenorshare.com/icarefone-line-transfer.html

About Tenorshare:

Tenorshare's focus is on the iOS, Android, Windows, and Mac platforms and core technology study. Tenorshare provides users with solutions for data management, data recovery, password recovery, system repair and other practical mobile phone and computer essentials. Today, Tenorshare's products and services are trusted by more than 10 million users worldwide. More information: https://www.tenorshare.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TenorshareOfficial/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Tenorshare_Inc

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/TenorshareOfficial/videos

Tenorshare, a leading software company, has released a software called Tenorshare iCareFone for LINE. The software is used to transfer LINE between Android and iPhone, backup and restore LINE chat history on iPhone.

Related link: https://www.tenorshare.com/

HitPaw MiraCut: Now Everyone Can Be The Influencer

NEW YORK, N.Y. /ScoopCloud/ -- Nowadays, short videos have attracted all attention, and an increasing number of people make their own short videos and share them on TikTok, Instagram, and Twitter. To lower the learning curve of editing and make it possible for everyone to make the amazing short video, HitPaw has released the HitPaw MiraCut. Like its name, HitPaw MiraCut is aiming to help people edit and share miracle videos within seconds.

Would you like to know the amazing features of MiraCut? Let's get started!

1 - A Variety of Cool Templates

HitPaw MiraCut has a wide range of templates to meet various needs. With miscellaneous themes, including Beat, Slowmo, and Effects, you can make your videos in different styles. All templates are trendy, attractive, and well-designed. You can use these templates to create a video with pictures and make short videos with magical effects. Moreover, templates will be constantly updated, so your videos will always follow the trend, or even lead the trend.

2 - Easy to Use and Share

One barrier between amazing video and normal video is the editing skills. By using HitPaw MiraCut, there are no special skills needed. All you need to do is choose the template, import photos and get your aesthetic videos without any effort. Easily and instantly share your works to TikTok and Instagram social media to amaze your friends, get more likes and gain new followers. Post your videos and show your creativity.

3 - Support Plenty of languages and HD Resolution

HitPaw MiraCut supports 17 languages including English, Korean, Russian, German, Spanish, French, Japanese, Portuguese, Arabic, Indonesian, Turkish, Hindi, Italian, Dutch, Thai, Simplified Chinese, and Traditional Chinese. Also, you can export 720P and 1080P videos.

Compatibility and Price:

HitPaw MiraCut is now compatible Android 7 or above and its pricing starts from $3.99 USD for a weekly plan. For more information, you can visit https://www.hitpaw.com/miracut.html

About HitPaw:

HitPaw is an emerging software company specialized in video editing, screen recording, watermark removing, image editing, photo enhancing meme-making, etc. We help users turn their inspiration into reality so that we can generate more ideas to make the world be full of more creativity.

To know more, you may visit https://www.hitpaw.com/about.html and https://www.hitpaw.com/.

Our Social Media:

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQwRggaotgiMcPbiCOsJeBA

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hitpawofficial

Twitter: https://twitter.com/hitpawofficial

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hitpawofficial/

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/hitpawvideoeditor/

Nowadays, short videos have attracted all attention, and an increasing number of people make their own short videos and share them on TikTok, Instagram, and Twitter. To lower the learning curve of editing and make it possible for everyone to make the amazing short video, HitPaw has released the HitPaw MiraCut. Like its name, HitPaw MiraCut is aiming to help people edit and share miracle videos within seconds.

Related link: https://www.hitpaw.com/

Cottonwood Farm and Grocery Provides Affordable and Nutrient Dense Foods to the Public and People in Need

FLORENCE, Ala. /ScoopCloud/ -- Tucked away in downtown Florence is Cottonwood Farm and Grocery, a one-stop-shop for local meats, produce, bulk grains, flowers, cheeses and even housewares. With their grand opening set to mid this year, this local market fills a need for downtown residents. It's a convenient alternative to larger chain stores in Huntsville and offers vegan, gluten-free products, EBT purchasing and DoorDash Delivery too.

So, for anyone who works in the downtown area or at the nearby university, they've got a great place to shop for items such as fresh carrots, broccoli, avocados, apples and more. It's just next door to the left of Trowbridge's.

Williamson says that right now they're focused on getting more people to see what they offer.

"We want their feedback so we can continue to meet their needs," he says. "How many times does a community get a chance to build its very own grocery store? We have the support system to make it happen. Have a special diet? Let us know. Want a specific product. We can likely get it. We want to make life easier for our customers and are here to serve."

The owners of Cottonwood Farm and Grocery are passionate about helping their community. For instance, items that were damaged during transport or products that don't sell out are given a second chance before their end date at the Help Center where homeless or others in need can benefit.

The storefront is located at 318 N. Court St. and is well stocked with organic and farm-fresh foods. By using UNFI, the supplier of companies like Whole Foods, Cottonwood has been able to keep their shelves filled with organic brand favorites like Annie's, Woodstock, Amy's, Lacroix, Beyond Meat, Evol, Vital Farms, Flowers Creamery, Piper & Leaf Tea, Rosecreek Farms Produce and more.

"We opened this storefront to give local farmers a place to sell their goods, and we've succeeded," Brian Williams, co-owner, Cottonwood Farm and Grocery says. "And, keeping the shelves stocked with other organic items is something the community vocalized, so we're trying to meet that need."

Produce, dairy, eggs and meats are homegrown in the Tennessee Valley - straight from the farm to the table. Cottonwood is also working with their vendor to offer grab-and-go items like snack boxes, drinks and salads.

Learn more at: https://www.cottonwood-farm.com/

FOLLOW ON SOCIAL:

https://www.facebook.com/cottonwoodfarm

Tucked away in downtown Florence is Cottonwood Farm and Grocery, a one-stop-shop for local meats, produce, bulk grains, flowers, cheeses and even housewares. With their grand opening set to mid this year, this local market fills a need for downtown residents. It's a convenient alternative to larger chain stores in Huntsville and offers vegan, gluten-free products, EBT purchasing and DoorDash Delivery too.

Related link: https://www.cottonwood-farm.com/

KROST Recognized by Los Angeles Business Journal as among Top Accounting Firms for 2022

PASADENA, Calif. /ScoopCloud/ -- KROST was recognized as one of Los Angeles Business Journals' Top 100 Accounting Firms in Los Angeles County, with 78% growth in revenue between 2020 and 2019, the firm is ranked 22nd on the list. KROST received this recognition during the Los Angeles Business Journal's Disruptor Awards virtual event.

"Our firm is honored to be recognized by the Los Angeles Business Journal yet again. We owe our success to our passionate, talented, and hardworking team members. We hope to continue our growth and success in the coming years," said Jason Melillo, CEO, KROST.

Each year, the Los Angeles Business Journal publishes the annual Book of Lists. The lists are comprised of companies across several industries and include details like size, revenue, top executives, and more. LABJ editorial and research teams provide in-depth analyses of the community's dynamic business and economic scene.

Learn more about KROST's services: https://www.krostcpas.com/services

For more information about KROST's awards and recognition, visit https://www.krostcpas.com/awards

ABOUT KROST CPAS & CONSULTANTS:

KROST is a full-service Certified Public Accounting and Consulting firm headquartered in Pasadena, California. As trusted advisors and industry leaders, clients depend on KROST for timely information, innovative solutions, and results-driven teamwork in the areas of accounting, assurance, business management, consulting, tax, mergers & acquisitions, and wealth management

KROST was recognized as one of Los Angeles Business Journals' Top 100 Accounting Firms in Los Angeles County, with 78% growth in revenue between 2020 and 2019, the firm is ranked 22nd on the list. KROST received this recognition during the Los Angeles Business Journal's Disruptor Awards virtual event.

Related link: https://www.krostcpas.com/

Chart-Topping Country Artist Jeremy Parsons Announces April-May Tour Dates In TN, KY, NC, VA

NASHVILLE, Tenn. /ScoopCloud/ -- With the title track of his latest album, "Things To Come" climbing national radio airplay charts, San Antonio, Texas country artist Jeremy Parsons is hitting the road. The international iTunes chart-topper has just announced a series of April and May concert dates that will bring his tour to Tennessee, North Carolina and Virginia.

The 12-show tour kicks off in Nashville on April 20, 2022 and wraps up in Appomattox, Virginia on May 8. Parsons will be doing press interviews throughout the tour stops.

CONFIRMED DATES:

-- APRIL
20 - The Moxy Hotel, Nashville, TN
22 - The Oasis Southwest Grill, Kuttawa, KY
23 - Tennessee Brew Works, Nashville, TN
23 - Sidelines Grill, Pleasant View, TN
24 - The Moxy Hotel, Nashville, TN
27 - Citizen Vinyl for Open Folk Asheville, Asheville, NC
28 - Thirsty Beaver, Charlotte, NC
29 - Rumbling Bald Resort, Lake Lure, NC
30 - Twisted Pear, Forest City, NC

-- MAY
6 - Clam Diggers, Bedford, VA
7 - Knot-A-Spring Fling Songwriters Edition, Moneta, VA
8 - Evergreen Lavender Farm, Appomattox, VA

Parsons' latest single, "Things To Come" is #15 on the National Radio Hits AC40 airplay chart, #33 on the Country chart and #26 on the New Music Weekly Country Digital chart. His songs have received more than 1 million streams on Spotify!

ABOUT JEREMY PARSONS:

Jeremy Parsons draws from his personal experiences to create songs that are keenly perceptive and meaningful. Parsons has topped the international iTunes sales charts, the Roots Music Report charts, the IndieWorld Country chart and has appeared on many others. His videos have been Official Selections in IMdB film festivals.

LEARN MORE:

https://www.jeremyparsonsmusic.com/

https://www.facebook.com/jeremyparsonsmusic

https://www.twitter.com/jmparsonsmusic

https://www.instagram.com/jmpickinfool

MULTIMEDIA:

VIDEO (YouTube): https://youtu.be/jrRFAl8PQrs

With the title track of his latest album, "Things To Come" climbing national radio airplay charts, San Antonio, Texas country artist Jeremy Parsons is hitting the road. The international iTunes chart-topper has just announced a series of April and May concert dates that will bring his tour to Tennessee, North Carolina and Virginia.

Related link: https://www.jeremyparsonsmusic.com/

152 New Planned Manufacturing Industrial Projects Identified – Report for March 2022

JEFFERSON BEACH, Fla. /ScoopCloud/ -- SalesLeads announced today the March 2022 results for the new planned capital project spending report for the Industrial Manufacturing industry. The Firm tracks North American planned industrial capital project activity; including facility expansions, new plant construction and significant equipment modernization projects. Research confirms 152 new projects in the Industrial Manufacturing sector.

The following are selected highlights on new Industrial Manufacturing industry construction news.

Industrial Manufacturing - By Project Type
Manufacturing/Production Facilities - 137 New Projects
Distribution and Industrial Warehouse - 71 New Projects

Industrial Manufacturing - By Project Scope/Activity
New Construction - 40 New Projects
Expansion - 56 New Projects
Renovations/Equipment Upgrades - 65 New Projects
Plant Closings - 12 New Projects

Industrial Manufacturing - By Project Location (Top 10 States)
Indiana - 13
Michigan - 12
Ohio - 11
California - 10
New York - 8
Ontario - 8
South Carolina - 7
Texas - 6
North Carolina - 6
Pennsylvania - 5

Largest Planned Project

During the month of March, our research team identified 13 new Industrial Manufacturing facility construction projects with an estimated value of $100 million or more.

The largest project is owned by Contemporary Amperex Technology USA, Inc., who is planning to invest $5 billion for the construction of a manufacturing facility and is currently seeking a site in TEXAS.

Top 10 Tracked Industrial Manufacturing Projects

MICHIGAN:

Battery components mfr. is planning to invest $2 billion for an expansion of their manufacturing facility in HOLLAND, MI. They have recently received approval for the project.

ONTARIO:

Automotive mfr. is planning to invest $1.1 billion for the renovation and equipment upgrades on their manufacturing facility in ALLISTON, ON. They are currently seeking approval for the project.

MARYLAND:

Medical supply company is planning to invest $350 million for the renovation and equipment upgrades on a 735,000 sf warehouse and manufacturing facility in SPARROWS POINT, MD. Completion is slated for early 2023.

NEW YORK:

Semiconductor components mfr. is considering investing $150 million for the construction of a 150,000 sf manufacturing facility and currently seeking a site in the ALBANY, NY and ROCHESTER, NY area.

ILLINOIS:

Steel pipe and tube mfr. is planning to invest $130 million for the renovation and equipment upgrades on an 810,000 sf warehouse and manufacturing complex at 1600 Ritchie Court in ROCHELLE, IL. Completion is slated for Fall 2022.

PENNSYLVANIA:

Semiconductor components mfr. is planning for an expansion and equipment upgrades on their manufacturing facility in EASTON, PA. They are currently seeking approval for the project.

ARKANSAS:

Electric vehicle mfr. is planning to invest $80 million for the renovation and equipment upgrades on a recently acquired 580,000 sf warehouse and manufacturing facility at 1425 Ohlendorf Rd. in OSCEOLA, AR.

SOUTH CAROLINA:

Plastic resin mfr. is planning to invest $54 million for the renovation and equipment upgrades on their manufacturing facility in GASTON, SC. They have recently received approval for the project.

INDIANA:

Biotechnology company is planning to invest $50 million for the construction of a 300,000 sf processing facility at 1555 Manchester Ave. in WABASH, IN. They have recently received approval for the project. Completion is slated for Summer 2023.

CALIFORNIA:

Global automation technology company is planning to invest $40 million for the construction of a manufacturing facility in POMONA, CA. They are currently seeking approval for the project.

ABOUT SALESLEADS, INC.:

Since 1959, SalesLeads, based in Jacksonville, FL is a leader in delivering industrial capital project intelligence and prospecting services for sales and marketing teams to ensure a predictable and scalable pipeline. Our Industrial Market Intelligence, IMI identifies timely insights on companies planning significant capital investments such as new construction, expansion, relocation, equipment modernization and plant closings in industrial facilities. The Outsourced Prospecting Services, an extension to your sales team, is designed to drive growth with qualified meetings and appointments for your internal sales team.

* Industrial Manufacturing

* Plastics

* Food and Beverage

* Metals

* Power Generation

* Pulp Paper and Wood

* Oil and Gas

* Mining and Aggregates

* Chemical

* Research and Development

* Distribution and Supply Chain

* Pipelines

* Pharmaceutical

* Misc. Industrial Buildings

* Waste Water Treatment

* Data Centers

LEARN MORE: https://www.salesleadsinc.com/industry/industrial-manufacturing/

SalesLeads announced today the March 2022 results for the new planned capital project spending report for the Industrial Manufacturing industry. The Firm tracks North American planned industrial capital project activity; including facility expansions, new plant construction and significant equipment modernization projects. Research confirms 152 new projects in the Industrial Manufacturing sector.

Related link: https://www.salesleadsinc.com/

COYOTAS Tortillas is Naturally San Diego’s Pitch Slam People’s Choice!

SAN DIEGO, Calif. /ScoopCloud/ -- On April 7, at the "Naturally San Diego" 2nd Annual Pitch Slam, "COYOTAS" Cassava Tortillas, took the People's Choice Award in this Shark Tank style event, showcasing Southern California's emerging and promising natural products companies and their owners in front of a board of experts and a live audience. The sole purpose of this event is for the local community to support and drive growth in their industry.

Janet Flores Pavlovich, Founder of "COYOTAS" took the stage with the opening question "Who here eats Tacos?" to which the whole crowd replied excitedly about their love for Tacos.

"COYOTAS" Cassava Flour Tortillas are Gluten-Free, Grain-Free, Vegan and Paleo Tortillas made locally in San Diego, created for the purpose of dignifying the Tortilla and show how an authentic one should be already in the specialty food market.

Janet continued by saying: "We are the ONLY tortilla company in the market that offers a clean label 4 ingredients tortilla, authentic, with great flavor, great texture. The texture is so soft and pliable that your taco won't fall apart; since it's a deal breaker if it does."

Janet went back to her hometown of Hermosillo, Sonora in Mexico to learn how to make tortillas from the source. Women called "Tortilleras" who have been making tortillas by hand for generations.

Inspired by living in California and its lifestyle, she decided to put a spin to the traditional tortilla recipe by making it gluten free and grain free by using cassava flour to, and by being made in a facility operated by her and cofounder/husband Alfredo Contreras, they can assure the quality of each tortilla being produced, and in her own words: "We have very high standards for Tortillas."

The company Started in January 2020 in Farmers Markets, hand pressing every single tortilla, and were able to gather all the feedback firsthand and saw the love for the product.

But a couple of months later all shut down because of COVID and they had to create a solution when they decided to rely on ecommerce to be able to reach the customers they had at the moment.

At the same time, several specialty food markets started reaching out due to their own customers requesting that COYOTAS be in their retail stores.

Currently most of the business covers around 60 specialty food retail stores in Southern California mostly San Diego and Los Angeles area, focusing on growing organically, by saturating the area before expanding to new territories, being able to meet the customers' needs and satisfaction before taking the next step, and keeping on the integrity and simplicity of our products, in the words of Janet: "We don't want to be the small fishing boat catching a big whale and eventually sink."

She added: "Want to build a company that we are truly proud of, connecting to our community, we want to use only clean ingredients in our products, and most of all have fun. What we do are Tortillas... but radically better and with Good Vibes."

The pitch concluded with a series of questions from the board regarding the views and direction, growth and scalability for the company, in which she replied that COYOTAS is at 60% capacity already making plans for the next step in volume and efficiency without affecting quality that our customers know them for.

Another member of the panel mentioned she was hesitant of the Tortillas since most of the Gluten/Grain Free Vegan in the category are dry and fall apart, she was tremendously surprised at how delicious and fantastic they were, leading to the question, How is COYOTAS communicating to consumers that they will not be sacrificing their love for tortillas by consuming these? To what Janet replied: "We have been very lucky that our own loyal customers have been our voice to new customers, especially since in proximity they too look for similar products. Also, we currently offer 1 Free Pack of Tortillas on our website for them to be able to try before committing to a full purchase, since we trust our product and brand so much and by doing constantly demos at the retail stores where you can find COYOTAS."

MORE INFORMATION:

https://eatcoyotas.com/

Instagram: @eatcoyotas

Facebook: @eatcoyotas

TikTok: @eatcoyotas

VIDEO:

https://youtu.be/LWFh1Z5bZ_s

On April 7, at the "Naturally San Diego" 2nd Annual Pitch Slam, "COYOTAS" Cassava Tortillas, took the People's Choice Award in this Shark Tank style event, showcasing Southern California's emerging and promising natural products companies and their owners in front of a board of experts and a live audience. The sole purpose of this event is for the local community to support and drive growth in their industry.

Related link: https://eatcoyotas.com/

FormFree’s Christy Moss recognized by the Mortgage Bankers Association for outstanding contributions in mortgage technology

ATHENS, Ga. /ScoopCloud/ -- FormFree® today announced that the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) has named FormFree Chief Customer Officer Christy Moss, CMB, a 2022 Tech All-Star. Since 2002, the Tech All-Star Awards have honored leaders who have made outstanding contributions to mortgage technology.

Moss was recognized for her career commitment to driving digital transformation in mortgage lending. A 30-year veteran of the mortgage industry, Moss got her start holding advanced positions at financial institutions including CitiMortgage, Wachovia and GE Capital Mortgage Services. During her subsequent 11-year tenure at Fannie Mae, Moss evangelized business initiatives beneficial to the post-recession mortgage lending ecosystem that focused on driving lender and partner adoption of technologies. Now, as CCO at FormFree, Moss is helping build a more inclusive credit decisioning landscape with AccountChek's automated verification of direct-source asset, income and employment data.

"It is an incredible honor to be recognized by the MBA, the leading organization for mortgage professionals, for my contributions toward the digital transformation of mortgage lending," said Moss. "Going forward, I will continue to uplift FormFree's creative thinkers, groundbreaking solutions and business partnerships to create a safer, easier and more transparent mortgage experience for all."

"Christy is instrumental in helping FormFree deliver a simplified loan application experience, improve loan officer productivity and reduce loan cycle times. I feel incredibly fortunate to have her as a driving force behind FormFree's mission to transform mortgage lending into an easy, stress-free digital experience," said FormFree Founder and CEO Brent Chandler. "Her passion coupled with her wealth of experience driving innovation make her well deserving of recognition as a Tech All-Star."

This award is the latest of a number of prestigious accolades under Moss' belt. In the past year alone, Moss was named a Mortgage Star by Mortgage Women Magazine and a Housing Industry Icon by Mortgage Professional America. Moss has also been honored in NEXT Mortgage Events' Powerhouse Awards program.

The 2022 Tech All-Star Awards were presented to honorees at the MBA Technology Solutions Conference & Expo in Las Vegas on April 12.

About FormFree®

As the industry's go-to provider for direct-source VOA and VOI/E data, FormFree helps lenders understand credit risk like never before. Our patented AccountChek® and Passport® products open doors to more inclusive credit decisioning by revealing each customer's true ability to pay (ATP®). We have completed over $3 trillion in loan verifications that help lenders lower operating costs while improving the borrower experience. For more information, visit https://www.formfree.com/ or follow FormFree on LinkedIn.

FormFree® today announced that the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) has named FormFree Chief Customer Officer Christy Moss, CMB, a 2022 Tech All-Star. Since 2002, the Tech All-Star Awards have honored leaders who have made outstanding contributions to mortgage technology.

Related link: https://www.formfree.com/

NotaryCam surpasses 1 million remote online notarization transactions

NEWPORT BEACH, Calif. /ScoopCloud/ -- NotaryCam®, a Stewart-owned company and a pioneering provider of remote online notarization and identity verification/authentication technology for real estate and legal transactions, today announced it has performed more than 1 million successful remote online notarization (RON) transactions. Since 2012, NotaryCam has facilitated transactions for Fortune 500 companies, banks, mortgage lenders, attorneys, settlement agents and more across the globe.

With more than 1 million global users, NotaryCam has performed RON transactions for customers in all 50 states and 150 countries. As a pioneer in RON, NotaryCam offers a platform that scales in every jurisdiction to provide mortgage lenders and their settlement agents the competitive advantage of closing how the client wants to close and allows multiple parties to join the signing ceremony.

"At NotaryCam, we're proud of each and every milestone we've met over the years, but performing one million transactions is certainly one of the bigger ones we've been honored to celebrate," said NotaryCam division president Rick Triola. "Whether it was the first or the one-millionth transaction, NotaryCam has been committed to providing a RON platform that facilitates a smooth mortgage closing experience without any of the limits imposed on traditional closings, and we will continue to bring that commitment to our next million transactions."

Recently, New York became the 39th state to pass permanent RON legislation - a milestone which New York native Triola has awaited since founding the company to address the difficulties he faced in conducting his New York real estate closings after relocating to California. As a Mortgage Industry Standard Maintenance Organization (MISMO) certified platform, NotaryCam meets, and often exceeds, the standards set by state legislation for RON transactions.

"The growth RON has seen in the past few years has been almost exponential," Triola said. "As some aspects of RON become standardized in the mortgage industry, NotaryCam will always strive to go above and beyond for our customers and provide the best experience possible."

About NotaryCam, a Stewart Company

NotaryCam, a Stewart-owned company, is the leader in online notarization and mortgage eClosing solutions, having notarized documents worldwide for hundreds of thousands of customers in all 50 states and more than 146 countries. The company's eClose360® platform delivers the "perfect" online mortgage closing in every jurisdiction and supports all eClosing scenarios - RON, IPEN or Hybrids - with a flexible workflow for document recording and unparalleled identity verification, security and customer convenience. In addition to real estate transactions, NotaryCam provides RON services to many Fortune 500 companies as well as small and midsize business and includes the execution of electronic wills (eWills), legal docs (i.e., power of attorneys) and Apostilles. The company also proudly maintains an industry-leading 99.8 percent customer satisfaction rating and the highest Net promotor score (NPS) amongst the best global tech brands.

Visit https://www.notarycam.com for additional information or to get a document notarized today.

RELATED LINKS:
https://www.stewart.com/en.html

NotaryCam®, a Stewart-owned company and a pioneering provider of remote online notarization and identity verification/authentication technology for real estate and legal transactions, today announced it has performed more than 1 million successful remote online notarization (RON) transactions. Since 2012, NotaryCam has facilitated transactions for Fortune 500 companies, banks, mortgage lenders, attorneys, settlement agents and more across the globe.

Related link: https://www.notarycam.com/

Springhill Suites By Marriott Opens Its Doors in Willow Park, Texas

WILLOW PARK, Texas /ScoopCloud/ -- Marriott International announced today that the SpringHill Suites by Marriott in Willow Park, Texas is open effective April 8, 2022. The 88-suite hotel, located at 500 Shops Boulevard, and, will operate as a Marriott franchise, owned and managed by AHS Hotel Group, LLC of Arlington, Texas.

SpringHill Suites Weatherford/Willow Park is located 45 miles from Dallas Fort Worth International Airport and 20 miles west of the Greater Fort Worth Metropolitan area. The hotel offers guests convenient access to the Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo. The hotel is also conveniently located ten minutes from Weatherford, and steps from the trendy new Shops at Willow Park North.

"There was never a better time to join the rich culture of such a unique and diverse community like Willow Park," said Hena Masters, President of AHS Hotel Group. "SpringHill Suites by Marriott is the perfect brand to anchor the Shops at Willow Park North development. We are excited to warmly welcome each and every guest to our brand new hotel, and we look forward to many years of a good working relationship with Marriott International, the City of Willow Park and the community."

Ideal for business and leisure travelers alike, the new hotel offers a little extra space with suites larger than a typical hotel room. Separate living, working and sleeping spaces provide guests with flexibility and functionality. The hotel offers comfortable beds, soft linens and plush pillows to allow for an optimum night's sleep. Each suite also features a pullout sofa and lounge chair offering additional space for relaxation. The designated work space offers a well-lit desk space to ensure maximum productivity for those who need to get down to business.

From the guest rooms to the lobby, every aspect of design, from furniture and lighting to colors and fabrics, has been carefully selected to offer calm and refreshing spaces to allow guests to relax and recharge. Featuring a brand-new design that adds depth and sophistication to the décor, the hotel's lobby is a great venue for conducting casual gatherings, enjoying a refreshment at the cozy lobby bar, or simply to socialize with SpringHill Suites' enhanced evening experience.

The daily complimentary breakfast is filled with hot, healthy and indulgent choices including fresh strawberries, steel cut oatmeal, cold cuts, cheeses and much more. This is SpringHill Suites' way of making sure guests have a good start to their day. The hotel also provides business services, complimentary Wi-Fi, a board room, guest laundry facilities, a 24/7 Market, an outdoor swimming pool, fire-pit and a well-equipped fitness center.

In addition, the modern, multi-functional 3,000 square foot Willow Park Event Center will host the community's social and business events.

Learn more at: https://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/dfwsw-springhill-suites-weatherford-willow-park

About SpringHill Suites by Marriott:

SpringHill Suites by Marriott is an all-suite hotel brand that is refreshingly different. Guests are provided warm, thoughtful service in an uplifting, positive atmosphere at over 450 properties across the United States and Canada. Each spacious suite features an open, airy and stylish design that provides guests the flexibility to be productive and unwind. A daily signature complimentary breakfast is offered for guests to have a good start to their day. For more information or reservations, visit www.springhillsuites.com, become a fan on Facebook or follow @SpringHillSuites on Twitter and Instagram.

SpringHill Suites is proud to participate in Marriott Bonvoy(tm), Marriott's highly awarded travel program offering members an extraordinary portfolio of global brands, experiences on Marriott Bonvoy Moments and unparalleled benefits including earning points toward free hotel stays and nights toward Elite status recognition. To enroll for free or for more information about the program, visit MarriottBonvoy.com.

Marriott International announced today that the SpringHill Suites by Marriott in Willow Park, Texas is open effective April 8, 2022. The 88-suite hotel, located at 500 Shops Boulevard, and, will operate as a Marriott franchise, owned and managed by AHS Hotel Group, LLC of Arlington, Texas.

Country Music Artist Announces 2022 Concert Series to Benefit Veterans

WAYNESVILLE, Ohio /ScoopCloud/ -- International country chart-topper and member of the Ohio Country Music Hall of Fame, Richard Lynch has announced the 2022 lineup of "Keepin' It Country Farm" concerts to benefit the Love Tattoo Foundation for veterans. This year's lineup includes several #1 Billboard charting artists and a couple of stars from RFD TV.

Headliners include multi-#1 artist/writer, Paul Overstreet; Statler Brothers member, Jimmy Fortune; RFD TV's Penny Gilley, #1 Christian Country artist, Jeff Bates; and RFD performers, The Malpass Brothers.

Watch Richard's announcement at https://www.facebook.com/RichardLynchBand/videos/285021543664009

FULL LINEUP OF KEEPIN' IT COUNTRY FARM "LOVE TATTOO FOUNDATION BENEFIT CONCERTS"

Fri, June 3rd - Jeff Bates

Sat, July 16th - The Malpass Brothers

Sat, August 20th - Paul Overstreet

Sat, September 24th - Jimmy Fortune

Sat, October 8th - Penny Gilley w/Bonnie Riley

Sat, November 5th - Richard Lynch Band and Friends.

All shows start at 7 p.m., with the Richard Lynch Band hosting. Tickets, including a season pass to all shows, are available at https://lovetattoofoundation.org/.

ABOUT RICHARD LYNCH:

Over the past 3 decades, Richard Lynch has compiled a long list of country hits and chart-toppers on both domestic and international sales and radio airplay charts, including multiple #1 iTunes chart singles, several #1 New Music Weekly radio songs, #1 IndieWorld and Roots Music Report chart tracks and a Christian Music Weekly Top 20 single. Richard has been in Billboard Magazine, Taste Of Country, The Boot, CCM Magazine, Country Music People, and countless others. He has also appeared on WSM Radio Nashville, RFD TV, Fox TV and more.

He has recorded popular duets with legendary artists like Ronnie McDowell and Leona Williams, as well as Grammy Winner, Rhonda Vincent. Richard Lynch is a proud member of the Ohio Country Music Hall of Fame and the Independent Country Music Hall of Fame. Lynch is also the owner of Keepin' It Country Farm in Waynesville, OH and co-founder of Love Tattoo Foundation that assists veterans.

Website: https://www.richardlynchband.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RichardLynchBand/

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/richardlynchbnd

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/4Ft2PD3ZFfdWgcysP7RYnb?si=52IT3X3BS-y-gRShvEW-Pg&dl_branch=1

ABOUT LOVE TATTOO FOUNDATION:

The Love Tattoo Foundation is a non-profit organization that honors and assists the American Veterans who carry mental or physical scars, from serving their country. Its mission is to raise money and awareness to help give these Veterans the opportunities they sacrificed, so others could have theirs.

The Love Tattoo Foundation was born as the positive outcome from a truly devastating event. Law Enforcement Officer, Charles "Chuck" Brisbin, was moved by a story he had heard of a young man who left for Afghanistan as a soldier for his country and came back disfigured. Being involved closely with our country's military, Chuck was compelled to honor this man in any way he could, to show his humble gratitude. So he turned to poetry. Chuck wrote a beautiful poem titled Love Tattoo.

After he finished the poem, he wanted to take it a step further by finding a voice that would be the spirit of his message; not only for this man, but for every man and woman who've sacrificed everything for what others have. Without hesitation, he turned to country music artist, Richard Lynch. Richard has a passion and respect for our military that is not to be taken lightly. He was humbled and honored to be asked to turn this poem into a song. Since then, Richard's adaptation of the poem has literally brought veterans of all ages and walks of life to tears on the spot.

From this, a greater cause was revealed. There are folks ranging from 18 to 81 years old that will carry mental and physical scars with them for the rest of their lives, because they fought for our citizens' freedoms. The most shocking fact of this is that there is no organization designated specifically to these folks and their needs. It came to our attention that these men and women almost feel ostracized; they feel like damaged goods. With very little discussion, it was decided that The Love Tattoo Foundation would take a stand and help these amazing people. They should be lifted up and honored, not put away on a dusty shelf. Learn more at: https://lovetattoofoundation.org/

International country chart-topper and member of the Ohio Country Music Hall of Fame, Richard Lynch has announced the 2022 lineup of "Keepin' It Country Farm" concerts to benefit the Love Tattoo Foundation for veterans. This year's lineup includes several #1 Billboard charting artists and a couple of stars from RFD TV.

Related link: https://www.richardlynchband.com/

Celebrating the 25th Anniversary of L. Ron Hubbard Way in Los Angeles

LOS ANGELES, Calif. /ScoopCloud/ -- State and city officials joined Scientologists, friends and community leaders from across Los Angeles in East Hollywood April 9 to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the dedication of L. Ron Hubbard Way, named for the Founder of the Scientology religion.

The street is home to the Church of Scientology Los Angeles and advanced Scientology Churches that serve parishioners from across America, and is a crossroads for the world's largest community of Scientologists.

City and state officials who took part in the original dedication were among the crowd celebrating the milestone.

Those attending included Nate Holden, who served four years in the California State Senate and 16 years on the Los Angeles City Council. Also participating was Keith Moze, General Manager of Streets L.A.; Sylvia Cunliffe, then L.A. City General Services Manager; and Baydsar Thomasian, district consultant to State Senator Maria Elena Durazo. Ms. Thomasian was senior deputy to District 13 Councilmember Jackie Goldberg in 1997.

In preparation for the street's dedication 25 years ago, the Church renovated the entire city block from Sunset to Fountain. Hundreds of volunteers participated in the project which included undergrounding all electrical wiring, pouring new sidewalks, landscaping the tree-lined avenue, and creating the street itself by laying 150,000 bricks.

Ms. Thomasian, who helped coordinate the project between the Church and L.A. City Council, said, "It is great to be here to celebrate the 25th Anniversary of the creation of L. Ron Hubbard Way. Few other staffers here today can say they were actually part of the creation and I'm honored to say I was." She presented the Church with a California flag flown over the California State Capitol in Sacramento on behalf of State Senator Durazo.

In addition to serving as a home to Scientologists from across Greater Los Angeles, L. Ron Hubbard Way is also a community hub, hosting festivals, markets, and family fun days for East Hollywood families. Case in point, that same afternoon, L. Ron Hubbard Way featured the Church's annual Spring Fair, open free of charge to the community. It included an artisan market and some of L.A.'s favorite food trucks. And for the kids, there were pony rides, face painting, a petting zoo, and other games and treats.

For more information on L. Ron Hubbard Way, watch Inside a Church of Scientology on the Scientology Network, which debuted the day the network launched in honor of the Founder's birthday in 2018. Also featured in the launch special was an introduction to the network by Mr. David Miscavige, ecclesiastical leader of the Scientology religion.

LEARN MORE:

https://www.scientology.tv/series/inside-scientology/inside-a-church.html

https://www.lronhubbard.org/

VIDEOS:

https://youtu.be/8XnzFn688js

https://youtu.be/dziK04-9qqQ

State and city officials joined Scientologists, friends and community leaders from across Los Angeles in East Hollywood April 9 to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the dedication of L. Ron Hubbard Way, named for the Founder of the Scientology religion. City and state officials who took part in the original dedication were among the crowd celebrating the milestone.

Related link: https://www.scientology.org/

This Start-up wants to help companies re-engage employees while returning to the office

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. /ScoopCloud/ -- Scottsdale start-up, JabberYak, has developed a new team-building Office Name Plate to help employees re-connect and re-engage as they return to the office.

"As we enter a post-pandemic world, we are seeing companies go through major transitions as they try to navigate the return to the office. Isolation, Zoom fatigue, and lack of social interactions among team members have had an adverse mental impact on employees," says Gail Levinthal, CEO of JabberYak.

At the same time, employees can feel overwhelmed and disconnected during the transition and a poorly designed work model can have a profound negative impact on teamwork and productivity.

JabberYak is set to make the transition smoother by getting co-workers to re-connect and get to know each other again. JabberYak's platform enables employees to select their top seven personal interests that give insight into who they are. The selected interests then get printed on customized name plates and displayed on offices, cubicles, or collaborative workspaces. This will enable employees to learn something new about each other, build relationships based on common interests, ease social interactions, and improve the level of engagement with team members.

"Folks are returning to the office, and they have not seen each other for a year or two and many new employees have not even met their team members. There is lot of pressure on companies to find ways to build cohesive teams that know and trust each other," adds Levinthal. "We have taken an old office item, like a name plate, which is there for everyone to basically ignore... completely revamped it and turned it to a fun team building tool."

JabberYak's analytics dashboard helps companies understand what activities are valued by the team members and what appreciation perks should be offered.

JabberYak's other icebreaker, team-building, and customer engagement products include customized T-Shirts, event badges, name tags, and free event scheduling tool, designed to ignite meaningful, face-to-face communication.

Learn more at: https://www.jabberyak.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/jabberyak/

MULTIMEDIA:

*VIDEO (YouTube): https://youtu.be/ZOK6EZzSi40

RELATED LINKS:
https://www.jabberyak.com/office-name-plates

https://www.jabberyak.com/event-registration-tool

Scottsdale start-up, JabberYak, has developed a new team-building Office Name Plate to help employees re-connect and re-engage as they return to the office. JabberYak is set to make the transition smoother by getting co-workers to re-connect and get to know each other again.

Related link: https://www.jabberyak.com/

Edgewood Healthcare Advisors Continues Growth with Strategic Hires

NEW YORK, N.Y. /ScoopCloud/ -- Edgewood Healthcare Advisors, a division of EPIC Insurance Brokers and Consultants, a retail property and casualty insurance brokerage and employee benefits consultant, announced today that it has hired a team of healthcare experts to help continue to expand its healthcare practice expertise in the Southeast Region.

Joining the team are Kirk Kreis and Chad May as principals, as well as Diana Nodarse as account manager. Kreis and May both have a background in insurance and consulting in professional liability, alternative risk transfer, workers' compensation, and captives in the healthcare industry. The team will be responsible for the development, cultivation, and management of new and existing business.

"We are pleased to welcome Kirk, Chad and Diana to our practice. They will provide guidance to our clients, as well as help to expand our overall client base. We look forward to the opportunities that lie ahead with this new team on board," said Matthew LeBlanc, Healthcare Practice Leader, East Region.

With the continued changes in the healthcare industry, it is more important than ever to have experts like Kirk and Chad as part of the Edgewood Healthcare Advisors team to provide guidance to clients to help them navigate the everchanging world of healthcare," continued LeBlanc.

About EPIC Insurance Brokers & Consultants

EPIC Insurance Brokers & Consultants, a retail insurance brokerage, has more than 2,600 team members operating from offices across the U.S., providing Property and Casualty, Employee Benefits, Specialty Programs, and Private Client solutions to clients. EPIC ranks among the top 15 retail insurance brokers in the U.S. https://www.epicbrokers.com

About Edgewood Healthcare Advisors

Edgewood Healthcare Advisors, a division of EPIC, has partnered with organizations in the Healthcare industry for decades. The team is comprised of experienced brokers, actuaries, and claim advocates that provide key risk management and risk finance services to healthcare clients. https://epicbrokers.com/industries/healthcare/

Edgewood Healthcare Advisors, a division of EPIC Insurance Brokers and Consultants, a retail property and casualty insurance brokerage and employee benefits consultant, announced today that it has hired a team of healthcare experts to help continue to expand its healthcare practice expertise in the Southeast Region.

Related link: https://www.epicbrokers.com/

Pompano Beach CRA announces RFP: Seeks Restaurant Operator for New Florida Destination

POMPANO BEACH, Fla. /ScoopCloud/ -- The Pompano Beach CRA has announced a Request for Proposal (RFP) for a Master Operator to renovate the historic McNab House and garage, construct a new kitchen, improve the surrounding area for outdoor dining, and design the dining program. The nationwide search invites commercial real estate professionals, with their restaurateur partners, and professional restaurant operators to submit proposals.

The solicitation documents can be downloaded for free from the eBid System as a PDF at: https://pompanobeachfl.ionwave.net. The proposal deadline is June 9, 2022 by 2 p.m.

"We are creating a world-class botanical garden which will attract visitors who support the restaurants with traditional dining, in addition to a variety of special events including weddings and educational tours," said Nguyen Tran, CRA Director. "This is a tremendous opportunity for the right operator to work with us in developing a key element of this forthcoming Florida destination."

The McNab House is an iconic 1926 structure that was moved and restored to become the centerpiece of the botanical garden. The CRA will consider proposers that respond to the initial phase ("Phase 1") of the project: the McNab House and garage operations, which include the outdoor patio dining, kitchen annex building, and loading area. Proposers are encouraged to define their vision for all aspects of the project including "Phase 2", which includes the tea house, event facilities, and other amenities. The CRA has divided the project into phases so operations may begin at the restaurant while the remainder of the botanical garden is designed, funded, and built.

The CRA's consultants, Bermello Ajamil, and Partners ("B & A"), produced a Conceptual Master Plan for the entire Botanical Gardens; however, specific uses and locations remain flexible pending involvement of the Master Operator.

About the Pompano Beach CRA:

The City of Pompano Beach Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) was created in 1989, with two independent districts. The Northwest CRA and East CRA were established by City government for the purpose of carrying out redevelopment activities that include reducing or eliminating blight, improving the economic health of an area, and encouraging public and private investments in a CRA district. The Pompano Beach CRA is funded through Tax Increment Financing (TIF).

For more information http://www.pompanobeachfl.gov/pages/cra

The Pompano Beach CRA has announced a Request for Proposal (RFP) for a Master Operator to renovate the historic McNab House and garage, construct a new kitchen, improve the surrounding area for outdoor dining, and design the dining program. The nationwide search invites commercial real estate professionals, with their restaurateur partners, and professional restaurant operators to submit proposals.

New Book ‘The Velocity of Information’ Discovers Humans’ Breaking Point During Chaos

MADISON, Wis. /ScoopCloud/ -- "The Velocity of Information - Human Thinking During Chaotic Times" (ISBN: 978-1475865455), authored by David P. Perrodin, Ph.D., and published by Rowman & Littlefield, rigorously clarifies and deepens how we think about societal human behavior and mental health during days, weeks, months, or even years of chaos. This is an invigorating scholarly work for all audiences.

As chaos erupts, alerts screech on our cell phones and torrents of conflicting-yet-urgent messages gush from media outlets. What is the magnitude of the crisis? What is its cause? And what should people do to protect themselves?

The speed and direction of these details is known as the velocity of information. It overwhelms and distresses people who have not built a network of trustworthy sources to traverse disorder.

"'The Velocity of Information' offers understanding to manage chaos and our complex reactions to crisis situations influenced by bias and propaganda," explains Dr. Perrodin. "Recognizing indicators to judge the severity of an incident, understanding human predispositions, and joining a member check network to gauge real-time observations from people in your network provide direction to respond to the reality of a situation with impartiality, thus improving outcomes."

This book also provides a novel framework, incorporating photos and custom figures, for discerning chaos based on duration, location, and complexity. Understanding how human cognitive limitations affect individual and group human behavior during different stages of chaos allows readers to use the tools in this book to avoid hysteria and optimize responses to emergency events.

Utilizing several in-depth personal interviews and explorations of historical and contemporary events, "The Velocity of Information" provides a functional and realistic roadmap with specific, actionable guidance on how to navigate chaos.

James David Dickson, reporter, The Detroit News, says, "David P. Perrodin's 'Velocity of Information' will empower its readers. Drawing on current events, history, interviews, and scholarship, Velocity of Information is an education in the way people react and adapt to change in this fast-spinning world. Never has it been more important to sift facts and stories for truth and meaning. The path forward is lit by Dr. Perrodin's assemblage of homesteaders and Special Forces fighters, of crab boaters, jewel thieves and Nail Men. There are teachable moments on every page."

Link to Publisher:

https://rowman.com/ISBN/9781475865455/The-Velocity-of-Information-Human-Thinking-During-Chaotic-Times

About the Author:

David P. Perrodin, Ph.D., is an author, researcher, professor, and host of "The Safety Doc" podcast. Dr. Perrodin is a speech-language pathologist specializing in psycholinguistics. He has presented on PBS and written and directed a film about school safety with Pulitzer Prize winner David Obst. Dr. Perrodin is the author of the book School of Errors: Rethinking School Safety in America. He can be found at https://safetyphd.com/.

MULTIMEDIA:

VIDEO (YouTube): https://youtu.be/LKMEjx4oqME

"The Velocity of Information - Human Thinking During Chaotic Times" (ISBN: 978-1475865455), authored by David P. Perrodin, Ph.D., and published by Rowman & Littlefield, rigorously clarifies and deepens how we think about societal human behavior and mental health during days, weeks, months, or even years of chaos. This is an invigorating scholarly work for all audiences.

Related link: https://safetyphd.com/

Loan Quality Expert Duane Gilkison to Speak at ACES ENGAGE

DENVER, Colo. /ScoopCloud/ -- ACES Quality Management® (ACES), the leading provider of enterprise quality management and control software for the financial services industry, has added Duane Gilkison, senior director of loan quality at Fannie Mae, to its speaker line-up for the upcoming ACES ENGAGE conference, taking place at the historic Broadmoor Hotel in Colorado Springs, May 23 - 25, 2022. Gilkison will speak on manufacturing quality and quality control best practices.

Gilkison has more than twenty years of banking and compliance experience. Before joining Fannie Mae, Gilkison worked at PNC Financial Services Group for more than a decade, starting as vice president of operations manager and eventually becoming senior vice president of credit risk. During his tenure at PNC, Gilkison was responsible for all operational areas of credit risk management, leading credit policy, origination quality control, servicing quality control, home equity quality control and audit management teams.

"Given the potential effects of inflation and the purchase-driven mortgage market on loan quality, Duane Gilkison's robust credit risk and loan quality compliance expertise make him an important and welcomed addition to the ACES ENGAGE agenda," ACES CEO Trevor Gauthier said. "Lenders of all stripes must be prepared to shore up their defenses to protect against fraud and defects, and with ACES ENGAGE, we want every attendee to leave with a deeper understanding of proactive quality assurance and compliance and feeling well-equipped to adjust their strategies in the pursuit of maintaining compliance, protecting loan quality and mitigating risk."

ACES ENGAGE will offer a mix of general session presentations, panel discussions and social activities. Attendees have the opportunity to learn from industry experts and thought leaders, network and leave with the knowledge necessary to increase efficiencies, improve productivity and further quality at their organizations.

Register to attend ACES ENGAGE and learn more at https://www.acesquality.com/aces-engage-2022

About ACES Quality Management:

ACES Quality Management is the leading provider of enterprise quality management and control software for the financial services industry. The nation's most prominent lenders, servicers and financial institutions rely on ACES Quality Management & Control Software® to improve audit throughput and quality while controlling costs, including:

* 3 of the top 5 and more than 50% of the top 50 independent mortgage lenders;

* 7 of the top 10 loan servicers;

* 11 of the top 30 banks; and

* 1 of the top 3 credit unions in the USA.

Unlike other quality control platforms, only ACES delivers Flexible Audit Technology, which gives independent mortgage lenders and financial institutions the ability to easily manage and customize ACES to meet their business needs without having to rely on IT or other outside resources. Using a customer-centric approach, ACES clients get responsive support and access to our experts to maximize their investment. For more information, visit https://www.acesquality.com/ or call 1-800-858-1598.

ACES Quality Management® (ACES), the leading provider of enterprise quality management and control software for the financial services industry, has added Duane Gilkison, senior director of loan quality at Fannie Mae, to its speaker line-up for the upcoming ACES ENGAGE conference, taking place at the historic Broadmoor Hotel in Colorado Springs, May 23 - 25, 2022.

Related link: https://www.acesquality.com/

The New York Young Elite Association hosted a fundraiser for Tom Suozzi

NEW YORK, N.Y. /ScoopCloud/ -- The New York Young Elite Association (NYYEA) hosted a fundraiser for New York State Governor candidate and Congressman Tom Suozzi at the Penn Club on March 30th. Over 50 attendees spanning political, business, and academic sectors gathered together and discussed with Suozzi his views and insights on political and social issues.

Suozzi thanked those in attendance and emphasized that he would be improving matters such as public safety, taxes, and education.

"My biggest number one issue is to make people feel safe in New York City," Suozzi said, with immediate and booming applause from the audience.

Suozzi was elected as a congressman of New York's 3rd district in 2016. He was previously the Mayor of Glen Cove, New York, in 1993 and was elected Nassau County Executive in 2001, a position previously held by Republicans for 30 years.

During his tenure as the County Executive of Nassau County -- which is more significant than 11 states and has the 12th largest police department in the country - it had the lowest crime rate of all communities with over 500,000 people. The current New York City Police Commissioner, Keechant Sewell, was a police officer promoted by Suozzi when she was serving in the Nassau County Police Department.

Suozzi also turned down New York City Mayor Eric Adams to become his Deputy Mayor.

"I'm not going to be your Deputy Mayor," Suozzi said. "I'm running for Governor... I can do more to help you from the Governor I can be than as your deputy mayor."

Suozzi also said he is willing to work with everybody, regardless of their political affiliation. He also pointed out that the recently passed infrastructure bill was due to bipartisan efforts, a belief he strongly champions. He also supports tax reduction.

"I will always be a commonsense Democrat," Suozzi said. "I will work with anybody. I will work with Democrats or Republicans, and I will work with progressives, I will work with moderates, I will work with conservatives, I will work with anybody.

"I won't abandon my values, but I will work with anybody to solve problems that surely help people."

NYYEA President John JD Liu said the current downward trend of public safety and hate crimes against the Asian community is a priority of immediate attention. Liu also said he would back Suozzi for his governorship bid, which would also benefit the overall interest of the local Chinese community.

About The New York Young Elite Association (NYYEA):

NYYEA is a nonprofit organization that seeks to assemble and serve as a platform for the young elites across various industries and fields. It aims to facilitate the exchange of ideas, consolidate resources and in turn, heighten the positive impact the group can achieve collectively.

Some of the attendees include NYYEA members John JD Liu, Eva Cai, Chrissy Ding, and Ivy Wu; Suozzi's running mate for Lieutenant Governor Diana Reyna; former New England Patriots Executive Vice President Charles Sullivan; Kayla Rockefeller of the Rockefeller family; Brooklyn community leaders Rosita Pei and Susan Weng; Lina Li and Janet C. Salazar from FSUN; New York Chinese Business Association Honorary Chairman James Liu; James Newman from the Elite Prep Academy; and Faith Group CEO Young Liu.

Website https://www.nyyea.org/

Tel: 516-858-8899

-- Paid for by The New York Young Elite Association --

The New York Young Elite Association (NYYEA) hosted a fundraiser for New York State Governor candidate and Congressman Tom Suozzi at the Penn Club on March 30th. Over 50 attendees spanning political, business, and academic sectors gathered together and discussed with Suozzi his views and insights on political and social issues.

Related link: https://www.nyyea.org/

Sokal Announces Collaboration with Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC on Vehicle Photo Technology

RALEIGH, N.C. /ScoopCloud/ -- Sokal, a full-service advertising agency with offices in Raleigh and Charlotte, N.C., announces a unique collaboration with Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC on a photo technology project that enhances the in-transit vehicle selling process.

Over the past four years, Southeast Toyota has developed a vehicle photo process where vehicles arriving from Toyota are photographed prior to being transported to dealerships. In August of 2021, Southeast Toyota reached out to Sokal to collaborate on developing technology to add these vehicle photographs to the dealership's website while the vehicles are still in-transit.

Melissa Clark, CEO of Sokal, Jason Jones, CTO of Sokal, and Carson Bland, Development Manager at Sokal, have worked with the business and technology teams at Southeast Toyota over the past seven months to develop this photo technology.

As of March 1, this technology has been integrated with websites of the following dealerships: Hendrick Toyota Apex, Hendrick Toyota North Charleston, Hendrick Toyota Wilmington, Rick Hendrick Toyota of Fayetteville and Stevenson Hendrick Toyota Jacksonville.

Since March 1, 2022, all vehicles that are processed through Southeast Toyota's facilities are displayed in the participating dealer's inventory feed while the vehicle is still in transit. With this new integration, customers can see a 360-degree view of the actual in-transit vehicle's exterior and interior on the dealer's website search results page and the vehicle detail page, allowing them to explore the vehicle's features and make their purchasing decision before the vehicle reaches the dealership's lot.

Given the current state of the market, in which supply chain issues and lack of new vehicle inventory are of high concern, the ability to showcase real vehicle photos as soon as they arrive at Southeast Toyota's facilities is a huge advantage for dealers. Additionally, many digital and programmatic advertising providers filter out campaigns that feature stock photos instead of real vehicle photos, which could be additional motivation for dealers to use this photo technology.

Sokal was the first website provider to offer this new capability which will revolutionize the in-transit vehicle selling process.

For more information about Sokal, please visit their website at: https://www.gosokal.com/

Sokal, a full-service advertising agency with offices in Raleigh and Charlotte, N.C., announces a unique collaboration with Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC on a photo technology project that enhances the in-transit vehicle selling process.

Related link: https://www.gosokal.com/

444 Spotlights Movers and Shakers in the Sustainable Living Sector

SEATTLE, Wash. /ScoopCloud/ -- Danielle Keogh, co-founder, 444, LLC, launched a nationwide tour where she interviewed businesses within the functional ingredient sector. She says that Brandon Pitcher continues to carve the path for sustainable living. Among many, leading change agent in the Midwest, Pitcher, co-founder of Blue Circle Farms and founder of 5 Kingdoms Development, has dedicated his life's work to providing sustainability and renewability coaching. In 2010, he was the Green Entrepreneur of the year.

As the functional ingredient and sustainability movement continues to charge on in the Midwest, Pitcher is joined by agricultural solution-based companies, small-scale sustainable farmers, and organic merchants that have also stepped up to the plate to nurture the heart of America.

Several events are planned this spring to showcase Pitcher and other sustainability leaders and to feature some incredible, nutrient-dense foods. These events are scheduled to take place this spring in Colorado, Missouri, Illinois, Michigan and Ohio.

Pitcher has traveled to more than 50 countries and given more than 600 lectures on business, inspired by nature and societal development at Universities like MIT and Yale. Networking people and facilitating fun education to share big concepts is Pitcher's approach to making the world a better place.

He's hosting a series of 5 Kingdoms Dinners across the U.S., collaborating with prominent chefs like Donna Merton, and Farm Eats District Food Truck Eats. Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts will staff these events and Merton and Pitcher are in the process of creating a cookbook too.

5 Kingdoms' dinners are designed to educate and entertain people around a new type of diet.

"I guess you'd call it a different way of living and eating where bacteria, algae, plants, animals and fungus are present and representative of your local ecosystems," Pitcher says.

These events host roughly 100 to 200 people and it's an exciting way to enjoy music and mingle with artists. As opposed to shopping on Amazon, visiting local organic stores allows for unique opportunities to build relationships with like-minded individuals looking for natural ways to improve health. As a result, retail businesses have made strides to provide communities with organic, holistic ingredients.

He believes that "when it comes to our survival and functionality of nature," fungi are "probably the most important kingdom on earth."

Partaking in the remaining four kingdoms, algae, bacteria, plant and animal, can be equally enjoyable and boasts tremendous benefits. Unfortunately, according to "U.S. News," Americans consume ultra-processed foods at an extreme rate, putting people at a greater risk for chronic diseases. The common thought is that the poor 21st Century diet could "be the key driver of the obesity epidemic" (*see citation). It's crucial for society to do its part to support health beyond simply basic nutrition and to build up natural immune systems.

Who: Brandon Pitcher, Blue Circle Farms

What: 5 Kingdom Dinners

Where: Boulder, CO

When: May 21, 2022

Other movers and shakers include Nuka Anue who has two African Naturals stores in St. Louis, MO; and Eric Rose, owner of River Valley Market. African Naturals offers unique, high-quality holistic goods sourced mainly from Africa; and Rose farms most of his products and believes that people are growing more aware of functional mushrooms and their nutritional value.

AFRICAN NATURALS AND RIVER VALLEY MARKET EVENTS:

Who: Nuka Anue of Blue African Naturals

What: 31st Annual St. Louis African Arts Festival

Where: 2022 World's Fair Pavilion Forest Park, St. Louis, MO

When: Saturday, May 28, 2022, 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.; Sunday, May 29, 2022, 11:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.; and Monday, May 30, 2022, 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

Who: Eric Rose of River Valley Market

What: Spring Wine Stroll

Where: Chicago, Illinois

Choose from four routes:

https://www.lincolnsquare.org/spring-wine-stroll

When: Thursday, April 28, 2022, 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.

The Eastern Market in Detroit also hosts the following Midwest sustainable farmers: Carolyn Leadly and Jack VanDyke, Rising Pheasant Farms; Ron Stadler, Stadler Farms; Vincent Sanna, Give and Grow Mushrooms; and Bob Jentzen, Jentzen Farms. Location: 2934 Russell Street, every Saturday from 6:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

OTHER FARMERS' MARKETS INCLUDE:

Who: Brandon and Jordan Krystowski, Erie Shore Seeds and Spores

What: The Lake Saint Louis Farmers and Artists Market

Where: 4040 Riverview Road, Peninsula, OH

When: Opens May 7, every Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

Who: Chef John Gelineau, Mushroom Naturally

What: Countryside Farmers Market

Where: Meadows Circle Drive, St. Louis, MO

When: Every Saturday from 8:00 a.m.to 12:00 p.m.

Who: Nicola Macpherson, Ozark Forest Mushrooms

What: Tower Grove Farmers' Market

Where: 4256 Magnolia Ave, St. Louis, MO

When: Every Saturday from 8:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Whether produce is grown organically or organically certified, more and more of the nation's farmers dedicate resources to providing the healthiest options to their local communities. Some farmers have weekly scheduled pick-ups, others offer deliveries, while most tend to post up at farmer's markets. As expected, the fees involved in establishing and maintaining the organic certification increase prices. Consequently, "organically certified" may not be available at every stand, but the majority of products meet the specifications.

About 444 (4 Forty 4)

444, LLC will incorporate the culinary art of functional beverage and expert mixology to manufacture functional beverage mixers. By partnering with and supporting small businesses throughout the U.S. within the functional ingredients and sustainable farming sectors, 444 is dedicated to providing current information about the industry.

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

Anyone interested in sharing their or others' stories, can visit: https://444.farm/

Explore Midwest farmers at: https://444.farm/category/mid-west

For more information about Brandon Pitcher: https://444.farm/2022/02/14/blue-circle-kokomo-indiana

MULTIMEDIA:

* VIDEO (YouTube) https://youtu.be/0WdoA07gDss

Video caption: Brandon Pitcher Co-Hosting 5 Kingdoms Dinner Boulder Colorado May 21, 2022

* LOGO 72dpi: https://444.farm/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/cropped-444-LOGO-1_12_221-2.png

CITATION:

* Preidt, R. (2021, October 15). Americans are eating more ultra-processed foods | health ... US News. Retrieved April 4, 2022, from https://www.usnews.com/news/health-news/articles/2021-10-15/americans-are-eating-more-ultra-processed-foods

Danielle Keogh, co-founder, 444, LLC, launched a nationwide tour where she interviewed businesses within the functional ingredient sector. She says that Brandon Pitcher continues to carve the path for sustainable living. 444, LLC will incorporate the culinary art of functional beverage and expert mixology to manufacture functional beverage mixers.

Related link: https://444.farm/

EPIC Expands into New Territory with Acquisition of Treloar & Heisel

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. /ScoopCloud/ -- EPIC Insurance Brokers and Consultants announced today that it has acquired Treloar & Heisel located in New Castle, Pennsylvania. The strategic decision expands the offerings of financial planning and insurance services to medical and dental professionals.

Treloar & Heisel is a 63-year-old organization specializing in providing life & disability insurance, property & casualty insurance, and financial services to those in the medical and dental industry. These include dental practitioners, specialists, students, and residents. The main focus for the advisors within Treloar & Heisel is to provide education and stability to dental and medical professionals as they begin their careers, as well as when they have become fully established practitioners and are ready to begin planning for retirement and life after practice.

The team at Treloar & Heisel advises over 20,000 dental specialists throughout the country. They partner with and are endorsed by many associations including The American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons, America College of Prosthodontists, The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, The American Academy of Periodontology, The American Association of Endodontists, The Chicago Dental Society, The American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, and The American Academy of Implant Dentistry. By being an integral part of these associations, Treloar & Heisel advisors can truly partner with the dental and medical professionals for whom they provide support and services.

Scott Fehrs, ChFC®, Chief Executive Officer and Kenneth Thomalla, CPA, CLU®, CFP®, Chief Operating Officer of Treloar & Heisel will remain a part of the leadership team as they join the EPIC organization.

"Our team is very excited about the opportunities ahead with EPIC. The collaboration will bring both businesses added knowledge capital and business clout. By further collaborating with the experts in the specialty practices across EPIC and the Galway platform of companies, we will be able to bring even more services to our clients," said Fehrs.

Scott Davis, President, EPIC National Specialties said, "By partnering with the team of experts within Treloar & Heisel, we will be able to continue to evolve our specialty focus and drive greater results. We are fortunate to have this opportunity and look forward to collaborating as we continue to achieve mutual success for our clients."

About EPIC Brokers & Consultants:

EPIC Insurance Brokers & Consultants has more than 2,600 team members operating from more than 80 offices across the U.S., providing Property and Casualty, Employee Benefits, Specialty Programs, and Private Client solutions to EPIC clients. For more information visit: https://www.epicbrokers.com/

About Treloar & Heisel:

Treloar & Heisel was founded in 1959 by Dan Treloar. As a premier provider of financial services to dental and medical professionals from training to retirement, its goal is to educate, prepare and protect clients with a comprehensive suite of wealth management and insurance products, customized to their needs. For more information, visit: https://www.treloaronline.com/

EPIC Insurance Brokers and Consultants announced today that it has acquired Treloar & Heisel located in New Castle, Pennsylvania. The strategic decision expands the offerings of financial planning and insurance services to medical and dental professionals.

Related link: https://www.epicbrokers.com/

Participating Applebee’s Restaurants in Florida and Georgia Announce Special Late-Night, One Dollar Drink Offer for the Entire Month of April

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. /ScoopCloud/ -- Applebee's Neighborhood Grill + Bar is welcoming spring with a special $1 late night drink every evening in April from 10 pm to close. Starting today, and running through April 30, guests can enjoy a tasty $1 Long Island Iced Tea, as well as select half-priced appetizers, at participating Applebee's® restaurants in Florida and Georgia* that are owned and operated by local franchisee Doherty Enterprises (see list of participating locations below).

Long Island Iced Tea is a classic drink - and now this neighborhood favorite can be enjoyed for just a buck. It's refreshing and affordable, perfect for keeping your late nights rocking.

"This unbeatable late-night drink offer is our special way of celebrating the arrival of spring with our guests," said Tim Doherty, the CEO of Doherty Enterprises. "There is no better way to satisfy a late-night craving than with a $1 drink and one of our must-try, half-priced appetizers."

The Applebee's® locations, owned and operated by Doherty Enterprises, participating in this special offer are:

FLORIDA: Cape Coral, Cutler Bay, Delray Beach, Fort Myers, Fort Pierce, Greenacres, Hialeah, Jacksonville, Margate, Naples, North Port, Okeechobee, Pembroke Pines, Port St. Lucie, Punta Gorda, Sarasota, St. Augustine, Tamarac, Vero Beach, and West Palm Beach.

GEORGIA: Waycross.

For more information and other limited time offers from Applebee's, stop by your neighborhood Applebee's restaurant: https://www.applebees.com/en

*Offer valid for dine-in only at Doherty Enterprises owned and operated Applebee's® locations on Long Island NY, FL, and GA and guests must be 21-years old or over to enjoy responsibly. Offer valid from 4/1/22-4/30/22.

About Doherty Enterprises, Inc.

Established in 1985, Doherty Enterprises owns and operates more than 130 restaurants in New Jersey, New York, Florida and Georgia, including five restaurant concepts: Applebee's Neighborhood Grill & Bar, Panera Bread, Chevys Fresh Mex and its own concepts, The Shannon Rose Irish Pub and Spuntino Wine Bar & Italian Tapas. In addition, Doherty Enterprises is also a franchisee of Sola Salon Studios with 8 locations in Staten Island and New Jersey. Doherty Enterprises is ranked 11th in Top 200 Franchisees in the United States by Restaurant Finance Monitor, is recognized as the 77th largest Foodservice revenue company in the United States by Nation's Restaurant News, the 73rd largest privately held business in the New York Metro area by Crain's Business, and 34th largest privately held company in New Jersey by NJBIZ. The Doherty vision is to be the "Best Food Service Company in the Communities We Serve" and its mission is to "Wow Every Guest Every Time, Wow our People, Wow Our Communities and Wow Our Suppliers."

Doherty Enterprises has also been lending a helping hand to team members and their immediate families when financially burdened through the WOW a Friend Foundation. To date, the foundation has assisted more than 3,100 people and donated over $4.1 million directly back to those in need. ( https://www.dohertyinc.com/ ).

About Applebee's®

As one of the world's largest casual dining brands, Applebee's Neighborhood Grill + Bar serves as America's kitchen table, offering guests a lively dining experience that combines simple, craveable American fare with classic drinks and local drafts. Applebee's makes it easy for family and friends to connect with one another, whether it's in a dining room or in the comfort of a living room, Eatin' Good in the Neighborhood(tm) is a familiar and affordable escape from the everyday. Applebee's restaurants are owned and operated by entrepreneurs dedicated to more than serving great food, but also building up the communities that we call home. From raising money for local charities to hosting community fundraisers, Applebee's is always Doin' Good in the Neighborhood®.

Applebee's franchise and company-operated operations consisted of 1,680 Applebee's restaurants in the United States, two U.S. territories and 11 countries outside the United States as of December 31, 2021. This number does not include two domestic Applebee's ghost kitchens (small kitchens with no store-front presence, used to fill off-premise orders) and eight Applebee's international ghost kitchens. Applebee's is franchised by subsidiaries of Dine Brands Global Inc. [NYSE: DIN], which is one of the world's largest full-service restaurant companies.

Applebee's Neighborhood Grill + Bar is welcoming spring with a special $1 late night drink every evening in April from 10 pm to close. Starting today, and running through April 30, guests can enjoy a tasty $1 Long Island Iced Tea, as well as select half-priced appetizers, at participating Applebee's® restaurants in Florida and Georgia* that are owned and operated by local franchisee Doherty Enterprises.

Related link: https://www.dohertyinc.com/

The Spodak Group Offers Free Wellness Scans: The Group continues to provide comprehensive care for their family of patients

DELRAY BEACH, Fla. /ScoopCloud/ -- The Spodak Dental Group team of dental professionals now offers free digital wellness scans in a continued effort to provide the very best comprehensive care to their family of patients.

"Offering free digital wellness scans is a tremendous value we offer our patients because it provides us a deeper understanding of their oral and overall health, which allows us to render a greater scope of care," said Dr. Craig Spodak, general dentist at Spodak Dental Group. "There is a great link between oral health and systemic health, and our team of general and specialty dentists has a great opportunity to help our family of patients maintain and achieve optimum health."

The mouth is the gateway to the body and a direct link to systemic health. Without proper cleaning and regular maintenance, bacteria in the mouth can lead to oral infection, such as tooth decay and gum infections. These infections, if left untreated, can cause various diseases and conditions including cardiovascular disease, endocarditis, pregnancy issues, and pneumonia. Patients who suffer from diabetes, AIDS/HIV, osteoporosis and Alzheimer's disease also have a greater chance of oral issues due to complications from these conditions.

The Spodak Dental Group team is proud to offer all current and future patients a free digital wellness scan, which takes less than five minutes and is painless. The scan will show doctors any current concerns, including recession, chipping/wearing of teeth, malocclusion, signs of oral cancer, tooth erosion and more, so they can best address any issues. The scan will also be used to track differences in oral health over time, which is helpful as patients experience lifestyle and health changes.

The use of state-of-the-art digital technology falls in line with the Group's commitment to provide their patients with the most up-to-date systems and dental offerings available, with a goal to offer an unparalleled dental and human experience.

The Spodak Dental Group, 2017 Inc. 5000 honoree, has evolved to become South Florida's premier, comprehensive dental facility, and comprises a world-class association of dental professionals poised to provide full-service dental care second-to-none in both scope and skill. The Spodak Dental Group team includes General and Restorative Dentists, Endodontists, Periodontists, Board Certified Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons, Master Ceramic Artists and Anesthesiologists, as well as one of the nation's only in-office dental labs.

Spodak Dental Group is located at 3911 W. Atlantic Ave. Call or text (561) 303-2413 or visit https://www.SpodakDental.com/ for more information or to schedule an appointment.

The Spodak Dental Group team of dental professionals now offers free digital wellness scans in a continued effort to provide the very best comprehensive care to their family of patients. The Spodak Dental Group team is proud to offer all current and future patients a free digital wellness scan.

Related link: https://www.spodakdental.com/

Eric Zanotelli and the Z-Team join Sente Mortgage

STILLWATER, Okla. /ScoopCloud/ -- The Z-Team, a mortgage banking branch based in Stillwater, Oklahoma, has joined independent mortgage company Sente Mortgage, the company announced today. Branch Manager Eric Zanotelli and his team bring deep industry knowledge and a commitment to exceptional, accessible, and engaging service to the Oklahoma market and beyond.

"I chose to move my team and join Sente Mortgage because of values alignment, a shared commitment to supporting financial education, and a customer-focused mindset," said Zanotelli. "I am beyond thrilled to be part of such a fabulous organization. I can't wait for our clients to experience our truly unmatched customer service as we help make their home dreams possible."

With a focus on core values and the promise of creating financial possibility for clients and partners, residents across Oklahoma will benefit from the Z-Team's highly personalized mortgage services, bolstered by Sente Mortgage's 5-star home lending experience.

"Key to our growth is welcoming new branches that share our core values, since that's at the heart of what makes our company so different for the clients and partners trusting us with the home buying journey," said Tom Rhodes, CEO of Sente Mortgage. "We're excited to have found that with our newest branch in Stillwater, The Z-Team, and to bring our unparalleled five-star experience to this new market."

In addition to Oklahoma, Sente Mortgage is licensed in Texas, Arkansas, Colorado, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Missouri, and Tennessee. To learn more about the Sente Mortgage Stillwater branch, access educational and financial resources, or find the right Mortgage Banker for your upcoming home purchase, visit https://www.sentemortgage.com/locations/.

About Sente Mortgage:

Sente Mortgage is a leading independent mortgage bank focused on creating financial possibility. Since its founding in 2007, the company has been committed to delivering a five-star experience for every client, with a team of expert Mortgage Bankers dedicated to finding the right mortgage products to meet each client's needs. Sente Mortgage has been recognized three times as one of the nation's fastest-growing companies on the Inc. 5000 list, has landed on the Austin, San Antonio, Dallas and Houston Business Journals' "Best Places to Work" lists, and has been a two-time recipient of the Austin Business Journal's "Fast 50" list. The company is headquartered in Austin.

For more information about Sente Mortgage, please visit https://www.sentemortgage.com/.

The Z-Team, a mortgage banking branch based in Stillwater, Oklahoma, has joined independent mortgage company Sente Mortgage, the company announced today. Branch Manager Eric Zanotelli and his team bring deep industry knowledge and a commitment to exceptional, accessible, and engaging service to the Oklahoma market and beyond.

Related link: https://www.sentemortgage.com/

Participating Applebee’s® Restaurants on Long Island, N.Y. Announce Special Late-Night, One Dollar Drink Offer for the Entire Month of April

LONG ISLAND, N.Y. /ScoopCloud/ -- Applebee's Neighborhood Grill + Bar is welcoming spring with a special $1 late-night drink every evening in April from 10 p.m. to close at participating restaurants on Long Island, N.Y.* Starting today and running through April 30, guests can enjoy a tasty $1 Long Island Iced Tea, as well as select half-priced appetizers, at Applebee's® restaurants on Long Island that are owned and operated by local franchisee Doherty Enterprises (see list of participating locations below).

Long Island Iced Tea is a classic drink - and now this neighborhood favorite can be enjoyed for just a buck. It's refreshing and affordable, perfect for keeping your late nights rocking.

"This unbeatable late-night drink offer is our special way of celebrating the arrival of spring with our guests," said Tim Doherty, the CEO of Doherty Enterprises. "There is no better way to satisfy a late-night craving than with a $1 drink and one of our must-try, half-priced appetizers."

The Long Island, NY Applebee's® locations, owned and operated by Doherty Enterprises, participating in this special offer are:

Nassau County: Baldwin, Bellmore, Bethpage, Elmont, New Hyde Park, Rosedale, Valley Stream and Westbury;

Suffolk County: - Bohemia, Brentwood, Commack, East Farmingdale, East Islip, Farmingville, Lake Grove, Lindenhurst, Miller Place, Patchogue, Riverhead and Shirley.

For more information and other limited time offers from Applebee's®, stop by your neighborhood Applebee's restaurant.

*Offer valid for dine-in only at Doherty Enterprises owned and operated Applebee's® locations on Long Island, NY, FL, and GA and guests must be 21-years old or over to enjoy responsibly. Offer valid from 4/1/22-4/30/22. Void where prohibited.

About Doherty Enterprises, Inc.

Established in 1985, Doherty Enterprises owns and operates more than 130 restaurants in New Jersey, New York, Florida and Georgia, including five restaurant concepts: Applebee's Neighborhood Grill & Bar, Panera Bread, Chevys Fresh Mex and its own concepts, The Shannon Rose Irish Pub and Spuntino Wine Bar & Italian Tapas. In addition, Doherty Enterprises is also a franchisee of Sola Salon Studios with 8 locations in Staten Island and New Jersey. Doherty Enterprises is ranked 11th in Top 200 Franchisees in the United States by Restaurant Finance Monitor, is recognized as the 77th largest Foodservice revenue company in the United States by Nation's Restaurant News, the 73rd largest privately held business in the New York Metro area by Crain's Business, and 34th largest privately held company in New Jersey by NJBIZ.

The Doherty vision is to be the "Best Food Service Company in the Communities We Serve" and its mission is to "Wow Every Guest Every Time, Wow our People, Wow Our Communities and Wow Our Suppliers." Doherty Enterprises has also been lending a helping hand to team members and their immediate families when financially burdened through the WOW a Friend Foundation. To date, the foundation has assisted more than 3,100 people and donated over $4.1 million directly back to those in need. ( https://www.dohertyinc.com/ ).

About Applebee's®

As one of the world's largest casual dining brands, Applebee's Neighborhood Grill + Bar serves as America's kitchen table, offering guests a lively dining experience that combines simple, craveable American fare with classic drinks and local drafts. Applebee's makes it easy for family and friends to connect with one another, whether it's in a dining room or in the comfort of a living room, Eatin' Good in the Neighborhood(tm) is a familiar and affordable escape from the everyday. Applebee's restaurants are owned and operated by entrepreneurs dedicated to more than serving great food, but also building up the communities that we call home. From raising money for local charities to hosting community fundraisers, Applebee's is always Doin' Good in the Neighborhood®. Applebee's franchise and company-operated operations consisted of 1,680 Applebee's restaurants in the United States, two U.S. territories and 11 countries outside the United States as of December 31, 2021. This number does not include two domestic Applebee's ghost kitchens (small kitchens with no store-front presence, used to fill off-premise orders) and eight Applebee's international ghost kitchens. Applebee's is franchised by subsidiaries of Dine Brands Global Inc. [NYSE: DIN], which is one of the world's largest full-service restaurant companies.

Applebee's Neighborhood Grill + Bar is welcoming spring with a special $1 late-night drink every evening in April from 10 p.m. to close at participating restaurants on Long Island, N.Y.* Starting today and running through April 30, guests can enjoy a tasty $1 Long Island Iced Tea, as well as select half-priced appetizers, at Applebee's® restaurants on Long Island that are owned and operated by local franchisee Doherty Enterprises.

Related link: https://www.dohertyinc.com/

Participating N.J. Applebee’s® Announces Special Late-Night, One Dollar Drink Offer for the Entire Month of April

ALLENDALE, N.J. /ScoopCloud/ -- Applebee's Neighborhood Grill & Bar is welcoming back spring with a special $1 late night drink every evening in April from 10 p.m. to close. Starting today, and running through April 30, 2022, guests can enjoy a tasty Dollarita ($1 margarita) as well as select half-priced appetizers, at Applebee's® restaurants in New Jersey that are owned and operated by local franchisee Doherty Enterprises (see list of participating locations below).

The famous $1 margarita - known as the Dollarita - will be available at Doherty Enterprises-owned Applebee's® locations throughout the Garden State.

The Dollarita is a classic drink - and now this neighborhood favorite can be enjoyed for just a buck. It's refreshing and affordable, perfect for keeping your late nights rocking.

"This unbeatable late-night drink offer is our special way of celebrating the arrival of spring with our guests," said Tim Doherty, the CEO of Doherty Enterprises. "There is no better way to satisfy a late-night craving than with a $1 drink and one of our must-try, half-priced appetizers."

The N.J. Applebee's® locations, owned and operated by Doherty Enterprises, participating in this special offer are:

New Jersey: Brick, Bridgewater, Butler, Clark, Clifton, Edison, Garfield, Hackensack, Hackettstown, Hillsborough, Howell, Jersey City, Kearny, Lacey, Linden, Manahawkin, Manalapan, Manchester, Middletown, Milltown, Mt. Olive, Newton, North Bergen, Ocean, Paramus, Parsippany, Phillipsburg, Piscataway, Rockaway, Tinton Falls, Totowa and Union.

For more information and other limited time offers from Applebee's, stop by your neighborhood Applebee's restaurant.

*Offer valid for dine-in only at Doherty Enterprises owned and operated Applebee's® locations in N.J. and guests must be 21-years old or over to enjoy responsibly. Offer valid from 4/1/22-4/30/22. Learn more: https://www.applebees.com/en

About Doherty Enterprises, Inc.

Established in 1985, Doherty Enterprises owns and operates more than 130 restaurants in New Jersey, New York, Florida and Georgia, including five restaurant concepts: Applebee's Neighborhood Grill & Bar, Panera Bread, Chevys Fresh Mex and its own concepts, The Shannon Rose Irish Pub and Spuntino Wine Bar & Italian Tapas. In addition, Doherty Enterprises is also a franchisee of Sola Salon Studios with 8 locations in Staten Island and New Jersey. Doherty Enterprises is ranked 11th in Top 200 Franchisees in the United States by Restaurant Finance Monitor, is recognized as the 77th largest Foodservice revenue company in the United States by Nation's Restaurant News, the 73rd largest privately held business in the New York Metro area by Crain's Business, and 34th largest privately held company in New Jersey by NJBIZ. The Doherty vision is to be the "Best Food Service Company in the Communities We Serve" and its mission is to "Wow Every Guest Every Time, Wow our People, Wow Our Communities and Wow Our Suppliers." Doherty Enterprises has also been lending a helping hand to team members and their immediate families when financially burdened through the WOW a Friend Foundation. To date, the foundation has assisted more than 3,100 people and donated over $4.1 million directly back to those in need. Learn more: https://www.dohertyinc.com/

About Applebee's®

As one of the world's largest casual dining brands, Applebee's Neighborhood Grill + Bar serves as America's kitchen table, offering guests a lively dining experience that combines simple, craveable American fare with classic drinks and local drafts. Applebee's makes it easy for family and friends to connect with one another, whether it's in a dining room or in the comfort of a living room, Eatin' Good in the Neighborhood(tm) is a familiar and affordable escape from the everyday. Applebee's restaurants are owned and operated by entrepreneurs dedicated to more than serving great food, but also building up the communities that we call home. From raising money for local charities to hosting community fundraisers, Applebee's is always Doin' Good in the Neighborhood®. Applebee's franchise and company-operated operations consisted of 1,680 Applebee's restaurants in the United States, two U.S. territories and 11 countries outside the United States as of December 31, 2021. This number does not include two domestic Applebee's ghost kitchens (small kitchens with no store-front presence, used to fill off-premise orders) and eight Applebee's international ghost kitchens. Applebee's is franchised by subsidiaries of Dine Brands Global Inc. [NYSE: DIN], which is one of the world's largest full-service restaurant companies.

Applebee's Neighborhood Grill & Bar is welcoming back spring with a special $1 late night drink every evening in April from 10 p.m. to close. Starting today, and running through April 30, 2022, guests can enjoy a tasty Dollarita ($1 margarita) as well as select half-priced appetizers, at Applebee's® restaurants in New Jersey that are owned and operated by local franchisee Doherty Enterprises.

Related link: https://www.dohertyinc.com/

James Kennedy Joins Vanbridge, a Division of Financial Services of EPIC: M&A and Private Equity Background Provides Significant Leg Up

NEW YORK, N.Y. /ScoopCloud/ -- EPIC Insurance Brokers and Consultants, a retail property and casualty insurance brokerage and employee benefits consultant, announced today that James Kennedy has joined the firm as a principal with Vanbridge, its Financial Services division.

In his role within the Financial Services division, Kennedy will be dedicated to the private equity space. He brings a strong background in private equity and mergers and acquisitions work including due diligence, transactional services, advisory, and placement. His experience and network will be invaluable to the organization as he becomes a part of the team and begins to collaborate with national teams within EPIC as well as partner firms. Kennedy will be based in Birmingham, Alabama and New York, New York but will work with all of EPIC's national teams in the financial services space.

"I could not be more thrilled to have James joining our Financial Services team. I look forward to leveraging his expertise and his network as we continue to build upon our capabilities in the financial services and private equity space," said Philip Moyles, President, Financial Services and Chief Growth Officer.

Adam Meyerowitz, President, Southeast/Midwest Region, agreed, "We couldn't be more excited to have James join our team and further expand our capabilities in the region. There are many opportunities ahead for success with him onboard."

About Vanbridge - An EPIC Company:

Vanbridge is an insurance intermediary and program management business that provides products and services at the intersection of the insurance, private equity, and hedge fund industries. Vanbridge focuses on alternative asset management, corporate and individual high net worth clients, solving risk related issues utilizing insurance and alternative capital. Vanbridge's unique structuring and plan design techniques support various client objectives including cost reductions and enhancements to investment strategies that strengthen long-term financial performance. https://www.vanbridge.com

About EPIC Insurance Brokers & Consultants:

EPIC Insurance Brokers & Consultants, a retail insurance brokerage, has more than 2,600 team members operating from offices across the U.S., providing Property and Casualty, Employee Benefits, Specialty Programs, and Private Client solutions to clients. EPIC ranks among the top 15 retail insurance brokers in the U.S. https://www.epicbrokers.com/

EPIC Insurance Brokers and Consultants, a retail property and casualty insurance brokerage and employee benefits consultant, announced today that James Kennedy has joined the firm as a principal with Vanbridge, its Financial Services In his role within the Financial Services division, Kennedy will be dedicated to the private equity space.division.

Related link: https://www.epicbrokers.com/

How a Scientology Volunteer Minister from Nepal Brought Help to His Nation

LOS ANGELES, Calif. /ScoopCloud/ -- Seven years ago this month, a 7.8 magnitude earthquake devastated Nepal. A Scientology Volunteer Minister led rescue workers, Scouts and volunteers who arrived from across the world on a mission to save lives.

Within 24 hours of the earthquake that rocked Nepal on April 25, 2015, killing some 8,800, Scientology Volunteer Minister Binod Sharma mobilized an emergency response team in Kathmandu. He led his volunteers as they combed through the rubble of his ravaged city for survivors. And he went on to lead an international team of rescue workers and volunteers to help his people. His story is documented in an episode of Voices for Humanity on the Scientology Network.

Sharma acted as interpreter for Los Topos, the famous Mexican search and rescue team, and Colombia's National Circle of Aid Technicians (CINAT), who were brought to Nepal by Volunteer Ministers international headquarters in Los Angeles. And he coordinated their activities with the work of Volunteer Ministers arriving from India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and as far away as Australia, Denmark and America.

Among those arriving were EMTs, nurses and doctors, and Sharma's team helped them provide needed medical care and first aid to those injured by the quake in Kathmandu. And the Volunteer Ministers went with them to remote towns and villages cut off by rubble and the remains of destroyed vehicles that blocked the roads through treacherous mountain passes.

They provided food and temporary shelter and helped rebuild homes and schools.

Sharma led his teams across forgotten villages and districts hit by disaster, ultimately bringing help to 4 million Nepalese. And to bring permanent help, he established a Volunteer Minister headquarters in Kathmandu training more than 150 Volunteer Minister groups across his nation.

In recognition of Sharnma's humanitarian work, Scientology ecclesiastical leader Mr. David Miscavige presented him with the International Association of Scientologists Freedom Medal in 2017.

The Church of Scientology Volunteer Ministers program is a religious social service created in the mid-1970s by Scientology Founder L. Ron Hubbard.

A Volunteer Minister's mandate is to be "a person who helps his fellow man on a volunteer basis by restoring truth and spiritual values to the lives of others." Their creed: "A Volunteer Minister does not shut his eyes to the pain, evil and injustice of existence. Rather, he is trained to handle these things and help others achieve relief from them and new personal strength as well."

LEARN MORE:

https://www.scientology.tv/series/voices-for-humanity/binod-sharma.html

Seven years ago this month, a 7.8 magnitude earthquake devastated Nepal. A Scientology Volunteer Minister led rescue workers, Scouts and volunteers who arrived from across the world on a mission to save lives. Sharma acted as interpreter for Los Topos, the famous Mexican search and rescue team.

Related link: https://www.scientology.org/

EPIC Welcomes Jim McSherry – Joins as National Practice Leader for New Employer Stop Loss Center

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. /ScoopCloud/ -- EPIC Insurance Brokers & Consultants, a retail property and casualty insurance brokerage and employee benefits consultant, announced today that Jim McSherry has joined EPIC to lead its newly formed Employer Stop Loss Center of Excellence.

McSherry has spent more than two decades in the employee benefits space working with brokers and consultants, developing and implementing innovative strategies to assist self-funded clients in managing their employee benefit plans. With extensive experience drawn from both major medical and national stop-loss carriers, he brings a wealth of technical and market knowledge to the EPIC organization. McSherry's expertise in self-funding, employer stop-loss and risk mitigation will prove to be an invaluable asset to the EPIC team and its clients.

Prior to joining EPIC, McSherry was with Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance where he was instrumental in facilitating the launch of medical stop-loss in the Northeast. As a regional sales director, his responsibilities included strategic planning, new business development, renewal retention and management of partnerships with some of the largest brokerage and consulting firms in the industry. McSherry started his career with Anthem BlueCross BlueShield in New York where he worked for more than 10 years with both fully insured and self-funded clients in the commercial large group market.

"I have worked with Jim for over 20 years and have known him to be a highly resourceful industry leader with exceptional communication and interpersonal skills. He will be a great resource for our organization and a great fit for EPIC culturally. I am excited we have the opportunity to bring him on board," commented Craig Hasday, President, National Employee Benefits Practice.

About EPIC Insurance Brokers & Consultants:

EPIC Insurance Brokers & Consultants, a retail insurance brokerage, has more than 2,600 team members operating from more than 80 offices across the U.S., providing Property and Casualty, Employee Benefits, Specialty Programs, and Private Client solutions to clients. EPIC ranks among the top 15 retail insurance brokers in the U.S.

Learn more: https://www.epicbrokers.com/

EPIC Insurance Brokers & Consultants, a retail property and casualty insurance brokerage and employee benefits consultant, announced today that Jim McSherry has joined EPIC to lead its newly formed Employer Stop Loss Center of Excellence.

Related link: https://www.epicbrokers.com/