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Fonté Coffee Roaster Bets on Downtown Seattle with a New Café Restaurant in Rainier Square

Wright Runstad

Fonté Coffee Roaster, Seattle’s pioneer micro roasters founded by Paul Odom in 1992, announces that it will open a new flagship café and restaurant in the lobby of the 58 story Rainier Square, making it the newest “hot spot” in downtown Seattle. The expansive lobby is the central gathering hub that links Wright Runstad & Company’s Rainier Square and 400 University projects with the original Rainier Tower on a single block that encompasses 189 high end apartment homes, over 1.5 million square of office space, diverse retail offerings and ample parking. Fonté, a local coffee roaster operating seven cafés and relationships with the finest chefs, restaurants and hoteliers in the country, is set to open the flagship store in fall of 2022. The Fonté Café and Restaurant at Rainier Square will not only provide its classic offerings of fine coffee and high-quality hand-made to-go fare, it will entertain Seattle with a sit-down culinary dining experience with a fresh ingredients driven menu. The Fonté flagship café will join PCC Community Markets as Rainier Square comes to life with 80% of its apartment homes already leased and a growing roster of premier commercial tenants filling its office space. For Fonté’s part, an energetic commitment to entertaining will be as important as the commitment to fine quality. Hand-made cocktails prepared table side from a traveling trolley and engaging baristas, servers and bartenders are on the menu. “I believe that Seattle wants to be entertained again. I hope this collaboration inspires downtown Seattle’s 2.0 version and brings much-needed play back to our dynamic city,” says Odom. Odom is certain that offering a cool coffee and cocktails dining experience where people can gather and be social will help jump-start the process. “Envision New York’s Eataly by day and old Nomad Bar by night as inspiration for the concept.” The store will operate in Rainier Square’s expansive main floor lobby, serving indoor lounge and outdoor courtyard seating all day and into the night. Located on the block between Union and University and Fourth and Fifth Avenues, Rainier Square occupies the preeminent location in the heart of downtown Seattle. With easy access to transit and ample underground parking, getting to Fonté’s new flagship café will be easy for city residents and tourists alike who are looking for coffee and breakfast in the morning, lunch at mid-day, a place to unwind with a cocktail after work or for dinner before the theater. About Rainier Square: Developed by Wright Runstad & Company and opened in 2020, Rainier Square occupies the prominent position in Seattle’s downtown and on its skyline. The 1.1 million square foot project includes a 58-story tower containing 734,000 square feet of office space and The Residences at Rainier Square, 189 luxury apartment residences on its uppermost floors. Rainier Square shares the block with the 400 University building and the landmark Rainier Tower. All three properties are connected at the main lobby level which features Fonte’s flagship Café and Restaurant and affords access to a unique mix of destination retailers, a 20,000 square foot PCC Community Market and ample underground parking. More information about Rainier Square can be found at www.rainiersquare.com About Fonté: Founded in 1992, Fonté Coffee Roaster is the longest standing independent micro coffee roaster still owned and operated by its original founder Paul Odom. Fonté headquarters and roasting facility are located in the hip Georgetown district in Seattle, WA. The company owns and operates seven coffee bars with two more in development under the Fonté & Uptown Espresso brand names. The company manages a lively wholesale operation supplying the nation’s premier chefs, restaurants and hoteliers as well as a thriving online business. Fonté roasts coffee by hand and as part of its commitment to artisan quality has allowed only three qualified people in the last thirty years to perform the role of roaster. One is Fonté’s master roaster, Steve Smith, who has experience dating back to the 1970s where he was the first master roaster for the Starbucks Coffee Company. In 1991, Steve brought his expertise to full bloom with Fonté Coffee Roaster, where curating only the finest coffees from meticulous growers from the best regions is a priority. Coffees are selected from all over the world based on individual varietal character and are only chosen if they meet the standards of the signature Fonté roast. As a green coffee buyer and full reign of our roasters, we seek to experiment and create the unimaginable, the highest level of excellence in the coffee experience. Contact Details Forrest Carman +1 206-859-3118 forrestc@owenmedia.com Company Website https://www.rainiersquare.com/

April 25, 2022 09:00 AM Pacific Daylight Time

World’s Fastest EVM Completes its First Hackathon

Telos Foundation

Telos Blockchain (ticker: TLOS), home to the world’s fastest, most inexpensive, energy efficient ( Net Zero ), non-congested, credibly neutral, truly decentralized and non-aiding and abetting ( No front running / MEV ) tEVM, is thrilled to announce the winners of the Telos Spark hackathon 2022! The entire team is ecstatic by the number of entries received for the first Telos Spark Hackathon. There were 156 entries and 26 published projects; The team is proud and truly inspired by the traction of this initiative. So many great projects that the team allocated another 20k TLOS to add two more finalists. The judging of these projects ended up being an incredibly challenging task for the team due to all the quality entries. Especially because they were all promising and unique. The most prevalent common denominator that all these great projects had in common was the dedication by each individual team. “These last couple of weeks have blown away all our expectations. Many quality projects are now growing deep roots within the tEVM, and they are loving it and we them. Lots of synergy here and lots of gravity to the speed, low fixed costs and credible neutrality of the tEVM. Telos is not just a hackathon chain. It is a perfect place to build high-performance, scalable and real-world-ready applications!” Justin Giudici, CEO of the Telos Foundation Please congratulate the Telos Spark Winners! ( Watch Video Here ) 1st place: Kluest - 100,000 TLOS 2nd place: Telos Spark Bridge - 50,000 TLOS 3rd place: Chedda - 10,000 TLOS 4th place: Refund - 10,000 TLOS 5th place: Telos.Build - 10,000 TLOS 6th place: VideoWiki - 10,000 TLOS 7th place: Shojiru. - 10,000 TLOS Take a moment and watch the initial video submitted by our first-place winner; From the entire Telos Team, Congratulations! A big thank you to ALL participants of the Hackathon, and please continue to build on Telos! There will be many more hackathons coming. Please continue to follow us on social media. Some inner thoughts: "The dedication, quality, and performance of the Kluest team lead the way. We are excited to see a hackathon project close to a genuine product and could be launched on Telos EVM very soon!" Kersten Wirth, Program Manager & Speaker of the Jury, Telos Core Development "Seeing these applications built in such a short time is exciting. I am always thrilled to see executed transactions on testnet and mainnet in our block explorers as proof that the teams created something that works!" Jesse Schulman, Lead Architect and TCO, Telos Core Development "We have been overwhelmed by the quality of applicants to the Spark Hackathon. The engagement process with applicant teams has been an inspiration, demonstrating the continued strong growth profile in our dApp ecosystem. We can't wait to have these projects built on Telos!" AJ Dinger - Head of Business Development, Telos Foundation "The proof that Telos EVM is ready to accept virtually any project and development and allows teams to build real solutions in such a short time frame is impressive. We are proud that our work enables the Ethereum communities to migrate and deploy on tEVM in a breeze." Douglas Horn,, Strategy and Vision, Telos Core Development On behalf of the entire Team, we want to also thank our friends at Taikai ( https://taikai.network ) for their outstanding support and incredible platform - built on Telos. Some take away notes from the dApps: The majority of these teams have built a dAPP on Telos for the first time. All were excited about easy deployment, fanatic technical support, super-fast transactions, overall performance, and extraordinary low cost. The Seven Telos Spark Finalists KluestApp – (Real World #Metaverse) Allows users to create, play, share & monetize interactive experiences using proven cutting-edge augmented reality & geolocation technologies. https://kluest.com/ Telos Spark Bridge - It is a seamless solution for users to access various dApps to effortlessly bridge their tokens between #Telos native and tEVM at a fraction of the cost and effort. https://spark-bridge.tswaps.com/ Chedda - A lending protocol with isolated lending pools and VE token mechanics allows the token holders to direct token emissions to lending pools. https://telos-hackathon.chedda.store/lend Refund - An expense management system for DAOs. The app tracks and files expenses such as fuel, travel, and meals. Refund makes it easier to track and reimburse all the expenses in your DAO. https://github.com/aleksandargolubovic/TelosSparkHackathon Telos Build - A fundraising platform exclusively for the Telos EVM. https://telos.build/about VideoWiki - Turn your Event Audience into #NFT Fan Clubs. Conduct audience drops for your townhalls, launch parties, and AMAs. https://video.wiki/ Shojiru - A proof-of-concept of a native Telos yield optimizer. A yield optimizer with improved tokenomics to provide a further yield to farmers. https://shojiru.netlify.app/ About Telos Live since 2018, Telos Blockchain (ticker: Tlos) is a third-generation smart contract platform that offers compatibility with Solidity, Vyper and Native C++ smart contracts. Telos provides full EVM/Solidity support with fixed low-cost gas fees and no front running. Uniquely, Telos also offers a path to fee-less transactions via its robust native C++ smart contract support. Even while operating as a Net Zero Blockchain, the chain still sustainably support hundreds of millions of transactions per day, produces blocks in 0.5 second intervals (on a first-in-first-out basis, eliminating front running on the network) and securely validates transactions via a credibly neutral and globally decentralized block producer network. The Telos Blockchain has the throughput needed to facilitate and scale the thriving Metaverse / Web 3.0 better than any other blockchain. Its performance is unrivaled in the industry and was purpose-built to offer speed, scalability, cost-effectiveness, credible decentralization, and end-user fairness. Telos, harnesses its power by utilizing tight C++ on the frontend and a custom WASM runtime environment on the backend. About The Foundation The Telos Foundation is a Decentralized Autonomous Organization established as a promotional and funding body to advance the Telos Blockchain Network and provide support to network applications. Contact Details The Team hello@telosfoundation.io Company Website https://www.telos.net/

April 22, 2022 04:57 PM Eastern Daylight Time

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Join Lensbaby for a Day of In-Person Photography and Exploration

Lensbaby

Lensbaby, the leader in award-winning creative effect camera lenses, is excited to announce their first ever International PhotoWalk on Saturday April 30th, 2022! Join a Lensbaby Photowalk leader in the city nearest you and enjoy a day filled with exploration, photography and prizes. This event is first-come ticketing and free to attend. All that is required is your favorite camera, whether that is simply your phone or a DSLR, and a pair of comfortable walking shoes. You’ll be led around the city streets on an interactive treasure hunt, searching for prize worthy shots. After the day is done, submit your photowalk images to Lensbaby for the chance to be featured on their blog, and or their Instagram feed with over 30,000 followers. Did we mention the prizes?! Want to form a group with your photography loving friends instead? Then you have the option to form a private photowalk group or you can go solo. The choice is yours. Cities currently participating are: Sydney, AUS Melbourne, AUS Seattle, WA London, UK Hamilton, ON, CA Atlanta, GA Alburtis, PA Venice, CA Phoenix, AZ Manchester, UK Frederick, MD Albuquerque Houston, TX Madrid, Spain Denver, CO Pittsfield, MA Don’t see a location close to where you live? Sign up to join wherever you call home. Contact Details Nicole Lisson & M&P Agency +1 310-266-9114 nicole@mcmillanphillips.com Company Website https://lensbaby.com/

April 22, 2022 11:37 AM Pacific Daylight Time

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Telos Neutralizes its Past and Present Carbon Footprint - Net Zero

Telos Foundation

Telos Blockchain (ticker: TLOS) is thrilled to announce to the billion plus global citizens that proudly celebrate and embrace Earth Day that they now have a carbon-neutral smart contract option. Telos with the consulting aid of Plannet Zero, part of RedShaw Advisors Ltd, a leading carbon risk management and procurement firm, have committed to purchasing sequestration projects that will negate the emissions of the blockchain’s entire history. The offsetting is being performed in the form of biochar, which sequesters carbon (removes it from the atmosphere permanently), versus buying emission avoidance credits. Going Net Zero is the sweet spot that the Telos core developers have been striving to tap into for some time now. Up until now Telos’ energy consumption has been scaled down via decarbonization to bring the energy consumption down to less than 0.000002 kWh per transaction. This was monumental when compared to Bitcoins’ 2,258.49 kWh per transaction, Ethereum’s 238.22 kWh per transaction or even Visa’s ~0.00148 kWh per transaction where Telos is still a massive ~740x less. This was a great stride, and the team is very proud of this achievement, but it was still short of the goal of becoming environmentally invisible. Plannet Zero worked with Telos to calculate their carbon footprint by conducting an analysis to quantify the Telos blockchain’s energy consumption over the life of the chain. This analysis dated back to the first block ever generated, late 2018. Now, Telos is continuing to work closely with Plannet Zero to validate Telos’ emissions profile and carbon reduction purchases. Telos has also already allocated the funds needed to continue sequestering the equivalent release of carbon by the blockchain into the future. The commitment made was to first neutralize the carbon footprint of the past and then to continue neutralizing the carbon footprint as needed. As a result, Telos will now be a Net Zero Layer 1 blockchain that is still ludicrously fast, inexpensive, not congested, credibly neutral, decentralized, easy to deploy on and free of any front running / MEV. “dApps now running on the tEVM will be running carbon neutral smart contracts by default. The same neutrality umbrellas over all the end users minting and trading NFTs or coins on the Telos Blockchain. There is something bigger than all of us to be said about this achievement!” AJ Dinger, Telos Head of Business Development In addition to offsetting the blockchain’s carbon footprint, Telos in conjunction with Plannet Zero, is in the final stages of meeting all carbon neutral requirements for Scope 1, Scope 2 and operational scope 3 emissions for every aspect of Telos, including Telos Foundation and Telos Core Development staff. The carbon offset will be all encompassing and will be in full compliance with BSI PAS 2060 and will be verified by BSI. About Telos Live since 2018, Telos Blockchain (ticker: Tlos) is a third-generation smart contract platform that offers compatibility with Solidity, Vyper and Native C++ smart contracts. Telos provides full EVM/Solidity support with fixed low-cost gas fees and no front running. Uniquely, Telos also offers a path to fee-less transactions via its robust native C++ smart contract support. Even while operating as a Net Zero Blockchain, the chain still sustainably support hundreds of millions of transactions per day, produces blocks in 0.5 second intervals (on a first-in-first-out basis, eliminating front running on the network) and securely validates transactions via a credibly neutral and globally decentralized block producer network. The Telos Blockchain has the throughput needed to facilitate and scale the thriving Metaverse / Web 3.0 better than any other blockchain. Its performance is unrivaled in the industry and was purpose-built to offer speed, scalability, cost-effectiveness, credible decentralization, and end-user fairness. Telos, harnesses its power by utilizing tight C++ on the frontend and a custom WASM runtime environment on the backend. About The Foundation The Telos Foundation is a Decentralized Autonomous Organization established as a promotional and funding body to advance the Telos Blockchain Network and provide support to network applications. Contact Details The Team hello@telosfoundation.io Company Website https://www.telos.net/

April 22, 2022 09:07 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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Telos' Decentralization Rivals that of Bitcoin and Ethereum

Telos Foundation

Telos Blockchain (ticker: TLOS), the world’s most robust and decentralized ESG compliant layer 1 platform and home to the world's fastest, highest capacity EVM (tEVM), derives credible neutrality and decentralization from at least 42 equally distinct validating nodes compared to the much smaller number of major mining pools securing Bitcoin and Ethereum. After a thorough competitive analysis comparing Telos’ decentralization to the decentralization of many of the other top Layer 1 chains, the Foundation has confirmed its assumptions. Based on validator equality and crucial factors regarding architecture and finances, the team confirmed that Telos is indeed one of the leading chains regarding credible neutrality and decentralization. As mining pools lack equality, massive node counts become irrelevant: As depicted in the pie charts above, Telos, via its governance, has maintained an equitable distribution amongst all its active validators and Bitcoin and Ethereum have not. Instead, the mining pools of both Bitcoin and Ethereum have now become centralized. The hypothesis is that over the years the well-funded pools have overtaken the little ones. Despite the substantial number of nodes, to be a credibly neutral peer-to-peer network, the network must also sustain even splits in validator power / responsibilities. Without this equality, the insulating strengths of decentralized peer-to-peer networking becomes significantly degraded. A decentralized network made up of equitable validators adds a powerful layer of insulation against multiple scenarios. For example, a multi-government coalition could potentially implement disruptive regulations or restrictions on blockchain. If only a handful of validators / mining pools need to be targeted, it becomes much easier for those governments to impose their will and degrade the insulation that a peer-to-peer network is supposed to provide. In fact, an event far smaller than this could instantly interrupt some chains from operating as they intended. However, the problem is not just limited to government interference. It is also the potential of a coalition amongst the validator majority that threatens the decentralization and stability of a chain. Despite having many nodes, it appears that for Bitcoin it would take only ~5 large mining pools to form a majority, only ~4 for Ethereum and 22 for Telos (as depicted in the pie charts above). Aside from this significant (4x to 5x) difference, it is also worth noting that the community fairly votes the Telos validators into active slots vs Bitcoin / Ethereum in which the mining pool’s principles are anonymous and can simply buy their way into a majority position. Hence, the centralization and lack of credible neutrality that has now formed. Credible neutrality cannot exist in an environment in which control and influence is exerted by small groups of well-funded people. This move towards validator centralization also leads to neutrality questions that are impossible to answer. For example, are the validator majorities' ambitions in line with what is best for the chain or themselves? To put the potential gravity of this into perspective one needs to understand that the principal/s of a majority sized mining pool can easily be a crime syndicate, and no one would know about it due to the anonymity. In fact, all the major mining pools can hypothetically be owned by crime syndicates, and no one would ever know. In contrast to this, with chain-governed validator equality and ongoing fair community voting, these credibility and neutrality questions are simply non-existing issues. In fact, all these chain degrading scenarios are exactly what the Telos architecture and governance have insulated against. As a chain’s validator network becomes unequal in size; the more it will move towards centralization, the more its neutrality will become biased and the more these chain breakdown scenarios may become a reality. Insider allocation cost blockchain’s their credible neutrality: Being that Telos was a 100% bootstrap project (95% of the coins airdropped to the community, 5% were used as equal pay to the almost 150 contributors, no insider handouts, and no ICO), the team already knew that its insider allocation was at the same level as Bitcoin’s beginnings, zero. Telos is the only L1 chain besides Bitcoin to have ever reached this stage of maturity while still maintaining zero insider allocation. All the other L1 chains are believed to be centralized and unable to become credibly neutral public infrastructure due to their insider allocation (click here to see). With this being noted, these chains will most likely never be utilized by governments as a legal tender and dApps depending on this infrastructure will never be 100% insulated by the full power of credible neutrality and decentralization. Telos Decentralization: Since its inception, the validators of the Telos Blockchain are both equally sized and regionally / globally diversified. Plus, no ungoverned wallet is known to hold more than 2% of the chain. From chain architecture to finances, decentralization and neutrality are of the highest priority for the chain. Over the last 4 years, Telos has grown into a truly utopian blockchain option for both private and public infrastructure. It is ludicrously fast, very inexpensive, extremely energy efficient, credibly neutral, non-congested, super easy to deploy on and the only chain that fully insulates the public from the front running / MEV that is plaguing Ethereum. Decentralization Highlights: Telos is the only third generation layer 1 blockchain to have never done an ICO [initial coin offering] and this non-action alone insulates the chain greatly regarding insider collusion and the SEC security law suits. Telos, at its inception, electively chose to stay a bootstrap project and rise in the same fashion as Bitcoin. All other third generation layer 1 chains (including Ethereum) have done ICOs and will more than likely be forced to file with the SEC as securities. The former and current SEC Chairman have both expressed that every ICO [initial coin offering] they have seen are indeed securities, that they have jurisdiction, and that federal securities laws apply. The validating architecture of other networks might be structured via peer-to-peer architecture, but they are not credibly decentralized due to the distribution of monetary / voting / validating power. Again, insider allocation is non-existent and as you can see above in the pie charts depicting validator decentralization, Telos Validators are proportionally equal. Telos governance has the fairest voting system in existence, called Telos Decide. It is tamper-proof and secured by the Tlos coins that investors own. A coin holder can vote on behalf of the coins they hold and rely on outcomes that do not require any further human involvement. No other Layer 1 offers this level of automated community fairness. Especially because the Telos governance documents may be dynamically amended by the votes of the coin holders in a process that is entirely controlled by on-chain smart contracts. Governments, investors, dApp creators, and end users need not forget that the fundamental features which bring the most value to blockchain are credible neutrality and decentralization. With credible neutrality and decentralization the following attributes are all significantly enhanced: Utility Redundancy Security / Trust Individual Financial Independence dApp Sovereignty Fair Voting Legal Tender The actions and inactions of Telos are driven by the belief that the public and private sectors require credibly neutral blockchain infrastructure in a third-generation capable format. Credible neutrality, ludicrously fast speeds, energy efficiency, and super low-cost transactions make Telos the perfect crypto currency for the global internet and for the people. About Telos Live since 2018, Telos Blockchain (ticker: Tlos) is a third-generation smart contract platform that offers compatibility with Solidity, Vyper and Native C++ smart contracts. Telos provides full EVM/Solidity support with fixed low-cost gas fees and no front running. Uniquely, Telos also offers a path to fee-less transactions via its robust native C++ smart contract support. Utilizing less than 0.000002 kWh per transaction, the chain can sustainably support hundreds of millions of transactions per day, produce blocks in 0.5 second intervals on a first-in-first-out basis (eliminating front running on the network) and securely validate transactions via a credibly neutral and globally decentralized block producer network. The Telos Blockchain has the throughput needed to facilitate and scale the thriving Metaverse / Web 3.0 better than any other blockchain. Its performance is unrivaled in the industry and was purpose-built to offer speed, scalability, cost-effectiveness, credible decentralization, and end-user fairness. Telos, harnesses its power by utilizing tight C++ on the frontend and a custom WASM runtime environment on the backend. About The Foundation The Telos Foundation is a Decentralized Autonomous Organization established as a promotional and funding body to advance the Telos Blockchain Network and provide support to network applications. Contact Details The Team hello@telosfoundation.io Company Website https://www.telos.net/

April 20, 2022 10:07 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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38-Year Printing Business Avante Print Center Converts to International Minute Press Franchise in Mesa, Arizona

Minuteman Press International Inc

For nearly 38 years, Carl Denti and his family operated their independent print shop Avante Print Center. In Feb. 2022, Carl sold the business to new owners Devin and John Weiss through Minuteman Press International’s conversion program, which connects sellers with qualified buyers. Carl says, “It was time for me to join my wife Patricia in retirement and I think the transition to International Minute Press has gone very well. I needed to like the people who bought the business and Devin and John are great. My daughter Renee has stayed on working in the business and we also have employees with 25 years of tenure, so it was important for us to be comfortable with everything.” Devin and John have rebranded as International Minute Press in Mesa, AZ, and are operating out of the same location at 218 West Hampton Avenue, Unit 13 that was home to Avante Print Center. Devin says, “We believe owning a business gives us a real sense of pride. By purchasing this established business, we strive to honor our clients, our community, and our staff with continued personalized service and outstanding support.” History of the Business On March 27 th, 1984, Carl Denti and his wife Patricia opened Avante Print Center in Mesa. Carl shares, “I had owned a previous business in Kansas City that I sold. We moved to Arizona and at that time I decided to invest in another business. I told my accountant I didn’t want anything in credit collections (which I did for 15 years) and I didn’t want to own a food-related business. One of the things he came up with was printing.” He adds, “Patricia was very influential in having us go into the printing industry as well. She previously had worked for Hallmark in Kansas City doing calligraphy, and she wanted something we could do together. In our first full year in business together, we made a 39.8% profit.” While printing proved to be a viable business for Carl and Patricia, he also appreciated the freedom it afforded him to pursue other passions. Carl says, “From 1992 – 2021, I also served as the pastor of a church in Arizona, which I never really considered to be work plus it didn’t really pay the bills. Printing was an easy business to market and sell, and I felt it had easier customer acquisition than other industries.” Over the years, Avante Print Center became a second-generation family business. Carl explains, “Patricia and I worked together in the business until she retired a few years ago, and my daughter Renee also worked with us and is still working in the business today even after it was sold.” Growing the Business For the 37-plus years he was in business, Carl operated on four key principles. He says, “No matter what business you own, for me the principles never change. We built Avante Print Center following these principles: Customer service was the apex. We decided that no one would out-service us. When we said we were going to do something, we did it. My goal was to get at least 98% (if not 100%) of all jobs out on time and done right. My definition of quality is that the job has to be accepted by the customer, that they will be happy with it and order it again, and that they will tell someone about the work that we did and refer our business. You have to be able to go after the market and you have to sell. One of the problems people run into when starting a business is that their goal is to simply unlock their doors. Instead, your goal needs to be to make a profit, which takes a lot more than turning the key and turning on lights. Know your numbers and live by your numbers. It’s as simple as that.” Selling the Business While Carl was thinking of retiring at some point, he actually wasn’t actively pursuing a sale of his printing business. He explains, “I did not have the business listed for sale but I’ve known Jack Panzer (Minuteman Press International Regional Vice President) for approximately eight years. When I received a letter and flyer in the mail that Jack could help sell my business, I thought that was very smart of Minuteman Press International do reach out. Jack was very laid back whenever we spoke, and he was always open and honest along with being knowledgeable about the industry.” At the beginning of 2021, the timing was right. Carl shares, “In January 2021, Jack approached me with a qualified buyer that he thought could be a fit for my shop. I told him what it would cost if someone wants to buy our business. I also consulted with my daughter Renee, who decided she didn’t want to take over the business. We started the sales process in March 2021 and it was finished by Feb. 2022.” As for the transition to the new owners, Carl says, “I think the transition has gone very well. I needed to like the people who bought the business and Devin and John Weiss are great. Renee has stayed on working in the business and we also have employees with 25 years of tenure, so it was important for us to be comfortable with everything.” “Jack Panzer is a terrific guy from top to bottom. He’s very transparent and open as is the team at Minuteman Press International. I don’t think there’s a better way to sell your business and here’s why: 1. You’re not paying any commission; 2. You’re working with a well-established 45-year company in Minuteman Press International; and 3. Your buyer is going to have a much better chance of succeeding with the support they are getting. If they succeed, then your employees will be taken care of… and that really means a lot to us.” -Carl Denti, Retiring Owner, Avante Print Center (now International Minute Press, Mesa, AZ Meet the New Owners Devin and John Weiss are no strangers to owning a business. Devin says, “ John and I have owned several diverse businesses but most recently I owned a dance studio for 25 years. When John and I met approximately 10 years ago, we started a business together shortly after, that we continue to operate.” When the opportunity came to buy an established business while also receiving additional support, Devin says, “Honestly, it was a no brainer. We had planned to open an International Minute Press in the area in 2020, just before the pandemic hit. A year and a half later, our Regional VP Jack Panzer, reached out with this opportunity to buy Avante Print Center and convert it to International Minute Press. It was such a great opportunity that we couldn’t pass it up!” When asked why they chose franchising, Devin answers, “We have looked at other businesses and franchises, and were completely impressed with Minuteman Press International by comparison. The amount of hands-on guidance and support are second-to-none. In the past, we have always done businesses independently, and having the support of this franchise in particular was a great draw.” “Jack Panzer and his team were with us every step of the way; they made the sale as easy as it could be. Since buying the business, the support has been great. From the training to the in-store training with the local field staff, it has superseded our expectations in every way. Their patience and knowledge gave us the confidence we needed to enter a new industry for us.” -Devin Weiss, Owner, International Minute Press, Mesa, AZ (formerly Avante Print Center) Entering the Printing Industry Now that Devin and John are operating their business, they are excited to hit the ground running and continue the legacy that Carl and family started. Devin says, “We believe owning a business gives you a sense of pride. By purchasing an established business, we strive to honor our clients, our community, and our staff with continued outstanding service and support.” As a full-service printing and marketing services provider, Devin and John are excited to help other local businesses and organizations with virtually everything they need to operate and promote themselves. Devin says, “Wide format printing is especially exciting right now. There is such a wide variety of custom printed products that we can provide to our clients – we haven’t found anything we can’t do yet in-house or with the help of our franchisor and vendors.” As she reflects on owning a business vs. having a job, one word comes to mind for Devin: “Freedom!” She elaborates, While you have to put in many hours as the owner of a business, they are on your own schedule and with your own priorities. You decide what your life entails every day, and we wouldn’t trade that for the world! We love to travel and the freedom makes that possible.” Advice for Others Devin shares this advice for others who are looking to buy a business right now: “Do your due diligence. A positive attitude is a must. Survey other business owners about their experiences, both good and bad. There is a lot of preparation that goes into buying a business, and having a successful franchise to guide you is a great option. Ultimately, no matter how prepared you are, it is a learning experience!” International Minute Press is located at 218 West Hampton Avenue, Unit 13; Mesa, AZ 85210. For more information, call 480-969-4888 or visit https://minuteman.com/us/locations/az/mesa21. Learn more about #1 rated Minuteman Press International franchise opportunities at https://minutemanpressfranchise.com. To find out how to sell your printing business through Minuteman Press International, visit https://bit.ly/minutemanpressconversions. Contact Details Minuteman Press International Chris Biscuiti +1 631-249-1370 cbiscuiti@mpihq.com Company Website https://minutemanpressfranchise.com

April 19, 2022 10:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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With a Two-Year Revenue Growth of 1,853%, Le Prunier Ranks No. 7 on Inc. Magazine’s List of the Pacific Region’s Fastest-Growing Private Companies

Le Prunier

Inc. Magazine recently named Le Prunier as No. 7 on its third annual Inc. 5000 Regionals: Pacific list, the most prestigious ranking of the fastest-growing private companies based in Alaska, Hawaii, California, Oregon, and Washington. Born of the annual Inc. 5000 franchise, this regional list represents a unique look at the most successful private companies within the Pacific region economy generating sustainable growth and jobs. “We are so excited and grateful that Le Prunier has achieved this amazing milestone. We certainly couldn’t have done it without our amazing customers who have supported us during a phase of rapid growth and our talented, hardworking team,” shared Co-Founders Jacqueline, Allison and Elaine Taylor. Since its 2018 debut, Le Prunier has undergone dramatic year over year growth, built on its loyal customer base, strong innovation, and solid retail strategy. Customers seek out the brand for its efficacious products built on the Power Of Plum, and commitment to organic and sustainable practices. In 2021, the brand experienced an over 25,000 person wait list for their cult-classic Plum Beauty Oil. Expanding upon their offerings, patented Plumscreen Broad Spectrum SPF 31 was introduced this past year; an innovative sunscreen that pairs skincare and sun protection without leaving a white residue typical of many mineral sunscreens. Today, Le Prunier can be found at Credo Beauty, The Detox Market, Goop, Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue, Aillea, Verishop, Petit Vour, Niche Beauty, Luisa Via Roma, Le Bon Marche and QVC. Le Prunier also has a strong international presence due to distribution partnerships in Europe and Asia. The companies on this Inc. list show a remarkable rate of growth across all industries in the Pacific. Between 2018 and 2020, these 150 private companies had an average growth rate of 195% percent and, in 2020 alone, they added 10,252 jobs and $5.1 billion to the Pacific region’s economy. Companies based in the Irvine, Santa Monica, and Venice, California, areas had the highest growth rate overall. Complete results of the Inc. 5000 Regionals Pacific, including company profiles and an interactive database that can be sorted by industry, metro area, and other criteria, can be found at inc.com/pacific. This acknowledgement by Inc. is aligned with the other accolades and recognition shared by some of the most prominent media and industry leaders for Le Prunier including, 2022 Elle Magazine’s Green Beauty Star Award for Plumscreen SPF 31, 2022 Allure Readers’ Choice Award Nominee for Best Clean Facial Moisturizer, 2021 Oprah Daily O-Ward for Best SPF for Combination Skin, 2021 Shape Magazine for Best Face Sunscreen, and 2021 QVC and HSN Winner of “The Big Find”. In 2021, Cosmetify and WWD announced Le Prunier as the “No. 3 Rising Beauty Star” with an 866% brand increase after carefully analyzing the most searched beauty brands in the world, ranked via Instagram followers, Instagram engagement, Instagram mentions, Google search volume, and change in search volume. “This year’s Inc. 5000 Regional winners represent one of the most exceptional and exciting lists of America’s off-the-charts growth companies. They are disruptors and job creators, and all delivered an outsize impact on the economy. Remember their names and follow their lead. These are the companies you’ll be hearing about for years to come,” says Scott Omelianuk, Editor-In-Chief of Inc. About Le Prunier: In September 2017, siblings Jacqueline, Allison and Elaine Taylor collectively founded Le Prunier, an organic beauty line based on The Power of Plum®. The sisters built Le Prunier from an ancestral legacy that began in 1916 with their great grandfather who farmed the rich soils of Northern California, laying the seeds for four generations of family-operated farming. While maintaining the family’s sustainable, organic farming practices, the Taylor sisters unlocked the extraordinary beauty benefits of this powerful fruit. Today, the sisters carry on the farm’s legacy with a 4th generation perspective—Tradition Meets Innovation®. More about Inc. and the Inc. 5000 Regionals Methodology The 2022 Inc. 5000 Regionals are ranked according to percentage revenue growth when comparing 2018 and 2020. To qualify, companies must have been founded and generating revenue by March 31, 2018. They had to be U.S.-based, privately held, for-profit, and independent—not subsidiaries or divisions of other companies—as of December 31, 2019. (Since then, a number of companies on the list have gone public or been acquired.) The minimum revenue required for 2018 is $100,000; the minimum for 2020 is $1 million. As always, Inc. reserves the right to decline applicants for subjective reasons. About Inc. Media The world’s most trusted business-media brand, Inc. offers entrepreneurs the knowledge, tools, connections, and community to build great companies. Its award-winning multiplatform content reaches more than 50 million people each month across a variety of channels including websites, newsletters, social media, podcasts, and print. Its prestigious Inc. 5000 list, produced every year since 1982, analyzes company data to recognize the fastest-growing privately held businesses in the United States. The global recognition that comes with inclusion in the 5000 gives the founders of the best businesses an opportunity to engage with an exclusive community of their peers and the credibility that helps them drive sales and recruit talent. The associated Inc. 5000 Conference is part of a highly acclaimed portfolio of bespoke events produced by Inc. For more information, visit www.inc.com. Contact Details General Inquiries info@leprunier.com Company Website https://leprunier.com

April 19, 2022 08:03 AM Eastern Daylight Time

NAMEPA receives grant from Cargill to implement program for educating students to become Marine Environment Protectors

North American Marine Environment Protection Association

The North American Marine Environmental Protection Association (NAMEPA) has received funding from Cargill to implement an afterschool enrichment program for youth in grades 6-8 in underserved communities in the greater Miami area with a goal to educate and activate students to be “Marine Environment Protectors”. The project will help “Save Our Seas” by encouraging this generation to become responsible stewards of the marine environment through hands-on educational programs and projects. NAMEPA’s Marine Environment Protectors program increases ocean literacy among underrepresented youth, highlights workforce development in marine fields, allows for long-term scientific research, and creates a framework for similar projects to expand across North America. “Cargill believes in being strong community partners and actively supports valuable programs that protect and promote our planet,” explained Jan-Willem van den Dijssel, Cargill’s Americas Lead for Ocean Transportation. “We are partnering with NAMEPA to help foster ocean literacy amongst students of today and steer them to become ocean ambassadors of tomorrow. This program supports this goal and will drive lasting positive change.” NAMEPA Co-Founder and Executive Director Carleen Lyden Walker commented, “ NAMEPA is grateful to Cargill Cares Community Fund for providing opportunities for organizations such as NAMEPA to engage with students in local communities to be better overall stewards. Marine Environment Protectors will provide hands-on educational programming by utilizing the natural environment, scientific instrumentation, and immersive classroom instruction. This funding allows NAMEPA to continue our educational outreach toward the goal of activating communities to ‘Save Our Seas’.” CARGILL - Cargill’s 155,000 employees across 70 countries work relentlessly to achieve our purpose of nourishing the world in a safe, responsible and sustainable way. Every day, we connect farmers with markets, customers with ingredients, and people and animals with the food they need to thrive. We combine 157 years of experience with new technologies and insights to serve as a trusted partner for food, agriculture, financial and industrial customers in more than 125 countries. Side-by-side, we are building a stronger, sustainable future for agriculture. NAMEPA - The North American Marine Environment Protection Association (NAMEPA) is a marine industry-led organization of environmental stewards preserving the marine environment by promoting sustainable marine industry best practices and educating seafarers, students and the public about the need and strategies for protecting global ocean, lake and river resources. Visit us at www.namepa.net. Contact Details NAMEPA Carleen Lyden Walker +1 203-260-0480 executivedirector@namepa.net Company Website https://namepa.net/

April 12, 2022 03:47 PM Eastern Daylight Time

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Fine Fragrance House LilaNur Parfums Finalists at 2022 US Fragrance Foundation Awards

LilaNur Parfums

India's luxury fragrance brand, LilaNur Parfums has been shortlisted for two of the most prestigious categories in the Fragrance Foundation Awards during their first year in the market. Davana Cèdre Eau de Parfum, created by Firmenich Master Perfumer, Honorine Blanc, was recognized for the Perfume Extraordinaire category for its olfactory innovation. Additionally, Rose Attar Absolu was recognized in the Fragrance Innovative Product of the Year for its unique product formulation and for utilizing pure Indian-grown Rose Centifolia in an international fragrance for the first time ever. LilaNur Parfums was created by Anita Lal, Founder and Creative Director of Good Earth India, and Paul Austin, former Senior Vice President for the Global Fine Fragrances division at Givaudan. LilaNur Parfums ’ mission is to inspire the world with India’s rich fragrance culture, build awareness around its array of natural perfumery ingredients, and to drive opportunities to the thousands of rural workers whose livelihoods depend upon India’s floriculture economy. From its inception, LilaNur Parfums forged partnerships with Jasmine C.E. in Madurai - the country’s leading supplier of floral absolutes to the fragrance industry - and the Firmenich Naturals Innovation Group in Grasse to create fully traceable and innovative scents from field to flacon. For Davana Cèdre, the idea was to harmonize the balsamic fruitiness of Davana - an herbaceous Indian plant used in worship - with something elemental and androgynous. “Davana Cèdre really took me out of my comfort zone” said Honorine Blanc. Master Perfumer at Firmenich. “I wanted to capture a sense of unexpected contrasts - between the spirituality of the Davana and the strength of the Cedarwood”. The Rose Attar Absolu is an alcohol-free, perfume oil infusion which delivers a singular, vivid true-to-flower bloom and luxurious skin feel. Absolutes of pure Indian-grown Rose Centifolia - cultivated exclusively for LilaNur Parfums in India and used for the first time in international perfumery - are macerated for over 100 days with pure, ethically sourced Sandalwood. “I’ve always had a desire to create a modern fragrance line that reflected the true essence of India’s majestic flora and to reintroduce the traditions of attars to the world,” said Anita Lal, co-creator of LilaNur Parfums, “I’m happy to see this innovation be recognized within the prestigious US fragrance community.” “These nominations attest to India’s incredible fragrance story and its ability to inspire so much creativity and imagination - from the jasmine fields of Madurai to the perfumery ateliers of Grasse.” said Paul Austin, co-creator of LilaNur Parfums. The Fragrance Foundation will officially announce the award winners on June 9, 2022, at their annual awards ceremony in New York City. About LilaNur Parfums LilaNur Parfums, which launched October 2021, is India’s first luxury fragrance house, celebrating the country’s abundant flora and olfactory riches, expressed through the lens of French master perfumery. Born in the fragrant fields of Madurai in Southern India and crafted in Grasse, each of the 7 Eau de Parfums and 3 Attar Absolus have been composed around India’s iconic flowers, spices, herbs and woods. LilaNur Parfums was created by Anita Lal, Founder and Creative Director of Good Earth India, and Paul Austin, former Senior Vice President for the Global Fine Fragrances division at Givaudan. For the launch collection, four of France's most revered perfumers - Honorine Blanc, Olivier Cresp, Fabrice Pellegrin, and Clément Gavarry - each with a shared passion for the rich fragrance culture of India - were invited to compose a scent using iconic Indian ingredients as their muse as a starting point. Many of these ingredients were borne from the joint venture between Jasmine C.E and Firmenich. aimed at developing unique and innovative extractions of Indian flora. LilaNur Parfums launched in October 2021 and is available exclusively at Bergdorf Goodman and lilanur.com. www.LilaNur.com @lilanurparfums Contact Details BPCM Laura Schroeder +1 631-885-2464 lschroeder@bpcm.com Company Website https://www.lilanur.com/

April 12, 2022 09:30 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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