Entertainment

Animation Dance E-Sports Entertainment/Celebrity Film Music Radio Restaurants Sports Television Theater Video Virtual Reality
News Release Digital Asset Direct

Ripken Baseball Signs Stewbowie Sports & Entertainment as Exclusive Sponsorship Sales Agency

Stewbowie Sports & Entertainment

Ripken Baseball announced today it signed Stewbowie Sports & Entertainment to exclusively represent their premier youth sports brand across all sponsorship sales. Stewbowie will provide strategic partnerships and advertising sales across all Ripken Baseball-owned properties and assets. Ripken Baseball offers the most memorable experiences in youth sports, combining facilities and world-class event management to make every ballplayer feel like a Big Leaguer. Ripken Baseball operates sports complexes in Aberdeen, MD, Myrtle Beach, SC, and Pigeon Forge, TN, as well as nationwide programming through their Ripken Select Tournaments. Over 120,000 youth baseball athletes and more than 400,000 guests visit annually traveling from 50 states and 12 countries. “We’ve experienced incredible growth in the last few years and are looking for partners who want to build with us,” said Mike Kenney, Executive Vice President at Ripken Baseball. “Stewbowie’s approach to revenue generation and proven track record of winning deals will help us take our business to another level and find new ways to generate revenue through naming rights, sponsorships, and B2B partnerships. We look forward to collaborating with brands that align with the values of The Ripken Way and our goals to help grow the game of baseball.” “We are honored to have the opportunity to represent such an iconic name as Ripken Baseball. The Ripken name is synonymous with excellence, and we are thrilled to be working with them to create successful sponsorship programs to accomplish our partners’ goals at scale,” said Karl Mawhinney, Stewbowie, LLC Founder & CEO. For Ripken Baseball sponsorship inquiries, please contact karl@stewbowie.com. Ripken Baseball Ripken Baseball brings teammates, coaches, and families together through its Big-League Experiences, while teaching the values of the game, and how to play it the right way – the Ripken Way. Ripken Baseball continues to innovate the game through on-site tournaments, camps, and spring training hosted at their state-of-the-art baseball and softball facilities – The Ripken Experience™ Aberdeen (Maryland), The Ripken Experience™ Myrtle Beach (South Carolina), and The Ripken Experience™ Pigeon Forge (Tennessee). About Stewbowie LLC Stewbowie, LLC is a Brooklyn NY-based, sponsorships sales representation firm working with best-in-class sports and entertainment properties to accelerate revenue growth through naming rights, sponsorships, and integrated marketing programs. Stewbowie Sports & Entertainment is the property representation division of Stewbowie, LLC. Stewbowie’s current property clients span across multiple industries including sports, music, fashion, and immersive digital technology with the core commonality of desiring smarter brand sponsorship. Stewbowie believes every brand’s perfect partnership exists. Contact Details Eric PR & Marketing, LLC Eric Nemeth nemeth@ericpr.com Company Website https://stewbowie.com/

December 07, 2021 07:59 AM Eastern Standard Time

Chaparrals Defeat Nassau Community College 34-29 For NJCAA Division III Football Title

College of DuPage

A championship game figured to have a championship moment. And this one belonged to the College of DuPage Chaparrals, who are the inaugural National Junior College Athletic Association Division III football champions. Freshman wide receiver Matthew Brown broke free from his wide-out position with 21 seconds left in the game, and quarterback Brooks Blount connected on a 33-yard touchdown pass for a come-from-behind 34-29 title victory over Nassau (N.Y.) Community College before a crowd of 2,500 on a brisk December afternoon at COD’s Bjarne Ullsvik Stadium. “I guess it is the biggest play of my life,’’ said Brown, an Aurora native who earned the game’s most valuable player honors for his only catch of the day. “There was no way I wasn’t going to score. I even extended my hands to break the plane so it would count.’’ The Chaps survived against the visiting Lions, who overcame a 21-point deficit with 22 unanswered points in the second half, eventually grabbing the lead with 40 seconds left on Joshua Arevalo’s 28-yard field goal for a 29-28 lead. Chaps head coach and national coach of the year Matthew Rahn said that with 40 seconds left and one time out remaining, the game may have seemed dire, but his team was prepared for one last successful final drive. “In all probability, we’re looking to get in range for a field goal attempt,’’ he said. “We had the time and a time out to make something happen.’’ After Nassau’s successful field goal, the Chaps’ Jessi Plunkett took the ensuing kickoff and returned it 18 yards to the COD 44. On first down, Blount scrambled and went up the middle for an eight-yard gain. A personal foul was called on a late hit, and that moved the Chaps 15 yards closer to the Nassau 33. After an incomplete pass, the game-winning play called for a mesh pattern, where Brown lined up on the right side with teammate Chase Mendoza to his immediate left. “I thought Chase set a great pick, and I was able to run and get open on a seam route to the inside,’’ Brown said. “Matthew was the primary receiver on the play,’’ Blount said. “I saw that he had maybe a step-and-a-half on the d-back and that was enough to get the pass to him.’’ And just like that, the Chaps drove three plays in just 13 seconds and held on to secure the first national championship for the sport in school history. The Chaps (9-2 overall) were in command throughout the first half, leading 14-0 thanks to a one-yard touchdown from Tom Trieb in the opening quarter, and a 76-yard scamper from Darrell Smith with 48 seconds before halftime. The Chaps padded the lead to 21-0 on a Blount five-yard pass to tight end Jack Dorsey early in the third quarter. And after Nassau scored its first touchdown of the game, a 16-yard pass from Michael Batton to John Beaubrun, the Chaps regained momentum when sophomore Lazerick Eatman returned the ensuing kickoff 94 yards and COD led 28-7 with 9:43 left in the third quarter. It seemed as if Green and Silver were in complete control. The Lions, however, scored three straight touchdowns — two from the arm and one on the ground from quarterback Michael Batton — to pull within two points at 28-26 when Ka’Shaun Parrish caught a 35-yard touchdown with 6:21 left in the game. Smith led the Chaps in rushing with 170 yards on 21 carries. Blount was 17-of-27 for 130 yards, two touchdowns and was sacked four times. Mendoza led in receiving with four receptions for 53 yards. Defensively, Chase Graham and Danarius Shaw led with eight tackles. Nicholas Wade had the Chaps’ only interception, a grab to conclude the final play of the game. That this championship marks COD’s first in the sport wasn’t lost on Rahn, who is an alum. “I talk with alumni who were here in the 90s, and those who played afterward,’’ he said. “And it really is a program built on giving kids a platform to perform, improve their skills and have success. “This is a title that can be shared with and for so many.’’ Nassau finished the season 6-4. Batton was 13 of 24 for 205 yards passing with three touchdowns, and rushed for 72 yards on 12 carries. The Chaps closed the season on a six-game winning streak, all coming after losing at Nassau 17-15 on Oct. 16. Chaps and Nassau This was the second time the two teams met in the postseason. Nassau defeated the Chaps 19-0 in the 1992 Midwest Bowl played in Naperville. COD National Championships The championship is COD’s 35 th in school history. The others are: men — basketball (2002), soccer (1993), golf (1996, 1997, 1998), hockey (1980, 1988, 1990), tennis (1997, 1998, 2003, 2004, 2005) and Track & Field (2002, 2003, 2006, 2010, 2021). Women’s title-winning teams are: basketball (2000, 2002), softball (1998, 2000, 2001, 2004), tennis (2007, 2008, 2010), track & field (2000, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2021) and volleyball (1998, 1999). Contact Details College of DuPage Mark Reinhiller +1 630-942-3761 reinhillerm@cod.edu

December 06, 2021 06:38 AM Eastern Standard Time

Image

ARMY dances along on Twitter with 68M Tweets as BTS returns to the live stage in LA

Twitter, Inc.

LOS ANGELES, US - Media OutReach - 3 December 2021 - 21st century pop icons BTS' 'BTS PERMISSION TO DANCE ON STAGE - LA' tour was celebrated by fans all over the world with a whopping 68M Tweets globally throughout the tour from November 27th to December 2nd. Whether they were at the concert or not, fans came to Twitter and enjoyed the act’s first face-to-face concert since 2019, using hashtags like #PTD_ON_STAGE_LA, #Stage_For_ARMY, #BTS, #방탄소년단, #BTSARMY. On the 27th and 28th November, and 1st and 2nd December, tens of thousands of lucky fans got to see BTS perform live at the 'BTS PERMISSION TO DANCE ON STAGE - LA' tour at LA’s SoFi Stadium while plenty more from all over the world tuned in to the moment on Twitter. A truly unforgettable concert, many fans gathered on Twitter to rejoice and celebrate their favourite moments both in the lead-up to the performance, and after the event. For example, we saw conversation volume peaks when Jimin Tweeted just before the first concert, when Jin and RM Tweeted after the first concert, and when BTS Tweeted their photo with Halsey who attended the third concert. Be it to complement virtual or in-person activities, fans everywhere come to Twitter to join in the fun and have conversations about them. So, even though things appear to be slowly returning to normal again and K-pop stars reunite with their fans, Twitter will continue to play an important role to drive conversations and connections within the K-pop community. For instance, to celebrate ARMY meeting BTS in real-life this time, Twitter launched various activations for fans, including special emojis and a Live Event Page dedicated to curating all the latest action in one place. This ensured that fans were always kept updated on all the happenings and content related to the concert - never missing an important moment. YeonJeong Kim, Head of Global K-pop Partnerships at Twitter, said, “During the difficult times when face-to-face events such as concerts were cancelled, Twitter is where fans go to talk about what’s happening, as well as stay connected with their artists. While it has been more than two years since their last real-life concert, BTS and ARMY have stayed close on Twitter and their relationship is stronger than ever, such as during the band’s single ‘Butter’ earlier this year where we saw over 300 million related Tweets in just one month. On the first day of the tour, more than 15 million Tweets were generated, far exceeding the average 10 million Tweets per day at the time of the release of Butter in May. As live concerts begin again, Tweets from fans are expected to continue to increase.” About Twitter, Inc. Twitter is what’s happening and what people are talking about right now. To learn more, visit about.twitter.com and follow @Twitter and @TwitterKorea. Let’s talk. Contact Details Communications, Twitter Korea Hyeji Park (@HyejiPark5) hyejip@twitter.com The Hoffman Agency Kimberlee Lim (@_Kimberxz) twitterSG@hoffman.com

December 03, 2021 02:00 PM Eastern Standard Time

Image

COMCAST'S INTERNET ESSENTIALS PROGRAM AND SERJOBS ANNOUNCE TECHNICAL SKILLS TRAINING PARTNERSHIP AND $30,000 DONATION

Comcast Houston

Comcast's Internet Essentials program today announced the award of a $30,000 financial grant and donated 1,000 laptops to SERJobs, whose mission is to help individuals from low-income communities transform their lives through education training, employment, and financial empowerment services. The grant and donation are part of a new partnership to fund technical skills training and readiness certifications for clients of SERJobs. This program will offer digital skills training opportunities, including Microsoft Office, PowerPoint, Excel and professional development. “SERJobs is excited to celebrate 10 years of Comcast's Internet Essentials program,” said Sheroo Mukhtiar, CEO, SERJobs. “The Workforce Development Rally highlights the importance of digital literacy in our increasingly virtual world—especially as technology and the needs of our economy evolve. We are grateful to Comcast for their ongoing partnership and support of SERJobs’ and our members.” The announcement is part of Project UP, Comcast’s comprehensive initiative to advance digital equity and help build a future of unlimited possibilities; and coincides with the 10th anniversary of its Internet Essentials program, which has connected a cumulative total of more than 10 million people to the Internet at home – most for the very first time. Comcast’s expanded eligibility for Internet Essentials, now including all Federal Pell Grant recipients within its service area, will enable even more students to stay connected as they continue to pursue degrees at colleges, universities, and technical schools. “Ten years is a remarkable milestone, signifying an extraordinary amount of work and collaboration with our incredible community partners across Houston,” said Toni Beck, Vice President of External Affairs, Comcast Houston. “Together, we have connected hundreds of thousands of people to the power of the Internet at home, and to the endless opportunity, education, growth, and discovery it provides. Our work is not done, and we are excited to partner with SERJobs to ensure the next generation of leaders in Houston are equipped with the technical training they need to succeed in an increasingly digital world.” Comcast’s top priorities are connecting people to the Internet at home, equipping safe spaces with free WiFi and working with a robust network of nonprofit community organizations, city leaders, and business partners to create opportunities for low-income Americans. As the nation’s largest internet provider, Comcast supports cooperation between communities, businesses and non-profit organizations to enhance digital equity. Comcast’s $1 billion commitment will include investments in several critical areas, including: additional support for the Lift Zone initiative, which establishes free WiFi access in 50 community centers in Houston, and 1,000+ community centers nationwide, for students and adults by the end of 2021; new laptop and computer donations; over $100,000 in digital equity grants for local Houston nonprofit community organizations to create opportunities for low-income Houstonians – particularly in media, technology, and entrepreneurship; and continued investment in the company’s landmark Internet Essentials program. Project UP & Comcast’s $1 Billion Commitment to Advancing Digital Equity: For over a decade, connecting more people to the Internet and the technology they need to participate and excel in an increasingly digital world has been a core focus for the company. Looking toward the next ten years, Comcast is building on that foundation and expanding its impact through Project UP, a comprehensive initiative to advance digital equity and help build a future of unlimited possibilities. Backed by a $1 billion commitment to reach 50 million people, Project UP encompasses the programs and community partnerships across Comcast, NBCUniversal, and Sky that connect people to the Internet, advance economic mobility and open doors for the next generation of innovators, entrepreneurs, storytellers, and creators. For more information on Project UP and the latest news on efforts to address digital inequities visit https://corporate.comcast.com/impact/project-up. About Comcast Corporation Comcast Corporation (Nasdaq: CMCSA) is a global media and technology company that connects people to moments that matter. We are principally focused on broadband, aggregation, and streaming with over 57 million customer relationships across the United States and Europe. We deliver broadband, wireless, and video through our Xfinity, Comcast Business, and Sky brands; create, distribute, and stream leading entertainment, sports, and news through Universal Filmed Entertainment Group, Universal Studio Group, Sky Studios, the NBC and Telemundo broadcast networks, Peacock, NBC News, NBC Sports, Sky News, and Sky Sports; and provide memorable experiences at Universal Parks and Resorts in the United States and Asia. Visit www.comcastcorporation.com for more information. About SERJobs: SERJobs Houston, a regional affiliate of SER Jobs for Progress National, Inc., is a nonprofit organization empowering individuals to transform their lives through education, training, employment, and financial empowerment services. Founded in 1965 as a volunteer job bank for Hispanic veterans, SERJobs has evolved, and now operates offices in Houston, Galveston and Fort Bend. SERJobs serves individuals in 13 Texas counties and assists more than 4,000 members access better opportunities every year. For more information, visit serjobs.org Contact Details Comcast Foti Kallergis +1 832-986-0196 Foti_Kallergis@comcast.com SERJobs Christi Vasquez +1 832-890-3606 Company Website https://houston.comcast.com/

December 02, 2021 09:01 AM Central Standard Time

iTradeNetwork Features Blue Book Ratings and Scores in iTradeMarketplace

iTradeNetwork

As a recently established Blue Book Registered Developer, iTradeNetwork, the food and beverage industry’s largest network with over 8,000 food and beverage trading partners, is delivering real-time access to Blue Book Ratings and Scores through the iTradeMarketplace platform. Now iTradeMarketplace users who are also Blue Book Services subscribers can view a company’s Blue Book Rating and Blue Book Score within the iTradeMarketplace platform. This integration provides maximum efficiency for end-users to view critical Blue Book information before a business transaction. “As we worked with our produce customers to build the iTradeMarketplace features, we repeatedly heard the need to have quick, easy access to Blue Book Ratings and Scores. This integration delivers on that vital industry need,” said Nathan Romney, chief product officer of iTradeNetwork. “We welcome iTradeNetwork as a Blue Book Registered Developer,” said Mark Erickson, Senior Vice President of Blue Book Services. “Our mission is to provide Blue Book content where, when and how members need it. So, the arrangement with iTradeNetwork is a very good fit and provides a useful complement to the suite of content, analytics and tools now available via Blue Book Online Services.” A free 30-day trial of the data integration is available for iTradeMarketplace users who do not currently subscribe to Blue Book Services. About Blue Book Services, Inc. Since 1901, Blue Book Services, Inc. has been the leader in providing the domestic and international fresh produce and exempt transportation industries with timely, accurate and reliable credit and marketing information. Produce suppliers, buyers, brokers and transporters alike rely on Blue Book ratings, reports, and information to make safe, informed and profitable business decisions. Blue Book Service also includes a full range of dispute resolution services, including collections, mediations, and arbitrations. About iTradeNetwork iTradeNetwork, Inc. is the leading global provider of supply chain management solutions for the food and beverage industry. Built upon deep industry expertise, a rich data foundation and the industries’ most extensive trading partner network, iTradeNetwork’s collaborative solutions allow distributors, manufacturers, operators, retailers, suppliers and wholesalers of all sizes to reduce cost, grow revenue and strengthen trading partner relationships. Today, iTradeNetwork’s growing customer list includes more than 8,000 companies globally. For more information, visit: www.itradenetwork.com. Media, please note: Visual assets, including photos, are available. To interview ITN’s CEO Rhonda Bassett-Spiers or for other interview requests, please contact Robin Carr at (415) 971-3991 or itn@landispr.com. ### Contact Details Landis Communications Inc. Robin Carr +1 415-971-3991 itn@landispr.com Blue Book Services, Inc. Jeff Lair +1 630-668-3500 jlair@bluebookservices.com Company Website https://www.itradenetwork.com/

December 01, 2021 07:51 AM Pacific Standard Time

VBOX ATSC 3.0 ANDROID TV GATEWAY

VBox Communications

Presenting at CES® 2022 – January 5-8, 2022 Venetian Expo/Eureka Park – Booth #61708 (TECH WEST) VBox Communications, an expert in live broadcast TV streaming and recording, announced the expansion of capabilities for its ATSC 3.0 Android TV Gateway —which now includes clear, seamless and high-quality streaming of live or recorded ATSC 3.0 broadcast signals to companion devices running Android TV OS. VBox Communications will be presenting at CES ® 2022 in the Venetian Expo/Eureka Park section of Tech West – Booth #61708, from January 5-8, 2022. VBox’s quad-tuner ATSC 3.0 Android Gateway enables any Android-compliant companion device with Dolby AC-4 decoding capabilities to receive, record and play ATSC 3.0 broadcast signals over any local network, including these notable enhancements: Streaming HEVC 4K video and Dolby AC-4 audio to companion devices Content recasting to multiple network-connected devices (e.g. mobile phones, tablets, PCs, and TV screens) DVR-recorded content access and viewing from any Android-compatible connected device Enhanced Electronic Service Guides (ESG) Advanced Emergency Alerts Broadcast applications testing environment. SDK provision to enable 3 rd -party development In addition, the company has also launched a testing kit that includes an ATSC 3.0 broadcast receiver device, accompanied by an SDK. “We invite broadcasters, service providers, application developers, and system integrators to participate in our new ATSC 3.0 Testbed program, designed to help evaluate the performance and test the latest developments in the ATSC 3.0 market,” said Jonathan Rind, VBox’s Marketing Director. VBox devices – including SDKs – are available for testing, evaluating and analyzing both linear ATSC 1.0 & 3.0 broadcast signals, as well as “beyond TV” ATSC 3.0 functionality, such as ESGs, advanced emergency alerting, broadcast apps, etc. The company has also a planned product for the evolving 5G Broadcast standard. More information about the ATSC 3.0 Android Gateway can be found at: https://vboxcomm.com/landing/landing-atsc3/ or by contacting VBox: marketing@vboxcomm.com. About VBox: VBox Communications (https://vboxcomm.com/) is an expert in Digital TV, offering products that deliver live TV broadcasts (e.g. DVB-T/T2, DVB-C, DVB-S/S2, ISDB-T/ATSC) to IP, combined with OTT video streaming services, for home and business use. VBox’s innovative, end-to-end firmware, software, and hardware solutions empower telcos, STB/streamer OEMs, and integrators to harness the benefits of converged live broadcast and IP- based TV – while helping grow revenues, streamlining communications and reducing costs. Contact Details VBox Communications Jonathan Rind +972 9-950-2821 jonathanr@vboxcomm.com Company Website https://vboxcomm.com/

December 01, 2021 10:00 AM Eastern Standard Time

UK SMEs forge ahead with cautious optimism as post-pandemic business confidence grows

Stockwood Strategy

Despite lingering anxieties about the pandemic and a variety of economic and commercial issues, the majority of SMEs believe it is now imperative to begin building back from the crisis. They are ready to step up their business investment, with ambitious plans for recruitment, renewal of equipment and machinery, and both domestic and international expansion. Fintech business lender MarketFinance asked 2,000 SME owners across the UK about their outlook for 2022 and beyond, gauging their short and long-term plans for business investment and growth. MarketFinance has today released a comprehensive research report of its findings. Confidence Analysis of the survey results has shown that business confidence amongst SMEs is improving, with many firms now focused on recovery and growth. With pandemic disruptions now largely settled, half of SMEs (48%) expect their turnover to stabilise or to increase over the next 12 months. Similarly, 50% of SMEs expect demand for their products or services to stabilise or to increase over the next six months. MarketFinance’s research has found that the majority of SMEs (63%) expect their business to grow over the next three years Investment With survival mode no longer a necessity and cash flow pressures beginning to ease, the vast majority of SMEs (70%) now feel confident enough to increase business investment over the next 12 months. A quarter of SMEs plan to hire new staff, while 24% expect to purchase new equipment and machinery. When asked how they were factoring borrowing into their investment plans, 23% of SMEs said access to a broader range of borrowing options could enable them to increase investment even further. Borrowing The research findings demonstrate that borrowing will play a key role in recovery and growth with 62% of SMEs saying that prudent borrowing could help them fund growth. However, three quarters (71%) of SMEs do not believe traditional banking products are the most obvious and convenient way to borrow for investment. Despite this lack of alignment between current finance needs and the options available through traditional routes, more than a third of SMEs (37%) are looking to take on new borrowing facilities. Growth With confidence high and a sense of having moved beyond recovery and into a new stage of growth, many businesses are looking forward to seizing a host of opportunities in 2022. Almost all SMEs surveyed (81%) plan to invest in sustainability, while 30% say they are considering merger and acquisition (M&A) activity in the year ahead – more than twice as many as those primarily focusing on organic growth (14%). Over a third of businesses (34%) say they already sell overseas, or have plans to begin doing so. That figure is highest amongst the largest businesses surveyed (turnover between £5m and £6.5m) but even amongst smaller enterprises significant numbers are focused on export. Anil Stocker, CEO at MarketFinance, commented: “ It’s clear that the business environment has shifted and SMEs are looking ahead with a quietly confident and cautiously optimistic view. UK businesses intend to ramp up growth through domestic and international expansion, digital transformation and even M&A activity. But as they reset their post-pandemic goals for a post-pandemic, they’ll need to be confident of their funding base. Given that so many SMEs are looking outside of traditional routes in their search for finance, we’re particularly proud to have been accredited by the British Business Bank as one of the few alternative providers under The Recovery Loan Scheme. Schemes like the RLS are a golden opportunity for SMEs looking to gear up for growth, providing easily accessible funding at a lower cost across a wide range of products. We expect to see a large number of SMEs taking advantage of the scheme over the next 6 months as their growth and expansion efforts gain momentum and they invest in ambitious plans for 2022 and beyond.” About MarketFinance MarketFinance is a fintech business lender which believes that SMEs are building the world. By making finance frictionless, they’re solving the cash flow issues getting in the way of progress. MarketFinance uses smart technology to deliver better access to faster, more affordable finance; with one-to-one help whenever businesses need it. Since 2011, MarketFinance has advanced over £2.6 billion worth of invoices and loans, enabling thousands of UK businesses to bridge today’s funding gaps and fuel tomorrow’s big ambitions. MarketFinance is an accredited Recover Loan Scheme lender and has a wide-reaching network of strategic partners including Barclays Bank UK PLC, Tide, Equals Group and Ebury. MarketFinance is backed by Barclays Bank UK PLC, Mouro Capital, Paul Forster (co-founder of Indeed.com) European venture capital fund Northzone (invested in Klarna, iZettle and Trustpilot), Viola Capital and private equity group MCI Capital (also invested in iZettle, Azimo and Gett). Further information visit: www.marketfinance.com Contact Details MarketFinance Bilal Mahmood +44 7714 007257 b.mahmood@stockwoodstrategy.com Company Website https://marketfinance.com/

December 01, 2021 08:00 AM Eastern Standard Time

Image

Monteverde’s Joins FreshEdge

Rotunda Capital Partners LLC

FreshEdge, a family of produce and specialty food companies backed by Rotunda Capital Partners, acquired Monteverde’s, a fresh produce distributor located near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Monteverde’s operates out of a 61,500 square-foot facility. The addition expands FreshEdge’s footprint further into the eastern United States and provides space and logistical support to better serve its increasing customer base. Monteverde’s joins a growing alliance that includes Piazza Produce & Specialty Foods, Indianapolis Fruit, Get Fresh Produce, McCartney Produce, Leonardo’s Produce, Valley Produce, Vine Line, Garden Cut, CIBUS Fresh and Papania’s. FreshEdge now operates with 1,775 employees, approximately 731,500 square feet of warehouse space, and a fleet of more than 670 trucks. “We welcome Steve Monteverde and his dedicated team to the FreshEdge family of companies,” said Steve Grinstead, CEO of FreshEdge. “Monteverde’s will be a great addition to our expanding group of ‘best in class’ fresh food distribution companies.” Terms of the deal, which closed on November 30, 2021, were not disclosed. The transaction strengthens the combined business’s presence in western Pennsylvania and the tri-state region that includes Ohio and West Virginia. “We are excited for this great company to join FreshEdge and look forward to continuing Monteverde’s ‘Tradition of Excellence’,” said Greg Corsaro, president and COO of FreshEdge. “By joining FreshEdge, Monteverde’s can continue to be locally managed while enjoying multi-regional distribution advantages and national procurement opportunities,” said Steve Monteverde, fourth-generation owner. Steve Monteverde, the Monteverde family, and Monteverde’s President Gloria Garofalo will continue to lead the company. FreshEdge is backed by Rotunda Capital Partners, a lower middle market private equity firm focused on investments in founder and family held companies. Rotunda seeks to provide opportunities for management teams to reach strategic, financial, and operational objectives. Rotunda entered the food business in 2017 with the acquisition of Indianapolis Fruit and Piazza Produce. FreshEdge was created in 2019 when Get Fresh Produce joined the platform. Monteverde’s represents FreshEdge’s seventh acquisition since Rotunda’s initial investment. Together, Rotunda and FreshEdge intend to continue expanding FreshEdge by welcoming more companies into the group—all focused on high quality produce and specialty food products, along with exceptional service—to create a unique team of complementary entities. About FreshEdge FreshEdge was formed in 2019 through the combination of Get Fresh Produce (founded 1982) and the IF&P Foods family of companies, primarily comprised of Indianapolis Fruit (founded 1947) and Piazza Produce (founded 1970). Collectively, the three leading fresh food distribution companies have nearly 150 years of combined experience serving the grocery and food service industries. In addition, FreshEdge includes two Garden Cut branded fresh-cut processing facilities, a tomato re-packer, a USDA fresh kitchen (CIBUS Fresh), and two transportation companies. FreshEdge’s fleet resource includes more than 670 trucks servicing the Midwest and beyond from twelve facilities totaling approximately 731,500 square feet of warehouse space. Today, FreshEdge is one of the largest independent fresh food distributors in the United States and a category leader in providing both the foodservice and retail industries with fruit, vegetables, proteins, fresh grab-n-go offerings, dairy, floral, and specialty products. About Rotunda Capital Partners Rotunda Capital Partners is a private equity firm that invests equity capital in established, lower middle market companies. Rotunda partners with management to build data-driven growth platforms within its targeted sectors, including value-added distribution, asset light logistics and industrial/business services. Founded in 2009, the firm has a long history of helping management teams achieve their goals for growth. The Rotunda team actively provides guidance and draws on deep industry and financial relationships to contribute to the successful execution of Rotunda’s companies’ strategic plans. The firm has offices in Bethesda, MD and Evanston, IL. For more information, visit www.rotundacapital.com. Contact Details FreshEdge Greg Corsaro +1 317-981-3440 gcorsaro@freshedgefoods.com Rotunda Capital Partners Jill Lafferty +1 847-280-1295 jill@rotundacapital.com Company Website https://www.rotundacapital.com

December 01, 2021 07:34 AM Eastern Standard Time

2021 Indigenous Taipei Fabulous Taipei is On

Indigenous Peoples Commission, Taipei City Government

TAIPEI, TAIWAN - Media OutReach - 30 November 2021 - 2021 Indigenous Taipei Fabulous Taipei events kicked off with "Campaign Naming and Theme Song Selection" and "Linban Song Competition" before reaching a climax on November 28, when the song and music performances and Youth Night took place via HANASPACE, where 20 groups performed consecutively for 8 hours, bringing the audience a most joyous Indigenous Taipei Fabulous Taipei. On top of Taipei indigenous associations, indigenous community colleges, university indigenous clubs, and Art Fly groups, Nov. 28 saw a total of 16 groups performing songs and dances featuring indigenous cultures. The evening was further packed with famous indigenous singer ABAO and Power Station, and award-winning indigenous band MAFANA, and Moteng Inku, pushing this year's Indigenous Taipei Fabulous Taipei events to the climax. Amongst the exciting program Nov. 28, the winners of "Campaign Naming", "Theme Song Selection", and "Linban Song Competition" of the year were announced, with the winner of "Linban Song Competition" invited to perform live on stage. Hope that more people recognize "linban song" (songs sung by afforestation squads in the past) as the music culture of urban indigenous peoples, understand the history and context of "linban song", and sing the songs of indigenous peoples in Taipei. Taipei City is vibrant with diversified cultures, and the contribution from indigenous peoples is what makes this city great. This year, Indigenous Taipei Fabulous Taipei has played creativity to the max, and the winning campaign name and theme song will become the brand and spotlight of future Indigenous Taipei Fabulous Taipei. After the song and music performances featuring culture and the Youth Night filled with indigenous power, the Taipei Indigenous Annual Expo will follow on December 1 at Ketagalan Culture Center. The series of events not only demonstrate the unique charism of indigenous peoples in Taipei but highlight Taipei as a city friendly to diversified cultures. Contact Details Johnson Wu piuscswu@gmail.com

November 30, 2021 08:00 AM Eastern Standard Time

Image

1 ... 165 166 167 168 169 ... 220