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Potential UFC Top Fights 2023

Intelligiants

2023 looks like an exciting year for UFC fans, with top fights to be expected in all weight classes. Will Conor McGregor become the first champion of 3 weight classes? Jon Jones returns: Will he become the biggest MMA fighter of all time? First ever quadrilogy fight in UFC history early next year? New challenges for Amanda Nunes and Francis Ngannou? There have been countless reports and studies that show that MMA has been the fastest growing sport in the last couple of years and is projected to keep growing in a healthy trend in years to come. A significant factor is, of course, Dana White’s work with Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) and how the company has scaled up to become the biggest fighting organisation in the world. Another contributing factor to MMAs rising popularity is the cross-over boxing bouts outside of the organisations, between UFC top names, such as Conor McGregor and retired boxing legend Floyd Mayweather, YouTube-celebrity, and amateur boxer Jake Paul against UFC-fighter Tyron Woodley, as examples. The big money and paychecks surrounding these cross-over fights, make them attractive to fighters from not just the MMA or boxing world. However, most active, and top-tier MMA fighters seek to become champions and break records in an organisation such as UFC, Bellator or Pride - The number of title defences, or becoming champion in more than one division, is a sure road to legendary status in the MMA world. In a new infographic from the bwin online sportsbook team, a complete list of double MMA champions (multiple organisations listed), current champions in the UFC, upcoming title bouts and the potential biggest fights in UFC during 2023 is revealed. The blog post shares a Tale of The Tape match-up of potential fights between Francis Ngannou vs. Jon Jones, and Amanda Nunes vs Kayla Harrison, to give insights into fighting records and physical advantages. The post lists potential match-ups for all divisions, and here are three examples of top fights that could take place in the new year: Women’s Featherweight Division - Amanda Nunes vs Kayla Harrison Amanda Nunes has defended the featherweight title since 29 December 2018, and there have been talks about UFC wanting to end the weight class as they struggle to find opponents for Nunes. In fighting organisation PFL, former Judo Olympic and world champion Kayla Harrison is facing the same problem. As Harrison has never lost in her MMA career (15-0), a switch to UFC and a new challenge would be the ideal move for her career. This fight would be one of the biggest fights in MMA during 2023, between 2 undisputed champions. Women’s Strawweight Division - Carla Esparza vs Rose Namajunas Rose Namajunas was predicted to hold the belt for years to come, but Carla Esparza won the title from Namajunas at UFC 274 (7 May 2022), in a fight that has been dubbed the worst title fight of all time. As this was Carla’s second victory over Rose, Esparza vs Namajunas 3 is not unlikely to take place in 2023, even if Esparza loses the belt in her upcoming fight against Zhang Weili. As neither one of the fighters wants to repeat their last bout, it will turn into a war with a lot at stake: potentially the belt and Rose finally getting a victory over her nemesis. Men’s Heavyweight Division - Francis Ngannou vs Jon Jones Current heavyweight title holder Francis Ngannou's contract with the UFC is coming to an end, and at the same time, former light heavyweight champion, and pound for pound listed Jon Jones’s comeback in the octagon, will most likely be taking place during 2023. Jones has undergone a two-year body transformation to reach the heavyweight class, and if the fighter succeeds in taking the belt in a second weight class, he will be regarded as perhaps the best MMA fighter of all time. Although Ngannou's future in UFC is uncertain, a fight against Jones would be a dream match-up for UFC fans. When will the first-ever quadrilogy fight take place, and who are the top contenders for the belt in each division? See the full infographic and predictions here. Contact Details bwin Freddie Kvarnebrink +44 7889 314155 fred@intelligiants.net Company Website https://sports.bwin.com/en/sports

October 28, 2022 07:45 PM Eastern Daylight Time

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Above and Beyond: How Gym Aesthetics’ Augmented Reality Interactive Fitness Games Are Revolutionizing the Fitness Industry

Gym Aesthetics

HONG KONG SAR - Media OutReach - 28 October 2022 - The implementation of augmented reality (AR) in sports is set to redefine the fitness industry and set forth a revolution, unlike anything the fitness realm has ever seen. By leveraging cutting-edge technology players are offered an unparalleled entertainment experience, in-depth analytics, and immense opportunities for improvement. Gymetaverse by Gym Aesthetics is ready to lead the online “virtual training” trend. German sports brand, Gym Aesthetics (GA) has partnered with the Physical Fitness Association of Hong Kong, China (PFA) to exhibit at the 15th Health Expo 2022 at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre. Introducing AR interactive fitness games to the public for the first time, the brand invited its brand ambassador, five-time MMA & Muay Thai World Champion, Alain Ngalani “The Panther”; and Hong Kong TV hosts, Brian Chan and Agnes Lam, to first experience the live AR games, including “Goal Keeping”, “Jump & Dunk”, and “Single Leg Balance”. Alain has been keeping on top of the shape and fighting professionally in the One Championship competitions despite being at the age of 46. He joined Gym Aesthetics at the Expo and was challenged to the AR interactive training games with Brian and Agnes. The world champion showed the public how he defied age itself by taking care of his muscles and joint health. During the AR fitness games, Brian’s “Goal Keeping” result was recorded as quick as 0.45s, whereas Alain’s “Jump & Dunk” result hit an all-time high at 1.03m. Gym Aesthetics aimed to raise joint health awareness through fun educational facts and interactive fitness games. Gym Aesthetics’ “Joint Guardian”, Alain “The Panther” volunteered and led Brian and Agnes to do some live training demonstrations with the audience, where they shared their workout tips and displayed simple exercises that could benefit knee joints and strengthen surrounding muscles. To close the event, Alain brought his team on stage to demonstrate some powerful boxing training and impressive pad work. The world champion even surprised the crowd with his signature performance “Leg Split in the Air” and the elevated whole event. Alain as the “Joint Guardian”, is missioned to educate onlookers on the importance of joint health and how supporting gears can benefit and extend our joint lifespan. He will soon be launching an exclusive training course for strengthening joints and muscles. GA’s vision is to remind everyone to protect their joints before doing sports to prevent injuries. "We were all " Joint Guardians" to ourselves and missioned to extend our joint and sports lifespan. With supporting gears GA Fit Gear PRO, including knee, elbow, and calf sleeves, they ingeniously help with joint stability and balance, while reducing joint pain with increased blood circulation that aids muscle recovery." To support the concept of “Sports for All”, including the disabled community, Gym Aesthetics sponsors an NGO event “Wheel For Oneness” - taking place on 29th October. Gym Aesthetics has also been working with professional athletes and coaches and will launch a FitToEarn fitness training mobile app “Gymetaverse” next year. Through AR amplification and AI technology, the brand aims to launch engaging projects where participants can win prizes by completing challenges and promoting the big health concept. About Gym Aesthetics Founded in 2013, Gym Aesthetics is a German high-tech fitness apparel brand appealing to both the aesthetics and the functional needs of its customers worldwide. Its initial flashy wide stringers and thigh-hugging shorts stormed the German bodybuilding community with enormous success. 2017 marked a new chapter for Gym Aesthetics when an Asian fund company spotted its potential and invested in the German brand to further reinforce its brand image, and expand its product range and market share globally. Now Gym Aesthetics is devoted to bringing unique fitness and wellness experience to the metaverse. Website: https://us.gymaesthetics.com/ Discord: https://discord.gg/wellnessmetaverse Contact Details Digital Marketing Manager Mr. Roy Tsang corporate@gymaesthetics.com Senior Marketing Executive Ms. Josy Chan corporate@gymaesthetics.com

October 28, 2022 09:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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Logitix Becomes First U.S.-based Partner with StubHub International

Logitix

Logitix, the leader in live event ticketing technology and analytics, announced a landmark partnership with StubHub International. The deal establishes Logitix as the first U.S.-based ticket distribution partner for StubHub International. As a result, customers outside of North America will be able to buy tickets to events happening in the United States and Canada. It will also mark the first time U.S. ticket sellers will have access to automated distribution solutions for international events. Effective immediately, ticket sellers across the U.S. who partner with Logitix will have a new distribution channel through StubHub International. Logitix manages millions of tickets across the NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, college sports, and live event properties. “Our partnership with StubHub International is significant for the global ticketing marketplace,” said Logitix CEO Stu Halberg. “From a consumer perspective, it removes a barrier for buyers worldwide to purchase a ticket to an event in the U.S. or Canada. At the same time, our ticketing partners in the U.S. now have the opportunity to expand their distribution internationally.” “Our customers are passionate fans of U.S. sports such as NFL, NBA and MLB and they love to travel the world to see their favourite artists perform at iconic venues,” said StubHub International CEO Dan Mucha. “Partnering with a leading, trusted U.S.-based ticketing technology platform like Logitix gives our customers access to the biggest live experiences in North America.” About StubHub International StubHub International is a ticket exchange and resale company providing services for buyers and sellers of tickets for live entertainment events. Backed by award-winning customer care, StubHub’s FanProtect™ Guarantee means every ticket is guaranteed valid or customers receive a replacement ticket of equal or better value, or their money back. StubHub International Background StubHub International is the newly established independent group following the CMA’s inquiry into the merger of viagogo and StubHub. It was determined that StubHub’s international entities (all entities except those in the USA and Canada) were to be divested and made independent from StubHub and viagogo. It consists of businesses in the United Kingdom, Germany, Spain and numerous other international markets. About Logitix Logitix is the preeminent monetization engine and ticketing platform for the live event industry, combining optimized pricing, distribution, and inventory management with real-time insights to help sellers and buyers respond to a rapidly changing market environment. The Logitix vision is to automate the entire ticket life cycle and provide data-driven insights to serve the diverse needs of its partners, including ticketing rightsholders, agencies, and other sellers. The company is backed by ZMC and is privately held. For more information about Logitix, visit Logitix.com or find them on LinkedIn. Contact Details Eric Nemeth +1 602-502-2793 nemeth@ericpr.com Company Website https://logitix.com/

October 27, 2022 08:35 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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Taiwan Creative Content Fest 2022 Boosts International Co-production in Asia

Taiwan Creative Content Agency

TAIPEI, TAIWAN - Media OutReach - 27 October 2022 - Taiwan Creative Content Agency (TAICCA) held a press conference today (October 27) to announce that the third edition of Taiwan Creative Content Fest (TCCF) will take place at Taipei’s Songshan Cultural and Creative Park on November 3-13. Reflecting the momentum of Taiwan’s creative content industries, the 2022 TCCF will expand from 5 to 11 days of online and offline events comprising four programs: PITCHING, MARKET, INNOVATIONS, and FORUM. Asia’s Key Content Marketplace Promoted as “Your Best Partner in Asia”, TCCF is a key B2B content marketplace that draws international professionals to Taiwan to promote creative content, connecting projects and proposals with buyers and investors. Through pitching sessions, content showcases, and forums, TCCF aims to drive collaboration between homegrown and foreign talents. In the press conference, TAICCA’s CEO Izero Lee shared this year’s TCCF objectives: strengthening international connections, introducing multichannel resources, and promoting interdisciplinary co-creation. “Following the rise of streaming platforms and the post-epidemic industry reshuffle, the cultural content industry needs to explore new international sales channels.” he said. “TCCF will take responsibility for promoting Taiwan’s cultural content industry.” PITCHING The PITCHING program focuses on projects still in early development phases. Through pitching sessions organized by format and genre, this segment creates a streamlined pathway for Taiwan’s creators and producers to seek funding from potential buyers and partners, accelerating the transition of title or story into fully fledged product. For international visitors, PITCHING sheds light on Taiwan’s abundance of high-quality, creative content and frames Taiwan as the go-to source for original content in Asia. The sessions focus on 42 Taiwanese series, feature films, animations, and Taipei Golden Horse Film Project Promotion Series Projects. MARKET MARKET consists of in-person and online trade exhibitions and invites more than 130 domestic and foreign companies from Taiwan, Japan, South Korea, Thailand, Hong Kong, Singapore, etc., to exhibit nearly 800 titles. Spanning film & TV, publishing, comics, gaming, performing arts, and other industries, MARKET illuminates the best Taiwanese content of the year and drives business collaboration through title readings, film test screenings, and one-on-one matchmaking sessions. As Taiwan's borders have now opened, TCCF has attracted several international companies to attend MARKET in person, including exhibitors like Japan's TV Tokyo, CJ ENM Korea, and Singapore's Mediacorp, and buyers such as Netflix and The Walt Disney Company. For virtual attendees, TAICCA's IP Meetup platform encourages users to exhibit titles online in search of local and foreign distributors, funding, or buyers. INNOVATIONS Open to the public, INNOVATIONS gives insight into the future of entertainment by showcasing forward-looking content and works that span multiple disciplines. It features an exhibition on immersive contents and works combining culture and technology usage, a ‘Stereo’ interdisciplinary stage exploring the future of the music industry, and a series of ‘Salons’ or short lectures. The exhibition contains 19 works that use new technology in an interdisciplinary approach, creating an immersive experience while delving into the potential of the Metaverse. Exhibits include director Singing Chen's VR film: “The Man Who Couldn't Leave” which won the Best Experience Award at the 2022 Venice Immersive Competition, and “Yoshitaka Amano’s VR Museum”– which boasts the largest official exhibition of works by the influential Japanese visual artist. More than 40 artists will perform onstage for Stereo, while Salon features nearly 40 short talks that explore contemporary and future entertainment in a relaxed, interactive format. FORUM FORUM consists of 'Industry Talk' and 'Spotlight' and invites film and TV professionals from home and abroad to discuss topics like trends in international film and TV co-production. Industry Talk is open to the public and involves ten sessions with companies and organizations like Taiwan's largest telecommunications company Chunghwa Telecom and production company Korean entertainment studio Bound Entertainment. Spotlight is a new addition to TCCF and is open to professionals only. Its purpose is to let TAICCA's partners share perspectives on content trends in global audiences. Among those speaking are Mediacorp's executive producer of Chinese drama productions, Loh Woon Woon, and TCCF partner Series Mania– Europe’s biggest event dedicated to TV series. This year, Series Mania invites a selection of top international executives to talk about opportunities for collaboration. They will also select one Taiwanese project from the PITCHING segment to enter into their 2023 program. About TCCF TCCF is a key content marketplace in Asia, gathering selected entertainment content from Taiwan, and bringing buyers and professionals from all over the world to Taipei in November. TCCF offers diverse events like pitching sessions, content and music showcases, forum panels, and immersive experiences to connect you with promising stories, fundings, and global partners. Come and meet your future business partner at TCCF! Contact Details DDG Daniel Cunningham +886 905 980 644 daniel.cunningham@ddg.com.tw TAICCA Maggie Yang +886 2 2745 8186 maggie.y@taicca.tw

October 27, 2022 04:22 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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Will These Streamers Benefit from Major Audience Growth?

QYOU Media

ValueTheMarkets News Commentary - More than 3 billion people around the world streamed or downloaded video at least once a month in 2020 according to Statista, with this projected to rise to 3.5 billion by 2025. A number of companies are seeking to take advantage of this huge opportunity. This article discusses the issue with reference to Netflix (NASDAQ: NFLX), Walt Disney Co (NYSE: DIS), Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN) and QYOU Media (TSXV: QYOU) (OTCQB: QYOUF). QYOU Media (TSXV: QYOU) (OTCQB: QYOUF) operates as a media company. The business produces and distributes content created by social media influencers, artists and digital content creators on television networks, satellite television, over-the-top media and mobile platforms. QYOU Media also manages influencer marketing campaigns for major film studios and key household brands. The company primarily operates in India, where it aims to take advantage of rapidly increasing adoption of smartphone and smart TV technology. The business has launched five entertainment channels aimed at the young Indian demographic through its The Q India brand. These include its flagship channel, The Q, which was the fastest growing channel in the entire nation last year. Viewers can watch these channels across a number of platforms, including QYOU Media’s free ad-supported QPLAY app, which allows users to tune into the company’s five different TV channels through smartphones or smart TVs. Now, the business is expanding beyond video streaming too, having just acquired a controlling stake in mobile gaming specialists Maxamtech Digital Ventures. With KPMG estimating that more than 420 million Indians are online gamers, the business will be hoping this move will spur further growth. QYOU Media’s Indian offering is growing alongside its revenue. Its most recent earnings update, which covered the three months ended 30 June 2022, saw the company return record quarterly revenues of CA$6.9m, which represented year-on-year growth of 163%. Adjusted EBITDA loss also saw an improvement in the period, with a 33% reduction in loss. Net loss did widen by 7%, but the company attributed this to the launch of new channels and programming as the business rapidly expands its entertainment footprint. Netflix ( NASDAQ: NFLX ) operates as a subscription streaming service and production company. The company offers a wide variety of TV shows, movies, anime and documentaries on internet-connected devices. It serves customers worldwide. Netflix is a company synonymous with streaming, having revolutionized the way in which consumers consume entertainment in their homes. The company’s most recent quarterly earnings showed something of a return to form though, with paid subscriber numbers climbing by around 2.4 million after two consecutive quarterly declines. Even so, the company appears to have been spooked by the decline and the rate of growth seen in the most recent quarter is still far slower than Netflix had become accustomed too. This hardship has led the company to move towards some sort of ad-supported offering, while also seeking to block users from password sharing. These moves will bolster existing revenue streams and add a new one as the business faces increasing pressure from competition. New subscribers could be attracted to the service by an upcoming cheaper $7 per month offering, which includes around five minutes of advertising per hour of programming. However, the success of this significant change in the business’ model is yet to be determined. Walt Disney Co ( NYSE: DIS ) operates as an entertainment and media enterprise company. The company's business segments include media networks, parks and resorts, studio entertainment, consumer products and interactive media. The business serves customers worldwide. Another major player in the streaming landscape, with its Disney+ offering reaching 221 million subscribers in its most recent quarterly results to make Walt Disney Co the biggest streamer in the world. The enormous growth of its streaming service has propelled major revenue growth for Walt Disney Co, with revenues climbing by an impressive 26% compared to the same quarter 12 months prior. However, analysts have warned that the service could lose as many as 20 million subscribers in South Asia after it failed to secure the rights to the Indian Cricket Premier League. Vivek Couto, executive director of Media Partners Asia, told Bloomberg: “IPL drives customer acquisition. It’s regarded as entertainment not just sports by Indian households - women and men.” Perhaps this is part of the reason behind Walt Disney Co’s decision to follow some of its competitors in creating an ad-supported subscription offering, while also hiking the price for viewers who want to enjoy Disney+ without commercials. Jeff Bezos’ Amazon ( NASDAQ: AMZN ) is an online retailer that offers a wide range of products. The company’s products include books, music, computers, electronics and numerous other products. The business offers personalized shopping services, web-based credit card payment and direct shipping to customers. It also operates a cloud platform offering services globally. Having made a name for itself in the world of ecommerce, Amazon entered the video streaming fray all the way back in 2006. The service has grown significantly, with its popularity bolstered by the fact that subscription includes faster ecommerce delivery options, as well as ebook, music and grocery shopping services. But the company’s streaming service appears to be building its own successful niche within this array of services, with Prime Video shows securing 30 Emmy nominations during the company’s last full quarter. Most recently, Amazon has been making entertainment news headlines with its Lord of the Rings prequel show The Rings of Power. The fantasy series, which has been promoted through an enormous deluge of marketing, reportedly cost as much as $1bn to produce. Millions initially tuned in to the show but reaction from audiences has been mixed, with some reviewers comparing the show unfavorably with Peter Jackson’s film adaptations of Tolkien’s Middle Earth world or fantasy TV peer House of the Dragon. This could indicate that the show may not drive subscriber growth as much as Amazon had been hoping. ValueTheMarkets.com News Commentary IMPORTANT NOTICE AND DISCLAIMER PAID ADVERTISEMENT This communication is a paid advertisement. ValueTheMarkets is a trading name of Digitonic Ltd, and its owners, directors, officers, employees, affiliates, agents and assigns (collectively the Publisher) is often paid by one or more of the profiled companies or a third party to disseminate these types of communications. In this case, the Publisher has been compensated by QYOU Media to conduct investor awareness advertising and marketing and has paid the Publisher the equivalent of one hundred thousand US dollars to produce and disseminate this and other similar articles and certain related banner advertisements. This compensation should be viewed as a major conflict with the Publisher's ability to provide unbiased information or opinion. 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Past performance is not an indicator of future performance.ValueTheMarkets do not hold any position in the stock(s) and/or financial instrument(s) mentioned in the above piece. ValueTheMarkets have been paid to produce this piece by the company or companies mentioned above. Digitonic Ltd, the owner of valuethemarkets.com, has been paid for the production of this piece by the company or companies mentioned above. Contact Details ValueTheMarkets ValueTheMarkets +44 141 530 4080 editor@valuethemarkets.com Company Website https://www.valuethemarkets.com

October 26, 2022 11:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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Sharp App Joins HPL Digital Sport and Cardinal Sports Capital Accelerator Program After Year of Significant Growth

Sharp App

Sharp App, a sports betting app dedicated to the empowerment of bettors through AI-powered tools, analytics and educational programming, announced today its inclusion into the HPL Digital Sport and Cardinal Sports Capital Accelerator Program. The Accelerator Program has raised capital for Sharp App during the current 2022 NFL season to exponentially grow its subscriber base. Since its launch in August 2021, Sharp App has rapidly scaled its capabilities, expanded programming based on user demand and trends, and shown strong user growth, engagement and retention rates. Since 2021, Sharp App has: Held an 80% month-over-month premium subscriber retention rate Provided upgrades and scaled content for its Game Center, a centralized hub of news, trends, lines and betting information, and Sharp Academy, a multimedia masterclass that will teach all skill levels different aspects of sports betting, led by sports betting expert John Alessia Seen a 200% increase in daily and monthly active users in the first month of the 2022 NFL season Identified nearly half of all users engage on the Sharp App Discord add-on during NFL games “One of the most significant advances to our app is our extremely popular AI-powered props tool. In getting feedback from our users and understanding the data leveraged, we were able to quickly develop one of the most comprehensive prop tools to identify the value of player statistics across various markets,” said Sharp App co-founder and CEO Kevin Epstein. “With our inclusion into the Accelerator Program, we’ll be able to utilize the capabilities of both HPL Digital Sport and Cardinal Sports Capital to scale innovations, like our prop tool, faster and get our superior products and services in front of new investors, partners and potential users.” The vision behind the Accelerator Program is to help streamline a company’s access to essential tools needed for entrepreneurs to obtain capital, network in the right channels, effectively articulate their value proposition and get their products and services into the hands of the right audiences. “In today’s sports betting economy, capital is harder to raise. It’s more important than ever to not just have a vision, but a clear path for how the company will generate revenue and prove profitability,” said Ed Moed, CEO of HPL Digital Sport. “In a little over a year, Sharp App has shown its product provides exceptional service and value to its users through its stellar engagement and retention statistics. Sharp App is the exact type of company we built the company for and are looking forward to helping bring them to the next phase in their entrepreneurial journey.” For more information please visit: https://sharp.app/ To download the app: App Store: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/sharp-app/id1557592668 Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.sharpapp ABOUT SHARP APP Founded in 2020, by sports betting and fantasy experts and executives from Win Daily and DFS Army, Sharp is a first-of-its-kind sports betting app. Sharp provides an all-in-one platform experience of multimedia content, tools and solutions developed specifically to educate and empower sports bettors to make smarter decisions and manage their actions. Follow Sharp on social media - Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and TikTok. Contact Details Michael Adorno +1 212-931-6143 madorno@hotpaperlantern.com Company Website https://sharp.app/

October 26, 2022 10:01 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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Culinary Institute of America Elects John C. Metz Jr. Chairman of the Board

The Culinary Institute of America

Thirty-year restaurant and hospitality industry veteran and Culinary Institute of America (CIA) alumnus, John C. Metz Jr. has been elected the 22 nd chairman of the CIA’s board of trustees. He succeeds restaurateur Ralph Brennan in this role. “John Metz embodies the best of all worlds—a solid culinary and business foundation, combined with a warm and gracious personality,” said CIA President Dr. Tim Ryan. “He gives 110 percent to everything he does and as an alum, brings keen insight into the student experience. I look forward to continuing to work with him to help lead the Institute—and the industry—into the future.” Metz currently serves as CEO, executive chef and co-founder of the newly opened the Woodall, in Atlanta, as well as Marlow’s Tavern, and the upscale contract foodservice company Sterling Culinary Management. Through Sterling, he reimagined corporate dining through chef-driven, upscale restaurant concepts including Bistro del sol, The Grove, Market Street Café, Bistro 191, Social Kitchen, and Central Provisions as well as 55+ luxury communities. In addition, in 2018, he and his partner opened The Spinning Room in Dalton, GA, an upscale wine and beer bar, offering small plates and live music. From an early age, Metz nurtured his passion for the industry, moving up the ranks from dishwasher to running the kitchen in one of his father’s restaurants. His formal education began with The Pennsylvania State University’s Hotel and Restaurant Management program. From there, he went on to Switzerland—where he staged at two Michelin -starred restaurants—prior to enrolling at the CIA, from which he graduated at the top of his class in 1992. In 2020, Metz was named to the Atlanta Business Chronicle ’s “Atlanta 2020 Most Admired CEO” list. An active community member and philanthropist, he serves on the boards of both national and local organizations, including The National Restaurant Association’s and Georgia Restaurant Association’s Board of Directors, The Atlanta Convention & Visitors Bureau’s board. He was appointed vice chairman of the Distinguished Restaurants of North America (DiRoNa) in 2005 and served as their board chairman in 2007 and 2008. In addition, he is a fervent supporter of Special Olympics Georgia and Share Our Strength, and Sterling Hospitality, the parent company of the Woodall, Marlow’s Tavern, and Sterling Culinary Management, has raised more than $1.7 million for these and other community organizations. “I am humbled & honored to serve as chairman of The Culinary Institute of America,” said Metz, who joined the college’s Board of Trustees in 2014. “Today’s CIA students are truly poised to lead our industry into the future and redefine the restaurant and hospitality industries. I can’t think of a more rewarding position than to help shepherd that process.” The CIA Board of Trustees consists of 22 highly respected leaders in the foodservice industry and business world. They provide expert governance and guidance for the not-for-profit college and are not compensated for their services. About The Culinary Institute of America Founded in 1946, The Culinary Institute of America is the world’s premier culinary college. Dedicated to developing leaders in foodservice and hospitality, the independent, not-for-profit CIA offers master’s, bachelor’s, and associate degrees with majors in culinary arts, baking & pastry arts, food business management, hospitality management, culinary science, and applied food studies. The college also offers executive education, certificate programs, and courses for professionals and enthusiasts. Its conferences, leadership initiatives, and consulting services have made the CIA the think tank of the food industry and its worldwide network of more than 50,000 alumni includes innovators in every area of the food world. The CIA has locations in New York, California, Texas, and Singapore. For more information, visit www.ciachef.edu. Contact Details Culinary Institute of America Amanda Secor +1 845-451-1457 Amanda.Secor@culinary.edu Company Website http://www.ciachef.edu/

October 26, 2022 08:35 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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COMCAST ANNOUNCES NETWORK CONSTRUCTION IN WHATCOM COUNTY

Comcast Washington

Comcast today announced it has begun construction in the public rights of way to expand service to hundreds of homes in the City of Sumas. Comcast is investing more than $4.2 million to bring the entire suite of Xfinity and Comcast Business services to the citizens and businesses in the rural community of Whatcom County. The company has created an online resource for local residents seeking information about the network construction in their neighborhood, including answers to frequently asked questions and product and service details at: https://washington.comcast.com/network-expansion/. The network expansion is the latest example of Comcast’s investment in Washington state. Comcast has made $1B in technology and infrastructure investments in Washington during the last three years, including expansion and upgrades to our network. As a result, more than 2.8 million Washington homes and businesses have access to Xfinity and Comcast Business products and services with access to speeds of 1.2 gigs or more from the company’s fiber-rich network. We also operate nearly 90,000 public Xfinity Wi-Fi hotspots that are available to Comcast customers statewide. “It is going to be great to have Comcast here. It will give us more options and better service to provide high-speed internet. Local businesses are all looking forward to the reliable service that Comcast provides,” said Bruce Bosch, Mayor, City of Sumas. “If you are a home buyer or a new business that wants to move into town, having Comcast makes your decision to move to an easy one.” Once construction is completed, Sumas residents will have access to the entire Xfinity product suite, from Internet Essentials – the largest and most comprehensive low-cost internet adoption program for low-income Americans – to Comcast Business services, which delivers up to 10 gigabits-per-second (Gbps) of network capacity to local businesses. “I think that internet connectivity and WiFi are somewhat taken for granted today. When you do move out this far, you really get to experience that,” said Herman Sihota, owner and operator, Tarsem Farms in Sumas. “Gig speed technology on our farm would be a game changer. Right now, there are not a lot of options, and I am excited to get a more reliable broadband service provider out to our area.” Comcast serves more than 1.7 million residential and business customers throughout Washington state. Comcast is Washington’s leading provider of Xfinity video, high-speed internet, smart home and phone services. To learn more about Comcast in Washington, visit: https://washington.comcast.com/. “Access to technology is a powerful driver of economic growth and innovation, and we look forward to connecting Sumas residents to all the opportunities broadband offers. Comcast’s $4.2 million investment will expand our network over 40 miles and connect homes and businesses to reliable and fast broadband service,” said Roy Novosel, vice president of engineering, Comcast Washington. 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, multiple cable networks, Peacock, NBCUniversal News Group, NBC Sports, Sky News, and Sky Sports; and provide memorable experiences at Universal Parks and Resorts in the United States and Asia. Visit www.comcastcorporation.com for more information. Contact Details Andy Colley Andy_Colley@comcast.com Company Website https://washington.comcast.com/

October 24, 2022 08:55 AM Pacific Daylight Time

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How Asure Software (NASDAQ: ASUR) Helps Small and Mid-Sized Businesses Cut Costs and Streamline Back Office Operations

Benzinga

The most recent CPI report shows that inflation “eased” back to 8.2% in September. That’s an improvement from the 9.1% reported for June, but costs are still high. That, combined with a more competitive labor market, is compressing profit margins. Small and mid-sized businesses (SMBs) are looking for ways to cut costs and make their operations more efficient. Asure Software (NASDAQ: ASUR) is addressing the problem by offering a suite of cloud-based products to automate and streamline back-office operations. Their human capital management (HCM) platform cuts down the workload on employee management, human resources, accounting, tax filings, and allocating financial capital for growth. The Dilemma: Small Businesses Surveyed See Revenues Increased, but Profits Under Pressure Let’s examine the numbers. An American Express poll released in September revealed that revenues for 550 businesses surveyed had nearly doubled between July 2021 and July 2022. The actual number was 87%. Unfortunately, in the same period, profits dropped by 4%. Increased costs for materials, labor, and supplies were major contributors to that. Interest rate hikes and stock market volatility also cut into profits in the first two quarters of 2022. Inflationary pressure was reported by 75% of the survey participants as the primary reason for lower profits, and the cost of debt financing increased as the Fed steadily raised interest rates. That has directly impacted growth for many SMBs in the United States. The Covid-19 pandemic and subsequent supply chain issues resulting from it are widely viewed as the main catalysts for the economic conditions currently driving down profit margins. The US government has attempted to relieve some of that pressure by offering low-cost loans and tax breaks. Many of these are packaged into the CARES Act, including the ERC program. What is ERC and Why is it Important for SMBs? The Employee Retention Credit under the CARES Act was created to encourage SMBs financially impacted by COVID-19 to keep employees on their payroll. Eligible businesses can receive a tax refund of up to $28,000 per W-2 employee on the payroll in 2020 and 2021. Independent contractors, sole proprietors, and LLCs are not eligible for ERC. It’s not that simple of course. For a business to be eligible, it must have 500 or fewer employees, and have either been closed due to a government order or experienced a revenue decline of at least 20% for any quarter during the eligibility period. Asure has expanded its tax filing capabilities to help SMBs manage ERC guidelines and demand. Tax refunds acquired through the ERC program can increase business cash flow and help offset rising costs. It’s temporary relief, but it’s timely. The Federal Reserve Bank approved several interest rate hikes this year and implemented quantitative tightening to reduce liquidity on their balance sheet. Both moves are projected to slow inflation in 2023. Asure has Automated ERC Management for CPAs and Tax Professionals Claiming the ERC refunds requires an amended filing using Form 941X (Quarterly Federal Payroll Tax Return). If the business became inoperable due to the pandemic, Form 5884-A might be required. Small business owners may not know this. CPAs should. Asure has built the guidelines and forms directly into its cloud accounting platform. The new technology is an expansion of Asure’s Payroll Tax Management engine, FlexTax, which delivers cloud-based payroll tax processing, reconciliation, and reporting functionality, as well as a 24/7 online tax portal. Automating the back-office ERC work frees business owners and company accountants up to focus on high-value client work. FlexTax works in conjunction with PrismHR’s payroll service, an Asure integration partner that services over 80,000 organizations. The roll-out of the new feature comes closely on the heels of an expansion to Asure’s 401(k) provider base. They added eighty new direct-integration partners in that space to expand retirement plan options for SMBs. Asure Trades at EV/EBITDA of 8.4, Price-to-Book Value of 0.69 Based on fundamental analysis, they show the company as a serious cash flow generator. It has a price-to-book value of 0.69 and a price-to-free-cash-flow ratio of 10. This tells us that Asure is generating strong free cash flows, but trades at a discount to its book value. For growth-at-a-reasonable-price (GARP) investors, this is an opportunity worth taking a closer look at. In addition, Asure Software trades at a steep discount compared to the overall software industry and the S&P 500, when looking at the enterprise value to EBITDA (EV/EBITDA) valuation. As of this writing, Asure has an EV/EBITDA of 8.40. This compares to the software industry average EV/EBITDA valuation of 48.70 and the S&P 500’s 15.70. Asure (ASUR) carries little debt and holds a cumulative analyst rating of “buy.” That’s good for investors, but the real value is in how Asure could be positioned in the age of automation and cloud services.Human capital resource software could play a major part also. Inflation is going to be with us for a while. The Fed will continue to raise interest rates until it starts to slow, so a recession is a real possibility. In many ways, our situation is unprecedented, so technical analysis of equity investments is not sufficient. Asure checks all the fundamental boxes, which are the real indicators of a company's potential profitability. Furthermore, Asure’s HCM services provide a very tangible need for SMBs right now: cost-cutting and operational streamlining. In any economic environment, SMBs will still need to manage employees, payroll, retirement offerings, tax filings, and more. Asure Software provides the framework needed for businesses to remain in a competitive stance in recruiting top talent. Overall, Asure may be an interesting company to keep an eye on for long-term investors that are looking for good GARP investments. After all, the company is continuing to generate strong top and bottom line results and yet trades at a discount to its book value. Spotlight Growth is compensated, either directly or via a third party, to provide investor relations services for its clients. Spotlight Growth creates exposure for companies through a customized marketing strategy, including design of promotional material, the drafting and editing of press releases and media placement.All information on featured companies is provided by the companies profiled, or is available from public sources. Spotlight Growth and its employees are not a Registered Investment Advisor, Broker Dealer or a member of any association for other research providers in any jurisdiction whatsoever and we are not qualified to give financial advice. The information contained herein is based on external sources that Spotlight Growth believes to be reliable, but its accuracy is not guaranteed. Spotlight Growth may create reports and content that has been compensated by a company or third-parties, or for purposes of self-marketing. Spotlight Growth was compensated five thousand dollars cash for the creation and dissemination of this content by the company.This material does not represent a solicitation to buy or sell any securities. Certain statements contained herein constitute “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements may include, without limitation, statements with respect to the Company’s plans and objectives, projections, expectations and intentions. These forward-looking statements are based on current expectations, estimates and projections about the Company’s industry, management’s beliefs and certain assumptions made by management.The above communication, the attachments and external Internet links provided are intended for informational purposes only and are not to be interpreted by the recipient as a solicitation to participate in securities offerings. Investments referenced may not be suitable for all investors and may not be permissible in certain jurisdictions. Spotlight Growth and its affiliates, officers, directors, and employees may have bought or sold or may buy or sell shares in the companies discussed herein, which may be acquired prior, during or after the publication of these marketing materials. Spotlight Growth, its affiliates, officers, directors, and employees may sell the stock of said companies at any time and may profit in the event those shares rise in value. For more information on our disclosures, please visit: https://spotlightgrowth.com/disclosures/ This post contains sponsored advertising content. This content is for informational purposes only and not intended to be investing advice. Contact Details Benzinga +1 877-440-9464 info@benzinga.com Company Website http://www.benzinga.com

October 19, 2022 10:44 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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