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UPDATE: Timber Exchange urges exporters to Egypt to prepare for the October transition to the new customs platform

Centersource

(Update: The Ministry of Finance announced an effective date change to October 1) While Egypt’s new advanced cargo information (ACI) system is expected to streamline regulatory requirements for importers, the new system represents a significant departure from the current customs system. B2B supply chain platform with marketplace and market data Timber Exchange by Centersource is reminding timber exporters and other companies shipping to Egypt to prepare for the transition. Effective October 1st, Egypt’s unified registration system, called NAFEZA, will become the only means of processing maritime imports into the country. The new regulation will require exporters to submit all cargo data and documents (commercial invoices, packing lists, and final or initial bills of lading) with 3 additional unique elements: ACID number representing the shipment, Importer taxation ID, Exporter registration number upon vessel’s sailing from Port of Loading. If documents indicate wrong or mismatched numbers, cargo will be banned from being loaded on board. Furthermore, all exporters must be registered on CargoX’s blockchain-document-submission platform. Other processes that exporters should be aware of include: 1. Exporters are responsible for providing importers with accurate information: • Exporter’s company cargo ID. • Exporter’s type (whether it is a factory, branch, etc.) • Correct details of the contact person. • Clear details of Proforma Invoice including GS1 code or part/item number & HS code. 2. Create and verify a CargoX account. 3. Ensure that verified ACID 3 elements are added on required documents. 4. Create an ACI filing envelope & submit it to Customs authorities in Egypt through CargoX or through one of its integrated partners such as Timber Exchange by Centersource Technologies. In addition, exporters should be aware of the Importer's responsibilities, which include: 1. Importers will have to register an account on the electronic portal, NAFEZA. 2. Importers must register primary and detailed information about the shipment in order to apply for the issuance of ACID number. Failure to meet ACI requirements could cost exporters. In a scenario where the cargo is loaded onto the ship, but the documents were not submitted in time or one or more of the three elements are missing or miss-matched, the cargo will not be discharged in Egypt, and all re-export costs will be borne by the carrier. In the final months before the mandatory operation phase of NAFEZA, Centersource is working to bring the timber industry up to speed to avoid any disruption. Centersource’s founder and CEO Amir Rashad is available to talk about what exporters to Egypt can do to prepare for the next phase of NAFEZA. Amir and his team of 30 logistics professionals are also available to discuss the ways in which Timber Exchange is creating trading opportunities across challenging markets, and helping exporters overcome language and regulatory barriers. To speak with the Timber Exchange team, contact Mai Taha at mai@centersource.io or Jéssica Sanduta at jessica@centersource.io. About Timber Exchange Timber Exchange is a supply chain and risk management cloud-based system by Centersource Technologies offering supply chain tools, market data and marketplace. The platform is built specifically for the unique needs of the forestry industry to drastically improve overall performance and coordination. 80 smart tools in 5 languages cover all steps from inquiry of cargo until it arrives at destination. This allows stakeholders to manage sales, logistics and legal obligations from a central workspace that automatically creates tasks and warnings. 40% of the work can be automated, which reduces delays and helps avoid deviations in responsibilities. Contact Details Charlie Pesti +1 267-439-4355 charlie@pesti.io Company Website https://www.centersource.io/

June 24, 2021 07:30 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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CHOC Awarded $22.6 Million in State Funding to Build Affordable Housing in Coachella

Community Housing Opportunities Corporation

Community Housing Opportunities Corporation (CHOC), a non-profit affordable housing developer, has been awarded $22.6 million of financing to begin construction of the Coachella Valley Apartments, which will bring new affordable housing units to Coachella. The development, which has a total cost of $35.3 million, initially replaces 20 existing units and adds 36 new units on 2.97 acres at 84900 Bagdad Avenue in Coachella. The 56-unit project, which will include one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments, is expected to break ground in December. CHOC’s efforts, along with the support of its funding partners, will ensure the property is no longer at risk of being converted to market-rate apartments and remains affordable to the families who need it most. It is the second affordable housing project CHOC has announced in the Coachella Valley this year. “CHOC has long focused on the housing needs of struggling families in the Coachella Valley and remained focused on this region even as the global pandemic presented unforeseen challenges,” said Vincent Nicholas, Vice President of Real Estate Development for CHOC. “This funding comes as part of a highly competitive process, and CHOC’s ability to provide a high-quality, high-impact solution to the growing housing shortage in desert communities has proven a worthwhile investment for Californians.” The award was announced by the California Tax Credit Allocation Committee (CTCAC), which oversees federal and state low-income housing tax credit programs. Much of the project’s remaining costs are funded by a $5 million Joe Serna Farmworker Grant, a program that deploys funding to support housing for farmworkers and their families in rural areas. Additional project costs are supported by $1 million in Riverside County HOME Funds, a $3.8 million City of Coachella CFD loan and USDA Rural Development financing. “We have an obligation to build affordable housing. What pleases us is that it’s one thing to say we are for affordable housing, it’s another to get the funding necessary to make it happen. This award gets us closer to realizing our goal of constructing these much-needed units,” said Coachella Mayor Steve Hernandez. “We are grateful that our families will have access to additional affordable housing opportunities and excited to see state investments support this vital local project,” added California Assemblymember Eduardo Garcia, who represents the 56th district where the project is located. “The affordable housing shortfall has placed a heavy burden on residents, leaving many families to choose between housing payments and other essentials such as food and healthcare. This CHOC project demonstrates what can be accomplished to help alleviate this crisis when we work together as Californians.” Designed by Maria Song, AIA, LEED & AP, principal with the Palm Springs-based architectural firm Interactive Design Corporation, the project shares many of the same design elements of the recently built Coachella Branch Library. Upon entering the property through two entrances that serve a two-way circular drive, the structures are designed in a Contemporary Spanish Colonial with Moorish details of smooth plaster siding, terra-cotta roofing, ceramic mosaics, tile-accented rounded arches, and decorative wrought iron. The architectural style and finishes will be seen throughout all residential buildings, the community building and landscape and are compatible with the character of the neighboring community. “This property will be a fusion of affordability and the design elements seen in the neighborhood and throughout the Coachella Valley. This project will create homes that are not only safe and stable for local families, but also sources of pride for the residents who live there,” said Joy Silver, CHOC Regional Director for Southern California. Funding for the Coachella Valley Apartments project was announced just weeks after the state awarded CHOC $21 million to build The Monarch Apartment Homes, a 60-unit affordable housing community located in Palm Springs. Both properties will begin construction this year and bring needed affordable housing to the Coachella Valley. Since its founding in 1984, CHOC has provided economically-integrated, affordable housing that has given pride to residents, stabilized families and improved local economies throughout California. About CHOC: Founded in 1984, the Community Housing Opportunities Corporation (CHOC) is a non-profit, affordable housing developer based in Fairfield, California with offices in Palm Springs, that creates and manages communities for individuals, families, seniors and those with special needs. CHOC believes that economically integrated, affordable housing is key to self-sufficiency and is achievable with enriching, supportive programs that give pride to residents, stabilize families and improve local economies. www.chochousing.org Contact Details The Hoyt Organization Cinnamon Thompson +1 310-933-6836 cthompson@hoytorg.com Company Website https://www.chochousing.org/

June 23, 2021 08:10 AM Pacific Daylight Time

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Comcast Business Helps Sabey Bring High-Speed Connectivity to Washington Area Data Centers and Offer Better IT Continuity

Comcast Washington

Comcast Business today announced it is investing in local Washington data centers in partnership with the Sabey Data Centers to bring better IT continuity and connectivity to businesses. Specifically, Comcast Business will integrate its connectivity into data centers located in Tukwila and Quincy, giving businesses a private connection to regional Sabey data centers. The collaboration will also help advance digital transformation initiatives and enable Washington state businesses to better support their employees working remotely. Most recently, Washington state has made a name for itself in the data center sector for hosting the digital assets of California-based enterprises. Thanks to these benefits, Washington is currently experiencing rapid growth across its data center market. Recognizing the benefits of hosting data in Washington state, Sabey Data Centers has brought to market a combined 2.2 million square feet of data center space throughout the state, and is providing tenants with access to reliable, price-stabilized affordable power via sustainable generation, superior connectivity and turnkey infrastructure deployment. As one of the largest privately-owned data center operators in the world, Sabey needs reliable, credible partners to help capitalize on the booming data center market in Washington. They have teamed up with Comcast Business for comprehensive solutions that support the broad connectivity initiatives data centers demand. “CIOs and IT decision makers are often challenged with managing connections to multiple data centers and cloud solutions, managing application performance as well as troubleshooting latency and throughput issues from their data center connections,” said John Ford, VP and General Manager, Sabey Data Centers, Seattle. “Comcast Business’ data center connectivity helps our customers simplify their workloads by providing direct access on a network that can be tied to a business’s physical location – this means great performance, reliability, and scalability, and ultimately greater network agility for businesses.” By integrating Comcast Business’ Hybrid Fiber Coax (HFC) system, Sabey Data Center customers will be able to take advantage of high network availability. Comcast Business has also built diverse 100 Gbps connections through separate network locations in its HFC system, so if there is an outage along one path, alternative paths are available for backup connectivity and support so Sabey customers can stay online. As part of the partnership, Comcast Business will also offer Sabey customers an “on-ramp” to popular cloud services like Amazon Web Services, Microsoft Azure and IBM Cloud via the Comcast Business Direct-to-Cloud platform, which connects customers to the cloud without going through the Internet. “Comcast Business is focused on empowering businesses with a choice in hybrid IT solutions and massive Ethernet network reach,” said Scott Woodard, Director of Sales Engineering for Comcast Business’ WA Region. “Our goal is to connect data centers and cloud services to more than one million Ethernet-enabled buildings and businesses nationwide.” In addition, businesses already using Comcast Business Ethernet and IP services will have efficient and secure access to Sabey’s data centers. Plus, workers with Xfinity internet who need to remotely access information or upload files will be able to send their information through Comcast’s statewide network. “We’ve already seen that the demand for digital transformation has the power to completely revolutionize how a business operates,” said Rob Brenner, Vice President of Comcast Business for Comcast’s Washington Region. “As a provider of comprehensive technology solutions for businesses, we are thrilled to partner with the Sabey Data Centers to help local businesses in Washington transform their backend operations and modernize in anticipation of a data-driven future of work.” For more information, please visit http://business.comcast.com. About Comcast Business Comcast Business offers a suite of Connectivity, Communications, Networking, Cybersecurity, Wireless, and Managed Solutions to help organizations of different sizes prepare for what’s next. Powered by the nation’s largest Gig-speed broadband network, and backed by 24/7 customer support, Comcast Business is the nation’s largest cable provider to small and mid-size businesses and one of the leading service providers to the Enterprise market. Comcast Business has been consistently recognized by industry analysts and associations as a leader and innovator, and one of the fastest growing providers of Ethernet services. For more information, call 866-429-3085. Follow on Twitter @ComcastBusiness and on other social media networks at http://business.comcast.com/social. Contact Details Comcast Nick McDonald +1 425-977-5565 Nick_McDonald@Comcast.com FINN Partners Chloe Huard +13132094957 chloe.huard@finnpartners.com Company Website https://washington.comcast.com/

June 23, 2021 05:58 AM Pacific Daylight Time

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PCMA Announces Continued Nationwide Expansion with the Addition of South Carolina to our Lending Footprint

PCMA

PCMA, the pioneer and leading voice in Non-Bank Private Client Lending, announces the expansion of our Private Client services to the state of South Carolina - Company NMLS ID: 237710. The expansion of Private Client Lending into South Carolina highlights the remarkable growth of PCMA and the continued growth of the high-end housing growth in the South Carolina. The South Carolina housing market has stayed competitive one year after the pandemic with luxury homes selling in almost half the time of a year ago. In March 2020 high-end homes were on the market for 117 days; today those same homes are spending an average of only 62 days on the market. As luxury homes are on the market for a shorter period of time, the media listing price for luxury real estate is up with as the coastal markets are seeing the highest sales; including a 27.9% increase in Charleston, 47.9% in Hilton Head and 43.5% in Myrtle Beach. “South Carolina is well known for its beautiful beaches, award winning golf courses and warm southern hospitality; the perfect combination for high net-worth borrowers in search of a forever home or the perfect vacation home,” said John R. Lynch, CEO and Founder of PCMA Private Client. “Luxury home sales in the South Carolina market have been mirroring the national trend that has seen the high-end housing market unbridled; continuing to outpace last years record numbers for the state.” High-net-worth consumers have been driving force in luxury home sales during and post the health crisis. This distinguished buying class has spurred a surge of home sales in suburban and vacation-home markets and the trend does not appear to be slowing down any time soon. “The growth in the luxury realty space is being fueled by the Private Client community, a community that consists of business owners, high income professionals, real estate investors and asset rich retirees,” said Lynch. “The creation of our market leading products OMEGA, ZENITH and ULYSSE will meet the needs of the complex and sophisticated estates owners of South Carolina.” PCMA’s expansion into the South Carolina market comes on the heels of expansion in both Maryland and Montana. PCMA continues to experience an unprecedented growth of new loan originations since the start of 2021, increased loan amounts for high valued estates, and continued national expansion with Texas, North Carolina, and more to come online in the next 90 days. PCMA is the leading non-bank private client lending organization serving the needs of their high net worth clientele. PCMA offers qualified individuals and institutions bespoke lending solutions across all major residential asset classes. PCMA is a diversified financial enterprise offering private client solutions through a direct and indirect to consumer business model. PCMA strives to build trusting and enduring relationships by putting clients and professional partners at the center of all they do. PCMA is headquartered in Orange County, CA. Additional information is available at www.pcma.us.com Contact Details PCMA Private Client Lending Jason Jepson +1 949-394-7033 jason.jepson@pcma.us.com Company Website https://pcma.mortgage/

June 23, 2021 08:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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Housebuilders Are Failing Disabled Homebuyers by Cutting Corners on Disabled Access

HouseScan

The latest research from new build snagging company, HouseScan, has found that not only is the number of new build homes being delivered to market with disabled access expected to fall throughout the next decade, but the ones that are being delivered are also unfit for purpose has housebuilders cut corners to maximise profits. There are approximately 14.1m people living with a disability across the UK, around 21% of the total population. It’s thought that around 7.9m of these are working adults who face a tougher financial task when it comes to saving for a property, as living with a disability comes at an additional cost of £583 on average each month compared to those living without. In addition to the tougher financial task, new build homebuyers with a disability also face a lower level of housing stock to choose from. Not only has Covid caused new build housing delivery to fall by 45% per year, but research shows that over the next decade (2020-2030), the proportion of those new build homes built to accessible standards is predicted to fall from 34.4% to 31.5%. This decline directly relates to accessible and adaptable homes (M4 Category 2) or wheelchair user dwellings (M4 Category 3). These homes provide additional features to the average new build including wider doors, stronger bathroom walls that can facilitate a grab-rail and greater circulation space for those in a wheelchair. The latest figures show that 180,140 new build homes were completed across the UK over the last year. This reduced level of disabled accessible homes means that just 56,744 would have been fit for disabled new build homebuyers, over 5,000 less than the level delivered prior to 2020. Over the course of a decade, a consistent rate of new build housing delivery would see over 1.8m homes delivered with just 567,441 of these fit for disabled homebuyers. With both property prices and stock availability making it harder for disabled homebuyers to climb the property ladder, it’s hardly surprising that the 2019/20 figures show that just 40.9% of disabled people owned their own home - the lowest level in the last seven years. However, HouseScan has also found that it isn’t just stock delivery that is failing disabled homebuyers, even the standard of homes reaching the market are unfit for purpose. Founder and Managing Director of HouseScan, Harry Yates, commented: “In this day and age, it’s just not acceptable that some housebuilders continue to cut corners, and quite frankly it’s appalling that they would allow such serious errors to occur where disabled access to a property is concerned. Unfortunately, it’s a problem that we’re seeing more and more of in our work at HouseScan. The repercussions from serious, technical issues are far greater than those from your more common, aesthetic snagging issues. In some cases, these issues are severe enough to cast concern on whether or not the house should have been signed off in the first place. Although we see many new homes that have been built to correct standards, the push for more new homes and the increasing amount of professional snagging inspections taking place means that we’re seeing more and more issues come to light, leaving home buyers uncertain and anxious about the quality of their homes. While John is leading the charge in highlighting this issue, we would urge anyone who thinks they’ve been let down on any aspect of their new build to make themselves heard so that the handful of housebuilders who chance their luck on the life savings of their customers are held to account and the overall standard of new homes in the UK can improve.” Case Study One such homebuyer to suffer from this and other housebuilder failings is John Gaskell, who bought a property from the development arm of Cambridge Housing Society Ltd, due to their claims of ethical housebuilding, which he soon found did not seem to extend to new-build homebuyers on his small development. A snagging survey of John’s house by HouseScan found multiple failings by the developer, failings that John is still campaigning to have put right with his Homebuyers Fightback campaign, which has received the backing of local MPs and the former chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group that investigated problems in the new-build sector. In addition to the 150 defects found in the property, John also discovered that the developer had cut corners where the disabled access to his home was concerned, rendering the property to not meet basic Part M disabled access building regulations. He was first alerted to the problem after HouseScan had inspected the problem. After the developer had pushed back on various areas of the report, despite there being clear violations of building regs, John instructed a registered expert witness to inspect the property, who reaffirmed the downstairs WC had not been built in accordance with disability access requirements. There is also a problem with an excessively steep pathway to the front door which would make it difficult for safe wheelchair entry. John said that after reading both the detailed reports, it became clear that the developer could not have properly understood what is needed to accommodate the basic needs of wheelchair users, despite the clear diagrams and details in the building regulations and NHBC standard. If the house had been built one brick wider or the limited space been appropriately configured, the problems would not have arisen. Mr Gaskell went on to say he was concerned that the CEO of a registered charity, which claims to support the disadvantaged and the disabled, who is also on the Board of the Cambridge Sub-regional Housing Board, had referred to the catalogue of problems in his new home as ‘ largely cosmetic or decorative’ in the local and national press. He has submitted the reports to the developer, along with an estimate for the cost of putting things right, but the CEO has not even replied. Ends Notes to Editors: Founder of HouseScan and BuildScan, Harry Yates, comes from a family background of construction and also holds a Construction Management degree. Having done the basics of the job for a number of years, Harry launched HouseScan four years ago, then started introducing his bespoke technology in 2020 to fulfil the snagging process properly. HouseScan is the new build snagging experts, using their knowledge, expertise and equipment to ensure your new home is as it was promised. HouseScan has been employed by thousands of customers buying new build homes from a wide range of different housebuilders. The HouseScan inspection and report is not only award-winning but more comprehensive than any of their competitors. HouseScan keeps up to date with all industry changes and regulations and they are also equipped with a range of equipment totalling over £4000 each. www.housescan.co.uk BuildScan is a multi-platform app that allows users to manage defects, snag lists, punch lists, surveys and project workflow in full synchronisation and with unlimited collaboration. Teams or individual users can manage entire projects through BuildScan, assigning and controlling tasks, workflow and much more for effective construction defect management. With BuildScan you can break your projects down into sites, plots and build stages for easy project management, log unlimited snags & defects straight into the BuildScan app, assign these defects as tasks to individuals & contractors within your team, manage and track progress throughout all stages of your project, create, manage & export snagging & inspection reports directly from the app BuildScan launched on the 3rd November 2020. www.buildscan.co Contact Press Enquiries James Lockett M: 07584 248960 T: 0207 856 0185 E: james@properganda.pr PropergandaPR Data Enquiries Alex Pericli M: 07979 262393 T: 0207 856 0185 E: alex @properganda.pr PropergandaPR Contact Details PropergandaPR James Lockett +44 20 7856 0185 james@properganda.pr PropergandaPR Alex Pericli +442078560185 alex@properganda.pr

June 22, 2021 06:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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Cyvatar Raises an Additional $9 Million in Series A Round

Cyvatar

Cyvatar today announced that it has raised $9 million as part of its Series A financing to help scale and serve its rapidly growing customer base and continue to drive the adoption of its innovative cybersecurity-as-a-service (CSaaS) model. Escalating cybersecurity breaches and the need to address vulnerabilities across systems, networks, and apps fuel the security services market, expected to reach $193 billion by 2028. Additionally, the growth in hybrid and remote workers coupled with unsecured and unpatched BYOD devices further underscores the need for on-demand cybersecurity resources that include human talent, proven processes, and best-of-breed technology delivered from a single intuitive platform. Cyvatar has grown more than 200% since its debut in October. ATX Venture Partners led the round with additional participation from existing customer CORTEC and longtime Cyvatar investor Bill Wood Ventures. Cyvatar closed a $3 million seed round late last year, bringing the total amount raised over the last eight months to $12 million. “We’ve seen fundraising explode in the security space, in part as a result of the raft of ransomware, email compromise, and phishing attacks that have made people more aware of the problem and increased the need to fix it quickly and effectively,” said Chris Shonk, partner at ATX Venture Partners. “Cyvatar is an exciting addition to our dynamic portfolio and a natural fit alongside our other rapidly growing organizations. No other company we evaluated solves the problems of cybersecurity like Cyvatar. With Cyvatar CSaaS, security becomes as effortless as turning on the lights. There’s no better value for customers.” Cyvatar CSaaS offers security in a box for organizations of any size and any level of cybersecurity expertise--already more than 150 platform members have started the security journey with Cyvatar. Its mature sales and marketing engine makes it easy for new members to join and offers ongoing education and support for existing customers to continuously remediate evolving threats, safeguard critical systems, and boost compliance scores. "I can tell you that after implementing just three Cyvatar solutions, our security confidence is a lot stronger than it was before and our company as a whole is far more secure,” said Brent Fanguy, vice president of technology at CORTEC. “We applaud Cyvatar for pricing by employee count because it’s so easy to calculate and fit into our budget -- no counting servers or workstations, which is a nightmare. Cyvatar has delivered consistent value from our security spend, and we look forward to continuing to grow our partnership with them.” Whether customers need to speed their sales cycles, remediate after a breach, prevent future incursions, or respond to a third-party risk assessment, Cyvatar helps them achieve superior business outcomes every day. Click HERE to get started free and learn more about how Cyvatar is making cybersecurity effortless for every business. About Cyvatar Cyvatar is committed to effortless cybersecurity for everyone. As the industry’s first subscription-based, cybersecurity-as-a-service (CSaaS) company, it’s our mission to transform the way the security industry builds, sells, and supports cyber solutions. We empower our members to achieve successful outcomes by providing expert advisors, proven technologies, and a strategic process roadmap to guarantee results that map to their business drivers. Our approach is rooted in proprietary ICARM (installation, configuration, assessment, remediation, maintenance) methodology that delivers smarter, measurable security solutions for superior compliance and cyber-attack protection faster and more efficiently, all at a fixed monthly price. And because we’re a subscription, members can cancel anytime. Cyvatar is a global organization with operations around the world. Begin your journey to security confidence at cyvatar.ai and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, and YouTube. About ATX Venture Partners ATX Venture Partners is an early-stage venture capital firm specializing in the South-Central US. The firm’s seed and Series A investments focus on software-as-a-service, IoT, e-commerce, AI, frontier commercial technologies and mobile applications. ATX Venture Partners brings institutional-grade funding, process and rigor to early-stage venture capital investments, and is the partner to propel portfolio companies forward to larger growth capital. The firm was founded in 2014 and is based in Austin, Texas. Visit www.atxventurepartners.com, and follow them on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn. Contact Details Cyvatar KC Higgins +1 303-434-8163 kc@cyvatar.ai ATX Ventures Meg Brigman +15127666462 meg@atxventurepartners.com Company Website https://cyvatar.ai/

June 17, 2021 07:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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2021 SORCI REPORT REVEALS SOLUTIONS FOR U.S. RESIDENTIAL BUILDERS TO AVOID PREDICTED DOWNTURN IN 2022

Association of Professional Builders

While builders in the United States have seen record increases in revenue and net profit with homeowners seeking to improve their living environments because of the COVID-19 pandemic, 2022 predictions for the residential home building industry aren’t quite as positive. These findings were unveiled in the recent 2021 State of Residential Construction Industry (SORCI) report, which is sponsored by the Association of Professional Builders (APB), a leading business coaching service for custom home builders. “There has been a boom in residential home construction and renovation largely due to the effects of the pandemic,” says Erik Cofield, an Executive Business Coach with APB based in Houston. “However, this unprecedented demand isn’t sustainable and savvy builders will need to think more like accountants. Our new research reveals that custom home builders could be heading for challenging times in 2022.” More than 1,000 builders globally participated in the survey to provide deeper insights into the residential construction industry. Data from the report revealed that 2020 was a bumper year with 46.5% of respondents globally signing more contracts than in 2019; and 50% more in the U.S. market report signing more contracts in 2020 than 2019. However, after signing a record number of fixed-price contracts, the report also found that many are not prepared for the ensuing squeeze on margins caused by the rise in material pricing and other factors. “We’re urging professional builders to plan for the long term so they’ll be able to weather the predicted downturn in 2022,” says Russ Stephens, APB co-founder and business strategy specialist. “This report truly highlights the current pain points for U.S. builders, and shows where they need to focus their efforts to at least meet industry benchmarks and compete to be the best in the industry.” This concern stems from the survey, which shows that more than 55% of the builders in the U.S. never calculate their work in progress accounting adjustment, indicating that they are at significant risk of growing too quickly because they don’t understand their true financial position. Thus, they are likely to pay higher taxes and experience severe cash flow challenges, particularly when sales begin to slow down. Nearly two-thirds of respondents had no formal sales process in place, and the vast majority (78.8%) had no succession plan to future-proof their business should the unthinkable happen. With these findings in mind, it’s no surprise builders have identified systemizing their business as one of the top priorities for 2021. Other findings include: 80% of the U.S.-based home builders don’t charge for quotes; vs. 56.4% in Australia, 79.1% in Canada, 57.5% in New Zealand and 90% in the United Kingdom; 80% of the U.S.-based home builders do not have a business plan covering the next three years, vs. 69% in Australia, 75% in Canada and 57% in New Zealand; 37% of the U.S.-based home builders want to systemize their businesses; vs 36.1% in Australia, 41% in Canada, 45% in New Zealand and 60% in the United Kingdom. The comprehensive report also dives into trends in sales, contracts, social media, marketing and advertising within the industry. Data from the report also covered insights from residential builders for lead generation, team building, project management, planning, owner’s remuneration, financials and self-development. To find out more about the state of the residential construction industry, a copy of the report can be purchased at https://info.apbbuilders.com/sorci. APB’S WORK IN THE INDUSTRY APB has worked with thousands of builders, coaching residential building companies to systemize their business, including Jason Burgess of Burgess Homes based in Central Massachusetts. “The biggest reason I was looking for APB is that I was doing a lot of smaller renovation jobs. I wanted to grow the business and focus on new construction homes, which is what I truly enjoy,” Burgess said. “Before I was with APB, my average project size was probably around $40,000 and since implementing the content from APB, I’m seeing jobs averaging around $400,000. So, it’s been a tenfold increase for me.” You can read more about Jason’s business growth success story as well as others here: https://associationofprofessionalbuilders.com/success-stories/. ABOUT ASSOCIATION OF PROFESSIONAL BUILDERS The Association of Professional Builders is a leading business coaching service for custom home builders in the United States of America, Australia, New Zealand, and Canada. It provides tested and proven systems for builders to scale and succeed, based on data, experience, and results. Contact Details Anne Shanahan +1 310-933-6834 ashanahan@hoytorg.com Company Website https://associationofprofessionalbuilders.com/

May 27, 2021 08:15 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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Osmo Announces New Retail Partnership: Families Traveling Through U.S. Airports Memorial Day Weekend Can Purchase Osmo’s STEAM Products at InMotion Stores

Osmo

According to parents, kids love playing Osmo at school, at home, and even while they are on vacation. To reach families with school-aged kids (3-10 years) who love to shop while traveling, award-winning STEAM brand Osmo announces a new exclusive partnership with the country’s largest airport-based electronics retailer, InMotion, plus its sister venues iStore and Soundbalance, which offer cutting-edge and diverse premium electronics for tech-savvy business and leisure travelers. Starting May 29, 2021, four of Osmo’s best-selling kits will be available for purchase at InMotion, Soundbalance and iStore airport and resort locations across the country. “We’re thrilled to be launching our best-selling STEM/STEAM kits for iPad at so many InMotion locations across the country, during one of the busiest and most anticipated travel holidays, and this pivotal reopening time,” says Richard Ryan, Senior Director of U.S. Omnichannel Sales at Osmo. “Today’s parents feel that traveling with technology is a must, even for their kids, who are looking for the best products and entertainment to use while on the road. And, with tablet technology being easier to operate while in flight, kids can easily play with Osmo’s engaging array of learning games.” “The travel industry’s resilience is clear, and we are ready for the pent up demand for travel. The toy industry is experiencing a 16% increase over last year and InMotion is intent on delivering gaming technology to all ages. Osmo is the ideal kids’ system for engagement and happiness while traveling and we’re elated to introduce our exclusive partnership to the traveling consumers. Families are traveling more as virtual education is more readily available. Families look to toys to help keep their children engaged, active, and delighted,” says Eden Goldberg, Divisional Vice President of Marketing and Business Development at InMotion Entertainment Group, LLC. Almost half of the retail locations will feature Osmo’s STEAM kits stacked in floor displays, while over half of the locations will showcase a powered display with video, interactive display, and all four Osmo kits. Orlando, Detroit and New York City/LaGuardia airport locations will soon offer interactive displays that allow families to sit and test out products, while shopping. The four Osmo products currently offered by InMotion, Soundbalance and iStore, are: Little Genius Starter Kit for iPad (retail $79) Genius Starter Kit for iPad (retail $99) Creative Starter Kit for iPad (retail $69) Coding Starter Kit for iPad (retail $99) InMotion, Soundbalance, and iStore airport locations currently carrying Osmo include: Atlanta, Austin, Boston, Charlotte, Dallas, Detroit, Ft. Lauderdale, Miami, Newark, Orlando, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Pittsburgh, Sacramento, Salt Lake City, Seattle, San Diego, San Francisco, Windsor Locks (CT), Baltimore, Washington D.C./Dulles, Washington D.C./Reagan, and New York City/LaGuardia. InMotion casino locations carrying Osmo include: Forum Shops at Caesar’s Palace, Las Vegas. About InMotion InMotion Entertainment Group is the largest airport-based electronics retailer with more than 120 locations throughout the United States. Together with Marshall Retail Group, InMotion is a part of world-renowned retailer WH Smith. InMotion operates in 44 of the top performing U.S. airports as InMotion, Soundbalance, Headphone Hub, and iStore. With access and insight into the latest technologies for business and leisure travelers, InMotion offers lifestyle products and electronics that include a wide breadth of headphones, mobile power, Bluetooth speakers and travel accessories. InMotion has been the recipient of numerous industry awards that include recognition by Airport Experience News for "Best Specialty Retailer" and "Best Concessions, Highest Regard for Customer Service" for four years running. It has been acknowledged by USA Today as one of the "10 Best" Airport Concession Stores nationwide. InMotion Entertainment Group also remains the only airport retailer to appear in the two industry indexes: Dealerscope's Top 101 Consumer Electronics Retailer List for nine consecutive years, along with ranking in the Top 50 of Twice Magazine's Top 100 CE Retailers. The award-winning, knowledgeable sales associates provide an exceptional experience, with live demonstrations of every product in the store to help travelers choose the best products for their journey. For more information and real-time updates, visit InMotion online at InMotionStores.com. Follow the conversations on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. About Osmo Osmo is an award-winning STEAM brand whose products are used in over 50,000 classrooms and 2.5 million homes. It is building a universe of hands-on play experiences that nourish the minds of children by unleashing the power of imagination. The company brings physical tools into the digital world through augmented reality and its proprietary reflective artificial intelligence. Founded in 2013 by ex-Google engineers Pramod Sharma and Jerome Scholler, the Osmo Play System fuses digital gameplay and physical interaction to create fun and nutritious play experiences designed for all kids. Osmo is headquartered in Palo Alto, California. Learn more at playosmo.com. Contact Details Carolyn Kamii PR Carolyn Kamii carolynkpr@gmail.com Osmo Karen O'Dell karen@playosmo.com Company Website http://www.playosmo.com

May 26, 2021 04:00 AM Pacific Daylight Time

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PCMA Announces ULYSSE, A Modern Approach To Asset-Based Lending

PCMA

PCMA, the pioneer and category leader in Non-Bank Private Client Lending, announced the launch of the ULYSSE program. ULYSSE, is a modern approach to asset-based lending, giving clients the speed and flexibility of opportunity capital using the value of securities held for investment without the need to collateralize or pledge. “Creation of the ULYSSE is a unique blend of Private Client Flexibility and Concierge Services delivering a bespoke lending experience for our high-capacity clientele,” said John R. Lynch, CEO and founder of PCMA. “ULYSSE addresses the complex needs of the High Net-Worth as it pertains to primary homes, vacation homes and investment properties.” ULYSSE features the following options: Loan Amounts to $1MM - $7MM Floor Rate: 3.75% 30 I 40 Year Amortization 10 Year Interest Only No Income Testing - Asset Utilization without the need to pledge Cash Out to LTV Limitations – $2,000,000 or more with no rate adjustment ULYSSE, along with the rest of the Private Client Collective, caters exclusively to the High Net-Worth. Whether it is renovating a home, repositioning debt, or seizing upon a time-sensitive business opportunity, Private Clients can access efficient access to home equity to act on opportunities without risk or pledge to invested holdings. “The complexities of our client portfolios and estates required us to modify the way we evaluate household capacity and ability to repay obligations,” said Lynch. "The client’s we eagerly serve are sophisticated, experienced, and have certainly earned the right to expect an exceptional private client experience. ULYSSE; is already showing itself to be a very important and dynamic program evolution within our Private Client Collective.” About PCMA PCMA is the leading non-bank private client lending organization serving the needs of their high net worth clientele. PCMA offers qualified individuals and institutions bespoke lending solutions across all major residential asset classes. PCMA is a diversified financial enterprise offering private client solutions through a direct and indirect to consumer business model. PCMA strives to build trusting and enduring relationships by putting clients and professional partners at the center of all they do. PCMA is headquartered in Orange County, CA. Additional information is available at www.pcma.us.com Contact Details PCMA Private Client Lending Jason Jepson +1 949-394-7033 jason.jepson@pcma.us.com Company Website https://pcma.mortgage/

May 25, 2021 08:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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