HAMPTON, Va. (AP) — Police say a man threw a cup of hot coffee at officers and tackled one of them to the ground when they tried to detain him in Virginia. Hampton police said in a news release Monday that officers responded to the lobby of Scott Orthodontic regarding an individual that was refusing […]
Reported by Seattle Times 11 hours ago.
Police: Man threw coffee at officers, tackled 1 of them
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Ralph Nader: Letter To Jeff Sessions
Dear Attorney General Sessions:
The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has been clear about the dangers posed by corporate crime.
In its strategic plan for fiscal years 2014-18, the DOJ states that economic crimes present “very severe threats to the United States’ economy” and that the “explosion of financial fraud over the past few years has threatened the Nation’s financial stability.”
To put the gravity of these threats in context, the DOJ has recognized that “threats to the U.S. economic system must be addressed with the same seriousness and sense of purpose that guide efforts to protect the safety of the Nation.”
In similar terms, the DOJ calls health care fraud “one of the most destructive and widespread national challenges facing our country.”
In April 2017, you told a group of compliance officers meeting in Washington, D.C., “We will enforce the law. We’re not going to back down to powerful forces, big companies or powerful economic interests.”
To properly face these major threats, it is important that the DOJ have more specific and timely ways to measure the incidence and severity of corporate crime, to determine whether its efforts against them are successful or not, and the many ways they might be improved.
Currently, the DOJ does not compile comprehensive data on corporate crime. This is a notable oversight.
It is as if the Department of Education had no measures for how well our children learn, or if the U.S. Department of Agriculture had no idea of how much wheat or corn our farmers grow.
The failure to measure can lead to sloppy thinking, bad decisions and entrenched neglect.
We urge the DOJ to equip itself with the power afforded by measurement and data analysis.
For street crime, the FBI oversees the Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) Program, which tracks data from over 18,000 local and state law enforcement agencies.
The DOJ should launch a parallel program for corporate crime and law-breaking, including but not limited to antitrust and price-fixing, environmental crimes, financial crimes, overseas bribery, health care fraud, trade violations, labor and employment-related violations (discrimination and occupational injuries and deaths), consumer fraud and damage to consumer health and safety, and corporate tax fraud onshore and offshore.
A pittance invested here will go a long way toward promoting more lawful corporate behavior and the critical public support the DOJ needs for adequate enforcement budgets and stronger laws.
The DOJ should produce and maintain a corporate crime database. This is an elemental form of accountability. Street criminals have rap sheets — corporate law-breakers ought to have them, too. This could help to deter and punish such crime in many ways.
For example, prosecutors, regulators and judges could use the database to identify recidivist violators and to assess appropriate sanctions. Procurement officials could use a corporate crime database to identify corporations that fail to meet the “responsible contractor” standard in the Federal Acquisition Regulation.
In addition, by making the database available online to the public for free, it would benefit countless journalists, criminologists and other scholars, investors, and others interested in crime in the suites.
At a minimum, the corporate crime database should:
· Be searchable by parent company, major subsidiaries, corporate official name, industry, type of crime, city, state, and date of crime.
· Contain individual company data, including the number of civil, administrative and criminal enforcement actions brought against corporate defendants by government agencies involving a felony charge, misdemeanor, or civil charge where potential fines may be $1,000 or more.
· Specify the agency bringing each charge, the charge, the name of the company charged (including the ultimate parent company), and the outcome of the action if any, including plea agreements, consent decrees, findings of innocence, convictions, and fines and other penalties.
The “Corporate Crime Database Act” (H.R. 6545 in 111th Congress, H.R. 323 in 112th Congress) was introduced in 2010 to require the DOJ to establish and maintain such a database, and to make it available to the public via the Internet.
Such proposals have been made by advocates for many years.
The DOJ should also issue an annual report on corporate crime.
At a minimum, the report should provide an estimate of the total annual cost of corporate crime in the United States.
It should include not only costs of crimes committed by individuals against businesses and investors (white-collar crime), but also the costs that corporate crime imposes on the rest of society, including the resulting deaths, injuries and property damage. In addition, millions of Americans lost their jobs, due to the financial crisis of 2008-9, which was caused by mortgage fraud and reckless speculative Wall Street gambling. Imagine Americans lost trillions of dollars because of financial sector greed and lawlessness.
The report should present an analysis of trends in corporate crime and an explanation of the relative effectiveness of various conventional sanctions, and the potential of new sanctions.
While the UCR Program does measure certain forms of white-collar crime, it is far from a thorough treatment of corporate crime.
The DOJ’s annual corporate crime report should also tally data about prosecutions and compile agency enforcement data, including budgets, descriptions, staff, and status of investigations. The report should also address the issue of unenforced noncompliance.
The report should include the number of cases referred to U.S. attorneys for prosecution each year by the FBI or other federal and state agencies, as well as the status and ultimate disposition (i.e., how many referrals were prosecuted; how many prosecuted were found guilty; how many settled with deferred and non-prosecution agreements; the magnitude and kind of penalties involved; how many cases settled).
It should also compile agency enforcement data, including the number, description, and status of investigations initiated by federal agencies (including the DOJ and Department of Labor as well as the EPA, SEC, IRS, OSHA, CPSC, FDA, FRA, FAA, NHTSA and FTC).
More than one-third of a century has elapsed since the DOJ issued a thorough analysis of corporate crime in America (“Illegal Corporate Behavior”, October 1979).
We are well into the 21st century, and non-governmental unofficial databases on corporate crime have been created to partially fill the void.
The University of Virginia Law School has pulled together its Corporate Prosecution Registry. The Corporate Research Project has its Violation Tracker. But there is still no comprehensive official federal database of corporate crime in America.
Given your recognition of the tremendous costs of corporate crime to Americans, their household wealth and our economy, the DOJ must resolutely employ these most elementary tools of analysis and accountability without further delay.
We would like to meet with you to discuss these matters as well as broader consensus subjects relating to corporate crime, fraud and abuse that annually are costing many human casualties and hundreds of billions of dollars to taxpayers and to private-sector consumers, workers, and small businesses. According to a 2015 report by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, there had been an estimated $60 billion in annual fraud and abuse just on Medicare the year before.
Sincerely,
Ralph Nader
Consumer Advocate
Rena Steinzor
Edward M. Robertson Professor of Law
University of Maryland Carey Law School
Robert Weissman
President
Public Citizen
Greg LeRoy
Executive Director
Good Jobs First
Philip Mattera
Director
Corporate Research Project of Good Jobs First
Robert Fellmeth
Price Professor of Public Interest Law
University of San Diego School of Law.
Charlie Cray
Interim Director of Political and Business Policy
Greenpeace USA
John Richard
Director
Essential Information Reported by Eurasia Review 10 hours ago.
The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has been clear about the dangers posed by corporate crime.
In its strategic plan for fiscal years 2014-18, the DOJ states that economic crimes present “very severe threats to the United States’ economy” and that the “explosion of financial fraud over the past few years has threatened the Nation’s financial stability.”
To put the gravity of these threats in context, the DOJ has recognized that “threats to the U.S. economic system must be addressed with the same seriousness and sense of purpose that guide efforts to protect the safety of the Nation.”
In similar terms, the DOJ calls health care fraud “one of the most destructive and widespread national challenges facing our country.”
In April 2017, you told a group of compliance officers meeting in Washington, D.C., “We will enforce the law. We’re not going to back down to powerful forces, big companies or powerful economic interests.”
To properly face these major threats, it is important that the DOJ have more specific and timely ways to measure the incidence and severity of corporate crime, to determine whether its efforts against them are successful or not, and the many ways they might be improved.
Currently, the DOJ does not compile comprehensive data on corporate crime. This is a notable oversight.
It is as if the Department of Education had no measures for how well our children learn, or if the U.S. Department of Agriculture had no idea of how much wheat or corn our farmers grow.
The failure to measure can lead to sloppy thinking, bad decisions and entrenched neglect.
We urge the DOJ to equip itself with the power afforded by measurement and data analysis.
For street crime, the FBI oversees the Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) Program, which tracks data from over 18,000 local and state law enforcement agencies.
The DOJ should launch a parallel program for corporate crime and law-breaking, including but not limited to antitrust and price-fixing, environmental crimes, financial crimes, overseas bribery, health care fraud, trade violations, labor and employment-related violations (discrimination and occupational injuries and deaths), consumer fraud and damage to consumer health and safety, and corporate tax fraud onshore and offshore.
A pittance invested here will go a long way toward promoting more lawful corporate behavior and the critical public support the DOJ needs for adequate enforcement budgets and stronger laws.
The DOJ should produce and maintain a corporate crime database. This is an elemental form of accountability. Street criminals have rap sheets — corporate law-breakers ought to have them, too. This could help to deter and punish such crime in many ways.
For example, prosecutors, regulators and judges could use the database to identify recidivist violators and to assess appropriate sanctions. Procurement officials could use a corporate crime database to identify corporations that fail to meet the “responsible contractor” standard in the Federal Acquisition Regulation.
In addition, by making the database available online to the public for free, it would benefit countless journalists, criminologists and other scholars, investors, and others interested in crime in the suites.
At a minimum, the corporate crime database should:
· Be searchable by parent company, major subsidiaries, corporate official name, industry, type of crime, city, state, and date of crime.
· Contain individual company data, including the number of civil, administrative and criminal enforcement actions brought against corporate defendants by government agencies involving a felony charge, misdemeanor, or civil charge where potential fines may be $1,000 or more.
· Specify the agency bringing each charge, the charge, the name of the company charged (including the ultimate parent company), and the outcome of the action if any, including plea agreements, consent decrees, findings of innocence, convictions, and fines and other penalties.
The “Corporate Crime Database Act” (H.R. 6545 in 111th Congress, H.R. 323 in 112th Congress) was introduced in 2010 to require the DOJ to establish and maintain such a database, and to make it available to the public via the Internet.
Such proposals have been made by advocates for many years.
The DOJ should also issue an annual report on corporate crime.
At a minimum, the report should provide an estimate of the total annual cost of corporate crime in the United States.
It should include not only costs of crimes committed by individuals against businesses and investors (white-collar crime), but also the costs that corporate crime imposes on the rest of society, including the resulting deaths, injuries and property damage. In addition, millions of Americans lost their jobs, due to the financial crisis of 2008-9, which was caused by mortgage fraud and reckless speculative Wall Street gambling. Imagine Americans lost trillions of dollars because of financial sector greed and lawlessness.
The report should present an analysis of trends in corporate crime and an explanation of the relative effectiveness of various conventional sanctions, and the potential of new sanctions.
While the UCR Program does measure certain forms of white-collar crime, it is far from a thorough treatment of corporate crime.
The DOJ’s annual corporate crime report should also tally data about prosecutions and compile agency enforcement data, including budgets, descriptions, staff, and status of investigations. The report should also address the issue of unenforced noncompliance.
The report should include the number of cases referred to U.S. attorneys for prosecution each year by the FBI or other federal and state agencies, as well as the status and ultimate disposition (i.e., how many referrals were prosecuted; how many prosecuted were found guilty; how many settled with deferred and non-prosecution agreements; the magnitude and kind of penalties involved; how many cases settled).
It should also compile agency enforcement data, including the number, description, and status of investigations initiated by federal agencies (including the DOJ and Department of Labor as well as the EPA, SEC, IRS, OSHA, CPSC, FDA, FRA, FAA, NHTSA and FTC).
More than one-third of a century has elapsed since the DOJ issued a thorough analysis of corporate crime in America (“Illegal Corporate Behavior”, October 1979).
We are well into the 21st century, and non-governmental unofficial databases on corporate crime have been created to partially fill the void.
The University of Virginia Law School has pulled together its Corporate Prosecution Registry. The Corporate Research Project has its Violation Tracker. But there is still no comprehensive official federal database of corporate crime in America.
Given your recognition of the tremendous costs of corporate crime to Americans, their household wealth and our economy, the DOJ must resolutely employ these most elementary tools of analysis and accountability without further delay.
We would like to meet with you to discuss these matters as well as broader consensus subjects relating to corporate crime, fraud and abuse that annually are costing many human casualties and hundreds of billions of dollars to taxpayers and to private-sector consumers, workers, and small businesses. According to a 2015 report by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, there had been an estimated $60 billion in annual fraud and abuse just on Medicare the year before.
Sincerely,
Ralph Nader
Consumer Advocate
Rena Steinzor
Edward M. Robertson Professor of Law
University of Maryland Carey Law School
Robert Weissman
President
Public Citizen
Greg LeRoy
Executive Director
Good Jobs First
Philip Mattera
Director
Corporate Research Project of Good Jobs First
Robert Fellmeth
Price Professor of Public Interest Law
University of San Diego School of Law.
Charlie Cray
Interim Director of Political and Business Policy
Greenpeace USA
John Richard
Director
Essential Information Reported by Eurasia Review 10 hours ago.
↧
White man guilty of black man’s assault in Charlottesville
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (AP) — A white Arkansas man charged in the beating of a black man during a violent white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, has been found guilty of malicious wounding. News outlets report 23-year-old Jacob Scott Goodwin was found guilty Tuesday for the August attack on 20-year-old DeAndre Harris. The jury recommended a […]
Reported by Seattle Times 9 hours ago.
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Cancer survivor’s foundation gives tablets to sick kids
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (AP) — A nonprofit organization established by a two-time survivor of childhood cancer is donating iPads to children’s hospitals in West Virginia. Walking Miracles Family Foundation founder Brett Wilson said in a statement the iPads contain apps that help explain procedures the children will be going through and provide games and activities to […]
Reported by Seattle Times 8 hours ago.
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Northam announces tech company expansion
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam is announcing that a tech company is expanding in Albemarle County with the help of state aid. Northam announced that CoConstruct plans to create 69 new jobs as part of a $485,000 expansion of its IT operations. The company makes project management software for home builders and […]
Reported by Seattle Times 8 hours ago.
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Bonsai and Siemens Demonstrate Applicability of AI to Industry by Reducing Machine Calibration Time More than 30x in a Joint Proof-of-Concept
Unique deep reinforcement learning platform combines the best of human and machine intelligence to train machine tools
BERKELEY, Calif., May 02, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- AI startup Bonsai today announced, together with Siemens, a technological highlight in deploying AI on a real-world machine in a test environment. Using Bonsai’s AI Platform, Siemens subject matter experts trained an AI model to auto-calibrate a Computer Numerical Control (CNC) machine more than 30x faster than an expert human operator (estimation performed by Commonwealth Center for Advanced Manufacturing (CCAM) in Virginia). This marks the first time deep reinforcement learning has been successfully applied to auto-calibrate real-world CNC machines.CNC machines, or computer-controlled machine tools, have revolutionized manufacturing since their inception in the 1940s. However, the value that CNC machines provide global manufacturers is constrained by high maintenance costs. To achieve highest possible quality of production, CNC machines need to be recalibrated frequently, as even minor friction leads to errors that result in costly manufacturing imperfections. Manufacturers have to fly in specialist engineers to do the job, which can take hours. While machines are decommissioned for maintenance, downtime and service costs can run up to several thousand dollars. Costs run especially high when unplanned errors arise outside the regular maintenance schedule.
*Balancing human and machine intelligence*
To explore the possibilities of AI for their CNC business (see editor’s note), Siemens partnered with Bonsai, which has pioneered an AI platform based on deep reinforcement learning. At the platform’s core is an innovative ‘Machine Teaching’ technique, which enables subject matter experts such as specialist engineers to train machines to efficiently perform complex task. Using a simple scripting language, experts can design the ‘lessons’ and ‘rewards’ required to train each task. Bonsai’s AI Engine supports a wide range of state-of-the-art deep reinforcement learning algorithms, along with the logic for choosing the best-fit algorithms and guiding the training. In this way, the experts are able to leverage AI without themselves having to gain a deep understanding of machine learning.
*Teaching a CNC machine to calibrate itself significantly faster*
To build this proof of concept, the team used Bonsai’s AI engine to build a predictive model that would calibrate the CNC machine. Each model produced by Bonsai is referred to as a BRAIN (Basic Recurrent Artificial Intelligence Network). The AI engine trains each BRAIN using cutting-edge deep reinforcement learning algorithms.
After six months of PoC, including training of the algorithms in a simulation environment, CCAM tested a BRAINs’ ability to calibrate a Siemens CNC controlled machine. The results were a great step forward. The most successful BRAINs calibrated a CNC machine more than 30x faster than the human operators, while achieving precision of less than two microns (as estimated by Commonwealth Center for Advanced Manufacturing (CCAM) in Virginia).
Siemens is delighted with the results, which are an important step in using AI to improve significantly the productivity, cost and quality of the CNC machine calibration process. Michal Skubacz, Siemens Vice President and Head of Industry Software at Siemens Motion Control concluded, “The results we achieved using Bonsai demonstrate that organizations can deploy the latest AI technologies in a noisy real-world system. The solution possible based on the proof-of-concept with Bonsai could augment and scale the work of our best operators. Instead of having operators carry out the same work repeatedly, they can focus on training the machines to perform better and more advanced tasks.”
Mark Hammond, CEO and co-founder of Bonsai, “Our successful project with Siemens represents a huge milestone in industrial AI, demonstrating the powerful results that can be achieved by combining machine teaching and machine learning. The beauty of this approach is that it balances the best of human and machine intelligence. Applied across the whole industrial manufacturing sector, the implications are staggering.”
*Resources*
Read the full Siemens case study: https://bons.ai/resources
Watch the video: https://bons.ai/blog/siemens-cnc-result
Get started with Bonsai: https://bons.ai/getting-started
**About Bonsai
**Bonsai offers an AI solution that empowers enterprises to build and deploy intelligent systems. By completely automating the management of complex machine learning libraries and algorithms, Bonsai enables enterprises to program AI models that improve system control and enhance real-time decision support. Businesses use these models today to increase automation and improve operational efficiency of industrial systems including robotics, manufacturing, supply chain, logistics, energy and utilities. Based in Berkeley, CA, Bonsai is backed by leading investors including NEA, Microsoft Ventures, ABB, Samsung NEXT and Siemens. To learn more, please visit: https://bons.ai/ or follow on Twitter @BonsaiAI.
*About Siemens AG*
Siemens AG (Berlin and Munich) is a global technology powerhouse that has stood for engineering excellence, innovation, quality, reliability and internationality for 170 years. The company is active around the globe, focusing on the areas of electrification, automation and digitalization. One of the world’s largest producers of energy-efficient, resource-saving technologies, Siemens is a leading supplier of efficient power generation and power transmission solutions and a pioneer in infrastructure solutions as well as automation, drive and software solutions for industry. With its publicly listed subsidiary Siemens Healthineers AG, the company is also a leading provider of medical imaging equipment – such as computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging systems – and a leader in laboratory diagnostics as well as clinical IT. In fiscal 2017, which ended on September 30, 2017, Siemens generated revenue of €83.0 billion and net income of €6.2 billion. At the end of September 2017, the company had around 377,000 employees worldwide. Further information is available on the Internet at www.siemens.com.
*Editor’s Note:*
CNC milling machines are the most commonly used machine tools for shaping metal and other solid materials in cars, airplanes, household items, medical items, cellphones and countless other everyday items. Early milling machines were manually or mechanically automated. In today’s CNC machines, the functions formerly performed by human operators are now handled by a computer control module. Traditional CNC mills have three axes that control horizontal and vertical movements. Modern CNC mills, like the one used in Siemens’ project with Bonsai, have five or six axes, which make them capable of greater movement, including turning. These machines significantly improve production efficiency and reduce waste.
*Media and Analyst Contacts:*
Dave Cahill
dave.cahill@bons.ai
Reported by GlobeNewswire 5 hours ago.
BERKELEY, Calif., May 02, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- AI startup Bonsai today announced, together with Siemens, a technological highlight in deploying AI on a real-world machine in a test environment. Using Bonsai’s AI Platform, Siemens subject matter experts trained an AI model to auto-calibrate a Computer Numerical Control (CNC) machine more than 30x faster than an expert human operator (estimation performed by Commonwealth Center for Advanced Manufacturing (CCAM) in Virginia). This marks the first time deep reinforcement learning has been successfully applied to auto-calibrate real-world CNC machines.CNC machines, or computer-controlled machine tools, have revolutionized manufacturing since their inception in the 1940s. However, the value that CNC machines provide global manufacturers is constrained by high maintenance costs. To achieve highest possible quality of production, CNC machines need to be recalibrated frequently, as even minor friction leads to errors that result in costly manufacturing imperfections. Manufacturers have to fly in specialist engineers to do the job, which can take hours. While machines are decommissioned for maintenance, downtime and service costs can run up to several thousand dollars. Costs run especially high when unplanned errors arise outside the regular maintenance schedule.
*Balancing human and machine intelligence*
To explore the possibilities of AI for their CNC business (see editor’s note), Siemens partnered with Bonsai, which has pioneered an AI platform based on deep reinforcement learning. At the platform’s core is an innovative ‘Machine Teaching’ technique, which enables subject matter experts such as specialist engineers to train machines to efficiently perform complex task. Using a simple scripting language, experts can design the ‘lessons’ and ‘rewards’ required to train each task. Bonsai’s AI Engine supports a wide range of state-of-the-art deep reinforcement learning algorithms, along with the logic for choosing the best-fit algorithms and guiding the training. In this way, the experts are able to leverage AI without themselves having to gain a deep understanding of machine learning.
*Teaching a CNC machine to calibrate itself significantly faster*
To build this proof of concept, the team used Bonsai’s AI engine to build a predictive model that would calibrate the CNC machine. Each model produced by Bonsai is referred to as a BRAIN (Basic Recurrent Artificial Intelligence Network). The AI engine trains each BRAIN using cutting-edge deep reinforcement learning algorithms.
After six months of PoC, including training of the algorithms in a simulation environment, CCAM tested a BRAINs’ ability to calibrate a Siemens CNC controlled machine. The results were a great step forward. The most successful BRAINs calibrated a CNC machine more than 30x faster than the human operators, while achieving precision of less than two microns (as estimated by Commonwealth Center for Advanced Manufacturing (CCAM) in Virginia).
Siemens is delighted with the results, which are an important step in using AI to improve significantly the productivity, cost and quality of the CNC machine calibration process. Michal Skubacz, Siemens Vice President and Head of Industry Software at Siemens Motion Control concluded, “The results we achieved using Bonsai demonstrate that organizations can deploy the latest AI technologies in a noisy real-world system. The solution possible based on the proof-of-concept with Bonsai could augment and scale the work of our best operators. Instead of having operators carry out the same work repeatedly, they can focus on training the machines to perform better and more advanced tasks.”
Mark Hammond, CEO and co-founder of Bonsai, “Our successful project with Siemens represents a huge milestone in industrial AI, demonstrating the powerful results that can be achieved by combining machine teaching and machine learning. The beauty of this approach is that it balances the best of human and machine intelligence. Applied across the whole industrial manufacturing sector, the implications are staggering.”
*Resources*
Read the full Siemens case study: https://bons.ai/resources
Watch the video: https://bons.ai/blog/siemens-cnc-result
Get started with Bonsai: https://bons.ai/getting-started
**About Bonsai
**Bonsai offers an AI solution that empowers enterprises to build and deploy intelligent systems. By completely automating the management of complex machine learning libraries and algorithms, Bonsai enables enterprises to program AI models that improve system control and enhance real-time decision support. Businesses use these models today to increase automation and improve operational efficiency of industrial systems including robotics, manufacturing, supply chain, logistics, energy and utilities. Based in Berkeley, CA, Bonsai is backed by leading investors including NEA, Microsoft Ventures, ABB, Samsung NEXT and Siemens. To learn more, please visit: https://bons.ai/ or follow on Twitter @BonsaiAI.
*About Siemens AG*
Siemens AG (Berlin and Munich) is a global technology powerhouse that has stood for engineering excellence, innovation, quality, reliability and internationality for 170 years. The company is active around the globe, focusing on the areas of electrification, automation and digitalization. One of the world’s largest producers of energy-efficient, resource-saving technologies, Siemens is a leading supplier of efficient power generation and power transmission solutions and a pioneer in infrastructure solutions as well as automation, drive and software solutions for industry. With its publicly listed subsidiary Siemens Healthineers AG, the company is also a leading provider of medical imaging equipment – such as computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging systems – and a leader in laboratory diagnostics as well as clinical IT. In fiscal 2017, which ended on September 30, 2017, Siemens generated revenue of €83.0 billion and net income of €6.2 billion. At the end of September 2017, the company had around 377,000 employees worldwide. Further information is available on the Internet at www.siemens.com.
*Editor’s Note:*
CNC milling machines are the most commonly used machine tools for shaping metal and other solid materials in cars, airplanes, household items, medical items, cellphones and countless other everyday items. Early milling machines were manually or mechanically automated. In today’s CNC machines, the functions formerly performed by human operators are now handled by a computer control module. Traditional CNC mills have three axes that control horizontal and vertical movements. Modern CNC mills, like the one used in Siemens’ project with Bonsai, have five or six axes, which make them capable of greater movement, including turning. These machines significantly improve production efficiency and reduce waste.
*Media and Analyst Contacts:*
Dave Cahill
dave.cahill@bons.ai
Reported by GlobeNewswire 5 hours ago.
↧
The Immigrant Doctor Who’s Solving West Virginia’s Opioids Crisis
A data-driven health commissioner figured out a way to slow overdose deaths. But treating addiction is a much harder problem.
Reported by Politico 4 hours ago.
↧
United Way of Central and Northeastern Connecticut Selects StratusLIVE’s Workplace Giving Platform, Expanding Investment in StratusLIVE’s Donor Management Technologies
StratusLIVE is pleased to announce that United Way of Central and Northeastern Connecticut joins many other leading United Ways in further expanding their investment in StratusLIVE’s donor management technologies, by selecting its Workplace Giving Platform to improve their donor experience, support their regional online campaigns, and increase campaign management functionality.
VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (PRWEB) May 02, 2018
StratusLIVE is pleased to share that United Way of Central and Northeastern Connecticut (UWCNCT) has chosen to further expand their donor management technology investment with StratusLIVE, a leading provider of cloud-based, enterprise-class CRM, and donor management software for nonprofit organizations, by selecting its Workplace Giving Platform to facilitate their online giving campaigns.
In 2012, UWCNCT invested in StratusLIVE’s Customer Relationship Management technology (StratusLIVE 365) to stay ahead of their ever-expanding and changing business needs. Now in 2018, UWCNCT has selected the Workplace Giving Platform as their primary solution for online giving workplace campaigns, to support their partners’ Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) goals.
Stefanie Boles, Chief Financial Officer, United Way of Central and Northeastern Connecticut, noted: “This decision was based on the need to streamline and modernize the online giving process for our donors. To keep our competitive edge in this region, we need an online giving platform that is more appealing to our donors and a giving process that is quicker, with fewer clicks. The StratusLIVE Workplace Giving Platform also allows us to develop a greater connection with our donors by segmenting appeals and monitoring campaign results in real-time, to ensure that the online giving opportunity is presented effectively to all company employees.”
The StratusLIVE Workplace Giving Platform provides popular features such as responsive design across any device, a “shopping cart” like donor experience, one-click renewal for efficiency, donor incentives, upsell, recognition features, and flexible content management capabilities to accommodate many unique requirements.
“We’re honored that UWCNCT selected our Online Workplace Giving Platform to support their employee engagement and giving initiatives among their largest corporate partners,” said Jim Funari, StratusLIVE CEO. “The team at UWCNCT spent a number of years building and managing constituent information on our CRM platform, and the logical next step is to develop personalized employee engagement experiences in the workplace setting through our mobile-enabled, responsive application.”
About United Way of Central and Northeastern Connecticut
United Way of Central and Northeastern Connecticut serves its 40-town region by mobilizing people and organizations to give, advocate and volunteer to promote early childhood education, ensure families are financially secure, provide access to health-related services and supports, and immediate emergency assistance, such as food and shelter. For more information, visit http://www.unitedwayinc.org
About StratusLIVE
StratusLIVE is a leading provider of cloud-based, enterprise-class solutions for nonprofit organizations. The StratusLIVE suite features enterprise-class relationship management, business intelligence, analytical marketing, online fundraising, and a Workplace Giving Platform designed to modernize workplace philanthropy. The entire product suite is natively integrated with the Microsoft Dynamics 365 platform. StratusLIVE is headquartered in Virginia Beach, Virginia, with offices throughout the United States. Reported by PRWeb 3 hours ago.
VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (PRWEB) May 02, 2018
StratusLIVE is pleased to share that United Way of Central and Northeastern Connecticut (UWCNCT) has chosen to further expand their donor management technology investment with StratusLIVE, a leading provider of cloud-based, enterprise-class CRM, and donor management software for nonprofit organizations, by selecting its Workplace Giving Platform to facilitate their online giving campaigns.
In 2012, UWCNCT invested in StratusLIVE’s Customer Relationship Management technology (StratusLIVE 365) to stay ahead of their ever-expanding and changing business needs. Now in 2018, UWCNCT has selected the Workplace Giving Platform as their primary solution for online giving workplace campaigns, to support their partners’ Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) goals.
Stefanie Boles, Chief Financial Officer, United Way of Central and Northeastern Connecticut, noted: “This decision was based on the need to streamline and modernize the online giving process for our donors. To keep our competitive edge in this region, we need an online giving platform that is more appealing to our donors and a giving process that is quicker, with fewer clicks. The StratusLIVE Workplace Giving Platform also allows us to develop a greater connection with our donors by segmenting appeals and monitoring campaign results in real-time, to ensure that the online giving opportunity is presented effectively to all company employees.”
The StratusLIVE Workplace Giving Platform provides popular features such as responsive design across any device, a “shopping cart” like donor experience, one-click renewal for efficiency, donor incentives, upsell, recognition features, and flexible content management capabilities to accommodate many unique requirements.
“We’re honored that UWCNCT selected our Online Workplace Giving Platform to support their employee engagement and giving initiatives among their largest corporate partners,” said Jim Funari, StratusLIVE CEO. “The team at UWCNCT spent a number of years building and managing constituent information on our CRM platform, and the logical next step is to develop personalized employee engagement experiences in the workplace setting through our mobile-enabled, responsive application.”
About United Way of Central and Northeastern Connecticut
United Way of Central and Northeastern Connecticut serves its 40-town region by mobilizing people and organizations to give, advocate and volunteer to promote early childhood education, ensure families are financially secure, provide access to health-related services and supports, and immediate emergency assistance, such as food and shelter. For more information, visit http://www.unitedwayinc.org
About StratusLIVE
StratusLIVE is a leading provider of cloud-based, enterprise-class solutions for nonprofit organizations. The StratusLIVE suite features enterprise-class relationship management, business intelligence, analytical marketing, online fundraising, and a Workplace Giving Platform designed to modernize workplace philanthropy. The entire product suite is natively integrated with the Microsoft Dynamics 365 platform. StratusLIVE is headquartered in Virginia Beach, Virginia, with offices throughout the United States. Reported by PRWeb 3 hours ago.
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Hanover Research Releases New Market Intelligence and Analytics Solutions for Businesses
Hanover, a leading provider of market intelligence and analytics, has announced new solutions designed to help business leaders and their teams address key challenges across the marketing, business strategy, and sales functions.
ARLINGTON, Va. (PRWEB) May 02, 2018
Hanover Research (Hanover), a leading provider of market intelligence and analytics, has announced new solutions designed to help business leaders and their teams address key challenges across the marketing, business strategy, and sales functions.
“The explosion of data availability from multiple sources has, in many ways, paralyzed rather than facilitated decision-making. With important resource allocation calls to make about customers, markets, and products, companies need a partner that can help them understand and extract insight from the myriad data – much of it of dubious quality - available to them. That’s why Hanover has formulated a new suite of information solutions designed to solve precisely this problem; to help our clients across industry sectors collect high quality data, cut through the noise, and focus on the critical insights they need to make smarter decisions,” says Anil Prahlad, Chief Content (Research) Officer, Hanover Research.
Hanover’s Marketing Solutions include:
-Brand Strategy: Assesses brand perception and creates messaging that resonates with customers, differentiates from competitors, and helps increase market share.
-Customer Insights: Defines key customer segments and identifies needs, preferences, and feedback to help craft a high-quality customer experience.
-Product Innovation: Surfaces marketable product ideas, refines concepts, and ensures customer adoption after launch.
-Pricing Strategy: Analyzes pricing data and tests the impact of pricing changes on consumer purchase decisions.
-Consumer Journey: Identifies consumer preferences and drivers of behavior to create a more targeted marketing strategy and improve customer satisfaction.
Hanover’s Strategy Solutions include:
-Market Entry: Uncovers optimal growth opportunities using a rigorous and proprietary opportunity identification, prioritization, and validation process.
-M&A Opportunity Evaluation: Identifies and prioritizes ideal-fit acquisition targets and pressure tests potential targets with non-financial due diligence.
Hanover’s Sales Solutions include:
-Sales Enablement: Accelerates direct sales by pairing CRM data with sector data to improve sales forecasting and identify the most attractive prospects.
-Channel Partner Effectiveness for Distributor and Dealer Sales: Accelerates sales performance through dealers and distributors by assessing channel partner effectiveness, ensuring message alignment, and establishing KPIs.
-Channel Partner Effectiveness for Retail Sales: Elevates retail sales performance by helping consumer brands share customer insights with channel partners and demonstrate category thought leadership.
“The marketplace our clients are playing in is changing rapidly requiring them to understand their customers and markets comprehensively and more frequently,” says Vineeta Mooganur, Chief Growth Officer, Hanover Research. “Our new solutions take a prescriptive, proven approach toward helping our clients achieve their growth goals by enabling them to make smarter decisions more quickly.”
To learn more about Hanover’s new solutions, visit http://www.hanoverresearch.com/corporate-solutions.
About Hanover Research:
Founded in 2003, Hanover Research is a global research and analytics firm that delivers market intelligence through a fixed-fee model to more than 1,000 clients across all sectors. Headquartered in Arlington, Virginia, Hanover employs high-caliber market researchers, analysts, and account professionals to provide a service that is revolutionary in its combination of flexibility and affordability. Hanover was named a Top 50 Market Research Firm by the American Marketing Association in 2015 and 2016, and a Washington Business Journal Top 50 Fastest Growing Company in 2014 and 2015. To learn more about Hanover Research, visit http://www.hanoverresearch.com. Reported by PRWeb 3 hours ago.
ARLINGTON, Va. (PRWEB) May 02, 2018
Hanover Research (Hanover), a leading provider of market intelligence and analytics, has announced new solutions designed to help business leaders and their teams address key challenges across the marketing, business strategy, and sales functions.
“The explosion of data availability from multiple sources has, in many ways, paralyzed rather than facilitated decision-making. With important resource allocation calls to make about customers, markets, and products, companies need a partner that can help them understand and extract insight from the myriad data – much of it of dubious quality - available to them. That’s why Hanover has formulated a new suite of information solutions designed to solve precisely this problem; to help our clients across industry sectors collect high quality data, cut through the noise, and focus on the critical insights they need to make smarter decisions,” says Anil Prahlad, Chief Content (Research) Officer, Hanover Research.
Hanover’s Marketing Solutions include:
-Brand Strategy: Assesses brand perception and creates messaging that resonates with customers, differentiates from competitors, and helps increase market share.
-Customer Insights: Defines key customer segments and identifies needs, preferences, and feedback to help craft a high-quality customer experience.
-Product Innovation: Surfaces marketable product ideas, refines concepts, and ensures customer adoption after launch.
-Pricing Strategy: Analyzes pricing data and tests the impact of pricing changes on consumer purchase decisions.
-Consumer Journey: Identifies consumer preferences and drivers of behavior to create a more targeted marketing strategy and improve customer satisfaction.
Hanover’s Strategy Solutions include:
-Market Entry: Uncovers optimal growth opportunities using a rigorous and proprietary opportunity identification, prioritization, and validation process.
-M&A Opportunity Evaluation: Identifies and prioritizes ideal-fit acquisition targets and pressure tests potential targets with non-financial due diligence.
Hanover’s Sales Solutions include:
-Sales Enablement: Accelerates direct sales by pairing CRM data with sector data to improve sales forecasting and identify the most attractive prospects.
-Channel Partner Effectiveness for Distributor and Dealer Sales: Accelerates sales performance through dealers and distributors by assessing channel partner effectiveness, ensuring message alignment, and establishing KPIs.
-Channel Partner Effectiveness for Retail Sales: Elevates retail sales performance by helping consumer brands share customer insights with channel partners and demonstrate category thought leadership.
“The marketplace our clients are playing in is changing rapidly requiring them to understand their customers and markets comprehensively and more frequently,” says Vineeta Mooganur, Chief Growth Officer, Hanover Research. “Our new solutions take a prescriptive, proven approach toward helping our clients achieve their growth goals by enabling them to make smarter decisions more quickly.”
To learn more about Hanover’s new solutions, visit http://www.hanoverresearch.com/corporate-solutions.
About Hanover Research:
Founded in 2003, Hanover Research is a global research and analytics firm that delivers market intelligence through a fixed-fee model to more than 1,000 clients across all sectors. Headquartered in Arlington, Virginia, Hanover employs high-caliber market researchers, analysts, and account professionals to provide a service that is revolutionary in its combination of flexibility and affordability. Hanover was named a Top 50 Market Research Firm by the American Marketing Association in 2015 and 2016, and a Washington Business Journal Top 50 Fastest Growing Company in 2014 and 2015. To learn more about Hanover Research, visit http://www.hanoverresearch.com. Reported by PRWeb 3 hours ago.
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Food Lion to open former Phoebus Farm Fresh store on May 9
Food Lion plans to reopen the former Phoebus Farm Fresh store as Food Lion on May 9.
Food Lion also plans to reopen two former Farm Fresh stores -- one in Virginia Beach and one in Elizabeth City, N.C. -- on May 9 after finalizing the purchases, according to a news release.
The Phoebus store at... Reported by dailypress.com 3 hours ago.
Food Lion also plans to reopen two former Farm Fresh stores -- one in Virginia Beach and one in Elizabeth City, N.C. -- on May 9 after finalizing the purchases, according to a news release.
The Phoebus store at... Reported by dailypress.com 3 hours ago.
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RNC's Spring Meeting Will Focus On Upcoming Midterm Elections
Rachel Martin talks to John Whitbeck, chairman of Virginia's Republican Party, who's attending the meeting which is being held at the Trump National Doral Miami, a hotel and golf resort.
Reported by NPR 2 hours ago.
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Visium Technologies, Inc. Announces Collaboration with Waverley Labs, LLC to Develop a Digital Risk Reduction Capability
Software Defined Perimeter Pioneer Fuels Visium’s New Digital Risk Management PracticeFort Lauderdale, FL, May 02, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Visium Technologies, Inc. (OTC PINK: NSEHD / VISM), today announced that it is collaborating with Leesburg, Virginia based Waverley Labs, LLC to custom build a digital risk reduction capability based on Waverley Labs’ open source software defined perimeter (“SDP”) technology.
Waverley is a leading cybersecurity company and a pioneer in developing digital risk management, software defined perimeter, and Black Cloud technologies that address traditional network security, as well as the Cloud and IOT.
Mark Lucky, Chief Executive Officer of Visium Technologies, Inc. said, "We are looking to be the first to commercialize this capability, a powerful new approach to transforming the way cyber security is achieved by providing a Zero Trust Based protection mechanism to reduce risk. This collaboration is just the first step for us in assembling a world-class cybersecurity company. Additionally, Mr. Lucky added, "Our goal is to expand our capabilities and become a leading cybersecurity company servicing both government and commercial customers worldwide."
Juanita Koilpillai, CEO of Waverley Labs added “We are pleased to provide this impenetrable protection capability for cloud and IoT infrastructures. SDPs are emerging as a key component in a new security paradigm and a proven solution for securing critical applications and infrastructure while reducing the attack surface and providing the ability to control risk ”
About Visium Technologies, Inc.
Visium Technologies, Inc. is a Florida based company focused on becoming a global cybersecurity company, advancing technology and cybersecurity tools and services to support enterprises in protecting their most valuable assets - their data, on their networks, in the cloud, and IOT.
For more information please visit www.visiumtechnologies.com.
About Waverley Labs, LLC
Waverley Labs, LLC is a leading provider of software defined perimeters & digital risk management services. Beyond conventional cyber security engineering, we lower your digital risk by analyzing your IT, OT & physical architecture against cyber threats, vulnerabilities, and consequences to quantify, reduce and control risks.
For more information please visit www.waverleylabs.com
Safe Harbor Statement: Under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: This release includes forward-looking statements that reflect management's current views with respect to future events and performance. These forward-looking statements are based on management's beliefs and assumptions and information currently available. The words "believe,""expect,""anticipate,""intend,""estimate,""project" and similar expressions that do not relate solely to historical matters identify forward-looking statements. Investors should be cautious in relying on forward-looking statements because they are subject to a variety of risks, uncertainties, and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in any such forward-looking statements. These factors include, but are not limited to, whether the reverse stock split will be beneficial to the Company and its shareholders, any inability to meet the NYSE American continued listing standards in the future for any reason, and those other factors described in our filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Any responsibility to update forward-looking statements is expressly disclaimed.CONTACT: Visium Technologies, Inc.
Corporate: Mark Lucky Chief Executive Officer
mlucky@visiumtechnologies.com Reported by GlobeNewswire 2 hours ago.
Waverley is a leading cybersecurity company and a pioneer in developing digital risk management, software defined perimeter, and Black Cloud technologies that address traditional network security, as well as the Cloud and IOT.
Mark Lucky, Chief Executive Officer of Visium Technologies, Inc. said, "We are looking to be the first to commercialize this capability, a powerful new approach to transforming the way cyber security is achieved by providing a Zero Trust Based protection mechanism to reduce risk. This collaboration is just the first step for us in assembling a world-class cybersecurity company. Additionally, Mr. Lucky added, "Our goal is to expand our capabilities and become a leading cybersecurity company servicing both government and commercial customers worldwide."
Juanita Koilpillai, CEO of Waverley Labs added “We are pleased to provide this impenetrable protection capability for cloud and IoT infrastructures. SDPs are emerging as a key component in a new security paradigm and a proven solution for securing critical applications and infrastructure while reducing the attack surface and providing the ability to control risk ”
About Visium Technologies, Inc.
Visium Technologies, Inc. is a Florida based company focused on becoming a global cybersecurity company, advancing technology and cybersecurity tools and services to support enterprises in protecting their most valuable assets - their data, on their networks, in the cloud, and IOT.
For more information please visit www.visiumtechnologies.com.
About Waverley Labs, LLC
Waverley Labs, LLC is a leading provider of software defined perimeters & digital risk management services. Beyond conventional cyber security engineering, we lower your digital risk by analyzing your IT, OT & physical architecture against cyber threats, vulnerabilities, and consequences to quantify, reduce and control risks.
For more information please visit www.waverleylabs.com
Safe Harbor Statement: Under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: This release includes forward-looking statements that reflect management's current views with respect to future events and performance. These forward-looking statements are based on management's beliefs and assumptions and information currently available. The words "believe,""expect,""anticipate,""intend,""estimate,""project" and similar expressions that do not relate solely to historical matters identify forward-looking statements. Investors should be cautious in relying on forward-looking statements because they are subject to a variety of risks, uncertainties, and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in any such forward-looking statements. These factors include, but are not limited to, whether the reverse stock split will be beneficial to the Company and its shareholders, any inability to meet the NYSE American continued listing standards in the future for any reason, and those other factors described in our filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Any responsibility to update forward-looking statements is expressly disclaimed.CONTACT: Visium Technologies, Inc.
Corporate: Mark Lucky Chief Executive Officer
mlucky@visiumtechnologies.com Reported by GlobeNewswire 2 hours ago.
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GOP Senate Candidate: 'Chinaperson' Isn't Racist
West Virginia's Don Blankenship sees nothing wrong with the ethnic slur because "I'm an American person."
Reported by Huffington Post 8 minutes ago.
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Colonial Nissan Begins Construction of First Solar Superstructure in the Area
The unique project will create the only dealership in the state powered by the sun.
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (PRWEB) May 02, 2018
Colonial Nissan has begun construction on a one-of-a-kind solar superstructure atop their building on Route 29 in Charlottesville. The unique project will have a roof consisting of 480 solar panels, which will produce over 214,000 kWh annually and will generate 93% of the electricity needed to power the dealership.
Carter Myers Automotive, a local family and employee-owned business and Colonial Nissan's parent company, has always had a focus on giving back and helping the people in their community, which includes doing what they can to protect the environment around them. When the Colonial Nissan building was constructed in 2014, they included energy-efficient LED lighting and electric vehicle charging stations. Once complete, the new 163kW solar array will reduce Colonial Nissan’s CO2 emissions by 191 tons annually.
“We see investments like this as our corporate responsibility and believe in sustainable energy. It’s also good business to reduce energy load and costs,” said Liza Borches, President and CEO of Carter Myers Automotive. “We’re already the number one all-electric Nissan LEAF dealer in Central Virginia. Expanding upon our sales of environmentally friendly vehicles and focusing on internal sustainability is the next step forward.”
Wanting to incorporate solar into their facility but having limited roof space, Colonial Nissan collaborated with leading solar energy firm Sun Tribe Solar to design the unconventional garage superstructure which will not only house the solar array, but also serve as shelter from the weather to vehicles parked below. Sun Tribe Solar is also providing the engineering and construction services for the solar energy system.
“Our team lives for projects like this,” said Taylor Brown, Co-founder of Sun Tribe Solar. “You have a forward-thinking company that realizes the economic and environmental benefits of going solar, but doesn’t have the availability of a typical roof space or ability to use land for a ground mounted system. To be able to work with Colonial Nissan on this solution that is clearly outside the box and help them realize their clean energy future, despite the challenges, is what Sun Tribe Solar is all about. We are excited to see it come to life and hope that it encourages other businesses in the area to follow Colonial Nissan’s lead.”
Construction on the Colonial Nissan solar array is expected to be completed in June of 2018. In addition to the new solar energy system, Colonial Nissan now offers the all new 2018 Nissan LEAF, an entirely electric car which boasts 90 miles of travel on just a 30-minute charge.
###
About Colonial Nissan
Colonial Nissan is a proud part of Carter Myers Automotive, a family and employee-owned business serving Central Virginia since 1924. The Nissan franchise was originally located on Main Street in Charlottesville and moved to Route 29 in the mid-eighties as part of Colonial Auto Center. In 2014, CMA built a new, state-of-the-art facility that included electric vehicle charging stations and the most advanced automotive service equipment available. Colonial Nissan is a Virginia State Inspection station with ASE and Nissan Certified technicians, including EV Specialists. http://www.mycolonialnissan.com
About Sun Tribe Solar
Sun Tribe Solar is a leading solar energy company based in Charlottesville, VA. The Sun Tribe team has over 1,000MW of renewable energy design and installation experience and has worked with organizations such as the University of Virginia, Carilion Health System, and Northrop Grumman to help them achieve their renewable energy goals. Sun Tribe Solar is one of the fastest growing private solar energy companies in Virginia and is a fully insured, Class A Alternative Energy Systems contractor licensed in the Commonwealth. For more information on how Sun Tribe Solar can help strengthen your financial operations while reinforcing your brand’s commitment to sustainability, please visit http://www.suntribesolar.com.
Colonial Nissan Contact:
Kimberley Martin, Director of Marketing
434.220.8906
solar@mycolonialnissan.com
Sun Tribe Solar Contact:
Devin Welch, Vice President of Business Development
800.214.4579
devin.welch@suntribesolar.com Reported by PRWeb 2 hours ago.
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (PRWEB) May 02, 2018
Colonial Nissan has begun construction on a one-of-a-kind solar superstructure atop their building on Route 29 in Charlottesville. The unique project will have a roof consisting of 480 solar panels, which will produce over 214,000 kWh annually and will generate 93% of the electricity needed to power the dealership.
Carter Myers Automotive, a local family and employee-owned business and Colonial Nissan's parent company, has always had a focus on giving back and helping the people in their community, which includes doing what they can to protect the environment around them. When the Colonial Nissan building was constructed in 2014, they included energy-efficient LED lighting and electric vehicle charging stations. Once complete, the new 163kW solar array will reduce Colonial Nissan’s CO2 emissions by 191 tons annually.
“We see investments like this as our corporate responsibility and believe in sustainable energy. It’s also good business to reduce energy load and costs,” said Liza Borches, President and CEO of Carter Myers Automotive. “We’re already the number one all-electric Nissan LEAF dealer in Central Virginia. Expanding upon our sales of environmentally friendly vehicles and focusing on internal sustainability is the next step forward.”
Wanting to incorporate solar into their facility but having limited roof space, Colonial Nissan collaborated with leading solar energy firm Sun Tribe Solar to design the unconventional garage superstructure which will not only house the solar array, but also serve as shelter from the weather to vehicles parked below. Sun Tribe Solar is also providing the engineering and construction services for the solar energy system.
“Our team lives for projects like this,” said Taylor Brown, Co-founder of Sun Tribe Solar. “You have a forward-thinking company that realizes the economic and environmental benefits of going solar, but doesn’t have the availability of a typical roof space or ability to use land for a ground mounted system. To be able to work with Colonial Nissan on this solution that is clearly outside the box and help them realize their clean energy future, despite the challenges, is what Sun Tribe Solar is all about. We are excited to see it come to life and hope that it encourages other businesses in the area to follow Colonial Nissan’s lead.”
Construction on the Colonial Nissan solar array is expected to be completed in June of 2018. In addition to the new solar energy system, Colonial Nissan now offers the all new 2018 Nissan LEAF, an entirely electric car which boasts 90 miles of travel on just a 30-minute charge.
###
About Colonial Nissan
Colonial Nissan is a proud part of Carter Myers Automotive, a family and employee-owned business serving Central Virginia since 1924. The Nissan franchise was originally located on Main Street in Charlottesville and moved to Route 29 in the mid-eighties as part of Colonial Auto Center. In 2014, CMA built a new, state-of-the-art facility that included electric vehicle charging stations and the most advanced automotive service equipment available. Colonial Nissan is a Virginia State Inspection station with ASE and Nissan Certified technicians, including EV Specialists. http://www.mycolonialnissan.com
About Sun Tribe Solar
Sun Tribe Solar is a leading solar energy company based in Charlottesville, VA. The Sun Tribe team has over 1,000MW of renewable energy design and installation experience and has worked with organizations such as the University of Virginia, Carilion Health System, and Northrop Grumman to help them achieve their renewable energy goals. Sun Tribe Solar is one of the fastest growing private solar energy companies in Virginia and is a fully insured, Class A Alternative Energy Systems contractor licensed in the Commonwealth. For more information on how Sun Tribe Solar can help strengthen your financial operations while reinforcing your brand’s commitment to sustainability, please visit http://www.suntribesolar.com.
Colonial Nissan Contact:
Kimberley Martin, Director of Marketing
434.220.8906
solar@mycolonialnissan.com
Sun Tribe Solar Contact:
Devin Welch, Vice President of Business Development
800.214.4579
devin.welch@suntribesolar.com Reported by PRWeb 2 hours ago.
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Kona Grill Announces Strategic Investment
· Appoints Hotel Magnet, Alex Zheng, to its Board of Directors as Vice-Chairman
· Targets China for International Development through a Master Franchise Agreement
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., May 02, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- * *Kona Grill, Inc. (NASDAQ:KONA), an American grill and sushi bar, today announced that it has entered into securities purchase agreements with Nanyan (Alex) Zheng and Berke Bakay, the Company’s President and Chief Executive Officer, to raise approximately $5.6 million through the issuance of 3,144,258 shares of common stock at a per share purchase price of $1.785, which represents a 5% premium to the closing bid price on May 1, 2018. The closing of the offering is anticipated to occur on or around May 4, 2018.
“We are excited to partner with Alex Zheng, on this strategic transaction, said Berke Bakay, the Company’s President and Chief Executive Officer. Alex is well-respected within the travel and hospitality industry with over 20 years of experience. He is a successful entrepreneur and can provide significant value to Kona Grill through his vast knowledge and business relationships. Alex founded 7 Days Group in 2005, which after its privatization was renamed as Plateno Group in 2013. Alex has been serving as its Chairman. Through Alex’s leadership, Plateno Group has become one of the top 5 hotel groups in the world with over 4,400 hotels. Alex is also a co-founder of Ocean Link, a private equity firm focused on China's growing travel and leisure sector.”
Bakay continued, “With this strategic investment, we will pay down required debt payments in 2018 and strengthen our balance sheet. The decision to invest additional capital allows me to retain my current ownership percentage while also showing my continuing support and belief in this brand.”
“We see significant upside potential with both our investment in Kona Grill and the opportunity to bring the Kona Grill brand to China. We believe that Kona Grill’s global menu of contemporary American favorites, award-winning sushi, and specialty cocktails will be a great fit for the China market,” said Alex Zheng.
In conjunction with the transaction, Mr. Zheng was appointed to the Company’s board of directors as Vice-Chairman. Along with Mr. Zheng’s involvement with the Company, Alex and his partners intend to expand the Kona Grill brand into China through a master franchise agreement.
The Company intends to use the net proceeds from the offering to pay required debt payments due in 2018 and for general corporate purposes.
The securities offered and sold in the private placement were not registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Act”), or any state securities laws, and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration, or the availability of an applicable exemption from the registration requirements, under the Act and applicable state securities laws.
Under an agreement with the investors, the Company has agreed to file a registration statement with the Securities and Exchange Commission covering the resale of the shares of common stock to be issued to the investors. This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities. There shall not be any sale of these securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful.
*About Kona Grill*
Kona Grill features a global menu of contemporary American favorites, award-winning sushi, and specialty cocktails in an upscale casual atmosphere. Kona Grill owns and operates 46 restaurants, guided by a passion for quality food and exceptional service. Restaurants are located in 23 states and Puerto Rico: Alabama (Huntsville); Arizona (Chandler, Gilbert, Phoenix, Scottsdale (2)); California (Irvine); Colorado (Denver); Connecticut (Stamford); Florida (Miami, Tampa, Sarasota, Winter Park); Georgia (Alpharetta); Hawaii (Honolulu); Illinois (Lincolnshire, Oak Brook); Indiana (Carmel); Idaho (Boise); Louisiana (Baton Rouge); Maryland (Baltimore); Michigan (Troy); Minnesota (Eden Prairie, Minnetonka); Missouri (Kansas City); Nebraska (Omaha); New Jersey (Woodbridge); Nevada (Las Vegas(2)); Ohio (Cincinnati, Columbus); Puerto Rico (San Juan); Tennessee (Franklin); Texas (Austin, Dallas, El Paso, Friendswood, Fort Worth, Houston, Plano, San Antonio(2), The Woodlands); Virginia (Arlington, Fairfax, Richmond). Additionally, Kona Grill has three restaurants that operates under a franchise agreement in Dubai, United Arab Emirates; Vaughan, Canada and Monterrey, Mexico. For more information, visit www.konagrill.com.
*Forward-Looking Statements*
Various remarks we make about future expectations, plans, and prospects for the Company constitute forward-looking statements for purposes of the Safe Harbor provisions under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements include statements regarding our expectations, beliefs, intentions, plans, objectives, goals, strategies, future events, or performance and underlying assumptions and other statements that are not purely historical. These statements relate to our expected use of offering proceeds, our future financial performance and development plans, including but not limited to those relating to our sales trends, projected earnings, expenses, and capital expenditures for 2018, expectations of new store openings as well as international franchise development in 2018 and beyond and availability of capital. We have attempted to identify these statements by using forward-looking terminology such as “may,” “will,” “anticipates,” “expects,” “believes,” “intends,” “should,” or comparable terms. All forward-looking statements included in this press release are based on information available to us on the date of this release and we assume no obligation to update these forward-looking statements for any reason. These statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in the statements. Investors are referred to the full discussion of risks and uncertainties associated with forward-looking statements and the discussion of risk factors contained in the company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
*Kona Grill Investor Relations Contact:*
Kona Grill, Inc.
Christi Hing, Chief Financial Officer
(480) 922-8100
investorrelations@konagrill.com Reported by GlobeNewswire 1 hour ago.
· Targets China for International Development through a Master Franchise Agreement
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., May 02, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- * *Kona Grill, Inc. (NASDAQ:KONA), an American grill and sushi bar, today announced that it has entered into securities purchase agreements with Nanyan (Alex) Zheng and Berke Bakay, the Company’s President and Chief Executive Officer, to raise approximately $5.6 million through the issuance of 3,144,258 shares of common stock at a per share purchase price of $1.785, which represents a 5% premium to the closing bid price on May 1, 2018. The closing of the offering is anticipated to occur on or around May 4, 2018.
“We are excited to partner with Alex Zheng, on this strategic transaction, said Berke Bakay, the Company’s President and Chief Executive Officer. Alex is well-respected within the travel and hospitality industry with over 20 years of experience. He is a successful entrepreneur and can provide significant value to Kona Grill through his vast knowledge and business relationships. Alex founded 7 Days Group in 2005, which after its privatization was renamed as Plateno Group in 2013. Alex has been serving as its Chairman. Through Alex’s leadership, Plateno Group has become one of the top 5 hotel groups in the world with over 4,400 hotels. Alex is also a co-founder of Ocean Link, a private equity firm focused on China's growing travel and leisure sector.”
Bakay continued, “With this strategic investment, we will pay down required debt payments in 2018 and strengthen our balance sheet. The decision to invest additional capital allows me to retain my current ownership percentage while also showing my continuing support and belief in this brand.”
“We see significant upside potential with both our investment in Kona Grill and the opportunity to bring the Kona Grill brand to China. We believe that Kona Grill’s global menu of contemporary American favorites, award-winning sushi, and specialty cocktails will be a great fit for the China market,” said Alex Zheng.
In conjunction with the transaction, Mr. Zheng was appointed to the Company’s board of directors as Vice-Chairman. Along with Mr. Zheng’s involvement with the Company, Alex and his partners intend to expand the Kona Grill brand into China through a master franchise agreement.
The Company intends to use the net proceeds from the offering to pay required debt payments due in 2018 and for general corporate purposes.
The securities offered and sold in the private placement were not registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Act”), or any state securities laws, and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration, or the availability of an applicable exemption from the registration requirements, under the Act and applicable state securities laws.
Under an agreement with the investors, the Company has agreed to file a registration statement with the Securities and Exchange Commission covering the resale of the shares of common stock to be issued to the investors. This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities. There shall not be any sale of these securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful.
*About Kona Grill*
Kona Grill features a global menu of contemporary American favorites, award-winning sushi, and specialty cocktails in an upscale casual atmosphere. Kona Grill owns and operates 46 restaurants, guided by a passion for quality food and exceptional service. Restaurants are located in 23 states and Puerto Rico: Alabama (Huntsville); Arizona (Chandler, Gilbert, Phoenix, Scottsdale (2)); California (Irvine); Colorado (Denver); Connecticut (Stamford); Florida (Miami, Tampa, Sarasota, Winter Park); Georgia (Alpharetta); Hawaii (Honolulu); Illinois (Lincolnshire, Oak Brook); Indiana (Carmel); Idaho (Boise); Louisiana (Baton Rouge); Maryland (Baltimore); Michigan (Troy); Minnesota (Eden Prairie, Minnetonka); Missouri (Kansas City); Nebraska (Omaha); New Jersey (Woodbridge); Nevada (Las Vegas(2)); Ohio (Cincinnati, Columbus); Puerto Rico (San Juan); Tennessee (Franklin); Texas (Austin, Dallas, El Paso, Friendswood, Fort Worth, Houston, Plano, San Antonio(2), The Woodlands); Virginia (Arlington, Fairfax, Richmond). Additionally, Kona Grill has three restaurants that operates under a franchise agreement in Dubai, United Arab Emirates; Vaughan, Canada and Monterrey, Mexico. For more information, visit www.konagrill.com.
*Forward-Looking Statements*
Various remarks we make about future expectations, plans, and prospects for the Company constitute forward-looking statements for purposes of the Safe Harbor provisions under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements include statements regarding our expectations, beliefs, intentions, plans, objectives, goals, strategies, future events, or performance and underlying assumptions and other statements that are not purely historical. These statements relate to our expected use of offering proceeds, our future financial performance and development plans, including but not limited to those relating to our sales trends, projected earnings, expenses, and capital expenditures for 2018, expectations of new store openings as well as international franchise development in 2018 and beyond and availability of capital. We have attempted to identify these statements by using forward-looking terminology such as “may,” “will,” “anticipates,” “expects,” “believes,” “intends,” “should,” or comparable terms. All forward-looking statements included in this press release are based on information available to us on the date of this release and we assume no obligation to update these forward-looking statements for any reason. These statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in the statements. Investors are referred to the full discussion of risks and uncertainties associated with forward-looking statements and the discussion of risk factors contained in the company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
*Kona Grill Investor Relations Contact:*
Kona Grill, Inc.
Christi Hing, Chief Financial Officer
(480) 922-8100
investorrelations@konagrill.com Reported by GlobeNewswire 1 hour ago.
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QualDerm Partners Expands Physician Engagement; Launches Physician-led Quality Council
John Albertini, MD to be Chairman of the Council
BRENTWOOD, Tenn. (PRWEB) May 02, 2018
QualDerm Partners, a company that creates market-leading dermatology practice partnerships through affiliations and de novo development, today announced the launch of its physician-led Quality Council. John Albertini, MD, FAAD, FACMS, a Mohs surgeon with The Skin Surgery Center, a North Carolina-based QualDerm-affiliated practice, will serve as Chairman of the Council.
The Quality Council was established to help advance the clinical excellence and frameworks of QualDerm’s affiliate practices. It will assist QualDerm’s Audit, Quality and Compliance Committee in overseeing the areas of patient safety, clinical quality, clinical risk management, and patient satisfaction.
“QualDerm has a reputation for focusing on quality – from the level of patient care to the caliber of the practice management leadership,” says Dr. Albertini. “I’m excited to lead this Council and collaborate with my QualDerm-affiliated peers to ensure our standards of care remain among the highest in the dermatology field.”
In addition to the Chairman, Quality Council members will include physicians from each of QualDerm’s practice markets. Each physician member will serve a two-year term. QualDerm’s Chief Executive Officer and Ethics and Compliance Officer will also serve on the Council, however, only physician members will have Council voting privileges.
Among other responsibilities, the Quality Council will advise QualDerm leadership of leading-edge clinical practices and strategies to be considered for adoption. The Council will also review the clinical performance of QualDerm-affiliated practices and clinicians and facilitate the development of industry best-practices based on internal and external data comparisons.
“Since the beginning, QualDerm has always relied on our affiliated physicians to lead the conversations on clinical matters,” says Bill Southwick, Chief Executive Officer of QualDerm. “The Quality Council formalizes this process and expands our physician engagement even further. We’re honored that John agreed to lead the Council. His expertise is invaluable.”
Dr. Albertini is nationally-renowned for his expertise in Mohs surgery and advanced reconstructive surgery. He is a volunteer associate professor at Wake Forest University Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. Dr. Albertini previously served as Chief of Mohs Surgery at Wilford Hall USAF and Brooke Army Medical Centers during active duty Air Force military service. He has published more than 40 scientific articles and book chapters and frequently lectures nationally. Dr. Albertini has also held numerous leadership positions for national dermatology organizations.
QualDerm currently has a total of 20 practice locations in North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, Tennessee, and Ohio. The company has plans to expand into other regions this year.
About QualDerm Partners
QualDerm Partners helps top-tier dermatologists position their practices for sustainable growth and profitability. The company creates market-leading practice partnerships through affiliations and de novo development. QualDerm provides the management support, capital, and guidance for growth. Under QualDerm’s True Partnership(SM) model, physicians are partners, not employees, and retain their own practice brand. This doctor-driven model is designed to maintain physicians’ clinical autonomy and ensure the highest-quality patient care. QualDerm offers physicians tailored partnership structures to meet their needs, as well as the option to sell their practices. For more information, visit http://www.QualDerm.com.
Contact:
Nikki Cary
6 Columns Marketing Group
nikki(at)6Columns(dot)com
615.500.2924 Reported by PRWeb 59 minutes ago.
BRENTWOOD, Tenn. (PRWEB) May 02, 2018
QualDerm Partners, a company that creates market-leading dermatology practice partnerships through affiliations and de novo development, today announced the launch of its physician-led Quality Council. John Albertini, MD, FAAD, FACMS, a Mohs surgeon with The Skin Surgery Center, a North Carolina-based QualDerm-affiliated practice, will serve as Chairman of the Council.
The Quality Council was established to help advance the clinical excellence and frameworks of QualDerm’s affiliate practices. It will assist QualDerm’s Audit, Quality and Compliance Committee in overseeing the areas of patient safety, clinical quality, clinical risk management, and patient satisfaction.
“QualDerm has a reputation for focusing on quality – from the level of patient care to the caliber of the practice management leadership,” says Dr. Albertini. “I’m excited to lead this Council and collaborate with my QualDerm-affiliated peers to ensure our standards of care remain among the highest in the dermatology field.”
In addition to the Chairman, Quality Council members will include physicians from each of QualDerm’s practice markets. Each physician member will serve a two-year term. QualDerm’s Chief Executive Officer and Ethics and Compliance Officer will also serve on the Council, however, only physician members will have Council voting privileges.
Among other responsibilities, the Quality Council will advise QualDerm leadership of leading-edge clinical practices and strategies to be considered for adoption. The Council will also review the clinical performance of QualDerm-affiliated practices and clinicians and facilitate the development of industry best-practices based on internal and external data comparisons.
“Since the beginning, QualDerm has always relied on our affiliated physicians to lead the conversations on clinical matters,” says Bill Southwick, Chief Executive Officer of QualDerm. “The Quality Council formalizes this process and expands our physician engagement even further. We’re honored that John agreed to lead the Council. His expertise is invaluable.”
Dr. Albertini is nationally-renowned for his expertise in Mohs surgery and advanced reconstructive surgery. He is a volunteer associate professor at Wake Forest University Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. Dr. Albertini previously served as Chief of Mohs Surgery at Wilford Hall USAF and Brooke Army Medical Centers during active duty Air Force military service. He has published more than 40 scientific articles and book chapters and frequently lectures nationally. Dr. Albertini has also held numerous leadership positions for national dermatology organizations.
QualDerm currently has a total of 20 practice locations in North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, Tennessee, and Ohio. The company has plans to expand into other regions this year.
About QualDerm Partners
QualDerm Partners helps top-tier dermatologists position their practices for sustainable growth and profitability. The company creates market-leading practice partnerships through affiliations and de novo development. QualDerm provides the management support, capital, and guidance for growth. Under QualDerm’s True Partnership(SM) model, physicians are partners, not employees, and retain their own practice brand. This doctor-driven model is designed to maintain physicians’ clinical autonomy and ensure the highest-quality patient care. QualDerm offers physicians tailored partnership structures to meet their needs, as well as the option to sell their practices. For more information, visit http://www.QualDerm.com.
Contact:
Nikki Cary
6 Columns Marketing Group
nikki(at)6Columns(dot)com
615.500.2924 Reported by PRWeb 59 minutes ago.
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Merit Medical Enters Strategic Alliance and Worldwide Distribution with NinePoint Medical
SOUTH JORDAN, Utah, May 02, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Merit Medical Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ:MMSI), a leading manufacturer and marketer of proprietary disposable devices used in interventional, diagnostic and therapeutic procedures, particularly in cardiology, radiology, oncology, critical care and endoscopy, today announced its execution of a worldwide distribution agreement with NinePoint Medical, Inc. and the development of a strategic alliance between its Merit Endotek division and NinePoint Medical. This alliance includes a strategic investment for NinePoint Medical’s Nvision VLE® Imaging System with Real-time Targeting™. This alliance combines gastrointestinal and pulmonary medical devices from Merit Endotek with the ground-breaking Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) platform from NinePoint Medical. Merit believes this OCT platform is quickly becoming a primary imaging device used by many leading hospitals in the U.S. to aid in the early detection of esophageal cancer.
“We are very excited to form this alliance in order to provide NinePoint Medical’s highly innovative OCT imaging system to our customers and other clinicians around the world,” said Merit’s Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Fred P. Lampropoulos. “Merit Endotek is a market leader in GI solutions, and we share NinePoint Medical’s vision of improving early cancer detection and thereby improving patient outcomes while reducing healthcare costs.”
“NinePoint Medical is committed to providing GI physicians an elegant and cost-effective OCT imaging solution to enable early and accurate diagnosis,” said Christopher R. von Jako, Ph.D., President and Chief Executive Officer of NinePoint Medical. “Merit Endotek is the ideal partner as they have the reputation, clinical experience, and complementary product portfolio to grow this business.”
ABOUT MERIT
Founded in 1987, Merit Medical Systems, Inc. is engaged in the development, manufacture and distribution of proprietary disposable medical devices used in interventional, diagnostic and therapeutic procedures, particularly in cardiology, radiology, oncology, critical care and endoscopy. Merit serves client hospitals worldwide with a domestic and international sales force totaling approximately 290 individuals. Merit employs approximately 5,000 people worldwide with facilities in South Jordan, Utah; Pearland, Texas; Richmond, Virginia; Malvern, Pennsylvania; Rockland, Massachusetts; San Jose, California; Maastricht and Venlo, The Netherlands; Paris, France; Galway, Ireland; Beijing, China; Tijuana, Mexico; Joinville, Brazil; Markham, Ontario, Canada; Melbourne, Australia; Tokyo, Japan; and Singapore.
FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
Statements contained in this release which are not purely historical, including, without limitation, statements regarding Merit's forecasted plans, revenues, net income, financial results or anticipated or completed acquisitions, are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and are subject to risks and uncertainties such as those described in Merit's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2017 and subsequent filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Such risks and uncertainties include risks relating to Merit's potential inability to successfully manage growth through acquisitions, including the inability to commercialize technology acquired through completed, proposed or future transactions; expenditures relating to research, development, testing and regulatory approval or clearance of Merit's products and risks that such products may not be developed successfully or approved for commercial use; governmental scrutiny and regulation of the medical device industry, including governmental inquiries, investigations and proceedings involving Merit; restrictions on Merit's liquidity or business operations resulting from its debt agreements; infringement of Merit's technology or the assertion that Merit's technology infringes the rights of other parties; product recalls and product liability claims; changes in customer purchasing patterns or the mix of products Merit sells; the potential of fines, penalties or other adverse consequences if Merit's employees or agents violate the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act or other laws or regulations; laws and regulations targeting fraud and abuse in the healthcare industry; potential for significant adverse changes in governing regulations, including reforms to the procedures for approval or clearance of our products by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration or comparable regulatory authorities in other jurisdictions; changes in tax laws and regulations in the United States or other countries; increases in the prices of commodity components; negative changes in economic and industry conditions in the United States or other countries; termination or interruption of relationships with Merit's suppliers, or failure of such suppliers to perform; fluctuations in exchange rates; concentration of a substantial portion of Merit's revenues among a few products and procedures; development of new products and technology that could render Merit's existing products obsolete; market acceptance of new products; volatility in the market price of Merit's common stock; modification or limitation of governmental or private insurance reimbursement policies; changes in healthcare policies or markets related to healthcare reform initiatives; failure to comply with applicable environmental laws; changes in key personnel; work stoppage or transportation risks; introduction of products in a timely fashion; price and product competition; availability of labor and materials; fluctuations in and obsolescence of inventory; and other factors referred to in Merit's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2017 and other materials filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. All subsequent forward-looking statements attributable to Merit or persons acting on its behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by these cautionary statements. Actual results will likely differ, and may differ materially, from anticipated results. Financial estimates are subject to change and are not intended to be relied upon as predictions of future operating results, and Merit assumes no obligation to update or disclose revisions to those estimates.
*Contact:* Anne-Marie Wright, Vice President, Corporate Communications
*Phone:* (801) 208-4167 e-mail: awright@merit.com Fax: (801) 253-1688 Reported by GlobeNewswire 28 minutes ago.
“We are very excited to form this alliance in order to provide NinePoint Medical’s highly innovative OCT imaging system to our customers and other clinicians around the world,” said Merit’s Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Fred P. Lampropoulos. “Merit Endotek is a market leader in GI solutions, and we share NinePoint Medical’s vision of improving early cancer detection and thereby improving patient outcomes while reducing healthcare costs.”
“NinePoint Medical is committed to providing GI physicians an elegant and cost-effective OCT imaging solution to enable early and accurate diagnosis,” said Christopher R. von Jako, Ph.D., President and Chief Executive Officer of NinePoint Medical. “Merit Endotek is the ideal partner as they have the reputation, clinical experience, and complementary product portfolio to grow this business.”
ABOUT MERIT
Founded in 1987, Merit Medical Systems, Inc. is engaged in the development, manufacture and distribution of proprietary disposable medical devices used in interventional, diagnostic and therapeutic procedures, particularly in cardiology, radiology, oncology, critical care and endoscopy. Merit serves client hospitals worldwide with a domestic and international sales force totaling approximately 290 individuals. Merit employs approximately 5,000 people worldwide with facilities in South Jordan, Utah; Pearland, Texas; Richmond, Virginia; Malvern, Pennsylvania; Rockland, Massachusetts; San Jose, California; Maastricht and Venlo, The Netherlands; Paris, France; Galway, Ireland; Beijing, China; Tijuana, Mexico; Joinville, Brazil; Markham, Ontario, Canada; Melbourne, Australia; Tokyo, Japan; and Singapore.
FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
Statements contained in this release which are not purely historical, including, without limitation, statements regarding Merit's forecasted plans, revenues, net income, financial results or anticipated or completed acquisitions, are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and are subject to risks and uncertainties such as those described in Merit's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2017 and subsequent filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Such risks and uncertainties include risks relating to Merit's potential inability to successfully manage growth through acquisitions, including the inability to commercialize technology acquired through completed, proposed or future transactions; expenditures relating to research, development, testing and regulatory approval or clearance of Merit's products and risks that such products may not be developed successfully or approved for commercial use; governmental scrutiny and regulation of the medical device industry, including governmental inquiries, investigations and proceedings involving Merit; restrictions on Merit's liquidity or business operations resulting from its debt agreements; infringement of Merit's technology or the assertion that Merit's technology infringes the rights of other parties; product recalls and product liability claims; changes in customer purchasing patterns or the mix of products Merit sells; the potential of fines, penalties or other adverse consequences if Merit's employees or agents violate the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act or other laws or regulations; laws and regulations targeting fraud and abuse in the healthcare industry; potential for significant adverse changes in governing regulations, including reforms to the procedures for approval or clearance of our products by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration or comparable regulatory authorities in other jurisdictions; changes in tax laws and regulations in the United States or other countries; increases in the prices of commodity components; negative changes in economic and industry conditions in the United States or other countries; termination or interruption of relationships with Merit's suppliers, or failure of such suppliers to perform; fluctuations in exchange rates; concentration of a substantial portion of Merit's revenues among a few products and procedures; development of new products and technology that could render Merit's existing products obsolete; market acceptance of new products; volatility in the market price of Merit's common stock; modification or limitation of governmental or private insurance reimbursement policies; changes in healthcare policies or markets related to healthcare reform initiatives; failure to comply with applicable environmental laws; changes in key personnel; work stoppage or transportation risks; introduction of products in a timely fashion; price and product competition; availability of labor and materials; fluctuations in and obsolescence of inventory; and other factors referred to in Merit's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2017 and other materials filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. All subsequent forward-looking statements attributable to Merit or persons acting on its behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by these cautionary statements. Actual results will likely differ, and may differ materially, from anticipated results. Financial estimates are subject to change and are not intended to be relied upon as predictions of future operating results, and Merit assumes no obligation to update or disclose revisions to those estimates.
*Contact:* Anne-Marie Wright, Vice President, Corporate Communications
*Phone:* (801) 208-4167 e-mail: awright@merit.com Fax: (801) 253-1688 Reported by GlobeNewswire 28 minutes ago.
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Judge hears arguments on tree sitters protesting pipeline
ROANOKE, Va. (AP) — A judge is considering the fate of two members of a Virginia family who have refused to come down from tree stands and are preventing access to their land for the construction of a natural gas pipeline. The Roanoke Times reports that attorneys for the Mountain Valley Pipeline argued in federal […]
Reported by Seattle Times 12 minutes ago.
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What You Get: $375,000 Homes in West Virginia, Minnesota and Connecticut
A 1770 house in Middleway, a Spanish-Tudor revival home in Minneapolis and a Cape Cod in Sharon.
Reported by NYTimes.com 12 minutes ago.
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White nationalist faces 10 years for Virginia attack
A white nationalist accused of beating a black man in a Charlottesville parking garage last summer has been found guilty for his role in the attack. - Reuters
Reported by Bangkok Post 4 hours ago.
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