Tag Archives: partnership

When Building Out Its Moonshots, This Washington DC Startup Knows When To Look For The Stars

Washington, DC, USA, 2018-Jan-15 — /REAL TIME PRESS RELEASE/ — The year 2017 was known in the world of cryptocurrency-based crowdfunding as the age of the Wild West — infamous for its massive, oft-unwarranted treasure chests being entrusted to companies barely out of the whitepaper stage during their TGEs — Token Generation Events also known as Initial Coin Offerings, or ICOs — offset by regulatory uncertainty, frequent multi-million-dollar scams, and sometimes even wholesale freeze-outs of crypto assets in several countries previously friendly to practice.

The year 2018, on the other hand, is expected to issue in a certain sense of clarity and solidity to the markets, populated with ambitious projects at last aware of their own strengths and weakness, and carried on the shoulders of teams capable of actually bringing their lofty visions to life.

WishKnish (https://wishknish.com), a Washington, DC-based startup providing turnkey, decentralized, gamified marketplaces to businesses, social causes, and communities — along with tailored BaaS (Blockchain As A Service) solutions to enterprise clients — aims to be one of these latter entrants.

By bringing in Mr. Mohammed Ebrahim Al Fardan as the Executive Vice President of the MENA and APJ region, the group has now expanded its core team to broadcast its messaging far beyond existing marketing frontiers.

“It is not often that such a fortuitous meeting of the minds happens so seamlessly over thousands of miles,” says Alisa Gus, CEO of WishKnish, “but when an opportunity presents itself, it is up to an exec worth his — or her — salt to answer. Really, Mr. Al Fardan’s experience and connections, and our shared goals for the region and the role of WishKnish’s Blockchain-as-a-Service arm in making them happen, will undoubtedly make this one of the most strategic hires any company can hope to make, especially as it closes in on its own token generation event.”

A 2014 Entrepreneur of the Gulf region recipient, Mr. Al Fardan is the mastermind behind the concept, technical study and master plan for the MENA ICT hub city, a first and only fully integrated smart city in the world as stated by industry experts, and for many years one of the driving forces for the region’s Oil & Gas, Real Estate, Luxury Goods, Investment, Travel & Tourism, and Pharmaceutical industries.

“When you are a VC,” shares Michael Kapoor, the WishKnish’s Chief Operations Officer, and formerly a managing partner of San Francisco’s Propeller Venture Capital, “you’ve got your pick of interesting projects. But occasionally, a project comes along that reminds you of why you started out as an entrepreneur yourself back in the day, and makes you want to get your hands dirty and make this remarkable business take shape. I imagine that’s how Mr. Al Fardan has come to feel, too, and I really can’t be happier to have him on the team.”

Long excited to bring in the vision, power, and security of blockchain technology to the MENA business and government structures, revitilizing and decentralizing its most vital systems, Mr. Al Fardan has this to say about his decision to join the advisory board of WishKnish:

“I am proud and excited to join a team of world experts in Blockchain technologies at WishKnish,” Mr. Al Fardan remarks “I found the idea behind the company so unique and the founders are top class professionals. Such a team with such experiences will no doubt disrupt the industry providing clients globally with great utilization of Blockchain. Having clients talking to us from regions like Middle East & Asia Pacific at this stage makes us more committed and accountable to deliver on their expectations and exceeding them.”

The excitement of new possibilities is felt across all levels of the project’s management team:

“The advent of a truly global economy has come to be possible thanks to blockchain decentralization. We cannot allow ourselves to focus only on the parts of the world familiar to us if we want to make an impact on this exciting space. But doing so without an expert local member of the team is something I would not be prepared to tackle at any stage of the company’s lifecycle,” says Eugene Teplitsky, WishKnish CTO and Alisa’s long-term partner in multiple projects. “That Mr. Al Fardan has agreed to join us while we’re still young is, I think, both a testament to his forward thinking on where the technology is heading in the next decade — as well as to his confidence in WishKnish’s ability to deliver on our now shared vision. We can’t wait to see what 2018 brings to all of us in these next few months!”

About WishKnish Corp.

WishKnish (https://wishknish.com) offers businesses, affiliates, and non-profits a decentralized marketplace platform for launching gamified, socially-engaged storefront communities equipped with the tools to turn regular users into super-fans and evangelizers while streamlining coin-agnostic e-commerce and fulfillment, as well as offering advanced blockchain-as-a-service tools to meet enterprise clients’ needs.

About Mohammed E. Al Fardan

Mohammed Al Fardan is a serial entrepreneur specializing in Computer Science, International Business and investments. Upon graduation he joined IBM, then Lexmark, Microsoft and other top ICT multinational firms. He has more than two decades of ICT experience, then he leveraged on his experience, knowledge and connections to introduce the Venture Capitals concept to the Middle East region as well as Entrepreneurship, in 2014 he was awarded the Entrepreneur of the Gulf region. He managed acquisitions and created venture capitals focused on ICT industry in the region. As well as he attracted many ICT firms to come and work in the MENA under his leadership.
Contact-Details:

WishKnish Corp.,
P.O. Box 2160, Reston,
VA 20195
(202) 800-2663
info@wishknish.com,
https://wishknish.com

Vendange Carmel Inn and Suites Announces New Wine-Themed Room in Partnership With Award-Winning Soledad-Based Carmel Road Winery

Vendange Carmel Inn and Suites has announced a new wine-themed room designed and decorated by Soledad-based Carmel Road Winery.

Carmel, CA, September 6, 2017 — Vendange Carmel Inn and Suites has announced a new wine-themed room designed and decorated by Soledad-based Carmel Road Winery.

Carmel Road wines are inspired by the wind and the waves that define Monterey, which in turn inspired the vision for the Carmel Road wine room at the Vendange Inn.

“We were honored to be selected to bring one of their suites to life with the Carmel Road look and feel,” says Chrissy Gray, Carmel Road tasting room manager. “We chose cool blue and seafoam green tones to give guests that tranquil feeling of being at the beach. Think upscale picnic with your toes in the sand — with a wine glass in hand, of course!”

Gray says they wanted to bring to life the coastal, peaceful vibe found in Carmel, as well as in their tasting room, so they created several large photo canvases showcasing the nearby ocean, with a wine-themed twist. There’s also a beautiful nook under a wine rack where guests can sit and simply relax with a glass of Carmel Road Pinot Noir or Chardonnay.

To really give guests a sense of what Carmel Road Winery has to offer, in the room they will find a selection of Carmel Road wines for purchase, information about their wine club as well as the winery, beautiful etched glasses, stone coasters, plush throw blankets, and complimentary tasting cards for up to four people.

“Carmel Road is a sense of place, and we hope the guests in this room come to discover that special feeling for themselves,” says Gray.

Carmel Road joins 14 other wineries in partnership with Vendange to sponsor wine-themed rooms. From the McIntyre Vineyards’ room with its impressive 100-year-old grapevine section to J. Lohr’s wine barrel on the balcony, every winery’s room offers a signature luxury experience. The participating wineries include: Blair, Cima Collina, Dawn’s Dream, Galante, Holman Ranch, J. Lohr, Joullian, Manzoni, McIntyre, Otter Cove, Tudor, Twisted Roots, Mesa Del Sol and Ventana.

About Carmel Road Winery

Inland from Monterey’s rugged coastline, yet still directly in the path of the ocean’s relentless influence, Carmel Road Winery creates vibrant Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Riesling and Pinot Grigio that capture the essence of this remarkable region. The winery tailors its viticulture and winemaking techniques to capture the compelling character of this windswept area. Since its founding in 1997, the family-owned and operated winery has worked continually to improve farming and winemaking practices, creating complex wines while also preserving the ecosystem for future generations. Carmel Road is certified by SIP (Sustainability in Practice) and CCSW (Certified California Sustainable Winegrowing) and recognized as a leader in water conservation, energy efficiency and land restoration. Learn more at www.CarmelRoad.com.

Carmel Road Winery

800-273-8558

info@carmelroad.com

http://www.carmelroad.com

Visit our tasting room in Carmel-by-the-Sea

O: 831.624.1036

C: 503.730.7727

Lincoln between Ocean and 6th

P.O. Box 2314, Carmel-by-the-Sea, CA 93921

Tasting Room Manager: Chrissy.Gray@carmelroad.com

Photography Available;https://www.dropbox.com/sh/17e8jjd9rzjtq1p/AABLlUEj7AMCKTTNBzZD5aFfa?dl=0

About Vendange Carmel Inn and Suites

Vendange Carmel Inn and Suites is at 24815 Carpenter St. in Carmel, a short drive from the Monterey Peninsula Airport, just off of scenic Highway 1, with free parking for guests. It’s minutes from downtown Carmel’s shopping, fine dining, scenic 17-Mile Drive, and the Monterey Bay Aquarium.

In France, vendange means the annual grape harvest. In Carmel, it means a celebration of the bounty of Monterey County’s vineyards at Vendange Carmel Inn and Suites.

Vendange creates a unique guest experience through its partnership with 15 local wineries, each sponsoring one room or suite by providing their own creative touches.

For 2017, Vendange has put together some interactive packages that combine the luxury and convenience of the inn’s Carmel location with the adventure and romance of the nearby wine country.

Telephone (831) 624-6400; email: reservations@vendangecarmel.com; website: www.vendangecarmel.com.

Contact:

Marci Bracco Cain

Chatterbox PR

Salinas, CA 93901

(831) 747-7455

http://www.vendangecarmel.com

Vendange Carmel Inn and Suites celebrates its Ongoing Partnership with Monterey County wineries by offering Unique packages for 2017

In Carmel, it means a celebration of the bounty of Monterey County’s vineyards at Vendange Carmel Inn and Suites.

Carmel, CA, December 02, 2016 – In France, vendange means the annual grape harvest. In Carmel, it means a celebration of the bounty of Monterey County’s vineyards at Vendange Carmel Inn and Suites.

Vendange creates a unique guest experience through its partnership with 15 local wineries, each sponsoring one room or suite by providing their own creative touches.

For 2017 Vendange has put together some interactive packages that combine the luxury and convenience of the inn’s Carmel location with the adventure and romance of the nearby wine country.

Holman Ranch Vine to Wine experience

Stay in the Vendange Holman Ranch Room and add on a Holman Ranch Vine to Wine experience that consists of a series of educational tours for wine lovers. The tour will take guests from the Holman Ranch Tasting Room to the vineyard for an in-depth look at how their estate grown wine is made — from barrel to bottle. Each tour is 2 hours and by reservation only.

Vine to Wine Tour includes:

● Begin at the Holman Ranch Tasting Room at 19 E. Carmel Valley Road with a full tasting of Holman Ranch wines.

● Holman Ranch will give you an ATV tour of the vineyard to experience the vines and learn about how Holman Ranch makes wine.

● End at the exclusive Holman Ranch estate for small bites, your favorite glass of wine, and time for questions and answers with the owners and winemaker.

● Tours are from 2-4 p.m. available daily and by reservation only. 48 hour notice required.

● Cost is $100 per person.

● Add promotional code WINETOUR when booking the Holman Ranch room.

Twisted Roots wine experience

Stay in the Twisted Roots Room at Vendange Carmel Inn and Suites and add on a Personal Wine Tasting Experience with Twisted Roots winemaker Josh Ruiz.

Step into the beauty that is the Twisted Roots Wine Tasting Room in Carmel Valley to experience a wine journey like no other. Vendange guests get a rare chance to indulge their senses, and experience the winemaker’s passion and knowledge of his craft. Sit in the Twisted Roots Mediterranean-inspired courtyard, meet the winemaker, and taste hand-selected wines.

● Minimum of 2 people Saturday and Sunday only

● Cost per person to upgrade $75

Vendange’s unique partnerships

From the McIntyre Vineyards room with its impressive 100-year-old grapevine section to J. Lohr’s wine barrel on the balcony, every winery’s room offers a signature luxury experience. The participating wineries include: Blair, Cima Collina, Dawn’s Dream, Galante, Holman Ranch, J. Lohr, Joullian, Manzoni, McIntyre, Otter Cove, Tudor, Twisted Roots, and Ventana.

Each room boasts sleek, modern bathrooms, with imported Spanish marble. Sleeping areas have memory foam-top beds, deluxe linens, and high-definition flat-screen televisions. The separate Cottage Suite offers 650-square-feet of space, with a California king bed, 50-inch HD television, and a kitchenette. It’s the perfect place for a honeymoon or romantic getaway. The Inn offers breakfast daily and wine tasting on weekends.

Special discounts through March 31

Vendange is celebrating the wine with a special discount from January through March 31. Book your stay directly at www.vendangecarmel.com during the months of November and December and receive 10 percent off your booking. Must enter the promotional code ILOVEWINE on the website. The 10 percent off is valid for all rooms except standard queen rooms.

Offer not valid on holidays, Thanksgiving and Christmas as well as blackout days. Promotional code must be entered at www.vendangecarmel.com in order for the discount to apply.

About Vendange

Vendange is at 24815 Carpenter St. in Carmel, a short drive from the Monterey Peninsula Airport, just off of scenic Highway 1, with free parking for guests. It’s minutes from downtown Carmel’s shopping, fine dining, scenic 17-Mile Drive, and the Monterey Bay Aquarium. Telephone 831-624-6400; email: reservations@vendangecarmel.com

Contact:

Marci Bracco Cain

Chatterbox PR

Salinas, CA 93901

(831) 747-7455

http://www.vendangecarmel.com

Robert Miller Congratulates Future Electronics Team for New Partnership with CalcuQuote

Pointe Claire, Quebec (realtimepressrelease) October 21, 2016 – Future Electronics, a global leading distributor of electronic components, recently announced a new partnership with CalcuQuote, creating a platform for Electronics Manufacturing Services (EMS) companies to instantly query price and availability information from a Future Electronics data feed.

Robert Miller, President of Future Electronics, congratulated the entire Future Electronics team for the new agreement, which enbles EMS companies to check Future Electronics’ inventory and search for manufacturing part numbers (MPNs) in a Bill of Materials (BOM). CalcuQuote then replies with the price, availability, and other related information for those parts, by using CalcuQuote’s Materials Costing module.

“Future Electronics is excited to have a great partner in CalcuQuote,” said Tom Galligani, Vice President of FIRST and Supply Chain Solutions at Future Electronics. “This new integration enables us to provide our outstanding selection of products to EMS companies in a very efficient way.”

“We are delighted to bring component information directly from Future’s catalog to our customers without the manual effort of emailing spreadsheets back and forth,” said Chintan Sutaria, CEO of CalcuQuote. “Our customers rely on Future Electronics for excellent part selection and availability, and we’re very happy to deliver this new capability to the EMS industry in a way that saves everyone time.”

Future Electronics was founded in 1968 by Robert Miller, President and CEO, with more than 5,000 employees worldwide.

For more information about Future Electronics and access to the world’s largest available-to-sell inventory, visit: www.FutureElectronics.com.

About Future Electronics

Future Electronics is a global leader in electronics distribution, ranking 3rd in component sales worldwide, with an impressive reputation for developing efficient, comprehensive global supply chain solutions. Founded in 1968 by Robert Miller, President, Future Electronics has established itself as one of the most innovative organizations in the industry today, with 5,000 employees in 169 offices in 44 countries around the world. Future Electronics is globally integrated, with one worldwide IT infrastructure providing real-time inventory availability and access, while enabling full integration of its operations, sales and marketing worldwide. Offering the highest level of service, the most advanced engineering capabilities and technical solutions through all stages of the design-production cycle, and the largest available-to-sell inventory in the world, Future’s mission is always to Delight the Customer®. For more information, visit www.FutureElectronics.com.

Media Contact

Martin H. Gordon
Director, Corporate Communications
FUTURE ELECTRONICS
www.FutureElectronics.com
514-694-7710 (ext. 2236)
Fax: 514-630-2671
martin.gordon@FutureElectronics.com

###

Cambodia’s First Premium Travel and Tour Operator Launches

A new joint venture between a Vietnamese and Cambodian partner has taken place to promote quality tourism in the Kingdom of Cambodia as Luxury Travel Ltd.

Hanoi, Vietnam, September 29, 2013 – A new joint venture between a Vietnamese and Cambodian partner has taken place to promote quality tourism in the Kingdom of Cambodia as Luxury Travel Ltd. (www.luxurytravels.asia) is set to launch “Asia Premium Travel” to promote luxury tourism in the kingdom of Cambodia as part of its expansion strategy.

Consolidating the talent of other travel experts in Cambodia, Luxury Travel Ltd. has set up a joint venture, “Asia Premium Travel www.asiapremiumtravel.com”, which will launch on October 1, 2013, with its head office in Siem Reap and a branch office in Phnom Penh.

Teeming with history, marvelous architecture and awash in natural beauty, Cambodia is fast becoming a must see destination in Southeast Asia. And, although a lengthy period of internal strife and civil war curtailed travel to Cambodia for the better part of three decades, the establishment of peace has spurred a rise in tourism, which (accompanied by a hotel construction boom in Siem Reap, Phnom Penh and Sihanouk Ville) has made the area an exotic, high-end destination in the Mekong region.

“Our purpose is to build the first Cambodia-based premium luxury travel company which provides full travel service and develops luxury hotel stays, cruises and restaurant visits in the Kingdom of Cambodia and the Mekong sub region. Our team will be our clients’ personal experience guides and our mission will be to provide the world’s most authentic luxury travel experiences in Cambodia and the region.” Chea Win, co-founder and CEO of Asia Premium Travel Ltd.”

Asia Premium Travel‘s (www.asiapremiumtravel.com) main business activities will focus on chic inbound/outbound operations, luxury adventures, custom tours, romance, wellness and spa destinations, MICE, family travel and private travel arrangements for stars, celebrities, royal and government clientele. All of this will include arranging private jet and yacht cruises and anything else required, as nothing is impossible our estimation.

“We define premium travel as experiential. The beauty of our Cambodian high-end travel experience tours is the flavors of first-hand knowledge plus unique, sophisticated and excellent service handled by local travel experts. We focus on FIT, MICE and tailor made experiences for special interests”says Phan An, co-founder and DOSM of Asia Premium Travel.

“Each experience has been carefully designed to capture the crème de la crème, essence, culture or food of each region, allowing clients to really absorb the experience and engage in a cultural exchange, while flowing smoothly from place to place, and allowing time for relaxation and exploration at their own pace. Of course, any travel experience can be modified to suit their tastes, timeframe, budget, and special interests.”

Asia Pacific is the main force for Cambodian tourism, and Vietnam is a big market in particular, but the company will also aim to attract long haul travelers from Europe, America and Australia, who are seeking to explore Cambodia.

Luxury Travel Ltd. (www.luxurytravels.asia) has a very good reputation, as well as offices throughout Vietnam, which makes this a good partnership due to more airline and road connections between the two countries. Also, international travelers also prefer combining Vietnam and Cambodia into one single destination.

About Asia Premium Travel Ltd.
The first Cambodia-based premium travel and tour operator for the Mekong region, Asia Premium Travel will be known for their custom high-end journeys, first-hand destination knowledge, dedication to highly personalized experiences, insider access, and unsurpassed service to an elite clientele. Asia Premium Travel (www.asiapremiumtravel.com) provides travelers the world’s most authentic luxury travel experiences, and their travel advisors work with the discerning, adventurous and curious travelers across the globe seeking a highly personalized luxury travel experiences. Their team of luxury travel specialists will customize the trip of a life time experience for their clients.

About Luxury Travel:
Vietnam’s first luxury tour operator/DMC (www.luxurytravels.asia) and based in Hanoi,with offices throughout Vietnam, Luxury Travel Ltd. opened in 2004. The Luxury Travel Company Limited has its own offices, luxury vehicles, luxury travel advisors, and representative offices in California, London, Paris, Berlin, Brisbane, and a joint-venture company Cambodia. The company’s depth of experience and large infrastructure enable it to create unique itineraries with the operational confidence to fulfill the most sophisticated traveler’s expectations. Luxury Travel Ltd. has won numerous travel awards for excellent performance including the most recent Guide Award 2013: “The leading specialist in the art of travel with luxurious and private service”

Contact:
Linh Doan
Luxury Travel Ltd.
05 Nguyen Truong To Str.,
Ba Dinh Dist, Hanoi, 10000
Vietnam
+84439274120
marketing13@luxurytravelvietnam.com
http://www.luxurytravelvietnam.com/

Ecotech Institute Increases Veterans’ Resources, Including Partnership with Veterans Green Jobs

With Veteran Population on the Rise, Ecotech Seeks to Understand the Educational and Emotional Needs of Military Students

Denver, CO, May 08, 2012 – Ecotech Institute, the first and only college entirely focused on renewable energy and sustainability, today announced that it has formed a relationship with Colorado-based Veterans Green Jobs, whose mission is to engage, transition and connect military veterans with meaningful employment opportunities. About 15 percent of Ecotech’s current student population is made up of military veterans.

Together, Ecotech and Veterans Green Jobs will focus on encouraging and enhancing opportunities for military veterans by promoting career opportunities in the green jobs sector, both in Colorado and nationally.

“Our military population has already been through so much and we want to make sure we’re providing the support they need to excel in school and go on to have productive careers,” said Michael Seifert, president of Ecotech Institute. “Veterans Green Jobs has a similar focus, believing that the right jobs can make all the difference in helping our military veterans enjoy a successful life after service.”

As part of its commitment to military students, Ecotech recently hosted a seminar on Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), taught by the Denver Department of Veterans Affairs. Ecotech administration, program directors and instructors attended the session to better understand what many student veterans are going through. According to “Help my PTSD,” one in every five military personnel returning from Iraq and Afghanistan has PTSD and in the past year the number of diagnosed cases in the military has jumped 50 percent.

At Ecotech, 67 students are either military veterans or currently serving in the military. Of those, three will graduate on June 21, 2012. One of those students is Monica Soto, who will graduate in June with a degree in Wind Energy Technology. Monica spent more than eight years in the Navy as an aircraft mechanic, but after 9/11 she left the Navy to be closer to her son and build a career where she could raise him in one place. After trying some other career paths, she found Ecotech when seeking an opportunity that would capitalize on her training and previous associate’s degree, and also build a bridge between her time in the military and her life as a civilian.

“As a single mom and 100 percent disabled vet, I didn’t know where to find my place in the civilian community and Ecotech met my needs in a variety of ways,” said Soto. “I knew my purpose in the Navy and felt lost after I left; I now feel a purpose again. I’m excited about putting my skills to work to better my own family and our environment.”

Ecotech Institute will have its first graduating class in June 2012. Ecotech Institute, which is accredited by the Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools, offers highly practical renewable energy degree programs that provide graduates with skills valued by today’s alternative cleantech employers.

Learn more about Ecotech Institute, or call 877-326-5576. The next round of classes begins in late June and applications are being accepted now. Financial assistance is available to those who qualify.

About Ecotech Institute
Ecotech Institute is the first and only college entirely focused on preparing America’s workforce for careers in renewable energy and sustainability.  Launched in April 2010 in Denver, Colorado, the college offers five associate’s degrees designed by experts in the industry for people seeking careers in the emerging cleantech economy. Ecotech Institute is a division of Education Corporation of America. For more information about Ecotech Institute, visit www.ecotechinstitute.com.

About Education Corporation of America
Education Corporation of America is a leader in the post-secondary career school market with current enrollment of almost 20,000 students.  The ECA website is www.ecacolleges.com.  In addition to Ecotech Institute, ECA schools include Virginia College, founded in 1983, a private institution of higher education that offers non-degree and associate’s, bachelor’s and master’s degree programs in the areas of Health and Medical, Business, Information Technology, Interior Design, Computer Design, Culinary Arts, Cosmetology, Nursing and more in eighteen different cities.  Virginia College campuses are located in Birmingham, Huntsville, Mobile and Montgomery, Alabama; Jacksonville and Pensacola, Florida; Augusta, Columbus, Macon and Savannah, Georgia; Biloxi and Jackson, Mississippi; Charleston, Spartanburg, Columbia, and Greenville, South Carolina; Chattanooga and Knoxville, Tennessee; Baton Rouge, Louisiana; Richmond, Virginia; Tulsa, Oklahoma; and Austin, Texas. The Virginia College website is www.vc.edu.  Virginia College also offers classes worldwide via the Internet, with student services and admissions facilities in Birmingham, Alabama, and Tampa, Florida, and a Military Student Center also in Tampa.  Information about online classes at Virginia College is available at www.vconline.edu.  Additionally, ECA operates Culinard, the Culinary Institute of Virginia College, with locations in Birmingham and Mobile, Alabama; Richmond, Virginia; Savannah, Georgia; and Jacksonville, Florida.  The website is www.culinard.com.  ECA also operates Golf Academy of America, with locations in Phoenix, Arizona; San Diego, California; Dallas, Texas; Orlando, Florida; and Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.  The Golf Academy website is golfacademy.edu.

Contact:
Alicia Hassinger or Jenny Foust
Communications Strategy Group
3225 East 2nd Avenue
Denver, CO 80206
303.433.7020
ahassinger@csg-pr.com or jfoust@csg-pr.com
http://www.csg-pr.com

Security Benefit Partners With fi360

New Relationship To Provide Powerful Tools For Independent 401(k) Advisors

Topeka, Kansas, April 23, 2012 – Security Benefit Corporation, a leading provider of retirement savings and income vehicles throughout the nation, today announced it has formed a partnership with fi360, the premier organization for fiduciary education, investment analytics, support services, and industry insights for financial professionals.

With the relationship, advisors and plan sponsors will have no-cost access to fi360’s highly regarded fi360 Fiduciary Score® analysis of Security Benefit’s recently launched SecurePoint Retirement 401(k) product. SecurePoint includes the expertise of Mesirow Financial as ERISA 3(38) fiduciary in the selection, monitoring, and replacement of 401(k) plan investment alternatives.

“We’re confident that advisors will find fi360’s reports beneficial,” said Jim Mullery, President, Security Distributors. “Access to a powerful fiduciary tool like fi360 will go a long way toward helping independent investment advisors build and manage sound 401(k) businesses.”

Known for its full-circle approach to investment fiduciary education, practice management, and support, fi360 offers world-class training, tools, and resources essential for fiduciaries to effectively and successfully manage their roles and responsibilities. The firm’s designation training provides instruction towards earning the Accredited Investment Fiduciary® (AIF®) and Accredited Investment Fiduciary Analyst™ (AIFA®) professional designations.

“We see this as a mutually beneficial relationship,” said Blaine Aikin, fi360’s CEO, “and a chance for us to immediately add real value to advisors in the small- and mid-size retirement plan market.”

Additional information on SecurePoint and Security Benefit’s Corporate Retirement Programs is available at securityretirement.com.

For more information, please contact:
Michel’ Cole, Security Benefit Corporation
(785) 438-3396
Michel.cole@securitybenefit.com

Laura Parsons, CSG-PR
303-887-2911
lparsons@csg-pr.com

About Security Benefit Corporation
Founded in 1892, Security Benefit Corporation, a Guggenheim Partners Company, is a leading provider of savings and income solutions for America’s pre-and post-retirees. Security Benefit Corporation targets multiple wealth segments and channels of distribution through an independent, merit-based distribution structure. By leveraging Guggenheim’s superior general account management capabilities into highly competitive products, Security Benefit Corporation focuses on the retirement savings market providing a full range of services to independent distributors including broker/dealers, IMOs and other financial service providers. Security Benefit is indirectly controlled by Guggenheim Partners, LLC. The firm’s se2 division is an award-winning and nationally recognized provider of administrative services for the insurance and financial services industry. To learn more about Security Benefit or se2, visit www.securitybenefit.com or www.se2.com.

About Guggenheim Partners
Guggenheim Partners is a privately held global financial services firm with more than $125 billion in assets under management. The firm provides asset management, investment banking and capital markets services, insurance, institutional finance and investment advisory solutions to institutions, governments and agencies, corporations, investment advisors, family offices and individuals. Guggenheim Partners is headquartered in New York and Chicago and serves clients around the world from more than 25 offices in 10 countries. For more information, please visit www.guggenheimpartners.com.

About fi360
fi360 offers a comprehensive approach to investment fiduciary education, practice management and support that has established them as the go-to source for investment fiduciary insights. With substantiated Practices as the foundation, fi360 offers world-class fiduciary Training/Education, Tools and Resources that are essential for fiduciaries and those who provide services to fiduciaries to effectively and successfully manage their roles and responsibilities. Fi360 assists those who rely on their fiduciary education programs, professional AIF® and AIFA® designations, Web-based analytical and reporting software and resources to achieve success. For more information about fi360, please visit www.fi360.com or Twitter: @fiduciary360.

The Security Benefit SecurePoint RetirementSM 401(k) product is a Trust Account under §401 of the Internal Revenue Code.

Services are offered through Security Distributors, Inc., a subsidiary of Security Benefit Corporation.

Contact:
Laura Parsons
CSG PR
3225 East 2nd Avenue
Denver, CO 80206
303-887-2911
lparsons@csg-pr.com
http://www.csg-pr.com

FPL and NASA – A Powerful Partnership

“Whether it’s supporting future space flight or the growing needs of businesses and residents of the Space Coast, FPL and its Cape Canaveral Next Generation Clean Energy Center will stand ready to power that future with affordable, reliable electricity,” said Mark Lemasney, FPL’s General Manager at its Cape Canaveral Plant.

Juno Beach, FL (March 16, 2012) — In April, 1965, just weeks before astronaut Ed White opened the hatch of Gemini 4 to become the first American to walk into space, Florida Power & Light launched a new power plant to help provide energy for the emerging space program.

The company gave its facility a name to reflect this new and vital partnership – the Cape Canaveral Power Plant.

“NASA’s had a partnership with Florida Power & Light since the ‘60’s,” said NASA Public Affairs Director Allard Beutel. “President Kennedy laid out a few years earlier that we would go to the moon and back safely by the end of the 1960’s. And that was all from scratch. We needed buildings and facilities and everything requires electricity.”

From the Apollo missions, which achieved that most magnificent goal of landing a man on the moon, to the shuttle program and the construction of the international space station, NASA’s investments in the future, and innovations in technology helped it soar to new heights.

For nearly 50 years, FPL has helped its partner fuel that innovation.

“The plant became more efficient,” said Mark Lemasney, FPL’s General Manager at its Cape Canaveral Plant. “We added natural gas to what was originally an oil fired plant. We invested to improve our operations, which allowed us to meet the growing needs of the space program.”

In 2010, FPL prepared to take its most innovative step yet. The company demolished its original plant to make room for a new, highly efficient clean energy center. The Cape Canaveral Next Generation Clean Energy Center, scheduled to come online in 2013, is designed to produce more electricity using a third less fuel and cut emissions in half. “This really is an investment in the future,” said Lemansey. “We will create a state of the art, clean energy center that will pay for itself in the savings our customers, including NASA, will realize over the life of this plant.”

The project is already having a powerful impact on the Space Coast.

“It’s beautiful, it’s incredible,” said Sarah Cespedes of Port St. John, who works as a receptionist on the site of the future clean energy center. “There are a lot of local people working here and I’m one of them.”

James Gatton of Meritt Island is another local resident who has joined the 650 people employed on the project. He says he’s excited about the work and the legacy they are building for the region.

“It has been fantastic,” said Gatton. “With the state of the economy, it’s really boosting it.”

When the project is complete, the new clean energy center is expected to generate $12 million in tax revenue to the local schools and governments in the Brevard County area. “Whether it’s supporting future space flight or the growing needs of businesses and residents of the Space Coast, FPL and its Cape Canaveral Next Generation Clean Energy Center will stand ready to power that future with affordable, reliable electricity,” said Lemasney.

About Florida Power & Light Company
Florida Power & Light Company is the largest electric utility in Florida and one of the largest rate-regulated utilities in the United States. FPL serves 4.5 million customer accounts in Florida and is a leading employer in the state with approximately 10,000 employees. The company consistently outperforms national averages for service reliability while customer bills are below the national average. A clean energy leader, FPL has one of the lowest emissions profiles and one of the leading energy efficiency programs among utilities nationwide. FPL is a subsidiary of Juno Beach, Fla. – based NextEra Energy, Inc. (NYSE: NEE). For more information, visit http://www.FPL.com.

Media Contact:
FPL Media Line
Florida Power & Light Company
700 Universe Blvd.
Juno Beach, FL 33408
305-552-3888
kristy.kennedy@rbbpr.com
http://www.fpl.com

Veritas Prep Continues Partnership with Management Leadership for Tomorrow, Donates GMAT Prep

Leading GMAT prep and graduate school admissions consulting provider makes free GMAT prep beta class available to 2013 MLT Fellows, offers 50 percent discount on all other courses

Malibu, California, March 12, 2012 – Veritas Prep, a leading GMAT prep and graduate school admissions consulting provider, today announced that it is continuing its partnership with Management Leadership for Tomorrow (MLT), a national nonprofit that develops African-American, Hispanic-American and Native American young people for leadership positions. The 2013 class of MLT Fellows will have the opportunity to get a first look at Veritas Prep’s new curriculum and take one of three free GMAT prep beta classes being made available in Los Angeles, New York and live online. Veritas Prep is also offering MLT Fellows a 50 percent discount off all other Veritas Prep GMAT prep courses.

“We believe deeply in the mission of Management Leadership for Tomorrow and are proud to support its efforts by continuing to give MLT Fellows access to the preparation they need to succeed on the GMAT,” said Chad Troutwine, co-founder and CEO of Veritas Prep. “Many top MBA programs have made recruiting minority talent a priority and it is imperative that we do what we can to help them be competitive candidates. It is our hope that by easing the financial burden of paying for a prep course, the 2013 MLT Fellows will be able to focus on gaining admission to business school, so they can get the education they need to launch their careers.”

Additionally, on Friday, March 16th, Troutwine and Brian Galvin, Director of Academic Programs at Veritas Prep, will lead a session on the GMAT at the MLT MBA Prep Kick-off Seminar at The Jones School of Business at Rice University in Houston, TX. During the session, they will offer an overview of the GMAT, including information about the new Integrated Reasoning section that is being added to the exam in June, as well as advice on how to effectively prepare and tips and strategies to help test takers achieve a top score.

Management Leadership for Tomorrow identifies 200 promising pre-MBA minority students each year for its MBA Prep program and provides leadership training, skill development and career success programming in an effort to foster the next generation of minority leaders. MLT’s pre-MBA programming works to increase the minority presence in leading business schools and facilitate the post-MBA career transition. MLT is the number one source of minority students at the nation’s top MBA programs.

Last year, more than 100 MLT Fellows took advantage of the free course offer from Veritas Prep, totaling more than $125,000 in tuition donated. To learn more about Management Leadership for Tomorrow and its programs, visit www.ml4t.org, or for more information about Veritas Prep visit www.veritasprep.com.

About Veritas Prep
Veritas Prep is the world’s largest privately-owned GMAT preparation and graduate school admissions consulting provider, offering industry-leading programs to help applicants improve their test scores and gain admission to the world’s best graduate schools. Founded in 2002 by graduates of the Yale School of Management, Veritas Prep now offers live GMAT prep instruction in more than 50 cities worldwide, as well as interactive online courses available everywhere. Additionally, Veritas Prep offers industry-leading admissions consulting services for applicants seeking admission to the most competitive business schools, law schools, and medical schools in the world. For more information, visit veritasprep.com.

About Management Leadership for Tomorrow
Management Leadership for Tomorrow (MLT) is the premier career development institution that equips high potential African Americans, Hispanics and Native Americans with the key ingredients—skills, coaching and door-opening relationships—that unlock their potential. By cracking the code on career potential, MLT is developing the next generation of minority leaders, for the corporate, non-profit and entrepreneurial sectors, who will in turn have a transformational impact on our communities. MLT delivers programming that puts minorities on the fast-track to success at every stage of their careers – from College through MBA and the Executive levels – and is a leading source of minority talent for top graduate business schools and for many of the nation’s premier corporations. For more information, visit ml4t.org.

Contact:
Lindsey Mikal
Communications Strategy Group
3225 East 2nd Avenue
Denver, CO 80206
303-433-7020
lmikal@csg-pr.com
http://www.csg-pr.com

GeoSurf, the Premium Proxy Solution for Smartphones, Partners with Epic Direct, the Largest Performance-Based Network

Epic’s 45,000+ publishers will now be able to monitor and validate geo-targeted advertising via the world’s fastest and most secure proxy network on iOS and Android devices.

New York, NY, December 06, 2011 – GeoSurf and Epic Direct Network announced this morning their partnership, which will enable 45,000 Epic publishers to keep control of their campaigns while on the go during the holidays and throughout the year.

GeoSurf enables users to Surf Locally . . . without being local by connecting to a worldwide network of fast, secured proxy servers in 80+ global locations, including 25 United States demographic market areas. Through the GeoSurf premium proxy solutions, users can experience the internet and interact with web content as local users do. For instance, a user in New York can view websites and localized advertising as a user does in Germany, Australia, China, or Chicago.

“Our publishers realize that geotargeting their ads is a sure-fire way to increase conversions,” says Audrey B. Breheney, Senior Director, Epic Advisor Division & Network Marketing. “GeoSurf enables publishers to ensure their ads are displayed properly in other areas of the world while being able to research and profile new advertisers and markets. As a whole, it could dramatically increase the number of campaigns run while positively impacting a publisher’s overall business results.”

“Epic’s publishers have been benefitting and profiting from our toolbar for a long time. We are happy to now welcome them with this special promotion the entire GeoSurf product suite, especially GeoSurf for Smartphones. We are sure that their use of these tools will further improve their performance and compliance.” says GeoSurf’s Oren Zafrir, VP, Sales & Business Development.

Epic Direct Network has partnered with GeoSurf to offer holiday promotions on the GeoSurf product suite to publishers who sign up through December 31, 2011. Details about signing up as an Epic publisher can be found on Epic’s company’s website, epicdirectnetwork.com. Details about the GeoSurf products can be found on GeoSurf’s site at geosurf.com.

About Epic Direct Network:
Epic Direct is a division of the Epic Media Group and is the company’s flagship performance-based ad network focused primarily on customer acquisition and pay-for-performance online advertising campaigns. With over 45,000 publishers, Epic Direct is the largest network of its kind worldwide resulting in an ability to drive the best performance for advertisers and publishers/affiliates. Epic Direct supports campaigns across all channels through search engine marketing, web/display, social media, email and more.

About GeoSurf:
GeoSurf™ is product suite that enables users to get the local perspective from more than 80 global locations. It is often used by online media professionals (agencies, buyers, campaign managers, sales, affiliates, QA, and compliance teams) to view geo-targeted ads and web content. This way, they can easily validate and monitor campaigns, see who is bidding on localized ad placements, generate new sources of business, and enhance current marketing activities. It is straight-forward and easy-to-use. The company’s commitment is to extraordinary customer service for its customers. The products: browser toolbars, VPN connection, Direct Connect by API, and a Smartphone Solution grant access to a broad worldwide network of servers that provide premium proxy service. All of the servers on the network are owned by the company, thereby making them fast, secure, and reliable.

Contact:
Lital Barkan
BIScience ltd.
11 HaAhim MiSlavuta
Tel Aviv 67010
Israel
+ 972-3-604-0622
Lital.barkan@geosurf.com
http://www.geosurf.com