Author: Newsdesk

MCLEAN, Va., Nov. 20, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Freddie Mac (OTCQB: FMCC) recently priced a new offering of Structured Pass-Through Certificates (K Certificates) which are backed by underlying collateral consisting of supplemental multifamily mortgages. The company expects to issue approximately $328 million in K Certificates (K-J32 Certificates), which are expected to settle on or about November 30, 2020.

K-
J
32
Pricing

Class	Principal/Notional Amount (mm)		Weighted Average Life (Years)	Spread/Discount Margin (bps)	Coupon	Dollar Price
A-1	$65.000		3.52	S+17	0.5160%	$99.9996
A-2	$166.415		7.06	S+44	1.3940%	$101.9999
A-FL	$96.826		4.93	25	1 mo LIBOR + 25	$100.0000
X-FX	Non-Offered
X-FL	Non-Offered

• Lead Manager and Sole Bookrunner: J.P. Morgan Securities LLC and Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC
• Co-Managers: Academy Securities Inc., Barclays Capital Inc., NatAlliance Securities, LLC and PNC Capital Markets LLC

Related Links

• The K-J32 Offering Circular Supplement: http://www.freddiemac.com/mbs/data/kj32oc.pdf [pdf] 
• Freddie Mac Multifamily Securitization Overview [pdf]
• 
  Multifamily Securities Investor Access
  database of post-securitization data from Investor Reporting Packages

The K-J32 Certificates are backed by corresponding classes issued by the FREMF 2020-KJ32 Mortgage Trust (KJ32 Trust) and guaranteed by Freddie Mac. The KJ32 Trust will also issue certificates consisting of class B-FX, F-FL and class R certificates, which will not be guaranteed by Freddie Mac and will not back any class of K-J32 Certificates. 

Freddie Mac Multifamily
is a leading issuer of agency-guaranteed structured multifamily securities. K-Deals are part of the company’s business strategy to transfer a portion of the risk of losses away from taxpayers and to private investors who purchase the unguaranteed subordinate bonds. K Certificates typically feature a wide range of investor options with stable cash flows and structured credit enhancement.

This announcement is not an offer to sell any Freddie Mac securities. Offers for any given security are made only through applicable offering circulars and related supplements, which incorporate Freddie Mac’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on February 13, 2020; all other reports Freddie Mac filed with the SEC pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (Exchange Act) since December 31, 2019, excluding any information “furnished” to the SEC on Form 8-K; and all documents that Freddie Mac files with the SEC pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c) or 14 of the Exchange Act, excluding any information “furnished” to the SEC on Form 8-K.

Freddie Mac’s press releases sometimes contain forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties, some of which are beyond the company’s control. Management’s expectations for the company’s future necessarily involve a number of assumptions, judgments and estimates, and various factors could cause actual results to differ materially from the expectations expressed in these and other forward-looking statements. These assumptions, judgments, estimates and factors are discussed in the company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019, and its reports on Form 10-Q and Form 8-K, which are available on the Investor Relations page of the company’s Web site at www.FreddieMac.com/investors and the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. The company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking statements it makes to reflect events or circumstances occurring after the date of this press release. The multifamily investors section of the company’s Web site at https://mf.freddiemac.com/investors/ will also be updated, from time to time, with any information on material developments or other events that may be important to investors, and we encourage investors to access this website on a regular basis for such updated information.

The financial and other information contained in the documents that may be accessed on this page speaks only as of the date of those documents. The information could be out of date and no longer accurate. Freddie Mac undertakes no obligation, and disclaims any duty, to update any of the information in those documents.

Freddie Mac makes home possible for millions of families and individuals by providing mortgage capital to lenders. Since our creation by Congress in 1970, we’ve made housing more accessible and affordable for homebuyers and renters in communities nationwide. We are building a better housing finance system for homebuyers, renters, lenders, and taxpayers. Learn more at FreddieMac.com, Twitter @FreddieMac and Freddie Mac’s blog FreddieMac.com/blog.

MEDIA CONTACT: 
Mike Morosi

703-
918-5851

Michael_Morosi
@FreddieMac.com

INVESTOR CONTACT
S
: Robert Koontz

571-382-4082

Amanda Nunnink

312
–
407-7510

Lake City, Colo., Nov. 20, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) —

Green Builder Media has joined forces with architect and building science expert Sam Rashkin, longtime housing industry influencer and author of Retooling the U.S. Housing Industry, to develop and implement the Housing 2.0 Program, a flexible year-long, wide-ranging engagement and education program dedicated to optimizing the housing sector. 

The Housing 2.0 program will empower building professionals to design and construct higher performance, healthier, more sustainable homes at a fraction of the cost.

“Virtually every major industry in our economy has experienced massive disruption. Housing has been able to sit on the sidelines, but not any longer,” says Rashkin. “The disruption occurring now will remove the challenges that builders are facing with respect to labor issues, quality control, soaring lumber and material costs, cycle time, performance risks, and sales struggles, enabling building professionals to deliver higher quality homes that optimize customer satisfaction.”

Building on Rashkin’s years of educational and training experience through his Retooling the U.S. Housing program and Green Builder Media’s leadership in sustainability expertise, the Housing 2.0 program will teach building professionals how to improve the home buyer experience through a proprietary framework that prepares home builders for profound changes looming ahead.

The foundation of the program is the Housing 2.0 book, authored by Rashkin, which will be released in the beginning of 2021. The program will also incorporate a five-part workshop series that will cover:

• Housing 2.0 fundamentals
• Ongoing educational courses
• Action groups for sharing best practices
• Extensive custom content creation and editorial coverage
• Market intelligence from COGNITION Smart Data highlighting disruptive innovations that are transforming the building industry

“We truly believe that the housing market is about to experience titanic transformation,” says Sara Gutterman, Green Builder Media CEO. “The Housing 2.0 program provides an excellent vehicle for us to offer ideas and inspiration, and also to receive feedback from participants, peers, and colleagues so that we can learn how, together, we can facilitate change and optimize the results.”

To learn more about the program, including detailed course information, visit the Housing 2.0 website here or contact Sara Gutterman at [email protected]. You can also sign up for Green Builder Media’s free weekly e-newsletter for Housing 2.0 updates. 

 

About Green Builder Media

Green Builder Media is North America’s leading media company focused on green building and sustainable living, affecting positive change by providing inspirational information to over 200,000 progressive building professionals and millions of early adopter and first-mover consumers who are interested in sustainable living. Green Builder Media generates award-winning editorial, including breaking news, prominent market research, original insights, and visionary thought pieces. With a comprehensive suite of content marketing, digital, social, and print media options, high-profile demonstration projects, market intelligence, and data services, and live events, Green Builder Media offers a blend of visionary and practical information covering a broad spectrum of sustainable living topics, including Internet of Things, smart home technologies, energy efficiency, intelligent water, indoor air quality, resilient housing, renewables, and clean transportation.

 

About Sam Rashkin

Rashkin is known for his accomplishments as national director of voluntary labeling programs for the housing industry that have led to more than two million certified high-performance ENERGY STAR and Zero Energy Ready Homes. During his 20-plus years as a licensed architect, he specialized in energy-efficient design and completed over 100 residential projects. He has served on national Steering Committees for USGBC’s LEED for Homes, Green Builder Media’s Green Builder Guidelines, EPA’s Water Sense label, and EPA’s Indoor airPLUS label. Rashkin is the author of a book titled Retooling the U.S. Housing Industry: How It Got Here, Why It’s Broken, and How to Fix It that helps builders prepare for housing industry disruption looming ahead. He has brought lessons from his book to hundreds of housing executives, particularly production builders, across the country with workshops and collaborative meetings. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Attachments

• GBM Housing 2
• Sam Rashkin photo

Cati O'Keefe
Green Builder Media
5135320185
[email protected]

Bloomington, Ind., Nov. 20, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — In Best Practices at Tier 2: Supplemental Interventions for Additional Student Support, Elementary—published by Solution Tree—authors Sharon V. Kramer, Bob Sonju, Mike Mattos and Austin Buffum provide elementary educators with fundamental practices and tools for implementing effective interventions at Tier 2 of the RTI at Work™ process.  

“We have a profound desire to help schools and teams become more effective in providing Tier 2 targeted intervention to help all students learn at high levels,” explain the authors in the book’s introduction. “Through extensive experiences—both good and sometimes not so good—research, and best practice, we have discovered both cultural and structural practices that strengthen learning, support teams, and lead to high levels of learning for every student.” 

The resource is part of a six-book series on best instructional practices at each tier of the RTI at Work process: 

• TIER 1 – Access to essential grade-level standards for all students

• TIER 2 – Additional support to master essential grade-level standards

• TIER 3 – Intensive remediation in universal skills

To provide in-depth support to educators, each chapter of Best Practices at Tier 2, Elementary  focuses on select foundational principles of effective Tier 2 interventions and is divided into four sections: Why We Need to Do Things Differently, Here’s How, Big Ideas and Key Considerations Rubric. 

“With the increase in virtual learning, never have high-functioning professional learning communities and well-planned, data-driven interventions been more critical,” said Michelle North, principal of Bloomington Hills Elementary in St. George, Utah. “In Best Practices at Tier 2, Elementary, the authors carefully outline and detail a clear road map for how educators can do the important work of meeting the needs of all learners through strong, effective Tier 2 interventions and support.”

Best Practices at Tier 2, Elementary and its companion title Best Practices at Tier 1, Elementary are available to order at SolutionTree.com

###

About the Authors 

Sharon V. Kramer, PhD, knows firsthand the demands and rewards of working in a professional learning community. As an author and a leader in the field, she emphasizes the importance of creating and using quality assessments as a continual part of the learning process. Dr. Kramer served as assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction of Kildeer Countryside School District 96 in Illinois.

Bob Sonju is an award-winning educational leader and educational consultant recognized for his energetic commitment to building effective teams, developing RTI structures that support teachers and students and creating effective school culture committed to student learning. He is currently executive director of learning and development for Washington County School District.

Austin Buffum, EdD, has 38 years of experience in public schools. His many roles include serving as former senior deputy superintendent of the Capistrano Unified School District in California. Dr. Buffum has delivered presentations and trainings on the RTI at Work model in over 500 schools and districts around the world.

Mike Mattos, an internationally recognized author, presenter and practitioner, specializes in uniting teachers, administrators and support staff to transform schools. Mike is a former principal of Marjorie Veeh Elementary School and Pioneer Middle School in California, where he helped create cultures of success, improving learning for all students.

About Solution Tree

Since 1998, Solution Tree has worked to transform education worldwide by empowering educators to raise student achievement. With more than 48,962 educators attending professional learning events and more than 5,500 professional development days in schools each year, Solution Tree helps teachers and administrators confront essential challenges. Solution Tree has a catalog of more than 500 titles, hundreds of videos, and online courses and is the creator of Global PD, an online tool that facilitates the work of professional learning communities for more than 20,000 educators. No other professional learning company provides Solution Tree’s unique blend of research-based, results-driven services that improve learning outcomes for students. Follow @SolutionTree on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

Solution Tree
Erica Dooley-Dorocke
[email protected]
800.733.6786 ext. 247

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa, Nov. 20, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Today, the Board of Directors of United Fire Group, Inc. (Nasdaq: UFCS) (“UFG”) declared a common stock quarterly cash dividend of $0.15 per share. This dividend will be payable December 18, 2020 to shareholders of record as of December 4, 2020.

UFG has a long history of paying quarterly dividends, with the quarterly cash dividend declared today marking the 211th consecutive quarterly dividend paid, dating back to March 1968. UFG’s corporate strategy is focused on growth that diversifies the effects of individual underwriting perils, and the new dividend level supports these strategic capital requirements.

About UFG

Founded in 1946 as United Fire & Casualty Company, UFG, through its insurance company subsidiaries, is engaged in the business of writing property and casualty insurance.

Through our subsidiaries, we are licensed as a property and casualty insurer in 49 states, plus the District of Columbia, and we are represented by approximately 1,000 independent agencies. A.M. Best Company assigns a rating of “A” (Excellent) for members of the United Fire & Casualty Group.

For more information about UFG, visit www.ufginsurance.com or contact:

Randy Patten, AVP and Controller, 319-286-2537 or [email protected]

Disclosure of Forward-Looking Statements

This release may contain forward-looking statements about our operations, anticipated performance and other similar matters. The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 provides a safe harbor under the Securities Act of 1933 and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 for forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements are not historical facts and involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ from those expected and/or projected. Such forward-looking statements are based on current expectations, estimates, forecasts and projections about the Company, the industry in which we operate, and beliefs and assumptions made by management. Words such as “expect(s),” “anticipate(s),” “intends(s),” “plan(s),” “believe(s)” “continue(s),” “seek(s),” “estimate(s),” “goal(s),” “remain(s) optimistic,” “target(s),” “forecast(s),” “project(s),” “predict(s),” “should,” “could,” “may,” “will,” “might,” “hope,” “can” and other words and terms of similar meaning or expression in connection with a discussion of future operations, financial performance or financial condition, are intended to identify forward-looking statements. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions that are difficult to predict. Therefore, actual outcomes and results may differ materially from what is expressed in such forward-looking statements. Information concerning factors that could cause actual outcomes and results to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements is contained in Part I, Item 1A “Risk Factors” of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) on February 28, 2020, as updated in our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2020 filed with the SEC on May 6, 2020. The risks identified in our Annual Report on Form 10-K (as updated) and in our other SEC filings are representative of the risks, uncertainties, and assumptions that could cause actual outcomes and results to differ materially from what is expressed in the forward-looking statements. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this release or as of the date they are made. Except as required under the federal securities laws and the rules and regulations of the SEC, we do not have any intention or obligation to update publicly any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.