Market Newsdesk

Large 80-unit order for the company’s ESI^® CapStone™ system will help a leading flex PCB processor in Greater China address 5G-related processing challenges.

PORTLAND, Ore., Dec. 02, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — MKS Instruments, Inc. (NASDAQ: MKSI), a global provider of technologies that enable advanced processes and improve productivity, today announced that a leading PCB manufacturing customer in the Greater China region has purchased 80 units of the company’s ESI CapStone system for near-term delivery. CapStone is MKS’ latest flexible PCB laser processing system. It leverages the latest high-power, high-repetition rate laser technology and new beam control capabilities to deliver higher production throughput and higher yields.

“CapStone has definitely been a game changer,” said John Williams, Vice President and General Manager of MKS’ Equipment and Solutions division. “As Flex PCB manufacturers continue to upgrade their processing capabilities to address new technologies such as 5G, the CapStone system is enabling them to take advantage of latest-generation laser technology to stay current in a very competitive market.”

CapStone’s high-speed laser technology and unique beam positioning combine to allow manufacturers to meet the challenges associated with processing an increasingly-diverse set of flex PCBs at high yields, including 5G antennas and feedlines, wireless charging circuits, displays, cameras, and many other flex applications. With its significant throughput gains, process flexibility, and proven robust deployment even at large scale, CapStone reduces factory footprint and time to market for flex manufacturers to achieve the production capacity necessary to meet their accelerating flex demand.

About MKS Instruments

MKS Instruments, Inc. is a global provider of instruments, systems, subsystems and process control solutions that measure, monitor, deliver, analyze, power and control critical parameters of advanced manufacturing processes to improve process performance and productivity for our customers. Our products are derived from our core competencies in pressure measurement and control, flow measurement and control, gas and vapor delivery, gas composition analysis, electronic control technology, reactive gas generation and delivery, power generation and delivery, vacuum technology, lasers, photonics, optics, precision motion control, vibration control and laser-based manufacturing systems solutions. We also provide services relating to the maintenance and repair of our products, installation services and training. Our primary served markets include semiconductor, industrial technologies, life and health sciences, research and defense. Additional information can be found at www.mksinst.com.

About
the
ESI
Brand

ESI^® is a brand within the MKS Instruments Equipment & Solutions Division. The ESI portfolio consists of laser-based micro manufacturing systems and component test systems that are used worldwide by manufacturers in the electronics industry to process the materials and components that are an integral part of the electronic devices and systems in use today. Leveraging over 40 years of laser-material interaction expertise and applied laser technology, ESI solutions enable customers to optimize production by providing more control, greater application flexibility and more precise processing of a wide range of materials. The result is higher production quality, increased throughput and higher back-end yields at a lower total cost-of-ownership. Additional information can be found at www.esi.com.

ESI is a registered trademark of MKS Instruments, Inc. All other trade names referenced are the service marks, trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies.

MKS
Contact:

Dale Paulin
Marketing Operations Manager
Phone: 503-671-5510
Email: [email protected]

SUNNYVALE, Calif., Dec. 02, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — John Maddison, EVP of Products and CMO at Fortinet
“The convergence of OT and IT is changing the way many organizations do business and is also opening up new security risks. It is essential that OT organizations implement security-driven networking solutions that deliver secure, reliable connectivity even in remote and harsh environments. The FortiGate Rugged 60F platform delivers Secure SD-WAN to enable OT system owners to confidently embrace digital innovation while sustaining safe and continuous operations. This news continues Fortinet’s commitment to making Secure SD-WAN available for all network edges and verticals.”

News Summary

Fortinet® (NASDAQ: FTNT), a global leader in broad, integrated and automated cybersecurity solutions, today announced the FortiGate Rugged 60F and FortiGate Rugged 60F with built-in LTE next-generation firewalls, the industry’s first secure SD-WAN appliances certified to perform in operational technology (OT) environments. Built for non-environmentally controlled sites, these new ruggedized versions of the FortiGate platform enable the easy deployment of Fortinet’s industry leading Secure SD-WAN solution in locations never before possible for OT organizations in industries such as utilities and energy, manufacturing, and transportation.

OT Networks Require Specialized Solutions

Fundamental shifts are occurring in the way operational environments generate and collect data. In industries like manufacturing, power and utilities, oil and gas and other critical infrastructure, their distributed locations have traditionally relied on expensive leased lines or MPLS circuits to provide secure, reliable communications. SD-WAN has emerged as a modern solution for OT organizations to realize better user experience, simplified management and lower total cost of ownership, but adopting this technology requires a solution that meets the specific needs of OT environments, including space, power, security, and environmental requirements.

Fortinet
Takes
SD-WAN Where
I
t’s Never Gone Before

To address the unique concerns of OT organizations, Fortinet is releasing the FortiGate Rugged 60F and FortiGate Rugged 60F with built-in LTE, ruggedized versions of the FortiGate 60 series – the fastest, most powerful desktop Secure SD-WAN appliance and best-selling next-generation firewall with over 1.65 million units sold worldwide. The FortiGate Rugged 60F platform is a first-of-its-kind appliance that delivers the following features to support OT environments in safely and securely deploying SD-WAN:

• Small Footprint: The FortiGate Rugged 60F combines industry-leading SD-WAN, advanced routing and next-generation firewall security in a single, compact form factor, enabling it to be deployed in space-sensitive environments. This has the additional benefit of reducing costs and simplifying operations for network analysts.
• Flexible
  M
  ounting and Power: The FortiGate Rugged 60F is designed specifically for deployment in smaller OT sites that require different mounting and power options than found in traditional IT wiring closets.
• Built Tough: The FortiGate Rugged 60F is specifically designed to function in harsh environmental conditions, such as extreme temperatures, electromagnetic interference, high moisture, and extreme or constant vibration.
• Built-in LTE connectivity: For remote locations, the FortiGate Rugged 60F comes with an option for built-in LTE to provide an additional WAN connectivity option as well as easier deployment and operation.

Fortinet Delivers Industry
L
eading Performance
for
OT

In addition to being the only Secure SD-WAN appliance certified for operational technology environments, the FortiGate Rugged 60F platform delivers the industry’s highest security and networking performance. Powered by Fortinet’s patented SOC4 SD-WAN ASIC, the FortiGate Rugged 60F platform delivers low-latency protection, including SSL decryption, and higher IPsec VPN scale on top of integrated SD-WAN capabilities that are all managed by Fortinet’s intuitive SD-WAN orchestrator. Fortinet’s solution is also backed by industry validation. Fortinet has been named a Leader in both the Gartner Magic Quadrant for Network Firewalls¹ and the Gartner Magic Quadrant for WAN Edge Infrastructure². Fortinet’s newest ruggedized appliances are also backed by 20 years of industry experience delivering solutions that fit the unique needs, requirements, and constraints of operational technology environments.

Security-driven
N
etworking
for O
perational
T
echnology

Fortinet delivers a Security-driven Networking approach to SD-WAN, converging networking and security into a unified Secure SD-WAN solution with centralized orchestration. Combined with the Fortinet Security Fabric, this gives customers one solution that covers the entire converged IT-OT network to close OT security gaps, deliver full visibility, and provide simplified management. The entire FortiGate product line delivers cybersecurity control and visibility into OT networks, with today’s announcement of a ruggedized version extending these capabilities to allow deployments on oil rigs, electrical substations, assembly lines, maritime cargos, and other harsh environmental conditions.

Supporting Quote

“We cannot allow an operational error or an external attack, because we have people working all the time, 24×7. The implementation of a security solution in our critical infrastructure, such as Fortinet Secure SD-WAN, has become essential.”
– Andrés Koper, Plant Maintenance Manager, Sullair Argentina

“Operational Technology customers require secure solutions for their digital innovation initiatives. Schneider Electric’s Cybersecurity Services group delivers solutions with technology that best fits our customers’ needs. Partnering with Fortinet enables us to help our OT customers safely deploy SD-WAN with all-in-one secure solutions that reduce operating costs and simplify management.”
-Jay Abdallah, VP Cybersecurity Services, Schneider Electric 

Additional Resources

• Read the blog to find out more about FortiGate Rugged 60F next-generation firewalls and how Fortinet supports the convergence of OT and IT.
• Learn more about securing critical infrastructure with Fortinet.
• Find out how the Fortinet Security Fabric platform delivers broad, integrated, and automated protection across an organization’s entire digital infrastructure.
• Learn more about FortiGuard Labs threat intelligence and research and the FortiGuard Security Subscriptions and Services portfolio.
• Learn more about Fortinet’s Network Security Expert (NSE) Training Institute, including its free cybersecurity training initiative, the NSE Certification Program, Security Academy Program and Veterans Program.
• Read more about how Fortinet customers are securing their organizations.
• Engage in the Fortinet User Community (Fuse). Share ideas and feedback, learn more about our products and technology, and connect with peers.
• Follow Fortinet on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram. 

¹

Gartner, Magic Quadrant for Network Firewalls,
9
November 2020,
Rajpreet
Kaur, Adam
Hils
, Jeremy
D’Hoinne

²

Gartner, Magic Quadrant for WAN Edge Infrastructure, 23 September 2020, Jonathan Forest
,
Andrew Lerner
,
Naresh Singh

Gartner does not endorse any vendor, product or service depicted in its research publications, and does not advise technology users to select only those vendors with the highest ratings or other designation. Gartner research publications consist of the opinions of Gartner’s research organization and should not be construed as statements of fact. Gartner disclaims all warranties, expressed or implied, with respect to this research, including any warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose.

About Fortinet

Fortinet (NASDAQ: FTNT) secures the largest enterprise, service provider, and government organizations around the world. Fortinet empowers our customers with complete visibility and control across the expanding attack surface and the power to take on ever-increasing performance requirements today and into the future. Only the Fortinet Security Fabric platform can address the most critical security challenges and protect data across the entire digital infrastructure, whether in networked, application, multi-cloud or edge environments. Fortinet ranks #1 in the most security appliances shipped worldwide and more than 465,000 customers trust Fortinet to protect their businesses. Both a technology company and a learning organization, the Fortinet Network Security Expert (NSE) Training Institute has one of the largest and broadest cybersecurity training programs in the industry. Learn more at http://www.fortinet.com, the Fortinet Blog, or FortiGuard Labs.    

FTNT-O

Copyright © 2020 Fortinet, Inc. All rights reserved. The symbols ® and ™ denote respectively federally registered trademarks and common law trademarks of Fortinet, Inc., its subsidiaries and affiliates. Fortinet’s trademarks include, but are not limited to, the following: Fortinet, the Fortinet logo, FortiGate,
FortiOS
, FortiGuard,
FortiCare
,
FortiAnalyzer
,
FortiManager
,
FortiASIC
, FortiClient,
FortiCloud
,
FortiCore
,
FortiMail
,
FortiSandbox
,
FortiADC
,
FortiAI
,
FortiAP
,
FortiAppEngine
,
FortiAppMonitor
,
FortiAuthenticator
,
FortiBalancer
,
FortiBIOS
,
FortiBridge
,
FortiCache
,
FortiCam
,
FortiCamera
,
FortiCarrier
,
FortiCASB
,
FortiCenter
,
FortiCentral,FortiConnect
,
FortiController
,
FortiConverter
,
FortiCWP
,
FortiDB
,
FortiDDoS
,
FortiDeceptor
,
FortiDirector
,
FortiDNS
,
FortiEDR
,
FortiExplorer
,
FortiExtender
,
FortiFone
,
FortiHypervisor
,
FortiInsight
,
FortiIsolator
,
FortiLocator
,
FortiLog
,
FortiMeter
,
FortiMoM
,
FortiMonitor
,
FortiNAC
,
FortiPartner
,
FortiPortal
,
FortiPresence
,
FortiProtect
,
FortiProxy
,
FortiRecorder
,
FortiReporter
,
FortiScan
,
FortiSDNConnector
,
FortiSIEM
,
FortiSDWAN
,
FortiSMS
,
FortiSOAR
,
FortiSwitch
,
FortiTester
,
FortiToken
,
FortiTrust
,
FortiVoice
,
FortiVoIP
,
FortiWAN
,
FortiWeb
,
FortiWiFi
,
FortiWLC
,
FortiWLCOS
and
FortiWLM
.

Other trademarks belong to their respective owners. Fortinet has not independently verified statements or certifications herein attributed to third parties and Fortinet does not independently endorse such statements. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, nothing herein constitutes a warranty, guarantee, contract, binding specification or other binding commitment by Fortinet or any indication of intent related to a binding commitment, and performance and other specification information herein may be unique to certain environments. This news release may contain forward-looking statements that involve uncertainties and assumptions, such as statements regarding technology releases among others. Changes of circumstances, product release delays, or other risks as stated in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, located at www.sec.gov, may cause results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in this press release. If the uncertainties materialize or the assumptions prove incorrect, results may differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements and assumptions. All statements other than statements of historical fact are statements that could be deemed forward-looking statements. Fortinet assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements, and expressly disclaims any obligation to update these forward-looking statements.

Media Contact:	Investor Contact:	Analyst Contact:
Michelle Zimmermann	Peter Salkowski	Ron Davis
Fortinet, Inc.	Fortinet, Inc.	Fortinet, Inc.
408-235-7700	408-331-4595	415-806-9892
[email protected]	[email protected]	[email protected]

OVERLAND PARK, Kan., Dec. 02, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Mariner Wealth Advisors, a national wealth advisory firm headquartered in Kansas City, is proud to announce it has opened its 42^nd office location in Salt Lake City, Utah. Establishing a presence in Salt Lake City broadens the firm’s presence in the West Central region and allows the firm to bring custom wealth advice to a diverse set of local clients.

This marks the 26^th state that Mariner Wealth Advisors has established a presence in; a testament to the firm’s commitment to expanding its services nationally. While this represents the inaugural office in the state of Utah, Mariner Wealth Advisors, a firm ranked by Barron’s as a top five RIA the last five years¹, has already built deep relationships in the surrounding states of Arizona and Colorado.

As the geographical footprint of the firm expands, the proximity to The University of Utah provides great opportunity for Mariner Wealth Advisors to continue to service the needs of professionals within academia. Many of the firm’s advisors have extensive experience with this niche client base and work closely with professionals from renowned universities across the country.

Mark Dickamore, senior wealth advisor, opened the new office under the guidance of Eddie Dulin, managing director of the firm’s Scottsdale location. Dickamore specializes in customizing wealth management solutions for clients, integrating trust services and estate planning, personal insurance solutions and retirement planning, and servicing the niche client base of academia professionals. He brings 16 years of experience in assisting high-net-worth individuals.

“I am thrilled to open Mariner Wealth Advisors’ Salt Lake City office and forge connections with individuals and families in this region,” said Dickamore. “We saw a growing demand for a 360° approach to the unique wealth management needs of local Salt Lake City clients and are eager to share our integrated and personalized knowledge to help them navigate their financial futures.”

“I am proud of the growth milestones our firm has continued to achieve, as we expand into the West Central territory and stake a presence in a new state,” said Marty Bicknell, CEO and president of Mariner Wealth Advisors. “I believe our growth is a direct result of the exceptional client-first service and advice our people provide. As we continue to hear the call for comprehensive services including tax planning, investment management, personal insurance solutions, and trust and estate planning, we will expand our presence into areas where clients need us the most. I look forward to seeing the Salt Lake City office thrive.”

About Mariner Wealth Advisors

At Mariner Wealth Advisors, we provide 360° advice designed to last. We focus on one thing—partnering with clients to create a financial strategy for today and beyond that’s flexible enough to change along with them. The ultimate goal? Helping clients identify what is important so they can achieve their goals—we’re committed to being here for everything life brings their way. We’ve built our firm around what our clients need. We began by offering wealth planning resources and then added services from tax planning to insurance – all under one roof. We believe this integrated approach to wealth management helps simplify our clients’ lives. Founded in 2006 with $300 million in assets under advisement, Mariner Wealth Advisors has grown to more than $35 billion in assets under advisement (as of 9/30/20).

¹
Barron’s awarded the 2020 #5, 2019 #4 and 2018 #3 Top RIA Firms ranking to Mariner Wealth Advisors based on data compiled for Mariner Wealth Advisors and the 2017 #2 and 2016 #1 rankings to Mariner Holdings based upon data compiled for Mariner Holdings’ registered investment adviser subsidiaries. The number of firms included in the rankings were: 20 (2016), 30 (2017), 40 (2018), 50 (2019) and 100 (2020). Barron’s publishes these lists based upon a number of criteria and the firms’ filings with the SEC were used to cross-check the data provided to Barron’s. The listing includes the firms’ numbers of clients, employees, advisors, offices and state locations. The award is not indicative of future performance and there is no guarantee of future investment success. Registration of an investment advisor does not imply a certain level of training or skill.

Heather Valle
[email protected] 
212 931 6184

Kennesaw, Georgia, USA, Dec. 02, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — In a move toward continued growth and expansion of its commercial construction and infrastructure business in Texas, BrandSafway is announcing the acquisition of the assets of Big City Access, effective Dec. 1, 2020.

“BrandSafway is committed to becoming the number one total access solutions provider in metro areas around the country, and this acquisition demonstrates that commitment,” said Art Eunson, president of BrandSafway’s Metro and Infrastructure Division. “By combining Big City Access with BrandSafway’s commercial operation in Texas, we will become the largest and most experienced premier commercial access provider in Texas, going to market as Big City Access by BrandSafway.”

Founded in 2002, Big City Access is a premier, privately owned provider of superior access and scaffolding in the Texas commercial construction market with approximately 160 employees. Headquartered in Houston, with additional locations in Dallas, Austin and San Antonio, Big City Access has worked with area builders, contractors, construction managers and developers to provide safe and efficient solutions for projects of every size and scope. Big City Access offers supported scaffold, shoring, mast climbers, transport platforms, and a range of hoists and suspended platforms, which can be custom engineered for any job. The company also provides safety equipment and training.

“Big City Access has an outstanding reputation and brings more than 18 years of technologically advanced commercial access experience to BrandSafway in Texas,” said Mike Krach, regional vice president of BrandSafway’s Metro and Infrastructure Division. “By leveraging the assets and expertise of Big City Access, together with BrandSafway’s, we can deliver a full suite of access and scaffolding, forming and shoring, and safety equipment and training to the commercial and infrastructure markets throughout the Texas region.”

Both BrandSafway and Big City Access customers will now be able to take advantage of a wider range of products and services. “This is an exciting opportunity for both our customers and our employees,” said Barbara Roberts, president and CEO of Big City Access. “By joining the leading access and industrial services company in North America, we can further grow our business and provide an enhanced level of service to our customers.

About BrandSafway
With a commitment to safety as its foremost value, BrandSafway provides the broadest range of solutions with the greatest depth of expertise to the industrial, commercial and infrastructure markets. Through a network of 340 strategic locations across 30 countries and more than 38,000 employees, BrandSafway delivers a full range of forming, shoring, scaffolding, work access and industrial service solutions. BrandSafway supports maintenance and refurbishment projects as well as new construction and expansion plans with unmatched service from expert local labor and management. Today’s BrandSafway is At Work For You™ — leveraging innovation and economies of scale to increase safety and productivity, while remaining nimble and responsive. For more information about BrandSafway, visitwww.brandsafway.com.

 

# # #

 

 

 

Attachment

• BCA_BBS_RGB_FullColor_Logo

Karla Cuculi
BrandSafway
262-523-6580
[email protected]

SAN FRANCISCO, Dec. 02, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The RealReal (Nasdaq: REAL)—the world’s largest online marketplace for authenticated, consigned luxury goods—today provided a business update in accordance with the SEC’s disclosure guidance with respect to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

The RealReal’s business recovery continued in November, highlighted by record monthly new and repeat buyers, an approximately 10% Y/Y increase in 5 day holiday period order volume, and an approximately 3% Y/Y increase in order volume. These improving underlying trends were partially offset by supply headwinds in the Fine Jewelry and Watch (FJW) category, which negatively impacted category gross merchandise volume (GMV) mix and average selling prices in November. As a result of the category mix shift, November GMV decreased approximately 3% Y/Y, an improvement versus the 5% Y/Y decline in October. For the 5 day holiday weekend, GMV declined by approximately 2% Y/Y.

Other November business highlights included:

• New buyers achieved a monthly record and increased approximately 24% Y/Y;
• Retail and Luxury Consignment Office (LCO) supply units shipped momentum continued and accelerated to approximately 51% Y/Y growth versus 48% Y/Y in October;
• Vendor supply units shipped increased approximately 121% Y/Y; and
• Palo Alto store units shipped during its first 10 days exceeded New York Madison Avenue store units shipped in its first 10 days.

“We continue to make progress on our business recovery and were especially pleased with the record number of new and repeat buyers in November, the 24% Y/Y growth of new buyers in November, and the order volume momentum during the holiday shopping weekend,” said Julie Wainwright, founder and CEO of The RealReal. “While COVID-19 continues to present challenges to our supply acquisition, especially in the FJW category, we are optimistic that category mix will normalize as we emerge from the pandemic. We remain focused on making the necessary strategic investments to drive the business forward during the pandemic and to position us for sustained, healthy growth in the years to come.”

The following table represents GMV trends for each month beginning January 2020 through November 2020, with February growth normalized for an extra day:

		January		February		March		April		May		June		July		August		Sept.		Oct.		Nov.
Y/Y Growth		28%		30%		-15%		-33%		-19%		-8%		-2%		-6%		-1%		-5%		-3%

The market environment remains very fluid, and The RealReal will continue to closely monitor the development of the COVID-19 pandemic; federal, state and local operating restrictions; and changes in consignor and buyer activity on its platform. The company expects to continue to adjust its operating plans, and its actual results could differ materially from those reflected in this press release.

The information in this press release will be discussed on the Credit Suisse Technology Conference webcast later today and reflects preliminary information available as of this date. You can access this webcast on The RealReal’s investor relations page of its website at https://investor.therealreal.com/news-events/events.

About The RealReal, Inc.

The RealReal is the world’s largest online marketplace for authenticated, consigned luxury goods. With a rigorous authentication process overseen by experts, The RealReal provides a safe and reliable platform for consumers to buy and sell their luxury items. We have 150+ in-house gemologists, horologists and brand authenticators who inspect thousands of items each day. As a sustainable company, we give new life to pieces by hundreds of brands, from Gucci to Cartier, supporting the circular economy. We make consigning effortless with free in-home pickup, drop-off service, virtual appointments and direct shipping for individual consignors and estates. At our stores in Chicago, Los Angeles, New York City, Palo Alto and San Francisco, customers can shop, consign, and meet with our experts. At our 11 Luxury Consignment Offices, six of which are in our retail stores, our expert staff provides free valuations.

Investor Relations Contact:

Paul Bieber
Head of Investor Relations
[email protected]

Press Contact:

Erin Santy
Head of Communications
[email protected]

Forward Looking Statements


This press release contains forward-looking statements relating to, among other things, the future performance of The RealReal that are based on the company’s current expectations, forecasts and assumptions and involve risks and uncertainties. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by terminology such as “may,” “will,” “should,” “could,” “expect,” “plan,” anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “predict,” “intend,” “potential,” “continue,” “ongoing” or the negative of these terms or other comparable terminology. These statements include, but are not limited to, progress on the recovery of the business, future normalization of category mix and plans for strategic investments, in particular in the context of the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. Actual results could differ materially from those predicted or implied and reported results should not be considered as an indication of future performance. Other factors that could cause or contribute to such differences include, but are not limited to, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and social unrest on our operations, any failure to generate a supply of consigned goods, pricing pressure on the consignment market resulting from discounting in the market for new goods, failure to efficiently and effectively operate our merchandising and fulfillment operations and other reasons.

More information about factors that could affect the company’s operating results is included under the captions “Risk Factors” and “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” in the company’s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and subsequent quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, copies of which may be obtained by visiting the company’s Investor Relations website at https://investor.therealreal.com or the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. Undue reliance should not be placed on the forward-looking statements in this press release, which are based on information available to the company on the date hereof. The company assumes no obligation to update such statements. 

NEW YORK, Dec. 02, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Northeast Business Group on Health (NEBGH) has released “Cancer Survivorship:Challenges and Opportunities for Employers,” a new guide to help HR and benefits leaders fully understand the complex issues associated with cancer survivorship and to create a workplace that supports people living with cancer and is productive for everyone.

Cancer is a relatively common disease in the U.S. Nearly four in ten men and women will be diagnosed with cancer at some point during their lifetime, according to some estimates. Cancer is also on the rise among millennials, who make up the largest generation in the U.S. workforce. At the same time, the number of cancer survivors in the U.S. is increasing steadily. It is estimated that by 2040, the number of cancer survivors in the U.S. will reach 26.1 million, a more than 50% increase compared with 2019.

“With a growing number of cancer survivors in the workforce, employers need to better understand and be equipped to help support them, given the challenges these employees may face,” said Candice Sherman, CEO of NEBGH. “Some people are unable to work due to treatment or the effects of treatment, but many are able to continue to work or to return to work after some period. In fact, most cancer survivors are eager to work because it provides a coping mechanism, enables a sense of purpose and motivation, boosts self-confidence, fosters social support and aids in financial stability.”

The guide, “Cancer Survivorship: Challenges and Opportunities for Employers,” identifies six major categories of challenges that many cancer survivors face and how employers can best support them. These six categories include physical health, mental and social health, wellness and healthy lifestyle, family and friends, finances and work. For each category, the guide highlights the specific challenges survivors may face and provides action steps employers, and in some cases, physicians, can take to help address these challenges. The guide also includes a list of considerations for cancer survivor related issues in light of the current pandemic and other potential health crises in the future.

The guide notes that the benefits of cancer survivors continuing to work or returning to work don’t accrue only to them. There are financial and productivity benefits for employers that include a decrease in turnover costs, which can be high. In addition, it can be costly to lose the expertise, contacts and customer relationships employees have built. Cancer survivors generally have higher annual medical costs than employees without cancer because of ongoing monitoring as well as the side effects of treatment or longer-term effects of the disease itself, but supporting survivors’ work and well-being enhances the value of these healthcare expenditures.

The 48-page guide includes a comprehensive resource section for employers and survivors comprised of the following:

• Summary of the six categories of challenges.
• Pull-out section with questions and tips survivors can discuss with their oncology treatment team after treatment is completed.
• Descriptions of two dozen organizations that offer various cancer support, health care, social, legal and career services.
• List of employment laws and agencies, and types of leave and workplace accommodations related to cancer survivorship.
• Tip sheet for survivors on returning to work.
• Employer checklist with recommendations on how to support cancer survivors.

“There are encouraging statistics that show an increase in the number of people surviving with cancer but they often don’t reveal how survivors are faring physically, mentally, socially or economically. Employers can play a key role in this experience. With more survivors active in the workforce today and in the future, the challenges and opportunities posed by cancer survivorship are important to understand and support,” said Patricia Goldsmith, CEO of CancerCare, which contributed to the guide and is leading pilot projects associated with workplace survivorship.

The guide is available free of charge to all employers and the public at large, and can be accessed here.

About Northeast Business Group on Health

NEBGH is an employer-led, multi-stakeholder coalition that empowers members to drive excellence in health and achieve the highest value in healthcare delivery and the consumer experience. NEBGH employer/purchaser members cover 6 million lives in the U.S. and 10 million globally.

Media Contact
:

Candice Sherman
212-252-7440 X 234

Irvine, Calif, Dec. 02, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Appriss Retail, the industry leader in retail performance improvement solutions, today announced that Cheryl Blake has been promoted to vice president, global client success for Appriss Retail from her role as the company’s vice president of case and audit systems and traditional EBR. This new role unifies the multiple client services teams that span Appriss Retail’s acquisitions of The Retail Equation, Sysrepublic, LP Software, and Verisk Retail. In fact, Cheryl joined Appriss Retail when the company acquired Verisk Retail in 2019.

“While we have always provided exceptional product-level service, we owe our clients a single point of contact regardless of the application they are using or the corner of the globe they call home,” said Steve Prebble, president of Appriss Retail. “Cheryl is an outstanding leader; she has the customer-facing experience and skills necessary to fulfill this new role. I am calling on her to develop new processes for interactions with clients.”

Holding a degree in criminal justice, Cheryl started her career as a store detective in Detroit, Michigan. She progressed through increasingly responsible positions at multiple retailers including Lord & Taylor, Toys R Us/Kids R Us, Caldor, Funcoland, and GameStop. Later, she used that experience to enhance solution development, implementation, and support at Aspect Loss Prevention, an exception-based reporting solution later acquired by Verisk Retail.

Cheryl will be based in the Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA office and will oversee client services worldwide.

About Appriss Retail

Appriss Retail, a division of Appriss Inc., provides artificial intelligence-based solutions to help retailers protect margin, unlock sales, and cut shrink. With more than 20 years of retail data science expertise, the company’s Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) platform generates advanced analytical insights and real-time decisions that drive action throughout the organization, including operations, finance, marketing, and loss prevention. Its performance-improvement solutions yield measurable results with significant return on investment among retail store, ecommerce, and inventory functions. Appriss Retail serves a global base of leading specialty, apparel, department store, hard goods, big box, grocery, pharmacy, and hospitality businesses in more than 150,000 locations (brick and mortar and online) in 45 countries across six continents. For more information about Appriss Retail, visit https://apprissretail.com.

 

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Attachment

• Cheryl Blake

Tom Rittman
Appriss Retail
[email protected]

Beloved burger and wings brand slated to open 3 units in city of Wichita

Los Angeles, Dec. 02, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — FAT (Fresh. Authentic. Tasty.) Brands Inc., parent company of Fatburger, Buffalo’s Express, and seven other restaurant concepts, announces the development of three co-branded Fatburger and Buffalo’s Express concepts in Wichita, Kansas. In partnership with Uncle John’s Brands, LLC, the co-branded restaurants will start to roll-out next year.

“In 2020, we significantly grew our presence of co-branded Fatburger and Buffalo’s Express, opening many locations both domestically and internationally,” said Andy Wiederhorn, CEO of FAT Brands. “Burgers and wings complement each other well and the demand is there from a franchisee perspective. We have been eyeing Kansas for some time and think both brands will be received well in the bustling city of Wichita.”

Ever since the first Fatburger opened in Los Angeles over 70 years ago, the chain has been known for its delicious, grilled-to-perfection and cooked to order burgers. Founder Lovie Yancey believed that a big burger with everything on it is a meal in itself. And at Fatburger “everything” is not just the usual lettuce, tomato, onion, mayo, mustard, pickles and relish. Burgers can be customized with everything from bacon and eggs to chili, jalapenos and onion rings. In addition to its famous burgers, the Fatburger menu also includes Fat and Skinny fries, sweet potato fries, scratch-made onion rings, IMPOSSIBLE^™ burgers, turkeyburgers, chicken sandwiches, and hand scooped milkshakes made from 100% real ice cream.

From the Buffalo’s Express menu, patrons can choose bone-in or boneless wings accompanied by a range of sauces including Scorchin’, Carolina Fire BBQ, Asian Sesame, Coconut Jerk, Honey Garlic, and Sweet Bourbon BBQ. All of Buffalo’s Express menu wings are accompanied by celery, carrots, and blue cheese, ranch or honey mustard dressing.

For more information or to find a Fatburger near you, please visit www.fatburger.com.

For more information or to find a Buffalo’s Express near you, please visit www.buffalos.com.

About FAT (Fresh. Authentic. Tasty.) Brands

FAT Brands (NASDAQ: FAT) is a leading global franchising company that strategically acquires, markets and develops fast casual and casual dining restaurant concepts around the world. The Company currently owns nine restaurant brands: Fatburger, Johnny Rockets, Buffalo’s Cafe, Buffalo’s Express, Hurricane Grill & Wings, Elevation Burger, Yalla Mediterranean and Ponderosa and Bonanza Steakhouses, and franchises over 675 units worldwide. For more information, please visit www.fatbrands.com.

About Fatburger

An all-American, Hollywood favorite, Fatburger is a fast-casual restaurant serving big, juicy, tasty burgers, crafted specifically to each customer’s liking. With a legacy spanning 70 years, Fatburger’s extraordinary quality and taste inspire fierce loyalty amongst its fan base, which includes a number of A-list celebrities and athletes. Featuring a contemporary design and ambience, Fatburger offers an unparalleled dining experience, demonstrating the same dedication to serving gourmet, homemade, custom-built burgers as it has since 1952 – The Last Great Hamburger Stand^™.

About Buffalo’s Express

Founded in 1985 in Roswell, Georgia, Buffalo’s Express is a fast-casual chain known for its world-famous chicken wings and proprietary wing sauces. Co-branded with over 100 Fatburger restaurants to date, Buffalo’s Express’ significant growth can be attributed to its high-quality menu offerings and unparalleled dining experience. Featuring a contemporary design and ambience, whether guests are dining-in or having take-out/delivery, Buffalo’s Express offers friends and families the flexibility to enjoy their world-famous chicken wings however they prefer. Buffalo’s Express – Where Everyone is Family^™.

MEDIA
CONTACT:

Erin Mandzik, JConnelly
[email protected]
862-246-9911

LONDON and NEW YORK, Dec. 02, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Smart Communications^™, the only provider of a customer conversations management platform, today announced it has been ranked as a Leader by the analyst firm Aragon Research in its new report, The Aragon Research Globe^™ for Workflow and Content Automation (WCA), 2020. The report evaluates 14 WCA technology providers based on product capabilities, strategy and performance in the market.

Due to COVID-19, Aragon Research reports that enterprises have accelerated digital transformation by adopting workflow and content automation to “go fully digital with customer-facing documents and processes related to those documents” — a critical step in improving customer experience and retention. The report recommends starting by reviewing legacy forms-based approaches and “focus on making them digital with guided navigation.”

“Given the world-wide pandemic, it is even more imperative to adopt agile content processes that enable businesses to create, manage, and automate important documents and assets with accuracy in the cloud,” said Jim Lundy, Founder and CEO of Aragon Research. “For enterprises with legacy forms-based approaches, automatic document generation should be considered a must-have capability for 2021.”

Smart Communications has shown continued growth and product evolution, specifically the forms transformation capabilities powered by SmartIQ^™ which enables adaptive interviews and decreases time to form completion. Enterprises can leverage data collected through these enhanced processes to engage in more personalized customer conversations via preferred channels through its next-generation customer communication management solution, SmartCOMM^™.

“Aragon Research believes shifting to a digital-first approach to workflow and content automaton is critical to success, and we couldn’t agree more,” said James Brown, CEO of Smart Communications. “By positioning us as a Leader in the latest Research Globe^™ for Workflow and Content Automation, we feel that Aragon has validated our approach to helping enterprises deliver smarter conversations throughout the entire customer lifecycle. We are proud to be identified in this report and equally proud of the work we’re doing to help companies not only survive but thrive during these challenging times.”

Download a complimentary copy of the report here.

About Aragon Research

Aragon Research delivers high-impact visual research, consulting, and advisory services to provide enterprises the insight they need to make better technology and strategy decisions. Aragon Research serves business and IT leaders and has a proven team of veteran analysts. For more information, visit https://www.aragonresearch.com/

A
bout Smart Communications

Smart Communications™ is the only provider of a customer conversations management platform. More than 500 global brands rely on Smart Communications to deliver smarter conversations across the entire lifecycle—empowering them to succeed in today’s digital-focused, customer-driven world while also simplifying processes and operating more efficiently. This is what it means to scale the conversation. Smart Communications is headquartered in the UK and serves its customers from offices located across North America, Europe, and Asia Pacific. The Smart Communications platform includes the enterprise-scale customer communications management power of SmartCOMM^™, forms transformation capabilities made possible by SmartIQ^™ and the trade documentation expertise of SmartDX^™. To learn more, visit smartcommunications.com.

Media Contact

Stacy Kirk
[email protected]
+1 770-891-9285

CONCORD, Calif., Dec. 02, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — AssetMark (NYSE: AMK) today announced it will offer CIBC Private Wealth investment management services and wealth planning expertise on the AssetMark platform to support financial advisors in serving the complex needs of high-net-worth and ultra-high-net worth clients.

CIBC Custom Portfolios offer tailored investment solutions, holistic wealth planning and high-touch service to support advisors and their clients, whether they’re designing a plan for managing family wealth, creating effective philanthropy strategies, or planning a business transition. CIBC Custom Portfolios are invested in a mix of equities, bonds, and opportunistic strategies, and designed to deliver strong, risk-adjusted returns.

AssetMark advisors and their clients will have access to a team of experienced CIBC Private Wealth Relationship Managers and Wealth Strategists who can help advisors demystify complexity and present clients with customized wealth plans. This custom investment management and comprehensive wealth planning solution is competitively priced and accessible for wealthy individuals and families.

“We are excited for this new collaboration with CIBC Private Wealth that expands the breadth of AssetMark’s high-net-worth solutions, delivering access to customized multi-asset class portfolios and deep wealth expertise that supports our community of advisors,” said David McNatt, SVP, Product Strategy, Development and Management at AssetMark. “The addition of CIBC custom portfolios builds upon AssetMark’s recent platform enhancements designed to provide advisors with customized solutions to meet the expanding needs of high-net-worth investors, including a streamlined securities-backed lending program¹ and diversifying and tax-aware strategies to help preserve capital.”

About AssetMark Financial Holdings, Inc.

AssetMark is a leading provider of extensive wealth management and technology solutions that help financial advisors meet the ever-changing needs of their clients and businesses. Through AssetMark, Inc., its investment adviser subsidiary registered with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, AssetMark operates a platform that brings together fully integrated technology, personalized and scalable service, and curated investment solutions to support financial advisors and their businesses. For more than 20 years, AssetMark has focused on offering the solutions and services that help financial advisors grow. AssetMark had $67.3 billion in platform assets as of September 30, 2020. For more information visit assetmark.com.

About CIBC

CIBC is a leading North American financial institution with 10 million personal banking, business, public sector, and institutional clients. CIBC offers a full range of advice, solutions, and services in the United States, across Canada, and around the world. In the US, CIBC Bank USA provides commercial banking, private and personal banking, and small business banking solutions, and CIBC Private Wealth offers investment management, wealth strategies, and legacy planning. Visit us at cibc.com/US.

Private banking is offered by CIBC Bank USA, Member FDIC and Equal Housing Lender. CIBC Bank USA and CIBC Private Wealth Group, LLC are both indirect, wholly owned subsidiaries of CIBC. The CIBC logo is a registered trademark of CIBC, used under license. Investment Products Offered are Not FDIC-Insured, May Lose Value and are Not Bank Guaranteed.

SOURCE: AssetMark, Inc.

Contact:

Chris Blake
MSR Communications for AssetMark, Inc.
[email protected]

¹ Available at AssetMark Trust Company.