Market Newsdesk

THORNTON, CO, Dec. 07, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — via NewMediaWire – Ascent Solar Technologies, Inc. (OTCQB: ASTI), a developer and manufacturer of state-of-the-art, lightweight, and flexible thin-film photovoltaic (PV) solutions, announces new Board of Directors composition and Chief Financial Officer.

The Company has appointed David Peterson as a Class 3 director to be effective as of December 10, 2020. Mr. Peterson is currently the Manager of Crowdex Investment, LLC (“Crowdex”). Crowdex is the Company’s controlling stockholder through its holdings of the recently issued shares of Series 1A Preferred Stock pursuant to Form 8-K filing on September 30, 2020.

From April 2015 to present, Mr. Peterson has worked for EPD Consultants, Inc., a privately held engineering firm headquartered in Carson, California, where he serves as Senior Project Manager. From 2010 to 2015, Mr. Peterson was President and Co-Founder of Great Circle Industries, Inc., a water recycling company in southern California. Previously, Mr. Peterson has worked in management and M&A consulting, and as a private equity investor. Mr. Peterson has an MBA degree from the Marshall School of Business at the University of Southern California, and a B.A. from the University of California, Santa Cruz.

The Company also appointed Will Clarke as a Class 2 director to be effective as of December 10, 2020, in replacement of the vacancy left by the resignation of Mr. G. Thomas Marsh as director of the Company in early 2020. Mr. Marsh’s resignation was not the result of any dispute or disagreement with the Company or the Company’s Board of Directors on any matter relating to the operations, policies or practices of the Company.

Will Clarke is the Founder and President of Clarke Growth and Sustainment Strategies, an advisory firm specializing in guiding startup companies’ business expansion.  Will brings a gritty, disciplined, and principle-driven approach to corporate governance and dealing with complexity and change spanning the business lifecycle – all informed by his large company Executive Management and Senior Military Officer experience globally and across international markets. Most recently Will led the Global Supply Chain business unit for Atlas Airlines where he oversaw team members spanning 11 countries with a $166M P&L and $240M capital budget. Previously, Will directed turnaround initiatives for Best Buy managing a team in procuring material to update 1400 stores and facilities which improved the customer experience and spun negative sales into growth.

Prior to launching his second career in 2015, Will served 25 years as a Naval Officer where he completed 10 deployments in support of war and peacetime operations on two Aircraft Carriers, one Submarine, one Warship and, one on land.  Furthermore, he lived and served in impactful finance, supply chain, procurement and logistics assignments across East Africa, Asia/Pacific, and the United States. He attained the rank of Captain (O6). Born in Trinidad and educated in NYC public schools,  Will earned a BSc in Math from the U.S. Naval Academy, an MSc in Finance and Contracts Management from the Naval Postgraduate School and completed the Executive Development Program at Wharton Business School and the Corporate Governance Program at Columbia Business School.

The whole Board of Directors going forward will have five members comprised of Dr. Amit Kumar, Chairman of the Board, Kim Huntley and Will Clarke as the independent directors, and Victor Lee and Dave Peterson serving as Class 3 directors.

On October 5, 2020, the Company’s Chief Executive Officer and Interim Chief Financial Officer, Victor Lee, resigned from his position as the interim Chief Financial Officer and appointed Michael Gilbreth to serve as the Chief Financial Officer of the Company effective October 5, 2020. Mr. Lee continues to serve as Chief Executive Officer and a director of the Company.

Mr. Gilbreth is a financial executive with more than 15 years of experience in accounting and business management, consumer packaged goods, e-commerce, and financial consulting. In April 2020, Mr. Gilbreth formed a financial consulting company, PVMG Advisors, Inc. (“PVMG”), which provides financial and business consulting services. While at PVMG, Mr. Gilbreth provided consulting services to Crowdex in connection with the Company’s recent restructuring and recapitalization process. Please refer to Form 8-K filing on September 30 and December 4, 2020 for more information.

Prior to PVMG, Mr. Gilbreth was Vice President of Finance from 2015 to January 2020 at Candy Club Holding Limited, a publicly traded company listed on the Australian Stock Exchange (ASX: CLB) and headquartered in Los Angeles, California (“Candy Club”). Candy Club is a leading specialty market confectionery company which operates in the business-to-business (B2B) and business-to-customer (B2C) segments in the United States. In this lead finance role at Candy Club, Mr. Gilbreth supported the company’s capital raising activities, including a successful initial public offering on the Australian Stock Exchange (ASX) in February 2019. From 2013 to 2015, Mr. Gilbreth operated Gilbreth Consulting, which provides financial and operational management consulting services, and strategic and operational planning services. From 2010 to 2013, Mr. Gilbreth was VP/Finance at MediaTrust, a performance marketing company based in southern California. From 2005 to 2010, Mr. Gilbreth was a business manager at Duban Sattler and Associates LLP, a boutique tax accounting and business management firm based in southern California, which represents high net worth individuals.

“Despite the setbacks caused by various challenges including the lack of financial resources and the impact of COVID-19 this year, I am extremely pleased with our recent restructuring and recapitalization efforts, as well as the new Board of Directors composition and appointment of Michael Gilbreth as CFO.” commented Victor Lee, President and CEO of Ascent Solar Technologies, Inc. “We will continue our reorganization effort and strengthen our balance sheet and streamline our business model to focus on our core strength in the Tier-1 specialty PV markets with high entry barriers like the space and near-space, aviation (drones), military, 1st Responders and emergency power markets.”

Mr. Lee concluded, “Great progress has been made in the space and near-space, defense and emergency power market in 2020 despite an extraordinarily difficult year. We are optimistic and look forward to stronger years ahead, as our high-value PV market focus begins to take shape. We look forward to updating our shareholders as we make continued progress.”

ABOUT ASCENT SOLAR TECHNOLOGIES, INC:

Ascent Solar Technologies, Inc., an ISO 9001-2015 certified company, is a developer of thin-film photovoltaic modules using flexible substrate materials that are more versatile and rugged than traditional solar panels.  Ascent Solar modules were named as one of the top 100 technologies in both 2010 and 2015 by R&D Magazine, and one of TIME Magazine’s 50 best inventions for 2011. The technology described above represents the cutting edge of flexible power and can be directly integrated into consumer products and off-grid applications, as well as other aerospace applications. Ascent Solar is headquartered in Thornton, Colorado. More information can be found at www.AscentSolar.com.

Forward-Looking Statements:

Statements in this press release that are not statements of historical or current fact constitute “forward-looking statements.” Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other unknown factors that could cause the Company’s actual operating results to be materially different from any historical results or from any future results expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. In addition to statements that explicitly describe these risks and uncertainties, readers are urged to consider statements that contain terms such as “believes,” “belief,” “expects,” “expect,” “intends,” “intend,” “anticipate,” “anticipates,” “plans,” “plan,” to be uncertain and forward-looking. The forward-looking statements contained herein are also subject generally to other risks and uncertainties that are described from time to time in the Company’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Ascent Solar Technologies
Investor Relations:
[email protected]

SAN FRANCISCO and BERLIN and TEL AVIV, Israel, Dec. 07, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — AllCloud, a leading cloud professional services company, has announced a Strategic Collaboration Agreement with Amazon Web Services (AWS) to help customers use AWS to accelerate their digital transformations. Through the multi-year agreement, AllCloud and AWS teams will collaborate to accelerate AWS adoption by onboarding of new customers across the startup, ISV, and enterprise segments. The SCA provides resources that span training, marketing and solutions development, which AllCloud will use to extend AWS services across the U.S., DACH (Germany, Austria and Switzerland) and Israeli markets.

Large and midsize enterprises around the world are looking for experienced partners to assist their AWS migration and modernization efforts, with an emphasis on reducing risks and costs, improving security postures, enabling innovation and increasing productivity. ISVs and startups in all markets are leaning on partners who have experience with modern technologies and processes, including Big Data, analytics and artificial intelligence and machine learning (AI/ML).

An AWS Premier Consulting Partner and audited AWS Managed Services Provider (MSP) Partner since 2008, AllCloud holds six AWS Competency designations and has completed over 3,000 cloud deployments. Representative customers include Harel Insurance and Finance, Check Point Software, Valtech Mobility, EyeControl and LivePerson. AllCloud provides a wide array of professional and managed services, ranging from cloud migration, SaaS enablement, security and compliance to DevOps, AI/ML, data, and analytics.

By way of its new and expanded collaboration with AWS, AllCloud will grow its professional and managed services organizations with training and certifying of staff on AWS technologies. AllCloud will become an official AWS Training Partner (ATP) and will hire hundreds of new cloud professionals. Based on AWS’s best practices, AllCloud will develop a framework of services, including advisory, consulting, integration, migration, and managed services, for the introduction of AWS to large-scale customers. Major efforts will be invested in the Solutions Suite to provide customers with production-ready, enterprise-class solutions tailored and optimized for multiple industry sectors. AllCloud will also double its efforts and capabilities around data, analytics and AI/ML, three practices that are growing rapidly.

“As an AWS Premier Consulting Partner, AllCloud has continuously demonstrated its ability to deliver value to AWS customers, earning the trust and support of our team along the way,” said Doug Yeum, Head of Global Partner Organization at Amazon Web Services, Inc. “We are delighted to continue and expand our relationship with AllCloud, strategically, as it builds and extends its professional and managed services to support customers across industries in their migration and modernization journeys.”

“When we were looking to modernize our systems and infrastructure, we identified AWS as a provider that would enable a secure, scalable, and agile foundation,” said Eyal Efrat, Deputy CEO and CIO at Harel Insurance and Finance. “AllCloud led us through all stages of the transition, from identifying and mapping our environment to providing a detailed migration and modernization plan given our specific security, compliance and managed cloud needs. We feel fortunate to have a partner in AllCloud that has the experience and skill to optimize our AWS investment for long-term growth.”

“This Strategic Collaboration Agreement not only strengthens our relationship with AWS but more easily allows our customers to accelerate the value they realize from AWS and more quickly move to a state of continuous cloud innovation,” said Eran Gil, CEO of AllCloud. “Having worked with AWS for the past twelve years, we’ve built expansive AWS knowledge and expertise, and we look forward to using these resources to help more clients realize the value of AWS as the foundation of their cloud and digital transformation initiatives.”

About AllCloud

AllCloud is a global professional services company providing organizations with the tools for cloud enablement and transformation. Through a unique combination of expertise and agility, AllCloud accelerates cloud innovation and helps organizations fully unlock the value received from cloud technology.

As an Amazon Web Services (AWS) Premier Consulting Partner and a Salesforce Platinum Partner, AllCloud helps clients connect their front office and back office by building a new operating model that allows them to harness the benefits of both AWS and Salesforce. AllCloud is supported by a robust ecosystem of technology partners, proven methodologies, and well-documented best practices. Thereby, elevating customers by achieving operational excellence on the cloud, within a secure environment, at every milestone of the journey to becoming cloud-first.

With a portfolio of thousands of successful cloud deployments, AllCloud serves clients across the globe. AllCloud has offices in Israel, Europe, and North America.

Media contact:
Kevin Wolf
TGPR
(650) 483-1552
[email protected]

NEW YORK, Dec. 07, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Mesoblast Limited (Nasdaq:MESO; ASX:MSB), global leader in allogeneic cellular medicines for inflammatory diseases, today announced results presented at the 62^nd annual meeting American Society of Hematology (ASH), which provide in vivo biomarker evidence linking remestemcel-L’s immunomodulatory activity to survival outcomes in children with steroid-refractory acute graft versus host disease (SR-aGVHD). The results were presented on December 6, 2020 by the Phase 3 trial’s lead investigator and pediatric transplant physician, Dr Joanne Kurtzberg, the Jerome Harris Distinguished Professor of Pediatrics and Professor of Pathology, and Director, Pediatric Blood and Marrow Transplant Program at Duke University Medical Center.

Key conclusions were:

• Clinically meaningful overall responses and survival in children with SR-aGVHD treated with remestemcel-L were associated with significant reductions in certain biomarkers of inflammation which have been validated as predictors of mortality risk
• These biomarkers provide evidence of in vivo bioactivity of remestemcel-L in pediatric SR-aGVHD, where children under 12 are at high-risk for mortality, with no approved therapies in the United States
• The durable reductions in blood levels of certain biomarkers associated with inflammatory diseases of the gut suggest that these could be more generally reflective of remestemcel-L activity in vivo in other inflammatory bowel diseases such as Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis      

Blood levels of soluble suppression of tumorigenicity 2 (ST2)^1,2 and MAGIC Biomarker Score (MBS)^3,4, validated biomarkers that predict high mortality in SR-aGVHD and active gut inflammation more broadly, were measured at baseline and sequentially over 180 days in 40 of the 54 children with SR-aGVHD who received at least four weeks of remestemcel-L treatment in the single-arm Phase 3 trial. Both the elevated baseline levels of ST2 and MBS were significantly reduced after remestemcel-L treatment at Days 100, 160 and 180 (all timepoints p<0.001 for both markers). This was accompanied by significant reductions in activated circulating T cells. Day 100 survival was 74% in the 54 remestemcel-L children with SR-aGVHD (89% with Grade C/D disease), which compares very favourably with a mortality approaching 70-90% in children of similar severity treated with other therapies.    

Dr Kurtzberg said: “These results support the bioactivity of remestemcel-L in treating the severe inflammation in children with acute graft versus host disease refractory to steroids and provide evidence linking the immunomodulatory properties of remestemcel-L with the excellent responses and survival we see when treating these desperately ill children.”

About Remestemcel-L

Remestemcel-L is an investigational therapy comprising culture-expanded mesenchymal stromal cells derived from the bone marrow of an unrelated donor. Remestemcel-L is thought to have immunomodulatory properties to counteract the cytokine storms that are implicated in various inflammatory conditions by downregulating the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines, increasing production of anti-inflammatory cytokines, and enabling recruitment of naturally occurring anti-inflammatory cells to involved tissues.

About Mesoblast

Mesoblast Limited (Nasdaq:MESO; ASX:MSB) is a world leader in developing allogeneic (off-the-shelf) cellular medicines. The Company has leveraged its proprietary mesenchymal lineage cell therapy technology platform to establish a broad portfolio of commercial products and late-stage product candidates. Mesoblast has a strong and extensive global intellectual property portfolio with protection extending through to at least 2040 in all major markets. The Company’s proprietary manufacturing processes yield industrial-scale, cryopreserved, off-the-shelf, cellular medicines. These cell therapies, with defined pharmaceutical release criteria, are planned to be readily available to patients worldwide. For more information, please see www.mesoblast.com, LinkedIn: Mesoblast Limited and Twitter: @Mesoblast

References

1. Reichenbach DK et al. Bloo`d. 2015 May 14;125(20):3183-92.
2. Vander Lugt MT et al.  New Engl J Med. 2013 Aug 8 369:529-39.
3. Hartwell MJ et al. JCI Insight. 2017;2(3):e89798.
4. Major-Monfried H et al. Blood. 2018;131(25):2846‐2855.

Forward-Looking Statements

This announcement includes forward-looking statements that relate to future events or our future financial performance and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause our actual results, levels of activity, performance or achievements to differ materially from any future results, levels of activity, performance or achievements expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. All statements other than statements of historical fact are forward-looking statements, which are often indicated by terms such as “anticipate,” “believe,” “could,” “estimate,” “expect,” “goal,” “intend,” “likely,” “look forward to,” “may,” “plan,” “potential,” “predict,” “project,” “should,” “will,” “would” and similar expressions and variations thereof. We make such forward-looking statements pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and other federal securities laws. Forward-looking statements should not be read as a guarantee of future performance or results, and actual results may differ from the results anticipated in these forward-looking statements, and the differences may be material and adverse. The risks, uncertainties and other factors that may impact our forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to: the timing, progress and results of Mesoblast’s preclinical and clinical studies; Mesoblast’s ability to advance product candidates into, enroll and successfully complete, clinical studies; the timing or likelihood of regulatory filings and approvals; and the pricing and reimbursement of Mesoblast’s product candidates, if approved; Mesoblast’s ability to establish and maintain intellectual property on its product candidates and Mesoblast’s ability to successfully defend these in cases of alleged infringement. You should read this press release together with our risk factors, in our most recently filed reports with the SEC or on our website. Uncertainties and risks that may cause Mesoblast’s actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from those which may be expressed or implied by such statements, and accordingly, you should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. Unless required by law, we do not undertake any obligations to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise.

Release authorized by the Chief Executive.

For more information, please contact:

Media
Julie Meldrum	Kristen Bothwell
T: +61 3 9639 6036	T: +1 917 613 5434
E:[email protected]	E:[email protected]
Investors
Schond Greenway	Paul Hughes
T: +212 880 2060	T: +61 3 9639 6036
E: [email protected]	E: [email protected]

    
Release of the Rising Together
Vision
for
a Just Economy

Monday December 7, 2020 at 7p.m.

TORONTO, Dec. 07, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Monday December 7, 2020 marks the 50^th Anniversary of the release of the Royal Commission on the Status of Women. Join us as we present an intersectional feminist vision to build economic justice for the next 50 years that leaves no one behind.

In recognition of the 50^th anniversary, the Equal Pay Coalition and Canadian Research Institute for the Advancement of Women (CRIAW), hosted webinars – the RISING TOGETHER series – bringing together women from coast to coast to coast to collaborate on an intersectional feminist agenda for women’s economic justice which leaves no one behind. The pandemic has highlighted how women’s work, both paid and unpaid, is essential to a functioning economy,” said Fay Faraday, co-chair of the Equal Pay Coalition, “and the pandemic brutally shone a spotlight on the many dynamics of discrimination that drive women’s poverty, unequal pay and economic instability”.   “Women’s care penalty will continue unless recovery policies have an intentional gendered focus,” says Jan Borowy, co-chair of the Equal Pay Coalition.

It is
time for the Big Reset. The recovery must point toward a better day, a better society. Join feminist, labour & community activists across the country in intersectional organizing webinar for a just economy for women that leaves no one behind.

RISING TOGETHER – Women for a Just Economy
Vision

7 December 2020
at 7p.m.

Speakers include:

Autumn Peltier, Chief Water Commissioner – Anishinabek Nation
Marie Clarke Walker, Canadian Labour Congress, Secretary Treasurer
Judy Rebick, Canadian writer, journalist, political activist, and feminist

Sign up at Event Brite:

https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/rising-together-women-for-a-just-economy-now-we-rise-tickets-129322189149

T


hanks to the Canadian Women’s Foundation, the Atkinson Foundation, and the Canadian Union of Public Employees for their financial support.

  For more information, please contact: Fay Faraday, co-chair, Equal Pay Coalition: 416-389-4399 or Jan Borowy, co-chair, Equal Pay Coalition, 416-985-2069  www.equalpaycoalition.org

AUSTIN, Texas, Dec. 07, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Wilsonart Engineered Surfaces, a global leader in engineered surfaces, announces their Wetwall Water-Proof Wall Panel System. With this new innovative product, the company is challenging the traditional bathroom wall industry. This new, patented water-proof solution brings high-end style to design professionals and homeowners without the need for grout or disruptive demolitions. Wetwall can be used for everything from shower walls to bath surrounds to accent walls and cladding. Installers and DIYers can quickly update a bath or shower in as little as two and a half hours with the simple tongue-and-groove installation system without requiring any special or dedicated tooling.

The real power of Wetwall is its exceptional performance. Created with a water-proof core and antimicrobial protection that inhibits the growth of stain- and odor-causing mold and mildew, it’s engineered to withstand everyday use with little maintenance required. “Wetwall is not simply the future of bathroom wall technology, it’s what it should have always been: engineered to perform, and made without compromise,” said Kimberly Watson, Global Vice President of Materials Replacement at Wilsonart. “It’s a graceful and complete wall solution with all pros and zero cons.” Additionally, Wetwall features AEON™ Enhanced Scratch & Scuff-Resistant Performance Technology, giving it superior durability and ease. Because it’s grout-free, Wetwall is created to be simple to maintain and clean.

“This is a game-changer for both installers and homeowners alike. We’ve brought short-term simplicity to builders and remodelers, and long-term durability and ease to homeowners,” said Watson. “An innovation like this has been a long time coming, and we’re excited that it’s finally here.”

Wetwall, a Wilsonart Company, offers many popular designs, all coordinated to complement popular bath materials. Available for both residential and commercial use; the sophisticated looks were carefully developed by the Wilsonart design team to be on-trend and in demand, able to fit nearly any style or environment. Inspired by nature, the collection includes calming neutrals, elegant stone patterns, subtle woodgrains, and more.

Wetwall is available nationally online. For more information and where to buy, visit wetwall.com.

About Wilsonart

Wilsonart, a world-leading engineered surfaces company, is driven by a mission to create surfaces people love, with service they can count on, delivered by people who care. The Company manufactures and distributes High Pressure Laminate, Quartz, Solid Surface, Coordinated TFL and Edgebanding, and other decorative engineered surfaces for use in the office, education, healthcare, residential, hospitality, and retail markets. Operating under the Wilsonart^®, Arborite^®, Bushboard™, Durcon^®, KML^®, Laminart^®, Mermaid^™, New Leaf, Polyrey^®, Ralph Wilson^®, Resopal^®, Shore^™, Technistone^®, and Wetwall brands, the Company continuously redefines decorative surfaces through improved performance and award-winning designs. For more information and samples, visit www.wilsonart.com, or connect with us on Facebook, Houzz, Pinterest, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, and YouTube.

Tammy Weadock
[email protected]
(254) 207-3444
@tammyweadock

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/fa2389ea-4298-4e3a-825c-d02a2eb46795

Visits to main streets down 35-70 per cent

Concern for safety is a critical issue, especially in downtown areas

Small businesses pin hopes on Canadians shopping local

COAST SALISH TERRITORY and VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Dec. 07, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Vancity, Vancity Community Investment Bank (VCIB), and the Canadian Urban Institute, today released research that examines seven of Canada’s main streets, offering insight into how small businesses have been impacted by COVID-19 since April.

This follow up study to earlier research reveals the extent to which small businesses are grappling with the effects of the pandemic. Insights from April to July showed that despite the pandemic, the business community had the space to find innovative ways to adapt during the summer by taking advantage of conditions such as relaxed restrictions and lower COVID-19 case numbers. Strong local economies and connections to the community were also helping businesses fare. However, visitation data shows foot traffic on main streets has fallen since September with each block reporting visits to be down between 35-70 per cent compared to the same time last year, and 58 per cent of businesses are operating with reduced revenues – often less than half of pre-COVID levels.

The study sets out to determine how communities and main streets have fared in the wake of the pandemic and quantifies the challenges facing small independent businesses. The survey looked at blocks in the following neighbourhoods in Ontario and British Columbia: The Beaches in Toronto; Surrey-Newton, BC; Downtown Hamilton; Wexford Heights, Toronto; Downtown Victoria; Strathcona-Vancouver; and the North Shore in Kamloops.

In addition to revealing a reduction in footfall and revenues, the in-depth look at main street blocks across the country also shows that businesses in downtown and downtown-adjacent areas – where many are struggling with issues related to the worsening housing and addiction crises – are struggling to draw local shoppers back to the area. While most blocks saw month-over-month gains in visitors, Vancouver’s Strathcona neighbourhood, for example, which borders the Downtown Eastside, saw footfall down 42 per cent in April, and declining further year-over-year in September, by 48 per cent. Business owners reported that vandalism, street activity and crime were on the rise, and while they recognize the social issues are complex, they worry this is pushing local shoppers to take their business elsewhere.

Over sixty percent of businesses have built an online presence, but the overall loss in visitors – which averaged just below 500,000 for a small two-block segment of a main street – will be difficult to make up for, particularly as public health restrictions are being tightened at the very moment when the holiday shopping season is starting.

Key findings of the research study include:

• Visits to the seven blocks were down between 30-70% compared to pre-COVID levels. Downtown Victoria in BC saw almost a million fewer visits from April to September compared to the same time last year. In The Beaches neighbourhood in Toronto, there were 550,000 fewer visits and in North Shore Kamloops, a small community in BC, there were 140,000 fewer visits.
• Business owners in downtown blocks report an exponential increase in vandalism, including graffiti and broken windows, that they fear is keeping local residents off the main street. In Victoria and Strathcona in BC, 77% and 67% of businesses respectively, said their biggest challenge is increased safety issues in the neighbourhood.
• More than 25% of businesses say that selling more online and through delivery applications have positively affected their business. And while these services have become a significant source of revenue for restaurants, the high commission rates charged by mainstream meal delivery services continues to put a strain on profits.
• Encouraging local shopping was the most widely cited example of a meaningful support business owners wanted from government (57%). It was more popular than creating a more competitive tax environment (40%) or better access to financing (20%) as the most important thing governments and other main street advocates should do to support them going forward.
• There is a growing presence of REITS and large investment companies on main streets, which tend to be less invested in the well-being of businesses and local neighbourhoods.

Quote from Christine Bergeron, Interim President and CEO, Vancity:

“Right across the country small businesses are struggling. And if we let them fail, the whole country will be poorer for it. Local businesses form the backbone of the Canadian economy and they have shown determination and resilience during the pandemic. Given the extraordinary measures and investment they have made to continue operating, they are now counting on us to get behind them.”

Quote from Mary Rowe, President and CEO, Canadian Urban Institute:

“This is a crucial time for our main street businesses. Community members can continue to support their local shops, especially throughout the holiday season. These businesses also need support from all levels of government. The stories, data, and insights from these block studies guide policymakers to implement measures to help main street businesses weather these challenging times. Consumers and government must step in right now and take action to bring back our main streets – the heart of Canadian communities.”

Quote from Jay Ann Gilfoy, CEO, Vancity Community Investment Bank (VCIB):

“It’s clear from this study that Canada’s small businesses need our support more now than ever before, and there are simple steps we can all take to help out, such as shopping local. By investing in our small businesses now we will be futureproofing our economy in the long run, helping our business owners stay resilient to the impacts of the pandemic.”

The full research study can be found online here.

The research is part of a broader collaborative project that has been tracking the impacts of the pandemic on Canada’s main streets since April using a variety of data sources, a business survey and conversations with BIAs and local business owners.

About Vancity

Vancity is a values-based financial co-operative serving the needs of its more than 543,000 member-owners and their communities, with offices and 60 branches located in Metro Vancouver, the Fraser Valley, Victoria, Squamish and Alert Bay, within the unceded territories of the Coast Salish and Kwakwaka’wakw people. With $28.2 billion in assets plus assets under administration, Vancity is Canada’s largest community credit union. Vancity uses its assets to help improve the financial well-being of its members while at the same time helping to develop healthy communities that are socially, economically and environmentally sustainable.

Tweet us @vancity and connect with us on facebook.com/vancity.

For more information:

Media Relations | Vancity
Nora Eastwood
[email protected]
T: 778-837-0394

Jacksonville, Florida, Dec. 07, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Global Warming Solutions Inc. (OTC MARKET: GWSO) – a developer of technologies aimed at mitigating the effects of global warming – is pleased to announce a significant transaction that will materially improve its balance sheet and represents a key step in unlocking the Company’s potential to deliver its future growth strategy. The company reached an agreement with creditors that will completely eliminate the debt in the amount of $527,000 owed to them by the Company. The Company won’t issue any shares to the debt holders under the terms of this agreement.

This is the second major improvement to the company’s Balance Sheet since November 2020.  In November, the Company’s CEO Vladimir Vasilenko canceled 12 million of his shares representing approximately a 30% increase in shareholder value.

Vladimir Vasilenko stated, “This is the best position the Company has been in.  With the share cancellation and debt elimination, we have reversed any potential for shareholder dilution.  With the capital structure simplified it creates material value for the Company’s shareholders and positions the Company to take advantage of future organic M&A opportunities.”

To learn more about Global Warming Solutions, Inc. Visit: http://www.gwsogroup.com

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release may include predictions, estimates or other information that might be considered forward-looking within the meaning of applicable securities laws. While these forward-looking statements represent the Company’s current judgments, they are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which reflect the opinions of the Company’s management only as of the date of this release. Please keep in mind that the Company is not obligating itself to revise or publicly release the results of any revision to these forward-looking statements in light of new information or future events. When used herein, words such as: potential, expect, look forward, believe, dedicated, building, or variations of such words and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated in any forward-looking statements made by the Company herein are often discussed in filings the Company makes with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) available at www.sec.gov and on the Company’s website at https://www.gwsogroup.com.

Contact:

Vladimir Vasilenko
CEO
Global Warming Solutions, Inc.
[email protected]

“ConectarAGRO: connecting fields, machines and people” was the winning initiative at the conference of the National Association of Research and Development of Innovative Companies in Brazil

London, December 7, 2020

CNH Industrial N.V. (NYSE: CNHI / MI: CNHI) was ranked first in the ANPEI 2020 Conference, promoted by the National Association of Research and Development of Innovative Companies (ANPEI), in Brazil. The initiative “ConectarAGRO: connecting fields, machines and people” was chosen by an expert jury and the award presented during the virtual conference held at the end of November.

In recognition of this achievement, CNH Industrial has been invited to present the winning initiative in the next edition of the Latin-Ibero-American Seminar on Technological Management (ALTEC), scheduled for October 2021, in Lima, Peru. In addition to again being nominated by the Valor Econômico newspaper and Strategy& consulting as one of 2020’s top 10 most innovative companies in Brazil, this new award further recognizes CNH Industrial’s continuing investments in research and development and its culture of collaborative innovation.

“This award is very significant for us, as it reinforces CNH Industrial’s position as one of the most innovative companies in Brazil. We want to continuously contribute to an environment of innovation in its most diverse models, such as collaboration and cooperation, even among competitors. The most important thing is to deliver development and promote digital inclusion in the country, to improve our customers’ experience and broaden people’s life opportunities,” said Vilmar Fistarol, General Manager South America, CNH Industrial.

ConectarAGRO is an initiative created by CNH Industrial, together with seven partners from the fields of agribusiness and telecommunications, which aims to contribute, consolidate and expand internet access in the most diverse agricultural and remote regions of Brazil. It enables farmers to adopt an open, accessible and simple technology: 4G LTE, the same used in urban environments, thus connecting machines, things and people.

CNH Industrial firmly believes that in-field connectivity benefits everyone: producers, equipment manufacturers and wider society. It will enable Brazilian agribusiness to boost productivity without increasing the planted area, by expanding the use of digital technologies thereby leading to their further development.

In total, 73 projects were registered at the ANPEI conference, the largest innovation event in Brazil. It attracts more than 13,000 participants annually, drawn from all sectors including private companies, government institutions, investors, entrepreneurs and technology professionals. The conference is promoted by the National Association of Research and Development of Innovative Companies, the only Brazilian multisector and independent association focused on the innovation ecosystem.

CNH Industrial


N.V. (NYSE: CNHI /MI: CNHI) is a global leader in the capital goods sector with established industrial experience, a wide range of products and a worldwide presence. Each of the individual brands belonging to the Company is a major international force in its specific industrial sector: Case IH, New Holland Agriculture and Steyr for tractors and agricultural machinery; Case and New Holland Construction for earth moving equipment; Iveco for commercial vehicles; Iveco Bus and Heuliez Bus for buses and coaches; Iveco Astra for quarry and construction vehicles; Magirus for firefighting vehicles; Iveco Defence Vehicles for defence and civil protection; and FPT Industrial for engines and transmissions. More information can be found on the corporate website:


www.cnhindustrial.com

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Media contact:

Laura Overall    
Corporate Communications Manager
CNH Industrial              
Tel. +44 (0)2077 660 338                       
E-mail: [email protected]
www.cnhindustrial.com

Attachments

• 20201207_PR_CNH_Industrial_Innovation_Award
• CNH INDUSTRIAL N.V.