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Surety Industry Launches Contractor Bonding Education & Mentoring Program

SFAA

The Surety & Fidelity Association of America (SFAA) and the National Association of Surety Bond Producers (NASBP) are pleased to announce they have jointly developed and launched the surety industry’s new Contractor Bonding Education & Mentoring Program. This free program helps small, new, emerging, minority-owned and other disadvantaged contractors learn how to qualify for construction surety bonds, thereby expanding their business opportunities and providing the services and benefits of these bonds. The Contractor Bonding Education & Mentoring Program includes two components: a set of eLearning modules available online 24/7, which can be taken on demand at the learner’s pace, and an optional mentor program with industry professionals who can provide practical advice and recommendations for the mentee to follow in their efforts to achieve bonding. “The surety industry has a longstanding commitment to providing resources and programs to new and emerging minority contractors. The Contractor Bonding Education & Mentoring Program was specifically designed by industry experts to provide the education needed to understand the bond qualification process,” said Lee Covington, president and CEO of SFAA. “By combining the modernized eLearning platform with a mentoring component, minority, and other contractors now have the opportunity to learn firsthand from professionals inside the industry, gaining valuable insight into the bonding qualification process to expand their business opportunities.” “Many small construction businesses simply are unaware of the value that surety relationships can bring to their business,” related Mark McCallum, CEO of NASBP. “This state-of-the-art educational program conveys those advantages and empowers them with knowledge.” SFAA and NASBP have been joined by several leading construction trade associations to spread awareness of the new educational opportunity including the Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC), the Associated General Contractors of America (AGC), and the National Association of Minority Contractors (NAMC). “We look forward to making this program available to our AGC members, specifically underserved or disadvantaged contractors,” said Stephen E. Sandherr, chief executive officer of the Associated General Contractors of America. “It provides a great foundation on the bonding application and qualification process and will help these contractors expand into new markets.” “The new Contractor Bonding Education & Mentoring Program is a valuable resource for underrepresented contractors,” said Michael Bellaman, president and CEO of Associated Building and Contractors. “The mentoring component is a critical piece, as these contractors can utilize the experience and expertise of professionals in the surety industry to gain practical knowledge about qualifying for a bond.” For more information about the Contractor Bonding Education & Mentoring Program, or to register, visit www.contractorbondinged.org. ### The Surety & Fidelity Association of America (SFAA) is a nonprofit, nonpartisan trade association representing all segments of the surety and fidelity industry. Based in Washington, D.C., SFAA works to promote the value of surety and fidelity bonding by proactively advocating on behalf of its members and stakeholders. The association’s more than 425 member companies write 98 percent of surety and fidelity bonds in the U.S. For more information visit www.surety.org. Founded in 1942, the National Association of Surety Bond Producers (NASBP) is the association of and resource for surety bond producers and allied professionals. NASBP members specialize in providing surety bonds for construction contracts and other purposes to companies and individuals needing the assurance offered by surety bonds. https://www.nasbp.org Contact Details SFAA Peter Roth - Vice President – Strategic Communications, Marketing & Research +1 703-401-0676 proth@surety.org Company Website https://surety.org/

January 13, 2022 09:55 AM Eastern Standard Time

LanzaJet Secures Industry-Leading, Innovative Financing with Microsoft Climate Innovation Fund to Construct the World’s First Commercial Alcohol-to-Jet Sustainable Fuel Plant

LanzaJet

Today, LanzaJet, a sustainable fuels technology company and renewable fuels producer, announced it has secured financing for its Freedom Pines Fuels plant in Soperton, Georgia, through the Microsoft Climate Innovation Fund. The Microsoft Climate Innovation Fund has made a $50M investment to support the construction of LanzaJet's (and the world's) first alcohol-to-jet sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) production plant. The innovative structure of Microsoft's financing will enable LanzaJet to bring lower-cost sustainable aviation fuel and renewable diesel to the global market. LanzaJet is dedicated to accelerating the energy transition in sectors where decarbonization is hard, such as aviation. LanzaJet produces SAF and renewable diesel from low-carbon, sustainable ethanol sources. This investment also creates the opportunity for LanzaJet and the Microsoft Climate Innovation Fund to work together in enabling LanzaJet, through the Freedom Pines Fuels plant, to catalyze the market for 2 nd generation, waste-based ethanol feedstock, demonstrating clear demand signals for ethanol that can achieve greater carbon reductions. The construction of Freedom Pines Fuels is progressing as planned, even with supply chain, manufacturing, and labor shortages impacting the global economy. Fabrication of the plant is well underway; some modules are already completed and final site engineering is nearing completion. The LanzaJet Freedom Pines Fuels plant is expected to achieve mechanical completion this year and begin producing 10 million gallons of SAF and renewable diesel per year from sustainable ethanol, including from waste-based feedstocks, in 2023. The investment was made as part of Microsoft's efforts to achieve its 2030 goal of becoming carbon negative and advancing a net-zero economy. It also allows Microsoft to access sustainable, renewable diesel for its data centers to enable Microsoft to further achieve its net-zero goals. Demand for sustainable fuels is increasing, and governments like those in the United States and the United Kingdom are leading the transition by encouraging sustainable fuel production. The Biden administration set a goal for achieving net-zero aviation emissions by 2050, with the E.U. wanting to increase the amount of SAF blended to 63% by 2050. In September of 2021, the White House announced a target of 3 billion gallons of SAF produced per year by 2030. As part of that announcement, LanzaJet shared it would strive to achieve 1B gallons of SAF production in the US by 2030, significantly supporting US ambitions. Private sector investment and government support are crucial to enabling the development and scale-up of new technologies to curb carbon emissions as the world tackles climate change. The collaboration between LanzaJet and the Microsoft Climate Innovation Fund demonstrates that such an innovative investment approach breaks down barriers by deploying new technologies, improves our nation's infrastructure, and creates new economic opportunities in rural communities. The development of LanzaJet’s Freedom Pines Fuels plant is also supported by funding from the U.S. Department of Energy Bioenergy Technologies Office. LanzaJet continues to work with its founding investors to scale up the production of sustainable fuels to meet global demand and to enable the energy transition underway. Microsoft's financial support of LanzaJet joins other LanzaJet funders including LanzaTech, Inc., Suncor Energy Inc., Mitsui & Co., Ltd., British Airways, Shell, and All Nippon Airways – all who are working together to catalyze and build a new global market for sustainable fuels. Jimmy Samartzis, LanzaJet CEO, said: "We know that creating the change which our world desperately needs requires perseverance, innovation, and like-minded partnerships. We are thrilled to bring on Microsoft and its Climate Innovation Fund to help us build our first-of-its-kind sustainable fuels plant in Georgia. The partnership with Microsoft is more than just financing – it advances our work towards net zero fuels, it enables lower-cost sustainable fuels into the market, and it supports the urgency to have real, proven technologies scale-up and deploy." "We set a bold ambition to support the White House with a goal of 1 billion gallons of sustainable fuels by 2030. With Microsoft's support, this first plant significantly expands the production of sustainable fuels in the US, establishes Georgia as a leader in cleantech, and is the foundation for us as the first alcohol-to-jet sustainable fuels producer, and as a blueprint for the commercial plants we're developing globally." Brandon Middaugh of Microsoft's Climate Innovation Fund said: "With this investment, we support LanzaJet in creating new pathways to help companies across industries achieve net-zero carbon through the use of sustainable fuels. Decarbonizing hard to abate industries and technologies will be essential to achieving our carbon reduction goals by 2030. We look forward to working with LanzaJet to accelerate the global development and deployment of high-quality, sustainable fuels technologies." Governor Brian P. Kemp (Georgia), said: “LanzaJet is adding to Georgia’s growing sustainability ecosystem with the development of their aviation fuel and renewable diesel products,” said Georgia Governor Brian P. Kemp. “We congratulate LanzaJet, Microsoft, Soperton, and Treutlen County on this innovative opportunity. We’re proud that they’re growing in Georgia’s pro-business environment, and we look forward to working with them to support their production goals in the future.” U.S. Senator Jon Ossoff (Georgia), said: "This is good news for Georgia. My vision remains that Georgia should lead the nation in clean energy and renewable energy technology — including sustainable aviation fuels. I brought the Secretary of Energy to visit the LanzaJet site last year, and I will continue working to promote clean energy technology and create Georgia jobs.” U.S. Representative Rick Allen (GA-12), said: “This is great news for Georgia’s 12th District as it will enable continued investment and workforce development in Soperton. I applaud LanzaJet on today’s announcement, which is the result of free markets and innovation at work.” State Senator Blake Tillery (Vidalia-19), said: “We are continually working on jobs and investment in rural Georgia and are excited about what this announcement today means for Treutlen County and the surrounding areas.” About LanzaJet LanzaJet, Inc. is the world’s alcohol-to-jet technology leader and producer of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) and Renewable Diesel (RD) from ethanol. LanzaJet’s alcohol-to-jet technology has been in development for more than a decade through a partnership initially between LanzaTech and the US Department of Energy’s Pacific Northwest National Lab (PNNL). PNNL developed a unique catalytic process to upgrade ethanol to alcohol-to-jet synthetic paraffinic kerosene (ATJ-SPK) which LanzaTech took from the laboratory to pilot scale. LanzaJet is now commercially deploying the technology globally. Launched in June 2020, LanzaJet produces SAF and renewable diesel for hard to decarbonize sectors such as transportation including aviation and maritime. With its approach to the commercialization of SAF, LanzaJet creates regional jobs while enabling global decarbonization of the aviation sector. The LanzaJet process can use any source of low CI, sustainable ethanol for fuel production. Investors include LanzaTech, Inc. - the world’s carbon recycling leader and sponsor that spun out LanzaJet, Suncor Energy Inc. - Canada's leading integrated energy company, British Airways - the flag carrier airline of the United Kingdom, Shell – a global energy company, and Mitsui & Co., Ltd – a leading Japanese trading and investment company. Further information is available at https://www.lanzajet.com/. Contact Details North Coast Strategies Daniel Cherrin +1 313-300-0932 dcherrin@northcoaststrategies.com Company Website https://www.lanzajet.com

January 13, 2022 09:04 AM Eastern Standard Time

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American Equipment Holdings Continues Rapid Consolidation of Overhead Crane Industry with Acquisition of Facilities Engineering

Rotunda Capital Partners LLC

American Equipment Holdings (“American Equipment”), a Rotunda Capital Partner s portfolio company, has acquired Facilities Engineering (“Facilities Engineering”), one of the industry’s most respected providers of overhead crane systems and field service solutions. For more than 50 years, Facilities Engineering has been providing OSHA certified overhead crane systems and maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) field services throughout the Southwest and broader United States. The acquisition of Facilities Engineering is the fifth acquisition completed by American Equipment since partnering with Rotunda in May of 2021. Based in Anaheim, California, Facilities Engineering will enable American Equipment to better serve its growing MRO customer base in the Southwestern United States and further strengthens American Equipment as the dominant provider of overhead crane systems, hoists and parts nationally. In connection with the transaction, American Equipment also acquired FP Fabrication, a former Demag facility and one of the largest builders of overhead crane systems in the Western U.S. “It is a pleasure to welcome Facilities Engineering to the American Equipment family of businesses,” said American Equipment CEO, Adam Zimmerman. “The Facilities Engineering team, led by Cindy Floriani and Vincent Baroldi, will expand our MRO field services footprint and quoting, engineering and new equipment capabilities for both our regional and national customers.” Facilities Engineering owners Cindy Floriani and Vincent Baroldi will lead Facilities Engineering post-transaction. “We are extremely excited to bring our decades of experience to American Equipment and believe that our combined resources will enable us to better serve our longstanding customer base, while also creating new career and leadership opportunities for our employees,” said Cindy Floriani, co-owner of Facilities Engineering. “American Equipment’s national footprint, expertise and shared resources will enable us to accelerate our growth across both our overhead crane systems and MRO field service offerings,” said Vincent Baroldi, co-owner of Facilities Engineering. About American Equipment Holdings American Equipment Holdings is home to a collection of leading overhead crane and hoist distributors and field service providers, including American Equipment, Allied Crane, Eastern Crane and Hoist, Facilities Engineering, Pacific Crane & Hoist, and Washington Crane & Hoist. The consolidated entity is one of the largest independently owned overhead crane and hoist solutions providers in the country, serving over 4,000 customers across 20 strategic locations throughout Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Nevada, New Mexico, South Carolina, Utah, Washington and Wyoming. Together, American Equipment Holdings provides comprehensive solutions for everything related to customers’ overhead crane and hoist needs, including OSHA mandated inspections, preventative maintenance and repair field services, parts, engineering, ISO certified fabrication, new and replacement equipment, automated systems, system modernizations and training. American Equipment Holdings represents the industry’s leading manufacturers such as Detroit Hoist, Columbus McKinnon, ACCO, R&M, Demag, Gorbel, Spanco, IMS, Harrington, Conductix, Magnetek & PE, among others and customers rely on its service, design, engineering, fabrication and installation capabilities to meet their unique application needs. American Equipment Holdings serves local, regional and national customers across a variety of end markets, including light & heavy industrial, automotive, mining, public utilities, military, aerospace & defense and energy, among others. For more, visit www.amquipinc.com. American Equipment is aggressively seeking to acquire other overhead crane and material handling equipment and service solution providers and is interested in acquisition opportunities presented by business owners, management, or M&A intermediaries. Please contact Harrison Furse, Rotunda’s VP of Business Development, regarding acquisition opportunities. About Facilities Engineering Founded in 1968 by Donovan Floriani, Facilities Engineering has been providing a full suite of overhead crane & hoist solutions to the industry’s most discerning customers throughout the Southwest and nationally for more than 50 years. Facilities Engineering’s solutions include OSHA mandated inspections, preventative maintenance and repair field services, parts, engineering, new and replacement equipment and system modernizations. Facilities Engineering is headquartered in Anaheim, California. www.bridge-cranes.com. About Rotunda Capital Partners Rotunda Capital Partners is an operationally oriented private equity firm focused on transforming family-founder owned companies into dynamic, data-driven platforms able to achieve and manage significant growth. Since its founding in 2009, Rotunda has partnered with management teams to build great businesses within three primary sectors: value-added distribution, asset-light logistics and industrial & business services. Rotunda strives to achieve replicable results by implementing its Rotunda Performance System to create strategic alignment, develop lean processes and create robust, data-driven infrastructures. For more information, visit www.rotundacapital.com. Contact Details Rotunda Capital Partners Jill Lafferty +1 847-280-1295 jill@rotundacapital.com Company Website https://www.rotundacapital.com

January 13, 2022 07:43 AM Eastern Standard Time

Volatus Aerospace accelerates its Public Safety Initiative with the addition of advanced UAV Mobile Command Units

Volatus Aerospace Corp.

Volatus Aerospace Corp. (TSXV: VOL) (“Volatus”) is pleased to announce that it has partnered with Illinois-based DRAXXON to market and sell fully integrated mobile command centers configured to support drone operations in a public safety environment. Demonstrations of these Mobile Command Centers and various public safety drones will provide an opportunity for first responders to evaluate customized solutions to meet their tactical requirements. The Mobile Command Center enhances Volatus’ integrated solutions for public safety agencies. “The public safety market is rapidly adopting the use of tactical drones and the application of Drones as First Responder. We are committed to being a leading provider of turnkey solutions in this sector,” said Glen Lynch, Volatus CEO. “Mobile Command Centers provide all the components of a rapid response unit including drone communications, flight operations, and live data feeds. DRAXXON is a leading manufacturer of high-quality, specialized vehicles designed for multi-mission capabilities. Innovation and quality make them a perfect partner for our public safety initiative.” DRAXXON CEO Brock Wilkerson remarked, “Partnering with Volatus and integrating their various drones, mission control systems, and intelligence offerings with our high quality, specialized vehicle solutions, results in powerful resources for first responders.” According to Markets&Markets in their 2021 report ‘Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) Market,’ the global government and law enforcement market is forecast at US$5.72B by 2026 growing at a CAGR of 17.1%. The public safety market is a targeted growth sector for Volatus. “Delivery of the first vehicle is scheduled for January 25 th and our North American roadshow will begin in March," said Dean Attridge, VP of Solutions Engineering. "We will be showcasing our fully integrated solution at the International Security Conference & Exhibition (ISC) West tradeshow.” About Volatus Aerospace: Volatus Aerospace is a leading provider of integrated drone solutions. Operating a vast pilot network with offices throughout Canada, the United States, and South America, Volatus provides enterprise and industrial solutions including training, equipment sales & support, imaging & inspection services, drone cargo solutions, design & manufacture, and research & development. With a rapidly expanding network of strategic partnerships and acquisitions, Volatus is driving the full potential of UAV technologies around the world and shaping the industry of tomorrow. Forward-Looking Statement: This news release contains statements that constitute “forward-looking information” within the meaning of applicable securities laws, including statements regarding the plans, intentions, beliefs and current expectations of the Corporation with respect to future business activities and operating performance. Often, but not always, forward-looking information can be identified by the use of words such as “plans”, “expects”, “is expected”, “budget”, “scheduled”, “estimates”, “forecasts”, “intends”, “anticipates”, or “believes” or variations (including negative variations) of such words and phrases, or statements formed in the future tense or indicating that certain actions, events or results “may”, “could”, “would”, “might” or “will” (or other variations of the foregoing) be taken, occur, be achieved, or come to pass. Forward-looking information includes information regarding (i) the business plans and expectations of the Corporation; and (ii) expectations for other economic, business, and/or competitive factors. Forward-looking information is based on currently available competitive, financial and economic data and operating plans, strategies or beliefs as of the date of this news release, but involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other factors that may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Corporation to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking information. Such factors may be based on information currently available to the Corporation, including information obtained from third-party industry analysts and other third-party sources, and are based on management’s current expectations or beliefs. Any and all forward-looking information contained in this news release is expressly qualified by this cautionary statement.Investors are cautioned that forward-looking information is not based on historical facts but instead reflects expectations, estimates or projections concerning future results or events based on the opinions, assumptions and estimates of management considered reasonable at the date the statements are made. Forward-looking information reflects the Corporation’s current beliefs and is based on information currently available to it and on assumptions it believes to be not unreasonable in light of all of the circumstances. In some instances, material factors or assumptions are discussed in this news release in connection with statements containing forward-looking information. Such material factors and assumptions include, but are not limited to: the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the Corporation; meeting the continued listing requirements of the TSXV; and anticipated and unanticipated costs and other factors referenced in this news release and the Circular, including, but not limited to, those set forth in the Circular under the caption “Risk Factors”. Although the Corporation has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results to differ from those anticipated, estimated or intended. The forward-looking information contained herein is made as of the date of this news release and, other than as required by law, the Corporation disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or results or otherwise. There can be no assurance that forward-looking information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. Contact Details Volatus Aerospace Corp. Rob Walker +1 514-447-7986 rob.walker@volatusaerospace.com Company Website https://volatusaerospace.com

January 12, 2022 07:00 PM Eastern Standard Time

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Democracy Think Tank, Section 1, Announces Release of Founder, Peter Biro’s, “Conscience-Shocking” First Music video of his Dramatic Rock Ballad, “Just History Now”

Section 1

Peter Biro, the founder of Section 1, a democracy think tank, has announced the release of a music video to accompany a powerful conscience-raising rock ballad, “Just History Now”. Biro hopes to attract the attention of politicians, educators, journalists and the civil society sectors to the song’s urgent and compelling message for the world of today. Biro calls it “a love letter to humanity in a dark age. A lament for the human condition. An irrefutable case for pessimism. An eternal reason for hope.” “This is us! This is about who we are”, says Biro. “Humanity is not divided into the good ones and the bad ones. We are each possessed of benign and evil inclinations. We seem condemned to both revisit and repeat our past atrocities, even as we atone and take stock of our own immortality. Every politician should watch. Every activist will want to share. Every high school should set aside 6 minutes and 22 seconds at its morning assembly for this.” Lawyer, writer, educator, think-tank founder, democracy activist, Chair Emeritus of the Jane Goodall Institute Global, and songwriter, Peter L. Biro, pays tribute to his late father and Holocaust survivor, George Biro, while calling us all “to look honestly at the hard truths about the nature of human nature!” “What have we done since Bergen Belsen? What have we learned from Birkenau? Where are the desaparecidos? It’s all just history now”. Beautifully conceived, performed and recorded in 2000, but never released, Biro decided that, tragically, the song was even more relevant and timely today than when he wrote it over two decades ago. JUST HISTORY NOW, and other songs by Peter, can be streamed at http://itunes.apple.com/album/id1601499105?ls=1&app=itunes http://itunes.apple.com/album/id/1601499105 https://open.spotify.com/artist/5D9wk6ZDyqCDKtm12gJXlo?4, and most online music stores. About Peter Biro: http://www.section1.ca/the-team/ and at https://www.linkedin.com/in/peter-l-biro-2438919/ Watch it. Share it. Broadcast it. Discuss it. Review it. And reach out to Peter at peter.biro@section1.ca with feedback and interview requests. www.section1.ca Contact Details Peter Biro peter.biro@section1.ca

January 12, 2022 11:30 AM Eastern Standard Time

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American Equipment Holdings Expands Footprint to the Eastern United States via Acquisition of Eastern Crane

Rotunda Capital Partners LLC

American Equipment Holdings (“American Equipment”), a Rotunda Capital Partners portfolio company, has acquired Eastern Crane and Hoist (“Eastern Crane”), one of the Southeast’s premier providers of overhead crane systems and maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) field services. The acquisition of Eastern Crane is the fourth acquisition completed by American Equipment since partnering with Rotunda in May of 2021. Based in Fountain Inn, South Carolina, Eastern Crane will expand American Equipment’s geographic footprint to the Southeast, enabling both companies to extend their MRO field services and production reach to better serve their existing national and regional customers. American Equipment’s best-in-class quoting, engineering, new equipment and parts resources will also strengthen Eastern Crane’s value-proposition and solution capabilities for its longstanding blue-chip customer base. Collectively, American Equipment and Eastern Crane will pursue additional complementary acquisitions throughout the eastern and southern U.S. Eastern Crane is led by Mark Souza, Walt Cannon and Scott Walsh who will continue in their existing roles post-transaction. “We are thrilled to partner with Mark, Walt, Scott and the Eastern Crane team,” said American Equipment CEO Adam Zimmerman. “We are truly impressed with their company and customer-first culture they built over decades of hard work. The acquisition of Eastern Crane is the next cornerstone in our growth strategy of expanding our footprint through complementary acquisitions to deliver unprecedented value to overhead crane users across the country.” “I have been extremely impressed with American Equipment’s vision for the industry and our shared core values centered around providing exceptional experiences for our customers and employees,” said Mark Souza, president of Eastern Crane. “The entire Eastern Crane team looks forward to collaborating with American Equipment to build the premier overhead crane and hoist solutions provider in the U.S.” About American Equipment Holdings American Equipment Holdings is home to a collection of leading overhead crane and hoist distributors and field service providers, including American Equipment, Allied Crane, Eastern Crane, Pacific Crane & Hoist and Washington Crane & Hoist. The consolidated entity is one of the largest independently owned overhead crane and hoist solutions providers in the country, serving over 4,000 customers across 20 strategic locations throughout Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Nevada, New Mexico, South Carolina, Utah, Washington and Wyoming. Together, American Equipment Holdings provides comprehensive solutions for everything related to customers’ overhead crane and hoist needs, including OSHA mandated inspections, preventative maintenance and repair field services, parts, engineering, ISO certified fabrication, new and replacement equipment, automated systems, system modernizations and training. American Equipment Holdings represents the industry’s leading manufacturers such as Detroit Hoist, Columbus McKinnon, ACCO, R&M, Demag, Gorbel, Spanco, IMS, Harrington, Conductix, Magnetek & PE, among others, and customers rely on its service, design, engineering, fabrication, and installation capabilities to meet their unique application needs. American Equipment Holdings serves local, regional and national customers across a variety of end markets, including light & heavy industrial, automotive, mining, public utilities, military, aerospace & defense and energy, among others. For more, visit www.amquipinc.com. American Equipment is aggressively seeking to acquire other overhead crane and material handling equipment and service solution providers and is interested in acquisition opportunities presented by business owners, management, or M&A intermediaries. Please contact Harrison Furse, Vice President of Business Development at Rotunda, regarding acquisition opportunities. About Eastern Crane and Hoist Founded in 1979, Eastern Crane and Hoist is the Southeast’s leading provider of comprehensive overhead crane solutions, including OSHA mandated inspections, preventative maintenance and repair field services, parts, engineering, new and replacement equipment, and system modernizations. Eastern Crane is based in Fountain Inn, South Carolina. www.easterncrane.com. About Rotunda Capital Partners Rotunda Capital Partners is an operationally oriented private equity firm focused on transforming family-founder owned companies into dynamic, data-driven platforms able to achieve and manage significant growth. Since its founding in 2009, Rotunda has partnered with management teams to build great businesses within three primary sectors: value-added distribution, asset-light logistics and industrial & business services. Rotunda strives to achieve replicable results by implementing its Rotunda Performance System to create strategic alignment, develop lean processes and create robust, data-driven infrastructures. For more information, visit www.rotundacapital.com. Contact Details Rotunda Capital Partners Jill Lafferty +1 847-280-1295 jill@rotundacapital.com Company Website https://www.rotundacapital.com

January 11, 2022 07:43 AM Eastern Standard Time

Kenny Clark Grows Minuteman Press Printing Franchise in McKinney, Texas

Minuteman Press International Inc

Minuteman Press in McKinney, Texas is located at 1502 W. University Drive, Suite 111. Owner Kenny Clark has owned the local printing franchise since August 2014. Operating as an essential business over the past two years, Kenny has consistently grown his sales and helped other local businesses meet their ever-changing needs for custom design, print, and marketing services. Kenny says, “We have worked hard to serve our customers with anything they have needed over the past two years and that hard work has paid off. I was born and raised in Texas, and one thing I did was remain open. I went to work every single day because I wanted to be there to answer the phone when other businesses weren’t. If you could hear the relief in their voices when I answered the phone, you would understand just how huge that personal touch and human connection was at that time.” “I was fortunate enough to remain open as an essential business, and by being there for new and existing clients at a time where they needed me most, that really was a big key to growing our business. Today, I am stronger than I was before the pandemic, and our client base is stronger as well.” -Kenny Clark, owner, Minuteman Press franchise, McKinney, Texas. With eight years of business under his belt including two years of operating under unprecedented circumstances, Kenny is able to share his insights and keys to growth for Minuteman Press in McKinney. He says, “We have many products that are in high demand, and the key to our success is that we sell ourselves through our actions. We offer speed and service, and a job done right, no matter what our clients need.” He continues, “We offer custom graphic design services with fast turnaround, which then leads to fast production of banners, signs, blueprints, business cards and stationery, and anything our clients need or want to grow their business through increased brand awareness and visibility. Direct mail has also been a growth point for us.” Why direct mail? Kenny explains, “I find printing to be one of the absolute core essentials of any marketing strategy. More than ever, we see that there are thousands of emails that get lost in the shuffle and deleted. When you have something in your hand that you can physically hold and touch, you are more likely to take a closer look at it. Emails can get swallowed up by spam filters and deleted with one click, while direct mail has that unique ability to capture someone’s attention because it’s right in their hands.” “Right now, one of my biggest clients is doing direct mail campaigns with us more than any other types of products and services. They have found that direct mail really works for them, and that Minuteman Press is the perfect local partner to help them design, print, and deliver their messages to best reach their target audience.” -Kenny Clark When it comes to marketing his business, Kenny takes a multi-faceted approach. “I tell my team all the time, we don’t just get out there and market for the sake of marketing. I like to say, ‘We quote it to win it.’ We have really focused on marketing ourselves on speed and service, and direct conversations with our clients. We are not the cheapest printer in McKinney, Texas, but if you want and need the job done right, I am your guy.” Kenny has also taken advantage of the proprietary Minuteman Press FLEX software as well as the Internet marketing resources available to him. “We used the FLEX software all of the time when quoting jobs for clients, and it’s a valuable tool to make sure we are managing pricing and production correctly. Specifically, I have been using the CSSP function that helps me see how to properly price orders for quotes based on current pricing trends. A year and a half ago, I really started bolstering our Internet marketing, and that has really paid off as well in generating new business.” “The support from Minuteman Press International has been exactly what it was promised to be. My Regional Vice President Pete Scaglione and the local field team are there for me. When I call them, they will jump through hoops to help me out. If I email the IT team at World Headquarters with a question about the FLEX software or anything else I need, I always receive quick replies that contain precise, detailed answers. We all have the same mindset, and we are all in this together.” -Kenny Clark Prior to franchising with Minuteman Press, Kenny saw his job in the electronics industry take him traveling around the world. “I had a working background in electronics, manufacturing of circuit boards, and business development. Flying everywhere was getting really old really fast and I wanted to be there for my kids. Minuteman Press helped me do that.” When asked about additional reasons Kenny chose to buy Minuteman Press in McKinney, Kenny answers, “At the end of the day, the cost to buy a Minuteman Press franchise was reasonable and cost less than most other franchises. The majority of franchises have the philosophy of ‘the more you make, the more we take.’ Essentially, you are punished for having a successful franchise, but that is not the case with Minuteman Press International. Their royalty cap was the deciding factor for me in joining Minuteman. I am allowed to keep more of my well-earned money and invest it back into the business as I see fit.” Kenny continues, “The other thing that other people don’t realize is the benefit of having low turnover due to the fact that we hire skilled workers. I looked into the fast food industry, and there just seemed to be too much turnover due to the nature of the work as well as other headaches that would carry over into weekends such as staffing as well as food supply.” He adds, “Not having to worry about the business on weekends and having that freedom is huge. You can’t put a price on that.” For those who are researching businesses including Minuteman Press, Kenny’s advice is this: “Ask yourself if you see yourself running the business you are buying Also, are you willing to do the work? The biggest mistake people make is that they open the business and hope that clients will just walk through your doors and automatically come to you. If you don’t get out and market, if you aren’t hustling, you are not going to make it. You have to want it and follow the business model, get out there and go get it. All of your marketing efforts will come back to you and pay off. I can attest to that.” For more information about Minuteman Press in McKinney, Texas, visit their website: https://minuteman.com/us/locations/tx/mckinney. Learn more about #1 rated Minuteman Press franchise opportunities at https://minutemanpressfranchise.com. Contact Details Minuteman Press International Chris Biscuiti +1 631-249-1370 cbiscuiti@mpihq.com Company Website https://minutemanpressfranchise.com

January 10, 2022 10:00 AM Eastern Standard Time

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First corporate customer in the U.S. reserves 100 VinFast electric vehicles at CES 2022

Vingroup

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - Media OutReach - 8 January 2022 - Shortly after VinFast Global EV Day at CES 2022, Artemis DNA, a full-service, accredited, high complexity clinical diagnostic laboratory company providing proprietary Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) genetic and diagnostic testing that enables precision medicine through early disease detection in the U.S., expressed interest in VinFast EVs VF 6, VF 7, VF 8 and VF 9 by making 100 reservations thereof. Such decision by Artemis DNA shows the confidence of the first Vietnam high-class electric vehicle automaker, VinFast, in being able to satisfy U.S. consumers - the world's most demanding market. Artemis DNA applauds VinFast’s efforts to become an all-electric car manufacturer, anticipated by the end of 2022. Artemis DNA looks forward to working with VinFast and other Vingroup companies in pursuing mutual goals of fostering a greener, cleaner, healthier and sustainable future for the planet. Immediately after VinFast's debut at CES 2022 of its electric vehicles, Artemis DNA decided to reserve 100 of VinFast EV’s, which includes VF 6, VF 7, VF 8 and VF 9 at the price points that VinFast announced (for VF 8 and VF 9). With the plans to convert its entire fleet to EV's, the purchase of the EV’s represents a continued effort by Artemis DNA to reduce the carbon footprint of its operations. Artemis DNA has been aggressively pursuing a commitment to a robust environmental, social and governance (ESG) initiative which includes a number of climate-oriented goals. In a recent letter from Artemis DNA Founder and CEO, Emylee Thai, she stated that the company is dedicated to becoming a leader in environmental stewardship within the diagnostics and healthcare industry. It is anticipated that Artemis DNA will take delivery of the VinFast EV’s starting in the fourth quarter of this year in support of both of the companies’ massive global expansion plans. With the reservation placed, Artemis DNA will be VinFast's first corporate customer in the U.S. “It is with the help of innovative companies like VinFast that we are able to continue our work transforming healthcare around the world while still being a good corporate citizen. Artemis DNA is committed to maintaining our status as an exemplary leader in the diagnostics and healthcare industry.” said Ms. Emylee Thai, Founder and CEO of Artemis DNA. Madam Le Thi Thu Thuy, Vingroup Vice Chair and VinFast Global CEO shared: "We are very pleased that VinFast's electric vehicles received numerous positive feedback from Artemis DNA and U.S. customers as soon as we launched at CES 2022 in Las Vegas, NV. This shows the trust of U.S. customers with VinFast's brand and the quality of our electric vehicles." The VinFast model VF 6 and model VF 7 were mentioned as one of the top 10 most beautiful EV models at the exhibition, according to an article in Forbes magazine. In addition, the model VF 8 and model VF 9 were described as the "Top Electric Models Worth Waiting For" at the Los Angeles Auto Show in November 2021, as reported by Automotive News. Opened for reservation globally, starting on January 5, 2022, in the U.S., VinFast VF 8 pricing starts at 41,000 USD in the U.S., 36,133 Euros in Europe and 961 million VND in Vietnam. Meanwhile, VinFast VF 9 pricing starts at 56,000 USD, 49,280 Euros and from 1.312 billion VND. VinFast anticipates completing its first deliveries of VinFast models VF 8 and VF 9 cars in the fourth quarter of 2022. Customers in the U.S. can make a reservation by paying $200 to receive a $3,000 e-voucher toward the potential purchase of VF 8 or a $5,000 e-voucher toward the potential purchase of a VF 9. Customers in Europe can make a reservation by paying 150 Euros to receive a 2,500 Euros voucher toward the potential purchase of VF 8 or a 4,200 Euros voucher toward the potential purchase of VF 9. Customers in Vietnam can make a reservation by paying 10 million VND to receive a 150 million VND voucher for VF 8 or 250 million VND voucher for VF 9. About Artemis DNA Artemis DNA is a full service, Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA) certified, College of American Pathologists (CAP) accredited, high-complexity clinical diagnostic laboratory company that provides proprietary Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) genetic testing and diagnostic laboratory services for a wide variety of medical specialities, including cardiology, oncology, immunology, neurology, reproductive health and pharmacogenomics. Artemis DNA’s testing enhances the delivery of “personalized medicine” by assessing a patient’s own genetic makeup and clinical characteristics which allows for informed decision making in prevention and treatment choices. Artemis DNA also provides pre- and post-testing genetic education and counseling services, as well as conducting research and development to discover and develop additional novel diagnostic services. Artemis DNA is headquartered in Irvine, California. For more information, visit https://www.artemisdna.com. About VinFast & Vingroup VinFast - a member of Vingroup – envisioned to drive the movement of global smart electric vehicle revolution. Established in 2017, VinFast owns a state-of-the-art automotive manufacturing complex with globally leading scalability that boasts up to 90% automation in Hai Phong, Vietnam. Strongly committed to the mission for a sustainable future for everyone, VinFast constantly innovates to bring high-quality products, advanced smart services, seamless customer experiences, and pricing strategy for all to inspire global customers to jointly create a future of smart mobility and a sustainable planet. Learn more at: https://vinfastauto.com. Established in 1993, Vingroup is one of the leading private conglomerates in the region, with a total capitalization of $35 billion USD from three publicly traded companies (as of November 4, 2021). Vingroup currently focuses on three main areas: Technology and Industry, Services and Social Enterprise. Find out more at: https://www.vingroup.net/en. Contact Details Vingroup Media Contact v.nammh@vingroup.net Company Website https://www.vingroup.net/en

January 08, 2022 08:30 AM Eastern Standard Time

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In a World Where Everything is Connected, Insurance is Catching Up

Roadzen

Artificial intelligence, Machine Learning and Big Data have been used across every industry to make the world more personal. Businesses have activated systems that make it possible to cater to consumer preference. Great minds have accelerated progress by building on ever-evolving algorithms and systems that learn as fast (or faster) than humans. The world of insurance has been one colored by the “necessary evils” of long waits, policies for “everyone”, and demographic-reliant underwriting processes. Innovators in this space are contending for an upgrade, and new technology is helping them achieve it. At the Intersection of Mobility and Insurance Less than six years ago, robotics and AI specialist Rohan Malhotra was on the scene after a friend got in a bad car accident in New Delhi. The driver was taken to the hospital and Malhotra stood by to sort out the logistics of getting the car towed and coordinating with insurance. In a series of phone calls that spanned several hours standing on busy roads to get things sorted out. It hit him: it takes two minutes to get an Uber, but four and a half hours to get a car off the road and an insurance file claimed? In a digital-first world, with plenty of capable technology at our fingertips, this is absurd. Malhotra, an alumnus of Carnegie Mellon, let this epiphany spark an effort that would grow into Roadzen. The company has since become a transformative force in the world of AI, using it to transform insurance for mobility and reimagine how to help drivers get safer and be insured, faster and cheaper. Cars Aren’t Just Cars Anymore Here is a useful analogy: phones used to be devices used to make calls. Now, they are sophisticated hardware equipped with sensors, software and apps we use to manage our lives and connect to the world around us. Similarly, cars have steadily shifted from being mechanical machines we drive to being equipped with sensors and software collecting real-time information to transform in-vehicle experiences such as mapping, payments, entertainment, commerce and insurance. There are three key ways that companies like Roadzen are using what cars are and how they operate to uplevel insurance operations: 1. Dynamic and Personalized Underwriting Underwriting is antiquated: any insurance expert agrees. A lot of factors go into underwriting a vehicle for an insurance policy. Some insurance companies have started to weigh according to personal factors, such as how well someone drives or lifestyle considerations. However, most underwriting still relies on a flawed, generic, static data-based approach. For instance, if someone is under 25 years old and a college student, they will automatically pay more for insurance. Now, however, data goes way deeper than demographics. Underwriters can view and interpret aggregates of data down to the individual level that account for driving conditions, car type, driver behavior and more. This makes policies far more fair, but new technology can go even further, activating measures that prevent issues. Using telematics, automatic alerts can go off if a driver is exhibiting risky behavior, is in an accident-prone area, appears to be drowsy or is otherwise in danger. This could not only ensure that good rates reward good drivers, but that there are categorically fewer accidents on the road. 2. Insurance Embedded Into Transactions A point of focus for insurtech in the last 20 years has been distribution. Selling policies online has been touted as novel, but has ceased to be anything newsworthy. What is newsworthy is new means of distribution that can be embedded into any transaction using APIs. For example, when someone buys a new car online, it can come with insurance loaded; when a family takes a trip, they can automatically add on insurance. Agents can use this new technology in which a distribution engine capably handles online channels for ease of purchase and streamlined operations. 3. Proactive Claims Processes Filing insurance claims is something no policyholder ever wants to have to do, but it’s at this moment that insurance has value. The claims process has been a loathsome one, but innovative technology is changing that narrative. This is one scenario in which video, AI and ML have been particularly effective, activating new methods for reporting claims. Using telematics, automated systems can immediately recognize when an accident has occurred. Instead of a reactive process, a proactive series of events is launched. Individuals can immediately take photos or videos of their damaged vehicle and assess it using AI, getting a real time estimate for the cost of repairs. In many cases, this shrinks the process from days or weeks to minutes. Advanced Innovation and the Future The future of insurance is decidedly on a new trajectory. TESLA has grown its insurance division, one that CEO Elon Musk estimates will account for a significant portion of revenue moving forward. Roadzen, similar to Tesla, is building the end-to-end infrastructure for underwriting, distribution and claims, effectively changing the way people benefit from automobile insurance. A few components require flexibility in any system, though. One example is that not every region will allow underwriting based on behavior; it has to be related to asset value of the car. Here, technology can still be used to scan a vehicle, assess any points of damage that diminish value, and provide comps against orange or blue book value that inform policy quotes. Another dynamic is usage based insurance, which has blossomed during COVID-19 because not as many people use their cars. When a car is sitting still, should users have to pay full price for insurance? Usage-based insurance says no, and using software or hardware telematics, new rates may be offered. The most advanced approach to vehicle coverage now is behavior-based insurance. This accounts for every factor: users, asset value and individual driver behavior. Data follows a connected path from the car itself or from devices in a car to pinpoint the nature of the driver and accurately calculate their risk and rates. A deciding variable for adoption will be which tech companies can make the broadest connections, and own the most steps in the process. Roadzen currently leads that race, with a dynamic platform that can process insurance from quote to claim, maximal vertical integrations, and partnerships with over 50 leading insurers and carmakers around the world. The Best Kind of Insurance We live in a data rich world. The best kind of insurance is the ability to be proactive, preventing accidents on the road and using all data points to build better policies for the end user. If accidents do happen, drivers should be instantaneously empowered to take photographic or videographic evidence and get the claims process in motion. From giant fleets to individual drivers, new tech in mobility insurance is lending fresh vision to what is possible, and every person on the road stands to benefit. Contact Details Roadzen pr@authoritytech.io

January 07, 2022 08:00 AM Eastern Standard Time

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