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Cookie Co. Celebrated as Pandemic Success Story, Now Franchising

Cookie Co.

For most people, the pandemic brought about radical shifts both personally and professionally. For locals Matt and Elise Thomas, 2020 – 2021 was a period of time that was riddled with setbacks that challenged their grit and perseverance. Looking for a way to make ends meet during one of the most distressing times in our nation’s history, Elise decided to do what would fuel her soul. In the stressful and reflective early days of the national stay-at-home orders, Elise often thought about the simple things she loved growing up – like fresh baked cookies. She remembered times when a neighbor would be having a rough day and her mom would bake them some fresh baked cookies to help spread a little cheer; and times when a tragic loss would occur and while her mother was powerless to change the tragedy, she could bake cookies as an offering of comfort to those in need. As a mother of 3 at the time, Elise recognized that this tradition of yesteryears often goes by the wayside as most women work these days, with baking last on the to-do list. Beginning as a simple way to comfort locals, pass the time, and bring in a little income, Elise started baking cookies at home with what she now calls “a Barbie size mixer” for purchase via Instagram (where she has amassed a following of over 33K followers). Cookies were for sale from “the cookie lady” (which she became known as) via social media with curbside pick-up in her driveway. Sales quickly skyrocketed and Elise found herself working around the clock to make hundreds of cookies a day. Out of space and managing increasing demand, Elise and her husband did the unthinkable – they opened their flagship location in Redlands in August of 2020. Despite mandates, a house fire, and a fourth child on the way, Elise and her team were able to make Cookie Co. soar. Elise channeled her perseverance from her Boston marathon training to ride the waves of chaos and establish a new standard in her industry. Today, Elise and her team are more excited than ever about the next phase of Cookie Co., which includes franchising. “What I cherish the most about Cookie Co. is the ability it gives us to bring joy to people in times of both success and sadness. Time is precious and if we can help others maximize time while giving them a resource to help impart love and light in the lives of others, then we have succeeded.” –Elise Thomas, Co-Founder, Cookie Co. About Cookie Co: Where there is love, life is better. Founded in 2020 during the height of the pandemic, Cookie Co. began as a labor of love, offering the simplest of comfort foods – fresh baked cookies. Baked right at home with curbside pick-up in their driveway, Founders Elise and Matt Thomas discovered peace in providing an experience that reminded them of hopeful childhood memories. Opening the first location in August 2020 in Redlands, California, Cookie Co. is known for its signature cookies which are proprietary to the company. Cookie Co. has thrived thanks to raving fans across the community with their gourmet cookies made locally and is now available as a franchise. Interested franchise partners can learn more here. Contact Details Sterling Public Relations Paula Steurer +1 949-200-6566 concierge@sterlingpublicrelationsoc.com Company Website https://www.theofficialcookieco.com/

February 15, 2022 02:54 PM Pacific Standard Time

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Winter Skin Care & Beauty Tips

YourUpdateTV

A video accompanying this announcement is available at: https://youtu.be/IH8D0yadno Winter weather can wreak havoc on your skin and hair. Between all the dry, chapped and cracked skin, and frizzy or damaged hair, this is the time of year to pay extra attention to self-care and beauty routines. During the colder months, the American Academy of Dermatology Association (ADD) recommends adding moisture into your skin. All skin types need moisture, as lower temperatures, hot indoor air, and dry air everywhere can disrupt the skin’s barrier. It’s the season to focus on all areas of self-care from head to toe. Healthy hair and moisture go hand in hand — no matter the time of year. There are some surprising ways to help keep your locks healthy and looking their best as winter winds snag and tangle hair, which can lead to breakage and split ends. Foley has come up with a four-step plan to help people look and feel their best during the colder months. MORE MOISTURE: One way to counter the effects of dry air is with a daily moisturizer. Foley recommends OLEHENRIKSEN Strength Trainer Peptide Boost Moisturizer. It is a daily vegan and nutrient-rich moisturizer that quickly doubles hydration, visibly boosts elasticity, improves the look of fine lines and wrinkles, and protects your skin’s moisture barrier from harsh winter elements. This moisturizer is packed with potent ingredients inspired by skin’s building blocks—such as amino acids, peptides, ceramides, and collagen—to bring moisture, bounce and resiliency back to all skin types. Foley says it “Melts into your skin. This balm-to-gel texture delivers rich hydration… an unexpectedly lightweight feel perfect for protecting dry winter skin.” For more information, go to olehenriksen.com. Direct link: https://www.sephora.com/product/ole-henriksen-strength-trainer-peptide-boost-moisturizer-P479339?skuId=2547917&keyword=olehenriksen%20-%20strength%20trainer%20peptide%20boost%20moisturizer Social media handles: @olehenriksen MORE HAIR CARE: Healthy hair and moisture go hand in hand. Foley has found that there are some surprising ways to help keep your locks looking their best in the winter. One brand the beauty expert highlights is Maui Moisture Heal & Hydrate + Shea Butter Hair Mask, saying, “This is a refreshing and restorative vegan hair care line developed with Aloe Vera as the first ingredient for a hydrating and healthy base for curls.' The brand’s creamy hair mask is formulated with shea butter, coconut oil, and macadamia oil which work to deeply quench, nourish and repair dry, damaged curls and strands while helping minimize split ends. Foley recommends using the product as a leave in treatment on wet hair to deeply condition strands if locks are feeling extra dry, adding, “I love it, it has a soft and sweet scent. Although it’s thick and creamy in appearance, it doesn’t feel heavy and glides nicely onto your hair.” For more information, go to mauimoisture.com Direct link: Maui Moisture Heal & Hydrate + Shea Butter Hair Mask & Leave-In Conditioner Treatment to Deeply Nourish Curls & Help Repair Split Ends, Vegan, Silicone-, Paraben- & Sulfate-Free, 12 oz - Walmart.com Social media handles: @mauimoisture HYDRATE DELICATE SKIN: Cold and dry weather can damage softer skin. Foley says, “Our lips are a very thin and delicate. The cold months zap them of much-needed moisture, often leaving them dry and irritated.” The beauty expert says people can keep their lips hydrated all-day (and all-naturally!) with the #1 organic lip balm in the U.S—eos 100% Natural Shea Lip Balms. Foley points out that, “eos blends flavors that are almost good enough to eat with super-moisturizing ingredients for delicious lip balms that you’ll want to swipe on again and again.” This brand’s balms are made with USDA Certified Organic, sustainably-sourced shea butter and hydrating coconut & jojoba oils for long-lasting hydration and soft, smooth lips. Foley adds, “I can’t get over how soft my lips are! It feels like smoothness in a stick!” For more information, visit evolutionofsmooth.com, Target and Walmart. Direct link: https://evolutionofsmooth.com/collections/100-natural Instagram: @ eosproducts FEEL & LOOK YOUR BEST: Foley admits personal style is unique, but the weather can make it difficult at times. “I’m always searching for ways to help people look and feel their best. However, I’m really excited by a new hydrating concealer that is perfect for winter months.” A sister launch to the viral Good Apple Skin-Perfecting Foundation Balm, KVD Beauty is back with their latest launch, Good Apple Lightweight Full-Coverage Concealer. Foley says this new concealer delivers lightweight full coverage with extreme long wear staying power and is packed with ultra-concentrated InterLace Pigments for crease resistance, and maximum vibrancy. She adds, “It’s formulated with hydrating ingredients, such as apple extract and raspberry stem cells, and is available in 32 inclusive shades. You’re going to love how it feels and looks!” For more information, go to KVDVeganBeauty.com. Social media handles: @KVDbeauty Contact Details YourUpdateTV +1 212-736-2727 yourupdatetv@gmail.com

February 15, 2022 03:54 PM Eastern Standard Time

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Avi Kumar Converts Independent Print Shop to Minuteman Press Franchise in Longmont, CO

Minuteman Press International Inc

A vi Kumar has been part of the Minuteman Press franchise family since May 2016 as the owner of Minuteman Press in Greeley, CO. In February 2021, Avi had the opportunity to buy Ron’s Printing Center located in Longmont, CO, which was in business for 40 years. Avi converted Ron’s Printing Center into his second Minuteman Press location in February 2021 and is now celebrating one year in business at the new center. Minuteman Press in Longmont is located at 420 Main Street, Longmont, CO 80501. Avi says, “Our Regional Vice President Jack Panzer told us about this established business for sale in Longmont, which is 40 minutes from us. The main advantage was to extend profitability and expand our business in Northern Colorado.” He continues, “Another advantage was that we did not have to spend a lot of extra effort in marketing this as a new business because Ron’s Printing Center had been established for a long time. The employees were all very hands-on and diligent and we were able to retain them all. Within the second month, we added mailings, promotional products, and apparel to their product lines. In fact, we just wrapped up a 30K mailer for a local non-profit organization and secured a large apparel order as well.” Prior to franchising in 2016, Avi worked in retail as a convenience store manager of several locations. “I used to manage some stores in Illinois for a big outfit out of Wisconsin. I finally got tired of answering to my boss and decided I wanted to own my own business. I moved on to better pastures and we decided as a family that Colorado was our calling.” Avi is thankful for being able to work with Minuteman Press and Jack Panzer over the past five-plus years in Greeley and on the conversion in Longmont in 2021. He says, “Working with Jack is amazing as he is very thorough and helpful. Since I started my business in Greeley in 2016, he has been a huge resource for us and very supportive. As we continue to build in Longmont, we are also expanding in Greeley to a new 5,000 sq. ft. facility – remodeling is under way as we speak. We started small and grew the business, and now we are building on that success at the right, consistent pace.” For more information on Minuteman Press in Longmont, CO, visit https://minuteman.com/us/locations/co/longmont. Learn more about #1 rated Minuteman Press franchise opportunities at https://minutemanpressfranchise.com. To learn how to sell your printing business through the Minuteman Press Conversion Program, visit https://bit.ly/minutemanpressconversions. Contact Details Minuteman Press International Chris Biscuiti +1 631-249-1370 cbiscuiti@mpihq.com Company Website https://minutemanpressfranchise.com

February 15, 2022 11:00 AM Eastern Standard Time

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Telos tEVM and dStor to Power the MetaVerse in Utopian Fashion - Grants and Hackathons are Live!

Telos Foundation

Telos Blockchain (Tlos) has launched its very own non-Ethereum fork Virtual Machine ( tEVM ) and a cloud-based peer to peer decentralized file storage system ( dStor ) to facilitate the exploding Metaverse and all its future needs. Telos is a 3rd Generation, ESG compliant layer 1 blockchain that has been executing energy-efficient smart contracts uninterrupted since 2018. Every transaction on the Telos Network utilizes less than 0.000002 kWh of energy per transaction and costs end users zero to near zero in gas fees. Prior to the recent Telos EVM launch, the Telos mainnet was executing smart contracts only for Native C++, but now with the new Telos EVM it also can deliver smart contracts for Solidity and Vyper as well. The vast majority of all actively used dapps utilize one of these two languages, C++ or Solidity. Now that Telos EVM is live this means that Telos is the only blockchain capable of generating blocks for the two most popular languages. “With the Metaverse set to become its very own multi-trillion-dollar industry via entertainment and commerce, layer 1 blockchain solutions will be needed more now than ever. It is fundamentally impossible for any of this to work without them. Layer 1 blockchains that are scalable, affordable and energy efficient are the foundation of the Metaverse. The Telos Blockchain is the most advanced and robust layer 1 by many multiples. A utopian solution for Web3.0 and the Metaverse.” Justin Giudici, Acting CEO at Telos Foundation. Telos and its tEVM is capable of sustainably delivering hundreds of millions of near fee-less transactions per day before any future sharding/rollups. The Metaverse will need this level of capacity to thrive. Telos' current capacity is sufficient to handle the transaction needs of every single existing layer 1 chain, including all their future forecasted growth for the next decade. As other chains boast their theoretical transaction capacity, Telos delivers. With any one of the following third-party comparisons, one can clearly see for themselves some of the proven strengths of Telos. Cardano, Solana, Polkadot, Fantom and Telos vs the Clock Telos vs Fantom Telos vs Avalanche vs Binance Smart Chain vs Ethereum *Visit links above For Web 3.0 commerce and entertainment to thrive, dApps need speed, capacity, affordability, energy efficiency, decentralization and even p2p file storage. With Telos‘ half-second block times and endless capacity, transactions will consistently be inexpensive and faster than the eye can see. Transactions are instant with Telos. With the launch of the Telos EVM, Solidity based dApps can finally utilize all of these advantageous attributes as well. Ultimately, dApps on Telos can spread their wings, minimize their spending, and take flight on a Layer 1 platform that has no congestion in sight. *Developer Alert: Telos Spark Hackathon - 100,000 Tlos for First place! Feb 7 to March 6th - Register Here Telos Ignite Grant Program - 12 million over 4 years! Live now! - Register Here Some uses on Telos are even free for the end-user, specifically if the dApp was built in Native C++. These dApps running natively on Telos can enjoy zero fee transactions if they have staked enough resources to support their activity. These fee-less transactions are favorable for many Web 3.0 users, especially because the vast majority of transactions are simple transactions. For example, simple transactions are extremely common in blockchain gaming. It is often difficult for dApps to build a lucrative model around these continuously fluctuating transaction costs. Telos allows Web 3.0 dApps to overcome this barrier by being the only layer 1 platform offering a pathway to fee-less transactions. On the solidity side, the Telos EVM charges near zero gas fees for transactions. Uniquely, the prices do not move linearly with the Tlos coin price. Instead, the gas fees are fixed, independent, and remain homogeneous, which is very helpful when building a business on blockchain. Unpredictable fluctuating costs can destroy most business models, making it extremely important to note that Telos brings much needed stability to this variable. Telos' founders also bring years of Metaverse experience to the table. You may be wondering how that’s possible when the Metaverse seems to be brand new and Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg just made it popular, but there is a background story. Before Web 3.0 and virtual reality were married off and coined into a single phrase, the Metaverse, Telos was already heavily engaged in the concept. In this MetaVerse / Web 3.0 gaming video from over 2 years ago, you will see Telos chief architect, Douglas Horn explaining how much of this works. The process of creating and owning digital art via NFTs and not just selling them but utilizing them across different virtual environments has been a deep seeded concept within the Telos team. It’s a concept that has led to the development of Telos EVM and Telos dStor, a decentralized peer-to-peer cloud-based file storage system that’s fully integrated into the Telos architecture. Telos dStor, as of now, is the highest performance storage system available. Individual users, collectors, digital graphic artists, musicians, and gaming companies can store all their digital Metaverse content seamlessly and simultaneously on dStor. This storage capability is available in all global regions, in a decentralized environment, for prices far lower than those offered by Google or Amazon for single-region availability. The next decade is sure to be metamorphic regarding the web and how we interact with it. Web 3.0, blockchain and real life are all on a path to collide into an altered virtual reality and layer 1 platforms like Telos will certainly be needed to deliver the fundamental building blocks that will help manifest the MetaVerse. About Telos Telos is a 3rd generation smart contract platform that offers compatibility with Solidity, Vyper and Native C++ smart contracts, providing full EVM/Solidity support as well as a fee-less native smart contract layer upon which the EVM is built. Telos performance is unrivaled in the industry and was purpose-built to offer speed, scalability, cost-effectiveness, decentralization and end-user fairness. The network can sustainably support hundreds of millions of transactions per day, produces blocks in 0.5 second intervals on a first-in-first-out basis (eliminating frontrunning on the network), offers a fee-less native and low per transaction cost EVM (<$0.10), and a fully decentralized block producer network. About The Foundation The Telos Foundation is a Decentralized Autonomous Organization established as a promotional and funding body to advance the Telos Blockchain Network and provide support to network applications. Contact Details Telos Foundation The Team hello@telosfoundation.io Company Website https://www.telos.net/

February 15, 2022 10:34 AM Eastern Standard Time

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Sports Business Analyst Mike Bako’s Winter Olympic Analysis

YourUpdateTV

A video accompanying this announcement is available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IEYO-2_V6A4 Mike Bako, Daily National.com sports editor, provides insights and analysis on the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic Games and the latest on the scandal that is overshadowing the games. Failed Test Casts Shadow Over Skating, the Olympics’ Showcase Event. Russian skater’s Kamila Valieva positive test were an embarrassing failure of the systems designed to keep doping out of the Olympics. Valieva was cleared to skate even though she failed a drug test taken Dec. 25, the result only emerging last week, after her two brilliant performances in the team competition helped win gold for the Russian team. The Court of Arbitration for Sport gave her a favorable decision early Monday in part because she is a minor, known as a "protected person,'' and is subject to different rules from an adult athlete. For additional commentary by Bako please email mike@dailynational.com For more information, visit DailyNational.com Contact Details YourUpdateTV +1 212-736-2727 yourupdatetv@gmail.com

February 15, 2022 10:25 AM Eastern Standard Time

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AmeriLife Now Offers SimpliNow℠ Legacy from AIG

AmeriLife

AmeriLife Group, LLC (“AmeriLife”), a national leader in developing, marketing, and distributing annuity, life and health insurance solutions, today announced that its agencies and affiliates are now offering SimpliNow Legacy SM from AIG (issued by American General Life Insurance Company), a simplified issue whole life insurance product specifically designed for middle-market American seniors. SimpliNow Legacy was designed to help policyholders lessen the burden of final expenses--including unpaid debt, medical bills or other household costs--on their loved ones. The product offers a unique limited-pay feature and death benefit coverage ranging from $5,000-$35,000. SimpliNow Legacy was created with middle-market Americans (ages 50 to 80 with a household income of $75,000 or less) in mind, including seniors, to help provide this growing demographic an additional layer of financial protection. For agents, SimpliNow Legacy was built for speed. This product features an instant-decision underwriting process, no post-sale paperwork, and the ability to draft credit card payments in real-time to instantly issue policies. This process includes: Electronic applications that tell agents early-on the type of coverage their clients can receive Instant underwriting decisions 100% of the time and early in the application process, with no additional underwriting, ever Instant issue capabilities for IGO and current dated apps paid with credit cards SimpliNow Quoter allows agents to easily quote their clients’ premiums before or during the application process “In the U.S., the median cost of a funeral is around $9,000*, and many older Americans are doing what they can to avoid passing those expenses onto their loved ones,” said Pat Fleming, Executive Vice President of Product Innovation and Corporate Actuary for AmeriLife. “We’re proud to be one of AIG’s exclusive partners in offering a groundbreaking product that provides consumers with the confidence that their final expenses will be addressed. The speed of the process at the point-of-sale is something that will help our agents work quickly and efficiently to help their clients secure coverage that will aid in preserving their legacies.” For more information on SimpliNow Legacy, visit www.amerilife.com to get in touch with an AmeriLife agency or affiliate. ### About AmeriLife AmeriLife’s strength is its mission: to provide financial solutions to help people live longer, healthier lives. In doing so, AmeriLife has become recognized as the leader in developing, marketing, and distributing life and health insurance, annuities and retirement planning solutions to enhance the lives of pre-retirees and retirees across the United States. For more than 50 years, AmeriLife has partnered with top insurance carriers to provide value and quality to customers served through a national distribution network of over 300,000 agents and advisors, more than 40 marketing organizations, and 50 agency locations. For more information, visit AmeriLife.com, and follow AmeriLife on Facebook and LinkedIn. *Source: National Funeral Directors Association. Policies issued by American General Life Insurance Company (AGL), Houston, TX. Policy Forms: ICC21-21445, 21445, 21445-5, 21445-10, 21445-35, 21445-42, ICC21-21447, 21447, 21447-5, 21447-10, 21447-35 and 21447-42. Rider Numbers: ICC21-21468, 21468, 21468-5, 21468-10, ICC21-21469, 21469, 21469-5, 21469-10, ICC21-21470, 21470, 21470-5, 21470-35 and 21470-42. Issuing company AGL is responsible for financial obligations of insurance products and is a member of American International Group, Inc. (AIG). Guarantees are backed by the claims-paying ability of the issuing insurance company. AGL does not solicit, issue, or deliver policies or contracts in the state of New York. Products may not be available in all states and product features may vary by state. Please refer to the policy. This is not a preneed insurance contract or agreement. Benefits are payable to the beneficiary or beneficiaries as directed by the owner of policy. Premiums paid may exceed amount of coverage. For an estimate of the year the premiums may exceed the amount of coverage, divide the face amount by the annual premium. SimpliNow Legacy offers a limited death benefit in the first two years of the policy. Should death occur in the first two years, a death benefit will be equal to 110% of the premiums paid. In the event of suicide, the death benefit is limited to a refund of premiums paid less any outstanding loan amount. THIS POLICY DOES NOT GUARANTEE THAT ITS PROCEEDS WILL BE SUFFICIENT TO PAY FOR ANY PARTICULAR SERVICES OR MERCHANDISE AT TIME OF NEED OR THAT SERVICES OR MERCHANDISE SHALL BE PROVIDED BY ANY PARTICULAR PROVIDER. American General Life Insurance Company 2929 Allen Parkway, Houston, TX 77019, United States © 2022 American General Life Insurance. All Rights Reserved. AGLC201559 Contact Details AmeriLife Jeff Maldonado +1 321-297-1112 jmaldonado@amerilife.com Company Website https://amerilife.com/

February 15, 2022 10:00 AM Eastern Standard Time

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QX Global Group Acquires Management Consulting & Advisory Services Firm Chazey Partners

QX Global Group

Together QX Global Group and Chazey Partners will provide end-to-end Business Transformation, Digital Services & Intelligent Automation, and Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) for Fortune 1000 companies and public sector organizations, including higher education, across the globe. QX Global Group, a Top 100 Business Process Outsourcing company, announced the acquisition of an 80% stake in Austin, Texas-based Chazey Partners, a world-class management consulting and advisory firm specializing in business and digital transformation. The Chazey Partners team brings decades of experience in implementing and operating world-class business support and shared services organizations around the globe, with expertise in Robotic Process Automation (RPA) and Artificial Intelligence (AI). Together, QX and Chazey Partners will work to deliver innovative solutions that cover transformative consulting, digital services, and business process outsourcing, customized to meet each client’s specific needs. “At QX, we have always focused on enabling transformation of our client’s businesses using our unique 3P approach of people, process, and platform, and we are thrilled that the addition of Chazey will allow us to help organizations solve their most significant barrier to growth – digital adoption and business transformation at scale, said Frank Robinson, Group CEO of QX Global Group. “Adding Chazey furthers our vision to provide integrated, end-to-end solutions to help our customers take advantage of the latest operating models and emerging technologies. I am also delighted to officially welcome Phil Searle onto QX Global Group’s Board as Chief Transformation Officer.” Chazey brings to the QX Global Group management consulting and advisory services with a global reach. Founded in 2006, Chazey Partners has demonstrated consistent and significant growth, with global representation in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Costa Rica, Colombia, Ireland, Turkey, and India. Chazey’s consultants provide advice, support, and implementation expertise, covering strategy setting, business case production, program management, process optimization, technology enablement, training, and change management. “ Since founding the company, we have significantly expanded and evolved Chazey’s solutions to help numerous businesses and public sector organizations achieve operational excellence by transforming their business operations,’’ said Phil Searle, CEO and Founder of Chazey Partners. ‘’With QX, we have found a shared passion for empowering our clients to achieve world-class performance. By joining forces with QX, we will augment our near-shoring and offshoring capabilities by opening new Centers of Excellence (COEs) in India and Latin America. This is an exciting new chapter for Chazey Partners, our employees, and our customers.” The partnership of both trusted brands comes at a time when enterprises across the globe are adjusting to the post-pandemic world. In this environment, Chazey Partners is at the forefront of offering needed transformation solutions, helping enterprises optimize business operations and adopt the latest technologies for sustained growth. The QX-Chazey partnership will enable all clients to achieve a faster return on investment and add more value to their customers and employees. Barbara Hodge, Global Digital Editor at the Shared Services & Outsourcing Network (SSON), said, “This marks an exciting and timely development in the shared services and outsourcing space. SSON has collaborated with Chazey Partners for many years, and I am pleased to see such a highly respected group in the field of business transformation push forwards in extending its services to provide enterprise customers with the more holistic solutions they need right now. Adding Chazey Partners’ transformation capabilities to QX Global Groups’ BPO services, drives an end-to-end solution that connects consulting, digital and business process outsourcing. This aligns perfectly with the move to integrated business services, digitalization – driven by intelligent automation – and data analytics, that we are seeing across the shared services landscape. It’s also consistent with service providers moving to a ‘one-stop-shop’ solution for business transformation and digital needs. I am delighted at this news and look forward to engaging with the new partnership.” For QX Global Group: Corbett Keeling, London, and J. Sloan & Co, Dallas, Texas, provided corporate finance and transaction advice for QX Global Group; BDO LLP provided Due Diligence support across all entity geographies; legal support was provided by Munsch Hardt Kopf & Harr, P.C. For Chazey Partners: Sett & Lucas acted as transaction advisor, and Jackson Walker LLP provided legal support. About QX Global Group QX Global Group is a leading provider of business process management services. With over 17 years of accounting and recruitment process outsourcing experience, we help our clients unlock business value by improving process efficiencies and automation in the accounting and recruitment functions to enable business transformation. We have offices in the UK, USA, Canada, Australia, and India. About Chazey Partners Chazey Partners is a practitioner-led, global management consulting and advisory services firm. We bring real-life, practical, hands-on experience, empowering clients to strive for world-class performance, through Business Transformation, Shared Services, and Intelligent Automation. We help businesses and public sector organizations achieve operational excellence in the provision of mission-critical business services, including Finance, Human Resources, IT, Procurement, Contact Centers, Marketing, and Facilities Management. For over sixteen years, Chazey Partners has helped clients implement successful service delivery solutions; in the US & Canada, Latin America, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Oceania, and Asia. Contact Details QX Global Group Vishal Kurani +44 20 8146 0808 vishal.kurani@qxglobalgroup.com Chazey Partners Leigh Knowles +1 855-692-6229 LeighKnowles@chazeypartners.com Company Website https://qxglobalgroup.com/

February 14, 2022 09:55 AM Eastern Standard Time

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Playtech Launches Two New Live Casino Facilities in Multi-State Rollout

LegitimateCasino.com

Playtech’s official US launch comes in the form of two new cutting edge live casinos, the first located in New Jersey, and the second located in Michigan. The Southfield, Michigan location opens under the “ Play Gun Lake ” brand with newly partnered powerhouse Parx, while the Atlantic City, New Jersey location opens with longtime partner Bet365. This is the first single-day dual roll-out of live casino facilities in the history of US gambling. So what do these casinos offer? Both casinos feature live Roulette, Bacarrat and Blackjack, with some new twists on some old favorites. Playtech’s new live casinos both offer All Bets Blackjack, in which an unlimited number of players can participate. This is supposedly the “leading scalable variant” of Blackjack, according to industry leader Playtech. Both casinos have also included Quantum Roulette Arcade, the first American roulette variant containing a multiplier feature. With this feature, players can hit a multiplier up to 1000x! Specifically designed for the American market, this double-zero variant claims to be the highest potential payout for Roulette that has ever existed. Further planned launches in the coming months will feature games based on the most popular game shows, as well as a sports-focused section for players who love betting the sports book side of things. The dual launch continues Playtech’s aggressive US expansion plan, supporting the two communities by creating thousands of jobs and supporting philanthropic efforts in both cities. Further US expansion is all but guaranteed in the coming few years. Playtech is currently involved in a bidding war over who will take charge of these two new facilities. The leading player is Aristocrat, which entered a massive $3.7B bid. We’ll save you the conversion–that’s 3.2B euros, and 2.7B Pounds (Playtech is traded in London). However, a competing bid by rival gaming company JKO by January 26th has stalled the shareholder vote on which company will take over the facilities. How will the online gaming industry be affected? What affects will Playtech’s launch of two state-of-the-art live casinos have on the online gaming industry? How will online casinos be impacted by the simultaneous launch of two live casinos by the world’s leading gambling technology company? The short answer is… They won’t be affected. At all. Live casinos online have experienced a continuous rise in popularity in the last decade, with the pandemic and the growing use of cryptocurrencies spurring the annual increase in both number of players and gross revenue year over year. Online casinos are roughly 100x faster than live casinos, which is attractive to the Millenial and Gen-Z players who gravitate toward all things digital. Online gambling remains more secure, faster, and safer than live casinos, with the added bonus of being able to play anytime, anywhere, from the comfort of your own home. After all, why exchange chips, when your chips can be on your screen? CEO Edo Haitin released a statement regarding the launch: “This is a landmark moment for Playtech and our development in the U.S. and it is something we are all very excited about. We are humbly grateful for the warm welcome and support our teams have received from the Atlantic City and Southfield communities, and we are looking forward to becoming an integral part of these communities and contribute our part. The launch of the two facilities represents our core strategy of bringing our industry-leading studio standards to the U.S. whilst ensuring that Playtech Live’s most engaging and innovative products and technology are available to new markets and audiences. By partnering with Parx Interactive in Michigan and bet365 in New Jersey, we have been able to enter some of the fastest growing states in the U.S. and Playtech’s vision and drive for growth in these states has been well received by the local communities. Launching two state-of-the-art studios across two regulated states in one day is not something I have seen done before, but I am incredibly proud of the entire Playtech Live team for stepping up to the challenge and producing not one, but two best-in-class Live Casino studios. By developing specially customized gameplay experiences for the U.S. audience, we are confident we will deliver an exceptional online experience to players in Michigan and New Jersey, and we are excited to continue our journey with further strengthening our Playtech Live offering with more leading titles and content in the coming months.” Key Takeaways Playtech’s successful dual-launch of two live casinos in Michigan and New Jersey is the first in US history, and continues their US expansion plan. All Bets Blackjack and Quantum Roulette Arcade are the leading scalable variants, and potentially highest-paying versions of the standard games. Further launches will include sports betting and games based on the most popular gameshows. Either Aristocrat or JKO will take charge of the two new live casinos. Contact Details LegitimateCasino.com Camila Santellan +54 9 221 364-1138 camila@legitimatecasino.com

February 14, 2022 08:00 AM Eastern Standard Time

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The Botanist Debuts First-Ever Tv Commercial, “The Spirit of Community,” at Super Bowl LVI In Support of Local Restaurants and Bars Nationwide

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The Botanist Islay Dry Gin introduces its first-ever television commercial, “The Spirit of Community,” debuting at the Super Bowl, to drive awareness for local bars and restaurants who continue to be impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. In partnership with the Independent Restaurant Coalition (IRC), the campaign urges all Americans to take action to help the IRC in its efforts to refill the Restaurant Revitalization Fund (RRF) and promote positive change for the industry. A video accompanying this announcement is available at: https://youtu.be/ud_lZY0ZiMA The Botanist hails from Bruichladdich Distillery on the Scottish Isle of Islay, one of the few distilleries in the world to be B Corp certified. The distillery believes in using business as a force for good, putting people and purpose in line with profit. The Botanist’s ongoing partnership with the IRC is rooted in its people-centric values, a demonstration of how its community extends far beyond Islay and into the bar and restaurant industry in the U.S. The goal of “The Spirit of Community” campaign is to raise awareness of the critical support still needed for the 500,000 independent restaurants and bars that remain at risk of closure – 90,000 of which initially closed during the first year of the pandemic. Through the campaign, The Botanist and the IRC are mobilizing Americans to show support for the bar and restaurant community in this continued time of hardship. “Local bars and restaurants across the U.S. have been supporting The Botanist since our first distillation on Islay over a decade ago,” said Ian McLernon, President and CEO at Rémy Cointreau Americas. “Thus it was natural for The Botanist, a brand that is an integral part of the community on the island of Islay, to leverage our first-ever TV commercial to help support the community of hospitality staff working at local bars and restaurants across the U.S. during their time of need. Now more than ever, we must do what we can to save the establishments we know and love. Our hope is that our campaign’s debut at the Super Bowl helps amplify the vital message of our partners at the Independent Restaurant Coalition.” The Botanist is proud to bring its community-focused spirit to life through its first-ever commercial debuting on the biggest night in television. The 30-second spot will urge Americans to take action and support their favorite local bars and restaurants. Created by documentary film production company Blacksmith & Jones, the commercial features real-life bar and restaurant staff, amplifying the continued need for support and encouraging viewers to get involved. “Local bars and restaurants are the fabric of our communities across the country. These beloved establishments are still facing potentially insurmountable hardships,” said Tom Colicchio, Founding Member of the Independent Restaurant Coalition. “Our industry is on life support right now, and the only way to avoid massive closures is for swift action to be taken by our elected officials. We are grateful to The Botanist for recognizing the spirit of our community and using their platform to help raise awareness of our industry’s struggles during a monumental event like the Super Bowl.” “Hospitality is at the heart of every independent restaurant and bar,” explained Erika Polmar, Executive Director of the Independent Restaurant Coalition. “While you will surely be welcomed with a warm smile as you’re seated in your favorite corner booth, beneath the surface restaurant owners continue to struggle with nearly two years of losses and little financial assistance. Hundreds of thousands of restaurants are at risk of closing permanently, threatening widespread job loss, a massive supply chain disruption, the loss of community gathering spots, and the destruction of family-owned businesses. It’s partners like The Botanist who are helping us fight to keep those businesses and dreams alive.” The Botanist’s “The Spirit of Community” creative will air in 18 TV markets nationwide and digitally across YouTube, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. The Botanist chose to run the ad in some of the America’s most influential food and drink cities, including New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Austin, Chicago, and Miami. The campaign teaser is live now on YouTube. Watch it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eVG15dSOCjY. To learn more about how to get involved to support your favorite local bars and restaurants visit saverestaurants.com. About Karen Grill: Karen Grill is The Botanist Islay Dry Gin Brand Ambassador. A beverage industry professional in Los Angeles for 12 years, Karen is originally from New Jersey, where she began her career in hospitality at 15. Karen has spent time behind some of Los Angeles' most notable bars and has competed in several bartending competitions throughout her bartending career, earning herself numerous national and global bartending titles. Named Zagat's '30 Under 30' Culinary Game Changer in 2016, Karen is committed to the education and support of the national bartending community in every capacity. About The Botanist: Founded in 2011, The Botanist Islay Dry Gin is distilled and hand-crafted at Bruichladdich Distillery on Islay, a remote island off the west coast of Scotland. It is the first and only Islay Dry Gin – a rare expression of the heart and soul of this wild Scottish isle. Hailing from one of the only B Corp certified distilleries in the world, The Botanist believes in using business as a force for good, putting people and planet in line with profit. The craft liquid is distilled with a unique combination of 22 wild Islay botanicals which are hand-foraged locally and sustainably on the island by The Botanist's professional forager, James Donaldson. The Islay botanicals are slow simmer distilled with pure Islay spring water in a unique Lomond Still, affectionately nicknamed Ugly Betty, by Head Distiller Adam Hannett. The result is a smooth yet complex gin that speaks of Islay. www.thebotanist.com | Instagram @TheBotanistGin_US |Twitter @TheBotanist_US About the Independent Restaurant Coalition (IRC): The Independent Restaurant Coalition was formed by chefs and independent restaurant owners across the country who have built a grassroots movement to secure vital protections for the nation’s 500,000 independent restaurants and the more than 11 million restaurant workers impacted by the coronavirus pandemic. About Blacksmith & Jones: Production company Blacksmith & Jones is a motion picture concern focused on story driven filmmaking. Founded by Trevor Jones and Greg Swartz, the company recently produced the documentary feature film The Water of Life. About Rémy Cointreau: All around the world, there are clients seeking exceptional experiences; clients for whom a wide range of terroirs means a variety of flavors. Their exacting standards are proportional to our expertise – the finely-honed skills that we pass down from generation to generation. The time these clients devote to drinking our products is a tribute to all those who have worked to develop them. It is for these men and women that Rémy Cointreau, a family-owned French Group, protects its terroirs, cultivates exceptional multi-centenary spirits and undertakes to preserve their eternal modernity. The Group's portfolio includes 13 unique brands: Rémy Martin and Louis XIII cognacs, Cointreau liqueur, Champagne Telmont, METAXA Greek spirit, Mount Gay rum, St-Rémy brandy, The Botanist gin, and our collection of single-malt whiskies (Bruichladdich, Port Charlotte and Octomore from Islay, Westland from Seattle and Domaine des Hautes Glaces from the French Alps). Rémy Cointreau has a single ambition: becoming the world leader in exceptional spirits. To this end, it relies on the commitment and creativity of its 1,900 employees and on its distribution subsidiaries established in the Group's strategic markets. Rémy Cointreau is listed on Euronext Paris. Contact Details YourUpdateTV +1 212-736-2727 yourupdatetv@gmail.com

February 11, 2022 06:26 PM Eastern Standard Time

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