All posts by imreal

Newest ezCheckPrinting 7 And Virtual Printer Combo Available For All Versions of Quickbooks


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Quickbooks Customers Accommodated With Latest ezCheckprinting and Virtual Printer Combo

Quickbooks customers easily use ezCheckprinting and virtual printer combo to print unlimited checks on blank check stock with any version of QB.

Halfpricesoft.com developers have created ezCheckprinting and virtual printer combo for Quickbooks customers print unlimited checks on blank check stock using any version of QB. Customers can also easily import check data from external checks and print many checks with just a few clicks. This import feature enables ezCheckPrinting print checks for QuickBooks, Quicken, ezPaycheck, Peachtree or other software.

“Quickbooks customers easily use ezCheckprinting and virtual printer combo to print unlimited checks on blank check stock with any version of QB,” said Halfpricesoft.com Founder, Dr. Ge

Virtual Printer is the optional add-on for QuickBooks and Quicken customers. With this new virtual printer, QuickBooks users no longer have to enter check data manually to take advantage of the blank stock printing features. Simply select this ezCheckPrinting Virtual Printer as the current printer, and print checks from QuickBooks and Quicken.

Customers will have to install both ezCheckPrinting software and the virtual printer on the computer. Potential customers can download the trial version of ezCheckPrinting, at https://www.halfpricesoft.com/quickbooks-checks-virtual-printer.asp and sample all of the software’s features. Please note: TRIAL will appear on checks until the key is purchased and entered into the trial version.

With Virtual Check Printer and ezCheckPrinting software bundle, QuickBooks and Quicken business users can now:

  • Print checks and stubs on blank stock in one step from QuickBooks desktop version, network version and online version;
  • Print checks with logo, signature and extra labels;
  • Print check data on pre-print checks;
  • Support unlimited company/bank accounts, unlimited checks with one flat rate;


Customers can also use ezCheckPrinting as stand-alone check writer to:

  • Print checks to pay bills;
  • Print pre-printed check with MICR encoding to fill in manually later;
  • Print check drafts to collect funds via phone, fax and internet.


Cost remains $79 for the QuickBooks compatible version (ezCheckPrinting single user plus Virtual Printer), ezCheckPrinting makes professional looking checks and automated check writing easy for any size business.

To learn more about this check writer software, visit https://www.halfpricesoft.com/quickbooks-checks-virtual-printer.asp

About halfpricesoft.com

Halfpricesoft.com is a leading provider of small business software,

including online and desktop payroll software, online employee attendance tracking software, accounting software, in-house business and personal check printing software, W2, software, 1099 software, Accounting software, 1095 form software and ezACH direct deposit software. Software from halfpricesoft.com is trusted by thousands of customers and will help small business owners simplify payroll processing and streamline business management.

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Lazarus Announces Launch of Clinical Decision Support Platform That Uses A.I. & Deep Learning to Improve Early Cancer Detection


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The early detection of skin cancer can be crucial in a patient receiving the right treatment before it progresses further. With many patients first seeing a primary care doctor when physical signs of skin cancer show, resources that can help their correct identification of skin cancer be extremely valuable. Enter technology company focused on finding cancer Lazarus. Lazarus recently announced the launch of their new app and platform that combines powerful Artificial Intelligence and Deep Learning, to deliver a tool which uses 300K images plus patient records to instantly identify skin cancer. The early response to the new Lazarus platform has been remarkably enthusiastic. The Lazarus launch is in partnership with EPIC System’s App Orchard program.

“We’re excited about what this means for medicine,” commented a spokesperson from Lazarus. “Never before has a primary care doctor been able to meet or exceed the performance of a specialist in the diagnostic step. With Lazarus CDS, they’re now able to do that.”

According to Lazarus, works immediately out of the box, without any complicated installs or steep learning curves. It is both secure and transparent, fully HIPAA compliant with SOC-1 and SOC-2 certification, and complete reporting and performance monitoring for enterprises clients.

The skincare identification resource is used with just a smartphone and dashboard. This gives both primary care doctors and dermatologists a way to quickly and accurately screen for skin cancer with just one photo.

This ability to get a quick and simple diagnosis not only expands what primary care doctors and dermatologists are able to accurately deliver, but also ends up saving time, peace of mind, and money for patients, who have one full step removed from the “old school” way skincare would normally be confirmed or dismissed for patients.

In clinical testing, Lazarus has a 93% accuracy rate, with, so far, 72 thousand patients tested, 2300 models built, and nearly 4 million patients records.

Lazarus CDS connects to ten different EHRs, that covers over 95% of all patient populations – more than double the coverage of the largest competing platform.

Early feedback for the app and platform has been very positive across the board.

Scott S., from Boston, recently said, “We have found Lazarus CDS incredibly valuable in our dermatology office. It has made us more useful to patients, while providing them a better service. A total win-win and fully recommended.”

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Patty O’Meara joins New Fed Mortgage as Regional VP of Operations


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“We couldn’t be happier with the knowledge and the increased growth opportunities.”

Patty O’Meara comes to New Fed Mortgage with a mortgage career spanning back to 1986 and she was most recently the First Vice President of Retail Lending at Berkshire Bank. Prior to Berkshire Bank, she was the Vice President and co-owner of Greenpark Mortgage Corporation which she and her business partner, Paul Gershkowitz sold to Berkshire Bank. Prior to that she also was the Vice President of Operations at Assurance Mortgage Corporation.

Patty has worked in all facets of mortgage operations from loan set up through post closing and shipping with a specialization in mortgage compliance and quality control.

Patty is a devoted volunteer and one of the New England Coordinators for Open Hearts and Homes for Children, which is a non-profit Christian organization dedicated to improving the lives of orphan children. She also volunteers for various other organizations that help children and adults with disabilities. Patty is the mother of 2 children, (Sammy and Maddy) and lives in Needham. Her passion is to make a difference in the lives of children that come from hard places. All children deserve to feel the love of a family and to feel safe in their environment.

Patty’s hobbies include spending time with family and friends. She also enjoys biking, music, sports, and walking her dogs.

President and CEO Brian D’Amico of New Fed Mortgage commented, “We are excited to welcome Patty to our company. We couldn’t be happier with the knowledge and the increased growth opportunities.”

New Fed Mortgage, locally based in Massachusetts has specialized in residential lending since 2001. Licensed in 11 states, the company offers a multitude of mortgage programs including Conventional, FHA, USDA, Jumbo, Mass Housing, and New Hampshire Housing along with various portfolio products.

To contact Patty she can be reached at pomeara@newfed.com or 617-462-0521 or at the New Fed website https://www.newfed.com

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NY Laser Outlet Launches NYLO Aesthetics


“We launched the NYLO Aesthetics division to address the needs of the prestige luxury aesthetic market by offering exclusive, innovative technology at affordable pricing,” says Ari Marom, founder of NY Laser Outlet.

NY Laser Outlet – a one-stop-shop for the aesthetic Laser Industry that provides services Including buying, selling, renting, repairing laser devices and parts, as well as financing and clinical education – has just announced the launch of their new NYLO Aesthetics division, to offer the latest innovation in non-invasive aesthetic and medical lasers and technology. The NYLO Aesthetics portfolio of products, which offer best-in-class clinical results and patient satisfaction, include:

•JetPeel™ – a revolutionary, non-invasive aesthetic treatment system offering a needle-free, pain-free solution for transdermal infusion. It combines lymphatic drainage, exfoliation and infusion to treat a variety of skin conditions on the face, body and scalp. Powered by jet aviation engineering, JetPeel uses pressurized air, accelerated to supersonic velocities, to deliver powerful, bioactive skin nutrients to the dermal layer.

•Reshape™ – a non-invasive device offering an advanced combination of radio frequency (RF) and vacuum therapy to safely and effectively provide treatments for skin tightening, body and facial contouring, and cellulite reduction. With groundbreaking CORE technology, which features multiple RF modes, practitioners can offer the most requested aesthetic treatments with optimal clinical results and patient satisfaction.

•Horizon™ – a multi-platform technology offering IPL, Nd: YAG, Erbium, and Diode laser treatments in one portable platform system. The Horizon platform is user friendly and incorporates a Sub-Zero Cooling Tip which freezes and numbs pain receptor, allowing treatments to be performed at higher energy levels with virtually no pain.

•EmCyte Pure PRP – achieves the purest samples of any PRP extraction system with the highest quality outcomes.

•Ready Medical – a line of sterile, medical grade topical products that are mixed at the time of application and improve the results of other non-invasive treatments and surgical cosmetic procedures.

With an expansive showroom in NYC, as well as offices in Boston and Palm Beach, NYLO Aesthetics sources and distributes innovative, state-of-the-art aesthetic technologies to U.S. medical offices, including dermatologists and plastic surgeons, as well as premiere medi-spas, luxury hotel spas, and day spas.

“We launched the NYLO Aesthetics division to address the needs of the prestige luxury aesthetic market by offering exclusive, innovative technology at affordable pricing,” says Ari Marom, founder of NY Laser Outlet. With a customer-centric approach at the core of their business model, NYLO Aesthetics’ commitment to first class customer care means a culture of integrity, the highest quality equipment, and on-going customer support including clinical education and marketing.

About NY Laser Outlet

Founded in 2014 as a one-stop-shop for the aesthetic laser industry, NY Laser Outlet. provides services that include buying, selling, renting, repairing laser devices and parts, as well as offering financing and clinical education. The company has established a reputation for having the highest quality equipment, a culture of integrity and exceptional customer service. Clients visit from all over the world and appreciate the honesty and objectivity that is provided to them.

For brand news and updates follow @nyloaesthetics and @myjetpeel

For more information, please contact Irene Reiss at NYLO Aesthetics via email at irene@nylaseroutlet.com.

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Addigy to Feature Cloud-Based Apple Device Management at the 2019 MacTech Conference in Los Angeles


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Addigy Logo

Addigy, a leading provider of cloud-based Apple Device Management software, today announced that the company will highlight its latest generation macOS/iOS management platform at the 2019 MacTech conference in Los Angeles. With 2020 on the horizon and a number of businesses already adopting macOS 10.15 Catalina, Addigy will showcase several new capabilities that allow administrators and users to take full advantage of the new operating system. Additionally, Addigy will discuss new workflows that Catalina presents to IT administrators.

The MacTech Conference is a major event for Apple IT pros, enterprise, and consultants. This is the event where Apple’s announcements of the year—including new operating systems and hardware—meet reality. Educational sessions from speakers around the world will share their knowledge at the 2019 event. And, there will be activities to give computing professionals time with their peers. Finally, attendees will have direct interaction with the most useful vendors, to allow the building of relationships with inside contacts. At this year’s event, Addigy will support admins in optimizing their experience with Catalina, with a recently enhanced platform to facilitate the management of business environments.

Catalina is the latest generation operating system from Apple with significant upgrades to end-user privacy and system security. With Catalina, administrators can now create Mac apps from iPad apps and run them natively alongside existing Mac applications so that they can drag and drop content between them. Full advantage can be taken from a larger screen and more powerful macOS architecture to provide a more productive user experience.

Addigy’s full-stack cloud-based Apple Device Management platform allows for centralized management of Catalina and iOS 13 computing environments. The solution provides 24x7x365 oversight of Apple devices to ensure systems are secure, up-to-date, and running at the highest levels of efficiency. IT administrators can thoroughly audit their Apple assets quickly, without server setup to identify which OS versions and applications are installed, and whether updates have been applied to all machines on the network. Catalina is a big turning point in the hardening of Apple machines and Addigy’s ongoing support is simplifying the large-scale management of these systems.

“32-bit apps will not run on Catalina, and that’s a good thing,” said John Sutcliffe, Head of Product, Addigy. “32-bit apps are not able to leverage the power and sophistication of 64-bit processors or all the memory available in the equipment. Plus, they cannot take advantage of the new security enhancements that are continually being added to the mac operating system. At the event, Addigy will demonstrate how to simplify the migration to Catalina and make a checklist available to show attendees.”

“Addigy is currently in the process of supporting hundreds of business users migrating their macOS systems to the new operating system,” said Jason Dettbarn, CEO, Addigy. “Our comprehensive management suite allows users to get the most out of Catalina and we invite MacTech attendees to learn how to get the most out of this new environment.”

Addigy Device Management Platform — Free Trial

A free trial of Addigy is available at https://addigy.com/signup/.

Tweet This: @Addigy to Feature Cloud-Based Apple Device Management at the 2019 MacTech Conference in Los Angeles – https://bit.ly/2Bu9DCX

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About Addigy

Trusted by more than 3,000 global organizations, Addigy provides cloud-based Apple Device Management solutions for IT teams in enterprise, education, and MSP environments. Our multi-tenant SaaS offerings are changing the way administrators support their end-users, helping people get the most out of their Apple products every day. We believe good ideas are made great through community and collaboration, and strive to live that charter in all that we create and do. To learn more, visit us at http://www.addigy.com.

Contact Addigy

Call +1 305-330-6677 or email sales@addigy.com

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WMR-532, LLC Signs $49.9M Geospatial Contract with USACE Mobile District


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Image courtesy of JALBTCX

“By accurately mapping the near-shore environment and ocean floor with this proven data, we can address increasingly impactful coastal issues around the world, promoting resiliency, recovery and navigation safety.”

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Mobile District, has signed the WMR-532, a Woolpert-Optimal GEO joint venture, to a single-award task order contract (SATOC) to provide operations, maintenance and technical support services for the Joint Airborne Lidar Bathymetry Technical Center of Expertise (JALBTCX). The five-year, firm-fixed-price contract has a value of $49.9 million.

WMR-532 will collect and process bathymetric and topographic lidar utilizing the government’s Coastal Zone Mapping and Imaging Lidar (CZMIL) systems, gathering high-resolution imagery and 3D data of the beach and shallow water seafloor. This includes coastal topography, benthic classification and water column characterization. The USACE will assign performance locations in the contiguous United States (CONUS) and outside the mainland U.S. (OCONUS) and allocate funds per each order.

This contract is a continuation of services provided under a WMR-532 contract signed in 2017, which was completed two years ahead of schedule. Like the previous contract, the data collected from these aerial survey operations will support the National Coastal Mapping Program (NCMP) for the USACE and the Airborne Coastal Survey (ACS) for the Naval Oceanographic Office (NAVOCEANO).

Task orders completed under the previous contract included collecting post-storm lidar and imagery after hurricanes Matthew, Irma, Maria and Michael, as well as collecting lidar and imagery to document and model the effects of extreme weather in Alaska for JALBTCX over the last two summers.

“By accurately mapping the near-shore environment and ocean floor with this proven data, we can address increasingly impactful coastal issues around the world, promoting resiliency, recovery and navigation safety,” said John Gerhard, Woolpert’s director of Maritime Solutions. “This is a great win for WMR-532 because it not only confirms that we are appropriately serving the needs of this excellent, long-term client, but it also allows us to continue to provide industry-leading lidar data to promote this vital work globally.”

Woolpert Geospatial Sector Leader Joseph Seppi said the WMR-532 team is steadfastly committed to supporting the mission of JALBTCX and its government partners.

“We are honored to have been selected to continue to serve,” Seppi said.

Mark Brooks, chief operating officer for Optimal GEO, stated: “The JALBTCX program is an excellent example of multiple government agencies, universities and private sector companies working collectively. WMR-532 is proud to continue to support the NCMP and ACS missions.”

About Woolpert

Woolpert is committed to a vision to become the premier architecture, engineering and geospatial (AEG) firm, and one of the best companies in the country. It’s a vision we’ve been fine-tuning for decades. It guides our decisions and investments, provides our clients with optimal solutions and offers our employees unrivaled opportunities. Woolpert is recognized as a Great Place to Work by its employees and is America’s fastest growing AEG firm. With more than a century of experience, close to 1,000 employees and 30 offices, Woolpert supports public, private, federal, and U.S. military clients nationally and around the globe. For more information, visit woolpert.com and connect with us on LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook.

About Optimal GEO

Optimal GEO is a small business geospatial firm that specializes in executing a full range of geospatial services including Photogrammetric Mapping, Orthoimagery, Lidar, GIS, and GEOINT. Our team is well versed and has a long history in providing these services to the defense and intelligence communities. As a passionate and exceedingly capable small business, we stand together with our clients from the development of their goals, through technical project execution and identification of future geospatial strategies. Having an in-depth knowledge of a broad range of geospatial data, products and services affords Optimal GEO the ability to communicate and implement solutions with an understanding of the interoperability and opportunities today’s geospatial marketplace affords. From the collection of Lidar to produce highly accurate topographic and bathymetric data to the design and development of mobile GIS and web apps we are dedicated to advancing your geospatial program. Optimal GEO provides expert guidance in geospatial solutions that put the needs of the end user up front while saving clients time and money through the streamlining of resources. Optimal GEO’s clients include federal and state government entities including the United States Department of Defense. For more information, visit optimalgeo.com or call 256-882-7788.

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FirstLight® Home Care Recognized by Franchise Business Review as a Top Franchise for Veterans, Top Senior Care Franchise and Most Innovative Franchise


FirstLight® Home Care, the leading national provider of non-medical home care, has been named by Franchise Business Review as a Top Franchise for Veterans, a Top Senior Care Franchise and one of the year’s Most Innovative Franchises.

This year, Franchise Business Review surveyed 1,633 franchisees in the senior care sector to gauge satisfaction with their franchisor and happiness with their decision to invest in a franchise. The team also surveyed more than 26,000 franchisees from many of today’s leading franchise brands to determine the top franchises for veterans and the most innovative franchises, based exclusively on franchisee satisfaction. Each survey participant was asked 33 benchmark questions about their franchisor that focused on areas such as leadership, training, and core values, as well as 16 more personal questions concerning their business lifestyle and overall enjoyment related to operating their franchise.

“Being featured on these 2019 lists is very satisfying because they are each based on surveys of owners which shows how satisfied our franchisees are to be a part of the FirstLight family,” said Jeff Bevis, co-founder and CEO of FirstLight Home Care. “We feel that the key to our continued growth is not only serving our home care clients exceptionally well but also doing everything in our power to make our owners successful. We take the team concept very seriously and being ranked as a top franchise opportunity of 2019 proves that our approach is working.”

This listing marks the third year FirstLight Home Care has been recognized by Franchise Business Review as a top senior care franchise; the second year the brand has been recognized as a top innovative franchise; and the fifth year as a leading franchise for veterans.

FirstLight serves seniors, adults with disabilities, new mothers, veterans, those recovering from surgery and other adults in need of assistance through a Culture of Care™ commitment to excellent service, personal growth and accountability. The company’s caregivers help with a wide range of needs, including personal hygiene, cooking, cleaning, running errands, mobility assistance and dementia care.

This ability to tap into demand across a wide customer base positions FirstLight for continued success, especially as the home care industry continues to grow rapidly in the United States. With more than 200 locations nationwide, a 77% caregiver retention rate based on consistent training and professional development opportunities, and a systemwide revenue of $117 million, FirstLight Home Care is a premier service brand in the home care space.

Additionally, FirstLight has shown significant growth in 2019 by opening 14 locations in markets across the U.S. FirstLight is also looking to build on that momentum by actively targeting Greater Philadelphia, Miami, Seattle, Dallas, Pittsburgh, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, San Jose, Greater Hartford and Montgomery for development.

“We are growing at a very rapid and strategic rate,” said Jamie Davis, Executive Director of Franchise Development. “The markets we are targeting are proven to succeed and it is so great to see that success now being recognized in the senior care sector and the franchising industry as a whole.”

In recent months, the company has also made the Inc. 5000 list of fastest-growing, privately held companies, and ranked No. 3 on Forbes’ 2019 “Best Franchises To Buy” in the Low Investment Category.

For more information on FirstLight Home Care’s franchising opportunities, visit: https://www.firstlightfranchise.com/.

About FirstLight® Home Care

FirstLight® Home Care is a leading provider of non-medical home care, helping individuals in more than 30 states achieve the quality of life they deserve. The company has set a new standard in home care by creating an unmatched Culture of Care™ that drives industry-leading client and employee satisfaction. FirstLight is a lifeline not only for seniors, but for people recovering from illness, injury or surgery, adults with disabilities, veterans, busy families, and anyone 18 and older who need personal or companion care services. FirstLight Home Care’s mission is to deliver exceptional, compassionate care provided by extraordinary people so that all those who are served may age with comfort, dignity and independence in the place they call home. FirstLight is also proud to champion the family caregivers who give countless hours of care to their loved ones every day by providing the resources and support needed to help them maintain balance in their own lives. Visit FirstLightHomeCare.com. Connect with FirstLight on Facebook and Twitter.

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Personiv’s ‘Trek for a Cause 2.0’ Raises More Than $5K for Miracle Foundation Through Himalayan Trek


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Personiv team reaches peak in Himalayas to help orphans worldwide.

One of Personiv’s foremost cultural pillars is the social responsibility initiative of ‘Giving Back’. We firmly believe in supporting the communities where we live and work in ways that will make the highest impact; it’s something we like to call, ‘Being Human’, David Lesniak, CEO, Personiv said.

In their second such effort, members from each of Personiv’s four global sites set out from the Kullu Valley in Himachal Pradesh, India, on September 11 to raise money for the non-profit Miracle Foundation that aims to give orphans around the world a safe home. On September 14, the team completed the challenging four-day hike through the Pir Panjal range of the Himalayas as ‘One Personiv’. The trek took the team across river rapids, steep boulder walks and two glaciers to an altitude of 14,050 feet between the Veo Dibba and Indrasan peaks.

This year’s trek was the company’s largest yet with a total of 50 Personiv team members participating including nine from Personiv’s Austin, Texas headquarters; 10 from the site in Manila, Philippines; 13 from Coimbatore, India; and 18 from Gurugram, India. The global group came together as one under the leadership of Personiv CEO David Lesniak.

“One of Personiv’s foremost cultural pillars is the social responsibility initiative of ‘Giving Back’. We firmly believe in supporting the communities where we live and work in ways that will make the highest impact; it’s something we like to call, ‘Being Human’,” Lesniak said. “This donation to Miracle Foundation will help children in need on a global scale.”

Along the way, trekkers encountered physically demanding terrain, breathtakingly beautiful vistas and raised over $5,000 for Miracle Foundation. The global non-profit provides life-changing resources for orphaned children around the world by advocating for their rights and working to reunite them with family whenever possible.

This is the second time that Personiv has raised funds for the foundation, adding to the more than $20,000 raised and presented to Miracle Foundation as part of their original Trek for a Cause up the famed Mount Kilimanjaro in Africa with all nine team members reaching the peak of 19,341 feet in March 2019.

Caroline Boudreaux, Founder of Miracle Foundation had this to say of the partnership between Miracle Foundation and Personiv on that occasion: “Personiv is a perfect partner for Miracle. We move and climb mountains every day to help orphaned children reach their full potential,” she said. “Personiv climbed a literal mountain in order to bring awareness to the plight of orphans. Thank you to everyone who worked to support children who need the love of a good parent. Your partnership changed lives.”

About Miracle Foundation

Miracle Foundation is a nonprofit that brings life-changing care to orphaned and vulnerable children across India. They believe that all children deserve an education, nutrition, healthcare, and a safe and loving family in which to grow up. Their THRIVE scale, a first-of-its-kind care model based on the UN Rights of the Child, has improved the lives of thousands of children, catalyzing measurable change within orphanages while facilitating the return of children to their families. The organization creates systemic change by training government and community-level caregivers to identify at-risk children, support vulnerable families, and prevent children from entering the orphanage system. They know that a family for every child, in our lifetime, is possible. For more information, visit http://www.MiracleFoundation.org.

About Personiv

Personiv provides quality outsourced services to companies around the world by developing key processes and systems designed to save time and money. From finance and accounting to digital and creative, their teams of highly skilled talent stand ready to complete projects with quality and confidence, allowing customers to focus on goal-reaching strategic priorities. With nearly 35 years of experience, and site locations in four countries, Personiv hires, trains and retains top talent to provide customized, global solutions. For more information, visit http://www.personiv.com.

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Seeds of Change™ Partners with Big Green for Plant a Seed Day 2020


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Kimbal Musk, founder of Plant a Seed Day, plants seeds with kids in their school Learning Garden built by Big Green.

Plant a Seed Day is a call-to-arms. It’s a push for action. It’s a drive to make a change in how we eat.

Plant a Seed Day 2020 will take place on March 19, 2020, the first day of spring. Plant a Seed Day is a global movement started by the 501(c)(3) non-profit organization Big Green and its founder Kimbal Musk to mobilize kids, their families, and communities to take a single simple action – plant a seed to grow real food in their home or classroom. Mars Food’s organic seed-to-plate brand SEEDS OF CHANGE™ has partnered with Big Green for the second annual event to promote health and wellness in communities worldwide.

Today, SEEDS OF CHANGE is helping to kick-off the 2020 Seed Pledge Platform to enable anyone anywhere to pledge to plant seeds next spring. Once the pledge is signed, Big Green will provide access to a library of gardening guides, planting tips, and more and begin to connect with a network of other people who are making the pledge.

“The SEEDS OF CHANGE brand was founded 30 years ago with two purposes – to preserve the biodiversity of seeds and to revolutionize the food system by pioneering organic farming,” said Isabella Chia, Senior Brand Manager of SEEDS OF CHANGE. “We bring that to life by partnering with organizations like Big Green who align with our brand mission and the Mars Food purpose to create a better world tomorrow through better food today. We share the belief that change requires collective action, and Plant a Seed Day has the ability to mobilize communities to take meaningful steps toward building a better food system.”

“Plant a Seed Day is a call-to-arms. It’s a push for action. It’s a drive to make a change in how we eat,” said Kimbal Musk, Founder of Plant a Seed Day. “SEEDS OF CHANGE is a dream partner for us in this initiative as they share our common values to take action in order to live and thrive in a more healthful, beautiful world.”

Plant a Seed Day 2020 will mark the second annual event for the movement with support from SEEDS OF CHANGE (last year, the brand donated 200,000 seed packets). The first-ever Plant a Seed Day occurred on March 20, 2019 and resulted in over 1.2 million seeds (on record) being planted with over 217,000 people pledging to plant in over 45 countries and in every state in America. The movement gained worldwide attention by some of today’s biggest celebrity activists including Salma Hayek, Ian Somerhalder, Amanda Cerny, Nick Jonas, Karlie Kloss, Maye Musk, and many others.

Big Green installs Learning Gardens, edible gardens and outdoor classrooms, in urban schools around the country. In a world blanketed by asphalt, a school garden is an oasis of green space in the lives of inner-city children. Learning Gardens provide rich educational opportunities for students, not only in their core curriculum of math, literacy, and science, but also in nutrition, health, and environmental literacy. Contact with nature is critical in encouraging imagination and creativity, cognitive and intellectual development, and social relationships.

Studies have shown that participating in gardening as a child is the most important contributor to positive attitudes and actions toward the environment as an adult. Even in urban communities where green spaces are few and far between, gardening opportunities for kids can be enough to instill a deep appreciation and respect for nature come adulthood. Planting a seed encourages a connection with the natural world and an opportunity to understand from where food comes.

For more information about Plant a Seed Day 2020 and to sign the pledge, visit http://www.plantaseedday.org or on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook @plantaseedday.

About Mars Food

Mars Food is a fast-growing dinnertime food business, making tastier, healthier, easier meals that bring the world to the dinner table. Headquartered in London, Mars Food’s portfolio of leading brands includes: UNCLE BEN’S®, DOLMIO™, SEEDS OF CHANGE™, MASTERFOODS™, MIRACOLI™, TASTY BITE™, SUZI WAN™, EBLY™, ROYCO™, KAN TONG™, ABU SIOUF™, RARIS™, and PAMESELLO™. Our purpose – Better Food Today. A Better World Tomorrow. – drives our business to be a leader in health & wellbeing and sustainability. Mars Food is a segment of Mars, Incorporated. For more information about SEEDS OF CHANGE™, please visit seedsofchange.com or follow @seedsofchange. #BeASeedOfChange

About Big Green

Big Green was started in 2011 by The Kitchen restaurateurs Hugo Matheson and Kimbal Musk with the fundamental belief that every child should have the opportunity to play, learn, and grow in healthy communities. Big Green builds a healthier future for kids by connecting them to real food through a nationwide network of Learning Gardens and food literacy programs. Big Green seeks to reduce preventable diet-related health disparities and teach lifelong healthy habits by building a national school food culture that promotes youth wellness. Today there are Learning Gardens in over five hundred schools around the United States reaching 350,000 students every day. For more information, please visit http://biggreen.org or follow on Twitter and Instagram @BigGreen.

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Astro Digital announces its latest mission and successful dedicated launch of a 16U CubeSat bus with advanced payloads


Astro Digital Mission Launch

Astro Digital’s Successful Mission Launch; As The Crow Flies

With this launch, our technology demonstration will focus on next-generation communications and propulsion capabilities combined with our flight-proven and application-agnostic 16U micro-satellite bus.

Astro Digital, a leading provider of holistic solutions to develop, deploy and operate space infrastructure, today announced the successful dedicated launch of its latest mission with Rocket Lab from their New Zealand launch facilities.

“As a smallsat operator that prides itself on the ability to rapidly develop and deploy innovative satellite constellations and technology proof of concepts, having an organization like Rocket Lab to partner for the launch phase of the mission is critical,” stated Chris Biddy, Astro Digital’s CEO.”This launch is an excellent case in point; we were able to complete and launch the satellite within six months,” continued Biddy. “The launch went flawlessly, and we couldn’t be more excited about the mission’s progress,” said Biddy.

“The mission is a perfect example of the tailored, responsive, and precise launch service sought by an increasing number of small satellite operators,” stated Lars Hoffman, Rocket Lab’s Senior Vice President of Global Launch Services. “We are honored Astro Digital has selected Rocket Lab as the launch provider for their dedicated mission. The Electron launch vehicle, with its unique Kick Stage, is perfectly positioned to provide the tailored, rapid, and responsive access to space that rideshare models can’t deliver,” said Hoffman.

“With this launch, our technology demonstration is focused on next-generation communications and propulsion capabilities combined with our flight-proven and application-agnostic 16U micro-satellite bus,” stated Patrick Shannon, Astro Digital’s Vice President, and Palisade Program Manager. “In essence, we’re looking at one of the most capable micro-satellites ever launched,” continued Shannon.

About Rocket Lab

Rocket Lab is the world’s leading dedicated small satellite launch provider. Founded in 2006, Rocket Lab provides end-to-end mission services, including complete satellite build and launch solutions, that provide rapid, frequent, and reliable access to space. Since its first orbital launch in January 2018, Rocket Lab has delivered 35 satellites to orbit on the Electron launch vehicle, enabling operations in space debris mitigation,

Earth observation, ship, and airplane tracking, and radio communications. Headquartered in Huntington Beach, California, Rocket Lab designs and manufactures the Electron launch vehicle, a full carbon-composite launch vehicle tailored for small satellites. Rocket Lab operates launch sites in Māhia, New Zealand, and Wallops Island, Virginia. To learn more, visit http://www.rocketlabusa.com.

About Astro Digital

As a holistic offering, Astro Digital currently designs, builds, and operates micro-satellite systems supporting space-based turn-key missions for business applications, including earth observation, communications, In-orbit demonstrations, in addition to various science and exploration applications. Astro Digital is headquartered in Santa Clara, California. To learn more, visit http://www.astrodigital.com.

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